SAN LEANDRO (BCN)

An Oakland man allegedly tried to avoid being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting by saying he was infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, San Leandro police said Thursday.

Serrell Gordon, 40, was apparently seen taking about $780 of energy drinks from Walmart at 15555 Hesperian Blvd. on March 17.

Police were dispatched at 3:20 p.m. that day to the store after someone called to report a robbery. Gordon was wearing a medical mask when he was apparently seen taking the drinks. Police allege that when Walmart loss prevention staff stopped Gordon, he falsely said he had the coronavirus.

Loss prevention staff backed away from Gordon, and Gordon allegedly left the store with the drinks. The staff then notified police. Officers stopped Gordon in a vehicle a short distance from the store and arrested him on suspicion of robbery.

Lt. Ted Henderson said a robbery can occur in a shoplifting situation in California when the suspect is stopped by security and attempts to use force, or apparently fear in this case, to steal the goods and avoid arrest.

Police did not say how they knew Gordon did not have the virus. Police said prosecutors have charged Gordon with robbery and resisting arrest. Gordon is being held in Santa Rita Jail on $60,000 bail.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
O n March 24 the Department for Health and Social Care published in error that women would be able to take prescribed early medical abortion drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol) at home during the unprecedented coronavirus situation.

The period of home isolation and school closures will make it difficult for women to access abortion care in clinics. The period is likely to put women at increased risk of domestic violence. The current strain on healthcare services will also make medical appointments and contraceptive care less easily accessible.

Enabling access to prescribed medical abortion under home isolation is vital for women, and should be considered a priority area of womens healthcare during this public health emergency.

Dr Ben Kasstan, School of Global Studies, University of Sussex

Editor's reply

Dear Ben

The coronavirus crisis presents practical problems for healthcare on a daily basis. Access to an early abortion is one of them. A suspension of the current rules seems a sensible way forward. The sudden U-turn has led to puzzlement and great concern.

As the rules currently stand, the first pill, mifepristone, is taken at a clinic and the second, misoprostol, at home a day or two later. About 180,000 women in the UK terminate a first-trimester pregnancy in this way each year. Avoiding the need for women to travel to a clinic during this pandemic makes sense. But the Governments position is that checks and balances on abortion must be maintained. It says a woman can consult a doctor by phone or videocam but insists the first pill is taken in a clinic. This is to give the opportunity for a private consultation and to prevent a woman in an abusive relationship being coerced into having an abortion.

About 45,000 women are likely to seek an early abortion during the coronavirus lockdown. The fact Parliament has chosen to shut itself down should not allow the issue to be swept under the carpet.

Ross Lydall, Health Editor

Rick Stein, you too can be a food hero

PA

Rick Steins apparent negligence not paying his staff is more dispiriting than that of Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin.

While the latter has always seemed a Dickensian miser, Stein is loved for his generous TV presence. Whether waxing lyrical about comte or gamely navigating the street-food labyrinths of Hanoi, his lack of pretence is refreshing and endearing. His shows are a balm amid our chaotic London lives.

I hope he doesnt make a pigs ear of it and his staff get their dues. If so, Id welcome Ricks Covid-19-coping tips on our screens alongside those of Jamie Oliver  at the risk of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Paul Samuel

Deaf left behind at crisis briefings

The deaf community is in danger from the absence of a sign language interpreter or open captions during Downing Street broadcasts. I am concerned for a high number of deaf people who do not use the internet, or live alone.

The majority of countries have produced broadcasts with sign language interpreters. In addition, open captions attract more attention than solely spoken discourse, and many viewers who do not use closed captions would listen better.

Penelope Anne Beschizza, Part-time deaf education professional

Put Brexit on hold during this crisis

Ed Davey / AFP via Getty Images

I wholeheartedly agree with Sir Ed Daveys letter [Put Brexit on hold and extend transition period, March 25 ]. As a nation we have already spent billions since the referendum, we are spending even more on fighting coronavirus and may possibly need to nationalise some large corporations. We simply cannot afford to spend more money on leaving a trading organisation next year which will prove vital after this pandemic is finally beaten.

Robert Boston

I find it rather worrying that Sir Ed Davey can advocate putting Brexit on hold. His reasoning does not add up. We have 100,000 new NHS workers returning to work, medical supplies are organised and the will to conquer this virus is apparent among the UK population.
The legal system is changing in the wake of the coronavirus with courthouses across the Lehigh Valley shut down and judges not hearing cases unless they pose an emergent need.

One of the largest issues facing area law firms are divorced or separated clients with child custody disputes and concerns amid fears of spreading COVID-2019. This comes as Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday expanded a stay-at-home order to include the Lehigh Valley in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. Co-parenting parties remain permitted to transfer custody of children despite the Lehigh Valley falling under the shelter-in-place order, attorneys say.

As folks move to quarantining inside and practice social distancing outside, the majority are separating themselves from everyone except their immediate family members. But for those who are divorced or separated, the term immediate family can become blurred during the pandemic.

Law firms since the coronavirus began in the Lehigh Valley have been inundated with calls from anxious parents concerned about returning children to co-parents who might not be willing to practice proper health and safety measures. They are contemplating whether to keep their child away from the other parent, in violation of a shared-custody agreement but wonder how the courts will react.

Kellie L. Rahl-Heffner of the Allentown-based firm Gross McGinley LLP, is one of the attorneys fielding these questions.

Inquiries also include whether a parent can refuse to send the child to a home or suspend visits if a family member in another home is immunocompromised. What if a parent or family member works in a medical facility and the other parent doesnt want the child exposed? Can visits then be suspended?

Rahl-Heffner, whose been practicing law for the past 15 years, said all these concerns in the wake of the pandemic are uncharted legal territory. Few custody and child-support court orders will have provisions covering how to share parenting during a pandemic, she said.

As recently as last week, Rahl-Heffner said each county in Pennsylvania and even each judge was making determinations as to what matters would move forward. She and colleagues were actively participating in conferences over the phone. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has since ordered all courts closed to the public. In Northampton County, Executive Lamont McClure wanted to reopen the courthouse, 669 Washington St. in Easton, by April 1 -- now a moot expectation given Wolfs stay-at-home order.

As courts are closed, whats being shifted aside mostly are routine divorce, custody and support matters until further notice. Matters being heard are those that deal with immediate health and safety needs, such as protection-from-abuse hearings and emergent custody petitions. And even those likely will only be heard over the phone.

Everything is just unknown at this point, Rahl-Heffner told lehighvalleylive.com.

In the meantime, Rahl-Heffner recommends clients find some common ground with those whom they are co-parenting with during this unprecedented time. She suggests talking through concerns, coming up with agreements, and possibly moving to no-physical contact if both parties agree.

I have recommended choosing a different place for the custodial exchange, such as larger, less busy parking lots or curbside at a parents home, she said. Families can also consider virtual visits, as we have amazing technology options at our fingertips, especially if a family member has been exposed to the virus.

If agreement is really impossible, Rahl-Heffner said those who are co-parenting need to be mindful of future repercussions. Shared-custody agreements and orders were crafted when the present crisis was unimaginable, but violating them could lead to some judges reducing visitation and custody for parents who interfere with the others custodial rights, she said.

I do find that stress levels are higher across the board, which never helps in the custody arena," Rahl-Heffner said. The law has not changed and families that are operating under a custody order, are still obligated to do so.

From left to right: Loren L. Speziale, Kellie L. Rahl-Heffner and R. Nicholas Nanovic, attorneys at Allentown-based firm Gross McGinley LLP.

Other clients fear job loss and if they can be terminated from positions in the event they have to self-isolate or quarantine as a result of the pandemic. Gov. Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses to close their doors on March 23. Essential businesses still operating include anything from supermarkets to medical and healthcare facilities to restaurants for carryout and delivery. Also open are home improvement retailers, banks, pet stores, warehouses and hotels.

Loren L. Speziale, a partner specializing in business law at Gross McGinley, said for employees of essential businesses that remain open and who are required to be on-site and performing essential tasks, state law does not protect them if they decide they are not comfortable going to work. That is considered a personal decision, she said.

They are at-will employees and the employer has the right to terminate their employment for any reason or no reason," Speziale said, noting they are not protected under leave protection amid the pandemic.

Employees, however, who are subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation orders related to COVID-19 are protected at least as it relates to their entitlement to paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The legislation, which expires on Dec. 31, specifically states employers are prohibited from retaliating, discriminating, discharging and disciplining employees while they are using paid sick leave. That leave can be used by employees subject to an order related to COVID-19, Speziale said.

Other clients are reaching out to attorneys about filing tax returns given the new July 15 extension set by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service. R. Nicholas Nanovic, who specializes in estate planning at Gross McGinley, said not everything is postponed to July 15.

The Internal Revenue Service on March 21 announced it would be moving all federal income tax filing and payment deadlines from April 15 to July 15. However, this automatic extension of the deadline does not apply to other types of federal taxes, such as employment taxes, unemployment taxes, gift taxes and estate taxes.

Those owing estimated taxes, meaning taxpayers who earn most of their income from something other than wages, must still file on June 15 with only the first payment -- originally owed on April 15 -- now extended to July 15. The second payment also is due on July 15, Nanovic said.

At the state level, there are other forms that have not been addressed or moved officially. These include capital stock/foreign franchise taxes. They must be filed by any business entity that elects to file as a corporation with the IRS, which are due Aug. 14, and estates and trusts, which are due on April 15. Nanovic said extensions, however, could be granted if filed in time.

Those seeking immediate responses from the court, however, might be in luck due to the ability to send electronic filings of urgent matters.

Attorneys are continuing to work with clients and submit filings. Most courts, such as in Lehigh County, have robust e-filing systems while others have modified procedures allowing for alternatives to in-person filings if not equipped with e-filing, Rahl-Heffner said.

Sign up for text message alerts from lehighvalleylive.com on coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley:





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

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Sachin Relwani appointed as the new Channel Head of Kaspersky in March who will be looking over the South Asia Region covering India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

Sachin is expected to overlook and strengthen the channel partners network, distribution and the vendor community in the South Asia region. Sachin will also be responsible of recruiting new partners as well as maintain the existing relationships with partners and distributors. With strategic planning in association with the partners, the aim is to reach out to the end-users in the remotest areas of India and beyond. Sachin will be closely working with the India team based in Kasperskys South Asia office in Mumbai.

Commencing his journey with Kaspersky, Sachin Relwani said, The cybersecurity industry is very dynamic right now. With the evolving cyber ecosystem it is one of the most exciting times to be a part of this industry, especially with a team who is ready to Bring on the Future of technology and cybersecurity. I am very excited to take up the role of Channel Head at Kaspersky for the South Asia region and equally thrilled to develop greater and stronger long term relations with existing and new partners. I am also inspired by their commitment to escalate the partner and company profits through their global partner program Kaspersky United that enables partners globally to benefit from specialization, technical and support benefits which lead to higher profitability.

With his 19+ years of expertise in channel partner distribution and vendor community, Sachin will focus his efforts towards expanding Kasperskys reach in the B2B market and to the remotest areas for South Asia in association with Kasperskys partners and distributors.

Mr. Dipesh Kaura, General Manager, Kaspersky (South Asia) said, With our 100% focus on our channel network, were really looking forward to working with Sachin. He brings with him an expertise in this area that will certainly help us strengthen our existing partnerships and also build new ones. The entire team extends him a warm and a hearty welcome

South Asia remains a priority for Kaspersky and we are on a constant lookout for future partnerships to build and expand a healthy partner ecosystem for the industry, and Sachins joining will only add more fuel to our focus on channel development programs, added Dipesh Kaura

Prior to his appointment at Kaspersky, Sachin held senior leadership roles in companies like Salesforce, Adobe and SAP. Sachin is an Electronics Engineer, who completed his MBA from Wellinkers Institute of Management, Mumbai. He further went onto complete a Leadership Program at IIM- Ahmedabad with a focus on  Taking People Along and Managing by Persuasion in 2016.
Amidst the growing coronavirus pandemic, about 20 countries are yet to report a case of the virus.

Despite not having a single case, preventive measures have been put in place by these to ensure the virus does not spread to them.

There are seven continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North America, South America, and Antarctica. Antarctica is least inhabited with a population of between 1,000 and 5,000 depending on season. There is no reported case of the virus there so far.

Africa

According to worldometer, which gives real time statistics on the outbreak, in Africa, as Friday afternoon, eight countries have not recorded a single case while 46 have confirmed cases. There are more than 2700 confirmed cases in Africa, 75 deaths, and 208 recoveries.

The eight countries are Botswana, Burundi, Lesotho, Malawi, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. Notwithstanding their zero cases, they have put in place safety precautions to ensure their preparedness in fighting the virus.

Botswana started its preparation for a lockdown. Botswanan president, Mokgwetsi Lasisi, reportedly said, Please prepare yourselves for the imminent lockdown. Our experts, led by Dr Masupu with Prof Alexandra advises us to restrict the movement of people so we are better able to trace and treat any case that occurs.

Burundi has suspended all international flights; Lesotho has placed restrictions on movements from the midnight of March 29 to April 21. Non-essential travels are prohibited.

Malawi has in place a national contingency plan to prepare and prevent the virus. So far, the government of Malawi has released $3.2 million for the immediate expenditures. The plan is to secure almost $20 million.

The expenditure involves, awareness campaigns, training of local authorities, media and health staff, redeploying of health personnel in all border posts, suspension of hosting international meetings, suspension of schools, and institutional quarantine and suspension of visas to citizens of countries that have been hit by Covid-19.

In Portuguese-speaking Sao Tome and Principe, a state of emergency was declared on March 17.

Sierra Leone has declared a 12-month state of public health emergency which took effect on March 24. Overseas travel has been banned for government officials. A ban was placed on public gatherings of more than 100 persons.

South Sudan, due to fears of the pandemic, has gone into lockdown.

Asia

In Asia, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Yemen are yet to report cases although preventive measures have been put in place.

Yemen, where conflicts continue to brew, has been warned by the UN chief to put in place adequate contingency measures.

This is an evolving situation, one that requires cautions and level headedness regarding the health and well-being of staff, partners and Yemeni communities, the resident representative said.

READ ALSO:

A ceasefire is needed to combat Covid-19, the secretary-general added.

Europe

All countries and territories in Europe have confirmed cases. In Europe, there is a more than 247,667 and 13,895 deaths, Italy is the epicenter of the virus in Europe with 80,589 confirmed cases, followed by Spain 57,786.

America

All countries that makeup America have at least a case of the virus.

Oceania

There are 10 countries and 7 territories that are yet to confirm cases.

Australia has the highest number in the continent with a total of 3166 confirmed cases. The countries are Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samao, Kribati, Micronesia, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tovalu, and Naura, while the territories are Guam, Northern Marianna Islands, American Samao, Cook Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, and Tokelau.
Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg has said during a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba that Russia's attempts to lift sanctions because of coronavirus pandemic are futile.

Both Ministers stressed the joint position regarding the necessity to maintain sanctions of the international community in response to Russia's aggressive actions and Moscow's violation of international law, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs.

Russia's efforts to lift sanctions because of coronavirus pandemic are futile, Schallenberg assured.

As reported, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto earlier assured Dmytro Kuleba of the firm stances of their countries on sanctions policy against Russia.

ol
C hina's president has offered Donald Trump support in tackling the coronavirus as the United States confirmed it now has more cases than any other nation.

President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart his conuntry would be prepared to assist America in its fight, describing cooperation as the only option, state media reported.

The two leaders spoke over telephone, following which Mr Trump tweeted: "Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China.

"Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus.

"We are working closely together. Much respect!"

Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /106 Coronavirus - In pictures A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a womans temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP

According to China's state media, President Xi said his nation wants to continue sharing information and its experiences with the US.

During the call, he defended the accuracy of his nation's Covid-19 figures, which Mr Trump had previously questioned.

Xinhua news agency said President Xi told Mr Trump his nation had shared advice on "prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need".

"China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic," he said, according to the reports.

It comes after the US passed China with more than 85,000 cases, with around 1,300 patients having died so far, while Italy also exceeded 80,000.
business Indian lockdown disrupts Amazon, Flipkart deliveries The disruptions highlight the difficulties of ensuring the supply of essential goods to 1.3 billion people during the shutdown in India, which has so far reported 724 cases of coronavirus and 17 deaths.
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.
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. We'll use ROE to examine Piscines Desjoyaux SA (EPA:ALPDX), by way of a worked example.

Over the last twelve months Piscines Desjoyaux has recorded a ROE of 15%. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.15.

Check out our latest analysis for Piscines Desjoyaux

How Do You Calculate ROE?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Piscines Desjoyaux:

15% = 9.8m  67m (Based on the trailing twelve months to August 2019.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets.

What Does Return On Equity Signify?

ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the yearly profit. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies.

Does Piscines Desjoyaux Have A Good Return On Equity?

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. You can see in the graphic below that Piscines Desjoyaux has an ROE that is fairly close to the average for the Leisure industry (14%).

ENXTPA:ALPDX Past Revenue and Net Income March 27th 2020

That's neither particularly good, nor bad. ROE tells us about the quality of the business, but it does not give us much of an idea if the share price is cheap. If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Story continues

How Does Debt Impact ROE?

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same.

Piscines Desjoyaux's Debt And Its 15% ROE

While Piscines Desjoyaux does have some debt, with debt to equity of just 0.21, we wouldn't say debt is excessive. Its very respectable ROE, combined with only modest debt, suggests the business is in good shape. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality.

In Summary

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt.

But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. You can see how the company has grow in the past by looking at this FREE detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course Piscines Desjoyaux may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE and low debt.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
For Robyn Boeshans, the overwhelmed website hindered her ability to file unemployment for an entire week.

Boeshans is a server at Texas Roadhouse. She relies on tips from the busy eatery, but with dine-in restaurants closed, shes down to working maybe a few shifts a week on to-go orders.

Shes has been staying at her home on Billings far West End with her three young children. Her husband is also out of a job, working odd jobs. If she doesnt receive benefits soon, Boeshans is worried she and her family will lose her home.

Boeshans tried to apply for unemployment last Tuesday, March 17. While setting up her profile the website kicked her off.

It kept locking my access saying they need to verify my personal information, she said. The website directed her to call a representative. When shed call the phone line would ask her to call back in 10 minutes.

I think on one day I was calling 50 or so times, she said. Boeshans was locked out of her profile for a week.
Expect most of the 2,000 or so employees at MGM Springfield during the coming days to join the flood of dislocated workers filing unemployment claims.

When the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on March 14 ordered all casinos to close for two weeks, MGM Resorts International promised to continue paying its employees for two weeks. The states other two casinos, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park, announced similar arrangements.

But the Gaming Commission voted Wednesday to extend the shutdown for at least one more week to April 7, bringing it in line with Gov. Charlie Bakers order closing nonessential businesses.

Business closings have caused a wave of unemployment claims in Massachusetts and across the country.

The federal government reported Thursday that the number of new unemployment claims submitted in Massachusetts rose to 147,995 during the week ending on March 21  nearly 20 times the number of applications submitted the previous week.

The casino shutdowns took effect the weekend of March 14, so for most of MGM Springfields workers the two-week pay period expires this weekend.

MGM told regulators earlier this month it would keep a skeleton crew of cleaners, building maintenance and security staff after the casino and its hotel, restaurants and other attractions shut down. But slowly over the course of days even that crew has been pared down, the company said, starting the two-week clock for those employees as well.

The company is paying for benefits for all eligible employees enrolled in its health plans through June 30, according to a news release from the corporate headquarters in Las Vegas.

MGM earlier this week pledged to create a $1 million employee emergency grant fund and donate meals to food banks.

Encore Boston Harbor owner Wynn Resorts announced March 17 it would pay all its employees for 30 days. Encore had about 4,400 workers heading into the coronavirus crisis, according to reports it has made to the Gaming Commission.

Penn National Gaming, owner of Plainridge Park in Plainville, said the 400 employees there would be paid for two weeks.

Related content:
WASHINGTONTreasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated that the U.S. government would take stakes in airlines in exchange for billions of dollars in direct grants to the companies, according to people familiar with the matter, as part of a $2 trillion (U.S.) economic rescue package.

He detailed his plans during last-minute negotiations when the aid to airlines emerged as a major legislative sticking point. Republicans had rejected providing cash grants to airlines, and an earlier version of the legislation would have provided $50 billion in loans and loan guarantees to passenger airlines and $8 billion to cargo airlinesbut no direct aid.

Mr. Mnuchin has previously signalled such a move was on the table, saying last week that equity stakes could be part of the eventual aid package. While it wasnt clear what form the investment would take, one option is a warrant that converts into equity. A warrant gives the buyer the option to buy shares at a certain price.

A Treasury spokesman didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Airlines for America, the industry group for U.S. carriers, said the direct payroll grants would help airlines continue paying workers.

We remain hopeful that the federal government will expeditiously release these funds with as few restrictions as possible to ensure airlines are able to utilize these provisions and meet our payroll, the group said. Its statement didnt address the issue of government taking stakes in companies.

Carriers have announced severe cutbacks in service amid sharp declines in passengers, and they have been trying to bolster liquidity in recent weeks by drawing down credit facilities and taking out new loans.

The version of the legislation passed by the Senate Wednesday night would provide $25 billion in loans and guarantees to passenger airlines, with the remaining $25 billion in the form of direct grants, meeting the requests of the airlines. Airlines had wanted outright grants, last week proposing a $50 billion assistance package, with half of that paid in grants to provide the cash that many carriers need right away to avoid furloughs and pay cuts.

The Senate bill details the forms of investment that the Treasury secretary might make in connection with the grants, listing warrants, options, preferred stock, debt securities, notes or other financial instruments to provide appropriate compensation to the federal government for providing financial assistance.

Industry and government officials said the Treasury Department could have leeway to tailor the form of its investments to individual carriers.

Analysts have said the government aid would likely help airlines avoid the worst outcomes for now. But they are still in a precarious position, depending on the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, how quickly passengers begin flying again and the extent to which the viruss spread continues to bring new operational challenges.

We remain concerned that in the absence of second-half demand recovery, airlines could still come to find that court-supervised restructurings are necessary, J.P. Morgan analysts wrote in a client note Wednesday.

Contagion-driven staffing emergencies at air-traffic-control facilities could make it challenging to continue flying in parts of the country at times.

Air travel has dwindled as a patchwork of government restrictions and public-health recommendations have encouraged people to stay home. Many flights have taken off with just a handful of passengers, while thousands have been cancelled due to lack of demand. Only 240,000 passengers passed through airport-security screening checkpoints Wednesday, down nearly 90% from a year ago, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

Airlines have been shrinking themselves to contend with reduced demandoffering employees the option to take temporary leave without pay, parking planes and retiring some types of aircraft earlier than scheduled. Top executives have also agreed to reduce or forgo salaries in many cases.

Alaska Air Group Inc., for example, said Wednesday that it would cut flying by 70% in April and May. The airline is burning through some $14 million in cash daily, Chief Executive Brad Tilden said in a message to employees that was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

We must move swiftly and courageously to reduce it, and to give us the best chance possible of waiting out this storm and capitalizing on any opportunities we see on the other side. This is the case even with the possible government aid that may flow to us, he said. Mr. Tilden said in the message that Alaska should receive more than $2 billion through the government assistance outlined Wednesday.

Airlines continued to raise private finance themselves on Thursday, with Alaska Air announcing a new $425 million loan and United Continental Holdings Inc. borrowing another $500 million.

In exchange for the payroll grants, carriers must agree not to furlough, lay off or cut pay for employees until Sept. 30. Assistance also hinges on companies agreeing not to buy back shares or pay dividends, along with limits on executive compensation.

The package also allows the Transportation Department to direct airlines to keep operating specific flights so that rural communities dont lose service and to support delivery of health-care-related cargo

Airline labour leaders had joined with carriers in pushing for the direct grants to support payroll in recent days, and portrayed their inclusion as a victory for front-line aviation workers. In the Senate package, the cargo airlines would receive $4 billion in grants and contractors $3 billion in grants.

Mr. Mnuchin has said repeatedly that the assistance to industries provided by the bill doesnt constitute a bailout, and that taxpayers will be protected.

We will be doing things on market terms, and if we determine that market terms include equity, we have the ability to do that, Mr. Mnuchin said Monday in an interview with Fox Business Network, when the negotiations were continuing. If the taxpayers are putting money at risk, they should be properly compensated.

Read more about:
Christian Pastor With Strong Trump Ties Angered at Journalist Claiming He Regards CCP Virus as Gods Judgment

Evangelical minister Ralph Drollinger leads weekly Bible studies that are frequently attended by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and other members of President Donald Trumps Cabinet, as well as dozens of members of Congress.

Such high-level visibility makes Drollinger a lightning rod for Trump criticism, but it usually doesnt involve White House spokesmen, as happened earlier this week when deputy press secretary Judson Deere responded to an NBC reporters claim that the minister teaches that the CCP virus is linked to homosexuality and divine judgment of America.

Deeres searing response to NBCs Brooke Sopelsa sparked an uproar among LGBT community advocates and a flood of highly unflattering stories elsewhere in the national news media suggesting Drollinger was guilty of homophobia.

For his part, Drollinger insisted he was being unjustly accused of holding beliefs that arent his.

I do not believe the coronavirus is Gods judgment on homosexuals, environmentalists, or any other group of people, and have never said that it is, Drollinger told The Epoch Times on March 27.

Considering Nicholas Sandmanns success in the courts against this kind of irresponsible journalism, it is especially disappointing to see it happening again.

He was referring to the $800 million libel litigation launched in 2019 by lawyers for Nicholas Sandmann, one of a group of high school students from Kentucky who were widely but inaccurately reported for weeks as having mocked a Native American political activist with racist taunts at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

Sandmann reached a settlement with CNN recently for an undisclosed amount after asking the court to award him $275 million. Sandmann has continuing litigation with NBC and The Washington Post.

The uproar began March 25 when Sopelsas story appeared with the headline Trump Cabinets Bible Teacher Says Gays Cause Gods Wrath in COVID-19 Blog Post.

The storys lead states that in a blog post titled Is God Judging America Today? a pastor who leads a weekly bible study group for members of President Donald Trumps Cabinet appeared to blame the coronavirus pandemic on several groups, including those who have a proclivity toward lesbianism and homosexuality.

Sopelsa told readers that in response to Drollinger, Deere called the implication that homosexuality caused the pandemic disgusting and certainly not something the President believes.

Sopelsa quoting Deere as saying, President Trump has no higher priority than the health and safety of all Americans, and ensuring we emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever before.

Deere also said, President Trump does not attend Drollingers Bible class, according to Sopelsa.

After the story appeared, Drollinger contacted the reporter via email. Sopelsa added his denial, but no revisions were made to the headline and the lead paragraphs.

Deere and Sopelsa both declined to comment when asked by The Epoch Times about the controversy, so it couldnt be learned whether Sopelsa apprised Deere of Drollingers denial. Sopelsa is described on NBCs website as editorial director of NBC Out, NBC News LGBTQ digital destination.

The eight-page Bible study cited by Sopelsa focused on what Drollinger described as five kinds of divine wrath found in scripture. But one of his primary points in the admittedly complicated study is that divine wrath against nations in the Old Testament ended with the coming of Jesus and the New Testament.

Again, God judged nations under the Old Covenant and will do so again at His Second Coming, but there is no New Testament indication that He judges nations presently during the Church Age, Drollinger wrote in the study.

Drollinger also noted in the study: If God judges nations during the Church Age, why did the New Testament writers fail to mention it? Specifically, and illustratively, would it not have been appropriate for Christ to warn Pilate or Paul to warn Caesar of impending national judgment?

Asked March 27 by The Epoch Times about potential parallels between the Sandmann case and Drollingers, Charles Glasser, professor of media law and ethics at New York University and City University of New York, said: The tricky part is whether or not the story contained a defamatory statement. It may be erroneous or not, only Drollinger and the reporter, and of course reviewing her notes, could determine that.

Glasser also said accusing a minister of extreme theological views is not necessarily defamatory. He said CNN settled the Sandmann case when the court rejected the networks claim regarding facts and opinion.

This is part of the problem were going to experience with woke or PC culture, Glasser said. On the one hand, calling somebody a racist is clearly opprobrium and something the ordinary person should be ashamed of, so it becomes difficult to have it both ways, like CNN tried to say that when we say it in the news, its a fact, but when were sued for it in court, its an opinion.

Before his professorships, Glasser was global media counsel for Bloomberg News for 14 years. He also was a law school clerk at NBC early in his career.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
When news broke that Prince Charles has tested positive for coronavirus, people naturally worried about him since he is the next in line to the British throne. But for his sons William and Harry, they fear not for the health of the future king, but their father's.

According to Fox News, the 35-year-old Duke of Sussex immediately wanted to fly back to the United Kingdom to be beside his 71-year-old father during this critical time on his health.

U.K. media correspondent Neil Sean said that Harry "wanted to return straight away" and leave his wife, Meghan Markle, and their 10-month-old son, Archie, in Canada.

But due to the fears acquiring the virus during his travel, Harry's 38-year-old wife has reportedly placed him on lockdown and forbade him to go back to the United Kingdom to visit his father.

"Under no circumstances is she OK with him traveling anywhere right now," an insider revealed.

In short, Harry will remain in Canada beside his family, instead of seeing his father who is now observing self-isolation after only showing mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Instead of being physically present for Prince Charles, the Sussexes are trying their best to get updates and keep in touch through virtual communication.

The royal insider also revealed that the Duke feels frustrated that he could not do anything to help his father at the moment.

"Meghan said Harry'sHarry's been in touch with his dad. Of course, he's frustrated. She said they both are frustrated because they are doers and want to do so much more to help," the source added.

Aside from Meghan, Prince Charles himself also stopped Harry's travel plan. Sean said that the patriarch said he has nothing to worry about and assured his sons that he will be fine.

How Coronavirus Healed Royal Rift?

While Prince Charles's condition is pretty alarming, considering the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.K., the royal reporter revealed that the health crisis has helped the family heal their recent fallout.

"Harry and William are now on speaking terms again, and this has healed the rift that was ongoing," Sean said as revealed by a palace insider.

"Both brothers have linked with up to Charles via video and joked and made him feel happy that they were together again," he added.

A royal insider also claims that Meghan told her friends that Harry is now in constant communication with William and Queen Elizabeth.

"She said this world crisis has actually brought them all closer together, especially Harry and his brother," the source told Page Six.

"Harry has made it very clear to them that he will do whatever he can to help from Canada."

Prince Charles's Condition

On Wednesday morning, a House of Clarence representative confirmed that Queen Elizabeth's eldest son tested positive for coronavirus after displaying mild symptoms, while his wife, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, tested negative.

It is still unknown how Prince Charles contracted the virus, but he is in good condition now and working from home while in self-isolation at Burnham on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.

READ MORE: Royal Choice: Prince Harry Ready To Leave Meghan Markle, Son After Prince Charles'Charles' Test
Heeding to the advice given by two major mosques of the district, Muslims offered Friday prayers at their homes amid the nationwide lockdown, an office bearer of Jama Masjid said here.

Cooperating with the nationwide lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus, not a single Muslim offered Friday prayers in any mosque in Mathura. Instead, they preferred to offer prayers from their home, Hazi Yamin, President Jama Masjid Chowk Bazar said.

Yamin said that the Imam of Shahi Masjid Idgah Wajid-ul-Kadri had on Thursday advised Muslims not to risk themselves of transmission of the virus. Instead, they can offer all the five prayers for Friday from their home, he had said.

The Imam of Jama Masjid Chowk Bazaar had also made a similar appeal, Yamin said.

Normally, Muslims used to offer namaz either in Jama Masjid or Shahi Masjid Idgah on Fridaysand other four prayers (Sazar, Asar, Maghrib and Isha) in nearby mosques of their area.

He also appreciated the district administration for arranging essential commodities to the doorstep of every citizen.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought India, along with the rest of the world, to a standstill. Thirty-two states and Union Territories in India are under lockdown as per Government orders in a bid to check the spread of the virus infection. Citizens have been asked to stay indoors, while organisations have been asked to allow their employees to work from home (WFH).

For the first time, the industry is faced with an unprecedented situation where the entire workforce is working from home. Some have had the experience of working from home for a day or two while unwell, but rarely has one been faced with the WHF situation over a sustained period of time. This new work reality is going to hit people in the coming days more as there is no abatement in the Covid-19 spread situation.

The most important aspect for every individual and company is to keep productivity levels up while maintaining quality and motivation. For the creative minds in advertising, who are used to working in teams, churning out campaigns remotely is a different ball game.

Looking at this challenge, Adgully approached some of the best creative minds in the business of advertising to join us in the latest Twitter chat  Managing Creativity while Working from Home.

Join us in the conversation on Friday, 27th March between 3 pm to 4 pm by following us on @adgully. Experts in the panel will share their candid stories on the challenges posed in a work from home environment.

Joinin us for the conversation will be:

Moderator - Naila Patel, Executive Creative Director, Mirum India (@nailamateen)

Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous Brands (@trrippp)

Satbir Singh, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Thinkstr (@theSatbir)

Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman Thompson (@senthilspeaks)

Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, 82.5 Communications (@Sumchat)

Swati Bhattarcharya, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Ulka (@FcbUlka)

Also Read:

TwitterChat: Being responsible in times of Covid-19, ad honchos show the way

This is how top ad & communications honchos plan to spend their Curfew Sunday
PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French ophthalmic company EssilorLuxottica SA (ESLOF.PK, ESLOY.PK) Friday said it recorded solid growth in the months of January and February, in line with its full year targets. Due to the evolving coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, the company said its outlook for fiscal 2020 is no longer valid. In its trading update, the company noted that business conditions began deteriorating in March as the virus shifted from impacting predominantly China to entire regions of Europe and North America. During the second quarter, the company expects revenue to further decelerate with a material impact on profitability. Essilor has temporarily closed all its industrial sites in France. Meanwhile, there is production continuity with its worldwide network of interconnected plants and laboratories, including all production facilities in China. Further, e-commerce activities are growing with no back orders. Luxottica's manufacturing plants have temporarily suspended their activity in Italy and other smaller locations, while they are back to normal levels in China. Stores in Europe and North America are in temporary lockdown. EssilorLuxottica and the two operating companies are implementing a contingency plan including cost and cash control measures. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Bengaluru-based Sagar Hospitals is scrambling to marshal its resources ever since India's tech capital started seeing stream of COVID-19 positive cases.

With healthcare workers like doctors, nurses and allied staff at high risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection, Sagar has divided its doctors and support staff into small batches. Each batch is assigned a particular day of duty. This is to prevent each batch from meet other.

This was done to ensure that the hospital functions serving existing patients and attending emergency cases, while ensuring that its staff are protected.

Track this blog for latest updates on coronavirus outbreak

"It is our responsibility to see that we maintain health our people, so that we continue our operations," said Dr Jagdish Chandra, Vice President, Medical Services at Sagar Hospitals.

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

Chandra said they have kept on hold outpatient department (OPD) services and stopped elective surgeries - two major revenue stream for hospitals.

Chandra says despite taking massive hit on operations and revenues, they have to pay wages to staff, rents, utility bills and interest on working capital.

If the current situation prevails beyond a month, Sagar Hospitals may even struggle to pay salaries to its workforce and may have to shut.

Sagar Hospitals has 200 doctors and more than double that number of allied staff on rolls.

The COVID-19 came like a bolt from the blue for private hospitals.

Fuelled by PE funds, many private hospital chains expanded aggressively in the last few years. But most of them are now struggling to stay afloat.

Even India's largest healthcare chains like Apollo Hospitals has warned about the "total crash of the system" if government doesn't step in .

"Hospital industry is going through trying times. There has been a deep fall in OPD volumes and planned surgeries. We might see a total crash of the system itself. We need basic support (from the government) on power, electricity, rentals and cost of capital," Preetha Reddy said.

Private hospitals have urged the government to provide six to nine months moratorium on all working capital, principal, interest payments on loans and overdrafts, bringing in liquidity and allowing for business continuity.

In a representation to the government - FICCI, AHPI, ASSOCHAM, Indian Chamber of Commerce, PhD Chamber of Commerce, PHANA Karnataka and NATHEALTH ahev sought deferment of advance tax payments at the Central Government level. A waiver of GST on input costs and services for 2 quarters.

The also asked at least 50 percent rebate on the current commercial rates of power currently being paid by hospitals, diagnostics centers, pathology labs and other healthcare service providers to ensure sustenance of business

"Subsidy of 25 percent of salary for healthcare staff for the next 3 months and reimbursement of employers contributions towards ESIC and PF and comprehensive medical and life insurance benefits for all public and private sector frontline workers, ensuring continuous availability of personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies," the industries bodies said.
A Texas man has been arrested on federal charges after he allegedly made threats on Facebook encouraging people to shoot Democrats, including US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Gavin Weslee Blake Perry, 27, of Wichita Falls, was charged on Wednesday with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce.

According to federal prosecutors, Perry wrote on his now-defunct Facebook that Democrats, including Pelosi, 'will be removed at any cost necessary and yes that means by death.'

Gavin Perry, 27, has been charged in federal court with making online posts threatening Democrats, including U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Perry remained jailed Friday and court records do not list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Federal prosecutors said Perry admitted making the Facebook posts and that he told law enforcement he did so because he wanted to warn Americans to beware of the 'tyrannical' government.

According to a criminal complaint, a concerned citizen notified the Wichita Falls Police Department that Perry allegedly posted threats on a Facebook account named 'Gavinwbperry.'

'If youre a dem or apart of the establishment in the democrats side I view you as a criminal and a terrorist and I advise everyone to Go SOS [shoot on sight] and use live rounds,' he was quoted as posting on March 23. 'This is not gonna change until we attact [sic] NSA the DOJ the FBI and Any other agencies who want to get involved. Shoot to kill. This is a revolution.'

Perry also accused Speaker Pelosi, a Democrat from California, of being part 'of a satanic cult and so are the people who work closly [sic] with her.'

When questioned after his arrest, the suspect reportedly accused the officers of violating his First Amendment right to free speech, which he said he felt was punishable by death, according to a statement from the US Justice Department.

Perry allegedly claimed in a Facebook post that Speaker Pelosi (pictured on Friday) was part of a 'satanic cult' along with other people in her circle

Perry also reportedly said he does not recognize the authority of the federal government.

'This defendants threats against the Speaker and law enforcement agents are wholly inexcusable, and we look forward to bringing him to justice,' said US Attorney Erin Nealy Cox.

Perry made his initial court appearance on Thursday. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

Online records indicate that Perry has a prior criminal history dating back to at least 2009 and includes charges of assault, public intoxication and contempt of court.
Noted Fisheries scientist and Vice



Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) Dr A Ramachandran died due to cardiac arrest at his residence in Kalamasery here on Friday, the university said.

Ramachandran, 61, had been the Fisheries Advisor to Sultanate of Oman and expert member in many a national and international fisheries councils and organisations.

Son of former Cochin Mayor and Congress veteran late K S N Menon, Ramachandran is survived by wife and a son.

While being the Director of the School of Industrial Fisheries of Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Ramachandran was elevated to the position of Vice Chancellor of KUFOS in June 2016.

It was under his leadership that the first ever International Blue Economy Congress in the country was held here in November last year.

Ramachandran who secured his Post Doctoral from Delft Technical University, The Netherlands, had published over 300 internationally recognised research papers and authored many books in fisheries and guided as many as 132 research scholars to secure their PhDs.

A committed scientist, Ramachandran had led the research to study the plastic waste menace in Vembanad lake in Kerala.

He had played crucial role in starting over 20 post graduate courses in KUFOS in various subjects related to Ocean Environment, Costal Zone Management, Climate Change Studies, Environmental Science and Disaster Management, the university said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
By Trend

Iranian citizens purchased 1,399 real estate properties in Turkey from January through February 2020, which is 787 more compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadaster told Trend.

In February 2020, Iranian citizens purchased 721 real estate properties in Turkey, which is 414 more compared to February 2019.

According to the ministry, 118,753 real estate properties were sold in Turkey in February 2020, which is 51.4 percent more compared to February 2019.

In February 2020, 4,005 real estate properties were sold to foreigners in Turkey, which is 20.6 percent more compared to February 2019.

In 2019, Iranian citizens purchased 5,423 real estate properties in Turkey, which is 1,771 more compared to 2018.

Iranian citizens purchased 763 real estate properties in Turkey in December 2019, which is 328 more compared to the same month of 2018.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
KABUL - After months of deliberation, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday announced his 21-member team to negotiate peace with the Taliban, only to have his political opponent reject it as not inclusive enough.

Afghanistans political turmoil has impeded each tentative step toward negotiations with the Taliban  negotiations that are supposed to come next under a peace deal that Washington signed with the insurgents last month.

The deal calls for the eventual withdrawal of all 13,000 U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to fight other militant groups, including the Islamic State group. The deal has been touted as Afghanistans best chance yet of ending its relentless wars.

But Ghani and his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, have been locked in a power struggle that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could not resolve during his emergency visit to Kabul earlier this week.

Pompeo held talks with both Ghani and Abdullah, who has also declared himself president in a parallel inauguration ceremony earlier this month, but made no headway in reconciling the two. Washington subsequently said it would cut $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan if the two leaders couldnt get their act together.

Ghanis 21-member team is led by the Masoom Stanikzai, former head of Afghanistans intelligence agency, who was forced to resign last year. He quit after a CIA-trained team under his command was found to have killed four brothers they falsely accused of being Islamic State operatives.

The special forces unit known as Unit 02 still operates despite reports of abuses, including one last year by the Human Rights Watch, which documented what it says are mounting atrocities by U.S.-backed Afghan special forces.

Abdullah seeks a power-sharing deal with Ghani, something the Afghan president has so far rejected. Abdullah accuses Ghani of being unwilling to compromise while Ghani says his rivals power-sharing demands will require a constitutional change and that can come only by holding a loya jirga, or grand council, of all Afghans.

In a televised speech a day after Pompeos visit, Ghani dismissed the threat of funding cuts and claimed that Afghanistan can manage without the $1 billion in U.S. aid.

Despite 18 years and billions of dollars in international aid, Afghanistan remains desperately poor. The poverty level soared from 35% of the population in 2012 to more than 55% last year. Poverty level counts those who survive on $1 or less a day. Successive Afghan governments, including Ghanis, have been accused by international watchdogs of widespread corruption.

Meanwhile, Taliban political spokesman Sohail Shaheen said the group would send four members to the U.S.-led coalition base in Bagram, north of Kabul, to oversee the release of their prisoners, also part of the deal signed with the U.S.

That deal calls for the release of 5,000 Taliban and 1,000 government personnel and Afghan troops held captive by the Taliban.

The visit to Bagram will be the first time Taliban representatives have officially visited Afghanistan since being thrown out of power in 2001 by the U.S.-led coalition after they had sheltered al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government Friday ordered a three-week lock-down for Kabul to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Pharmacies and grocery stores will be allowed to open. Earlier, authorities imposed a lockdown in western Herat province, where nearly 200,000 Afghans had passed through on their return from Iran since the start of the year, on their way to their homes across the country.

Herat borders Iran, which has been hardest-hit in the region by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Afghanistan has so far recorded just 91 cases and four deaths but the tens of thousands returnees from Iran have dispersed throughout the country without being tested or having their whereabouts recorded.

Afghanistans health care system, already devastated by decades of war, would be overwhelmed by a major outbreak.

Also Friday, the Taliban were handing out soap and face masks in northern Badghis province, in areas under their control, according to images circulated on social media. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said their prayer leaders were also explaining safety measures to the public and how to protect against the virus.

In a Pashto-language statement, the Taliban said they have carried out public awareness campaigns in four provinces of northern Afghanistan, distributing face masks, soap and pamphlets telling the faithful that it was a religious duty to to keep themselves and their environment clean.

___

Gannon reported from Islamabad.
A physician from Yale University has explained exactly why washing your hands with soap is a highly effective way of preventing the spread of coronavirus.

US doctor Nicholas Christakis said the soap can actually dissolve the fat membrane around the virus particle, making it an effective shield against most viruses.

The World Health Organisation has been encouraging everyone to practice good personal hygiene as doctors around the world advise washing your hands regularly and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

A physician of Yale University has explained exactly why washing your hands with soap is so effective in the fight against coronavirus (stock image)

What does washing your hands actually do? US doctor Nicholas Christakis said the soap can actually dissolve the fat membrane around the virus particle, making it an effective shield against most viruses. For coronavirus to infect you, it needs to make its way to your mouth, nose or eyes, and washing your hands thoroughly with soap can remove the 'lipid layer' that surrounds the virus. 'That's why the virus can be easily killed with hand washing and other basic cleanliness routines,' Dr Christakis said. Advertisement

Dr Christakis told WHOOP podcast the virus particles are surrounded by the fatty outer layer on our skin, which is made up of the lipid molecule.

'On the one hand, that makes the virus much more transmissible so when it goes from me to you, it already has a human coating, it's like camouflage but it's that lipid layer that makes it completely destroyable with soap,' he explained.

'And that's why the virus can be easily killed with hand washing and other basic cleanliness routines. We're lucky about that, it's not a very hearty virus.'

Earlier this month, supramolecular chemistry expert Palli Thordarson explained how soap dissolves the fat membrane around the virus molecule and it 'falls apart'.

'The soap is effectively "dissolving" the glue that holds the virus together. Add to that all the water. Soon the viruses get detached and fall a part like a house of cards due to the combined action of the soap and water. The virus is gone,' he said on Twitter.

For the virus to infect you, it needs to make its way via your mouth, nose or eyes which is why washing your hands thoroughly with can dissolve the 'lipid layer' that surrounds the virus

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

The scientist went on to explain that disinfectants, wipes, gels and creams containing alcohol - hand sanitisers - are effective at killing bacteria, but they don't break down the structure of the virus.

He also suggested bar soaps could be better than liquid soaps because a bar generates more bacterial-killing foam.

The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.

Even dry droplets can carry active virus molecules.

Professor Thordarson said if the virus lands on a rough surface, it can be pulled apart and won't stay active for long on wood or clothing as it would on steel.

'So when you touch say a steel surface with a virus particle on it, it will stick to your skin and hence get transferred onto your hands. But you are not (yet) infected,' he said.

'If you touch your face though, the virus can get transferred from your hands and on to your face. And now the virus is dangerously close to the airways and the mucus type membranes in and around your mouth and eyes.'
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas joined other states Thursday in imposing quarantines on travelers from the New York area, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., and put similar restrictions on people arriving from nearby New Orleans as the number of cases there surges dramatically.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the moves as Texas surpassed 1,400 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and 18 related deaths. Concerns over the virus also forced the Houston school district, the biggest in Texas, to indefinitely suspend meals for low-income families after a worker went into self-isolation over a possible exposure.

BEFORE AND AFTER: Photos show what Houston looks like under stay-at-home order

By requiring anyone arriving by plane from New Orleans and the New York area  including New Jersey and Connecticut  to quarantine for 14 days, Texas became the latest state to race to isolate travelers coming from places where the coronavirus crisis is most severe. Governors in Florida and Maryland announced similar restrictions this week pertaining to New York.

New Orleans is also becoming a major center of COVID-19 worries, as the number of cases Thursday surpassed 2,300 and deaths climbed to 86.

Asked about the new Texas order, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said, I cant say that that is inappropriate.

GIVING BACK: Texas Roadhouse CEO forgoes salary and bonus to pay front-line restaurant employees

Abbott said those who don't comply with the quarantine risk jail time, adding that state troopers would conduct visits to make sure people were staying put.

Abbott said 100 Texas patients were hospitalized and that the state had added about 3,000 beds in recent days in preparation for the worst ahead.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough but also milder cases of pneumonia, sometimes requiring hospitalization. The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems.

Another member of the U.S. House of Representatives has self-quarantined. Democratic Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Houston said in a statement that she self-quarantined and was tested for COVID-19 at her physician's recommendation Thursday. That was after she experienced flu-like symptoms, including a temperature above 101 degrees.

Fletcher said she would work from home while awaiting her test results.

Houston Independent School District officials said Thursday that a worker who may have been exposed was not showing any symptoms and that the risk of public exposure was believed to be small. Families who need food can still get it at city-run food distribution centers, according to the district.

Another school district near San Antonio, Hondo ISD, also suspended its meals program Wednesday after a district employee tested positive for COVID-19. The man was in isolation at his home, the district said.

The uptick of cases in Texas also continued spreading through jails. Dallas County officials said five inmates had tested positive, and in Houston, a positive test came back Wednesday for someone under the age of 16 at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center. Kendall Mayfield, a spokeswoman for the center, said the juvenile has been in detention since December.

___

Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, La., and John L. Mone in Houstn contributed to this report.

___

Follow all of the AP's coronavirus news: https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak.
Autotrader Designates Two New Hyundai Models Among Best 2020 Cars Available Names

SEE ALSO: Auto Trader Best New Cars For 2020

 Autotrader has named two all-new Hyundai models, the Palisade SUV and the Sonata, among its Best New Cars for 2020. The Best New Cars for 2020 was created by Autotrader to help car shoppers expand their horizons as they consider which new vehicle to buy. Hyundai was the only automotive brand to win multiple Autotrader Best New Cars for 2020 Awards.

The Palisade SUV was recognized by Autotrader for striking the perfect balance between an affordable volume car and a premium luxury car. Hyundai has stepped up its game big time, emerging as a modern automaker delivering style, features, and value, all in one attractive package. Further, the Hyundai Sonata was also recognized by Autotrader for making a strong case as a class leader in a competitive segment. Its redesign brought with it a stunning new look, a roomy, premium interior, and a generous list of standard features, plus some interesting available tech in the higher trims.

Hyundai is more than proud to have two popular new vehicles, the Palisade SUV and Sonata, named to the Autotrader Best New Cars for 2020, said Scott Margason, director of Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. The new Palisade and Sonata were carefully tailored to the needs of American buyers in their respective segments and have been well-received by both top media and consumers alike. This important recognition by Autotrader further confirms the strong appeal of these new Hyundai models in the marketplace.

Our goal was to provide a helpful list of cars that offer exceptional value for their class, regardless of vehicle type or price, said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader. Anyone in the market for a new car really should look outside their typical go-to brandsthey might be surprised what they find. It's also worth noting that out of our 12 best cars of the year, only one is from a luxury brand. That tells you just how good cars from volume brands are now in their top trims when it comes to comfort, technology and design. Every vehicle Autotrader listed as a Best New Car for 2020 has that certain something that makes it stand out in a very crowded field.

Each vehicle on this years list was agreed upon unanimously by the entire editorial and data team at Autotrader. To be considered, a vehicle must be of the current or next model-year and available for purchase at the time of the announcement. The editors capped the base price for consideration at $75,000 (although most vehicles on the list are well under), meaning they offer a significant value for the asking price. Not only was value a top priority, but vehicles also were judged on available technology and a rewarding or dynamic driving experience. Each winning car had to score an overall 3.9 or higher on the editors 5-point evaluation sheet. For more details about Autotraders Best New Cars for 2020, including full editorial commentary, pricing information and more, visit https://www.autotrader.com/ best-cars/12-best-new-cars- 2020-281474979998703 .

About Autotrader

Autotrader is the most recognized third-party car listings brand, with the most engaged audience of in-market car shoppers. As the foremost authority on automotive consumer insights and expert in online and mobile marketing, Autotrader makes the car shopping experience easy and fun for today's empowered car shopper looking to find or sell the perfect new, used or Certified Pre-Owned car. Using technology, shopper insights and local market guidance, Autotrader's comprehensive marketing and retailing solutions allow consumers to build their deal online, and guide dealers to personalized digital marketing strategies that grow brand, drive traffic and connect the online and in-store shopping experience. Autotrader is a Cox Automotive brand. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. For more information, please visit http://press.autotrader.com.

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, owning and using cars easier for everyone. The global companys 34,000-plus team members and family of brands, including Autotrader, Clutch Technologies, Dealer.com, Dealertrack, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim, NextGear Capital, VinSolutions, vAuto and Xtime, are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive for generations to come. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion. coxautoinc.com

Hyundai Motor America

At Hyundai Motor America, we believe everyone deserves better. From the way we design and build our cars to the way we treat the people who drive them, making things better is at the heart of everything we do. Hyundais technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assuranceour promise to create a better experience for customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and nearly half of those sold in the U.S. are built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.
Welcome to Money Diaries, where were tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Were asking women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period  and were tracking every last dollar.



Today: a Social Media Manager working in Marketing who makes $45,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on Everlane jeans.

Occupation: Social Media Manager

Industry: Marketing

Age: 22

Location: Boston, MA (but this diary is generally in Massachusetts)

Salary: $45,000

Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,243

Gender: Woman



Monthly Expenses

Rent: $1,150 for an apartment with two roommates

Loans: $0 (I am very fortunate to have had my parents pay for my college)

Billie Razor Subscription: $9

Utilities: ~$70

Streaming Services: $0 (Im on my parents account)

Savings: $50 (trying to bump this up soon)

401(k): 6% of my salary and my employer fully matches

Cell Phone: $0 (I am on my family plan)

HelloFresh: $50

Day One

9 a.m.  I am up and unsure of what to do today. Last night my friend, F., and I made margaritas because we couldnt go out and get our own so I am feeling a little hungover. In the spirit of social distancing, I wont be going to the bars to celebrate St. Patricks Day today as I had originally planned so I decide to let myself sleep off this hangover a little more.

11:30 a.m.  Ok nooow I am actually awake. I hop in the shower, make myself a breakfast of peanut butter toast and some strawberry yogurt, then read a little of my latest novel, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. My new years resolution was to read a book a month and social distancing is definitely helping me finish Marchs book.

4 p.m.  Time to get ready and actually look like a human! I blow dry my damp hair, curl it, put on some Fenty Beauty foundation, Maybelline concealer, Glossier setting powder, my Becca X Khloe and Malika blush and bronzer palette, Revlon mascara, and a nude lipstick from Glossier. The whole process takes me about an hour because I struggle to pick out an outfit. I eventually land on some light wash mom jeans, a cropped button-up sweater, and my white Steve Madden sneakers.

Story continues

5:30 p.m.  I grab my AirPods and run out the door to catch the bus to Z.s (the guy I am dating) apartment.

6:30 p.m.  Z. and I decide to grab some takeout from one of our favorite spots instead of eating in. I call us an Uber to the restaurant to pick up our tapas (an order of empanadas, potatoes, a spinach dish, an eggplant dish, and some bread) and I call the Uber home. We decide to stop by the liquor store near his apartment and grab a bottle of wine to drink with our dinner. Z. pays for the dinner and wine. $11.82

9 p.m.  Dinner was amazing and we are both feeling a slight buzz from the wine. We want to give into the drunk, so we scour the apartment for some alcohol and come up with half a bottle of Dr. Mcguillicuddys and some beer. Shots it is, I guess. We spend the rest of the night trying to drunkenly finish a jigsaw puzzle with his roommates and its honestly the most fun night in I have had in a while.

Daily Total: $11.82

Day Two

8:30 a.m.  I wake up to Z. pulling me closer to cuddle and I happily oblige. Cuddling leads to some kissing which leads to more and after a quick shower we are back in bed by 9:30 and decide to walk to our favorite brunch spot to pick up some food.

10:30 a.m.  We have secured the avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches (Z. pays) and we start to walk back to his apartment. We decide to take the long way and walk through the park because its pretty nice out for Boston in March. Z. tells me that he thinks I should probably move all of my stuff out of his apartment when I leave today because he doesnt know when we will be able to come back. I realize he is right and get a sad, sinking feeling in my stomach. Z. is still a student and we are both going home today given the possibility of a Boston lockdown and dont know how long we will be home. Theres a chance I wont be back to his apartment again before the end of the semester and I dont even know when I will see him next.

11:30 a.m.  We get back to his apartment and I pack up all the stuff I have left there over the last few months and try not to cry. I am trying to be positive and hope this wont be the last time I am at this apartment and that we will be able to see each other soon. Neither of us is ready to face the reality of this so we keep our goodbye light, but I kiss him goodbye a couple of extra times just in case.

12 p.m.  I get home and the tears just escape me. I call my friend P. and cry to her for a little bit while she commiserates as her and her boyfriend both go home tomorrow. They live in different states and are moving to different cities after their graduation in May. Talking to P. makes me feel a little better, misery loves company, but I have to hang up and finish packing because my dad is coming to pick me up soon.

2 p.m.  Packing is really hard when you dont know if youre supposed to be packing for a week or a month. I just pack as much as my suitcase can hold and hope for the best. Im starting to get hungry so I decide to call in a pizza for my dad, brother, and I to share.

2:30 p.m.  My dad picks me up and we drive to the pizza place so I can grab it and pay. Our next stop is to pick up my brother. He is a junior at a college nearby and all the kids were kicked out of the dorms so he has to clear all of his stuff out today. Luckily, moving him out doesnt take too long and we eat our pizza in the car before heading for home. $20.17

4 p.m.  The drive takes us about an hour and a half because there is practically no traffic. The first thing I do when I get home is pet my adorable dog. He is the main reason I am glad to be home.

6 p.m.  Usually my family goes out to eat on weekends but we decide to get takeout tonight instead. We are all craving burgers and debate going to our favorite burger place, but its a big chain and we want to support a local business during this crazy time. We pick a family-owned Italian place we have been going to for years. My dad drives to grab the food, he pays and says he left a big tip.

7 p.m.  As we are eating, the governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, announces that Boston is now banning gatherings of over 25 people, only allowing restaurants and bars to do takeout, and closing the public schools until April 17th. This honestly feels like an episode of Black Mirror. I think this was a smart move and the right thing to do, but it all feels so surreal.

8 p.m.  My family turns on the democratic debate and I try to watch for a little but Im feeling exhausted and I have to (virtually) work tomorrow so I head up to my room to get ready for bed early.

10 p.m.  After I wash my face with my Cerave face wash, use a Herbivore toner, and my Neutrogena hydrogel, I brush my teeth and get in bed to watch a couple episodes of Younger and fall asleep around 10.

Daily Total: $20.17

Day Three

7:30 a.m.  Im going to have to train myself to sleep in later with this whole working from home indefinitely thing. I have no reason to get ready so I lounge in bed and watch some TikToks (my guilty pleasure) until 8:30 when I decide to get up and get some banana bread for breakfast. I dont have to be online until 9 but I log in a bit early anyway to get a head start on the emails from over the weekend.

10:30 a.m.  I finish my first meeting via Google Hangouts. It feels weird not being with my coworkers but Im glad we have so much technology to help keep the transition to remote work as easy as possible. Plus, my pup makes a pretty cute work companion.

1 p.m.  Lunch break time! I shut my laptop and decide to get ready for the day. I put on foundation, concealer, mascara, and chapstick and throw on ripped mom jeans and a white sweater. My mom stocked up on non-perishable groceries so todays lunch is Kraft mac and cheese. Once Im done eating, my brother and I decide to play music on the Google Home we have in our kitchen and have a dance party to blow off some steam. Day one of quarantine with a family of five, going strong.

3 p.m.  I just heard the news that the Bay Area is calling for a shelter in place. I call my best friend Y. who lives there to see how she is feeling. I just visited her at the beginning of March and the progression of this disease blows my mind. I send her some games she can download on her phone and some at-home workout ideas to keep her sane. This news makes me glad I decided to leave Boston when I did because we are probably next.

5 p.m.  Done with work for the day and its time to walk the pup. I bring him around the neighborhood and give him a few treats when we get home. My dad heads to our favorite family-owned Greek restaurant for takeout and I get souvlaki and of course, baklava for dessert. He pays.

8 p.m.  I get a call from V. about our future apartment. I just met her last week via a Facebook group and we are both looking to move out of our current places in September and we have similar budgets/location interests so weve been looking together. We found this awesome place, but its a three-bed and finding a third person is proving difficult. We both agree to do some more research on two-beds this week.

10 p.m.  All of a sudden its 10 and I can barely keep my eyes open. I stop fighting my body and call it an early night.

Daily Total: $0

Day Four

8 a.m.  I wake up a little bit later today! I consider this an accomplishment. I lounge in bed for a while, shower, and then head downstairs to make my typical peanut butter toast with strawberry yogurt breakfast before logging onto work. No makeup or outfit change for me today Ive decided.

10 a.m.  After a meeting with my team, Im feeling in pretty high spirits. Many of my friends are fearful for their jobs with the state of the economy and pandemic but I feel like my company is handling this really well. Shockingly, business is actually increasing?? Hopefully, things dont change. I feel really fortunate to be in this position because I know millions are not.

1 p.m.  Lunch today is frozen pizza. Its just like the kind my middle school used to have which makes me pretty nostalgic. Todays lunch break is spent hanging out with my little sister and playing with the pup. Ive never really been one to take full advantage of my lunch breaks but working from home is actually helping me to really log off and take my hour.

5 p.m.  Done with work for the day and I decide to take my dog for his walk again. Usually, my siblings and I switch off walking him but its so nice out and Im used to walking a ton every day due to my commute to work, so I want to get outside. After we get back, I make dinner for my family. On the menu tonight is pulled pork sandwiches with a side of green beans.

7 p.m.  Dinner is sooo good. For someone whose main source of food is HelloFresh, I am a surprisingly good cook. I have some free time and my parents are putting on a movie and god knows I have nothing better to do so I watch with them and head right up to bed when its over.

Daily Total: $0

Day Five

8 a.m.  I wake up so confused wondering why Im not in my own apartment. It takes me a while to shake this weird feeling. I have only been home for four days but its looking like its going to be at least two, maybe three, or maybe even four weeks which makes me extremely anxious. I havent been home for this long since I actually lived here before college and Im already starting to miss my apartment, my friends, and Z. I hop in the shower, put on some light makeup, run a straightener through my hair, and put on jeans in an effort to brighten my mood.

2 p.m.  After back to back to back meetings, I finally have time to take lunch. Thank god because I never ate breakfast this morning and I am very hungry! I decide to get takeout from Chipotle today because I need to stop by the liquor store and pick up provisions for the next few days anyway. If Im going to be stuck in Western Mass, you better believe Im going to be drunk doing it. I put the Chipotle and alcohol on my card. $49.86

2:45 p.m.  I eat my Chipotle with a Mikes Hard while I FaceTime with Z. for a little bit. He says he saw a way for people to watch Netflix together during social distancing so maybe well try to figure that out this weekend. We live within driving distance from one another but he doesnt have a car so he cant come visit me and I am no longer on the insurance for the car my siblings and I share because I am rarely ever home so my parents wont let me take it on long drives. So until I convince them otherwise, were going to have to deal with just FaceTime for now.

4 p.m.  Instead of the St. Patricks Day happy hour we usually have at a nearby bar, my company is having a virtual happy hour. I finish up my work, grab a hard cider, and then log into the Google Hangout.

5:30 p.m.  Virtual happy hour was surprisingly a success! It felt really nice to actually see and talk to people who arent my family. Despite the state of the world right now, all of my coworkers are in relatively high spirits and we all agreed this call was much needed. My sister already took the pup for his walk so after I shut my laptop, I go into the kitchen to help my mom cook dinner.

8 p.m.  Dinner is over and Im feeling rebellious so I convince my sister to break out of quarantine with me to get Shamrock Shakes from the McDonalds drive-thru. She drives since Ive had a few drinks. I pay for the shakes but when we get home, I realize we only got four instead of five because we forgot to get one for my mom. Huge facepalm. I offer her mine, but luckily she doesnt want one so I get to keep it. $17.22

9 p.m.  My siblings and I break out the Risk board game to try to play but apparently this is Risk Plus because we cant for the life of us figure it out. I even FaceTime Z. and try to have him explain it to us but he has never seen a board like this before. After a solid hour of trying to read the instructions, we give up and vow to play an easier game tomorrow.

10:30 p.m.  I do my skincare routine then climb into bed.

Daily Total: $67.08

Day Six

8:30 a.m.  Wow a late wake-up today! Much needed after the restless night of sleep Ive had. I kept having stress dreams about my apartment hunt. Hopefully, I can get it figured out before I go back to Boston. I skip the shower this morning since I woke up late and throw on some leggings and a sweater. Breakfast is the regular toast and yogurt situation. I decide to work on the couch in the living room today instead of our office, a much-needed change of scenery.

10 a.m.  Im scrolling through Facebook and I get a targeted ad letting me know that all Everlane denim is now $50 with free shipping. How could I possibly say no to that?? Ive been wanting a pair of Everlane jeans for a while but havent wanted to pay $70 for them so I jump on this opportunity and get a pair of the Cheeky Straight Jeans. Im not sure whether to send them to my apartment or my parents house but shipping says six days and Ill probably be here for at least that long so I pick my parents home. $50

1 p.m.  Lunch today is chicken noodle soup with cucumbers and hummus. Im still feeling pretty tired from my horrible nights sleep so after I eat, I run upstairs to take a 20-minute nap. I wake up feeling a little better and get ready to get on some video calls.

5 p.m.  Just as Im logging off work for the day, my dad tells me he heard from his work that a Massachusetts shelter in place is coming. The news almost makes me want to cry because that means any chance I had of getting to see Z. or my friends for the next few weeks is gone. Z. leaves for an internship in Los Angeles for the entire summer in May and I really want to see him before he goes. I try to remind myself that my problems are so small compared to the millions that are being left jobless, sick, or losing loved ones due to this disease, but it definitely messes up my mood for a few hours.

8 p.m.  After a dinner of chicken pot pie, I rally my siblings for a game of pool to take my mind off of things. My brother absolutely destroys my sister and me, which is no surprise but it is a really fun distraction.

10:30 p.m.  I dont feel as tired as I have the past few nights so I take a melatonin gummy and FaceTime my friend for a while before I fall asleep around 11.

Daily Total: $50

Day Seven

8:30 a.m.  Good morning! This feels like the least Friday Friday to have ever existed. Im feeling okay this morning, definitely not as anxious as last night, but not my usual Friday mood. I feel like Facebook and Twitter are bombarded with heavy news so I head over to TikTok to do my morning scroll there instead.

9 a.m.  Shower is done, breakfast is made, I change from sweatpants to leggings (not much of an improvement, I know), and am ready to log onto work for the day! No video calls today so theres no need for me to make sure my hair or makeup is done.

1 p.m.  I think everyone has had a wild week this week, but my motivation is especially dragging today. I get pretty much nothing done this morning which means Im really going to have to get focused this afternoon. For lunch, I decide to get my second Chipotle bowl of the week. Usually, I only allow myself one but the roads could be closed any day now and I need my fix. I pick up my order to go, of course, and come back home to eat while watching a few episodes of Younger on Hulu. $11.66

5 p.m.  Its officially the weekend! I may not be going to any dinners or bars this weekend but its still nice to get a few days off of work. It was supposed to thunder today but the sky is actually looking nice and clear so I take my dog on an extra-long walk around the neighborhood and FaceTime Z. for a while before dinner.

8:30 p.m.  My goals for the weekend are as follows: read 100 pages of my book, watch at least two Mary-Kate and Ashley movies (for scientific purposes, of course), and learn a Tik Tok dance (also very scientific). Ive got a packed schedule!!! I intend to get started on my reading after dinner but my friends start sending around those who knows me best quizzes where you ask a bunch of questions about yourself and see who your true friends are. Obviously I must return the favor so I spend the next few hours making a really hard quiz and seeing if my friends and family pay enough attention to me.

10 p.m.  Im no longer in the mood to read so instead I turn on a classic, the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie Our Lips are Sealed. The Olsen twins may not be as good at acting as I remembered but I am thoroughly entertained nonetheless. Once the movie ends its almost midnight and Im still not feeling tired so I pop a melatonin gummy and call it a night.

Daily Total: $11.66

COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources.

Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual womens experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.



The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend  to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.



Do you have a Money Diary youd like to share? Submit it with us here.



Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

A Week In Los Angeles, CA, On A $57,500 Salary

A Week In Chicago, IL, On A $42,000 Salary

A Week In New York, NY, On A $143,000 Salary
T aoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced a range of further restrictions on public movement in Ireland, with people required to remain in their homes for the next two weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak.

He said people could only leave their home in a limited number of circumstances, including essential work, food shopping, medical appointments, brief exercise and vital family reasons.

Mr Varadkar said all people over the age of 70, and those in high-risk categories, would be cocooned for the period until Sunday April 12.

These are radical actions aimed at saving as many peoples lives as possible in the days and weeks ahead, he said.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

People who do leave their homes for exercise will be required to stay within a 2km radius.

The Taoiseach said a list of essential work would be published.

He said social visits to relatives beyond the family unit at home would not be allowed.

Mr Varadkar said there was not much else the government could do to restrict movement.

There is not much more we could do in terms of restrictive measure, he said.

Mr Varadkar highlighted that gardai had powers to police the restrictions but he expressed hope they would be achieved with the consent and co-operation of the public.

Health Minister Simon Harris acknowledged the steps would mean intensive and difficult changes for peoples way of life.

He said introducing the measures now may mean they would ultimately last for a shorter period than if they were put in place later in the outbreak.

We need to stay the course and, put simply, we need to stay at home, he said.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan and Mr Varadkar recently expressed concern over the number of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 admitted to ICU.

Mr Varadkar said that while there are currently a number of empty beds, the situation would change over the coming days, adding that it would become "very difficult".

His warning came as three further deaths were confirmed in the state, bringing the death toll to 22.

The latest victims were described as a person in the north west of the country and two females in the east.

There were 302 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 announced on Friday evening, taking the total in Ireland to 2,121.

On Friday night, President Michael D Higgins signed into a law a sweeping package of emergency legislation to deal with the crisis.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan and Mr Varadkar also recently expressed concern over the number of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 admitted to ICU.

Mr Varadkar said that while there are currently a number of empty beds, the situation would change over the coming days, adding that it would become "very difficult".

Earlier on Friday, he warned: "The way things are heading indicate that ICU will be at capacity in a number of days.

"That's already the case around Europe, it may happen here. We have to plan for that.

"We need to make sure we have capacity, ventilators, all of those things.

"An unprecedented effort is being made by the health service to tool up, to recruit, to provide additional capacity, to do all the things we need to use.
Advertisement

The government faced a mauling this afternoon after it failed to stop senior figures in the UK's fight against coronavirus from catching the deadly disease as Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock both tested positive.

The Prime Minister and Health Secretary are now in self-isolation while Professor Chris Whitty, the UK's Chief Medical Officer, is working from home after he developed symptoms.

Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, was forced to defend the government's approach to the crisis after it hit hard at the heart of Westminster as he took part in the now daily Number 10 coronavirus press conference.

It was suggested to Mr Gove that ministers had at best been 'careless' and at worst 'negligent' by allowing the killer bug to infect Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock amid criticism of the government's testing efforts.

But Mr Gove argued the fact they had caught coronavirus showed it 'does not discriminate' and 'we are all at risk' as he said: 'The fact that the virus is no respecter of individuals, whoever they are, is one of the reasons why we do need to have strict social distancing measures.'

It was announced tonight that all NHS frontline staff will start to be tested next week in a move aimed at boosting the workforce and allow those self-isolating with illnesses other than coronavirus to return to work.

But Downing Street said senior ministers, officials and aides will only be tested if they develop a fever or persistent cough, despite the two positive tests and Prof Whitty's symptoms.

Mr Gove insisted that was the right approach, telling reporters: 'People are tested if they are symptomatic and those members of the sort of central effort in helping to defeat the virus who do show symptoms are appropriately tested.'

It came as the UK's coronavirus death toll jumped by a third to 759 after officials announced 181 more victims of the killer infection in the biggest daily rise yet. Health chiefs also confirmed almost 15,000 Britons have now caught the virus.

The PM is now self-isolating in Number 11 Downing Street but has insisted he will continue to lead the nation's fight against coronavirus with aides leaving work and food at his door for him to pick up. Mr Hancock is also continuing to work as normal from home with both men now reliant on video conferencing.

Mr Johnson started to feel unwell yesterday afternoon and was then tested before taking part in a clap for the NHS event in Downing Street as he stood at least two metres away from Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He received his test results at midnight.

Mr Johnson is now using the Chancellor's office in Number 11 which is directly underneath his flat, with Mr Sunak now working from home and from the Treasury.

The diagnosis of Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock now means there is rampant speculation over who else could be infected at the highest echelons of the state.

Mr Johnson, 55, insisted in a video message that he only has 'mild' symptoms while Mr Hancock said the same.

The government's own guidance states people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, but no senior figures, including top adviser Dominic Cummings and Mr Sunak, are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street today carrying a rucksack.

Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked.

Downing Street has previously said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will fill in if the PM is incapacitated.

In another frantic day of developments in the battle against coronavirus:

US President Donald Trump wished Mr Johnson a 'speedy recovery' as the two leaders spoke on the phone;

Mr Gove revealed a new alliance between businesses, research institutes and universities will boost testing capacity so NHS workers will know if they have coronavirus with testing starting next week;

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said there are now 33,000 beds available nationwide for coronavirus patients;

He also revealed two new Nightingale hospitals will be set up in Birmingham and Manchester in addition to the one in London;

A council is facing a furious backlash after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are 'unlawfully' trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs;

There are demands for the government to go further to help millions of self-employed after Mr Sunak admitted a bailout for income support will not be up and running until June;

Buckingham Palace has said the Queen remains in 'good health' and has not seen the PM since March 11;

UK supermarkets said they will use a government database of 1.5 million vulnerable shoppers to help prioritise delivery slots.

Boris Johnson today announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus while Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty (pictured left) has developed symptoms and will be self-isolating

Matt Hancock, pictured second from left, also today said he had tested positive. That means of the four people who have been at the heart of the government's response, two now have coronavirus and one has symptoms. Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser (pictured second from right), said today he has no symptoms

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty this afternoon said he is experiencing coronavirus symptoms and is now self-isolating

Speaking at the government's daily press conference Michael Gove said the 'virus does not discriminate' and 'we are all at risk'

Mr Johnson, Mr Hancock and Prof Whitty have been three of the main public figures in the fight against coronavirus so far.

The fourth main figure, Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's Chief Scientific Adviser, said this afternoon that he had no coronavirus symptoms and had therefore not been tested and 'will continue following guidelines including social distancing and hand washing'.

In his video message posted this morning, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

Who will take over from Boris Johnson if he is incapacitated? Boris Johnson's positive test for coronavirus has shaken the foundations of the government with all eyes now on who would take over from the Prime Minister if he becomes incapacitated. Downing Street has said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would take over the PM's duties due to his status as First Secretary of State. The UK does not have a deputy prime minister but first secretary has been used by a number of governments to show who is second in command. However, it is not immediately clear what would happen if Mr Raab also became incapacitated, with the UK not having a formal system of succession like other countries, for example the US. Downing Street is said to have drawn up plans to ensure the continuation of government in all circumstances but details have not been divulged publicly. Mr Raab's status as the person waiting in the wings is believed to have sparked furious rows within the government with other ministers adamant Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, should be the one to take over. Mr Johnson today insisted he only has mild coronavirus symptoms and that he will continue to lead the nation's fight against the disease. But Number 10 is likely to face intense pressure in the coming days to set out exactly what would happen if Mr Johnson and other senior ministers can no longer work. Advertisement

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

'The test was carried out in No10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive. In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus.'

The PM's spokesman said he would continue to carry out 'all of the same functions he was performing before' and 'the only difference is he will now have to do that via teleconferencing'.

Mr Hancock said in a video message recorded at his home that he would be self-isolating until next Thursday.

'Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I've been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response,' he said.

He also said a 'massive thank you to everybody in the NHS, working in social care and right across the board on the response'.

'I'll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need,' he said. 'And I'll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.'

'And then from next Thursday, once I'm out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I'll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.

'But the truth is that all of us can learn that working from home can be really, really effective.'

Prof Whitty then tweeted this afternoon: 'After experiencing symptoms compatible with COVID-19 last night, in line with the guidance, I will be self-isolating at home for the next seven days. I will be continuing to advise the Government on the medical response to Coronavirus, supported by my deputies.'

London is regarded as the engine of the outbreak in the UK, and many at Westminster have been struck down with symptoms.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first confirmed MP case, and has since recovered and returned to work.

Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week after he too was tested.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said the tests for staff would initially be focused on those working in intensive care, A&E, GP practices and staff running ambulance services.

Speaking at a press conference at Downing Street, Sir Simon said: 'I can say that today we can announce we will be rolling out staff testing across the NHS, beginning next week and starting with the critical care nurses, other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, GPs.

'And as the testing volumes increase, we want to widen that to a wider range of essential public service workers, including our social care services, as well as continuing of course with our patient testing which is so vital.'

The Government has confirmed the service will be free and would 'help end the uncertainty of whether NHS staff need to stay at home'.

Those who test negative for coronavirus will be able to return to work, said the Department for Health and Social Care.

Seb James, UK and Ireland managing director of Boots, said the high street chain would assist in delivering tests but confirmed they would not be done in-store.

'We will work with the NHS to recruit trained professionals - both Boots colleagues and from the wider community,' he said.

'I am sure there will be many trained healthcare clinicians and students who will step forward to support our dedicated NHS colleagues.

'Locations are being defined but will be spread across the UK - they will not however be in Boots stores, allowing our colleagues to focus on supporting our customers and patients.'

Rico Back, the Royal Mail Group's chief executive, said: 'We will safely deliver these vital tests, a key step forward in the nation's battle against the virus.'

Boris Johnson insisted he has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference

Mr Johnson was outside No10 last night alongside Mr Sunak applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation.

His spokesman said he thought it was 'important' to take part in the NHS clap, and he stayed a 'very significant distance from the Chancellor'. He chaired a remote meeting of the coronavirus 'war cabinet' this morning.

Mr Johnson took PMQs in the Commons on Wednesday, which could raise fears other politicians have been infected, even though people have been well spaced out in the chamber.

Cabinet on Tuesday was also carried out over video conference.

However, senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill were close to the PM in Downing Street for the meeting.

Number 10 said the advice to staff is they don't need to do anything unless they suspect they have symptoms, and then they should follow isolation guidance.

Asked if the Chancellor or other senior figures have been tested, the PM's spokesman said: 'I am not aware of any further testing.'

'Here in Number 10 we have been observing the advice on social distancing,' the spokesman said.

Boris Johnson was outside No10 last night applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation - but kept his distance from Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Mr Johnson was in the Commons for PMQs on Wednesday, raising fears other politicians might have been infected

The PM's video statement in full 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test. 'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus. 'I want to thank everybody who is involved. I want to thank of course above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it is not just the NHS, it's our police, it's our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff. 'An amazing national effort by the public services but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering - an incredible response, 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus. 'I want to thank you. I want to thank everybody who is working to keep our country going through this epidemic and we will get through it. 'The way we are going to get through it is of course by applying the measures that you will have heard so much about and the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we will bounce back. 'So thank you to everybody who is doing what I am doing, working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household. That is the way we are going to win. We are doing to beat it and we are going to beat it together. 'Stay at home. Protect the NHS. And save lives.' Advertisement

Mr Johnson has not taken any of the regular government press conferences this week.

His weekly audience with the Queen, aged 93, was conducted by telephone. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare.'

On Monday he gave a dramatic address to the nation in which he declared that the country had to go into lockdown, with no-one leaving their houses unless absolutely necessary,

Mr Johnson's fiancee Ms Symonds is pregnant and is thought to have been self-isolating in line with government advice.

Ms Symonds, 32, who is believed to be six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, was last seen in Downing Street over the weekend and is likely to have left to protect herself.

She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus, with pregnant women more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to comment on her whereabouts, health or whether she has been tested.

Good wishes were sent to Mr Johnson from across the political spectrum after his announcement today.

Mr Trump and Mr Johnson spoke on the phone with the US President wishing the PM a 'speedy recovery' as they 'agreed to work together closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic'.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: 'I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery and hope his family are safe and healthy.

'Coronavirus can and does affect anyone. Everyone be safe. Our own health depends on everybody else.'

Mayor London Sadiq Khan posted: 'Sorry to hear this and hope you feel better soon. Thank you for everything your Government is doing to help us fight this.

'This is a reminder that anyone can get #COVID19. We must all follow the rules and stay at home to support our amazing NHS staff to save lives.'

PM's pregnant partner Carrie thought to be in self-isolation Boris Johnson's fiancee Carrie Symonds is pregnant and is thought to have been self-isolating in line with government advice. Ms Symonds, 32, who is believed to be six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, was last seen in Downing Street over the weekend and is likely to have left to protect herself. She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus, with pregnant women are more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant. The Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to comment of her whereabouts, health or whether she has been tested. Advertisement

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott tweeted: 'I don't wish anyone ill. I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery. I hope everyone in coming days gets the care and medical attention they need.'

Nigel Farage posted: 'Wishing @BorisJohnson well and a very rapid recovery.'

And former chancellor Sajid Javid replied: 'Get well soon. Sending you best wishes from Javid family and Bailey.'

European Council President Charles Michel tweeted: 'Get well soon @BorisJohnson Europe wishes you a speedy recovery. I believe we'll win this fight against #COVID19 together.'

World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted: 'Please take good care PM @BorisJohnson. I wish you an easy recovery. Thank you for calling on your nation to follow @NHSuk's guidance. Your leadership and commitment to beating the #coronavirus are key to saving lives in.'

The latest coronavirus figures for the UK were published after officials changed the timings of how they counted deaths, with the total declared on Wednesday only taking into account an eight-hour period. Yesterday's shocking figure represented a full 24-hour count.

The daily death count is not only a count from overnight - the toll can include fatalities hospitals have only just processed, for example patients whose post-mortems have just come back.

Government scientists have previously said there is likely to be one death for every 1,000 infected people, suggesting the true number of cases could now be well into six figures.

Number 10 has faced fierce criticism for its controversial policy to only test patients in hospital, meaning only a fraction of cases are being spotted and leaving the true scale of the UK's outbreak a mystery.

Mr Sunak yesterday took questions from the media alongside the deputy chief medical officer as he unveiled a bail out for the self-employed.

Some 3.8million will be eligible for cash grants worth 80 per cent of salary up to 2,500 a month, in a massive boost for taxi drivers, musicians, gig economy workers and freelancers.

However, the Treasury admitted that the scheme will not be up and running until June, and around 200,000 self-employed will not be covered.

Only people turning a profit of less than 50,000 a year are eligible, ruling out many accountants, IT consultants, and lawyers.

Families where a breadwinner has an income of 50,001 will miss out, while someone turning a 49,999 profit would be covered.

Those who invest their profits in their business, or set themselves up as a limited company and pay themselves via a dividend, will also be ineligible.

Mr Johnson chaired Cabinet by video conference on Tuesday - but senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill were still close to the PM

Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday took questions from the media alongside the deputy chief medical officer as he unveiled a bail out for the self-employed

Where did Boris Johnson catch coronavirus and who did he infect? How PM came into close contact with politicians and health chiefs over past 10 days before testing positive

Boris Johnson has been in close contact with dozens of politicians and health chiefs over the past ten days before testing positive for coronavirus.

The Prime Minister has been holding press conferences at 10 Downing Street with the likes of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.

He has also stood near Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.

The three scientists have appeared at the Downing Street press conferences, and have also been meeting other politicians and civil servants across Westminster.

While the PM has held Cabinet meetings and discussions with the Queen remotely, he still attended the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

Last night Mr Johnson stood outside in Downing Street with Mr Sunak as they both joined in the national clap for NHS staff. They stood distanced from one another.

However a spokesman for Mr Sunak has said he had not had any symptoms and therefore had not been tested for coronavirus and was not self-isolating.

Going further back, the Prime Minister attended the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9 with his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds.

There, the couple spoke to a number of dignitaries and celebrities, and Mr Johnson was photographed shaking hands with boxer Anthony Joshua after the service.

He has also spoken to schoolchildren at No10 on March 5, visited flood defences in Worcestershire on March 8 and been to laboratories on March 1 and March 6.

Here is a pictorial guide to what Mr Johnson has been doing this month:

Boris Johnson joins in with a national applause for the NHS outside Downing Street last night

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street for the applause last night

Boris Johnson in the study of 10 Downing Street on a video call to other G20 leaders yesterday

Boris Johnson on the phone in his office in Downing Street to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks during his first remote news conference on coronavirus on Wednesday

Boris Johnson returns to 10 Downing Street from Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday morning

Boris Johnson chairs a weekly Cabinet meeting remotely from the Cabinet Rroom on Tuesday

Boris Johnson addresses the nation from Downing Street and imposes a lockdown on Monday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday, with Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's daily coronavirus update in the Cabinet Room on Saturday

Boris Johnson (centre) with Chancellor Rishi Sunak (left) and Jenny Harries (right) on March 20

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (left) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance (right) watch as Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 19

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on March 18

Boris Johnson with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance at Downing Street on March 17

Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds speak with heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day on March 9

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arriving at Westminster Abbey for the service on March 9

Boris Johnson surveys flood defences in the Worcestershire town of Bewdley on March 8

Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park on March 6

Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 5, in an event attended by Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who later tested positive for the virus, as well as Trade Secretary Liz Truss (in red next to the podium) and athlete Kelly Holmes (in a black suit, two places to Ms Truss's left)
T he Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance Service are calling on former members to help Londoners in the fight against coronavirus.

All former Met Police constables and sergeants who retired within the last five years - starting from March 31 2015 - will receive a letter from Commissioner Cressida Dick asking them to rejoin the Met either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

Senior officers with applicable skills and experience may also be asked to rejoin. Those police unwilling to come back full time have been asked to consider returning as special constables and committing 16 hours a week to police work.

Officers who are set to leave the force will also be asked to postpone their retirement.

UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus 1 /25 UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus The Shard in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting against coronavirus Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS Reuters London's Piccadilly Circus saluting local heroes during Thursday's nationwide Clap for Carers NHS initiative to applaud NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic PA Selfridges lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus on the frontline PA Fulwell Windmill in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus PA MediaCityUK in Manchester lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Belfast City Hall is lit up in support of the NHS Reuters The SSE Arena, Wembley, is seen with a lit up sign for the Clap For Our Carers campaign REUTERS Tawstock Court in Barnstaple lit up in blue PA Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City FC is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks PA Wembley stadium is seen lit up blue REUTERS Wembley Arch in London is lit up in blue PA The Lowry lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff who are trying to battle coronavirus. PA The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff PA People applaud infront of big screen in Piccadilly Circus during the Clap For Our Carers campaign Reuters The Shard in London is lit up blue

Commissioner Dick said: On behalf of London, and all the men and women of the Met, it is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers.

Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see that the Met is here for them. We must maintain our operational resilience and continue to provide the best possible service to London.

Police officers overwhelmingly join the job to help people and to make a difference, and that desire will be as strong today as it was the very first day they joined. I am hopeful that these exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable former colleagues choose to come and be part of our team and support London at this extraordinary time - either as a re-employed police officer, special constable or a volunteer.

Police officers now have powers to enforce staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel, as of 1pm on Thursday.

As a result, people who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested or fined. Officers can use reasonable force, if necessary.

People across the UK take part in #clapforourcarers giving support to NHS staff amid coronavirus battle

London Ambulance Service has also appealed for former staff to return.

The service tweeted: We are asking former members of our team to consider returning, if they can, to support us in helping Londoners in need.
SPRINGFIELD  New federal and charitable funding will soon be available to Illinoisans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as the state on Thursday saw its largest one-day spike of new cases and deaths during the pandemic.

President Donald Trump approved Illinois disaster declaration on Thursday, allowing the state to access emergency funding to expand health care services like increasing hospital and housing capacity and expanding telehealth services.

In his 18th consecutive daily briefing on the pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday he is also seeking a disaster declaration for all 102 counties from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

This would give us resources like more unemployment benefits for those not currently eligible for state unemployment insurance, enhanced benefits for those seeking shelter, food and emergency supplies, new legal services and financial assistance to our underinsured households, Pritzker said.

A record-shattering 3.3 million Americans, including 114,663 Illinoisans, applied for unemployment benefits in the week ending March 21.

More federal assistance is likely on its way in the coming days after the U.S. Senate on Wednesday night voted unanimously to pass a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, 96-0.

Expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as early as Friday and signed into law by the President, this third wave of COVID-19 relief will help people, hospitals and restaurants stay afloat during the pandemic, said U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, and Illinois Democrat.

But to think that every senator, Democrat (and) Republican, came together tells you, I believe, that we not only understand the gravity of this challenge, but the importance that we move quickly and put politics aside when it comes to the well-being of the people we represent and the future of our nation, Durbin said at Thursdays briefing.

The package includes a provision that would send checks of up to $1,200 to adults making less than $75,000 a year and $2,400 total for couples making less than $150,000, with smaller amounts for individuals making between $75,000 and $100,000. Households would receive $500 per each child.

Hospitals and health care providers nationwide will also receive more than $120 billion total. Restaurants with fewer than 500 employees would be able to get loans through U.S. Small Business Administration, and, under certain circumstances, would not have to pay the loans back if they spend the money on things like payroll or rent.

Although the stimulus package represents about half the spending of the 2019 federal budget, some public officials, like New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have criticized the stimulus for not doing enough. Pritzker said people should at least recognize a win.

Does more need to be done? Yes, he said, adding that right now, my biggest concern is not the expenditure that we're making to save lives, its are we saving the lives? Are we actually bending the curve?

State response fund

Pritzker announced Thursday an independent fund, operated by the United Way of Illinois and the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations, to support nonprofit organizations serving people most impacted by the pandemic.

Led by the governors sister, Chicago real estate investor and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund has already raised more than $23 million.

These funds will help many people across our state who are really, really hurting now, she said.

In the coming weeks, the funds steering committee, comprised of philanthropic leaders across the state, will disburse money to charitable organizations that serve communities in need. Money will go toward things like emergency food and basic supplies, housing and shelter, primary health care services, financial services and support for children.

No amount is too small, Gov. Pritzker said.

The billionaire governor said he and his wife contributed $2 million of their own money to the fund, while Gov. Pritzkers foundation gave another $2 million.

26 deaths; more than 2,000 cases

Illinois on Thursday saw its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases, at 673, and deaths, at seven. Cases have been reported in 37 counties, but health officials say everyone should assume the virus is in circulation where they live.

The newly deceased are a man in his 50s, two men and two women in their 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The Illinois Department of Public Health said five of the victims were from Cook County, one from McHenry County and one from Will County. Nearly nine in 10 of the states dead have been 60 or older.

Illinois has now recorded 2,538 cases and 26 deaths directly related to COVID-19. More than 16,000 people have been tested. Thursday was the states 19th consecutive day of an increase in reported cases and its eight straight day with new deaths as Illinois continues to climb the curve to a peak in both categories.

Though Illinois is in a period of exponential growth in cases, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said prevention measures like social distancing, school closures and the stay-at-home order have allowed the state to be slightly under initial forecasts and predictions.

Stay home

As warmer spring temperatures entice people to venture outside during Illinois stay-at-home order, Pritzker and Ezike urged people to continue complying.

Throwing all caution to the wind in the midst of a deadly pandemic is not acceptable. You are putting not just yourself but your family and your friends in danger, Pritzker said. We all want to maintain our freedoms, even in the context of our stay-at-home order. But I am begging you, please, if you don't have to be out, stay inside.

Chicago officials on Thursday closed the citys scenic lakefront and outdoor trails because people earlier in the week were gathering outside in the warm weather.

We are tempted to get together and socialize, but we need to look forward and look for the big picture, Ezike said. There's a lot at stake and we can't go for short-term wins at the cost of our society.

President Trump in recent days has floated the idea of easing up social distancing guidelines by April 12, Easter Sunday. Pritzker said he is concerned the President is ignoring the science.

People will die. People will get sick. We need to make sure that we're operating on the same playbook together to save people's lives, he said.

Pritzker added he will be guided by science regarding an eventual decision to lighten Illinois stay-at-home order, which currently lasts through April 7.

As we look past the peak, we'll certainly be evaluating whether there are measures that we can take, he said, such as possibly easing the order for certain regions of the state.

Some prisoner transfers stopped

Pritzker on Thursday signed two executive orders. One suspends all prisoner admissions from county jails to state prisons during Illinois disaster proclamation.

The director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, the order states, has the authority to make exceptions. County sheriffs, however, want the decision reevaluated because they say it risks the health of inmates and guards because of overcrowding.

Local sheriffs across the state believe this policy further puts every county across Illinois at higher risk, jeopardizes the safety of inmates and correctional officers, and requires local government to burden additional costs, said Jim Kaitschuk, executive director of the Illinois Sheriffs Association, in a statement.

The other executive order allows notaries to witness the signing of forms if parties are using a two-way, audio-video communication.
Good news for little turtle lovers: The Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, has moved its educational programs online amid the coronavirus pandemic in an effort to keep young minds engaged during these unprecedented times.

Under normal circumstances, the Loggerhead Marinelife Centera nonprofit sea turtle research, rehabilitation, and educational institutionserves more than 350,000 guests and upwards of 74,000 registered students each year. To combat the center closing due to the COVID-19 crisis, theyve begun sharing daily, live broadcasts featuring educational programming from their Outdoor Sea Turtle Hospital, available for free to viewers around the world.

Our virtual programs will help keep our next generation of eco-advocates focused and engaged with sea turtle and ocean conservation, the centers website explains. Our educators are working around the clock to bring you and your family exceptional virtual learning modules.

WATCH: Kentucky's Horse Country Has Launched Virtual Tours and We Can Almost Smell the Green Grass

Kentucky's Horse Country Has Launched Virtual Tours and We Can Almost Smell the Green Grass

Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, Kentucky horse farms are bringing the action to your screens.

Until it re-opens to the public, the Loggerhead Marinelife Centers Virtual Coastal Classrooms are available via Facebook Live Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. EST, and Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. EST. Theyre also hosting nightly trivia games at 9 p.m. EST. The centers Virtual Coastal Classroom also features an enhanced online Educator Portal, which includes online quizzes, activities, and other resources for teachers and homeschooling parents alike.

Our education team will conduct daily, 15- to 20-minute virtual learning lessons focused on various sea turtle and ocean conservation topics, the website notes. These virtual learning modules will leverage our innovative sea turtle hospital and engage viewers with our sea turtle patients.

How cool is that?

For more information and to donate to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, please visit Marinelife.org.
Eva Redmond is greeted by her mother Deirdre after arriving into Dublin Airport. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The number of deaths in Ireland from coronavirus has more than doubled in just one day, with 10 reported last night.

It brings the total death toll from the virus to 19.

The number of cases of the virus has risen by 255 - bringing the total to 1,819.

The average age of the patients who died is 79. They include three women and seven men, with nine of the fatalities in the East and the other in the South.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he expects to see more deaths.

"If the number of cases increases, the number of deaths will increase," he said.

"Still, in relative terms, it is a small number."

Struggling hospitals will be overpowered if the surge in the sickest coronavirus patients becomes a tsunami, a leading doctor has warned.

Dr Catherine Motherway, an intensive care specialist, said hospitals could cope with "a wave" of patients needing the highest level of care after contracting the virus.

But they would be overpowered if the rapid increase turns into a tsunami, the University Hospital Limerick doctor said.

In a direct appeal to the wider population, she said people had it in their power to slow the escalation in patients needing the highest level of hospital care by following emergency measures, including staying at home, maintaining physical distancing and following handwashing rules.

Virulent

"Italy has had a difficulty and Wuhan has had a difficulty and now Spain," said Dr Motherway, president of the Intensive Care Society of Ireland.

"This is a virulent disease but without controlling the surge nobody need think a specific number of beds will fix it."

Extra critical care beds alone will not avert a crisis.

The HSE insisted it has spent weeks building up capacity for coronavirus patients needing the highest level of care.

It has increased the number of critical care beds from around 225 to 500 and this will rise to 700.

A report from the European Centre for Disease Control warned that, based on the 220 intensive care beds in place before the virus hit Ireland, its hospital critical care capacity would be "overwhelmed" in the event of a large surge.

The centre said the hospital crisis here would erupt if 18pc of hospitalised patients with the virus - on a par with the Lombardy region of Italy - needed intensive care.

The Medical Council said 121 doctors have rejoined the medical register as part of the call to arms to help out in the coronavirus crisis.

Nearly half are coming out of retirement and the rest are returning from abroad to support hard-pressed front-line colleagues.

Children's Health Ireland (CHI), which oversees the three children's hospitals in Dublin, said it was relocating acute paediatric services from Tallaght Hospital to Crumlin and Temple Street.

Services will also transfer to the paediatric outpatient and urgent care centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

Evaluations

CHI said its contingency planning for the Covid-19 period is based on patient safety risk evaluations, maintaining essential paediatric services for specific paediatric patient groups and according to the limitations of staffing numbers and expertise.

While children and young people are vulnerable to Covid-19, the viral infection appears to be less severe in children than in adults.

It means the closure of acute paediatric services, such as inpatients, day cases, out-patients and the paediatric emergency department in Tallaght, from midnight tonight.

CHI reassured patients and families that its two other Dublin hospitals, Crumlin and Temple Street, are open, including their 24-hour emergency departments for all emergencies.

So too is the Urgent Care Centre at Connolly Hospital for minor injuries or minor illnesses, which is open between 10am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

"As part of our plan to move together to the new children's hospital, we have already commenced cross-city ways of working so this temporary transition of services from CHI at Tallaght will be done in a safe, patient- centred manner through close collaboration," a spokesperson said.

"We are ever grateful for the co-operation, commitment and dedicated efforts being undertaken by staff across CHI to temporarily consolidate services in the best interests of our patients, our staff and all our families."
The US has become the epicentre of the global coronavirus outbreak now that it has more number of coronavirus infections, closing in on 86,000, surpassing China who has recorded 81,782 cases so far. The death toll in US is at 1,296 with most deaths reported from New York city and King Washington is second with 109 deaths.

Globally the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases are 532,692 and total deaths 24,075, this as per the data presented by Johns Hopkins University at 10:45 am IST on March 27, 2020.

The number of cases jumped by more than 10,000 and many more are expected by the end of the day. Now, the US has more coronavirus cases than China, Italy and Spain.

On Wednesday, the China`s National Health Commission had reported 81,285 confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland.

Apart from China, other countries that have reported over 10,000 cases include Italy, the US, Spain, Germany, Iran, France and Switzerland. Italy has suffered the most casuality from the disease, which stood at 8,215.

Earlier, US president Donald Trump had called for a 15-day period of observation, which expires early next week. Measures like social distancing and quarantine has been instituted across much of the US, with stay-at-home orders for more than a third of the population.
Havana: Cuba hit out at the United States on Thursday over a "campaign of discredit and lies" against the doctors it has sent around the world to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Following requests in recent weeks, communist Cuba has sent medical teams to Italy, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Grenada, Suriname, Jamaica and Belize.

The export of medical services is one of the pillars of the Cuban economy that has suffered almost six decades of crippling US sanctions, bringing in $6.3 billion in 2018, according to official figures.

"The American government's campaign of discredit is immoral in any circumstances, and it's particularly offensive for Cuba and the world in times of a pandemic that threatens all of us," said the foreign ministry.

The US State Department is waging "a continuous and exacerbated campaign of discredit and lies against the international medical cooperation supplied by Cuba," the ministry said in a diplomatic protest statement.

"#Cuba offers its international medical missions to those afflicted with #COVID-19 only to make up the money it lost when countries stopped participating in the abusive program," said the State Department on Twitter.

Cuba, which is world renown for its medical training program, has more than 30,000 doctors working in 61 countries.

However, following governmental swings from leftist allies to right-wing opponents, several countries -- including Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and El Salvador -- sent the doctors home to Cuba.

The State Department said the Cuban state, which provides free education, "keeps most of the salary its doctors and nurses earn while serving in its international medical missions while exposing them to egregious labor conditions." "Host countries seeking Cuba's help for #COVID-19 should scrutinize agreements and end labor abuses."

Cuba says it pays its medical professionals enough money to cover their expenses in their host country, on top of a salary of around $50 a month paid in Cuba.

The rest of the money made from the program helps ensure health and education remain free for everyone on the Caribbean island nation, Havana says.
People stand in a long queue outside a grocery store to buy essential commodities during the nationwide lockdown, in view of the coronavirus outbreak, at Borivali in Mumbai. PTI photo

Mumbai/Gondia: With 12 people in Sangli testing positive for coronavirus, the total number of patients in Maharashtra rose to 147 on Friday, an increase of 17 within a day, health officials said.

Earlier in the day, four persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Nagpur and another in Gondia, both in eastern Maharashtra. In Sangli, the number of COVID-19 patients is now 24.

All the infected persons in Sangli district are related to or had come in contact with a single family. Some members of this family had returned from Saudi Arabia and later tested positive for the virus.

The newly detected coronavirus patients had already been put in hospital quarantine, said Sangli district civil surgeon C S Salunkhe.

A 24-year-old man who returned to Gondia in Maharashtra from Thailand some ten days ago has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, District Health Officer Dr Shyam Neemgade said on Friday.

His report came in late Thursday night, the official informed.

"The man from Ganesh Nagar locality here had gone to Bangkok with friends from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh and had returned some 10 days ago," he said.

Local officials said he had flouted home quarantine rules and was detained on Wednesday by health department authorities after one of his friends from Rajnandgaon on the Bangkok trip tested positive.

The locality where he stays has been sanitised and his family members ar being tested for the virus, they added.

Contact tracing measures are underway, the officials said.
Seattle, United States  In a typical year, homeless shelters experience the biggest surge in demand not during the cold winter months, but rather during the summer.

In the summer, schools close and parents lose the usual daily eight hours of childcare and meals. With the additional burden of sleeping on the streets, parents seek out shelter more often, research has shown.

Now what we have nationally is summer is coming early, says Gregg Colburn, a real estate professor at the University of Washington who has studied the summer surge in homeless shelters population.

Across the United States, schools have already shut their doors to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus that has so far infected more than half a million people and taken more than 25,000 lives worldwide. The US now has the most confirmed cases, with more than 92,000. Over 1,300 people have died in the country.

Health experts have advised closing schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but for unstably housed families and their children, that means being left without a key institution that provides a number of services, including meals, therapy, and crucially, sheltered childcare.

Inequality compounded by pandemic

Homeless children in grade school in the US number 1.5 million, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Homeless Education, and the number of homeless children under age six could be almost as high.

During the summer holiday, parents can still work. To reduce the risk of the virus spreading, however, several states have virtually frozen non-essential jobs, multiplying the burdens on families with school-age children who were already struggling to stay afloat.

[The closures] take a population that was already very vulnerable to these things and takes away a lot of the services that prop them up, said Christine Ma, a pediatrician at Benioff Childrens Hospital in Oakland, California.

In some instances, they lost their one constant connection, a school, and theyre really on their own now, said Ma.

Children enter PS 042 Benjamin Altman school to pick up school-provided takeout lunches, after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered schools closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

For those who are not restricted from working, many often face a difficult choice: going to work to make enough money to put food on the table and pay the rent or mortgage, or taking pay cuts and shorter shifts to stay home with their children.

Other workers have been let go altogether, leaving parents scrambling to pay rent. Some schools have sent booklets of work to continue childrens education, effectively turning parents into teachers. Finding someone to take care of kids brings households into contact, preventing social distancing measures recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The burden is felt even greater by families who already have no roofs over their heads. Some shelters have begun rejecting families, either due to a lack of space or because they dont want to risk introducing the virus to already housed people. Parents, not wanting to see their children sleep on the street, find places to send their kids away from the anxiety and fear they experience.

We already have a relatively unequal society, and that inequality will compound during this crisis, said Colburn, who also leads the University of Washingtons Homelessness Research Initiative.

Whole new world

Ma runs a volunteer medical group, Kerrys Kids, that visits homeless children in shelters in San Francisco, California. Without the ability to ensure sterilisation and care for potential coronavirus victims, the team made the difficult decision to close.

I have a lot of patients that Im worried about, Ma said.

Aid workers on the front line of homelessness in the US say they are in uncharted territory, but structures in place can be used to address the intensified crises.

Its a whole new world, said Barbara Duffield, executive director of SchoolHouse Connection, a non-profit organisation working to overcome homelessness through education. For weeks, she has been fielding questions from school workers from around the country.

Theres a lot of people trying to understand what consistency looks like when you dont have eight hours in school a day, Duffield said.

In addition to housing, the biggest need around the country is for mobile hot spots, she said. Some families have resorted to sitting outside closed libraries to access Wi-Fi to complete necessary case management paperwork involving anything from affordable housing to child development services to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

If you have a portion of the population that was just hanging on, I think the school closure is another huge jolt to this, because the meals they provide, the childcare they provide, said Colburn.

Christine Twiss delivers sack lunches to Marsha Spencer on a school bus route converted to a meal delivery route for the Marysville School District, as schools close during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, on the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Tulalip, Washington [David Ryder/Reuters]

There is an increased need for food banks  and there are worries about the countrys food supplies.

According to Lark Kesterke, the director of Impact & Investments for United Way Snohomish County, supplies have decreased 50 percent in the county, which is near Seattle, Washington and near where the first US case of COVID-19 was confirmed. Most food banks receive extra food from grocery stores, but customers rushing to fill their home stocks out of panic have depleted stocks.

Literally there is no food that grocery stores can surplus out because they have their own supply issues, said Kesterke.

Most schools that have closed are continuing to provide meals on site for students. Others have turned school bus drivers into a meal delivery brigade. More difficult to place, though, are the childcare services and mental health services, which students often rely on.

The impact Im concerned about from a health standpoint is their developmental and mental health, said Ma. Theres a huge amount of anxiety and it trickles down from parents, too.

Harder to fight continuing crises

Officials in the Seattle area have taken steps to reduce pressures on unstably housed families, such as banning rent-related evictions. Deficits in affordable housing needs are still prominent, but for some residents, they can be sure that they can stay for another month or two.

The anxiety is high. Some have been laid off and theyre trying to search for housing and figure out how they are going to make rent, said Monica Best-Wilson, a school psychologist who works with Housing Hope, a non-profit organisation that addresses poverty through housing, jobs and children.

Now that there is the 30-day stay on evictions, they can take a breath and wait, she said.

Mario Bravo, a school safety aide at New Yorks Trinity Elementary School, holds a sign about free bagged meals for schoolchildren, while schools are closed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak [Leslie Adler/Reuters]

In her experience, though, thats only one pressure among many when families need to care for children. Some parents have needed to become their childrens teachers, even as they juggle work while maintaining CDC guidelines for social distancing.

Colburn is worried the virus could spread like wildfire among unstably housed families. Nutrition and healthcare are often enduring problems.

Anytime theres increased stress, that strains the immune system, said Ma.

The US already has a structure in place to address homeless children in education, based on the McKinney-Vento act first signed in 1987. It includes a wider definition of homelessness such that students in unstable housing will also receive the attention and benefits that support their schooling.

Duffield of SchoolHouse Connection has asked that funding for the programmes it mandates receive an additional $300m in emergency funds on top of the current $92.5m annually.

This is going to uniquely harm low-ncome households, and thats hopefully going to be reflected in the major fiscal efforts taken by the federal government, said Colburn.

The Senate passed a stimulus bill this week, which includes direct payments to millions of Americans and opens up hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to states for jobless aid. The House of Representatives is expected to pass the bill later this week. It is unclear where many homeless individuals would qualify for receiving any direct payment benefits since the government is relying on the last two years tax returns.

Additionally, such a pandemic makes addressing crises that have affected many Americans for decades even more challenging.

One of the real scary aspects of this from a housing standpoint is that we still have a huge deficit of affordable housing, Colburn said.

It takes a lot of capital to build affordable housing, but going forward, government budgets will be severely constrained, Colburn added.

We know what works in terms of housing policy and low-income households. The issue is not trying to figure out what works. The issue is identifying the political will and resources to expand those programmes.
The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme is a new scheme introduced to help employers retain workers on their payrolls during a period of reduced trading or temporary lay-off related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This new subsidy will cover 70% the net salary of workers, up to a maximum of 410 per week. Many employers will top-up this salary to pay their workers as close as possible to their normal full wage.

The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is an emergency payment of 350 per week introduced by the Government for a 12 week period and intended to compensate those workers whose employers cannot retain them on their payroll.

The payment will also be made to people who are self-employed but whose trade has temporarily ceased.

You are eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if

You were in employment or self-employment immediately before Friday 13 March, and

You have been temporarily laid-off from work or asked to stay at home from work, and

Your employer is not in a position to retain you on their payroll, and

You are not in receipt of any employment income.





You are not eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if

You were not in employment immediately before Friday 13 March, or

You were not laid-off from work by your employer, or

You are continuing to receive income from your employment, or

You voluntarily left your employment.



Do not claim the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if your employer has not laid you off or if you were not previously in employment or if you are still in receipt of employment income, or if your employer takes you back onto their payroll.

If you think you inadvertently applied for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, or if your employer has re-employed you under the new Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, you must close your Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment claim now.

Claims can be closed via the Departments online portal at www.MyWelfare.ie under the Covid-19 payment section.

The Department will review all claims.

It is engaging with Revenue Commissioners to identify those workers not eligible to avail of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and will take steps to recover any incorrect payment.

Any person who knowingly claims the payment in circumstances where they are not entitled to the payment will be prosecuted.

The co-operation of the public in ensuring that only correct claims are submitted is greatly appreciated. This ensures that we can process claims for people who really need the support as quickly as possible.

Also read: Unemployment Support payment has been increased to 350 for those laid off due to Covid-19
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has been awarded an extra $932 million to supply intermediate-range interceptor missiles to the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The contract is another sign of the missile and missile defense powerhouse growing inside Lockheed's vast defense portfolio.

The Pentagon on Tuesday announced a contract modification to add the new Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) one-shot interceptors. Foreign military sales funds earmarked for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will pay for $605 million of the award, with the rest coming from U.S. government funds.

The award comes nearly a year after Lockheed Martin received its first down payment on a $15 billion missile defense system for the Saudis that at the time seemed vulnerable to cancellation due to growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and Western governments. But it now seems clear the THAAD system will be deployed in the kingdom and is a clear priority for U.S. military planners trying to provide global coverage to protect troops and assets in harm's way.

THAAD in demand

The THAAD system, designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin using Raytheon radars and Aerojet Rocketdyne boosters, is designed to shoot down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles on their descent. The system is somewhat portable and deployable as needed, and it, along with the Lockheed-built Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System deployed on much of the Navy's fleet of destroyers, is quickly becoming a vital cog in the U.S. defense strategy.

The THAAD is the primary U.S. deterrent to North Korean rockets from locations in South Korea and Guam and is also been deployed in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Romania. A January escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran that led to strikes on U.S. assets only reinforced the need to deploy defensive measures in the region.

The THAAD was designed to be a regional deterrent, but the Pentagon increasingly is interested in exploring the use of the system against intercontinental threats as well. THAAD units are deployed in Hawaii primarily for testing, but the Army has pushed for funding for a permanent battery there.

If the system's mission is going to increase, it is going to require additional R&D, and that means additional funding. New orders, and in particular international orders like the Saudi deal, are the rocket fuel Lockheed Martin needs to push THAAD higher.

The missile business is on target

Lockheed's Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) unit doesn't get the same amount of attention as the company's airplanes and helicopters, but it is growing increasingly important to the overall investment case for the company. In addition to THAAD and Aegis, Lockheed Martin recently scored an apparent win on the Army's new long-range ballistic missile.

Lockheed and Raytheon were supposed to battle it out for a contract to build the Army's Precision Strike Missile, but according to Defense News, Raytheon is exiting the competition prior to a flight test. If so, that leaves Lockheed Martin as the only contender for a program that is expected to generate more than $2 billion in revenue over the next five years and will likely find plenty of additional interest from allies in the second half of the decade.

The company has also emerged as a leader in hypersonics -- missiles able to travel more than five times the speed of sound -- winning billions in research and development contracts in recent years.

In 2018 the Air Force justified the amount of funds flowing to Lockheed Martin in this area instead of other companies by writing that "no other contractor has this level of design maturity," estimating that the government would have to spend more than $100 million in duplicate development costs just to get another vendor up to speed.

Investors should note that it might take time for some of these programs to hit the bottom line, as there are often margin-sapping development costs in the early stages of a new program award. But over time, MFC has the potential to propel Lockheed Martin higher.

Lockheed Martin's well-rounded arsenal

The rap for years against Lockheed Martin was that it was overly reliant on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, potentially a trillion-dollar program sure to dominate even the largest portfolio. That criticism remains the single biggest pushback I get from investors when I talk about Lockheed today.

Aeronautics is and will likely remain Lockheed Martin's biggest business, generating about 40% of total sales in 2019. But the MFC business, although half as big in terms of revenue, is growing fast, and offers the company added international exposure and a pipeline of promising products. MFC grew sales by 20% in 2019, tops among Lockheed divisions, and is expected to be the fastest-growing division in 2020.

Roll in Lockheed Martin's space business and its Sikorsky helicopter unit, which is a finalist on two multibillion competitions, and there's a lot to get excited about with Lockheed Martin right now.
Since then, Schaffer has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay Lost Larsons staff, which had raised nearly $8,000 of its $25,000 goal as of publication. They have not taken any additional security measures, he said, just trying to be more aware of fewer people and emptier streets.
Weather Alert

...Winter Storm System to Impact the Region this Weekend... A strong winter storm system will push east through the Quad State Saturday into Sunday. Wintry precipitation will spread eastward into southern Illinois and southeast Missouri late Friday night, and then southeast over the remainder of the region Saturday morning. The evolution of the storm for the remainder of the weekend is quite uncertain at this time. The ultimate path and intensity of the storm system, along with the temperature forecast, will determine how impactful it will be across the Quad State. For now you are encouraged to monitor the latest forecasts and follow your winter weather preparedness plans ahead of this potentially impactful winter storm.
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.
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Jenny Polanco designed womens fashions from childhood, creating costumes for her Barbies and going on to make her own clothes for college. But she never believed that people are what they wear. She was more concerned with what was underneath.

Ms. Polanco, a breakthrough Dominican designer of clothing, jewelry and accessories, died this week in a hospital in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Rafael Sanchez Cardenas, the public health minister, announced on Tuesday. She was 62.
Burma Apartment Blocks Under Quarantine After Myanmar Finds Two More COVID-19 Cases

A woman and child leave their building in Mandalay shortly before health service workers sanitize the area on Friday. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

YANGON and MANDALAY  Apartment buildings where Myanmars latest COVID-19 patients lived are under quarantine after two men tested positive on Friday.

The countrys health ministry confirmed that a 69-year-old in Yangon and a 33-year-old in Mandalay had the disease. Both men recently arrived from overseas.

Myanmar reported its first case early this week and now has five confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Following the governments announcement on Friday, an eight-story building in Yangons Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township has been put under 14-day quarantine.

The man arrived on March 14 from Australia, where he received a months medical treatment for nasal cancer. On his way home, he stopped in Singapore for four days. He suffered from a fever, cough and sore throat shortly after arriving in Yangon and was admitted to hospital for observation.

On Friday, the building and its grounds have been disinfected.

The townships lawmaker, U Hla Htay, told The Irrawaddy that his daughter, nephew and drivers were under observation at the Waibargi Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yangon.

Now we have assigned community volunteers to isolate the building and support those inside, he said.

In Mandalay, the regional government has quarantined a building in Chanmyathazi Township.

The US citizen arrived on March 19 with Qatar Airways. He spent a night in Yangon before heading to Mandalay by bus.

Five of his relatives are under quarantine at Kandawnadi Hospital, according to the townships lawmaker, U Myint Aung Moe.

He said about 80 people in the 18 apartments in the building were under quarantine and their health would be monitored.

They all are now ordered to follow home quarantine and the authorities will make sure they stay at home. Daily health checks will be carried out, said the lawmaker.

The man had a cough, sore throat and high temperature and was admitted to Mandalay General Hospital on March 25. He is now under isolation at Kandawnadi Hospital.

The hospital said the patient had swellings on his lungs but was in a stable condition.

The regional government asked everyone who had contact with him, including his taxi driver, bus driver and the passengers on his flight and bus, to report to a clinic.

So far Myanmar has cases in Yangons Wabagi hospital, Insein Hospital and Yangon General Hospital, one case in Mandalay Kandawnadi Hospital and another in Tedim Hospital in Chin State.

As of Thursday night, 20 people suspected of having the disease were under observation, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar is Combating Fake News in the Time of Coronavirus

Myanmar-Based Diplomats Told to Cancel Events Amid Coronavirus Fears
"The International Monetary Fund goes into open blackmail, forcing the authorities to agree to its requirements and adopt laws regarding the banking system and, most importantly, regarding the sale of agricultural land"

Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said that in order to reach final agreements on a new expanded financing program for Ukraine, it is necessary to adopt a law to improve some banking regulation mechanisms, and most importantly - to complete the land reform.

The International Monetary Fund carries out direct external management of Ukraine with its usual cynical methods. The control is being carried out even now, when Ukraine faced with the consequences of a reckless and unprofessional policy of the government, many times aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic, when the economy and financial system of our country were on the verge of collapse.

In this situation, the International Monetary Fund goes into open blackmail, forcing the authorities to agree to its requirements and adopt laws regarding the banking system and, most importantly, regarding the sale of agricultural land.

The Opposition Platform - For Life runs totally against the sale of land and has always been doing and is doing everything possible to ensure that the law that will allow the plunder of land is not adopted. Our position is shared and supported by citizens of Ukraine - over 70% of them strongly oppose the sale of land. Despite this, the Ukrainian government, which is under strict external control and actual control of the IMF, continues to push through this decision, which is essentially destroying the country.

In a situation of global crisis, the IMF has once again demonstrated its readiness to use the problems of its "partner" to achieve its own goals. Obviously, Ukraine cannot count on the help of the International Monetary Fund, thus, the authorities should hold negotiations like these with the Russian Federation, China, and other countries that are able to provide such assistance.

This is the only real way out, that will save Ukraine and take it out of the most difficult economic and social situation.

***

The original is published on the website of the Opposition Platform - For Life party press service.
Extending trains from Varsity Lakes to the Gold Coast Airport instead of the light rail is the biggest factor in the coronavirus-interrupted 2020 Gold Coast election campaigns.

All eight mayoral candidates want the Queensland government to run heavy rail from Varsity Lakes to the Gold Coast Airport at Tugun/Coolangatta.

However, only incumbent Tom Tate insists the light rail should run down the coast to the airport, supporting the parallel inland heavy rail.

The Gold Coast light rail has attracted 31 million passengers since 2014, according to G-Link, the company running the light rail link.
The humble sheet pan is the hero of weeknight cooking. It's sleek, spacious surface allows the busy home cook to get a balanced dinner  protein! starch! vegetables!  on the table quickly with very little prep or cleanup. Just chop, drop and roast.

Thats why every week, well be sharing throw-it-all-on-a-sheet-pan recipes from our favorite chefs and home cooks. Whether youre cooking for yourself, friends, family or meal-prepping for the week, you should keep these one-pan meals in your back pocket  or, rather, your oven.

This week, Hawa Hassan, founder and CEO of Basbaas, a line of Somali hot sauces and chutneys, shares the recipe for the spicy red wine sauce she puts on everything. Here, she puts it on roasted vegetables, but it really works on anything you have stashed in your fridge.

In order to prevent tearing up while chopping onions, Hassan holds a match between her front teeth. The theory is that the red end of the match absorbs the sulfuric compounds before they can reach your eyes. (Kara Birnbaum/TODAY)

Awaze is a versatile sauce hailing from Ethiopia where its used on just about everything. You can use it as a finishing sauce, as I do here, or brush it on just about any protein (fish, poultry, tofu or tempeh) before grilling, sauteing or roasting.

Awaze is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. (Kara Birnbaum/TODAY)

Technique tip: To cut the carrots, hold a carrot at a 45-degree angle to your cutting board and slice a 1-inch chunk off, rotate the carrot a quarter turn and slice off another chunk. Continue to the end of the carrot and cut all of the carrots this way. (This is a "roll cut;" it's a good technique for cutting long vegetables to give them lots of surface area for browning.)

Hassan demonstrating a

In Ethiopia, they use local honey wine to make this sauce, but here we can use a combo of red wine and honey to replicate its sweet but tannic flavor. This dish is perfect and simple as is, but feel free to scatter some fresh herbs (like cilantro) or toasted nuts, such as almonds, over the top.

For the full recipe, click in below:

Roasted Carrots, Chickpeas and Onions with Awaze Sauce by Hawa Hassan
The US Congress on Friday passed the historic USD 2 trillion rescue package to help the Americans and secure the country's economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic that has infected over 94,000 people across the nation.

The bill among other things gives USD 3,400 for most of the American families of four, and billions of dollars' worth of financial assistance to small and medium businesses, and big corporations like Boeing.

Lawmakers and the White House believe that the massive stimulus package of USD 2 trillion will give the much needed stimulus to the world's biggest economy.

The House of Representatives passed the bill by a voice vote, a provision rarely used by the House for such an important financial measure.

The US Senate passed the bill with a massive 96-0 votes on Thursday.

The magnitude of the package can be seen in the context that India, one of the top five economies of the world, is estimated at USD 3 trillion.

US President Donald Trump described it as the largest financial relief package in American history.

This, he said, will provide relief for American workers and families in this hour of need.

Trump is soon expected to sign the bill into law and the first stimulus check is likely to be sent to the Americans in the first week of April.

More than half of the country's 330 million population are now confined to their homes, Major Disaster Declaration has been announced in over a dozen States and a national emergency has been declared.

A record number of three million people have applied for unemployment, the entire travel and tourism industry have come to a standstill, companies have stopped their operations and only essential services are running.

The US now has more coronavirus cases than any other country in the world.

According to Worldometer, more than 94,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been recorded, 1,429 people have died of the disease and 2,463 people are in critical condition.

New York, which is the financial capital of the world, accounts for nearly half of the total cases and more than 500 people have died in the Big Apple alone.

The bill is bipartisan families and workers-first legislation that will bring urgently needed relief to families and small businesses all across this country, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

With this bill, Congress has established strong, comprehensive programs like a Marshall Plan for our hospitals and health system, help for small businesses, unemployment insurance on steroids, strict oversight, transparency and accountability measures and more that put workers and people and our public health first.

"This legislation, while not a panacea, will address many of America's vital, immediate health and economic needs, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

This is really historic, bipartisan legislation to kill this coronavirus and save US jobs and US business, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox in an interview.

We're in an unprecedented situation where the government shut down major parts of the economy. So, whether it's unemployment claims, or other numbers, this doesn't reflect the normal economy. This reflects government action, he said.

That's why this historic USD2 trillion package, plus, another USD4 trillion we can use with the Fed, that's six trillion dollars to help save American workers and American business. And the president is fully committed that we are going to do everything in our power to protect workers and business, Mnuchin said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TORONTO - Small and medium business owners and entrepreneurs got a boost from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday as he handed more out relief for companies grappling amid COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, March 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

TORONTO - Small and medium business owners and entrepreneurs got a boost from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday as he handed more out relief for companies grappling amid COVID-19.

The measures he announced include:

Wage subsidies:

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.

The federal government will cover 75 per cent of salaries for workers of qualifying small businesses affected by COVID-19, an increase from the 10 per cent announced previously. The subsidy, which will be backdated to March 15, gives companies who have asked employees to stop or reduce working help in continuing to pay staff.

Loans:

The government has launched the Canada Emergency Business Account, which will involve banks soon providing government-guaranteed loans of up to $40,000 for small businesses. Those loans will be interest-free for the first year and up to $10,000 could be waived for repayment.

The government will also make another $12.5 billion in loans available through Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada to help small- and medium-sized businesses with operational cashflow requirements.

Taxes:GST and HST payments will be deferred as well as duties and taxes owed on imports until June. These moves are equivalent with giving $30 billion in interest-free loans to businesses, Trudeau said. This will allow companies to keep the money they would have sent to the government and use it instead for immediate needs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2020.
WASHINGTON - The Navy, the military service hit hardest by the coronavirus, scrambled to contain its first at-sea outbreak, with at least two dozen infected aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, one of 11 active aircraft carriers whose mission is central to the Pentagons strategy for deterring war with China and Iran.

The Roosevelt and its contingent of warplanes may be sidelined for days, sitting pier side in Guam as the entire crew  more than 5,000  is tested. Navy leaders say the carrier could return to duty at any time if required, but the sudden setback is seen as a harbinger of more trouble to come.

The Navy is headed into choppy waters in terms of readiness in the months ahead, says retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former ship commander who rose to become NATOs top commander in Europe.

In Asia, a carrier presence is central to what the Pentagon has identified as a fundamental shift from fighting insurgent and extremist conflicts in the Middle East to a return to great power competition. That means, principally, a bigger focus on China, including its militarization of disputed areas of the South China Sea.

The carrier, like other Navy ships, is vulnerable to infectious disease spread given its close quarters. The massive ship is more than 1,000 feet long; sailors are spread out across a labyrinth of decks linked by steep ladder-like stairs and narrow corridors. Enlisted sailors and officers have separate living quarters, but they routinely grab their food from crowded buffet lines and eat at tables joined end-to-end.

Stavridis fears that berthing compartments, or sleeping quarters where a dozen sailors are often packed into spaces not much larger than an average kitchen, will become birthing compartments for the virus.

Although the Navy is much smaller than the Army, it accounts for at least one-third of all reported COVID-19 cases in the military. None has been reported among Navy submarine crews, which are widely deployed and include subs armed with long-range nuclear missiles on constant patrol.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, Adm. John Aquilino, said in an Associated Press interview late Thursday that its not clear how long the Roosevelt will be kept in Guam and that its schedule will be adjusted as needed. He said no infected sailor is a critical health risk but some have been hospitalized.

Were clearly interested in ensuring that the ship and the crew are healthy said Aquilino, speaking from his Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, base. But let there be no doubt the ships ready to respond if needed. He said worried family members at home should know everything possible is being done for crew safety.

Family members of Roosevelt sailors have been reaching out to each other on social media. Expressing shock and anxiety, they alternately worried about their family members on the ship and their children at home, sprinkling their posts with questions about local virus testing and memes about toilet paper shortages and pandemic fears.

The Roosevelt had been in the South China Sea, and its most recent port visit had been at Vietnams popular coastal city of Da Nang earlier this month. The carrier was engaged in an exercise with another U.S. warship in the Philippine Sea when it first detected a COVID-19 infection aboard, other officials said.

Asked if the outbreak came as a surprise, Aquilino said, We are operating in the area where the disease started. All the risk and the spread of this disease initiated in this theatre. So, if we were surprised, wed be naive.

Aquilino said procedures are in place to try to minimize any spread of the virus, and based on the status of the entire Pacific fleet, Im very happy with the commanding officers and the teams for taking this seriously.

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said Friday that it would take 25 days to test all Roosevelt crew members, based on the ships current testing capability, but that is being augmented urgently. Separately, in a telephone interview with a group of reporters from his office in the Pentagon, Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday he is pretty confident the entire crew will be tested in less than one week.

Speaking on the Hugh Hewitt radio show, Modly said that in broad terms the Navy began thinking about global contingency plans in January, although infections have become pronounced only in recent weeks.

I think were doing okay, he said. I think obviously, just like everybody else in this crisis, were having to adjust a lot on the fly as we learn more about the virus and how its behaving.

As the most-recognized symbol of American sea power, the Navys carrier fleet has taken on a bigger role in the Middle East over the past year, returning to persistent patrols in the Persian Gulf as part of the Trump administrations strategy for deterring Iran from attacking U.S. and allied interests in the region.

Two carriers  the USS Harry S. Truman and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower  are currently in the Arabian Sea amid speculation about further U.S. military retaliation for rocket attacks in Iraq attributed to Iran-backed militias.

The sidelining of the Roosevelt has limited immediate impact on the balance of power in Asia, but it will not go unnoticed in Beijing, which is developing its own carrier fleet.

You can bet China is watching this closely, said Michael Mazza, an Asia special at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think-tank . Indeed, this comes at a particularly dangerous moment for Chinas neighbours in the region, especially Taiwan, which China considers a renegade Chinese province.

In Mazzas view, Chinese President Xi Jinping may see the U.S. as momentarily weakened, even militarily.

He said hes concerned that Xi might be tempted to make a move on Taiwan or in the South China Sea, driven on the one hand by a need to divert attention from domestic difficulties and to unify the Party at home and, on the other, by an opportunistic impulse to see what he can get away with.

The current status of the Roosevelt certainly doesnt help keep those temptations at bay.

Michael OHanlon, a defence and foreign policy specialist at the Brookings Institution, cautioned against overreacting to the Roosevelts outbreak.

He says its something to watch but not something to be too anxious about.
Dont be alarmed if you see folks wearing bright lime vests, N95 masks and blue gloves walking around Newark and Irvington. Theyre not testing for the coronavirus. Theyre helping those who are among the most vulnerable to it.

Bridges Outreach Inc. -- an organization that finds shelter for the homeless in those communities, New York City and Summit -- has a new sense of urgency: Get people off the streets, and if they have coronavirus symptoms, get them into quarantine.

Newark has the greatest need for this kind of work, executive director Richard Uniacke said.

When many New Jerseyans rightly are worried about their own health and safety and the welfare of their families and friends, its easy to forget about the least among us. Those who havent are heroes among us. In addition to protecting the least fortunate, theyre helping to keep the virus from spreading unchecked.

The coronavirus among the homeless wont stay only among the homeless, just as the coronavirus among spring-breakers wont stay among spring-breakers.

And the homeless in Newark could use the help. In 2019, there were 1,927 people in the city who experienced homelessness, according to Monarch Housing Associates, a non-profit group in Cranford that supplies annual New Jersey statistics every January. Newarks homeless is 80 percent of Essex Countys total of 2,235, and 25 percent of the 8,864 people in the state who struggled without a place to live last year.

Before the virus changed our lives, Bridges already was busy. The organization had roughly 2,500 volunteers who distributed approximately 1,500 brown-bag lunched per week, with toiletry kits and other supplies, in 2019. Now, with many volunteers staying home, bag lunches are down to 600 a week, but Uniacke, who has been in the field since Saturday, said his staff is not deterred.

Were still out there helping a needy population," he said.

Uniacke is picking up the slack for volunteers who are sheltering in place.

Were encouraging them to do that," Uniacke said. Dont put yourself and families at risk.

On Thursday, staffers Jaleesa McEachin and Madison Ricks, canvassed Penn Station, wearing surgical masks. They had N95 masks to use if they came in close contact. In minutes, they were talking to Kaysohn Joe, a Newark resident who declined their invitation for a bed in a shelter.

Its like me going back to prison instead of having my own, Joe said. Theres too many multiple personalities there in a shelter.

Until his housing status changes, all Joe wanted was some extra pants and toiletries -- soap, washcloth, tooth paste and toothbrush for when he hunkers down for the night at Penn Station.

Its the simple stuff that we take for granted, said McEachin, who told Joe they would return.

Bridges is known here, although McEachin and Ricks said some of the people think they work for NJ Transit.

Shay Crudup is familiar with the organization, but she particularly remembers seeing McEachin and Ricks on other occasions when theyve offered assistance.

Theyre good people, she said. Everybody talks about them.

Crudup, however, doesnt want to be in a shelter. Like Joe, a permanent address is the answer.

I want the whole kit and caboodle," she said.

Uniacke said Bridges workers ask about possible coronavirus symptoms. The homeless are not wearing masks, gloves or practicing social distancing. Its difficult to think about that when you dont have a place to live, youre worried about your next meal and you dont have warm clothes.

Uniacke said Bridges is working with citys health department and Essex County to help them. If they show symptoms but do not require hospitalization, Uniacke said designated locations for quarantine are being identified.

Since Saturday, Bridges has been comforting from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Beginning April 1, Bridges staffers and volunteers will work with the health department from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. More help is expected from social agencies.

Its a rapidly evolving crises and we have no plans to stop," Uniacke said.

They cant. Things are so different now for the organization, which started its work 32 years ago under the Brooklyn Bridge giving out brown bag lunches, soup and hot coffee. On Wednesday, they stopped doing outreach in New York because of the virus and city lockdown mandates.

In New Jersey, the organization had to close its Newark drop-in center, where the homeless could take a shower. The closure was difficult, Uniacke said, but the organization had to follow the social distance guidelines and best practices from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. But theres a more pressing issue than a shower.

Whats critically important is that we get them off street," he said.

Read More

Barry Carter may be reached at bcarter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Farmers still face a substantial shortfall of workers to help pick fruit and vegetables despite a campaign signing up 10,000 people.

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, UK farms are seeing a shortage of seasonal labour to help harvest and pack crops.

Despite a recent industry call for a 'land army of employees' to support farmers and growers, around 90,000 jobs still need filling.

Approximately 10,000 people have signed up to work at more than 500 farms across the country as part of the new 'Feed the Nation' campaign.

The initiative is being spearheaded by charity Concordia and agricultural labour specialists HOPS and Fruitful.

The groups are calling for British workers to apply for these paid positions on local farms across the UK to ease pressure.

Stephanie Maurel, chief executive of Concordia, told The Guardian that almost 90 percent of applicants are British.

Only a third of those who applied have experience in the farming industry, she explained. Half said the coronavirus had impacted their jobs.

But Ms Maurel highlighted farmers' worries that there's still going to be a shortfall, as 90,000 jobs need to be filled.

Defra Secretary George Eustice has backed the campaign, saying the country needs to 'mobilise the British workforce'.

"We need to fill that gap and make sure our excellent fruit and vegetables are on peoples plates over the summer months I would encourage as many people as possible to sign up.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president, Mark Bridgeman said, however, that the government must recognise that farmers' supply of labour is in 'jeopardy'.

A shortage of 80,000 workers is something we have never seen before," he said.

That is why we are calling for a land army of employees to support farmers in feeding the country.

Feed the Nation said workers will 'at least' be paid minimum wage and 'many farms pay National Living Wage or more'.

All roles offered through the campaign come with training, which can last up to three weeks.

"You will be paid whilst you complete this training," Concordia said, "As one of the sectors leading ethical provider of seasonal labour, every job with us comes with free insurance for all our participants which includes travel, health and dental cover.

"All successful applicants to our programme will receive high-quality training  which you are paid to complete.

"Through us and our partners you will have comprehensive travel and health insurance and be supported 24hours a day should you need it."

The charity added that all farms are following the correct procedures around safe working conditions during the coronavirus outbreak.

"Ensuring our workers' safety is our top priority," it added, "You can be safe in the knowledge that every site has been inspected by us, to ensure that it abides by the highest ethical and legal standards.

"All of our partners are highly experienced and agricultural recruitment specialists, and hold a GLAA licence, meaning you are in safe hands."
If you really want to make the best use of your laptop, tablet, and phone in todays always-connected world, you need a cloud storage service. Storing files in the cloud may have started as a way for consumers to back up their data in case of disaster, but todays best services offer so much more.

A good cloud storage solution backs up your important documents, photos, and videos, but it also helps keep all your devices in sync. Its a great way to make sure your desktop, laptop, phone, and tablet all have instant access to all your digital content. It should also allow you to access and edit documents from a web browser and easily share files and folders with others.

If you use Apple productswhether thats just a single iPhone or youre all-in with lots of Apple gearwe think these are the best cloud storage solutions to which you should subscribe.

Update 06/22/21: Updated our guide with information about iCloud+. It doesnt change our recommendations, but it solidifies our opinion that iCloud is the best choice for those who are fully invested in the Apple ecosystem.

Best cloud storage overall: Google One/Drive

Google re-branded its cloud storage offering as Google One in an effort to clarify that the space is shared between Photos, Docs, Gmail, and any other Google consumer services. The old name, Google Drive, now only refers to the Google Drive app, which is used for managing your online files.

Google Photos is fast, smart, and maybe a better place to back up all your digital memories than Apples Photos app.

A free Google One account gets you 15GB of space, a reasonable amount. You can boost that to 100GB for $1.99 a month or $19.99 per year. Doubling that to 200GB is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year, and a hefty 2TB is $9.99 a month or $99.99 per year. Thats generally on par with other top-tier cloud services. Google offers even bigger 10TB, 20TB, and 30TB plans.

Googles cloud service simply does a lot of things very well. The Google Photos app is better than Apples in a lot of ways, especially the experience of accessing your photos on the web. Its a great place to back up your photos and videos. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have earned a great reputation as reliable, fast, and easy-to-use web-based collaborative productivity solutions and the iOS apps even support split-screen multitasking on iPad. Google Drive provides access to all your stuff via the web, and the app integrates very well with the iOS share menu.

For your Mac or Windows PC, Backup and Sync is fantastic. It integrates your Google Drive into Finder or Explorer, keeps it in sync across devices, and can even back up your Documents, Desktop, Pictures (including your Photos library), or other folders of your choosing.

It may feel strange to choose Google as your primary cloud storage solution when you use Apple products, but it really does work well. Its a no-brainer if you regularly use a Windows PC or want to access your files from the web, and the price is reasonable.

Best cloud storage if all your gear is Apple: iCloud+

Because it integrates so seamlessly with all of Apples products and services, iCloud really is the best cloud storage solution for someone who is all-in with Apple. And I do mean all-in: All your computers are Macs, your mobile devices are iPhone or iPads, you work in Apples productivity software (Pages, Numbers, Notes), and so on.

Apple has a full suite of web apps, but theyre not as robust or performant as Googles.

Frustratingly, Apple still only provides a paltry 5GB of free iCloud storage, which isnt so bad if all you want to do is store some Pages and Numbers documents, but is grossly inadequate for photos and videos. 5GB probably doesnt even give you enough cloud storage to back up your iPhone, let alone an iPad as well. Apple is years overdue for increasing this limit, but at the very least, it should stop counting iOS backups against it. Starting in the fall of 2021, Apple will loan you as much iCloud storage space as you need to backup and restore your data onto a new device, for up to two weeks. Its a good feature for those buying a new Apple device, but it wont help you protect your data if your iPhone gets lost/stolen/damaged.

From there, its $0.99 per month for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, or $9.99 for 2TB. You can enable family sharing on the 200GB and 2TB plansif you do, it doesnt mean your family members can see all your cloud stuff. It just means your whole familys iCloud usage will count against the same storage limit.

The main benefit of paying for more iCloud storage is that nearly all of Apples apps can seamlessly sync through it. Photos, productivity apps, Mail, Calendar, and anything you drop into your iCloud Drive folder in Finder on a Mac are immediately available across all your Apple devices. A significant number of iOS apps optionally back up and sync through iCloud, too.

If you rely on non-Mac computers or non-iOS mobile devices from time to time, youll find iClouds limitations frustrating. Apple provides a full suite of web apps at iCloud.com, but theyre sort of mediocre. Apple provides an iCloud Windows app that syncs data and integrates your iCloud mail with common Windows apps like Outlook, but there are no native apps for Windows or Android: If you want to edit a Pages document, you have to use the web interface.

With iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4, Apple has finally added iCloud folder sharing. This was a serious limitation of its cloud storage service, so its worth pestering your friends or coworkers to update their OS if it seems useful to you.

Starting in the fall of 2021, Apple will rebrand all paid iCloud tiers as iCloud+ with several new benefits. Theres iCloud Private Relay, free storage for HomeKit enabled security cameras, a Hide My Email feature, custom domain names for iCloud email accounts, and additional contact options for recovering your account. All excellent features that help solidify our view that iCloud is by far the best choice for those who are all-in on Apple devices.

Consider Apple One!

If youre a heavy Apple user, you might consider the Apple One service bundle. Its much more than a cloud storage solution, and thus beyond the scope of this article, but the value offered may tip the scales in iClouds favor for you.

For $14.95 a month a single user gets 50GB of iCloud storage, along with Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade. Thats not terribly exciting, but the $19.99 Family plan is a lot betterstorage jumps up to 200GB and it, along with those services, can be shared by up to six users.

Its Premier ($29.95) that is really interesting, though. In addition to the services you get in the two lower levels, you also get News+ and Fitness+, and the shared storage in increased to 2TB. Thats plenty for six people to store tons of photos, videos, backups, and documents. Its a very good value if you have a whole family of iPhone and/or Mac users.

Best cloud storage for a home office: Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft OneDrive? For Apple users? Yeah! Youd be surprised how well Microsofts products work with iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

OneDrive gives you 5GB for free, the same ridiculously small storage space as iCloud. Theres a $1.99 per month subscription that nets you 100GB of storage, which is just okay. For $6.99 a month you can get 1TB of storage and office apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Where OneDrive really shines is in its $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year) level. This gives you 1TB of cloud storage for up to six users. Thats 1TB per user, not shared! Each user also gets Office 365, with full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, and you can install them on up to five computers, five tablets, and five smartphones.

OneDrive on its own is just okay, but the $9.99/month tier is an Office 365 family plan with tons of storage space.

Its a good deal if youve got a family full of people with different devices. OneDrive, and all those Office apps, work on Windows (of course), Mac, iOS, and Android. Most importantly, Office apps are actually quite good on iOS and Mac. OneDrive syncs neatly across devices and works well on the Mac, integrating seamlessly into Finder. The iOS apps support iPad multitasking, and you even get Apple Watch apps for OneNote and Outlook.

Microsofts web-based apps are quite robust, too. So if you need to make some quick edits from a computer without Word or Excel installed, or just want to use a web-based email portal, you wont get a half-baked experience.

If theres a weak spot with OneDrive, its photos and videos. Yes, the OneDrive iOS app can automatically back up photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad (and OneNote has an awesome document scanner built-in), but the photo album experience online is lackluster and theres no dedicated photo browser/editor app.

We still think Google provides a better overall cloud solution for most users, especially since you get three times as much free storage and double the storage at the $1.99/month level. But if you frequently use Microsofts productivity software, and especially if you have an iPhone or iPad but use a Windows 10 PC, you should give OneDrive a closer look.

Prices compared

The cloud storage option you should choose depends largely on how much youre willing to pay. If you want free space, Google crushes the competition with 15GBMicrosoft and Apple both need to up their game. The 100GB for $1.99 level is a good deal for most people and equals the capacity Microsoft gives you with OneDrive.

Apples iCloud gives you 200GB for $2.99, which is the minimum youre going to have to spend if you plan to back up iOS devices to the cloud along with photos and videos. Google matches Apples price and storage at this level. Theres a $0.99 tier below that, but even 50GB will fill up fast when youre backing up your iPhone and all its photos and videos.

If you want to spend ten bucks a month, youll get 2TB from either Google or Apple, but Microsoft will give you six accounts with 1TB each, plus Office apps. Thats a sweet deal.

Dropboxs 2GB is the worst free tier, and its cheapest paid tier is $11.99 a month and doesnt even include all of Dropboxs features.

What about Dropbox?

No discussion of cloud storage solutions would be complete without discussing the company that popularized consumer cloud syncing: Dropbox. Unfortunately, its hard to recommend for most users. A free account nets you a paltry 2GB, and it doesnt include some of the services niftier features like Smart Sync. The cheapest plan it offers is $11.99 per month for 2TB (still missing a few features) or $19.99 per month for a family plan with a shared 2TB and all the services features. Dropbox does a great job of syncing folders on computers and mobile devices, but thats just not enough anymoreits competitors do a great job of that, too. Creating and editing documents is done through Dropboxs all-in-one Paper app, which is just okay.

Dropbox will back up your photos and videos if you want, but the photo management experience is lackluster. While Dropbox was the go-to cloud storage and sync service eight years ago, it has since been surpassed by more robust, flexible, and affordable offerings from its competitors.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - With implementation of all appropriate safety measures across South African operations, Anglo American plc (AAL.L) said Friday it would expect a 2020 production volume impact of 2-3mt at Kumba Iron Ore, and 1.5-2mt of export thermal coal, based on the reduction in the workforce. The mining company also said the above impact is also based on the 21-day lock down period in South Africa and allowing for a safe ramp-up of operations thereafter. With regards to operations during the lock down period, the Group said Sishen and Kolomela mines will continue to operate with a c.50% level of workforce and Venetia mine will operate with a c.75% reduced workforce. In Thermal Coal, operations continue with a c.50-70% reduced workforce and production, while Isibonelo, which supplies Sasol's fuel production facility, operates with a c.20% reduced workforce. Meanwhile, the group added that the Supply chain planning is in place and any impact of the 21-day lockdown is being monitored and addressed where feasible. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
London, March 27 : The UK's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have left Canada amid the coronavirus pandemic and moved permanently to California, according to a media report.

According to the report published on Friday by London-based The Sun newspaper, the couple along with their son, Archie left the 10.7 million-pound mansion they were borrowing in Vancouver and took a flight out of the city shortly before US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau closed the border between their countries.

The Sussexes will set up a new home close to Hollywood, where they are currently living in lockdown with their 10-month-old son, the report added.

On Thursday night, a royal insider told The Sun: "Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good. The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out.

"But this move was planned for some time. They realised Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area.

"They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria." The growing pandemic, has seen Harry's father and Prince of Wales Prince Charles, 71, test positive for the coronavirus, while Queen Elizabeth II, 93, and ailing Prince Philip, 98, have been put into self-isolation.

In a shocking announcement last month, the couple said they planned to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family and "transition into a new working model" last month.

The Sussexes' new role was agreed after a summit of senior royals was convened by the Queen at Sandringham to discuss their desire to take a step back and strive for financial independence.

It will be reviewed after a 12-month period.

The Duke and Duchess were in the UK earlier this month to wrap up their last royal engagements before stepping back as senior royals on March 31.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Can ministers bless the Lords Table over Zoom? The worldwide pandemic provides all-new context for this theologically untestedand for some unthinkablequestion. It may be time to consider what we mean by presence.

National guidelines now limit gatherings to 10 people. Churches have transitioned to online services and Zoom meetings. The sermon livestream is no problemwere comfortable with the Word transferring digitally. A recent study from the Pew Research Center easily pulled together 50,000 online sermons from Pentecostal to Catholic. Eighty-three percent of American protestant pastors agree that viewing a livestream is an acceptable option for the sick.

The controversy is with the latter half of Word and Table. This is my bodyChrists words make our faith explicitly physical. But COVID-19 has transformed our physical bodies and gatherings from blessed unity to social-distanced partitioning. Hugs and hands convey fear instead of love. The bread and the cup elicit worry of viral transmission.

With physical gatherings canceled, congregations with quarterly Communion may slide the schedule a bit. But many evangelical Lutherans, Anglicans, and Presbyterians celebrate with bread and wine weekly. The shared Table is ordered and integral to worship. What now? Do you have to be present to partake of the presence?

Some low church nondenominational churches like Saddleback have long offered instructions to follow along with your own grape juice and livestream. Never mind 1990s HTML wonders like eHolyCom. While the United Methodist Church wrote exploratory papers in 2013, most sacramental denominations have relegated online Holy Communion to an exotic theological issueakin to Can extraterrestrials be saved? (or to virtual cathedrals in the immersive Second Life video game). John Dyer offers a recent and extensive John Dyer offers a recent and extensive survey.

For many, online Communion is untenable. The Westminster Confession 27.4 forbids it. A conservative reformed professor told me, The situation you describe is essentially private Communion.

Todays situation forces a reconsideration. COVID-19 may be the spark, but the kindling fueling the fire burning isnt theological discourse. Its in that last I love you text message you sent your spouse. The white-on-blue bubble carries an instantaneous reality, a moment of intimacy and presence that moves our heart and mind more than any adjacent physical stranger in that coffee shop (or perhaps that pew).

The means of digital communication have become ordinary and invisible to our most meaningful relationships. We laugh and cry and express intimacy and frustration with a cross-cut of iMessage and emojis, FaceTime and Instagram stories. We challenge our best friend on workout apps and ask private medical questions via telehealth.

The essential word is presencealong with the dramatic and sustained cultural shift in our understanding of it. A daily digital culture has shaped our interactions to the point that human presence is not synonymous to physicality.

Communications scholars have long understood this. Its our words, yes, but also the verified identity of our interlocutorthat photo and number so you know its them. Its real-time interactive signals like those three dots that appear when your relation is typing a response. Its both low-resolution icons like a thumbs up and high-resolution facial expressions when we switch to videothose incredibly important nonverbal eyebrow lifts!

This new normal has changed us. New technologies that first appear as toys (we play with them) soon turn into tools (we use them) and then become our technological terroirthat assumed background environment wherein something like texting becomes the conversation (or argument!). These environmental technologies shift the focus from the tech back to the substance of human presence. Being present doesn't require being in person.

Article continues below

What does this technological presence have to do with sacramental presence?

Sacramental controversies have bounced between the metaphysical and the practical. Wine or grape juice? Leavened or unleavened? But most central are the contentions around Gods real presence. The means of grace? A memorial? A millennium of Midrash expounds on This is my body  do this in remembrance of me.

Nearly all Christians agree: There is a holy mystery in how God is present to us at the Table. In the language of communications, I assert the presence of Jesus is mediated. Mediated in the bread and the wine, the Holy Spirit, and the people of God (the body of Christ). Mediated like the truth and intimacy of an I love you text message.

Imagine a video conference call with 40 faces in small squares across the screen, each with a cup and a piece of bread in view. We worship and pray and the pastor or priest consecrates with language from the Book of Common Prayer, send your Spirit upon these giftsthe non-physical, all-present Spirit of God. Then as one body we partake together. In unity. Not privately. Present to one another.

Arguments from a previous generation about digital Communion were binary: offline and online. The internet was seen as anonymous and individualistic. A cold keyboard couldnt compare to warm shoulders.

Yet the imagined video conference callnot so much imagined anymoreis an extension of known relationships of the local body. Why cant the signs of Gods presencethe bread and wineand the signs of our presenceour smiles and voicessignify both the goodness of the embodied world and the reality of the spiritual one? There is nothing inherently Gnosticdisembodiedhere. Real bodies. Real bread. And the real presence of the Triune God, on Zoom this weekend and joyfully gathered back together in person once this too has passed.

Cultural shifts have often been tectonic plates on which the church builds as we apply the unchanging Word to the changing world. The physical gifts of God for the present people of God.

Chris Ridgeway writes at the intersection of faith and technology. He is the cohost of the Device & Virtuepodcast about ethics and everyday tech and lives in Chicago.
Moroccan novelist and artist Youssouf Amine Elalamy is among the ten finalists for the 2020 Prize of Five Continents of Francophonie, with his novel Cest beau la guerre, published by Le Fennec publishing house, sources from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) said.

Youssouf Amine Elalamy was the recipient, for this same novel, of the Orange Book Prize in Africa, which rewards novels written in French by an African writer and published by a publisher based on the African continent.

Author of several novels written in Arabic, French or English, Youssouf Amine Elalamy won the 1999 prize for best travel book awarded by the British Council International for his writings in English.

Cest beau la guerre tells the story of a young actor who was exiled from his country by a fratricidal war. Placed in a refugee camp, he decides to use his talents as an actor to bring back the dead and relieve the pain of his companions in misfortune

Created in 2001 by the OIF, this Prize rewards each year a narrative fictional text (novel, story and collection of short stories). The Prize makes it possible to highlight literary talents reflecting cultural and editorial diversity in the French language on the five continents and to promote them on the international scene.
A 28-year-old employee of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation was allegedly shot dead by unidentified miscreants in a village in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, police said.

The incident happened in Rajpur Garhi village under Budhana police station limits in the district when the victim identified as Nikhil Kumar went to a nearby agricultural field, SHO K P Singh said.

Nikhil was shot at by the miscreants that left him dead on the spot while the assailants fled the place, he added.

A case of murder was registered against the miscreants and the body has been sent for a post-mortem, Singh said while adding that the motive behind the incident is not yet known.

An investigation is underway, the SHO said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven thousand people could still die of the coronavirus in the UK even though the country is in lockdown, according to scientists.

A paper by Imperial College London has predicted that if the country follows the same trajectory as China did, it could see between 4,700 and 7,100 deaths.

And the peak of the outbreak, which could see between 210 and 330 people die in a single day, could happen next Sunday on April 5, it predicted.

The study estimated that the true death figure would be around 5,700 - the figure is considerably lower than the 20,000 warned about in the doomsday scenario paper which convinced the Government to tighten up its efforts to stop the virus.

That claim, published by Professor Neil Ferguson, one of the Government's leading COVID-19 advisers, warned that tens of thousands could die if people weren't forced to stay at home.

A new projection from the same university, developed by engineer Professor Tom Pike, compared eight countries' death rates to China's after Beijing put the nation into shutdown.

It showed that up to 41,000 people could still die in the US, 60,000 in Spain, 32,000 in Italy and 23,000 in France.

It comes after another paper this week said countries around the world have averted disaster by sending their citizens into lockdown and that 40million could have died if they hadn't.

More than a billion people worldwide are now in some form of lockdown as the number of confirmed coronavirus patients has soared past 500,000 - but the dramatic measures are saving millions of lives, said another study from Imperial.

It said that almost the entire world population - seven billion citizens - could have been infected if the virus was allowed to spread unchecked.

The data shows the UK's total deaths from coronavirus are currently estimated at 5,700, if the country follows the path China took after introducing a lockdown there. Spain could now be the worst-hit nation with more than 45,000 deaths

The estimates for the UK - if it follows the same trajectory as China - shows the UK could have 5,700 deaths, and the peak would be 260 fatalities on April 5

'40MILLION COULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT LOCKDOWNS' More than a billion people around the world are now living under some form of lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But scientists say the dramatic measures may have saved 10s of millions of lives. A study by Imperial College London predicted that if no measures had been taken to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, 40 million people could have died. Researchers at Imperial College London made the findings based on analysis which estimated the potential scale of the pandemic across the world. But with mitigation strategies such as protecting the elderly and social distancing, the death toll could be reduced by anywhere from 50 per cent to 95 per cent, saving millions of people. In the model, the team found that, if left unchecked, around seven billion people could have been infected - about 90 percent of the global population. Worldwide 530,000 people so far have been been infected and more than 23,700 people have died. The researchers stressed the models were not predictions of what will happen, but illustrated the benefits of rapid, decisive and collective action. Advertisement

Just last week Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said that keeping the number of coronavirus deaths in the UK at '20,000 and below' would be a 'good outcome' but still 'horrible'.

The estimates in Professor Pike's paper show that Italy could realistically have 28,000 deaths and Spain would have 46,000 fatalities - the highest in Europe.

The United States would have 28,000 deaths, Netherlands 6,000, Germany 4,000, France 18,000 and South Korea, 150.

The analysis in the paper, co-authored by Dr Vikas Saini, 'suggests that early adoption of social distancing is more effective than delayed implementation, even of highly restrictive measures.'

It concludes 'there may be a threshold of public health intervention beyond which a decline in death rates begins to occur.'

The data for the study was taken from the European Centre for Disease Control website on Tuesday March 24.

Answering questions about the new paper on Twitter, Professor Pike says the estimates are purely data driven and 'there is no epidemiological modelling, or in fact any modelling, in our analysis.'

He also adds the projections in the paper will only be accurate if the UK continues on the same trajectory as China.

The team who worked on the study predicting seven billion people could have become infected said the lockdown method of containing the disease, which appears to have successfully stopped it in China, has been the world's best hope.

Data shows the UK ( second column) may only reach a peak of 260 deaths per day, a tenth of the feared fatality rate in Spain (fourth column)

Dr Patrick Walker, who worked on the paper, said: 'Our findings suggest that all countries face a choice between intensive and costly measures to suppress transmission or risk health systems becoming rapidly overwhelmed.

'However, our results highlight that rapid, decisive and collective action now will save millions of lives in the next year.'

Several measures have been taken including lockdowns around the world such as in the UK, several US states, India, Spain, Italy, France and China.

The study looked at what would have happened in an out-of-control 'unmitigated scenario' and said it could have left to huge loss of life.

Professor Azra Ghani added: 'Acting early has the potential to reduce mortality by as much as 95 per cent, saving 38.7 million lives.

'At the same time, consideration needs to be given to the broader impact of all measures that are put in place to ensure that those that are most vulnerable are protected from the wider health, social and economic impacts of such action.'

A man wearing a protective face mask and clothing in Westminster, London, on Thursday

A death every 13 minutes: UK's coronavirus toll jumps 113 to 578 in biggest daily rise yet as officials confirm 2,000 more cases with almost 12,000 Brits known to have been struck down

Britain's coronavirus death toll today jumped to 578 after 113 more fatalities were confirmed across the home nations, making it the UK's darkest day yet in the escalating outbreak - with a victim killed every 13 minutes.

Health officials also more than 2,100 new patients had tested positive for the life-threatening infection, meaning almost 12,000 cases of COVID-19 have now been recorded in Britain.

It comes after the UK yesterday posted 43 coronavirus deaths, sparking hope that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's unprecedented lockdown was working to control the ever-worsening crisis.

But officials changed the timings of how they counted deaths, with yesterday's total only taking into account an eight-hour period. Today's shocking figure represents a full 24-hour count.

The daily death count is not only a count from overnight - the toll can include fatalities hospitals have only just processed, for example patients whose post-mortems have just come back.

Government scientists have admitted there is likely to be 1,000 infected patients for every death recorded in Britain - suggesting the true toll is in the region of 600,000.

Number 10 has faced fierce criticism for its controversial policy to only test patients in hospital, meaning only a fraction of cases are being spotted and leaving the true scale of the UK's outbreak a mystery.

The latest statistics came as Rishi Sunak finally announced a coronavirus bailout for millions of self-employed workers as the Chancellor unveiled plans to hand them cash payments of up to 2,500 a month.

A week after announcing a massive rescue package for employees, the Chancellor announced support for taxi drivers, musicians, gig economy workers and freelancers.

Saying he knew people were 'worrying about their jobs and incomes', Mr Sunak said: 'You have not been forgotten.'

But at a press conference in Downing Street he also delivered a stark warning that the government 'will not be able to protect every single job or save every single business' as the deadly disease brings the economy grinding to a halt.

WHERE ARE THE CORONAVIRUS CASES AND DEATHS IN THE UK? LOCATION IN UK London South East South West North West NE and Yorks Midlands East of England Unconfirmed ENGLAND N IRELAND WALES SCOTLAND BRITAIN TOTAL CASES 3,247 876 397 703 698 1,296 480 276 7,973 241 741 894 9,849 DEATHS 155 63 23 53 24 67 29 0 414 10 28 25 477 Advertisement

The UK's death toll jump came as police set up road blocks to stop cars and demand journey details with one force even sending up a drone to chase dog walkers, ramblers and 'lycra lout' cyclists.

Derbyshire Police's drone unit has taken the extraordinary step of using one its unmanned aircraft to swoop on people flouting the travel ban - while on Tyneside Northumbria Police broke up a football match because only two people can gather together for the next three weeks.

North Yorkshire Police said it will now be using unannounced checkpoints to stop vehicles and order drivers to divulge details of their journeys with Devon doing the same as the Home Office announced new sweeping powers for officers to help them break up public gatherings.

Those powers include the 'last resort' ability to force people to go home if they fail to listen to police direction or take notice of a 60 fine.

Police patrols have also started to stop train passengers in Swansea to make sure their travel is 'essential'.

The use of travel checks sparked fierce criticism from civil liberties groups with police officers now seemingly being tasked with deciding how important someone's journey is amid reports of dog walkers being told to go home after driving to a public space for exercise and of builders being stopped from driving to a job.

People were pictured enjoying the sun in London Fields today. The advice has proven problematic for those in built-up areas whose only nearby green-space is a park shared by thousands of others looking to exercise at the same time

Police stop people on trains to check their journeys as coronavirus clampdown ramps up Police patrols have been stopping train passengers for spotchecks in a bid to enforce the coronavirus lockdown. Officers have been seen patrolling train stations in Swansea to check passengers should only be making 'essential' journeys. Passengers at Swansea train station were asked for proof of their travel plans - and urged to take a single journey to their destination and home again. Police are being given powers to issue 30 on-the-spot fines to those breaking the lockdown - and court appearances for non-payment. South Wales Police declined to comment on the specifics of what officers were doing at Swansea station. The force's chief constable, Matt Jukes, has previously said: 'South Wales Police has a track record of maintaining public order and safety in huge events and at times of emergency. We have always done so positively, with pride and professionalism. 'So, we will continue to do what we do best - engage with people. We will ask them to support their communities and stick to these important restrictions. 'As the public would expect, we will also enforce the existing law when this is necessary and new legal powers, as they come into effect.' Advertisement

Experts have said the enforcement will divert officers from investigating some crimes, but forces including the Met insist it can form part of their usual patrol duties.

The row over police lockdown powers came as Mr Sunak set out a package of support for self-employed workers.

But his announcement of a self-employed income support scheme prompted immediate questions about hundreds of thousands of people who will miss out and why the scheme will not be operational before June.

The package offers taxable grants of 80 per cent of average monthly profits, calculated over the last three years, and worth up to 2,500 a month.

However, those who have more than 50,000 in annual trading profits - amounting to 200,000 people - will not be eligible.

Officials have calculated from tax records that 3.8million will be entitled to the payouts, with the typical award likely to be 940 a month. The total costs are estimated at 3billion a month.

Even with the latest spending announcement by the Chancellor he warned the government will not be able to save every job and businesses.

'Despite these extraordinary steps there will be challenging times ahead,' he said during the now daily government press conference at 10 Downing Street.

'We will not be able to protect every single job or save every single business.'

Mr Sunak said: 'The scheme I have announced today is fair.

'It is targeted at those who need it the most and crucially it is deliverable and it provides an unprecedented level of support for self-employed people.'

He said: 'These last 10 days have shaken our country and economy as never before.

'In the last two weeks we have put aside ideology and orthodoxy to mobilise the full power and resources of the British state.

'We have done so in the pursuit of a single goal: To protect people's health and economic security.

'By supporting public services like our NHS, backing businesses and protecting people's jobs and incomes.

'What we have done will I believe stand as one of the most significant economic interventions at any point in the history of the British state and by any government anywhere in the world.'

Mr Sunak admitted the very recently self-employed will not be included in the scheme and must look for welfare support.

He said: 'For those who are very recently self-employed, we cannot operate a scheme like this, there's too much complexity both operationally and fraud risk with that, so we would have to say to those people please look at the extra support we've put into the welfare system to help you at this time.

'But, as I've said, this covers the vast, vast majority of people.'

Treasury sources said 5.75million people fill in a self-assessment tax return.

Of those 1.7million earn less than half their income through self-employment.

A further 200,000 earn too much to be eligible for today's package. The other 3.8million will be able to access the support.
The way the United States has treated Iran over the past three years is an abominable war crime. After Iran signed the nuclear agreement with the Obama administration, and held up its end of the bargain, the Trump administration unilaterally abrogated the deal for no reason, and reimposed devastating economic sanctions. That is a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which both Iran and the U.S. are signatories, that prohibits collective punishment of civilians.

The resulting damage has seriously hindered Iran's ability to respond to the novel coronavirus pandemic  and despite their government's desperate pleas to relax the sanctions that prevent it from obtaining vital medical supplies, the Trump administration refused. This is vicious, genocidal cruelty.

But ironically, it now looks like the coronavirus outbreak is going to be much worse in the United States than Iran. The U.S. outbreak is growing faster than any other  we now have more cases than any other country, including China and Italy, and more than twice the number of confirmed cases as Iran (85,762 versus 32,332 as of March 27). While America has fewer deaths so far, we have matched Iran's figure at an equivalent point in the outbreak, and numbers are rising fast. The number of deaths in New York State is going up faster than any other region, including Lombardy and Madrid.

The monstrous callousness and incompetence of Donald Trump and the Republican Party are going to hurt Americans more than they do our so-called enemies.

Early in the pandemic, Trump administration officials have gloated over how badly Iran is suffering. On March 17, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted the Iranian government for mishandling the outbreak. "The Iranian leadership is trying to avoid responsibility for their grossly incompetent and deadly governments," he said. COVID-19 "is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice." That was rich coming from a U.S. regime that refused to stop strangling the Iranian economy out of pure spiteful malice and whose own response has been defined by dissembling and delay.

Story continues

Iran's government did indeed seriously bungle its initial response to the outbreak. But the drastic measures they've taken since have apparently slowed the spread somewhat. New cases and deaths had been growing at double-digit percentages daily, but between March 15 and 20 slowed to mid-single digits (though new cases did jump over the last few days). The outbreak is not at all under control, but the rate of worsening has tapered off relative to the U.S. Given how long it takes for a case of COVID-19 to progress, in another few weeks or months it might start to abate.

At any rate, at least Iran is trying. Over the same period, the U.S. epidemic has grown much, much faster. Because President Trump initially denied the virus was going to strike the U.S., and lied constantly about what was happening instead of setting up strict control measures, it got loose and started spreading in the wild. Even after it was clear an epidemic could not be avoided, he refused to expand testing capability or call for lockdowns  indeed, he gave every indication of not wanting to test because it would make his numbers look bad.

Republican senators like Richard Burr of North Carolina and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, meanwhile, seized on a classified briefing in February on the incipient pandemic not to inform their propaganda-addled constituents about the gravity of the situation, but to sell off some stocks before the market crashed.

It has fallen to states, cities, and private businesses to take social-distancing steps to slow the pandemic. But because Trump is not coordinating the response, it has been extremely uneven  on the contrary, he and conservative media have started arguing that the response is worse than the disease, and suggesting it should be lifted before the virus has been controlled. (The Trump-lickspittle publication The Federalist even suggested people should deliberately infect themselves.) As a result, some Republican states are still refusing to implement full lockdown measures  including Florida, whose population is the second-oldest of any state. The carnage from Republican misrule will probably be counted in six digits at least.

Furthermore, Trump has still not taken important steps to expand medical capacity or secure medical supplies. He still refuses (apparently after complaints from the business lobby) to use the Defense Production Act to force factories to re-tool and start churning out protective gear and ventilators. As a result, neither medical staff nor average citizens can get what they need. Doctors and nurses are re-using masks over and over, or making their own inferior versions, or suiting up in garbage bags to treat patients. New York is being forced to construct makeshift morgues to deal with the flood of infected corpses. And the pandemic is still just getting started.

America is one of the most boastful, chauvinist countries on the planet. Politicians from both parties often claim the U.S. is somehow God's chosen nation, with the best people and the best political institutions ever created. But the truth is that America is a corrupt, rotten society, with a horribly dysfunctional Constitution, and our staggeringly unqualified president's crisis leadership has only ensured more people will die. Even beleaguered, ramshackle countries like Iran, with its semi-authoritarian government and sanctions-throttled economy, are facing down this crisis better than we are  while actually competent ones like Taiwan and South Korea are simply humiliating us.

If we make it through this, it would be a good opportunity for America to take a serious look in the mirror. There's a lot to clean up in our own house before we start telling other nations how to behave.

Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.

More stories from theweek.com

Once coronavirus infects a human body, what happens next?

Joe Biden is the worst imaginable challenger to Trump right now

John Krasinski launches YouTube show dedicated to good news, slips in Office mini-reunion with Steve Carell


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
GARDAI are investigating a possible public order incident which resulted in extensive vandalism at a popular County Limerick amenity.

Staff at Coillte were contacted by gardai this Friday morning about damage caused at Curraghchase Forest Park in Kilcornan on Thursday night.

There was fairly considerable anti-social behaviour there yesterday evening with the use of quads and scramblers in the park. The gardai contacted us about the damage that was done, this morning. We had been aware of it ourselves, explained Daithi de Forge, Head of Recreation at Coillte, Irelands commercial forestry business.

Mr de Forge noted that due to a very significant incident of anti-social behaviour and vandalism last evening at Curraghchase Forest Park and in liaison with local gardai, we are closing Curraghchase Forest Park to vehicle access for a temporary period. This period may extend for some time and we will advise you of when it will be re-opened in due course.

According to Mr de Forge damage was caused to trails, the grounds and to fixtures in the park.

A garda spokesperson said: Gardai were called to a possible public order incident in Curraghchase shortly before 6pm on March 26. Gardai spoke with a number of people who were directed to leave the area which they complied with.

Deputy Niall Collins described the incident as "shocking and disappointing".

"It's shocking that Curraghchase woods has to be closed to vehicular traffic due to major vandalism and anti-social behaviour yesterday. Anyone with information about these incidents should please pass this to An Garda Siochana. Due to the nature of these incidents I've been informed that Coillte are considering closing this fabulous amenity to the public. I've asked that this not happen. It's so disappointing when some people see fit to behave so irresponsibility that so many others are now being denied open use of this facility."
Scotland Yard, the UK's largest police service, on Friday appealed to the retired officers to consider returning to the force and those nearing retirement to postpone those plans to help cope with the massive workload due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick is writing to all former Met officers, who retired within the last five years, to ask them to re-join either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

"On behalf of London, and all the men and women of the Met, it is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers," Dick said.

"Police officers overwhelmingly join 'the job' to help people and to make a difference, and that desire will be as strong today as it was the very first day they joined.

"I am hopeful that these exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable former colleagues choose to come and be part of our team and support London at this extraordinary time either as a re-employed police officer, special constable or a volunteer," she said.

The UK Home Office has said that it intends to make changes to the tax and pension arrangements, so that more officers are likely to respond to this call. The Met Police said that the return and retention of officers with valuable skills and experience will help to increase the force's resilience and allow it to be even more flexibl.

"Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see that the Met is here for them. We must maintain our operational resilience and continue to provide the best possible service to London," added the commissioner.

As part of the drive, the Met is asking all officers who retired as police constables or sergeants within the last five years to re-join at those ranks, either on a full or part-time basis. Senior officers may also be able to re-join where they bring specific skills and experience.

Those wishing to apply to return will be asked to complete a simple online form to ensure the process is as fast as possible, supported by a serving Met officer acting as a sponsor.

"The process has been streamlined to mean re-joiners can quickly return to the streets of London," the Met said.

Those officers who feel that returning or extending their service is not right for them at the moment, or who retired at the rank of inspector or above, are also being asked to consider being sworn in as members of the Met's Special Constabulary and committing to at least 16 hours a month.

Alternatively, they can volunteer in a number of other capacities.

The initiative comes as the Home Office handed UK police additional powers to enforce the government's strict social distancing and lockdown measures.

Police officers will have the authority to impose fines or even arrest those repeatedly breaking the rules in place to try and curb the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the UK where the death toll jumped by 100 in a day to hit 578 on Thursday.

Globally, a total of 24,057 people have died due to the novel coronavirus with Italy standing at the top with 8,215 deaths, followed by Spain (4,365) and China (3,169), according to Johns Hopkins University data.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Night Curfew in Maharashtra: Check guidelines, rules; what is allowed, what is not allowed

Man kills brother in Mumbai for allegedly defying lockdown

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Mumbai, Mar 27: In a shocking incident a man killed his brother for defying the lockdown and venturing out on the streets in Mumbai.

The incident was reported on Thursday night from the Samata Nagar area of Kandivili. The deceased has been identified as Durgesh Laxmi Thakur. The police has arrested the brother, Rajesh Laxmi Thakur.

The deceased was working in a private company in Pune, but had come down to Mumbai to stay with his brother during the lockdown. Rajesh had advised his brother against venturing out, but Durgesh did not pay heed to the advise.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

When Durgesh returned he was confronted by his brother and sister-in-law. This led to a fight and Durgesh hit his brother with a sharp object. They rushed him to hospital but he was pronounced dead.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

Rajesh has been booked for murder. He was produced before a local court and remanded in police custody.
Recently, Xiaomi has officially announced that the Xiaomi Mi 10 series has been officially unveiled globally and it comes equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset and it supports up to 50W fast charging. In terms of the colour, the aforementioned smartphone series is priced from 799 Euros (~RM3807) and 999 Euros (~RM4760) for the non-Pro and the Pro variant respectively, and they're available in colours such as Solstice Grey and Alpine White for the Mi 10 Pro while the non-Pro variant comes in Coral Green and Twilight Grey.

In terms of the tech specs, the Xiaomi Mi 10 comes equipped with the chipset mentioned above, up to 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of internal storage, 6.67-inch 90Hz Curved AMOLED display, as well as 4780mAh internal battery which supports up to 30W wired and wireless fast charging. Camera-wise, it has a 108MP wide-angle + 13MP Ultra wide-angle + 2MP Macro + 2MP depth sensor in the rear and a 20MP front-facing selfie camera.

The Pro variant comes with largely the same tech specs, other than a smaller 4500mAh battery which supports up to 50W wired charging and 30W wireless charging. But thats not all, in the camera department, it has a 108MP wide-angle + 20MP ultra-wide angle + 12MP telephoto + 8MP telephoto instead.

Surprisingly, Xiaomi also unveiled the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G from 349 Euros (~RM1663) which aims to make 5G more accessible to the masses. As for the tech specs, the Mi 10 Lite 5G comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G with 5G, up to 128GB internal storage, 6.57-inch AMOLED TrueColor display, as well as a 4160mAh internal battery which is capable of 20W fast charging.

While not much detail was given, Xiaomi mentioned that the Lite has a 48MP AI Quad camera in the back as well as a 16MP front-facing selfie camera. Feature-wise, the Mi 10 series has several notable features such as reverse wireless charging, LiquidCool 2.0 vapour chamber, Wi-Fi 6, dual symmetrical stereo speakers, Hardware flicker sensor and more.

Unfortunately, there is currently no official information in regards to the Malaysia release date and local pricing of all the smartphones mentioned for now. Would you be interested in getting any of the devices mentioned as soon as it is available in the local market? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.
The Ministry of Health on March 26 evening announced five new cases that tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, raising the total number in the country to 153.

browser not support iframe.

Two out of the five patients returned from abroad and entered Vietnam from March 21-23 and have been quarantined since their entry. The remainders were infected with the virus from patients inside the country.

The 149th patient is a 40-year-old Vietnamese man who worked as a freelancer in Hessen state of Germany. He arrived at Van Don Airport in northern Quang Ninh province on flight VN36 (seat number 55C) on March 23 along with his mother (seat number 55A). He tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on March 25.

The man is treated at the Hospital No.2 in Quang Ninhs Ha Long city.

The 150th patient is a 55-year-old Vietnamese man. On March 13, he and his wife flew from the US, transited in Taiwan (China) and boarded flight BR395 of EVA Air (seat numbers 2D and 2K) back to Vietnam. They arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on the same day.

He had contact with many people after his entry. He has been quarantined at Can Gio districts COVID-19 treatment hospital since March 18.

The 151st patient is a 45-year-old Brazilian woman, who is residing in HCM Citys district 2, and working at two branches of her footwear company in Dong Nai province and HCM City.

She had close contact with the 124th patient. She also visited restaurants and supermarkets in HCM City and Dong Nai.

The patient is now treated at a quarantine area in HCM Citys Cu Chi district.

The 152nd patient is a Vietnamese woman, 27, residing in HCM Citys Tan Phu district. She is an older sister of the 127th patient, who worked as a waiter at Buddha Bar.

She has been under quarantine since March 23 at Can Gio districts COVID-19 treatment hospital.

The 153rd patient is a 60-year-old Vietnamese woman residing in central Da Nang citys Hai Chau district.

She visited her relatives in Australia and returned Vietnam on March 21 on flight VN772 to the Tan Son Nhat airport. Upon her arrival, she was quarantined along with the 143rd patient and two other people in the same room at the dormitory of Vietnam National University-HCM City.

After the 143rd patient was confirmed to contract the disease, she and the two remainders were transferred to the acute respiratory disease hospital in Cu Chi district for quarantine and testing on March 23.

Saigon Co.op increases food portions supply to COVID-19 quarantine zones

The Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op) has coordinated with enterprises to provide over 30,000 food portions for quarantine areas amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, three times the previous figure.

Since mid-March, the union has provided 10,000 portions daily for quarantine areas at the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio and Nha Be districts, District 12, Go Gap district hospital, the HCM City University of Foreign Languages  Information Technology, and Binh Tan districts preventive health centre.

A representative of Saigon Co.op said it will work with more suppliers in order to ensure the best support for those in quarantine.

The union is now cooperating with four firms, two of which provide free vegetables.

Apart from increasing the number of portions, Saigon Co.op has also strictly abided by regulations on food safety./.

Localities rush to set up concentrated quarantine sites

Neighbouring provinces around Ho Chi Minh City are rushing to set up concentrated quarantine sites to receive Vietnamese nationals returning from overseas who are subjected to mandatory quarantine amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong will arrange the Da Lat citys Student Dormitory with 960 beds and the provinces Nursing Centre for People with Merit with 170 beds as concentrated quarantine areas for returnees from overseas, said Doan Van Viet, chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee.

The move aims to reduce the burden of similar quarantines areas in HCM City that have become overloaded, and Tay Ninh and Long An provinces, Viet said.

The provinces concentrated quarantine sites will able to receive at least 2,500 people who are subject to mandatory 14-day quarantine, Viet said at a meeting on March 25.

He assigned the provinces Department of Transport to allocate vehicles to transport people to quarantine areas from Lien Khuong International Airport in Lam Dong province as well as locations from HCM City and Long An province.

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has six concentrated quarantine sites that will receive at least 3,500 returnees from overseas in order to ease the overload at concentrated quarantine centres in neighbouring localities.

Tran Van Tuan, deputy chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, said the province has approved several hotels as quarantine facilities to receive people who are willing to pay for mandatory quarantine at hotels.

The province plans to organise four trips on March 28 and 29 and April 2 and 3 to send a total of 2,000 people to quarantine sites in the province.

The southern province of Binh Phuoc, which shares a 210-km border with Cambodia, has arranged concentrated quarantine areas with a total of 5,000 beds.

Quach Ai Duc, director of the provincial Department of Health, said that nearly 300 Vietnamese people returning home from Cambodia had been put under mandatory quarantine in the provinces concentrated quarantine areas.

Twenty people tested negative for COVID-19.

The provincial Peoples Committee ordered the Department of Health to mobilise financial resources for tests for the remaining people who have returned from overseas since March 1./.

Coach Park donates 5,000 USD to COVID-19 fight

The head coach of the Vietnamese mens football team Park Hang-seo donates 5,000 USD to Vietnams fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The head coach of the Vietnamese mens football team Park Hang-seo on March 26 donated 5,000 USD to Vietnams fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation was handed over to President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man.

Park said he hopes to join hands with the Vietnamese Party, State and Health Ministry to support practitioners for COVID-19 response, as well as patients, people in quarantine and especially those suffering the direct economic impacts of the pandemic.

For his part, Man spoke highly of Parks contributions to the Vietnamese sports sector and the mens football team over the past three years.

The official expressed his hope that the coachs good deed will be spread, thus helping to attract more resources for Vietnams COVID-19 fight.

Man also informed the coach about the rosy signs of the economic, trade and investment ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) over the past years, saying the RoK is always Vietnams leading foreign investor and a major partner in trade and tourism.

The successes of the Vietnamese mens football squad under the instruction of the coach have contributed to the Vietnam-RoK relationship, he stressed.

Earlier, Park participated in a campaign calling on people to properly wash their hands jointly launched by the Vietnam Football Federation and the Ministry of Health.

The same day, the northern province of Thai Nguyen held a teleconference between Thai Nguyen city and eight districts in the locality to encourage people to join hands in the COVID-19 combat.

Nearly 16 billion VND (682,000 USD) was raised by organisations and agencies in the province during the event./.

HCM Citys District 9 hospital to be used for COVID-19 treatment

The HCM City Department of Health uses the Can Gio district's Health Centre as a hospital specialising in treatment of COVID-19

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health will temporarily use the HCM City Oncology Hospitals District 9 facility to treat COVID-19 patients.

Dr Tang Chi Thuong, the departments deputy head, at an online meeting between the department and hospitals early this week, instructed relevant divisions and hospitals to ensure there are enough doctors and nurses there.

A temporary coronavirus hospital each in Cu Chi district and the Can Gio District Health Centre are the only ones now used to treat people with the disease.

The Can Gio facility will see the number of beds increased to 600 since its quarantine area is no longer because people are being sent to other sites in the district.

The departments planning and finance division is working with the city Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control to ensure there is adequate preventive equipment for health workers at these hospitals.

Thuong said hospitals should strengthen surveillance of compliance with regulations to prevent health staff from contracting infections.

The HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases is shifting patients with all other tropical diseases except tetanus to other general hospitals in the city for continued treatment.

The department wants it to focus on COVID-19 but avoid cross-contamination, and so the number of beds for COVID-19 patients will increase soon to 400 from 80 now.

Thuong also instructed each hospital to set up a negative air pressure cleanroom with essential equipment for COVID-19 patients who need surgery./.

Overseas Vietnamese national in UK presents aid to COVID-19 fight

Pham Minh Nam (second from left), an overseas Vietnamese national in the UK, presents 1 billion VND (over 43,000 USD) to support Vietnams fight against COVID-19







Pham Minh Nam, an overseas Vietnamese national in the UK on March 26 presented 1 billion VND (over 43,000 USD) to support Vietnams fight against the acute respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

At a ceremony to hand over the relief held at the Embassy of Vietnam in the UK, Nam, who is the President of the Vietnamese Business Association in the UK, said he said the donation showed his responsibility for his home country at this time of hardship.

For his part, Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An briefed his guest on Vietnams endeavours in COVID-19 prevention that call for synchronous efforts of people from all walks of life.

He expressed his gratitude for Nam's contribution, saying such support will play a crucial part in Vietnams efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

As of the end of March 26, Vietnam had reported 153 COVID-19 cases, of which 17 patients fully recovered./.

Vietnamese Cambodians actively cope with COVID-19 pandemic

Sim Chy, Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnam Association, grants an interview to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporter

The Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia has sent many notices to its chapters in 25 provinces and cities, asking them to take precautionary measures against the COVID-19 pandemic and follow relevant instructions of local authorities.

According to Sim Chy, chairman of the association, as of March 26, no COVID-19 infections had been recorded among Vietnamese Cambodians, and only one of them, who is working in Poipet city bordering Thailand, has been quarantined in a concentrated centre.

The Cambodian Ministry of Health on March 25 evening confirmed five new cases, raising the total number in the country to 96.

On March 24, the Standing Board of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association warned Vietnamese Cambodians against movement and overseas trips and advised them to observe countermeasures of the Cambodian government.

In case of emergency, it is recommended to contact the associations chapters in Cambodian cities and provinces or its office via phone number ( 85588.999.5162).

Pham Thanh Thuy, vice chairwoman and general secretary of the association, said most of the Vietnamese Cambodians are traders and about half of them had shut down shops to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Vietnamese people in Moscow join hands to prevent COVID-19

browser not support iframe.

Situated in Moscow, the Hanoi-Moscow Multifunction Complex (Incentra) is one of the places where many Vietnamese people live and work. At present, all visitors coming in and out of the complex are required to check their temperatures and wash their hands at the main gate. Sanitizer is always available at the door.

Besides, warnings about the COVID-19 epidemic and ways to prevent the virus from spreading are broadcast in both Vietnamese and Russian in all elevators.

Although there are still concerns about the possibility of infection in Russia, the Management Board of Incentra Complex is confident that with strict management and effective epidemic prevention, the Vietnamese community in Moscow will safely overcome the epidemic.
FIFO workers from New South Wales will no longer be able to enter Western Austalia from Monday as miners move to reassure the state government and the public they are taking the COVID-19 threat seriously.

The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA and its members agreed to the new measure on Friday afternoon after images began emerging on social media of FIFO workers not observing social distancing measures at airports, camps and on buses.

WA companies will stop flying in workers from NSW from Monday. Credit:Glenn Hunt

WA's borders closed on Tuesday, but thanks to an agreement brokered between the chamber and the WA government 2500 critical resources workers were allowed to continue flying into the state.

CMEWA chief Paul Everingham said given NSW had nearly half the countrys confirmed COVID-19 cases and had not yet closed its borders, it was the best thing to do to prove the sector was committed to stopping the spread of the virus.
LEWISBURG  Two Bucknell University students who remained on campus after the switch to on-line instruction have been tested for the coronavirus.

Students, parents, faculty and staff were notified of this Wednesday afternoon by Dr. Catherine O'Neil, medical director of Bucknell Student Health.

The students, who were not identified due to privacy rules, have been moved to isolation and are doing well, she said.

Centers for Disease Control guidelines are being followed to keep them and rest of the community safe, she said.

Students who have may have had prolonged contact with the two have been identified and contacted. Approximately 170 remain on campus, President John C. Bravman said.

The university would not say if the two are roommates or live in the same residence hall.

Students who did not leave campus are staying in the same rooms as before, spokesman Mike Ferlazzo had said previously.

Another Bucknell student was tested after becoming ill March 12 following a trip to New York City during spring break. His test results received Monday were negative.

The students granted permission to remain on campus are being provided three boxed meals a day.

Although on-campus classes have been canceled the rest of the spring semester, Bucknell continues to provide police, emergency and other support services, Bravman pointed out.

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.
(Natural News) As people shift to working from home in response to measures to stem the spread of the global coronavirus outbreak, a new security threat has reared its ugly head. Lawyers are now warning that smart speakers, such as Amazon Alexa, could be spying on them during critical meetings at home.

U.K. law firm Mishcon de Reya issued advice to staff to mute or shut down listening devices like Amazons Echo or Googles voice assistant when talking about client matters at home. The firm also suggested that staff not have any such devices near their workspace.

The warning from Mishcon covers any sort of visual-enabled or voice-enabled device, such as the aforementioned smart speakers from Amazon and Google. However, Joe Hancock, who heads Mishcon de Reyas cybersecurity efforts, said that video products such as Ring, also owned by Amazon, as well as baby monitors and even closed-circuit TV, are also a concern.

Perhaps were being slightly paranoid, but we need to have a lot of trust in these organizations and these devices, said Hancock. Wed rather not take those risks.

He added that the firm is worried about these devices being compromised, especially with cheap knock-off devices.

Smart speakers pose a security risk

Law firms are currently facing challenges trying to create work-from-home arrangements for specific job functions while maintaining security. Alongside confidential discussions, critical documents and communications also need to be secured. This mirrors the situation faced by banks in Wall Street, where some traders are now being asked to work from alternative locations that banks keep on standby for disaster recovery, instead of from home, to maintain confidentiality.

Smart speakers have already become notorious for activating in error and making unintended purchases, or sending snippets of audio to Amazon or Google. In fact, a report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners claims that their installed base was 76 million units and growing, which has put them under scrutiny from cybersecurity experts.

Devices can start recording even by accident

For their part, Amazon and Google claim that their devices are designed to record and store audio only after they detect a keyword to wake them up. These companies say that instances of inadvertent activation are rare. However, a recent study by Northeastern University and Imperial College London found that these can happen between 1.5 and 19 times a day.

Anyone who has used voice assistants knows that they accidentally wake up and record when the wake word isnt spoken  for example, seriously sounds like the wake word Siri and often causes Apples Siri-enabled devices to start listening, stated the study.

There are many other anecdotal reports of everyday words in normal conversation being mistaken for wake words, continued the report. Our team has been conducting research to go beyond anecdotes through the use of repeatable, controlled experiments that shed light on what causes voice assistants to mistakenly wake up and record.

Companies are listening in

One of the more concerning things about these devices is that the companies behind them are actively listening in. Last year, Amazon admitted that not only did Alexa save recorded audio, even if they were deleted, but that its employees were also actively listening in on those recordings.

This information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone, Amazon said in a statement after the fact came to light.

We have strict technical and operational safeguards, and have a zero tolerance policy for the abuse of our system. Employees do not have direct access to information that can identify the person or account as part of this workflow.

Despite this, Amazon does not explicitly state in its terms and conditions that employees review customer recordings. That said, the privacy settings for Alexa does offer users the chance to opt-out of helping the firm develop new features.

Sources include:

SeattleTimes.com

Independent.co.uk 1

Independent.co.uk 2
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Bangkok, March 27, 2020  The Philippine Congress should repeal a recently enacted regulation that imposes criminal penalties for spreading false news about the coronavirus pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The Philippine Congress passed the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act on March 24, giving President Rodrigo Duterte broad emergency powers to contain the COVID-19 virus, according to news reports.

One provision in that act, Section 6(6), imposes criminal penalties for spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, and states that those convicted of violating that section can face up to two months in jail and fines of up to one million pesos ($19,500), according to reports.

The presidents emergency powers will be in force for three months, but can be extended by Congress if deemed necessary, those reports said. Duterte has previously accused independent outlets covering his administration of publishing fake news, as CPJ has documented.

Philippine authorities must repeal the recently enacted provision that threatens to imprison journalists covering the coronavirus pandemic, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. Journalists serve a vital role in keeping the public informed during health emergencies. They should be allowed to do so without fear of hefty fines and jail time.

The National Union of Journalists, a local press group, issued a statement yesterday criticizing Section 6(6), saying that it makes the government the arbiter of what is true or false and will end up criminalizing free speech.

CPJ emailed Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking food, water, shelter, medical aid and 'urgent indulgence to the plight of migrant workers and their families including women, kids, elders and Divyangs, who are walking on foot to their villages, amid COVID-19 crisis."

The petition was filed by the apex court lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava. It sought urgent order or direction from the Supreme Court to the respondent, Union of India, to immediately redress the "heart wrenching and inhuman plight" of thousands of migrant workers, walking on foot for hundreds of kilometres.

It is expected that Srivastava's Public Interest Litigation (PIL) would come up for hearing before the Supreme Court next week and maybe on Monday (March 30).

They are travelling from big cities of India to their respective native villages without food, water, transport, medicine or shelter, amid present coronavirus crisis, the petition stated.

Srivastava has sought the direction from the apex court to the Union of India to direct the local administration/police authorities across India to immediately identify such moving/stranded migrant workers and to immediately shift them to the nearest government shelter homes/accommodations with proper food, and other facilities, the petition stated.

Srivastava, in his petition, said that migrant workers/labourers need water, medicines and under medical supervision, in a dignified manner, till the present lockdown continues.

The lawyer further said the biggest sufferers of this crisis are the poor, unregistered migrant workers, working in various big cities of India as cycle-rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, construction workers, factory workers, housemaids, servants, unskilled and semi-skilled workers, etc.

As trains and buses are suspended, several of such migrant workers are walking for kilometres to reach their villages. Many are unable to make it across state borders and thus are left stranded on roads, without food, water or shelter. There is a large-scale human distress, the petitioner stated.

Srivastava said in his petition that many such poor migrant labourers and their families, including women, elders, small children and differently-abled people are either walking on foot or left stranded at various parts of the country in an utmost inhuman condition. Many of them are deprived of basic shelter, food or even drinking water, he stated.

Being jobless and stranded, these migrants workers are not only struggling to make ends meet but are now also fighting stigma as 'virus' carriers. Hence, they are not likely to be accepted by their respective villages, once they reach there, the petition stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a rare joint statement the leaders of the main Irish churches have paid tribute to everyone in the health and social care services and those in the frontline, for their courage in the battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In their statement the leaders acknowledged that a battle lay ahead but suggested one positive to emerge from the the crisis was a heightened awareness of society's interconnectedness and interdependency and a new recognition of the vast array of jobs that are essential to the functioning of society.

In the midst of this suffering we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities, involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders, who have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge, has been a great reassurance to many.

We still have a long way to go in the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences. We will need many volunteers for our health service and to protect the vulnerable. Charities that provide much-needed support, also need donations, so please consider giving online."

Following their video conference meeting today, the leaders of Irelands main Churches, together with other denominations and Christian organisations, also issued a national call to prayer.

The leaders said this national call to prayer will take place on Palm Sunday, April 5, from 3pm-4pm.

Church Leaders joint statement in full:

In these days when we can no longer gather and be church in the traditional way, the call to live out the Gospel as agents of Gods mercy and compassion through the sacrifices that we make to protect the vulnerable, and by finding new ways to be Good Samaritans and good neighbours is as powerful as ever.

To all who are suffering, have lost loved ones and are anxious in these unprecedented days, we pray that you may find strength and comfort in the loving presence of Christ who promised to be with his people always (Matthew 28:20).

As Church Leaders, we want to thank everyone in our health and social care services and those working on the frontline, for their courage as they work selflessly to minimise the suffering caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Alongside our chaplains and pastoral teams, they have chosen to walk towards the danger for our sake. We owe it to them to play our part in limiting the spread of this virus by staying home and practising social distancing when we need to go out.

With this crisis has come a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness and interdependency and a new recognition of the vast array of jobs that are essential to the functioning of our society. All our workers, whether called into service at this time, or asked to stay home, need to be adequately protected.

In the midst of this suffering, however we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities, involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders, who have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge, has been a great reassurance to many.

We still have a long way to go in the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences. We will need many volunteers for our health service and to protect the vulnerable. Charities that provide much-needed support, also need donations, so please consider giving online. We are all called to make sacrifices, but the burden of suffering will not be evenly shared.

In a short space of time the rhythm and pattern of our everyday lives has changed. There is however one constant throughout  an ever-loving God who tells us, So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10.)

As we look to Him with our pastoral and practical concerns during these unparalleled times, as the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray.

As Christians, we believe that prayer sustains our life as followers of Christ. In the midst of this global pandemic, we turn to Jesus in our time of need. As Church leaders, we join together in calling all our people to pray. As we begin the journey through Holy Week towards Good Friday and Easter, we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm - remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice.

God loves the world and everyone in it. We will pray for those who are sick, and those feeling fearful; we will pray for those who have been bereaved and those who are isolated and alone. We will pray for our healthcare professionals, delivery drivers, essential workers and all who continue to work on the frontline. We will pray for, and with those in our communities, who are fearful about their employment and for those reaching out to provide food and shelter. We will pray for our families and friends, neighbours and civic, business and political leaders for the inevitable challenges that will arise in the coming days. We also remember those across our world who are similarly suffering. We pray for those working hard to produce new treatments and vaccines.

Though we cannot meet as the gathered Church, we will end the hour united in prayer, asking for the Lords healing touch on our land and all its people. All are invited to pray, regardless of where they are in their own journey of faith, even if they have never prayed before. At this critical moment we will bring this land and our world before our loving God in prayer remembering that, We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy (Daniel 9:18).

Rev Brian Anderson, President of the Irish Council of Churches; Rt Rev Dr William Henry, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland; Rt Rev John McDowell, Church of Ireland Archbishop-elect of Armagh; Most Rev Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh & Primate of all Ireland and Rev Sam McGuffin, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
According to the Department of Animal Health, since early February, Russias Miratorg has carried out export procedures for 3,465 tons of pork through 15 Vietnamese enterprises, of which 1,490 tons have landed at Ho Chi Minh citys Cat Lai and Phuoc Long Ports, and Hai Phong, while 1,974 tons are currently in transit to Vietnam.



It also said that from the beginning of the year to March 15th, Vietnam imported over 25,291 tons of pork, a year-on-year increase of 205%. Of which, 29.35% were imported from Canada, 19.43% from Germany, 11.83% from Poland, 9.98% from Brazil and 5.53% from the US.

Earlier, in early March, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong had a meeting with Mr. Viktor Linnik, President of Miratorg Group.

During the meeting, Mr. Viktor Linnik said that the group currently provides 400,000 tons of meat per year, and plans to increase the volume to 900,000 tons in the next 2 years.

We can export to Vietnam different kinds of meat, breeding food and flour with competitive quantities and prices, he said, adding that the group has had shrimp and tra fish import contracts from Vietnam, and is preparing to import coffee and pepper from Vietnam in the near future.

As scheduled, in April, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong will lead a delegation to work with the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, to help the two sides continue to expand import-export activities.

The Miratorg Group has been granted a certificate for the supply of poultry meat and beef to Vietnam and is seeking permission to export pork under the name Bryansk./.
- Pound Sterling has been the best performer on Friday's foreign exchange markets despite senior UK government figures (including the PM Boris Johnson) testing positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19)

- The Pound to Euro exchange rate ends week quoted at 1.11807, 2.79% higher compared to a week ago but remains -3.8 % vs last month.

- The Pound to US Dollar exchange rate ends week quoted at $1.24528, a whopping 7.04% better than 7 days ago but -2.84 % compated to 30 days ago.

GBP exchange rates volatility has been a key element over the past 24 hours with further very choppy trading on Friday, especially with pre-weekend position adjustment temporarily triggering a fresh US dollar advance.

GBP/USD pushed to re-test the 1.2300 area in early Europe before dipping sharply to just below 1.2200.

Political developments contributed to the volatility with news that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus and will remain in isolation in Downing Street.

At this stage, the symptoms are described as mild and he is well enough to remain in charge of the government.

If symptoms become worse and he is unable to continue in work, Foreign Secretary Raab is set to take over. Health Secretary Hancock also tested positive for coronavirus

There will inevitably speculation whether coronavirus has been spread to more senior politicians and key medical officers given that there have been extensive briefings over the past few days when Johnson and Hancock may have been infectious.

Wider market volatility has also remained a key feature on Friday with risk appetite also turning sour. After sharp gains on Thursday, US equity futures have traded lower and the FTSE 100 index is 6% lower towards the close.

Sterling overall has been resilient with Euro/Sterling declining to 2-week lows near 0.8950. The UK currency held firm despite a further sharp increase in the number of coronavirus deaths to 759 from 578 on Thursday with total cases over 14,500.

The UK has a significant advantage over the US and Euro-zone with a strong government executive and close co-operation with the Bank of England.

The Euro-zone is also still struggling to find a cohesive fiscal response after Germany and the Netherlands failed to back the issuance of Coronabonds at Thursdays meeting.

Marc-Andre Fongern, head of research at MAF Global Forex, commented that: The UK government's significantly more expansionary fiscal policy plus lower demand for the USD might alleviate the downward pressure on the GBP for now. Both central banks and governments are doing their best to provide reassurance.

According to Derek Halpenny, head of research at MUFG. Assuming these more favourable financial market conditions can now last for a period ... sterling could be rewarded further by the economic policies of the government to target more specifically the protection of employment.

Position adjustment will inevitably be important ahead of the weekend given unease over potential fundamental developments that could take place during the next two days when markets are closed.

The US dollar attempted a comeback with Euro/US dollar sliding to near 1.0950 from overnight highs above 1.1080, but the pair has recovered back above 1.1000 as US fears also increase. Sterling/dollar has pushed back to 10-day highs above 1.2300 with Euro/Sterling at 2-week lows near 0.8950.

Commodity currencies have exhibited further volatility with US dollar to Canadian dollar exchange rate near 1.4150 from near 1.4000 on Thursday as the Bank of Canada sanctioned another emergency rate cut to 0.25% from 0.75%.

Pound-to-Canadian dollar exchange rate has strengthened to 2-week highs at 1.7300.

A further intensification of coronavirus cases next week will provide a stern test of more positive Sterling sentiment.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Karolin Schaps (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Amsterdam, Netherlands  Fri, March 27, 2020 09:31 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dbe891 2 World Netherlands,Vietnam,child-trafficking,asylum,center Free

Almost all the Vietnamese children who arrived in Dutch asylum centers in recent years disappeared and were probably trafficked, the Dutch government advisor on human trafficking has said.

Eighty unaccompanied minors from Vietnam went missing from government asylum centers in the Netherlands between 2015 and 2019, according to an investigation by the Dutch National Referral Site for Human Trafficking released this week.

That represents 97% of the total arrivals from Vietnam. Most are thought to have travelled on to Britain, where a study last year found that Vietnamese children were being made to work in nail salons, cannabis cultivation or prostitution.

"This confirms assumptions that a large number of these children end up in the hands of human traffickers," said Herman Bolhaar, the government's independent advisor on trafficking, in a statement on Wednesday.

He said it was "incomprehensible" that authorities had still not put regulations in place to combat this.

The Netherlands has between 5,000 and 7,500 victims of human trafficking a year, according to government figures. About one in five are victims of cross-border sex trafficking and 20 percent of those are minors.

Vietnam is consistently one of the top source countries for modern slaves in Britain - at least 3,187 suspected Vietnamese victims have been identified since 2009, official data shows.

But many come through other European countries and anti-slavery charities have said there is a lack of cooperation between different authorities to tackle the trend.

Ankie Broekers-Knol, Dutch minister for justice and security, said in a letter to parliament it was difficult for the Netherlands to achieve anything single-handedly.

"International cooperation is crucial in order to actually tackle this problem," she said.

But Shamir Ceuleers, spokesman for CKM, the Dutch Centre against human trafficking, said there was not enough urgency in the government's attitude to the problem.

"These are minors we are talking about," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"If Dutch children went missing we would also act. We want to see public prosecution and police becoming stricter on this issue, additional rules at the asylum centers, and the launch of a Europe-wide investigation."
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Thursday 20 workers have been quarantined at Bovanenkovo gas field, which feeds the Nord Stream pipeline, after contact with a person who has coronavirus, while shifts were suspended and local airport shut. Gas production at the field, also a key source of wider Russian gas supplies to Europe, has been unaffected, Gazprom said.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Thursday 20 workers have been quarantined at Bovanenkovo gas field, which feeds the Nord Stream pipeline, after contact with a person who has coronavirus, while shifts were suspended and local airport shut.

Gas production at the field, also a key source of wider Russian gas supplies to Europe, has been unaffected, Gazprom said.

The outbreak of the coronavirus has forced many Russian commodity-producing companies to put in place measures, including longer shifts, at far-flung mines.

Gazprom's subsidiary, Gazprom Dobycha Nadym, said contact with the infected person occurred on a flight on March 16 and the isolation will last until March 30.

Later on Thursday, Igor Melnikov, the director of the subsidiary, issued an emotional appeal to the workers via the in-house newspaper.

"The current situation is forcing me to take a difficult decision. We completely stop the change of shifts for the rotational personnel starting from March 27," he said in the publication.

He said the current shift at local fields will be extended until at least mid-May, while Bovanenkovo airport will stay shut until March 31. Those workers who were supposed to fly to the field in the end of March, will stay at home.

COVID-19

The workers were flying from Moscow to the city of Yekaterinburg, it said. Tests for the coronavirus from one of the passengers came back positive.

They flew to Bovanenkovo from Yekaterinburg on another flight on March 17.

A company source said the workers were part of a shift of 160 people, who live in two dormitories, and they all are under medical surveillance now.

Two of the 20 workers show symptoms of acute respiratory viral infection, RIA news agency said, citing regional medial authorities but another senior source at the company said the two have mild symptoms, such as a running nose, and no cough.

Bovanenkovo is the largest gas field in the Arctic Yamal peninsula, a major source of minerals.

The initial reserves of the field, launched in 2012, were valued at 4.9 trillion cubic metres, enough to procure gas for the entire planet for more than a year.

Gas production at the field stands at over 100 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year, a fifth of Gazprom's total, with peak output seen at 115-140 bcm per year.

As of March 26, Russia has 840 confirmed cases of coronavirus, relatively low in comparison to some other countries, and three COVID-19 related deaths.

The regional authorities of Russia's mineral-rich regions of Yamal and Yakutia have recommended producers extend shifts for workers to up to three months from a usual one-month shift as protective measures from the spreading of the virus.

Gazprom and its oil producing arm, Gazprom Neft, have declared plans to extend the shifts at its Yamal outlets.

Among other companies, which followed the recommendations to increase the shifts, are coal-producing Elgaugol, a subsidiary of Mechel, and Rosneft's Taas-Yuriakh.

Mine operator Kinross Gold Corp of Canada, which produces gold and silver in Russia, isolated its Kupol mine complex last week, due to a coronavirus scare. Two suspected tests came back negative.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Maria Grabar, Olesya Astakhova and Nastya Lyrchikova; Editing by Katya Golubkova, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Pritha Sarkar)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad speaks during a debate at Tolo TV channel in Kabul

By Abdul Qadir Sediqi and Orooj Hakimi

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's government announced a 21-member team to negotiate with the Taliban, in a tentative sign of progress for the United States-brokered peace deal.

The list announced late on Thursday by the country's State Ministry of Peace was headed by Masoom Stanekzai, a former National Directorate of Security chief and supporter of President Ashraf Ghani, and included politicians, former officials and representatives of civil society. Five members were women.

It was not immediately clear whether Ghani's political rival Abdullah Abdullah would endorse the team selected, which diplomats have said would be vital given his camp's strong influence in much of the country's north and west.

The development was endorsed by U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who congratulated Afghan political and civil society leaders.

"They've forged an inclusive negotiating team for talks with the Taliban...This consensus is a meaningful step that moves the parties significantly closer to intra-Afghan negotiations," he said, he said, referring to the talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban as part of a process aimed at ending America's longest war and bringing peace to Afghanistan.

Abdullah's spokesman said he could neither confirm or deny whether Abdullah supported the team.

Two sources - one a diplomat in Kabul briefed on the matter and another a member of Abdullah's team - speaking on condition of anonymity, said negotiations had been taking place and he was likely to support the delegation.

The United States signed a troop withdrawal deal with the Taliban in February, but progress on moving to negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government has been delayed, in part by the political feud between Ghani and Abdullah, who both claimed to be Afghanistan's rightful leader following September's disputed election.

Story continues

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to mediate between the two men to create an "inclusive" government during a day-long visit to Kabul on Monday, and announced a $1 billion cut in U.S. aid to Afghanistan, which he said could be reversed.

PEACE TALKS DURING PANDEMIC

The global coronavirus pandemic was adding challenges to the peace process and U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has said created a need for urgency.

The Taliban had demanded the unconditional release of 5,000 prisoners before starting talks with the government. Ghani countered with an offer to free 1,500 prisoners, and has since said he would release 100 at the end of March due to humanitarian concerns stemming from the coronavirus.

The arrangement was struck in a talks between Taliban officials in Doha and government officials in Kabul, held over Skype because of travel restrictions.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said 15 Taliban officials would soon travel to Kabul to verify a list of prisoners.

Officials said on Friday that movement would be heavily restricted in the capital from Saturday to curb the risk of coronavirus, and measures would include the closure of most stores and offices, other than essential services such as healthcare and food shops.

The Taliban, which controls or contests about half the country, said it had set up around 100 health teams to spread awareness on measures such as hand washing, but were struggling in some rural areas to convince people of the seriousness of the virus, Mujahid said.

Afghanistan so far has more than 90 confirmed cases and there are fears the virus is spreading from thousands crossing the border each day from hard-hit neighbour Iran.

Health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar welcomed the setting up of health teams and said the health ministry was ready to help.

"We say that we are ready to assist the Taliban if they contact us," he said.

(Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Orooj Hakimi and Charlotte Greenfield; additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Alex Richardson)
T he Liberal Democrats have suspended their leadership campaign for an entire year so the party can focus its full attention on the "fallout" from coronavirus.

The party had been due to start the process for replacing Jo Swinson, in May and announce a successor in July.

It was triggered after Ms Swinson was forced to step down as leader when dramatically lost her seat at the general election in December.

The pro-European Union outfit said it was putting the country first while the UK was going through its "biggest crisis" since the Second World War by postponing until May 2021.

Swinson 'proud' of Lib Dems despite losing seat during General Election

A total of 578 people have died so far in the UK after being diagnosed with the deadly virus.

Announcing the postponement of the party's leadership contest, Lib Dem president Mark Pack said: "The country is currently going through our biggest crisis since 1945.

"Our party has decided that we must put all our attention into dealing with fallout from coronavirus.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

"The Liberal Democrats have always put the national interest first and I am proud of the role we have played in championing NHS and care workers, as well as sticking up for the self-employed.

"We will continue to scrutinise Government policy and fight for the most vulnerable in our society."

The party's federal board decided in January that nominations for candidates would open on May 11 and close on May 28, with the ballot for the party's new leader starting on June 18 and concluding on July 15, but the process will now be put back by 12 months.

Lib Dem rules dictate that the party leader must be a sitting MP, meaning Ms Swinson had to resign after being toppled by the SNP in her former East Dunbartonshire constituency.

The party went into last year's election holding 20 seats after a number of defections had boosted its number of MPs.

But the party polled poorly during the winter vote and secured just 11 seats overall.
Now that former Chief of Staff General Benny Gantz, has been tasked with forming the next Israeli government by President Rivlin, its time to take a look to see how we got here and how this relates to Israels Arabs.

Far from being an apartheid state, some 20 percent of Israels population are Arabs who live as equal citizens with full rights and privileges. Paradoxically, Israeli Arabs do not all have the same responsibilities as the rest of the population, specifically regarding their exemption from military or civilian national service. This is also so among Israels ultra-orthodox Jewish population as well, in both cases a source of societal tension. The Arab exceptions are Druze, Bedouin, and Christian Arabs who together make up a small minority within the overall Arab minority.

Israeli Arabs are largely integrated in most other areas of Israeli life, yet not always proportionally. Many reach high levels in civics and politics, elected to the Knesset and appointed judges as high as the Supreme Court. They are TV actors and newscasters, athletes, business leaders and more.

Over the past year, the rise in influence of Israeli Arabs has become especially notable politically as the Joint List, a conglomerate of four Arab political parties, has grown to become the third largest party in the Knesset, with 15 seats. There are conflicting factors as to why, including the Israeli Arabs wanting a greater political voice. Its also a consequence of the perception that more recently, Israeli national/Zionist parties have left Arabs out. Even more so, a recurring theme in the past years three elections, is that Arabs represent a fifth column within Israeli society.

Its not the case among all Israeli Arabs that they are a hostile foreign entity. Many are fiercely loyal. Some less so. Some, who self-identify as Palestinian Arabs nevertheless want to remain Israeli citizens in the event that there is ever a separate Palestinian Arab state, for which many Israeli Arabs advocate. This underscores that despite their ethnic identity, they know that their lives are very good as a minority in Israel, and indeed better than they would be in an all-Arab state.

Over 70 years of Israeli democracy, not only have Arabs served in the Knesset but even in positions of influence within Israels largest national parties (generally Labor, Likud and their successors). However, over the years, the four parties and their leaders that make up the Joint List have become increasingly hostile, anti-Zionist, and supportive of terror and Israels enemies.

Sadly, the negative evolution of Arab leadership colors the broader image of Israeli Arabs being anti-Israel. It shapes a narrative that they are to be isolated rather than included. And even when they are included, Arabs are not elected or appointed to the lists of the national parties in such a way that their representation has increased. In fact, the opposite. Its become a circular downward spiral of Arabs not voting for nationalist Israeli parties, Arabs on these lists being marginalized, leading more Arabs to vote for the Joint List, etc.

Unfortunately, these contributing factors induce Israeli Arabs to vote for the Joint List as their voice, whether they see the increased extremism or not, and if they do, whether they consider that a problem, or not.

Israel and Israeli political parties need to have a broader vision and make a priority of integrating Arabs proactively. Hopefully this will be a wake-up call that more needs to be done. Maybe it can be turned around. But the equal fact is that to do so, Arabs need to be expected to participate equally, at least in civilian national service, and not treated as a minority thats exempt from national obligations.

As a consequence of all this, we are in the previously unimaginable situation that a new government could be formed with the outside support of Israels Arab parties. This means they wont be part of the government itself, for a myriad of reasons. Thats for another article. But in order to achieve their goal ousting Prime Minister Netanyahu, they support Benny Gantz as the next prime minister. They will wield unprecedented influence, representing 25 percent of the 61 Knesset members (out of 120) supporting Gantz, whether they are in the government or not.

Its not automatically a bad thing that Arabs have a voice in Israels Knesset. However, that voice is being represented by a group of people and parties who are openly antagonistic to Israels existence as a Jewish state. For instance, some of their demands to support such a minority government include:

 ending occupation of all territories that Israel took control of after the Six Day War,

 dismantling all the settlements and the racist security barrier,

 releasing all political (including security) prisoners,

 establishing an independent Palestinian state whose capital is east Jerusalem,

 demanding Israel give up its nuclear weapons and disarm,

 recognizing that the Palestinians in Israel are the native residents,

 allowing the right of return for Arabs who fled during the 1948 and 1967 wars to come back to Israel, including their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren

 disavowing Israels and the Jewish peoples links to any holy sites,

 banning of Jewish visits to the Temple Mount,

 controlling Islamic and Christian holy sites (under the Islamist Wakf),

 canceling laws and plans to draft Arabs into the army and national service, including Druze,

 fighting to bring an end to the siege of Gaza,

 canceling zoning and construction laws that impact Arab towns,

 rejecting demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state,

 reversing the decision to outlaw the [Northern Branch] of the Islamic Movement, and more.

These undermine the Jewish and Zionist nature of Israel, and biblical tradition, at the most deep-seated levels. They seek to overturn every basic principle of Israel as a Jewish state. Giving the Joint List the influence they could have would not only be dangerous to Israel, but be short lived because no Israeli government in any good conscience would truly allow Israel to be undermined these ways.

Should Gantzs party (Blue and White) create a national unity/emergency government as many want, including Likud (with or without Netanyahu at the head) this might lead to the additional unusual situation where the Joint List becomes the head of the opposition. This brings with it certain legislative obligations including security briefings from the army and other security organizations.

Nothing is a done deal, but what is sure is that Israel has come to this situation by allowing a problem with its Arab citizens to get wider. Whether with or without the Joint List, the opportunity and need are before us to make changes for the future.

U.S.-born and educated Jonathan Feldstein immigrated to Israel in 2004. Throughout his life and career, he has fellowshipped with Christian supporters of Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He writes a regular column for Standing With Israel at charismanews.com and other prominent web sites. He can be reached at firstpersonisrael@gmail.com.
Police are investigating a deadly shooting Friday morning at a west Houston strip mall parking lot.

Two men, one in a white Nissan and the other in a gray Nissan, were parked next to each other at the back of the shopping center parking lot in the 9800 block of Beechnut. Witnesses told detectives that the two began shooting at each other around 9:30 a.m., according to Houston Police Department Sgt. Matthew Brady.

HOUSE FIRE: 2 hospitalized after house fire in N. Houston

The driver of the white Nissan, who was mortally wounded, started to drive away but crashed into a cargo van about 200 feet from his parking spot. Paramedics pronounced him dead in his car.

The driver of the gray Nissan fled south on Club Creek Drive, Brady said. It's unclear if that person was wounded amid the gunfire.

Detectives are looking at nearby surveillance video for clues and speaking with several witnesses, Brady said. What led to the gunfire was not immediately clear.

CHILD SHOT: 7-year-old girl shot during robbery near Hobby Airport

Anyone with information is urged to call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.

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
(ANSA) - Rome, March 27 - Italian police on Friday seized 900 fake coronavirus testing kits as a biochemical analysis centre in Gioia Tauro in Calabria.



The kits were sold online to unwitting citizens who thought they had found a way to test themselves for the virus.


By Trend

Due to the massive nature of coronavirus infection cases, 21 hospitals to receive the infected persons have been allocated throughout Azerbaijan, Chairman of Board of Azerbaijans State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance Zaur Aliyev said.

Aliyev made the remark at a meeting of the Operational Headquarters chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Trend reports.

He noted that the hospitals are provided with all the missing equipment and medical personnel. For this aim, six hospitals have been allocated in Baku and 15 hospitals in the regions.

The agency official stressed that over 3,300 people are now quarantined in Azerbaijan. Most of them are foreigners.





"Unfortunately, I have to say that recently more and more infection cases have begun to be detected within the country. In particular, persons with a pneumonia diagnosis, who appealed to hospitals and ambulance stations have tested positive for coronavirus," Aliyev added.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 27, 2020 | 02:23 PM | CARLISLE COUNTY





On Thursday, an employee with the Carlisle County Ambulance Service contacted deputies to report what they believed to be suspicious activity from the Carlisle County Ambulance Service Ambulance Director, 36-year-old John Curtis.





The employee claimed that Curtis has been acting strangely, leading the employee to believe that there may be a drug problem. The employee was also concerned with the lack of Fentanyl supply at the ambulance service.







Deputies performed an investigation of the medical supplies at the ambulance service, and reportedly found that their supply didn't match what should have been in storage there.







Deputies interviewed Curtis, and he reportedly admitted to stealing and using narcotics from the ambulance service.





Curtis is being charged with sixteen counts of theft of a controlled substance, sixteen counts of possession of a controlled substance, and sixteen counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.





The investigation is ongoing, and more charges may be added.

An Ambulance Director in Carlisle County is facing numerous charges after a narcotics investigation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a fighter while wishing him good health and offering prayers for his recovery, soon after he was diagnosed with coronavirus on Friday.

Boris Johnson was the latest in an ever growing list of top politicians, celebrities and royals including Prince Charles, to have been infected with the deadly virus that has spread its tentacles across the globe resulting in over 22,000 deaths and 500,000 infections.

Dear Prime Minister Boris Johnson, you are a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy United Kingdom, the Prime Minister tweeted tagging a tweet by his UK counterpart that declared his positive status.

Over the last 24 hours, I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight the virus, Johnson tweeted earlier on Friday.

Johnson is the second high-profile British leader to test positive recently after Prince Charles. Some ministers in the Johnson government and MPs have also tested positive for Covid-19, including health secretary Matt Hancock, who tweeted to confirm his positive status soon after Johnson.

Johnson, however, appeared to be in good spirits and was determined to continue working.

I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of technology, to communicate with my top team and lead the national fightback against the virus, he said in a video he posted on social media.

There is no confirmation from the British government on the source of Johnsons infection, which has afflicted close to 12,000 people and taken as many as 578 lives in the country.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Nobel laureate and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari were some among the big names who have tested positive for the disease.
Five of them are fatal, four people have successfully recovered

Over the past 24 hours, 62 people have been infected with coronavirus in Ukraine. As of now, there are 219 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19. This was announced by Deputy Health Minister Viktor Lyashko during a briefing that was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV Channel.

According to Lyashko, it is expected that another patient will be discharged from the hospital today, on March 27.

Currently, coronavirus disease has been detected in: Vinnytsia region - five cases; Volyn region - two cases; Dnipropetrovsk region - three cases; Donetsk region - two cases; Zaporizhzhya region - eight cases; Transcarpathian region - one case; Zhytomyr region - two (one fatal) cases; Ivano-Frankivsk region - 24 (two fatal) cases; Kyiv - 47 cases; Kyiv region  32 cases; Lviv region - three cases; Lugansk region - one case; Odessa region - four cases; Rivne region - nine cases; Ternopil region - 25 cases (one fatal; Kherson region - one case; Chernivtsi region - 47 (one fatal) cases; Cherkasy region - two cases.

As we reported earlier, the Republic of Korea will pass Ukraine humanitarian assistance to help combat the Chinese coronavirus. It is expected to be delivered on March 27.
THESE days no one should need convincing that our economic well-being can be affected by unexpected shocks. Sometimes these shocks are due to big events, such as the coronavirus pandemic or the great recession in 2008. Sometimes they are due to changes in personal circumstances, such as illness, job loss or the death of a provider.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

THESE days no one should need convincing that our economic well-being can be affected by unexpected shocks. Sometimes these shocks are due to big events, such as the coronavirus pandemic or the great recession in 2008. Sometimes they are due to changes in personal circumstances, such as illness, job loss or the death of a provider.

Individuals can try to plan, but many Canadians are financially strapped at the best of times and do not have the financial margin necessary to support strategies for weathering economic shocks. After all, as of 2017, the latest year for which data are available, 5,869,110 Canadians lived in poverty (census family low-income measure, after tax).

Statistics Canada also reported that in the third quarter of 2019, on average, there was $1.76 in credit-market debt for every dollar of household disposable income. Similarly, a September 2019 Ipsos poll found that 48 per cent of Canadians are $200 or less away from financial insolvency.

When shocks such as the coronavirus pandemic cause economic activity to slow down and large numbers of Canadians are affected by job losses, layoffs, fewer available shifts and loss of customers for the self-employed, there is a broad consensus that governments must act to shore up household incomes.

The Trudeau government has acted. Income-security policies in Canada do not form a comprehensive and co-ordinated system, but a patchwork with some gaps between the patches; Ottawa added two new patches and increased the size of three existing patches. One of the new patches was the Emergency Care Benefit, which provides $900 bi-weekly to workers and the self-employed who are ineligible for Employment Insurance and who are quarantined or sick or caring for children or ill family members.

The other was the Emergency Support Benefit, for workers not covered by EI who are facing unemployment. The patches being extended are Employment Insurance (eliminating the one-week waiting period for sickness benefits and extending the Work Sharing Program to 76 weeks), Canada Child Benefit (increasing the maximum payment by $300 per child for 2019-20 benefit year) and the Goods and Services Tax Credit (one-time special payment in May 2020).

This week, the government combined, simplified and enhanced the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit into the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, providing a standard taxable payment of $2,000 per month for up to four months. All workers whose income decreases to zero due to the pandemic (for at least 14 days out of the four-week period) are eligible as long as long as they had at least $5,000 in employment income or maternity or parental leave benefits in 2019 or the 12 months preceding the application.

There are still problems with these measures, beyond the question of whether they provide adequate income. First, it is unclear if anyone is left out  there may be unintended gaps between the patches. Second, many of the measures are not being implemented until April, and one not until May. This is too slow for Canadians who are financially exposed in the manner described above.

Third, some of the measures require costly application and eligibility processes. This is not the time to over-burden government administrative systems or spend money on administration that could be used to fight the virus, provide health care or increase the benefits to Canadian families.

In combining two programs to create the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, the government seems to have recognized the challenges applicants may face.

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.

We might consider how much better our response might be if Canada had implemented a universal basic income. This is a benefit that would be provided as a right to every member of the Canadian political community. It could be delivered through the personal income-tax system as a negative income tax, decreasing as market income increases. It would be target-efficient in moving resources to those who need them most.

A basic income would have low administrative costs, especially if provided through the personal income-tax system. It would also not require expensive monitoring of work behaviour or job-seeking, as this would not be a condition of receiving a benefit. However, evidence from the basic-income experiments of the 1960s and 70s shows that decreases in work are moderate, and largely confined to secondary earners, such as parents caring for young children and high school students focusing on their education.

To complete our thought experiment, if Canada had a basic income in place when the coronavirus hit, we would have avoided all the problems described above. We could be assured that everyone who needs help is getting it because a basic income is universal. The help and economic stimulus could be delivered quickly and would be automatic as households reported decreases in market income.

No new application procedures or parliamentary approval would be required. Administrative costs would be low, and the introduction of new income-support programs would not be required.

This is one more good reason Canada needs a universal basic income.

Sid Frankel is an associate professor in the faculty of social work at the University of Manitoba and board member for Basic Income Manitoba.
WASHINGTON  Tens of billions of dollars are on the way to Texas after President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law the largest stimulus package in the nation's history, $2 trillion aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus and stemming its economic damage.

While the full scope of the stimulus spending on Texas is still unknown, the state is on tap for at least $11.2 billion through a $150 billion coronavirus relief fund at the heart of the stimulus, which sends money directly to states and cities coping with the outbreak. But the state will get much more than that through the massive package that easily sailed through the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday.

The stimulus includes billions for hospitals, schools and transit systems  all stretched thin  as well as direct checks to many American taxpayers and forgivable loans for small businesses.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

More Information Who the stimulus bill helps What does the stimulus package do? The deal injects $2 trillion into the national economy, through hundreds of billions of dollars in business loans, $1,200 checks to individual Americans, and expanded unemployment benefits. The package also includes a $150 billion "coronavirus relief fund" for state and local governments expected to send $11.2 billion to Texas. And it offers up billions for hospitals and to make medical supplies. Who is eligible for assistance checks? All Americans who earn $75,000 or less would receive a one-time check of $1,200, as well as $500 per child. The benefit would be phased out for those earning more than $75,000 at a rate of $5 for every extra $100 they earn, with those earning more than $99,000 individually receiving no check at all. Married couples earning $150,000 qualify for a $2,400 payment. Those without any income or whose earnings come from from programs like Social Security are qualified to receive payment. When will those checks be in the mail? Unclear. Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, said earlier this week that they could be sent out within three weeks, though similar payments in the past have taken much longer. What about people who have been laid off? Unemployment insurance would be extended from six months to more than nine months. Those who lose their jobs due to the coronavirus will receive an additional $600 per week on their unemployment checks, more than doubling the current maximum benefit of $521 per week in Texas. What about small businesses? Businesses with fewer than 500 employees would be eligible for business interruption loans from the Small Business Administration. The loans would be forgiven if the business meets certain conditions, such as not laying off workers. Loans would be capped at $10 million and could be used to pay staff and make mortgage and utility payments. What about hard hit industries like airlines and oil and gas? The stimulus package provides $500 billion in secured loans to affected business. Airlines would receive at least $29 billion of that, and $17 billion would be set aside for companies deemed critical to national security. The remaining $454 billion would be available to affected industries across the board, presumably including oil and gas companies. See More Collapse

Still, nobody in D.C. is really happy with the historic stimulus. The Houses most conservative members, including U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, an East Texas Republican, complained about its price tag, saying $2 trillion is vastly too much money and charging that it contains some pet projects.

The most progressive members, including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, said it is shameful to tie relief for hospitals and workers to a bailout for big businesses.

But like the U.S. Senate that passed the bill without a single objection earlier this week, the House easily passed the package on a voice vote, sending it along for Trumps signature.

"There should be no one that rises to object in spite of the fact that we know there are challenges in this bill," said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat. "I hear these words: 'We are scared, we are stressed'  the words of an emergency room doctor. These are the ones that are on the front lines right now today, when we have the largest number of cases" in the world.

For subscribers: What you need to know about the $2T stimulus bill

"While no one will agree with every part of this rescue bill, we face a challenge rarely seen in American history," said U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican from The Woodlands who ran the GOP side of the House debate on the bill Friday morning. "We must act now or the toll on lives and livelihoods will be much greater."

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a San Antonio Democrat, said the bill is flawed and a steep price for Trumps continued delay, denial and deceptions. But he supported it "to help our small businesses stay afloat and immediately sustain the newly unemployed, victims to multiple Trump Administration failures.

Many members of the Texas delegation hauled themselves back to Washington to ensure the package made it through, despite concerns about the virus spreading in the House, where at least three members have tested positive and a dozen others  including Houston Democrat U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, are in self-quarantine.

The bill will be a boon to Texas, expected to receive the second-most funding of any state, behind only California, from the coronavirus relief fund. And it comes as state lawmakers have warned of shortages of medical and protective gear and as 156,000 people filed unemployment insurance claims last week.

The stimulus provides $100 billion for hospitals, $30 billion for schools and more than $1 billion for transit systems.

For subscribers: Everything you need to know about unemployment benefits in Texas during the coronavirus crisis

It will send $1,200 checks to taxpayers earning less than $75,000  more than 75 percent of Texas workers, employment data show  and another $500 per child. Its unclear how soon the payments will be made.

Lawmakers from both parties have stressed the importance to get them to people quickly. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said earlier this week that they could be sent out within two to three weeks, though similar payments in the past have taken much longer.

The stimulus package also more than doubles the maximum unemployment benefit in Texas, offering an additional $600 per week to those who lose jobs during the outbreak on top of the current $521 per week maximum benefit.

That includes gig workers like Christian Murray of Austin, who makes a living delivering food through apps like Uber Eats. While orders are up, restaurants operating with far smaller kitchen staffs are struggling to keep up, leaving drivers like Murray waiting for their orders for up to an hour and limiting how many deliveries they can make in a day.

You have 20 drivers showing up once, waiting for their orders, he said. My income for food delivery has already been cut in half, and Im working ten hours a day, seven days a week.

The stimulus package provides $500 billion in secured loans to affected business. Airlines  including United, which employs nearly 14,000 in Houston alone, and Southwest, with thousands of employees in Texas  would receive at least $29 billion of that. The remaining $454 billion would be available to affected industries across the board, presumably including oil and gas companies.

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees, meanwhile, would be eligible for $300 billion in business interruption loans from the Small Business Administration, forgiven if the business meets certain conditions, such as not laying off their workers.

The funds provided through the CARES Act are essential to ensure Houston businesses are able to meet payroll during this difficult time, said Bob Harvey, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership, which says that more than 40 percent of its 850 small- to medium-sized member companies say they can only survive a shutdown or slowdown for one to four weeks. More than a third say they have already reduced employee headcount.

For subscribers: New Orleans is a hot spot. Will Houston be next?

The legislation also includes language meant to make it easier for Congress to spend money on dredging projects, which could free up funding for the Houston ship channel and other local projects, said U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat.

Still, it leaves out some relief for the oil and gas industry. The Trump administration had planned to fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, buying up to 77 million barrels of crude from U.S. oil and gas producers while prices are low and demand is slipping.

But funding for the purchase was pulled out of the stimulus legislation, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it a $3 billion bailout for big oil.

The Department of Energy has since rescinded its order for an initial 30 million barrels of crude.

This is good legislation. It is not perfect legislation, Green said.

House Democrats now plan to work on at least two more coronavirus relief packages, though it remains unclear what they will include. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, on Friday said those next efforts need to include immigrants, who work and pay taxes but will receive no check.

Theres still much work to do to make sure that everyone in American society gets help, Castro said.

ben.wermund@chron.com
All individuals who travelled into Ghana on or after March 3, 2020 are to be identified and tested for COVID-19, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed.



Information Minister and Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who confirmed the directive, said the President wanted all those individuals to be tested as was done with arrivals on Saturday night.



The Ghana Immigration Service, working with the Ministry of Communication and their agencies has a whole database of all these persons who came in, he said, adding that some had been quarantined for two weeks without any signs of the disease.



Mr Oppong Nkrumah was speaking to journalists at the Parliament House, in Accra.



He said President Akufo-Addo directed that the tracking began from March 3, against an original proposed date of March 15 by some government officials.



As part of measures to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus in Ghana, the Government last Saturday began quarantining all passengers disembarking at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).



After the checks, passengers were sent to different hotels to begin a 14-day quarantine.



Out of the latest update of 132 cases, 78 are from persons in mandatory quarantine. Those persons were not allowed into the general population and treatment has commenced.



According to the Ghana Health Serviceealth jhEA, the sudden increase in reported cases was as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travellers entering Ghana.



The majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries, while seven are nationals from: Norway, Lebanon, China, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (UK).



The number of confirmed cases of travellers under mandatory quarantine is 78.



Mr Oppong Nkrumah gave the assurance that the President would ensure that the nation did not run the risk of significant communal spread of the disease.

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
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:24:26|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

RIYADH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia denied on Friday talks with Russia over increasing the number of OPEC+ countries.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi energy ministry said the energy ministers of the two countries have had no contact over any increase in the number of OPEC+ countries, nor a possible joint agreement to balance oil markets.

Earlier this month, the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) announced that it would raise its maximum sustainable capacity to 13 million barrels per day, following the breakdown of talks between OPEC members and Russia on securing a further oil production cut.
27 March 2020 LSE: PDL

Petra Diamonds Limited

("Petra", "the Company" or "the Group")

Market Update

Petra Diamonds Limited announces the following market update with regards to the impact on the Company of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Petra's overriding priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of all its people. The guidance and advice we are providing employees follows World Health Organisation guidelines and is supplemented by local guidance where we operate. We have also established an Executive Committee sub-committee to regularly review and update our advice to employees, establish business continuity planning, and to ensure managerial oversight is effective and properly coordinated.

Operations

South Africa

On Tuesday 23 March the South African Government issued a Directive requiring a 21 day national lockdown, effective midnight Thursday 26 March 2020 to midnight Thursday 16 April 2020, in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country (the "Lockdown Directive"). Subsequently, on Wednesday 25 March 2020 the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (the "DMRE") released a statement "unpacking mineral and energy industries' response in preparation for a nationwide lockdown". This statement can be found at: https://www.dmr.gov.za/news-room/post/1848

The statement notes that for "some mining operations and processing plants a complete shutdown will not be feasible, as a restart from scratch may be too costly" and further states that "mining operations will be scaled down significantly".

Petra has notified the DMRE of the measures it has taken to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus at its operations and that it will scale down operations to operate at a minimum level in order to maintain the underground block caves, in accordance with the DMRE statement.

The scaled back operations will be monitored and managed according to the new procedures put in place to protect the health and safety of all Petra people. These procedures cover employee communication and training, hygiene response, security controls, health monitoring, resilience and contingency plans. It is worth noting that all of Petra's South African mines are highly mechanised underground operations, with limited human interaction.

Upon completion of the lockdown period, it will be possible to ramp the operations back up to steady state production levels within a relatively short timeframe.

Tanzania

The number of cases of COVID-19 in the country is currently low and the Government has taken fast action to put containment measures in place. The Company's open-pit Williamson mine, which is in a remote location in the Shinyanga province, remains in full operation but is being managed in strict accordance with the new procedures outlined above.

However, in light of the depressed market environment, the mine's liquidity position is being closely monitored, as constraints may impact its ability to continue to operate. Discussions with the Government in relation to various issues, including the overdue VAT receivables and the blocked diamond parcel, are ongoing but have been interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Diamond Sales

Petra's fifth diamond sale of FY 2020, with tenders in both South Africa and Antwerp, commenced on Thursday 19 March and was due to close on Thursday 26 March. However, sensing the rapid deterioration of market conditions, particularly due to travel restrictions, factory and retail closures, and the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa, the Company brought forward the closure of its South African sale to Monday 23 March.

During this constrained sales period, the Company saw severely depressed and opportunistic bidding for its goods, particularly in the larger size and higher quality, greater value categories. As a result, Petra chose to sell a portion of its South African goods, representing ca. 75% by volume and ca. 50% by value. These goods saw price decreases of ca. 24% on a like-for-like basis in comparison to pricing achieved at the February 2020 sales cycle. The remaining goods were exported to Antwerp and will be offered for sale when market conditions allow.

The Antwerp tender of Tanzanian goods was also brought forward and closed on Tuesday 24 March. The vast majority of the goods were sold, with only a few strategic, higher-value parcels being withheld, and pricing achieved was on a similar level to that in South Africa.

Petra is due to hold two further sales in May and June before the end of the financial year, but the outlook for both sales is highly uncertain and will depend on travel and export conditions at the time, as well as activity levels in the key diamond buying centres, being India, Israel, China and the US.

Liquidity and Capital Structure

As at 31 December 2019, the Group had bank debt facilities undrawn and available of ZAR 1.5 billion (ca. US$107.2 million), in addition to diamond debtors of US$12.8 million and cash at bank of US$53.6 million. Petra is in close contact with its South African lender group, which remains supportive of the Company.

Petra continues to closely monitor and manage its liquidity risk. Cash forecasts are regularly produced and run for different scenarios, which now include the aforementioned potential impact of protracted production shutdowns and uncertainty around diamond sales in the short-term. The impact of weaker diamond prices is partially offset by a weakening South African Rand, currently trading at around ZAR17.45:USD1 compared to an average rate of ZAR14.69:USD1 for the six months to 31 December 2019 (H1 FY 2020).

In light of the above, Petra is in active discussions with its South African lender group, which remains supportive of the Company, in relation to the provision of near-term liquidity.

The Company will also be engaging with the Group's financial stakeholders in relation to the implications of the unprecedented operating and trading environment for its capital structure, including the strategic options open to the Company in relation to the maturity of its US$650 million loan notes in May 2022. For these purposes, the Company has engaged Rothschild & Co and Ashurst LLP as its financial and legal advisers respectively.

Outlook

Given the continued uncertainty around the outlook for control of the COVID-19 in South Africa, FY 2020 production guidance of 3.8 million carats is suspended until the Company is in a better position to quantify the full impact of the lockdown.

Richard Duffy, CEO of Petra Diamonds, commented:

"We are taking all actions necessary to support the measures to limit the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the countries in which we operate and to decrease the threat to our employees, contractors and other local stakeholders. While Petra has been running well operationally, with production ahead of guidance, the scaled down mining operations and sales disruptions will cause a negative impact in the short-term. However, we have the foundations in place to continue to deliver long-term, sustainable operations and we remaincommitted to protecting their ongoing viability, to the benefit of all our stakeholders."

The information communicated in this announcement is inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation 596/2014.

For further information, please contact:

Petra Diamonds, London Telephone: +44 20 7494 8203

Cathy Malins investorrelations@petradiamonds.com Marianna Bowes Des Kilalea

Rothschild & Co

Giles Douglas giles.douglas@rothschildandco.com Glen Cronin glen.cronin@rothschildandco.com Mahir Quraishi mahir.quraishi@rothschildandco.com

About Petra Diamonds Limited

Petra Diamonds is a leading independent diamond mining group and a consistent supplier of gem quality rough diamonds to the international market. The Company has a diversified portfolio incorporating interests in three underground producing mines in South Africa (Finsch, Cullinan and Koffiefontein) and one open pit producing mine in Tanzania (Williamson). Petra also conducts a limited exploration programme in Botswana and South Africa.

Petra's strategy is to focus on value rather than volume production by optimising recoveries from its high-quality asset base in order to maximise their efficiency and profitability. The Group has a significant resource base of ca. 250 million carats, which supports the potential for long-life operations.

Petra conducts all operations according to the highest ethical standards and will only operate in countries which are members of the Kimberley Process. The Company aims to generate tangible value for each of its stakeholders, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of its host countries and supporting long-term sustainable operations to the benefit of its employees, partners and communities.
A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world's biggest producer has said, after a coronavirus lockdown forced it to shut down production.

Malaysia's Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms globally.

It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days due to a lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus.

That's already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain's NHS or distributed by aid programmes such as the UN Population Fund.

Malaysia's Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms globally. Pictured: a worker performs a test on condoms at Malaysia's Karex condom factory in Pontian near Kuala Lumpur

'We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,' Karex Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week.

'My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.'

Malaysia is southeast Asia's worst affected country, with 2,161 coronavirus infections and 26 deaths.

The lockdown is due to remain in place at least until April 14.

The other major condom-producing countries are China, where the coronavirus originated and led to widespread factory shutdowns, and India and Thailand, which are seeing infections spiking only now.

A security guard checks the temperature of a customer arriving at a supermarket during the partial lockdown in Penang, Malaysia to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus

Makers of other critical items like medical gloves have also faced hiccups in their operations in Malaysia.

Goh said Karex was in the process of appealing to the government for an exemption to operate under specific conditions.

Malaysia is approving other essential goods producers to operate with half of their workforce.

A worker sprays disinfectant at a market, which is closed during the movement control order due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus in Kajang near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

'The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it's still an essential to have,' Goh said.

'Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It's not the time, with so much uncertainty.'

A spokesperson from Durex said: 'We have been made aware of media reports which reference a global shortage of condoms due to manufacturing stoppages in Malaysia.

'Durex would like to confirm that all of our operations are working as normal and we are not experiencing any supply shortages.

'For our consumers, many of whom will be unable to visit shops at this time, Durex product is still available to order from online supermarket and pharmacy retailers. Consumers are reminded to always read the label and use Durex products only as directed.'
In the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus Pandemic, District Magistrate of Srinagar Shaid Choudhary has revealed that 152 people with an undeclared history of travel to UAE, Iran, Hungary, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Kazakhstan have been traced by the Control Room in Jammu & Kashmir and put under quarantine. He also urged people to come forward and report to the authorities on their own in order to help themselves, their family and fellow countrymen.

Control Room traced 152 undeclared cases of perons returned from UAE, Iran,Hungary,Taiwan,Malysia, Combodia, Italy,Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia,Kazakhstan. Put under quarantine.We continue to request people to come forward and self-report. Help docs,Urself,family & society.  Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) March 25, 2020

Control Room traced 152 undeclared cases of persons returned from the UAE, Iran, Hungary, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kazakhstan. Put under quarantine. We continue to request people to come forward and self-report. Help docs, Urself, family & society, Choudhary said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Kashmir has recorded its first death in the pandemic. A 65-year-old Islamic preacher of the Tableeghi Jamaat with an extensive history of travel within the country died in Srinagar on Thursday. Four others had contracted the Wuhan Coronavirus from him. All are reportedly from Bandipora. Five of the eleven cases of Coronavirus in Jammu & Kashmir had attended an Islamic event attended by the deceased Islamic preacher.
Manama

An expatriate worker was found dead in his accommodation today. Reghunathan Kuniyil Kandy (52) was working as a plumber and electrician with a private company in Muharraq. The dead body is kept in the King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) mortuary in Muharraq. Reghunathan hails from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district, India.

He has been working in the Kingdom for than 25 years. He is survived by his wife and two children. A suicide note was also found in the accommodation in which, according to sources, Reghunathan wrote about his bodily illness, expressing his concern about his frequent loss of memory power and lack of sleep and aversion to food. The body will be buried in Bahrain with the support of social workers Subair Kannur, Manoj Vadakara, Kareem Kulamullathil and Najeeb Kadalayi.

The burial will take place here as currently there is no international flight service to his hometown till April 14 due to the Corona Virus (Covid 19) lockdown in India.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Conditions for journalists fundamentally unsound just as coronavirus hits

New York, March 27, 2020 Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has an opportunity to reverse a longstanding trend of obstruction, legal harassment, orchestrated online attacks, and threats of violence against the press, but it will take an unwavering commitment to overcome the failures of past administrations, the Committee to Protect Journalists finds in a report released today.

The report, Trust deficit: Guatemalas new president must overcome skepticism to improve press freedom, finds that conditions for press freedom are fundamentally unsound, just as the country is grappling with the coronavirus epidemic and needs accurate information. Guatemalas cybercrimes laws are inadequate to counter concerted online harassment campaigns, and officials regularly abuse laws to silence critical reporting. The report examines how rural and indigenous journalists are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and threats from criminal groups and corrupt officials. Reporters covering the environment are frequently targeted.

For nearly a decade, the Guatemalan leadership failed to truly protect journalists, and in the current polarized environment it is vital that the government makes press freedom a priority, said CPJ South and Central Americas Program Coordinator Natalie Southwick. Years of mistreatment and violence have made journalists in Guatemala wary that the government will actually stand up for them, a problem that President Giammattei must now address urgently if he hopes to regain their trust and combat the countrys endemic corruption, said Southwick, who authored the report with contributions from Central America Correspondent Danae Vilchez.

There is near total impunity for the murder of journalists. Since 1992, CPJ has documented six journalists killed in Guatemala, four of whom were murdered in direct retaliation for their reporting CPJ is investigating the motives behind an additional 19 journalist deaths in the country, including the recent killing of journalist Bryan Guerra.

Former President Jimmy Morales was hostile toward anyone who investigated him, discrediting or undermining journalists. Giammattei has taken steps to distance himself from his predecessor, granting broader access to press conferences and officials. The government has renewed support for the Prosecutors Office for Crimes Against Journalists, an investigative unit.

The report includes recommendations for Giammattei, the attorney general, and Congress on legislative action, upholding international commitments, and improving accessibility. There are recommendations for the Organization of American States, the United Nations, media outlets, and Facebook and Twitter to better protect journalists from targeted harassment campaigns.

CPJs website features resources, safety advisories, and safety kits for journalists seeking assistance and advice.

Note to Editors:

Trust deficit: Guatemalas new president must overcome skepticism to improve press freedom is available on CPJs website in English and Spanish. For questions or to arrange an interview with CPJ experts, email press@cpj.org.
[March 27, 2020] MyTek, a Scottsdale-Based Managed IT Services Firm, Uniquely Poised to Provide Flexible IT Support for Arizona Schools as They Move to Online Learning Environments

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MyTek, a Scottsdale-based managed IT services firm focused on redefining the managed IT experience for Arizona's growing businesses, offers IT support services for Arizona schools as they move to online learning platforms through its flexible MyTek Butler IT services. "We have always focused on affordable solutions for Arizona organizations that are adaptable with no long-term contracts," said Tim Tiller, MyTek CEO. "IT services are needed now more than ever to support our schools and families as they move to online learning and as we look for ways to partner and support one another during this unprecedented time." MyTek offers several levels of proactive IT services, depending on an organization's needs. Across each tier, we offer support for your essential technical service needs, including Office 365, network support and administration, IT security, hardware set-up, private cloud hosting and virtual support. MyTek's services are uniquely positioned to immediately provide technology services to schools who are moving towards online learning platforms: MyTek Cloud Hosting Services

MyTek partners with Iron Mountain's Phoenix data center where we have dedicated servers for hosting. Our in-house hosting expertise and resources coupled with our partnership with Iron Mountain allows us to quickly support schools needing to expand cloud server power to support the expansion into online learning. MyTek Remote Support Services

MyTek's remote support infrastructure is easily expandable to provide arious levels of remote support to end users as schools move to online learning. Our existing infrastructure and experience allow us to quickly and dynamically partner with schools looking to solve support challenges that will come when introducing technology as the main delivery tool for facilitating student learning. MyTek Project Services





"As a company and member of our local community, our focus now and always is on how we can deploy our team's expertise to support local businesses in a flexible and helpful way," said Tiller. "Right now, is the time to be adaptable, fair and collaborative in how we work together." If you are interested in learning more about MyTek Butler and how it can support your migration to online learning environments, please contact us at (623) 312-2311.

"Unfortunately, we may not be able to have a cup of coffee or break bread with you at this unique time in history  which is how we usually like to get to know our customers," stated Tiller, "But, we'll make good use of technology for a virtual face-to-face meeting with you and hope that we can meet in person in the near future!" About MyTek:

We deploy the magic of technology with unparalleled support to Arizona businesses. For over a decade, MyTek has provided proactive IT solutions such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and Phoenix IT consulting to growing Arizona businesses. It's always been our goal to provide enterprise-level IT practices and solutions to the small business sector, with predictable pricing. Our experience has allowed us to build and develop the infrastructure required to ensure our clients' happiness, with their technology always reliable and at an affordable investment. Our dedicated staff thrives on seeing our clients succeed. Your success is our success. We treat your business with the same care and strategic oversite as if it was our business. Learn more at mytek.net or call (623) 312-2311 or contact us here. Media Contact:

Brenda Bryan

The Bryan Agency

[email protected]

Ph: (602) 561-9758 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mytek-a-scottsdale-based-managed-it-services-firm-uniquely-poised-to-provide-flexible-it-support-for-arizona-schools-as-they-move-to-online-learning-environments-301030557.html SOURCE MyTek

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Twenty-five years ago this month, 14 wolves from Canada were released into an ocean of elk on the rugged sweep of sagebrush steppe and pine forest of Yellowstone National Park to see what would happen.

The new wolves immediately set to out doing what they do best, hunting prey. What has unfolded since is a remarkable, continuing ecological and social drama that has changed the way biologists think about predators and the animals they stalk. It has also transformed parts of the nations oldest national park, redeemed the image of wolves in the popular imagination and inspired similar wildlife experiments around the world.

Wolves were erased from the park and the rest of the Northern Rockies in a sustained campaign of shooting, poisoning and trapping in the early 20th century. They were regarded as vermin, hated by ranchers fearful for their livestock and by hunters and outfitters worried about deer, elk and other quarry. Some of that enmity remains.

But, thanks largely to the wolfs reintroduction into Yellowstone, their reputation has swung from scourge to savior, at least among some, as biologists have come to understand the wolves role in maintaining the parks ecological balance.
Life-saving breathing machines could be able to support up to four patients  instead of one  thanks to a medical invention that doctors at Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina built in a matter of weeks.

Like a pair of headphone splitters, the Y-shaped device connects to ventilators and allows air to flow in multiple directions to multiple recipients.

It isn't a solution that health care professionals would use under normal conditions. But as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in the United States and around the globe, hospitals everywhere have worried they will be short on ventilators.

"Sometimes simple is elegant," said Dr. Peter Tilkemeier, chair of the Department of Medicine at Prisma HealthUpstate.

Ventilators, which can run between $25,000 and $50,000, are needed to save patients with advanced cases of COVID-19. The machines are already in short supply in New York City, currently the hotspot in the United States.

A Prisma Health physician had the idea for the device a few weeks ago. It took a "village" of experts from multiple institutions to take from conception through an expedited approvals process just a few weeks later, Tilkemeier said.

Then, USC engineers built a 3D model.

The invention was fast-tracked through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval process, and initial tests on mannequins proved successful.

With th first steps complete, the device is now being field-tested at New York and New Orleans hospitals, which will relay feedback to South Carolina.

"We're aware that this may need tweaking," said Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, chief academic officer at Prisma Health. "We're going to be working with clinicians around the U.S. to help us make this the most effective method possible."

She said communications with the FDA began over the weekend. The effort was grant-funded, and the tools will be provided at little-to-no cost once they are ready to be rolled out.

Companies, including Hewlett-Packard, have agreed to produce them.

Similar solutions have been used before in times of crisis, Tilkemeier said. But the 3D-printed version's price point and simplicity means it could be deployed across the nation relative quickly.

About 20 percent of COVID-19 patients need to be hospitalized, and 20 percent of those will admitted to an intensive care unit.

Right now, South Carolina's hospitals have enough ventilators to care for patients sick with coronavirus disease. Prisma has 342 machines between its 12 hospitals, according to a survey by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The state had 456 cases of coronavirus as of Thursday afternoon.

KershawHealth, the hospital serving the epicenter of South Carolina's coronavirus outbreak, has only eight ventilators on-hand. As of Sunday, when DHEC completed its survey, six of those ventilators were already in use.

Some counties lack ventilators altogether.

The code written for the new device is open-source, meaning any hospital with a 3D printer could make its own, said Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at USC. While the process is slow, Haj-Hariri said, many cities and universities have access to injection molding machines, which could spit out hundreds of units within moments.

"This is the type of solution that people can use everywhere in the world," Haj-Hariri said. "This is ramping up into a peak, and we need quick solutions."

It uses simple, cheap materials available anywhere.

Engineers already are working on enhancements that will help regulate the flow of air to the patients who are connected to the ventilator. But the immediate priority is to is to get the device to hospitals as quickly as possible.
Shares of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Line were down sharply on Friday, after Congress' coronavirus stimulus package excluded cruise lines from receiving significant aid. Yahoo! Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer joins The Final Round to discuss how the lack of aid will impact the cruise industry.

Video Transcript

JEN ROGERS: So as we have this big bill, this huge $2 trillion stimulus bill awaiting the president's signature, Andy, one of the things that we're going to be getting more details on-- and this happens every time we have a huge bill. We don't really know exactly what's in it, who the winners are, who the losers are. So Andy, in terms of some of the more surprising elements that we might have been able to tease out so far, will there be outrage over different parts of it? Are there surprising elements already that people really weren't prepared for?

ANDY SERWER: Yeah. I mean, the whole tension is really going to be between big business and small business, and then business and consumers. We know about the direct payments to consumers, but there's a million questions about how that's going to play out-- how you apply, how you get the money. Who gets the money? Does it go into your account? Will you get a check in the mail? Is it taxable? All those kinds of things, and a lot of that information we have on our website.

But, you know, if you look at, say, the restaurant industry, Jen, I mean, the big chains, which are Starbucks and McDonald's and KFC and Subway, you know, one would hope that maybe they get in the back of the line versus small and medium-sized restaurants. And maybe just a mom-and-pop or an outlet that has 2 to 10 stores, because they're going to be the ones that are in real dire needs.

And then, of course, we have the controversy with the airline industries. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin said the government will be looking to take a stake in those airlines, depending on how these mechanisms work. And then, of course, there's the cruise ship industry, which is a whole other kettle of fish, if you will.

JEN ROGERS: Indeed. The case with the cruise lines, the aid package as approved looks like it's going to be limiting aid to US incorporated companies with the majority of workers based in the US. And that could exclude a lot of these major cruise ship operators that we've been covering that have been hit and were really some of the canaries right away that we saw huge declines on. So I think it's going to be interesting to watch those developments and those names.

ANDY SERWER: Yeah, correct. That's Carnival and Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. And, you know, they have their operations here, but they're based in Liberia, they're based in Panama, and they're based in Bermuda. And so you live by the tax avoidance, you die by the tax avoidance. Not to say that these companies are necessarily going to die, but they're not going to get money because they're not based here.

They're not paying taxes like a regular US corporation that is based here does. And the president actually directly acknowledged that. And so if they somehow could relocate here-- but they certainly couldn't do that quickly enough to get those moneys. But that's an interesting little wrinkle. And you're so right-- canary in the coal mine, Jen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol to deal with the coronavirus crisis at an extraordinary videoconference of the G-20 leaders

New Delhi: As the world reels under the economic and social fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol to deal with global health crisis and urged the powerful G20 grouping to work towards addressing shockwaves triggered by the pandemic.

In his address at an extraordinary videoconference of the G-20 leaders, Modi also urged the grouping to come out with a concrete action plan to fight the pandemic and said human beings rather than economic targets should be put at the centre of its vision for global prosperity and cooperation.

The powerful grouping of world's 20 major industrialised nations at its meeting decided to inject over USD 5 trillion into the global economy to counter the social and economic impact of COVID-19.

The G20 held the videoconference to discuss ways to deal with the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 21,000 people and infected more than 470,000 globally.

Government sources said there was no discussion on the origin of the coronavirus or on China at the summit and that the spirit during the deliberations was of collaborative approach in dealing with the crisis.

There were no efforts to ascribe blame to anyone for the outbreak of the virus, they said.

The leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, also agreed to contribute to the WHO-led COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on a voluntary basis.

In his remarks, Modi noted the alarming social and economic cost of the pandemic, adding that 90 per cent of the COVID-19 cases and 88 per cent of deaths were in G20 countries.

The G20 grouping shares 80 per cent of world GDP and 60 per cent of world population.

The External Affairs Ministry said Modi underscored the need for free and open sharing of the benefits of medical research and development and sought developing an adaptive, responsive and humane health care systems.

It said he also sought strengthening and reforming intergovernmental organisations like WHO and work together to reduce economic hardships resulting from COVID-19 particularly for the economically weaker nations.

The prime minister also called for ushering in a new globalisation for collective well being of entire humankind, noting that medical research should be freely and openly available for all countries, government sources said.

He said empowering the WHO was necessary for development of effective vaccines to deal with global pandemics.

"Let us put human beings rather than economic targets at centre of our vision for global prosperity and cooperation," Modi was quoted as saying by the sources.

He also stressed on developing a more adaptive, responsive, affordable and human healthcare system that can be deployed globally to deal with healthcare crisis.

At the meeting, the G20 leaders agreed to take all necessary measures to contain the pandemic and protect people.

They also supported strengthening of the WHO's mandate in the fight against pandemics, including delivery of medical supplies, diagnostic tools, treatments, medicines and vaccines.

The leaders committed to use all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social cost of the pandemic and to restore global growth, market stability and strengthening resilience.

According to the sources, Modi said the coronavirus pandemic has offered an opportunity to look afresh at a new concept of globalisation and that the grouping has to focus on problems being faced by the humanity.

They said the G-20 leaders also appreciated India's efforts at the regional level to fight the pandemic.
Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar has pledged his one month salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to fight COVID-19.

"We are contributing to fight the epidemic caused by COVID-19, in one way or the other. I have decided to make a contribution of my one month's salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund towards combating the pandemic," a statement issued by the labour ministry said on Friday.

Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here

Gangwar also noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has been swift in taking appropriate and timely relief measures for common people, especially the poor and the workers.
As the coronavirus has spread across the United States, killing hundreds of people and sickening tens of thousands more, comprehensive data on the extent of the outbreak has been difficult to come by.

No single agency has provided the public with an accurate, up-to-date record of coronavirus cases, tracked to the county level. To fill the gap, The New York Times has launched a round-the-clock effort to tally every known coronavirus case in the United States. The data, which The Times will continue to track, is being made available to the public on Friday.

Individual states and counties have tracked their own cases and presented them to the public with varying degrees of speed and accuracy, but those tallies provide only limited snapshots of the nations outbreak. A publicly available tracker from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated five times a week, includes only state-level data. Other entities have made efforts, including a notable one by Johns Hopkins University, to track cases worldwide or within the United States.

In late January, not long after the first known case was reported in Washington State, The Times began tracking each known U.S. case as counties and states began reporting results of testing. Such testing, which had been delayed, gradually became more widely available. For the last eight weeks, a team of Times journalists has recorded an array of details  locations, dates, ages and conditions, when possible  about newly confirmed cases reported by state and local officials.
Leaders of the world's major economies pledged $5 trillion to battle the spreading coronavirus pandemic and committed to do whatever it takes to minimise the social and economic damage. They did all of this through a video conference.

At a time when the world is shutting down its borders and countries are largely under lockdown with a strict 'STAY HOME' advisory to all citizens, the leaders decided to shake hands, virtually.

We are injecting over US $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic, the leaders said in a statement after an emergency online summit.

In a two-hour meeting, the leaders agreed to assess gaps in pandemic preparedness and increase funding for research and development in vaccines and medicines.

A particular photo from the session showed leaders of the G20 countries--whose members include the US, the UK, India, Brazil, European Union, Russia  and agencies like the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others--all beaming into the session from their offices or homes.

President @realDonaldTrump & the G20 Leaders held a video teleconference this morning to further coordinate global action to defeat #COVID19. We must utilize our best scientists, doctors, & medical professionals to share information, combine efforts, & BEAT this invisible enemy. pic.twitter.com/GYuHH7oBvB Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) March 26, 2020

AP image

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has announced a 21-day lockdown in the country, stressed the need to look at globalisation and multilateralism not just through the prism of economic and financial issues, but also through humanitarian aspects. PM Modi had first proposed the 'online' G20.

COVID-19 is a global crisis and it demands a global response. That was the focus of our G20 Leaders call today - where we agreed to work together and spare no effort to keep you safe and our economies strong. For more details, read our joint statement: https://t.co/kYONSOkVsp Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 26, 2020

On March 15, PM Modi had marshalled a video conference among SAARC leaders  locking Indias intent to lead the fight against Covid-19 virus in South Asia.

Modi tough talk at G20 virtual conference, says conceptualise globalisation with humanity at centr.#ChineseVirus19 pic.twitter.com/2ngrCrmT51 Anoop Kotwal (@AnoopKotwal78) March 26, 2020

They didn't stand next to each other, for the grand photo session-- a norm before the pandemic's existence.

Photos showed PM Modi, US President Donald Trump, China's leader, Xi Jinping and France's President Emmanuel Macron among the leaders present on the virtual conference call, which was being hosted remotely by the King of Saudi Arabia.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau joined the conference from his home in Ottawa, where he is in quarantine after his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau tested positive. Angela Merkel is also working from home after being treated by a doctor who has since tested positive, although the chancellor's own tests have come back negative.

AP image

There were no small pull-asides, private huddles and quiet whispers-- the usual routines of the yearly G-20 Summit. For the first time, there were no government planes touching down in the host city, no hotels filled wih leaders and their bodyguards. There were no photo-ops neither were the anti-globalist protesters.

Opening the meeting, the aging Saudi King Salman -- this year's G20 president -- said the "human crisis requires a global response. The world counts on us to come together and cooperate in order to face this challenge."

At a time when the world seems a little fractured after the virus, that disregards borders or economies, has infected 532,230. So far, 24,078 people have.

On Thursday, India recorded 88 new cases-- the highest in a single day. The global tally, according to the AFP, also crossed the figure of 500,000 infections and close to 22,000 fatalities.

Remarks by Pres. Moon(@moonriver365) at G20 2020 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders Summit"I hope that todays summit will serve as an opportunity to reaffirm the G20 members solidarity to overcome COVID-19 together."Full text : https://t.co/fqB4ebsLLE pic.twitter.com/fTireuUKfR The Office of President Moon Jae-in (@TheBlueHouseENG) March 26, 2020

"We agreed to work together and spare no effort to keep you safe and our economies strong," Justin Trudeau tweeted, along with the joint statement of the G20 leaders.

While the statement did not outline any new or specific measures the G20 was taking, it said leaders were ready "to react promptly and take any further action that may be required."

AP image

In all of this, the leaders have proved one thing: The world's biggest important meeting can also be held, online. And that means, cutting the cost of air travel and reducing carbon footprint. It could be a way more cost-effective way for countries even after we get to a post Coronavirus world.

The biggest companies in the world have moved to virtual meeting following the Coronavirus outbreak. In China, employees are flocking to platforms like WeChat Work, Zoom and Alibabas DingTalk. Belgian technology company Barco, which has offices in India as well, aims to revolutionize conferencing based on the concept of BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting).

Tuve el honor de acompanar al C Presidente de la Republica en su conversacion esta manana con los lideres mundiales que integran el G20. Muy buena noticia el compromiso de actuar en equipo y con un plan comun. pic.twitter.com/N6p4GCitZo Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) March 26, 2020

Last week, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said that companies will be allowed to announce in regulatory filings that they are conducting virtual shareholder meetings without sending out a fresh proxy statement. Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. has announced that they are considering alternative arrangements for their meetings.

Battling coronavirus may be an uphill task, but in these challenging times, it has shown that world leaders are capable of coming together without flying miles. The world of online diplomacy may just be our future.
Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) Contrary to the general perception that COVID-19 affected only senior citizens, latest data released by the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD) in Maharashtra on Thursday shows that the majority of the infectees in the state fall in the 21-70 age group, with those between 31-40 grabbing the lion's share.

Of the total 122 cases till March 26 - subsequently the number has risen to 125 - 33 persons were affected in the age group of 31-40, 24 each in the age groups of 21-30 and 41-50, 15 in the 51-60 age group and 13 in the 61-70 age groups.

Shattering another myth that children below 10 are immune to coronavirus, the state MEDD data shows two minors in the 1-10 age group and three very senior citizens in the age group of 71-80 were also infected.

Interestingly, however, all four deaths in the state till date have been reported in the 61-70 age group only, but their COVID-19 condition was aggravated by several other health problems, and males account for 69 per cent of the total cases.

In another shocker, China has escaped the needle of suspicion for COVID-19 spread in India as the maximum number of cases in the state comprise people with travel history to United Arab Emirates, followed by the USA, and Saudi Arabia.

The other significant number of infectees had a history of travel to the UK, Philippines and Turkey, and a small number each from Australia, Scotland, Thailand, Russia, Congo, Spain and Oman.

The maximum number of cases - 54 per cent - comprise those who have travelled to one or the other above countries, another 29 per cent are those infected by coming in contact with the first category of foreign travellers, the reports of six per cent were inconclusive and the results of another 11 per cent are still awaited, said the MEDD.

With Maharashtra having the highest number of cases in India, the country's densest city and its commercial capital Mumbai tops the national list with 56 infected, followed by Pune at 31, Sangli 9, Thane 6, Nagpur 5, Yavatmal 4, Ahmednagar 3, Satara 2, and one each in Raigad, Aurangabad and Ratnagiri.

--IANS

qn/kr
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 03:37:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LOS ANGELES, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy arrived at the Port of Los Angeles Friday morning to aid COVID-19 response as the number of new confirmed cases continued to surge in the metropolitan area.

The ship, carrying more than 800 Navy medical personnel and support staff, will provide 1,000 hospital beds as a "referral hospital" to treat non-COVID-19 patients. It will help relieve the strain being put on local hospitals by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Mercy also has 11 general-purpose operating suites, a 5,000-unit blood bank, 15 patient wards and room for 80 intensive care beds, according to the ship's official website. It can produce at least 7,000 meals and 200,000 gallons of freshwater daily.

Mercy, homeported in San Diego, is one of the two hospital ships operated by U.S. navy. The ship had initially been scheduled to bound for Seattle, Washington state which is also one of the states hit the hardest by the spread of COVID-19. U.S. officials changed plan later because they projected more needs for beds in California. U.S. President Donald Trump approved California Governor Gavin Newsom's request on Sunday to deploy the ship to Los Angeles to provide additional medical support.

Newsom's office posted a video Thursday morning which shows the huge white-hulled hospital ship docking at the Port of Los Angeles on Twitter, noting that the ship will increase California's hospital capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Glad to welcome the @USNavy's USNS Mercy to Los Angeles. This ship brings 1,000 new medical beds to the @PortofLA, helping ease the burden on our emergency rooms and ICUs when the cases of COVID-19 grow in the weeks ahead," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, tweeted Friday morning.

"Thank you to all our partners for making this possible," he added.

There are more than 4,200 positive cases and 85 deaths related to COVID-19 in California so far, according to a continuous Los Angeles Times survey of numbers released by local health agencies across the state.

The COVID-19 death toll in Los Angeles County nearly doubled on Thursday, reaching a total of 21, while another 421 cases were confirmed for a total of 1,216 as of Thursday night, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
On Friday, emerging from the latest national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders, Prime Minister Scott Morrison remained relatively upbeat in the face of the pandemic, announcing tougher enforced quarantine for overseas arrivals and declaring here in Australia it's a vital time, but we are getting on top of this. I would rather be in Australia now [doing what we are doing] than in any other country in the world today, he said. As the number of deaths rise in Seriate, Italy, one of the areas worst hit by coronavirus, Australian health officials say we are better placed than Italy, Spain or the US. Credit:AP The nations health authorities continue to reassure that the country is in a far better place than Italy, Spain or the US in terms of testing rates, death and intensive care rates and the extent of community spread. Yet MacIntyre remains alarmed by Canberras dogged determination to proceed by way of incremental steps  what officials call scaleable, proportionate and sustainable measures. The window to have acted decisively has grown a lot smaller, she says. Because we have only been testing people with symptoms, we remain on a similar trajectory to the United States and Italy.

New South Wales alone was heading towards 1500 cases on Friday, a threat exacerbated by the disgorging of thousands of untested passengers from the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney the week before last (a blunder which has led to energetic finger-pointing between NSW Health and the Australian Border Force). MacIntyre labels it a debacle. It means there will be people without symptoms who are transmitting it, its going to be spreading silently throughout our community she warns. You may not see a hit on the health system for 4 to 6 weeks through a couple of incubation cycles. But that has compounded everything. So she takes little comfort from the fact that so far, there are low numbers of COVID-19 patients in intensive care here. She and others expect that to change markedly in coming weeks, perhaps as soon as late April or early May, a fear underscored by an article in the Medical Journal of Australia on Thursday warning Australian hospitals do not currently have the capacity to accommodate what they foresee might be the demand on intensive care beds. Heslop feels that significant numbers of Australian lives, many thousands, into the tens of thousands are now at stake.

With medics and nurses fearful of shortages of personal protective equipment, MacIntyre alerted health authorities last June to the fact that 30 million respirators, or P2 masks (which filter out airborne particles) would be needed if there was a serious epidemic lasting six months in Sydney. It is understood this was nowhere near the amount the nation had stockpiled. Sydney University virologist associate professor Tim Newsome also doubts history will judge the country to have acted fast enough. Will we look back and say we did enough? Our trajectory is looking disastrous at the moment. He adds the proviso that every country is different. Singapore is a city state, China has measures which it can deploy as an authoritarian government. But the social measures weve adopted up until this week have not, in European countries, led to a significant drop; theyve had to go much stricter. Chris Richardson, a director of Deloitte Access Economics, lays out stark numbers. We have never before dealt with a problem that gets four times bigger every week, he says. People dont understand the immensity of that. After five weeks the problem is already 1000 times bigger. After 10 weeks it's a million times bigger. When you have a geometric crisis, a decision taken today is four times more effective, four times more valuable, than the exact same decision taken a week later.

He does not envy our political leaders their agonising dilemma. Every day you buy is a stunningly valuable commodity in terms of lives saved. But don't forget how awful the trade-off is, the knock on of jobs lost, mental health, domestic violence. There are no good answers, every answer is terrible. Professor Raina MacIntyre, who heads biosecurity at the Kirby Institute in Sydney, says she's alarmed by Canberra's dogged determination to proceed by way of incremental steps. Credit:Peter Braig He says the case for more emphatic social and workplace restrictions remains open, but the faster the acceleration in case numbers , the greater the weight of economic argument swinging towards that. The walking-the-wire act the government is trying to pull off has appeared to be under growing strain at several points this week. Morrison has declared it a twin crisis, a crisis on a health front which is also causing a crisis in the economy. And both of them can be as equally as deadly. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government is trying to keep the economy in the best least bad shape possible through this period.

The outcome on Tuesday night was a somewhat surreal press conference in which Morrison and Chief Health Officer Brendan Murphy laid out a long list of new measures - a laundry list, as some described it - designed to keep Australians at a distance from one another, while seeking to keep faint signs of life pulsing through the economy. But the anomalies were puzzling. Five at a wedding, 10 at a funeral, no gatherings outdoors but 10 in a boot camp was okay. A whole raft of small businesses providing personal services shut down but not hairdressers, who could tend to their clients for 30 minutes and no more (a stricture relaxed a day later). Murphy declared the intent was to put restrictive measures in place without destroying life as we know it. But even while shopping centres and many non-essential retailers were allowed to stay open, customer traffic was falling off a cliff. I think we will look back and be critical of the way this has been handled. David Heslop, Associate Professor, UNSW On top of the strictures placed on clubs, pubs, restaurants, cafes, and events, Tuesdays proclamation tipped tens of thousands more into the ranks of jobless with big-name retail brands including Just Jeans, Portmans, Athletes Foot, Skechers, General Pants and others pulling down the shutters.

For many businesses its become the death of a thousand cuts, and there is a growing view, espoused by the likes of the Grattan Institute's incoming director, Danielle Wood, that the economy might be better off with a New Zealand or British-style full shutdown (barring essential services) for a defined period. There were a lot of people [economists included] early on dismissing the scale of this, Wood says. They did not understand the health shock, what the exponential curve was going to mean for cases and hospital admissions. But she believes a short sharp shock now would be a better way to go. I think it's the uncertainty that is killing business right now, she says. What we really need to do from an economic perspective is make sure that what is a temporary hit to income does not become a permanent hit to the productive capacity of the economy. Thats an easier problem to address when you know that [a shutdown] is for a fixed, between six and eight weeks, period ... But if you want to talk about this rolling on for six months or more because you are just going for a halfway-house approach, I think that will see a lot of businesses go to the wall.

Founder and CEO of hairdressing chain Just Cuts Denis McFadden put it bluntly on Thursday night: We need the government, now, to shut us down! But Morrison again on Friday made clear that keeping people in jobs remains a top priority for himself, and other leaders. In the absence of a compelling health reason, he said, I will fight for every job I can because I know that that job means something very important to that person and their family. Loading Inside the national cabinet of state and territory leaders the Prime Minister presides over, tensions over strategy have at times broken into the open. The two biggest states, with by far the greater burden of cases, have been increasingly restive about the incrementalism of the social distancing measures adopted to date. Victorias Chief Medical Officer has openly flagged his wish for tougher action. NSW has signalled the time might come when it wants to do the same, though so far Premier Gladys Berejiklian has not revealed what the trigger for that might be, apart from saying it will depend on the rise in community transmission of the disease and how the hospitals are coping. On Friday NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay called on Berejiklian to press for a full lockdown at national cabinet or else go it alone.

In Melbourne, the head of the prestigious Burnet Institute, Professor Brendan Crabb, broke his silence to tell the Herald and The Age that I would urge speed, and the clarity that would bring to the messaging. Referencing the horrors unfolding in Italy, where the death toll is currently running at close to 10 per cent, he says you cant say we are on track to be Italy, but we dont know that we are not, either. My answer is to do everything you can now, to buy yourself some time. Measures more akin to the lockdowns in New Zealand and in Europe would, he argues, buy precious time: time that could be spent drumming up more supplies of personal protective equipment, hundreds more vital ventilators, time for reserve health workforces to be trained up into intensive care roles, and time for the expanded testing regime announced on Thursday to get a better handle on the silent spread of the virus through community transmission. The government rightly underscores that most cases are still coming in from overseas, whether through infected travellers or their direct contacts. But the proportion of cases with no clear origin of infection is growing. That is the ticking time bomb that has public health experts so concerned. Our death rate is thus far mercifully low, at 0.37, or 13 deaths so far from around 3000 cases.

But for how long? It was chilling to hear New York Governor Andrew Cuomo saying this week that hed pleaded for 30,000 ventilators from federal authorities yet only 4000 were on the way. You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die, he said, in a voice breaking with anger and frustration. In Australia, cuts to elective surgery are a small taste of the ethical dilemmas likely to confront the health system in a few weeks time. More than 1000 Australians, for instance, will now need to spend months more on dialysis, their hopes for kidney transplants on indefinite hold. Loading Theyre the kind of choices that no wants to make, and which drive the urgency of those who dont want governments to wait another day, let alone a week, a fortnight, or month, to slam the brakes on the virus with every ounce of collective will . A group of experts convened by the Group of Eight prestige Australian universities at the request of Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy a fortnight ago were asked to give the government their view of the severity of social distancing measures that should be adopted. The overwhelming majority in the group urged a strategy of go now, go hard and go smart.

The doubling time [of case detection] is approximately 1.6 days in Australia compared to 6 days in February they wrote On March 22. [This] is an indicator that the window for proactive intervention is very small. At this rate Australia could theoretically expect  over 50,000 cases by Easter. But go now, go hard did not find favour in Canberra. As Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly later explained, what was at issue was essentially two schools of thought. One was go hard, go fast, while the other was what he called a scalable proportional response. And he added, Im a scalable, proportional responder. There are still many voices in the academic community who support the governments more phased approach, prominent among them the Australian National Universitys infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon. There are others who confess, in private, to increasing unease about taking a contrary position publicly. Yet most are agreed on one thing: there must be full transparency about the science and the evidence going forward to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), the peak body of government medical advisers.
On November 28th, 2019, the European Union officially and solemnly declared the climate emergency, in a ceremony presided over by the would-be 17-year-old prophet Greta Thunberg. Today, almost four months later, in the midst of a real emergency, the only thing that remains official and solemn in that declaration is its ridiculousness. That, and the no-holds-barred death match between the Unions partners to seize containers of respirators and face masks destined for other countries in order to save their own. The European Union either gets this health crisis right, or it will be dead, I heard the former president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, say the day before yesterday. At the moment, the European Union seems to be MIA, along with the climate emergency. Each day that passes, the hope of finding it alive diminishes.

A month ago, while the coronavirus was invading the Old Continent, we Europeans were busy with much more important matters than a little flu. In early March, Spains Communist government was focused on passing its aberrant sexual freedom law. With a name like that, you might think that we Spaniards have been procreating by pollination for 2000 years. Meanwhile, the Swiss press, strangely enough, seemed intent on overthrowing the Spanish monarchy, as if we hadnt had enough of church-burning and coldblooded murder at the hands of the Second Republic. And a few days earlier, on March 2nd, the big issue in Switzerland was a referendum to pass a law banning any comments or attitudes against gay-friendly policies. It brings to mind the warning that Gomez Davila, Colombian intellectual, gave us towards the end of the 20th century: Despite what they teach us today, easy sex isnt the solution to all our problems.

In Sweden, Germany, and half of Europe, the front-page news on March 7th was another issue: (again) Greta Thunbergs statements about the need to impose measures that reward women over men. It was around those days that the Dutch government announced a bill that would allow the euthanasia of any elderly person tired of living. It comes as no surprise that the Netherlands doesnt seem too concerned about this coronavirus business. The last we heard from Holland is that the official channels are telling people: Dont bring weak patients and old people to hospital. Looks like theyre only interested in saving the lives of young people. I guess theyre more photogenic and look better on postcards of tulip fields.

Story continues

Also during the first week of March, almost the entire European press devoted rivers of ink to discussing whether two transgender athletes should compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as men or women. One of Europes many progressive newspapers began this momentous debate thus: Well into the 21st century, there is still much to be done on issues like racism, sexism and religion. And even on sexual identity. These are classic phrases for an unserious mind; they never fail. If you want to know if someone is a charlatan, just listen out for the expressions, Well into the 21st century and, There is still much to be done.

In Germany, at the beginning of March, the controversy that dominated the nation was whether to erect a huge statue of Lenin in a small North Rhineland town. Interesting. Perhaps it was to scare the virus off. But Scotland is definitely my favorite. As the pandemic began to spread dramatically, the main debate in Scotland was the imperative need for a new government law to provide free tampons and sanitary pads. The issue went beyond Scotland and was the subject of some very intellectually dense op-eds in the broader European press. It was clear that the festival of incompetence and unicorn politics was to go on right up until the last minute before cataclysm.

Everyone wanted to drag out that last drink on the Titanic. Nobody wanted to go to sleep. Neither did the U.N. On March 10, with 118,100 diagnosed and 4,262 dead from coronavirus in Europe, the U.N. held a press conference . . . to commit to the political and economic fight against the climate emergency! Yes, it would appear that the plan is to leave the pangolins a beautiful and temperate planet. Thus, secretary-general Antonio Guterres trumpeted a report at us, saying that climate change acceleration will trigger heat and dengue deaths in Africa, and cause drought and flash floods in countries such as Spain, without explaining how its possible to die from thirst and drown at the same time. Of course, we cant really expect any explanations from an ex-president of the Socialist International who praises the policies of the Cuban regime and now hints that Chinas response to the coronavirus is the example to follow. Someone should make it clear to him, however, that China will be the example to follow in a health crisis when it ceases to be a Communist dictatorship, and when the Chinese end their unfortunate preference for meat from exotic jungle animals slaughtered in front of them at wet markets.

In the midst of this festival of frivolity, harsh reality landed in Europe. In just ten days, we discovered that neither the tampon issue, nor the participation of transsexuals in the Olympic Games, nor the climate emergency were real problems, nor emergencies, nor anything of the sort. They were just fictitious problems, the pastimes of a generation that hadnt known tragedy.

The reactions of politicians in Europe reflect the bewilderment of those who were living in the Matrix and have just been awakened. Most governments in Europe have moved from denial to chaos. But probably the most vile reaction has been that of the Social Communist government in Spain, which encouraged Spaniards to participate massively in the March 8 feminist rallies, the next day hiding reports that the coronavirus was already out of control in the country  something they may well have to answer for in court. Vice President Carmen Calvo said at the time that to attend the demonstrations was a moral obligation for all Spaniards: what is at stake is the life of many people. She was referring to violence against women, I think. It goes to show that Sanchezs government only tells the truth by accident. Yes, many peoples lives were at stake, as we have unfortunately found out. Now Calvo is recovering from coronavirus, as are most of the members of government who took part in the demonstrations. Of course, the Spanish do not seem to be worried about the governments taking a few days holiday: Its worse when theyre actually on the job. The government is currently returning 650,000 defective coronavirus tests bought a few days ago. The president appeared on TV to show them off last Saturday, saying: These are approved tests and that is very important, very important. They dont work. They werent from an approved Chinese supplier. Spain has been ripped off. A joke going around here in Spain says: I took the governments coronavirus test and its a girl!

Something similar happened in France, where president Emmanuel Macron closed bars and discos but refused to suspend the March 15 elections. Even so, until a few days ago, Germany and France both boasted about their good crisis management. However, the truth is that lying does not solve the problem: We now know that neither Germany nor France is counting the deaths from coronavirus that occur outside of hospitals, and that the Germans dont call it death from coronavirus if the patient had a previous illness.

At some point between March 8 and March 15, all European countries unilaterally closed their borders. For 20 days, as nations took the lead, the European Union ceased to exist. Even today, it is discussing possible economic measures, without any decision being made. The main obstacle to an economic agreement is that the countries that have been frugal for years, in particular the Netherlands and Germany, refuse to bail out the more wasteful Mediterranean countries with their money again. And thats understandable. However, for those who are now on their own, namely the United Kingdom, things arent looking any better. The UK will pay a heavy price for its experimental immune policy. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons infection looks like writing on the wall. To survive in a globalized world, you have to do more than just antagonize everyone else all the time.

Europe, whose nations had staked everything on an all-powerful state that could protect its citizens from all evil, has been cruelly disappointed. The future is uncertain. But what is certain is that death and poverty are two words that will stay with us for a long time. Europeans now miss having competent governments, cohesive civil societies, responsible economic administrations, and citizens capable of giving their lives for others  that is to say, citizens with values. The same values that were deliberately excluded in the European Constitution in order to please the extreme left-wing secularists.

Tajani was right. The coronavirus has reopened the deepest wounds in the European Union.

More from National Review
Dr Cory Edgar (pictured), an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at UConn Health, was arrested and charged with breach of peace on Thursday morning

A Connecticut physician has been arrested after he allegedly deliberately coughed on his co-workers.

Dr Cory Edgar, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at UConn Health, was charged with breach of peace on Thursday morning.

UConn Health spokeswoman Jennifer Walker told DailyMail.com that witnesses told police Dr Edgar 'intentionally coughed on two other medical employees at the health center in close proximity.'

The witnesses added that they believe the doctor 'was purposely disregarding space and safety concerns involving the Coronavirus pandemic.'

Police arrived on the scene around 10am and issued Dr Edgar his summons.

It's not immediately clear if the doctor had ever behaved this way in the workplace before or if his actions have been a concern in the past.

Walker added that Dr Edgar 'has confirmed that he is in excellent health and does not to his knowledge have COVID-19.'

The physician is accused of coughing on two co-workers at the health center (pictured) while 'in close proximity'

Witnesses told police that they believe Dr Edgar 'was purposely disregarding space and safety concerns'. Pictured: EMTs lift a patient into an ambulance as the outbreak of coronavirus continues in New York City, March 24

In the US, there are more than 92,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 1,300 deaths. Pictured: Nurse Susan Cologar takes a swab sample at a coronavirus testing location in Jacksonville, Florida, March 19

'UConn Health is aware of the situation. We take all such allegations seriously and the matter is currently under review,' a statement read.

'We can also state that any UConn Health employee with an indication of illness is asked to stay home, and during this pandemic all employees are screened for symptoms prior to entering the premises.'

This is not the first time someone has been arrested for similar actions.

In Connecticut, a man turned to a state trooper and coughed before claiming he had the novel coronavirus, according to the Providence Journal.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, a man was charged on Sunday with making a terroristic threat after he intentionally coughed close to a supermarket worker.

And another New Jersey man was charged with harassment and disorderly conduct by police for trying to cough on them while he was being arrested on a charge of domestic violence, the Hartford Courant reported.

Worldwide, more than 550,000 cases have been confirmed and more than 25,000 people have died.

Across the US, there are more confirmed cases than any country with 92,000 infections and around 1,300 deaths.

In Connecticut, where the incident, occurred there are 1,012 cases and 21 deaths so far - but it is believed these figures will rise as more testing occurs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has almost 1.5 million expired N95 respirator masks sitting in a government warehouse in Indiana, and the Department of Homeland Security decided on Wednesday to send them to the Transportation Security Administration, three people with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post on Thursday.

N95 masks are used by doctors and nurses treating patients infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, and there are shortages at hospitals and medical facilities across the United States. Late last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its guidelines on using expired masks, saying they could be used during the coronavirus pandemic as long as they had been stored properly. The risk comes if the mask's elastic bands have deteriorated, and there isn't a proper seal against the face.

The masks are part of Customs and Border Protection's emergency supplies, and DHS officials decided to offer the masks to the TSA because they have been asking for protective equipment, three people with knowledge of the matter told the Post. The TSA said it will send the masks to airports as needed. One Trump administration official told the Post the masks were sent to TSA rather than hospitals or the Federal Emergency Management Agency because FEMA recently found masks to distribute.

More stories from theweek.com

Why Minnesota's coronavirus response is different

Trump has never been worse  but his approval is surging. Why?

Elton John to host 'Living Room Concert for America' with stars performing from home


President Trump approves disaster declaration for Missouri to combat COVID-19 outbreak Positive Cases Keeps Going Up In Kansas And Missouri. Good Evening, Everybody. I'm Kris Ketz. Recovering From Covid-19 And How Some People Are Turning To A Drug Showing Early Promise. Investigative Reporter Matt Flener Talked To A Surgeon Whose Parents Have The Virus He's Going To Make It, I Think, I Have A Lot Of Hope And Fait Matt: Dr. Greg Mundis Prays His Father Gets Better.

An important call to help garner more resources and help distribute help to those who need it most . . . Read more:
The local pro-Kremlin "authorities" claim it's a huge number for the peninsula

Open source

More than a thousand people in Russian-occupied Crimea were taken to hospitals, diagnosed with pneumonia. Igor Chemodanov, the "Heathcare Minister" of the annexed peninsula said so as quoted by Krym.Realii.

"We've got 1,447 people taken to a hospital with ARVI symptoms, 1,039 of them with pneumonia", Chemodanov said during the session of the operatie staff that works to combat the spread of Chinese coronavirus.

The local pro-Kremlin "authorities" claim it's a huge number for the peninsula.

1,500 people are now under medics' surveillance in Crimea. There are seven officially confirmed cases of Covid-19 on the peninsula.

The overall amount of people who got infected with Chinese coronavirus in Ukraine increased to 196. All cases are lab-confirmed. The Healthcare Ministry reported that on late March 26.

As of 10 p.m. March 26, five of the mentioned 196 patients passed away; one recovered. All in all, the number of infected people grew by 40 over just one day.

Previously, Chernivtsi regional state administration claiemd that three people recovered from Covid-19; however, the Healthcare Ministry did not confirm these cases.
Coronavirus: What you need to read

Coronavirus maps: Cases and deaths in the U.S. | Cases and deaths worldwide

Vaccines: Tracker by state | Booster shots | For kids 5 to 11 | Guidance for vaccinated people | How long does immunity last? | County-level vaccine data

What you need to know: Omicron variant | Breakthrough infections | Symptoms guide | Masks FAQ | Delta variant | Other variants | Follow all of our coverage and sign up for our free newsletter

Impact of the pandemic: Supply chain | Education | Housing

Got a pandemic question? We answer one every day in our coronavirus newsletter
Teague Rutherford is doing it right.

Hes going on day nine of quarantine, holed up in his moms home outside of Shepherd, along with one sick brother and five other family members.

Even video games are getting boring, Rutherford joked.

Rutherfords brother has tested positive for COVID-19. Rutherfords stepdad was tested, too, after he came down with a fever, but the results were negative.

No one else in the house has shown symptoms, but they all know they could still carry the virus.

So, they are riding it out.

Friends and family have been dropping off food. Rutherford is making his way through Land of Nakoda: The Story of the Assiniboine Indians, a book on his tribe. His mom and stepdad have finally sat down to watch "Game of Thrones."

Meanwhile, Rutherfords brother has been in his bedroom for 11 days, as of Thursday. Aside from the occasional trip to the backyard to sit in the sun, he's been confined to the basement room, which has a bathroom but no windows.

For meals, the family sets a plate of food outside his bedroom door, knocks and walks away. Later, they collect an empty plate. Communication happens via text or phone call, or sometimes through the closed bedroom door.

That sort of extreme caution is exactly what public health experts have been calling for as the novel coronavirus hits communities around the world and threatens to overwhelm health care systems, with death totals climbing.

The self-imposed quarantine doesnt come without consequences. Rutherford had to suddenly put off plans to return to Fort Belknap, where he is from, to look for a job. His mother hasnt been able to continue her work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at a downtown Billings office building. And his stepdad, Wesley Bettelyoun, is sidelined from his general contracting business, just as the summer construction and roofing season was supposed to begin.

The sudden freeze on normal daily life is taking its toll. Rutherford said hes counting down the days until he can go to Dairy Queen.

A Reeses peanut butter blizzard for sure, he said, when asked what he'd order. Large.

Driving there himself, walking into the business and finally cracking open his wallet again sounds like fun on its own, he said.

As Rutherford reads news of some people flouting calls to help slow the spread of the disease, he gets frustrated.

We should be wanting the best for all of us, he said.

Public officials and health experts have urged people to stay home whenever possible. And Rutherford, who minored in global public health at the University of Montana, has been reading up on COVID-19 since before the first spate of cases hit the U.S.

He's now taking to social media to encourage everyone to do their part. He wants young, healthy people to consider how their actions could affect those with weakened immunity.

Rutherfords brother is 28 years old and has no underlying health conditions. Still, hes had body aches, headaches, a dry cough, chills and night sweats. Food and drink have a metallic taste to them.

Just seeing the condition hes in, for a healthy 28-year-old, it just makes me wonder about a 50-, 60-year-old dealing with this, Rutherford said.

Queen family

One sunny day last week, Amy Queen looked out her front window and saw family friends walking by. She rushed out the door and her three kids followed.

One of a growing number of households across the U.S. under home quarantine due to the new coronavirus, the group was starved for some good old-fashioned face time.

It felt so surreal for our kids to be at the back of the yard, and the other family to be out on the (sidewalk), and everyone knowing we cant get close to each other, she said.

Queen said her kids carried on a conversation with their friends from 20 feet away.

Queens husband, Matt, had been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and soon Matt began showing symptoms.

But rather than seek a doctors order for a test to confirm if he had the disease, Matt Queen chose to save one of the tests. He knows they are limited in number, and the results of the tests wouldnt change the timeline for him and his family to quarantine.

With her husband sick and confined to the upstairs bedroom, Queen has been the only parent on duty. Shes been cooking and overseeing school work for their 8-year-old twins and their 11-year-old son, while trying to hold part-time hours as a lactation consultant for RiverStone Health.

Queen has a friend who works as a teacher and has her own three children. Shes created her own daily schedule for her kids that includes academic time, free time and reading time, and Queen has adopted it, calling it a life-saver.

Im not a teacher, and so trying to serve as a teacher for our kids, Queen said, trailing off. Our teachers definitely dont get paid enough.

The kids have been receiving their guitar and piano lessons over video chat. And theyre looking forward to a teacher parade that the staff at Broadwater Elementary is organizing Friday.

Queen has been keeping in touch with her husband over text and phone call. When theres time, they video chat. Its been stressful, she said. But theyre trying to get through it all with humor.

When she brings her husbands plate of food to him  leaving it outside his closed door, as Rutherford is doing  her 11-year-old yells out, Feeding time!

An employee with the county health department has been in touch with the family, advising them on when Matt can leave the upstairs bedroom and rejoin the rest of the family, still quarantined.

And friends have been keeping their pantry stocked. A restaurant owner dropped off a box of vegetables and eggs and a handwritten note, and Queen cried like a baby when she saw it all on her front stoop. Another woman brought over a meal of turkey soup one night.

Queen said shes grateful her family has such a solid group and friends standing at the ready to help, and she thinks about others in her situation who dont have those connections.

I worry about those families, and I hope that others are reaching out, she said.
A malnourished and injured penguin rarely seen on the Queensland coast has been rescued from a Sunshine Coast beach and is being nursed back to health at a nearby aquarium.

The rescued bird, named "Ash" by its carers at Sea Life Sunshine Coast, has put on 300 grams during its first month in care.

Little penguins like Ash are native to the coastlines of Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

This little penguin was brought to us earlier in February after it was spotted by locals down at Currimundi Beach," Sea Life Sunshine Coast mammals manager Carla Haskell said.

"The penguin was suffering from malnutrition, feather damage and foot injuries.
[The stream is slated to start at 5:30 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

Members of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force hold a press briefing Friday at the White House as the outbreak continues to expand rapidly in the United States

The crisis has roiled the stock market and ground the economy to a halt amid restrictive measures meant to contain the spread.

The briefing comes after Trump signed into law a $2 trillion economic stimulus bill to help prop up the economy.

The 880-page legislation offers relief to individuals, businesses and health facilities. It includes direct payments to individuals, stronger unemployment insurance, loans and grants to businesses and more healthcare resources for hospitals, states and municipalities.

Trump initially downplayed the impact of the outbreak but has since changed his tune. Earlier this month, he declared a national emergency, a move that freed up financial resources to assist Americans affected by the health crisis.

Health officials for weeks have been urging Americans to take strong precautions as coronavirus cases multiply. Earlier this month, the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic, saying it expects "to see the number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of affected countries to climb even higher."

Task force members include Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci and Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli, among others.

The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China, has spread to dozens of countries, with more than 558,905 confirmed cases worldwide and at least 25,336 deaths so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 92,932 cases in the United States and at least 1,300 deaths, according to the latest tallies.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) canceled all international flights except to Moscow and London starting from March 26.

Both flights will be operated on Thursdays. Departure time of the Baku-London flight from Baku is at 10:40 Baku time, departure time from Moscow is at 13:50 Moscow time.The departure time of the Baku-London flight from Baku is at 19:05 Baku time, and the departure time from London is at 22:05 London time.

Arrival to Baku will be available only for Azerbaijani citizens. Every citizen returning to Azerbaijan undergoes a medical examination and is quarantined, Trend reported.

AZAL urges citizens not to leave home without urgent need and avoid from traveling.
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!
Coronavirus: Spain records 769 Deaths In 24 Hours To Take Their Toll of fatalities to 4,858.

The Spanish government has confirmed the death of 769 people in 24 hours to take their toll of fatalities to 4,858 as the country continues to battle the deadly coronavirus.



The country's Health Ministry figures showed the number of deaths rose to 4,858, while cases jumped to 64,059.



Meanwhile, images and video from a hospital in Albacete, which were shared online showed coronavirus patients lining the corridors of a hospital waiting to be treated.









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
Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday Wishes
Indian intelligence agencies have confirmed that the terrorist killed in the Kabul Gurudwara attack, who was identified by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) as Indian national Abu Khalid Al Hindi, is indeed an Indian, and from Kerala, although he left the country around six years ago and was radicalised by Pakistani Islamists in Dubai.

According to the Islamic State, Al Hindi carried out the March 25 Gurudwara attack to avenge the alleged plight of Muslims in Kashmir, but Indian intelligence officials say there is enough evidence to indicate that this is a classic case of a covert false flag operation with Pakistani deep state involvement.

The ISKP claim, they add, is working to substantiate Pakistanis repeated efforts to brand Indians as terrorists. As many as 28 persons belonging to Sikh minority community died in the dastardly attack, which was actually aimed at the Indian embassy in Kabul.

Counter-terror operatives said that Al Hindis actual name is Muhsin Trikaripur or Mohammed Muhasin Nangarath Abdulla (as per his UAE health card) and that he was born in Kasargode, Kerala, on March 19, 1991. The 29-year-old attacker comes from a family that runs a small furniture shop at Trikaripur, Kasargode.

He left Tirkaripur in 2007 and moved to Bengaluru, Malaysia, Dubai with stints back home in-between. Details of what he was doing in Malaysia and Dubai are sketchy, although it is believed that he worked at a hotel in Malyasia and also in Bengaluru for some time.

Intelligence officials said Muhasin left for Dubai two years ago where he came in touch with radicalised Pakistani groups in the UAE. He was with Lashkar-e-Taiba but then left to join the Islamic State in Afghanistan and Syria, they added. Six months ago, they said, Muhasin contacted his mother in Kerala to say that he was active in Afghanistan.

That was the last the family heard from him, a senior Kerala government official who didnt want to be named said.

The Islamic State in Afghanistan was initially formed by jihadists patronised by the Pakistani deep state and were used to settle scores with other groups operating on the Durand Line and Kabul. While Afghanistans national security directorate is still investigating the Gurudwara killing, there are reports that the attackers were communicating in Punjabi and Urdu, not Dari or Pushto.

Over the years, Pakistan has been trying to radicalise Indian youth to be used against their own country with groups such as the Indian Mujahideen being the fronts for covert strikes. One such was Fayaz Kagzi aka Abdullah Gulzar Khan who was killed on July 4, 2016 while attempting a suicide bombing attack near the US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. While the Islamic State claimed the attack, Kagzi was a member of the LeT and wanted in connection with a 2006 arms haul case in Aurangabad. He fled to Pakistan in 2006 and later moved to Saudi Arabia on Pakistan travel documents. Along the way, he acquired a Pakistani wife.

Another was ISKP recruiter Huzaifa al Bakistani, who used to be a member of the LeT media department before he joined the Baghdadi brigade. He was killed on July 18, 2019. Bakistani was radicalising Indians, particularly Kashmiris, to join Islamic State.

If claims of the ISPK is proved correct, Muhasin would be the second Indian to have carried out a terror strike in a foreign soil, a second senior official in the security establishment, who didnt want to be named, said.

(Sudhi Ranjan Sen contributed to this report)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Across the United States, hospitals are facing shortages of ventilators and that could mean the difference between life and death for many patients with COVID-19.

Medical device makers, including Philips and Medtronic, have agreed to ramp up supplies as quickly as possible. But because patients diagnosed with or suspected to have COVID-19 often require breathing support, there's widespread concern that these devices won't be developed and shipped quickly enough.

Ventilators deliver air to the lungs through a pump that is placed in the windpipe. With supplies running low, anesthesia departments, veterinarians and even zoos are offering ventilators to hospitals. But until more of these machines can be produced, some health experts fear that doctors will be forced to ration care, meaning deciding who may live or die.

"We know from studies out of China, for example, that about 17 percent or so coronavirus patients actually require a ventilator," said Dr. Chethan Sathya, a pediatric surgeon at Northwell Health. "So we're not talking about, you know, a large capacity. But when you look at the number of people that are going to be infected by coronavirus, that translates to many, many people. That's why we're worried about this."

Watch the video to learn more.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called up Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanswami and discussed the ongoing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is the second call from the Prime Minister within a week's time. On March 21, Modi discussed the preventive measures with Palaniswami and hailed the way Tamil Nadu was handling it.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES

An official release here said during the telephonic discussion, the Prime Minister enquired about the department-wise steps taken to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Prime Minister requested the Chief Minister to implement Section 144 strictly in the interests of the people and that the government should ensure social distancing of the public. He also urged Palaniswami to ensure the supply of essential commodities to the people.

Responding, the Chief Minister said all these steps were being implemented in toto in the state.
New Delhi[India], Mar 27 (ANI): At least 28 Russian nationals who arrived in India for different purposes be it business or holidays remain stranded in India due to the necessary measures being executed by the Indian government to contain the coronavirus.

Indian government curtailed international flights and later extended that suspension on domestic flights as well.

Seeing the situation turning adverse Russian Embassy has decided to extend an immediate helping hand to the 28 stranded Russian nationals who are in New Delhi and seeking help to return to their country.

An official from Russian Embassy told ANI, "They came to Delhi to take a dedicated flight to Russia however it was full. We took care of these people by providing them shelter and basic food products. Now we expect them to go by next dedicated flight. Hopefully, there will be several because we have thousands of stranded tourists here. We have got almost one thousand people signed up saying they would want to go back to Russia,"

Initially, the primary challenge was to find a hotel that would accommodate foreign nationals. All the tourists staying at the hotel has done their medical check-up before getting inside the hotel.

Stranded Russian National, Ekaterina Degtiareva, in India for Business said, "We tried to go to our country and for that, we spent a lot of money too to reach here however we could not go back."

The entire group stayed at the airport before being rescued by the Russian embassy which provided them shelter at a private hotel along with food.

Kriukov Nikolay, 49 an ISKON member has been staying in Vrindavan for long and wants to fly back to Russia amidst the present worldwide havoc caused due to the coronavirus.

Nikolay told ANI, "Our condition is good. The embassy is taking care of us more than we expected. Currently, we are just waiting for a flight to go back to our home."

A day ago President Putin and Prime Minister Modi expressed mutual gratitude over the phone for efforts undertaken to ensure the health and safety of Russian citizens in India and Indian citizens in Russia.

As most of the hotels are either shutting down or denying entry to foreign nationals Jaideep Ahuja, Owner, Ahuja Residency accommodated the 28 Russian nationals.

Ahuja said, "We were planning to shut down the property alike several others but ultimately humanity own. We thought what could have happened if we were in their position today. The only thing we insisted on is their medical clearance amidst the virus breakout,"

The Russian embassy has till date facilitated transportation by special Aeroflot flight of about 388 Russian citizens who were stranded in India due to the lockdown."

A charter flight was also arranged for a large Russian tour operator to bring back its 126 stranded clients from Goa.

According to the Ministry of Health and family welfare to date 724 cases have been reported including 66 cured/discharged persons and 17 deaths from India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative Co-Founder Noubar Afeyan, and IDeA Foundation Co-founder, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and UWC Dilijan International School Co-founder Ruben Vardanyan, Lord Ara Darzi, Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College, London and McKinsey & Company executive Andre Andonian will participate in an online conference titled COVID-19: Challenging General Fear on March 28 at 15:00. It will be broadcast on the Futures Studio platform.

The moderated on-line panel discussion is a unique opportunity to plug in and learn first-hand what world renown and trusted experts, national and international officials dealing with COVID-19 on the daily bases have to say. The issues to be covered range the background to this new virus, the prevention of cross-infection in the community, the best and proven protection measures, computer modelling, the prospects of therapeutics and vaccinations, the capacity of the health systems in Armenia and around the world to tackle the pandemic, the fake news and the myths surrounding it and the scientific knowledge we could confidently rely on today and tomorrow. The panelists will share their understanding how the on-going pandemic affects various aspects of our present-day lives and discuss the unknown  the upcoming social, economic, political, demographic, behavioral, etc. changes we should anticipate and be ready to tackle together in the months and years to come.

Panelists:



Dr. Noubar Afeyan, FAST Co-Founder, Member of the Board



Lord Ara Darzi, Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College. London, FAST Member of the Board



Ruben Vardanyan, FAST Co-Founder, Member of the Board
Allaying depositors' concerns, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday asserted there Indian banking system is safe, and termed linking banks' share prices to safety of deposits as "fallacious" thinking.

The comments, which came after a massive correction in banking stocks following the Yes Bank crisis and coronavirus outbreak, also urged depositors not to resort to panic withdrawals.

"Let me reiterate that the Indian banking system is safe and sound.

"In the recent past, COVID-19 related volatility in the stock market has impacted share prices of banks as well, resulting in some panic withdrawal of deposits from a few private sector banks. It would be fallacious to link share prices to safety of deposits," Das said.

Depositors of commercial banks including private sector banks need not worry on the safety of their funds, he added.

"I would, therefore, urge members of public as well as the public authorities, who have deposits in private sector banks, not to resort to any panic withdrawal of their funds," Das said.

It can be noted that a few states like Maharashtra had urged all the departments to pull out money from private sector banks despite previous communication from the RBI not to do so.

Yes Bank witnessed massive withdrawals ahead of being put under a moratorium by the RBI, but has been reporting normal activity since the restrictions removed on March 18.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SHANGHAI, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Luye Pharma Group (02186.HK) reported its financial results for 2019 on March 27, 2020. According to the results, the company has achieved a total revenue of RMB 6.358 billion, up 22.9% year-on-year. EBITDA was RMB 2.488 billion, up 26.9% year-on-year; and normalized profit attributed to shareholders was RMB 1.592 billion, up 19.4% year-on-year.

Over the past year, Luye Pharma has achieved remarkable progress in R&D, marketing, business development and collaboration by resolutely carrying out its corporate strategies. The company is also actively transforming itself to lay a solid foundation for the sustainable growth in the future. Financial highlights of 2019 are as follows:

R&D: Luye Pharma has achieved breakthroughs around the world in pipeline building, putting into place a strong biological antibody pipeline

Luye Pharma has continuously increased investment into R&D, focusing intently on driving the new drug development and application progress, with R&D spending having increasing by 18% year-on-year in 2019. The company has over 40 drug candidates in China and over 10 additional drug candidates in other international markets, with much significant progress made.

In terms of drug candidates developed by the Novel Drug Delivery Systems platform, the high dosage strength (13.3mp/24h) Rivastigmine Once-A-Day Transdermal Patch has received market authorization in Germany; the Risperidone Extended-Release Microspheres for Injection (LY03004) has entered into the New Drug Application (NDA) phase in the U.S., with its manufacturing facility successfully passing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI). The NDA for LY03004 was also granted, with priority review status in China; the Rotigotine Extended-Release Microspheres for Injection (LY03003) has entered into phase III clinical trials in both the U.S. and China, and into phase I trials in Japan; the Paliperidone Palmitate Injectable Suspension for Intramuscular Use (LY03010) has entered into clinical stages in the U.S.; the Rivastigmine Multi-Day Transdermal Patch has completed a pivotal study in Germany and the Rivastigmine Once-A-Day Transdermal Patch is soon to be approved for launch in China.

In terms of new chemical entities, LY03005 has entered into the NDA phase in the U.S., started phase I clinical trials in Japan, and is about to complete phase III trials in China.

Moreover, the biological antibodies pipeline has been upgraded across the board: LY01008, a biosimilar of Avastin has completed phase III clinical trials and is soon to file an NDA in China, while LY06006, a biosimilar of Prolia has seen smooth progress in phase III trials. In addition, LY09004, a biosimilar of Eylea and LY01011, a biosimilar of Xgeva have also started phase I clinical trials in China.

Sales & Marketing: All the existing key products maintained double-digit growth, with strong momentum in CNS drugs

Due to unique product advantages and efficient business operations, all key products have maintained double-digit growth, including Lipusu, Seroquel, Xuezhikang, Beixi, Maitongna and others. The company's other two exclusive products CMNa and Okai also performed strongly, indicating the potential to reach an annual sales revenue of over RMB 100 million each.

Luye Pharma is actively driving post-launch clinical studies, enhancing academic promotions and expanding channel coverage, aiming to further consolidate the advantages of its existing products. In oncology, Lipusu has been included in the 2019 CSCO Primary Lung Cancer Treatment Guidelines as a first-line treatment, as well as in the Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Taxanes for the Treatment of Gynecologic Malignancies. Moreover, Lipusu and CMNa were also included in the 2019 Chinese Guidelines for the Radiotherapy of Esophageal Cancer.

The natural lipid-regulation drug Xuezhikang achieved new heights in sales this year. After Luye Pharma granted the exclusive promotion rights for Xuezhikang capsules to AstraZeneca in mainland China, the two companies have combined their best resources to increase the depth and breadth of the product's coverage, and to lay a solid foundation for its continued growth in the future. Multiple joint clinical studies of Xuezhikang capsules are in progress currently.

The antidiabetic drug Beixi was able to successfully capitalize on policy opportunities, passing the Generic Drug Quality Consistency Evaluation conducted by China's National Medical Products Administration, and going on to become the only locally produced acarbose to win the bid during the 2020 national volume-based drug procurement in China.

In the central nervous system (CNS) therapeutic area, which is of strategic importance to Luye Pharma, the global business integration for Seroquel and Seroquel XR is progressing smoothly to date. The company has put together a CNS team with over 100 professionals in China, managed the distribution of the Seroquel products in more than ten countries and regions worldwide, and also created its own sales team in some regions, to actively drive the marketing of these products globally, and to get ready for the launch of subsequent CNS drugs under development. Future high-speed growth in this field is very possible for Luye Pharma.

M&As and Collaborations: Targeting innovative products and high-potential products to build strong partnerships and reinforce strategic synergies

Luye Pharma carried out a number of M&As and collaborations in 2019, driving technological transformation and upgrades, as well as actively integrating resources to enhance competitiveness in the marketplace.

Following the successful collaboration with AstraZeneca in mainland China, Luye Pharma has deepened its strategic cooperation with AstraZeneca to promote Xuezhikang capsules in other countries. Thanks to this strong partnership, Xuezhikang has achieved very impressive high-speed growth.

By acquiring Shandong Boan Biological Technology Co., Ltd., Luye Pharma has obtained the entire pipeline including innovative drugs and biosimilars, the antibody screening platform and production platform, the intellectual properties, and other assets. As such, Luye Pharma has been able to quickly establish a complete industry chain covering R&D, manufacturing and commercialization, laying solid foundations for development of the biopharmaceutical business in the future.

Luye Pharma and a Spanish biopharmaceutical company PharmaMar entered into an exclusive license agreement for the development and commercialization of the innovative anticancer drug Zepsyre (Lurbinectedin) in mainland China, a move which will further expand Luye Pharma's oncology pipeline. The U.S. FDA has accepted the NDA for Zepsyre, and has granted priority review status for the treatment of patients with small cell lung cancer who have progressed after prior platinum-containing therapy.

Looking ahead, a senior management representative of Luye Pharma Group stated, "The year 2020 is a year of both opportunities and challenges. We will initiate a series of changes to adapt to the evolving environment, to improve our operational and management efficiency, to keep increasing the market share of our existing products, and to have multiple new drugs launched in the international markets as soon as possible. We are confident that, by leveraging the competitive advantage of our innovative products, our robust pipeline, our global supply chain, our commercial operation capabilities, and our strong M&A capabilities, we will be able to ensure high-quality and sustainable growth in the future."

About Luye Pharma Group

Luye Pharma Group is an international pharmaceutical company dedicated to the R&D, manufacturing and sale of innovative medications. The company has established R&D centers in China, the U.S. and Europe, with a robust pipeline of over 40 drug candidates in China and more than 10 drug candidates overseas. Along with a number of new drugs and new formulations in the central nervous system and oncology therapeutic areas under study in the U.S. Europe and Japan, Luye Pharma has reached high-level international standards in novel drug delivery technologies including microspheres, liposomes, and transdermal drug delivery systems, as well as actively making strategic developments in the fields of biological antibodies, cell therapies and gene therapies, among others.

Luye Pharma is developing a global supply chain of 7 manufacturing sites with over 30 production lines in total, establishing GMP quality management and international standard control systems. With more than 30 products covering central nervous system, oncology, cardiovascular, metabolism and other therapeutic areas, business is conducted in over 80 countries and regions around the world, including the largest pharmaceutical markets - China, the U.S., Europe and Japan, as well as in fast growing emerging markets.

SOURCE Luye Pharma
Fewer than 1 in 10  6 percent  say they have been tested for the coronavirus and slightly more than 9 in 10 say they do not know anyone who has been refused such a test. About a quarter say they believe that everyone in their area can get a test, while more than 4 in 10 say they believe some people are not able to be tested. Another third of the population has no opinion about the availability of tests where they live.
We wrote our first story on the local impact of the coronavirus on February 27, and we have seen a steady increase in the number and severity 
(Newser)  Madonna is among those mourning veteran actor Mark Blum, who died this week of complications from COVID-19. The 69-year-old starred alongside Madonna in 1985's Desperately Seeking Susan, in which he played the husband of character Roberta Glass. "This is really tragic  I remember him as funny warm, loving, and professional," Madonna said in an Instagram post, showing the pair together on set. Rosanna Arquette, who played Glass, remembers Blum as "a wonderful actor and a very good and kind man." Blum also starred as Paul Hogan's romantic rival in 1986's Crocodile Dundee, per the BBC, in addition to nabbing TV roles in Us, Mozart in the Jungle, The Good Wife, Law & Order: SVU, Frasier, The Sopranos, The West Wing, and NYPD Blue, per NBC News and the New York Post.

story continues below

Cynthia Nixon and James Van Der Beek also paid tribute to the actor, who was active in the Screen Actors Guild and starred in a number of theater productions. Nixon said she was "devastated" by the loss of "one of the loveliest humans ever," per the Wrap. Van Der Beek, who took the stage with Blum, said he was "SO good and generous and kind and I learned so much from him about how to be a professional." Another member of the Law & Order: SVU family died of complications from COVID-19 on Thursday. Costumer Josh Wallwork, who also worked on Madam Secretary, was just 45, per Page Six. ICE T said he'd worked with Wallwork every day. Co-star Mariska Hargitay said she was heartbroken. "I don't think I ever saw him without a smile on his face. He brought love and kindness everywhere he went," she tweeted. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
New Delhi: Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday (March 27, 2020) said that field hospitals have been asked to be ready to set up a 45-bed isolation facility and create 10-bed ICU facility exclusively for COVID-19 patients at six-hour notice.

About 30% of Army Field Hospitals have been put on standby for setting up hospitals for treating coronavirus-infected persons in COVID-19 hotspots. These is part of measures taken by the Indian Army to deal with the coronavirus crisis, which has been declared a ''pandemic'' by the WHO.

In an email reply to media houses, Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane said, "Next few weeks will be crucial to prevent negative effects of this deadly mutant virus."

Gen Narvan said that the current COVID-19 crisis is in a preparatory stage in India and the Army has the "inherent capability to rise upto various emergency situations by virtue of its organizational structure and training."

Army's Quick Reaction Medical Teams (QRMTs) will be ready to mobilize at six-hour notice to meet the requirements of the hospitals and civil administration, the Army Chief added.

COAS also said, "There is likely to be a high demand for medical services for both infected/suspected cases within the Indian Army and also in view of requisition from civil administration in the coming days. But, necessary instructions have been passed to the Command Headquarters to augment medical facilities."

Gen Narvane said that the Army has successfully come out of all operations in the past, and will successfully execute ''Operation Namaste'' as well.

The Indian Army has established quarantine facilities at Manesar, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur for the evacuees from China, Italy and Iran and additional four locations have been earmarked for setting up of wellness/ quarantine facilities.

Till now 372 evacuees have been treated at Manesar and currently 82 are under quarantine. In Jaisalmer, 484 citizens who were evacuated from Iran are under quarantine and another 277 at Jodhpur.
27.03.2020 LISTEN

For the cure of the outbreak of the Covid-19 in Ghana, the government declared 25th March 2020 national day for fasting and prayers to seek God's intervention to fight against Coronavirus.

With this, the founder and leader of The Builders Christian Church which is also known as "Nyame Tease" in Techiman the Bono East Regional capital, Bishop Thomas Afari Yeboah has urged the government, chiefs, stakeholders and all people to declare 25th March in every year as prayers and fasting day in the country.

According to him, there are a lot of days declared in the country for specific occasions in which prayers and fasting are excluded.

However, Bishop urged Prez. Akuffo Addo to create history by declaring the day as prayers and fasting for the Country every year.

He made these known on Gilga, a gospel program on Agyenkwa FM hosted by Bro. Philip.
Turkey held its first tender on March 26 for Kanal Istanbul, a mega-infrastructure project involving the construction of a 45-kilometer shipping canal in Istanbul parallel to the Bosphorus Strait, Hurriyet daily reported citing Anadolu Agency.

The tender was for the planning phase of reconstructing two historic bridges located in the area where the 45-kilometer Kanal Istanbul, championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to run.

The canal will connect the Black Sea north of Istanbul with the Marmara Sea to the south and is estimated to cost 75 billion Turkish Liras ($11.6 billion). The government says it will ease shipping traffic on the Bosphorus Strait and prevent accidents there.



Five companies on March 26 bid for the planning of the reconstruction of the historic Odabas and Dursunkoy bridge, according to Anadolu Agency.

The valid bids ranged from 408,000 lira ($63,500) to 550,000 lira.
A Queensland man has been charged with illegally importing gun parts from the United States.

It will be alleged the 55-year-old Tin Can Bay man imported six packages containing firearm parts between December 2019 and February 2020.

A police photo of one of the guns allegedly imported from the US.

Police believe he sent them to Australia while he was in North America.

The first package was detected on December 24 last year when Australian Border Force officers in Melbourne inspected a consignment from the US.
Doctor Zhang, my daughter has a fever. Her temperature is now 38.1 degrees celsius.

Does she also have chills? When was the last time she went out? Did she take any preventive measures? What means of transportation did she take?

Online consultations like this have been going for over half a month in a WeChat group called Doctor Zhangs expert consulting room established by the Wenzhou Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese in Wenzhou, east Chinas Zhejiang province. It was set up specially to help overseas Chinese fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The doctor providing the online medical consultation services in the WeChat group is Zhang Zhiyuan, who is from the department of respiratory medicine and department of critical care medicine in Wenzhou Central Hospital. The other members of the WeChat group are made up of volunteers and overseas Chinese in Spain.

Zhang cannot recall how many patients he has received, but he knows each patients situation very well, as he makes time to pay them return visits every day.

A patient from one of the families he pays return visits to was hospitalized after her consultation with Zhang, but has thankfully now recovered.

The family of three came for a consultation together, said Zhang, explaining that the mother and son both had fever. He instructed the three family members to quarantine themselves separately at home, take their temperatures, and disinfect and ventilate their rooms every day.

A few days later, the sons fever was gone, and he tested negative for COVID-19 twice, giving the family a little relief.

Noticing that the mother still had a high temperature and other symptoms including loss of sense of taste, Zhangs intuition as a doctor told him that she was probably infected with the novel coronavirus.

At Zhangs suggestion, the mother went to see a doctor in a local hospital the next day, and was hospitalized for emergency treatment after she was found to have hyoxemia, a dangerous lack of oxygen.

When Zhang paid a return visit to the mother on March 24, he found that her condition had already improved.

Thanks to Zhangs online diagnosis, treatment, and observation, four to five patients with mild symptoms have gradually recovered.

When I hear news about our fellow countrymen getting better, I also feel happy, Zhang said.

Zhang believes that there are some suspected cases of COVID-19 in the WeChat group, most of whom are showing symptoms including fever.

While fever is a major symptom, Zhang is more concerned about whether these patients are also suffering breathing difficulties.

The diagnostic criteria in Europe are different from those in China. They will test a patient only when he or she has had a fever for five consecutive days and has shortness of breath, Zhang said, explaining that this symptom could be the difference between a mild and severe case. If patients show symptoms of dyspnea but are not intervened and treated in time, they will probably become severe patients.

How I wish I could put them in quarantine and observe them for 14 days if they were in China, Zhang said, worrying about overseas Chinese who may now even get anxious about common cold symptoms, as they are faced with limited medical resources and services abroad.

Zhang created forms specifically for his overseas patients, allowing them to record their health conditions at any time. He gives them detailed information on things like which one of two similar drugs to take, the dos and donts of medication, and how to deal with the side effects.

To better help patients in Spain, Zhang has even adapted to the European time of his overseas patients.

I have hardly been to bed before midnight in the past half a month, Zhang said, adding that he never mutes his phone for fear of missing a message.

In addition to providing medical consultations for overseas patients via the WeChat group and an app, Zhang has also requested assignment to a designated hospital for treating patients with COVID-19 in Wenzhou.

There are a total of 31 patients with mild symptoms in the inpatient area where Zhang works. Besides making the rounds of the wards and carrying out routine observation and treatment duties, Zhang also chats with all the patients every day.

Once, a patient went to the bathroom while Zhang made the rounds of the wards. That patient called him and talked with him over the phone for more than 10 minutes after he had finished his round.

All patients want to be cared for, said Zhang, who has been a doctor for 11 years since graduating from Zhejiang University with a masters degree.

For him, the happiest moment is when he sees an improvement in his patients condition, according to Zhang.

I feel that helping people get back to health is more important than money or fame, Zhang said, adding, Im glad I can be a doctor.
A health worker carries a body on a stretcher outside Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid AFP/OSCAR DEL POZO

With the disease tearing around the globe at a terrifying pace, warnings are multiplying over its economic consequences, with experts saying it could cause more damage than the Great Depression.

And amid squabbling between the leaders of China and the US over who is to blame, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for the world to act together to halt the menace.

"COVID-19 is threatening the whole of humanity - and the whole of humanity must fight back," Guterres said, launching an appeal for US$2 billion to help the world's poor.

"Global action and solidarity are crucial," he said. "Individual country responses are not going to be enough."

The death toll from the virus, which emerged in China late last year, continued to grow, with the US becoming the sixth country to hit four figures.

At least 1,041 people are now known to have died in the United States, with almost 70,000 confirmed infections, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed, while globally the number of infections is closing in on half a million.

GUN RUSH

The rocketing infection rate in the US has sparked a rush to buy weapons, gun store owners told AFP, with customers panicking about social breakdown.

"A lot of people are buying shotguns, handguns, AR-15 (semi-automatic rifles), everything," said Tiffany Teasdale, who sells guns in Washington state.

"A lot of people are scared that someone is going to break into their home ... to steal cash, their toilet paper, their bottled water, their food."

Around half of the US population is under lockdown, but President Donald Trump said he would decide soon whether unaffected parts of the country can get back to work.

"We want to get our country going again," Trump said. "I'm not going to do anything rash or hastily.

"By Easter we'll have a recommendation and maybe before Easter," said Trump, who had been touting a strong US economy as he faces an election in November.

The White House, which has been criticised for its lacklustre response to the mushrooming crisis, has repeatedly lashed out at Beijing over the disease.

On Wednesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Group of Seven powers were united against China's "disinformation" campaign.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman infuriated Washington by suggesting on Twitter that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan, the metropolis where it was first detected late last year.

"CRAZY TALK"

Scientists believe the new coronavirus came from a market that butchered exotic animals.

"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters.

China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign through social media that has included conspiracy theories of US involvement.

"This is crazy talk," he said.

But any notion of unity after the videoconference among the G7, which also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, was dashed by the lack of a joint statement - often a formality at such gatherings.

Reports suggested the statement was scuttled by Pompeo's insistence that it use the term "Wuhan virus" - a formulation frowned upon by medical professionals who say it is stigmatising.

Economists say the coronavirus, and the lockdown that has seen three billion people told to stay indoors, could cause the most violent recession in recent history.

"The G20 economies will experience an unprecedented shock in the first half of this year and will contract in 2020 as a whole," rating agency Moody's said.

Unemployment rates are expected to soar, particularly in countries where levels have recently been at historic lows, such as Britain and the US.

James Bullard, president of the St Louis Federal Reserve, has predicted unprecedented unemployment rates of 30 per cent, while Europe can also expect to suffer.

"We think the unemployment rate in the eurozone will surge to about 12 per cent by the end of June, giving up seven years' worth of gains in a matter of months," said David Oxley of London-based Capital Economics.

Leaders of the G20 major economies will hold a virtual huddle later Thursday in the shadow of such dire predictions.

"As the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges to healthcare systems and the global economy, we convene this extraordinary G20 summit to unite efforts towards a global response," tweeted the king of Saudi Arabia. Saudi currently holds the rotating G20 presidency.

While wealthy nations including the US have unveiled mammoth stimulus packages, there has so far been no collective action plan from the G20, and concerns are mounting for poorer countries without access to capital markets and adequate health facilities.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged G20 nations to offer support to "low and middle income countries", including from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Individual stories of hardship continued to emerge.

At La Paz University Hospital in Madrid, nurse Guillen del Barrio sounded bereft as he related what happened overnight.

"It is really hard, we had feverish people for many hours in the waiting room," the 30-year-old told AFP.

"Many of my colleagues were crying because there were people who are dying alone, without seeing their family for the last time."
Slovak government approves defense treaty with US

US senators unveil bill to impose sanctions against Russia

EU wants to help Lebanon avoid economic collapse

CSTO to approve Kazakhstan peacekeepers withdrawal order

German president calls for thorough discussion on mandatory vaccination

Andranik Hovhannisyan elected UN Human Rights Council vice-president

Aliyev: Peace treaty with Armenia not a guarantee for avoiding war

Russian Foreign Ministry: Further NATO enlargement involves risks

Aliyev not to let OSCE deal with the Karabakh conflict

Ex-Mayor of Yerevan invited to police

Boris Johnson apologizes for attending party during lockdown

Global COVID-19 cases rise by 55% percent, deaths stable

Thailand introduces $9 tourist fee

Erdogan vows to tame Turkish inflation as scepticism grows

Turkey's Turkic world ambitions face reality check in Kazakhstan

Teacher in Baku beats student

NEWS.am daily digest: 12.01.22

Turkish FM expresses concerns to Chinese counterpart

OSCE Chairman-in-Office speaks on situation along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Iran cancels travel ban on common borders

CSTO defense ministers council special session to be held Thursday

Dollar loses value in Armenia

Which NGOs, extra-parliamentary forces to be included in Armenia Constitutional Reform Council?

4,391 foreign nationals visit Artsakh in 2021

China calls on US to immediately close Guantanamo prison

State Department says more progress must be made to salvage nuclear deal

Measure ensuring implementation of law on addendum to law on Armenia state border is approved

Davit Minasyan is sworn in as new mayor of Armenias Parakar enlarged community

World Bank: Armenia economic growth expected to be 4.8% in 2022 and 5.4% in 2023

Azerbaijani Defense Minister receives new commander of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

Biden names Kamala Harris as US president during Atlanta speech

Ombudsman: Azerbaijan is launching provocations in Armenia territories where it earlier invaded

Russia-NATO Council meeting kicks off in Brussels

Serdar Kilic is appointed Turkey special representative for Armenia

Armenia ambassador to Georgia informs Switzerland envoy about Azerbaijan's gross ceasefire violation

Economy minister: Armenia government was guided by political considerations when lifting sanctions on Turkey goods

Turkey defense minister expresses support for Azerbaijan in another military aggression against Armenia

Pashinyan, Putin discuss Karabakh, Kazakhstan

Toivo Klaar: Deeply worried by reports of renewed incidents and casualties on Armenia-Azerbaijan

Germany: A record 80,430 COVID-19 cases detected per day

3 more persons die of coronavirus in Artsakh

Criminal case launched into 3 Armenia soldiers killing by Azerbaijan shootings

Copper rises in price

One of main tasks of Armenia peacekeepers in Kazakhstans Almaty is to prevent water supply system poisoning

About 80 Americans cannot fly from Afghanistan

Turkey parliament ex-deputy speaker: Armenia must fulfill 4 preconditions

Border situation in Armenias Gegharkunik Province was calm at night

French FM says talks on Iranian nuclear deal are progressing slowly

289 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Gold slightly rises in price

North Korea says it successfully tested another hypersonic missile

OSCE calls on Azerbaijan, Armenia to refrain from the use of force

Oil is trading without a single dynamic

US State Department welcomes announcement on CSTO forces withdrawal from Kazakhstan

Newspaper: Ex-ministers are summoned to Hayastan All Armenian Fund parliamentary inquiry committee

MOD: Armenia soldiers dead body found at midnight after Azerbaijan provocation

Newspaper: Casualties of Armenia PM Pashinyan's 'era of peace'

US concerned about EastMed natural gas pipeline project

Giant fish sold at auction for over 16 million yen

German Marshall Fund: It Is not too early to think about political change in Turkey

Armenian Foreign Ministry: We call on Azerbaijani authorities to refrain from provocations

Armenia's Geghamasar community head: The situation is stable now

Queen Elizabeth II's favorite fast food revealed

Human Rights Defender: Azerbaijani troops open fire on Armenian sovereign territory

World Economic Forum: Cybersecurity and space pose new risks to the global economy

Defense Ministry confirms Armenian side has 2 victims

Satanovsky on sending Armenian servicemen to Kazakhstan

Unofficial data: 2 servicemen killed as a result of Azerbaijan provocation

CSTO and Kazakh Defense Ministry developing plan

WHO thinks it's too early to consider COVID-19 pandemic

European Commission to require Poland to pay fine of nearly EUR 70 million

White House announces $308 million humanitarian aid for Afghanistan

Erdogan angry at minister after efforts to strengthen lira failed

Armenian FM has phone call with US Assistant Secretary of State

India imposes one-week quarantine even for vaccinated tourists

Armenian ex-president expresses condolences on poet Razmik Davoyan's death

Traction Programme to showcase 8 startups during the Digital Demo Day

Azerbaijan uses artillery and UAVs, 3 Armenian soldiers wounded

NEWS.am daily digest: 11.01.22

Austrian Chancellor confirms plan for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in February

Armen Sarkissian and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discuss situation in Kazakhstan

Gulf, Iran and Turkey FMs to visit China

20 pregnant women with COVID-19 die in Azerbaijan in year

Armenia hands over wanted US citizen to United States

Economy ministry: Organizing of accommodation and public catering increased by 61.1% in Armenia

Armenia parliament speaker expresses condolences on European Parliament President death

Azerbaijan opens fire toward Armenia village sector, one soldier wounded

Shoigu: CSTO peacekeepers deployed in Kazakhstan thanks to Syrian and Karabakh experience

Azerbaijan official pledges to remove Armenian toponyms from Google Maps

UN offers two plans to help Afghans totaling $ 5 billion in 2022

Armenia attorney general travels to Moscow on working visit

Azerbaijan MOD blames Armenian side for soldiers death

Dollar drops in Armenia

Shirak Province captives families hold protest outside Armenia government building

Rolls-Royce sales rise to record high in 2021

Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis directed gun at Armenia residents car in which his wife, 3-year-old child were

ANCA urges President Biden and Congress to hold Azerbaijan and Turkey accountable for war crimes

Serbia's Orthodox Patriarch tests positive for COVID-19

Brothers, sisters of 2020 Artsakh war military casualties to get compensation in lieu of their deceased parents

Turkish authorities sanction arrest of 33 suspected FETO ties
Although COVID-19 has turned our world upside down, we can step back and not get caught up in fear, stay calm, use this time for personal growth, and plan a bright new future when the pandemic is over.

The Principle of Dynamic Reversal

The Principle of Dynamic Reversal enables you to stay centered and connected to your deepest inner wisdom through the course of life's ups and downs and this current crisis. A visual image of life's ups and downs is the sine wave. As it rises and falls over and over, the sine wave visually depicts the process of dynamic balance which occurs everywhere throughout the universe. The crest on the right represents the negative effects of the virus while the left crest symbolizes the potential positives that you can experience. The line in the middle stands for the power of choice in how you will respond to COVID-19.

The Principle of Dynamic Reversal helps you stay positive during these stressful times and develop a balanced mental attitude that enables you to respond most effectively to whatever happens. The Principle of Dynamic Reversal gives you the ability to stay centered and connected to your deepest inner wisdom during this time of uncertainty.

The Principle of Dynamic Reversal is based on the fact that opposites are not mutually exclusive absolutes, but are complements which are inherently connected. This enables you to see the positives in the negatives and the negatives in the positives, and provides you with the ability to counterbalance the current pandemic by using this time to work on your personal growth and show compassion to people in need.

An example of how the Principle of Dynamic Reversal helped me was after the fiery destruction of my company's main supplier. I had just flown into Chicago where I was to give a sales presentation to a major orthopedic distributor. The next day I was going to drive out to our main supplier in Warsaw, Indiana to meet with the company president, since he wanted to turn all their sales and marketing efforts over to us, which would allow him to focus on his company's manufacturing strength. A few minutes before I was to give a threehour presentation to the distributor's entire sales force, I got a phone call from my office in Boston. My secretary had just heard from the president of the Warsaw manufacturing company who informed her that it was a waste of time for me to come to their plant since it had burned down the previous night.

We had just lost our major supplier of products. To distance myself from my almost overwhelming feelings of shock and fear, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. This allowed me to move back to my deep inner sense of awareness. I decided then and there that my company was not going out of business. Somehow, we would find another supplier. With this sense of assurance, I went into the conference room and gave the distributor's sales force a powerful motivational and educational seminar on our product line. No one there knew what had just happened.

When I entered my corporate offices in Boston the next morning, people there were stunned and crying. I brought everyone into our meeting room and drew the Dynamic Reversal image on the blackboard. I told them that in this time of crisis, our attitudesnot the firewould determine our company's success or failure. My staff needed to clear their minds of the fear of losing their jobs, so we could go ahead and explore calmly, clearly, and positively what our options were. And in fact, we quickly found another supplier while the company in Warsaw recovered from the fire.

Changing Your Attitude As a Positive Act

You cannot control what happens to you during the COVID-19 crisis, but by being centered, you can step back from what is happening and not get caught up in reacting to it. This allows you to reflect on the broader process of life and reminds you that you have the power to choose how you react.

Specifically, the Principle of Dynamic Reversal helps you choose the one thing you can controlyour attitudewhich allows you to look for and act on the positive during these uncertain times, or at the very least, to transform these negative times into positive learning experiences. The Chinese language expresses this concept, since the Chinese word for "crisis" also means "opportunity."

Dynamic Reversal helps you have a positive attitude in negative situations which is essential, since your attitude is your "mind's paintbrush," with which you can "color any situation" no matter what happens, including this pandemic. Your attitude is one thing in life you can control. In some negative circumstances there may be nothing you can do except keep a positive attitude, no matter what. But even this can have a positive impact, since your choice of attitude can help other people expand the way they see the world.

Creating a "New Life" for after the Pandemic

The Principle of Dynamic Reversal is practicaly applied in the The Creating a "New Life" after COVID-19 Online Course. The course is based on twenty years of helping people successfully go through divorce, retirement, leaving a business and the loss of a loved one.

The Creating a "New Life" after COVID-19 Online Course:

Helps you not dwell on the bad news created by COVID-19

Fills in your down time at home with planning for your post-pandemic life

Provides a meaningful structured activity in this unstructured time

Helps you deal with the unknowns by working on the next stage of your life

Provides empowerment and hope

Creates an opportunity for you to focus on yourself

Helps you avoid becoming stuck in negativity

Expands your thinking about your future

Shows you how to create a strategic life plan

The Creating a "New Life" after COVID-19 Online Course is also based on years of wisdom learned from people who have gone through major life transitions. It incorporates:





The cognitive dimension of experiential wisdom which helps you effectively address the "Head" issues involved in creating a new future by showing people how to think differently about your post-pandemic life.

The affective dimension of experiential wisdom which helps you strategically address the "Heart" issues involved in creating a new future by showing you how to deal with the emotional issues that are triggered during these unsettling times.

The self-reflective dimension of experiential wisdom which helps you deal with the "Identity" issues that often occur when people's lives suddenly change.

Action Steps

Email Jack@wisdomcompany.org to receive a Creating a "New Life" after COVID-19 Online Course White Paper.

Share this blog with friends and family.

Be a realistic optimist by choosing to have a positive attitude while doing what you need to do to be safe.

If you can, contribute to relief initiatives that help people in need in your area.
Delhi to ease restrictions, if Covid cases come down in next 2-3 days: Health Minister

Lata Mangeshkar health update: Doctor says,'She in ICU with Covid-19 and pneumonia, will be under observation'

Beware: These websites are spreading fake information on coronavirus

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 26: The Cyber Crime Cell of the Delhi has warned the general public to avoid certain websites, which are not just fake but malicious as well. Several websites relating to the coronavirus have surfaced and the police say that these are highly dangerous and malicious in nature.

The message from the police does in the wake of cyber criminals using this crisis as an opportunity to exploit internet users.

Here is a list of websites that users should avoid:

www(dot)Coronavirus-map(dot)com

www(dot)Vaccine-coronavirus(dot)com

www(dot)Coronavirus(dot)cc

www(dot)Bestcoronavirusprotect(dot)tk

www(dot)coronavirusupdate(dot)tk

www(dot)Coronavirus(dot)zone

www(dot)Bgvfr.coronavirusaware(dot)xyz

www(dot)Coronavirusaware(dot)xyz

www(dot)Corona-virus(dot)healthcare

www(dot)Survivecoronavirus(dot)org

www(dot)Blogcoronacl.canalcero(dot)digital

www(dot)Coronavirusstatus(dot)

www(dot)Coronavirus-realtime(dot)com

www(dot)Coronavirus(dot)app

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 15:32 [IST]
A couple ran a secret Muslim faith school and raked in 347,000 a year in fees, a court heard.

Head teacher Mujanet Daniah, 41, set up the Advanced Education Centre in Brent, northwest London, with her husband Suleyman Folami, 58.

The couple ran a legitimate primary school on the ground floor but Ofsted inspectors discovered a covert secondary school upstairs on December 12, 2018, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

During the inspection Folami pushed children out of the premises and told them to go home.

Suleyman Folami (pictured left) with wife Mujanet Daniah (pictured right)

The couple were given a warning, but three months later on March 5 inspectors returned to find the school running exactly as before, the court heard.

District Judge Emma Arbuthnot told the 'deceitful and dishonest' pair she was concerned about the children's welfare and raised concerns about the quality of education they received.

'One teacher can't cover the wide range of subjects for the older pupils they were expected to.

'Ofsted can't judge the school because they don't know it exists,' Judge Arbuthnot said.

'I convicted these defendants of conducting an unregistered school, the Advanced Education Centre. The background was that the Ofsted inspectors were inspecting the primary school when they discovered this other school upstairs was carrying on.

'They started an inspection and they suspected an unregistered school was being conducted.

'They left a warning notice and spoke to Ms Daniah and Mr Folami who were on the premises and made it clear what an unregistered school was.

'Ofsted were told by Ms Daniah that they would split the session so instead of a day session it would be broken into two.

'Three months alter the first inspection the inspectors arrived and found 57 children in the morning whilst by 3pm 20 children remained and the register showed a total of 62 children in all attending.

'It was quite clear pupils were attending both sessions.

'So many children were involved. Not just five or six but 66 children attending on one day. We're talking a vast amount of children.

'The school had a very successful second year. They average 122 pupils during the year. They received 347,000 in school fees.

'The safeguarding was a concern to me. On the second occasion Mr Folami, when caught out by Ofsted, tried to push the children out of the school to get them out.

'The children were confused and one said he had no parents at home. He was taking a serious risk with this child to hide what was going on at the school.

'A group of 15 and 16-year-olds were left unsupervised on their own. That is a great concern.

'The premises were unsuitable with the pupils sharing lavatories with a number of other companies in the building.

'There was very little space in the school.

'The quality of education is hard to judge when Ofsted can't judge the school because they don't know it exists.

'These children are of a vital age. If they can't be taught properly it's a risk to their whole future, their ability to get jobs, the whole works. It's a very serious case in my view.

'I find that they were dishonest and they deceived Ofsted on March 5 and 6. They were given a warning and they went on to continue with that school knowing absolutely well they shouldn't be doing so.'

Judge Arbuthnot asked the couple, who represented themselves, if they had anything to say in their defence.

Mujanet Daniah, and Suleyman Folami, founded a secret Muslim school in Brent London. The couple ran a legitimate primary school but a covert secondary school upstairs

Folami said: 'My parents were very poor. I remember when my dad told me the only thing they can give me is education because they are very poor. I am an educator, a teacher. All I've done is to educate children.'

Judge Arbuthnot interrupted: 'Why after the warning did you not change completely? What really happened?'

Folami replied: 'I had this advice to continue running the school.'

The judge said: 'I was hoping to have a bit of honesty today.'

Daniah said: 'Being a headteacher I always sought to obey the law and help from those in authority. I seem to have got it wrong this time and I apologise fully.'

Muhummud Yousoof Dauhoo, who worked at the school, supported the couple in court and addressed the judge.

She said: 'What I really want to say is financially we were really struggling and before anything we did liaise with the council and what we did was not really intentional so if you look at it from that angle...'

The judge interjected: 'The trouble is I have found it was intentional. It was made absolutely clear that you should not be conducting an unregistered school and yet on March 5 and 6 that is exactly what you were doing.

'There was deceit and dishonesty involved. That's what makes it really serious. You can't blame the council or anyone else.'

Ms Dauhoo replied: 'At the moment you are very, very cross.'

Folami and Daniah from Wembley, denied but were convicted of conducting an unregistered educational institution.

They were both sentenced to four weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay costs of 890 each.

Advanced Education Centre was found guilty of conducting an unregistered educational institution and fined 1,875.

Daniah describes the centre, founded in 2017, as a 'one-form entry faith based independent school' on its website and says:

'Our curriculum is based on the national curriculum, promoting the intellectual, spiritual and moral elements needed through a nurturing environment. We strive for each child to achieve his/her fullest potentials and lead a healthy, productive life in the wider community.

'The core values of our society is to enable our pupils to understand and develop a sound understanding of Islamic faith free from extremism. Our strong emphasis on British Values enables us to focus on discipline and encourage good behaviour at all times.'
T he Government was today urged to suspend Sunday trading restrictions to allow supermarkets to serve more customers.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of one of Londons leading business groups, the New West End Company, said it was an absolute necessity for shops to be allowed to open on Sundays for longer than the six hours currently allowed.

Mr Tyrrell, whose organisation represents hundreds of traders in central London, including a number of supermarkets, said: We definitely need longer trading on Sundays in this period so that the most number of people possible can get into supermarkets.

"Even in central London, in the West End and Mayfair, there are lots of vulnerable people who dont find it easy to get hold of food. This would help.

But it is equally important for the recovery phase. We will need it all the more then. Its going to be desperately needed for all retailers when they get up and running again.

Before and during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /44 Before and during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures AP Buckingham Palace AP Piccadilly Line tube AP Big Ben AP Millennium bridge AP Wembley Stadium AP St Pancras International train station AP Downing Street AP Victoria Station AP Regent Street AP The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace AP London's National Gallery in Trafalgar Square PA Edinburgh's Royal Mile PA Barry Island, South Wales PA Bath PA Bath PA London's Waterloo station PA London Bridge PA London's Canary Wharf Jubilee Line platform PA London's Canary Wharf Station PA London's Buckingham Palace PA London's Tower Bridge PA London's Leicester Square PA London's Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral PA London's Criterion Theatre PA London's Palace Theatre PA London's Phoenix Theatre PA London's Canary Wharf Station PA Bournemouth beach PA Bath PA Bath PA Barry Island, South Wales PA Bournemouth beach PA

The call was backed by the Taxpayers Alliance lobby group, which said the move was essential to help clear the backlog of demand at a time when online delivery slots are booked for weeks in advance.

Sunday opening hours are regulated by the Sunday Trading Act 1994, which limits larger stores to six hours of continuous trading on the traditional day of rest.

Many supermarkets choose to open from 10am to 4pm, with half an hour of browsing allowed before tills are turned on, and currently a full hour for NHS workers in Tesco branches.

The restrictions were temporarily suspended for eight weekends over the summer of the Olympics in 2012. The last move to relax the laws was defeated in the House of Commons in March 2016.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: We continue to have regular conversations with the food sector and will keep measures under review in these unprecedented times.

Meanwhile the Co-op said it had filled all 5,000 temporary store jobs it created last week in just seven days following an unprecedented response to the retailers recruitment drive.

Asda it is offering fully paid leave to staff classed as vulnerable, including over-70s and carers of people in the most at-risk categories.
Federal prosecutors in Oregon are pursuing their first case of alleged coronavirus fraud: Authorities this month intercepted a shipment of 100 unauthorized COVID-19 test kits sent from China to a Portland man, they say.

The man who ordered the package of kits, at 50 cents each, is a former senior vice president of a now-defunct cannabis oil company, federal agents wrote in an affidavit for a search warrant signed by a judge on Wednesday.

The man hasnt been arrested. His name was redacted from the affidavit.

Federal prosecutors said authorities wanted to move quickly to seize the unauthorized test kits before they entered the public marketplace while a deeper investigation continues by agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Food and Drug Administration.

The only way now to get a test for the new coronavirus is through a health care provider. There is no authorized home test kit. The FDA has acknowledged that a home test kit would be useful and is working with companies to develop one.

But the Portland man who bought these kits online from China isnt a licensed medical doctor, registered nurse or nurse practitioner or a licensed pharmacist and has no authority to use or sell them, authorities said. The China company that made and shipped them also doesnt have authority to send them to private individuals.

COVID-19 swab tests now run at least $1,000 through certain private insurers and cost more if obtained through an FDA-approved lab test center.

50 cents is ridiculous even for a swab. But for a test to actually give a result itself its a preposterous cost, a coronavirus physician incident commander from a major Oregon hospital told federal authorities, according to the affidavit.

The case began when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers examined a package entering the United States from China at the FedEx International Mail Facility in Memphis, Tenn. on March 18.

The package seized was labeled as Papid (sic) Test Kit and it contained four white boxes, each labeled COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Antibody Test Kit (Colloidal Gold). Each box held 25 individual kits. Shipment records contained no FDA licenses.

The invoice revealed the package came from a China-based company called Anhui Deep Blue Medical Technology Co. at a total cost of $50 and was headed to a Portland address.

Federal agents, with help from a Portland police officer, found the man who bought the test kits lived in an apartment in North Portland.

The Portland man who ordered the kits had previously worked as a senior vice president of supply chain at Cure Cannabis Solutions that failed to renew its business license in September 2019, according to the affidavit, state business records and a LinkedIn account.

Authorities raided his apartment on Wednesday.

Leroy Hwang, an FDA consumer safety officer, confirmed that the tests shipped to the Portland address didnt have FDA clearance or pre-market approval.

The kits are uncleared medical devices, Hwang found, according to the affidavit.

These tests are for the detection of human antibody response (IgG/IgM) to the COVID-19 virus, the affidavit quoted Hwang as saying. The antibody test kits are often used to identify if an individual has circulating antibodies against a pathogen, which can be an indicator of either active (IgM) or previous (IgG) infection by the pathogen. However, in the case of COVID-19 virus, it has yet to be established what correlation there is between different antibody levels and infection status of the individual.

Hwang said the seized kits, however, could possibly fall under the FDAs emergency use authorization, allowing commercial manufacturers to develop and distribute diagnostic test kits to detect the new virus for clinical labs or to health care workers, but the policy doesnt apply to home testing.

Hwang verified that the source of the kits, Anhui DeepBlue Medical Technology Co. Ltd. of Hefei, China, is registered with the FDA as a contract manufacturer but hasnt received approval to manufacture home test kits for COVID-19 detection, according to the affidavit.

There are currently no approved, cleared, or (emergency use ) authorized COVID-19 test kits for at-home use, Hwang said. If these kits are marketed for home use or distributed for home use, they are in violation.

Photos of kits similar to ones in the seized Portland package had been advertised March 14 on the Twitter account, Chin Xinhau News.

15 minutes! New rapid test strips for #coronavirus have been developed by a company in Hefei, China. #FightVirus, the tweet read, with a photo of the same packaging, using the DeepBlue name and dolphin logo.

A video in the tweet showed a finger-pin prick that draws blood, with the blood then placed on a test strip.

Though the video says the test strip has been proven to be effective after clinical tests and the test may be available on the Chinese market soon, comments in reply to the tweet indicated the efficacy of the tests remain unknown.

One unidentified person responded to the tweet, noting that a Hong Kong microbiologist has cautioned people against buying any home testing kits for the new coronavirus.

The tests are still being advertised on the website of Anhui DeepBlue Medical, which has an ecommerce website as well.

Last week, Oregons U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams designated Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford, chief of the offices Economic, National Security and Cybercrimes Unit, to help coordinate fraud cases stemming from the new coronavirus.

The FBI asks anyone who may have been the target or victim of a coronavirus-related scheme or civil rights violation to contact the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov., submit information to tips.fbi.gov, or call the FBI Portland Field Office at 503-224-4181.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

Subscribe to Facebook page
Lehigh Township police are asking for help in finding a man who robbed a Turkey Hill Thursday night in the Cherryville section of the township.

The robbery occurred at 8:33 p.m. Thursday at the Turkey Hill Mini Market at 4205 Lehigh Drive.

Police described the robber as a Hispanic male, between 5 foot, 6 inches and 5 foot, 7 inches tall, with long hair, and wearing a knit hat and hoodie that was pulled over his head.

The man entered the store and walked around, before walking to the clerk at the counter and demanding money, police said.

The clerk gave the robber money and he walked out to a full-sized gray two-tone Chevrolet or GMC truck, with an extra cab with tinted windows.

Police said the truck was last seen heading south on Blue Mountain Drive.

Anyone with information about the robbery, or agencies investigating similar incidents, should contact Lehigh Township Police at 610-760-8800 or via email at menstrom@lehightownship.com.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
[March 27, 2020] Center for Organ Recovery & Education Receives Katie Coolican-Nicholas Miller Donor Care Award for Excellence in Donor Family Support

MTF Biologics and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) recently awarded the Katie Coolican-Nicholas Miller Donor Care Award for Excellence in Donor Family Support to the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE). CORE was chosen as the recipient of this honor for its commitment to providing excellent support to donor families during and after the donation process, and its donor family materials that offer a caring message and helpful information to families. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005288/en/ Center for Organ Recovery & Education Receives Katie Coolican-Nicholas Miller Donor Care Award for Excellence in Donor Family Support (Photo: Business Wire) "The Katie Coolican-Nicholas Miller Donor Care Award celebrates those who have provided excellent donor family support through advocacy and education," said Kelly Ranum, President of AOPO. "We are pleased to present this award to such a compassionate and dedicated organization." The Katie Coolican-Nicholas Miller Donor Care Award for Excellence in Donor Family Support is named in honor of two children whose lives were cut short but who made a difference in the lives of others through donation. Katie Coolican's eyes and kidneys were donated after she suffered a fatal aneurysm at the age of 6. For more than 35 years, Katie's family have been fierce advocates for donor family support. Katie's mother, Maggie Coolican, ws the founder of the National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) Donor Family Council and creator of NKF's donor family quilts. She was the driving force behind the Donor Family Bill of Rights which was adopted throughout the donation community. She worked as a Donor Family Services Coordinator at LifeChoice Donor Services and as Coordinator of Donor Family Services at MTF Biologics.



Nicholas Miller, a heart transplant recipient, died just short of his second birthday and became an identified eye donor. Nicholas' mother, Jayne Miller, had a decades-long career in donation and transplantation including Vice President of Donor Services at MTF Biologics. She was instrumental in the development of MTF Biologics' donor family centered philosophy, and the inception of MTF's Nicholas Miller Award and NKF Donor Care Award. She and her husband, Tom, have been long-time proponents of ensuring all donor family members receive the highest level of care and respect possible. CORE, together with its co-nominees Dr. Jonathan Elmer and Dr. Bradley Molyneaux, have partnered together to create a donor-centered infrastructure that proactively supports the social and emotional needs of donor families. As a result, they have successfully increased the number of families who have found solace in organ donation and the number of individuals who have since received a second chance at life.

"Organizations like CORE are on the front lines of communicating with families about organ and tissue donation, and their ability to support a family with compassion and understanding through a difficult time is critical," said Martha Anderson, Executive Vice President, Donor Services at MTF Biologics. "CORE's efforts to honor donors, enhance communication about organ and tissue donation, and provide families with ongoing support in the face of devastating loss are a model for our field. We can't think of a better organization to honor the legacies of Katie and Nicholas and their families." "CORE is delighted that because of their visionary leadership and compassion for donor families, Drs. Elmer and Molyneaux were selected to receive this prestigious award," said Susan Stuart, CORE President and CEO. "Organ donation and transplantation depend on innovators like Drs. Elmer and Molyneaux. As clinical leaders and administrative champions, they have reinforced an already strong culture of donation at UPMC. And as a result, more families have found comfort amidst tragedy through organ donation." A single donor can save the lives of up to eight people through organ donation and heal the lives of more than 75 others through tissue donation. To register to become an organ and tissue donor, please visit registerme.org. About MTF Biologics MTF Biologics is a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science. It provides exceptional service, resources, and expertise to donors and their loved ones who give the gift of donation; patients who depend on tissue and organ transplants; healthcare providers who care for donors and recipients; and, clinicians and scientists advancing medicine through transplantation science and research. About AOPO AOPO is the non-profit, national organization representing all 58 federally designated organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the US. The association represents and serves the OPOs through advocacy, support and development of activities that will maximize the availability of organs and tissues and enhance the quality, effectiveness and integrity of the donation process. About CORE The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States, serving more than five million people in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, New York. CORE coordinates the recovery and matching of organs, tissues and corneas for transplant within our service region and works tirelessly to create a culture of donation within the hospitals and communities we serve. CORE's mission is to Save and Heal lives through donation, ultimately ending the deaths of those on the transplant waiting list, while maintaining integrity for the donation process, dignity for the donors, and compassion for their families. CORE is a winner of the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, a presidential-level award that recognizes non-profits for their innovation and excellence. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005288/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Scattered throughout Kalamazoos Stuart neighborhood are homemade signs that encourage passersby to Slow the spread to save lives.

Designed to encourage and keep the community positive during the coronavirus outbreak, the signs were made by Western Michigan University graduate student Katharine Rose, who lives in the neighborhood.

I felt like, every time I went out to the grocery store, people were not being tuned in. And I really wanted to do something that was, like, Come on Kalamazoo, we can be a team, were all Michiganders, Rose said. So, I was just hoping people would see the signs and remember a little bit.

Related: Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 2,856 cases, doubling in three days

Rose and her boyfriend, Mohammed Hashim, put eight signs out wherever they thought people would see them. Mostly, they are intended to be a reminder that ordinary people in the community have the ability to help save lives by heeding the advice of public health officials and government leaders.

I put them out also at the trailheads because people were congregating at the trailheads all day yesterday, Rose said. So, I wanted everyone to make a team effort, we need a positive, team effort.

Katharine Rose poses for a portrait on the front porch of her home with her boyfriend Mohamed Hashim in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Thursday, March 26, 2020. (Kendall Warner | Mlive.com) Kendall Warner | MLive.com

The COVID-19 global pandemic has triggered numerous executive orders from Michigans governor, including Mondays stay-at-home order, which instructs all residents to remain in their homes, leaving only when absolutely necessary, for three weeks.

When I watched the governors address to the state this morning, I was really happy to see her say, Go Michiganders, and her slogan is save lives, Rose said.

Related: Police chief, sheriff address enforcement of governors stay home order in Kalamazoo County

She hopes the homemade signs will do a little to remind her neighbors of the same, crucially important message.

I just felt like, what better way to spend $80 than to make a little community reminder," Rose said.

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips.

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Also on MLive:

Twins build twin snowmen, six feet apart, to promote social distancing

Western Michigan University gathers donated medical supplies during coronavirus pandemic

Free laptops help Kalamazoo seniors finish school during coronavirus closure
During a White House meeting on March 12, Mr. Esper and General Milley argued for a more limited response to the rocket attacks  a view that prevailed on Mr. Trump, who ordered nighttime raids on five suspected weapons depots in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah.

Several American officials said there was an increased urgency in planning attack options against Kataib Hezbollah as the group, perhaps along with other Shiite militias, has threatened to ramp up strikes against U.S. troops stationed on Iraqi bases after the celebrations for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, end soon. American military intelligence agencies have detected signs that big attacks could be in the works, according to a senior U.S. military official who has been briefed on some of the contingency planning in Iraq.

Kataib Hezbollah, in a statement on Wednesday, warned its fighters to prepare for possible attacks from the United States, and threatened to retaliate against Americans and any Iraqis who help them. We will respond with full force to all their military, security, and economic facilities, said the statement, according to SITE, a private company that monitors jihadists websites and postings.

The immediate targets of a Pentagon campaign against Kataib Hezbollah most likely would be the groups leadership, bases and weapons depots, Mr. Knights said. In addition to a vast array of rockets, the group is believed to have access to a hidden arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles funneled into Iraq by Iran over the past several months, according to American intelligence and military officials.

An extended campaign could hit militia targets across a wide swath of Iraq and Syria, and possibly other Shiite militias in Iraq that are loosely aligned with Kataib Hezbollah. You cant just hit rank-and-file fighters, youd have to hit leadership, most of whom have probably dispersed, Mr. Knights said.
Troops at Qayyarah airbase in northern Iraq withdraw after deadly rocket attacks on bases with coalition personnel.

The US-led coalition has withdrawn from the Qayyarah airbase in northern Iraq after a string of recent rocket attacks on other bases.

The move is designed to minimise the risk of troops getting hit as the coalition transfers them to just a few facilities.

Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn reports from Baghdad.
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall in September as percussionist Jacob Nissly is about to whack the giant hammer in the last movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 6. (Kim Huynh / San Francisco Symphony)

Seeing their spring seasons startlingly wither away, symphony orchestras are admirably scrambling to make available online recent concert recordings along with the occasional video. But given the unexpectedness of the pandemics scope, nearly every institution has been caught off guard.

The offerings are pretty much catch as catch can. (You can check Matthew Cooper's daily online listings of recommendations.) But there has been no opportunity for curation, and typically the sound quality leaves something to be desired.

The Berlin Philharmonic does have an outstanding digital concert hall that is temporarily free, and the San Francisco Symphony has been a leader in media outreach for the last quarter century, the quarter century that Michael Tilson Thomas has been music director. Its efforts have included a television series for PBS, Keeping Score, of nine individual composers and works. The orchestra has begun this week making them newly available on YouTube.

There was The MTT Files in 2007, a fabulously entertaining series of eight programs that Tilson Thomas did for American Public Radio that recounted everything from highly amusing encounters with Jascha Heifetz, James Brown, Igor Stravinsky and Pierre Boulez, to how Freud influenced ballet. Please, please, please APR, bring these back. And while you are at it, unlock access to Tilson Thomas incomparable series "American Mavericks" with the S.F. Symphony, hosted by Suzanne Vega.

But mainly, it has been the SFS Media, the orchestras pioneering series of self-produced recordings, which boast impeccable hi-res sound on CD, downloads and even vinyl. Tilson Thomas Mahler cycle is now a classic. The latest, a live recording of Coplands Third Symphony from 2018 that is one of the most glorious-sounding orchestral recordings Ive heard, was released this month. Coplands World War II victory symphony is soberly affirmative rather than celebratory.

Copland embraces tragedy and calls for national unity with a magnificent finale that amplifies the composers Fanfare for the Common Man into an inspirational commemoration of what it means to be alive and the necessity of moving forward with a sense of the common good. Have we ever needed Copland more than now? This is the recording to get (not that Leonard Bernsteins two arent either). The first of the Keeping Score programs, moreover, is on Copland, and it is revelatory.

Story continues

Beyond all that, the S.F. Symphony began this year releasing digital recordings, made to its high standards, of selected individual works performed by Tilson Thomas in this, his 25th and last, season. With the latest just made available, there are now 10. They can be found on most of the major streaming and download sites.

They are the closest thing to actually being at a recent concert. That is primarily thanks to the sound quality. I, moreover, like the fact that these are audio, putting your imagination (and not a video) in the drivers seat. Best of all, they document one of the greatest American conductors weve had so far, at his most profound.

They capture, indeed, a 74-year-old Tilson Thomas having just returned to the podium after a summer spent recovering from heart surgery. His performance of Mahlers Sixth Symphony, known as the Tragic, might lack a little of the vitality of his earlier S.F. Symphony recording, but that is replaced with immensity. There are some who object to what they consider Tilson- Thomas funny business, micro-managing expression. As for me, the only times I've been disappointed in Tilson Thomas Mahler is when there isn't more.

There isn't a lot here, but nor is it now needed. The performance comes across like a heart-to-heart conversation with the listener, an attempt to share an understanding of what it means to be alive. You may think you dont want to hear a Tragic Symphony on an epic scale right now. But Mahlers greatness is his ability to take you to heights you cant imagine, to show you a beauty you have never before heard but that you can only experience if you are aware of what the loss of it would be like. That is this Mahler Six, one that neither neglects terrible intensity nor overplays it for effect. It gives the pastoral passages and lyric melodiousness idyllic glow.

Another highlight from the set is Wagners Siegfried Idyll full of morning light. This you probably do think you need, and youre right. Wagners love-letter to his wife, Cosima, is one of the lovelier, warmer 21-minute escapes of the worlds horrors.

Elsewhere there is an eloquent account of Haydns Second Cello Concerto with an up-and-coming soloist, Oliver Herbert, and Beethovens Second Piano Concerto with the exquisite Emanuel Ax that was on the same program as the Siegfried Idyll, barely over two months ago, yet so long ago.

Berliozs Benvenuto Cellini Overture is colorfully upbeat. Ravels La Valse drips with divine sensuality as long as you dont think too much about its musical description of the end of Viennas blithely waltzing days. Three big Stravinsky works  Canticum Sacrum, Symphony of Psalms and the Symphony in Three movements  all from the same September program, are on the effusive side. Beware, the five selections from Mahlers song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn, avidly sung by Sasha Cooke, are five of the grimmest.

Spirits, however, will magically lift if you turn to the streaming site Idagio, which has exclusive recordings from January of Tilson Thomas conducting his New World Symphony. Forget about the awful photos of coronavirus-clueless young people carousing on Miami beaches and think instead about the exceptional young musicians in this Miami Beach training orchestra that Tilson Thomas founded.

In these concerts you can hear Schumanns Rhenish Symphony made liltingly fresh and a livelier account of Stravinskys Symphony in Three Movements than was heard in San Francisco. In this and in a knock-out Petrushka, " bright as our spring days we no longer can properly enjoy, Tilson Thomas, himself, sheds years.

The fate of the rest of Tilson Thomas' final season, slated to end in June with a staged performance of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" (sets designed by Frank Gehry) and Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand" remain in doubt. Thus far the orchestra is out of its Davies Symphony Hall through April and hasn't yet worked out the next set of digital releases. In September, media-savvy Esa-Pekka Salonen begins as music director, all but assuring that SFS Media will remain uniquely imaginative.
Atiku Bagudu

According to The Nation, there is tension among top government officials in Kebbi state over the health status of Governor Atiku Bagudu after he came in contact with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari who had been tested positive to the virus.

Governor Bagudu held series of meetings at the Presidential Villa last week where he was alleged to have come in contact with the Chief of Staff.

It was also observed that the governor had allegedly gone into self-Isolation in his private home in Birnin kebbi, a day after it was confirmed that COS Abba Khari was tested positive to Covid-19.

Governor Bagudu since his return from Abuja few days ago held an emergency meetings with various stakeholders in the state including the Emir of Gwandu, Emir of Argungu, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, SSG, Commissioners, special advisers, permanent secretaries, Directors, and chairmen of local governments in the state, to chart the best course of action for the financial future of the state, and also ways to curtail the spread of the coronal virus, that was the last public appearance of the Governor.

Meanwhile he has since directed that civil servant in the state stay at home for two weeks except for the conventional workers.

This development, our correspondent gathered has generated a lot of anxiety in the state, especially among top government functionaries and other critical stakeholders who have come in contact with the governor.

When our correspondent contacted the Special adviser on Media to the Governor, Mallam.Yahaya Sirki to Know whether the governors is on self isolation to prevent further spreading ? he stated:that the governor is not on self isolation.



The directive to stay at home does not involve the media and the security and those on essential services. What actually happened in Govt House yesterday is just to reduce the number of people entering the government house including the media and security they were asked to go home until when needed. But even at this point, some journalist and security are still retained in Govt House. I repeat my Governor is not on self isolation he added.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Around 1000 barrels of oil spread over two acres of land were completely gutted in a massive fire at Gummidipoondi Sipcot on Friday afternoon, with smoke engulfing the entire area.

According to the police, the private factory purifies oil and the waste generated is sent for the construction of roads and mixing of concrete. The factory adjacent to its godown comprises two acres in an isolated place, said police.

At around 1 pm, the Gummidipoondi fire control received information about smoke rising to the sky from the godown. When the fire tender from Gummidipoondi Sipcot rushed to the spot, the fire had already spread to half of the area. Hence, more fire service vehicles from Gummidipoondi, Athipattu, Thervoy Kandigai, Ponneri and Redhills were brought, said a fire officer.

Around 50 fire safety personnel have been struggling to put out the fire from 1 pm. By 3 pm, the fire spread to the entire area of two acres, said the fire officer making it a herculean task.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established. No casualties have been reported since the factory was closed due to the lockdown and it was away from residential areas. Some people who gathered to watch the fire were sent away by the police.

A basic safety feature in such godowns is to compartmentalise the oil cans and barrels, which the company seems to have not followed. While storing large quantities of oil and its waste products, which are highly flammable, they should be kept apart from one another to stop the fire from spreading faster. In this godown, all the barrels were placed very close and on top of each other," said the officer.

The warehouse allegedly did not have other fire safety measures like sprinklers and fire detection alarms. "Had there been a fire detection machine, the sprinklers would have started automatically and the fire could have been doused faster and the loss reduced," he added.

More than twenty water tanker lorries were brought to refill the fire tenders and in addition, spray foams were also used to douse the fire. The fire officers said that their first aim was prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby dry land.

It may be recalled that a similar fire had broken out at a chemical warehouse in Madhavaram on March 1.
My greatest wish for these people is that they one day attend a party where not one single person gets accidentally murdered. Photo: Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/Netflix

Hey, remember parties? For us normals, a party is this thing when a lot of people come together for general frivolity and merriment, and usually there is music and sometimes cake. For the teens on Elite, Netflixs Spanish horny, murder-y high school show, parties are a whole other beast.

On Elite, you may think youre going to a party to blow off some steam after a particularly grueling week trying to be top of the class at Las Encinas High School, or to help a charity, but really youre just going to a gathering where secrets are exposed, bad decisions are made, and you literally could be murdered. So, like, maybe parties arent so cool after all? Regardless of what you think of parties in general, the parties on Elite are always, at the very least, dramatic. But which party over the course of three seasons is the most dramatic of them all? Lets find out.

10. The Valentines Day Party

Lu (Season 3, Episode 4)

Our headband Queen Lus role reversal Valentines Day party, in which all the boys have to dress skimpy and the girls are buttoned up, is surprisingly low on the drama for a party meant to cover up the fact that Lu has been completely cut off from her dads fortune. Dont get me wrong, theres still lots of drama, but this is from the girl who blackmailed a teacher! Who sent out the video of Nadia and Guzman doing it in the locker room! Who secretly fucks her brother! Youd just expect more than simply Lu discovering Nadias boyfriend Malick making out with Nadias brother Omar in the bathroom, and people longingly staring at the people they love but cant have while dancing with their significant others. Does this signal Lus putting all the drama behind her? That would be a real tragedy.

9. The Wine Gala

Love Is a Drug (Season 1, Episode 4)

Photo: Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/Netflix

The party Marina and Guzmans parents throw in Carlas mothers wine cave to rehab their image after that whole school building collapse scandal certainly has the most dramatic location of any party on this show. I mean, did you hear? Wine cave! However, the shenanigans going on inside said cave are pretty normal for Elite: You know, most days these kids are dealing with things like Guzmans deep hatred for Samu and the working class, Marina using Samu to infuriate her parents, Guzman walking in on his dad doing lines of coke, Guzman and Samu discovering their best friends Ander and Omar are hooking up by finding them having sex between wine barrels, and Carla making out with both Polo and Christian in front of her mom and all of her moms celebrity friends just to stick it to her. Thats, like, a regular Wednesday morning for these kids.

8. Samuels House Party

Saturday Night (Season 1, Episode 3)

Really this party could make this list based solely on the fact that at one point brothers Samuel and Nano beatbox and rap together. Truly, a terrifying moment in which one should clutch their pearls. But other big incidents take place, including: Guzman showing up to protect his sister, only to discover his BFF Ander lied to him about coming to this party and then attacking him when he thinks Omar is dealing him drugs; Nadia drinking the spiked punch and then asking Guzman to take her to his swimming pool; and of course, Marina and Nano hooking up in the bathroom while Samu, very much in love with Marina, is outside. I mean, anytime the host is puking in the sink, you know its a halfway decent party.

7. The Blackout Party

Ander (Season 3, Episode 5)

Photo: Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/Netflix

The Blackout Party reveal at Teatro Barcelo is truly one of the best moments of Elite, full stop. But since it only involves a select few, drama-wise, and no one dies or almost dies, its landed back here on the list. Youll never forget where you were (probably on your couch) when the lights went out at the club and you saw the fluorescent paint Rebe had soaked her purse in to expose Samu as the traitor who let her drug kingpin mother get arrested. It was not just all over Samus hands because he had tried to get rid of the evidence he thought Rebe had inside of it, but also all over Omars hands, because he threw the purse out for Samu, and then, of course, all over Malicks body, because he and Omar tried to get a secret quickie in behind the bar. And then when Nadia, the smartest of us all, connected the fluorescent dots, she knew once and for all that her boyfriend and her brother were fucking behind her back. Thats a party!

6. Yerays Pool Party

Rebeca (Season 3, Episode 6)

Aside from the parties where people just straight-up get murdered, our Backward Hat-Loving Tech Gods pool party is probably the saddest event on this list. Well, yes, sure, Rebe ends up selling drugs to Carla after Valerio refuses to because he can see Carla is forming a bad habit and eventually Carla is so high and so drunk that she passes out and falls into the pool, and Polo has to save her. That is, admittedly, rough. BUT ALSO there is so much heartbreak at this party! Guzman puts his heart out on the line for Nadia, only for her to tell him that shes truly off to New York City and hes staying here, how can they be anything? They share a good-bye hug with tears in their eyes, and honestly, why cant love just be enough? Meanwhile, we got Ander showing up to question Malick about why hes hooking up with his boyfriend  is it just a physical thing or are there real feelings? When precious angel Ander finds out he and his cancer are too much of a burden for Omar, he decides to let that man go. No wonder Lu is over on a lounge chair sipping gin and tonics from a glass the size of my face. This is stressful!

5. Marinas Party

Welcome (Season 1, Episode 1)

Elites first party really gets things kicked off right. Its Marinas coming-out party, and her family pulls out all the stops. I mean, do you see the number of outdoor heaters the Nuniers set up for this festivity? This is a serious party. And with an exclusive party like this comes lots of drama  drama that sets up the entire season. Theres Marinas dad using Samu for photo ops to get good press after his scandal and pissing Marina off in the process. Theres Guzman threatening to beat up Nano. Theres Lu ordering Guzman to seduce and humiliate Nadia. Theres rich people hating poor people. Theres Ander getting so drunk he throws up on Lus dress. (Okay, that has nothing to do with anything, but puking on another human being is always dramatic.) Most of all, theres Carla and Polo deciding to spice up their relationship by having Carla fuck Christian while Polo secretly watches. Its the perfect welcome party.

4. The Fake-Charity Party

84 Hours Missing (Season 2, Episode 7)

This is Miss Lucrecia Montesinos at her dirtiest, her bitchiest, her finest. In the middle of this charity party Lu has thrown together in just a day on behalf of her new best friend Cayetana, Lu discovers that Cayetana has been lying to her this entire time. About everything. Cayetana is not some new super-wealthy student  shes the daughter of the janitor at Las Encinas and she has tricked Lu into helping her throw a charity party that is actually scamming rich people out of money to go into Cayetanas pocket. Lu decides to show her what happens when you mess with the head bitch. She gets up onstage to make a speech and instead outs Cayetana for the fraud she is, outs Guzman for cheating on her with Nadia, and outs Carla for sleeping with Samuel. The adults at this party are probably very confused, but all the Las Encinas kids in attendance have their jaws on the floor.

3. Rebes Halloween Party

63 Hours Missing (Season 2, Episode 5)

First of all, Polo and Cayetana show up dressed as Assination JFK and Jackie O, and if that isnt some next-level drama king and queen shit, I dont know what is. Aside from the fact that this is a Halloween party and everyone feels like they have the license to be dramatic whilst in costume, this banger was bound to be intense simply because of the circumstances surrounding it: Nano, who was wrongly convicted of Marinas murder in season one, has just been released on bail, and everyone is up in arms about it. So all the drama ensues: Rebe is the first to figure out Cayetana is a fraud and taunts her with that info repeatedly, Omar overhears Ander making fun of him and his Dr. Frank-n-Furter costume, Guzman dumps Lu while theyre in their Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera costumes, Ander tells Polo hes tired of keeping his secret about Marina and wants to tell Guzman, Samuel catches Lu and her half-brother Valerio having sex (!!), Nano shows up in a Michael Myers costume and accosts Carla in the street because he thinks shes using Samuel to cover up Polo killing Marina, and then Samuel beats his brother senseless for hurting Carla. Anyway, fun-size candy bar, anyone?

2. End-of-School-Year Party

Assilah (Season 1, Episode 8)

Well, I mean, while all the other students are attending the End-of-Year party in the gymnasium, Marinas over in the pool getting slammed in the head with the school trophy she just won by Polo, who is trying to win back Carla, who then helps him cover it all up. All of the other big dramatic moments taking place at this party  Guzman promising Nadias father that hell never speak to Nadia again as long as shes allowed to come back to Las Encinas, Christian standing up to Carla for using him  really pale in comparison with the moment when Nano, who has arrived to take Marina and their yet-to-be-born child away from all the craziness, finds her on the pool deck with a gaping head wound, while teens are just bumping and grinding a few doors down. Truly, Worlds Worst Party.

1. The Graduation Party

Polo (Season 3, Episode 8)

Photo: Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/Netflix

Its not that Polos death is somehow worse or more emotional than Marinas, but, hi, hello, literally everyone watches Polo stagger around after being stabbed in the heart and then fall through a plate of glass and onto the dance floor below. That has to be the most dramatic, right? RIGHT? On top of Polos actual death, there is both the lead-up to it, in which he and Lu have an extremely heated argument in the bathroom before she accidentally stabs him in the chest with a broken champagne bottle, and the aftermath, in which all of Polos classmates enter into a murder pact to make sure Lu never gets caught. It works. Watching these people successfully mislead the detective  who, yes, has repeatedly proved shes terrible at her job, but still  is truly wild. My greatest wish for these people is that they one day attend a party where they stay for just a few hours, dance a little, drink a little, and then head home thinking the party was fun but mostly forgettable. And not one single person gets accidentally murdered. What a time that would be.
* Singapore announces $30 bln package as GDP contracts in Q1 * Indonesia sees best day since June 1999 * Philippines sees best day since Aug. 2007 By Arpit Nayak March 26 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets posted gains on Thursday as investors cheered a massive U.S. stimulus package to soften the coronavirus pandemic's economic blow, although Singapore fell after signalling a severe recession. Singaporean equities ended 0.7% lower as the city-state cut its annual growth forecast to account for the impact of the virus after data showed the economy's first-quarter contraction was the worst in a decade. The index pared some losses after the city-state unveiled new measures worth more than $30 billion to help businesses and households cushion the pandemic's financial hit. The new measures include a draw on national reserves for the first time since the global financial crisis. "The latest set of figures has confirmed our fear that a recession is inevitable amid the impact from the Covid-19 outbreak," DBS Group Research analyst Irvin Seah wrote in a note, referring to Singapore. Calling the services sector a drag on growth, Seah said, "If the services sector falls, the economy follows." The industry accounts for the bulk of jobs and is one of the biggest contributors to gross domestic product. Meanwhile, the rest of the region rode a wave of optimism after the U.S. senate passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill in a bid to aid unemployed workers and industries hurt by the pandemic. The Indonesian bourse, which was closed for trading on account of a local holiday on Wednesday, recorded its best session in over two decades, with a 10.2% gain. In an added boost to sentiment, the central bank said it was ensuring the financial system had sufficient liquidity even as it prepared to implement shorter trading hours to contain the contagion. Philippines climbed 7.4% in its best session in almost 13 years, with real estate and consumer stocks leading gains. Thai stocks gained 1.1% as the central bank pledged liquidity support to money markets and daily fixed income funds that are hit by a cash crunch. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 2,487.56 2,505.47 -0.71 Bangkok 1,091.96 1,080.03 1.10 Manila 5,401.58 5,027.76 7.44 Jakarta 4,338.904 3,937.632 10.19 Kuala Lumpur 1,328.09 1,324.5 0.27 Ho Chi Minh 694.21 690.25 0.57 Change so far in 2020 Market Current End 2019 Pct Move Singapore 2,487.56 3,222.83 -22.81 Bangkok 1,091.96 1,579.84 -30.88 Manila 5,401.58 7,815.26 -30.88 Jakarta 4,338.904 6,299.54 -31.12 Kuala Lumpur 1,328.09 1,588.76 -16.41 Ho Chi Minh 694.21 960.99 -27.76 (Reporting by Arpit Nayak; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
The coronavirus crisis weighs heavily on the American public: Seventy-seven percent in an ABC News/Washington Post poll say their lives have been disrupted, seven in 10 report personal stress and as many are worried that they or an immediate family member may become infected.

Forty-one percent in this national survey, conducted Sunday through Wednesday, say someone in their own community has been diagnosed with the new coronavirus; one in 10 (11%) personally knows someone who has been diagnosed with the disease.

See PDF for full results, charts and tables.

Testing remained an issue at the time of these interviews; 44% said there were people in their area who wanted a test but couldnt get one. Reported unavailability of tests rises to 58% among those who reported diagnosed cases in their community, vs. 35% of those with no known local cases.

Personal concerns are amplified by painful economic disruption. As reported yesterday, the poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, finds that one in three Americans say they or an immediate family member have been laid off or lost their job as a result of the pandemic, and 51% report a cut in pay or work hours. Ninety-two percent expect a recession.

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.

In the political arena, President Donald Trumps overall job approval rating advanced to his best on record in ABC/Post polls, 48%, even as 58% say he acted too slowly in the early days of the outbreak. This is the first time since he took office that Trumps approval rating has exceeded disapproval of his work, 46% (though the difference isnt statistically significant).

Fifty-one percent approve specifically of Trumps handling of the outbreak; 45% dont.

That said, there are substantial risks to the president. Trumps overall approval rating drops among people who are more worried about catching the coronavirus, report severe local economic impacts, say their lives have been especially disrupted or know someone whos caught the virus. He also has lower approval in states with higher per-capita infection rates.

Story continues

PHOTO: President Donald Trump answers a questions during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at the White House on March 24, 2020, in Washington. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Some of this relates to the demographics of the affected states, and some reflect greater levels of apprehension among Trumps critics. Nonetheless, the results suggest that as the crisis deepens, the risks to views of his performance likely rise.

Two comparisons underscore the extent of the crisis on a personal level. The number of adults who report experiencing stress as a result of the pandemic (70%) exceeds the highest level of stress caused by the Great Recession as measured in ABC/Post polls (61% in March 2009). And the 69% who are worried about infection in their immediate family far surpasses the highest level of such fears in past epidemics, 52% for swine flu in October 2009.

Impacts

One dramatic impact is on work: Twelve percent of Americans say theyve started teleworking  working online from home for pay  since the outbreak began. Thats the rough equivalent of about 30 million adults.

Teleworking is twice as prevalent among people who say theres been a diagnosed case in their community compared with those who dont know of any local cases, 29% vs. 14%. Indeed, 18% in affected communities say they started teleworking just since the outbreak began, vs. 7% in other communities. Working remotely also is highest by far among higher-income and more-educated adults.

Another impact is on students. Seventy-one percent say they or someone in their immediate family has had school or college classes canceled or moved online. That jumps to nearly all of those with a child under age 18 living in their household, 93%.

Vast numbers report taking action. About nine in 10 adults say theyre practicing social distancing, staying home as much as possible and not going to restaurants and bars; 82% report washing their hands more frequently; and 61% have stocked up on supplies, up vastly from 35% in a similar question in a Kaiser Family Foundation poll 10 days ago.

PHOTO: Evanston residents line up for voting at Trinity Lutheran Church in Evanston, Ill., March 17, 2020. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Underscoring tremendous stress on the travel industry, 53% also have canceled travel plans, a number thats grown from 13% in mid-February and 42% in mid-March, again in KFF polls.

Apart from their reported actions and their levels of worry, people assign themselves differing levels of risk of coming down with the coronavirus. Just 20% see themselves as having a high risk, 36% a moderate risk, 35% low risk and 8% no risk.

Among people who personally know someone whos been infected, 75% see themselves as being at high or moderate risk, compared with 54% of others; and risk assessment is higher, by 12 percentage points, among those living in states with the highest per-capita infection rates, compared with those in states with the lowest rates.

Government Response

Trumps 51-45% rating specifically for handling the coronavirus crisis finds approval 10 points higher than in a CNN poll three weeks ago. That said, many more, 66%, express confidence in the federal governments ability to handle the outbreak; that includes just 26% who are very confident.

Others attract greater confidence. Seventy-eight percent are confident in the ability of their state government to handle the outbreak and the same number express confidence in their local hospitals and health agencies. Again, many fewer (three in 10) are very confident.

Comparisons are challenging given the differing nature of national crises, but theres a general tendency for Americans to rally to the presidents side at such moments, at least initially. Trumps approval rating is up 5 points from mid-February. George W. Bushs approval rating soared by 31 points after the 9/11 attacks; George Bushs, by 16 points at the start of Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Notably, Trumps approval rating among Democrats is up 13 points since mid-February to a new high, albeit just 17%; and up 10 points among liberals to 19%, also a high. He remains vastly more popular among Republicans (86% approve) and conservatives (75%) with middling approval from independents (49% approve) and lower among moderates (40%).

As mentioned, the presidents ratings are lower among harder-hit Americans.

His approval rating is 55% among those who report moderate or lighter economic impacts in their community, vs. 41% among those who see severe impacts. Its 62% among those who have experienced only limited disruption to their lives, vs. 38% among those who report a lot of disruption. Its 12 points lower among those who personally know someone whos contracted coronavirus vs. those who dont, 38 vs. 50%. And its 12 points lower among people in states with eight or more cases per 100,000 residents (as of Sunday), compared with people in the comparatively lightly affected states (fewer than four cases per 100,000).

Part of this may reflect the fact that Democrats are more populous in states that are harder hit; nonetheless, it shows a risk for Trump to the extent that conditions worsen.

States with statewide nonessential business closures (ABC News)

The view that Trump acted too slowly in the early days of the crisis  58% overall  is higher in the hardest-hit states. In states with 1,000 or more cases as of Sunday (when interviews began), 67% say he moved too slowly, compared with 51% of those in states with fewer than 200 cases. Similarly, it was 67% in states with the highest number of cases per capita (eight or more per 100,000 residents) vs. 52% in those with fewer than four cases per 100,000. And 68% of those in states with non-essential business closures (again, as of Sunday) say Trump moved too slowly, vs. 53% in states without these closures.

Stress and Worry

As noted, 70% of adults report personal stress as a result of the pandemic; this includes 36%  more than one in three Americans  who call it serious stress. Theres a substantial gender gap, with women 16 points more likely than men to say the virus is a source of stress, 77 vs. 61%. The gap is especially large between Republican women  73% with coronavirus-related stress  and Republican men, 49%.

Stress also is more prevalent in urban and suburban areas (72 and 73%, respectively) than in rural areas (59%).

There also are differences among groups in worry about catching the coronavirus. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats and about as many independents (73%) are very or somewhat worried, compared with 56% of Republicans. Similarly, about three quarters of liberals and moderates alike express worry, compared with 59% of conservatives (including 64% of somewhat conservative Americans, dropping to 53% of strong conservatives).

Compared with an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters in mid-March, worry is up most steeply among independents  45% worried then, 73% now  but also up 16 points among Republicans and 9 points (from a higher starting point) among Democrats.

There are a variety of explanations for partisan and ideological differences in response to the virus. Republicans and conservatives are far more apt to respond positively to Trumps handling of the crisis, and so may see less reason to worry. Also, worry is 11 points higher in states with non-essential business closures and 9 points higher in states with the most cases per capita, compared with states with the fewest per-capita cases. As noted, more Democrats and fewer Republicans live in those higher-concern states.

Methodology

This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone March 22-25, 2020, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points, including the design effect. Partisan divisions are 30-24-37%, Democrats-Republicans-independents.

The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates of New York, N.Y., with sampling and data collection by Abt Associates of Rockville, Md. See details on the surveys methodology here.

Christine Filer, Sofi Sinozich and Allison De Jong contributed to this report.

Coronavirus impacts: Disrupted lives, elevated stress, and soaring worry: Poll originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Ziman and Irvin have been working remotely during the past week, and intend to continue doing so, their spokesmen said. Neither has been hospitalized, and anyone tested is mandated to be quarantined for at least 14 days from their initial tests.
Angela Weiss/Getty

At one Queens hospital, 13 patients being treated for the novel coronavirus died in a mere 24 hours, as dozens more sick New Yorkers lined up outside in the cold waiting to get tested. Across town, construction workers in Manhattan have been working around the clock to build a makeshift morgue outside Bellevue Hospital, anticipating a surge of virus victims, while doctors inside are scrambling to secure more medical supplies.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that all of the intensive care beds in the city will be filled by Friday.

Hospitals in New York are under siegethats probably the simplest way I can describe it, an NYU Langone doctor told The Daily Beast. We have never seen anything like this, and we are so unprepared for the need that seems to grow daily. Honestly, Im terrified.

As the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, New York Citys hospital system has been overwhelmed by patients, with physicians seemingly unable to keep up with the tidal wave of new cases that continue to surge daily as government officials rush to put a band-aid on the problem.

Coronavirus Heroes Are Getting Tossed From Their Homes by Scared Landlords

To date, over 385 people have died and 37,258 individuals have been infected with the virus across the city of 8.6 million, accounting for a quarter of all cases nationwide, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. Within the last 24 hours, the number of people hospitalized has jumped 40 percent and over 100 have people died.

New York City hospitals right now are on the brink of what I would call being maxed out in terms of their available capacity, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Wednesday. New York has another about five weeks to go for this between now and when theyre going to hit peak hospitalizations, so the fact that theyre stretched right now is worrisome.

While the cases account for fewer than 1 percent of the Empire States population, hospitals are overwhelmed, understaffed, and short on suppliesunable to keep up with a hospitalization rate that Cuomo said is moving faster than initial estimates. Health officials project that 140,000 New Yorkers will need to be hospitalized on account of the coronavirus over the next two weeks, which exceeds the states supply of hospital beds by 35 percent.

Story continues

Cuomo confirmed fears of city hospitals overrun with coronavirus cases on Thursday, stating that under almost any realistic scenario of this pandemic, New York State would be overwhelmed by the number of patients.

Were adding to the hospital capacity every way we can, Cuomo said. Almost any scenario that is realistic will overwhelm the capacity of the current healthcare system. We cannot get the curve down low enough so that we dont overwhelm the hospitals capacity. We have to increase hospital capacity.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Implements Stay at Home Order Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

To combat the lack of space, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has been repurposed as a makeshift overflow hospital facility, and Cuomo said officials are considering transforming dorms and hotels into emergency medical wards.

City universities are also taking extraordinary measures to fight the outbreak, as Columbia University and New York University announced Thursday that they will allow medical students to graduate early so they can pitch in with the response effort.

Cuomo added that urgently needed medical supplies have been distributed across the state for immediate needsincluding one million surgical masks to New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio previously said the federal government was sending 2,000 ventilators to the citybut thats hardly enough to cover the 15,000 needed to continue helping residents.

People forget, we are just at the beginning of the bell curve of what is to come here, one Manhattan medical social worker told The Daily Beast. The overwhelming idea at our hospital is that this is a bit of a war, and we need to pace ourselves.

This war is most evident at Elmhurst Hospital Center: a 545-bed public facility in Queens that lost 13 patients within 24 hours this week. The hospital, which de Blasio said has seen a disproportionately high number of cases, has since begun transferring parents to other hospitals. New Yorkers waiting for treatment on Thursday morning were forced to stand outside the facility in a line organized by metal barricades that stretched around the block.

This Is What a Coronavirus Lockdown Means in Each State

Elmhurst is at the center of this crisis, and its the number one priority of our public hospital system right now, a spokesperson for the New York City Health Department told The Daily Beast. The frontline staff is going above and beyond in this crisis, and we continue surging supplies and personnel to this critical facility to keep pace with the crisis.

The spokesperson added that while the deaths are consistent with the number of ICU patients being treated there, city officials are increasing the effective capacity of the hospital on a daily basis by sending more doctors, nurses, ventilators, and PPE to meet demand.

Outside Bellevue Hospital in Midtown Manhattan, construction and city medical examiner workers have been scrambling to fulfill another contingency plan in anticipation of the surge of coronavirus victims: a temporary morgue.

The building of the makeshift morguea grim reality of mass casualty eventswas part of the citys emergency declaration that de Blasio signed on March 13.

I know the morgues push a really strong emotional button, obviously. Were all humans, de Blasio said in a Wednesday statement. Its a very troubling thing to see, and it makes it very immediate, very visceral. Its going to be very, very painful.

In addition to the makeshift morgue, Bellevue has a refrigerator truck that has yet to be activated in case of any overflow, a spokesperson told The Daily Beast. An identical truck at the Elmhurst Hospital Center is already active.

On the frontlines of this highly infectious virus are health care professionals who are facing a shortage of necessary suppliesforcing many doctors and nurses to treat patients without adequate protective equipment.

At Mount Sinai West in Manhattan, a nurse who had been treating infected patients died from the virus just one week after he tested positive, the hospital said in a statement to The Daily Beast. Kious Jordan Kelly, a nursing manager at the hospital in his 40s, was hospitalized on March 17 and died Tuesday.

Pregnant Women Turn to Home Births to Escape Virus

We are deeply saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our nursing staff. The safety of our staff and patients has never been of greater importance and we are taking every precaution possible to protect everyone, the hospital said in a statement. But this growing crisis is not abating and has already devastated hundreds of families in New York and turned our frontline professionals into true American heroes. Today, we lost another heroa compassionate colleague, friend, and selfless caregiver.

Muni Tahzib, a nurse at a CityMD walk-in clinic in Chelsea, contracted the virus after treating patients. After testing positive on Monday, Tahzib told The Daily Beast that while she is suffering a high fever and can barely breathe, shes mostly bummed for not being able to help my colleagues on the frontlines.

Its vicious here in New York, Tahzib said. A number of my colleagues are going down.

While she said she is not worried about recovering from the coronavirusafter working during many humanitarian disasters over the last decadeshe worries for health-care professionals who are supposed to continue to treat infected New Yorkers with limited medical supplies.

How is this going to happen? You can bring 15,000 ventilators, but the reality is we dont have 15,000 intensive care doctors and nurses who can do this work, she said, noting that before she fell sick, she and her colleagues were working up to seven 12-hour shifts a week.

Another Mount Sinai nurse told The Daily Beast that hospital doctors and nurses have been forced to use trash bags as productive gearprompting daily arguments with infectious disease nurses and supply room supervisors over the distribution of limited resources to patients and staff.

My chest hurts from arguing and crying, she said. The people at the top... have no idea what it is like. They wear nice suits and sit in their offices making phone calls and in conference rooms in meetings all day.

Put scrubs on and come and join us in our fight and then we can... come up with a better plan as to how together we will win this fight, she added.

An ER doctor from the same hospital system reiterated those concerns, stating that within the last week, Mount Sinai has seen a dramatic increase in cases that has forced staff to learn as they go.

One Mask Only: Coronavirus Docs and Nurses Forced to Make Terrifying Compromises

Were building space where we never knew we had space, repurposing formerly closed wards, the doctor said. Were opening up spaces we have not used in years to care for patients.

She added, Unfortunately right now people who are in our waiting room have a very hard time staying six feet away, so thats a dangerous place to be.

Three Manhattan medical social workers told The Daily Beast that fear and anxiety among hospital staff and patients has reached an all-time high.

Patients are nervous to go into hospitals for fear of contracting the virus insideor that their diagnosis will mean life-long financial ruin. Doctors, on the other hand, are nervous about potentially bringing the virus back home to their families and neighbors.

As social workers, we are definitely the resident therapists for every single provider and patient here, one social worker said with a laugh. Medical social work is the link between a persons medical world and the rest of their world. From what weve seen the last couple of weeks, everyones world is filled with anxiety of what is to come.

One gynecologist at a New York City hospital added that while she has seen a shift at her public hospital over the last couple of weeksespecially as supplies began to dwindle and her pregnant patients grew fearful of giving birth amid a pandemicshe is proud of her colleagues for remaining focused and continuing to serve the community.

The doctor, who currently is not treating patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19, said she heard a rumor on Thursday that she may be deployed to a neighboring hospital to work on the frontlines, as many other physicians have been asked to do.

Everyones a little anxious, but this is what you take an oath to do, so you just have to do it, she said. We just have to be supportive with each other, and thats really it. Everyone just has a sense of duty.

One medical social worker, however, was not so optimistic.

We have a lot of frustrated doctors right now, one said. Honestly, leadership in this city had lots of clear information about how to get ahead of this pandemic, or at least handle it in a safe, effective way. They failed and the New York City health care system is going to suffer.

With reporting by Rachel Olding

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here

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.
DUBLIN, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Transition to a Successful Work at Home Agent (WAHA) Model" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The overall contact center outsourcing services market is forecast to exhibit low single-digit growth in the number of agents in 2020, year over year. This study explores the best practices, benefits, challenges, and growth opportunities for WAHA, and provides real examples of successful implementations.

The remote work modality is rapidly becoming the norm among office workers throughout the globe.



The main difference between remote work and work at the home agent (WAHA) is that the former covers all types of professionals, working remotely from anywhere, while the latter is a term that is restricted to contact center agents who work from their homes. WAHA is a prominent growth opportunity for the customer care industry, including both outsourcing service providers (SPs) and organizations with in-house contact center operations.

Contact centers today are presented with a myriad of challenges, including raising saturation levels in the labor pools of key urban areas, and strong competition for skilled talent from adjacent industries, such as financial services, hospitality, airlines, and services. This is making it harder for business process outsourcing (BPO) centers to find the right talent at the right cost. WAHA provides a unique solution to this challenge as it allows BPOs to tap into a larger pool of potential employees.



As a matter of fact, the benefits of WAHA for contact centers are many and include but are not restricted to lower costs compared to an in-site operation; access to an untapped talent pool that is unable or unwilling to commute to work; ability to establish operations in cities, regions or even countries where the company does not have the physical infrastructure; and better work-life balance for employees, which leads to lower absenteeism and attrition rates.

Without exception, all the CCSPs interviewed for this research (AlmavivA do Brasil, GOL Linhas Aereas, Sitel, and Teleperformance Colombia) expect to see extremely high growth rates in terms of WAHA agents in LATAM in 2020.

Key Topics Covered



1. Executive Summary

Key Findings

2. Market Definitions

Definitions - Remote Work and WAHA

Definitions - Models of WAHA

3. Market Overview

Make Them Feel Part of the Company!

Reach an Untapped Labor Pool

Security is Paramount!

Regulations Matter

4. Company Profiles

Company Profile - AlmavivA do Brasil

Company Profile - GOL Linhas Aereas

Company Profile - Sitel

Company Profile - Teleperformance Colombia

5. Growth Opportunities and Companies to Action

Growth Opportunity 1 - Work at Home Agents

Growth Opportunity 2 - Reduce Attrition Levels

Growth Opportunity 3 - Security as a Service

Growth Opportunity 4 - The Best Talent to Pave the Way for Growth!

Growth Opportunity 5 - Add More Value to Your Clients

Strategic Imperatives for WAHA Providers

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/446sl9

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Snow showers this evening becoming more scattered later. Low -7C. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%..

Tonight

Snow showers this evening becoming more scattered later. Low -12C. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%.
And he attacked Democratic governors for being insufficiently grateful for his efforts.

Think of it, 22 days ago we had the greatest economy in the world, Mr. Trump said at a news conference. Everything was going beautifully. The stock market hit an all-time high again for the over 150th time during my presidency.

He singled out the governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, and the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, for his prime time scorn.

Mr. Inslee, he said, was a failed presidential candidate who was constantly tripping and complaining. Ms. Whitmer has no idea whats going on, he said.

He then said he told Vice President Mike Pence, his coronavirus coordinator, to stop calling Mr. Inslee and Ms. Whitmer: Dont call the woman in Michigan, doesnt make any difference, he said of Ms. Whitmer.

Very simple. I want them to be appreciative, he said, saying his administration has done a hell of a job.

In a subsequent CNN town hall event on Friday night, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who is likely to face Mr. Trump in the general election, took issue with how the president has spoken about some governors. Ms. Whitmer is a national co-chair of his campaign.

This is not personal, Mr. Biden said. It has nothing to do with you, Donald Trump, nothing to do with you. Do your job. Stop personalizing everything.
The city of San Antonio is accepting donations of unopened cleaning supplies to help support first responders during the stay at home pandemic.

Through its social media outlets, the city put the call-out on Thursday, asking for help from the public. Businesses and commercial enterprises are being asked to donate unopened supplies like hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, nitrile gloves and bleach to help local first responders and public-facing services.
The wife and two children of a cruise ship passenger who died of coronavirus will miss his funeral because they too have the deadly disease.

Garry Kirstenfeldt, 68, was the ninth Australian to succumb to COVID-19 when he died in a Toowoomba, Queensland, hospital on Wednesday.

He was on board Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, one of the notorious three cruise ships that docked in Sydney last week in a border security blunder that allowed hundreds of infected passengers to disembark.

Mr Kirstenfeldt will be laid to rest on April 3 but his wife Jennifer and daughters Lorna and Shakira will not be there as they also have coronavirus.

Garry Kirstenfeldt, 68, was the ninth Australian to succumb to COVID-19 when he died in a Toowoomba, Queensland, hospital on Wednesday

Mr Kirstenfeldt will be laid to rest on April 3 but his wife Jennifer (back centre) and daughters Lorna and Shakira (back left and right) will not be there as they also have coronavirus. His others children Orinda (front left) and Kevin (front right) will be

His eldest daughter Orinda and youngest son Kevin are in self-isolation, but will be able to attend as their 14 days ends the hours before the funeral.

Orinda said the family was heartbroken the beloved patriarch died alone while they were trapped in quarantine away from him.

'We never expected his 17th cruise to be his last or no one to be at his side for the last moments of his life,' she said.

'This was the first time he had been in hospital and we were not at his side. He had been at death's door multiple times before.

'I would need both my hands and another to count all the times he gave us such frights but fought his way back to us.'

His daughter Orinda (pctured together) said the family was heartbroken the beloved patriarch died alone while they were trapped in quarantine away from him

His eldest daughter Orinda and youngest son Kevin (pictured together) are in self-isolation, but will be able to attend as their 14 days ends the hours before the funeral

Orinda said her dad was a travel lover who loved going on vacations, both up the coast of Queensland or overseas.

'You'd always find him with a smile and family. He had been on 16 cruise ships and loved to relax with family or worry about activities to keep us entertained,' she said.

'His favourite would have been the one around Hawaii. He wanted to retire there, no matter how difficult it would have been.'

The devastated daughter paid tribute to Mr Kirstenfeldt who despite seriously underlying medical conditions, had 'much more life in him'.

'Our mother and my three siblings have so many beautiful memories and knew we had been very lucky,' she said.

His daughter said Mr Kirstenfeldt was a travel lover who loved going on vacations, both up the coast of Queensland or overseas

The whole family took many holidays together including this one where they all sat together on a plane

'Our dad always had time for each of us, playing games or dealing with our squabbles. He made an impression on all he met and considered his friends extended family.

'Daddy was taken so suddenly from us too soon and still had so much to give.'

His widow Ms Kirstenfeldt also mourned him, promising the family would never forget him.

'He will be terribly missed but forever in our hearts. He deserved so much more and to be celebrated,' she said.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles offered his condolences on Wednesday in the wake of Mr Kirstenfeldt's death.

His widow Ms Kirstenfeldt also mourned him, promising the family would never forget him

He was on board Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, one of the notorious three cruise ships that that docked in Sydney last week

'I want to extend my condolences to the family in Toowoomba who tonight are grieving their loved one,' he said.

'This will never get any easier; together we must do absolutely everything we can to stop the outbreak.'

Voyager of the Seas was one of four ships controversially allowed to unload thousands of passengers at Sydney Harbour last week

Thousands of passengers were let loose despite the government banning cruise arrivals for 30 days just the day before.

More than 100 coronavirus cases and several deaths have been linked to the ships so far.
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Bowl America (NYSEMKT:BWL.A) share price has dived 34% in the last thirty days. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 43% drop over twelve months.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio.

Check out our latest analysis for Bowl America

How Does Bowl America's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

Bowl America has a P/E ratio of 13.70. As you can see below Bowl America has a P/E ratio that is fairly close for the average for the hospitality industry, which is 13.8.

AMEX:BWL.A Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

Its P/E ratio suggests that Bowl America shareholders think that in the future it will perform about the same as other companies in its industry classification. So if Bowl America actually outperforms its peers going forward, that should be a positive for the share price. I would further inform my view by checking insider buying and selling., among other things.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

Bowl America's earnings per share were pretty steady over the last year. But over the longer term (5 years) earnings per share have increased by 17%.

Story continues

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

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.

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

How Does Bowl America's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

With net cash of US$8.6m, Bowl America has a very strong balance sheet, which may be important for its business. Having said that, at 19% of its market capitalization the cash hoard would contribute towards a higher P/E ratio.

The Verdict On Bowl America's P/E Ratio

Bowl America has a P/E of 13.7. That's around the same as the average in the US market, which is 13.4. EPS was up modestly better over the last twelve months. And the net cash position gives the company many options. The average P/E suggests the market isn't overly optimistic, though. Given Bowl America's P/E ratio has declined from 20.9 to 13.7 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is significantly less confident about the business today, than it was back then. For those who don't like to trade against momentum, that could be a warning sign, but a contrarian investor might want to take a closer look.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. Although we don't have analyst forecasts you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Bowl America. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Kenya has banned the importation of second-hand clothes , popularly known as mitumba, as a way of limiting the spread of coronavirus.

Importation of used clothes is suspended with immediate effect to safeguard the health of Kenyans and promote local textiles, Kenyas Daily Nation newspaper quoted Trade Minister Betty Maina as saying.

Many people buy second-hand clothes sent from Europe, North America, and China, which they prefer because they are more affordable than new products.

A significant number of Kenyans with low-incomes depend on the mitumba business for their livelihoods.



But the government has been keen to discourage these imports in support of local industries.

On Wednesday, Ms. Maina met second-hand clothes dealers and encouraged them to source goods from local manufacturers.

But not everyone is happy with the suspension.

The MP for Kamukunji sub-county, where the bustling clothes market of Eastleigh is situated, tweeted his opposition, saying he was shocked by the move, as reported by BBC.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
In the two and a half weeks since Michigan confirmed its first case of coronavirus, its become one of the nations hot spots for COVID-19.

Michigan now has more cases than Illinois, more cases than Florida and three times as many cases as Ohio. The state ranks fifth behind New York, New Jersey, Washington state and Louisiana in confirmed cases per capita.

The situation is particularly dire in metro Detroit; only the New York and New Orleans metro areas have higher numbers when adjusted for population.

Almost 30% of Michigans COVID-19 cases are Detroit city residents and 83% involve residents of Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties.

Southeast Michigan is pretty much exploding with exponential growth of COVID patients, and hospital systems are being overwhelmed, said Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious diseases specialist for Detroit Medical Center.

Weve never seen anything like this before, said Dr. Matthew Sims, infectious disease specialist for Beaumont Hospitals. A large portion of the population is becoming infected. People are dealing with shortages of supplies and not really knowing what the best way to treat these patients.

There are multiple theories about why the numbers have increased so quickly in Michigan, doubling every few days for the past week.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

No question, experts say, one factor has been an increased in testing. When Michigan confirmed its first COVID-19 cases on March 10, the state had only 300 coronavirus test kits and all the tests were being processed by the state Bureau of Laboratories.

Since then, the state has greatly expanded its test capabilities, with private labs and multiple hospitals -- including Beaumont and Henry Ford in metro Detroit and Sparrow in Lansing -- processing tests as well as the state Bureau of Laboratories.

But the rapidly rising numbers arent just a reflection of more testing, says Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the states chief medical executive.

I dont think its just about were testing more people, Khaldun told MLive. "There are more people getting sick in southeast Michigan from COVID-19.

While increased testing helps explain the rising numbers, another critical factor is the susceptibility of the metro Detroits population to any infectious disease, said Chopra and Dr. Paul Kilgore, a medical doctor and epidemiologist at Wayne State University.

Southeast Michigan and Detroit are a very vulnerable population with any infection. Flu, you name it, we always have a higher prevalence, so its not just about this pandemic," Chopra said.

Theres a host of factors that make us more vulnerable, she said. You have a large number of older people with uncontrolled diabetes, with hypertension, with COPD. You have drug users and people who live in shelters.

The high poverty rate in Detroit and some of the other surrounding communities means that people are less likely to seek medical attention unless they are very sick, Chopra said.

That high poverty rate also means people may not have heard about the states stay-at-home order or the social distancing guidelines, or may be less in position to adhere to them, Kilgore said.

A really significant proportion of Detroiters have limited access to reliable health information, because they lack Internet access and arent paying attention to the media, Kilgore said. "So a message of protecting yourself may not be getting out to people, and we dont know what proportion of the population is not getting that message.

People may be just going about their business as usual, not really understanding the potential impact of not only the behaviors on themselves, but on their family and people around them, he said.

Even if they are aware of the guidelines, people in poverty who live in communal settings, rely on public transportation and/or have more limited access to running water, sanitizer and cleaning products may find it difficult to adhere the COVID-19 prevention protocols, he said.

Low-income residents also may be afraid to seek treatment if and when they do fall ill for fear of running up medical bills -- which can foster spread of COVID, he said.

The density of the metro Detroit population is yet another reason why the numbers are so high in southeast Michigan. Almost 40% of all Michigan residents live in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties.

All the major metropolitan areas are beginning to see an explosion in numbers," Kilgore said.

Infectious disease thrives best in environments where people have a wide circle of social interactions and people are coming in and out of the community, maximizing the number of potential hosts, experts say. That makes areas such as metro Detroit much more susceptible than, say, rural communities where social interactions tend involve a much more limited number of people.

That leads to yet another theory of why metro Detroit has become a hotbed of coronavirus: Detroit Metro Airport was one of 13 in the country and one of only two in the Midwest along with Chicagos OHare International Airport that have been serving flights from Europe and Asia during COVID-related travel restrictions.

Although those international travelers were screened as they arrived, its certainly possible that COVID patients who were asymptomatic went undetected and infected others as they headed out to domestic terminals for flights home, Kilgore said.

Theres a good chance that some cases did come in" through the airport, he said.

Friday, the U.S. surgeon general said the situation in Detroit is likely to worsen over next week. Thats very likely true, Michigan health officials say.

Were on the up-slope right now, and we havent seen any sense that its flattening," Kilgore said.

But through strict adherence to the stay-at-home order and social distancing guidelines, he said, Michigan residents can help the state turn a corner on the coronavirus crisis.

We can definitely flatten the curve; we can limit the number of people who get sick," he said.

The No. 1 thing is staying home,he said. We need to get this message out to everyone, that you only go out to get food, get medicine, for essential reasons.

"Those are things that people can do that would really help and get to that flattening point as soon as possible.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

To read more on MLive:

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

GM will build ventilators in Indiana, surgical masks in Warren

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to re-open this school year

Michigan medical chief fears hospitals will run out of room
Technavio has been monitoring the cold cuts market and it is poised to grow by USD 89.52 billion during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 11% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005414/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Cold Cuts Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Boar's Head Brand, Cargill, Hormel Foods, Seaboard Corporation, The Kraft Heinz Company, and Tyson Foods are some of the major market participants. The demand for packaged food will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Demand for packaged food has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Cold Cuts Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Cold Cuts Market is segmented as below:

Product Deli cold cuts Packaged cold cuts



Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30348

Cold Cuts Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our cold cuts market report covers the following areas:

Cold Cuts Market Size

Cold Cuts Market Trends

Cold Cuts Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increasing demand for healthy and natural cold cuts as one of the prime reasons driving the cold cuts market growth during the next few years.

Cold Cuts Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the cold cuts market, including some of the vendors such as Boar's Head Brand, Cargill, Hormel Foods, Seaboard Corporation, The Kraft Heinz Company, and Tyson Foods. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the cold cuts market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Cold Cuts Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist cold cuts market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the cold cuts market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the cold cuts market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of cold cuts market vendors

Table Of Contents:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

2.1 Preface

2.2 Preface

2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

Deli cold cuts Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Packaged cold cuts Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 10: MARKET TRENDS

Increasing demand for healthy and natural cold cuts

Innovation in packaging

Increasing M&A activities

PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Boar's Head Brand

Cargill

Hormel Foods

Seaboard Corporation

The Kraft Heinz Company

Tyson Foods

PART 13: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005414/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/
Major Tech Companies Kowtow to Chinas Communist Party, Just Like HuaweiRoslyn Layton [CPAC 2020]

In this episode of American Thought Leaders , we sit down with Dr. Roslyn Layton, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the co-founder of China Tech Threat, to discuss the threat posed by Chinese-owned companies like Huawei, ZTE, Lexmark, and Lenovo, which are legally obligated to hand over information to the Chinese Communist Party, if asked. Many state and local government departments like the DMV have contracts with such companies.

Layton is also a visiting researcher at Aalborg University Center for Communication, Media, and Information Technologies and a vice president at Strand Consult, both in Denmark.

Jan Jekielek: Roslyn Layton, so great to have you on American Thought Leaders.

Roslyn Layton: Great to be back. Thank you.

Mr. Jekielek: I want to first start by highlighting your website, China Tech Threat. This is something new since we talked last. Youve done some incredible work around this.

Ms. Layton: If you go to ChinaTechThreat.com, I have a series of reports covering threats in information technology. Most people have heard about Huawei. People think, if we ban Huawei, then everythings fine. But there are Chinese technological threats in the computers that we use, the printers we attach to the networks, the software, and the services. Theres a lot of things, and what Im trying to do is to pick apart those pieces one by one.

Mr. Jekielek: I read that a lot of statehouses actually have Lenovo equipment. Why would that be a threat?

Ms. Layton: This is an interesting Chinese strategy, where there are American companies, IBM and ThinkPad, for example, theyre purchased by Chinese owners or investors, which is a front for the government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As a result of that, all the laws of China apply to those companies. So theyre not using the transparency, the disclosures  we dont know who their boards of directors are, and anything connected on a Lenovo computer can technically be transferred to China to be reviewed and processed by the Chinese government.

In fact, the contracts that US states are signing with Lenovo stipulate as much. They say Lenovo could take the data out to any country where they do business. Why would they need to do that? Theres no reason. If I go to the DMV, why does Lenovo need to take my data to another country or any country? Theres no reason for that, but their contract allows them to do that.

Mr. Jekielek: A Chinese company basically has to give its data carte blanche to the regime if its not already working with the regime on that data.

Ms. Layton: To me, its just an unnecessary risk. It would be one thing if it was just a one-off, but at least 43 states in the US have signed up for these kinds of agreements. Were talking about departments of elections, DMV, Family and Childrens Services, courthousesall of this sensitive financial information. The irony is, many of these states like California, theyre putting very draconian information privacy laws on companies. But the government doesnt have to comply with those laws. The state government of California is basically opening the back door to China and saying please come in and take all of our data. Its maddening.

Mr. Jekielek: It absolutely is. And of course, we know that the development of AI is basically contingent on large amounts of data.

Ms. Layton: That is absolutely in the future, but I think today. for example, different pharmaceutical companies or financial services are being hacked. Because they can study, by running scripts against the customer databases, what financial products they buy. They can look at what stocks different customers buy.

Mr. Jekielek: So this is a wild amount of free market research data.

Ms. Layton: Yes! They can just get it for free. It can be done by hackers. The Equifax hack was [done by] Chinese soldiers. Now the Department of Justice is going after them. But the other part is willingly giving it away. Countries try to infiltrate each others systems at the state level. It stands to reason whether our federal government is not protected on the state level and even on the federal level. We have major hacks. The Office of Personnel Management is one. But, this is a case where the contract allowsrequiresthat the data just be taken. And theres no force

Mr. Jekielek: Is it that theyre just not reading the fine print?

Ms. Layton: That might be one part, but they dont realize what the Chinese intelligence law means. And theyre not connecting that Lenovo is a Chinese-owned company. Lexmark as well, they think its an American company, its based in Kentucky. Another one.

These companies are listed in the national vulnerability database. Of course, they would not market that, I understand. But, we have a clear and present danger today with China on so many fronts. We can barely manage the Huawei issue and theres all these other things, how are we going to get around it? And of course, these companies could white label their technology under another name, but theyre going forth, supposedly as trusted vendors.

To me, I think the state procurement officers should do better. Their trade association is aware of this. I brought the research to their attention. I think that theyre willing to step up. Normally, NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials), they do a fiscal review. So of course, you can get this equipment at cheap prices because its artificially kept low by China, they dont have to properly report their numbers, so they can do cut-rate pricing, and the Chinese government will subsidize them. So theyre checking the fiscal for its good use of taxpayers money, but theyre not doing a cybersecurity review, and they should. One of the things I call for is more support from the federal level to help the states do this. Also, the Federal Department of Commerce, which maintains this master list which is not easy to look at or easy to find.

Mr. Jekielek: Where does one find this?

Ms. Layton: You can go to the National Vulnerability Database https://nvd.nist.gov. But you have to wade through so much information. Its written in gobbledygook that doesnt make any sense to people. So part of what were trying to do with China Tech Threat is boil it down to help people understand. But at the very least, we shouldnt be willingly buying companies that are owned by the Chinese government. We shouldnt be buying their products at all. Theres nothing good about that.

Mr. Jekielek: For those administrators that might be watching the program, what are some of the most dangerous companies to watch out for?

Ms. Layton: Hikvision, thats the security cameras, those are banned in the NDAA; DJI drones, the TCL smart TVs. In our China Tech Threat, we try to highlight them and were going off of the National Vulnerability Database where theyre listing the vulnerabilities. Thats one thing, lets prioritize the threats. For example, the federal government or different branches of government, they will ban these particular products. There should just be an automatic memo out to all the states: do not buy. Its not that hard to do. You could just post it on social media.

On ChinaTechThreat.com, we try to have distinct reports about the different issues. We have a report about Huawei, we have a report about Lenovo and Lexmark, we have a video on going into the Best Buy and where you can buy products with known vulnerabilities. We try to make it simple and boil it down and we do things one by one. Its difficult to take the whole supply chain which is what we have to do at the end of the day, but at least we can start reducing the risk on known things so you dont willingly buy those products.

Mr. Jekielek: Im just going to reiterate this because it still blows my mind. By law, any Chinese company is required to provide any data it has within its systems to the regime.

Ms. Layton: To the Chinese government, yes. Thats the Chinese law, not an American law. And I actually think if they do that, it contravenes American law. Im not exactly sure on that.  I think states are starting to come to grips with that, for example, the State of Georgia, has a very forward-thinking procurement officer and they got rid of Kaspersky Labs. Its a known Russian service provider that presented a lot of risks. They (Georgia) got pushback, believe it or not. So for example with Huawei, the American semiconductor industry lobbies the Department of Defence and says no, no, no, we want to do business with them. We know they endanger national security, but we still want to make money. So, we should all be on the same page about this instead of trying to protect incumbent industries, which by the way, China wants to disrupt anyway. They dont want there to be an American semiconductor industry. When 4G is done, theyre out of there. They dont want to buy chips anymore from Qualcomm, but they dont have to. So its underscoring the complexity. And also, I think, this is really about understanding what it means to be for America. We shouldnt willingly be engaging in commerce thats threatening our national security, our long term viability. And again, this is a real threat.  These are real things that can undermine our economy, undermine our safety, our privacy. So those are the things we should really be working on.

Mr. Jekielek: Youre saying any Chinese company is a risk.

Ms. Layton: Absolutely. Chinese IT company, I would say.

Mr. Jekielek: Last question, is there any specific kind of procurement that is, the highest risk in your mind?

Ms. Layton: Based upon the data we have, no Huawei, no ZTE, no Lenovo, no Lexmark, no DJI drones. To make it simple, thats what we got to do. We got to start there.

Mr. Jekielek: Okay. Roslyn Layton. Its such a pleasure to have you.

Ms. Layton: Great to be with you. Thanks again, Jan.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
- The newly registered patients include five travellers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

- One was from the United States and another one from the Netherlands

- The other two were contacts of previously confirmed positive travellers

- All the patients are under treatment in an isolated health facility and are in stable condition

Rwanda has recorded nine new coronavirus cases, raising the national tally to 50.

Rwanda's Ministry of Health announced the nine new cases in a statement on Thursday, March 26.

READ ALSO: Heavily pregnant medics working to fight coronavirus hailed for their selflessness

The pandemic forced Kigali to impose strict regulations that have put human activities at a standstill. Photo: Daily Nation.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 19-year-old Kakamega student tests positive for COVID-19

The newly registered patients include five travellers from the United Arab Emirates, one from the United States and one from the Netherlands.They were all isolated upon arrival.

The other two were contacts of previously confirmed positive travellers.

All the patients are under treatment in an isolated health facility and are said to be in stable condition

READ ALSO: Nurses union gives Meru county government 7-day strike notice over unpaid February, March salaries

The ministry added the majority of them were asymptomatic and that the tracing of all contacts have been done.

The pandemic forced Kigali to impose strict regulations that have brought to a standstill all the major human activities including air travel.

Private transportation and pedestrian movement are all prohibited across the country except for essential services and to buy food.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Top Chef Masters' winner Floyd Cardoz dies from coronavirus

Police warned that it will arrest or fine anyone caught making unnecessary movement as people are required to stay in their homes during this period, for at least two weeks.

"Heightened vigilance continued to be required. The enhanced prevention measures announced by the Government of Rwanda must be rigorously observed," the ministry emphasised.

"Non-essential businesses are closed, travel between cities and districts is suspended, and non-essential movements outside the home are not permitted," the Ministry of Health added.

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
Sunset Carson, a star of 1940s westerns, made one of his countless personal appearances on March 29, 1976. But it is safe to say that none of the students and few of the faculty at Denton High School had any idea who he was.

An Okie by birth, Winifred Maurice Harrison moved to the Texas Panhandle in 1928 at the age of eight. It was on the family ranch near Plainview that Mick, the nickname of his youth, learned to ride and rope and practiced jumping on the backs of horses by leaping from hay bales.

Since Harrison never told his life story the same way twice, facts are hard to come by. He claimed to have followed the example of his father and uncle to become an accomplished rodeo performer while still in his teens. He supposedly spent two years on the South American circuit, where he allegedly won back-to-back Champion All-Around Cowboy awards in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Returning to the United States in 1942, Harrison was hired on his dads say-so by Tom Mix, the popular screen cowboy, for his Wild West Show. Mix encouraged the ruggedly handsome youth, who had grown to a height of six-foot-six, to give Hollywood a try and even went so far as to open a door or two for him.

That enabled the tall Texan to hit the ground running in Tinsel Town. He landed small parts as Michael Harrison in Stage Door Canteen, a wartime morale-booster full of famous faces, and Janie, a comedy about a young woman with a thing for men in uniform.

Those two flicks led to Harrisons discovery by Lou Grey of Republic Pictures. As a prolific producer of B-westerns, the studio was always in the market for actors who looked and talked like real rather than drug store cowboys. Harrison not only fit that profile but could stay in the saddle without falling off!

Republic quickly put the promising newcomer under contract. As Harrison recalled in an interview four decades later, executives told him all he had to do was take a two-month acting course and lose his strong Texas drawl.

They talked me into it, he joked. And they didnt have to try very hard.

Having met those requirements, he was called into a meeting to pick his new name. Michael Harrison was too long for movie marquees and didnt sound like a cowboys handle.

The brain-storming session bogged down until studio boss Herbert Yates stared idly out his office window. Across the street was a large sign advertising Sunset Motors. Thats it! Yates exclaimed. Moments later, the group agreed on Carson -- as in Kit Carson - for the surname.

I guess Im the only cowboy in the business, wisecracked Sunset Carson in the 1984 interview, that was named after a used-car lot.

The latest addition to the Republic stable did not start out as a leading man. In his first four pictures, all made in 1944, top billing went to Smiley Burnette who made a career out of playing the comic sidekick for Gene Autry and other western stars.

After Burnette left Republic in June 1944, Sunset got his big chance. Over the next two years, he had the starring role in 11 westerns tailored to his good looks, horsemanship and limited thespian talent.

Sunset attracted an impressive following, especially among children. In a popularity poll of western film stars taken in 1946 by the Motion Picture Herald, moviegoers ranked him eighth.

Then the bottom suddenly fell out. Shortly after a prestigious part in a Roy Rogers extravaganza with all the big names in western movies, he showed up drunk at a studio function escorted by an underaged girl.

A furious Herbert Yates told him right then and there he was finished at Republic. By the end of the year, Sunset was out the door and blacklisted at every major studio.

Washed up at 26, Sunset struggled to find work. He made five westerns at a bottom-of-the-barrel studio between 1948 and 1950. The outcast was not seen again on the silver screen for more than 20 years and for the final time in the 1985 turkey Alien Outlaw that was marketed as a sci-fi western.

Personal appearances of every description were his bread and butter. He did enjoy something of a short-lived comeback in the early 1980s as the host of the public television series Six-Gun Heroes that showed classic westerns of the B variety.

In the meantime, just staying alive was a challenge for Sunset. In 1979 a black widow spider bite almost proved fatal. He came even closer to dying the next year from abdominal cancer, but a surgeon saved his life.

However, the Grim Reaper could be kept at bay for only so long. Sunset Carson passed away in 1990 at his home in Reno, Nevada with his fifth wife by his side. He was 69 and a self-destructive has-been for the past 44 years.

Bartees book Texas Entertainers: Lone Stars in Profile is full of actors, singers and writers all Texans! Order your signed copy by mailing a check for $26.30 to Bartee Haile, P.O. Box 130011, Spring, TX 77393.
To celebrate World Theatre Day, we've decided to round up five theatre superstitions from across the globe!

Ghost lights

Many theatres are known for housing ghosts, and so when the theatre is empty one light must be left on. This is a pretty universal belief, and in some dressing rooms there are even designated lights used to ward any ghosts away!





Paying respect to a baby doll

When a prop baby is used in Chinese opera, the performers must pay it respect before and after the performance. The prop must also be handled with care - during the performance it must always face the sky, and after it must be packed away carefully facing the earth.





'Break a leg'

It's pretty common to say this phrase instead of good luck before someone makes their entrance on stage. But did you know that professional dancers instead opt to say 'merde' instead, as break a leg may be a little too on the nose...





Whistling

Much like when sailing ships, it is bad luck for an actor to whistle both on or off stage. Original stage crews were hired from ships, and so the cue for changing scenery would be a coded whistle. If you were to whistle at the wrong time, the scenery could change at the wrong time, resulting in injury!





'Mazepa'

You have probably heard that it's bad luck to say The Scottish Play whilst in the theatre, and the theatre industry in Poland have their own variation. It is considered bad luck to say the play Mazepa, which in the second half has an open casket appear on stage. This appearance is considered unsettling to many actors, and so the play is not uttered by anyone.
(This story has been updated with new information.)

FLINT TWP., MI -- U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee is sheltering at home like many of his constituents, and the Flint-area Democrat says he fears were all going to know somebody that we lose from COVID-19.

I feel a particular obligation to level with people and not try to pretend this isnt something awful because it really is," Kildee said from the from porch of his home on Wednesday, March 25. "Its just terrible. Its especially important that people can get credible information from the people that should be providing them with that information and not to sugarcoat it in any way.

(We have to) tell them the truth. This is going to be hard, Its going to be harder every week for a while. Were all going to know somebody that we lose from this terrible thing. Its kind of sad to say this, (but) hopefully for most of us, its not somebody really close.

What we know is that its already taken the lives of people in our state, and this is going to be hard.

The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Michigan took another big jump Thursday, March 26, reaching 2,856 cases, up from 2,295 the day before.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Friday, March 27, on the third national bill in response to the coronavirus spread.

Kildee was in Washington to vote on the first two aid packages when they passed March 4 and March 14, and he drove overnight back to the Capitol for Fridays vote.

Before that -- since March 14 -- he was in his district, working remotely, including helping to negotiate and propose ideas for the third package being considered by Congress, using video-teleconference and conference calls like other members of his staff.

As soon as I had a chance to get out of Washington, I came home. That was 11 days ago, and Ive been almost entirely sheltered. Ive left just a very few times and had very little interaction with anybody, Kildee said. But at least for about the last week, not (out) at all. Its difficult. Its especially difficult when my normal schedule is one that Im seeing hundreds and hundreds of people every day and moving my location constantly ... running back and forth ... Theres none of that now.

The congressman said the COVID-19 spread is especially difficult for Flint people, "who are just coming out of our own little crisis and have been through all that trauma.

This comes on top of our own crisis that we are really not even finished with yet, he said of the citys water emergency.

The fact that in this case, the way we solve the problem is not the way we are conventionally conditioned to solve the problem -- to come together, embrace each other, and hold one another" -- isnt an option.

(We) just have to wait. Thats a very hard thing to do, he said.

Michigans State Emergency Operations Center advises that to help stop the spread of coronavirus, people should take steps including staying at home if you are sick and advise others to do the same and avoiding close contact with others.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 2,856 cases, doubling in three days

What Michigans coronavirus numbers tell us and what we still dont know
Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have been delivering livestreams from their respective headquarters in Vermont and Delaware.

In a video news briefing Mr Biden took aim at US President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus crisis.

The former vice president also suggested he would not take part in the Democratic Party's 12th debate, due to be held some time next month and in which Mr Sanders had suggested he will participate.

"My focus is just dealing with this crisis right now," he said. "I haven't thought about any more debates. I think we've had enough debates. I think we should get on with this."

Observers say the frustration expressed by the 77-year-old points to the unprecedented landscape in which the 2020 presidential race will play out.

Several states have postponed their primaries amid safety concerns, and despite Mr Trump's stated wish for social distancing and other measures currently being followed to be done with by Easter, it is unclear if this will happen. This is especially so, if state authorities insist on keeping the measures in place.

"Even after 9/11, when New York had to briefly move its primary, the people who were physically affected - I don't mean mentally or emotionally - when we had to move some polling stations, were only in lower Manhattan," says Prof Christina Greer, from Fordham College in New York.

"If you lived in one of the other five boroughs, you went to your usual polling station. And that was New York. Now we have all 50 states affected."

It is not even clear if either the Republicans or Democrats will be in a position to hold their traditional conventions.

Democrats are due to hold theirs in the middle of July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of several battleground states.

Republicans are scheduled to hold theirs at the end of August in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is possible the GOP will be able to proceed with its once-every-four-years event. But Democrats are anxiously examining possible alternatives, including delay or else a virtual forum.

As things currently stand, after a landslide win in South Carolina and a strong performances on Super Tuesday and the two other days of voting since, Mr Biden has managed to amass 1,215 delegates. By contrast, Mr Sanders has 910 and needs to win 60pc of the remaining delegates if he is to seize the nomination, something most think unlikely.

With up to a dozen states having postponed their primaries, the next date in the calendar to watch will be June 2, when 10 states will vote for a nominee. The largest prizes on offer, in terms of delegate count, will be Ohio and New Jersey and if Mr Sanders is to make a dramatic comeback it would have to happen then.

Many believe the senator sees little prospect of defeating Mr Biden and remains in the race in order to put pressure on him. This could be to try to force Mr Biden to agree to adopt more progressive policies for the party platform, or agree to a running mate Mr Sanders approves of.

"Barring some cataclysmic change, it's over," says Michael Fraioli, a DC-based political strategist, who has advised numerous Democrats.

Given neither Mr Biden nor Mr Sanders is able to engage in actual on-the-ground campaigning, the former vice president, at least, is stepping up his spending on advertising.

This week it was reported Priorities USA, one of the major Democratic PACs, spent $6m attacking Mr Trump's response to Covid-19 in adverts aired in Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Each of the four states was narrowly won by Mr Trump in 2016 and are at the top of the Democrats' wish-list to flip. ( Independent News Service)
President Donald Trump signs the CARES act, a $2.2 trillion rescue package to provide economic relief amid the coronavirus outbreak, at the Oval Office of the White House on March 27, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Signs Largest Stimulus Bill in Modern US History

President Donald Trump on Friday signed the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill meant to fuel the fight against the CCP virus pandemic and sustain the hard-hit economy as the nation takes drastic measures to stop the spread of the disease.

Prior to signing the bill, Trump called the stimulus package historic. The unprecedented measure is the largest stimulus package in the nations modern history.

This will deliver urgently needed relief to our nations families, workers and businesses and thats what this is all about, Trump said.

The president thanked Republicans and Democrats for coming together, setting aside their differences and putting America first.

The stimulus package includes direct payments of $1,200 to most Americans and jobless benefits to millions who have lost jobs. Companies of all sizes will get loans, grants, and tax breaks. The measure includes billions for states and cities as well as the healthcare system.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on a voice vote hours earlier, despite vocal concerns expressed by far-left Democrats and some Republicans. The Senate approved the measure on a 96-0 vote two days earlier.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle supported the measure despite opposing some of its provisions. Hours before signing the measure, Trump said it was 90 percent great but some concessions had to be made to get the Democrats on board.

Im going to have to vote for something that has things in it that break my heart, said Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.).

Although a few speeches on the House floor turned to partisan rhetoric and attacks, most of the lawmakers looked past ideological differences and focused on the urgency of the crisis.

We have no time to dither, said Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) We have no time to engage in ideological or petty partisan fights. Our country needs us as one.

The United States had over 90,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as Trump prepared to sign the bill. The CCP virus outbreak had killed 1,475 people in the United States as of March 27.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

The stimulus package includes $500 billion in loans to industries, $100 billion for hospitals, $58 billion in aid to airlines, $150 billion for states and local governments, and $45 billion for disaster relief.

The Department of Defense will receive $10.5 billion, including $1.5 billion for the national guard. The Pentagon has been deploying resources to help states handle the surge of patients with COVID-19.

Americans who meet an income criteria will each receive $1,200. Married couples will receive $2,400 and $500 per child.

Some Republicans raised concerns about funding for seemingly extraneous groups and institutions, including $75 million for the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, $75 million for the National Endowment for Humanities, and $25 million for the J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The package also allocates $11 billion for three international development groups: the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank, and the International Development Association. While the money for the domestic institutions is tied to responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, the funds to the international groups include no such provision.

The run-up to the vote contained an element of drama because libertarian-conservative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced plans to seek a vote. The leaders of both parties united to prevent that because it would have forced lawmakers back to the Capitol or blemished their voting records if they stayed home. Instead, they made sure enough lawmakers would attend Fridays session to block Massies move under the rules, and lawmakers took the unprecedented step of sitting in the visitors galleries to establish the necessary quorum.

Like the Senate, the House promptly adjourned for a weekslong recess but will return later in the spring to consider further legislation.

The bill also seeks to strengthen the safety net for the poor and homeless. Schools and students will get relief, and small business loan payments will be deferred. Evictions from public housing will be put on pause.

Republicans successfully pressed for an employee retention tax credit designed to help companies keep workers on payroll. Companies will also be able to defer payment of the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax. A huge tax break for interest costs and operating losses limited by the 2017 tax overhaul was restored at a $200 billion cost, in a boon for the real estate sector.

Most people who contract the CCP virus have 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, or death.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[March 27, 2020] Molina Healthcare of Florida Donates $65,000 to Area Nonprofits in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

In an effort to provide for Floridians in need during the coronavirus pandemic, Molina Healthcare of Florida has committed $65,000 to 14 nonprofit organizations including shelters, food banks, and other entities to help restock resources including food, clothing, shoes, and much more. "During this unprecedented time, Molina has been reaching out to local community organizations that work hard daily to provide necessities to our most vulnerable populations," said Mike Jones, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Florida. "We're humbled to support not only our members and employees, but also the tremendous work that Florida nonprofits tirelessly execute around the clock to supply and deliver critical resources to those who need it most." Molina Healthcare is providing donations to the following organizations in Florida: Branches (Miami)

Camillus House (Miami)

Curley's House Food Bank (Miami)

Farm Share (Homestead)

Glades County School District (Haven)

Harry Chapin Food Bank (Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades)

Hispanic Coalition (Miami)

LTC Member Food Delivery (Doral)

Miami Rescue Mission (Miami)

Santiago's Family Center for Autism (Orlando)

Salvation Army of Cllier County (Naples)

Salvation Army of Lee County (Fort Myers)

SWFL Community Foundation (Fort Myers)

Young Dreams Community Outreach (Miami)



Molina Healthcare continues to seek opportunities to supplement the needs of its community partners throughout this crisis. The leadership team is working closely with its executive task force, along with following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and departments of health, to constantly evaluate and communicate information to its members, network providers, employees, government and community partners.

For members seeking information about COVID-19 risk factors, this week Molina launched its Coronavirus Chatbot, an enhanced digital tool available on the Molina website, member portal, and mobile app. About Molina Healthcare of Florida Since 2008, Molina Healthcare of Florida's mission has been to provide government-funded, quality health care for low-income individuals. As of December 31, 2019, the company serves approximately 132,000 members through Medicaid, Medicare and Health Insurance Exchange programs. For more information, visit MolinaHealthcare.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005069/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Photo credit: Courtesy of the subjects.

From Men's Health

When Rhys started dating Maddi in January, he had certain expectations about what hurdles they may have to face: different values; backgrounds; maybe some scheduling issues. He definitely wasn't expecting a global pandemic.

Under regular circumstances, the pair are both based in New York City, just a few stops over the East River from each other. Now, Rhys has moved out of his law school dorm to complete online classes at his sisters apartment in Midtown Manhattan, and Maddi has gone home to Connecticut to work remotely surrounded by family.

We did not realize that we would not see each other again indefinitely until after we had both temporarily abandoned our living situations, Rhys says. Not knowing when I will see my significant other again is a tough pill to swallow, and it has taken from me the joy and excitement of seeing how our relationship would have continued to bloom under normal circumstances.

Self-isolation comes with a lot of challengesamong them, being separated from the people you love the most. We talked to couples who are quarantining separately for various reasons, some of whom have no idea when they'll be able to see each other in person again. And while they've found creative ways to stay connected, they explain the pain that has come along with it.

Photo credit: Rhys and Maddi.

After 47 years of marriage, two children, and two grand-children, Rosie thought she and her husband Earl had experienced just about everything. But, after traveling with her daughter to the U.S. (theyre based in Canada), she now faces two weeks of isolation from him, unable to share a home with him for the first time in almost half a century.

The past few months, Earl was at Rosie's side helping her recuperate from a knee injurya fact that makes the distance even more obvious and painful. It's been a long battle with this knee thing getting better, so I was on crutches for months and he basically did everything for me," Rosie says. "Its not that I miss him more because he did everything for me, but because he's really taken care of me during this time."

Story continues

Dr. Lori Whatley , PsyD, clinical psychologist and author of Connected & Engaged, says it's "a difficult time because of the uncertainty."

Humans love certaintywe think we must have it. But we dont," she says. "It just feels mighty good. And so we have to be able to recall the times we were with our partner and how they felt so good and know that we will have them again.

Photo credit: Rosie and Earl.

For Taha and his girlfriend Kelly, a bit of absence is the norm for themshes based in the U.S. and hes in Parisbut they typically see each other every six weeks for a chunk of time. Kelly was set to spend the month of April in Paris, until the spread of COVID-19 led to border closures.

I have no idea when Im going to see him again. His entire country is shut down," Kelly says. "The airline industry is taking massive hits right now, most international flights are cancelled, and thats something thats scary and hard to deal with, but were trying to keep things normal."

The distance was even more painful when Taha began experiencing a fever and couldnt get medical attention. Taha was never able to confirm if he had the novel coronavirus, as the high demand for tests has left them reserved for critical situations.

She was calling me every now and then to comfort me and to make me feel good, Taha says. Usually we speak when she is on her break from work. Im on sick leave for 15 days, so Im always available when she calls me. I hope we get through this and we will. To keep the mood light, they also send each other funny memes and videos.

Photo credit: Kelly and Taha.

If youre quarantining away from your partner, it can put a strain on an already stressful situation, says Claire Barber , a certified mental health consultant and relationship expert. Be kind to yourself and be kind to each other during this time. Go easy on your partner and take extra care to give them the benefit of doubt when you feel conflict rising. This will not only help your relationship while in quarantine but will hopefully have lasting positive effects.

One way Taha and Kelly do this is by sharing prayers from their respective religions. Hes Muslim and Im pretty much Christian, so we send each other stuff to share about how to pray and that helps a lot during this time, Kelly says. Thats something we recently started doing and I enjoy that. The couple also plans to video chat with Kellys family, who shes currently staying with, to create a further sense of normalcy.

Sex and relationship therapist Shadeen Francis suggests other couples take Kelly and Tahas lead. Include one another in your lives: share links to things you've seen, capture moments they might enjoy, or mail them a token of your affection, she says. Talk about things other than your distance or news updates. While being informed is important, hyper-focusing on data actually takes you out of the present moment or the development of your relationship.

Photo credit: Taha and Kelly.

While Taha and Kelly are familiar with distance, Matthias and Alex aren't. For the past three years of dating, they've gotten used to seeing each other at least once during the week and on most weekends. Now, hes in Jersey City, shes in Brooklyn, and they're no longer able to see each other in person: Matthias lives with his dad, whos in his early 60s, and Alexs roommate still has to go in for work every day.

The sense of collective responsibility, and weight of personal guilt, for other peoples lives, my dads included, was enough to not relocate and encourage Alex to do the same, Matthias says.

They're used to FaceTiming each other, but now that it's their main way of communicating with everyone in their lives, it's starting to feel repetitive. I think it has made me a bit tired of the format of remote communication, because it's happening more often with more people and it's less specific to our relationship, Matthias says. I freelance and I am usually by myself, working alone and not talking to anybody, except for Alex. There's some fatigue with talking to more people at times that I usually have to myself, or just me and Alex. I miss being in a room with Alex and nobody assuming where I am or that I'm free to talk.

Alex feels the same. A few times, there hasn't really been much to say anyway, since neither of us has been doing much during the dayor we've already rehashed the details of the day four times to four other people and are just kind of over it," she says. "We're trying to figure out other ways to engage with each other. Some days we've FaceTimed while doing other stuff on our own just to feel connected in that way, but it can't compare.

It's important to communicate these kinds of struggles, Barber saysand it may even strengthen your relationship. If you and your partner are in quarantine separately, take it as an opportunity to reassess your boundaries and improve your communication, she says. Speak to each other about your current needs, and how you would like them to be fulfilled given the current situation."

Photo credit: Alex and Matthias.

As for communication, Rosie says FaceTime has helped her feel connected to Earl as he rides out the quarantine period at their younger daughter's place. The difference between just talking on the phone and actually seeing the person's faceit really helps to connect you.

Sometimes, it can also make her worried: There was a day or two when he wasn't feeling as great, and you can see it," she says. "It's one thing when you talk to somebody and they try and sort of fool you into thinking they're doing fine. But, when you're using FaceTime, you can really see how that person's doing.



Francis suggests using FaceTime to maintain "some degree of normalcy" during these times: "If you had usual routines with one anothergoing to bed together, sharing a meal, or watching a television showwork to preserve these rituals as ways to stay connected.

For Rosie and Earl, this means connecting around dinner, as well as engaging in digital group activities. A favorite of theirs is the Facebook group "Choir Choir Choir," where people can sing along to songs in real-time virtually. Rosie and Earl participate with FaceTime open, as a way to feel like theyre still doing it together.

Rhys and Maddi now rely on texts, phone calls, video chats, and silly Snapchats to strengthen and grow their relationship from afar. We are fortunate to both have great communication skills, and even though he is not physically with me right nowour relationship is based on trust," Maddie says. "I can honestly say that we can weather any storm as long as we continue to communicate and support one another during this difficult time.

Thanks to technology, Rhys feels like they're "far apart, but never distant."

"We text throughout the day, take moments to call each other between pajama-clad bouts with work, and take great strides to stay finely attuned to the stresses each other feels," he says. "For that feeling of security and support, I cannot be grateful enough.

You Might Also Like
President Donald Trump said Friday he is using wartime federal authority to force production of up to 100,000 ventilators  less than a day after saying governors were making over-blown estimates of the medical need.

Trump made the comment on the ventilator shopping spree just hours after announcing he was invoking the Defense Production Act to force General Motors to to produce ventilators under government contracts.

'We are prepared for things that nobody has any idea that wed be prepared,' Trump said at the White House.

Trump said the U.S. government will either make or get in some form 100,000 ventilators in the next hundred days, as U.S. hospitals prepare for a crush of patients that is hitting in just days. He said any surplus would go to allied countries

'Within the next hundred days we will either make or get in some form over 100,000 additional units and I guess to put it in other words, the next 100 days, we will receive over three times the number of ventilators made during the regular year in the United States  and that does not include all of the thousands and thousands that we have given to the various states,' Trump said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says officials are telling him the apex of cases will occur in his state within 21 days.

The president refused to provide a guarantee that every American who needs a ventilator would get one, although he also talked about the prospect of building up a surplus to be used to help allies.

'We have countries all over the world that are friends of ours and we will help those countries,' Trump said.

He mentioned U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who announced he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

'We will be distributing that equipment throughout the world to other countries. Boris johnson was asking for ventilators today ... I'm sure he's gonna be totally great. But they want ventilators. Italy wants ventilators,' Trump said.

Trump also defended his decision to invoke the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to manufacture ventilators to be used by overwhelmed hospitals  in a move that follows an angry blow-up online.

He said he had an existing grievance with the company due to its decision to close a Lordstown, Ohio plant and other business moves.

'I wasnt happy when GM built plants in locations over the years,' Trump said.

'So I didnt go into it with a very favorable view.'

'They werent talking the right way at the beginning,' he said of the company, while adding there was a 'good chance' the authority wouldn't be needed. The company has announced a joint venture that it says will be able to build 10,000 ventilators a month.

Trump brushed aside a question about why he was invoking federal authority to compel production when on Thursday he was saying he had a 'feeling' New York wouldn't need the 30,000 ventilators Gov. Andrew Cuomo is saying his state needs.

'There's a lot of other people that will need them. We have countries all over the world that are friends of ours and we will help them. We're in a position to do things that other countries can't,' Trump said.

Trump's move comes as Democrats and administration critics have been pushing the Trump administration to use the Korean War-era military authority to speed production of vital equipment. Trump resisted until Friday, when he said he had signed a memorandum making a specific directive, after a deal with the automaker fell through.

'Today, I signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators,' Trump said, according to a statement released by the White House.

President Donald Trump said he signed an order directing the use of the Defense Production Act to force GM to produce ventilators  equipment the company said it already is partnering to manufacture

'Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course,' he continued. 'GM was wasting time. Today's action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.'

Trump had referred to the act in a tweet earlier Friday, though he oddly said he would 'invoke 'P''  which he later explained meant the law.

The law allows the federal government to force manufacturers to make items that are in short supply and meet a pressing national need.

The statement did not say whether the directive would force manufacturing at a shuttered Ohio plant, as Trump is demanding.

GM is already trying to set up manufacturing.

It said its team has been 'working around the clock for over a week to meet this urgent need.'

A plan to have General Motors partner with another company to produce thousands of ventilators has stalled after Trump administration officials raised concerns about a price tag of more than $1 billion

It mentioned a planned partnership with Ventec in a statement that did not mention Trump invoking the law.

'Our commitment to build Ventec's high-quality critical care ventilator, VOCSN, has never wavered,' the automaker said in a statement, CNBC reported. 'The partnership between Ventec and GM combines global expertise in manufacturing quality and a joint commitment to safety to give medical professionals and patients access to life-saving technology as rapidly as possible. The entire GM team is proud to support this initiative.'

'I have instituted it against General Electric,' Trump said at the White House Friday, accidentally referencing another powerhouse company.

'We thought we had a deal for 40,000 ventilators and all of a sudden the 40,000 came down to 6,000. Then they talked about a higher price than we were discussing so I didnt like it. So we did activate it with respect to General Motors,' Trump continued. Then he hedged: 'Maybe we wont even need the full activation, well find out.'

According to the Detroit News, GM is not seeking funds from the government, although its Ventec partner needs funds to pay suppliers.

The company plans to do the work at its Kokomo Indiana plant, with 1,000 workers coming from that plant and the nearby Marion Metal Center. It is working with the United Auto Workers to assemble a volunteer force of workers who would get paid.

Earlier Friday, Trump insisted General Motors start manufacturing desperately needed ventilators 'NOW'  after a stunning report his administration stalled a potential deal over the cost.

After sustaining weeks of questions and criticisms about why his administration hadn't demanded rush orders for medical equipment weeks ago, Trump took to twitter to demand GM get on the task 'FAST.' He even demanded they reopen a shuttered Ohio plant  even though the company has already put forward a proposal to start assembly at a plant in Indiana.

The company sold the plant in November to electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors Corp., meaning it no longer owns the facility.

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!' Trump wrote.

Trump also teed off on the company in an additional tweet, blaming the firm for the breakdown in the deal  amid signals that the Big Three manufacturer's hometown of Detroit is in for some difficult days of shortages due to the coronavirus.

'As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke 'P', Trump wrote.

He was referencing company chair and CEO Mary Barra. His reference to 'P' was unclear until the president weighed in with another tweet minutes later. 'Invoke 'P' means Defense Production Act!' he wrote, in reference to the Korean War law that can be used to coerce firms into production.

Trump has for days resisted using the Act, which he and his administration have said is not necessary due to cooperation from businesses Trump says are calling the White House to assist in the outbreak.

Trump has called himself a wartime president, and G.M. is among the firms that contributed to a massive armament of the U.S. and allies during emergency production during World War II.

A plan to have GM partner with another company to produce thousands of ventilators amid the coronavirus crisis has been stalled this week over government concerns about cost and potentially ending up with too many of the life-saving products, according to a stunning report.

Trump demanded GM reopen an Ohio plant and start making ventilators. The firm already has a proposal to make them in Indiana through a joint venture

Trump attacked the firm and described its proposal, singling out the company's CEO

Trump explained his vague statement: 'Invoke 'P''

Trump said the government purchased 'many Ventilators' from 'wonderful' companies

A plan to have the top U.S. automaker partner with Ventec Life Systems was on the verge of being reached this week, before a Wednesday announcement got cancelled and FEMA stepped back from the potential $1 billion deal, the New York Times reported.

The potential joint venture could produce thousands of ventilators, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says his state needs 30,000 of them and is far short of that allotment.

The stalled agreement comes as President Donald Trump has publicly doubted the needs expressed by Cuomo and other governors  as public health experts ask why urgent orders weren't made weeks ago when the virus was ravaging Asia.

'I think that a lot of things are being said that are more, I don't think certain things will materialize, a lot of equipment is being asked for but I don't think they'll need,' Trump told conservative talk host Sean Hannity in a call-in interview Thursday night.

'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!' Trump told Hannity. 'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.'

GM said last week it was looking at ways to boost Ventec's production, and said days ago it was 'exploring the feasibility' of using its Kokomo, Indiana plant for production.

The stalled deal could have cost $1.5 billion but would produce thousands of ventilators for desperately crunched hospitals

GM has said an Indiana plant might be able to serve as the assembly line for the joint venture

Hospitals and governors are pleading for more supplies

Health officials have warned the equipment shortage is a crisis as the outbreak spreads

'Both GM and Ventec continue to work hard looking at how to make more ventilators, and we are continuing to assess how we can use Kokomo,' a GM spokesman said.

The deal could have cost $1.5 billion, or $18,000 per ventilator, according to the Times. While a substantial sum, it would pale in comparison to the $2 trillion price tag of the coronavirus bailout package that the House is set to vote on.

But FEMA officials working with the White House determined the cost was 'prohibitive,' according to the Times.

Hospital officials are concerned that without more of the devices, they will have to make decisions to ration care and deny treatment to patients with a lower chance of survival  as has happened in Italy amid shortages.

Trump tweeted Sunday: 'Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! @fema,' he wrote. 'Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are?'

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who previously ran the Detroit Medical Center, called for national leadership amid nationwide equipment shortages, with coronavirus cases climbing in his state and city.

'Every mayor and governor in this country are fending for themselves,' he told CNN Friday. 'We really need some national leadership,' he said.

On Wednesday FEMA was considering multiple proposals before forwarding a recommendation to Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has been given an oversight role on the issue, according to the Times.

No deal got announced at a White House press briefing Thursday.
In the last two weeks, many of us have become increasingly aware of the importance and value of local news and information. The daily media sessions with Premier Brian Pallister and Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitobas chief medical officer of health, have provided necessary updates on a situation that is in constant flux.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

In the last two weeks, many of us have become increasingly aware of the importance and value of local news and information. The daily media sessions with Premier Brian Pallister and Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitobas chief medical officer of health, have provided necessary updates on a situation that is in constant flux.

Mayor Brian Bowman, flanked by Jason Shaw, the city of Winnipegs emergency operations centre manager, held a news conference Tuesday afternoon to announce the city is not yet in a state of emergency, but continues to monitor the situation.

Now more than ever, local news matters.

CBC, Canadas public broadcaster, seemed to forget that important lesson last week and, in a stunningly tone-deaf decision, cut most local supper-hour and late-night newscasts, including CBC Manitobas. The decision, according to the broadcasters news release, was driven by COVID-19: "A story of this magnitude  one that changes by the hour  places incredible demands on our staff and our infrastructure in order to get the most accurate and up-to-date information to audiences.

"Television is especially resource-intensive, and many jobs are difficult to do at home. Our systems are overtaxed, and we had to make adjustments as a result. So, we made the difficult decision to temporarily lessen that load and consolidate production to ensure we can continue providing an essential service to Canadians."

What a bunch of nonsense. A publicly funded television network decides to eliminate its local news broadcasts because theres too much to cover? Meanwhile, other local newsrooms, including the Winnipeg Free Press, Global and CTV, continue to operate, and none of them has the benefit of the extensive government funding on which the CBC can rely.

Reaction was swift.

In Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, politicians filed complaints with both Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remains in self-isolation) and Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault. Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King wrote in a statement, "With the health and safety of Islanders at the forefront, it is vital that we continue to share the latest information with Islanders in real time. It is my opinion that now is not the time for the CBC to suspend its local news programming."

Newfoundlands opposition leader, Ches Crosbie, also weighed in last week, saying the CBC "picked an especially tough time to make this mistake, with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians seeking solid information to answer the questions about the impact of this crisis on their local communities and regions."

Industry officials also had their say. The former president of CTV news wrote in the Globe and Mail: "Shame on the CBC for closing its local newscasts amid the coronavirus pandemic," suggesting that now was the time for the beleaguered public broadcaster to "re-establish its local credentials." Robert Hurst added that COVID-19 isnt to blame for CBCs woes; mismanagement is.

This week, CBC relented somewhat and announced that beginning Wednesday, it would start to provide television news "for local audiences with an expanded 30-minute local news segment on CBC News Network. Viewers in all our regions will see their trusted anchors back on air reporting the local news that pertains to their communities. Over the course of this week and next, we will make every effort to have all of the dedicated local shows back up on the main network."

But CBCs television side is struggling. In Manitoba, CTV has long dominated local news ratings, with CBC typically competing with Global for distant-second ranking. In most other cities, CBCs broadcasts are dead last in the market competition with CTV, Global and others. The decision to suspend local newscasts may not have even been noticed in many cities.

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.

Why should we care if no one watches? Having more voices in media means having more opportunities to challenge the status quo. More opportunities for insight. More opportunities for investigation. More opportunities to challenge.

If the CBC does eventually make the decision to cut its losses and rejig its suppertime newscasts, it may not fly with the minister who oversees the public broadcasters funding. Guilbeaults mandate letter is clear: "Strengthen the regional mandate of CBC/Radio-Canada to broadcast more local news and require CBC/Radio-Canada to open up its digital platform." The Liberals re-election campaign included a promise to increase CBCs base funding by $150 million a year. More money and more local news do not equate to any type of consolidation in the face of falling ratings.

The federal broadcast regulator is in the process of renewing CBC/Radio-Canadas licence, with public hearings currently scheduled for May (although the proceedings will likely be delayed due to COVID-19). Hopefully, the importance of the public broadcaster as a provider of news, public information and Canadian culture will be reinforced. And perhaps there should be a stern reminder that as a public broadcaster, shutting the doors to local news coverage in the midst of a pandemic is not acceptable. That should also be a memo sent out during budget considerations next year.

Shannon Sampert is a retired political scientist who now works as a media consultant with her company Media Diva.

s.sampert@uwinnipeg.ca

Twitter: @paulysigh
March is a time to march forward, but it also the perfect time to look back and reflect. In 2019, Governor Kim Reynolds proclaimed March as Iowa History Month in celebration of the Iowan influence that helped shape the world.

At the governor's request, several organizations and departments in Iowa rolled out a full month of programs and events that aimed to promote the rich Iowa history.

It has been a year since the proclamation. In honor of Iowa History Month, we are looking back to trace the historic rise of Mexican and Latino influence that can now be seen on the state's social and cultural fabric.

Mexican immigrants arrived in the state of Iowa in the 1880s. The immigrants were tasked to work in the state's railroad yards and fields. Labor contractors recruited a temporary labor force of single men. These seasonal migrants return to their families in Mexico after the work ended.

The recruitment strategy was adopted to reduce the wages given to depressed sojourners as well as quell the white residents' fears that Mexicans would stay near the fields permanently. It also maintained a low Mexican population in Iowa with just 29 people.

The numbers swelled when the immigrants were pushed out of their own country due to the Mexican Revolution in 1910 and lasted for a decade. Mexicans were pulled into the United States by numerous employment opportunities as the country geared for World War I.

The agricultural and transportation sector started recruiting married men in the 1920s, believing their status was more stable than unmarried men and were less likely to unionize. The new strategy brought more ethnic Mexicans to settle in the state, serving as a convenient labor source during the shortage in the early 20th century.

Mexicans also observed chain migration, in which the first ones to arrive would spread the word about opportunities, prompting family and friends to follow. These social networks eventually led to immigrants obtaining more stable positions in the labor industry.

Increased job stability allowed many immigrants to provide housing and educational opportunities for their families. It also created specific challenges in Iowa as the Latinos' share of the state's total population grew to 82,743 by the year 2000.

Latino workers provided labor and maintained the way of life for older white Iowans after the state saw a continuous out-migration of young white residents, leaving behind an aging low-growth population in small towns.

The Latino population gradually influenced Iowa's modern way of life. This can be seen in neighborhoods where a large number of restaurants, nightclubs, and grocery stores cater to Latin customers.

Mexican immigrants left their mark in rural areas where Mexican and Salvadoran restaurants thrive, and Spanish media and sport are popular. Local churches also celebrate Quinceanera---a celebration that marks the girl's passage from girlhood to womanhood.

The Latin influence has also changed how catholic churches offer their services. The religious sector now holds two services to cater to the English-speaking and the Spanish-speaking community.

The Latino influence changed the way of life in cities and towns of Iowa. In West Liberty, the school system adopts a dual-language program where classes are held in two languages to cater to the 3,700 residents living in the small Hispanic-majority community.

Brenda Arthur-Miller, the high school principal in West Liberty, said the dual culture has strengthened the town as residents work and live together with mutual respect. "It opens the door to more people moving here."
SCHENECTADY  Superintendent Larry Spring ended his tweet Sunday about the educational impact of the coronavirus on marginalized students by exhorting school leaders that the urgency around equity has never been greater.

Turns out it was his last battle cry on social media as school chief.

Three days later, Spring, who for the past eight years has been the face of this kindergarten through 12th-grade urban district of nearly 10,000 students, was out of a job.

The terse resignation letter that school officials unanimously accepted during their regular Board of Education Wednesday offers no specific reason for Spring's sudden departure from the $204,061-a-year post, according to school officials.

In response to calls to his cell phone, Spring responded Thursday via email, saying "this was a difficult decision" for him, but "I think it was the right one for me, right now." He did not elaborate.

He also talked about equity, which in many ways has been a hallmark of his tenure. Spring was seen by many as a fierce advocate for a more equitable distribution of state funding to urban districts, a fight that once took him to the nations capital.

In 2017, the Times Union reported that the board worked out a new deal that extended his contract to June 2021. No information was available about any payout or financial compensation package Spring may collect.

His resignation is effective April 22, but he is using accumulated unused personal and vacation time between now and then. He does not have any official duties during this time period, the district said

Despite chronic violence in some schools, Spring resisted calls to bring back school resource officers, saying he didnt want staff to become to reliant on police.

"In regards to equity, Im really proud of the progress weve made in reducing disproportionality and increasing the diversity of the staff," wrote Spring, 50. He said he plans to turn his attention to writing his dissertation "and tending to some other projects."

"I am confident that the systems we've built in SCSD are solid and the district is in good hands" stated Spring. "I have nothing but tremendous respect for the families and staff of Schenectady and I wish them all the best in moving forward."

Octavia Thomas, who has two teenagers in the Schenectady school system, said Thursday that Spring was hands-on and helped her when her daughter was being bullied

"He was very fair and he helped me tremendously with the issue that I was having," she said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The board Wednesday appointed Aaron Bochniak as acting superintendent. In a statement, the board said it plans to launch a "full time search for a replacement superintendent" who will build on Schenectady's dedication to "equity, social-emotional learning and improving educational outcomes" for all students. Board member Andrew Chestnut said Thursday that the board doesn't have timetable yet to hire a new leader.

According to its website, the district will remain closed until March 31 because of the outbreak.

Bochniak's Linkedin page indicates he has served as the districts director of planning and accountability since Nov. 2016. Before coming to Schenectady, Bochniak was the deputy director of Assessment, Accountability & Instruction at the Capital Region BOCES. He has his doctorate in educational leadership from Sage Colleges, according to his resume. He still must negotiate a salary with the board.

Chestnut said Thursday that Springs letter was a few sentences. Pressed about whether the letter offered a reason for Spring leaving so fast, Chestnut said I cant recall actually, so whatever it was, it wasnt that memorable.

Larry was very effective at carrying out the mission of the school district and also of helping to execute the boards vision for the future, added Chestnut. He said part of that vision is to provide an excellent education and to make sure that race, economics, and disability status are not a predictor of academic success.

He said one of the districts top priorities is attendance because all the other things you do dont work if the kids arent there.

Neither board members John Foley, the board president, or Cathy Lewis, returned a call. Board member Dharam Junior Hitlall said its a personnel matter and I cant comment.

By Thursday afternoon, Spring's tweets were protected and no longer public.
In December 2019, China noticed that there were an unusually high number of patients with flu-like symptoms in Wuhan, located in the Hubei Province. It was quickly realized that there was a new disease causing the trouble: It was a new strain of coronavirus.

Fast forward three months later, and the entire world is essentially on lockdown, as the virus has made its way to every continent except Antarctica. And recently, Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, tested positive. One silver lining to the princes illness, though, is that it could be the key to improving his sons relationship.

Prince Charles with his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, in 2014 | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Prince William and Prince Harry have been at odds for a while

The tension between Prince William and Prince Harry reportedly started back when Harry met Meghan Markle. Though William was certainly happy to see his brother so happy, there were rumors that he felt Harry was rushing into marriage. (Harry proposed to Meghan after only a year and a half, whereas William waited nearly seven years before proposing to Kate Middleton).

Harry seemingly confirmed the tension in an interview he did while on his trip to Africa with Meghan last fall. He said the brothers would always love each other but suggested that they were on different pages. Its unclear if Harrys tensions with William played a part in his and Meghans decision to leave the royal family.

The two are reportedly trying to smooth things over

Now that Harry and Meghan have returned to the U.K. after completing their final royal engagements, there have been additional reports that the couple is trying their best to smooth things over with the rest of the family. Its possible that spending some time away from royal life has made them want to fix things with the other royals.

Things are in a better space now between the couple and the royal family, a source told ET. While of course there have been tensions, the family is getting through it. Harry and Meghan seem to have always gotten along with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, but the tensions between them and the Cambridges have supposedly been rising for a while.

Prince Charles illness could play a key role in bringing the family back together

Charles recently learned that he has become one of more than half a million people diagnosed with coronavirus, or COVID-19, the disease that has created widespread panic and forced the World Health Organization to declare a global pandemic. Charles, who is 71, is at especially high risk with the disease because of his age.

Coronavirus affects those over 65 more than any other age group, and it has no cure. Though Charles has been in good health throughout his life, his sons are undoubtedly worried about him. And the thought of losing their father might just be enough to help Harry and William get over their tensions. Charles will likely recover since he doesnt have any underlying health conditions, but even the mere thought of tragedy is often enough to bring people together  especially family.

When Harry received the news about his fathers illness, he reportedly wanted to drop everything and head right to the U.K., which shows that he ultimately still makes his family a major priority. Will the thought of losing their father help Harry and William patch things up for good? Its too early to tell, but we can only hope.


Local 5G system antennas and base stations Figure: Local 5G System Overview



Figure: Local 5G System Overview

TOKYO, Mar 27, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today was granted Japan's first commercial private 5G radio station license from the Kanto Bureau of Telecommunications and will begin operating a Private 5G network at its Shin-Kawasaki Technology Square office.Fujitsu will strengthen crime prevention measures in the building by leveraging its private 5G technology for data transmission of high-definition images collected by multi-point cameras, creating an AI-powered security system that quickly detects suspicious behavior through motion analysis. Through its newly-established private 5G co-creation space "FUJITSU Collaboration Lab", Fujitsu will also offer customers and partners the chance to workshop various use cases for private 5G to deliver business innovation and help resolve regional issues. Fujitsu experts will also provide support with on-site implementation for customers at the location.With the aim of creating a smart factory, Fujitsu will additionally obtain a license for private 5G at its Oyama plant in Tochigi Prefecture, which serves as a manufacturing base for network equipment. Together with Fujitsu Telecom Networks Limited, which manufactures network equipment at this plant, Fujitsu will continue to verify the utility and possible applications for its private 5G technologies.Successful Verification Under Provisional License Opens Path to Commercial Launch for Private 5G NetworksOn February 18, 2020, Fujitsu was the first in Japan to obtain a private 5G radio station provisional license from the Kanto Bureau of Telecommunications. Under this license, Fujitsu has been verifying the registration and connectivity of base stations and land mobile stations (Data Communication Terminals), as well as coverage area, in accordance with the Radio Law, in order to obtain a full commercial license. As a result, Fujitsu's private 5G radio stations were found to be in compliance with the standards set by the Radio Law, and Fujitsu successfully obtained the first commercial license in Japan.About the Newly-Operational Private 5G Network1. System Configuration5G-NSA(1): 5G for data transmission, LTE for connection control between base stations and land mobile stations2. Frequency5G: 28.2 GHz to 28.3 GHz; LTE: 2575 MHz to 2595 MHz3. Coverage AreaApproximately 28,000 square meters on the grounds of Fujitsu Shin-Kawasaki Technology Square(1) NSAAbbreviation of Non-Stand Alone. A mode of 5G that relies on existing LTE network to deliver 5G communications.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 132,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (Code: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.0 trillion yen (US $36 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Veteran actor-comedian Kathy Griffin has said even though she exhibited symptoms of coronavirus, she was considered not eligible for the test.

Veteran actor-comedian Kathy Griffin has revealed that she has been admitted to an "isolation ward room" after she showed symptoms for the novel coronavirus.

The 59-year-old posted a selfie on Instagram from the hospital room as she called out US President Donald Trump for "lying" about the number of coronavirus tests conducted in the country.

In the photo, Griffin can be seen wearing an oxygen mask while under quarantine. She said even though her symptoms were serious, she was considered not eligible for the test.

Here is Kathy Griffin's post

Hes lying. I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. The hospital couldnt test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions. #TESTTESTTEST https://t.co/18fRiOBsdN pic.twitter.com/0sU9fHu4r0  Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 25, 2020

Alongside her photo, Griffin also posted a screenshot of Trump's tweet in which he said that the US has provided more testing than any other country.

"Just reported that the United States has done far more testing than any other nation, by far! In fact, over an eight day span, the United States now does more testing than what South Korea (which has been a very successful tester) does over an eight-week span. Great job!" Trump had tweeted on Wednesday.

In the US, the total number of confirmed cases have crossed the 65,000 mark and more than 1,000 people have succumbed to the deadly virus.

Griffin's hospitalisation comes barely a week after she shared that her mother Maggie had passed away
We are all in quarantine," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last Friday, ordering all non-essential workers in New York state to stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Nearly a week later, Cuomo is expressing some doubt on whether the statewide shutdown was the most effective strategy. He now says it might have backfired in some cases.

We closed everything down. That was our public health strategy, Cuomo told reporters Thursday at an Albany press briefing. If you re-thought that or had time to analyze that public health strategy, I dont know that you would say Quarantine everyone.'

I dont even know that that was the best public health policy. Young people then quarantined with older people, (it) was probably not the best public health strategy, he continued. The younger people could have been exposing the older people to an infection.

New York has become Americas epicenter for the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 39,000 cases confirmed in the Empire State. Thats nearly half of all coronavirus cases in the U.S., which now has more than any other country, including China.

Cuomos office told The New York Post that the governor was referencing a study by Yale professor Dr. David Katz, who made similar comments in a column for The New York Times last week. Cuomo also referred to Katzs theory of risk stratification on Monday.

Isolate people but really isolate the vulnerable people. Dont isolate everyone because some people, most people, are not vulnerable to it," Cuomo said Monday. And if you isolate all people you may be actually exposing the more vulnerable people by bringing in a person who is healthier and stronger and who may have been exposed to the virus.

Cuomo said he expects the state will need 30,000 ventilators and more than 140,000 hospital beds when the coronavirus pandemic peaks in 2-3 weeks. Cuomo said Wednesday that cases are doubling every 4.7 days in the state; NBC reports 20 percent of COVID-19 patients require hospitalization and 6 percent have critical illness, including respiratory failure.

President Trump: I dont believe NY needs 30,000 ventilators for coronavirus

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo: I dont want to be vice president

New York doctor fighting coronavirus: Too many people are dying alone

Whats in federal coronavirus relief bill for New York?
CINCINNATI  In the battle to keep their New York City restaurant going despite sharp restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak, the owners of Il Posto Accanto tried something Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta would have considered sacrilege in normal times.

That was offering their traditional Italian dishes for delivery which never, never, never, ever, ever, ever happened before, she said. I like my food to go from the kitchen to the table, and thats it!

On Friday, she said she and husband Julio Pena decided to suspend operations for now because employees were wary of being out in New York City as it has become the U.S. epicenter of the contagion.

We respect their feelings, she said. Its not like we were making money.

Across the United States, restaurateurs are transforming operations to try to stay afloat. The National Restaurant Association warns the outbreak could cost 5 million to 7 million jobs and hundreds of billions in losses and is pushing for a special federal relief package for restaurants.

In an industry of traditionally tight profit margins, some decided its time to take chances.

Frischs Big Boy restaurants, a Cincinnati-based chain that laid off more than a third of its 5,000 employees in the first days of bans on in-restaurant dining, last week pivoted into the grocery business. Besides its signature Big Boy double-decker burgers and onion rings, customers at its 100 restaurants in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky can buy bread, milk and and produce at its drive-thrus and carryout counters and via home delivery.

Frischs saw a quick jump in revenues at a time when people have been frustrated by long lines and shortages at traditional supermarkets. Toilet paper is in high demand, and Frischs and others are using it as a lure.

Westmont Diner in Westmont, New Jersey, has added it to carry-out options at 60 cents a roll, along with paper towels, soap, bleach and other household needs. Lindeys in Columbus, Ohio, throws in a free roll with all takeout orders. Frontier in Chicago gave out decks of cards to homebound customers with their carryout dinners.

With the number of states with stay-at-home orders growing, some restaurateurs decided to shut down. Cameron Mitchell, based in Columbus, said carryout offerings werent bringing in enough business to keep his namesake chain of 36 restaurants in 12 states going. More than 4,000 employees were laid off last week.

Some fine-dining restaurants unused to carryout are trying scaled-down menu at bargain prices.

In Chicago, patrons can now carry out food for a fraction of the typical dine-in tab at Alinea, where nabbing a seat typically requires reservations weeks in advance and dinners can cost as much as $395 per head. Alinea now offers takeout meals of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and creme brulee for $39.95, and reports strong sales so far.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that with Californians under a stay-home edict, restaurants are allowed to deliver alcoholic beverages along with meals to boost their revenues and well, because booze.

Sitting in the nearly empty Frischs Mainliner restaurant where the chain originated in suburban Cincinnati in 1942, CEO Jason Vaughn said customers at the privately held chains 100 restaurants have asked for additions, such as bottles of orange juice, quarts of soup and coffee for home. Frischs is trying to leverage its supply chain to accommodate requests.

Vaughn predicts the crisis will change the industry.

People have changed habits, Vaughn said. When the green light goes on, we dont expect to come back as status quo  when we go to whatever that new norm is, well see if we can continue it (groceries) if its a service the community wants.

In New York, Tosti said leftover meals will be given to city firefighters. She said the restaurants future after some 15 years of operation will depend on how long quarantining and edicts against in-restaurant dining last.

Im better at taking it one day at a time, said the Rome-born restaurateur. We can hope for a better day.

____

This story has been updated to correct the New York City restaurateurs name to Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta, instead of Beatrice Tosci.

____

Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz in Chicago, Amanda Myers in Los Angeles and AP Business Writer Alexandra Olson in New York contributed. Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Coronavirus Task Force news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, March 23, 2020.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he instructed Vice President Mike Pence not to reach out to governors who aren't "appreciative" of his administration's efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus in their states.

"If they don't treat you right, I don't call," Trump said of those state leaders.

"I think they should be appreciative. Because you know what? When they're not appreciative to me, they're not appreciative to the Army Corps [of Engineers], they're not appreciative to FEMA. It's not right," Trump told reporters at a daily press briefing at the White House.

CSPAN TWEET WITH TRUMP VIDEO

The president mentioned Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats who have been critical of the White House's actions to combat the deadly pandemic.

Trump said that Pence "calls all the governors. And I tell him, I'm a different type of person, and I say, 'Mike, don't call the governor of Washington. You're wasting your time with him."

"Don't call the woman in Michigan. It doesn't make any difference what happens," Trump also said he told Pence, who leads the U.S. response to the coronavirus.

The president's remarks came shortly after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. topped 100,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The World Health Organization warned this week that the pandemic is accelerating around the world.

Inslee responded to Trump's remarks in a tweet, saying he wasn't going to "let personal attacks from the president distract me from what matters: beating this virus and keeping Washingtonians healthy."

tweet

Political leaders at every level of government have taken extreme steps to slow transmission of the virus. An increasing number of states, including Washington and Michigan, have ordered residents to stay home and have temporarily closed schools and closed non-essential businesses.

At the federal level, the House passed a $2 trillion economic stimulus bill intended to blunt the devastating economic impact of the virus and the containment measures being imposed on millions of Americans. Trump signed the bill  the largest relief package in U.S. history  earlier Friday.

Trump said that his administration has "done a great job for the state of Washington," and has "taken such great care of Michigan."

Trump described Inslee as "a failed presidential candidate" who is "constantly chirping, and I guess complaining would be a nice way of saying it."

"Michigan, all she does is -- she has no idea what's going on, and all she does is say, 'Oh, it's the federal government's fault,'" Trump said.

He contrasted those governors with New York's Andrew Cuomo and Phil Murphy of New Jersey. "I think if you ask Governor Murphy of New Jersey how we're doing, I think he'd say, 'Great.'"

"Governor Cuomo has really said we're really doing a great job," Trump added.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for additional comment on the president's remarks. The vice president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier Friday, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors to make ventilators  a desperately needed piece of medical equipment in coronavirus "hot spots" such as New York.

Trump had complained about GM that morning on Twitter, accusing the U.S. manufacturing giant of changing the terms of an agreement to produce the ventilators.

"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump tweeted. "They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar."

At the briefing, the president said of his dealings with GM that he "didn't go into it with a very favorable view."

"I was extremely unhappy" with GM's decision last year to shutter an auto plant in Lordstown, Ohio, Trump said. He viewed that move as a personal insult.
In the early evening of 27 March 1977, two Boeing 747s collided on the runway of Los Rodeos airport (now known as Tenerife Norte), kiling 583. There were 61 survivors. A Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) plane had started to take off without authorisation, as a Pan-American aircraft was still taxiing in its path.

Neither plane was originally supposed to be at Los Rodeos. Both were heading for Las Palmas in neighbouring Gran Canaria (the Pan-Am from Los Angeles, the KLM from Amsterdam). However numerous planes had to be diverted when a bomb, planted by Canary Island separatists, went off at Las Palmas airport (a small explosion that resulted in minimal injuries). This led to great congestion and pressure at the smaller Los Rodeos airport.

Another factor that contributed to the disaster was the weather - visibility was at less than 400 metres that afternoon due to fog. This caused both pilots to miss key observations.

Once flights were permitted to take off again for Las Palmas, the control tower gave the KLM4805 plane directions to taxi down the runway, then at the end do a 180-degree turn ready for take-off. The PanAm1736 was to follow down the runway a few moments later, but come off at the third exit so the track was clear for the Dutch take-off. Due to the fog however, the PanAm pilot missed the third exit, and continued on to the fourth.

Meanwhile, due to miscommunication with the control tower, the KLM plane prematurely started to hurtle down the runway at top speed to take off, without realising the other plane was blocking its path. The Dutch aircraft scraped the top of the American plane as it flew overhead, tearing off its roof.

The collision caused explosions and fire on both planes. All the passengers on the Dutch plane died as it was engulfed in flames, while 61 escaped the PanAm jumbo, including all the crew in the cockpit.
XPRIZE, the worlds leader in designing and operating incentive competitions to solve humanitys grand challenges, reveals the XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance, a global coalition that combines the power of collaboration, competition, shared innovation and radical thinking to accelerate solutions that can be applied to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

The XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance launched to address the immediate needs of the COVID-19 crisis by expanding visibility into solutions underway. This launch comes with an open call to arms to the worlds innovators, clinicians, researchers, data scientists, institutions, and experts to join the Alliance and share existing work and resources using covid19.xprize.org. This website will allow the global community to:

Participate in the latest breakthroughs, research and solutions in development;

Make asks of what they need and allow XPRIZE, the Alliance members and their vast network of supporters and partners to offer their resources to help enable and accelerate innovators to reach their goals faster.

In the immediate term, the Alliance will focus on areas such as accelerating solutions for remote care, provisioning personal protective equipment to the front lines, increasing access to testing, and improving food and medicine security for vulnerable populations, among others.

As part of this Alliance, researchers and scientists are invited to share and access data through the XPRIZE Data Collaborative, a unique platform for researchers and innovators to collaborate, share and learn from data in a broad spectrum of fields in their search for solutions. This trove of data aims to unlock new approaches to fighting pandemics and will serve as the backbone to the collective effort that will prepare us for additional pandemic spikes like COVID-19, or other viral threats.

As part of the XPRIZE Data Collaborative, our launch partner, Anthem, is taking the lead by providing vetted partners with access to one of the largest certified deidentified data set including years of longitudinal data for prior viral outbreaks (e.g., swine flu, avian flu, influenza).

XPRIZE will also host and launch a series of rapid data challenges in support of the Alliances initiatives, which may include developing an early warning system for future pandemics, predictive models for public health resource allocation, more efficient and affordable diagnostics, treatments and cures that can be rapidly reproduced, or others based on insights drawn from the collaborators.

Other notable global partners that have already agreed to join the Alliance include United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Ending Pandemics, Intel, Illumina, IEEE Standards Association, MIT Solve, C2 International, Cloudbreak Health, the Foundation Botnar, McGill University, Nvidia, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, PPE Coalition, and UCSD. XPRIZE is actively calling for more partners and members to join the Alliance.

There are few times in recent history when one pandemic has affected so many people, but with all of us focused on one problem, it means impact and solutions will only be accelerated, and were excited to work with Anthem to amplify the potential of this platform in quickly enabling global talent to join the fight, said XPRIZE CEO Anousheh Ansari. At XPRIZE, we believe radical breakthroughs can come from anyone, anywhere, and our response to COVID-19 will help provide solutions when humanitys most vulnerable need it most.

In this time of crisis, we see an opportunity to come together as a community via the powerful XPRIZE platform to address the most acute needs in the system today and to accelerate new solutions: from protecting our healthcare workers at the front lines and proactively taking care of the high risk populations to developing new approaches to diagnostics, therapy and vaccines, said Rajeev Ronanki, Chief Digital Officer at Anthem.

COVID-19 is not the first, nor the last pandemic humanity will face, and future pandemics could be far worse, said XPRIZE Founder and Executive Chairman Peter H. Diamandis, MD. For 25 years, XPRIZE has focused on solving global grand challenges, crowdsourcing solutions. The XPRIZE does this by inspiring innovators around the world to use exponential technologies to address problems in unbelievably short timeframes. The XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance will leverage data and human collaboration like never before to facilitate technological breakthroughs for the benefit of humankind.

For more information, visit covid19.xprize.org.

Additional Quotes from XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance Partners:

Technology can play a role in helping us to address the worlds largest challenges, said Stacey Shulman, Chief Innovation Officer and VP, IOT Group, Intel. Intel is partnering with XPRIZE to enable the larger community to find creative and impactful solutions for this global pandemic.

Never before have we had both the technology and collective will to develop a proactive global network for real time assessment and monitoring of infectious epidemics, said Dr. Phil Febbo, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Illumina. We are pleased to be participating and helping to ensure that laboratories using our sequencers worldwide can integrate into a global community committed to preventing pandemics.

In response to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, Solve is focused on finding and supporting innovative solutions that address global health preparedness, early detection, and rapid response, said Alex Amouyel, Executive Director at MIT Solve. Better data sharing and analysis is one area that is critical in the effort to slow and track the spread of COVID-19 and future disease outbreaksand Solve is pleased to join the XPRIZE Global Pandemic Data Alliance in that endeavor.

"We are finding solutions and new innovations guided by lived experience, empathy, and a love of humanity and coming from unexpected and underexplored sourcesmakers/tinkerers who are also frontline health workers, student inventors, data scientists driven by social purpose," said Vilas Dhar, Trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. "This Alliance creates a platform to engage those actors and many more in a shared quest to alleviate suffering and create a new paradigm for pandemic response."

XPRIZE

XPRIZE designs and operates multi-million-dollar, global competitions to accelerate the development of technological breakthroughs that benefit humanity. Active competitions include the $10 Million ANA Avatar XPRIZE and the $5 Million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $20 Million NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, and the $10 Million Rainforest XPRIZE. For more information, visit xprize.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005217/en/
MATTOON  Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center will be able to use the Lake Land College Field House to treat large numbers of patients from the coronavirus outbreak or other medical emergencies for the next eight years.

The college's Board of Trustees approved the agreement with the hospital for the use of the Field House during a specially scheduled meeting Friday, when the board also approved employment agreements and other matters related to the outbreak.

If needed, the Field House will serve as a "surge facility," a temporary emergency hospital for about 200 patients, which SBLHC needs to have in place for Illinois Department of Public Health requirements. The agreement runs until 2028.

College officials described the move as precautionary. During Friday's meeting, Lake Land President Josh Bullock said a previous eight-year agreement with SBLHC for the Field House's use expired in 2017.

"We realized that the agreement needed to be renewed," he said.

The board's votes Friday also included agreements with the college's employee unions.

Bullock said the agreements addressed contract changes needed for instructors to prepare courses to be taught remotely with the college campus closed because of the virus.

Provisions will also be made for entire courses to be ready for remote instruction, he said, noting that only about a half-semester of courses will currently be taught online.

He also said the agreements cover how remote courses will take place at the Illinois Department of Corrections' facilities where the college offers instruction.

"It's exceptional to be able to deliver courses to students in this situation," board Trustee Gary Cadwell said.

Bullock also said the agreements provide all employees with additional sick days if needed because of any diagnosis of COVID-19, the disease the coronavirus causes. They also address work-from-home provisions where they can be used, he added.

The agreements covered the college's faculty, support staff and custodial employees.

The board also voted to allow work to continue on the Foundation and Alumni Center and the Workforce Development Center construction projects, the Neal Hall roofing project, solar panel installation project and lighting replacement.

Bullock said the projects meet the essential business requirements of the state of Illinois' orders regarding the outbreak. All work will be outside, which will help with social distancing practices, and other worker safety measures will also be in place, he said.
RELATED: Coronavirus in San Antonio: What residents need to know

FAQ: Express-News readers top questions about coronavirus in San Antonio answered

LIVE UPDATES: A timeline of COVID-19 in San Antonio

 Coronavirus in San Antonio in quotes 

Mar. 27: San Antonio has more than 100 coronavirus cases. The actual number is likely higher.

"It is definitely true that our current numbers are under-representative of the amount of COVID-19 that we have in our community. We know we have community spread, and we know that we dont have widespread access to testing."

 Dr. Barbara Taylor, infectious disease specialist with UT Health San Antonio

Mar. 26: San Antonio could see unemployment as high as 14 percent as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, city projections show

"Im going to insist that we put some heads on stakes just to make sure people understand that were serious about this. We can say education all day long. This is not kidding around time."

 District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez

Mar. 25: Residents face first day of coronavirus order

"I'm doing alright health-wise. The problem I have is I'm still married!"

 Gloria Guajardo

Mar. 24: Texas' lieutenant governor says US should get 'back to work'

"Let's get back to work. Lets get back to living. Lets be smart about it. And those of us who are 70 plus, well take care of ourselves. But dont sacrifice the country."

 Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

Mar. 22: First coronavirus death reported in Bexar County

"Todays tragic development illustrates the importance of the aggressive steps we are taking to thwart the spread of COVID-19. Stay home unless you must go out. Follow the health experts guidelines. We can all play a role in saving lives through social distancing and healthy behaviors. Together we will overcome this challenge."

 Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Mar. 19: With first cases of community coronavirus transmission, San Antonio officials brace for more cases

"It is out there and containing it may no longer be an option for us. The focus at this time, moving forward, needs to be measures at the population level that can slow the rate at which people can get infected."

 Anita Kurian, Metro Healths communicable disease division

Mar. 18: As coronavirus cases surge to 25, mayor orders San Antonio bars, restaurants to close

"Its not going to be comfortable. But its going to be necessary"

- Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Mar. 16: San Antonio confirms fourth COVID-19 case while mayor restricts gatherings to 50, says 10 is better

"We can no longer assume that the virus is not present in our community. I think we would be blessed if that wasnt the case. But we have to maintain a posture as if its already spreading in our community, with or without data to prove it."

- Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Mar. 13: Gov. Abbott declares state of disaster over coronavirus

"Weve been through situations like this before. We made it through SARS, we made it through Ebola, we made it through H1N1, and were going to make it through this together as well."

 Gov. Greg Abbott

Mar. 13: Postponing Fiesta San Antonio until November amid coronavirus concerns has many nonprofits, service industry workers scrambling

"Theres no question about it, this is a bump in the road. It will be a challenge for the next few months, but were not pushing the panic button."

 Jeffrey Weiss, owner of Amols Party Supply

Mar. 13: San Antonio has its first travel-related coronavirus case

"We need to protect our health care workers. If our health care workers go down, this becomes a problem."

 Dawn Emerick, director of the Metropolitan Health District

Mar. 3: Diamond Princess evacuees finally head home, despite local officials efforts to extend their coronavirus quarantine

"To date, we have zero community transmission in this city. We want to keep it that way."

 Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Feb. 27: Alabama senators power play kept all 144 coronavirus cruise ship evacuees in San Antonio

"Given evasive and insubstantial answers from the Trump administration to my repeated inquiries, including the need for testing on base, I understand and share the strong dissatisfaction of local officials."

- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio

Feb. 26: Nirenberg, Wolff want coronavirus evacuees treated at Lackland

"We believe the immediate risk here in the United States remains low, and were working hard to keep that risk low."

- Anne Schuchat, the CDCs principal deputy director

Feb. 24: 6 hospitalized for coronavirus after three more cruise ship passengers at Lackland test positive

"The most dangerous, damaging infectious disease is hysteria, and so what were trying to do is make sure that we have a compassionate, human response to a crisis thats happening, that we do so all the while maintaining the safety of the public. Thats what we have done time and again."

 Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Feb. 8: None of the 91 evacuees quarantined at JBSA-Lackland are showing signs of coronavirus

"If you have been to China in the last 14 days and you show any signs of the flu or you have an elevated temperature go see a doctor. And don't go to China until the Chinese government sorts out this epidemic."

- U.S. Rep. Will Hurd

Feb. 7: Coronavirus strands Chinese professor and family in San Antonio

"Hopefully, at some point, life will return to normal."

- Xinfang Xu, chemistry professor

Feb. 7: Coronavirus wont slam the San Antonio economy  but some Texas industries wont be as lucky

"The manufacturing industry in the U.S. has started expanding again, and thats very true in our San Antonio region. The interruption of the supply chains could have a snowball effect if stocks of components are depleted."

"For our area, we think the impact will be limited."

 Rey Chavez, president and CEO of the San Antonio Manufacturers Association

Feb. 4: Coronavirus evacuees to be in San Antonio this week

"This is a new virus. And the best timing and right type of sample to determine if someone is infected with this new virus has not yet been determined."

"The intensity of transmission in Hubei province; the expansion to other provinces in China; the continued community transmission; the growing volume of exported cases to countries around the world; the continued reporting of deaths, including the first death outside of China; and reports of person to person spread outside China, including the United States, are all cause for concern."

- Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDCs National Center for Respiratory Diseases

"The risk of infection is dependent on the exposure. Right now, what weve seen is, folks who have contracted the infection are folks who have come into direct contact with somebody who already has the virus. The highest risk right now that we see are among health care workers and close contacts."

- Anita Kurian, Metro Healths communicable disease division

Feb. 1: Americans evacuated from China to be quarantined at JBSA-Lackland

"We were notified that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense have decided to evacuate American citizens from China and quarantine them at U. S. military installations, including Lackland Air Force Base. We have been told that these individuals have no symptoms of the coronavirus and pose no risk to our community."

"We do not currently have any individuals diagnosed with the coronavirus here in San Antonio, and our Metro Health Department will continue to monitor the situation and exercise an abundance of caution."

 Mayor Ron Nirenberg
All zodiac signs have distinct personality traits and characteristics. Horoscopes help us by giving a hint about how the day is going to fare for all of us. Read on and find out whether the odds will be in your favour today:

*Aries (March 21-April 20): Much respect and adulation is in store for some on the family front. New fields will interest you on the academic front, but will need your complete focus. You will need to think up ways to de-stress your mind. Repayment of a loan should become your top priority now. You may have to wait and watch on the professional front, as things may appear a bit hazy. Things may appear worrying on the health front, but this may not be so.

Love Focus: Your romantic mood is likely to be contagious today, so expect a great time with spouse or lover!

Lucky Colour: Sea Green

Lucky Alphabet: M

Friendly Numbers: 8, 12

Friendly Zodiac Today: Libra & Taurus

Be careful of: Virgo

*Taurus (April 21-May 20): A friend or relative can motivate you to drive out for a short vacation. Your tough attitude towards someone is likely to soften, as you get to see him or her in a different light. Repaying a loan will not pose any problems. A working relationship will need to be formed with someone for smooth functioning. Take adequate precautions on the health front. Family will be supportive and encourage you in whatever you want to achieve.

Love Focus: Lover can expect you to remember something important!

Lucky Colour: Sandy Brown

Lucky Alphabet: L

Friendly Numbers: 4, 8

Friendly Zodiac Today: Capricorn & Scorpio

Be careful of: Libra

*Gemini (May 21-July 21): Much sharing and caring is foreseen on the family front as you get to spend time with them. Travelling to meet someone important is on the cards for some. Good tenants will end the draught for some house owners looking to rent their premises. Money is likely to come from unexpected sources and strengthen the monetary front. Dont pick up an argument at workplace as it can go against you. Introducing new fitness techniques in your workout routine will prove immensely beneficial.

Love Focus: Romance is not a priority right now and is best not indulged in for some time.

Lucky Colour: Turquoise

Lucky Alphabet: G

Friendly Numbers: 6, 9

Friendly Zodiac Today: Aquarius & Virgo

Be careful of: Leo

*Cancer (July 22-July 22): If you are undertaking a long journey, it will be in your interest to take someone along. Doing spadework beforehand on the academic front will help make you the frontrunner. Much travelling is foreseen today and will be to your advantage, both personally and professionally. Avoid neglecting your health and consider taking someones advice. Setting up the house may take priority over other things today. Your indifferent attitude towards saving can deplete your coffers if you do not do something about it.

Love Focus: Whatever you promise, you must deliver, otherwise all you can expect is an off mood partner!

Lucky Colour: Chocolate

Lucky Alphabet: S

Friendly Numbers: 7, 14

Friendly Zodiac Today: Aries & Leo

Be careful of: Taurus

*Leo (July 23-August 23): Be careful of someone close trying to misguide you regarding money matters. A new acquisition can distract you from something important. A preparation or seminar conducted by you may come in for praise. Relationship with a senior may blossom and make you feel rejuvenated. A change in eating habits is required to remain energetic. It may take some time for you to feel fully at home with new lover, as you continue to project your best image.

Love Focus: Meeting someone from the opposite camp with a similar mindset can signal the onset of a budding romance.

Lucky Colour: Coffee

Lucky Alphabet: P

Friendly Numbers: 1, 11

Friendly Zodiac Today: Pisces & Capricorn

Be careful of: Aries

*Virgo (August 24-September 23): Your firm resolve to perform well will not let you waver from your focus on the professional or academic front. A good offer on the business front may become hard to refuse. Peak physical fitness will make even strenuous activities seem like childs play. You will find immense satisfaction in spending time with family. Repaying a loan is likely to become a financial burden and compel you to scrounge the bottom.

Love Focus: Maybe it is the weather or your mood, you are likely to feel quite romantic today!

Lucky Colour: Brown

Lucky Alphabet: L

Friendly Numbers: 8, 16

Friendly Zodiac Today: Taurus & Capricorn

Be careful of: Cancer

*Libra (September 24-October 23): A memorable experience is in store for those on an exotic vacation. This is a fantastic time for you on the professional and academic fronts. All is not lost on the financial front, if you are quick enough. You will have to put your trust in people, if you want to establish yourself on the professional front. You are likely to find yourself fit and full of energy today. You may need to find extra energy to undertake a task on the home front.

Love Focus: An old love interest is likely to be rekindled in your heart and keep you aglow today.

Lucky Colour: Light Grey

Lucky Alphabet: K

Friendly Numbers: 2, 6, 8

Friendly Zodiac Today: Cancer & Libra

Be careful of: Taurus

*Scorpio (October 24-November 22): Praise from unexpected quarters is likely to make your day and keep you in an upbeat mood. Raising capital for a business project will require some hard thinking. Worries facing you on the professional front disappear as you manage to set things right. Some of you can find fitness classes beneficial for health. Some long pending changes on the home front may be initiated by some. Those in the academic field may get the break they had been seeking for long.

Love Focus: A good time is foreseen on the romantic front as you are likely to share quality time with lover.

Lucky Colour: Dark Brown

Friendly Numbers: 4, 8, 12

Friendly Zodiac Today: Gemini & Leo

Be careful of: Libra

*Sagittarius (November 23-December 21): Much togetherness is in store for some on the family front. Plans for doing up the house may get underway soon. Good profits are foreseen for middlemen and retailers. On the professional front, seniors are likely to punch holes in a job you thought was well done. An occult science or an alternate therapy can attract you, but it is best not to get into any mumbo-jumbo.

Love Focus: Your romantic endeavours will succeed and enable you to kick start your love life.

Lucky Colour: Olive Green

Lucky Alphabet: R

Friendly Numbers: 5, 12

Friendly Zodiac Today: Capricorn & Libra

Be careful of: Cancer

*Capricorn (December 22-January 21): Students will manage to stabilise their position on the academic front. Be tactful in tackling an old associate bent upon wasting your time. What is the point in earning nicely if you dont find time to enjoy it? Businesspersons will manage to seize an opportunity to seal a lucrative deal. Living frugally, but not much hampering quality of life, is likely to save a lot. Family may rally behind you to implement something big on the domestic front.

Love Focus: Lover will be understanding and will not interfere in whatever you are trying to achieve.

Lucky Colour: Indigo

Lucky Alphabet: D

Friendly Numbers: 9, 12

Friendly Zodiac Today: Cancer & Sagittarius

Be careful of: Aries

*Aquarius (January 22-February 19): Your determination to do well on the academic front will find you touching newer heights. Those fond of the luxuries of life, will get a chance to indulge in their favourite pastime. Your finances really need to be taken care of. Your extra efficiency is likely to wind up a lot of work today on the domestic front. Some of you will take the initiative to inculcate healthy habits. Dont jump to conclusions regarding a domestic issue without knowing the full details.

Love Focus: You are beginning to take charge of your love life, so expect good times ahead!

Lucky Colour: Beige

Lucky Alphabet: Y

Friendly Numbers: 1, 4, 7

Friendly Zodiac Today: Scorpio & Gemini

Be careful of: Libra

*Pisces (February 20-March 20): Outdoors will help you in rejuvenating. Extended family is likely to offer you full support and help you in achieving your aspirations. Skills mastered by you are likely to bring you to the notice of people. Cutting corners to conserve cash is advised. You will have to keep your wits about to tackle someone at work. It is time to make a lifestyle change to improve health. Romantic thoughts can keep you mentally occupied. Caring for someone on the family front is likely to enhance your reputation socially.

Love Focus: Romantic thoughts can keep you mentally occupied.

Lucky Colour: Coffee

Lucky Alphabet: T

Friendly Numbers: 2, 4, 8

Friendly Zodiac Today: Aries & Cancer

Be careful of: Virgo

The astrologer can be contacted at psharma@premastrologer.com or support@askmanisha.com

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 00:03:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has designed and produced new generation of centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear enrichment plant in central Iran, semi-official Mehr news agency reported Friday.

The Iranian experts have been working hard to produce the new generation of centrifuges in line with the country's need of nuclear technology for civilian use, an unnamed source in AEOI was quoted as saying.

These machines mark a breakthrough in advancing Iran's peaceful nuclear energy program, the source said, without further details.

The new generation of centrifuges will likely be unveiled on April 8 which is Iran's National Nuclear Technology Day.

Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian landmark nuclear deal in May 2018, Iran dropped its commitments to restricting its nuclear program under the accord at intervals.

Washington has called for renewed nuclear deal with Tehran to impose further restrictions on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
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
Pilot of helicopter that crashed heralded for 'miracle' landing

The crew of a Hagerstown-based helicopter and the juvenile patient they picked up in Chambersburg, Pa., are OK after a crash near Philadelphia.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  Medical face masks in short supply worldwide because of the coronavirus pandemic can be safely reused after being sterilized, according to a study released today.

An environmental health scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst teamed up with an infectious disease specialist from New England Baptist Hospital in Boston to test in a lab whether used N95 face masks can still effectively block infectious particles after being sterilized with hydrogen peroxide.

Initial results from research conducted this week show there is no difference in filtration between a new mask and one that has been sterilized, the university announced,

While these are ordinarily disposable protective devices for medical workers, these are not ordinary times and this science shows that sterilized face masks will protect our health care providers who are working under extraordinary conditions, Richard Peltier, a UMass Amherst professor said in a prepared statement.

The mask shortage is endangering health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic and their patients.

N95 masks are designed to be worn once and then discarded. But because of the shortage, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said some reuse of face masks could be allowed for multiple encounters with different patients.

The CDC also said as a last resort healthcare workers could even use a bandana or scarf despite their unknown effectiveness at preventing the spread of viruses. That guidance has sparked criticism by the American Nurses Association and other groups.

N95 masks are effective at protecting a person from particles in the air, including droplets that carry infectious agents like the novel coronavirus known as Covid-19.

Peltier said the research was done quickly to help create a stopgap solution to the mask shortage as the pandemic grows. The studys biggest limitation was it only looked at one type of sterilization, using hydrogen peroxide. We cant assume using gamma radiation, another type of sterilization, will have the same effect, he said.

Hospitals commonly use hydrogen peroxide to sterilize instruments.

The studys other major limitation was it only tested one type of mask.

Peltier used pollution instruments and a mannequin head wearing a face mask to measure whether microscopic particles can pass through the mask after its sterilized.

Peltier did the testing in a small chamber, in which he affixed the masks to a mannequin that had a small pipe extending from its mouth. The chamber was flooded with pollution and air was collected through the mask as if the mannequin were breathing inside a room filled with pollutants.

The air was delivered to analyzers that used lasers to both count and estimate the size of millions of microscopic particles. He tested a new mask and one that had been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide.

While there was concern sterilization might substantially degrade the filter material, causing it to function improperly, this turned out not to be the case, Peltier said.

Peltier said he would ordinarily repeat the test dozens of times, but the hospital in Boston could not spare additional masks, which, once tested, were unusable. We are no longer under ordinary circumstances and we have to improvise as best we can, Peltier said.

Because the particles blocked by the face mask are retained by the mask, they must be sterilized if not thrown away. A used mask could have COVID-19 on it, so reusing it without sterilization poses a danger to the wearer or to another patient, he said.

James T. Mulder covers health news. Have a news tip? Contact him at (315) 470-2245 or jmulder@syracuse.com
As the coronavirus increasingly makes its presence known in tribal communities across the country, a leading Democrat took the Trump administration to task Thursday for resisting efforts to put more money into the hands of tribal governments and federal programs that serve tribes.

In a conference call with reporters, Sen. Tom Udall (D-New Mexico)  senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies  said the landmark legislation approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday would infuse $10 billion into the coffers of tribal governments and federal programs that serve tribes to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The bill, H.R.748 , brings $8 billion directly to tribal governments, plus $2 billion for federal programs that serve tribal nations. The U.S. House of Representatives must now take action before the measure can be signed into law by President Donald Trump.

With the number of positive #COVID19 cases rising in tribal communities, Indian Country will finally see billions of dollars in relief from a major #Coronavirus package almost over the finish line on Capitol Hill. https://t.co/tk1glXDSHU  indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2020

Udall said several senators and representatives, including Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico), who is one of the first two Native women in Congress , asked for a lot more for tribes.

We started and fought very, very hard for $20 billion, Udall said on the conference call . We didnt believe it would take care of everything, but we thought that it was a very good number. It got whittled down in the process.

At one point, we were getting word of the White House that they would only accept three (billion dollars), but we got it to eight and were happy about that.

Udall, who also serves as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs , said the funds approved for agencies that serve tribal governments includes $1.032 billion for the Indian Health Service , $453 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to meet tribes safety needs and to purchase protective equipment and another $327 million for the Bureau of Indian Education

The BIE, which is now funded separately from the BIA by Congress, has been forced to close 183 schools across the nation as a result of the coronavirus.

The package also includes $305 million for Indian housing programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development . There's also $100 million for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations at the Department of Agriculture

Udall said the money for tribal stabilization marks the first time tribes have received such funding.

For the first time, we were able to fight and get a tribal stabilization fund of $8 billion, he said. We were asking for a lot more. We think the need is a lot bigger than $8 billion.

He said he had a conference call Thursday with 20 Pueblo governors who expressed support for the $10 billion that will go toward stopping the viruss spread in Indian Country.

Theyre happy about this, he said. They feel this is a good infusion.

He said he is especially happy to see the $305 million for HUD programs that serve tribes. He said addressing problems of overcrowding and housing shortages will be key to stopping the spread of coronavirus in Native communities.

Indian Country is already facing housing shortages, overcrowding and lack of funding, all of which will be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The funding made available will help provide emergency relief to tribes to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Unlike enemies America has faced throughout history, #COVID19 is one that can dangerously hide in plain sight and threaten the health and wellbeing of any American community. #Coronavirus https://t.co/KHGmUNPzMM  indianz.com (@indianz) March 26, 2020

Udall said lawmakers looked back at what Congress appropriated to federal agencies that serve tribes in the federal stimulus packages approved in 2008 and 2009 to decide what to include in this weeks $2 trillion coronavirus relief package.

He said federal lawmakers are now beginning deliberation on relief packages related to infrastructure needs in America and he plans to work to ensure tribes are included in those relief efforts as well.

Im going to do everything I can to make sure that vulnerable tribal members and the tribes themselves are taken care of, he said.

Udall wasn't the only lawmaker who encountered difficulties in ensuring Indian Country wasn't left behind. Sen. Martha McSally (R-Arizona), another member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said she had to work closely with the White House and Republican leadership in the chamber to keep the $8 billion in the coronavirus relief bill.

"I won't bore you with all the knife-fighting that had to happen here," McSally said on a town hall hosted by several Indian organizations on Thursday, "but I was literally presiding on the floor of the Senate the night that the deal was announced and this fund was still in jeopardy."

McSally said she "went to the mat" with high-level officials from the White House and from the office of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), the Republican Senate Majority Leader , to keep the $8 billion alive after attempts to reduce it -- and even remove it -- were made.

"I told them, 'We've gotta get this money for the tribes!'" McSally said on the town hall. "It has to happen!"

"They came back and reported to me that we had secured, in the last part of the negotiations, because of that final push, $8 billion," said McSally, who began pushing for the set-aside late last week after the initial bill failed to include Indian Country.

The House is anticipated to take up and pass the relief bill on Friday. President Trump has said he will sign it into law.

New cases of COVID-19 reaches 71 for Navajo Nation WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.  On Thursday, Navajo Nation President Jonathan... Posted by Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer on Thursday, March 26, 2020

Related Stories

Join the Conversation
COVID-19 is impacting every facet of our daily life, from our health care system to our economy to the very way we go about living day to day. Often overlooked is the impact this is having on our mental health. First responders, medical professionals on the front lines, and the everyday person alike are battling real mental health challenges on a daily basis.

Dr. Asim Shah, chief of Psychiatry for Harris Health Systems Ben Taub Hospital and Professor and Executive Vice-Chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, has some advice on how we can best maintain our mental well-being in times of crisis.

Remember: Panic Is Bigger Than the Disease

Right now what were seeing is that the panic is bigger than the disease, says Dr. Shah. Its easy to say to someone, Dont Panic. Yet Dr. Shah stresses that its perfectly normal to feel panic in times such as these. People feel anxious when confronted with the unknown, especially when circumstances feel outside of their control.

While no one is saying panic is abnormal, there is a difference between handling these uncertainties in a panicked way and an appropriate, calm way. By looking at the facts, argues Dr. Shah, we can gauge the appropriate response.

The facts with COVID-19 are such that we know it is highly contagious, more so than the flu. In high-risk populations, those with preexisting conditions and the elderly, the death rate is higher than the normal population at about 2%. The 2% is extremely important, says Dr. Shah, but we must also remember the other 98%. Remembering this simple fact can help us gauge our anxiety and panic.

How to Reduce Panic and Anxiety In Your Daily Life

Harris Health System

Because everybodys capacity for anxiety is different, each individual needs to decide how best to reduce ones anxiety. That said, Dr. Shah has 3 easy steps to help us reduce our panic level.

1. Limit televised news intake. Modern cable news uses emotion to elicit a response from their viewers. According to Dr. Shah, our news is best consumed with as little emotion as possible. He suggests reading a trusted newspaper as an alternative to cable news as well as limiting the overall time you spend consuming news.

2. Social media is contributing to the panic people are feeling. Dr. Shah recommends we stop forwarding inflammatory content that you have not personally fact-checked and limit our time spent using sites like Facebook. Instead, focus your social connections by using FaceTime or other apps like Houseparty, Zoom and Google Hangouts to interact with friends and loved ones in a positive way.

3. Stop hoarding. There is no food shortage. Hoarding hurts those of us who cant afford to stock up on essential items by creating scarcity where it shouldnt otherwise exist.

Know Whose Mental Health Is Affected Most by Panic and Anxiety

Dr. Shah sees three main groups who are the most susceptible to mental health issues caused by anxiety and panic. By recognizing who is being hardest hit by these stresses we can help mitigate their negative effects.

1. People With Substance Abuse or Other Mental illness

This category is very vulnerable in times like these, but there is hope. People with pre-existing conditions like depression and anxiety should speak to their doctor about upping the frequency of treatment. Friends and family members of those who struggle with substance abuse and addiction need to closely monitor their struggling loved ones, as being stuck inside without work or friends can lead to increases in the amount of the drugs consumed.

2. Children

Dr. Shah says children fall into three categories, each one needing their own approach to limit the negative effects this time can have on their mental health. Children under the age of 5 are the most susceptible to long term damage that can be caused by repeated viewing of stressful images. Dr. Shah points to research that found children under 5 have a hard time differentiating reality upon seeing repeated images. If your toddler sees the same clip shown over and over on the news throughout the day, their brains are unable to separate the timeline. For a child, that image is not replaying over and over, it is happening over and over in real-time. This can have detrimental effects. Dr. Shah recommends minimizing the news coverage that your under 5 child sees.

Children over 5 but not teenagers understand the world a lot better, but still need to be empowered by knowledge to help them gain some sense of control and avoid feeling panicked. The best strategy for parents is to answer any and all questions your child may ask and then lead by example. If the parent is calm, the child in this age range is most likely to follow suit. Parents can also teach their preteen kids hand-washing techniques and impart to them how important it is they avoid touching their faces or getting too close to other people. When their kids are anxious, parents can point to countries like South Korea as an example of how caution and rationality helped prevent a wider outbreak.

Teenagers, says Dr. Shah, should be included in the solution process in order to help them to avoid the worst effects anxiety and panic can have on their mental health. Teenagers are creative and can often have ideas that parents havent thought of, especially when it comes to ways to help mitigate the effects of quarantine by using todays technology.

3. First Responders and Medical Professionals

For first responders and other medical professionals on the front lines of this fight, Dr. Shah recognizes theres a lot of anxiety present. He stresses the need for what he calls an airplane approach to health care. When on an airplane, youre instructed to put your own mask on before you assist others to do the same. It is the same with critical care. Medical professionals need to make sure their own mental and physical health is okay before trying to help others. Friends and family members of health care providers should do everything in their power to help them decompress, including thanking them for their service on the frontlines.

On the medical nursing side, Leslye Davis-Smith, MSN, RN, Nurse Professional Development Specialist and member of the executive nursing practice group at Harris Health System, says, Research clearly states that doctors and nurses may respond more strongly to the stresses of a major health event, Which is why Harris Health has a number of systems and resources in place to help the hospital staff with their mental health in this critical time.

I want to stress our nurses have been unbelievable with their incredible, cohesive response, says Davis-Smith. She cites the quick and efficient sharing of accurate information, which comes straight from authorities like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization then is assimilated throughout Harris Health System by a network of support managers and nursing teams on the ground.

Nurses, doctors, and first responders are closely monitored by the executive staff as well as appropriately scheduled to help avoid burn out and fatigue. Nurses have formed teams that consistently work together in order to monitor one another and foster an environment of accountability and support within each nursing unit. As an education specialist with a mental health focus, Davis-Smith spends her time walking the floors of the hospitals, checking in with staff in real-time and giving anyone who needs the opportunity to talk a chance to do so. She also cites the presence of chaplains whose job it is to facilitate the mental health of Harris Healths staff.

Most importantly, says Davis-Smith, health care workers need to stay in the here and now. She advises health care professionals to focus on what they can control. Lack of control elicits anxious emotions in humans. Instead, recall that mild anxiety has a protective component and can actually help us do our job better. It can increase alertness and focus, which can be very important during caregiving activities during these critical times.

For health care providers, this means continued adherence to infection prevention guidelines, hand sanitizing, limiting visitors and keeping close watch over PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment).

The rest of her advice is valuable for everyone and echoes what Dr. Shah says we can all do to lessen our anxiety. Do what you can control. Wash your hands. Eat healthily. Practice social distancing. Avoid large crowds. Limit the things that make you anxious. Keep in contact with family and friends. Challenge yourself to stay in the present, says Davis-Smith, and dont try to predict too far into the future.

As for our health care professionals, the public should know how valiant and courageous they are. I cant stress enough what Ive seen in our hospitals, says Davis-Smith. How outstanding, engaged, and selfless the nurses are in providing the care they do.

But this is only possible when we are all aware of our mental health, our anxiety stressors, and who the most vulnerable to these stressors are amongst us. We are counting on our health care providers now more than ever before and we need them at their best. Says Dr. Shah, Health care professionals have a responsibility to take care of themselves first so that they can take care of others.

For information on the Coronavirus, please visit www.harrishealth.org
From midnight today, entry for foreign nationals prohibited. However, 90% of the imported cases concern Chinese citizens. Air routes to and from the country have also been reduced. Chinese civil aviation lost  2.7 billion in February. The profits of the big industry fall by 38.3% in the first two months of 2020. Danger of new infections in companies that reopen.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Since midnight today, China has closed its borders to most foreign nationals. Beijing aims to reduce the risk of contagion from abroad, while the number of autochthonous transmission cases has been almost zeroed, at least according to official statistics.

In the last 24 hours, 55 new infections have been recorded: all imported from other countries, except one. However, CCTV calculated that 90% of the "return infections" concern Chinese citizens, especially students who are returning home. Currently there are 81340 infected in the country; 3292 deaths.

The halt on the entry of foreign nationals will be temporary. It also applies to foreigners who have a valid entry and residency visa for China. There are some exceptions. Foreign nationals who pass through Hong Kong and Macao, and are provided with a short-term entry permit, can enter Chinese territory.

As a further preventive measure, the Chinese civil aviation control agency (CAAC) has imposed restrictions on the number of flights to and from China. From March 29, Chinese airlines will only be able to operate one weekly route per country; similarly, foreign carriers will only be able to make one weekly trip to China.

According to the CAAC, the Chinese aviation sector lost nearly 21 billion yuan (2.7 billion euros) in February. The restrictions on airport activity has reduced passenger traffic by 84% and freight by 21%, compared to the same period of 2019.

The impact of the draconian measures adopted by the government to contain the virus are beginning to be felt. According to the National Statistical Office, the profits of large industry in China fell by 38.3% in the first two months of 2020, stopping at around 411 billion yuan (52.6 billion euros).

The country is trying to get going again. For example, 85% of companies in Hubei, the epicenter of the epidemic crisis, have resumed production. However, the resumption of economic activities carries risks. According to the China Labor Bulletin, there are several cases of new infections in companies that have reopened. Among the most affected, there are workers who make home deliveries.
YES Bank share price rose in early trade today after the bank's newly formed board cleared a plan to raise Rs 5,000 crore through sale of shares. Share price of YES Bank rose up to 20% to Rs 31.95 compared to the previous close of Rs 26.55 today. YES Bank share opened with a gain of 9.94% at Rs 29.30 today.

YES Bank market capitalisation rose to Rs 40,098 crore on BSE. Total of 13.63 lakh shares changed hands amounting to turnover of Rs 4.31 crore. YES Bank share has lost 88% in the last one year and fallen 32% since the beginning of this year.

Share Market LIVE: Sensex up 400 points, Nifty above 8,800; RBI cuts repo rate by 75 bps

The decision on nature of securities for fund raising would be taken later. Funds would be raised in one or more tranches to improve capital position of the lender. The bank did not say by when it would complete the share sale.State Bank of India (SBI), which is heading the consortium formed for the revival of YES Bank, will infuse Rs 7,250 crore into the bank.

ICICI Bank and mortgage lender HDFC will invest Rs 1,000 crore each. Axis Bank will invest Rs 600 crore, while Kotak Mahindra Bank will put in Rs 500 crore. Bandhan Bank and Federal Bank will invest Rs 300 crore each, while IDFC First Bank will put in Rs 250 crore.

On March 19, YES Bank shares fell 25% after company's single largest promoter Madhu Kapur, the widow of its founder-chairman Ashok Kapur, sold 2.5 crore bank shares in a block deal. According to the regulatory statement submitted, the shares were pledged with HSBC Investdirect Financial Services (India).

Yes Bank plans to raise Rs 20,000 crore via certificate of deposits

On March 24, Icra placed the lender under 'rating watch with developing implications' and upgraded the bank's Basel III compliant bonds, infrastructure bond programme, certificates of deposit programme and short-term fixed deposit programme.

On March 16, Moody's Investors Services upgraded the lender's long-term foreign currency issuer and foreign currency senior unsecured MTN program ratings to 'Caa1' from 'Caa3' and (P) Caa1 from (P) Caa3, respectively.

Moody's also changed the rating outlook to positive to reflect its expectation that bank's financial fundamentals can improve due to the extraordinary support provided by the government and SBI.

Eight banks including SBI came have come to the rescue of troubled lender with a total capital of over Rs 11,000 crore.

ICICI Bank and mortgage lender HDFC will invest Rs 1,000 crore each. Axis Bank will invest Rs 600 crore, while Kotak Mahindra Bank will put in Rs 500 crore. Bandhan Bank and Federal Bank will invest Rs 300 crore each, while IDFC First Bank will put in Rs 250 crore.
The historic legislation provides support to workers, businesses, local governments and hospitals.

Washington, DC  United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed a massive $2.2 trillion economic rescue bill to help lift the economy and address the coronavirus pandemic.

His signature came after the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved the sweeping package by a voice vote earlier in the day, despite a procedural challenge from Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who wanted a formal recorded vote.

The bill had passed the Republican-led Senate on Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support in a 96-0 vote.

We are taking care of our people, Trump said this week, referring to the bill.

The bill is the largest rescue package in US history. Addressing the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the legislation offers direct payments to most Americans and special financing for big and small businesses.

This is a pandemic that we havent even seen for over 100 years in our country. Its really such a tragedy. So we had to take important action that puts families first and workers first and thats what we did, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said earlier this week.

Pelosi said Congress would likely take up additional legislation in the coming weeks to respond to the evolving challenge of the coronavirus, which has so far infected more than 85,000 people and killed more than 1,300 people across the US.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been instrumental in leading establishment Democratic efforts in Congress [Joshua Roberts/Reuters]

Next, well go from emergency mitigation to recovery, Pelosi said.

Federal agency leaders scrambled this week to develop plans to implement the new legislation, anticipating urgent demands for help from millions of people and businesses.

The coronavirus crisis has left US businesses flattened by lost business and state-mandated closures. An estimated three million small businesses will need special financing to survive and more than three million workers lost their jobs in just the past week.

As of Friday, there were more questions than answers about how the federal funding will work. Agencies cannot offer authoritative guidance on the new programmes until Trump signs the bill into law.

Fails to address states needs

New York State, which has recorded more than 44,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, has been hit the hardest in terms of the scale and effects of the virus.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned on Thursday that the newly approved federal funding for states would not be enough to cover the need in New York, where hospitals are already being overwhelmed with patients.

The congressional action, in my opinion, simply failed to address the governmental need, Cuomo told reporters at a news conference earlier this week.

New York estimates it will lose $10bn to $15bn in revenue because of the economic slowdown. The state would receive $5bn from the federal rescue bill passed by Congress but only for COVID-19 response, not lost revenue, Cuomo said.

State and city authorities around the US were working this week to build capacity at hospitals with more beds and respirators.

Meanwhile, Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said on Thursday that incoming data from South Korea and Italy suggests projections of fatalities in the US may be less catastrophic than previously thought.

New York officials warn hospitals could be overwhelmed [Carlo Allegri/Reuters]

White House officials are discussing how to ease travel and business restrictions for areas of the country less affected by the virus.

What we are trying to do is utilise a laser-guided approach rather than a horizontal approach, Birx said.

Trump has said he wants to reopen the country for business by April 12, despite warnings from health experts, including some within his administration, who say the US has yet to experience the worst of the pandemic.

What is in the legislation?

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a non-profit group that tracks US budget deficits, scored total spending under the rescue bill at approximately $2.3 trillion.

Here is a look at where most of the money will go, according to the budget watchdog:
Good Samaritan: Peter Darmos withdrew $10,000 from his bank before handing out $100 notes to jobless workers in Melbourne

A generous Australian man has handed out $100 in cash to dozens of jobless workers waiting outside a Centrelink office in Melbourne.

Good Samaritan Peter Darmos, who was earlier identified under pseudonym John, gave each person queuing up outside the office in Box Hill a $100 note - or what he called 'lettuce leaves' - after the sight left him 'feeling sick to his stomach'.

'These are all innocent people with no means to put some bread on the table for their family,' he told 3AW on Friday.

'Their Centrelink payments aren't until next week. They need to put food in the table tonight.'

Mr Darmos, 62, from Balwyn North, drove to his bank where he queued up for an hour before withdrawing the maximum amount of $10,000.

He then distributed notes to each person inside and outside the office until there were no more to hand out.

Thousands of newly-unemployed Australian flocked to their local Centrelink offices this week to claim unemployment

'The gratitude, the tears in peoples' eyes, it was unbelievable,' he said.

'I had to do that because these people need instant relief. They can't wait for tomorrow or the day after.'

He told the Herald Sun: 'I couldn't stand to see my kids fed and others starve. This is a tragedy of profound proportion.'

Mr Darmos, a businessman who emigrated from Greece as a child, urged other wealthy Australians to donate to workers in industries that have been crippled by the coronavirus pandemic.

'We can all hit the Centrelink offices across the country in 30 seconds today and hand out a lettuce leaf to each person in need so they can put some food on the table for their families,' he said.

'This country has been good to me, and my heart goes out to these people who are really suffering. '

Hundreds of thousands of Australians are expected to lose their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic that has forced businesses across the country to shut down.

The highest number of job losses will come from New South Wales - the country's COVID-19 epicentre - where more than 350,000 people will become unemployed

Earlier this week, thousands of newly-unemployed workers flocked to their local Centrelink offices to claim unemployment welfare.

Economists predict 814,000 Australians will be added to dole queues before the end of June.

Centrelink is rapidly recruiting an extra 5,000 staff to deal with the influx of demand.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said while the Centrelink queues are heartbreaking, the alternative is worse.

'What we don't want is queues for people who need a machine to help them breathe. We cannot have people queuing for intensive care beds. That will mean they will die,' he said in Melbourne on Wednesday.

'We've got to buy time ... if you can stay home, you must stay home. No dinner party, no shopping trip is worth a life.'
Hightimes Holding Corp., whose stable of cannabis-focused publications includes High Times, Dope and Culture, has announced the signing of a letter of intent to acquire California-based cannabis holding company Humboldt Heritage Inc. and its subsidiaries Humboldt Sun Growers Guild and Grateful Eight LLC. Hightimes says the acquisition gives them cannabis growing, processing and product manufacturing capabilities, and will make the company one of Californias largest vertically integrated operators. High Timess mission is to connect consumers to cannabisnot only the best access and experience, but by producing the best products available for our consumers across the country, and eventually the world, said Hightimes Holding Corp. executive chairman Adam Levin.

Lee Enterprises, which owns such newspapers as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Arizona Daily Sun, has launched Health Bright Marketing, a full-service marketing company that specializes in healthcare organizations. Health Bright is headquartered in Michigan alongside Sunny Media, a Lee Enterprises-owned agency specializing in marketing services for the automotive industry. Health Bright is equipped to provide broad-reaching, impactful marketing solutions to healthcare organizations of all sizes, said Lee operating vice president and vice president of advertising Ray Farris. The company also announced that it has named Mark McDowell vice president of Health Bright Marketing. Lee closed a deal on March 16 to buy 31 daily newspapers, including the Buffalo News, from Berkshire Hathaway and its BH Media Group.

W magazine, which Conde Nast sold to Future Media Group in June, is going on hiatus. The magazines next print issue, which had been set to publish in May, is being postponed indefinitely. A report in the New York Times said that editor Sara Moonves called her staff on Monday to inform many of them that they were being furloughed. Those who work on the publications online content are staying on, but their salaries will be cut back. While Future Media Group chief executive Marc Lotenberg told the Times that the coronavirus pandemic was partly to blame for the hiatus, he also acknowledged that Ws payments to its vendors have been late since January. The Times report noted that people on the editorial team remain hopeful that another buyer might emerge to take the title.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said that the situation does not look good as 39 more coronavirus positive cases -- the highest on a single day so far -- were registered, taking the state's total to 164.

He also termed the situation as serious, with all 14 districts in the state now having positive cases.

Presently there are 110,299 people who are under observation including 616 at various hospitals.

Vijayan also gave out a call to all philanthropists to see how best they can contribute to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund as lots of funds are required.

"Discussions have begun to use medicines from Cuba, which is believed to be a good one to combat this outbreak and necessary guidelines have been given to the Drugs Controller to check on this," he said.

Of the new cases on Friday, 34 are in Kasargode, two at Kannur and one each in Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kollam. Of these, 25 came from the Middle East.

"With Kasargode registering more and more cases, certain stricter controls have to be brought in. All those who have returned from affected states and countries in the recent past have to get in touch with officials. And anyone with symptoms of cough, breathlessness and throat pain should get in touch with the health officials," added Vijayan.

The Chief Minister also said that a situation has now evolved where the border with Karnataka appears to be sealed making life difficult for residents of Kasargode to move to Mangaluru for treatment, especially those seeking dialysis.

"The situation is such it is strange that they have blocked the borders using sand and stones, which is not a good thing. There might arise situation for either of the state to go this side or that side. Now we have been told that they will remove it, according to our Chief Secretary," said Vijayan, adding that this will be brought to the attention of the Prime Minister.

He also said that directions have been given to all NBFC and other private banking institutions not to ask for monthly collections. Also no educational institution should demand any sort of fees or such things.

Following the strong message sent across by Vijayan, Friday saw a reduction in the number of cases filed by the police against those who came out on to the streets without a valid reason.

The police today filed 1,381 cases while 1,383 people were arrested and 923 vehicles taken into custody for breaking the lockdown directives.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
By PTI

JERUSALEM: Ending a year-long political impasse, Israel inched towards forming a new government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger, former army Chief Benny Gantz of the Blue and White part, reaching a deal with him.

The unsigned deal, as per local media reports, ensures Netanyahu's continuity at the helm of the affairs for the first 18 months after which he will be replaced by Gantz.

Netanyahu last July became the longest serving Premier in the country's history but has failed to win a clear mandate in the last three elections, all held in a span of less than a year.

The former Israel Defence Forces chief of Staff was elected the speaker of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) on Thursday, in a surprise move, with the support of Netanyahu led right-wing bloc, a development that left his own Blue and White party in tatters and an eventual split.

Former Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party was a major alliance partner in the Blue and White party led the charge against Gantz accusing him of "betrayal to voters and a theft of votes".

We ran together because Benny Gantz looked me in the eye and said he would never sit in this bad government. I believed him", Lapid said at a joint press conference with fellow Blue & White leader, Moshe Ya'alon, a former Defence Minister, on Thursday evening.

"Together with us, over a million Blue & White voters marched from street to street and from bridge to bridge They feel betrayed today, and justifiably so. Their votes were stolen and given as a gift to Netanyahu," Lapid accused.

What's being formed today isn't a unity government or an emergency government. It's another Netanyahu government. Benny Gantz surrendered without a fight and crawled into Netanyahu's government," he charged.

Ya'alon said this was "a sad evening" and that Gantz's decision to join a Netanyahu government "symbolizes everything we oppose".

"Therefore, Yair and I have no choice but to declare our partnership as a faction that will fight against this negative phenomenon from the opposition", he asserted.

Lawmakers of the center-left bloc took the Knesset podium earlier on Thursday to condemn Gantz and his clandestine partnership with Netanyahu.

You'll end up a rug under the feet of an alleged crook, an inciter and racist, Zandberg said.

We're standing here in shock trying to internalize the depth of your deception the disaster you're inflicting on millions of voters [who backed] the left-democratic bloc who sought an alternative [to Netanyahu]", she said.

Gantz, who won the mandate from President Reuven Rivlin to form a new government after being backed by 61 lawmakers following an unprecedented third round of polls on March 2, including those from the Arab dominated Joint List, has been left with only his faction of Israel Resilience party that has 15 members.

The factions led by Lapid and Ya'alon are likely to be recognised as the new Blue and White party following the split.

Parliamentarian Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List slammed Gantz's Israel Resilience party and called it a "Likud B", an offshoot of Netanyahu's ruling party.

"Likud B, who spoke of a "Jewish majority" and backed a unilateral annexation [of the Jordan Valley in the West Bank] during the election campaign, has finally joined Likud A," said Jabareen.

Gantz's move, however, received the backing of his party's co-leader, Gabi Ashkenazi, himself a former army Chief of Staff and being seen as the next Defence Minister in the deal, who published a tweet expressing his support for the move.

The country is in the midst of a national crisis, one of the worst we've known. A difficult crisis demands difficult decisions," wrote Ashkenazi.

"We could not keep standing on the sidelines at a time like this. Israeli citizens now need a national emergency government", he added.

Gantz is likely to serve as Netanyahu's Number 2 for the first 18 months after which he will replace him as the next Prime Minister.

His loyalists will get senior cabinet posts, including the Justice Ministry from where they will be able to ensure that when the courts return to normal, Netanyahu will indeed go on trial for his graft indictment.
Disney has announced Meghan is lending her voice to Elephant, to be released on April 3 on the Disney+ streaming service.

This comes after a resurfaced video from the world premiere of 'The Lion King' revealed that they were in talks with Disney.

Elephant will be one of a series of animal and nature-themed features released to mark Earth Month.
RICHMOND, Va., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Transplant centers and organ procurement organizations are working through this unprecedented event to continue to recover donated organs and perform transplants. United Network for Organ Sharing, in its role as the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), continues to monitor and facilitate organ placement as usual.

As the situation continues to change rapidly, we are coordinating with transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations and public health officials to provide up-to-date, accurate information. We have created an information page on COVID-19 that we are frequently updating with guidance as the community learns more about the prevalence, evaluation and treatment of the disease.

The page features:

New data visualizations showing the effect of the pandemic on organ donation and transplantation on a national level. Data is updated daily.

A recording of a webinar organized jointly by UNOS, the American Society of Transplantation and nearly a dozen other organizations on COVID-19's impact on organ donation and transplantation.

Quick links to COVID-19 articles in transplant journals, guidance from transplant societies, and other resources.

Information about an emergency policy to protect candidates' status on the transplant waitlist.

Instructions for using tools to help get organ offers quickly to candidates and programs who are ready to transplant patients.

"UNOS is committed to supporting the donation and transplant community as they meet the challenges of the outbreak of COVID-19," said UNOS CEO Brian Shepard. "Communications and cooperation are hallmarks of our community, and they have never been more important than they are today. As transportation, logistics, testing, and treatment challenges impact donation and transplant, it is important that the community remains transparent and flexible."

United Network for Organ Sharing is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network under contract with the federal government. The OPTN helps create and define organ allocation and distribution policies that make the best use of donated organs. This process involves continuously evaluating new advances and discoveries so policies can be adapted to best serve patients waiting for transplants. All transplant programs and organ procurement organizations throughout the country are OPTN members and are obligated to follow the policies the OPTN creates for allocating organs.

SOURCE United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)

Related Links

http://www.unos.org


The coronavirus pandemic has goosed sales at bankrupt San Antonio retailer Gabriels Liquor, but that may not save its family owners from losing control of the business.

Gabriels sales have about doubled over the past two weeks, in comparison with the same period a year ago, since President Donald Trump declared a national emergency, said Randy Pulman, a bankruptcy lawyer for the company.

The closing of local bars and restaurants also has contributed to the increase.

Gabriels major lender and other creditors, though, want a bankruptcy judge to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee to take over management of the liquor store chain from the politically connected Gabriel family.

They say they have lost faith in managements ability to run it while also trying to complete a sale of the business.

Gabriels, Dons and Bens Liquor and related companies filed for bankruptcy in September, blaming competition from big-box wine and spirits retailers.

Gabriels had 15 stores and Dons & Bens had 30 at the time of the filing, but some stores since have been closed.

Gabriels had planned on Nooner Holdings Ltd., a San Antonio commercial property owner, serving as the initial bidder for 32 stores and other assets at an auction. But now theres doubt whether Nooner wants to go forward.

They were intended to be (the initial bidder), and then the world turned upside down, Pulman said, referencing the pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio partnership bids for Gabriels Liquor, Dons & Bens

Gabriels is waiting to see if Nooner still wants to proceed, he added. Nooners lawyer didnt respond to a request for comment.

Court filings indicate a dispute had cropped up between the parties over whats included in the sale.

Under a plan filed earlier this month, Nooner would be the stalking-horse bidder at an auction. Other parties interested in bidding would have to offer at least $7.5 million to participate in the auction under the procedures outlined in a court filing.

Uncertainty surrounding the sale has raised creditors ire.

PNC Bank, Gabriels largest lender, said in court papers the Gabriel family is doing everything possible to sabotage a sale in an effort to preserve their equity in the debtors and their lifestyles funded by inflated salaries.

Left unchecked, the Gabriel family  will continue their subtle campaign of obfuscation until all potential buyers are no longer interested in pursing a sale, added the bank, which is owed about $6.3 million.

If it comes down to either liquidating or continuing to operate Gabriels, PNC said the family assumes creditors will choose to allow the family to remain in place.

PNC wants the court to appoint a trustee who will be focused on maximizing recoveries for noninsider creditors.

Pulman, with the San Antonio law firm Pulman, Cappuccio & Pullen, denied PNCs assertions.

Were trying to get the best deal for creditors, Pulman said. To sell a profitable business like this, at this point in time, is crazy.

If Gabriels can reach an agreement on sale terms with Nooner, Pulman said, then the retailer will put the business back up for bid.

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

PNC referenced a lawsuit another Gabriels entity filed against the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission as being part of a stealth campaign to sabotage the sale.

State law bars a public corporation from owning a package-store permit. A public corporation is defined as any company that trades on a public stock exchange or has more than 35 owners.

Gabriel Investment Group Inc. (GIG) owns a package-store permit even though it has more than 35 owners. It received an exemption to the public corporation ban before it took effect in 1995.

GIG wants the bankruptcy court to rule that the company can transfer ownership of the permit to a public company. GIGs lawsuit was filed on the eve of Nooner providing its asset purchase agreement, PNC said in its court filing seeking appointment of a trustee.

The timing of the TABC lawsuit was clearly aimed at disrupting the sale process, the bank said.

Pulman countered that PNC is trying to force a sale that isnt in anyones best interest.

Meanwhile, the committee of unsecured creditors accused Gabriels in a Tuesday court filing of bleeding the value of the company to nothing. The committee cited a decline in the value of Gabriels assets by almost $3 million since the bankruptcy filing.

The unsecured creditors committee apparently doesnt know how to read monthly operating reports, because cash has actually increased by $404,000 since the bankruptcy filing, Pulman said. The company is not bleeding cash. In fact, cash and sales are up dramatically since the declaration of the national emergency.

Gabriels has paid more than $1.3 million to creditors and generated $3.1 million from the sale of inventory associated with two stores that were shut down, Pulman said.

A hearing on the request to appoint a trustee is scheduled for Monday.

pdanner@express-news.net

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
Johns Hopkins University on March 28 clarified that it did not authorise the use of its logo in the report titled 'COVID19 for India Updates'. While the university noted that the report was co-authored by its faculty along with researchers from Princeton University and the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP), it added that the same does not reflect their views.



To clarify: Faculty with appointments at @JohnsHopkinsSPH co-authored this report with @CDDEP and Princeton researchers. The report has been updated to clarify its authors affiliations and does not reflect the views of CDDEP, Johns Hopkins, or Princeton.https://t.co/QrFhRDq1Fs

 Johns Hopkins University (@JohnsHopkins) March 28, 2020

The varsity, in a tweet on March 28, said, "The report has been updated to clarify its authors' affiliations and does not reflect the views of CDDEP, Johns Hopkins, or Princeton."

The original report, which was published on March 24 and is available on the CDDEP website, made an observation pertaining to the possible number of COVID-19 cases in India in the months to come. It said that come July, as many as 40 crore (400 million) Indians are likely to be infected (assuming there is no intervention). It also pointed out that community transmission of the coronavirus in India most likely started in early March, a claim which is not in line with the government's position on the subject.

As a result of the 'alarming claims' it made about the possible spike in the number of coronavirus cases in India in the months to come, the report was circulated widely.

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

Responding to a Twitter user's query in this matter, Princeton University, on the other hand, said, "This work was indeed done at Princeton. An earlier version of the report included an unofficial logo and therefore needed to be corrected."



@CDDEP

If JHU and Princeton are distancing from the study why is the study still there on cddep site with ur logos@JohnsHopkins @Princeton

Time to get your act together.  Prakash C (@prakashlive) March 29, 2020



The report uses the IndiaSIM Model to arrive at the key conclusions pertaining to the spread of coronavirus in India. The key parameters used include the force of infection, age- and gender-specific infection rates, severe infection, and case-fatality rates.

Joint Secretary (Health) Lav Agarwal on March 26 said that there was no proof of community transmission of coronavirus in India as yet, reiterating the government's stance that the country has not yet entered 'Stage-3' of the COVID-19 transmission. However, contrary to this, the CDDEP report noted that community transmission (Stage-3) of COVID-19 in India had most likely started in early March.



High: trajectory with current lockdowns but insufficient

physical distancing or compliance.

physical distancing or compliance.

Medium  most likely scenario with moderate to full compliance

but no change in virulence or temperature/humidity sensitivity.

but no change in virulence or temperature/humidity sensitivity.

Low  optimistic scenario with decreased virulence and

temperature/humidity sensitivity.



The graph depicts the numbers in three possible scenarios depending on the risk factor: high, medium and low.

Even as the number of cases in India had breached the 800-mark as on March 28, with the country under a 21-day lockdown, the report says, "A national lockdown is not productive and could cause serious economic damage, increase hunger and reduce the population resilience for handling the infection peak. Some states may see transmission increase only after another 2 weeks and lockdowns should be optimized for when they could maximize the effect on the epidemic but minimize economic damage."
 Close Governor blasts Trump for months of delay and withholding equipment: 'He does not understand the word federal'

Donald Trump has said he hopes the US is starting to see light at the end of the tunnel while New York, the epicentre of the countrys coronavirus outbreak, reported a potential "plateau" of cases, as a grim streak of hundreds of deaths appears to have levelled rather than continue to spike.

On Monday, the number of Covid-19-related deaths in the US eclipsed 10,500, including the nation's youngest victim, a one-day-old newborn in Louisiana.



The president optimistic comments came in stark contrast to those of US surgeon general Jerome Adams, who warned Americans to brace for levels of tragedy similar to the September 11 attacks and the bombing of Pearl Harbour in the week ahead, as states continue mitigation efforts and prepare for several more weeks of quarantine and stay-at-home measures.

In a press conference attacking his predecessor Barack Obama, Democrats, reporters and a US Navy captain who alerted officials to a potential coronavirus outbreak on his ship before he was fired for doing so, the president dismissed an inspector general report that outlined the shortages of critically needed medical supplies in US hospitals.

The president also said he has considered "getting involved" with Captain Brett Crozier's case, and said that the captain's emailed letter "shows weakness."

The president said: "We don't want to have letter-writing campaigns where the fake news finds a letter [and] gets a leak. We don't want that."

Mr Trump continued to push for a controversial malaria drug that officials in his own administration have warned is not clinically proven to safely combat the virus. Despite warnings from Dr Anthony Fauci and the federal Food and Drug Administration, the president and his chief trade adviser Peter Navarro have insisted on administering the drug.

Mr Navarro has reportedly clashed with Dr Fauci about the drug's efficacy, though he told CNN he's qualified to measure the drug's effectiveness, despite not having a medical background.

On Monday, Dr Fauci was hesitant to say that mitigation efforts are showing signs of working across the US, but early results in hard-hit areas like New York are starting to show decreasing numbers of hospitalisations requiring ventilator support. He said: "You never want to think about declaring victory prematurely."

He said that health officials may be "overshooting" the models using initial data that showed as many as 200,000 deaths.

Meanwhile, a Democratic primary election in Wisconsin scheduled for 7 April cannot be postponed despite pleas from lawmakers and a last-minute push from the state's governor, which was overruled by the state's Supreme Court. The decision sends the election into chaos, with a drastic shortage of poll workers and an electorate that has been ordered to stay home under threat of the virus.

Ballots include thousands of local races in addition to a crucial race between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders for the party's nomination to face the president in November.

Follow live updates
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban announced on Friday an investigation of the Control Body at the National Office for Centralized Public Procurement regarding the contract signed with a company from Giurgiu for the purchase of protective masks, specifying that it will be terminated if it turns out it was not carried out under legal requirements.

"The report in the media showed that in the procurement procedure carried out by the National Office for Centralized Public Procurement a framework contract was signed with a company from Giurgiu county. I asked the Minister of Finance to order an investigation of the Control Body at ONAC, I am waiting for the results of this investigation. Honestly, it seems strange to me that a company that does not have a lot of history and has no experience in the medical area can obtain such a contract. If the contract was not carried out in compliance of the legal requirements, it will be terminated and the persons involved in signing that contract without observing the legal conditions will be held responsible for this decision," said Orban.

The press reported that a company from the village of Giurgiuveanu Uzunu, commune of Calugareni, established in March 2019, is selling to the Government a number of 1.75 million protective masks for the amount of 56 million lei, according to the data published by the National Office for Centralized Public Procurement.
Why did Dalal Street end up losing Rs 5 lakh crore in 30 minutes

Sensex falls over 190 pts in early trade, Nifty slips below 17,350; HCL Tech & ICICI Bank top losers

Sensex hits 60K in just eight months after scaling 50K in January

Sensex surges over 700 points

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: Equity benchmark Sensex jumped over 700 points in opening session on Thursday led by gains in HDFC twins, Infosys, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank amid mixed global cues.

The 30-share BSE barometer was trading 713.76 points or 2.30 per cent higher at 29,249.54.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty was up 167.95 points, or 2.02 per cent, at 8,485.80.

IndusInd Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying up to 20 per cent, followed by Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto, ICICI Bank, HDFC and Bajaj Finance. On the other hand, ITC, Maruti and ONGC were the top losers.

In the previous session, the BSE gauge Sensex shot up 1,861.75 points or 6.98 per cent to settle at 28,535.78, and the NSE barometer Nifty spurted 516.80 points or 6.62 per cent to end at 8,317.85 the biggest single-day gain for the indices.

According to traders, investors are weighing the economic impact of the 21-day lockdown in the country.

All eyes are Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's economic package to cushion the economic impact of the lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, expected to be announced shortly, they said.

Nifty gives up 10k points as Sensex nosedives

Bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul were trading on a mixed note.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

Stocks on Wall Street ended with firm gains in overnight trade.

Incessant foreign fund outflow also kept domestic market participants risk-averse, traders said.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net sellers in the capital market, as they sold equity shares worth Rs 1,893.36 crore on Wednesday, according to provisional exchange data.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.51 per cent to USD 27.25 per barrel.

The number of deaths around the world linked to the new coronavirus has crossed over 21,000. In India, more than 600 coronavirus cases have been reported so far.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 9:41 [IST]
Pew: Most white evangelicals don't think COVID-19 poses a major threat to Americans' health

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

White evangelicals are less likely than most other groups to say COVID-19 poses a major threat to the health of the U.S. population, according to a new study released by the Pew Research Center.

According to the Pew survey gathered as part of the Election News Pathways project, only about a third of white evangelical Protestants (32%) say the virus poses a major threat to the health of the U.S. population. Additionally, white evangelical Protestants (76%) are the most likely to think the media has made a bigger deal of the coronavirus crisis than is warranted.

While most white evangelicals (64%) believe COVID-19 poses a major threat to the U.S. economy, they are less likely than most other groups to say the virus poses a major threat to day-to-day life in their local communities.

Just over a quarter of white evangelicals (26%) see a major danger to day-to-day life in their community, on par with white Protestants who are not evangelical (27%) and white Catholics (31%), but lower than other religiously affiliated groups.

The Pew survey of 8,914 U.S. adults was conducted March 10-16, after the U.S. recorded its first coronavirus death. On March 13, President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency due to the rapid spread of the virus.

Pew also found that around three-quarters of white evangelicals (77%) say they are at least somewhat confident that Trump is doing a good job responding to the outbreak, including roughly half who say they are very confident. Majorities of white evangelicals also say Trump has assessed the risks of the situation correctly (64%).

Notably, a majority of U.S. adults overall say the news media exaggerated the risks posed by COVID-19, including 67% of white Protestants who are not evangelical, 63% of white Catholics and 60% of the religiously unaffiliated.

There are now more than 85,000 cases of the coronavirus across the U.S., and fatalities have reached 1,296. Wednesday marked the deadliest day for reporting of U.S. coronavirus cases of coronavirus, with 223 deaths reported that day alone.

A number of pastors and Christian leaders have weighed in on how believers should respond to the pandemic.

David Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, stressed the importance of being informed but advised listening to only one, condensed COVID-19 report a day instead of inundating oneself with negativity.

This is not the end of the world. Step back, take a deep breath, and get into the Word of God and be reminded that God is in control, he said.

I want to encourage everybody to not let fear become a greater problem than the coronavirus, but trust God. The coronavirus is not a big deal to God. Hes able to control this and take in, and were going to come through this better than we were when we came in. In the meantime, we have to be calm and ask Him to give us peace.

Popular pastor and author Max Lucado of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, told The Christian Post that every Christian would do well to ask, Lord, what are you saying to me during this crisis?

God is talking to the world through the global pandemic, he said. I believe His message is both personal and global. ... It could be that some of us need to hear the Lord saying, Quit making an idol out of these sources of pleasure. Come to me for fulfillment.

Go to the Lord, ask what Hes saying, and then say, How can we be used by you? How can we serve others?" he advised. "Its not easy because of social distancing. But we can text and call people, drop gifts off for someone, we can get creative, especially with the vulnerable.

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear advised Christians to care for the elderly, vulnerable, and hourly workers; buy gift cards from service places; support healthcare workers; and participate in church ministries during this time.

Proclaim hope, he stressed. This is a time where God is shaking the foundations and we have a unique moment to step in and show Gospel hope, that when everything else around us turns into shifting sands, we are able to say, Christ is the solid rock and all other ground is sinking sand.

Greear suggested using this season to develop good habits, encouraging listeners to view it as an extended Sabbath.

Dont just make it through this time. Redeem this time. Dont waste your quarantine, he said. We know that God does a lot of His greatest works in times when there isnt a lot of activity.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:22:33|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has decided to postpone the date of the Abitur, the high school graduation exams, till the middle of May, the state's minister of education Yvonne Gebauer announced on Friday.

"The exams will, of course, take place with special attention to infection prevention," said Gebauer. "The health of our teachers and students is our top priority."

All schools in Germany have been closed since last week in order to slow down the spread of the virus in Germany.

Gebauer believed that schools in NRW could reopen after the regular Easter holidays. That would leave enough time for this year's 88,000 graduates in the state to prepare for the final exams.

"We now give our students planning security so that they can prepare for their exams in the best possible way," said Gebauer.

At the beginning of the week, Karin Prien, minister of education of the state Schleswig-Holstein, called for the cancellation of the Abitur exams across Germany, saying the final grade should instead be given on the basis of the performance of students to date.

Germany's state ministers of education agreed, however, on Wednesday that the exams, in particular the written Abitur exams, would definitely take place by the end of the school year in summer.

Other German states, such as Lower Saxony, already announced they would present their plans for final school exams in Germany in the next days.
While scientists and physicians are learning more about the novel coronavirus every day, there is still much that we dont know about the pandemic.

We compiled several of the murkier questions about the disease with the intention of updating them when more data become available.

Can you get COVID-19 twice or are you immune for life after recovering?

"We really don't know." There have been few, unsubstantiated accounts of individuals in Japan and China testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 after fully recovering from COVID-19, but the science is still uncertain.

There is some anecdotal evidence of reinfections, but we really dont know, Ira Longini at the University of Florida told New Scientist.

It may be that the tests those patients were given were faulty. However, if people do not develop immunity, then we all could be reinfected until an effective vaccine becomes available.

How long can you be infected yet show no symptoms? And if you are asymptomatic, how long are you contagious?

Unknown. One analysis of the Diamond Princess cruise ship outbreak showed that nearly a third of the 104 infected passengers remained asymptomatic even after an average of 10 days of observation at the Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital in Japan.

If you are asymptomatic, then you are contagious for a period of time, but how long is not known. The kind of testing to screen for asymptomatic infections is not yet available, according to the Guardian.

What percentage of carriers are asymptomatic?

Unknown. The data aren't clear, but a study in Iceland found that 50 percent were asymptomatic.

If you have a mild infection, you can test positive by throat swabs for days and even weeks after being ill. When is it safe to be around others?

Unclear. But one study that has not been peer-reviewed suggests that those who were only mildly sick cant infect others by about 10 days after first getting symptoms, according to the medical journal Stat.

Is there any way to know whether someone has had COVID-19 in the past?

Not yet. However, antibody tests to check for a prior infection are reportedly under development.

Can the new coronavirus linger in the air for hours?

Plausible, but likely very rare: Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, according to the CDC. However, a recent National Institutes of Health study found that under lab conditions, SARS CoV-2  the virus that causes COVID-19  can exist in an aerosolized form. (The pathogen becomes suspended in a gas.) Under such limited conditions, it has a half-life of 2.64 hours in still air, meaning half the virus' particles have become inactive after that amount of time, and half of what remains become inactive after another 2.64 hours. After 24 hours, only a tiny fraction of the original, potentially active particles would survive.

But so far, theres no evidence that aerosolized SARS CoV-2 is a main form of transmission of the virus in the real world, according to Stat.

Can chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine really help treat coronavirus patients?

To be determined. President Donald Trump called the drugs potential gamechangers during a press conference last week, causing some individuals  and even countries  to stockpile them. One man in Arizona was so swayed by the endorsement that he took a non-pharmaceutical version intended for use in home aquariums and died.

A small study in China found that patients who got hydroxychloroquine, a medicine for malaria, didnt fight off the new coronavirus more often than those who did not get the medicine, according to Bloomberg News.

The president was talking about hope, Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said with his usual diplomacy. But some scientists lashed out at Trumps support for the drugs, calling it irresponsible in the absence of robust, large-scale testing.

The Mayo Clinic published a paper Wednesday warning that off label re-purposing of drugs such as hydroxychloroquine could lead to drug-induced sudden cardiac death, according to the Guardian.

The hoarding of the drug has led to a shortage impacting patients who need the drug to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

When the novel coronavirus curve finally turns down and quarantines, lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders are lifted, will undetected asymptomatic patients create fresh transmission routes?

Possibly. Reuters reported that some experts warn this could happen, but its far from clear. Widespread testing to screen asymptomatic carriers could mitigate this danger.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

---

Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate
Official advice on COVID-19 is being translated into more languages amid fears some ethnic communities are not getting enough information about the crisis.

The Department of Health has published information in seven major languages other than English and is working on more but there are particular concerns for smaller communities who have not been in Australia long and may lack social and family networks.

There are calls for official COVID-19 information to be made available in more languages. Credit:AAP

Mohammad Al-Khafaji, chief executive of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia, said there was a lack of information for multicultural communities.

"We are concerned that there is not enough information being translated into different languages, especially for emerging communities," he said.
A leading US epidemiologist has accused one of the doctors on the White Houses coronavirus task force of false reassurance after she said a model he helped develop to predict the spread of the virus overstated the number of people likely to develop Covid-19  when in fact it referred to something more like a best-case scenario.

Marc Lipsitch, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, has previously criticised the US government for a feckless response that has failed to slow the epidemics progress, and called for intense social distancing policies coupled with a massive expansion in testing capacity.

At the White Houses latest coronavirus briefing, Dr Birx said that to get to a situation where 20 percent of the US population  around 6 million people  contracted the virus, there would need to be a very large number of asymptomatic people. She said that models that would predict that do not tally with the existing data.

The predictions of the model dont match the reality on the ground in China, South Korea or Italy, she explained. We are five times the size of Italy. If we were Italy and did all those divisions, Italy should have close to 400,000 deaths. They are not close to achieving that.

There is enough data on the real experience with the coronavirus on the ground to really make these predictions much more sound. When people start talking about 20 per cent of a population getting infected, its very scary, but we dont have data that matches that.

In response, Professor Lipsitch wrote that Our modeling (done by @StephenKissler based on work with @ctedijanto and @yhgrad and me) is one of the models she is talking about  and that on that basis, he found Dr Birxs explanation misleading.

Among critical problems for the US, he wrote, is that it is unproven whether US-style social distancing can bring the transmission rate down, and that the US is woefully behind in testing capacity.

Saying that facts on the ground are not consistent with 20% of the population getting infected is really quite deceptive. Likely, no population has 20% yet infected (though we cant be completely sure until serologic testing is widespread).

But this virus has shown in countries around the world that it can spread rapidly, and a small problem can become a big problem -- that is how exponential growth works.

It is a fundamental scientific error to take the current success of containment in some places as a sign that permanent containment is possible. We should work to make it possible, but 1918 flu and, frankly, the germ theory of disease show that containment is a temporary victory.

Other experts have also criticised the Trump administration for its relatively optimistic tilt compared to other predictions of what might happen as the virus spreads in the US. After Donald Trump himself began calling for the end of social distancing by Easter, Johns Hopkins public health academic Tom Inglesby made clear that the potential consequences would be catastrophic.

Anyone advising the end of social distancing now, needs to fully understand what the country will look like if we do that. COVID would spread widely, rapidly, terribly, could kill potentially millions in the year ahead with huge social and economic impact across the country.

While Dr Birxs latest account of the spread of coronavirus might be optimistic, other members of the task force have been more qualified in their public pronouncements. Most conspicuous is Dr Anthony Fauci, who has himself contradicted the presidents claims in TV appearances.

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

Despite some of the presidents more upbeat messaging, the US is now leading the world in confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 85,000 positive tests. A new study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has now forecast that the epidemic could claim more than 81,000 lives by the summer.

As far as epidemiologists are concerned, findings like these are not cause for optimism. As Mr Lipsitch put it: The scenario Dr. Birx is assuring us about is one in which we somehow escape Italys problem of overloaded healthcare system despite the fact that social distancing is not really happening in large parts of the US.

I desperately hope she is right, because much suffering will be avoided. But reassurance that this is likely, or even plausible, with the disorganized track record of the US response, is false reassurance.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 17:12 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de6617 1 Business Kadin,PMI,COVID-19,jusuf-kalla,donasi Free

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) donated Rp 10 billion (US$619,597) to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Friday.

The donation, which came from Santini Group and Pakarti Yoga Group, was delivered personally by Santini Group and Pakarti Yoga Group President Director Lukito Wanandi to PMI chairman Jusuf Kalla.

Previously, Kadins Charity Foundation helped the government in gradual ways by distributing 5,000 rapid test kits through the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry on Wednesday.

The funds are donations collected from the Indonesian Employers Association [APINDO], as well as other associations and corporations under Kadins supervision, Kadin chairman Rosan P. Roeslani said on Friday.

Despite the weakening economic situation, Rosan said, entrepreneurs are trying their best to lend their support.

We managed to do this because of support from other corporations and associations. I really appreciate their generosity. This serves as proof that we are united, that this is our nations true identity, Rosan said.

Read also: Indonesians show generosity in crowdfunding initiatives to fight COVID-19

Kalla expressed his gratitude for the donations.

PMI would like to thank Kadin and APINDO for the generous support. This donation will be able to help PMI in taking action against COVID-19, Kalla said.

He added that PMI is currently focusing on giving health education to the public, as well as spraying disinfectant at public places such as places of worship, schools and business districts.

We have also built an emergency warehouse to store PMIs supplies that are needed for countermeasures against COVID-19, Kalla said.

Kadin deputy chairperson Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, former House of Representatives Speaker Ginanjar Kartasasmita and Santini Group owner Sofjan Wanandi, who is also APINDO advisory council chairman, also attended the event.

People who wish to donate for the cause are able to transfer funds to the Kadin Charity Foundation's bank accounts: account number 0700009965661 in Bank Mandiri and/or number 2178777209 (for rupiah) and 217 8777 233 (for US dollars) in BCA (Kuningan branch office).
A headstone in the Old Trinity Church graveyard in the Lawndale section of Northeast Philadelphia. Read more

Swing State Hit With 2020 Voting Lawsuit - Accused Of Registering Over 1,500 Deceased People In Pennsylvania. The Patriot Journal website, Feb. 28, 2020

Two months before Pennsylvania voters cast their presidential primary ballots, one of the states most populous counties is facing a federal lawsuit over maintenance of its voter rolls.

The conservative website the Patriot Journal published a story about the lawsuit with the headline:

Swing State Hit With 2020 Voting Lawsuit  Accused of Registering Over 1,500 Deceased People in Pennsylvania.

We wondered whether the lawsuit really alleged registration of the dearly departed  one of the oldest dirty tricks in politics.

There is a lawsuit, but it wasnt filed against Pennsylvania, a pivotal swing state. The Public Interest Legal Foundation, an Indiana-based nonprofit led by a former member of President Donald Trumps defunct voter fraud commission, filed suit against Allegheny County elections officials last month.

The complaint alleges that the county violated the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by not making a reasonable effort to remove ineligible voters names from its registration lists. Similar lawsuits have been filed against dozens of other counties across the country by a man committed to preventing noncitizens from casting ballots in U.S. elections.

J. Christian Adams, the Trump appointee who leads the nonprofit, for years has warned about states improperly pushing noncitizens onto their voter rolls. In 2016, the group published a report titled Alien Invasion in Virginia about its research into the problem in that state. Critics accuse Adams of peddling baseless claims about voter fraud and putting unsuspecting voters at risk of disenfranchisement.

 READ MORE: Fact-checking coronavirus claims by Pennsylvania politicians

Does this latest lawsuit filed by the activist nonprofit allege that Allegheny County elections officials registered the dead to vote or that a deceased person has actually cast a ballot?

No.

The complaint states that when the group obtained and reviewed the countys voter list last fall, it found 1,500 deceased voters whose registrations should have been canceled but remained active. The group also found more than 3,700 sets of duplicate, triplicate, and quadruplicate voter registration records and more than 7,400 instances of failure to correctly process voter name changes.

The lawsuit doesnt allege that the county improperly registered anyone to vote, but rather that the county hasnt done enough to keep its list of active voters up to date.

State and federal law require counties to purge their rolls any time a voter moves out of state, dies, or requests removal in writing. We called Allegheny County Manager of Elections David Voye to find out how often he does list maintenance and to ask whether the county had discovered any suspicious instances of dead voters rising to cast ballots. We havent heard back.

When asked about the lawsuit by a reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he said each citizen registered to vote gets one vote, and there are no allegations [in the lawsuit] that anything to the contrary has occurred.

As is always the case with voter registration list maintenance, the utmost care will be taken to ensure that no one is disenfranchised, Voye said.

 READ MORE: Fact-checking Trumps attacks on Obama and Bidens swine flu response

Our ruling

The Patriot Journal headline stated that a swing state had been accused of registering hundreds of dead Pennsylvanians to vote.

The claim gets some critical facts false. The lawsuit was filed against county elections officials, not the state. And the complaint doesnt allege registration of the dead. It alleges that the county officials havent done enough to remove deceased voters from the rolls. We rate this statement Mostly False.

Our sources

Public Interest Legal Foundation v. David Voye, Manager of Elections for Allegheny County, et al, filed Feb. 24, 2020

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Allegheny County sued over maintenance of voter rolls, Feb. 25, 2020

NBC News, Vote Fraud Crusader J. Christian Adams Sparks Outrage, Aug. 27, 2017

PolitiFact is a nonpartisan, fact-checking website operated by the nonprofit Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
South Dakota's chief justice seeks $5 million for courthouse security

In Chief Justice Jensen's State of the Judiciary Address, he mentioned courthouse security, sexual harassment training and a lack of court reporters.
One Melbourne council has missed out on $4.16 million from property developers for local infrastructure because it is hamstrung by excessive red tape, Victoria's Auditor-General has found.

Developers are required to pay levies to councils to help fund local infrastructure, including parks, schools, roads and footpaths, in exchange for building residential estates or apartment complexes.

But Whitehorse Council in Melbourne's east has not partnered with any developers to deliver local infrastructure projects despite significant property development and population growth in Box Hill. Auditor-General Andrew Greaves found the council missed out on $4.16 million in developer levies in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 financial years.

The auditor-general was scathing of Victoria's system designed to collect developer levies. Credit:Erin Jonasson

It is not the only council to miss out on lucrative developer levies.
Nepal reported its first coronavirus case outside capital Kathmandu on Friday taking the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country to four.

The virus patient is a 34-year-old man from Dhangadhi in Western Nepal, said Health Ministry spokesman Bikas Devkota.

The man tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday and is currently receiving treatment at Dhangadhi District Hospital.

This is Nepal's fourth coronavirus case and the first reported outside Kathmandu, the official said.

Two of the coronavirus patients have already recovered and two are now undergoing treatment.

A 19-year-old Nepali student who had returned from France via Qatar had tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday last. She has been discharged from hospital after successful treatment.

In January, a 31-year-old Nepali student who had returned from Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province in China, had tested positive. The man recovered and was subsequently discharged from hospital.

The government mandated week-long nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the virus entered its fourth day on Friday.

Markets remained closed and roads wore a deserted look barring the vehicles of security personnel.

The government has already closed its borders with India and China.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Abhay Firodia Group, which includes automobile manufacturer Force Motors, on Friday announced setting up of Rs 25 crore fund for coronavirus pandemic relief activities.

The group, led by Jayahind Industries along with its subsidiaries Force Motors and Jayahind Montupet, has earmarked Rs 25 crore to support COVID-19 relief activities by NGOs, medical establishments, citizens and by industry platforms.

"The deployment will be aimed at supporting upgradation of health care infrastructure, enhancing blood collection capability, and facilitating mobile clinic/testing capabilities," the group said in a statement.

Commenting on the initiative, group Chairman Abhay Firodia said, "In this hour of major national crisis, we reiterate our dedication, for rendering service to society and the nation."



The group will be working closely with bodies like Maratha Chamber Foundation, eminent private hospitals, and select NGOs, to maximise the effectiveness, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two men who died from coronavirus had no idea they had contracted the deadly respiratory virus, and were being treated for cancer in hospital.

The two patients, both in their 70s, died on Wednesday night at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne - making them the first Victorian victims.

Two others patients at the hospital have also tested positive for COVID-19, as well as three oncology ward staff.

Dozens of staff at the south-east Melbourne hospital have since been tested amid fears many more may be infected.

The source of the hospital's outbreak is currently unknown.

The two men died at the Alfred Hospital (pictured on Thursday) after contracting coronavirus

There have been 14 deaths from coronavirus in Australia, with 3,573 cases recorded nationwide

A spokesman for the hospital confirmed a full investigation was underway, and that those who had contact with the patients have since been notified. They are now in isolation.

A full investigation, including contact tracing, is being undertaken to identify the source of transmission, which is still unknown.

Those who had contact with the patients have been notified and have isolated in line with current health advice and guidelines.

A man is seen wearing a face mask as a preventative measure against the coronavirus in Melbourne on Wednesday (pictured)

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

Alfred Health chief executive Prof Andrew Way admitted the situation was 'devastating' for staff.

'It is important that we complete the contact tracing to truly understand what has happened, and I appreciate how upsetting this is for everyone involved,' Prof Way said.

'This situation highlights how devastating the virus can be for vulnerable patients.

'I urge the community to follow health advice and to self-isolate if they're unwell. We need to act now to protect those at risk in our community.'

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a host of new restrictions on Friday, with all arrivals in Australia from overseas now being put into quarantine.

From 11.50pm on Saturday, all travellers arriving in the country will be escorted off flights by defence force personnel and whisked away to new quarantine hotels.

Several are being set up across state capitals.

Mr Morrison announced the measures on Friday, more than a week after the Ruby Princess debacle that saw 3,000 cruise ship passengers disembark in Sydney without a single health check.

People are seen lining up to get coronavirus tests at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (pictured) on March 13

It comes as the first arrivals - 288 passengers from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship - continue to reside inside the Swissotel in Sydney's CBD, under the watchful eye of police (pictured)

Since then, 162 of the ship's passengers have been confirmed to have COVID-19.

The new arrivals will now spend two weeks mandatory self-isolation under the close watch of border force officials, before getting the all clear to return home.

It comes as the first arrivals - 288 passengers from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship - continue to reside inside the Swissotel in Sydney's CBD, after being quietly ferried in the hotel's back door at 4am on Thursday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the latest strict measures during a press conference on Friday (pictured)

The infections took place at the Alfred Hospial in Melbourne (pictured) where a total of four patients have tested positive for COVID-19




HARTFORD  The ACLU of Connecticut has sent an emergency letter to the rules committee of the state Judicial Branch requesting they consider limiting pretrial bail amounts, among other changes, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group asks the changes as a public health measure. Included with the request was a letter from state medical professionals and experts in infectious disease and prison populations.

Two employees of the state Department of Corrections have tested positive for the virus.

Other states, such as New Jersey, have released incarcerated people in response to the pandemic but Gov. Ned Lamont has only said, Its something were watching.

The letter asks the rules committee to limit financial conditions of release, such as bail, to only those cases in which there is no other way to ensure a court appearance, and preventing financial conditions on people who are symptomatic, have a positive diagnosis or are in a vulnerable risk category

The ACLU also requests that the rules committee consider adding COVID-19 considerations to the list of bases for requests for bail modification, and requiring motions made on the basis of the pandemic be heard within 48 hours, shortening the time for the court to review someones pre-trial detention to seven days, and requiring followup reviews to automatically occur every seven days.

The ACLU of Connecticut is gravely concerned that people charged with crimes continue to be given pretrial financial obligations, frequently resulting in their detention in one of the densest congregate living arrangements in existence: prison. As of today, about 3,000 people are detained in Connecticuts prison system for inability to meet bond, wrote ACLU of Connecticut legal director Dan Barrett.
Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - CFN Media (OTCQB: CNFN), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the legalized North American cannabis industry announces publication of an article discussing how Israel has shipped the first cannabis export to the UK, marking a new era in Israeli cannabis.

Israel has long been an international center for cannabis research. THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and CBD, the plant's predominant non-psychoactive ingredient, were first isolated and defined by Israeli researcher Dr. Raphael Mechoulam in the early 1960s. Research continued there in the following decades, and the Israeli government has contributed greatly to the country's prominence in the global cannabis industry.

In Israel, medical cannabis is legal while recreational use remains technically illegal, though the government decriminalized recreational use to some extent in 2017. Government agencies provide funding for cannabis research. In January 2019, the government passed a law to allow exports of medical cannabis, though the first export was announced a year later in January 2020. With that recent development, the table appears set for growth in the Israeli cannabis market.

Click below to view more on Isracann Biosciences - Israel's First Pure Play Cannabis Firm





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txysv2Sd9SM

Unmet Need in Europe

BOL Pharma is the Israeli company that announced the first export from the country, with a shipment destined for centers that specialize in the treatment of children with epilepsy and autism in the United Kingdom. The company's CEO, Dr. Tamir Gedo, stated, "This is truly welcome news and a real breakthrough for the Israeli medical cannabis market. The Israeli cannabis industry has a huge competitive edge in the global arena, compared to many countries trying to enter the cannabis sector... Further opening of the market to exports will enable Israel to become a world leader in the coming years."

Click Here To Receive Isracann's Investor Presentation

The UK legalized medical cannabis in late 2018. Since then, patients have had a hard time getting prescribed treatments in a timely fashion, with most of the supply coming from foreign countries but facing restrictive regulations. As a result, in early March 2020, the UK government announced a change in import restrictions designed to increase the flow of timely medicinal products to registered patients.

This dynamic is common throughout Europe, with countries adopting medical programs without the infrastructure, both regulatory and physical, to provide supply to its own patients. Israel, with its strategic location combined with governmental commitment to the industry, is in prime position to pick up some of the slack.

Isracann Biosciences Poised to Move

Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (OTC: ISCNF) is an Israeli-based cannabis company poised to enter both the Israeli domestic and the European export cannabis markets. The company is advancing its fully-funded 230,000 sq ft hybrid greenhouse cultivation project while also advancing a partnership with a late stage project consisting of approximately 200,000 sq ft of greenhouses located on over 880,000 sq ft of agricultural land. In conjunction with the cultivation projects, Isracann is developing European distribution channels while ensuring that all aspects of its business, from cultivation through processing and manufacturing, comply with European Union GMP regulations necessary for international trade.

While laying the groundwork for an extensive European export operation, the company is certainly not foregoing the burgeoning domestic opportunity in Israel. The country, as of late 2019, had about 46,000 registered patients. Isracann expects this number to roughly double by the end of 2020, by which time the company hopes to be harvesting and distributing products.

The company recently announced a joint venture agreement with two near-term farm operations in the Sharon Plain region of Israel. The IMC-compliant farms operate under preliminary cannabis nursery and cultivation licenses and are preparing to commence planting within weeks with 160,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse canopy on two million sq. ft. of private land. The move paves the way for the company to ramp up sales faster than it expected and could help drive near- and long-term shareholder value.

In a recent two-part interview with CFN Media, Isracann Biosciences CEO Darryl Jones outlined the company's strategy, assets, and partnerships. He talked about some of the advantages inherent in the Israeli market (ideal climate for cultivation, regulatory environment, advanced research, widespread domestic use, proximity to Europe, etc.).

Click Here To Receive Isracann's Investor Presentation

CEO Video Interview #1

Click Below to View Video Interview #1: Isracann Biosciences CEO Darryl Jones







Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXhtd4lYAlk&t=28s

Click Below to View Video Interview Part #2: Isracann Biosciences CEO Darryl Jones





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PddKzFeZGr4&t=18s

Looking Ahead

The very first medical cannabis shipment from Israel to the UK marks a new era in the promising Israeli cannabis industry. With the country's government backing research and development efforts, as well as implementing rules to encourage growth of the industry both domestically and internationally, Israel has cemented its place as a leader for the global cannabis market. The year ahead promises to be pivotal for both the industry in general, and for Isracann Biosciences in particular as the company executes its vision of a comprehensive farm-to-consumer cannabis company. Keep an eye out as the plan unfolds.

Click Here To Receive Isracann's Investor Presentation

Click here to read the full article: https://bit.ly/2QNGwA1

Click Here to Receive CFN Media's Newsletter Every Week in Your Inbox

Isracann Biosciences

CEO

Darryl Jones

Djones@isracann.com

855-205-0226

CFN Enterprises

President

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

Flane@cannabisfn.com

About CFN Media

CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN) is the owner and operator of CFN Media, the leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the legal cannabis industry.

For Visitors and Viewers

CFN Media's Cannabis Financial Network (CannabisFN.com) is the destination for savvy investors and business people profiting from the worldwide cannabis industry. Viewers will see breaking news, exclusive content and original programming involving the people, companies and investments shaping the industry.

For Cannabis Businesses & Companies

CFN Media is a leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the cannabis industry. We help private, pre-public and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada attract capital, investors and media attention.

Our powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a company's message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets.

Since 2013, CFN Media has enabled the world's preeminent cannabis companies to thrive in the capital and public markets.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: https://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Disclaimer

The above article is sponsored content. CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, have been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53879
The British public could use their daily exercise session permitted during the coronavirus lockdown as an opportunity to get super fit, the deputy chief medical officer for England has suggested.

Appearing at a Downing Street press conference, Dr Jenny Harries also insisted the UK must not take our foot off the pedal as social distancing measures were beginning to have an impact on the spread of covid-19.

It comes after Boris Johnson imposed stringent restrictions on British public life to tackle the spread of the virus, instructing individuals to only leave their homes for specific reasons, including one form of daily exercise.

Dr Harries said she recognised there were mental health risks involved in the measures announced on Monday, particularly for those who have been asked by the government to remain indoors for 12 weeks. Thats a really big ask, she said.

But, she continued: I might actually put a more optimistic view as well, which is if people are not going out to work and often that creates stress in terms of travel time. They have more free time to themselves.

It might be the best opportunity the whole county has to say Im going to use my one exercise session every day to ensure by the time this over I am super fit and so is my family.

In fact, if you have something restricted it sometimes becomes quite a pleasurable event. Even though you may not have wished to jog along the street before, doing so now might be quite a relief and a positive thing for us all to do.

Pressed on whether the lockdown could be on or off for a six month period, the deputy chief medical officer for England, she added: We may see measures of lockdown going forward over the next six months, that would not be an implausible outcome. But I also said I think as were watching the curve it may be possible  definitely not now because were only just starting to get some benefit from the this.

This issue here is, exactly as we have done all the way through with this, is watching the epidemiology and flexing those interventions at the right time, in the right place to deliver what we need.

Speaking alongside Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, Dr Harries also told reporters they would not be surprised that she would not predict a precise time for the peak of the epidemic.

"And the reason for this is we are only just starting to see a bite in the interventions of social distancing that have been put in place, it would be far too early to predict that," she said.

"I think we are starting to see some helpful movement. What we would be looking for is a change in the slope, rather than it being a very steep curve upwards we would be looking for it to be a gentler slope but we must not take out foot off the pedal.

"People have been really co-operative and I think in the last few days the public have really understood that this is something very serious and their actions wherever they are will save lives. So, it's too early to say yet but starting to move in the right direction."
Canada is strapped to a bomb. On Thursday it was revealed that the Trump administration is considering placing 1,000 troops along the Canadian border. On the American side, it sounded like yet another vapour promise from a flailing president, a reality show with cardboard sets. On the Canadian side, it sounded like people trying to negotiate with a gorilla.

In Canadas view this is an entirely unnecessary step which we would view as damaging to our relationship, said deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Having said that, it is absolutely the right of every country, very much including our neighbour, to do what it chooses to do on its border.

By the evening, the plan was dead, per the Wall Street Journal. What to make of that?

Look, here are things to worry about in Canada right now. The supply of personal protective equipment for hospitals is critical, and waning already. The coronavirus testing lag in Ontario means we are behind in making decisions, and the provinces list of essential businesses is too long: apparently everything from beer coaster companies to flight schools are still open, among other things that should be closed. The fiscal protection for workers  and a national pause on evictions, along with mortgage interest  is so important. We must get still further away from one another.

But the United States is a worry, too. When asked about the plan Thursday, the president seemed unaware of it. And to be clear, as detailed it seemed to be an exercise in placebo policy. The Nation reported 1,000 troops were considered, which over a nearly 9,000-kilometre border with 119 crossings would have been, at best, a scattered and useless Maginot Line for a country that was already busy defeating itself.

That it came hours before the United States officially became the most infected coronavirus country on earth was dark, tragic comedy. Federal Conservative leadership candidates Peter MacKay and Erin OToole raising the spectre of illegal border crossings last week was odious; the idea of potential irregular crossers from Canada to the U.S. is simply insane. If anything, one of Canadas pressing concerns should be keeping Americans out of our country. And the worst American ideas, too.

Because it is built to fail. America has still tested half as many people per capita as Canada. There are hospital workers in New York wearing garbage bags to protect themselves, and at least one has died. The governor of Mississippi overrode local stay-home advisories, which is indicative of an entire mode of thought. Trump is refusing or unable to harness the matchless power of the U.S. federal government to fight the pandemic, and his political movement is aching to let people die rather than let the stock market fall.

But Canada is tied to the United States, and this floated-and-dropped idea was a warning. How irrational is our ally is clear: the question may be, how irrational can it get? In the big picture, Canadas supply chain relies on the U.S., for food and medical supplies both, and what happens if America, with an America-first president, truly descends into chaos? The economic flows work both ways, and that helps Canada. But we are bound to a nation that cant even fully face the problem.

And in the smaller picture, there are Canadians crossing the border to work. Windsor shares a border with Detroit, where cases are surging and an estimated 3,000 Canadians cross the border to work every day, primarily to work in American health care. Some work in Canadian health care as well, including in long-term-care homes. Windsor has very few confirmed COVID-19 cases, but all so far but one were American travel.

Especially going now to a place where the number of cases are really, really high, and exposing them to that, which is very different than what we are seeing locally, said Dr. Wajid Ahmed, the medical officer of health for Windsor-Essex. From a Canadian perspective, it is a risk to my community. We should do whatever we can to reduce those risks. Dr. Ahmed is trying to find solutions.

But more, the worst American ideas need to be kept out, too. Thursday the National Post, where I worked for 14 years, published an op-ed from climate change skeptic Lawrence Solomon that argued only the elderly and those with underlying conditions should practise social distancing. It was such a dangerous, reckless and ignorant argument it could have been coming from the president of the United States.

Canada is also starting to dabble in China-blaming, which while understandable isnt helpful right now. The Chinese governments initial mishandling of the virus is a global tragedy; that Canadas shipping 16 tons of personal protective equipment to China in February generated criticism is understandable, if only because hospitals across Canada are rationing PPE right now, and PPE is critically important.

But as Evan Solomon of CTV reported, the federal government expects shipments of PPE from China to Canada to be more than was sent out. Co-operation, rather than nationalism, is something Canada needs. Especially since many of our medical supply chains also run through China.

At the beginning of the outbreak  the WHO called for global support to China, said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer. And I think its a very important public health principle, and thats that containment at source is the most important thing one must do at the beginning of any outbreak. Because by helping at the initial epicentre youre going to help the world. Youre going to help Canada as well.

The idea of American troops at the border was, of course, idiotic. The worst part was that it would have been better than opening it up.

Read more about:
Armenian banks have agreed to suspend loan repayments for tens of thousands of individual borrowers and businesses hit hard by economic fallout from by the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced on Friday.

The volume of the restructured loans is around 200 billion drams ($404 million), Pashinian wrote on Facebook. They were borrowed by around 97,000 individuals and nearly 3,400 local firms, he said.

The Armenian government last week imposed strict restrictions on peoples movement and ordered the closure of most firms to tackle the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has left scores of Armenians facing a loss of jobs and income.

The government has faced opposition calls for imposing a blanket freeze on all loan repayments. Pashinian rejected those calls when he spoke in the parliament on Wednesday. He said the banks should deal with defaulting clients on a case-by-case basis.

Pashinian also said on Wednesday that Armenias public utility companies have agreed not to cut off electricity, natural gas and water supplies to people failing to pay their bills because of the economic shutdown.

The national gas distribution network, Gazprom-Armenia, confirmed on Friday that it will stop collecting gas fees for February at least until the state of emergency in the country ends on April 14.

In a statement, Gazprom-Armenia put the total amount of unpaid gas bills at 4.8 billion drams. It stressed that only about 7 percent of the sum is owed by low-income families receiving poverty benefits.

In a related development, Pashinians government approved on Thursday a multimillion-dollar stimulus package designed to cushion the broader impact of coronavirus. It includes one-off cash payments to citizens who have lost their jobs this month as well as financial assistance or credit subsidies to businesses and farmers. Pashinian said many banks will also benefit from the relief.
(Newser)  As the US takes the No. 1 spot in coronavirus cases, the epicenter of the outbreak here has approved a controversial process in anticipation of ventilator shortages. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday his state's hospitals can now split one ventilator between two patientsa "not ideal but workable" move made in anticipation of a ventilator shortage as the number of cases rise, he says. Per ABC News, Massachusetts' Tufts Medical Center is even experimenting with splitting one ventilator among four patients. Multiple medical groups, however, are pushing back on this idea. "Sharing mechanical ventilators should not be attempted because it cannot be done safely with current equipment," a statement reads. They encourage triage instead, as it's better "to purpose the ventilator to the patient most likely to benefit than fail to prevent, or even cause, the demise of multiple patients."

story continues below

Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, head of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, was even blunter in her assessment on whether the newly OK'd protocol can work. "The short answer is no," she tells CNN, noting the "myriad issues ... to contend with." The New York Times says this "desperate measure" has been used in a few studies, but only twice in "crisis situations": after the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, and, more recently, by an ER doctor in Italy treating coronavirus patients. "We're doing something that hasn't really ever been done before," says a pulmonary disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, which started "ventilator sharing" this week. "Now is the time to do it." The co-author of a 2008 study on sheep sharing a ventilator agrees that while the process is "suboptimal," a "doomsday scenario" may leave doctors no choice. "The other option is death," he says. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
From coronavirus cases exponentially multiplying across the U.S. to doctors falling sick, the daily headlines are gut-wrenching and overwhelming. But there are some positive signs of progress that can help keep things in perspective.

Despite all the dire updates, Americans have come together during this tumultuous time and promising experimental drugs have been identified to help treat some of the symptoms of the novel coronavirus. Researchers are working around the clock to develop the vaccine that will be safe and effective.

CAN YOU CATCH CORONAVIRUS TWICE? Vexing questions about COVID-19 that have stumped scientists

Its critical at this time to keep you updated with news that is also uplifting and encouraging regarding the progress to quell the spread of this devastating virus. Remember to not lose sight of the bigger picture and the significant milestones in eradicating this deadly virus.

1) There is a promising recovery rate

For many who contract the virus, approximately 80%, the symptoms may be mild and resemble those from cold or flu. Those individuals with mild symptoms may be able to treat their illness without entering the hospital. More than 120,000+ have now recovered from coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins Resource Centers tracker.

2) Strategies like self-quarantine, lockdowns and social distancing have stemmed the spread

In China, Singapore and some cities in Italy, quarantine and social distancing have played a pivotal role in stemming the tide of infections. A small town in Italy called Vo Euganeo saw a cluster of cases due to the novel coronavirus in late February. After its first death, town officials immediately implemented a lockdown, according to LiveScience. This move drastically reduced infections, reaching zero cases after the aggressive strategy.

Taiwan also effectively fought the outbreak of the coronavirus by case identification and air and sea border control. On December 31, when China informed the World Health Organization that it had several cases of the unknown pneumonia, Taiwan's Center for Disease Control began the inspections of travelers on flights from Wuhan, China.

3) Existing antiviral drugs could significantly help coronavirus patients

The experimental antiviral drug, Remdesivir is a promising candidate to treat coronavirus. On March 23, the drug received the orphan drug destination from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Remdesivir is delivered through intravenous infusion and was first used to treat Ebola. This is one of the several drugs now investigated as a potential life-saving therapy. The drug works by incorporating itself into the genetic code of the virus, interrupting reproduction. According to the FDA, the agency has been working with Gilead Pharmaceutical to potentially provide Remdesdivir to patients under emergency "compassionate use" program.

Other drugs, hydroxychoroloquine and chloroquine are also being investigated as possible candidates, although infectious disease experts say the claims of their effectiveness are premature.

4) The development of a vaccine is in its final phases in Israel

Researchers at Israel's Institute for Biological Research are expected to announce that they have completed the final phases of a vaccine for the new coronavirus COVID-19. Although Israel's defense ministry claims that it is not a "breakthrough," scientists have begun to understand the characteristics of the virus, including the production of antibodies for those who have recovered from the illness.

5) There is significant progress in the development of a vaccine in Seattle

The first U.S. clinical trials for a potential vaccine candidate began on March 16, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced. Biotech pioneer, Moderna uses genetic material, messenger RNA to make vaccines. The infectious disease institute has been working with Moderna because the RNA strategy promises to create a vaccine more quickly.

6) The FDA is now allowing plasma therapy treatment of life-threatening COVID-19 cases

The FDA has now updated its protocol regarding the use of experimental treatments in the COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 24, the agency is now allowing the use of "convalescent" plasma from recovering patients in severe cases where a patient's life is immediately threatened.

CORONAVIRUS EXPERT: 'Real possibility' Houston is the next major hot spot

7) Countries around the world are pledging support to their citizens during this pandemic

As part of the $2 trillion stimulus package, the U.S. is preparing to give most American adults $1,200 and $500 to children. The U.S. package includes loans to business and local and state government as well as funds for hospitals and more unemployment insurance. Italy is also offering help for families and one-time 500 euro payments to self-employed people. Spain has also rolled out a $200 billion euro rescue package in loans for small businesses and is freezing mortgages and utility bills for individuals.

8) Air pollution has dropped in key areas where quarantines and lockdowns are in place

China's lockdown led to a 25 percent decrease in CO2 emissions when compared with the same period in 2019, according to a recent study. Lauri Mylllyvirta, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Finland outlined how industrial operations were reduced by 15 to 40 percent in some sectors and that China's coal consumption at power plants dropped by 36 percent.

9) Testing is improving on a global scale

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a coronavirus screening test that entails taking nasal or oral swabs and analyzing as many as 1,000 people in a day. The results often come back in 24 hours, but scientists are expecting to shorten that to a few hours.

10) Families, communities are coming together

"We'll get through this together." That's often the one defining message of encouragement that you'll hear punctuated at the end of almost conversation right now. Friends and family are staying in touch using Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp. Now that parents are at home with their kids, families are finding unique moments to have true quality time, whether it's going on afternoon bike rides or going for walks. Families previously distracted by their busy, full schedules are now sinking into the home routine, with family dinners making a comeback.

11) Companies are stepping up to create masks, respirators in the wake of the crisis

Ford is now partnering with 3M and GE Healthcare to make respirators and ventilators. The company also announced that it will use its 3D printers to print disposable respirator masks. According to Space.com, Elon Musk said he would have 1,200 ventilators ready to deliver this week.

12) Extensive testing program implemented South Korea potentially helped save lives

In South Korea, the spread of coronavirus dramatically slowed due to widespread testing, which also included drive-thru testing hubs. The infection rates have been falling for two weeks because of a rigorous testing regime. According to Science magazine, South Korea has seen a general decline in new coronavirus cases since March 11. The numbers have dropped to 74 each day, which is a dramatic reduction from its peak of 909 cases on February 29.

13) Temporary coronavirus hospitals in Wuhan are now shut down due to lack of cases

On March 14, medical workers removed their masks in this viral video after the city closed its last temporary hospital that was constructed to handle the overflow of coronavirus patients. China has shut down all of its 16 makeshift coronavirus hospitals in Wuhan on March 10.

14) People are extending kind gestures of compassion in the wake of the crisis

From a phone call to check in on good friends or grabbing groceries for elderly neighbors, people all across the nation are stepping up to help out in this time of need. For example, the social media app NextDoor provides a map of people offering help right in your neighborhood. Some are helping pick up groceries, go to the post office and providing non-perishable foods to those in need.

15) More countries are containing the spread of coronavirus

China is reporting a dramatic reduction in new cases. On March 25, Beijing's city zoo and parts of the Great Wall of China have reopened to visitors who book in advance, after a sharp drop in the number of new coronavirus cases. After the deadly outbreak in Wuhan, at the center of the epidemic, people in several Chinese cities were told to stay at home. Some 760 million people, roughly half of the country's population were confined to their homes, according to the medical journal, Nature

According to the World Economic Forum, Singapore only reported 96 cases and no deaths, with recoveries eclipsing the actual rate of infection. Many experts believe the country's success is due to the top-notch healthcare system, strict travel restrictions and home quarantine regimen.

alison.medley@chron.com
Connie Wong calls herself a unicorn, the rare San Francisco native of her generation who still lives in the city.

Her Hong Kong- and Macao-born parents, now in their 80s, have resided in San Francisco since the 1960s, building careers in the city, retiring in the Sunset District and, until two weeks ago, content to stay here the rest of their days.

But the coronavirus has changed a lot of things in the Bay Area, including a feeling of safety in calling San Francisco home. Like a number of locals, Connie Wong on March 14 made the decision to throw a few things together, get the quickest plane ticket available, and find her way to a country that she feels has achieved more success battling the global pandemic.

(My mother was) like, I feel like were refugees fleeing a war, Wong said, during a Wednesday phone call from Taiwan. And I said, Yes, we are. We are refugees fleeing a biological war right now. Finish packing, weve got to go.

Leaving the Bay Area is on a lot of minds, as local infection numbers escalate. Reports of local public health supply shortages have emerged, as news from Italy and New York reminds citizens how horrifying it can be for the sick, especially the elderly, when hospitals exceed their capacities. Several Bay Area residents have confirmed they left the country, started a planned trip early or are making plans to leave the U.S. following concerns about care here.

Howard Hsu

Napa resident Howard Hsu, until recently a bartender at a Japanese restaurant, had a March 31 flight booked to visit his family in Taiwan, on his way to Hawaii. But Hsu was afraid of getting stuck in the Bay Area, where he felt coronavirus preparation and care is inferior. Instead, he quit his job early, quickly gave away some furniture, sold his bicycle and bass guitar, and moved the flight up to March 19.

I had a gut instinct telling me things are going to get shut down, Hsu said on Thursday. There were a lot of outbreaks in the Bay Area. There were talks about the social distance and curfew and shut down the state and whatnot.  It was very scary. I was afraid I wasnt going to be able to leave.

Helen Shaffer of Oakland also left the country early over fears of getting stuck in the United States without reliable health insurance, moving her flight a week earlier to get to the United Kingdom, where she is relocating for work.

Honestly it feels like Ive gone out of the frying pan into the fryer a little, Shaffer said. Trumps idea that things can return to normal by mid-April is worrisome, but the government here hasnt really done a lot to make people stay in.

The phenomenon seems to be happening across the country. Among higher-profile examples is Sarong Party Girls author Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, who tweeted on Wednesday night that she was on the very last plane to Singapore from New York, for an unscheduled writing retreat. She expressed her relief at landing, and on Thursday started documenting her government-enforced two-week hotel quarantine.

Wongs journey was filled with drama as well. The 47-year-old Air Force veteran, recovering from breast cancer surgery, hadnt thought much about the virus before this month  taking a comedy class and performing in a showcase at the Punch Line comedy club in February.

But she followed the news and each day became a little more worried, then scared, then determined to take action. After listening to an episode of the SF City Insider podcast on March 12 that offered a grim portrait of a losing coronavirus battle in Italy, Wong says she woke up the next morning, gasping for air, thinking, holy s, we have to get out of here!

Wong bought one-way tickets to Taiwan for herself and parents Howard and Anna Wong, booked a hotel room for $30 a night, and paid for more than $1,000 in travel insurance to help with medical coverage. They left San Francisco for Taiwan on March 16, just as Mayor London Breed ordered residents to stay at home. They just missed a Taiwan order, made while they were in the air, for out-of-country visitors to stay in 14-day quarantines.

Connie Wong

I put 2 and 2 together, said Wong. If my parents get hit, if I take them to the E.R. in San Francisco, they will not get a ventilator, because it will be wartime protocol. There are not enough nurses. There are not enough doctors. There are not enough ventilators.

With extensive testing and quarantines, Taiwan had just 252 reported cases as of March 24, and two reported deaths, with a population of about 26 million. In the same time period, the San Francisco Bay Area had more than 25 deaths with about a third of the population, and numbers rising.

C. Jason Wang, a Stanford professor who has studied Taiwans COVID-19 response, co-wrote in a recent paper that Taiwan learned from its experience battling SARS in 2003, and had the training, experience, resources and technology to take on the emerging outbreak of coronavirus.

He said the flight of U.S. residents to Taiwan is happening a lot, but the days of easy travel to Taiwan are over.

(Most) of Taiwans recent COVID-19 cases are imported from the U.S. and Europe by people seeking refuge in Taiwan, Wang wrote in an email response to The Chronicle. This is placing a strain on Taiwans health system. Recently, Taiwan placed a 14-day mandatory quarantine for people coming from hot spots in the U.S. and Europe; stopped issuing visas, and (is) allowing only Taiwan citizens to enter (with 14 days quarantine).

Wong and her parents are in Taiwan on a 90-day visa, but she hopes her parents can stay for at least six months. Wongs father went to the Republic of China Military Academy in Taiwan as a teen, with a Taiwanese passport.

Wong recently moved to a $9-per-day hostel to save money. She only ventures outside when she has to, fills out a daily checklist monitoring her health for the government and says her temperature is taken everywhere she goes.

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.

Her parents are mostly settled in their hotel, ordering from delivery service Foodpanda, the Taiwanese version of Uber Eats.

These people do not play. These people are totally all over you ... in a good way, Wong said of Taiwanese government oversight, which she used to criticize as too stringent. Thats why their numbers are so low. They actually do tracing. They learned from the SARS outbreak. If youre sick, theyre like, Who did you come in contact with? And if youre in contact, that person also has to go in quarantine.

Hsu said he has residency in Taiwan but still is in 14-day quarantine.

He plans to stay in Taiwan until the crisis is over, before moving on to Hawaii as planned. He said the country has been taking the virus seriously for months and hasnt wavered like the United States. When he visited Taiwan in late January, they were already taking temperatures at the airport.

Its not like the U.S., where they were just letting everyone come in, and not doing any quarantine measures, Hsu said. I feel like its very safe here. ... They have people calling me twice a day to see if Im feeling all right.  They have a news conference every day, and they talk about how people are infected  they have all the details.

Both Wong and Hsu said they struggled over whether their initial choice was correct but havent regretted it.

Its a rash decision, and I dont like making impulsive, rash decisions, Wong said. It usually makes you spend more money. It makes you off-center. Its not a comfortable place to be. But Im super thankful now, especially reading all the news.

Wong has a teenage daughter back in the Bay Area who she said chose not to go to Taiwan. Wong said she planned to spend the rest of the day looking for masks and disinfecting wipes, to send back to family in the States.

This is how fed up it is, Wong said. Im sending you guys back home masks and antibacterial hand wipes. America is the most powerful, richest, affluent fing country. And you guys dont have enough masks and hand wipes.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
While most money managers hunt for bargains in the market upheaval, Jonas Kron is searching for good guys.

Weve sought to find companies that invest in their employees rather than treat them as disposable, said Kron, who helps oversee $3 billion (U.S.) as director of shareholder advocacy at Boston-based Trillium Asset Management.

The drive toward sustainable investing has shifted in response to the coronavirus, which has spread to 170 countries. ESG investors such as Kron havent quit caring about limiting fossil fuels, cultivating diverse workforces and reducing the use of plastics, and theyve always taken an interest in worker welfare.

But theyre focusing more now on how companies treat employees during the pandemic. While the Federal Reserve commits trillions to rescue financial firms and the U.S. Congress readies checks for a couple thousand each to working Americans, Kron is one of a group from Wall Streets buy-side that sees it as part of the job to look out for them.

The American worker, whos the backbone of the economy, has been in a tenuous position, Kron said. The coronavirus is making apparent to a lot of people the consequences of not having a significant social net.Companies interactions with employees during the health crisis also preoccupies John Streur, chief executive officer of Eaton Vance Corp.s responsible-investment unit, Calvert Research and Management. Among the issues are how employers deal with contract workers, whether they cut loose employees or keep paying them during the pandemic, whether they provide adequate medical insurance and if they allow working from home.

People will remember how companies treated their workers and how they behaved within the community, Streur said.

Oil Collapse

At the same time, Benjamin Allen of Parnassus Investments is keeping an eye on the communities most affected by the historic fall in oil prices.

Just think about the mom-and-pop stores, the restaurants in West Texas and other communities that were booming just a year ago, Allen said on a conference call with investors last week.

The funds the three represent have mostly beat the S&P 500s 23.9 per cent drop this year through Tuesday. The Calvert Equity Fund is down 17.8 per cent. Parnassuss Core Equity Fund has tumbled 20.6 per cent, while Trilliums ESG Global Fund has lost 23 per cent.

The landscape for American workers looks grim. Airlines, manufacturers and local businesses are among the businesses that have cut back operations or shuttered them entirely to stem the spread of COVID-19. The national jobless rate could surge above eight per cent in the next three months, according to Bloomberg News calculations. Other estimates look worse. James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said unemployment could hit 30 per cent in the second quarter.

Among the 100 largest U.S. employers, 36 per cent have adopted some form of paid sick leave and 28 per cent continue to pay hourly employees affected by changes in operational hours and closures, according to an analysis by JUST Capital, an ESG research group thats tracking how U.S. workers are faring during the pandemic.

A number of companies have updated their policies as many as four times since the virus outbreak, said Alison Omens, the non-profit groups chief strategy officer.

The three leaders in ESG investing said they keep tabs on companies they believe are doing the right things.

Relief Fund

Kron said he likes Microsoft Corp.s requirement that contract companies provide paid leave to their workers.

Streur cited financial-software maker Workday Inc. and Shopify Inc., an online showcase for merchants, as helping to blunt the economic effect of coronavirus.

Workday, with 12,200 employees, announced a one-time cash bonus equivalent to two weeks pay for each active worker. The company said its also creating a relief fund, expanding benefits like paid sick leave and child care and giving employees access to a meditation app.Thats an example of a company taking an initial step thats more comprehensive than those who are giving employees $1,000 to ensure they have the right office supplies, Streur said.

Allen lauded Waste Management Inc. and Starbucks Corp. for safeguarding employees and customers. Waste Management said it would guarantee as many as 40 hours of pay a week for employees during the pandemic. Starbucks said it will expand emergency pay for U.S. staff. The coffee chain said it will also offer additional pay replacement for as many as 26 weeks to employees unable to return to work.

One thing the three investors have in common: a distaste for stock buybacks, which they said put executive bonuses ahead of investment in workers.

We need to tell companies they need to use their cash to take care of employees, Streuer said. In the long term, that will have a positive impact on the stock.

Read more about:
The Hindu, one of Indias leading dailies, sends its readers a clear message to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

Given the current circumstances that surround us, I am sure you will agree with me when I say I did not see the need for a more elaborate explanation of the work.

But for those who may persist, this poster was created by Mahesh Gharat and Kiran Anthony, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy - South India.
Shelley Davies waits for her delivery at Plants and Friends./Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate

Scroll through the gallery above for photos of the San Francisco Bay area during the COVID-19 crisis.

This page is no longer being updated. The latest live updates article can be accessed here.

LATEST, March 28, 7:20 a.m. Contra Costa recorded its second death due to coronavirus late Friday night.

No information was given on the deceased, and the county also reported four new cases, bringing its total to 151. Sonoma County also reported four new cases Friday night.

March 27, 8:45 p.m. NBC Bay Area reported Friday night that San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital now has eight people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including five nurses, two housekeepers and one patient. The hospital is in the process of testing 175 individuals.

Napa County reported its ninth case of COVID-19. The patient is a resident of St. Helena and "has a direct relationship with a case previously confirmed," officials said in a statement.

March 27, 7:58 p.m. San Mateo County Parks announced Friday evening that it's closing all parks as of 6 p.m. today in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

"The action was taken due to influx of people driving to parks and congregating on trails thus preventing social distancing and safe use of park trails at this time," officials said in a statement. Read the full story.

March 27, 5:52 p.m. Public health officials announced the first death related to coronavirus in Marin County Friday evening.

The victim was reportedly a man in his 70s who was a passenger on a Grand Princess cruise ship during a trip to the Mexican Riviera. He had been hospitalized for three weeks before passing away on Friday.

This is a heartbreaking development in our work to limit the impact of COVID-19 locally, Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin County deputy health officer, said in a statement. This unfortunate death further shows how serious this virus is and how necessary it is for our community to continue to shelter in place and take bold measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Marin.

March 27, 4 p.m. The Santa Rosa Police Department announced that two additional employees have tested positive for coronavirus.

Five members of the police department are confirmed to have the virus.

March 27, 2:30 p.m. Santa Clara County announced 32 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and one additional death on Friday.

There are now 574 confirmed cases in the county, by far the most in the region. The county's 20 deaths are also by far the most in the Bay Area, as the county with the second-most deaths is San Mateo County at six. There are now 35 confirmed deaths across the Bay Area.

March 27, 2 p.m. Contra Costa County reported 16 new cases of coronavirus Friday, bringing the county's total to 147.

Elsewhere in the East Bay, Alameda County reported 40 new cases, bringing its total to 204.

March 27, 1 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a statewide moratorium on eviction orders for residents affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The order lasts through May 31, and requires tenants to declare in writing they cannot pay parts or all of their rent. Tenants will still be required to pay their rent "in a timely manner" at a later date, and could still face eviction once the order expires.

March 27, 12:45 p.m. Dr. Grant Colfax, the director of San Francisco's public health department, provided an update on cases at Laguna Honda hospital, where a number of staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days.

Colfax confirmed that six staff members and one patient have been found to have the coronavirus, but noted all are in good condition and the units where cases were found have been quarantined.

I must say, and I am sad to say this, we do expect an outbreak, he stated, adding that the citys plan includes further testing of staff and residents.

This strengthening [of testing] will continue over the next few days and weeks, he said.

Colfax also noted that an emergency room staff member at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital also tested positive.

We are conducting a thorough contact investigation, he said.

Mayor London Breed stated that the city will be doing more to test health care workers and first responders for the virus.

"The good news on that front, thanks to Kaiser and Blue Shield, we will be able to provide testing for health care workers, who are on front lines working with patients, as well as first responders," she said. "They are trying their best to help saves lives, but they are living in fear about whether or not they have the virus."

March 27, 12:30 p.m. Alameda County reported 40 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the county's total to 204.

The county now joins Santa Clara County, San Mateo County and San Francisco County as the only Bay Area counties with over 200 confirmed cases.

March 27, 10:38 a.m. The House of Representatives passed a $2 trillion stimulus package Friday for economic relief during the coronavirus outbreak. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for a final signature.

The bill, the largest stimulus package in the history of the U.S., includes provisions for a program wherein $1,200 will be sent to Americans earning less than $75,000, with an additional $500 allotted to be paid per child. It also includes $100 billion for hospitals, $377 billion in federal loans to small businesses, and $500 billion for lending to companies that have lost money due to the outbreak.

March 27, 9:30 a.m. The number of cases in SF is double what it was on Monday.

Some Bay Area counties announced increases in COVID-19 cases Friday morning. San Francisco reported 56 new cases and one more death, bringing the total number of cases to 279 and deaths to 3.

San Mateo County reported 44 new infected patients and one addition death. The county now has 239 cases and six deaths.

March 27, 8:55 a.m. San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department announced Thursday night that parking lots at the Marina Green, Ocean Beach and the Beach Chalet are closing. Read the full story.

March 27, 8:45 a.m. Three new COVID-19 test sites are opening in San Francisco, county officials said Friday.

A testing center is scheduled to open in the Outer Sunset and Chinatown next week and at the Brown and Toland site near Oracle Park late next week.

First responders will be given priority at the sites. They will also be open to the public, but individuals will need a doctor referral.

March 27, 7:39 a.m. COVID-19 cases continued to climb in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday. Sonoma County saw its case total increase to 49, Solano County, 34, and Marin County, 64.

Santa Clara County, the Bay Area county with the most infected cases, reported 83 new cases, bringing the total to 542. Public health officials also announced two more deaths from the virus; the county death toll is now 19.

The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office reported its fifth confirmed case. Officials said the deputy was assigned to the Custody Bureau and is self-isolating at home. "Four out of the five deputies that have tested positive worked on the same team," the sheriff's office said.

Where cases have been confirmed in the greater Bay Area:

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 204 confirmed cases, 4 deaths*

Fore more information on Alameda County cases, visit the public health department website.

*Number excludes infected patients in City of Berkeley, which has its own health department and 14 cases.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 151 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Contra Costa County cases, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 0 confirmed cases

For information on Lake County and coronavirus, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 68 confirmed cases, 1 death

Fore more information on Marin County cases, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 21 confirmed cases

For more information on Monterey County cases, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 9 cases

For more information on Napa County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 12 confirmed cases, 1 death

For more information on San Benito County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 279 confirmed cases, 3 deaths

For more information on San Francisco County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 239 confirmed cases, 6 deaths

For more information on San Mateo County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 574 confirmed cases, 20 deaths

Fore more information on Santa Clara County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 34 confirmed cases

For more information on Santa Cruz County cases, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 34 confirmed cases

For more information on Solano County cases, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 54 confirmed cases, 1 death

For more information on Sonoma County cases, visit the public health department website.

In California, 94 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) approved a major disaster declaration by the federal administration in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Maryland and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing," read a statement issued by the office of the President's press secretary.

"The President's action makes Federal funding available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for all areas in the State of Maryland impacted by COVID-19," it said.

Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named MaryAnn Tierney as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further assessments, the statement added.

The United States now has more COVID-19 cases than any other country. More than 82,400 coroanvirus cases have been reported in the US according to Johns Hopkins University.

There were more than 81,700 known cases in China and 80,500 in Italy, Al Jazeera reported.

More than 510,000 people have been infected worldwide.

The total tally of deaths from the disease is over 23,000, with nearly 123,000 reoveries reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As leaders around the world are currently struggling to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak, with this comes the news of police seizing 900 unauthorized coronavirus test kits in Italy. In the southern Italian city of Reggio Calabria, police have detained 900 unauthorized coronavirus test kits, which have failed to have any legal validation and certification, and do not have any efficacy proven.

The financial police reportedly said that as a part of checks, in order to identify the cases of commercial fraud or fraudulent rises in the prices of medical services during the pandemic, the police has seized 900 unauthorized coronavirus test kits. The police seized the kits before they were delivered, as the checks showed that many people had already made bank transfers in order to purchase the uncertified products online.

READ: AgustaWestland: Christian Michel Moves HC For Interim Bail Citing Coronavirus Risk In Jail

The financial police reportedly said, that the sale of devices for which efficacy has not been proven, can seriously endanger public health and safety. The police added that any negative response of the test can hypothetically contribute to the spread of the virus. Italy, the epicenter of Europe's pandemic has by far the most deaths of any nation in the world. Italy has surpassed China in its numbers. Despite the toll, officials have also expressed cautious optimism that the spread of virus is starting to slow in the hard-hit north. Nevertheless, doctors warn that the actual number of Italy's positive cases is up to five times as high as the official count of 80,539, as per reports.

READ: Ex-Italy Footballer Feels COVID-19 Is The Toughest Opponent The Country Has Had To Face

Death toll in Italy crosses 8k

Italy is the worst-affected country by coronavirus in the world as the deadly virus has claimed more than 8,000 lives in the country, which is double the number of fatalities in China. It is believed that as the testing for the disease has been limited to the people seeking hospital care, thousands of cases have certainly gone undetected. The coronavirus pandemic has been spreading drastically around the world. In the past few weeks, countries around the world have moved to a complete lockdown situation, where people are being advised to stay indoors as much as possible to contain the contagion. This has forced people to distance themselves socially.

(Pic Credit: AP)

READ: Roberto Mancini Devastated After Losing Childhood Friend In Italy Due To Coronavirus

READ: Coronavirus: Imran Khan Refuses Complete Lockdown, Says 'Situation Not Similar To Italy'
In an interview on Fox News on Thursday, Mr. Trump scoffed at New Yorks claim that it needs at least 30,000 ventilators  machines that help the sickest patients keep breathing  to fight the crisis. State officials have repeatedly asked the federal government to help close a shortfall they have estimated at more than 20,000.

You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes theyll have two ventilators and now, all of a sudden, theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators? Mr. Trump said in the interview. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that Mr. Trump failed to grasp the outbreaks severity. Hes not looking at the facts of the astronomical growth of this crisis, the mayor said on ABCs Good Morning America.

As of Friday morning, 1,583 coronavirus patients in New York State were in intensive care units, nearly all of them on ventilators  a number that has almost doubled in two days. The state has projected that the need for I.C.U. beds will grow for at least several weeks.

The only way we can obtain these ventilators is from the federal government, Mr. Cuomo said this week. Period.

In a survey released on Friday, the United States Conference of Mayors found that 85 percent of American cities did not have an adequate supply of ventilators.
Supermarket chain Tesco has pulled out drastic measures amid the mounting coronavirus crisis and limited its online shoppers to a maximum of 80 items per order.

As people up and down the UK continue to panic buy items amid the chaos caused by the spread of the deadly disease, supplies via online shopping are also in high demand.

In order to stem the tide, the supermarket giants have taken the decision to limit shoppers to no more than 80 items, in order to avoid a complete wipe-out of reserves.

Supermarket chain Tesco will now only let online customers order a maximum of 80 items

A spokesman for the supermarket said: 'We know that it's difficult to get a delivery slot for online shopping at the moment due to high demand, and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable.

'We're looking at every opportunity to increase the number of slots available and by introducing a limit of 80 items per online order we'll be able to get more orders on to each van, helping us to ensure all customers can get the essentials they need.'

The supermarket giants have now removed all shrink wrap off multi-pack items, with food stock now being split up accordingly in order to accommodate ever growing demand.

'You won't find any four multi-pack of beans now, they will each all be split,' a Tesco spokesperson told Mail Online.

'Existing packs of items, such as multi-packs of crisps are still classified as one item online within the order.

'The item limit is purely down to the quantity and done on numerical basis, not per a bag of shopping, we cannot limit to bags and the online orders are not weight dependent.

'This way we are still able to get out six to eight orders per van for delivery, in order to keep up with the placements. Item substitutions are still happening where it makes sense, and there is no time frame given to how long this process will continue for.'

Panic buying has led many people up and down the country to instead turn to online orders

All supermarket stores now ask daily customers to queue while adhering to social distancing

Hundreds of thousands of people have now taken to online shopping, after the madness in stores reached new levels with scenes of customers fighting over remaining products and refusing to follow a queuing procedure.

Following suit with Tesco, rivals Sainsbury have also adopted a limitation policy and have outlined how they are 'working with the government to prioritise the nations most vulnerable people for home delivery.'

As reported by Mail Online, supermarkets are already struggling to keep up with a rapid surge in demand, and have been swapping essentials for some very unusual alternatives.

Customers have taken to social media to show the bizarre items they have been sent as demand for basic products such as toilet paper and hand sanitiser skyrockets.

One man wrote on social media that his grandparents had been sent an LED home bulb as a replacement for 16 loo rolls from Sainsbury's.

He said: 'Grandad's eyes lit up when he tried it though.'

With the rise in panic buying showing little signs of levelling off, supermarkets have now drawn up contingency plans to 'feed the nation' in the event of a sudden escalation.

Ocado has emailed customers to warn it is running out of home delivery slots due to 'exceptionally high demand' and 'particularly large orders'.

Waitrose reported 'seeing more demand for... cleaning products and hand sanitisers', and Tesco's website sold out of hand gel entirely.

Lidl said it is 'experiencing a significant increase in demand for durable products and disinfectants'.

Sales of hand sanitiser across all supermarkets more than tripled last month after an explosion of cases in Europe caused panic of an outbreak in the UK.
By Express News Service

HAJIPUR (BIHAR): Despite the nation-wide lockdown, a youth was allegedly kidnapped for forcibly married to a girl (pakadua vivah) in the neighbouring Vaishali district on Tuesday.

The wedding was solemnised in just 10 minutes. While the abducted youth was seen screamig during the 'wedding', the girl was weeping as she was also being married off without her consent.

The youth's father Musafir Rai of Naurangpur of Mahanar police station area has lodged an FIR in Jandaha police station stating that his son Amit Kumar was kidnapped for marriage on March 24. Rai said his son was abducted after he left homw to a nearby pharmacy.

According to the FIR, the victim was picked up in a Bolero jeep near Jandaha Hospital and taken to Baruna Rasalpur of Halai OP in Samastipur district to solemnize the pakadua vivah.

Jandaha SHO Ajay Kumar said the police have filed an FIR and taking action.

Groom kidnapping for marriage, colloquially known as Pakaruah vivah is a phenomenon in the western parts of Bihar wherein eligible bachelors are abducted by the bride's family and later forcefully married, to avoid heavy dowry costs.

Pakadua Vivah is rampant in Vaishali, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur and Begusarai districts of the state.

In January this year, as many as 270 cases of kidnapping for marriages were registered in the state. While the police had registered 4498 cases of alleged kidnapping for marriages in 2019, 4,317 cases of abduction for the same reason were filed in the previous year.
Cancer is one deadly disease that researchers around the world are trying to find a solution to. It is no news that cancer, of any kind, can be dealt with in the best way when detected at a very early stage.

Getty images

Lung cancer, for example, is normally detected after a CT scan. However, now a team of scientists at Stanford University have developed a blood test that uses machine learning to hunt for notorious cancer.

The test looks for tumour DNA that is moving in a persons blood. While this has been known since quite some time, human technicians cant really hunt for these tiny specs of cancer in the blood, as something like this could take hours. But a carefully trained AI can do this in a matter of minutes.

While the test is still in its early stages and the success rate for detecting stage-1 lung cancer is around 63 percent of patients who had it, which means it still needs some work to be applied.

However, the test will be a boon for people who cannot afford CT scans, as thats what prevents most people from getting scanned in time. Moreover, CT scans arent the most accurate as the case of false positives are much higher.



Reuters

Max Diehn lead researcher on this study from Stanford University said, We think our research is very exciting because we know that the best way to cure lung cancer is to detect it early before it has spread outside the lungs.

He further added, Our method achieves sensitivities of approximately 40 per cent for stage I, 55 per cent for stage II, and 65 per cent for stage III. In aggregate, this means that the test could potentially help to detect over half of early-stage lung cancers. If confirmed in future studies, this could help to detect the majority of lung cancer before they have spread.

Scientists also feel that once perfected, the system can be tweaked to look for other kinds of cancer to nip it in the bud.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 12:22:57|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

MUMBAI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- India's western state of Maharashtra will be releasing about 11,000 prisoners to reduce overcrowding in prisons in a bid to curb the risk of COVID-19 outbreak, state home minister Anil Deshmukh has said.

"I've asked for releasing nearly 11,000 convicts/undertrials imprisoned for offences with prescribed punishment up to 7 years or less on emergency parole/furlough to reduce overcrowding in prisons and contain the risk of a #COVID19 outbreak," the minister said in his tweet late Thursday.

Maharashtra, which has around 38,000 prisoners across its 50-odd prisons, leads the list of COVID-19 active cases with 124 out of the 694 cases in India. The state has so far reported three deaths out of the 16 reported in the country as per the official update on Friday morning.

Earlier this week on Monday, India's Supreme Court asked state government to consider giving parole to those facing up to seven-year jail term in a bid to decongest prisons on account of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The apex court had directed the states to constitute a high-powered committee to determine the class of prisoners who can be released on parole or interim bail after considering the nature and severity of offence, the number of years of imprisonment, etc.
WASHINGTON -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said its board has approved an emergency $121 million disbursement to Kyrgyzstan to help the Central Asian nation deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, in what could be the first in a series of such moves.



Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF's managing director, said in a statement on March 26 that the COVID-19 pandemic has been hitting the Kyrgyz economy very hard and created an urgent balance-of-payments need.



All sectors are being impacted with extreme severity as measures are being taken to stop the spread of the virus.



"The IMF support helps provide a backstop, increase buffers, and shore up confidence for the Kyrgyz economy, she said.



Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, added that the funding will help "catalyze donor support and free resources for essential COVID-19-related health expenditure."



In its statement, the IMF said the coronavirus pandemic has weakened Kyrgyzstans macroeconomic outlook and created a balance-of-payments gap estimated at $400 million.



Georgieva added that "to absorb the shock of the pandemic," the government of the nation of 6.2 million people "is appropriately implementing a temporary loosening of macroeconomic and financial policies."



On March 24, Kyrgyzstan declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bishkek, and several other regions and districts in response to the spread of the coronavirus.



It has reported 44 confirmed cases and no deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. However, experts warn that ascertaining the actual number of infections in any country is impossible due to the lack of testing.



The IMF indicated earlier this week that the Central Asian republic was likely to be the first country to receive funds from the Washington-based lender since the coronavirus outbreak began.



A dozen Central Asian and Middle East countries have approached the IMF for financial support, and work is ongoing to expedite approval of the requests, the IMF said. The lender's board is expected to consider some of the other requests in the coming days.



The IMF has several tools at its disposal to help member countries overcome the crisis and limit its human and economic cost, the IMF said. The financial institution is considered the world's lender of last resort.



The IMF has said it stands ready to loan up to $1 trillion to help countries that are struggling with the economic impact of the coronavirus.



Nearly 80 countries are requesting our help, Georgieva said in a statement on March 23.
Holographic Imaging Market 2020 Research Report and Industry Analysis By Product Type (Holographic Display, Microscopes, Software, Holographic Prints), by Application (Medical Imaging, Medical Education, Surgery Preplanning & Assistance), and by End-User Global Forecast Till 2023

Holographic Imaging Market Overview:

Global report on holographic imaging market is on a track to achieve 30% CAGR during the forecast period of 2018-2023. Market Research Future (MRFR) has identified technological advancement and better inclusion of fund as major reasons for growth. Also, the influence of the healthcare sector is slated to ensure better growth. Holographic imaging devices are known for their ability to produce 3D images by splitting the beam of the light from the laser. This technology is gaining momentum in various research laboratories where microscope plays a crucial role. It is used for biological samples and assist surgeons and physiciansIn training medical teams, holographic imaging is getting substantial traction. The technology is also providing sufficient diagnostic acknowledgement with a proper safety net that prevents any kind of infection.

Get a FREE Sample Copy of Report with Complete TOC @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1083

On the other side, factors like its high computational cost of processing, inclusion of sophisticated and complicated recording methods, and adverse impact of sunlight on projection can limit the growth possibilities.

Holographic Imaging Market Segmentation:

The global holographic imaging market, as discussed in the MRFR report, has been studied with an eye on segments like application, product type, and end-user.

By product type, the global report on the holographic imaging market has been segmented into microscopes, software, holographic prints, holographic display, and others. Holographic displays are making a good progress in several sectors. IT has been segmented further into touchable, piston, laser, semi-transparent, and others. The touchable segment includes health patch, skin sensor, and others.

By application, the global market report on holographic imaging includes medical education, surgery preplanning & assistance, medical imaging, digital intimacy, biomedical research, interventional cardiology, and others. The medical imaging segment encompasses dentistry, urology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otology, and others.

By end-user, the global holographic imaging market has been segmented on the basis of research organizations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals and clinics, academic medical centers, and others.

Holographic Imaging Market Regional Analysis:

North America is expected to lead the market as its infrastructural scope to backup the process is better than many other regions. Countries like the US and Canada are expected to use the process in their research laboratories as they are also enjoying a constant flow of funds.

In the Asia Pacific region, China and South Korea, along with Japan are expected to drive the market ahead with their sophisticated technologies. The market is getting support from the governments with funds and other backups. In India, the growth opportunities are also quite substantial for the market.

Holographic Imaging Market Competitive Landscape:

The global holographic imaging market has a substantial growth opportunity as several of the top players are launching their plans to take the market forward. The primary intent is to boost the foothold. This process relies on merger, collaboration, and other research-related developments among many. These companies are Realview Imaging Ltd. (Israel), EchoPixel, Inc. (US), Mach7 Technologies Ltd. (US), zSpace, Inc. (US), Holoxica Ltd. (UK), Ovizio Imaging systems (Belgium), NanoLive SA (Switzerland), Lyncee Tec. (Switzerland), Phase Holographic Imaging AB (Sweden), Eon Reality (US), Zebra Imaging (US), Leia (US), and others. Innovative marketing strategies are also playing a crucial role in taking the market forward.

Holographic Imaging Industry News:

In China, holographic air cast imaging technology is fast becoming a trend as it provides an opportunity to avoid any contact with the actual surface of any object. Researchers believe that this would reduce the chances of cross-infection. The recent outbreak of COVID 19 Coronavirus has spurred the need and this type of tools are now getting installed in several sectors.

Get More Information on Holographic Imaging Market Research Report- Forecast To 2023 @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/holographic-images-market-1083

Table Of Content





1. Report Prologue





2. Market Introduction



2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations



3. Research Methodology



3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation



4. Market Dynamics



4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restraints

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment



5. Market Factor Analysis

Continued

For More See Healthcare Related Reports

Digital X-rays Market

Liquid Handling System Market

Hi-Tech Medical Devices Market

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.

Contact:

Akash Anand

Market Research Future

+1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
An illustration of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

CDC to Launch Surveillance and Data Collection System to Map COVID-19 Spread

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to launch a new surveillance tool to track the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, according to a new report.

Funds for the CDCs planned tracking system have been earmarked in the bipartisan $2.2 trillion emergency stimulus bill, which passed the Senate unanimously on Wednesday, Business Insider reported.

The relief package allocates at least $500 million to revamp the CDCs public health data surveillance and analytics infrastructure, the development of which the agency must report on within 30 days, the report said.

The technicals of what the report cited was a surveillance and data collection system have not been made public, but the report indicated that the federal government has expressed interest in aggregating data from smartphones and other tech platforms.

Other countries have launched technologies both to help identify and monitor their symptoms and to track the spread of the CCP virus. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

The UK recently launched an app called COVID Symptom Tracker, with the aim of slowing the outbreak.

Project lead professor Tim Spector, of Kings College London, told The Mirror: The more of the public that also use the app, the better the real-time data we will have to combat the outbreak in this country.

According to MIT Technology Review, COVID Symptom Tracker will be available in the U.S. starting March 26.

By using this app youre contributing to advance vital research on COVID-19. The app will be used to study the symptoms of the virus and track how it spreads, a note says on the app website, which adds that personal data will not be used for marketing.

We take data security very seriously and will handle your data with huge respect. Your data is protected by the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It will only be used for health research and will not be used for commercial purposes, the site states.

Meanwhile, Singapore has introduced several government-run surveillance tools, including a smartphone app that tracks users location and proximity to other people, and notifying those who come in contact with someone who has tested positive or is at high risk for carrying the virus, according to a separate Business Insider report.

Any app launched in the United States would need to comply with privacy laws, such as the which prevent the sharing of personal health information between hospitals and other third parties, including the government.

Separately, the CDC said it is working on its own version of a blood test to find out who may have immunity to COVID-19. This is a potential game-changer in the battle to contain infections and get the economy back on track.

Several academic laboratories and medical companies are rushing to produce these blood tests, which can quickly identify disease-fighting antibodies in people who already have been infected but may have had mild symptoms or none at all. This is different from the current, sometimes hard-to-come-by diagnostic tests that draw on a nasal swab to confirm active infection.

Ultimately, this (antibody test) might help us figure out who can get the country back to normal, Florian Krammer, a professor in vaccinology at Mount Sinais Icahn School of Medicine, told Reuters. People who are immune could be the first people to go back to normal life and start everything up again.

The CDC has not yet given a timetable for the antibody test.
C.P. Pokphand Co. Ltd. (HKG:43), which is in the food business, and is based in Hong Kong, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the SEHK over the last few months, increasing to HK$0.73 at one point, and dropping to the lows of HK$0.58. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether C.P. Pokphand's current trading price of HK$0.60 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at C.P. Pokphands outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for C.P. Pokphand

What is C.P. Pokphand worth?

Good news, investors! C.P. Pokphand is still a bargain right now according to my price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, Ive used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stocks cash flows. I find that C.P. Pokphands ratio of 5.67x is below its peer average of 11.93x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Food industry. Whats more interesting is that, C.P. Pokphands share price is quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to move closer to its industry peers, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What kind of growth will C.P. Pokphand generate?

SEHK:43 Past and Future Earnings March 27th 2020

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Though in the case of C.P. Pokphand, it is expected to deliver a negative earnings growth of -13%, which doesnt help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Although 43 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. I recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to 43, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on 43 for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on C.P. Pokphand. You can find everything you need to know about C.P. Pokphand in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in C.P. Pokphand, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The stock market turmoil triggered by the coronavirus pandemic is raising worries that Pacific Gas & Electrics $13.5 billion settlement with victims of catastrophic wildfires may be worth far less by the time the beleaguered company emerges from bankruptcy.

A lawyer who represents more than 81,000 wildfire victims flagged the escalating concerns during a Wednesday court hearing held by conference call.

Attorney Robert Julian told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali that the stock markets steep downturn during the past month may require PG&E to provide more reassurances about the money intended to compensate victims for trauma and property losses suffered during the fires in 2017 and 2018 blamed on PG&E equipment.

PG&E agreed to set up the $13.5 billion fund for the victims as part of its plan to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, with half the amount coming from stock in the company. The prospect of owning stock in the company that ruined their lives has never been popular among the victims, but it has become even more unsettling during the market upheaval.

Since hitting a six-month high of $18.34 on Feb. 11, PG&Es stock has lost roughly half its value. That decline is even more severe than the benchmark Standard & Poors 500 index, which has fallen by about 25% during the same stretch.

Montali didnt take any action requiring revisions to the PG&E plan, clearing the way for the company to begin sending out ballots to more than 400,000 parties who will vote on the reorganization plan. But he left the door open for further supplements to the plan as attorneys for the victims and PG&E try to work out their latest differences with a mediator.

Like everyone else, we are dealing with all the craziness of this world tragedy, Montali said, referring to the challenges posed by the coronavirus.

Julian told the judge the stock markets volatility has unleashed a torrent of calls and letters from wildfire victims fretting about whether the PG&E stock will really be worth $6.75 billion if and when the companys bankruptcy plan gets approved. With a mediators help, Julian said, victims lawyers hope to gain more assurances from PG&E about the value of the stock in the settlement, as well as when they will be allowed to sell their shares in the company.

The settlement calls for wildfire victims to receive a block of stock that will give them a 21% stake in PG&E. If all that stock were sold at once, it would likely drive down its value even further. To prevent that, a defined timeline will likely have to be set up for periodic windows in which PG&E stock could be sold.

Those details havent been worked out with PG&E, but Julian said it is imperative to clearly spell out when and how much stock the victims can sell so they know they can minimize the risk of loss if the utilitys outdated equipment causes more fires in the future.

PG&E lawyer Stephen Karotkin reiterated the companys belief that the $13.5 billion deal is the best bet to ensure victims are compensated. Since filing for bankruptcy early last year, PG&E has repeatedly said taking care of fire victims is its top priority.

But some victims have expressed doubts about the sincerity of PG&Es commitment, one of the biggest complaints centering on an all-cash $11 billion settlement with the insurers who paid policyholder claims. Some victims are upset theyre being forced to accept so much company stock instead of cash.

Getting stock, though, could result in the wildfire victims $13.5 billion being worth more than its original value. After PG&Es previous three-year bankruptcy ended in April 2004, its stock nearly tripled in value and peaked in 2017, just before the first wave of deadly wildfires.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Pricing Trends
Iran has established a new command centre and moved additional troops and equipment into Aleppo province, while the ceasefire in the region holds writes Zaman Al-Wasl.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) have formed a command center in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo province, as proxies controlled by the regime and Iran continue to fortify their positions near the last rebel stronghold in Syria.

The joint command room includes top commanders from the IRGC, Hezbollah and the Iraqi and Afghan militias.

Additionally, 17 more Iranian outposts were set up the southwestern countryside of Aleppo and eastern Idleb region. About 2,000 militants and heavy weapons were deployed in the new positions, a rebel commander told Zaman Al-Wasl.

The solo move by Iran to deploy forces in northwestern Syria came amid a fragile ceasefire deal reached early March to halt the regime offensive and to prevent the first ever regular armies war between Turkey and the Assad regime.

The Iranian regime has spent an average of 15-16 billion dollars in Syria since the conflict erupted nine years ago, while the annual support afforded by to Iranian citizens is approximately 8 billion dollars, reports say.

In turn, Turkey has also been sending in reinforcements, building three observation points in two weeks.

Turkey, which backs rebels opposed to Bashar al-Assad, agreed to a ceasefire with Russia two weeks ago after months of fighting displaced nearly 1 million people in Idleb. Moscow supports Syrian regime forces.

The truce halted a terrifying three-month air and ground campaign that killed hundreds and sent 1 million people fleeing towards the Turkish border.

The agreement did not make the Assad forces roll back the significant military gains secured during the Russian-backed offensive  a key Turkish demand prior to the talks.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
In a move aimed at mitigating the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on businesses and employees in India, the Reserve Bank of India on Friday asked all banks and other lending institutions to allow a three-month moratorium on all kinds of loans. The RBI also said that moratorium on term loans and deferment of interest payment would not result in asset classification downgrade.

With the RBI giving a green signal to defer loan repayment for three months, the ball is in the banks' court to pass on the benefit to people, many of whom have been affected to due job loss and salary cuts in wake of COVID-19 crisis.

The apex bank also said all lending institutions and banks had been allowed to defer interest on working capital repayments by three months. The RBI also allowed banks to reassess the working capital cycle and said that they won't be treated as non-performing assets.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Kejriwal govt to feed over 4 lakh people; tally rises to 724

Shaktikanta Das, in context of the recent YES Bank crisis, said the Indian Banking system was "safe and sound". He said bank depositors of commercial banks, including private ones, should not worry about the safety of their money. "Do not resort to the panic withdrawal of deposits from private banks, your money is safe," he added.

RBI's Monetary Policy Committee, in its meeting held between March 24-27, decided to cut repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent, while the reverse repo rate has been reduced by 90 basis points. Calling the current times "extraordinary circumstances", the RBI Governor said the MPC voted for a sizeable reduction in repo rate to revive growth, mitigate COVID-19 impact.

The decision comes a day after the government announced Rs 1.7 lakh crore worth relief package for poor people, employees and women to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. In her second address to the media within a week, Sitharaman announced Rs 50 lakh medical insurance cover per person for healthcare workers, sanitation workers, paramedics, doctors and nurses who are exposing themselves to the virus.

The current decisions taken by the RBI would provide a big relief to the individuals, businesses facing a big economic challenge in the wake of the 21-day lockdown announced by the government.
President Donald Trump signed the TAIPEI Act, a bill expressing Washingtons support for Taiwan in strengthening its relationships with countries around the world.

The legislation, formally titled the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act, was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives on March 4. The Senate bill, which was approved unanimously in October, then had to be reconciled with the Houses version before going to Trump to be signed into law.

The act  written by Senator Cory Gardner, Republican of Colorado, and Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware  says the US should support Taiwan in strengthening its alliances around the world amid increased Chinese pressure and what Coons called bullying tactics by Beijing.

The United States should use every tool to support Taiwans standing on the international stage, Gardner said in a joint announcement with Coons. This bipartisan legislation demands a whole-of-government approach to ramp up our support for Taiwan, and will send a strong message to nations that there will be consequences for supporting Chinese actions that undermine Taiwan.

US Senator Cory Gardner, a Republican from Colorado, is a co-author of the TAIPEI Act. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg

Im pleased the President signed this bill into law, said Coons. The TAIPEI Act sends a clear message that the United States stands with Taiwans free-market democracy. I look forward to finding additional ways to support the positive role Taiwan plays in international affairs.

Under the bill, the US will consider reducing its economic, security and diplomatic engagement with nations that take significant actions to undermine Taiwan.

Beijing has criticised such moves by US lawmakers as attempts to interfere in Chinas domestic affairs. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian has called the TAIPEI Act a severe violation of the one-China principle.

Taiwan currently maintains full diplomatic relations with 15 nations. Since 2016, when Taiwans pro-democracy president Tsai Ing-wen came to power, eight countries have severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing, which Tsai described as part of a series of diplomatic and military acts of coercion by China.

Story continues

After being re-elected in January by a historic landslide, Tsai told the world that China must face the reality of Taiwans independence and that Taiwan deserved the mainlands respect. We have a separate identity and were a country of our own, she said in an interview with the BBC.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks about the coronavirus situation in Taiwan, during a news conference. Photo: Reuters

According to the bill, the US should advocate for Taiwans membership in all international organisations in which statehood is not a requirement and says Taiwan should be granted observer status in other appropriate international organisations.

Today and on all days, Congress continues to send a message to the world that America stands with Taiwan.  We [must] ensure that Taiwan has a seat at the international decision-making table, including at the United Nations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said when her chamber passed the bill.

Taiwan had been an observer at the World Health Organisation (WHO) under the name Chinese Taipei since 2009 when the cross-Taiwan Strait relations were improved under the Ma Ying-jeou administration. However, the status was revoked after Tsais election in 2016.

Amid the global health threat of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus that started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the US and China have clashed over Taiwans exclusion from WHO meetings. Taiwanese experts did manage to attend a WHO meeting in mid-February, without giving their nationalities.

In addition to the support from the United States, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have expressed their support for Taiwan's involvement as a WHO observer.

In January, the US House voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill in support of human rights and environmental protection in Tibet, a measure that awaits a vote in the Senate.

Measures calling for strong US sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass internment of Uygurs and other ethnic Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang have been passed by both chambers and await reconciliation. And in late November, lawmakers in both chambers overwhelmingly approved a bill, which is now law, in support of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement.

Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.

More from South China Morning Post:

This article Donald Trump signs TAIPEI Act to support Taiwans international relations first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
ST. LOUIS  A convicted murderer from St. Louis is facing federal drug and gun charges after an investigation that began with a fatal overdose in Florissant, prosecutors said Thursday.

Markquis Two Bryant, 48, was charged by complaint with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, being a felon in possession of one or more firearms, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Prosecutors said Florissant police determined that Bryant sold drugs on March 6 that killed someone the next day. They made undercover purchases of heroin, fentanyl or both the week of March 9 and then the federal Drug Enforcement Administration raided Bryants home in the 5300 block of Queens Avenue in north St. Louis on Thursday, prosecutors said. Investigators found five guns, including an AR-15 style pistol and an Intratec Tec-9 pistol, as well as what they believe to be heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine, prosecutors said. They also found equipment such as a press used to make pills, scales and blenders with drug residue, authorities said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 19:27 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ded1ba 1 National lockdown,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-death-toll,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-lockdown,mahfud-md Free

The government is drafting a regulation (PP) to stipulate the procedures and requirements for imposing regional quarantines, also known as lockdowns, a minister says, as confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in the country.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Minister Mahfud MD told journalists during a teleconference interview on Friday that the central government had been speeding up the regulation's drafting so that it could be issued immediately.

The regulation will stipulate matters such as at what time certain regions can impose restrictions of movement, or what is usually known as a lockdown, as well as the requirements, the boundaries and the procedures," Mahfud said on Friday.

The minister had so far only revealed a little information about the draft, only saying that the planned regulation might urge regions imposing lockdowns to open access for distribution of supplies during the quarantine period.

He also said that minimarkets or grocery stores might still have to operate to provide basic needs for the public, but under heavy supervision from the government.

The drafting of the regulation, Mahfud said, was mandated by Article 10 of the 2018 Health Quarantine Law, which stipulates that during public health emergencies, the central government can impose lockdowns on regions that experience an outbreak of a disease.

Read also: Explainer: Will Indonesia be Southeast Asias Italy? A review of how the nation is battling COVID-19

As coronavirus infections and the death toll from COVID-19 continue to surge, calls have been mounting over past weeks for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to lock down virus-plagued areas, especially as more cases recorded in many of the country's regions were linked to cities with the most severe outbreaks, particularly those in the Greater Jakarta area.

Medical professors from the University of Indonesias (UI) School of Medicine were among the latest to call for "local lockdowns" as they argued that the central government's policy of physical distancing only was not "effective" to curb the coronavirus spread.

Jokowi, however, had so far remained adamant against imposing lockdowns because of the social and economic concerns as he instead called for the public to stay at home and leaned toward extensive COVID-19 rapid testing to gain a view of the virus' spread.

Indonesia had recorded 1,046 coronavirus cases and 87 fatalities as of Friday, making the country's mortality rate among the highest in the world at 8.3 percent.

Mahfud acknowledged that in recent days a number of regional administrations in the country had imposed their versions of lockdown even though the central government had yet to issue any supporting regulation.

Tegal city in Central Java, for instance, had decided to close down access to the city for four months in attempt to contain the spread of the disease. Papua had also suspended entry into the province through both sea and air travel.

Mahfud said the Home Ministry had been assigned to coordinate with local administrations that had locked down their regions while the central government prepared the regulation. (glh)
Rathlin Island's punctual puffins turned up a day early this year, but there was a good reason.

The return of puffins is an eagerly awaited event each spring on Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, the first Rathlin puffins were seen on the same date, March 27. But this year, they were spotted yesterday, March 26, by island residents and RSPB Northern Ireland workers Hazel Watson and Ric Else.

As they approached the cliffs, they could see and hear that there had been a big arrival of seabirds. And there, among thousands of guillemots and razorbills, they spotted a pair of orange feet.

While the date may be one day earlier than previous years, the RSPB pointed out that this was a leap year, so it could be argued that the puffins were perfectly on schedule once again.
In late January and early February 2020, meetings took place in the French Senate, in the Russian Duma and in the German Bundestag. The initiative was supported by MPs from government and opposition parties alike in those three chambers

German MEP Maximilian Krah submitted a priority question for written answer to the Vice-President of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

"On 9 December 2019, President Macron hosted a fresh Normandy-format summit in Paris. This is an initiative to be welcomed. Peace in Ukraine is important for the EU and its relations with Russia and Ukraine.

In order to speed up the peace process, Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of the second-strongest Ukrainian political party, has proposed that the Minsk II agreement be broadened to include a parliamentary dimension.

In late January and early February 2020, meetings took place in the French Senate, in the Russian Duma and in the German Bundestag. The initiative was supported by MPs from government and opposition parties alike in those three chambers.

1. What does the Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy think of this Ukrainian initiative?

2. What further steps does he consider appropriate in an effort to push the Ukrainian Government to implement the Minsk II agreement?"

As we reported earlier, on March 10 Ukrainian and Russian MPs met in Moscow as participants of the Normandy Four talks. The lawmakers of Ukrainian and Russian parliaments negotiated in the Russian capital.

The interfaction parliamentary union was created in the Ukrainian Parliament in November 2019. Viktor Medvedchuk chaired it. The initiative foresees that MPs from the Normandy Four member countries will be involved in the peace process.

The parliamentarians discussed the topic of a peaceful solution of Donbas and living up to Minsk agreements, as there is no recognized alternative to this mechanism.
Turkey places evacuating citizens abroad under quarantine

Sociologists and psychologists from the Family, Labor and Social Services Ministry will provide psychological support to truck drivers during their quarantine period.

Another 571 Turkish citizens were placed under a 14-day quarantine Thursday after being brought back from abroad amid the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A ro-ro ship carried 25 truck drivers from Ukraine to Karasu Port in Sakarya province. They were transferred to an evacuated dormitory in the province after their first health check.

DORMITORIES IS BEING USED AS QUARANTINE CENTERS

The evacuees were transferred to rooms one by one following a second health screening to be observed for 14 days.

Separately, 232 people flew to Turkey from Uzbekistan. The group of businessmen, students and their families later traveled to Sakaryas Hendek district by bus. They were housed in another dormitory after a medical examination.

Earlier, 1,134 people underwent health screenings and were housed in dormitories as part of coronavirus measures.

Meanwhile, another 168 passengers were transferred to dormitories in Bolu province. Citizens coming to Istanbul from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and Moldova were taken to the city by bus following medical examinations.

170 STUDENTS WERE BROUGHT BACK FROM NORTHERN CYPRUS

In the evening, a group of 30 passengers who came from Greece to Istanbul Airport were brought to Bolu by bus. As part of the coronavirus measures, 39 citizens from Greece, 10 from Colombia, 23 from Sweden and 138 from France were brought to the city.

Meanwhile, another 170 students and 14 truck drivers were brought to the country from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The citizens, who were brought to Mersin province by ship, were later transferred to a dormitory in Nigde province. Another 130 citizens who were brought from Kazakhstan were transferred to a dormitory in Bolu after a medical examination.
Nobby Solano says he was set up by a television show during the incident that saw him taken to a police station after allegedly breaking coronavirus lockdown rules by attending a party in his native Peru.

The former Newcastle star has spoken to Sportsmail from his home in the La Molina district of the capital Lima after he made headlines following his televised 'arrest'.

But Solano - the assistant manager of the Peru national team - has told us that a tip-off to a notorious, prime-time entertainment show sparked the scenes that have been relayed around the world.

Nobby Solano says he was set up by a television show during incident that lead to his 'arrest'

Police had attended a property in La Molina containing Solano and five others on Thursday

Police are shown attempting to scale the wall of a property before Solano appears and is led into a police car carrying his young son. The TV show bills itself as 'Magaly Medina getting everyone into trouble'.

And Solano said: 'It wasn't a 'party', I went to my neighbour's house for some lunch with my family. She only lives 50 yards from me. There were only six, seven people there. It was safe for all of us and the kids were getting some exercise.

'But somebody heard the music and tried to be clever and told the TV programme. It's about celebrities and, when you are in the public eye, I suppose this sort of thing can happen.

'I was with my kids and said to the reporters, "Come on, guys". The police then got involved and, of course, they had to do their job, but I wasn't arrested.

Solano was taken to the local police station and later released before talking to the media

Police officers had to scale the property walls after nobody inside answered their calls

Solano enjoyed two spells at Newcastle United during his 19-year professional career

NOBBY SOLANO CV Born: 12 December 1974 Nationality: Peru Position: Midfielder English Clubs: - Newcastle United - Aston Villa - West Ham United - Leicester City - Hull City - Hartlepool United Advertisement

'I went to the police station with my missus and kids and they took our details. We sorted it out and they let us go.'

Solano is in self-isolation with his family and is passing the time by watching old football matches and having a kickabout in his garden.

And he insists he respects the seriousness of coronavirus, which has claimed nine lives in Peru.

'Our president did very well to shut the country down early and the spread here is not bad compared to countries like Italy and Spain,' added the 45-year-old.

'We are coping with the situation very well.

'Myself and my family are fine and are hoping this period passes very soon.'

Peru is in a state of emergency as the country battles the spread of the deadly coronavirus
Reuters

Senior cabinet officials in the Trump administration agreed to new measures to restrict the global supply of chips to China's Huawei Technologies, sources familiar with the matter said, as the White House ramps up criticism of China over coronavirus.

The move comes as ties between Washington and Beijing grow more strained, with both sides trading barbs over who is to blame for the spread of the coronavirus and an escalating tit-for-tat over the expulsion of journalists from both countries. Under the change, foreign companies that use US chipmaking equipment would be required to obtain a US license before supplying certain chips to Huawei. The Chinese telecoms company was blacklisted last year, limiting the company's suppliers.

One of the sources said the rule-change is aimed at restricting the sale of sophisticated chips to Huawei and not older, more commoditized and widely-available semiconductors.

It is unclear if President Donald Trump, who appeared to push back against the proposal last month, will sign off on the rule change.

Most chip manufacturers rely on equipment produced by US companies like KLA Corp, Lam Research and Applied Materials, according to a report last year from Chinas Everbright Securities.

The equipment makers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The decision came when US officials from various agencies met and agreed on Wednesday to alter the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which subjects some foreign-made goods based on US technology or software to US regulations, the sources said.

Attendees likely included top officials from the National Security Council, and the US Departments of State, Defense, Energy, and Commerce. None of them responded to requests for comment.

If approved by Trump, the measure may strike a blow to the worlds No. 2 smartphone maker, and to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, a major producer of chips for Huaweis HiSilicon unit, as well as the world's largest contract maker.

Huawei had no immediate comment, and TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Its impossible to tell the impact until we know the technical thresholds that may apply," said Washington lawyer Kevin Wolf, a former Commerce Department official.

Different foundries make different chips at different capabilities so you wouldnt know which foundries are affected the most until you know the technical thresholds, Wolf said.

US-China Tensions

The move could also anger Beijing, which has spoken out against a global campaign by the United States to compel allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks over spying concerns. Huawei has denied the allegations.

The United States placed Huawei on a blacklist in May last year, citing national security concerns. The entity listing, as it is known, allowed the US government to restrict sales of US-made goods to the company, and some more limited items made abroad that contain US technology.

But under current regulations, key foreign supply chains remain beyond the reach of US authorities, fueling frustration among China hawks in the administration and prompting a push to toughen up export rules for the company, Reuters reported in November.

The hawks efforts appeared in jeopardy last month when Trump reacted strongly against the proposed crackdown, after Reuters and the Wall Street Journal reported that a move to block global chip sales to Huawei was under consideration.

"I want our companies to be allowed to do business. I mean, things are put on my desk that have nothing to do with national security, including with chipmakers and various others. So were going to give it up, and what will happen? Theyll make those chips in a different country or theyll make them in China or someplace else," Trump said.
Landra Gould, widow of senator Harry M. Reid, pays respects at his casket at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll/Bloomberg News)

The former Senate majority leader was remembered as a pragmatic dealmaker who became a political force across two presidencies.
These neighbors have found a way to stay healthy  and connected  while quarantined.

Every day, they meet for a group workout, filling the street in their St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood. Each person stands in a chalk-drawn circle, and follows the lead of Momo Hayakawa Koenigs, who participated in mass workouts while growing up in Japan. They bend, stretch, lift their arms, and move their legs in unison, with everyone a safe 10 feet away from their neighbor.

The exercise group grows by the day, as more and more neighbors choose to join in. They come with their dogs and small children, and when they're done working out, they don't immediately rush home  they stay in their circles and talk, finding out who is celebrating a birthday that day and who might have an extra roll of toilet paper to give away. "We're not created to be in isolation, we're created to be in community," participant Kim Kokx told KARE 11.

Of course, many experts might raise an eyebrow about such a gathering. Minnesota is one of a number of U.S. states that have implemented statewide stay at home orders to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which is passed easily from person-to-person, and researchers say could stay airborne for up to 3 hours.

Kokx says she and her neighbors are "doing community as best we can."

More stories from theweek.com

Why Minnesota's coronavirus response is different

New Oxford study suggests millions of people may have already built up coronavirus immunity

Biden could reportedly soon embrace 'key planks' of more progressive agenda


PANAMA CITY (AP)  Four passengers have died aboard a cruise ship now anchored off the coast of Panama and two people aboard the ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the cruise line said Friday.

Holland America Line said in a post on its Facebook page that more than 130 people aboard the Zaandam had reported flu-like symptoms.

COVID-19 TESTS: Private Fort Bend County center charging $140 for tests, says it has plenty of them

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam, the statement said. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.

The ship was receiving medical supplies and medical personnel from another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam and the company planned to begin transferring healthy passengers to that ship.

BEFORE AND AFTER: Photos show how Houston is heeding the stay-at-home order

Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70, the statement said. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board the Zaandam.

The Zaandam departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7. The ship was trying to get to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being denied permission to dock at its original destination of Chile a week ago.

The Rotterdam rendezvoused with the Zaandam Thursday evening.

It is only authorized to do ship-to-ship maneuvers. No one aboard is allowed to come ashore, said Panama's Maritime Authority Administrator Noriel Arauz.

The Zaandam had planned to pass through the Panama Canal en route to Florida, but after being inspected by Panamanian authorities, the request to use the canal was denied, said canal Administrator Ricauter Vasquez. The Health Ministry did not give permission, Vasquez told reporters Friday. The ship is in territorial waters but has to remain isolated.

Holland America Line had announced March 17 that it was voluntarily suspending its cruise operations for 30 days Due to the continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19 and in an abundance of caution. At that point, the company said none of its passengers or crew had tested positive for the virus.

The Seattle-based cruise line is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.
A Chinese pharmaceutical firm, which has a joint venture with Mayo Clinicand a lab in the One Discovery Squarecomplex, reported revenues of $1.8 billion for 2019 and is now ramping back up as the COVID-19 pandemic slows in China.

WuXi AppTec, China's largest pharmaceutical contract research organization, announced that 96 percent of its employees had returned to work at its various sites by March, according to an article in "Chemical & Engineering News."

That percentage includes workers returning to a research center based in Wuhan, where the COVID-19 pandemic began.

In a press release, WuXi CEO Ge Liestimated that the pandemic will only delay the company's projects by about two to three weeks.

The "Chemical & Engineering News" article by Hepeng Jiaalso reported that WuXi announced on March 23 that its 2019 revenues skyrocketed up to $1.8 billion, more than third more than the previous year. It also signed up 1,200 new customers in 2019.

ADVERTISEMENT

How the pandemic and its aftermath will affect the Mayo Clinic/WuXi joint venture called WuXi Diagnostics is unclear as it is with most businesses.

Shanghai-based WuXi AppTec Group and Mayo Clinic launched the collaboration in early 2018 to focus "... on the development of advanced diagnostic technologies to create a world-leading clinical special diagnostic platform and integrated research and development of clinical diagnostic reagents and products platform, establish a comprehensive large-scale clinical testing data center, and empower Chinese medical institutions," according to a description by WuXi.

The new joint venture soon won the 2018 MedTech Insight Award for the Best Partnership/Alliance at the MedTech Conference, "a premier annual gathering for the medical technology industry."

This collaboration includes a "research and diagnostic testing development facility" in Rochester's One Discovery Square complex on the corner of Fourth Street and Second Avenue Southwest.

WuXi Diagnostics' offices and labs occupy a 3,008-square-foot spot on the third floor of the One Discovery Square complex. In 2019, the plan was to eventually have 12 WuXi employees working at the Rochester site.

The goal of the Mayo/WuXi facility is ... "to accelerate esoteric diagnostic product development, and bring more personalized and accurate clinical diagnosis services for global patients."
Foreign Minister Zarif accuses US of keeping innocent men jailed in horrific facilities during COVID-19 outbreak.

Irans government has urged the United States to release Iranians held in US jails on sanctions-related issues due to fears about the coronavirus outbreak.

Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Washington of holding a number of Iranians in its prisons and said under these circumstances they should be set free.

US even refuses medical furlough  amid #covid19  for innocent men jailed in horrific facilities. Release our men, he said on Twitter.

US has taken several Iranian scientists hostagewithout charge or on spurious sanctions charges& not releasing them; even when its OWN courts reject the absurd charges US even refuses medical furloughamid #covid19for innocent men jailed in horrific facilities Release our men pic.twitter.com/XQxDr10sw7  Javad Zarif (@JZarif) March 27, 2020

Meanwhile, the death toll in Iran from the coronavirus rose to 2,378 on Friday, a jump of 144. Iran is one of the worst hit countries in the world.

Zarif also referred to a report by The Guardian newspaper about Sirous Asgari, a science professor, who it said was still being held in a crowded facility after being acquitted in November on US federal charges of stealing trade secrets.

US has taken several Iranian scientists hostage  without charge or on spurious sanctions charges  & not releasing them; even when its OWN courts reject the absurd charges, Zarif tweeted.

On Thursday, the US blacklisted five Iran and Iraq-based companies and 15 individuals accused of supporting terrorist groups, its third round of sanctions on Iranian targets in the last two weeks even as Tehran battles the coronavirus outbreak.

Humanitarian supplies are exempt from sanctions Washington reimposed on Tehran after US President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 international agreement curbing Irans nuclear programme.

However, broader US sanctions deter many firms from humanitarian trade with Iran.

Earlier, Irans health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 144 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 2,378, while the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 2,926 to 32,332.
SIBA and Simply Hops create online initiative to help independent beer sector

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has joined forces with hope producer Simply Hops to create a not-for-profit website, in a bid to save thousands of small independent breweries, taprooms, bottle shops and retailers affected by coronavirus across the UK and Europe.

BeerisHere.org has been created by the two organisations  and supported by Simpsons malt, Lallemand Yeast and Brewers Select  to help people get beer delivered to them from their local independent breweries, bottle shops and retailers.

The move comes after the government announced last week that all cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants must close as part of measures to curb the spread of the virus.

The aim of the site is to help show consumers where they can buy beer from and showcase the huge amount of varieties which are available to them during this time when they cant visit a local pub or bar.

Consumers will only have to enter their postcode to find out where they can easily get beer delivered to their homes.

Separately, SimplyHops is also encouraging people to join a virtual social hangout organised by their local breweries at 5pm every Friday. The concept also aims to create a place where people can have a chat with other beer lovers, friends or work colleagues instead of going to pubs and bars, while sharing the love using the hashtag #BeerisHere and #5oClockClub.

John Willetts, director at Simply Hops, said: The reality is that these independent breweries, taprooms, bottle shops and retailers will close if we do not support them in this difficult time.

Simply Hops along with SIBA and our other friends of craft beer, Simpsons Malt and Lallemand Yeast, just wanted to do what we could to help the fantastic independent brewers across the UK and Europe get through this tough time.

We felt that helping them change the shape of their businesses during this time when the bulk sales of beer to pubs, restaurants and taprooms have suddently stopped was a small thing to do.

We want people to be aware that there are a lot of ways to get great beer to your house and try lots of different beers and support the large number of small businesses people for people that need it right now.

This is a free of charge, not for profit service that allows all true lovers of great beer to find all the independent breweries, retailers or taprooms that can deliver to their door, therefore supporting the small brewers and giving the consumers a real opportunity to connect with breweries they may never have been heard of before.

"We are looking for some beer patriotism, and for consumers to make a small extra effort to save the beautiful diversity of beer that now exists.

We want to make sure the product everyone in our industry has dedicated their whole lives to is still here for people during and after this unusual and difficult time.

Its what the craft beer scene is all about really. Working together to lift each other up when its needed.

James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive, said: "Independent beer businesses across Europe are under incredible pressure, with many struggling to keep afloat.

The BeerisHere initiative is something SIBA are very happy to support and which we believe will have a hugely positive effect on all involved.

If you run a beer business providing takeaway services, local delivery, or other low-contact sales options anywhere in Europe then we would strongly encourage you to get involved."

Kier McAllister Wilde, owner of Wilde Child Brewery in Leeds, said: This website will be a lifeline for our brewery. It is vitally important to keep our heads above water, but we really need a sustainable route to the local market to keep ticking over in these exceptional times. There will be major issues if the network of breweries and good beer goes away. Beer delivery drivers are just as important and essential as any other delivery drivers at this time.

Andy Parker Director at Elusive Brewing Limited in Berkshire said: It's great to see key brewing industry suppliers support independent pubs, bars and breweries during these challenging times by helping to spread the word about our services. These direct sales are the only thing which will keep us afloat.

We are currently dispensing via our taproom, so having one central place for locals to be able to find us, who havent discovered him before will be a big help to keep my wife and I going through the coming months.

Scott Steffens, Head of Brewing at Dois Corvos Cervejeira in Portugal, said: Our sales went off a cliff this week with all of our direct customers and distributors closing due to the coronavirus.

With the recent State of Emergency in place in Portugal, everyone is doing their part to stay isolated. It's great that the craft breweries are coming together to get beer to people through this global crisis and to provide these simple pleasures.

At least we can have that common sense of discovery and trying new things that craft beer always brings - even when we're stuck at home. Craft beer is a simple luxury that makes life better - wherever you are.

Related articles:
Restrictions on family visits to protect aged care residents from the coronavirus may be worsening loneliness and isolation among an already vulnerable group.

The chair of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Tony Pagone on Friday called for qualified staff to be urgently deployed to aged care facilities, saying restrictions on family visits may be causing additional harm.

The chair of the royal commission has called for qualified staff to be deployed to aged care facilities. Credit:Alamy

"We have heard that an inability to receive visitors, or a lessening of time which visitors may attend to visit, can have impacts upon the supplementary care family visitors frequently provide for such basic things as feeding and toileting," Mr Pagone said.

He said there was an urgent need for measures to help frail older people to "deal with the negative aspects of the measures designed to protect them".
A 17-year-old boy in Los Angeles who died of septic shock and was found to have coronavirus after his death was turned away from urgent care because he didn't have insurance.

The teenager died on Tuesday after finally being admitted to a public hospital in the northern Los Angeles neighborhood of Lancaster.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said the teen was healthy and had no pre-existing conditions before his death.

It comes as several members of a family who claim to be close to the 17-year-old say they too have tested positive for the virus.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said the teen, who was healthy and had no pre-existing conditions before his death, was turned away from an urgent care facility in Los Angeles because he didn't have insurance

The boy was initially taken to an urgent care facility in Lancaster after he started experiencing respiratory issues.

Parris said he was turned away because he didn't have insurance and was told to go to a public hospital instead.

The boy went into cardiac arrest en route to the Antelope Valley Hospital.

'They were able to revive him and keep him alive for about six hours. But by the time he got there, it was too late,' Parris said.

'The Friday before he died, he was healthy. By Wednesday, he was dead.'

Health officials in Los Angeles County announced this week that the teenager had died of coronavirus.

Just hours later, after California Governor Gavin Newsom cited the boy's death as evidence the virus can strike anyone, health officials said there may be an 'alternate explanation' and that his death would be further investigated.

The boy went into cardiac arrest en route to the Antelope Valley Hospital and he died several hours later. The teen's positive coronavirus test did not come back until after his death

The teen's father, who is an Uber driver in Los Angeles, has also since tested positive for coronavirus and is currently sick

He died from septic shock - a reaction to a widespread infection that can cause dangerously low blood pressure and organ failure.

The teen's positive coronavirus test did not come back until after his death.

His father, who is an Uber driver in Los Angeles, has also since tested positive for coronavirus and is currently sick.

Mayor Parris said earlier this week that he doesn't doubt the teen died from complications of COVID-19, saying: 'We're the first city in the nation to lose a child and that is unbearable to me.'

Melissa Deroses daughter, Hailey, was a good friend of the 17-year-old boy and had spent time with him in the days preceding his sudden death. Two members of her family have now tested positive for COVID-19.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Derose, 35, recalled how her shock at learning of the boy's death turned to anxiety for her own child.

She said: 'The last day of school was Friday 13 and he seemed absolutely fine so to learn on Wednesday that he had died was just shocking.

Derose was at Lowes buying detergent when Hailey called her in hysterics saying that her friend had died.

She said: They were all trying to find out what happened and one of the friends asked the boy's brother online and he said it was pneumonia.

My first thought was I hope its not related to COVID-19. Without a doubt I was immediately concerned because here was this healthy kid and all of a sudden hes dead from pneumonia.

Melissa Deroses husband and daughter, Hailey (pictured together), have tested positive

Melissa Derose watches as a medic from a clinic in Lancaster City, California, administers a COVID-19 test to one of Derose's daughters

She continued: I asked Hailey about her last contact with him. She sat directly across from him in one of her classes and it had been raining that last day of school. He had taken Haileys jacket and put it on an empty chair for her and he picked it up and gave it to her when class was over.

Derose contacted her primary care clinic and the family was swiftly tested for COVID-19, as Deroses own medical history, which includes bone cancer, puts her at high risk if exposed.

She was later told they would not have qualified for tests under public health guidelines as none were showing symptoms and the boy's test results had not come back.

Both Derose's husband and older daughter tested positive for and were prescribed an antibiotic, as well as being placed on anti-malarial Hydroxychloroquine as part of a clinical trial. They have just mild symptoms.

Derose and her younger daughter tested negative.

Derose praised both her primary care clinic and Lancaster City Mayor R Rex Parris for helping the family navigate the nightmare of the positive diagnosis.

But she has slammed Los Angeles County Public Health for failing to notify parents of students at Lancaster High School that one of their number had tested positive for COVID-19.

She said: Even if they hadnt had his test results they had my daughters by Sunday 22 and they said nothing.

It only became public knowledge when they announced his death.

Derose was adamant that Public Health officials failure to alert the community to the presence of COVID-19 has put more lives at risk.

In California, there are now more than 4,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 82 deaths.

A 17-year-old from New Orleans died from coronavirus this week as the city remains on track to become the next US outbreak epicenter give it has one of the highest case growth rates in the world.

Louisiana now has more than 2,300 confirmed cases and has reported 83 deaths.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / Mongolia Growth Group Ltd. (TSXV:YAK)(OTC:MNGGF) ("MGG") or ("the Company") a commercial real estate investment company participating in the Mongolian economy announces that it has donated 20,000 protective masks to the National Center for Communicable Diseases and to the National Center for Maternal and Child Health.

As a long-term investor in Mongolia, MGG is highly concerned about the spread of COVID-19 within Mongolia and intends to do its part to make protective materials available to national organizations that are in need.

MGG recently published a video for Mongolian social media. Please visit the following link https://youtu.be/GbgO6y_rtu0 to see that video with English language subtitles.

MGG intends to closely monitor the ongoing virus situation for the health and safety of all employees.

For further information on the Corporation, please visit www.mongoliagrowthgroup.com

or contact:

Ms. Genevieve Walkden, Corporate Secretary

(877) 644-1186

gwalkden@MongoliaGrowthGroup.com

Mongolia Growth Group Ltd. is a publicly traded and leading property investment and development company in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Mongolia Growth Group Ltd. owns an extensive property portfolio in diversified segments of the property market, with an emphasis on institutional-grade commercial assets.

Forward-looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain statements or disclosures relating to MGG that are based on the expectations of its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to MGG which may constitute forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. All such statements and disclosures, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results or developments that MGG anticipates or expects may, or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "forecast", "future", "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "potential", "enable", "plan", "continue", "contemplate", "pro-forma", or other comparable terminology.

In particular, forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements concerning MGG's upcoming annual meeting of shareholders and the timing thereof, the approval of the Rights Plan, the operation of the Rights Plan in the event of certain circumstances, and the amendments to the General By-Law.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by MGG as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The assumptions of MGG used for this news release may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks which could cause actual results to vary and in some instances to differ materially from those anticipated by MGG and described in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Although MGG believes that the material factors, expectations and assumptions expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to it on the date such statements were made, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. MGG's actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements and readers should no place undue importance or reliance on the forward looking-statements. Statements including forward looking statements are made as of the date they are given and, except as required by applicable securities laws, MGG disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Mongolia Growth Group Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582829/Mongolia-Growth-Group-Donates-20000-Protective-Masks
Wondering how to disinfect your groceries from coronavirus? Leaving your groceries in your garage for three days in an effort to kill off the coronavirus is a very, very bad idea, experts at two New Jersey universities said.

The advice to leave your groceries outside as a way to disinfect them comes from a viral video shared by a family doctor in Michigan. The video also advocates for disinfecting every single box, repackaging all dried foods, and washing all fresh foods with soap. Is all of this really necessary?

Definitely not, two experts told NJ Advance Media.

Thats a surgical level of sterilization, and probably overkill, Dr. Claude Krummenacher, a virologist and assistant professor at Rowan University in Glassboro, said.

Coronavirus is clearly a concern, but that video goes really to the extreme, using very sterile techniques you use in a hospital setting at home, Krummenacher. The food is not going to kill you. I understand that people want to be careful, but I think they should not be overly paranoid about your tin of peas."

Donald Schaffner, a distinguished professor and extension specialist in food science with expertise in microbial risk assessment and hand washing at Rutgers, agreed, telling NJ Advance Media, I hope that youre not going to take food safety advice from somebody without the proper qualifications.

Dont leave your groceries outside for three days

Both warned that leaving food out in the garage was a recipe for other serious foodborne illnesses and food poisoning.

Are you really going to leave your carton of milk and your deli meats in your unrefrigerated garage for three days? Scahffner said. He said this advice assumes that all groceries are contaminated, and that simply touching the groceries will make you sick, neither of which are true.

Its very, very unlikely that any item of food is sufficiently contaminated to cause an infection, Krummenacher said.

Its overkill to sanitize every single box

The virus does not live long on surfaces like cardboard, lasting only about 24 hours, the National Institute of Health says. This is not a very sturdy virus, Krummenacher.

Changing out the container is probably not unreasonable," but its not the main way the virus is transmitted, Krummenacher said.

I dont think its really necessary, but its not going to hurt if people want to wipe their canned food for plastic containers, Krummenacher said.

Schaffner said as long as you wash your hands before dipping into your boxes of snacks, youll be fine. And guess what? Washing your hands before you eat is a best practice even when were not in a pandemic, he said.

You should wash your fruits and veggies, but not with soap

Washing fresh fruits and vegetables is good advice all the time. But dont use soap.

Soap should absolutely not be used to wash food. Its not designed for that. Soap can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if ingested, Schaffner said.

Rinsing fruits and vegetables with cold water before peeling them is best practice, the FDA says.

You should always wash (fruits and vegetables), its not something new with this coronavirus, Krummenacher said. "It can help clear away all types of viruses that live on food, not just the coronavirus.

There have been no studies done to see how long the coronavirus lives on fruits and vegetables, he said.

Designating a dirty area when unpacking groceries can help contain germs

Keeping your unpacked bags in a singular area in your kitchen can help limit the areas you need to clean up later, Krummenacher said.

Once youve finished organizing your groceries, wash your hands and then wash that (part of the counter), he said. But you should be doing this all of the time anyway.

And it doesnt matter if you used the stores plastic bags or brought your own from home.

If youre concerned that your bags might have coronavirus on them you can wash them, Schaffner said, calling this another grocery shopping best practice. You should also wash your hands after we have finished putting all your groceries away.

Its possible to go to the store safely

You dont want to be so afraid of grocery shopping that you dont eat anymore, Krummenacher said.

Both professors recommended limiting your time in the store, limiting the number of things you touch, and washing your hands thoroughly after shopping.

I would probably touch as few things as possible and be as quick as possible. I dont want to be around people as much as possible, Krummenacher said.

Shoppers should take advantage of any hand sanitizers or sanitizing wipes some stores are placing at their entrances, Schaffner said.

If there is hand sanitizer available, I also use it when Im exiting the store, and then Ill use it again at home once I finished putting all my groceries away and returning my reusable shopping bags to the car, he said.

If youre high risk, take advantage of delivery or special high-risk hours

Because the main concern with grocery shopping are the other shoppers, Krummenacher recommended using home delivery services when possible.

Although a number of companies offer delivery or personal shopper services in New Jersey, many of those time slots are booked solid forcing residents to head out to the store to restock on supplies.

In that case, residents should head to the stores when theyre less busy, like senior hours, to make social distancing easier.

If I was at risk Id try not to go to the store, but if I have to go then yes, take advantage of going during (special hours), Krummenacher said.

But if you dont want to go out, delivery is still safe

And if you dont feel like cooking anything with your newly purchased groceries, delivery remains a perfectly safe option. Schaffner previously told NJ Advance Media that ordering take-out posed very little risk of spreading the coronavirus, particularly if you do contactless delivery.

And it doesnt matter if the food it hot or cold, because theres no evidence the virus can be transmitted through food at all, he said.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
As the uncertainty grows in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, small business owners have begun to raise concerns and ask questions.

Beckie Baybeck, owner of a family business Beehrs Towing, Inc., said business has declined by 90%, and shes concerned about her employees and their families. Already a tight-knit group, she has given her handful of employees cash advances to allow them to stock up on supplies and groceries.

My drivers and dispatchers are continuing to serve the community during this difficult time, and I have even offered a 50% discount to individual customers who are laid off from work because of the virus, but still need towing assistance, she said. But, this is going to significantly affect whether I can stay in business or not.

Baybeck said she fears she will have to file for bankruptcy or shut down her business. So, she has begun to ask questions, like who she can contact about getting financial help and what relief might be coming from the government.

Baybeck is not alone and many business owners are having to sort out these questions. However, different local organizations, such as the Midland Area Community Foundation and the Midland Business Alliance, have begun to help.

Local and state assistance

On Tuesday, the Midland Area Community Foundation announced the launch of a "multi-pronged, collaborative approach," to provide relief to nonprofits, individuals and small businesses in Midland County affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by establishing two dedicated funds. Between the COVID-19 Response Fund and the COVID-19 Impact Investing Fund, MACF is investing a total of $1 million into response efforts.

Of that amount, $250,000 has been placed in the COVID-19 Impact Investing Fund, a 0% business loan fund dedicated to assisting small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Businesses will be able to apply for loans up to $5,000, which MACF president and CEO Sharon Mortensen said should provide some "quick assistance" to small business owners.

"This is really meant to help businesses whose business delivery has been interrupted by COVID-19," Mortensen said.

As of Thursday, the MACF has received eight applications, and is working with the Midland Business Alliance in the loan review and approval process, with a goal of a "quick turnaround" that will have answers, and funds, out to applicants by the end of this week or earlier next week, Mortensen said.

The second MACF fund is the $500,000 COVID-19 Response Fund. Of this, $250,000 will be used for nonprofit support and $250,000 will be used for individual assistance. A total match of up to $250,000 will be provided to contributions to either the COVID-19 Response Fund or COVID-19 Impact Investing Fund.

Those interested in applying for, are donating to, either fund can visit the MACF's website.

The State of Michigan will also be offering assistance to small businesses in the near future.

According to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Small Business Relief Program will provide up to $20 million in support for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The funding is divided between $10 million grants and $10 million in loans to support businesses facing "drastic reductions in cash flow" and the continued support of their workforce.

The application process the Small Business Relief Program is currently being developed, though funds are expected to be available by Wednesday, April 1.

Assistance from the federal government

On Wednesday, the Senate approved a $2 trillion stimulus deal/package with a unanimous vote, 96-0. The emergency aid package is the largest in U.S. history and will now go to the House of Representatives for a vote at 9 a.m. Friday, March 26.

If passed, the new legislation would assist individuals, renters, people with student loans, airlines, contractors, hospitals, and more.

Highlights of the bill include:

 Depending on income, single Americans would receive $1,200; married Americans would get $2,400 and parents would receive $500 per child under 17. The amounts dispersed would taper off for those who make $75,000 ($150,000 for couples) or more, and those who make over $99,000 (or double that for couples) would not qualify.

 The Department of Education would suspend payments on student loan borrowers without penalty through Sept. 30.

 This bill would provide extra unemployment benefits: $600 more a week for four months on top of state benefits and extend benefits for up to 13 weeks. It would also create a pandemic unemployment assistance program, which would help those unemployed due to the pandemic, but who dont qualify for other assistance programs, such as contractors.

 $454 billion would be used to provide loans to businesses, states and municipalities.

 $32 billion in grants for wages and benefits would go to the airline industry.

 The bill would provide $100 billion for hospitals, increase Medicare reimbursement rates for coronavirus hospitalizations by 20%, suspend the 2% Medicare sequestration through Dec. 31, and expand the Medicare Hospital Accelerated Payment Program, among other assistance.

 Contractors and gig workers would be eligible to receive federal aid.

 Anyone facing hardships from the coronavirus would be given a forbearance on federally backed mortgage loans for up to 60 days, with extensions. It also blocks fees, penalties and additional interest to be charged as a result of delayed payments.

 $450 million would go toward assisting food banks and food distribution.

For more information and answered questions, NBC News put together this article.
British police faced criticism on Friday for using "over-the-top" methods to maintain a coronavirus lockdown, after officers armed with sweeping new powers deployed drones to detect walkers far from home.

Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch said the police must behave within the rule of law after it also emerged that road checkpoints had been set up to quiz drivers about their journeys.

"It's understandable why police are dispersing parties and barbecues but demanding drivers give journey details at road checkpoints is over-the-top," said director Silkie Carlo.

"It's critical we protect public health and critical we protect basic democratic norms too. Arbitrary policing will not help the country to fight this pandemic." The drone incident happened in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, central England, while roadblocks were used in other parts of the country.

Social media users compared their actions to "the Stasi", East Germany's notorious state police.

Another civil liberties group, Liberty, said in a statement: "We need a response in terms of public health rather than a response in terms of criminal justice to this epidemic." Britons have been told since the beginning of the week that they are only allowed to leave their homes for limited reasons such as going to work, essential food shopping, or for exercise once a day.

But they are not allowed to travel for recreational purposes.

To enforce the new rules, police were officially handed powers which prevents people leaving their home "without reasonable excuse".

Those ignoring the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 pound fine doubled to 120 pound for any second offence.

The measures will be in place for at least six months, with a review every three weeks.

Derbyshire police defended their actions, claiming in a tweet that "we will not be apologetic for using any legal and appropriate methods to keep people safe".

It added: "Our actions and the government's advice are there to keep you and others safe." A total of 11,658 coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Britain, and 578 deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
305 American citizens in Ghana have been repatriated by the U.S. Embassy in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.



The exercise took place on Wednesday, 25th March 2020.



The Embassy in a health alert on its website, stated that it received adequate support from the government of Ghana for the exercise.



On March 25, 2020, with the strong support of the Government of Ghana, the U.S. Embassy in Accra facilitated the return to the United States of 305 American citizens from Ghana to the United States.



The Embassy assured it will continue to work with the U.S. government agencies in the United States and the Ghana government to provide the needed assistance to American citizens in the country.



If and when additional flights become available, the Embassy will provide instructions to American citizens in Ghana through the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP), the U.S. Embassy website and social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The alert further stated.



As at 12pm Friday 27th March 2020, Ghana had recorded 136 cases of the pandemic with one recovery and 3 deaths. Another person is reported to be in critical condition.



The United States of America is currently the country with the highest number of known cases of the pandemic of over 82,000 cases. The country has recorded 1,195 deaths.



Globally 552,943 coronavirus cases had been confirmed by 12pm on Friday with 25,045 deaths and 128,706 recoveries.









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 epic change in public behaviour in the past two weeks has included a 180-degree about-face in what types of social connections are recommended.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The epic change in public behaviour in the past two weeks has included a 180-degree about-face in what types of social connections are recommended.

Back in the time BC (before coronavirus), "social distancing" was often considered unhealthy behaviour. If this newly coined term had been in use, it might commonly have been employed to describe the conduct of people who choose to isolate themselves from others, behaviour that at its extreme is viewed as a possible symptom of mental or emotional distress.

Then, a pandemic snuck into Manitoba, instantly flipping our concept of connecting face-to-face with other people. Suddenly, social distancing is strongly advised.

Maintaining connections is crucial during social distancing. (Desmond Boylan / The Associated Press)

This massive shutdown of our public gatherings  to a level unprecedented in Manitobas history  is still in the nascent stage, but it will have growing impact on individuals as the days turn into weeks, and the weeks turn into .... well, no one knows how long this will last.

Even as they clear their personal calendars of in-person social activities, many Manitobans continue to connect via electronic communication. If fact, internet-based connections are proving more valuable than ever.

Employees are working remotely, students are e-studying, worship services are transmitted by video, friends are using chat rooms to swap pleas for the names of potential babysitters for the upcoming three weeks of school closures: electronic communication is proving to be an essential resource.

The concept of replacing in-person contact with technological connections will be nothing new to the many people who already spend hours a day on social media, including young people who will likely be relieved the current health crisis gives them a respite from the admonitions of parents to spend more time on real-life socialization and less time playing online video games such as Fortnite.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

It would be middle-class shortsightenesss, however, to assume all Manitobans are well-equipped with smartphones and home computers. People without the devices to access internet-based communication include those living in poverty, those experiencing homelessness and newcomers from other countries. Many of these people have relied on free computer access at public libraries, but the libraries closed Monday.

Others who may be left out of the electronic-communication loop are older people who, until last week, found their lives were fine without the intrusion of the internet.

People who have not embraced social media include those who have decided the benefits are outweighed by the perils of polluting their personal space with a communication conduit that is often used by hucksters, cruel commenters, purveyors of pornography and an endless stream of tweeted untruths, some emanating from very high offices.

Public health nurse Peggy Cooley of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, seen on the phone screen, uses Skype video to remotely monitor a patient taking antibiotics for tuberculosis at home in Lakewood, Wash. (Manuel Valdes / The Associated Press files)

If this time of crisis is a time for Manitobans to step up and support each other, those who are connected might consider offering a helping hand to those without access to electronic media. It might be a case of helping grandparents use FaceTime so they can visit virtually with distant friends who are self-isolating. It might be a matter of briefly sharing a smartphone so a recent immigrant can text his family in his home country and learn how they are coping with COVID-19.

Some people are worried about the possibility of getting by without an abundance of toilet paper. Imagine what its like for those trying to navigate a pandemic without access to the internet and communication technology.
CHANDIGARH: Punjabs first coronavirus patient, who returned from Italy and is undergoing treatment in a government hospital in Amritsar, has tested negative and will be discharged on Friday, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh said.

Happy to share that our first case of COVID admitted to Government Medical College Amritsar has successfully recovered & tested negative, the chief minister tweeted.

The patient will be discharged today. Its a great moment for us. I am sure we will win this War Against #Covid19, he added.

The 44-year-old Hoshiarpur man, who returned to Amritsar from Milan via Delhi on March 4 along with his two family members, tested positive on March 9.

He was hospitalised along with his son.

A total of 33 patients in Punjab tested positive till Thursday with one death last week of Baldev Singh, 70, who had a travel history to Germany via Italy.

A trail of coronavirus community spread to 22 people related to Baldev Singh of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district from where 18 people tested positive, all belonging to his family.
Our worlds are so upside-down and backwards right now that Wired claims Surveillance Could Save Lives Amid a Public Health Crisis, and privacy activist Maciej Cegowski flat-out stated We Need A Massive Surveillance Program.

These normally privacy-forward sources are saying this in response to the pandemic, obviously. But it's also because companies that track, target, identify and surveil individuals are pitching their technologies to ID and trace the infected  in shady backroom discussions with the White House.

The pandemic has us all in vulnerable positions, and some tech companies are just ethics-free enough to step in and take advantage of entire populations being held hostage by COVID-19. They see us as profitable, captive data generators while their PR departments act like they did something virtuous for the greater good. Like Zoom.

For reasons us privacy nerds can't comprehend, many people rushed to adopt and use Zoom for in-home teleconferencing once all the sheltering-in-place started. Zoom happens to be a privacy nightmare with a terrible security track record  so bad that in late 2019, EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) made an official complaint to the FTC alleging "unfair and deceptive practices." According to EPIC, "Zoom intentionally designed its web conferencing service to bypass browser security settings and remotely enable a user's web camera without the knowledge or consent of the user."

That's not all: Zoom collects "your physical address, phone number, your job title, credit and debit card information, your Facebook account, your IP address, your OS and device details, and more" ... and traffics that data with whomever it's doing business with (it's unclear where or how Zoom sntaches that info, except to say it's "when you use or otherwise interact with our Products").

If only sleazy data dealers used their talents for good, right?

Look: former privacy pitchers, I get why you're now catching for Big Brother. This is an emergency. But looking at what's working (or not) in other countries, we will fail at containment unless we make sure pandemic response tracing tools don't blur into the fulfillment of ICE and police wishlists.

There are serious epidemiologists talking about actual efforts to leverage tech for contact tracing but techbros solutionizing about location tracking need to stop. https://t.co/QuDZyz8FNs  Blake You're on Mute (@blakereid) March 24, 2020

If you're sitting at home (you better be) arguing this is a matter of privacy versus safety, you've just shown us that privacy and surveillance abuses are merely abstract concepts for you. This is not a black or white issue; staying at home is, washing your hands is, and behaving like you're infected for the safety of others is. We have failed to contain coronavirus, to stop its spread, and to prepare for the worst. Those failures have nothing to do with a lack of invasive surveillance, and cannot be cured by finally closing the information-sharing loop between Big Tech and Stephen Miller.

Elizabeth M. Renieris, a Fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society explained in When privacy meets pandemic how it's critical that core international human rights principles on privacy are baked into coronavirus-related tech.

"What happens if we trace people with no ability to help them," Renieris wrote. "What if it just doesn't work in some contexts? We especially have to ask these questions where some experimental methods of contact tracing are being entrusted to large for-profit tech companies." Ms. Renieris adds:

While no one seriously questions the need for interventions that can protect public health and safety, the framing of many privacy-related concerns skips a fundamental step in the analysis  namely, asking when an interference with fundamental rights is justified. This analysis is grounded in core principles of international human rights law  not something particularly within Facebook or Google's expertise. If the privacy community skips this critical step, we have already lost the battle to protect our fundamental rights.

Do it wrong and people avoid getting tested, you wind up with unknown infected populations, and you create a marriage of surveillance and policing that cannot be walked back  you fail to contain the virus and democracy is DOA. Do it right and you have an informed and voluntary population, policing is separate from public health and medicine, there are safeguards in place to prevent inevitable abuses, and you stem the tide of infections.

Pandemic surveillance: Privacy's tipping point

Yes, other governments around the world are using surveillance tools to stem COVID-19's spread. The main countries using technology to track and throttle the spread of the virus are China, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.

As you may know, China and Israel have gone full draconian. Israel has decided to leverage novel coronavirus in order to "lean in" on that whole police state thing. "Last week the Israeli government issued emergency orders granting the Shin Bet security service the authority to track its citizens," reported Haaertz, "allowing digital monitoring of coronavirus patients' cellphones, using means that were not disclosed."

The country's security service is "using the technology at its disposal to track the routes that patients have taken outside their homes and to determine whom they have gotten close to ... [and] tracking details of all calls made by coronavirus patients." But at least Israel is supposed to have an expiration date on keeping citizen data. Unlike China.

After unsuccessfully concealing the severity of its COVID-19 outbreak for two months, China rolled out the advanced tracking tech it used to round up more than a million Uyghur Muslims (now in concentration camps) and uses that tech to enforce an isolation policy. It includes phone tracking, facial recognition, and requiring hundreds of millions of citizens in lockdown to download an app. The app places people into three stoplight categories (green is free to move about; red is 14-day quarantine).

China, of course, said this was successful in stopping the pandemic, which has since resurfaced in the country, challenging that claim.

This shows the location data of phones that were on a Florida beach during Spring Break. It then shows where those phones traveled.



First thing you should note is the importance of social distancing. The second is how much data your phone gives off. pic.twitter.com/iokUX3qjeB  Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) March 26, 2020

The countries with the best balance of privacy and virus tracing are containing it, namely South Korea and Taiwan. In fact, most of the countries showing success with coronavirus tracing have unique, current legislation specific to pandemics with provisions on data collection. The laws in Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan meet the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. These countries are thinking about what will happen in the days after we all survive the novel coronavirus, and acknowledge that it's a terrible idea to unbraid privacy from healthcare.

In South Korea and Taiwan, two countries who've done well to push back against the virus without the draconian tech-surveillance measures of China and Israel, legislation around data collection includes oversight and transparency for its citizens. "For example," Haaretz wrote regarding South Korea's approach, "citizens were provided with an explanation of what information was collected, for what purpose and when it would be erased."

That's how South Korea's officials addressed the problem of people avoiding tests over privacy concerns. Jung Eun-kyeong, the director of South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told press, "We will balance the value of protecting individual human rights and privacy and the value of upholding public interest in preventing mass infections."

Singapore's COVID-19 mortality rate is arguably the lowest  and though the country isn't high in the freedom and democracy index, its success in using tech to fight the virus may be linked to its conditions around data privacy. "Privacy legislation in Singapore was most recently revised in 2014 and entails that the processing of data about individuals requires their consent," press reported. "Downloading the application was voluntary, it did not monitor people's whereabouts, and the information collected was not provided to the government."

In a way, it's no surprise that entrepreneurs, greedy corporations, and dark-intentioned authorities are seeing COVID-19 as an opportunistic land grab for money, control, and power. It's sickening.

The most shady data harvesting companies, who are secretly gathering location data from smartphones and apps without the users' knowledge, are covidwashing their products and exploiting the disaster. https://t.co/uw1HbZSsKr  Wolfie Christl (@WolfieChristl) March 25, 2020

What is surprising, however, is how some seem to have learned from the mistakes of the greedy. Singapore -- again, no steward of democractic freedoms -- clearly gets that if you treat your people's privacy and data the same way Facebook does (or China, or Zoom for that matter), your problems are going to breed problems like tribbles.

The notion of repurposing tools that data harvesting companies use to track, snatch, and profit from our personal data without our explicit consent is some pretty ballsy -- or naive, or grossly privileged -- wishful thinking. These data collection tools were not built to save lives in emergencies: they were purpose-built for exploitation and abuse.

The only way to repurpose them safely and effectively is to treat them like they're radioactive: we must proceed with the certainty that all virus tracking and tracing tech will be abused. To not do so will be catastrophic.

Images: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images (Checkpoint)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 19:48:51|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday spoke over phone with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on anti-epidemic cooperation and bilateral ties.

Xi stressed that China has been sharing information on COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries including the United States since the onset of the epidemic.

China, he said, wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus, and has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need.

He added that China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic.

Epidemics recognize no national borders or races and are a common enemy of humankind, noted the president, adding that only by making a collective response can the international community defeat them.

With joint efforts of all parties, the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 on Thursday reached many consensuses and achieved positive results, Xi said, expressing his hope that all parties will strengthen coordination and cooperation, implement the outcomes, and inject strong vigor into enhancing international anti-epidemic cooperation and stabilizing the global economy.

China, he added, is willing to work with the United States and other parties to continue to support the WHO in playing an important role, enhance sharing of information and experience on epidemic prevention and control, accelerate cooperation in scientific research, and improve global health governance.

Xi also called for concerted efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, in order to stabilize markets, maintain growth, safeguard people's wellbeing, and ensure the openness, stability and safety of global supply chains.

Upon inquiry, Xi introduced in detail the measures China has taken to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic.

He said he follows closely and is concerned about the development of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and has noticed that Trump is carrying out a series of policies and measures in response.

The Chinese people, Xi said, sincerely hope that the United States contains the spread of the epidemic at an early date, so as to reduce the losses inflicted by the disease upon the American people.

China has always maintained an active attitude towards international collaboration on epidemic prevention and control, Xi said, adding that under current circumstances China and the United States should unite against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health departments and medical experts of the two countries have maintained communication over the global pandemic situation and bilateral anti-epidemic cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to continue sharing, without reservation, relevant information and experience with the United States.

Noting that some Chinese provinces and enterprises have been providing the United States with assistance in medical supplies, Xi said China understands the United States' current predicament and stands ready to provide support within its capacity.

There are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students, and the Chinese government attaches great importance to their safety and health, Xi stressed, expressing his hope that the U.S. side will take practical and effective measures to safeguard their safety and health.

Xi emphasized that China-U.S. relations are now at an important juncture, and that both will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Calling on the United States to take substantive action to improve bilateral relations, Xi suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Trump, for his part, said that he listened closely to Xi's speech at the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, and appreciates Xi's views and proposals along with other leaders.

Trump asked Xi in detail about China's anti-epidemic measures, saying that both countries are facing the challenge of the COVID-19 epidemic, and he is delighted to see the positive progress made by China in combating the disease.

Stressing that China's experience is very illuminating to him, he said he will make personal efforts to ensure that the United States and China can ward off distractions and concentrate on cooperation against COVID-19.

The United States, he added, is grateful to China for providing medical supplies for its fight against the epidemic, and promoting bilateral medical and health care exchanges, including cooperation in research and development of effective medicines against the disease.

Trump said he has publicly made clear on social media that the American people respect and love the Chinese people very much and that Chinese students are of great significance to the U.S. educational business.

The United States will protect Chinese nationals on its soil, including Chinese students, he added.

The two heads of state agreed to maintain communication on subjects of shared interest.
A Texas judge has ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay $150,000 in legal fees to the families of Sandy Hook victims after losing another appeal in a defamation case that accuses him of calling the 2012 massacre a hoax.

Jones and his conspiracy theorist website InfoWars were ordered to cover $20,000 in legal fees after he was sued by Neil Heslin, whose six-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was killed in the Newtown, Connecticut shooting.

Heslin along with eight other families of the Sandy Hook victims say they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones' followers because of the hoax conspiracy he promoted on his show.

Alex Jones (pictured) is being sued by families of Sandy Hook victims over his claims that the 2012 shooting was a hoax. 20 first-graders and six teachers were killed in the massacre

Neil Heslin, father of six-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim Jesse Lewis

Heslin sued Jones after he called the account of his son's death a lie and alleged other victims' families were 'crisis actors'. He is pictured here in 2013

The conspiracy claimed the shooting at the elementary school which left 20 first-graders and six teachers dead never happened.

The lawsuit argued that Jones and InfoWars defamed Heslin by calling his account of his son's death a lie and alleging other victims' families were 'crisis actors'.

In a series of online rants, he had alleged the massacre was a 'false flag operation', staged by the government as an excuse to introduce stricter firearms controls.

Jones, 45, has since acknowledged that the Sandy Hook killings did occur. His attorneys have previously defended his speech in court as 'rhetorical hyperbole' and deny it was defamation.

Parishioners pay their respects at St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, Connecticut, to the victims of the elementary school shooting in December 2012

In Jones' most recent appeal to dismiss Heslin's lawsuit was found to be 'frivolous,' the court ruled Wednesday. Jones was ordered to pay $22,250 in attorney fees.

Jones' bills are quickly racking up. He was already ordered to pay $25,000 in October and a further $100,000 in December.

Heslin's and the other families attorney Mark Bankston told HuffPost that this most recent victory should mean the end for Jones.

'It is rare to see a legal defense so incompetent and disrespectful to the rule of law that it causes a defendant to rack up $150,000 in fines during preliminary motions before even reaching trial,' Bankston said in a statement. 'These fines are only the beginning. A far greater reckoning awaits Mr. Jones.'

Jones appeared to ignore the advice of his colleagues when it came to attacking the Sandy Hook families.

Earlier this month, Jones was arrested for DWI in Austin. He has since claimed he was not 'legally drunk', had consumed a 'small amount of sake rice wine' at a Japanese restaurant

Rob Jacobson who formerly worked for Infowars as an editor said that staff laughed at him after he warned against spreading lies about Sandy Hook.

'I told Jones straight to his face: 'They're going to come after you for Sandy Hook. This is really bad,' Jacobson said. 'He just stared at me like a deer in the headlights, he had nothing to say. And we just went on our way.'

Earlier this month, Jones was arrested for DWI in Austin. He has since claimed he was not 'legally drunk', had consumed a 'small amount of sake rice wine' at a Japanese restaurant and was 'caught in a Travis County dragnet'.

But according to a police affidavit, he had actually consumed a bottle of sake, was 'glassy eyed' and had become involved in an altercation with his current wife Erika who had earlier called the cops to report a 'family disturbance' at their home.
As Stacy Kaplus chatted with her neighbors, I noticed the bandage covering her nose.

When I asked what happened, she said one of her two puppies scratched her and then she picked at the wound.

My hands werent fully clean and it got infected, said Kaplus, who is homeless and lives in an RV with boarded-up windows and a leaky roof behind a private lot on Wood Street in Oakland.

At a time when were being advised  no, warned  to wash our hands excessively, Kaplus and the more than 29,000 homeless people in the Bay Areas nine counties are in a vulnerable position: They cant easily clean their hands.

Thats got the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC guidance for cities responding to homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic includes providing access to portable latrines with handwashing facilities for encampments of more than 10 people.

Now Playing: The City of Oakland says 40 homeless encampments have handwashing stations, but on a bike tour we found several that dont work. Video: SFGATE

A week ago, The Chronicle reported that Mayor Libby Schaaf said Oakland had provided portable toilets, hand sanitizer and handwashing stations at 20 additional encampments. That means 40 encampments in Oakland should have health and hygiene services, including garbage collection.

But in trips to encampments and in interviews with homeless people in the past week, Ive found that many handwashing stations dont have water, like the two on Wood Street.

Where are they? Kaplus, 51, said about the handwashing stations. Theyre not doing anything for us.

Many of the stations Ive tested have been out of water or soap and sometimes both. But, according to Daryel Dunston of Oaklands Department of Human Services, portable toilets and wash stations are being serviced three times per week.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

The Citys Human Services Department continues to coordinate and work in tandem with Alameda Countys Health Care for the Homeless Office, which is the lead agency addressing encampment outreach during the COVID-19 crisis, Dunston wrote in an email.

Before coronavirus, homelessness was already a humanitarian and health crisis in California, so finding inadequate facilities in homeless encampments isnt surprising. I just hoped that with so many lives potentially at risk, this would be the time that unhoused people finally became the regions top priority. Because if not now, then when?

Instead, the virus has revealed massive shortcomings in homeless services.

The coronavirus pandemic is exposing the ugly reality that we dont have the capacity we need to help the homeless get off the streets, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, told me. We dont have enough outreach workers. We dont have enough places for homeless people to go to be safe, and that deficiency is now much more visible than before.

The seriousness of social distancing still hasnt reached encampments. Ive talked to homeless people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sacramento and other cities. Its just the flu, Ive heard from unhoused folks who are not watching television or reading news.

I feel like if they were worried about some sort of spread of contagion, they would be handing out masks at least, Sergei Girin said when I stopped to check a handwashing station near his RV on Wood Street.

Girin couldnt recall when the station worked, but he isnt concerned about the virus.

Wash your hands if you are worried, Girin, 39, said grinning.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

There have been fewer than two dozen confirmed homeless coronavirus cases in the nation, my colleague Kevin Fagan reported this week. Still, Del Seymour, co-chair of San Franciscos Local Homeless Coordinating Board, is pushing for more shelter space.

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.

Wash your hands? Youre laying in s. What is washing your hands going to do? Seymour, founder of Code Tenderloin, said. We need to do better. We need to get some separation.

Up til now, homelessness has been an irritation to the housed, Seymour added. Now, this is a threat. The homeless community could actually cause this to erupt.

Sensing an information void, Code Tenderloin switched its focus from workforce development to homeless outreach, passing out supplies to the homeless in the Tenderloin once a day since March 16. On Monday, a line of about three dozen people waited at the corner of Turk and Leavenworth streets for hand sanitizer, socks, soap, shampoo, deodorant, disinfectant wipes, oranges, pears and onions. All were gone in 30 minutes.

The line drew plenty of curious onlookers and plenty of dealers pushing bars, 30s and fenty  thats Xanax, Adderall and fentanyl. It was just a normal day in the neighborhood, as folks stood in doorways sharing pipes to inhale substances burned on aluminum foil strips.

What scares me is that so many people dont even know whats going on, Donna Hilliard, Code Tenderloins executive director, said as she handed out items. They dont even know why the handwashing stations are here.

She pointed to a station in the street that was pushed against the curb as if placed there for trash collection. A woman with roller skates dangling over her shoulder attempted to use it.

No soap. No water.

They need to get somebody on that, she said before walking away.

Yes, they do.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
The fifth season of Outlander seems to be doing well with fans who have been waiting for this season for a long time. Episode 7 will premiere this Sunday on March 29. Read on to learn about what will happen and see the new teaser trailer for the episode. There are major spoilers ahead.

The Redcoats are ready for a fight with the regulators

Sam Heughan | Michael Tran/Getty Images

In the latest preview for episode 7, fans get a look at the Redcoats gearing up for a fight with the regulators.

These insurgents wanted a fight and they shall have one, a Redcoat says to Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and all the men he has recruited for the impending battle. Tryon pats a cannon as he speaks, hinting that hes ready to use deadly force on the regulators.

It looks like Jamie will have to actually choose a side to fight on. His loyalties are being torn in two different directions. On one side he has Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix), his family, and on the other, he has his word to the governor and with it all the people of Frasers Ridge.

Brianna tries to warn her parents of whats coming

Brianna (Sophie Skelton) is attempting to rewrite history by trying to stop an impending battle between the regulators and the Redcoats.

Theres talk at the tavern. The milia is preparing for battle. The regulators are across the Alamance Creek, a man comes in and tells Brianna. Next, we see her racing towards her parents on horseback to tell them what she knows of whats to come.

Ive come to warn you. Alamance. Some people consider this to be the spark of the American Revolution, Bri tells her concerned parents. What can they do to prevent this battle to come?

Murtagh rallies his men for a fight

Next, we see Murtagh rallying his men to action. There are scenes of a battle and cannon fire going off, so it looks like well finally get to see some actual fighting happening between the Redcoats and the regulators. Things are going to get dangerous in the next episode.

Will Jamie fight for the side of the Redcoats and for everyone on Frasers Ridge? Or could he try to negotiate with Murtagh mid-battle? Although thats yet unclear, there will be some type of altercation, thats obvious from the promo video.

Claire was still with Jamie, so could she be in danger if theres a battle? She will probably stay and help anyone she can as a skilled doctor, even if it means putting her own life in danger. Bri was there too, so its unclear if she will leave before things get messy or stay to assist her mother.

Episode 7 of Outlander is going to be action-packed and fans cant wait to see whats going to happen.
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...
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 13:20:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ZHENGZHOU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Henan Province plans to offer loans of no less than 1 billion yuan (141 million U.S. dollars) to help revive the cultural and tourism sectors that have been hammered by the novel coronavirus outbreak, authorities said.

The funds, aimed to ease the financial difficulties of related companies, will be mainly poured into tourist resorts, travel agencies and family inns, according to a circular jointly released by the provincial department of culture and tourism and Zhongyuan Bank based in the provincial capital of Zhengzhou.

State-level cultural and tourism industrial parks, key national cultural export companies and projects, and museums, galleries and libraries that have a relatively mature market and the potential for cultural product innovations will also be supported, the circular said.

With abundant cultural and tourism resources, Henan is the birthplace of the world-famous Shaolin Kungfu, and home to a number of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites, including the Longmen Grottoes and Anyang Yin Ruins.
Coles workers at one of its busiest distribution centres downed tools on Friday amid concerns they could catch the dreaded coronavirus.

Video emerged of the disgrunted employees walking off the job at the supermarket's Laverton warehouse in the early hours of Friday morning.

Video captured by Wyndham TV - a local news service operating out of Melbourne's western suburbs - shows workers dressed in high-visibility gear gathering outside the front of the centre.

Coles workers walked off the job on Friday amid coronavirus concerns

Workers gathered outside the front of the Laverton distribution centre where they demanded proper safety equipment

One worker claimed a further 30 more workers had been on their way outside to join the stop-work meeting when Coles management turned them around.

''We've got about 30 team members, I reckon, were on their way out (they) were cut off, told em all to get back in (another manager) pulled up along beside and said a couple of other team members had made complaints about us,' the worker said.

The alleged complaint was that the disgruntled workers had intimidated and threatened other colleagues to join the protest.

The workers claimed the 1.5 metre distancing rule wasnt being enforced at the centre and were not supplied appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.

Coles distribution centre in Laverton where on Friday workers walked-off the job amid their own coronavirus concerns

They further claimed they were only being given one alcohol wipe at the start of their shifts and one at the end, despite using communal equipment.

It remains unclear how long the workers walked off the job.

They returned to work after the measures they asked for were implemented.

The drama came just hours before Coles introduced a raft of new health and safety measures at its stores to protect customers and staff from the growing coronavirus outbreak.

In a bid to keep physical contact between customers and workers to a minimum, shoppers are now being asked to pack their own grocery bags and to pay with tap-and-go or contactless payments.

Large queues of people line up at Coles and panic buy due to government forcing business closures due to the coronavirus outbreak

Earlier this week, Woolworths installed protective screens at checkouts as an additional safeguard for Woolworths staff and shoppers. Pictured are the new screens at the Town Hall store in Sydney's CBD

The supermarket announced on Friday it has added extra cleaning and sanitisation to 'high contact' areas of the store including trolleys, baskets, checkout areas and self-service screens.

Customers are also expected to have their hands washed or sanitised before entering and those who are feeling unwell will be asked not to enter stores.

Social distancing guidelines will be enforced with signs around stores and at checkout areas reminding people to keep a 1.5-metre distance, or a trolley-length apart.

Coles Group CEO Steve Cain announced the changes being rolled out at all stores in a statement Friday.

'We know that health and safety is front of mind for lots of our customers at the moment, and we want to let you know that we're working closely with the Department of Health to ensure the most effective protection for both you and our team members in our stores during the COVID-19 situation,' he said.

'We ask all customers not to enter a store if they are unwell, to wash or sanitise their hands before entering stores, and to remind everyone to not touch their face unless your hands have been sanitised.'

Coles has been asked for comment about the industrial action at Laverton.
The Tawang district administration in Arunachal Pradesh has placed two girls under home quarantine after they were found to have travelled in the same flight with a man from Mizoram, who tested positive for COVID-19, a senior government official said on Friday.

The girls, both students, were seated next to the 50- year-old man on a New Delhi-Guwahati flight on March 16, he said.

"Their samples have been collected by officials in Tawang and sent to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Thursday evening," Health and Family Welfare Secretary P Parthiban said.

The girls are under home quarantine in Tawang.

The elderly pastor, who recently returned from Amsterdam, tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram on Tueday, making it the second case of the disease in the northeast.

Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Police registered 20 FIRs and detained 133 people in the last 24 hours for violating lockdown rules.

Police also imposed fine on people to the tune of Rs 1,68,700 during the period, DGP R P Upadhyaya said here.

"We have set up a dedicated 24-hour control room in the state capital for the 21-day lockdown phase," he said.

The DGP added that all the district SPs have been asked to strictly enforce the lockdown, particularly at the 38 permanent and 50 temporary check posts spread across the state.

Essential services like groceries, vegetable markets and medicine shops are allowed to remain open, he said.

In another development, employees under the aegis of Confederation of Service Associations of Arunachal Pradesh (CoSAAP) on Friday said they will contribute a day's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) to assist the state government in its effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic, a release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
STOCKHOLM, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The shareholders in Sandvik Aktiebolag are convened to the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at the Goransson Arena, Satragatan 21, Sandviken, Sweden. Registration will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Information in relation to Covid-19 (coronavirus)



In view of the ongoing spreading of the coronavirus, a number of precautionary measures are being taken in connection with the Annual General Meeting to reduce the risk for the shareholders and other persons attending the Meeting.

Registration will not begin until 2:00 p.m.

No food or drink will be served.

There will be no exhibits or programs before the General Meeting.

No speeches will be held during the Meeting. A speech by the CEO will be published on the

Company's website after the Meeting.

All questions at the Meeting should mainly be focused on issues relating to decision points on the Meeting agenda.

The number of people attending who are not shareholders will be limited.

For shareholders who are concerned about the virus spreading or who may have been exposed to the virus, we encourage you to not attend the General Meeting in person but to participate via proxy. Computershare AB, that administers shareholder participation and voting at the Meeting, is offering a service, free of charge, to any shareholder registered to attend the Meeting and holding no more than 100,000 shares to appoint Computershare to vote on their behalf. The proxy is available on request by contacting Computershare at telephone +46 (0)8-518-01-556 or by e-mail [email protected]. There is a proposal for a temporary change of law that would enable the Company to collect proxies from its shareholders and allow voting by post. If this law enters into force before the Annual General Meeting, the Company intends to offer one or both of these options to its shareholders.Sandvik is monitoring the development regarding the coronavirus closely and the instructions from the authorities, and will publish updated information regarding the Annual General Meeting on its website as required.

RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AND NOTICE

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Meeting must be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, 22 April 2020 and notify the company of their participation in the Meeting not later than Wednesday, 22 April 2020.

Notice of participation in the Meeting shall be made on the Company's website home.sandvik, by telephone +46 (0)26-26 09 40 weekdays 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. or by letter to Computershare AB, "Sandvik's AGM", Box 5267, SE-102 46 Stockholm, Sweden.

Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must temporarily have re-registered the shares in their own name at Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, 22 April 2020 to be entitled to participate in the Meeting. Please note that this procedure also applies with respect to shares held on a bank's shareholder deposit account and certain investment savings accounts.

When giving notice, please state name, personal or corporate registration number, address and telephone number and the number of assistants, if any. If participation is by proxy, the proxy should be submitted to the address stated above in advance of the Meeting. Proxy forms are available on the Company's website home.sandvik. Please see below for information on processing of personal data.

AGENDA

1. Opening of the Meeting.

2. Election of Chairman of the Meeting.

3. Preparation and approval of the voting list.

4. Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes.

5. Approval of the agenda.

6. Examination of whether the Meeting has been duly convened.

7. Presentation of the Annual Report, Auditor's Report and the Group Accounts and Auditor's Report for the Group.

8. Resolution in respect of adoption of the Profit and Loss Account, Balance Sheet, Consolidated Profit and Loss Account and Consolidated Balance Sheet.

9. Resolution in respect of discharge from liability of the Board members and the President for the period to which the accounts relate.

10. Resolution in respect of allocation of the Company's result in accordance with the adopted Balance Sheet and resolution on record day.

11. Determination of the number of Board members, Deputy Board members and Auditors.

12. Determination of fees to the Board of Directors and Auditor.

13. Election of Board members:

13.1 Stefan Widing

13.2 Kai Warn

13.3 Jennifer Allerton

13.4 Claes Boustedt

13.5 Marika Fredriksson

13.6 Johan Karlstrom

13.7 Johan Molin

13.8 Helena Stjernholm

14. Election of Chairman of the Board.

15. Election of Auditor.

16. Resolution on instruction for the Nomination Committee.

17. Resolution on guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives.

18. Resolution on a long-term incentive program (LTI 2020).

19. Authorization on acquisition of the Company's own shares.

20. Closing of the Meeting.

PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTIONS

Item 10 - Dividend and record day

The President and the Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve on a dividend of SEK 3.00 per share, which differs from the previous proposal of 4.50 SEK per share. The adjustment of the proposed dividend is a precautionary measure due to the current instability in the market caused by the ongoing spreading of the coronavirus (Covid-19). Thursday, 30 April 2020 is proposed as the record day. If the Meeting approves these proposals, it is estimated that the dividend be paid by Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, 6 May 2020.

It is the Board of Directors' intention to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting before the end of October this year to resolve on an extra dividend of SEK 1.50 per share, assuming that the market has stabilized and the financial position of the Company so permits.

The Nomination Committee's proposals

The Nomination Committee consists of its Chairman Fredrik Lundberg (AB Industrivarden), Hans Sterte (Alecta), Marianne Nilsson (Swedbank Robur Funds), Anders Oscarsson (AMF and AMF Funds) and Johan Molin (Sandvik's Chairman of the Board).



The Nomination Committee proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve on the following:

Item 2 - Attorney Sven Unger as Chairman of the Meeting.

Item 11 - Eight Board members with no deputies and a registered public accounting firm as Auditor.

Item 12 - Unchanged fees to the Board of Directors:

Chairman of the Board of Directors: SEK 2,550,000 (2,550,000)

(2,550,000) Other Board members not employed by the Company: SEK 690,000 (690,000) each

(690,000) each Chairman of the Audit Committee: SEK 300,000 (300,000)

(300,000) Other members of the Audit Committee: SEK 170,000 (170,000) each

(170,000) each Chairman of the Remuneration Committee: SEK 145,000 (145,000)

(145,000) Other members of the Remuneration Committee: SEK 115,000 (115,000) each

No fees shall be paid to the members of the Acquisitions and Divestitures Committee.

Fees to the Auditor shall be paid in accordance with approved invoices.

Item 13 - Election of the following persons as Board members:

13.1 Stefan Widing (new)

13.2 Kai Warn (new)

13.3 Jennifer Allerton (re-election)

13.4 Claes Boustedt (re-election)

13.5 Marika Fredriksson (re-election)

13.6 Johan Karlstrom (re-election)

13.7 Johan Molin (re-election)

13.8 Helena Stjernholm (re-election)



Lars Westerberg has declined re-election and Bjorn Rosengren left the Board on 31 January 2020 in connection with leaving his position as President of Sandvik.

Item 14 - Re-election of Johan Molin as Chairman of the Board of Directors.



Item 15 - Pursuant to the recommendation of the Audit Committee, re-election of PricewaterhouseCoopers AB as Auditor for the period until the end of the 2021 Annual General Meeting.

Item 16 - Instruction for the Nomination Committee

The Company is to have a Nomination Committee comprised of members appointed by each of the four largest shareholders in terms of votes and the Chairman of the Board of Directors (convener). The Nomination Committee has, in addition, the possibility to call in one co-opted member to the Nomination Committee from the Board members if required. At the formation of the Nomination Committee, the shareholding in the Company, based on information from Euroclear Sweden AB on the last banking day of August and other reliable shareholder information which has been provided to the Company at such time, is to determine the largest shareholders in terms of votes. When determining which the four largest shareholders are in terms of votes a group of shareholders shall be considered as one owner if they (i) have been organized as a group in the Euroclear system or (ii) have made public and notified the Company that they have made a written agreement to take - through the coordinated exercise of voting rights - a common long-term view on the management of the Company. The composition of the Nomination Committee is to be announced as soon as it is appointed. The Chairman of the Nomination Committee is to be the member appointed by the largest shareholder in terms of votes. The mandate period of the Nomination Committee is until the composition of the next Nomination Committee is completed.

The Nomination Committee is to prepare proposals for the Chairman of the Meeting, the number of Board members, remuneration to each of the Board members, the composition of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Board of Directors, where applicable, remuneration to the Auditor and election of Auditor, and, to the extent deemed necessary, proposal regarding amendments to this instruction.

In the event that a member leaves the Nomination Committee prior to the work of the Committee having been completed, a new member appointed by the same shareholder may replace the leaving member, if deemed necessary by the Nomination Committee. In the event that a shareholder that has appointed a member to the Nomination Committee significantly has reduced its holding of shares in the Company, the member in question may resign and, if deemed appropriate by the Nomination Committee, the shareholder next in line in terms of size may be provided an opportunity to appoint a new member. If the shareholding in the Company is otherwise significantly changed before the Nomination Committee's work has been completed, a change in the composition of the Nomination Committee may take place, in such way that the Nomination Committee deems appropriate.



The Company is to be able to pay reasonable costs connected to the work of the Nomination Committee. The Committee is not to receive any fees.

This instruction applies until the General Meeting resolves to adopt a new instruction.

Item 17 - Proposal by the Board of Directors for guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve to adopt the fol-lowing guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives. Compared to the guidelines adopted by the Annual General Meeting in 2019 these guidelines have been updated to comply with new regulations on remuneration.

Scope of the guidelines

These guidelines encompass the President and other members of the Group Executive Management. The guidelines do not apply to any remuneration decided on or approved by the General Meeting.

The guidelines' promotion of the Company's business strategy, long-term interests and sustainability

A prerequisite for the successful implementation of the Company's business strategy and safeguarding of its long-term interests, including its sustainability, is that the Company is able to recruit and retain qualified personnel. To this end, it is necessary that the Company offers competitive remuneration. These guidelines enable the Company to offer senior executives a competitive total remuneration. For more information regarding the Company's business and sustainability strategy, please see the Company's website home.sandvik.

Types of remuneration

The total remuneration package should be based on market terms, be competitive and reflect the individual's performance and responsibilities as well as the Group's earnings trend. The remuneration may consist of fixed salary, variable remuneration, pension benefits and other benefits.

Fixed salary



The purpose of the fixed salary is to attract and retain senior executives with the right competence for the respective positions. The salary level should be determined by comparing the salary to similarly complex positions within a defined peer group.

Variable remuneration

Variable share related remuneration

The Company may offer long-term share related or share price related remuneration. Such programs are adopted by the General Meeting and are therefore not covered by these guidelines. There are currently ongoing long-term share related incentive programs for senior executives and key employees in the Group. For more information on these programs, see the Company's website home.sandvik.

Variable cash remuneration

The Company may offer short or long-term variable cash remuneration. The fulfillment of objectives for awarding such remuneration shall be measured over a period of one to three years. Such remuneration may amount to not more than 75 percent of the fixed annual salary per year.

Variable cash remuneration shall be conditional upon the fulfillment of defined and measurable criteria. These criteria shall aim at promoting the Company's business strategy and performance as well as its long-term interests, including its sustainability. At the beginning of each year the Board of Directors and the Remuneration Committee shall establish the criteria, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and the target ranges, deemed relevant for the upcoming measurement period. The criteria may be financial, with at least three KPIs, and non-financial, and shall always be related to business performance. At least 80 percent of the variable cash remuneration shall be linked to the financial criteria. The President and Group Function heads shall be measured on Group level KPIs and the Business Area Presidents shall be measured on both Group level and Business Area level KPIs. The established KPIs shall be presented on the Company's website home.sandvik. The extent to which the criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration have been fulfilled shall be determined when the measurement period has ended and will be published in the Report on Evaluation of Remuneration the following year. For financial criteria, the evaluation shall be based on the latest financial information made public by the Company.

Special arrangements

In specific cases, the Company may offer one-off remuneration provided that such remuneration is only made on an individual basis, for the purpose of recruiting or retaining senior executives, does not exceed an amount corresponding to 100 percent of the individual's fixed annual salary and maximum variable cash remuneration and is not paid more than once per year and individual.

Right to withhold or reclaim remuneration

Terms and conditions for variable remuneration shall be designed so that the Board of Directors (i) has the right to limit or refrain from payment of variable remuneration if exceptional economic circumstances prevail and such a measure is considered reasonable, and (ii) has the right to withhold or reclaim variable remuneration paid to an executive based on results that afterwards were found to have been misstated because of wrongdoing or malpractice (so called malus and clawback).

Pension benefits

For the President, the pension benefit shall be defined contribution and the pension premiums shall amount to not more than 37.5 percent of the fixed annual salary. For the other senior executives, pension benefits shall be defined contribution and amount to not more than 55 percent of the fixed annual salary, in accordance with the Swedish ITP1 pension scheme. Exceptions to this main rule may be decided on for senior executives with existing defined benefit schemes provided that the cost of such schemes does not exceed the above mentioned cap.

Other benefits

Other benefits may include, for example, life insurance, medical insurance and company car benefit. Such benefits may amount to not more than 5 percent of the fixed annual salary. For senior executives in need of double accommodation, paid accommodation etc may be added in line with Sandvik's regulations and such benefits may amount to not more than 20 percent of the fixed annual salary.

Termination of employment

Severance pay may be paid when employment is terminated by Sandvik. The President and the other senior executives may have a period of notice of not more than 12 months, in combination with severance pay corresponding to 6-12 months fixed salary. When employment is terminated by the senior executive, the notice period may not exceed six months and no severance pay shall be paid.

In case a senior executive is not entitled to severance pay, but is covered by a non-compete undertaking, the senior executive may instead be compensated for such a non-compete undertaking. Any remuneration paid as compensation for a non-compete undertaking shall not exceed 60 percent of the fixed salary at the time of notice of termination of the employment and shall not be paid for a longer period than 18 months. Fixed salary during the notice period together with any compensation for the non-compete undertaking shall not exceed an amount equivalent to the senior executive's fixed salary for 24 months.

Consideration of remuneration to the Company's employees

When preparing the proposal for these guidelines, the employment conditions applied within the Company as a whole have been used as a benchmark, following the principle that the remuneration packages of all Sandvik employees should be based on the complexity of the position, performance and market practice. In general, the same combination of remuneration components such as fixed salary, variable remuneration, pension and other benefits are offered within Sandvik.

The decision-making process to determine, review and implement the guidelines

The Board of Directors has established a Remuneration Committee. The Committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' decision to propose guidelines for senior executive remuneration. The Board of Directors shall prepare a proposal for guidelines at least every fourth year and submit it to the General Meeting. The guidelines shall be in force until new guidelines are adopted by the General Meeting. The Remuneration Committee shall also monitor and evaluate programs for variable remuneration for the executive management, the application of the guidelines for senior executive remuneration as well as the current remuneration structures and compensation levels in the Company. The members of the Remuneration Committee are independent of the Company and its executive management. The President and the other senior executives do not participate in the Board of Directors' processing of and resolutions regarding remuneration related matters to the extent that they are affected by such matters.

Decisions on remuneration to the President are taken by the Board of Directors, based on proposals from the Remuneration Committee, and decisions on remuneration to the other senior executives are taken by the Remuneration Committee.

Adjustments to local rules

Remuneration under employments subject to other rules than Swedish may be duly adjusted to comply with mandatory rules or established local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines.

Derogation from the guidelines

The Board of Directors may temporarily resolve to derogate from the guidelines, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the derogation and a derogation is necessary to serve the Company's long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure the Company's financial viability. As set out above, the Remuneration Committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' resolutions in remuneration related matters. This includes any resolutions to derogate from the guidelines.

_______________

For information concerning the current remuneration of senior executives, including ongoing long-term incentive programs, refer to note 3.5 in the Company's 2019 Annual Report and the Company's website.

Item 18 - Proposal by the Board of Directors for a long-term incentive program (LTI 2020)

Background

Since 2014 Sandvik's Annual General Meeting has annually resolved on long-term incentive programs for senior executives and key employees, in the form of performance share programs requiring investment by all participants. The Board of Directors considers that these programs fulfill their purpose of aligning the interests of the participants and the shareholders, strengthening the Sandvik Group's ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and strengthening Sandvik's focus and objective to meet its long-term business goals. Accordingly, the Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolve on a long-term incentive program for senior executives and key employees for 2020 ("LTI 2020") on the below terms and conditions.

General

LTI 2020 encompasses approximately 350 senior executives and key employees in the Sandvik Group, divided into four categories. The maximum number of Sandvik shares that can be allocated pursuant to LTI 2020 is 2.5 million shares, which corresponds to approximately 0.20 percent of the number of outstanding shares in Sandvik.

In order to participate in LTI 2020 the employee is required to invest in Sandvik shares at market price no later than 15 June 2020 ("Investment Shares"). In the event that the employee is not able to invest before this date due to being entered in an insider list (logbook) kept by Sandvik, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to postpone the date of investment for such employee. The employee may within the scope of LTI 2020 invest up to an amount corresponding to 10 percent of the employee's fixed annual salary before tax at the time of the investment.

Provided such acquisition of Investment Shares is made, participants of LTI 2020 will be entitled to allotment of Sandvik shares, free of charge, after a period of three years on the terms and conditions set forth below.

Performance Shares

Each acquired Investment Share entitles participants to be allotted Sandvik shares provided certain performance targets are met ("Performance Shares"). The maximum number of Performance Shares that may be allotted for each acquired Investment Share is:

- 8 for the President,

- 7 for each additional member of the Group Executive Management (currently 7

persons),

- 6 for each senior manager (approximately 60 persons), and

- 5 for each key contributor (approximately 282 persons).

Each member of the Group Executive Management shall nominate the persons that are to be offered participation in LTI 2020 and that are to be classified as senior manager and key contributor, respectively, based on position, qualification and individual performance. All nominations are to be approved by the President and CEO.

The number of Performance Shares that will finally be allotted to the participant for each acquired Investment Share is dependent on the development of the Sandvik Group adjusted Earnings Per Share ("EPS") during the financial year 2020 ("EPS 2020"), compared to adjusted EPS for the financial year 2019 ("EPS 2019"). The Board of Directors establishes the levels regarding adjusted EPS that must be attained for allotment of a certain number of Performance Shares. Allotment will take place as follows:

- One Performance Share will be allotted for each acquired Investment Share if EPS 2020 exceeds EPS 2019.

- In order for any remaining Performance Shares to be allotted EPS 2020 growth must exceed 5 percent in relation to EPS 2019. The EPS growth required for the maximum number of Performance Shares to be allotted for each acquired Investment Share is established by the Board of Directors.

The level required for maximum allotment and the extent to which the established levels are attained will be disclosed in the 2020 Annual Report.

Prerequisites for allotment

The allotment of Performance Shares requires continuous employment and that all Investment Shares be held during a period of three years from the acquisition of the Investment Shares ("Vesting Period"). The Chairman of the Board of Directors may in special cases grant exemptions from these requirements for individual participants, whereas the Board of Directors may decide on any such exemption concerning groups of participants. If the prerequisites for allotment set forth for LTI 2020 are met, allotment of Performance Shares will take place during 2023, and no later than 30 June 2023. The allotment will take place free of charge, subject to tax.

Adjustment of the number of Performance Shares etc.

Before the allotment of Performance Shares takes place, the Board of Directors shall consider whether the number of Performance Shares is reasonable taking into account the financial results and position of Sandvik, the impact of larger acquisitions, divestments and other significant capital transactions, stock market conditions and other circumstances. If the Board of Directors deems that this is not the case, the Board of Directors shall reduce the number of Performance Shares to the lower number the Board of Directors finds appropriate or decide that no allotment should take place.

In the event of a bonus issue, split, rights issue and/or other similar events in Sandvik, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to decide on the recalculation of the terms of LTI 2020.

An alternative cash based incentive solution may be implemented for participants in

countries where the acquisition of Investment Shares or allotment of Performance Shares is not appropriate, or if such solution is otherwise considered appropriate. Such alternative incentive solution shall to the extent practically possible be designed to correspond to the terms of LTI 2020. The President and CEO shall be authorized to decide which persons that should be offered participation in the cash based incentive solution.

The Board of Directors, or a committee appointed by the Board of Directors for this purpose, shall be responsible for the detailed design and administration of LTI 2020 based on the main terms set forth herein.

The right to be allotted Performance Shares cannot be transferred and does not give the participant a right to compensation for dividend distributed during the Vesting Period with respect to the underlying shares.

Costs of LTI 2020 and hedging arrangements

The total cost of LTI 2020 is estimated up to SEK 210 million, assuming a Sandvik share price of SEK 130. The costs will be allocated over the years 2020-2022. The costs have been calculated as the sum of personnel costs, including social security costs of SEK 35 million, and administration costs of approximately SEK 2 million for the program.

Sandvik intends to secure its commitment to deliver up to 2.5 million Sandvik shares under LTI 2020 through a share swap agreement with a third party. The interest cost for such a share swap is estimated at approximately SEK 1.5 million per year based on the current interest levels and a share price of SEK 130. Against this cost, however, stands the value of possible dividends.

Preparation of the proposal

The proposal has been prepared by the Board's Remuneration Committee and has been discussed and resolved on by the Board of Directors. The President has not taken part in the Board of Directors' discussion and resolution with respect to the proposal.

Majority requirement

The resolution regarding LTI 2020 requires a majority of more than half of the votes cast at the Meeting.

Other

For a description of other long-term incentive programs within Sandvik reference is made to note 3.5 in Sandvik's 2019 Annual Report and to the Company's website.

Item 19 - Proposal by the Board of Directors for authorization of the Board of Directors to resolve on acquisition of the Company's own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorizes the Board of Directors to, for the period until the 2021 Annual General Meeting, resolve on acquisitions of the Company's own shares in accordance with the following conditions.

- Acquisitions shall take place on Nasdaq Stockholm.

- Acquisitions may only be made at a price per share within the price range (spread) applicable from time to time, meaning the spread between the highest purchase price and the lowest selling price prevailing and disseminated by Nasdaq Stockholm from time to time.

- The Company may acquire a maximum number of shares so that the Company's holding at any time does not exceed 10 per cent of the total number of shares in the Company.

- The authorization may be utilized on one or several occasions up to the 2021 Annual General Meeting.

The purpose of the authorization is to enable the Board of Directors to continuously adapt the Company's capital structure and thereby contribute to increased shareholder value.

In order for the resolution on authorization to be valid, it must be supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of the votes cast as well as the shares represented at the Annual General Meeting.

The Board of Directors' statement, pursuant to Chapter 19, Section 22 of the Swedish Companies Act, is available on the Company's website home.sandvik.

INFORMATION AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Board of Directors and the President shall, if any shareholder so requests and the Board of Directors believes that it can be done without material harm to the Company, provide information regarding circumstances that may affect the assessment of an item on the agenda, and circumstances that can affect the assessment of the Company's or its subsidiaries' financial situation, or the Company's relation to other group companies.

DOCUMENTATION

The Nomination Committee's proposals under items 2 and 11-16 and the Board of Directors' proposals under items 17-19 are included in their entirety in this notice. The Nomination Committee's statement and the presentation of the proposed Board members is available on the Company's website home.sandvik. Accounting documents, the Auditor's Report and the Auditor's statement regarding the application of the guidelines for remuneration as well as the Board of Directors' complete proposal under item 10 and statement pursuant to Chapter 18, Section 4 of the Swedish Companies Act are available at Sandvik AB, Kungsbron 1, section G, floor 6, Stockholm, as well as on the Company's website home.sandvik. Copies of the documents will be sent without charge to those shareholders who so request and provide their address to the Company.

SHARES AND VOTES

The total number of shares and votes in the Company is 1,254,385,923.

PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

Sandvik Aktiebolag, reg. no. 556000-3468, is the controller of the processing of personal data performed by the Company or its service providers in connection with the Meeting. For information on how your personal data is processed, please see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf.

Stockholm, March 2020

SANDVIK AKTIEBOLAG (PUBL)

The Board of Directors

Media contacts:



Sandvik

World Trade Center, Kungsbron

1 (section G, 6th floor), 111 22

Stockholm, Sweden

+46-8-456-11-00

http://home.sandvik

[email protected]

Martin Blomgren

Press and Media Relations Manager

World Trade Center, Kungsbron

1 (section G, 6th floor), 111 22

Stockholm, Sweden

+46-70-577-05-49

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/sandvik/r/annual-general-meeting-of-sandvik-aktiebolag,c3072866

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/208/3072866/1219230.pdf Annual General Meeting of Sandvik Aktiebolag

SOURCE Sandvik
OTTAWA

March 26, 2020

Canada

Canada

$305 million

$215 million for First Nations: allocated to each First Nation based on population, remoteness and community well-being;

for First Nations: allocated to each First Nation based on population, remoteness and community well-being; $45 million for Inuit, which will flow to each of the four land claims organizations through an allocation determined by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and regional Inuit land claims organizations;

for Inuit, which will flow to each of the four land claims organizations through an allocation determined by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and regional Inuit land claims organizations; $30 million for Metis Nation communities, which will flow through each of the Governing Members;

for Metis Nation communities, which will flow through each of the Governing Members; $15 million for regional and urban Indigenous organizations supporting their members living away from their communities, and to regional organizations such as Friendship Centres and the Metis Settlements General Council of Alberta .

support for Elders and vulnerable community members,

measures to address food insecurity,

educational and other support for children,

mental health assistance and emergency response services,

preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

March 11, 2020

$50 million

$10 million

Yukon

Justin Trudeau

March 18, 2020

Canada

Canada

Canada

Tom Wong

More information on how the Indigenous Community Support Fund will be distributed is available at canada.ca/coronavirus-info-indigenous.

Indigenous people and businesses are encouraged to review other measures which have been made available through the Government of Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, through which they may receive further support.

COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, through which they may receive further support. As a reminder, the best way to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19 is to practice social distancing and frequent hand hygiene and coughing and sneezing etiquette. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, such as toys and door handles.

Indigenous Services Canada is working fast with quick turnaround times for processing personal protective equipment requests to ensure First Nation communities are ready to respond to COVID-19 as effectively as possible.

As of March 25, 2020 , Indigenous Services Canada has shipped or delivered 170 personal protective equipment requests with 32 in progress.

Canada's

Canada's

Canada

, ALGONQUIN TERRITORY,/CNW/ - The health, safety and well-being of all people in, including First Nations, Inuit and Metis, is and will remain a top priority for all.recognizes that First Nation, Inuit and Metis are among the most vulnerable, and that during this crisis, in particular, those in remote and fly-in only parts of the country are uniquely vulnerable. Communities are incredibly resilient and full of solutions and innovative ideas. This is why we must support distinctions-based measures to improve public health response for Indigenous communities and provide them with the flexibility they need to address the specific needs identified by communities and their members.Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services outlined the details of thefor the new distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund, to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nation communities related to COVID-19.The Indigenous Community Support Fund will be distributed as follows:These new funds will flow directly to Indigenous communities and groups across the country and will provide Indigenous leadership with the flexibility needed to address the immediate needs in their communities as they prepare for and react to the spread of COVID-19. These funds could be used for measures including, but not limited to:The Fund is in addition to the needs-based funding designated for First Nations, Inuit and Metis through the COVID-19 Response Fund announced onand to the initialprovided to support the immediate public health response. To support women and children fleeing violence, we have also created afund for emergency family violence prevention shelters on reserve and in, as announced by Prime MinisteronThe Indigenous Community Support Fund is also in addition to needs-based support to address public health issues, including the provision of personal protective equipment, testing and health care personnel. It is also in addition to needs-based funding to address the growth in demand for income assistance and for emergency planning programming.First Nations, Inuit and Metis will also benefit from all of the government's efforts to support and improve the health response to COVID-19, and to reduce the impact of the situation on workers and businesses. The Government ofrecognizes more support may be needed and will continue to offer financial support for Indigenous communities to meet their evolving needs."We have taken immediate, significant and decisive action to First Nations, Inuit and Metis in preparing for and addressing needs related to COVID-19. These measures are the product of vital discussions with Indigenous leadership and communities across. This new Indigenous Community Support Fund will further support First Nations, Inuit and Metis leaders in taking action to address the evolving needs of their population and in making their own decisions about where critical support is needed to quickly address this public health emergency."The Honourable Marc MillerMinister of Indigenous Services"The Government ofis supporting Indigenous communities to put measures in place needed to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. We are working to ensure communities have access to needs based resources, open communications, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies to strengthen communities' resilience to this virus."Dr.Chief Medical Officer of Public Health for Indigenous Services CanadaIndigenous Community Support Fund  Breakdown by regionGovernment ofCOVID-19 Economic Response Plan Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Indigenous communities Prime Minister outlinesCOVID-19 responseStay connectedJoin the conversation about Indigenous peoples inTwitter: @GCIndigenous Facebook: @GCIndigenous Instagram: @gcindigenousFacebook: @GCIndigenousHealthTwitter: @Min_IndServYou can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.isc.gc.ca/RSS.SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

Trend:

After Baku, Sumgait and Absheron region, entry and exit to other cities and regions of Azerbaijan have been also restricted, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ehsan Zahidov told Trend.

He noted that this step has been taken to ensure safety and protect people's health under the special quarantine regime.

In order to prevent coronavirus infection spread in the country and possible consequences caused as a result of the infection, Azerbaijan announced a special quarantine regime from 00:00 (GMT+4) March 24 through April 20. The special quarantine regime envisages restriction of entry and exit to/from Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron, except for special-purpose vehicles, banning those above the age of 65 from leaving home, gathering in groups of more than 10 people in public places, including on the streets, boulevards, parks, etc.
A large pig farm in Poland is at the centre of a new African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, government authorities have confirmed.

The farm, in Niedoradz, western Poland, lies approximately 65km from the German border in an area already subject to ASF restrictions.

A total of 23,746 pigs, including nearly 7,000 sows, tested positive for the virus at the farm.

Polish authorities established new restrictions around the farm after confirming the outbreak on Monday 23 March.

The farm sold all its stock as piglets - there were nearly 17,000 piglets on the farm at the time - prompting concerns over possible onward spread to other farms that that have recently purchased stock from it.

It comes as African swine fever was detected in Greece for the first time last month.

The disease was detected at a breeding farm in the north of the country, close to the border with Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Last June, ASF was found in meat seized by port authorities in Northern Ireland before entering the country, the first time the virus has been detected in the UK.

It has also been reported in Belgium, Slovakia, Serbia, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Indonesia.
Most Iraqis agree that Iran is a toxic neighbor that, in its current state (an increasingly unpopular religious dictatorship) is a toxic force obsessed with controlling Iraq and the Iraqi government. Iran has sent hundreds of IRGC officers, most of them from the Quds Force (similar to the U.S. Special Forces, but specializing in supporting Islamic terrorists, not fighting them) and even more lower-ranking IRGC personnel to Iraq. Dozens of senior IRGC officers have been killed in Syria and Iraq since 2012. This IRGC personnel are now seen by most Iraqis as hostile foreign agents. What the Quds Force does get credit for is its leading role in organizing the PMF (Popular Mobilization Force) militias in 2014. This came in response to the corrupt armed forces created by the elected Iraqi government falling apart in the face of the 2014 ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) advance. The ISIL force was much smaller and less well armed than the Iraqi security forces they encountered. For the Shia majority in Iraq, this ISIL advance was their worst nightmare. Quds stepped in where corrupt Iraqi Shia army and police commanders had failed and turned the poorly armed and trained Shia Iraqi militias into a force that could halt the ISIL advance. But these militia could not drive ISIL out of Iraq. That required newly trained (by American and foreign military specialists) Iraqi special operations units supported by American and Iraqi artillery and air power.

Another humiliation was the effectiveness of the Iraqi Kurds, who were not Arab, largely Sunni, very anti-ISIL and opposed to any terrorism. When the Sunni minority was in charge before 2003, the Kurds were persecuted more savagely than Shia Arabs in part because the Kurds were ethnic cousins of Iranians and Europeans. The Iraqi Shia see the Kurds as a threat to Shia domination of Iraq (via democracy) by the Iraqi Shia Arabs. The Kurds are not nearly as much of a threat as the Sunni Arab minority and only want to be left alone via autonomy. The Iraqi Sunni Arab minority had run Iraq for centuries and considered that domination as their right. Iranians have always seen Arabs as inferior and the Kurds as ungovernable. These are ancient attitudes are not easily changed. Iraqis or Iranians who have migrated to a place like the United States find that it takes several generations to completely dilute enough of the religious and ethnic animosities that make the Middle East so toxic and hard to govern. After centuries of Moslem cultural isolation, it came as a shock in the mid-20 century when Western films and TV became widely available in the Middle East. Suddenly there was exposure to a different way of doing things that did not depend on religion, but did demand much less corruption and a lot more tolerance to other ethnic and religious groups. Watching these two systems for several generations has made it clear who has a better life. Even the popular Middle Eastern custom of blaming local problems on foreign influence is losing support. As the Western saying goes, we have met the enemy and they are us. Cultural attitudes are slow to change because conservatives see such change as a disaster, not an opportunity. That is what has kept Islamic terrorism in support of Islamic fundamentalism alive for over a thousand years. Dealing with that beast is dangerous and frustrating as this is a stubborn belief that has a lot of support within the core teachings of Islam. Most Moslems now agree that some change is needed but that is not enough to solve the problem. It takes time and during that process, the violent religious conservatives will be doing what they have always done; kill and terrorize Moslems who disagree with them.

The Quds Factor

These ancient and persistent animosities are the main reason why the Quds Force continues to attract local supporters in Iraq, even though everything the Quds Force does is destructive to the well-being of Iraqis. The Iraqi Shia need allies to deal with the Iranian threat and the best source of support has been the West, which is much less influenced by ethnic and religious animosities. That makes these foreigners primary targets for the local troublemakers. That is at the root of a key problem in Iraq; the reluctance of the Iraqi government to admit the extent of its Iran problems and take action. There is no doubt that the Shia government can do this as they suppressed the pro-Iran militias once before, starting in 2008 after the Sunni Arab uprising (via Sunni Islamic terrorism) had been crushed. Instead of concentrating on keeping the Islamic terrorism down and the Iranians out, the Shia government embraced destructive corruption which weakened the security forces and angered most Iraqis. The destructive impact of that became obvious in 2014 and is still a problem. There is cause for optimism. In Iraq and throughout the region, reducing corruption is seen as an important goal as is suppressing Islamic extremism. Still more corruption and Islamic extremism at play in Iran are why Iran is a major threat to Iraq. The collapse of the Iranian religious dictatorship is seen as a major goal in Iraq and the rest of the world. Dictatorships are difficult to remove from power because such governments threaten major destruction and loss of life for the entire nation if there is an uprising. The alternative is to wait, often for decades, for the corruption and mismanagement to anger even government loyalists. Thats how the Iranian monarchy lost power in the 1970s and the communist states of Europe in the 1980s. Waiting for the internal collapse can be painful to watch and even more painful to live within. Thats how these things work out and there is no known way to predict when the major changes will occur. In the meantime, the best you can do is deal with the expensive symptoms and side effects. Which is what most Iraqis and their Western allies are enduring.

Recently the U.S. is more frequently holding the Iraqi government responsible for its failure to observe the terms of agreements that brought the Western forces to Iraq. Iran is now openly at war with these Westerners, correctly seeing them as a major factor in supporting counter-corruption activities and upgrading the Iraqi security forces. Iraqi leaders protest that confronting Iranian forces inside Iraq is dangerous and Westerners point out that this comes with the job. You cannot just sit in the presidential palace of parliament and get rich via corrupt deals. You either take care of the foreign threat or you become part of the foreign threat.

Iraq has slipped into an unofficial civil war between pro and anti-Iran factions. Iran has used force against Iraqi anti-Iran protesters, and is responsible for most of the 800 Iraqi protesters killed since the protests began in October 2019. These deaths have exceeded the casualties caused by Islamic terrorists. Half the deaths have been in Baghdad and Iraqis know Iran is a big fan of shooting protesters. In the same time period over a thousand protesters in Iran were killed. The Iraqi government is in chaos because the parliament contains a mix of pro and anti-Iran members plus a lot of members who are pro-Iran only because they are being bribed or intimidated by Iran. The parliament has called for the departure of all American troops but only the prime minister can approve that and make it law, while at the moment there is only an interim prime minister because parliament is deadlocked in selecting a new prime minister. The stalemate is fostered by Iranian pressure but the major disputes are about corruption and who gets to control the most lucrative (for thieves) ministries.

Iran Stumbles

Iranian efforts to expand their control in Iraq and Syria are not producing the desired results. This is causing more anti-government activity inside Iran. Iran is hard hit by covid19, in part because the government dismissed the virus as a threat. Now the Iranians are claiming, along with China and Russia, that virus is actually a biological attack by the Americans. Such government sponsored conspiracy theories no longer gain a lot of popular support. This is particularly true with the way the virus was handled in Iran, where leaders ignored what neighboring countries were doing to limit the damage while Iranian leaders urged their followers to operate as usual. That backfired because many of the early Iranians with the virus, or killed by it, have been members of the government and their most loyal supporters. This had an impact on Iraq, where Iran-backed groups urged the followers to emulate Iran. As the virus hit Iran hard more Iraqis ignored the Iranian propaganda and became more actively anti-Iran.

Despite the much reduced budget for operations in Syria, the Iranian Quds Force officers in charge convinced their bosses back in Iran that more cash was needed in Syria to prevent the Iranian effort there from collapsing. The cash has apparently come though because the Iranians have increased the pay and benefits for many of the mercenaries, including the local Syrian Sunni militias it has been recruiting. The Syrian economy is still a mess and good jobs are hard to come by. While being an Iranian merc can be dangerous, the Iranians tell the new Syrian recruits that they want them to keep doing what they have always been doing; protecting their own town or neighborhood.

The Multi-Plague

While covid19/coronavirus is not a major problem (compared to Iran) inside Iraq, the virus is just getting started. So far there have been several hundred confirmed cases but less than three percent are fatal and those victims tend to be elderly or someone already very weak from illness. The covid19 threat has not eliminated the anti-corruption protests but the crowds are smaller and dressed to resist spreading or catching the virus.

The economic impact of the global pandemic is already being felt. There is a global slowdown in economic activity that means lower oil prices. This has been made worse by Russia and Saudi Arabia no longer cooperating in efforts to reduce production and increase the world's oil price. The result of this is low (headed for $20 a barrel) oil prices not seen in decades. Currently, oil sells for $26 a barrel and that is half the price used to draw up this years government budget. This means less money for the government to spend (or steal) and more Iraqis suffering lower standards of living.

Oil revenue makes up 90 percent of the budget and the other major source is tourism. One of the hardest hit domestic industries is tourism. The Shia shrines in the south are popular with Shia worldwide and their visits, and spending, had grown to account for eight percent of GDP and most of that money stays with the Iraqis who earned it. The low oil prices have cut shrine visits by more than half. Iranian visitors are down by about 80 percent. The government is pressuring senior Shia clergy to order the pilgrims to stay away but not all these clerics are willing to do that. The biggest threat is the low oil price because Iraq only has enough cash reserves to deal with one year of really cheap oil. It is unclear how long the Saudis and Russians will maintain the high production that creates the low prices. Their goal is to eliminate the North American fracking industry, but the Saudis and Russians dont seem to understand that bankrupting current fracking firms wont eliminate them. If all else fails, so will economic myths.

Lower oil prices and covid19 have both hit Iran much harder. Iran has smaller cash reserves and the virus has infected at least 25,000 and killed about 1,500. Many in Iran believe the actual number of those infected is over 50,000 because the current deaths indicate a much higher death rate than in neighboring nations with similar conditions. One thing is unquestioned, the high number of deaths is the highest in the region.

March 23, 2020: In the north (Diyala Province), the Iraqi air force carried out several strikes against ISIL targets. In Diyala province ISIL violence has led to the formation of several ethnic militias, as well as a growing number of criminal gangs. Another reason for the growing violence are the pro-Iran PMF militias, which are now seen as a threat to the government equal to what ISIL poses. What is happening in Diyala is simply the worst example of what is happening in many parts of the country. For example, a year ago ISIL set fire to wheat and barley crops, eventually destroying more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres). This sort of thing has become common in Diyala, as are other forms of ISIL violence. ISIL counts on kidnapping and extortion activities (which sometimes involved non-lethal violence). ISIL justified all the crop fires because so many farmers refused to pay their taxes to ISIL. A later investigation found that many, if not most, of the crop fires were accidents (spark from machinery, a carelessly discarded cigarette or outright fraud). These operations are important because they raise money and keep the locals in line. This increase in activity shows how effectively ISIL has established base areas to operate from. Most of the bases are in the Hemrin Mountains, which extend from Diyala through northern Salahuddin province and into southern Kirkuk province. ISIL terrorism is often very selective with little or none of it falling on known friends of ISIL (those who pay or provide recruits). ISIL still attacks Kurds in Kirkuk but prefers to go after police and PMF militias. .The Iran-backed PMF units are the most hated by ISIL as they are also fanatics, anti-ISIL fanatics and resistant to bribes and intimidation. So are the Kurds and autonomous northern Iraq the Kurds are in charge and ISIL does not waste efforts trying to change that.

March 20, 2020: As part of the effort to deal with the covid-19 pandemic all U.S. troops' movements to and from Iraq have been halted for 14 days. After that new troops coming in will be quarantined for 14 days after arrival. Other nations have imposed similar restrictions. Foreign troops in Iraq have halted training as well. So far less than one percent of American troops in Iraq have tested positive for the virus.

March 19, 2020: In the west (Salahuddin province), ISIL fired six mortar shells into a town it had attacked three days ago. The latest attack wounded three people.

March 17, 2020: In Baghdad, three rockets were fired into the Green Zone and landed near the American embassy complex. There was no damage or casualties in the embassy.

March 16, 2020: Outside Baghdad, someone fired rockets at the Basmaya military base, apparently in an effort to kill Spanish troops based there to train Iraqi forces. Iran-backed Iraqi groups want all foreign troops, except the Iranians, out of Iraq.

In the west (Salahuddin province) in a town market ISIL set off a bomb concealed in a motorcycle. Six people were wounded. This was the first ISIL attack in this town since 2017.

March 14, 2020: Outside Baghdad over at least 33 107mm rockets hit Camp Taji, a joint Iraqi-American military base. The rockets caused no injuries and it was believed the Iran backed PMF militiamen were responsible. This is the 23rd such attack on American bases in Iraq since last October.

March 13, 2020: In the north, near the Turkish border, a Turkish attack on PKK forces killed at least eleven of the Turkish Kurdish separatist rebels. Airstrikes and some Turkish troops on the ground were involved. Turkey continues to conduct air and ground operations in northern Iraq to find and destroy PKK facilities in the area. There are several of these operations a month. The Iraqi government protests and the local Iraqi Kurds stand aside.

March 12, 2020: In Baghdad, six roadside bombs went off mostly in Shia neighborhoods. Seven civilians were wounded. ISIL was believed responsible.

The U.S. Army has successfully tested the Israeli Iron Dome systems it purchased recently for evaluation. Shortly after that the army decided not to buy any more Iron Dome batteries because Israel refused to supply the Iron Dome source code. The U.S. said the source code was essential for integrating Iron Dome into American air defense networks. The Israelis pointed out that the U.S. has been much less successful at keeping secrets than Israel. One solution to this problem is to have the Israelis do the necessary source code modifications. For the moment that proposal has not been accepted. The U.S. Army wanted to use Iron Dome in places like Iraq where American bases are being hit with rockets fired by Iran-backed Iraqi militias.

March 11, 2020: Outside Baghdad (Camp Taj), Iran-backed militia fired twenty rockets at NATO forces there. Two Americans and one British soldier were killed. The Katab Hezbollah, an Iran-backed groups based on the Lebanese Hezbollah, took credit for this attack. The next day the U.S. carried out airstrikes on five Katab Hezbollah facilities. One the airstrikes was across the border in Syria killed 26 PMF men, who are increasingly showing up in Syria, despite Iraqi laws that prohibit that.

In the southeast (Maysan province), an angry mob burned down the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia. The anger was over the militia killing two local critics of the militia. All involved here are Shia as are most people in the province, which borders Iran.

March 10, 2020: The government ordered nationwide shutdowns of businesses and public gatherings as well as international air travel. This will last until the end of the month or slow the spread of covid19. This included canceling meetings (for prayer or whatever) at mosques and schools. So far fewer than 200 Iraqis have tested positive for the virus and there have only been about a dozen virus-related deaths. In Iran, there have been a hundred times more people who tested positive for the virus and at least a hundred times more virus-related deaths.

February 16, 2020: In Baghdad, three rockets were fired into the heavily guarded Green Zone and landed near an American military headquarters, which is not far from the U.S. embassy compound. These rockets, apparently fired by Iran-backed militiamen, caused no casualties. This was the 19th such attack since last October.

In eastern Syria (Hasaka province), a convoy of 55 American military vehicles (trucks and combat) were seen entering from Iraq and heading west towards an unidentified destination. This could be just a supply run for the few American troops left in Syria as well as Syrian Kurd allies.
Miami

Nicolas Maduro effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country, the Justice Department charged in several indictments against the embattled socialist and his inner circle that were made public Thursday.

The coordinated unsealing of indictments against 14 officials and government-connected individuals, and rewards of $55 million against Maduro and four others, attacked all the key planks of what Attorney General William Barr called the "corrupt Venezuelan regime," including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the powerful armed forces.

One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of the constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military "to flood the United States with cocaine" and use the drug trade as a "weapon against America."

Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez's revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria, Mexico, Honduras and Iran, the indictment alleged. Barr estimated that the conspiracy helped smuggle as much as 250 metric tons of cocaine a year out of South America.

Maduro blasted back by accusing the U.S. and Colombia of "giving orders to flood Venezuela with violence."

His chief prosecutor also announced an investigation against opposition leader Juan Guaido after one of the individuals indicted on drug charges, retired army Gen. Cliver Alcala, said in a radio interview Thursday that he signed a contract with the opposition leader and his American "advisers" to purchase U.S. assault rifles for a planned coup against Maduro. Guaido's team said he has never met Alcala, who has been living openly in Colombia since 2018 despite having been previously sanctioned by the U.S. for drug smuggling.

As the indictments were announced, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the State Department would offer cash rewards for information leading to the arrests or convictions of Maduro and his associates, including rewards of up to $15 million for Maduro and up to $10 million each for four others.

"The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality," Barr said in an online news conference from Washington. "While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal lines their pockets with drug money, and the proceeds of their corruption. And this has to come to an end."

In Miami, prosecutors charged Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno with laundering in the U.S. at least $3 million in illegal proceeds from case fixing in Venezuela, including one involving a General Motors factory. Much of the money he spent on private aircraft, luxury watches and shopping at Prada, prosecutors allege.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Maduro's Defense Minister, Gen. Vladimir Padrino, was charged with conspiracy to smuggle narcotics in a May 2019 indictment unsealed in Washington.

The shock indictment of a functioning head of state is highly unusual and is bound to ratchet up tensions between Washington and Caracas as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse Venezuela's health system and oil-dependent economy driven deep into the ground by years of corruption and U.S. sanctions.

But its unclear how it brings Venezuela any closer to ending a 15-month standoff between Maduro, who has the support of Russia and China, and the U.S.-backed opposition leader Guaido. It also could fragment the U.S.-led coalition against Maduro if European and Latin American allies think the Trump administration is overreaching.

Maduro, a 57-year-old former bus driver, portrays himself as an everyman icon of the Latin American left. He's long accused the U.S. "empire" of looking for any excuse to take control of the world's largest oil reserves, likening its plotting to the 1989 invasion of Panama and the removal of strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega to face drug trafficking charges in Florida.

The U.S. is among 60 countries that no longer consider Maduro a head of state even if he does hold de facto power. They instead recognize Guaido, the head of congress, as Venezuela's rightful leader following the socialist's re-election in a 2018 race marred by allegations of fraud and an opposition boycott.
Experts say China honing in on US's European allies in attempt to compete

The Spanish ministry said it will withdraw the kits that returned incorrect results

Shenzhen Bioeasy said it had not adequately explained how to use them

China will replace some coronavirus test kits it exported to Spain after the Spanish government deemed them too inaccurate to be used to diagnose patients.

Spain's Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare said in a statement that test kits supplied by the company Shenzhen Bioeasy were defective and had failed to correctly diagnose people when tested at hospitals.

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa announced earlier this week that the country had bought $467 million in medical supplies from China, including 950 ventilators, 5.5 million testing kits, 11 million gloves and more than half a billion protective face masks.

China's Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology Co Ltd said on Friday it will replace some coronavirus test kits it exported to Spain after the Spanish government deemed them too inaccurate to be used to diagnose patients (File image of coronavirus testing kit)

Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa (pictured) announced earlier this week that the country had bought $467 million in medical supplies from China, including 950 ventilators, 5.5 million testing kits, 11 million gloves and more than half a billion protective face masks

It comes as China is apparently trying to fill the void of American leadership in Europe during the coronavirus crisis as Chinese public officials work to shift the blame of the virus from China to other countries including America.

Shenzhen Bioeasy said in a statement that the incorrect results may be a result of a failure to collect samples or use the kits correctly. The firm said it had not adequately communicated with clients how to use the kits.

The Spanish ministry said it will withdraw the kits that returned incorrect results, and would replace them with a different testing kit provided by Shenzhen Bioeasy.

The virus outbreak has killed more than 4,000 patients in Spain as of Thursday, surpassing the death toll in China, and infected more than 50,000 people.

The Spanish ministry said it will withdraw the kits that returned incorrect results, and would replace them with a different testing kit provided by Shenzhen Bioeasy (File image)

Meanwhile foreign affairs analysts say China is using its money, medical equipment and teams of doctors and nurses to compete with the US.

It comes as the US's traditional allies of Spain, Italy and France are turning to China for help with much-needed medical supplies.

'China creates the poison and sells the solution to it,' foreign affairs expert Gordon Chang told Fox News.

Dimitar Bechev, a senior fellow in the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, observed: 'Never let a good crisis go to waste...

'There is no better illustration that the medical supplies and crews of doctors China has been supplying to Italy and other European countries battling COVID-19. Beijing does carry a large share of the blame for the global pandemic... but now it seeks to shape the narrative of the crisis unfolding before our eyes.'

Since early March, Chinese officials and state media have been pushing the idea that the killer virus could have originated from somewhere else - notably the US.

A WHO investigative report in February concluded that the virus originated from a wildlife market in Wuhan, Hubei province, in November.

The coronavirus has infected 566,373 people globally and has caused the deaths of an estimated 25,427 people.
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
Mexican protesters have blocked Americans from crossing the southern border in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Demonstrators blocked southbound lanes of the border crossing point of Nogales - which links Arizona with the Mexican state of Sonora - on Wednesday and vowed to return Thursday.

They are demanding that everyone crossing the border from the US side must have tested negative for coronavirus before being allowed in.

A Sonora, Mexico, demonstrator holds a sign warning travelers from the United States not to travel to Mexico over fears that any of them could possibly spread the coronavirus. Protesters spent several hours Wednesday on the Mexican side of the border blocking the southbound lanes, demanding testing for every person crossing over

Several demonstrators gathered Wednesday in the Mexican border city of Nogales and blocked traffic arriving from the United States, demanding that every traveler has to be tested for the coronavirus before being granted passage into the country

Mexican protesters blocked traffic at the Nogales border crossing between Arizona and the state of Sonora, expressing their concerns that Americans and others driving in from the United States could possible spread the deadly COVID-19

America now has the highest number of coronavirus cases anywhere in the world with more than 97,000 confirmed - compared to Mexico's reported 585.

China reported 81,000 cases during the outbreak there, but claims to have dropped the domestic infection rate to zero by imposing draconian lockdown measures of the kind being resisted by Washington.

Several dozen mask-wearing protesters used vehicles to block traffic, while waving banner that said 'stay at home', USA Today reported.

Jose Luis Hernandez, with the group Sonorans for Health and Life, warned that Wednesday's protest was the 'first warning' for Mexico's president to take the threat of coronavirus seriously.

Their demands mirror a set of restrictions that the U.S. government began enforcing at the border over the weekend.

Mexican authorities have faced criticism for their blase approach to the virus, with one governor even boasting that poor people are 'immune' to it.

Luis Miguel Barbosa claimed in an online broadcast that wealthy people have so-far been the main victims of the virus.

Activists said their protest was the 'first warning' to Mexico's government to take the threat of the virus seriously, and vowed to do it again (file image)

'If you're rich you're at risk, but if you're poor, no, well us poor, we are immune,' he said.

Meanwhile Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has claimed that the country will be spared by divine intervention while brandishing two amulets that he claimed would ward off the disease.

He has resisted calls to close bars and restaurants, urging people to go out while organizing rallies where he has kissed babies and shaken hands.

A protester carries a sign demanding Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador step up his efforts with stricter measures to combat the coronavirus, which has produced eight deaths and 585 positive cases

A group of residents from the state of Sonora demonstrated Wednesday, calling on the Mexican government to impose stricter coronavirus measures against Americans driving into the country from the United States

Meanwhile Canada slammed a U.S. proposal to deploy troops along their undefended border to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, saying the idea was unnecessary and would damage relations.

The uncompromising comments were a surprise, since Ottawa has enjoyed smooth relations with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration over the past 18 months. Last week, the two nations agreed to close the border to non-essential travel to ease the outbreak's strain on health systems.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday evening that Washington had dropped consideration of the plan, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
New Delhi, March 27 : The health experts in India staunchly believe that hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, is currently the only remedy against the novel coronavirus, while also pointing towards its underlying side effects.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved the use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive drug for coronavirus, which has infected hundreds of people till now.

India has declared it an essential drug and restricted its sale and distribution. It can now only be sold on prescription.

Medical Director of LNJP Hospital, Kishore Singh told IANS, "Hydrochloroquine is only remedy available with us right now. As compared to other chloroquine, it is much safer but has very well-documented side-effects." He said that its intake can cause vomiting, hyperglycemia, hypothyroidism, optic neuropathy and hepatotoxicity.

Many countries, including the US, are using Hydroxychloroquine as a life-saving measure amid the wide-spread coronavirus outbreak.

Singh further said that the testing for coronavirus was being done on a war-footing in the country. "Our country has raked up the capacity and availability of test kits." He said that additional kits have also been called from China and South Korea, which will make testing cheaper.

Singh added, "The cost of testing will drop from Rs 4,500 to Rs 2,500 on the arrival of new kits. They will come in India by next week." The doctor further urged people to take basic precautionary measures to contain the spread of virus during the three-week lockdown.

"Keeping a safe distance and not touching the face are enough to save yourself from the virus." Old people, children and people with underlying diseases should take extra measures because of weak immune system, he added.

Singh advised people to use soap instead of sanitiser and dispose of their masks before entering into the house. "They should be put in a bag and burnt." The pandemic has effectively brought normal life to a screeching halt. The total number of cases have crossed the 700 mark.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection sniffer dog helped Border Patrol agents discover the largest ever shipment of methamphetamine at the Mexico-Texas border, the agency announced Thursday.

The shocking discovery was made Wednesday when south Texas agents at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge checked a tractor trailer at the Laredo Port of Entry.

CBP said its agents from the station's cargo facility employed a K-9 and used a scanner to check the truck, which was carrying a shipment of fresh tomatoes.

CBP agents confiscated 1,847 pounds of meth that were shipped from Mexico on a truck on Wednesday. The bust is a Texas port of entries record. The drugs have an estimated street value of $36,957,914

Border Patrol officers found 1,847 pounds of meth split into 654 packages that were mixed with tomatoes inside a tractor trailer that was stopped Wednesday at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge (pictured) in Laredo, Texas

Border Patrol officers found 1,847 pounds of meth split into 654 packages that were mixed with the fruit cargo inside the 2007 Freightliner.

The drugs, CBP said, has an estimated street value of $36,957,914.

'Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry have heightened their enforcement strategy when targeting these high-risk commodities, successfully disrupting the flow of deadly narcotics from entering our country.' said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry.

'This record-breaking drug bust was an exceptional operation that highlights CBP's commitment in confronting the drug abuse epidemic.'

CBP has not yet responded to DailyMail.com questions on whether anyone was arrested along with the massive drug seizure.

The historic bust comes a week after CBP agents confiscated a record-setting $12.4million massive shipment of meth at the Arizona port of entries.

The agency said a total of 690 pounds of the deadly, addictive drug was ferried from Mexico aboard a tractor trailer driven by a 34-year-old Mexican man.
March 28, 2020

Hon. Kay Ivey

Governor of Alabama

600 Dexter Avenue

Montgomery, Alabama 36130

Re: Addressing COVID-19's Threat to Alabama Prisons

Governor Ivey,

We are writing to you as concerned law students and alumni of the University of Alabama School of Law. As confirmed COVID-19 cases skyrocket in our state, the viruss threat to the health and safety of inmates and staff in Alabamas prisons has become increasingly apparent. With the power vested in you under Alabama law, we urge you to act immediately to ensure the safety of all inmates and staff in these institutions.

Current levels of overcrowding and lack of sufficient medical care create an unprecedented risk that the virus will spread rapidly in Alabamas prisons. The possibility of widespread infections and deaths raises serious concerns under the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. To avoid potential violations of the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, we ask that you rely on your authority and responsibility as the chief executive of the State of Alabama to order the release of those inmates at increased risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19.

As you know, the U.S. Department of Justice already considers the conditions at Alabamas prisons violative of the Eighth Amendment to the federal Constitution.[1] If unaddressed, those conditions will create additional constitutional violations by placing prisoners at heightened risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.

For several reasons, prisoners are highly susceptible to contagious diseases, such as the novel coronavirus. First, compared to the rest of the population, a disproportionate number of prisoners suffer from pre-existing conditions that make them more vulnerable to this current outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised that individuals with pre-existing health conditions are at higher risk for severe COVID-19associated illness and death.[2] Second, many essential protocols for preventing infectionavoiding large crowds of people, keeping a six-foot distance from others, and washing hands frequentlyare often impossible for incarcerated individuals to follow. This reality is exacerbated by the severe overcrowding problem in Alabama, where prisons are operating at 170% of their designed capacity.[3] The resulting lack of access to sufficient medical care coupled with limited access to personal hygiene products render it more difficult for those in prison  staff and inmates alike  to curb the spread of the disease. Finally, with limited access to the Internet and other sources of news, many inmates are simply not aware of effective measures to take to prevent the spread of the virus.

The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that states must provide basic sustenance, including adequate medical care, to all inmates.[4] The Court has also recognized that overcrowding may create a substantial risk for transmission of infectious illness.[5] COVID-19 is no different; unabated, it will run rampant throughout Alabamas prisons and lead to serious medical issues, death, and additional constitutional violations that will require significant financial resources to remedy.

Responding to this threat of widespread infection, the Alabama Department of Corrections recently announced that it would block new prisoner transfers from county jails for at least 30 days. While potentially a good first step, this policy alone is insufficient. The state must act immediately to release those inmates most vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, to relieve overcrowding and curb the spread of the virus.

Alabamas Constitution grants the supreme executive authority to the governor, who is tasked with tak[ing] care that the laws be faithfully executed,[6] and upholding both the State and U.S. Constitutions.[7] This interlocking authority and responsibility means that the Governor may act when it is necessary to do so lest the law go unenforced.[8] This is true even in the absence of a specific grant of authority by the legislature.[9] It is incumbent on you to prevent the imminent Eighth Amendment violations that will occur if COVID-19 is unleashed into Alabamas overcrowded prisons.

You are also armed with statutory powers to do so. Section 14-3-43 of the code of Alabama gives the Governor explicit statutory power to remove inmates from correctional institutions whenever the prevalence of any epidemic, infectious or contagious disease or any other urgent necessity may render such removal proper.[10] Moreover, under the Alabama Emergency Management Act, the Governor has the power to exercise any functions, powers and duties as are necessary to promote and secure the safety and protection of the civilian population.[11] These prisoners are civilians you are duty-bound to protect.

This express statutory power, combined with the authority implied from the Alabama State Constitution, gives the Governor ample jurisdiction to order the release of those inmates at heightened risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. Specifically, we ask that you release all inmates over the age of 60; those with chronic illnesses, complex medical needs, compromised immune systems, and disabilities; and pregnant women. These inmates can be removed from the prisons to safe locations where they can be monitoredbe it in homes with loving family members or in any of the vacant dorm rooms or hotel rooms in the state. In fact, U.S. Attorney General William Barr has signaled that the federal government will itself soon release some federal inmates at heightened risk from the coronavirus.

In a recent letter to Commissioner Jeff Dunn, Alabamians for Fair Justice acknowledged that they have identified nearly 1,000 individuals incarcerated in ADOC facilities who would be eligible for such release. To prevent catastrophic levels of infection, we ask that you begin the process of releasing those individuals from incarceration in the states prison system immediately.

A severe outbreak in Alabamas prisons will endanger not only inmates, but also staff, vendors, and their families. Other states, such as New York and California, are already seeing the consequences of COVID-19 spreading unimpeded in those states prison systems. Beginning inmate release swiftly can allow Alabama to avoid the same fate. Urgency is all the more necessary in light of the decision by the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles to cancel parole hearings through mid-April and the fact that at least one ADOC employee has already tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, we ask that you take all other measures necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of Alabama prisoners and correctional staff, such as ensuring easy access to hygiene supplies and otherwise complying with CDC guidelines.

Sincerely,

Chisolm Allenlundy

Jayme Smith

Claire Jackson

Tamara Imam

Sarah Hughes

Emily Hall

Emily Mayers-Twist

Danielle Kerem

Catherine Vining

Spencer Bowley

Alli Koszyk

Erica Webb

Katrina Smith

Haley Czarnek

JC Godin

Makenzie Moore

Caitlin Cobb

Nick de Castro

Mary Parrish Cobb

Chase Arnold

Jamie Connolly

Matthew Spencer

Brenita Softley

Laura Morgan

Harshila Leva

Dev Wakeley

Kimberly Goins

Kaitlin Rogers

Trent Weis

Em Guthrie

Tyler Thull

Marcus Armband

Maddie Ault

Angelica Mamani

Kyle Campbell

Brian Paterson

Ryan Gunn

Grace Hembree

Mollie Gillis

Katie Windle

Alex Priester

Catherine Tabor

Halle Diaz

Miranda Ronnow

Alana Kahili Cammack

Rachel Goodman

Jackson Colburn

Joe Germany

Daneal Barnaby

Monica Edwards

Zach Gillespie

Nick Hebebrand

Sarah Rosenthal

Allen Slater

Ryne Smith

Richard A. Rice

Sydney Brasfield

Jason Connell

Amanda Vita Connell

Kayla Frederick

Erin Smith

[1] Notice Regarding Investigation of Alabamas State Prisons for Men, United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, available at: https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1150276/download.

[2] Interim Guidance on Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Correctional and Detention Facilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/correction-detention/guidance-correctional-detention.html.

[3] Monthly Statistical Report for January 2020, Alabama Department of Corrections at 3, http://www.doc.state.al.us/docs/MonthlyRpts/DMR%2001%20January%202020PUB.pdf.

[4] Brown v. Plata, 563 U.S. 493, 511 (2011).

[5] Id. at 503.

[6] Riley v. Cornerstone Community Outreach, Inc., 57 So.3d 704 (Ala. 2010).

[7] Ala. Const. Art. XVI,  279.

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] Ala. Code  14-3-43; see also  14-1-16 (vesting powers previously held by the now abolished Board of Corrections in the Governor).

[11] Ala. Code  31-9-8.
New Delhi: After the news that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19, United Kingdom's Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also confirmed to have the virus, according to The Guardian report. UK's Health Secretary reportedly said that he had received medical advice to take a test after experiencing mild symptoms. He further added that he would hopefully be able to end his self-isolation period by next Thursday.

Hancock took to social and tweeted, "Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus. Ive tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home & self-isolating. Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives."

Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus. Ive tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home & self-isolating. Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 27, 2020

Earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was reported to have tested positive for coronavirus COIVD-19. Through a video message on Twitter, Johnson confirmed that he had developed mild symptoms over the last 24 hours. He took a test which returned positive for coronavirus on the advice of the chief medical officer, said The Guardian report.

Johnson informed that he was self-isolating and working from home, while extending thanks to the wizardry of modern technology.

The UK PM wrote on Twitter, "Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives"

Meanwhile, several politicians send the UK prime minister and health secretary well wishes after news broke that both had tested positive for Covid-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his British counterpart a "fighter" and tweeted his "good health and best wishes" to the UK leader.

PM Modi tweeted, "Dear PM @BorisJohnson, You`re a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring healthy UK."

Dear PM @BorisJohnson, Youre a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK. https://t.co/u8VSRqsZeC  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2020

In a press brief, Johnson on March 3 had revealed that he was shaking hands with the coronavirus positive patients at London hospitals, adding "I can tell you I am shaking hands continuously. I was at a hospital last night, where there were few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with almost everybody."
The mother of one-punch victim Danny McGee (21) has said that his attacker Steven OBrien (26) has paid a very small price after he has been released from prison after serving 11 weeks.

Dublin man Steven OBrien (26) was sentenced to six months for an assault which killed Mr McGee outside of a bar in Queens shortly before 4am on November 22, 2018 in Queens County Criminal Court in January.

Mr OBrien was released from a New York prison yesterday after serving 11 weeks as the authorities attempt to limit the numbers of prisoners incarcerated in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

His lawyer Matthew Gartenberg said in a statement to Independent.ie that Mr OBrien is looking forward to a new chapter in his life.

Naturally it was upsetting news to hear, in light of the fact that it was such a light sentence to begin with, said Mr McGees mother Colleen McGee.

But, I do believe that eventually justice will find Steven O'Brien.

Steven has been released, and is looking forward to putting this behind him and starting a new chapter in his life.

Hes free as a bird, said Mrs McGee.

He has paid a very small price for the devastation he has caused my family. He took a life and has shown no remorse for it.

His solicitor said he is looking forward to starting a "new chapter"... how I wish I was able to do that, she added.

Speaking to Independent.ie after Mr OBrien was sentenced in January, Mrs McGee was heartbroken that her sons attacker was sentenced to six months in prison and urged for law change.

Its crazy, the maximum sentence he could have received was 12 months because its an assault charge.

Im sure he didnt mean to kill him, but he did.

Someone has to pay the price, she said.

I would like to see the law changed, its not going to bring Danny back but it may be a deterrent for somebody else, she added.
New Delhi, March 27 : Ride-hailing platform Ola on Friday launched 'Drive the Driver Fund under Ola Foundation with Rs 20 crore donation from Ola group and its employees that will support auto-rickshaw, cab, kaali-peeli and taxi drivers globally during the tough COVID-19 times.

Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO of Ola would forgo his salary for one year that would go towards the fund.

The company, which has a global fleet of over 20 lakh driver-partners, also aims to raise up to Rs 50 crore via its crowdfunding initiative towards the drivers' fund, it said in a statement.

"The crisis at this time has left thousands of drivers who form the backbone of shared mobility without an income. The Ola group has come together to contribute the initial capital for the fund, which can be used to provide immediate aid," said Anand Subramanian, Spokesperson and Head of Communications, Ola.

The initiative would focus on key areas such as emergency support and essential supplies, which are of utmost importance to drivers during these challenging times.

Drivers and their families would also have access to free medical consultation.

In due course, Ola Foundation will also take up initiatives to support drivers in areas such as aid for children's education amongst others, said the company.

"We invite all the stakeholders of the mobility industry to join us in every way you can, and support the people who move us in this difficult phase. We will be stronger together," said Subramanian.

Last week, Ola announced a special COVID-19 insurance cover exclusive for its driver partners and their spouses.

The company has also fully waived lease rentals, akin to an EMI, for driver partners who operate vehicles owned by Ola's subsidiary, Ola Fleet Technologies under its leasing programme.

The mobility industry has been brought to a grinding standstill during the 21-day lockdown, and the driver community has been finding it hard to pay for their family expenses without a source of income.
 Flash

Spain says isolation is only alternative; France enlists military to fight outbreak

Spain on Thursday decided to extend its state of emergency that has allowed it to impose a national lockdown by two weeks, as the new infections from the novel coronavirus continued to rise.

Spain's Parliament approved the extension of the emergency for a further 15 days, until April 12, following a mammoth debate.

"It is not easy to extend the state of emergency," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in Parliament. "I am convinced the only efficient option against the virus is social isolation."

Spain, the second worst-hit country after Italy, registered 655 fatalities over the past 24 hours-down from over 700 on Wednesday-the health ministry said on Thursday. The country had reported 56,188 confirmed cases including 8,578 new infections, and 4,089 deaths by Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo became the third cabinet member to test positive for the virus, but the government said she was doing well.

The virus continues to spread across Europe, as the continent reported 204,930 cases and 11,810 deaths by Wednesday, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In Italy, the pandemic has claimed 7,503 lives and infected 74,386 people, Italian authorities said on Wednesday.

Italy's Emergency Commissioner and Civil Protection Chief Angelo Borrelli and his team are now self-isolating after he had to cancel his daily media conference on Wednesday as a result of exhibiting symptoms of fever.

'European spirit'

In Germany, hospitals on Tuesday welcomed their first novel coronavirus patients from Italy, where the health system has been overwhelmed and more people have died than in any country.

The first group of six Italian patients arrived at Leipzig airport in Saxony, and the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia announced plans to take 10 Italian patients during the coming days.

"We need solidarity across borders in Europe," said Armin Laschet, the state premier. "We want to preserve the European spirit."

France has reported 25,233 cases of infection and 1,331 deaths as of Wednesday, Director General of Health Jerome Salomon said.

Declaring a war against "an invisible enemy," French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced an army operation "Resilience" to back the fight against the virus.

"We are at war and faced with the peak of the epidemic which is before us, so I decided to launch the operation Resilience," Macron said on the sidelines of a visit to a military field hospital in Mulhouse, eastern France.

The operation will focus on helping the population and supporting public services to cope with the epidemic, in France's mainland and overseas, notably in health, logistics and protection, he added.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the country's public after 405,000 people volunteered to help the National Health Service in its efforts to fight the outbreak.

The country reported 9,529 infections and 463 deaths as of Wednesday, according to health authorities.

The response, within 24 hours of the appeal being launched, far exceeded the target figure of 250,000, as Johnson said he thought the country was "coping very well indeed" under uniquely challenging circumstances.

He also said that Chancellor Rishi Sunak was scheduled to announce economic measures to help Britain's self-employed workers on Thursday, to catch up with other sectors of the country's workforce.




LONDON, March 26 (Reuters) - Prototypes of a coronavirus antibody test which could be a game-changer in the fight against the pandemic are being assessed and are ready to be optimised, the developer of the technology said on Thursday.

Antibody tests are designed to establish whether people have previously been infected, as opposed to antigen tests which show if someone actually has the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus.

Health technology firm Mologic said assessment and validation of its COVID-19 diagnostic test had begun this week at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and St Georges hospital, and that global partners would also examine the prototypes.

"Completion of the first prototypes is a significant step in Mologic's development of a rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19 and we are proud of our team's achievement in reaching this point so quickly, while maintaining the most rigorous standards," said Paul Davis, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Mologic.

"Diagnostics are a critical weapon in the fight against this pandemic and, once ready, this test will enable affordable, more accurate and earlier diagnosis of infection, limiting the spread of the disease."

Britain has bought 3.5 million antibody testing kits from different suppliers, and is currently making sure they work before distributing them.

A health official told lawmakers on Wednesday that such test kits would be available within days to be sent to households, perhaps via Amazon, saying that an unnamed prototype was being validated in Oxford this week.

But the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty later dampened expectations that the tests would be available on the internet next week, saying that the only thing worse than no test was a bad test.

Asked why Britain bought 3.5 million tests which might not work, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said: "If we are able to find an antibody test which works that could be a game-changer."

Story continues

"For that reason you will understand that government is doing everything that it can to seek to find a test which works," he added.

Mologic, which is based near Bedford, north of London, said that after assessment in Britain, the prototypes would be shipped to validation partners in China, the United States, Malaysia, Spain, Brazil and Senegal.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Andrew MacAskill, additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-26 16:32:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MALE, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Three more COVID-19 positive patients have made a recovery in the Maldives, bringing the country's total number of active cases to five, local media reported here Thursday.

Maldives President Ibrahim Solih announced on Wednesday evening that three COVID-19 infected patients had made a recovery thanks to the efforts of healthcare workers. So far, a total of eight out of 13 confirmed COVID-19 patients have recovered in the last few weeks.

So far, all COVID-19 infections in the Maldives were foreign citizens.

The Maldives is currently under a state of public health emergency and the government has barred issuing visas on-arrival as a precautionary measure against the pandemic.
PHOENIX - A co-defendant in a human smuggling operation told police that a prostitution camp in the Marshall Islands provided many of the pregnant women involved in former Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersens allegedly illegal adoption business.

Co-defendant Lynwood Jennet told police that majority of the women were from a prostitution camp where girls as young as 15 or 16 did sex work in exchange for food and housing, the Arizona Capitol Times reported.

Jennet is accused of serving as his fixer in the Marshall Islands, where she said she would contact Petersen every time she was alerted to a new pregnancy.

Lynwood was asked who runs the camp, Lynwood said it was the government or businessmen, said Department of Public Safety Detective Samuel Hunt, who interrogated Jennet following her arrest.

Months before news broke about Petersens multistate indictment, investigators built a tax and Medicaid fraud case against Jennet, who spoke of a relationship with Petersen in an interrogation room in Mesa, Arizona, authorities said.

Jennet pleaded guilty in December in Arizona and agreed to testify against Petersen.

Petersen is accused of illegally paying women from the small island country in the Pacific Ocean to come to the United States to give up their babies in at least 70 adoption cases in Arizona, Utah and Arkansas over three years. Citizens of the Marshall Islands have been prohibited from travelling to the U.S. for adoption purposes since 2003.

He is also charged with defrauding Arizonas Medicaid system by $800,000 by submitting false applications for the women to receive state-funded health coverage.

Petersen has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Arizona and Arkansas. He hasnt yet entered a plea in Utah.

Since the indictment in October, Petersen was suspended from his elected position and resigned in January.

Petersens lawyer Kurt Altman told The Associated Press in an email Friday that any implication that Petersen knew of or was involved in a prostitution camp in the Marshall Islands is absurd and an attempt to sensationalize the allegations against Petersen and sully his reputation.
Sources told IANS that the security agencies in Chhattisgarh are exploring the possibility of a "humanitarian ceasefire" as the Covid-19 contagion is spreading in India, with around 700 infected and 14 people dead so far.

However, the top police officer of Naxal operations in Raipur, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) P. Sundar Raj told IANS said that security forces do not have the authority or mandate to take such decisions.

"I am just a police officer. Bastar Police and security forces here have a mandate to ensure safety to life and property of the people. At present the entire world is fighting against Covid-19. Bastar Police is also committed to fighting this virus," he said.

The IGP said that hygiene is a major issue among Maoists since they all live together in a commune with hardly any healthcare. "There is no social distancing in a commune and the villagers are worried about it at the moment. They are putting not only their lives at risk but endangering the lives of thousands of tribals living in the nearby areas. There is a lot of social pressure over the Maoists to shun violence during this global crisis," he said.

Also, due to the lockdown, the entire system, other than the essential services, outside the Maoist areas, has come to a standstill. "Because of the terror created by the Maoists, it is generally difficult for healthcare workers to work in Naxal areas. Now with the country-wide lockdown, volunteers who are helping with essential services and distribution of relief packages, will find it even more challenging to help the tribals living in the Maoist controlled areas, if Naxals continue their violence," the counter-insurgency specialist said.

Just three days ago, police found bodies of 17 security personnel who had gone missing after an encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

Ceasefire, Sunder Raj said, is an option when the state launches a war. "The state is not the aggressor or perpetrator of violence here. The state has always desired peace for its citizens. Our endeavour right now is that we maintain peace while fighting the coronavirus together with our healthcare system and essential services to cope with the humanitarian crisis. Now it is up to the Maoists to take a call to shun violence in the greater interest of the humanity," he said.

Incidentally, the Communist Party of the Philippines, in a direct response to the call of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for a global ceasefire between warring parties for the common purpose of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, has ordered all its commands and units to observe a nationwide ceasefire from March 26 to April 15.

The convener for the new peace process in central India and activist who works with displaced tribals in Chhattisgarh, Shubhranshu Choudhary has also appealed to the government and armed Maoists to observe ceasefire and initiate a peace dialogue through the lockdown.

"Government figures in India say that in the last 20 years, more than 12 thousand people have died in this conflict. In 53 years, about 40 thousand people may have been killed here. I request the Indian government and the Maoists to follow Philippines at the moment. When a tsunami struck in Indonesia in 2004, a ceasefire that started between the rebels and the government in Aceh area, was finally successful in reaching a peace agreement in 2005," Choudhary said.

--IANS

aat/prs




Former Los Angeles Councilman Mitchell Englander and his wife, Jayne, leave federal court in Los Angeles in mid-March. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The federal corruption case against former Los Angeles Councilman Mitchell Englander had all the elements of an overheated crime novel: envelopes of cash, a trip to a Las Vegas casino, a female escort sent to a hotel room.

And now, it will have a guilty plea, according to paperwork filed by the U.S. attorney's office on Friday.

Englander, 49, reached a plea agreement this week in an obstruction-of-justice case that centered on his acceptance of money, hotel rooms and other gifts during trips to Las Vegas and the Palm Springs area. The onetime LAPD reserve officer will plead guilty to one count of scheming to falsify material facts.

Prosecutors charged Englander with lying to FBI agents as they investigated allegations that he received cash payments, expensive "bottle service," escort services and other freebies from a businessman with companies in Southern California.

Friday's court filing marks a turning point in a wide-ranging federal corruption probe of City Hall, with prosecutors securing their first guilty plea from an elected city official. Englander resigned from public office two years ago, after FBI agents had begun asking him about the Vegas trip.

Prosecutors have also filed a case alleging that an unnamed councilman attempted to secure a $500,000 bribe from a real estate developer. The government's description of that official  identifying him as a council member who was facing term limits, sat on the planning committee and was working to have a relative succeed him in office  made clear it is Councilman Jose Huizar, whose home and offices were raided by FBI agents in 2018.

A lawyer for Huizar declined to comment.

A search warrant filed that same year indicated that investigators also have been seeking evidence of possible crimes involving Councilman Curren Price and current or former aides to Councilman Herb Wesson and Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Janet I. Levine, Englander's attorney, said the former councilman "accepts full responsibility for his actions and is contrite and embarrassed by his conduct."

Story continues

"With the help and support of his family and friends, he will continue to move forward and look for new ways to contribute to his community," she said.

Levine declined to comment on whether Englander will help investigators with the ongoing probe. As part of the plea agreement, the U.S. attorneys office will dismiss the remaining counts in the indictment against Englander at his sentencing.

Federal prosecutors also have agreed not to seek a sentence of imprisonment above 36 months.

Englander represented the northwest San Fernando Valley from 2011 to 2018, heading up the council committee that deals with public safety. In June 2017, he received an array of gifts from a businessman while on a trip to Las Vegas with two city staffers, a lobbyist and a real estate developer, according to documents filed as part of the plea agreement.

Those gifts included $10,000 in cash for Englander. Hotel rooms, dinner, drinks and $24,000 in bottle service at a nightclub were provided to Englander and the others on the trip, according to the indictment.

The businessman also paid for two female escorts during the trip, instructing one of the escorts to go to Englanders room, according to federal filings. The businessman did not know whether Englander took advantage of those services, the document said.

Englander later took another envelope of cash from the businessman  this time containing $5,000  during a trip to a casino near Palm Springs.

Prosecutors allege the businessman had been seeking help from Englander and other city officials in marketing his products  cabinetry and electronic equipment used in homes  to developers pursuing big real estate projects in Los Angeles.

While at the casino outside Palm Springs, Englander introduced the businessman to an unnamed real estate developer over lunch, according to court records. After the lunch, the developer expressed interest in meeting with the businessman to learn more about his products, prosecutors said.

The businessman later began cooperating with the FBI, recording conversations with Englander and taking photos of messages sent by the councilman while he was using a phone app that encrypts and automatically deletes texts.

Prosecutors said that after they contacted Englander to ask about the trip, he instructed the businessman to provide false and misleading information to FBI agents. Englander told the man not to say anything about escort services and said he should falsely state that he had tried to provide reimbursement for his hotel room and dinner in Las Vegas, according to investigators.

Using recordings and captured text messages, investigators concluded Englander had lied to them during three separate interviews conducted between October 2017 and December 2018. In one interview, conducted in February 2018, they tabulated at least five false statements from the former councilman, who now lives in Santa Monica, according to the indictment.

Before winning public office, Englander served as chief of staff to Councilman Greig Smith, who also represented the northwest Valley. In an interview this week, Smith said he personally felt hurt by the revelations in the Englander case.

"I'm really embarrassed [by] what he did," Smith said. "Because it reflects on me. He damaged all of us."

Englander is the first elected official to face criminal charges at City Hall since former Councilman Richard Alarcon, who spent nearly a decade defending himself in a case that centered on whether he lied about where he lived.

Alarcon was found guilty of perjury and voter fraud charges in 2014. But he was cleared years later, when an appeals court threw out the conviction, saying the judge had issued improper instructions. Prosecutors ultimately declined to retry the case.

The court has not scheduled a date for Englander to enter his guilty plea, according to the U.S. attorneys office.
In the last few weeks, Ghanaian brands have joined the conversation about the Coronavirus. I've seen the same WHO guidelines quoted in different colours, layouts, and logos.

It's been a few weeks and brands need to find new ways to stay relevant. So, what do you do next? What do you say next? Here's a clue: probably nothing.

I've seen brands turn into social commentators. I've also seen a few shady offers from some opportunistic ones. If actions speak louder than words, then actions are the only words that matter today. Brands will reap the rewards of their actions during this period when this is all over.

At this point, it's safe to say that the Coronavirus is one of the biggest disruptors in recent history. The world is experiencing uncertainty at a level that we've never seen before. It's a tragedy for some, but a huge opportunity for others. While it's smart to seize opportunities, it's more important to preserve your brand's image. The secret lies in the basic principle of messaging and communication  start with the people.

Today, people are locked away in their homes with their bored (and troublesome) children. At the same time, others have to brave the odds and go out to make ends meet or risk going hungry. It doesn't make them any less scared than those self-isolating. People are being extra cautious, some people are paranoid and afraid. Some people have closed their businesses, while others are searching for ways to keep their businesses running.

Some people are afraid of getting laid off by their companies if this continues too long. People still want to go out on a Friday night or a weekend but cannot. These are only a few of the many insights you can find in a situation like this.

Your audience is not only facing a health crisis, but they're also adapting to a strange situation.

One that is affecting almost every aspect of their lives  this is where you can be a hero. Think about your audience, what challenges are they facing? What are their fears and insecurities? How is the situation inconveniencing them? What can you do about it? If you can't do anything that's okay.

Don't go looking for something to say where there's nothing to say. Instead, consider the context when promoting your services in this period. This will make you sound more sensitive, human and in-touch with your audience. However, if you do have something to say, be genuine about it and stay positive.
- A group of children were captured on camera beseeching God in a moving way to take away the coronavirus plague

- The video appears to have been recorded during the national prayers that was held on March 25, 2020, in Ghana

- Many countries have turned to God asking him to eliminate the COVID-19 which has been spreading very fast

- Kenya also held its national day of prayer at State House Nairobi attended by the clergy and political leaders

A group of Ghanaian children has caused a great stir on social media after they were captured in a viral video praying with all their might for God to take away the coronavirus pandemic from the country.

The video appears to have been taken on March 25, 2020, during the country's prayer day.

READ ALSO: Sweet emotional moment as father breaks down after daughters surprised him with brand new car

READ ALSO: Quarantine with bae: Socialite Corazon Kwamboka fuels dating rumours, spotted getting cosy with Frankie Gym It

The video was sighted on the official twitter handle of Soul Concepts and has since received a lot of attention.

It would be remembered that on March 21, the president called on all Christians and Muslims to observe a national day of prayer and fasting in the wake of the coronavirus spread in the country.

READ ALSO: Raphael Tuju apimwa virusi vya corona

COVID-19 has continued to greatly infect people in the world and more so the wider part of Africa.

Most citizens have begun to live in great fear because the disease is highly infectious yet many people need to go out every day and work in order to put food on their tables.

But the pandemic seem to have jolted many who were in spiritual slumber and they have turned to God in ways never seen before.

In Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta called for a national day of prayer which was observed in State House Nairobi and attended by the clergy and political class.

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.

How Kenyans in America are dealing with Coronavirus | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
India and the US are working together on combating the deadly coronavirus and collaboration is underway in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics of the disease, which so far has taken the lives of more than 20,000 people globally, according to the Indian envoy here.

The deadly coronavirus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city has drastically spread around the world, infecting 471,518 people and causing 21,293 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker.

"In the present context of COVID-19 pandemic, close collaboration in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics of the disease is underway, Indias Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu told PTI.

"India and the United States have had a long-standing productive partnership in the healthcare sector, especially between the research institutions and industries of both countries, he said.

Under the existing bilateral collaboration in healthcare sector- the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in the US shared the important reagents with the Translational Health Science Technology Institute in Gurgaon.

Such cooperation is expected to play a big role in developing new therapeutics and testing reagents for the COVID-19.

In addition, India-based vendors of American companies are in touch with the Indian Council of Medical Research to engage and enhance the capabilities for COVID-19 test in India.

"The US will work shoulder to shoulder with India to combat the COVID19 outbreak. Together, we can safeguard our citizens and people everywhere," Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, said in a tweet referring to the cooperation between the two countries.

The United States, she said, stands united with India and echoes Prime Minister Narendra Modis call to keep up their fighting spirits.

Cooperation and collaboration in the sector of coronavirus was also discussed between the two countries when President Donald Trump met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi last month.

Trump and Modi also hailed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that seeks to promote access to high quality, safe, effective, and affordable medications for US and Indian consumers.

In 2012, the Center for Disease Control collaborated with National Centre for Disease Control to establish Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Programme.

This post-graduate field-training programme, modelled after the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), has expanded to two additional hubs at the WHO India Country Office and at the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Epidemiology.

According to the CDC, it has helped strengthen national surveillance for detecting and responding to healthcare associated infections and emerging antimicrobial resistance threats in health facilities in 22 states.

A public-private partnership helped increase capacity to diagnose, treat, and care for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients through virtual platforms. In Mumbai, the CDC helped the municipality and local partners, launch an Airborne Infection Control Unit to reduce healthcare-associated transmission of MDR-TB.

The CDC has helped India in implementing a surveillance system in 35 hospitals and 22 states for healthcare associated infections. It has evaluated 346 laboratory facilities across the country to identify needs and trained more than 1,700 laboratorians on quality diagnostic testing/reporting of priority diseases.
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
In the face of the country's dire health crisis, our country's political leaders are recognizing the importance of instilling confidence in governmental leadership, putting aside partisan differences.

But the mainstream media are viewing this crisis not as a reason to do likewise, but rather to ramp up vitriolic second-guessing of President Trump. While designed to harm him, the constant sowing of doubt in fact harms all of us.

To be sure, astute historians recognize that in times of overwhelming danger, the instilling of confidence both by and in political leaders can be decisive. They correctly point out that newly inaugurated Franklin Delano Roosevelt's words strengthened our nation's backbone: "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Likewise, in an excellent new book, The Splendid and the Vile, author Erik Larson recounts how Winston Churchill's relentless exhortation to fight the Nazis galvanized British society, without which Britain's seemingly inevitable surrender would have transformed Western history.

But in each of these cases, the media echoed and praised political leadership, thereby rendering it effective. Would history have been the same in either case if a negative onslaught by a monolithic media establishment had harshly criticized and thereby weakened the unifying words of the leadership? The answer is obvious.

Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus and went so far as to arrest those who too strongly opposed the war effort against the rebel South. President Woodrow Wilson pushed the passage of the Espionage Acts of 1917 and 1918 for the same purpose during World War I. We do not here endorse these questionable legal responses  only the stiff-backed attitudes animating them. In the face of existential threats to society, we must hang together or hang separately, as Ben Franklin so sagely intoned.

While President Trump in late January of this year was presciently blocking all travel from Wuhan, China, the House's impeachment of the president was being tried in the Senate, with neither body seeming to pay any significant attention to the looming crisis. Likely Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden criticized the president's action as "xenophobic." Has the New York Times, the Washington Post, or major television networks praised Trump for his bold action, a type of quarantine that saved our country from overwhelming early disease propagation? Of course not. Was Biden criticized by any of these same outlets? We know the answer.

To be sure, in an unprecedented crisis, there were bureaucratic missteps and fumbling in making and supplying masks and test kits in the early days of response. But the mistakes to a great degree were not critical, precisely because the president had bought time by the travel restrictions, which slowed the domestic spread of the virus. So the media harped on noncritical miscues while ignoring effective presidential leadership.

At the same time, the president correctly called COVID-19 the "Chinese virus," holding China accountable for its irresponsible dishonesty causing the pandemic. The media quickly responded in unison that the president was being "racist" for identifying the place of origin of this virus, partially to counter suggestions by China that America had concocted this contagion.

All of this journalistic drivel could be excused if the media eventually got on board. Gail Collins of the New York Times revealed the vituperative soul of that prestigious paper by writing a column irresponsibly called "The Trump Virus," encouraging his electoral defeat because of a disease not of the president's making, one exacerbated by the Chinese manufacturing monopolies that the president had years before begun remedying. The Times' Jennifer Rubin then gleefully wrote a piece proclaiming that more Republicans would die than Democrats.

Those initial responses, to be sure, predated widespread recognition of the pandemic's seriousness. But in its recent March 22 Sunday edition, rather than backing off, this partisan paper doubled down.

The front-page "news" headline carped: "Trump Is Faced with Crisis Too Big for Big Talk." To erode public confidence in the president's words, Jennifer Senior wrote an op-ed, "Call Trump's Press Conferences Propaganda." Ms. Senior's thesis was that any statements designed to give Americans hope were the false, empty words of a demagogue. Maureen Dowd's column above it was to the same effect, contrasting Trump's supposed "'me' crisis" with a true '"we' crisis." That the president would have a different rhetorical role from that of a sober public health official like Dr. Anthony Fauci was lost on the bitter Dowd. She praised Governors Cuomo of New York and Newsom of California, ignoring that both of these leaders had thanked President Trump for his generous help to their states. Her column was, in a word, counterproductive.

Here is the most reasonable take on the Times' clueless partisan rhetoric. Maureen Dowd wrote a '"me' crisis" column on a '"we' crisis." Jennifer Senior wrote a "propaganda" piece against the national effort. The "big talk" of the front-page article indeed is not helpful in a "big crisis." In short, the Times is accusing President Trump of the very sins it is committing.

The Founding Fathers had hoped a free and unfettered press would remedy the toxic "factionalism" endemic to democracy. Unfortunately, today, a monolithic mainstream media establishment has exacerbated rather than remedied this factionalism. This crisis shows how harmful our dishonest partisan media can be.

A postmortem on the pandemic will show that the mainstream media were our country's most shameful crisis actors. We only hope their negativity does not cause an unraveling of our country's otherwise unified fight.

John O'Connor, Postgate: How the Washington Post Betrayed Deep Throat, Covered Up Watergate, and Began Today's Partisan Advocacy Journalism. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Northern California from 1974 to 1979, representing the United States in both criminal and civil cases.
DENVER  America's long history of violent death  from car crashes and hurricanes to terror attacks and mass shootings  has left its coroners and funeral directors well-prepared for handling bodies that could stack up from the coronavirus outbreak, they say.

Unlike other disasters that strike within hours or days, the coronavirus outbreak is unfolding more slowly, allowing coroners and funeral homes across the country to prepare for a large number of deaths. Many experts have been watching in horror at the stories of how bodies have been handled in Italy, which has seen more than 7,500 deaths from the outbreak, starting in early March with a handful a day, but rising rapidly to more than 750 a day by early this week.

"We train for this kind of thing all the time," said Gary Watts, 63, president of the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.

Watts, who is also the elected coroner of Richland County, South Carolina, said while the coronavirus appears poised to affect all areas of the United States, different areas will have different death peaks, allowing experts to move from one hard-hit area to another. That's different than a bus crash, shooting or natural disaster that kills a dozen people within minutes.

"It's not all the bodies hitting at once. They would come in over time, and I think the resources are there to handle that," said Watts, who estimates he's been involved in thousands of death investigations over his 40-year career.

Get daily coronavirus updates in your inbox: Sign up for our newsletter now.

Watts and other experts say emergency managers, medical examiners, coroners and funeral directors nationwide have been planning and preparing for decades to handle a massive influx of bodies, although their plans have usually been more regionally focused. Setting aside terror attacks with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, the planning is much the same regardless of whether the deaths are caused by a shooting or a bus crash or a sickness: Recover the bodies. Identify the victims. Conduct autopsies. Notify the families.

Story continues

"Most of the situations you deal with in mass casualties are plane crashes, shootings or even something like 9/11," Watt said. "A pandemic, it's totally different in that it's covering a lot of geography."

Workers build a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital to handle an expected surge in Coronavirus victims on March 25, 2020 in New York.

Doctors fear the COVID-19 outbreak spreading across the country could overwhelm the nation's health care system and lead to upward of 1.1 million deaths over the coming months despite orders for tens of millions of Americans to shelter in their homes, avoid public spaces and grocery shop at little as once a week.

On average, about 7,450 people die from all causes in the United States every day, according to the World Health Organization. Most of those deaths are recorded immediately in the Electronic Death Registration System used by most states, giving public health officials nationally a near real-time view of where deaths are occurring, and what's causing them.

Coordinated by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, special teams made up of local and state experts can deploy around the country to assist as part of the National Disaster Medical System.

Scientists chase two fronts in how to treat coronavirus: But 'there's no magic drug right now'

These "Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams" work with local authorities to collect forensic data, conduct autopsies, collect DNA from next-of-kin to assist with body identification, and operate temporary morgues or body-storage facilities, which are usually refrigerated trucks. Those team members are also trained in working with bodies that have been contaminated with radioactive or chemical substances, as well as infectious diseases.

DMORTs have previously assisted with major disasters around the country, from 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, where workers set up a temporary morgue outside Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Workers this week again erected a temporary morgue outside the 1,500-bed Bellevue, which is one of the largest hospitals in the country.

New York City has become the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, and Mayor Bill de Blasio is warning infections will continue rising. New York City has already seen 365 deaths from the virus, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. There have been more than 1,200 deaths nationally, according to the tracker, with nearly 86,000 confirmed cases.

"We expect April to be tougher than March, and May to be tougher still," de Blasio said in a statement.

A 2014 federal study concluded that nationally, 42% of medical examiner/coroner offices would be overwhelmed by having to deal with 24 or fewer extra deaths in a 48-hour period. But that study also said being able to draw on resources from other offices is a key way to quickly build capacity. There are about 1,000 medical examiner/coroner's offices across the country, ranging from small offices in rural areas to sophisticated centers with 100 or more employees. Most have fewer than 10 employees, the report said.

"Although they are difficult to prepare for, the well-documented association between ineffective mass-fatality management and adverse impacts on survivors and communities is leading to an increased focus on management of mass fatality incidents," the report said.

Refrigeration trucks are in place as workers build a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital to handle an expected surge in Coronavirus victims on March 25, 2020 in New York.

Glen P. Mays, a public health expert and chairman of the Department of Health Systems at the Colorado School of Public Health, said federal officials have long recognized that handling bodies is an important part of disaster management. The WHO says there's little risk of disease transmission via dead bodies, except in the case of cholera or Ebola, and that social and cultural values around burials and services should be respected. That means mass graves should be reserved for a worst-case scenario, WHO recommends. Current federal guidelines say coronavirus victims may be either cremated or buried, according to the family's wishes.

Experts say there's little likelihood the U.S. will use mass graves to bury the bodies of coronavirus victims, in part because the individual grieving process is so personal.

'Who lives and who dies':In worst-case coronavirus scenario, ethics guide choices on who gets care

More: Coronavirus cases could soar in these US counties with high populations of senior citizens

However, if the bodies begin to overwhelm the system, burials can take place immediately and memorial services can be held once social distancing protocols are relaxed, said Randy Anderson, a spokesman for the National Funeral Directors Association. An increasing number of Americans are already facing tough choices about whether to attend or skip funeral services for family members during social-distancing orders and self-quarantines.

"Funerals are important to family members," said Anderson, who also works at Radney's Funeral Home Inc. in Alexander City, Alabama. "It's a very important part of the grieving process."

Anderson said to accommodate coronavirus concerns, funeral directors across the country have increased their cleaning, are offering phone and email consultations with grieving family members, and have switched to using body bags to transport decedents, rather just covering them with a sheet or other cloth. He said ensuring access to adequate safety equipment, from masks to gowns, remains a top concern.

Watts, of the coroner's association, said that's the biggest challenge facing coroners and medical examiners: getting resupplied with the equipment they use daily to safely handle bodies, whether they are infected with coronavirus, hepatitis or HIV. He said some of his longtime suppliers have tripled or quadrupled their prices, a move he called "despicable."

He added: "Our biggest concern right now is the lack of available equipment. It's not a matter of not knowing how to handle the decedent, it's a matter of having the equipment to do it properly."

Members of the NYC Medical Examiner's Office at the site as workers build a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital to handle an expected surge in Coronavirus victims on March 25, 2020 in New York.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus deaths: Coroners, funeral homes prepare as outbreak grows
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:09:23|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said China is not only committed to protecting its own people in the fight against COVID-19, but also helping the international community contain the pandemic, which highlights China's image as a responsible country.

Khan made the remarks Thursday when attending the groundbreaking ceremony of an isolation hospital supported by the Chinese government.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese government and people have taken timely, decisive, scientific and effective prevention and control measures to successfully contain the spread of the disease, showing China's firm political determination and remarkable organizing capability, Khan said.

The prime minister expressed admiration for China's major achievements in fighting COVID-19 and conveyed sincere gratitude to China for supporting Pakistan in helping contain the disease, adding that with China's help and support, he believed Pakistan can overcome the difficulties and control the spread of the disease as soon as possible.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, who also attended the ceremony, said China and Pakistan are true friends who share weal and woe and good brothers who share each other's joys and sorrows, adding that Pakistan firmly supported China in its fight against COVID-19, and now China is willing to share its experience in prevention and control of the disease.

China has provided test kits, surgical and N95 masks, protection clothes and ventilators to Pakistan, and China is ready to provide more urgently needed medical supplies and help Pakistan build the isolation hospital, Yao said.

According to the data released by the health ministry of Pakistan, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 1,235 on Friday.
Michigan City-based Horizon Bank has donated $10,000 to the United Way of LaPorte County's COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide assistance to those affected by the public health crisis.

Soon after putting out the call to action asking everyone to share whatever they could to help neighbors in need through the relief fund, Horizon Bank stepped up to the plate in a big way with a check for $10,000 to get the ball rolling, said Kris Pate, Executive Director of United Way of LaPorte County. We are fortunate to have partners like Horizon Bank and the many others who care so deeply about the quality of life in LaPorte County, and we want to assure the community that 100% of the gifts to the relief fund will go directly to vetted not-for-profits who are serving our individuals and families during this crisis.

The United Way of LaPorte County is trying to raise funds for food, medical, housing, and childcare needs for hard-hit LaPorte County residents during the global pandemic that has caused widespread shutdowns that has ground much of the economy to a halt.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. 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
A resident from eastern Ghouta has reportedly contracted the coronavirus, while serving on the frontlines in the southern Idleb countryside writes Baladi News.

Local media sources said that the first case from eastern Ghouta of the coronavirus has been recorded. The infected individual contracted the virus while performing military service with regime forces in the southern Idleb countryside.

The opposition Sowt al-Asima website said that the soldier, known as Moutaz Tohmeh, had contracted the virus days earlier while on the fronts in the Jabal al-Zawiya area in the southern Idleb countryside. He had been with fighters from the Fatimiyoun militia and the Zeinabiyoun militia, who are fighting alongside regime forces.

The website added that Toumeh had been taken to the Military Hospital 601 in Damascus on Monday and given medical permission to return to his home in Douma in eastern Ghouta in the Damascus countryside.

The website said that the fighter had undergone medical testing in a hospital in Hama province before being given medical permission after showing symptoms suspected to be coronavirus.

It said that Toumeh was 34 years old and had been arrested in August 2019 and sent to the fronts in the Idleb countryside to carry out military service.

Medical sources in Damascus previously told the website that, the disease has spread, but many patients in the al-Mujtahid and al-Mousawat hospitals who exhibited symptoms of the coronavirus have been killed by giving them an extra dose of sedative drugs, before the presence of the disease could be verified.

The Health Ministry on Sunday officially acknowledged the first case of the coronavirus after weeks of denying that there was any cases or that it had reached Syria. They tested hundreds of people, according to the ministry, saying that everyone tested negative for the virus.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
This week, Costco and WinCo Foods announced reductions in their store hours, joining a long list of Portland area grocery stores that are cutting back hours of operation to adapt to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Beginning Monday, Costco will close stores at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays (weekend hours remain the same). WinCo Foods, which normally is open round-the-clock, has cut store hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (opening at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

As stores have seen long lines of shoppers stocking up on essentials, theyve had to reduce hours to give employees more time to restock shelves and deep-clean heavily trafficked parts of stores.

Grocers have been urging customers to buy only what they need, and some are limiting purchase numbers for some of the most sought-after items, such as toilet paper, facial tissue, cold and flu products, and cleaning supplies. Last week, WinCo Foods began posting signs in stores reminding shoppers of its policy against accepting returns on over-purchased items, in an effort to stop hoarding of some items.

Others stores have introduced measures to keep aisles and checkout lines from getting too crowded. And a few are extending special hours to seniors and other shoppers who are particularly vulnerable during the crisis.

Heres the latest on what some grocery stores are doing in response to coronavirus:

Costco: Beginning on March 30, Costco will close its warehouses at 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Weekend hours will remain unchanged. Gas stations will now close at 7 p.m. Costco will open from 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday for members ages 60 and older, and for those with physical impairments. Previously, Costco began limiting purchase amounts for in-demand products, and began posting notices at store entryways about sold-out products. Food court menus have been scaled back to limited items. The store has also posted signs cautioning shoppers about maintaining social distancing. Previously, Costco announced that it would eliminate food samples in warehouses.

Food 4 Less: Parent company Kroger is limiting Food 4 Less store hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. to give employees more time to clean and restock stores. Additionally, it is setting aside 7-7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for senior shoppers.

Fred Meyer: On March 19, parent company Kroger announced that Fred Meyer stores would be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., giving employees more time to restock and clean. On March 23, the store announced that the first hour of business Mondays-Thursdays would be reserved for seniors and other vulnerable shoppers, with stores opening for all customers at 8 a.m. on those days. Fred Meyer also is declining returns (including refunds, store credits and product exchanges) out of safety concerns, with the exception of fresh produce, meat, seafood or deli product that doesnt meet the stores fresh standards.

Green Zebra Grocery: The stores four locations have updated hours to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with high-risk population shopping hours from 7 to 8 a.m. weekdays. The grocer also has suspended self-serve salad bars and hot- and cold-food bars.

Grocery Outlet: Because stores are locally owned, Grocery Outlet hasnt announced overall changes beyond making hand sanitizers and cleansing wipes more available. It is recommending that customers check with their local stores for updated hours of operation.

Market of Choice: Store hours have been changed to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. until further notice, with special hours for vulnerable shoppers from 7 to 8 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. The store is limiting purchases of high-demand items, with signs indicating which products have limits. Customers are now required to use provided disposable gloves for handling scoops, ladles and tongs in the bulk section, and the salad and olive bars. Use of personal, reusable containers has been suspended in all departments. Food demos and sampling have also been suspended.

Natural Grocers: Natural Grocers is now closing stores at 7:05 p.m. to allow employees to do more cleaning. Store opening times remain unchanged. The store is also ending nutrition classes, food demonstrations, sampling, and will close its on-tap Kombucha stations through at least the end of March. The store is also setting aside 9-10 a.m. Sundays for senior shoppers and other vulnerable customers.

New Seasons Markets: New Seasons changed its hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice. The store suspended food samples, and is asking customers who bring in reusable bags to pack them. New Seasons also extended senior discount days to Monday through Friday to allow older customers to spread out their grocery shopping, and now is reserving 8 a.m.-9 a.m. for senior shoppers, encouraging other customers to shop later. New Seasons has instituted store capacity limits, and asks shoppers to a social distance of 6 feet between themselves and other shoppers. Other changes include managing the flow of traffic, added in-store signage to help demonstrate a healthy distance at checkout and service counters.

Safeway/Albertsons: Albertsons Companies, which owns Safeway, announced that it would limit quantities of high-demand items like hand sanitizer and household cleaners. It also is increasing the cleaning of high-touch points, such as checkout lines. And Safeway/Albertsons said it would set aside 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for those most at risk in our communities.

Target: On March 18, Target announced that would begin closing all stores at 9 p.m. to allow more time for restocking and cleaning. Also, Target began reserving the first hour of shopping each Wednesday at stores nationwide for vulnerable guests  including elderly and those with underlying health concerns. It already increased efforts to clean surfaces such as checkout lanes and touch screens at least every 30 minutes. It also is placing sales limits on products like hand sanitizer, toilet paper and bottled water. On March 25, Target announced that it would stop accepting in-store product returns and exchanges for the three weeks. And it is asking customers who use reusable bags to bag their own items.

Trader Joes: On March 16, Trader Joes cut hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice. Previously, the company announced that it would be eliminating food and drink samples, and was encouraging employees to practice proper personal hygiene. On March 30, Trader Joes is offering a special shopping hour between 8 and 9 a.m. for senior customers over 60 and disabled customers.

Walmart: On March 19, Walmart cut store hours at its regular and Neighborhood Market stores to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. until further notice to improve cleaning and restocking efforts.

Whole Foods: Whole Foods has reduced store hours to 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for most locations. The grocery also suspended food samples and demonstrations, and is increasing its number of hand sanitizer stations. At its coffee stands, Whole Foods is no longer allowing reusable cups. Whole Foods also is allowing shoppers over age 60 to shop an hour before stores regularly open.

WinCo Foods: On March 21, WinCo reduced store hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (opening at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays) to give employees more time to clean and restock. It also is allowing early shopping from 6 to 7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors, vulnerable shoppers and employees. WinCo also has closed its bulk foods sections, as well as its olive and soup bars. In an effort to stop the hoarding of some products, WinCo announced that it would not accept returns on products over-purchased in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. This includes, but is not limited to, bottled water, toilet paper, cold medicine, canned goods, and antibacterial products.

Zupans Markets: Hours have been modified to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate cleaning and restocking. There is increased cleaning of checkout stands and shopping carts. Salad and poke bars have been closed, and food samples have been eliminated. Deli counters are increasing the availability of grab-and-go meals. Coffee stands have eliminated personal cups. Beginning Thursday, March 19, Zupans added a senior and immune-comprised early shopping hour on Mondays and Thursdays from 7 to 8 a.m.

-- Grant Butler

gbutler@oregonian.com

503-221-8566; @grantbutler

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Anutin criticises careless health personnel, apologises again

THAILAND: Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has criticised medical personnel infected with the coronavirus, drawing anger in social media until he apologised.

CoronavirusCOVID-19health

By Bangkok Post

Friday 27 March 2020, 07:51AM

Public Health Minister Aunti Charnvirakul attacks health personnel and then apologises. Photo: Bangkok Post file photo

The Bhumjaithai Party leader told reporters no health personnel caught the virus while on duty.

As far as I know from a report, no doctor has been infected while they were treating COVID-19 patients, he said, when asked about the ministrys measures to better protect medical personnel.

Were not happy with some health personnel who do not take good care of themselves. They should have set an example for others, he said.

The ministry reported earlier at least 11 health personnel were among the new infections.

People reacted to his controversial remark on social media, making the anutin hashtag top-trending on Twitter. Thank you for your advice, one wrote on her Twitter account.

The minister later came out to apologise. In an online video clip, he said he was under pressure and had not carefully listened to the question from reporters.

I have no intention to criticise anybody. I admire all of them, he said.

One Twitter account wrote after his video appearance: Too late though. If you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all.

Mr Anutin was no stranger to controversial remarks.

In February, he apologised to the public for saying that a group of foreigners should be kicked out of Thailand for refusing to wear face masks. (See story here).

He shut down his Facebook account on March 4 after posting a message that said all visitors from certain countries would face mandatory self-quarantine for two weeks when the announcement had not yet been made. He later claimed it was not him who posted the message.

The minister later returned on March 12 with the @anutin_c Twitter account which was also closed later after he wrote the western tourists he saw during a visit to Chiang Mai were dirty.

Mr Anutin was seen as being sidelined after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared the state of emergency effective yesterday (Mar 26). Under the structure of the new committee handling the coronavirus crisis, Gen Prayut has full authority to handle the situation. While related ministers are on the committee, it is permanent-secretaries who were appointed chiefs of the operations to take orders directly from Gen Prayut.
The vote comes a day after the U.S. became the world leader in recorded infections: over 85,000. More than 1,200 people have died.

Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.

We also have a daily tracker showing the viruss trajectory by country and U.S. state, as well as a look at where Americans have been urged to stay home.

In other developments:

Go deeper: Our Opinion writers teamed up with epidemiologists to create a model of what the U.S. would need to do to flatten the curve of infections.

The Daily: Todays episode answers childrens questions about the pandemic.

The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter  like all of our newsletters  is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain is headed in the right direction in its fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the Kingdom. This was declared by Infectious Diseases Consultant and Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus member Lt. Col. Dr. Manaf Al Qahtani. He commended the self-discipline and civic responsibility citizens and residents have shown in adhering to preventive measures in combatting COVID-19.

Dr. Al Qahtani was speaking at a press briefing of the National Taskforce, where updates were given regarding the current state of efforts and future plans to prevent the further spread of the virus. Also in attendance were Minister of Health Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh and Salmaniya Medical Complex Infectious and Internal Diseases Consultant Dr. Jameela Al Salman. The conference was held at the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital. Dr. Al Qahtani underscored three phases of overcoming COVID-19: containment, mitigation and suppression. He explained that Bahrain, at present, has moved to the mitigation phase. He noted that this is a natural shift and underlined that no country can remain in the containment phase in light of the global outbreak of the virus. Dr. Al Qahtani added that as long as citizens and residents continue to adhere to the procedures and regulations outlined by the concerned authorities, the Kingdom can overcome the virus and avoid the suppression phase and its challenges. He noted that there has been a slight increase in the weekly average of active cases. It was seven during the first week, five during the second week, 19 during the third week, 17 during the fourth week and 21 during the fifth week.

These averages follow the registration of the first active case in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Health Minister underlined the comprehensive approach of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, and First Deputy Prime Minister to stem the spread of COVID-19 by utilising tailored, effective and preventative strategies. She also emphasised that hospital beds remain available to meet surge capacity in active cases. Current treatment centres capacity stands at 1,667 beds, of which 249 beds are occupied, and current quarantine centres capacity is at 2,504 beds, of which 139 beds are occupied. Additionally, the compartmentalised structure of quarantine centres allows for quick conversion to treatment centres, if required. The Minister noted that Bahrain has conducted over 29,000 tests for COVID-19, with results now accessible via an online account at the Ministry of Healths website for individuals that have taken the test. Additionally, contact tracing activities are underway to reduce COVID-19 transmission by identification, isolation and treatment.
Two Thursdays ago, I flew to Los Angeles to meet my daughter and cheer her on at her final international Olympic qualifier in fencing. She never boarded her flight because the event was canceled. Now, the entire Olympics is postponed.

I spent my time in Los Angeles dealing with all the cancellations of my upcoming speaking engagements and public appearances.

My plan was to fly back to New York and then on to Barcelona. That was one of a group of trips I had long planned for my 50th birthday year. Ive had to cancel most of those trips.

I wanted to make this year memorable. The universe is taking care of that.

I came back to New York to spend some time with my daughter, to help deal with her disappointment and to make sure that she and my other children were properly prepared to weather the pandemic.

Over the time Ive been here, New York has become the center of the pandemic and America has become more and more on lockdown. I have learned to live with the restrictions and have even drawn some lessons from it.

First, I normally work from home. I need the isolation for concentration. I find it quite hard to write around others. But now, multitudes, including my children and many of my friends, are also working from home. It occurs to me, and to many of them, that much of what they were doing in the offices was unnecessary, that emails could have easily substituted for many of the meetings, that they could be just as productive from their couches as from any conference room.

Second, news doesnt always need to be followed hour to hour. This may seem an odd statement coming from a newspaper person and a cable news commentator, but I have found over the last couple of weeks that a little bit less is a whole lot more. I now check the news once in the morning and once at night. And I skip President Donald Trumps horrid, propagandistic news conferences and their misinformation. I am convinced that the only people who need to watch those are the reporters who cover them and the fact checkers who correct them. Those events have become as much a threat to public health as the virus itself.

Third, it has been revelatory for me just how unprepared we were, not just in terms of emergency readiness but also psychologically. I will fully admit that I had a hard time letting the true magnitude of this set in. For a long time, I simply couldnt get my head around how dangerous this virus was and how completely it had changed the world as I knew it.

Fourth, people around the world, and particularly here in the United States, have a rebellious spirit that is on full display during this crisis. Even if 80 percent or 90 percent of people who are able comply with instructions to stay home and stay safe, 10 percent to 20 percent wont. Complete compliance is simply impossible. Some people just dont want to feel controlled. They dont want to feel afraid. They have been worn thin by disaster warnings. Yes, some, many even, are just foolish, selfish and reckless, but there is also a cowboy component.

Fifth, a crisis always exposes the corruptibility of capitalism. This expresses itself in everything from price gouging on essential items, to congressional figures shedding stock ahead of the market downturn, to the details trickling out about the $2 trillion stimulus package agreed to between Congress and the White House. The rich and powerful will always find ways to insulate their wealth if not increase it, including on the backs of American taxpayers.

Finally, when people are in crisis, they simply dont have time and energy to pay attention to all the fine details of their elected officials actions. While in this bind, they are as much as ever open to manipulation and deception because their attention is on things far more important to them: the welfare and safety of their families.

All these things portend dire consequences for the countrys future. Trumps approval has been bolstered during this crisis, even though his lying and lack of action are a large part of why the country is in such poor condition to deal with this crisis. The news conferences that have become substitutes for his rallies drown out the efforts of his Democratic rivals.

Large corporations can now essentially borrow money for free. They should be allowed  forced  to do that. But of course, many also will most likely receive cash assistance, funding by American taxpayers, as part of this stimulus package.

And, the service industry is likely to be completely reshaped by this. There are hordes of jobs that have already been lost and may be slow to return.

The pandemic has revealed to us just how fragile our economy and society are. To rebuild them to be more impervious to future trauma is the charge we must take when we emerge.

Our greatest lesson is this: We must build a more sturdy America.

@CharlesMBlow
The United States imposed a new set of sanctions against Iran on Thursday, targeting individuals and companies allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Middle East Eye reports.

The new measures come despite pleas from key members of Congress and world powers that Washington ease its unilateral sanctions, as Iran struggles to cope with the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

The hardest-hit country in the Middle East, Iran has reported nearly 30,000 cases of Covid-19, and confirmed more than 2,200 deaths.

The new sanctions target Iraqi and Iranian firms that the US Treasury Department accuses of acting on behalf of the IRGC's Quds Force, which coordinates Tehran's foreign military activities with its regional allies.

The companies include the Reconstruction Organisation of the Holy Shrines in Iraq (ROHSI) and the Kosar Company, an Iraqi firm associated with it. The two groups build and maintain Shia holy sites, but Washington says they are controlled by the Quds Force.
Montanas vast public lands make for great social distancing  but you still have to follow the rules.

Even with most indoor activities closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montanans can still explore 27.4 million acres of land under state and federal jurisdiction. But the agencies that manage these lands and waters have closed their offices and scaled back or modified their services to reduce person-to-person contact. In some cases, theyve also closed certain areas to prevent crowding.

Heres a list of the coronavirus-related changes that outdoor recreationists should keep in mind. All rules were current as of Monday; check the website listed for the latest information.

Glacier National Park (nps.gov/glac) has closed its Apgar Visitor Center and Bookstore, and cancelled all in-person visitor information services. Entrance fees have been waived, but try to find a less-traveled spot. In a Facebook post this past Sunday, Glacier staff wrote that the Apgar and Lake McDonald areas are experiencing busy and crowded conditions. Snow-packed trails and roads are narrow, and many popular trails and attractions do not allow for adequate social distancing or limited group sizes. Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which operates lodging facilities in the park, has closed its lodges in and near the park until May 15. Pursuit's Glacier Basecamp Lodge is closed until further notice.

Yellowstone National Park (nps.gov/yell), is closed to all visitors until further notice, as is Grand Teton National Park to the south. All through-roads remain open.

The U.S. Forest Service (fs.usda.gov/about-agency/covid19-updates) has closed its developed recreation areas, deifined as those with facilities, and is asking users of other permitted sites to keep group sizes to 10 people or less. Regional spokesperson Dan Hottle says that district rangers will have the authority to close trails if they feel they're getting too crowded. The Forest Service also warns on its Facebook page that "Law enforcement and/or search and rescue operations may be limited due to COVID-19 issues. High risk activities such as rock climbing, etc., or backcountry activities that increase your chance of injury or distress should be avoided." It's also asking potential visitors to its ranger stations and offices to assess their risk with the following three questions:

Have you, someone living in your household, someone with you, someone you have been in close or frequent contact with, or someone you are caring for been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) or had any contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?

In the last 14 days have you, someone living in your household, or someone with you been in close or frequent contact with, or someone you are caring for returned from, or made a travel connection through a CDC Level 2 or Level 3 country or State Department Level 3 or Level 4 country, for example, China, Korea, Japan, the European Union, Iran?

Do you currently have, or have you had within the last 24 hours, any cold or flu symptoms, including a fever greater than 100.4, shortness of breath, body aches and coughing?

If your answer to all of these questions is no, you can call the ranger station or office you intend to visit for assistance in accessing the building. If your answer to any of them is yes, call the office so that staff can try to assist you through other means. Visit the Facebook page of the national forest you intend to visit for the appropriate phone number.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (fws.gov/home/public-health-update.html) states on its website that whenever possible, outdoor recreation sites at national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries will remain open to the public. Visitor centers and other facilities, however, may be closed. Scheduled activities may be canceled. As of Monday, the National Bison Range and Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge were the only Montana refuges whose visitor centers were listed as closed.

Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) campgrounds have not opened yet, although offices and visitor centers have been closed to the public. Pat Doyle, marketing and communications manager for Montana State Parks, said Monday that discussions are ongoing but no trigger point for closing state parks has been set.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (fwp.mt.gov) has closed all of its offices to the public. Hunting, fishing and recreational licenses can be purchased online. The agency will mail licenses to people who have had trouble printing them and will also mail out carcass tags to those who purchase online. Tom Woolf, the agency's Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau chief, said FWP and its partners are revising their boat inspection protocols, but motorists transporting watercraft are still required to stop at every inspection station they encounter.

The Bureau of Land Management's (blm.gov/office/montanadakotas-state-office) acreage remains open, but it is restricting public access at facilities in its Montana/Dakotas region. Call the office you plan to visit for more information.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo has hit back at claims by President Donald Trump that the state is secretly stockpiling ventilators needed by coronavirus patients, calling them ignorant and grossly uninformed.

The president tweeted on Friday morning: Thousand [sic] of Federal Government (delivered) Ventilators found in New York storage. N.Y. must distribute NOW!

Governor Cuomo was asked about the presidents claim by CNNs Shimon Prokupecz as he toured the field hospital being set up at Manhattans Jacob K Javits Convention Centre.

That is incorrect and grossly uninformed, said the governor. The point is we have ventilators in a stockpile and we didnt send them to the hospitals yet. Of course we didnt, thats the whole point. The hospitals dont need them yet, the hospitals arent at their apex, the hospitals have enough ventilators today.

He continued: But the numbers are going up. Were planning for an apex, a high point, in 21 days, thats when well need the 30,000 ventilators, not today. Right now, were putting them in a stockpile. So the point is that while theyre in the stockpile you must not need them, it's just ignorant.

In an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday night, Trump also called into question the number of ventilators that states were asking for ahead of the peak in coronavirus cases.

And you know, they'd say, like Governor Cuomo and others that say we want, you know, 30,000 of them, 30,000. All right. Think of this. You know, you go to hospitals, they'll have one in a hospital. And now, all of a sudden everybody's asking for these vast numbers, said the president.

He doubled down on the claim later in the interview: I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you're going to major hospitals sometimes, they'll have two ventilators. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying, can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Governor Cuomo, whose leadership during the crisis has been widely praised, now wants to build a temporary hospital in each borough of New York City ahead of the peak of coronavirus cases, expected to occur in three weeks.

The governor confirmed in a tweet that the Javits Centre facility would be fully open on Monday.

I congratulate FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers for their work at Javits. I thank the Javits staff. I thank the National Guard. You built a hospital in a week. You are the best of us, he said.

Potential sites for extra hospital capacity include the New York Expo Center in the Bronx, the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, the Port Authority-owned Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and the College of Staten Island. Plans are also being put forward to convert dorms and hotels into treatment units and to continue the stockpiling of equipment.

Speaking at the Javits Centre, the governor said: All the projections say you could have an apex needing 140,000 beds and about 40,000 ventilators. Those are numbers. Not 'I think, I feel, I believe.' ... Were following the data and the science, and thats what the data and the science says.

New York state has 44,635 confirmed cases, and a death toll of 519 as of Friday.
YEREVAN.  The timing of nationwide regular elections in Artsakh coincided with a world full of serious challenges and threats, where preserving peoples health and saving lives is an absolute priority for all states and nations, Armenias ex-president and hero of Artsakh Serzh Sargsyan said in his address to the people of Artsakh ahead of the presidential elections.

The understanding of security, safety, effective governance, even simple human behavior, caring for one another, and public relations are changing day by day or new perceptions are being formed in the world. Some see it as a new war, some as the worst crisis in modern human history, others see it as a serious threat to their national security with state borders being closed, the highest red level of epidemic danger declared, and so on.

Yes, saving human lives and effectively managing states in a crisis is the most important thing for everyone at this stage, and then the challenging post-crisis era comes to offset the economic losses and provide dignified living standards for citizens.

Artsakhs authorities will hopefully consider the situation realistically and will give an accurate assessment of emerging threats and make decisions that will not endanger the lives of their citizens. I am confident that my comrades in arms, including those in power are well aware of the value of human life.

Please be vigilant, take care of yourself and your families, those in need of care. Please take care of your health and life. This is also a life-and-death struggle, just like in the war that we won together with dignity many years ago. Living in dignity for Artsakh first and foremost meant self-determination of its own destiny on its own land, for which we had so much to pay.

About three decades ago as a result of our righteous struggle, we won the right to live freely and in dignity at the cost of the lives of thousands of our brothers and sisters.

Our years-long negotiations on the international recognition of Artsakhs right to self-determination were based on the results of your international standards-compliant national and local elections.

I used to urge visitors and foreign organizations interested in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue to visit Artsakh and see how Artsakh was building on its achievements based on universal values, democratic society and the idea of nation-state.

My honorable compatriots,

Whatever the decision of the Artsakh leadership these days to hold elections, whatever the situation may be, they will once again become evidence of your free will, which will continue to be a powerful battleground in the negotiation process.

Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan, and the election of the President of the Republic and the National Assembly should make this claim undeniable.

Reaffirm your will to build a strong, prosperous, nation-state based on universal human and Christian values.

Dear people of Artsakh, never allow a political struggle to undermine public solidarity, break the spirit of your unity and weaken your vigilance! The danger of war is as real today as it was three decades ago.

The rapidly evolving world, the instances of overt demonstration of force, wars that violate international humanitarian law and the apparently deadly epidemic sound a serious security alarm for us.

Elect the one who can best provide for your security, the one who is able to take the hardest test, and has proved it by his own example and heroism, capable of managing the country, presenting you confidently and honorably and expressing your will, your creative mind and potential to serve the cause of Artsakhs empowerment and prosperity.

Form a parliament with wide political representation and pluralism and make the process of a free, independent, democratic Artsakh irreversible.

I believe that our collective power, with the trinity of Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora, is capable of making our nation-wide ideas and goals come true, and that the newly elected authorities of Artsakh will support and abide by this idea.

May God protect and save Artsakh and our people!
U.S. fears that China could set up a moon base for spying do not line up with the country's statements about its space program , according to security experts.

China's work in space has hit headlines these past few months as NASA's authorization bill for fiscal year 2020 proceeds through the government's approval process. The House version of the bill , passed in late January, calls for the National Security Council "to coordinate an interagency assessment of the space exploration capabilities of the People's Republic of China," including both "any threats to United States assets in space" and China's plans to partner with other countries.

Although the bill does not mention moon activities specifically, Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., told delegates at the Space Foundation's State of Space conference in February that he is worried about the security implications if China has a permanent presence on the moon.

Related: Chang'e 4 in pictures: China's mission to the moon's far side

"They very much have military thoughts in mind when it comes to what they can do with a military presence on the moon, and the ability to see things and track things with the unchanging platforms that no one really has right now," Lamborn said at the conference, referring to media reports from 2019 that the Chinese may be considering establishing a robotic base at the moon's south pole.

China is indeed busy building up lunar capabilities , particularly after the success of the Chang'e-4 mission to the far side of the moon that includes a rover and a lander, which touched down in January 2019. China is also planning a sample-return mission known as Chang'e 5, scheduled to lift off in 2020 and land in Oceanus Procellarum. An overview of the nation's moon plans published in Science last year suggests that Chang'e 6 will return samples and Chang'e 7 will examine the lunar south pole's environment and resources. Both Chang'e 6 and Chang'e 7 are expected to lift off in the 2020s.

And China does not separate its scientific and military space programs as the U.S. does, with NASA being a strictly civilian agency. Instead, the China National Space Administration is a branch of the Chinese military. So when media reports emerged in October that China was building a spacecraft outside sources say may be capable of carrying humans to the moon, some worried that the transition from robotic to human exploration could pave the way for a more military focus at the moon.

But this ambitious robotic lunar plan does not seem like a military threat, according to an expert on China's space program. "It may, in the minds of some Americans, present some sort of geopolitical or psychological challenge," Gregory Kulacki, the Union of Concerned Scientists' China project manager for the global security program, said in an email to Space.com. "But I find it difficult to see how a Chinese landing on the moon is threatening to the United States or any other nation."

Right now, there are few opportunities for NASA to collaborate with China, since a congressional mandate has banned the agency from cooperating with China without prior approval since 2011. But Kulacki said the U.S. should consider collaborations in space with China. There is a precedent: NASA and the Soviet Union had many scientific collaborations during the Cold War, including a joint human mission called the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975.

But the Soviet Union was interested in partnering in low Earth orbit; China may not be. Its human spaceflight goals are based on a blueprint first set out in the 1980s under a program known as Project 921 , Dean Cheng, a research fellow for Asian Studies at the Heritage Foundation, told Space.com. The project calls for a Chinese ability (not a multinational ability, he emphasized) to send a person into orbit around Earth. China further set out its goals in five-year plans, the current of which runs through 2021.

So far, Cheng said, China's five-year plans have closely followed Project 921 and no human visits to the moon have been envisioned so far. Today, the program features the Earth-orbiting Shenzhou spacecraft (which fly roughly every two years) and a series of small space stations called Tiangong , which have seen occasional visits by taikonauts, Chinese astronauts.

"We in the West  speculate that presumably these programs will merge somewhere along the line," Cheng said, referring to the Earth-orbiting human program and the lunar robotic program. "You get lots of speculation about how, where, what, and when, but as far as I know, we have never seen a Chinese official statement that they are going to the moon [with humans]."

And if China does shift its human-exploration focus to the moon, how soon would they try to land? Nowhere near as quickly as the U.S., which is trying to land people on the moon's south pole in 2024 , according to Cheng. He said there is "no reason" to think a landing would happen between 2021 and 2026, as China's heavy-lift rocket that presumably would be used for human moon missions  the Long March 5  has not yet been approved to carry humans.

A crewed lunar mission in the late 2020s is possible, he said, but "extraordinarily ambitious" given that China currently launches people into space every two years and has not gathered the detailed information on human performance in space that it would want before embarking on more far-ranging flights.

"What that would suggest is a 2031 to 2035 time frame," Cheng said. "But that's Dean Cheng's opinion. There is no official Chinese policy."

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook .
(Newser)  Kaitlyn Watson has been out of school for nearly two weeks due to the closures spurred by the coronavirus. But the Michigan high school senior has still been working her shifts at the Culver's fast-food drive-thru, and recently she waited on her best customer ever. That customer, per CBS News, was Michelle Floering, the secondary principal at Kaitlyn's school, Grand Traverse Academy. She'd driven over not just to order some custard, but to make a "huge announcement" to Kaitlyn. Floering can be seen in a video of the event pulling up to the drive-thru window and asking the young man working the window to get Kaitlyn. When Kaitlyn arrives at the window, Floering drops her stunner.

story continues below

"So, I got you on camera because I want to announce something to you today," Floering says. "You are GTA's 2020 class valedictorian!" "I am?" replies an exuberant Kaitlyn. "Oh, my gosh! Thank you so much. I'm so excited!" Floering then tells the "drive-thru valedictorian" (ABC's new title for the teen) that "I know we have to stay 6 feet away, so I can't, like, give you a hug, but congratulations. Well deserved!" Per People, Floering also shared the video on her Facebook page. "Something to celebrate!!" she wrote. WTHR notes that Michigan's schools are closed through at least April 13. (Read more uplifting news stories.)
MORRISTOWN, N.J.  Nurses, doctors and staff at Morristown Medical Center were left in tears as a mystery man held up a sign to the hospital window thanking them for saving his wife's life.

As staff tended to a busy emergency room, the unknown man stood outside the back window of the emergency department, placed his hand over his heart and held the poster sign that read: "Thank you all in emergency for saving my wife's life I love you all."

"We don't know who the man is, we don't know who his wife is. The nurses happened to be there and took his picture. What's beautiful is, that's all we know," said Karen Zatorski, Senior public relations manager at Morristown Medical Center.

Hospital staff did not recognize the man but were left in awe by his message. Emergency room nurse Allison Swendsen captured the emotional moment and shared the photo with other nurses in her department. It's now making its rounds on social media thanks to nurse Paige Vander Vliet, who shared the image with her sister-in-law, Shay Vander Vliet, who then posted it to Facebook.

Morristown Medical Center nurse captures mystery man thanking staff for saving his wife's life.

"This picture brought us all to tears. It's amazing to see not only the ER staff but all the floors coming together during this challenging time. We couldn't do this without nurses, techs, residents, doctors, secretaries, registrars, housekeeping," Paige Vander Vliet wrote.

Health care staff across the world are working long hours to treat patients affected by the coronavirus. In support, Morris County residents have joined forces to support health care workers in need of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.

Residents have helped organize neighbors to sew fabric masks for Morristown Medical Center staff. Biology professors, as well as local school districts, have also teamed up to donate Nitrile gloves, sterile tongue depressors and swabs.

"It's also great to see how the community is coming together by donating masks, gloves, Crocs, etc. It's so unbelievably heartwarming," Vander Vliet added.

Story continues

Atlantic Health System is asking the public for their assistance in donating personal protective equipment, making face masks for hospital staff or sending a monetary donation to the hospital.

New Jersey has reported 44 coronavirus-related deaths and a total of 3,675 cases as of Tuesday afternoon, with 846 new cases as testing continues to accelerate. New Jersey has the second-largest number of cases in the nation, ahead of California and behind only New York.

"It's just been an incredible response from (the ER) team downstairs. There has been such strength, determination and grace. Im so glad they snapped this picture," Zatorski added.

Follow Jessie Gomez on Twitter: @jessiereport

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Coronavirus: New Jersey man's 'beautiful' sign leaves doctors in tears
(TNS)  If there were any doubts that the coronavirus pandemic is pushing Washingtons economy into new and dangerous territory, they were put to rest by Thursdays unemployment numbers.According to the latest report by the state Employment Security Department, (ESD) more than 133,000 Washington residents filed for jobless benefits last week  an increase more than ninefold from a week earlier  as the shutdown of nonessential commercial activities to halt the pandemic also slows the states economy.We havent seen anything like this in volume and velocity [of claims] in the history of the unemployment insurance program  and that goes back [to] 1930, when it started, said ESD commissioner Suzi LeVine during a conference call with reporters Thursday morning.By comparison, LeVine said, the number of claims last week  133,464  was more than five times higher than in any week during the Great Recession. Across the United States last week, 3.283 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits  almost five times the previous record set in 1982  up from 282,000 during the previous week, according to the U.S. Labor Department.The surge led Gov. Jay Inslee to suggest during a press conference Thursday that Washington and other states will need help from the federal government that is significantly more than the $2 trillion stimulus package moving through Congress.Washingtons record-setting numbers could themselves be eclipsed as the economy absorbs new government restrictions, including Inslees stay-at-home order, as well as additional business closures, such as Wednesdays two-week shuttering of Boeings plant in Everett. Based on claims filed so far this week, I have a feeling youre going to continue to see a large amount of growth, said Steven Ross, ESD director of labor market information.Jobless claims in Washington continued to be highest for workers at restaurants, hotels and other businesses in the accommodation and food services sector, which was among the first to be hit as consumers and businesses began pulling back from public-facing activities. Last week, the sector saw 41,309 new claims statewide, up more than tenfold from the week before, according to state data.And while King County continued to lead the state for total number of new claims, with 37,296, compared to 5,834 the prior week  Spokane County saw the largest percentage jump, from 455 to 8,766, for an increase of nearly twentyfold. What we are seeing  is a wave across the state, LeVine said.Soaring jobless claims here and elsewhere added new urgency to emergency federal legislation that Congress is expected to enact this week, which includes a large funding increase to cover soaring unemployment claims.The new claims have overwhelmed the states unemployment insurance system, which is being updated to handle coronavirus-related layoffs. Many individuals have had their unemployment claims denied, sometimes without explanation. Others havent been able to get through on the departments helplines, which are often so busy that callers are hung up on.You cant even get put on hold, said Erin Flemming, a Seattle resident who is helping a friend file a claim. Its just various voicemails  all saying to hang up and try again.'The sharp increase in claims also brings new worries for people who were already out of work and now face more competition for a shrinking number of job openings.Its a little unnerving, said Sharone Larson, an unemployed 58-year-old from Maple Valley, about a local job market that seemed be improving earlier this year but is now flooded with a whole bunch more people looking for work.That flood shows little sign of abating. Because Thursdays report covered claims that were filed before Inslees order on Monday closing all nonessential businesses, claims are likely to keep rising this week, said Ross, of the ESD.Indeed, this week brought a torrent of new layoff notices from employers across Washington. On Wednesday, Seattle-based Nordstrom informed employees that it was furloughing some corporate staff for six weeks and extending the closure of retail locations through April 5, according to an internal email.This is the most difficult decision weve made in our companys long history, wrote brothers Erik and Pete Nordstrom, CEO and president, respectively.There were also signs that last weeks tally of jobless claims, for all its magnitude, might be understating the total impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Washingtons job market.Thats partly because some residents havent been able to file claims due to technical problems at the ESD. But its also because some workers, such as gig workers, freelancers and the self-employed, are often ineligible for benefits under the states current unemployment system and may not be applying  even though their incomes have also plunged due the pandemic.Im getting almost no work, so its very scary, said one Seattle-area worker in a message to. But, added the worker, Im a gig worker/independent contractor, so Im ineligible to receive unemployment.But Thursdays report also brought more encouraging developments.LeVine said the ESD is addressing software problems, plans to add as many as 1,000 new workers, and is expanding its hours to include weekends and early mornings. We are as a team working around the clock to expand the capacity of our systems to respond to this increased need for employment benefits, LeVine said.LeVine also pointed to provisions in the proposed federal legislation that target gaps in state unemployment programs. For example, gig workers and others whose claims are denied under the states unemployment insurance program would be covered under a so-called pandemic unemployment assistance program, LeVine said.The federal legislation also adds a weekly payment of $600 on top of existing state unemployment insurance payouts and extends existing unemployment benefits by 13 weeks, which in Washington means unemployed workers will get up to 39 weeks of benefits. (Congress offered a similar expansion during the Great Recession, when the average claim in Washington state peaked at 42 weeks, in 2010, according to data from the state Employment Security Department.)Still, many questions remain unanswered. Department officials arent sure how long it will take before the new federal benefits start flowing to Washington workers, given that the new programs in the stimulus bill still must be developed by the Labor Department and implemented by each state. All of those pieces are going to take a little time for us to stand up in our IT system, said Dan Zeitlin, director of the ESDs data systems.Nor was it clear how long it would take the department to staff its helpline so that unemployed people would be able to get assistance instead of a busy signal. As of 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon, Flemming said, her friend could get only as far as an automated system that asked for account information, but then announced that the claim center is currently closed, even though the stated hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.The delays have left many unemployed workers plenty of time to reflect on circumstances that few could have imagined.Larson, the Maple Valley resident, said the lack of a job combined with the isolation of self-quarantine has made her focus on whats really important in my life and what I can do without.Others were less philosophical.I live with nine other people, and all but one of us have lost jobs as a result of the virus, said the contract worker. We pool more resources now, and have rules about how we behave when we leave the house, and sanitizing upon returning. No guests. Everything has changed.
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 26, 2020) - Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it is providing additional temporary regulatory relief to market participants in response to the effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The actions announced today involve (1) parties needing to gain access to make filings on the EDGAR system, (2) certain company filing obligations under Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding, and (3) a filing requirement for municipal advisors.

Temporary Relief from Form ID Notarization Requirement

The first set of relief seeks to address potential issues filers may have in securing the notarization required to gain access to make filings on the EDGAR system. The Commission has adopted a temporary final rule that provides relief from the notarization requirement from March 26, 2020 through July 1, 2020, subject to certain conditions. Among those conditions are that the filer indicates on its manually signed Form ID that it could not provide the required notarization due to circumstances relating to COVID-19, and that the filer submits a PDF copy of the notarized manually signed document within 90 days of obtaining an EDGAR account.

Compliance with Regulation A and Regulation CrowdfundingTo address potential compliance issues for Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding issuers, the Commission adopted temporary final rules that extend the filing deadlines for specified reports and forms that companies must file pursuant to those regulations. The rules provide, subject to certain conditions, affected companies with an additional 45 days to file certain disclosure reports that would otherwise have been due between March 26, 2020 and May 31, 2020. Among other conditions, a company relying on the temporary final rules must promptly disclose to its investors such reliance and when a company files the required report or form, it must disclose that it is relying on the temporary final rules and state the reasons why, in good faith, it could not file such report or form on a timely basis.

Annual Update to Form MA for Municipal Advisors

To address potential compliance issues municipal advisors may have in timely submitting annual update filings (Form MA-A), the Commission issued a temporary conditional exemptive order that provides, subject to certain conditions, affected municipal advisors with an additional 45 days to file annual updates to Form MA that would have otherwise been due between March 26, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Among other conditions, the municipal advisor must be unable to meet the filing deadline for its annual update to Form MA due to circumstances related to current or potential effects of COVID-19 and must provide a brief description of the reasons why it could not timely file.

***

The Commission may extend the time period for relief announced today, with any additional conditions it deems appropriate, or provide additional relief as circumstances warrant. Companies, municipal advisors, and their representatives are encouraged to contact SEC staff with questions or matters of particular concern.

The SEC staff will continue to closely track developments, and, if appropriate, consider additional relief from other regulatory requirements for those affected by the Coronavirus. Parties with questions about the relief provided to Form ID filers should contact the EDGAR Business Office at 202-551-8900. Parties with questions about the relief provided to Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding filers should contact the Division of Corporation Finance's Office of Small Business Policy at 202-551-3460. Parties with questions about the relief provided to municipal advisors should contact the Office of Municipal Securities at munis@sec.gov or 202-551-5680.
Foreign obligations must not come at the expense of the health and economic needs of Americans. But by leaving vulnerable populations to fend for themselves, we are sowing the seeds for instability, migration and extremism to expand. Also, we are failing to prevent the next pandemic after this one. And we are not saving enormous amounts of money, relatively speaking, by failing to properly address the underlying issues.
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.
In the coronavirus season, we are daring to pick on two widely accepted truisms. The first, that tomorrow never comes. And the second, famously attributed to economist John Maynard Keynes and brought back to us by Dr Manmohan Singh in the course of the Parliament debate on demonetisation: In the long run, we are all dead.

The mood is so despondent that optimism carries the risk of being called insensitive. The nastiest virus in two generations is travelling the world, needing no passport or visa, and travelling on other peoples tickets. Since the virus is ...
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 13:34 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dcffc0 1 Business COVID-19,novel-coronavirus,coronavirus,food-and-beverage,industry,economy Free

The food and beverage (F&B) industry across cities in Indonesia has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as people opt to stay in rather than going out for meals, data from a payment gateway show.

According to data from PT Moka Teknologi Indonesia, a homegrown startup that provides digital cashier services to more than 30,000 merchants in Indonesia, a number of industries had experienced losses due to the pandemic, including the service and retail industry. But the data revealed that the F&B industry had seen the largest impact.

For the F&B industry, of the 17 cities that were observed, 13 cities experienced a significant decrease in their daily earnings, the report released on Thursday stated.

Meanwhile, the service industry saw a noticeable impact in 10 out of the 17 cities, and the retail industry was hit in seven cities, according to the report.

Among more than a dozen cities affected, Surabaya in East Java and Bali were the two cities with the biggest fall in daily earnings.

The F&B industry in Surabaya plunged 26 percent, meanwhile, Bali experienced a decline of 18 percent, with areas in Greater Jakarta following suit, including Depok, Tangerang, West Jakarta and East Jakarta.

Business players must be able to survive for the next three to six months. There needs to be a temporary change in business processes for the cash flow to remain positive, Leonard Theosabrata, president director of SMESCO, a government institution responsible for training and facilitating small and medium enterprises, said as quoted in the report.

Read also: [UPDATED] List of Jakarta malls, restaurants affected by COVID-19 outbreak

Leonard offered several strategies applicable for businesses during difficult times like these. He suggested that business players could use the opportunity to make some reviews, get to know their customers and their needs, simplify their business processes, identify the products that are easy to sell, digitalize products into an easy-to-share catalog, add goods stocks, and give incentives to well-performing employees.

In an effort to maintain a positive cash flow, businesses can focus on promotion for takeout deliveries, use a database of customers to communicate promotions through email, text messages and promote the use of digital payment, the report suggests.

A focus on takeout deliveries has become one of the key strategies because data show that there has been a change in consumer behavior with more people opting for takeout food.

Between January until February 2020, takeout food purchases increased 7 percent.

In terms of the depth of impact COVID-19 has had across industries, the retail industry saw the steepest fall. The five cities that were most affected in their retail sector were West Jakarta, South Tangerang, Depok, Central Jakarta and Bandung, with the biggest daily earnings decline recorded in West Jakarta, a 32 percent fall in daily earnings per outlet.

In the service industry, the five most impacted cities were Depok, Bekasi, East Jakarta, Batam and Bandung.

However, several outlier products have seen a swell in purchases, including masks and hand sanitizer, as people rushed to get their hands on the products in a bid to safeguard themselves against the coronavirus. In February alone, sales of hand sanitizer went up 209 percent, Moka data show. (ydp)
David McDiarmid, 'Honey, Have you got it?', 1994. Digital print, 2019. Credit:Reproduced with permission of the David McDiarmid Estate During the first decades of HIV/AIDS, much more nuanced, less targeted art was also made. In 1994, Ted Gott, now senior curator of international art at the National Gallery of Victoria, created an exhibition for the National Gallery of Australia called Dont Leave Me This Way: Art in the Age of AIDS. It helped make him, he says, something of a specialist in art and death. Some of his favourite works in the show were by his friend, the late artist David McDiarmid, who died of the illness in 1995, shortly before life-saving drug regimes became available. McDiarmids vibrantly coloured works are likely to elicit a warm glow  even if the titles are double-edged (Honey, Have You Got It?, Its My Party and Ill Die if I Want To, Sugar or Just This Once Wont Kill Me). Some of them are poignant, some of them are very confronting, or wicked  but he had that sort of humour, Gott says. He wanted to both confront people who were complacent in the crisis but also to bring comfort to those who were dealing with it. This succour is something he sees strongly in art from earlier centuries, especially when the Black Death ripped through Europe in a series of outbreaks when it arrived in a trading vessel in October 1347, spreading rapidly and cruelly for three centuries, with the last outbreak in Marseilles (1720-1). Gott cites examples of work such as the famous Isenheim altarpiece (1512) or Sassoferratos Madonna in Prayer (1640s) both of which were used to offer hope during the extended crisis. While he does not relate to such imagery for its religious content, he delights in them at a level of majestic beauty.

What we each take from art can be as much driven by aestheticism as by ideology, he says. We are fragile, but art is not so fragile  it can survive for hundreds, thousands of years, and therefore has the capacity to bring comfort and meaning to lives far beyond that of the creator. Maybe that is what gives art a slightly mystical aura. Another tool of art  propaganda  is unpacked in the book Performing emotions in early Europe (2018), in which University of Sydney senior lecturer in art Louise Marshall writes of Renaissance plague images rousing and manipulating beholders emotions for a range of purposes, from consolation to prophylaxis. Viewers were repelled and reassured, horrified and comforted, denounced for their sins and offered heavenly release, and urged to pass through a variety of psychodramas as part of the necessary process of reconciliation and redemption, she writes. With calculated emotional pyrotechnics, these images provided effective coping mechanisms for dealing with the ongoing presence of plague. The repeated onslaughts, she says, meant bubonic plague was experienced and memorialised as a collective assault, death wholesale, rather than a matter of individual mortality. Punishment by God was seen as a primary cause  a notion that has been remarkably persistent through to HIV/AIDS and even now. It was a topic of much controversy when the Australian government screened its infamous yet highly effective Grim Reaper ads in 1987 during the early days of HIV/AIDS. Saint Jerome, Joos van Cleve (manner of), 1530-1540s (detail). Credit:National Gallery of Victoria

Such dramatic images  apocalypse, death, devils  were abundant several years ago in an NGV exhibition titled The Four Horsemen: Apocalypse, Death and Disaster, with 120 artworks from the 15th-18th centuries that dealt with the enormous upheavals brought by plague, religious and social turmoil. In one of the works, the theologian St Jerome is shown with his finger on a skull that represents Death, a Bible in front of him. The inscription on the wall behind him (homo bulla) means ''man is a soap bubble''. Jenny Spinks, the Hansen senior lecturer in history at the University of Melbourne, was one of four curators for the exhibition and through her many years of work on disasters, death and the emotions, she has studied various religious responses. In terms of thinking about mortality and how you confront that, it is the image of Death itself that is so pervasive, she says. One work she cites is Pieter Bruegel the Elders magnificent The Triumph of Death, with its army of skeletons, some with scythes, rampaging through an apocalyptic landscape. People from all social backgrounds are depicted fleeing in terror or being corralled into a coffin-shaped contraption. No comfort there  nor in the work of Italian artist Jacopo da Pontormo, who holed up in a Carthusian monastery in 1523-24 after an outbreak of plague in Florence. Jill Burke, professor of Renaissance cultures at the University of Edinburgh, recently wrote about Pontormos work on her blog, describing how the artist ran away to the monastery as soon as he could. In what might well be a scene from today, Florence was sealed off by government decree, quarantines enforced and normal life ceased. Then came riots. Within months, 5 per cent of the population (about 3000 people) had died but in his monastery, Burke writes, Pontormo set to work drawing  his best coping mechanism. Burke sees in Pontormos nude self-portrait the result of long periods of introspection in the face of existential panic brought on by the epidemic. With his right finger pointing at the viewer, she says, there is a reminder that you never know who will be next.

Burkes reverie is referred to by the University of Melbournes Dr Catherine Kovesi, a senior lecturer who only last week was teaching her history students about the Black Death in a subject titled Europe: From Black Death to New Worlds. Kovesi says she is no Black Death expert, but has in her 20 years of teaching the subject been fascinated by its many facets, including the periods increased devotion to so-called plague saints St Sebastian and St Roch, who were prayed to in the hope of divine intervention. David McDiarmid, Plague boy (1994). NGV Melbourne. Gift from the Estate of David McDiarmid, 1998 Credit: David McDiarmid / Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia Ignorance abounded  they might not have had Twitter or Facebook, but word of mouth spread fake news effectively. Even the popular view arising in the 19th century that the Black Death was solely due to bubonic plague has persisted  Kovesi, among many others, notes that contemporary research remains inconclusive. There are many things that dont add up, she says. But regardless of what caused it, we do know how people responded and how fragile civil society is in the face of fear and catastrophe. One thing they had to deal with was the plethora of bodies, which were becoming difficult to dispose of  and these appear frequently in paintings from that period. People became much more familiar with the gory details of bodily decay, so something you do see more depictions of in art are the gruesome aspects of death  worms coming out of bodies and so on  as well as the grim figure of Death.
Actor Gul Panag had a biting reply for a Twitter user who called her privileged for welcoming the 21-day nationwide lockdown. Gul wrote in her response that her husband was risking his health as a pilot, exposing himself to possible infection in crowded areas.

On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. In response, Gul had tweeted, No other way! Had to be done. Reacting to this, one person wrote, Adventure for privileged like you.

Adventure for privileged like you  SS (@ME_CALLING_SELF) March 24, 2020

To this, Gul replied, Really? Youre on Twitter. My husbands flying a plane bringing people back home as I type. Everyday for last few days, in fact. Exposed to crowded places with no WFH option. Because essential service. Till tonight.

Reallly? You're on Twitter. My husband's flying a plane bringing people back home as I type. Every day for last few days, infact. Exposed to crowded places with no WFH option. Because 'essential' service. Till tonight. https://t.co/v90mbP82vd  Gul Panag (@GulPanag) March 24, 2020

Gul married her husband, Rishi Attari, in 2011. They have one son. On Thursday, she shared a series of videos on Instagram stories, showing her taking a quick walk with her son and two dogs downstairs. She also posted workout videos. Gul most recently appeared in Rangbaaz Phirse, Pawan & Pooja, and the Amazon spy series The Family Man.

Also read: Books, shows, films that chillingly predicted coronavirus pandemic, from Big Bang Theory to creepy K-drama

Calling 2019 a great year for her, she told IANS in an interview, I think this is a great year for me with diverse characters. Of course, with the opportunity of playing a part in Rangbaaz Phirse I have got a wider reach. But honestly speaking, I want opportunities coming my way from people who watch me on screen and believe in my talent. I really cannot go out loud and do PR exercises. If my work does not speak volumes, then that is not meant to be.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]
As we brace for the brunt of this fast-spreading pandemic, its a pressing national security imperative that immigrants held in detention be released to their families immediately.

The federal government is keeping scores of people cheek by jowl in facilities that have been well-documented to be lacking in proper ventilation, food and even clean, running water. And many of these detainees already have compromised immune systems due to age, chronic medical conditions or pregnancy.

As if it werent bad enough to put immigrants in grave danger of becoming a huge vector of COVID-19 infections, this situation also puts at risk the people who police them, manage their cases, offer them medical care, defend them in court, prepare their food and clean up after them.

Whatever you might imagine when talking about immigrants in detention, the truth is that most either have no criminal record or have already served time for any offenses theyve committed while in our country. And nearly all unauthorized immigrants who are being held in detention have already been processed and cataloged in multiple Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, and other system databases.

Based on countless reports from advocates, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) doesnt even give soap or hot water, theyre giving out moldy food  the day-to-day conditions have led to dozens of deaths. Nine, so far, in this fiscal year, said Silky Shah, the executive director of the Detention Watch Network. To be clear (a major outbreak of coronavirus infections) is imminent if its not already happening, and while ICE has not reported any, we also know widespread testing also isnt happening.

Shah and a group of leaders from other immigrant-advocacy organizations recently held a briefing in which they called on the Trump administration to suspend ICE raids, postpone deportations and release immigrants from detention.

We need to let them out before they get sick, Ranit Mishori, the senior medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights and professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine, told me. People from the outside who see detainees, health care workers and detention facility workers are actually putting the detainees more at risk, because those people come and go. The detainees themselves are sitting ducks for infection. Isolation is for those who are sick; the time to prevent immigrant detainees from getting sick and having an outbreak is now, before people need mass medical care.

The experts noted that President Donald Trump is exposing an already vulnerable population to even higher risk by putting policies in place that have the effect of making immigrants likelier to get sick and scared to seek medical care if they suspect theyve contracted coronavirus. These policies include the public charge rule, which penalizes legal and unauthorized immigrants alike for accessing publicly funded safety-net programs like food assistance.

We need to understand this moment for what it is  a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. We already have protocols in place for state agencies to let their criminal detainees be set free. ... Its important to remember that we need to take care of people regardless of whether they are an immigrant, a detainee or a criminal; we must be singularly focused on everyones health.

Due to lack of transparency, its unclear what protocols or policies are in place for the agencies and facilities that house immigrants to ensure detainees get information and resources to protect themselves against an outbreak.

When reports tell of squalid conditions in which fresh food and drinking water are hard to come by, much less soap or showering facilities, its difficult to imagine that immigrants, many of whom dont speak either English or Spanish, are being informed about  much less protected against  a quickly spreading virus.

There are seeds of hope, however.

Earlier this week, New Jersey became the nations leader in releasing inmates  1,000  to curb the possibility of widespread coronavirus contagion. It followed New York state, Cleveland, Ohio, and Tulsa, Okla., in releasing prisoners.

Kentucky is making progress in releasing hundreds of nonviolent inmates, and news reports indicate that Trump is considering issuing an executive order to release older, nonviolent offenders from federal prisons.

Taking the same precautions with immigrant detainees who, overwhelmingly, have committed only the civil violation of residing in the country without authorization, is the smart and logical next step.

estherjcepeda@washpost.com
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he had tested positive for coronavirus and was self isolating but would still lead the government's response to the outbreak.

A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence but said he would still lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak.

Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.

"So I am working from home. I'm self-isolating," Johnson said. "Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus."

Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via video conference.

It was not immediately clear how many Downing Street staff and senior ministers would now need to isolate themselves given that many have had contact with Johnson over recent days and weeks.

His finance minister, Rishi Sunak, is not self-isolating, a Treasury source said.

Britons paid tribute to health workers on Thursday evening, clapping and cheering from doorways and windows. Johnson and Sunak took part, but came out of separate entrances on Downing Street and did not come into close contact, according to a Reuters photographer at the scene.

It was not immediately clear whether Johnson's 32-year-old partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, had been tested.

Isolating in Downing street

Queen Elizabeth last saw Johnson on March 11 and she remains in good health, Buckingham Palace said.

"The queen last saw the PM on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare," a palace spokesman said.

Previously the government has said that Johnson has the option to delegate to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab if needed.

"The prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive," the spokesman said.

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The death toll is the seventh highest in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States, according to a Reuters tally.

Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. He is in good health and is now self-isolating at his residence in Scotland with mild symptoms along with his wife Camilla, who tested negative, his office said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton, William James and Elizabeth Piper Editing by Michael Holden and Frances Kerry)

Search Keywords:

Short link:


DETROIT -- A section of the Townsend Pedestrian Bridge in Detroit collapsed early Friday morning across the westbound lanes of I-94 in Detroit. No one was injured in the collapse according to Michigan State Police, but the incident has closed all westbound traffic at at Gratiot Avenue. Traffic is being rerouted so they can get back on the westbound lanes at East Grand.

Eastbound traffic was still moving for the time being, but the Michigan Department of Transportation determined the entire bridge will have to be removed today. Eastbound traffic is being stopped at the I-75 interchange.

Demo is fast & noisy. pic.twitter.com/v3ElZU5uqc  MDOT - Metro Detroit (@MDOT_MetroDet) March 27, 2020

The collapse occurred around 5:20 a.m. Friday according to the MSP. It is unknown what exactly caused the collapse, but Lt. Mike Shaw, a Michigan State Police spokesman told WWJ-AM that police had received reports that a truck struck the bridge. However, MSP has not confirmed that at this time. The birdge is located near Van Dyke Avenue along I-94.

Road Closure: At approximately 5:20 AM MSP was notified that the Townsend Pedestrian Bridge had collapsed on WB I-94 near Van Dyke. The freeway is completely blocked. The EB side of the bridge is not affected. pic.twitter.com/d1GhbqDdiC  MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) March 27, 2020
DR OSEI KWAME DESPITE & DR ERNEST OFORI SARPONG of DESPITE GROUP OF COMPANIES & SPECIAL GROUP OF COMPANIES respectively, are two indigenous businessmen of our land very well known for their kindness, benevolence and philanthropic works and gestures.



Dr Osei Kwame and Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong have once again demonstrated their kind-heartedness in these challenging times in the wake of the Corona Virus 2019 ( CoVid-19) pandemic.



They have presented a cash sum of US$100,000 to enable the administrators at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital quickly acquire all the necessary tools and medications needed to combat the deadly Coronavirus scourge.



They hope and trust that this amount will be put into judicious use for the benefit of the vulnerable and the sick in our society. They are therefore entreating the CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso and the entire management team to see to the proper spending of the money to help fight the virus.



Dr. Osei Kwame Despite and Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong acknowledge the support of the Government, to all the Regional Hospitals across the country.



However, the selection of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital comes as a result of the Hospital's support for not only the Ashanti Region but all neighboring regions within the middle belt and Northern part of Ghana.







The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has confirmed that Ghanas Covid-19 cases have passed 100; with the current tally now pegged at 132.Statistics put out shows that "the great majority of the confirmed cases are Ghanaians, who returned home from affected countries. Seven (7) are of other nationals namely: Norway, Lebanon, China, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (UK).The number of confirmed cases among travelers under mandatory quarantine who have been tested is seventy-eight (78)."Meanwhile, in respect of contact tracing, "a total of 970 contacts have been identified and are being tracked.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana





Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Telecom gear maker Huawei has offered India the technologies that it deployed in China's Hubei province to curb and monitor spread of coronavirus.

The company used 5G network there to deploy the technical solutions that included remote temperature measurement, diagnosis and treatment.

Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus, is the capital of Hubei province.

"We are working on solutions to apply our learnings and experience from China to the current situation in India and help combat COVID-19 with new technologies such as remote temperature monitoring.

"We at Huawei in India offer to work with the Government of India, industry and local ecosystem to make our contribution to fight this recent pandemic based on our social responsibilities," Huawei said in its reply to an e-mail query from PTI.

The number of positive coronavirus case in India has jumped from just 3 in the beginning of this month to over 724 till date.

Till Thursday, China recorded 81,961 coronavirus positive case and 3,293 deaths.

To control the pandemic in Wuhan and other places in China, Huawei along with its partners leveraged technology to address on-ground communication challenges.

The company said it developed on-ground 5G use cases for four key scenarios, namely live video-streaming, remote collaboration, remote diagnosis and treatment, and remote protection, which can play an important role in fighting the pandemic.

Huawei India said these were all telemedicine solutions that can also work on 4G network with good connectivity.

"In China, operators used these solutions on 5G. However, it can work on existing networks in India," the company said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday spoke over phone with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on anti-epidemic cooperation and bilateral ties.

Xi stressed that China has been sharing information on COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries including the United States since the onset of the epidemic.

China, he said, wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus, and has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need.

He added that China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic.

Epidemics recognize no national borders or races and are a common enemy of humankind, noted the president, adding that only by making a collective response can the international community defeat them.

With joint efforts of all parties, the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 on Thursday reached many consensuses and achieved positive results, Xi said, expressing his hope that all parties will strengthen coordination and cooperation, implement the outcomes, and inject strong vigor into enhancing international anti-epidemic cooperation and stabilizing the global economy.

China, he added, is willing to work with the United States and other parties to continue to support the WHO in playing an important role, enhance sharing of information and experience on epidemic prevention and control, accelerate cooperation in scientific research, and improve global health governance.

Xi also called for concerted efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, in order to stabilize markets, maintain growth, safeguard people's wellbeing, and ensure the openness, stability and safety of global supply chains.

Upon inquiry, Xi introduced in detail the measures China has taken to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic.

He said he follows closely and is concerned about the development of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and has noticed that Trump is carrying out a series of policies and measures in response.

The Chinese people, Xi said, sincerely hope that the United States contains the spread of the epidemic at an early date, so as to reduce the losses inflicted by the disease upon the American people.

China has always maintained an active attitude towards international collaboration on epidemic prevention and control, Xi said, adding that under current circumstances China and the United States should unite against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health departments and medical experts of the two countries have maintained communication over the global pandemic situation and bilateral anti-epidemic cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to continue sharing, without reservation, relevant information and experience with the United States.

Noting that some Chinese provinces and enterprises have been providing the United States with assistance in medical supplies, Xi said China understands the United States' current predicament and stands ready to provide support within its capacity.

There are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students, and the Chinese government attaches great importance to their safety and health, Xi stressed, expressing his hope that the U.S. side will take practical and effective measures to safeguard their safety and health.

Xi emphasized that China-U.S. relations are now at an important juncture, and that both will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Calling on the United States to take substantive action to improve bilateral relations, Xi suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Trump, for his part, said that he listened closely to Xi's speech at the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, and appreciates Xi's views and proposals along with other leaders.

Trump asked Xi in detail about China's anti-epidemic measures, saying that both countries are facing the challenge of the COVID-19 epidemic, and he is delighted to see the positive progress made by China in combating the disease.

Stressing that China's experience is very illuminating to him, he said he will make personal efforts to ensure that the United States and China can ward off distractions and concentrate on cooperation against COVID-19.

The United States, he added, is grateful to China for providing medical supplies for its fight against the epidemic, and promoting bilateral medical and health care exchanges, including cooperation in research and development of effective medicines against the disease.

Trump said he has publicly made clear on social media that the American people respect and love the Chinese people very much and that Chinese students are of great significance to the U.S. educational business.

The United States will protect Chinese nationals on its soil, including Chinese students, he added.

The two heads of state agreed to maintain communication on subjects of shared interest.


LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first leader of a major nation to contract COVID-19, but he insisted Friday that he remains in charge of the U.K.s response to the outbreak.

Two of Johnsons top aides in the fight against the virus  his health secretary and top medical adviser  also said they had the disease.

Johnson, 55, said he was tested Thursday after showing mild symptoms: a temperature and a persistent cough.

Ive taken a test, thats come out positive so I am working from home, I am self-isolating, and thats entirely the right thing to do, Johnson said in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was also confirmed to have the virus. Hancock, 41, tweeted: Thankfully my symptoms are mild.

Chris Whitty, who is chief medical officer for England, tweeted that he had symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and would be self-isolating at home for a week.

Johnson, Hancock and Whitty have attended meetings of the governments COVID-19 crisis committee and appeared at the governments daily coronavirus press conferences.

Johnson is the highest-profile political leader to have contracted the virus, which has infected more than 500,000 people around the world.

Elsewhere, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have all been tested and found to be negative. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau self-isolated after his wife tested positive for COVID-19.

The British diagnoses are the latest evidence that no one  no matter how high-profile  is untouched by the global pandemic.

Politicians may be especially exposed, since they interact with large numbers of people. Britains Parliament continued to meet as the virus spread, before it was eventually suspended on Wednesday  hours after Johnson held his regular question-and-answer session with lawmakers.

Parliamentary authorities are now facing questions about why they did not shut down sooner.

Susan Michie, professor of health psychology at University College London, said that those in government should practice what they preach about social distancing.

Given the transmission routes of touching contaminated surfaces and breathing in virus-laden droplets, it should not come as a surprise to hear that the PM and health secretary have tested positive for coronavirus, she said.

On Friday health officials said Britain had 14,579 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 759 people have died  181 deaths in 24 hours, the highest daily toll yet.

Britains government is run from a series of interconnected buildings centred on 10 Downing St. and adjoining houses  a warren of rooms and narrow corridors that is both the prime ministers home and the workplace of hundreds of people.

Johnsons spokesman, James Slack, said the prime minister was self-isolating in his apartment, which is above 11 Downing St., and would have his meals left outside his door by staff.

For now the prime ministers symptoms are mild and he is continuing to do all of the same functions he was performing before. The only difference is he will now have to do that by teleconferencing, Slack said.

He would not say whether Johnsons 32-year-old fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, was currently living in Downing St.

Slack said several other Downing St. staff are self-isolating but he did not know of any other confirmed cases.

The government said that if Johnson is unable to work, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will replace him.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and sometimes death.

On Thursday evening, Johnson stood outside his front door to join in a national round of applause for health care workers. Slack said the prime minister was careful to observe social distancing rules while he did so, standing several meters away from Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, who also took part.

Earlier this week Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, announced that he had tested positive for the virus. His mother, 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, is self-isolating at Windsor Castle as a precaution.

Buckingham Palace said Johnson and the Queen last met on March 11. The pair have held their weekly audience by phone for the past two weeks.

Johnson has been criticized by his opponents for his Conservative governments initial reluctance to impose tough restrictions on movement and the economy to try to stem the spread of the virus.

Early this month, Johnson recounted shaking hands with medics treating coronavirus patients at a hospital and said I continue to shake hands.

The governments initial advice was that people should wash their hands frequently. As the number of cases soared, that escalated to include the closure of schools, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops and a nationwide order for everyone but key workers to stay home.

Johnson spoke by phone Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump, who wished him a speedy recovery, the White House said.

Vice-President Mike Pence said the administration sent Johnson our very best wishes.

He is a great leader. The president admires him. We consider him a friend, Pence said on American news channel CNBC.

Johnsons political opponents also wished him well. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, wished the prime minister a speedy recovery and relayed his hope that his family is safe and healthy.

___

Danica Kirka in London and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this story.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
London, March 27 : An epidemiologist associated with the widely cited Imperial College London study that led governements in the UK and the US ramp up their efforts to contain COVID-19 spread has denied claims that he drastically reduced the estimates originally predicted in the research.

According to the projections by London's Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team, in the absence of a vaccine and drastic control measures, the disease may kill as many as 22 lakh people in the US and over 5 lakh in the UK.

As part of an inquiry into the UK's response to the coronavirus outbreak, one of the scientists associated with the study, epidemiologist Neil Ferguson said that due to the measures taken by the UK government including restrictions on people's movements, deaths from the disease may remian under 20,000, or could be even lower.

This led some people to accuse the scientists of walkinig back on the original predictions.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Ferguson clarified that he did not revise the study's assessments of the potential mortality impact of COVID-19.

"I think it would be helpful if I cleared up some confusion that has emerged in recent days. Some have interpreted my evidence to a UK parliamentary committee as indicating we have substantially revised our assessments of the potential mortality impact of COVID-19," Ferguson said.

"This is not the case. Indeed, if anything, our latest estimates suggest that the virus is slightly more transmissible than we previously thought. Our lethality estimates remain unchanged," he added.

For the study, the researchers applied a previously published microsimulation model to two countries: the UK and the US.

"My evidence to Parliament referred to the deaths we assess might occur in the UK in the presence of the very intensive social distancing and other public health interventions now in place," Ferguson said.

"Without those controls, our assessment remains that the UK would see the scale of deaths reported in our study (namely, up to approximately 500 thousand)," he added.

In the study, the researchers concluded that a strategy of "suppression" would prove to be more effective than "mitigation" in reducing deaths and preventing healthcare systems being overwhelmed.

A strategy of "mitigation" focuses on slowing but not necessarily stopping epidemic spread -- reducing peak healthcare demand while protecting those most at risk of severe disease from infection.

The "suppression" strategy aims to reverse epidemic growth, reducing case numbers to low levels and maintaining that situation indefinitely, according to the study which modelled the impact of different non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on the number of deaths and the healthcare system.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Businessman in Kolkata shot at after his car was stopped by 18 men

COVID-19 lockdown: Kolkata Police detain more than 450 people in West Bengal

India

oi-PTI

Kolkata, Mar 27: More than 450 people have been arrested in West Bengal in the last 24 hours since Wednesday 5 pm for defying the lockdown order imposed by the West Bengal government to contain the spread of the disease, a senior police officer said.

The arrests were made by the Kolkata Police during naka-checking and patrolling across the city, he said.

A total of 453 people have been arrested by the city police in the last 24 hours till 5 pm on Thursday for violating the Total Safety Restrictions, he said.

High level committee formed to oversee supply of essentials during lockdown

Of the 453 apprehended, 112 are from the north division and 75 from the eastern suburban division, the police officer said.

As many as 65 offenders have been arrested from the south suburban and 62 more from the central division, he said.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

A total of 42 people have been picked up in the south division of the city police while 40 apprehended from the port area and 30 from the south-east division for violating the rules, the officer said.

The policemen also held 18 from the south-west and nine from the east division, he said.

All of them will be prosecuted under IPC sections dealing with disobedience of order, the officer added.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

Ten people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the state so far. Of them, one died at a city hospital on Monday.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 9:03 [IST]
CASPER  University of Wyoming students can move away from the traditional A-F grading system and instead choose to be judged by a simple pass-fail decision, the school said Thursday as it prepares to move all of its coursework online next week.

The university's administrators had recommended the change to pass-fail  technically "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory"  according to a university news release. Beginning March 30, all of UW's students will take their coursework online in an effort by the school to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. There's been one case in Albany County, a man who has already recovered from the virus.

We believe the optional S/U or pass/fail grading strategy will ease the necessary transitions into remote course delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, relieve undue stress and promote strong engagement, Provost Kate Miller said in a statement.

Students must request whether they want the thumbs-up/thumbs-down grading scale and submit that request by April 17. Advisers and instructors will have to grant the requests, though graduate students need only their professor's approval.
A man in self isolation has had to watch as traffic wardens repeatedly ticket his car outside his house despite his pleas through the window.

Peter Pratt says he has four tickets, two on his car and two on his work car which were parked outside his own house.

But as he pleaded with them to waive the fines they just replied: 'We don't care. We are just here to do our jobs.'

Peter Pratt from Chatham in Kent has complained that his car, pictured, has been given four parking tickets despite being outside his home. He said he is unable to move the vehicle as he is on self-isolation having developed suspected coronavirus symptoms

Mr Pratt noticed the growing pile of tickets on the windscreen of his car

The 40-year-old was sent home from work last week after picking up a sore throat and bad chest and is self-isolating, following doctors' advice.

He would usually collect visitor parking permits from his library because the council had not yet delivered his residents' permit.

But he could no longer do this after his isolation began last Tuesday, and he added that nobody was available to collect the permits on his behalf.

Mr Pratt, who works as a portable appliance tester, placed notes explaining his situation in his two cars; one for work and his personal vehicle.

The next day a traffic warden slapped a parking ticket on his car and ignored the sick man as he pleaded with him from his doorstep.

He filmed the incident on his smartphone in order to gather evidence to support his appeal.

Mr Pratt said: 'I would normally have been out there swearing at them a lot more than I was. You just think they would use a bit of common sense.'

His cars are parked directly in front of his bedroom window at his home in Chatham, Kent.

Mr Pratt, pictured, has been unable to collect a residents' permit from his local library because of the conoravirus lockdown. He has asked Medway council to quash the fines as he cannot afford the 200 because his earnings have collapsed

He added: 'I had been trying to keep an eye on it. On the first day, I saw a traffic warden put one on my car, I tried to explain through my window that I'm in self-isolation, and they just said 'Oh well, we don't care. We are just here to do our jobs.'

Mr Pratt then called the council and spoke to several departments to explain his predicament.

Mr Pratt added: 'They just gave me the run around and said 'Oh well, you should have someone who can do this for you.'

'Well, I'm 40, my parents are in their 70s, my sisters all work, all my friends work and I have to make time during the day, in between jobs, to go and get them myself.'

Within just three days of isolation Mr Pratt had received four tickets - two on each car - totalling 200.

On Saturday, he received his residents' parking permit for his personal car, but is still awaiting one for his work car.

Mr Pratt has now contacted his ward councillor to try to resolve the issue, after speaking to the council failed.

He added: 'They are just unwilling to actually discuss it with anyone. I couldn't even go out there, get them, and start the appeals process to say I'm locked down because I'm not meant to be going out of the house.'

Mr Pratt left his house to collect the tickets on Tuesday and is now appealing all four fines.

He said: 'I'm worried about my finances because I'm on statutory sick pay and my salary will be cut by 20 per cent for the next three months.

'Now I'm hoping that the council make the right decision and accept my appeals.

'To pay 200 in fines right now would be a travesty.'

Medway Council has now said it will focus on more serious parking offences during the coronavirus crisis.

A council spokesperson said: 'We understand that due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) there may be less parking available on Medway's residential roads as more people are at home with their vehicles.

'However, it is essential that we maintain safe roads and pavements for pedestrians and other motorists.

'We will be now concentrating our parking enforcement on vehicles which are parked in a dangerous or inconsiderate manner.'
The number of Texas coronavirus cases have continued increasing and on Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott issued orders postponing elective surgeries and giving hospitals the ability to treat two patients per room instead of one.

As circumstances surrounding coronavirus develop rapidly, health care services in northwest Houston are having to adjust for employees and patients alike. Memorial Hermann, Cypress Creek EMS and Cy-Fair Fire Department are all carefully monitoring COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Jade Waddy with Memorial Hermann said the hospital system is evaluating options for a possible surge of COVID-19 patients into their hospitals in the Houston area.

Memorial Hermann has a steady supply of personal protective equipment for our healthcare workers, Waddy said. In order to maintain a steady supply, Memorial Hermann has implemented proactive efforts to conserve our resources for the sickest and most vulnerable of our patients such as the cancellation of elective surgeries. We are accepting donations of certain items in order to maintain our supply.

As for the Stay Home-Work Safe order issued Tuesday by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Waddy said Memorial Herman employees are vital parts of city infrastructure and allowed to work.

This order does not affect our operations as healthcare is part of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors considered vital to the United States, Waddy said. It is our hope that this order, along with the on-going implementation of precautionary measures, will slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our area.

According to Cameron Palmer with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, a nonprofit blood center in the Houston area, the outbreak of COVID-19 caused scheduled blood donation appointments to be canceled. Due to a slowdown in donations, blood banks fear a potential supply shortage for patients in need.

However, Norm Uhl, public information officer with Cypress Creek EMS, said the EMS provider is not experiencing a low supply of blood at the moment.

Cypress Creek EMS is doing fine with its whole blood supply for the time being. Part of the reason for that is that there is less demand, he said. With so many people staying home, the number of incidents requiring whole blood has declined.

Meanwhile, Cy-Fair Fire Department Chief Amy Ramon said her department is running as normal with no changes.

For more information on coronavirus in Houston, visit https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Coronavirus-live-blog-updates-tx-pandemic-covid-15158238.php.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
Cyril Abiteboul has denied that Renault is poised to quit Formula 1.

When McLaren announced recently that it is pushing ahead with its switch to Mercedes power for 2021 despite the delayed regulations, some interpreted that as a sign that current supplier Renault may be pulling out.

Renault struggled on track last year despite its high profile signing of Daniel Ricciardo, and the parent company has been embroiled in a high profile management scandal.

But boss Abiteboul told Autocar he isn't sure why Renault is often singled out for speculation.

"It's a pressure for all ten teams," said the Frenchman. "But there's something a bit awkward about Renault. It feels to me that we have to respond to that question much more. And I wonder why.

"We have been in F1 for 42 years in some shape or form. I accept our lack of consistency, plus there have been some statements and changes of management. I get all of that.

"But the reality is we're well established with two factories, we're now a group of 1200 people and we're well advanced, not only for this year but into next," Abiteboul added.

The interview pre-dates the current coronavirus crisis, with Abiteboul observing that the car manufacturing industry as a whole was already "shaking".

"But are we really struggling more than Daimler?" he asked. "I'm not sure.

"It's down to us to crystallise our potential, starting with our performance. If our performance was better, we would have to respond to fewer questions of this type."

(GMM)
It was at the end of the earth that Sophie Hardcastle discovered a new beginning. As resident artist on an expedition to Antarctica a few years ago, she jumped from her ships deck into the icy Southern Ocean. She had wondered how it would feel for the entire voyage. Beneath the surface, the ocean was dark and infinite. Above, surrounded by icebergs, she experienced an intense awareness of her breath and her body. Hardcastle says she felt more at home than she ever had before.

You know you have moments in your life, where that was before this happened and that was after. This was a very before and after moment which I think about as this kind of rebirth, Hardcastle, 26, says. When I was younger, I felt very much like I was less of a person and this was a moment in which I felt whole and strong. It was really like reclaiming something.

Sophie Hardcastle's Below Decks makes use of her own experience of sexual assault. Credit:Natasha Shoory

Hardcastles new novel, Below Deck, is about women, their bodies and the landscape; it is also about sexual violence and assault, trauma, and how survival can lie in reclaiming your own story.

We meet narrator Olivia, known as Oli, 21, as she wakes on the deck of a yacht in Sydney Harbour with no memory of how she got there after an alcohol-fuelled night with her manipulative boyfriend. Shes just graduated from her economics degree and has been offered an internship at a prestigious investment bank. Her estranged parents live overseas and after her grandfather dies Oli decides to accompany the yachts crew on a journey to the Coral Sea.
Drinks group C&C has raised around 140m in new debt in the United States private placement market.

It comes a week after the group warned that profits would be impacted by the spread of the coronavirus.

The 140m in notes, which have not been secured against the companys assets, have maturities of 10 and 12 years.

The issue has achieved C&Cs aims of diversifying the sources of its debt financing and extending their maturity out to 2032.

Jonathan Solesbury, chief financial officer at C&C, said: We are very pleased to have successfully completed our first US Private Placement, particularly against the backdrop of the current market uncertainty.

The issue extends the maturity of our debt as well as diversifying our capital structure. It gives the company access to a broader range of funding options in the future.

Last week C&C said Covid-19 will have a material impact on its performance in the current financial year (FY21), as pubs and restaurants shut their doors across Ireland and the UK in an effort to contain the deadly virus.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police have stepped up patrols after multiple cars were looted in and around the parking lot of a strip mall on Richmond Avenue in Graniteville.

The commanding officer of the 121st Precinct is aware of larcenies from vehicles and has deployed neighborhood coordination officers, patrol officers and anti-crime personnel to the area to conduct patrols to monitor the area and search for a suspect(s) during every tour, according to statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

From March 8 through March 19, there were multiple larcenies from vehicles in the vicinity of the 1400 block of Richmond Avenue, Akron Street and Christopher Lane, according to the statement and a post on the 121st Twitter feed.

Individuals removed money and personal items from victims vehicles. Descriptions of the individuals are not available at this time and the investigation continues, the statement said.
The new coronavirus has been a bonanza for scammers and spies, who are exploiting the global thirst for information about the outbreak to make money and steal information, government officials and cybersecurity experts say.

Criminal hackers, scammers and even governments have been sending fake coronavirus-themed emails designed to trick people into opening attachments that download malicious software, allowing access to their data, experts told NBC News. Some messages have impersonated the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while others have masqueraded as communications from health authorities in other countries, including Ukraine, Vietnam and Italy.

The FBI is tracking so-called phishing campaigns that seek to use people's interest in the coronavirus to get them to click on links that encourage them to reveal sensitive login information, a top FBI official said.

"One of the things that's most concerning to us are phishing scams with a coronavirus theme," said Herb Stapleton, a section chief in the FBI's cyber criminal section. "This is a vector or an approach that we didn't see three months ago and now is suddenly successful."

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

People can report bogus emails to the FBI by going to www.ic3.gov, Stapleton said.

Sophos, a global security company, provided NBC News with examples of the phishing scams, including one offering information purported to be from the World Health Organization.

Image: Fake WHO email (Sophos Ltd.)

The coronavirus phishing scam, which has been around since early February, has targeted users around the world. Police departments from Australia to the U.K. have issued warnings to be on the lookout for it.

The WHO also issued its own guidance making it clear that it would never "ask you to login to view safety information."

A newer and lesser-known scam has recently been uncovered by Sophos: emails purporting to be from CDC doctors and U.N. officials that encourage users to download malicious files.

Story continues

"A must read," says one bogus email purported to be from a CDC doctor, which the company showed to NBC News. "Find in the attached everything you need to know about the spreading and management of the deadly Wuhan Coronavirus"

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

If a person clicks on one of the attachments promising guidance on how to "help prevent the coronavirus," malware will be downloaded onto the unsuspecting user's device. One malware package, called "Trickbot," typically tries to steal banking credentials, and the other, named "Fareit," which can log a person's keystrokes, typically tries to steal any and all login credentials.

"In volume, the malicious ones are a fraction of the total number of things trying to take advantage of the coronavirus, but obviously they are the ones we worry about the most because they are the ones that cause harm," said Chester Wisniewski, a research scientist with Sophos.

Cybercriminals "recognize that when there is a crisis, people are hungry for information  they are looking for whatever is new," said Shawn Henry, who once headed the FBI's cyber division and now works for a security firm, CrowdStrike.

"When people are hungry for information, they are vulnerable, because they've got their guard down."

CrowdStrike and other leading cybersecurity firms say the coronavirus has become the top new theme in schemes that use social engineering to induce recipients to open attachments or click on links that then open their computer files to attackers.

"This is dominating cybersecurity right now," said Jim Yacone, a former senior FBI official now at the SANS Institute, a cybersecurity research and education organization.

It's not just criminals  spy agencies appear to be using the technique, as well, experts say.

Security firm FireEye documented a China-based effort to extract information from Vietnamese government officials, as well as multiple campaigns targeting Ukrainian officials.

The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement warning the public: "Coronavirus is a prime opportunity for enterprising criminals because it plays on one of the basic human conditions  fear."

"Fear can cause normally scrupulous individuals to let their guard down and fall victim" to scams, the statement added.

The scams go well beyond the U.S. The security firm Fortinet found an email written in Italian, posing as a message from an Italian health agency, that induced users to click on an attachment that looked like a Microsoft Office document.

In fact, the user was downloading Trickbot malware.

Other hackers are sending emails with what purports to be a secret cure for the coronavirus. When recipients click on the link, they are asked to enter their credentials, according to the security firm Proofpoint, which also found fake WHO emails.

Authorities in the U.K. are also warning about coronavirus-related email scams.

The FBI, the Secret Service and security firms urge people to:

Avoid opening attachments and clicking on links within emails from senders you don't recognize.

Always independently verify that any requested information originates from a legitimate source.

Refuse to supply login credentials or financial data in response to an email.

Visit websites by inputting their domains manually.

"Making the public aware of how to protect themselves is a really important step in stopping this type of activity," Stapleton said.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said historic manufacturer Ulster Carpets should close to protect employees during the coronavirus outbreak.

And she said she would use "every legal power" to shut other premises where non-essential work was being carried out.

Ulster Carpets is continuing to operate its Portadown factory, where around 600 staff are employed.

Certain types of businesses such as shops selling non-essential goods have been ordered to close.

But factories can stay open, provided proper social distancing measures are observed and staff are allowed to work from home where feasible.

Ms O'Neill said the carpet maker is "absolutely not" carrying out essential work and "should be shut down". She said non-essential businesses who are telling their staff to come to work should be ashamed and need to "give themselves a shake".

She said the authorities such as the Health and Safety Executive would not hesitate to take enforcement action against offenders.

The Deputy First Minister added: "I would say to anybody who works to get government contracts, I don't think anybody should look kindly on people who don't do the right thing in this period, and that includes what we do in government... I think that everybody should ask themselves this question. When you look back in this period in our history, did you do the right thing?

"Employers should really give themselves a shake, if they're not doing the right thing.

"I would use every bit of legal power available to me to shut people down who are doing the wrong thing."

Ulster Carpets did not wish to comment but defended its measures to enforce social distancing at work. A caller to Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show claimed the company was not observing correct social distancing policy during "highly populated" shifts.

But a company spokesman said: "The company is fully following government guidelines, has enacted working from home for all employees who can, has introduced measures to support two-metre distancing in our facilities, is encouraging and enabling frequent hand washing, and has ensured enhanced cleaning is taking place on a frequent basis."

Meanwhile, workers at Irish insulation products company Kingspan, which employs 400 people in Portadown, has asked its staff on the island of Ireland to accept a 40% pay cut. However, a separate staff retention scheme in the UK would refund firms with 80% of staff wages.

Chief executive Gene Murtagh and other senior staff are to accept a 50% pay cut. A spokesman said: "We are examining the UK Government scheme to support the pay of staff impacted by coronavirus, and where possible we will look to see if this can be applied to deliver the best financial outcome for our employees.

"In no circumstances will any employee have their pay reduced to a level to take them below the hourly minimum wage."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:24:36|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Nguon Sovan

PHNOM PENH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- For 32-year-old Cambodian medical student Sok Sambo, he has no hesitation in volunteering to work as the translator for the Chinese COVID-19 medical team in Cambodia, though he knows that the job has high risks.

The seven-member team of Chinese doctors, along with tons of medical supplies, arrived in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Monday to help combat the epidemic, as the country has so far reported a total of 98 confirmed cases of the virus.

As a medical student at the Guangxi Medical University in Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sambo said he was happy to help the Chinese medical team on their mission to help Cambodia combat the virus.

"I know it's a risky job because I have to follow them to inspect designated hospitals for COVID-19 patients, to visit patients and to see communities and people who have close contact with patients," he told Xinhua on Friday. "But this is my meager contribution to help Cambodia fight against the virus."

Sambo said the Chinese doctors specialize in the fields of infectious disease prevention, pulmonary and critical care medicine.

Since their arrival, the Chinese doctors have met with Cambodian Minister of Health Mam Bunheng and visited several health facilities for COVID-19 patients.

They visited the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, the Chak Angre Health Center, a laboratory, a Muslim community in Phnom Penh, where a few Cambodian Muslims were infected with the virus when they attended a mass Islamic religious ceremony in Malaysia.

"When they met with Cambodian health officials, they always share with them their experience in preventing and containing the virus spread, and in treating the patients," Sambo said. "I believe that with their assistance, Cambodia will be able to contain the virus soon and to heal patients more effectively."

He said the volunteering job has also provided him a very good opportunity to learn experience from the Chinese medical experts.

"I don't want to praise the Chinese doctors, but I just speak the truth: they work very hard, visiting various places and meeting people at daytime and writing reports at nighttime," he said.

"They are a role model for other doctors, and when I graduate, I'll try my best to serve my people," he added.

Cambodia has recorded a total of 98 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, said a Ministry of Health's statement released late on Thursday, adding that 11 of the patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
The West End production of Waitress will not be returning to the Adelphi Theatre when venues re-open, it has been stated by the show's official social channels.

According to the social media post, it is unlikely that the musical "will reopen once this period of uncertainty is over".

It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of our beloved production of #WaitressLondon pic.twitter.com/RpBnxHo2nF  Waitress The Musical (@WaitressLondon) March 27, 2020

Ticket holders will be contacted in due course.

Waitress initially opened at the Adelphi Theatre on 7 March 2019 and is now booking until 4 July 2020, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro. Based on the film of the same name, it follows a young waitress in a diner who dreams of leaving her job and forging a life of her own.

The show has announced a new UK and Ireland tour, which will open in Dublin in November.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) sold $16 million in the interbank foreign exchange market on Friday, which is $5 million more than on Thursday, according to a posting of the central bank on its Facebook page.

"This week, we only entered the market in three out of five days with interventions to smooth out exchange rate fluctuations and generally sold a fairly small amount of currency  less than $80 million," the NBU said.

The hryvnia exchange rate in the interbank market on Friday continued to fluctuate at around UAH 28/$1, as a day earlier.
House of Penance review: 'an inspired and creepy take on one of America's lesser-known eccentrics'

If you like Crimson Peak, you'll love House of Penance
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa  When the clock struck midnight on Friday, South Africa, Africas most industrialized nation, ordered most of its 59 million people to stay at home for three weeks  the biggest and most restrictive action in the African continent to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The lockdown was precipitated by an alarming increase in confirmed coronavirus cases across the nations nine provinces. Three weeks after the first infection was discovered in South Africa, the country is now the epicenter of the outbreak in the continent, with more than 1,000 confirmed cases, double the cases in Egypt.

In Johannesburg, the biggest city, shops and offices were shuttered in observance of the lockdown, announced on Tuesday. A few delivery trucks, minibus taxis and ambulances drove through roads normally clogged with rush-hour traffic.
By Trend

After Baku, Sumgait and Absheron region, entry and exit to other cities and regions of Azerbaijan have been also restricted, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ehsan Zahidov told Trend.

He noted that this step has been taken to ensure safety and protect people's health under the special quarantine regime.

In order to prevent coronavirus infection spread in the country and possible consequences caused as a result of the infection, Azerbaijan announced a special quarantine regime from 00:00 (GMT+4) March 24 through April 20. The special quarantine regime envisages restriction of entry and exit to/from Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron, except for special-purpose vehicles, banning those above the age of 65 from leaving home, gathering in groups of more than 10 people in public places, including on the streets, boulevards, parks, etc.
A member of a medical team wears a protective face mask, following the coronavirus outbreak, as he prepares disinfectant liquid to sanitise public places in Tehran, Iran March 5, 2020. (WANA/Nazanin Tabatabaee via Reuters)

300 Killed by Alcohol Poisoning in Iran Amid Pandemic

More than 300 people have died and another 1,000 have been sickened after drinking methanol in Iran under the guise that it can cure or protect them against the CCP virus, according to Iranian state media.

An Iranian doctor associated with the countrys Health Ministry told The Associated Press that he believes that far more have died, giving a death toll of around 480 while nearly 3,000 people have been sickened.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

Other countries have only one problem, which is the new coronavirus pandemic, said Dr. Hossein Hassanian, an adviser to Irans Health Ministry. We have to both cure the people with the alcohol poisoning and also fight the coronavirus.

Alcohol is officially banned in Iran, leading to smugglers to acquire ethanol, which is used for cleaning wounds, and methanol, which is used in antifreeze and industrial products. Both are toxic.

Soldiers wearing facemasks stand guard on road leading to a quarantine faciltity (R) for people returning from Iran via the Pakistan-Iran border town of Taftan to prevent the spread the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Sukkur in southern Sindh province on March 17, 2020. (Shahid ALI / AFP)

Unfortunately in some provinces, including Khuzestan and Fars, deaths from drinking methanol has exceeded the number of deaths from the new coronavirus, Hassanian told AP.

Methanol poisoning can cause organ and brain damage as well as nausea, blindness, and even a coma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Early on after methanol exposure, there may be a relative absence of adverse health effects. This does not imply insignificant toxicity. Methanol toxicity worsens as the degree of metabolic acidosis increases, and thus, becomes more severe as the time between exposure and treatment increases, the health agency warns on its website

There have been rumors and false social media posts shared among Iranians about drinking industrial alcohol during the pandemic, officials said.

Some of the citizens of Ahwaz had heard that drinking alcohol could help them fight the coronavirus, so they used it as a preventive measure, said Ali Ehsanpour, spokesman of Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences, according to reports earlier this month.

The deputy prosecutor of Alborz, Mohammad Aghayari, said at the time that about two-dozen people who died drank methanol after they were misled by content online, thinking they were fighting coronavirus and curing it.
Dr. Andrew W. Artenstein, who heads Baystate Healths command center for COVID-19, is scheduled to appear on CNN Live today between 11 a.m. and noon.

An infectious disease specialist with a background in retroviruses like the novel SARS-CovV-2 that has caused the current pandemic, as well as in vaccine development, Artenstein will discuss Baystate Healths response to the COVID-19 outbreak with John King, CNNs chief national correspondent.

Artenstein is Baystates chief physician executive and chief academic officer, as well as president of Baystate Medical Practices.

In a March 13 editorial board meeting with The Republican, Artenstein, who was joined by Baystate Health President and CEO Dr. Mark Keroack, stressed the publics role in lessening the burden on health care workers in responding to Covid-19 as well as saying Baystate was ready to respond in terms of staffing and bed availability.

Part of the flattening of the curve, Artenstein said, is you still have to do the right things, and all our federal authorities  the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the DPH  regionally offer good advice around the social distancing discussions they are having, the individual things you can do at little cost, a temporary inconvenience and clearly not the way we want to go about our lives as Americans, but for the short term it is the way we should in order to minimize the impact and the chance of more widespread disease.

He added, "We feel like we are in a decent place (at Baystate) to respond and roll with the punches for what is undoubtedly going to be a somewhat prolonged event here.

He stressed the majority of cases, even if they come in and get some kind of treatment and get diagnosed, with this illness will be able to go home and continue their recovery at home and be fine.

He said cases with severe complications would add a new wrinkle in terms of transmissibility of COVID-2019, but that Baystate is "perfectly suited to treat them as a tertiary and quaternary care medical center that takes care of non-epidemic conditions of very, very sick patients with lots of medical needs.

We have the technical and clinical skills to do that and we do that on a daily basis with some very sick patients," Artenstein said.

Artenstein did his internal medicine residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and his fellowship in infectious diseases and tropical medicine there as well as at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

He served as a physician scientist in the U.S. Army from 1986 through 1996 during which time he headed the Section of Protective Immunity to HIV-1 within the Division of Retrovirology at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research with vaccine field sites in northern Thailand and Washington D.C.

He is the author and editor of Vaccines: A Biography, a book detailing the history of vaccines, and In The Blink of an Eye: The Deadly Story of Epidemic Meningitis.

His CNN interview is said to follow New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo daily broadcast press briefing on his states response to COVID-19.

Baystate Health facilities in Western Massachusetts have tested 934 people for COVID-19 and found a total of 97 individuals to have the virus. Another 476 people tested negative as of March 26.
If the rate of growth in coronavirus cases in the New York metro area continues, it will suffer a more severe outbreak than those experienced within the city limits of Wuhan, China, or in the Lombardy region of Italy.

There is no guarantee, of course, that current trends will continue. What has happened to this point cant be used to predict what will happen next. It is possible that social distancing will soon slow or arrest the growth of cases.

But what can be said is that the New York metro area has had less success in flattening the curve, at this point in its outbreak, than the city of Wuhan or the Lombardy region did at the same point in theirs. And some other American metropolitan areas appear to be on a similar path.

Here are four ways to measure the size of the outbreak across the countrys metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas.

How Bad Is It Now? Cases Per 1,000 People

The New York City area has more known cases per capita than any other metro area in the United States.

Confirmed cases per 1,000 by metro area Metro or micro area Population cases Per thousand Figures as of March 26; includes micropolitan statistical areas

Pros of this measure Focuses on communities where the disease is prevalent. Cons Varying testing rates make comparisons difficult. Not all confirmed cases are active.

In the early stages of an outbreak, the population size doesnt matter  one infected person will probably infect a few people, whether that person lives in a metropolitan area of 100,000 or one of 10 million. But as an epidemic progresses, the number of cases per capita can provide a good measure of the prevalence of coronavirus in a community. Per capita measurements also give a sense of how strained a communitys health care system has become, since larger places tend to have more medical resources.

To make useful per capita comparisons, weve focused on metropolitan areas instead of countries or cities or U.S. states. Thats because metropolitan areas roughly correspond with the regions where the virus might spread quickly among families, co-workers or commuters. The New York City metropolitan area includes nearby cities and suburbs in Westchester, Long Island, and northern New Jersey, as well as sprawling, outlying areas that stretch even farther from the city.

Confirmed cases per thousand residents As of March 26; includes micropolitan statistical areas.

Our tables include numbers from Lombardy and Wuhan to provide a benchmark for metro areas in the United States. The comparisons are illustrative, but not exact. Those outbreaks have been going on longer, which means their case numbers are spread over more time. In most of the U.S., cases are from only the last month.

The number of confirmed cases is an imperfect measure of what we really care about: the prevalence of the virus in the population, and therefore  if it is early in the epidemic  how many people are sick or may be contagious. The limited availability of testing in some places means that many people with coronavirus wont be counted among the confirmed cases. And the varying rates of testing across states and countries make it hard to compare the number of confirmed cases in different regions.

How Bad Is It Now? Deaths Per 1,000 People

Deaths per capita are currently higher in the New York City area than in most other places.

Metro or micro area Population deaths Per thousand As of March 26; includes only metro areas with three deaths or more.

Pros of this measure Coronavirus deaths are much more likely to be accurately counted than total cases. Cons Death rates depend on the underlying health and age of various communities. They also lag infections by several weeks, so they dont tell us whats happening now.

Examining deaths can allow for a more direct comparison between communities, since it avoids many of the problems with variable testing. Testing differences matter less in measuring deaths because in most places with established outbreaks in the United States, the sickest patients are getting tested. (That may be less true in other parts of the world: Patients who die outside hospitals in Britain and Italy have, in some cases, been omitted from official data.)

But measuring only deaths has drawbacks, too. We know that the death rate from coronavirus differs depending on the age and health of the populations affected and the availability of medical resources, like ventilators. That means that per capita rates may look high in places where the virus has infiltrated nursing homes, for example, even if it has not spread widely through the rest of the community.

Because patients who die of Covid-19 tend to be sick for weeks first, counting deaths may also understate the current size of the outbreak in a given place if it is growing quickly.

Confirmed deaths per thousand residents As of March 26; includes only metro areas with three deaths or more.

How Bad Could It Get? Growth Rates Over Time

The number of cases in the New York area is still growing quickly.

To assess the possible future of the outbreak, its helpful to look not just at the number of cases but also at how quickly they are increasing. The accompanying chart shows the growth rate of cumulative cases over time, averaged over the previous week.

Pros of this measure Growth rates help us judge whether the epidemic is getting better or worse in a given place right now. Cons The timing of different outbreaks can make comparisons difficult. Case data quality varies a lot by place.

Here, we can see whether the trajectory of a local epidemic is getting better or worse. A growth rate of 40 percent on this chart means the cumulative number of cases is growing by 40 percent every day. A rate of 100 percent would mean that the number of cases was doubling daily.

Public health officials have been talking about the value of social distancing measures as a way to flatten the curve of the epidemic. Such a flattening would mean that the rates in this chart are falling, eventually to zero. New Yorks current growth rate is just over 30 percent, suggesting that its curve remains quite steep, and that the disease is continuing to spread rapidly throughout the region.

In some other metro areas, like Baton Rouge, La., the growth rate is high, but the number of cases is still low. That means the community may still have time to flatten its curve before the outbreak becomes widespread. But communities with a lot of cases and a high growth rate are on track to have a serious problem. A high growth rate on top of a large number of cases means that a still larger number of people are on track to become ill or die.

How Bad Could It Get? Growth Rates by Case Count

Case numbers in the New York area are also growing quickly given the size of its outbreak.

Average daily change in total cases, over the previous 7 days Confirmed cases per thousand people 

Pros of this measure Helps distinguish between places where cases are growing fast with few cases and places where cases are numerous and still growing fast. Cons Hard to read. Relies on case data.

The chart above shows the growth rate by the number of cases in a given place. This measurement shows whether a community has succeeded in slowing the rate of growth before there are many cases. In other words, it shows whether a community is succeeding at flattening the curve.

By this measure, the situation in the New York area does not appear promising. The rate of increase in cases is far higher for the number of cases than it was in Wuhan or Lombardy, once they had reached similar numbers of cases. Other U.S. metropolitan areas, like Detroit and New Orleans, stand out as places where a coronavirus outbreak might escalate quickly without preventive measures. The Seattle and San Francisco areas, in contrast, seem to have made serious progress in flattening the curve.

The chart also helps avoid the illusion of success created by a slow, initial rate of growth. Many charts depict the growth of cases over time, and it can be easy to assume that the communities that get an outbreak quickly, and therefore appear above the pack on the chart, are faring the worst. But a community that experiences a high rate of growth with a large number of cases is in serious trouble, regardless of whether the outbreak occurs 10 or 100 days after it had its first cases.
Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, listens during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Friday that the coronavirus economic stimulus bill before Congress is not an airline bailout and that taxpayers will be compensated for relief given to companies hobbled by the global pandemic.

At the same time, Mnuchin said in an interview with Fox Business Network that plane-maker Boeing has not requested government help.

"I've been very clear this is not an airline bailout," Mnuchin said. "And that taxpayers need to be compensated for relief they're giving to airlines."

U.S. airlines are preparing to tap the government for up to $25 billion in grants to cover payroll in a sharp travel downturn triggered by the coronavirus, even after the government warned it may take stakes in exchange for bailout funds, people familiar with the matter said.

Mnuchin can demand equity, warrants or other financial instruments in order to "provide appropriate compensation to the federal government." A Treasury spokeswoman declined to comment on a report that Mnuchin would demand equity.

Airlines can ask for the equivalent of their payroll between April 1 and Sept. 30 of last year, according to the terms of the bill, meaning some large airlines could get $4 billion or more in total.

The House of Representatives planned to debate the legislation on Friday, then schedule a vote.

Mnuchin said Boeing said it does not intend to participate in the federal program. "Boeing has said that they have no intention of using a program that may change in the future," Mnuchin said. "These are things that the companies need to come and ask us for. ... Right now Boeing's saying they don't need it."

Asked if the large stimulus bill could help avoid a recession, Mnuchin told Fox Business, "The No. 1 issue is not what the economic numbers are right now, the No. 1 issue is the hardship to the American people who are losing their jobs."






Up until now, its mainly been the Big Three domestic automakers committing to manufacture medical supplies for the fight against coronavirus in the United States. Today, Toyota has pledged to join in by saying it will produce masks and face shields. It also has plans to help boost the production capacity of ventilators and respirators with at least two unnamed companies.

Ted Ogawa, incoming CEO of Toyota Manufacturing of North American said this in a statement:

Toyotas core value has always been to contribute to society in meaningful ways beyond providing mobility for our customers. With our plants idled and our dealers focused on servicing customers, we are eager to contribute our expertise and know-how in order to help quickly bring to market the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the COVID crisis. Our message to the medical equipment community is we are here to help, please utilize our expertise.

Toyota says its currently ready to produce masks, but its currently seeking partners for filters. The face shields are being 3-D printed now, but mass production is scheduled to kick off next week. These masks are scheduled to be delivered to hospitals in Texas, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. The ventilator support isnt as robust as Fords and GMs intentions to actually produce the machines. Instead, Toyota plans on working with other companies to help increase their production capacity.

The Toyota Production System Support Center is offering its manufacturing/engineering know-how support to companies to increase their capacity for necessary medical and equipment. Its also helping to support communities in organizing efficient drive-through testing.

Donations are continuing. Just the other day, Toyota donated $500,000 to the United Way for emergency relief. In addition to that, its donated extra medical supplies it had.

Related video:



Click here to See Video >>
The 27th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-27) will be held in Hanoi from October 27  30, the Vietnam National Space Centre under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VASC) said on March 26.

Delegates at the APRSAF-26 (Photo: vnsc.org.vn)

The event, to be held by the VASC in coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is expected to draw space agencies from Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, China, the US, the UK and Australia.

The APRSAF-27 will feature meetings of four working groups and sideline events such as a regional water rocket competition and a poster making contest themed Peace in space.

At the plenary session, delegates will present general reports on the outcomes and orientations of the application of space technology of each country, as well as reports by four working groups and discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation in the field.

The forum will afford Vietnamese managers and scientists a chance to share professional expertise and increase international cooperation, especially in personnel training, in the field.

Throughout its 26-year history, the APRSAF has become one of the largest open forums in the field of space science with the participation of space agencies, governmental bodies, industries, academies and organisations across the region./.VNA




BEIJING, Mar 26, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - The Morningstar International Fund Awards are set to recognize the China 2020 winners on March 26. The China Southern Selected Growth Balanced Fund (202023) from China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd. won the annual Balanced Fund Award, as the only fund in the Chinese market to win this award.According to Morningstar's evaluation criteria, China Southern Selected Growth Balanced Fund has a five-star rating for the past three and five years of hybrid growth. In accordance with the data of Galaxy Securities Fund Research Center, by the end of 2019, the cumulative net growth rate of the fund since its establishment had reached 205.7%, its net growth rates for the past three and five years were 57.17% and 126.95% respectively; a similar ranking is 9.16% and 3.45% respectively. With a long-term balanced and steady performance, this China Southern Selected Growth Balanced Fund, managed by Luo Shuai, stood out from the 290 selected funds of the same category and won the Morningstar Annual Balanced Fund Award.China Southern Selected Growth Balanced Fund has also won many honorary awards: in 2018, it was awarded the five-year Open Hybrid Sustainable Winning Golden Bull Fund. In 2018 and 2019, it won the Balanced Star Fund with Five-year Sustainable Return Balance. (Source of Awards: China Securities Journal, Securities Times, March 2018, March 2019) (The past performance of the fund does not predict its future performance, and the performance of other funds managed by the fund manager does not guarantee the performance of the fund.)Company OverviewOn March 6th, 1998, China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Southern Asset Management") was officially established as one of the first domestic asset management companies approved and regulated by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as "CSRC"), which symbolizes the start of our nation's "New Golden Era for Funds".On January 4th, 2018, Southern Asset Management restructured for the Limited. On July 24th, 2019, following approval of the CSRC, Southern Asset Management realized its employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Through employee shareholding and shareholder capital increase, the registered capital was increased to CNY 361.72 million. Currently, with its headquarters in Shenzhen, Southern Asset Management has 6 branches and 2 subsidiaries.Southern Asset Management has stood the tests of time throughout periodic shifts between bull and bear market in Chinese capital market. By showing stable and sustainable performances and providing improved and professional services, Southern Asset Management managed to continuously build the trust and recognition of a wide range of investors, including mutual fund investors, the National Council for Social Security Fund, corporate annuity clients and high-net-worth clients.Southern Asset Management has grown into one of the industry leaders that boasts diverse range of products, comprehensive type of business activities, exceptional investment performance and a large scale of assets under management. As of December 31th, 2019, Southern Asset Management and its subsidiaries have a scale of combined assets under management (AUM) that totaled USD 153.9 billion.Media Contact: Si ChenE: chensi@southernfund.comChina Southern Asset ManagementURL: https://southernfund.comSource: China Southern Asset ManagementCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The Enugu State Government has banned inter-state transport into the state indefinitely.

The suspension comes into force with effect from 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. Only those on medical emergency services are allowed movement.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Simon Ortuanya, the state government also ordered the closure of all markets in the state, no matter the size, till further notice, with effect from 6pm on Tuesday, the 31st day of March, 2020.

The statement added that other categories exempted from the closure include those dealing on food items, water, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and other basic items of daily domestic need who must comply with the standard hygiene protocol as stipulated by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), including frequent handwashing with soap, use of sanitizer and social distancing.

According to Mr Ortuanya, all local government chairmen are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the closure of the markets within their respective local government councils, without prejudice to the exceptions above.

At this difficult time as no sacrifice is too much to save the lives of our people. The state government has directed the security agencies and the State Medical Response Team to enforce all the directives as stated above, he said.
WASHINGTON  In late January, as China locked down some provinces to contain the spread of the coronavirus, average internet speeds in the country slowed as people who were stuck inside went online more and clogged the networks. In Hubei province, the epicentre of infections, mobile broadband speeds fell by more than half.

In mid-February, when the virus hit Italy, Germany and Spain, internet speeds in those countries also began to deteriorate.

And last week, as a wave of stay-at-home orders rolled out across the United States, the average time it took to download videos, emails and documents increased as broadband speeds declined 4.9 per cent from the previous week, according to Ookla, a broadband speed-testing service. Median download speeds dropped 38 per cent in San Jose, Calif., and 24 per cent in New York, according to Broadband Now, a consumer broadband research site.

Quarantines around the world have made people more reliant on the internet to communicate, work, learn and stay entertained. But as the use of YouTube, Netflix, Zoom video-conferencing, Facebook calls and video-gaming has surged to new highs, the stress on internet infrastructure is starting to show in Europe and the United States  and the traffic is probably far from its peak.

This is totally unprecedented, said Thierry Breton, a European Union commissioner who oversees digital policy and was a chief executive of France Telecom. We have to be proactive.

To head off problems, European regulators like Breton have pushed streaming companies such as Netflix and YouTube to reduce the size of their video files so they do not take up as much bandwidth. In the United States, regulators have given wireless carriers access to more spectrum to bolster the capacity of their networks.

Some tech companies have responded to the call to ease internet traffic. YouTube, which is owned by Google, said this week that it would reduce the quality of its videos from high to standard definition across the globe. Disney delayed the start of its Disney Plus streaming service in France by two weeks, and Microsofts Xbox asked gaming companies to introduce online updates and new releases only at certain times to prevent network congestion.

We really dont know how long were going to be in this mode for, Dave Temkin, Netflixs vice-president of network and systems infrastructure, said in a webinar Wednesday on how the coronavirus could affect internet infrastructure.

Internet service providers like Comcast, Vodafone, Verizon and Telefonica have been building out their networks for years to account for increasing demand. But company officials said they had never seen such a steep, sudden surge. Growth that the industry had expected to take a year is happening over days, said Enrique Blanco, chief technology officer at Telefonica, a Spanish telecommunications company.

In just two days we grew all the traffic we had planned for 2020, Blanco said.

On Monday, traffic on AT&Ts networks was up 27 per cent compared to the same day last month, and last week Verizon experienced a 22 per cent increase in traffic on its wireless and fibre broadband service. Wi-Fi calls doubled from their normal volume, the carriers said.

In Europe, internet traffic into homes over fixed lines was up more than 30 per cent, according to Telefonica. Activities like online gaming and video conferencing have more than doubled, while messages over WhatsApp have more than quadrupled.

So much traffic and stress on internet networks has slowed the speed of downloading webpages and apps, according to Ookla.

Congestion is higher, said Adriane Blum, an Ookla spokesperson. Were all at home and the activities were doing in this unprecedented time are not low-bandwidth usage, which means a lot of activity on a network.

Cisco said demand for its WebEx teleconference service had tracked the spread of the coronavirus. Demand first surged in Asia, then in Europe, and last week it soared 240 per cent in the United States. The demand has pushed up failure rates delivering video conferencing, said Sri Srinivasan, a Cisco senior vice-president in charge of WebEx.

I dont know if well soon see a peak, not for weeks to come, he said. The reason I say that is because we arent seeing traffic in Asia slow down even now.

Internet service providers said they could handle the deluge of traffic but were adding capacity. Verizon, Cox and AT&T said they were building more cell sites to strengthen mobile networks, increasing the number of fibre connections on their network backbones, and upgrading the routing and switching technology that lets devices talk to one another and share an internet connection.

Orange, formerly France Telecom, has doubled its capacity inside undersea internet cables. In Italy, where home internet use is up 90 per cent, Telecom Italia said its technicians continued to make repairs and add capacity. Vodafone, one of Europes largest networks operators, said it had increased its capacity 50 per cent in recent weeks through a mix of software and the addition of more equipment in the field.

Were seeing some signs of stress, AT&Ts chief executive, Randall Stephenson, said in an interview on CNN on Sunday. Were having to go out and do some augmentation of networks, and so were sending our employees out there to get that done, but right now the network is performing quite well.

To prevent clogged networks, Europe has taken the most aggressive steps.

Last week, Breton, the EU commissioner, discussed reducing the bitstreams of videos with Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix; Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google; and Susan Wojcicki, the head of YouTube. The companies agreed, as did Amazon for its Prime Video streaming service and Twitch, its online gaming platform.

Many of the companies then went further. On Tuesday, Netflix decided to switch its high-definition video streams in India, Australia and Latin America to slightly lower quality to reduce the traffic they create there by 25 per cent, and YouTube said it would make all global streams standard definition.

We continue to work closely with governments and network operators around the globe to do our part to minimize stress on the system during this unprecedented situation, YouTube said in a statement.

Microsofts Xbox gaming business recently asked large gaming companies to release online updates of their games during off-peak hours while it helped focus on the critical internet needs of people involved in the coronavirus crisis, according to an Xbox email reviewed by the New York Times. Video game updates can require great amounts of bandwidth to download.

Xbox asked the companies to release updates in a four-hour overnight window in North America, and only from Monday through Thursday.

Microsoft is actively monitoring performance and usage trends to ensure were optimizing service for our customers worldwide, and accommodating new growth and demand, the company said. At the same time, these are unprecedented times, and were also taking proactive steps to plan for these high-usage periods.

While U.S. regulators said they did not plan to follow Europe in asking for streaming and social media companies to degrade their services, they are taking other steps. Last week, the Federal Communications Commission granted Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile temporary access to more airwaves.

The FCC has been coordinating closely with network operators to ensure those networks remain up and running, Ajit Pai, the agencys chair, said in a statement.

Telefonicas Blanco, who has been living under a lockdown in Spain, said he expected the record traffic to last for some time. It may even become the new normal, he said.

In Spain, internet use drops only at 8 p.m., when people across the country go to their windows to cheer health workers and others who are helping to manage the crisis.

Suddenly at 8 p.m. it goes down, then it goes back up, Blanco said. Its a beautiful thing.

Read more about:
Government, through the Risk Communications and Social Mobilisation Group of the Ghana Health Service, on Thursday organised a sensitisation workshop for political parties to rally them towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.



Representatives of political parties present at the meeting included the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People's Party (CPP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).



It formed part of government's objectives of engaging with faith-based organizations, trade union associations, market queens and education institutions to curb the spread of the virus in the country.



The virus has so far affected 132 people in the country with three deaths, according to the Ghana Health Service portal for updating the public.



The event was organised by the Information Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.



Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, in his welcome remarks, said political parties had large followings, therefore, they could play a crucial role in disseminating information to the populace and sometimes offer alternative ideas on how to combat the virus.



"We're in the midst of a global challenge, with a national dimension, therefore, it's not time to score a political capital out of the situation.

"We must all rally together to battle this pandemic on a common front," the Minister advised.



Mr Oppong Nkrumah said health experts would educate members of the political parties on the deadly virus and solicit their ideas and alternative suggestions to end the scourge.



Mr Alexander K.K. Abban, a Deputy Minister of Health, for his part, underscored the need to work in unity to fight a common enemy, devoid of any bickering and mudslinging.



He said the situation is precarious, hence the need for everybody put his shoulders to the wheel to fight the deadly virus.



"We need ideas and those ideas must not be shaped in political partisanship but work together as Ghanaians on a common mission," the Deputy Minister advised.

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
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Two women ranking police officers of the Armenian police force have been appointed to top positions in two cities, a move which PM Nikol Pashinyan described as unprecedented for the history of Armenia.

Lt. Colonel Meline Yeghshatyan has been appointed to serve as Police Commissioner of the Gugark PD, and Captain Janna Shahnazaryan has been appointed to serve as Police Commissioner of the Tsaghkadzor PD.

This is in pursuance of our policy regarding increasing womens involvement in all sectors of public life. Good luck to Meline Yeghshatyan and Janna Shahnazaryan. Its not gonna be easy. But I believe that with their example many women will be inspired, and men will become more responsible, PM Nikol Pashinyan said on social media.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
President Donald Trump reversed course Friday and announced that hes ordering General Motors to produce ventilators needed by hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump took action under the Defense Production Act, a 1950 law that gives the president legal power over industrial production, and signed a memorandum to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators.

Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course, Trump said in a statement. GM was wasting time. Todays action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

Trump signed an executive order allowing for use of the DPA last week, but he has largely resisted pleas for him to use it. He said last weekend that the private sector was already stepping up to make products in low supply  ventilators, portable X-ray devices, COVID-19 test reagents, masks and gowns  and that using the DPA would be akin to socialism.

Were getting what we need without putting the heavy hand of government down, he said at a press briefing Sunday.

Governors struggling to acquire ventilators for their states have urged Trump to address the shortage.

We need the product now, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Sunday. We have cries from hospitals around the state. Ive spoken to governors around the country, and theyre in the same situation.

Others have said the companies theyve contacted for supplies are selling units to other countries first.

Im competing with countries outside the United States to get things that we need, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said Monday at a press conference.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus

Stay...

Continue reading on HuffPost
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) on Friday said it has been able to exhaust its entire BS-IV stock before the March 31 deadline.

The company said that only a small number of BS-IV units is left with dealers.

Despite considerable headwinds in the market including the ongoing slump in the commercial vehicle (CV) industry and the challenges presented by the ongoing lockdown, the company was able to beat the March 31 deadline for final registration of BS-IV vehicles, DICV said in a statement.

The company has cleared BS-IV stock with zero units left in the factory and less than a handful of vehicles left at dealers nationwide, it added.

"From the beginning, we fully believed in the necessity of BS-VI as a way of creating a greener future for India. This made us proactive in developing BS-VI technology so we could discontinue BS-IV as quickly as possible," DICV Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Satyakam Arya said.

The company said it has less than a handful of BS-IV trucks left at its dealerships.

"As we approach the March 31 deadline, we have less than a handful of BS-IV trucks left at our dealerships. Like our customers and the rest of the Indian public, we are looking forward to moving into the next stage of our future -- BS-VI," DICV Vice-President (Marketing and Sales) Rajaram Krishnamurthy said.

In current circumstances, any BS-IV stock left with dealers after March 31 would be as good as scrap since it would not be possible to get such vehicles registered.

The country is all set to switch to the BS-VI emission norms regime from April 1.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi: Calling the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic an ''unprecedented threat and invisible assassin'', the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday (March 27, 2020) cut the Repo Rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent and slashed Reverse Repo Rate by 90 basis points to 4 per cent as part of measures to ease the pain on banks and industries which are suffering from the 21-day lockdown.

This was announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das,who said, Repo rate has been reduced by 75 basis points to 4.4.%. Reverse repo-rate reduced by 90 basis points to 4%. He added that the RBI Monetary policy committee voted 4:2 majority to cut 75 basis points to 4.4 pc during its meeting between March 25-27.

He further informed that the Cash Reserve Ratio of all banks has been reduced by 100 basis point to 3% from March 28, 2020 for a period of 1 year. This will release 1.37 lakh crore. Describing the Coronavirus pandemic as an ''invisible assassin'', the RBI chief said that all these measures will release 3.74 lakh crore into the system and ease pressure on the banks.

Th central bank also permitted all banks and lending institutions to allow a 3-month moratorium on all loans. ''All lending institutions allowed to defer interest on working capital repayments by 3 months. The moratorium on term loans, deferment of interest payment will not result in asset classification downgrade and banks may reassess working capital cycle. It will not be treated as NPA,'' the RBI Governor said.

He added that at present, the priority is to undertake strong and purposeful action to protect domestic economy. "Need for all stakeholders to fight against the pandemic and banks should do all they can to keep credit flowing. Indian bank system is safe and sound. Public should not worry about their deposit in private sector banks, they should not resort to panic withdrawal," Das said.

Among other measures, he said, ''Incremental CCB (capital conservation buffer) implementation deferred from March 30, 2020 to Sep 30, 2020. Offshore Rupee NDF Market has been growing rapidly. Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) was required to be introduced from April 1, 2020. Will defer NSFR implementation to October, 2020.''

"Large sell offs in markets have intensified pressure. RBI will conduct auctions of long term repo operation (LTRO) of three-year tenure upto Rs1 lakh crore at floating rate linked to policy rate," the RBI Governor said.

The move was expected as the central bank, in the past few days, has been actively engaging with the market through repo operations to infuse significant liquidity into the system to ensure that the financial system doesnt turn illiquid. The central bank had been doing rupee dollar swap operations to minimise the currency swings.

Beginning March 25, for a period of three weeks, India is under a complete lock-down to curb the spread of the COVID-19. This will have an impact across key economic segments including manufacturing, services, construction and tourism.

On March 26, the government announced a mix of measures including direct cash transfers and distribution of free food grains for a period of three months to help the economically weaker sections of the society tide over the crisis phase. Now, the RBI Governor is expected to spell out more measures.

On Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a press conference and announced a relief package for the poor and migrant workers amid a 21-day countrywide lockdown to mitigate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

In the context of a major economic slowdown and a 21-day lock-down to counter the coronavirus spread, economists expected a rate cut by the monetary policy committee (MPC) latest by 3 April. Market expects anywhere between 25-50 basis points rate cut in key rates. One bps is one hundredth of a percentage point. A significant rate cut at this juncture may not revive loan demand in a big way but can act as a sentimental booster to the financial system and lower the borrowing cost in the money market.

The RBI had earlier cut rates by 135 bps.
PUNE, India, March 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The direct drive wind turbine is defined as a mechanism where the power is directly transferred from the motor without any reductions, with no need for a gearbox. Market Research Future (MRFR) has published a research report about the global direct drive wind turbine market that calculates raise for this market at 11.5% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) during the forecast period between 2017 and 2022.

Analyzing the market structure, this report evaluates the future growth potential of the market. It assesses the strategies of the key players in the market and supports the competitive developments like joint ventures, new product developments, mergers & acquisitions, research and developments (R&D) in the market.

The most important factor shaping the direct drive wind turbine market growth is a range of advantages that include higher torque with low rpm, increased efficiency, and reduced noise. Other factors, carrying out the growth of this market include depleting fossil fuel reserves, favorable government policies, increasing greenhouse gas emission, increasing significance of renewable energy sources, growing concern for energy conservation, and rising demand for energy.

Get the Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2465

The global direct drive wind turbine market has been segmented on the basis of capacity, technology, and lastly, region. Based on capacity, this market has been segmented into less than 1 mega watt (MW), 1MW to 3MW, and more than 3MW. The technology-based segmentation segments the market into an electrically excited synchronous generator and permanent magnet synchronous generator. During the forecast period, the permanent magnet synchronous generator technology is expected to experience significant growth due to the increase in offshore activities.

The regional segmentation of the global direct drive wind turbine market segments the market into the regional markets known as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and rest of the world (RoW). Europe is the largest regional market that is expected to expected to retain its position during the forecast period due to its efficient utilization of renewable energy sources used. Many key market players are also operating in European countries. Other factors contributing to the market growth are favorable government regulations and the massive revenue contribution from countries such as France, Ireland, Spain, and the UK, followed by the remaining countries of Europe.

The second most important regional market is the Asia Pacific region because the adoption of gearless wind turbines is increasing in the emerging economies like China and India due to the growing energy needs in the region. In this region, the market is growing due to continuous capacity additions to the existing industry participants. The increased awareness of renewable energy usage is also contributing to the market growth. Other factors leading to the market growth in this region are increasing the number of plant managers focussing on enhancing operational efficiency, and therefore, resulting in the reduction of maintenance costs. Other important country-specific markets in this region include Japan and South Korea, followed by the remaining countries of the Asia Pacific region.

In North America, the market is strong due to the presence of established industries, the government encouraging the use of eco-friendly technology, and the presence of many key market players. The key country-specific markets in this region are the USA, Canada, and Mexico, followed by the remaining countries in North America.

Key Players

The key players in the global direct drive wind turbine market include American Superconductor Corporation (USA), Emergya Wind Technologies B.V. (The Netherlands), ENERCON GmbH (Germany), General Electrics Renewable Energy (USA), Goldwind Science & Technology Co. Ltd. (China), Leitwind AG (Italy), Siemens AG (Germany), VENSYS Energy AG (Germany), Windtronics LLC (USA), and Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Group (China).

Latest Industry News

Brazilian electrical equipment manufacturer WEG SA has acquired the Energy Storage System (ESS) business of US-based Northern Power Systems Corp. 13 FEB 2019

On the basis of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) Offshore Direct-Drive wind-turbine platform, the new SG 8.0-167 DD offshore turbine variant can meet the full range of technical conditions present in waters along the U.S. coasts and in the Great Lakes. The new variant has been tailored for US market conditions. 16 OCT 2018

Access Full Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/direct-drive-wind-turbine-market-2465

Global Direct Drive Wind Turbine Market by Capacity (Less than 1MW, 1MW to 3MW, More than 3MW), by Technology (Electrically Excited Synchronous Generator and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator), by Region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Rest of World) - Forecast to 2022

Ph. No: +91-8050334817

Email: Ehtesham.peerzade@marketresearchfuture.in
Italy and Spain reported their deadliest day yet since the coronavirus outbreak began even as Paris warned that hospitals will be swamped in the next 48 hours.

Italy has become the second country after the US to overtake China in terms of the number of infections, recording a total of 86,498. On the same day, it recorded its single biggest spike in the number of deaths at 919.

More than 300,000 cases have now been reported on the European continent.

The gruesome milestones nevertheless came on the day Italian health officials said they were seeing a slight slowing down in new positive cases, two weeks into a nationwide lockdown.

Italy has recorded more virus-related deaths than any other country in the world. On Friday the death toll reached 9,134.

The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy reported a steep rise in fatalities compared with the day before and remains in a critical situation, with a total of 5,402 deaths and 37,298 cases.

That compared with 4,861 deaths and 34,889 cases reported up to Thursday.

Spains health ministry on Friday reported another 769 deaths, lifting the total number of fatalities to 4,858. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez convened an emergency cabinet meeting to try to chart a way out of the crisis rapidly engulfing the nation as confirmed cases climbed to 64,059 from 56,188 on Thursday.

Spains severely strained health service has 9,444 workers infected, a figure Amnesty International says is the highest among countries affected by the outbreak.

With Italy and Spain now reporting the most deaths worldwide, Europes outbreak is stretching health-care systems and in some cases forcing doctors to choose who should live or die.

In France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in a speech the government had decided to extend the countrys coronavirus lockdown by two weeks until April 15 hours after he raised the alarm over an extremely high surge in coronavirus cases in the country and warned things will be difficult in the coming days.

After these first 10 days of confinement, it is clear that we are just at the beginning of this epidemic wave. It has submerged eastern France and now it is arriving in the Paris region and northern France, Philippe said.

Futhermore, the spike in patients means hospitals in and around Paris will reach saturation point within 48 hours, the head of the French Hospital Federation warned on Friday.

Paris and its suburbs now account for over a quarter of the 29,000 confirmed coronavirus infections in French hospitals, with almost 1,300 now in intensive care.

We will be at the limit of our capacities in 24 or 48 hours. We will need to show real solidarity, Frederic Valletoux, the federations president told BFM TV.
With two more people testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday, the number of coronavirus positive cases in Bihar touched nine.

Confirming the report, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) Agamkuan Director, Dr Pradeep Das said, We have found two young men who have tested coronavirus positive. Both of them are being treated at the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH). Some new samples have also been sent for tests and the results are awaited.

Sources said that a youth from Siwan and one belonging to Nalanda, have tested coronavirus positive. One young man had recently returned from Dubai to his native village in Siwan while another from Begusarai came in contact with a coronavirus patient at a private hospital in Patna. At present, five patients, including a woman are admitted to the NMCH for treatment under security as one of them had tried to escape on Wednesday night, he added.

Hospital staff said that a team from the World Health Organisation visited the community hall at Lodi Katra in Patna to find out the history of a young man who had tested positive a few days back. He had come in contact with more than 200 people during a marriage ceremony at the community hall.

The team also took samples of a doctor and some other medical staff who treated the young man at the private hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment at the NMCH, he added.

Earlier, on Thursday a 20-year-old youth had also tested positive in the city.
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A week after conducting her first Mobile Food Pantry event in Richmond Heights, Councilwoman Kim Thomas said she will be back with a monthly food giveaway in the city.

For about the past five years, the active councilwoman has been teaming with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to hold Mobile Food Pantry giveaways in Clevelands Buckeye neighborhood. On March 19, she decided to try one in her home city and was surprised by the large turnout.

I found out that there was definitely a need here, she said of Richmond Heights and its surrounding suburbs. Between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. March 19, Thomas said just over 1,000 people were fed by bags of fruits and vegetables from the food bank. The produce included cantaloupes, apples, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes and more.

Normally, she said, it takes four hours at the Buckeye location to disperse all of the 6,000 pounds of food ordered from the food bank. In Richmond Heights, it took about two-and-a-half hours for volunteers to hand out 10,000 pounds of produce.

We were out of food, and I felt so bad, she said. We just had a few things left, some tomatoes and a few other things (not complete bags of produce), and so we gave them to the last few cars. I dont like to see anyone go away without food.

Thomas was unsure what the demand would be, so she ordered from the food bank what is known as the grapefruit-size delivery of 10,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables.

I asked for things that could be used to stretch a meal, so we only had fruits and vegetables, Thomas said.

The grapefruit size proved not quite large enough as, to her astonishment, lines of cars held up traffic in both directions on Highland Road and made traveling on intersecting Richmond Road difficult, as well.

I had to call the (Richmond Heights Police) Chief (Thomas Wetzel) and tell him that I really hadnt thought out the logistics of this, Thomas said. Hes such a nice guy; he came out and was directing traffic himself.

Thomas said four other police officers came out to help form a traffic pattern, while another officer volunteered time on his day off to help pack bags of food. Volunteers packed bags in the middle school gymnasium, and the bags were delivered to those in need as they drove up near the gym and Board of Education building at 447 Richmond Road.

Thomas said that as each of the approximately 250 cars drove up, people inside the autos were asked how many were in their family that needed to be fed. Depending on how large the family, volunteers gave out two, three and sometimes four bags per car.

When cars blocked traffic on Highland Road, Richmond Heights police were called to set up a traffic pattern for those picking up food. (Photo Courtesy of Kim Thomas)

In all, 35 volunteers helped out, including fellow Councilwoman Cassandra Nelson; Richmond Heights Schools Superintendent Renee Willis and her staff members; and Thomas husband, Danny, daughter, Amira, 29, and son, Christopher, 35.

The vast majority of people (served) were from Richmond Heights, and it was a very diverse group," Kim Thomas said. "And I know we had three families from Lyndhurst, some from Cleveland Heights and Euclid. It showed that there was definitely a need for this in the community.

As such, Thomas intends to continue serving those in the Buckeye neighborhood on a monthly basis and has planned to hold drive-thru Mobile Food Pantries in Richmond Heights, centered at the middle school gym, on the third Thursday of each month, beginning April 16. We will also provide residents with handouts for other resources available during these uncertain times and COVID-19 health/safety tips, Thomas said.

Many people asked on March 19 if future food pantries would be held, so volunteers took names and contact information to spread the word about upcoming food giveaways. In addition, Thomas said, volunteers delivered food on March 19 to needy seniors living in apartments.

Richmond Heights Councilwoman Kim Thomas. (Photo Courtesy of City of Richmond Heights)

This is what I do, said Thomas of her work to help others.

On March 5, she teamed with Nelson to organize a county resource forum for residents and local business owners at Richmond Heights High School. She is already planning a health forum for residents in 2021.

At-risk youth from the nonprofit Change of Direction volunteered and were served at the March 19 food pantry. Change of Direction was founded by Thomas husband, who is retired from law enforcement, to help counsel young people.

I wouldnt be the person my mother raised if I didnt give back to the community, Kim Thomas said. Hopefully, Ill pass that on to my grandchildren. You have to give back.

U.S. Census

Another Thomas initiative is to inspire all to fill out their 2020 U.S. Census forms. Thomas is taking a page from the high school national signing day fashioned for blue-chip athletes and using the format to promote the 2020 Census.

This signing day, she said, will feature elected officials.

Its my goal to have every public official in Ohio complete their Census questionnaire form on April 1, Thomas said. We can demonstrate leadership by filling out the survey and post the act on social media.

Were supposed to be city leaders. If we set the example, others will follow. I thought, Why not make this fun?

Thomas said it is especially important in this year of coronavirus emergency, when people are dealing with loss of jobs, to make sure all residents are counted so that the city gets proper funding.

Speaking on a countywide level, Thomas said, "If 10,000 people are overlooked, that equates to $18 million in lost benefits annually for Cuyahoga County -- and a total of $180 million lost over the decade.

The census is more than a game, she said. "The stakes are high, and everyone needs to be counted. This is the ultimate team concept, and everyone in the state is important.

Read more from the Sun Messenger.
Lukas Kopacki, home from college after the coronavirus pandemic closed his campus, was feeling lousy for days with headaches, sore throat and difficulty breathing through his nose. But he worried that a trip to a doctor's office might make him sicker.

"I had no desire to go into that cesspool of bacteria and viruses," said Kopacki, 19, of Ringwood, New Jersey.

So, last week the University of Vermont student called Teladoc, a company that connects patients to doctors by phone nationwide. Its physician diagnosed his sinus infection and sent a prescription for an antibiotic to his local pharmacy. With his Aetna health coverage, which earlier this month temporarily waived its $45 patient copayment for virtual care, Kopacki paid out-of-pocket $1.44, which covered his costs for the drug.

"It was quick and easy," he said.

Getting heath care by phone or video conferencing has been around for several decades, but the outbreak of coronavirus has led to an increase in telemedicine use as never seen before, according to health systems and provider groups across the country.

Millions of Americans are seeking care by connecting with a doctor electronically, many for the first time. Health systems, insurers and physician groups said it allows people to practice social distancing while reducing the spread of the disease and protecting health workers.

Private technology companies such as Teladoc, Doctor On Demand and Amwell and large health care systems can provide a doctor directly to someone who contacts them. Other patients may seek a telemedicine appointment with their regular physician, who can use computer applications through smartphones and computers. All types of primary and specialty care and mental health services can be provided via telemedicine.

Many hospitals have recently added telemedicine services to keep patients concerned about the coronavirus from clogging their emergency rooms.

Also spurred by the goal to keep patients away from crowded medical facilities, government and private insurers have increased the payment for telemedicine visits so they are on par with in-person visits. Before the outbreak, insurers paid less than half that amount, which dissuaded many doctors from offering the services.

Medicare last week allowed all enrollees to use telemedicine  an option that previously was available only to people living in remote areas and for a specific, short checkup. The federal government also said doctors could practice across state lines during the pandemic to treat Medicare patients virtually, even if not licensed in the patient's state. California, Florida and other states have also waived their requirements that a physician be licensed in the state to provide care.

The Cleveland Clinic is on track to log more than 60,000 telemedicine visits in March, according to officials there. Before March, that health system - which has hospitals in Ohio and Florida  averaged about 3,400 virtual visits a month.

Its Express Care Online system serves patients across the country 24 hours a day. About 75% of the calls now come from people worried they have COVID-19, said Dr. Matthew Faiman, medical director of the service. Like many other health systems, Cleveland Clinic's virtual urgent care is waiving patient copays during the pandemic.

"We are seeing a significant upsurge in demand from patients seeking care - both the worried well and patients who are sick and wanting to know how to manage their symptoms," Faiman said. The clinic has pulled more doctors into the telehealth work since elective surgeries were canceled and fewer patients are making in-person visits.

He applauded the Medicare changes and predicted such changes will likely stay after the national emergency ends.

Dr. Manish Naik, chief medical information technology officer at the Austin Regional Clinic in Texas, also predicted it will be hard to go back.

"Telemedicine has been on the brink for a while now," Naik said. "And doctors and patients are going to find that when this is all over and the dust settles there are a lot of people who are going to want the telemedicine option to stay."

Of course, such visits have limitations, such as when doctors need to listen to a patient's lungs or order an X-ray to check for pneumonia. But Naik said telemedicine also gives doctors a more complete view of the patients through "observation around the home" and interactions there that shows "things we never could see before."

Before March, NYU Langone Health in New York had about 50 virtual visits a day through its urgent care telemedicine platform. During the week of March 23, the hospital system is averaging about 900 a day.

For 80% of telemedicine visits, cough is the chief complaint followed by fever, said Dr. Paul Testa, its chief medical information officer. NYU Langone has 170 doctors who attend to telemedicine patients, up from 35 two weeks ago, he said.

"We are not recommending testing for everyone, but we are recommending self-care, hydration and self-isolation," Testa added. "The goal is to create a new front line for these patients rather than have them rush into an urgent care or ER."

If a patient is having trouble breathing or otherwise is in distress, an NYU telemedicine provider will direct them to call an ambulance if necessary or go to the ER and alert the hospital the patient is coming.

Teladoc is averaging 15,000 patient visits a day in the United States, 50% higher than in February. Wait times have increased from minutes to hours in some cases, a spokesperson said.

At the Austin Regional Clinic, which has 340 doctors in 28 offices, nearly half of patient visits are now virtual compared with a fraction before the outbreak.

"With the COVID-19 situation, we have patients who are nervous about coming in, and we don't want patients with symptoms coming in and exposing others," Naik said.

He said that for years the clinic made the telemedicine option available, but it did not make sense financially to promote it because insurers paid less than half the rate they would for an in-person visit.

The Medicare payment change can't be understated, he said, because it covers such a large number of patients and because private insurers usually follow Medicare policies. "That's really allowed us to open things up," Naik said.

Advocates for decades have called on Medicare to expand telemedicine coverage, but federal officials held back because of concerns about increased costs. Critics worried telemedicine would not replace in-person doctor visits but lead to more total visits because of the ease with which people could connect to their doctors via telemedicine.

The Trump administration had been moving to widen telemedicine options even before the pandemic. In 2019, it allowed Medicare for the first time to pay doctors on average about $14 for a five-minute "check-in" phone call with their patients.

Ken Prussner, 74, of Herndon, Virginia, used his home computer Monday to connect with his longtime physician.

Prussner had a gastrointestinal illness and a low-grade fever and his family wanted to make sure he didn't have COVID-19. His doctor's office sent him a website link and his physician spoke to him as if he was in the office. He allayed Prussner's fear, telling him he had a typical lower-bowel infection that would clear up on its own within three to five days.

"It was pretty seamless," said Prussner, a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer.
Yemens warring parties have agreed to their first nationwide cease-fire in four years, part of an effort to fend off calamity should the war-ravaged nation controlled by rival governments be struck by the coronavirus pandemic. No COVID-19 cases have been documented in Yemen so far, but the World Health Organization has warned of an imminent explosion in the number of cases.

The acceptance of a cease-fire by the domestic protagonists and their regional backers was in response to the UN secretary-generals March 25 call for an immediate end to hostilities. This week marked the fifth anniversary of the Saudi-led coalitions intervention against Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen.

Yet the early signs were hardly promising. The Saudi-led Arab coalition said today that it had intercepted and destroyed three drones launched by Houthi rebels targeting civilians in the towns of Abha and Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia.

Repeated efforts at brokering a truce have failed. Since the start of this year, fighting has escalated anew, tipping the balance in the Houthis' favor. The rebels, who call themselves Ansar Allah, have advanced on Marib, the last stronghold and economic lifeline of Yemens internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

The International Crisis Group warned in a briefing that "an all-out battle for Marib could precipitate an enormous humanitarian disaster, as the province hosts at least 800,000 Yemenis already displaced from homes elsewhere. It could also scotch already dwindling chances of a nationwide de-escalation that in turn could lead to talks to end the war.

The conflict, which has broadly pitted a Saudi-led coalition backed by the UAE, the United States and Great Britain against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, has resulted in what the UN calls the worlds biggest humanitarian crisis.

Both the Houthi rebels and the GNA announced flight bans the week before last to staunch the spread of coronavirus. But the Red Cross said it expected aid deliveries to continue via air and sea.

Yemens shattered hospitals cannot cope with the pandemic, health groups warn. Yemen-based Mwatana for Human Rights and the New York-based Physicians for Human Rights documented attacks on health care facilities. In a March 18 report, they stated, One of the most distinctive  and devastating  abuses of the conflict has been attacks on medical infrastructure and health workers.

Saudi-Emirati-led coalition forces have primarily destroyed and damaged hospitals, clinics, vaccination centers and other medical points through aerial attacks.

According to the Yemen Data Project, which monitors the conflict, nearly a third of all 20,000-plus coalition bombing raids to date have hit civilian infrastructure.

Kristine Beckerle, the legal director for accountability and redress at Mwatana for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, "Since the period covered by the report, further health facilities have been attacked, further health workers have been harassed, and aid has been blocked and impeded over and over again  and now there is a global pandemic to contend with. Beckerle added, The health system is collapsed, people are already sick and starving, and until now, the warring parties, Ansar Allah, the Saudi-UAE coalition, the Yemeni government have gravely exacerbated all the above.

Children are among the worst affected as cholera and diphtheria swept across the country, claiming thousands of lives. The UN estimates that around 2 million Yemeni children under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition and disease. As of the 2019 school year, at least as many were out of school as a result of the conflict.

At least 100,000 people have died since the start of the war.

Taha al-Mutawakel, the health minister for the Houthis self-declared National Salvation Government, said March 21 that 93% of Yemens medical equipment is out of service.

Yet this dire picture failed to sway the Donald Trump administration.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the biggest donors to UN operations in Yemen, is poised to slash hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Houthi-held areas.

The move is meant to pressure the Houthis to relax restrictions on humanitarian relief organizations. Washington contends that these restrictions are designed to mask the fact that much of the aid ends up in rebel hands.

Civilians are caught between the corruption of the Houthis and international donors decision to punish the Houthis, said Afrah Nasser, Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch.

As a result, millions of civilians, especially the almost 4 million [internally displaced people], are caught up in an intolerable situation, Nasser said.

Some 70% of Yemens estimated population of 25 million rely on aid for their survival. Some 80% live in territory controlled by the Houthis.

This includes the nations capital, Sanaa, which was taken by the rebels in 2014. In March 2015, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia. He continues to direct the GNA from Riyadh, but his territory is shrinking.

The International Crisis Group observed that since January, the Houthis have seized strategic government military bases to the northeast of Sanaa, the rebel-held capital, and swaths of territory in al-Jawf governorate bordering Saudi Arabia, including the provincial capital, al-Hazm.

Since September, the Saudis have been holding secret back-channel talks brokered by Oman after the Houthis said they would stop drone and missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. Shortly before, the rebels claimed they had struck the kingdoms largest crude refining facility and an oilfield, which cut production by half. Saudi Arabia and the United States blamed Iran for the attacks.

The kingdoms crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, is widely seen as the architect of Saudi intervention amid fears that Iranian predominance in Yemen would stir trouble among Saudi Arabias own minority Shiite population. Saudi Arabia shares a 1,100-mile border with Yemen. But victory has grown ever more elusive.

The Emiratis have started to act independently of the Saudis since last year, pulling out most of their troops and propping up a separatist movement in South Yemen that wants to reestablish the regions independence.

With oil prices at historic lows, the kingdom has less cash to sink into the Yemen quagmire. The back channel with the Houthis has proved largely fruitless. Hence the Saudis may yet make a virtue of necessity and use the coronavirus pandemic  and this weeks cease-fire  as a way out of the conflict. For Saudi Arabia, the cease-fire can serve as a very convenient exit without losing face," Nasser said.
A top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned the media on Thursday that the drastic situation in New York regarding the coronavirus pandemic may be a preview of what is to come.

New York has reported 37,258 positive COVID-19 cases as of Thursday, accounting for nearly half of the countrys total. More than two-thirds of the diagnoses in the state were in New York City. Currently, 385 New Yorkers have died from the viral respiratory infection, and 1,301 patients have died nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In an interview with the digital news outlet The Hill, Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, said the public health agency is noticing a spike in the number of cases of the disease in New York City and in several other densely packed communities.

Were looking at our flu syndromic data, our respiratory illness that presents at emergency departments. Across the country theres a number of areas that are escalating. The numbers in New York are so large that they show up, but were looking at increases over time and were really seeing some in a number of places. It would be surprising to me based on what Ive seen about how this virus spreads if it were not going to increase in many other parts of the country, Schuchat said in her interview with The Hill.

To date, there are more than 86,000 cases of the coronavirus across all 50 states, according to Johns Hopkins University. Twenty-five deaths due to the illness and 2,417 positive diagnoses have been identified in Massachusetts as of Thursday. The number of COVID-19 patients in the commonwealth jumped by 579 from Wednesday.

I think what were seeing in New York City and New York state right now is a real warning to other areas about what may happen or what may already be starting to happen," Schuchat told The Hill.

Other states and cities in particular are seeing a rapid rise in their numbers of cases as well.

New Orleans may be the next epicenter for the disease. Louisiana identified its first positive diagnoses of the infection on March 9. The number of cases surpassed 100 a week later, and the caseload stood at 2,305 on Friday, with 83 reported deaths in the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

There have been 997 cases of COVID19 in New Orleans, 46 of which have resulted in death, according to the city.

The CDC has dispatched teams to multiple coronavirus hotspots, including New York City and Seattle. Personnel from the agency have also more recently been sent to Colorado, Louisiana and Wisconsin, The Hill reported.

Theres just dozens of places were watching, Schuchat told the news outlet. We really need to expect that the whole countrys at risk here, and we have to look across our health care system within each jurisdiction to have them be as strong as possible.

The pandemic has led governors in Massachusetts, California, Illinois, New York, Ohio and others to issue stay-at-home guidance or orders, as many public officials ask individuals to practice social distancing.

Schuchat told The Hill that ending these measures prematurely may have devastating consequences.

Everything that Im seeing today suggests to me that we need to take this virus very seriously, and that we have to be absolutely sure that our health care system in diverse geographies is ready for increased burden," she said in her interview with the news outlet.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:
The Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1918 was one of the most devastating events in human history, killing an estimated 20 to 50 million people worldwide.

Like everywhere else, Syracuse felt the pain, with 900 deaths reported in the city.

One of the saddest stories to emerge locally involved a young woman named Daisy Lovine, who was so desperate for a child of her own she kidnapped a baby. But the story doesnt end as you might think. In fact, its a story of compassion and forgiveness that, as one newspaper writer at the time said was so compelling, only a master novelist could do it justice.

That story begins on a sidewalk outside Woolworths five and ten store on Salina Street on March 7, 1918.

Syracuse was shocked with news that a bay was taken from in front of the city's Woolworth store in broad daylight on March 7, 1918. These headlines are from the front page of the Syracuse Herald the next day. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

Besides murder, kidnapping was the most serious crime that a person could commit in Syracuse in 1918. In the history of Onondaga County, up to that point, there had not been a single kidnapping trial.

So that could explain the shocked reaction to what occurred outside of Syracuses Woolworths on South Salina Street on March 7, 1918.

In broad daylight, a cream-colored baby carriage holding ten-month-old Dorothy Martin was taken, with the child inside, while her mother shopped inside the store.

(This, apparently, was what done with babies while people shopped. More than once women remained with her while I shopped and sometimes men would stop and cast admiring eyes at the baby, the childs mother told the police.)

The police were summoned, and officers were posted outside of railroad and trolley stations.

Meanwhile, the abducted childs parents, Cora and James of 517 Lodi Street, walked the streets of the city, wild with grief, all night and into the next morning, searching for their baby.

In desperation, Cora even turned to a clairvoyant for help, the medium telling her that the child was taken by a woman who had admired the baby.

After almost 26 hours of terror, the Martins worst fears were over when there was a knock on their door.

On the front porch was a young couple, John and Daisy Lovine of Shonnard Street, holding the unharmed, and very happy, Dorothy Martin.

This snapshot of the Martins, Cora and James, with baby Dorothy, was taken shortly before the baby was kidnapped by Daisy Lovine. Taken from the March 9, 1918 Syracuse Herald. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

My baby! My baby, Cora shouted. Oh, Jim, they brought her back safe!

Then baby was in mothers arms, fairly smothered by the embraces and kisses, a Post-Standard reporter who was in the home wrote. There was no happier woman in Syracuse last night than Mrs. Martin.

The Martins and the Lovines went to police headquarters to tell detectives what had happened.

Daisy Lovine told a fantastic story of how little Dorothy had fallen into her care.

A cousin from Chittenango, Sadie Kimble from Chittenango, whom the Lovines had not seen for years, had come for a visit and asked Daisy to watch her child for a couple of days while she sought work in Syracuse. Kimble also brought a baby carriage that she asked to be repainted by Daisys husband. Kimble gave Daisy a can of blue enamel and a small brush to do the job.

To police, this Sadie Kimble sounded like just person who would commit such an act as kidnapping.

As a young girl she had been confined at the Shelter for Unprotected Girls and her most of her male family members were currently incarcerated, including her father, uncle and brother.

In addition, a child born to Kimble in 1915 had died shortly after birth.

Maybe she was overcome by grief by the loss of a child? Maybe she wanted to use the Martin baby as ransom?

A frantic search was begun for Kimble but after three days there were no signs of her.

But Syracuse Deputy Police Chief OBrien was not satisfied with Daisy Lovines story and put two detectives on her trail.

In some clever police work, Detectives Edward Smith and Edward Bamrick secretly photographed Daisy and went to a bunch of Syracuse stores which sold paint and paintbrushes.

At Kresges on South Salina Street, a clerk, remembered selling blue paint and a small brush to the woman in the photo.

The detectives went to the Lovine home and, after originally sticking to her story, Daisy broke down and confessed to the kidnapping.

After her confession on March 11, 1918, 22-year-old Daisy Lovine was taken directly to the Onondaga County Jail. She faced between 10 and 50 years for the serious crime of kidnapping.

After one day, Daisy Lovine's story fell apart and she confessed to Syracuse police that she was responsible for the kidnapping of Dorothy Martin. New York State Digital LibraryNew York State Digital Library

The Syracuse Herald got a glimpse of the young woman and called her a pitiful sight.

Her face was chalky pale. Her eyes were dim and faded from weeping and she was trembling like an aspen.

To the reporter, looking at her in her cell, Lovine resembled a little creature, looking in her strange surroundings like some little animal caught in a trap.

Her arrest was just the latest chapter in her sad life.

She was born in Vernon, to a family that the Herald said, counted more in police and justice court annals than among good citizens.

Her mother died when she was two, her father, the usual village neer-do-well, a few years later.

She spent a few years with an abusive grandmother before being sent to the Rome Orphan Asylum. She married a soldier when she was 16, John Jayne, who was deployed to the Philippines forcing her to look for a job.

She worked as a housekeeper for a family in Oneida and soon began a relationship with the familys adult son.

When her husband returned after being wounded in China and found out what she was up to, he filed for divorce.

Her life turned around after she met John Lovine. She was working as a waitress at the Preston lunchroom at Fayette Street in Syracuse and the young machinist was a frequent customer. They married and began a happy life together.

(John, who knew nothing of the plan to kidnap the baby, would stand by his wife throughout.)

But there was still something missing; the couple could not conceive a child, which is what Daisy had always wanted.

I cant remember the time when I didnt want a baby, she told a Herald reporter, after her confession. I never cared for dolls as other children do. I would go to the homes of the neighbors and ask permission to hold their babies or to take them out in their carriages or rock them in their cradles.

Once, she went to the Onondaga Orphans Home and picked up an application to adopt a child but never filled it out, fearing rejection.

Something in her snapped on that March afternoon in front of the Woolworths store.

It used to make my blood boil to look at them, she said of the line of unattended baby carriages. Id think to myself, If you were mine, Id never want to go downtown. Id just want to stay home and take care of you and make things for you to wear.

She began feeling guilty about what she had put the Martins through and came up with the cousin story.

Despite facing a lengthy sentence at Auburn State Prison, Lovine said she would always remember the night she was a mother.

There were a couple of interested spectators at Daisy Lovines arraignment on March 13, 1918 inside Judge Cobbs courtroom at the Onondaga Courthouse.

James and Cora Martin, with little Dorothy, crowing and gurgling in the front row, watched intently as Daisy Lovine plead not guilty.

They wont do anything to her, will they, Mrs. Martin asked the person next to her.

If she is convicted, she will have to go to prison for at least ten years, was the response.

The young mother jumped to her feet and exclaimed:

She wont do anything of the kind. Ill just go to the judge and withdraw my warrant this minute. Its my baby and my case and my warrant and I wont have her sent to prison, so there!

When told that the decision was out of her control, the Herald said Mrs. Martin became very wrathful indeed.

Soon, almost all of Syracuses female community was joining Martin and supporting Lovine.

I am heartily sorry for the girl, said Florence Grannis, Onondaga Countys agent for dependent children, and I would do anything that I could do to help her.

In an informal Herald survey, nearly every woman polled expressed pity and sympathy for Lovine and almost all pleaded for leniency.

I believe that the girl should go free, said Mrs. John Dunfee, president of St. Josephs Hospitals Womens Auxiliary. I should hate to see her punished and would do anything in my power to prevent such a consummation.

Unfortunately, the person in charge for bringing Lovines case forward felt differently.

Assistant District Attorney Henry Wilson, the Herald said, was deeply interested in prosecuting the case.

The short, two-day trial began on May 2, 1918 and was argued before an all-male jury.

In his closing statement, Wilson attacked any notion that Lovine deserved any sympathy:

This woman lied, Not once, repeatedly. She lied to her husband and shifted the blame for her sin on her cousin, putting her under a cloud of suspicion. She lied to the Martins, she lied to the police.

You men must not be swayed by sympathy. The other mother, who wrung her hands, walked the streets searching for the baby and who suffered the torments of a broken heart is the one who deserves your sympathy and not this woman who deliberately walked away with the choicest and God-given possession of another.

But none of Wilsons words could overcome the powerful visual of what had happened after Daisy Lovine stepped down from the witness stand.

While heading back to her seat, she walked past where Mrs. Martin was standing, holding Dorothy.

The young mother reached out a hand and grabbed Lovines.

I hope everything will be all right, Martin said, as Dorothy stooped to bury her lips in the back of the childs neck.

The child giggled and Mr. Lovine and Mr. Martin smiled at each other.

The acquittal of Daisy Lovine on May 3, 1918 brought about one of the biggest celebrations inside a Syracuse courtroom the city had ever seen. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

It was to no ones surprise that the jury took just 13 minutes to acquit Daisy Lovine, who fainted as soon as the verdict was read.

While the room exploded in applause, Lovine was carried to the judges anteroom. Deputy Sheriff Mary Tomney splashed water on her face and administered smelling salts.

When she came to, Lovine saw Cora Martins face, applying a wet compress to her forehead.

Brace up, honey, you have lots of good friends and everyone is just as happy as they can be about what the jury did, Martin told her, tears filling both womens eyes.

The verdict kicked off one of the most joyous scenes ever seen in a Syracuse courtroom

Women flocked to the judges chambers to share in the moment, reminding a rather sexist Syracuse Journal reporter to remark that the scene reminded him of a bargain sale rush a minute before a sale closes and there are only a few choice items left to fight for.

During the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, death was common in Syracuse. But the loss of five-month-old of Marjorie Helen Lovine was particularly painful. Headlines from the Oct. 11, 1918. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

Shortly after the trial, the story of Daisy Lovine took another incredible turn. And then, later, a heartbreaking one.

In June of 1918, just three months after being accused of kidnapping, a newborn baby girl was put up for adoption. Daisy and John Lovine were chosen to be her new parents.

Marjorie Helen Lovine, with big blue eyes and golden hair, and her new mother was seen all over Syracuse, being pushed in a new baby carriage.

Never was a baby neater or sweeter, the Herald said, never did a baby receive more tender care.

In September 1918, the newspaper said that Daisy had spoken with one of the countless women who had supported her during the trial.

The mother of the little foster mother, as she showed off her darling, was glorified.

Then the Influenza Epidemic struck in October and the illness, which had devastated so many families, took little Marjorie on the morning of the 11th.

The adopted daughter of Daisy Lovine, five-month-old Marjorie Helen Lovine, appears in the Syracuse Journal's influenza death list on Oct. 12, 1918. She was one of 42 people from Onondaga County who died that day from the epidemic. New York State Digital LibraryNew York State Digital Library

In a time like this there are so many sorrowful stories that one more or less fails to make the impression that it might under normal conditions, the Herald reported. But even today it is safe to guess that there is not a mother in Syracuse whose heart will not be sadder by the news that Marjorie Helen Lovine died this morning.

Daisy Lovines arms are empty again.

READ MORE

1918 pandemic: Expert advice at the time -- drink plenty of water and dont eat like wild animals

1918 pandemic: Order to avoid crowds worked until a big plane flew over and thousands gathered to watch

1918: Syracuse bans all public gatherings for 17 days to halt spread of influenza

1913: How one man with smallpox endangered countless lives from Chittenango to Syracuse

This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.

Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
New Delhi: India has asked its citizens to stay put in Iran wherever they are as the situation remains precarious in the west Asian country. Iran along with Spain and Italy remains the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in China.

Sources told WION, while the Indian mission is in touch with Indians in Iran since sampling facility is not present in Tehran, swab samples cant be collected to check if they are COVID-19 positive. The samples for COVID-19 will be tested by ICMR in India, and only those Indians who test negative will get to board the specially arranged flights to India.

A number of Indians stranded in Kish island are affected by the virus but the situation in Tehran is far worse. While Indian government believes that keeping them at a specific location is not a solution but circumstances are completely adverse on the ground.

As many as 219 Indian students in Iran, primarily from Tehran and Shiraz, have already returned to India. India plans to evacuate another batch of more than 200 Indians on March 28.

So far, New Delhi has evacuated more than 1700 of its citizens from China, Japan, Iran and Italy since the coronavirus pandemic began. This includes 48 foreign citizens too.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:35:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in China:

-- Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, has had its coronavirus risk evaluation downgraded from "high risk" to "medium risk" on Friday.

The coronavirus risk evaluation for five districts of Xinzhou, Huangpi, Jiangxia, Caidian and Dongxihu in Wuhan have been further lowered to "low risk," said Liu Dongru, deputy head of the provincial health commission, who declared the transmission of the coronavirus epidemic in the main battlefield in Wuhan has been "basically blocked."

Six metro lines in Wuhan will resume operation starting from Saturday, a new sign that life is gradually returning to normal in the hardest-hit city.

-- Shanghai Municipality has further expanded quarantine measures for inbound passengers and strengthened joint epidemic control measures with provinces across the Yangtze River Delta.

All inbound passengers to destinations other than the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui across the Yangtze River Delta should undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arriving in Shanghai.

For those inbound passengers who enter Shanghai and are destined for the above provinces, the three provincial governments will send working groups to directly transfer them from the Shanghai airport to their destinations for quarantine based on the joint epidemic control mechanism within the area.

-- Chinese health authority said Friday it received reports of 55 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, of which 54 were imported.

A new domestic case was reported in Zhejiang Province, the National Health Commission said.

-- Wuhan continued to report no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The health commission of Hubei, of which Wuhan is the capital, said Friday the province also registered zero increase in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. Five new deaths were recorded, four of which were in Wuhan.

-- Profits of China's major industrial firms dropped 38.3 percent year on year in the first two months of 2020, as the outbreak deals a huge blow to industrial production, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Friday.

-- China's civil aviation regulator issued a circular Thursday to further cut international flights as part of efforts to stem the inflow of COVID-19 cases.

All domestic airlines were allowed to operate only one flight to each country per week, while foreign aviation companies should keep only one air route to China and there should be no more than one flight every week for each of the air route to China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a circular that will be effective from March 29.

-- South China's Guangdong Province has demanded all arrivals from overseas to undergo concentrated quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT) starting from 6:00 a.m. Friday in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

-- Commercial flights will resume operations in Wuhan starting on April 8, excluding international flights and those between Wuhan and Beijing, Wang Benju, with the provincial department of transportation, told a press conference on Wednesday.

-- China has provided assistance to 89 countries and four international organizations to fight against the novel coronavirus, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
As almost the entire world goes into lockdown, China is opening its factories again. Wuhan city in China is believed to be the place of origin of coronavirus that has since spread through the entire world and brought the daily lives of people and the global economy to a stand still.

Since the first case was reported from Wuhan in December 10 to now, China has reportedly been successful in flattening the curve after officially reporting nearly 3,200 deaths.

REUTERS

Now as the epicentre of the pandemic shifts from Italy to US, China seems to be starting to coming back to its feet. However, the opening of factories does not promise hope for all. Since global trade is at a halt, many Chinese factories do not have consignments, which means there's no need for as many workers. These factories are opening only to fire employees.

Initially, it was China that imposed tough travel restrictions and factory suspensions to curb the spread of the virus, squeezing labour supplies and sending exporters scrambling to fulfill orders.

China Out

In a reverse situation, now the overseas orders have been scrapped. Even if the exporters do have orders they are worried about constantly changing restrictions countries have adopted to curb the spread of the virus.

Even if we finish the products, we dont know if the countries we are shipping to will be locked down, Reuters quoted Yi-Cheng Sung, who helps manage a factory that produces makeup brushes and accessories in Shenzhen as saying.

Twitter

Xi Jinping recently made a speech where he reportedly urged the G20 nations to cut tariffs, remove barriers and support smooth flow of trade, so that China could help the world economy from slumping. He also called for better coordination of financial regulation to keep global financial markets stable, and efforts to keep global supply chains stable, reports Reuters.

What China will do in this regard is to increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic (goods) and other supplies to the international market, Xi said.

However, as China has managed the situation well, countries are still grappling to keep their citizens alive.
Senior officials in the Trump administration agreed to new measures to restrict the global supply of chips to Chinas Huawei Technologies, sources familiar with the matter said, as the White House ramps up criticism of China over coronavirus, Trend reports citing Reuters.

The move comes as ties between Washington and Beijing grow more strained, with both sides trading barbs over who is to blame for the spread of the disease and an escalating tit-for-tat over the expulsion of journalists from both countries.

Under the proposed rule change, foreign companies that use U.S. chipmaking equipment would be required to obtain a U.S. license before supplying certain chips to Huawei. The Chinese telecoms company was blacklisted last year, limiting the companys suppliers.

One of the sources said the rule-change is aimed at curbing sales of chips to Huawei by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW), a major producer of chips for Huaweis HiSilicon unit, as well as the worlds largest contract maker.

It is unclear if President Donald Trump, who appeared to push back against the proposal last month, will sign off on the rule change. But if finalized, it could deal a blow to Huawei and TSMC, hurting U.S. companies as well, sources said.

This is going to have a far more negative impact on U.S. companies than it will on Huawei, because Huawei will develop their own supply chain, trade lawyer Doug Jacobson said. Ultimately, Huawei will find alternatives.

A person familiar with the matter said the U.S. government has gone to great lengths to ensure impacts on U.S. industry will be minimal.

The move could anger Beijing, which has spoken out against a global campaign by the United States to compel allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks over spying concerns. Huawei has denied the allegations.

Most chip manufacturers rely on equipment produced by U.S. companies such as KLA Corp (KLAC.O), Lam Research (LRCX.O) and Applied Materials (AMAT.O), according to a report last year from Chinas Everbright Securities.

The equipment makers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The decision came when U.S. officials from various agencies met and agreed on Wednesday to alter the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which subjects some foreign-made goods based on U.S. technology or software to U.S. regulations, the sources said.

Attendees likely included top officials from the National Security Council and the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, Energy and Commerce. None of them responded to requests for comment.

Huawei declined to comment. TSMC said it is unable to answer hypothetical questions and does not comment on any individual customer.

One of the sources said the rule-change is aimed at restricting the sale of sophisticated chips to Huawei and not older, more commoditized and widely available semiconductors.

Its impossible to tell the impact until we know the technical thresholds that may apply, said Washington lawyer Kevin Wolf, a former Commerce Department official.

Different foundries make different chips at different capabilities so you wouldnt know which foundries are affected the most until you know the technical thresholds, he said.

U.S.-CHINA TENSIONS

The United States placed Huawei on a blacklist in May last year, citing national security concerns. The entity listing, as it is known, allowed the U.S. government to restrict sales of U.S.-made goods to the company and some more limited items made abroad that contain U.S. technology.

But under current regulations, key foreign supply chains remain beyond the reach of U.S. authorities, fueling frustration among China hawks in the administration and prompting a push to toughen up export rules for the company, Reuters reported in November.

The hawks efforts appeared in jeopardy last month when Trump reacted strongly against the proposed crackdown, after Reuters and the Wall Street Journal reported that a move to block global chip sales to Huawei was under consideration.

I want our companies to be allowed to do business. I mean, things are put on my desk that have nothing to do with national security, including with chipmakers and various others. So were going to give it up, and what will happen? Theyll make those chips in a different country or theyll make them in China or someplace else, Trump said.
A 24-year-old man who returned to



Gondia in Maharashtra from Thailand some ten days ago has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, District Health Officer Dr Shyam Neemgade said on Friday.

His report came in late Thursday night, the official informed.

"The man from Ganesh Nagar locality here had gone to Bangkok with friends from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh and had returned some 10 days ago," he said.

Local officials said he had flouted home quarantine rules and was detained on Wednesday by health department authorities after one of his friends from Rajnandgaon on the Bangkok trip tested positive.

The locality where he stays has been sanitised and his family members ar being tested for the virus, they added.

Contact tracing measures are underway, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MOSCOW, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheremetyevo International Airport will temporarily close Terminal D for arrivals and departures beginning at 00:00 hours on April 1, 2020. The closure will last until further notice.

Sheremetyevo has taken this measure because of the reduction in passenger traffic and the introduction of additional restrictions on international air transportation. Specifically, the Government of the Russian Federation has ordered the termination of regular and charter flights from airports in Russian cities to airports in foreign countries starting 00:00 hours on March 27, 2020 as part of national efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus infection.

The remaining international arrivals and departures scheduled for Terminal D will be transferred to Terminal F, while domestic flights scheduled for Terminal D will be transferred to Terminal B.

Sheremetyevo Airport will continue to accept passenger flights transporting Russian citizens to the Russian Federation, as well as international flights specifically approved for operation by the Government of the Russian Federation.

All passengers arriving in Terminal F undergo triple medical control. Preventive measures begin on board of the aircraft. In the cabin, the condition of passengers is monitored by employees of the sanitary and quarantine station of Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare) using portable thermo-vision cameras.

Further, total control is carried out in the arrivals area at the exit from the boarding ramps, where stationary thermo-vision cameras are located. Final verification, interviews of passengers and sampling of biomaterials for analysis are then carried out in the baggage claim area by employees of the Moscow Department of Health, the Ministry of Health for Moscow Region, and Rospotrebnadzor.

At each stage, the personnel of the medical unit of Sheremetyevo Airport JSC are engaged if medical advice is necessary or if passengers display possible signs of illness. If an infectious disease is suspected, the passenger is immediately transferred to the isolation ward in the health center of Terminal F and then hospitalized at the infectious diseases hospital.

Sheremetyevo Airport will continue to comply strictly with all the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Emergency Operations Center for preventing the introduction and spread of new coronavirus infection in the Russian Federation under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister T. A. Golikova.



Airlines promptly notify passengers of any changes.

Additional information can be found by calling the Sheremetyevo Airport Call Center around the clock at +7 495 578 65 65; Aeroflot: +7 495 223 5555, 8-800-444-55-55.

SOURCE Sheremetyevo International Airport
The Gujarat government on



Friday launched a mobile application which can monitor the movement of those who have been asked to follow home quarantine for suspected exposure to coronavirus.

The Geographic Information System (GIS)-based app was launched in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara and Rajkot, principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi said.

The Municipal Corporation of Surat is already using the application to keep track of 3,600 home-quarantined people in the city, she added.

"Apart from GIS mapping, the app is equipped with 'Geo Fencing' to alert the authorities if the person moves away from a specific area. It will help us track the movements of around 20,000 persons who are under home quarantine," she said.

Notably, the Gujarat police have so far lodged complaints against 298 persons for violating home quarantine.

Around 3,600 home-quarantined persons in Surat have been asked to install "SMC COVID-19 Tracker" on their smartphones, municipal commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani said.

"The app helps us track and collect latest information about people who are home-quarantined. It has also helped us monitor their health," he said.

After installing the app, the user is required to declare his or her current location and travel history.

Then every hour the user is required to push a button called "Send Location" to update their whereabouts. If the user is found to have moved out of house or the specified area, he or she is sent to institutional quarantine.

Users also have to fill up a simple form twice a day, giving information about symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

They also have to upload latest selfie, so that doctors can assess them remotely.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nigerians have been asked to help the government in identifying anybody who returned to the country within the past few weeks without observing the compulsory 14-days self-isolation.

Those to be reported also are people who returned recently without submitting themselves for routine checks at the airports and are yet to be tested for COVID-19, a strain of coronavirus, which has continued to defy science, infecting thousands of people daily.

The minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, at the national press briefing on the pandemic, on Thursday, in Abuja said this has become pertinent as most of the confirmed cases of the virus in the country are from recently returned travellers.

While confirming the number of cases reported in the country so far, Mr Ehanire said a higher percentage of the cases are imported.

The minister urged those in that category not to wait to be reported but to be patriotic in ensuring their safety and that of others by submitting themselves.

Please report yourself. Give us the date and time of your arrival so you can be tested and quarantined if the need arises, the official pleaded.

Despite several lockdowns and preventive measures, Nigeria has seen a surge of confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The NCDC had announced on Thursday that it recorded 14 new cases, including six on vessels, which takes the total number of confirmed cases to 65.

It is the highest number of cases confirmed so far by the body in a single day.

14 new cases of #COVID19 have been confirmed in Nigeria: 2 in FCT, 12 in Lagos, NCDC tweeted at 8.35 pm.

Of the 14, 6 were detected on a vessel, 3 are returning travellers into Nigeria & 1 is close contact of a confirmed case, NCDC said.

Many Nigerians have criticised persons, including leaders, who returned from high-risk countries without observing isolation but rather chose to expose more people to the virus.

Mr Ehanire said the country is intensifying contact tracing to identify and test those who might have been in contact with infected people.

He said it was an irresponsible act that some of the people who flew into the country are not abiding by worldwide advisory of self-isolation.

The health ministers address builds on that of his colleague, information minister, Lai Mohammed, who also on Thursday criticized Nigerians for not cooperating with safety protocols for coronavirus.

He said Nigerians are busy with meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe.

Breaking Safety Protocols

The information minister was however silent on the fact that it was indeed top politically exposed persons, who are at the centre of breaking safety protocols.

President Muhammadu Buharis chief of staff, Abba Kyari, who recently returned from Germany and tested positive, had raised alarm over the breach of safety protocols by several Nigerian lawmakers upon arrival into the country.

Mr Kyari, in a letter to Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the house of representatives on March 21, said the minister of health had drawn his attention to repeated violation of screening procedure at the nations airports.

Asides Mr Kyari, more than five persons in Nigerias high political class are now infected after they returned from countries seriously battling with the contagion.

Their status suggests possible exposure of many others, whom they had met with in the past days, to the pandemic. This list includes governors, ministers, business leaders, and several other individuals.

The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo and several state governors, are on self-isolation after coming in contact with those infected.

Advertisements



It is sad that the political class is leading this gross act of irresponsibility, said broadcast journalist Ukachi Chukwu, on Facebook. Mr Kyari returned from a trip abroad and refused to isolatemore importantly, he exposed the president to the virus.

If the political class will not obey instructions and self-isolate, how can they expect ordinary citizens to do (the) same? the journalist queried.
Tourism giant TUI on Friday said the German government had approved a 1.8 billion euro loan to help keep the group afloat as COVID-19 smashes the travel sector.

The bridging loan equivalent to $1.99 billion would be one of the biggest issued so far through German public lender KfW as part of a huge government rescue package aimed at protecting companies and employees in Europe's top economy.

"We are currently facing unprecedented international travel restrictions. As a result, we are temporarily a company with no product and no revenue.

This situation must be bridged," CEO Fritz Joussen said in a statement.

The state loan would be used to increase TUI's credit line with its banks, giving it access "to financial resources and credit lines totalling 3.1 billion". The cash lifeline is still subject to final approval by TUI's banks, the statement added.

To receive the lifeline, TUI said it must waive dividend payments "for the duration of the bridge loan".

Hannover-based TUI, which employs 70,000 people, is present in over 100 countries and operates a host of airlines, cruise ships and hundreds of hotels.

The group last week said it was suspending the "majority" of its operations over the coronavirus, as planes are grounded across the globe and confinement measures make holidays impossible.

Joussen praised the government for acting "quickly and in a solution-oriented manner in the interest of our customers, employees and the company."



The aviation and tourism industry are among the most visible early casualties of the coronavirus, which is infecting nearly every sector of the global economy.

German airline giant Lufthansa separately on Friday said it would apply for government aid to place 31,000 workers on shorter hours until September.

Earlier in the day, Germany's upper house of parliament rubber-stamped Berlin's 1.1 trillion euro rescue package, now expected to kick in from April 1.

The measures include fiscal stimulus as well as hundreds of billions in guarantees for bank loans to firms.

The government has promised "unlimited" credit to help companies weather the storm.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It is not commonly known that some of the Latin American countries prepared in advance for the possible effects and impacts of COVID-19 according to a recently published article out of Mexico.

Different governments around the world are making extra efforts to combat the effect of COVID-19. This includes local and national lockdowns, stay at home policies, closure of non-essential establishments, and more.

However, it is not known to everyone that some Latin American countries are taking extra efforts even before some of them were hit by the infectious and deadly virus..

PREPARATION OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES

The number of COVID-19 cases in Latin America remains lower compared to the number of cases in the United States and Europe. At present, there are more than 532, 900 cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of more than 24,000 around the world according to worldometers. These numbers continue to increase day by day.

It is the main reason why Alexandra Hill Tinoco, Minister of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador, said that they are not letting their guard down. She also added that the low number of cases in the region is not a guarantee that they are not going to be hit hard by the deadly and infectious virus. Tinoco also asserted that threats brought by COVID-19 pandemic are taken seriously by every Latin American country.

Costa Rica's ambassador to the United States Fernando Llorca Castro said that most governments in Latin America have prepared since the outbreak of the virus in Wuhan, China that emerged in early January.

According to the recently published article, the following were the preparations of some Latin American countries:

When the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, the government in Costa Rica immediately began bringing the concerned institutions from the different sectors regarding the outbreak to have precautionary measures.

Alfonso Silva Navarro, Chilean Ambassador to the United States, said that the Chilean government has set up a committee in January regarding the outbreak of the virus.

Hill Tinoco said that El Salvador activated an enlarged health cabinet at the same time. They also came to the point of suspending all flights from China including the entry of travelers from China since the World Health Organization declared health emergency concern caused by COVID-19 on January 30.

ACTIONS OF SOME LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES DURING THE PANDEMIC

Latin American countries have stringent policies that somehow helped them to have lower number of recorded cases for COVID-19. The following two countries shared their stringent policies:

Francisco Santos Calderon, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, said that Colombia has enacted a three-week quarantine in the country when cases of COVID-19 began to escalate. At present, the country has recorded less than four hundred COVID-19 cases and around three deaths. Calderon also added that those who aged 70 or older, who are very susceptible to this virus, will be quarantined until May 30.

Silva Navaro from Chile said since 80 percent of their COVID-19 cases are from Santiago, the country's capital, they placed restricted internal movements to other areas of the country to control the spread of COVID-19.

Moreover, Chile has also increased the number of hospital beds from 37,000 to 42,000. This is to prepare the country once the pandemic becomes worst in Chile. They also opened five new hospitals in the country.

Meanwhile, Costa Rica has recorded over 130 cases as of March 23 and the number of their cases is lower compared to other countries. However, they have been constructing a hospital intended for the COVID-19 cases.

This just shows how intelligent and advance government leaders in Latin America to effectively combat COVID-19. If the strategies of these leaders will be emulated by other countries, definitely the world can flatten the curve and reduce the effect of the global health pandemic.

Read a related article now:
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., (not pictured) hold a news conference on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, outside of the Capitol to de-authorize use of Capitol office space and staff provided to the recent ex-Speaker of the House.

President Donald Trump on Friday lashed out at Rep. Thomas Massie, calling him a "third rate Grandstander" after the Kentucky Republican signaled he would oppose a $2 trillion relief bill intended to soften the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

"He just wants the publicity. He can't stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous & costly," Trump said of Massie in a series of furious tweets.

Trump said that while Republicans had to "give up some stupid things" through negotiations with Democrats "in order to get the 'big picture' done," the bill was "90% GREAT!"

"WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!" Trump added.

Trump TWEETS 1/2

Trump TWEET 3

Massie said in a lengthy Twitter thread later Friday morning that he will "request a vote" on the stimulus bill, which could have delayed its passage by forcing a recorded vote.

"Right now, millions of essential, working-class Americans are still required to go to work during this pandemic," Massie wrote. "Is it too much to ask that the House do its job, just like the Senate did?"

But Massie's request did not garner the support of one-fifth of the members present on the House floor, which he needed in order to force the roll-call vote.

The House passed the bill by a voice vote early Friday afternoon, sending it to Trump to sign.

The Democrat-led chamber wanted a voice vote instead of a recorded vote, which would have taken longer. Major bills typically require a recorded vote rather than a voice vote, in which members yell 'yea' or 'nay' and the presiding member decides which side is louder.

Additionally, many members had left Washington amid the coronavirus outbreak. After Massie first suggested he would push for a recorded vote, members rushed back to Capitol Hill.

Massie had hinted Thursday that he wants a quorum, which would force at least half of those House members to come back.

Massie TWEET

In an interview with a Kentucky radio station that day, Massie signaled he would oppose the bill because of its effect on U.S. national debt, according to the Louisville-based Courier-Journal.

"Not a good deal," Massie tweeted later Thursday morning.

Massie TWEET 2

Massie drew outrage from some other House members for making them come back to Washington, especially since at least two House members have tested positive for COVID-19 and others have voluntary quarantined themselves.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said in a tweet Friday morning: "Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible."

But some House Republicans leapt to defend Massie against Trump's attacks.

Freedom Caucus member Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Trump to "back off" of Massie, saying on Twitter that the Kentucky representative "is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country."

"There's nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump," Roy tweeted.

Roy TWEET

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., tweeted that Massie "doesn't warrant this dressing down" from the president. "ThomasHang tough brother."

Gosar TWEET

Democrats also tore into Massie.

"Honestly, I don't want to make an insignificant person more significant than they are," Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said when asked about him Friday.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who served under President Barack Obama, said in a profanity-laced tweet that Massie "must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity."

Trump responded approvingly: "Never knew John Kerry had such a good sense of humor! Very impressed!"

TWEET
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Compagnie de Saint-Gobain (EPA:SGO) share price has dived 35% in the last thirty days. The recent drop has obliterated the annual return, with the share price now down 30% over that longer period.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

View our latest analysis for Compagnie de Saint-Gobain

How Does Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's P/E of 8.63 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. The image below shows that Compagnie de Saint-Gobain has a lower P/E than the average (12.8) P/E for companies in the building industry.

ENXTPA:SGO Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Compagnie de Saint-Gobain shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Since the market seems unimpressed with Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

Story continues

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's earnings made like a rocket, taking off 257% last year. The sweetener is that the annual five year growth rate of 25% is also impressive. So I'd be surprised if the P/E ratio was not above average.

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

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

How Does Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt totals 62% of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's market cap. This is a reasonably significant level of debt -- all else being equal you'd expect a much lower P/E than if it had net cash.

The Verdict On Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's P/E Ratio

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain trades on a P/E ratio of 8.6, which is below the FR market average of 13.5. The company has a meaningful amount of debt on the balance sheet, but that should not eclipse the solid earnings growth. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. Given Compagnie de Saint-Gobain's P/E ratio has declined from 13.2 to 8.6 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

But note: Compagnie de Saint-Gobain may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
REDDING  Two people were injured in a crash on Route 53 around 3 p.m. Friday.

Police, fire units and EMS were dispatched to the Route 53 southbound lane near the Saugatuck Reservoir for a reported crash between a motorcycle and a sport utility vehicle.

First responders had to place a tourniquet on a leg injury to one of the motorcycle passengers, while the other one appeared injured but was walking around on scene.

The southbound lane was temporarily closed as units investigated and cleared the scene.
Online producer

Johanna Eubank is a digital producer for the Arizona Daily Star and tucson.com. She has been with the Star in various capacities since 1991.
The crisis has spawned a new lexicon. Where once there were blackout babies, we can now expect a wave of coronababies and a new generation of quaranteens in 2033. Couples whose marriages are fraying under the pressures of self-isolation could be heading for a covidivorce.

A meme has been circulating on social media in recent days citing essential dating questions for 2020. Can I see myself being quarantined with him? Does he come with toilet paper?

On Valentines Day in Hong Kong, couples sent each other bouquets of masks and alcohol wipes, while flower sales in the city dropped 90 percent. In India, the news media have reported a surge in sales of condoms and other contraceptives.

In Wuhan, the original epicenter of the epidemic in China, Tian Fangfang, a young nurse, was photographed in her hazmat suit holding a handwritten request: After the epidemic is over, I hope the government will assign me a boyfriend. Later, in a video, she specified her preference that he be tall. CCTV, the national broadcaster, responded by circulating a compilation of eligible soldiers and police officers on its social media outlets.

Getting away with affairs has also become tougher. When a man from a small town in Santiago del Estero Province in Argentina bragged to friends that he had a tryst with a former lover returning from Spain, they reported him to the authorities. The entire town was put on lockdown on March 14. The man later became the first confirmed coronavirus case in the province.

The pandemic is altering notions of community and urban spaces, with people across the world gathering every day on balconies to applaud medical workers, perform music and even run marathons.

Sean Safford, a professor of sociology at Sciences Po in Paris, who is locked down in the city with his husband and their 7-year-old son, said the coronavirus had upended the human instinct to come together physically during a crisis by requiring that people do the opposite.
But everything we know about home schooling up to now has been based on families that choose it. Conversely, research on places where schools have been forcibly closed because of natural disasters or war, such as one study of girls from Afghanistan who had either informal schooling or home schooling, shows that the outcomes are dismal in terms of educational achievement and social-emotional development. During the pandemic, children who would normally get special accommodations in the classroom, children who rely on school meals or those whose homes are not safe are likely to fall far behind. And children who simply thrive in the social atmosphere of a classroom, or miss the predictable order, will not make as much progress as they ordinarily would.
Honoring tradition: K-State spring graduates invited to participate in fall ceremonies

Friday, March 27, 2020



Kansas State University will combine its May 2020 commencement ceremonies with those in fall 2020, which are scheduled for Dec. 11 and 12 on the Polytechnic and Manhattan campuses.





MANHATTAN  Because commencement ceremonies are a treasured tradition at Kansas State University, the university will combine its postponed spring 2020 ceremonies with the fall 2020 ceremonies, which will be Dec. 11 and 12 on the Polytechnic and Manhattan campuses.

"We are committed to providing each student an on-stage moment of honor, something that is not common for an institution of our size," said Charles Taber, K-State provost, who made the decision to combine the ceremonies based on the recommendation of a working group with representatives from each academic college, students and other stakeholders. The recommendation was endorsed by deans of the colleges.



"We are very proud of our students and there are many experiences that make their time at K-State special, including celebrating graduation together with classmates, family, friends, faculty and other supporters," Taber said. "Our graduates deserve to have a celebration of their achievements and a worthy send-off into the next phase of their life."

K-State's spring ceremonies, set for May 9, 15 and 16, were postponed when the university moved to limited operations for the rest of the spring semester.

K-State students will be informed soon about when their degree work will be confirmed and when diplomas will be mailed for those completing their degrees in May. Updates and information will be posted on the commencement website, including about regalia orders.






Its not like in an old tenement building where you had the windows open and had to stop talking while the train went by and wait until its gone and then carry on, said John Longman, president of Longman Lindsey, an acoustical consultancy that advises developers on how to mitigate sound in their buildings.

Of course, New Yorkers have long lived in apartments where they might hear or even feel a distant rumbling of the subway underground. But the fact that so many New Yorkers are living close to aboveground trains is a recent phenomenon.

One out of five new units under development in Queens and the Bronx is next to aboveground tracks, according to an analysis done by Localize.city, the listing platform. The analysis, which used building permit data, found that such units are in the majority in some neighborhoods. In the Bronx neighborhood of Wakefield, 74 percent of new units being developed are by aboveground tracks, said Tal Rubin, vice president of research at the listing platform.

The phenomenon is also occurring in Brooklyn and Manhattan, though to lesser degrees: nearly 9 percent and nearly 4 percent, respectively, according to the Localize.city analysis.

But even in those boroughs, some neighborhoods are getting a large share of such development: In Inwood, a whopping 76 percent of new units are being developed by aboveground tracks.

How did we get here?

For one thing, as anyone involved in New York real estate is quick to point out, there is simply a limited amount of land to build on. With the city in the midst of a housing crisis, developers are reconsidering sites they might have rejected in the past. But while properties near trains might be less expensive to buy, they can require more spending on foundations and window systems.

We will do whatever we need to do to get land, said Nancy Packes, president of Nancy Packes Data Services, a real estate consultancy and database provider.
News Updates

Would you like to receive our newsletter? Get local, Wyoming, and national news, the weather forecast, and more, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.


After days of poor supply, UT food and grocery vehicles reached different colonies and supplied essentials. One major concern, however, was that people were seen crowding near the vehicles, thereby defeating the purpose of the curfew, which is social distancing.

The presence of police in Manimajra, Mauli Jagran and other places was of little help as in the absence of doorstep supply, people queued up before Chandigarh Transport Unit (CTU) buses to buy vegetables.

In sectors, crowd management was much better with people stand at a good distance from each other. Several MC councillors representing these colonies have urged UT to open some grocery stores since routine delivery system leading to crowding in their areas.

PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF HIGHER RATES

Even as the UT administration fixed the rates of different vegetables to check overpricing, people from Dhanas and Daddumajra colonies complained that the vegetables were sold at much higher prices. Sumit Kumar, a resident of Dhanas, said, Even the bus which has been sent by the administration is overcharging. I dont know how the poor will deal with such a situation.

A Dhanas resident, who didnt want to be named, said, Coriander was being sold for 50, ginger for 100, potato for 30, and tomato for 60. When we asked why the prices were so high, the vendor told us that it is what he got in the market.

NGO COMES IN SUPPORT

Balramji Dass Tandon Charitable Foundation, run by former president of the local BJP unit, Sanjay Tandon distributed free ration to needy people. Tandon said that 54 families in Manimajra, Baltana, Sector 32, Pulsora, Dhanas, etc were served on Thursday while 65 families in EWS Dhanas, Sector 45, Ram Darbar, Bapu Dham Colony, Palsora, Sector 56 were provided ration on Saturday. The items provided were flour, rice, sugar, pulses, turmeric, ghee, tea, salt, cumin, coriander, fennel, boondi-pakodi, soya bean, gram flour, potato, onion and saunf, he said.
Donita Jose By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The civil society members are in a fix with regard to delivering essentials like food and water to the disadvantaged sections as disturbing reports of brutal crackdown on social workers have emerged.

At least two well-known social workers from the Old City area were beaten up by the police after which their operations have slowed down.

The first case was reported from Shastripuram, where activist Sajjad was thrashed by the police. The photos of injury marks on his body have emerged on the social media, which explain the extent of trauma that the first responders face.

Our organisation, Access Foundation, runs a tailoring unit to support local women in the community. We were helping them prepare for the lockdown period, and for this, a social worker had gone to their area when he was thrashed by the police. Many such incidents are being reported by the NGOs in the city, said Maria Tabassum, a member of Access Foundation.

Owing to this, volunteers from Society for Cyberabad Security Council, who were also helping the poor by providing them food, have taken the help of police to hand out food packets to the needy. The volunteers are helping with fund-raising to feed nearly 300 people in Cyberabad and Rachakonda. The police are distributing these food packets during their patrol, said Ramanjeet Singh, a volunteer.

Fears are also afloat that the volunteers, if infected by Coronavirus, can become carriers, and some sustainable scientific way of resolving the issue has to be found.

There is also resistance at the GHMC shelter homes on whether new admissions should be allowed. There are too many homeless in the city who cannot just be admitted at GHMC shelters as they may have Covid-19 infection and they could pass it on to the existing residents, many of whom have TB and other diseases. The GHMC must have function halls and community halls ready for new admissions, said a social worker.
Even while working on his last major retrospective that marked his 90th birthday, artist Satish Gujral was full of seemingly inexhaustible energy, recalls Pramod Kumar KG who had curated the show.

Notwithstanding his age, Gujral would insist on immersing himself in his shows and "live it to the fullest", like he lived his life.

"One thing I will always remember about him is his zest to constantly push his exhibitions to their outermost limits," Kumar said.

A look at Gujral's eventful life, that came to an end on Thursday night, reveals that it was essentially divided into compartments of experiences experiences of horror, trauma and suffering, of falling in love, of not being able to hear for over six decades and getting the world of sound back and then losing it voluntarily, of visiting a foreign land and finding resonance -- all of which very generously spilled over to his canvases, making him the artist that he was and will always remain.

Gujral was born in 1925 in Jhelum in pre-partition west Punjab, so he was only a teenage boy when he witnessed people being massacred in front of his eyes during the Partition riots.

His older brother and former Indian Prime Minister I K Gujral in his autobiography said the artist had to take "shelter and succour" at a friend's house in Lahore during the riots. It is no surprise that the violence left a long lasting impression on his young mind.

After moving to India, he painted for nearly half a decade, till the mid 1950s, on just the Partition -- exhausting all his memories and never revisited the theme again.

"I don't think there is any better artist chronicler of partition than Satish Gujral. This first hand experience gave him a unique perspective," Kumar said.

Getting over the trauma of witnessing a wave of riots was one thing, but the author inspires nothing but awe when one realises the magnitude of the artistic legacy Gujral created despite being hearing impaired, because of a childhood illness, for most of his life.

He pursued art first from the Mayo School of Art in Lahore and then from the J J School of Art in Bombay to create a name for himself.

By the end of his life, there wasn't creative medium left for him to explore. He had done it all painting, sculpture, graphics, architecture, murals and more.

The silence over the years had probably given him too much, because when he regained his sense of hearing at the age of 72, he voluntarily removed the ear implant six years later.

Among some of his less harrowing life altering experiences would be his trip to Mexico on a scholarship.

He studied at the revered Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, where he apprenticed under renowned artists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros - who were remarkable figures of the 20th-century art scene. Gujral deeply identified with Riviera's works on human suffering.

He went on to win the da Vinci Award for lifetime achievement from Mexico. At home, he has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India, and the Lalit Kala Akademi award.

Once back to India, Gujral fell in love and married his wife Kiran, an experience that critics say brought a visible change in his works.

"The pain within softened. The silence within turned golden. The blacks, the stark reds, the searing whites turned to warmer shades, the lines did not feel as if they would explode out of the canvas in despair," late writer Uma Vasudev had written about the artist.

The couple raised a son (Mohit) and two daughters (Alpana and Raseel) together.

Interestingly, Gujral's career coincided with those of the members of the Progressive Artists' Group -- M F Husain, S H Raza, F N Souza, K H Ara among others -- who, at the time, had taken the art world by storm with their artistic practices inspired from the West.

His version of modernism, however, stood out because of his distinct style that was rooted not just in his own experiences but also in Indian traditions.

In 1968 Gujral abandoned his career as a painter and took up architecture only to return to his first love nearly two decades later. He had said got "bored" of architecture.

Though he had no training in the field of architecture, during that phase he designed several structures across the globe including the Belgian Embassy in Delhi, summer palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the CMC (Computer Maintenance Corporation Pvt. Ltd) research centre in Hyderabad, and the Goa University, only to show the creative prowess he harboured.

Gujral also managed to develop a sense of humour, and appreciation for his fellow artists came to him naturally.

Arun Vadehra, founder of the Delhi-based Vadehra gallery called the artist a "visionary".

He said the artist used to be a neighbour living bang opposite his gallery in Defence Colony.

"He was just five minutes away. I used to frequent him quite often. I remember he had a great sense of humour. Often he would come up with certain quotes or jokes. He was very supportive of his fellow artists. He was one of those artists who admired his fellow artists rather than have any envy," the gallerist said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The man who committed the worst atrocity in New Zealands modern history when he slaughtered 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques unexpectedly pleaded guilty to all charges Thursday.

The attacks targeting people praying at the mosques a year ago shocked the nation and prompted new laws banning the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons. It also prompted global changes to social media protocols after the gunman livestreamed his attack on Facebook, where it was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.

The sudden turn in the case took survivors and relatives by surprise, and brought relief to people across New Zealand. Many had feared Australian white supremacist Brenton Harrison Tarrant would try to use his trial as a platform to promote his views. Hed outlined those views in a 74-page manifesto he published online shortly before the attacks.

Tarrant, 29, pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism at the Christchurch High Court. He had previously pleaded not guilty to all charges and his trial had been scheduled to start in June.

Tarrant is the first person to be found guilty of terrorism in New Zealand under laws passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S.

The change in plea came less than two weeks after New Zealanders commemorated those who died on the anniversary of the March 15, 2019, attacks.

Honestly, Im still trying to process what just happened, said Aya Al-Umari, whose brother Hussein was killed in the attack on the Al Noor mosque. I feel conflicted.

She said that on the one hand, she had wanted to find out more details about what happened at the trial but on the other hand was feeling relieved about not having to face the trauma of sitting through it.

Temel Atacocugu, who survived being shot nine times during the attack at Al Noor, said he was surprised by the turn of events and hoped the judge would set an example at the sentencing by imposing the harshest punishment in the countrys history and helping ensure nothing like it would happen again.

Im happy that he has accepted that he is guilty, Atacocugu said.

,Judge Cameron Mander has not yet set a sentencing date. Tarrant faces life imprisonment, with the judge having some discretion in deciding the minimum number of years Tarrant must serve before becoming eligible for parole.

The change in plea came at a hastily arranged court hearing at a time that New Zealand was beginning a four-week lockdown to try and combat the new coronavirus. The lockdown meant Tarrant appeared in the court via video link from his jail cell in Auckland and only a handful of people were allowed inside the courtroom, including the imams from the two mosques that were attacked.

Mander said it was unfortunate the lockdown prevented victims and family members from being able to attend the hearing but the imams were helping to represent them. He said he wanted to quickly move ahead with the hearing, especially with the COVID-19 response threatening delays to the court schedule.

Tarrant, who was wearing a gray prison sweater, showed little emotion as he pleaded guilty. He didnt indicate why he had changed his pleas, and his lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.

New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was praised around the world for her empathetic response to the Muslim community after the attacks, said it was deeply disappointing the victims didnt get to attend the hearing.

But she said there was a certain sense of relief that the whole nation, but particularly our Muslim community, are being spared from a trial that could have otherwise acted as a platform.

Tarrant moved to New Zealand in 2017 and kept a low profile in the university city of Dunedin. He frequented a gym, practiced shooting at a rifle club range and built up an arsenal of weapons. He didnt appear to be employed, and said in some online posts that hed inherited a significant amount of money when his father died.

Tarrant appeared to have a fascination with religious conflicts in Europe and the Balkans, and visited a number of sites in Eastern Europe in the years before he committed the massacre. After his attack at the second mosque, Tarrant was driving, possibly to carry out a shooting at a third mosque, when two police officers rammed his car off the road, dragged him out and arrested him.
One in five Irish companies are planning to postpone bonus payments due to staff because of the Covid-19 impact on businesses.

A survey of more than 400 Irish businesses found that a further third of businesses were also planning to postpone pay reviews to later this year or even into 2021.

Business group IBEC conducted a survey on Monday and Tuesday of this week which reported unprecedented levels of uncertainty around business continuity.

Almost nine out of 10 businesses (86%) cited the uncertainty around the continuity of their business as a challenge at this time. Cost containment (78%), reduced/lost sales (72%), supply chain disruption (68%) and difficulty with remote working (64%) were also key challenges currently facing Irish business.

Fergal OBrien, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, said: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on business and society globally.

"The impact on business in Ireland has been dramatic on a macro level and in our survey the most immediate challenge facing many businesses is how to continue to operate in a vastly altered business landscape.

Even with the best planning and risk management in the world, the nature of this pandemic is very different to previous economic shocks.

The sweeping nature of the restrictions imposed by the public health imperative has resulted in a huge supply-side impact which has widespread implications in terms of lost sales, supply chain disruption and the need to contain costs."

The survey found that 20% of businesses plan to defer annual pay reviews until later this year and a further 9% plan to move them back to next year.

Twelve per cent of companies plan to delay bonus payments to workers until later this year with a further 7% moving them back to 2021.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Arnold Dillon the director of Retail Ireland, a part of Ibec, said retailers forced to close their businesses were dealing with a range of issues such as supporting staff and putting in place agreements with landlords, banks and suppliers to ensure they can resume operations when safe to do so.

Businesses have never been hit with such a range of problems in such an incredibly short time span, he said.

The impact has been nearly overwhelming. Most are now in the process of trying to shut down their business into a holding pattern that will allow them to reopen, Mr Dillon said.

The Ibec survey also asked employers about the range of supports they are offering employees with 44% of respondents providing additional supports to employees working remotely, 40% providing online technology training to employees, and 35% offering additional supports to employees with childcare responsibilities.
Xi says China supports int'l organizations in playing their roles

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday China supports international organizations in playing their active roles in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Xi made the remarks in Beijing while attending the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link.
This article originally ran in the most recent issue of AVN Men. Find the digital edition here. Photos by Keith Ryan.

In a business that often emphasizes size, its no wonder that Dallas Steele has found such success. Everything about him is big: His stature, his smile, his ambition  even his name (and yes, in case you didnt know, that other thing is big, too). But for all of the physical attributes that have contributed to Steeles rise, theres one other big thing about him that is the most remarkable of all: his story.

Steele has lived one of the most fascinating lives of any porn performer in history, but he wishes the press did a better job of telling it. He should knowhe was one of them. In a recent in-depth interview, the performer opened up about his unforgettable journey  one so big, we needed two parts to tell it.

Family Matters

Steele grew up in Stockton and Lodi, California, about 80 miles inland from San Francisco. His father was a college political science teacher, his mother a second-grade teacher. It sounds idyllic, but from the moment he was born, Steele faced adversity.

My dad was an alcoholic years before I was born and continued to drink until 10 years after I left home. My brother, 10 years my senior, was a heroin addict by the time he was 17. My dad and my brother often physically fought, with my mom caught in the middle. My brother left home and disappeared for about four years about the same time mom got smart and divorced my dad.

Steele was 10 at that time, and his mother went on to marry an ex-military man turned corporate businessman.

My stepfather was quite the shock for me. After a childhood without rules or discipline, suddenly I had schedules, chores and rules. It was really hard at the time, but his structure made me a good man who is always on time, always finishes the job, and always tries to do his best.

And despite those difficult early years, Steele and his family found a way to heal.

My biological dad and my brother both got clean more than 20 years ago. The state had pulled my dads drivers license after six DWIs when he hit and paralyzed a motorcyclist from the neck down. Then came mandatory prison time and treatment. But before dad passed in 2015, I had three amazing years where I actually got to know him as a sober man, and he got to know me as an adult gay man. The last day of his life in the hospital, he made everyone get out of the room and asked me to shave his face. Those two hours talking to him, tears streaming down my face, saying goodbye, were some of the most memorable moments Ill ever experience.

To make things even more difficult, Steeles mother battled cancer for 30 years.

She lost both breasts in her 50s to cancer, then remission; then bone cancer in her 60s, then remission; then finally, liver cancer at 76. The doctor told her there was nothing more they could do. Her body was destroyed from 30 years of chemo and radiation. She died in 2016 after living three years. The doctor told her she would only live six months. Today, Im still close with my step-father and my two step-sisters.

Play Time

That family transition in Steeles life also led to an evolution in his sexual awakening.

My biological dad always had magazines in the housemostly Playboy, but occasionally hed get a Hustler, which I preferred because they sometimes featured men with the women. Later after my mom remarried, she and my stepfather got a VCR. It was big as a house back then with a corded remote, but every afternoon, Id be watching one of the hot straight movies they had, taking care of business there on the living room couch! To this day, I still pull some of those movies up on AEBN.

Steeles best friend in high school would often invite him over next door to play with his Star Wars figures, but it was something else he was more intrigued by.

His mom had a collection of Playgirls she kept on the toilet. Even in summer, Id wear a huge baggy coat, then stuff it full of magazines. It all worked until one day they fell out right as I was talking to her! Steele recalls as if he was reliving it. Oh my God  embarrassing! But she was a nurse, and after asking me if her son was gay (he wasnt and isnt), she gave me a very thorough yet non-judgmental lecture about what then was safe sex.

As an adult, I still prefer watching straight porn. Not sure why. But Im mostly focused on the men or fantasizing about being the woman. The other thing watching gay porn is that Im likely to see someone I know. And once youve done a scene with someone, your fantasy about them can change. If youre imagining some stud to be a big, aggressive top, and hes actually a super-passive bottom in person, their role in your fantasy changes.

Soon, Steele himself would be the fantasy of fans watching him on TV  even though, initially, he always had his clothes on.

Top Story

The story of Steeles broadcast careerand its unfortunate conclusionhas been told countless times before, but not always to his liking.

Often, writers make it sounds like I just threw up my hands in the newsroom one day and said, To hell with this, Im gonna go do porn! No. There was a five-year span between news and porn. They say necessity is the mother of invention. Thats especially true in my case.

By all accounts, he had a fabulous career in TV news: two Emmy nominations, four Katie Awards, two SoCal RTNDA Golden Mike Awards.

I did everything I set out to do, and more. But the people who run traditional local TV news are in crisis. Ratings are a fraction of what they were 10 years ago. No one rushes home at 5 p.m. to watch the news anymore. Everything is online. As a result, the survivors in TV are having to do the jobs of three or four people because the revenue to support a newsroom isnt there anymore. When I started in the business, you had reporters, photographers and video editors. Now, that is all one position for less moneyscaledthan a reporter would have made 10 years ago.

But the biggest issue is that I always felt the managers at my respective stations were constantly trying to change me into a person I wasnt, and asking me to compromise my values as a journalist. I grew frustrated with the constant need to exaggerate (lie) to breathlessly promote content that was hardly worth promoting. More than once I was told to tell viewers, The embers are still smoldering at a fire, when in fact the fire had been out for five hours. I refused, and was always being told I was not a team player.

Steeles 23 years in TV soon came to an inauspicious end.

My news director in Naples-Fort Myers, Florida, called me toward the end of my first contract and said the station had been doing focus group research, which found people in that market just didnt like me. This was despite our ratings average being up about a full point year-to-year. Their decision was to pay me off through the rest of my contract, but I was required to stay on the air for another two months. It was incredibly challenging to pretend on-air everything was okay, when in fact youve been fired and your company doesnt want you there.

Worse yet, they brought my replacement in before I had left for me to help train himand surprisehe was much younger and much cheaper. I will always believe had all of the management at all of the stations in which I worked just allowed me to be me, I would have been far more successful than I was with their constant use of consultants to make me into someone else.

Bigger in Texas

Once his time in southwest Florida was done, Steele returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his late partner Kelly was art director for Automobile magazine.

We had been commuting via Delta Air Lines every other weekend for almost three years. Once back in Michigan, I fell back on my other skill as a personal trainer and worked out of a local club there.

About a year into that, Steele notes that his partners job was consolidated with another in Los Angeles, and his contract was terminated. We had to do something quick, and we knew neither of us wanted to stay in Michigan.

They moved back to Dallas, where they had met in 2000. Shortly afterward, Steele posted on social media that he was looking for a creative job. Within a few hours, an acquaintance they had hooked up with a few years earlier emailed from his talent agency with a job offer for Kellya mid-level creative position at Mary K Cosmetics corporate offices. Within two months, Steele says his partner was quickly hired as an employee and promoted to an executive position.

It was his dream job and afforded plenty of moneyenough that I didnt need to worry about what I was going to do for work. I felt I had the luxury of just thinking about what Id like to do next in life, and did just that. We bought a new house, new motorcycles and he got a new car. Everything seemed to be going great.

But sadly for Steele, the struggles with loved ones that he had to face as a young man were about to resurface.

Unknown to me, the stress and pressure of the new job was weighing on him, on top of a lifelong battle with depression. I had finished my shift as a bartender at the Dallas Eagle when I came home one night in August 2013 and found him face down in blood and vomit. Paramedics told me he had been dead for hours, but I kept trying to breathe life into him for 30 minutes. The medical examiner said he accidentally overdosed on ethyl chloride, better known as Maximum Impact. I found six empty cans around his body that night.

Kelly had no will, and because you couldnt legally marry in Texas in 2013, his family swooped in and took everything. They loaded up his car, his motorcycle and all of his tools. His mom sat on our couch in our home three days after his death saying, This is so overwhelming, I dont know what were going to do with all this stuff. Trying not to explode, I said, Some of this was mine before we met, most of it we acquired together, and Im pretty sure Im going to need it ahead. She thanked me for taking the burden off of her. Had I been the legal survivor, they would have received nothing, especially with my knowledge of how they treated him growing up.

And then came a turning point in Steeles life where he made a fateful decision.

Facing homelessness in a matter of weeks, my best friend said, Youve always wanted to do porn, youre not going back to TV news, why dont you apply with Titan or Colt? Scared, but running out of options, I did just thatand both companies scheduled me for a shoot in the same week.

Soon, Steele would embark on yet another journey of discoveryone that would have him making his own headlines.

In Part 2 of Man of Steele, Dallas chronicles his career in the adult industryand the new challenges he had to face.
About half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa still have a "narrowing" opportunity to curb the spread of coronavirus in the local population, a World Health Organisation regional official said on Thursday.

The virus has multiplied across Africa more slowly than in Asia or Europe, but more than 40 nations on the continent have now reported a total of 2,850 with 73 fatalities, according to a Reuters tally.

On Thursday, Kenya confirmed the death of its first patient over coronavirus, government spokesman Cyrus Oguna told Reuters.

Follow live updates of coronavirus cases in India here

"It has been a very dramatic evolution," Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Africa head, told a media teleconference earlier on Thursday.

Governments across the region needed to invest their efforts in aggressively tracing all those people who have been in contact with imported cases, in order to isolate them and prevent transmission of the disease locally.

"Countries need to work on this containment while preparing for a possible, broader expansion of the virus," she said.

The effort needs to be accompanied by public education campaigns to ensure people are maintaining physical distances, something that could help limit the spread of the virus, and should complement other measures like halting passenger flights.

]

South Africa has ordered a lockdown of its population for three weeks while Kenya has imposed a night-time curfew to prevent the disease from spreading.

"We still have a window... it is narrowing every day as data on the geographic spread to more and more countries tell us," Moeti said.

John Nkengasong, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a health body of the African Union, said African leaders were preparing to engage with their wealthier counterparts to secure vital supplies like respirators and ventilators in case infection rates worsen.

Nkengasong told the same teleconference that countries with advanced industrial bases like South Africa, Egypt and Morocco could be used to produce such equipment if needed.
An arrest affidavit says Carthens denied to police that he shot anyone but also told detectives that Brinkley was not an intended target. Police said they do not know if Brinkley was mistaken for someone else.
Shrine shine: Aachen Cathedral staff restore the shrine with the relics of St Corona, the patron of resisting epidemics. PHOTO: Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters

Germany's Aachen Cathedral has dug out the relics of little-known St Corona - patron saint of resisting epidemics - from its treasure chamber and is polishing up her elaborate shrine to go on show once the coronavirus pandemic has passed.

The pandemic, which has infected nearly half a million people worldwide, including more than 30,000 in Germany, has boosted public interest in the Christian martyr, believed to have been killed by the Romans around 1,800 years ago.

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, the cathedral had planned to display St Corona's shrine this summer as part of an exhibition on gold craftsmanship.

It is not clear when people will now be able to view the shrine due to tough restrictions on gatherings imposed to help combat the spread of the virus.

But experts are painstakingly cleaning the gold, bronze and ivory shrine, which has been hidden from public view for the last 25 years, in preparation for when it can go on display.

"We have brought the shrine out a bit earlier than planned and now we expect more interest due to the virus," said Aachen Cathedral spokeswoman Daniela Loevenich.

Corona is believed to have been only about 16 years old when the Romans killed her, probably in Syria, for professing the Christian faith.

The girl suffered a particularly excruciating death, according to legend. She was tied to two bent palm trees and then torn apart as the trunks were released.

"That is a very gruesome story and led to her becoming the patron of lumberjacks," said Brigitte Falk, head of Aachen Cathedral treasure chamber, adding that it was pure chance she also became a patron saint for resisting epidemics.

St Corona's relics, brought to Aachen by King Otto III in 997, were kept in a tomb underneath a slab in the cathedral - which can still be seen - until 1911-12 when they were placed in the shrine, which is 93cm tall and weighs 98kg.

The Roman Catholic cathedral at Aachen, built by Emperor Charlemagne in the ninth century, is one of Europe's oldest. Charlemagne was buried there in 814 and it was used for the coronation of German kings and queens.

While the cathedral stresses St Corona is patron saint of resisting all epidemics, not just this specific virus, the virus is so-called because, under a microscope, it looks like a globe with little globules, resembling a crown, said Ms Falk. In Latin, corona means crown or garland.

"Like many other saints, St Corona may be a source of hope in these difficult times," said Ms Falk.
MONTREAL - Two major Quebec media companies are announcing big cost-cutting measures that they say are necessary to deal with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cogeco Media, which operates 23 radio stations in Quebec and Ontario, said today it was laying off 130 people, representing 25 per cent of its workforce. The company says the decision is due to a drop in advertising revenue.

Meanwhile Montreals La Presse said today it would implement a 10 per cent salary cut for its unionized employees and its managers until 2021. The not-for-profit news company says it wont be eliminating any positions.

Thursdays bad news follows a reorganization announced earlier this week of a co-operative that operates six daily newspapers in the province. The co-operative, known as CN2i, said it would suspend the publishing of its printed editions, and it temporarily laid off 143 people.

In response to the financial difficulties of news organizations, the federal government announced Wednesday it would help struggling media companies.

Ottawa said it would purchase advertising space in news outlets across the country to inform Canadians about COVID-19 and said it would fast-track the implementation of already-announced tax credits for the media.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2020.
They are putting us directly in harms way while profiting greatly. We cannot let this be considered normal.

The "Instacart Shoppers and Gig Workers Collective," representing some 175,000 laborers for Instacart, plan to strike on Monday, March 30.

Organizers of the labor protest say the grocery delivery giant is denying gig workers ("shoppers") basic coronavirus pandemic protections such as gloves, soap, hand sanitizer, and pay for those with pre-existing health issues that place them at high risk for COVID-19.

Read their demands at medium.com/@GigWorkersCollective. Here's an excerpt:

On Monday, March 30, Shoppers will walk off of our jobs, and will not return to work until our demands are met. We demand that Instacart meet the following conditions:  Safety precautions at no cost to workers  PPE (at minimum hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes/sprays and soap).

 Hazard pay  an extra $5 per order and defaulting the in-app tip amount to at least 10% of the order total.

 An extension and expansion of pay for workers impacted by COVID-19  anyone who has a doctor's note for either a preexisting condition that's a known risk factor or requiring a self-quarantine.

 The deadline to qualify for these benefits must be extended beyond April 8th.



Instacart's response is here.

Reporting from Lauren Kaori Gurley at VICE Motherboard:

On Monday, workers say they will refuse to accept orders until Instacart provides hazard pay of an additional $5 an order, free safety gear (hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and soap) to workers, and expands its paid sick leave to include workers with pre-existing conditions who have been advised by their doctors not to work at this time. Workers say the strike will last until Instacart agrees to these terms. The March 30 walkout will build on a wave of wildcat strikes sweeping across the country. In recent days, Amazon warehouse workers in Queens, New York, sanitation workers in Pittsburgh, and poultry plant workers at Perdue Farms in Georgia have all walked off the job, demanding greater protections from coronavirus, and leading to calls for a "general strike," or mass strike action across the country. Meanwhile, the upcoming Instacart strike will mark the first time gig workers in the United Stateswho face the double bind of working on the front lines of virus and lacking basic labor protections like healthcare and paid sick dayshave walked off the job in response to coronavirus.

In a blog post Friday morning, Instacart promises "new features and offerings" in response to Covid-19, but none of this addresses gig workers' demands. Excerpt:

"The health and safety of our entire community  shoppers, customers, and employees  is our first priority. Our goal is to offer a safe and flexible earnings opportunity to shoppers, while also proactively taking the appropriate precautionary measures to operate safely. We want to underscore that we absolutely respect the rights of shoppers to provide us feedback and voice their concerns. It's a valuable way for us to continuously make improvements to the shopper experience and we're committed to supporting this important community during this critical time."

Read more at VICE Motherboard:

Instacart's Gig Workers Are Planning a Massive, Nationwide Strike
Opinions can heat up as fast as an overloaded GPU processor, when the conversation among gaming enthusiasts turns to their favorite GPU manufacturer. AMD and Nvidia are the two dominant forces in the field, and each boasts legions of fans.

While hardly any companies have been immune to the destructive effect of coronavirus, the two chipmakers have withstood the macro storm relatively well. As Wall Street analysts make adjustments to fit the new coronavirus driven paradigm, these market leaders have caught Wall Street's attention.

Investment firm Wedbush just added both AMD and Nvidia to its Best Ideas List. The list  which comprises 29 stocks  highlights the firm's highest rated equities, chosen by its analysts, and vetted by its Investment Committee.

We ran the two through TipRanks database to further gauge the Streets sentiment towards the GPU giants. It appears, that in addition to Wedbushs call, both are Buy-rated and are poised to offer investors returns of at least 10% in the next 12 months. Lets take a closer look.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

Considering AMD was last years star performer, adding an extraordinary 156% to the share price over the year, you mightve expected a sharp downturn in the recent demolition of the market. But true to form, the chip giant has given little back to Mr. Market, and in the current climate its year-to-date loss of only 3%, displays investors confidence in AMDs strength.

Wedbushs Matt Bryson agrees. The analyst keeps his Outperform rating on AMD intact, along with a $57 price target. Expect the GPU player to add an extra 28% to the share price should Brysons thesis play out over the following months. (To watch Brysons track record, click here)

Backing up his call, the Wedbush analyst notes AMDs strong balance sheet, which includes more than $1 billion in net cash. Additionally, because the company no longer has any fab assets (the costly plants where integrated circuits are manufactured), it does not have either fab utilization risk or exposure to significant capital requirements, which in difficult times such as these, can weigh heavily on the balance sheet.

Story continues

Most of AMDs revenue is from gaming, data center and PCs. Bryson anticipates all three segments to outperform in a downturn, and notes that social distancing equates to more gaming time, while people shifting towards remote work should provide an uptick in AMDs data center and PC segments.

Bryson expounded, AMD's revenue growth is tied to share gains in PC and Server CPUs (rather than broader market trends). While lower market growth will weigh on revenue/earnings, continued share shift (they gained roughly 1%/Q in '19) should allow AMD to outperform market peers struggling with economic trends While the current environment clearly creates significant uncertainty; AMD's FY'20 and intermediate term guide looked very conservative prior to concerns around COVID-19 appearing, a setup that should insulate AMD (in contrast to its peers).

Out on the Street, AMDs Moderate Buy consensus rating breaks down into 14 Buys, 13 Holds and 1 Sell. Investors can expect returns of 17.5%., should the average price target of $52.44, be met in the year ahead. (See AMD stock analysis on TipRanks)

Nvidia (NVDA)

Although not as quite a market shredding act as AMD in last years bull run, Nvidia still managed to add an extra 73% to its share price over the year. The run had extended right up until March, when the stock was pulled down along with everything else. Nevertheless, the recent strong bounce back appears to be a good sign, and Nvidia stock at its current price seems to be attracting a lot of Street attention.

Wedbushs Matt Bryson (who also covers AMD) evidently thinks so, and notes Nvidia is advantaged vs many peers in dealing with COVID-19. So, what lies behind the analysts positive assessment?

Well, for starters, Bryson notes the percentage of FY20 revenue two of the GPU leaders segments  gaming and Datacenter - make up. Both are well suited to benefit from the current crisis, with the former amounting to 57%, and the latter its largest growth driver  making up 21%. As with AMD, the current stay-at-home climate bodes well for both divisions.

The similarities extend further. You can add Nvidias fabless model to the list, and while the analyst was impressed by AMDs strong balance sheet, Nvidias is even more eye popping. With cash and investments worth $10.9 billion, reduce the $2 billion of debt, and it leaves Nvidia with a net cash position of $8.9 billion.

There are other near-term catalysts, too. Last year, Nvidia outbid Intel for Mellanox Technologies. The acquisition of the Israeli chip designer is its biggest-ever, in a transaction worth $6.8 billion and is expected to be completed shortly. A further catalyst is anticipated from the forthcoming release of Ampere, Nvidias next generation GPU.

So, what does it mean for investors? Bryson reiterates an Outperform rating, along with a $311.00 price target. From current levels, the upside is 27%.

The Street is almost unanimously on the Wedbush analysts side. 27 Buys, 2 Holds and 1 Sell add up to a Strong Buy consensus rating. The average price target is $304.76, and implies possible gains in the shape of 305%. (See Nvidia stock analysis on TipRanks)
Fans had already been banished from Santa Anita Park before Friday's shutdown of live racing. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)

Thoroughbred racing at Santa Anita Park was shut down shortly before its first post Friday by the Los Angeles County Health Department in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move came after a frantic effort by the Arcadia track to stay open for racing before no crowds with only essential personnel on site. No return date was announced.

Were going to continue training and are in constant dialogue with the health department to see if there is anything we can do, said Aidan Butler, acting executive director of California racing for the Stronach Group. The health department feels for our plight, and we look forward to working with them to find a solution that is best for everyone.

The series of events that culminated in the closure started Wednesday morning when an environmental health specialist from the health department deemed that the track should be shut down.

After review by our Department, live racing of the horses has been deemed a non-essential operation, it said in a memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times. Horse racing may not continue per the Health Officer Order.

On Thursday, Butler emailed Edward Morrissey, the acting chief of the Health Services Department, to plead the case for Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, its sister track in Northern California, to remain open. Golden Gate has not closed.

The California Horse Racing Board met by teleconference Thursday and did not act on the status of Santa Anita despite pleas by animal-rights activists to close the track in light of the pandemic. Activists had already been calling for the track to close for almost a year because of horse fatalities, which have been greatly reduced this year.

The CHRB telegraphed what was to come in a few hours Friday morning when it sent out a news release saying: In this time of an extraordinary health crisis and pandemic, the [CHRB] is relying on state, county and local health authorities to determine whether horse racing is deemed essential for exemption from shelter-in-place orders issued by those authorities.

Story continues

L.A. County followed through and enforced its order Friday.

According to a health department news release Friday, there have been six positive tests in Arcadia for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. There are no known positives from track personnel.

The arguments made by Butler in his email to Morrissey on Thursday were similar to those made by executives of the Stronach Group, Del Mar and the Thoroughbred Owners of California to the CHRB on March 20.

The majority of the personnel to take care of the horses are already on-site, said the letter, which was obtained by The Times through the California Public Records Act. There are currently over 1,000 people housed in the dormitories and rooms in the Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields stable areas which total well over 100 acres of property. The number of essential personnel required to race in the afternoon is far less than that required to safely maintain the health and welfare or the horses in the morning.

 We are facing a crisis that could lead to these horses being abandoned throughout the state and more than 1,000 people homeless.

Santa Anita and Golden Gate were donating all their profits to those affected by the coronavirus.

Horse racing was the last betting sport that was able to continue in the wake of professional leagues and games shutting down. There was even the thought that the sport would benefit because gamblers had no other sport on which to bet. However, the additional money bet did not replace the wagering that was lost when there was no on-track attendance or state inter-track wagering.

No one really thought this would be a great windfall, said Craig Fravel, chief executive for racing at the Stronach Group, before learning of the closure. I think anybody who is looking at it from that standpoint is missing the big picture. What were trying to do is sustain the ecosystem in a responsible manner.  We want to make sure people are following all the protocols while giving them an opportunity to pay their bills.

The fear is that with no racing at Santa Anita, owners could move their horses to the few remaining jurisdictions that were running and never return to California, causing a potential collapse of the industry in the state. Thoroughbred racing is continuing at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida and at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

Racing will continue in California for now at Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos in Orange County and Cal Expo, the only harness track operating in the country.
Noted filmmaker SS Rajamouli hasn't wrapped up his much-awaited film Roudram Ranam Rudhiram but the movie is already gaining a lot of attention because of several reasons. Just a few days back, the makers released the motion poster of RRR on social media and surprised all the fans across India. And now we hear megastar Mohanlal will be doing a guest role in the magnum opus which stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead along with Bollywood actors Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt.

While an official announcement about Mohanlal's casting is still awaited, another speculation doing the rounds regarding RRR is that Thalapathy Vijay is also set to do a cameo in the period-drama. Yes, you heard that right. While on one hand, many media reports claim that the Master hero is likely to be a part of Rajamouli's directorial venture, according to India Today, these are just baseless rumours.

Rubbishing the reports, a source close to Vijay told India Today, "The actor is not a part of RRR. These are baseless rumours. He will announce his next post the release of Master." However, team RRR hasn't reacted to this speculation or given us any clarity on the subject. So it's hard to tell whether Thalapathy Vijay will have a special appearance in RRR or not. Guess, all we can do now is wait to find out the truth.

Coming back to Rajamouli and his film, currently, the shooting is on hold as the entire country is in lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The makers, nonetheless, have completed almost 90% of the film. But Alia Bhatt, who is making her Telugu debut with this one, is yet to shoot for her portions with Ram Charan. As for Vijay, the superstar will be seen in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Master which is touted to an action-thriller and also features Vijay Sethupathi in the lead.

Is Mohanlal On Board For SS Rajamouli's Roudram Ranam Rudhiram?
(Newser)  "We need to get this bill passed tomorrow," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday of the $2 trillion economic stimulus package that already has cleared the Senate. To do that, she said, We have to get people off their selfishness." Some Republicans, and one unnamed Democrat, have threatened to demand a roll call vote on the bill, Politico reports. A roll call instead of a voice vote would require more House members returning to the Capitol to be counted in person. Kevin McCarthy, the House GOP leader, backs the bill and also has said he supports a voice vote. Members would still be able to speak on the bill in the House chamber before voting. "I feel certain that we will have a strong bipartisan vote," Pelosi said during her news conference, per MarketWatch.

story continues below

In a conference call Thursday, Pelosi told Democratic members it would be selfish to demand a roll call vote, forcing colleagues to put their healthand others'in danger by traveling during the pandemic. Republican leaders are especially worried about one of their members, Tom Massie, gumming up the works. Massie has driven back to Washington from Kentucky and hinted about blocking a voice vote. Once this bill has passed, Pelosi said, per NBC News, "We have to do more." Democrats have said that could include more direct payments and greater food stamp benefits, coronavirus testing coverage, family and medical leave, and workplace protections. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
Seen through a window, President Trump spoke about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room on Thursday. Read more

President Donald Trump cast doubt Thursday on New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's assertion that his state, which has become the epicenter for the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, will need 30,000 ventilators to properly care for the influx of patients anticipated to flood hospitals in coming weeks.

"I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they're going to be," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in a phone interview. "I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes they'll have two ventilators, and now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"

The president's comments came shortly after the New York Times reported that the White House had abruptly called off a plan to announce this week that General Motors and Ventec Life Systems would be partnering up to produce as many as 80,000 ventilators, citing concerns with the deal's $1 billion price tag.

Trump made no mention of the canceled announcement while chatting with Hannity on Thursday night, but did stress that the critical machinery isn't cheap.

"When you talk about ventilators, that's sort of like buying a car," he said. "It's very expensive. It's a very intricate piece of equipment. . . . The good ones are very, very expensive."

Amid the outbreak, officials in New York and other states heavily impacted by the virus have asked the federal government to provide essential medical supplies to hospitals where resources are stretched thin. According to the most recent figures, there are at least 85,000 confirmed cases in the United States. As of early Friday, nearly half of those confirmed cases have occurred in New York.

Aside from test kits and protective gear, ventilators - which help a person with compromised lungs keep breathing - have topped lists of requests from local leaders.

At a news conference earlier this week, Cuomo excoriated the Trump administration for its response to the global pandemic, pointing to the worsening situation in New York as a harbinger of what's to come for states and cities nationwide that are also battling rising numbers of cases. Chief among Cuomo's concerns for his state was a shortage of ventilators.

As of Tuesday morning, Cuomo said New York needed 30,000 ventilators, noting that the state had so far acquired about 7,000 units with the Federal Emergency Management Agency offering to provide 400 more.Later that day, Vice President Mike Pence said the White House would be sending an additional 4,000 ventilators as part of an effort to "surge resources" to New York.

During his call with Hannity on Thursday, the president put the onus on local leaders to shoulder the brunt of the response in their respective states, emphasizing the federal government's role as "a second line of attack."

Trump went on to criticize Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, accusing the two Democrats of not doing enough to address the health crisis. Both Inslee and Whitmer have called on Trump to provide more resources to their states.

"He shouldn't be relying on the federal government. He's always complaining," Trump said of Inslee.

The president then turned to Whitmer, whose name he did not appear to know.

"And your governor of Michigan, she's not stepping up," he said. "I don't know if she knows what's going on. All she does is sit there and blame the federal government."

But though Trump insisted that he is "getting along" with Cuomo and a majority of the other governors, he continued to challenge their requests for help.

"I think that a lot of things are being said that are more - I don't think that certain things will materialize," he said. "A lot of equipment's being asked for that I don't think they'll need."

On social media, lawmakers and critics alike were baffled by Trump's apparent questioning of the need for the large number of ventilators to help support those fighting coronavirus.

Whitmer, the Democratic governor of Michigan, responded to Trump not naming her in his critique.

"I've asked repeatedly and respectfully for help. We need it," she said on Twitter. "No more political attacks, just [personal protective equipment], ventilators, N95 masks, test kits." She added, "You said you stand with Michigan - prove it."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., urged the president to not minimize the shortage of ventilators for patients, and called on him to use the Defense Production Act.

"For every ventilator we are short, a patient dies," tweeted the congressman. "You downplayed the risk of #COVID19 & now U.S. has most cases in the world. Don't downplay risks again & repeat the same mistake."

Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell noted how hours before Trump said that more ventilators weren't necessary, the president told reporters that the Obama administration was to blame for the nation not having the appropriate supplies to deal with a pandemic. In the daily coronavirus briefing, Trump said that his administration inherited "an empty shelf."

"These excuses for the inexcusable are somewhat in tension," Rampell tweeted.

Some critics, like Patrick Chovanec, chief strategist at the investment advisory firm Silvercrest Asset Management, said they could only hope for the president to be right.

"I mean, if we hand out too many ventilators, people might prefer it to breathing on their own," said Chovanec, who previously worked for GOP leaders on Capitol Hill.

But many pleaded for the president to "believe hospitals" and offer them the equipment needed to treat coronavirus patients.

If they say ventilators are needed, its because they are singularly devoted to caring for people and saving lives, tweeted Mindy Finn, a former Republican campaigner. Too many ventilators is not a real problem.
The 60-year-old man died at the district hospital in Tumakuru, Karnataka.

Tumakuru: An aged person who had been to New Delhi to attend a conference about a fortnight back became the third casualty in the current outbreak of coronavirus Covid-19 in Karnataka today.

He died at the District Hospital in Tumakuru this morning.

Deputy commissioner Rakesh said the man was admitted to the hospital on March 21 but got himself discharged against medical advice before his condition worsened and was referred back again.

His samples were sent for laboratory tests and the district administration received confirmation of Covid-19 infection last night.

The identity of the person was not disclosed by officials.

The 60-year-old man had travelled by the Sampark Kranti Express from Tumakuru to New Delhi on March 5 and reached New Delhi on March 7 to attend a conference. He boarded the Kongu Express to return back to Tumakuru from New Delhi and reached Yeshwanthpur Railway Station on March 11.

From Bengaluru, he took a bus to Sira, his native place. He stayed in his house till March 18 until he needed treatment for a respiratory infection.

Initially, he was treated as an out-patient patient since he had no history of travel abroad. But his symptoms showed no improvement and had an x-ray taken at a private clinic on March 21.

Deputy Commissioner Rakesh told reporters that the mans primary and secondary contacts have been identified.

Health and family welfare minister B Sriramulu tweeted that the mans 24 high-risk primary contacts have been traced of which 13 have been isolated in a designated hospital. Eight of them have tested negative. Three are healthcare professionals who are house quarantined.

This is the third coronavirus fatality in Karnataka. Earlier this month, a 76-year-old Kalaburagi man died due to co-morbidity and tested positive for COVID- 19 after his death. He was also the country's first coronavirus death.

A 70-year old woman from Chikkaballapura district who returned from Mecca in Saudi Arabia died on March 24 at a designated hospital here, becoming the second fatality.
I love the print, but the proportions seem wrong. I like the idea, but it feels a little joyless. Theres something very unresolved about the crotch on those pants, and they dont feel elevated.

Did we all talk like this before Project Runway? Maybe. But I barely remember looking at the Chrysler Building and not thinking of Jay McCarrolls dress from Season 1. I cant hear the name Andre without also hearing Santino Rice imitating Tim Gunn sighing What happened to Andre? (Hes our little lamb, you guys.) I dont think I say fierce anymore, but thats only because I said it enough times post-Christian Sirianos season that the well ran dry. I have owned multiple capes.

Project Runway was a cable darling and then a cable staple and then an is that still on? But now it has also spawned two direct descendants, Netflixs Next In Fashion, which came out Jan. 29 and Amazons Making the Cut, which premieres Friday  and stars Heidi Klum and Gunn. And the original itself is still chugging along; it crowned its Season 18 winner earlier this month.

These are Darwins finches for reality contest shows, adapting to various conditions and also demonstrating what can be exploited within each environment. Or what cant.
The "Portugal Telecom Operators Country Intelligence Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The overall telecom service revenue in Portugal will decline at a CAGR of 0.3% in euro terms but will grow at 0.3% in US$ terms during 2019-2024.

Mobile revenue will account for 41.4% of total telecom service revenue by 2024.

4G will remain the most adopted mobile technology across the forecast period, and will account for approximately 61.5% of total mobile subscriptions by 2024.

Portugal Telecom Operators Country Intelligence Report provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Portugal today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2024.

Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, and mobile segments, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.

Telecom service revenue growth in Portugal through 2019-2024 will be mainly driven by growth in mobile data and fixed broadband segments. Mobile data will be fastest growing segment over 2019-2024. Growth will be driven by rise in data ARPS, growing consumption of mobile data services and spike in smartphone subscriptions. Fixed broadband revenue will grow at a CAGR of 3.1% over 2019-2024, supported by investment by the major telcos in expansion of fiber-optic broadband services in the country.

The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:

Demographic and macroeconomic context in Portugal.

The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, tariff regulation, and more.

Telecom services market outlook: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data markets.

The competitive landscape: an examination of the positioning of leading players in the telecom services market as well as subscription market shares across segments.

Company snapshots: analysis of the financial position of leading service providers in the telecommunications markets.

Underlying assumptions behind our published base-case forecasts, as well as potential market developments that would alter, either positively or negatively, our base-case outlook.

Reasons to Buy

This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Portugal's telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.

Accompanying the publisher's Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Portugal's mobile communications, fixed telephony, and broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.

With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.

The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Portugal's telecommunications markets.

The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors, and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Portugal.

Companies Mentioned

MEO

Vodafone Portugal

NOS

Lycamobile

NOWO

Key Topics Covered

Market highlights Demographic, macroeconomic, and regulatory context Regulatory context Telecom and pay-TV services market outlook Total telecom service revenue Mobile services market Fixed services market Pay-TV services market Competitive landscape and company snapshots Competitive landscape NOS MEO Vodafone Portugal Additional resources Baseline forecast assumptions Glossary Data Tables Research methodology

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l1rips

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005167/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Technavio has been monitoring the soy sauces market and it is poised to grow by USD 9.71 billion during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005627/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Soy Sauces Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Bourbon Barrel Foods, Foshan Haitian Flavoring Food, Kikkoman Corporation, Lee Kum Kee, OTAFUKU SAUCE, YAMASA CORPORATION are some of the major market participants. The expanding production capabilities will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Expanding production capabilities has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Soy Sauces Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Soy Sauces Market is segmented as below:

End-user Foodservice Retail



Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30180

Soy Sauces Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our soy sauces market report covers the following areas:

Soy Sauces Market size

Soy Sauces Market trends

Soy Sauces Market industry analysis

This study identifies packaging innovations as one of the prime reasons driving the soy sauces market growth during the next few years.

Soy Sauces Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Soy Sauces Market, including some of the vendors such as Bourbon Barrel Foods, Foshan Haitian Flavoring Food, Kikkoman Corporation, Lee Kum Kee, OTAFUKU SAUCE, and YAMASA CORPORATION. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Soy Sauces 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

Soy Sauces Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist soy sauces market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the soy sauces market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the soy sauces market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of soy sauces market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER

Market segmentation by end-user

Comparison by end-user

Foodservice Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Retail Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by end-user

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 10: MARKET TRENDS

Increasing soy production

Emergence of private label brands

Packaging innovations

PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Bourbon Barrel Foods

Foshan Haitian Flavoring Food

Kikkoman Corporation

Lee Kum Kee

OTAFUKU SAUCE

YAMASA CORPORATION

PART 13: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005627/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/
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:46:15|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned a "heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" on a Sikh temple in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Wednesday.

The members of the council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Afghan government, and wished a speedy and full recovery for those who were injured, said the council in a press statement.

The council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and stressed the need for all states to combat by all means the threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of the terrorist activities accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all states to cooperate actively with the Afghan government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

The attack occurred Wednesday morning when at least four insurgents equipped with suicide vests, hand grenades and assault rifles burst into the temple and began firing at the worshipers. The Afghan Interior Ministry said 25 civilians were killed and eight others wounded. Hours after the attack, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.
(Natural News) Trump supporters and conservatives everywhere are screaming at Trump to get America back to work and end the coronavirus lockdowns. But if you release infected carriers back into the workforce, coronavirus infections will explode again. Thats why if you really want to get America working again, you need to get America tested first.

Yet the official testing guidelines from the CDC and the White House currently state that people who show no symptoms should not be tested. Thanks to that rule, none of the asymptomatic carriers will ever be identified, and any attempt to get America back to work will be catastrophic in re-igniting the spread of the virus once again.

Im all for getting Americans back to work, but only those who arent carrying the coronavirus. Those who are infected should stay home. And the only way to tell the difference between the carriers and the non-infected is to test everyone. This, of course, depends on the availability of diagnostic testing kits which the CDC has gone to great lengths to deny health officials across America. That was all part of the plan, of course, to make the pandemic spread even more aggressively so that the CDC could get more funding and position itself as the hero of the pandemic.

See this stunning mini-documentary to find out more about the CDCs criminal operations:

Everyone who goes back to work should be required to wear a mask

If were going to get America back to work, we should also require everyone to wear a mask. This is true even if weve tested everyone, since testing wont identify people in the very early days of the incubation period.

While the rest of the world has already learned to wear masks, the American people for some reason are highly resistant to the idea. They think wearing masks is, an Asian thing. But many countries across Europe are mandating masks, too. Its not just Asia.

Of course, wearing masks will require masks to be made available through the marketplace, but so far no masks are available since the government is hoarding them all by confiscating masks from commercial suppliers who might have otherwise sold them to the public.

This is all part of President Trumps anti-hoarding executive order which really should have been called the Government hoarding mandate or Gunpoint confiscation of masks mandate.

But until everybody can wear a mask, its national suicide to push everybody back to work.

Summary: To get back to work, we have to test everyone and get everyone to wear a mask first

Im all for getting America back to work, but not if millions of people die from the spread of the coronavirus due to bull-headed stupidity by those who only care about the economy while ignoring innocent lives. If we want America to get back to work, we need to:

1) Test everyone and isolate those who test positive.

2) Require everyone to wear a mask in public and at work.

Until both of those things happen, re-opening society is a suicide mission, and it will only end badly with new infection explosions all across the nation.

I find it astonishing that Trump isnt yet urging everyone to wear a mask, take vitamin C and get tested for the coronavirus. Until those things happen, this epidemic will continue to spread through any publicly-shared environments such as work places and public transportation.

And we cant just think about ourselves, either. To beat this Wuhan coronavirus, we have to think about others and approach this with a community-scale mindset:

Brighteon.com/5e8916cc-64de-4bd3-b26b-a8febaf1149b

If you want to live, read Pandemic.news.
A worker walks near a mural of a Boeing 777 airplane at the company's manufacturing facility in Everett, Wash. Read more

WASHINGTON  In the days before the Senate unanimously passed a roughly $2 trillion bailout bill for the nations nose-diving economy, lobbyists and special-interest groups flooded Congress with long-standing wishes and wants  though couched as urgent needs in a time of crisis.

The 880-page bill that emerged  and that the House is expected to approve Friday  did not give everyone everything they sought.

But it does include provisions plucked from the wish lists of hotels, restaurants, retailers and over-the-counter drug manufacturers, among others. Some measures will last only as long as the coronavirus crisis and its economic fallout last. Others are permanent.

One of the biggest winners could be a company whose name doesnt show up anywhere in the relief package. Aerospace giant Boeing Co., which had struggled long before the coronavirus pandemic hit, appears the chief beneficiary of a $17 billion loan program intended for what the bill calls businesses critical to maintaining the national security.

Small banks won lower requirements for capital reserves, a longtime goal for their lobbyists, on the theory that it would allow them lend more money to struggling businesses.

Similarly, restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers argued successfully for a federal tax break that would let them write off renovations to their business they would otherwise have to spread out over years.

And a little-noticed provision added to the bill would speed up the Food and Drug Administrations review of over-the-counter drugs and sunscreen products.

The provision, which has been on the Senates to-do list for over a year, has the backing of both physicians groups and makers of nonprescription drugs. But even the Public Access to SunScreens Coalition, an industry group, said protection from sunburn is not tied to the coronavirus crisis.

Its not controversial but it certainly caught a ride on this train, said Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a Washington-based group that highlights wasteful government spending. People are arguing about various treatments for COVID-19, but sunscreen isnt one of them.

Easing the FDAs approval process for sunscreen has been a priority for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who represents Kentucky, where the cosmetics company LOreal has a manufacturing plant. McConnells office did not respond to a request for comment.

Democrats also attached measures that are not directly tied to the coronavirus.

The bill includes $75 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which give grants to museum and artists.

It also provides $7.5 million for the Smithsonian Institution and $25 million for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

And the long-troubled U.S. Postal Service will get a $10 billion loan, though Democrats have warned the agency will need more to stay afloat.

Businesses owned by President Donald Trump and his immediate family, or by the vice president, top federal officials and members of Congress, are specifically barred from obtaining loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act. Steven T. Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, is not empowered to lift those bans.

Still, language in the bill could allow the Trump Organization, the private holding company for the presidents businesses, to benefit from two provisions designed to help restaurants and hotels, according to The New York Times.

Other tax provisions could provide a bonanza for wealthy real estate investors, potentially including the president and members of his family.

Senate Republicans inserted a provision that would permit wealthy investors to use real estate losses to minimize their taxes. The estimated cost of the change over 10 years is $170 billion, according to The New York Times.

Its not too late for industries whose requests didnt make it into the final bill.

If signed into law, the bill would provide $500 billion in loans from the federal government to distressed businesses, states and local governments. The Federal Reserve, the countrys central bank, would oversee the program, an arrangement that initially worried Democrats who pressed for stronger oversight.

The loans now come with strings attached, such as disclosure requirements and oversight by a special inspector general and a congressionally appointed review board to look for waste, fraud and abuse.

Companies that borrow money under the legislation cant engage in stock buybacks, and there are limits on how much they can increase a CEOs pay.

Even with those efforts, the potential remains for particular industries or business owners to receive preferential treatment.

Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said the legislation grants Mnuchin broad power to remove bans on profiteering with a simple waiver.

Prohibitions on stock buybacks, dividends or compensation limits can be lifted at any time. The only caveat, she said, is Mnuchin would have to appear before Congress to explain his decision.

The single largest line item in the stimulus is the nearly $500 billion slush fund for corporations, Gilbert said. This money has some guardrails attached but these can be waived if Secretary Mnuchin simply chooses to.

The bill includes funding for an inspector general to monitor the Treasurys lending, but its unclear whether the office would have subpoena power, so another federal agency could refuse to hand over documents, she said.

Also noteworthy: The prohibition against golden parachutes  or generous severance packages  for CEOs may be limited to double their 2019 compensation. That could still allow a company to increase an executives pay by millions of dollars.

Gilbert said her organization supports the relief bill despite its flaws because it provides funding urgently needed for health care workers to get personal protective equipment, including masks, and much of the money will go to families as direct payments or unemployment insurance.

Reed Hundt, who led a review of economic policies during President Barack Obamas transition in 2008, lauded the legislation for beefing up unemployment compensation and commended Congress for not being hamstrung by fears of the deficit.

But he said the lack of transparency in the legislative process is troublesome. In the rush to deal with the crisis, there were no public hearings and little formal process.

There is a big risk of secret favoritism, he said. The Treasury Department has to be completely transparent about everything it does.

To some critics, the billions of dollars set aside to bail out Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft manufacturer, suggest the Trump administration is already playing favorites.

Aviation authorities grounded the Boeing 737 Max fleet a year ago after two deadly crashes in five months, and Boeing was in financial distress long before the coronavirus slammed the brakes on international air travel.

Partly as a result, Boeing lobbied for a bailout equivalent to the GDP of a small country. It sought $60 billion in loans, and while the Senate package set aside $17 billion for the company, Boeing could potentially receive more from the $500 billion fund.

It did not hurt that Boeing has a supporter in the Oval Office. Were not letting Boeing go out of business, Trump told Fox News on Tuesday.

Certainly this administration has not been shy about picking winners and losers and rewarding friends and punishing enemies, Ellis said. Once this gets in the hands of the executive, who knows how theyre going to allocate the funding.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 03:11:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Non-Aligned Movement has called for the removal of unilateral economic sanctions against its members in face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (CoB-NAM) considers that, at this juncture, the enactment and application of unilateral coercive economic measures against member states of the movement have an impact on the capacity of states to respond efficiently, specifically in the acquisition of medical equipment and supplies, to adequately treat the population of entire peoples in the face of this pandemic," said the bureau in a communique, which was released on Friday.

CoB-NAM urges the international community to adopt urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral economic, financial or trade measures that are not authorized by relevant organs of the United Nations, that are inconsistent with the principles of international law or the UN Charter, or that contravene the basic principles of the multilateral trading system, and that affect, in particular, but not exclusively, developing countries, said the communique.

The Azerbaijani Permanent Mission to the United Nations, which chairs CoB-NAM, said the communique was agreed upon by the members of the movement on Wednesday in line with a silence procedure.
You are here: China

A total of 558 Hong Kong residents in central China's Hubei province were brought back to Hong Kong on Wednesday and Thursday by four chartered flights commissioned by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government.

It was the second round of chartered flight operation after the first one in early March, bringing 281 Hong Kong residents back on Wednesday and 277 on Thursday.

The two-day operation went smoothly, said HKSAR government's Director of Immigration Erick Tsang.

On Thursday, the two chartered flights, with 142 and 135 passengers on board respectively, landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at around 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. local time respectively.

The HKSAR government's Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip, who led the operation to Hubei, told media upon his arrival in Hong Kong on Thursday that among the passengers 138 were in Xianning city, 104 in Xiaogan city and the rest in some other cities of Hubei province.

Out of them 140 people are aged under 16, and 63 people are aged above 60.

The returnees will undergo a 14-day home quarantine upon their arrival.

The HKSAR government sent the first round of chartered flights on March 4 and 5 to bring back 469 Hong Kong residents from Hubei.
Apple's iPhone sales in China have taken a major hit.

AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Apple's manufacturing partners are looking to diversify their production to locations outside of China, such as India, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The trade war and the coronavirus pandemic sparked concern about the company relying on one country for the majority of its production.

However, the ease and efficiency of basing manufacturing in China will be difficult for companies to ignore.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Apple's supply chains could be rewoven as key manufacturers for the company consider relocating and diversifying centers of production outside China as the coronavirus rattles supply chains, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Wistron Corp. could transition half of its production capacity into countries beyond China in the next year, the report said. Other Apple partners such as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (also known as Foxconn), Inventec Corp., and Pegatron Corp., are also considering reorganizing their supply chains.

The potential to reorient manufacturing locations was ushered in as the trade war between China and the US erupted and is becoming an increasingly serious consideration as the coronavirus ravages supply chains and the global economy, according to Bloomberg. Both the plight of the trade war and the coronavirus epidemic reveal the risks of relying on one country to manufacture a product.

Wistron Corp. already produces some iPhone technology in India as well as Vietnam and Mexico and is saving $1 billion to continue spreading its manufacturing efforts elsewhere, the report said. Producers such as Pegatron are also looking to expand into Vietnam and India: Pegatron is already branching out to Indonesia and hopes to expand in Taiwan as well.

The same goes for smaller manufacturers with partnerships outside of Apple, such as Meiloon Industrial Co., a speaker producer for Harman International Industries and Xiaomi Corp.

"We're talking about adjusting some knobs, not some sort of wholesale, fundamental change," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in late February the company wasn't making any sudden changes because of the coronavirus shake-up, according to Bloomberg.

Moving production outside of China is not a simple process for companies because of the ease China offers, including a large market base, skilled workers, productive distribution systems, and a closely-knit network of suppliers. But for some companies, the inconvenience of diversifying manufacturing is worth avoiding the risk of putting production in one country.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Federal Medical Station approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency Thursday is expected to begin setting up shop at the shuttered Glen Mills Schools as soon as this weekend, according to county officials.

This facility is meant to help us care for low-acuity cases should the need arise in Delaware County or, in fact, the entire region, said Delaware County Council Chairman Brian Zidek Friday. A low-acuity case would be a case that, where somebody would otherwise be in a hospital but is perhaps recovering from a minor surgery and hospitals, in the event that they are full treating COVID-19 patients, this facility would be available to handle the low-acuity cases.

The FMS will be staffed by medical personnel pulled from different hospitals and health care institutions through the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania to avoid depleting normal facilities, said Delaware County Emergency Services Director Tim Boyce.

Boyce said the FMS will be able to provide a full range of services like pediatrics and bariatric services, but is also adaptable to other needs. The FMS is being developed to handle an initial 250 patients from Delco and neighboring counties as far away as southern New Jersey, but can be expanded to take in 300 if needed, said Zidek.

Officials stressed Friday that the facility will not be used to house coronavirus patients.

Were not bringing COVID patients into the community, but I also want the community to be aware that COVID is in our communities and that assumption should be made with everyone in taking proper hygiene (actions), Boyce said. But this is not a  quarantine station, its a medical station to serve those unmet needs that we expect to happen.

According to the most recent figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there have been 2,218 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state and 190 in Delaware County. There have been four COVID-19 related deaths in Delco as of Friday.

Planning and set-up for the FMS has been ongoing for several days and members of the National Guard are expected to begin converting an unused indoor track area at the closed reform school as soon as today. Friday was the final inspection by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Health and other military partners, said Boyce.

Zidek and Boyce thanked the school administration for allowing the FMS to be constructed there. Boyce noted Glen Mills is already being used to house first responders who have COVID-19 exposure concerns and do not want to go home.

Four first responders have already come to the school, but none have tested positive, Boyce said. Three have been released and one is still on the campus for a 14-day quarantine due to his home situation, he said, but is well and has also not tested positive.

The board of managers, the staff and everyone here is actually pleased to help during this time of need, said Glen Mills Schools Acting Executive Director Christopher Spriggs. Weve had a great partnership with Delaware County and were really fortunate that theyve had the foresight to work proactively to combat COVID-19.

I hope that we dont need to use this, said Zidek. It is my hope that our hospitals are able to manage the COVID-19 crisis without the use of the Federal Medical Station, but out of an abundance of caution, we want to make sure that we have facilities in place should the need arise, and I hope that our citizens will derive some sense of comfort knowing that things are in place should the need arise.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:54:52|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Tan Jingjing

WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- With over 85,800 diagnosed COVID-19 cases by Thursday night, the United States has registered the highest national total in the world, and has also witnessed a rapid surge in confirmed cases, with a daily increase of over 10,000 daily over the past four days.

While addressing a White House coronavirus task force briefing Thursday afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump said the jump in cases is "a tribute to our testing."

"We're doing tremendous testing," he said.

According to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, 552,000 coronavirus tests have been completed in the United States by Thursday morning.

In order to push quicker results to stem the tide of the COVID-19 outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first rapid coronavirus diagnostic test, with a detection time of about 45 minutes.

Another point-of-care test from Abbott Laboratories, a U.S. medical devices and health care company, is awaiting the FDA's approval, which could offer results in less than 15 minutes, Pence said.

While senior officials attributed the increase in cases to expanded testing, experts believed the slowness in instituting social distancing policies and the lag in prevention and control measures have resulted in the situation worsening.

"We were not well prepared for COVID-19, both in terms of testing and instituting social distancing and taking the infection seriously," said Stanley Perlman, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa, in an interview with Xinhua.

Robert Schooley, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, said the country is seeing a rapid increase in cases in a number of cities, including New York City, New Orleans and Atlanta.

"Although some of this is because more testing is being done, we were slow to institute social distancing policies in a number of places," he said.

In Washington state where social distancing was begun much earlier than other states, the rise in cases is tailing off, which, hopefully, indicates that similar efforts instituted by a number of state governors will yield similar results, Schooley told Xinhua in an interview.

Experts said government officials should take steps in a more timely manner in an effort to have a maximal effect.

"If we wait until the hospitals begin filling up, social distancing has much less chance of slowing the epidemic than if measures are undertaken earlier," said Schooley.

"Our Mayor in San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, was one of the first mayors in the country to close the schools and issue a stay-at-home order. We seem to be benefiting from that now in that we have about the same number of patients in the hospital as we did a week ago," he said.

While the United States leads the world in confirmed cases, its death toll, standing at 1,290 by Thursday night, comes after countries such as Italy, Spain, China and France.

The reason for this is that the ages of COVID-19 patients in the United States tend to be younger than those of other countries, said Zhang Zuofeng, professor of epidemiology, and also associate dean for research at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.

According to the latest report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which studied 4,226 COVID-19 cases in the United States from Feb. 12 to March 16, about 69 percent of the diagnosed patients, 55 percent of the hospitalized patients and 47 percent of ICU admitted patients are less than 65 years old.

Experts said the top priorities facing the country include testing, mitigating infections, taking care of those who are sick and preventing a further spread of the virus.

"The U.S. medical system will be under tremendous pressure as COVID-19 cases continue to increase," Zhang said.

"The shortage of protective equipment may toughen the risk for front-line medical staff, while insufficient hospital beds, intensive care rooms and ventilators will make it even more challenging to treat the patients," he told Xinhua.
New Delhi [India], Mar 26 (ANI): Israel's Ambassador to India, Ron Malka, on Thursday thanked the Indian government for the evacuation of Israelis amid the nationwide lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 600 people in the country.



"Today, we are evacuating 317 Israelis. In another flight tomorrow, 200 more Israelis will be evacuated. The Indian government has helped us a lot. I want to thank them," he told ANI.

"Israel took dramatic measures from the beginning when this crisis started. The situation there is under control," the envoy said.

Sandeep Kumar, who was a crew member in the flight, said that all safety precautions are being taken.

"We are not going to interact with passengers. We are just going to take them safely," he said.

Earlier in the day, ANI reported that Air India will evacuate over 300 Israeli nationals from New Delhi to Tel Aviv on Friday, amid the coronavirus outbreak situation which has claimed over 18,000 lives globally.

Boeing 777 AI-139 planes have been deployed for the evacuation operation. (ANI)


The Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association is calling for the release of state prison inmates who are most at risk of dying from the highly contagious COVID-19.

Among those who should be set free, according to the association, are the non-violent elderly inmates and others with conditions that could place them at higher risk for the coronavirus.

This is obviously not a novel idea because it is being done across the country, said Birmingham attorney John Lentine. We are not talking about the wholesale release of inmates, rather only those who are at most risk of not surviving if they catch the virus.

Nationwide, there is concern of devastating repercussions should prison populations suffer an outbreak. On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said he issued new recommendations to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to explore releasing certain at-risk prisoners to home confinement.

Alabama Department of Corrections spokeswoman Samantha Rose said officials are aware of the associations. "Our shared objective of ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of all inmates, as well as those who work in the correctional system, remains the departments top priority,'' she said in a statement to AL.com. The ADOC is continuing to work closely with Governor Iveys Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force, the Alabama Department of Public Health, and infectious disease control experts to mitigate the potential spread of the virus. Maintaining the safety, security, and well-being of our inmate population, staff, and the public remains the ADOCs highest priority. The ADOCs Office of Health Services is working closely with our contracted health services vendor to monitor and protect high-risk inmates. At this time, the Department does not anticipate conducting any non-routine releases. We are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19, and will be making additional operational and preventative decisions as this situation continues to evolve.

At this point, there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases among the inmates. Iveys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Additionally, Jenny E. Carroll, a University of Alabama School of Law professor, and Amy Kimpel, assistant professor of clinical legal research at UAs law school, have drafted a letter to Ivey, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn, and other state, county and city officials outlining their concerns for the tens of thousands of Alabamians sitting in jails and prisons.

These Alabamians sleep, eat, and spend all their waking hours in spaces overcrowded with other inmates. Even hand washing is a challenge in correctional facilities due to lack of soap, hand sanitizer, and paper towels, according to the letter. Our prisons had 119 deaths last year, but if something is not done to reduce the threat of COVID-19, the death toll this year will be far higher.

There are many strategies to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in jails and prisons, Carroll said, but they are focusing on one key strategy - reducing the inmate population. There are widespread calls to release inmates to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons. Public Health officials working in Washington State recommend considering release for inmates over 60 and those with chronic health conditions, according to the letter. Jails in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have already begun releasing inmates. Even some jails in Alabama have started releasing inmates.

Alabamas prisons are among the most overcrowded in the U.S. operating at 170% of design capacity, Carroll said. Alabama prisons have over 2,000 inmates who are over 60 years old - a group at high risk for death or severe illness if they contract the coronavirus. Another 4,000 prison inmates are between the ages of 51 and 60, also at elevated risk.

ADOC officials one week ago announced they are halting intake of inmates from the states county jails for the next month. The 30-day moratorium includes, but is not limited to, new commitments, court returns, and parolees and probationers who are revoked or sanctioned.

This puts further strain on Alabamas overcrowded jails, and shifts the burden to Alabamas counties, which are already overtaxed, Carroll said in her letter, which makes numerous recommendations steps law enforcement, judges, the Board of Pardons and Paroles and Ivey can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

We all know that the prisons in our state are the most vulnerable places for the virus to spread and to potentially kill given the prisons inadequate ability to treat those who contract the virus, according to the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. This is a public health issue and inmates are wards of the state. The state has both the constitutional and moral obligation to ensure the protection and health of those people especially those who are the most vulnerable such as the elderly and at risk.
The Federal Aviation Administration revoked a foundations permission to carry passengers aboard its World War II-era planes after a deadly crash in October.

The agency cited safety concerns in its decision to prohibit the Collings Foundation from chartering its historic B-17 bomber, the Hartford Courant reported Wednesday.

FAA officials found that there were problems with two of the aircrafts four engines and that the Collings Foundation did not follow the requirements to operate the aircraft and carry passengers and lacked a safety culture when operating the B-17G, according to the decision released Wednesday.

The aircraft with 13 people aboard crashed at Bradley International Airport on Oct. 3 after encountering mechanical trouble on takeoff.

Five passengers who had each paid $450 to fly aboard the aircraft as well as the pilot and co-pilot were killed while the others were left with serious burns.

The four-engine, propeller-driven B-17 bomber struggled to get into the air and slammed into a maintenance building at the Hartford airport as the pilots circled back for a landing, officials and witnesses said at the time of the crash.

Collings spokesman Hunter Chaney did not respond to an emailed request for comment Wednesday evening.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Aviation Connecticut
Award-winning and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. J. Timothy Katzen is proud to offer a comprehensive range of aesthetic procedures to women and men at his esteemed facilities in Beverly Hills, CA and Las Vegas, NV.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Timothy Katzen as a leading weight-loss and Body expert representing the Los Angeles Market and the newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors nationwide. The invitation-only exclusive network maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading doctors.

Visit Dr. Katzens Haute Beauty Profile: https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/member/dr-timothy-katzen/

About Dr. Katzen:

Award-winning and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. J. Timothy Katzen is proud to offer a comprehensive range of aesthetic procedures to women and men at his esteemed facilities in Beverly Hills, CA and Las Vegas, NV. Having been featured on a number of television programs, such as TLC's The Real Skinny and Discovery Health's The Incredible Shrinking Woman, he has gained recognition for his advanced after weight loss surgery techniques. The most notable of these techniques is his trademark 360 circumferential body lift, which he has performed for numerous patients to help them fully realize their post-weight loss body goals. Dr. Katzen cares deeply for each of his charges and actively involves them in the decision-making process of their personalized surgical treatment plans. This is to ensure that their unique concerns are addressed and goals met.

In addition to weight loss procedures, Dr. Katzen specializes in silicone injection removal, thigh and arm reduction, breast augmentation, breast lift, Vaser High Definition Liposuction and facelifts.
In an "unusual" trend on coronavirus affliction, a 22-year-old Dubai-returned Chandigarh resident developed symptoms for coronavirus infection and tested positive for it a day after the expiry of 14-day incubation period of the virus during which he had stayed in home quarantine.

The youth had returned from Dubai on March 11 and remained home-quarantined for 14 days but developed fever on the 15th day, said officials, adding his test reports were positive for coronavirus.

Nothing happened to him for 14 days, but he developed fever on the 15th day. It appears to be a first case which was detected on the 15th day, said UT Chandigarh Adviser Manoj Parida.

Our medical team will be reporting to the Centre this unusual development, Parida told PTI.

Parida had earlier tweeted, Bad news, one new corona positive case in Chandigarh.. Dubai returned.. Symptoms detection on 15th day. Unusual.. Tracing his contacts ..All will be quarantined.

Government Medical College and Hospital Director-cum-Principal B S Chavan said according to ICMR, the incubation period of coronavirus is five to 14 days.

Though he said they would verify the details provided by the patient about his foreign visit, Chavan said, We will have to be careful if the onset is late and we will have to rethink about the duration of quarantine.

He came to us on Thursday morning, said Chavan.

With the addition of more positive case, the Chandigarh now has eight coronavirus patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Insisting on emphasizing COVID-19s origins within China, even though the disease is now global, plays into racist stereotypes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost every country on Earth. And yet, several American officials refer to it as the Wuhan virus or even the Chinese virus.

U.S.-Chinese antagonism in this vein is not new. But, while this deliberate move to associate Wuhan, and more generally China, with the COVID pandemic, serves a political purpose for the Trump administration, it also has significant implications for civil society and public health.

As a historian of public health and modern Africa, I study the politics of infectious diseases and responses to them. In addition to inflaming racism, emphasizing the foreign or external origins of a disease influences how people understand their own risk of disease and whether they change their behaviour.

WHO guidelines are clear

While identifying a new disease by its place of origin seems intuitive, history demonstrates that doing so can harm the people who live there.

Consequences can include economic distress, as tourists withdraw, investment cools down and solidarity between people weakens. Linking a specific disease with a specific place can lead to discrimination, stigmatization and avoidance of a town or village.

For all these reasons, in 2015, the World Health Organization established a new set of best practices for naming diseases. The WHO sought to abandon associating places with a disease  as was the case with COVID-19s cousin, MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) in 2012, and many others in the past.

So on Feb. 11, the WHO recommended using the name COVID-19 when referring to the novel coronavirus that was, at the time, sickening and killing people in central China and elsewhere in eastern Asia. Other experts concurred, but differentiated between the virus that causes the disease, known as SARS-CoV-2, and the disease itself, COVID-19.

The name reflects the pathogen (a coronavirus, COV), the nature of the illness caused (an infectious disease) and its year of origin (2019).

A long tradition of naming by place

Tagging a place when identifying a disease has a long history.

In the 19th century, as global trade and mobility allowed cholera to spread worldwide from its origins in the Ganges Delta, the disease quickly became known as the Asiatic cholera. That label persisted for decades, implicitly blaming an entire continent for a disease that can spread anywhere as a function of poor sanitation.

For Europeans and Americans of the time, Asia was an exotic, distant somewhere else. Distinguishing the disastrous illness of cholera as Asiatic fit with the racialized, imperial views that denigrated the intelligence and the cultures of non-white populations globally. It also helped justify more stringent quarantine measures and travel restrictions for people read as Asian and not European. Muslim pilgrims en route to Mecca from southern Asia, for instance, were subject to different rules than European troop ships traveling the same routes.

Ideas about disease changed after the late 19th century, when scientists could use new laboratory techniques to link specific pathogens  bacteria, parasites and, later on, viruses  to specific diseases. Sometimes, this gave a scientific name to an age-old problem, such as consumption becoming the medical entity tuberculosis.

But these new techniques also allowed researchers to correlate pathogens with particular locales. Naming an illness after a place quickly became the norm.

So Rift Valley Fever, caused by a virus in the Bunyaviridae family, got its name from an area of colonial Kenya where it was first reported.

The Hantaviruses are linked to the Hantan River area of South Korea where Dr Ho-Wang Lee first identified the virus.

Ebola virus disease got its popular name from a river near the village in the modern nation of Democratic Republic of Congo where U.S. and European scientists identified that pathogen. Scientists chose that name deliberately, trying to avoid saddling any one village with being the point of origin for the hemorrhagic fever.

Focusing on a specific place creates something particular from something that could have happened anywhere. Theres nothing peculiarly distinctive about Lassa village in Nigeria, compared to any other village five or 50 miles away. Lassa was just the first place where a white missionarys death drew the attention of authorities. And yet, in the aftermath of that moment, as Lassa fever came to identify a fearsome hemorrhagic fever, the town of Lassa became a shadow of its former self.

Likewise Norwalk, Ohio, still deals with its association with noroviruses, first identified from a 1968 outbreak in the small Midwestern town. One of the Norwalk-type viruses causes an acute stomach bug that was historically known as the winter vomiting disease and still causes widespread illness today.

Building blame into a name

Insisting on emphasizing COVID-19s origins within China, even though the disease is now global, plays into racist stereotypes, including about culture and food.

Similar stereotypes arose, for instance, around Ebola virus disease (EVD) in 2014-15, erroneously blaming people in West Africa for the wider epidemic.

Early conversations about EVD, marked as particularly African with its name, focused on eating bushmeat, a term from the colonial era to describe meat from hunted animals, rather than from domesticated animals. Talking about bushmeat allowed people to characterize those suffering from EVD as primitive or exotic. It also implied that West Africans were responsible for bringing EVD into global circulation because of what they ate or how they lived.

In fact, the wider spread of EVD in 2014-15 beyond the rural hinterlands of Guinea had everything to do with underfunded health systems in the affected nations and little to do with what people ate.

A similar process unfolded with assertions that a wet market in Wuhan was the culprit of zoonotic spillover that resulted in COVID-19. Scientists dont yet know how relevant Wuhans live-animal markets were for this global epidemic, although they do know that viruses jump from animals to humans, and back again, frequently.

Recent research suggests that one of Wuhans wet markets was relevant for human-to-human transmission, as a place of close contact, rather than a space of human-animal contact. Ultimately, Wuhans historic position as a national high-speed rail and commercial hub is likely to be far more important for the wider dissemination of COVID-19 than where and how people shopped and ate.

Focusing on the wrong things

Understanding disease ecology and patterns of transmission at a point of origin are important for biologists and epidemiologists. But persistently linking a disease to a specific place - particularly when other consensus terms exist - serves to keep public attention on the outbreaks first spillover moment.

This focus on how an emerging disease originally reached human populations sends a mixed message about who is at risk of infection or how to prevent the disease in an ongoing epidemic. This is exactly the situation playing out in the United States right now.

Once a disease has started circulating in human populations, its point of origin is far less relevant for a general public looking to stay healthy or public health practitioners trying to control a person-to-person epidemic than, for instance, good hand and respiratory hygiene or access to medical care.

Further, tagging China or Wuhan amid this global pandemic undermines a sense of mutual responsibility and fundamental human connectivity, values that are vital amid this human crisis.

By focusing on the novel coronaviruss emergence in a place exotic to many Americans, U.S. officials are emphasizing the diseases past origins rather than its present danger. Playing up the foreign origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan and China allows governments to lay blame. But it also allows people to justify a lack of caution  its a problem from over there, not one that we are making worse  rather than undertake the everyday measures needed to slow down the spread of disease.

Calling COVID-19 the Wuhan virus or the Chinese virus is absurd when it has spread globally. Intentionally referring to COVID-19 as a Chinese virus only inflames animosity and hinders the real work of public health and disease prevention.



Mari Webel, Assistant Professor of History, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Tuolumne County Public Health View Photo

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne County Health officials released the Thursday Coronavirus testing update. There were no new positive cases reported today. Total tested* 2247, total negative 2238, total Tuolumne residents positive 9, hospitalized 0, in isolation 2, total recovered 7.

Tuolumne County Public Health updated local health order issued by Dr. Ortiz, Interim Tuolumne County Health Officer allowing for expanded personal care services to open according to state guidelines detailed here.

Active** Coronavirus cases by county (as of 6/18/20 5:00 PM)

Alpine  0, Amador  2, Calaveras  11 as detailed here, Mariposa  2, Madera  124, Merced  211, Mono  1, San Joaquin  646, Stanislaus  368, Tuolumne  2

**Active cases as reported by the county or recovered and deceased known positive cases minus total known cases. For Mono County new cases with in the last 14 days and for San Joaquin a rolling 14-day total of new cases which is less than their total minus recovered and deceased.

* Tuolumne County testing numbers include those routed through Public Health to a Public Health Laboratory and those reported through the State infectious disease reporting system. All positive cases of Tuolumne County residents must be reported to Public Health. State data is here.

An updated overview of myMotherLode Coronavirus news stories is here.

Latest Updates

An updated local health order has been issued by Dr. Ortiz, Interim Tuolumne County Health Officer. The new order allows for expanded personal care services to open according to state guidelines as detailed here. All health orders can be viewed on the website here.

Today, the California Department of Public Health issued statewide guidance requiring face coverings in public spaces. The state document can be viewed here. Tuolumne County Public Health is currently reviewing the information and we will be providing updates and information for the public on how to make, appropriately wear, and care for, face coverings.

Details about delayed test results are detailed in the news story here.

The state testing site at the Calaveras County fairgrounds Mark Twain Building has new operating hours beginning this week: Tuesday-Saturday 7 A.M. to 4 P.M. Individuals are encouraged to schedule appointments at: https://lhi.care/covidtesting Walk-ins are also accepted. Some screening questions may be asked, but they will not exclude you from getting a test. There is no cost to the individual. Individuals in the following groups should get tested: Those who have traveled outside of the county (test 3-5 days after travel) Those who interact with the public as part of their job and/or work in essential critical infrastructure jobs (every 14-28 days) Those who have interacted with people outside of their household, including constitutionally protected gatherings (3-5 days after exposure)

The updated local health order is detailed here.

It is important that people continue to follow prevention guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including: Practice physical distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet space between yourself and others who are not part of your household. Stay in your household bubble! Wear a face mask if you arent sure you can maintain physical distancing while in public. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Stay home if you are sick. Avoid unnecessary travel, and limit your outings to essential tasks.



LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Community Resources Portal: https://bit.ly/TCcovidPortal

Tuolumne County Public Health Website: www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/publichealth

Public Health COVID-19 Call Center: (209) 533-7440

California COVID-19 website: www.covid19.ca.gov

State Testing Site info and Appointments: https://lhi.care/covidtesting

Tuolumne County Business: www.tcdisasterassistance.com

CDC COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Thank you for your support and efforts to protect the safety and health of our community
Alex Murphy has faced many unknowns during her pregnancy  more than most moms-to-be  but what she has described as a test in dealing with grey area just got even harder.

At her 20-week anatomy scan, she learned her baby  a boy  has a rare disease that may lead to immunodeficiency. At 28 weeks, she found out he has a bowel obstruction, and will require immediate surgery at Torontos Hospital for Sick Children after hes born, followed by a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Now, at 34 weeks pregnant  just six weeks before her due date  she is confronting the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has prompted hospitals across Canada, including Sick Kids, to take dramatic steps to keep patients and health-care workers safe.

Under the latest guidelines, shes been told only one of the babys parents can be at the hospital for his surgery when he is born in May or to visit him in the NICU; he wont meet his older sister in person until he comes home.

It was already a lot before, and the pandemic has doubled it, said Murphy, who lives in Torontos east end with her husband and their 4-year-old daughter, Stella. Its tough to talk to people about this.

As COVID-19 sweeps across Canada, upending daily life and fuelling anxiety, welcoming a new baby into the world now comes with even more unexpected challenges.

Parents-to-be, obstetricians and midwives are grappling with how to keep everyone safe from the new coronavirus while preserving the moments and memories of giving birth.

During pregnancy, mothers will have fewer face-to-face prenatal appointments to minimize the risk of getting or passing on the highly contagious and potentially deadly respiratory illness.

Families are being told to scale back their emotional expectations around giving birth. Many hospitals now allow only one support partner during labour and delivery, siblings cant meet in the minutes after birth, and grandparents will likely get their first glimpse of a grandchild on a computer screen.

And at home, during those difficult first weeks with a newborn, necessary social distancing measures mean parents will be isolated from family and in-person public health supports, which in turn could lead to an increase in postpartum depression.

For vulnerable women, including new immigrants, low-income and single moms with fewer support systems and resources, these new challenges are magnified, with experts worried how they will cope during the pandemic.

But no matter their background, expectant parents across the country are struggling with how to bring a baby into a world fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.

It feels like its just completely upended everything, said Toronto mom-to-be Kristin Ostensen, who is expecting her first baby  a girl  in mid-April. All the things that we could kind of take for granted  all those ways that people had said that they would help us or just come visit and share the joy of it with us  its just gone.

Since the first outbreak of COVID-19 in China in December, scientists have been closely watching how the new coronavirus affects pregnant mothers and their unborn babies.

So far, the findings are reassuring, said Dr. Jon Barrett, head of maternal fetal medicine at Torontos Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Unlike with influenza and other respiratory illnesses, pregnant moms dont appear to have a greater risk of catching COVID-19 than the general population, he said.

Current evidence suggests pregnant mothers with COVID-19 dont transmit the virus to their baby during pregnancy, and babies born to moms infected with the virus appear to do well after birth, said Barrett, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto.

Reports also suggest pregnant women with COVID-19 who have mild to moderate symptoms recover well, he said.

In addition to reviewing scientific studies, Barrett also recently spoke to colleagues in China about their experience caring for 170 pregnant women with the virus.

Despite the huge number of (COVID-19) cases in China, there doesnt seem to be a huge impact on pregnant women. Talking to our colleagues, the risk for mothers doesnt seem to be increased and there doesnt seem to be a lot of effect on the baby.

And right now, according to the best available evidence, Canadian guidelines allow new mothers with COVID-19 to breastfeed their babies, he said.

Still, Barrett cautions this is a new virus  just months-old  and doctors and scientists have much to learn about how it impacts pregnancy.

Things are changing rapidly. What might have been true yesterday, might not be true today. And what might be true today, might not be true tomorrow.

The best thing for pregnant women to do is speak directly with their own health-care provider about the specifics of their maternal care.

Physicians in Toronto, in co-ordination with colleagues across Canada and internationally, are launching a registry of pregnant mothers with COVID-19. The database will track all aspects of pregnancy, labour and delivery, as well as the health of mom and baby, to help inform physicians caring for pregnant women with the virus, Barrett said. Currently, several pregnant mothers with COVID-19 are being monitored in Toronto, he said.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada currently recommends pregnant women with COVID-19 deliver their babies in hospital, where physicians can monitor the health and well-being of mother and baby.

Like obstetricians across Canada, Calgary-based OBGYN Dr. Fiona Mattatall is rapidly adapting the way she offers prenatal care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the last week, Mattatall said there has been a lot of tears and a lot of fear among pregnant moms attending prenatal appointments in her clinic, which has implemented dramatic changes to reduce face-to-face contact  between patients and health-care providers, and among patients themselves.

Her team spent a recent weekend combing through patient files, trying to see, Who can we delay? Who do we need to see? Spreading out the time between prenatal appointments, and relying on the phone to provide virtual care has cut the number of patients visiting the clinic each day by two-thirds, from around 70 to 20.

Work is underway to create an isolation room, where COVID-19 patients can be treated and the main waiting room, which used to be a community hub where moms-to-be could trade notes, now contains just four chairs, positioned a safe distance apart.

I had a few patients say, Wow, seeing that physical change in space was kind of shocking, and made it real, she said.

Jasmin Tecson, a registered midwife with the Toronto-based Seventh Generation Midwives, said her practice used guidelines developed by the World Health Organization to create a modified schedule for prenatal visits, and is also staggering in-clinic appointment times. To keep themselves safe, Tecson said midwives are screening moms-to-be for COVID-19 symptoms by phone in advance of each visit and again at the door.

We are shortening in-clinic, in-person time. There are more phone interactions, said Tecson, who is president-elect of the Association of Ontario Midwives, adding that the visit schedule can be adjusted if theres a health situation thats developing or if a client has particular needs.

Kelli Siegwart, a midwife in Kingston, Ont., said these changes  like all social-distancing measures  are particularly difficult for vulnerable women.

Siegwarts clinic is asking moms-to-be to come to appointments on their own and without children if possible. And with the waiting area closed, clients are now being asked to wait in their cars until its time to meet, part of the overall strategy to limit person-to-person interaction.

However, that wasnt possible for a recent expectant mother who didnt have a car. Siegwart said, in that case, the clinic allowed the woman to wait in a vacant appointment room.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre has recently made the decision to allow just one support person during labour and delivery.

Barrett said the decision to reduce the number of overall people on the ward was difficult to make but is critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among patients and health-care workers.

Everyone is upset about this, he said. Birth is a moment to be shared and weve spent a long time creating family-centred birthing care. These restrictions are not something anybody is happy about but this is the best way we know of to keep everyone safe.

The hospital is also limiting the number of obstetrical staff coming to the ward at any one time, with many working at home, seeing their patients via telemedicine, Barrett said.

We usually try very hard so that your own physician can deliver your baby but now we want people to know it might not be your own obstetrician helping you in labour, though you will still get excellent care.

At Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary, Mattatall said doctors and nurses are preparing to care for pregnant women with COVID-19 by running through the steps of labour and delivery, practising how each will be done to protect the team from getting the virus.

Labour is a time of physical closeness by care providers, she said. We are close to that mom and we cant provide care at a distance.

Part of the challenge, she adds, is they are working with limited information about how COVID-19 may impact delivery. For now, they are acting on the information they have.

In response to early reports from China of high caesarean-section rates among patients with the virus, the team at Rockyview started simulations on Monday to figure out what personal protective gear the team needs to perform the procedure safely.

Were talking about a virus thats been around for months, not years or decades, said Mattatall. Were used to taking time and mulling over research and applying it, but we dont have time right now.

Leanne Paola has always been open to the idea of having her baby, due in May, at her Toronto-area home. But the arrival of COVID-19 solidified her decision to have a homebirth.

Its probably not the best time to be in a hospital, because we know they are overwhelmed, so if I dont need to use up that space, I wont, she said. I just thought, if I do it at home it will be more peaceful, and more of an environment that we can control.

Midwives across Ontario are expecting to see more women with uncomplicated pregnancies choosing homebirth in the months ahead, Tecson said.

However, in general, she notes the ability of midwives to lighten the load on hospitals by caring for pregnant women in the community depends on whether they have access to personal protective equipment to keep themselves safe. Tecson agrees with the recommendation that women who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 deliver in hospital, but in unconfirmed cases, midwives with protective gear can continue to provide care at home at their discretion.

This is the practical thing that we are all in the health-care system struggling with, but we have a very specific need in order to be able to help the system.

Homebirth wont be an option for all women, either because they require specialized medical care or they simply feel more comfortable in hospital, despite the COVID-19 outbreak. (And even those who plan homebirths may wind up in hospital if complications arise.)

But with the many uncertainties tied to the pandemic, having a homebirth is one way some moms-to-be, whatever their circumstances, can retain control of their birth experience as best they can.

In preparation for her planned C-section at Mt. Sinai Hospital this week, Shannon Russell and her parents reached a reciprocal agreement so they can take care of her 14-month-son while she recovers.

We wanted to make sure that my son wasnt going to give my parents anything. They wanted to make sure that they didnt give us anything, she said. We put ourselves  all of us, as a team  into a self-imposed, self-isolation. Its reduced my stress greatly.

She said she is trying to take it in stride, and hopes that one day, being born in a pandemic will be her babys story to tell.

However, many other women will struggle to find a bright side during the outbreak. Maya Roy, CEO of YWCA Canada, said the situation is dire for those living on the margins, who may be more at risk of contracting COVID-19 and depend heavily on community services that have been suspended due to the pandemic, particularly postpartum.

Were going to have to get really creative with solutions, because this is literally life or death, she said.

The stakes are also high for Murphy, the east-Toronto mom whose son will need surgery at Sick Kids.

A hospital spokesperson acknowledged the restrictions on visitors is an incredibly difficult situation for everyone involved, and said we will consider exceptions for families that would balance compassion with vital infection protection.

These are unprecedented times.

Murphy said she understands the need for the new policy, but she is struggling to come to terms with the implications for her and her partner.

I hope that one of us doesnt have to make a life-altering decision without the other one there, she said.
Talk about rotten luck. Aja de Coudreaux got laid off last week from her job scheduling  of all things  home medical care, and the next morning she came down with COVID-19. On her birthday.

She is now self-isolating at her home in Oakland with her boyfriend, who is also now terribly ill and presumed to have the virus. But in their misery, there is one bright spot for this normally effervescent 40-year-old woman who has also worked for many years as a prominent art model in San Francisco.

She has been blogging about her experience so much on Facebook  So now you know someone with COVID-19. Its me, proclaims one of her posts  that her galaxy of friends in the art scene from here to Los Angeles have swamped her page with hundreds of posts and a GoFundMe link. In the process, she gets to give blunt advice to the hundreds of people who have contacted her for advice, worried because they have a fever or cough.

In one post about getting a checkup call from Alameda County health officials, de Coudreaux wrote: They told me NOT to take Motrin or any other form of Ibuprofen. That it was, in fact, making people sicker: It seems to be related (to) lowering the fever too fast, making everything suddenly worse. Well s. Thats all weve been taking.

So many people are asking me, What do your lungs feel like, tell me what your fever is like, Im so afraid I have coronavirus, and so on, and I tell them  listen, just act like you have it. Stay away from everyone, take care of yourself. Really.

And dont do stupid stuff like breathing out of a hair dryer, she added with a weak chuckle. Someone somewhere said breathing hot air kills the virus. It got around and people got hurt. So be smart.

She said this the other day as she lay in bed with her boyfriend, Victor Vasquez de la Rocha, 30, coughing and enduring pounding headaches. De Coudreaux started feeling the frightening fingers of COVID-19 on March 18  first a cough, then the fever and shortness of breath  and its only gotten worse since then. She got tested at Kaiser and got her diagnosis March 22, joining the growing pool of more than 1,500 coronavirus cases in the Bay Area.

Im trying to stay occupied cooped up here in the apartment, but I dont feel good, she said. Maybe Ill fold origami. I watched the whole series of Kingdom, on Netflix, and that was nice. But theres no way around it. This is an awful sickness.

The comments she gets online reflect the great affection she has picked up over the years as an art model for sculptors and painters, and at schools, including San Francisco State University, and as a quirky aficionado of colorful Victorian costume parties. LA Weekly published one of her posts last week, recalling how when she lived there a decade ago she was heavily involved with the art model scene and was frequently photographed as one of the most fashionable scenesters at various underground events, fond of wearing flamboyantly themed outfits.

I worked with Aja in LA. Such a lovely girl, and this was such an interesting read. Sending you so much love and light, dear friend, actress Kristen Ortiz wrote on March 25 about one of de Coudreauxs postings on her progress.

Sending Love Aja. Sounds like youre doing all the right things. I hope you can get some CBD tincture. I think it would help unles(s) the Drs say no. Your youth and your health is on your side, Fayette Hauser, co-founder of the legendary Cockettes drag troupe, wrote on March 22.

A Facebook Live post de Coudreaux filmed Sunday to take questions fetched more than 1,200 views and about 300 likes. A previous post with a long accounting of what having the virus was like got around 1,000 comments and likes, and 300 shares.

San Francisco musician Ken Newman posted his good wishes on March 22 and told The Chronicle he regards de Coudreauxs out-loud sharing of her struggle as a big, big deal.

I havent seen anything quite like that, and I really feel that what she did is life-saving, said Newman, founder of the Blanket the Homeless nonprofit that hands out survival supplies on the street. Because of the narrative associated with this disease, people are thinking, Ah, young people  we dont have to worry about it. But then someone  Aja  whos very visible in this community, says, Im sick, my partner is sick, and this is what its like, and then maybe someone young in our community will decide, Maybe I wont go to that party tonight. Maybe I should actually be more careful after all.

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.

What Aja is doing is really generous and potentially lifesaving, Newman said. I have a lot of respect for her.

De Coudreaux and de la Rocha have a roommate. He and the couple keep to separate rooms, cleaning everything vigorously. But its a difficult discipline to maintain.

Im worried. Its unnerving, said de la Rocha, a 30-year-old artist, jeweler and welder. We dont even know if well be immune after we recover from this. I mean, can we catch it again?

Thats still unknown.

One thing de Coudreaux has tried to drive home in her posts is that anybody can get this virus most anywhere, anytime.

I have no idea where I got it from, she told The Chronicle.  It could have been Victor being on public transportation or either of us at the supermarket. Could be from a doorknob, a shopping cart, a gas pump handle. Thats what people need to understand.

Some people arent taking it seriously, but Im trying to show them that yes, you do need to take this seriously. Very. Absolutely.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
In addition, on Monday, issues of supporting economy, remote work of parliament will be considered

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky president.gov.ua

An extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada will be held on Monday, MPs will pass a law on the sale of land. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this after the meeting of the Servant of People faction. 112 Ukraine TV channel broadcasted the meeting.

"We agreed that we will not sell state land now. Next, we have reduced the concentration for individuals to 100 hectares. For legal entities, the second stage shall begin from 2024, there will be 10,000 hectares," - Zelensky said.

As the MPs from Servants of the people Mykyta Poturaev specified, it was decided to postpone the start of the law by 9 months. After that, only individuals and no more than 100 hectares will be able to buy land for two years. And after a few years, legal entities (exclusively Ukrainian ones  ed.) will be able to buy land.

In addition, on Monday, issues of supporting the economy, remote work of the parliament will be considered. A bill on the functioning of the banking system, the so-called 'anti-Kolomoian', will also be considered.

"We plan that an extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada will take place on Monday, because priority things are the preparation of some bills to combat coronavirus disease and change in the budget," - Zelensky said.

As we reported earlier, president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has met newly-appointed Chinas Ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong and asked the Chinese government to provide additional medical aid to Ukraine
Over 16,000 confirmed cases were reported in a single day in the US on Thursday as the total number of COVID-19 patients soared to 85,088, the highest for any country, according to data compiled by Worldometer.

The United States surpassed China (81,285) and Italy (80,589) in terms of number of people infected with the novel coronavirus.

According to Worldometers, the website that records confirmed cases of infection and deaths globally, the US by Thursday night had 85,088 individuals infected with coronavirus, of which 16,877 were added just in a single day. A week ago, the number of confirmed cases were 8,000. It has dangerously surged 10 times in the span of a week.

With at least 263 deaths, the US also reported most number of fatalities due to the contagion on a single day on Thursday. At least 1,290 Americans have died due to coronavirus so far. Over 2,000 coronavirus cases were reportedly in a serious condition. The number of confirmed cases as well as the deaths due to COVID-19 are likely to increase substantially in the coming days.

In China, from where it all originated, 3,287 people have died due to coronavirus pandemic while Italy has recorded 8,215 such deaths.

US President Donald Trump attributed the spike in the confirmed cases of coronavirus to the large-scale testing of the deadly disease.

"I think it's a tribute to our testing," he said, adding "no one knows what the numbers are in China".

Vice President Mike Pence said it is important for hospitals and labs testing the samples to report back to the Centre for Disease Control and Federal Emergency Management Agency so that the government has full visibility to provide the President with the best counsel.

The Abbott Laboratory, he said, submitted to Food and Drug Administration a national request for approval of a point-of-care test. This would be the kind of test where one could go to a doctor and get the test done and have the results in no more than 15 minutes.

According to Dr Deborah Brix, coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, 55 per cent of all new cases continue out of the New York -- New York Metro area. This includes New Jersey as well, she said and expressed concern over the coronavirus spread.

"At the same time, 19 of the 50 states that had early cases, but have persistently low level of cases and at this point have less than 200 cases," she said.

In an in interview with CNN, Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert said it is difficult to tell where the pandemic will go and how long it will last in the US.

This is the relative percentage of asymptomatic infection and it "influences everything," he said. It influences transmission, contact tracing, and the measures that the authorities need to take. That's why the most important thing to do now is to conduct widespread testing and collect more data, he asserted.

He called for ratcheting up the current level of contact tracing and testing. "We've got to do it better than we are now".

The prestigious Johns Hopkins University, which is also recording all cases of coronavirus, reported 83,836 cases in the United States, ahead of China and Italy.

Dr Brix said so far the US has done 5,50,000 tests.

"We are still running somewhere about 14 per cent overall. That means 86 per cent of the people with significant symptoms because remember you had to have a fever and symptoms to get tested at this point. So still 86 per cent are negative," she said.

These are really important facts for the American people, Dr Brix said.

She was critical of some of the modelling studies which had said that there would be 500,000 deaths in the UK and 2.2 million deaths in the US. "They have adjusted that number in the UK to 20,000. Half a million to 20,000. We are looking into this in great detail to understand that adjustment," she said.

"When people start talking about 20 per cent of a population getting infected, it's very scary but we don't have data that matches that based on the experience," Dr Brix said.

She assured Americans that there is no shortage of essential medical supplies including ventilators and ICU beds.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Imported and distributed by DMV: Available in the District at Magruders, Pauls of Chevy Chase, Rodmans, Yes! Organic Market (various locations). Available in Maryland at Beer, Wine & Co. in Bethesda;l Cambridge Farmers Market in Cambridge; Cheers & Spirits in Arnold; Country Boy Market in Wheaton; Dunkirk Wine & Spirits in Dunkirk; Eddies Liquors, Quarry Wine & Spirits and Wine Source in Baltimore; Francos Cafe & Liquors in Hagerstown; Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store in Hyattsville; Frederick Wine House in Frederick; Foundry Row Wine & Spirits in Owings Mills; Motis Market in Rockville; Parkway Deli & Restaurant and Sniders Super Foods in Silver Spring; the Vine on Main in Sykesville; Town Center Market in Riverdale Park; Vineyards Elite in Pikesville.
With the dawning understanding of all the serious health and economic issues we face amid this global COVID-19 pandemic, also comes the critical realization of what the World Health Organization calls an infodemic.

We need a vaccine against misinformation, a WHO official said in February, as false information and conspiracy theories began to spread with the virus. In recent weeks, as the COVID-19 crisis has intensified, the urgent and important need for trustworthy information that helps you to make decisions about your life has become clear.

For citizens, this means taking all steps possible to ensure you are obtaining your news and information from credible, responsible sources. For journalists and serious news organizations, such as the Star, with a mission to provide trustworthy information  an essential public service of these times  that means working to our highest standards of reporting and presenting the news even as we are working under extraordinary challenging circumstances, for the most part, remotely outside of our newsrooms.

The fundamental principles of accurate, timely and responsible journalism have never been more important, says a statement this week from the global Organization of News Ombudsmen and Standards Editors (full disclosure: I am on the board of this group).

Journalists have a responsibility to ensure they are providing the public with the information they need to understand and respond to the virus, says the statement written by ONO executive director Alan Sunderland.

As we hunker down for an unknown duration, we all need to be able to distinguish real news from rumours, facts from quackery. In the battle against misinformation, responsible, trustworthy journalism matters and the work of every journalist has impact on public perception of journalism overall.

Findings from the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report on COVID-19 released this week indicate that while mainstream news organizations are highly relied on for information right now, sadly, journalists and the news media are trusted less than scientists, WHO officials, employers and co-workers for information about this current crisis.

That is not surprising given information from numerous surveys in recent past regarding misinformation and trust in journalism. Research from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University tells us that in this era of, fake news many people are more concerned about substandard journalism than made-up stories.

What should you expect of trustworthy news sources? The basics: accuracy, corrections, fairness, clarity, context  and more context, the foundation of understanding. Serious thought about who is a credible source of information, who is given a platform on what aspects of this great big story  and again, giving you enough context about that sources expertise and experience so that you can determine for yourself the credibility of what they are telling us.

It also means trying to make sense of data and the uncertainty of incomplete data, both locally and globally. It means being transparent in telling you what is not certain, what is questionable, what remains to be learned and verified, what requires more understanding. It means asking tough questions of politicians and public officials, doing journalisms core work of holding power to account at a time when the decisions of the powerful can have life or death implications. It means telling giving you the verified facts, even when they are frightening.

COVID-19 will be an all-consuming story for the next few months. It will require access to expertise and the ability to understand complex disciplines such as epidemiology and global health, states a Reuters Institute article this week entitled, How journalists can stop the spread of the corona outbreak.

It will also demand a considerable amount of resources from newsrooms that were already overstretched.

Not surprisingly, resources for trustworthy news and reporting are a significant concern now, as made clear in a sobering new article this week by Reuters Institute Director Rasmus Kleis Nielsen. So, like so many other concerned journalists, I ask again, if you can, please subscribe for news you trust.

I believe the Star is well prepared for the journalistic challenges of providing trustworthy news in trying times. This was made clear in Editor Irene Gentles outstanding promise to Star readers that laid out the Stars strategy for covering this global life-changing news event now and in the months to come.

As John Honderich, Torstar chair of the board, also told you this week, The mission is simple but critical: we must tell the story. We must let people know exactly what is happening.

Indeed, we are in this together and it is only together that we can make a difference to both the pandemic and infodemic we face now and into the foreseeable future.
Q I have been laid off due to the coronavirus outbreak as I work in the hospitality sector. Although my wife is still working, her hours may be cut next week. I'm now worried about our mortgage payments and also the property tax, which I think is due this month. We have been in arrears before and successfully dealt with it and never want to do it again, but are there any steps we should be taking now?

A Firstly, let me reassure you on the property tax. Revenue announced that they are postponing the collection of it until May 21 for people who were due to pay it by single debit authority last week (March 21). This was done automatically, so if this is how you paid it last year, you don't need to take any action.

On the worry about your mortgage, I hear your concern, especially in light of your previous experience. You can rest absolutely sure that whatever happens, you will be one of very many people in the same boat this time.

The main retail banks have agreed, for the most part, to offer a three-month moratorium on repayments. This is a hiatus rather than a freebie, as the payments foregone will be simply added to your mortgage at the end of the term. They have assured customers it won't affect their credit rating, but some details have still to be ironed out (not least how to assess those who require the option).

Engagement with banks is always key. They are run off their feet at the moment, but persevere with the call centre and at least lodge your case, online if you have to.

The only thing I don't know is who your loan is with. The non-bank lenders (including vulture funds) do not necessarily have to sign up to this action, but many have agreed to, including Pepper, which services 60,000 mortgages in Ireland.

As to longer term measures, you have been down this road before, so at least have the benefit of experience in completing a Standard Financial Statement (SFS), which will come as a shock to others. Keep your finances as tidy as you can, avoid unnecessary spending and keep clear records of your outgoings, all of which will help when more permanent decisions are being made. Hopefully, your job situation will be temporary.

Q We're in the middle of a mortgage application and putting our life insurance in place, but we haven't had the medical yet. My husband tested positive for Covid-19 the other day but is recovering well and I am fine, so far. Will this affect our premium or mortgage in any way? We have also applied for serious illness; should we ditch it?

A Life insurance is mandatory for a mortgage application; serious illness cover is not, although valuable to have. Based on current information, no new underwriting criteria are being introduced and you will be underwritten based on your current health, according to broker Mike Knightson of KM Financial.

"The consensus is that anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 will be postponed for cover until they have made a full recovery and have evidence of same from a medical professional. Where complications might arise is if an applicant has a pre-existing medical condition that might be compromised as a result of Covid-19, then potentially premium increases, declination etc, could apply, but this would be on a case by case basis. For serious illness cover, the same rules apply.

"So based on this information, if you haven't started the application process, your husband will not be accepted for cover until he has been given a medical all clear. A bigger concern would be if you had applied for a life policy already, been accepted and put it on hold while waiting for the mortgage to come through, as by completing an application, you are bound by the terms of the policy to disclose if there are any adverse changes to your health prior to inception of the policy.

"Being tested positive for Covid-19 would require such disclosure. If you don't disclose this, then the policy may issue but in the event of a claim, it's probable the policy won't pay out. My advice is to be as honest and upfront as possible when applying."

The Ryan Review

There was a big (socially distanced) hug from all the main retail banks when they met Paschal Donohoe to agree forbearance measures for mortgage arrears.

For the most part, they did the right thing in agreeing to payment holidays, stalling of repossession cases (although with many courts stalled, this was an easy win), and generally being nice to customers about the entire situation. Who knows what will happen when business gets back to normal? Despite the ECB chucking in the kitchen sink (and 750b) to help central banks, some financial retailers will not survive this.

Can the time be far away when this second major economic shock, at least as devastating as the 2008 crash, will see some institutions sink under, others merge via shotgun weddings and the basket cases allowed to finally perish?
The Phoenix Mills slipped 3.48% to Rs 555.40 after credit rating agency CRISIL placed its rating on the long-term bank facilities of Phoenix Mills on 'Rating Watch with Negative Implications'.

CRISIL said the rating downgrade is on the back of measures taken by various state governments towards containment of COVID-19 which includes temporary closure of non-critical establishments, inter-state transportation etc. The measures also include advisory against travel and visiting areas of mass gatherings. These measures including mandatory closure of its retail assets could lead to delay in the collection of lease rentals from tenants, for the affected months.

Revocation of the measures will be contingent upon directive from the central government and extent of spread of COVID-19. A sustained long period of closures can result in significant deterioration in credit profile of the company. On the other hand, a faster reversal to normalcy may contain the extent of deterioration likely in credit quality of the company. That said, the ability of the business to revert back to operational stability and any relief measures given by the government will be key rating sensitivity factors.

The credit rating agency further added that mall shut down beyond 30 April 2020 will lead to a further downgrade. Currently CRISIL has rated Phoenix Mills' Long Term Rating to A+ (Rating Watch with Negative Implications).

The Phoenix Mills group is the largest player in the Indian retail mall segment, and has a portfolio of 59 lakh sq. ft of eightwell-established retail mall assets across major cities in the country. It also has an office portfolio of 17.6 lakh square feet in Mumbai and Pune, two operational hotels (one in Mumbai and another in Agra), and residential real estate of 37 lakh sq. ft in Bengaluru and Chennai.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as the Government of India announced a relief package amid the 21-lockdown due to coronavirus, Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury taunted the Finance Minister. Speaking to media on Friday, he said that Congress has been demanding it since day 1 both inside and outside the Parliament. Moreover, he added that the food security act already provides all that the Finance Minister announced.

"This is not a difficult task as the food security act is still on-going and people get all these facilities under this act. And relief funds for farmers is not a new thing. But now the situation is different due to Corona. People are stranded in places. They should be provided free food. Why is govt taking money from them? Now they might give a new name to the scheme but under food security act this facilities are already provided to the people," he said.

India reported 43 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours: Health Ministry.

Finance Minister's relief package

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a relief package for the poor and the affected persons due to the deadly Coronavirus and the lockdown. According to the minister, the package is worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore, under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana. Sitharaman added that the government is looking at two aspects- cash transfer and food security-related issues.

The Minister further announced that there will be Rs 50 lakh insurance per health care worker-- ASHA workers, paramedics, doctors, nurses, sanitary workers, as a medical insurance cover for them for three months. Along with it, in addition to the already allotted five Kg of rice/wheat per person, an additional 5kg will be free for the poor. With this, an additional one kilogram of pulses according to the regional preference will be provided.

Here is the full list of the relief package

Coronavirus Outbreak: US surpasses China in number of positive cases

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, as per the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

Health workers in Rajasthan sing a song to keep spirit high amid fight against Coronavirus
KABUL, Authorities in Afghanistan have announced sweeping measures to shut down the capital, Kabul, which is also the countrys largest city.

"All dear compatriots in Kabul are asked to stay home and not go out, except in necessity, Mohammad Yaqub Haidari, governor of Kabul Province, told journalists on March 27. Avoid crowded areas and take other precautionary measures announced by the Public Health Ministry to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Haidari said the capitals estimated 6 million residents can leave their houses only to seek medical help, get food or other essentials, receive security assistance, or to take care of another person.

Under the three-week restrictions, most government organizations and businesses will be closed, forcing hundreds of thousands of government and private workers to stay home. Hospitals, Kabul municipality's hygiene department, security forces, the Health Ministry, a special task force for combatting the coronavirus, grocery stores, and banks will be exempt from the restrictions.

We want people to leave their houses only if they really need to; otherwise, everyone must stay in their home, Interior Minister Massoud Andrabi said. Those violating these rules will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Kabul is the latest addition to a growing number of cities and provinces that the Afghan authorities have locked down this week. Afghanistan has so far recorded 94 confirmed coronavirus cases while four people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus infection. At least four of the confirmed coronavirus cases are in Kabul.

But the impoverished country with rudimentary healthcare has conducted fewer tests. Authorities and experts fear that the return of more than 100,000 Afghans from neighboring Iran might prompt a large coronavirus outbreak in the country because Tehran has recorded more than 30,000 coronavirus infections while COVID-19 has killed more than 2,000 Iranians.

Earlier this week, Afghan Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz warned that the coronavirus pandemic might kill 110,000 Afghans because the World Health Organization estimates had suggested that without precautionary measures the virus might infect some 80 percent or 25 million of the countrys estimated 32 million population.

God willing, we can avoid such scenarios, if we can establish cooperation and we all unite in fighting the coronavirus, he told journalists.

Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on Nusrat Parsas reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan.
New Delhi, March 27 : It's 11 a.m. and raining in Greater Noida. A group of 20 labourers trudge along lugging at their belongings with one carrying a three-year-old child on his shoulders, walking towards their native place in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar, a distance of over 700 km, as the 21-day nationwide lockdown has brought all work to halt.

This is not the first group of people migrating from the national capital region (NCR)to their homes in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. Thousands have been marching along roads to reach their homes.

Indresh, who is in his late 30s and works as a labourer in Greater Noida, has also started to walk back home as he has no money to feed his children and other family members.

The rain is adding to his misery and he has no idea how he will reach home with his three-year-old kid in such rough conditions, but the only thing he knows is that he must not stop.

Speaking to IANS, Indresh said, "I used to work as a labourer in the high rise societies, but due to the lockdown I don't have any work. So, I am leaving for my home." Briefly, he narrated his ordeal and said that he and his family members had not eaten since Thursday.

He said, "For the last one day we had nothing to eat. Whatever money I earned as a daily labourer has ended. I have no option but to go back to my home." Asked about his three-year-old child, he said, "I cannot leave my family to die here. I have to take him to my home and on the way I shall feed them with whatever Rs 100 or 200 left with me can help buy." Pointed out that it was raining, he said, "I shall cover him with the plastic sheet so that he does not get wet." Indresh is travelling on foot along with 20 other labourers, who originally hail from Faizabad and Ayodhya, and are also going back to their homes due to lack of work.

Shivanand Ram, another member of the group said, "After the nationwide lockdown, we are not left with any work and food." When asked if the landlord has asked them to vacate their rooms, he said, "No, the landlord didn't ask us to leave. But, as we don't have any money to feed our family, then what we shall do here." He said, as there are no chances of getting work here in next 15-20 days, it was better to leave for the village rather than stay here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in his second national address announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the COVID-19 spread, which has claimed 17 lives across the country.

The short four-hour notice for the shutdown has affected the country's crores of migrant workers, almost pushing them in a no man's land situation across the big cities in India.

The closure of all but essential services has made it impossible for the daily wagers to live in the rented shanties of big cities.

On the other hand, the closure of the railway passenger services and inter-state road services has also added to the misery of the labourers across the country.

Much like this group of 20 labourers, thousands of migrant labourers can be seen marching on foot, trying to reach their homes in Uttar Pradesh and even far away Bihar. Many can be seen carrying backpacks, bags and whatever handy material they can hold to travel long distances. Woman and children can be seen trudging along, taking small breaks but not stopping for long.

For these people, all that matters is reaching home somehow.

Even though Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package on Thursday, to aid those who live on the margins, but panicked labourers are undertaking 500-800 km long journeys on foot in the absence of trains and buses.

On Friday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in India reached 724 with 640 cured cases.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)
WASHINGTON  Congress is about to pass a $2.2 trillion emergency relief bill to keep the economy afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, sending a massive infusion of aid to individuals, hospitals, small businesses and the newly-unemployed.

New York state, the epicenter of the pandemic, will receive about $115 billion from the aid package, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, the Senates top Democrat who helped negotiate the deal.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo slammed the aid bill Thursday, calling it reckless and irresponsible.

Cuomo said New York will receive $5 billion earmarked directly for state government. He said the money can be spent only on the states response to the virus  not to help make up for the $10 billion to $15 billion in revenue the state will lose because of coronavirus.

Schumer, D-N.Y., said the final relief package for New York will be much broader when accounting for aid to individuals, businesses, hospitals and cities and counties across the state.

Here are the big items in the bill passed by the Senate and awaiting a vote in the House as early as Friday:

Direct cash payments to individuals

New Yorkers will receive about $15 billion in direct cash payments to help ease their financial burden during the pandemic. The payments will be $1,200 for individuals who reported making less than $75,000 on their 2018 or 2019 tax returns, or $150,000 for couples. The payments will include an additional $500 per child.

Those with adjusted gross incomes above the limits will receive reduced payments, and individuals with incomes above $99,000 will receive no payment. Senior citizens who didnt file a tax return will receive the full payment.

Schumer said the payments should arrive around April 6, either by direct deposit for those who file electronically or by mail.

Emergency loans for small businesses

New York small businesses will be eligible for $33.8 billion of the $350 billion set aside nationally for a new emergency loan program to help small businesses retain their employees during the pandemic.

Businesses will be able to apply for 4 percent loans to help keep employees on the payroll and cover operating expenses such as rent and utilities.

If employers maintain their full payroll through the pandemic, loans will be forgiven and turned into outright grants from the federal government, Schumer said.

Hospitals and medical facilities

New York hospitals and medical facilities will be able to access $25 billion set aside for the state to pay for personal protective equipment for health care workers, testing supplies, staffing and new construction to expand services, Schumer said.

U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, said the aid is important because hospitals operate on thin margins with little cash on hand.

The financial strain on hospitals increased when they were asked to cancel elective surgeries to free up hospital beds patients infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.

When you cancel elective surgeries like all of our hospitals had to do, you cancel one of the biggest money streams coming into a hospital, Katko said.

Extra unemployment compensation

The bill in Congress sets aside about $16 billion for New York to pay for increased unemployment compensation to those who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic, Schumer said.

Unemployment benefits will be extended to those who may not have lost a job but were unable to work because they are sick, quarantined or had to take care of a child as a result of coronavirus.

Schumer calls the aid unemployment on steroids because it adds an additional $600 a week in unemployment payments for up to four months. Those payments currently average about $300 per week.

Congress also extended eligibility for unemployment insurance by 13 weeks. All told, New Yorkers will now be eligible for up to 39 weeks of benefits.

Federal disaster response aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay $10 billion to New York for its emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The money will be paid out in monthly installments of about $2 billion per month for five months, Schumer said.

FEMAs aid can help pay to test New Yorkers for the coronavirus, as well as medical supplies to protect doctors and nurses. Those supplies include face masks, gloves and surgical gowns.

State and local government relief fund

New York and its cities and counties will receive about $7.5 billion in aid through a new Coronavirus Relief Fund.

The money is intended to help local governments stay solvent amid the loss of tax revenue and the strains of paying for the local response to the pandemic.

The fund will distribute $5.1 billion to New York state, about $1.5 billion to New York City, $257,000 to Suffolk County, $235,000 to Nassau County, $168,000 to Westchester County, $160,000 to Erie County and $129,000 to Monroe County.

Those cities and counties with populations below 500,000 (including Syracuse and Onondaga County) will have to apply to the state for the remaining $2.4 billion in aid to localities.

Aid for mass transit systems

The bill passed by the Senate includes about $4.1 billion for mass transit systems in New York, according to Schumers office.

Most of the money, about $3.8 billion, will be paid to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City. The MTA receives most of its budget from state taxpayers.

Aid totals for Upstate New York transit systems, including Centro in Central New York, were not available Thursday.

Airport improvement grants

New Yorks airports, hard hit by the rapid decline in passenger traffic because of coronavirus, will receive $690.4 million in grants.

Airports in New York City and across Upstate New York will be eligible for the money. The exact breakdown by airport has not been determined.

Small business disaster loans

New York will receive a share of $10 billion made available nationally for a new Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Grant Program.

When small businesses apply for the loans, they will receive an emergency grant of $10,000 from the federal government within three days of filing an application.

The expedited loan is intended to help cover operating expenses for businesses while their loan application is processed.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Am I essential? 100s across NY grapple with question  and ask us  amid coronavirus pandemic Did I infect my students? Teacher worries after 8 days with no coronavirus test results

Katko bill forces Trump to ease shortage of medical supplies

At The Chef & The Cook in Baldwinsville, coronavirus closure is now permanent

CNY lacrosse helmet maker calls workers back to make medical shields

Do you know of a business thats providing products or services to help combat the new coronavirus? We want to hear from you. Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
At prices of as much as $50,000 for top-of-the-line models, ventilators are too expensive for the government to buy enough for a widespread respiratory outbreak such as this one, she said. Its also impractical to move them from cities that are not overloaded with severe coronavirus cases to ones that are, because patients may stay on them for weeks, she said. That approach was reportedly used in China, one expert said.
Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Coronavirus isolation measures have already resulted in a spike in domestic violence attacks, with experts fearing it could get 'much, much worse' should Australia go into a full lockdown.

With the number of COVID-19 cases in Australia passing 3,000 today, the 'stay home' message is being touted by medical experts as crucial to stopping the spread.

But while recognising its importance to slowing the spread of coronavirus, domestic violence advocates say it has already led to a jump in the number of victims.

So far countries including New Zealand, France, China and the United Kingdom have all seen a jump in the number of cases reported to police after entering a shutdown.

With predictions Australia could be the next to enter complete lockdown, it is a scary time for domestic violence workers such as Hayley Foster.

Coronavirus isolation measures have already resulted in a spike in domestic violence attacks, with experts fearing it will get 'much, much worse' should Australia go into a lockdown (Stock image)

Hayley Foster (pictured) acknowledged the self-isolation measures were important to fight COVID-19, but were already having an impact on 'severe' domestic violence attacks

'Being stuck inside their home is the worst possible outcome for victims of domestic violence,' Ms Foster, a member of the Australian domestic violence advisory group, told Daily Mail Australia.

'That's the thing abusers want, to be isolated at home with their victim and cut them off from any supports.

'This is such an unprecedented time... but of everything we know the worst thing you can do is require a domestic violence victim to be isolated with their abuser'

'And it will only get much, much worse (if we enter lockdown).'

On average, police across Australia deal with up to 5,000 domestic violence calls a week.

During the coronavirus pandemic in China, the number of domestic violence cases tripled, according to some reports.

In recent weeks police in the UK have also seen jump in callouts, with the impact of job losses and increased time in close quarters believed to be responsible.

Ms Foster, who is also the head of Women's Safety NSW, said 40 per cent of all case workers across the state had reported an increase in callouts in recent weeks.

Being stuck inside is the worst possible outcome for domestic violence victims Hayley Foster, Women's Safety NSW

The most concerning part of this is that the majority of their callouts had been about 'severe' assaults, with 16 per cent first time victims.

'We are already noticing, women are de-prioritising their safety needs. They are not wanting to prioritise their safety because they're worried about keeping a roof over theirs and their kids heads, or not wanting to upset their abuser,' Ms Foster said.

'The cases we are seeing are really severe assaults where they dont have anywhere safe to go.

On average, police across Australia deal with up to 5,000 domestic violence calls a week - or one every two minutes

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has repeatedly warned that any kind of lock down may last up to six months, with Ms Foster urging the government to initiate a campaign for victims of domestic violence during this time

'Another thing is we need government support because front line workers are being sent home too, and currently there is no funding for these services to work from home.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly warned that any kind of lockdown may last up to six months.

With a long winter ahead for many Australians, in particular victims of domestic and sexual violence, Ms Foster said with she is urging the government to run a campaign to assure them that help is available.

'At the minute, being cooped up in their homes, many women are saying they can't even find a safe phone to call from,' she said.

'We are urging government for public information campaigns and to assure women these services will help them.

'Women and children who are victims of domestic and family violence are going to be relying on police, and they need to know that when they do the situation is not going to be inflamed, it is going to be resolved.'


In a massive relief to Odisha residents, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Friday announced a Rs 2200 crore relief package for the weaker sections amid the 21-day lockdown due to Coronavirus. He announced three separate packages - a Rs 940 crore package under food security scheme offering 3 months advance allowance ration to 94 lakh PDS beneficiaries, a Rs 932 crore package to other 48 lakh beneficiaries offering 4 months advance allowance under various social schemes and a Rs 330 crore package for 22 lakh registered construction workers - giving Rs1500 each. Odisha has reported only 2 positive cases till date.

UK PM Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID-19, says 'I am self-isolating'

CM Patnaik offers Rs 2000 crore package

We are giving 4 months advance allowances to other 48 lakh beneficiaries under different social welfare schemes which will cost Rs 932 crore. State Government will provide Rs 1500 each to 22 lakh construction workers, which will cost Rs 330 crores: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik https://t.co/Xd6D0EWNjV  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

Delhi police stop bus carrying 14 Japanese tourists; driver claims 'not sure if tested'

Patnaik donates three months' salary

Earlier on Wednesday, Patnaik announced that all government medical professionals including doctors and other healthcare staff will be paid a 4-month advance salary (for the months of April, May, June, and July) which will be paid in April. He also directed the police to take strict action against anyone obstructing or misbehaving with the medical professionals. Patnaik has already donated his three months salary to the CM Relief Fund for helping the individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India to participate in WHO drug trials; cases rise to 724

Coronavirus crisis in India

As of date, 724 positive cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) - 66 have been discharged and Maharashtra reporting the highest at 135. 17 deaths have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Naveen Patnaik announces 4 months' advance salary to govt medical professionals in Odisha

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation.
YARDLEY BOROUGH >> The Yardley Borough Police Department report the following incidents and arrests: WARRANT (DOMESTIC ASSAULT) >> At approximately 7:55 p.m. on January 11 a victim fleeing a domestic assault in her vehicle was entering the parking lot at police headquarters when her car was struck by another vehicle. The striking vehicle fled prior to police arrival. A follow-up investigation...
The UAE authorities are taking steps to help many stranded passengers, including 22 Indians, who were on transit at the Dubai airport when their home countries suddenly stopped all the inbound flights due to the coronavirus pandemic, a media report said on Friday.

Dubai Airports issued a statement informing that airlines and embassies are now working to send the stranded passengers, some of them since March 18, to their home countries, the Khaleej Times reported.

"Passengers who are stranded at Dubai International because of the cancellation of their onward flights are being assisted by Dubai Airports' staff by referring them to their airlines and embassies who are working to repatriate them to their home countries," the statement said.

Several countries halted all the inbound flights since early this month after the coronavirus outbreak was declared pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

Like several nations, India announced a total lock down from March 25 to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Some of the stranded passengers have been at the Dubai airport since March 18.

At the Dubai airport, passengers of other nationalities have also suffered a similar state since many countries have imposed such bans. Furthermore, UAE has closed all its airports since Monday.

The Indian mission said it is presently working with the UAE government to make arrangements for the passengers as India has still not given permission to repatriate them.

"We don't have permission for repatriation of stranded Indian passengers. We are looking at what arrangements can be made for the passengers, and what they can be provided with, in coordination with the UAE government," said Vipul, Consul General of India to Dubai.

Meanwhile, passengers at the airport said they are optimistic that the government of India will do something to help them.

The Indian passengers arrived from European destinations such as Lisbon, Budapest, Barcelona and at least 11 passengers arrived from Sydney, the report said.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far.

At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 1300 people have died in the US due to the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo: Contributed

An employee of SilverStar Mountain Resort has tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home to Australia.

SilverStar released the information Thursday afternoon, which involved the details of where the employee lived and worked on the hill.

"The employee lived in SilverLode staff housing and worked as a lift operator," read the Facebook post.

The worker left SilverStar early on March 18 and travelled by private car to the Kelowna Airport. They then flew to Vancouver, followed by a direct flight to Sydney, Australia.

The employee noticed symptoms on March 21, and officially tested positive on March 25 in Australia.
Spox: Iran has no clue about fate of missing FBI agent, Levinson

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 26, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi sympathized with the family of the missing FBI agent Robert Levinson and said Iran has no evidence of his destiny or whether he is alive after he left the country.

Mousavi stressed that based on valid documents, Levinson has left Iran for an unknown destination and the US' Secretary of State has acknowledged this fact.

Over the last few years, Iran has done its best to achieve evidences on Levinson's fate after he left Iran, he added.

If US is sure about Levinson's death, it can announce it with no political exploitations and misusing Levinson's family feelings. Mousavi noted.

9376**1424

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) on Friday donated Rs 5 crore to the Haryana Corona Relief Fund set up by the state government to assist various sections of society affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Managing Director HSIIDC, Anurag Agarwal appealed to all industrial houses in the state to wholeheartedly contribute to this fund set up for a noble cause, according to an official statement issued here.

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in Haryana stands at 19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(CNN) -- The United States, Europe, Japan, China and India are unleashing trillions of dollars in government spending and newly created money as they desperately attempt to keep the global economy from sinking into depression.

The response to the coronavirus pandemic has been unprecedented in terms of speed and scale. Commitments from governments and central banks to date are close to $7 trillion, according to an analysis by CNN Business. The total includes government spending, loan guarantees and tax breaks, as well as money printing by central banks to buy assets such as bonds and stock funds.

The figure includes the $2 trillion US relief package working its way through Congress and an anticipated 30 trillion yen ($274 billion) in stimulus from Japan that could be approved next month. In Europe, CNN Business tallied stimulus efforts by the biggest economies: Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.

The combined effort dwarfs the response to the 2008 financial crisis, which smashed records at the time. But economists worry even the Herculean efforts undertaken so far won't be sufficient should the crisis extend beyond June.

"The [$2 trillion US] stimulus package is likely the bare minimum needed to offset the current drag from the outbreak," Bank of America economist Joseph Song told clients Thursday. "The economy will likely need close $3 [trillion] in fiscal stimulus, if not more."

The last time global economic growth was this depressed during peacetime was in 1938, according to Chetan Ahya, Morgan Stanley's chief economist.

G20 leaders, who represent the world's biggest economies, said Thursday that they stand ready to do "whatever it takes" to minimize the economic damage from the pandemic and restore global growth.

"The magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth," the leaders said in a joint statement after a video conference. They say that their countries have committed to stimulus worth $5 trillion.

Yet the vast spending can only blunt some of the economic pain. While unemployment benefits and cutting checks to citizens will provide much needed assistance, the economy can't begin to recover in earnest until bars and restaurants start to reopen, people go back to work and travel resumes. Even then, it will take time, as China is discovering.

"It's not going to be possible to get back to the same level of output and activity immediately," Ahya said, noting the lingering effects of a sharp spike in unemployment and battered corporate balance sheets.

Here are the highlights from the first wave of central bank and government action.

United States

US lawmakers are expected to pass a $2 trillion stimulus package later this week. The legislation includes direct payments to individuals, a boost to unemployment benefits and a $500 billion lending program.

Congress has already approved more than $112 billion to ramp up vaccine research and provide two weeks of paid sick leave for those who are being tested or treated for Covid-19, the disease cause by the novel coronavirus.

The Federal Reserve has let loose a tsunami of stimulus measures in recent days. That includes an initial pledge to purchase $700 billion in US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities, which now has no cap and can include corporate bonds and bond exchange-traded funds. The Fed also announced $300 billion in new financing to keep credit flowing to businesses and consumers.

United Kingdom

The UK government has unveiled 330 billion ($397 billion) in loan guarantees and suspended local business taxes for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors for 12 months. It will also cover 80% of workers' salaries for at least the next three months, up to a maximum of 2,500 ($2,900) a month. It's unclear how much that initiative will cost.

In addition, the UK government on Thursday promised to provide the self-employed with a cash grant of 80% of their average monthly profit, up to 2,500 ($3,000) a month, over the next quarter.

The Bank of England has said it will increase its holdings of UK government and corporate bonds by 200 billion ($242 billion).

European Union

Germany has unveiled a rescue package worth up to 750 billion ($825 billion) that includes measures to spur lending to businesses and take direct stakes in companies.

France has approved 45 billion ($50 billion) in relief for small businesses and unemployed workers. It is also guaranteeing 300 billion ($330 billion) in corporate borrowing.

Italy has greenlit 25 billion ($27.5 billion) to help workers and support the country's health system, while Spain has put up 200 billion ($220 billion).

The European Central Bank has said it will spend 750 billion ($824 billion) buying government debt and private securities before the end of 2020, and stands ready to do more if necessary. That's on top of 120 billion ($133 billion) in extra purchases it announced previously.

China

So far, China has announced at least 116.9 trillion yuan ($16.4 billion) in financial relief and stimulus, plus 800 billion yuan ($112.5 billion) in tax and fee reductions. But if necessary, the country could very well spend trillions of dollars and rack up massive amounts of debt to shore up its economy.

The People's Bank of China has adopted various credit easing measures, allocating at least 1.15 trillion yuan ($162 billion) to help businesses hit by the virus.

Japan

The Japanese government is expected to consider an economic stimulus package in the coming weeks that would likely include cash handouts as well as measures to help small and medium-sized companies get access to loans. The package could total 30 trillion yen ($274.2 billion).

The Bank of Japan has said it will raise the annual rate of its purchases of exchange-traded funds by 6 trillion yen ($55 billion) and boost the annual rate of purchases of real estate investment trusts by 90 billion yen ($822 million). It also raised the limit for purchases of commercial paper and corporate bonds by 2 trillion yen ($18 billion).

India

The Indian government unveiled a relief package worth $22.6 billion just 36 hours after the country's lockdown was imposed. It includes health coverage and food assistance, as well as subsidies and benefits for workers.

 Laura He, Manveena Suri, Kaori Enjoji, Yoko Wakatsuki, Ya Chun Wang, Fanny Bobille, Benjamin Berteau and Hada Messia contributed reporting.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "The bill for saving the world economy is $7 trillion and rising"
Its a heckuva time to be a homeschooling researcher.

As part of an advocacy and research organization that promotes choices in schooling, I am used to hearing from families that would like to homeschool but cant because of financial or logistical roadblocks. I never in a million years thought that in the course of a week, millions of families would be forced into homeschooling involuntarily.

Homeschooling is hard. The decision to homeschool is not one that is taken lightly. Families have serious discussions, weigh their various options, and often agonize over whether homeschooling is the best environment for their child. COVID-19 changed that calculus.

Around dining room tables across the country, parents are asking, So what do we do now?

Understanding why homeschoolers do what they do might actually help families get started now that circumstances have pushed them into the deep end. For those concerned about their ability (or inability) to keep their child pushing forward academically, it might be reassuring to realize that juicing academic performance is not the primary motivation of most homeschoolers. When the U.S. Department of Education surveyed homeschooling families , only 17 percent listed their primary motivation as dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools. By far, the most popular responsegiven by just over a third of all homeschooling parentswas a concern about school environment, things like safety and negative peer pressure.

See Also: Coronavirus and Schools

One of the fastest growing groups of homeschoolers is African-American families. Lisa Puga, a researcher from Rutgers University, has done detailed fieldwork with African-American homeschooling families who believe that traditional schools are not nurturing places for their children. They find them impersonal and mechanistic, with lowered expectations and unfair stereotypes. African-American families are increasingly looking to homeschooling to provide a safe and nurturing environment. Yes, academics are important, but creating a space that is engaging, respects their children and their abilities, and, perhaps most importantly, keeps them safe is priority number one.

Families shouldnt feel pressured to try and keep up, or even surpass, the rate of academic progress of their traditional school. Its much more important to create a place where children can get some respite from the scary world outside of the door. Trying too hard to keep kids engaged academically could serve to push children away during a time when families can come closer together. A couple of hours a day of academic work should be plenty.

What if your school district isnt providing resources or e-learning and you have to make it up on your own? Fear not, there are resources out there.

The decision to homeschool is not one that is taken lightly. ... COVID-19 changed that calculus."

It seems like every day a new organization has put its content online for free. If you need a high-quality, soup-to-nuts curriculum, and you have the time to play a more active role, the Core Knowledge Foundations complete curriculum is online and available for free. If you cant play as active a role, the Khan Academy is working with families and providing robust support to help folks access its online platform. Museums and zoos are putting new video content online every day.

Brainpop, Commonlit, LearnZillion, and too many others to list have made their engaging and usually fee-based lessons, videos, and quizzes available for free. So what do you do with the rest of the time?

Multiple homeschoolers I have interviewed over the years have talked about the gift of time. The traditional school day is often at odds with the rhythms of family life. In normal times, many students are out of the house early in the morning and are then occupied by after-school activities only to come home to slam down some dinner before doing their homework and going to bed. Families dont have the opportunity for quality time, and children grow up before parents even realize it.

Homeschoolers are able to control their schedules and put plenty of entirely non-academic family bonding time into their days. They can understand their childrens rhythms and have them work on specific tasks at the time of the day that is best for them. Children can play outside and can have unstructured time to develop their own games and satisfy their own curiosities. Children can get more sleep when they need to. They can take breaks when they are frustrated. They can go to a quiet corner and read. The standardization required in running a traditional school simply doesnt allow for this.

This massive homeschooling experience can be seen as an opportunity for families to come closer together. I know that sounds crazy right now as parents scramble to work from home or meet all of their commitments and adjust to the new normal. But rather than seeing it as having to be with your kids during the school day, see it as getting to spend time that youre never going to get back. Its a blessing in disguise, but a blessing, nonetheless.

And lets be clear, children are going to learn a lot in the next couple of months. Parents have the ability to model ethical behavior by looking after neighbors and older relatives, practicing social distancing, and making the sacrifices that will be necessary to cope with the coronavirus. If we can demonstrate selflessness to our children and explain to them that were taking these steps to help protect people who are more vulnerable than we are, we can imprint massive lessons in moral development that will stick with kids far longer than most of the academic content we would try and teach them.

If you are being forced to homeschool against your will, I am sorry. It is an incredible burden to have to bear, particularly in light of all of the other upheavals wrought by the coronavirus. But our children are watching. We can let difficult circumstances get the best of us. Or we can faithfully stand in the gap for a couple of months until things are back to normal.
Germany, Russia, China and Cuba have rallied around Italy, sending medics and supplies to the country with the most recorded coronavirus deaths in the world.

Vladimir Putin has dispatched 600 ventilators and 100 military virologists and epidemiologists following phone calls with the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte last Saturday.

At least 16 Italians requiring urgent medical care were flown to the German airports of Dresden, Leipzig and Frankfurt in the last 48 hours, as Rome declared it had more than 80,500 cases of COVID-19 and 8,215 deaths. Another 6,203 had become infected on Thursday, with 712 deaths, from 683 on Wednesday.

China earlier this month sent its experts and medical equipment, while the Cubans sent a 52-strong force of doctors last week. But while the Italian government has publicly welcomed the medical aid, sources in Rome have warned that Russia's efforts are an insidious soft power play.

Yesterday two patients from Italy's battered city of Bergamo, Lombardy, were flown in an Italian Hercules military plane to an airport in Dresden (pictured) to receive medical treatment from German experts

Russian specialists preparing for a departure to Italy at the Chkalovsky military airport outside Moscow

'Eighty percent of Russian supplies are totally useless or of little use to Italy. In short, this is little more than a pretext,' an unnamed government source told La Stampa.

He said the Russians were attempting to gain geopolitical leverage in a care package dubbed 'From Russia with Love,' while Conte wanted to bolster relations with Moscow.

Russia's Ambassador to Italy Sergei Razov rebuked La Stampa's report as 'the product of a perverse mind.' He said Russia's aims were purely selfless.

Russia's team led by Major-General Sergey Kikot, chief of the nuclear, biological and chemical protection unit, have vast experience in disaster management and have helped Africans fight Ebola.

They arrived in Rome on Sunday, according to The Times, before heading in a convoy of army trucks to Bergamo, the ravaged epicentre of the virus in Italy.

They will observe the harrowing intensive care units in Bergamo for a week before helping to man a new temporary hospital. Others are to disinfect old people's homes.

Cuba has sent its 'armies of white robes' to disaster sites around the world largely in poor countries since its 1959 revolution. Its doctors were in the front lines in the fight against cholera in Haiti and against ebola in West Africa in the 2010s (pictured: Doctors arrived from Cuba to help Italian healthcare for the Coronavirus emergency in Milan)

A team of 14 Chinese doctors, nurses and health experts arrive at the Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy. This delegation, whose members belong to the Fujian Provincial Health Commission, arrived on 25 March to train Italian health professionals across Tuscany and aid them in their efforts to mitigate the casualties of the pandemic

Russian gas imports help fuel Italy's power plants and Rome has long called for a relaxation of EU sanctions imposed on Moscow over Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The penalties have been repeatedly renewed while Moscow backed separatists elsewhere in Ukraine.

Rome denies the aid signals a merging of geopolitical interests.

'There are no new geopolitical scenarios to trace, there is a country that needs help and other countries that are helping us,' Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio was quoted as saying by Italy's Il Corriere della Sera newspaper on Thursday.

'It is not a question of a Cold War, it is a question of reality, or realpolitik, you call it what you like.'

Russia's government and its delegation to NATO have published multiple videos of trucks on their way to Bergamo, on their Twitter accounts while Russian state media showed Italy's foreign minister personally welcoming the first Russian plane.

An Ilyushin IL-76 transport aircraft of Russian Ministry of Defense is prepared for departure to Italy at the Chkalovsky Military Airport outside Moscow on Sunday

Unloading of a Russian military transport plane which arrived at the Pratica di Mare Italian Air Force military airport some 20 miles south-west of Rome, Italy

Labelled 'From Russia with Love', planes and trucks bore giant stickers showing heart-shaped Russian and Italian flags next to one another.

By contrast, NATO airlifts of urgent medical supplies to European allies have not grabbed public attention. The European Union has faced delays obtaining face masks and other protective gear while EU governments have closed borders to one another.

NATO militaries are active flying sick patients to hospitals, delivering beds and repatriating citizens, although NATO has not deployed its own biological protection units.

Doctors arrived from Cuba to help Italian healthcare for the Coronavirus emergency in Milan, Malpensa airport on March 22

The 52-strong brigade of medics was the first Cuban team ever to be dispatched to Italy, one of the world's richest countries

'This is a big success story for Putin. I think the Italians have fallen into a trap,' said a senior NATO diplomat, although he noted that Italy was now receiving more support directly from the alliance. Spain has also requested direct NATO help.

Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Moscow Carnegie Center, noted China and Cuba were also sending medical aid to Italy. 'For countries that would like to see the existing world order revised in their favour, the pandemic is an opportunity,' he said.

The EU and NATO have long accused the Kremlin of using a mix of soft power, covert action and computer hackers to try to destabilise the West by exploiting divisions in society.

Last week, an EU internal document seen by Reuters accused Russian media of deploying a 'significant disinformation campaign' against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus. Moscow denied any such plan.

A patient suffering from coronavirus is admitted to the Helios hospital in Leipzig, where medics are treating patients flown in from Italy

Medical workers wearing face masks and protective suits take a coronavirus patient to the Helios hospital in Leipzig yesterday after the patient was flown in from Italy

While not mentioning Russia by name, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in his blog this week that the EU needed to be more aware of 'a struggle for influence through spinning and the politics of generosity'.

Russia is subject to European Union sanctions on its banking, financial and energy sectors and all 27 governments must agree to renew them every six months.

When asked if Russia expected Italy to return the favour by trying to get EU sanctions lifted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the notion as absurd.

'We're not talking about any conditions or calculations or hopes here,' he said on Monday. 'Italy is really in need of much more wide scale help and what Russia does is manageable.'
A Google Trends graph shows the spike in search popularity of the word "amid" this month. Read more

Were in the middle of some unprecedented times right now, or, you could say, were amid them.

When the entire world is facing a pandemic, everything else that happens does so during, because of, or in spite of the disease.

Our headlines  and now, our Google searches  reflect the all-encompassing nature of the coronavirus today, and the language were using to describe life during this difficult time.

While Google searches for the words coronavirus and pandemic predictably skyrocketed in the United States this month, another word also saw a similar trend surge in Google searches: amid.

Dating to at least the 14th century, amid is a preposition that means in the middle of or during something. Its roots stem from the Old English phrase on middan and from the Middle English word amidde, according to Merriam-Webster and The Online Etymology Dictionary.

So why are Americans searching the word so much now?

While amid is rarely used in casual conversations today (can you think of the last time you told someone you were amid" something rather than in the middle" of something?), it is being used by journalists now. A lot.

A search of the word on Googles news tab pulled up 435 million results Thursday.

U.S. deaths from coronavirus top 1,000, amid incomplete reporting from authorities and anguish from those left behind," read a Washington Post headline.

Waffle House closes 420 locations amid coronavirus pandemic, wrote CNN.

Cops arrest group that planned orgy amid coronavirus lockdown in Spain, the New York Post reported.

Comparatively, when searched on Googles news tab for the same day  March 26  of last year, only 33 results appear.

For journalists, every word matters  particularly in a headline, where room for words is tight. Given that most current news stories are about the coronavirus, its effects on the world, or peoples response to it, using amid instead of in the middle of can mean the difference between getting another word into a story or headline or not.

At The Inquirer, weve been using amid a lot more too. In March of 2019, amid appeared five times in our stories. This month, it appeared 132.

According to Google Trends, searches for the word in the United States spiked the week of March 15 to 21, the same time searches for the word coronavirus spiked. The trend was brought to The Inquirers attention by our analytics editor, Karla Ovalle.

Google Trends uses a sample of a term searched on Google over a specific time period in a particular geographical region and then graphs its popularity on a scale of 0 to 100 based on a topics proportion to all searches on all topics, according to the site.

From Feb. 16 to 22, amid was at an 8. One month later, it was at 100. Similarly, searches for the word coronavirus were at a 4 in mid-February but a month later were at 100.

While Google Trends does not separate out the times people searched for amid by itself vs. as a part of a longer phrase, it does show the popular terms that accompanied or followed a search of amid. The top-related queries for amid, according to Google Trends, were amid definition, amid meaning, amid evil, what is amid, and amidst.

According to Google Trends, the region of the country that most searched for amid was Washington, D.C. It does not indicate whether those who searched were politicians.

Pennsylvanians searches for amid mirror those of the rest of the nation, peaking at 100 around the week of March 15.

Metro areas in Pennsylvania where people most searched for the word were, in order: Johnstown-Altoona, Wilkes-Barre-Scranton, Pittsburgh, Erie, and Philadelphia.

That is a No. 1 spot well let Johnstown-Altoona have.

Whether amid is new to your vocabulary, or its a trusted old friend, one thing is for sure: Until the coronavirus is over, were all going to be amid the amids for some time.

And when it is over, were sure to be in the wake of the coronavirus for months and years to come.
Residents carry household items after purchasing from a market as police maintain security during the complete nationwide lockdown and curfew in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Bhopal. PTI photo

A 65-year-old woman in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh succumbed to corona virus infection late on Wednesday night.

This was the first death caused by Covid19 in MP.

Another suspected corona virus victim, a 47-year-old man, died in Ujjain early on Thursday morning.

He was admitted in the local government hospital in Indore on Wednesday night and died a few hours later, an Indore district health department officer said.

However test reports of his sample was still awaited.

Meanwhile, five new positive cases of Covid 19 were reported in Indore in the last 12 hours, taking the tally of confirmed cases in MP to 21.

With this, the number of people who tested positive in Indore alone has gone up to 10.

While six confirmed cases of Covid 19 have been reported in Jabalpur, two each have been reported in Bhopal and Shivpuri. Gwalior has reported one confirmed case of Covid 19.

Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday issued an appeal to all the journalists of Bhopal who attended the March 20 presser of former chief minister Kamal Nath to quarantine themselves in their respective homes after a scribe who attended the news conference tested positive for the virus.

Panic has set in among the journalists here when one of the members of their fraternity tested positive for Covid19.

The scribes daughter, who returned from London where she studies law, has earlier tested positive.

Curfew has been imposed in seven districts in MP were corona virus cases were reported. They included Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Ujjain and Chhatarpur.

Corona virus has cast its shadow over famed Khajuraho shrine in Chhatarpur district with tourists deserting the tourist hotspot this season due to corona virus outbreak.

This was the first time in the history of tourism in Khajuraho, the tourist site has been deserted by the visitors for fear of the virus.

A man hailing from Gwalior who tested positive for Covid19 had visited Khajuraho recently.

In Chhattisgarh, two more people tested positive taking the tally of confirmed cases in the state to three.

While a man in Raipur tested positive for the virus, another man hailing from Rajnandgaon tested positive for Covid19.

Earlier, a woman in Raipur has tested positive for the virus.

Budget session of Chhattisgarh assembly which began last fortnight was on Thursday adjourned sine die due to corona virus outbreak.
YEREVAN, 27 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 27 March, USD exchange rate up by 1.19 drams to 498.43 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.89 drams to 548.22 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.05 drams to 6.40 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 16.52 drams to 608.88 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 531.76 drams to 26197.5 drams. Silver price up by 7.75 drams to 231 drams. Platinum price up by 348.12 drams to 11890.47 drams.
A business adviser, an attorney and a retired university official are finalists for a seat on North Dakota's Board of Higher Education.

The seat has been vacated by new U.S. District Judge Dan Traynor, who said continued service on the board would violate the code of conduct for federal judges.

A five-person nominating committee headed by State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Friday chose Danita Bye, Bruce Gjovig and Taylor Olson as finalists for Traynor's seat.

Danita Bye, of Stanley, is a business adviser to small- and medium-sized businesses in science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and medical device industries.

Bruce Gjovig, of Grand Forks, is the retired founder and chief executive officer of the Center for Innovation at the University of North Dakota.

Taylor Olson is a Williston attorney who also works as the city attorney; as a tribal judge for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation; and as a municipal judge in New Town.

The nominating committee has forwarded the finalist recommendations to Gov. Doug Burgum, who will make the appointment. Burgums choice is subject to confirmation by the North Dakota Senate, but he or she will begin serving on the board immediately once the governor makes the appointment.

The person who is chosen will serve until June 30, 2022, when Traynors term ends, and will be eligible for reappointment to a full four-year term. The board oversees the North Dakota University System, which includes six four-year universities and five two-year colleges.

Fourteen people applied for the position, including four Bismarck residents.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Nicolae Dragos Garofil has been appointed as Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, by decision of Prime Minister Ludovic Orban published Thursday in the Official Journal.

Previously, Garofil held the position of State Counselor with the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

Dan Dragos Dragan was also appointed as Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment.

By another decision, the prime minister appointed Andra-Mihaela Costache as secretary of state with the Ministry of Youth and Sport. Previously, Costache held the position of undersecretary of state in the same ministry.

The head of the executive also appointed Silviu Nastase on Thursday as vice-president, with the rank of undersecretary of state, of the National Authority for Veterinary and Food Safety replacing Filaret Bradatan, who was removed from office.

At the same time, the Prime Minister released, upon request, Mihaela Andreianu from the position of Secretary of State at the National Agency for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.

Madalina Carmen Hristu was appointed as honorary advisor to the Prime Minister, an unpaid position.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Companys Annual General Meeting approved to distribute a cash dividend of 15 per cent (BD 2,140,349) of the paid-up capital to shareholders, excluding treasury shares. The General Assembly held at the companys head office in Seef District on Wednesday also approved the appointment of new board members for the financial period (2020-2022). The new members are Khalid Saoud Alhasan, Shawqi Ali Fakroo, Dr Emad Jawad Bukhamseen, Bijan Khosrowshahi, Thamer Ebrahim Arab and Mubarak Al Ayyar.

Also, the AGM approved the election of Murad Ali Murad, Hasan Mohamed Zainalabedin, Mohamed Ebrahim Zainal and Mohamed Ahmed Alrayes to the new board for the same period.

Keeping pace with tech

Outlining the challenges faced by the insurance industry during the year 2019, Murad Ali Murad said, in going forward, it is important to utilise technology in keeping pace with modern developments in the field of insurance. He further revealed that the board approved a business plan for the next three years.

On the decrease in the companys profits, Murad Ali Murad attributed it to the extraordinary expenses/provisions during the year. These include VAT on UPR of policies issued in 2018 and in force in 2019 which were not collected from customers, compensation paid to the employees on the voluntary early retirement programme and the increase in technical reserves based on the external actuarys recommendation report.

Meanwhile, Ebrahim Alrayes, the CEO, raised concerns on the fierce competition adversely affecting companies operating, especially in the motor and medical insurance sector. As for the financial results, the company achieved net premium revenue of BD 33.3 million, compared to BD 31.7m in the previous year, recording a growth of 5pc. The loss ratio also improved, as it decreased from 76.8pc to 73.6pc. It reflected positively in technical profits which increased by 14pc from BD 1.95 m in 2018 to BD 2.22 m in 2019. Looking ahead, Alrayes said the company places great importance to the development within the company, whether through training of individuals or through developing services and finding new products.

He said the company expects better results in going forward, despite the instability of political and economic conditions in the world in general. He added: Besides, the companys business plan aims towards limiting the increase in expenses. However, we must take into account the impact of the outbreak of COVID 19 in the global economy in general and Bahrain in particular.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, during his address to media, said the RBI had decided to cut repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent, while the reverse repo-rate has been reduced by 90 basis points. He said his address was coming amidst "extraordinary circumstances". He said the MPC voted for sizeable reduction in repo rate to revive growth, mitigate covid-19 impact. Shaktikanta Das' address to the media has been scheduled a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to help the lower strata of the society.

Check all the latest updates on the RBI Governor's live conference on BusinessToday.In live blog

10.37 AM: The RBI allows lending institutions, banks to defer interest on working capital repayments by 3 months.

10.36 AM: The RBI governor says moratorium on term loans, deferment of interest payment will not result in asset classification downgrade.

10.35 AM: The RBI governor says banks may reassess working capital cycle and that they won't be treated as NPA.

10.33 AM: Deferring NSFR implementation by banks by 6 month, says the RBI

10.31 AM: Monetary policy committee voted 4:2 majority to cut repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 pc: RBI Governor

10.30 am: Watch live coverage of the RBI Governor's address to media.

10.29 AM: The outlook is now heavily contingent upon the intensity, spread and duration of the pandemic. There is a rising probability that large parts of the world will slip into recession: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

10.23 AM: MPC noted that global economic activity has come to a near stand-still as COVID19 related lockdowns and social distancing in affected countries. Expectations of a shallow recovery in 2020 from 2019's decade low in global growth have been dashed: RBI Guvernor

10.22 AM: The CRR cut done by the central bank will release Rs 1.37 lakh crore into market, says Shaktikanta Das

10.21 AM: The RBI has cut cash reserve ratio by 100 bps to 3%

10.20 AM: Downside risks to growth arise from Covid-19, lockdowns: RBI Governor

10.18 AM: Banks should keep the credit flowing: RBI chief

10.15 AM: The MPC voted for sizeable reduction in repo rate to revive growth, mitigate covid-19 impact: RBI chief

10.12 AM: The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee met from March 24-27

10.11 AM: This address comes amidst extraordinary circumstances: RBI Governor

10.00 AM: Will there be a repo rate cut?

Expectations are rife that the RBI could announce major repo rate cut to allow helping hand to banks. In its February 6 bi-monthly meeting, the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee had maintained status quo by keeping repo rate unchanged at 5.15 per cent. Consequently, the reverse repo rate was also kept unchanged at 4.90 per cent.

9.45 AM: Modi govt's Rs 1.7 lakh crore package

The Modi government on Thursday announced food transfers for free, cash for the vulnerable, cooking gas, concessions to reduce burden on low income families as well as an insurance cover for the front line workers.

9.30 AM: Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana

Under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKBY) the minister announced funds of Rs 1.7 lakh crore to help the ones with no resources. Farmers, elderly citizens, women, construction workers, those below poverty line, organised and unorganised workers would be the primary beneficiaries of these measures. The Finance Minister also announced 5kg of rice or wheat free of cost to 80 crore poor people in the country for the next three months. She also announced a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for every front line worker, including doctors, paramedics, nurses, sanitation worker.

Also read: RBI ready to help in every way to tackle coronavirus: Shaktikanta Das

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Positive cases near 700; deaths rise to 16

Also read: Coronavirus relief: Finance Ministry urges RBI to pause EMI, loan repayments
The European Union says it rejects Russia's decision earlier this month to designate the Brussels-based European Endowment for Democracy (EED) an "undesirable" organization.

In a statement on March 27, the EU urged the Russian authorities to remove the EED from its list of "undesirable" organizations, saying EED "represents tenets and principles that are also enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights."

The EED is a joint initiative of EU institutions and member states.

On March 11, the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office announced that it had been put on the official registry of "undesirable" organizations, saying its activities "pose a threat to the foundations of Russias constitutional system and security."

A 2015 law allows Russian prosecutors to shut down "undesirable" organizations if they are deemed to be a threat to Russia's national interests.

Related legislation requires nongovernmental organizations that receive funding from foreign sources and engage in political activity within Russia to declare themselves "foreign agents."

In its statement the EU called on Russia to "reconsider" the 2015 legislation and remove from the list all international and foreign donor organizations "that have had to terminate their operations aimed at strengthening civil society" in Russia.

"The legislation on 'undesirable' organizations and 'foreign agents' contributes to restricting civil society, independent media, and the rights of political opposition and has a negative impact on the work of civil society in Russia," it said.
Some economy-class flights to China are being sold for business class prices amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

Prices have skyrocketed as Chinese nationals desperately try to return from other parts of the globe as new travel restrictions and lockdowns come into force.

Airlines have all slashed their schedules, and the vastly reduced flight capacity has driven up prices for those stuck abroad.

Mason Quan, a student from Beijing who is studying at a college in the Midwest, told the South China Morning Post he had no choice but to spend 34,000 yuan (3,900) on an economy ticket from the US on Air China, returning earlier this week.

It cost almost five times the normal price.

After our school said next term all classes will be taken online, I decided to return home, he said.

It comes as the Covid-19 outbreak, which started in China, continues to escalate elsewhere, with the US now reporting more confirmed cases  over 85,000  than any other country.

Meanwhile, China has managed to flatten the curve, recording only 55 new cases in its last update.

As the situation stabilised in China while deteriorating elsewhere, the average ticket price of flights from Italy, Spain, Sweden, the US and Iran rose by around 150 per cent, according to Trip.com Group, Chinas largest online travel agent, which compared data from 1 March to 15 March.

China has now announced it will shut its borders and suspend entry for all foreign nationals from 28 March, including those with existing visas. The only exemptions will be diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas. Only those with a visa issued on or after 27 March will be allowed to enter China, according to the UK Foreign Office.

On 13 March, China issued a new order to ensure compliance with health and quarantine regulations at borders in order to prevent potential outbreaks from imported COVID-19 cases, adds the FCO.

Refusal to comply with procedures or testing put in place or any attempts to deliberately conceal health conditions can result in being sentenced to up to three years in prison. This applies to both Chinese and foreign nationals.
Many companies have offered to build much-needed ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, notably GM, Ford and Tesla. However, Dyson has now stepped up to the plate and the UK company known for vacuum cleaners and fans might have an edge over other non-ventilator makers. It developed the "CoVent" device in just ten days using Dyson's current digital motor technology, according to CNN, and has already received an order for 10,000 units from the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

In a letter to employees seen by Fast Company, founder James Dyson said the CoVent "can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume," noting that it's "designed to address the specific clinical needs of COVID-19 patients." He also promised to donate 5,000 ventilators to the "international effort," including 1,000 for the UK.

The ventilator can be mounted on a bed, run on batteries or wall power and doesn't require a fixed air supply, according to Med-Tech News. It's also efficient in conserving oxygen and has a user interface designed specifically for healthcare providers.

Many patients with COVID-19 develop severe respiratory symptoms and can't breathe on their own, so a ventilator is essential for treatment. In countries hit hard by the pandemic like Italy and Spain, hospitals don't have enough for every critically-ill patient. With coronavirus victims flooding hospitals, that has forced doctors to essentially decide who gets to live or die.

The UK government has been criticized for its slow and disorganized response to the coronavirus crisis compared to other European nations. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who just confirmed that he now has COVID-19, personally contacted James Dyson to ask for help with the ventilators. Existing ventilator makers criticized that move, with one company saying that "the government should have given funding to existing ventilator manufacturers, and existing companies like us."

The device still needs to be approved by UK regulators, though Dyson has pledged to help get it through as quickly as possible. On the manufacturing side, a company spokesperson told CNN that the ventilators would be ready to go by early April. "The race is now on to get it into production," Dyson said.
Storyful

Several people were killed in a car bomb explosion described locally as a suicide attack near Mogadishu airport on January 12.Ahmed Abdihadi, who was driving nearby and recorded this footage, said he thought it was a vehicle explosion.Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, a local journalist, cited security sources as saying government officials were targeted.Spokesman Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu said the government condemned the cowardly attack.He said at least four people died. An official with the ambulance service said at least eight had died, local media said.The Mogadishu news outlet Allbanaadir said Al Shabaab had claimed responsibility for the attack. Credit: Ahmed Abdihadi via Storyful
The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed an application, asking it to review its judgement which nullified the victory of the candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the 2019 general elections held in Zamfara State.

With one out of seven justices dissenting, the court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Mohammed, held that the application by the APC is an abuse of court process.

Reading the majority judgement, Justice John Okoro said the apex court lacked the jurisdiction to review its own judgement.

The finality of the Supreme Court is sealed, he held.

The application is a gross abuse of court process, it is frivolous.

The application is hereby dismissed.

Justice Okoro further awarded the cost of N2 million against the appellant to be paid to the first  140th respondents.

The fresh application before the apex court was brought by a faction of the APC led by a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.

The APC counsel, Roberte Clarke, had urged the court to grant his clients application by setting aside the consequential order which gave victory to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the state.

Mr Clarke also urged the apex court to order the APC to conduct fresh primaries.

The senior lawyer argued that the apex courts previous orders were made without jurisdiction.

But the lawyer of the Kabiru Marafa-led APC faction in Zamfara, Mike Ozekhome, urged the apex court to dismiss the application and award huge costs against the applicants lawyer.

The Supreme Court had, on May 24, ruled that the APC did not conduct valid primaries in the build-up to the 2019 general elections in Zamfara.

The apex court validated the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which ruled that no valid primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State.

The court in a unanimous judgement by a five-member panel decided that a party that had no valid candidate cannot be said to have emerged winner of the elections.

In an appeal brought by the APC, the apex court ruled against the appellant and ordered a fine of N10 million against the APC.

Candidate other than the first appellant with the highest votes stand elected. A cost of N10 million is awarded against the appellant, the court had ruled.

It then declared the first runners-up in the 2019 general elections in the state as the winners of all the offices earlier declared to have been won by the APC and its candidates.

Dissatisfied with the apex court judgement, APC, through Mr Clarke, filed an application on June 17, 2019, asking the apex court to review, amend, correct and/or set aside the consequential orders contained in the May 24, 2019 judgment of the apex court.
A young Cork mother and two-time cancer survivor says she is overwhelmed with the huge outpouring of support for the Irish Cancer Society's Digital Daffodil Day.

The charity asked people to celebrate Daffodil Day online after deciding to cancel street collections and other events because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Shannen Joyce, 25, from Youghal, Co Cork, received a stem cell transplant four months ago and is currently self-isolating with her partner and daughter, Roisin.

"To see so many digital daffodils on my social media feed and to read the warm words that have flooded in means the world," said Shannen.

As a country, we are facing extraordinary times. That is especially true for cancer patients and survivors like me.

In extraordinary times like these, said Shannen, people could make an extraordinary effort to support each other.

Shannen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2014 and the cancer re-occurred almost five years later.

The Irish Cancer Society receives 3% of its funding from the State so it must raise 20m each year and Daffodil Day normally raises 4m of that.

Chief executive of the charity, Averil Power, said Daffodil Day was their single largest fundraiser every year and it helps to pay for free nursing, counselling and transport services.

"This year we also have the added expense of funding new and expanded services to help cancer patients cope during the Covid-19 crisis," said Ms Power.

"While the amount of money we make on this Daffodil Day will most certainly be a fraction of what we would normally raise, it's heartening to see that many people do care."

Across Ireland, people used safe ways to raise funds including solo walks or virtual events. Venues streamed events as online fundraisers and there were dozens of offers from companies offering to help in various ways.

Ms Power said that at one point their website was unable to cope with the number of people trying to donate at the one time.

"Each year more than 40,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, this will remain the case even with the coronavirus outbreak.

What's more is there are approximately 200,000 people in Ireland living with and beyond cancer, many of whom are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness if they catch coronavirus.

Ms Power said the charity is determined to be there for everyone who needs it.: "But as only 3% of our funding comes from the State, we can't do that without the support of the public so please help by donating what you can on cancer.ie."

The charity's official sponsors, Boots Ireland, is also continuing to sell pins in stores throughout the country.
DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrias president and one of the United Arab Emirates most powerful leaders spoke on the phone on Friday  signalling a major thaw in Damascus troubled relations with Arab countries, which had mostly boycotted President Bashar Assad and backed his opposition.

The official Emirati news agency said Assad and Abu Dhabis Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak and reviewed preventive measures to fight it.

Sheikh Mohammed, believed to be the Emirates day-to-day ruler, said Syria and the UAE need to place the humanitarian solidarity over political issues during this common challenge we are all facing, according to the report. The crown prince of the oil-rich Abu Dhabi affirmed that Syria will not be left alone during these delicate and critical circumstances.

Syrias health system and infrastructure have been decimated by years of conflict. Although Damascus has recorded only five cases of infection with coronavirus, there are concerns the fast-spreading virus may prove a major test for the government.

The UAE had been a supporter of the Syrian opposition during the early years of the war, now in its tenth year. But as the war wound down and with the Syrian army capturing most of the territory that was once lost to the opposition, the UAE and a few Arab countries made limited and usually indirect openings toward Assads government.

In late 2018, the UAE reopened its embassy in Damascus, for the first time since an organized Arab diplomatic boycott soon after the Syrian war erupted in 2011. The embassy representation is at a charge daffairs level but its very reopening was a sign that more rapprochement is likely to follow.

Fridays phone call, however, is the first publicized contact between an Arab leader and Assad.

The Syrian opposition, which controls one overpopulated stretch of territory in northwestern Syria, is now mainly supported by Turkey, which the UAE and other Arab countries view with suspicion because of its embrace of regional Islamists.

Syrias official presidency Twitter account said the crown prince stressed that the UAE will support the Syrian people during these exceptional times.
Houston, March 27 : Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a 14-day self-quarantine order for anyone travelling to the state tfrom New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or New Orleans in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Abbott said the executive order will be enforced by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), reports Xinhua news agency.

Travellers from those areas will have to report their quarantine location to DPS, said the Governor.

The individuals will not be allowed to go out in public, and will only be allowed visits from doctors.

Those travelLers will also receive visits from DPS to ensure they are complying with the order.

Those who do not follow the order will be subject to a $1,000 fine or 180 days in jail.

As of Thursday, there are about 1,420 confirmed coronavirus cases in Texas and 18 people have died from the disease.

According to Abbott, more than 21,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted across the state.

In a grim milestone, the US has surpassed China, where the virus originated last December, in terms of confirmed cases.

According to the latest updates by the John Hopkins University, the US has a total of 85,505 cases, while China has 81,782.

The overall death toll in the US currently stands at 1,290.
Visitors are no longer allowed other than in exceptional cases in Northern Ireland hospitals (stock image)

General hospital visiting has been stopped in Northern Ireland as part of new health service plans to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases.

In new plans set out by the Department of Health, there will only be very limited exceptions, with the aim to prioritise patient and staff care as well as reconfiguring hospital services.

How do the plans affect new and existing patients?

I am pregnant - can I be accompanied by my partner or have visitors?

A person in labour can be accompanied by one birthing partner, according to the new guidelines. However, you can not be accompanied during your scans. No visitors are permitted in ante-natal or post-natal ward areas.

My child has been admitted to hospital, can I stay with them?

Any children admitted can be accompanied by one parent or carer at a time, the Department of Health said.

Can children visit the hospital?

Children are no longer allowed visit any hospital.

What can I wear when visiting the hospital?

Arms must be bare below the elbow, the regulations say. No jewellery is permitted other than a flat wedding band.

My loved one is receiving end-of-life care or is in a high dependency unit or intensive care - can I visit?

One visitor is permitted but timing and duration must be agreed with the ward sister or charge nurse - normally for a maximum of one hour.

The Department of Health has recommended that family and friends use smart devices to have phone and video calls with patients instead over the wifi available at all sites.

I am in hospital for an issue other than Covid-19 - when will I be discharged?

Under new regulations, patients who are medically fit enough will be discharged as soon as possible and will be sent home to be cared for by family.

Will I still be operated upon in the current situation?

Mark Taylor from the Royal College of Surgeons told the Belfast Telegraph procedures may change but no patient will be put at risk.

"Technical and managerial aspects of surgery will change to minimise the risk of contamination of healthcare workers and their patients as a result of aerosol particles.

"Patients with appendicitis may be treated by antibiotics rather than surgery. The patient who presents with a very inflamed gallbladder, may have a tube placed by the x-ray doctors into the gallbladder to drain it rather than the standard way of carrying out a laparoscopic operation to remove it.

"The use of diagnostic camera tests for evaluation of the stomach and colon will be restricted and priority given depending on clinical need.

"We are prepared to face challenges that we never believed we would face in our medical careers. The training involved in becoming a doctor, a nurse or an allied health professional is based on achieving the very best, if not the perfect outcome. And as we move ahead, we will continue to do our very best for every patient we see."

Will testing for coronavirus increase in Northern Ireland?

Testing is expected to increase in Northern Ireland from Monday, with 1100 tests to be carried out daily.

Queen's University virologist Ultan Powers told the BBC staying inside is as important as testing.

"My concern is that in terms of the 60% of individuals who are non symptomatic or mildly symptomatic and in terms of those individuals, if we don't do a mass community based screening we will never be able to pick up those people and we will never be able to control the virus transmitting, unless people stay at home," he said.
The real estate market is facing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, as home sellers, buyers and real estate agents struggle with trying to conduct business requiring at least some personal interaction amid calls to stay home.

"Our first priority is the health and safety of everyone balanced against an obligation to customers," Matthew Honsberger, president of the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors, said in an interview.

"We have homes that are set to close and people set to move over the next couple of months. We are obligated to try and help them navigate through that part of their lives."

That is easier said than done.

The Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission, which regulates the industry, said on its website that some realtors have suggested all home sales be stopped, but legislation does not allow it to do that.

It said trading has not halted anywhere in Canada and it instead recommends agents try to limit or stop any work that requires personal interaction with others, including in-person appointments, property viewings and open houses.

It said if personal interaction is required, agents should follow provincial guidelines.

Virtual tours

The industry has made changes to protect those involved, including using technology like virtual tours to show homes and meet with buyers and sellers. Electronic signatures are another tool used to avoid personal contact.

Honsberger said while the odd face to-face meeting is still required, "each realtor has to decide how to govern themselves." He points to a closing home inspection as one example of buyers having to enter a home.

"The realtor's job is to help the buyer do a scan of that home to make sure it's been left in the condition it was supposed to be left in, so the realtor now has to make a decision," he said.

A previous MLS requirement that all listings must be available for viewing has been relaxed and sellers can now refuse to allow potential buyers in their home.

Story continues

The industry has developed a declaration for buyers and sellers that must be signed. It includes questions about whether they have been out of the country recently or in contact with others who have travelled.

'There's no right answer'

Adam Hennigar, a Halifax broker with Sutton Professional Realty Group, said agents are concerned about the virus.

"Some are choosing not to work. Some are choosing to continue working. There's no right answer. It's a lot of difficult choices for people, just as there are for buyers and sellers," he said.

He said they're following industry recommendations and educating agents on how to stay safe by using gloves and sanitizers during viewings.

"Really, the biggest thing is don't touch anything. So if the sellers are made aware of this, too, so they leave everything, like closet doors and drawers open, then buyers have no need to touch anything.

"There's still risk. Nothing is risk-free in this environment, but we're doing the best we can."

He said most clients who are thinking of buying and selling have chosen to back out of the market to protect their health. Others have little choice but to proceed.

"There are a lot of clients that need to buy and sell. There are clients that have been posted and transferred for work, or are moving to town or moving out of town," he said.

'Pause button has been pushed'

While figures show sales and listings were up in February 2020 compared to the same month last year, there are no figures yet for March since the pandemic has worsened.

Honsberger said "the pause button has been pushed" for the time being, just like in other industries.

"The number of listings in Nova Scotia has dropped off pretty significantly over the course of the last five days or so, so I would expect unless people have to move for some reason, right now they're probably not going to. That's just going to be a reality as more and more people deal with the situation," he said.

Considering the situation, Hennigar said the number of new listings in his office is "surprisingly high" and most new listings are still selling very quickly, quite often with competing offers. He said it may be another week or two before the real impact is known.

Honsberger said while the industry may be experiencing a downturn because of the pandemic, the situation will change.

"I think realtors are aware people are going to want to move again so they are OK to ride this out," he said.

MORE TOP STORIES
With thousands of stranded migrant labourers walking back to their villages from big cities, the government is set to ease some of its 21- day lockdown rules in order to facilitate their return and ensure they get food and shelter.

According to senior government officials familiar with the matter, provisions will either be made to provide safe transport to these daily-wage labourers, or government shelters will be set up for them.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, a member of Parliament from Bihar, said that discussions were on at the highest level of government about how to help these men and women. The government is alive to their situation. I also appeal to all civil society members to rise up and make provisions for such people, Prasad told HT.

He added that he has spoken to Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and several district magistrates in Bihar to make special arrangements for the labourers. A large section of the migrants are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and have been walking from the national capital or metro cities in other states to their villages.

I am happy that he (Adityanath) has promised to look into it, and that Uttar Pradesh will open up its night shelters so that they can be used by the migrants, Prasad said, adding that district authorities in Bihar have assured him that workers who have means of public transport would at least get meals.

An official in the labour ministry said that some changes in some of the lockdown restrictions to help migrant workers were expected in the next couple of days. There are states like UP and Bihar who are impacted much more by this problem than others. So any plan for the workers will have to keep in mind the local conditions, said the official who asked not to be named. We dont want them (migrant labourers) to panic. We want them to know that we are working at a solution.

The Centre has been in touch with chief secretaries of several states to resolve the issue, and feedback has also been sought from the state transport departments. Labour is a concurrent issue while transport is a state subject, so we are consulting all before we announce a solution, said the labour ministry official quoted above.
[March 27, 2020] UnionPay International and Prabhu Bank joint launch special offers for financial services

KATHMANDU, Nepal, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International announces today its collaboration with Prabhu Bank of Nepal to launch special offers for cash withdrawal and mobile/online/card payments for this crucial period of time. From today, customers with UnionPay debit cards issued by Prabhu Bank are able to enjoy three-fold benefits: First, no charges for inter-bank cash withdrawal at ATM terminals across Nepal. Second, no charges for digital payments including mobile payment and online payment. Third, cash back for payments at merchant POS terminals in Nepal. In this crucial period of time, UnionPay International believes that it is its social responsibility to provide quality and cost-saving financial services for the local customers and businesses. With the waive of inter-bank cash withdraw charges, Prabhu UnionPay cardholders are able to conveniently get cash from the ATM terminals in their vicinity. By waiving the charges for digital payments, UnionPay International hopes to encourages customers to make payments via their mobile phones or online to avoid face-to-face contact. The cashback for POS payments aims to bring benefits to both customers and merchats. For single payment of 500 to 999 NPR, customers will get 100 NPR cashback; 250 NPR cashback for single payment of 1000 to 4999 NPR; and 500 NPR cashback for single payment above 5000 NPR.



UnionPay International entered Nepal in 2010, and has since conducted its business complying with the requirements of Nepal Rastra Bank. In July 2019, UnionPay International was granted by Nepal Rastra Bank with the country's first Payment Systems Operator (PSO) license for an international company. With this license, UnionPay International is given the qualifications for to conduct various business, including card acceptance and issuance, QR code payments, and switch network construction. So far, UnionPay QR code payment has become the first legal cross-border QR code payment solution in Nepal, while UnionPay becomes the only international card brand allowed to carry out e-wallet and QR code payment business in Nepal. As of date, almost 100% of the ATM and POS terminals in Nepal accept UnionPay cards, and 29 local institutions have issued UnionPay cards. UnionPay QR code are also interoperable by various local digital wallets. Prabhu Bank is among the most important partners of UnionPay International in Nepal. The Bank started issuing its first UnionPay card in December 2019. A substantial number of cards have been issued in just three months and the transaction volume of these cards has been growing steadily.

About UnionPay International UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. In partnership with more than 2000 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in 178 countries and regions with issuance in 61 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants. For more information, please visit: www.unionpayintl.com/en SOURCE UnionPay International

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
(JNS)Did you hear the shocking news? Sixty Congress members just signed a letter demanding that the federal government stop dismantling illegally built homes belonging to whites, though they didnt object to the dismantling of illegal homes built by African-Americans.

Oops, wait! Sorry, I got that mixed up.

The 60 Congress members demanded that the Israeli government stop dismantling any illegally built homes that have been built by Arabs. But they did not object to Israels continuing policy of dismantling of illegally built Jewish homes.

Who would have thought that in this day and age, members of Congress would stoop so low as to make policy recommendations based on the idea that one specific ethnic group should be targeted?

We were supposed to have given up the old practice of making policies based on the color of peoples skin, rather than the content of their character. Images of George Wallace standing in that schoolhouse door were supposed to be just a bad memory. Yet here we are, in 2020, with 60 Democrats signing a letter that echoes the attitudes of those dark times.

J Street played a major role in organizing the congressional letter. In a Dec. 10 press release, the group announced that J Street supporters across the country are contacting the offices of their members of Congress and urging them to sign on to this important and timely letter.

The letter was sent to U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo on March 16, bearing the signatures of 60 members of Congress, all Democrats. They urged the U.S. government to prevent Israel from using American-made equipment in the ongoing home demolitions and forcible transfer of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

The letters reference to Palestinian civilians indicates that J Street misled the members of Congress. Evidently, the J Streeters did not explain to potential signatories that house demolitions in Israel are not based on the race, religion or ethnicity of the homeowners.

Israeli courts authorize dismantling illegally built homes on the basis of whether the homes were built illegally. The Israeli government does not have a policy of demolishing Palestinian homes. If it did, it would be doing quite a poor job of it, since 99.9 percent of Palestinian homes are still standing!

Clearly, J Street never informed Congress whom it contacted that the Israeli government has been demolishing illegally built Jewish homes, too.

On Oct. 24, Israeli bulldozers destroyed two housing structures in the unauthorized Jewish community of Shevah Haaretz, near the town of Yitzhar. On Nov. 26, the government sent tractors to level a Jewish housing structure near the community of Bat Ayin and to plow over an adjacent olive grove that had been planted by Israeli Jews and their Christian Zionist supporters. On Jan. 15, the bulldozers were active in Yitzhar, destroying two more Jewish homes that were built illegally.

So why didnt the congressional letter ask Secretary Pompeo to make sure that no American-made bulldozers were used to smash those Jewish homes?

There are two possible answers.

One would be that those members of Congress are a bunch of racists who care only about the demolition of homes owned by one ethnic group and dont care about the ones owned by another ethnic group.

But I dont believe that. I believe that the signatories, except for a few diehard Israel-haters such as Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, are simply unaware of the reality on the ground in Judea and Samaria. They are unaware because J Street misled them. J Street led them to think that the Israeli government has a racist policy of targeting Arab houses. If J Street had fully informed these 60 congress members about the situation, then the entire premise of the anti-Israel letter would have collapsed.

Racism has no place on Capitol Hill. There should be no discrimination between houses owned by Arabs or Jews, whites or blacks, or any other racial or ethnic groups.

J Street, the so-called pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby, should be ashamed of itself.

Stephen M. Flatow, an attorney in New Jersey, is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995. He is the author of A Fathers Story: My Fight for Justice Against Iranian Terrorism, now available on Kindle.
Iran to US: Do not politicize ex-FBI agent's case, avoid exploiting his family's emotions

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 2:52 PM

Iran has warned the United States against politicization of the possible death of a former FBI agent, whom the US administration alleges has been imprisoned in the Islamic Republic, after Washington claimed on Wednesday that he has died in detention in Iran.

Speaking on Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said if Washington has made sure about the retired agent Robert Levinson's death, "then it can [simply] announce this matter without politicization and attempting to take advantage of the Levinson family's emotions."

The US has, for long, been alleging that Levinson disappeared on the southern Iranian Kish Island in 2007. Tehran has categorically denied any involvement in his disappearance.

On Wednesday, Levinson's family cited the US government as claiming he had died in Iranian custody.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the Islamic Republic has, over the recent years, done its utmost to find any evidence pointing to Levinson's exact fate.

"Based on credible evidence, the aforementioned person left the Iranian soil for an unspecified destination years ago," Mousavi said. He also reminded that the US itself had confirmed his departure back then.

On January 19, 2016, after years of pointing the finger to Iran for his fate, the White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest announced for the first time that "we have reason to believe that he no longer is in Iran." Back then, Earnest said he rested assured that Iran would search for Levinson.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi emphasized that Tehran's investigation has not yielded any leads pointing to Levinson's still being alive, and condoled with his family over his likely demise.

'US officials knew Levinson died on rogue CIA mission'

Until last December, the administration of US President Donald Trump would claim that Levinson was in Iranian custody and ask Tehran to hand him over.

Despite recent claims by his administration that Levinson has died in such a condition, there is ample evidence pointing to the fact that US officials already knew that he had died while on an unauthorized mission for the CIA some place outside Iran.

The fact that he was on a rogue mission had been already admitted in an article by The Washington Post, which wrote on December 12, 2013 that "an American man, who disappeared in Iran more than six years ago had been working for the CIA in what US intelligence officials described as a rogue operation that led to a major shake-up in the spy agency."

The Post, back then, described the nature of the mission by citing emails and other documents that had shown "he had gone to Iran at the direction of certain CIA analysts who had no authority to run operations overseas."

The New York Times also carried a piece on Wednesday, in which it said that the preceding administration of Barack Obama had at one point been tipped off about intelligence showing that "the remains of an American had been buried in [Pakistan's] Balochistan."

"American officials assumed that the remains were Mr. Levinson's," the paper wrote.

'Repercussions for CIA'

The revelations showing the nature of the CIA mission enlisting Levinson, The Post noted, prompted "a major internal investigation" within the US spy agency.

The probe eventually had its leadership "discipline 10 employees, including three veteran analysts, who were forced out of their jobs."

'CIA paid off family'

The Post also said that the CIA reached an extrajudicial settlement with Levinson's family after the emergence of his dealings with the agency. The agreement saw the agency paying the family "a $2.5 million annuity and an additional $120,000, the cost of renewing Mr. Levinson's contract."

"Both sides wanted to avoid a lawsuit that would publicly reveal details of the arrangement," The Post noted.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






FILE PHOTO: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks in front of stacks of medical protective supplies at a news conference at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center which will be partially converted into a temporary hospital during the outbreak of the coronav

By Karen Pierog

(Reuters) - A massive federal spending bill aimed at deflecting the economic harm caused by the spreading coronavirus does not address the billions of tax dollars U.S. states stand to lose as major parts of the nation have shut down.

While the $2.2 trillion bill, which won final congressional approval on Friday, allocates $150 billion for states and cities, that money is just a stopgap reimbursement for expenses incurred from fighting the virus.

Meanwhile, income and sales taxes, the biggest revenue producers for states, will drop as unemployment skyrockets and consumer spending falls with the shuttering of nonessential businesses and services.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday said his state, where New York City has become the nation's hot spot for virus cases, "has no state revenues to speak of" and faces dramatic spending cuts.

We have about a $10 (billion) to $15 billion hole. Federal government gave us zero, nada, niente, zilch, he told reporters, noting that the $5 billion allocated to New York in the federal legislation covers only coronavirus expenses.

Citing expected "precipitous declines in revenues," New Jersey State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio froze $920 million in spending this week.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has acknowledged the need for further financial assistance for states beyond the current legislation.

Eric Kim, Fitch Ratings' head of state government ratings, said, "New spending is not the problem for most states, but rather lost revenue brought on by severely reduced economic activity.

State revenue reports for the month of March will begin to show a slide in revenue, while April, the biggest month for state personal income tax collections, presents a new problem.

Most of the 41 states that levy taxes on personal wages and salary have followed the U.S. government's lead and extended the income tax filing deadline to July 15. That move will result in revenue gaps that spill into a new fiscal year, which begins on July 1 for most states.

Story continues

And so-called rainy day funds - money set aside for the unforeseen - are unlikely to offer much of a cushion.

Balances in these funds as a percentage of general fund spending reached an all-time high of 7.6% in fiscal 2019 and totaled a collective $72.3 billion, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.

California has a $21 billion rainy day fund, its largest ever, for a nearly $150 billion general fund budget. Illinois, the lowest-rated U.S. state at a notch or two above junk, has just under $60,000 stashed away, which would cover state operations for less than 30 seconds, according to the state comptrollers office.

(Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago, Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert in Washington and Maria Caspani in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Bakersfield, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/26/2020 -- California, USA  March 16, 2020 - M&S Security Services is one of the longest-serving private security firms in Kern County that has remained passionate about providing authentic, interactive security solutions since the year 1972. The team of highly specialized experts has mastered the techniques of providing tailor-made protective packages that are oriented on addressing all the demands of their clients. This has been made possible with M&S Security Services' capacity to provide an extensive range of services from stationery guards and patrol services to alarm and video surveillance installations.



Speaking about why property owners must step up their effort in preventing burglary, the company's spokesperson commented, "The most common form of crime for both residential and commercial properties is, without doubt, burglary. People with evil intentions always look for the slightest opportunity to get into your home or business and must be kept out at all costs. Fortunately, it is possible to deter burglars from breaking into your premises by opting for our alarm installation services. We have a variety of options available for you and will provide a customized system for your concerns."



There is no security need that is too complicated or simple that M&S Security Services cannot pay attention to as the firm has vast experience working with a wide range of clients. The firm has, over the decades, partnered with small businesses, extensive industrial facilities, learning institutions, churches, and malls, among other customers. As a result, M&S Security Services has the much-needed in-depth know-how of managing varied situations while catering to all budget allocations. This has given the firm a platform for reaching out to the businesses and residents in the San Joaquin Valley, which is its primary market.



Talking about how to maintain security for remote property and yards, the company's spokesperson said, "The same level of attention provided to your city properties must be reflected in how the remote yards are cared for even when you are away. Thanks to technology, this must not be too complicated when you have our services ever within reach. We will readily offer off-grid security for your yards by going out of the way to create a reliable burglar-proof system. Since electricity is a major problem in most remote regions, you will love the option of having a solar-powered system that will deliver the performance desired."



At a time when the technology in the security sector has significantly advanced, individuals looking for Bakersfield alarm systems are guaranteed of quality backed solutions from M&S Security Services. The security professionals have made it a policy to strictly go for the top of the line alarm systems that have been subject to intense testing. M&S Security Services, in turn, gives its clients a highly functional system that will come handy for reducing the chances of internal or external theft.



About M&S Security Services

M&S Security Services has, through dedication and a focus on delivering services with a difference, risen to become among the top security companies in Bakersfield, CA, which is renowned for its customer-centered packages.
Shame, shame to have lived scenes from a womens magazine. Kurt Vonnegut

In his introduction to Welcome to the Monkey House, a collection of his short fiction published in 1968, Kurt Vonnegut shows no compunction about throwing its most mainstream entry under the bus:

In honor of the marriage that worked I include in this collection a sickeningly slick love story from The Ladies Home Journal, God help us, entitled by them Long Walk to Forever. The title I gave it, I think, was Hell to Get Along With.

The simple tale, published, as noted, by Ladies Home Journal in 1960, bears a lot of similarities to events of Vonneguts own life. After WWII, having survived the bombing of Dresden as a POW, he made his way back to Indianapolis, and invited Jane Cox, the friend hed known since kindergarten, who was engaged to another man, to take a walk, during which he suggested she should marry him instead.





Director Jessica Hesters recent, Kurt Vonnegut Trust-sanctioned adaptation, above, plays it pretty straight, as do several other unauthorized versions lurking on the Internet.

She ups Newts rank to corporal from private, and replaces the glossy bridal magazine Catherine is thumbing through when Newt knocks with a coterie of attentive bridesmaids and little girls, apparently getting a jump on their nuptial fussing.

The magazines omission is unfortunate.

In the story, Newt asks to see the pretty book, forcing Catherine to bring up the impending wedding. Its physical reality then offers Newt a handy emotional refuge, from whence he can crack wise about rosy brides while pretending to read an ad for flatware.

Without that prop, hes preternaturally aware of the names of silver patterns.

And as an Indianapolis native who went to school in the orchard where the story is set, and who can confirm that its in earshot of the bells from the Indiana School for the Blind, I found it jarring to see the action transposed to New Yorks Westchester County. (For those keeping score, it was shot on location in Croton State Park and the Rockefeller State Park).

(Breaking Aways rock quarry aside, the Hoosier State just doesnt have those sorts of high-up water views.)

Hester honors Vonneguts dialoguenearly everything that comes out of the characters mouths originated on the page, while providing a young female directors spin on this material, half a century removed from its publication.

As she describes it on the storytelling platform Feminist Wednesday, the film gently satirizes the institution of matrimony and the importance placed upon it. It is also, she says:

a story about courage, as the female has to face herself, her ideas, and her values Catherines journey is so raw, terrifying in the most honest way, and heartfelt yet extremely funny because it is so relatable.

Something tells me the author wouldnt have put it that way  his Monkey House intro, maybe.

But his admiration for his less-than-traditional muse, avid reader and writer Jane Cox, from whom he split after 26 years of marriage, was immense.

Ginger Strands profile in The New Yorker quotes the household constitution Cox drafted after their 1945 marriage:

We cannot and will not live in and be hogtied by a society which not only has not faith in the things we have faith in, but which reviles and damns that faith with practically every breath it draws.

Hesters crowd-funded film, which the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library included as part of a COVID-19 crisis Virtual Vonnegut Fun Pack(Have a box of Kleenex at the ready!)was shot in 2014.

Had production been delayed by a few years, one wonders if the filmmakers would have come under intense pressure to frame Newts refusal to take Catherines rejections at face value, his insistence that she continue the walk, and that unvetted kiss as something pernicious and intentional.

If so, were glad the film made it into the can when it did.

And we confess, we dont really share Vonneguts avowed distaste for the story, though New York Times critic Mitchel Levitas did, in an otherwise favorable review of Welcome to the Monkey House:

This Vonnegut is obviously a lovable fellow. Moreover, hes right about the story, which is indeed a sickening and slick little nothing about a soldier who goes A.W.O.L. in orderHow to say it?to sweep his girl from the steps of the altar into his strong and loving arms.

Heres to future adaptations of this Ladies Home Journal-approved story by one of our favorite authors. May they capture something of his tartness, and forgo a sentimental soundtrack in favor of a chickadee whose cameo appearance after the School for the Blinds bells prefigures Slaughterhouse-Fives famous Poo-tee-weet?

*chick-a-dee-dee-dee*, went a chickadee.

This adaptation of Vonneguts Long Walk to Forever will be added to our collection, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns, Documentaries & More.

Related Content:

Kurt Vonnegut Offers 8 Tips on How to Write Good Short Stories (and Amusingly Graphs the Shapes Those Stories Can Take)

The Graphic Novel Adaptation of Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five, Coming Out This Year

A New Kurt Vonnegut Museum Opens in Indianapolis  Right in Time for Banned Books Week

Ayun Halliday is an author, illustrator, theater maker and Chief Primatologist of the East Village Inky zine. Her monthly book-based variety show, Necromancers of the Public Domain is on COVID-19 hiatus. Follow her @AyunHalliday.
Sometimes, the stats just speak for themselves. We know that 98 percent of patients will read a text message, and 90 percent of those patients will see that text message within three minutes, says Ethan Bechtel, founder of telehealth startup OhMD. When you compare that to email, which is read 20 percent of the time, or a patient portal message, which is read 7 percent of the time, you quickly realize there is literally no other way to do this at scale.

When Bechtel says this, hes referring to the desperate battle that healthcare workers across the globe are waging against the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. One of the most essential ways that doctors can slow the pandemic is by communicating with patients from afar, so this is a moment tailor-made for OhMD. The Vermont-based company offers medical providers a HIPAA-compliant communication platform, centered around texting, which theyre now making free to hospitals and medical practices across the nation.

A time to text

Texting is such an important technology to leverage right now, because it doesn't require that two people be on the phone at the exact same time to share information, Bechtel says. You can send a message out to 10,000 patients at the same time and be sure that 90 percent of them are going to read it. You can say, Hey, if you have X, Y and Z symptoms, this is where you need to go for the testing facility. Do not go to the ER. Do not go to your family practitioner. We have clients in all 50 states, and the number of text messages being sent through the platform has tripled in the last week. Everything changed overnight.

Until now, telehealth companies have been relative newbies in the glacially evolving landscape of healthcare, and their biggest challenge has been getting covered by insurance companies. But on March 17, Medicare announced it would be covering telehealth services for an unspecified time period. Medicare just set the bar for reimbursement for telehealth in a massive way, Bechtel says. It would have taken a decade. Before this I believe the estimates were that telemedicine was going to be a $64 billion industry by 2025, but I would assume that number is no longer relevant because everything has changed. This is going to be the primary means of communicating and conducting a visit in the coming months, and I don't think that genie gets put back in the bottle.

Related: Why Increased Telemedicine Practice is the Need of the Hour for a ...

Bittersweet boost for business

Like many people working in industries unexpectedly benefited by the crisis, Bechtel says he has mixed feelings about this being a take-off moment for OhMD. What I feel is an internal struggle over the world being on fire and us being here, solving an important problem. Its a good thing for our company and it's a good thing for patients, and we're helping doctors save lives, end of story. But it's just hard to reconcile that with, I guess, the sheer size of this catastrophe.

In a sense, Bechtel has been preparing for this his whole life. Healthtech might not be the first industry that comes to mind when someone says, My family has been in the business for generations  but as a kid growing up in Burlington, Vt., in the 90s, Bechtel spent weekends helping out at his moms company. She was an orthopedic nurse practitioner turned X-ray tech who got her MBA and then started a business that provided financial services software to medical practices.

After college he began working for the family business and honed in on electronic medical records. He quickly understood that one of the greatest challenges for online medical portals was communicating with patients, and thats how the idea for OhMD was born. In 2014 Bechtel took OhMD to the NYC healthtech accelerator Blueprint Health, and in 2016 he got funding from Burlington-based healthtech company IDX Solutions, which helped him make the decision to headquarter his business back home.

Related: Is Boom in Digital Healthcare is the Best Opportunity to Build Global ...

Tracking a virus and fast-tracking telehealth adoption

Bechtel says that OhMD was closely following the coronavirus spread in China in early January, and his team began working overtime to fast-track a video function theyd planned to release later this year. In early March they began to hear from physicians in different states that OhMD was being used to triage patients before bringing them into the office. At that point, they realized how useful their services could be for this moment and decided to make the platform free or subsidized for as many practices as they had the bandwidth to help.

Offering free features has always been part of our DNA, but right now stakes are much higher than they've ever been, Bechtel says. So while there's a cost to offering free texting features for practices, we believe it's our responsibility to bear as many of those costs as possible.

Bechtel hopes that the distant blue sky in this storm will be the ubiquitous adoption of telehealth services, which he believes will play into the evolution toward a healthcare system that is ultimately more sustainable and effective. As time goes on, more and more doctors will be reimbursed based on how healthy their patients are, versus how many patients they see. Because at the end of the day, this is all about outcomes, Bechtel says. How do we make you healthier? Healthcare is a very slow-moving system with many different stakeholders. But this is an inflection point for a number of us in this space. And I think if there's a silver lining at the end of all of this, its that in 12 months, we're going to look back and wonder why it took a pandemic to force us to use technology that actually improves patient care and access.

Related: COVID-19 Will Fuel the Next Wave of Innovation

Related:

Does Sheryl Crow Really Use One Square of Toilet Paper at a Time?

How to Deal With the Economic Impact of the Coronavirus

This Company Is Making Texting With Your Doctor the New Normal



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
PALO ALTO, Calif., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, along with its co-counsel, recently obtained a trial victory in Alexander v. Azar in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Wilson Sonsini provided pro bono counsel in the matter.

On March 24, Judge Michael P. Shea issued a 114-page opinion ordering the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a procedure that will allow Medicare beneficiaries who were initially admitted as an inpatient to a hospital and subsequently reclassified as an outpatient receiving "observation status" to challenge such alteration to their status. The ordered appeal right stems from the Court's finding that the Secretary violated the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.

The case, which was brought on behalf of one of the largest classes of Medicare beneficiaries in history, would provide significant protection to senior citizens entering hospitals. The Court's order provides that once a doctor determines that a Medicare patient should be considered an "inpatient" for Medicare benefits, the patient has a right to the benefits provided they are consistent with this status determination and any effort to deprive the patient of these rights by changing their status constitutes a deprivation under the due process clause. For this reason a change in status requires the government to adopt rules allowing the patient to challenge the change of status. Prior to the Court's decision, Medicare hospital patients had no avenue to challenge the coverage-altering decision to change their coverage status.

The decision has broad implications for patients. As made clear in the Court's detailed opinion, patients who have their Medicare status changed from "inpatient" to "observation" suffer significant economic and other harms. For example, Medicare may not cover patients who are not classified as "inpatient" for subsequent care in a skilled nursing facility. As demonstrated at trial, the cost for care in such facilities can be several thousand dollars or more. The Court further found that the evidence at trial demonstrated that patients may also suffer significant non-monetary damages and harms resulting from an improper classification. As the Court recognized, an "elderly person's arrival at a hospital is a stressful momentOne question that might not be uppermost in their minds at that momentbut that may soon emerge to add to the stress of the experienceis who will pay for the elderly person's medical care."

In reaching its conclusion that plaintiffs were entitled to the requested right to an appeal, the Court held that "[t]he fundamental prerequisite of due process of law is the opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner." The Court found that plaintiffs "have no opportunity whatsoever to challenge" the deprivation of their rights, and that a "chief injur[y]" plaintiffs face is "having to forgo needed medical care due to an apparent lack of coverage" In light of the "significant risk of error," the Court ordered that defendants establish an appropriate appeals process to protect the plaintiff class.

Wilson Sonsini is partnering pro bono in the case with nonprofits the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) and Justice in Aging in representing a nationwide class estimated in the thousands of among the most vulnerable Medicare patients, who are by definition elderly and/or disabled. The litigation was originally filed in 2011. In 2015 the Second Circuit reversed an order dismissing the case, and Wilson Sonsini and co-counsel have successfully prevailed against multiple summary judgment motions and motions to dismiss over the last several years. Wilson Sonsini litigation Of Counsel/Pro Bono Counsel Luke Liss stated that "we are enormously proud to have partnered with CMA and Justice in Aging, as well as others, to achieve this result for our nation's elderly and medically vulnerable populations. Working with our very talented co-counsel, we have litigated this case for years to ensure that our clients have the most basic appeal rights to protect their access to critical care."

The Wilson Sonsini trial team included attorneys David J. Berger, Steven Guggenheim, Luke Liss, Dylan Savage, Lindsey Edwards, and Alexander Brehnan and paralegals Stacy Love and Stephanie Van Horn.

About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Wilson Sonsini represents clients in a broad range of legal disciplines that address the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. Known worldwide for its representation of technology and life sciences clients, Wilson Sonsini is a leading corporate law firm, representing clients in capital markets, M&A, private equity, venture finance, and technology transactions. The firm's recognized litigation and trial practice represents clients in antitrust, class action, commercial, governance, IP, privacy, securities, and other types of contested matters. Wilson Sonsini also has a substantial and growing regulatory and compliance practice, advising clients as to antitrust, consumer products, CFIUS and FCPA, FDA, international trade, privacy, and other matters. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini has offices in Austin; Beijing; Boston; Brussels; Hong Kong; London; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, visit www.wsgr.com.

SOURCE Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Related Links

http://www.wsgr.com


Robert Levinson was a former FBI agent who became a private contractor and traveled to Iran in 2007 on behalf of a client, but also with a secret, unauthorized charge from the CIA. He was captured or arrested by Iranian authorities who briefly announced that they had him in captivity, but then deleted that claim and denied any knowledge of his whereabouts. He was last known to be alive in 2011. His death while in Iranian custody, most likely some years ago, has now been confirmed:

A former FBI agent who went missing while on an unauthorised CIA mission in Iran died in custody, his family have said after receiving new information from the US and Iranian governments. The fate of Robert Levinson, who did not return from a trip to Kish Island in the Gulf in 2007, has been one of the biggest mysteries of present US-Iran relations. The Iranian authorities have consistently denied knowing anything of his whereabouts, even though a state news agency at the time he disappeared published a story on its website saying that he was in custody, although that was quickly removed. After the latest approaches by the US authorities to the Iranians, however, his family say they now believe he died some time ago.

One is tempted to surmise that the Obama administration, hellbent on a rapprochement with Iran, did not do enough to try to rescue Levinson. I dont know whether that assumption is correct or not.

A court case against Iran in the United States by his family, seeking damages for the imprisonment and torture he allegedly suffered at the Islamic Republics hands, renewed interest in his case. Iran said it had logged his case on a missing persons file. Earlier this month a judge awarded the family a notional $1.5 billion in personal and punitive damages.

They wont collect it, of course. But maybe Iran could just send back the pallets of cash, amounting to $400 million, that the Obama administration sent the mullahs as a down payment on our $1.7 billion settlement with them.
WILTON  With the rate of new coronavirus cases in New York state doubling about every three days, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, residents from across the border are looking to escape to Connecticut for short-term rentals.

New Yorkers are particularly seeking refuge in lower Fairfield County towns including Greenwich, Stamford, Westport and Wilton.

When things started initially with social distancing, the phone started ringing, said Lynne Murphy, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway in Wilton.

People from New York City have been constantly calling about renting homes, and are even asking about renting vacant properties that are listed for sale, she said.

Most of these potential renters are looking for a short-term stay, through April or the summer. People are willing to pay a premium just to be out here, Murphy said.

For the longest time, millennials didnt want to live in the suburbs and preferred to live in the city, she said. But, the quick spread of the virus, particularly in New York City, is a game changer.

That tide may be changing. Young families dont want to be dealing with pushing elevator buttons and sharing close quarters with kids right now, according to Murphy.

But the problem is, there arent a lot of homes to rent in Wilton for just a few months. Theres not enough inventory for this kind of demand, according to Murphy.

There are 21 active rental listings right now in Wilton, with three under deposit, said John DiCenzo, executive director of sales for Westport and Wilton for Halstead Real Estate.

But none of those listings are for short-term rentals, and long-term rentals can be pricey. Single-family homes in Wilton are being offered for rent from $3,000 to $15,000 a month, according to listings online.

DiCenzo said he is handling short-term rental requests for Wilton and Westport a la carte, on a case-by-case basis.

There are people from New York looking in Connecticut to fill time over April, and some owners are willing to rent out for the short-term, said Sarah Fair, vice president of sales, with The Fair Group at William Raveis.

But other owners are not so keen to convert their long-term rentals into short-term. Some people are saying yes, but others are not sure they want to open up their house for just one month, Fair said.

Pandemic

The spring real estate market had been looking up in Wilton, until the coronavirus pandemic hit.

This is the second spring season in a row where the market has been impeded by something outside everyones control, said Fair. This year its the coronavirus, last year it was the threat of school regionalization. We thought it would be a solid spring market this year.

DiCenzo agreed, and said the Wilton real estate market from December 2019 through February 2020 had been on the upswing. During that time, there were 52 real estate sales, compared to 42 sales in the same period the previous year.

But things changed quickly when the coronavirus hit Connecticut. On March 8, a Wilton man was the first in the state to test positive for the coronavirus. He is since in recovery. In just a matter of a few weeks, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has reached 1,012 in the state, with 21 deaths.

To prevent the spread of the virus, Gov. Lamont ordered all non-essential businesses to close, and advised residents to stay home, and maintain social distancing practices  staying at least six feet away from others when out in public.

Real estate brokers had to adjust quickly. In order to maintain social distancing, they canceled open houses that had been previously scheduled. We canceled our open houses to limit exposure, said Fair.

But with 152 single-family home listings currently in Wilton, brokers and agents arent giving up.

Instead of holding open houses in person, they are working remotely and offering things such as personalized virtual tours, walking through homes and talking to potential buyers through FaceTime and other video sources.

We had three closings in the past week, Fair said. There is opportunity here. We are just working from a different point of view.

Sellers are also being given more options during this time, according to DiCenzo. If they want to take a break from the market at the moment, they have the option to withdraw their properties temporarily, and come back later, he said.

There could be a silver lining to this situation. If people from New York like what they see in Connecticut, perhaps they will consider moving here or buying a second home here, Murphy said.

pgay@wiltonbulletin.com
New Delhi, March 27 : Ask any photography lover: what is the hardest shot to capture right on their smartphones? The answer in all probability would be the perfect night or lowlight shots as majority of users still struggle to take that perfect night shot from their smartphone camera. Thats where TECNOs new CAMON 15 series smartphones come to the rescue.

The TECNO CAMON Series Duo comprising CAMON 15 & CAMON 15 Pro comes with a multipurpose quad camera setup with 48MP primary lens which captures ultra-clear photos.

The 5MP 115 degree ultra-wide-angle lens brings more diversity in terms of picture composition and expression, making it easier to capture even a 2cm extreme close up shots.

The Portrait Lens allow users to click professional portraits. Not only this, it also lets you to be creative with its customised Indian Style Stickers as well as DIY (do it yourself) AR emoji that mimic your facial expressions.

The smartphone camera is armed with advance Ultra Night Lens supported by DSP chip. It is a digital signal processing technology that enables up to 15-frame synthesis with an imaging time of just 4.68 seconds, offering up to 30 per cent faster processing compared to most smartphones that achieve this in 5.5 seconds or 7 seconds.

It further filters out image noise, correct the pixels and along with f1.79 wide apertures, half an inch sensor and 1.6 micrometre large pixel size produces a clear, balanced and vivid picture in the lowest of low lighting conditions.

The CAMON 15 Pro features a 32MP AI pop-up selfie camera, making the screen completely bezel-less. The camera on the CAMON 15 Pro pops out from the top edge with beautiful sound and light effect every time you want to take a selfie or start a video call.

The feature that is currently available in only higher priced flagship smartphones. The short video feature of CAMON 15 Pro offers a 15s/60s video with AI beauty and wide angle support and enables direct sharing for social media enthusiasts.

The CAMON 15's Beautification 3.0 is available with four kinds of built-in beauty effects for face beauty, but also has segment first body beauty effects for perfect shape with AI Body shaping feature.

CAMON 15 Pro and CAMON 15 offers 6GB and 4GB RAM respectively, providing for a stable and highly efficient performance. It also provides a smooth operation for gamers and multi-taskers.

They come with internal storages of 128GB and 64GB which are expandable upto 256GB. CAMON 15 series boasts of a 6.6-inch full-view display that makes visuals clear, vivid and colourful.

Overall, the TECNO CAMON 15 series smartphones can be called one of the best-designed smartphones from the company offering impressive low-light photography in the segment.

The gradient finish gives a premium look and the display looks immersive. The cameras are impressive and lends a seamless experience. If your smartphone priority is camera and night photography, and you prefer buying it in the offline market, CAMON 15 at Rs 9,999 and CAMON 15 Pro at Rs 14,999 could be a great deal for you.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry will officially step down as senior members of the royal family on March 31. While no one knows for sure what their new reality will look like, there have been questions about Harrys wife since she is still a member of the family but wont be representing the crown going forward.

Many fans are wondering if Meghan will still be able to wear certain jewels and accessories after she is no longer a senior royal. Read on to find if the duchess could wear a tiara again following Megxit.

Meghan Markle | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The only time Meghan has ever worn a tiara

The Duchess of Sussex has only worn a tiara one time and that was on her wedding day.

When Meghan and Prince Harry tied the knot on May 19, 2018, the former actress wore the bandeau diamond tiara, which was made in 1932 for Queen Mary. The last time the public saw the piece before that was back in 1965 when Princess Margaret donned it.

Although the headpiece Meghan ended up wearing that day was stunning, there have been multiple reports that it was not her first choice. Harrys bride reportedly wanted to wear the Vladimir Tiara but the queen stepped in and told the prince that Meghan cannot have everything she wants and she wouldnt be lending out that tiara.

In an interview, Meghan said she chose the bandeau diamond tiara after visiting Buckingham Palace to see the queen and view some options.

Prince Harry Meghan Markle | Ben STANSALL  WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The next time the duchess could wear one

The reason Meghan didnt wear a tiara following that day is because she simply didnt have the opportunity to.

Tiaras are worn by royals at weddings, state banquets, and other white tie events, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams explained.

Hello! magazine noted that the duchess had not attended any of those affairs. When the Netherlands state visit took place in October 2018, Harry and Meghan were away on their royal tour of Australia and New Zealand. And when President Donald Trump visited in June 2019 Meghan was on maternity leave after giving birth to Archie. The Sussexes also did not attend the queens Diplomatic Corps Reception in December.

So could we see the duchess rock a glamorous headpiece in the future? Well, that all depends on if she and Harry, who are expected to return to the U.K. post-Megxit for events like Trooping the Colour, would attend any banquets or state dinners. Since they will no longer be senior royals though that possibility doesnt seem likely, therefore, we may never see Prince Harrys wife in a tiara again.

Times royal family members are banned from wearing tiaras

Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

You may have noticed that royal ladies wear minimal jewelry in the daytime. Besides their engagements rings, the women arent dripping in diamonds when we see them out in public or attending an event during the day and they never have on a tiara then. Well, thats because the sparkly headpieces are reportedly banned during the day.

Before 6 p.m., youll see metallics, gemstones, pearls, sapphires. At night, youll see the diamonds come out, and thats in order to not come across as flashy in your appearance, royal etiquette expert Myka Meier explained.

Of course, the exception to this rule when they do wear them in the day is for special occasions such as their royal weddings.

Read more: What Will Happen to Meghan Markles Royal Wardrobe After She Steps Down?
A rescue flight arranged by the German government picked up hundreds of tourists who had been stranded in Nepal since the Himalayan nation went on lockdown earlier this week, officials said.

The Qatar Airways charter flight took off with 305 people on board, said Deo Chandra Lal Karna, an official at Kathmandus Tribhuvan International Airport.

Immigration official Sagar Acharya said most of the passengers were German nationals or had some connection to the country.

SOURCE: AGENCIES
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Fri, March 27, 2020 16:04 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dde3ab 2 People Meghan-Markle,Britain,Disney,film,royals,united-states,actor,Prince-Harry,Duke-and-Duchess-of-Sussex Free

Prince Harry's wife Meghan will make an instant start to life away from Britain's royal frontline by narrating a new film about a family of African elephants, Disney announced on Thursday.

The documentary will follow the family of elephants as they cross Africa's Kalahari Desert. Its broadcast date is just three days after she and Harry will officially step down as senior royals.

"Disneynature's Elephant, an Original Movie narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, starts streaming April 3," the channel said on its Twitter account.

The couple stunned the family in January by announcing their plans to quit the royal frontline and move to North America.

Harry, the youngest son of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, was heard mentioning former actress Meghan's voiceover abilities to Disney boss Bob Iger.

"You know she does voiceovers?" he told Iger at the London premiere of The Lion King in July last year. "She's really interested."

Iger was heard to reply: "Sure. We'd love to try."

Both Harry and Meghan are dedicated to environmental causes and are looking to develop their charitable foundation as part of a "progressive new role".

They will now formally be known as "Harry, The Duke of Sussex" and "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex".
"The Cook County Health Department has stated that we should treat everyone with whom we come into contact as a potential carrier, regardless of whether we were at an event where someone tested positively or not," Olson said in a letter to district staff and families on Thursday.
Muslims community should offer their Juma namaz (Friday prayers) in their homes till the lockdown continues, said Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of All India Imam Organisation, on Friday.

"I request my Muslim brothers and Imams in India to follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's orders on lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus as there is no cure of this virus till date other than maintaining social distance," Ilyasi told ANI.

He said, "Offering namaz is your duty and offering it in the masjid is Sunnat but saving your life and other lives are also your duty."

The Imams of more than 5 lakh mosques in the country were issued an order regarding closing the doors for the devotees amid the lockdown, he informed.

"I appeal to my Muslim brothers to offer namaz in their homes, including the Juma namaz. People can offer the Zohar namaz after 1:30 or 2 pm," he said.

He further said that the Azaan will be announced as usual and inside the masjid, only Imam, Nayab Imam, Nayab Imam second and workers will offer their namaz, including the Juma namaz.

Stressing on the importance of offering namaz in "your respective homes", Imam of Shahi Masjid Fatehpur Mosque Mufti Mukarram said that the Shariyat has allowed people to offer namaz in their homes.

Earlier, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged the faithful to offer Zohar prayers at home instead of praying Juma at mosques in the view of novel coronavirus outbreak.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Is Greenland Hong Kong Holdings Limited (HKG:337) a good dividend stock? How can we tell? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. 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.

A high yield and a long history of paying dividends is an appealing combination for Greenland Hong Kong Holdings. It would not be a surprise to discover that many investors buy it for the dividends. Some simple analysis can reduce the risk of holding Greenland Hong Kong Holdings for its dividend, and we'll focus on the most important aspects below.

Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on Greenland Hong Kong Holdings!

SEHK:337 Historical Dividend Yield March 27th 2020

Payout ratios

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. In the last year, Greenland Hong Kong Holdings paid out 24% of its profit as dividends. Given the low payout ratio, it is hard to envision the dividend coming under threat, barring a catastrophe.

We also measure dividends paid against a company's levered free cash flow, to see if enough cash was generated to cover the dividend. Greenland Hong Kong Holdings's cash payout ratio last year was 1.2%, which is quite low and suggests that the dividend was thoroughly covered by cash flow. It's positive to see that Greenland Hong Kong Holdings'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.

Is Greenland Hong Kong Holdings's Balance Sheet Risky?

As Greenland Hong Kong Holdings has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A rough way to check this is with these two simple ratios: a) net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and b) net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA measures total debt load relative to company earnings (lower = less debt), while net interest cover measures the ability to pay interest on the debt (higher = greater ability to pay interest costs). With net debt of 3.04 times its EBITDA, investors are starting to take on a meaningful amount of risk, should the business enter a downturn.

Story continues

Net interest cover can be calculated by dividing earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by the company's net interest expense. With EBIT of 76.25 times its interest expense, Greenland Hong Kong Holdings's interest cover is quite strong - more than enough to cover the interest expense.

We update our data on Greenland Hong Kong Holdings every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here.

Dividend Volatility

One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. Greenland Hong Kong Holdings has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. Its dividend payments have declined on at least one occasion over the past ten years. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was CN0.24 in 2010, compared to CN0.18 last year. The dividend has shrunk at around 3.2% a year during that period. Greenland Hong Kong Holdings's dividend hasn't shrunk linearly at 3.2% per annum, but the CAGR is a useful estimate of the historical rate of change.

When a company's per-share dividend falls we question if this reflects poorly on either external business conditions, or the company's capital allocation decisions. Either way, we find it hard to get excited about a company with a declining dividend.

Dividend Growth Potential

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. It's good to see Greenland Hong Kong Holdings has been growing its earnings per share at 102% a year over the past five years. Earnings per share have grown rapidly, and the company is retaining a majority of its earnings. We think this is ideal from an investment perspective, if the company is able to reinvest these earnings effectively.

Conclusion

To summarise, shareholders should always check that Greenland Hong Kong Holdings's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. It's great to see that Greenland Hong Kong Holdings is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. Next, earnings growth has been good, but unfortunately the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Greenland Hong Kong Holdings performs highly under this analysis, although it falls slightly short of our exacting standards. At the right valuation, it could be a solid dividend prospect.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 4 warning signs for Greenland Hong Kong Holdings that investors need to be conscious of moving forward.

We have also put together a list of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Express News Service

NEW DELHI: At a time when oncologists are worried over the emerging challenges to cancer care delivery in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, an editorial published in Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention has detailed the precautions to be taken by those battling the dreaded disease as well as cancer care providers.



The write-up has also sought to bust popular myths around the prevention of coronavirus. Authored by Abhishek Shankar, an oncologist at Delhis Lady Hardinge Medical College, the first-of-its kind piece says that cancer patients, who are on immunosuppressants, could become easy targets for coronavirus as it spreads through community transmission.



COVID-19 LIVE | India's death toll reaches 18 as Maharashtra woman succumbs

Cancer patients are more susceptible to COVID-19 because of their systemic immunosuppressive state caused by the malignancy and anticancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, the article read. The piece, published on Wednesday, further reads, This has been written for the immediate guidance of cancer patients and their care givers...there is an uncertainty as everyone is having issues as this disease is new.



ALSO READ: Put well-being of humanity first, Modi tells G20 nations

Corresponding authors from India, Iran and the United States also contributed to the article. It said that the immediate risk facing cancer patients is the inability to receive necessary medical services (both in terms of getting to hospital and provision of normal medical care, once there) because of the outbreak.

While it recommends hand and respiratory hygiene for cancer patients and care givers, the editorial debunked myths around prevention of COVID-19.



Alcohol is used as disinfectant, spraying it on the body will not kill the coronavirus. In fact, chemicals can harm your body. No evidence suggests that coronavirus cannot survive in cold weather. Garlic has some antimicrobial properties, but there is no evidence that it checks the infection with coronavirus. Antibiotics neither prevents nor treats it, it read. The researchers advised patients to postpone cancer screening procedures for some time and stressed regular follow-up to avoid hospital visits.
New York  New York has started to assemble a stockpile of the medical equipment itll need to confront the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, but the state is short millions on many critical pieces of gear.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out today what the state has and what it expects to need when the virus peaks in about three weeks. Millions more masks, surgical gloves and gowns must be found.

In one stark example, the state has stockpiled about 15,000 protective gowns and coveralls and expects another 145,000 from the federal government. The total need is expected to be 20 million.

A slide from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's press briefing today shows medical equipment New York has stockpiled and the expected need.Gov. Andrew Cuomo YouTube

"We've been gathering equipment from everywhere we can," Cuomo said today during a press briefing in New York City. "We're shopping literally around the globe to put it all in place.

"All of this is to make sure we're ready for that apex when the entire system is stressed and under pressure."

The state plans to hold equipment in the stockpile and then distribute it to different hospitals and regions as the need arises.

Syracuse hospitals free up hundreds of beds to make room for coronavirus patients

Could Upstate NY hospitals get downstate patients amid coronavirus? Maybe, Cuomo says

Downstate NY feels coronavirus worst; it may have saved Upstate lives

Coronavirus in Syracuse: SUs Manley Field House will provide extra hospital space

Cuomo said earlier this week that the state sent new shipments of protective gear to hospitals facing shortages, especially in downstate areas hit hardest by the virus. The supplies should take care of the immediate need, but not what's required three or four weeks from now.

Ventilators remain the biggest need, Cuomo said.

The state has about 3,000 stockpiled and is expecting another 4,400 from the federal government. New York will need a total of about 30,000, Cuomo said.

Hospital beds

Cuomo has been speaking for days of the states efforts to add the hospital beds needed for the outbreaks peak. He laid out a week-by-week series of actions today to show how the state will meet the challenge.

"We're looking far and wide," Cuomo said. "Very creative, aggressive and finding all the space that we can possibly find and converting it to be ready. We also have it planned out so that this will be coming online before we think the apex hits."

A slide from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's press briefing today shows the state's week-by-week plan for adding enough hospital beds during the coronavirus outbreak.Gov. Andrew Cuomo YouTube

The first phase the plan is well underway. The Army Corps of Engineers is at work on 1,000-bed temporary hospitals at the Javits Center in New York City, Westchester County Center and State University of New York campuses in Stony Brook and Old Westbury.

Cuomo plans to ask President Donald Trump to approve work on another four temporary facilities at the Bronx Expo Center, Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and the City University of New York College of Staten Island. The facilities will add another 1,000 beds each, Cuomo said.

In addition, the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort is arriving Monday, weeks earlier than initially expected. The ship has 1,000 beds, 1,200 medical professionals on board, 12 operating rooms, a full pharmacy and laboratory.

Hospitals statewide have been required to boost their bed count by 50 percent and Cuomo has asked them to double it.

All of those moves will give the state a total of 123,164 beds, still short of the total need of up to 140,000.

The state will add the rest of the beds by converting more existing buildings, including college dorms and former nursing homes. Dorms at City College and Queens College, both CUNY schools, are being considered, Cuomo said.

"We have the dormitories because the colleges are closed and the students have left," he said.

Hotels and nursing homes, including the Marriott Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Center nursing home, are also under consideration as temporary facilities.

All the new sites will provide overflow for the downstate areas facing the worst of the outbreak, Cuomo said. The vast majority of the states coronavirus cases are in the greater New York City area.

Cuomo said 519 people have now died in New York as a result of the coronavirus and the state has a total of over 44,000 confirmed cases.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Gov. Cuomo: Schools statewide will remain closed at least another 2 weeks due to coronavirus

Coronavirus in NY: Deaths jump again to 519 in states deadliest day yet

Ask Syracuse.com: Can I play golf? Is a CPAP a ventilator? Language services, car sales update

Busted! County exec calls out Radisson tailgaters violating social distancing order (pic)

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
New Delhi, March 27 : A Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) posted in Delhi Police has been advised to work from home after his daughter returned from abroad, confirmed Joint Commissioner of Police Shalini Singh.

Posted in west District, DCP Deepak Purohit's daughter recently returned from abroad. "This step has been taken as a precautionary measure and in compliance with the guidelines of the government," said Singh.

Singh told IANS on Friday, "DCP Deepak Purohit's daughter was investigated. The situation turned out to be normal. This step was taken in the interest of society. Other people should also learn from this. There should be no ego thing in it. When the solution to the problem is social distancing, then why avoid taking precautionary measures?" She further said, "I am taking the initiative to adopt social distancing for all the jawans and officers of my department. When this method or way of defeating an epidemic like corona is present, then everyone should adopt it.

"Anyone who does not know all this, should also be alerted. At the same time, it is the duty of every citizen to make the ignorant people aware and to encourage them for social distancing. I would say that even those who are not directly affected should also implement social distancing immediately," said Singh.

(Sanjeev Kumar Singh Chauhan can be contacted at sanjeev.c@ians.in)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi spoke with Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday by phone, discussing efforts being made by the two countries to counter the coronavirus, as well as the latest developments in Libya, the Egyptian presidency said.

The two leaders agreed to coordinate between the two countries institutions involved in tackling the coronavirus outbreak, in order to exchange experience and information.

Egypt so far has registered 536 coronavirus cases, including 30 fatalities, while Tunisia has registered a total of 227 cases and six fatalities.

El-Sisi and Saied discussed means of enhancing economic cooperation, trade ties and boosting inter-investment, especially within the framework of a joint Egyptian-Tunisian committee.

They also exchanged views on the situation in Libya, agreeing on the necessity of intensifying coordination in this regard, given that Egypt and Tunisia as neighbouring countries are directly affected by the instability in the North African country.

The two presidents stressed complete support to end the Libyan crisis by reaching a political solution that paves the way for the return of security and stability in this brotherly country, especially by supporting relevant international efforts in this regard, as well as implementing the outcome of the Berlin process, while rejecting any external interference, the Egyptian presidential spokesman said.



Search Keywords:

Short link:


Air India pilots' unions, IPG an ICPA, have said their members will support the government and will operate any special flight irrespective of the extent of the coronavirus pandemic. In a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) said, Air India pilots note with "admiration" the proactive way in which the government has been working round the clock to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, Prime Modi announced that the entire country would be going under a 21-day lockdown. He said this lockdown is very important for India to fight against novel coronavirus and control its spread.

"Air India as the national carrier has always been proud to fulfil a myriad of diverse and challenging missions, whenever required by the government to fulfil this obligation," the two pilot unions said a joint letter on Wednesday. The IPG represents Boeing fleet pilots while the ICPA has its members from the Airbus fleet in the flag carrier.

The national carrier has operated a series of rescue flights including to Wuhan in China, Japan, Milan and Rome in Italy to evacuate Indians stranded at these places. Besides, Air India operated a relief flight to Tel Aviv to take the Israeli nationals back to their country due to coronavirus outbreak.

Of late, budget carrier SpiceJet announced operating a flight from Delhi to fly 142 Indians to Jodhpur, who were evacuated from Iran following the COVID-19 outbreak there.

Similarly, another no-frills airline, IndiGo has on its part offered the government its aircraft and crew to facilitate transportation of medical equipment within the country. These announcements came only after the grounding of their entire fleet in the wake of temporary suspension of all commercial flights.

Air India pilots have remained loyal to the company despite all the mismanagement and hardships that are "plaguing" it, the letter said adding "our pilots are ready and willing to go above and beyond to support you in this monumental endeavour".

Also Watch:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:04:11|Editor: yhy

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A staff member of the mayor of Washington D.C., died Friday morning of COVID-19, the mayor confirmed later in a press conference.

Muriel Bowser announced that George Valentine, deputy director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel, died of the coronavirus in the morning, making him the fourth fatality in the district.

"My prayers right now are with his family, his entire team, and of course, we will be supporting them through this very difficult time," she said, describing the news as devastating to her and her colleagues.

Noting that Valentine went to hospital Wednesday, Bowser said she had not been in contact with the official, and that contact tracing was being conducted to determine whether any staff members or employees of the D.C. government were at risk of being infected.

Washington D.C. now has 267 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the latest data by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. capital has ordered closure of all nonessential businesses to slow the spread of the disease.
CINCINNATI - In the battle to keep their New York City restaurant going despite sharp restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak, the owners of Il Posto Accanto tried something Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta would have considered sacrilege in normal times.

That was offering their traditional Italian dishes for delivery which never, never, never, ever, ever, ever happened before, she said. I like my food to go from the kitchen to the table, and thats it!

On Friday, she said she and husband Julio Pena decided to suspend operations for now because employees were wary of being out in New York City as it has become the U.S. epicenter of the contagion.

We respect their feelings, she said. Its not like we were making money.

Across the United States, restaurateurs are transforming operations to try to stay afloat. The National Restaurant Association warns the outbreak could cost 5 million to 7 million jobs and hundreds of billions in losses and is pushing for a special federal relief package for restaurants.

In an industry of traditionally tight profit margins, some decided its time to take chances.

Frischs Big Boy restaurants, a Cincinnati-based chain that laid off more than a third of its 5,000 employees in the first days of bans on in-restaurant dining, last week pivoted into the grocery business. Besides its signature Big Boy double-decker burgers and onion rings, customers at its 100 restaurants in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky can buy bread, milk and and produce at its drive-thrus and carryout counters and via home delivery.

Frischs saw a quick jump in revenues at a time when people have been frustrated by long lines and shortages at traditional supermarkets. Toilet paper is in high demand, and Frischs and others are using it as a lure.

Westmont Diner in Westmont, New Jersey, has added it to carry-out options at 60 cents a roll, along with paper towels, soap, bleach and other household needs. Lindeys in Columbus, Ohio, throws in a free roll with all takeout orders. Frontier in Chicago gave out decks of cards to homebound customers with their carryout dinners.

With the number of states with stay-at-home orders growing, some restaurateurs decided to shut down. Cameron Mitchell, based in Columbus, said carryout offerings werent bringing in enough business to keep his namesake chain of 36 restaurants in 12 states going. More than 4,000 employees were laid off last week.

Some fine-dining restaurants unused to carryout are trying scaled-down menu at bargain prices.

In Chicago, patrons can now carry out food for a fraction of the typical dine-in tab at Alinea, where nabbing a seat typically requires reservations weeks in advance and dinners can cost as much as $395 per head. Alinea now offers takeout meals of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and creme brulee for $39.95, and reports strong sales so far.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that with Californians under a stay-home edict, restaurants are allowed to deliver alcoholic beverages along with meals to boost their revenues and well, because booze.

Sitting in the nearly empty Frischs Mainliner restaurant where the chain originated in suburban Cincinnati in 1942, CEO Jason Vaughn said customers at the privately held chains 100 restaurants have asked for additions, such as bottles of orange juice, quarts of soup and coffee for home. Frischs is trying to leverage its supply chain to accommodate requests.

Vaughn predicts the crisis will change the industry.

People have changed habits, Vaughn said. When the green light goes on, we dont expect to come back as status quo ... when we go to whatever that new norm is, well see if we can continue it (groceries) if its a service the community wants.

In New York, Tosti said leftover meals will be given to city firefighters. She said the restaurants future after some 15 years of operation will depend on how long quarantining and edicts against in-restaurant dining last.

Im better at taking it one day at a time, said the Rome-born restaurateur. We can hope for a better day.

____

This story has been updated to correct the New York City restaurateurs name to Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta, instead of Beatrice Tosci.

____

Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz in Chicago, Amanda Myers in Los Angeles and AP Business Writer Alexandra Olson in New York contributed. Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell.
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo addresses the media during a press at the State House in Providence. At rear right is Behind the Governor is Col. Christopher P. Callahan of the Rhode Island National Guard. (Sandor Bodo/Providence Journal via AP, Pool)

BOSTON (AP)  States are pulling back the welcome mat for travelers from the New York area, which is the epicenter of the countrys coronavirus outbreak, but some say at least one states measures are unconstitutional.

Governors in Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina this week ordered people arriving from the New York area including New Jersey and Connecticut  and other virus hot spots to self-quarantine for at least 14 days upon arrival.

Connecticut officials have also pleaded with New Yorkers and others from out of state to avoid visiting unless absolutely necessary.

But, in the most dramatic steps taken to date, Rhode Island State Police on Friday began pulling over drivers with New York plates so that National Guard officials can collect contact information and inform them of a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.

Gov. Gina Raimondo ratcheted up the measures Friday afternoon, announcing shell also order the state National Guard to go door-to-door in coastal communities starting this weekend to find out whether any of the home's residents have recently arrived from New York and inform them of the quarantine order.

The Democrat had already deployed the guard to bus stations, train stations and the airport to enforce the executive order, which also applies to anyone who has traveled to New York in the last 14 days.

"I know it's unusual. I know it's extreme and I know some people disagree with it," she said Friday, adding that she has consulted with state lawyers.

"If you want to seek refuge in Rhode Island, you must be quarantined."

Raimondo maintains shes within her emergency powers to impose the measures, but the American Civil Liberties Union has called it an "ill-advised and unconstitutional plan.

Governors have the authority to suspend some state laws and regulations in a state of emergency, but they cant just suspend the Constitution, argued Steven Brown, head of the ACLU's Rhode Island chapter.

Story continues

Under the Fourth Amendment, having a New York state license plate simply does not, and cannot, constitute probable cause to allow police to stop a car and interrogate the driver, no matter how laudable the goal of the stop may be," he said.

It's the latest worry for civil rights and libertarian groups already concerned about fundamental freedoms being tossed out in the name of public health.

New York has more than 40,000 cases and more than 500 deaths from the virus, by far the most in the country.

For most people, the virus 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, or death.

Florida was the first state to try to deter fleeing New Yorkers, ordering tri-state area arrivals on Monday to go into mandatory quarantine for two weeks. It has since expended the restrictions to travelers from Louisiana. The federal government followed up Tuesday with a recommendation to do the same country-wide.

If you were in New York state, you left when you were told to shelter in place, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this week. You defied that and then you got on a plane and came here, and so we dont want there to be any fallout here.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has warned that those who don't comply with his Thursday order, which also extends to those coming from New Orleans, risk jail time. State troopers would be conducting visits to make sure people were staying put as required, he added.

Connecticut officials have voiced concern that people from New York and elsewhere are returning earlier than normal to their summer homes, but Gov. Ned Lamont has so far not issued an official order for out-of-staters to self-quarantine.

In Rhode Island, Raimondo stressed that contact information won't be collected from drivers passing through the state. Commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers, won't be stopped either, so goods can continue to be transported across state lines uninterrupted, she said.

She's also promised that any information collected from travelers will be used only for public health reasons and not for police or immigration purposes.

New York City is a hot spot  their infection rate is skyrocketing  and they are so close to Rhode Island," Raimondo said Thursday announcing the order. There is a lot of panic in Rhode Island right now related to folks from New York coming to Rhode Island."

__

Associated Press reporters Terry Spencer and Brendan Farrington in Florida, Meg Kinnard in South Carolina, and Dave Collins and Susan Haigh in Connecticut contributed to this story.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Frederic Guerlava (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 16:39 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de0f49 3 Opinion COVID-19,coronavirus,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free

While the COVID-19 outbreak is hitting Indonesia, it seems some important pieces of information are missing.

The coronavirus comes from the ribovirus family, that of the common cold virus. There are several variants of coronavirus, which can cause anything from a common cold to more severe pneumonia. However, COVID-19  which is caused by the SARS CoV2 virus  has more dramatic consequences.

Nevertheless, this relation with the cold virus will be interesting to study. As a matter of fact, scientists all around the world are debating over the potential impact of climate on the spread of COVID-19. While there is no strong evidence at the moment, it is important to note that it might not diffuse well in tropical areas.

Colds are more common in winter because of the tropism of the virus for cold mucous membranes, which is at 33 degree Celsius.

Also worthy of note is that, according to Pascal Crepey, an epidemiologist at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sante Publique, Rennes, France, influenza progression depends on seasonality, both in the northern and southern hemispheres, and this could very well be the case as well for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Read also: Ibuprofen and COVID-19 symptoms  here's what you need to know

The fact is that currently the epicenter of the epidemic has shifted from China to Europe, with a significant impact in Italy, where there were already 3,405 deaths and 41,035 cases of contamination as of March 20. The death rate seems even higher than in Wuhan, China.

It should be borne in mind that 25 percent of the Italian population is aged above 60, which might be an important factor, as it seems that the mortality rate is much higher for the elderly. Comorbidity factors are also essential to take into account: diabetes, obesity, hypertension, smoking, asthma, pulmonary weakness and other factors involving weakness of the immune system.

Second, about the lethality percentage: To what extent will the coronavirus overcome the impact of a "super flu" like the epidemic that ravaged the south of France in 1720, exterminating a quarter of the population (100,000 dead out of a total population of 400,000!)?

Be careful not to confuse the death rate reported for the number of cases identified, with the rate reported for the total population. The discrepancy is huge, and yet the amalgam is often made, giving a sensational effect.

We forget that a very large part of the infected are "healthy carriers", that is to say asymptomatic: The virus has passed through them and they will develop immunity, but will not be sick. People without symptoms have to be taken into account and that's half of the people infected.

Only of a portion of the global population will be infected, far from the total, which also lowers the lethality percentage. Overall, far less than 1 per thousand people can be expected to die from this disease.

Still on the subject of this mortality rate, seeing deaths on TV is impressive. Hospitals are under pressure in Italy, but it must be borne in mind that the simple flu also kills hundreds of thousands every year, without any lines on front pages. Its impact is spread over six months in winter, while this coronavirus made its blitzkrieg in just two months.

Does it deserve extreme panic to the point of paralyzing the entire planet?

This is still an open question because the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. But still, the figures from China, Taiwan and South Korea show that the order of magnitude is a few thousand dead, not tens of thousands, let alone hundreds of thousands.

The question deserves to be asked because an extreme economic impact also means casualties, directly through famine in the most fragile countries, or indirectly through a reduction in the quality of health care for populations impoverished by bankruptcies.

Read also: Explainer: Will Indonesia be Southeast Asias Italy? A review of how the nation is battling COVID-19

How useful is it to drastically confine populations? According to epidemiological simulations, it makes a significant impact if undertaken very early. In Italy and France, the drastic measures arrived far too late to change the situation.

But with the enormous advantage of smoothing the number of cases requiring hospitalization over time, the flow of patients will be slowed down. This is a good measure in order to avoid overloading the capacity of the health services. The number of respirators is limited (5,000 in France).

What lessons can Indonesia learn?

Again, it should be remembered that the usual flu kills tens of thousands of people annually. Even if COVID-19 is two or three times worse, it does not seem that the order of magnitude would be radically greater.

Indonesia is a tropical country and it seems that the climate might have an impact, making the extent of this virus becoming widespread less likely. Its population is young, so the vast majority of infected people will resist well. Physical distancing is important and slows the progression of the virus, but it will in any case contaminate a large part of the population.

The measures taken by the government are good and the people should not panic, since it is not a modern plague. Much more drastic measures would have other equally deadly side effects: the impoverishment of the little people and a significant increase in the prices of essential materials.

A final point, last but not least, is very important: French biologist Claude Bernard said: The microbe is nothing, the ground is everything. No matter the virus, it is how the immune system will be able to manage that matters.

How to strengthen your immune system and greatly increase your chances of resisting COVID-19 and all other possible infections? This is the essential question that should be asked.

---

Graduate of Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Pierre and Marie Curie University Paris V

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
The role of the Romanian Army will be to supplement, to complement the effort made by the military of the other institutions that are part of the national defense system, public order and national security, Minister of National Defense Nicolae Ciuca writes on his Facebook page.

"We support the population, wherever needed, so that they can overcome more easily this period with limitations and constraints outside the framework of the life with which we have been accustomed until now. We will not go out to the street with tactical gear," the minister said.

Nicolae Ciuca also writes that the role of the Army is to take over some of the objectives guarded by the structures of the Interior Ministry - the activity of the Border Police to ensure the flow and the security measures at the main border crossing points to the country and will also ensure presence points, alongside the Traffic Police, for the fluidity of traffic in the Bucharest.
[March 26, 2020] LBJ School launches virtual series, "LBJ In the Arena," to explore public policy's critical role in dealing with COVID-19

AUSTIN, Texas, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent weeks, the way Americans live, work, learn and govern has been reshaped by COVID-19. In response, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, one of the country's leading centers for public policy scholarship, will convene LBJ In the Arena, an eight-week virtual event series exploring the impact of COVID-19 on our communities, starting April 1, 2020. "In the Arena," a phrase made famous by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 and the overarching theme of the LBJ's School 50th anniversary in 2020, will feature the policymakers, practitioners, scholars, business leaders and creative thinkers who are leading the response to and recovery from the coronavirus. Speakers will explore the issues of emergency response, urban policy and cities, national security, food and supply chains, public finance and equity  all impacted by COVID-19. "In launching LBJ In the Arena, we will bring participants to the frontline of public policy and governance," explained LBJ School Dean Angela M. Evans. "The LBJ School has always been at the forefront of the policy issues impacting our country, and COVID-19 offers a real-time opportunity to learn how policy is shaped, implemented and evaluated." LBJ In the Arena will meet virtually on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. CT via Zoom. Registration for these virtual sessions can be found on the LBJ School Eventbrite page. All session content, including associated videos, readings and summaries, will be made available every Friday on the LBJ School website and YouTube page. Initial sessions:



April 1, 2020 : LBJ In the Arena: On the Frontline: Restarting Our Cities

LBJ Urban Lab Director Steven Pedigo will sit down for a one-on-one conversation with Professor Richard Florida , one of the world's leading thinkers in urban studies. Florida is the University Professor at the University of Toronto and co-founder of City Lab.

LBJ Director will sit down for a one-on-one conversation with Professor , one of the world's leading thinkers in urban studies. Florida is the University Professor at the and co-founder of City Lab. April 8, 2020 : LBJ In the Arena: FEMA: Leading in the COVID-19 Crisis

Renowned public management scholar and LBJ Professor Don Kettl leads a conversation with Admiral Thad Allen , who was the lead federal official for the responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and who served as national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Allen brings his expertise on addressing large-scale, complex disasters and operational challenges that require unity of effort among diverse stakeholders to our current context.

Renowned public management scholar and LBJ Professor leads a conversation with Admiral , who was the lead federal official for the responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and who served as national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Allen brings his expertise on addressing large-scale, complex disasters and operational challenges that require unity of effort among diverse stakeholders to our current context. April 15, 2020 : LBJ In the Arena: Managing the Fiscal Meltdown

LBJ Professors James Galbraith , a world-renowned economist, and Michael Lind , one of the nation's foremost public intellectuals, unpack the human impact of the economic crisis set off by the current public health crisis. Galbraith and Lind bring a set of perspectives that bridges history, economic theory and practical experience in the international and national policy making arenas. About the LBJ School of Public Affairs

The LBJ School, founded by President Lyndon B. Johnson, celebrates its landmark 50th anniversary in 2020. Ranked #8 among the nation's graduate public affairs schools by U.S. News & World Report, the LBJ School makes a difference, not only within the walls of academia, but also in the public and social dialogue of the world. Contributing viable solutions to society is the LBJ School's legacy and its signature arena. Its effectiveness in channeling the purpose and passion of students into professional careers is evident in the success of more than 4,500 graduates who are the living legacy of President Johnson's bold and fearless action. The University of Texas at Austin is home to the LBJ School. For more, visit?lbj.utexas.edu.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lbj-school-launches-virtual-series-lbj-in-the-arena-to-explore-public-policys-critical-role-in-dealing-with-covid-19-301030750.html SOURCE The LBJ School of Public Affairs

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Some of the reported positives are receiving treatment in a health care facility and the remainder are self-isolating at home. The individuals that are self-isolating at home are being contacted twice a day by staff at the Porter County Health Department to closely monitor their condition for any deterioration, Porter County Health Department Administrator Letty Zepeda said Friday.
Actor and doctor Sethuraman, who is popularly known for his role in the romantic-comedy Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya, passed away due to cardiac arrest in Chennai on Thursday night. He was only 31 years old.

Dr Sethuraman aka Sethu's sudden demise has shocked his co-stars as they expressed their grief on social media. Taking to Twitter, Sethu's dear friend and co-star from Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya, Santhanam tweeted, "Totally shocked and depressed on the demise of my dear friend Dr.Sethu.. May his soul rest in peace".

Totally shocked and depressed on the demise of my dear friend Dr.Sethu.. May his soul rest in peace pic.twitter.com/TuRnUxLleA  Santhanam (@iamsanthanam) March 26, 2020

Apart from Santhanam, Kollywood actor Sathish too mourned his death. He wrote, "Sad news. Actor and Doctor Sedhuraman passed away few hours ago due to cardiac arrest. My condolences to his family. RIP"

Sad news. Actor and Doctor Sedhuraman passed away few hours ago due to cardiac arrest. My condolences to his family. RIP pic.twitter.com/SIlkfQ1qm2  Sathish (@actorsathish) March 26, 2020

Sethuraman was a dermatologist by profession and was serving full-time at his Chennai-based skincare and cosmetology facility 'Zi Clinic'. The late actor has also worked in films like Vaaliba Raja (2016), Sakka Podu Podu Raja (2017) and 50/50 (2019).

Sethuraman is survived by his wife and a child. May his soul rest in peace.
Press Release

March 27, 2020 On the Critical Need for COVID-19 Mass Testing More at: https://pinglacson.net/2020/03/27/on-the-critical-need-for-covid-19-mass-testing/ When we say mass testing, we do not refer to all the 100-plus million Filipinos. It's only the most vulnerable: those over 60 years old, which constitutes not even 10 percent of the entire population; those who are exposed; and those with symptoms. The rapid test kits can still be useful according to its specificity. Thus, DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III may not be very responsive when he says mass testing is not possible because there are not enough testing kits. Besides, I asked doctors who are knowledgeable about antibodies and viruses and all the other technical terms in the medical field. Their opinions mostly differ from those of the Secretary of Health. Testing of all symptomatics and those who are high-risk is ideal. This is where the rapid test kits come in. The rapid test kit will identify the positives early so that they can be isolated to prevent infection spread. However, this is not to say rapid test kits as a business deal may be allowed. On the other hand, such kits donated from abroad - and even those purchased by local businessmen who will or have donated the same to local government units to help achieve mass testing - should be given some leeway, as long as authorities properly supervise or at least give enough information about their use and usefulness. True, the test using the PCR is more accurate and reliable. But how many do we have? How many have the expertise to operate, assuming that we have enough PCR machines? If the DOH does not change its way of handling the crisis, I hate to say, we may be overrun by COVID19 faster than we can imagine.
When Resilinc CEO Bindiya Vakil first got word of coronavirus cases out of Wuhan in January, she mobilized her clients, Fortune 500 companies, to seek back-up suppliers right away. They scoured the radius around the epicenter of Hubei Province, identified all the parts that were sourced from there, and mapped out possible alternatives.

Early action by the supply chain risk management firm allowed Resilincs customers, which include IBM (IBM) and Micron (MU), to continue with fewer disruptions out of China. But with the virus since spreading well beyond Asia and crippling critical factories, firms are finding it increasingly challenging to find workarounds to keep their businesses operating as usual.

They had already begun discussions by mid-January with those suppliers to get capacity at the backup site. Wuhan didnt even get knocked down until the 22nd, so our customers had a real head start, Vakil said in an interview with Yahoo Finance.

Factory closures are limiting access to key components, while airline groundings are delaying shipments, and border closures are forcing companies to reroute their cargo, reducing margins.

China was the first one to be disrupted but then Malaysia shut down, Thailand shut down, most of Europe shut down, Vakil said. Many of our customers took advantage of backup sites, but obviously in the coming weeks, the backup sites went down too.

Graph by David Foster

Disruptions and diversification

Nick Vyas, executive director of the Center for Global Supply Chain Management at the University of Southern California, said the effects of the contagion are far-reaching. I would call this a once-in-a-century disruption that were facing, he said. What makes it even more unique is that the disruptions arent happening all at the same time. Its moving from country to country, continent to continent.

The disruptions have hit nearly every sector. Closures in Chinese factories prompted Apple (AAPL) to warn investors the company would fall short of its revenue target. Major carmakers in North America and Europe suspended operations to halt the spread of the virus, and order cancellations from European fashion brands have reverberated to manufacturers in Bangladesh, leading to significant job losses.

Story continues

In a recent survey by S&P Global Market Intelligence, 79% of companies said the coronavirus had a negative impact on business, citing disruptions to organizational supply chains as a key concern.

The economic shock stemming from virus-related closures are likely to accelerate the localization of supply chains that began with U.S.-China trade war, according to Vyas. While tariffs forced some companies to shift hardcore manufacturing out of China, component manufacturing and raw materials still remain largely reliant on the country. Instead of low costs, Vyas sees a shift to regional supply chain networks tied to customer demand leading to decentralization and a decoupling out of traditional manufacturing hubs.

So, if I'm catering for example to the Latin American population and North America, my supply chain network would be heavily focused out of Mexico, Vyas said. It may be a little bit more expensive in some regions, but we will then become much more diversified.

Still, data from Resilinc suggests an over reliance on China in the short-term, especially as it relates to critical medical supplies. An overview of supply chains attached to the worlds 1,000 largest companies or their suppliers, shows more than 1,500 facilities tied to Chinas most heavily quarantined areas, compared to just 230 in Italy, and 3 in South Korea.

In fact, Vyas argues the surge in demand for these medical supplies globally has already started to fuel Chinas bounce-back.

From the Chinese government standpoint, I think theyre using this as an opportunity to create this superiority status symbol to assure the world that China is back on its feet, Vyas said.

Akiko Fujita is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AkikoFujita
SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the availability of its Global Concrete Installation Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report for preorder. This report will serve as a one-stop reference guide for buyers to make informed and cost-optimized procurement decisions in the concrete installation services market.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005229/en/

Global Concrete Installation Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report (Graphic: Business Wire)

Project cost overrun is one of the imposing challenges faced by a majority of buyers in the concrete installation services market. Cost projection on construction projects is becoming a cumbersome task owing to the frequently fluctuating prices of construction materials. Such a lack of visibility on the construction material prices is resulting in major project cost overruns that are also contributing to project delays and abandonment. This is bringing recourse in the traditional procurement strategies to address the emerging risks in the concrete installation market.

Be the first to get the free sample of this report to get all the industry-best procurement best practices relevant to this market at your finger-tips and take that leap ahead of your competitors.

What will you gain from this report?

Detailed analysis of the supply market that will influence procurement decisions in the concrete installation services market

Service providers are integrating advanced BIM solutions and geographical information systems (GIS) to improve construction productivity, construction supply chain management, material supplier selection, estimation of deliveries, and overall coordination between construction companies and material suppliers.

Insights into best procurement strategies functional for effective procurement in the concrete installation services market

It is prudent of buyers from large firms to engage in long-term contracts with a preferred set of service providers who can provide integrated solutions for all scales of projects (small, mid-sized, or large). Such strategic partnerships will benefit buyers with service-level innovations and enable buyers to avail customized services.

Potential risks during procurement in the concrete installation services market

Often buyers make the mistake of procuring without prior consultation with the end-users of concrete installation services. This results in a mismatch in expectations of the buyer's internal stakeholders versus the actual contract executed.

Get an exclusive sneak-peek into this report and see how expert-advised strategies redefine your procurement outlook for the concrete installation services

Answer to some of the critical questions that are critical to explore procurement opportunities in this market

What is the expected spend growth rate in the concrete installation services market?

How much should buyers pay to procure in the concrete installation services market and what are the factors that will influence procurement price in this market?

Who are the top concrete installation service providers and what are their cost structures?

Your procurement strategy is about to get a new direction in the concrete installation services market. Find out how.

Related topics:

Piling Installation and Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report

Epoxy Application Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005229/en/

Contacts:

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 630 984 7340

UK: +44 148 459 9299

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Friday that Romania took extremely serious measures from minute one to combat the epidemic with the new coronavirus, while acknowledging that our country was not prepared initially and had a limited diagnostic capacity.

"On 25 or 26 February, in Romania there was one case, in Spain there were two cases, in France there were a few cases. Look at the number of cases in Romania, a little over a thousand. If we take into account those who are cured, we have below a thousand patients suffering from COVID-19, while in the other countries the number of infected persons is in the order of tens of thousands. Romania, from minute, took extremely serious measures. After the Chinese New Year, when thousands of Chinese citizens came to Romania, there was no outbreak. There was also something specific in relation to that did not occur in other European countries. Over two hundred thousand Romanians came back to Romania most of them from countries seriously affected by the epidemic. If we had not taken severe quarantine measures, either institutionalized quarantine or isolation at home, the spread would have been very high in Romania," Orban said after a meeting with the new Health minister Nelu Tataru, at the Health Ministry.

He added that Romania has taken measures that have yielded results, such as closing schools and protecting the elderly.

"We introduced the obligation of conduction prompt epidemiological investigations around each diagnosed case, a measure that has limited the spread of the virus, we took almost all measures before other countries that were more affected by the coronavirus epidemic," said Orban.

Referring to coronavirus cases, the prime minister showed that Romania was not prepared initially, and the diagnostic capacity was limited.

"I do not mean the casuistry. We have a relatively small number of deaths, below the mortality level in other countries. Usually, those who died had other underlying conditions, something that occurred in other countries, as well. Romania was not ready. We started with a Real Time PCR, we gradually expanded. I think at the beginning of next week we will have the capacity to increase the number of tests to 2,000," said Orban.

He called on the Minister of Health to urgently distribute the quantities of test kits purchased from South Korea, in order to increase the testing capacity.

Premier Orban reiterated that people cannot be tested at random.

"We cannot establish randomly the people to be diagnosed. The stories that circulate that we are beginning to select 10 thousand people to test are stories. There is a procedure, there are prioritization criteria, there is an order of priorities regarding the testing of persons, which is determined based on the way the cases evolve and our diagnostic capacity," the prime minister further said.
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the indefinite suspension of the mass registration exercise for the Ghana Card in the Eastern Region.

A statement issued by NIA and signed by its Head of Corporate Affairs, ACI. Francis Palmdeti, says the decision follows a careful assessment of the registration exercise carried out in the Eastern Region between Wednesday, 4th March 2020 and Friday, 20th March 2020.

It noted that the decision to suspend the registration follows a careful assessment of the exercise in the region so far.

It also takes into account the current trend in the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana since the suspension of the mass registration exercise on Saturday, 21st March 2020, following the service on the NIA of an interlocutory injunction application, it added.

The NIA welcomes the dismissal by the High Court of the interlocutory injunction application and the substantive suit.

Nonetheless, NIA will continue to suspend its mass registration operations in the Eastern Region until further notice, it said.

NIA will use the period of suspension to continue with its preparations toward the establishment of its Regional, Municipal and District Offices and arrange for the co-location of its registration services at some of its cognate institutions such as National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), among other responsibilities.

Meanwhile, NIA will continue to observe developments relating to the management of COVID-19 in Ghana and will determine, at the appropriate time, when and how to resume its mass registration operations, it added.

Daily Guide
Low said the association's roughly 200 factories churned out 187 billion gloves last year and were expecting the coronavirus outbreak to swell demand by 20 percent or more. While some factories were compensating for the staffing cuts by speeding up the production process, he estimated that typical daily production numbers were still down 20 percent to 30 percent. He disputed a claim that some factories were breaking the government's order to cut staff by 50 percent.

Association president Denis Low said the factory owners were lobbying the International Trade and Industry Ministry to let them return to full capacity and would meet with ministry officials March 26. "We have to operate fully simply because we need to take care of Malaysia, firstly, and we need to take care of the world. We are the largest producer and we feel it is... our duty to save humanity, and we are going to do that," he told VOA.

The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association said March 25 that with the lockdown's orders that factories operate with no more than half their usual workforce, even with extra overtime, "there could be a chronic shortage of medical gloves in the battle to contain and suppress the COVID-19 coronavirus worldwide."

Malaysia meets more than half of global demand for the gloves. The country, however, has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia, at 1,796. It issued a "movement control order" March 18 and extended it Wednesday through April 14 in hopes of slowing its infection rate. International and domestic travel is restricted, and nonessential businesses have been ordered closed.

Rubber glove makers in Malaysia, the world's top supplier of medical gloves, are warning of a global shortage owing to the government's partial lockdown of the country, just as coronavirus-driven demand is soaring worldwide.

Andy Hall, a labor rights activist with extensive experience in Malaysia, told VOA that he had spoken with workers at some of the country's glove factories March 25 who said that most of their colleagues were back on the job already.

"I wouldn't know about that," Low said of the claim. "We have to abide by the government instructions. If they say it's 50 percent less [staff], then we will have 50 percent less staff working. In fact, I believe a lot of our members are practicing that now for the moment," he said.

Matthew Griffith, an epidemiologist for the World Health Organization's regional office in Manila, said a rubber glove shortage would add to the challenges health care workers face in sourcing supplies to fight the coronavirus. "It's just one more difficulty for all of us. We've had difficulties getting masks, we've had difficulties getting reagents and extraction kits for laboratory testing, and so now we're going to have more difficulty getting gloves," he said.

"We do need these things. We do need to protect our health care workers. So you can imagine if health care workers run out of gloves and run out of masks and goggles, pretty soon they get sick. And then if they're sick, they're out of the hospitals, they're out of the health care facilities, and we have a pretty dire situation on our hands."

The U.S., at least, is boosting its own rubber glove supplies by lifting an import ban on one of Malaysia's main producers, WRP Asia Pacific. The U.S. government banned the company's imports in October over concerns that its factory was using forced labor. It said Tuesday it had lifted the so-called withhold release order the day before "based on recent information... showing the company is no longer producing the rubber gloves under forced labor conditions." WRP exported $80 million worth of rubber gloves to the U.S. in 2018 and was the first Southeast Asian company to be hit with a withhold release order by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Reports of human trafficking and labor abuse among Malaysia's many migrant workers, who make up the bulk of the local rubber glove industry's workforce, have been rife for years. Hall said conditions have gradually improved but added that debt bondage linked to exorbitant recruitment fees reaching thousands of dollars remains common at WRP and elsewhere. He disputed the U.S. claim that the company is free of forced labor because many of its employees still owe large sums to the recruitment agencies that landed them the jobs.

He said he nonetheless supported the U.S. decision to lift the ban because WRP had promised to use future sales to reimburse its workers for past recruitment fees. However, he said the timing of the decision was "surely a political and practical decision" to help shore up U.S. rubber glove supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak and expressed worry that Malaysia's many buyers in the West and elsewhere may start to ease the labor rights controls in their supply chains to meet growing demands.

"In a crisis, migrants are often left behind, and people cite the emergency first, protection and social compliance later," he said. Neither Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Ministry nor U.S. Customs and Border Protection replied to requests for comment.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today issued the following statement on the Government of Canada's announcement of enhanced wage subsidies and guaranteed interest-free loans for small and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs"):

"The Canadian Securities Exchange congratulates the federal government for taking further strong measures to support Canada's economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. By increasing the previously-announced wage subsidy for SMEs from 10% to 75%, and offering qualifying companies with loans of up to $40,000 that are interest-free for the first year, the government is providing unprecedented support for these Canadian businesses, helping them keep their workers employed during this difficult period and preventing severe job losses.

As government officials work over the weekend to establish the eligibility rules for these enhanced benefits, the CSE urges that small capitalization public companies be included in the package. When the initial 10% wage subsidy was announced, access to the programme was limited to Canadian Controlled Public Companies ("CCPCs") based on the language in the government's proposal.

As the CSE noted in its news release dated March 23, 2020, it is unfair to deny this critical relief to the hundreds of public companies whose shares are listed on the CSE and other domestic stock exchanges. These companies are facing the same pressures as their privately-held counterparts, and the potential for substantial layoffs is equally high in both groups.

The CSE urges the federal government to ensure that all SMEs receive equal access to the wage subsidies and interest-free loans. That is the best way to protect jobs during this ongoing crisis."

About the Canadian Securities Exchange:

The Canadian Securities Exchange is a rapidly growing stock exchange focused on working with entrepreneurs to access the public capital markets in Canada and internationally. The exchange's efficient operating model, advanced technology and low fee structure help companies of all sizes minimize their cost of capital and maximize access to liquidity.

The CSE fosters positive working relationships with issuers, providing superior responsiveness to their specific needs. It offers investors in Canada and abroad access to a multi-sector stable of growth companies through a liquid, reliable and highly regulated trading platform. The exchange strongly supports entrepreneurship and has established itself as a leading hub for discourse in the entrepreneurial community.

For more information, please visit www.thecse.com and our blog at http://blog.thecse.com.

Contact:

Richard Carleton, CEO

416-367-7360

richard.carleton@thecse.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53887
The International Labour Organization, a UN agency, had estimated a week ago that, based on different scenarios for the impact of the pandemic on growth, the global ranks of the jobless would rise by between 5.3 million and 24.7 million.

Geneva/Washington: Global job losses from the coronavirus crisis could far exceed the 25 million estimated just days ago, UN officials said on Thursday, as U.S. jobless claims surged to record levels, starkly showing the scale of the economic disaster.

The International Labour Organization, a UN agency, had estimated a week ago that, based on different scenarios for the impact of the pandemic on growth, the global ranks of the jobless would rise by between 5.3 million and 24.7 million.

However Sangheon Lee, director of the ILOs employment policy department, told Reuters in Geneva on Thursday that the scale of temporary unemployment, lay-offs and the number of unemployment benefit claims were far higher than first expected.

We are trying to factor the temporary massive shock into our estimate modelling. The magnitude of fluctuation is much bigger than expected, he said. The projection will be much bigger, far higher than the 25 million we estimated.

By comparison, the 2008/9 global financial crisis increased global unemployment by 22 million.

In the United States, where, as in many parts of the world, measures to contain the pandemic have brought the country to a sudden halt, the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits surged to more than 3 million last week.

That shattered the previous record of 695,000 set in 1982. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims would rise to 1 million, though estimates were as high as 4 million.

The data added to an alarming scenario spelled out by James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, who warned that up to 46 million people in the country - nearly a third of U.S. workers - could lose their jobs in the short term.

India's lockdown

Countries across the world are feeling the intense human and economic pain wrought by the coronavirus, which has infected more than 470,000 people, killed more than 21,000, and is expected to trigger a global recession.

In India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown this week to stem the spread of the disease, industry groups warned job losses could run into the tens of millions.

Garish Oberoi, treasurer of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, told Reuters that the trade group estimates that about 38 million jobs could be lost in the tourism and hospitality sector alone.

Among those hardest hit will be Indias estimated 120 million migrant labourers, for whom the lockdown means wages are disappearing. Many cannot afford rent or food in the cities and, with transport systems shut down, many have now begun to walk hundreds of miles to return to their villages.

In Europe, France is pulling out the stops to persuade companies not to fire their employees, including through a scheme that allows businesses to reduce worker hours without the employee taking a massive pay hit.

The Labour Ministry said nearly 100,000 French companies have asked the government to reimburse them for putting 1.2 million workers on shorter or zero hours since the outbreak, with more than half of requests coming on Monday and Tuesday.

Unemployment crisis

In Britain, the government said 477,000 people had applied over the past nine days for Universal Credit, a payment to help with living costs for those unemployed or on low incomes. The Resolution Foundation think-tank said that was an increase of more than 500 percent from the same period of 2019.

It said the jump showed that the country was already in the midst of an unemployment crisis that is building much faster than during the financial crisis.

Irelands unemployment rate could meanwhile soar to around 18% by the summer from 4.8% last month, the Economic and Social Research Institute think-tank said on Thursday, projecting a recession with output contracting by 7.1% in 2020.

Unemployment is extremely sensitive and volatile in response to economic activity, that is quite worrisome in our view, said Lee of the International Labour Organization.

The sentiment among businesses is maybe it will take more time to get back to normal activities, he said. They are making quick decisions to adjust their workforce rather than keeping workers.
The government should take a stake in private firms that accept a state bailout during the coronavirus crisis, Rebecca Long-Bailey has said.

The Labour leadership hopeful called for partial nationalisation of firms rescued by the government during the outbreak, as she said ministers must learn the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Ms Long-Bailey said shares could go into a "social wealth fund" which would invest on behalf of the public and pay out a universal dividend to all citizens.

Her comments came after the chancellor announced a financial aid package for the self-employed, on top of 80 per cent wage subsidies for workers and a scheme of government-backed loans for businesses.

Ms Long-Bailey said the coronavirus crisis shone a light on how "too many people are one paycheck away from hardship" and called on the government to "reprogramme the economy" when the outbreak is over.

The shadow business secretary said: "Companies, banks and other institutions that have received public support should have to operate differently afterwards.

"We cant allow businesses like Easy Jet to take government money, and then spend it on a massive payout to shareholders.

"This cant be a one size fits all approach - clearly a small chain of pubs is different from the steel industry - but in every case we should see greater public benefit and social responsibility throughout the economy."

Ms Long-Bailey called for a "basic post-crisis quid pro quo" where firms agree to sign up to standards such as trade union recognition, pay ratios and environmental protection.

Ministers should take "equity stakes in some companies and institutions that receive out support", she said, particularly large and strategically important companies and industries

These shares could be added into a "social wealth fund that would continue to invest on behalf of all of us, be publicly and democratically accountable, and pay out a universal dividend to all citizens", the Labour frontbencher added.

Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon AFP/Getty Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome Reuters

Ms Long-Bailey said: "If we build on the best of the values the people of this country have displayed in response to the coronavirus, we can reprogramme our economy after the crisis so it works better for everyone and makes us more resilient to future shocks.

"Yes, that means that those at the very top will have less, so that everyone can have more freedom and security."

Ms Long-Bailey is up against her shadow cabinet colleague Sir Keir Starmer and Wigan MP Lisa Nandy in the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as the party's next leader.

The result of the Labour leadership contest will be announced on 4 April.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
[March 27, 2020] UAE Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023 - ResearchAndMarkets.com

The "UAE Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. UAE Cards & Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2023 provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Emirati cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2015-19e). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2019e-23f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes. The report brings together the publisher's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure. The report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Emirati cards and payments industry, including: Current and forecast values for each market in the Emirati cards and payments industry, including debit, credit, and charge cards.

Detailed insights into payment instruments including cash, cards, credit transfers, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.

E-commerce market analysis.

Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Emirati cards and payments industry.

Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit, and charge cards. Market Insights



Competition in the country's digital banking space is heating up following the launch of several digital-only banks. In 2017, various banks introduced digital-only offerings targeted at tech-savvy millennials in the UAE. The list includes CBD's CBD Now, Emirates NBD's Liv., and Mashreq Bank's Mashreq Neo. To attract new customers, Liv. conducted a campaign from April to August 2019 for customers who used their Liv. app or debit card and signed up for new products. 20 finalists were shortlisted to determine the ultimate winner, who was rewarded with a private island and a AED100,000 cash prize. The bank gained over 44,000 new customers during the promotional period. Banks are also shifting their focus towards SMEs, launching digital-only banks targeted at such businesses. In September 2019, Emirates NBD launched E20, a digital-only bank for entrepreneurs and SMEs. Mashreq Bank also launched digital-only bank NeoBiz for SMEs.

To boost the e-commerce market, the Dubai eCommerce Strategy was approved by the Dubai Executive Council in September 2019. The strategy aims to increase e-commerce's contribution to the UAE's GDP by attracting more foreign direct investments in the e-commerce sector; reducing the cost of e-commerce operations by 20% (including storage, customs fees, VAT, and transportation); and speeding up customs clearance. Meanwhile, Dubai CommerCity - a joint venture between Dubai Airport Freezone Authority and wasl Asset Management Group - is the UAE's first dedicated e-commerce free zone, designed to provide government, administrative, customs, and logistics services to e-commerce companies. The first phase of the project is set to complete by the end of 2020. Reasons to Buy Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Emirati cards and payments industry and each market within it.

Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Emirati cards and payments industry.

Assess the competitive dynamics in the Emirati cards and payments industry.

Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in the UAE.

Gain insights into key regulations governing the Emirati cards and payments industry. Key Topics Covered Card-based Payments E-commerce Payments Mobile Proximity Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Payment Innovations Payments Infrastructure & Regulation Companies Mentioned Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

ADIB

Citibank

Commercial Bank of Dubai

Dubai Islamic Bank

Emirates Islamic

Emirates NBD

First Abu Dhabi Bank

HSBC

Mashreq Bank

National Bank of Abu Dhabi

RAKBANK

Standard Chartered

and more! For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/79ugyi View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005174/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service.

Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts.
Couples are revealing how the stress of quarantine is taking a serious toll on their relationships, as the heightened anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic continues to put strain on even the strongest of partnerships.

One 60-something husband who works in the food industry and still insists upon leaving every day for work, insists he needs to keep his business afloat. His frightened wife desperately wants him to stay home.

For another couple, in the midst of a separation, the bitterly fought issue is the kids and whether they can safely see friends. One parent is allowing it in an effort to be the 'fun parent'; the other bitterly opposes it.

And for still another couple, it's simply about grocery shopping. She fills the cart, and he accuses her of hoarding unnecessarily. She argues that they need to be prepared.

Stress: Couples are opening up about how the stress of quarantine is impacting relationships, like Maggie Hellman, from New Jersey, who has three children with husband Jeremy



Scenarios like these are playing out in urban high-rises, suburban homes and tiny rural communities across America as couples try to navigate what has abruptly become the 'new normal' during the coronavirus outbreak.

Described by therapists, lawyers or the couples themselves, they reveal how even the most subtle differences in temperament or coping strategy can be painfully exacerbated under the incredible stress and anxiety that the outbreak is causing.

It's a time when every domestic decision can seem to have impossibly high stakes, says Catherine Lewis, therapist and faculty member at Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York, from the seemingly small - whether to go grocery shopping - to the fraught calculus of which family members should isolate together.

'This pandemic is making us all think about our relationships, because you really cannot do one thing without it impacting somebody else,' says Lewis, who's been conducting therapy sessions remotely.

'It's such a powerful example of how interconnected we all are.'

Added to that, Lewis notes, is the utter helplessness of having no idea how long the situation will last.

She does see some couples finding 'that they have a wild capacity to be resilient, to just find a way to move through the day.' On the negative side, it's clear that people are generally not at their best when under deep stress.

'Normal patterns are intensified,' she says. 'There's increased annoyance, people snapping.'

Alcohol can become a more frequent coping mechanism. Or worse.

'I'm worried about couples where there is intense aggression,' she says. In cases where there was already domestic abuse, advocates fear a dangerous escalation.

Jennifer Kouzi, a divorce lawyer and mediator, puts it bluntly: 'We're seeing a lot more bad behavior.'

Advice: Jennifer Kouzi (left), a divorce lawyer in New York City, and Catherine Lewis (right), a New York therapist, shared their advice on how couples can whether the coronavirus storm

She's been receiving calls from clients who had already been unhappy in their marriages or in the process of splitting, and are now feeling increasingly desperate. They feel helpless, too, because along with the enforced confinement, the legal process is mostly on hold. Courts are generally closed.

In many cases, there may be no ramifications for bad behavior. One parent, for example, has refused to turn over a child to the other in accordance with their agreement, citing the virus crisis, even though the other parent is taking every precaution.

Police have refused to enforce the custody order and recommended the parent go to court, but it's unclear if judges will deem the case an emergency. In another case Kouzi is aware of involving a separated couple, one parent is allowing their kids to go see friends, 'to be the fun parent, so the kids will want to stay there full-time instead of with the parent actually following recommendations and guidelines.'

Thankfully, it's not all grim.

'Some parents have actually risen to the occasion and are communicating better than normal, rearranging schedules and increasing FaceTime access and doing what makes sense' for their kids, she says.

Kouzi, who practices in both New York and in Westchester County, one of its suburbs, is telling her clients to try to use the time productively or to consider mediation.

'There will be such a backlog when courts open up again,' she says.

Some couples are experiencing only minor ripples, if any. Stephanie Pfeiffer, a business systems analyst in Boston, found herself annoyed with her husband when they went food shopping last week, and each time she put something into the cart - two pounds of butter, cans of tuna or tomato soup, a box of crackers - he questioned why.

'We're arguing over groceries,' said Pfeiffer. 'He accuses me of panicking and hoarding, but the reality is we need more groceries.' After all, the couple is now working at home together.

In a minor adjustment, Pfeiffer recently moved her makeshift work station away from the kitchen table, where her husband works, into a corner of the dining room. 'Now we cannot see each other,' she quips. 'As time stretches out, I'm optimistic we will get into a routine and settle in.'

Some stay-at-home mothers say their husbands, now homebound, are finally seeing how much domestic work their spouses do. In New Jersey, Caren Tolleth, mother of a five-year-old and a nine-month-old, finds that her workload has only increased with the addition of her husband to the routine.

'It's been like most days,' she said last week, 'except that my husband is leaving dirty dishes and I get to clean up after him, too.' She joked that her spouse had made the mistake of coming down at one point to chat, 'and I handed him a baby to put down for a nap. He hasn't come down since!'

Upset: New Jersey mother-of-two Caren Tolleth has said that her workload around the house has massively increased since her husband Michael (pictured) started working from home

Adrienne Pattison, who lives in a rural area of Washington state, joined a Facebook group called 'Parenting Under Quarantine' a week ago and wrote: 'Is it just me or is anyone else totally frustrated with the husband/partner or whatever?? I'm about to go postal!'

Her good-natured venting elicited more than 160 comments and anecdotes.

Maggie Hellman, the Bergenfield, New Jersey, mother who created the Facebook group for her friends to blow off their own steam - she never thought it would balloon to over 20,000 - notes that some couples are, of course, dealing with gravely serious challenges.

Her brother, a pediatric intensive care physician, has to come home through a side door to discard dirty clothing and wash his hands to avoid infecting the family. His wife, a nurse, must be extremely careful as well.

Hellman, a social worker and stay-at-home mom to three children under the age of eight, says it's natural that couples with children are feeling intense stress.

'Children create stress in a marriage, period,' she says. 'The relationship changes dramatically.' Under current conditions, she says, 'you're stuck at home all day with each other when perhaps there already were issues.'

She imagines that single parents have it even worse, especially if they have only one child.

'They get no break, they have no one else to be with,' she says.

Lewis, the family therapist, says it's still early days. She hopes the couples she treats will find a way to deal with the anxiety and uncertainty in a useful way.

Some of her best advice to couples: 'Let's try not to both have a bad day at the same time,' she says. 'If today's your bad day, mine is tomorrow. Let's not blow at the same time.'
Picture courtesy of Google

A persistent shoplifter with a well-honed technique has been told that, with shops currently facing enough problems, it would not be right to unleash her back on the community.

Lisa Ellington appeared at Warwick Crown Court via a video-link from HMP Peterborough after she had pleaded guilty to burglary, four charges of theft and one of common assault.

Ellington (35) of Drayton Avenue, Stratford, was jailed for a total of 16 months.

Prosecutor Ian Speed said that in September last year Ellington along with a man broke into the Hevans hairdressing salon in Rother Street, Stratford, at night.

They gained access after the man, whose case was being dealt with in the magistrates court, put a brick through the window.

Once inside, they put a quantity of electrical items and hair products into a carrier bag  but the police arrived and arrested them before they could make off with their haul.

On December 2, Ellington and the same man went into the TK Maxx store in Stratford armed with a security tag remover which Mr Speed commented suggests it was a professional enterprise.

Although the de-tagger was found on the man when security staff stopped them outside with handbags and purses worth 467, CCTV cameras showed Ellington using it to remove the security tags from the items.

Ellington reacted aggressively to being challenged, swinging one of the bags at one of the security officers.

But when she was arrested, she claimed she could not remember anything about the incident because she was under the influence of drink or drugs at the time.

Having been released, later in December Ellington went into the Tesco supermarket in Stratford in the early hours of the morning and helped herself to a bottle of Jack Daniels, a bottle of gin, a packet of acid reflux tablets and a jumper.

She wrapped tin foil round the tags in an unsuccessful attempt to beat the stores security system, and was stopped outside and detained until the police arrived.

Then on February 29, Ellington returned to the Tesco store where a security guard saw her selecting bottles of alcohol and concealing them.

She also stole two scented candles, an inflatable bed and a bar of chocolate, and when she was challenged as she was leaving she kicked out at the security officer and tried to bite his hand.

Mr Speed added that Ellington had 33 convictions for 63 offences, including a number for shoplifting, and at the time of the burglary was subject to a suspended sentence for an earlier theft from TK Maxx.

Appearing via a video conferencing link, Simon Hunka, defending, said: It is quite clear that Miss Ellingtons problem has been class A drugs, and for quite some time.

She has had a difficult life, and she was to a degree self-medicating and using it as a coping mechanism, and she found herself having to commit crime to fund her spiralling habit.

Mr Hunka said Ellington, had been on a Methadone script and until the burglary had not committed an offence since October 2018, which in her life is quite a significant period.

But then circumstances put temptation in her way, and she began taking drugs again.

Ellington had spent three weeks in custody on remand, and Mr Hunka suggested that, with most shops closed because of the Coronavirus measures and people being told to stay at home, in a strange way this is as good a time as any for her to be given a chance.

But jailing her, Judge Anthony Potter told Ellington: I have to sentence you for six offences arising from five separate incidents over a five-month period.

They all concern shops and premises in Stratford, and two of those were thefts from Tesco, a shop where I am told you are well-known, and the last matter involved an assault on a security guard.

On at least one occasion you went well-equipped for theft. You were given a chance, and you continued to go on a spree of offending, demonstrating a well-honed technique.

I cant see that, at a time when shops have enough problems, it would be right to unleash you on the community.
The Central Government on Friday informed the Delhi High Court about the Ministry of External Affairs appointing a Nodal officer for the Indian students stranded in Kazakhstan. The Centre also assured the Court that it has uploaded all necessary details and particulars of the nodal officer on the official website of the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan, as well as, on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Counsel Jasmeet Singh who represented the Centre stated that because of the current complete lockdown imposed on air travel to India, these students also cannot be flown back. He, however, stated that the MEA shall continue to ensure and secure the welfare, well-being, and safety of all the Indian students and provide them with all the basic amenities, in terms of food, lodging, and medical care, as is being done currently, till the situation improves.

"Needless to state that the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, may in their discretion, consider the evacuation of Indian students from Kazakhstan, if it is imperative in the latter's interests so to do, at any stage considered appropriate by them," Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh observed.

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Indian scientists reveal 1st COVID-19 image; cases soar to 724

'Provide basic amenities to students'- Delhi HC

Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had directed the Ministry of External Affairs to expeditiously provide basic amenities like food, water, transportation, medical care and lodging to the students stranded at Kazakhstan airport. It had also earlier asked for a detailed response from the MEA on a plea filed before it claiming that Indian higher education students including that of MBBS are stranded at Almaty airport in Kazakhstan without food, water, transportation, and medical aid, etc.

READ | Coronavirus: SC seeks Centre's response on a plea for evacuating 850 pilgrims from Iran

According to the petition, the Indian nationals are in sizeable numbers, who are currently enrolled for higher studies, including MBBS, as regular students at the Semey Medical University in Kazakhstan, are stated to be stranded including at the Almaty airport, Kazakhstan, without food, water, transportation, and medical aid, etc. "The Nodal Officer is directed to expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide the said students with all basic amenities and humanitarian assistance, in terms of, medical care, boarding (food), lodging and transportation, as may be necessary or warranted," the HC had earlier directed.

The Ministry of External Affairs was also directed to give the details and other necessary particulars of the Nodal Officer including his name and telephone number, be communicated to the Indian students stranded at the Almaty airport, Kazakhstan.

READ | SpiceJet's special flight to take 142 Iran-returned Indians to quarantine facility in Jodhpur

READ | Iran puts the death toll from the virus at 2,378

(With inputs from ANI)
Identity and access management in 2022 - what will the future look like?

As we enter into 2022, there is still a level of uncertainty in place. Its unclear what the future holds, as companies around the world still contend with the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote working has been encouraged by most organisations and the move to a hybrid working system has become business as usual, for the majority of businesses. Some have reduced their office space or done away with their locations altogether. Following best security practices With all this change in place, there are problems to deal with. According to research, 32.7% of IT admins say they are concerned about employees using unsecured networks to carry out that work. Alongside this, 74% of IT admins thought that remote work makes it harder for employees to follow best security practices. This need to manage security around remote work is no longer temporary. Instead, companies have to build permanent strategies around remote work and security. The coming year will also create a different landscape for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Here are some key predictions for next year and what to start preparing for in 2022: The reality of SMB spending around security will hit home SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working SMBs had to undertake significant investments to adapt to remote working, especially in comparison to their size. They had to undertake significant digital transformation projects that made it possible to deliver services remotely, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weve seen a shift in mindset for these companies, which are now more tech-focused in their approach to problem solving. According to our research, 45% of SMBs plan to increase their spending towards IT services in 2022. Around half of all organisations think their IT budgets are adequate for their needs, while 14.5% of those surveyed believe they will need more, to cover all that needs to be done. Identity management spending to support remote work For others, the COVID-19 pandemic led to over-spending, just to get ahead of things and they will spend in 2022, looking at what they should keep and what they can reduce their spending on. Areas like identity management will stay in place, as companies struggle to support remote work and security, without this in place. However, on-premise IT spending will be reduced or cut, as those solutions are not relevant for the new work model. Services that rely on on-premise IT will be cut or replaced. The device will lead the way for security We rely on our phones to work and to communicate. In 2022, they will become central to how we manage access, to all our assets and locations, IT and physical. When employees can use company devices and their own phones for work, security is more difficult. IT teams have to ensure that theyre prepared for this, by making sure that these devices can be trusted. Wide use of digital certificates and strong MFA factors Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication There are multiple ways that companies can achieve this, for example - By using digital certificates to identify company devices as trusted, an agent, or strong MFA factors, like a FIDO security key or mobile push authentication. Whichever approach you choose, this can prevent unauthorised access to IT assets and applications, and these same devices can be used for authentication into physical locations too. Rather than requiring a separate smart card or fingerprint reader, devices can be used for access using push authentication. Understanding human behaviour Alongside this, it is important to understand human behaviour. Anything that introduces an extra step for authentication can lead to employees taking workarounds. To stop this, it is important to put an employee education process in place, in order to emphasize on the importance of security. The next step is to think about adopting passwordless security, to further reduce friction and increase adoption. Lastly, as devices become the starting point for security and trust, remote device management will be needed too. More companies will need to manage devices remotely, from wiping an asset remotely if it gets lost or stolen, through to de-provisioning users easily and removing their access rights, when they leave the company. Identity will be a layer cake Zero Trust approaches to security Identity management relies on being able to trust that someone is who they say they are. Zero Trust approaches to security can support this effectively, particularly when aligned with least privilege access models. In order to turn theory into practical easy-to-deploy steps, companies need to use contextual access, as part of their identity management strategy. This involves looking at the context that employees will work in and putting together the right management approach for those circumstances. For typical employee behaviour, using two factor authentication might be enough to help them work, without security getting in the way. How enterprises manage, access and store identity data There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time For areas where security is more important, additional security policies can be put over the top, to ensure that only the right people have access. A step-up in authentication can be added, based on the sensitivity of resources or risk-based adaptive authentication policies might be needed. There will also be a shift in how enterprises manage, access, and store that identity data over time, so that it aligns more closely with those use cases. Identity management critical to secure assets in 2022 There are bigger conversations taking place around digital identity for citizenship, as more services move online as well. Any moves that take place in this arena will affect how businesses think about their identity management processes too, encouraging them to look at their requirements in more detail. Overall, 2022 will be the year when identity will be critical to how companies keep their assets secure and their employees productive. With employees working remotely and businesses becoming decentralised, identity strategies will have to take the same approach. This will put the emphasis on strong identity management as the starting point for all security planning.
HAMMOND  A Hammond police officer tested positive Friday for COVID-19, and that officer is in self-isolation and two other officers are in quarantine as a result, the mayor said.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said the officer first reported cold-like symptoms to the city Thursday.

Testing revealed the officer had COVID-19, McDermott said.

"The officer isn't experiencing anything severe in terms of symptoms," the mayor said. "The officer is in quarantine at home. The officer is not hospitalized."

Two other officers, who worked in close proximity with the affected officer, also are in quarantine until more is known about their status, McDermott said.

The mayor also said the city also learned Friday that a firefighter, who had been experiencing flu-like symptoms, tested negative for COVID-19.

Lake County officer tests positive for coronavirus, police say Sheriff Oscar Martinez identified four other officers who may have been exposed to the officer who tested positive.

The Hammond officer is the second Region cop in as many days to test positive for COVID-19.

Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez revealed Thursday that a county officer had tested positive as well.

Gallery: Once-bustling Region sites empty

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.
In an unprecedented first for a Malian politician of his rank, unidentified gunmen kidnapped the leading opposition figure Soumaila Cisse and his team on Wednesday, March 25 afternoon, his party said.

The Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) party sounded the alarm later on Wednesday after Cisse failed to turn up to an appointment and was no longer answering his phone.

Cisse is a former finance minister and has run for the presidency three times.

The circumstances of his disappearance remain unclear, but the government and URD members have said it was a kidnapping.

On Thursday morning, URD spokesman Demba Traore told reporters that Cisse was travelling with a group of 12 people on two jeeps when unidentified gunmen abducted them.

Five people were freed on Thursday morning, he said, adding that two of them, including Cisses bodyguard, were wounded in a shooting. The bodyguard did not survive his injuries and passed away, Traore said.

Mali has been struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict in Mali has engulfed the center of the country and spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
In short supply: ventilators are needed to help the worst-hit COVID-19 victims to keep breathing (AFP Photo/Axel Heimken)

Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump issued a federal order Friday to force auto giant General Motors to manufacture ventilators, as supplies of the crucial hospital equipment grow short and coronavirus infections mount across the country.

Trump invoked the rarely-used Defense Production Act (DPA) to order GM to speed up its commitment to make ventilators in one of its auto plants after delays in negotiations.

The act, designed for use in wartime to commandeer private business to manufacture for defense needs, will allow the White House to require that GM "accept, perform, and prioritize federal contracts for ventilators," Trump said in a statement.

Negotiations had been "productive," he said, "but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course."

"GM was wasting time. Today's action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives."

At a later White House press conference he added that the decision "should demonstrate clearly that we will not hesitate to use the full authority of the federal government to combat this crisis."

He also announced that Peter Navarro, a top White House advisor formerly at the forefront of Washington's trade dispute with China, will now coordinate further initiatives under the DPA.

- Tweet pressure -

Earlier in the day Trump demanded in a tweet that both GM and rival Ford move quickly on fabricating ventilators, essential to help seriously ill coronavirus patients breathe.

GM quickly answered back that it had a deal with medical equipment maker Ventec Life Systems to build the critical care equipment in its Kokomo, Indiana, auto plant, and would likely be able to begin shipping next month.

But the White House was apparently dissatisfied with the company's response and moved to invoke the DPA about four hours later.

GM said in a statement after Trump's announcement that they were already taking action.

Story continues

"Ventec, GM and our supply base have been working around the clock for over a week to meet this urgent need," the company said.

"Our commitment to build Ventec's high-quality critical care ventilator, VOCSN, has never wavered."

According to The New York Times, the White House had planned earlier this week to announce the GM-Ventec deal, but it reportedly ran into problems because of a projected $1 billion cost for retooling an auto plant for production.

With no deal to announce, Trump then lashed out against GM and Ford on Twitter Friday morning.

"General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!!" Trump tweeted.

It was an unacknowledged about-face for Trump, who had actually cheered GM's sale of its Lordstown factory to a company planning to build electric trucks, tweeting in May 2019 that it was "GREAT NEWS FOR OHIO!"

- New York shortage -

Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, the US region most heavily impacted by the coronavirus, has repeatedly pleaded with the government for more ventilators, with infections soaring.

Cuomo said he expects the epidemic won't peak in the state for another three weeks.

Seemingly contrary to his tweets Friday, Trump, speaking on Fox News on Thursday, said Cuomo's demands for ventilators were exaggerated.

"I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said.

"You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes and they'll have two ventilators and now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators.'"

- Automakers gear up -

In its earlier statement GM said it and Ventec believed they could get production up to a level of 10,000 ventilators per month from their operation, depending on demand.

Ventec is also ramping up its own production in its Washington state plant.

Shortly after Trump's tweet Ford, too, responded with assurances it was working hard to help resolve medical equipment shortages.

"We have started delivering tens of thousands of Ford-produced face shields to hospitals and police agencies, including the NYPD," it said in a statement.

"We have teams working flat-out with GE Healthcare to boost production of simplified ventilators, and with 3M to increase the production of powered air purifying respirators."
The federal government will cover the operating costs of businesses in Louisiana for eight weeks through forgivable loans if they retain or rehire laid-off workers under the $2 trillion stimulus package passed by the Senate on Wednesday, which the House is poised to approve on Friday.

The provision to forgive loans appears likely to provide a crucial lifeline in the coming days as the nation copes with the unprecedented ravages caused by the coronavirus to the world economy.

Edwards says Louisiana on track to run out of ventilators, beds for coronavirus patients in April Gov. John Bel Edwards struck a noticeably harsher tone in his press conference Thursday as he announced another day had gone by that officials

That will help businesses hold on through this crisis and bring their workers back, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2-ranking Republican in the House, said in an interview Thursday from his Jefferson Parish home where he is self-quarantined because of possible exposure to the coronavirus. Scalise said President Donald Trump will sign the stimulus bill immediately.

The U.S. Labor Department released an astonishing set of numbers on Thursday that showed the huge need for the bill: 3.3 million people filed for unemployment insurance last week. That was easily the highest number in 50 years of data, dwarfing the highest previous weekly figure, 695,000, recorded in the depths of the 1982 recession.

In Louisiana, about 10,000 people are filing unemployment claims every day now by phone or online, although the number surged to 14,597 Wednesday, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported. The normal average is 300 per day.

The federal legislation also will mean a one-time payment of up to $1,200 to most adults, $500 per child and provide an additional $600 per week to unemployed workers who remain jobless through June 30.

+7 For Louisiana's 100k newly without jobs, unemployment benefit boost seen as life support amid coronavirus [Update: The Senate passed the stimulus package just before midnight on Wednesday, and the House is expected to approve it on Friday.]

Businesses and banks throughout Louisiana were scrambling Thursday to understand exactly how the loan provisions would work. In general terms, companies and nonprofits with up to 500 employees could borrow up to $10 million from their bank to cover payroll, mortgage, rent, insurance and other expenses.

The federal government would essentially forgive the loan for business expenses for eight weeks, said Guy Williams, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company -- making it essentially a grant.

Youd be foolish not to be interested, Williams said, adding that the borrowers would pay 4% interest on money they borrow for spending after the eight weeks have elapsed but would pay no borrowing fees on the loan. Companies have to maintain their pre-coronavirus hiring levels for the loan to be entirely forgiven.

Camille Conaway, a policy analyst with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, said 100 business leaders jumped on a conference call Thursday with the states congressional delegation, and the main topic was the forgivable loan provision, known as the Paycheck Protection Program.

Speed is everything right now, said Conaway. We have members telling us theyre taking it day by day to see if they can stay open. Were encouraging each business to talk to their banker to see if this makes sense for them.

Jude Melville, president and CEO of Business First Bank, said he has been receiving a steady stream of calls about the program.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Well try to get it onto the street prudently and quickly, he said.

Bill Hammack, who with chef Donald Link owns several notable New Orleans restaurants, said he was already in contact with his bank to initiate a loan.

Hammack said he has had to lay off nearly 400 workers while retaining 100.

If the government is going to give us the opportunity to keep people employed, were definitely going to take advantage of that, Hammack said. Im hoping that it will allow us to hire at least some of them back.

David Balhoff, who co-owns three orthodontist offices in the Baton Rouge area, is also planning to apply. Balhoff said he and partner Stephen Sherman have been shut down for a month but are still paying all of their 25 employees.

Were going to use the loans to pay staff and to pay mortgage and rent on our buildings, Balhoff said. The goal is to maintain a viable business with our staff.

Said Tim Scandurro, who operates the Scandurro and Layrisson law firm in New Orleans, It allows us to be comfortable and confident to keep our employees on the payroll even though theyre not at the office working.

+3 Orleans Parish has highest per-capita coronavirus death rate of American counties -- by far Orleans Parish has the highest per-capita death rate for the coronavirus among all American counties to date, a new analysis by The Times-Pica

Andy Kopplin, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, said the loan forgiveness will be a shot in the arm for nonprofits throughout Louisiana.

Nonprofits are feeling very fragile in terms of their ability to stay open, Kopplin said. Theyre making the same kinds of decisions as small businesses in terms of laying off employees and maintaining that payroll.

Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. said the program will likely provide major advantages over typical disaster relief programs, which involve loans from the federal Small Business Administration.

The loans are being made by the private banking system, Hecht said. Its quicker than relying on the existing SBA infrastructure, which is not built for a program of this scale.

Adam Knapp, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, agreed.

The SBA might have taken 20 days in an optimal time frame, but the banks could be putting capital in companies accounts in 5-10 days, Knapp said. The bottleneck problem gets solved by that provision.
T he UKs prime minister Boris Johnson announced this morning that he has tested positive for covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms. But what does this mean for his pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds?

While the PM has confirmed he has gone into self-isolation, Symonds, who is approximately five months pregnant, has reportedly been self-isolating since the government listed pregnant women as vulnerable on March 16.

According to advice published this week by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), pregnant women do not appear to be more severely affected by the symptoms of coronavirus than other healthy adults.

The advice continues: It is expected the large majority of pregnant women will experience only mild or moderate cold/flu like symptoms.

More severe symptoms such as pneumonia appear to be more common in older people, those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions. As yet, there is no evidence that pregnant women who get this infection are more at risk of serious complications than any other healthy individuals.

For pregnant women experiencing covid-19 symptoms (such as a high temperature or a new, continuous cough) that are worsening or not getting better, its advice remains that you should contact your maternity care team or use the NHS 111 online service for further information.

Can coronavirus affect my unborn baby?

RCOG - which has released this advice in partnership with the Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, with input from various health associations - says there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk of miscarriage.

It continues: Expert opinion is that the baby is unlikely to be exposed during pregnancy. It is also therefore considered unlikely that if you have the virus it would cause problems with the babys development, and none have been observed currently.

RCOG adds that its conducting near-real-time surveillance of all pregnant women in the UK who develop covid-19 during pregnancy and their newborn babies and will update its findings in due course.

Why are pregnant women classified as vulnerable?

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty classified pregnant women as vulnerable on March 16, which meant pregnant women were advised to reduce social contact and practice social distancing measures.

RCOG says: Based on the evidence we have so far, pregnant women are still no more likely to contract coronavirus than the general population. What we do know is that pregnancy in a small proportion of women can alter how your body handles severe viral infections. This is something that midwives and obstetricians have known for many years and are used to dealing with. As yet, there is no evidence that pregnant women who get this infection are more at risk of serious complications than any other healthy individuals.

Does the advice change when I reach the third trimester?

If you have reached the third trimester (more than 28 weeks pregnant), the RCOG recommends being particularly attentive to social distancing and minimising contact with others.

It continues: If you are in your third trimester you should work from home where possible, avoid contact with anyone with symptoms of coronavirus, and significantly reduce unnecessary social contact.

What can I do if Im pregnant and a key worker?

RCOG says: NHS Employers should do everything possible to maintain the health of their pregnant employees. The central aspect of this protection is based on risk assessment of each individual pregnant workers working environment and the role they play.

In light of the limited evidence, pregnant women of any gestation should be offered the choice of whether to work in direct patient-facing roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. This choice should be respected and supported by their employers. Suitable alternative duties might include remote triage, telephone consultations, governance or administrative roles.

What do I do if Im pregnant and test positive for coronavirus?

The RCOG says to contact your midwife and antenatal team to make them aware of the diagnosis. If you present no symptoms or mild symptoms, you will be advised to recover at home. If you have more severe symptoms, you may be advised to go to hospital.

What happens if I am self-isolating with coronavirus and go into labour?

The RCOG says if you go into labour, firstly call your maternity team for advice and let them know that you have a suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection.

It adds: If you have mild symptoms, you will be encouraged to remain at home (self-isolating) in early labour, as per standard practice. Your maternity team have been advised on ways to ensure that you and your baby receive safe, quality care, respecting your birth choices as closely as possible.

When your maternity team decides you need to attend the maternity unit, you will be advised to take private transport where possible and will be met at the maternity unit entrance with a surgical facemask that will need to stay on until you are isolated in a suitable room.

If it hasnt already been, coronavirus testing will be arranged and your birth partner will be able to stay with you throughout, but visitors should be kept to a minimum.

If I have suspected or confirmed coronavirus, can I still do skin-to-skin with my baby?

Ultimately, this is up to you. If you decide to, there may be the risk of passing on the virus through airborne droplets.

The RCOG says reports from China saw mothers being advised to stay away from their newborns. There are some reports from China which suggest women with confirmed coronavirus have been advised to separate from their baby for 14 days. However, this may have potential negative effects on feeding and bonding.

Can I breastfeed my baby if I have coronavirus?

The RCOG says there is no evidence that the virus can be carried in breast milk so you should continue to breastfeed where possible.

It adds: The well-recognised benefits of breastfeeding outweigh any potential risks of transmission of coronavirus through breastmilk. The main risk of breastfeeding is close contact between you and your baby, as you may share infective airborne droplets, leading to infection of the baby after birth.

A discussion about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding should take place between you and your family and your maternity team.

Should I attend my antenatal appointments?

Attending antenatal appointments is important for ensuring the wellbeing of you and your baby. The RCOG says: If you are well, you should attend your antenatal care as normal. If you have symptoms of possible coronavirus infection, you should contact your community midwife to postpone routine visits until after the isolation period is over.

At this time, it is particularly important that you help your maternity team take care of you. If you have had an appointment cancelled or delayed, and are not sure of your next contact with your maternity team, please let them know by using the contact numbers provided to you at booking.

What is WHOs official advice for pregnant women?

The World Health Organisation says that due to changes in a womans body and immune system during pregnancy, women can be badly affected by some respiratory infections.

WHO continues: It is therefore important that they take precautions to protect themselves against covid-19, and report possible symptoms (including fever, cough or difficulty breathing) to their healthcare provider.

The official advice for pregnant women to prevent catching coronavirus is the same for the general population: wash your hands frequently; avoid crowded spaces and keep a distance between yourself and others when in public; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and practice respiratory hygiene.

WHO also recommends that pregnant women with symptoms of covid-19 should be prioritised for testing as they may need specialist care.
JACKSON, Mississippi  Mississippi will begin investigations to find people who have been near those testing positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and will tell those contacts to quarantine themselves, Gov. Tate Reeves and the state health officer announced Thursday.

Reeves said the contact-tracing plan "will allow us to shift from playing defense to playing offense" to try to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus.

Reeves has been facing criticism from some lawmakers and mayors who say he has not been aggressive enough. The Republican governor issued an order Tuesday telling people to keep distance from others and to stay home when possible. But he has not issued a stay-at-home order as some governors have done.

"We are not at the end of this challenge, but we are closer to the beginning," Reeves said Thursday during a news conference outside the Governor's Mansion.

The health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, said the contact-tracing plan is based on programs that helped slow the spread of the virus in Singapore and South Korea. Those countries have had widespread testing, though, and that scale of testing is not yet available in the United States. It's not clear whether the contact-tracing efforts in Mississippi are beginning too late to have much effect or whether the state Health Department and other agencies will have enough people to work on the program.

Dobbs said if health officials find a rapid growth of cases in a particular community, they could seek broad limitations on people's movements.

Mississippi legislators left the state Capitol last week to curb the spread of the virus in a building that typically attracts hundreds of people a day. House and Senate leaders said Thursday that they are dropping the plan for legislators to return April 1, and the session remains on hold indefinitely.

Mississippi, like other states, is seeing a sharp increase in claims for temporary jobless benefits as people seek help amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Applications for unemployment benefits submitted in Mississippi rose to 6,723 during the week ending March 21, according to a release Thursday from the U.S. Employment and Training Administration. That is an increase of 486% from the number of applications submitted the previous week and an increase of 623% from the number of applications submitted the same week last year.

The number of claims filed represents 0.6% of the total workforce of Mississippi that is eligible for the unemployment insurance program.

Applying for benefits was proving difficult for many people because of busy phone lines and problems with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security website.

The Health Department said Thursday that Mississippi had at least 485 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Wednesday evening. Because testing remains limited, most people now spreading the highly contagious virus may not know that they've been infected.

Mississippi on Thursday also reported another death from the virus, bringing the state total to at least six. But, testing remained so limited that it was unclear whether the outbreak had caused other deaths.

The state Health Department said the death announced Thursday was a Rankin County man who was 80-85 years old and was hospitalized with underlying health conditions.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks, but also milder cases of pneumonia, sometimes requiring hospitalization. The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems and some need respirators to survive.

With infections spreading exponentially, hospitals across the country are either bracing for a coming wave of patients, or already struggling to keep up.

The state Health Department and the University of Mississippi Medical Center are opening drive-thru testing centers for Friday only in two northern counties  DeSoto and Coahoma.

Reeves issued an executive order Tuesday that seeks to limit people's physical interactions. He told restaurants and bars statewide to close their dining rooms and limit service to takeout or delivery. An exception is for dining rooms that would be limited to 10 or fewer people who would keep distance from each other.

Some Mississippi cities and counties are setting curfews and other restrictions tighter than the ones ordered statewide by Reeves. Clarksdale, Greenwood, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Meridian, Oxford Port Gibson and Tupelo are among the cities where officials have told people not to congregate in large groups. Adams County has set a nighttime curfew.

Reeves issued a second order Thursday to clarify that its OK for cities and counties to set restrictions tighter than he is setting statewide, as long as the local rules dont prevent people from going to jobs that are considered essential, such as those at grocery stores.
In brief: The spike in users who spend time online during the coronavirus pandemic is driving numbers up for media companies, but advertising revenue is expected to be lower this year as marketers are cutting their budgets to survive these difficult times.

Facebook and Google generate around $200 billion per year in advertising revenue, so you'd think that this period of self-isolation and working from home is driving more use of their services and thus, more revenue. However, brands are in a difficult position and advertising budgets are among the first things on the list of costs to cut in order to keep things afloat. When you see a company like Twitter revising its revenue outlook for this year, there's little question as to the reason why, despite a 23 percent spike in activity on the platform, revenue is estimated to have dropped by 20 percent in March.

Earlier this week, Facebook noted in a blog post that it saw a 50 percent increase in messaging and over 1,000 percent increase in time spent in group calling. The trend is more obvious in countries that have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, and Italy is the perfect example. Facebook saw people spending 70 percent more time across Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram with a doubling of views for video content.

The numbers look good on paper, but since most of the new activity happens on messaging services, Facebook doesn't earn any revenue on that, and has seen "a weakening in our ads business in countries taking aggressive actions to reduce the spread of Covid-19."

You only need to look at travel results in Google Search to see that they've also been affected as travel, retail, and certain categories of consumer goods are no longer advertised as heavily as they were a few weeks ago. Amazon, who is one of Google's largest ad buyers, is also cutting back on its spending, while its own ad business will most likely weather the storm, since it's all about product searches.

According to Cowen analysts, Google and Facebook together could see a revenue hit of over $44 billion this year, which translates into an 11 percent year-over-year decline in their overall revenue.

Publishers like the New York Times are also feeling the squeeze in terms of ad revenue, while its subscription business has been doing okay for the past three months. Here at TechSpot, we too are proud to have a loyal audience that supports us by allowing ads or opting for a subscription to TechSpot Elite.

As the pandemic drags on, the coronavirus response has gone far beyond initial expectations. In the short term, marketers will have fewer reasons to spend on advertising, including political ads, which were supposed to generate billions in revenue this year. However, if engagement trends survive beyond the crisis, big platforms like Facebook, Google and Twitter will find themselves in a position where they have even greater advertising power and reach.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 05:49:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BANJUL, March 27 (Xinhua) -- President of The Gambia Adama Barrow has declared a state of public emergency throughout the country, starting from Friday and for 21 days, to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"All non-essential food outlets in all markets and enclosed shopping areas shall be closed. All non-essential public places such as bars, cafeterias, cinemas, video clubs, gymnasiums, museums, nigh clubs, public swimming pools, event halls, casinos, gaming parlous, and sporting venues shall be closed," said the president.

Public worship places will also be closed, social activities restricted, and the public transports are only allowed to carry half of their required number of passengers.

The Gambia has so far confirmed three cases of COVID-19, with one death.
NEW YORK -- Columbia scientists have provided new insights into how mutations in a gene called TBK1 cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that robs patients of movement, speech and ultimately, their lives. The researchers found that ALS-associated mutations in TBK1 can have both positive and negative effects on the progression of disease in mice genetically modified to have ALS-like symptoms.

These findings, reported today in Neuron, provide both genetic and mechanistic insights that could lead to novel strategies for the development of treatments for ALS.

"One of the greatest challenges to finding a cure for ALS is using genetic data to understand the disease's underlying mechanisms," said the study's senior author, Tom Maniatis, PhD, a principal investigator at Columbia's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. "For example, neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS involve multiple cell types that are constantly changing as the disease progresses, so a drug that is beneficial in the early stages of the disease could detrimental at later times. Our study provides a glimpse into the complex relationship between ALS genetics and its mechanisms, and highlights the challenge in developing safe and effective drugs to treat the disease," commented Dr. Maniatis, the Isidore S. Edelman Professor of Biochemistry at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

ALS is a disease of the spinal cord, which can be triggered by the accumulation of misfolded proteins in motor neurons, the nerve cells in the spinal cord that drive movement.

The human TBK1 gene is one of more than 25 genes that have been shown associate with or cause ALS when bearing a mutation. TBK1 is a central player in multiple cellular functions, including autophagy, a process that removes misfolded proteins, damaged bits of cells and bacterial pathogens. TBK1 is also required for the antimicrobial interferon response, which protects cells from bacterial and viral infections.

"TBK1 helps cells clear away clumps of misfolded proteins and defends the body against invading viruses and bacteria," said Valeria Gerbino, PhD, an associate research scientist in the Maniatis lab, and the paper's lead author. "And because individuals with certain mutations in TBK1 have ALS, we wanted to develop a deep, mechanistic understanding of how these mutations affect cellular functions in the spinal cord during the course of the disease."

Working in partnership with The Jackson Laboratory, Drs. Maniatis and Gerbino inserted ALS-causing TBK1 mutations in mice. These mice showed no signs of motor neuron disease.

"This was not surprising, as only a few of the many human ALS mutations tested thus far in mice by other ALS researchers have resulted in motor neuron disease," said Dr. Maniatis, who is also director of Columbia's Precision Medicine Initiative.

In an attempt to overcome this problem, the researchers inserted TBK1 mutations into an already established mouse model of ALS: the SOD1 mouse. Dr. Gerbino and collaborators at the Zuckerman Institute then tracked disease progression in these mice.

These new mice displayed striking differences in disease progression compared to mice that only bear the SOD1 mutations. Specifically, the disease onset began earlier.

"We found that mice bearing both SOD1 and TBK1 mutations experienced earlier movement abnormalities compared to those bearing only SOD1 mutations," said Dr. Gerbino. "A closer examination of the mice also revealed damage to motor neurons and the loss of muscle connections earlier than expected."

To further investigate this phenomenon, the scientists examined another group of SOD1 ALS mice, in which the TBK1 gene was deleted only in motor neurons, and not in other cells in the spinal cord. The team found that the absence of TBK1 activity in motor neurons alone led to the loss of autophagy in these cells. This loss led to an increase in the accumulation of harmful proteins, earlier death of motor neurons, and lost neuron-muscle connections. These observations demonstrated that early disease onset was a consequence of losing TBK1 in motor neurons.

Paradoxically, however, disease progression slowed down later in disease, and mice with TBK1 loss of function in all cells lived 25 percent longer than both the mice bearing only SOD1, as well as those mice for which the TBK1 gene was deleted only in motor neurons.

The team next investigated precisely how TBK1 mutations influenced other cells in the spinal cord. The researchers discovered that the interferon response was suppressed in glial cells, namely astrocytes and microglia. The interferon response, while critical for defense against infections in healthy people, can be toxic if over produced (as in the case of ALS mice), and can trigger a cascade of cellular processes that are toxic to motor neurons.

"The loss of TBK1 in microglia and astrocytes clearly diminishes the interferon response in the spinal cord of ALS mice," said Dr. Maniatis, who is Evnin Family Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer at the New York Genome Center. "This correlates with significantly extending their lives."

"Our study provides an example of how multiple pathways within and between cells can be targeted through manipulation of a single gene, and how modifying these pathways in ALS can be beneficial -- or detrimental -- at different stages of disease progression," Dr. Gerbino added.

Dr. Maniatis argues that this type of foundational, discovery-driven research will move the needle toward treatments that focus on the underlying mechanisms driving ALS and its devastating symptoms.

"All neurodegenerative diseases ultimately begin with genes," said Dr. Maniatis. "As we continue to gather critical genetic information, we can identify mutations, like those in TBK1, which will provide additional mechanistic insights. These genes and the pathways they control will hold the key to developing drugs that make a difference in the life of ALS patients."

###

This paper is titled "The loss of TBK1 kinase activity in motor neurons or in all cell types differentially impacts ALS disease progression in SOD1 mice." Additional contributors include Esther Kaunga, Junqiang Ye, Daniele Canzio, Sean O'Keeffe, Noam Rudnick, Paolo Guarnieri and Cathleen Lutz.

This research was supported by grants from Project ALS (PRALS 2017-09), and Takeda Pharmaceuticals (1000344702). Dr. Gerbino was partially supported by a Milton-Safenowitz Post-doctoral fellowship from the ALS Association (2019-2020), and Dr. Canzio was supported by an NIH K99 Award (K99 GM121815). Generation of TBK1 knock-in mice was supported by the Jackson Laboratory Precision Genetics Center Grant U54OD020351-04.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together a group of world-class scientists and scholars to pursue the most urgent and exciting challenge of our time: understanding the brain and mind. A deeper understanding of the brain promises to transform human health and society. From effective treatments for disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression and autism to advances in fields as fundamental as computer science, economics, law, the arts and social policy, the potential for humanity is staggering. To learn more, visit: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu.
By Express News Service

TUMAKURU: Karnataka reported its third death from Covid-19 when a 65-year-old man died at the isolation ward at the district general hospital here on Friday.

He had traveled to New Delhi by train on March 5 by the Sampark Kranti Express and returned by the Kongu Express on March 14.

Thirteen others had traveled along with him. They stayed at the Jamiya Masjid between March 7 and March 11.

"He hailed from Sira. It was only on March 18 that he developed fever and cough and visited a private hospital in Sira. On March 21, he visited a private clinic. After a diagnosis, he was referred to the district hospital here," informed the deputy commissioner, Dr K Rakesh Kumar.

On March 23, he visited the outpatient ward of the hospital and returned to Sira. After complications, he was admitted back at the hospital on March 24 at 3 am and kept in the isolation ward.

"He was looking alight until last night but died suddenly on Friday morning", the DC said quoting the staff of the isolation ward.

The DC clarified that the administration has kept the 13 others who travelled along with him in isolation and their samples have been sent for testing. This apart, 20 others, including eight of the deceased's family members, have been home quarantined and will be monitored closely for symptoms, he explained.

The cremation of the body will be done as per protocol taking all precautionary measures and if the kin insist that it should be buried, it would be considered with an 8-foot deep pit, he clarified.
Marissa Carollo is 29 weeks pregnant with identical twins, two baby girls.

"Having twins is stressful enough," Carollo said. "Adding in the coronavirus with it is even more stress for me."

This is her second pregnancy. She has a 15-month-old son, A.J.

But this time around is much different. She is hoping her husband will be allowed to be there when she gives birth.

"Not having my husband with me is a fear just because I'm having twins it's a high risk pregnancy," Carollo said. "Just the emotional support he gave me last time, I want him there this time."

Carollo plans to give birth at Rome Memorial Hospital. She is concerned because some New York City hospitals have banned all visitors in the delivery room. Rome Memorial Hospital hasn't, they're allowing one support person in the delivery room upon passing a health screening.

You just never know if it's going to get worse and they're not going to let anybody in there by the time I deliver," Carollo said.

She is due June 8, but she says with twins, it could be earlier.

"With identical twins you don't usually go past 37 weeks so sometime in May," Carollo said.

There are other concerns that have crossed her mind, like keeping all three of her children safe.

"I have a 15-month-old so I wouldn't want him to catch anything obviously," Carollo said. "Also too, when I deliver the babies, how do I keep them safe in the hospital, and going forward with this virus that's spreading around."

Carollo has been talking with her doctors who are guiding her through this process.

"They have great, they have provided great moral support to me and just helping me to relax more and telling me it's going to be okay," Carollo said.

She says she just wants to do what is best for her family.

"If I can't have him there, I have to do what I have to do for the health of my babies," Carollo said. "It's a disappointment, you can't be around the people you love around an exciting time."

While gatherings with friends and families have been put on hold, Carollo is looking forward to many celebrations still to come.
March 26, 2020

News

By David Vergun

Defense.gov

Top Navy, Marine Corps Officials Provide COVID-19 Update

The Navy and Marine Corps are taking actions across the force to prevent the spread of COVID-19, containing outbreaks and recovering the force as quickly as possible, acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly said.

Modly, commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Troy E. Black held a Pentagon news briefing today.

The sea services are also working to help American citizens, Modly said.

For instance, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, has set aside a quarantine location for citizens returning from areas affected by the caronavirus, he said.

Currently there are 112 passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship at Miramar, according to today's Pentagon media fact sheet update.

The Navy's two hospital ships are or will be underway, he said.

The USNS Comfort will likely set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, to New York City this weekend and arrive by the early part of next week, he said.

The USNS Mercy is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles tomorrow, according to today's Pentagon media fact sheet update.

Within the Navy, there are currently 104 sailors, 23 civilians, 16 family members and 19 contractors who have tested positive for COVID-19, he said.

Several sailors who have tested positive are aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, he said. Those sailors are being flown off the ship to a Defense Department facility in Guam. All who tested positive show relatively mild symptoms and are recovering.

The Roosevelt is en route to Guam and testing aboard the ship is currently being conducted, he said. None of the crew will be allowed to leave pier-side, he said.

Modly added that despite this the Roosevelt is operationally capable to do its mission if required.

Of Marine Corps personnel testing positive thus far, there are 31 Marines, five civilians, five family members and three contractors, he said.

Total COVID-19 cases for the entire DOD are 280 military, 134 civilians, 98 family members and 62 contractors, according to today's Pentagon media fact sheet update.

Modly outlined some steps the services are taking to reduce risk.

Commanders and supervisors are receiving guidance to help minimize risk to their people and families, he said.

Exercises have been scaled back or canceled, he said, including two in California at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center and the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, in Pickel Meadows.

The services are also practicing social distancing. For instance, public graduation ceremonies at recruit training facilities have been canceled and recruiting is being conducted virtually instead of meeting face-to-face with prospects.

Berger said that although training has been scaled back, it hasn't been halted because the Navy, Marine Corps team "is your force in readiness that has to be ready to respond."

Black said Marines are doing the best they can to minimize risk, including social distancing and practicing good hygiene.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Amid reports of a large number of migrant workers walking towards their homes hundreds of kilometers away, BJP president JP Nadda on Friday asked over 40,000 party workers to help them out.

He also spoke to MPs from Delhi and Mumbai while reviewing relief measures for the poor during the ongoing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a party statement said.

Nadda dispatched 10 food packets for the poor as part of the BJP's announcement that each of its workers will contribute food for a total of five crore needy people daily, the statement said.

The BJP president said his party workers have been coordinating with the local administration to help those struggling to reach their homes and the poor in getting food.

In tackling the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a "true global leader" and shown the way to the world, Nadda said.

He spoke to the party workers and MPs through audio and video conferences and also asked each of them to take care of at least one family with senior citizens, the statement said.

The BJP president has been holding daily meetings with party leaders through audio and video conferences to oversee the party's efforts to help the poor, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police are being inundated with calls from members of the public reporting their neighbours for allegedly violating coronavirus lockdown rules.

But there is confusion over the restrictions, and senior officers confirmed that, despite government guidelines, exercising outside more than once a day is not illegal.

While 999 calls have fallen in recent days, calls to the 101 non-emergency number have risen because of people making the reports and checking the regulations.

Martin Hewitt, chair of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), said officers would respond in a proportionate way.

A number of things we would normally be responding to in terms of big events, pubs and the night time economy, and schools, are not there to respond to, he told a press conference held over video call on Friday.

It demonstrates that there is a sense among the population that this is really serious.

Police officers have been given powers to fine people for breaking public health regulations brought in by the government to prevent the spread of the virus, and arrest people for not complying with orders if necessary.

But there has been confusion over the extent of restrictions on exercise and travel.

Advice on the governments website states that people should only leave home for very limited purposes, including shopping for basic necessities, travelling for work purposes and one form of exercise a day.

Parks and beauty spots have been closed because of overcrowding, and police in Derbyshire sparked controversy by using a drone to film walkers in the Peak District.

But the NPCCs lead for out of court disposals, Deputy Chief Constable Sara Glen, said it was not illegal to drive somewhere for a walk or exercise outside more than once a day.

 Police Federation chair says it's not 'realistic' for officers to enforce all lockdown rules

The law doesnt say once a day, the law doesnt specify what type of activity that would be, she added.

There isnt anything definitively in the legislation that talks about whether people can get in a car to drive to a place and do their exercise.

Ms Glen said the law does stipulate that outdoor exercise can only be taken with other household members and while complying with social distancing measures.

These are unprecedented times and we all will have to make our sacrifices, she added.

We dont want everybody going to the same places to do their exercise. We need a common sense approach.

Fines have already been issued for breaking the new laws, which will be in place for six months and ban gatherings of more than two people not from the same household.

The penalties, which can be increased to a maximum of 960 for repeat offenders, will not be recorded as a criminal conviction.

Senior officers said people will only be arrested as a last resort if they are failing to comply with a direction after having the law and public health risk explained to them.

We are not looking to criminalise people but we have to have some way of enforcing it, Ms Glen said.

We police by consent in the UK and we do not take that lightly.

Police community support officers talk to a man on a street in Brighton during the lockdown (GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty) (AFP)

Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, similar rules will be in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The rules will be in place for an emergency period that must be reviewed at least once every 21 days.

Mr Hewitt, who is leading the British police response to coronavirus, said he was conscious of the damage that perceived heavy-handedness could cause to public relations.

He did not give direct support to Derbyshire Polices use of drones to film walkers, but said busy beauty spots could become a health risk and added: We are not in normal times, we are in a time of national crisis and we need people to adjust their behaviour we dont want places of natural beauty to be packed.

Mr Hewitt said police forces were entitled to use roadblocks to check peoples movements, adding: This is a national emergency, its not a national holiday and its important that people understand that.

Police forces have been issued with guidance on how to enforce the rules, which includes giving support to homeless people, as well as those who cannot safely remain in their homes.

Domestic violence and child abuse are expected to rise while the current measures are in place, and officers are urging victims to continue contacting police, helplines or charities.

Leaders are monitoring changes in crime and demand caused by the dramatically reduced number of people on the streets, closure of pubs and leisure venues, and lack of sporting events.

Mr Hewitt said there had been isolated increases in hate crime against people of Asian appearance, and minor shoplifting and arguments in supermarkets.

There has also been a dramatic rise in coronavirus-linked fraud and online scams, and the use of coughing as a weapon against police and key workers.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Thursday that people who deliberately cough on emergency workers during the coronavirus outbreak will be jailed for up to two years.

Mr Hewitt would not say how many police officers were currently off work because of the outbreak, but said the figure was not close to worst-case scenario of one in five staff.

At the moment across the UK we are comfortably within the margins that allow us to carry out our duties and support work to prevent the virus spreading, he added.

Inevitably there will be things we can no longer do as a police service [but] there are no types of crime we will not longer respond to.

Mr Hewitt said that if falling staff levels mean regional forces have to enact their contingency plans, priority will be given to public order, violence or life in danger and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Voluntary special constables are being released from their day jobs in order to work for the police, and the government is offering incentives for retired officers to return.

Once weve exhausted all of those options  and we are a significant distance from that now  we can use our well-rehearsed arrangements with the military, Mr Hewitt said, stressing that soldiers would backfill rather than take up frontline roles.

Im confident that we will get this right and the vast majority of the public will change their behaviour, and we will only use these new powers with common sense and discretion for a very small minority of people.
Authorities in Kazakhstan said 25 people were arrested Friday during police raids connected to deadly ethnic violence that rocked the country in February

Almaty, Kazakhstan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Mar, 2020 ) :Authorities in Kazakhstan said 25 people were arrested Friday during police raids connected to deadly ethnic violence that rocked the country in February.

Erlik Kenebayev, deputy chief state prosecutor, said those arrested in three parts of the Central Asian country "actively participated" in violence that left 11 dead, mostly members of the ethnic Dungan community.

They are a Chinese Muslim people that fled to Central Asia in the 19th century.

Kenebayev said those detained Friday included ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and Dungans.

"Seven had previous convictions," he added.

In February, hundreds of Kazakh assailants descended on the Dungan village of Masanchi, setting fire to homes and shops and killing livestock.

Clashes in the southern Jambyl region are believed to have begun after an elderly man of Kazakh ethnicity was injured during a street brawl between Kazakhs and Dungans.

It was the worst such violence in nearly three decades since Kazakhstan became independent.

Authoritarian leaders of the oil-rich former Soviet republic pride themselves on preserving ethnic harmony.

Police detentions after the violence sparked protests by Kazakhs who represent around two-thirds of the country's population of more than 18 million people.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked states to immediately strengthen surveillance of international air travellers who entered India between January 18 to March 23 as there appeared to be a "gap" between those being monitored for COVID-19 and 15 lakh arrivals during the period.

In a letter to chief secretaries of all States and Union Territories, Gauba said the gap in monitoring of international passengers "may seriously jeopardise the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19", given that many amongst the persons who have tested positive so far in India have history of international travel.

"As you are aware, we initiated screening of international incoming passengers at the airports with effect from January 18, 2020. I have been informed that up to March 23, 2020, cumulatively, Bureau Of Immigration has shared details of more than 15 lakh incoming international passengers with the States/UTs for monitoring for COVID-19.

"However, there appears to be a gap between the number of international passengers who need to be monitored by the States/UTs and the actual number of passengers being monitored," Gauba said in his letter.

The government had started monitoring of all international passengers who have arrived in India in last two months in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Gauba said,"it is important that all international passengers are put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic."



He said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has repeatedly emphasised the importance of monitoring, and requested the states and UTs to take immediate steps in this regard.

"I would, therefore, like to request you to ensure that concerted and sustained action is taken urgently to put such passengers under surveillance immediately as per MoHFW guidelines," he said.

According to sources, the 15 Lakh figure pertained to only air travellers and not those entering India through seaports or international land borders.

The cabinet secretary also urged the chief secretaries to actively involve the district authorities in this effort. The screening of international incoming passengers at airports was done from January 18 in a phased manner.

The Central and state governments have unleashed unprecedented and extraordinary measures to contain the spread of the fast-spreading coronavirus, which has already infected more than 700 people in the country and claimed at least 17 lives.

A nationwide lockdown was also announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for 21 days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
GREEN BAY, Wis., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Bank announced today a $300,000 commitment to support COVID-19 recovery efforts in its three-state footprint.

The company will donate $150,000 to local United Way chapters in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota to fund community-based programs and support services that provide basic needs.

A commitment of $50,000 each will be provided to the Give to MKE Responds Fund, the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund and the Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund (MDRF) to assist with housing and small business relief efforts.

"The needs of our local communities are escalating rapidly, and these organizations are on the front lines delivering support," said Philip B. Flynn, president and CEO. "Our philanthropic commitments, along with COVID-19 relief measures we are providing our customers and employees, will help our communities during this critical time."

Associated recently announced additional steps being taken to assist consumer and business customers impacted by the economic consequences of COVID-19. Additional details about the Associated Bank COVID-19 Relief Program and other resources available to customers are available at www.AssociatedBank.com/COVID-19.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $32 billion and is one of the top 50 publicly traded U.S. bank holding companies. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from more than 240 banking locations serving more than 120 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, and commercial financial services in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com.

Contact: Jennifer Kaminski

Vice President | Public Relations Senior Manager

920-491-7576 | [email protected]

SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp

Related Links

www.associatedbank.com


Brothels, strip clubs and sex-on-premises venues have been added to the long list of non-essential services closing due to coronavirus but some sex workers in the private escort industry are still touting for business.

In a development police appear powerless to stop, hundreds of advertisements for private sex workers are appearing on popular sites, a number of them citing the extra measures the escorts are taking to provide intimate services safely.

The type of advert sex workers are posting online.

One online ad for a male sex worker in Melbourne reassured clients that hand wash and sanitiser would be provided on arrival. I disinfect all high touch surfaces between each client, the advertisement says.

Another assured customers: "Usually I work for ... just 1-2 customers a day so I don't meet too many people. If you are fine, clean and safe so we're fine."
JOHNSTON, Iowa -- Local officials do not have the authority to issue shelter-at-home orders for their communities, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday, likely ending local debates over whether to take a step seen as drastic but by some as necessary.

This is a new direction since Monday, when Reynolds said at a news conference that local officials could take such action if they felt it right for their communities.

We are working with the Attorney Generals Office and looking at the statute, and right now it appears they do not have the authority to issue a shelter-in-place order, Reynolds said Thursday. That is why we are reaching out to communities on a daily level to walk through with them the metrics we are using to talk them through why we do not think it is necessary to issue a shelter-in-place at this point.

It is not clear why the different message came out Monday. But her message Thursday cleared up confusion for leaders in Linn and Johnson counties who had been grappling with not only whether it was right to enact an order restricting people from leaving home except for essential needs and services, as a number of other states have done, but if it was legal.

In Cedar Rapids, officials are viewing Reynolds order Thursday to shut down most retail and non-essential business through April 7 as a shelter-at-home order without using the politically charged term.

When asked if Linn County medical officials supported shelter-at-home, Tony Myers, a Mercy Medical Center doctor, said the latest orders by Reynolds are essentially all you would get from a shelter in place.

I think that was the right thing to do, Myers said.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart, who had been hesitant on a local order and called on Reynolds to issue a statewide order instead, said he was pleased with Reynolds announcement Thursday. He said local health officials had been telling city officials not enough was being done to stop the spread of the virus.

This goes in the right direction in the short term to slow the spread, he said. If we continue to see the number rise, we will see if she needs to extend the order.

Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker, who been among the most vocal leaders urging local action, said he would not push for local authority without the support of the countys population centers of Cedar Rapids and Marion.

With the additional steps the governor has taken today, she has issued a shelter-in-place order without calling it that, Walker said.

Reynolds staff noted Thursday she has authority to issue an order on a county-specific basis rather than statewide. She has not done that.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is asking Reynolds that she grant the board the power to enact a local order. The countys jurisdiction, however, is limited to unincorporated areas.

There were differing opinions on the board even if it got the power.

If Im going by my gut, I say we need to do this, Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said. If were going by metrics, then were not there yet.

Officials from both the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Mercy Iowa City said during a news conference Wednesday they do not support a local shelter-at-home order.

Mercy Iowa City does not support a shelter-in-place order thats being contemplated, Sean Williams, president and chief executive officer of Mercy Iowa City, said Wednesday. We believe this will disrupt not only our supply chain and our staffing, but also would create anxiety, and in some cases, panic.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 : In a clear case of making mockery of the rules, a junior IAS officer -- Anupam Mishra, who was asked to go in self-isolation in the wake of his recent foreign travel, jumped his quarantine and was later traced to his home in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur city.

Mishra, a 2016 batch IAS officer, recently came to Kollam to take up the charge of Sub Collector. He informed his superior that he had been abroad and was readily asked to go into self isolation at his official residence in Kollam, about 70 kms from, here.

Kollam district collector B. Abdul Nassar told the media on Friday that he has given an explanation that when he was told to go into self isolation, he presumed it was to go to his residence back home in Kanpur.

"This is a violation of protocol and I will submit the report of his act to the State government, who are authorised to take further action," said Nassar.

State Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty, who hails from Kollam district said this is a clear case of a lack of social commitment and hence such deeds take place.

According to reports, Mishra got married recently and returned from Singapore and when his seniors informed him to go into self isolation, as that was the norm for all returning from abroad, he started it at his official residence, last week.

Onn Thursday, the officials found out that he was not present in his official residence at Kollam and after seeking his route map, was traced with the help of police, to Kanpur.

With the District Collector indicating this as a clear cut violation, the State Government will have to decide on what action needs to be taken against him.
By PTI

TEHRAN: The Iranian military has set up a 2,000-bed hospital in an exhibition center in the capital to shore up the local health care system as it battles the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, state TV reported.

It said the new facility, which includes three units and several isolation wards, was set up in just 48 hours.

It will be used for patients who are recovering from the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus.

State TV on Thursday quoted Gen. Ali Jahanshahi, the army's deputy coordinator, as saying the hospital has been handed over to medical staff and will begin receiving patients next week.

Most people infected by the virus only experience mild symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within a few weeks.

But the virus can cause severe illness and death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

It is highly contagious and can be spread by otherwise healthy people showing no visible symptoms.

Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region, with more than 2,200 deaths among nearly 30,000 confirmed cases.

Authorities have urged people to stay home but have not imposed the sweeping lockdowns seen elsewhere in the region.

Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted they have the outbreak under control despite concerns it could overwhelm the country's health facilities.

Iran has been under severe U.S. sanctions since President Donald Trump withdrew his country from Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.

The U.S. has offered humanitarian aid to Iran but authorities have refused.

Earlier this week, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refused American aid and seized on a conspiracy theory that the United States created the virus, something for which there is no scientific evidence.
When Democrats balked this week at the Senate stimulus bill, arguing it attached too few strings to the hundreds of billions in bailouts for corporations and skimped on help for displaced workers, Republicans were quick to denounce the delay as a sordid example of partisan gamesmanship in the face of urgent national need.

They want effectively to mandate quotas on boards of directors, Sen. Ted Cruz said in an angry speech on the Senate floor Monday. What in the hell does that have to do with this crisis?

Arguably, corporate board reform  of which diversity goals are one part  has a lot to do with ensuring billions of dollars in this corporate bailout is better spent than money in the bank bailout of 2008. But lets concede that some Democrat demands  restructuring the postal service debt, for instance  were extraneous and ill-timed. The Republican naivety in pushing a $500 billion bailout without any oversight was also an idea in need of refinement.

Fortunately, the legislative process worked. While Cruz and others were shouting, Democrats kept talking to the White House, and they struck a deal to among other things add an inspector general to monitor how funds are passed out.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Study by UT shows sobering statistics on spread of virus, but also some hope

But where was the same outrage from Cruz and others when Republicans slammed the House version of the stimulus because it didnt include an explicit prohibition on reimbursement for abortions  despite federal law already forbidding that? To paraphrase our senator, what in the heck does that have to do with the coronavirus?

Not a thing. But that same opportunism soon spread far beyond Congress. Governors in Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi and yes, Texas, craftily exploited legitimate orders to delay non-essential medical procedures by slipping in temporary bans on abortion. Some anti-abortion groups applaud Texas for being the only state to actually enforce the ban.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a March 22 order shutting down until April 21 any surgeries or medical procedures not necessary to prevent death or long-term medical consequences to the patient. He exempted procedures that dont take up precious hospital beds or require protective medical gear in short supply.

Abortion should qualify for an exemption. It is an essential component of comprehensive health care, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and seven other medical groups wrote in a joint letter last week opposing the delays. Denying an abortion  even for a month  could have serious, long-term consequences. Theyre normally performed at clinics, not hospitals. A delay only means risking a later-term abortion  a result that helps no one, including, one would think, pro-lifers who say they abhor later-term abortions.

When Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says, as he did Wednesday on Facebook, that abortions can be done later, he is in effect arguing for a scenario that Texas has spent several legislative sessions trying to prevent: later abortions.

Paxton quickly reminded doctors theyd be fined or jailed if they performed abortions under these circumstances.

Of course, mere delay isnt really what Abbott and company are aiming for with this maneuver. Its a shiny new loophole with a permanent goal: to delay long enough to block a woman from accessing her constitutional right to end an unwanted pregnancy.

Those who oppose abortion have every right to wish they lived in a land where it wasnt legal. But thats not America. The Supreme Court declared nearly 50 years ago that women have a fundamental  though like gun rights, not unlimited  right to an abortion. That was upheld by a conservative-led court in 1992 and again in 2016 when the court ruled 5-3 to strike down Texas efforts to make getting an abortions more difficult.

There are valid health considerations for all medical procedures in the face of the novel coronavirus. But pretending a long delay in making abortion services available to women is without serious consequence is farce. Abortion is not a tummy tuck.

Nor is it necessarily even a surgery. Often, its a set of pills.

Nearly 90 percent of U.S. abortions occur in the first trimester. In 2017, medication abortions accounted for 39 percent of all abortions, according to the nonpartisan Guttmacher Institute. But Texas providers say theyve stopped those too, because its unclear if theyre permitted under Abbotts order. Abortion providers sued Texas in federal court this week to block the order.

Cruz did the right thing in voting for the coronavirus bill, and hes to be credited for repeatedly insisting that COVID-19 is a genuine public health crisis. But he and others would find their pious proclamations about keeping politics out of public policy more persuasive if the outrage werent so selective.

Any abortion that a doctor decides can be performed safely should be allowed to go forward. Thats not politics. Its the law.
Having gained valuable experience in successfully treating the country's first COVID-19 case,the Thrissur district administration has chalked out a three-stage plan to face a possible outbreak, including community transmission, of the disease by ramping up infrastructure such as isolation wards and ICU beds.

"A comprehensive three level plan is ready to deal with any emergency situation arising out of a massive coronavirus attack in the district," a district official said.

As per plan A, the district administration has prepared 200 isolation wards in best government and private healthcare centres including Government Medical College Hospital, General Hospital, District hospital and two private private hospitals.

Intensive care units, modern scientific facilities, operation theatres and ventilators are ready in these hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, the District Information Office said.

Plan B is prepared to deal with a second stage of outbreak.

If such a scenario arises, isolation wards are prepared in Taluk hospitals, hospitals in private and cooperative sectors.

Modern facilities including intensive care units are ready in such hospitals to treat the disease.

Plan C is prepared to deal with a likely scenario of community spread of the disease.

In case, if the disease spread in community, isolation wards will be set up in Ayush, Homeo, ESI hospitals and nursing homes in the district.

All basic facilities for treating the disease will be made in such facilities, the District Information Office said.

District Collector S Shanavas said in case if more cases are reported as part of the community spread, Karuna Care Centres will be prepared across the district.

Some 15,000 beds will be arranged in rest houses, auditoriums, hostels, schools and training centres, which would be converted as Karuna Care Centres, the Collector said.

So far 3,000 beds have been identified in such facilities, he said.

India had reported its first case of novel coronavirus in Thrissur on January 31, when a woman studying in China's Wuhan University had tested positive for the deadly virus.

After the first positive case was reported from Thrissur, two other Keralite students from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, had tested positive in Alappuzha and Kasaragod districts.

All of them were discharged after proper treatment at various government facilities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration is sticking with its crowd-friendly waiver of entrance fees at national parks during the coronavirus pandemic, as managers at some parks try and fail to keep visitors a safe distance apart and communities appeal for a shutdown at other parks that are still open.

While the Interior Department agreed this week to requests from local managers of Yellowstone and some other iconic national parks to close, others remained open and newly free of charge. In Arizona, local governments and the Navajo Nation were waiting for an answer Thursday on their request earlier this week for federal officials to shut down Grand Canyon National Park as cases of the coronavirus grow in surrounding areas.

"We think it's just in the best interest of the community, the visitors and the staff," said Lena Fowler, a supervisor in Coconino County, which includes the Grand Canyon. "What we're really concerned about is making sure everyone is safe."

Park officials announced Thursday evening that three of the canyon's most popular trails  Bright Angel, South Kaibab and North Kaibab  were being temporarily closed as of noon Friday, with some other operations being modified.

The National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit group that advocates on park policy issues, called the administration's decision to keep the Grand Canyon open "beyond reckless."

The Trump administration has issued guidelines to Americans urging them to stay at home whenever necessary, skip discretionary travel and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. But critics see the move to keep the parks open as a mixed message with potentially dangerous consequences for virus spread. As jobless rates explode and the death toll surges in the country, the president is also increasingly pushing to convey a rapid return to normalcy.

The National Park Service is deciding whether to shut down individual sites on a park-by-park basis, in consultation with state and local health officials, Nicholas Goodwin, a spokesman for Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, said Thursday.

Goodwin said a decision by Bernhardt earlier this month to waive entrance fees during the pandemic was meant to give a financial break to those visitors who had decided they wanted to go, not to draw people outdoors and together on vistas and trails as coranavirus deaths and illnesses grow.

"It was not meant to create a flood of people to national parks," Goodwin said.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was one of those whose request to close was granted by the Interior Department earlier this week.

There, the number of visitors last week surged over the previous year's figures despite infection risks, with about 30,000 people entering the park each day.

Despite efforts at Smoky Mountains park to protect staff and visitors from COVID-19, including closing restrooms and visitor centers, the park found it impossible to keep people from crowding together in popular spots, spokeswoman Dana Soehn said.

The day after the closure announcement, park officials learned that an employee had tested positive for COVID-19.

"We looked at different models, including closing just the highly congested trails, but in the end, we decided to support the local community efforts to decrease unnecessary travel," she said.

In the Southwest, local health officials for Arches and Canyonlands national parks also urged the park service Thursday to shut down those sites.

Despite orders barring out-of-town residents from staying overnight, hundreds of visitors are still coming to the parks, said Bradon Bradford with the Southeast Utah Health Department. That puts park staff at risk of infection, especially when shortages have left them unable to get items they need to keep the restrooms sanitized, he said.

The small, rural hospital could still be overwhelmed if people get seriously ill, officials said.

Across the United States, deaths from COVID-19 topped 1,200 Thursday, and there were over 80,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. For most people, the 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.

Current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for canceling "all U.S. events of 10+ people" when there is a "minimal or moderate spread of COVID-19 in the community."

Although Vice President Mike Pence said the CDC would be releasing new guidance on national parks and the virus on Thursday, there was no such release, CDC spokeswoman Jasmine Reed confirmed Thursday evening.

Criticism of the Interior Department's delayed response grew Thursday.

"I just don't understand what's going on in terms of the senior leadership," regarding cutting the entrance fees and keeping national parks open, said Kristen Brengel, a senior official with the National Parks Conservation Association.

National parks, including the Grand Canyon, have roads and trails designed to funnel visitors en masse to see views and wildlife, Brengel said. They know they cant keep people safe there, she said.

National Park Service spokeswoman Alexandra Picavet said Thursday that the agency is working with Grand Canyon staff to review documentation the park sent in support of the request to close.

In an email to Grand Canyon staff this week, the park said it included information on the limitations of its public health system, wastewater treatment and emergency responders.

The park gets more than 6 million visitors a year, but it's also home year-round to about 2,000 people, including a small community of Havasupai tribal members. The spread of the coronavirus quickly could overwhelm a small clinic at the national park.

The Navajo Nation, which has 69 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, closed tribal parks, placed restrictions on businesses and issued a stay-at-home order for residents on the vast 27,000-square-mile reservation that extends into Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

"We are experiencing constant traffic through Navajo communities, and we simply cannot afford any additional outbreaks among our Navajo people, non-Navajo residents or those tourists travelling through the Navajo Nation," tribal President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer wrote in the letter seeking the park closure.

___

Ellen Knickmeyer, Felicia Fonseca and Travis Loller of The Associated Press wrote this story. Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Ariz., and Loller from Nashville, Tenn. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report from Salt Lake City.

Text PennLive to 717-745-7532 to sign up to have breaking news and essential updates about the coronavirus delivered right to your mobile device. Data and messaging rates may apply.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Even a small change in how quickly infections spread throughout New Mexico could make a stunning difference in the states coronavirus outbreak, a state health official says.

But its too soon to determine how well the states stay-at-home instruction has succeeded in slowing the growth of COVID-19 infections, though there are signs that people are going out less, according to the state.

Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department, said the math behind the spread of infections demonstrates the potential effectiveness of social-distancing strategies, such as staying at home and limiting trips to essential outings.

If each person with COVID-19 gives it to about one fewer person than they otherwise would, for example, it could add up to thousands of fewer cases in time, he said.

Its a huge difference, Scrase told the Journal.

Scrase offered these examples:

 Starting with a single case, if each person with COVID-19 spreads it to 2.4 other people over three days, a community would end up with 6,340 infections, based on rough estimates, in a month.

Thats a COVID-19 spread rate consistent with no protective measures and unrestrained growth, Scrase said.

 With moderate social-distancing strategies, he said, the growth rate could fall to 1.7 people. Under that scenario, about 202 people would have contracted the disease after 30 days.

 With significant adherence to stay-home policies, the rate of spread could be slowed to 1.3 people. If so, just 14 people would have been infected.

The actual numbers will vary, of course, based on different assumptions and other factors.

But the examples, Scrase said, demonstrate the magnitude of potential outcomes based on what sound like small changes in the rate of spread. In the unrestrained scenario, he said, about 450 times more people end up infected than in the shelter-in-place example.

Thats the idea on flattening the curve, Scrase said.

The goal is to slow the growth rate enough so that hospitals arent overwhelmed with a sudden influx of patients.

Scrase and other New Mexico officials have used a chart called flattening the curve to illustrate the concept. The chart  a version of which the Journal is publishing  isnt a specific projection of cases in New Mexico over a certain period of time.

Instead, its just an example of how different growth rates would allow the state to avoid an unmanageable spike in cases.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, meanwhile, is asking the U.S. Department of Defense to help New Mexico expand its capacity for treating COVID-19 patients. She requested deployment of a 248-bed Army combat support hospital to Albuquerque by April 10 or as soon as possible after that.

Artesia doctors projection

Dr. Marshall Baca Jr. of Artesia  where New Mexico recorded its first coronavirus death Monday  explained in stark terms how easy it could be to overwhelm the health care system.

In a recent letter published by the Artesia Daily Press, Baca said infection rates vary. But as soon as one person tests positive for COVID-19, the community might see, say, 10% of the population catch it within a short period of time, he wrote.

Of the roughly 13,000 people who live in Artesia, he said, that would mean 1,300 infections.

Baca is the medical director of the emergency department at Artesia General Hospital.

It is estimated that 1-2% (up to 8%) of those who are infected will be critical, which equates to approximately 13-26 patients who will require critical care here at AGH, such as use of a ventilator and an intensive-care bed, Baca wrote. Given either number, Artesias medical system does not have the resources to care for that many critical patients and (it) will completely overwhelm our medical resources.

People have a moral responsibility, he said, to take steps to protect the community, including following social-distancing and hygiene recommendations.

Rapid spread in NM

COVID-19 was just detected in December, and there is much scientists dont know about the disease and its spread. Its clear, nonetheless, that the virus is highly contagious.

Scrase said the state is working hard on modeling based on New Mexicos data.

The state announced four confirmed cases of coronavirus March 11. In two weeks, the number jumped to 112.

The number of confirmed cases surged to 136 Thursday after 24 new positive tests came in. Thirteen people are hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, state officials say.

Its difficult to determine the spread of the disease based on positive tests alone. The state Department of Health has warned that there are people with the virus who havent been tested yet.

The more it spreads, Scrase said, the harder it is to track.

For most people, the symptoms are mild to moderate, and they recover within two to three weeks.

Older adults and those with chronic underlying health conditions are most at risk. The Eddy County man who died at Artesia General Hospital fit both categories.

New Mexicans should have a better idea in the next two weeks whether theyve succeeded in bending the curve, Scrase said. But initial evidence reviewed by the state  such as satellite and ground pictures of automobile traffic  is promising.

We believe from motion data shared with us, Scrase said, that there has been a significant drop in population movement and hopefully a resultant increase in social distancing.

If so, he said, that would be a good sign for reducing the spread rate.
To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia each week via e-mail, subscribe by clicking here.

At one point in the classic Soviet comedy whose title translates clumsily as The Diamond Arm, the actor Andrei Mironov breaks out into a song called Bad Luck Island -- with lyrics that, despite tropical references to crocodiles that can't be caught and coconuts that won't grow, seem certain to be about the Soviet Union, no matter what the experts say.

It's a label that Russia has avoided, at least for now, in a world engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic. With thousands of deaths in China and Italy, and hospitals in New York struggling hard to battle a disease that has also killed more than 1,400 Americans, Russia -- with an official death toll of four -- so far seems to have escaped the worst.

That's if you believe the figures reported by the state. Many Russians don't, for several reasons. A poll by the Levada Center found that 24 percent completely distrust the official information about the coronavirus situation that is disseminated in the media, and 35 percent only partially trust it.

The past, distant and recent, is part of the equation. Russians are aware of a long line of lies that includes Chernobyl and stretches long past the Soviet collapse that disaster helped hasten, into -- among other things -- efforts to avoid government responsibility for civilian deaths critics say were caused by bungled rescue operations in terror attacks at School No. 1 in Beslan in 2004 and, two years earlier, at the Dubrovka theater in Moscow, a few kilometers from the Kremlin.

Those arguably bungled responses are among the more grim milestones of President Vladimir Putin's two decades in power as president or prime minister -- the umpteenth recent reminder of which came on March 26 -- the date he was first elected president in 2000, after being made acting president by Boris Yeltsin four months earlier.

Deadly incidents like the Kursk nuclear submarine disaster in 2000 and a fire that killed 60 people at a Siberian mall weeks after his most recent election in 2018, many of them children trapped in a movie theater -- as well as terror attacks in many of the years in between -- presented challenges for Putin. This one is different, because of its potential scale.

And with plans now in place for constitutional changes that will enable him to seek a new term in 2024 if he chooses, and again in 2036, he presumably does not want to bungle it. Not because there's a big risk of those plans being derailed -- given the Kremlin's control over politics and what goes on the TV screen, it would probably take a catastrophic result to do that.

Don't Trust Your Luck

But a substantial defeat at the hands of the coronavirus, real or perceived, could undermine the image he has sought to build as Russia's protector and erode the legitimacy -- and thus the staying power -- of whatever power arrangement he seeks to put in place at or ahead of the end of his current term in the Kremlin.



And so, Putin seems to have set out to avoid a big defeat at the hands of the coronavirus on those two fronts: perception and reality.

He altered his tone this week, sounding less dismissive of the threat. It will pass, he said in an abruptly announced address broadcast live on March 25, and may be over in just a few months, but this will require an effort: "Let's not rely on our good old Russian luck."

Putin used the term "avos" -- which can be translated as luck but may have a slightly different connotation. Picture a mariner, perhaps, facing a giant wave in a small boat, dropping the oars and saying, "We'll make it." A reliance on something at once stronger and fickler than fate.

"Avos" can lead to corner-cutting and encourage the kind of corruption in which an inspector turns a blind eye for a price. As result, it has been cited as a factor in avoidable disasters such as the mall fire the Siberian city of Kemerovo on March 26, 2018 -- two years ago this week.

Putin announced the postponement of a nationwide vote on the constitutional amendments that had been set for April 22. It will be held at an unspecified later date, he said, a tacit acknowledgement that to go ahead with it might have made him seem ready to risk the health of citizens for the sake of his own interests -- the opposite of the protector figure.

'Fake News'

Putin also stepped up measures aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 within Russia, urging most citizens to stay home next week, and cities including Moscow -- which had more than two-thirds of the officially confirmed cases and all three acknowledged deaths -- tightened restrictions on movement and gatherings.

There were signs of a potential lack of foresight, however, such as when the Kremlin declared two days later that people working from home should continue to do so. That adjustment came amid concerns that treating it like a holiday could worsen the spread of the virus and increase the damage to the economy.

As for perception, the state's campaign to shape it began weeks ago.

In one way, this task is easier than in some other cases. Putin has often pointed the finger of blame abroad for problems that a have wracked Russia. In this -- unlike in terror attacks carried out largely by Russian citizens, for example -- the foreign origin of the coronavirus is a fact.

Other parts of the effort to form opinion and control information about the situation surrounding COVID-19 have come in for criticism -- such as using a "fake news" law signed by Putin a year ago to go after some Russians who have questioned the official figures.
Nigerias death toll from the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak has risen to 176, data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has shown.

Nigeria is now battling two deadly diseases: Lassa fever and COVID-19, which has infected 65 people and caused one death.

While COVID-19 is a new global disease with less epidemiological information, Lassa fever has become endemic in Nigeria and the country has battled it annually for the past 50 years.

The NCDC, on Thursday, said since the onset of the 2020 Lassa fever outbreak, the country has recorded 932 confirmed cases and 176 deaths.

Last week, the total number of deaths was 161, meaning 15 people died from the disease within the last week.

Outbreak

NCDC said for reporting week 12, the number of newly confirmed cases decreased from 51 cases in week 11, to 28 cases.

The new cases were reported from 12 states  Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi, Abia, Enugu, FCT, Benue and Gombe.

The gradual reduction of new cases could be as a result of the rains in some parts of the country especially in places with a high burden of the disease.

Lassa fever outbreaks have become an epidemic disease in Nigeria as it is diagnosed all year round. The outbreak peaks in the dry season from November to May.

As at the time of reporting, a total of 4012 suspected cases with 932 confirmed cases (11 probable) and 176 deaths have so far been reported in 125 local government areas in 27 states.

These figures represent the total cases from the beginning of the year until March 22.

Figures from NCDC for the same reporting period in the previous year show that cases this year are higher than what was obtainable last year.

As of the same period in 2019, a total of 1924 suspected cases, 510 confirmed cases and 119 deaths were reported in 74 local government areas in 21 states.

Health Workers

From the report, no health worker newly contracted the virus. This is good news for the health workers as their members are usually susceptible to contracting the disease.

Since January, a total of 34 health workers have been affected.

Cumulatively, from week 1 to week 12, 176 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 18.9 per cent. In total for 2020, 27 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 125 local government areas.

Of all confirmed cases, 72 per cent are from Edo, Ondo, and Ebonyi states.

The predominant age-group affected is 21-30 years and the male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1.2.

Lassa Fever

Lassa Fever is a hemorrhagic disease transmitted by a vector called multimammate rat.

The virus is transmitted from the excreta or urine of the vector to humans, and from humans to humans.

Advertisements



There is also no vaccine yet to prevent the spread of the virus. However, the federal government has said there are ongoing researches to find a lasting solution (vaccine) to the outbreak.

In the meantime, NCDC has advised that anyone suspected of being in contact with a Lassa patient needs to be presented to the health facilities within a period of 21 days.

Symptoms of the disease at early stages are similar to febrile illness such as malaria.

General symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, vagina, anus and other body orifices. It could also present persistent bleeding from sites of intravenous cannulation.

Early diagnosis and treatment increase a patients chances of survival.
The Huntsman Corp., headquartered in The Woodlands, has started to produce an ingredient critical in the making of hand sanitizer around the world, officials reported.

The corporation, which describes its global work as being a, manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals, is the 10th largest employer in the township with 1,039 staff at its global headquarters.

Related: Stafford-based company producing hand sanitizer to aid supplies shortage at Houston hospitals

According to a press release from the company, production will begin on a hydro alcoholic solution that is used to produce hand sanitizer at two different locations in Switzerland.

Huntsman will produce approximately 50 tons of hand sanitizer to donate free of charge to hospitals and pharmacies, which are now facing increasing shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic and constrained supply of the product, officials stated in the release. The first shipment of five tons is expected to be delivered immediately. More production is planned to ensure a stable supply of between three tons and five tons per week as required to help safeguard medical staff, patients and the public.

Peter Huntsman, chairman and CEO of Huntsman Corp., spoke to The Villager on March 25, explaining why the company is helping nations around the world as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow more concerning by the day.

QUESTION: Can you explain what the Huntsman Corporation is doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world?

HUNTSMAN: We produce chemical products that are mostly used in materials as diverse as the aerospace industry, building materials the automotive industryclothing and textile products and precursors for food products. We have never done that (hand sanitizer production) before. The chemistry is rather basic, it is 75 percent alcoholalcohol is actually what kills the viral infectionthe rest of (the ingredients) are really inert ingredients. Weve handled industrial alcohols before as a company. We do work with a lot of industrial grade alcohols which go into a number of food products and industrial applications, but this is the first time weve ever done something like this.

QUESTION: The life of the novel coronavirus on various surfaces  paper products and cardboard, plastics and metals  has been debated recently. Can you discuss what you know of this element of the novel coronavirus and how to disinfect materials?

HUNTSMAN: I am not a chemist, but my understanding is the virus is a relatively fragile virus and it reacts very effectively to both to alcohol and to soap. A lot of viruses, unless you are using an anti-viral or antiseptic soap, a lot of viruses will remain if you are just washing you hands. (Soap), It will break down the outer walls of the virus. I am not a doctor and not a chemist, but our understanding from what I am hearing, detergent materials  if someone can wash their hands with soap, or better yet, an alcohol that contains at least 70 percent alcohol (that is best) from what Ive been told.

QUESTION: When did Huntsman Corporation begin producing the hand sanitizer ingredients outside the United States?

HUNTSMAN: We did this just starting in the last week (in overseas facilities). We can do the same thing in the United States. We can produce the grades and the products, but we do not have a pharmaceutical certification. Hand sanitizer in the United States, from what weve been told, is considered to be a pharmaceutical product, so only pharmaceutical processors can make it. The ingredients are very simple. We could make this in the United States and wed be willing to for free, like we did in Europe, of for free like we did in China. So long as it meets the standards and as long as your equipment is cleaned out and is certified. In Europe, which has a longer lead time (for certification), they were able to do this in a matter of days in Switzerland. It is something we could do in the United States but were unable to due to the certification process.

QUESTION: What is happening to the products you are making right now?

HUNTSMAN: We are not bringing anything into the United States. Everything we produce in China and Europe is being consumed there. We could produce it in the United States (if we were certified). We are not allowed to produce it here and we are not allowed to to bring it here.

QUESTION: Has your legal and certification teams been working with federal officials to clear that hurdle and make hand sanitizer domestically?

HUNTSMAN: Weve made some inquiries, but frankly, the whole process of certification is pretty overwhelming from what I know. It can takes weeks or months to get something done, and I think it is moving incredibly fast compared to what permitting usually takes in this country, which is months or even years. I am not complaining, but you have such a massive industrial base (system) in the United States unlike Europe or even ChinaI would imagine we have multiple times the capacity to make this in the United States. We could do it, but by the time we got the paperwork (for permitting) and paperwork done, I dont if it would make a difference. The United States has an amazing ability (to produce products), looking at things like respirators and all these things being made, and people are asking (President) Trump why doesnt he use the (War Powers Production Act.) There is so much production in the pipeline right now, I imagine well be swimming in respirators and (face) masks in the next month. The production shortages weve seen (around those products) will be long behind us.

QUESTION: How are the distilleries and breweries making hand sanitizer?

HUNTSMAN: Some of them are able to to do it by making some of the precursors. You can make the raw materials (for sanitizer) in your house and sell them to somebody that has the certification to make the final step. A lot of the stuff made out of a brewery, it is the same processyoure really making alcohol. A lot of that will be going into disinfectants. If you want to buy a bottle of disinfectant to wipe down a railing, that is the sort of stuff that does not require a pharmaceutical sort of certification to make those alcohol-grade products.

QUESTION: So, there is a difference between skin-applied hand sanitizer and disinfectant used for hard surfaces?

HUNTSMAN: Yes. Something that you are applying to your skin or putting on your face or you might get into your mouth or on your food, that needs to be a higher certification that something that is being used to clean a door handle, for example.

QUESTION: Are there any other efforts or work Huntsman Corporation is doing to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic around the world?

HUNTSMAN: We are producing building panels and building materials. That hospital in China that was built in four days, that was a lot our products. We make a lot of prefabricated panels and materials. We also created a new product that creates a cloth film that is used to make (face) masks, and that is being used in Asia. We are doing building materials for quick triage centers and we are doing that at cost and some of it we are contributing (for free) or if that makes it goes faster. The materials for masks and hand sanitizers for surgical procedures. I want to make sure it is clear, we are not making money off this. We are not charging for it.

jeff.forward@chron.com
Lucknow, March 27 : The Uttar Pradesh government has now launched the much-needed community kitchen to feed the poor and those stranded due to the lockdown.

The community kitchens began partially on Thursday but became fully functional on Friday.

According to additional chief secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi, "On day one, we prepared over one lakh food packets and distributed them among the needy in the state. Around 15 NGOs and other groups are helping the government while religious groups and other outfits have also offered to join the movement. In the first phase, Lucknow, Agra, Noida and Ghaziabad will have community kitchen." The state government has been distributing essential commodities to the poor and homeless but most of them have problems in cooking food, due to unavailability of kerosene and wood.

Since they are required to stay indoors, arranging for this is a problem.

"The community kitchens will serve food to the homeless and also to people who have bene stranded due to the lockdown," the official said.

Several individuals and social groups, including religious groups, have already started serving cooked food to the people.

Awasthi said that chief minister Yogi Adityanath has also directed that public address systems be fitted on government vehicles so that people could be made aware of the government decisions.

The availability of cooked food will also be announced on the public address system.
Books Reading MyanmarMiss Burma and the Liberal Conscience

The cover of Charmaine Craigs Miss Burma

Miss Burma (2017) by Charmaine Craig is a historical novel that tells the story of Burma from the perspective of a Karen family that was part of Rangoons elite after World War II. The book describes the Karen perspective on mid-20th-century wars in Burma, beginning with the Japanese invasion in 1942 and continuing today. Resonating particularly well is the focus on the betrayals that underlay ceasefire and peace negotiations conducted in the name of liberal democracy starting in the 1940s. This is a reminder that the post-2015 peace industry is not really new to Yangon. As with the various militaries involved in the conflict, the peace negotiators have failures going back to World War II.

Miss Burma describes the backdrop to the violence and peace negotiations in a Burma continually buffeted by foreign influence from Britain, the Japanese invaders and, after World War II, the manipulations of CIA agents. And behind it all is the eerie presence of Burmese strongman Ne Win, who in the course of the novel appears as a brutal interrogator in Insein Prison, a military commander, a manipulator of Rangoons high life, and ultimately the powerful cruel dictator.

In such contexts, the novels protagonists maneuver, are imprisoned, flee, and negotiate peace agreements and ceasefires. They do this knowing that at any moment they can be shot, their body weighted down with chains, and tossed out of a helicopter into the sea. The promises of liberal democracy, seemingly embraced by Karen and Burmese leaders and manipulated by foreigners, are in strange tension with torture, high society, Insein Prison, Miss Burma pageants, movie stardom and exile to remote Karen command posts.

On its surface, Miss Burma is a straightforward story of a prominent Karen family from Rangoon. The family begins as a marriage between a Rangoon Jew, Saw Benson, and a Karen bride, Naw Khin. A daughter, Louisa Benson, is born in 1941. Louisa will go on to win the first Miss Burma pageant in 1956, and in the mid-1960s marries Karen rebel leader Saw Lin Htin (fictionalized as General Lynton in Miss Burma).

Miss Burma really begins in 1938 with the Rangoon romance and marriage of Louisas parents. After betrayal during World War II to pro-Japanese forces, the family escapes to the countryside, and is saved by sympathetic Karen villagers who adopt the Jewish father, and even dramatically rescue him after capture and torture by Japanese soldiers. Following the war, Saw Benson does well in business by mobilizing his Karen family and comrades into a trading and manufacturing company. They become prominent in Rangoons elite Karen circles, at the same time as the Karen become focused on the British betrayal of promises to establish an independent Karenistan.

This leads to the near disintegration of the Union of Burma during the Civil War of 1949-1950 in which the Burmese Communist Party captures the north, the Mujahadin take Arakan, and Karen forces capture Mandalay and advance as far south as Insein. The government under Prime Minister U Nu and army commander Ne Win beat back the invasion at the Battle of Insein, an event still central to the memory of Burmese and Karen alike (though peculiarly missing from the English Wikipedia). Saw Benson ends up imprisoned in Insein Prison as a result.

In the process, readers learn about the elite world of post-independence Rangoon and more betrayals, death, and the ever-present specter of its jailor, General Ne Win. Meanwhile, the Americans play both sides, just as the British did. The CIA is represented by a fictionalized William Young (code-named Hatchet) who supplies the Karen rebels with logistical support, even as the US State Department represented by Ambassador William Sebald supplies the Burmese government with weapons to defeat the Karen and communist insurgencies.

As for Louisa, despite the kidnapping, torture and imprisonment of her parents, she competes in the first Miss Burma pageants, winning as a 15-year-old in 1956 and a 17-year-old in 1958. In the small incestuous world of elite Rangoon, she begins a glamorous but imbecilic film career, and becomes a favorite of Katie Ne Win. Indeed it is rumored that she is a mistress to the dictator himself!

At the height of Louisas movie career, General Ne Win leads his coup of 1962, and Louisa is called on to make propaganda films. In an improbable turn of events, she falls in love with General Lynton of the Karen National Army, a force also sponsored by the CIA. In this context, Western governments entice him into engaging in yet another Rangoon-based peace process with Prime Minister Ne Win in 1962-1963. This is a dangerous game for the Karen military leaders, who are required to go deep into enemy territory to negotiate.

Louisa and Gen. Lynton marry in 1964 and slip into the underground Karen maquis. Lynton is betrayed at a follow-up meeting during the peace process by Ne Wins negotiators. He is ambushed, killed, and his body dumped from a helicopter into the sea. Louisa returns to the maquis to lead his brigade in Karen State for a short time. There she negotiates a truce with other Karen groups. For her trouble her troops are (again) betrayed, and she leaves for the United States to join her father, who has already resettled there through his CIA connections. And that is the anti-climatic end to the novel.

But it is not the end of the story, as we learn from interviews given and articles written by the author Charmaine Craig when Miss Burma was published. Louisa herself receives a marriage proposal from an American and becomes the mother of Miss Burmas author. For indeed, the characters in the novel, while fictionalized, are very much based on historical figures, including the main protagonists, the dictator Ne Win, William Young, Ambassador Sebald, and General Lin Htin/Lynton. Most intriguingly, the Battle of Insein is a real event tooone which is so important in Myanmar history that Aung Zaw in 2009 called it The Battle that Never Ended because it still underpins the ongoing conflict between Naypitaw and the Karen National Union.

And this ongoing Battle of Insein is the real reason expats working in Yangons peace industry today should read Miss Burma. Because indeed, the war with the Karen in eastern Myanmar continues to vex the country. And if the reader revisits the very first page of the novel, there is a quote from an older novel, Graham Greenes The Quiet American (1955). Greenes book explains why the underlying thesis of Miss Burma is not only about Myanmar, but also about the West. While The Quiet American is specifically about the failure of French policy in its Indochina colony, writing in the early 1950s Greene points to Britains retreat from Burma as the best lesson for not only the French, but the Americans as well.

Look at the history of Burma. We go and invade the country: the local tribes support us: we are victorious: but like you Americans we werent colonialists in those days. Oh no, we made peace with the king [Ne Win] and we handed him back his province and left our [Karen] allies to be crucified and sawn in two. They were innocent. They thought wed stay. But we were liberals and we didnt want a bad conscience.

The Americans, British and other Westerners generating policy for Myanmar today are of course still liberals like Greene described, seeking to project their ideas about democracy and free market capitalism into Myanmar. The World Bank, Joint Peace Fund, International Monetary Fund and Western bankers still seek to salve liberal consciences marred by British colonialism and Americas wars in Southeast Asia. The message of Miss Burma, of course, is that the liberal ceasefires, peace negotiations and development projects designed in the West have been tried before, with the only result that peace was again made with the new King Ne Win and his successors from the military and maybe the NLD. And while the West may well blame the current Kings corruption for the failure of their liberal experiments, the costs are ultimately borne by those betrayed.

Tony Waters is Director of the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He works with Burmese, Karen and other students in the universitys PhD program in Peacebuilding. He is also a professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, and author of academic books and articles. He can be reached at [email protected].
A worker at the science center construction site at Williams College says it's impossible to follow the 6-foot separation guidelines on the job.

Williams Shuts Down Construction After Worker Raises COVID-19 Concerns



The North Addition is the second of two buildings in the $204 million project and is replacing the Bronfman Science Center. The South Science Building opened in 2018. Update at 6:04 p.m.: Williams College is shutting down all construction on both the North Science Building and Fort Bradshaw projects as of the end of day Friday. According to an email from Fred Puddester, vice president of finance and administration, "neither of the firms managing these two projects have reported any positive cases of COVID-19 on either work site." iBerkshires.com was forwarded this notification at 5:53 p.m., although the first communication within Williams' departments came nearly an hour before. iBerkshires had requested comment since Thursday morning. Not only are the construction projects being shutdown, Puddester wrote, "starting tomorrow, Saturday, March 27, Weston Field and the college tennis courts will be locked and closed until further notice" in response to reports they are being used without practicing social distancing. _________________________________________________________________________________________ WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  A construction worker who has been employed on Williams College's Science Center North Addition project Thursday took exception with the assertions the college has made about the safety protocols in place at the site.

The man, who we're calling "Bob" to provide anonymity, emailed iBerkshires.com on Thursday morning to challenge the tone of Wednesday's article about a worker associated with the project who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Specifically, Bob refuted the contention that a worker from the electrical construction firm Comalli Group, who has tested positive, had contact with just two other Comalli employees who have been at the Williamstown site.

"It's true that the Comalli employee was never on the job site," Bob wrote. "What they didn't tell you is that Comalli had a company training which the infected employee and all their workers attended. So he obviously was in close contact with everyone in that room."

iBerkshires.com is protecting Bob's identity out of respect for his wish to protect his employer, a subcontractor under Barr & Barr Inc., of New York, the general contractor on the Williams project.

"I don't hold any negative feelings toward my company because their hands are tied," Bob said in a telephone interview on Thursday.

"My company has to fulfill a certain amount of manpower on the job to maintain our contract. If we don't fulfill that, my company can be monetarily fined for not manning the job as needed."

Bob said that such contract provisions are standard in the industry, and agreements generally do not include provisions for circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he believes that his employer and other subcontractors are employed directly by Barr & Barr, not the college.

"It's my understanding it's with Barr & Barr, but Williams College is driving the ship," Bob said.

iBerkshires.com requested a comment from the college about Bob's email through a spokesperson on Thursday morning. As of Friday at 5 p.m., there was no reply.

On Wednesday, the college said it was waiting for a plan from Barr & Barr "showing their actions in response to a more stringent approach from the governor."

"According to the [commonwealth's] guidance, Williams' project is considered essential, and we'll continue to follow the state guidance," Williams College Director of Media Relations Gregory Shook said on Wednesday.

The guidelines, as drafted by the commonwealth and distributed to municipalities, outline a series of protocols that are mandatory on publicly-funded construction projects but still come across as recommendations for private projects like the one at Williams.

On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker indicated that it is up to local municipalities to decide whether the guidelines are being followed on projects, using Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's decision to shut down all construction in Boston on March 16 as an example.

"As long as people act on the guidance that was issued by state agencies and the command center to keep people safe, there's a lot of work that is, in our view, essential to the commonwealth, whether you're talking about housing or transportation or infrastructure," Baker said. "And, by the way, if you look at the federal guidelines on this, infrastructure is right there on the list of things that they consider to be essential.

"But, that said, in the guidelines we issued, one of the things we said is that the act of actually overseeing this stuff needs to be done at the municipal level for municipally-permitted work. Boston and several other municipalities have said  and it's a fair point  that they don't believe they're in a position at this point to do the work that would ensure that those guidelines were being adhered to on the ground on all the projects that are either underway or planned.

"If you think about Boston, in particular ... I am very sympathetic to the mayor's point of view that until he feels comfortable that the act of overseeing and enforcing those guidelines  which we care about a lot, too, because we don't want people working in an unsafe manner  are being adhered too, he's not going to open it back up, and I get that."

The commonwealth's decision to put the onus on local governments presents a challenge to municipalities.

"[North Adams] Mayor [Tom] Bernard and I have shared our concerns directly with the college about minimizing risk to construction workers and their families, our own employees and their families and the communities we serve in light of the escalating conditions within the county and state as well as the challenges our first-responders and health professionals are facing in obtaining critical PPE," Williamstown Town Manager Jason Hoch said. "Williamstown will continue to evaluate how to responsibly and safely allocate our limited staff and protective equipment in light of the college's clear intent to continue construction work and the governor's expectation that local governments now must oversee these expanded safety guidelines."

Bob challenged both the idea that the guidelines are being adhered to on the Science Center site and the notion that the $204 million project is "essential."

"No one has an answer to us of why we're essential," he said. "I get it that we're paying taxes, paying our dues, going to work. At the same time, this Williams College job is a science building for kids who aren't even there and may not even be back there in the fall. And it's a 1-percenter college.

"Is this really necessary?"

Bob also questions why Williams College was one of the first entities in the commonwealth to take steps to have its employees work from home  announcing an end to on-site classes as of March 14  but nearly two weeks later its construction projects go on.

"I don't want to be a real naysayer, but I think it's hypocritical," he said. "Without us, you don't get your new building.  I find it ironic that they were the first to close down and refuse to close the job down."

In his Thursday morning email, Bob said maintaining the 6-foot social isolation guideline on a job site like Williams' is impossible and that Barr & Barr has provided seven portable toilets and two portable hand-washing sinks for more than 100 workers on the site.

He reiterated those points on the phone.

"A construction site is always a Petri dish," Bob said. "In the summer, you're sweating like a pig. It's dingy, dirty, dusty. It's not a great working environment on a regular day.

"Back probably a month or two ago, we had a big flu thing go through our crew. We had four or five guys out with the stomach flu."

And in cold-weather months  like March  the closed-in spaces at the North Addition are heated artificially, Bob said. The warm air is forced through hallways and spaces, potentially carrying viruses between workers even if they are able to stay 6 feet apart.

"The 6-foot rule on construction is impossible," said Bob, who has been in the business more than 10 years. "You'll always be in a room with people not just from your trade but other trades.

"I find it laughable when they say: If you wash your hands and use social-distancing, you'll be fine. The 6-foot rule doesn't work in construction, ever. It's a little aggravating to me."

On Friday, the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health weighed in on Baker's directive on construction projects.

"Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker's March 25 order to resume construction, requiring local authorities to withdraw orders that keeps construction workers safely at home, places profits over people at best, and at worst, is immensely dangerous to workers and the public," MassCOSH said in a news release.

"We are hearing reports from workers on public construction sites that the guidelines the state set out to protect its workers from COVID-19 are not being met," MassCOSH Executive Director Jodi Sugerman-Brozan said. "If these simple steps, which may not even be adequate to ensure worker safety, cannot be implemented at public work sites, how can we be sure they are being implemented by the private sector? The best course of action is to stop all non-essential work and ensure workers are being compensated for hours they would have been on the job."

Bob said he has reached out to unions that represent tradespeople on the college's site.

"Basically, what I've gotten is: They're looking into it," he said. "I think their hands are tied as well. They have obligations to the state and towns and colleges."

In the meantime, he said, workers like him feel stuck and uncertain about the threat to their health.

"Construction workers, to me, are being neglected, being overlooked and expected to carry on no matter what the circumstances," Bob said. "We have families. We're normal people.

"I think people sometimes have a bad perception of construction workers. Nine out of 10 of the guys are good dudes just trying to provide for their families."
Other than trying to salvage for future financial investment, this move confirms the potential growth of businesses in the future, even though currently the difficulties are more palpable and unpredictable.

Stocks at bottom

The stock market is experiencing the sharpest decline week in twelve years since the global recession of 2008, with investor sentiment severely affected after many infected cases of Covid-19 were detected in the country, added by the US stock market dropping to a record low after world oil price plummeted. As of 16 March, the VN Index dropped by nearly 205 points, about 21.2%, compared to the beginning of the year, and market capitalization dropped by VND 1,600,000 bn or USD 68 bn. Foreign investors were also quite pessimistic, with total net selling value by foreign investors from the beginning of the year touching VND 4,200 bn.

Unusual movements in the stock market have caused shares of listed companies to be strongly affected. Many stocks assessed at having good fundamentals in recent years have dropped to bottom. Some cases in point are, Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corporation-Sabeco (SAB); Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company-Vinamilk (VNM); PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Services Corporation-PVDrilling (PVD); Quang Ngai Sugar Joint Stock Company (QNS); Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Joint Stock Company (BSR); Hoa Phat Group JSC (HPG); Saigon Thuong Tin Real Estate JSC-TTC Land (SCR); NoVa Land Investment Group Corporation-Novaland (NVL); Thanh Thanh Cong JSC-Bien Hoa (SBT); Tien Phong Plastic JSC (NTP); Mobile World JSC (MWG); An Phat Xanh Plastic Joint Stock Company (AAA); Gemadept JSC (GMD); Refrigeration Electrical Engineering JSC (REE); and Dat Xanh Group JSC (DXG).

Shareholders rush to buy

Up to now, internal shareholders of dozens of enterprises have registered to buy 60 million shares, equivalent to VND 1,400 bn. In particular, HPG internal shareholders have registered to buy the largest number of shares. According to an announcement, Mr. Tran Vu Minh, son of Mr. Tran Dinh Long, Chairman of HPG Board of Directors, registered to buy 20 million HPG shares worth VND 394 bn. However, the enterprise with the largest registered share value is REE and Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Thanh, Chairwoman cum General Director, has registered to buy 15 million shares worth VND 454.5 bn.

Among the list of internal shareholders registering to buy shares in large quantities include Ms. Tran Thi Thoan, Standing Deputy General Director of AAA, who registered to buy 5 million shares worth VND 55 bn; Mr. Bui Thanh Nhon, Chairman of NVL Board of Directors, registered to buy 5 million of NVL shares valued at VND 255 bn; and Mr. Dang Quoc Minh, Chairman of Board of Directors of NTP, has registered to buy 1 million shares of NTP.

Recently, several SBT board members have registered to buy a large amount of stock. Specifically, Mr. Pham Hong Duong, the Standing Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, registered to buy 1 million shares, raising the ownership rate to 0.61% of charter capital; Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngu, General Director, registered to buy 1 million shares, in order to increase the ownership to 0.71%. In addition to these two senior leaders, several SBT Board members also registered to buy about 2.5 million shares. Thus, the total number of shares bought by SBT management board was 4.5 million valued at VND 68 bn. Similarly, many SCR board members registered to buy 5 million SCR shares worth VND 22 bn.

Rare opportunity

Explaining the acquisition of internal shares to increase the ownership rate, an SBT leader said that this is a good time for long-term investment. According to him, in addition to the positive prospects of the industry as world experts have analyzed, SBT also has the advantage of being a pioneer in attracting foreign strategic investors. In addition, SBT currently dominates the domestic market share, expanding into the export markets and diversifying in products such as sugar, and cooperating with big names in Europe and Asia to develop an agricultural product chain.

Leaders of many listed companies have bought shares, showing their determination for a long-term commitment as well as contributing to the strategies set forth and other corporate governance activities in the future.

Ms. Tran Thi Thoan is of a similar opinion that the purpose of registering to buy 5 million AAA shares is for long-term financial investment. This is really a very wise investment, because AAA is trading at an extremely attractive price, especially as businesses have now many opportunities to increase exports to the European market. According to investors, the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will reduce the tax on AAA goods exported to the European market from 3% to 0% in the first year. Currently, the European market accounts for 50% of AAA export revenue.

This tax reduction will be very meaningful for businesses, when the net profit margin of AAA thin film packaging will be 6%. In addition, AAA will benefit slightly more compared to its Chinese rival due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has plagued the industrial production in China, while AAA mostly uses raw materials imported from Middle Eastern countries.

Before registering to buy 5 million NVL shares, Mr. Bui Thanh Nhon bought more than 9.3 million NVL shares already. If the transaction is successful, Mr. Nhon will hold 206 million NVL shares worth 21.25% of the charter capital. Mr. Nhon's continuous accumulation of stock, besides for purpose of financial investment, will also place him strongly as a major shareholder and investor in the business.

Translated by Khoa Anh



Hai Ho
Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, speaks at a symposium on strengthening and improving legislation and revision of existing laws in public health, which was held by the NPC Standing Committee, in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu has called for efforts to strengthen and improve legislation and revision of existing laws in public health.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks at a symposium held by the NPC Standing Committee.

Li underlined the importance and the urgency of improving public health legislation and law revisions to guard against major public health risks in light of the weak links exposed in the coronavirus outbreak.

Stressing the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and a people-centered approach, Li called for enhancing law-based governance capacity in public health.

Li said a coordinated mechanism for legislation and law revision and a special task group should be set up to review the implementation of relevant laws to push for scientific and effective legislation and revisions.

Advice and suggestions put forward to address the problems revealed in epidemic response, in particular, should be taken into consideration, he added.
Washington DC [USA], Mar 27 (ANI): Democracies like the United States and India should lead the effort around the to combat the coronavirus pandemic, Morgan Ortagus, the spokesperson for the US State Department said on Thursday.

"Other democracies that are joining us in this fight, and this time for all of us, are fully transparent into doing our best practices, this is a pandemic and this won't be the last one. We have had SARS, Ebola, and now COVID-19. I think it's upon democracies like America and India to lead an effort around the world," Ortagus said.

"America and India have close ties, we have many Indian-Americans, many people who live and go back and forth between our two countries and it is certainly helpful when we have countries like India and South Korea fighting this together," she added.

Talking on India's decision to impose nation-wide lockdown, Ortagus said: "The United States is super supportive of the fact that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is taking it so seriously and putting the lives of the Indian people first."

"The United States was one of the first countries in the to stop travel from China and later to Europe. Some of those decisions were controversialist in hindsight, now the sees that they were incredibly timely. State Department had also issued a level four travel advisory, we were urging Americans not to travel overseas," she added.

Answering a question on visa restriction imposed by the US due to the outbreak, she added: "In the middle of a pandemic, people are going to be nervous, especially if they are on this non-immigrant status. They should talk to the authorities. The authorities are going to work carefully with all visa holders to make sure that no one is penalized."

On the issue of collaborating with India to combat COVID-19, she said: "US Secretary Micheal Pompeo has been talking with India's external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and we are focused on how to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies. Also, we are making sure that the people of our two countries remain as healthy as possible. This is obviously a global pandemic of a scale that we have never seen before."

Over the possible trade of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved COVID-19 testing kit, she said: "We are working incredibly closely on the government and private sector. The scientists of the two countries are collaborating on medical equipment and supplies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr. Bret Marsh Honored with Prestigious Service Award

Dr. Bret Marsh (PU DVM 84), Indiana State Veterinarian, received the National Pork Boards Distinguished Service Award at the 2020 National Pork Industry Forum.

In recognition of his persistent pursuit of improved animal health, Indiana State Veterinarian Bret Marsh (PU DVM 84), recently was awarded the National Pork Boards Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented annually at the National Pork Industry Forum to recognize an outstanding leaders lifelong contribution to the pork industry. Dr. Marsh received the award March 5 in Kansas City, Mo., during the forums annual business meeting.

Bret has transformed the way producers work with government officials on regulatory issues, said David Newman, National Pork Board president and a producer representing Arkansas. What he was able to do in Indiana, and then transfer to a national level, has not only improved animal health and well-being, but his efforts have elevated the industrys working relationship with state and federal government agencies. Click here to view a video about Dr. Marshs award that includes excerpts of interviews with David Newman and Purdue alumnus and swine practitioner Dr. Max Rodibaugh (PU DVM 77).

Dr. Marsh grew up in rural Indiana and attended Purdue University, where he earned both his bachelors degree in animal sciences and his DVM degree. After graduating in the DVM Class of 1984, he began his career in regulatory medicine as the director of swine health programs at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health and was appointed as the state veterinarian in 1994.

Dr. Marsh has served as a leader in multiple aspects of the pork industry, including co-chairing a working group to address influenza in exhibition swine, participating on a special detail to the U.S. secretary of agricultures homeland security staff, serving on both the national PEDV Task Force and the National Swine Disease Council, and helping make Indiana one of the first states to implement mandatory premises identification.

Writer(s): Maya Sanaba, PVM Communications Intern | pvmnews@purdue.edu
Columbus Ohio Police is looking for someone who is very much looking to have a lot of fun at his house while Ohios stay at home order is in effect.

The police department is taking to social media to see if anyone can recognize this guy who stole over $1,500 worth of condoms from a Columbus CVS on March 17th.

CONDOM THIEF-KNOW HIM? (Ohios stay at home order is in effect-but really-a criminal taking advantage? We want you to be safe-but this? It's a felony.) 3/17/20@12:20pm suspect walks into CVS@Morse Rd. & stole $1,500+ worth of condoms. CPD:614-645-1433 jbrown@columbuspolice.org pic.twitter.com/rMxdUmvgIV  Columbus Ohio Police (@ColumbusPolice) March 27, 2020

In the surveillance video, the guy brought a garbage bag and filled it with boxes and boxes of condoms. And then after that, he walked out of the store with the bag in hand.

Props to the guy for wanting to practice safe sex and if youre going to be stuck at home for the foreseeable future and you have a willing partner at home, eventually youre going to get tired of watching Netflix all day. But at the same time, you still shouldnt steal condoms so if anyone recognizes him, they should probably reach out to police.
Manipur minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh resigned as a legislator on Thursday, eight days after the Supreme Court restrained him from entering the state assembly.

I have the honour to say that I am willing to resign from the membership of 11 Manipur legislative assembly in respect of 7-Andro assembly constituency with immediate effect ie today the 26th of March, 2020, Singh wrote in a letter to the assembly Speaker Y Khemchand Singh.

A division bench of the top court headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman had on March 18 restrained Shyamkumar from entering the assembly and had also stripped him from remaining a minister.

The order came after the assembly Speaker Singh failed to decide on the disqualification petition on grounds of defection pending against Shyamkumar within the four-week period stipulated by the Supreme Court.

Shyamkumar, who won as a Congress candidate from Andro in the 2017 assembly election, immediately switched sides to join Manipurs first Bharatiya Janata Party-led government headed by N Biren Singh.

He was the minister for housing and urban development, town planning, forest and environment, horticulture and soil conservation.

Incidentally, Shyamkumars resignation came two days prior to the verdict on his disqualification case pending before the Manipur assembly Speakers tribunal.

I submitted the resignation to the Speaker at 2:20pm on Thursday. I have not been intimated whether he has accepted the resignation. I have informed the chief minister about my decision and with his advice, I tendered the resignation, Shyamkumar said while speaking over the phone.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Dr. Lin is board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Samuel Lin a renowned nose expert in the Boston market, is continuing his partnership with the esteemed Haute Beauty Network.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusive and luxurious lifestyle publication Haute Living, is privileged to continue its partnership with Dr. Samuel Lin as Boston plastic suregeon and a partner of the Haute Beauty members-only network.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors. The invitation-only exclusive publication maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading aesthetic surgeons located in their area.

Visit Dr. Lins Haute Beauty profile: https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/member/samuel-lin/

ABOUT DR. SAMUEL LIN:

Dr. Samuel Lin is a double board certified Plastic Surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School who practices in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Lin received his Bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University and was enrolled in the Honors Program for Medical Education at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. He then completed a five-year-residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery followed by a three-year-residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. This was followed by a one-year fellowship appointment in Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery at the world-renowned University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Throughout the course of his training, Dr. Lin gained state-of-the-art skills in a multitude of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures with his background in Head and Neck Surgery providing him with additional expertise in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Lin is board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. For all physicians who train in the United States, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the gold standard for physician certification in the United States and has only 24-member boards. Dr. Lin is board certified by two ABMS boards. He is Program Director of the BIDMC-Harvard Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency, and Co-Director of the Harvard Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Fellowship at BIDMC. He serves as an Associate Editor on the Editorial board for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the main journal for plastic surgery. Dr. Lin, his team, and his collaborators regularly publish scientific papers in the literature to further knowledge about plastic surgery and other topics. Dr. Lin is an active Board Member of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Bright Pink Foundations. Dr. Lin is active in both basic science and clinical research with a focus on face/neck/nose surgery (rhinoplasty), breast surgery (reduction, lift and reconstruction), and body contouring. He collaborates with engineers, scientists, and other plastic surgeons at other institutions within the New England area, nationally, and internationally. He is the editor of several medical textbooks including Aesthetic Atlas of the Head and Neck, Atlas of Body Contouring, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Pearls of Wisdom and Pearls of Wisdom Second and Third Editions. He was recently awarded the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) Academic Scholar Award. Dr. Lin is committed to mentoring both medical students, residents, and fellows (national and international) who rotate in the Division of Plastic Surgery at BIDMC. For his efforts, Dr. Lin was awarded the recipient of a Mentoring Award, by Harvard Medical School through a special nomination process which is sent out to all Harvard faculty members, house officers, fellows and students. He has been a Boston Top Doc for several years in plastic surgery.


Teachers, cafeteria workers and other public school employees can generally expect full paychecks even if classrooms remain closed for the rest of the school year because of the coronavirus, officials said Friday.

Gov. John Bel Edwards on March 13 ordered schools closed until April 13 to help slow the spread of the virus.

Most schools are set to end classes around the third week of May, and Edwards has said days lost because of the current closure will not have to be made up.

Federal officials have also approved the cancellation of key standardized tests and other annual accountability measures.

Feds approve state request to cancel key exams The U. S. Department of Education has approved the state's request to shelve standardized tests and other accountability measures because of t

Whether schools will re-open on April 13 is unclear, especially amid the rising number of positive coronavirus tests in Louisiana, most notably in the New Orleans area.

But schools continue to be funded by the state through a $3.9 billion financing plan approved by the Legislature last year that began July 1, 2019 and ends June 30, 2020.

Mike Faulk, executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, noted that many teachers and other employees are working under year-long contracts. "And they are still working," Faulk said.

A state survey shows that 39 of the state's 69 school districts are offering distance learning during the closures.

+2 During coronavirus closures, just over half of Louisiana school districts offering online classes Just 39 of 69 public school districts in Louisiana are offering "distance learning" during the closure of classrooms because of the coronaviru

Others are providing printed materials for students aimed at keeping them engaged in academic work despite the interruption of traditional classes.

Shane Riddle, director of legislative and political affairs for the Louisiana Association of Educators, said online classes have forced teachers to undergo new training and professional development.

Lack of internet means some Louisiana students will be released during coronavirus closures Some educators on Monday began the herculean task of trying to deliver instruction to 719,000 students sent home because of the coronavirus am

Riddle said custodians and other school employees have been put to work cleaning and sanitizing schools.

Keith Courville, executive director of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, said Friday paying educators now will allow them to quickly resume their duties when classes resume. "We have to value educators and school employees and that means paying them through this ordeal," Courville said in an email.

The state Department of Education has said a school system's personnel director and legal counsel can help answer questions about pay.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

That includes possible limitations on what school staff can be ordered to do, paying hourly and part-time workers and paying workers time and a half for any hazardous duties.

Pay for college faculty is expected to continue normally after schools closed for the spring semester in favor of online classes.

"They are working remotely and delivering coursework from their online platforms," said Meg Casper Sunstrom, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Pay for public school employees is usually split into two tiers.

Louisiana's roughly 50,000 teachers and other certificated personnel make up one group.

Cafeteria workers, school bus drivers, aides and others make up the other one.

Last year the Legislature approved $1,000 pay raises for teachers and $500 for school support workers.

Faulk said if schools are to resume on April 13 superintendents and others need to know that soon.

"They are wondering because you know we are going to be about two weeks away from the deadline to go back but if they have to stay at home how do you prepare?" Faulk asked.

Edwards on March 22 issued a stay-at-home order, with some exceptions, for most state residents except for employees regarded as critical to certain industries, including health care.

Louisiana issues statewide stay-at-home order to combat coronavirus spread; see details here Gov. John Bel Edwards issued Sunday a statewide "stay at home" order until April 12, requiring Louisiana residents to shelter in place unless 

That directive took effect March 23 and lasts at least until April 12.

Superintendents are having conference calls twice a week with officials of the state Department of Education.

Caroline Roemer, executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, said employees of those schools can also expect regular paychecks.

"Some charters that have hourly wage employees are paying those employees based on the average number of hours they have worked in prior months," Roemer said in an email.

Charter schools are public schools run by non-governmental boards, and without many of the limits placed on traditional public schools.
Sadly, it took a pandemic of epic proportions to reconfirm with the consuming public what we knew all along: Farmers and their employees rank among the worlds superheroes. As most Americans self-isolate in their homes, those of us on the front lines of our food supply system soldier on, often working 12-hour-plus days to ensure humanitys health and wellness during this global crisis brought on by the coronavirus.

If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule, said the directive from U.S. President Trump. You and your employees should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work, continued the concise two-page edict entitled Coronavirus Guidelines for America issued as our nation began throwing everything it had against this virus.

Those CDC guidelines  as in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  include practices involving good hygiene. Regular hand washing and disinfection are just the first steps to keep this virus at bay. We all know our farms present unique challenges that require additional action. We highly encourage you to read What dairy farmers must know about COVID-19. The authors from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston detail 15 on-farm strategies to counter this persistent bug, which can survive on stainless steel for up to two days and on plastic for another day longer.

Nutrition and human health interlocked

Food and farmers matter so much in this battle because nutrition and human health are interlocked. Well-nourished people are far more likely to have strong immune systems that can eventually overcome infections of this nature. In fact, much of the worlds modern-day prosperity can be attributed to our safe, affordable, and abundantly available food supply  a supply too often taken for granted by the rank and file.

Less than a century ago, foodborne illnesses and contaminated water supplies were the death knell for poorly nourished people. During World War II, American farmers literally fed the Allied forces and saved the worlds war-ravaged citizens by keeping supply chains full of food.

The world needs its farmers

Once again, government leaders are asking farmers and all those in agriculture to go far and beyond the call of duty to keep people fed. Gods blessing to you during this endeavor. We pray that you, your families, and employees stay safe during this unprecedented time.





To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Special Intel 2020

March 26, 2020
[March 27, 2020] Pondera Solutions, a Serent Portfolio Company, Has Been Acquired

Serent Capital, a San Francisco and Austin based private equity firm focused on investing in high-growth technology and services businesses, announced that its portfolio company, Pondera Solutions, a cloud-computing solution that combats fraud, waste, and abuse ("FW&A") in government programs, has been acquired by Thomson Reuters (News - Alert), a leading provider of business information services. Founded in 2011, Pondera focuses on leveraging the power of data, advanced analytics, and human intelligence to combat FW&A. With its suite of solutions, Pondera has helped clients prevent and collect hundreds of millions of dollars in improper payments. Pondera and its FraudCaster platform have been recognized on Government Technology Magazine's GovTech 100 list for five consecutive years. "Pondera Solutions has built a unique platform and company over the last nine years - one that leverages innovative technologies to drive meaningful impact for its customers and their communities," statd David Kennedy, Partner at Serent Capital. "It has been an honor to collaborate with Pondera as it has grown since partnering with Serent. Thomson Reuters is a great home for Pondera's next chapter as a growth company."



Stewart Lynn, Partner at Serent Capital, added, "We continue to have a strong belief and focus in the government technology market, especially during these times when governments collaborate, communicate, and work to support our communities in a digital world." Shea & Company served as a financial advisor and Choate, Hall & Stewart acted as legal advisor for Pondera Solutions.

About Serent Capital Serent Capital invests in growing businesses that have developed compelling solutions that address their customers' needs. As those businesses grow and evolve, the opportunities and challenges that they face change with them. Principals at Serent Capital have firsthand experience at capturing those opportunities and navigating these difficulties through their experiences as CEOs, strategic advisors, and board members to successful growing businesses. By bringing its expertise and capital to bear, Serent seeks to help growing businesses thrive. For more information on Serent Capital, visit www.serentcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005052/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
WASHINGTON  Faced with a torrent of criticism from cities and states that have been pleading for help to deal with the most critically ill coronavirus victims, President Trump announced on Friday that the federal government would buy thousands of ventilators from a variety of makers, though it appeared doubtful they could be produced in time to help hospitals that are now overwhelmed.

His announcement came shortly after authorizing the government to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act, a Korean War-era authority allowing the federal government to commandeer General Motors factories and supply chains, to produce ventilators.

It was the latest example of Mr. Trumps mixed messages about how to ramp up production to meet a national crisis. Just 24 hours before, he had dismissed the complaints of mayors and governors who said that they were getting little of the equipment they needed for an expected onslaught of serious cases. And this week he praised companies that  General Motors included  were rallying to help provide necessary equipment.

But he turned on G.M. on Friday, accusing it of wasting time and seeking to rip off the government. Our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course, the president said.
Darq Stainz, a Seattle resident whose wanderlust compels him to consider the entire earth as home, has published his latest book The Change: a gripping and potent tale that keeps the pages turning until the thought-provoking conclusion.

The Change is an engrossing adventure saga whose central character, Orchid, has the unenviable task to somehow assure that a small diverse segment of the human race survives an upcoming catastrophe, thus assuring the continuation of the Homo sapiens line.

Published by Page Publishing, Darq Stainzs engrossing book is an excellent choice for avid science fiction readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase The Change at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
It was the second week in March when my wife Kathy and I led a bird photography tour to Costa Rica, where we found a keel-billed toucan.

The bird riveted our groups attention as their cameras fired off one shot after another. Rightfully so. Of all the toucans in Central America, none but the keel-billed toucan has a resplendent beak of yellow, orange, green and red.

Nicknamed the rainbow billed toucan, the big bird is about 20-inches long and has a bulky 8-inch-long beak thats shaped like the keel of a boat. Absent its elegant beak, the ink-black toucan wouldnt be photogenic.

But thats not the bird I want to tell you about.

We also saw a Montezuma oropendola, another camera-friendly 18-inch-long bird. It has a chestnut-colored body with a 3-inch-long, dagger-shaped beak thats dark on the first half and shimmering orange on the second half, toward the tip.

The birds first name honors the Aztec ruler Montezuma II, and the second name comes from the Spanish words oro for gold and pendulo for pendulum. The bird flashes a golden tail and uses grass fibers and leaves to weave an elongated stockinglike nest that hangs like a pendulum from a tree limb.

The birds build bunches of nests dangling close together in the same tree.

More Information Neotropical songbirds Billions of neotropical songbirds will migrate through Houston over the next six weeks. They include such birds as warblers, tanagers, orioles and ruby-throated hummingbirds. They spend winters in Central America and South America and breed in North America. They migrate at night to avoid predation from hawks and to take advantage of cool nighttime air that helps prevent loss of body heat. Millions die during migration due to exhaustion, severe storms and collisions with lighted buildings and cellphone towers. See More Collapse

Youd never guess that a great-tailed grackle in downtown Houston is in the same Icteridae bird family as the Montezuma oropendola.

Yet thats not the bird I want to tell you about either.

Costa Ricas national bird, the clay-colored thrush, is ubiquitous. The birds plumage is  well  clay colored. It otherwise looks like our American robin, which is also a thrush, only we call it a robin.

Nope, thats not the bird I want to tell you about.

Instead, I would like to introduce you to the Tennessee warbler, a sparrow-size bird frenetically feeding in the trees of Costa Rica. With matte-gray and green-yellow plumage, the bird cannot be called photogenic. But it can be called a champion migrant.

It travels about 1,500-miles from Latin American wintering grounds to North American breeding grounds. The trip includes a 600-mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico from Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula to our region, where it will rest and feed before continuing its journey north.

Quite a feat for a bird weighing less than four pennies. It might even sojourn in your yard during the coming weeks.

Gary Clark is the author of Book of Texas Birds, with photography by Kathy Adams Clark (Texas A&M University Press). Texasbirder@comcast.net
Kirkland Lake, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - RJK Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: RJX.A) (OTC: RJKAF) ("RJK" or "the Company") has received the results of the Company's 2019 kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) summer sampling program, which visually illustrates the 0.25-0.50mm grain size contoured KIM trains within the Bishop North Lorrain claim block. Overburden Drilling Management processed 107 till samples with table weights normalized to 10kg per sample. KIM results were separated into five types - eclogitic garnets, G9 and G10 garnets, chrome diopsides, ilmenites, and chromites for presentation purposes. The highest result was 322 total KIMs taken down-ice of Little Grassy Lake, 37 of which were eclogitic garnets generally believed to originate deep within in the mantle, and 94 G9 and G10 garnets, which traditionally are used to determine favourable kimberlite sources with diamond potential.



Nipissing Diamond Project



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1526/53882_c7900bed5421dbb5_001full.jpg

KIM maps separating each type of indicator from the 2019 sampling program have been posted to RJK's website: https://www.rjkexplorations.com/bishop-north-lorrain-kim-maps/

The winter drilling program is currently focused on following up on a drone magnetic low target located under Grassy Lake, which is 500 meters up-ice from the highest KIM's in the dispersion train.

Project Manager Peter Hubacheck explained, "Of the various methods of determining kimberlite drill targets, KIM sampling is crucial in our multi-disciplinary approach, helping us to prioritize potential kimberlites that might contain diamonds. The 2019 KIM train results confirm our belief that the North Lorrain block of the Bishop Claims contains high priority targets in RJK's search for the source of the Nipissing Diamond. It is particularly interesting that the tight corridor with the highest KIM results in the North Lorrain claim block transects an exact line with the location of the century-old trench, discovered where the historical wagon road was plotted connecting Paradis Bay to the silver mines of Cobalt."

Additionally, a 25kg sample of the 2019 Paradis Pond drill core has been sent to CF Mineral Research Ltd. ("CFM"). CFM is owned by Dr. Charles E. Fipke, who found the "Ekati" kimberlite pipes that became the first diamond mine in Canada. Tony Bishop and the Project Manager, Peter Hubacheck, relogged the four 2019 Paradis diamond drill cores in detail and identified potential kimberlite indicator minerals leading to further investigative work and the decision to have the core analysed by CFM. A 25 kg sample was sent to CFM for heavy mineral separation, grain picking, microprobe analysis, and caustic fusion testing for diamonds. The indicator mineral and diamond results of the 25kg sample are pending.

A larger bulk sample of approximately 250 kg's, from the 2020 Kon kimberlite drill program, is being prepared for shipping to CFM for analysis contingent on availability of truckers affected by any government guidelines during the CV-19 event.

The Company's 2020 spring sampling program will focus on several areas with transects between the Montreal River Fault proximal to the Kon 1 kimberlite discovery and the Cross Lake Fault proximal to the KIM dispersion trains identified on the Bishop property. This work is intended to expand on previous positive KIM sampling results and narrow-in on kimberlite drill targets.

Mr. Peter Hubacheck, P. Geo., Project Manager for RJK and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 has approved the technical disclosure in this release.

Contact Information

Glenn Kasner, President

Mobile: (705) 568-7567

Email: info@rjkexplorations.com

Web Site: https://www.rjkexplorations.com/

Company Information: Tel: (705) 568-7445

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, statements concerning future mineral exploration and property option payments. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "propose" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this news release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in this news release include, but are not limited to, the financial resources of the Corporation being inadequate to carry out its stated plans. RJK assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53882
Coronavirus India: In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in India followed by a nationwide lockdown, RBI has announced a moratorium of 3 months on payment of all outstanding loans. He also assured all depositors of commercial banks, including private sector banks, that their funds are safe.

After the announcement of the Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak in India, the RBI has allowed some relief for middle-class and salaried individuals who have taken term loans. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das allowed banks and NBFCs a moratorium of 3 months on payment of EMIs on outstanding loans.

While the RBI announcement is not binding on banks, it is upto individual banks and NBFCs to pass on the moratorium of 3 months to loan holders concerned. In the best case scenario, no EMIs will be deducted over the next three months. The EMIs will resume as usual after three months. Das announced that RBI has quarantined 150 members, including its staff and service providers as well as IT facilitators, as part of their Business Continuity Plan. He further assured that that the funds of all depositors of commercial banks, including private sector banks, are secure.

Responding to the steps taken by RBI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that RBI has taken taken giant steps to safeguard Indian economy from the impact of COVID-19. These steps will help improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds and help the middle class and businesses. BJP President JP Nadda said that the government is taking all the necessary steps to help citizens in the time of crisis. He also welcomed RBIs decisions to slash down repo date, reverse repo rate and cash reverse ratio along with a moratorium of 3 months as progressive and timely measures.

Also Read: Coronavirus India: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package for urban and rural poor, guarantees Rs 50 lakh medical insurance cover for health care workers

Indian banking system is safe and sound. In recent past #COVID19 related volatility in stock market has impacted share prices of banks as well resulting in some panic withdrawal of deposits from a few private sector banks: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das pic.twitter.com/sONvTV6ug4  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

It would be fallacious to link share prices to the safety of deposits. Depositors of commercial banks including private sector banks need not worry on the safety of their funds: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das https://t.co/8skHZ9lXU2  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

All commercial banks including regional rural banks, cooperative banks,NBFCs (including housing finance companies)&lending institutions are being permitted to allow a moratorium of 3 months on payment of installments in respect of all term loans outstanding as on March 1: RBI Guv pic.twitter.com/L6xl2lpu1w  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

It's our effort to ensure normal functioning of

markets,nurture impulses of growth&preserve financial stability. Incidentally, we've in RBI quarantined 150 members of our staff&service providers together with IT facilitators as a part of our Business Continuity Plan: RBI Governor pic.twitter.com/IaPgnlKriS  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

Today RBI has taken giant steps to safeguard our economy from the impact of the #Coronavirus. The announcements will improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds, help middle class and businesses: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/4XUzhSLevi  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

RBI has slashed down Repo rate, Reverse Repo rate and Cash Reverse ratio to give strength to economy. To help the middle class RBI has given moratorium of 3 months and also waving off interest. I welcome these progressive and timely measures: BJP President JP Nadda https://t.co/SIvczK0HwD  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

Indian Army, on the other hand, has launched Operation Namaste to counter the spread of COVID-19. Army Chief General MM Naravane said that just like Indian army has come out of several operations in the past, it would also ensure a successful execution of Operation Namaste. Under Operation Namaste, Army has established 8 quarantine facilities across the country.

Also Read: COVID-19 Exclusive: Dr Mukul Chandra Kapoor talks about future of virus, measures to control epidemic

Indian Army has code-named its anti #COVID19 operations as Operation Namaste. Army has, so far, established eight quarantine facilities across the country. pic.twitter.com/bmQh1Zr4Ua  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

To protect the country it is important for us to keep ourselves safe & fit. Keeping this in mind, we had issued 2/3 advisories in last few weeks which should be followed: Army Chief General MM Naravane https://t.co/F1GPQp8Ew0  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced that arrangements have been made to provide lunch and dinner facilities in 325 schools, in which around 500 people will be given food. Previously, food was provided to 20,000 people daily but the number will now be increased to 2,00,000. This figure will be doubled tomorrow, wherein they will be providing food to 4,00,000 people daily in various centres across Delhi.

The number will be doubled from tomorrow, we'll be providing food to 4,00,000 people daily. We're distributing the centres across Delhi: CM Arvind Kejriwal https://t.co/zp2PADEh2R  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

As of March 27, 2020 update shared by Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in India has jumped to 724, including 640 active cases, 66 cured/discharged, 17 deaths and 1 migrated COVID19 patient.

Also Read: Kerala follows Andhra Pradesh, to set up volunteer network to battle coronavirus

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
When it comes to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is acting as both the arsonist and the firefighter.

The first response of Chinas authoritarian government was intimidation. The CCP actively suppressed knowledge of the viruss existence in Wuhan by silencing physicians and prohibiting medical professionals from publishing findings that could have saved lives. When the party could no longer deny the viral outbreak, it dithered in December and January as cases of the disease in Wuhan and neighboring cities skyrocketed, caring more about its monopoly on power than the welfare of its people. And in February, as the coronavirus spread throughout the world, foreign minister Wang Yi pressured neighboring countries to keep travel with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) open for reputational reasons. Now, however, China is seeking to whitewash its failings  and blame the virus on other nations, such as the United States.

That historical context is important. According to a study at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, had Chinas political leaders acted quickly, they could have lowered the number of cases within their own country by 95 percent. Instead, the partys political paranoia turned a localized viral outbreak into a global crisis, with over 22,000 deaths reported worldwide. According to the International Monetary Fund, the global economic impact of coronavirus will approximate that of the Great Recession of 2008, and possibly surpass it.

That, however, is only if the figures we now see coming out of China are accurate. Given the CCPs reputation of altering figures for its political benefit, the death toll and economic impact are likely far worse.

As it stands, the institutional failure of Chinas government is stress-testing the health-care systems of every nation on earth. Italys hospitals are overwhelmed, and the United States is on pace to run out of ventilators in four weeks. In Iran, one person is dying every ten seconds from COVID-19.

Story continues

Amid this crisis, the CCP today is hard at work  not to right its wrongs, but to rewrite the past. The party is waging a multi-front propaganda campaign that shifts the blame for coronavirus to the United States, while claiming that Chinas response bought time for the rest of the world to prepare. The Chinese government is also presenting itself as a global health provider, shipping face masks and test kits to nations with shortages.

Of course, China is right to give this medical equipment to nations in need. But its government is bundling misinformation with this aid.

These lies serve a higher purpose for the party: turning coronavirus into a net positive for the CCP. Consulting firm Horizon Advocacy published a report last week, based on Chinese government and state media sources, that details Chinas plan to position its economy in strategic sectors to box out other industrialized nations still reeling from the viruss impact. According to Chinas State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense, China must jumpstart its economy to pave the way for international market expansion after the epidemic is over.

Policymakers in Washington should take this gambit seriously. But they shouldnt assume that Americas friends and partners do. In recent years, China  working via companies such as Huawei and through its much publicized Belt and Road Initiative  has greatly expanded its global economic footprint. Yet far too many of Chinas trading partners remain blind to the true nature of Chinas political system and the threat it poses.

The United States must blunt the CCPs disinformation campaign. Doing so begins with fostering unity at home.

To date, most public debate in the United States has centered around President Trumps decision to call COVID-19 the Chinese virus. The president did not choose his words out of racist animus  nor did countless journalists and pundits who used the same phrase throughout the month of January  but in response to CCP propaganda.

Yet the phrase, while accurate, fails to distinguish between the Chinese people and the Chinese Communist Party. The citizens of China are not the instigators of this crisis, but rather the first victims of the partys self-interested response to it.

This distinction is more than public-relations messaging; it is a critical nuance that American leaders must internalize. We cannot stand up to the CCP if we fail to differentiate between victims and victimizers  just as Americans cannot unite the world while assuming the worst about one another.

The Chinese Communist Party started this fire. But they are angling to emerge from its ashes as a savior. While acknowledging its current helpful efforts, Americans must stand together and call the party what it is: an instigator.

Editors note: This article originally stated the University of Southampton was in Australia; it is in the United Kingdom. It has been corrected to reflect that fact.

More from National Review
Some people on Thursday pelted stones on police when they were stopped at Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border check post at Pondugula village in Dachepalli mandal of Guntur district amid nationwide lockdown.

The people claimed that they had a NOC from the Telangana government but the Andhra Pradesh Police did not entertain them.

They asked the passengers either to accept quarantine or to return to Telangana. Later, the verbal brawl grew to heated spat and some passengers threw stones at the police. Some constables were injured in the incident.

Following this, the additional police force has been deployed at Pondugula.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 27, 2020] Thryv Launches Small Business Adapt Program: "Pay What You Can Afford" Software During COVID-19 Pandemic

A coalition of business technology and small business leaders including Thryv Inc., Yext and Zipwhip joined forces to announce a "pay what you can afford" version of Thryv's cloud-based software to U.S.-based small businesses of any size being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, called Thryv Adapt, will help small businesses rethink how they operate given recently imposed restrictions. "It's our hope Thryv Adapt will help small businesses acclimate to the short-term reality of being forced to conduct business electronically and remotely," said Thryv CEO and President Joe Walsh (News - Alert). "We're in this together. We each need to do our part to protect the future of small business in America." Thryv jointly conducted a study last Friday with America's SBDC among small business owners clearly pointing to the stress the pandemic is placing on them. As a result, Thryv quickly responded by working with partners and developed Thryv Adapt. "The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought huge changes to the doorsteps of small businesses around the world. During this unprecedented time, we are pleased to make available the online resources they need," said Howard Lerman, Founder and CEO of Yext. "We're proud to be a part of Thryv Adapt to serve small businesses in the way we know best - by enabling them to deliver accurate, up-to-date business information to their customers online." "With changes and restrictions related to COVID-19 being announced on an almost-daily basis, small businesses need to be able to communicate updates with their customers wherever they are searching for information online," said Luis Baptista-Coelho, Executive Vice President of Global Partner at Yext. "In the midst of so much uncertainty, they can rest assured knowing that they can leverage the power of Yext and other tech leaders through Thryv Adapt." Thryv VP of Product and Marketing Ryan Cantor elaborated that during the COVID-19 pandemic Thryv will share their software and support for whatever businesses can afford to pay. "We understand that we are in a unique position to help," Cantor said. "Our platform helps small businesses stay in touch with customers even when they can't physically interact. We hope small businesses who are struggling to adapt right now will have access to our platform at whatever price they can afford to pay - even if that's $0 - during these trying times." Zipwhip, a business texting software and API provider, is waiving messaging fees for this Thryv program during the coronavirus crisis. "We are proud to help during this difficult time," said John Lauer, CEO of Zipwhip. "By providing the underlying core text messaging capability via our API, we can help enable Thryv customers to continue communicating with their communities, despite the challenges we all face today." While Thryv Adapt will nothave all the functionality found in regular versions of Thryv, it will include critical features enabling small businesses to operate virtually.



Two-way SMS text and email communications: Keep the conversations going, all from one inbox.

Unlimited online payments, up to 50 monthly estimates and invoices: Keep cash flowing and continue to get paid. Thryv Adapt easily connects to Square, Stripe, Braintree, and PayPal (News - Alert) for payment processing services. Easily get paid via all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Wallet and Venmo. (Any service fees determined and charged directly by payment processor.)

Unlimited appointment booking: Find new ways to serve customers.

Accurate business info on 60+ listings sites powered by Yext: Update your hours and contact info quickly, everywhere it matters.

Contact list with comprehensive view of leads and customers: Stay in touch and keep customers informed as business information changes. Thryv Adapt also comes with in-depth training and support, such as: An easy-to-use interactive setup wizard.

In-depth learning via free, group webinars powered by Zoom, hosted multiple times per day to get business owners set up and running as smoothly as possible.

Unlimited "how-to" guides, and a robust video library and step-by-step instructions.

A resource center with virtual and online business tactics and shared success stories during the COVID-19 emergency.

A dedicated Facebook (News - Alert) group so business owners can share best practices, ask questions, and get help from other like-minded entrepreneurs across the country. Thryv was inspired to launch the Adapt program after working with their small business clients on new, virtual ways to adapt.

Here are a few ways Thryv users are using technology to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic: One local pharmacy implemented social distancing via curbside pickup. They used Thryv to update their website with an online form for prescription pickup times.

A heating and air (HVAC) business quickly emailed their clients the additional cleaning and safety precautions they're taking to protect their team and clients.

An orthopedic business started to offer virtual appointments via phone, tablet or computer and communicated these options via SMS text and email from Thryv's HIPAA version of the platform. The Thryv Adapt "pay what you can afford" program will be available through at least June 24, 2020. Thryv leaders say they will constantly monitor the effects of the pandemic and plan to offer specialized pricing options for all participants as the crisis wanes. To claim your login and begin using Thryv Adapt, or to share Thryv Adapt with a struggling small business, visit www.thryv.com/adapt/. About Thryv, Inc. Thryv, Inc. builds and owns the simple, easy-to-use software Thryv that helps small business owners with the daily demands of running a business; and allows them to take control and be more successful. Thryv provides modernized business functions allowing them to manage their time, communicate with clients, and get paid. These include building a digital customer list, communicating with customers via email and text, updating business listings across the internet, accepting appointments, sending notifications and reminders, managing ratings and reviews, generating estimates and invoices, processing payments, and issuing invoices and coupons. Thryv delivers business services to more than 350,000 small businesses across America that enable them to compete and win in today's economy. Thryv also provides consumer services through our market-leading search, display and social products-and connects local businesses via The Real Yellow Pages from the over 25 million monthly visitors of DexKnows.com, Superpages.com and yellowpages.com search portals; and local print directories. For more information about the company, visit thryv.com. About Yext The customer journey starts with a question, and every day consumers search for answers about brands. However, they are increasingly served false or misleading information from sources other than the brand. Yext (NYSE: YEXT), the Search Experience Cloud company, exists to help brands regain and maintain a direct relationship with their customers. With a mission to provide perfect answers everywhere, Yext puts businesses in control of their facts online by delivering brand verified answers straight from the source - wherever their customers are searching. Companies like Taco Bell, Marriott, Jaguar-Land Rover, and businesses around the world use Yext to take back control of the customer journey, starting on their own website. Yext has been named a Best Place to Work by Fortune and Great Place to Work, as well as a Best Workplace for Women. Yext is headquartered in New York City with offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, Chicago, Dallas, Geneva, London, Miami, Milan, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, and the Washington, D.C. area. About Zipwhip Zipwhip was the first company to enable texting on existing business phone numbers, and today is the world's leading business-texting software and API provider. More than 35,000 companies use Zipwhip to increase customer engagement and drive growth through texting on their existing landline, VoIP or toll-free phone number. Intuitive cloud-based software, an enterprise-grade API and direct network connectivity mean businesses can use any computer or mobile device to securely and reliably reach their customers, every time. Your customers are only a text away: https://www.zipwhip.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005250/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Ruicheng (China) Media Group (HKG:1640) shares are down a considerable 36% in the last month. Zooming out, the recent drop wiped out a year's worth of gains, with the share price now back where it was a year ago.

All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio.

View our latest analysis for Ruicheng (China) Media Group

Does Ruicheng (China) Media Group Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 1.99 that sentiment around Ruicheng (China) Media Group isn't particularly high. The image below shows that Ruicheng (China) Media Group has a lower P/E than the average (11.6) P/E for companies in the media industry.

SEHK:1640 Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

Ruicheng (China) Media Group's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. 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

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

Story continues

Ruicheng (China) Media Group increased earnings per share by an impressive 23% over the last twelve months. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 24%. With that performance, you might expect an above average P/E ratio.

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

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

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

How Does Ruicheng (China) Media Group's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Ruicheng (China) Media Group's net debt equates to 41% of its market capitalization. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.

The Bottom Line On Ruicheng (China) Media Group's P/E Ratio

Ruicheng (China) Media Group's P/E is 2.0 which is below average (8.9) in the HK market. The company hasn't stretched its balance sheet, and earnings growth was good last year. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. Given Ruicheng (China) Media Group's P/E ratio has declined from 3.1 to 2.0 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If 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. We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

But note: Ruicheng (China) Media Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
In response, state insurance regulators this week issued a warning that forcing insurers to pay for the numerous business interruption claims could bankrupt the sector, Politico reported.

Even the insurers themselves are concerned about how paying for all business interruption claims could impact the industry.

If policymakers force insurers to pay for losses that are not covered under existing insurance policies, the stability of the sector could be impacted, said American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) president and CEO David Sampson in a recent statement.

Read more: American Property Casualty Insurance Association reveals coronavirus focus

To help find an alternative solution, insurance trade associations such as the APCIA and the Reinsurance Association of America have initiated discussions with other business trade groups about the creation of a federal program that could direct money to affected businesses.

One of the proposals being discussed among the trade groups is a Federal Business Interruption and Workers Protection Recovery Fund that is modeled after the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund, which would make assistance available to all businesses.

Read more: Upton Group calls for government to create insurance program for restaurants

Sampson confirmed with Politico that APCIA is discussing public policy options with many industry and stakeholder groups. The president also recognized the need for liquidity solutions for the business community amid the pandemic, and said that the association has yet to settle on a specific proposal.

Ideally, if they want to deliver the money quickly, they wont put insurers in the middle, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies senior vice-president of government affairs Jimi Grande told Politico. But we want to be available to help if thats ultimately the way they go.
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak some places have fully embraced wearing face masks, and anyone caught without one risks becoming a social pariah. Step outside your door without a face mask in Hong Kong, Seoul or Tokyo these days, and you may well get a disapproving look, BBC writes in the article Coronavirus: Why some countries wear face masks and others don't. But in many other parts of the world, from the UK and the US to Sydney and Singapore, it's still perfectly acceptable to walk around bare-faced.

Why some countries embrace masks while others shun them is not just about government directives and medical advice - it's also about culture and history. But as this pandemic worsens, will this change?

The official word on face masks

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the official advice from the World Health Organization has been clear. Only two types of people should wear masks: those who are sick and show symptoms, and those who are caring for people who are suspected to have the coronavirus. Nobody else needs to wear a mask, and there are several reasons for that. One is that a mask is not seen as reliable protection, given that current research shows the virus is spread by droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. So it could protect you, but only in certain situations such as when you're in close quarters with others where someone infected might sneeze or cough near your face. This is why experts say frequent hand washing with soap and water is far more effective. Removing a mask requires special attention to avoid hand contamination, and it could also breed a false sense of security. Yet in some parts of Asia everyone now wears a mask by default - it is seen as safer and more considerate.

In mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, the broad assumption is that anyone could be a carrier of the virus, even healthy people. So in the spirit of solidarity, you need to protect others from yourself. Some of these governments are urging everyone to wear a mask, and in some parts of China you could even be arrested and punished for not wearing one.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia and the Philippines, where there are suspicions that there are many under-reported cases, most people in major cities have begun wearing masks to protect themselves from others. For many of these countries, mask-wearing was a cultural norm even before the coronavirus outbreak. They've even become fashion statements - at one point Hello Kitty face masks were the rage in the street markets of Hong Kong.

In East Asia, many people are used to wearing masks when they are sick or when it's hayfever season, because it's considered impolite to be sneezing or coughing openly. The 2003 Sars virus outbreak, which affected several countries in the region, also drove home the importance of wearing masks, particularly in Hong Kong, where many died as a result of the virus. So one key difference between these societies and Western ones, is that they have experienced contagion before - and the memories are still fresh and painful. Meanwhile, in South East Asia, especially in more densely-populated cities, many wear masks on the streets simply because of pollution.

But it hasn't caught on everywhere in Asia - here in Singapore, the government has urged the public not to wear masks to ensure adequate supplies for healthcare workers, and most people walk around without one. There is substantial public trust in the government, so people are likely to listen to such advice.

The mask as a social nudge

Some argue that ubiquitous mask wearing, as a very visual reminder of the dangers of the virus, could actually act as a "behavioural nudge" to you and others for overall better personal hygiene. "Putting on a mask every day before you go out is like a ritual, like putting on a uniform, and in ritual behaviour you feel you have to live up to what the uniform stands for, which is more hygienic behaviour like not touching your face or avoiding crowded places and social distancing," said Donald Low, a behavioural economist and professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Then, there's the idea that every little bit counts in the war the world is waging against the virus.

"We can't say if face masks are ineffective, but we presume they have some effect because that's the protection we give to healthcare workers," said Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist with Hong Kong University. "If face masks are used on a lot of people in crowded areas, I think it would have some effect on public transmission, and at the moment we're looking for every small measure we can to reduce transmission - it adds up."

But there are downsides of course. Some places such as Japan, Indonesia and Thailand are facing shortages at the moment, and South Korea has had to ration out masks. There is the fear that people may end up re-using masks - which is unhygienic - use masks sold on the black market, or wear homemade masks, which could be of inferior quality and essentially useless.

People who do not wear masks in these places have also been stigmatised, to the point that they are shunned and blocked from shops and buildings. In Hong Kong, some tabloids have splashed pictures on their covers of Westerners not wearing masks and congregating in groups in the city's nightlife district, and criticised expatriates and tourists for not taking enough precautions. But the discrimination works both ways. In countries where mask wearing is not the norm, such as the West, those who do wear masks have been shunned or even attacked. It hasn't helped that many of these mask wearers are Asians. But those societies that do advocate everyone wearing a mask may have a point and increasingly, experts are now questioning the official WHO advice.

Undocumented cases

Firstly, there is some emerging evidence that there are more "silent carriers", or healthy people with the virus who show little or no symptoms, than experts initially thought. In China, it is estimated that a third of all positive cases show no symptoms, according to classified Chinese government data seen by the South China Morning Post. On the Diamond Princess, the cruise ship that docked in Yokohama, about half of the more than 600 positive cases found onboard were found to have no symptoms. A similar proportion of asymptomatic cases has been reported in Iceland, which says it is testing a higher proportion of citizens than anywhere else in the world.

The prevailing belief has been that because these people do not exhibit symptoms, they are not very contagious. But some are questioning this now. Maybe if everyone wore a mask those silent carriers wouldn't turn into spreaders? A recently published study of cases in China found that "undocumented cases of infection", or those with either mild or no symptoms, were significantly contagious and could have been responsible for nearly 80% of positive virus cases. It's just one study though, and future research will no doubt add nuance to the overall picture.

The face mask may be a product of recent history, experience with contagion and cultural norm. But as the scale of this pandemic grows, along with evidence and research, our behaviour may yet change again.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- While local schools are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Syracuse City School District has supplied thousands of meals to their students on weekdays.

But who fills that void on the weekend?

Mercy Works, a nonprofit community group, will accept the challenge for the next two weekends to feed students across 31 distribution centers throughout Syracuse.

The organization partnered with Abundant Life Christian Center, one of the biggest churches in Upstate New York, along with several other organizations to raise $82,000 in donations to provide groceries for families in need.

The group found food, collected money and rallied the community to bag and distribute groceries for nearly 4,700 families, totaling more than 10,000 people. Businesses, families and non-profits across Central New York also provided workspace, trucks, safety equipment, bags and more.

Starting Friday morning, each family will receive a grocery box, including protein, starches, vegetables and fruits to last about two days. Families will receive it when they get the school districts food package.

Mercy Works, a non-profit organization, will provide groceries for Syracuse City School students for the next two weekends. (Addison Spears)

The Syracuse school district has supplied about 9,500 breakfast and lunches every day for their students during the coronavirus shutdown.

Joelle Harleston, director of development and community relations at Mercy Works, received feedback from families whove had to ration their breakfast and lunches to last throughout the day, so the organization wanted to provide another opportunity for kids to have food.

For some reason, dinners and weekend meals have been overlooked, Harleston said. A lot of these kids live in a food desert so they either dont have transportation or theres not a local grocery store they can go to for fresh produce and fresh vegetables.

Mercy Works is a nonprofit agency that provides after-school programs for teens to prepare them for college and the workplace.

To pull off this enterprise in such a short amount of time required a lot of phone calls and collaboration. The Food Bank of CNY had to limit the amount of food it could donate because the organization faced the same problem as stores across the city: They were getting wiped out from panic buying.

Harleston reached out to local restaurants, but was advised to seek other sources. As she got on the phone to make calls, one friend introduced her to another and donations of $1,000 and $2,000 eventually grew to roughly $82,000 in a little over a weeks time.

As for volunteers, thats where the longtime partnership with Abundant Lifes came in handy.

The relationship stems back to 1998 when the churchs pastor John Carter, and Clarence Jordan, former executive director of the Rescue Mission, created the non-profit. Jordan has two buildings named after him, including Mercy Works headquarters: The Clarence Jordan Vision Center.

When (Jordan) retired from the Rescue Mission, he had it on his heart to work with the inner-city school kids, Harleston said. They saw the building was lacking innovation and wasnt really inspiring to these kids so they decided they wanted to provide a space for them to dream big.

Harlestons main role at Mercy Works is to create fundraising opportunities. In the past two years, shes raised over $1.5 million to get students new computers, a MAC LAB, a security system and an automated rod iron fence for safety to protect mentors, the organizations employees and the kids.

In addition to Abundant Life, Mercy Works received donations and community support from The Food Bank of CNY, Wegmans, Sysco, Syracuse Banana, The United Way, Laura Serway of Lacis Tapas Bar, Dr. Wendy Scintas (Doras Dream), Jim and Juli Boeheim, Gary and Alice Bell, Robert Lieberman of RAV properties, Service Tire Truck Centers, the Dunbar Center, Good Life Foundation, Street Addiction Institute, the Love Project and many others.

Our donors understand that when it is hot, it is hotter for those who lack resources. When it is cold, it is colder for those without a coat. Each and every one of our donors and friends realizes the importance of the kids in the community and are committed to seeing their success," Harleston said.

Contact Mike Curtis anytime at mcurtis@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @MikeACurtis2.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS
US 'obsessed' with Venezuela, FM says on charges against Maduro

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 9:50 PM

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has slammed the US government for bringing new charges against the president of the South American country, saying they are meant to give the administration in Washington more electoral confidence in the run-up to the presidential election in November.

Arreaza said on Thursday that the new charges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, announced in a new indictment earlier in the day, showed that Washington was obsessed with Venezuela.

The US State Department has offered a reward of $15 million for information that could lead to the arrest or conviction of Maduro and several high-ranking Venezuelan officials.

Washington has brought charges of narco-terrorism against Maduro and his close allies in the government of the South American country, something that Arreaza described as showing the "desperation" of the "Washington elite."

Arreaza said that the US administration was accusing Venezuelan officials of drug trafficking to reap "electoral returns" in the state of Florida, where the Republican party of President Donald Trump is seeking to outdo the rivals.

The US State Department has indicted Maduro for 18 charges, alleging that he and his allies have supervised a years-long shipment of narcotics into the US.

The charges, a first of its kind against a foreign head of state, could lead to at least 10 years in prison for Maduro if he is captured by the United States.

Maduro, Venezuela's president since 2013, has been the target of a fierce overthrow campaign by Washington over the past years.

The president, who is extremely popular among Venezuela's masses, has repeatedly blamed Trump and his administration for a series of economic problems that have beset the country.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Dont Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.

Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.

Known as The Doyenne of Death, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die NM Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 450 videos!

Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.

Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.

Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.
An expert has revealed how being tempted to go braless during the coronavirus lockdown could have long term affects on your breasts.

Victoria Shelton, Garment Technologist at www.Figleaves.com told FEMAIL that if breasts are unsupported they could suffer damage to the Cooper's Ligament, the connective tissue in the breast that help maintain structural integrity.

And Dr Riccardo Frati of Frati Cosmetic Surgery explained that bras are important in maintaining support as breasts tend to sag over time due to gravity and age.

Meanwhile Anna Akerlund, head of sales at Luxury French underwear brand Lousia Bracq, explained that going without a bra could affect your posture - especially for large breasted women - and the shape of your breasts.

This came as women across the UK rejoiced as they took to Instagram and Twitter to reveal they were enjoying the comfort of being bra-free during lockdown - and FEMAIL spoke to a bra-fitter for top tips on comfortable alternatives.

As women across the UK rejoiced as they took to Instagram and Twitter to reveal they were enjoying the comfort of being bra-free during lockdown, experts warned FEMAIL that it could result in backache and saggier breasts. Pictured: Andrea, 26, joked she was enjoying the bra free life

'No bra quarantine, free as a bird!' Zeylanic joked. However Victoria Shelton, Garment Technologist at Figleaves.com told FEMAIL that if breasts are unsupported they could suffer damage to the Cooper's Ligament

Garment Technologist Victoria said: 'Our wardrobe needs have changed as we find ourselves at home. But we all still need to wear a bra as our breasts need to be supported  due to their weight you may damage your posture or have back pain if your breasts aren't fully supported.

'If breasts are left unsupportive damage can occur to the coopers ligament in the breast, causing them to sag.'

Explaining how you can compromise in comfort at home, she added: 'But we can switch to something super comfortable so we can enjoy that no bra feeling and that's what women are clearly doing.

'For comfortable alternatives, look for flexi wires (often used in maternity style) they give the shape of a traditional underwire but are super flexible and an alternative to non-wired styles.

'If you have a larger bust look for non wired styles that have seam cups as these have often been designed and fitted to support a larger bust. Padded hook and eyes and soft brushed straps are also key for comfort.'

Elyse took to Instagram to admit she was enjoying her bra-free quarantine wardrove amid lockdown. But Dr Riccardo Frati of Frati Cosmetic Surgery explained to FEMAIL that bras are important in maintaining support as breasts tend to sag over time due to gravity and age

Lauren Levine Blackford, from an unknown location, encouraged her followers to 'join the fun' before sharing the hashtag nobralockdown2020

Katie Oat, from Illinois, shared this post alongside the caption: 'WFH + 3 kids distance learning - lets do something fun #nobralockdown2020. Im on DAY 8 of no bra! #braburning #nopoint

Frederik Kekaysen, from Denmark, told how she has formulated an official dress code in her office at home - which includes no make up or bra

Dr Riccardo Frati of Frati Cosmetic Surgery told FEMAIL: The bra will always support and hold up the breasts and not wearing one can affect the Coopers ligament. Breasts will also naturally sag over time due to age and gravity.

And Anna Akerlund, head of sales at Luxury French underwear brand Lousia Bracq, added: 'It goes without saying that many women find comfort in going bra-less especially these days while working from home, or in self-isolation.

'Being freed from the tight constraints of wearing a bra with straps and wires that dig in and itchy laces against the skin. Women in history have even been known to burn their bras in protest. Nowadays with product innovation, luckily, there is no need for this.

'There are so many benefits and few excuses not to wear a well fitted bra; posture, comfort and the enhanced curvature.

'Putting on a well fitted bra should feel like you are not wearing a bra. Everything held in the right place with the right amount of support to the breast and shoulder that also provides an enhanced shape. This is especially important for women who require larger cupsizes. '

Twitter was flooded with women revealing their joy over not having to wear an uncomfortable bra at home. Experts said women could opt for comfortable alternatives such as flexi wires, padded hooks and keys

Professional fitter Sandra Dyke reveals her top tips

Sandra, an expert who has been a bra fitter with Chantelle Lingerie expert fitter for over 20 years, spoke to FEMAIL on the recommended hours in a day to wear a bra according to your cup size.

'Wearing a good fitting bra is essential not only to support your breasts but also to maintain your wellbeing. And that's essential whether you are at home or outside.

'Those who are a D cup or above should wear a supportive wired bra for as long as possible during the day, just as they normally would, then can change into a more comfortable non wired bra in the afternoon/evenings.

'Not wearing a bra will over time have an effect on your posture too. A supportive bra helps your core and posture. Don't wear a bra and not only you will see your boobs droop but may also gain round shoulders!'

'A stretch bra like our Chantelle SoftStretch padded crop top is ideal. Super comfortable non wired crop top with a tight band under the bust providing good support up to FF cup.

'If you are an A to D cup wear it all day if you wish. And D+ cups can wear it at the end of your day or even at night.

'As we are also advised to exercise during these difficult times, walks, yoga, meditation and pilates seem to be top of the list. '

Alexandra Thrower, Brand Manager at Chantelle, added: 'Your bra has a very important role, and that is to protect and bear the weight of your bust.

'Don't wear one and you will get saggy boobs. It's as simple as that. It's gravity after all. And the heavier the bust, the worst it gets. Most women don't realise how heavy their bust is (anything between about 500g for B/C cups to 2+ kg for G+ cup).

'They need to be supported. You may also find that not wearing a bra will worsen back, shoulders or neck pains and give you headaches - these are all things we could do without right now!'

Pregnant women

Sandra said: 'Mothers-to-be should not be wearing a wired bra at all during pregnancy.

'Stretchy padded crop tops provides comfort and support without a wire. Also, you don't have to worry much about sizes as it is sized as XS-S / M-L and XL-2XL.

'So you pick the size that will grow with you for a while and last longer. It is also the ideal bra to wear at night, if and when you feel you could do with a little support 24/7.

'Do not wear tight bras when you are pregnant as the wires dig into your breast tissue. Do not compress the breasts with tight fitting bras as it may prevent your milk glands from forming.'
I have written about Tony Blairs class at Kings College London here and here. This is an edited transcript of the whole thing, in which he was asked, among other things, about the coronavirus outbreak, the Iraq War, Jeremy Corbyn, how Labour should elect its leader, what its like to do Prime Ministers Questions, constitutional reform, Alastair Campbell and relations with the media.

Q. If Boris Johnson asked you to join an expert panel to assist in managing the crisis at the moment with the virus and the economy, what would your principal advice be?

Tony Blair: Move everything on to a war footing. Separate all the different elements that you need to get right, and reposition government to deliver them, because government works in traditional ways with traditional processes; businesses operate according to traditional regulations. Youve just got to put all that to one side. So no matter what it is, whether its testing, levels of testing, equipment for testing

You should probably underwrite corporate debt at the moment; you have to give support to businesses. You have to be able to build new facilities. You have to work out what scarcity of materials youre going to have and how you deal with that  across the whole sweep of government. Its just got to go on to dealing with one issue because this is an issue which will have the most profound economic consequences as well as health consequences.

There are three models for what happens with this. One is V, you go down, you come back up sharply. One is U, you go down and then you steadily go back up, and the other is L, you go down and you keep down, so thats really what youve got to bear in mind.

Q. Would you change the process for electing the Labour leader?

TB: Well, you feel good about the process at the time! But I think the Labour Party could have avoided doing what it did. It took one fundamental decision  PhD theses will be written about it  which was the decision to elect Ed rather than David Miliband. When you look back, the implications of that were absolutely vast for the Labour Party. At the time, the Labour Party membership was still, essentially, centre left. And then after it, it went on a journey where it ended up in the far left, so I think my lesson of all of it is that you can try and create a system of electing leaders that makes you elect leaders that might win, lets say, but the problem is whenever you move to a new system, because you think that gives you the best result, you then find a set of circumstances comes about and it actually turns out its the wrong system.

No one can become prime minister unless theyre able to handle themselves in debate and at the despatch box

The one thing I would say is that you must get back to one piece of reality, which is that the MPs are the best judge. No one wants to hear that, but they actually are, because they see the people, day in, day out. The truth of the matter is no one can become prime minister unless, for example, theyre able to handle themselves in debate and at the despatch box. You can dismiss that, but actually its absolutely true. And the public forms a view of someone around that, even if theyre not always switched on to politics.

In the old days, of course, the Parliamentary Labour Party elected the leader, until 1981.

Q. Do you think we should go back to that?

TB: Going back to the PLP? I dont think it would be acceptable to do that today. But I do think you should go back to a high threshold of MPs. I think that was a bad mistake to shift that. Because weve done ourselves enormous damage with that. Certainly over time I think theres a case for saying its the MPs and the members of the party. I mean, how you deal with this union thing is also difficult, because it can be subject to manipulation.

Q. How did you feel about Prime Ministers Questions and do you think its a good use of a prime ministers time?

TB: I did one really important reform when I came into office, and I always say to my successors: you should be really grateful to me for this. Because when I came to power, we had two sessions of PMQs. In the afternoon, 3.15 to 3.30PM, Tuesday and Thursday. And I shifted it to one session, on Wednesday, which finally ended up at midday. The truth of the matter is, on no day on which youre doing Prime Ministers Questions can you concentrate on anything until youve done them. And even after youve done them, you probably spend, on average, two hours thinking about all the mistakes you made in the time that you were doing them. So, that truncation literally freed up a day of the prime ministers time in the week, which I think is valuable.

Despite the fact PMQs is primarily theatre, it does hold you to account

Prime Ministers Questions is an essential part of holding people to account. Also, as Margaret Thatcher I think once said, it helped her to see what her government was doing because you have to read all the stuff about your government. I used to find I would read all the material to prepare me for Prime Ministers Questions and there would be at least three or four things, every week, I would read the material and think: why are we doing that? Shouldnt we be doing this? And occasionally, when other things were pressing and Id had to do prime ministers question time without the full preparation, Id actually be reading out the official reply or be halfway through and thinking: this is real bull****.

The one thing it does is it allows you to really familiarise yourself with everything thats going on in government. And despite the fact that its primarily theatre, it does hold you to account. Its also the most difficult thing you do in terms of just the sheer personal pressure.

(Andy Lane/Strand Group/King's College London)

I mean, its horrible doing it, but people occasionally ask me when I go to different parts of the world, Dont you miss Prime Ministers Questions? And I look at them as if they are completely mad, because even when Im anywhere in the world, on Wednesday at midday I get a sort of chill at the back of my neck, and I havent done it for 12 years or more. Even as the leader of the opposition, by the way, its a good discipline, because thats also tough: to ask the right questions.

Q. How do you think communication between the public and prime minister has changed with the rise of social media?

Until social media came around, we never knew how many crazy people were out there

TB: I think its really transformed everything, and I think its made it very difficult.

Because Ive done the job I am fiercely resistant to conspiracy theories that people are doing the job in bad faith, because Ive seen so much myself and been accused of so much over time. Im not a fan of Boris Johnsons politics, and I disagree with him about a lot of different things, but Im sure that even he is trying to do his best. Most people do. What social media does is it injects a very, very harsh climate of criticism into the debate. So all the things that I put up with are magnified today.

I always say that until social media came around, we never knew how many crazy people were out there.

The other thing is that its given rise to this paradox. Its the paradox of leadership today that social media obviously gives people opinions, more opinionising than you ever had before. And politicians get buffeted by it, more than ever before, but the paradox is that at the same time peoples desire for leadership that stands out against it is also very significant. People are prepared to direct much more opinion at their leaders, but half of their mind is thinking: Yeah, this is all a bit irrational. And they actually do want leaders that are strong enough to stand up, and instead of the wave just pulling you towards whatever shore they want, they like the leaders who stand in the wave that just washes over them. And that is the appeal in my view of authoritarian leadership today. The appeal is of people who are prepared to just stand up and do it.

Secondly, the biggest challenge of liberal democracy today is the challenge of efficacy. People want politicians to punch a hole through the wall and not just sit there in helpless contemplation. Its a big change and obviously if youre back in office today, youd have to think very carefully about how you communicate. And there will come a point in time when the public comes to its own kind of understanding of this thing and makes sense of it, but its not yet.

Q. Do you think that political science or history is better in terms of understanding government and its functioning?

TB: One interesting thing about politics today, which I guess would fall into political science, is: has the sociology of politics changed? In other words, is the coalition that brought me to power in 1997, is that a coalition that you cant reimagine today or is it actually just the same coalition? Im actually doing a lot of work in my institute on that. In other words, has a combination of Brexit and social change given rise to a new political coalition on the right, and the left has to find a completely different coalition than before, or is it possible to recreate the same coalition? I guess that would be a question of political science.

Q. Whats the answer?

TB: Well, Im not 100 per cent sure.

Q. Because Brexit has gone now, you could reassemble that coalition.

TB: I think you could reassemble it. There are similarities between what happened to Jeremy Corbyn now and what happened in the Bennite surge in the late Seventies, early Eighties. I was reflecting with my successor, who was defeated at this election  Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, a seat taken by the Tories  about the differences, and we basically had the same experience on the doorstep. In this sense, in 1983 and 2019, youd knock on the door, and people would say, in a traditional Labour seat: Your leaders unacceptable; we dont like your party; youve got to get it sorted out. Exactly the same conversations in 1983 and 2019.

If the left goes down the identity politics route, it will have big problems

In 1983, when I said, Well are you voting Labour? theyd say, Well always vote Labour, thats not the question, just go back and sort all these things out. Whereas this time round, they said: Our parents always voted Labour, but we dont feel the same allegiance. Now I personally believe that a sensible Labour Party would get those people with us. Even despite Brexit.

People from the working class who voted Conservative  this is not a new thing. Its a new thing to have this happen in such large numbers, but its not a new thing. You know, in 1997 we had what privately I used to call the gay rights and strong on law and order programme, which is a description of what I thought, culturally, could keep my liberal people and my traditional working-class people in the same room. The traditional working-class people would not be very interested in the issue of gay rights  Im not saying that theyd necessarily be prejudiced, but if they heard me going on about it a lot, theyd probably prefer if I talked about the health service  while for the liberal side it mattered a lot as an important cause. But being tough on law and order and antisocial behaviour, and saying we understand what its like if youve got drug dealers in the street causing you trouble, that was something they understood. They liked that message  you know, I believe that message myself  but they liked it, and therefore they were prepared to be in the room with people who had different priorities. Now, could you deal with it again the same way today? I dont know. The one thing Im very sure of, as I said recently, is that if the left goes down the identity politics route, it will have big problems.

(Andy Lane/Strand Group/King's College London)

Q. During your time in office you oversaw a lot of constitutional reforms. What reforms do you foresee in the future, particularly for the House of Lords and the Supreme Court?

TB: This may just be the passage of time with me, because there would have been a point in time in my life when Id have said its ridiculous to have an appointed House of Lords, we should have an elected one.

Q. You did say that.

Local networks, civic participation  they will matter as much as what government does. I think citizens today want to be networked, and they want to have agency

TB: Right. Thats the problem with having your biographer sitting there, reminding you of all the things that I wish I hadnt said. The trouble is, if you end up with an elected House of Lords, you just end up with people who either were MPs or couldnt be MPs, and you just load them all in the House of Lords; whereas if you could create a second chamber that was a purely revising chamber with genuine expertise from people who are drawn from different walks of life, it might be quite a good thing.

The Supreme Court I think was basically the right reform, and unless theres some obvious reform, I would leave it as it is. I would pay a lot more attention to how you get more local democracy, more participatory democracy. I would have been very sceptical of this 20 years ago, but all this to do with citizens assemblies and trying to work out a more involving way of making policy, I would definitely go into all of that. And I think, local networks, civic participation  they will matter as much as what government does. I think citizens today want to be networked, and they want to have agency. So I would be looking more in that direction than the same type of constitutional reform we did before.

Q. Do you think the role of prime minister is too much for one person?

TB: Ive often felt that there were a lot of other people who felt that in government, but theres always going to be one leader in the end. The thing thats most difficult about it is foreign policy and foreign engagement, where if you take for example the French system, the French president was able to spend a lot more time on foreign engagement, because you had a prime minister that handled domestic policy. It was also very useful if the domestic policy wasnt going so well, you could blame the prime minister and remove them. And Germany being a federal system, so the chancellor there can spend more time on it. But if youve got a capable cabinet around you, you can share a lot of the responsibility, and despite the strained relations between myself and Gordon at points, particularly towards the end, it was actually helpful for me for a long period of time at least to have someone of high ability with whom you could share responsibility.

Q. Given your experience working with quite a lot of senior civil servants, do you think there is merit to Dominic Cummingss wish to reform the civil service?

Dominic Cummings may have expressed himself a little too vigorously, lets say, but you should be constantly looking at innovation

TB: Well, theres merit in trying to bring in different skillsets. The civil service underwent a lot of change in my time, and I think it was much more fit for purpose at the end than at the beginning. In the civil service at its best, you have a lot of accumulated knowledge and historical experience that can be very useful in certain situations. Theyre extremely good in a crisis. I dealt with foot and mouth disease, 9/11, military engagements in Afghanistan, Iraq and so on; the system worked very well in those times.

What theyre not so good at, where they dont have the skillset, is where you need to make change. So I would reposition a lot of government today. Leave aside this crisis, if I was back in government today, the technology revolution would be number one, and Id be changing the way that government itself works. You need a whole new skillset to do that, and different types of people; you need people who are prepared to innovate and have new ideas.

What Dominic Cummings is talking about is actually quite familiar to anyone whos been in government; he may have expressed himself a little too vigorously, lets say, but you should be constantly looking at innovation, because otherwise what happens is the whole worlds changing apart from government.

Q. What do you think went wrong for the Labour Party at the last election: was it antisemitism, Brexit or the manifesto?

TB: I mean, honestly the whole thing was just wrong. It was just in the wrong place. The whole of progressive politics faces a challenge today. You can see this globally, because if you take countries with a population of over 20 million, I cant think of a single majority traditional left party in power anywhere in the western world. Theyre either hanging on by their fingertips in coalition, as in Spain, or theyre not in power. Macron won by defeating the traditional Socialist Party. Trudeau is a liberal. So where does that leave you? I dont think theres one. Part of this has to do with the Labour Party, and part of it is to do with progressive politics more generally. The problem with the Labour Party at the last election is that it was further to the left than its ever been, in circumstances where theres no evidence that British people are really going to support that programme.

There were always three strains in the Labour Party. One was what you might call the people who want to be in government and put a high priority on government. People like me, I guess. The second are people who are from the more traditional left of the party. They would say they do prioritise government, but maybe they put a somewhat higher value on keeping to more traditional left positions. That would be Nye Bevan, John Prescott, Jack Jones from the trade union movement. Then theres a third strain, which until the advent of the Bennite surge in the late Seventies and early Eighties was a fringe; they came from the more Marxist tradition of the left, with a more Leninist concept of the party. But they were a fringe, a remote fringe.

I honestly believe we could have come through Brexit, but what we couldnt come through was that lurch to the far left

Then the Bennite surge brought a lot of them into the Labour Party, like Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell. Tony Benn then challenged for the deputy leadership in 1981, narrowly lost by half a per cent, lost that struggle, and then it subsided. People forget that Michael Foot was from the traditional left of the party. I first came across Michael Foot when I was the lawyer for the Labour Party, the junior lawyer, and he was my client, and he was expelling Militant. So he was from the traditional left, but he had no time for that fringe left, he wanted them out.

When Jeremy Corbyn came to power, that was the first time these people had ever held power in the Labour Party. Their mentality  they have just got a different psychology, born out of protest movement politics. Its essentially: The people will see that its right to have a revolution. Unfortunately, they keep misunderstanding the situation, but at some point they will come to a realisation that that is actually what they want and they will vote for it. And obviously its a pretty big bet.

Antisemitism, by the way, came out of a worldview. That worldview was so hostile to Israel it trended into antisemitism. It didnt start as traditional antisemitism.

And Brexit: yes, Brexit was always going to be a problem, obviously. Which is why people like me said: do not have a Brexit general election. I honestly believe we could have come through Brexit, but what we couldnt come through was that lurch to the far left.

Q. But why do you think Jeremy Corbyn did so well in 2017?

Theresa May and the Tories ran a disastrous campaign, and, to be fair to Jeremy Corbyn, he ran a pretty good campaign in terms of his personality

TB: Because I think that a whole set of circumstances came together. Most notably, the people thought he had no chance of winning. My successor Phil Wilson went around saying: Dont worry, he cant win. We all said: Dont give the Tories a blank cheque. Then I think there were a whole lot of people who voted because they were passionate about Brexit, and thought that was the best way to stop Brexit. And then frankly, Theresa May and the Tories ran a disastrous campaign; and, to be fair to Jeremy Corbyn, he ran a pretty good campaign in terms of his personality.

But what happened between 2017 and 2019 is that each of these factors fell away, and people came to a very concluded view that they did not want him. I honestly think this is the challenge of the Labour Party: that at the last election, the door was shut in our face. I mean, they didnt say, No, no, I think no, not at this time. If you talk to the candidates who were out on the doorstep, day in, day out, it was: No. What are you doing?

With the new leadership, the doors will be open. But then we have got to have the conversation. And if the conversation is wrong, theyll still say no, its just that they wont slam the door. You cant do what weve done and recover without fundamentally recognising that the electorate were  I mean a section of them were  repelled by the Labour Party. Thats a horrible thing to say, but its true.

Brexit, of course it was a problem, and antisemitism was a problem. The whole thing was a problem.

Q. When you first became prime minister you invited Margaret Thatcher into No 10. What would you say is the greatest lesson you learned from her?

TB: Youre not allowed to say this in polite company, but she was actually very gracious when she came in.

People will keep with leaders if they have momentum and initiative. If youve got a clear vision, and youre driving it forward, people will hold with you

I do remember one thing, one piece of advice that she gave me when wed just been through a whole lot of internal cabinet manoeuvring and falling out about something, I cant remember what it was. I said to her: So what do you do when your cabinet ministers start falling out amongst themselves?

And she said to me: Look, my dear, falling out amongst themselves is not a problem. Its when theyre all united and falling out with you.

She also gave me a brilliant breakdown and a thorough assessment of each European country in turn, which Im never going to repeat, for the sake of good diplomatic relations.

The thing I learned from her  you know, you can agree or disagree with Margaret Thatcher, thats a completely different issue  but she had a clear vision of what she wanted to achieve. She understood that basically people will keep with leaders if they have momentum and initiative. If youve got a clear vision, and youre driving it forward, people will hold with you. Your single biggest risk as a leader is when you become frozen by all the different elements that are conspiring against you.

She recognised that, and I learned more from her by watching her in opposition over the years, and how she had that ability to articulate a very clear vision and just to go for it. If the person driving the bus is driving it with reasonable speed in a clear direction, people can shout and bawl but theyll stick on the bus and stick with you. But you start stopping the bus and getting out and discussing it with everybody, you know, then you never get back on again. So, I guess that was the lesson, too.

(Andy Lane/Strand Group/King's College London)

Q. Did you actually enjoy being prime minister?

TB: You know, occasionally I think I did. Until I remember what it was really like and then I realise, no, I didnt enjoy it. I found it motivating and energising and all the rest of it. Enjoy? I dont think Id ever use the word enjoy. Some prime ministers would. Ive spoken to prime ministers, not just of our country but others, who have said that they actually enjoyed it  but I always found the responsibility heavy.

Q. Do you think the ideal prime ministerchancellor relationship is being close to the point of agreeing on everything, like Cameron and Osborne, or where you dont overly get along but potentially bring in checks and balances?

TB: You mean like? The best thing is that the relationship is close enough to have disagreements and to resolve disagreement. Alignment is good in one sense because it means theres not that disunity in government, but on the other hand it means youre not generating any what I would call constructive disagreement or dissent.

When something is a full-on crisis, youve got to set all the normal processes aside. You have got to reposition the government so it is absolutely focused

Its harder when these are the two key positions in government. If the agendas really start to diverge, for political or personal or policy reasons, then its pretty tough. But I would say that for Gordon and me, even though you could write about it in destructive terms, for long periods of time it was actually constructive, because we were close enough to be able to have frank conversations. When there was divergence, it often allowed us to come back around to the common position that kept the Labour Party together. And I do think that one of the reasons why my government lasted twice as long as any previous Labour government was because he and I  what is always a problem within a progressive party is the leaderships not left enough and so on  we actually had that disagreement happen a lot of the time within a framework of our relationship, which was helpful.

Q. Given that you had so many crises in your premiership  9/11, foot and mouth, the fuel crisis  is there anything you wish youd known at the start?

TB: You realise in a crisis, when something is a full-on crisis, youve got to set all the normal processes aside. You have got to reposition the government so it is absolutely focused on the crisis. Obviously at the moment, thats what I would be doing if I was back in government. You need to immerse yourself in the detail. Not so that you can get the right answers necessarily, but so you can ask the right questions. Youve got to reckon on the worst-case scenario. Youve got to build enormous capacity at speed, and you have to be in a position where you can communicate to the public in a way that they understand and gives them confidence. The worst thing about a crisis is people feeling that the leadership is not really quite in control or knowing what its doing.

Q. Do you think that Alastair Campbell came to be treated as more of a machine than a man by his peers as well as by the press?

TB: He was a machine in terms of his ability to work, and to generate new ideas, and creatively. But he was definitely very much a man, a person, in terms of his character and how people felt about being in government. Alastair had a remarkable ability to get on with people and to inspire loyalty amongst the people who worked for him. And that was because of his personality, because in the end he was also very loyal to people.

In a globalised world, your national self-interest requires you to act on global problems

The reason why a lot of the media disliked him was partly because, as I said to Alastair, its unfortunate if youre a press secretary and you have a deep, abiding dislike of the media, even though you come from it. So I think that was a struggle for him, but that was a struggle very much because of his own character and personality. But he was a communications genius, actually. And that only came about because he wasnt really a machine, in the end  he was very much a person.

Q. Your doctrine of the international community  how would you describe the foundation underpinning it: is it moral, religious, ideological or pragmatic?

TB: I would say its pragmatic, but most people would say its too idealistic and some might even say naive. The basic principle was that in a globalised world, your national self-interest requires you to act on global problems in a coordinated way. Now, the truth is, post 9/11, and as a result of all the difficulties weve got into in Iraq and Afghanistan, people have tended to shy away from it as a doctrine, but I think as a basic concept, it remains correct. You can argue whether it was misapplied post 9/11, thats certainly an argument you can have. But I still think that any of the problems you need to deal with in the world today, whether its terrorism, climate change, the global economy or indeed coronavirus, you require levels of global coordination and you require countries not to think that they can look at their own narrow self-interest in a way that, you know, means that you dont take account of the broader interest.

This is the problem I think now. It was conceived of at the time of Kosovo, but I honestly believe, you know, if we hadnt intervened in Kosovo we would have had a problem ourselves, so it wasnt because I thought  I mean, I did think there was a moral case for helping the people in Kosovo, but that wasnt the principal guide for me  it was that we would end up having a big problem in Europe if we didnt deal with this problem on our doorstep.

And I still think we face the same challenges today. I can think of Syria, and now youve got what I think will be the coming crisis, which will be the Sahel group of countries in the northern part of sub-Saharan Africa, which will destabilise, in my view, over the next few years, unless there is massive international help given to them.

Q. How successful do you think the Good Friday Agreement has been, given the recent political gridlock in the assembly and the uptick in military activity, and what you think could be done by the present government to steer it back on track?

TB: Well, I think just focus on it. Which, to be fair, under the previous Northern Ireland secretary, Julian Smith, I think they did, and they got it back working again. Look, its going to be a continual work in progress, and now its going to be overlain by the question of a united Ireland or not, because Brexit gives a different context to the Good Friday Agreement. Virtually everyone here is too young to remember how when you used to wake up, literally every morning, Northern Ireland would be on the news, usually with some new death or terrorist attack, and including here on the mainland as well. So, it was a very difficult thing to do, but Im proud of the fact we did it, and I think if its properly handled it will stay.

Q. Youve talked about how the Labour Party, if it is to win again, needs to plant its flag in the centre of British politics, but a lot of people would say that moves a lot. Where do you think the centre of political gravity in Britain is now in 2020, and how far away do you think that is from where it was in 1997?

TB: I think the context for the centre is always different. So if I was back in government today the policy agenda of the government would be completely different. Ive said and written recently about how the technology revolution will be at the centre of what we do as a government. Its the single biggest thing thats happening in the world. Its the 21st-century equivalent of the 19th-century Industrial Revolution. I would be changing the whole way government worked in order to deal with it.

Every time the Labour Partys experimented with going off to the left, its had pretty much the same result

So I think the policy agenda always changes, but I think the concept of the centre, which is that there is a way that you can bring people together, in particular the more traditional working-class support of Labour and the more liberal-minded support, I think that coalition hasnt shifted a great deal in the last 100 years. There is the question of whether its shifted now, but Im not sure it really has.

If you think back to the early part of the 20th century, Lloyd George and the Labour Party in that early part of his reforms, they had a lot in common, and Winston Churchill was part of it as well, because he was in the Liberal Party at the time.

The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats today should be able to share many things in common. Now, theyre in different political parties, but there is probably a basis for collaboration or cooperation today. There always has been, one way or another, and usually Labours only come into government when thats been present. So, I dont think the centre as a concept has much changed. Obviously the context in which you operate has changed dramatically.

In 120 years of Labour history, weve had essentially three Labour governments. Which one didnt win from the centre? And when people give the Attlee government as an example, I mean, Attlee had been deputy to Churchill throughout the war years. Virtually all the policies of that Labour government grew out of an intrawar consensus that then became a postwar consensus. Even the Conservative Party very nearly  and very easily could have  supported the National Health Service, and made a terrible political mistake in not doing so. But its not as if those ideas werent kicking around: the Education Act 1944 was Rab Butler.

And every time the Labour Partys experimented with going off to the left, its had pretty much the same result.

Q. What in your opinion is distinct about the New Labour ideology, particularly on social policy, and do you think that its similar to the general Labour ideology of social equity, given that it was one of the most redistributive governments in recent history?

Progressive parties win when they appear to understand the future and have a plan for the future. They lose when people think theyre putting ideology first

TB: What I always used to say to people is, there are values and philosophy that the Labour Party has that dont change: the belief in social justice, the belief that our job is essentially to help the people without the opportunity to get opportunity, to put it in very crude terms. That always was for me the difference with the Conservatives. They would think about pragmatically running the country, and theres nothing wrong with that; thats fine and its got its place, but we were always motivated by a desire to help the people without opportunity to get on the ladder of opportunity. And that never changes. To try and create healthcare systems and education systems that are free at the point of use, but of quality. The whole purpose of New Labour was just to say there are different ways today of meeting those aims and objectives. The objectives dont change, theyre timeless, but the policies are time-bound.

So today I would be looking at how you change your healthcare system to utilise the technology that will allow you to diagnose differently, treat differently, have people with chronic conditions looking after themselves, making sure that you can do GP appointments virtually, and all of the changes which will help you drive some cost out of the system. Then you could build a better social care system, value the people that do it, but youre going to have to squeeze the income out of the system in order to be able to do that.

Thats what New Labour was about, and I dont think that concept ever really changes. The other thing about progressive parties is they win when they appear to understand the future and have a plan for the future. They lose when people think theyre putting ideology first. So social equity is what we did when we were in government, and its what we should always be about. Its just how do you do it.

(Andy Lane/Strand Group/King's College London)

Q. Youve said looking back that perhaps your government was too obsessed with spin and presentation at the expense of policy, particularly in the early years. How do you think the government could have established a different relationship with what you called the feral beast?

TB: I dont know if that was ever possible. I really dont. Even today I wonder whether with the right policies in terms of engagement with the hostile media which we did do, which at the time, by the way, seemed pretty sensible, given that wed been completely beaten up by it. You know those of us who lived through the Eighties and the 92 election left its scars pretty deep in the way the media treated us.

I think we were always going to face a time when the right-wing media realised that we actually werent a Tory government, a Red Tory government. Thats the irony of the criticism made from the left today, because when I was in power, I was very well aware that the attack was coming from the right the whole time. And it was coming precisely on policies of social change, redistribution.

On the right, when its leadership is under attack, they rally round. Whereas the left tend to go, Yeah, youre right

To give you an example, there was no Department for International Development when we came in, but we created one; we eventually committed to 0.7 per cent of GDP. We were the only major developed nation of size that has done that. Which gave our Department for International Development, relative to GDP, the biggest budget in the world. And, you know, they hated all of those policies. I constantly reassess this one. Probably we had no option but to establish a relationship, and probably there was no outcome other than eventually there was a falling out.

Q. When you mentioned the feral beast, you were referring to The Independent.

TB: I exempted John. It was frustrating for me that you were always under attack from the right. The left is always less disciplined than the right. On the right, when its leadership is under attack, they rally round. Whereas the left tend to go, Yeah, youre right.

Q. Have you ever regretted Scottish devolution, and do you think it led to the downfall of the Scottish Labour Party?

TB: No, I dont really. I mean, I think we needed to do devolution. If we hadnt, we would have had a huge problem on our hands. We had all those battles in the Seventies, and all these guys like John Smith, Donald Dewar, Robin Cook, Gordon Brown  all the big figures of the Labour Party in the Nineties, across the spectrum  were in favour of doing it, which led me to believe, Look, if all of those guys are saying it really has to be done, it probably has to be done.

Now, the Scottish Labour Party just did what the national Labour Party did except more so. Right? In other words, it gave up on New Labour completely, which left the field open then for Ruth Davidson to emerge, which she did. It got confused about whether it should run after the nationalists or take them on  when it should obviously have been taking them on. And then over the recent thing in Europe, it could have been the pro-union and pro-Europe political party in the centre-left position and it would have done fine.

The thing that always amazes me is that we kept those Labour seats with us all the way through; even in 2005 we had 41 seats. So we didnt need to give it up; we gave it up because of our mistakes, and because we drew the wrong conclusions. You will know this better than me, coming from Scotland, but it just isnt correct that the Scots are far left; theyre not really like that. If you look at the nationalist party for example, its made up of all sorts of different elements, some of which are ragingly pro-business and quite right-wing.

So, I think the Labour Party was the author, and is the author, of its own misfortunes in Scotland. But its rescuable, because the only politician in Scotland that broke that SNP grip at all was Ruth Davidson. How did she do it? By being a charismatic, smart, capable figure, standing in the centre.

How the British media covered the Iraq War Show all 6 1 /6 How the British media covered the Iraq War How the British media covered the Iraq War Daily Mirror, 6 January 2003 How the British media covered the Iraq War The Guardian, 21 March 2003 How the British media covered the Iraq War The Daily Mail, 22 March 2003 How the British media covered the Iraq War Daily Telegraph, 21 March 2003 How the British media covered the Iraq War The Sun, 20 March 2003 How the British media covered the Iraq War

Q. People on the left, especially on the far left, say that you are unequivocally a war criminal, despite the Chilcot Inquiry exonerating you of that. What is your personal view on this?

TB: What you realise is that on something like Iraq there is a reasonable argument to be had and a not so reasonable one. So if people ask me, Im very happy to have a debate about it, but if you just want to shout something at me, well thats fine. I mean, these are really difficult decisions you take in government. Even today, even though I can be, and have been, very critical of what was the single biggest mistake we made during that period, which is the failure to understand sufficiently the nature of the societies that we were getting into  which is why when the Arab Spring came about I was on the cautious side  when you look back on 9/11, you see the context and realise what we were trying to deal with.

You look at the Middle East today  and you know I spend a lot of time there  these decisions are difficult, and reasonable people can disagree about it. I think the judgement of history will be taken some time from now, not right now or back in 2003.

The time you should trust the politicians most is when theyre telling you what you least want to hear  it means theyre not putting their career first

In the end, when youre doing the job of prime minister, you learn over time to divide the decisions into two categories. Theres decisions that you can work out the politic thing to do. And thats not a disrespectful or wrong approach at all. You can think, if Im going to do these healthcare reforms, maybe I bend this way or that way in order to get them through. Or you can play a certain amount of politics with those types of questions in a perfectly reasonable way. Then you come to the decisions which are literally binary, and of huge moment.

And then I think youve got to do what you think is right. Now, you may end up being proved wrong  thats another matter. But your job is to do what you think is right. And what I always say to people about politics and politicians is, the time you should trust the politicians most is when theyre telling you what you least want to hear. Because unless theyre an idiot, they know what you want. And thats the easiest thing to do. The time to trust a politician most is when theyre telling you, Look, I know you dont like this, and I know its not going to be popular; I really believe its the right thing to do. Thats when you should trust them. Because what it means is theyre not putting their career first. The trouble is, and I often hear this about trust and politicians, the examples of trust are just people telling you, Oh, its really easy. Thats not when you trust someone; trust them when theyre doing things that are difficult.

Q. Why have successive governments failed to reduce regional inequalities and end the housing shortage?

TB: I would say we ameliorated the situation but didnt fundamentally change it in the way that we would have. I think you need to take a completely different approach to the regional economies. I do think if I was back in government today, infrastructure would be a major part of what we would be doing. You will have the capacity through technology to link up not just different regions but different towns and cities within regions. And youve got to give them an economic purpose. I think that can be done, over time.

There are regional inequalities, but if you look at our major cities, they havent done so badly. Over the years, my government put a huge amount of investment into cities like Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester; these became engines of the local economy. Its the outlying areas that havent. So Ive come to the conclusion that, if I was back in government today, you need specific policies for each region. And it wouldnt be enough, as we thought when we were in office, that if we regenerate the cities, it spilled out into the towns, and if you raise the economy as a whole, it came out into the regions. So I would take a more focused view today than we did back then.

Tony Blair was speaking to students on courses I teach with Michelle Clement, Jon Davis and Jack Brown at Kings College London on 16 March 2020. My thanks to all involved, including Martin Stolliday, manager of the Strand Group.
A man walks across the nearly empty Temple University campus in North Philadelphia last week. Read more

Temple University refunded millions of dollars to students who were forced to leave their dorms and return home to finish the semester online.

Theres also money gone from canceled campus events and a loss of sports-related revenue. Many other questions swirl: Will the coronavirus affect summer and fall terms? Will students feel safe to enroll? Will their families, who may face job loss, be able to pay? Will the campus be able to open? Will it have to shut again for a second virus wave?

Temple said it couldnt estimate how much money it has lost already  or could lose in coming months. Pennsylvania State University president Eric Barron said during a virtual town hall his school also faces a loss of millions. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which oversees 14 universities, is projecting a $100 million revenue shortfall.

And many other universities face the same dilemma, one that has no timetable and could cause lasting damage.

Theres just no way we wont see a tremendous financial hit to many institutions, said Nathan Grawe, a professor of economics at Carleton College in Minnesota and author of the 2018 book Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education.

The federal stimulus package includes monetary relief for colleges, but college officials say its unclear exactly how much theyll get and what it could be used for.

Compounding the problem, many colleges already were struggling to compete for fewer students as the pool of high school graduates shrinks and international enrollment wanes. Pennsylvanias state universities have lost about 20% of their enrollment since 2010. Many colleges, even elite ones like Bucknell University, missed their enrollment targets last fall.

Moodys, the investment rating service, this month revised its outlook of the higher-education sector from stable to negative, citing unprecedented enrollment uncertainty and risks to multiple revenue streams. It noted that more than 30% of public universities and nearly 30% of privates were already running operating deficits.

 READ MORE: As coronavirus forces colleges to move online, some give students option of pass/fail grades

The blow from the virus could force more mergers and acquisitions  even closures, some experts said.

These institutions have been around for a long time, said Brian C. Mitchell, a higher-education consultant and former president of Bucknell. Theyre tremendously resilient. But there is a hard economic fact that were going to have to face here, assuming that what were hearing, in terms of modeling for both weighing the depth of the crisis and the length, is true.

Loss of room-and-board revenue

The first major hit to college budgets came in loss of room-and-board revenue, as the virus arrived and students left midsemester. Many universities have committed to compensating students with either credit for next year or, as in Temples case, actual refunds.

Others have yet to announce exactly what they will do.

Lehigh University in Bethlehem said it will give students a choice of a refund or credit. The University of Pennsylvania said it also would reimburse students and announce a process later this spring. Drexel, whose school year is divided into quarters, said it wont charge students who dont live on campus for the spring term, set to begin April 6.

For large universities with big endowments and budget reserves, absorbing the loss will be challenging; for smaller, tuition-dependent private schools or strapped public institutions, it could be a major setback.

This has been enormously challenging, especially for students and their families, and we as a system have a lot of work ahead of us with the legislature and the governors office," said Dave Pidgeon, spokesperson for Pennsylvanias state system.

An admissions cycle interrupted

Spring is the time when colleges typically bring thousands of prospective students  those who have been accepted but not yet enrolled  onto their campuses for tours and visits as they decide whether to commit.

This year, Temple has been able to have only one such on-campus event.

Theres a tremendous amount of anxiety across campus about where we are going to land in the fall, said Shawn Abbott, vice provost for admissions, financial aid, and enrollment management.

Many colleges are scrambling to create or bolster virtual tours and create virtual days for those accepted students.Temple just launched a new tour and virtual information session. It plans to release a virtual event day April 1.

At La Salle University, students and faculty were making tour videos of the campus.

This is unprecedented, said Dawn Soufleris, La Salles vice president for student affairs. We all need to be incredibly nimble because things are changing rapidly.

 READ MORE: As colleges compete for fewer students, the pressure rises to meet enrollment targets

Every year, La Salle holds blue and gold days, bringing hundreds of accepted students and their families to campus, giving them a feel for university life. The college had held a couple of events earlier in the year, but two scheduled for late March and early April will be replaced with virtual experiences, she said.

Many schools, including La Salle and Ursinus College, have rolled back their deposit date deadline to June 1 to give students more time to decide. At Ursinus, in Montgomery County, 155 of the 165 accepted students who completed a survey said an extension would help.

In addition to offering virtual chats, presentations, and panels with current students, parents and faculty, Ursinus also reopened its admissions to accept students who may be reconsidering enrollment options.

We want to be sure we are doing all we can to help students make the right decision so they can thrive and succeed from the beginning, said Shannon Zottola, enrollment management dean.

Still, potential problems abound

Mitchell, the higher-education consultant, questioned whether parents would be comfortable sending children to a population dense place like a college campus if the virus is still present. Those in urban areas may be particularly challenged for the same reason some New Yorkers are fleeing the city, he said.

Students, including those from other countries, may be hesitant to travel in the fall, especially after they were sent home this semester, said Grawe, the Minnesota professor. That could mean another revenue hit for many schools where international students typically pay full price.

For schools with a largely local draw, there could be an upside. La Salles Soufleris said most of its students come from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, within driving distance.

We think thats actually going to be a positive for us, she said.

Temple also saw encouraging signs: Deposits from accepted students are running 14% ahead of last year and more than 100 students applied for admission after the priority deadline, Abbott said.

Perhaps students and families may be more apprehensive about going too far away, he said.

Cutting back expenses

As economic news grows bleaker, universities have begun cutting back. Temple on Wednesday instituted an administrative hiring freeze, asked departments to cut expenses this year, and said it planned for a 5% reduction next year.

And at the virtual town hall, Penn States Barron said the schools hotel and conference centers, airport, housing, and food services  operations dependent on self-generated revenue  stand to lose millions. The residence and dining operation, which typically serves 20,000 students, has only about 1,200 remaining who were not able to go home, he said.

The university has committed to paying employees full salaries at least through April 30.

Grawe saw an upside in that universities so swiftly pivoted to put instruction online and close much of their operations.

Campuses are proving to be adaptable, he said. Its remarkable to see this much change in such a short amount of time.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has told Donald Trump that the US and China must work together to stop Covid-19 as America faces the prospect of becoming the next global epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Xi said China would be willing to offer support to the US, which now has most confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world, and insisted his country had been open and transparent about its epidemic, according to a report by Chinese state media.

He also urged Mr Trump to improve China-US relations after the US president angered officials in Beijing by referring to coronavirus as the China virus because it was first identified there.

Soon after the phone call, Mr Trump said he had a very good conversation with the Chinese president.

Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect! he added.

Mr Trump also suggested on Thursday that he pushed back his call with the Chinese president from 9pm to 10:30pm so he could speak to Fox News Sean Hannity live on air first.

He told Mr Hannity: Well because of you I made it a 10:30  that just shows when you have the number one rated show in television, I better change things around.

The US had reported more than 85,000 coronavirus infections and nearly 1,300 deaths as of Friday morning, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.

Hospitals in major cities such as New York and New Orleans have already warned they are struggling to cope with the surge in patients.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has said the US is expected to become the next epicentre of the pandemic, which has already moved from China to Europe, due to its rapidly growing number of cases.

China managed to slow its outbreak by introducing draconian city lockdowns and severe travel restriction which have damaged its economy.

On Friday, mainland China reported its first local coronavirus case in three days and 54 new imported cases, as officials ordered airlines to sharply cut international flights to prevent foreign travellers reigniting the countrys outbreak.

However, Mr Trump has been reluctant to introduce such measures and said he wanted large sections of the country to reopen for Easter, going against advice from his own health experts.

The president suggested on Wednesday that the LameStream Media was trying to convince him to keep the country on lockdown to hurt his re-election chances.

The real people want to get back to work ASAP, Mr Trump claimed.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Execution of action plan "HEALTH, COST CASH" in all countries

Reduction of CAPEX by at least CHF 400 million compared to 2019

Reduction in fixed cost by at least CHF 300 million in 2020

Reduction of Net Working Capital at least in line with level of activity

Strong liquidity of CHF 8 billion as of March 26, 2020

Confirmation of Annual General Assembly on May 12, 2020 and confirmation of dividend proposal

Regulatory News:

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, LafargeHolcim has taken the necessary measures to protect the health of its employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. We are closely monitoring all markets according to the evolving situation and to the guidance provided by the authorities in each country.

While the construction sector and construction sites are generally more resilient than other sectors, LafargeHolcim is now experiencing disruptions in operations in various countries. In China, the recovery of the construction sector has started and all our plants outside of Hubei Province are operating. We forecast the market demand to further recover and to supply 70% of last year's volume in April 2020. In most of the other key markets, the construction sector is disrupted and we forecast significant volume declines in April and May. While demand in Q1 was solid overall, LafargeHolcim expects a significant negative impact on its business in Q2.

Currently the development of the Coronavirus pandemic and its implications for the business are volatile and very different from country to country. In order to mitigate the financial impact of the situation, we have launched the action plan "HEALTH, COST CASH" for immediate execution in all countries. Targets are:

Reduction of CAPEX by at least CHF 400 million compared to 2019

Reduction in fixed cost by CHF 300 million in 2020

Realization of reduction of energy prices and full review of all third party products and services

Reduction of Net Working Capital at least in line with level of activity

Based on the significantly strengthened balance sheet, LafargeHolcim has strong liquidity of CHF 8 billion as of March 26, 2020.

Due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the guidance for 2020 is no longer valid. While the implementation of the action plan "HEALTH, COST CASH" is in full execution, the dynamic, volatile development of the Coronavirus pandemic makes it currently no longer possible to fully evaluate its impact on the performance of LafargeHolcim in 2020. We will provide a more comprehensive business update at the first quarter 2020 results release on April 30, 2020.

In its meeting on March 26, 2020, the Board of Directors confirmed the date of the Annual General Assembly and the proposal for the payment of a cash dividend.

The Annual General Assembly will be held on May 12, 2020, as planned. In accordance with the requirements as defined in the Ordinance of the Federal Council of Switzerland, dated March 16, 2020, to protect the public, shareholders will not be allowed to attend the event in person. Shareholders are requested to vote their shares in advance by giving a power of attorney to the independent proxy.

For the 2019 financial year, the Board of Directors confirms the proposal of a cash dividend of CHF 2.00 per registered share, subject to approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on May 12, 2020. The dividend will be fully paid out of the foreign capital contribution reserve and is not subject to Swiss withholding tax.

About LafargeHolcim

LafargeHolcim is the global leader in building materials and solutions and active in four business segments: Cement, Aggregates, Ready-Mix Concrete and Solutions Products. Its ambition is to lead the industry in reducing carbon emissions and shifting towards low-carbon construction. With the strongest R&D organization in the industry, the company seeks to constantly introduce and promote high-quality and sustainable building materials and solutions to its customers worldwide whether individual homebuilders or developers of major infrastructure projects. LafargeHolcim employs over 70,000 employees in over 70 countries and has a portfolio that is equally balanced between developing and mature markets.

More information is available on www.lafargeholcim.com

Important disclaimer forward-looking statements:

This document contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute forecasts regarding results or any other performance indicator, but rather trends or targets, as the case may be, including with respect to plans, initiatives, events, products, solutions and services, their development and potential. Although LafargeHolcim believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions as at the time of publishing this document, investors are cautioned that these statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of LafargeHolcim, including but not limited to the risks described in the LafargeHolcim's annual report available on its website (www.lafargeholcim.com) and uncertainties related to the market conditions and the implementation of our plans. Accordingly, we caution you against relying on forward-looking statements. LafargeHolcim does not undertake to provide updates of these forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005799/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations: media@lafargeholcim.com

+41 (0) 58 858 87 10

Investor Relations: investor.relations@lafargeholcim.com

+41 (0) 58 858 87 87
Advertisement

The Met Police today threatened to fine a bakery boss 80 for criminal damage after she put temporary lines outside her shop to keep her customers safe from coronavirus.

The extraordinary incident took place outside the Grodzinski bakery in Edgware, north-west London, this morning, when police spotted the owner using a can of non-permanent spray chalk to help maintain social distancing of two metres.

The officer told the flabbergasted woman that she had graffitied the pavement and if police failed to punish crimes like these there would be 'anarchy', adding: 'I can't help the law. We're going to be ticketing soon to stop people congregating - is that wrong too?'.

The woman, who gives her name as Gemma, confronts the officer and says: 'This is not graffiti, it's chalk, it washes off. So you would rather all my customers don't stand two metres apart? I'm doing it for people's safety - to stop the spread of coronavirus', to which the officer replies: 'It doesn't matter. It's criminal damage. It's the law'.

The officer then tells her she needs to wash it off or she 'will be committing another offence', and she says to protect her customers she will happily 'get another ticket, and another ticket and another ticket. I don't care'.

A witness who filmed the incident told the policeman: 'People are dying and this is what you care about, this is ridiculous, this is horrendous' and the officer replies: 'The law doesn't stop unfortunately. It's still a criminal offence. The law is the law and it doesn't change because of what is happening. There would be anarchy in the world'.

The incident took place outside the Grodzinski bakery in Edgware, north-west London, where the police officer said: 'It's criminal damage'

Justifying a potential 80 fine the policeman says: 'The law doesn't stop unfortunately. It's still a criminal offence. The law is the law and it doesn't change because of what is happening. There would be anarchy in the world'

This is the extraordinary moment a police officer threatens to fine a bakery owner for drawing chalk lines outside her store to maintain social distancing

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'The officer advised the woman that he was planning to issue a ticket for criminal damage. However, following a further conversation, no ticket was issued.

'The actions shown in this video do not reflect the current policing style that the MPS seeks to adopt. The officer has been spoken to and all staff on the borough will be reminded about using discretion where appropriate in these exceptional times.'

It came as police forces across the country are facing accusations of overzealousness as they use sweeping new powers to crack down on people flouting the coronavirus lockdown, using road blocks, drones and helicopters to enforce it.

A council is facing a furious backlash today after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are 'unlawfully' trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs.

Home Office reveals new powers to tackle people flouting the coronavirus lockdown Up to two years in prison if you cough deliberately on someone after spate of attacks on police and emergency service workers

People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and can be arrested as part of new enforcement powers announced by the Home Office.

Officers can also tell them to go home, leave or disperse an area and ensure parents are taking necessary steps to stop their children breaking the law.

Those who refuse to comply could be issued with a fixed penalty notice of 60, which will be lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days.

Second-time offenders could be issued a fixed penalty notice of 120, doubling on each further repeat offence.

Those who do not pay the penalty can be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose fines up to 1,000 or more; Advertisement

Officers have already issued fines to people breaching coronavirus lockdown rules, less than 24 hours after new laws were brought into force, the National Police Chiefs' Council has said.

Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence. But fines could reach 1,000-plus for repeat offenders.

But guidelines issued by the Cabinet Office do not prohibit driving somewhere for exercise or dog walking.

Derbyshire Police is now embroiled in a heated row after tweeting 'menacing' drone footage chasing and 'shaming' ramblers and dog walkers in the Peak District.

Neath Port Talbot council has also begun using drones equipped with speakers to shout at groups of people outside - though some targeted claim they had been 'waiting hours for prescriptions before they were ordered to go home.'

But members of the public have hit back at the extraordinary move, claiming they are being targeted while queuing outside for hours waiting for groceries and medication.

Critics say the unprecedented powers handed to officers by ministers will see the country 'sliding into dystopia.'

As the row intensified today, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an 'overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful.'

Former MPs also claim police are 'showing an astounding lack of judgement' and needed to exercise 'common sense and respect' and use their powers elsewhere.

But chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, Martin Hewitt, doubled down on the measures, telling the BBC: 'This is a national emergency, not a national holiday.'

Bristol: Police are stopping motorists in Bristol this morning as they exercise their powers to enforce the lockdown

North Yorkshire: Sgt Paul Cording from North Yorkshire Police conducts a road check to convey the government's 'stay-at-home' message, in Harrogate

Peak District: Derbyshire Police issue a warning to two walkers near Mam Tor in the Peak District this morning

London: A police officer speaks to a couple sat at a bench in the sunshine in Greenwich Park

The drones are operating in high streets in Wales in a bid to disperse people

Derbyshire Police sent up their drone and filmed people on 'not essential' trips to the Peak District including people posing for an 'Instagram snap'

As the row intensified today, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an 'overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful.'

On Britain's fourth day of lockdown, it also emerged:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus after developing a cough. Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed he had it an hour later;

Nearly half of Britons expected the coronavirus crisis to last at least six months - and 73 per cent blame China for the turmoil, poll found

NHS nurses are to be sent to London from all over the UK as the capital is set to be struck by a 'tsunami' of cases

The FTSE 100 fell by 4 per cent as the property market looks set to dry up during the key spring selling season

The Metropolitan Police has asked retired officers to consider returning to the beat amid the coronavirus outbreak

Firefighters are set to deliver food and medicines and drive ambulances or retrieving dead bodies

GP Habib Zaidi, 76, who died at Southend Hospital in Essex, is feared to have become the first doctor in the UK to have died after contracting coronavirus

Among those responding to Derbyshire Police's drone footage was ex-Lord Chancellor, David Gauke.

The former Work and Pensions Secretary and Justice Secretary said: 'This is badly misjudged. People should maintain social distancing, which is what these people are doing. We need to maintain public support for fundamental behaviour change which requires the authorities to focus on genuinely bad behaviour.'

Derbyshire Police took the extraordinary step of using one of its drones to film dog walkers, ramblers and a group posing for Instagram pictures on a cliff top at sunset last night - highlighting their movements and accusing them of making an 'unessential' trip.

Using the unmanned aircraft they also gathered number plates from parked cars and traced their owners to their homes in Sheffield saying: 'Walking your dog in the Peak District: Not essential.'

Appearing on BBC Breakfast today, Superintendent Steve Pont from Derbyshire Police hit back at allegations he was 'shaming' dog walkers, claiming people were 'looking for excuses and loopholes as to why they don't need to stay at home when everyone else does.'

Supt Pont said his force was, 'here to apply the law the government makes.'

Bristol: Officers in the road are conducting random checks in Bristol in a bid to crack down on people leaving their homes

Police begin to exercise new powers fining members of the public from walking in places where it is deemed not essential, as seen in the Peak District today

Derbyshire Police are leaving warnings on cars across the Peak District today as they step up their powers

Officers in Bristol are questioning drivers on the streets today as they try to clamp down on people going outside

Police will now ARREST anyone who flouts the travel ban People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police. Those who ignore tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially and another for 120 for a second offence, the Home Office warned. Officers will have the power to enforce rules on staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel from Thursday. They can order members of the public to go home, leave an area and have the power to disperse a group. Police can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules. According to the guidance, the cost of initial fixed penalty notices will be cut to 30 if paid within 14 days and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines. The Home Office said: 'If an individual continues to refuse to comply, they will be acting unlawfully, and the police may arrest them where deemed proportionate and necessary. 'However, in the first instance, the police will always apply their common sense and discretion.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'The Prime Minister has been clear on what we need to do: stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives. 'All our frontline services really are the best of us and are doing an incredible job to stop this terrible virus from spreading. 'That's why I'm giving the police these new enforcement powers, to protect the public and keep people safe.' Advertisement

Boris Johnson has stressed that unless you are a key worker or helping someone vulnerable, the only reasons to go outside are to go shopping for essentials, exercise once a day or fulfil any medical needs.

Those flouting the rules face fines of up to 960, and police can now arrest anyone found outside without good reason.

In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions yesterday warned that anyone deliberately coughing at 999 workers to spread coronavirus faces up to two years in jail.

But barrister Matthew Ryder argued: 'Seems to be overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful.

'They have no power to stop someone driving to an isolated scenic spot to exercise away from others (nor is there any logical reason why there should be).

'If you live in a densely packed city like London, the local park now feels like a crowded gym much of the day: people exercising, walking dogs, letting kids run about.

'Stopping people going out to isolated spots for exercise in order to ease that crowding is counterproductive.'

Former West Midlands MEP Roger Helmer tweeted: 'For heaven's sake, Derbyshire police, get a sense of proportion. These people were taking exercise (permitted) and maintaining social separation (mandated). There are much more important matters which you should be pursuing.'

Supt Pont told the BBC: 'We've received the legislation which is easy for people to understand. If people continue to flout this then we will resort to giving out fines.

'We wanted to reinforce the message of, 'stay home' because a number of people aren't staying home; they're finding excuses and loopholes to go out.

'We wanted to illustrate that this is the wrong thing to do - last weekend the Peak District was overflowing with tourists.'

But presenter Charlie Stayt argued there was little chance of infecting other people if people travel in their own car to a remote location and walk away from other people, exercising their rights in a safe manner.

He added: 'It's not really up to you to stop them.'

Supt Pont added: 'If people drive in their cars and go walking along the clifftops, there's a potential for accidents. Mountain rescue have said they don't want people doing it.

'If the NHS are responding to a road traffic collisions, that is taking up their time.

Police have been stopping motorists as they travel on Park Street, Bristol, this morning

Police Scotland were using their own helicopter to catch people and issue fines in Pollok Park, Glasgow today

'The point is, government legislation says you should make your time away from home as short as possible.

'It is not as short as possible if you feel like going for a drive in the Peak District.'

He added: 'We are hoping to appeal to the better judgement of these people.

'The NHS are heroes - they are asking, begging us, to stay at home. And 93-4 per cent of the public are doing that but some people are trying to find excuses not to.'

The apparent need for the new police powers to break up gatherings has been illustrated by reports of officers being called to friends having barbecues, house parties and games of football.

Neath Port Talbot council and South Wales Police are also using drones equipped with speakers to disperse groups of people congregating outside.

The council has teamed up with South Wales Police to identify popular hotspots.

The council says it hopes the use of drones, 'will help to remind people not following the rules about what their responsibilities are.'

A spokesman from Neath Port Talbot council said: 'Drones are now being used to distribute public information messages across Neath Port Talbot during the coronavirus outbreak.

'We have teamed up with South Wales Police to survey hotspots where people are not following government measures on social distancing.'

NEW POLICE POWERS: WHEN DID THEY COME INTO FORCE AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN? Police officers now have powers to enforce staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel, as of 1pm on Thursday. As a result, people who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested or fined. Officers can use 'reasonable force, if necessary'. What is the law called and where is it in force? Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, they are currently in force in England. The regulations are expected to be introduced in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales by the end of Thursday. What are the main points of the rules? Police can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, have the power to disperse a group, using 'reasonable force, if necessary' and can make arrests if someone refuses to comply. Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence. Those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines. Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is an arrestable offence. Officers can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules. Why have the rules been enacted? The Government says it is to protect the public and keep people safe. The regulations state they are made 'in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health' posed by Covid-19 and the Government considers the 'restrictions and requirements imposed by these regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve'. But human rights campaigners have raised concerns about the restrictions posed by the powers. How long will they be in force? The regulations are classed as emergency laws. They must be reviewed at least once every 21 days, starting on April 16. Why can I leave my house and how often? Reasons for why someone may leave their house as well as to get food and medical supplies for you, your household or vulnerable people, are to get money and to exercise. A reasonable excuse also includes: to give blood, attend a funeral, meet bail conditions, go to court and take part in legal proceedings, to move house and to 'avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm'. The rules do not appear to limit how many times per day someone can leave their house. What else do the rules say? The rules define who is considered a vulnerable person under the law as someone who is aged 70 or older, anyone aged under 70 who has an underlying health condition and anyone who is pregnant. Underlying health conditions include: chronic long-term respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, hepatitis, Parkinson's, diabetes, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, a learning disability or cerebral palsy, HIV, Aids, cancer, and obesity. It also lists in detail the businesses and buildings which can stay open - like supermarkets, hardware stores and post offices - and must close - such as pubs, restaurants and theatres - during the crisis. Advertisement

The council added: 'The drones are equipped with speakers that will transmit messages directly to the public.

'We are reminding residents to stay at home except for (reasons outlined by the Government).'

But while some praised the measures, others claimed they were unnecessary.

Writing on Facebook, Carly Murray said: 'This upset a lot of people today at Neath boots.

'People were waiting for prescriptions and people were very orderly and staying two metres apart. This drone turned up and changed the mood.

'As people were perplexed where it's had come from and what they could do as they were waiting for Boots.

'People were annoyed to be told to go home when they were already stressed and fed up waiting hours for medications.'

The head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max Hill QC, warned that offenders coughing and spitting at key workers would be charged with common assault, punishable by up to two years in prison.

His intervention came after Darren Rafferty, 45, from Dagenham, east London, admitted three counts of assaulting an emergency worker after claiming to have coronavirus and deliberately coughing at officers arresting him for grievous bodily harm.

David Mott, 40, from Blackburn, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison after threatening to spit at officers when they asked him why he was outdoors with two others on Monday night.

In response to new police powers being brought into force to make sure coronavirus lockdown restrictions are followed, Clare Collier, advocacy director at Liberty, said: 'We're extremely concerned by the extent of these coercive powers.

'This is a pandemic and so it should be treated as a public health issue. Instead, the Government is treating it as a criminal justice issue, putting resources into detaining and criminalising.

'What's concerning is what this heavy-handed approach will do to the public's relationship with the police in the long-term.

'While some people will feel reassured by a firmer police response to the pandemic, others will feel fear, especially groups who are already over-policed.

'We've seen an amazing response from communities to the pandemic, with neighourhoods rallying together, but trust and goodwill may break down in the face of authoritarianism and harsh policing.'

Police forces this week have reported a surge of mindless violence by bored yobs.

In Merseyside, a hospital worker was attacked with a bike saddle by a group of teenagers as he went to buy groceries.

The radiographer at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral needed seven stitches after he was targeted by four youths outside an Asda supermarket in Birkenhead.

Elsewhere in Merseyside, a group of children became involved in a standoff with police after climbing onto a leisure centre roof for an hour and refusing to come down.

Derbyshire Police revealed they were investigating a vicious assault on a farmer who was punched 15 times and kicked in the ribs when he asked a Peak District walker to 'go home'.

The victim, from Edale, was 'left shaken and bruised' after he was assaulted while disinfecting his gates on Sunday due to hundreds of people walking past.

New powers were announced on Thursday to allow police to enforce lockdown rules brought in to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Home Office said people who continue to flout tougher restrictions on movement will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police.

Those who ignore the rules could be hit with a 60 fine initially and another for 120 for a second offence, with the penalty doubling for additional breaches.

Officers in England were given the power to enforce rules on staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel as of 1pm on Thursday.

They can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, and have the power to disperse a group, using 'reasonable force, if necessary'.

Police can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the powers were designed to 'protect the public and keep people safe'.

According to the guidance, the cost of initial fixed penalty notices will be cut to 30 if paid within 14 days and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines.

Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is an arrestable offence.

Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, similar rules will be in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The regulations state they are made 'in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health' posed by Covid-19 and the Government considers the 'restrictions and requirements imposed by these regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve'.

Boris Johnson reveals he has coronavirus: PM, 55, tested positive for killer disease after Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty urged him to get checked after he developed a cough

Boris Johnson today dramatically announced he is suffering from coronavirus - but insisted he is still determined to lead the UK battle against the crisis.

The Prime Minister said he had tested positive for the disease, after developing a temperature and cough yesterday afternoon, and being advised by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty to get checked.

The 55-year-old insisted he has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference.

However, the bombshell news underlines fears that the crisis is escalating. There will also be concerns that other senior ministers, senior officials such as Prof Whitty, and potentially Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds, might have been infected.

Downing Street insisted there is no need for other members of the government to get tests unless they start displaying symptoms,

Despite the government's own guidance suggesting people should self-isolate if they have come into contact with someone with symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night - are believed to staying in their homes.

In a video, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating.

'That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'

Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week. Other world leaders such as Canada's Justin Trudeau has tested positive.

Downing Street has previously said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will fill in if the PM is incapacitated, although there is little sign that he has stopped working.

Boris Johnson insisted he has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference

Boris Johnson today dramatically announced he is suffering from coronavirus

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

'The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

'In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

'He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus.'

London is regarded as the engine of the outbreak in the UK, and many at Westminster have been struck down with symptoms.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first confirmed MP case, and has since recovered and returned to work.

Mr Johnson's fiance Carrie Symonds is pregnant and is thought to have been self-isolating in line with government advice.

Ms Symonds, 32, who is believed to be six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, was last seen in Downing Street over the weekend and is likely to have left to protect herself.

She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus, with pregnant women are more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to comment of her whereabouts, health or whether she has been tested.
The Goa Congress on Friday lashed



out at the Pramod Sawant government for keeping shops selling essential items closed during the 21-day lockdown despite the Centre exempting these establishments.

Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar said the move was highly insentive and had inconvenienced people and children, and demanded that Governor Satya Pal Malik dismiss CM Sawant if he does not put in his papers.

"The CM should say who gave him the right to overrule Central guidelines. He should explain if he has any vested interest in keeping shops closed," Chodankar said.

He said the Sawant government was not being able to put up an effective fight against the virus outbreak.

The Congress leader said the Goa government had not managed to set up a testing laboratory for coronavirus in the state as yet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sunak reveals coronavirus bailout for self-employed but they must wait until June

Rishi Sunak has announced a 9 billion bailout for nearly 4 million self-employed workers hit by the coronavirus outbreak. The chancellor said that the self-employed would be able to claim up to 2,500 a month in the form of a government grant over a three-month period. The Treasury says that on average people will receive 940 a month each. However, the scheme will only be open to those with trading profits of up to 50,000 a year and those who earn the majority of their income from self-employment. It will also not be in place until June, with the Treasury advising people to claim Universal Credit until the system is online. Mr Sunak also warned the self-employed would face national insurance increases in future. The chancellor said that given the scale of support from the state it was only fair that they should contribute more in future.  The Times

Unemployment to soar after Chancellor delays help  Daily Telegraph

How will Sunaks support plan for the self-employed work?  FT

Chancellor warns of payback time for taxpayers  Daily Express

More:

Thousands of charities teetering on the brink, Chancellor warned  Daily Telegraph

Editorial:

Government support for the self-employed was extremely generous  The Times

The austerity years may soon look like a golden era of opulence  The Sun

>Today:

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: We all stand together. Sunak announces a package for the self-employed at the Governments daily press conference.

Covid-19: UK missed out on EU equipment scheme due to communications issue

The British government said Thursday that it missed the deadline for taking part in an EU-wide effort to purchase life-saving ventilators and other equipment to treat coronavirus because of a communication problem. The government had been accused of putting Brexit over the health of U.K. citizens by refusing to participate in EU joint procurement schemes after the prime ministers spokesman said the U.K. was not participating because it is no longer a member and is making our own efforts.

But on Thursday, the British government said the U.K. missed the deadline to join because it did not receive an invitation from the European Commission in time. A U.K. government spokesperson said the Commission had since informed the U.K. it is eligible to take part until the end of the transition period on December 31.  Politico

Britain calls on embassies to source ventilators for coronavirus fight  FT

More:

UK-EU talks on post-Brexit relations in deep freeze  The Guardian

>Today: MPs Etc.: Coronavirus Count

as lack of testing means NHS staff are infecting patients

NHS staff who have contracted coronavirus but remain at work because they show no symptoms are probably infecting patients, a public health official admitted yesterday. Doctors said they were worried about becoming part of the problem owing to a lack of testing and a shortage of protective equipment, particularly outside hospitals. Masks, gloves and visors can help stop people infecting others and stop them becoming infected. The British Medical Association said that staff testing was urgently needed so that doctors and nurses knew if it was safe for them to see patients. Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the union, said: Each day more staff are self-isolating. Social care chiefs said the same problems were affecting their sector. They warned that it was unlikely they would meet the NHS target of freeing up 15,000 beds by taking people into community settings.  The Times

Test to show immunity to coronavirus is due within two weeks  The Times

Lack of virus testing is hitting NHS staff numbers  FT

Nurses sent to London as capital faces tsunami of virus patients  The Guardian

UK peak expected to hit in just nine days  Daily Express

BMA discourages medical students from unpaid roles  The Times

Doctor dies in the UK from suspected Covid-19  Daily Telegraph

More:

Manchester and Birmingham amongst hosts of 13 new field hospitals  The Sun

UK promises 210m to find coronavirus vaccine  The Times

Former chief adviser: Over-90s should not clog up NHS hospitals during crisis  Daily Telegraph

Gwent becomes second-worst affected area after London  Daily Mail

Statistics: 11,658 infections, 578 deaths  The Sun

Latest advice  HM Government

>Yesterday:

Ministers 1) Jenrick unveils food parcels for the vulnerable

New Government food hampers which will be sent out to 1.5 million vulnerable people from this weekend will contain packets of biscuits following a personal intervention by Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick. The packages are intended to provide enough food and supplies to last a vulnerable person living alone for a week. Their contents include a packet of cornflakes, penne pasta, tinned fruit, tea bags, a packet of apples and rolls of lavatory paper Mr Jenrick, who will personally deliver some of the boxes this weekend to people stuck at home because of coronavirus, said they will eventually be tailored to individual tastes despite being generic for now.  Daily Telegraph

Government preparing to launch Land Army-style campaign to help farmers harvest crops  The Sun

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The last thing we need in the fight against this virus is a Ministry of Supply

Ministers 2) Patel in row with Boris Johnson over closing Britains borders

Ms Patel tried to build a coalition of senior Cabinet ministers to put the case to Downing Street, only for Number 10 to state publicly that there were no plans to stop flights from countries blighted by coronavirus, including Iran and the US. Mr Johnson was angry that Home Office discussions of a border lockdown  disclosed in the Daily Telegraph  had been made public, according to Whitehall sources. Ms Patel is understood to have wanted to raise the issue in one of the daily meetings of Cabinet sub-committees, arguing that Border Force, which is overseen by the Home Office, would be able to use existing immigration rules to stop flights on the basis that they would not be conducive to the public good.  Daily Telegraph

Criminals face up to two years in jail for weaponising coronavirus  The Sun

Police take to the streets to stop drivers during lockdown  Daily Mail

and measures could be in place for six months  The Sun

Priti Patel: I will give our forces everything they need to help us beat this crisis

I am beyond proud of our dedicated police officers and the compassion, courage and sacrifice they exemplify. We are asking a lot, but this country needs them to remain on our streets in this time of crisis. To protect us from unscrupulous criminals, and to protect us from those who do not play by the rules designed to protect us all from this deadly pandemic. The role of the police is crucial, and we all need to help  starting with the Government. That is why we have given them new powers to enforce the emergency rules we have put in place. This country has a proud history of policing by consent and the professional judgement of our frontline officers will be crucial in protecting our communities, protecting our NHS and saving lives.  Daily Telegraph

Coronavirus has not suspended politics but revealed the nature of power  David Runciman,  The Guardian

The Left are playing politics with Covid-19  Camilla Tominey, Daily Telegraph

Even now, Corbyns fans think hes winning  Philip Collins, The Times

Editorial:

There is a limit to how long lockdowns can be sustained  The Times

Banks call for freeze on UK home sales

Banks are pressing for a full suspension of the housing market after the UK government told buyers and sellers to delay transactions because of the coronavirus outbreak. In talks between lenders and ministers, banks have expressed concern about the impact of the pandemic on valuations. They are also concerned about granting credit when the economy is in freefall, according to senior bankers. They have told ministers it has become impossible to survey properties, according to people briefed on the discussion. Bank call centres have also been inundated with anxious homeowners requesting mortgage holidays. The government has urged buyers and sellers to delay moving. It said no visitors were allowed into properties while the stay-at-home measures were in force, including estate agents, surveyors or potential buyers.  FT

Hundreds of mortgages withdrawn from sale  Daily Telegraph

Coronavirus prompts No 10 to suspend housing market  The Times

More:

Barclayclard and BT named and shamed by MPs over poor working conditions  The Sun

Ministers warn lenders not to exploit emergency scheme  Daily Mail

China bulk-bought medical supplies abroad before coronavirus crisis hit

As the coronavirus took hold in Wuhan in February, staff of a Chinese government-backed global property giant were ordered to buy up vast quantities of western medicines and medical equipment to send to China. Sources within the company told the Sydney Morning Herald that it was an international endeavour by the Greenland Group to scour the world for bulk supplies of surgical masks, thermometers, antibacterial wipes, hand sanitisers, gloves and paracetamol for Chinas health system. According to a company newsletter, the Greenland Groups overseas offices brought up three million protective masks, 700,000 hazmat suits and 500,000 pairs of protective gloves from Australia, Canada, Turkey and other countries.  The Times

Trump and Xi signal a thaw with phone call  FT

US may not resuscitate the dying to aid doctors as cases overtake China  The Times

>Yesterday: Garvan Walshes column: South Korea, Taiwan and Germany gained from mass testing. Why have we been so slow?

MPs no longer to get automatic vote on constituency boundary plans

MPs will no longer automatically get a vote on any future plans to redraw constituency boundaries. The government had planned to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 but announced a U-turn on Wednesday, the last day before parliamentary recess, citing the increased workload expected because of Brexit. However, it has also emerged that among the many changes planned by the government is that any future decisions from the Boundary Commission would be implemented automatically. The Cabinet Office minister Chloe Smith said this would stop any interference in the process. A set of boundary plans were voted down by opposition MPs in 2013 The government has now changed the rules so that the new map would be implemented automatically by bringing it to parliament through a mechanism called an order in council.  The Guardian

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The new boundary review will stick at 650 seats. Cui bono?

News in Brief:
Mismanagement has hobbled the countrys state-run water and electricity companies, leaving many residents worried they could be marooned at home without essential services during the lockdown. South Africa was already in a recession, suffering from chronic unemployment that affects about a third of the working population, as well as widespread underemployment in an economy that is at least 50 percent informal  or off the books.
New Delhi, March 27 : As movement of trucks remained on a standstill following the nationwide lockdown, the Indian Navy transported a shipment of 60,000 masks from the national capital to Goa on Friday.

The Navy said that the shipment of masks to offset the shortfall in Goa was stuck in Delhi as trucks could not proceed further in the current situation of lockdown. The shipment was ordered by Indian Medical Association, Goa.

"A request for facilitating transportation of the masks to Goa was made by the President, Indian Medical Association to the Indian Navy at Goa," the force said.

Immediately thereafter an Ilyushin 38SD (IL-38), a long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, flew from INS Hansa to Palam Airport, New Delhi on Friday.

The collection of the items at Delhi was coordinated by Air Force Station Palam. After taking the shipment, the aircraft returned to Goa with the masks.
Everyone has heard of open source projects like Linux, Kubernetes, and MySQL. Far fewer have heard of ROS (Robot Operating System), Apache Flink, or InfluxDB, though these open source projects, too, are getting noticed. However, virtually no one has heard of open source Zeek or Jitsi, despite their having been around for eons. Its high time Zeek and Jitsi got their due, as they are serving a particularly big need today given world events.

Zeek, for example, is a network analysis tool that helps organizations hunt down bad actors that have made it past perimeter defenses (and, lets face it, they will). In our work-from-home world, Jitsi provides video conferencing. Open source may not be for everyone but these open source projects just might be perfect for your organization.

Hunting down the hackers

Zeek (formerly Bro, after the Orwellian Big Brother in 1984 but renamed for obvious reasons) has been around since 1994 and, chances are, someone within your IT team uses it. After all, more than 10,000 organizations have Zeek sensors installed for network security monitoring, including threat hunting and threat detection. Organizations like the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have used Zeek (Bro) for years, running at significant scale. Its a popular tool.

Then why is Zeek so little-known? The reason, said Alan Saldich, chief marketing officer of Corelight, Zeeks corporate sponsor, is that of those 10,000 organizations using Zeek, just one or two people in any particular company work directly with Zeek. Additionally, Zeek tends to run behind-the-scenes on a sensor of sorts, observing network traffic. Zeek interprets the network traffic and creates transaction logs, file content, and fully customized output, suitable for manual review on disk or in a more analyst-friendly tool, with organizations using Splunk, Elasticsearch, or other tools as the UI.

In other words, Zeek gets lots of use, but not lots of users. And not lots of visibility.

This might change. Not only is security top of mind for every organization, but Zeek is likely to be a more openly explored option. While Zeek has been big with government and education users for years, enterprises like Target, Morgan Stanley, and Salesforce.com are now experiencing the same scale of issues that the DOE encountered years ago, and have turned to Zeek to help improve network security.

As Saldich noted in an interview, The reality is that hackers get in no matter how hard IT has tried to keep them out. Organizations should still erect perimeter defenses, but should assume theyll get through. Organizations can use Zeek to help find the bad actors once theyre in, and boot them out.

Talking to each other

While Zeek helps companies fight the bad actors, Jitsi helps the good actors communicate online. Hosted web conferencing solutions like Zoom have gotten a lot of (positive) press lately because so many people have needed to work from home in order to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic. While Jitsi does offer a hosted version (funded by 8x8), the project tends to be used by companies like Comcast and 8x8 that want to build their own video conferencing solutions.

Jitsi started as a student project in 2003 at the University of Strasbourg in France, with a company (Blue Jimp) spun up in 2009 to provide support and other services for Jitsi. In 2015, Atlassian bought Blue Jimp to improve its Hipchat product. Just a few years later, 8x8 bought the Jitsi assets from Atlassian, bringing along the core contributors to the open source project in a relationship that will hopefully be more enduring than the Atlassian experiment, as outlined on the Jitsi FAQ: The open source community and meet.jit.si service help to make Jitsi better, which makes 88 products better, which helps to further fund Jitsi. This virtuous cycle has worked well in the past and should continue to for many years to come.

Though the Jitsi project has gone through a bit of corporate ping-pong, its getting lots of TLC from 8x8, including the opportunity to use it for free (the hosted version noted above). For those companies that prefer to run Jitsi themselves, theres great information online about how to do that on a variety of platforms (e.g., here, here, or your own Linux server). For many companies, using something like Zoom is the right approach, but for others (whether cash-strapped or simply anxious to have more control) Jitsi could be the perfect way to bring employees (and customers and partners) together.

Despite the fact that both Jitsi and Zeek have been available for well over a decade, I (and perhaps you) had never heard of them. Which makes me wonder what other great open source software you might use (to run a business, manage a team, or other) that others may not know about it? Id love to hear about these unsung heroes of open source. Please let me know here in the comments or on Twitter.
Switch the Market flag

Open the menu and switch the

Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice.

for targeted data from your country of choice.
Melbourne's booming outer suburbs, including areas such as Point Cook, Cranbourne, Craigieburn and Lilydale, will need 250 to 350 new schools within the next 10 years or face cramming 150,000 extra students into increasingly overcrowded campuses, 10 councils have warned.

The growth area councils said the governments broken funding promises and a lack of proper planning have left a "critical undersupply" of schools in communities that would host more than half of Melbourne's population boom in the next decade.

Point Cook's Sam Gercovich with sons Tom, 13, and Ollie, 11 in front of the yet-to-be-completed Saltwater P-9 College in Point Cook. Credit:Luis Ascui

Interface Councils represents 10 shires that form the urban ring around Melbourne, an area that housed 1.6 million people in 2016, a figure forecast to almost double by 2041.

Karen Egan, mayor of Nillumbik council and chair of Interface Councils, said the area already suffered from poor education outcomes compared with the rest of Victoria, exacerbated by an alarming shortage of high schools.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 27, 2020 - 09:00 | All, World, Coronavirus

(New York's Times Square on March 24, 2020.)

WASHINGTON - The United States on Thursday overtook China to become the country with the largest number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers.

With the number of cases worldwide topping 500,000, the United States now has more than 82,000 confirmed infections. China and Italy followed, with more than 80,000 cases each.

U.S. President Donald Trump attributed the surge in the number to the country's increased virus-testing capacity, while throwing doubt on the accuracy of the figures reported from China.

"You don't know what the numbers are in China," Trump said at a press conference at the White House, adding that he is not even sure "what China is testing or not testing."

The Johns Hopkins data also showed the death toll from COVID-19 surpassing 23,000, with Italy alone claiming more than 8,000 fatalities, even as many countries try to contain the virus through drastic travel restrictions and social distancing.

The number of deaths reported in China has reached more than 3,000, while it has topped 1,000 in the United States.

Participating in a Thursday videoconference by Group of 20 leaders, Tedros Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, said the pandemic is "accelerating at an exponential rate."

"Almost half a million people have already been infected, and more than 20,000 have lost their lives," the WHO chief said. "Without aggressive action in all countries, millions could die."

"This is a global crisis that demands a global response," he said.
The UN Security Council has condemned the "heinous and cowardly" terrorist attack on a gurdwara in Kabul that killed 25 people, underlining the need to hold the perpetrators and sponsors of these "reprehensible" acts to justice.

Over two dozen worshippers were killed and eight others injured when a heavily armed suicide bomber stormed a prominent gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, in one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in the strife-torn country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the 15-nation Council said it "condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" that took place in Shor Bazar area. The Islamic State (IS) terror group, which has targeted Sikhs before in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Expressing their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Afghanistan, the Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities," the statement said.

The members of the Security Council reiterate that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, it said.

The Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also condemned the attack, reiterating that attacks against civilians are unacceptable and those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable. There were about 150 worshippers inside the building when the attack took place.

In a tweet, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said it was "outrage" by the attack. "There can be no justification for the killing of civilians at a religious house. Our condolences to the victims and their families."

Meanwhile, Guterres's spokesperson said on Thursday that asylum and refugee rights must be respected the world over, in a reference to the terrorist attack on gurdwara in Kabul. "I think it is important that the asylum regime, the refugee regime, be respected the world over," Stephane Dujarric said.

He was responding to a question on whether the Secretary General supports giving Sikh and Hindu minorities in Afghanistan asylum in India. Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan.

In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20. Awtar Singh Khalsa, one of the country's best-known Sikh politicians then, was among those killed in the attack.

Also read: India condemns terror attack on Kabul gurudwara

Also read: Suicide bombers, gunmen attack Afghan gurudwara, 11 dead
CHICAGO  Quarantined and starting to feel helpless, public school teacher Danielle Chalfie was desperately looking for some way to contribute to the fight against COVID-19, which has already infected over 1,000 people in Chicago.

While she wasnt suited to fight the disease on the front lines, she knew she had the skills to help out on the backend by volunteering to take care of the children of health care workers.

Through a program set up by the city, Chalfie, 36, quickly found two married physicians who badly needed care for their two children while they both worked.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

The people who are fighting this out there truly need help, and I just wanted to be part of the solution, she said, adding that she does homework and tidies up the house so the couple has one less thing to worry about. Im taking care of things for them at home so that they can go out and take care of people out there.

Danielle Chalfie (Courtesy Danielle Chalfie)

Chalfie said she doesn't charge for her services because she wants to give back to those who are in the field risking themselves.

Hundreds of such volunteers have stepped up across the country as sitters for medical personnel and first responders who leave their children at home while they go to work.

With day cares and schools shut down in many states, the availability of proper child care has become especially crucial for these individuals, some of whom spend up to 14 hours a day dealing with the health crisis.

Chicago recently launched a program in conjunction with Sittercity, a digital platform that connects families with people who offer child care to the citys most essential workforce.

"During this unprecedented challenge to our city, we need everyone stepping up and doing their part," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement.

The program gives first responders three free months of access to the website, said Elizabeth Harz, CEO of Sittercity.

Within days of the launch, hundreds of volunteers signed up to help, many for the first time, she said. We had a tremendous amount of interest from sitters across the country who want to help in any way they can."

Story continues

While this program has only launched in Chicago, similar initiatives have hit the ground across the nation.

Minnesota based MN CovidSitters and New York-based Step Up to SIT, both run by students, offer child care and household management services for essential workers.

"Our goal is to help offset the impact of school closures and increased work demands on health care workers," MNCovidSitters says on their website.

Volunteering is not only helpful for those who need child care, but can be therapeutic for the ones helping, said Jelena Kecmanovic, director of the Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute and an adjunct professor of psychology at Georgetown University.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

One of the hardest things for people right now is losing a sense of control. People feel like they don't have much control over their lives, which can cause feelings of helplessness, she said. Things like volunteering can give them a sense of control over something that helps.

But Kecmanovic cautions that volunteering is not for everyone, that it is a personal decision to take on the risk of contagion by going into environments with people who have potentially been exposed to the virus.

"It is not a good idea for those who fall within the vulnerable categories to do this," she said. For the others, they have to make a decision for themselves because there is no denying the risk. But one should be mindful of that and deliberately and intentionally decide that they are willing to take that amount of risk in order to do something that is meaningful and purposeful to you.

Chalfie said she realizes the risk she is taking but has been taking precautions.

She puts her clothes in the wash and takes a shower as soon as she comes home. She also makes sure to wash her hands often, she said.

Im just trying to do my part, she said. The stress these health care workers are under is unimaginable, and Im proud to be able to support them and their efforts.
Coronavirus Diaries is a series of dispatches exploring how the coronavirus is affecting peoples lives. For the latest public health information, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website. For Slates coronavirus coverage, click here.

This as-told-to essay from a priest in Nembro, in Northern Italy, has been edited and condensed for clarity from an interview with Alessio Perrone.

Even for us priests, its harrowing. Death, that is, but also the inhumanity with which we are forced to face it in these strange times.

Advertisement

Im the parish priest in Nembro, a small town near Bergamo, Lombardy, that has been one of the worst hit by Italys coronavirus crisis. Here, in a small town of about 11,000, at least 100 people have died in the first 20 days of March alone.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Although our mourning started with the coronavirus outbreak in Lombardy at the end of February, I and the other three priests in Nembro had seen some harbingers since early January. We saw an unusually high number of funeralsup to four or five a week. This had occasionally happened in the past, but in January it was happening every single weekevery day we had a funeral, if not two.

For a time, we were astonished at this number. We wondered what was going on. But there was no reason to be alarmed then.

Advertisement

Advertisement

We understood that it had probably been the coronavirus much later, when the crisis exploded in February. In the last few weeks, so many people in our community died of the virus that we had to go to the cemetery two, three, four times a day. Funerals are no longer allowed, like all other gatherings of people, but we have been blessing 16 or 17 bodies a week.

Even I felt sick for 10 days, with high temperature and fatigue. I called the Red Cross, but they said my blood oxygen levels looked OK and that I wasnt struggling to breathe, so I should just stay home and wait for it to pass. They recommended I rest and take a fever reducer. Thank God, I healed.

Advertisement

The way people are passing away heaps sorrow upon sorrow. Hospital wards are closed off, so not only are people losing a loved oneoften in a sudden, fast, and unexpected waybut they also cant be close to their relative in the hospital or the final moment. This is a huge sorrow: They will only see him or her return after days, perhaps in an urn.

We priests are also barred from visiting, so we have stopped saying last rites. Neither can we visit believers at their place to comfort them.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Even I felt sick for 10 days.

We keep saying Mass, but people cant attend. We livestream it on YouTube, Facebook, and Spreaker, and every Sunday at 10 a.m., we remember all those who died during the week.

Advertisement

Advertisement

We can no longer celebrate funerals. Instead of the whole Catholic funeral Mass, we can only say a quick blessing before the casket is buried at the cemeterya few prayers, the Our Father, the Credo, and a few words. It takes 10 minutes, and only the closest relatives can attend.

We dont wear masks and gloves, nor do we keep our distance at the cemetery. So many relatives are quarantined that when a person dies of the coronavirus, often only two, three, or five people come to the blessing.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Serving our community is tough at this time. Believers call meI spend three or four hours on the phone every day to talk to families who have just lost someone or to people who need a comforting word during this lockdown.

Advertisement

For a whole month now, we have stopped tolling the church bells. Their sound was so psychologically devastatingthey would toll three, four, five times a day. They fueled anxiety: It was becoming impossible for the community to understand whom they tolled for. They toll so often. Who is it for this time?

We also replaced the morning and evening bells with more cheerful sounds, hoping it would create less distress and more hope.

We try to find moments of joy to share with the community because it is almost crushed by the weight of all this anguish. Three children were born this week, and we will share the news on Sunday. We have no other ways.

We priests who live near our people share this pain. We need normality.

Advertisement

This week gave us a glimmer of hope. We still do many blessings at the cemetery, but the number of calls we receive from bereaved families seems to have decreasedperhaps fewer people are dying. This afternoon I spoke with the mayor of Nembro, and he had the same impression. He said, Lets take it with a pinch of salt, but lets keep our fingers crossed. Lets hope.

With the other priests here in Nembro, we often talk about what life will be like when this is over. So many of the iconic people of our town are gone that its difficult to imagine. Well have to take in normality again. We hope this epidemic will have made us rediscover the beauty of the simple things in lifelike meeting each other, hugging each other, loving each other.
The APRSAF-27, organised by the VASC in coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is expected to draw space agencies from Japan, India, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, China, the US, the UK and Australia.

The event will feature the meetings of four working groups and sideline events such as a regional water rocket competition and a poster making contest themed Peace in space.

Delegates will present general reports at the plenary session on the outcomes and orientations of the application of space technology in each country, as well as reports from the four working groups and discussions on ways to enhance regional cooperation in the field.

The forum is expected to provide a good chance for Vietnamese managers and scientists to share professional expertise and increase international cooperation in the field, especially in the area of personnel training.

The APRSAF is considered one of the largest open forums in the field of space science with the participation of space agencies, governmental bodies, industries, academies and organisations across the region.
In the final days of pregnancy, the soon-to-be parents could not attend hospital to check on their baby as the coronavirus engulfed Wuhan.

"Prepare your stuff, there is a possibility you can return," the Vietnamese Embassy in China told Nguyen Van Phi on February 9.

"There is a hope to return," he told his wife in a rental apartment opposite an entrance gate of Wuhan University in Chinas Hubei Province.

The 36-week pregnant Nguyen Thi Thanh tried to stay calm before starting to pack.

"Should we bring the baby stroller? No. The crib is also too big," Phi asked and answered himself in a rush. Meanwhile, Thanh packed clothes for their coming infant.

"We were so happy we hugged many times while packing," they recalled.

As Thanh was about to give birth, an obstetrician joined the flight from Wuhan to Vietnam to take care of her. When the flight touched down at Van Don International Airport in northern Quang Ninh Province, she was taken via ambulance to National Hospital of Tropical Diseases for quarantine in a special room equipped with an incubator. Everything was ready to welcome their new baby.

However, the couple could never forget what happened 20 days prior in Wuhan, epicenter of the novel coronavirus.

Thanh (L) and Phi prepare to exit quarantine on March 2, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Loc Chung.

When the outbreak started, the couple decided to stay in Wuhan instead of going home for the Lunar New Year break in late January because they wanted to focus on studying.

"We did not think it was the epicenter," Phi, 27, said, adding there was limited information about the virus at the time.

The master student had bought a lot of food before the break, thinking it would take time for local markets to restock after the long holiday. He also planned to visit some locations in the city with his wife.

At 10 a.m. on January 23, they both received messages saying Wuhan was under lockdown, and public transportation halted.

The couple remained indoors, donned masks, and checked their body temperature each morning. Phi habitually served his pregnant wife cups of warm water to prevent her throat from getting dry, opening the windows to improve air ventilation, even at 4 degrees Celsius outside.

He only ventured out once every two days to dispose of garbage while donning two layers of masks, gloves, and glasses.

The couple grew worried Thanh would not be able to attend hospital as the delivery day drew near, with no idea whether their baby had enough nutrition or amniotic fluid.

"I was anxious since I did not know where our baby would be delivered and how. My wife and the baby would be weak while the epidemic grew complicated, which was dangerous," said Phi, who listened for his babys heartbeats and kicks daily.

Many teachers who learned of their situation regularly checked on them, a professor even collecting masks on their behalf. Their parents in Vietnam also called several times a day.

Thanh and Phi felt better after connecting with the Vietnamese Embassy in China. Since, they could report their health status to a group of Vietnamese at noon every day. Phi received many updates from the embassy while studying at night.

"One time, the ambassador called at 1 a.m. and told me to stop worrying. He promised to take us home and reminded me to make my wife feel better by reading stories, doing yoga and listening to music," Phi recalled.

Their son was born on March 5, 2020. Photo courtesy of Thanh.

That day finally came, the couple was rescued after only three hours to prepare.

In the afternoon, waiting for the embassys bus to arrive, Thanh and Phi spotted no one in the quiet area around their university. With the metropolis deserted, Thanh could scarcely hold back her tears.

"Every night we listened to the words Wuhan Jiayou (Wuhan hang in there) projected from many buildings nearby. We prayed for a miracle," Thanh said.

One day after arriving at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Thanh finally had a doctor check on her baby. One month without any medical checks, she was like a cat on hot bricks.

"When the doctor said both of them were fine, I felt my burden ease," Phi declared.

They spent 21 days in quarantine and did not give up on their studies. Apart from checking their temperature, Phi and Thanh also regularly checked for news on Wuhan.

March 2, when their quarantine ceased, they took the bus to a hospital in their hometown in central Nghe An Province.

Two days later, a baby boy was born. His name is Anh Vu.

That day, spring started in Wuhan as the epidemic was contained.

Thanh and Phi cannot wait to continue their studies in China, now with a baby boy.
Senator Lamar Alexander on Friday said his daughter has tested positive for coronavirus and her husband is ill.

The couple live in Westchester County, N.Y., which has been one of the hardest hit sections.

The Senator said on a talk show, My daughter in New York lives in Westchester County where theyve had all this trouble and she tested positive. She was pretty sick and shes in her 40s. You can take it one day and be okay and the next day youre sick.
Authorities are searching for a 29-year-old man wanted in a deadly Tallapoosa County shooting.

Josephis Tavrious Mahone is wanted by the Camp Hill Police Department regarding the homicide investigation, Central Alabama Crime Stoppers announced Friday. Two other suspects already are in custody.

Camp Hill police responded about 1 p.m. Thursday to a home on a report of a shooting. Once on the scene, they found two victims shot. One of the victims was taken to Lake Martin Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The second victim is recovering from his injuries.

Antwan LaQuan Morgan (Central Alabama Crime Stoppers)

Investigators quickly identified three suspects. One of them, a juvenile male, was taken into custody Thursday evening. The second suspect, 19-year-old Antwan LaQuan Morgan, surrendered to authorities on Friday.

Mahone remains at large and is considered armed and dangers. Authorities are encouraging him to surrender.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers 24-hour tipline at 334-215-STOP (7867), or via the P3-tips app.
Nine City of Brandon workers have been sequestered inside the water treatment facility as part of the citys pandemic preparedness plan for the facility.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

TYLER CLARKE/THE BRANDON SUN Trailers are seen parked outside of the City of Brandons Water Treatment Facility to accommodate workers as the city rolls out its pandemic preparedness plan.

Nine City of Brandon workers have been sequestered inside the water treatment facility as part of the citys pandemic preparedness plan for the facility.

The five operators and four maintenance staff will live and work inside the building 24 hours a day, seven days a week to make sure residents continue to get clean water during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patrick Pulak, the citys general manager of operations, said this is the first time the plan has been put in place. He said it was activated based on the news on Wednesday that a probable case of the virus had been identified in the Prairie Mountain Health region.

All workers inside the plant volunteered for the job. An additional 14 city employees will continue to work outside the facility, Pulak said.

The hope is that with the workers inside, they will be protected from getting sick or catching the virus.

Currently, the city doesnt know how long the workers will be inside, but Pulak said the city will have to look at rotating them out if the situation doesnt improve after a month.

Campers have been rented and put at the back of the Water Treatment Facility for the workers to sleep and live in. There is also a staff room with a stove and dishwater in it, which workers can use to cook food. Pulak said the city has also brought a television into the building.

Mayor Rick Chrest said its an extraordinary response, but the city is in an extraordinary pandemic situation. Despite this, he said it shouldnt be cause for alarm from the general public.

"I hope that the citizens will take a great deal of comfort that at their very critical water treatment plant, precautions have been put in place to sustain its operation," Chrest said. "This isnt any form of panic on our part  its just, to me, a very professional and precautionary measure."

He said the decision was made by a group led by the citys director of risk and emergency management, Brian Kayes.

Chrest said hes proud of the employees who volunteered for the job, along with front-line health-care workers who are also providing an essential service.

"Its no small feat to set aside your personal lives and families and youre going to be bunkered in the water treatment plant for a period of time we cant yet predict," he said. "Theyve done that for the greater good of their community."

COVID-19 cant be contracted through water. Residual chlorine in the water supply kills off any viruses in the water, and the water coming out of residents taps remains safe to drink, Pulak said.

"Maybe we take for granted when we turn on our tap and the water comes out, the fact is that facility needs to operate and we need people to operate it," he said.

"In circumstances like this, its critical that we protect that operation."

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
The US is working with its friends and partners around the world to stop the spread of the virus and coordinate their efforts, President Donald Trump said on Thursday after an emergency virtual meeting of G-20 leaders on COVID-19.

Washington: The US is working with its friends and partners around the world to stop the spread of the virus and coordinate their efforts, President Donald Trump said on Thursday after an emergency virtual meeting of G-20 leaders on COVID-19.

"We talked about the problem and hopefully won't be a problem for too much longer. The United States is working with our friends and partners around the world to stop the spread of the virus and coordinate our efforts," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference.

Describing it as a great meeting, he said, "We have a lot of different ideas, a lot of good ideas, we are working together. The leaders gathered virtually around the world to discuss the whole subject of the problem that right now 151 nations have got".

Trump said they discussed how vital it is for all of these nations to immediately share information and data. "We have been doing that to a large extent but we will do it even more so and to inform each of us on the fight that we've got going one way or the other. It is a little bit different but we are handling it in different ways but there is great uniformity," he said.

There was tremendous spirit among all of those countries, he said. Later in the day, Trump spoke with President Emmanuel Macron of France. During the telephonic conversation, they discussed the latest efforts to combat coronavirus and its economic effects.

"The two leaders agreed on the importance of close cooperation through the G7, G20, and P5 to help multilateral organizations, including the World Health Organisation, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, eliminate the pandemic quickly and minimize its economic impact. The leaders also discussed important regional and bilateral issues," the White House said in a readout of the call.

Meanwhile, US Chambers of Commerce praised the G-20 Summit Statement on COVID-19 in which they affirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation to fight the pandemic, safeguard the global economy and address international trade disputes.

"We are encouraged by the G20's pledge to strengthen global cooperation to combat COVID-19. To realize this goal, the Chamber urges G20 members to work urgently to ensure a transparent and stable trade environment, which is critical to ensure sustained and equitable access to lifesaving supplies for patients and medical providers," said US Chamber of Commerce executive vice president and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant.

"The business community stands ready to support the G20 in their efforts to develop coordinated responses to the pandemic, including collaboration with the G20 Ministers of Health as they prepare for a virtual meeting next month, he said.

G20 nations on Thursday pledged a "united front" in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, and said they were injecting USD 5 trillion into the global economy to counter the impact of the crisis
BERRIEN COUNTY, MI  As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the county climbed to 11 on Thursday, Berrien County officials declared a local state of emergency.

Todays declaration of a state of emergency in Berrien County is not made in reaction to the number of cases we have, nor is it necessarily a statement of dramatically increased risk of COVID-19 in our community, said Nicki Britten, Berrien County Health Department Health Officer during a March 26 briefing.

Todays declaration opens up additional resources to aid in our response, allowing us to plan through the entire phase of our response including recovery.

 3-26-20 Press Conference: Local State of Emergency Declared in Berrien County Due To COVID-19 Posted by Berrien County Health Department on Thursday, March 26, 2020

Berrien County Undersheriff Chuck Heit said at the briefing that by setting the countys emergency operation plan in motion, the sheriffs office will be able to better coordinate with all disaster relief forces from within the county and its municipalities, such as police agencies, fire departments, EMS, the county health department, schools, public works departments and more.

The county announced its first two cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, March 21. The number of residents who tested positive climbed to five on Monday, eight on Tuesday and 10 Wednesday. Of the countys 11 cases, no one has died from the novel virus, Britten confirmed, and three people have recovered.

We cant predict how long it will last or how many people will be impacted, she said of the pandemic. "One thing I can say with certainty is that we are in the early phase of this response and we still have a long road ahead of us.

While its easy to focus on the rising number of confirmed cases alone, those confirmed cases represent only a single brushstroke in a much larger surveillance picture that we are looking at in our community. More important than just the number of those confirmed cases is we believe we are now experiencing community spread of COVID-19. This means that residents should expect that there is a risk of contracting COVID-19 wherever they may be in public.

Statewide, the total number of cases has doubled to 2,856 over the last three days, with 60 confirmed deaths, according to the most recent information provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Nobody signed up for this.

As one college professor mulled over how best to proceed with his classes amid coronavirus disruptions, this was the primary principle that he concluded should guide his decisions. From there, he created a revised syllabus that has been praised by teachers and students across the country for its emphasis on self-care, flexibility and humanity over traditional academic values in this unprecedented time.

The educator, Brandon Bayne, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tells TIME that when UNC announced on March 11 that in-person classes would transition to online-only indefinitely, he realized he was going to have to drastically overhaul his approach to teaching his Religion in America course for the spring 2020 semester.

I was sitting down to try to figure out how to accomplish the same learning objectives with different assignments and it became clear that we couldnt simply take what we had designed for the course online, he says. Doing a final exam in the way we had it structured, which was a pretty traditional final exam, wasnt going to work the same way. Taking attendance at recitation wasnt going to work. We had to really adjust our whole mentality.

Ive been taking in wonderful insights and recommendations from colleagues the last few days about transitioning to remote teaching, and here is the statement of principles Ive decided to add to the top of my adjusted syllabi. pic.twitter.com/Fbt4l1irvr  Brandon Bayne (@brandonbayne) March 15, 2020

Bayne explains that, if the semester had gone as planned, one of his students assignments wouldve been to attend a local religious service outside of their own tradition and write a mini-ethnography about it. But as the situation surrounding the novel coronavirus continued to evolve, that possibility went out the window.

Story continues

I realized that it would be irresponsible to send them out into large groups, he says.

As he contemplated a new syllabus, Bayne says that his students answers to a poll about their remote learning circumstances laid bare vastly different experiences that stuck in his mind.

They were coming from very different and diverse contexts. Some of them felt quite secure. They had high-speed internet. They were largely bored and looking forward to getting back to a new normal, he says. Others were asked to travel home to Singapore and India and Brazil and were trying to figure out what that would look like. And then over 15% of them said that they didnt have access to high-speed internet, that theyd be relying on phones and going to other locations to try to access the internet.

But Bayne says that it wasnt just his students unique individual situations that influenced his adjusted syllabus, it was also a recent personal experience. Just before the semester began, Bayne found out that his mother had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She passed away within a month.

From the very first moments of the class, I was asking my students to be flexible through a struggle that I was navigating, he says. That really informed the principles about prioritizing ourselves as humans and being flexible and recognizing that we cant fully know where this is all going.

Baynes post about the syllabus on his personal Facebook page has been shared over 1,000 times alone since March 15, a development that he says was definitely unexpected.

Im fairly active on different forms of social media and Im used to putting something out there and getting one like, one comment, he says.

Keep up to date with our daily coronavirus newsletter by clicking here.

However, Bayne says the most surprising, and rewarding, aspect of his syllabus going viral is how teachers of all different levels of education have responded to it.

I expected it might resonate with other people teaching religious studies, but to start getting emails from professors of music, from high school Spanish teachers, from elementary school teachers in New Mexico, that made it clear that there was something that was resonant to all educators who were struggling, he says.

For me, thats been the most meaningful thing of all. Not the attention, not the kind words from colleagues, but the elementary school teachers, the middle school teachers, the high school teachers who have told me that this has allowed them to breathe and has given them a sort of foundation for the decisions they have in front of them.

Brandon Bayne, an associate professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with his daughter | Brandon Bayne

In addition to this statement of principles, Bayne also sent out a more detailed outline of his academic expectations for his Religion in America students for the remainder of the semester. But moving forward, he says this experience, along with a series of other disruptions, from hurricanes to an academic fraud scandal, that UNC students have braved in recent years, have convinced him that sometimes we should examine education through a personal lens.

Theres been, particularly in [the religious studies] field, a really strong emphasis on separating ourselves from the subjects that we study, and I think this moment is one of a series of moments in both my life and the lives of my students where thats just not going to fly, he explains. That doesnt mean that we need to inject [our personal beliefs] into the classroom. I wouldnt advocate for that. But I think the idea that were some sort of disembodied brain thats only engaged in intellectual exercises is problematic.

Bayne says that one idea in particular that he keeps returning to in the midst of everything going on across the world is the concept of cura personalis, a Latin phrase meaning care for the whole person.

It means care for the entire individual and this comes from the sense that you need to tailor education to the unique needs, situations, challenges and gifts of the people youre in relationship to.

Please send any tips, leads, and stories to virus@time.com.
Gangaur Puja is celebrated in parts of India on the third day of the Hindu month Chaitra, which falls in March or April

Gangaur Puja is celebrated in parts of India on the third day of the Hindu month Chaitra, which falls in March or April. It is a predominant ritual in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, while it is also observed in some parts of Telangana, Gujarat and West Bengal.

On this day, people, especially women, pay respect to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. In Madhya Pradesh, Gangaur Puja is held for three days, while it goes on for 16 days in Rajasthan.

Gangaur Puja 2020

According to legends, on this day Lord Shiva had granted blessings to goddess Parvati. Women celebrate their marital status on this day and pray for the long lives of their husbands.

Gana means Shiva and Gaur comes from Gauri (Parvati). To celebrate the happiness, people wish each other on this day.

Here are some quotes used for Gangaur Puja.

 May Gangaur maata bless you and your family

 May the goodwill of Gangaur Ma remain with you

 I hope on this day of Gangaur Puja, you and your family receive health, wealth and love

 May the festival of Gangaur Puja bring in happiness and prosperity in your lives

 Happy Gangaur festival my dear friend. Best wishes to you and your family.
Tyler Florence returns to host season 12 of The Great Food Truck Race, which premieres tonight, March 26, at 9 p.m. ET. Viewers can watch it on the Food Network, Hulu + Live or fuboTV (7-day free trial).

The race begins in the so-called food truck capital of the world of Los Angeles. There are seven food truck teams: Team Bachelor Kitchen from Austin; Team Crystals Comfort Food from Philadelphia; Team Eat My Crust from Phoenix; Team Fat Kid from Virginia Beach; Team Lunch Ladies from Marthas Vineyard; Team Mystikka Masala from Dallas; Team Super Sope from Turlock, Calif.

The teams are tasked with making and selling luxe food thats inspired by whats traditionally sold at food trucks. Private-plane hors doeuvres and champagne-infused dishes are what fans can look forward to in this first challenge. One team will get eliminated from the competition tonight.

The six remaining teams will go onto San Diego in next weeks episode and have to make something delicious out of a slimy sea creature. The winner of the overall competition will receive $50,000.

What channel is Food Network on?

You can find which channel Food Network is on by using the channel finders here: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

Where can I watch it if I dont have cable?

You can watch it on Hulu + Live or fuboTV (7-day free trial).
The three-year-old daughter of an Australian doctor serving on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic has begged her fellow countrymen to wash their hands and stay home, so she can 'kiss her daddy' again when he returns.

Garth Small, who works as a paediatrician on the Gold Coast, has been clocking in lengthy hospital stints for months, with his wife Hannah, 28, daughter Evaliah, three, and nine-month-old son Arlo missing him at home.

To amplify how important it is that Australians heed the government's warnings and stay at home, Hannah filmed an adorable video of Evaliah asking people to uphold social distancing and self-isolate as much as possible.

Garth Small, who works as a paediatrician on the Gold Coast, has been clocking in lengthy hospital stints for months, with his wife Hannah, 28, daughter Evaliah (pictured), three, and nine-month-old son Arlo missing him at home

'Listen up, I need your help. I miss my daddy. He's at work helping the sick people. He's more likely to get coronavirus to keep us all safe,' the blonde tot said the camera.

'He's there to keep my nanny and poppy, grandma and grandpa, and great nanny and poppy safe... and for everyone. I would like to visit and play with them.'

Evaliah, dressed in a pink tutu costume and settled on the carpet, continued by saying that 'no one is immune' from COVID-19.

Garth Small (pictured in his scrubs) has been working plenty of night shifts lately, missing out on time with Evaliah and baby Arlo

Evaliah, dressed in a pink tutu costume and settled on the carpet, continued by saying that 'no one is immune' from COVID-19

The footage, which was uploaded on Wednesday, has quickly gone viral with more than 133,000 views on Hannah's page

'We need to work together as a team, and wash your hands, stay inside and sanitise. I need you to respect the boundaries and help to flatten the curve,' she said.

'Stay inside, wash your hands and sanitise... so I can kiss my daddy again.'

At the end she is joined by Arlo, who stares straight ahead as she whispers: 'Think of my daddy'.

The footage, which was uploaded on Wednesday, has quickly gone viral with more than 133,000 views on Hannah's page.

Hannah added her own message alongside the video directed at Australian's failing to take the pandemic seriously (the family pictured)

'If you have the ability to stay home and isolate then please do. We need to stop the spread and flatten the curve,' Hannah said

Hannah added her own message alongside the video directed at Australian's failing to take the pandemic seriously.

'Our healthcare professionals are putting themselves on the frontline and risking their own health to keep us all safe,' she said.

'If you have the ability to stay home and isolate then please do. We need to stop the spread and flatten the curve.

'Nobody is immune, however I'm scared for my parents and my grandparents as well as my husband who will be surrounded by the virus. Do the right thing and don't wait for the government, it will be too late.'

The video is reminiscent of a similar one shared by Zoe Foster Blake on Tuesday, where her young daughter Rudy says she will 'scream' if people don't stay at home.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has asked the nation to stay home unless they are visiting the supermarket, chemist or are part of the 'essential' workforce.
A public health expert believes the UK will be left with a high burden of coronavirus cases following its response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Dr Gabriel Scally, president of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, said there will be populations across the UK with a high exposure to the virus.

The UK Government has been urged to change its response to tackling the spread of coronavirus by health experts.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said only those seriously ill in hospital would be tested, advising anyone with symptoms to self-isolate at home for seven days.

The Republic of Ireland, like many other countries, is following international advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Speaking to RTE Morning Ireland, Dr Scally, who led the CervicalCheck review in Ireland, said: The things that both the Republic of Ireland and the UK have in common are the great deal of emphasis on social distancing, which is now being reinforced by strict rules that are being implemented very successfully in both jurisdictions.

The second thing is, hospitals are in a high state of readiness and preparedness and that is a common feature, but there is a great deal of concern in the UK about the availability of protective equipment.

(PA Graphics)

The case numbers are expected to climb substantially, particularly in London, which is a hotspot.

A big difference is that the UK is making no effort to control the spread of the virus in the community by testing for cases and by contact tracing, and so the United States, the UK, and Sweden are the three real outliers on this.

Those three countries are taking a different route.

I think the end game is going to be really very, very different.

There are going to be a high burden of cases, particularly in the US, and I think in the UK as a result of what theyve done or rather what theyve not done.

When we get past this  what is likely to be a very large surge  were going to end up with populations in the UK, with a high exposure to the virus.

The ExCeL centre in London is being made into a temporary hospital  the NHS Nightingale hospital, comprising of two wards, each of 2,000 people, to help tackle coronavirus (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

So a lot of people will have had it compared to the Republic of Ireland and other European countries, and it will then be difficult to lift some of the restrictions, particularly around travel and so on because the two countries, the two groups of countries, will be in completely different places.

Personally, I think theres no doubt in my mind that the Republic of Ireland is taking exactly the right course, based on international experience, and the very best advice.

That will buy the country time, itll buy time for vaccines to develop.

Dr Scally said that, even more importantly, this would buy time for some of the drug trials to take place, so we can treat people more effectively.

He made the comments as the coronavirus death toll in Ireland more than doubled after 10 further victims lost their lives to the virus.

A total of 19 people infected with Covid-19 have now died in the country.

(PA Graphics)

On Thursday, TDs passed emergency coronavirus legislation in the Dail (Irish parliament).

There were 255 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland announced on Thursday evening, bringing the total number of cases to 1,819.

Of the 10 latest victims, three were female and seven were male. Nine were from the east of the country and one in the south.

The median age of the 19 patients who have died is 79 years old.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said Ireland should prepare for more deaths.

We are only at the beginning of the curve, he said.

Earlier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland cannot stop coronavirus, but the nation can work together to slow it in its tracks.

Mr Varadkar made the comment during the lengthy Dail debate on a sweeping package of legislation to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.

It included measures that aim to prevent evictions and implement a rent freeze throughout the health crisis.

The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill, which addresses resources within six departments, including housing and health, passed in the Dail close to 10.30pm on Thursday. It will be debated in the Seanad later today.

The legislation before the Oireachtas aims to protect tenants and includes a 3.7 billion euro aid package that will see the Government contribute to wage packets.

The emergency measures are part of a major effort by Government to mitigate the social effects of Covid-19 and the economic consequences of the virus.
LANSDALE  The deadly disease thats sweeping the globe and causing closures, cancellations and casualties worldwide has reached Lansdale Borough.

On Wednesday, Montgomery County officials announced the first positive case of COVID-19 in Lansdale Borough, and town officials were quick to react.

We must remain vigilant and dedicated to following the CDC guidelines now more than ever, said borough Mayor Garry Herbert in a prepared statement released to the press.

For weeks COVID-19 has surrounded the Borough and we have been preparing for the inevitable future that a case would breach the Borough boundaries, he wrote.

The borough echoed details announced by Montgomery County officials in their public briefing earlier that day: that the patient is a 29-year-old male, with no information made public about his quarantine status or hospitalization.

Since the coronavirus reached Pennsylvania earlier this month, Lansdales officials have closed borough hall and the Lansdale Public Library, postponed or cancelled public meetings and events including the towns annual Easter Egg hunt, developed an online map of essential businesses that remain open. Also, police have begun using social distancing techniques, officials signed a formal disaster declaration, and announced a suspension of certain electric fees during the crisis, while posting frequent updates on borough social media channels.

I ask all residents to continue to take this event seriously and socially distance themselves from friends, family and neighbors in order to control the spread of the virus, Herbert wrote

Borough officials continue to monitor county, state and national developments, according to the statement released late Wednesday, and vow to keep citizens safe and evaluate all options during the pandemic.

We will see this challenge out. And we will do so by continuing to be a community that protects each other by slowing the spread and flattening the curve, Herbert wrote.

For more information visit www.Lansdale.org, search for LansdalePA on Facebook or follow @LansdalePA on Twitter.
In what he described as the hardest decision he had ever had to make in his political career so far, Gibraltar's chief minister, Fabian Picardo, announced on Sunday afternoon that a "total social lockdown" would begin from 12.01am on Tuesday, because of the coronavirus crisis. There were only a small number of active cases in Gibraltar at the time, but the advice from the public health authorities was that a spike could be expected and that action would need to be taken to isolate people as much as possible.

The terms of the lockdown are not as severe as those in neighbouring Spain, but are considered enough to protect the local population under the current circumstances. The lockdown is initally for 30 days, but is being reviewed every 48 hours. The government holds a press conference daily to announce the latest statistics and any new measures.

The only shops allowed to open are those that sell food and pharmacies. Residents are allowed to go for a run or a walk, or to exercise children, but must go alone. Everyone is asked to work from home if they can, although where this is not possible offices are permitted to continue to operate.

The government has also announced a series of financial measures to protect employers, the self-employed, full-time and part-time workers, including those on zero-hour contracts. Employees will receive a basic income every month, and termination of employment has been banned without the specific consent of the Director of Employment, which would only be granted in very exceptional circumstances.
The Marine Corps isn't issuing force-wide rules on new grooming standards or training requirements amid the novel coronavirus crisis, the service's top general said this week.

"We very much trust the leaders to make those calls, and we've given them the latitude to waive the requirements where it's not practical to meet them," Commandant Gen. David Berger told reporters from the Pentagon on Thursday.

The Marine Corps, as of Thursday morning, had 31 COVID-19 cases in its ranks. The illness, caused by the highly contagious novel coronavirus, has disrupted life worldwide, forcing most people to hunker down at home until the worst of the threat passes.

But as other services also cut promotion boards, fitness tests and other events that put troops in close contact with one another, some have complained that the Marine Corps hasn't done enough to prevent the spread of the disease.

Related: Navy Boot Camp Trainers Must Spend 90 Days Away from Families in Lockdown Measure

Memes have popped up online showing first sergeants ordering Marines to hit the barber shop during the global pandemic. After the Navy postponed fitness tests, one person mused that Marines would soon be required to meet their tough fitness standards in hazmat suits.

Berger said units are curbing training that is "nice to do, good to do, but not absolutely necessary for their mission."

That includes some exercises with allies and big desert and mountain-warfare training events in California, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said.

Marine Corps Recruiting Command also announced this week that recruiters would no longer interact with members of the public to do their job. They're turning to phone calls and online interactions to help prevent coronavirus exposure.

But for many Marine commands, a lot has remained the same amid the threat. Barber shops remain open for business on base, and fitness tests are still on the calendar.

Berger said the Marine Corps has a responsibility to maintain its readiness levels.

"This is your force in readiness that has to be ready to respond to problems around the world," he said. "We've never been given advance notice when this will happen, so we have to be ready all the time."

Marines are finding new ways to train and carry out their missions, the commandant added, whether it means spreading out on a pistol range or holding promotion boards via video teleconference.

In a white letter issued to commanders earlier this month, the commandant told leaders they must closely scrutinize what travel is mission-essential and what gatherings need to be curtailed, and take all measures necessary to protect Marines, sailors and families.

"I expect commanders and leaders at all levels to act with the preservation of their force at the forefront of their decision-making, while applying the fullest risk mitigation in continuing the mission," Berger wrote.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read more: The Pentagon Says Troops Are Social Distancing. Why Do These Photos Say Otherwise?
Senior Congress leader and Rajya



Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Friday announced that he would provide Rs 25 lakh from his local area development fund to Bhopal district authorities to provide relief to those affected by the lockdown in force to stop novel coronavirus outbreak, as well as COVID-19 patients.

In a letter to the Bhopal collector, Singh praised officials efforts to stall the virus spread.

"I am recommending to provide Rs 25 lakh from my local area development fund to the Bhopal district administration for providing relief to those affected with the coronavirus and also to provide urgent necessary facilities to the people affected with the lockdown," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HISTORY

MISSING

By Richard van Emden (Pen & Sword 20, 292 pp)

Francis Mond was born into a world of riches and privilege. Yet he died on May 15, 1918, aged only 23, when his RAF plane was shot from the skies and plummeted into no mans land in Northern France.

Both Monds body and that of the other man in the aircraft, Lieutenant Edgar Martyn, as reported by an officer, were sent to the rear, where they will be buried in a military cemetery.

And then, in the chaos of war, the two corpses disappeared, Mond and Martyn joining the ranks of the missing.

Francis Mond died on May 15 1918 when the RAF plane he was in was shot at during the Great War

Francis Mond, with fellow flying officers, possibly 83 Squadron, during training in early 1918. Almost all these officers had previous service overseas, including 2nd Lieutenant John Cox, far right, who had served as a private in France from October 1914

Francis, aged about eleven (far right) in 1906, sitting on a horse with Angela holding the reins. Alfred is sitting far left, with May sitting on the knee of Sigismund Goezte, the Victorian artist and brother of Angela. Philip Mond is standing centre.

After the war, Monds mother could not accept that her much-loved son had no known resting place, and the story of her determination to find him provides the backbone of this touching, enlightening book. Mond was a young man who had felt the need for speed from an early age, so when war broke out, it was inevitable he should gravitate towards the Royal Flying Corps, later renamed the RAF.

I have absolute faith in my safe return to you all, he wrote confidently to his mother in April 1918.

RELATED ARTICLES Previous

1

Next LITERARY FICTION CRIME Share this article Share

At an officers fancy dress party, he attended as Captain Hook from Peter Pan. Four weeks later more than a third of the revellers would be dead, including Francis. His mother would spend years looking for his body.

As Richard van Emden makes clear, Mond joined tens of thousands of others whose remains could not be found. There are more than 70,000 names on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing alone.

After the war, exceptional efforts were made to exhume decomposing bodies. Often I picked up the remains of a fine brave man on a shovel, one soldier wrote. Just a little heap of bones and maggots to be carried to the common burial place.

The searchers grew skilled in spotting likely places to look. The grass was greener where bodies lay undiscovered; patches of nettles grew taller.

As early as November 1918, a decision by the Government and the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC) was made not to return exhumed bodies to England. The dead would lie where they had fallen.

One woman spoke for many when she wrote to the IWGC: Weve come to a pretty state of things when a mother has to beg for the remains of her own boy. But the policy remained unchanged. In the years after the armistice, the grief-stricken Angela Mond bombarded the Government and the IWGC with questions about the whereabouts of her sons body.

For the most part she was politely but firmly rebuffed. But Angela Mond refused to give up. In January 1922, new evidence emerged. Two other airmen, Captain John Aspinall and Lieutenant Paul de la Cour, had died in combat on May 15, 1918.

Missing, The Need for Closure after the Great War, by Richard van Emden (Pen & Sword 20, 292 pp)

They had known graves, but eyewitness accounts suggested that Aspinall and de la Cour had been shot down behind German lines. How could their bodies have been retrieved and buried? Could the remains in their graves actually be those of Mond and Martyn?

There was only one way to find out  exhumation. The authorities resisted the idea for more than a year, but Angela Mond was implacable.

Eventually, at 10.30 on the morning of March 20, 1923, she and Captain Aspinalls father stood in a French cemetery. Gravediggers unearthed a wooden casket and prised open its lid. Herbert Aspinall stated at once that the body was not that of his son. Dental records proved whose it was. After nearly five years, Angela Monds quest to track down Francis had proved successful.

Richard van Emden is a leading expert on the Great War but he has stated that he has never found a story as good as this in all his decades of research.

Francis Monds parents erected a memorial to their son in the field where his plane crashed. Van Emdens book provides him with another.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP)  A judge again rejected a request from a northern Virginia man who sought to overturn his life sentence for joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate then-President George W. Bush.

Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted in 2005. He filed a motion last year seeking a new sentence, arguing that the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi shows Saudi Arabia lies about the brutality of its security forces.

Key evidence against Abu Ali came from a confession he gave in Saudi custody. Abu Ali said the confession was tortured out of him by Saudi Arabias internal security agency. Saudi agents testified under assumed names at Abu Alis trial, denying any torture.

Abu Alis lawyer argued that Khashoggis 2018 killing is evidence Saudi security forces will lie about mistreatment they inflict. Saudi Arabia initially denied any responsibility for Khashoggis death.

In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston in Alexandria rejected Abu Ali's request. Alston said the truthfulness of the Saudi agents was an issue that was contested vigorously at Abu Ali's 2005 trial, and that the Khashoggi killing does not give Abu Ali an opportunity to re-litigate the issue.

The judge issued a similar ruling in November, but the issue was muddied slightly by technical issues over whether Abu Ali's appeal rights had been exhausted.
[March 27, 2020] Bright.md Raises $8 Million Series C Round to Bring Critical, Asynchronous Virtual Care to Health Care Systems and Their Patients

PORTLAND, Ore., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright.md , the leading healthcare automation company, has closed an $8 million Series C round of funding co-led by B Capital and Seven Peaks Ventures . This latest funding brings current capital raised to $20.5 million across all rounds as the company steps up deployment of its flagship SmartExam capacity-boosting care-delivery platform in hospitals and healthcare systems across the United States and Canada. "Health systems are strained for resources as patients with COVID-19 symptoms and concerns overwhelm their offices and emergency departments. To aid them in this time of critical need  and support important shelter-in-place and social-distancing protocols  we're aggressively expediting Bright.md's market expansion," said Ray Costantini, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Bright.md. "Our investors, including Seven Peaks Ventures and B Capital, continue to emphatically support our purpose of making healthy happen faster by increasing clinical capacity through our technology, and, whenever possible, keeping patients out of critical care settings." Bright.md will use the funding to expand the footprint and function of its award-winning, AI-powered, virtual-care platform SmartExam; expand to new markets; and increase headcount to bolster those efforts. Supporting Health Systems in Their Time of Need

The profound extent to which COVID-19 is impacting our healthcare system has become clear. Bright.md added COVID-19 evaluation to SmartExam's existing modules within a week of the first reported U.S. case in January 2020. Since then, the company has supported care for more than 37,000 patients with COVID-19-like symptoms, identifying more than 1,200 in need of additional evaluation and testing. Bright.md's software helped one healthcare system evaluate, diagnose and treat more than 4,500 patients with COVID-19-like symptoms in only three days, using fewer than 10 FTEs of clinician capacity. For comparison, they would have only been able to care for 600 in person or via video visits. In the last month alone, Bright.md's COVID-19 related care automation has freed more than 750,000 minutes of valuable provider time. While clinicians fight a front-line battle against a global pandemic and address the fears of an onslaught of "COVID-19 concerned" patients, they still must find ways to treat everydy issues like earaches, pink eye and urinary tract infections.



Bright.md's care-delivery platform, SmartExam, works like a virtual physician's assistant. The AI-powered platform automates 90% of a primary or urgent care visit, boosting provider efficiency 15x and increasing capacity to treat hundreds of patients in a single provider shift. Healthcare systems use SmartExam to deliver treatment for hundreds of conditions, such as flu, pediatrics, dermatology, muscular-skeletal and behavioral health issues. By intelligently and automatically combining patient-intake data, interview information, electronic health records and clinical-workflow integration, the platform enables providers to rapidly diagnose and treat patients with low-acuity conditions, escalating those with more serious conditions to a higher level of care.

"While COVID-19 care is critical now, patients continue to face other conditions and need treatment," said Dr. Costantini. "Understandably, many people will not want to risk leaving home and being exposed to COVID-19. We want to make SmartExam available to every health system nationwide and around the world, because that means we are freeing their providers to treat the sickest patients without neglecting the rest. With this funding and team, and incredibly supportive investors, we're even better equipped to do so." Bright.md is working with some of the largest health systems in the country that provide care to tens of millions of patients across more than half of the United States and Canada. They are building a clearinghouse of insight into the state of low-acuity conditions. The company tracks seasonal health, demographic and population health trends, like COVID-19 screenings and escalations. By learning from this data, Bright.md can apply best practices to constantly improve workflow, patient care and the patient experience. More than 90% of patients who have used SmartExam intend to use the platform again, a testament to its patient-friendly approach. SmartExam has reduced low-acuity exams from a 20-minute in-person visit, which requires travel and waiting room time, to a 90-second virtual visit that can be conducted from anywhere  home, the office, a car or even bed. "In this market, great companies will continue to get funded," said Dino Vendetti, managing partner at Seven Peaks Ventures. "Three of the top five not-for-profit health systems in the U.S. use SmartExam for patients seeking convenient urgent and primary care online, and there's plenty of room for growth. We expect these numbers will continue to skyrocket. COVID-19 has turned the spotlight on how effective technology can be in helping providers efficiently deliver high-quality care. This is the future of healthcare delivery, and Bright.md has proven its approach is the most efficient and scalable." Karen Page Joins Board

The company also announced today that B Capital General Partner Karen Page has joined its board of directors. Page brings a wealth of enterprise, growth stage leadership and operating expertise to the board, with past executive roles at Box and Apple. "The Bright.md team continues to find new ways to help its health system partners provide highly responsive care," said Page. "When coronavirus struck in January, Bright.md responded immediately with a new, free, comprehensive COVID-19 screening tool based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. The company's keen, nimble ability to adapt to the needs of health systems has helped them deliver an excellent patient experience and increased provider efficiency. That truly sets Bright.md apart from anything else in the market." About Bright.md

Founded in 2014 and based in Portland, Oregon, Bright.md is a leading healthcare automation company dedicated to modernizing direct-to-patient telehealth for healthcare systems with its AI-powered virtual-care platform, SmartExam. Bright.md partners with premier healthcare organizations in North America, including three of the top five not-for-profit health systems and five of the top 10 health systems in the United States. These partners offer SmartExam to more than 10 million patients who are seeking convenient urgent and primary care online. Bright.md has been named a Gartner Cool Vendor in Healthcare, a Vendor to Watch by Chilmark Research, and is the preferred choice of AVIA's Virtual Access cohort. Bright.md is venture-backed by B Capital Group, Seven Peaks Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Oregon Venture Fund and the Stanford-StartX Fund. For more information, visit Bright.md . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brightmd-raises-8-million-series-c-round-to-bring-critical-asynchronous-virtual-care-to-health-care-systems-and-their-patients-301030791.html SOURCE Bright.md

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The Senate recently passed a $2 trillion economic rescue plan on Wednesday in a unanimous vote. The stimulus package aims to aid tens of millions of Americans as industries are brought to a halt by COVID-19.

The stimulus package includes payments to individuals, unemployment benefits, student loans, and retirement rules, among many others. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about what is included in the bill.

Stimulus Payments

How much would the payments be?

The payment amount would largely depend on your income. Most would receive $1,200 while some would get less. An additional $500 will be given for every qualifying child who is aged 16 or below.

Single adults who earn an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less are eligible to receive the full amount.

Married couples with no children will receive $2,400 if they are found to be earning $150,000 or less. Taxpayers who have filed as the head of households and earn $112,500 or less will receive the full amount.

The payment decreases as income figures increase. Unmarried people earning $99,000 and married couples with no children and are earning $198,000 are not eligible to receive the payment. Families with two children and an income surpassing $218,000 are also ineligible.

You can calculate how much you'll get from the coronavirus checks here.

Will there be more payments?

There is currently only one payment, however, future bills could order up additional checks.





Are college students eligible to receive payments?

College students who are filed as a dependent on a tax return will not receive payments.

A student under the age of 24 is considered dependent so long as a parent pays for half of their expenses.

Where will they look to determine the amount of payment?

Authorities will be looking at your income from 2019. Those who have yet to file a tax return can use the 2018 return. If that is also unavailable, a 2019 Social Security statement showing your income can be used.

Where do I apply to receive the payment?

There is no need to apply for the check. The IRS would transfer the money via direct deposit or a physical check.





When will the check arrive?

Treasure Secretary Steven Mnuchin expects most people to receive their payments within three weeks. Those whose payments have been sent will receive a paper notice in the mail in a few weeks. If you couldn't locate the payment upon receiving the notice, it is advised to get in touch with the IRS using the information on the paper.

Would retired workers, veterans, unemployed workers, and people who are receiving disability payments receive a stimulus payment?

Yes.



Unemployment Benefits

Who are eligible to receive benefits?

The new bill was expanded to cover self-employed people and those who work on an hourly basis.

How much will I get?

The bill expanded benefits received by eligible people in hopes it could temporarily replace the average worker's paycheck. The amount will largely depend on your state.

Eligible workers will receive $600 every week as well as their state benefits. Alabama has set a maximum weekly benefit of $275. California will distribute $450 weekly, and residents of New Jersey will get $713.

Whether the payment is sent in one payment or separately depends on the state's decision.





Are independent contractors eligible?

Yes. Freelancers and gig workers will also receive unemployment benefits. The payment amount would be calculated based on an individual's previous income. The federal government will provide weekly benefits to self-employed workers.

What if I, or a family member, is infected with COVID-19?

People who have been unemployed, partly unemployed, or cannot work due to self-quarantine, suffering symptoms or caring for a family member will still be eligible to received unemployment benefits.

Those who rely on school or another facility to care for a child or an elderly family member would be covered with the unemployment check.

Who is not eligible to receive unemployment benefits?

Workers who have the option of working from home, as well as those receiving sick leave or paid family leave will not receive unemployment benefits. New entrants to the workforce are also not covered by the expanded bill.

How long will the payments cover?

Some states provide 26 weeks of benefits while some have less. The expanded bill will give all eligible workers an additional 13 weeks of coverage. However, the total amount should not extend beyond 39 weeks.
In total, about 40 flights are scheduled to land in Boryspil International Airport

Open source

Nearly 7,000 citizens are expected to come back to Ukraine today, on March 27. It is reported by the correspondent of 112 Ukraine TV Channel.

It is noted that all flights will land in Boryspil International Airport, at terminal B, because it is the airports quarantine area. A flight from Almaty, Kazakhstan was scheduled to arrive at 13:10.

"In total, about 40 flights are expected to arrive today, which is about seven thousand passengers," the correspondent said.

There will also be flights from Warsaw, Israel, Austria, Lithuania, Qatar, France, Germany.

At this moment, 274 Ukrainians are being evacuated from Canada. "Ukrainians are returning home from Canada. 274 passengers have departed via the UIA flight from Toronto to Kyiv," the report of Ukraine's Embassy in Canada reads.

As we reported earlier, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 160 citizens of Ukraine are under lockdown in a number of countries, 22 Ukrainians are receiving treatment, and eight of our fellow citizens have already recovered.
Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - A $2 trillion economic aid package continues to work its way through Congress and many investors are starting to look at the cost to fight the spreading coronavirus with one mining CEO saying that it will be good for precious metals prices.

Darren Blasutti, president and chief executive officer of Americas Gold and Silver

In a telephone interview with Kitco News, Darren Blasutti, president and chief executive officer of Americas Gold and Silver (TSX: USA), said that it is easy to be a long-term bull on gold and silver as central banks and governments pump the global economy with massive capital.

Earlier this week, as Congress was putting together its aid package, the Federal Reserve announced an open-ended quantitative easing program. Economists expect that deficit speding could rise to between 10% and 13% of GDP, well above the levels seen in the 2008 financial crisis.

You can t ignore how much it s going to cost to combat this virus. The economic costs are going to be astronomical, said Blasutti. This is going to be good for gold and silver and the precious metals miners.

While the mining company has positioned itself to be equally weighted in gold and silver, Blasutti said that he is slightly more bullish on silver compared to gold.

Silver has been significantly beaten up with prices recently dropping to an 11-year low as the spreading coronavirus has substantially dampened global economic growth, which in turn has weighed on silver s industrial demand.

However, Blasutti said that people should be paying more attention to silver s investment demand more than its industrial uses. He added that the higher gold prices go, the more attractive silver looks.

The reality is that as an investor, you can t buy silver anywhere, he said. It s going to take very little investment demand to drive silver prices higher.

Although the long-term outlook for gold and silver prices and precious metals miners looks good, Blasutti said that the industry and market have to get through this short-term uncertainty.

He added that investors should potentially be looking at producers as they are expected to weather the current storm. He said that for producers, the gold and silver aren t going anywhere and once the health and economic crisis have passed, production should ramp up fairly quickly.

Americas Gold and Silver, Blasutti said, is in a good position. He explained that in Nevada, gold mining is considered an essential service. He said that the company s Relief Canyon mine is close to commercial production after its first pour reported last month.

Similar to other producers, Americas Gold and Silver has enough access to credit and capital to weather this storm for a year, he said.

It s going to be tough times and it s going to be looking at individual companies rather than the entire sector, he said. If you are producing, you are going to have access to capital to keep the lights on. You may not like the terms, but you will survive.

The portion of the mining sector that Blasutti said he thinks will suffer the most are the companies that are currently building mines. Government lockdowns mean that these companies are losing money on idled construction equipment.

Finally, Blasutti said that mining companies that are still working in the current environment need to show strong leadership and follow all recommended safety protocols.

If mining companies don t take the appropriate safety measures and the virus spreads at mines, then they could be shut down and that is something we don t want, he said. We have the opportunity to lead and show the world that we can safely protect our workers.
Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) (STO:ERIC B) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. Investors can purchase shares before the 1st of April in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 7th of April.

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson's next dividend payment will be kr0.75 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of kr1.50 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson has a trailing yield of 2.0% on the current stock price of SEK75.6. 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 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

Check out our latest analysis for Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson

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. Last year, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson paid out 223% of its profit to shareholders in the form of dividends. This is not sustainable behaviour and requires a closer look on behalf of the purchaser. 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. Fortunately, it paid out only 32% of its free cash flow in the past year.

It's good to see that while Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson's dividends were not covered by profits, at least they are affordable from a cash perspective. If executives were to continue paying more in dividends than the company reported in profits, we'd view this as a warning sign. Extraordinarily few companies are capable of persistently paying a dividend that is greater than their profits.

Story continues

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

OM:ERIC B Historical Dividend Yield March 27th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with shrinking earnings are tricky from a dividend perspective. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson's earnings per share have dropped 28% a year over the past five years. Ultimately, when earnings per share decline, the size of the pie from which dividends can be paid, shrinks.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson's dividend payments per share have declined at 2.8% per year on average over the past ten years, which is uninspiring. It's never nice to see earnings and dividends falling, but at least management has cut the dividend rather than potentially risk the company's health in an attempt to maintain it.

Final Takeaway

Should investors buy Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson for the upcoming dividend? It's not a great combination to see a company with earnings in decline and paying out 223% of its profits, which could imply the dividend may be at risk of being cut in the future. However, the cash payout ratio was much lower - good news from a dividend perspective - which makes us wonder why there is such a mis-match between income and cashflow. Overall it doesn't look like the most suitable dividend stock for a long-term buy and hold investor.

So if you're still interested in Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson despite it's poor dividend qualities, you should be well informed on some of the risks facing this stock. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.  F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

In the United States, #COVID-19 began with globalization and globalizers. One thing we can be sure of is that grovery workers  to whom the virus will trickle down soon enough  didnt create the conditions for it, or introduce it. Lets take a look at the grocery workers before dollying back to the global. From the Los Angeles Times, Column: How coronavirus turned supermarket workers into heroes:

Today supermarkets are playing a ground-zero role in our struggle to adapt to restrictions imposed by COVID-19. And grocery workers are bearing much of the the brunt of our anxiety and frustration, as we [who?] descend on depleted stores. Without masks or barriers, employees are working long hours, risking infection and battling exhaustion to do their jobs. They connect us to material essentials, like bread and toilet paper. But theyre also part of the social fabric that holds us together in unsettling times. That friendly chat with the guy restocking the egg case this morning might be my only social interaction on this shelter-at-home day. And I feel better whenever I see my favorite cashier at her register. Theres something reassuring about the familiar in a world where everything has changed. Markets are about the only place were still allowed to gather en masse. And their employees  pressed into service in ways they never expected  are our new first responders. Theyre apt to see us at our worst, and they aim to ease our strain. Theyre dealing with a public thats fearful, apprehensive and frustrated, and it gets hostile, [said John Grant, a former meatpacker who is president of the union that represents grocery employees in Southern California]. This wasnt what they signed up for, but they realize its their responsibility. Theyve cursed how vulnerable they are, and yet they keep going out of their profound dedication to their communities.

Funny thing. The people who connect us to material essentials are suddenly more important than Senators and Represenatives (who can fly home), or all the MBAs in the head office, or the CEOs. Heaven forfend they collectively decided to withdraw their labor!

Vulnerable as the grocery workers are, they didnt bring #COVID19 on themselves or us. First, Ill look at how globalization made the material essentials to deal with #COVID19 so hard to obtain. Then, Ill look at how globalizers were vectors for the diseases spread.

Globalization

The story of how the United States 1% deindustrialized American by moving our manufacturing base offshore (mostly to China) is well known and I will not rehearse it here. From the New York Times, How the Worlds Richest Country Ran Out of a 75-Cent Face Mask:

The answer to why were running out of protective gear involves a very American set of capitalist pathologies  the rise and inevitable lure of low-cost overseas manufacturing, and a strategic failure, at the national level and in the health care industry, to consider seriously the cascading vulnerabilities that flowed from the incentives to reduce costs.

(By reduce costs, of course, we mean increase profits.) The shortage of masks has been the dominant narrative, but we dont make anything. If masks had not been the long pole in the tent, as project managers say, something else would have been or will be: ventilators, gloves, nasal swabs for testing, extraction kits and pipettes, reagents, whatever. The real issue is not a shortage of this or that material essential, but a forty-year policy of globalization, supported by the ruling class as a whole, that has led to a shortage of all material essentials (and thats not even taking austerity and the general gutting of public services into account). I have altered the famous flattening the curve chart (here with dotted line to show capacity) to show the effect

Lack of material essentials reduces our capacity (How many very sick people hospitals can treat); it pushes the dotted line down. So we either have to flatten the curve further than we would otherwise have to do, or we dont, and lose lives. Thank you, globalization! And with that, lets turn to the globalizers.

Globalizers

By globalizers, I mean the 1% on down, plus the PMC (Professional Manager Class) who own and manage our globalized system. One effect of globalization has been the vast expansion of air transport and international travel, so that globalizers can do their jobs. And thats how SARS-COV-2 was brought to the United States:

The man who would become Patient Zero for the new coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. appeared to do everything right. He arrived Jan. 19 at an urgent-care clinic in a suburb north of Seattle with a slightly elevated temperature and a cough hed developed soon after returning four days earlier from a visit with family in Wuhan, China.

(Im not blaming any individual; I travel internationally myself, and there are many good reasons to do it. But international air travel was the vector that brought the virus to the United States. That is the system. Im assuming Patient Zero travelled for professional reasons, since Wuhan is an unlikely tourist destination.)

We can make a highly suggestive correlation between globalizers and COVID-19 if we look at two simple maps. First, as is well known, one of the main distinctions between the places that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward (i.e., globalizers) and the dull provincials in flyover is the possession of passports. (A passport is a likely marker for the sort of person who asks Why dont they just leave?; front-row kids, in Chris Arnades parlance, as distinguished from, say, grocery workers, who he calls back-row kids.) Here is a map of passport ownership by state:

And here is a map of COVID-19 outbreaks:

The correlation is rather neat, dont you think? It makes sense that the first case was in a globalist, passport-owning city like Seattle on the West Coast; and it makes sense that the world capital of globalization, passport-owning New York City, now has a major outbreak.

Oh, and the ability to travel by air correlates to income (a proxy for class):

If one hypothesizes, as I am doing, that COVID-19 will trickle from globalizers downward, we might ask ourselves how that will happen. One answer, of course, is social interaction between the globalizers themselves. The New York Times describes Party Zero: How a Soiree in Connecticut Became a Super Spreader:

About 50 guests gathered on March 5 at a home in the stately suburb of Westport, Conn., to toast the hostess on her 40th birthday and greet old friends, including one visiting from South Africa. They shared reminiscences, a lavish buffet and, unknown to anyone, the coronavirus. Then they scattered. The Westport soiree  Party Zero in southwestern Connecticut and beyond  is a story of how, in the Gilded Age of money, social connectedness and air travel, a pandemic has spread at lightning speed. The partygoers  more than half of whom are now infected  left that evening for Johannesburg, New York City and other parts of Connecticut and the United States, all seeding infections on the way. Westport, a town of 28,000 on the Long Island Sound, did not have a single known case of the coronavirus on the day of the party. It had 85 on Monday, up more than 40-fold in 11 days.

It is the globalizers ability to scatter, in other words  both internationally and domestically  that made them such effective vectors. The Westport hot-spot was innocent, since nobody knew enough about COVID-19. Other examples are not innocent at all, where globalizers infect all those around them by trying to escape the disease. The Hamptons example is famous. From the New York Post, We should blow up the bridges  coronavirus leads to class warfare in Hamptons:

Every aspect of life, most crucially medical care, is under strain from the sudden influx of rich Manhattanites panic-fleeing, bringing along their disdain and disregard for the little people  and in some cases, knowingly bringing coronavirus. The Springs resident says her friend, a nurse out here, reported that a wealthy Manhattan woman who tested positive called tiny Southampton Hospital to say she was on her way and needed treatment. The woman was told to stay in Manhattan. Instead, she allegedly got on public transportation, telling no one of her condition. Then she showed up at Southampton Hospital, demanding admittance. Someone else took a private jet to East Hampton and did not tell anybody til he landed, the resident says. Thats the most horrendous aspect. The virus is already here, and we dont have any medical resources.

Everybody loves a rich people behaving badly story, but heres a second one. From the Los Angeles Times, Some of Mexicos wealthiest residents went to Colorado to ski. They brought home coronavirus:

The frantic effort to find the ski trip participants has highlighted an uncomfortable fact: It is people wealthy enough to travel outside the country who have brought the coronavirus back to mostly poor Mexico. Yet if the disease spreads, it is those with the least who will probably suffer the most. The virus is imported by people with the economic capacity to travel, wrote actor Tenoch Huerta on Twitter. Those who ask that everything be closed and all economic activity stop, hurting the people who live day-to-day, why didnt they voluntarily isolate for three weeks so as not to spread it? Or should only the poor be responsible?

The same dynamic can be inferred in Blaine Country, Idaho, home of ski resort Sun Valley:

Idaho has 123 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the states coronavirus website. That includes 37 in Ada County and eight in Canyon County. Blaine County, where Sun Valley is located, has the most confirmed cases at 52. Idahos first case was reported 12 days ago, in Ada County. The number of people tested in the state is now up to 2,188.

(Many of the cases around the state came from travel to Blaine County.)

Finally, Berkshire County, MA:

In my home area of Berkshire County, MA, the superrich from the city who own second homes have come up en masse, buying up all the food and refusing to quarantine. The latter means they will overwhelm an already insufficient healthcare system.  Eoin Higgins (@EoinHiggins_) March 25, 2020

Conclusion

Of course, this rough-and-ready, anecdotal analysis is no substitute for formal, scientific contact tracing. But I dont think, at this point, we will ever be able trace the original outbreaks. And I didnt see anybody else making this argument, so I thought Id throw it against the wall and see if it sticks. All I can say is that when I think of the grocery workers  and all the workers  in the Hamptons, Mexico, Idaho, and Massachusetts having COVID-19 brought to them, I become very ticked off. For pitys sake, at least can we practice social distancing by traveling only when its essential?
Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, has said the COVID-19 pandemic, is not just a health issue but economic destabilizer.



Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka, who is also the UN Women Executive Director, said it is a profound shock to our societies and economies, exposing the deficiencies of public and private arrangements that currently function only if women play multiple and underpaid roles.



She said as stock markets tumble, schools and universities close, people stockpile supplies and home becomes a different and crowded space it has moved beyond health to impact on the social-economic lives of society.



With children out of school, mothers at home may still work, but many have also become teachers and caregivers, with consequences for those previously employed in those roles, she noted.



The UN Women Executive Director in a document obtained by the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, however, applauded the efforts of governments who are taking extraordinary measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.



She expressed concern that for the 8.5 million women migrant domestic workers, often on insecure contracts, income loss also affects their dependents back at home.



She said professional women are also going through the dilemma of needing to return to the office but are having to forgo that to enable their higher-earning partners to continue work.



Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka called for data disaggregation; We need far more sex-disaggregated data to tell us how the situation is evolving, including on differing rates of infection, differential economic impacts, differential care burden, and incidence of domestic violence and sexual abuse.



The UN Executive Director said even without current data, experience from previous major epidemics points us to specific strengths and vulnerabilities that we can look out for and be proactive to safeguard.



Where governments or businesses put income protection in place, this can ease these dilemmas, sustain incomes and avoid driving households into poverty, she noted.



She said the response must also include those in the informal economy, where most women who work outside home make their livelihood. Such social protection is best directed specifically to women.



The UN Women Executive Director said this is a moment for governments to recognize both the enormity of the contribution women make and what they undergo.



She said globally, women make up 70 per cent of frontline workers in the health and social sector, like nurses, midwives, cleaners and laundry workers.



We need mitigation strategies that specifically target both the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on women and that support must also aim at building womens resilience, she said.



Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said women should be fully engaged in their creation, be priority recipients of aid, and partners in building the longer-term solutions.



She said creating better access to appropriate personal protective equipment for home-based caregivers, and removing obstacles to their work, by promoting flexible working arrangements, and ensuring supplies of menstrual hygiene products. These needs are even more important for areas under lockdown or quarantine.



The UN Women Executive Director said, COVID-19 provides us with an opportunity for radical, positive action to redress long-standing inequalities in multiple areas of womens lives.



I ask governments and all other service providers including the private sector to take this opportunity to plan their response to COVID-19 as they have never done before, and fully take a gender perspective into account, proactively building gender expertise into response teams and embedding gender dimensions within response plans, she said.



All of this needs funding; organizations responding to COVID-19 need budgeted resources for gender and social inclusion and I urge donors to include this in their support, viewing this as a constant, strongly positive element to include in development budgets and enhancing rather than cutting support to gender equality measures.



Organizations serving women need assistance to bolster their response and to prepare for the recovery. This needs resources that many organizations lack.



We appeal to funders to enhance their support for women rather than take an austerity approach. A global, coordinated response of the magnitude that followed the financial crisis is needed, constructed with a gender lens, and fully inclusive, she said.



Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said this is a time of reckoning for our national and personal values and a recognition of the strength of solidarity for public services and society as a whole.



This is an opportunity to build back better, stronger, resilient and equal societies. It is a time for bold prioritization. Taking the right steps now with an eye to a restored future could bring both relief and hope to the women of the world, she said.

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
In the wake of one of the largest reports of unemployment claims in 50 years, Beaumont resident Michelle Adame tried for the sixth day in a row since being laid off last week from her part-time restaurant job to access the unemployment claim website with no success.

She eventually got so fed up she went to the local labor office for help, only to find the office had been shuttered and employees sent to work at home to meet social distancing requirements.

Im really frustrated, she said. Lets just say this hasnt helped me quit smoking. Ill just have to keep trying.

U.S. workers are scrambling for help as coronavirus precautions gut some industries. Adame is one of millions of Americans, mostly from the service and hospitality industry, who have either tried to file or have already filed for benefits as employers close shops and try to staunch rising deficits.

On Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department reported that nearly 3.3 million people have applied for unemployment benefits, eclipsing the 1982 record of 695,000 claims in the aftermath of the oil bust.

The U.S. and Texas had been enjoying record-low unemployment a month ago and the Labor Department reported a little more than 200,000 people claimed benefits three weeks before. March started out with a U.S. average unemployment of 3.5%, a 50-year low.

According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics this week, Texas saw an 860% increase in benefit claims from last week, the largest weekly filing total since the days of the Great Recession.

Claims jumped from 16,176 applications from Texans two weeks ago to 155,657 this week. The previous weekly record in Texas was around 50,000 people.

To help workers access much-needed aid, the Texas Workforce Commission has relaxed and temporarily changed some policies around unemployment, such as waiving the job search requirements for applicants and cutting the one-week waiting period for funds.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that he had requested access to interest-free federal loans to pay unemployment claims and was asking for funds from Texas Unemployment Trust Fund to be released more quickly.

Those measures have given people such as Tim Postlewait, night manager and bartender at Beaumonts Thirstys, a little more confidence, but he said he was still going to wait a bit to file for his benefits.

He wasnt officially told he doesnt have a position anymore, but with Jefferson Countys emergency order closing down bars and dining rooms at restaurants, Postlewait is essentially out of work for the time being.

The owner encouraged us to file for unemployment, so were playing it day by day and waiting until we know what to do, he said. Thats honestly the scary part about it. People in our industry survive on those tips, so unemployment is just a drop in the bucket.

After an eerie last day of business on St. Patricks Day, Postlewait said he and the rest of the employees saw the writing was on the wall for the service industry as local cases started to increase. Luckily, he said he felt comfortable enough to collect unemployment and make the most of the situation by spending time with his daughter while they are both forced to remain home.

Labor officials have said the full scope of job loss in Southeast Texas will likely remain a guessing game until local offices receive data from the March job report compiled by the Texas Workforce Commission.

Laura Van, a data analyst for Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas, said her office usually doesnt get live data on local applications for benefit applications, but most indicators pointed to a large spike in the March report for service sectors.

Its very early in the data collection, but I think when life starts to return to normal there will be a fairly quick bounce back in jobs, she said. That being said, there will be some time before there is a full recovery.

In the meantime, she said, some local full-time and part-time jobs have opened up in the health industry and with essential retail that has remained open.

Grocers such as Walmart and H-E-B have announced hiring surges to temporarily staff up to meet increased demand from home-bound customers, while Kroger chose to bolster staff retention with one-time bonuses up to $300 for employees.

Dollar General announced at the beginning of the week that it would be almost doubling its yearly hiring rate by adding 50,000 workers at its stores across 45 states.

Anthony Cole, a Port Neches resident, has his eye on one of those part-time jobs and is currently waiting on paperwork from H-E-B.

Cole is normally a bartender at Neches Brewing Co., but the countys ordinance left the craft brewer no choice but to cut some of its shifts while it sells beer-to-go. Instead of filing for benefits, Cole said he felt like he should try to work somewhere until he can return to Neches Brewing.

I know there is a certain stigma around here about receiving benefits, but I understand that its there for everyone, he said. I just felt like I should try to work somewhere since I can and leave that help for someone else who might not be able.

Other Southeast Texas workers have found their lives turned upside down even without an official layoff or furlough without any real guarantee for benefits.

Jammie Leigh Marcantel is a mother of three who recently returned to Southeast Texas after briefly living in Houston to pursue a career in industrial X-ray work. She has been working as a ride-share driver for Lyft, mostly in Lumberton and Beaumont, while looking for another job in her field.

She said she noticed business remained relatively the same in the first few days after the outbreak was discovered in Southeast Texas. She normally worked during the hours her kids were in school. Then, she was suddenly swamped as more drivers started staying home to avoid contact.

Now, there are fewer and fewer rides and she is conflicted on whether she should even take them for fear she might become a part of the problem.

I dont want to put my kids in any kind of danger or become the person that has spread it around, she said. I couldnt even find a car wash place today with vacuum hoses still out so I could clean out my car afterward.

But without any way to keep up her gig, she is facing some tough decisions since she wasnt sure what benefits would be available to a contract worker. She said she has already made a few applications with local grocers and considered driving back and forth to Houston with her old job as a medical supply courier.

The turmoil around how to keep food on the table has been compounded by the reality that COVID-19 is really in Southeast Texas and could impact people she knows.

On Friday, as she was coming back from taking a customer to Houston, Marcantel found out former teacher Michael Westbrook had died after testing positive for the virus.

I dont want us to live our lives afraid of everything or thinking the world will end, she said. I dont want it to be like that for my kids, but I just dont know how to navigate this world now. It is a virus, it is a real thing and its here.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jdickjournalism
British Prime Minister has confirmed that he is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence after testing positive for the coronavirus. Boris Johnson said he would continue to lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak, and urged all Britons to respect the lockdown conditions to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say  a temperature and a persistent cough.

"So I am working from home. I'm self-isolating," Johnson said. "Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus." Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via video conference.

It was not immediately clear how many Downing Street staff and senior ministers would now need to isolate themselves given that many have had contact with Johnson over recent days and weeks

Isolating in Downing Street

Queen Elizabeth last saw Johnson on March 11 and she remains in good health, Buckingham Palace said.

"The queen last saw the PM on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare," a palace spokesman said.

Previously the government has said that Johnson has the option to delegate to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab if needed.

"The prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive," the spokesman said.

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The death toll is the seventh highest in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States, according to a Reuters tally.

Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne,tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. He is in good health and is now self-isolating at his residence in Scotland with mild symptoms along with his wife Camilla, who tested negative, his office said.

(Reuters)
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Taxi drivers in San Francisco on Thursday asked the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for relief as they say they're facing a dramatic decline in business, despite being an essential service.

According to the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, as taxis continue to operate during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the alliance is asking the city to waive permit fees for drivers for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year, which ends in June, and to extend the waiver for the next two years.

"With most of the city shut down, very few people are moving about. This is a devastating blow to drivers, most of whom are immigrants with little to fall back on," SFTWA Board Secretary Evelyn Engel said in a statement.

"We recognize that many others are suffering in this crisis. But we believe the city has a special obligation to its taxi drivers and to its regulated taxi industry, because taxis play a major role in carrying out San Francisco's transit-first policies, in meeting its climate goals, and, most importantly, in providing transportation to the disability community," she said.

The SFTWA is also asking the SFMTA to work with the San Francisco Federal Credit Union and other lenders to cancel medallion loan payments and stop medallion foreclosures. Back in 2010 and 2016, thousands of cab drivers purchased medallions for $250,000 at the city's request, only to see their incomes decline as app-based ride hailing service companies like Lyft and Uber flourished.

"Owner-drivers were already struggling to make their monthly medallion payments. We could see a tsunami of medallion foreclosures because of the coronavirus crisis," Engel said.

In response to the SFTWA's requests, the SFMTA said Thursday it would suspend permit renewal fees for drivers for the duration of the shelter-in-place order. Although the order is expected to last through April 7, it's subject to change.

The SFMTA added it was looking into other measures to lessen the impacts of the order on the taxi industry.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
March 27, 2020



POCATELLO  Idaho State University students are actively involved with helping to raise funds for the Idaho Food Bank through todays Bannock Virtual BBQ , that started today, March 27, at 11 a.m. and runs through 6 p.m.

By 11:30 a.m. today the group, led Kendra Rone State Farm Insurance in Chubbuck, had already had $4,000 in cash donated and orders for about 250 of the 500 to-go $15 barbeque meals provided by the Sand Trap restaurant that will be delivered by first responders.

To order a meal, visit www.bannockbbq.com or call Rones office at 208-637-8090.

100 percent of the proceeds go to the Idaho Food Bank for its coronavirus relief fund, said Spaletta, an ISU communications student who helped organize the event. We wanted to provide an avenue allowing people to donate to their community, he said.

Spaletta is an ISU Career Path Intern working in the Rone State Farm Insurance Chubbuck office. He conceived of the idea and is helping with todays event. He also credited other ISU students and staff who have helped with this fundraiser, including Zac Gaume, an ISU public relations student; ISU student Jason Vesser who is taking photos and video of the project; and Joey Gifford, ISU graphic design specialist who designed the events flyer.

Multiple other sponsors and the North Bannock and Chubbuck firefighters have contributed to the event.
AKU, Azerbaijan, March 26

Trend:

The Operational Headquarters established at Azerbaijans State Committee on Work with the Diaspora continues to provide comprehensive support to Azerbaijani citizens living abroad and if necessary, ensures their evacuation amid coronavirus, Trend reports.

Azerbaijani citizens were evacuated from Warsaw, Poland on March 26, with the support of the State Committee and on the initiative of the chairman of the Council of Azerbaijani Youth in Poland, Farid Jafarli.

These citizens, living in various cities of Poland, have applied to the Council of Azerbaijanis in Poland for immediate return to Azerbaijan due to family and personal problems. For several days, these citizens were placed in the House of Azerbaijan in Warsaw. Taking into account the closure of borders, an alternative decision was made in connection with the return of fellow citizens to their homeland. Thus, they were transported from Warsaw to Minsk (Belarus) by bus, and from there by plane to Azerbaijan.

Farid Jafarli held talks with the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Poland, as well as with the border services of Poland and Belarus on this issue. Embassies issued documents confirming the Azerbaijani citizenship of compatriots. Most of them were provided with plane tickets, after which they were sent to Azerbaijan from the Minsk National Airport.

Currently, 19 Azerbaijani citizens evacuated from Poland have been placed in the Relax Hotel in the countrys Lerik district in accordance with the rules of the quarantine regime.
Governor Shaktikanta Das will address the media at 10 AM.

A day after Finance Minister announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package for the poor due to the economic hardships faced by the poor in the backdrop of the coronavius pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta will address the media at 10 AM.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days from 25 March midnight, asserting that social distancing is the only way out for the country in its decisive battle against the coronavirus.

On 26 March, the government announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus that included free foodgrain and cooking gas to poor for three months, and cash doles to women and poor senior citizens as it looked to ease the economic impact of the nationwide lockdown.

Coronavirus will impact India''s economic growth "severely", as the COVID-19 lockdown is causing significant disruption across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, oil, financial, among others, said reports.

According to Dun & Bradstreet's latest Economy Forecast, the probability of countries entering into recession and companies going bankrupt has increased and India is not likely to "remain decoupled" from the global meltdown.

"As lockdowns are imposed in other global manufacturing hubs, besides China, the extent of impairment to global supply chain and global growth is likely to increase," said Arun Singh, Chief Economist Dun & Bradstreet India.

On India''s economic growth, Singh said, "given the 21-day lockdown in India, India''s GDP growth is expected to moderate further from our earlier estimate of 5 per cent for FY20. And growth for FY21 remained highly uncertain."

As per the report, lockdowns and restrictions on commercial activities and people gatherings are likely to strongly impact global and domestic growth from March 2020 onwards.

Dun & Bradstreet expects the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) to remain subdued by 4-4.5 per cent during February 2020.

The coronavirus-related worries are likely to aggravate difficulties for Indian banks, ratings agency Fitch said on 26 March, revising down the operating environment score for the critical sector by a notch.

The score has been revised to BB from BB+ earlier, the agency said, pointing out that COVID-19 outbreak ups the worries for the sector, which is already reeling under weak business and consumer confidence.

The lockdown will impact industrial production and domestic demand, it said, adding this will exacerbate the economic slowdown of the past few quarters that was partly caused by weaker credit availability from non-bank lenders from September 2018.
First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neil pictured at the Northern Ireland Executive's daily press update on the response to the Covid-19 crisis in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

PACEMAKER BELFAST 27/03/2020 Finance Minister Conor Murphy pictured at the Northern Ireland ExecutiveOs daily press update on the response to the Covid-19 crisis in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast.

Northern Ireland's Finance minister Conor Murphy has confirmed a "significant" order of personal protective equipment has been placed with China.

He said the Northern Ireland Executive had agreed a joint order with Dublin and were also working with the UK procurement system, but declined to detail how much PPE has been ordered or when it is due to arrive.

"We've today agreed that joint order with Dublin, there is procurement going on with the British system as well, but I think to be prudent we want to ensure that if the crisis that is coming our way becomes more severe in Britain and those supply lines across the Irish Sea start to dry up, that we have our own supplies," he said.

It comes after deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said she and First Minister Arlene Foster will do everything they can to make sure healthcare workers have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) in the coronavirus pandemic.

Health minister Robin Swann said earlier on Friday "concrete action" was being taken over supplies of PPE after nurses expressed concerns over its availability.

It comes after a group of leading GPs in Belfast called for a complete lockdown to manage the coronavirus pandemic.

Read More

Mrs O'Neill sent solidarity to healthcare workers and said: "You need to be protected in your jobs."

She repeated her call for non-essential businesses to close for the safety of their families and workers. "Join with us in the fight back," she said.

"Do this to save lives and limit the huge strain on our healthcare workers."

Earlier it was announced that three more people have died as a result of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, with 34 new cases bringing the total to 275.

According to the latest figures from the Public Health Agency 298 people were tested since yesterday. The death toll from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland now stands at 13.

"Thirteen families are left without their loved ones and that's what is at the heart of our response," said Mrs O'Neill.

First Minister Arlene Foster sent her best wishes to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock after they both revealed earlier on Friday they had tested positive for coronavirus. "It shows again that no one is immune to the virus," she said.

England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has confirmed he is also displaying symptoms.

Mrs O'Neill also admitted there was still confusion over what businesses are essential but said regulations will finalised over the weekend.

She said: "48 hours ago we received the legislation, we are trying to turn that into regulations to give us the powers to do what we need to be able to do. There is so much confusion out there. We are being drip-fed information from the British government bit by bit and then we are trying to translate that and put that into how we can actually operate and what more we can do here."

After meeting with Commissioner for Older People Eddie Lynch, Mrs Foster appealed to the public to make contact with the elderly by phone, email or through the post.

She said she herself intended to write to older friends by taking her daily form of exercise to walk to the post box.

Mrs Foster said the economy minister Diane Dodds will establish a new forum to advise the Executive on the coronavirus response.

They will meet for the first time on Monday.

Here is how Friday's events unfolded:
Los Angeles, March 27 : Actress and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle will be narrating the Disneynature documentary "Elephants".

The show will debut on April 3 on Disney Plus, the studio announced Thursday.

This will be Meghan's first project for Markle in show business after she and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, officially step away from their roles within the British Royal Family on March 31, reports variety.com.

In support of "Elephants," Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund are donating to Elephants Without Borders, an organisation working to protect the elephants living in Botswana.

Earlier this year, news broke that Markle had partnered with Disney on an unspecified project after she and her husband revealed they would be stepping back from their royal duties.

In the announcement, Disneynature's credits Markle as "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex", rather than including her previous royal title of "HRH". "Elephant" will premiere on Disney Plus the same day as the previously announced Disneynature documentary "Dolphin Reef", which will be narrated by Natalie Portman. "Penguins," which opened in theaters in 2019, will also debut on the streaming service that day.
Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, has sacked his special adviser on digital media, Muritala Olajide also known as Adigun Ibadan for allegedly sharing faking news.

He was said to have shared a photo of ongoing fumigation activity in Lagos under the pretext that it was in Ibadan.

The secretary to the state government, Olubamiwo Adeosun was said to have handed him the sack letter on Friday, 27th March.

Read Also: Seyi Makinde Says AGF Lacks Power To Declare Amotekun Illegal

The former aide was said to have apologized claiming that his social media account was hacked.

Reacting to his sack, Adigun shared his termination letter and wrote:

He wrote:
A much-loved French girl with no underlying medical conditions is believed to have become the youngest in Europe to die from coronavirus.

Tributes were today paid to the 16-year-old, identified as Julie A, who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a slight cough a week ago.

We must stop believing that this virus only affects the elderly, said her sister Manon.

Manon agreed to speak to the Parisian newspaper and release a photograph of her sister to warn others about the risk of coronavirus to young people.

The French authorities yesterday said 365 people had been killed by Covid-19 over the previous 24 hours, taking the national total of those who have died in hospital to 1,696.

Paris during the coronavirus pandemic / AFP via Getty Images

Julie was from Longjumeau, south of Paris and was studying at high school while living with her family.

She was first taken to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital.

Manon said Julie was bright and much-loved and liked to dance, sing and make people laugh.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

Her funeral will take place on Monday in her home town, attended by 10 people maximum.

In Spain, foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya defended her countrys handling of the coronavirus crisis despite a surge in fatalities.

She said the response had been based on science not feelings and expressed optimism that the lockdown imposed on March 14 was beginning to pay off.

Her comments follow fears the spread of the virus, which claimed a record daily death toll of 738 in Spain earlier this week, was accelerated by the failure to stop thousands joining International Womens Day marches on March 8.
Kathy Griffin has been sent home from hospital after spending time in a coronavirus isolation ward.

The 59-year-old comedian revealed this week she was battling 'unbearably painful symptoms' associated with the respiratory illness - also known as COVID-19 - and said she had been taken to a specific isolation ward for sufferers of the virus, although she was unable to be tested.

And now, she has confirmed to the Los Angeles Times she's back home after being diagnosed with an abdominal infection that is being treated with medication.

Back home: Kathy Griffin has been sent home from hospital after spending time in a coronavirus isolation ward. Turns out she had an abdominal infection

During an interview with the publication, Kathy detailed her experience at the isolation ward, which she was taken to after feeling ill following a trip to Mexico with her husband Randy Bick.

She said: 'We were both nervous because we were still in the incubation period after returning from Mexico, but also we had not left the house in days. We'd been hearing about a 14-day incubation period [for the coronavirus]. So for me to get what felt like food poisoning after six days, I thought, OK, is this a coincidence or what?'

Kathy praised the 'heroes' who treated her at the hospital, but said the facility was not set up how she had imagined, and there were no coronavirus tests available.

She said there were no tests for her: Kathy praised the 'heroes' who treated her at the hospital, but said the facility was not set up how she had imagined, and there were no coronavirus tests available. Seen in July 2019

She added: 'Frankly, when they said the corona ward, I thought I would be walking into the white suits with blue-taped ceilings, everything. I kind of expected them to put me in a shower room and all that - but as recently as [Tuesday], there's no cavalry that's coming in handing out millions of [test] swabs.'

The comedian was unable to get a test for the virus because her symptoms didn't 'meet the requirements' set out by the CDC.

She explained: 'The doctor was going through the boxes and going through the boxes [on a form] and she kept saying, like, "Ugh, because of the lungs, the fever and the kind of cough ... you don't meet the CDC requirements."

Crushing: But once inside the ER, the My Life On The D-List star said she could not get tested for the virus due to CDC restrictions even though she was at a 'major' hospital. Seen in late February with Traci Lords

'I just think it's so obvious that those tests have to be accessible to everybody. A lot of people, when they hear the president saying everyone who needs a test should get one, then shouldn't have to then go to a hospital where, frankly, they may be exposing themselves or exposing others.'

Kathy first spoke about her symptoms when she took to Twitter to hit out at US president Donald Trump, after he claimed America is now doing 'more testing than any other nation'.

She tweeted: 'He's lying. I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. The hospital couldn't test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions. #TESTTESTTEST (sic)'

She says there are not enough tests: She took to social media to get her point across. The stand-up also shared a photo of herself in the hospital. She wore a mask and was under quarantine. Griffin explained that even though her symptoms were serious, she was considered not eligible for the test. Kathy also shared a grab of Trump's tweet from Wednesday

She took to social media to get her point across. The stand-up also shared a photo of herself in the hospital. She wore a mask and was under quarantine.

Griffin explained that even though her symptoms were serious, she was considered not eligible for the test.

Kathy also shared a grab of Trump's tweet from Wednesday.

'Just reported that the United States has done far more 'testing' than any other nation, by far!' said Trump.

'In fact, over an eight day span, the United States now does more testing than what South Korea (which has been a very successful tester) does over an eight week span. Great job!'

Kathy said that the President was 'lying.'

Griffin explained: 'I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms.

'The hospital couldn't test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions.'

Not a fan of his: Kathy said that the President was 'lying.' Griffin explained: 'I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. 'The hospital couldn't test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions.' Trump on March 20

She has lashed out at Trump before. In 2017 she posted a video of herself to Instagram where she was holding a mask made to look like the severed, bloody head of Trump.

'I caption this 'there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his...wherever,'' she said.

The shoot was from photographer Tyler Shields.

Griffin later took down the image, and apologized publicly. CNN fired her from its New Year's Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper because of it.

The latest: Other celebrities who have come down with COVID-19 are Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Andy Cohen, and Laura Bell Bundy (pictured)

Sad farewell: Top Chef Masters star Floyd Cardoz died on Wednesday from the virus. He had been in Mumbai earlier this month with comedian Aziz Ansari shooting a reality TV series

Other celebrities who have come down with COVID-19 are Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Andy Cohen, and Laura Bell Bundy.

Top Chef Masters star Floyd Cardoz died on Wednesday from the virus. He had been in Mumbai earlier this month with comedian Aziz Ansari shooting a reality TV series.

It has been a bad month for Kathy. Her mother Maggie died on St Patrick's Day.

Her tribute read: 'My Mom, the one and only, Maggie Griffin, passed away today. I am gutted. My best friend. I'm shaking. I won't ever be prepared. I'm so grateful you guys got to be part of her life. You knew her. You loved her. She knew it. Oh, and OF COURSE she went on St Patrick's Day.'
March 27 : With Covid-19 Pandemic running wild in country, the Government of India has issued a 21 Days Lock Down, which is a necessary step but it will affect a lot of daily wagers and lower income homes. To offer a sincere helping hand, a lot of celebrities have come forward and donated money to relief fund which will feed and sustain for the time being.

Superstar Allu Arjun has pledged a whopping amount of 1.25 Crore to help the people in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many lives . In these difficult times with humility I would like to donate One Crore twenty five lakhs to the People of Andhra Pradesh , Telangana & Kerala .

I am hopeful together we will fight & end this pandemic soon . #stayhome pic.twitter.com/IeuRGa3ObI  Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) March 27, 2020

The actor just took to his social media and made the official annoucment, he shared, The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many lives. In these difficult times with humility I would like to donate One Crore twenty five lakhs to the People of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Kerala. I am hopeful together we will fight & end this pandemic soon. #stayhome

Allu Arjun shared a video where he revealed to have donated Rs 1.25 crore to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala to help them in the Coronavirus crisis. He also appeals to the public to stay hygiene and practice isolation.

They are several celebrities in Tollywood contributed millions of rupees toward combating and preventing previous health crises. Superstar Chiranjeevi, Sai Dharam Tej, Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu are a few among them.

The entire world is in an emergency, owing to the novel Coronavirus outbreak. It has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The regional and state governments in India have been putting in their best efforts to tackle the situation.
New Delhi: In an unprecedented move amid the ongoing COVID19 crisis, President Ram Nath Kovind will address all the Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the country through video conferencing on Friday (March 27, 2020).

Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu is also expected to join the all-important conference from his residence. The President`s conference would also be attended by the top voluntary organizations, including the Indian Red Cross Society known for its social emergency and humanitarian programmes across India.

The President would have detailed interactions with the Governors, particularly of 7 to 8 states where the COVID-19 crisis seems to be serious, official sources were quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

Though the President rarely interacts with the Governors but considering the scale of the present crisis around the world as well as in India, the President has decided to review the situation with the Governors.

As far as Red Cross Society is concerned, the President of India is also the President of this society which has more than 1100 branches spread across the country.

Sources said the President would talk in detail with the Governors of Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra where COVID-19 cases are surging every day.

"The President would try to seek suggestions from the Governors relating to the ongoing efforts by the respective state governments. His objective is to supplement the relief efforts of the state administrations, a highly-placed source said.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, who has decades of experience in government functioning, is also expected to offer suggestions to Governors and Lieutenant Governors.

Sources said that several important and large voluntary organisations would also be asked for their effective roles in handling the crisis, particularly in offering food and shelter to the poor.

Millions of daily wage labourers and those dependent on petty jobs require basic needs including food. Several MPs and MLAs, cutting across party lines, are already setting up canteens to serve food to the poor in their respective constituencies.

Red Cross, which has presence in every district of the country, will also be playing a vital role in helping the needy and the poor, especially in the post-lockdown period.
Do care to share: GiveIndia launches mission to support COVID-19 hitfamilies

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, GiveIndia one of the best regarded online giving platforms in the country has started a mission to support the families of those impacted by the pandemic.

GiveIndia is supporting those are facing loss of livelihoods, especially those who fall under the category of daily wage workers.

About 80 per cent of those employed in India are in the unorganised sector and will be deeply affected in the coming months. Even as the government is stepping up in several ways, including providing income support, to help such families in the coming months, families living on the margins will require additional support to tide over these difficult times. Towards this, GiveIndia (www.GiveIndia.org) has partnered with the most credible non-profits to help families in need and prevent the spread of the coronavirus in India.

MHA advisory tells states to prevent exodus of migrant labourers amidst COVID-19 lockdown

Under the mission, GiveIndia has launched two initiatives to help the disadvantaged and support families - to provide a safety net for the economic toll and to provide protection against the virus. While one will help daily wagers put food on the plate, the second, #IndiaAgainstCoronaVirus will provide hygiene kits to underprivileged families across India who do not have access to soaps, sanitisers, and masks. This initiative also aims to support people at the frontline in hospitals as well.

Every donation will go a long way in stemming the spread of the virus and supporting vulnerable families to tide over COVID-19. In the three days since it launched the campaign, GiveIndia has raised over Rs 1.5 crores from over 6,000 donors.

GiveIndia has partnered and is working closely with trusted NGOs such as CRY, Helpage, Goonj, Bhumi, Oxfam, ActionAid, Team Everest, SPPD, Vidya Poshak, St Jude, Habitat for Humanity, and Sevalaya among other reputed not-for-profit organisations. GiveIndia's corporate partners, including Omidyar Network India, McKinsey, AU Small Finance Bank, Meesho, Genpact, Flipkart, Myntra and Jardine Llyod Thompson among many others, have also initiated employee giving campaigns with GiveIndia. Most of the corporates will match the donations made by employees in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking about the initiative, Atul Satija, Chief Executive Officer, GiveIndia, said, "we have launched this campaign as an emergency response - to help provide a safety net to casual labour families. With this fund, we aim to directly support these families by providing a minimum wage in cash, hopefully with your support till the virus abates and they are in employment again."

Rs 1.76 lakh crore package for poor: Highlights of the Nirmala Sitharaman presser

Satija urged people to come forward and donate generously. "The whole world is suffering, but those without any job security or savings are the most vulnerable. Please consider this as an appeal for help and we urge everyone to Give generously to those hit hardest by COVID-19."

To donate, please visit https://indiafightscorona.giveindia.org/
Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec), a one-time administered gene therapy, has been recommended for European Commission (EC) conditional approval for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and a clinical diagnosis of Type 1 or SMA patients with up to three copies of the SMN2 gene



(onasemnogene abeparvovec), a one-time administered gene therapy, has been recommended for European Commission (EC) conditional approval for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and a clinical diagnosis of Type 1 or SMA patients with up to three copies of the SMN2 gene Zolgensma has demonstrated significant and clinically meaningful therapeutic benefit in presymptomatic and symptomatic SMA, including prolonged event-free survival and achievement of motor milestones unseen in natural history of the disease and to date, sustained for 5 years post-dosing



In Europe, SMA is a significant burden to the healthcare system with cumulative estimated healthcare costs per child ranging between 2.5 to 4 million within the first 10 years alone 1



To support the urgent need to treat SMA as early as possible, AveXis is offering an innovative "Day One" access program to EU governments and reimbursement agencies to enable immediate access at time of EMA approval expected by June 2020



Basel, March 27, 2020- AveXis, a Novartis company, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending conditional marketing authorization of Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec) for the treatment of patients with 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and a clinical diagnosis of SMA Type 1; or for patients with 5q SMA with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and up to three copies of the SMN2 gene. A rare, genetic neuromuscular disease caused by a lack of a functional SMN1 gene, SMA results in the rapid and irreversible loss of motor neurons, affecting muscle functions, including breathing, swallowing and basic movement.2,3 Zolgensma is a one-time gene therapy designed to address the genetic root cause of the disease by replacing the function of the missing or nonworking SMN1 gene. Zolgensma is administered during a single intravenous (IV) infusion, delivering a new working copy of the SMN gene into a patient's cells, halting disease progression. The positive opinion is an important step towards offering a new treatment option in Europe for babies and young children with SMA.

The European Commission (EC) reviews the CHMP recommendation and usually delivers its final decision in approximately two months. The decision will be applicable to all 27 European Union member states, as well as Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom.

"Today's positive CHMP opinion for Zolgensma marks a critical step closer to EC approval and to bringing the only gene therapy for SMA to Europe, helping to address the devastating impact the disease has on patients and their families," said Dave Lennon, president of AveXis. "Zolgensma provides a transformational new way to treat this rare but debilitating disease - delivering a potentially life-saving medicine with a one-time administered treatment. Given the urgency to treat SMA and the novel nature of gene therapy, we need to be equally innovative in advancing access, so we are offering governments and reimbursement bodies a 'Day One' access program to enable rapid access to Zolgensma upon approval."

"In the most severe forms of the disease, children who are not treated are unable to lift their heads, sit, stand, or even swallow, and typically do not survive beyond two years of age unless permanently ventilated," said Dr. Francesco Muntoni, Professor and Pediatric Neurologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London. "The results we have seen for Zolgensma to date from the STR1VE clinical trial show an impressive survival rate at the conclusion of the study, with the majority of patients being able to sit without support. And through follow-up on the START trial, an average of 4.5 years later, we can see the long-term potential this significant gene therapy may have for children with this rare disease."

The CHMP positive opinion is based on the completed Phase 3 STR1VE-US and Phase 1 START trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of a one-time IV infusion of Zolgensma in symptomatic SMA Type 1 patients <6 months of age at dosing, who had one or two copies of the SMN2 backup gene, or two copies of the SMN2 backup gene, respectively. STR1VE-EU, a comparable Phase 3 study is ongoing. Zolgensma demonstrated prolonged event-free survival; rapid motor function improvement, often within one month of dosing; and, sustained milestone achievement, including the ability to sit without support, a milestone never achieved in untreated Type 1 patients.4

Additional supportive data included interim results from the ongoing SPR1NT trial, a Phase 3, open-label, single-arm study of a single, one-time IV infusion of Zolgensma in presymptomatic patients (<6 weeks at age of dosing) genetically defined by bi-allelic deletion of SMN1 with 2 or 3 copies of SMN2. These data demonstrate rapid, age-appropriate major milestone gain, reinforcing the critical importance of early intervention in SMA patients.4

The most commonly observed side effects after treatment were elevated liver enzymes and vomiting. Acute serious liver injury and elevated aminotransferases can occur. Patients with pre-existing liver impairment may be at higher risk. Prior to infusion, physicians should assess liver function of all patients by clinical examination and laboratory testing. And, they should administer systemic corticosteroid to all patients before and after treatment, and then continue to monitor liver function for at least 3 months after infusion.4

"We are delighted to know that EMA considers a new treatment effective to fight SMA and that it can benefit a part of our community. We rely on all relevant stakeholders, to work at their best to get it to patients without any delay. SMA Europe will continue working to ensure that all patients living with SMA in Europe have the possibility to access any treatment that can be beneficial for them in a timely and sustainable way," said Mencia de Lemus, President of SMA Europe.

Zolgensma "Day One" access program

SMA is a significant burden to the healthcare system in Europe with cumulative estimated healthcare costs per child ranging between 2.5 to 4 million within the first 10 years alone.1

Designed to work within existing pricing and reimbursement frameworks, yet recognizing the novel nature of a one-time gene therapy for a devastating and progressive disease, the "Day One" access program offers ministries of health and reimbursement bodies (in countries without pre-existing early access pathways) a variety of flexible options that can be implemented immediately at time of approval. The program is designed to ensure that the cost of patients treated before national pricing and reimbursement agreements are in place, are aligned with the value-based prices negotiated following clinical and economic assessments. The program is meant to ensure the continued integrity of the local pricing and reimbursement framework. AveXis is already in advanced discussions with multiple countries in Europe to agree on terms of the program. The following options can be customized for each country:

Retroactive rebates ensuring early access costs are aligned with negotiated prices following local clinical and economic assessment processes

Deferred payments and installment options allowing reimbursement bodies to manage budget impact during the early access phase

Outcomes-based rebates negotiated following clinical and economic assessments can be applied to patients treated during the early access period

Robust training for treating institutions on administration and follow-up care

Access to RESTORE, a global SMA registry of patients who have been diagnosed with SMA that draws upon existing country registries

About Spinal Muscular Atrophy

SMA is the leading genetic cause of infant death.2,3 If left untreated, SMA Type 1 leads to death or the need for permanent ventilation by the age of two in more than 90% of cases.5

In Europe each year, approximately 550-600 infants are born with SMA.6,7 SMA is a rare, genetic neuromuscular disease caused by a lack of a functional SMN1 gene, resulting in the rapid and irreversible loss of motor neurons, affecting muscle functions, including breathing, swallowing and basic movement.2 It is imperative to diagnose SMA and begin treatment, including proactive supportive care, as early as possible to halt irreversible motor neuron loss and disease progression.8 This is especially critical in SMA Type 1, where motor neuron degeneration starts before birth and escalates quickly. Loss of motor neurons cannot be reversed, so SMA patients with symptoms at the time of treatment will likely require some supportive respiratory, nutritional and/or musculoskeletal care to maximize functional abilities.9 More than 30% of patients with SMA Type 2 will die by age 25.10

Novartis will conduct a conference call with investors to discuss this news release on Monday, March 30, 2020 at 3 p.m. Central European Time and 9 a.m. Eastern Time. A simultaneous webcast of the call for investors and other interested parties may be accessed by visiting the Novartis website. A replay will be available after the live webcast by visiting https://www.novartis.com/investors/event-calendar (https://www.novartis.com/investors/event-calendar).

About Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec)

Zolgensma is designed to address the genetic root cause of SMA by providing a functional copy of the human SMN gene to halt disease progression through sustained SMN protein expression with a single, one-time IV infusion. Zolgensma represents the first approved therapeutic in the company's proprietary platform to treat rare, monogenic diseases using gene therapy.6 Approximately 400 patients have been treated with Zolgensma, including clinical trials, commercially and through the managed access program in the U.S. AveXis is pursuing registration in close to three dozen countries with regulatory decisions anticipated in Switzerland, Canada and Australia in late 2020 or early 2021.6

AveXis has an exclusive, worldwide license with Nationwide Children's Hospital to both the intravenous and intrathecal delivery of AAV9 gene therapy for the treatment of all types of SMA; has an exclusive, worldwide license from REGENXBIO for any recombinant AAV vector in its intellectual property portfolio for the in vivo gene therapy treatment of SMA in humans; an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Genethon for in vivo delivery of AAV9 vector into the central nervous system for the treatment of SMA; and a non-exclusive, worldwide license agreement with AskBio for the use of its self-complementary DNA technology for the treatment of SMA.

In May 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zolgensma for the treatment of pediatric patients less than two years of age with SMA with bi-allelic mutations in the SMN1 gene. 11 In the U.S. nearly all on-label patients have been approved by their payer for access to Zolgensma. On March 19, 2020, Zolgensma was approved by Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for the treatment of SMA in patients under the age of two, including those who are pre-symptomatic at diagnosis. Reimbursement with MHLW is expected by the end of 1H20, pending agreement Zolgensma will be available at that time.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "positive CHMP opinion," "offering," "recommending," "step towards," "step closer," "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "pipeline," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for Zolgensma, or regarding potential future revenues from Zolgensma. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that Zolgensma, will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that Zolgensma will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding Zolgensma could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

?

About AveXis

AveXis, a Novartis company, is the world's leading gene therapy company, redefining the possibilities for patients and families affected by life-threatening genetic diseases through our innovative gene therapy platform. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bannockburn, IL, the goal of AveXis' cutting-edge science is to address the underlying, genetic root cause of diseases. AveXis pioneered foundational research, establishing AAV9 as an ideal vector for gene transfer in diseases affecting the central nervous system, laying the groundwork to build a best-in-class, transformational gene therapy pipeline. AveXis received its first U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in May 2019 for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). AveXis is also developing therapies for other genetic diseases, including Rett syndrome, a genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) SOD1 and Friedreich's ataxia. For additional information, please visit www.avexis.com (http://www.avexis.com/).

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com (http://www.novartis.com).

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at https://twitter.com/novartis (https://twitter.com/novartis) or follow @NovartisNews for the latest News & Media Updates at https://twitter.com/novartisnews (https://twitter.com/novartisnews).

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library (https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library).

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com)

References

1. Estim. 10-year cumulative SMA costs for major EU markets based on available data including local healthcare resource utilizations studies, local databases and public information from previous SMA therapy economic assessments, as of February 21, 2020.

2. Anderton RS and Mastaglia FL. Expert Rev Neurother. 2015;15(8):895-908.

3. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Spinal Muscular Atrophy. http://rarediseases.org/rarediseases/spinal-muscular-atrophy/ (http://rarediseases.org/rarediseases/spinal-muscular-atrophy/). Accessed October 9, 2018

4. STR1VE-US, START and SPR1NT clinical data on file

5. Finkel RS, et al. Neurology. 2014;83(9):810-817.

6. Data on file.

7. Verhaart IEC, et al. J Neurol. 2017;264(7):1465-1473.

8. Soler-Botija C, et al. Brain. 2002;125(7):1624-1634.

9. Wang CH, et al. J Child Neurol. 2007;22(8):1027-1049.

10. Darras BT, Finkel RS Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Chapter 25 - Natural History of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. October 2017.

11. FDA approval: https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/zolgensma (https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/zolgensma)



# # #

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200

E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com)

Anja von Treskow

Novartis Global External Communications

+41 61 79 392 8697(mobile)

Anja.von_treskow@novartis.com (mailto:Anja.von_treskow@novartis.com)







Eric Althoff

Novartis External Communications

+1 646 438 4335 (mobile)

eric.althoff@novartis.com (mailto:eric.althoff@novartis.com) Farah Bulsara Speer

SVP, Corporate Communications, AveXis

+1 312 543 2881 (mobile)

fSpeer259@avexis.net (mailto:fSpeer259@avexis.net)





Novartis Investor Relations

Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944

E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com)
The Democratic Republic of Congo military has killed a rebel commander accused of a massacre of dozens of civilians in the restive eastern province of Ituri, the army said on Friday.

The army on Thursday had said the commander of the CODECO militia  one of scores of armed groups operating in the region  had been wounded and several of his bodyguards killed.

On March 25, Ngudjolo, the radical commander in Ituri, was definitively neutralised by the army with ten of his men, army spokesman Leon-Richard Kasonga told reporters.

Troops had came under attack in the district of Djugu, from a convoy of Ngudjolos fighters.

CODECO  whose official name is Cooperative for the Development of Congo  is an armed political-religious sect in Ituri drawn from the Lendu ethnic group.

Conflict erupted between the Lendu, mainly farmers, and the Hema, herders and traders, in the gold-mining and oil-rich Ituri province between 1999 to 2003, killing tens of thousands.

According to the UN, most victims were targeted because they were Hema.

The conflict reignited and more than 700 people have been killed in Ituri since late 2017, a UN report said in January, adding that some of deaths might constitute a crime against humanity.

More than half a million people have been displaced by the violence since February 2018, the report said.
Before disinfecting, remove any visible dirt and grime; this will help the disinfectant do its job. Vinetz and Sansoni recommend using tried-and-true disinfectants such as bleach (sodium hypochlorite), hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide expires six months after opening but can last up to three years unopened), grain alcohol (ethanol, found in beverages) and rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. If you purchase any over-the-counter products that say disinfectant on the label, Sansoni says they are required to meet government specifications; to be sure that the product has met all government requirements for effectiveness, look for an EPA registration number on the label. He also says you must follow the product label instructions exactly for the disinfectant to be effective. Vinetz says to look for any product that has an alcohol content of 60 percent or higher.
Those taps are controlled right now by Haftar, and his external allies, which include OPEC king Saudi Arabia, OPEC prince UAE and even Russia (by way of unofficial mercenaries), are not interested in having the general give the green light to start pumping again. So there is very little pressure at all on Haftar to change strategy. That strategy so far has been to put the squeeze on the Tripoli-based

For now, the National Oil Company (NOC), the neutral voice in all of this, is thinking it will be able to turn the taps back on for 1 million barrels per day of oil.

In a country that, until now, has not had a single case, the other shoe is dropping. On Tuesday, Libya reported its first COVID-19 case, and the fear is that it does not have the facilities to contain a spread.

While there are plenty of political and industry players the world over who would like to see a winner in the Libyan civil war stalemate, the oil and gas market at large would take a significant hit if the conflict were to end and the oil starts flowing again. Not even the myriad of external forces lining up to materially support either General Khalifa Haftars ongoing attempt to take Tripoli or the inadequate and militia-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), behind which the UN has hesitatingly thrown its weight, have been able to resolve anything.

Why Haftar Isnt Going to Sell Libyan Oil

While there are plenty of political and industry players the world over who would like to see a winner in the Libyan civil war stalemate, the oil and gas market at large would take a significant hit if the conflict were to end and the oil starts flowing again. Not even the myriad of external forces lining up to materially support either General Khalifa Haftars ongoing attempt to take Tripoli or the inadequate and militia-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), behind which the UN has hesitatingly thrown its weight, have been able to resolve anything.

But the coronavirus just might.

In a country that, until now, has not had a single case, the other shoe is dropping. On Tuesday, Libya reported its first COVID-19 case, and the fear is that it does not have the facilities to contain a spread.

For now, the National Oil Company (NOC), the neutral voice in all of this, is thinking it will be able to turn the taps back on for 1 million barrels per day of oil.

Is it realistic?

Those taps are controlled right now by Haftar, and his external allies, which include OPEC king Saudi Arabia, OPEC prince UAE and even Russia (by way of unofficial mercenaries), are not interested in having the general give the green light to start pumping again. So there is very little pressure at all on Haftar to change strategy. That strategy so far has been to put the squeeze on the Tripoli-based government by starving them out. So far, hes starved them out of $3.5 billion in oil revenues since January. But turning the taps back on would make things very difficult for the Saudi-Russian oil price war, which presently consists of both parties trying to out pump the other to flood the market and tank oil prices until someone blinks.

Does this status quo suit Haftar? Not exactly. What he would like to do is add another twist to his oil strategy: He wants to turn the pumps back on but sell the oil independently and divert the revenue away from Tripoli and the GNA, which uses it, in part, to fund the militias that support it (as long as theyre getting paid to do so). This has been Haftars goal for a while, but he cant do it without allies agreeing to buy it. Any arrangement to that effect is likely to be stymied right now because the oil markets are saturated. Haftar would have to sell at a significant discount to already rock-bottom prices. Haftars allies, which include Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, arent going to be keen to have this Libyan oil back on the market right now, no matter where the revenues go.

But other pressures will now put the squeeze on both sides. The coronavirus is causing panic, and fighting has escalated at the arrival of Libyas first confirmed case.

The Democrats Big Green Misstep

The Senates $2-trillion coronavirus stimulus bill agreed to on Wednesday barely slipped through as Democrats sought to slip some new green deal elements in - most notably tax credit extensions and direct pay provisions for the wind and solar industries. The Senate wasnt buying what the Dems were selling, though. Renewables wont be getting any stimulus, and the Trump administration thought this really wasnt the time for it.

Renewables will also suffer supply-chain and economic disruptions in the COVID-19 pandemic, but they can also - like everyone else - get plenty of cheap credit to float them through this crisis. Certainly, a green deal shouldnt hold up a stimulus package. But renewables arent being singled out here: of the $500 billion rescue fund Republicans pushed for, the oil industry isnt getting any, either. This isnt about fossil fuels vs. renewables anymore: This is about a global pandemic and how to best staunch the bleeding.

Both Republicans and Democrats have had to sideline their campaigns, and the coronavirus crisis will likely serve as Trumps litmus test, which at this point will be tough for any president to pass - especially one who has based his victory on the stock market. Nevertheless, it was a massive misstep for the Democrats to try to slip this green deal element into a stimulus bill in which it has no place. It wont win them many favors right now, but they also have little place at the campaign table during the pandemic. All they can do is watch what happens and re-emerge when the dust settles.

Politics will have to wait.
Love Island star Montana Brown has spoken about struggling with the pressures of fame and drugs in the showbiz industry.

The reality star, 24, spoke candidly to former TOWIE star and Tings Magazine founder Vas J Morgan for his I Am Enough campaign, in which he speaks to stars about battles with mental health and people coping with isolation.

Having shot to fame on the ITV2 reality show in 2017, Montana confessed she was bewildered when she left the villa as she developed anxiety, while she also spoke of her friend and co-star Mike Thalassitis' suicide.

Open and honest: Love Island star Montana Brown has spoken about struggling with the pressures of fame and drugs in the showbiz industry

Joining stars including Sofia Richie, Lauren Pope and Chloe Sims in chatting to Vas, Montana was opening up about her struggles in the spotlight.

On developing anxiety when she left the villa, Montana revealed she was stunned when she left the villa at the instant fame, particularly when she got to the airport.

Revealing a group of boys picked her up, she said: 'I remember landing in Luton airport and being so paranoid. This group of lads picked me up and I remember thinking "get off me". People see you on the show and think they're your friend.'

As Vas spoke about sobriety, Montana, who admitted she hardly drinks, revealed she struggles with the presence of alcohol and drugs while going out.

Tough times: The reality star, 24, spoke candidly to former TOWIE star and Tings Magazine founder Vas J Morgan for his I Am Enough campaign, in which he speaks to stars about battles with mental health and people coping with isolation

Open and honest: In an impassioned plea to followers, Vas added: 'You dont have to do drink or drugs to fit in or be fun or hang. You are enough'

She said: 'Before Love Island I hadn't touched anything drugwise and I find it really scary. I'm like how do you know what it is? And it's so normalised now.'

In an impassioned plea to followers, Vas added: 'You dont have to do drink or drugs to fit in or be fun or hang. You are enough.'

He went on to urge fans to find their trigger and speak to people: 'Try and find professional help. Stay sober and take every day at a time.

Montana was particularly vocal about mental health following Mike's death, after he was died from suicide in March last year, while she also referenced Love Island host Caroline Flack's tragic passing in February.

Devastating: Montana was particularly vocal about mental health following Mike's death, after he was died from suicide in March last year, while she also referenced Love Island host Caroline Flack's tragic passing in February

Mike's death was ruled a suicide after toxicology results showed he took a lethal cocktail of cocaine, alcohol and paracetamol before he hanged himself.

The combination of alcohol and cocaine is known to make someone 16 times more likely to kill themselves, the coroner said.

Montana said: 'Love Island really opened my eyes to how many people are suffering. It's dreadful. Life is too short. As much as it was my friend Mike, and your friend Caroline, it happens to so many people on a daily basis.'
Businesses and schools shuttered. Uncertainty unspooled and panic was palpable. Social distancing rules doled out differently depending on the local government.

America has been here before: in 1918.

Over 100 years ago, what was called the 'Spanish flu' killed the young and old alike. While some things still remain unclear about the deadly pandemic, the toll it took is not: at least 50 million people died and nearly a third of the world's population was infected. In the United States, an estimated 675,000 perished from the virus, which was more than the country lost fighting in World War I. The Great War, which started in July 1914 and ended on November 11, 1918, was one of the factors in the disease spreading.

And, just like now, with no cure or vaccine in sight, the measures implemented to combat the virus varied from city to city.

In Philadelphia, a parade was thrown in support of the war effort to disastrous results: the city's hospitals were full 72 hours later and it would soon see 2,600 deaths. Meanwhile, after the virus moved from the military to the civilian population, health officials in St. Louis immediately ordered closings and banned public gatherings, which kept the disease 'from exploding overnight as it did in Philadelphia,' according to History.com.

The influenza pandemic of 1918 came in three waves. The first phase hit America that March when there were cases at a military base in Kansas. The pandemic's second phase, which started that fall, was its most deadly. Public health officials in Philadelphia were aware that the disease was spreading. Nonetheless, the city decided to move forward with the Liberty Loan Parade on September 28, 1918, seen above. Seventy-two hours later, all of the city's 31 hospitals were full, and soon 2,600 people died, according to History.com

St. Louis took a different tactic when it came to the pandemic. First, city officials warned the public to avoid crowds. Once the disease spread to the general population, schools and businesses, such as pool halls and theaters, were closed and public gatherings banned, according to History.com. Volunteer nurses also treated the infected at their homes. Above, women, who were part of the St. Louis Red Cross Motor Corps, wear masks and hold stretchers at the back of ambulances in October 1918. George Dehner, author of Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza, told History.com that St. Louis was able 'to flatten the curve.' The city had a lower date rate than Philadelphia, according to History.com

Above, a chart that shows the death rate between the two cities during the pandemic from mid-September until December 28. Philadelphia held its Liberty Loan Parade on September 28, 1918. 'The difference in response times between the two cities... represents approximately three to five doubling times for an influenza epidemic. The costs of this delay appear to have been significant; by the time Philadelphia responded, it faced an epidemic considerably larger than the epidemic St. Louis faced, according to a 2007 research article titled Public health interventions and epidemic intensity during the 1918 influenza pandemic in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

The United States entered World War I in April 1917 and troops were deployed to Europe. There is still no consensus about where or which country this particular strain of influenza originated. Spain, which was neutral during the conflict, did not have wartime press restrictions and after reporting about the virus, the disease was then mislabeled the 'Spanish flu.'

The first wave of the pandemic hit in the United States in March 1918, showing up at Camp Funston in Fort Riley, Kansas. It was 'generally mild' with those infected experiencing 'typical flu symptoms as chills, fever and fatigue' and they usually recovered. 'The number of reported deaths was low,' according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known as the CDC.

During the summer, it had somewhat subsided only to come roaring back that fall. This second wave was when the pandemic was at its most deadliest. The highly contagious virus was brutal: 'Victims died within hours or days of developing symptoms, their skin turning blue and their lungs filling with fluid that caused them to suffocate,' according to History.com.

It was during this phase that Philadelphia had its Liberty Loan Parade.

City officials were aware of the disease and that it was running rampant through army and navy installations. Nonetheless, they informed the public it would be stopped before it spread to civilians. When the general population started becoming infected, Wilmer Krusen, the city's public health director, insisted that the parade, which was to raise money through war bonds, move forward.

He was warned the event would be 'a ready-made inflammable mass for a conflagration,' John M Barry wrote in his book, The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History.

On September 28, 1918, around 200,000 people flocked to the city's sidewalks to see soldiers and marching bands file down the street. Seventy-two hours later, every one of Philadelphia's 31 hospitals to be full and 2,600 people soon died, according to History.com.

'The Liberty Loan parade probably threw gasoline on the fire, but it was already cooking along pretty well,' George Dehner, author of Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza, told History.com.

The pandemic, which started while World War I still raged, came in three waves. Its first wave in the United States began in March 1918 at Camp Funston in Fort Riley, Kansas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the summer, it had somewhat subsided only to come roaring back that fall. This second wave was when the pandemic was at its most deadliest. The highly contagious virus was brutal: 'Victims died within hours or days of developing symptoms, their skin turning blue and their lungs filling with fluid that caused them to suffocate,' according History.com. Above, a precaution sign about the influenza at a Philadelphia Navy Yard during the pandemic

While Philadelphia held a parade that spread the disease, St. Louis banned public gatherings and shuttered businesses and schools. Volunteer nurses went to people's homes to treat them. Above, mask-wearing members of the Red Cross Motor Corps carry a patient on a stretcher in October 1918. Due to the measures it enacted, St. Louis was able to 'flatten the curve,' according to History.com

While Philadelphia was holding patriotic processions, St. Louis' reaction to the virus was the exact opposite. Before a case of the influenza had been confirmed, the city's health commissioner, Dr Max Starkloff, warned the public to avoid crowds in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, according to History.com.

Once public health officials knew the disease had jumped from military barracks and infiltrated the city's population, Starkloff immediately closed schools, theaters and pool halls, according to History.com, and public gatherings were banned. Volunteer nurses then treated those who were sick at their homes, according to the article.

Dehner, the author, told the site that St. Louis was able 'to flatten the curve,' which means a virus spread is slowed. 'It's that crush of new cases in such a short period of time that completely overwhelms a city's capacity,' he told History.com. 'That magnifies whatever problems you're already having.'

St. Louis had a lower death rate than Philadelphia, but did not survive the pandemic completely unscathed, with Dehner noting that the third wave of the pandemic, which returned that winter and lasted into spring 1919, according to History.com, hit the city hard. The virus last showed up during the early months of 1920.
Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the minister of state minister of state (sports and youth affairs) in West Bengal, has not only donated his three months' MLA salary and BCCI pension for the same period to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the minister of state minister of state (sports and youth affairs) in West Bengal, has not only donated his three months' MLA salary and BCCI pension for the same period to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, March 27 : Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the minister of state minister of state (sports and youth affairs) in West Bengal, has not only donated his three months' MLA salary and BCCI pension for the same period to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the former India allrounder has also helped the groundsmen of the 'Maidan' with rice and pulses.

"In 1999, I had helped with donations to the central government during the Kargil war. It is my duty now as minister and also a responsible citizen of the country. Today, I also helped the maidan groundsmen with rice and pulses," Shukla told IANS on Friday.

"We need to fight this together. The groundsmen also need help. I have played for a decent amount of time and now since I can help them, I should," he added.

Shukla had earlier urged people of the state to come out and support the cause.

"In these difficult times, did my bit, humbly donated my three months' salary to CM's relief fund. PLs come forward and stand in support with one and all," he said in a tweet.

Shukla had played three ODIs for India in 1999 and also represented Bengal and East Zone in over 100 first-class matches. In the Indian Premier League (IPL) he turned out for Kolkata Knight Riders.

The total number of positive cases in West Bengal has risen to 10 after a 66-year-old man, admitted to a private hospital, here, tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

India has seen the number of positive cases shoot up to over 750 with as many as 20 casualties.

On Wednesday, the CAB had announced that it would donate a sum of Rs 25 lakh to the State Administration in Corona Aid with president Avishek Dalmiya shelling Rs 5 lakh from his own pocket.

CAB office bearers secretary Snehashis Ganguly, vice-president Naresh Ojha and joint secretary Debabrata Das came forward to contribute to the cause by donating one lakh each. Treasurer Debasish Ganguly's club South Suburban also showed its intent to donate.
A press conference on the city's novel coronavirus response has been pushed back 30 minutes and is now set for 11:30 a.m. Friday morning, city officials said.

Speakers will include Mayor London N. Breed; Dr. Grant Colfax, director of Health San Francisco; Police Chief Bill Scott; Sarah Wan, executive director, Community Youth Center; and Marcia Contreras, deputy executive director, Mission Housing Development Corporation.
Sidewalk Labs, the part of Alphabet focused on smart cities, will have to wait a while longer to find out whether its Quayside project can go ahead. Waterfront Toronto, a tri-government organization spearheading the city's lakeside overhaul, has pushed the deadline for a decisive vote to June 25th. "In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, today the Waterfront Toronto Board of Directors passed a motion to extend the date for a decision on moving forward with the Quayside project with Sidewalk Labs," it said in a tweet.

The vote has been pushed back on a number of occasions. A Plan Development Agreement published in July 2018 set a deadline of September 30th, 2019, for instance. The document that Waterfront Toronto will be voting on -- a Master Innovation and Development Plan (MIDP) spanning four volumes and almost 1,000 pages -- wasn't released by Sidewalk Labs until last June, though. Waterfront Toronto immediately took issue with some of the MIDP's proposals, which included an extension of the Quayside concept to a larger 190-acre 'IDEA District.' It was. no surprise, therefore, when the pair published an amendment to the Plan Development Agreement that pushed the MIDP vote to March 31st, 2020.

The "threshold issues" identified by Waterfront Toronto were settled last October. Sidewalk Labs agreed to all of the organization's demands, which included scaling the project's scope back to Quayside. Waterfront Toronto then began a technical evaluation -- a line-by-line analysis of the MIDP -- that will inform the board's final decision. In January, though, the organization agreed to push the deadline for the vote once more from March 31st to May 20th. Stephen Diamond, the chair of Waterfront Toronto's board, said the extension would give the public more time to express their hopes and fears about the project. "This board will not sacrifice the public good for expediency," he added in a statement.

The results of the technical evaluation were published last month. The team at Waterfront Toronto broke the MIDP down into 160 distinct proposals and rejected 16 of them. Some of these included an "efficient" and "ultra efficient" housing concept, a special "raincoat" awning that could protect nearby pedestrians from rain, and a link between a proposed thermal grid and the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant in Toronto. According to Sidewalk Labs, most of the rejections were related to the already renegotiated threshold issues. "That said, we are still in active negotiations with Waterfront Toronto and are still reviewing what will be possible at Quayside," a spokesperson for Sidewalk Labs added in a tweet.

If Waterfront Toronto's board votes against the MIDP, the Plan Development Agreement will be terminated and Sidewalk Labs will lose its role as Innovation and Funding Partner. If the master blueprint is approved, the pair will have until the end of the year to finalize some Principal Implementation Agreements which, as the name implies, will determine exactly how the Quayside project should be realized. In short, it's a critical period for Sidewalk Labs, which has now spent three years (Waterfront Toronto started looking for an Innovation and Funding Partner in March 2017) researching and planning its neighborhood of the future.

If you're curious about the project and what Sidewalk Labs is envisioning for Quayside, check out this explainer that links to all four MIDP sections.
[March 26, 2020] New COVID-19 Preparedness App Fills Interoperability Gaps For Surge Preparedness

SEATTLE, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new mobile electronic health record (EHR) app that enables patient screening and triage outside of a typical health care setting is ready to deploy in Washington state. Created by EHR developer Epic in partnership with OCHIN, a health IT and innovation nonprofit, for deployment by the Washington State Health Care Authority, the new COVID-19 Preparedness App brings a new level of readiness, interoperability, and public health coordination to the frontlines of the current coronavirus pandemic nationwide. "This is an unprecedented, innovative solution for rapidly building capacity in the face of this growing public health emergency," said Abby Sears, CEO at OCHIN. "We applaud the leadership of the state of Washington and the generosity and foresight of Epic as we stand together in this crisis." The COVID-19 Preparedness App was built to help the state of Washington be prepared for a surge in coronavirus patients, and it is also being shared with other states. This powerful mobile EHR app supports patient care in a growing number of ad hoc emergenc triage sites, reducing exposure by keeping screening outside of hospitals and clinics, and expanding capacity in rural areas where health care access is limited.



"A retired nurse, or any other volunteer or staff, with her own smartphone can be up and running in minutes. This allows states, counties, and health systems to increase capacity quickly, which will be helpful especially in hard hit and underserved communities. It has been meaningful to work with Washington state and OCHIN to help patients during this crisis," said Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic. Patients can use the tool to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and check in to a local emergency care site. Citizen volunteers can use their own smartphones to help trained health care providers triage and care for members of their own communities when resources are scarce. And state public health epidemiologists will be able to monitor the system's incoming data to track trends county by county and direct patient follow-up.

In addition, the tool's unique integration with Epic's Care Everywhere interoperability platform means that patients who are assessed in these clinics will be able to link to their existing medical records, improving overall care coordination. And its portability enables providers to reach and screen the most underserved and hard-to-reach patient populations, such as homeless and rural communities. About OCHIN

OCHIN is dedicated to creating a healthier future in every community. A national nonprofit health IT organization with a 20-year history, OCHIN brings advanced technology, research and services to underserved areas, both urban and rural. A driving force for health equity, OCHIN empowers community health organizations serving lower-income areas so that they can deliver the highest quality care to their patients. Learn more at www.ochin.org. Contact: Jennifer Stoll, 503-720-9882, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-covid-19-preparedness-app-fills-interoperability-gaps-for-surge-preparedness-301030739.html SOURCE OCHIN, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Community-supported fisheries rush to pivot models as coronavirus cuts off restaurant clients

by Samuel Hill

March 27,2020 | Source: National Fisherman

With restaurants across the United States shuttered COVID-19 outbreak restrictions, the seafood supply chain in most regions has grinded to halt. Fishermen are stuck with their catch left unsold and their boats tied up.



Legislators in Massachusetts and Alaska have called for urgent support for the fishing industry, but fishermen are stuck fending for themselves in the meantime. For fishermen and businesses focused on direct marketing and selling their catch locally, this means quickly pivoting their businesses to adjust to consumer needs during the pandemic.



Tele Aadsen of Nerka Sea Frozen Salmon in Bellingham, Wash., has been hustling nonstop to earn what she can since dining rooms were closed on March 15 and restaurants were limited to takeout and delivery options. Practically overnight, 90 percent of the companys clients were lost.



Were adapting on the fly and without a road map, Aadsen, who runs the business with her husband Joel Brady-Power, told National Fisherman.



Nerka Sea Frozen Salmon was founded by Brady-Powers father in 1998, when he would truck his coho around to local restaurants to convince them to serve his catch. Those same businesses were still taking fish from Nerka Sea up until last week. Now Aadsen has been forced to quickly shift toward selling to individuals to keep income flowing. However, selling whole, headed and gutted fish to single consumers is a bit different than selling portioned fillets.



Weve been lucky that folks have been so supportive. Whole fish can be intimidating or too much for consumers but people are saying Oh no, its OK. Well take a fish and figure it out. We can look up a Youtube tutorial, said Aadsen.



Similarly, the owners of Get Hooked in Santa Barbara, California, have jumped into local home delivery as restaurants close, supermarkets begin to look like hotbeds for germs and folks look to avoid public pick-up points. Chief Operations Manager Victoria Voss said the company has seen a major uptick in subscriptions and special order requests.



A lot of folks are subscribing and taking advantage of other delivery options to avoid going out in public, said Voss, while others are stocking up with multiple orders, presumably to stay isolated for some period of time.



People dont want to be around each other right now, but theyve got to eat, said fishermen Craig Jacobs of OC Wild Seafood in Huntington Beach, Calif.



Home delivery keeps the seafood flowing and fishermen on the water, but Jacobs admits personal delivery of spiny lobster in this time is a tough situation.



Im worried about just being around other people, said Jacobs.  Im not that old  Im 53 but still. On my last delivery run the other day, some people still want to come out and shake your hand. Its great that Im able to keep fishing and support my family, but its tough to both be fishing and doing deliveries.



Kim Selkoe, a Get Hooked Seafood co-founder, has run into folks who have requested no-contact deliveries because they have high-risk conditions that would make getting COVID-19 potentially deadly. Jacobs has stopped exchanging cash, opting instead for digital payments and communicating through text to arrange deliveries.



For leaders in seafood direct marketing and community-supported fisheries, the breakdown of the U.S. seafood supply chain under the stress of the COVID-19 restrictions is an example of a larger problem with our food system, not a one-time, emergency fueled issue.



Joshua Stoll, a professor of Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Maine and coordinator of the Local Catch Network, has been organizing conversations between struggling fishing businesses online as Maines lobster industry struggles to adapt to fishing during a pandemic.



This COVID-19 outbreak and the conversations about it really speaks to the vulnerability of our food system, said Stoll, comparing the sudden halt in seafood sales to the immediate post-9/11 market. Almost overnight food systems came crashing down and have left fishermen, their families and coastal communities economically vulnerable. Every time an event like this occurs, were all in the same boat since we have to work within a global seafood system that doesnt really support local communities.



The Local Catch Network has been supporting online conversation between fishermen who are sharing their plans to adjust their businesses while also sharing their successes and mistakes. The organization is aiming to formalize and record those conversations to help even more fishermen. Local Catch is hosting an online open forum on March 31 for fishermen, community organizers, and other interested parties to share updates, lessons learned, and critical information on fishermens markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can register to participate in the event online.



This time of hardship has been an important reminder that the people providing our food as well as local and regional supply chains are essential, said Brett Tolley, a community organizer with the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance. We know its time to step up even more and thats why amidst this crisis the Network is doing everything it can to ensure that seafood eaters and community-based seafood businesses have the information and support they need to feed people well.



While fishermen are certainly known to stick to their guns when they feel strongly about an issue and argue in the comments section of Facebook groups, struggles like these are a good reminder that the industry is in this difficult situation and have a lot to offer each other.



We are seeing a philosophical and altruistic unification of the fleet right now where levels of cooperation and camaraderie are higher than theyve been in years, while at the same time everyone is practicing safe distancing protocols, said Dock to Dish cofounder Sean Barrett. But there is a powerful underlying bond that exists at all times in fishing communities. Thats what has enabled this industry to survive hardship after hardship after hardship over many decades. At times like these, you can see it and feel it more than ever as everyone prepares for more hardship to come. It lets each other know that there may be many different boats but were all part of the same fleet.



Im confident that well figure this out, said Stoll, but its going to take time and during that time people are going to suffer from it.

 2020 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
The head of a top Chinese state-run newspaper ridiculed President Trump for suggesting the U.S. now tops the world in coronavirus cases because it's testing so many people.

'Don't you feel embarrassed talking about testing? The US just tested 300,000 people by March 24, while China has tested millions, at least 10 times that of the US or more,' wrote Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin on Twitter Friday. 'Your bragging needs treatment.'

Xijin then shared some of Trump's quotes from his White House press briefing Thursday, in which the president called it a 'tribute to testing' when asked to comment on the milestone that the U.S. now had the most coronavirus cases in the world.

Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin (left) said Friday 'Don't you feel embarrassed talking about testing?' referring to President Trump's (right) claim that the U.S. had more cases of coronavirus than any place in the world due to large-scale testing

Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin tweeted Friday that President Trump's 'bragging needs treatment,' ridiculing the U.S. president for suggesting the United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases because it's testing so many people

'I think it's a tribute to the testing,' Trump told reporters. 'I'm sure you're not able to tell what China is testing or not testing, I think that's a little hard.'

The COVID Tracking Project currently puts the numbers of Americans tested at 540,252 with 82,234 positive results nationally. State data currently has the positives at 86,038.

In an earlier tweet Friday, Xijin placed the blame on Trump and his administration for the surge in American cases.

'The US quickly became the country with the largest number of infection cases, indicating that many people will die later,' Xijin wrote. 'It is unfortunate.'

'Trump [government] failed to draw lessons from other countries, leading to this situation,' he continued. 'They should feel guilty toward Americans and humankind.'

So far, Trump has praised his administration's response to combatting the virus and pointed fingers at an antiquated system for getting medical testing up to scale. '

The president spent weeks calling the coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' though has pumped the brakes on that language in recent days, mentioning Monday that Chinese-Americans needed the American people's respect.

Hu Xijin also knocked President Trump for not looking to other countries for guidance before the U.S.'s number of coronavirus spiked, predicting that 'many people will die later'

'It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world,' Trump tweeted. 'They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus is NOT their fault in any way, shape or form. They are working closely with us to get rid of it. WE WILL PREVAIL TOGETHER!'

At his press conference Monday he added that, 'It seems that there could be a little bit of nasty langauge toward the Asian Americans in our country, and I don't like that at all,' the president said.

And while the president and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have squabbled with Chinese officials over propaganda spreading in China that the virus came from the U.S. Army, Trump praised China's president in a tweet posted in the early hours of Friday morning.

'Just fininshed a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our planet,' Trump wrote. 'China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!' the president said.
A Northern Ireland doctor in Australia has said he is terrified for hundreds of stranded travellers.

Kevin McGourty (28), from Kircubbin, is a doctor at the Ulster Hospital and has been in Australia for the last two weeks.

He has called on the British and Irish governments to act as many travellers now face "poverty and real starvation".

"I was travelling around the east coast with a lot of young Irish and UK people who were on holiday visas and had jobs," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"As soon as we arrived back to Sydney their lives fell to pieces, they all lost their jobs and accommodation and many of the hostels started to close."

He said there were tense scenes at the British Embassy in Sydney on Tuesday, where around 200 young people were given little information.

"A lot of 18 to 20-year-old girls had nowhere to stay or money for flights home. They thought the embassy might be able to get them shelter or repatriated back home.

"They came out with leaflets with phone numbers which we've all been trying to ring for days but are just left on hold for hours and hours.

"The Irish Embassy itself was actually closed and there was no one to speak to. Lots of people here have no family support.

"We don't know how long this is going to last so they're all living day by day, not eating or drinking.

"I'm really worried about the people here, especially the mental health of young people."

Dr McGourty does have a flight booked home for this weekend, but this isn't an option for many travellers who are saving their money.

"I'm not worried about myself," he said.

"If anything happened to my family and I can't be there for them, that would be the worst thing possible."

Sinn Fein's West Belfast MP Paul Maskey has added to the calls for both governments to repatriate citizens.

"With increased flight restrictions and flight cancellations, citizens are finding it increasingly difficult to return home," he said.

Mr Maskey said he welcomed new guidelines from the Republic's government which helped 170 people return home to Dublin yesterday, including around 100 doctors. "These guidelines include the establishment of a register that will be used to advise Irish citizens returning home and alternative flight arrangements," he said.

"I would encourage citizens to both read and follow these guidelines. But both the Irish and British governments must do much more and take a more proactive approach to assisting citizens. This is a time of great fear and anxiety for families as Covid-19 continues to spread, the additional burden of being stranded abroad should not be placed on them."

In Peru, hundreds of people have said they fear being stuck for months after two reported cases of Covid-19 in a hostel saw 150 tourists placed into quarantine. Many say they face a race against time as hostels are due to close by the end of March.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the first Government-charted flight from Peru arrived back in the UK yesterday.

He added he was "working urgently" with Peruvian authorities to deliver more flights.
Nearly a month after he became the first Queens resident to test positive for the virus, Mr. Darhan not only feels he cannot touch his children, but he has lost his job as an Uber driver and has no idea what is next, or how long he can pay his monthly bills. Im worried, he said.

Like Mr. Darhan, many survivors say they are starting to realize the ramifications of surviving the illness, from lost work to severe anxiety.

The latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that people recovering from the virus no longer need to isolate themselves if they have had no fever for six days without taking medicine. But the advice has been changing as the authorities learn more about the outbreak, and Mr. Darhan, traumatized by his experience, is leaving nothing to chance.

His wife and their children  Ali, HaDeel and Sara  sleep in one of the two bedrooms in their apartment, he said. He is in the other. When awake, he stays at least six feet away during meals and anytime he shares a room with them.

Mr. Darhan, an immigrant from Yemen, said he longed to play with his children, or to sit close together and watch television. But he cannot escape the fear that remnants of the virus are lingering in his body. So, he talks to them over FaceTime from a different room or several feet apart.
22.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said that the Trump administration told vendors not to send needed ventilators to her state of Michigan.

Crains Detroit Business reported:

When the federal government told us that we needed to go it ourselves, we started procuring every item we could get our hands on, Whitmer said Friday on WWJ 950AM. What Ive gotten back is that vendors with whom we had contracts are now being told not to send stuff here to Michigan.

Whitmer didnt say who has told vendors to stop sending medical supplies to the state, but strongly implied the order came from President Donald Trumps administration.

.

Its really concerning, Whitmer said Friday morning on WWJ. I reached out to the White House, asked for a phone call with the president, ironically at the same time that all of this other stuff was going on.

Whitmers comments came after Trump went on Fox News and bashed her while falsely claiming that she wasnt on top of the situation.

The Trump administration is using the power and influence of the federal government to withhold supplies from Michigan.

Trump, who spent weeks calling the coronavirus a hoax, and doing nothing, is now trying to pass the buck by claiming that governors are mismanaging the crisis.

The governors have been pleading with Trump to use the Defense Production Act, which he has refused to do. At the heart of Trumps retribution against Michigan is his anger at automakers for not immediately producing ventilators.

The US doesnt have adequate medical supplies, and Trump wont take the steps needed to spur an increase in production. Trumps response to this crisis has been corrupt, petty, incompetent, and deadly.

Trump is making the coronavirus epidemic worse with behavior that is bordering on criminal.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Parents and guardians serving on the front lines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic abruptly found out Friday morning that the citys Graniteville Regional Enrichment Center (REC) will close Monday.

The centers opened this week across all five boroughs to take care of the children of the citys essential workers.

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Councilwoman Debi Rose, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Borough President James Oddo issued a joint statement blasting the decision to close the site at the Staten Island School of Civic Leadership (PS/I.S. 861), and the way it was done.

During a time when New York City is relying on first responders and other frontline workers to help us battle coronavirus, it is unfathomable that the city would close one of the main child care facilities in Staten Island for these families, the group of elected officials said.

(Parents and guardians) were given no alternative. The City Council was given no notice. On top of the stress these men and women face as part of their life-saving work, they are now being asked to search for new child care so they can continue to serve us. It is cruel, and they deserve better from our city."

The Department of Education (DOE) said the decision was made based on need and attendance trends. The agency did not respond when asked if it could share data showing those trends.

Across the city, 93 of the RECs opened this week for the children of first responders, health care workers and transit workers. The centers are open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Children enrolled can attend anytime during open hours.

Parents who dropped their children off at the Graniteville REC on Monday expressed gratitude for the site.

I think thats excellent, said John, a parent who requested to only go by his first name. Theyre taking a lot of precautions. Theyre checking the kids very thoroughly, making sure that all the paperwork is in line, and theyre doing a great job with that. I think thats great.

Another parent said that having the centers available is a great opportunity.

The DOE identified RECs based on a combination of physical and operational factors, such as location, accessibility, capacity, health clinics, air conditioning, and where available, community schools or wraparound services.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that beginning this Friday, other types of essential workers will be able to qualify for the centers, including grocery and pharmacy workers, and additional city agencies

The DOE will be working over the weekend to get students relocated to one of the Islands other three RECs. These include: PS/I.S. 48 in Concord; PS 56 in Rossville; the District 31 Richmond Pre-K Center, located in Midland Beach. The closest alternative in Concord is about five miles away.

As a City, we couldnt be more grateful to the people on the frontlines every day of this crisis, and were shifting sites on Staten Island to better meet the need and minimize the number of staff who have to leave their homes each day, which keeps the City safer, DOE spokesperson Miranda Barbot said.

The RECs are for students through grade 12, and some have the capacity for preschool-aged children. City officials have also been operating early childhood sites. Barbot said the city will be opening four early childhood sites on Staten Island, although she did not say where or when.

City Hall did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Sign up for text message alerts from SILive.com on coronavirus:





RELATED COVERAGE:

College of Staten Island vacates dorms; may be used as medical facilities

DoorDash will deliver meals to medically fragile NYC kids

Will first responder child care centers offer special ed services?

Staten Island parents on remote learning: Teacher, school support amazing'

First responder child care centers open with a lot of precautions

Mayor: NYC schools may be closed for rest of 2019-2020 academic year

Coronavirus: AP exams will be online, shortened to 45 minutes
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27 2020

Indonesia is planning to offer government debt papers to the market, the proceeds of which would be used to fund programs that rescue businesses suffering from COVID-19 and prevent layoffs.

Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister secretary Susiwijono Moegiarso said Thursday the government would issue a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on Friday to facilitate the plan.

The so-called recovery bond can be bought by Bank Indonesia (BI), as well as exporters and importers, Susiwijono said, adding the Perppu would enable the central bank to buy government bonds not only in the secondary market. The existing law on BI prohibits the central bank from buying government bonds except in the secondary market.

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
This week, New Yorks Mayor de Blasio tweeted that he will release at least 200 inmates in the coming days. That's not counting the 63 inmates he released last week. It has been reported that as many as 38 people who either are working or staying on Rikers Island have tested positive for the coronavirus. These numbers are going to go much higher.

As a former correction officer at Rikers Island, I can tell you that the island is one of the filthiest places you will ever see. The cleaning crew at these facilities are the inmates themselves and 75 cents an hour is no incentive for them to do the job right.

Before starting work at Rikers, I was an Emergency Medical Technician, and I thought I had been exposed to everything. I believed that surely Id built up a strong immunity to most bacteria. I was wrong. I began working as a correction officer in August and by December, I got really sick. I had to use my annual days off.

In other words, I wasnt surprised to hear that coronavirus had made it onto Rikers Island.

I worked at Otis Bantum Correctional Center in a dorm setting where the maximum number of inmates we could house was 60. These are 60 men all living together in a tight space who are not practicing social distancing. There is nothing at Rikers Island that will help these inmates stay healthy. The inmates walk together to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. They congregate in one large space when they have visitors and hang out together in the TV room. The single bar of soap they get won't be enough to sustain the need of constantly washing your hands. There are no sanitizers in the housing areas nor in the hallways.

Even the locker rooms for the officers were disgusting. Many times the soap dispensers did not have soap and it was not uncommon for the officers to use the same soap the inmates were given.

I wont lie and say the island was never cleaned. It was cleaned, just not professionally. The times I did see the inmates clean, I never saw them clean the bars on the gates, the gates themselves, the metal detectors, the windows, the toilets. An unsuspecting inmate or officer would then open the gate or touch something which has been tainted and then he or she would get sick. After I became ill, I bought a lot of hand sanitizer to make sure it never happened again. I would wipe the bars, keys, anything I may come in contact with.

I believe it is a good idea to close Rikers Island. I believe that if you are a non-violent offender that you should not be held there until your case is settled. However, its abundantly clear that New York City cannot provide the basic services to get Rikers Island clean. It has not been able to do it yet, and it certainly wont be able to do it in the middle of a pandemic, when the city is the epicenter.

The mayor is now releasing into the city former inmates who will act as tiny bombs carrying a potentially deadly virus. When these bombs go off, that's when the nightmare will really begin.

There is a jail on Rikers Island called North Infirmary Command, or NIC. This building is usually reserved for the inmates you could not place in General Population. These include inmates that may be physically handicapped, who are HIV-positive, or inmates who suffer from sleep apnea and need a CPAP machine to sleep.

When I was there, the entire building except for the first floor was empty. Those who have tested positive for coronavirus should be housed in that building now. Moreover, every inmate should be tested for the coronavirus before they are housed. The same way a woman gets a pregnancy test when she first walks through the doors of Rikers Island, we should be able to test every single inmate coming into the jails for this virus.

There are medical personnel on Rikers. They come from companies that have contracts with New York City, so testing the inmates should be easier than testing the general public. Using the prison resources like this will prevent a citywide disaster.
Star of new romantic comedy Home Sweet Home Natasha Bure gets honest about identity struggles

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

SPOKANE, Wash.  Natasha Bure, lead actress of the new Christian romantic comedy Home Sweet Home, opened up about her personal struggles with some of the themes explored in the film, such as identity and authenticity.

Admitting she's "not perfect," the 21-year-old actress told The Christian Post, "Every day, it's a battle within yourself of finding your identity in something. For me, I want to find my identity in Christ. At the end of the day, I think there are so many times in my life where you get exposed to certain things, or you kind of get used to a certain lifestyle and it's really easy to get off track, but at the end of the day, when you think about what's important to you, you really need to ground yourself in that.

"Home Sweet Home, which is now available to stream on Pureflix and is coming soon to other platforms via video on demand, tells the story of a flirtatious barista Victoria, (Bure), who is bored with her social butterfly lifestyle and longs for wholeness but has no idea what that really means, so when handsome, Jason (Ben Elliott) walks into her coffee shop she turns on the charm. When he doesnt respond to her flirting, a first for her, the challenge begins and ultimately leads her on a path to finding faith and her true self."

Its the first time both Bure and her co-star Elliot play lead roles in a movie.

The film was produced by the female duo J.D. Dewitt and Robin McLain, who decided to form their own film production company, 5x5 Productions, because of the odds stacked against them.

As time goes on, there's more positive female role models out there, noted Bure, who is the daughter of actress Candace Cameron Bure.

I think it's so important, especially for young women who are growing up. There's so much expectation, there's so much pressure, I think, in the media, especially just in our day and age with social media and what you see in magazines and television. So I think when you have women speaking up for themselves, and sharing their stories and preaching positivity and love and hope and all that stuff, I think it's really awesome.

Following in the footsteps of her famous mother, Bure is also an author and influencer who is very vocal about her life and faith journey.

I try to give as much as I can [to others] because I was blessed with awesome role models when I grew up like my mom and other mentors in my life and I know that not everybody is super lucky in their life to get some really awesome people. So I just hope that there's more of that in the world, she said.

A theme heavily explored in the film is authenticity and finding ones identity. Bures character longs to get the attention of her love interest by pretending to be into the same things hes into. However, she fails until she embraces who she truly is.

Elliot commented, Being real is always important, especially as an actor. So I think if you're kind of trying to put on a fake facade outside of acting, it might bleed into your work.

"Staying grounded, surrounding yourself with good mentors, I have some strong women in my life too that kind of keep me in check if I were ever to go astray, so I just don't. It's just important to surround yourself with good people.

Echoing that sentiment, Bure said, "Truly, you become who you hang out with and who you surround yourself with.

The California native gushed about the relationships shes made while on set.

I've struggled with going through a period where I had no friends because I just felt like there was no one in my life who was pouring into me in the way that I wanted to live my life," Bure said. "I think that that's really important and in that regard to kind of translating it into your life and how you ground yourself and what your morals are and how you kind of want to approach situations with.

The actors both celebrated the film and hope people will support it and the message behind it.

Elliot commented, Victoria comes into her own and also Jason  serving others. Its really like a major theme of this movie and both find strength through that. Along the way, they have this love connection, which is great. So those two themes, I think, are my favorite in this story.

Bure noted, It's really common to just put on that facade, especially when you're growing up and you're figuring out who you are. So even in just playing this out, I'm like, 'I can totally relate to this and I totally have had experiences where I've dealt with something similar.' So I think it'll be a fun film for people to watch and obviously relate to, but it's really cute and it's fun and it's like comedy and romance. So who doesn't love that?

Home Sweet Home will be released on DVD/transactional digital release in May and will have a AVOD released on platforms like Tubi, Pluto, Encourage TV, etc. in the summer.
CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the national professional membership organization for more than 151,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and medical students, announces that Ross D. Zafonte, DO, has been named the next Editor-in-Chief of its peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA). The JAOA was established in September 1901 and is the premier scholarly publication of the osteopathic medical profession. Dr. Zafonte will succeed Robert Orenstein, DO, a distinguished Chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Orenstein, who held the position since 2014, provided outstanding service and leadership during his tenure as the JAOA's Editor-in-Chief.

"Dr. Zafonte is the ideal person to lead another wave of the charge to increase the commitment to research in our profession," said Dr. Orenstein. "He has been a transformative and successful leader in the practice of rehabilitative medicine at several premiere medical institutions. He is a team-based leader who knows how to do big things, and I look forward to watching how his efforts will advance the mission of the JAOA."

Dr. Zafonte, who will begin his term on April 6, is Earle P. and Ida S. Charlton Professor and Chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, as well as senior vice president of Medical Affairs Research and Education at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Dr. Zafonte's textbook, Brain Injury Medicine, Principles and Practice, is considered one of the standards in the field of brain injury. His work is presently funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DOD) and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), and he is currently directing several large clinical treatment trials. His laboratory work has focused on understanding mechanisms of recovery after brain and spinal cord injury.

He has published and presented extensively on traumatic brain injury, spasticity, and other neurological disorders. He is the author of more than 300 peer reviewed journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters.

In 2006, Dr. Zafonte was selected to receive the Walter Zeiter award and lectureship by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and in 2008, he was the recipient of the Association of Academic Physiatrists Distinguished Academician Award. In 2012, Dr. Zafonte received the William Caveness award for outstanding clinical care and research from the Brain Injury Association of America, and in 2013, he received the Joel DeLisa Prize from the Kessler Foundation. In 2014, Dr Zafonte received the Moody prize for Brain Injury research and care.

"We are very fortunate to have found such a qualified and passionate physician to continue the work of Dr. Orenstein while stimulating further growth and development of the mission of the JAOA," said Teresa Hubka, DO, chair of the Editor-in-Chief search committee.

Along with the addition of Dr. Zafonte, the JAOA looks forward to a restructuring and reformatting of the publication in the coming months. Such efforts are intended to expand the influence and research efforts impacting the practice of osteopathic medicine and healthcare in general.

The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association

The JAOA's mission is to serve as an international forum for the dissemination of scientific literature that incorporates an integrative, comprehensive, patient-centered approach to clinical care and improving health. To that end, the JAOA is designed to support and amplify the scholarly voice of osteopathic medicine, publishing research that is meaningful to osteopathic physicians in whatever field they practice. The Journal is indexed by the National Library of Medicine, the Web of Science, and ReadCube. In the Web of Science, the JAOA is part of the Core Collection in the Emerging Sources Citation Index, which allows JAOA content to reach a much wider audience than previously possible. For more information, visit www.jaoa.org.

The American Osteopathic Association

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 151,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. To learn more about DOs and the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, visit www.DoctorsThatDO.org.

SOURCE American Osteopathic Association

Related Links

http://www.jaoa.org


Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  As governments and central banks around the world roll out economic stimulus plans amounting to trillions of dollars to buttress their people from the ravages of the coronavirus, investors have piled into risky share markets this week.

On Friday, Asias main stock indices posted strong gains following their crash earlier this month, while oil prices flatlined, and European shares fell sharply.

Analysts warned that the bounce in share prices this week may prove to be a false dawn, as the worst of the economic carnage stemming from the sudden halt in business activities as part of coronavirus containment measures has yet to come.

The gains in Asian equities this week do not truly reflect market confidence that the coronavirus outbreak has peaked and that the economic turmoil is over, Han Tan, market analyst at FXTM, told Al Jazeera.

The risk that this rebound in stock markets may prove to be a false dawn, one fuelled by volatility rather than fundamentals, warrants a cautious stance by investors, he said.

Among the regions larger markets, Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 3.88 percent, capping a 17 percent surge over the week, which according to Refinitiv data, was its biggest weekly jump on record.

Elsewhere, South Koreas Kospi index climbed 1.87 percent, Chinas Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.26 percent, while Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index increased by 0.56 percent.

Singapores Straits Times Index gained 2.16 percent after its government launched its latest massive economic stimulus programme.

Smaller markets in Asia also traded higher, with Indonesias Jakarta Composite Index surging by nearly 8 percent around midday. Thailands SET Index rose 2.28 percent, while Malaysias FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI was up 1.68 percent after its government announced a $58bn economic stimulus plan.

In early European trade, the main stock indices in Frankfurt, Paris and London were down between 2 percent and 4 percent.

Oil under pressure

Oil prices were mixed, with Brent crude initially gaining 0.8 percent to $28.88 per barrel, but then dropping by 1.4 percent from Thursday. US West Texas Intermediate added 2.2 percent to $23.03 per barrel. Over the week, oil prices have changed little, and remain at roughly half their levels of late February.

Analysts say any further increase in oil prices will likely be capped by the flood of supply arising from a price war between top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia as they fight for global market share. The pressure on prices is being made worse by the collapse in energy demand as much of the world shuts down.

More countries are telling their citizens to isolate themselves and are restricting non-residents from entering their borders as cases of the outbreak continue to climb globally, suggesting that the battle against the pandemic is far from over.

US unemployment insurance claims surged to a record three million last week File: Andrew Kelly/Reuters]

The effect of shutdowns in the US was reflected in its latest jobs figures. More than three million Americans filed new claims for unemployment insurance last week, shattering the previous record as the first wave of coronavirus layoffs hit the US economy.

Following an historic $2 trillion spending package approved this week by the US Senate, which is now due to be debated by the House of Representatives, India announced its own stimulus measures aimed at cushioning its economy from the expected sharp decline in activity.

New Delhi is planning to spend 1.7 trillion rupees ($22.6 billion) on cash transfers and food handouts to protect the countrys poor from the fallout of the pandemic. India is on a 21-day total lockdown for three weeks which started on Wednesday to curb the spread of the virus.

Capital Economics said in a note that the package, which amounts to 0.7 percent of the size of Indias economy, is a necessary start but much more will need to be done.

First and foremost, the food handouts wont be enough to tide over the poorest households for the entirety of the three-week lockdown, let alone if it gets extended, the research group said.

Indias benchmark SENSEX share index was down 0.25 percent around midday.

Singapore stimulus

Singapores government unleashed a record $48.6bn Singapore dollar ($33.8bn) spending package on Thursday to protect its economy, which it has projected to shrink by as much as 4 percent this year. The latest package is on top of the $6.4bn Singapore dollar ($4.5bn) spending already announced by the government last month as part of the 2020 annual budget.

In total, the governments spending plans are the equivalent of 11 percent of the size of its economy.

Singapores second package yesterday was a bazooka and will help workers and firms ride out this crisis, Chua Hak Bin, regional thematic macroeconomist with Maybank Kim Eng, told Al Jazeera.

The fiscal support will reduce job losses and the extent of unemployment, but will not be able to lift [economic] growth or the corporate revenue line, he said.

Singapores sovereign wealth fund is helping the countrys flag carrier to raise nearly $9bn [File: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters]

One of the hardest hit Singaporean companies has been its flag carrier, Singapore Airlines (SIA), which has said it will slash 96 percent of scheduled passenger capacity until the end of next month while grounding 138 of 147 planes.

SIA on Friday proposed to raise a total of $8.8bn Singapore dollars ($6.1bn) from selling rights shares and convertible bonds that will be underwritten by the countrys sovereign wealth fund Temasek, as carriers around the world are hurt by the border closures globally.

But even with all the massive spending packages by various governments and extraordinary monetary measures taken by central banks globally, the ultimate solution to truly arrest the crisis will only come through the complete containment of the coronavirus, analysts said.

Monetary and fiscal policies are ill-equipped to solve a public health crisis, Alvin Liew, senior economist at United Overseas Bank in Singapore, told Al Jazeera.

The one critical element that determines the speed of recovery from this global economic crisis will largely depend on how successful the health security measures will be to contain the pandemic so as to allow normal economic activities to resume.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the Los Angeles Overseas Chinese Banquet during a visit in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Aug. 12, 2018. (Ringo Chiu/Reuters)

US Increases Support for Taiwan, China Threatens to Strike Back

TAIPEI/BEIJINGU.S. President Donald Trump has signed into law an act that requires increased U.S. support for Taiwan internationally, prompting a denunciation by China, which said it would strike back if the law was implemented.

China claims democratic and separately ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and regularly describes Taiwan as the most sensitive issue in its ties with the United States.

While the United States, like most countries, has no official relations with Taiwan, the Trump administration has ramped up backing for the island, with arms sales and laws to help Taiwan deal with pressure from China.

The Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act, signed by Trump into law on March 26 with strong bipartisan support, requires the U.S. State Department to report to Congress on steps taken to strengthen Taiwans diplomatic relations.

It also requires the United States to alter engagement with nations that undermine Taiwans security or prosperity.

Taiwan says that China is poaching the dwindling number of countries that maintain formal ties with Taipei and has prevented it from participating in bodies like the World Health Organization.

China says Taiwan is merely one of its provinces, with no right to the trappings of a state.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen posted a picture on her Twitter page of Taiwans flag fluttering next to the U.S. one under the words Friends in freedom, partners in prosperity, to welcome Trumps signing of the law.

It was gratifying to see the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act signed into law today, a testament to #Taiwan#US friendship & mutual support as we work together to address global threats to human health & our shared democratic values. pic.twitter.com/tzBSW7kDsg   Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) March 27, 2020

Resolute Strike

China has stepped up its military drills around Taiwan in recent weeks despite the outbreak of the coronavirus, which emerged in a central Chinese province late last year and spread rapidly in China and beyond.

Taiwan says China should focus more on fighting the disease than menacing it.

China is already angry about U.S. accusations it poorly handled the coronavirus outbreak, and the new law adds to Sino-U.S. tension.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, We urge the United States to  not implement the law  otherwise it will inevitably encounter a resolute strike back by China, Geng said, without giving details.

One of the authors of the act, Senator Cory Gardner, said it was needed to respond to Chinese pressure on, and bullying of, Taiwan.

This bipartisan legislation demands a whole-of-government approach to ramp up our support for Taiwan, and will send a strong message to nations that there will be consequences for supporting Chinese actions that undermine Taiwan, he said in a statement.

The United States has been particularly concerned about China hiving off Taiwans allies in the Pacific and Latin America, areas of the world Washington traditionally considers its zone of influence.

Taiwan now only has diplomatic relations with 15 countries, almost all small and developing nations like Nauru, Belize and Honduras.

By Ben Blanchard and Yew Lun Tian. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 06:21 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206db8ae4 1 City air-pollution,commuters,rainfall,stay-at-home,work-from-home,air-quality-monitor,Jakarta-administration,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free

The Jakarta Environment Agency has recorded improving air quality in the capital city over the past week caused by a significant decline in the number of people commuting across the city, coupled with rising rainfall intensity.

The capital's concentration of PM2.5  inhalable pollutant particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter  declined by around 33 percent to below 40 micrograms per cubic meter (mgc/m3) on Thursday from above 60 mgc/m3 on March 19, according to data released on Thursday by the agency.

Jakarta Environment Agency spokesperson Yogi Ikhwan said the decline was in line with the trend of people working from home after the Jakarta administration declared last week an emergency situation, prompting some companies to implement a social distancing measure to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further.

"The work from home [policy] is reducing mobility, so the source of pollutants is also declining," Yogi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Jakarta joins other cities across the world in encouraging its residents to work from home. The contagious respiratory illness, originating in Wuhan city in Hubei province, China, has infected hundreds in the capital, making it Indonesia's epicenter of the outbreak.

Read also: Jakartans called to work from home during outbreak. Not everyone has the option.

The government reported on Thursday 53 new confirmed cases in the capital city, raising Jakarta's confirmed cases to 515, as announced by the Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general Achmad Yurianto. Of the 515 patients, 25 people had recovered and 46 people died.

More and more people are staying at home as best they can to follow the administration's instruction on preventive measures against the disease, as reflected in the emptier-than-usual streets across the city over the past week.

"Generally speaking, Jakarta's streets are vacant. I appreciate all the people who choose to stay at home," Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said during a press briefing at City Hall on Thursday.

The capital's recently improved air quality, however, does not only correlate with the declining number of vehicles traveling, but also with rising rainfall intensity as the rainy season reaches its peak, according to Jakarta Environment Agency head Andono Warih.

Read also: Airvisual: Jakarta declared world's most polluted city on Thursday afternoon

"The rain falling in Greater Jakarta is cleaning the atmosphere of pollution," Andono said in a statement released on Wednesday. "The PM2.5 concentration shows a decline when the rainfall intensity is high and the PM2.5 concentration slightly increases on days without rain."

However, Jakarta has seen a worsening trend in air quality over the past several years. It was named the fifth-most-polluted capital in the world and the fifth-most-polluted city in Southeast Asia, according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report released in February by air-quality data provider AirVisual.

The report found that Jakarta's concentration of PM2.5 increased by 66 percent to 49.4 mgc/m3 last year from 29.7 mcg/m3 in 2017. (dfr)
Ukraine has shown progress in terms of legislation regarding the banking system and the land reform, Kristalina Georgieva said

There's a chance that the IMF would increase the size of assistance for Ukraine this year. The Fund's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said so as quoted by the IMF press office on March 26.

"This last week, very good progress has been made in the discussions with the Ukrainian authorities on the new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. Adoption of legislation to improve the bank resolution framework and on land reform would allow moving forward quickly with finalizing the parameters of the new arrangement, with larger access than previously envisaged", reads the statement.

On March 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva discussed an increase in assistance to Ukraine during the coronavirus epidemic in a telephone conversation.

As we reported, the European Investment Bank (EIB) plans to provide Ukraine with 40 million euros. These funds will be used in order to take the necessary measures in overcoming the spread of coronavirus in Ukraine.
Former Miss World and actor Manushi Chhillar on Friday urged people to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Chillar hopped on to Instagram to share a video of herself in which she is seen asking people to stay at home and isolate themselves.

"My fellow Indians and brothers and sisters of Haryana, we all know that coronavirus has pushed us to a state of immense crisis and together we will need to fight it, we will need to stop it," said the 22-year-old actor.

"I am staying at home, I am social-distancing to protect myself and everyone I love and care for. You should also stay at home and self-isolate. India is on lockdown and you will need to respect that," she added.

The former Miss India also said that the only way to stop the spread of coronavirus and save lives is social distancing.

"You and only you have the power to save the nation. Be responsible, be a citizen that India is counting on," said Chhillar.

"Let's all be responsible citizens. India is counting on each one of us to stop the spread of deadly coronavirus. Staying at home, self-isolation and social distancing is imperative to fight COVID-19. #IndiaFightsCorona," she captioned the post.

The number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus rose to 724 on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On a deserted street in the old city of Damascus, the new coronavirus has forced salesmen like Ahmad to close up shop indefinitely for the first time in Syria's war. "We've lived through some tough times during the war," says the 59-year-old, sitting on a chair on the pavement outside his textiles shop. But "never in my life have I seen the markets and shops close for days on end like now". All around him, businesses have pulled down their metal blinds or covered up their stands. The scene is the same across much of the Syrian capital, with squares and markets once thronging with people even during the war now almost entirely empty. In the century-old covered bazaar of Hamidiya, workers in orange jumpsuits and face masks spray down wooden doors bolted shut with padlocks. Five cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country since Sunday, and the authorities have ordered all non-essential businesses closed. Ahmad this week called in his employees to give them their monthly wages and ask them all to go home. The shopkeeper says he's never known anything like it. Even as rockets rained down during the conflict, the shops would not remain shut for long, he says. "I don't know how we're going to live without work," lamented the tradesman, who supports a family of four including himself. Eighty percent of Syrians already live under the poverty line, according to the United Nations. Syria's conflict has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions from their homes since starting in 2011 with anti-government protests. It has also ravaged the economy and laid waste to much of the country's infrastructure, including the health sector. - 'War of a different kind' - Even with just a handful of cases so far, Damascus has been increasingly taking precautions across the 70 percent of Syria that it controls. It has closed the border with Lebanon, issued the first night-time curfew ever in the conflict, and suspended transport between provinces. Schools and universities have closed, as have parks, restaurants, coffee shops and other non-essential businesses. "At the end of 2011, I felt we were heading into the unknown," Ahmad says. The guns largely fell silent around Damascus in 2018, after government forces expelled rebels and jihadists from its edges. But today, "we might be heading into a war of a different kind," Ahmad says, against a "hidden enemy". In another neighbourhood, the city's world-renowned Omayyad Mosque has for the first time in years closed its gates. Nearby, shops have also slammed their wooden shutters closed in Hamidiya market. Apart from the men in jumpsuits spraying shutters with watered-down disinfectant, barely a handful of people walk through. Among them, engineering student Mustafa is on his way to a pharmacy to stock up on supplies. Wearing a pale blue surgical mask and plastic gloves, the 24-year-old surveys the empty street. For years, "Damascus bustled on energetically -- despite the death, the shelling and the stray bullets," he says. "But today with the coronavirus, the city is completely paralysed." - Consultations via phone app - Mustafa was supposed to graduate this year, but with lectures now suspended he is not so sure. "When the decision came out to close all universities, I realised we were really in danger," he says. "Corona is more than our healthcare capacities can take." The World Health Organization reports that barely 60 percent of the country's hospitals were functioning at the end of last year, and that 70 percent of health workers have fled the country. Tho doctors who are left are doing their best to make up for the shortfall. One of them, Dr Hussein Najjar, 37, has gathered fellow medical practitioners and scientists to dispense advice via a smartphone application. The app, whose name translates as "Doctor?s stethoscope", allows users to consult the experts directly with questions about the virus. The idea, Najjar says, is to reach as many people as possible. Throughout the war, Najjar has tended to the wounded from mortar fire or explosions, and performed more than 200 operations. But he says this fight will likely be tougher. "The enemy this time is unknown. It attacks silently," he says. The only silver lining, he says, is that Syria will benefit from the experience of countries already on the front lines. As the number of people infected by the virus climbs across the world, Najjar has been furiously networking with fellow doctors to best prepare. "The battle with the coronavirus will be an all-out battle," he says. "We have no choice." People walk through the shuttered century-old covered bazaar of Hamidiya in Syria's capital Damascus A Red Crescent member sprays disinfectant along an alley of the historic Hamidiya souk (market) in the old city of Syria's capital Damascus as part of efforts against the coronavirus pandemic A man walks past the Umayad mosque in Syria's capital Damascus that was closed under measures to fight the novel coronavirus
KABUL -- Afghanistan's government has finalized a 21-member team that is expected to negotiate with the Taliban at upcoming talks aimed at putting an end to the countrys 18-year conflict.

The team was formed after "much deliberation and consultations with all parties," the State Ministry of Peace said in a statement late on March 26.

It will be led by Masoom Stanekzai, the former head of the National Directorate of Security, and will include politicians, former officials, and representatives of civil society. Five members are women.

The government statement did not provide details about where or when the talks would begin.

The Taliban did not immediately react to the announcement.

Under a deal signed by the United States and the Taliban in Doha on February 29, Taliban representatives agreed to commit to direct talks with the Afghan government.

In return for the start of talks and a series of security commitments from the Taliban, all U.S. troops and other foreign coalition forces are meant to withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months.

U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad congratulated Afghan political and civil society leaders for forming what he called an "inclusive negotiating team."

"This consensus is a meaningful step that moves the parties significantly closer to intra-Afghan negotiations," Khalillzad wrote in a separate tweet.

It was not immediately clear whether President Ashraf Ghani's electoral rival, former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, would back the list. U.S. efforts to resolve a dispute between Ghani and Abdullah, who also claims the presidency, have been unsuccessful.

Earlier this week, the government in Kabul said it would meet directly with Taliban representatives to discuss a prisoner swap considered by all sides a prerequisite for the beginning of intra-Afghan talks.

With reporting by dpa, AFP, and Reuters
This is an anxiety-producing time, said Michael Botticelli, the former U.S. drug czar, who now runs the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center. Its way too easy for people with histories of addiction to fall back into that isolation.

Our opiate-addiction epidemic, Ive long believed, is rooted in destruction of community and the culture of isolation that resulted. Many things forged this culture: our own prosperity, a hidden national reservoir of trauma, the anonymity of suburban living, the departure of jobs and disappearance of Main Street from so many towns, our intensified consumer culture and the corporate marketing of legal, addictive substances (sugar) and activities (gambling and social media).

Over this, we laid a vast supply of narcotics. First, pain pills were promoted by drug companies and prescribed by doctors coast to coast. Next, traffickers, mostly from Mexico, discovered this new market and happily plied it with heroin, fentanyl and now methamphetamine. So addiction spread, replicating in more desperate and grinding forms the kind of isolation in which many of us already lived.

Because it affected so many families unprepared for its ravages, the epidemic inspired many of them to a new compassion and charity  qualities they may not have displayed in times when their loved ones werent among the afflicted.

Pandemics, though, touch every one of us. As we understand how we can affect others, and they us, we may rediscover, each of us, our larger social responsibility. While Covid-19 will be crushing to so many of us, it may also instruct us on the importance of community now that weve lost it so suddenly.

We see this now as neighbors come forward to support local businesses, their employees and one another.

Even so, stress will no doubt push some of us to behave with the same me-first self-centeredness addicts display, testing our humanity in the process. I saw an Instagram video of a woman who had bought every roll of toilet paper and paper towels at a Dollar Store, flouting it as she loaded her trove into her truck.
I see no more parties, only Germans, was the infamous saying of Kaiser Wilhelm when Germany entered World War I in 1914 and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) voted for war credits. The national concord with which all the parliamentary groups in the Bundestag (federal parliament) yesterday whipped the grand coalitions multi-billion-euro corona emergency package through parliament follows in this tradition. Faced with the spread of the pandemic, which threatens the lives of millions and exposes the political and moral bankruptcy of the entire social system, the ruling class is closing ranks.

During the Bundestag debate, representatives of all parliamentary groups repeatedly rose from their seats together and applauded. There are many insights in government policy that we believe are right and that we share, said the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group, Alexander Gauland. The leader of the Left Party, Amira Mohamed Ali, also backed the grand coalition, The German governments aid package to tackle this unprecedentedly serious crisis contains many good regulations with which we agree. The talks we have had with the federal government in recent days have been very constructive.

The message is clear: all parties in the Bundestag, from the Left Party to the extreme right AfD, are working closely together and agree to defend capitalism by all means and to shift the burden of the coronavirus crisis onto the working population. At the end of the debate 469 members of parliament voted for the measures of the federal government, with only three votes against and 55 abstentions. The package they approved is ultimately aimed at continuing the policy of enriching a small, super-rich elite at the expense of the large majority of the working population.

German parliament in session (Wikipedia Commons)

The class character of the measures adopted is obvious. Their main purpose is to safeguard and increase the wealth and profits of the large corporations and financial oligarchs. All the cynical lip service paid by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) in his speech in the Bundestag on the protection of health and the livelihood of citizens cannot hide this fact.

For example, the bulk of the money provided by the government600 billion eurosbenefits large corporations, and only 50 billion euros benefits small companies and the self-employed, even though these account for 58 percent of all employees subject to social security contributions in Germany (just under 18 million). The short-time working allowance (60 percent of the previous wage), praised by Scholz, serves the companies primarily to fob off workers with a starvation wage and to push through long-planned restructuring. Yesterday, steel giant Thyssenkrupp announced the reduction of 3,000 jobs. Mass layoffs are also being prepared in the automobile industry.

A large portion of the precariously employed workers, such as the eight million mini-jobbers, are not even entitled to the short-time work allowance, which is financed by unemployment insurance. In the coming weeks, all that remains for them and many self-employed people is the humiliating trip to the social welfare office, the application for Hartz IV welfare and the plunge into abject poverty. Anyone who currently has temporarily no income, for example as a self-employed person, should make use of this basic provision, Scholz provocatively explained.

The governments indifference to the fate of millions casts a spotlight on the essentially fascist character of the German bourgeoisie. While workers face a social and medical catastrophe, the big corporations, which chuck tens of millions in bonuses into the craws of their top managers and shareholders every year, are being showered with money without any strings attached. With a volume of 600 billion euros, the planned Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) even surpasses the Soffin bank support fund, which was used to rescue the banks in the financial crisis of 2008/09.

In comparison to the gigantic sums for big business, which will have to be squeezed out of the working class through further brutal austerity measures, the planned spending on medical care for the population is a mockery.

Scholz boasted that now another 3.5 billion euros would be made available for the procurement of protective equipment and the development of vaccines. In addition, he said, they wanted the number of intensive care bedsin Germany, after all, 28,000to double. Of the agreed supplementary budget of 122.5 billion euros, a total of 55 billion euros is earmarked for immediate pandemic control and its consequences. In view of the severe cuts in the health sector in recent years and the massive social and economic crisis that is about to hit, this is at most a notorious drop in the ocean.

Indeed, the debate in the Bundestag showed that the ruling class is prepared to sacrifice not only the health, but also the lives, of millions of workers on the altar of profit. Although the pandemic continues to spreadyesterday there were over 4,300 new cases of the disease and 47 deaths in Germany aloneit is openly discussing sending millions of people back to work as quickly as possible.

The current state of affairs is a danger to our economic life, because at some point the economic damage could be irreparable, lamented Free Democratic Party (FDP) parliamentary faction leader Christian Lindner. As of today, the government and the authorities in the federal states and municipalities must therefore do everything possible to ensure that people can return to freedom as quickly as possible.

In other words, while the freedom of the working population consists of the compulsion to toil to death, the ruling class claims the freedom to enrich itself unrestrainedly and to use all state possibilities (Lindner) to do so. Representatives of all parties in the Bundestag repeatedly invoked the strong state in their speeches. To the applause of the Left Party and the Greens, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Rolf Mutzenich, for example, demanded a return to the state, yes, to the strong state.

It is obvious that the fight against the corona pandemic and its economic consequences requires massive state intervention. Like the crash of 2008 and earlier crises in the 20th century, it has destroyed the myth of liberal capitalist entrepreneurship. It has shown that banks and corporations cannot exist without massive state intervention. This, however, immediately raises the question: who holds state power and who controls the available resourcesthe financial oligarchy, which increasingly relies on dictatorship and fascist methods to defend its assets, or the working class?

The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) strongly rejects the governments emergency package and all measures associated with it. In our statement No bailouts for banks and corporations! Direct financial resources to the workers, not to the capitalist elite! we demand that the banks and monopolistic corporations that control assets worth tens and hundreds of billions of euros be transformed into public and democratically controlled organizations. The investments of small and medium-sized shareholders, many of whom have invested their savings for retirement, and the wages and jobs of millions, must be fully protected.

The statement continues, The urgent and absolute priority of the economic response to the pandemic must be emergency financing to fully cover the loss of wages and salaries of all working class and middle-class families. Mortgage and rent payments, car loans, medical costs, insurance premiums, and education and training expenses must be suspended for the duration of the health crisis. At the same time, small and medium-sized enterprises must receive financial support so that they can avoid bankruptcy and reopen their businesses as soon as medical conditions allow. Money must also be provided to ensure the survival of educational, cultural and other socially important institutions.

The realization of this programme, which puts the needs and interests of the working class above the drive for profits of the corporations, requires the independent political mobilization of the working class on the basis of an international socialist perspective. This has been underlined once again by the capitalist and nationalist frenzy in the Bundestag. We call on all workers and youth who no longer want to accept the deadly dictates of the banks and financial markets to become members of the Socialist Equality Party and join the necessary struggle for a socialist transformation of society.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan recently admitted that Balochistan lacked basic facilities at the Taftan border and did not have enough funds to support pilgrims and traders arriving from Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan has till now reported 1,331 cases of COVID-19 with a majority of them in the state of Sindh which reported 440 cases. The worst affected province was followed by Punjab with 419 cases and Kyber Pakhtunkhwa with 180 reported cases.

Imran Khan, stating a recent report, revealed that the conditions at "barren" Taftan Border were "horrifying. Talking about the Baloch government, he asserted that they did not have adequate provisions to aid the travellers arriving from Iran. The Pakistan leader further said that they couldn't call it mismanagement as there was no management to speak of in Balochistan.

Read: Pakistan Suspends Six Civil Servants Over A Selfie With A Coronavirus Patient

Read: Pakistan Reporter Hands Out 'anti-bacterial Handwash' To Fight Coronavirus; Expects Thanks

According to reports, Pakistan's Home and Tribal Affairs Department has announced the cancellation of Friday prayers in the state. Following the orders, people have been ordered to perform prayers from their home.

The mosques have not been shut down; however, only five people are now allowed inside including the prayer leader.

32,332 infected in Iran

This comes as its neighbour Iran reported 32,332 cases and 2, 378 deaths as of now during to the coronavirus pandemic. Following the recent surge in infected cases around the world, the Islamic Republic of Iran on March 26 issued a ban on intercity travel in a bid to curb the spread.

"Those who were planning to travel, cancel it right from this moment," said Hossein Zolfaghari, a senior official at Iran's anti-coronavirus committee. "Those who are out travelling should return home quickly," he added in a televised announcement while announcing details of the new measures.

The deadly coronavirus has now hit over 199 countries with the US reporting the maximum number of cases. As for now, the deadly virus has claimed 26,889 lives and infected 5,86, 455 out of which 1,32,428 have reportedly recovered.

(Image Credits: AP)

Read: Pakistan Cricketers To Donate Rs 5 Million To Govt Emergency Fund For COVID-19 Pandemic

Read: Pakistan Opposition Netas Walk Out Of Coronavirus Meet After Imran Khan Walks Out On Them
As cities physically expanded worldwide between 1970 and 2010, the population in those cities became less dense, according to a study led by a Texas A&M university professor.

Researchers found the trend was driven by small- and medium-sized cities, particularly in India, China, North America and Europe. Burak Guneralp, assistant professor in the Department of Geography at Texas A&M, Billy Hales, a doctoral student in the same department, and colleagues from Yale University and Arizona State University examined these changes in a study published in Environmental Research Letters.

More than 60 percent of the reported urban expansion was formerly agricultural land, the researchers estimated.

"If urban population densities had remained unchanged since 1970, more than 48,000 square miles (roughly the size of North Carolina) would have been saved from conversion to urban and instead could have remained in cultivation or as natural vegetation," Guneralp said.

He said decreases in urban population densities present several problems. Loss of fertile lands at the outskirts of growing cities caused by decreasing urban population densities is of serious concern in China, India and Nigeria, Guneralp said.

"These three countries are expected to account for more than a third of the projected increase in the world's urban population by 2050," he said. "They also still have many millions of small farmers earning their livelihoods working fertile lands on the outskirts of cities. Thus, any loss of these high-quality lands to urban expansion has huge implications for the livelihoods of these farmers."

This is "especially disconcerting" for India, he said, with about half of its land classified as "degraded" while the country had the steepest decreases in urban land-use efficiency from 1970 to 2010. India has the world's largest rural population.

advertisement

"Our findings suggest that decreasing urban population densities in India and Nigeria since 1970 caused 85 percent and 30 percent more land, respectively, to be converted to urban," Guneralp said.

A decrease in density as cities grow outward also puts pressure on local and regional governments to provide adequate infrastructure such as water, transportation and housing to formerly rural areas, he said.

The researchers found that these trends are the strongest in small- and medium-sized urban centers, defined in the study as those with fewer than 2 million people.

"Furthermore, small-medium cities in India, China, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe are following in the footsteps of the United States in declines in urban population densities," he said. "These findings are important because, globally, it is these small-medium sized cities with limited institutional and financial capacity that are growing the fastest."

The U.S. had the lowest urban population densities across all four decades the researchers looked at, which led to many of the same problems seen in other countries.

"Such low density development whether in the U.S. or anywhere else generally means inefficient use of resources," Guneralp said.

Guneralp said the findings are relevant to one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations', SDG11, which was established specifically to measure progress around the world toward making cities and communities more sustainable.

"It is important for urban areas to attain densities that would both improve living conditions in urban landscapes and promote efficient use of resources including land," he said.
Luis Miguel Barbosa, the governor of the Mexican state of Puebla has claimed that poorer people are immune to Covid-19, while the president has told citizens to carry on as normal.

Mr Barbosa made the comments in reaction to Mexican officials revealing that around 75 per cent of Mexicos 475 confirmed coronavirus cases are related to people travelling internationally, according to the AP.

Because international travel is generally undertaken by wealthier people, Mr Barbosa claimed that poorer people are immune to the virus.

The majority are wealthy people. If you are rich, you are at risk. If you are poor, no, he said.

Mexico has reacted slower than other nations to enforce measures to help tackle Covid-19.

In a video posted on Friday, 20 March, Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic, saying: if I was worried, if things were out of control, I would tell you, because I always tell the truth, before adding but thats not how things are.

Earlier this week he insisted that were going to keep living life as usual.

Ill tell you when not to go out any longer, he said, before adding that if youre able and have the means to do so, continue taking your family out to eat ... because that strengthens the economy.

Despite the presidents downplaying, deputy health secretary Hugo Lopez-Gatell announced that from Thursday the federal government will suspend all its activities, but there are essential activities that cannot be suspended.

Hospitals, the police and public sanitation were among the services announced as essential.

Last week, Donald Trump announced that the United States would be closing the border to Mexico, except for cargo and essential travel.

Chad Wolf, the the acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed that the Trump administration wanted to close both the Mexican and Canadian borders.

Were working with both our Canadian partners as well as our Mexican partners to put some restrictions on the travel across that border, really looking at limiting non-essential travel across that border, he said.

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, upwards of 475 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Mexico. The death toll has reached at least six.
China Switches Narrative In Virus Disinfo War; Fears Grow of Second Wave Outbreak | Crossroads

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has switched the focus of its overseas disinformation push, which claimed the virus came from the United States instead of from China.

The regime is now calling for US-China harmony, and is claiming the virus came from Italy.

Fears are also growing of a second wave of the virus outbreak in China, as the regime plans to reopen Wuhan. In todays episode of Crossroads, we have these stories and more.

Crossroads is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.
HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latest developments of the Covid-19 pandemic and international efforts being made to contain its repercussions.

This came over a telephone call Sheikh Mohamed received today from the Indian leader, during which they explored paths for consolidating the strategic cooperation between the two friendly countries in addition to an array of international and regional developments of common concern, reported state news agency Wam.

The two sides mulled over the possibility of advancing co-operation between two countries' entities in charge of addressing the spread of the novel virus and prospects of further contributing to the international efforts made to stem its impact on the humanitarian, health and economic fronts, stated the report.

They doubled on the importance of forging head with international efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, noting that global synergy is a must under such circumstance to put an end to the pandemic and its menacing threats to the entire world, it added.
By Trend

Kristall Plus CJSC has begun production of medical alcohol in Azerbaijan with the support of Azerbaijan's Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), the Agency told Trend.

The Agency said that the corresponding state support was provided to the company in this sphere.

Medical alcohol manufactured by Kristall Plus CJSC is packed in containers of various volumes, and has already gone on sale. The capacity of the enterprise is 20,000 liters of medical alcohol per day. Products are made from domestic raw materials.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA)  The chairman of the presidential council of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, has said that the Libyan government is able to overcome the global coronavirus crisis, "thanks to the efforts of the nation and the commitment of citizens to the precaution and prevention measures against the pandemic"
Wheat harvesting in Punjab will commence around mid-April on account of weather conditions, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Friday while assuring smooth procurement and timely payments.

Singh, however, asked concerned departments to allow harvesting and marketing of the horticulture produce by farmers, with necessary restrictions relating to the COVID-19 precautions.

The wheat harvesting is delayed due to weather conditions and is likely to start only by April 12-15 in the state, the chief minister said after reviewing arrangements for the harvesting of potato and wheat crop, an official statement said.

Proper arrangements are being put in place for harvesting and storage of potato crop, said Singh, adding the government would also ensure smooth procurement and release of timely payment to wheat farmers.

Detailed guidelines for wheat harvesting were expected to be issued by March 31, the statement said.

Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar had on Thursday announced changes in the date of wheat procurement in view of the nationwide lockdown and said wheat will be procured from April 20.

Generally, the wheat procurement starts in early April in the two agrarian states.

Meanwhile, the Punjab chief minister also directed officials of Horticulture Department, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and Punjab Mandi Board to work out the modalities, in coordination with the respective district officials, to allow farmers to harvest and transport their horticulture produce for seamless marketing without putting them to any more hardship.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said that a detailed list of District Mandi Officers, along with their contact numbers, has been issued by Punjab Mandi Board so that farmers can contact the concerned officer.

The Additional Chief Secretary Development-cum-Financial Commissioner Horticulture has also issued an advisory asking all Deputy Commissioners to grant the relevant permissions/relaxation to the farm labour and farmers for harvesting and transporting the horticulture produce, including vegetables and fruits to the markets, as well as cold storage.

Underlining the importance of maintaining regular supply chain of essential commodities of horticulture produce in these critical times,the officials have directed that the necessary restrictions relating to the health advisories of social distancing, use of masks, hand-wash etc may be included in the permissions. The Deputy/Assistant Directors Horticulture have also been directed to assist the Deputy Commissioners for this purpose.

Director Horticulture Shailender Kaur has provided a comprehensive list of farmers who require labour for harvesting and need transportation of their produce to the markets as well as cold stores.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba Ukraine's Foreign Ministry

The attempts of the Russian Federation to influence the lifting of sanctions due to the Covid-19 pandemic are hopeless as Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba reported on Facebook.

It is noted that Dmytro Kuleba held a phone talk with Austrian colleague Alexander Schallenberg.

The foreign ministers discussed the situation around the European sanctions against Russia. Both ministers concluded the consistency of positions toward the necessity of maintenance of the sanctions of the international society.

The attempts of Russia to cancel the sanctions due to the coronavirus are prospectless. It is important when countries-partners have the common view not only of the past but of the present, the Foreign Minister said.

Besides, Kuleba noted the active actions of Vienna in the creation of the possibilities of transit across Austria for Ukrainian citizens, who return by vehicles from Europe.

The ministers agreed that the Austrian authorities will treat with understanding the difficult circumstances of Ukrainians, whose term of stay in Austria might be surpassed due to the quarantine.

Earlier, Dmytro Kuleba stated that about 20,000 Ukrainians abroad have applied to Ukrainian diplomatic missions to help them return home.
MUMBAI, India, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cipla Limited (BSE: 500087) (NSE: CIPLA EQ) and hereafter referred to as "Cipla") today announced that it has received final approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Esomeprazole for Oral Suspension 10mg, 20mg and 40mg from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). Cipla is the first company to file for the 10mg strength.

Cipla's Esomeprazole for Oral Suspension 10mg, 20mg and 40mg is AB-rated generic therapeutic equivalent version of AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical's Nexium. It is a proton pump inhibitor indicated for the following:

Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Risk reduction of NSAID-associated gastric ulcer.

H. pylori eradication to reduce the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence.

Pathological hypersecretory conditions, including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

According to IQVIA (IMS Health), Nexium and its generic equivalents had US sales of approximately $70M for the 12-month period ending November 2019.

The product is available for shipping immediately.

About Cipla :

Established in 1935, Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company focused on agile and sustainable growth, complex generics, and deepening portfolio in our home markets of India, South Africa, North America, and key regulated and emerging markets. Our strengths in the respiratory, anti-retroviral, urology, cardiology, anti-infective and CNS segments are well-known. Our 46 manufacturing sites around the world produce 50+ dosage forms and 1,500+ products using cutting-edge technology platforms to cater to our 80+ markets. Cipla is ranked 3rd largest in pharma in India (IQVIA MAT Dec'19), 3rd largest in the pharma private market in South Africa (IQVIA MAT Dec'19), and is among the most dispensed generic players in the U.S. For over eight decades, making a difference to patients has inspired every aspect of Cipla's work. Our paradigm-changing offer of a triple anti-retroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS at less than a dollar a day in Africa in 2001 is widely acknowledged as having contributed to bringing inclusiveness, accessibility and affordability to the centre of the HIV movement. A responsible corporate citizen, Cipla's humanitarian approach to healthcare in pursuit of its purpose of 'Caring for Life' and deep-rooted community links wherever it is present make it a partner of choice to global health bodies, peers and all stakeholders. For more, please visit www.cipla.com , or click on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn .

For queries, please contact: Corporate Communications Investor Relations Heena Kanal Naveen Bansal E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Cipla

Related Links

http://www.cipla.com/


While the COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions in this country and around the world, the novel coronavirus presents unique challenges for more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimers and their caregivers.

Most notably, public health strategies aimed at limiting contact with others is nearly impossible for people living with Alzheimers and other dementias, who rely on family caregivers and others to live their daily lives. This reality affects these individuals across all settings, including home, adult day services, residential and assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

To help family caregivers navigate the current complex and quickly changing environment, the Alzheimers Association is offering additional guidance to families, including:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Tips for Dementia Caregivers - This includes helping people living with Alzheimers practice safe hygiene. People with Alzheimers and other dementia may forget to wash their hands or follow other precautions to ensure safe hygiene. Caregivers are encouraged to be extra vigilant in helping individuals practice safe hygiene.

Anticipate and prepare for that current care and support options may change. As public health containment strategies for COVID-19 escalate during the next several weeks, it is important for families to anticipate that less help and support may be available.

For example, many adult day care programs are shutting down during the crisis and home health services may also become less available. Its important for families to anticipate these changes and make plans for filling gaps in caregiving.

 Ask residential care facilities about its communication policies. In order to protect the health of their residents, many facilities are restricting access to outside visitors, so its important to ask how you can get updates on your family members health and how you can communicate with loved ones during the current crisis. Ask to see if phone calls, including video calls, will be offered and how best to coordinate.

 Take advantage of dial-in support groups.

 Shelter in place with in-home tips and resources for daily activities.
Anthony Bolton, one of Britain's best-known fund managers, has started investing in the stock market again.

Bolton, who has been one of the UK's most successful investors over the last four decades, said he returned to investing in a personal capacity despite the difficulties currently facing the global economy.

He told the Financial Times: 'I've started to invest. I will say to people I think at these prices there are really interesting opportunities.'

Bolton gave up fund management in 2014 to concentrate on music and philanthropy after spending five years in charge of Fidelity China Special Situations and running Fidelity Special Situations from 1979 to 2007

'I wouldn't necessarily invest all your money at the moment, if you have money to invest  and many people don't. The key message to investors is don't get more bearish as the market goes down.'

Bolton did not say in which companies he had made investments. Still, he remarked that the 'extraordinary measures' taken by the government to shore up key businesses would further enhance the support being offered to them.

He believes the harm to shareholders from the coronavirus will not be like the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

'I think it is slightly different this time. If we do see some sort of rescue for BA, I'll be very interested to see on what sort of terms it will be.

'People have to be open to the possibility that it's not going to be as draconian for shareholders as it was in the global financial crisis,' he says.

Bolton gave up fund management in 2014 to concentrate on music and philanthropy after spending five years in charge of Fidelity China Special Situations and running Fidelity Special Situations from 1979 to 2007.

Since his departure from Fidelity in 2014, he has composed an opera, The Life and Death of Alexander Litvinenko, on the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvnenko in 2006 that is due to premiere in mid-July, depending of course on the impact of Covid-19

A significant success for Anthony Bolton was Nokia, which he invested in before the company became a telecoms behemoth

During his 28 years controlling Fidelity Special Situations, the Cambridge graduate developed a reputation as one of the most profitable fund managers in the UK.

If you put in 1,000 in the Special Situations fund in December 1979, you could expect to a return 147 times larger in December 2007 when he departed.

His trick was to conduct substantial research on companies, spread the risk, but also find firms that he thought were undervalued by the stock market.

Bolton invested in Nokia in the days before it became a successful telecoms behemoth

Such was his success that business journalist Jonathan Davis wrote a flattering book titled Anthony Bolton: The Anatomy of a Stock Market Phenomenon, that was published in the mid-2000s.

His second spell in the fund management world from 2009 to 2014 was less successful though. Bolton made bad investments in the Chinese market, and his employment of gearing amplified the losses his investors made.

Since he departed from Fidelity, he has composed an opera on the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 that is due to premiere in mid-July, depending of course on the impact of Covid-19.

The Life and Death of Alexander Litvinenko takes place in both Russia and Britain and is set to a libretto by Kit Hesketh-Harvey that uses a 52-piece orchestra and full chorus in its two-hour production.
OTTAWA - Historic uncertainty hovered over the world's longest undefended border on Friday as the spectre of President Donald Trump's musing about deploying military forces to America's northern frontier with Canada lingered.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, March 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Historic uncertainty hovered over the world's longest undefended border on Friday as the spectre of President Donald Trump's musing about deploying military forces to America's northern frontier with Canada lingered.

A full day after Trump first publicly discussed the possibility during remarks at the White House, as the COVID-19 pandemic mushroomed in the U.S., Canadian officials were pressing their American counterparts to find out what military plan  if any  was taking shape and how it might affect Canada. Throughout, the Trudeau cabinet has remained in close contact with Kirsten Hillman, its newly-appointed ambassador to the U.S.

"We continue to engage closely in back and forths with the American administration on many, many issues around the border, and when we have more information, we'll share it," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday during this daily televised briefing to Canadians on the pandemic.

"We have expressed to the United States that it would be a mistake to position troops near the Canadian border, and we certainly hope that they're not going to go through with that."

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was also forceful in denouncing the idea, saying she'd been keeping in close contact with Hillman on Thursday and Friday.

"Canada has continued to express clearly and forcefully its view that there is no logical reason to militarize our border with the United States and we have been very clear also that such an action would damage our relationship," Freeland said.

Ottawa was still scrambling to react to the U.S. proposal, which appeared aimed at bolstering the work of its own domestic border service. But the potential scope or extent of any U.S. plan to deploy its military along the world's longest undefended border remained unexplained.

The two countries already have a mutual ban in place on non-essential travel, but the movement of trade, commerce and cross-border workers has been allowed to continue.

U.S. President Donald Trump added to the confusion in remarks at the White House late Thursday afternoon, when he said  without any explanation  that the U.S. already has troops "along the border" with Canada.

Trump then went on a riff about one of his favourite topics  tariffs  and restated old concerns about cheap Chinese steel coming into the U.S. market from Canada.

"You know, we have a lot of things coming in from Canada. We have trade  some illegal trade that we don't like. We have very strong sanctions on some. We have very strong tariffs on dumping steel. And we don't like steel coming through our border that's been dumped in Canada so they can avoid the tariff," said Trump.

Canada and Mexico have resolved a major standoff with the Trump administration after it imposed punitive tariffs on their steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. The U.S. had concerns about countries such as China using Canada and Mexico as a conduit to dump cheap steel into the American market. Canada and Mexico are now closely monitoring their foreign metals imports to avoid that from happening  and to prevent the U.S. from reinstating tariffs.

"You know, I charge a lot of tariff for the steel. And it's been great for our steel companies because now they can really go  you look at what's happened with steel. It's been pretty incredible. But we've taken in billions and billions of dollars in tariffs on steel, and much of it comes in from China, but they can come through the Canadian border, too," said Trump.

Earlier Thursday, Freeland noted that countries around the world, including Canada, have been responding with uncharacteristic speed and urgency to an escalating global emergency, which involves discussing any and all measures, no matter how drastic, even if they don't come to fruition.

The current, mutual ban on non-essential travel by Canada and the U.S. reflects that the countries realize the economic importance of avoiding a complete shutdown at the border. For Canada, keeping trade moving is essential  the U.S. is its largest trading partner, as the economies of the two countries are deeply intertwined.

Trudeau reiterated Friday in Ottawa that Canada and the U.S. have the longest unmilitarized border in the world and it is in the interests of both countries to keep it that way.

Trump has long been seized with securing his country's southern border with Mexico, and has recently been talking about fortifying those efforts under the pretence of protecting Americans from the novel coronavirus.

Trump has also made it clear that in an election year, he is eager for a return to economic normalcy, and sooner rather than later. The April 12 Easter weekend is his hoped-for timeline, a date that has left public-health officials incredulous.

Meanwhile, Freeland said Friday she is holding other "urgent" discussions with U.S. officials over concerns that American border agents could deport asylum seekers on the Canada-U.S. border turned back by Canada under the new border agreement.

On Monday, the U.S. announced a 30-day agreement with both Canada and Mexico that includes immediately returning any illegal migrants to the countries from which they arrived, or to their countries of origin if that isn't possible, rather than holding them at U.S. facilities.

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.

Trudeau said last week anyone crossing between the two countries on foot to claim asylum will be turned away as part of the broader deal to close the border to all but non-essential traffic, raising questions about whether they would be returned to their country of origin.

Freeland said Canada's international obligations on refugees, include a commitment to "non-refoulement"  not sending refugees back to countries where they could face torture or persecution.

"We are aware of the problems of refoulement and it was, and continues to be, important for Canada to have assurances that that would not happen to people returned to the United States," Freeland said.

"It is important for us to abide by our international commitments when it comes to refugees and we are very alive to concerns around refoulement."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2020.

 with files from Teresa Wright
The state of alarm was extended in Spain after a parliamentary vote on Wednesday night. It will now last until at least 11 April. The debate was held in a near-deserted chamber with MPs sending in their votes remotely.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was not without criticism though from the MPs for his handling of the health and economic response to the Covid-19 outbreak as the debate unfolded in the evening.

The conservative Partido Popular (PP) leader, Pablo Casado, was particularly hard, leaving behind the air of full support in the initial days of the crisis. The opposition leader accused the government of not "being up to" the effort needed and of "grave negligence" for having allowed International Women's Day marches to go ahead and for not having enough resources, which he said was "unforgivable".

"We are in mourning, this isn't going well," he said, while asking for flags to be flown at half mast, and an eventual state funeral and monument in Madrid.

Despite this, the PP didn't table any amendment to the order to extend the state of alarm to 11 April, ignoring calls from others in the PP to demand a stricter shutdown that went further than the current restrictions.

Most demands for tougher action were coming from the left. Left-wing Catalan republican ERC did ask for stricter measures, especially for Catalonia, but this was rejected. The Catalan president, Quim Torra, has also been calling separately for stricter measures in his region.

In his speech, Sanchez justified his decisions and called for "unity and loyalty" from rival politicians. He said that it was a "very difficult balance", as closing more businesses would endanger people in isolation or recovering from the illness. He did however agree to more scrutiny of the spread by parliament's Health committee.

Public opinion

The debate in parliament came as a survey by the State official polling body, CIS, said that almost 68 per cent of people felt that the government could have done more sooner to restrict movement.

The result was based on fieldwork in the first half of March, before the crisis escalated, and just over 65 per cent said that they support the stronger measures.

Infections at the heart of government continue to make headlines. One of the deputy PMs, Carmen Calvo, was hospitalised this week but later discharged. The second-in-command of the Guardia Civil, Laurentino Cena has also fallen ill.
By Mohammed Ghobari and Lisa Barrington ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties welcomed a U.N. call for an immediate truce on Thursday as the country entered its sixth year of a conflict that has unleashed a humanitarian crisis, rendering it more vulnerable to any coronavirus outbreak

By Mohammed Ghobari and Lisa Barrington

ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's warring parties welcomed a U.N. call for an immediate truce on Thursday as the country entered its sixth year of a conflict that has unleashed a humanitarian crisis, rendering it more vulnerable to any coronavirus outbreak.

A Saudi-led military coalition said late on Wednesday that it backed the Yemeni government's acceptance of the U.N. appeal. Their foe, the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, welcomed that stance but said it wants to see implementation on the ground.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) meanwhile said it had started to reduce aid to areas controlled by the Houthis, on concerns the group hinders the delivery of assistance, a spokesperson told Reuters.

The new coronavirus has yet to be documented in the impoverished Arabian peninsula nation where conflict violence has killed more than 100,000 and left millions on the brink of starvation.

Following his call for a global ceasefire to focus on combating the pandemic, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday urged Yemen's parties to end hostilities and restart peace talks last held in December 2018.

The Sunni Muslim coalition, which intervened in Yemen in March 2015, supports efforts for a ceasefire, de-escalation, confidence-building measures and work to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said in a statement.

"The coalition's announcement ... is welcome. We are waiting for it to be applied practically," a senior Houthi official, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, tweeted late on Wednesday.

Yemen had witnessed a lull in military action after Saudi Arabia and the Houthis launched back-channel talks late last year. But there has been a recent spike in violence that threatens fragile peace deals in vital port cities.

"We have a global coronavirus pandemic threatening to overwhelm an already broken health care system," said Tamuna Sabadze, country director at the International Rescue Committee, adding that Yemen was already battling a large cholera outbreak.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Houthis ousted the government from power in the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014. The group still controls most major urban centres despite years of war.

Millions are dependent on humanitarian aid in Yemen, but aid agencies in recent months have increasingly complained of interference and obstruction from Houthi authorities and threatened to scale down aid if conditions did not improve.

"The Houthis have failed to demonstrate sufficient progress towards ending unacceptable interference in these operations," the USAID spokesperson said, adding that it would continue to support the most urgent life-saving assistance.

"The coronavirus crisis demonstrates now more than ever the need for our partners to be able to deliver aid to those who need it most without interference or delay."

Aid agency Oxfam warned that USAID's approach would endanger an effective coronavirus response, "leaving Yemen uniquely vulnerable to the most deadly pandemic in generations", it said in a statement.

BAHA'I RELEASES

The head of the Houthi political office said on Wednesday the movement was open to de-escalation efforts with its foes, including prisoner releases.

Mahdi al-Mashat, in comments carried by al-Masirah TV, then ordered the release of all Baha'i faith members imprisoned by the Houthis, including Hamed bin Haydara whose death sentence was upheld earlier this week by a Sanaa court.

The Baha'i International Community welcomed the decision, which it said in a statement applied to six people "wrongfully imprisoned" for religious beliefs.

It said the order should lead to the lifting of charges made in 2018 against around 20 members of the faith, which regards its 19th-century founder as a prophet. Muslim countries, including Iran where the sect originated, consider it an heretical offshoot of Islam.

Amnesty International said the move to release Baha'i prisoners was a "positive signal", especially in light of the coronavirus.

"We reiterate our call on all parties to the conflict to immediately and unconditionally release all those imprisoned solely for their peaceful activism, expression or political views," Amnesty Middle East Research Director Lynn Maalouf said.

(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari, Nayera Abdullah and Lisa Barrington; Writing by Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Nick Macfie)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
"We are hoping students will take advantage of working with a virtual internship so that they are ready to enter the workforce and to gain valuable real-world expertise," said Frank Cicio, founder and CEO, iQ4.

iQ4 Corporation, a centralized platform, which helps students, academia, business and government collaborate to transform and scale the workforce of the future, announced today that it is offering schools free access to its virtual apprenticeship program from now through Sept. 2020, during the COVID-19 global health crisis.

iQ4 will provide schools with free access to its suite of apprenticeship tools, course offerings and its mentorship program. The goal is to target 10,000 high school and college students across the country to provide virtual internships and prepare students for the world of work. Specifically, the virtual apprenticeships will be offered in areas of cybersecurity, data science, cloud and SaaS programs, blockchain and healthcare.

The spring is the busiest time of the school year where thousands of college students search for summer internships and jobs. While thousands of college students are in search, companies are also in search of qualified and skilled workers. This year is different with COVID-19 forcing schools to close and online learning to take place. Students will no longer have the opportunity to apply for and or take part in traditional summer internships, and many businesses have come to a standstill.

We are living in interesting times where many students will no longer be able to physically go into a company or office to complete an internship, said Frank Cicio, founder and CEO of iQ4 Corp. The virtual apprenticeship programs will support the future of talent with a new approach to online applied learning. Whether a student needs to finish a capstone course, internship, or fieldwork, students are being given the opportunity to complete their online learning utilizing iQ4 because we can bring industry directly to the students, in a fully online experience.

Students will work on real-world cases in job roles, collaborating in teams and guided by recognized executives from companies such as the Federal Research Bank, American Express, Citizens Bank, Santander Bank, T-Mobile, Bank Mellon and Microsoft...just to name a few

For high school students, the virtual apprenticeship experience will give them the experience to add to their resume or portfolio as they prepare for college. For college students, access to the program will give them the opportunity to get real-world experience and network with leading industry companies, with prospective entree into the fieldall virtually.

iQ4s mission is to lead and create a pathway for students to become qualified and skilled cybersecurity experts of the future. It will also allow businesses to continue to find and build a next generation talent pipeline, despite the potential long term social distancing protocols in place.

When we created this program last fall, it was designed to massively scale workforce preparedness using iQ4s workforce development platform, content and model designed for all stakeholders, said Cicio. Hundreds of students have already been able to obtain real-world experiences that have qualified them to be able to enter the cyber security workforce. We are hoping students will take advantage of working with a virtual internship so that they are ready to enter the workforce and to gain valuable real-world expertise."

In 2015, iQ4 formed the Cybersecurity Workforce Alliance, (CWA) an industry driven open source division, to develop and deliver the role taxonomies, project content, and subject matter expertise (mentors) need to develop the next generation workforce now over two thousand members. The virtual apprenticeship connects universities with private sector organizations that sponsor, train and can provide thousands of cybersecurity apprenticeships. This organization was formed in collaboration with NICE Skills taxonomy framework and with the Department of commerce and the Department of Homeland Security.

The virtual apprenticeship was originally created to address the cybersecurity and technology skills gap by scaling the student and professional workforce to provide immediate value to private sector employees. Students will emerge from the program with industry credentials using an applied learning curriculum that allows them to develop skills in cyber security and risk. The iQ4 virtual apprenticeship will also dramatically reduce the cost of corporate training for new college hires.

iQ4 will help enable employers to identify and train their future cybersecurity workforce with the digital, scalable apprenticeship programs. The program combines technology with industry-driven standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework, and content and is led by industry experts.

For more information on iQ4s virtual apprenticeship program, please read our previous press release on the launch of the program https://bit.ly/2wHL2sL or visit our website at http://www.iQ4.com

About iQ4

iQ4 is a workforce and mobility platform, which enables applied learning through the strategic collaboration between students, academia, and the business world. The acquisition of skills during the mentoring program empowers students with pertinent knowledge for future prospects. Companies are able to develop the next-generation workforce in accordance with the demands of the market. iQ4 facilitates the creation of a competent workforce by uniting the independent initiatives of industry and academia.
President Donald S.Trump speaks during a briefing in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on March 21, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Trump to Sign Stimulus Bill at 4pm

President Donald Trump will sign the $2.2 trillion CCP virus stimulus bill at 4 p.m. on Friday, according to the White House.

The presidents signature will come hours after the House of Representatives passed The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the largest stimulus package in modern American history.

Despite support from both parties, drama unfolded in Washington because Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced his intention to try to force expanded voting on the bill. Lawmakers of both sides of the aisle expressed concern about the bill, but the measure quickly passed on a voice vote.

Because the vote wasnt recorded, it wasnt clear who voted which way, but the shout-outs sounded resoundingly in favor of the package. Lawmakers across the chamber applauded after the announcement.

Social distancing measures forced members to spread out in the chamber, with some viewing the proceedings from the visitors gallery. Others werent present, being either in transit to Washington or remaining in their home states.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders said they supported the bill, which originated in the House but underwent changes in the Senate before lawmakers there passed it unanimously on Wednesday night.

Trump on Thursday night told reporters that he was profoundly grateful that both parties came together to provide relief for American workers and families in this hour of need, highlighting a number of aspects of the legislation.

The unprecedented $2.2 trillion package stretches across 880 pages and includes one-time payments of $1,200 to any American making less than $75,000 a year and $2,400 to married couples making up to $150,000.

Parents will receive $500 per child.

Individuals or couples making over the limits will still get money, but payments will be reduced by $5 for each $100 over the threshold they make.

The limits are tied to 2019 tax returns or, if theyre not available, 2018 tax returns. People who didnt file returns can use other forms such as a Social Security Benefit Statement.

The bill also includes funding for some institutions with no direct relation to the outbreak of the CCP virus, including $75 million for the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, $75 million for the National Endowment for Humanities, and $25 million for the J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The measure also allocates $11 billion for three international development groups: the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank, and the International Development Association.

Trump said on Twitter on March 27 that the bill is 90% GREAT but that the Republicans had to give up some stupid things to the Democrats in order to get the big picture done.

The United States had over 90,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease as Trump prepared to sign the bill. The CCP virus outbreak had killed 1,475 people in the United States as of March 27.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Polaris Bank has announced a donation of 400 specialised hospital beds, complete with mattresses and accessories, to aid the fight against coronavirus.

The beds, according to the bank, will be handed over to the Lagos State Government  being the state most hit by the pandemic  the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other state governments.

The bank also announced that it would be partnering with the Nigeria Coalition Against COVID-19 (NCAC), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), health institutions and state governments in stemming the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering additional materials to cover the areas of testing, isolation, treatment and training.

The Managing Director/CEO, Polaris Bank, Tokunbo Abiru, who disclosed this in a letter to the customers and concerned parties, explained that the bank, working with relevant partners and government, remains committed to doing everything possible to keep our environment safe for all.

At Polaris Bank, we will continue to devote all necessary resources to contribute to the safety of our esteemed customers and our environment as a whole, while maintaining all of the banking services you need to stay safe.

READ ALSO:

The Chief Executive Officer also affirmed his commitment to the total well-being of Nigerians and the fight against COVID-19 noting that as new developments emerge, the Bank would continue to share information about the safety of its staff and working environment as well as the efficiency of its operations and service to stakeholders.

Polaris Bank had, in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19, activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP), which ensures that it can maintain its operations and enable financial transactions, even during critical incidents.

The Bank had suspended all corporate events, travels, and outdoor activities as well as enforced social distancing which ensured that all staff who have just returned from travels outside Nigeria are placed on self-isolation.

Polaris Bank, in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Policy, has continued to integrate social and environmental issues into its business operations intervening in the activities of its stakeholders, including staff, customers, government and local communities.

Polaris Bank is a future-determining Bank and a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), which seeks to engage the private sector and the global financial sector to help create a financial sector that serves people and planet while delivering positive impact.
Singapore will not allow short term visitors to enter or transit through the country from March 24 to contain the spread of the imported COVID-19 infection. (PHOTO: Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

By Daniel Moss

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- A tiny country thats long been the barometer of global commerce is sending up distress flares. How big a blow the Covid-19 pandemic inflicts on Singapores economy will depend much on events outside its control.

Gross domestic product fell an annualised 10.6% in the first quarter, the Singapore government reported Thursday in an advance reading. That's worse than many economists  already bracing for a bad number  had forecast. Officials project a contraction of 1% to 4% for the year; GDP hasnt hit that lower boundary since Singapore split from Malaysia five decades ago.

As grim as all this sounds, Singapore's economic performance since January has echoes in the swings of global and regional capitalism. The city-state took a big hit during the Asian financial crisis, the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (which also constrained international travel) and in the Great Recession. Growth shrank 10% in the first quarter of 1998 as regional markets cratered and neighbouring Indonesia seethed with political upheaval. It contracted 10% from April to June in 2001 and 8.6% the following quarter. In the first quarter of 2009, the economy declined 9.9%. Singapore pulled through, as did the world, despite what many called unprecedented crises.

To be sure, Thursdays numbers are inauspicious, particularly in a landscape cluttered with downgrades. Few economists anticipate the pandemic causing anything less than a global recession. Morgan Stanley tips a drop of 30.1% in U.S. GDP during the second quarter; Goldman Sachs Group Inc. expects a dip of 1% for the world in 2020.

But theres plenty Singapore is doing to stave off the worst of outcomes. The government, praised at home and abroad for its response to the virus, has been frank with its citizens, and has responded with ample fiscal stimulus and the promise of more to come. An easing by the central bank appears all but certain next week. The mix of fiscal and monetary policy is correct.

Story continues

For a city reliant on tourism, Singapores steps to curb the flow of people also shows seriousness. Short-term visitors have been barred while citizens and residents returning are required to self-isolate. Bars and cinemas will close. Yet schools remain open and there's no lockdown or state of emergency resembling that in Malaysia, the Philippines or parts of Indonesia. Authorities are trying to thread the needle. To its credit, the death toll is among the lowest in the Asia region.

Since its inception, Singapore has been a locus of capital flows, trade and international labor markets. What happens to the world's major commercial powers is often reflected in its economic data. With much of the global economy powering down, it will be tough for Singapore to push ahead.

This downturn is unique in that the world's major economies have all been dented at more or less the same time. China and Japan, two of Singapores biggest trading partners, are trying to restart after effectively grinding to a halt. Whether the U.S. is open for business next month or next quarter, America will be slower to restart than Asian powers.

In the past, bounces in the U.S. and Chinas unstoppable growth trajectory helped Singapore regain its footing. With China in a long-term slowdown before the virus outbreak, that will be difficult to replicate. But, in time, both poles will revive, albeit with scars. The tides of global economics have buffeted the city-state before. For signs of eventual recovery, look here first.

 2020 Bloomberg L.P.
New 007 film No Time To Die is already locked, loaded and ready to go for its November release.

Pernicious rumours circulating that its opening date was shifted from April because it was unfinished are wide of the mark.

Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson announced on March 4 that after careful consideration they had decided to reschedule the 25th Bond films launch to November 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

And after speaking to several Bond-world insiders, I am confident thats the real reason.

Actors in No Time to Die have all signed iron-clad non-disclosure agreements ahead of the film's delayed release in November

As with all films of this size there are things that you come across that might require a bit of re-shooting  but not here, one source told me.

It was finished. Perhaps there might have been a little spot of ADR [the industry term for rerecording dialogue] but if it does need it, then that can be achieved quickly, as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

Meanwhile, No Time To Die has, literally, been locked away.

No one outside of a trusted few, such as Broccoli, Wilson, director Cary Joji Fukunaga, plus creative department heads and musicians who worked on the score, will see the picture before its gala.

Indeed, every single person who worked on the film has signed an iron-clad non-disclosure agreement.

The big question no one can answer right now is whether, come November, audiences will be comfortable going into crowded cinemas and theatres.

Also, will stars who reside overseas be happy to travel to promote the film?

Its likely stringent health and safety checks will be in place at most airports, with passengers required to have their temperature taken before check-in and planes being deep-cleaned after each flight.

In addition to Daniel Craig, No Time To Die also stars Naomie Harris, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Lashana Lynch, Rami Malek and Christoph Waltz.

Twelve days ago Luke Sheppard had three shows on the go.

Pop musical & Juliet was packing them in at the Shaftesbury in the West End; and the director was in various stages of production on a revival of Rent, and Whats New Pussycat?  a new show inspired by the Henry Fielding novel Tom Jones, featuring the hits of the Welsh singing superstar of the same name.

Luke Sheppard, pictured accepting the Best Video Design award on behalf of Andrzej Goulding earlier this month

From his home, Sheppard, pictured, maintains the same 10am to 6pm work schedule he followed until the curtains came down thanks to coronavirus.

He has video meetings with an array of designers and keeps in close contact with the & Juliet company, including its star Miriam-Teak Lee.

Its important to keep discipline and structure, he said. Its a business as usual kind of approach to it all  even though its a very unusual position to be in.



Westworld Thandie gives feisty robot Maeve a real voice

Thandie Newton has had much more of a say in what happens to Maeve, the powerful android she plays in scorching TV drama Westworld, in season three, which kicked off last week.

Westworld has been a huge boost to Newton who, before the pandemic, had been commuting between the home she shares in North West London with her partner, director Ol Parker, and their three children, and Los Angeles, where she films Westworld

Maeve returned in Sunday nights second episode  and her presence electrified the show after a season opener that left even diehard fans scratching their heads.

Newton, 47, told me that Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, who created the fantasy thriller for HBO, encouraged her to input her ideas.

Theyre really progressive and aware, she said, adding: Theyre hugely open to me questioning more, and collabo - rating more, which is not always the case in the industry. Actors are vassals; were a commodity. Its a new feeling, as an actor, that my voice counts; it actually matters.

Westworld has been a huge boost to Newton who, before the pandemic, had been commuting between the home she shares in North West London with her partner, director Ol Parker, and their three children, and Los Angeles, where she films as the beautiful, fearsomely intelligent robot Maeve Millay.

When we last spoke, she observed of her Westworld success:  Whats interesting is that no one expects a woman of colour, in her 40s, to have a little bit of a surge in her career. Its so weird that it happened like this.

In 1991, Newton appeared with Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts in Australian teen film Flirting. Three decades later, the three friends have gained firepower through the small screen: Newton with Westworld, Kidman with Big Little Lies (and forthcoming The Undoing) and Watts with The Loudest Voice (about the birth of Fox News).

Watts, by the way, is also keeping busy acting  and producing  films. One such project is Penguin Bloom, which she produced and appears in with Andrew Lincoln, who gave up his throne as sovereign of The Walking Dead.

Newton told me they sometimes see each other on the red carpet.

She added:  We lead such different lives, in different places. Nics in Nashville, Naomis in New York and Im in London. Its lovely, though, to see from afar these girls who have claimed their space in a difficult industry.

A riotous life through a lens

Alan Davidson was a photographer. An extraordinary one. A legendary one.

He took the photographs that graced these pages through the Eighties and Nineties.

Alan and I argued constantly (over nothing important) but, really, we loved working together  though neither of us would admit it

His gifted daughter Joanne continues that legacy.

Alan and I argued constantly (over nothing important) but, really, we loved working together  though neither of us would admit it.

Back then we covered rock, films and theatre. Out every night. When he didnt have a camera over his shoulder Alan always had a little Leica camera in his pocket  and he knew how to use it.

An abiding memory I have is of Alan and a whole group of us at the Cannes Film Festival, circa 1985, singing and dancing to Singing In The Rain as it tipped down.

We may have been well refreshed, but we splashed in puddles and did all the Gene Kelly moves. It was glorious fun and Alan was in his element, urging us to splash in unison  so he could get a good shot.

I wish I had those photographs now. Alan died last Thursday, aged 70. He leaves his wife Sandra and Joanne. Im waiting for it to rain, so I can go out  sober this time  and warble that song for my old friend.

Acting is too much of a drama for Jacqueline!

A mischievous sand sprite older than Methuselah  and voiced by Michael Caine  captivated me in the captivity of my home office this week. Hes the It in new film Four Kids And It, based on best-selling author Jacqueline Wilsons 2012 chart-topper about four schoolchildren who meet at a remote holiday cottage in Cornwall.

The children are the offspring of a couple, played by Matthew Goode and Paula Patton, divorced from their previous partners, who ambush the youngsters with the news that they are now together.

Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen and Jacqueline Wilson together ahead of the release of Four Kids and It, which stars Michael Caine and Russell Brand

Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen plays Goodes bookish daughter Ros.

I suppose shes a bit like me when I was a little girl, Wilson noted.

Billy Jenkins plays Ross younger brother Robbie. Ashley Aufderheide is cast as brash American teen Smash; and Ellie-Mae Siame is her kid sister Maudie.

The quartet discover the oddlooking, sand-diving Psammead on an isolated beach and, slowly but surely, they all become friends.

The local landowner, played by Russell Brand, is their nemesis.

The enormously enjoyable picture, backed by Sky Films and directed by Andy De Emmony (who also made current BBC drama The Nest) will be available on Sky Cinema from April 3.

Wilson, who penned the popular Tracy Beaker books, was inspired to write Four Kids And It because of her love of E. Nes - bits 1902 fantasy story Five Children And It when she was a girl in the 1950s. She told me: Even then it was a bit old-fashioned, but wonderfully written, because it combined realistic children with this fantastic creature who could grant magic wishes.

Filmmakers gave her a tiny part in the film  and she admitted she did find it tricky playing herself but having to utter lines written by someone else.

Its the weirdest thing, she said. The author spent two or three days on set in Ireland and was impressed with the childrens ability to learn lines.

All power to them, she said enviously.

Much larks were had during one of the scenes when Brand takes the children around his peculiar mansion full of fantastic stuffed animals. (The place was actually the Natural History Museum in Dublin.) But as much as she loved being part of the filming process, Wilson confessed: I think Ill stick to my day job...thats much more my cup of tea.

That is good news for her many fans. Her latest book, Love Frankie, will be readily available online in digital and in print form from April 30, she said.

In the meantime, she hasnt been idle in isolation. Her idea of coping is doing her job writing books and watching box sets  currently U.S. sitcom The Good Place, starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, all about slightly naughty people being sent to what they think is heaven.

It has a black sense of humour, which I think is ripe for the times, Wilson told me.

Shes also been tackling a couple of Dickens novels she hadnt read before; re-reading Jane Austens Emma  and all of Anne Tylers oeuvre.

A few years ago Wilson moved to the South East coast and although her new abode had more space, she decided to trim down her collection of 15,000 books.

Theres been a slight reduction, she said, chuckling. She estimates her stock is now down to around 10,000, though that figures on the uptick again because, as she put it, when it comes to buying stock from online specialist booksellers, Im just incorrigible.

Watch out for

Eliza Scanlen, who was so good in the HBO television mini-series Sharp Objects, and who played Beth March in Greta Gerwigs film of Little Women.

Eliza Scanlen, who was so good in the HBO television mini-series Sharp Objects, and who played Beth March in Greta Gerwigs film of Little Women.

Scanlen stars as Milla, a vulnerable schoolgirl in director Shannon Murphys superb movie Babyteeth.

Its a tiny Australian gem about a dysfunctional family who happen to live in a fabulous house.

Her parents, played by Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn, are highly functioning basket cases, while her dropout boyfriend  a fine Toby Wallace  tries to encourage her out of her delicate shell with inappropriate behaviour (yet, at the same time, theres a gentleness about him).

The picture was due to be released next month. Distributor Picture House is working on a plan to get the film seen.

Mila Al Zahrani, who stars as the title character in director Haifaa Al-Mansours inspiring film The Perfect Candidate.

Mila Al Zahrani, who stars as the title character in director Haifaa Al-Mansours inspiring film The Perfect Candidate.

Zahrani plays a Saudi doctor who runs in a council election, where her gender is scorned by rivals, and men in general.

But her Maryam has guts and makes her voice heard.

In fact, just the act of running for office makes her feel, for the first time, that she is someone in my own right.

Modern Films is putting The Perfect Candidate out on digital release today.
Alston said the committee of about 85 members has divided into seven subgroups focused on getting the word out and other measures to improve the response rate in parts of the county where numbers are lagging.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners appropriated $30,000 for the effort that will include leaflets, other printed material and a social media campaign, Alston said.

Ultimately, committee members could wind up spreading the word by canvassing parts of the community with low response rates, Alston said. But the COVID-19 pandemic has cast doubt on that as a viable option, he said.

If you have low responses in certain areas, we were going to send people out to knock on doors, Alston said. But I dont know if thats going to happen now.

Stanford said the new coronavirus also has cast a level of uncertainty across efforts at the national level, too.

The original schedule called for each household to get a series of letters from the Census Bureau encouraging the occupants to submit their information by mail, phone or internet.

After that, the Census Bureau plans to send an enumerator to visit and seek the information in person.
Mayor Domenic Sarno has asked Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Gov. Charlie Baker for 75 National Guard personnel to assist the Springfield Police Department.

Twenty Springfield police officers have had to take time off work due to coronavirus related issues. Twelve officers are awaiting tests results and Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood is erring on the side of caution as a result by asking for support from the national guard.

A number of officers continue to be taken away from the public to be checked if theyre coming down with COVID-19, said Sarno. In turn, I have already put the request into MEMA and Governor Baker to request 75 national guardsmen and women to come to the City of Springfield as early as late next week.

Clapprood made clear that the Springfield police are still able to operate and are meeting all that has been asked of them. The request for the national guard is a precaution to ensure the safety of citizens into the future.

I expect the number [of COVID-19 cases] to go up, said Clapprood. The problem is the results. I have a dozen officers that were tested earlier in the week. Were in a holding pattern.

The speed of turnaround with testing has been the major issue with officers having to take time off duty. Clapprood is sure this will get worse before it gets better which is why she has taken the precaution of asking the Mayor for extra manpower.

I bug everybody, every day, said Clapprood. Ive been trying to get the results back but its still a five to six-day wait, unfortunately.

The troops will be under the supervision of Clapprood and will be partnered with police officers on patrols.

Whether its simply patrolling to keep breaking and enterings or vandalism down or whether its to keep people just feeling safe, said Clapprood. If I have a few national guardsmen with a Springfield police supervisor, I think theyd feel a lot better.

Related Content:

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A man was shot in the torso in West Brighton Thursday night, police said.

Police responded to Barker Street near Trinity Place at around 9:55 p.m. for a report of a shooting, an NYPD spokesman said.

The man was shot in the upper torso a possibly grazed in the ear, according to the spokesman.

He was transported to a local area hospital and his injuries did not initially appear to be life threatening, the spokesman said.

A black sedan that was still on the scene shortly after the shooting appeared to have broken windows.

No arrests have been made as of Thursday night and the investigation remains ongoing, police said.
(Newser)  Brazil's governors are defying President Jair Bolsonaro over his call to reopen schools and businesses, dismissing his argument that the "cure" of widespread shutdowns to contain the spread of the new coronavirus is worse than the disease. Bolsonaro contends that the clampdown already ordered by many governors will deeply wound the already beleaguered economy and spark social unrest, the AP reports. In a nationally televised address Tuesday night, he urged governors to limit isolation to high-risk people and lift the strict anti-virus measures they have imposed in their regions. "What needs to be done? Put the people to work. Preserve the elderly, preserve those who have health problems. But nothing more than that," said Bolsonaro, who in the past has sparked anger by calling the virus a "little flu."

story continues below

The governors protested on Wednesday that his instructions run counter to health experts' recommendations and endanger Latin Americas largest population. They said they would continue with their strict measures and, in a joint letter, nearly all of them begged the federal government to join forces with states. The rebellion even included traditional allies of Brazil's president. In a videoconference with Bolsonaro and governors from the southeast region, Sao Paulo Gov. Joao Doria threatened to sue the federal government if it tried to interfere with his efforts to combat the virus, according to video of their private meeting. The governors weren't the only defiant ones. Virus plans challenged by Bolsonaro were upheld by the Supreme Court. The heads of both congressional houses criticized his televised speech. Companies donated supplies to state anti-virus efforts. As of Thursday, Brazil had 2,915 confirmed cases and 77 deaths related to the outbreak.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
Dockless scooter companies charged into cities in 2018, promising a mobility revolution with cheap, clean rides and billions in venture capital backing. Yet they soon faced roadblocks, including shaky business models, safety concerns, and fast-moving city regulators. At the start of 2020, cash-losing operators were shrinking their headcounts and vehicle fleets.

Now as governments around the world fight to slow the coronavirus pandemic, micromobility companies are facing a deeper existential challenge. The two largest global operators, Lime and Bird, drastically reduced fleets by mid March. Several other startups, including Wheels and Jump, say theyre looking at how to continue operating as cities issue lockdown orders and demand plummets. The appeal of sharing a high-touch vehicle with an unknown number of strangers has succumbed to the fear of viral transmission.

Limes CEO and co-founder Brad Bao wrote in a blog post on March 21 that the startup is winding down or pausing service in all markets but South Korea. Prior to the pandemic, the company operated nearly 120,000 scooters in 30 countries across the Americas and Europe. Bird announced it is removing its fleets in six U.S. cities: Miami and Coral Gables, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; and Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose. It had already pulled vehicles from 21 European cities.

Jump, a subsidiary of Uber Technologies Inc., has paused electric bike and scooter rentals in most of its European markets and trimmed the size of its fleets across the U.S. It stopped service entirely in Sacramento at the citys request. Lyft Inc. has continued to operate its network of mostly docked bikeshare systems in eight U.S. markets. So far, its kept dockless scooters available for rent in all urban markets but Miami. Every company with vehicles in circulation said that they have heightened their handlebar sanitation protocols and are encouraging riders to do the same.

The sudden disappearance of scooters and e-bikes comes after months of industry turbulence. Lime and Bird have struggled to raise money from investors, and both cut staff starting late last year. The companies, once singularly focused on growth, have realized their problematic business plans need rethinking.

Last year, talks of an acquisition of either company by Uber didnt pan out. Some industry watchers said the eye-popping valuations of eachin 2019 Lime and Bird hit $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion, respectivelywere a factor. The Information reported on Thursday that layoffs are now imminent at Lime, as it seeks emergency funding at a valuation of just $400 million. (A Lime communications officer denied that layoffs are coming.) Uber and Lyft, both of which went public in 2019, conducted layoffs in their own micromobility divisions late last year, and both recently pulled dockless vehicles from several markets.

Wheels and Lime say ridership was rising before the start of widespread social distancing. The decisions to reduce urbanfleets now have been motivated largely by a sense of responsibility for the health of their riders and workers who maintain the vehicles, Lime and Bird say. The economics of the business is also an undeniable factor, said David Spielfogel, Limes chief policy officer. If everyone is sheltering in place and not moving around, the business is no longer sustainable, he said. Tourists, which generate significant scooter ridership in many cities, have also vanished from most markets. While there may be ways for Lime to generate revenue during the crisis, thats not a priority while people are at home, and governments are trying to get the virus under control, Spielfogel said.

Many investors, already skeptical about the viability of the e-scooter business, say the current situation could be the nail in the coffin for an industry beset by financial, safety, and regulatory woes. Ive heard a number of people compare the plight of the scooter companies to Uber and Lyft. Like them, scooters are seeing plummeting usage, says Aaron Michel, a partner at the early-stage venture capital firm 1984 Ventures, which has no investments in the micromobility space. Unlike Uber and Lyft, though, the verdict was pretty much in on the scooter industry before the virus arrived. Companies without major backers will go under, he expects, while deeper-pocketed businesses will pare back to bare minimums.

Emily Castor Warren, a principal and director of policy at the transportation planning firm Nelson\Nygaard and a former director of policy at both Lyft and Lime, agreed that the pandemic could be a death knell for scooter businesses with large overhead costs, especially those that were already in an uncertain financial position. I think its pretty dire, she says. If these lockdowns persist, theyre going to have to, at the very least, undertake major layoffs to core teams, because the one cost they cant bring down to zero is salaries for headcount and real estate for their offices.

The short-term outlook may not be so precarious for every micromobility company. Wheels, a startup that operates dockless electric minibikes in 17 cities in Europe and the U.S., raised $50 million in October in a funding round led by DBL Partners. Scooter operator Spin hasnt felt the same capital pressure as some of its peersits owned by the Ford Motor Co.

Still, last week Wheels decided to temporarily stop deploying bikes until the end of March, according to a press release. And until this week, Spin was the sole scooter provider to maintain normal operationsin its case, serving 66 U.S. cities and 12 college campusesbut it changed course on Tuesday. The company will retain scooters only in Austin, Baltimore, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., San Francisco, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

We have made the decision to pause our operations, as of today, in all other cities due to significant demand drop off as communities combat the fast-spreading virus, the companys co-founders wrote in a Medium post. This pause will remain in effect until further notice. Spins communications staff couldnt clarify which specific markets would be losing vehicles, and Fords communications team rebuffed multiple requests for interviews with executives.

Molly Turner, a lecturer in business and public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and an adviser to technology startups including Spin, said the cities the company is continuing to serve may indicate where its had the greatest financial success to date. The markets Spin is pulling out of may show where scooters werent a viable business or didnt have enough penetration to succeed without the special partnerships or promotions that are impossible right now, she says.

That may be the case for all companies in question, as travel right now, no matter what the mode of transportation, has come to a near standstill. Several scooter operators, including Jump, Lime, Spin, and Wheels, are considering opportunities to partner with local governments or essential service providers as a way to continue operations, as residents avoid buses, trains, and other public transit under shelter-in-place mandates. New York City saw ridership on its Citi Bike system jump 67% in mid-March, after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced social distancing guidelines. On March 21, ridership on the citys subway, the nations largest mass transit system, was down 87% from the same time last year.

Some investors view the decline in transit use as one reason for optimism about the mid-term prospects for micromobility. Assuming commuters remain skittish about crowding into buses and subway cars after the shelter-in-place orders lift, scooter and e-bike companies could take the opening to push for looser regulations and the reversal of the scooter bans ordered in some world cities, says Bradley Tusk, a co-founder and managing partner of Tusk Ventures and an investor in Bird. With warming weather, better needs, and arguments for legalization and less saturated markets, [and] with companies like Lime contracting, theres a legitimate opportunity over the next 3-6 months, he wrote in an email.

An additional upside could come in selling or leasing scooters and e-bikes directly to riders, says Niko Bonatsos, managing director at General Catalyst, an early-stage venture capital fund that hasnt invested in dockless rentals. Right now we hate each other and cant stand each others company, and getting an Uber or grabbing someone elses shared scooter might not be the best idea, he said. But if you have your own bike, now is the time to use it. Bird offers a monthly leasing program, as does the electric moped startup Zebra.

For cities that have come to value shared micromobility services as a sustainable transportation option, subsidizing them may be the only way to secure their existence long-term, Castor Warren says. Some traditional docked bikeshare systems, including those in Boston, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., are owned by local governments but operated by Lyft. In that model the city has more ability to ensure continuity of operations and ensure that service will be provided to the public, because theyve extended their own resources, even if the bottom falls out of the economy, she says.

Such a scenario would prove what skeptics have said about dockless scooters and ride-hailing companies from the start. History has shown that establishing a new transportation service often requires massive subsidies from investors or governments.

For now, even though they may be allowed to continue to operate in many cities, the scooter companies are going it alone. Says Turner: Theyre not getting a bailout from Congress.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Lucknow, March 27 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set up Team 11 to monitor the situation in various sectors amid COVID-19 and the subsequent nationwide lockdown.

The various teams are led by 20 IAS and five IPS officers.

The leaders of these teams will report directly to the chief minister, apart from holding regular meetings.

The teams will oversee working in medical, health, revenue, labour, agriculture, industry, law and order, animal husbandry, rural development, relief work, jail, industrial development etc.

"This is to ensure that all sectors are covered during the prevailing crisis and remedial steps are taken without delay in cases that require immediate attention," a government spokesman said.
US Increases 'Maximum Pressure' on Iran

By Jeff Seldin March 26, 2020

The United States is turning up its "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, slapping fresh sanctions on 20 companies and individuals for bolstering Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and elsewhere.

The U.S. Treasury Department unveiled the latest round of sanctions Thursday, accusing the companies and individuals of acting as part of a front for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.

Officials said the network has helped transfer "lethal aid" to two Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, while also smuggling weapons to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The companies and individuals also are alleged to have engaged in money laundering, illicit oil sales to Syria and a widespread intimidation campaign designed to bully Iraqi politicians into supporting policies favorable to Iran.

"Iran employs a web of front companies to fund terrorist groups across the region, siphoning resources away from the Iranian people and prioritizing terrorist proxies over the basic needs of its people," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The sanctions come as Iran is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic, reporting at least 29,000 cases and more than 2,200 deaths.

But even while bracing for a second wave of the outbreak, Iranian officials have repeatedly blamed U.S. sanctions for making it worse.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif again decried U.S. actions against Tehran on Thursday, telling nations it was a "moral imperative to stop observing the bully's sanctions."

U.S. officials, however, have pushed back, accusing Iran of repeatedly rejecting medical and humanitarian aid while at the same time helping to spread the coronavirus to its neighbors.

Mnuchin on Thursday promised the new sanctions would not interfere with efforts to help the Iranian people.

"The United States maintains broad exceptions and authorizations for humanitarian aid, including agriculture commodities, food, medicine and medical devices, to help the people of Iran combat the coronavirus," he said.

The Iran-linked companies targeted in the latest Treasury Department designations include the Reconstruction Organization of the Holy Shrines in Iraq  which claims to be a religious organization based in both Iran and Iraq  and the Iraq-based al-Khamael Maritime Services.

The U.S. also sanctioned Sayyed Yaser Musavir, an IRGC-Quds Force official who has been coordinating efforts with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq since 2014, and Shaykh Adnan al-Hamidawi, a Kataib Hezbollah special operations commander allegedly involved in attacks against U.S. and coalition forces as well as in a scheme to intimidate Iraqi politicians.

A statement from the U.S. State Department on Thursday further said that some of the sanctioned companies and individuals were involved in efforts to keep Iraq dependent on Iranian energy supplies.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The team has been in contact with the US Food and Drug Administration to obtain emergency approval of the device and is talking to manufacturers to see if the design can be mass produced

With the threat of a shortage of protective masks looming as the novel coronavirus pandemic grows, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) biomedical engineers and tinkerers had an inspired idea: unleash an army of makers from across the U.S. who could make such masks from 3D printers - a technology that, in recent years, has become widely available.

"High schools have a printer capable of making this," said Michael Yost, Ph.D., vice chair of research in the Department of Surgery. "Let's make this so simple that a high schooler could do it, yet effective to protect our people."

In a matter of days, a team came together and developed the Self-Assembly Filter for Emergencies, or SAFE, Cartridge System. The system could be used by medical professionals or by people who just need to go to the grocery store.

The team has been in contact with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to obtain emergency approval of the device. For now, the device remains investigational and should not be used as a replacement for conventional and approved Personal Protective Equipment.

Yost said the team is talking to manufacturers to see if the design can be mass produced once it has received approval.

The N95 masks that are currently in such short supply are essentially filters molded into mask form. Recreating those masks exactly proved too difficult. So instead, the team created a two-part solution: a 3D printed mask that can be cleaned and reused that will work in tandem with a 3D printed disposable filter cartridge. Alternatively, the filter cartridge could be used with an adapted hospital mask.

Joshua Kim, senior designer and program coordinator in the Department of Surgery Human-Centered Design Program, said he was inspired by the NASA engineers during the Apollo 13 disaster, who quickly devised a makeshift carbon dioxide removal system from materials on hand inside the lunar module, including duct tape and plastic.

"How can we utilize materials that people can get at a local hardware store and repurpose those materials to make protective equipment?" he asked.

The "95" in N95 means these masks filter 95% of particulates of a certain size, he explained. HEPA filters, like those used in air purifiers, filter around 99% of particulates. So he bought a HEPA filter and set about experimenting. Using the same testing that's used on N95 masks, he found that using those filters in the homemade cartridge did work - a positive sign that they were on the right track.

Meanwhile, another group was working on creating the masks. Dentists Walter Renne, D.M.D., and Christian Brenes Vega, D.D.S., regularly use 3D printing. "It's just a part of the job," said Renne, who estimated that 20% of dentists and 90% of dental labs have a 3D printer on hand. They enlisted the help of John Yost, a student and independent contractor who serves as a resource for all things associated with 3D printing on campus.

A team at MUSC developed a DIY protective mask that anyone with a 3D printer can copy.

Initially, they developed different prototypes that would work with different types of filters, including filters used by painters or people dealing with asbestos. They 3D scanned a mask to get the basic shape, then designed modifications so the mask could accommodate the disposable filter cartridge. The filter, noted Brenes Vega, is the most important part. Unfortunately, some people have turned to masks that aren't actually offering protection, he said.

Finally, they needed to solve the problem of releasing air pressure, Kim said. The filters are so effective that when the wearer exhales, the air will go to the area of least resistance to escape - in other words, not through the filter again but by causing the mask to lift slightly off the wearer's face. That exposes the wearer to the outside air and renders the mask worthless, Renne said. In response, the team installed a rubber valve, commonly used in other medical applications, that allows the exhaled air to escape the mask. As soon as the wearer inhales, the valve immediately shuts, Kim said, protecting the wearer.

Kim said that, for additional sealing and comfort, they added strips of neoprene weatherstripping foam around the edges of the mask. The foam provides a comfortable fit so the wearer's skin isn't touching the plastic mask and ensures it contours to the face as the wearer moves or talks.

With all the parts in place - the 3D printed mask and 3D printed cartridge fitted with a hand-cut HEPA filter and rubber valve - the group began fit-testing.

They took four prototypes to the Emergency Department and tested them on several users. So far, the masks have fit everyone, Yost said, although they want to expand their testing to include more face sizes and shapes.

The team is already printing masks at MUSC, even as they continue to perfect the design.

The biggest obstacle now is the time it takes to create the masks. MUSC's 3D printers aren't production-level printers. They're meant for creating prototypes when time isn't of the essence. It takes about four to five hours to print a mask and then about an hour to assemble everything.

Because of that time element, Yost is talking to manufacturers who could produce these in greater numbers. But the team is also openly releasing the plans so that anyone with a 3D printer can produce the masks.

In addition to creating the entire mask, makers could create just the disposable cartridge, which can be adapted to fit into the masks used in anesthesiology to deliver oxygen to patients.

###

Legal Disclaimer: Use at Your Own Risk. These technologies should NOT be used as replacements for conventional and approved Personal Protective Equipment ("PPE"). All technologies highlighted on this page were created as exploratory studies conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina in an effort to further protect the safety, health and well-being of our care team members and patients in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless otherwise noted, these technologies have not been industry tested, have not been NIOSH approved, have not been otherwise certified to provide any level of personal protection, and have not been FDA cleared. Full legal disclaimer available at https://web.musc.edu/innovation/COVID-19%20Innovation

About the Medical University of South Carolina

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is the oldest medical school in the South, as well as the state's only integrated, academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 700 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state's leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2018, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $276.5 million. For information on academic programs, visit http://musc.edu.

As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available, while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians' practice plan, and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2019, for the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the number one hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit http://muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care.
Police said they broke up another wedding Thursday in Lakewood, N.J., at least the third time township officers had to disperse a group violating the states ban on gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Patrol officers at the scene of a car accident discovered the celebration taking place on Wayne Street, according to Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith.

While tending to the scene two vans pulled up with would-be wedding guests. The officers then noticed that a nearby backyard had a party tent set up, the captain said in an email.

It was not immediately clear how many people were at the wedding, Staffordsmith said. Officers issued a criminal complaint for maintaining a nuisance to 39-year-old William Katzenstein.

Gov. Phil Murphy banned gatherings - including weddings - in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected at least 6,876 people in New Jersey.

Our social distancing directives are not polite suggestions. We will enforce these, Murphy said Wednesday at his daily briefing on the virus.

Last week, Lakewood police also broke up two weddings in the densely populated township.

Health officials reported 468 positive cases of the respiratory virus in Ocean County, with 198 in Lakewood as of Thursday.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attended a global meet ofC40 Cities Climate Leadership Group to discuss the coronavirus outbreak where he spoke about the steps taken in the national capital to control the spread of the pandemic.

"This is a crisis of unprecedented scale and we are committed to learn and collaborate with leaders across the world. Together, we will win," Kejriwal said at the meeting held through video conferencing, according to a statement.

Representing Delhi and India at the meet,the chief minister said the national capital hasaggressively pursued the policy of identifying contacts of COVID-19-affected patients and isolating them, the statement said.

According to the statement, the chief minister was joined by top leaders of several megacities from around the world, such as mayors of Los Angeles (Eric Garcetti), Seoul (Won-soon Park), Paris (Anne Hidalgo), Milan (Guiseppa Sala), Istanbul (Ekrem Imamoglu) and Rome (Virginia Raggi),among the 45 mayors who were present at the meet.

"Delhi has less than 40 COVID-19 positive cases to date, after 25 days of when the first case was detected," Kejriwal was quoted as saying.

He said the economic fallout of the lockdown has disproportionately impacted the city's poor, especially migrant workers from across the country who live in Delhi.

The CM also said the Delhi government is paying Rs 5,000 to every construction worker as sustenance allowance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TORONTO (AP)  Canada is increasing a payroll subsidy to small- and medium-sized businesses to now cover up to 75 percent of salaries as the country braced for a shutdown that a top health official said will last months.

Canada's Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, said they are in it for the long haul.

It's not going to be days and weeks, it's going to be months, Njoo said. "Is there a possibility of a second wave? Who knows."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a major increase over his original 10 percent wage subsidy plan. Trudeau said it became clear they needed to do much more.

We have to get through these coming months of restricted economic activity when people need to stay home, Trudeau said Friday.

The prime minister said it means people will continue to be paid even though their employer has had to slow down or stop its operations because of COVID-19.

He said he hopes employers who are being pushed to lay off workers will think again. And he hopes those who have already let people go will reconsider given the new wage subsidy. It is backdated to March 15.

We're going to be here for you, Trudeau said. Small- and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. You are collectively the largest employer in the country. You support millions of families."

Benjamin Bergen, executive director of the Council of Canadian Innovators, said the government is finally hearing the concerns from the business front lines with the wage subsidies. He said many companies may go bankrupt in April.

"It is really, really bad and many wont make it regardless of these announcements. Even a 100% wage subsidy would be too little to help given the long list of other costs, particularly rent," said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Weve had five business owners call us this week talking about suicide.

Canada's central bank also cut interest rates for the third time this month.

Story continues

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, meanwhile, will send out emergency alerts to cellphones, radios and TVs on Friday, warning recent travelers to stay at home. The alert will tell travelers returning to Ontario that they are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days as they are at high risk of spreading COVID-19 It will tell them, ``DO NOT visit stores, family or friends.''

The message will say that everyone should stay home to help stop the spread of the virus.

Trudeau, meanwhile, said it would be a mistake for the Trump administration to position troops near the Canadian border. He said he's told that to the White House, and that he's still seeking clarity on American plans. The Wall Street Journal, citing an unidentified U.S. official, reported late Thursday that the Trump administration had dropped its consideration of the plan. Canada and the U.S. already closed the border to all non-essential travel.

Canada has more than 4,043 confirmed cases and about 39 deaths. Officials said about 6.5% are in hospital and 2.5% are in critical condition. Canada has conducted more than 165,000 tests.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan on March 26 inspected one of the 15000 protective suits donated by a Chinese company in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. The donation was made by China to Pakistani doctors and paramedics facing a shortage of emergency supplies.

PM @ImranKhanPTI inspected one of 15000 protective suits donated by a #Chinese company on Thursday for #Pakistani doctors & paramedics facing a shortage of emergency medical supplies while dealing with a surge in #COVID19 cases. pic.twitter.com/TxXYvrEcV0  Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) March 26, 2020

READ| Pakistan Opposition netas walk out of Coronavirus meet after Imran Khan walks out on them

In the thick of a global outbreak, Pakistan confirmed 1193 positive Coronavirus cases, and 9 deaths on Friday morning with--421 cases in Sindh province, 25 in Islamabad, 123 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 408 in Punjab, 131 in Balochistan and 85 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 22 ruled out complete lockdown in the country, saying it will create chaos and urged people to self-quarantine to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

READ| Coronavirus: Imran Khan refuses complete lockdown, says 'Situation not similar to Italy'
Ethiopia has appointed head of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) as its new ambassador to Morocco.

President Sahle-Work Zewde appointed Bacha Gina, CEO and President of the CBE, for the job earlier this month.

Gina, led the CBE for 20 months and earned the financial institution the award of The Best Commercial Bank for the 2019, granted by The Global Business.

Dear ex- colleagues of CBE, Thank you for your hard work and support during my 20 months tenure of leading CBE as a president. I do believe that your perseverance in taking CBE towards vision of becoming world class by 2025 shall continue!! he said in a Tweet.

Bacha Gina is holder of a BA and a MBA.

Aside from Gina, President Zewde also appointed envoys to several other countries, including the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belgium.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: An Arunachal Pradesh native residing in Hyderabad was allegedly subjected to racism by over 15 people who purportedly called her 'coronavirus' when she went to buy essentials amid the lockdown in the city.

A journalist who has lived in the city for many years, took to Twitter to voice out her horrible experience. She tweeted, "On my way to Medical shop today, at least 15 people called me coronavirus. #CoronaVillains #21daysoflockdown."

On my way to Medical shop today, at least 15 people called me corona virus. #CoronaVillains #21daysoflockdown  Leemi Keche (@keche_leemi) March 25, 2020

ALSO READ | Man spits at Manipur woman, calls her corona, sparks fury in Delhi

Her tweet garnered a lot of attention on social media, with many airing their support for her. "In the wake of Coronavirus what fears me the most is not the pandemic but these kind of racist people. The Northeastners are not just fighting the virus but the deadly virus in this type of peoples mind. #ChineseVirus #CoronaVillains," she said in another tweet.

In the wake of Corona virus what fears me the most is not the pandemic but these kind of racist people. The Northeastners are not just fighting the virus but the deadly virus in this type of peoples mind. #ChineseVirus #CoronaVillains  Leemi Keche (@keche_leemi) March 26, 2020

She also said that it was not just her who was subjected to the same slur, but also her friend who was working as a nurse in the city. However, not everyone was supportive to her plight, with many trolling her. Responding to one such troll on her social media, she said, "I have shared my actual experience which happened to me. I didnt know some people would go to this extent. Please stop politicising and stop making it more ugly. I repeat I am NOT here for attention! #CoronaLockdown."

Minister of State in Union Home Ministry G Kishan Reddy expressed solidarity to the woman. Retweeting her, he said, "It is disheartening to hear about instances where people make comments that are racial & discriminatory.

"I condemn this & request @TelanganaDGP & @CPHydCity to take strong action against these anti-social elements. Anyone facing such incidents may bring it to my notice."

It is disheartening to hear about instances where people make comments that are racial & discriminatory.

I condemn this & request @TelanganaDGP & @CPHydCity to take strong action against these anti social elements.

Anyone facing such incidents may bring it to my notice. https://t.co/LROPkdATbO  G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) March 27, 2020

Telangana's IT and Industry Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi's (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao said, "This is indeed repugnant, absolutely acceptable. Request @TelanganaDGP to issue clear instructions to register cases on those who indulge in slander/abuse of fellow citizens. I appeal to all citizens to be graceful, compassionate & show your best side at this hour of crisis."
VANCOUVER, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Trilogy Metals Inc. (TSX/NYSE American: TMQ) ("Trilogy Metals", "Trilogy" or the "Company") is pleased to report the public release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") by the United States Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") for the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project or AMDIAP (Ambler Access Road).

Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project ("AMDIAP")

On March 27, 2020, the BLM, the lead federal agency for the permitting of the AMDIAP, released the Final EIS for the AMDIAP. This follows on the Draft EIS completed on August 23, 2019.

The final step in the permitting process for the AMDIAP is the issuance of the Record of Decision by the BLM and the issuance of the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit from the United States Army Corp. of Engineers. The Company expects these two items to be issued concurrently within the next couple of months.

For more information on the Final EIS please visit the BLM website at https://www.blm.gov/alaska.

James ("Jim") Gowans, interim President and CEO of Trilogy Metals commented, "I would like to congratulate the BLM for getting the Final EIS over the line. The completion of the Final EIS marks a critical milestone for the permitting process of the Ambler road which will unlock the incredible mineral potential of the Ambler Mining District. Trilogy, through its joint venture company, Ambler Metals LLC, is already discussing the next steps for the financing and development of the road with the Alaska Industrial Development Export Authority ("AIDEA"). The mandate of AIDEA is to advance economic growth and diversification in Alaska by providing various means of financing and investment."



About Trilogy Metals

Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metals exploration and development company which holds a 50 percent interest in Ambler Metals LLC which has a 100 percent interest in the UKMP in northwestern Alaska. On December 19, 2020 South32, which is a globally diversified mining and metals company, exercised its option to form a 50/50 joint venture with Trilogy. The UKMP is located within the Ambler Mining District which is one of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic VMS deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to host high-grade copper and cobalt mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler mining district - the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within land package that spans approximately 172,636 hectares. The Company has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., a Regional Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local communities. Our vision is to develop the Ambler mining district into a premier North American copper producer.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties; the expected timing for the Record of Decision and Section 404 permit; or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the uncertainties involving our assumptions with respect to the likelihood and timing of the AMDIAP; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties as well as the construction of the access road; the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2019 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The Company's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

SOURCE Trilogy Metals Inc.

Related Links

www.trilogymetals.com


The COVID-19 storm of severe respiratory illness is rapidly approaching, but will it be a southerly buster or a cyclone, the latter potentially overwhelming our acute health services. The storm's strength will depend on measures taken now, including our capacity for expanded COVID-19 testing and associated self-isolation measures.

There has been considerable discussion about how Australia is responding, including our capacity for COVID-19 testing. Despite strident criticism from some, Australia has much higher population testing rates than most major countries impacted by COVID-19, including Britain and the US.

An international traveller dressed in protective clothing arrives at Sydney Airport on Friday. Credit:AAP

Our first priority was to test people with symptoms (fever, or cough, or other respiratory symptoms) plus either return from overseas in the past 14 days or close contact with a person known to have COVID-19. This was a pragmatic decision while testing capacity was being implemented more broadly. These were the initial criteria in hospital-based screening clinics, where testing has ramped up considerably over the last two weeks. The criteria are being broadened, with already any healthcare workers with symptoms alone being tested, with others with symptoms next to be added, as community transmission evolves. There were two key reasons for not advocating widespread testing among people without symptoms, including those with contact histories.

First, the potentially exposed who test negative can still become infected within 14 days following exposure. Multiple consecutive testing would therefore be required to exclude infection, and self-isolation is recommended whether infected or not.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung has pledged to give a W100,000 cash voucher to every resident of the province, which will cost taxpayers W1.3 trillion (US$1=W1,229). When the mayor of Bucheon questioned the effectiveness of the plan and stressed it would be better to give W4 million to each cash-strapped small business, Lee threw a hissy fit and threatened to exclude cities and counties that oppose him. This kind of threat was rare even during Korea's military dictatorships. But the governor seems to think that taxpayers' money belongs to him. It is deeply troubling to see how incontinent the governor is, but perhaps he calculated the odds and concluded that the criticism the Bucheon mayor could face from locals if they are excluded from the cash vouchers would balance out his threat.

The governor is naturally eyeing the presidency as a ruling-party candidate and has been trying very hard to score political brownie points as the general election looms. He led a late-night raid on a church run by the Shincheonji sect which was accused of holding secret prayer meetings and violating quarantine rules as the coronavirus epidemic spread. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon was quick to jump on the bandwagon. Park vowed to spearhead coronavirus tests of around 70,000 sect followers but only found two cases. Lee then pledged to send 1.2 million face masks, 10,000 coronavirus diagnosis kits and W1.2 billion worth of disinfectants to North Korea, only to scrap the plans when faced with a hostile reaction here (US$1=W1,229).

It is quite common for politicians to exploit catastrophic events for political gain, but surely there must be limits. Lee's threat to cut off 830,000 people in Bucheon from the cash vouchers simply because of an opposing voice is definitely going too far. Populist policies may seem to be the norm now, but this is too much.

Of course the central and local governments need to help low-income families and small businesses that have been hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic. But no country in the world has provincial governments racing against each other to shower money on their citizens. Even Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki has warned that such policies "could be out of synch" with the government's goals. The central government needs to put a stop to this nonsense.


Syracuse, N.Y.  New York states coronavirus crisis has, so far, been largely New York Citys coronavirus crisis.

The epicenter of the city and surrounding counties account for 96% of all COVID-19 cases in the state. Upstate hasnt been immune, of course, but has had a fraction of the cases and a rate per capita about 100 times lower than Downstates.

Upstates numbers are on the rise, though, and in some ways mirror Downstates trajectory. Hospitalizations, a crucial number to track, are roughly doubling every two days in Onondaga County, about where Downstate was a week ago.

New York Citys rapid outbreak set off an alarm statewide, giving Upstate hospitals an early start to start adding beds and ventilators. And Gov. Andrew Cuomos orders earlier this month to keep people away from each other, largely in response to the crisis Downstate, might have staved off the worst here.

So while the virus might have snuck into Upstate in the cough or on the hands of someone who visited New York City, the spread of the virus here might be slowed by the fact that were all in the same state. If Cuomos social distancing measures work, Syracuse hospitals, which have already cleared out about 25% of their beds by canceling elective surgeries and scrounged for more ventilators, could see many of those beds remain empty.

If thats the case, Upstate might soon be caring for its downstate neighbors. On Thursday, Cuomo floated the idea of moving patients from downstate to Upstate hospitals as a last resort. He offered no details.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said hes willing to take them if Syracuses hospitals have enough room for local residents first.

Were all in this together, McMahon said Thursday afternoon. We have to make sure we have beds available for Central New Yorkers and Northern New Yorkers.

The New York City area has nearly half of all the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the entire country. There are several reasons the metropolitan area is the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic:

* The metropolitan area is an international hub, with three airports bringing in travelers from around the world. The virus evolved in China and spread rapidly to Europe and the U.S.

* People live very close to each other. Onondaga County has 571 people for every square mile of land. New York City has 28,000.

* New York state has tested more residents than any other state, and the more you test the more positives you find. The state has tested 1 of every 160 residents; only Washington, which had the first outbreak in the U.S., has done more per capita.

Upstate has more confirmed cases than Texas, which has about 10 million more residents than New York. As of Tuesday, Texas has confirmed only 736 cases. Its not clear if thats because the virus isnt as prevalent there or because Texas had done about 10% of the 122,000 tests New York has done. Or both.

While the number of positives can be distorted by how many tests are done, hospitalizations and deaths are clear-cut numbers. As of Thursday, 5,327 New Yorkers were hospitalized, and 385 had died. Texas has had 11 deaths.

Upstate will see the number of COVID-19 cases surge, too, but its not clear how fast or how many, said Dr. Kathryn Anderson, a professor of medicine and immunology at Upstate Medical University.

We think were not at the same place as New York City, but we think that we could be, Anderson said. We think our level of transmission is relatively low, but certainly that could increase.

Although Upstate has far fewer people per square mile than Downstate overall, Upstate cities are still dense enough for the virus to spread rapidly. Syracuse has about 5,600 people per square mile, making it only a quarter as dense as New York City but denser than Albany and Buffalo.

We still have pockets of pretty high population density in Upstate New York, so we that (a rise in cases) could potentially happen, said Brittany Kmush, a public health professor at Syracuse University. There would be fewer cases overall, but I think we could see a similar rise.

Cuomo says the number of cases could peak in 21 days, or about April 10. Upstates peak, if it comes, would likely be a couple weeks after that.

Experts say Cuomos social distancing measures, from closing schools to urging people to stay home, could dramatically slow the speed of the viruss transmission. Its too early to tell, though, because the measures have been in place for a week to 10 days, and a person with the virus can infect others for as long as two weeks.

The people testing positive now could have been exposed before the social distancing measures were imposed.

We should expect that social distancing may take up to two weeks before it makes a difference, said David Larsen, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Syracuse University. We started it last week, and well have another week before we know.

READ MORE

Whats the real number to watch when tracking coronavirus?

Coronavirus in NY: 37,258 cases confirmed, deaths jump 35% to 385

Syracuse hospitals go into wartime planning to brace for coronavirus
Some hotel managers were visibly upset when we talked to them about the departure of their last clients earlier this week, after the government ordered them to close by 26 March because of the coronavirus.

Their stories about these last travellers show how attractive this region still is for tourists; barely a fortnight ago the sector was looking forward to an excellent year, but is now in lockdown.

Initial refusal to leave

The manager of one of the most emblematic hotels said it took five days to persuade an octagenarian tourist from Canada that the best thing he could do would be to go home. Not even his age or the fact that he was at high risk of Covid-19 could convince him, nor the danger of the airspace being closed or the order for all hotels to close.

This loyal client, who was spending two months in Torremolinos for the fourth consecutive winter, insisted that he was booked in until the end of April and the best thing would be for him to stay in the hotel. He didn't care that he wouldn't be able to go for a walk on the beach or around the town, he said. Finally, when relatives also put pressure on him to return, he checked out.

Around a thousand tourists were still in the hotels this week, but in most cases it was because they couldn't get a flight home. Some, however, refused to accept reality, such as a British couple who arrived at one hotel in Malaga, went to the reception area and demanded their right to stay there for the week they had booked.

When the staff told them about the lockdown and the hotels having to close, they still insisted they were in their rights to stay. And they did, although in the end they had no choice but to leave early. They went to the airport to try to get a flight home, from a holiday which nobody could understand why they hadn't cancelled.

Flouting lockdown rules

There was also a problem when some hotel guests refused to comply with the lockdown. Another hotel manager says that on the second day he had to close the cafeteria because a group of Scandinavians had sat down in there immediately after breakfast and were very drunk by midday.

The last ten guests in a hotel in Malaga city centre weren't happy, either. They were Americans who were very concerned about the difficulties they suddenly faced in getting home. President Trump had banned flights from Spain. Russian tourists occupying three bedrooms in another hotel in Malaga faced the same problem. They found themselves confined in Spain with nowhere to go.

Regular winter guests

Professionals in the sector say most of the last tourists in hotels on the Costa were regular clients who have been coming to spend the winter months here for years.

"About 70 per cent of my clients in the winter come for three to four months," said one hotel manager, but he cut the conversation short because he was overcome with emotion. We kept hearing words like "catastrophe" and "total disaster", and sentences such as "we'll have to start from scratch" in the conversations we had with those who were about to shut down and had said goodbye to their clients.

Some people even live all year round in hotels on the coast, and found themselves homeless when the order to close was announced. "I have one foreign lady who sold her house and lives here permanently," said the owner of one establishment. In her case she moved into an apartment, because she understood the difficulties the hotel sector and the destination were experiencing.

Waiting for flights

The president of the MS chain, Miguel Sanchez, said one of his hotels, the Amaragua, had 520 clients when the order to close came through, and all but 80 left straight away. The remainder were waiting for repatriation flights which were being organised by tour operators to get them out of the country before the hotels closed definitively until further notice.

Tourists were allowed to say in hotels up to 26 March at the latest and then go home, or if not possible find alternative rental or hotel accommodation in the government's approved list of those that can stay open.
Sydney, March 27 : Australia's New South Wales (NSW) was considering a lockdown after a record 145 "source unknown" coronavirus cases were reported, the local government said on Friday.

As of Friday morning, there were 13 death among 2,985 confirmed cases in Australia, with 186 new cases since Thursday afternoon, Xinhua news agency quoted the Department of Health as saying.

NSW health authorities announced on Friday that there were 186 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the total number of infections in the state to 1,405.

Among them 145 were contracted locally via unidentified sources.

"That tells us we are starting to see the increasing spread from unknown sources," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Friday, adding that was a number "we're most worried about" and she was ready to implement lockdown if required.

Berejiklian said that no cruise ship would be allowed to disembark their passengers in NSW until further notice and police would increase their presence on streets.

NSW police now could issue fines of A$1,000 to individuals and A$5,000 to business for breaching public health orders or ministerial directions.
President Trump discouraged House members from scuttling plans to pass the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package by voice vote Friday when he addressed reporters from the White House Thursday.

'I think it will go through pretty well, from what I hear. Virtually everybody. There could be one vote. One vote. There could be one grandstander maybe,' he said, though neglected to name any lawmaker. 'And for that, we will have to come back and take a little more time. But it will pass. It'll just take a little longer. But let's see whether or not we have a grandstander.'

On Friday, the House of Representatives plans to vote for the package - and if no member objects can do so by voice vote, which means a quorum won't have to be present.

President Trump discouraged a lone House 'grandstander' from delaying the passage of the $2 trillion coronavirus when the House of Representatives votes on the package Friday. The president made the comments Thursday in a White House press briefing

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has green-lit a plan to have the House vote for the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package by voice vote - but that can be scuttled if just one member from either party objects

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, indicated Wednesday that she wasn't pleased with the corporate-tilt of the then-unfinished Senate bill. And said she was open to forcing the House to hold an in-person vote

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday he might hold the bill up and have members come back and vote on it themselves. Massie said he was concerned about violating the Constitution if a quorum isn't present

Several lawmakers have already tested positive for the coronavirus, so both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy are taking precautions.

Two lawmakers - one from each party - have threatened to object and request a recorded vote instead, which would force lawmakers to return to Washington.

On Wednesday, that's something Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, said she'd consider, objecting to the corporate-tilt of the package, which was first fashioned by Senate Republicans.

Ocasio-Cortez told CNN she was 'open' to demanding a recorded vote - though also was aware it would be an unpopular move.

'With the health risks of travel, there is no easy choice here. But essential workers are showing up and putting their health at risk every day, and if the final text of a bill is set up to hurt them, it may be something we have to do,' she said.

Then on Thursday, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, expressed that he might hold up the bill as well, citing Constitutional issues about voting without a quorum present.

He also pointed out, according to the Washington Post, that members of the Senate are, on average, older than those in the House, and they came to Washington and voted Wednesday.

'If 96 percent of them can make it, then cant 51 percent of the people who, on average, arent in the dangerous cohort, more vulnerable cohort  how come they cant make it?' Massie mused.

Earlier Thursday, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of the House's conservative leaders, said he wasn't aware of anyone planning to block a voice vote on Friday but planned to talk more with colleagues before the vote.

'If that's the method used to get this to the American people, to get this passed, then I think lots of members are probably OK with that,' Jordan said Thursday as he drove back to Washington. 'I know the plan is for it to be a voice vote, and that's what the leadership has said they're for, and I think that's fine.'

Wednesday nights unanimous Senate vote on the bill was striking - a united front that followed days of sometimes tumultuous negotiations and partisan eruptions.

Democrats twice voted to block the bill to seek further add-ons and changes.

The legislation will pour $1,200 direct payments to individuals and a flood of subsidized loans, grants, and tax breaks to businesses facing extinction in an economic shutdown caused as Americans self-isolate by the tens of millions.

It dwarfs prior Washington efforts to take on economic crises and natural disasters, such as the 2008 Wall Street bailout and President Obama's first-year economic Recovery Act.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 06:57:49|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Roofs of buildings are covered with snow in Bologna, Italy, on March 26, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 8,165 lives in locked-down Italy by Thursday, with the cumulative number of cases reaching 80,539, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

BRUSSELS/GENEVA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- European nations on Thursday brought in more tough measures to curb the contagion as COVID-19 continues its advance in the continent.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged all countries to unite against the pandemic, warning that "millions could die" without aggressive action.

SURGING NUMBERS

Italy is one of the nations bearing the brunt of COVID-19 in Europe. It has seen the total number of infections rise to 80,539, according to the latest count released by the Civil Protection Department on Thursday. The death toll there has increased to 8,165.

In neighboring France, the virus claimed 365 lives in 24 hours, bringing the total fatalities to 1,696 while the number of confirmed cases jumped to 29,155.

Jerome Salomon, Director General of Health, noted however that currently the number of deaths only takes into account those who passed away in hospital. Deaths in retirement homes and at home will be available soon, which is likely to result in a big increase in fatalities.

On the same day across the English Channel, Britain reported the single-day deaths of more than 100 for the first time since the outbreak of the disease, taking the tally to 578. Confirmed cases in the country has risen to 11,658.

To date, Spain and Germany have seen the number of confirmed cases up to 56,188 and 36,508 respectively. The total death toll in Spain exceeded 4,000.

These figures came at a time when WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned at the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 held via video link on Thursday: "Almost half a million people have already been infected, and more than 20,000 have lost their lives. The pandemic is accelerating at an exponential rate."

APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY

The WHO chief said, "Without aggressive action in all countries, millions could die. The full social, economic and political fallout, only time will tell."

He raised three requests to address the global crisis that demands a global response. The first is to fight. "Fight hard. Fight like hell. Fight like your lives depend on it -- because they do. The best and only way to protect life, livelihoods and economies is to stop the virus. No excuses. No regrets," the WHO chief noted.

"We must immediately build, expand, train and deploy health workers to find, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact," he added.

The second is to unite. "No country can solve this crisis alone. We're all in this together, and we will only get out of it together," he said, calling for global solidarity.

The third is to ignite. "Repurpose the industrial might of your nations for this effort. Ignite global production for the tools we need to save lives now. Ignite innovation for vaccines and therapeutics. And ignite a global movement to ensure this never happens again," he said.

TOUGH MEASURES

In the race against the virus, European countries have continued to upgrade their responses.

Italy's privacy regulator on Thursday okayed a temporary decree that will allow the government to use "digital contact tracing" to track the movements of people infected by the coronavirus or who may have come into contact with infected individuals.

In a statement from the Guarantor for the Protection of Personal Data (Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Peronali) -- Italy's privacy watchdog -- Antonello Soro, president of the regulator, said the measure "was not a question of suspending privacy rights [but rather] of providing effective tools to contain the outbreak while balancing respect for the rights of our citizens."

In Spain, the parliament has given its approval to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's request to extend the State of Alarm to April 12 from the original March 14.

A State of Alarm grants the government special powers to limit the movement of citizens, control the means of production, and use private assets as well as the military to carry out essential logistical and supply work if needed.

Meanwhile, Germany has set up a new research network to link university hospitals to fight COVID-19.

A total of 150 million euros (164 million U.S. dollars) were made available to finance the establishment of the network -- 100 million euros this year and an additional 50 million euros next year, according to Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek.

"This unique scientific project, this interaction of different forces will really take us a big step forward" in the research and treatment of COVID-19, said Karliczek.

In Britain, the National Health Service (NHS) is seeking thousands of extra staff among health workers recently retired, while a military field hospital with 4,000 beds is being installed in east London.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that 405,000 people had responded in just 24 hours to a call for volunteers to support the NHS and vulnerable people, significantly more than the 250,000 initially sought.

In Albania, which confirmed 174 cases, the government will convert the campus of a former private university in Tirana into a hospital for the treatment of patients infected with coronavirus. The temporary hospital will initially provide about 100 beds.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said that the new quarantine hospital must be ready to use within 30 days. (1 euro= 1.10 U.S. dollars)
Betty White has been closely following the Centers for Disease Control's advisement to remain in self-isolation amid the coronavirus crisis.

To stay safe during the pandemic, the 98-year-old beloved American icon is wisely limiting any contact with others to avoid contracting the virus.

The Golden Girls star remains in 'good health' and is 'relaxing through her quarantine' at her residence in Los Angeles, according to TMZ.

Checking in: Betty White is wisely limiting any contact with others to avoid contracting the virus and following California's stay-at-home orders; seen in September 2018

The outlet reported White's 'essential errands, like groceries, are being taken care of for her so she never has to leave the house.'

Additionally, the legendary actress is 'only coming in contact with people being equally cautious of the virus' and respect her state's stay-at-home orders.

Two weeks ago, a representative for the veteran actress issued a statement to NBC's Today to reassure her fans, 'Betty White is fine.'

Staying safe: According to TMZ , the Golden Girls star remains in 'good health' and is 'relaxing through her quarantine' at her residence in Los Angeles; pictured with her golden retriever Pontiac

Worried fans: Concern for her spread largely on Twitter following the news Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for coronavirus

Concern for White spread largely on Twitter following the news Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for coronavirus.

One fan tweeted: 'PLEASE quarantine #BettyWhite. I'll send all my sanitizer if it means keeping out national treasure safe #CoronavirusOutbreak.'

The pioneer of television's career, which has spanned 80 years, has lasted longer than any other entertainer.

Legend: The pioneer of television's career, which has spanned 80 years, has lasted longer than any other entertainer

Achieved: She has been nominated for eight Emmys and has won three, two for her work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and one for The Golden Girls

She started out in 1939 just month after graduating from Beverly Hills High School and her first jobs were on local TV and radio in Los Angeles.

She has been nominated for eight Emmys and has won three, two for her work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and one for The Golden Girls.

In her later years, she continued to win over a new generation of TV viewers, starring on the ABC primetime series Boston Legal from 2005 to 2008 and the TV Land sitcom Hot In Cleveland from 2010 to 2015.

Her most recent role was as part of the voice cast for last year's Toy Story 4.
Rotunda Rumblings

Ahead of the curve? Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, for the first time has put numbers to what had previously been only a model to emphasize the need to flatten the curve of coronavirus cases - and offered optimism that the projected peak is getting close to a manageable number. But, she said Thursday, We have got to even clamp down more. Why? Based on projections by Ohio State University researchers, Ohio is still on the way toward exceeding the hospital capacity for the peak in April. Cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports on the numbers between the crucial two-line curve.

Counting counties: President Donald Trump on Thursday notified the nations governors that he plans to publish criteria to help classify counties according to their coronavirus risks, to help state and local policymakers decide whether they need social distancing and other restrictions theyve imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus, cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton reports. Ohio officials were cool to the idea, with Gov. Mike DeWine telling reporters he plans to relax sanctions at some point, but were not to the point now where we can do that.

The latest: As of Thursday afternoon, 867 people tested positive for coronavirus. Deaths have increased to 15, cleveland.coms Laura Hancock reports. And Exner has his daily county-by-county map and trends.

The worst: Ohio may have 6,000 to 8,000 new confirmed cases a day during the coronavirus peak, Hancock reports. The peak, according to the new modeling by OSU, is expected to be in April, but the state would prefer it to be in May to lessen the burden hospitals experience.

Change of address: DeWine and legislative leaders have agreed to postpone the governors State of the State speech, which had been scheduled for March 31, until after the coronavirus emergency. As cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer reports, DeWine, Senate President Larry Obhof and House Speaker Larry Householder issued a statement vowing to work together throughout this crisis to serve the best interests of every Ohioan.

By the numbers: We told you Thursday about the Great Lakes Poll, which showed Trump with a slight lead in Ohio and overwhelming voter support for the lifestyle changes weve had to make to stave off the coronavirus. Cleveland.com rolled out a comprehensive package on the poll by Baldwin Wallace University and its partners, which found health care as the top issue, coronavirus being viewed as a real threat and strong support for DeWines actions.You can find all of the coverage here.

Voting guide: All these election cancellations/ rescheduling / postponements / extensions, etc. have you confused? Cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias has a Q&A on how Ohioans can request a mail-in ballot for the March 17 primary, which state lawmakers have extended through April 28.

Saving the economy vs. saving lives: On the latest episode of cleveland.coms weekly news and analysis podcast, This Week in the CLE, we dive into the debate that some in America are having: Is the health of the economy more important than saving a lot of lives through restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus? We also unpack the results of the Great Lakes Poll. Give it a listen.

Lending a hand: State Treasurer Robert Sprague is reconfiguring the states investments to try to help Ohio hospitals save on their borrowing costs, Tobias writes. Sprague announced this week hes buying up to $900 million in debt hospitals routinely issue to help cover operations. Borrowing for hospitals is normally easy, but costs have spiked in the past week amid market turmoil linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic and Nationwide Childrens Hospital, have applied.

Release me: The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the state to reply to a lawsuit filed by an HIV-positive inmate who wants to be released from prison, claiming Ohio cannot guarantee the social distancing and hygiene requirements to stem the spread of COVID-19, cleveland.coms Adam Ferrise reports. Noteworthy is the court responding to the case, since it was filed by an inmate without an attorney -- cases courts often dont take seriously.

Claims adjustment: More than 187,000 Ohioans filed unemployment claims in the week ending March 14, cleveland.coms Evan MacDonald reports. Its a staggering number, considering at the same time last year, 7,046 people sought unemployment benefits.

Cover of the Rolling Stone: Not exactly. But a fiery floor speech that Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown delivered about the GOP response to coronavirus drew notice from Rolling Stone magazine, which interviewed him about subjects including what should be included in a relief package and why Americans shouldnt listen to Trump during the pandemic. What the president says is either misleading or wrong or outright lies, or always for his political benefit, Brown told the publication

Unpacking the stimulus package: It looks like Columbus is the only Ohio city with a population over 500,000 poised to get direct funding from the stimulus package Congress is expected to pass this week, writes Liz Skalka of the Toledo Blade. Lawmakers and Toledo leaders are unhappy that small- and mid-sized cities are left out.

Buckeye Brain Tease

Question: This music festival bills itself as Ohios most unique due to an everyday household item of yore that headlines the event, held each year on Fathers Day.

Email your response to capitolletter@cleveland.com. The first correct respondent will be mentioned in next weeks newsletter.

Thanks for responding to last weeks trivia question:

What river originates in Auglaize County and flows to the Ohio River?

Answer: The Scioto River flows over 230 miles to Portsmouth in Scioto County. Its largest tributary is the Olentangy, which flows into the Scioto at Confluence Park in downtown Columbus.

Capitol Letter reader Michael D. Farley, the Ohio Insurance Institutes vice president of government affairs and general counsel and a resident of the Columbus suburb of Worthington, was the first to send in the correct answer.

Birthdays

Friday: Jennifer Tock, Ohio House page resource officer

Saturday: State Rep. Paul Zeltwanger; Terese Herhold, Ohio Senate Democrats director of policy, budget, and finance

Straight from the Source

Jon Husted What I would like to do is clearly define for you what is defined as an essential business:

Step 1: Go to the website

Step 2: Figure it out yourself

Step 3: Dont call us for help

Hope this helps.'"

- McNeil, an Ohio Twitter personality, who has been watching the lieutenant governor during the daily coronavirus briefings and providing his own interpretation of Husteds words.

Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free.
A man has been charged after he allegedly stole hundreds of rolls of toilet paper from supermarkets in Sydney during the coronavirus crisis.

Police will allege in court that the 30-year-old man stole about 400 rolls of toilet paper from the restricted storage areas of supermarkets in Auburn and Granville last weekend.

The 30-year-old man was refused police bail and is due to appear in court on Saturday. Credit:NSW Police

The man, who was in the company of another man, also allegedly attended supermarkets in Bass Hill and Lidcombe on Sunday with the intent to steal, police say.

The supermarkets reported the thefts and attempted thefts to police, and officers from the Wetherill Park Region Enforcement Squad launched an investigation. Police also appealed to the public for help to find the culprits.
How Books and Buckets program in Long Beach aims to keep kids away from gang violence
Police have launched a murder investigation after a womans body was found in church grounds in east London.

Officers were called to the scene on Thursday afternoon following the discovery in Plaistow.

The woman in her 40s was found with multiple injuries to her body in the grounds of Memorial Community Church, according to police.

She was declared dead at the scene, Metropolitan Police said.

No arrests had been made by Friday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Darren Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: We are working hard to establish the circumstances of what happened to the victim and at this stage we are keeping an open mind regarding a motive.

The incident is believed to have happened in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Police were alerted of womans body in the grounds of the church on Barking Road at around 3pm on 26 March.

A crime scene remained in place on Friday with officers searching the surrounding area and roads closed.

Richard Tucker, the northeast area borough commander, said: This is a shocking incident but I want residents to know that a team of specialist officers are working tirelessly to identify and apprehend whoever is responsible.

I am grateful for our local communitys support and assistance during this time.

Anyone with information about incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 3805/25Mar or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The count is based on people who reside in DuPage County regardless of where they may have been diagnosed. There has been one fatality, a woman in her 90s with underlying health problems who died this week after contracting the virus in a Willowbrook nursing home facility where she lived, the health department statement said.
Broader mandate will help more companies brave the challenges of these extraordinary times



Government of Canada enables domestic powers for Export Development Canada (EDC) during COVID-19 crisis.

Broader mandate and scope will enable EDC to provide emergency liquidity for micro-, small- and medium-sized domestic companies through Canadian financial institutions and private credit insurers.

Through Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP), EDC will guarantee new operating credit and cash flow term loans that financial institutions extended to small to medium sized enterprises, up to $6.25 million. The program cap for this guarantee program will be a total of $20 billion for export sector and domestic companies.

OTTAWA, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To further help Canadian businesses facing extreme financial challenges brought on by the global response to coronavirus (COVID-19), the Government of Canada has expanded EDCs domestic capabilities until December 31, 2021, effective immediately.

EDC has 75 years of experience supporting Canadian businesses as they pursue international opportunities, said EDC President and CEO Mairead Lavery. Today, working with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), were excited to expand our support to companies focused domestically, helping them get through this incredibly challenging time.

Broadening EDCs mandate and scope of activity will enable EDC to help Canadas financial institutions provide financing and credit solutions to domestic-oriented businesses, helping even more Canadian companies raise the credit necessary to survive this unprecedented crisis.

Canadian businesses, especially small in size, are the backbone of our economy and are at the heart of our communities across the country, said Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, Mary Ng. By expanding EDCs capabilities within Canada, we will be able to give more direct support to businesses and entrepreneurs who need it most in the face of COVID-19.

Story continues

These measures are on top of those included in the previously announced Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP), which, on account of EDCs temporarily broadened mandate, is now open to all Canadian businesses regardless of their exporting status.

The Government of Canada will also endeavor to ensure that micro and small- sized businesses have access to the capital they need to see them through the current challenges through the creation of the $25 billion Canada Emergency Business Account program.

Through this program, Canadas financial institutions will be providing emergency liquidity support to micro and small- sized businesses are affected by COVID-19. Businesses can access loans of up to $40,000 to cover non-deferrable costs such as payroll, rent, insurance and utilities.

These financial products will be available to existing business clients of the financial institutions, who they can contact for more information.

Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), financially sustainable Crown corporations, are working together to respond to the needs of Canadian companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working in partnership with the Government of Canada and private and public sector partners, they are using each others strengths and products and services to help Canadian businesses navigate these extraordinary times. Together they will help provide emergency economic relief to mitigate the economic impact on Canadian businesses.

Customer Support/Access to information

New to EDC and seeking more information please call 1-800-229-0575 or tell us how we can help here . Current EDC Customer needing working capital and financial solutions should contact their account manager. Existing customers needing any assistance with insurance products and online portals should contact 1-866-716-7201 and support@edc.ca . If you require additional support or are seeking more information you can visit the Government of Canada website Resources for Canadian Businesses for the latest updates on relief measures available to Canadian businesses.

For more information on BCAP: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance.html .

About EDC

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation dedicated to helping Canadian companies of all sizes succeed on the world stage. As international risk experts, we equip Canadian companies with the tools they need  the trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections  to grow their business with confidence. Underlying all our support is a commitment to sustainable and responsible business.

Media Contact

Media
Empty chairs and tables at closed bars and restaurants in London. (David Cliff/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

New figures lay bare the devastating collapse in work in Britains hospitality sector, crippled by the coronavirus and unprecedented government lockdown to save lives.

Workers in restaurants, hotels and other venues have seen shifts nosedive by 76.7%, new analysis suggests.

Sales were in freefall even before the government ordered many venues to close and banned large events, with customers staying away. Food and drink outlets have been allowed to remain open for takeaways and hotels for essential trips, but many venues have closed their doors.

The latest data is from fintech firm Wagestream, which lets employers pay wages early. It processes pay for 36,000 staff in the leisure, pub, bar and restaurant industries, who would normally fill around 120,000 shifts a week.

Read more: Hospitality hardship fund overwhelmed and forced to turn away workers

Available shifts last Sunday, two days after prime minister Boris Johnson ordered most venues to shut, were just a quarter of the number available one month earlier.

Yahoo Finance UK revealed last week industry leaders believed 500,000 hospitality jobs had already been slashed, as firms stop trading with no idea when or even if they will restart.

An industry charity also had to turn away hospitality workers from its hardship fund just a day after it launched on Monday, overwhelmed by the number of requests for help. Hospitality Action received more than 30,000 emails in a single day inquiring about its emergency Covid-19 fund for workers in trouble.

The government recently confirmed 477,000 people had applied for the universal credit benefit in just nine days. No data was made available on applicants previous jobs however, and the unemployed are not the only people eligible for universal credit.

Read more: UK high street struggling even before the coronavirus hit

But the chancellor Rishi Sunaks unprecedented offer to fund up to 80% of the wages of staff who would otherwise be laid off has been welcomed.

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls called it a generous package that may have saved up to a million jobs, but said struggling firms needed the cash urgently to survive.
Only a handful of worshippers attended Friday prayers near the entrance leading to the Al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem after Muslim authorities closed the compound to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The compound was shut earlier this week, while the mosque itself and the iconic golden Dome of the Rock were shuttered last week.

The Israeli government announced new restrictions that will bar most people in Israel from venturing more that 100 meters (yards) from their homes.

As a result some Muslims chose to pray in the street.

As of Friday, there have been at least 3,035 cases and 10 deaths from the new coronavirus in Israel.

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.
From contributing to the chief minister's relief fund to helping people tide through the lockdown, lawmakers, community leaders and well-to-do families in Mizoram are joining hands to fight the coronavirus.

Calling for concerted effort to deal with the prevailing situation, Chief Minister Zoramthanga provided financial assistance of Rs 1.2 lakh to all local-level task forces within his constituency, Aizawl East-I.

Mizorams lone Lok Sabha member C Lalrosanga on Thursday donated Rs 15 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for purchase of personal protective equipment and other necessary expenses.

Lalrosanga, who is currently camping in the national capital, is closely monitoring the condition of the people from the state stranded in different parts of the country so as to ensure that they face no inconvenience.

Deputy chief minister Tawnluia also provided financial assistance of Rs 1.72 lakh to local-level task forces on COVID-19 within his constituency, Tuichang.

He lauded volunteers set out to fight the deadly virus while risking their lives. Tawnluia assured them of all kinds of help.

Health minister R Lalthangliana donated Rs 1 lakh to Hnahthial district task force.

Congress leader and Palak MLA KT Rokhaw donate Rs 10 lakh to the Siaha district-level task force to fight the virus.

He asked the people to support the volunteers and also adhere to the government guidelines to prevent its further spread in the state.

Rajya Sabha member Ronald Sapa Tlau also donated Rs 10 lakh to the CMRF.

Ruling Mizo National Front MLA Lalrinsanga Raltte and Zoram People's Movement legislator Vanlalthlana not only installed water tanks for public use but donated money and assisted families facing a food crisis.

Young entrepreneurs John Lalpeka and Lalmalsawma Nghaka also donated Rs 5 lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively, to help the efforts in tackling the disease.

Mizoram synod donated Rs 2 lakh to the CMRF.

The state reported its first case of coronavirus on Wednesday with a 50-year-old man, who returned from Amsterdam, testing positive. He is undergoing treatment at the Zoram Medical College (ZMC) and his condition is stated to be improving.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dairy farmers may face dumping milk on their farms as processors warn they may not have the capacity to cope if coronavirus affects shut down processing during the peak milk season.

The Irish Independent understands intense discussions will take place between processors and farm organisations in a bid to stave off what has been described as a possible catastrophic failure of the dairy supply chain.

With the majority of Irish dairy farmers now calving their cows in early spring, the approaching peak production month of May is occupying the minds of the industry as it battles the implications of Covid-19 while keeping milk processed.

The processing capacity in Ireland is extremely tight, and the loss of any plant due to loss of key staff from Covid-19 or mechanical failure has the potential to be catastrophic for farmers and the co-operative system alike.

Commenting on the scale of the challenge, Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) director Conor Mulvihill said this is a national issue - not confined to any one processor.

"We estimate spare processing capacity could be as low as 1pc to 2pc at May peak.

"There is a huge danger if anything goes wrong - not to mind the Covid challenge.

"Our production managers are estimating that 2020 peak supply could be as high as an unprecedented 250 million litres per week.

Put simply, if one processor goes down, the knock-on consequences would be unimaginable for the entire industry."

Mr Mulvihill said as this crisis develops and deepens, processors are concerned that potential employee Covid-19 positive cases in processing sites may cause a production line or even a full factory to go down.

"This is something that we cannot afford and would have serious consequences for farmers and companies alike.

"We have seen processing difficulties reported with our colleagues in Italy, Croatia and France.

"We are actively working with our regulatory authorities to guide us on what we can do in the event that we cannot collect or process milk.

"There has been massive industry collaboration across processors, government and farmers as we fight to keep milk collected and processed," he said.

President of Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) and Tipperary dairy farmer Pat McCormack said it is important that people remain calm, and plan for every eventuality in the event of an issue arising.

"It is essential for the processors to be ready to co-operate in every way possible, including processing milk for each other, sharing milk collection routes or indeed sharing skilled staff if required.

"Regulatory authorities must also assist this level of co-operation by not placing any unnecessary barriers to co-operation," he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 28) - The national government has directed local government units in the country to identify possible isolation or quarantine facilities for COVID-19 patients.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force, said the Department of Interior and Local Government will issue guidelines regarding this order.

The local government units in the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels, as well as those in the Bangsomoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, are directed to identify government facilities that maybe temporarily converted into isolation or quarantine facilities, said Nograles in a virtual address late Friday.

He said the directive will also apply to government-owned and -controlled corporations.

Private hospitals like The Medical City and St. Lukes Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City and Quezon City said recently that they have already reached maximum capacity and can no longer accept additional COVID-19 patients.

Nograles said the Department of Public Works and Highways is tasked to conduct site operations on the identified quarantine facilities.

The Department of Health on Thursday said it is eyeing the Quezon Institute and the Philippine Red Cross as the countrys first community quarantine facilities for patients under monitoring and investigation, and those who are newly discharged.

The Department of Education, meanwhile, already allowed LGUs to use public schools as temporary quarantine sites.

The local governments of Quezon City and Manila have already set up their own quarantine facilities made up of tents.

READ: LGUs eye public schools, hotels as quarantine facilities; consider more hospitals to house COVID-19 patients

DOH Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that quarantine sites must be closed-door but with enough ventilation.
U.S. destroyer sails through Taiwan Strait: MND

ROC Central News Agency

03/26/2020 02:01 PM

Taipei, March 26 (CNA) A United States military vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed Thursday.

The transit came amid China's continued military harassment of Taiwan, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The vessel sailed north via the Taiwan Strait, according to an MND statement, describing the trip as a "regular transit."

"The Republic of China Armed Forces fully monitors the movement of ships and aircraft around our airspace and waters. No irregularities have been noticed," the short statement said.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet, through its Facebook page, identified it as the USS McCampbell.

"The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) conducts underway operations in the Taiwan Strait," said the U.S. Pacific Fleet in a caption of a photo dated March 25.

Other photos in the Facebook page showed an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter taking off from the flight deck.

Meanwhile, a chart posted on Twitter by Aircraft Spots, an military air movement tracker, indicated that a U.S. Navy EP-3E aircraft was operating in the South China Sea near Taiwan Wednesday.

The reconnaissance plane remained in the airspace off Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung several times, according to the chart.

The appearances of U.S. military assets near Taiwan, including U.S. B-52 bombers, MC-130J transport planes and P-3C anti-submarine surveillance aircraft in February, were interpreted by observers as a counter-measure against China's military maneuvers in the region.

China, which has not renounced the option of using military force to bring Taiwan under its control, has continued to harass the country, despite the worsening of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

On Feb. 9-10, a number of Chinese H-6 bombers and escort aircraft flew south of Taiwan and into the Western Pacific, briefly crossing the Taiwan Strait median line in the process, resulting in Taiwan's Air Force having to scramble jet fighters to intercept and monitor their movements.

A similar incident took place March 16, in which China conducted its first night flight training mission southwest of Taiwan, and briefly approached Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone.

(By Matt Yu and Emerson Lim)

Enditem/J

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Global coronavirus death toll passes 25,000, with Italy and Spain announcing almost 2,000 fatalities in just 24 hours.

The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus in the United States surpassed 100,000 on Friday, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

Italy, meanwhile, announced 919 new deaths from coronavirus, the highest number of fatalities any country has reported in the space of 24 hours since the outbreak began late last year.

The total number of people who have died as a result of COVID-19 in Italy now stands at 9,134. Further dashing hopes that Europe is containing the pandemic, Spain recorded 769 new deaths in a daily, bringing the total number to 4,858.

Worldwide, more than 25,000 people have died from coronavirus, an infection which has affected more than half a million people.

More than 127,000 people globally have recovered from COVID-19.

Here are the latest updates:

Click here for Saturday, March 28 updates

Friday, March 27

22:30 GMT  Trump says US will make 100,000 ventilators in 100 days

US President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States would produce 100,000 ventilators in 100 days and said he had named White House aide Peter Navarro as the coordinator of the Defense Production Act.

Were going to make a lot of ventilators, Trump said, pledging to take care of US needs while also helping other countries.

Trump said there was a great chance the United States would not need so many ventilators to fight the coronavirus outbreak, and would then help other countries in need.

21:43 GMT  US confirmed coronavirus cases surpass 100,000

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States surpassed 100,000 on Friday, with more than 1,500 deaths reported, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Italy, meanwhile, had more than 86,000 cases, with over 9,000 deaths.

20:45 GMT  US Congressman Mike Kelly tests positive

US Representative Mike Kelly, Republican of Pennsylvania, said on Friday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, the fifth member of Congress to do so.

In a statement, Kelly said he had started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms earlier this week, and his doctor ordered a test that he obtained at a drive-through testing site.

My test came back positive this afternoon, he said. My symptoms remain mild, and I will serve the 16th district from home until I fully recover.

20:40 GMT  Syria state media reports Assad and Abu Dhabi crown prince spoke on phone

President Bashar al-Assad and Abu Dhabis Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan have spoken on the phone, Syrian state media reported, in the first such call since Syrias war began in 2011.

The crown prince confirmed the conversation in a tweet, saying the two had discussed updates on COVID-19.

I assured him of the support of the UAE and its willingness to help the Syrian people. Humanitarian solidarity during trying times supersedes all matters, and Syria and her people will not stand alone, he said.

I discussed with Syrian President Bashar Alassad updates on COVID-19. I assured him of the support of the UAE and its willingness to help the Syrian people. Humanitarian solidarity during trying times supersedes all matters, and Syria and her people will not stand alone.     (@MohamedBinZayed) March 27, 2020

20:35 GMT  US President Trump signs $2.2T rescue package

US President Donald Trump has signed a $2.2 tn rescue package after it was passed by the House of Representatives on Friday.

The unprecedented package is meant to serve as life preserver to a US economy and health care system upturned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The package will ship payments of up to $1,200 to millions of Americans, bolster unemployment benefits, offer loans, grants and tax breaks to businesses large and small and flush billions more to states, local governments and the nations all but overwhelmed health care system.

A pedestrian walks on an nearly empty Wall St, near the New York Stock Exchange as coronavirus disease outbreak continues in New York City [Mike Segar/Reuters]

20:30 GMT  US Army Corps looking at over 100 facilities

The Army Corps of Engineers is looking at potentially converting more than 100 facilities in the US to assist with the strain on hospitals dealing with the spread of the coronavirus, the commanding general of the Corps has said.

Today, were looking at 114 different facilities in 50 states and five territories, Lieutenant General Todd Semonite told reporters at the Pentagon that the Army Corps. He said the Corps had assessed 81 of the facilities so far.

Semonite said that he planned on having 2,910 rooms ready at the Javits Center in New York by Monday. He added that Army Corps was aiming to provide facilities for 3,000 people with the coronavirus at Chicagos McCormick convention center by April 24 for about $75 million.

20:25 GMT  Syria bans most domestic travel

Syria has said it was banning travel between cities and governorates as part of tightening measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, state-run Ikhbariya TV reported, citing the interior minister.

Syria has recorded five cases of coronavirus so far but relief agencies worry that any outbreak could be lethal after years of conflict that has ravaged its healthcare system.

The travel restriction, effective from Sunday, comes on top of a curfew announced this week from 6 pm to 6 am and after the country has halted flights and ordered the closure of most businesses.

20:15 GMT  Trump orders GM to produce ventilators under Defense Production Act

US President Donald Trump has signed an order requiring carmaker General Motors Co to produce ventilators to fight the coronavirus pandemic under the Defense Production Act.

In a memorandum released by the White House, Trump said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar would determine the number of ventilators GM must produce.





19:40 GMT  Turkeys Erdogan calls for voluntary quarantine

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on more than 80 million citizens to implement a voluntary quarantine and not to leave their homes unless for basic and emergency needs, as the countrys death toll from coronavirus reached 92.

Erdogan also announced an end to all international flights, and said pandemic councils will be formed in Turkeys 30 big cities to take additional precautions if necessary.

19:25 GMT  Paris Fashion Week, Haute Couture Week cancelled

Two of the main events in the fashion calendar, the Paris Fashion Week and the Haute Couture week, due to take place in June and July, have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers have said

Strong decisions are required to ensure the safety and health of Houses, their employees and everyone working in our industry, the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) said in a statement.

The board of directors has come to the decision that, in the present conditions, the Paris Fashion Week Menswear, scheduled from June 23rd to June 28th, 2020, and the Haute Couture Week scheduled from July 5 to July 9, 2020, cannot take place, it said.

19:15 GMT  US Representative Joe Cunningham tests positive

US Representative Joe Cunningham, a Democrat from South Carolina, has said he has tested positive for the coronavirus, although his symptoms have already begun to improve.

Cunningham said he had been tested a day ago at a local testing clinic. Today, I learned that I had tested positive, he said in the statement. He said he had been in self-quarantine since March 19 after learning that he had been in contact with another member of Congress who had tested positive.

Cunningham is the third member of the House of Representatives to test positive for the virus; one senator has also tested positive.





19:05 GMT  Cases in Ireland rise above 2,000, with three new deaths

The total confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ireland have risen to 2,121 from 1,819 a day earlier, with three more deaths reported to bring the number of fatalities to 22, the health department said.

The health department said of those hospitalised in cases analysed by the end of Wednesday, 59 patients had been admitted to intensive care units.

19:00 GMT  Merkel, Trump to explore cooperation on fighting pandemic

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump have agreed during a phone call to explore possible cooperation on combating to the coronavirus pandemic, a German government spokesman said.

The chancellor and the US president agreed to remain in close contact and to exploit possible cooperation avenues, the spokesman said in a statement, giving no further details.

18:50 GMT  4 passengers dead aboard cruise ship anchored off Panama

Four passengers have died aboard a cruise ship now anchored off the coast of Panama and two people aboard the ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the cruise line has said.

Holland America Line said in a post on its Facebook page that more than 130 people aboard the Zaandam had reported flu-like symptoms.

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam, the statement said. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.

The Zaandam departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7. The ship was trying to get to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being denied permission to dock at its original destination of Chile a week ago.

The Zaandam cruise ship, left, carrying some guests with flu-like symptoms, is anchored shortly after it arrived to the bay of Panama City on Friday [Arnulfo Franco/The Associated Press]

18:35 GMT  Mattarella: Europe needs new measures to tackle pandemic threat

Europe must adopt new measures to confront the threat posed by the coronavirus, Italian President Sergio Mattarella hsa said, warning that the EU had to react before it was too late.

New initiatives are vital, overcoming old ways of thinking that are now out of touch with the reality of the dramatic conditions facing our continent, Mattarella said in a rare, televised address to the nation.

I hope everyone fully understands, before it is too late, the seriousness of the threat faced by Europe.

18:30 GMT  France death toll rises by 299

The death toll in France has risen by 299 to 1,995, according to authorities.

The climb in the number of deaths represents a daily rise of 18 percent, a less-marked increase from the previous day. Meanwhile, cases in the country have increased from 29,155 to 32,964.

18:20 GMT  Trump wishes UK PM Johnson a speed recovery from coronavirus

US President Donald Trump has wished British Prime Minister Boris Johnson a speedy recovery from coronavirus during a phone call, Downing Street said.

They agreed to work together closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic, Johnsons office said in a statement.





18:05 GMT  IMF approves changes to enable debt service relief for poorest countries

The IMF has said its executive board had approved changes that would allow it to provide up to two years of debt service relief to its poorest and most vulnerable members as they respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

The IMF said it had expanded the qualification criteria for its Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) to reflect the circumstances created by the pandemic.

As a result, all member countries with per capita income below the World banks operational threshold for concessional support would now be eligible for debt service relief for up to two years, it said in a statement.

18:00 GMT  British ministers wont be tested for virus unless they show symptoms

Boris Johnsons top team of ministers wont be tested for coronavirus unless they show symptoms, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has, after the British Prime Minister and his health minister tested positive.

Asked whether other cabinet ministers would automatically be tested, Gove said: People are tested if they are symptomatic and those members of the central effort in helping to defeat the virus who do show symptoms are appropriately tested.

But I think you can tell from the fact that the three of us are here that demonstrates that there are three of us who have not yet demonstrated any symptoms, Gove said at a news conference.





17:55 GMT  UK approves two new temporary hospitals in Birmingham and Manchester

The UK will build a further two hospitals to handle coronavirus patients, the head of Englands publicly funded National Health Service (NHS) has said.

Today because this is a problem of course not just confined to London but across the whole country, I have given the go-ahead to the building of two further of these NHS Nightingale hospitals beginning at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre and the Manchester Central Convention Centre, with further such hospitals to follow, said NHS England CEO Simon Stevens.

A temporary hospital is already being constructed in London, and is due to receive patients next week.

17:50 GMT  Turkeys death toll rises by 17 to 92

Turkeys coronavirus death toll rose by 17 on Friday to 92, while the total number of cases rose by 2,069 to 5,698, the countrys health minister told a press conference.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the country needed wider measures against the coronavirus outbreak, adding that the country had more than 1 million test kits.

17:45 GMT  Zimbabwe imposes 21-day nationwide lockdown from Monday

Zimbabwe will impose a nationwide lockdown for 21 days from Monday to help curb the spread of coronavirus, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced.

Only state and health workers will be exempted from the lockdown, Mnangagwa said. Zimbabwe has five confirmed coronavirus cases, including one death.

A woman is screened by a Health worker before visiting a relative at a public hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe on March, 21 [Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/The Associated Press]

17:35 GMT  US House of Representatives passes $2.2T rescue package

The US House of Representatives has rushed to President Donald Trump a $2.2 tn rescue package after passing it on Friday, potentially tossing a life preserver to a US economy and health care system left flailing by the coronavirus pandemic.

The House approved the sweeping measure by a voice vote, as strong majorities of both parties lined up behind the most colossal economic relief bill in the nations history. It will ship payments of up to $1,200 to millions of Americans, bolster unemployment benefits, offer loans, grants and tax breaks to businesses large and small and flush billions more to states, local governments and the nations all but overwhelmed health care system.

17:30 GMT  Turkey limits intercity bus travel, bans beach walks and fishing

Turkey has limited intercity bus travel and banned walks and fishing along the seashore and beaches, as well as jogging in forests and parks on weekends, as Ankara extended measures against the coronavirus.

Local governors could decide to extend the decision to week days, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told an interview on NTV news channel.





17:20 GMT  IMF says world already in recession, emerging markets need $2.5 tn

The coronavirus has already plunged the global economy into recession, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said, adding immense pressure on emerging markets suffering from lost commerce, reduced exports and massive capital outflows.

Georgieva told a news conference that emerging market countries need at least $2.5 tn in financial resources to get through the pandemic. Internal reserves and borrowing in local markets will be insufficient to cover these needs, so substantial funding from the IMF, other institutions and bilateral creditors will be necessary.

16:40 GMT  Italy reports highest daily death toll of 919

Italy has reported 919 new deaths from coronavirus, the highest daily number since the outbreak began.

Authorities had reported 969 deaths on Friday, but 50 of those occured during the previous counting period, but whose notification came too late to be included in the official figures released on Thursday.

The daily toll is also the highest reported by any country since the outbreak began in China in late December.

Italys overall death toll is now 9,134. Cases in the country have risen to 86,498 from 80,539 a day before, Meaning on Friday, Italy became the second country, after the US, to pass the total number of confirmed cases in China.





16:30 GMT  Englands Chief Medical Officer self-isolating with symptoms

Englands Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has said he would self-isolate at home for the next seven days after experiencing symptoms compatible with Covid-19 on Thursday night.

Whitty has worked closely with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said earlier on Friday he had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Canada has recorded 4,043 coronavirus cases, 39 death

Canadas Deputy Chief Medical Officer Howard Njoo said Canada has confirmed 4,043 coronavirus infections with 39 deaths.

16:15 GMT  Turkey removes 6,000 refugees migrants from Greek border

Turkey has sent some 6,000 refugees and migrants waiting at the Turkish-Greek border to cross into the European Union to cities inside the country, the interior minister has said, as part of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Tens of thousands of migrants had gathered at the border trying to get into EU member Greece since Turkey said on February 28 it would no longer keep them on its territory as part of a 2016 deal with Brussels reached in return for European aid for the refugees.





16:05 GMT  World Bank head calls for easing debts of poorer countries

World Bank President David Malpass has said poorer countries will need debt relief or restructuring so they can fund their fights against the coronavirus pandemic, and said the World Bank would present a debt-relief approach in April.

Poorer countries will take the hardest hit, especially ones that were already heavily indebted before the crisis, Malpass said in a teleconference video to the International Monetary and Financial Committee. But to achieve debt sustainability, many countries will need debt relief. This is the only way they can concentrate any new resources on fighting the pandemic and its economic and social consequences.

16:00 GMT  France extends lockdown by two weeks to April 15

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in a speech the government had decided to extend the countrys coronavirus lockdown by two weeks until April 15.

After these first 10 days of confinement, it is clear that we are just at the beginning of this epidemic wave. It has submerged eastern France and now it is arriving in the Paris region and northern France, Philippe said.

He said for this reason, the confinement period would be extended by two weeks from Tuesday next week, and added that the same rules would apply. He said that this period would only be extended again if the health situation required it.

15:50 GMT  New York could see apex of hospital demand in 21 days: Governor

New York state could see a peak in the demand for hospital capacity in three weeks due to the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference.

Cuomo, speaking against a backdrop of makeshift hospital beds at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, also said schools should remain closed for another two weeks until April 15th.

Over 39,000 cases have been confirmed in the state, the epicentre of the US outbreak, with 461 deaths.

15:45 GMT  Canada to cover 75 percent of small business payroll wages: PM

Canada will cover 75 percent of payroll wages for small businesses and give those companies access to one-year interest-free loans so they can avoid laying off employees, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

Trudeau said the wage subsidy for small and medium-sized businesses will be backdated to March 15, adding he hoped companies would rehire workers they had laid off.





15:30 GMT  Trump calls on automakers Ford, GM to get going on making ventilators

President Donald Trump has criticised the General Motors company and cited the Defense Production Act after saying the automaker reduced the number of ventilators it said it could provide to hospitals struggling to care for patients ill with coronavirus.

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out, Trump said on Twitter. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar.

In another tweet, the president added: General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!! @GeneralMotors @Ford  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

15:15 GMT  Death toll in Italys Lombardy rises by about 541 in a day

The death toll in Italys Lombardy region, the epicentre of the outbreak in the country, has risen by about 541 in a day, taking the total deaths to 5,402, a source familiar with the data told Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, cases in the country have risen by about 2,409, taking the total to 37,298, according to the source.

15:00 GMT  Govt says Spain food supply chains functioning smoothly

Spains food supply chains are functioning smoothly despite the coronavirus epidemic, government spokeswoman and budget minister Maria Jesus Montero has said after a cabinet meeting.

The cabinet also approved measures to prevent employers from laying off staff. Spain is the European Unions largest exporter of fruits and vegetables.





14:55 GMT  Beirut Airport extends flight suspension to April 12

Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut has it would extend a suspension of all commercial and private flights until April 12, according to the Daily Star publication.

The airport had initially suspended flights for two weeks on March 18.

14:35 GMT  Chile cases rise by 304 to 1,610

Chile has confirmed 304 more cases of coronavirus in the country, the largest increase in one day, bringing the countrys total to 1,610, according to the health ministry.

Five people have died in the country from the outbreak. The majority of the cases have been reported in the metropolitan area of Santiago.

14:30 GMT  Global death toll passes 25,000

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has passed 25,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Worldwide, there have been over 553,000 cases reported. Over 127,500 people have recovered.

Municipal workers wearing protective gear carry the coffin of a victim of COVID-19 at El Salvador cemetery in Vitoria, Spain. [Vincent West/Reuters]

14:25 GMT  Buckingham Palace to scale back Queen Elizabeths birthday parade

A parade to celebrate the official birthday of Britains Queen Elizabeth will not go ahead in its traditional form in light of restrictions on social gatherings due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, Buckingham Palace has said.

The large parade of soldiers through central London, known as Trooping the Colour, is scheduled for Saturday June 13. The Queens actual birthday is April 21.

In line with Government advice, it has been agreed that The Queens Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, will not go ahead in its traditional form, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. A number of other options are being considered, in line with relevant guidance.

Britains Prince Charles announced he had tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. [Kirsty Wigglesworth/The Associated Press]

14:20 GMT  UK death toll rises to 759, up 31 percent in one day

UK authorities have said 759 people had died in the country after testing positive for coronavirus as of 17 GMTThursday, among a total of 14,579 confirmed cases

The death toll stood at 578 just 24 hours earlier, meaning the toll had jumped by 31 percent.

14:15 GMT  Chaos and hunger amid India coronavirus lockdown

Indias strict 21-day lockdown of 1.3 billion people, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, has disrupted lives and left some migrant workers and poor individuals facing hunger, experts tell Al Jazeera.

While India has an existing welfare programme for the poor, which the government appears to be using to provide direct cash transfers and food grains, nearly 85 percent of Indias population works in the informal sector. Migrants, in particular, do not have access to these resources.

Read more here.

India was placed under complete lockdown on Tuesday [Javed Sultan/Anadolu]

14:10 GMT  IMF says global output to contract in 2020, exploring financing options

The coronavirus pandemic will cause global economic output to contract in 2020, top officials of the IMF has, adding that an exceptionally high number of countries need IMF emergency financing.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and International Monetary and Financial Committee Chair Lesetja Kganyago said in a statement that to ease foreign exchange shortages for many developing countries, the IMF is exploring additional options that go beyond the Funds traditional lending facilities.

We are in an unprecedented situation where a global health pandemic has turned into an economic and financial crisis. With a sudden stop in economic activity, global output will contract in 2020, they said.

14:05 GMT  Trump attacks Republican lawmaker threatening delay stimulus

US President Donald Trump has criticised a Republican congressman who is considering tactics to delay a House of Representatives vote on a massive coronavirus stimulus bill, calling Representative Thomas Massie a third-rate grandstander.

He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous & costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive, Trump said in a tweet.

WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party! he added.

Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault. It is HELL dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

14:00 GMT  Italy to extend schools shutdown past current April 3 limit

Italys education minister has said schools across the country would remain closed beyond the current April 3 limit due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Our aim is to ensure that students return to school only when we are completely sure that it is safe, health is the priority, Education Minister Lucia Azzolina told State broadcaster RAI.

Schools and universities have been closed nationwide since March 5, as part of a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus which has so far killed more than 8,000 people in Italy, the highest death toll of any country in the world.

13:45 GMT  Reporters Without Borders says Kashmir internet restrictions could be deadly

The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) organisation has called on the Indian government to restore high-speed internet in Indian-administered Kashmir, saying keeping the restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic is criminal irresponsibility.

Internet service had been blocked in the region following the Indian government s stripping of the region s autonomy in August of last year and placing it under lock down. In January, limited 2G service was slowly restored. Rumours that the restrictions, in light of the coronavirus outbreak, would be lifted have been dispelled by the government.

Imagine a population under a coronavirus lockdown that cannot communicate by Internet, said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF s Asia-Pacific desk. This is the cruel reality to which the citizens of the Kashmir Valley, including its journalists, are currently being subjected.

Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir impose a complete lockdown amid the growing fears of COVID-19 spread. [Shuaib Bashir/Al Jazeera]

At a time when people under lockdown all over the world are using the Internet to work, communicate and get information, the 8 million Kashmiris continue to be cut off from the absolutely vital information that is needed to prevent the spread of the pandemic, he said.

As this demonstrates potentially criminal irresponsibility, New Delhi must immediately restore high speed Internet in the Kashmir Valley.

13:35 GMT  EU leaders agree to consider climate in recovery plan

European Union leaders have agreed that the blocs coronavirus economic recovery plan should take heed of its aim to fight climate change.

Following a six-hour video conference, the 27 EU leaders agreed late on Thursday to coordinate a coronavirus economic recovery plan.

Although the details of the plan itself still have to be worked out, a statement said they had agreed that it should be consistent with the green transition, the phrase the EU uses to describe the aim of reducing emissions that heat the planet.

The EUs executive commission wants its 27 member states to sign up at a summit in June to plans to make the entire bloc greenhouse gas neutral by 2050. So far, Poland is the only holdout.

COVID-19 forced closure of coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities inevitably leading to a drop in pollution, as shown in this satellite map [AFP]

13:30 GMT  British PM Johnson still working with mild symptoms: Spokesman

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still able to work in an office and study at No. 11 Downing Street, his spokesman has said, shortly after the British leader announced he had contracted coronavirus and had mild symptoms. He is self-isolating for seven days, the spokesman said.

There was an 9:30 meeting, which we call the COVID-19 meeting  that went ahead. The PM played his role entirely via video conferencing, the spokesman said. Thats how it will continue while the PM is self-isolating. He will do the same things, but that will be done exclusively by teleconferencing on his part.

On a conference call with journalists, Johnsons spokesman said the prime minister was receiving meals left outside his door for him but would no longer appear in person at a daily news conference.

13:25 GMT  Dutch cases rise by 16 percent with 112 new deaths

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands has risen by 1,172, or 16 percent, to 8,603, health authorities have said, with 112 new deaths.

The countrys death total is now 546.

The Netherlands National Institute for Health (RIVM) said in its daily update that the increase in rate of spread of the virus appears to be slowing. It said it hoped to be able to say within several days whether social distancing and other measures taken mid-month were working to slow the outbreaks spread.

13:20 GMT  IMF: Pakistan requests emergency financing

Pakistan has requested an emergency loan disbursement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help fight the coronavirus under the funds Rapid Financing Instrument program, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said.

She did not identify the size of the loan, but under the program, Pakistan would be able to borrow up to its full quota  about $2.76bn  over two years, or $1.43bn over a single year to meet urgent balance-of-payments needs.

Pakistan already has an IMF $6 bn Extended Fund Facility loan program and Georgieva said the Pakistani authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to the reform policies included in the current arrangement.





13:15 GMT  Turkish town, villages first to be quarantined

One town and four villages in Turkeys Black Sea province of Rize have been quarantined over the coronavirus outbreak, the local mayor has said, in the first case of a lockdown in the country since the beginning of the outbreak in the country two weeks ago.

Alaettin Serdar, the mayor of the Kandirli town, said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT Haber the move was a precautionary measure to prevent the further spread of illness after a patient in the town died of the virus on Thursday.

The death toll in Turkey due to the coronavirus jumped by 16 to 75 on Thursday, while the number of confirmed cases surged to a total of 3,629 since the first case was reported on March 11.

13:10 GMT  Irish intensive care units set to hit capacity within days: PM

Irelands intensive care units will be at capacity within a few days given the rate of spread of coronavirus and the health service has plans in place to deal with the demand, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said.

I am (concerned). As things stand, we have empty beds in our ICUs but just the way things are heading would indicate that our ICUs will be at capacity within a few days, Varadkar told reporters.

Thats already the case across Europe, it looks like it may happen here so we need to plan for that. We need to make sure we have backup ICU capacity, ventilators, CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines. All that is happening. An unprecedented effort is being made to tool up, he said.

13:00 GMT  UK health minister Hancock tests positive

British health minister Matt Hancock has said on Twitter that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at home with mild symptoms.

Less than two hours earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he too had tested positive for the virus.

Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus. Ive tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home & self-isolating. Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 27, 2020

______________________________________________________________________

This is Joseph Stepansky in Doha, taking over the live updates from Farah Najjar.

____________________________________________________________

12:08 GMT  Queen Elizabeth is in good health: Buckingham Palace

Britains Queen Elizabeth last saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has tested positive for coronavirus, on March 11 and she remains in good health, Buckingham Palace said on Friday.

The queen last saw the PM on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare, a palace spokesman said.

11:49 GMT  Algeria extends curfew to nine new provinces

Algeria will impose a night curfew in nine more provinces to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the prime ministers office said.

Earlier this week the government imposed a night curfew in the capital and a full lockdown in the neighbouring province of Blida.

The curfew extension, to be enforced from 7pm to 7am will include central, eastern and western provinces where coronavirus cases have been rising.

The country has so far reported 367 cases of the disease, with 25 deaths. Most cases have been in Blida, south of Algiers.

A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed from 7pm-7am to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in Algiers [Ramzi Boudina/Reuters]

11:46 GMT  Indonesia preparing regulations to allow lockdowns

Indonesias chief security minister said that the government was preparing to issue a regulation soon to allow for the quarantine or lockdown of regions affected by the coronavirus.

It will regulate when regional areas can declare movement limitation, which is commonly known as lockdown, Minister Mahfud told reporters.

11:20 GMT  UKs Boris Johnson tests positive

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self isolating but will still lead the governments response to the outbreak.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus, Johnson said. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government s response via video-conference as we fight this virus.

Read more here.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

10:54 GMT  Death toll in Spain jumps to 4,858

Spain reports 769 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total toll so far to 4,858.

The health ministry said the number of confirmed cases now stands at 64,059.

Health workers collect food from Delivery 4 Heroes on stretchers at Clinic hospital, during the outbreak of coronavirus in Barcelona [Nacho Doce/Reuters]

10:30 GMT  France PM warns difficult days ahead

Frances prime minister raised the alarm over an extremely high surge in coronavirus cases in the country and warned that the situation would be difficult in the days to come.

We find ourselves in a crisis that will last, in a health situation that will not improve any time soon, Edouard Philippe said after a cabinet meeting held by videoconference.

10:12 GMT  Kuwait reports new cases

Kuwait confirmed 17 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 225, Kuwaits news agency KUNA quoted the health ministry as saying.

09:52 GMT  China bans foreign visitors

China will ban entry to all foreigners, including non-nationals with valid visas and residence permits, from midnight on Friday in a move to curb the numbers of imported coronavirus cases.

Read more here.

09:46 GMT  Iran reports more than 140 deaths

Iran announced 144 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the official number of fatalities to 2,378 in one of the worlds worst-hit countries.

In the past 24 hours, weve had 2,926 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections across the country, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.

This brings the overall confirmed cases to at least 32,332, he added, noting that 11,133 of those hospitalised so far have recovered.

Health officials check body temperature of drivers and passengers at the entrance of the Iranian capital Tehran [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu]

09:32 GMT  Russians urged to stay at home

Russia urged its citizens to refrain from travelling, with the exception of essential trips, asking people to stay at home, the Interfax news agency cited Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying.

Mishustin said tough measures were needed, adding that the more stringent changes in Moscow should be extended to other regions of the country.

09:29 GMT  Malaysia reports new cases

Malaysia reported 130 new coronavirus cases and a total of 2,161 infections, the highest total in Southeast Asia.

The number of deaths from the virus outbreak rose to 26, the health ministry said.

09:03 GMT  Indonesia reports highest daily rise in new cases

Indonesia has confirmed 153 new coronavirus cases, the biggest daily rise so far and taking the Southeast Asian countrys total to 1,046, Health Ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.

The number of new deaths due to coronavirus rose by 9, bringing the total number of deaths to 87, he said, adding a total of 46 people had recovered from the virus.

08:57 GMT  South Africa goes into nationwide lockdown

Some 57 million people are restricted to their homes during South Africas three-week total lockdown which began at midnight on Thursday.

Read more here.

08:55 GMT  Senegal: coronavirus test may be on its way

Researchers this week began validation trials on a COVID-19 diagnostic test that can be done at home and produce results in as little as 10 minutes  all for $1.

Read more here.

08:50 GMT  Philippines records more cases, deaths

The Philippines has recorded nine new coronavirus deaths, bringing the total to 54, the health ministry said.

It also reported 96 new confirmed cases, the highest daily increase, bringing the tally to 803.

The US has more coronavirus cases than any other country  surpassing both China and Italy  and experts warn the worst is yet to come. pic.twitter.com/ILGjAhVykE  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 27, 2020

08:45 GMT  Hong Kong reports biggest daily rise

Hong Kong reported 65 new coronavirus infections, its biggest daily rise so far, taking the total number of cases in the Chinese-ruled city to 518, health officials said.

Of the latest cases, 41 had recently returned from travelling abroad.

08:26 GMT  Russia says number of cases exceeds 1,000

Russia reported 196 new cases of coronavirus, a daily record, taking its official total for those infected with the disease to 1,036.

One more person had been killed by the virus in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths to four.

Disinfection works are carried out around the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus in Moscow [Anadolu]

08:04 GMT  Germany sends flight to rescue tourists in Nepal

A rescue flight arranged by the German government picked up hundreds of tourists who had been stranded in Nepal since the Himalayan nation went on lockdown earlier this week, officials said.

The Qatar Airways charter flight took off with 305 people on board, said Deo Chandra Lal Karna, an official at Kathmandus Tribhuvan International Airport.

Immigration official Sagar Acharya said most of the passengers were German nationals or had some connection to the country.

Stranded tourists from Germany wait in Kathmandu for a shuttle bus to transport them to the airport to board a chartered flight back to Germany [Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters]

07:51 GMT  Israel to deploy army to enforce lockdown

Israel will deploy its army to assist police on street patrols to enforce a lockdown, the military said.

About 500 troops will join police from Sunday to help in patrolling, isolating and securing certain areas, blocking routes and additional similar assignments, the army said in a statement.





Israel has reported more than 3,000 infections and 10 deaths from the disease. This week, authorities tightened a partial lockdown, requiring people to stay within 100 metres (110 yards) of home and setting sanctions for defying rules.

07:05 GMT  Russia to close restaurants, cafes

The Russian government has ordered all cafes and restaurants to close for a week from Saturday to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Russian regions are to halt the activities of public food service organisations, except for delivery services, a government decree said.

06:59 GMT  South Africa reports first two deaths

The health ministry in South Africa reported the countrys first two deaths.

To date, there are more than 1,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Africa, the ministry said in a statement.

This morning, we South Africans wake up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19, the ministry said.

People carry bags of maize and paraffin as they return from a store ahead of a nationwide lockdown for 21-days in Johannesburg [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]

06:54 GMT  Hungary imposes restrictions on movement

To reduce the number of social contacts, Hungary will impose restrictions on citizens leaving their homes between March 28 and April 11, Prime Miniszter Viktor Orban said.

Orban added he will present a plan of action to restart the economy in the first half of April.

06:41 GMT  Vietnam bans gatherings, cuts flights

Vietnam will limit domestic flights and stop public gatherings for two weeks starting Saturday, the government said in a statement.

Indoor gatherings of more than 20 people and outdoor gatherings of 10 people or more will be banned, the government said, citing an order signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Phuc also ordered that flights between the capital, Hanoi, and the southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh City and cities across the country be reduced.

06:34 GMT  Uzbekistan reports first death as it widends lockdown

A 72-year-old woman in the city of Namangan died of cardiac infarction, the healthcare ministry said, adding that she had suffered from a host of other diseases in addition to the coronavirus.

Municipal authorities in the province of Navoi said they were locking down the cities of Navoi and Zarafshan, as well as several districts.

Authorities in the major tourism hub of Bukhara also said the city would close its borders.

The central Asian nation has already locked down some of its biggest cities, including Namangan and the capital, Tashkent.

06:26 GMT  China, US, must unite to fight virus

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a call with his US counterpart Donald Trump, said that the two countries should unite to fight the coronavirus, state media reported.

Xi told Trump China wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US, said state broadcaster CCTV.

Following the call, Trump said in a Twitter post that the two leaders were working closely together.

Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Hello, this is Farah Najjar taking over from my colleague Ted Regencia.

05:15 France, Malaysia charter flights from Cambodia

France and Malaysia have organised chartered flights to fly out hundreds of their citizens stranded in Cambodia after the country sealed its borders and cancelled flights in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Malaysia also sent a special plane to take home 111 stranded Malaysian nationals on Wednesday, said Cambodias Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn.

At the same time, Cambodia coordinated with Malaysia to repatriate six Cambodians stranded in Malaysia, Sokhonn said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

As of Thursday, there were at least 98 confirmed coronavirus cases in Cambodia [ Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP]

04:15 GMT  Australia introduces quarantine for returning citizens

Australia is introducing enforced quarantine by midnight on Saturday for citizens returning home from overseas and will deploy armed forces to ensure people already subjected to self-isolation measures are complying, Reuters news agency is reporting.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said everyone arriving by plane would be detained in a hotel in the city of their arrival for two weeks, toughening up the previous self-isolation requirements.

Morrison said returning Australians accounted for around two thirds of the countrys more than 3,000 coronavirus cases, making it the biggest issue to be addressed.

04:15 GMT  Thailand reports 91 new cases, one death

Thailand reported 91 new coronavirus cases and one fatality, bringing the total to 1,136 cases and five deaths, a health official said on Friday.

The latest death was of a patient in Narathiwat province bordering Malaysia, the health official said.

The new infections consist of 30 patients linked to previous cases and 19 cases including imported ones, said Anupong Sujariyakul, a senior expert in preventive medicine at the Disease Control Department.

So far, 97 patients have recovered and gone home since the outbreak.

Thailands government has declared a state of emergency to take stricter measures to control the coronavirus outbreak [Sakchai Lalit/AP]

04:04 GMT  US cancels military exercises with the Philippines

The United States has cancelled annual military exercises with treaty ally the Philippines, it said on Friday, as a precaution against a coronavirus pandemic.

The exercises, set to run from May 4 to May 15, have taken place in the southeast Asian nation for decades, involving thousands of troops from both countries.

The alliance with the Philippines is one of Washingtons most important in Asia.

03:40 GMT  Tokyo residents stock up on supplies ahead of lockdown

Queues formed at supermarkets and stores in Tokyo on Friday as residents in the Japanese capital prepared for a weekend at home after the citys governor called on them to stay at hunker down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters news agency reported.

After Governor Yuriko Koikes plea on Wednesday to refrain from non-essential, non-urgent outings through April 12, and especially this weekend, residents were stocking up on everything from instant noodles and rice to toiletries and fresh produce, despite public-service warnings against hoarding.

Tokyo has seen a surge in coronavirus cases this week, reporting a record 47 cases on Thursday for a total of 259.

Nationwide, there were 1,400 reported nationwide with 47 deaths, excluding those from a cruise ship that was quarantined last month.

Nationwide, there were 1,400 reported nationwide with 47 deaths in Japan, excluding those from a cruise ship that was quarantined last month [ Issei Kato/Reuters]

03:15 GMT  North Korea: 2,280 citizens, two foreigners under quarantine

North Korea says about 2,280 citizens and two foreigners remain under coronavirus quarantine after authorities released thousands of people in past weeks who were confirmed to have no symptoms.

The Associated Press news agency quoted the Norths official Korean Central News Agency as saying on Friday that Pyongyang will maintain an alert status as the virus continues to spread across the world.

North Korea has not publicly confirmed a single case of the coronavirus illness, but state media has described anti-virus efforts as a matter of national existence.

02:24 GMT  Health supplies from China arrive in Indonesia

Indonesias flag carrier Garuda has returned from China on Friday carrying 40 tonnes of health supplies, which will be distributed immediately across the country where new coronavirus patients have surged in the past week.

Jodi Mahardi, the maritime and investment coordinating ministry s spokesman, said the supplies included personal protective equipment and rapid test kits and masks.

They were donations from several Chinese investors in Indonesia to help the country in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak which could overwhelm the government s healthcare system, as 78 people have died in the past three weeks and nearly 900 others tested positive.

The Indonesian government has planned to distribute about 500,000 test kits across the archipelago nation, home for nearly 270 million.

Indonesian soldiers stand guard next to boxes of medical equipment and aid that arrived from China early on Friday [Fajrin Raharjo/AFP]

02:19 GMT  Trump against cancellation of Republican Convention in August

US President Donald Trump has said he would not cancel the Republican National Convention in August in Charlotte, North Carolina, because of the coronavirus.

In an interview on Fox News, Trump said he believed the country would have rebounded from the coronavirus outbreak by then.

Were not going to cancel, Trump said. I think were going to be in great shape long before then.

02:05 GMT  Singapore imposes stiff penalties for violations

Singapore imposed stiff penalties beginning on Friday against individuals who are violating new rules on physical distancing, as part of its new policy to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Violators can be fined up to $10,000 (US$7,000), jailed for up to six months, or face both penalties, if they are found guilty of not keeping at least a one-metre (3.2 feet) distance from another individual in a public place.

The new rules, based on the updated Infectious Diseases Act took effect, at 11:59pm local time (15:59 GMT) on Thursday.

Violators of Singapores new physical-distancing rules could be fined up to $10,000 (US$7,000), jailed for up to six months, or face both penalties [File: Ee Ming Toh/AP]

01:53 GMT  Canada denounces Trump plan to deploy troops at the border

Canada has denounced a proposal of the Trump administration to deploy troops along their undefended border to help fight the spread of the coronavirus, saying the idea was unnecessary and would damage relations.

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland had made clear the Liberal government had no time for a plan to send hundreds of troops to the border to boost security.

Canada is strongly opposed to this US proposal and we have made that opposition very, very clear  this is an entirely unnecessary step which we would view as damaging to our relationship, Freeland told a news conference.

The public health situation does not require such action, she said, noting Washington had yet to take a final decision.

01:30 GMT  South Korea reports 91 new cases

South Korea has reported 91 new coronavirus cases on Friday.

The total number of cases in the country has now reached 9,332, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The total number of cases in South Korea has reached 9,332 as of Friday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [ Ahn Young-joon/AP]

01:12 GMT  New Zealand confirms 85 new cases of coronavirus

New Zealand confirmed on Friday at least 85 new cases of coronavirus.

The total number of cases in the country has now reached 368, of which 37 have recovered.

Most of the cases in New Zealand have links to overseas travel, according to health authorities.

00:56 GMT  Study: Coronavirus could kill more than 81,000 in the US

The coronavirus pandemic could kill more than 81,000 people in the US in the next four months and may not subside until June, according to a data analysis conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The number of hospitalised patients is expected to peak nationally by the second week of April, though the peak may come later in some states. Some people could continue to die of the virus as late as July, although deaths should be below epidemic levels of 10 per day by June at the latest, according to the analysis.

The analysis, using data from governments, hospitals and other sources, predicts that the number of US deaths could vary widely, ranging from as low as about 38,000 to as high as approximately 162,000.

00:38 GMT  3.3 million US citizens apply for unemployment

Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week  almost five times the previous record set in 1982  amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is inflicting on the economy. Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs.

As job losses mount, some economists say the nation s unemployment rate could approach 13 percent by May. By comparison, the highest jobless rate during the Great Recession, which ended in 2009, was 10 percent.

00:25 GMT  China reports 54 new imported cases, five new deaths in Wuhan

Chinas National Health Commission reported on Friday at least 54 new imported cases of coronavirus as of March 26  slightly lower than the 67 cases the previous day.

The health agency also reported five new deaths with no new cases in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak. Nationwide, the death toll has reached 3,292 as of the end of Thursday.

Late on Thursday, Beijing announced a temporary ban on foreigners arriving in the country with a few exceptions, including diplomats.

23:27 GMT Thursday  Brazils governors press Bolsonaro for more coronavirus support

Brazils governors pressed President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday for more federal support in the coronavirus battle after he blasted them as job-killers and undermined their orders with a decree keeping churches open at the evangelical preachers request, the Associated Press news agency reported.

In a public letter, Brazils governors argued that the federal government had not done enough to fund the fight against the virus that has infected about half a million people globally.

Bolsonaro has increasingly echoed the view of US President Donald Trump that jobs should be prioritised over restrictive measures to slow the outbreak, as world health experts suggest.

Tourism has plummeted to zero, he said on a Facebook Live broadcast on Thursday night. Nothing is working. This wave of panic and hysteria is bigger than the virus itself.

22:00 GMT Thursday  US overtakes Italy, China in number of virus cases

Confirmed coronavirus cases in the US reached 83,500 as of late Thursday, more than any other country, overtaking Italy and China, the Johns Hopkins University tally showed.

China had 81,782 cases, and Italy had 80,589 cases.

Im Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur with Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read all the updates from yesterday (March 26) here.
Jeremy Stoppelman, chief executive officer of Yelp Inc., center, rings the opening bell with Chief Operating Officer Geoff Donaker, second left, and Chief Financial Officer Rob Krolik, right, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Friday, March 2, 2012.

Yelp has paused adding GoFundMe campaigns to small business pages after the company faced backlash from owners who didn't want to be included.

Yelp announced Tuesday it was partnering with GoFundMe to help people donate to businesses being hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea was for customers to have an option to donate directly through Yelp pages, with all proceeds going to the small business.

But Yelp added the GoFundMe pages to business listing without notifying the business owners first, resulting in a blowback that caused Yelp to suspend the program.

In an effort to roll out "quickly," Yelp said that GoFundMe pages were automatically added to "an initial group of eligible businesses" who then got information on how to claim the funds or opt out. However, Yelp said that some companies did not receive instructions on how to opt-out of the program, while others said they wanted to actively opt-in.

"As such, we have paused the automatic roll out of this feature, and are working with GoFundMe to provide a seamless way for businesses to opt into the program moving forward, as we have received a great deal of interest and support for the program from both consumers and businesses alike," a Yelp spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Some small business owners voiced their complains on Twitter. Andy McMillan, whose profile says he owns Suckerpunch in Oregon, said he wanted his donation page to be taken down since he wasn't given opt-out information. He said the donation page was later taken down.

tweet

Nick Kokonas, whose listed as a co-owner of Alinea Group properties, also asked Yelp on Twitter to remove the page.

tweet

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
Ian Richards had been enjoying his golden years.

He has a comfortable five-bedroom bungalow in Orillia, Ont., where he lives with his partner, Kelly, and her 16-year-old son Ethan. Richards grandson Justin, partner Teanna and their two children ages 3 and 6 also share the home.

Add to that Ian and Kellys two dogs, Innis and Gunner, a mix of Rottweiler and boxer.

Then suddenly COVID-19 came along and upended their cosy family life.

Now Richards, 73, isnt sure where hell turn to support him and his family.

Richards has a $1,400 monthly mortgage payment, which is mostly covered by the $1,300 in total he receives a month from his Canada Pension Plan and Old Age pension.

In an effort to pay his other expenses  meals, hydro, gas bills, the maintenance of his car, food, his medications, etc.,  he took on a part-time job at car rental company Enterprise in Barrie. He worked about 20 to 35 hours a week and earned $14 an hour shuttling customers and cars to other locations for rent or sale.

He was often required to travel with three or four other drivers to reach various pickup points for the vehicles. On March 16, Richards was in a car with fellow employees when a manager called and told them to turn around, return to the office, log out and go home.

Richards knew the direction from his manager was related to the COVID-19 outbreak, a respiratory ailment that has killed tens of thousands of people around the world.

Richards had a triple bypass operation years ago, is on heart medication and is considered high risk to be seriously ill if he contracts the virus. He took the order to go home seriously. He was already concerned about being in vehicles with three or four others, given the public health warnings about maintaining social distance to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

At that moment, Richards joined the millions of Canadians whove lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19 and are now worried about paying their bills.

His bank has given him a one-month deferral on his mortgage, and the City of Orillia initially turned him down for a deferral on his property taxes, but he now has until June 30 to pay. He and Kelly, who has been out of work since November, are considering downsizing to one car from two, and he has stopped making extra payments on his line of credit for now. But he has no savings.

Richards applied for unemployment insurance and is considering applying for the federal governments new relief fund that is set to pay $2,000 a month to Canadians left jobless by COVID-19. Hes not sure hell qualify and must wait to find out.

For now, much of his life is up in the air. He and his family, like many others in Canada, are facing tough decisions.

I dont know what Im going to do, said Richards, a retired engineer who was born in the U.K. and came to Canada in 1975. These are supposed to be my golden years, but things arent so golden right now.

The COVID-19 crisis is the latest turn his life has taken.

He worked as a project engineer for 14 years for a company that arranged tooling for Honda. He travelled a lot, including to Japan and all over the U.S., for his job. But in 2000, he suffered a stroke during heart surgery and sustained some permanent short- and midterm memory loss.

So, he had to retire  at age 54.

A few years later came a bitter divorce. He says he didnt want a fight with his ex-wife so he agreed she could have two-thirds of their possessions.

He had to sell his house, then he moved to Orillia with his daughter, who has since moved on with her own life.

In the intervening years, he took some time off to support his grandson with his new family and drove a school bus from 2012 to 2016. That year, Kelly and her son moved in as did Justin, 26, and his family. Justin, who is on reduced hours from his job with a cellphone company, and partner Teanna, a stay-at-home mom, pay about $700 a month in rent.

To make ends meet, Richards took the job at Enterprise four years ago.

His morning routine was to get up at 5:45 a.m., grab breakfast and leave his house at 7 a.m. for the 35-minute commute to work.

I was really enjoying my job. I love driving and I like meeting people and talking to them, Richards says.

When the order to go home came, Richards was relieved at first, thinking the company was taking proactive steps to curb the virus.

But then I thought oh dear, Im not going to get paid, Richards recalls.

In uncertain economic times like this, Canadians are feeling a lot of anxiety that is based on a fight or flight instinct to do something to make their lives more stable, says Steve Joordens, a professor of psychology at University of Toronto.

Anxiety is being brought to life every day, Joordens says. The government is pumping out the (relief fund) but do we trust it  will we be OK in the end?

Joordens says people like Richards should do something, anything he can find to trim costs. Those things will make him feel better ... We also have to trust that things are going to get better, even though none of us know how this is going to play out in the end.

Richards says hes hopeful hell get his job back when the virus blows over but believes it will take about six months from now for life everywhere to return to normal.

I hope I can see six months through and come out of this with everything intact, Richards says.

Note: This story has been edited from a previously published version that said the City of Orillia denied Richards request for a deferral on his property taxes.
Sharing is caring!

9 shares Share 9

Tweet

Pin

Ive been an American expat in New Zealand for seven years, and Ive never been more grateful for this country welcoming me with open arms, especially now amid the COVID 19 pandemic. In a few short weeks, I will qualify for permanent residency, which I cant wait for. I love everything about New Zealand. From the wild landscapes to the quirky culture to the DIY friendly attitude, its a great place to live. No wonder it consistently ranks among one of the happiest countries in the world. But unfortunately, as we sink into the total shitshow that is 2020, the stark contrast between my birthplace and where I call home now has never been more apparent. Kindness. I cant think of a more straightforward way to put it. Last Friday, an NBC correspondent asked Trump, What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared? to which he replied, I say that youre a terrible reporter, thats what I say. What. An. Asshole.

Even seeing it now I can feel my face flush red with anger. I feel so ashamed of where Im from, and Im terrified for my friends and family in the US. You deserve so much better. It shouldnt take a pandemic and a failure of the federal government to bring fundamental human rights to a country that once was the leader of the free world.

Cruel, petulant, and heartless.

This is not how you lead. This is not how you talk to people. This is not how you comfort a nation of 330 million human beings who, you know, have hearts, fears, worries, and families to think about. Where is the respect? Where is his dignity?

What frightens me, even more, are all people who agree with him. Its reflective of how selfish the American culture has become (has it always been that way and Im only seeing it now that Ive left?) There is no place in this world for that me, me ME attitude. We have to look out for one another. Politics dont matter right now; nobody wants people to get sick and die.

Damnit, Im furious all over again writing this.

In contrast, our excellent PM, Jacinda Ardern, has been comforting and reassuring Kiwis almost daily, live-streaming, and answering questions, including running a press conference just for kids around COVID 19. She even does spontaneous FB lives from her sofa in sweatpants after putting her toddler to bed.

Each time she addresses us, you can see the toll this experience is taking on her face. She didnt sign up for this, but she is leading us the best way possible. Her hope and belief in keeping Kiwis safe above all else ring through every word she speaks. Compassion and understanding radiate from her. She talks to us with clear plans and objectives of what we need to do to get through this, usually with scientists by her side.

Jacinda is the kind of figure you want to comfort you in times of crisis. We are all facing an unknown future, and its scary.

And every single time Jacinda speaks to the New Zealand community, she reminds us to be kind and to support one another. There is even a page on the NZ government response website to COVID 19 about kindness.

And she reminds us to be strong. Acknowledging what she is asking all of us is massive, she wants us to unite against spreading COVID 19 by staying at home.

To be honest, considering what humanity has gone through over the millennia, its not that hard.

Staying home is easy. Being kind is harder. And being kind to yourself? Well, thats a challenge, especially for people like me.

We are facing unprecedented times (to echo every politician on earth), and its pretty freaking scary. If we arent careful, we can be consumed by terror, fear, anxiety, depression, and all those other nasty thoughts that like to lurk in the dark recesses of our minds.

But its never been more critical to share compassion, empathy, and love. Its what makes us human, after all. Kindness is a choice.

As we move into four weeks (minimum) of home isolation here in New Zealand, Jacindas message of kindness couldnt be more poignant. We are being tested.

Now is the time to work harder than ever at being considerate, helpful, and selfless. Remember to think of others and not just ourselves. Perhaps we arent staying at home because we are worried we will get sick, but rather remember we are doing it for everyone else.

If we all stop moving, COVID 19 will stop moving. Its pretty easy yet tough.

Now is the time to think beyond ourselves, to think of our collective communities and groups. Its not about me anymore, its about everyone. Make your decisions with that in mind. I chose kindness. Dont be an asshole.

I dont know about you, but I dont want to live in a heartless world. I hope and believe we will come out of the other side of this stronger and better. Kia kaha, as we say here in New Zealand, which means stay strong in Maori.

Be kind, be compassionate, be helpful, and supportive. Above all, be human. And for gods sake, stop trying to make Instagram Lives a thing. Its so annoying. And stay the fuck at home. Deal?

How are you coping during this new future were facing? How are you staying kind to yourself and others? Spill!
With all other furniture removed from the establishment, a lone booth is taped off inside Dunkin' Donuts.



We stopped at the 24-hour Dunkin on 31st and Halsted. The espresso machine was being cleaned, so I just ordered an everything bagel as Erin took photos.



The stay-at-home order was printed out and taped by the register, with the section on cafes being able to operate for takeaways highlighted. I was also carrying around a copy of the order  the whole thing stapled with a section about how the media were essential workers highlighted. I also carried several printouts of a letter from our editor-in-chief that said we were Tribune employees. No one questioned us, though.



Looking around the Dunkin, it was odd. There used to be a few tables and chairs set up. Police officers often stopped there on breaks and talked with one another. A regular would also be positioned at a table. But the store was empty of seating now, and even the containers of straws and plasticware by the trashcans were taken away. We both thought it comical that a single booth against the far side wall had a couple of strips of masking tape across it to keep people from sitting.












- A 46-year-old woman has recovered from coronavirus in Tanzania, making it the country's first

- The woman tested positive for Covid-19 when she came back to the country from Belgium on Friday, 15 March

- Ummy Mwalimu, Tanzanian health minister, said that the patient tested negative to all the tests that were carried out on her to ascertain her subsequent status

PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

As the world is hit by coronavirus pandemic, Tanzania has recorded a win as its first patient recovered from the virus.

The news was broken by the countrys health minister, Ummy Mwalimu, who said the patient tested negative in all the three series of tests carried out on her, Daily Monitor reports.

The recovered woman tested positive to the virus on Friday, 15 March after she returned from Belgium on a RwandAir plane.

The country is presently working on the discharge process for the recovered patient. Photo source: Daily Monitor/AJ English

Source: UGC

Though she was screened at Kilimanjaro International Airport on her arrival, she did not show any symptoms of the virus until she took ill on the second day in her hotel room.

Briefly.co.za also gathered that since the confirmation of the index case of the novel coronavirus in Lagos, the Nigerian government has been telling the citizens not to panic, giving assurance that everything is under control.

However, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country increases, Nigerians put pressure on the federal government to restrict movements into the country.

The Nigerian government responded by placing a travel ban on countries with over 1,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly News
General Motors is cutting the pay of salaried employees by 20 percent starting Wednesday, April 1, as the company looks to protect its balance sheet in the midst of the coronavirus emergency.

The company said in a prepared statement Friday, March 27, that the cuts will affect all GM salaried employees worldwide -- approximately 69,000 individuals.

GMs business and its balance sheet was very strong before the COVID-19 outbreak and the steps we are taking now will help ensure that we can regain our momentum as quickly as possible after this crisis is over," the company said in the statement.

General Motors announced March 18 that it would shut down all manufacturing operations in North America due to market conditions and to deep clean facilities, a decision the company has said would last until at least Monday, March 30.

Employees in those plants, including more than a dozen in Michigan, were placed on temporary layoffs.

The cut in salaried employee pay will be repaid in a lump sum to those employees no later than March 15, 2021, GM said, and company executives will be cut 25 percent with the senior leadership team will give up 30 percent of salaries.

GMs Board of Directors will take a 20 percent reduction in compensation with no repayment.

The company said healthcare benefits are not impacted.

About 6,500 salaried employees in the U.S. will participate in what the company called a salaried downtime paid assistance program instead of the salaried pay deferral program, and GM operations in other countries are evaluating the appropriate use of similar programs, the company said.

These salaried employees, most of whom are in manufacturing or engineering roles, will receive 75 percent of their pay in lieu of unemployment compensation benefits.

Related stories on MLive:

Trumps claims that GM, Ford making ventilators right now not true

GM says Flint Assembly worker tested positive for coronavirus

GM confirms coronavirus concerns shut down manufacturing until at least April
Google is offering $340 million in ad credits to small and midsize businesses with active Google ad accounts as part of an $800 million coronavirus response package, the company announced Friday.

"As the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen around the world, it's taking a devastating toll on lives and communities," said Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a blog post Friday. "To help address some of these challenges, today we're announcing a new $800+ million commitment to support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), health organizations and governments, and health workers on the frontline of this global pandemic."

As part of the package, the company is also donating the following:

A $200 million investment fund that will help NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with capital

$250 million in advertising grants to help the World Health Organization and government agencies offer information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19

$20 million in Google Cloud credits for academic institutions and researchers

Unspecified financial support to help increase production capacity for lifesaving equipment, including face masks and ventilators.

tweet

The announcement comes as Silicon Valley tech giants like Apple, Salesforce and Facebook fund relief for the economic disparity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Google's sister company, Verily, this week ramped up drive-thru coronavirus testing with 1,000 Google volunteers as a part of an effort to screen and test people with symptoms, CNBC reported Thursday. Google launched a separate informational site a week ago.

Pichai said that employees from across Alphabet are "bringing engineering, supply chain and healthcare expertise to facilitate increased production of ventilators, working with equipment manufacturers, distributors and the government in this effort."

In addition to the commitments, the company said Friday that it has increased the gift match Google offers every employee annually to $10,000 from $7,500.
Armed separatist groups in Cameroon's North-West and South-West regions have failed to unanimously declare a ceasefire after calls from the UN to stop conflict to concentrate on fighting the spread of the coronavirus. The military also declined to respond to the UN chiefs calls for a global ceasefire to help create corridors for life-saving aid.

There shall not be a unilateral ceasefire in the Ambazonia war of independence because of Covid-19 pandemic," said a statement on Friday by the Ambazonia Governing Council, one of the English-speaking separatist groups to have self-declared independence.

To permit such unilateral action will be to provide Cameroon unhindered access to everywhere in our towns and villages, added the communique signed by Julius Nyiawung, vice president of the Ambazonia Governing Council.

The Ambazonia Governing Council controls the Ambazonia Defense Forces, one of the largest armed groups waging an insurgency against the Cameroonian military.

We will continue to work with and provide humanitarian corridors with the international organisations on the ground that that have been vetted by us, Nyiawung told RFI by telephone.

The Southern Cameroons Defense Force (Socadef) had declared a ceasefire, saying how "the people of Ambazonia are ill-prepared to face a major pandemic." A statement said Socadef would stop fighting on Sunday for 14 days while maintaining "combat readiness".

The move was welcomed by Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, saying that the UN chief "calls on other armed groups to do the same thing".

Cameroonian authorities are yet to respond to the UNs call for a ceasefire. RFI has requested comment from Cameroons army spokesperson, but has not received any response.

Both separatist groups and Cameroons military have been accused of killing civilians and committing rights abuses during the Anglophone crisis.

Two people have died from the coronavirus in Cameroon with 88 confirmed cases, according to the country's state broadcaster.
Its a bioweapon. It came from an institute of virology. Its just a case of the sniffles. Conspiracy theories involving the nature of the novel coronavirus have been rife on WhatsApp groups and other forms of social media for a while. It could be that these and more are promoted for less than honourable reasons, but why are they believed and how should one deal with them?

In separate polls conducted in America and the UK over the past few years, significant numbers have expressed scepticism over subjects such as the moon landing, climate change, and the efficacy of vaccines. Journalist Anna Merlan, whos written about the American fixation with conspiracy theories of all political stripes, feels that a lot of such thinking nowadays arises from a social structure that leaves many locked into their circumstances, and desperate to find someone to blame. In her view, such theories thrive in times of rapid social change, when were re-evaluating ourselves and perhaps facing uncomfortable questions in the process.

It goes a little deeper than that, according to psychologist and writer Rob Brotherton. In his book, Suspicious Minds, he lays out the argument that its the minds built-in biases that make conspiracy theories compelling. They tap into some of our deepest desires, fears and assumptions about the world and its people. To illustrate this, he delves into events such as the JFK assassination, the 9/11 attacks, and the Sandy Hook shootings. He also goes further back to examine the supposedly shadowy role of the Illuminati, and the anti-Semitic backlash over the debunked Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

When faced with unsettling events, Brotherton writes, its human nature to instantly look for explanations. We habitually seek order and consistency, and to be ambivalent is to experience disorder and conflict. This is when other forms of thought kick in, such as the belief that we have all-powerful allies or adversaries. The role of chance is minimised, ambiguities are papered over, and the need for control re-asserted.

These soothe anxieties and render the inexplicable explicable, the complex comprehensible. The truth may be out there, but its also in our heads.

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

Brotherton discusses the influential 1964 essay by Richard Hofstadter which analysed the role and causes of conspiracy theories in American history. Hofstadter famously dubbed this the paranoid style, exhibited by people who feel alienated from mainstream society. However, as Brotherton points out, conspiracy theories are not exclusively a feature of the fringe. Mild paranoia is common among entirely ordinary people, a product of our insatiable drive to understand the world and our place in it, and to feel like were in the drivers seat.

Other thinking biases also make us prone to conspiracy theories. Among them, a need to join the dots to create satisfying patterns, as well as projecting ourselves into the minds of alleged perpetrators. As British social scientist Michael Billig puts it: In essence [conspiracy theories] are simple: Events do not have multiple causes and the chance factor in history is discarded. All events are traced back to deliberate decisions taken by conspirators.

All of us, then, to varying degrees, interpret ambiguous events in the light of what we already believe. Its useful to scrutinise our assumptions and check if were being prudently paranoid, or letting our predispositions get the better of us. Importantly, as Brotherton says, by painting conspiracism as some bizarre psychological tick that blights the minds of a handful of paranoid kooks, we smugly absolve ourselves of the faulty thinking we see so readily in others.

Conspiracy theorists exist on a spectrum.

Science writer Mick West continues this line of thinking by pointing out that conspiracy theorists exist on a spectrum. Hes spent years running the website Metabunk, which investigates and discredits a variety of false theories and unusual beliefs. His book, Down the Rabbit Hole, makes the case that to communicate effectively, we need to gain perspective on the range of that spectrum, and where the persons thinking fits into it.

We are all conspiracy theorists, one way or another, he says. We suspect people in power of being involved in many kinds of conspiracies, even if its only something as banal as accepting campaign contributions to vote a certain way on certain types of legislation.

Theres no doubt that some conspiracies are real, he writes, using examples such as Watergate and the Iran-Contra affair. Further, in a well-functioning democracy, the government, or any large entity with power, wealth, and influence, should certainly be subject to scrutiny.

However, there are theories that are most probably false because of a lack of significant evidence, or demonstrably false, such as those surrounding the Moon landing or 9/11. These hurt society by distracting from the very real problems of corruption and decreasing citizens genuine participation in democracy.

West cites American academic Michael Barkun in dividing such theories into three types. They can be Event Conspiracies, such as the JFK assassination. They can be Systemic Conspiracies with plots that continue over time, such as chemtrails, the belief that aircraft condensation trails are chemical agents in the sky. Finally, there are Super Conspiracies, with multiple plots spanning a range of subjects linked to one overarching master plan.

West advocates helping people who for one reason or another believe in these, and not mocking or belittling them. People dont get sucked into conspiracy theories because they are mentally ill or deficient. They lack relevant facts, they lack context, and they lack perspectives on, and other ways of thinking about, the issues. These are all resources that you can bring to them.

To address such beliefs, one should foster trust and mutual respect and even look for areas of agreement. After genuine concerns are recognised, relevant, fact-based information can be provided. The attitude ought to be one of honesty and openness, without the need to hurry or score brownie points.

Thats excellent advice, not just when it comes to conspiracy theories, but for all forms of debate. Even on WhatsApp.

Sanjay Sipahimalani is a Mumbai-based writer and reviewer.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 17:10:52|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

YINCHUAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A batch of medical supplies donated by the government of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was transported Friday from Yinchuan, the regional capital, to Qazvin in Iran to help with the local coronavirus fight.

The supplies include 1,000 N95 masks, 10,000 surgical masks, 30,000 ordinary face masks and 1,000 protective suits. This is the second batch of medical supplies that Ningxia has donated to its international friendship cities.

As of the end of Thursday, Iran reported 29,406 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 669 cases in Qazvin.

Ningxia and Qazvin signed an agreement on establishing relations of friendly exchanges in February 2012. The two places have seen frequent personnel exchanges and cooperated in areas of trade, education, agriculture and energy.
The spread of the novel coronavirus led a federal judge this week to order convicted San Antonio oilman Brian Alfaros release from jail.

Alfaro, found guilty last month on seven counts of mail fraud, suffers from multiple sclerosis  a disease that makes him more susceptible to the effects of COVID-19, his lawyer said in a court filing.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery on Wednesday ordered Alfaros release from custody and directed him to remain in home confinement until further notice. Alfaro owns a roughly $3 million Shavano Park estate.

Since (Alfaros conviction) the health of the world has changed. Mr. Alfaros health condition has not, Biery said in a one-page order. While Mr. Alfaro deserves to go to prison for his crimes, he does not deserve the death penalty in jail.

On ExpressNews.com: Jury finds San Antonio oilman Brian Alfaro guilty

Alfaro had been held at the Karnes County detention center after Biery remanded him into custody following his conviction Feb. 13 for misusing investor money to support an extravagant lifestyle.

Alfaro was transferred to the facility in Groesbeck earlier this month before his release Wednesday.

Alfaros sentencing is scheduled for June 22. He faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

During an eight-day trial, prosecutors told jurors that Alfaro misled investors in oil and gas drilling ventures by telling them he would not take transaction-based compensation from their investments. But investor money was deposited in a company account and then went directly to Alfaro.

Alfaro spent some of the money to buy a $500,000 Lamborghini and Spurs season tickets for seats behind the team bench.

San Antonio defense lawyer Michael McCrum denied Alfaro received transaction-based compensation, arguing his client right to draw on profits on profits from oil wells under the terms of the contracts investors signed.

McCrum blamed a rogue accountant at Alfaros Primera Energy for trying to bring down the company.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

McCrum declined to comment Friday, but in a Monday court filing he asked Biery to reconsider Alfaros detention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated people with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, are at a higher risk for infection or complications from COVID-19, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society says on its website.

Alfaro is taking the medication Copaxone, a disease-modifying therapy (DMT), to treat his multiple sclerosis. McCrum, though, said it took several weeks for Alfaro to get the medication after he was taken into custody.

Because of his disease and his lower immune system caused by the MS DMT medication, Brian Alfaro is more susceptible to the effects of COVID-19 virus and is at greater risk to suffering consequences of this virus if he were to contract it, McCrum said in the court filing.

McCrum cited jails across the country that have taken necessary step to protect all involved.

At a live-streamed town hall meeting, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales mentioned efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus by reducing the jail population.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
From literature festivals, storytelling sessions and author interactions to free e-books and quarantine reading lists, publishers are using the online platform to engage readers in this period of lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Penguin and online parenting platform Momspesso are launching #OnceUponABookWithPenguin from March 30 when there will be one author live every evening to tell kids an interesting story from their books.

"The intent is to make playtime fun for kids even if they are indoors and hence the focus will be on animated storytelling and reading and also to leave kids to do an activity once the story is over," a Penguin statement said.

Some popular children's authors like Ruskin Bond, Paro Anand and Arefa Tehsin with engage with their readers till April 14.

As part of its #readinstead campaign, Juggernaut Books on Friday launched the month-long #Readinstead Online Literature Festival in association with Scroll. On March 21, the publishing house made its entire catalogue free for readers to access during the lockdown period.

The #Readinstead litfest will include some of Juggernaut's biggest authors and consist of conversations, workshops, competitions, masterclasses and more.

"At Juggernaut we are always trying to do something original, and we have been playing with the idea of creating an online literary festival for some time. This was the perfect moment. Our vision is to get more people reading and to find new ways to bring the magic of books and reading to them," said publisher Chiki Sarkar.

"The #Readinstead lit fest will we hope entertain and stimulate people in this difficult time and remind us of the power of books. We are delighted that we could make this happen and thank our partner Scroll for coming on board with so much enthusiasm," CEO Simran Khara added.

Juggernaut is offering books like Nobel Prize winners Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo's "Good Economics for Hard Times", "Mind Without Fear" by ex Mckinsey CEO Rajat Kumar Gupta, "Pyjamas are Forgiving" and "The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad" by Twinkle Khanna and "A Century is not Enough" by Sourav Ganguly for free.

Roli Books authors Moin Mir and William Dalrymple will go live from its Instagram account on Saturday, said its editorial director Priya Kapoor.

The publishing house is also organising an online short story contest to "capture these unprecedented days". It has invited original stories of 2000-3000 words on any of these or related themes: kindness, community, family, isolation, social distancing and relationships. The deadline is April 25.

Niyogi Books has come out with a quarantine list of e-books that includes "Day & Dastan" by Intizar Husain, "Fida-e-Lucknow", "The Cuckoo's Nest", "The Lacquered Curtains of Burma" and a translation of Rabindranath Tagore's "Quartet/Chaturanga".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Workers, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, police, pilots, railway workers and rubbish collectors, are braving grave odds every day. And the medical staff are at the forefront of these efforts.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are struggling to cope with the daily inflow of patients and lack of beds, equipment like ventilators and the changing trajectory of the disease poses a massive challenge to medical staff.



Amid this crisis, a video of a Saudi doctor unable to hold back his tears after not being able to hug his own child because of coronavirus struck a chord with people.



Twitter





The following video shows the doctor's child rushing to hug his father who was wearing the medical uniform. But he immediately takes a step and breaks down in front of his son.

A Saudi doctor returns home from the hospital, tells his son to keep his distance, then breaks down from the strain. pic.twitter.com/0ER9rYktdT  Mike (@Doranimated) March 26, 2020

"The aim of the clip was to make citizens and residents aware of hazards of the coronavirus and to comply with arrangements and instructions of the Health Ministry," the doctor, identified as Nasser Ali Al Shahrani, told a Saudi daily.



The doctor who is working at the King Salman Hospital in Riyadh, added he also sought to highlight just how badly the pandemic has changed the family life of healthcare workers.

"All colleagues should avoid approaching their children and families until they wash their hands and take the necessary precautions," Gulf News quoted him as saying.



This is the face of someone who just spent 9 hours in personal protective equipment moving critically ill Covid19 patients around London.



I feel broken - and we are only at the start. I am begging people, please please do social distancing and self isolation #covid19 pic.twitter.com/hs0RQdvsn3  Natalie Silvey (Stay at home - save lives) (@silv24) March 21, 2020

In this fight against the pandemic, the doctors and other medical officials are being widely praised for their 'selflessness' and battling the disease on the front lines.

Another doctor from the UK named Natalie Silvey, an anaesthetic registrar showed the face of someone who spent at least nine hours in personal protective equipment and urged people to do social distancing.

Even in India Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered janata curfew and suggested that people should come out on their balconies at 5 pm on March 22 and praise the people in essential services.


YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Two more servicemen have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after the three earlier cases diagnosed yesterday, the Armenian military reported.

The two new cases have been diagnosed in servicemen who were quarantined after the first case was confirmed in a non-combat military base. 35 quarantined servicemen have tested negative, Defense Ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan said in a statement.

All 5 infected servicemen are hospitalized and are in normal condition. One has mild fever, the rest dont have any symptoms. Their direct contacts are quarantined.

COVID-19 figures in Armenia as of March 27, 13:57 GMT+4.

Total cumulative number of confirmed cases: 329

Active cases: 300

Number of recovered cases: 28

Number of fatalities: 1

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
People with second homes in the Catskills region of New York are being warned to stay away in venom-laced Facebook posts and blunt messages from county officials.

Boardwalks and beaches in some Jersey Shore towns are barricaded, and residents are urging the closure of coastal access bridges to outsiders.

In the Hamptons, the famous playground for the rich on the East End of Long Island, locals are angry that an onslaught of visitors has emptied out grocery store shelves.

A backlash has grown on the outskirts of the New York region as wealthy people flee to summer homes to avoid the densely packed city, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis.

This clash between year-round residents and those with the means to retreat to vacation homes intensified Tuesday as White House officials advised those who had passed through or fled New York City to place themselves in a 14-day quarantine.

Theyre pumping gas. Theyre stopping at grocery stores, said Kim Langdon, 48, of Ashland, New York. If theyre infected and they dont know it, theyre putting everyone at risk.

The expletive-filled commentary on a Catskills Facebook page was less subtle.

The only cases in Greene County were brought here from downstate people so stay down there, one man wrote. Just because you have a second home up here doesnt mean you have the right to put us at risk.

Mayors, town supervisors and the governors of at least two states have warned part-time residents of tourist destinations to stay away.

We dont want your bugs, said Linda Michel, 71, of Surf City, on Long Beach Island in New Jersey, about 100 miles south of Manhattan. Michel, who wore blue plastic gloves into a grocery store, said the bridge that connects Long Beach Island to the mainland should be closed to all except year-round residents who hold disaster re-entry passes.

The problem with the island is you do not have the resources, she said.

Across the country, similar tensions between locals and seasonal visitors are bubbling to the surface as efforts to confront the pandemic have led the nation to navigate uncharted territory.

The governor of Florida has ordered anyone who traveled from the New York region in the last three weeks to remain under quarantine for 14 days. Officials in vacation hubs on North Carolinas Outer Banks have barred nonresidents as cases of the highly contagious virus creep south along the East Coast.

Short-term rentals have been curtailed in Truckee, California, about 30 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard have been deemed no-go zones in Massachusetts, where Gov. Charlie Baker urged people to stay on the mainland.

In New Jersey, Gov. Philip Murphy made an unequivocal plea for those with shore houses to stay away.

We all love the summer people, said Joseph Mancini, the mayor of Long Beach Township, New Jersey. They drive our economy. But when they come down here now, the services here arent geared up for them.

He estimated that his township had tripled in size to 15,000 as part-time residents arrived, lured by last weekends warm, sunny weather and the relative safety of the beach.

The cancellation of schools in most states and work-from-home edicts have left many families unfettered by offices or primary residences, free to work wherever they can find Wi-Fi.

The influx has drained local supermarkets and fueled fear that a continued onslaught could cripple towns with tiny police forces and few hospitals.

Just try to get chicken, said Pete Byron, the mayor of Wildwood, New Jersey. You cant get chicken.

At Red Horse Market, a gourmet food shop in East Hampton, part of Long Islands East End, some customers are phoning in to ask for personal shoppers or for delivery to their cars, so they dont have to walk through the store, said Jeff Lange, one of the owners.

At the moment, he said his 30-person staff is too busy to accommodate such requests.

We had people showing up to buy a lot of meat, Lange said, and there were moments where we had to step in and say, Thats too much. Theres no hard line on the meat, for example, but if it seems like more than what is fair, we say so.

A liquor store in Sag Harbor, another Hamptons town, is selling cases of wine and spirits through a half-opened door.

Its like the Fourth of July out here, said Robin Farnam, a clerk at the store.

The number of known coronavirus cases in the United States continues to grow quickly.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been at least 59,502 cases of coronavirus confirmed by lab tests and 804 deaths, according to a New York Times database. More than half are in New York state and most of these are from New York City  an easy drive to some of the wealthiest enclaves in the nation.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said that with cases doubling every three days in New York City alone, as many as 140,000 people might need urgent care in the next few weeks.

Greene County, about two hours north of the city in the heart of the Catskills, warned on its website that travel from any area at this time is inadvisable and is highly discouraged.

Greene County is a large rural county with NO hospital! the message reads.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

On Long Island, private plane and jet traffic increased at East Hampton Airport, with everything from single-engine Cessnas and Piper Cubs to Gulfstreams and Falcon jets landing.

Weve had helicopters, seaplanes, corporate planes, said Jim Brundige, the airport director. A little bit of everything.

Stores there have also been stripped. Some people are even buying extra freezers, residents said.

They want to make sure they have enough for a year, said Jonathan Amaral, the house manager and chef at a gated estate on Southamptons Main Street. The shelves were bare. For us locals and middle class people, that hurts.

Long before the virus struck, many full-time residents of towns that flood with seasonal visitors already had a healthy distrust of their part-time neighbors and the crowds that follow in their wake.

Some people have bitter feelings toward weekenders, said Honora Trimbell, of Bovina, New York, in the Catskills. Theyre just taking this opportunity to elaborate.

A popular bumper on cars in southern New Jersey, where day-trippers are disparaged as bennies, reads, Welcome to the shore. Now go home.

Still, the rapid swell of visitors remains worrisome to elected leaders.

Officials on Fishers Island, a quaint oasis in the Long Island Sound not far from the Connecticut coastline, with an offseason population of 230, have issued new urgent protocols pleading with people to stay away for at least a month.

Jay Schneiderman, the supervisor of Southampton, an area comprising more than a dozen hamlets and villages on eastern Long Island, said the population had soared in the last two weeks to nearly 100,000, up from 60,000.

I would prefer that if you are coming from New York City, a hot spot, you stay there, said Schneiderman, chairman of the East End Supervisors and Mayors Association. I cant stop you, but wed love people to heed the advice of the CDC and stay home.

Bob Sankosh, 56, splits his time between a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, where his office is, and a home in Beach Haven, New Jersey. He and his wife and his two adult children are now living at the beach as they all work or study from home.

I get both sides, Sankosh said. It would be easy to overrun things.

He said he believed the warnings from Murphy and others to stay away had been effective, noting that recently, beaches felt emptier.

Some New Yorkers, however, still seem undaunted by the warnings.

Last weekend, on Middle Lane in East Hampton, contractors bustled around a house under construction.

The home is at least two months away from completion, but the owner wants to move out of the city and into the home as soon as possible, said Michael Maycol, a carpenter and painter.

Hes pushing us to finish the home, Maycol said, before something worse happens.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has ordered the immediate closure of the Arouca Police Station after an officer, with a recent travel history, developed flu-like symptoms this week.

In a release today, Griffith said the officer left the country on March 4th, without the necessary approval and knowledge and went to St Maarten. In the meantime, the officer is awaiting testing.

He returned to Trinidad on March 7th and instead of going into self-quarantine, the officer returned to work the following day. When the officer developed the flu-like symptoms, Griffith said a decision was taken to close the station as a precautionary measure, following which all officers of the Arouca Police Station were ordered to go on self-quarantine.

As a result, the CoP said the Arouca Police Station will be temporarily closed and sanitization of the premises will begin today.

Griffith said persons wishing to make reports should do so at the following police stations:

 Arima Police Station, Broadway  667-3563

 Maloney Police Station, Flamingo Boulevard  646-6504

 Piarco Police Station, Golden Grove Road  669-4366

 Tunapuna Police Station, Eastern Main Road  645-7573

The CoP has assured that following the closure, there would be increased patrols in the Arouca District.

When the Arouca Police Station is reopened, Griffith said it will be manned by police officers from other stations.
A Northern Ireland woman has had to shell out thousands of pounds to get home from Australia after her flight was cancelled at the last minute.

Jill Beatty (43), from Glengormley, booked a six-week business class trip with Emirates through Trailfinders, costing 11,000.

As coronavirus lockdown measures were announced just two-and-a-half weeks into the trip, she's had to fork out an extra 3,500 for economy tickets to return home.

A further 1,000 has also been spent on new flights and accommodation.

On Friday, she had managed to get a flight to Tokyo and hopes she will make it back to Northern Ireland by Saturday night.

Ms Beatty said she and another woman had booked flights home via Johannesburg in South Africa but they were cancelled on Thursday.

After paying for the additional flight to Tokyo, she said another man had the same flight cancelled and rebooked via Tokyo for no extra charge.

"Trailfinders don't want to know even though they assured me I would have their help if anything happened the day before I went on March 5," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

She added: "Airlines are very quick to take the money but a nightmare when they cancel flights.

"Thankful for the new emergency credit card I got."

In a statement on the Trailfinders website, customers were assured that no other travel company is as financially secure and it has a separate "war chest of cash".

The company said it would help clients who wished to return home earlier in countries with a travel ban or quarantine, but it is subject to availability and "may see more cost incurred".

Further information for travellers is available on the Trailfinders website.

The Foreign Office has advised that flight options from Australia to the UK are becoming "increasingly restricted" over coronavirus measures.

As more airline operators have announced they will suspend flights, British citizens are advised to return home immediately while commercial flights are still available.

British nationals in Australia have also been advised to register their details with the British High Commission registration site.

The Irish Foreign Office said that while all options are being explored, it may not be "feasible or possible" to bring everyone home in the short term.

The statement added: "We know that this is a stressful situation for citizens and our embassy network is working around the clock to provide people with all the information and assistance that we can, bearing in mind the situation is unfolding across multiple countries and is not one under our control."
As the novel coronavirus crisis continues to affect area families, the Salvation Army East Harris County is adjusting to a new normal in outreach while continuing to accept online donations and drop-off contributions of nonperishable food.

The Salvation Army relies on donations, and with the virus causing increasing public demand for essential items, the 501  nonprofit is working to stretch limited resources to meet needs in its service areas, which includes Pasadena, Deer Park, La Porte, Baytown, Channelview, Webster and Friendswood.

Whether its serving hot meals to the homeless, maintaining assistance to registered clients or delivering food to seniors, a skeleton crew is operating out of the groups main facility in Pasadena while abiding by social distancing protocols.

We will take all that we can

Most meals are being distributed outside the facility, restricting the number of people being served at one time.

We are limiting the contact and space with each family or person, said Salvation Army Lt. Luis Villanueva, who leads the the center with his wife, Maryanne.

More Information Donations needed The Salvation Army East Harris County is accepting donations to help people in its service area, which includes Pasadena, Deer Park, La Porte, Baytown, Channelview, Webster and Friendswood. Items to drop off: Canned and nonperishable goods such as rice, beans and pasta. Check all items to be donated for expiration dates. When: 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the facility, which is at 2732 Cherrybrook Lane. Where: 2732 Cherrybrook Lane. Online donations: Visit https://bit.ly/2QOIvnG More information: 713-378-0020; visit the group's Facebook page, @SalArmyPasadenaTX See More Collapse

The organization needs canned and nonperishable goods such as rice, beans and pasta. Donations can be dropped off from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the facility, which is at 2732 Cherrybrook Lane.

The group asks that you check all items to be donated for expiration dates.

Call 713-378-0020 for more information.

To donate online, visit here.

We will take all that we can to give to the families that are coming in, Villanueva said.

All the groups senior and youth activities have been halted until further notice.

According to Villanueva, between 50-60 senior adults had attended programs at the facility, and while those activities are canceled the organization has been preparing emergency food boxes that contain up to five meals for a week for those clients.

The Salvation Armys Meals on Wheels program generally distributes food to approximately 85 registered seniors, but that service has also been modified.

Meals on Wheels is providing food only for registered clients because the Salvation Army cant do home assessments now for potential clients, Villanueva said.

We want people to understand that we want to serve all, but we have to restrict (our services) so we can replenish resources because no one knows know how long this is going to last, Villanueva said.

The food pantry at the Cherry Lane location will serve adults who can provide IDs and proof of residence as well as birth certificates for each child under age 18 living at the household.

Proof of ID and residence can be a light or water bill or anything that verifies that person or family as a resident of east Harris County.

We want to make sure that we are giving to people really in need, said Villanueva. The food we are giving is just for a few days; so were asking our clients to be mindful and look for other resources other than us because if they come every week, we cannot help other people that really need assistance.

Homeless families and individuals can continue to receive hot meals daily from 1-2 p.m. but on a limited pick-up-and-go basis  the first 10 to 20 families that arrive at the location. Service will be for one person or family at a time.

The nonprofit depends largely on volunteers, but the threat of exposure to the virus has limited that group for now.

We wish we could run all these programs with volunteers, but the reality is that I cannot have volunteers on a daily basis, Villanueva said. We have key people who are working here (at the facility) until the city says otherwise.

For the Salvation Army to continue serving, it will need more donations to restock and replenish, said Villanueva.

The Salvation Army only functions because people donate, he said.

For more information on the Salvation Army East Harris County services, visit its Facebook page, @SalArmyPasadenaTX
Carson Daly and his wife Siri have welcomed their fourth child together.

The Today show anchor announced the arrival of daughter Goldie Patricia Daly Thursday on Instagram, where he posted a photo of the newborn laying in the arms of her mother.

Carson, 46, and Siri, 39, both wore face masks as they took a photo with the newest member of the Daly family.

Oh baby: Carson Daly and his wife Siri have welcomed their fourth child together

'Daly Planet Exclusive! Carson & Siri Daly (Hi! That's us!) along with proud siblings Jackson James (11) Etta Jones (7) and London Rose (5) are beyond thrilled to announce the arrival of Goldie Patricia Daly!' Carson gushed in the caption.

In addition to the arrival of their child, the family also sent a 'special shout out' to the medical team serving their hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic.

'She was born at 4:08pm (ET) coming in at 8.2lbs & 20 inches long. Go Go and mom are doing great. The Daly family wants to send a special shout out to the incredibly brave & selfless medical staff at our hospital in New York and also the many courageous people on the front lines of this dreadful virus.

'We thank God not only for the safe birth of our daughter, but for their tireless work attending to so many in need. It is a bittersweet event for us as we are extremely grateful, but also mindful of this unparalleled time in our history. We appreciate your well wishes and ask that you join us in praying for the many suffering around the world. God Bless you all.'

Expanding! Daly and his wife announced the pregnancy on the Today show (pictured 2017)

So proud: The 46-year-old shared the happy news on the show this morning, revealing that wife Siri is happily expecting once again

It was only a few months ago Carson was announcing his wife's pregnancy on the Today show.

'We couldn't be happier to share the news that our family is growing by one this spring,' the couple said in a joint statement. 'We are continually amazed by God's blessings in our lives. Our entire family is grateful and so excited!'

Together, Carson and Siri already have three children: 11-year-old Jackson, seven-year-old Etta, and five-year-old London.

Wedded bliss: He and Siri, a food blogger, married in December of 2015

Carson made the announcement on the Today show, telling his co-workers about his baby joy with his food blogger wife, whom he married in December of 2015

'Siri Daly, my incredible wife  she's gearing up for a big spring, because that's when she'll give birth to our fourth member of the Daly family,' he said on air.

His coworkers were clearly shocked, with Hoda Kotb gasping and excitedly asking him if he was kidding.

Sitting nearby, Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer also reacted with surprise and offered applause and kind words.

He also accepted hugs from everyone, included Dylan, who is pregnant herself with her second child.

What!? His colleagues were shocked and thrilled by the big news

Yes! Craig Melvin got up first to give him a warm hug while Hoda and Dylan smiled on

Sharing milestones: Dylan, rocking her own baby bump, embraced Carson as well

A big day! Hoda also seemed quite thrilled for her morning show colleague

On air: Siri has popped up on the Today show in the past

'You should hug Siri not me, I've done very little in this situation,' Carson joked.

Carson has gushed about his three kids in the past, particularly after his mother Pattie died after a heart attack in 2017 and his stepfather Richard succumbed to bone cancer five weeks later.

'My parents were overly proud,' he said in March. 'I sometimes try to love my kids, I think, less, almost on purpose, because I'm so scared of loving them too much.'

He also discussed being a working dad with a busy career.

'I'm very sentimental with my kids. When I'm driving to JFK (airport) and I'm going to be gone for five days, it really does suck,' he said.

'I realized that in the hotel rooms, there's postcards. So I thought, wherever I go, whatever hotel I'm in, I'm going to write my kids postcards, and I'm going to buy them a stamp and I'm going to put in in slug mail, and now they collect them.'
FP Trending

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella exuded confidence that the software giant will come out pretty strong from the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview to CNBC, the India-born CEO said that Microsoft has a great balance sheet. Also, the company has a very diverse business along with a mix of annuity, non-annuity which is also stronger than the earlier financial crisis.

Nadella asserted that Microsoft Azure and cloud services were under pressure as a number of people are working from home and staying indoors.

He added that Microsoft is being able to meet the demands of work from home kits.

Microsoft Teams, a workplace communication and collaboration software, has become one of the most preferred platforms for people working from home. The software is also being used by educational institutes for conducting online classes.

If this was a previous generation of data centre architectures or software architectures, I dont think we would have been able to deal with this crisis as effectively as we have been able to, Nadella said.

He, however, expressed concern on whether the demand holds up in the US and Europe along with other developed markets that have been largely hit by the pandemic.

On Sunday, Nadella in a letter to his employees described the coronavirus pandemic as uncharted territory".

Like many of you, there have been times over the past weeks where it has felt overwhelming and all-encompassing for me. I worry about the health and safety of my family, my co-workers, and friends. My wife and I worry for her ageing parents, who are far away from us in India, the Microsoft CEO wrote in the letter which he also shared on Linkedin.
Within the next week, more than a dozen Canadian hospitals will start enrolling patients as part of an unprecedented global collaboration to test four potential treatments for COVID-19, the disease caused by the pandemic coronavirus that currently has no vaccine or cure.

Dubbed SOLIDARITY, the multinational trial is being co-ordinated by the World Health Organization and aims to enrol thousands of patients from around the world. In the absence of a vaccine  something that is at least a year or more away  the goal is to quickly identify treatments that could mitigate the toll of COVID-19, which has already killed more than 20,000 people worldwide.

If successful, doctors will finally have some evidence-based research for deciding which drugs to use, or exclude, when treating patients with severe cases of COVID-19  and the world will have a new playbook for conducting urgent clinical research in the middle of an international health emergency.

This is a global, co-ordinated megatrial, said Dr. Srinivas Murthy, an infectious disease and critical care specialist and associate professor with the University of British Columbia, who sits on the global steering committee for SOLIDARITY.

With just a handful of patients, you cant really prove anything ever. So we need lots and lots of patients from around the world to prove if (any of these drugs) are useful.

This is completely unprecedented and if this gets pulled off, this is a new model for global collaboration.

The Canadian arm of the global trial, dubbed CATCO (Canadian Treatments for COVID-19), is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, which provided nearly $1 million as a part of the federal governments $275-million commitment towards supporting medical research for COVID-19.

Murthy said at least 15 Canadian sites have signed on so far, including Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, the Canadian sponsor of the trial, and three other GTA hospitals.

Other participating countries include Argentina, Bahrain, France, Iran, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand and Spain. Three countries that are notably absent from the collaboration, however, are China, Italy and the United States  the nations hardest hit by COVID-19 so far, collectively reporting more than 245,000 cases.

The decision over which drugs to include was the source of heated debate, according to Murthy, who has been consulting the WHO on COVID-19 since January. Eventually, the steering committee settled on four drug treatments that are already licensed or developed for other diseases but show preliminary potential for treating COVID-19 (see sidebar).

None of these are expected to be a miracle cure, Murthy cautioned, but may prove beneficial towards improving outcomes for certain patients or allow doctors to rule out drugs that clearly dont work.

In selecting these drugs, experts considered not only what was available and effective, but what could be quickly scaled up to reach populations around the world, Murthy said. Typically, the exercise of setting a research agenda is something that can take years; for SOLIDARITY, it all came together within weeks.

The fact that we expedited it so quickly is probably a good thing, he said. But at the same time, when you expedite things, things can sometimes get lost, overlooked, or over-addressed. So did we make the right decisions? Its unclear. But I think time will tell.

The foundational work that allowed SOLIDARITY to assemble so rapidly was laid in the aftermath of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, when the WHO came under fierce criticism for its slow and ineffective response. From that stemmed the creation of the WHOs R&D Blueprint, a global strategy for ensuring that the world would be better prepared for future outbreaks.

The Blueprint created a plan for fast-tracking drugs and vaccines for a serious and sudden outbreak. It also identified a list of priority pathogens, including Ebola, SARS, MERS and Disease X  a placeholder name for a yet-unknown pathogen that experts knew would eventually emerge and explode into a pandemic. In other words, something like COVID-19.

In the absence of any treatments, desperate clinicians have started trying unproven drugs for COVID-19 and publishing small studies  reports that are often compelling but lack statistical significance and need to be replicated in much bigger studies before conclusions can be drawn.

Currently, more than 500 clinical trials are already registered with the WHO. This is impressive but also concerning, Murthy wrote in an editorial published Thursday with the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Theres been hundreds of small and likely not useful clinical trials testing a random number of different agents, he told the Star. When in fact what we need to do is co-ordinate all of these efforts at a global scale  and actually learn things that are useful.

Small COVID-19 studies are already being harnessed in ways that are counterproductive or even harmful, Murthy said. For example, after French doctors published a tiny study about treating COVID-19 patients with a malarial drug called hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, an antibiotic, the report caught the eye of U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted that it was a game changer  even though scientists have criticized the studys serious methodological deficiencies.

Nevertheless, the study has already had harmful ripple effects. Within days of its publication, there were reports of panic buying, drug shortages and even deaths after people tried self-medicating with chloroquine, a drug that is similar to hydroxychloroquine but more toxic.

These small studies can be very influential when people feel like they are facing a condition like COVID  people are willing to latch onto data that is really very uncertain, said Dr. Robert Fowler, a critical care physician at Sunnybrook who is heading his hospitals involvement with SOLIDARITY.

Theres a sense of urgency to be able to quickly evaluate what will or wont work and the only way to do that with confidence and precision is to co-operate over (large) jurisdictions so you can gain information from many, many patients.

Fowler expects to start enrolling COVID-19 patients by early next week and explains that those who consent to participate will be randomly selected for one of the drug treatments or randomized into a control group that receives the current standard of care  in the case of COVID-19, supportive treatment like ventilation.

Data about patients  for example length of stay, outcome, any underlying health conditions  will then be collected and fed to the WHO in Geneva, where it will be consolidated with other international data and eventually interpreted.

Fowler said the study design is unique in that new drugs can always be added if promising new treatments come forward. As for how long it will take for SOLIDARITY to yield actionable data? That will depend on how effective the medicines are  if they are even effective at all  and the number of patients ultimately enrolled.

Conceivably, if many, many, many countries are participating very quickly, over two to four months we might be able to get our first signals.

The wait for a potential vaccine, however, will be much longer, even though there are already at least 44 vaccines in early-stage development, according to an editorial published in the journal Science on Thursday.

Experts caution that vaccines are much slower to create, test and roll out than drug treatments  for very good reasons.

The distinction between therapeutics and vaccines is vitally important, said Ross Upshur, head of clinical public health at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

You give medications to people who are sick, and the first trials are in people who are very sick indeed. You give vaccines to people who are healthy  a difference that significantly alters the risk-benefit analysis, Upshur says.

Upshur noted that in 1976, a vaccine was urgently rolled out in the U.S. amid concerns about an epidemic of swine flu, one that never materialized. The vaccine caused Guillain-Barre Syndrome in about one in 100,000 people, a rare disorder that causes nerve damage and sometimes paralysis. The debacle set back trust in vaccines for decades.

Unlike a COVID-19 drug treatment, which would be given to thousands of very sick patients in intensive care, a vaccine would be given to hundreds of millions or billions of healthy people worldwide, Upshur added. So in addition to being safe, any potential vaccine also has to be effective  worth a massive, worldwide rollout  and global supply chains must be able to manufacture huge amounts.

So (vaccines) need to be very, very carefully studied and theres no shortcut, said Upshur.

The science behind vaccines is also tricky. If drug therapies attack a virus in hand-to-hand combat, vaccines are engaged in something more like a cold war, nudging the human immune system to provoke a protective response for a virus it has never seen. Coronaviruses also mutate slowly over time, though less than flu viruses. Flu vaccines have to be reformulated every year for that reason.

Given the rapid mobilization and furious work of the international scientific community so far, Upshur is hopeful. He noted that effective treatments were found for Ebola after clinical trials carried out in conflict-wracked countries with little health infrastructure.

If we can use science and get answers in those circumstances, given the kind of resources we would be able to mobilize for this disease, we should be able to bring it under control. In the meantime were going to have to be resolved and live with some uncomfortable circumstances around physical distancing. Were going to have to make some sacrifices. But if were all on board we can do it. Thats why they call it the SOLIDARITY trial.

THE DRUGS THEYRE TESTING

These are the four drug treatments being tested in international trials co-ordinated through WHOs SOLIDARITY protocol. The trial design allows underperforming therapies to be subtracted out and newly promising ones to be added in over time.

Remdesivir: This anti-viral did not work against Ebola in a trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but showed promise in studies in mice and in human cell cultures in inhibiting the viruses that cause SARS and MERS, which are both coronaviruses, like the one that causes COVID-19.

Lopinavir and Ritonavir: this combination drug sold under the brand name Kaletra is approved to treat HIV. Studies in animals showed some signs of efficacy against MERS, but showed no benefit in a small study in China of 199 COVID-19 patients, though those patients were severely ill.

The same lopinavir/ritonavir drug combination with the addition of an interferon beta, which is a molecule that regulates the immune system. This combination is being tested in a randomized controlled trial to treat MERS.

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine: these anti-malaria drugs were initially not considered for the trial but were added after attracting significant attention, prompting the need for evidence of their efficacy. Trump has repeatedly touted them as cures. Science magazine noted evidence of efficacy is thin.

Clarification - March 31, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version to make clear that the steering committee settled on four drug treatments that are already developed for the treatment of other diseases but show preliminary potential for the treatment of COVID-19. The previous version did not make clear that not all of the drugs have been licensed for treatment.
FILE PHOTO: Oil tanker is seen at sunset anchored off the Fos-Lavera oil hub near Marseille

LONDON (Reuters) - Traders have chartered at least five supertankers in the past day with options to store oil at sea as global stocks mount after the United States ditched plans to purchase oil for its emergency reserve, shipping sources said on Friday.

Shipping sources said the vessels  each of which can carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil - were booked for storage options of at least three months to take advantage of a widening contango market structure, when cargoes for short-term delivery are cheaper than those for later delivery.

In such instances, oil majors and trading houses charter ships to store oil they produce or buy cheaply from the market, betting they can resell at a profit when prices recover.

Trader Vitol was among the companies that booked storage options for ships, the sources said. Vitol declined to comment.

Storage included parking cargoes in the U.S. Gulf, the sources said.

The U.S. Department of Energy said on Thursday it has ditched plans to purchase crude for the nation's emergency reserve due to a lack of funding from Congress.

The purchases were seen as a way to absorb some of the global supply in crude markets caused by a crash in demand due to the spreading coronavirus pandemic and a flood of supply from top-producing countries.

The latest charters add to earlier bookings this month for storage at sea by oil players including Royal Dutch Shell and Glencore, sources have said.

"Activity is back, and owners are asking for much higher rates," broker Clarksons Platou Securities said in a note on Friday. "The driving force is the contango play soaking up tonnage."

Daily tanker rates have rocketed to record highs of $200,000 a day over the past two weeks and reached over $178,000 a day on Friday. Traders have to pay a premium for longer term charters.

The glut of oil in world markets has prompted efforts by oil players to find storage options including both on land and offshore on tankers.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Julia Payne and Ron Bousso in London and Shu Zhang in Singapore; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Almost every night, all of America is witness to Joe Biden's seemingly progressive mental decline on full display. The decline expresses itself in surprisingly different forms each night. It all adds up to what we laymen are certain is age-advanced dementia.

Biden can't remember words, places, or people. He recalls he was once in the "Obiden-Bama" administration and is now running for "U.S. Senate." Facts and figures are even more challenging. Even hardcore conservatives cringe with sadness as Biden slurs his way through the mental fog. So why is Joe Biden running for president, given his age and mental decline? Why? People often ask, "How could Biden's family allow this to continue?"

While grifter Hunter Biden isn't likely to discourage old Joe, what about Joe's wife of 42 years, Jill Biden? Shouldn't the good "Doctor" Jill step in and make the call to retire Joe to Florida or at least to Southern Delaware? Let's consider some questions:

Who is the one person who knows better than anyone that Joe Biden's mental faculties are in serious decline?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who is the one person with the power to make Joe Biden retire from politics?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who is the one person closest to Joe who encouraged him and now enables him to run for the presidency for a third time?

Answer: Jill Biden

When asked why Joe Biden was running for president, who told The View, "I wasn't ready to run, but then...Charlottesville happened"?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who told The View that the decision about running was put to Joe's grandchildren, who demanded that "Pop" run for president, after which "we jumped in"?

Answer: Jill Biden

Which career political wife almost certainly stewed in jealousy for eight years while playing second fiddle to newcomer Michelle Obama, who didn't even want the job?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who is the one person constantly seen and heard after debates, on stage, and after televised appearances, instructing Joe Biden to "come" or "go," and whom he obediently obeys?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who said on The View that she didn't think her stepson Bo Biden was going to die until the moment he died?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who said on The View, "We've never known anything but politics, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle"?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who would be de facto president early on in a Biden administration, even without a severe medical event?

Answer: Jill Biden

In a Biden administration, who would be emulating Edith Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson, who called the shots after Wilson's severe stroke left him bedridden?

Answer: Jill Biden

Who dedicated her last book to the "The inspiring, groundbreaking First Lady Edith Wilson"?

Answer: You guessed it  Jill Biden

Hollywood film director Joel Gilbert is president of Highway 61 Entertainment. Among his many films are political documentaries including The Trayvon Hoax: Unmasking the Witness Fraud that Divided America; Trump: The Art of the Insult; There's No Place Like Utopia; Dreams from My Real Father; Atomic Jihad; and Farewell Israel: Bush, Iran and the Revolt of Islam.
PUNE: Shortage of raw materials because of national lockdown has hit major diary operators despite the white goods falling under the essentials.

Cooperative unions like Kolhapur district cooperative milk producers union (Gokul brand), Pune district cooperative milk producers union (Katraj brand), and private dairy Indapur milk and milk products limited (Sonai brand) are left with limited stock of raw material needed for milk packaging, running and cleaning the plants.

The dairies say that as raw materials do not fall under essential commodities, they have to depend on suppliers who have shut down operations because of the lockdown.

Vivek Kshirsagar, Katraj Dairys managing director, said, Dairy industry requires polythene liner for packaging and chemicals to clean the plants.

Dattatray Ghanekar, Gokul dairys managing director, said, Vendors are unable to provide raw materials because of restrictions on movement of goods. We are also facing cross-border transport issues as our plant is located in Kolhapur and our business covers Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Villagers are even stopping our milk collection vehicles claiming that it is being used for passengers travel.

Sonai Milks director Dashrath Mane said, The issues faced by dairies due to lockdown need to be addressed by the government. We are ready to supply milk as farmers have to milk their cattle every day and they give it to dairies. The issue we face is manpower shortage to run the plants.

Narendra Poyam, Maharashtra milk commissioner, said, The government is taking steps to ensure that dairies do not fall short of raw materials to run their business.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services closed three county assistance offices in Philadelphia on Friday over concerns about possible employee exposure to the coronavirus.

The Delancey, Elmwood, and Somerset County Assistance Offices were directed to close while the department works with the landlords that own the buildings where the offices are located to clean them in accordance with state health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, said human services spokeswoman Erin James. She said the hope is the offices will reopen as soon as Monday.

James declined to confirm reports that employees in those offices tested positive for COVID-19, citing confidentiality reasons. But Steve Catanese, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 668, which represents employees in those offices, said in a statement that they have learned several employees who work for the department tested positive.

Weve been going in circles with DHS for weeks, doing everything we could to get them to limit the exposure to our members," he said. "We knew that, at some point, this virus was going to reach our workers, and we wanted DHS to be preparedto have all offices professionally cleaned, to have skeleton crews in the office, and to have folks teleworking to continue to renew and review applications. But DHS has not moved quickly enough. Im furious that our own members are now having to battle this extremely aggressive virus. This could have been prevented.

Catanese confirmed reports that all or nearly all of the workers in two of those now-closed offices took leave time on Thursday or Friday morning to exit work early out of fear of being exposed to the contagious virus. Each office employs between 50 to 100 workers.

Were glad these offices were closed and were hoping they get cleaned thoroughly in the way the people who work there deserve to have, he said We expect those standards to be applied to every county assistance office in the commonwealth.

The work that county assistance offices perform include processing applications for food, medical assistance and other critical benefits. While those offices are closed, James said it will be transferred to other county offices, which is standard process during individual office closures.

The Department of Human Services closed off public access to all county assistance offices to reduce person-to-person contact, James said.

The department earlier this week struck an agreement with SEIU 668 to have employees in county assistance offices with 50 or more employees to work on a staggered two-day on, two-day off shift. This allowed for caseworkers to put more distance between themselves in tight work quarters for social distancing.

Catanese said the union continues to push for the staggered work schedule for all county assistance offices. It also is calling on the department to close all worksites where positive coronavirus cases occur and require they are professionally cleaned to CDC standards. Further, it is urging the department to allow workers to telework until the pandemic is over.

James said employees health and safety remains at the forefront of the departments decisions. Other steps she said the department has taken to demonstrate that include ordering antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies for all offices and mandating social distancing with employees working at least six feet apart. She said department officials continue to explore the possibilities of telework and alternate work sites to ensure the safety of staff while maintaining Pennsylvanians access to critical benefits is maintained.

Catanese said, We know people have to get their welfare benefits. We just have to make sure the workers are healthy enough to do it and arent putting their lives on the line.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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.
Singapore and Malaysia have launched economic stimulus packages to shore up their economies from the devastating impact of the fast-spreading coronavirus.

And Indonesia reported 153 new infections on Friday, its largest single-day rise, with the total number of cases reaching 1046 people and the number of deaths reaching 87 - the highest for any country in the South-east Asian region.

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat annoucing a major new economic stimulus package. Credit:EPA

Indonesian Health Ministry spokesman Achmad Yurianto said the rise in infections was "quite significant". It comes as the government begins using 500,000 rapid tests sent from China to screen patients.

Achmad also suggested that millions of Indonesians should delay returning to their home village in May for lebaran, a major Muslim holiday, as it could potentially see the virus carried en masse to all corners of the country. Already, the government has announced it will cancel subsidised travel for this holiday.
Ride-hailing major Ola on Friday launched a fund to support auto-rickshaw, cab, Kaali-Peeli and taxi drivers across India amid the ongoing 21-day lockdown.

Besides, Ola co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal will forgo salary for one year that will go towards the fund.

Launched under Ola Foundation, the 'Drive the Driver Fund' will support the drivers through contributions from the Ola group, investors and via a crowdfunding platform for citizens and other institutions, a statement said.

"The proceeds of the fund will help towards the welfare and upliftment of drivers and their families who have been affected by the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic," it added.

Ola Group and employees are contributing an initial capital of Rs 20 crore to the fund and through the crowdfunding campaign, the intent is to raise up to Rs 50 crore.

"The mobility industry has been brought to a grinding standstill during these stressed times, and the driver community has been finding it hard to pay for their family expenses without a source of income," the statement said.

Ola's initiative aims to bring together multiple stakeholders in the ecosystem such as customers, investors and partner organisations to participate in supporting millions of drivers and their families across India, it added.

This initiative will focus on key areas such as emergency support and essential supplies. In due course, Ola Foundation will also take up initiatives to support drivers in areas such as aid for children's education, among others.

"Millions of drivers and their families have been affected, and even a humble contribution can have a lasting impact on their wellbeing. We invite all the stakeholders of the mobility industry to join us in every way you can, and support the people who move us in this difficult phase," an Ola spokesperson said.

Ola has undertaken a number of measures, including launching a special COVID-19 insurance cover exclusive for their driver partners and their spouses.

These steps are aimed at helping driver-partners and customers through the coronavirus outbreak.

The number of positive coronavirus case in India has touched 724 till date.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MARINETTE, Wis. - A judge has ruled that an 83-year-old man charged with killing a camping couple in a Wisconsin park in 1976 is not mentally competent to stand trial.

During a hearing Thursday in Marinette County court, Judge James Morrison ruled that Raymand Vannieuwenhoven did not understand the proceedings and could not assist in his own defence against two counts of first-degree murder. He ordered the defendant to undergo inpatient treatment and scheduled a status review of the case for June.

Vannieuwenhoven was arrested and charged last year in the long-unsolved fatal shootings of 25-year-old David Schuldes and 24-year-old Ellen Matheys in McClintock Park in Silver Cliff, about 200 miles (320 kilometres) north of Milwaukee.

For decades, the widower and father of five children lived quietly among the 800 residents of Lakewood, a northern Wisconsin town surrounded by forests and small lakes.

At his first court appearance in March 2019, Vannieuwenhoven was asked by a judge if he understood the charges and he answered, Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty.

Investigators didnt have any major leads until 2018, when a DNA lab in Virginia identified the genealogical background of the suspect. Investigators say tests of Vannieuwenhovens DNA from a licked envelope matched DNA collected at the crime scene.
The Zaandam cruise ship enters the Panama City Bay to be assisted by the Rotterdam cruise ship with supplies, personnel and COVID-19 testing devices, at 8 milles from Panama City, on March 27, 2020.

Four passengers died aboard Holland America's "Zaandam" cruise ship and two people on board tested positive for the coronavirus, the company announced Friday.

The company, which is owned by parent Carnival Corp., did not say how many passengers and crew were tested but said 53 passengers and 85 crew members are exhibiting symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. There are more than 1,800 people aboard the ship, the company said, adding that four doctors and four nurses are also on board.

The Zaandam, which is currently anchored off the coast of Panama, is now at least the third Carnival-owned ship to become the site of a coronavirus outbreak.

The company said in a statement that "four older guests have passed away on Zaandam," but did not specify whether they died of COVID-19. "No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile."

Another Holland America ship, the "Rotterdam," met the Zaandam at sea on Thursday, the company said, adding that it plans to transfer healthy patients from one ship to the other before they are exposed to COVID-19. All passengers and crew currently exhibiting symptoms will remain on the Zaandam. The company said it is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ship departed Buenos Aires on March 7 for a voyage that was meant to end in Chile on March 21. While the ship was at sea, Holland America "made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home."
The PS 1242 flight to Ukraine took off on March 26

274 Ukrainians, evacuated from Canada, have flown home to Ukraine. This was reported by the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada on Facebook.

"Ukrainians are returning home from Canada. 274 passengers have departed via the UIA flight from Toronto to Kyiv," the report reads.

The PS 1242 flight to Ukraine took off on March 26.

The diplomatic mission reminded passengers of the need for self-isolation at home within 14 days after their trip.

As it was stated by the head of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service, about 200 thousand compatriots have returned home during March.

As we reported earlier, as of 10:00, on March 27, there are 219 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ukraine.

According to the Deputy Health Minister, it is expected that another patient will be discharged from the hospital today, on March 27.

Meanwhile, more than a thousand people in Russian-occupied Crimea were taken to hospitals, diagnosed with pneumonia.

1,500 people are now under medics' surveillance. Overall, there are seven officially confirmed cases of Covid-19 on the peninsula.
The UN Security Council, under the presidency of China this month, has not yet scheduled any meeting to discuss the rapidly-escalating coronavirus crisis, prompting a UN diplomat to say that the 15-nation powerful organ of the world body is "not fit" for the challenges of our times.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far. At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 1300 people have died in the US due to the disease.

So far, there are 78 confirmed coronavirus cases among UN staff worldwide.

China's presidency of the 15-nation Council will end on March 31 and no meeting is scheduled on the programme of work of the Security Council for March to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the rapidly deteriorating situation and the outbreak's dire health, security and economic consequences on nations.

When PTI contacted the Chinese mission at the UN on the possibility of any meeting of the UNSC on COVID-19, there was no response from the Chinese officials.

A UN diplomat told PTI that "the silence of the Council on an issue impacting human security in such a profound manner reflects that it is obviously not fit for purpose for the challenges of our times."



The Security Council held a video-conference Thursday chaired by China's Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun and discussed the work of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

A statement issued by the Chinese Mission to UN after the meeting said that Council members "also expressed concern at the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya and called on the parties to de-escalate the fighting urgently, to immediately cease hostilities and to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid throughout the country." There was the only reference to the COVID-19 crisis in the entire statement.

China's Mission to the UN tweeted Thursday that COVID19 "is a common enemy of all of us. China is also a victim. China has successfully contained the spreading of the pandemic and is doing its utmost in helping other countries. We will never accept stigma, discrimination or politicization on this issue. Never!".

The Dominican Republic will assume the Council Presidency for April.

A US State Department official said the Security Council had a unique and important role to play in combating the global coronavirus pandemic that poses major risks to international peace and security.

Earlier this month, as he took over the presidency of the Council, Zhang was asked whether China planned to discuss the coronavirus emergency.

He responded that there was no need to panic over the coronavirus epidemic and Beijing dId not plan to discuss the situation in the Council during its presidency, asserting that the world was not far from the defeat of COVID-19 "with the coming of spring.

With regard to the Security Council, at this moment, is the general feeling of Members States, while we watch closely the situation, especially the new development, we do not need to go panicky about that epidemic, Zhang had said.

He added that the issue of coronavirus fell within the concept of global public health while the Security Council's primary responsibility was dealing with the geo-political security and peace matters.

President of the 74th session of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande will brief the 193 UN Member States Friday "on the challenges posed by COVID-19 to the work of the Organisation and the activities of its principal organs."



He will be joined by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, United Nations Economic and Social Council President Mona Juul and Zhang.

An NBC report said that talks among Security Council nations over a joint declaration or resolution on coronavirus remain in stalemate over Washington's insistence that such a resolution should explicitly state that the virus originated in Wuhan, China, as well as exactly when it started there.

Beijing's diplomats are enraged at this and even want to put their own language into the statement praising China's efforts to contain the virus, the NBC report said.

A French diplomatic source told PTI that there are different attempts to have a UN text but there is nothing precise for the moment.

The State Department official said that all Security Council members must recognise the threat that China's mishandling of the outbreak poses to international peace and security.

The official said China had been more interested in saving face than saving lives. The official added that the World Health Organization and Chinese officials themselves had acknowledged that the outbreak began in Hubei Province, and Chinese authorities were the first to learn about it.

As such, they had a special responsibility to be fully transparent about the virus's spread but instead they suppressed information and punished doctors and journalists who raised the alarm, the official said.

The official said while Washington cannot predict how Beijing or Moscow will vote on a UN Security Council resolution, history will take note of countries who fail to take action in a transparent and objective manner for the good of the world for parochial political interests.

This is not the time to bicker but time to rise up to this unprecedented challenge, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The whole world is under the grip of Coronavirus and the country is going through a 21-day nationwide lockdown. Well, the Tollywood fraternity has come forward to help the government to combat the deadly virus. Actors Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Prabhas, Chiranjeevi and others have donated a massive amount to the centre and the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh government's relief fund.

Prabhas: Rs 4 crorePawan Kalyan: Rs 2 croreAllu Arjun: Rs 1.25 croreChiranjeevi: Rs 1 croreMahesh Babu: Rs 1 croreBalakrishna: Rs 1 croreJr NTR: Rs 75 lakhRam Charan: Rs 70 lakhNithin: Rs 20 lakhTrivikram: Rs 20 lakhDil Raju: Rs 20 lakhKoratala Siva: Rs 10 lakhSai Dharam Tej: Rs 10 lakhAnil Ravipudi: Rs 10 lakhVV Vinayak: Rs 5 lakhAllari Naresh: Rs 5 lakh

Baahubali actor Prabhas has topped the list by donating Rs 4 crore towards the relief fund. Of this, Rs 3 crore is being given to PM's National Relief Fund while Rs 50 lakh each for Chief Minister Relief Funds of Andhra and Telangana.

Power Star Pawan Kalyan took to Twitter to announce his donation of Rs 50 lakh each towards Telangana And Andhra government's relief fund. He has also contributed Rs 1 crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Senior Actor, Chiranjeevi, who recently marked his Twitter debut stated about his donation on the micro-blogging site. He wrote, "The lockdown situation while mandatory to deal with the #CoronaCrisis, also adversely impacts the lives of daily wage workers & lower-income groups in the country including the #TeluguFilmIndustry. Keeping this in mind I am donating Rs.1 Cr for providing relief to the Film workers."

The Prince of Tollywood, Mahesh Babu released a statement mentioning his part of the donation on Twitter which read, "Lauding the exemplary efforts of our Government in tackling the Coronavirus and doing their best to contain it. To support them in this fight, I have decided to do my part, contributing Rs 1 crore to the Chief Minster's relief fund of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. I request everyone, who can, come forward and make a donation to the cause. Every contribution will make a tremendous difference. As a responsible citizen, I urge everyone to abide by the rules and support the lockdown. In these tough times, we have to stand by each other and protect our own. Humanity will rise and we will win this war. Until then, #StayHomeStaySafe."

Ram Charan, who turned 36 today, has donated Rs 70 lakh towards the central and state government's relief fund. He tweeted that he was inspired by Pawan Kalyan, who donated for the cause. The RRR actor also lauded the government's effort of combating Coronavirus.

COVID-19: Tollywood Unites Against Coronavirus, Spreads Awareness!
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 17:05 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de4d55 1 Business Indonesia,G-20,global-supply-chain,medical-equipment,ventilator,test-kits,protective-gears,WHO,manufacturer,textile,Nusantics,automakers Free

Indonesia is set to support manufacturers with the capacity to produce the desperately needed protective gear, test kits and ventilators that are crucial in the worldwide global fight against COVID-19 as G20 nations pledge to focus on saving lives.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said on Thursday that the government would identify such companies and "see to their needs" for raw materials and other requirements in order to increase their production capacity and restore the supply chain. Globally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank will prioritize support for companies that can supply such medical equipment.

"The focus of [G20] leaders is saving human lives because this is not only a health problem but also a tragedy for humanity," Sri Mulyani told a teleconferenced media briefing after a virtual extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit on Thursday evening Jakarta time. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and Sri Mulyani represented Indonesia in the meeting.

Indonesia's latest move is intended to help Indonesias health workers, doctors and nurses who have been treating COVID-19 cases since mid-February despite many of them having inadequate protection. The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) announced over the weekend that five doctors had died of the illness, in addition to a nurse who died of COVID-19 on March 12.

In the broader context, every country has experienced scarcities in medical equipment like test kits, protective gear and ventilators, whether they were in Europe, Indonesia or the United States, Sri Mulyani said.

Following such an appeal, Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a commitment to ramping up its production capacity for medical equipment. He also offered G20 countries knowledge-sharing and experience in handling domestic production amid supply chain disruption.

Read also: G20 leaders to inject $5 trillion into global economy to fight coronavirus

The Trade Ministry issued a regulation on Tuesday to temporarily scrap all requirements for importing protective gear and medical equipment to reverse the shortages of such items in Indonesia.

Carmakers around the world are shifting gear to producing hospital ventilators and respirators to combat the novel coronavirus using 3D printing. Ford, General Motors, Ferrari and Nissan have been listed, on top of General Electrics and 3M Co.

"Indonesia could also have a chance [to produce more medical equipment] because Indonesia has the capacity to supply protective gear, hand sanitizers and so forth," she said.

One Indonesia-based start-up called Nusantics is preparing to make 100,000 COVID-19 test kits. A prototype will be complete within three weeks, according to the companys investor East Ventures.

Right now, it is difficult to get tested for the coronavirus as it keeps spreading throughout the nation, East Ventures cofounder and managing partner Willson Cuaca told The Jakarta Post. That is why we want to help the start-up achieve this goal.

Read also: Indonesian start-up to make COVID-19 test kits

Textile factories in Indonesia are switching their production lines to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel, including mass-producing masks and protective coveralls. Members of the Indonesian Textile Association (API) have committed to producing 1 million washable masks, according to PT Pan Brothers deputy CEO Anne Patricia Sutanto.

The workers were initially flabbergasted by our decision. They asked me Bu, we are a garment exporting company, how can we produce masks and coveralls? but I told them this is a humanitarian emergency and we did it, she told the Post on Thursday.

Textile company PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex) started to produce coveralls for medical workers in late January and started delivering the products in the first week of February, the companys spokesperson Joy Citra Dewi said.

We use a specified waterproof and antimicrobial material that weve developed for the PPE, Joy told the Post in a written statement, while declining to disclose the number of coveralls produced by the company.

Meanwhile, Pan Brothers has agreed to produce 20 million washable masks and 100,000 jumpsuits by April, which have been ordered by the government and retailers as demand for PPE skyrocketed.

The Trade Ministry had previously banned the export of face masks, hand sanitizer, protective medical gear and raw materials through Trade Ministry Regulation No. 23/20020 to ensure a sufficient domestic supply.

Read also: Indonesia calls on G20 to improve access to medical needs, better social protection

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the G20 to seek support for boosting funding and production of PPE for health workers amid the global shortage, urging nations to remove export bans.

"We have a global responsibility as humanity and especially those countries like the G20," Tedros told a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday. "They should be able to support countries all over the world."

The number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia quadrupled within a week, jumping from 172 positive diagnoses on March 17 to 893 on Wednesday. The number of deaths was 78, with the disease spreading to at least 27 of the country's 34 provinces. Globally, the pneumonia-like illness has infected more than 537,000 people with over 24,000 deaths. (mpr)
(Photo : Image by ian kelsall from Pixabay )

Advertisement

Image by ian kelsall from Pixabay



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

Europe has become the new epicenter of the global coronavirus outbreak with several European countries catching up to each other in spiking new cases.



Spain Extends State of Emergency



On Thursday, Spain announced the extension of its state of emergency call for another two weeks as the government implements the lockdown measures in hopes of preventing further CoVID-19 infections in the country.



According to Euronews, the move of extending the state of emergency was made so the government can have more space to implement stricter lockdown guidelines.



The move also came hours after Spain reported a devastating spike in new deaths. The country recorded 738 deaths in one day on Wednesday, overtaking Italy in the number of daily deaths.



Aside from surpassing epicenter Italy, Spain has also surpassed China's total tally of deaths as the latter starts lifting restrictions on citizen movements following Hubei's gradual recovery from the deadly virus.



As of Wednesday, Spain recorded a total of 3,434 deaths and 47,610 confirmed CoVID-19 cases.



Italy Sees Ray of Hope as New Cases Gradually Decline



Italy's Civil Protection Agency announced on Wednesday that it recorded 3,491 new coronavirus cases, marking a slow decline in new cases in the country for the fourth consecutive day, CNBC reported.



The decline in new cases, albeit small, has shone a ray of hope for Italians reeling from the nationwide lockdown that hampered business operations and further pushed down the economy.



As of Wednesday, the Civil Protection Agency said Italy recorded a total of 57,521 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and 7,503 deaths.



First Inmate in the U.K. Dies



An 84-year-old inmate at the HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire succumbed to the novel coronavirus on Sunday, a Prison Service spokesman confirmed on Thursday.



According to The Guardian, the spokesman said an independent investigation will be launched on the inmate's death as part of the United Kingdom's laws on deaths in custody. The patient was said to have underlying health issues.



As of Wednesday, 19 inmates across the U.K. have tested positive of the CoVID-19 strain. Four prison staff in England and Wales have also contracted the disease.



On Wednesday morning, the British Department of Health and Social Care said the country recorded a total of 9,529 confirmed coronavirus cases and 465 deaths.



Germany's Cases Pass 38,500



On Thursday morning, data from the Johns Hopkins University and Robert Koch Institute revealed that Germany now has a total of 38,530 confirmed CoVID-19 cases and 213 deaths, The Local Germany reported.



Most of the country's confirmed cases are found in North Rhine-Westphalia, with over 9,700 cases. The state has since announced hefty fines on people who violate social distancing and stay-at-home orders.



Germany has banned gatherings of more than two people as part of the measures to hopefully prevent further coronavirus cases in the country.



France Passes 230 Deaths in One Day



On Wednesday, health authorities in France revealed that the country saw 231 deaths in one day, raising the country's total death toll to 1,331, FRANCE24 reported.







Of the total 25,233 confirmed CoVID-19 cases in France, 2,827 people were in critical condition and in need of life support equipment. The country has a total of 8,000 hospital beds with a ventilation system.



Advertisement

TagsEurope Coronavirus, Global Coronavirus, Epicenter, The Pandemic
Canada provides details of the process by which foreign nationals will be able to return to Canada despite border closures

Exempt permit holders and permanent residents can now travel to Canada Canada provides details of the process by which foreign nationals will be able to return to Canada despite border closures

Exempt permit holders and permanent residents can now travel to Canada Canada provides details of the process by which foreign nationals will be able to return to Canada despite border closures

Exempt permit holders and permanent residents can now travel to Canada Canada provides details of the process by which foreign nationals will be able to return to Canada despite border closures Alexandra Miekus Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

Canada has addressed some of the uncertainties lingering from the first travel ban order. The government has released more specific terms and conditions for foreigners who had made commitments to work, study or settle in Canada.

Canadas immigration ministry has clarified who can enter the country in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and what types of documents will have to be provided to airlines, which have the authority to accept or deny boarding.

This information was eagerly awaited by many international students and foreign workers who were planning to come to Canada or who had left the country for a vacation and could not return.

Do you have more questions on coronavirus and Canada immigration?

Check out our FAQ page

International students who hold a valid Canadian study permit or who were already enrolled or accepted at a Designated Educational Institution (DEI) in Canada prior to the implementation of the travel restrictions will be allowed to travel back to Canada. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is asking these foreign nationals to self-identify to the airlines prior to boarding and to provide a valid study permit or letter of introduction from the government dated March 18, 2020, or before as proof.

Also exempt are temporary workers who were already in Canada or who had made arrangements to come to Canada to work before the travel restrictions were put in place. New workers coming to Canada to work in key sectors such as agriculture, food processing, health, transportation and emergency services are also included in this exemption. Foreign workers are also advised to identify themselves prior to boarding and to provide a valid work permit or letter of introduction from the IRCC.

These guidelines also apply to holders of permanent resident visas who had already made arrangements to settle in Canada before the travel restrictions were put in place. They must identify themselves to the airlines at check-in and provide a permanent resident visa or a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document as proof of status.

IRCC has confirmed on its website that temporary foreign workers, international students and approved permanent residents who are currently abroad are now able to travel to Canada.

Broadening exemptions for immediate family

Immediate family members of Canadian citizens were exempt from the beginning. Now foreign nationals are allowed to enter the country if their immediate family member is residing in Canada as a worker, visitor, student or protected person.

The definition of an immediate family member for the purpose of the travel ban includes:

Spouses and common-law partners

Dependent children, and children of spouses and common-law partners

Dependent children of dependent children of either the Canadian resident or their spouse or common-law partner

Parents or step-parents

A parents or step-parents spouse or common-law partner

A guardian or tutor

Age is not a factor for parents and there is no requirement to establish dependency.

Dependent children must be age 21 or under unless they are financially dependent on the Canadian resident or their partner due to a disability.

Some adult children of Canadian residents may be exempt under family reunification. To travel to Canada under this exemption they will need an official letter confirming the purpose of their travel is to reunite with family. The letter must come from either IRCC, Canadian Border Services Agency, or Global Affairs Canada.

The physical location of the Canadian resident is not a factor. They may be in Canada, in another country, or travelling with the foreign national.

Family members of Canadian residents are expected to self-identify to airlines before boarding. They must present documents that demonstrate their family members status in Canada, and their relationship to that family member.

Documentation is accepted in either paper or electronic format.

To demonstrate their immediate family member is an eligible Canadian resident, foreign nationals may show one of the following documents:

Canadian passport

proof of Canadian citizenship such as a citizenship certificate, citizenship card or provincial or territorial birth certificate

Canadian permanent resident card

Canadian permanent resident travel document (visa counterfoil)

visa-exempt foreign passport and IRCC Special Authorization for Canadian Citizens

Documentation showing their relationship to their Canadian family member, such as a:

marriage or common-law status certificate

birth certificate

Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) for the family class (the COPR category under Application Details will be FC) or under the one-year window (coded OYW under Special Program)

other documents supporting an immediate family connection (for example, correspondence from IRCC showing spousal sponsorship in progress or documentation indicating a common residential address)

Learn more about Canadian family sponsorship

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved


Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is set to narrate Disney+'s new movie 'Elephant'.

The 38-year-old royal - who starred on the US legal drama 'Suits' before marrying Prince Harry in May 2018 - has secured her first post-royal job, having previously announced plans to step down as a "senior" member of the royal family at the end of March.

Teasing the upcoming release, Disney+ posted on its official Twitter account: "Disneynature's Elephant, an Original Movie narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, starts streaming April 3, only on #DisneyPlus. (sic)"

Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their intention to step down as senior royals, speculation has continued to surround their long-term plans.

But the duo - who are parents to ten-month-old son Archie - are currently in Canada, where they are self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic.

And earlier this month, they shared important tips on tackling feelings of "loneliness" during the health crisis.

The couple took to their Sussex Royal Instagram account to share a lengthy post aimed at helping those who are struggling with self-isolation and social distancing.

On the post - which was accompanied by an image which read "Today I feel ..." - they wrote: "With everything going on, it's a lot to take in. Many of us may feel confused. Or alone, or anxious or scared...and in isolation, some of us may just feel bored, or that you don't know what to do with yourself without your normal routine. It's perfectly normal to be feeling any of these things.

"Our emotional well-being is challenged everyday whether we realise it or not, but our lives are usually filled with distractions. Now with constantly changing COVID coverage, we are all adjusting to this new normal and the feelings that come with it. (sic)"

The Duke and Duchess went on to list a number of resources which are providing help for those whose mental health has been impacted by the virus.

They added: "There are resources that can help us all through this process, and ways that YOU can become one of those resources. @crisistextline @giveusashoutinsta @kidshelpphone and CTL Ireland are organisations that need new volunteers now more than ever and have an open door for you to get the support you need.

"- If you're home and feeling bored, you can digitally train to be a counselor and HELP someone who really needs your support! What an amazing way to use this time

""- If you feel alone, overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious, you can text one of these lines and talk it through.

"- If you are in an abusive relationship and now find yourself in isolation with your abuser, these counselors are there for you. You do not need to suffer in silence. (sic)"
Chandigarh, March 27 : Sensing hardship being faced by migrant labourers with the imposition of lockdown to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Punjab government on Friday authorised all tehsildars 9local revenue officials) to issue curfew passes to enable them to return to their native places.

many daily-wagers and factory workers are walking out of industrial towns of Ludhiana, Mandi Gobindgarh and Jalandhar in panic to their native places in Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as they look for transport.

"Even those who want to travel to other places owing to genuine exigency, they can get a pass from the tehsildar," Revenue Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar told the media.

Earlier, only Deputy Commissioners were authorised to issue such passes.

"We are getting calls from people that their children are stuck in other districts or even out of the state. Such people can approach tehsildars for passes," he said.

Kangar said the government is trying to get back those farm labourers who are held up in Maharashtra due to the lockdown.

Every year hundreds of people go to Maharashtra and other states along with their machines for harvesting wheat.

Health Minister Balbir Sidhu said instructions have been issued to authorities to allow people to travel to major hospitals like the PGI in Chandigarh for getting treatment like chemotherapy.

"We are going back to our native place in Budaun in Uttar Pradesh. Since buses are not available, we have decided to walk to reach home via Delhi," Naresh Yadav, a part-time industry worker, said in Ludhiana.

Small-time carpenter Mithu Ram from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh said he was running short of money since the curfew came into force. "It is better to die in home than dying on a roadside." Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Friday distributed essential food items to the poor and disadvantaged at several places in the Majitha constituency in Amritsar.

He appealed to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to take immediate steps to make food available to the poor to avoid a law and order situation in the state.

Majithia, who took the help of village representatives and ward members besides representatives from civil society to distribute food kits to the needy, appealed to the state government to form committees at the village and ward level to ensure efficient distribution of food to the needy.

The Shiromani Akali Dal leader said the poor, including rural labour and urban daily wagers, were the most affected by the complete curfew imposed in the state.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh two days back urged the Centre and the Maharashtra government to immediately arrange for the evacuation of 2,000 Punjabi pilgrims from the Nanded Sahib gurdwara, where they are stuck in the wake of the nationwide lockdown.

The Chief Minister said the state had already taken up the matter with the Ministry of Railways to allow plying of special trains to evacuate these stranded pilgrims.
By Anna Watanabe, KYODO NEWS - Mar 27, 2020 - 19:36 | World, All, Coronavirus



(Ala Moana Center, a shopping mall in Honolulu, is deserted on March 23, 2020.)

SYDNEY - As the coronavirus pandemic continues to test health care systems of some of the world's wealthiest nations, vulnerable Pacific island countries are closing their borders and preparing themselves for potential outbreaks in the region.

Already, confirmed cases in the Pacific are climbing toward 200, with the majority being recorded in Hawaii, Guam, French Polynesia and New Caledonia -- all of which are territories of larger, more-developed nations.

However, five confirmed cases in Fiji and another in Papua New Guinea have highlighted the potential of the fast-spreading respiratory virus to devastate the developing nations' weak health care systems if not contained.

"Basically, the whole Pacific is in total lockdown," said Makereta Komai, a Fiji-based editor of the Pacific regional news agency PACNEWS.

Countries such as the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands have sealed their borders completely. Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu and Tuvalu have all declared states of emergency, even though most have not recorded any confirmed cases of the virus.

Komai, who was repatriated on one of the last scheduled flights from Samoa before the country went into lockdown, said that despite having a comparatively robust health care system, Fiji would not be able to cope with a large outbreak.

However, she said the stakes are even higher for smaller countries in the region.

"They have the same challenge that we have here, but on a bigger scale for them," she said. "At least we have our (coronavirus) testing facility here, we have flu clinics, we have our quarantine hospitals. But if you're looking at Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati, they only have one major hospital."

"And if, God forbid, if there's going to be a case, in Tuvalu for example, it would overwhelm its whole health system," she said, pointing out that the national hospital in Tuvalu has fewer than 100 beds.

The impact of a localized epidemic in the Pacific was seen in late 2019 when a measles outbreak in Samoa killed 81 and infected more than 5,600 people. The epidemic forced the country of fewer than 200,000 people into a six-week-long state of emergency as the government rolled out a vaccination drive in a bid to push immunization rates to close to 95 percent.

"Thanks to the measles epidemic, Samoa has had a preview of what an outbreak could look like," said Alexandre Dayant, research fellow at the Australian Lowy Institute think tank. "You want people to respect the measures the government applies and so I think in Samoa they've had an advantage compared to other countries in the Pacific."

However, it's not just the potential health care emergency that faces small island states. Dayant said Pacific countries will likely face significant economic challenges as traditional development partners such as Australia, New Zealand and France face their own health and monetary crises.

"The reality is we're going to face a massive economic downturn and that means we're going to have less domestic resources and at some point we will see the aid budget slashed in the medium-long term," he said. "The pandemic is a justification for countries to be more inward-looking."

Dayant admitted that as China emerges from its own domestic epidemic, there could be potential for Beijing to further its soft-power influence in the region if traditional development partners are unable to provide support.

"The major players are not withdrawing completely from the region, they know they have a responsibility...But if it were to become dramatic in Australia or if there were a shutdown of the whole economy and the aid is totally slashed, then it would definitely leave space for China to play a role," he said.

The Sydney-based research fellow said medical teams in China have already engaged directly with Pacific countries and organized video conferences to provide advice on how to tackle the virus.

Similarly, he said China could potentially supply personal protective equipment like masks to the region, as it has already done in Europe.

Another area of concern for Dayant is the future of the global tourism industry. In economies such as the Cook Islands, tourism accounts for approximately 70 percent of gross domestic product and employs a significant proportion of the population.

Similarly, the global cruise industry will likely see a slowdown following well-publicized coronavirus outbreaks on ships such as the Diamond Princess, where over 700 were infected while kept in quarantine off Yokohama.

Cruise tourism provides essential income for countries such as Vanuatu, a popular cruise destination for tourists from Australia and New Zealand. A 2014 study found that the industry generated A$53.2 million (about $32 million) in annual economic benefits for the small island nation.

However, it is not all bad news for the Pacific.

While geographic isolation is often a challenge for island states, Dayant believes their relative isolation, combined with early and decisive action to declare states of emergency and tighten border security, will help shield some of the most vulnerable countries from the pandemic.

"The outbreak is still not enormous in the region, and hopefully it stays like that," he said.

Related coverage:

New Zealand to shut all nonessential services to curb virus spread

IOC to set new Olympic date in 3 weeks: source

92 from Chicago let in at Narita airport without quarantine request
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:34:54|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

LISBON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's central bank, the Banco de Portugal (BdP), warned on Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic would severely impact economic growth and unemployment in 2020, namely an over 3 percent reduction in Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and more than 10 percent unemployment.

"In the baseline scenario, a 3.7 percent reduction in real GDP is expected in 2020. It is assumed that the economic impact of the pandemic is relatively limited, which partly stems from the hypothesis that the measures taken by the authorities are successful in containing damage to the economy," the BdP said in a statement.

In the adverse scenario, "the economic impact of the pandemic is assumed to be more significant due to the more prolonged paralysis of economic activity in several countries, leading to greater destruction of capital and job loss," said the BdP, adding that this scenario predicts a recession of 5.7 percent.

According to the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE), Portugal registered a 2.2 percent increase in GDP in 2019.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is expected to rise above 10 percent in 2020, according to the BdP.

In the baseline scenario, BdP forecasted an unemployment rate of 10.1 percent in 2020, with a progressive decline to 9.5 percent in 2021 and 8.0 percent in 2022.

The central bank warned that in the baseline scenario, "the projected evolution for unemployment depends crucially on the configuration and magnitude of policy measures that can be implemented immediately."

In the adverse scenario, the unemployment rate will skyrocket to 11.7 percent this year, falling to 10.7 percent in 2021 and 8.3 percent in 2022.

"Both scenarios contemplate a recession in the Portuguese economy in 2020, differing in the assumed magnitude for the global pandemic's economic impact," the BdP said.

In 2019, the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, according to the INE.

Portugal has reported 60 deaths associated with COVID-19 and 3,544 cases of infection, according to the daily bulletin of the country's Directorate-General for Health on Thursday.
A new deadline has been set for the STAR ID.

Originally, people had until October to get their Read ID, an enhanced form of identification known as STAR ID in Alabama. Now, due to coronavirus, the deadline has been moved until Oct. 1, 2021.

President Trump recommended the delay earlier this week due to coronavirus-related closures at Department of Motor Vehicle offices.

The federal, state and local response to the spread of the coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline, DHS acting secretary Chad Wolf said. States across the country are temporarily closing or restricting access to DMVs. This action will preclude millions of people from applying for and receiving their REAL ID. Extending the deadline will also allow the Department to work with Congress to implement needed changes to expedite the issuance of REAL IDs once the current health crisis concludes.

Here's the latest coronavirus news:

Death toll tops 1,000

More than 81,321 people in the U.S. have been infected with coronavirus, with 1,000 deaths blamed on COVID-19.

Tracking from the Alabama Department of Public Health shows 531 cases in the state with one confirmed death. Jefferson County continues to report the highest number of cases with 169 as of Thursday night.

Target stops returns

Target is stopping returns or exchanges for the next three weeks in an effort to stem coronavirus.

Any returns that expire between March 26 and April 16 will be honored for three weeks after that period.

"We'll make all these changes easy for guests with clear signs throughout the store," Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. "Our team members will be there to assist and answer any questions. And as we've been doing for weeks, we'll keep evaluating other options."

Target is also suspending the use of reusable bags at checkout.

Costco cutting hours

Costco is temporarily cutting its hours.

Starting March 30, stores will close at 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Gas stations will close at 7 p.m.

Weekend hours will remain the same.
A total of 27 prisoners have tested positive for coronavirus in 14 prisons, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.

The number of cases, accurate as of 1pm on Thursday, jumped up by eight in 24 hours.

It comes after the department confirmed that two prisoners who tested positive for Covid-19 had died.

Jails in England and Wales were put on immediate lockdown on Tuesday.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

Meanwhile, all prison visits have been temporarily banned as it emerged thousands of staff were in self-isolation.

Jo Farrar, chief executive of the Prison and Probation Service, told the Commons Justice Committee that around 4,300 prison and probation staff overall were self-isolating.

Some 3,500 were prison staff - representing about 10 per cent of the workforce.

The latest figures, released by the MoJ on Friday, confirmed five prison staff have now tested positive for Covid-19, each in separate jails.

All prison visits have been temporarily banned as it emerged thousands of staff were in self-isolation. / Ian Waldie/Getty Images

There have also been four prisoner escort and custody services staff who have tested positive, as well as around eight probation staff.

Around 50,000 protective masks have been delivered for staff to use and a ban on bringing hand sanitiser into the prison had been lifted.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has hinted he may have to consider some forms of early release for prisoners in a bid to ease pressure on jails during the crisis.

London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /66 London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures A woman jogging near City Hall, London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA An image of Queen Elizabeth II and quotes from her broadcast on Sunday to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA A pedestrian walks past a billboard reading "Please believe these days will pass" on Broadway Market in east London AFP via Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge Getty Images Boris Johnson Jeremy Selwyn Sun-seekers cool off in the water and sunbathe on the riverbank at Hackney Marshes in east London AFP via Getty Images Ed Davey is shown on screens as he speaks via videolink during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London PA A herd of fallow deer graze on the lawns in front of a housing estate in Harold Hill in east London AFP via Getty Images A woman wearing a mask crosses a bridge over Camden Lock, London PA An empty Millenium Bridge PA A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images People push to enter the Niketown shop in Londo AP Jo Proudlove and daughter Eve, 9, follow the daily online "PE with Joe" Joe Wickes' exercise class on "Fancy dress Friday Reuters Police in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn Waterloo station looking empty PA Getty Images A quiet Parliament Square Getty Images PABest A man walks along a passageway at London's Oxford Street Underground station the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the Coronavirus PA Social distancing markers around the camel enclosure at ZSL London Zoo PA A police car patrols Greenwich Park in London PA The Premier League in action in front of empty stands AP Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed. A deserted Piccadilly Circus PA A general view is seen of a deserted Trafalgar Square AFP via Getty Images Getty Images The iconic Abbey Road crossing is seen after a re-paint by a Highways Maintenance team as they take advantage of the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown and quiet streets to refresh the markings Getty Images A view of 20 Fenchurch Street (the 'Walkie Talkie' building) in the City of London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus PA A deserted Chinatown PA A person looks at graffiti on a JD Wetherspoon pub in Crystal Palace, south London. Wetherspoons workers have described founder Tim Martin's lack of support for his chain's 40,000 employees as "absolutely outrageous" PA The London ExCel centre that has been turned into a makeshift NHS Hospital and critical care unit to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic PA The Palace Theatre, which usually shows the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA The Sondheim Theatre, which usually shows the Les Miserables musical, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA Two members of a British Army mounted regiment exercise their horses in Parliament Square AP Westminster Bridge is deserted PA A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA An empty street and bus stop at St James's Park AFP via Getty Images Whitehall Jeremy Selwyn A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn Buckingham Palace looking empty in London, PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London's Carnaby Street empty as shops closed after a lockdown was announced in the latest bid to stop the spread of coronavirus through the UK AP A quiet Jubilee line westbound train carriage PA A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA Empty Embankment Jeremy Selwyn

It comes after an 84-year-old man became the first British prisoner to die after contracting coronavirus on Sunday.

The inmate, named by sources as convicted paedophile Edwin Hillier, was serving at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire.

Hillier, who reportedly had underlying health issues, died in hospital on Sunday, having been moved there from the category C male sex offenders' prison.

A second serving UK prisoner, a 66-year-old male inmate at HMP Manchester, died in hospital on Thursday after contracting coronavirus.

He had been receiving end-of-life care for an underlying health condition before he tested positive for Covid-19.

The Prison Service said robust contingency plans have been put in place at its facilities in consultation with Public Health England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Friday, March 27th, 2020 (11:01 am) - Score 1,956

Mobile operator Vodafone UK has announced that theyre giving 500,000 of their Pay Monthly customers, plus NHS staff, 30-days free access to unlimited mobile data (mobile broadband). On top of that those flagged as being vulnerable can expected to be proactively upgraded to benefit.

Vulnerable customers eligible for this upgrade will receive a text message informing them of the change. Half a million other Vodafone Pay Monthly customers, not already on unlimited data plans, can also access the offer through the operators VeryMe rewards scheme (you must be registered for this in order to benefit)  available via their My Vodafone App.

The offer will initially be made available to the first 500,000 customers. We will monitor usage and, if network capacity allows, it is our ambition to offer further passes to even more customers, said Vodafone.

The change is designed to give worry-free data usage to customers so they can keep in touch with loved ones using video calling; keep the kids learning with access to e-learning sites and keep the whole family entertained with great quality video streaming. Vodafone is also currently offering six months half price on its 24-month SIM only unlimited plans.

Nick Jeffery, Vodafone UK CEO, said: Our role in these difficult and worrying times is to keep the UK connected, even while we have to stay apart. We are offering 30 days of unlimited free data to our most vulnerable customers and the first 500,000 customers to sign up, to help ease any worries about running out of data or incurring additional charges. If our network capacity allows, we would love to be able to offer this to even more customers and will be monitoring the feasibility of this. In short, if we have more to give, we will. This is one of a series of measures that we are taking to help. We have already expanded our networks, given our customers free access to NHS online services and reduced the time it takes to pay small suppliers.

End.

UPDATE 2nd April 2020

The operator has just announced that it will be extending the 30-day free access to unlimited mobile data offer, by pro-actively upgrading customers who have personal Pay Monthly contracts and are registered in its systems as working for the NHS. These customers will receive a text informing them of this upgrade from April 6th.
A private company accused of not paying staff at an NHS hospital has been handed the contract for sanitising the new coronavirus field hospital at London's Exel Centre.

ISS recently took over the cleaning contract at University Hospital Lewisham in February, but staff, earning 8.23 an hour complained they had not been paid.

A month after the change in management, some staff in Lewisham have told their union GMB that their pay issue has not yet been resolved.

Private company ISS has been handed a lucrative cleaning contract for servicing the Nightingale Hospital which is being built at the ExCel centre in London

Cleaners earning 8.23 an hour at University Hospital Lewisham have seen their pay disrupted after they were transferred to outsourced private company ISS at the beginning of February

GMB organiser Helen O'Connor, who represents staff at University Hospital Lewisham criticised the decision to hand the contract to ISS following the treatment of her members

Also, some cleaners have complained they are not being issued with personal protection equipment.

Now, the same firm has been handed the contract to clean the emergency 4,000-bed field hospital in the ExCel Centre for coronavirus patients.

GMB organiser Helen O'Connor told MailOnline: 'Lewisham hospital cleaners and other outsourced ISS workers will be outraged to hear that this government has awarded a lucrative contract to ISS.

'This government will have seen the national press condemning ISS for causing a cleaners walkout at Lewisham hospital as we are on the midst of a highly contagious pandemic. Workers and the public will therefore have no confidence in ISS delivering safe and effective services within the ExCeL centre.'

The first 500 beds at the 4,000-bed Nightingale Hospital are expected to be operational next week according to a Number 10 spokesman.

Officials are considering setting up field hospitals in other sites across the UK to boost intensive care demand as the coronavirus outbreak strains the NHS.

The Army confirmed the SEC in Glasgow was one potential site. Temporary facilities in Birmingham and Manchester are also believed to be under consideration as the health service braces for Covid-19's peak.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman also indicated that other sites were being considered when asked about potential field hospitals in Birmingham and Manchester.

'The current focus is on getting the ExCel centre up and running as the NHS Nightingale Hospital,' he said.

'But NHS England is actively preparing for a number of scenarios as the outbreak continues and is working with clinicians and teams of military planners around the country.'

Scotland's chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, separately said numerous sites were being considered north of the border with the nation 'on the cusp of that rapid escalation'.

An Army spokesman confirmed the SEC in Glasgow was one of the sites under consideration as a temporary NHS hospital in Scotland.

Bosses at the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham, which has 18 exhibition halls, have said they 'stand ready' to aid the NHS in the coronavirus fight.

MailOnline has approached ISS for a comment.
Facebook has filled the lead independent board director role with former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and U.S. Ambassador to Germany Robert M. Kimmitt. His job will be to serve as the go-between connecting Facebook CEO and controlling shareholder Mark Zuckerberg with the rest of the board.

Meanwhile, the CEO of The Cranemere Group Limited Jeffrey D. Zients will not seek re-election to Facebook's board at the 2020 annual meeting, but will serve until then. Kimmitt replaces Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann, who was the former lead independent director but left the board in October.

When Zients departs, the only remaining independent directors besides Kimmitt will be long-time Zuckerberg loyalists and Facebook early investors Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel. They, Zuckerberg, and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg will be the only board members who've been on the job more than a year.

"The lead independent director is an important role for us and we've been looking for a leader who can bring significant oversight and governance experience" Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced. "Bob has deep experience working in business, technology and public policy at the highest levels -- serving in senior roles at the Treasury, State, and Defense departments under multiple presidents, as US Ambassador to Germany, and on the National Security Council. He has also served as president of a public technology company in Silicon Valley" Zuckerberg wrote.

Before serving with the U.S. Treasury from 2005 to 2009, 72-year-old Kimmitt was on Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which has been eying Chinese Facebook competitor TikTok and how it acquired Musically to become a giant in short-form video. The Vietnam combat veteran was a Major General in the Army Reserve. He was also the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs during the Gulf War.

In the private sector, Ambassador Kimmitt was Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy at Time Warner, President of Commerce One, a partner at Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, and a managing director at Lehman Brothers. He's now the Senior International Counsel at law firm WilmerHale.

Story continues

"I am excited to take on this leadership role on Facebook's board, as the company continues to improve the ways technology and innovation can bring us together" said Kimmitt.

Kimmitt's appointment comes after several concerning changes to the board recently. Kenneth Chenault left the board at the beginning of the month following his push for Facebook to do more to protect elections, given its refusal to fact-check political ads. Disagreements with Zuckerberg about political policy led to Chenault's exit.

In February, Zuckerberg's friend Drew Houston, the co-founder of Dropbox, joined the board in what felt like a chummy appointment. Former White House Chief Of Staff Erskine Bowles and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings left in April 2019.

The board now consists of Zuckerberg, Kimmitt, Zients until the annual meeting, Sandberg, Thiel, Andreessen, Houston, PayPal's Peggy Alford, McKinsey's Nancy Killefer, and Estee Lauder's Tracey T. Travis.

Fewer checks on Zuckerberg's near-total power could make Facebook more efficient and decisive, but less able to foresee problems that those further removed from its rhetoric might predict.
Even though no coronavirus case has been reported in Assam so far, the state government has decided to turn three state-run hospitals into centres for treating COVID-19 patients to deal with the situation as and when it arises, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.

All patients admitted to the general wards of the medical college and hospitals in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Silchar will be shifted to private medical establishments, he told reporters.

"We have decided to keep these three medical college and hospitals free from the burden of general patients. Even though no coronavirus case has been reported in the state, we are planning in advance to effectively tackle the situation as and when it arises," he said.

The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) will cease to be operational from Saturday for all general patients barring those being treated for cancer, those who are pregnant and the ones in the emergency ward.

An MoU has been signed with 33 private hospitals in the city to transfer the GMCH patients to those facilities, the minister said.

A similar agreement will be signed with private hospitals in Dibrugarh and the Assam Medical College and Hospital there will also be dedicated to the treatment of COVID-19 patients, he said.

The Silchar Medical College and Hospital will also be prepared for treating COVID-19 patients and a similar MoU will be signed with private hospitals in the south Assam town on Sunday, Sarma said.

Meanwhile, a tender will be floated for setting up five pre-fabricated hospitals with 300-bed capacity and ICU and ventilator facilities, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A female Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea) has been rescued and cared for by the SaSa Marine animal rescue team in Da Nang since it was found on the beach of Tam Thanh commune in Quang Nam Province on February 23.

A female Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea) was rescued on the beach of Quang Nam. It was cared for by the SaSa Marine animals rescue team in a Nang.  Photos courtesy of Le Chien

Le Chien, a member of the team told Viet Nam News the turtle, an endangered species, which weighed 13kg, was exhausted on the beach with different injuries to its shell, breastplate and front limbs .

He said its mouth was filled with waste oil, while X-rays showed a mass of plastic waste inside the animal.

The turtle could swim and local fishermen tried to release it to the ocean as soon as it was found on the beach last month, according to the team.

We moved it to a Nang for treatment and care. Its mouth was then cleaned, while the waste in its digestive tract was removed. Medicine was used to cure it from enteritis and other injuries, Chien said.

It could swim in a tub and eat squid and shrimp, and its weight increased one kilo after a month of care and treatment, he said.

He added the treatment and care process was supported by a sea turtle hospital in Florida, the US.

Chien has called for support from sea turtle experts and volunteers from Viet Nam and international organisations in saving the endangered turtle as it needed at least two months more care before being released into the ocean.

A sea turtle is cared for at a centre belonging to the SaSa rescue team. It has recovered after one month of care.

The SaSa team has rescued 10 green sea turtles and eight dolphins since the team was established to save the lives of maritime species (turtles, dolphins, sharks and whales) in central Viet Nam.

Last year, a sea turtle was rescued by the team, but it died due to the large amount of plastic in its stomach.

Only seven species of sea turtle exist in the world, and five of those are found living in Viet Nam.  VNS
Banks are profiting from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty and others who raised concerns about extra payment demands from struggling mortgage holders.

While the main banks have agreed to a three-month payment break for mortgage owners, Mr Doherty said lenders were throwing the extra interest for the delayed loans back onto borrowers.

He and other opposition TDs raised the problems with the mortgage payment breaks during debates about emergency laws that were fast-tracked through the Dail.

Mr Doherty said: The banks came out with great fanfare and said a moratorium or three-month break would take place. The reality is that these banks will profit on the back of the pandemic, and that is not acceptable.

Let us consider Bank of Ireland. Its website shows this clearly. Someone with a 30-year mortgage of 200,000 will pay 1,804 extra to the bank because of this three-month break. That is how much extra the bank will take from such a customer. That is not acceptable.

A vulture fund  let us name it  Pepper, is telling customers that it will give them the three-month break, but it will increase the repayment from 1,500 to 1,600 each month until the amount of money the customer should have paid, including the interest, is paid off. The fund is not extending it over the full duration of the loan.

Not only are the banks not waiving interest, they are charging interest on the interest they are rolling up. It is absolutely scandalous.

Independent Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin raised the same concerns and said it was high time for banks to show solidarity with people in a time of crisis.

It must not be the case that payments deferred now still have to be paid within a specified time. People are outraged at the idea of interest on interest. I know the minister of state does not have complete flexibility, but these are extraordinary times and we require real and meaningful solidarity from our banks and financial institutions, she said.

Former minister and Independent TD Denis Naughten also raised the issue. He said he had been contacted about Ulster Bank adding interest payments on top of existing mortgage amounts rather than putting them at the end of a loan. Lenders should not put pressure on families, he said.

Earlier, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the coronavirus was costing Ireland some 300m a week.

That cost could grow, depending on the challenge we face, or it could diminish if we are successful. That acknowledgement of risk and what could change, however, only deepens my view that this is the kind of action a State needs to take at a time of need.

Fianna Fails Michael McGrath warned that the recession the country was now facing must not be allowed evolve into a depression across the economy. He said huge decisions would have to be made, and it would not be a case of flicking a switch after the virus passed for the economy to recover.

Rise TD Paul Murphy called for a special levy on millionaires and billionaires to help the recovery.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
And to me and others on my side of the debate, the threat posed by the novel coronavirus seems far, far greater than the other side acknowledges. The flu is not an apt comparison; not only is there no vaccine for COVID-19, theres not even a proven treatment yet (although some may be arriving soon as tests ramp up). Even worse, people who test positive for the disease are being hospitalized at a rate thats alarmingly high and growing.
CLEVELAND  Ohio had the sixth-highest one-week percentage increase in the United States of workers filing claims for unemployment insurance benefits, according to a Plain Dealer analysis of Labor Department data.

Last week, 187,784 people applied for jobless benefits in Ohio, up from 7,046 the previous week, according to Labor Department data. Thats a 2,565% increase. The period covers March 15-21.

Gov. Mike DeWines administration ordered bars closed and limited restaurant service to takeout and delivery March 15, in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. The same day, the governor issued an executive order instituting a federal option that extended unemployment, or UI, to workers losing jobs for issues related to coronavirus. Jobless claims then began to soar.

Only a handful of states had higher percentage increases. New Hampshire, which was first, followed by Maine and Louisiana, all posted increases above 3,000%. Nearly 3.3 million workers in the U.S. filed for UI last week, the highest number on record.

Many experts are expecting Ohios numbers to be even higher in the coming weeks. For example, the Economic Policy Institute and The Century Foundation, both based in Washington, D.C., estimate that a total of about 500,000 workers in Ohio will lose jobs for coronavirus-related reasons.

Last weeks numbers could pale in comparison to upcoming weeks, said Michael Shields, a researcher at Policy Matters Ohio. A Stay at Home" order, which took effect this week, shuts down all businesses, except those deemed to be essential.

Its worth noting that these numbers came in just before Gov. DeWine issued his Stay at Home order, he said. I think that we have to anticipate many more jobs will be reflected as a result of that.

Shields described last weeks jobless claim numbers as being record breaking. They probably are, at least in the last four decades. A Plain Dealer analysis of weekly jobless claims found last weeks claims were the highest in three decades. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released data Thursday showing that only December 1981 had a higher number of initial claims, with 205,159 filings. But that was for an entire month. If the current trend holds, Marchs totals should exceed that.

Shields said the jobs report for March, which will include the unemployment rate as well as the employment sectors that lost jobs, will offer more about what industries have been most affected. That report is scheduled to be released April 17.

He said Moodys Analytics has classified the following industries nationally to be most at risk for job loss due to coronavirus: leisure and hospitality, transportation, mining, employment services, and travel arrangements. Shields said these sectors represent 921,000 jobs in Ohio, a fifth of all private sector jobs in the state.

He said of concern to him was the impact of joblessness on workers in leisure and hospitality.

These are really low-paid workers, in general, who lack a financial cushion of their own, Shields said. Also, under Ohio unemployment law, a big portion of the bar and restaurant workers, who were sent home, wont qualify for benefits [because they earn too little.]

Many of these workers would probably qualify for such benefits under the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package, which includes enhanced jobless benefits, that the U.S. Senate approved Wednesday. The U.S. House could vote on it as early as Friday.

More Coverage:

These Northeast Ohio companies did mass layoffs due to coronavirus

Manufacturing workers concerned about safety, but proud to battle coronavirus pandemic

Cuyahoga County public health efforts aim to stave off COVID-19 in long-term care and assisted living facilities

MetroHealth board member Bernie Morenos coronavirus comments on Twitter spark outrage

Coronavirus hits assisted-living, skilled-nursing facilities in NE Ohio
Open source

The first case of the Covid-19 coronavirus has been recorded in the Poltava region: a resident of Kremenchuk showed a positive result during the rapid test. This was stated by Kremenchuk Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi on his Facebook page.

"Unfortunately, there is the first positive express test for Covid-19 in Kremenchuk. A woman, 75, with a previous diagnosis of pneumonia, has not traveled abroad lately. We are now taking all necessary measures and establishing a circle of people who have been contacted the woman. We have sent samples of analyzes to the reference laboratory in Kyiv in order to get the confirmation of the diagnosis," Maletskyi said.

He also noted that two more samples of the patient's blood would be tested by other express tests of other manufacturers. However, the official results will be known only after a laboratory study in Kyiv is conducted.

As we reported earlier, nearly 7,000 citizens are expected to come back to Ukraine today, on March 27.

"In total, about 40 flights are expected to arrive today, which is about seven thousand passengers," the correspondent of 112 Ukraine TV Channel said.
The uncompromising comments came as a surprise, since Ottawa has enjoyed smooth relations with the US recently.

Canada on Thursday attacked a proposal by the United States to deploy troops along the undefended joint border to help fight the spread of coronavirus, saying the idea was unnecessary and would damage relations.

The uncompromising comments came as a surprise, since Ottawa has enjoyed smooth relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump over the past 18 months. Last week the two nations agreed to close the border to non-essential travel to ease the strain on health systems from the outbreak.

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, however, made clear the Liberal Party government had no time for a plan to send hundreds of troops to the border to help boost security.

Canada is strongly opposed to this US proposal and we have made that opposition very, very clear  this is an entirely unnecessary step which we would view as damaging to our relationship, Freeland told a news conference.

The public health situation does not require such action, she said, noting Washington had yet to take a final decision.

A US official said the proposed deployment would help border patrol officers enforce the ban on non-essential travel by providing communications and monitoring capabilities.

The Canada-US border stretches 8,891 km (5,525 miles), touches three oceans and is a crossing point for one of the worlds largest bilateral trading relationships.

Symbolically speaking  its important for us to have an unmilitarised border between neighbouring countries that have been friends for a very long time, said Freeland.

Ottawa feels the best way to prevent the deployment is to speak out strongly in public and private to ensure Washington gets the message, said a Canadian official who asked to remain anonymous, given the sensitivity of the situation.





There was no immediate reaction from the White House.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier said Ottawa was in constant touch with US authorities and would adjust border security measures if needed.

The US state of New York, which shares a border with Canada, has been an epicentre of the US outbreak.

Tim Currier, the mayor of Massena, New York, a town of about 13,000 people that is located about 15 km (9 miles) from the border, said the deployment of troops could spark panic if it were not communicated properly.

Im concerned about perception. Im concerned about how citizens look at that, he said in a telephone interview.

Canada has confirmed 3,409 coronavirus cases and 35 deaths, medical officials said.
Axios

Democratic leaders have found a mechanism to enable them to bypass an initial Republican filibuster and debate the party's sweeping elections reform bills, according to a new leadership memo obtained by Axios.Why it matters: The strategy is the latest example of how Democrats are seeking new ways to try to bypass Senate procedures that are blocking their agenda. But the ultimate outcome will likely be the same: insufficient support to change the 60-vote threshold needed to pass sweeping voting r
Can you move just a little bit to this way? Perfect. A-L-L-I-A, my name is Allia Phillips. I am 10 years old. I live in New York, New York. And I live in a shelter. And I love playing violin. OK, Im going to have to stand up for this. A lot of things are really happening right now, like Covid-19. [Violin playing] Ive heard that it is a very contagious virus. And when people get it, a lot of people have to go to the hospital. But some of them have to get isolated. Its changed my life because now, we dont get to go in school. My teacher told us that she didnt know if it was going to close for the whole year. Ta-da. Youve got blanky fuzz in your hair. Right now, me and Allia are actually living in a family shelter. I dont like the way you brush it. You brush it so hard. Basically, its one room with a bathroom, and then one bed and a bunk bed. I guess, its now my classroom, too. I got contacted by her school to go pick up her iPad device. And her iPad does not have internet. The shelter that were in, they do not allow internet. What classroom stuff are we going to do today? Math? Well, science is already too hard. It keeps on pausing itself, just freezing. Oh OK, I will look into that in a little bit. Across the room. And see whats going on. I have a cellphone. We use the hot spot. I dont have a lot of data. And its a little spotty and slow. Essentially, thats just where weve been is puttering outside to get a better signal, hoping it gets better. A school has 17 tables in the cafeteria. Each table has 12 seats. I am worried that children are going to get left behind because they dont have their devices or they didnt have the access to the internet. Lets try that one again. So well probably have to redo our whole grade, and relearn everything we already know. Right now, my biggest worry for Allia would be the social interaction. My mother, whos disabled, and her service animal lives with us. So were all in this really tiny space. Yeah. Im worried about that because my grandmother, she is really old. And if she gets it or if my mother gets sick, they could get hurt. And if they both get it, whos going to take care of me that day? And then if were all locked in the same room, how are we going to be safe?
The senate president, Ahmed Lawan has appealed to the federal government of Nigeria of provide relief material to the masses as the country shutdown over scare of coronavirus.

He made this known in a statement he released on Friday.

Our prayer is that we are able to overcome this menace of COVID-19 in good time, because it is really taking a toll on our lives. If we have to eventually shut down our country, then as a government we must be prepared to have some relief for the most ordinary people.

As a government, we must find our own money to fund something for our people, because the United States of America that is talked about or the British Parliament is because this involves public funds.

Read Also: Coronavirus: Pastor Runs As Task Force Stops Him From Conducting Naming Ceremony In Ondo

Im not seeing anything at the moment targeted at providing some relief. If we lock up Nigeria today, then we will wake-up trouble, because majority of our citizens go to market everyday before they can get something to eat.

So, you lock them up in their houses with a threat of disease and without food. We need to have something, a plan of some sorts, in addition to making sure we dont lock up the farmers market for example, where people can easily go and buy something, and of course pharmacies.

We need to have some kind of supplies to people, I dont know how we can achieve this, but we have to be ingenious. This is a time to think deep and wide, to provide for our people, in order for us at least to deal with this challenge at the moment,
A family GP who died in hospital on Wednesday is believed to be the first British doctor to fall victim to coronavirus.

Dr Habib Zaidi, 76, became ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday. He had been self-isolating at home and had not seen patients in a week.

His COVID-19 test results have not come back yet, but his daughter Dr Sarah Zaidi, who is also a GP, says he suffered all the 'textbook symptoms' of the virus and said his death was the ultimate 'sacrifice' for helping fight the deadly infection.

The beloved grandfather was described by a colleague as the 'father of the medical community' who served three generations of families in the Southend area for 49 years.

His family said they are 'truly heartbroken' after he was 'snatched away' by the killer disease but have been left 'overwhelmed' at the tributes that have come flooding in.

Dr Habib Zaidi, 76, (pictured) fell ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday

Dr Zaidi's entire immediate family work in the medical profession. His wife Dr Talat Zaidi (left) helps manage their Eastwood Group Practice in Leigh-on-Sea and one of their daughters Dr Sarah Zaidi (right) is also a family GP

His daughter Sarah told BBC: 'For that to be the thing that took him is too much to bear. It is reflective of his sacrifice. He had a vocational attitude to service.

'He was treated as a definitive case. There is little clinical doubt it is coronavirus, the test result is academic.'

Zaidi family tribute in full Dr Habib Zaidi was not only a devoted husband of 46 years, a father, grandfather and beloved pillar of his community, but he was also devoted in the most altruistic way to the service of his patients and a local community, serving three generations of tens of thousands of families living in the town of Southend for 49 years. His generosity and kindness knew no limits. He was given the lifetime achievement award of 'unsung hero' last year by the local care system, which pretty much describes in a nutshell his five decades of devoted service as a GP. Not only did he serve his patients working tirelessly for them, but he never stopped striving to innovate, continually develop and drive up quality. That very much continued to drive him until the very end. A dear colleague described him as the father of the medical community. That makes us so proud to hear. From him to be snatched away from us in this way, in these desperately troubling times for the whole word - has left us truly heartbroken but we are overwhelmed, touched and comforted by the many kind tributes and love we have received. The name Habib means beloved and beloved he truly was. We know that, not only has he left a gaping hole in our hearts, but a loss that is also felt within the community that he devoted almost his entire life to. We are praying for the safety of everyone right now. Advertisement

Dr Zaidi was a family doctor in Leigh-on-Sea for almost five decades and a managing partner of Eastwood Group Practice with his wife, Dr Talat Zaidi, who has been forced into quarantine away from the rest of her family.

His local NHS trust gave him a 'lifetime achievement' award last year, with his family claiming he always tried to be innovative and improve the quality of his care as much as he could.

He is survived by four children, who all work in the medical profession. The Zaidis' son is a haematologist consultant in London and his daughters are a trainee surgeon, a dentist and a GP.

Southend Council leader Ian Gilbert said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of Dr Zaidi's death and described him and his family as 'well known and well loved within the community'.

Some of Dr Zaidi's patients have paid tribute to a 'wonderful' and 'kind' man - whom some of them had known for many years.

One woman, Iris, had been seeing the GP since he first came to the UK from Pakistan almost 50 years ago.

Iris broke down in tears as she told BBC Essex: 'I can't believe that he's gone.

'He was so lovely, so kind to everybody. I remember the last time I saw him, which was two weeks ago, just before all this, and he said to me 'Keep strong'.

'And I always used to kiss the top of his head, and I said, 'Please take care'. That's the last time I remember him in the surgery.

'I knew him for 50-odd years. I knew him when he came round here as a young man and took over.

'He'd just come over from Pakistan, he was only in about his 30s or 40s. It's so sad. His wife and children, they're such a wonderful family.'

Meanwhile Julie Crumpton wrote on Twitter: 'Dr Habib Zaidi was my GP. A lovely man always willing to listen. My heart goes out to his family. RIP Sir.'

Medics in other countries battling the virus have died, with scientists claiming it could have more deadly consequences the more people are exposed to it, putting frontline NHS staff at greater risk.

Pictured: Dr Zaidi was taken to intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex and died there on Wednesday

But if Dr Zaidi's test results come back positive, he will become the first UK doctor to fall victim.

NHS staff up and down the country have implored the Government to provide them with more comprehensive protective clothing.

Public Health England's recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital staff falls short of World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, which suggest a full hazmat suit.

Terrified staff have reported not being given enough masks, gloves, aprons and goggles throughout hospitals nationwide.

There have been 11,658 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, with 578 deaths.
Dear Annie: I have a cousin who is married, and he and his wife are very close to my wife and me. We started spending time together, not because of my cousin and me but because our wives hit it off and developed a close friendship. We spend the holidays together, visit one another at least once a week and go out together.

My cousin has two young daughters, one with his wife and another with his ex (who cheated on him, by the way), and he brings them along with us to spend the day together. Lately, my wife and I have been noticing that my cousins wife has changed dramatically. She used to be more lively, talkative and happy, but now she seems distant and quiet, and sometimes she comes up with excuses to not go out with us. We think this change came about because we found out a couple of months ago (through my wife) that she is cheating on him.

She is employed at a correctional facility, and apparently, her lover is also employed there. We think that she suspects we know something about her infidelity, and that she might be trying to avoid us. My wife was able to obtain proof of this infidelity, and we dont know how to proceed.

Should we confront her about this? As I said, we are close, and it hurts me to see that she is doing this to my cousin, who has already gone through a situation like this. I see his wife going about her business with us and the rest of my family as if nothing has happened, and it makes me uncomfortable. She knows that her husbands ex cheated on him, and she accepted his daughter as her own.

My cousin was deeply hurt after he found out about his exs cheating, and he has told us repeatedly that he will not tolerate another infidelity. He has tried to hurt himself on a couple of occasions. I am worried that if he finds out from someone else, he might try to hurt his wife or himself, or if he finds out that we knew about it all along and didnt tell him anything, then he might get upset with us and not want anything to do with us. I dont want this situation to escalate into something worse and know that I could have done something to stop it. What should I do? -- Cousin Clueless

Dear Cousin Clueless: Sit this one out. Mind your own business. It is always hard to see people you love in trouble, but sometimes the best thing you can do is send them kind thoughts and hope that things will work out or they will reach out to you. If he does, you can be an empathetic friend and tell him how much you support and love him.

Dear Annie: When responding to Sleepless in Roanoke, you asked readers what other natural sleep aids work well. My doctor recommended the herbal supplement valerian. I have been using it for years to help me fall asleep when my mind is busy or my restless leg syndrome is working overtime. It works great. I have never had to try anything else. The capsule smells bad (she said that is how you know its fresh), but it doesnt taste bad. -- Sleeping Well

Dear Sleeping Well: Thank you for your suggestion. I hope it helps other people who have similar problems falling asleep, though I recommend everyone talk to their doctor before deciding what supplements will work best.

Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie is out now! Annie Lanes debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
Books on Shivaji Maharaj, V D Savarkar's memoir about his prison days and yoga helped a Pune couple, the first coronavirus patients in Maharashtra, as they spent a fortnight in a hospital's isolation ward.

On March 25, the couple also became the first patients in the state to fully recover from the infection and get discharged from the civic-run Naidu Hospital here.

Their 23-year-old daughter, who had also contracted the infection, also recovered and returned home.

Recounting his experience of isolation cell, the 51-year-old man said their first reaction after learning that they had the dreaded infection was shock and denial.

"I, my wife and daughter reached Pune on March 1 from Dubai trip. On the same night I had a mild fever so I took some tablets. Next day, I visited my family physician who prescribed me another dose of tablets for fever and cough for three days," said the man.

But he was still feeling under the weather after three days, so the family was advised to visit Naidu Hospital.

On March 9, his and his wife's swab reports came.

"The report was not directly shared with us but I got the hint after they started inquiring about our trip, the persons we had met. When I insisted, they told us that our samples had come out positive.

"We were utterly shaken. My wife was in tears. She was in denial mode," he added.

But the doctors assured them that they had no reason to worry as their symptoms were not severe.

"Our daughter and son were summoned to the hospital and we were sent to isolation ward. As we were coming to terms with this, the next day we got that my daughter, the driver who had brought us to Pune and one more person had also tested positive," he said.

By the second day, the name of the family was circulating on social media, accompanied by uncharitable comments, he said.

"While we were in isolation, we heard people were blaming us for bringing the disease here. But we decided to approach the situation in a calm and positive manner and gave each other emotional support," he said.

Couple of days later they were shifted to the general ward. "It was bigger in size and had better sunlight. We started doing physical exercise and yoga and engaged in positive discussion with other patients while maintaining proper distance. The younger among us kept themselves busy with video streaming apps," he said.

"We listened to music. Some family friends brought us books. During isolation, I read Savarkar's "Majhi Janmathep" ('My Life Imprisonment', Savarkar's account of his incarceration in Andaman), a book on Shivaji Maharaj,Robert Kiyosaki's"Rich Dad Poor Dad"and "Wise & Otherwise" by Sudha Murty," he said.

The couple's daughter, who works in an IT firm, said the family is essentially "extrovert" and fond of traveling.

"This changed our life 360 degrees but we as a family confronted the situation with a positive approach," she said.

"My office, friends, family supported me in this testing time and stood by me. I would like to appeal people to follow social distancing religiously as it is the only way to contain the spread of the virus," she said.

The couple received a "warm welcome' when they returned to their housing society, with neighbours clapping and beating utensils.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
How do you share a joke when there's a pandemic sweeping the country and killing some of our most vulnerable?

This is a question our kings of comedy and satire have been asking themselves since the outbreak of Covid-19 led to a national shutdown that closed schools and pubs, and resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs.

Mario Rosenstock's Gift Grub is a daily dose of much-needed satire on Ian Dempsey's radio show on Today FM.

Rosenstock has to be able to produce material on a daily basis that is current and relevant, and to a tight deadline.

On Friday's 'Callan's Kicks' on RTE Radio 1, Oliver Callan has a 30-minute slot to fill with a helter-skelter round-up of what's been happening, using his own take on various personalities from Irish life.

We have grown to depend on both Rosenstock and Callan to do what they do best. They have been at it for years and they make it seem easy.

Through the fiscal collapse and recession, politicians and bankers were an easy target, but Covid-19 is different, and both agree that it has changed the way they think about writing material.

"I have to be mindful and I have to be careful as well, and fearful too," says Rosenstock.

Expand Close Mario Rosenstock. Photo: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Mario Rosenstock. Photo: Steve Humphreys

"When you hear the first person has died from coronavirus and you're on the radio the next morning, the atmosphere around the studio and the atmosphere around meetings is very fraught.

Video of the Day

"When you discover that the first person's life has been taken by this thing it is not that easy to talk comedy and it is not that easy to talk of satire.

"You can't avoid the corona thing altogether either, it is all-pervasive.

"Your meetings revolve around how we do this while walking that line between being mindful and respectful of the fact that this is a dangerous crisis, and finding some humour in the experience that we all find ourselves sharing.

"In relation to satire, it's tricky, because you don't want to make fun of the virus and trivialise the danger people are in, and the brutal truth that people are dying. Also, you don't want to 'get it wrong'.

"Satire is all about satirising the good and the great, satirising politicians and powerful people, but sometimes we must hesitate to satirise our leaders, particularly when we can't be sure ourselves whether they are performing poorly or well," Rosenstock adds.

"Am I supposed to satirise Leo Varadkar, saying he's making a balls of it, when 50pc of people are saying he's actually doing a good job?

"Another bunch of people might say he's a PR opportunist, for example in his speech [on St Patrick's Day], was that Leo being a steady hand or was that Leo being a PR opportunist? I'd offer that it was both. Why the Churchillian quotes? Why sound like the President in Independence Day?

Expand Close Were all afraid: Leo Varadkar said the nation faced tough times. Photo: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Were all afraid: Leo Varadkar said the nation faced tough times. Photo: Steve Humphreys

"It's fine to make fun of Leo in the sense that we all know Leo likes his PR opportunities and his movies and all that. But I think we must be careful about hammering our leaders when we're not sure if they are doing a good job or not, and perhaps they are performing very well.

"I'll stick my neck out and say Paschal Donohoe is doing a wonderful job. Every time he appears on television or radio I feel as if I've been well informed and this guy knows what he is talking about.

"Similarly with Simon Coveney through the Brexit crisis and now this, I think 'this guy does a good job'.

"Yes, you can satirise him for being a bit bland and a bit dry but, bloody hell, he's doing a good job and I think our leaders in general are serving us very well through this crisis."

Oliver Callan has looked across the political landscape and observed a deep shift since the outbreak, and he picks that as an 'in' for satire and comedy.

He's not making fun of the virus, or having personal digs at political leaders, but playing around with the shift in policy implementation since the country ground to a halt.

"Bad times in the world are always a boon for comedy. I started my career in the last crash because people wanted a laugh and their need is even greater now," he says.

"I can see it through the podcast figures that we're getting a huge outbreak bounce, even bigger than the bumper interest in our election episodes.

"I think Callan's Kicks is as important a public service as the news itself.

"We are the antidote to the bad news, as well as being a more measured response to it, such as pointing out the delicious ironies we now see in politics.

"There's a wonderful irony in how only a few weeks ago, people were bashing FG while falling over themselves to high-five Mary Lou and Sinn Fein, and now they're crying and praising Leo's speech.

Expand Close Minister for Health, Simon Harris (Steve Humphreys/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister for Health, Simon Harris (Steve Humphreys/PA)

"Simon Harris - whose unpopularity is the reason the Taoiseach had the election early, knowing he would lose a no-confidence vote - is now a national hero.

"Equally so, we're seeing Leo, Eoghan Murphy and Paschal Donohoe doing things that are completely against everything they believe in; getting the banks to give people a break on mortgages and announcing a ban on evictions," says Callan.

"In the space of a week, Fine Gael is implementing the ideology of People Before Profit, so there's lots of head-spinning changes to portray.

"Naturally we're being careful. The suffering and fear among people and what is to come is in our minds, even trying to make sure a sketch passes the taste test in retrospect a few weeks from now.

"We're focused on the fun. Last Friday we had Marty Morrissey commentating on the Croke Park tests, mourning the suspension of Marty's Party but giving the brave nurses doing the tests a shout-out as Mayo cars arrive in characteristic optimism but Kerry won't travel until the final," he says.

"We had an HSE recruitment ad where they'll take in anyone with any amount of medical experience - even if all they ever did was wee on someone after a jellyfish sting when they were 10.

"Still, at all times, satire must be savage, but rather than attack our politicians too much in a time of national spirit, our ire is focused on those abroad, like Trump and Boris, who have clearly been far too slow to act and slower to accept responsibility," Callan adds.

This too has been spotted by Rosenstock as an avenue for satire. The perceived ineptitude of others in dealing with the crisis shows a national thinking that we are taking the problem very seriously.

Expand Close Mixed messages: Donald Trump answers a question at the coronavirus daily briefing at the White House. Photo: Reuters / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Mixed messages: Donald Trump answers a question at the coronavirus daily briefing at the White House. Photo: Reuters

"It's extremely easy to satirise Trump for his cack handling of the situation," he says.

"Ant and Dec are a huge target for me at the moment. They just don't even seem to believe the coronavirus exists.

"Horsey folk believe coronavirus is running in the 3.30 at Gatwick, and Trump now believes he is a wartime president and he is the first man to use the word 'pandemic'.

"Observational humour is full of potential in all of this. There is an inescapable fact that we are all in this together. Shared experience is a common experience which leads to humour all the time.

"Recently I was talking to Ian Dempsey as Glenda Gilson, reflecting the views of a lot of women who can't go to the beauticians any more.

"Women's natural hair colour is coming out. Wait until you see women for the first time in two months!" he says with a laugh.

"Then I was doing Miriam O'Callaghan. Ian was wishing her a happy Mother's Day and of course she was all 'eight kids, three meals a day, and the junior and leaving cert that I'm supposed to teach them myself. I can't wait for Mother's Day - genuinely!

"It makes people feel more included, and humour always does that, and I feel I have a responsibility to do that.

"I'm paid to do that, and people expect me to man up and do my job and not chicken out of it. There are ways and means of doing it."
Morgan County commissioners have formally established the countys sales tax on cannabis.

The board approved this week an ordinance that would allow the county to collect a tax of 3.75% on any cannabis sold in the county.

Board President Brad Zeller said the board had to have its ordinance on file with the Illinois Department of Revenue by April 1.

Its a template ordinance similar to what the municipalities have passed, Zeller said. It will allow us to assess a 3.75% tax on any cannabis sold throughout the county. The document had to be to the Illinois Department of Revenue by April 1.

The tax would be in addition to state and municipal sales taxes. Many municipalities already have created ordinances that would allow them to collect a tax.

A 3% tax would be assessed on all cannabis purchased in Jacksonville and South Jacksonville after Jacksonvilles city council and South Jacksonvilles village board approved the taxes.

Zeller said the county does not have any other cannabis ordinances that would address setbacks or other guidelines for potential cannabis facilities.

As of now there are no dispensaries or cultivation plants in the county and no plans for any as far as he knows, Zeller said.

In our mind set, if there were a facility in the county, we would think it would be in the municipal area of Jacksonville, Zeller said.

Jacksonville has established a cannabis ordinance that provides, under a special zoning process, guidelines for any facilities that would like to build in the city.

South Jacksonvilles village board has discussed a cannabis ordinance but has not taken any action on it.

Though the county board has not created an ordinance, it could in the future if a dispensary or cultivation plant were to present plans for a facility on county property, Zeller said.
What is the coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.

The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.

Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.

The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

Dr Helena Maier, from the Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals.

'Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses).

'Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.'

The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started publicly reporting infections on December 31.

By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge.

The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000.

Where does the virus come from?

According to scientists, the virus almost certainly came from bats. Coronaviruses in general tend to originate in animals  the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively.

The first cases of COVID-19 came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in Wuhan, which has since been closed down for investigation.

Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat.

A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in February 2020 in the scientific journal Nature, found that the genetic make-up virus samples found in patients in China is 96 per cent identical to a coronavirus they found in bats.

However, there were not many bats at the market so scientists say it was likely there was an animal which acted as a middle-man, contracting it from a bat before then transmitting it to a human. It has not yet been confirmed what type of animal this was.

Dr Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, was not involved with the research but said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.

'We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.'

So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it?

Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly.

It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs. It is less deadly than SARS, however, which killed around one in 10 people, compared to approximately one in 50 for COVID-19.

Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold.

Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them.

'Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.'

If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die.

'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in.

'Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.'

How does the virus spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.

It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky. It can also live on surfaces, such as plastic and steel, for up to 72 hours, meaning people can catch it by touching contaminated surfaces.

Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person.

What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms?

Once someone has caught the COVID-19 virus it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, for them to show any symptoms  but they may still be contagious during this time.

If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and a fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients will recover from these without any issues, and many will need no medical help at all.

In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.

Figures are showing that young children do not seem to be particularly badly affected by the virus, which they say is peculiar considering their susceptibility to flu, but it is not clear why.

What have genetic tests revealed about the virus?

Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world.

This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause.

Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much  changing is known as mutating  much during the early stages of its spread.

However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people.

This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it.

More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately.

How dangerous is the virus?

The virus has a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people.

Experts have been conflicted since the beginning of the outbreak about whether the true number of people who are infected is significantly higher than the official numbers of recorded cases. Some people are expected to have such mild symptoms that they never even realise they are ill unless they're tested, so only the more serious cases get discovered, making the death toll seem higher than it really is.

However, an investigation into government surveillance in China said it had found no reason to believe this was true.

Dr Bruce Aylward, a World Health Organization official who went on a mission to China, said there was no evidence that figures were only showing the tip of the iceberg, and said recording appeared to be accurate, Stat News reported.

Can the virus be cured?

The COVID-19 virus cannot be cured and it is proving difficult to contain.

Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can work, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money.

No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above.

The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.

Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them infecting other people.

People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public.

And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature).

However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport.

Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?

The outbreak was declared a pandemic on March 11. A pandemic is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'.

Previously, the UN agency said most cases outside of Hubei had been 'spillover' from the epicentre, so the disease wasn't actually spreading actively around the world.
New Delhi, March 27 : The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday opened a bank account where anyone can contribute funds which will be utilised to contain the spread of coronavirus and also to help the affected persons, the civic body said.

"SDMC has also opened a bank account where any individual, group or company can contribute funds which will be utilized as per Government rule to take measures to contain the spread of coronavirus and also to help the affected persons," the SDMC said in a statement. The civic body also informed that it will be collaborating with restaurants and eateries to provide food packets to the economically weaker section of the society.

"In order to extend the support to the poor and needy people during this lockdown, SDMC has decided to rope in Big restaurants and eateries to provide free food packets to them," the statement added. The civic body will arrange 20,000 food packets from the hotels, restaurants, mid day meal kitchens and some NGOs, which will be distributed to the economically weaker section living in South Delhi.

Apart from this, the civic body has also decided to distribute 20000 Vitamin-C tablets per zone to its 20,000 sanitation workers deployed on field. SDMC has also directed its all Deputy Health officers to use fogging machines to spray a mixture of water with Sodium hypo-chloride to disinfect and sanitise the areas in all four zones.
In the wake of the recent barbaric attack on the minority Sikh community in Afghanistan by Islamic State terrorists, a Scottish human rights activist has opined that there can be no peace until religious terrorism is totally defeated and annihilated.

Condemning the terror attack on the gurdawara, Amjad Ayub Mirza said, "My heart goes out to those who have lost their family members in the incident which has claimed more than dozens of lives and caused massive damage to the temple itself."

On Wednesday, armed gunmen killed 25 civilians in an attack on the 400-year old gurudwara, located in the Shor Bazar of the Afghan capital. The incident, since then, has left the Sikh community in desolation.

The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for the attack, but many experts believe that Pakistan's spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) propagated the incident to oppose Ashraf Ghani, who was re-elected as the President of Afghanistan last month.

"Everone should form an alliance to defeat Islamic religious terrorism. Zero tolerance for hate speech by Imams in mosques during congregations should be imposed all over the world," Mirza told ANI.

The Taliban has signed a peace deal with the United States, last month that would see all American troops leave the country.

Speaking about the peace deal Mirza said, "The deal between Taliban and America is a farce. A peace deal does not include broad peace between Taliban and other faith living in the land, or between the Taliban and the Afghan government."

The activist further recalled a similar incident of terror attack in the war-torn country when a convoy of Sikhs and Hindus was attacked by an Islamic State suicide bomber while on their way to meet Ghani in Jalalabad city in June 2018. The attack had left 19 people dead.

In recent years, large number of Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan have sought asylum in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ford and Fiat Chrysler announced plants to re-open US key facilities by April 14, days after Trumps call for the US economy to be open for business by Easter. As of this writing, General Motors has yet to announce a firm date to re-start its US production.

The April 14 deadline is only one day after the expiration of the statewide lockdown in Michigan, the center of the US auto industry, announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer earlier this week. The text of Whitmers order paved the way to allow auto companies to restart production earlier under the cover of guidance from the Department of Homeland Security designating the industry as critical infrastructure. However, the automakers have evidently decided that attempting to force workers back into the plants before the expiration of the lockdown risked another explosion among autoworkers, who successfully forced a shutdown of the Detroit automakers last week with a wildcat strike wave.

Ford will be re-opening its Hermosillo, Mexico assembly plant a week earlier, bringing in one shift on April 6.

"Safety First" sign over employee entrance at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant

Before the temporary shutdowns, US automakers, with the full backing of the United Auto Workers union, were forcing workers to remain on the job indefinitely, without even minimal protection such as masks, gloves and sanitizer. But after the first worker tested positive at a Fiat Chrysler plant in Indiana autoworkers began taking matters into their own hands. What followed was a series of job actions, sit-ins, walkouts and refusals to handle vehicles at FCAs operations in Windsor, Canada; Tipton, Indiana; Warren, Sterling Heights and Detroit, Michigan; and Toledo, Ohio.

The actions were taken in opposition to the United Auto Workers union, which only hours prior to the beginning of the wildcats announced a rotten deal to allow the companies to continue production. The revolt by workers was captured in a video of angry workers confronting the vice-president of the UAW local at FCAs Toledo, Ohio Jeep assembly plant. Since then, the corporate media in the United States has been working overtime to write the wildcats out of history and attribute the shutdown to negotiations between the automakers and the UAW.

At least three Fiat Chrysler workers have died from COVID-19, including Jeff Bagby, a mechanical quality engineer at the Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana, and a still-unnamed worker at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit. On Wednesday, Fiat Chrysler confirmed that Lorenzo Seldon, a 50-year-old worker and UAW steward at the Warren Truck plant, had also died of the disease.

A worker at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, which is scheduled to reopen on April 14, told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, We dont know the true number of COVID-19 cases and may never know because of the lack of testing. People need to make money to sustain themselves, but it wasnt worth the risk to get sick or make someone else sick. I want to see my grandmother, but Im afraid to because Im near all these people at the factory, and I may give her the virus.

The corporations were being driven by profit interests, the worker said. The capitalists are running the show, he said, but the divide between rich and poor is getting so large we are reaching a breaking point. Its class war.

By forcing workers to expose themselves to infection during the pandemic, the corporations and the government have forfeited the right to control decisions relating to elementary health and safety. Autoworkers must insist that only they, with the advice of independent medical experts, have the collective right to decide when they should return to work. They must move now to form rank-and-file committees to oppose any premature return to work.

Meanwhile, tens of millions of workers are either being compelled to work in unsafe conditions or have been laid off and are at risk of financial ruin. The entire working class must demand that all non-essential industries immediately be shut down and, instead of bailing out Wall Street and the giant corporations, societys resources be used to fully compensate workers for lost wages, to treat and prevent the spread of the virus and provide for the needs of millions under quarantine, and reorganize productive capacity to produce life-saving medical equipment and protective gear for health care workers. This will require the transformation of the giant corporations into public enterprises under the collective ownership and democratic control of the working class.

The target date announced by the companies collides with elementary public health considerations and will expose tens of thousands of autoworkers to the risk of infection and death. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the United States has just overtaken Italy and China to become the new epicenter of the pandemic, with more than 80,000 confirmed cases. By April 14 millions of people could be infected and the death toll might reach the tens of thousands.

Detroit, the center of the automotive industry, is rapidly emerging as one of the epicenters of the pandemic within the United States. According to a White House press conference yesterday, Wayne County, where Detroit is located, is one of the two counties with the fastest growing number of cases in the country. The poorest large city in America, ravaged by decades of deindustrialization, the citys financially starved medical and social infrastructure is already being overwhelmed.

Even as the pandemic continues to spread throughout the country, the stock market has skyrocketed over the past several days in anticipation of massive government intervention to guarantee the bottom line of corporate America, including a $2 trillion stimulus bill in Congress.

In an official response, UAW President Rory Gamble praised the bill and urged that it be signed into law as quickly as possible, even as he himself was compelled to admit that it fails to provide front line workers with the health and safety protections necessary to keep them from contracting Covid-19... includes no enforceable workplace standards and does not provide enough resources to frontline workers who are the first line of defense. In other words, it is nothing more than a massive transfer of societys wealth to big business.

Gamble combined this with pathetic moral appeals to the powers-that-be: [W]e ask all those making policy decisions and in corporate boardrooms to be guided by one simple question: Would you send your family, your son or daughter, into the workplace and be 100% certain they will be safe.

In fact, within the corporate-financial oligarchy which rules the country, as well as among their trade union lackeys, there is a growing consensus that millions of workers should be allowed to die in order to safeguard the profits of the major corporations. This was expressed not only in Trumps declaration that the country should return to work by Easter and fill the churches, but in editorials penned in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and other corporate news outlets.

Ford, whose financials are the weakest of the Detroit Three, became the first to announce its back-to-work plans on Thursday morning. Even before the pandemic, as the global auto industry shed hundreds of thousands of jobs, Wall Street was turning the screws on Ford in particular to accelerate the pace of its cuts. Fords stock has fallen by nearly 50 percent since last January and its credit rating was downgraded to junk status last fall by Moodys. In a letter to employees yesterday, CEO Jim Hackett declared that the company will have to take tougher action, including mass layoffs, if the pandemic continues for much longer.
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of top news as of 27.03.2020:

 Thirty-nine new coronavirus cases have been reported in Armenia on Friday. The total number of cases has reached 329. And one patient died.

According to Armenian health minister Arsen Torosyan, 28 patients have recovered and another 300 people undergo treatment.

One of the patients is extremely critical, his condition is neither improving, nor deteriorating, he added.

The minister also noted that a 2-month-old child has been infected with coronavirus in Armenia with his mother. The child has no symptoms at all, he said. The mother has had a fever for two days. Mom doesn't have any symptoms right now.

Meanwhile, two more servicemen tested positive for coronavirus, spokesperson for Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan said on Facebook. After three servicemen tested positive for coronavirus, 32 military personnel of the same military unit, who were not involved in combat missions, were tested for coronavirus. Five more tests were taken later.

 EU is adjusting its programmes to face together coronavirus and more funds are coming, head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin tweeted.

The EU is the largest donor to Armenia with over 1 million euro per week in assistance, with the ultimate goal of improving the living conditions of Armenian people and regions. We are adjusting our programmes to face together Covid19 and more funds are coming, she said.

 Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan decided to take an experiment during the state of emergency in the country and called some random citizens during his live broadcast on Facebook.

According to him, one of his key objectives today is to ensure contact with citizens.

As he noted, its very important to know how citizens are feeling and living during this state of emergency and how theyre resisting the restrictions.

This helps me have a better understanding of the problems and be more specific when it comes to creating packages for social and economic assistance, the PM said.

 There are over 549 thousand coronavirus cases globally. The death toll near to 25 thousand

The virus is affecting 199 countries. The US overtook Italy and China as the state with the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases (over 85 thousand). China is second, followed by Italy.

In the meantime, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had tested positive for coronavirus. The UK health secretary Matt Hancock has also tested positive. President of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine Department of France, ex-minister Patrick Devedjian is also among the infected.

 An Armenian army soldier was wounded in fire opened by Azerbaijani side on Friday in the direction of Noyemberyan, spokesperson for Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

A contract soldier was wounded slightly, he is not in life-threatening condition, she added.
SPRINGFIELD - Police charged a 22--year-old city man with unlawful possession of a loaded firearm on Thursday following his arrest in Six Corners police said.

Joshua Rosado of Pamona Street is charged with multiple weapons charges, including possession of a firearm without an identification, possession of a high-capacity feeding device, carrying a large capacity firearm in a public way, carrying a firearm while named in an active warrant, and possession of a firearm with a prior conviction for a violent or drug-related crime. He was also charged with possession of heroin and marijuana with intent to distribute.

He was a passenger in a car that was stopped at Mill and Cherry streets. Police stopped the car after an officer spotted Rosado riding in it and knew that he was named in an arrest warrant in a stolen car investigation from January.

Police found 7 packets of heroin, three bags of marijuana in the car, and a digital scale. They also found a loaded firearm fitted with a 28-round magazine. Magazines of more than 10 rounds are illegal in Massachusetts.

Rosado was one of 11 people arrested in June 2018 as part of a series of drug raids in West Springfield and Springfield that resulted in the seizure of 6,700 packets of heroin and $47,000. He was out on bail on those charges at the time of his arrest this week.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Update: The number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 724, while the death tally now stands at 17. Several new cases are coming from various parts of the country, including Maharashtra and Kerala. The country has reported 30 new cases and four deaths since Thursday night. So far, 66 people have already been cure or discharged. As many as 27 states and Union Territories of India have been affected by coronavirus so far. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has revealed there are a total of 39 coronavirus positive cases in Delhi as of March 27. Of them, 29 had come from outside and were kept in quarantine and 10 of these are cases of local transmission, he said. Globally, the number of total coronavirus cases has risen to 5,32,003, including 24,083 deaths. More than 1.24 people have also recovered from the disease.

Check all the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak on BusinessToday.In live blog

9.33PM: 16 companies allowed to sell coronavirus test kits in India

Government has allowed 16 companies to sell their coronavirus test kits in India. The approvals for antibody based rapid kits were granted to BioMednomics (USA), Getein Biotech (China), Sensing Self Ltd (Singapore), Hangzhou Biotest Biotech (China), AmonMed Biotechnology Co (China), Beijing Tigsun Diagnostics Co Ltd (China), Biomaxima (Poland), CTK Biotech (USA), Hunan Lituo Biotechnology Co (China), Vivacheck Lab (China) and Wondfo (China). Two South Korean firms, Seegene and SD Biosensor have received government approval to supply RT-PCR based kits.

9.18 PM: We have entered recessiom, says IMF chief

The coronavirus pandemic has driven the global economy into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday.

"It is clear that we have entered a recession" that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, she said in an online press briefing.

With the worldwide economic "sudden stop," Georgieva said the fund's estimate "for the overall financial needs of emerging markets is $2.5 trillion." But she warned that "we believe this is on the lower end." Over 80 countries already have requested emergency aid from the International Monetary Fund.

9.08PM: Donald Trump asks General Motors, Ford to make ventilators 'now'

US President asked General Motors and Ford Motors to divert their attention towards making ventilators as the nation supassed China and Italy in number of positive cases. Trump said that US has "purchased many Ventilators from some wonderful companies. Names and numbers will be announced later today!"

We have just purchased many Ventilators from some wonderful companies. Names and numbers will be announced later today! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Invoke P means Defense Production Act! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!! @GeneralMotors @Ford Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

6.41PM: Coronavirus in India: Vice President donates 1 month's salary PM National Relief Fund

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has donated his one month's salary to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to strengthen the government's efforts in combating COVID-19 outbreak in the country. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the Vice President described COVID-19 as a calamity of extremely severe nature which has claimed a heavy toll of life across the globe.

6.33PM: Coronavirus in India: Don't leave Delhi, urges Kejriwal

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal assured that his government is prepared even if number of cases increase by 100, 500, or 1,000 cases in a single day. Testing kits, ambulances, and ICU beds have been arranged, the Delhi Chief Minister said via video links. "We are not saying cases will increase, we are just preparing ourselves for any eventuality," he added.

#WATCH Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says, "All those who are leaving Delhi and going back to their respective states, we appeal to them to not leave the city. We have made enough arrangements for you". #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/4Ayz9ZDQay ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

6.11PM: "You're a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well," PM Modi wishes his British counterpart Boris Johnson, who went into self-isolation after being tested positive for coronavirus.

Dear PM @BorisJohnson,



Youre a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well.



Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK. https://t.co/u8VSRqsZeC Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2020

5.02PM: DGCA extends suspension on domestic flights till April 14.

4.55PM: Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus.

4.40PM: India to soon participate in WHO 'solidarity trial' for developing potential drugs for COVID-19: Indian Council of Medical Research

4.35PM: SC allows sale of BS IV compliant vehicles across India (barring in Delhi-NCR) for ten days after the lockdown is over.

4.30PM: Around 1.4 lakh companies have asked their employees to work from home on our appeal: Union Health and Family Welfare

4.25PM: Till now 724 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the country and death tally stood at 17. In the last 24 hours, 75 new positive cases and 4 deaths have been reported, Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said.

4.20PM: Coronavirus in Maharashtra: Another 12 test positive for coronavirus in Sangli

Twelve persons were confirmed to have contracted coronavirus in western Maharashtra's Sangli district today. With this, COVID-19 patients in the district have surged to 24, a health official said.

All these persons were related to or had come in contact with a single family. Some members of this family had returned from Saudi Arabia and later tested positive for the virus.

4.10PM: DGCA extends ban on domestic flights till April 14

pic.twitter.com/rvdmSeUOd6 DGCA (@DGCAIndia) March 27, 2020

4.05 PM: CM Trivendra Singh Rawat sanctions Rs 50 lakh to Uttarakhand people stranded in Delhi

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for food, lodging and transportation of the citizens of the state who are stranded in Delhi

4.00PM: SC seeks govt's response on plea for evacuating 850 pilgrims from Iran

Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre on hearing a petition seeking to immediately evacuate all the stranded Indian Shia pilgrims from the city of Qom in Iran and provide them possible medical help.

3.49 PM: Shiv Sena MLAs, MPs to donate month's salary to tackle coronavirus

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has said his party MLAs and MPs will donate their month's salary to the Chief Minister's relief fund to tackle coronavirus outbreak.

Yesterday, National Congress Party (NCP) had announced that its MPs and legislators would contribute their month's salary towards the cause.

Similarly, Governor B S Koshyari had also decided to donate his month's salary to contain virus epidemic

3.39 PM: Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra

A total of 12 more people (contacts of earlier positive cases) test positive for Coronavirus in Sangli; Till now, there are 147 positive cases in Maharashtra: PRO, Maharashtra Health Department. -ANI

3.38 PM: I've urged CMs of Maharashtra, Uttarakhand&Haryana to arrange food&lodging for citizens of UP living in their states. We will bear the cost of the arrangements. We've appointed nodal officers to coordinate with govts of 12 states whose people are living in UP: CM Yogi Adityanath

3.35 PM: Coronavirus cases in Rajashtan

One person in Jodhpur tests positive for Coronavirus. He came in contact with a COVID19 patient during travel from the UK to Jodhpur. Total number of Coronavirus positive cases in the state is 46. ANI

3.15 PM: Social work in times of COVID-19

A Muslim family in Mumbai prepares food&distributes it to needy. Ibrahim Motiwala says,"Many labourers are stranded here without food so if Allah has made us capable enough to help such people then we should. We prepare food for around 800 people at a time."

Maharashtra: A Muslim family in Mumbai prepares food&distributes it to needy. Ibrahim Motiwala says,"Many labourers are stranded here without food so if Allah has made us capable enough to help such people then we should. We prepare food for around 800 people at a time" #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/UKqrTMVyDj ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

3.10 PM: Union Home Secretary AK Bhalla has written to all States/UTs to take immediate steps to provide adequate support, including food and shelter, to migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and other unorganized sector workers during the 21-day nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

3.01 PM: Considering the current situation of Covid-19, appointment orders are issued to 1508 lab technicians, 500 doctors & 1000 nurses for immediate joining. State to immediately increase its ambulance fleet with 200 new ambulances: Tamil Nadu Government

2.55 PM: Tripura: Police in Agartala distributed food among the needy amid coronavirus lockdown.

2.45 PM: Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre on hearing a petition seeking to immediately evacuate all the stranded Indian Shia pilgrims from the city of Qom in Iran and provide them possible medical help. SC issued notice after hearing the matter through video-conferencing.

2.40 PM: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat sanctions Rs 50 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for food, lodging & transportation of the citizens of the state who are stranded in Delhi due to Cornavirus lockdown.

2.19 PM: Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid closed for devotees, due to Coronavirus. All religious places are closed for devotees in the light of 21-Day Lockdown, Muslim clerics have also made an appeal to all the people to offer prayers at their houses itself.

Tripura: Police in Agartala distributed food among the needy amid #CoronavirusLockdown. pic.twitter.com/z0UKdqcJPa ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

2.18 PM: 38-year-old daily wage labourer commits 'suicide', allegedly frustrated over not getting liquor following coronavirus lockdown and after struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

2.16 PM: Ministry of Home Affairs issue fresh guidelines

MHA issues advisory to States, UTs to prevent mass exodus of migrant and agri labourers, industrial workers, unorganised sector workers. States and UTs have been advised to make vulnerable groups aware of free food grains, other essentials to stop mass exodus. The ministry tells states to ensure hotels, hostels, rented accommodations remain functional and get essentials amid lockdown to combat coronavirus. States have also been told to streamline essentials so that students and working women hostel inmates are allowed to stay put in existing facilities.

2.10 PM: Coronavirus: After IndiGo, GoAir says it has offered govt aircraft, crew members to carry out emergency services, repatriation of citizens

2.00 PM: Please do not believe rumours of banks' branches closure. Customer service branches committed for necessary services during coronavirus lockdown: Department of Financial Services

1.51 PM: People in Panaji practice social distancing while standing in a long queue outside a grocery shop amid lockdown due to coronavirus.

Telangana: Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid closed for devotees, due to Coronavirus. All religious places are closed for devotees in the light of #21DayLockdown, Muslim clerics have also made an appeal to all the people to offer prayers at their houses itself. pic.twitter.com/HoMLXepzYg ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

1.50 PM: Police, along with locals, distribute freshly-cooked food among the needy in Sadar Bazaar area, amid nationwide corona virus lockdown.

Goa: People in Panaji practice social distancing while standing in a long queue outside a grocery shop amid #lockdown due to #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/MSATF2bYKI ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

1.38 PM: Coronavirus cases in Bihar

A 20-year-old man, who worked as a ward boy at a private hospital where he came into contact with a COVID-19 patient, has tested positive, taking the total number of such cases reported from Bihar to nine, the health department said on Friday.

1.35 PM: FM asks quick transmission of interest rates

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday asked banks for "quick transmission" of slashed interest rate as the RBI cut the key lending rate sharply by 75 basis points to boost liquidity in financial system to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delhi: Police, along with locals, distribute freshly-cooked food among the needy in Sadar Bazaar area, amid nationwide #CoronavirusLockdown. pic.twitter.com/UbxV7VkPwy ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

1.30 PM: Coronavirus cases in West Bengal

More than 2,000 people have been arrested in the state this week for violating the lockdown order. West Bengal has reported ten Covid-19 cases so far. One of them, a 57-year-old man, died at a private hospital earlier this week.

1.15 PM: 6 more test positive in Tamil Nadu: State health officials

As many as six more people tested positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 35 in the state, the government said. Of them, five people contracted the infection through contact with those tested positive for the coronavirus. In a tweet, the National Health Mission - Tamil Nadu said: "6 new positive cases of #Covid19 in TN..." and taking "the total tally to 35 so far."

1.07 PM: India opted for a step-by-step approach: Sanjeev Sanyal

Economist Sanjeev Sanyal has said India opted for a step-by-step approach rather than the one "Big Bang" package approach.

Appreciate @RBI @DasShaktikantas reassuring words on financial stability. The 3 month moratorium on payments of term loan instalments (EMI) & interest on working capital give much-desired relief. Slashed interest rate needs quick transmission. #IndiaFightsCoronavirus Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 27, 2020

1.00 PM: Sub-collecter violates quarantine restrictions

Anupam Mishra, Kollam Sub-Collector in Kerala, who was asked to stay at home after he returned from abroad on March 19 has moved to Kanpur. The district collector has submitted a report to the state government stating that the sub collecter has violated quarantine restrictions.

Kollam Sub-Collector was asked to home quarantine from Mar 19. But he left the jurisdiction without handing over his official duties and was traced to be in UP. I have submitted a report to the Govt regarding it: Kollam District Collector B Abdul Nazar #Kerala pic.twitter.com/3oPHeMhgNz ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

12.45 PM: 65-year-old passes away in Karnataka

A 65-year-old man, who had tested positive for coronavirus passes away in Tumakuru. "He had travelled to Delhi by train on Mar 5th and returned on March 11. All passengers who travelled with him on the train are being traced," says Dr K Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Office, Tumakuru, Karnataka

12.33 PM: RBI's decision to cut repo rate to strength to economy: JP Nadda

The BJP President says the RBI has slashed down Repo rate, Reverse Repo rate and Cash Reverse ratio to strengthen to economy. "It will help the middle class. The RBI has given moratorium of 3 months and also waving off interest. I welcome these progressive and timely measures," said the BJP leader.

RBI has slashed down Repo rate, Reverse Repo rate and Cash Reverse ratio to give strength to economy. To help the middle class RBI has given moratorium of 3 months and also waving off interest. I welcome these progressive and timely measures. #IndiaFightsCorona Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 27, 2020

12.30 PM: RBI has taken giant steps: PM Modi

Today RBI has taken giant steps to safeguard our economy from the impact of the coronavirus. The announcements will improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds, help middle class and businesses, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Today @RBI has taken giant steps to safeguard our economy from the impact of the Coronavirus. The announcements will improve liquidity, reduce cost of funds, help middle class and businesses. https://t.co/pgYOUBQtNl Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2020

12.24 PM: Delhi govt to provide breakfast, lunch for over 4 lakh poor

The number will be doubled from tomorrow, we'll be providing food to 4,00,000 people daily. We're distributing the centres across Delhi: CM Arvind Kejriwal

12.22 PM: Ward boy of private hospital tests positive in Patna

A 20-year-old man, who worked as a ward boy at a private hospital where he came into contact with a COVID-19 patient, has tested positive, taking the total number of such cases reported from Bihar to seven, the health department said on Friday. Till Thursday, 469 samples from across the state had been sent for testing out of which 415 reported negative and three were rejected.

12.15 PM: Kejriwal govt to feed over 4 lakh people

Arvind Kejriwal: "We have been feeding over 20,000 people so far in 224 ren baseras but we realised they were not enough. To take it to bigger level, we have decided to set up feeding facility across 25 government schools across Delhi. With this, we will be feeding over 200,000 people from today, while the number would go up to 400,000 from tomorrow.

12.11 PM: Delhi govt's arrangement so far

Delhi government to provide free food to 1.5 lakh marginalized people of Delhi.

Delhi government to open 35 centres, which will provide free lunch and dinner for the needy people.

A total of 234 night shelters are already providing food to the needy and homeless people.

12.03 PM: Ramayana comes back on public demand

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday announced that Ramayana would be rebroadcast on DD National from March 28, Saturday, on public demand. Two episodes of the iconic mythological serial of the 80s will be broadcast -- one in the morning from 9am to 10am and another in evening from 9pm to 10pm.

Also read: Ramayana telecast time, where and when to watch live

12.02 PM: RBI announces liquidity boost

In a bid to maintain stability in the financial system in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said that Rs 3.74 lakh crore liquidity will be injected into system through various measures. Shaktikanta Das said that the RBI has already injected liquidity of Rs 2.8 lakh crore in the financial markets through various instruments, which equal to 1.4 per cent of GDP.

Also read: RBI announces liquidity boost of Rs 3.74 lakh crore amid coronavirus outbreak

12.01 PM: Your money is safe: RBI chief

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has asked citizens not to link the safety of their deposits with the volatility of the stock market. At a press conference on Friday morning, the RBI chief said that there has been panic withdrawal from private banks after the coronavirus pandemic impacted share prices of banks. "The Indian banking system is safe and sound," he said.

Also read: 'Don't link banks' share prices with safety of deposits,' says RBI chief Shaktikanta Das

12.00 PM: RBI gives huge loan relief

In a move aimed at mitigating the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on businesses and employees in India, the Reserve Bank of India on Friday asked all banks and other lending institutions to allow a three-month moratorium on all kinds of loans. The RBI also said that moratorium on term loans and deferment of interest payment would not result in asset classification downgrade.

Also read: Banks free to defer payment of EMIs by 3 months! RBI gives huge loan relief

11.30 AM: Army will conduct Operation Namaste well: Army Chief

Army Chief General MM Naravane said that the army has always succeeded in its missions and will be successful in Operation Namaste as well.

11.16 AM: Maharashtra tally at 135

Five new cases have been reported from Nagpur taking the total tally of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra to 135. The affected include three men and two women.

11.10 AM: Disaster Management to distribute food

Disaster Management will distribute food to among senior citizens, pregnant women and daily wage labourers. Disaster Management Secretary Amit Negi has asked all DMs of states to prepare a list.

11.00 AM: President Kovind lauds front line workers

President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu interacted with Governors, Lt Governors and Administrators of all States and Union Territories to dicuss the impact of coronavirus. The President also lauded the efforts of the front line workers in their tackling of COVID-19.

10.30 AM: Odisha govt to set up 1,000-bed hospitals

The Odisha government is planning to set up two hospitals of 1,000 beds each to help in tackling coronavirus. This will be done along with two private medical colleges, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM.

10.23 AM: Total cases rise to 724

Health ministry said that the total number of cases in India has risen to 724. This number includes 66 who recovered and were discharged as well as 16 dead.

10.21 AM: RBI Governor asks banks to keep the credit flowing amid the coronavirus crisis.

10.16 AM: RBI Governor believes that large part of the global economy would slip into recession.

10.15 AM: We are living through extraordinary times: RBI Governor

10.10 AM: RBI quarantines 150 of its staff members, says Governor Shaktikanta Das.

10.05 AM: RBI slashes repo rate

"MPC advanced its meeting. Undertook careful evaluation. MPC voted a sizeable reduction in repo rate. MPC voted to reduce report rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent. Fixed rate was reduced by 90 bp to 4 per cent," said RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.

9.57 AM: GoAir signs up for emergency services

GoAir has offered its fleet and crew members to the government for emergency services during the nationwide lockdown. The airline wrote to civil aviation ministry and DGCA to offer its fleet, cockpit, cabin crew and airport staff to carry out emergency services and repatriation of citizens.

9.53 AM: MP funds to COVID-19

Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur has approved sanctions of Rs 2 crore from the MP fund to tackle coronavirus.

9.50 AM: DRDO extends help

DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy said his organisation can produce 5,000 ventilators per month required by Coronovirus patients and doctors for treatment. "DRDO and a biomedical society produced a ventilator together and the technology was transferred to private industry. Now, a Mysore-based private industry is producing the secondary version of that ventilator. The Bharat Electronics Limited has also joined in and other private industry is also coming in. Our lab in Mysore has supplied some critical parts for the ventilators and that industry can produce around 5,000 ventilators per month now. By increasing their capacity, they can take it upto 10,000 ventilators per month to meet the shortages," he told India Today. Reddy said a DRDO laboratory in Gwalior has helped producing 20,000 bottles of sanitisers which have been given to different agencies including the Delhi Police.

9.46 AM: Israel thanks Air India

Israel evacuated more than 300 of it stranded citizens from India yesterday. Two hundred more are scheduled to fly out today. Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India expressed his gratitute to Air India for helping in the evacuation.

I thank and appreciate the @airindiain flight staff who are responsibly and selflessly ensuring that Israelis get home safe. Dhanyavad from the bottom of our pic.twitter.com/PmL2YCX7oL Ron Malka (@DrRonMalka) March 26, 2020

9.42 AM: Delhi comes to the aid of sanitation workers

Sanitation workers in Delhi have been provided masks and gloves by the NDMC. However, there are still issues when it comes to commuting to work as the capital is under strict lockdown.

Delhi: Sanitation workers of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) say that they are carrying out their duties just like any other time. They say, "We have been provided masks and gloves by the NDMC. We are only facing a little trouble while commuting to and from work." pic.twitter.com/nAhC4xwN6P ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

9.40 AM: Case against people fleeing from quarantine

Cases have been filed against two non-residential Indians (NRIs) for skipping home-quarantine in Andhra Pradesh. Both foreign-returned had reached India on March 14 and were placed under quarantine but were found "missing" from their homes, as mentioned by the police.

9.35 AM: More cases in Bihar

The number of cases in Bihar increased to 9 after two people were found positive for coronavirus. One of the patients had travel history to Dubai, while the other one had no travel history to any country.

9.30 AM: Total coronavirus cases in Telangana reach 45

One more coronavirus positive case has been reported in Telangana. Total number of positive cases in the state reaches 45 till 8:00 AM on March 27. The person is a 45-year-old male, having a travel history to Delhi. Patient is stable and under isolation, says the Telangana Health Department.

9.25 AM: All Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs to contribute their one month's salary to Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

9.20 AM: DD National to retelecast 'Ramayana'

Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm: Minister Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar.

Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm: Minister Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar (file pic) pic.twitter.com/cfDm8N6ggC ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

9.15 AM: Dalmia Bharat suspends production

Leading cement manufacturer Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd on Thursday said it has suspended cement production across all its plants in the country to ensure social distancing and protect the workforce from being infected with the coronavirus.

Also read: Dalmia Bharat suspends cement production across plants

9.10 AM: 2,234 deaths in Iran so far

Iran started an intercity travel ban, a day after Tehran warned the country might face a second outbreak. Iran has reported 2,234 deaths and 29,406 infections so far.- Reuters

9.05 AM: Global deaths, infections in one day

Almost 489,000 people have been infected globally and over 22,000 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

9.00 AM: Italy records 712 deaths in one day

Hopes that Italy's coronavirus epidemic might be in retreat suffered a setback on Thursday when data showed that both the number of new cases and deaths had ticked higher, underscoring how hard it is to halt the disease. Officials said 712 people died of the illness in the last 24 hours, pushing the total tally to 8,215, well over double that seen in anywhere else in the world, while new infections rose by 6,153 to 80,539. The number of cases is nudging close to the more than 81,000 infections recorded in China where the pandemic began. -Reuters

8.50 AM: Spain reports 655 more deaths in one day

A further 655 people died overnight on Wednesday, pushing Spain's toll from the respiratory disease to 4,089, second only to Italy and further beyond China where the outbreak began. Spain also extended its coronavirus lockdown on Thursday and said it was fighting a "real war" over medical supplies to contain the world's second-highest virus death toll, turning to China for many critical products, where officials reported fraud and massive price increases. - Reuters

8.45 AM: Mainland China reports first local case in 3 days

Mainland China reported its first locally transmitted coronavirus case in three days and 54 new imported cases, as Beijing ordered airlines to sharply cut international flights fearing travellers could reignite the coronavirus outbreak. The 55 new cases reported on Thursday was down from 67 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said in a statement on Friday. There are now 81,340 confirmed cases in mainland China. - PTI

8.40 AM: US surpasses China in number of COVID-19 cases

Over 16,000 confirmed cases were reported in a single day in the US on Thursday as the total number of COVID-19 patients soared to 85,088, the highest for any country, according to data compiled by Worldometer. The United States surpassed China (81,285) and Italy (80,589) in terms of number of people infected with the novel coronavirus. - PTI

8.35 AM: Shaktikanta Das to address media at 10 am

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das will address the media at 10am on Friday. This address is likely to be focussed on coronavirus and he is likely to address measures to cushion the impact on the economy.

8.30 AM: Coronavirus: G20 nations inject $5 trillion into global economy

A group of G20 nations on Thursday convened a virtual meeting to discuss the challenges posed by coronavirus pandemic and to forge a global coordinated response. The group injected over $5 trillion into the global economy to combat economic disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Joined the #G20VirtualSummit earlier today. Various world leaders discussed ways to fight COVID-19. In my remarks, I spoke about the need to place health and human welfare at the top of our global priorities. Here are the highlights. https://t.co/Tt8RaWGahN Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 26, 2020

Also read: Coronavirus: G20 nations inject $5 trillion into global economy to take on pandemic

8.25 AM: All Muslims should offer Zuhur prayers at home: Owaisi

"My appeal to all Muslims is to offer Zuhur prayers tomorrow at home & to not congregate. The only way we can get ahead in this fight is by practicing social distancing & preventing larger gatherings," says the AIMIM chief.

My appeal to all Muslims is to offer Zuhur prayers tomorrow at home & to not congregate



The only way we can get ahead in this fight is by practicing social distancing & preventing larger gatherings https://t.co/jsoSJI1fNJ Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 26, 2020

8.20 AM: Taking all precautions to arrange food for poor: Yogi

, Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) March 26, 2020

8.15 AM: Five more patients test positive from MP: Four in Indore, 1 in Ujjain

Indore: 13

Jabalpur: 6

Shivpuri: 2

Bhopal: 2

Gwalior: 1

Ujjain: 1+1

Total cases: 26

Deaths: Two

8.10 AM: Will take of Uttarakhand natives: Yogi
Just eight stores have been allowed to remain open at Whitewater Shopppjng Centre in Newbridge due to Government restrictions on non-essential retail outlets.

Temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak are over 60 fashion and food outlets and the Odeon cinema.



In an online message, the shopping centre thanked frontline workers working to defeat the coronavirus and said it looked forward to brighter days ahead in Newbridge.



The shopping centre said: "Following on from the Government announcement in relation to the closure of non-essential retail, we would like to advise that the following stores, that meet the Government criteria, will remain open:

- Boots Ireland

- Marks & Spencers

- Eurogiant

- Holland & Barrett

- The Health Store

- Hidden Hearing

- Vodafone Ireland

- iConnect

"All other stores at Whitewater Shopping Centre will remain closed temporarily until further notice.

"Please see our website https://www.whitewatersc.ie/ for details of opening hours and ongoing updates.



"We hope all our customers and staff stay well during these unprecedented times.

"Our thoughts are especially with those who feel vulnerable at this difficult time.

"A special thanks to all those who are working on the frontline and providing important services to our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.



"We look forward to brighter days ahead when we will reopen the Centre fully, provide employment to the local area and again offer Fashion, Film, Food and Fun to our loyal customers!!"




Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will stay Mark-Cuss Hilton from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will stay Mark-Cuss Hilton from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

But a global pandemic can make life a bit more challenging for even the most committed St. John Ambulance therapy dog, not to mention his human handler.

Since they were certified in the summer of 2018, Mark-Cuss, a five-year-old poodle/Shar-Pei/Labrador mix, and his two-legged partner, Donamae Hilton, have been bringing comfort and joy to lonely hospital patients and stressed-out students.

Every Thursday morning for the past two years, this dynamic duo has been a much-needed ray of sunshine for the elderly residents at Actionmarguerite, a 299-bed, bilingual long-term care seniors home on Rue Despins in St. Boniface.

But those weekly visits were brought to a grinding halt by the COVID-19 outbreak as the province suspended in-person visits at personal care homes to help prevent the spread of a virus that is claiming lives around the world.

Unwilling to abandon elderly friends, Hilton, 68, who happens to be this columnists sister-in-law, huddled with the seniors homes therapists and came up with a high-tech solution  virtual therapy dog visits.

JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Donamae Hilton and her dog Mark-Cuss livestream their visit to seniors on Thursday. Mark-Cuss is a St. Johns Ambulance service dog and does visits all across the city, but has had to stop due to social distancing.

The way it works is Hilton and Mark-Cuss, from the comfort of home, use a smartphone video-chat app to contact the seniors facility, where therapists roam the centre with their phones, enabling elderly residents get up close and personal with a virtual version of their beloved therapy dog team.

The virtual visits  hour-long sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings  have been a much-needed silver lining for seniors who have been unable to enjoy in-person time with family members since the pandemic hit town.

"I went from resident to resident and showed them Mark-Cuss," explained Penny Seier, a therapeutic recreation facilitator at the facility who hatched the innovative plan in concert with Hilton. "It was like a regular real visit, but just through the phone.

"They (the residents) were just ecstatic. They could see Mark-Cuss and say hi to Donamae. They were talking to him as if he were actually here. They were just enthralled with the fact they could still see Mark-Cuss for a visit."

During the hour-long virtual visit, Seier and Jean-Pierre Kisama, another recreational therapist, were able to connect the therapy dog team with about 30 residents on two floors of the care facility.

They (the residents) were just ecstatic. They could see MarkCuss and say hi to Donamae. They were talking to him as if he were actually here. They were just enthralled with the fact they could still see MarkCuss for a visit.

"Were going to try and do it twice a week  on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 am.," Seier said. "Were hoping to go virtual with iPads next week."

Its just one creative way of lifting seniors spirits in difficult times. "They really look forward to seeing Mark-Cuss, and Donamae has an exceptional heart. She gives pictures of Mark-Cuss to the residents. She really goes the extra mile."

For her part, Hilton, who retired in 2016 from her job as an administrative assistant with the Manitoba Dental Association, said her four-legged therapy partner was getting antsy after their regular visits to the care facility were grounded.

"Mark-Cuss has been missing going up there," explained Hilton, a passionate dog lover who also owns a grumpy basset-beagle cross named Norman. "He misses his people. Hes been playing outside and going for walks but he knows when its Thursday and he should be working."

While Mark-Cuss romped around this columnists dog-intensive home Wednesday evening, Hilton explained their first foray into virtual therapy was an emotional affair.

"The people were very happy to see him," she recalled, laughing as Mark-Cuss and this writers dogs frantically leaped on and off a couch. "There was lots of laughter and lots of smiles, and one gentleman was so glad to see him that he started to cry and that made me cry, too.

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.

"My heart felt full. It felt like, finally, I could do something to help. A lot of these people weve been seeing for the past two years dont have many visitors, a lot are bedridden, so they know when its Thursday and time for Mark-Cuss to visit."

She said Mark-Cuss  who was rescued in 2016 after being on death row in a U.S. pound  and herself will continue doing their virtual visits until restrictions are eased and they can once again show up in the flesh, and fur.

"I think its a big success," Hilton gushed. "It gives the people joy because they can see Mark-Cuss and it gives him joy because he can hear their voices. The only bad thing is hes missing out on all the treats they give him when when hes there in person."

Shes hoping other therapy dog teams will follow their lead and start making virtual visits to facilities locked down to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 28 2020

State-owned electricity firm PLN projects lower consumption by corporate users this year as worries over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus have caused a significant decline in trade and industrial activities.

PLN's executive vice president in charge of marketing and customer service, Edison Sipahutar, estimates electricity consumption will fall by between 0.6 percent and 1.2 percent in 2020 from 245.52 terawatt-hours, assuming factory, office and retail activities remain sluggish over the next nine months.

Household electricity consumption will increase, but we also expect a decrease in business and industry consumption, Edison told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

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
In a statement on Friday, the commission said it wants to reduce the number of its diplomats in Nigeria but that the closure of the international airports has made it difficult to do so.
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China's military medical experts have wasted no time stepping up drug and vaccine research as well as virus source tracing to aid the country's battle against the novel coronavirus, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

Ren Guoqiang made the remarks at a press conference.

On March 16, a recombinant novel coronavirus vaccine developed by a research team led by Chen Wei, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences, passed a review by authorities and was greenlighted for clinical trials, Ren said.
Roughly one year ago, marijuana stocks hit their 2019 peak. In Canada, there was optimism given the upcoming launch of derivatives (e.g., edibles, topicals, vapes, concentrates, and infused beverages). Meanwhile, it was expected that a number of U.S. states would push forward with legislation to legalize recreational weed. Unfortunately, neither scenario played out as planned.

Since the end of March 2019, it's been a precipitous and painful downtrend for cannabis stock investors, with many publicly traded companies losing anywhere from 50% to 95% of their value. To make matters worse, now the industry is dealing with the implications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the lung-focused illness responsible for more than 471,000 confirmed cases worldwide and nearly 21,300 deaths, as of late night March 25 per Johns Hopkins University.

Just when you think it can't possibly get any worse for the cannabis industry, something new always seems to crop up.

The North American marijuana industry was a mess well before COVID-19

Before I dig into the latest disappointment for the marijuana industry, let's review some of the challenges North American pot stocks were contending with well before the coronavirus showed up.

In Canada, the primary issue continues to be regulatory hurdles and delays. For instance, Health Canada has struggled mightily to approve cultivation and sales license applications in a timely manner. The agency also wound up delaying the launch of derivatives by a full two months.

Likewise, provincial regulators in Ontario had been reliant on a lottery system to assign retail licenses. This resulted in a mere 24 dispensaries being open by the one-year anniversary of recreational weed sales commencing (Oct. 17, 2019). Ontario, Canada's most-populous province, has since abandoned its lottery system in favor of a more traditional vetting process. Nevertheless, it's going to take many more months before new retail stores open and provincial supply bottlenecks are resolved.

Comparatively, the U.S. cannabis industry has struggled to compete with black-market producers on price, with high state-level tax rates on marijuana to blame. In California, the largest marijuana market in the world by annual sales, cannabis consumers are being hit with an aggregate tax that might be near 50%. Taxation levels this high allow the illicit industry to thrive.

Additionally, Canadian and U.S. pot stocks are both struggling with access to financing. In the U.S., most banks are unwilling to provide basic financial services since marijuana is illegal at the federal level. Meanwhile, in Canada, marijuana is legal, but banks are unwilling to lend due to the deteriorating state of pot stock balance sheets.

In short, the cannabis industry was a mess long before COVID-19 reared its head. But make no mistake: the novel coronavirus is making things worse.

Four ways the coronavirus is making life tougher for pot stocks

Although cannabis has the feel of an industry that shouldn't see much of an impact due to COVID-19 and the strict mitigation measures being put in place to curb its spread throughout North America, there are four ways it can adversely affect the industry.

First, there's almost certainly going to be supply disruption. For example, when China had strict mitigation measures in place, supply for everything from packaging materials to vape pens declined for the North American weed industry. These supply issues could persist for a few months to come.

Second, there will be no large trade shows or conferences as long as the coronavirus is spreading. That means less of a chance to introduce new product on a broad scale, as well as to interact with other businesses. In effect, we could see less in the way of lucrative deal making.

A third concern is what COVID-19 will do to tourist destinations. The Nevada economy, for example, is highly dependent on tourism. As one of 11 recreationally legal weed states, it could take a severe hit until a treatment or antiviral option for COVID-19 is in place and people feel comfortable spending their disposable income once again.

Fourth and finally, there's the possibility of shelter-in-place orders or quarantines hurting sales in areas where delivery might not be an option.

Kicking the cannabis industry while it's already down

It's just a laundry list of bad news for the cannabis industry -- and earlier this week, it got even worse.

You see, late Wednesday evening, March 25, the U.S. Senate passed a $2 trillion stimulus package that'll now work its way over to the House of Representatives and then, hopefully, to President Trump's desk for signing. This stimulus bill is going to put up to $1,200 into the pockets of qualifying American workers (up to $2,400 for couples), including an additional $500 per child. It's also aimed at propping up struggling industries with bailouts and providing loans to small businesses.

But can you guess which industry isn't going to see a dime from this $2 trillion stimulus bill? Yep...cannabis.

The federal Small Business Administration, which'll be overseeing a huge lending program under this stimulus plan, plainly noted this week that cannabis companies aren't eligible for a dime because marijuana remains a federally illicit drug. The only exceptions to the rule are businesses that produce or sell hemp and hemp-derived products, which are protected by the passage of the Farm Bill in December 2018.

While it is possible that state and local relief options might be available for pot companies that have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus, the general consensus is that the federal government is kicking the cannabis industry while it's already down.

Funding is in focus now more than ever

If there's one key takeaway that needs to be laser-etched into the minds of marijuana stock investors, it's that access to funding and cash on hand is now more important than ever. Without any sort of federal assistance, the industry is on its own, and only those companies with abundant access to capital are going to be in good shape.

For instance, while its capital raising hasn't always been pretty, Cresco Labs (OTC:CRLBF) is now set to weather the storm. Prior to completing its acquisition of Origin House in January, Cresco Labs required Origin House to sell about $30 million worth of its stock to raise capital. In November, Cresco also wound up selling and then renting back two properties (i.e., a sale-leaseback agreement), raising $38 million in cash, and cancelled a proposed acquisition of privately held VidaCann to conserve cash. Lastly, Cresco Labs secured a $100 million credit facility in early February that can be doubled in size if both parties agree to it. In short, Cresco Labs is set and ready for California's cannabis industry to find its stride.

The same could be said for Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR), which just so happens to be the company behind the aforementioned sale-leaseback agreement with Cresco Labs. Since Innovative Industrial Properties operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT), its costs are relatively low (aside from hefty asset-acquisition costs), and its cash flow is very predictable. Further, the company has the ability to sell its common stock to raise capital, which is a relatively common practice for REITs. Nothing short of a wave of multistate operator bankruptcies sweeping across the U.S. could disturb Innovative Industrial Properties' growth trajectory.
(Newser)  Four passengers have died aboard a cruise ship now anchored off the coast of Panama, and two people aboard the ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the cruise line said Friday. Holland America Line said in a post on its Facebook page that more than 130 people aboard the Zaandam had reported flu-like symptoms, the AP reports. "Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam," the statement said. The ship was receiving medical supplies and medical personnel from another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam, and the company planned to begin transferring healthy passengers to that ship.

story continues below

"Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70," the statement said. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew members on the Zaandam, which left Buenos Aires on March 7. The ship was trying to get to Fort Lauderdale after being denied permission to dock at its original destination of Chile. The Rotterdam rendezvoused with the Zaandam on Thursday evening. "It is only authorized to do ship-to-ship maneuvers. No one aboard is allowed to come ashore," said a Panamanian official. The Zaandam had planned to pass through the Panama Canal en route to Florida, but after being inspected by Panamanian authorities, the request to use the canal was denied, the canal administrator said. Read the full story for more.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
Boeing may come out as one of the biggest winners of the $2 trillion stimulus bill signed by President Trump on Friday afternoon despite the company claiming that it will not seek federal funding to ensure survival through the financial uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Boeing Co had sought at least $60 billion in government loans or loan guarantees aerospace industry before the bill was passed.

Yet earlier this week, the company's chief executive Dave Calhoun said it was not interested in giving the government equity in exchange for loans.

'Boeing has said they have no intention of using the program - that may change in the future,' U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Fox Friday.

President Trump has previously vowed to protect the Chicago-based manufacturer, which is the nation's largest exporter and the second-largest defense contractor, as well as a supporter of thousands of other small American businesses.

Employees work on Boeing 737 MAX airplanes at the Boeing Renton Factory in Washington. The company is the nation's largest exporter and the second-largest defense contractor

Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said Friday that Boeing will not take federal money

US President Donald Trump hands out pens to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (L) and US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (C) after signing the CARES act, a $2 trillion rescue package to provide economic relief amid the coronavirus outbreak on Friday

Mnuchin said Friday that taxpayers will be 'compensated' for providing up to $25 billion in direct grants to the airline industry.

'I've been very clear this is not an airline bailout,' Mnuchin told Fox Business Networl.

'It is to support the airlines for national security reasons that the taxpayers are going to be compensated for.'

Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun

U.S. airlines are preparing to tap the government to cover payroll in a sharp travel downturn triggered by the coronavirus, even after the government warned it may take stakes in exchange for bailout funds or other financial instruments, people familiar with the matter said.

Under the bill approved Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed by Trump Friday afternoon, Mnuchin can demand equity, warrants or other financial instruments to 'provide appropriate compensation to the federal government'.

Mnuchin did not directly answer whether he will seek warrants or equity.

The Treasury has an internal working group already discussing how to proceed.

Airlines are supposed to receive payments within 10 days of the law's signing.

Mnuchin is expected to take a hard line with the airlines who had threatened to furlough tens of thousands of workers without immediate cash.

Boeing had been considering layoffs, faced with mounting financial strain.

Yet within the package, certain loan recipients must maintain at least 90 percent of their current workforce through September 30, among other worker protections, a move which won praise from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents Boeing factory workers in the Seattle area.

Boeing stocks shed ten percent after Mnuchin's comments but was still up more than 70 percent for the week, after the Treasury Secretary said the planemaker had no intention of using federal money.

Boeing's manufacturing facility in Everett, Washington, where operations suspended on March 23 due to coronavirus fears and as the company faces increasing financial difficulties

Noeing stock dropped after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's comments on Friday

As part of the package, lawmakers are believed to have set aside $17million in loans and loan guarantees directed at companies deemed essential to national security, a move that some believe was aimed at Boeing.

The strings attached are too much for Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun, however, who has rejected giving the government an equity stake.

'Right now, Boeing is saying they don't need it,' Mnuchin said.

He added: 'I appreciate the fact that Boeing thinks they can operate on their ownthat's what we want them to do.'

The company may still be a big winner even if it declines to take money from taxpayers as the stimulus bill will pump billions of dollars to their customers and their supply chain.

The company was already on the ropes following the fall out from the grounding last year of its 737 MAX planes with soaring debt borrowed to pay off customers and suppliers.

'It's important that the supply chain gets relief,' Eric Fanning, chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Association, a trade group that counts Boeing among its members told the Wall Street Journal.

'The most effective way to inject support is through its customers.'

Boeing also said Friday that it had other options available rather than give in the government's demands, telling Fox earlier this week that Boeing had $15 billion in cash and still has access to a $9.6 billion loan facility.

The company may also look to tap into other options in government aid including the $154million set aside for businesses that would not require it handing over the equity stake.

They have failed to reveal what the $60million they originally sought from the government involved but praised the stuimulas package when it was first passed by the Senate on Tuesday, saying it was 'critical for airlines, airports, suppliers, and manufacturers to bridge to recovery'.

President Donald Trump signs the coronavirus stimulus relief package at the White House, Friday as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Minority Leader Kevin McCarty, R-Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence watch

Other airline stocks also fell Friday after Mnuchin's comments.

American Airlines Inc fell six percent, while Southwest Airlines Co fell nine percent and JetBlue Airways fell seven percent.

'We have people coming from other agencies in the government to come and help us out,' Mnuchin said, saying officials are working at 'lighting speed.'

American Airlines chief executive Doug Parker said Thursday the largest U.S. airline is eligible for $12 billion of the $50 billion in U.S. government loans and grants.

Parker said the conditions for the grants are 'not currently well-defined'.

But he added 'I expect their terms will not be onerous.'

Delta Air Lines said Friday the 'payroll assistance funds ensure there will be no involuntary furloughs or reductions in pay rates through September 30'.
Paul Buckowski

The Times Union's Brendan Lyons will conduct a Facebook Live chat at 1 p.m. Friday to discuss the latest news out of the Capitol on how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting the state and state workers.

Log on to the Times Union Facebook page with any questions you might have about what's happening in state government in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
GLENMONT  Mike and Lisa Chenette have run the Jericho Drive-In movie theater for 26 years but, like many businesses, they are currently dark.

However, they are hoping to see a light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel if they can get permission to use the drive-in for Easter and other church services  and hopefully once again start showing movies, though with some new pandemic-driven rules in place.

Ive had two people call me already, Lisa Chenette said of ministers from Delmar and Ravena who want to book the drive-in for Easter Sunday services on April 12.

She said she wouldnt charge churches, which could broadcast the sounds of church services through the theaters sound system, which broadcasts to naerby car radios.

Currently, though, New York is not listing movie theaters as essential businesses that can remain open during the pause instituted last week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to keep people at home and slow the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19.

But she has started making inquiries to the state, explaining that drive-ins could keep cars at six feet from each other in keeping with social distancing guidelines.

Previously: Malta Drive-In turns 70, see the Capital Region in 1949

Additionally, they have phone apps that allow orders to be put in and picked up at the snack bar and ice cream stand.

A key question, Chenette said, centers on whether a couple or family in a car comprises a social gathering, which would be against social distancing rules.

If you are quarantined with your family anyway, I dont see the problem with that as long as we follow the rules, she said.

The Chenettes are confronting the same challenges facing countless small business owners who have been forced to close their doors during the outbreak. Beside the lose of income, the business owners are bumping against what for them is a seemingly impenetrable bureaucracy that can't seem to explain ways to have the the government deem them essential businesses that are allowed to open up, even on a limited basis.

Theyve made calls to the governors office but were told to call the Department of Health, whose phones are staffed by nurses giving health advice. The nurses sent her to Empire State Development office, the states economic development arm charged with helping to shepherd the private sector through the pandemic crisis.

Each office seems to suggest another agency might have the answers.

You get the run-around, added Ed Caro, who with his brother Tom operates the Malta Drive-In.

ESD officials confirmed that drive-ins are not considered essential at this time. However businesses can request an essential business designation from ESD after they explain why they think they are essential during the pandemic. That request would then be reviewed.

There is also a website where people can seek essential status, at https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026.

ESD has received thousands of such requests so far, according to officials there.

Drive-ins largely remain the province of individual owners as opposed to indoor movie theaters, which are increasingly owned by large multinational chains.

More for you Enforcement of new plastic bag ban is on hold

But the outdoor venue depend on Hollywood for their supply of offerings, which points to another problem, said Jim Kopp, a Virginia drive-in owner and administrative secretary of the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Because the big Hollywood studios are holding back previously scheduled releases in light of coronavirus, drive-ins wouldnt get new shows if they could open.

Even if we begin to operate, were going to operate with older material, said Kopp.

Caro agreed, noting that last summer brought out real crowd pleasers such as the latest Toy Story iteration and Lion King.

Drive-ins in North and South Carolina as well as Tennessee have remained open, Kopp said, and several more states are looking at allowing them to operate  with social distancing rules.

In other states including Pennsylvania, theyve been allowed for Sunday church services. People attending those services say its helped break up the isolation that comes with living in social isolation even if worshippers can only see each other from enclosed cars.

Chenette said the number of drive-ins dwindled long before the current crisis. Over the years, they've lost ground to competing technologies starting with VHS tapes and cable TV, and now streaming services. In many locations, skyrocketing land values have made it more profitable for owners to sell.

According to the Owners Association, there were 305 drive-ins in America as of October. New York is home to 28. Thats tied with Pennsylvania for the most.

Youve got some great drive-ins up there, Kopp said of New Yorks drive-ins, many of which are across upstate. Youve got some beautiful scenery.

And while their numbers arent what they used to be, drive-ins continue to have a devoted fan base.

My customers are begging for me to be open, said Chenette.

rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (C) and Representatives Kevin McCarthy (L) and Steny Hoyer show the bill to the press after the House passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill, on March 27, 2020, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC Alex Edelman | AFP | Getty Images

The unprecedented 3.2 million jump in unemployment insurance claims is just one indication of the near total clampdown of the U.S. economy. Congress has responded by passing the largest stimulus package in U.S. history. The bill expands unemployment benefits to cover more workers, including self-employed and independent contractors, like gig workers, who do not usually qualify for unemployment. Time will tell if this $2 trillion injection, known as the CARES Act, will deliver. The U.S. is not alone. Around the world, governments are working overtime on major stimulus legislation to ward off economic disaster from Covid-19. We see many ways to structure a stimulus package and many potential beneficiaries. But what kind of stimulus will best help workers? In the U.S. the challenges are unique: 57% of the workforce is either paid hourly or self-employed. Decades ago many hourly workers would have been in stable manufacturing jobs with decent benefits. However, over the last 30 years, jobs have declined in manufacturing as jobs increased in hospitality and services, where irregular and part-time hours with few benefits are common. People in these low-wage, unstable jobs seldom have paid sick leave. They're also the most likely to lose their jobs when no one is allowed to go out to restaurants, bars, hotels, cafes or concerts for an extended period of time.

In the U.S. the challenges are unique: 57% of the workforce is either paid hourly or self-employed.

That means a stimulus package aimed at workers needs to address sick leave, income support and supplemental benefits as well as the needs of the newly unemployed. The United States House of Representatives passed a bill to provide temporary paid sick and family leave, additional direct funding toward health, food security and unemployment programs and make coronavirus testing free. This bill was quickly passed by the Senate as well and signed into law. No sooner had that $100 billion package passed the Senate than leaders from both sides immediately got to work on an expanded third package. The focus is on small businesses, individuals, hospitals and health-care centers. A key feature of the package is direct cash payments to eligible households, with half a trillion dollars allocated for that purpose. As the package was debated, some senators were pushing their own proposals, hoping to advance a broader agenda. But the spirit of bipartisanship prevailed over point-scoring, as all knew time was of the essence. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell played a pivotal role in getting the latest deal right and over the line, while Nancy Pelosi warded off a last-minute block from a single representative to overwhelmingly pass the measure by voice vote in the House. Every member of Congress is keenly aware this money must get into the hands of individual Americans and businesses as soon as possible. Across the globe, countries are injecting money into their economies to fight the effects of COVID-19. The U.K. Government has deployed the U.K. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, with grants of 80% of employees' wages.
China's Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology Co Ltd said on Friday it will replace some coronavirus test kits it exported to Spain after the Spanish government deemed them too inaccurate to be used to diagnose patients.

Spain's Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare said in a statement that test kits supplied by Shenzhen Bioeasy were defective and had failed to correctly diagnose people when tested at hospitals.

Shenzhen Bioeasy said in a statement that the incorrect results may be a result of a failure to collect samples or use the kits correctly. The firm said it had not adequately communicated with clients how to use the kits.

The Spanish ministry said it will withdraw the kits that returned incorrect results, and would replace them with a different testing kit provided by Shenzhen Bioeasy.

The virus outbreak has killed more than 4,000 patients in Spain as of Thursday, surpassing the death toll in China, and infected more than 50,000 people.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Rhonda Kings is a southern Illinois native who has pursued a twenty-six-year career in graphic design, marketing, and information technology and presently lives with her husband and son in San Clemente, California. She has published her latest book Phoebes Money: a gripping and potent literary debut.

Phoebes Money is a suspense novel about a young woman, Maddie Montgomery, who realizes the charming man her mother, Phoebe, has befriended is only after her money. Maddie finds herself risking her own life to reveal the truth about this man before he kills anyone who gets in the way of him and Phoebes money.

Maddie and Phoebe meet the charming and mysterious Jack Stone at an expenses-paid weekend getaway. Completely flattered by Jack, Phoebe invites the man to a family gathering in their hometown of Quinn Dixie, Maryland. Not all are as impressed with Jack, especially Adam, a local detective who has recently returned from an undercover assignment. Adams suspicion uncovers details about Jack that he immediately shares with Maddie. Maddie, who is somewhat attracted to Jack, disagrees.

Soon Jacks behavior starts to change and causes Maddie to think twice. Using information that Adam has uncovered about the mysterious Jack Stone, Maddie pieces together a puzzle that unveils startling information about Jack, the first having to do with his dead wife, Jennifer. With only the intention of finding the truth, Maddies discoveries lead her to a startling conclusion that the charming Jack Stone may have devious intentions. Her determination and newfound bravery lands her in a face-to-face confrontation with not only Jack Stone, but another victim who is equally dangerous and desperate.

Published by Page Publishing, Rhonda Kingss engrossing book is a riveting and suspenseful work that keeps the pages turning until the stunning conclusion.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Phoebes Money at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
By Trend

Turkeys export of steel to Kazakhstan from January through February 2020 made up $2.4 million which is 5.2 percent more compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 18.

Turkeys export of steel to Kazakhstan in February 2020 increased to $1.5 million, which is 7.7 percent more compared to February 2019, the ministry noted.

From January through February 2020, export of steel from Turkey to world markets dropped by 9.5 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $2.1 billion.

Turkeys steel export amounted to 7.4 percent of the countrys total export in January through February 2020.

In February 2020, Turkeys export of steel to world markets amounted to $1 billion, which is 15 percent less compared to the same month of 2019.

Turkeys steel export in February 2020 made up 6.9 percent of the countrys total export.

From February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey exported steel worth $13.6 billion.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover in January 2020 exceeded $33.9 billion.

In January 2020, Turkey's total export exceeded $14.7 billion, which is increase by 6.4 percent compared to January 2019.

Turkey's total import increased by 18.8 percent in January 2020 compared to the same month of 2019 and exceeded $19.2 billion.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is in isolation.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.

"So I am working from home. I'm self-isolating," he said. "Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus."

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus.Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

Hours later, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock became the second high-ranking UK government member to confirm his COVID-19 diagnosis.

Hancock, like Johnson, says he has mild symptoms of the disease and has been working from home for the past few days in line with the UK government lockdown advice for people to stay at home as part of efforts to try and control the spread of the pandemic.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber.

Queen Elizabeth, who last saw Johnson on March 11, is following all appropriate advice with regards to her welfare, the Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear how many Downing Street staff and senior ministers would now need to isolate given that many have had contact with Johnson over recent days and weeks.

His finance minister, Rishi Sunak, was not self-isolating, a Treasury source said.

When Britain clapped health workers on Thursday evening, Johnson and Sunak came out of separate entrances on Downing Street and did not come into close contact, according to a Reuters photographer at the scene.

Nor was it immediately clear whether Johnson's 32-year-old partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, had been tested.

Previously the government has said that Johnson had the option to del agate to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab if needed.

"The prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," the spokesperson said. "The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive."

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The UK toll is the seventh worst in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States.

High-profile names

Johnson has become one of the most high-profile leaders to have tested positive for the coronavirus, which has so far claimed more than 21,000 lives around the world. Prince Charles, eldest son and heir to Queen Elizabeth II, also tested positive and is showing mild symptoms but "otherwise remains in good health", his office had said earlier this week.

Swedish climate activist Thunberg on Tuesday said it was "extremely likely" she had contracted the virus after experiencing symptoms following a trip to central Europe.

Prince Albert II of Monaco has tested positive, although there are "no concerns for his health", the palace said on March 19.

Michel Barnier, who leads the European Union's negotiations with Britain on Brexit, announced on March 19 that he had tested positive.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been in isolation since March 13 after his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau tested positive.

The first test result for German Chancellor Angela Merkel came back negative on Monday. Merkel began self-isolating on Sunday after being treated by a doctor who later tested positive for the virus.

On Tuesday Finland said Nobel laureate and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, aged 82, has contracted the virus.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)
When I traveled in Europe, specifically England, Germany, France and the Netherlands, I noticed an intense difference in the way dogs were treated and integrated into society compared to the United States. Quite simply, dogs were everywhere: restaurants and buses and performance venues and countless other places.

This is obviously not the case in the United States, and it got me wondering why European dogs and American dogs behave so differently. In Europe dogs tend to be welcome in most public spaces and they are calm, relaxed and quiet there. In the United States, however, pet dogs arent welcome in most public spaces, and often struggle in the public places where they are allowed. Dogs are dogs no matter where they are born, and the differences in behavior often come down to an individual dogs temperament as well as socialization and training received as a puppy.

But dog behavior isnt all about the dogs. A lot of it has to do with us. As big as the differences might be between the behavior of American dogs and European dogs, there are even bigger differences in how Americans relate to dogs we encounter in public. Our behavior has a lot to do with why our dogs might have more behavioral challenges, and the good news is theres something we can do about it.

Give your dog some space

One small thing that we can do that will have a big impact on our dogs is to admire them from a distance instead of getting in their face.
With a yield decrease of around 5 per cent year-over-year in January/February airlines lost 8 per cent of revenues compared to the start of 2019, according to Holland-based consultancy, WorldACD.

In our provisional data for February, published two weeks ago, we mentioned that worldwide air cargo fell by 2.7 per cent year-over-year (YoY) in the first two months of 2020. The more final figures, available now, show a drop of 3 per cent. Note that this figure does not take into account that February had 29 days this year, rendering the year-over-year (figures for that month actually a bit flattering, the consultancy said.

In view of the still fragmented bits of news about March, and the dark expectations for the second quarter of 2020, soon this 8 per cent drop will turn out to be a relatively mild result.

Aviation has entered a period of extreme uncertainty about its immediate future. Whilst the overall picture is very bleak, the starting positions of individual parties show large differences. The average 3 per cent year-over-year decrease mentioned above, hides starkly different individual performances, telling a fascinating story of todays battlefield.

In Asia Pacific, individual airlines year-over-year performance in the first months of 2020 ranged from -12 per cent to +17 per cent YoY (total for all was -2 per cent). In Europe, where the total for all airlines was -7 per cent, the range was much bigger, going from -36 per cent for one airline to +42 per cent for another. In North America, one airline noted a drop of 20 per cent, whilst another airline grew by 3 per cent (for all, the figure was -7 per cent). In MESA (Middle East & South Asia), the worst performing airline showed a loss of 23 per cent YoY, whilst the best one could boast of a 17 per cent growth (for the total, the figure stood at 0 per cent). Worldwide, full freighter airlines as a group did not outperform airlines with passenger aircraft.

Among the worlds top-30 forwarders, those originating in Asia Pacific jointly lost 9 per cent in year-over-year volume, with the worst at -17 per cent, but the best at +43 per cent. The Europeans as a group lost 6.5 per cent, with a spread between -23 per cent and +9 per cent. And the North American forwarders as a group lost 5 per cent, the best among them being at the same level as in the first two months of 2019, and the worst at -21 per cent.

Impossible to say whether the performance in 2020 so far is any indication for each partys fortunes in the months to come. As many airlines reduced their flights to China in February already, capacity constraints led to yields from Europe and North America to China which were not only double the average of the past 12 months, but also higher than the yields in the other direction.

Nobody can predict for how long such an unexpected development may last. While we brace ourselves for the short-term impact of COVID-19, we all wonder about the long-term impact on supply chains, consumer spending and world trade.

Provisional March data will be available in about two weeks, giving much more detailed insights in what no doubt will be an upheaval not witnessed before in aviation. -- Tradearabia News Service
Kolkata, March 27 : FMCG major, ITC has set up a Rs 150 crore Covid Contingency Fund for vulnerable sections of society who have been affected by the pandemic.

In a statement, ITC said this fund will be utilised primarily to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods.

In addition, the fund will collaborate with District Authorities to provide assistance to the district health and rural healthcare eco-system that reaches out to the weakest sections of society.

Further, it is also envisaged that the resources under this fund will be channelised towards the protection and well-being of the ground forces who are doing commendable work to reach medicines, groceries, other essential goods, sourcing of agri-commodities and so on for people across the country during the lockdown, by providing protective personal gear and hygiene products to such frontline warriors.

"We are in the midst of an unprecedented situation as the world and India grapples with the threat of COVID 19. As corporate citizens, we in industry must lend our meaningful support to contain this pandemic," ITC said.

Such challenging circumstances indeed call for extraordinary measures. In line with ITC's credo of 'Nation First - Sab Saath Badhein', that focuses on inclusive and sustainable progress, particularly of vulnerable sections many of whom reside in rural India, ITC has geared its value-chain to lend support to the Government in its efforts to fight this threat to the people of India, the company said.

Over the past few weeks several initiatives have been implemented in response to the crisis.

In these trying times, it is critical to ensure adequate availability of essential food and hygiene products in the country. ITC is working with state authorities and local administration to ensure that manufacturing and distribution activities continue uninterrupted with bare minimum people.

"While we practice restraint and social isolation as a group, we will continue to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees, workforce and value chain partners. ITC is committed to support the Government's efforts and play its part in fighting this pandemic with compassion and resilience", the company said.
CRESTWOOD, Ill., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestwood, Illinois, Mayor Lou Presta and Village Trustees have found a creative way to help both citizens and businesses in their village by issuing four "Stimulus Vouchers" to every resident in the Village good for $25 each at any one of 25 restaurants located within the Village.

"Our Trustees voted to use $500,000 from the Village's annual budget surplus to provide a stimulus to village businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 restaurant dine-in closures," Presta said. "While at the same time we are offering our residents four meals each to help them get through this crisis and break the monotony of being isolated inside their homes."

One of the most financially stable municipalities in Illinois, Crestwood has routinely ended each fiscal year with surpluses typically totaling $1 million or more.

"Government is supposed to plan for times like these," Presta said. "Taxpayers support their government in good times with an understanding that government will be there for them during the bad times."

Residents received a letter from the Village informing them that they could pick up their four vouchers without leaving their cars by driving through special lanes that the Village has created at the Crestwood Civic Center and will man at certain hours. Residents can then use the vouchers for takeout or drive-through dining at restaurants throughout the Village. Restaurants range from McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts to the more fashionable eateries such as At the Office and Stacked Crestwood have agreed to accept the vouchers that they will turn in to the Village for redemption in cash.

SOURCE Village of Crestwood
A container is pictured in a street on the Dutch-Belgian border during the coronavirus lockdown imposed by the Belgian government in an attempt to slow down the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Meerle, Belgium. Photo: REUTERS

A clothes shop that straddles the Dutch-Belgian border found itself half-open and half-shut after the two countries pursued different containment policies for coronavirus.

The Zeeman store in Dutch Baarle-Nassau, where the border splits streets in half, divided its shop with tape and kept the Dutch side open after Belgium shut down all non-essential shops to fight the spread of the virus.

Dutch shoppers were unable to buy underwear, for example, because that was kept in the Baarle-Hertog half of the shop, on the Belgian side of the border.

The Netherlands has not ordered the closure of all its non-essential shops, but does require them to enforce social distancing measures. The Belgian authorities had asked Zeeman to close but, because it falls under Dutch law, they were powerless to force the shop to shut. However, it has now closed entirely. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Newest policy brief describes the need for supports that strengthen non-academic knowledge and social and emotional skills to boost college access and success in Arizona

Phoenix, AZ, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- College Success Arizona released today its newest policy brief, College Access and Success Are About More Than Academics: How Supports That Build Non-Academic Knowledge and Skills Improve College Readiness and Promote Attainment. The brief argues for the crucial importance of non-academic supports, including social and emotional skills development, for improving college readiness, access, and attainment.

Some of the most significant barriers that stand between Arizona students and success in college are separate from academic readiness or aptitude. Our work with high school and college students indicates that many of them are hampered by issues such as limited access to information about college options, how to pay for college, learning how to be a college student, and the social and emotional challenges of college-going, said Rich Nickel, President and CEO of College Success Arizona. This is especially true for students from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education, who often need additional support to overcome these barriers.

College Success Arizona has a long history of working with first-generation and low-income college students to support their needs when beginning a new chapter of their lives. With one-on-one mentoring, College Success Arizonas scholarship recipients graduate from college at almost twice the state average. We know that mentoring pays a vital role in helping a lot of the students we work with navigate their transition to college, stay in enrolled, and graduate ready for success in the workforce, said Dr. Richard Daniel, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at College Success Arizona. Many students in Arizona have no one in their family to rely on for support and guidance when it comes to college options and how to succeed. We think more can and should be done at the K-12 level and by institutions of higher education to make sure students are comprehensively prepared for all of the challenges theyll face in college, whether academic, social, or emotional.

Story continues

College Success Arizona argues that strengthening college readiness and increasing non-academic supports for college students is key to increasing attainment in Arizona. If high school students are not adequately prepared for college, and if we dont provide robust non-academic supports for college students, then college access and completion rates in Arizona will continue to remain lower than we need them to be, and we wont meet our statewide attainment goal, said Nickel, referring to the Achieve60AZ goal of ensuring 60 percent postsecondary attainment in Arizona by 2030.

In its brief, College Success Arizona outlines four key ways that Arizona can better support students:

Revise state standards for college and career readiness to include social and emotional knowledge and competencies.

Establish an enforceable college and career readiness statute that holds schools accountableand provides aligned fundingfor ensuring the students are comprehensively prepared for college and a career.

Develop a single, comprehensive, and publicly available resource for information about college-going patterns in Arizona.

Expand access to advising and ongoing mentorship for undergraduate students attending higher education institutions.

About College Success Arizona



College Success Arizona works to significantly increase the college attainment rate of students in Arizona, particularly for those who otherwise would not be able to attend or graduate, such as low-income, first generation, and Latino students. We advocate for long-term, sustainable policy solutions that address key challenges in Arizona. Our priorities include closing information gaps that limit college-going culture, working to improve college affordability and increase state financial aid, and advocating for increased attainment statewide to drive economic growth.

Liv Jacobson

202-266-4711

jacobson@collaborativecommunications.com


Will come back to haunt you: Jaishankar in veiled reference to Pakistan

S Jaishankar stresses on connectivity,proposes Chabahar Port be included in the NorthSouth Transport Corridor

India-Central Asia dialogue: Need to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to Afghan, says Jaishankar

India in touch with families of those killed in Kabul attack: MEA

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: The Indian Embassy in Kabul is in touch with family members of the victims of the dastardly terror attack at a gurudwara in the Afghan capital, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.

Twenty-five people were killed after gunmen stormed the gurdwara in Kabul and opened fire at the people inside on Wednesday.

One of the deceased was Tian Singh, a 71-year old Delhi resident.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack which came weeks after a historic deal between the US and the Taliban to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

"Understandable grief and anger at the cowardly terrorist attack on Gurudwara in #Kabul. Our Embassy @IndianEmbKabul is in continuous touch with the families of those killed and injured," Jaishankar tweeted.

The external affairs minister said efforts were on to bring back mortal remains of Singh from Kabul.

"Medical opinion against moving injured at this stage. Embassy @IndianEmbKabul is working on the return of mortal remains of Shri Tian Singh. Will keep you updated," he said.

India on Wednesday strongly condemned the terror attack, saying targeting of a religious place in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic reflected the "diabolical mindset" of the perpetrators and their backers.

Kabul Gurdwara attack to avenge Indias amended citizenship law?

"Such cowardly attacks on the places of religious worship of the minority community, especially at this time of COVID-19 pandemic, is reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators and their backers," the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.

The MEA said India stands in solidarity with the people, the government and the security forces of Afghanistan in their efforts for bringing peace and security to the country.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 8:39 [IST]
If youre anything like me youre burning through TV series like crazy, especially if you just have it running in the background while you go about your day. Here are some shows Ive been watching (and OK, yes rewatching) while I work from home.

Pop just wants to continue running his taco shop in peace, but with skyrocketing rents and an influx of wealthier residents moving into the neighborhood, it doesnt seem like he stands much of a chance. Even with the help of his grandkids, it appears Mama Finas days will be numbered unless Pop changes tactics to lure in new clientele. Netflixs Gentefied follows a Mexican family doing what they can to stay in the Los Angeles neighborhood that theyve called home for decades. While Pops three grandchildren mean well, their help often leads to more scuffles.

Gentefied has one season on Netflix.

Derry Girls - Netflix

Being a teenager in Northern Ireland during the 1990s isnt so different from being a teenager in other places if you ignore the bombs and armed police trucks patrolling the roads. While living in a fractured Ireland, Erin and her friends have bigger concerns to worry about, like how to avoid taking exams and trying to catch the cute boys eye.

Derry Girls has two seasons on Netflix.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Amazon

After finding out that her husband is leaving her for his secretary (how cliche?), witty Midge takes to the 1960s stand-up stage to air her marriage woes. While cracking jokes about her husband, Midge discovers she has a knack for comedy and decides to make a go at becoming a comedian. The series written by Amy Sherman Palladino (of Gilmore Girls fame) is a hilarious one about a woman coming into her own.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has three seasons on Amazon.

Dollface - Hulu

After spending five years living in the happy relationship bubble with her boyfriend, Jules is completely unprepared when he breaks up with her. Shes even less prepared when she tries to reach out to her best friend, only to find that Madison has written her off as a bad friend during her time in the boyfriend vortex. Now that shes lost her boyfriend, Jules finds herself trying to win back the girlfriends she neglected ... only shes not quite sure how to go about it. Kat Dennings stars in this series about the importance of female friendship.

Dollface has one season on Hulu.

Modern Love - Amazon

Love stories come in many shapes and forms. Love is romantic, it is friendship, it is familial  it is inevitably the one thing we all are constantly searching for. Each of the eight episodes in the series follows a different love story. Audiences will watch with rapt attention as couples fall apart and fall into one another. Some of the stories are ones weve heard countless times  a couple heading to therapy to try to rekindle the old spark  and others just leave viewers rooting for love  like the couple who spend their second date in the ER after a sex injury. Audiences are exposed to love as it grows in all forms; loving someone from afar like the story of the journalists love story that was cut off far too soon, or falling in love with an adopted child.

Modern Love has one season on Amazon.

Four Weddings and a Funeral - Hulu

Sure you know the Hugh Grant film, but Mindy Kalings spin on Four Weddings and a Funeral gives viewers plenty of time to fall in love with all the characters. Like the classic romcom from 1994, Kalings series is about an American girl who visits London, where she meets someone and sparks fly. At this point the Hulu series deviates from the source material as it follows Mayas visit to see her best pals from college only to discover that the cute guy she met at the airport is Ainsleys boyfriend, Kash. After Kash jilts Ainsley at the altar, he has a hard time getting Maya out of his mind.

Four Weddings and a Funeral has one season on Hulu.

Good Omens - Amazon

Armageddon is coming and the only force that can prevent the end of the world is the unlikely friendship between an angel and a demon. Good Omens is based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchetts book, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. The series is a dark comedy that rotates around the centuries of (at times) begrudging friendship between Aziraphale and Crowley. Michael Sheen plays the morally gray angel Aziraphale, who really only wants to spend his time with his books and sampling different cuisines. David Tennant is Crowley, a demon who appears to regret following Lucifer, who feels his only true crime was questioning Gods actions. Both Sheen and Tennant shine in their roles, crackling with chemistry and humor as the end of the world looms over their heads.

Good Omens has one season on Amazon.

Sex Education - Netflix

High school student Otis becomes a reluctant therapist after he finds himself in the awkward position of helping a peer deal with a Viagra-related mishap. From there another student, Maeve, enlists Otis to run a sex clinic before and after school to help students navigate their sexual and relationship issues ... for a price.

Sex Education has two seasons on Netflix.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Alaska fire investigators are looking at the possibility that recent fires at vacant homes were intentionally set.

The Fairbanks Fire Department responded to a house fire Wednesday that took three hours to extinguish, KTVF-TV reported Thursday.

A firefighter suffered minor injuries and was treated at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

The home appeared to be vacant and squatter activity had been reported, the city of Fairbanks said in a statement.

The Fairbanks Fire Department is seeking information in its investigation of the fire that had already engulfed the first floor of the structure when firefighters arrived early Wednesday morning.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze with the help of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Fire Department and Fort Wainwright Fire and Emergency Services.

Evidence at the scene suggests the fire may have been set intentionally, the citys statement said.

The fire was the latest in a series of blazes around Fairbanks that happened under suspicious circumstances and are suspected of being intentional, KTVF-TV reported.

Previous fires have happened in Fairbanks locations known to be or suspected of being places where transients congregate.
Kathmandu, March 27

The government of Nepal is sending a wide-body aircraft to Guangzhou of China this Saturday to fetch various medical equipment necessary for the test of coronavirus infection and the treatment of infected patients.

The government decision comes at a time when the doctors and medical institutions have been complaining of the lack of basic supplies such as personal protective equipment and test kits to deal with the suspected cases.

The government is bringing all the essentials including the PPEs, test kits and ventilators on the Nepal Airlines Corporations A-332 aircraft.

Earlier in February, the government had urged the NACs aircraft to evacuate175 Nepalis from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis.

Recently, the Chinese government, which has significantly controlled the spread of infection in the country, had asked Nepal if it needed any kind of support from the northern neighbour. A few days ago before that, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi had telephoned his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and assured that China was ready to support Nepal whenever needed. When China was fighting with the crisis, the government of Nepal had gifted 100,000 masks as a gesture of its solidarity in the fight.
Queenslanders still overseas are being warned they need to make a decision imminently about whether they come home, as the number of cases locally rises again.

Sixty-two more positive tests were announced on Friday in Queensland, taking the state total to 555.

Just one of those cases are currently requiring intensive care, Health Minister Steven Miles said.

As of Thursday, 80 per cent of cases were acquired overseas, with most of the rest of the cases contracted by family members of those people, the minister said.
The World Health Organization's regional director for Africa on Friday warned the continent faced a "dramatic evolution" of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of the 47 countries in the WHO Africa region -- which includes sub-Saharan Africa and Algeria -- 39 nations are now affected, compared with only one a month ago, Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti told French television channel France24.

Moeti said there have been about 300 cases per day in recent days, and called for "intensified action by African countries".

"The situation is very worrying, with a dramatic evolution: an increase geographically in the number of countries and also an increase in the number of infections," Moeti said.

Cases have risen across the world's poorest continent over the past week to a total of nearly 3,500 cases and 94 deaths, according to an AFP tally that covers all of Africa.

African nations have ordered curfews and lockdowns in response to the growing pandemic, amid fears that weak health infrastructure will leave the continent terribly exposed to an outbreak on the scale of virus-stricken Europe.

Moeti acknowledged that measures were being taken to contain the spread of the virus and to isolate suspected cases.

Governments have banned religious gatherings and sporting events, while schools were closed in 25 countries, she said.

She noted that 42 countries are now able to diagnose the disease. "A few weeks ago, only two countries had the diagnostic capacity," she said. But Moeti stressed that the continent was poorly equipped to deal with a major health crisis.

"It is true that in many African households people live in large families. It's very difficult sometimes for everyone to have their own room," she said.

"There is a very strong community life. We have to find other hygiene methods to minimise the spread of the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A medical worker tests samples at the disease control centre of Thanh Hoa province (Photo: VNA)

At its meeting on March 27, the committee reported that as of the days morning, Vietnam had recorded 153 cases positive for SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19, 17 of whom had fully recovered. Later the same day, three more cases in Da Nang city were also discharged from hospital.

Thirty-seven patients have tested negative once while 13 others had their treatment finished, including eight negative twice and five negative thrice, it said, noting that the three patients in serious conditions are currently under intensive care at the Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Regarding the hotbed at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, three of its units related to COVID-19 cases, namely the institute for cardiovascular diseases, the neurology department and the centre for tropical diseases, have been kept in complete quarantine, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said.

Screening tests are being conducted for all the hospital staff, nearly 4,000 people, and about 1,000 patients treated for other diseases there. It has also suspended certain services, widened the gap between patient beds at overloaded departments, and examined patients to ensure that they do not contract the virus before leaving hospital.

Authorities of Ho Chi Minh City have seen 153 people with direct contact with SARS-CoV-2 cases at Buddha Bar in District 1 going to concentrated quarantine facilities. Meanwhile, the hotbeds linked with Case 100 in the citys District 8 and Case 34 in Phan Thiet city of Binh Thuan province have also been quarantined.

Basically, the hotbeds have been placed under control, the deputy minister noted.

At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the national steering committee, said some opinions forecast Vietnam would have had 1,000 people positive for SARS-CoV-2 by March 31. However, this figure is calculated basing on the speed of the virus spread in the world as statistics show that the average time for the number of COVID-19 cases to rise from 100 to 1,000 in the world is nine days.

By taking concerted and effective measures, Vietnam has had a good control of the pandemic, and it wont have had 1,000 infection cases by March 31, according to him.

If each people seriously complies with directions by the Party, the Government and the steering committee, and follow health agencies recommendations, the country will definitely come to success like in the first phase of the COVID-19 fight, he said, adding that it is determined to limit the number of cases at less than 1,000.
It has been almost a week since the extended version of Taylor Swift and Kanye West's phone conversation resurfaced on the internet, but Swifties got no chill and it looks like they will not show mercy to Kim Kardashian anytime soon.

Just like the majority of the population, Kim Kardashian and her family are also stuck at home these past few days observing home quarantine amid the health crisis brought by the coronavirus.

Being a mom to four kids, the 39-year-old reality star may have ran out of ideas to keep her children entertained and busy while staying indoors 24/7. So being the social media queen that she is, Kim took to Twitter and asked her 64.4 million followers for some suggestion of fun ideas to do at home with kids.

"What is everyone doing to keep your kids entertained???" Kim wrote alongside a photo of their complete family.

In the photo, the West patriarch seems focused on the television together with 6-year-old North, 4-year-old Saint, and 2-year-old Chicago. Meanwhile, Mommy Kim feels herself in the selfie shot, while cradling the 10-month-old Psalm.

"As a family, we are social distancing but need some fun ideas of what to do! Any suggestions would help!" Kim added.

What is everyone doing to keep your kids entertained??? As a family we are social distancing but need some fun ideas of what to do! Any suggestions would help! pic.twitter.com/URJPQ8bPt5  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 25, 2020

Savage Suggestions

But instead of getting indoor activity ideas, Twitter users flooded the KKW Beauty mogul with nasty suggestions. Instead of receiving fun home activities for kids, Kim received massive wrath from Taylor's fans.

"Watch 'Miss Americana' or 'Reputation Stadium Tour' to see the woman who ended your career without having to move a finger, you won't regret," one Twitter user wrote.

"Try illegally recording phone calls and editing them," another one commented with thumbs up.

Meanwhile, some fans suggested Mommy Kim teach her kids the value of honesty and properly apologizing and owning up their mistakes.

"Maybe discuss with the consequences of lying and how important it is to tell people the truth. You know, set the example, never mind," one follower commented.

"Teaching them how to tell the truth and apologize after they lie is a fun game," another one added.

Most of the replies also suggested the mother-of-four to use her free time to draft an apology letter, call Taylor to apologize, and never record the conversation. Savage!

watch miss americana or reputation stadium tour to see the woman who ended your career without having to move a finger, you won't regretpic.twitter.com/SBh7RRQi3L  Luuh (@SwiftCamzz) March 25, 2020

teaching them how to tell the truth and apologize after they lie is a fun game  sad guacamole (@awacatez) March 25, 2020

Maybe you teach them the apology game. Thats the one where mommy and daddy show them how to admit fault and ask for forgiveness for lying and causing mental anguish upon another human for no reason except to further their careers. #TaylorSwift #KanyeWestIsOverParty  Neal Reddy (@NealLovesYou) March 26, 2020

Get them to help you, write an apology to Taylor  ClairRaBellM (@middletonmusing) March 25, 2020

KimYe Feud Version 3.0

These past few days have been a pretty intense social media exchange between Taylor and Kim.

After the leaked footage went viral, Taylor took to her Instagram Story to throw shade on Kim and Kanye about "that call," which she described as illegally recorded, edited, and manipulated to put her, her family, and fans to hell for four years.

While Taylor did not directly name Kim and Kanye on her shady Instagram Story entry, Kanye's wife clapped back by posting a lengthy social media rant calling Taylor a liar and defending herself from the "edited claims." She also defended Kanye for his right to document the behind-the-scenes of the making of his album.

Some celebrities did not exclude themselves from the narrative. Taylor's publicist, Todrick Hall, and Azealia Banks sided on Taylor, while Kim's sisters Khloe and Kendal showed their support for her.
Harbor Springs school board authorizes May bond proposal

During Monday's meeting, the board unanimously adopted a resolution to authorize the bonding proposal, with the election scheduled for Tuesday, May 3.
Protesters sentence for assault on police officer at Moscow rally mitigated

 RAPSI

13:21 27/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 27 (RAPSI) - The Second Cassation Court of General Jurisdiction has changed a place of serving sentence given to protester Danila Beglets for using violence against a police officer at an unauthorized rally held in Moscow on July 27 from penal colony to penal colony settlement, according to lawyer of the International Advocacy Group Agora Leonid Solovyev.

The 2-year term meanwhile was upheld.

He was convicted and sentenced to 2 years in jail in October. According to the prosecution, the man used violence against a policeman namely grabbed him by the wrist in order to obstruct his legal activity.

The defendant has pleaded guilty and announced willingness to pay 10,000 rubles ($130) in compensation to a victim.

Protest actions began in Moscow in mid-July after election commissions denied registration of certain opposition members as candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections reasoning that documents submitted by them contained numerous violations.

The first unauthorized rally took place hear the Moscow City Election Commissions building on July 14 and looked like a provocation, according to law experts.

Unauthorized rallies in support of candidates seeking to become lawmakers of the Moscow State Duma but refused registration by the Election Commission were also held on July 27 and August 3 in central Moscow. Over 1,000 people were arrested for various violations as a result.

Following the 27 July rally, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case over mass riots. Investigators believe that the protest action was held with the use of force against representatives of authority.

Several activists have been already convicted and sentenced to prison terms.
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged enhanced international macro-economic policy coordination to prevent the world economy from falling into recession.

Xi made the remarks in Beijing while attending the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link.

Noting that the outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe, Xi said countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession.

He called on countries to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies, better coordinate financial regulation and jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 00:45:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Group of 20 (G20) major economies should uphold the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and strengthen unity, coordination and cooperation to resolutely stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and stabilize the world economy with all their strength, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday.

In a phone conversation with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Xi noted that with the king presiding, G20 leaders successfully held an extraordinary summit on COVID-19 on Thursday, and reached important consensus on fighting the pandemic in solidarity and stabilizing the world economy, which has sent a positive signal to the international community.

China, he added, appreciates the tremendous efforts Saudi Arabia made for the meeting as this year's G20 chair.

Viruses respect no national borders, and only with a collective response can the international community prevail over them, stressed the Chinese president, adding that China is ready to maintain close communication with Saudi Arabia and strengthen the momentum of G20 cooperation.

Xi recalled that after the coronavirus disease broke out in China, King Salman immediately expressed sympathies and support to him, and the Saudi government and various sections of Saudi society extended a helping hand one after another, and provided China with multiple batches of material assistance.

That will be engraved in the hearts of the Chinese people, Xi said, adding that the Chinese nation is a grateful nation that returns a favor with a favor.

Noting that now Saudi Arabia is also facing the severe challenge of COVID-19, Xi said China firmly supports the Saudi side in fighting the epidemic, and stands ready to provide as much assistance as its capability allows.

China, he added, is also willing to share its epidemic prevention and control experience with the Saudi side, and help Saudi Arabia purchase medical supplies, so as to protect the lives and health of the people in both countries, and jointly safeguard global and regional public health security.

Meanwhile, China is ready to join hands with Saudi Arabia to continuously enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and lift their comprehensive strategic partnership to new levels, said Xi.

Salman, for his part, said that the Chinese government carried out decisive and strong measures and has successfully contained the outbreak, and he highly appreciates and sincerely congratulates China on that.

Stressing that China's success has sent a positive signal to the entire world, he said he has firm confidence in the Chinese government and the Chinese people, and believes that China will win the battle soon and grow stronger.

Saudi Arabia and China are friends that stick together through thick and thin, and bilateral relations are developing at a high level, said the king, who thanked China for providing assistance in testing and medical supplies.

The Saudi people will not forget that, and will always stand firmly with the Chinese side, he added.

Saudi Arabia, he said, hopes to learn from China's successful experience and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in health care and other fields, and believes that the friendship between the two countries will grow deeper and stronger in the joint fight against the epidemic.

Expressing gratitude for Xi's support for Saudi Arabia in hosting the G20 extraordinary leaders' summit on COVID-19, the king said the Saudi side hopes to continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China within the G20 framework and jointly help the world overcome the current crisis as soon as possible.
[March 27, 2020] Worldwide Server and Enterprise Storage Systems Markets Will Decline in 2020, Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, According to IDC

End user spending on IT infrastructure (server and enterprise storage systems) will decline in 2020 as a result of the widespread coronavirus pandemic. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Storage Systems Tracker, under the current probable scenario server market revenues will decline 3.4% year over year to $88.6 billion and external enterprise storage systems (ESS) revenues will decline 5.5% to $28.7 billion in 2020. The server market is expected to decline 11.0% in Q1 and 8.9% in Q2 and then return to growth in the second half of the year. The external ESS market is forecast to decline 7.3% in Q1 and 12.4% in Q2 before returning to slight growth by the end of 2020 with further recovery expected in 2021. IDC (News - Alert) developed three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) for the impact of COVID-19 on the IT infrastructure markets. The probable scenario assumes a broad negative impact starting in China and spreading into other regions before slowing toward end of the year. Elements of the impact include changing demand expectations from various groups of IT buyers, supply chain shortages and logistical delays, short-term component price increases, and a suppressed economic and social climate. The current forecast is based on the probable scenario as of March 26, 2020. However, as the situation continues to unfold, the forecasts might be adjusted further. The fast-changing environment has revealed some remarkable differences in how the pandemic has affected various segments of the market. As the first to be hit by the coronavirus, China will see the greatest negative impact in the first quarter of 2020 while other regions will start to experience the impact in the second quarter. Similarly, some industries (transportation, hospitality, retail, etc.) are facing significantly reduced consumer activity and business closures and others are being hit by an unexpected wave of demand for services, including video streaming, Web conferencing, and online retail. Facing economic uncertainty, many businesses are being forced to consider more expedited adoption of cloud services to fulfill their compute and storage needs. This spike in demand put unplanned pressure on the IT infrastructure in cloud service provider datacenters leading to growing demand for servers and system components. As a result, the IT Infrastructure market has two submarkets going in different directions: decreasing demand from enterprise buyers and increasing demand from cloud service providers. This dynamic is impacting the server market the most, resulting in just a moderate decline for the overall market in 2020. The external storage systems market, with a higher share of enterprise buyers, will experience a deeper decline in 2020.







Worldwide End User Spend on Servers, 2019, 2020 and 2024 and Five-Year CAGR (value in $ billions) IT Infrastructure Market Market Segment 2019 Value 2020 Value 2020 Growth 2024 Value 2019-2024 CAGR Servers x86 $83.8 $81.9 -2.2% $109.8 5.6% non-x86 $8.0 $6.7 -16.0% $6.8 -3.3% Total Server $91.7 $88.6 -3.4% $116.6 4.9% Source (News - Alert): IDC Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, March 26, 2020

Worldwide End User Spend on External Enterprise Storage Systems, 2019, 2020 and 2024 and Five-Year CAGR (Value in $ billions) IT Infrastructure Market Market Segment 2019 Value 2020 Value 2020 Growth 2024 Value 2019-2024 CAGR External ESS External RAID $30.0 $28.3 -5.7% $32.0 1.3% Storage Expansion* $0.4 $0.5 9.6% $0.4 -2.4% Total External ESS $30.4 $28.7 -5.5% $32.4 1.3% Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Storage Systems Tracker, March 26, 2020 * Note: Storage Expansion category includes OEM and ODM Storage Expansions. "The impact of COVID-19 will certainly dampen overall spending on IT infrastructure as companies temporarily shut down and employees are laid off or furloughed," said Kuba Stolarski, research director, IT Infrastructure at IDC. "While IDC believes that the short-term impact will be significant, unless the crisis spirals further out of control, it is likely that this will not impact the markets past 2021, at which point we will see a robust recovery with cloud platforms very much leading the way." In the longer term both markets will return to growth. The server market is expected to deliver a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% over the 2019-2024 forecast period with revenues reaching $116.6 billion in 2024. Meanwhile the external ESS market will see a five-year CAGR of 1.3% growing to $32.4 billion in 2024. "The IT infrastructure markets are already going though a transformation and shifts in end user spending will bring an even faster changing IT buyer landscape," said Natalya Yezhkova, research vice president, IT Infrastructure. "While the current crisis brings tensions and uncertainty to the market, it also will push organizations to expedite adoption of technologies and IT delivery models that help with optimization of IT infrastructure resources." IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Cloud IT Infrastructure Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker are part of the Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker, which provides a holistic total addressable market view of the five key enabling infrastructure technologies for the datacenter (servers, external enterprise storage systems, purpose-built appliances: HCI and PBBA, and datacenter switches). For more information about any of IDC's Enterprise IT Infrastructure Trackers, please contact Lidice Fernandez at [email protected]. About IDC Trackers IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly excel deliverables and on-line query tools. Click here to learn about IDC's full suite of data products and how you can leverage them to grow your business. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights: http://bit.ly/IDCBlog_Subscribe. All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005274/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 16:38:39|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LOS ANGELES, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed his gratitude Thursday to the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou for helping the second largest city of the United States fight COVID-19.

Los Angeles is expecting a shipment of personal protective equipment from the two cities in China, Garcetti said in his daily briefing on the city's novel coronavirus response efforts.

"I want to thank Shanghai and our sister city Guangzhou, who are sending medical masks and widely needed personal protective equipment for our front line doctors and nurses and medical teams," Garcetti said. "This is the power of partnerships ... This is how we tap into our relationships in order to protect our people."

Los Angeles in 1981 established a sister-city relationship with Guangzhou, the capital and most populous city of south China's Guangdong Province.

Garcetti also said that global cooperation is an important way to cope with the pandemic.

"The outpouring of global cooperation speaks to something we've highlighted in recent days, in our own communities and lives, that even as we keep physical distance, we need to create our spiritual social connections," the mayor said, noting that the challenge crosses borders and so does their friendship.

Garcetti reiterated the city's zero-tolerance policy against the racism triggered by COVID-19.

"Even as we distance ourselves, let us not abandon our values," he said, citing the xenophobia seen on college campuses, against Asian-American owned businesses or in immigrant neighborhoods as examples.

"We can never lose sight of who we are and the fellow human beings that are in need of connection, support and strength. People are bound by a common commitment to slow the spread of the virus to save our economy and to rebuild a stronger city and world," the mayor added.

"That is the spirit that we bring to this work, that is the determination and gift that I hold on to and that you hold on to every single day," Garcetti said.

Los Angeles and its neighboring cities in southern California have some of the largest Chinese communities in the United States. As of 2010, about 400,000 Chinese Americans lived in Los Angeles County, about 4 percent of the county's population.

In San Gabriel Valley, an area about 20 km east of downtown Los Angeles, eight of the 10 cities in the United States with the largest proportion of Chinese Americans are located there.

Moreover, as a gateway to China-U.S. international trade, Los Angeles has an important relationship with China in the fields of business, culture, education, and environment, among others. In addition, Chinese investment and tourism in Los Angeles are major drivers of local economic growth.

When China was struggling with the COVID-19 outbreak, Los Angeles County officials and local community leaders expressed their solidarity with China in fighting against the disease.
A family friend told her everything tastes like cardboard.

Two more friends then described similar symptoms: Their sense of taste and smell had vanished.

They started reaching out to me (reporting) anosmia  changing smell, changing taste, said Dr. Rachel Kaye, an assistant professor of otolaryngology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

At first, she thought nothing of it. Allergies, the flu, a cold  all can affect senses like taste and smell.

But then more calls came. Physicians from Bergen County and New Rochelle, New York  both coronavirus epicenters  told Kaye that patients who had reported losing their taste and smell were testing positive for COVID-19.

She urged her friends to get tested.

When they came back as positive, thats when I started to worry, Kaye said.

Some experts believe the loss of smell and taste could signal a COVID-19 infection, especially among the otherwise asymptomatic. A small, but growing number of ear, nose and throat doctors are tracking the phenomenon.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology recently issued a statement proposing that anosmia  the partial or complete loss of smell  be considered a symptom warranting COVID-19 screening.

Anecdotal evidence is rapidly accumulating from sites around the world that anosmia and dysgeusia are significant symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the academy said in a statement. Anosmia, in particular, has been seen in patients ultimately testing positive for the coronavirus with no other symptoms. We propose that these symptoms be added to the list of screening tools for possible COVID-19 infection.

Right now, the most common symptoms for COVID-19 are dry cough, fever and shortness of breath.

But what if an infected patient had no cough, no fever, no shortness of breath? Just the loss of taste and smell? How would the patient even know theyre infected, or distinguish the symptoms from, say, allergies or a cold?

Testing for COVID-19 is still largely limited to those with severe symptoms. Those who are asymptomatic or experiencing only mild symptoms are discouraged from testing, as the supply remains limited.

I think that a lot of these patients are walking around as asymptomatic carriers  if they could be identified with early testing, quarantined, that could help control the spread early on, said Dr. Jared Wasserman, a Hackensack-based otolaryngologist.

Alarm bells

Kaye felt it couldnt be just a coincidence.

On March 19, just days after speaking to her friends, she reached out to colleagues.

When I realized that this was much bigger  and affecting a lot more than I would expect  thats when I reached out, said Kaye, one of the first researchers in the U.S. to track this phenomenon.

After the third or fourth physician contacted her with similar stories, thats when I realized this was way beyond what we would normally experience, she said.

Thats when my alarm bells started going off. What if one person doesnt self-quarantine? she added.

The link between losing taste and smell and COVID-19 remains anecdotal, Kaye said. But the evidence is mounting. Doctors have reported similar findings in Italy and South Korea.

The anecdotal evidence is fairly strong, Kaye said.

Wasserman is among the otolaryngologists who have seen this emerging relationship close-up. Last week, he also noticed a strange pattern in his practice.

I was seeing a cluster of patients, mostly younger, coming in with one complaint  and that is loss of sense and taste, Wasserman said.

A total of 10 patients reported it last week. He saw three in a single day.

Anecdotally, the loss of sense of smell and taste seems to be limited to the younger demographic, Wasserman said.

The youngest was 14 and the oldest was 44. Several were between 18 and their mid-20s.

And none of them had any known exposure to anyone with coronavirus, he said. They didnt have any typical symptoms  fever, cough, shortness of breath.

Its not uncommon for otolaryngologists to see patients who complain of losing their sense of taste and smell.

But "we dont see it in such high numbers, clustered together, Wasserman said.

He searched online and found similar reports cropping up in Europe and other regions around the globe.

I was curious about it, he said.

Wasserman then called a patient and told him about the possible link. The patient, though not fitting the typical criteria for COVID-19, got tested.

He called me back a few days later and told me that he was positive, he said.

Wasserman immediately put himself in self-quarantine and remains at home.

He never developed any other symptoms  just the loss of sense of smell and taste, he said.

A call to action

Wasserman wishes everyone with these symptoms could get tested.

However, only symptomatic patients are being tested in New Jersey as officials try to halt the spread of the novel virus.

This is a particularly tricky situation, Kaye said. I am really hoping that we can study this in real-time and analyze the results in an expedient manner. As soon as we have results, this is being fast-tracked by the academy.

Its unclear how many people are walking around with the loss of smell and taste.

Not only is it a symptom that is difficult to differentiate from a cold, allergies or sinus infection, Wasserman said, but it is appearing at the worst time as New Jersey enters spring allergy season.

Its scary right? Wasserman said.

Its scary even for physicians and researchers.

This is uncharted territory for the world, he said.

Wasserman feels responsible to spread the word, especially to testing centers. He says patients with these isolated symptoms should be considered at high risk for coronavirus and be tested.

Kaye is working with the American Academy of Otolaryngology to further investigate the loss of taste and smell and COVID-19. She said she and her colleagues are going to launch a study on the potential relationship.

This is all live, she said. This is all developing before our eyes. We are trying to get ahead of it.

Although many of the intricacies of COVID-19 elude researchers at this moment, we know something is going on, and we know to be alarmed," Kaye said.

In the meantime, she believes anyone with these symptoms should be self-quarantining and practicing social distancing.

I want them to take a good, long look in the mirror and decide: Could I possibly have this? Should I take greater precautions of social distancing? Kaye said.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Borders are closed and travel banned to and from the capital after four people die from virus and more than 50 new cases are confirmed.

Four people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the new coronavirus, and more than 50 new cases have been confirmed. President Felix Tshisekedi has declared an emergency.

Borders are closed and travel to and from the capital, Kinshasa, has been banned.

Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb reports.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister



Ajit Pawar on Friday said the Maharashtra government has asked restaurants to keep their kitchens operational to help citizens during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Restaurants and small eateries have downed their shutters in wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown, which has been imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The state government has decided to allow restaurants and eateries to keep only their kitchens open, to ease the burden on people during the curfew, Pawar said.

Restaurants can provide home delivery services as well, he said, adding that service providers need to maintain hygiene and practice the protocol to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister also said sugar factories should provide food and essentials to sugarcane cutters and farm labourers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The idea of the coronavirus striking the battered and impoverished Gaza Strip and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake was once considered a nightmare scenario. Now, it is starting to look real. On March 26, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Gaza rose to nine, but authorities in Israel and the Gaza Strip are concerned that this is not the real number. The problem is that very few people have been tested, and even if testing takes place, the means available to protect oneself in Gaza are sparse at best.

One Israeli source involved in what has been happening in Gaza describes how the virus-carriers got infected. It all started about two weeks ago, when two Palestinians arrived in Gaza after spending time in Pakistan and Cairo. They arrived at the border crossing with Egypt by bus, together with many other Gazans, and when they crossed over into the Gaza Strip, they were told that they needed to be quarantined. They agreed, but asked for a chance to say hello to their families first. Five Hamas police officers went with them and watched as they hugged and embraced their family members without any protection whatsoever. The travelers were then taken to a quarantine facility. It has since been learned that the five police officers who accompanied them were found to have the coronavirus. What is not yet known is the status of everyone else they came into contact with over the last few days.

Regardless, the virus that causes COVID-19 is already in the Gaza Strip. The (rhetorical) question now being asked is whether the local health system will be able to cope with the challenge, when even wealthier and better equipped health-care systems around the world are having a hard time rising to the challenge. Physicians for Human Rights has been collecting statistics about the situation in Gaza on a daily basis. According to the most recent update on March 25, only 144 tests were conducted on a population of approximately 2 million, squeezed into a densely populated area with extremely poor conditions to maintain hygiene. The continued spread of the virus will definitely result in the collapse of the already impoverished health system in Gaza, where the total number of intensive care beds is just 70, and there are only 65 ventilators, some of them already in use.

On March 26, the Israeli office of the Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) for Gaza announced that 1,000 test kits, protective equipment and disinfectant were provided to Gaza. When the equipment was delivered, the head of the CLA, Col. Iyad Sarhan, said, This undertaking by the World Health Organization and other groups around the world fills an important niche in the need for health care in the Gaza Strip. The CLA for Gaza will continue to assist international organizations reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the Gaza Strip.

The real problem lies with the most critical equipment of all  ventilators. These are not forthcoming from Israel, or from other countries, which once donated raw materials and medical equipment to rescue local hospitals lacking basic medical equipment. It was only with the creation March 24 of the Special Knesset Committee on Dealing with the Coronavirus that the Knesset Research and Information Center prepared a report on the issue, at the request of committee Chairman Ofer Shelah. The report offers the following disconcerting figure: There are just 1,437 available ventilators in all of Israel. This is not enough to meet the needs of the number of patients anticipated by the Ministry of Health in the next few weeks.

Evidence of Israels desperate rush to obtain ventilators, after the countrys health-care system was neglected for years, can be seen in remarks made by Minister of Defense Naftali Bennett this week. He said, We will bring in ventilators from every corner of the world, cleverly and with cunning. Even if Israel really is able to act cleverly and with cunning to get its hands on this precious commodity, it is very safe to assume that they will not be sent to Gaza. That is why all the red warning lights are flashing at the offices of aid organizations in Israel. They are worried about a potential catastrophe bringing disaster upon the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but also that Israel would be blamed for the consequences, because of its long and unremitting closure of the territory.

Ghada Majadle, freedom of movement coordinator at Physicians for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor that her organization approached the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories with questions and requests concerning Israels preparedness for the spread of the virus, but that it did not receive any answers. We asked if there was a plan [in the event that the virus spreads in Gaza], and what would be done in the event that it poses a real risk, she said, adding that this is not just a matter of some shortage of medical equipment. It also involves such issues as whether patients in a critical condition would be transferred from the Gaza Strip to Israel or to hospitals in the West Bank, particularly since Gaza is now under closure.

Nor is it certain that hospitals in the West Bank would be able to accept patients from Gaza, especially since the Palestinian Authority is also deeply concerned about the spread of the virus. These hospitals are not equipped to accept large numbers of patients, especially since they also suffer from a shortage of such critical medical equipment as ventilators. Only one thing is certain: Despite all the flashing red warning signals, it looks like very little can be done apart from increasing defensive measures and isolation in the Gaza Strip. Still, it is important to remember that Gaza is the most densely populated place in the world. In fact, the United Nations warned in 2015 that by 2020, Gaza might no longer be inhabitable.

Majadle noted that this feeling of helplessness can also be attributed to the fact that countries that once helped and donated to the rebuilding of Gaza are now busy dealing with the spread of the virus at home. Even if they do donate money, it is doubtful whether it can be used to purchase medical equipment and other essential items for hospitals in the Gaza Strip, especially since those hospitals are already in a state of collapse, regardless of the global pandemic.

She added that Israel cannot wash its hands of what is happening. Israel cannot say, 'Were having a hard time too, so we cant help you.' International law obligates Israel to ensure that the basic health needs of Gazans are met.

But international law is one thing, and the ability and means to provide meaningful aid to the Gaza Strip is another, especially during a pandemic. Even Qatar, which has taken Gaza under its protection and transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to keep Gazas shaky economy alive (and which pays the salaries of Hamas employees), would have a hard time helping in these unusual times. It may be a wealthy emirate, but it is also tiny, in terms of both size and population. The number of hospital beds there is intended to match the needs of that local population and little more.

Will it be possible to transfer ailing patients from Gaza to the wealthy Gulf state? Will Qatar be able to purchase ventilators for the Gaza Strip, especially given that these are in such high demand around the globe? It is unlikely.

I dont know what the situation of health services in Qatar is like, and whether the situation there is better than it is in Israel, Majadle added.

More generally, if real help from Qatar is impossible in the event of the virus spreading, the issue of the occupation and closure will be raised in all its intensity, making it impossible to maintain the situation much longer. The problem is that the cost of reaching such a solution will likely be especially steep.
US President Donald Trump has indicated a climb down on the use of "Chinese Virus" due to the origin of the deadly coronavirus, which has antagonised Beijing and several lawmakers and rights bodies.

Last week, President Trump said that China is responsible for the spread of the novel coronavirus and called the COVID-19 as the "Chinese Virus".

He insisted the term was accurate because the virus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

"I don't have to say if they (Chinese) feel so strongly about it. We will see, Trump told reporters at the White House ahead of his call with President Xi Jinping of China.

At the same time, he defended the use of the term for the deadly coronavirus, saying that it originated from China.

The virus that first emerged in China's Wuhan city in the Hubei province in December last year has spread to 175 countries, infected 531,860 people and has claimed 24,057 lives, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker.

After Trump indicated he was going to stop using the term, a reporter asked the president whether President Xi had asked him to stop referring to "the Chinese virus."



"Nobody spoke to me about it. I think it was fine, though," Trump said, adding: "I talk about the Chinese virus and I mean it. That's where it came from. If you look at Ebola, if you look at Lyme, Connecticut, look at all these horrible diseases, they seem to come with the name with the location. This was the Chinese virus."



His critics, in particular human rights bodies and the Democrats, allege that his recent remarks describing coronavirus as "Chinese Virus because of its origin, has created anti-Chinese atmosphere in the US. However, Trump has denied this.

Trump reiterated that he has a very good relationship with China.

"I'll have a call with President Xi of China, very good relationship. No, I didn't like when they came up...and it wasn't him, somebody at a lower level, mid-level, we found out pretty much. But they made a statement that our soldiers brought it into China. It came from China, said the president.

China and the US have engaged in a war of words over the rapid spread of the deadly virus across the world.

On March 12, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian had alleged that the US Army may have brought the deadly coronavirus to his country. Zhao's tweet was accompanied by a video of a US health official saying that some of the people thought to have died of influenza were posthumously diagnosed as having had coronavirus or COVID-19.

During the briefing, President Trump also said that the US has just signed a very big deal with China. They are paying the US a lot of money in tariffs and other things.

They never paid us ten cents. Look, China has taken advantage of the United States, until I came here, with Sleepy Joe Biden and Obama and Bush and everybody else. I'm not blaming them up. I'm blaming everybody, he said alleging that they were allowed USD 500 billion a year they were taking out.

We've changed it. Look, now we're taking in billions of dollars. And we gave some to our farmers because China... they targeted our farmers. Our farmers are very happy and our farmers got through a very rough (time). Because of what I was able to do, took the money from China and gave it to the farmers, and we had plenty left over after that, he said



The US is now going into a phase two negotiation with China.

"But we're getting 25 per cent on USD 250 billion and then we're getting a lot on money after that. So, we've never had a deal with China. China took advantage of the United States. And you know what? I don't blame China for that. I blame the people that were right here, because they should have never allowed it to happen. But the relationship with China has been a very good one," Trump said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apps: Houseparty

Houseparty is an app which allows you to video chat and play games with your friends. Settling into a solid rhythm of social distancing, for most of the nation, has proved seemingly difficult. While impending venue closures across the country might seem daunting, being cooped up at home doesnt have to be grim, and, thanks to the app Houseparty, your social life doesnt have to suffer, either. The app allows you to group video call up to eight people at once, in a party, where you can talk, and even play virtual games with your friends, including trivia. Each user can join multiple parties at once and toggle between them, too. So if one gets boring, or if youre looking to change speed, you can toggle to the next for something different. Download it now, multiple platforms, free, houseparty.com Podcast: Movember  Dad in Progress

Movember - Dad in Progress podcast, available on your preferred streaming service now. Credit:Movember

If youre looking for something to get your mind off the virus-induced feedback loop, Movembers health promotion team have joined forces with the brains behind The Betoota Advocate to bring you a five-part mini-series about fatherhood. Hosted by everyday suburban dad" Raph Dixon, the series explores the trials and tribulations of fatherhood but is likely to offer solace to parents of all walks of life. With guest appearances from comedian Aaron Gocs, and one of the worlds most famous stay-at-home dads" Clarke Gayford (partner of Jacinda Ardern), the podcast aims to help parents navigate everything from relationships, to work, and your mental health. Listen to it now, Movember, Apple Podcasts, free, movember.com/dadinprogress Streaming: Netflix Party Ozark starring Laura Linney and Jason Bateman is a Netflix original series. As social distancing becomes the new norm, those of us who feel less-socially inclined can take a breath. But if watching a movie is an activity youre unable to indulge in alone, Google Chromes Netflix Party browser extension allows you to watch a movie - such as Ozark, starring Laura Linney and Jason Bateman, with your friends, in sync. Its as simple as installing the extension (neednt fret, its just a double-click affair), designating a movie-chooser, sharing the streaming link with your friends, and pressing play. Once youre all online, a chat window will appear, too, so you can watch  or not  while chatting the whole way through. If youre stuck for something to watch, our streaming column might offer you some guidance. Install it now, Netflix Party, free, netflixparty.com Books: Bookshops Respond to COVID-19
Personal protective equipment



(PPE), masks, infrared sensors and shoe covers arrived in Aizawl on Friday making Mizoram the first state in the Northeast to receive such a consignment from the Centre, an official said.

The consignment consisting of 10,900 sets of PPE, 10,000 pieces of N95 mask, 200 infrared sensors and 900 pairs of shoe covers arrived at the lone Lengpui airport by a cargo flight in the afternoon, he said.

The consignment weighing nearly 1,800 kg was dispatched from New Delhi, he said.

State health department officials said that another consignment of 400 PPE kits, 1,000 litres of hand sanitizer, 1,000 caps, 1,000 pairs of shoe cover, 179 surgical gowns and 700 non-woven materials are supposed to come to Aizawl from Guwahati.

The consignment is likely to arrive here in a truck by Saturday, they said.

Mizoram has stepped up measures in its fight against the coronavirus after the state reported its first case on Wednesday.

A 50-year-old man, with a travel history to Amsterdam, tested positive for COVID-19 at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Meanwhile, the District Commissioner of South Mizorams Siaha district, Bhupesh Chaudhary, has procured 10,000 protective masks from his friends in Delhi, which will be distributed to the medical teams, volunteers, NGOs and staff of quarantine facilities.

Health minister Dr R Lalthangliana on Friday handed over 1,000 protective masks and hand gloves to food, civil supplies and consumer affairs director to be distributed to truck drivers, who are transporting essential items.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chennai, March 27 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palanniswami on Friday announced several new measures amid the lockdown, relaxing some restrictions and tightening some stipulations announced earlier.

The new measures are effective from March 29 in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus to the general public.

The revised measures that were announced after Palaniswami chaired a meeting of senior officials to take a stock of the situation in the state are that trucks delivering fruits and vegetables to wholesale markets can operate between 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Stores selling groceries, vegetables, fruits and other essential items, and fuel outlets can do business only between 6 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., but pharmacies and hotels selling only packed food are allowed to function full day.

Food delivery companies like Swiggy, Zomato can deliver food only between 7 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Earlier the government had banned their operations.

Those wanting to donate medical equipment and others can contact the hospitals concerned.

Not more than 20 persons can participate in a funeral.

According to the statement a total of about 15,000 beds have been set up for admitting Coronaviruspatients in the state.
Troy Tamez sat in the waiting room of Haven for Hope.

There were posters, new and old, scattered on the walls, reminding people to wash their hands  one of the first precautions that organizations encouraged as the coronavirus began to spread across the U.S. weeks earlier.

It was mid-March. Tamez, 46, had been homeless for almost a month. He had left his living situation because of roommate issues and couldnt find another place to move into.

He had tried to get into the Carson House, a sober living home, but was told that it was not accepting new clients to avoid the possible spread of the coronavirus.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

The San Antonio native had been staying in hotels around the city; that is, whenever he saved up enough money from his part-time job and disability checks.

Some nights he was lucky enough to crash with a friend, and other nights he slept in his car. But he was scared. Part of it was because of his anxiety, major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The other part was that he figured it was only a matter of time before someone noticed the valuables in his car, including medications he had stocked up on amid the coronavirus outbreak for his various health conditions, and tried to rob him.

He was desperate. He needed shelter. But with underlying health conditions already putting him at risk, was it worth living in a shelter with hundreds of others and even more so during a pandemic where the homeless population is at higher risk?

During the last two weeks, as the coronavirus has become embedded in the San Antonio community, homeless shelters have been forced to reassess their services  figuring out how they can still safely help a vulnerable population that already was struggling prior to the pandemic, while also trying to avoid an outbreak within their own facilities.

This is something new for everybody. We dont know when the end will be, said Brad Mayhar, a spokesman for the Salvation Army in San Antonio. But we are trying to remain optimistic that it will get better.

As of Friday, the Salvation Army in San Antonio had 109 in its shelter for men, 55 in its shelter for women and 20 families, which include 47 children.

Right now, we are not trying to bring in any additional new clients, Mayhar said.

While the Salvation Army is at full capacity, Mayhar said, it is trying to spread out the beds and free up space in case it needs to quarantine anyone.

The Salvation Army, like all the major local shelters, is cleaning its facilities hourly, limiting some services, canceling events, serving food in open spaces and avoiding face-to-face interviews.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio homeless service providers ramp up cleaning and hand sanitizer use

SAMMinistries is accepting new clientele. It currently is housing around 150 people in dorm-style rooms. Each time a person enters the building, they must have their temperature checked  a high temperature is a common COVID-19 symptom.

This is a difficult and uncertain time, said Nikisha Baker, SAMMinistries chief development officer.

Haven for Hope on Thursday closed its intake department.

When asked if Haven would close its courtyard, an emergency shelter that on any given night has up to 700 people sleeping in the area, CEO Kenneth Wilson answered, Absolutely not.

Tamez, who was there for a couple of weeks before the closure of the intake department, was familiar with Haven  he had been there to drop off donations. He had seen the campus. He knew about the necessary services it provides the community.

Sitting in the waiting room filling out paperwork, however, was his first time at the shelter as someone who was homeless.

The room wasnt too crowded, but whenever someone coughed or sneezed, Tamezs anxiety heightened.

Unlike a portion of the homeless population that doesnt have access to the news, Tamez is very aware of whats happening throughout the world. As a self-proclaimed news-junkie, he had been following the coronavirus since its outbreak in China in December.

He knows the symptoms. He knows the countries it had hit. And hes extremely aware of whos at a higher risk: adults 65 and older, people with underlying health issues  and the homeless.

San Antonios 2019 Point-in-Time Count estimated the homeless population at 2,872 people. Out of that, about 18 percent were 50 or older. Available data did not specify how many were 65 and older.

Out of that older homeless population, 275 people also had a chronic illness.

In addition to being susceptible to the coronavirus because of health issues, many homeless people also stay in dormlike shelters, packed close together, which increases the risk.

Shelters can be a big problem, said Steve Berg, vice president of programs and police for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Usually there are a lot of people. Shelters usually crowd as many people into a space as possible to get them off the street.

The problem with that, Berg said, is that it leaves a risk of disease spreading rapidly.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continually stressed that the best way to avoid being exposed to the coronavirus is to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people and practice social distancing of at least 6 feet.

Officials at Haven for Hope have encouraged their clients in the courtyard to sleep head to toe, a CDC recommendation for shelters during an infectious disease outbreak.

Haven has also implemented its winter shelter plan, which places all courtyard guests in indoor sleeping areas throughout the campus.

As for social distancing, that can be a problem for the homeless population, as they usually crowd together to get meals, whether it be in a cafeteria, outside when a food truck pulls up or when a volunteer group such as Loaves and Fishes comes around to distribute meals.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio food pantries address growing need to provide groceries during coronavirus pandemic

While some people may be taken aback that shelters are still accepting clientele and housing hundreds of people in one area, homeless service providers and advocates note that the other option is to put them back on the street, with no access to a roof, bed or running water.

Advocates are urging that the burden of solving this problem not solely fall on homeless service providers, but also the community.

Communities need to deal with homelessness together, Berg said. We need our communities to step up.

Last week, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the city was imminently close to an agreement with a couple of hotels to house the general public, including those experiencing homelessness, if they need to be self-quarantined.

No member of our community is disposable, he said, adding that the aim is to assist anyone who needs help  no matter their living situation.

But, Tamez thought, what if it is already too late? What if the coronavirus is already in the shelters? After all, people can carry the virus and not show any symptoms.

Hes seen the news: Homeless people in at least five states had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Last week, New York Department of Human Service officials confirmed that there were 39 positive cases of the coronavirus among homeless New Yorkers.

In San Antonio, none of the people who had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday has lived in a shelter or been reported to be homeless.

However, on Sunday, CentroMed announced that a health care provider who works at CentroMeds Sarah E. Davidson Clinic at Haven for Hope had tested positive for the virus after being exposed to a family member who had the disease.

Related: CentroMed health care provider tested positive for COVID-19

In addition, CEO Wilson said Haven was monitoring a client who showed flu-like symptoms.

He said the clients symptoms have not risen to a level of testing. No Haven clients have been tested for coronavirus, Wilson said, adding that shelter officials have been working closely with Metro Health.

SAMMinistries and the Salvation Army also said they have not tested anyone, as no one thus far has showed symptoms.

But Tamez, like many advocates, wonders whether an outbreak is unavoidable.

He finished his paperwork and sat back down in the Haven waiting room.

He thought about his underlying health issues. He thought about the time he had bronchitis a few years back and how difficult and scary it was to overcome.

He thought about other viable options. If he could work from home, he knew a friend between here and Dallas he could stay with. He thought of when his next paycheck would come so he could get another hotel room.

What was 10 or 15 minutes of sitting in the waiting room felt like an hour.

There was more coughing and sneezing, and again his anxiety crept up.

Was this worth the risk? Was he better off here  crowded but with all the services he needed at his fingertips  or in his car, isolated but with services less accessible?

After a few more minutes, the answer became clear.

He got up and left.
Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, announced on Thursday that all travelers from New York arriving in her state would be required to enter a 14-day self-quarantine and to provide personal information to state authorities.

Raimondo signed an executive order on Thursday empowering state police and the National Guard to enforce the measure.

I understand this is an extreme measure, Raimondo told reporters at a press conference. The New York City metropolitan area is a hot zone and the infection rate is skyrocketing, Raimondo said in explaining her executive order. Raimondos order follows Florida governor Ron DeSantiss announcement that all travelers to his state from New York must self-quarantine for 14 days, although Florida has not begun tracking those travelers.

Rhode Island state police superintendent Col. James M. Manni said at the same press conference that occupants of vehicles with New York license plates will be asked their destination when stopped by state troopers. If their destination is not anywhere in Rhode Island, they will be allowed to pass through without providing personal information. Individuals who are traveling to a Rhode Island destination will be required to provide the address of their destination, as well as the phone numbers and names of their family members.

The order applies to all travelers arriving by ground transportation, including buses, trains, and cars, although commercial vehicles with New York plates will not be stopped in order to facilitate interstate trade. The National Guard has already been deployed to the states T.F. Green Airport, where guardsmen are asking for personal contact information from all travelers to track any additional spread of coronavirus.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island criticized the executive order as infringing upon the rights of U.S. citizens.

The ACLU recognizes that strong measures are needed to address the public health crisis we are witnessing, ACLU Rhode Island executive director Steven Brown said in a statement, but giving the State Police the power to stop any New York-registered cars that are merely traveling through the state is a blunderbuss approach that cannot be justified in light of its substantial impact on civil liberties.

More from National Review
Stacey Hampton has lashed out at claims that she is being financially supported by her ex-fiance, former Rebels' bikie boss Shane Michael Smith.

In an interview with Woman's Day on Friday, the Married At First star refuted the very idea, saying that her luxurious lifestyle is unrelated to their relationship.

The claims arose when in her MAFS audition interview, Stacey told the show's producers to 'ask her ex' where she got her designer handbags and Rolex watch.

No way: On Monday, Stacey Hampton (pictured) lashed out at claims that she is being financially supported by her ex-fiance

However, Stacey insists 'ask my ex' was actually said in answer to a different question, unrelated to her designer goods.

The 26-year-old insisted: 'There is no way I would say "Ask my ex", that's not even the correct way to answer the question'.

'I would have said, "My ex used to buy me bags." I believe the "ask my ex" would have been in reference to whether I'm high maintenance or hard to deal with.

'Never in regards to my lifestyle would I associate him,' she told the publication adamantly.

Supportive: Stacey's ex-fiance is Rebels Adelaide boss Shane Michael Smith, who fathered her two sons (pictured together)

Her own woman: In an interview with Woman's Day on Friday, the Married At First star refuted the claims, saying that her luxurious lifestyle is unrelated to their relationship

It's no secret that the mother-of-two lives a comfortable lifestyle, which includes a $90,000 Range Rover and a $20,000 designer shoe collection.

On Wednesday, she revealed that her eldest son Kosta, four, goes to a private all-boys school.

Many viewers were left wondering how a single mother like Stacey could afford all of her luxuries when her MAFS homestay with Michael aired last week.

Questions: The claims arose after Stacey allegedly said to 'ask her ex' about her collection of designer bags - but she says she was actually answering a question about whether she was 'high maintenance'. Pictured: Michael Goonan looking at Stacey's designer shoes

The 26-year-old insisted: 'There is no way I would say 'Ask my ex', that's not even the correct way to answer the question. I would have said 'My ex used to buy me bags.' I believe the 'ask my ex' would have been in reference to whether I'm high maintenance or hard to deal with'

Stacey told Daily Mail Australia last week she had inherited a significant sum of money from her father and brother's estates after they died several years ago.

She put the money into a family trust, which she later used to start several business ventures in South Australia.

'I had my own financial stability [before MAFS] with more than Michael [Goonan] could have provided,' said Stacey, hitting back at claims she's a 'gold digger'.

Loaded? It's no secret that the mother-of-two lives a luxurious lifestyle, which includes a $90,000 Range Rover and a $20,000 designer shoe collection. Many viewers were left wondering how a single mother like Stacey could afford all of her luxuries

The family: Stacey has two sons, Kosta and two-year-old Kruz (both pictured). On Wednesday, she revealed that her eldest son Kosta, four, goes to a private all-boys school

Stacey has however publicly defended her ex-fiance, Shane Michael Smith, who is the father of her two sons.

Speaking to Who magazine, the law graduate lavished praise on the bikie and urged society not to judge him on his criminal past.

'He's honestly the greatest person and I think he's ashamed of his past,' she gushed.

On her own: Stacey told Daily Mail Australia last week she had inherited a significant sum of money from her father and brother's estates after they died several years ago

'I met him when I was really young, 19, through mutual friends and I wasn't aware of his lifestyle but I feel for him so quickly,' she continued.

'At the time, I didn't realise he actually had charges from ages ago that had come up - assault charges.'

Smith was convicted of bashing two nightclub bouncers in 2017.

The blonde bombshell dated the Rebels' Adelaide president, 37, until they split in July 2017.
Wuhan residents have been captured on camera cramming onto a bus as the city's public transport system resumes to normal after a two-month coronavirus lockdown.

Over 100 bus routes have been reopened to the public in Wuhan since Wednesday after Hubei officials have lifted the travel restrictions in most parts of the province. The clampdown in Wuhan will continue until April 8.

The video emerged as the city's residents fear for a second wave of infections due to the large number of 'silent carriers', who show no symptoms but can potentially spread the virus to others. These patients were not recorded in the official figures.

Residents are required to have their temperatures taken before getting on the bus. They also need to show a dedicated barcode to prove that they are virus-free. A traveller wearing a face mask carries his luggage at the Beijing Railway Station in Beijing

Beijing's chief medical advisor claims a second outbreak is 'unlikely' Dr Zhong Nanshan, Beijing's chief medical advisor on the coronavirus, today hit back at speculation that China would see a second wave of infections. Dr Zhong claimed that a rebound was unlikely. He told state broadcaster CCTV: 'I suspect that in our country, the epidemic would not have a second peak'. He stressed that the new cases would likely be confined in small groups of people due to the country's public-based epidemic-control efforts. 'Under such strong and vigorous measures, I don't believe a major outbreak would happen,' he said. Advertisement

Viral video appeared yesterday shows a large crowd of travellers fighting to get on a bus outside the Wuhan Railway Station.

The local bus services said they will enforce measures to control the volume ofpassengers and prevent them from crowding.

Residents are required to have their temperatures taken before getting on the bus. They also need to show a dedicated barcode to prove that they are virus-free.

'We'll also place more volunteers to help people who don't have a health code or don't know how to use one,' said a spokesperson from the bus company.

It comes as Hubei officials today changed the risk level of the former epicentre Wuhan from 'high' to 'medium'.

The entire Wuhan has been classed as a 'medium risk area', while five of its 13 districts are now at 'low risk' for the cognation, according to Liu Dongru, Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Health Commission.

Viral video appeared yesterday shows a large crowd of travellers fighting to get on a bus outside the Wuhan Railway Station. The local bus services said they will enforce measures to control the volume of passengers and prevent them from crowding

Wuhan authorities also disinfected the city's high-speed railway stations this week as they prepare to ease the city's clampdown on April 8. Rescue officers and firefighters are donning goggles and hazmat suits while decontaminating two of the city's major transport hubs

Hubei also recorded zero new case today for the third consecutive day this week as officials said they had largely contained the coronavirus outbreak.

Wuhan authorities also disinfected the city's high-speed railway stations this week as they prepare to ease the city's clampdown on April 8.

Rescue officers and firefighters were seen donning goggles and hazmat suits while decontaminating two of the city's major transport hubs.

But many feared for a second wave of infections due to the large number of 'silent carriers', who show no symptoms but can potentially spread the virus to others.

People in Wubei have voiced their concerns over asymptomatic coronavirus cases who don't develop symptoms.

At least 59 per cent of the Wuhan residents who have contracted the coronavirus show mild or no symptoms and therefore were unrecorded, a study suggests.

Thousands of infections potentially fell under the radar and were not included in the government's official count, according to the doctors at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Faced with public pressure, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission on Monday released a statement, saying all asymptomatic cases would need to be isolated in quarantine camps for 14 days.

These silent carriers would be identified when officials screen the close contacts of confirmed patients and investigate cluster infections, according to the document.

The virus has killed 3,174 people and infected 67,801 in the province in central China.

Globally, over 536,000 people have been infected with the deadly disease and the death toll has risen to 24,804.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive today as the UKs confirmed cases stand at almost 12,000 and at least 578 people have died.
Hello, snowbirds. Welcome back. Go directly home. Do not go shopping.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hello, snowbirds. Welcome back. Go directly home. Do not go shopping.

That was the message this week from various levels of government, as well as some communities along the Canada-U.S. border.

The federal government, which had previously urged Canadians returning from abroad to self-isolate for two weeks, has now declared that quarantine mandatory. The penalties for those returning to Canada who do not self-quarantine for 14 days could be fines of up to $750,000 or up to six months in jail, according to Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister also had a message for returning travellers: "To anyone who has just come back from a foreign location to Manitoba, please make sure, absolutely sure, that you adhere to the self-isolation recommendations."

Why the suddenly urgent tone? Because, apparently, too many Canadians dont get it.

As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded, the federal government advised Canadians abroad to return home; between March 14 and March 20, more than a million citizens and permanent residents did so. Unfortunately, many of those travellers could be bringing COVID-19 with them. Many might not even know. And some who suspect they might be infected are not being up front about their symptoms as they seek to re-enter Canada.

And on top of all that, there are many who just dont seem to care, and are stopping in at stores when they get across the border.

This must stop. Do not go shopping. Go directly home.

All the "physical distancing" in the world wont have much effect if new cases of COVID-19 enter the country without being identified and isolated.

That the federal government had to invoke the Quarantine Act in an effort to get Canadians returning home to smarten up is, quite frankly, embarrassing.

The problem posed by Canadians returning from abroad  in particular, the wave of "snowbirds" currently surging through highway border crossings  is complex. Many Canadians who began experiencing symptoms of illness abroad have returned to Canada without divulging their symptoms when questioned. These procedures are essentially voluntary, so people might not feel compelled to divulge health information.

This creates a hole in Canadas COVID-19 containment efforts you could drive an RV through. And unfortunately, many Canadians are doing just that.

A recent report from Brockville, Ont., documented RVs and campers crossing from the U.S. and proceeding to spend the night in a nearby Walmart parking lot. Their owners then went shopping the next morning in local stores, despite government warnings that returning Canadians must self-isolate for 14 days.

The actions of these people  whether motivated by ignorance, selfishness or both  put everyone in those stores, and everyone those people subsequently were in contact with, at risk. Thats how pandemics work.

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.

A sign instructs returning travellers at the Emerson border crossing. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)

Closer to home, stores in Morris are actively urging Canadians returning from the U.S. not to enter their establishments, with some offering to bring purchases out to the travellers vehicles.

Other countries have introduced mandatory temperature screening of all air travellers, which could indicate the presence of COVID-19. Some have imposed similar measures at roadblocks. Given the massive span of the Canada-U.S. border, implementing such a practice at crossings would be difficult.

But as with all attempts to screen for COVID-19, the ability to test for the virus is only as effective as the commitment of the public to take appropriate measures to minimize its spread.

That the federal government had to invoke the Quarantine Act in an effort to get Canadians returning home to smarten up is, quite frankly, embarrassing. The message to homebound Canadians has been clear from the outset:

Welcome back. Go directly home. Do not go shopping.
Pub chain JD Wetherspoon wants to suspend payments to its Irish food and drink suppliers and has paused its developments on new sites in Dublin, Galway and Waterford.

In an email message to suppliers, chairman Tim Martin asks them to hold off payment demands until the London Stock Exchange-listed group's bars are back in business.

"We are asking for a moratorium on payments until the pubs reopen, at which point we intend to clear outstanding payments within a short time frame," Mr Martin writes.

"We understand this puts significant pressure on our suppliers, but we are kindly asking for your assistance during this very difficult period.

"A number of our suppliers have already offered assistance and we would be most grateful for your co-operation as well."

A spokesman for Mr Martin confirmed the group "has asked its suppliers for a moratorium to help it through this period". He said Wetherspoons had done business with some suppliers for 30 to 40 years and the firm "wants to trade with them for another 30-40 years, but needs their help now".

The spokesman said it was open to discussing "individual cases" with suppliers.

A week ago - before prime minister Boris Johnson ordered a UK-wide lockdown on social venues - Mr Martin sparked outrage in some quarters by arguing public houses should be allowed to remain open through the pandemic.

He said then that social distancing inside pubs should be sufficient to reduce risks.

"There's hardly been any transmission of the virus within pubs and I think it's over the top to shut them," Mr Martin said in a Sky News interview at the time. "That's a commercial view but also a common sense view."

Wetherspoons has temporarily closed its seven outlets in the Republic. It has stopped work on four upcoming outlets on Camden Street and Hanover Quay in Dublin, and in Galway and Waterford.

"All development work (is) on hold," the spokesman said.

The Belfast-reared businessman founded Wetherspoons in 1979. He last month took 26th spot in the 'Sunday Independent' Irish Rich List, with an estimated net worth of 671m.

But his 31.9pc shareholding in publicly listed JD Wetherspoon since has been battered by the Covid-19 threat.

JD Wetherspoon stock traded yesterday at around 9 (9.90), a third lower than before the first cases here and in the UK. Mr Martin's stake is now worth about 300m.

The Licensed Vintners Association and Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI), which represent the Irish pub trade, declined to comment on Wetherspoons, which does not belong to either body. But the wider crisis will require payment flexibility for many pubs.

"Drinks suppliers are doing everything they can to help publicans by extending credit and taking back stock," VFI spokesman Brian Foley said.




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
Thousands of Muslims on Friday offered prayers at home adhering to the advice of religious leaders in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The imam of the city's Jama Masjid Idgah, Khalid Rasheed Faranglimahli, and rector of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema Sayeed-ur Rehman Azmi along with others had made appeals to Muslims to offer 'Juma Namaz' at home.

Imam-e-Juma Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi had earlier suspended special Friday prayers in the mosques for two weeks.

"There are around 800 mosques in the state capital, of which 50 are such where hundreds of Muslims offer Friday prayers together," Farangimahli said.

Besides, all Muslim boards asked people to follow the advisories of the government and practice social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed 17 lives across the country.

In Bareilly, majority of the Muslims offered Friday prayers at home keeping in mind the 21-day lockdown imposed in the country.

General secretary of Tanzeem-ul-Islam Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi said not more than five people were present in each of the mosques in the city.

Bareilly District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said people offered namaz at their homes and there were no mass gatherings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the nationwide lockdown, pollution levels have significantly reduced across the country. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in major cities has overall been recorded as 'satisfactory' on Friday. According to SAFAR, the AQI in Delhi has been recorded at 38. The forecast for the next three days also stands as 'satisfactory' and has been marked at 57.

Meanwhile, the AQI in Pune has been marked at 32 and 'satisfactory'. With the lockdown in effect due to the coronavirus outbreak, reduced vehicular movement has improved the air quality in the city. Forecast for the next three days has predicted the AQI to be at 46 and 'satisfactory'.

READ: India's Air Quality Index Stands At 'Satisfactory' Amid Coronavirus Lockdown

Similarly, on Friday, Mumbai metropolis recorded the AQI as 'satisfactory' with the SAFAR Index showing the air quality at 45. However, the forecast has also suggested that the city will have a surge in AQI at 52 with a slight dip in the next three days. Ahmedabad on the other hand has seen a satisfactory AQI with the index marking it at 34.

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 Coronavirus cases have been reported in India, as per the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 deaths have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

READ: Air Quality Remains ''poor'' In Delhi-NCR, Says SAFAR

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and has issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic planes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government website here for more information and helpline numbers: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

READ: Health Workers In Rajasthan Sing A Song To Keep Spirit High Amid Fight Against Coronavirus
A man sits outside closed shops following the lockdown in the Philippine capital to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manila, Philippines, March 24, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, March 26 (Reuters) - The Philippine health ministry on Thursday reported seven new coronavirus deaths and 71 new confirmed infections.

It brings the country's confirmed cases to 707 and deaths to 45 so far, among them six doctors, Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a regular news conference. He said case numbers would rise in the coming days as more tests are carried out.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty)
Travel platforms in China are taking various measures to boost business despite a short-term negative impact on the sector brought by the pneumonia breakout.

A docent of Zhaojun Museum in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, introduces the museum over a 5G live stream on March 7. (Photo by Ding Genhou/Peoples Daily)

The online travel agency Ctrip has opened nearly 2,000 training courses to its partners, tens of millions of professionals in the industry and tourism colleges across the country, calling on the sector to have training online and at home, conserve energy and reserve talents.

Another online travel agency, Tuniu, has also launched over 1,000 courses and hosted several online competitions to improve its employees skills and sense of competition.

Meanwhile, the two platforms, along with online tourism service provider Mafengwo and Alibabas tourism platform Fliggy, have given users the chance to visit scenic spots through audio guides and live broadcasts.

As more promising signs signal progress Chinas anti-virus fight is moving in the right direction, the countrys Ministry of Culture and Tourism asked scenic areas nationwide to reopen to the public while continuing to implement epidemic control measures.

Data from Ctrip show that more than 1,600 scenic attractions in China have reopened to the public, including over 40 percent of 5A scenic areas.

Several online travel agencies have already launched their recovery plans and promotional activities.

Ctrip has issued a recovery plan to pre-sell its products for future trips. Another online travel service provider, Tongcheng-Elong, has formed an alliance with cities nationwide to provide free tourism promotion services while launching pre-sale products and promotional activities. Other than this, Tuniu has invited tourism departments and scenic attractions across the country to share resources and channels to boost the recovery of the sector.

Travel agencies should implement their recovery plans step by step, focusing on differentiated services, so as to seize new opportunities, said Bai Kai, dean of the School of Geography and Tourism in Shaanxi Normal University in Xian in northwest Chinas Shaanxi province.
As the number of COVID-19 cases in Honduras climbed to at least 67 and the country announced its first death this week, analysts warned of a second pandemic that could exacerbate the public health crisis: corruption.

We have a health system that is very fragile. Unfortunately, it has not been a priority of the governments in the history of our country, said Carlos Hernandez, director of Tegucigalpa-based transparency NGO Association for a More Just Society (ASJ). And then the other element is obviously corruption.

Honduras has one of the weakest healthcare systems in the world and is ill-prepared to confront an epidemic, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Global Health Security Index. The country spends only about 8.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, much less than the regional average of 14 percent. Corruption in the healthcare system, including embezzlement of public funds and schemes to buy overpriced medicine and equipment, only worsens the problem.

Hondurass healthcare system has reached the edge of collapse in recent years after chronic underfunding from the government and a series of corruption scandals that have drained what little public funds do exist. Hospitals often lack medicine, bed space and basic supplies, a situation that spells disaster for a growing pandemic.

To make matters worse, any response to the spreading virus could be an opportunity to further pilfer government coffers, analysts say.

History tells us that times of emergency are unfortunately opportunities for the corrupt, said Hernandez.

Years of corruption, mismanagement

Corruption had been eating away at the Honduran healthcare system for years. But in 2015, one scandal tipped the scales and drove Hondurans to the streets.

The Honduran Public Ministry, a government institution that investigates crimes related to the public interest, revealed an elaborate network of sham companies used to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars out of the healthcare system.

While the rich bought spacious mansions and flashy cars, average Hondurans did not have enough medicine or a clean bed at a hospital. Since then, more than 45 people have been accused of crimes and 10 people have been convicted in the case.

Personnel of the Cardiovascular National Institute, also known as the Thorax Hospital, strike to protest against the lack of materials to fight the coronavirus pandemic, in Tegucigalpa [Orlando Sierra/AFP]

Corruption in the healthcare system is a brotherhood  an alliance of bad politicians, bad businessmen and bad workers. They are the ones who have looted the health system, said Hernandez.

Some of the money ended up funding the first presidential campaign of current President Juan Orlando Hernandez, whose presidency has been tainted by many scandals, most recently the New York drug trafficking conviction of his brother.

In the case of Honduras and Central America, corruption is widespread, said Adriana Beltran, director of the citizen security programme for the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). Its not just about the cases weve heard of recently of top-level politicians involved in drug trafficking, but also how it impacts daily lives and the ability to access adequate healthcare.

Other corruption scandals in the countrys healthcare industry have included mismanagement of funds, fake purchases of medicine and alleged attempts to privatise the healthcare industry.

In April 2019, Hondurans anger with widespread corruption once again exploded into weeks-long mass mobilisations to protest against two decrees to possibly privatise the countrys healthcare and education systems.

We have a healthcare system that collapsed, said Suyapa Figueroa, president of the Honduran Medical College who participated in the marches. It collapsed in part because of corruption. Corruption has been and continues to be one of the biggest problems in our country.

President Hernandez rejected accusations of attempts to privatise the healthcare and education systems. The intention has always been to strengthen and improve education and public health and that it remains free for the Honduran people, he said in May 2019. Still, the president revoked the contentious decrees in June.

Figueroa warns that the government could manipulate this public health crisis into another attempt to privatise the healthcare system. Our problems are structural, said Figueroa. As long as we dont change this harsh reality, the problem is going to continue.

Corruption hard to spot in current crisis

On March 11, President Hernandez confirmed the first two cases of the coronavirus in the country.

The detection of these two first cases shows that Honduras has the installed capacity and we have the necessary supplies to carry out the corresponding tests for any person suspected of coronavirus, he said at a news conference. His administration has continued to assure Hondurans that they are prepared for what is to come.

Just two days later, on March 13, the Honduran Congress approved an emergency plan for more than $420m to build more hospitals and hire more healthcare professionals in response to the coronavirus.

Civil society is already vigilantly monitoring these actions for potential corruption, according to Hernandez of ASJ. But the current conditions in the country could make it more difficult to identify embezzlement or mismanagement.

In January, the government decided not to renew the mandate of an international anti-corruption body called MACCIH, which with the countrys attorney generals office had been investigating Honduran elites, including a former first lady, who was convicted on corruption charges last year. The current government-imposed curfew and restrictions of press freedom have made it harder for journalists to obtain and share information. And since Congress approved the funds during an emergency, the executive branch has more discretion for spending.

That has raised a lot of concern because it has been one way in which public funds were embezzled in the past, said Beltran of WOLA. With the quarantine that has been ordered, it makes it a lot harder for civil society and the press to do any kind of oversight.

A couple wear protective face masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as they head to the National Cardiopulmonary Hospital, in Tegucigalpa [Orlando Sierra/AFP]

On March 17, the Honduran government sent its presidential plane to New York to buy biomedical equipment to address the coronavirus pandemic, including 140 respirator masks and 140 ventilator machines. But health experts feared the government was not consulting with proper health professionals about the types of equipment to buy, and some say the ventilators purchased will do little to help those with COVID-19.

Now that its a life or death situation, the experts are the ones who need to lead, she said. The Honduran Health Ministry did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment by the time of publication.

Given the history of corruption in Hondurass healthcare system, Villanueva and other members of civil society call for transparency during this crisis.

There are many excuses that the corrupt can use and thats what worries us: the lack of transparency in the way that they are handling the public health situation, Villanueva said.
As part of its response to the public health emergency triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission has been leaning on Europe's telcos to share aggregate location data on their users.

"The Commission kick-started a discussion with mobile phone operators about the provision of aggregated and anonymised mobile phone location data," it said today.

"The idea is to analyse mobility patterns including the impact of confinement measures on the intensity of contacts, and hence the risks of contamination. This would be an important -- and proportionate -- input for tools that are modelling the spread of the virus, and would also allow to assess the current measures adopted to contain the pandemic."

"We want to work with one operator per Member State to have a representative sample," it added. "Having one operator per Member State also means the aggregated and anonymised data could not be used to track individual citizens, that is also not at all the intention. Simply because not all have the same operator.

"The data will only be kept as long as the crisis is ongoing. We will of course ensure the respect of the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR."

Earlier this week Politico reported that commissioner Thierry Breton held a conference with carriers, including Deutsche Telekom and Orange, asking for them to share data to help predict the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Europe has become a secondary hub for the disease, with high rates of infection in countries including Italy and Spain -- where there have been thousands of deaths apiece.

The European Union's executive is understandably keen to bolster national efforts to combat the virus. Although, it's less clear exactly how aggregated mobile location data can help -- especially as more EU citizens are confined to their homes under national quarantine orders. (While police patrols and CCTV offer an existing means of confirming whether or not people are generally moving around.)

Story continues

Nonetheless, EU telcos have already been sharing aggregate data with national governments.

Orange in France is sharing "aggregated and anonymized" mobile phone geolocation data with Inserm, a local health-focused research institute -- to enable them to "better anticipate and better manage the spread of the epidemic," as a spokeswoman put it.

"The idea is simply to identify where the populations are concentrated and how they move before and after the confinement in order to be able to verify that the emergency services and the health system are as well armed as possible, where necessary," she added. "For instance, at the time of confinement, more than 1 million people left the Paris region and at the same time the population of Ile de Re increased by 30%.

"Other uses of this data are possible and we are currently in discussions with the State on all of these points. But, it must be clear, we are extremely vigilant with regards to concerns and respect for privacy. Moreover, we are in contact with the CNIL [France's data protection watchdog]... to verify that all of these points are addressed."

Germany's Deutsche Telekom is also providing to national health authorities what a spokesperson dubbed "anonymized swarm data" to combat the corona virus.

"European mobile operators are also to make such anonymized mass data available to the EU Commission at its request," the spokesperson told us. "In fact, we will first provide the EU Commission with a description of data we have sent to German health authorities."

It's not entirely clear whether the Commission's intention is to pool data from such existing local efforts -- or whether it's asking EU carriers for a different, universal data-set to be shared with it during the COVID-19 emergency.

When we asked about this it did not provide an answer. Although we understand discussions are ongoing with operators -- and that it's the Commission's aim to work with one operator per Member State.

The Commission has said the metadata will be used for modelling the spread of the virus and for looking at mobility patterns to analyze and assess the impact of quarantine measures.

A spokesman emphasized that individual-level tracking of EU citizens is not on the cards.

"The Commission is in discussions with mobile operators associations about the provision of aggregated and anonymised mobile phone location data," the spokesman for Breton told us.

"These data permit to analyse mobility patterns including the impact of confinement measures on the intensity of contacts and hence the risks of contamination. They are therefore an important and proportionate tool to feed modelling tools for the spread of the virus and also assess the current measures adopted to contain the Coronavrius pandemic are effective."

"These data do not enable tracking of individual users," he added. "The Commission is in close contact with the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) to ensure the respect of the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR."

At this point there's no set date for the system to be up and running -- although we understand the aim is to get data flowing asap. The intention is also to use data sets that go back to the start of the epidemic, with data-sharing ongoing until the pandemic is over -- at which point we're told the data will be deleted.

Breton hasn't had to lean very hard on EU telcos to share data for a crisis cause.

Earlier this week Mats Granryd, director general of operator association the GSMA, tweeted that its members are "committed to working with the European Commission, national authorities and international groups to use data in the fight against COVID-19 crisis."

Although, he added an important qualifier: "while complying with European privacy standards."

The @GSMA and our members are committed to working with the @EU_Commission, national authorities and international groups to use data in the fight against COVID-19 crisis, while complying with European privacy standards. https://t.co/f1hBYT5Lqx  Mats Granryd (@MatsGranryd) March 24, 2020

Europe's data protection framework means there are limits on how people's personal data can be used -- even during a public health emergency. And while the legal frameworks do quite rightly bake in flexibility for a pressing public purpose, like the COVID-19 pandemic, it does not mean individuals' privacy rights automatically go out the window.

Individual tracking of mobile users for contact tracing -- such as Israel's government is doing -- is unimaginable at the pan-EU level. Certainly unless the regional situation deteriorates drastically.

One privacy lawyer we spoke to last week suggested such a level of tracking and monitoring across Europe would be akin to a "last resort." Though individual EU countries are choosing to respond differently to the crisis -- such as, for example, Poland giving quarantined people a choice between regular police check ups or uploading geotagged selfies to prove they're not breaking lockdown.

While former EU Member the U.K. has reportedly chosen to invite in the controversial U.S. surveillance-as-a-service tech firm Palantir to carry out resource tracking for its National Health Service during the coronavirus crisis.

Under pan-EU law (which the U.K. remains subject to, until the end of the Brexit transition period), the rule of thumb is that extraordinary data-sharing -- such as the Commission asking telcos to share user location data during a pandemic -- must be "temporary, necessary and proportionate," as digital rights group Privacy International recently noted.

This explains why Breton's request is for "anonymous and aggregated" location data. And why, in background comments to reporters, the claim is that any shared data sets will be deleted at the end of the pandemic.

Not every EU lawmaker appears entirely aware of all the legal limits, however.

Today the bloc's lead privacy regulator, data protection supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiorowski, could be seen tweeting cautionary advice at one former commissioner, Andrus Ansip (now an MEP) -- after the latter publicly eyed up a Bluetooth-powered contacts tracing app deployed in Singapore.

"Please be cautious comparing Singapore examples with European situation. Remember Singapore has a very specific legal regime on identification of device holder," wrote Wiewiorowski.

So it remains to be seen whether pressure will mount for more privacy-intrusive surveillance of EU citizens if regional rates of infection continue to grow.

Dear Mr. Commissioner, please be cautious comparing Singapoore examples with European situation. Remember Singapore has a very specific legal regime on identification of device holder.  Wojtek Wiewiorowski (@W_Wiewiorowski) March 27, 2020

As we reported earlier this week, governments or EU institutions seeking to make use of mobile phone data to help with the response to the coronavirus must comply with the EU's ePrivacy Directive -- which covers the processing of mobile location data.

The ePrivacy Directive allows for Member States to restrict the scope of the rights and obligations related to location metadata privacy, and retain such data for a limited time -- when such restriction constitutes "a necessary, appropriate and proportionate measure within a democratic society to safeguard national security (i.e. State security), defence, public security, and the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of criminal offences or of unauthorised use of the electronic communication system" -- and a pandemic seems a clear example of a public security issue.

Thing is, the ePrivacy Directive is an old framework. The previous college of commissioners had intended to replace it alongside an update to the EU's broader personal data protection framework -- the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -- but failed to reach agreement.

This means there's some potential mismatch. For example the ePrivacy Directive does not include the same level of transparency requirements as the GDPR.

Perhaps understandably, then, since news of the Commission's call for carrier metadata emerged concerns have been raised about the scope and limits of the data sharing. Earlier this week, for example, MEP Sophie in't Veld wrote to Breton asking for more information on the data grab -- including querying exactly how the data will be anonymized.

Fighting the #coronavirus with technology: sure! But always with protection of our privacy. Read my letter to @ThierryBreton  about @EU_Commissions plans to call on telecoms to hand over data from peoples mobile phones in order to track&trace how the virus is spreading. pic.twitter.com/55kZo9bMhN  Sophie in 't Veld (@SophieintVeld) March 25, 2020

The EDPS confirmed to us that the Commission consulted it on the proposed use of telco metadata.

A spokesman for the regulator pointed to a letter sent by Wiewiorowski to the Commission, following the latter's request for guidance on monitoring the "spread" of COVID-19.

In the letter the EDPS impresses on the Commission the importance of "effective" data anonymization -- which means it's in effect saying a technique that does genuinely block re-identification of the data must be used. (There are plenty of examples of "anonymized" data being shown by researchers to be trivially easy to reidentify; while location data typically includes many easily identified individual tells, such as a home address and workplace address.)

"Effective anonymisation requires more than simply removing obvious identifiers such as phone numbers and IMEI numbers," warns the EDPS, adding too that aggregated data "can provide an additional safeguard."

We also asked the Commission for more details on how the data will be anonymized and the level of aggregation that would be used -- but it told us it could not provide further information at this stage.

So far we understand that the anonymization and aggregation process will be undertaken before data is transferred by operators to a Commission science and research advisory body, called the Joint Research Centre (JRC) -- which will perform the data analytics and modelling.

The results -- in the form of predictions of propagation and so on -- will then be shared by the Commission with EU Member States authorities. The datasets feeding the models will be stored on secure JRC servers.

The EDPS is equally clear on the Commission's commitments vis-a-vis securing the data.

"Information security obligations under Commission Decision 2017/464 still apply [to anonymized data], as do confidentiality obligations under the Staff Regulations for any Commission staff processing the information. Should the Commission rely on third parties to process the information, these third parties have to apply equivalent security measures and be bound by strict confidentiality obligations and prohibitions on further use as well," writes Wiewiorowski.

"I would also like to stress the importance of applying adequate measures to ensure the secure transmission of data from the telecom providers. It would also be preferable to limit access to the data to authorised experts in spatial epidemiology, data protection and data science."

Data retention -- or rather the need for prompt destruction of data sets after the emergency is over -- is another key piece of the guidance.

"I also welcome that the data obtained from mobile operators would be deleted as soon as the current emergency comes to an end," writes Wiewiorowski. "It should be also clear that these special services are deployed because of this specific crisis and are of temporary character. The EDPS often stresses that such developments usually do not contain the possibility to step back when the emergency is gone. I would like to stress that such solution should be still recognised as extraordinary."

teresting to note the EDPS is very clear on "full transparency" also being a requirement, both of purpose and "procedure." So we should expect more details to be released about how the data is being effectively rendered unidentifiable.

"Allow me to recall the importance of full transparency to the public on the purpose and procedure of the measures to be enacted," writes Wiewiorowski. "I would also encourage you to keep your Data Protection Officer involved throughout the entire process to provide assurance that the data processed had indeed been effectively anonymised."

The EDPS has also requested to see a copy of the data model. At the time of writing the spokesman told us it's still waiting to receive that.

"The Commission should clearly define the dataset it wants to obtain and ensure transparency towards the public, to avoid any possible misunderstandings," Wiewiorowski added in the letter.
Press Release

March 26, 2020 Bong Go: expedite implementation of "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act" to unburden affected Filipinos amid COVID-19 crisis Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go appealed to the Executive Department on Wednesday, March 25, to hasten the implementation of Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal As One Act," which authorizes the President to exercise powers that are necessary in addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in the country. "I'm calling po on the Executive. Nakikiusap po ako sa kanila bilang kasamahan ko noon. Huwag nating pahirapan pa. Bilisan na po natin dahil kailangang kailangan na nila (mga Pilipino) ng tulong, lalong lalo na po ang 18 million families na pinilit nating manatili sa kanilang pamamahay," said Go, who served as the Special Assistant to the President before becoming a Senator, on DZMM's "Failon Ngayon." He further explained, "Merong bubuuhin na Technical Working group ang Executive, Inter-Agency Task Force, composed of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) bilang Chair, DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment), DA (Department of Agriculture), PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office), Department of Finance, DBM (Department of Budget and Management) bilang miyembro." "This will operationalize the social assistance programs ng gobyerno. This will start itong social asssistance ng gobyerno at maglalabas ng joint memorandum circular ang mga ahensyang ito na magtatalaga ng mga guidelines ng programs, so dapat po itong madaliin at di na po makakaantay ang ating mga kababayan." Go also urged economic managers and concerned agencies to study if a 30-day grace period for payment of loans and waiving of fees can be considered if necessary, in line with the provisions of the law. "Kailangan po 'yun, 'yung palugit, ika nga sa Tagalog. Bigyan muna natin sila (mga Pilipino) ng palugit. Mahihirapan po silang magbayad sa ngayon dahil walang trabaho, walang negosyo. Hindi po umiikot 'yung negosyo sa panahong ito," Go said. RA 11469 authorizes President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise powers that are necessary in addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in the country. One of the temporary emergency measures that the President may adopt is to direct financial institutions to implement a grace period of at least 30 days for the payment of all loans without incurring interests, penalties, fees and other charges. The President may direct all public and private banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies, and other financial institutions, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-ibig Fund. The covered loans include salary, personal, housing, and motor vehicle loans, as well as credit card payments, falling due within the period of the enhanced community quarantine. Interests, penalties, fees or other charges will be waived, and persons with multiple loans shall also be given the minimum 30-day grace period for every loan. Go stressed that the authority granted to the President during this state of emergency is for a limited period only and is subject to restrictions as stated in the law and in the Constitution. "Hindi po ito maaabuso. Gagamitin lang po ito sa limited time... at kung kailangan po ay maaaring palawigin pa ito ng Kongreso. Pwede rin po itong bawiin ng Kongreso kung sakaling hindi na po kailangan."
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coming weeks will test how Americans respond to restrictions of their civil liberties. Surges in grocery store visits combined with elevating panic on social media and non-compliance with public health recommendations suggest that challenges are ahead. But, especially for those of us with homes and jobs, it isnt our own freedom of movement that we should be most concerned about.

More concerning restrictions on freedom of movement are those that affect some of the most vulnerable populations to the pandemic, such as asylum seekers held at our southern border and in detention centers across the United States, including in New Mexico. Many countries have already tightened or closed their borders to migrants fleeing realities far worse than the novel coronavirus. As a result, migrants are often forced to stay in small camps, where the risk for disease transmission rises with increased crowding. Likewise, an outbreak can spread quickly in detention centers, where detainees have few liberties and limited access to health care. Currently, ICE is ignoring recommendations to release immigrant detainees to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Paradoxically, it is probable that restrictions on freedom of movement led to this pandemic. The likely source of COVID-19 was animal markets in China, where the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic  also a coronavirus  similarly emerged. In these markets, animals are kept in small cages, piled on top of one another, and bought alive to be killed on the spot. The practice is not unique to China. Nor is the practice of confining mammals, birds and other animals for food production. In the United States, almost 10 billion animals are killed every year after being kept in confined animal feeding operations, also called factory farms. In 2009, the H1N1 virus, the so-called swine flu, most probably emerged as a result of pig confinement in the United States and Mexico. Factory farms are also responsible for environmental injustices against vulnerable people, including air, water and soil pollution.

Once we get through the current pandemic  and we will  we will have serious occasion to reevaluate how we treat the right to freedom of movement, including that of animals. Seen through a clear lens, the newest coronavirus is a symptom of our inattention to the biological link between basic liberties and health, and the indisputable connection between the welfare of people, animals and the planet. We should not miss this opportunity to look more deeply at the roots of symptoms such as COVID-19 or H1N1 in order to abate further disease and suffering.

As people across the country find themselves increasingly unable to travel amid the COVID-19 outbreaks occurring worldwide, now is the time for us to think critically about the links between basic human and animal rights and health outcomes. Medical and public health professionals, historians and scientists increasingly recognize these relationships, which are borne out in our communities and in our global market. Although we can each make a difference through individual choices, we also need policy change to help shift norms and everyday practice.

State and local health departments, national governments and international organizations like the World Health Organization can take this chance to fully embrace the importance of rights in their mission to include those that animals share with us. Some policymakers are already moving in this direction. China recently shut down the farming of wildlife, and Vietnams prime minister called for a similar ban. Closer to home, in 2019, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker unveiled legislation that would place a national moratorium on large factory farms that confine animals.

All of these measures would lead to health benefits for some of the most vulnerable people and animals, and they should be viewed as important first steps. Without increased attention to the relationship between basic rights and health  for everyone  one health crisis will continue to follow another.

Dr. Hope Ferdowsian is a medical expert for Physicians for Human Rights and president of the Phoenix Zones Initiative.
GREENWICH  More than 80 percent of parents and 85 percent of teachers in the Greenwich Public Schools prefer shortening spring break for students to include more days of distance learning, according to recent surveys.

This clear response led Board of Education Members to vote unanimously to make changes in spring break, a vote held Thursday night via a virtual meeting.

We dont often get surveys with such strong results in one direction, board member Christina Downey said. Its a good indicator of where the pulse is.

The board voted unanimously to make Easter a long weekend. Students will be take off Good Friday, April 10, and the following Monday, April 13.

The rest of that week  April 14 to April 17  will become days of distance learning.

All public schools are closed at least through April 20, per an order by Gov. Ned Lamont.

The Survey Monkey sent to parents from the district generated about 3,700 responses, Superintendent Toni Jones said  an overwhelming response rate, with 9,000 students in the Greenwich Public School District.

The Greenwich Education Association, the local teachers union, surveyed the teachers, who showed an even stronger preference for changing spring break.

The superintendent told parents in an email this week explaining the change.

There are concerns that breaking routines for a week when students must stay inside would not be beneficial, and could cause social distancing to be more challenging for our families and students, Jones wrote to parents. This issue is especially concerning now that school fields, parks and beaches are all closed.

While the Board of Education supported modifying the calendar, the state Department of Education has not clarified policies on reporting and recording attendance rates, Jones said.

About an hour before the Thursday meeting, which began at 7 p.m., Jones told the school board that she had received word from the office of Connecticuts Commissioner of Education, Miguel Cardona, that he hopes hope to weigh in on grades and attendance by April 20. This is the new last day of the extended school closure.

Also, Lamont, through an executive ordered signed Thursday, has suspended school testing assessments for the 2019-20 school year. Recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major disruption on schools, the order waives all annual student assessment test requirements for the current school year, said a statement from his office.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com
Is the coronavirus in Bible prophecy? Pastor David Jeremiah answers

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Popular pastor David Jeremiah weighed in on the question of whether COVID-19 is mentioned in biblical prophecy and stressed that no matter how devastating it gets, the coronavirus is not a big deal to God.

Is there a connection between COVID-19 and the End Times? Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, began in his Sunday sermon. Are we living in the last days before the return of Jesus Christ? Is all that is happening to us at this moment a sign that the world is coming to an end? How do we know if the coronavirus is a sign?

The founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries defined a biblical sign as an event or a symbol or an object or a place, or a person whose existence indicates something important on God's plan for the future.

Jesus said in the future there are going to be signs, he said, adding that Jesus also said no one knows the day or hour of His return.

If someone tells you they know when Jesus is coming back, you can tell them absolutely thats not possible, he said.

Jesus does identify six signs that let us know if were in that time, Jeremiah said, including deception by false Christs; disputes and warfare among nations; deliverance of believers to tribulation; the defection of false believers; and the declaration of the Gospel to the whole world.

Is this a sign of the Second Coming of Christ? I cannot say with any sense of certainty that it is. But neither can I say with any certainty that it is not. It could be the early evidence of number three on Jesus' sign list, the coming of pestilence, he said.

Jesus refers to what will happen at the end of the age as a pestilence (Luke 21:11).

Merriam Webster defines pestilence as a contagion or infectious epidemic that is virulent and devastating.

That's a pretty good description of what's going on right now, Jeremiah said.

Jesus said this pestilence would arrive like birth pains, he continued. This means that it will increase in frequency and intensity in the time leading up to His return. This means that as the end approaches, we should expect infectious disease outbreaks to occur more frequently, impact more people, and be more deadly. This is what the coronavirus threatens to do.

There are more than 451,300 diagnosed cases globally of COVID-19, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Some 20,500 have died worldwide and over 112,900 have recovered.

In the U.S., more than 60,100 people have been diagnosed with the virus and 827 people have died as of Wednesday afternoon.

The coronavirus is probably not the pestilence Jesus was referring to, Jeremiah clarified, as it does not perfectly qualify as a prophetic sign.

I could not stand here and say to you and have any confidence in saying that this is the fulfillment of number three on Jesus sign list of Matthew 24, he said. But it surely is a picture of it, isn't it? It surely does remind us that such signs exist, and such things will happen.

However, the virus is none-the-less a sign, he explained, adding, Not so much perhaps as a sign of the future but a sign for today. A reminder of things we too easily forget.

The coronavirus teaches us the vulnerability of everyone; the credibility of the Bible; the uncertainty of life; the scarcity of hope; and finally, the sufficiency of Jesus, the bestselling author said.

Jesus doesn't just overcome the event. He overcomes the environment where the event happens, he explained. In these challenging days, we cannot forget what Jesus told us in 2nd Corinthians 12:9, that His grace is sufficient for us. You will find that out during these days, if you haven't found it out already. The sufficiency of Jesus Christ for those who have put their trust in Him will be on display everywhere.

He concluded, How uncertain and how precious are our days? I hope we can all use some of this required quiet time to reflect on our lives and give thanks for Gods grace.

In an interview with Megan West of My Faith Votes on Monday, Jeremiah told listeners that amid anxiety and uncertainty, God is a breath away, adding, There arent any surprises for God. He didnt get surprised by any of this.

Jeremiah also stressed the importance of controlling what goes into ones mind. If you want to be depressed, if you want to be overwhelmed, you can do that by spending hours watching the reports, he said.

While its important to be informed, Jeremiah recommended listening to one condensed report a day instead of inundating oneself with negativity.

This is not the end of the world. Step back, take a deep breath, and get into the Word of God and be reminded that God is in control, he said.

When tempted to focus on the negative, the pastor recommended focusing instead on blessings. We can take a moment and count our blessings and ask God to hear our gratitude for all that He does for us, he said.

I want to encourage everybody to not let fear become a greater problem than the coronavirus, but trust God, he concluded. The coronavirus is not a big deal to God. Hes able to control this and take in, and were going to come through this better than we were when we came in. In the meantime, we have to be calm and ask Him to give us peace.
COUNTY ADOPTS STAY-AT-HOME ORDER

Henderson County commissioners on Friday adopted a stay-at-home order in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 and spare health care providers a potentially overwhelming wave of patients.

The order, effective at noon Saturday, limits gatherings to 10 people or fewer, places restrictions on nursing home visits and defines essential activities that allow travel outside the home. The 11-page "Supplemental Proclamation of Emergency" order is similar to measures adopted in Buncombe and other metro counties in North Carolina. Read the proclamation here.

Chairman Grady Hawkins suggested people think of the situation as similar to the March 1993 "Storm of the Century," a blizzard that shut down the county for a week. "Instead of having the snow out there, we've got this virus out there, so whatever you did in 1993 in terms of staying at home, you probably need to do now," he said.

Commissioner Charlie Messer questioned the order's effect on manufacturers, small business, restaurants and other parts of the economy already are unsure if they can "weather this storm."

Commissioner Michael Edney asked what effect a statewide stay-at-home order would have on the county. The county cannot enact rules less strict than what the governor orders, Burrell said.

Commissioner Rebecca McCall recommended sending out a letter to every resident "with the hard facts, the truth, what we've learned today, sharing with them what could happen and how important it is to stay home. It concerns me greatly that we're talking about putting people in jail because they made a wrong decison about leaving their home. I don't want to see us become a police state." She opposed the class II misdemeanor penalty for violation, a maximum $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. "I don't want them to feel like they're being overgoverned."

"We're going to use the least restrictive measures possible to enforce this order," Sheriff Lowell Griffin responded. "It does give the order some teeth but I guarantee you we're not going to be looking to apply it to people we come in contact with" unless they are willful repeat offenders.

At the suggestion of Commissioner Michael Edney, an attorney, commissioners added that officers would make a class II misdemeanor charge only if violations were "willful and intentional."

Commissioner Bill Lapsley responded to McCall's suggestion that instead of adopting the order commissioners could make a strong public appeal to stay home.

Without a document, "we're back to saying, 'Please do this,' and there's a certain element in every community to just laugh it off," he said. "I think the public has faith in us to say, OK, here's what need to do." Meeting more frequently, he said, commissioners can tweak the stay-at-home order if problems arise.

With Lapsley prepared to make a motion to adopt the order, Messer suggested a 10-minute recess to allow the sheriff, emergency managers and others to read the order. Chairman Hawkins agreed, and adjourned the meeting until 11:30 and directed staff to make copies and distribute them to high-ranking officials dealing with the crisis.

"I feel comfortable with it," Sheriff Lowell Griffin said after the break. "I think it's broad enough that if people will really understand it for what it is, it should not cause any pain." As great a problem now, he said, is panic and rumors, such as unfounded chatter that the National Guard is shutting down interstate highways and that grocers are running out of supplies. He endorsed the information letter and recommended that "we relate the seriousness of what we're facing but encourage folks to remain calm."

Because Henderson County is a retirement community, Emergency Services Director Jimmy Brissie said, it has many nursing home facilities. Many of them have adopted restrictions stronger than the ones in the order, he said.

In the opening section  findings  the order says that areas fighting a heavy outbreak of COVID-19 are experiencing a "severe shortage of medical facilities, equipment, supplies and personnel, and there is an urgent need to prevent or alleviate such a shortage in Henderson County." The order is needed to slow the rate of the disease spread.

The order limits visits to residents of nursing homes and life care facilities. It allows a fairly broad range of essential activities including grocery shopping, takeout restaurant meals, caring for family members and public health and human services work. It requires businesses not deemed essential "to cease all activities" and to conduct "minimum basic operations" by working from home. Essential businesses include "essential critical infrastructure workforce" employers, groceries, convenience stores, farmers markets, health care facilities, news media, gas stations, banks, hardware stores and big box suppliers, post office and delivery services, restaurants for off-premise consumption, residential shelters, child care facilities, hotels and funeral homes.

The meeting opened with Pardee UNC Health Jay Kirby updating the Board of Commissioners on what the hospital is experiencing and what experts expect.

Here are highlights:

The state of North Carolina had 500 cases and 630 today.

Pardee expects as many as 500 hospitalizations in the coming weeks of patients with COVID-19.

In Kirby's "personal opinion," Henderson County will see the peak in late May, early June.

Pardee has 18 ventilators, Advent has six. Dogwood Trust bought 20-30 and has them stored for use when needed. Pardee will need many more, Kirby said; 18 "is woefully under what we need."

The number of Henderson County-attributed cases is up to 11, counting people from here who tested positive elsewhere, such as at Mission.

On top of the medical crisis, with a payroll of $650,000/day, Pardee is under huge financial pressure. Revenue from patient visits is down overall. The emergency relief bill the Senate passed this week will help but won't be enough.

Pardee has doctors and nurses that will rise to the challenge, with some, such as ER physicians and pulmonologist, may be oveerwhelmed. The hospital is working now on plans to reassign primary care physicians to emergency medicine at four "ports of entry," the hospital ER and and three urgent care clinics.

It's not clear whether warm weather will cause COVID-19 to subside.

Health Director Steve Smith said around 340 tests have been conducted countywide, with about 140 awaiting results, and eight positive cases. "We're not out of test kits" but the tests are prioritized, not widely available in a setting like the drive-thru site at BRCC. There is a lot of demand but use of the test depends on a patient's symptoms. A large percentage of people that catch COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, Smith said.

Commissioners thanked the community's medical professionals.

Commissioner Bill Lapsley said commissioners among themselves have been talking for weeks about the situation and what measures the county needs to take. "We all agree the public has a right to know what we know and what we've been told," he said. "For me personally this has been a pretty humbling experience. I don't know that I ever anticipated by signing up for this that we would be elected to deal with this sort of thing. This is humbling stuff we're talking about here."

In the early weeks, he said, people thought "we'd get one, we'd get two." As the number of cases climb, it became clear that "unless we do something to slow down people's contact this thing's going to grow exponentially."

Banning large groups was the first step. Then, as they saw the projected number of patients also climbed, the situation again grew more urgent, Lapsley said. Then we hear this morning that it's now jumped to 10 or 12," he said. "Instead of doubling every week, it's going to double every 5 days and then double every 2 days. So that becomes concerns I think for all of us."

With a large number of patients needing ventilators. "If we don't have enough ventilators to handle the people in the hospital we've got a serious situation. Our communty puts the medical staff in a pretty awkward situation to have more paitents than they have the ability to treat."

That leaves "the tough decision" on the table for commissioners. "So what can we do about it?" Lapsley said. The experts told commissioners that "we can't stop it, it's not going to go to zero." Numbers change every day and could change dramatically tomorrow. The ex are telling us we're gong to have a problem and the best that we can do as a communiyt that this board can do is take another step in encourage people in the community to stay home. The more we can get people to stay home, the statistics tell us, the number of patients is going to go down. If we do nothing, just sit here and keep our fingers crossed, I don't think that's being responsible elected officials. That's what the public wants us to do, make these tough decisions.

"The bottom line I think is we have an obligation to take whatever steps are most appropriate to deal with what we know," he said, and that is to amend the county's emergency order to require more stay at home guidance.

Chairman Grady Hawkins said "whether you call it shelter in place, call it quarantine, stay at home, that means to limit as much as humamly possible to limit personal contact with people in the county. That means stay at home. If we can slow the spread of virus we can lower the number of people Jay Kirby's got to take care of. If we can do that, we can save lives."

"It's not an area where you can just assume this is not happening or it cn't happen to you. We're looking to save lives."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 00:12:16|Editor: yhy

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Nearly two tons of medical supplies from China were successfully handed over to Pakistan on Friday at the Khunjerab pass in north Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region to help the country fight COVID-19, according to the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan.

The medical supplies including ventilators, face masks, protective clothes and testing kits were donated by the government of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said the embassy, adding that the total value of the supplies is 2.778 million yuan (about 391,500 U.S. dollars).

The border crossing between the two countries at Khunjerab only opens from April 1 to Nov. 30 every year due to extreme weather conditions. To ensure the rapid customs clearance of medical supplies, Xinjiang temporarily opened the pass and provided a green channel to release medical supplies.

The embassy said that both sides braved the cold weather to clear the roads and made good preparations for the delivery, adding that the Chinese government is scheduled to send a medical team and provide more medical supplies to Pakistan soon.

According to the latest data released by the health ministry of Pakistan, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country rose to 1,296 on Friday.
The Trump administration unsealed criminal charges Thursday against senior officials of the government of Venezuela, including President Nicolas Maduro, accusing them of taking a leading role in the country's illegal drug trafficking.

Maduro "helped manage and ultimately lead" a criminal organization known as the Cartel of the Suns, according to an indictment that was made public Thursday. Under his leadership, the cartel "sought not only to enrich its members and enhance their power, but also to flood the United States with cocaine and inflict the drug's harmful and addictive effects on users in this country," according to the indictment.

The indictment, filed in federal court in New York City, said Maduro and other cartel members "prioritized using cocaine as a weapon against America and importing as much cocaine as possible into the United States."

The charges marked a new low in U.S. relations with Venezuela, which have been deteriorating since 1999, when Hugo Chavez, Maduro's predecessor, became president. He villainized the U.S. and other countries he accused of taking advantage of Venezuela.

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics

The U.S. and Maduro have long been at odds over the country's extensive corruption. The Trump administration backed a leader of the opposition, Juan Guaido, instead of Maduro. The U.S. is among more than 50 countries that have refused to recognize Maduro as head of state.

The criminal charges said Maduro personally negotiated multi-ton shipments of cocaine and coordinated relations with Honduras and other countries to facilitate the illegal drug trade.

During a news conference that was streamed online, Attorney General William Barr said the Maduro regime is allowing members of the FARC guerrilla movement, which the U.S. identifies as a terrorist organization, "to use Venezuela as a safe haven from which they can continue to conduct their cocaine trafficking." He said the group flies or ships up to 250 metric tons to the U.S. each year, which amounts to 30 million lethal doses.

Story continues

Federal prosecutors also unsealed criminal charges against 13 other current and former Venezuelan officials, including the president of the National Constituent Assembly, the chief justice of the supreme court, the defense minister and the former director of the military intelligence agency.

"Maduro is currently in Venezuela, but he may travel outside of Venezuela," said Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, which would give the U.S. the chance to arrest him. The State Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information that leads to his arrest and conviction.

Maduro denounced the charges in a tweet. "As the head of the state, I have an obligation to defend the peace and stability of the entire country, whatever circumstances are presented."
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that the 21-day lockdown will devastate the poor and weak even as he sought a compassionate approach to deal with the crisis amid reports of alleged police atrocities on those violating the restrictions.

The lockdown will devastate our poor and weak. It will deliver a heavy blow to the India we love. India isnt black and white. Our decisions have to be carefully thought through. A more nuanced and compassionate approach is required to deal with this crisis. Its still not too late, Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress, on its official twitter handle, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, alleging it had imposed lockdown without proper planning and is also unable to control the reverse migration.

The remarks come in the wake of reports that hundreds of people stranded in cities have been forced to take a long walk home without food and shelter due to the government lockdown.

BJPs lack of planning has rendered tens of thousands of people hungry and homeless. The government should have come out with a targeted plan to help them before implementing nationwide lockdown, it said.

Suspended transport, disrupted supply chains, misinformation to the police and active racism, such is the outcome of a #LockdownWithoutPlan, the party said in another tweet.

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted: If Air India can be deployed, rightly, to evacuate Indians stranded abroad why cant the government deploy special buses/planes to rescue daily wagers who are now walking a distance of 250-300kms to reach home? Govt must ensure safe relocation-48 crore work force needs help #COVID-19.

The Congress also alleged that the government wasted time in preparation when the first alarm was raised by Rahul Gandhi as early as on February 12.

Rahul Gandhi also wrote a letter to union human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to seek safety of students of Nainitals Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya who are currently staying in hostels there.

In light of the national lockdown, a significant number of students staying in hostels and other residential facilities of schools and institutions of higher education have been unable to go home. I have received several requests from parents to ensure the well-being of their children staying in residential facilities, he wrote.

Rahul Gandhi said 20 students from his Lok Sabha constituency Wayanad are studying in Nainitals Navodaya Vidyalaya.

I have spoken to the Principal and was reassured that all measures for their well-being are being taken. Adequate precautionary measures should be adopted, and institutions must ensure proper access to medical facilities, he said.

His mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi also pledged all her MPLAD funds for combating coronavirus in her Lok Sabha constituency Rae Bareli.

In a letter to the Rae Bareli district magistrate, she authorised him to draw as much funds required in dealing with the situation and provide sanitizers, masks and medicines to the people of her constituency.

I appeal to the district administration to distribute masks and sanitizers to the people and give extra care to daily wagers and the elderly, she wrote.

Her daughter and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also sent a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, reaffirming her partys support to the government in fighting the pandemic.

In her three-page letter, she said the government should provide relief to labourers, vendors, destitute, widows and others who have been deeply affected by the lockdown.

Priyanka Gandhi also requested the state government to ensure that labourers who are coming to Uttar Pradesh as reverse migration should be given facilities to reach their homes safely.

She also urged the government to start a helpline for displaced labourers so that they can contact the officials concerned.

On Thursday, the Congress asked its workers to make food and medicines available to the people facing difficulties. The party also urged its Members of Parliament (MPs) to make sincere initiatives and contribute from their MPLAD funds in constituencies to equip hospitals as well as health centres to address the current crisis.

In a letter to all MPs and state unit chiefs, Congress general secretary in-charge of organization KC Venugopal said legislators in different states should take similar initiatives in their respective assemblies.

He also asked the state units to ensure the benefits of welfare schemes from both the Centre and state governments reach the people in need.

In this critical time, it is incumbent upon us to ensure the availability of food and medicines to the people who will face difficulties during the lockdown. Urgent measures are needed to distribute food and medicine kits to the deprived people on behalf of our party, he said.

Venugopal said distribution of food kits should be done adhering to the social distance protocols as demanded by health experts and huge gatherings should be avoided at any cost.
Bhqsf.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 18 Apr 2019, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the bhqsf homepage on Twitter + the total number of bhqsf followers (if bhqsf has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the bhqsf homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if bhqsf has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the bhqsf homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the bhqsf homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the bhqsf homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE S2K Sales Force Login DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS login, javascript, s2k sales force login, s2k sales force, sales force login, s2k sales, sales force



The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.29 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.29 OpenSSL/1.0.1j DAV/2 (Servlet/3.0) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of bhqsf.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for bhqsf.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida police force has partnered with a special task force in hopes of uncovering new evidence in the missing persons case of a 3-year-old boy who disappeared in 1968.

The Florida Times-Union calls the search for Jonathan Jon Jon Hagans the oldest missing persons case in the state. The little boy went missing while on a family trip with his family to Jacksonville beach on June 11, 1968.

The Jacksonville Beach Police Department has partnered with Bringing the Lost Home Task Force to help solve the mystery. And, the newspaper reported, the case has special meaning to the Tallahassee Police Department and others in the capital city. Recently, the police agencys Special Victims Unit welcomed to the force Jon Jon, a bloodhound puppy named after the missing boy.

The childs younger brother, Joel Hagans, is a member of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors, He wanted to help Tallahassee get a scent K9 to help other families find their missing loved ones.

Investigators initially though Jon Jon drowned. Now that the case has been reopened, investigators will review the case file and theories around his disappearance.

A team of Florida investigators and scent evidence specialists will be working with Jacksonville police.

Since everyone is home now, its a good opportunity for our people to think and look to help this family out, said Paul Coley, a former FBI Canine Operations Specialist and founder of Scent Evidence K9.

Also assisting in the investigation are David Merrick, Florida State University Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Wayne North, Overwatch Risk Solutions consultant, Roger Strecker, Ternion Risk Management CEO, and Paul Martin, a forensic archaeologist and human remains detection specialized K9 training owner.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-26 14:56:51|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on March 23, 2020 shows the venue of an online meeting on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control among representatives from China and Latin American and Caribbean countries in San Salvador, El Salvador. A timely-held meeting at a critical moment for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against the quickly-spreading novel coronavirus has won widespread praise and appreciation among the local people. On Monday evening, representatives from China and Latin American and Caribbean countries held the meeting online on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, which lasted over three hours.(Photo by Alexander Pena/Xinhua)

by Xinhua writers Cui Yuanlei, Zhao Kai, Jiang Yan

MEXICO CITY, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A timely-held meeting at a critical moment for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against the quickly-spreading novel coronavirus has won widespread praise and appreciation among the local people.

On Monday evening, representatives from China and Latin American and Caribbean countries held the meeting online on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, which lasted over three hours.

Chinese experts talked in detail about the virus' characteristics and Chinese experience in disease control, clinical treatment and community-based quarantine while giving thorough answers to questions raised by their foreign counterparts.

The video conference was held with a focus to backstop the efforts of Latin America, a region home to about 650 million people, to confront the pandemic.

It reflected the principle of putting people's health and safety as the top priority, which has guided China in taking effective measures to curb the spread of the virus and is still applicable in Latin America at this crucial time.

According to latest figures, by Wednesday, over 7,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in the region and more than 120 people have died.

The joint efforts between China and Latin American countries in combating COVID-19 are important to the region, which has a relatively fragile health system, already stretched thin in dealing with growing cases.

Such efforts have highlighted that the proposal to build a China-Latin American community with a shared future bears more significance now as human beings are facing a common enemy which knows no borders or races.

China has encountered and dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak and accumulated valuable experience.

The international community has already arrived at a consensus that China made enormous sacrifices in the fight against the contagious disease and bought precious time for the world, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in a phone conversation with his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro.

Moreover, China has also been sharing the experience with the world without reservation and this video conference is just a snapshot of it.

Latin American officials and experts at the conference spoke highly of China's effective measures to contain the virus, saying they would like to draw on China's experience in their own battle.

During a visit to Latin America in 2016, Xi compared the shared future between China and Latin America to a giant ship.

Through coordinated efforts and concerted action, China and Latin America will surely win the battle against COVID-19, and after navigating through the temporary winds and waves, the giant ship will sail more steadily toward a more promising future.
Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie Adkins, a Special Operations legend and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his "above and beyond" valor in Vietnam, has been listed in critical condition with coronavirus, his foundation announced Thursday.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has hit home. Bennie has been hospitalized and is critically ill with COVID-19 respiratory failure. We ask for your thoughts and prayers," the Bennie Adkins Foundation, which provides scholarships to troops, said in a Facebook post.

The tightly knit community of 70 living MOH recipients immediately rallied in support of the 86-year-old Adkins, who received the medal from President Barack Obama in 2014 for his actions 48 years earlier in brutal combat in Vietnam's forbidding A Shau valley.

Related: 41-Year-Old Medal of Honor Hero Now Faces Fight on New Battlefield

"I'd ask everyone to send a prayer for him and his family," said former Army Staff Sgt. Ron Shurer, who received the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump in 2018 for his life-saving actions in 2008 as a medic in Afghanistan's Shok valley.

"He's one hell of a warrior and will face this foe fiercely like he has all in his past," Shurer, who is himself battling cancer, said on Instagram.

Adkins' son, Keith, told the Opelika-Auburn News in Alabama that his father was recently admitted to the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Adkins' hometown.

"We're very appreciative of the prayers and support from people, frankly, from around the country. We're hopeful for the best, but realistic as well," Keith Adkins said. "We're very grateful for the doctors and staff and everyone at EAMC for the job they're doing."

Adkins is believed to be the first MOH recipient to be diagnosed with the virus that has spread worldwide, with the most confirmed cases being reported in the U.S.

In a 2018 interview with Military.com, the plainspoken and outgoing Adkins, originally from Waurika, Oklahoma, went into detail on how a sawed-off shotgun and a tiger helped him survive against the North Vietnamese in a three-day battle on the second of his three tours in Vietnam.

"The tiger kinda' helped" in scaring off the enemy, Adkins said.

First, though, he had wanted to talk about his foundation, which provides scholarships to transitioning Special Operations troops.

"Looks like this year we'll probably do 25 scholarships," he said.

In March 1966, Adkins said he had just been put into an administrative position in Danang when his sergeant major approached.

"We just had a man in the A Shau hit, and we have to send you out there," he recalled the sergeant major saying.

"So I didn't get to do any of that rear-echelon stuff."

He joined two officers and 10 enlisted troops from the Fifth Special Forces Group at Camp A Shau, in the triple-canopy valley that ran west from Hue city to the Ho Chi Minh trail.

In addition, "they had the worst of the Vietnamese Special Forces in there and the CIDG" -- the Civilian Irregular Defense Group of paramilitaries, Adkins said.

At about 2 a.m. on March 9, 1966, "they hit us," Adkins said. "They laid down some mortar, 82 and 120 mortars on us initially. Then mass assaults."

Adkins fought back from his own 81mm mortar position, and "then it got down to individual weapons and hand grenade fighting," he said.

One of Adkins' individual weapons was a sawed-off shotgun. So many years later, Adkins still wasn't quite sure how that weapon squared with the Geneva Conventions, but "I did use it, I did, and a lot of hand grenades."

After 38 hours, the order to evacuate was given, but Adkins fought on for another two days.

At one point, the North Vietnamese had his unit surrounded at night.

"We started hearing a noise and then we could see the eyes -- about a 400-pound Indonesian tiger was stalking us that night."

The enemy was even more concerned than they were.

"The North Vietnamese soldiers -- they backed away from us and gave us room and we were able to get away," he said.

His medal citation stated that:

"During the thirty-eight-hour battle and forty-eight hours of escape and evasion, fighting with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades, it was estimated that Sergeant First Class Adkins killed between 135 and 175 of the enemy while sustaining eighteen different wounds to his body."

Adkins was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in the A Shau. During his three tours in Vietnam, he also earned two Bronze Stars with Combat "V" device and three Purple Hearts.

Forty-eight years later, Obama approved the upgrade of Adkins' DSC to the Medal of Honor.

"I have to be honest," Obama said at the White House ceremony. "Bennie performed so many acts of bravery, we actually don't have time to list them all. Bennie ran into enemy fire again and again."

Adkins retired from the military in 1978. He earned a college degree and two masters degrees from Troy State University and ran his own accounting firm before heading the Bennie G. Adkins Foundation.

Adkins stressed that proceeds from his book, "A Tiger Among Us: A Story of Valor in Vietnam's A Shau Valley, "is not for me. The funding is for doing scholarships."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Read More: DoD Announces New Hardship Pay for Troops in Quarantine
Warm and humid climate linked to COVID-19 transmission?

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: A warm and humid weather is linked to slower spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a study which suggests that Asian countries experiencing monsoon may experience lesser transmission of the virus.

The scientists, including Qasim Bukhari from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, assessed data on the number of COVID-19 infections in different parts of the world and compared it with two parameters of weather from all the regions -- temperature and humidity.

The findings, described in SSRN repository, show that 90 per cent of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, transmissions until March 22, 2020 have occurred in regions with temperature between 3 and 17 degrees Celsius.

They added that these regions also had between 4 to 9 gram per cubic metre (g/m3) of absolute humidity -- a measure of the amount of water vapour per cubic metre of atmosphere.

Relative stable trend in coronavirus infection rate says Govt

According to the MIT scientists, the total number of cases in countries with mean temperature greater than 18 degree Celsius and absolute humidity more than 9 g/m3 in January-February-early March is less than 6 per cent.

Based on their analysis, the scientists noted that Asian countries experiencing monsoon may see a slowdown in transmission as absolute humidity is generally above 10g/m3 during monsoon.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

"Within the US, the outbreak also shows a north-south divide. Northern (cooler) states have much higher growth rates compared to southern (warmer) states. The spread of 2019-nCoV has been limited in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona," they reported in the study.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

Even in California, which spans a large climatic zone, the scientists said, the number of cases is double in the northern part of the state than in its south.

"Within the US, Oregon and Louisiana are two outliers, with Oregon having less than 200 cases even though it is straddled between the hotspots of California and Washington and Louisiana having approximately 1,000 cases by March 22 2020, even though it is relatively warm and humid," the researchers said.

They said the overall growth rate is lower in many parts of Asia, Middle eastern, and South American countries even though the countries in these regions have not implemented drastic quarantine measures such as those in China, Europe and some US states.

While it could be argued that there may be lower number of testings such as in India, Pakistan, Indonesia and African countries, the researchers said, many countries like Singapore, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, have performed more 2019-nCoV tests per million people than US, Italy, and several European countries.

Italy reports 6,153 new coronavirus infections, taking global total over 500,000

Based on this observation, they suggested that non-testing is not an issue at least for the countries listed above, and that many of these countries are also global travel hubs with thousands of people entering and exiting the country everyday.

Citing these factors, the researchers argued that factors other than mobility and quarantining might play an important role in slowing the transmission of the virus.

"With more than 10,000 cases being reported in regions with mean temperature above 18 degree Celsius after March 15, the role of warmer temperature in slowing the spread of the 2019-nCoV as suggested previously, might only be observed, if at all, at much higher temperatures," the scientists wrote in the study.

However, the scientists cautioned that there are several unknowns in the data currently used to arrive at the conclusion.

"Our conclusions are based on currently available data with several unknowns including how the virus is mutating and evolving, case fertility ratio, reproductive numbers and direct versus indirect transmissions," they said.

The researchers also emphasised that the results "in no way suggest that 2019-nCoV would not spread in warm humid regions."

They said effective public health interventions should be implemented across the world to slow down the transmission of 2019-nCoV.
Maharashtra cop breaks into song to convince people to stay at home

We have built a concoction of cytokines which can be injected to reactivate immune system in coronavirus patients, says Bengaluru based oncologist

The total number of people around the world who tested coronavirus positive has surged past 500,000, and topping the list is United States, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

The Covid-19 global outbreak has wreaked havoc on economies and established routines of life. Worldwide, the death toll climbed past 24,000, according to reports.

In India, total number of positive coronavirus cases on Friday climbed to 724 with death toll rising to 17. In order to combat the spread of coronavirus, India went on a lockdown starting Wednesday, while day 1 saw a lot hustle and cries on the streets as people rushed to get the supplies, day 2 functioned quite smoothly with people figuring out that most essential products and services will be available and Indian governments doing their bit to tackle pressing concerns.
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

A 17-year-old Southern California boy who tested positive for coronavirus and died this week didn't have health insurance and was denied care at an urgent care center, according to the mayor of Lancaster.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris confirmed the boy's death in a YouTube video posted Wednesday and said the urgent care facility referred him to the local public hospital. Hospitals cannot refuse treatment over payment in their emergency departments.

"En route to AV Hospital, he went into cardiac arrest," the mayor said. "They were able to revive him and keep him alive for about six hours. But by the time he got there, it was too late."

Parris emphasized the need to practice social distancing and keep kids and teenagers home. He said the incident is a reminder that once a coronavirus patient goes into respiratory issues and has trouble breathing and a fever, it's important to call a doctor immediately.

"He'd been sick for a few days. He had no previous health conditions," the mayor said. "The Friday before he died, he was healthy. He was socializing with his friends. By Wednesday, he was dead."

Health officials have gone back and forth on whether the boy died of COVID-19 complications and Parris said the video was meant to clear up the information.

Los Angeles County health officials said Wednesday that they no longer are including a 17-year-old boy in the tally of coronavirus deaths until they do more to determine his precise cause of death.

The countys public health director, Barbara Ferrer, said shes asked the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the death of the teen from the Mojave Desert city of Lancaster. The county has tallied 799 residents who have tested positive.

While the child did test positive for the coronavirus, there were "extenuating circumstances that pointed to an alternative diagnosis as well," she said.

Ferrer announced the death of the youth during a briefing Tuesday.

Parris said later Tuesday that the boy had been hospitalized with respiratory problems and died from septic shock, a reaction to a widespread infection that can cause dangerously low blood pressure and organ failure.

The mayor said the boys father also has coronavirus and worked in a job where he had close contact with the public.

Parris added that the boy may have had long-term health problems in the past but was healthy recently. He said he doesn't doubt that the teen died from complications of COVID-19.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday chided county officials for the backtrack. "We all have been reminded in this moment its not just speed, its accuracy that must be front and center," Newsom said.

A report last week by the CDC found no coronavirus deaths in the U.S. among people 19 and under. That age group accounted for less than 3% of all hospitalizations.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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.
A woman faces criminal charges after police claimed that she deliberately coughed on $35,000 worth of food at a grocery store in Pennsylvania amidst novel coronavirus scare.

Upon entering the grocery store, the unnamed woman started coughing on produce, meat, bakery items, and merchandise as co-owner of Gerrity's Supermarket, Joe Fasula posted the incident on Facebook.

With cough as one of the primary ways to transmit the virus, Police Chief Albert Walker shared that the staff of Gerrity's quickly removed her from the store and reported the incident to the authority and hours later she found herself in the custody of the Hanover Township Police.

Once her mental health treatment is concluded, Hanover Township police will file criminal charges against her after intentionally contaminating the food.

Fasula also shared that the officials do not believe she is infected with coronavirus however they will secure that she will be tested.

Read also: COVID-19 Patient Zero Might Be Discovered Soon



Not taking any chances of getting infected by the virus and to ensure the safety of their customers, Fasula mentioned that they threw out every item she came into contact with as they worked with the local health inspector to investigate and disinfect the areas she might possible contaminated.

Disappointed by the incident, Fasula stressed that it is always a shame when food is wasted and even more disturbing at these times when so many people are worried about the security of the food supply, after the store disposed $35,000 worth of supplies.

Terrorism charges may be filed to people who threaten to spread the virus

Intentionally spreading novel coronavirus could lead to terrorism charges as the Department of Justice affirmed it, Wednesday.

Taking the threats seriously, officials across the states are stopping every possible coronavirus scare that could happen, earlier this week, a man in New Jersey was charged with making 'terroristic threats' after police said he purposely coughed on a grocery store employee.

A 26-year-old man in Missouri was charged with making a terrorist threat after he was filmed licking sticks of deodorant and saying who's scared of coronavirus at a Walmart in early March.

Immature, tasteless and impulsive as described by the man's attorney, he claimed that the act happened before WHO or World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic and it should not work retroactively, converting an immature act to the criminal terrorist threat, emphasized by the lawyer.

The virus meets the criteria for a 'biological agent' and threatening to spread it or use COVID-19 as a weapon against Americans could constitute a terrorist threat, according to the memo of the Justice Department.

Grocery stores remain open amid pandemic

Deemed as essential businesses under the state's stay-at-home orders, stores like Gerrity's are one of the few public places residents can visit during the pandemic.

With the spike of customers visiting groceries, the store's management ensures the customers' safety by making sure to disinfect stores after closing, restocking supplies that sell out quickly, installing security cameras and hiring private guards to manage crowded aisles and jammed parking area.

Despite the incident in Gerrity's, Fasula shared that the only silver lining in the unfortunate incident is the opportunity to test their protocols and demonstrate how seriously they take safety and their employees' strict safety measures.

Related article: Syria Braces for COVID-19 Outbreak Following Almost a Decade of War

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Odisha government on Friday asked people to refrain from visiting a private hospital here and directed it to isolate all its staff, including doctors, who came in contact with a patient after he was found to be COVID-19 positive.

The 60-year-old man, who was detected as Odishas third COVID-19 patient on Thursday night, does not have overseas travel history and he had come here by a flight from New Delhi on March 10, a senior official said.

The man had gone to Delhi on March 7 and during his stay there, he had also visited Rewari in Haryana, the state governments chief spokesperson on COVID-19, Subroto Bagchi, said.

He returned to Bhubaneswar on a flight along with his wife and daughter, he said.

On March 13, he became unwell and on March 16 he went to Assembly dispensary and subsequently visited the private hospitals OPD on March 21, Bagchi said, adding that on March 23 he was admitted to the ICU of the hospital with pneumonia and discharged on March 24.

On the same day he went to the Capital Hospital was admitted there on March 25.

His sample was sent for testing and it came back as positive for coronavirus on the night of March 26, Bagchi said.

A senior official of the Health and Family Welfare department said that the management of the hospital has been asked to take all possible measures --isolate the doctors, nurses and all those who had attended the patient.

A massive exercise is in progress to identify the people who had met him and come in contact with him, Bagchi said, adding that all those people must remain in isolation.

The Health and Family Welfare Department will soon send fresh guidelines to all doctors, clinics and hospitals which must be strictly followed, he said.

The department also expressed its displeasure over how the private clinic handled the sensitive case.

In spite of repeated advisory, some private healthcare facilities are not complying with the COVID 19 Regulations. Government urges them to act responsibly and follow the Regulations while treating patients with flu-like symptoms. Non-compliance shall be viewed seriously, it in a tweet.

Official sources said at least 10 teams are now engaged to trace all those who might have come in contact with the third COVID-19 patient, a resident of Bhubaneswar.

They have been instructed to find out all the people who came in contact with the man, who tested positive after 17 days of initial symptoms.

They said the second COVID-19 positive case, a 19- year-old man, who returned from London, had come in contact with at least 55 persons.

In the latest case, the man had not been to any foreign country, but likely to have been infected during his visit to Delhi or on the way back to Bhubaneswar.

Therefore, the number of contacts of the third patient could be much more, an official said.

Stating that the state is passing through a very sensitive period, Bagchi said the state government has already made it clear that the more than 78,000 migrant workers who returned from other states, badly hit by COVID-19, must be placed under isolation for 14 days.

Referring to the latest case, he said, people ought to observe maximum precautions and act responsibly to prevent the deadly disease from becoming an epidemic in the state.

"If you have travelled by the same flight, went to the same clinic or have been to the Assembly dispensary, then get yourself quarantined and contact helpline number 104," he said.

We all should cooperate with the government and others, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The association representing the state's 2400 barristers has called on the Berejiklian government to provide a financial assistance package, including rent relief, as members face a sharp decline in work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Bar Association president Tim Game, SC, wrote to NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman on Friday and said barristers were "seeking to take all steps available to them to continue practising", including appearing in some courts where "limited amenities and reduced cleaning" left them at potential risk.

The NSW Bar Association says its members are facing financial distress as work declines during the coronavirus pandemic. Credit:Peter Rae

But barristers were facing a drop in work as courts postponed hearings in a number of matters in response to the pandemic, and Mr Game said "many of our members are confronting present or imminent financial difficulties".

He urged the NSW government to extend business stimulus packages and concessions for sole traders to barristers, who are also sole traders, and to provide relief from paying rent and protection from eviction.
Three fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported from Bihar in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of those who have tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19 to nine, the health department said on Friday.

According to Pradip Das, Director of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute here, an ICMR centre, test reports of two staff members of a private hospital in the city, where a coronavirus patient was admitted last week before being shifted to AIIMS-Patna where he died, have been positive.

Besides, another patient admitted to the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) here hailing from Siwan, has tested positive, he added.

Health department sources said the patient had recently returned to Siwan from Dubai.

The infected private hospital staff members, who are also at NMCH, worked at a health care facility in Khemnichak locality where a 38-year-old man from Munger suffering from renal problems was admitted last week and referred to AIIMS- Patna subsequently.

The man had returned from Qatar and his samples were sent for testing to the AIIMS when he developed respiratory problems. His family members told the hospital authorities about his travel history.

He died on Saturday, a day before his test reports came in, confirming that he was suffering from COVID 19.

The private hospital has been sealed by district health authorities and samples of 13 of its staff members have been sent for testing so far while efforts are on to trace all those who might have come in contact with the deceased patient.

Two persons, a woman in her 40s and a 12-year-old boy, who lived in a house adjacent to the residence of the deceased at Munger, tested positive on Thursday and were rushed to a hospital in Bhagalpur.

Earlier, a middle-aged woman whose son had travelled to Europe tested positive on Sunday last and is admitted to AIIMS, Patna. A day later, a young man who had travelled to Scotland and admitted to NMCH, had tested positive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo: BC Gov't Premier John Horgan

The British Columbia government is expected to release its modelling information on COVID-19 today.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the report will be an indicator of how many people may become infected with the virus.

Dix says they'll also reveal how the province has been preparing for what could be the worst-case scenario in comparison to outbreaks in China and Italy.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the next few days will tell if the rules around social distancing have helped to slow the spread of the virus.

She says self-isolation and social distancing are the best buffers and act like a firebreak or firewall.

There have been 14 deaths and 725 people have tested positive for the virus in B.C.
David Walliams and Matt Lucas at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in 2008. (AP Photo/ Matt Sayles)

Matt Lucas has revealed that Little Britain is likely to return.

The hit BBC sitcom ended in 2008 after four series but there has long been talk of a possible comeback.

And Lucas has now confirmed that he and co-star David Walliams have been talking about it and that the comedy may return in some form.

Read more: Matt Lucas heartbroken as he loses dog to cancer

Chatting to Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, he also said the pair had had discussions with Netflix about reviving the programme.

"It might happen, he said.

We had a conversation with them a while ago so the seed was planted in our heads.

Matt Lucas and David Walliams perform at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London in 2005 (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

"We'd love to bring it back in some way at some point.

We're both quite busy boys but we're speaking often (to each other) and one idea was to maybe do a stage show of it again...

Lucas, 46, went on: "We don't know. It may come back. I think it will come back in some form. We're just still figuring out what that will be."

Read more: Piers Morgan calls David Walliams a snivelling toady

Earlier this year, Walliams, 48, suggested that if he and Lucas made more Little Britain it might be more woke.

The original series featured characters such as Ting Tong the Thai mail order bride, wheelchair-user Andy, who was faking his disability, cross-dressing ladies Emily and Florence, Daffyd the only gay in the village and Lucas in black make-up as a Mr T look-alike.

David Walliams (right) and Matt Lucas in a special Comic Relief performance of the Little Britain stage show.

Walliams told The Sun he thought the series would return and said: Youd definitely do it differently because its a different time. Theres all kinds of tolerances that change.

Little Britain began as a radio show on BBC Radio 4 in 2000 and moved to TV in 2003. It ran for four series and five specials, as well as spawning two seasons of spin-off Little Britain USA and two live tours.
Bauchi state government has confirmed the second case of COVID-19 in the state.

The state Commissioner of Health, Dr Aliyu Maigoro Mohammed, confirmed this to newsmen saying that the second case is a 62-year-old friend of the Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, who has since tested positive for the virus.

The Commissioner disclosed that so far 45 blood samples have been taken to Abuja for testing and 39 of the samples have been confirmed negative expressing confidence that the remaining cases too will come out negative.

Bauchi state governor tested positive to the virus on Tuesday March 24th, after close contact with Atiku Abubakars son.
Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have reportedly shifted out of Canada permanently with their 10-month-old son Archie and set up their new base in Los Angeles, California.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped back as frontline royals earlier this year, plan to settle in the US and have entered self-isolation in a secluded compound near Hollywood.

They are believed to have used a private jet to fly out of Canada ahead of a complete border lockdown as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good," a source told 'The Sun' newspaper.

"The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out," the source said.

The couple, who will formally cease to represent Queen Elizabeth II from April 1 as part of a 12-month transition period agreed with Buckingham Palace, had been living in a mansion in Vancouver since their last formal UK visit earlier this month. The newspaper quoted the source as saying that their move out to California was planned for some time.

"They realised Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area. They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria," the source said.

Meanwhile, Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, have used their social media accounts to send messages of support amid the pandemic.

"These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other during a time that can honestly feel quite scary," read one post.

In another, they paid tribute to "brave and dedicated" healthcare professionals and frontline workers for "risking their own well-being to care for the sick and fight COVID-19".

The of their departure from Canada comes days after it was announced that Harry's father Prince Charles had tested positive for the deadly coronavirus but had mild symptoms and remained in "good health".

The 71-year-old heir to the British throne has been self-isolating in Scotland, while his 93-year-old mother - Queen Elizabeth II - is in isolation in Windsor Castle. It is believed that Prince Harry has been in contact with his grandmother and father over the phone during the coronavirus lockdown around the world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ZURICH / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / ?Thunderbird Resorts Inc. ("Thunderbird" or "Group") (Euronext Amsterdam:TBIRD)(FSE:4TR) hereby discloses the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its overall business.

On March 15, Peru's national government declared a state of national emergency, lasting 15 days, that places strict controls on people's movement within the country. The decree required all of Peru's borders closed as of 11:59 p.m. March 16, as well as prohibiting domestic travel between Peru's 196 provinces. The Group now believes that these restrictions will be continued, resulting in virtually nil revenue for its hotel owner/operator and management business for a period that remains unknown. Moreover, even when restrictions are lifted, the Group cannot accurately assess at this time on the hotels' ability to return to normal operations given the international travel bans in effect around the world.

The Nicaraguan government has enforced few restrictions to date, but consumption has reduced in the market considerably given that there are now known infections in that market.

Thunderbird is waiting to evaluate the financial incentives that could be produced by either government to support the hospitality industry.

We will keep you informed as there are material events and progress.

-- Salomon Guggenheim, Chief Executive Officer and President

ABOUT THE COMPANY: We are an international provider of hospitality services. Additional information about the Group is available at www.thunderbirdresorts.com.

Contact: Peter LeSar, Chief Financial Officer  Email: plesar@thunderbirdresorts.com

Cautionary Notice: This disclosure contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws and regulations of various international, federal, and state jurisdictions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release including without limitation, statements regarding financial statements, balance sheet, debt, potential revenue and future plans and objectives of Thunderbird are forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Thunderbird's forward-looking statements include competitive pressures, unfavorable changes in regulatory structures, and general risks associated with business, all of which are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Thunderbird's documents filed from time to time with the Euronext Amsterdam and other regulatory authorities.

SOURCE: Thunderbird Resorts Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582815/Impact-of-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic-on-Thunderbirds-Operations
A social media platform used to match advertisers with thousands of influencers has been hacked.

Social Bluebook, a Los Angeles-based company, allows advertisers to pay social media "influencers" for posts that promote their products and services. The company claims it has some 300,000 influencers on its books.

But in October 2019, the company's entire backend database was stolen in a data breach.

TechCrunch obtained the database, which contains some 217,000 user accounts  including influencer names, email addresses, and passwords hashed, which had been scrambled using the strong SHA-2 hashing algorithm.

It's not known how the database was exfiltrated from the company's systems or who was behind the breach.

We contacted several users who when presented with their information confirmed it as accurate. We also provided a portion of the data to Social Bluebook co-founder Sam Michie for verification.

"We have just now become aware of this data breach that occurred in October 2019," he told TechCrunch in an email Thursday.

He said affected users will be informed of the breach by email. The company also informed the California attorney general's office of the breach, per state law.

Social media influencers are a constant target for hackers, who often try to hijack accounts with popular handles or high follower counts. Some influencers have relied on white-hat hackers to get their hijacked accounts back.

Last year, an Indian social media firm left a database of Instagram influencers online, which included phone numbers and email addresses scraped from their profiles.

Got a tip? You can send tips securely over Signal and WhatsApp to +1 646-7558849.
Paris, March 27 (IANS) Four workers from a French Christian charity who were kidnapped in Iraq in January have been freed, President Emmanuel Macron's office said.

The three French nationals and an Iraqi were abducted in Baghdad on January 20, the BBC said in a report on Friday.

Their release came a day after France said it would withdraw its troops from Iraq due to the coronavirus pandemic.

France's presidential Elysee Palace said it had made "every effort to reach this outcome".

"The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," the BBC quoted the Elysee Palace as saying iin a statement on Thursday.

"The President expresses his gratitude to the Iraqi authorities for their co-operation," IT added.

No other details of the release were given.

In a statement last week, the charity SOS Chretiens d'Orient said no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction and no ransom demand had been received, the BBC reported.

After news of the release, it "warmly thanked" French and Iraqi authorities for their efforts.

The charity says it seeks to help Christians in the Middle East and has been working in Iraq since 2014.

--IANS

ksk/
Photo shows a surveillance camera at a metro station in Moscow on January 27, 2020. A vast and contentious network of facial-recognition cameras keeping watch over Moscow is now being used in the effort to slow the rapid spread of coronavirus in Russia. (AFP)

By late March, it became clear that China, the country that reported the first animal-to-human transfer of the novel coronavirus Covid-19, has been able to rein in the virus. The Chinese government employed every weapon in its very impressive arsenal -- from isolation to monitoring people -- to control the outbreak. It literally felt the pulse of the people in the fight against Covid-19, employing Artificial Intelligence and surveillance tools to keep track of the infected.

By closely monitoring peoples smartphones, making use of hundreds of millions of face-recognition cameras, and obliging people to check and report their body temperature and medical condition, the Chinese authorities could not only quickly identify suspected coronavirus carriers, but also track their movements and identify anyone they came into contact with.

China is not the only country to have used technology to fight the coronavirus. The government of Israel has authorised its security agencies to deploy surveillance technology normally reserved for battling terrorists to track Covid-19 patients.

While those infected would naturally welcome any method employed to treat them, the fact that the government could use using technology to monitor movement of individuals is a terrifying prospect indeed.

While it is by itself an infringement of peoples privacy, the ability to even remotely monitor peoples body temperature and blood pressure increases the chances of governments manipulating citizens behaviour, their reactions and ultimately, who they vote for.

A boon for authoritarians

For any authoritarian regime, the bigger the crisis, the better. For some authoritarian regimes, a pandemic like the Covid-19 outbreak is nothing but a prayer answered.

While governments in normal times take decisions after years of deliberation, a pandemic like the one that is wreaking havoc around the world is forcing them to act in haste. Naturally, people and businesses are reacting to the governments decisions and accepting these decisions without much thought or debate.

This is a grave error, as decisions taken during such a crisis, plans and their implementation by both the people and governments while we battle this pandemic, will probably shape the world for years to come.

Our actions and reactions will shape our healthcare systems, our economy, politics and culture, in fact every aspect of our life. Therefore, it is extremely important that the long-term consequences of each decision taken by the government are carefully considered, even if these decisions are taken post-haste.

Totalitarian surveillance

As seen in China, the pandemic will live out this cycle in three to four months, but in the name of checking the spread of this virus, governments are utilising technologies that have the potential to let them opt for totalitarian surveillance if they want.

Ideally, when taking decisions, the consideration of the government should not only be on the immediate threat, but also on what will happen when the crisis abates. The question here is whether the governments of countries like China and Israel are doing this.

The advantage of technology and use of Artificial Intelligence, ostensibly meant to save the general public from the pandemic, may at this time come at a cost of our privacy even as it may seem to be the only way out for the authorities.

On Thursday, the Hyderabad city police announced that they will use the Automated Number Plate Recognition System to monitor people who cross the three-km rule in place as part of the lockdown. The announcement may sound innocuous, but the fact remains that it is possible for the government to keep tabs on our movement  where we go, how long do we stop there, when we return  without us even knowing.

In fact, technology allows even private companies, not only the government, to monitor our location, our choice of food, which website we visit online, in fact every aspect of our digital life, every day.

Data privacy

There was a huge outcry over the draft Data Protection Bill  the biggest concerns are the departures from the 2018 draft of the same Bill.

Crucially, the requirement that government processing of data be necessary and proportionate has been dropped from the draft Bill. Furthermore, a provision was added granting the government complete discretion to exempt any entity or department from any part of the law. This leaves the current legal vacuum around Indias surveillance and intelligence services intact, which is fundamentally incompatible with effective privacy protection.

Also, questions have been raised on the independence of the Data Protection Authority, the provision requiring companies to provide the option for users to voluntarily verify their identities.

Besides, the law also mandates that certain companies can be forced to transfer non-personal data to the government for public good and policy planning purposes. Information about sales location data from e-commerce platforms, for example, can be used to draw dangerous inferences and patterns regarding caste, religion, and sexuality.

Besides, the 2018 draft clearly laid out the timelines for creation of the data protection authority, which is now ambiguous.

Ideally, the law should continue to focus on the protection of personal data and leave the regulation of non-personal data to an independent body that is transparent and answerable to the public.

But is that happening?

The governments decision to use facial recognition technology to identify those involved in the Delhi riots earlier this year or even the use of the Deepfake Technology by the BJP during the Delhi polls  these are trivial compared to what China has done to control the Covid-19 outbreak.

If they want, authoritarian regimes can force their respective parliaments to deploy mass surveillance tools, like Benjamin Netanyahu did in Israel.

The data collected with such technology will enable such regimes to learn about our political views, our preferences, what we desire, what we enjoy, what angers us, in fact our every emotion, with terrifying accuracy.

Knowledge is power, and what more powerful tool can a government have than perfectly accurate data of each of its citizen?

With such technologies, the Cambridge Analytica episode that rocked the US Presidential elections in 2016 would seem like childs play.

While governments today can argue that such technology will be used exclusively to control Covid-19, who is to stop them from continuing well after the pandemic is brought under control?
[March 27, 2020] Geek+ and Bosch Rexroth Announce Technology Partnership

DUSSELDORF, Germany, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Geek+, a global leading AMR provider, and Bosch Rexroth, one of the world's leading supplier of drive and control technologies, today announced a technology partnership to develop and leverage the latest technologies for autonomous mobile robots (AMR) that will bring enhanced smart logistics solutions to customers around the world. As part of this partnership, both parties will collaborate on advanced mobile robotics technologies and software development to enhance AMR intelligence and performance, empowering customers worldwide. As a pioneer in AMR and smart logistics, Geek+ has seen rapid business growth and accelerated expansion into new geographies. According to Interact Analysis, a leading international market research consultancy in automation, Geek+ is the global No.1 in the AMR sector with a 10% market share. The company delivers best-in-class robotics solutions to some of the world's leading brands across industries including Nike, Decathlon, Walmart, and Dell, among others. As one of the world's leading suppliers of drive and control technologies, Bosch Rexroth ensures efficient, powerful and safe movement in machines and systems of any size. Its Intralogistics Robotics project provides modular software and hardware components for a wide range of AGV manufacturers. For innovative software-solutions, the company combines maximum flexibility at start-up level with intensive research and profound application knowledge in the field of autonomous driving within the Bosch Group. The partnership will bring together the expertise of the two industry leaders in heir respective domains to create value-added solutions for Geek+ customers to improve their own logistics operations.



"Geek+ is committed to working with exceptional technology and supply chain companies to create a strong technological and industrial ecosystem, and jointly form an intelligent and agile supply chain," said Yong ZHENG, founder and CEO at Geek+. "We are very pleased to cooperate with Bosch Rexroth to develop the most cutting edge mobile robotics and smart logistics technologies and deliver even more value to our current and future customers." "For instance, the Locator, a localization software for the reliable positioning and orientation of mobile robots, offers maximum flexibility and an outstanding usability," said Jorg HECKEL, project director Intralogistics Robotics at Bosch Rexroth. "Geek+ has presented a flexible, professional and collaborative mindset to meet the fast growing demands of automation projects. We are looking forward to shape a dynamic robotics market together."

With the ever-changing marketplace, companies are facing rising challenges on efficiency and flexibility, especially in the increasingly complex world of production and logistics. Geek+ will continue to work closely with its partners to introduce more total integrated smart logistics solutions and drive the overall transformation of the supply chain, empowering its customers worldwide to respond quickly to market demand and drive sustainable business growth. About Geek+ Geek+ is global technology company leading the intelligent logistics revolution. We apply advanced robotics and AI technologies to realize flexible, reliable and highly-efficient solutions for warehouses and supply chain management. Our R&D team brings together the brightest robotics, computer science and AI engineers with industrial engineers that have deep understanding and proven experience in supply chain management, enabling us to offer truly comprehensive intelligent logistics solutions to our customers. As such, our team develops tailored solutions to a wide range of industries, including ecommerce, apparel, retail, logistics, 3PL, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing. Geek+ has successfully completed over 200 projects across four continents, deploying more than 10,000 robots. Founded in 2015, Geek+ has over 800 employees and is headquartered in Beijing, with offices in Germany, the UK, the US, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information, please visit: https://www.geekplus.com/ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/geek-and-bosch-rexroth-announce-technology-partnership-301030977.html SOURCE Geek+

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Given the evolving nature of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) (www.CorporateCouncilOnAfrica.com) and the Government of Morocco have jointly decided to postpone the 13th U.S.-Africa Business Summit previously scheduled to take place from June 9-12, 2020 in Marrakech, Morocco.

Our priority at CCA in response to COVID-19 is to help ensure the health and safety of our staff, members, attendees and stakeholders. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this decision and look forward to welcoming you to the Summit in Morocco at a later date. CCA will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves, and we urge everyone to stay safe and informed during this time. said Florizelle Liser, President and CEO, Corporate Council on Africa.

The Government of Morocco remains committed to partnering with CCA to host the Summit in Morocco, and together with CCA is currently exploring new dates for the 13th U.S.-Africa Business Summit which will be announced as soon as possible.

The ongoing pandemic highlights the importance of strong health systems, emergency preparedness and collaboration among governments, multilateral institutions, civil society, and the private sector in an increasingly globalized economy.

CCA is dedicated to continuing to work with its partners to identify strategies and solutions to mitigate the health implications of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, recognizing that the foundation of any prosperous society is a healthy population. In addition, CCA recognizes the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on business, trade and investment, and is committed to helping its members, partners and key stakeholders navigate the outcomes of the pandemic.

Updates on the 13th U.S.-Africa Business Summit will be posted regularly on the CCA Website www.CorporateCouncilOnAfrica.com, as well as the 13th U.S.-Africa Business Summit Website USAfricaBizSummit.com.

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn

Articles similaires
(Natural News) Fed up with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continuous catering to Communist Chinese leaders including helping them cover up their disastrous Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, calls are increasing for the globalist health agency to can him.

As reported by Breitbart News, a petition calling for Tedros to be sacked and asking that Taiwan be granted full membership in the WHO reached more than 500,000 signatures Thursday, the Taiwan News noted.

The Taiwanese publication noted:

On Jan. 31, a netizen named Osuka Yip started a petition titled, Call for the resignation of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, on Change.org, citing Adhanoms refusal on Jan. 23 to designate the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) a global health emergency. The author said this was partially to blame for the number of infected cases increasing more than tenfold from 800 to more than 10,000 over the next five days.

We strongly think Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is not fit for his role as WHO Director General. We call for the Immediate Resignation of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says the petition.

The document goes on to point out that despite the international health agencys alleged commitment to political neutrality, its obvious that Tedros was carrying water for the Communist Chinese from the outset of the viral pandemic.

For example, Tedros has never challenged Chinas official coronavirus infection rate of 81,226, or the confirmed virus death toll of 3,281 though multiple reports have found that Beijings health officials in the provinces have grossly  and purposefully  undercounted.

And, as Natural News has reported, China shills at WHO including Tedros have essentially served as Beijings propagandists in repeating the lie that coronavirus wasnt all that contagious.

Meanwhile, this non-contagious virus has infected at least a half-million people around the world and killed more than 24,000 as of this writing.

Tedros as Chinas chief propagandist

Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China, the WHO tweeted in mid-January.

Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China. pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG  World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 14, 2020

Obviously, that tweet didnt age well.

For the record, as The Daily Caller adds, lying about the means of transmission wasnt the only one told by the Communist regime in Beijing. The government reported that the first cases of the virus were recorded in mid-December, but later, outside sources reported that Chinese health officials were documenting and tracking cases a month earlier, but failed to report it.

Chinas first confirmed Coronavirus case was on November 17, 2019. China knew about the virus and the rest of the World didnt find out about the virus until months later.#ChinaLiedPeopleDied

https://t.co/KIn1cbLyt5  Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 18, 2020

Theres more.

Taiwan News noted that the countrys ministry of foreign affairs alerted WHO officials about the virus ability to spread from human to human December 31, but because the world treats Taiwan as a province of China rather than a country, nobody listened. Shilling for the Communists was on the agenda.

However, the WHO did not publish the requested information on its internal website and on Jan. 8 praised Chinas identification of the virus and did not recommend any specific travel measures for travelers, the Taiwan News noted.

Also, Tedros served as chief propagandist for Beijing when countries including the United States imposed travel bans on China.

China has done many good things to slow down the virus, he said last month. The whole world can judge. There is no spinning here.

He went on to suggest that the travel ban was racist and that implementing one not only harmed China economically but it created a stigma.

Who picked up on that propaganda, by the way? That would be the lamestream American media, which is always quick to side with authoritarian regimes against our America first president.

In any event, Tedros has proven time and again he cant be trusted to be straight with the world when it comes to exposing Chinas bad behavior. He has to go.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

DailyCaller.com

Breitbart.com
English French

MONTREAL, March 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Falco Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: FPC) ("Falco") and Golden Queen Mining Consolidated Ltd. (NEX: GQM.H, OTCQB: GQMND) ("Golden Queen") are pleased to announce that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has granted the final order, thus approving the arrangement between Falco and Golden Queen announced on February 11, 2020 pursuant to which Falco is to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Golden Queen (the Arrangement).



Assuming that the remaining closing conditions are satisfied or waived, it is anticipated that closing of the Arrangement will occur on March 27, 2020.

On closing of the Arrangement, Golden Queen shareholders will receive 1.35 Falco shares for each Golden Queen share held.

Additional information regarding the terms of the Arrangement are set out in the management information circular of Golden Queen dated February 20, 2020 which is available under Golden Queens profile at www.sedar.com .

About Falco

Falco Resources Ltd. is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Province of Quebec, with extensive land holdings in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Falco owns about approximately 67,000 hectares of land in the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp, which represents 70% of the entire camp and includes 13 former gold and base metal mine sites. Falcos principal asset is the Horne 5 Project located in the former Horne mine that was operated by Noranda from 1927 to 1976 and produced 11.6 million ounces of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd is the largest shareholder of the Corporation and currently owns 19.9% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Corporation. The Corporation has 207,878,736 shares issued and outstanding.

For further information, please contact:

Luc Lessard

President and Chief Executive Officer

514-261-3336

info@falcores.com Amelie Laliberte

Coordinator, Investor Relations

418-455-4775

info@falcores.com

About Golden Queen Mining Consolidated Ltd.

Golden Queen is a company existing under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and is a reporting issuer in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The Golden Queen Shares are currently listed for trading on the NEX under the symbol GQM.H and are quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol GQMND.

For further information, please contact:

Brenda Dayton

Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs

Telephone: (604) 417-7952

bdayton@goldenqueen.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements, and subject to risks and uncertainties. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as plans, seeks, expects, estimates, intends, anticipates, believes, could, might, likely or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results may, will, could, would, might, will be taken, occur, be achieved or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic factors and uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements, including those risks and uncertainties set out in Falcos public documents, including in its most recent management discussion and analysis and annual information form filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and set out in Golden Queens public documents, including its most recent management discussion and analysis and annual report filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, political, economic, environmental and permitting risks, regulatory restrictions, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions, environmental and permitting restrictions and liabilities, and internal and external approval risks, the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement to Falco, Golden Queen and their respective shareholders, the value of the Falco Shares being delivered as arrangement consideration, the timing and ability (if at all) of Falco and Golden Queen to satisfy the conditions precedent to completing the Arrangement, the closing of the Arrangement (if at all) and fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to the United States dollar exchange rate). Although Falco and Golden Queen believe that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, Falco and Golden Queen disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Reuters) - South African diversified miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) on Friday said it received a notice of force majeure from Impala Platinum in terms of its concentrate agreement, due to a nationwide lockdown over coronavirus.

"In terms of this notice, Impala indicated that for the duration of the lockdown period it will not be able to receive concentrate in terms of the agreement where of Impala purchases concentrate as delivered by Two Rivers Mine," ARM said.

The 21-day lockdown came into force at midnight and restricts people to their homes as the country battles the virus that has recorded its first two death and more than 1,000 confirmed cases in Africa's most industrialised economy. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Messaging: tanisha.heiberg.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
By Peter Nurse

Investing.com - European stock markets traded lower Friday, with investors taking stock after recent hefty gains and as the coronavirus pandemic continues to reap damage throughout the region.

At 04:10 ET (0510 GMT), the U.K.'s FTSE index was trading 3.9% lower, France's CAC 40 was down 3.0%, while the DAX fell 1.9%. The broader based Stoxx 600 Europe index dropped 2.5%.

The benchmark Stoxx 600 index has recovered almost 17% since hitting a low on March 16, but still remains more than 26% below its all-time high last month.

The number of Covid-19 infections have continued to mount worldwide, to well above 500,000, but the news from Italy, the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe, has been disappointing as infections surged Thursday by 6,153, the most in five days.

Recent numbers from the northern region of Lombardy suggested the epidemic might be slowing in this key area. But poorer southern parts are now seeing a sharp rise in deaths, raising fears the health service there could be overwhelmed.

The news in Spain isnt much better, while Germany is feeling the impact of the pandemic with cases rising Friday by 5,780, compared with the previous day.

In corporate news, online property portal Rightmove (LON:RMV)said Friday that it will cancel its proposed final dividend for 2019 and suspend its financial guidance, due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Rightmove shares dropped by 5.9%. The U.K. government intervened to effectively suspend the whole U.K. housing market on Thursday evening.

Shares in SSE (LON:SSE) also fell 4.7% as the energy company reaffirmed its dividend guidance for fiscal 2020, but added that it expects adjusted earnings at the lower end of its previous guided range.

There is little economic data of note due in Europe Friday, but market participants could look to the release of the University of Michigans March consumer confidence number, at 10:00 AM ET (14:00 GMT), for guidance.

Story continues

The March consumer sentiment index is expected to drop to 90 from the preliminary measure of 95.9, according to economists forecasts compiled by Investing.com.

Investors will also be keeping a wary eye on the passage of the $2 trillion U.S. stimulus package through the House of Representatives Friday.

Oil has rebounded to a degree Friday, with gains in the U.S. contract, helped by the idea of additional stimulus in order to support demand as the coronavirus pandemic continues to slow economic growth. However, newswires reported Russia's deputy energy minister as saying that a 'fair' price for oil was between $45-$55 a barrel, lower than the $60 level on which most European majors have based their planning in recent years.

At 5:10 AM ET, U.S. crude futures traded 0.9% higher at $22.81 a barrel. The international benchmark Brent contract fell 1.1% to $26.07.

Elsewhere, gold futures fell 1.9% to $1,620.70/oz, while EUR/USD traded at 1.1016, down 0.2% on the day.

Related Articles

Ferrari extends Italian plant closures to April 14 subject to supplies

Toyota seeks $9.2-billion credit line from Sumitomo Mitsui, MUFG Bank: Kyodo

China's auto industry wastes no time coaxing drivers back to showrooms after lockdown
South of Houston in the tiny town of Hitchcock, mysterious columns tower near the intersection of FM 2004 and FM 646.

They may not look like much but they hold a rich military history. During World War II, the site served as a US Navy air station and housed blimps that were used to protect the Gulf Coast from German attackers, according to a Facebook post by the Santa Fe Area Historical Foundation.

The foundation has shared a collection of amazing photos from the time the base, originally 3,000 acres, was in service, and later, when it was used for various other purposes, from grain storage or government vehicle repair to offshore drilling companies and public recreation.

The large columns were part of the entry to a hangar that was so large it could house up to six blimps at one time, according to the historical foundation.

According to a 1943 Galveston Tribune article posted by the historical foundation, the original base cost $10 million and was used for anti-submarine warfare.

BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE: We can't stop looking at these colorized historical photos

"Similar naval bases are now located at Miami, Fla., Brunswick, Ga., and Houma, La.," the article states. "They are part of the Navy's plan to defeat the submarine menace to shipping along the Gulf coast."

Another article is dated 1962 when the property was owned by oilman John Mecom. At the time, Mecom planned to have the giant hangar demolished for safety purposes after it was damaged by two hurricanes, Audery and Carla.

The article says the base was sold to H.L. Harvey of Fort Worth for about $144,000 when the war ended. Harvey then sold it to Mecom, who used the old barracks and officer's quarters for his drilling business. Mecom also housed planes and helicopters on the property to transport workers and supplies to offshore drilling sites.

"The base has been used for a little of everything," the 1962 article states. "Several million bushels of grain were stored there for a while, and during the Korean War, it went into action for the armed services again. An untold number of tanks were built at the base by the Bowen-McLaughlin Co."

The property is now privately-owned.

Above, see historical photos of the base and learn more about its past, courtesy of the historical foundation.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 04:06:28|Editor: yhy

Video Player Close

A man wearing a face mask walks in Bologna, Italy, on March 27, 2020. The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Italy reached 86,498 on Friday, exceeding the total figure registered in China, according to data by the Civil Protection Department coordinating the national emergency response. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

ROME, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The cumulative number of coronavirus cases in Italy reached 86,498 on Friday, exceeding the total figure registered in China, according to data by the Civil Protection Department coordinating the national emergency response.

The pandemic also claimed 969 lives, a new single-day record high in fatalities registered here since the outbreak hit the country's northern regions on Feb. 21.

The death toll grew to 9,134, with 50 fatalities occurred on Thursday and not yet included in the total figure, national commissioner for the emergency Domenico Arcuri explained at a daily press conference.

RISING NUMBERS

In unveiling the new statistics, Arcuri took the place of extraordinary commissioner and Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli, who was under home confinement for the second day in a row due to fever (but negative for coronavirus).

According to the data, 589 new cured people were registered on a daily basis, bringing total recoveries to 10,950.

With 4,401 people tested positive on Friday, the number of active coronavirus infections grew to 66,414. "About 6 percent of the total, or 3,732 patients, are currently in intensive care," Arcuri explained.

According to epidemiological data released by the National Health Institute (ISS) on Friday (and based on data up to Thursday), at least 6,414 health professionals were among those positive for the coronavirus so far.

"They have an average age of 49 years, and some 35 percent of them are male," the ISS wrote in a bulletin.

COOPERATION NEEDED

At the press conference, the commissioner stressed statistics in Italy and in many other places around the world "prove how global and wide this health crisis is."

"In a global crisis, there is a clear need of cooperation, without egoism, and Italy is playing its due part," he stressed.

Arcuri also recalled Italian authorities were putting much effort in trying to find and purchase equipment and protective gear necessary in the emergency from as many countries as possible.

"We keep cooperating with many countries, and keep buying (equipment) from France, Germany, China, and Russia... while talks are under way with further countries, which are often located very far from us," he said.

"This is the time of cooperation and solidarity, with no further implication, whether of political or geographical nature. Wherever there is a chance to obtain solutions to our citizens' problems... that is the right place to go," he stressed.

Arcuri said all Italian productive and social actors have been called to give their contribution to strengthen industrial production and help the country become more self-sufficient in terms of medical equipment in these exceptional circumstances.

FURTHER MEASURES

In related news on Friday, the country's Education Minister announced schools would most likely remain shut beyond the national lockdown period so far imposed by the government, which was officially effective until April 3.

"For sure, the school closure will be extended over the April 3 date," Lucia Azzolina told state TV broadcast RAI 1.

"At the moment, our goal is to ensure students will return to school only after health authorities have guaranteed this is safest... our pupils' and our educational staff's health is the priority."

The minister explained that "information about final exams, both in primary and secondary schools, will be provided to students in the next weeks."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's cabinet was at work to outline further measures to help the country's industrial and social fabric sustain the impact of the health crisis. A first package worth 25 billion euros (27.7 billion U.S. dollars) was passed earlier this month.

Addressing the senate on Thursday, Conte said he was confident the government would be able "to offer companies, families, and workers additional allocations, for a total not lower than 50 billion euros (including the first package)."
Crabs: Unsung heroes of the Sundarbans

by SHANTO DYLAN MANSUR

March 27,2020 | Source: The Daily Star

I love crabs. I love to catch them, tie their large nippers, and eat them. I've learned a lot about the large mud crabs from the Sundarbans by watching crab fishermen. However, I visited a commercial crab farm recently, which has changed how I feel about them. Large ponds cover most land around the forest. In the smaller ponds villagers cultivate a mixture of salt-resistant rice, various small fish species, commercially valuable sea perch, shrimp and crabs. In the ponds of large crab farms owned by companies there are only crabs. In December, I visited a commercial crab farm in Burigoalini near the Sundarbans. I was amazed by how many crabs were there. Each crab is kept in a black plastic box with holes on all sides. These boxes are aligned across long ponds. The farm has around 200 ponds, and there were more boxes than I could count in each pond. I was surprised to learn that only 50 percent of these crabs survive!



I was further surprised when I saw how many empty crab shells there were. We were told that these mud crabs moult or shed their hard shell every 21 days. They are called soft shell crabs during this period of moulting. From this farm alone, about 400 barrels of crab shells are dumped into the nearby river every day. The men in the farm told us that they were thinking of ways to use it, but for now it's just waste. I watched the farm workers sit and check each box in the long lines; they pick out the crabs that have moulted, take them to the factory where they are washed with chlorine and treated with ozone, and then prepared according to customer demands.



All the crabs in the farms are sourced from the Sundarbans. Whatever the crab fishermen can catch they either sell directly to the factory or more commonly to a local crab dealer who then supplies the farm. We've seen crab dealers in every marketplace we got off at along the fringes. The crabs are sorted according to their gender and sizethe big ones are paid for by piece, while the small ones are bought by weight; the farm takes crabs of all sizes. I asked the manager from the crab farm who showed us around, "Aren't you worried that the crabs will run out?" At first, he didn't really understand what I meant and said, "We have such a large area with so many crabs in it. We won't run out of crabs." So I clarified my question: "I mean in the jungle, where they come from. Aren't you worried that the crabs there will run out?" He responded, "No. We're doing a hatchery."



Despite much effort no crab hatchery is currently working. And that's highly unlikely to change in the near future. The mortality rate of crablings in hatcheries is also extremely high. Sourcing crabs from the wild is by far cheaper and less trouble for the farms. It is actually illegal to use crab traps in the Sundarbans. There's also a seasonal closure for crabs from January to February to allow the females to reproduce. Why am I concerned about crab farming? Mainly because the farms do not care about what size of crabs they get. Too many crabs are being caught in the wild. And all the farm crabs are exported. That's very good money for the farms, but the fishermen earn very little.



Why are crabs so important? Crabs are a very important link in the mangrove food chain. Many other animals depend on them as food. Crabs recycle the fallen leaf litter from the water and on land. They dig holes in the thick mud, which brings air into it and allows other animals and plants to thrive. The more different species of crab there are, the better the forest can deal with disasters. According to several recent news articles, Bangladesh exports nearly USD 42 million worth of crabs per year, mainly to China, Japan, and other countries mostly in Asia. These practices deplete the wild stocks and negatively affect the fragile Sundarban ecosystem. It's a bad deal for the forest, even if it makes good money for a few.



The majority of fishermen we met in the Sundarbans mangrove forest are crab fishermen. Most of them are not worried about existing regulations being enforced because they know they can sell anything they catch and they have paid to do so. What is the solution to this problem? I think fishermen should be encouraged not to take the undersized crabs. If they are over the permitted weight, you can be sure that they have had a chance to reproduce. I know that is actually the law, so who should enforce it? Many different people have to work together, including the Forest Department, crab fishermen, organisations (Shakib, my favourite all-rounder, too!) that buy them from the crab dealers, and the customers that buy them from the farm or from stores. Everybody should be held responsible, myself included.



Why am I concerned about keeping the Sundarbans healthy? Because we need the oxygen that this forest supplies. We must protect the many threatened species that need this forest. I in the Sundarbans during the recent cyclone Bulbul. We were safe because it was low tide and we were sheltered by trees. The cyclone caused much more damage in the villages. Houses collapsed, embankments broke, and fishponds were flooded. This forest is an important shield for the people living around the Sundarbans. They have very little and depend on the forest. I think a lot of them understand how important this forest is, but they do what they do because they have to provide for their families.



I believe that we have to make sure that the Sundarbans continues to provide food, work and safety to the people who need itnow and in the future. Why not start with the crabs and ensuring that only mature ones are taken?
Egypt on Friday reported six more coronavirus deaths and 41 new cases, bringing its total to 536 including 30 fatalities, the health ministry said in a statement.

The new cases of the flu-like virus are all Egyptians, except for one American man, who were in contact with other patients, the ministry added.

The six deaths include five Egyptians aged between 50-65 years and a 75-year-old German woman. The Egyptian individuals are from the capital Cairo and the Nile Delta governorate of Damietta.

The statement said 116 of the registered cases have recovered and been released from a quarantine hospital.

Egypt has ramped up measures over the past two weeks to stem the outbreak. Authorities declared a two-week curfew, suspended international flights, shut schools and universities, banned mass gatherings and shuttered mosques and churches. The country has also cut the number of government employees going to work.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Elizabeth Berkley was set to return to Bayside in 2020 in the Save By The Bell series reboot alongside co-star Mario Lopez.

But with Hollywood studios shut down in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent home quarantines, the reboot's premiere date is still pending.

And in a move to stave off cabin fever, the actress hit the streets of Beverly Hills for a walk with the sun shining down after more than a week of rainy days this Thursday.

Cabin fever remedy: Elizabeth Berkley, 47, took a break from her home quarantine, amid the coronavirus pandemic, and went on a walk in Beverly Hills on Thursday

The Showgirls star, 47, kept it casual for her stroll by going makeup free dressed in black sweatpants and a grey jacket over a black sweatshirt.

She also wore black sneakers and a scarf to help with the chill in the air earlier in the day.

The Michigan native pulled her long blonde tresses into a messy top bun and added large-rim sunglasses as she carried her phone and a water bottle.

Casual: The Showgirls star, 47, opted to go makeup free dressed in black sweatpants and a grey jacket over a black sweatshirt

The Saved By The Bell reboot will air on NBCUniversal's new streaming service, Peacock, that had been set to launch in April before the COVID-19 outbreak.

The original series, in which Berkley played Jessica Spano, first aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993.

It was followed by the spin-off, Saved By The Bell: The College Year, that wrapped in 1994.

The reboot will pick up many years after the conclusion of the original series.

They're back: Berkley and Mario Lopez are reprising their roles as Jessica Spano and AC Slater in the upcoming Save By The Bell series reboot that will air on NBCUniversals new streaming service, Peacock, that had been set to launch in April before the COVID-19 outbreak

Along with Berkley and Lopez, who played AC Slater, Mark Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen will also reprise their roles as Zach Morris and Kelly Kapowski respectively.

'When California Governor Zack Morris gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the highest performing schools in the state  including Bayside High,' NBC had previously revealed about the new storyline.

'The influx of new students gives the over privileged Bayside kids a much needed and hilarious dose of reality.'

The new cast of younger students will be led by Champions' Josie Totah, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Joining Totah as members of Bayside High's 'new class' are up-and-coming actors, including Dexter Darden, Mitchell Hoog and Haskiri Velazquez.
Department of State Offers Rewards for Information to Bring Venezuelan Drug Traffickers to Justice

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

March 26, 2020



Today the U. S. Department of State announced a series of rewards for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Venezuelan nationals for whom the Department of Justice unsealed indictments today for their roles in international narcotics trafficking: Nicolas Maduro Moros, Diosdado Cabello Rondon, Hugo Carvajal Barrios, Cliver Alcala Cordones, and Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah.

The Venezuelan people deserve a transparent, responsible, representative government that serves the needs of the people  and that does not betray the trust of the people by condoning or employing public officials that engage in illicit narcotics trafficking. The United States is committed to helping the Venezuelan people restore their democracy through free and fair presidential elections that will provide them with honest and competent national leadership.

The Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information related to Nicolas Maduro Moros. The Department is also offering rewards of up to $10 million each for information related to: Diosdado Cabello Rondon, President of the illegitimate National Constituent Assembly; General (retired) Hugo Carvajal Barrios, former Director of Venezuela's military intelligence (DGCOM); Cliver Alcala Cordones, Major General (retired) in Venezuela's Army; and Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah, Minister for Industry and National Production. While holding key positions in the Maduro regime, these individuals violated the public trust by facilitating shipments of narcotics from Venezuela, including control over planes that leave from a Venezuelan air base, as well as control of drug routes through the ports in Venezuela.

These rewards are offered under the Department of State's Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP). More than 75 major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the NRP since it began in 1986. The Department has paid more than $130 million in rewards for information leading to those apprehensions.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages the NRP in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI), and other U.S. government agencies. These actions demonstrate the Department's commitment to supporting law enforcement efforts and a whole of government approach to combatting drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.

For more information on the individuals listed above and the NRP, please see https://www.state.gov/inl-rewards-program/narcotics-rewards-program/ or contact INL-PAPD@state.gov.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Jeremy Corbyn made his final parliamentary appearance as Labour Party leader Wednesday, during an extended session of Prime Ministers Questions focused on the coronavirus crisis.

His abject performance provided final proof not only of his personal political bankruptcy, but of the claim that his becoming leader represented a rebirth of Labour and a chance for workers to defend their interests through a return to a national reformist policy.

The final session of parliament took place amid an explosion of infections and deaths from Covid-19, reports that hospitals in London face a tsunami of seriously ill patients and infection rates among medical staff of 30 percent, 40 percent and sometimes 50 percent and workers losing their jobs or forced to continue to go to work with no safety provisions, endangering themselves and their loved ones.

But whereas Corbyn raised various issues that have fuelled widespread public outragethe lack of Covid-19 testing and of personal protection equipment for medical staff, the threat of evictions, no income support for the self-employedhe offered nothing but appeals to Boris Johnsons Conservative government to provide a little more assistance.

No criticism was made of the massive 350 billion handout to the corporations and banks. No mention of the fact that four decades of class war policies against the working class were responsible for the threatened collapse of the National Health Service (NHS) and other essential services. No demand for big business to foot the bill for workers laid off for weeks on end, let alone for essential industries and services such as transport to be taken into public ownership. Above all there was no call for a struggle by the working class for socialism, even as capitalism is falling apart at the seams.

Instead, Corbyn strained every sinew to appear responsible and supportive at a time of national emergency, stressing that he did not want to appear to be relentlessly negative. His last exchange with Johnson was a declaration in favour of national unity. Even after detailing innumerable examples of how the Conservative government was abandoning workers to their fate, Corbyn insisted, At a time of crisis, no one is an island, no one is self-made. The wellbeing of the wealthiest corporate chief executive officer depends on the outsourced worker cleaning their office. At times like this, we have to recognise the value of each other and the strength of a society that cares for each other and cares for all.

Johnson was more than happy to associate myself fully with the closing words of the Leader of the Opposition.

We are coming together as a nation, he proclaimed, before insisting that the working class will be expected to pay: We all understand that that will involve a sacrifice The most important point I can make to the House today is that that sacrifice is inevitable and necessary

Johnson began PMQs by praising Corbyn for his service to his party and, indeed, to the country, before thanking him and all his colleagues for their co-operation in the current emergency as far as possible across party lines.

Corbyn had no problem with being praised for Labours political collusion with the Tories, but complained that Johnson was talking as though this was a sort of obituary my voice will not be stilled, I will be around, I will be campaigning

Corbyn has in fact spent the past four and a half years writing his own political obituary, one defined by abject betrayal of the overwhelming mandate to end the era of Labours Blairite pro-business policies of support for austerity and imperialist militarism.

He and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell instructed Labour councils to continue enforcing the savage cuts demanded by the Tory government. They worked with the trade union bureaucracy to demobilise strikes and protests, presiding over a collapse of workers living standards, even as they wooed the City of London in a tea and biscuits offensive.

As for Corbyns anti-imperialist credentials, the former head of the Stop the War Coalition will be remembered for granting the Blairite warmongers a free vote on the decision to bomb Syria, then leading Labour into the 2017 and 2019 general elections on a manifesto committed to spending at least 2 percent of GDP on the military, NATO membership and maintaining the UKs nuclear weapons arsenal.

He leaves behind a party firmly controlled by the right wing, with the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Keir Starmerwho worked with the US to prevent Sweden dropping its extradition demand against Wikileaks founder Julian Assangeset to officially replace him in April. The designated flagbearer of the left, Rebecca Long-Bailey, will sit loyally in Starmers shadow cabinet where she will champion an agenda she has defined as progressive patriotism.

The Socialist Equality Party warned from the outset that such a political shipwreck was inevitable. Prior to his election as party leader in September 2015, we wrote that those looking to a Corbyn victory to provide an alternative to austerity will be cruelly disappointed.

No change of leader, nor even an influx of left-leaning members, we stressed, could change the historically and programmatically determined character of the Labour Party: Labour is a right-wing bourgeois party. It is complicit in all the crimes of British imperialism and has functioned as the principal political opponent of socialism for more than a century.

Our party congress resolution of November 2016, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party: The strategic lessons, explained that Labours rightward lurch was not simply the product of bad leaders such as Tony Blair, but had profound objective roots in fundamental shifts within world capitalism associated with globalisation which had dramatically undermined the viability of the old labour organisations that were embedded in the nation-state system, leading to their transformation into direct instruments of imperialism.

In contrast, Britains main pseudo-left groups, the Socialist Party and Socialist Workers Party enthusiastically boosted Corbynsowing political confusion in the working class in order to maintain the grip of the Labour and trade union bureaucracy and their ability to suppress the class struggle.

The Socialist Party defined the Corbyn insurgency as an attempt to turn back the wheel of history, to re-establish a new workers party. For this to succeed, they argued for a rerun of events at the turn of the 20th century, above all re-establishing the central role of the trade unions, recognising their importance as the collective voice of millions of workers and allowing the SP to affiliate to Labour.

Their whitewash of the trade unions was epitomised by the assertion, The capitalist media dismiss their role within Labour as being power to a few union barons, ignoring that these so-called barons have been elected through the unions democratic structures. The SP insisted that the revitalised Labour Party would still be a broad church, in the sense that it would inevitably contain groupings with different political approaches.

For its part, the SWP proclaimed Corbyn as proof of the persistence of Labour. Donny Gluckstein, in The rebirth of social democracy published by the SWP in June 2016, explained that Corbyns ascendency was the repeat of a cycle driven by contradictions within mass consciousness which was of necessity reformist.

In the late 19th century this gave birth to social democracy which ran out of steam 100 years later. Today the forces behind that evolution have reappeared The reformist consciousness of workers, he wrote, supplies an eternal wellspring of mass reformist potential.

Gluckstein ruled out any possibility of Marxists changing this situation through a fight for socialist consciousness and winning the leadership of the working class. The history of the 20th century, except briefly and abortively in Russia, was portrayed as a hopeless attempt by revolutionaries to win the majority away from reformism.

History presented itself as a cycle of reformist birth, Traumatic adolescence (covering the first half of the 20th century, including the Russian Revolution, the German revolution, the victory of fascism, the Spanish civil war and World War II!), a coming of agethe decades following the second World War that were a supposed reformist golden age, through to Decrepit old age in which reformism appeared incapable of producing reforms and ended in the formation of New Labour.

But rather than old age signalling the imminence of death, Corbyns rise proved instead that Old age prepares the way for new birth The wellspring that gave life to social democracy long ago still pours forth and will find a channel for expression if given the opportunity, whether that be in Syriza, Corbyn or another vessel. What we are witnessing, therefore, is an episode not dissimilar to the late 19th century.

Such is the complacent and reactionary objectivism propounded by the pseudo-left, in which Marxist phrases are employed only to provide a rationale and benediction for the treachery of the bureaucracy and defeat of revolutionary struggle.

The working class is not doomed to an endless cycle of betrayal due to its lack of socialist consciousness. Rather, in the past decade, workers have passed through immense consciousness-changing experiences with the parties hailed by the pseudo-left as the wave of the future, including with Syriza in Greece and with Corbynism in the UK.

These experiences have had a profound impact on how workers think about their existing leaderships, which is to become increasingly hostile towards them This has already been expressed in the mass protests and strikes worldwide against austerity and social inequality that erupted last year, which developed outside of these organisations.

The coronavirus crisis will not stop this development and produce the sentiment for national unity so desired by Corbyn and Johnson. Rather, even as yesterdays man Corbyn skulks off to the backbenches, the escalated gutting of social wealth by the corporate elite, the calculated indifference of governments to the fate of millions and the self-evident failure of capitalism is paving the way for a turn to revolutionary socialism by the working class. It is the task of the SEP to provide the historically derived programme and leadership necessary for the coming struggles.
As the coronavirus continues spreading throughout New Jersey, the state frantically is seeking to ramp up testing to combat the outbreak.

New Jerseys first government-run coronavirus testing center opened March 20 in Bergen County. A second, similar site is also open at PNC Bank Arts Center in Monmouth County.

Both sites are set to operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will collect 2,500 specimens at each site each week at no cost to the public and with no pre-registration required. All individuals will be screened for symptoms of coronavirus, including fever, sneezing, cough or shortness of breath. Asymptomatic individuals will be turned away from the site.

Results will be processed within two to five days of testing. Those who wish to be tested must bring identification that provides proof of New Jersey residency with them.

The states two major government-run centers will change their schedules starting March 28 and will set aside days just to test those working on the frontlines of the outbreak, Gov. Phil Murphy announced March 26.

Who can get tested in New Jersey?

Murphy said people will need to show symptoms at the two government-run testing sites at Bergen Community College and PNC Bank Arts Center in order to be tested. They also must bring identification proving their New Jersey residency.

People would not need to get a recommendation from a doctor, Murphy said. Some privately-run testing sites have a pre-screening process.

The CDC recommends seeking medical attention immediately if a person exhibits the following symptoms:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

New confusion or inability to arouse

Bluish lips or face

New Jersey is requiring hospitals and health clinics in the state to waive fees for coronavirus testing and related diagnostic services for uninsured residents as the outbreak continues to spread, Murphys administration announced on March 20.

Where can people get tested?

In addition to the two government testing sites, several sites run by county officials have opened across New Jersey.

Union County announced plans to open the first county-run drive-through coronavirus testing site at Kean University beginning on March 23. Additional sites have been announced across the state. It is best to check the status and requirements of each site before going.

There will be a site opening at the County College of Morris in Randolph, joining a site at Bergen Community College.

A site at Ocean County College in Toms River is still in the process of being set up. An opening date cannot be established until test kits have been received and a scheduling system is in place.

Camden County is also in the process of setting one up at its college in Gloucester Township but cant open until it gets testing kits.

A facility will open by appointment only at Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus for country residents and emergency workers in the area. For an appointment or more information, Hudson residents should call 201-388-1097.

A drive-thru testing location is scheduled to open March 25 at William Paterson University in Wayne. It is for Passaic County residents only, with a prescription, and will be open from 9 a.m. to noon.

A new coronavirus testing site will open for Essex County residents on March 26. The new drive-through testing site at Weequahic Park in Newark will be by appointment only and will not be open every day. The numbers of tests will also be capped at either 100 or 150 depending on the day.

In Burlington County, and by appointment only, a drive-through testing center was set up only for March 26. A spokesman said future testing dates will be subject to test kit availability.

Burlington is booking appointments for another round of testing March 30 at the same facility, Emergency Services Training Center off Woodlane Road in Westampton, and county officials said they expect testing will also be available April 1 and 3 as long as the county can continue to obtain test kits and personal protective equipment.

And in Bayonne, drive-through testing opened March 26 for residents with valid prescriptions.

Trentons first coronavirus testing site - which at the moment is for city first responders only - formally opened March 26, with cars lining up inside a police impound lot on Clinton Avenue. It is across from the Capital City Farm, between Sheridan and Perrine avenues.

There are efforts by a number of privately-run medical groups to provide testing, but these are done only when kits and supplies are available. In most cases, there is a pre-screening process. It is best to contact a provider to find out if testing is available.

FEMA is helping set up sites

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is helping the state set up the testing sites in Bergen and Monmouth counties. They represent the first major public testing centers run by the state and the federal government in New Jersey.

New Jersey is one of 12 states identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a priority state that will have testing sites supported by the federal agency, Murphy said.

Other places where you can also get tested

In addition to FEMA-supported sites, Atlantic Health, the parent company of Morristown Medical Center, has begun drive-through testing in Morris Township. As of March 20, the site is only accepting patients who meet the state Department of Healths criteria for COVID-19 testing through appointments made by Atlantic Medical Group physicians, according to a news release.

InFocus Urgent Care also has begun setting up test sites in Mercer County, according to reports.

Two drive-thru facilities have opened in Secaucus  the first site launched at the Riverside Medical Groups command center, and the second at Hudson Regional Hospital.

Testing also is being conducted at various state laboratories, hospitals and private companies, as well as at the Hackensack Meridian Hospital and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Other healthcare facilities across the state are offering testing  some walk-in, others requiring an appointment. Call your healthcare provider for more information about getting tested at these facilities or contact them directly.

The number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey jumped to nearly 6,900 with 81 known deaths on March 26. New Jersey has the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the nation after New York.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

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

Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips.
A placard commemorating NASA's "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign was installed on the Perseverance Mars rover on March 16, 2020, at Kennedy Space Center. Three silicon chips (upper left corner) were stenciled with 10,932,295 names and the essays from 155 finalists in NASA's "Name the Rover" contest.

When NASA's Perseverance Mars rover launches this summer, lots of folks here on Earth will be along for the ride.

Perseverance is carrying the names of more than 10.9 million people who participated in NASA's "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign, agency officials announced Thursday (March 26).

Engineers used electron beams to stencil the monikers onto three small silicon chips, which were installed, along with a commemorative placard, on Perseverance's body on March 16. The chips also contain the essays of the 155 students who made it to the finals of NASA's rover-naming contest. That contest was won by Alex Mather , a seventh grader from Virginia.

More: NASA's Mars 2020 rover Perseverance in pictures

The plate on the aft crossbeam of NASA's Mars Perseverance rover (top center)  seen here on March 16, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center  carries 10,932,295 names submitted by people during NASA's "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign and essays of the 155 finalists in the "Name the Rover" contest. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

"The three chips share space on the anodized plate with a laser-etched graphic depicting Earth and Mars joined by the star that gives light to both," NASA officials wrote in a statement Thursday .

"While commemorating the rover that connects the two worlds, the simple illustration also pays tribute to the elegant line art of the plaques aboard the Pioneer spacecraft and golden records carried by Voyagers 1 and 2," they added. "Affixed to the center of the rover's aft crossbeam, the plate will be visible to cameras on Perseverance's mast."

Perseverance, the centerpiece of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, is scheduled to lift off between July 17 and Aug. 5, the brief window when Earth and the Red Planet are aligned properly for interplanetary missions. Such windows open just once every 26 months. The car-size rover remains on track to launch this summer despite the coronavirus outbreak , NASA officials have said.

Perseverance will land in February 2021 inside Mars' Jezero Crater, which harbored a lake and a river delta in the ancient past. The six-wheeled robot will hunt for signs of ancient Mars life , characterize the area's geology and test out some new Mars exploration technologies, including a small helicopter scout and an instrument that generates oxygen from the planet's thin, carbon dioxide-dominated atmosphere.

Perseverance will do a number of other things as well. For example, the rover will also collect and cache samples, which could make it back to Earth as soon as 2031 via a joint NASA-European Space Agency fetch project. Once the samples are here, researchers around the world will scrutinize them for possible signs of life and clues about the ancient Martian environment.

Perseverance won't be the first NASA craft to carry millions of names to the Red Planet. For example, 2.4 million monikers made the trip aboard NASA's InSight lander, which touched down near the Martian equator in November 2018.

Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook .
The Trump administration has unsealed sweeping indictments against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and members of his inner circle on charges related to 'narco-terrorism', a move that dramatically escalates the US bid to force the authoritarian socialist from power.

The US State Department offered a reward of up to $15m (13.5m) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mr Maduro, whose country has been convulsed by years of economic crisis.

The indictment comes as supporters of the US-backed Venezuelan opposition movement to oust Mr Maduro is fading. It also marks a sharp escalation in tactics that have gradually ramped up since Donald Trump entered the White House. What started as targeted, individual sanctions on Venezuelan officials moved to far broader measures that have locked Venezuela out of the US financial system. A US oil embargo slapped on Venezuela last year robbed Caracas of its single largest source of hard currency.

Mr Maduro rejected the charges yesterday. "There's a conspiracy from the US and Colombia and they've given the order of filling Venezuela with violence," he said on Twitter. "As head of state I'm obliged to defend peace and stability for all the motherland, under any circumstances."

The Trump administration has given strong support to opposition leader Juan Guaido, including in his bid last April to stage a military uprising. It quickly petered out, and is increasingly being viewed as Venezuela's Bay of Pigs - a lost opportunity to oust Mr Maduro.

The long-awaited decision to file charges against Mr Maduro echoes the US indictment of Panamanian strongman Manuel Antonio Noriega in 1988 that led to his capture and incarceration. But Venezuela's far better equipped military and Russian support for Mr Maduro would complicate any attempt by the US to serve its indictment the same way.

The US and the Venezuelan opposition have sought dialogue with some members of Mr Maduro's inner circle in an attempt to strip away or at least weaken his internal support. Yet by targeting a large number of his inner circle with indictments, the administration could be pushing them to close ranks around Mr Maduro, complicating the attempt to make him "toxic" and encourage those around him to abandon support. ( The Washington Post)

 Washington Post
March 16, 2020 is a date John Bell is unlikely to forget.

That was the day he had to pull the shutters down on his two family businesses as part of the coronavirus control measures.

Shutting his pub, the Anchor Bar in Londonderry, the day before St Patrick's Day was not an easy decision, but closing down his Santosha Yoga Studio in the city's Waterside left him with absolutely no income.

When one of his yoga clients suggested he could deliver his classes online, Mr Bell saw this as a perfect solution and did not let the fact that he didn't own a computer or know how to actually connect with his clients remotely deter him.

Not only have his classes proved a lifeline for the people who normally attend Mr Bell's studio, they are joined online by others from as far away as America, Canada, Bermuda and throughout the UK and Ireland.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Bell said: "I don't think any of us could have predicted how this year would develop and certainly I never could have foreseen that I close the bar the day before St Patrick's Day or my yoga studio on the same day.

"Yoga teaches you to accept things that come into your life, so when one of my students suggested teaching classes online I immediately saw this as something that I could and would do.

"I didn't have a computer, nor did I have a clue how to go about actually connecting with people remotely and allowing them to connect with me, but I went out, bought a laptop and thanks to two other students I found out how to do just that.

"I'd imagined the students who normally come to my classes would have signed up for the online classes, but I wasn't expecting to be contacted by people from all over the world as well.

"I am now teaching people from as far away as Bermuda, Canada, America as well as Ireland, England and Scotland - the response has been incredible and not something I ever would have guessed possible."

Mr Bell explained at a time when so many people are stressing about coronavirus, have employment worries or are feeling isolated - positive mental health is vital.

He said: "While I teach a strong class for people who are yoga practitioners the two main classes I am teaching are basic yoga and restorative yoga.

"Basic yoga is something people can do from their own home easily enough and the restorative class is excellent for coping with stress because it shows people how to breath - not just from their chest but from right into their core. This is essential to relaxing, getting rid of anxiety and accepting these difficult circumstances we find ourselves having to deal with right now.

"The feedback I have had from the people who regularly attend my classes and those who have joined my online classes has been amazing. People are grateful for the way yoga is helping them cope with everything they are going through. They have also told me how much they appreciate the way the online classes make them feel connected to the outside world, even though they may not be able to leave their own homes.

He added: "This has been a learning curve for me too, I have had my eyes opened to how technology can play an important part in bringing yoga and positive mental health lessons to people who, for whatever reason, cannot come to a studio and it is something I intend to continue."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:21:39|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

President Xi Jinping put forward four proposals to cope with a "disturbing and unsettling "situation, which echo the message of the virtual G20 summit on COVID-19 -- We are in the same boat.

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) makes social distancing and working from home the new normal, leaders of the Group of 20, home to almost two-thirds of the world's population and about 86 percent of the gross world product, convened Thursday for a virtual summit that sent a clear message: We are in the same boat.

The G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 was the first of its kind in the history of G20, and also the first major multilateral event attended by President Xi Jinping since the outbreak of the COVID-19.

Speaking to his colleagues via video link from Beijing, Xi put forward four proposals to cope with a situation that is "disturbing and unsettling," calling for an all-out global war against the COVID-19 outbreak and enhancing international macro-economic policy coordination to prevent a recession.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

"At such a moment, it is imperative for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response," Xi said. "We must comprehensively step up international cooperation and foster greater synergy so that humanity as one could win the battle against such a major infectious disease."

In a demonstration of the need for greater global coordination and solidarity, the G20 members were joined by leaders from invited countries including hard-hit Spain as well as multiple international organizations including the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

While previous G20 summits often discussed high-stake topics like economic recession and boosting development policy, Thursday's emergency meeting came at a time when the world is grappling with a dicey pandemic and concerns are mounting over the "black swan" event that could derail the global economy.

Staff work at a plant of the Hanjiang Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. of CR11G in Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, March 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

As China's epidemic prevention and control are continuously improving, and the trend of an accelerated restoration of normal production and life is being consolidated and expanded, his remarks at the G20 summit are timely and of critical importance for countries now fighting at the front lines of a battle to stem the pandemic and forestalling a recession.

UNITED WE STAND

The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide topped 462,684, with 20,834 deaths as of 10 a.m. Central European Time, Thursday, according to the data kept by the WHO. The economic toll is also climbing as more businesses and trade come to a grinding halt amid massive lockdowns.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is endangering countries rich and poor, large and small, strong and weak alike," said Wei Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former vice minister of Commerce. "We are now at a critical juncture of fighting the pandemic and stabilizing the global economy, and the international community expects the G20 to play a leading role."

A monitor shows the trading information at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, the United States, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua)

The significance and urgency of Thursday's meeting hark back to scenarios in the depth of the global financial crisis in 2008 when meetings of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors were raised to the level of heads of state and government for better crisis coordination. What's different is that grave challenges facing the world today have led to warnings of a downturn even worse than in 2008.

"This pandemic will inevitably have an enormous impact on the economy," WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said in a video clip posted on the website of the organization. "Recent projections predict an economic downturn and job losses that are worse than the global financial crisis a dozen years ago."

To prevent the world economy from falling into recession, Xi said countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact as the outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe.

"We need to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies to keep our exchange rates basically stable. We need to better coordinate financial regulation to keep global financial markets stable. We need to jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable," he told the summit in a speech titled "Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak."

Medical supplies coming along with the third Chinese medical team are unloaded from the plane at Milan Malpensa Airport in Milan, Italy, March 25, 2020. (Str/Xinhua)

Xi's remarks on fighting as one echoed. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said: "We project a contraction of global output in 2020, and recovery in 2021. How deep the contraction and how fast the recovery depends on the speed of containment of the pandemic and on how strong and coordinated our monetary and fiscal policy actions are."

"We will get through this crisis together. Together we will lay the ground for a faster and stronger recovery," she said in a statement released after the conference call.

The important lesson in international solidarity is often forgotten when things are going fine, William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"The experience with the COVID-19 will hopefully lead to more collaborative efforts between countries and strengthen the notion of a community with a shared destiny," he said.

As China is a key driver of global economic growth, its economic performance bears great significance on the outlook of global recovery. In a strong morale and practical boost, Xi reaffirmed China would actively contribute to the global war against COVID-19 and a stable world economy.

"Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to share its good practices, conduct joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and provide assistance where it can to countries hit by the growing outbreak," Xi said.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

Xi said China will contribute to a stable world economy by continuing to advance reform and opening-up, widen market access, improve the business environment and expand imports and outbound investment, and called on all G20 members to take collective actions -- cutting tariffs, removing barriers, and facilitating the unfettered flow of trade.

The country is beefing up wider opening-up to foreign investment. Revision of the negative list on foreign investment is underway as part of the plan to improve business environment and expand the catalog of industries where foreign investment is encouraged.

New editions of the list will probably be released in May, expanding market access of the tertiary sector, such as health care, aged service, finance, transportation, logistics, tourism, education and training and value-added services of telecommunications, said Zhang Fei with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

The container dock of Yangshan Port in Shanghai, east China, March 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Noting that a global solution is needed to address the global challenge brought about by the pandemic, Azevedo said cross-border trade and investment flows have a role to play in efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and will be vital for fostering a stronger recovery once the medical emergency subsides.

"No country is self-sufficient, no matter how powerful or advanced it may be. Trade is what allows for the efficient production and supply of basic goods and services, medical supplies and equipment, food and energy that we all need," he said. 
Kabul, March 27 : Based on a decree issued by President Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan government said that up to 10,000 prisoners will be released in the next 10 days in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus in jails across the country, it was reported.

On Thursday, Ahmad Rashid Totakhil, head of the general directorate of prisons, said that the prisoners who will released does not pse a threat to the society, TOLO News reported.

"The persons that we are releasing are not a big threat to society, they had committed small crimes," said Totakhil.

In a statement, Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz, said: "Because we do not have any vaccine or treatment for the virus, the only way is to implement health-recommended measures. The measures are very easy and can save the lives of millions." The Attorney General's Office (AGO) added that the prsioners who pose a threat to national security will not be released.

"Another issue that is very important for people to know is that crimes against national and international security and terrorism are not included in the decree," TOLO News quoted Mohammad Farid Hamidi, head of the AGO, as saying.

Officials at the Ministry of Public Health said that six health employees have been infected by the virus in Herat and Kandahar provinces.

Based on the Ministry of Public Health figures, a total of 94 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus in Afghanistan, while four have died.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Myer will close all of its department stores in Australia and stand down 10,000 staff members for at least a month as it battles through the coronavirus pandemic.

Bosses said the department giant - which has been an Australian institution for 120 years - would close its doors on Sunday, but would still run online.

It is the latest victim of the coronavirus retail fallout, which is leaving tens of thousands of Australians unemployed as stores shut their doors.

Around 10,000 members of staff will be sent home without pay, Myer bosses confirmed.

In a statement, they said the decision was made to protect the health of staff, customers and the 'broader community'.

The closure will be for an initial period of four weeks, leading up to April 27, but may go on longer.

All Myer stores across Australia will be closed for at least a month due to the coronavirus pandemic

WHAT'S GONE WRONG AT MYER? Even before the coronavirus outbreak, the iconic Australian department store had been struggling with plunging profits for almost a decade. In the midst of the so-called department store wars Myer and its main rival David Jones sought to differentiate themselves in the battle for customer's hard-earned dollars. In 2015, David Jones decided to concentrate on the higher end market, focusing on leading international and Australian designer brands, while Myer sought to capture the more mid-range market. This, new Myer CEO John King said, is where the store began to lose its direction. Myers shelves began to be stocked with brand after brand of similar mid-range labels while the customer experience of visiting the store was neglected. Advertisement

The embattled department store has suffered plunging profits for almost a decade, long before coronavirus hit.

Its latest financial results posted on March 5 reflect this, showing total sales down 3.8 per cent to $1.6 billion.

'As team members will not be working they will not be paid during this period of imposed closure,' the statement read.

'Full time and part time members have greater flexibility to access their annual leave and long service entitlements in addition to government assistance measures.'

It said it was 'fully supportive' of the government's social distancing measures, including people staying at home as much as possible.

Global health experts said that people staying home and keeping isolated is the best way to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 3,000 Australians.

It comes soon after Australia's biggest hairdressing chain, Just Cuts, announced it would also close its doors.

Australia's borders were last week closed to foreigners, with only returning locals able to come into the country by plane (pictured are returned travellers arriving at Sydney Airport on Friday)

There have been 14 deaths from coronavirus in Australia, with 3,573 cases recorded nationwide

Signalling huge changes to Australian life, Bunnings will operate limited hours, and all restaurants - including the likes of McDonald's - are only operating as a takeaway.

But the measures will hit the economy hard, leaving many desperate for work as staff are laid off on mass.

Westpac, Australia's second biggest bank, fears the national jobless rate will more than double by June, from 5.1 per cent to 11.1 per cent.

This would see 814,000 people lose their jobs, as unemployment soared to the highest level since December 1992.

Westpac is also forecasting an economic contraction in the March, June and September quarters, which would mark the first technical recession in 29 years.

This downturn would be even more severe than the global financial crisis of a decade ago.

General Pants is closing all stores until at least April 22 due to the coronavirus fallout

Smiggle is also owned by Solomon Lew's Premier Investments which announced the shut down

General Pants, Smiggle, and Peter Alexander have also temporarily closed due to the coronavirus fallout.

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

The brands are owned by tycoon Solomon Lew's Premier Investments, which announced a shutdown of Australian stores from Thursday.

Around 9,000 of the company's staff around the world will be stood down without pay until at least April 22.

The group's bosses will be working from home without pay.

Announcing its own closure on Friday night, bosses at Just Cuts said they could 'no longer wait for the National Cabinet to do the right thing' and close salons, with both staff and clients at increasing risk from coronavirus.

The Australian government has come under increasing pressure to force a further shutdown of the country to help stop the spread of the disease.

Just Cuts CEO Denis McFadden said the current COVID-19 restrictions were 'impossible to maintain' and that there was a 'physical risk and mental toll on hairdressers and clients'.

McDonald's stores across Australia (pictured in Melbourne on March 23) have banned customers from dining in and are doing takeaway food only

Kathmandu stores across Australia (pictured) are also closing thanks to the coronavirus pandemic

In a damning statement, he accused the government of leaving the public at risk of infection and said they were 'putting people's lives on the line'.

He said he had pleaded with the Australian government to add hairdressing to its list of non-essential services, but the calls 'fell on deaf ears'.

None of its 190 salons, or 2,500 employees, will carry on working.

'We had hoped that common sense would finally kick in and the State, Federal and Territory Governments would act on the medical advice that safe distancing is critical,' Mr McFadden said on Friday night.

'National Cabinet has today failed to act on our pleas to add hairdressing to the list of non-essential services.

'This is despite calls from medical experts including the Australian Medical Association for more and stronger self-distancing measures.'

The Accent Group, which owns Athlete's Foot, Platypus (pictured) and Hype, has announced it is closing 522 stores and standing down around 5,000 staff

Around 8,000 workers for Woolworths pubs and pokies joint venture have been stood down on March 24.

ALH group, jointly owned by Woolworths and the Mathieson family, operates more than 300 licensed venues across Australia but was forced to shut these down after the government ordered all 'non-essential' businesses close due to coronavirus.

Thousands have since been left without a job but the supermarket giant said that within a day nearly 3,000 would be redeployed.

RAG Group, which owns Tarocash, YD and Connor, closed 500 stores and stood down 3,000 workers on Friday.

The same happened at Accent Group - which owns Athlete's Foot, Platypus and Hype - which announced the closure of 522 stores and the standing down of around 5,000 staff.

It also closed stores from Friday for at least four weeks.

Myer (pictured) is standing down 10,000 members of staff as it shuts 190 department stores because of the coronavirus pandemic

Bunnings (pictured) has changed its opening hours and put in buying restrictions on some essential products

It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a host of new restrictions on Friday, with all arrivals in Australia from overseas now being put into quarantine.

From 11.50pm on Saturday, all travellers arriving in the country will be escorted off flights by defence force personnel and whisked away to new quarantine hotels.

Several are being set up across state capitals.

Mr Morrison announced the measures on Friday, more than a week after the Ruby Princess debacle that saw 3,000 cruise ship passengers disembark in Sydney without a single health check.

Since then, 162 of the ship's passengers have been confirmed to have COVID-19.

The new arrivals will now spend two weeks mandatory self-isolation under the close watch of border force officials, before getting the all clear to return home.

The first arrivals - 288 passengers from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship - continue to reside inside the Swissotel in Sydney's CBD, after being quietly ferried in the hotel's back door at 4am on Thursday.

This traveller was taking no risks as they arrived at Sydney Airport early on Friday morning, wearing a protective suit, mask and goggles (pictured)
Two California restaurants has filed a lawsuit against a unit of The Hartford, seeking a declaration that the owners commercial insurance policy covers losses caused by a statewide business shutdown ordered to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday by the owner of the French Laundry and the Bouchon Bistro in the Napa Valley community of Yountville follows a similar suit by the Oceana Grill in New Orleans against a Lloyds of London insurer. Both actions challenge a notion championed in blog posts by insurance defense attorneys that business interruptions in reaction to the coronavirus are not covered losses for most business insurance policies.

As it happens, the same attorney who filed the Oceana Grill lawsuit  John Houghtaling II of Metairie, Louisiana  is assisting with the California lawsuit.

To avoid payments for a civil authority shut down the insurance industry is pushing out deceptive propaganda that the virus does not cause a dangerous condition to property, Houghtaling said in a press release. This is a lie, its untrue factually and legally.

French Laundry and Bouchon Bistro are both owned by Thomas Keller, whom Houghtaling said is the only chef to have been awarded simultaneous three-star ratings by Michelin guides for two different restaurants.

Kellers lawsuit says his policy with The Hartford Fire Insurance Co. does not have an exclusion for a viral pandemic. In fact, a Property Choice Deluxe Form in the policy extends coverage for a loss or damage due to virus. The suit says Kellers KRM Inc. had to furlough 300 employees after shutting down the restaurants because of an order issued by the Napa County public health officer on March 18 allows take-out and delivery only.

The suit asks the Napa County Superior Court to declare that the order constitutes a prohibition of access to the restaurants and that it triggers coverage under the insurance policy.

Houghtaling said in a press release that restaurants across the United States are struggling because of the coronavirus.

This entire sector is crippled by a nationwide public health shutdown impacting countless livelihoods, he said. We need insurance companies to do the right thing and save millions of jobs.

Houghtaling said his first lawsuit in Louisiana was triggered in part by a March 12 article written by Shannon OMalley, a partner with Zelle law firm in Dallas. She wrote that insurance policies that cover business-interruption expenses generally require a physical loss to trigger coverage, and that physical loss cant be based merely on a supposition that coronavirus might be present.

She said even coverage that applies specifically to orders by civil authorities is contingent on actual physical property damage, not just the fear of contagion. OMalley said: unless the insured can prove that an order of civil authority was directly due to property damage at or near the insureds location, the policys civil authority provision should not apply.

About the photo: The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Calif. Photo courtesy of Thomas Keller Group.
Authorities in Cambodias Kampong Chhnang province on Friday arrested the second activist with the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in two days, charging him with conspiracy to commit treason, sources said.

Police took Thai Sokunthea into custody while he watered his crops near his home, his son-in-law Men Kosal told RFAs Khmer Service, adding that authorities failed to produce a warrant during the arrest and did not inform his family members.

I am saddened because police made no effort to inform us of the crime he [allegedly] committed, he said.

The arrest was made by force and is a form of pressure. There is no justice for our family.

Men Kosal told RFA that his family didnt learn of his father-in-laws arrest until several hours after it took place, and only because they were informed by neighbors of what had happened, but by that time Thai Sokunthea had already been taken to the capital Phnom Penh, where he is being held in Prey Sar Prison.

He steadfastly rejected accusations by police that his father-in-law had committed any crime.

Thai Sokuntheas arrest came a day after Court officials and police stormed the residence of CNRP Provincial Chief Keo Thai and arrested him without a warrant, according to family members, who said they had no idea why he was taken into custody.

Keo Thais daughter, Keo Chan Rachana, told RFA on Thursday that her father, an English teacher, had been teaching classes remotely after schools were ordered to close due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Police had attempted in March 2019 to arrest Keo Thai for criticizing the government on Facebook, but he fled before police surrounded his house.

After CNRP leader Sam Rainsy failed to return to Cambodia from self-imposed exile in November 2019, Prime Minister Hun Sen scaled back arrests of party members suspected of being involved in the bid for repatriation. The loosening of restrictions had allowed Keo Thai to return to his home.

Speaking to RFA on Friday, National Police Commission spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun said that the two arrests were made based on warrants issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on charges of conspiracy to commit treason and incitement to commit a felony.

He refused to elaborate on details of the alleged crimes.

We have documents in our hands, Chhay Kim Khoeun said. If they didnt commit any crimes, they would not have been arrested.

Purely politically motivated

Ny Sokha, director of local rights group Adhocs Human Rights Department, told RFA that the arrests were purely politically motivated, noting that the two activists had been previously targeted by the government.

He said he had seen no evidence of any Cambodian planning to launch a color revolution or join in a plot to commit treason in Cambodia and warned that the arrests will only deepen the countrys political crisis, leading the international community to ostracize Hun Sens government.

The government should be easing tensions [amid the COVID-19 outbreak] situation, he said.

The two leaders of the ruling and opposition parties should be working in solidarity when the country is facing a crisis to make sure that the people will not be infected amidst the outbreak.

The ban on the political opposition, along with a wider crackdown by Hun Sen on NGOs and the independent media, paved the way for Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election.

As of Friday, Cambodia had 99 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with no reported deaths. The virus has infected more than 586,000 people worldwide, leaving nearly 27,000 dead.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Pakistan on Friday opened its borders with its all-weather ally China for a day to accept Chinese medical supplies to fight the growing coronavirus outbreak in the country which has infected 1,235 people and claimed nine lives, officials said.

China on Thursday asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies to fight coronavirus pandemic could be transported into the country. According to Pakistan's health ministry, the number of confirmed cases are nearly 1,235 with Sindh province on the top with 429 patients.

The largest province of Punjab followed with 408, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 147, Balochistan 131, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 91, Islamabad 27 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 2 patients. According to the government data, 9 patients have died, 23 have recovered and 7 are in critical condition.

One new case was reported in PoK, taking the tally to 2. Complete lockdown has been imposed by the regional government and strict measures were taken to prevent the further spread. China was providing critical medical supplies to Pakistan and the Khunjerab pass between the two countries was opened on Friday to let the goods enter Pakistan, according to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

"Medical supplies from Xinjiang, China to Pakistan is delivered through Khunjerab (5,000m) port today, highest land port on Earth. Both sides from China and Pakistan braved the cold, cleared the roads, made good preparations for the delivery of the medical supplies at the Khunjerab Pass," the Chinese embassy in Pakistan tweeted on Friday.

Meanwhile, several cases of extreme negligence were also being reported from different areas. A person with suspected coronavirus infection in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was allowed to go home after giving samples on March 24, Geo News reported.

Later, he was tested positive and the authorities took him to a hospital and put the entire village in quarantine. On Wednesday, Bhara Khahu town in Islamabad was sealed after several cases emerged in the locality. Earlier, a village of Mardan area was sealed after spike in the cases.

Pakistan and China describe their relations as all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

Also read: Slashed interest rate needs quick transmission: Nirmala Sitharaman

Also read: Coronavirus India News Live Updates: Centre asks states to stop exodus; tally rises to 147
While the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits medical degree programs in the United States, has offered guidelines for early graduation, N.Y.U.s decision awaits final approval from the New York State Department of Education.

A number of New York medical schools are still developing proposals for early graduations. Dr. David Muller, dean for medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said the school hoped to have a proposal ready to share with students by early next week. The early graduation would most likely occur in mid-April, he added, and would be voluntary, although details need to be worked out. The Albert Einstein College of Medicine also is working toward early graduation.

[Like the Science Times page on Facebook. | Sign up for the Science Times newsletter.]

Medical students around the country have spent recent weeks mobilizing to support local physicians. They have staffed coronavirus hotlines, coordinated meal deliveries and even offered their time as babysitters to other medical workers. Many said they were excited to contribute their medical training.

We see everything the physicians around us are going through and were excited we can bring some relief to the physicians who trained and mentored us, said Greg Peters, a fourth-year student at Harvard who plans to start a residency in emergency care in Boston.

He added, though, that the prospect of early graduation and fast-tracked service came as a surprise. My classmates and I are Type A people who plan everything out, and our plans are out the window, he said. Were confident in our training, but were a little worried about getting thrown in there.

The Association of American Medical Colleges, a research and advocacy group for medical schools and major teaching hospitals, said it supported the early graduations following L.C.M.E. guidelines, but emphasized the importance of supervision for new graduates.

As we think about what the role of these new graduates would be, it would need to be under supervision, said Dr. Alison Whelan, the associations chief medical education officer.
The best nursing room in Singapore is the one that you can find with ease at a time when you most need it!

According to Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Education Low Yen Ling, more facilities to encourage breastfeeding are going to be made available for nursing mothers. More schools in Singapore will have a lactation room for mothers to either breastfeed or express their milk, over the next three years.

The announcement was made in Parliament yesterday (March 26) in response to a question by Mr. Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) about current breastfeeding-friendy facilities, and if the government could make it obligatory for all schools and educational institutions to have at least one lactation room.

best nursing room in singapore

All schools in Singapore to have lactation rooms to be utilised by nursing mothers. Photo: iStock

Best nursing room in Singapore? One that is nearest to you

All schools to have lactation rooms

In Singapore, currently 85 per cent of primary schools, 65 per cent of secondary schools and 90 per cent of junior colleges, have lactation rooms on their premises.

For the remaining schools, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will progressively provide lactation facilities where feasible over the next three years, Ms. Low noted.

She further added that all institutes of higher learning are already equipped with breastfeeding-friendly facilities, and that such features are now a standard building specification for MOE.

best nursing room in singapore

MOE to provide more breastfeeding-friendly facilities over the next three years. Photo: iStock

In response to being asked by Mr. Ng if the nursing facilities provided were specifically for the purpose of lactation and not just a spare room, Ms. Low answered that the necessity of a lactation room has been part of the building specifications for primary schools as part of their upgrading, since 2010.

Similar arrangements were also made for secondary schools and junior colleges.

She also added that as a mother of two children both of whom she breastfed for slightly over a year, she understood the importance of external features such as nursing rooms when it came to being able to persevere on the breastfeeding journey.

Story continues

MOE will certainly continue to work with the existing schools to ensure that all schools will have lactation rooms at the nearest feasible date, she added.

Breastfeeding in public  not illegal in Singapore

best nursing room in singapore

Breastfeeding in public is not an offence in Singapore. It is not required for nursing mothers to cover up when nursing. Photo: iStock

Mr. Ng further asked in Parliament if there were any rules currently prohibiting mothers from breastfeeding their children in public, and if mothers are allowed to nurse their children on board public transport, on buses and trains.

In response, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs Sun Xueling reported that there is no law against breastfeeding in public.

Indecent exposure and appearing nude in public are criminal offences. Mothers who are genuinely breastfeeding their children in public are generally unlikely to fall under these categories, Ms. Sun replied.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Transport Baey Yam Keng further added that in addition to public breastfeeding not being an offence, mothers were not required to cover up while nursing on public transport.

For those who prefer privacy for breastfeeding, we provide nursing rooms at key transport nodes, and well continue to build more, he further noted.

Meanwhile, in a written response to Mr. Ngs question about breastfeeding-friendly facilities available in public, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan further noted that in addition to 50 per cent of bus interchanges already hosting such facilities, the Government will provide nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, as well as new MRT interchange stations.

The post Lactation Rooms in All Schools for Breastfeeding Mothers: Govt appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
Coronavirus, indeed, doesn't choose its victims.

Popular broadway star Mark Blum became the latest artist to succumb to complications caused by the coronavirus, as announced by Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons.

On March 26, the company took to Twitter and posted their heartfelt message for the actor along with four photographs of Blum throughout the years.

"With love and heavy hearts, Playwrights Horizons pays tribute to Mark Blum, a dear longtime friend, and a consummate artist who passed this week," they said in the tweet. "Thank you, Mark, for all you brought to our theater, and to theaters and audiences across the world. We will miss you."

The Playwrights Horizons theater group and SAG-AFTRA executive vice president Rebecca Damon followed the post and confirmed the news of Blum's passing due to COVID-19.

It is with such deep sorrow that Im writing to share the news that our friend and former board member Mark Blum has passed away as a result of complications from the coronavirus. Mark was a dedicated Screen Actors Guild and SAG-AFTRA board member serving from 2007-2013, pic.twitter.com/aA3yPfOwh7  Rebecca Damon (@RebeccaDamonNYC) March 26, 2020

Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris referred to his death as a painful loss to the SAG-AFTRA family. Carteris also sent the company's condolences to Blum's wife, Janet Zarish, his friends, and all of his loved ones.

Blum was not the only Broadway veteran who caught the deadly coronavirus. Actors Gavin Creel, Aaron Tveit, and Laura Bell Bundy, and composer David Bryan also got tested positive for the disease.

Recently, it also has claimed the life of Terrence McNally, a four-time Tony-winning playwright.

Blum's Notable Roles

The 69-year-old actor from New Jersey started his career in the 1970s. He immediately got recognition from Obie in 1988-89 season for his role in the Playwrights Horizons production of Albert Innaurato's "Gus and Al."

Since then, Blum became a permanent off-Broadway performer throughout his life. He became part of Playwrights Horizons' "Rancho Viejo" and "Fern Hill" at 59E59 Theaters.

In addition, he got his first television appearance on "St. Elsewhere," a medical drama in 1980. His list of TV classics followed, including "The West Wing," "Roseanne," and "The Practice" to name a few.

Aside from his numerous roles on big screens, Blum also managed to establish his name on Amazon and Netflix through the series "Mozart in the Jungle" and "You," respectively.

The upcoming "Showtime's Billions: Season 5" will also unveil the first posthumous appearance of the SAG-AFTRA board member.

Former Co-Stars, Fans Saddened

His departure, though broke the hearts of the many, also proved that he was loved so much by everyone.

Madonna, Blum's co-star in 1985 film "Desperately Seeking Susan," shared photos of her with the late actor along with the message, "I Want to Acknowledge the Passing of a remarkable Human, fellow actor and friend Mark Blum, who succumbed to coronavirus. This is really tragic and my heart goes out to him, his family and his loved ones."

The 61-year-old "Papa Don't Preach" hitmaker remembered him as "funny, warm, loving, and professional" when she experienced working with him for the first time. She also included in the same post a reminder for all the people that coronavirus is not a joke.

"I'm so sorry to hear this. What a terrible and painful loss. Mark was one of the good ones. Much love to all who were fortunate enough to count him as a friend," a fan wrote.

The coronavirus has now infected more than half a million people around the world, and the trend has not flattened, yet.
India's lone Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra has announced that there will be no lay-offs in his two organizations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sparked fears of a global recession.

The novel coronavirus has already claimed 18 lives in India while the global death toll has crossed 23,000.

"I can't claim to do much as India fights the corona pandemic but, despite, the uncertainty I am committed to my team for the foreseeable future. I will carry the load for as long as I can. Till we are back to helping our patients,athletes and clients," Bindra tweeted.

Bindra runs two separate entities -- Abhinav Bindra Foundation (ABF) and Facility for Physical Excellence (ABTP) which has multiple centres across India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sylvia Jeffreys proudly showed off her newborn son, Oscar, on Today Extra on Friday.

Before her baby's big debut, the 33-year-old newsreader joked that anything could happen during the live broadcast.

'Oscar is about to make his live TV debut on Today Extra. Will he: (A) vomit (B) poop (C) cry (D) all of the above? Stay tuned to find out...' she wrote on Instagram.

Baby's big debut! Sylvia Jeffreys showed off her newborn son, Oscar, on Today Extra on Friday

Turns out Oscar selected 'C' and chose to cry throughout the entire segment.

Sylvia was interviewed via Skype about how new mothers can cope with loneliness while in self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.

She joked that the segment had interrupted her six-week-old son's feeding.

Better watch out! Before her baby's big debut, the 33-year-old newsreader joked on Instagram that anything could happen during the live broadcast

Today Extra host David Campbell joked that Oscar was just like his 'noisy' father, Peter Stefanovic.

After the baby's brief appearance, one of Sylvia's followers commented on Instagram: 'A star is born.'

Another said Oscar could be a 'future host of Today'.

Top tips: Sylvia and her colleague Jayne Azzopardi, who is also on maternity leave, were interviewed via Skype about how new mothers can cope with loneliness while in self-isolation

Channel Nine newsreader Jayne Azzopardi also joined in the discussion on Today Extra from her home.

She is on maternity leave, too, after welcoming a son named Joey last month.

Sylvia thanked her colleague for her friendship during this 'uncertain time'.

Solidarity: Sylvia said she was lucky to have a friend like Jayne (pictured) supporting her

'I'm so lucky to have Jayne and some other friends who gave birth around the same time,' she said.

Sylvia also revealed she had joined a WhatsApp mother's group, which is helping her feel less isolated while staying at home.

As of Friday morning, there are 3,050 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 13 deaths.

'No hugs, no worries!' Sylvia and Jayne went to the park with their children last week
With three new cases coming to



light on Friday, the number of coronavirus patients in Gujarat reached 47, a senior health department official said.

All the three cases were reported from Rajkot.

One of them is a 37-year-old man who had returned from China in January, while other two, a 39-year-old man and 33-year-old women, had no foreign travel history, said Jayanti Ravi, Principal Secretary, Health.

"As the 37-year-old man had come back from China in January and tested positive only today, he may have been infected locally.

"Other two patients are confirmed cases of local transmission. They came in contact with coronavirus positive persons," Ravi told reporters in Gandhinagar.

On Thursday, the number of cases in Gujarat had gone up by five to 44.

Of the 47 cases, 15 were recorded in Ahmedabad, followed by Vadodara (8) and Rajkot (8), Gandhinagar (7) and Surat (7), and one each in Kutch and Bhavnagar, she said.

Till now, three persons have died of COVID-19 in Gujarat. As many as 19,377 persons are under 14-day home quarantine.

The government has undertaken a state-wide survey to find probable patients, which has covered 3.98 crore persons so far.

Gujarat Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said 272 cases related to violation of home quarantine rules were registered during the day.

He also said that 54 relief camps have been set up across the state to house migrant workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Response coordinator for White House Coronavirus Task Force Deborah Birx speaks during the daily briefing on the CCP virus at the White House in a March 24, 2020, file photograph. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

COVID-19 Data Doesnt Match Most Extreme Models: Dr. Birx

COVID-19 models that have predicted the death of millions due to the pandemic dont match the reality on the ground in the United States, the White House coronavirus response director said on Thursday.

Models are models, Dr. Deborah Birx said at a Coronavirus Task Force briefing. When people start talking about 20 percent of a population getting infected, its very scary, but we dont have data that matches that based on our experience.

She added that given the current data, theres no model right now, no reality on the ground, where we can see that 60-70 percent of Americans are going to get infected in the next 10-12 weeks.

Birx made reference to modelling predictions projecting up to 2.2 million deaths from the CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, in the United States, and half a million deaths in the United Kingdom.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

The predictions of the model dont match the reality on the ground in China, South Korea, or Italy. We are five times the size of Italy, she added. If we were Italy and did all those divisions, Italy should have close to 400,000 deaths. They are not close to achieving that.

Italys death toll on Thursday stood at a little over 8,200.

A view shows people at work, as volunteer artisans, Civil Protection workers and members of the Bergamo section of the National Alpine Association (ANA) work together to build a strategic field hospital for COVID-19 patients in the premises of the Bergamo fair on March 27, 2020, during the countrys lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, caused by the CCP virus. (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)

Birx stressed that the estimates are based on models which do not consider the ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the virus worldwide.

The numbers that have been put out there are actually very frightening to people, she said during the briefing.

If you do these projections, when you got to those projections that said, like in Germany and others, that implied that 60 percent or 50 percent of the population would get infected, I want to be very clear: The only way that happens is if this virus remains continuously moving through populations in this cycle, in the fall cycle, and another cycle, Birx said.

The author of the model has since said that deaths in the UK are unlikely to exceed 20,000, Birx said, as stringent measures to restrict movement had been implemented with a three-week total lockdown.

Half a million to 20,000. We are looking at that in great detail to understand that adjustment, Birx added.

Staff members spray disinfectant at a subway station in Wuhan, in Chinas central Hubei Province on March 27, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Doubts Chinas CCP Virus Data

President Donald Trump meanwhile expressed his doubts about the number of COVID-19 cases being reported by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in its official data that is quoted around the world.

You dont know what the numbers are in China, the president said when asked by a reporter whether he was surprised that the United States has surpassed China in the number of cases of the CCP virus.

A tracking map published by Johns Hopkins University currently shows that the United States has 85,991 confirmed cases, compared to China which has an official confirmed case total of 81,782. CCP virus deaths in the U.S. rose to 1,296 by Thursday.

Trump said that he thinks the increase in cases being reported in the United States is a tribute to the testingwere testing tremendous numbers of people  Were doing tremendous testing.

Im sure youre not able to tell what China is testing or not testing, Trump told the reporter. I think thats a little hard.

According to The Epoch Times investigations, Chinas actual number of cases and deaths from the CCP virus are likely to be more than 10 times higher than what is being reported.

COVID-19 Could Kill 81,000: Study

According to a recent analysis conducted by the University of Washingtons School of Medicine, it is estimated that in the next four months, COVID-19 could kill more than 81,000 people in the United States and the outbreak may not subside until June.

This death toll could vary from 38,000 to 162,000, the modelling suggested. Lead author of the study, Dr. Christopher Murray, who is the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, looked at data from governments, hospitals, and other sources to inform his analysis.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
More than a year into his term, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attended his first international summit Thursday, though the topic - but the coronavirus pandemic meant he didn't have to leave home to get there. Lopez Obrador, who has not left Mexico since taking office in December 2018, urged the online gathering of the world's top 20 industrialized economies to help those with fewer resources.

He proposed that the United Nations take control of "everything related to medicine and equipment" to combat the virus so that there is an even playing field.

Lopez Obrador specifically noted the ability of the neighboring United States to spend billions of dollars on in-demand items like ventilators for those in most critical need, making them harder for other countries to find and driving up the cost.

He also said the poor must be a focus of plans for economic recovery after the pandemic.

"You must give special attention to the family micro-businesses and to all those working in the so-called informal economy, those who make their way in life any way they can," he said.

Mexico had 475 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Thursday and six people have died. On Thursday, the federal government shut down for all but essential work.

Lopez Obrador has been criticized for not taking more aggressive measures against the pandemic and downplaying it as he encouraged Mexicans to go about their business.

On Thursday, he seemed to be taking a harder line, devoting time to listing the illness' symptoms and urging people to stay inside.

Still, his government continued to send mixed messages. He said his health advisers told him Mexico should be in better shape by April 19. But earlier this week, Health Undersecretary Hugo Lopez-Gatell said if the government's plan to flatten the epidemiological curve and keep infections at a manageable level works, the epidemic may not peak in Mexico until August.
Faridabad (Haryana) [India], Mar 27 (ANI): Among the numerous stories of hardships being faced by people due to the nationwide lockdown announced to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the one of an Assistant Section Officer (ASO) working in the Ministry of Defence (MoD), who could not attend the funeral of his mother, stands out.

ASO Sudhakar Jha needed the permission of the District Magistrate (DM) of Faridabad to travel with family to Madhubani in Bihar, to attend the last rites of his mother who passed away due to cardio-respiratory arrest.

However, no sooner had he ventured out of his house he was stopped by the local police which refused to allow him to go out because of the nationwide lockdown.

"It was very shocking for me that my mother is no more, I went out of my house in Faridabad to take permission from the District Magistrate to travel to Madhubani, Bihar but I was detained by local police. They kept me in their custody for a while and released me only on the condition that I return to my residence. Despite my repeated pleas, the police did not listen to me," Jha told ANI here.

The bereaved son had even carried his mother's death certificate to get the required travel permission but was told by the police that only those could travel who were allowed by the DM.

Upon contacting the Faridabad DM, the official explained that similar permissions were granted recently and urged Jha to send his request through mail or Whatsapp.

"We received two such requests today and both were cleared. If he isn't one of them, then he may send his request through WhatsApp or email to get permission. We have also started granting portal based permissions," the DM told ANI through a message.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi said that it is vital to break the chain of the disease and experts have said that at least 21 days are needed for it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot threatened to shut down public areas on Wednesday after becoming increasingly frustrated with people disobeying the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. The mayor's warning also made clear that anyone breaking the new measure would be fined or even possibly arrested, reported CBS Chicago.

"Stay at home. Only go out for essentials. You have to readjust your thinking. Be smart," Lightfoot said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. "Not only will our police be deployed to shut them down if you are not abiding by these orders we will be forced to shut down the parks and lakefront. The situation Is deadly serious and we need you take it deadly seriously."

Lightfoot said the public is forbidden to spend long periods outdoors amid a virus crisis that is sweeping across the state.

"You cannot go on long bike rides. Playgrounds are shut down. You must abide by the order. Outside, is for a brief respite, not for 5Ks. I can't emphasize enough that we abide the rules."

By Wednesday evening, it was unclear if the mayor directed the police to shut down part of the Lakefront Trail community park. A YouTube video surfaced on Wednesday night, showing the incident, where officers told people on the trail to turn around.

Doctor Allison Arwady from the Chicago Department of Public Health said the mayor's social distancing measures serve as a means to flatten the pandemic curve and slowdown infections in the region.

"We don't have a vaccine. We don't have a treatment. Chicago has an A for preparedness. But we are planning for some real worst-case scenarios," Arwady said. "The next two to three weeks will be the most important time to do everything we can to flatten that curve. Doing that is what will keep our hospitals going."

As of Thursday morning, Illinois has 1,870 confirmed cases and 19 deaths. Across the US, cases have just hit 69,197, with 1,046 deaths, as the pandemic curve is now exponential.

We noted on Tuesday that the US is still in the acceleration period of the curve, which means things will get uglier in the coming weeks before they get better.

Interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck said, "the public health order is not an advisory. It is a mandate. If you violate it, you are subject to a fine of $500. If you continue to violate it, you will be subject to arrest."

No longer three warnings. Interim #CPD Supt. Charlie Beck says people at large gatherings will now only get one warning to disperse. Then - a ticket. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/WBDUp1S3ni  Dana Kozlov (@DanaCBS2) March 25, 2020

Chicagos draconian emergency powers to suppress the pandemic curve and slow down the virus is starting to look a lot like Martial Law.
Acclaimed artist Satish Gujral died at the age of 94 on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the demise of the Padma Vibhushan Awardee.

Known for his versatility across mediums he was architect, writer, painter, muralist, sculptor and graphic artist too.

Modi took to Twitter and wrote, "Satish Gujral Ji was versatile and multifaceted. He was admired for his creativity as well as the determination with which he overcame adversity. His intellectual thirst took him far and wide yet he remained attached with his roots. Saddened by his demise. Om Shanti."

[{7e8383d2-c68e-4955-a64f-0953f98a4141:intradmin/hahsdhashdah.jpg}]

Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri also conveyed his heartfelt condolences in a tweet that read, "Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of the celebrated painter, sculptor, muralist & architect Sh Satish Gujral. He will be remembered & missed by legions of his followers & admirers. I offer my heartfelt condolence to his family."

[{6274337d-16d8-47d7-9e8e-009799ee8a2f:intradmin/ajhsdashkdh_DJPlIcg.PNG}]

Born in Jhelum, Pakistan in 1925, the artist was brother of former Prime Minister IK Gujral's brother and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in the country in 1999.

The Belgium Embassy in New Delhi has been designed by Gujral, and it was also selected by the international forum of architects as one of the thousand best-built buildings in the 20th century around the world,

Sculptor and a muralist, Gujral had designed the alphabet mural on the outside wall of the Delhi High Court.

'Days of Glory' and 'Mourning en masse' are some of his most famous paintings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It is now essentially expected that a candidate for high office will claim to be "an outsider" and "not a career politician," as if these were self-evidently positive attributes. They promise a change from "the status quo" or "business as usual." Donald Trump, who had never held elective office or worked in government, affirmed the appeal of such rhetoric in 2016, when he beat a former senator and secretary of state. During his campaign, he promised to "drain the swamp" of career bureaucrats and other establishment figures.

But being an outsider is overrated, and nothing makes that clearer than the deadly pandemic sweeping the nation and the world. Trump is mishandling every aspect of the crisis - misinforming the public about the disease, playing down the gravity of the threat and refusing to send equipment where it is desperately needed. It turns out that experience and skill in government matter, as is evident from the contrast between the president's performance and that of governors who often have spent their careers in public service. Crisis leadership is no place for a dilettante.

The outbreak in New York has been clearly explained because a career politician, Gov. Andrew Cuomo - who also served as U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development and his state's attorney general - has risen to the occasion, working urgently but methodically to meet New York's needs and giving informative daily news conferences with a serious but calm demeanor. New Yorkers find Cuomo so reassuring that the 62-year-old has become an unlikely sex symbol.

The other states with the most coronavirus cases, Washington and California, have been guided by the steady hands of longtime politicians Jay Inslee and Gavin Newsom, respectively. Both governors, like Cuomo, moved to slow the spread of the contagion by first prohibiting large gatherings, then closing nonessential businesses and issuing orders to stay at home. All three Democrats have eschewed the president's penchant for making false promises about when the infection rate will peak and when things will get back to normal. Arguably, all three should have instituted more draconian measures earlier. But they were in the difficult position of leading, rather than following the federal government.

Both Inslee and Newsom embody certain political archetypes that outsiders and disaffected voters often mock. Inslee is the bland technocrat who methodically worked his way up from the Washington legislature to Congress to the governor's mansion, with a stop along the way as a regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Newsom is a different model: the handsome, carefully coifed wunderkind who was, upon his appointment in 1996, the youngest member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He became mayor before he turned 40 and then served as California's lieutenant governor. Newsom made a fortune running a winery before entering politics, but he still began his trajectory as a local legislator, rising along with his knowledge base, rather than starting at the highest point.

Republican governors, too, have led ably. Mike DeWine of Ohio was the first to close schools, doing so when there were only five confirmed cases in his state. DeWine, a former U.S. senator and lieutenant governor, undoubtedly saved lives by taking swift and decisive action. Larry Hogan of Maryland also shut schools early and has won bipartisan applause for his unequivocal, nonpartisan messaging about the dangers of public gatherings. Although he spent years in the private sector, Hogan also spent weekends in his dad's office when the elder Hogan served in Congress and worked for his father when the elder Hogan was Prince George County Executive, and served as Maryland's secretary of appointments.

Trump is not the only political newcomer to mishandle the coronavirus pandemic. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who was a coal mining executive before running for office in 2016, "has rambled through mixed messages on the virus, diminishing his credibility with some West Virginians who have said it's been a struggle to discern exactly what he wants them to do," as the Associated Press reported Monday. Last weekend he gave a speech in which, the Charleston Gazette-Mail observed, he urged action but didn't take any himself. Days earlier, he said people should feel free to go to Bob Evans, a restaurant chain.

Similarly, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, another businessman turned political novice, tweeted a picture of himself and his family at a packed restaurant earlier this month and gushed over the crowd behind him. Even Trump, when asked about Stitt's now-deleted tweet, said restaurants were probably best avoided. Stitt's spokesman responded that the governor would "continue to take his family out to dinner and to the grocery store without living in fear and encourages Oklahomans to do the same."

Of course, not every experienced politician has handled the coronavirus perfectly. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a former city councilman, was slow to implement strict social distancing measures and encouraged New Yorkers to hit their favorite bars just hours before the city closed them. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former member of Congress, has been criticized for his refusal to close some beaches and businesses because he fears the economic impact. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who served as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court and as state attorney general, was reluctant to order statewide business shutdowns. As a conservative committed to minimal government and local control, Abbott has preferred to leave public health decisions up to localities. (He eventually limited the size of gatherings and closed bars, restaurants and gyms; he suggested Tuesday that he may go further.)

One explanation for the varied performances among politicians is that those who, like Trump, seem less interested in the managerial aspects of politics are less likely to handle a crisis capably. De Blasio's, Abbott's and DeSantis's errors, like some of Trump's, stemmed from an apparent reluctance to sacrifice their ideological commitments or political allies. Trump, a former business executive, has refused to use the Defense Production Act to produce medical equipment after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and corporate executives lobbied him against it. De Blasio, whose failed run for president centered on big-government progressive slogans, justified delaying business and school closures because he feared the loss of income for waitstaff and the lack of food and child care for families who rely on schools to provide those necessities.

And not all political experience is the same. De Blasio had been an activist and a campaign manager before becoming a city council member and the city's public advocate. His role was always that of an advocate rather than a bureaucrat or executive, and his managerial performance in City Hall has been questioned before.

But no one has failed more spectacularly at combating coronavirus than the president. And while he spends time maligning some of the politicians whose decisions he dislikes, they are stepping up to fill his leadership void. Perhaps, in 2024, some of them will run for president and proudly introduce themselves as just another lifelong politician.

- - -

Adler, who has covered climate change for several publications, is a senior editor at City & State NY.
As the country grapples with lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, daily wagers and migrant workers are the worst hit. The crisis has robbed these workers of their daily income and in the midst of the sudden lockdown, many don't have access to food or transportation to get back to their homes.

In one such heartbreaking scenario, two Delhi youths working as daily wagers at a sandal factory in Delhi were surviving on biscuits for four days. By the fourth day, they could not control their hunger and decided to make a desperate call to the cops.

According to TOI, 20-year-old Prashant and his friend Mohammad Dilshad living at a rented accommodation in Amar Park area at Inderlok in Delhi called the cops around evening of March 26.

These 2 boys Prashant and Dilshad, daily wage labourers, have not eaten anything for last 4 days. They made a PCR call today which was received at Inderlok chowki. The chowki staff fed them and also donated Food/Rashan . #GoodSamaritans@DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/civHY5SCXY  DCP North Delhi (@DcpNorthDelhi) March 26, 2020

Speaking to the Daily Dishad said the cops told them to get to the station and immediately arranged for some food.

DCP North Monika Bhardwaj said, "After the call was received our police officers assisted the two boys. Dilshad hails from Bihar while Prashant hails from Gorakhpur. The staff handed over over some cash and ration to them."

Twitter

The police handed them Rs 1,000 and supplies that could last them for a couple of day with essentials like rice and dal.

After the incident, the cops are on the lookout for similar people who are struggling to survive amid the lockdown.

The labour ministry has directed central ministries and states concerned to ensure that employers dont fire their employees, particularly contractual or casual workers, or reduce their wages amid the Covid-19 outbreak as it would deepen the crisis.



Under these circumstances, daily wagers are bearing the greatest brunt. The state governments have introduced a slew of financial measures for domestic workers, construction workers and daily wagers.


San Francisco Mayor London Breed is not a fan of President Donald Trump's proposal to reopen the country by Easter, and is also underwhelmed by the federal government's efforts to aid local hospitals through the coronavirus pandemic.

During a Thursday phone interview on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," Breed was asked about the president's proposed timeline and plan to designate counties as high risk, medium risk and low risk.

"I think sadly what the president is asking for is ridiculous," she said. "We have people who are dying, we have people who cannot even be tested, we have folks who are infecting people who don't even understand they are walking around with the virus as we speak. And we're already talking about reopening places where we need to make sure cases never make it to in the first place. The whole point of why we're shutting major cities down and we're asking people to do something we've never asked them to do before has everything to do with public health. If we continue business as usual and put a deadline on things without listening to public health experts ... I don't know what we're going to be doing. It will be even worse."

Breed was also asked about projections that San Francisco's hospitals could be overwhelmed shortly, and criticized the federal government for not helping provide personal protective equipment (PPE).

"We have had to basically go around the federal government in getting our own materials from other countries to have the PPE everyone is talking about," she said. "This is something the federal government should be leading on, and you have cities partnering with the private sector so we can protect our nurses and doctors and people on the front lines."

You can watch her full interview in the video clip above.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
East Timor recorded its first confirmed COVID-19 virus case on Saturday. The south-east Asian state is among the most impoverished in the world, with only minimal healthcare facilities. If the global pandemic sweeps through the country, there could be mass casualties.

East Timor had previously been among a small group of countries without confirmed cases of coronavirus. Timors interim health minister, Elia dos Reis Amaral, issued a statement Saturday explaining that the patient was a foreign national who had recently arrived from overseas. The person had been isolated and reportedly has only mild symptoms.

How many others are infected is unknown. The World Health Organisation (WHO) provided East Timor with 10 testing kits, which allows only 1,000 people to be tested in a country of 1.3 million people. The tests also have to be sent to Australia in order to be validated, delaying the results.

Even before the confirmed case, social tensions within East Timor were high. On March 8, police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of people in Tibar, west of the capital Dili, who were protesting against a quarantine site set up in their village for suspected coronavirus patients. One of those quarantined with coronavirus-like symptoms had reportedly recently returned from holidaying in Italy, one of the diseases epicentres.

People washing their hands outside Lita Store

Tibar is home to a large rubbish dump. Impoverished residents rake through the daily-delivered rubbish, hoping to find metal sheeting, tin cans, clothes, or other useable items. Rubbish is burned, creating acrid smoke that has created numerous health problems in the village. One woman protesting the quarantine site declared, in a video that was widely distributed on social media, that Tibar had become a place to put rubbish, to put [people with] HIV, tuberculosis and coronavirus.

The Timorese government has responded to the first confirmed COVID-19 case by announcing a month-long lockdown and preparing a state of emergency. The countrys only land border, with the Indonesian province of West Timor, is closed to both goods and people. Schools have been shut down, with students told to take an extraordinary holiday that will last at least one week. Universities are closed until at least April 4. The Catholic Church also announced that mass services were suspended.

Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak said his government would make a rapid and emergency response to the confirmed case. The government, however, is mired in crisis after Ruak lost his parliamentary majority and had his proposed budget voted down in January. A rival coalition of six parliamentary groupings, led by former President and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, has sought the endorsement of Fretilin President Francisco Guterres to form a new government, but the impasse continues (see: East Timors coalition government collapses).

Ruaks inability to pass his budget through the parliament means that the government funding is through Timors duodecimal system, which each month allocates one-twelfth of the 2019 budget. Unless somehow circumvented, this restriction will mean the government will not be able to make large-scale investments in health and other emergency infrastructure in the event of a large-scale virus outbreak.

East Timor is among those countries with little capacity to respond to the coronavirus crisis. The former Portuguese colony was invaded by Indonesia and brutally occupied until 1999, when Australian imperialism staged a military intervention on bogus humanitarian groundswhich was subsequently exposed by the refusal of successive Australian governments to make available to the Timorese people basic healthcare and other social services.

In 2002 the state received formal sovereignty. In the 18 years since, the Timorese ruling elite have demonstrated the bankruptcy of their claim that they could advance the social and economic interests of the working class and rural poor through the formation of a new capitalist statelet on half of a small island.

The healthcare situation in the country is dire. According to WHO statistics, annual health spending amounts to 1.5 percent of its small gross domestic product, equivalent to just $US102 per person. Hospitals and health clinics are entirely unprepared for a coronavirus pandemic. In rural districts, health clinics often experience power failures and, according to UNICEF, up to 70 percent of village clinics have no access to running water.

Last Sunday, the operators of Bairo Pite Clinic, a non-government organisation providing free healthcare, issued an urgent appeal on an East Timor email group for face masks, explaining that they had run out.

Heavy machinery clearing debris built up in Maufelo River (March 20)

The governments inability to respond to a significant crisis was demonstrated on March 13, when monsoonal rains triggered flash floods in parts of Dili. Drain systems clogged and flooding destroyed at least 190 homes and affected another 1,500 households. One person, aged 16, was killed, reportedly after he saved a woman and her baby from drowning. Inundated residents were largely left to fend for themselves.

One Dili worker, whose family home was submerged by the flood waters, told the World Socialist Web Site: The government was not only unprepared for the flood but has done virtually nothing to respond to the emergency situation. During and after the flood, throughout the weekend, we saw not a single government official assisting us. Even though we were desperate for a dry and safe place to stay and sleep, clean water, food, clothing, access to a toilet, and healthcare, nothing was provided. We had to go to a friends place to do the washing. Most of my neighbours had to clean their clothing with dirty water, using the same river that caused the flooding.

He added: The first confirmed corona virus in Dili has got people in a panicked and worried situation. With the inadequate condition of public hospitals throughout the country I fear that the spreading of the virus will be hard to containit could be like a wildfire. The government has no adequate facilities to quarantine coronavirus-positive patients.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie confirmed Friday he will force a roll call vote in the House on $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package, a threat that united President Donald Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy in anger against him.

President Trump railed against Massie for his threat to call a roll call vote on the measure, which will delay its passage, and called on the GOP to throw the eight-term lawmaker out of the party.

Massie also was a vocal defender of the president's during the impeachment inquiry.

And the congressman confirmed that, despite Trump's threats, he will call for a roll call vote.

'I swore an oath to uphold the constitution, and I take that oath seriously. In a few moments I will request a vote on the CARES Act which means members of Congress will vote on it by pushing yes or no or present,"' Massie wrote on Twitter.

'The Constitution requires that a quorum of members be present to conduct business in the House. Right now, millions of essential, working-class Americans are still required to go to work during this pandemic such as manufacturing line workers, healthcare professionals, pilots, grocery clerks, cooks/chefs, delivery drivers, auto mechanics, and janitors (to name just a few). Is it too much to ask that the House do its job, just like the Senate did?,' he added.

He announced his decision after he was spotted in a conversation on the House floor with McCarthy and Pelosi. The two leaders have pushed for a vote on the package by unanimous consent, a voting method done by acclamation, which would allow lawmakers to stay in their districts instead of traveling during the pandemic.

The package will pass but a roll call vote will take longer as a quorum of lawmakers - that is 216 - must be present.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were furious at having to travel at risk to their health to vote on a bill that all agree was going to pass.

President Trump railed against a member of his own party who threatened to hold up Friday's House vote on the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package

President Trump blasted Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and suggested he be thrown out of the GOP

Massie sparked fury from both Republicans and Democrats with his move and invoked angry from both legislative and executive branches.

'Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous & costly,' President Trump complained on Twitter Friday morning.

'Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault. It is HELL dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!,' he added.

And Trump threw out one last jab.

'By empowering the Radical Left Democrats, do nothing Kentucky politician @RepThomasMassie is making their War on the 2nd Amendment more and more difficult to win (But dont worry, we will win anyway!). He is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!,' he wrote.

John Kerry, a former senator who was secretary of state under Barack Obama, said he agreed with President Trump about Massie and he called the congressman an 'a**hole.'

'Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an a**hole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. He's given new meaning to the term #Masshole. (Finally, something the president and I can agree on!),' he tweeted.

'Never knew John Kerry had such a good sense of humor! Very impressed!,' Trump tweeted back to him.

But Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas stepped in to defend Massie, telling the president to 'back off.'

'.@RepThomasMassie is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country. He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. Theres nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump. I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off,' Roy tweeted.

Congress is on the brink of passing the relief bill but lawmakers are making a mad dash to Washington D.C. to counter Massie's move.

Both Republicans and Democrats agree the package - which offers loans to small businesses, direct checks to Americans and aid to industries hit hard by the virus - needs to be passed today.

The House planned to pass the measure by unanimous consent - a method usually used to pass noncontroversial legislation.

But that can be held up by the objection of a single lawmaker.

Such an objection would require the House to hold a roll call vote, which means a quorum of lawmakers would need to be present. That number is 216 lawmakers.

Leadership warned lawmakers Friday morning that looked to be happening and to proceed to the House floor for quorum call using 'proper social distancing practices.'

'At this time, a quorum may be necessary to conduct the remainder of business in the House. We therefore ask all Members to begin making their way to the House Floor or Gallery while employing proper social distancing practices,' read the notice.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arriving in the Capitol Friday morning, will hold the vote on the $2 trillion stimulus package to help combat the coronavirus

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy urged lawmakers to get to Washington D.C. for the vote

Leadership planned to do the voice vote so lawmakers would not have to travel during the pandemic. Additionally it would help keep the virus out of the Capitol, where two House members and one senator have tested positive for it. Several House members are in their 60s and 70s, which is the age group considered high risk for the disease.

Thursday evening leadership for both parties sent out notice to lawmakers to get to Washington D.C. if they can - an action they hoped to avoid.

'Members are advised that it is possible this measure will not pass by voice vote. Members are encouraged to follow the guidance of their local and state health officials. However, if they are able and willing to be in Washington D.C. by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Members are encouraged to do so with caution,' House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy's office warned lawmakers.

The package is expected to pass whether the vote is unanimous consent or roll call.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are boarding planes back to Washington D.C. - and grumbling about it given the guarantee the package will pass given the support it has from both Republicans and Democrats.

'Heading to the airport now to vote in DC. am going just like every person that picks our food, works at a hospital, picks up the garbage. I am doing it because it is my f***ing job. But I get a comfortable salary, our essential workers should get same. #coronavirus,' wrote Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego on Twitter.

Other lawmakers citied safety concerns about trying to contain the virus.

'Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible,' wrote Republican Rep. Peter King on Twitter.

Lawmakers, such as Rep. Dina Titus, tweeted images of deserted airports and planes as they made their way back to the Capitol.

The relief package provides loans to small businesses, direct checks to Americans and aid to industries hit hard by the virus; above a nurse conducts a coronavirus test in Seattle

The House gaveled into session at 9 a.m. and is in the midst of holding three hours of debate on the package.

Then leadership will attempt to hold a vote by unanimous consent.

That is when a lawmaker could object and trigger a roll call vote. As of Friday morning, it was unclear whether or not that would happen. Massie was spotted on the House floor, however.

The debate began with lawmakers from both parties switching back-and-forth to talk about the legislation.

Some lawmakers grew emotional.

Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat wearing pink latex gloves with a black suit and big pearl necklace, had a meltdown on the House floor when discussing the legislation.

I rise for every American who is scared right now, she said, waving her glove-clad hands in the air.

She grew emotional when talking about the pandemic, talking louder and waving her hands frantically. With her time up, Rep. Anthony Brown, who was the presiding officer of the House, tried to end her speech.

But she kept talking even as Brown banged his gavel and called on her to stop.

To our doctors and nurses, I wear these latex gloves to tell every American: Do not be afraid!, she said. 'I rise before you adorning these latex gloves not for personal attention  not for personal attention  but to encourage you to take this disease seriously.'

The gentle lady is out of order, Brown said, banging his gavel.

But Stevens kept yelling over him even as her mic was turned off, shouting about medical workers as other lawmakers on the floor called on her to stop.

Similar times have tried the medical staff: wars and flus past. You will see darkness, you will be pushed. Our society needs you to stand together at this time. Our country loves you, she yelled.

Brown again cut her off and ruled her out of order and out of time. She conceded the floor back to Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat wearing pink latex gloves with a black suit and big pearl necklace, had a meltdown on the House floor when discussing the legislation

Lawmakers ruled Rep. Stevens out of order for her comments

Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democrats on a call Thursday that a final vote on the legislation will happen on Friday, whether it is by unanimous consent or roll call.

'If we have a quorum tomorrow, we will take a vote tomorrow,' she said, Politico reported citing multiple Democrats on the call. 'The American people want certainty. We need to get this bill passed tomorrow.'

Two lawmakers have already tested positive for the coronavirus and a few others have shown symptoms of the disease while others are in quarantine out of caution, so both Pelosi and McCarthy are taking precautions.

If there is a roll call vote, the vote will be held open longer than the normal 15 minutes so lawmakers can stagger on to the floor to vote in shifts, there by cutting down the numbers of members present to allow for social distancing.

Members will vote in groups of 30 - assigned by last name. They will be required to use hand sanitizer before arriving on House floor and after leaving. The Speaker's Lobby, the area outside the House chamber where lawmakers and members of the media usually gather, is closed.

Lawmakers also are being asked to have no more than two members in an elevator at a time and not to bring staff with them to the vote.

'We have members on both sides of the aisle who have the virus. We have members who are quarantined. We have members who have challenges with airlines, getting their flights canceled. We will have enough to get this through, but the floor will look different,' McCarthy said on Thursday.

President Trump on Thursday discouraged House members from scuttling plans to pass the package by voice vote.

'I think it will go through pretty well, from what I hear. Virtually everybody. There could be one vote. One vote. There could be one grandstander maybe,' he said, though neglected to name any lawmaker. 'And for that, we will have to come back and take a little more time. But it will pass. It'll just take a little longer. But let's see whether or not we have a grandstander.'

President Trump discouraged a lone House 'grandstander' from delaying the passage of the $2 trillion coronavirus when the House of Representatives votes on the package Friday. The president made the comments Thursday in a White House press briefing

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has green-lit a plan to have the House vote for the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package by voice vote - but that can be scuttled if just one member from either party objects

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, indicated Wednesday that she wasn't pleased with the corporate-tilt of the then-unfinished Senate bill. And said she was open to forcing the House to hold an in-person vote

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday he might hold the bill up and have members come back and vote on it themselves. Massie said he was concerned about violating the Constitution if a quorum isn't present

Two lawmakers - one from each party - have threatened to object and request a recorded vote instead, which would force lawmakers to return to Washington.

On Wednesday, that's something Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, said she'd consider, objecting to the corporate-tilt of the package, which was first fashioned by Senate Republicans.

Ocasio-Cortez told CNN she was 'open' to demanding a recorded vote - though also was aware it would be an unpopular move.

'With the health risks of travel, there is no easy choice here. But essential workers are showing up and putting their health at risk every day, and if the final text of a bill is set up to hurt them, it may be something we have to do,' she said.

Massie's objection is the constitutional one.

He pointed out, according to the Washington Post, that members of the Senate are, on average, older than those in the House, and they came to Washington and voted Wednesday.

'If 96 percent of them can make it, then can't 51 percent of the people who, on average, aren't in the dangerous cohort, more vulnerable cohort  how come they can't make it?' Massie mused.

Wednesday night's unanimous Senate vote on the bill was striking - a united front that followed days of sometimes tumultuous negotiations and partisan eruptions with all 96 senators present voting us.

It is the largest stimulus package ever produced by Congress and third such legislation passed to give economic relief in the wake of the virus, which has shuttered businesses and strained the economy. There have been over 81,000 cases of the virus in the United States.

The legislation will also include $500 billion in direct payments to people in two waves of checks.

The funds include $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year before phasing out and ending altogether for those earning more than $99,000. That would result in $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.

And there may be more to come as fourth and fifth economic packages could follow if the virus continues to spread.
Prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Friday appealed to Muslims to offer prayers at home instead of congregating in mosques amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Jamiat President Maulana Arshad Madani said he himself is offering prayer at home.

For daily prayers, he said Muslims should pray at home, instead of congregating in mosques.

Muslims are supposed to pray five times in a day at designated hours of the day.

"All people must avoid gatherings at any place, and follow the Shariah guidelines for the protection of human life," he said.

Earlier in the day, he said in the light of government directives issued regarding coronavirus, he would advise that people must avoid gathering in mosques on Friday as well and offer prayers at home.

"Only Imam, muezzin and three persons should offer Jumah prayers at mosque so that obligation can be fulfilled. It is our religious and social responsibility to protect ourselves and others from this harm," Madani said in a statement.

Madani lauded the community for adhering to appeals of clerics and offering the Friday prayers at home. He said it was praiseworthy that only 3-4 people, including imam and muezzin, prayed at mosques while others prayed at home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Tesla said it will produce ventilators at its Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York to support the city's hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic. New York is the worst affected state in the U.S.



'Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York,' Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Twitter.



Last Saturday, Musk tweeted that he 'had a long engineering discussion with Medtronic about state-of-the-art ventilators.'



Ventilators are in short supply in New York's hospitals due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and are required to support patients with respiratory failure or having difficulty in breathing.



On Thursday, the United States reported more deaths from COVID-19 than ever before and overtook China in the number of confirmed infections. With 85,755 people testing positive, the situation in the U.S. has become worse than that of China and Italy, according to the latest data released by Johns Hopkins University.



New York is the worst affected U.S. state, having reported nearly 39,000 cases of infection and 466 deaths.



Other major automakers too are contributing resources to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic.



On Tuesday, Ford Motor said it is working with 3M and GE Healthcare to increase production of respirators for healthcare workers and ventilators for coronavirus patients.



Ford and 3M are partnering to increase the production of 3M's powered air-purifying respirators, or PAPRs. The automaker is exploring production of the new PAPR in a Ford facility in addition to 3M production.



Meanwhile, Ford and GE Healthcare are working together to expand production of a simplified version of GE Healthcare's existing ventilator design to support coronavirus patients. The ventilators could be produced at a Ford manufacturing site in addition to a GE location.



Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said earlier in the week that it would manufacture more than 1 million protective face masks per month. The company will donate the face masks to police, EMTs and firefighters, as well as to workers in hospitals and health care clinics.



General Motors said last Friday that it is collaborating with Ventec Life Systems to enable Ventec to increase production of its respiratory care products to support the growing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Inside Hook

If youre socially isolating right now, its entirely possible that youre catching up on some film or television watching. Maybe youre binge-watching an old favorite; maybe youre using the time to watch something youd meant to watch in the theater in previous weeks. But theres also something to be said for trying out something youve never seen before. And what better guide to that than an internationally acclaimed filmmaker?

Specifically, internationally acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson. The release of Andersons next film The French Dispatch remains in the future, but Andersons recommendations can be seen right now.
French press coffee is one of the easiest and best ways to make coffee; in just a few minutes, you can have a flavorful cup of coffee, and you don't even need electricity. You just need a French press pot, course-ground coffee and hot water to make yourself a great cup. The real advantage comes from the fact you can make multiple cups of coffee at the same time, unlike with a pour-over or an Aeropress. And you don't have to worry about turning your pot off or scalding your coffee like with a drip coffee maker.

Bodum makes a number of high-quality French press pots. For under $20, you can get the Brazil French Press pot:

Bodum 1548-01US Brazil French Press Coffee and Tea Maker

Or if you're looking to step up, you can find the Chambord French Press often for under $30.

Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker

Both of these are great options, and they function mostly the same. The big difference is the Chambord has a sturdier, metal build, while the Brazil has a plastic build. But you can find a French press for as little as $7.99 from Ikea, or up to $75 for a stoneware version from Le Creuset.

How fancy you get is really up to you; just realize that no matter which pot you choose, the means of making a fresh pot are almost entirely the same.

What coffee to use in a French press

Using the right grind and adding the right amount of coffee are essential to French press coffee. You'll want to use a rough grind; if you grind your own beans, it'll be the roughest setting on most bean grinders. The key is not grinding too fine; otherwise, the grounds end up sneaking through the filter, and you don't want to be drinking grounds.

How dark or light of a roast your use is really up to your taste. But there are all sorts of great coffee subscription services out there, like Trade or Blue Bottle.

Whatever roast you choose, you'll want to use about 1/2 cup of beans for every 4 cups of water. For reference: The Bodum French press pots listed earlier are 34 ounces each, or about 4 cups (34 ounces = 4 cups, 2 ounces).

How to make French press coffee

Once you've ground your beans, pour the coffee into the bottom of the French press pot. Then it's time to add hot water. You want to bring your water to a boil, but allow it to cool between 30 and 60 seconds before pouring over the coffee grounds. You want hot water, but now lawsuit-hot water. Otherwise, you can scorch the grounds.

Pour in just enough water to get the coffee wet so it "blooms," then pour in the remaining water. Do not use the plunger yet. Stir the coffee so the grounds are not floating at the the top. Allow to brew for three to four minutes.

Once three to four minutes have elapsed, place the lid on your French press and gently plunge. Immediately serve your fresh brew.

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

Ryan Craggs is the Director of Content Marketing for Hearst Newspapers. Email him at ryan.craggs@hearst.com.
Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian joins a video conference to exchange experiences in defeating COVID-19 by medical experts from China and Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 26, 2020. Renowned health experts from China shared their experiences and knowledge on fighting the COVID-19 with their Malaysian counterparts via video-teleconference on Thursday as the two countries step up cooperation in the face of the pandemic. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Renowned health experts from China shared their experiences and knowledge on fighting the COVID-19 with their Malaysian counterparts via video-teleconference on Thursday as the two countries step up cooperation in the face of the pandemic.

"I believe this session will facilitate the exchange of experiences and ideas in managing COVID-19 patients," said Hishamshah Mohamad Ibrahim, deputy director general of Malaysia's health Ministry at the beginning of the teleconference.

Bai Tian, Chinese ambassador to Malaysia who facilitated the session with the Shanghai municipal government, said China is willing to help Malaysia in the fight against the COVID-19.

"As a friend of Malaysia, China is very much concerned, we understand your circumstances, we feel what you feel, we want to come to your help and assistance," he said.

Shen Yinzhong and Qiu Zhongmin, two leading experts in dealing with the COVID-19 in Shanghai, shared their experiences on medications, treatments, diagnoses, among others, in the 90-minute session with dozens of doctors and experts from leading Malaysian hospitals and institutions.

Shen and Qiu also answered the questions related to the COVID-19 raised by their Malaysian counterparts.

The Malaysian doctors and medical specialists expressed their appreciation for the assistance from the Chinese side. "Thank you for explaining everything patiently and for your words of encouragement," said a Malaysia doctor.

Malaysia's Health Ministry said Thursday that the country recorded 235 new cases with the total confirmed cases standing at 2,031. The death toll from the pandemic rose to 23.
The median loss for romance fraud victims in their 20s was $770. People in their 50s reported losing twice as much. The losses reached $3,000 for victims in their 60s and $6,450 for those in their 70s.

Weve heard of people refinancing their homes and cashing out retirement accounts, Ms. Nofziger said. Scammers go where the money is, and criminals know that older adults have the majority of assets in the United States.

Last year, federal prosecutors brought a number of alarming romance cases. A 76-year-old widow in Rhode Island transferred more than $660,000 to bank accounts she thought belonged to a U.S. Army general in Afghanistan. (Posing as a military member is another red flag, along with overseas locations.)

In Oklahoma, 10 Nigerian and United States citizens were indicted in a fraud ring targeting multiple victims in three states. A grand jury in Georgia indicted a man accused of bilking a Virginia woman, who had a large trust, of $6.5 million.

Ms. Floren may qualify as one of the luckier victims. As James Gibson was leaving for Europe, he suddenly called, saying his Netflix card had expired. He really wanted to be able to watch movies on the plane, she recalled. Would I please go to a Walmart and buy him a $100 Netflix card?

Gift cards, untraceable and available everywhere, have become the currency of choice for scammers, Ms. Nofziger said. But they may also ask victims to open a bank account and provide access to it, or to ship iPhones.

Ms. Floren bought a gift card, reading her apparent suitor the number. Three days later, he called again, claiming to have left a bag of expensive tools in a cab. He was hysterical on the phone, she said. The tools were worth $4,000, but hed found replacements for just $2,600. Would she send him the money?
Photo: (Photo : pexels/pixabay)

Americans are uniting as one, especially during times of need. Angels in disguise are now widespread as everyone feels the connection, and the desire to help one another comes out naturally.

People across the country have been thinking of creative ways to help the needy while practicing social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Cinnaminson Helping Cinnaminson

As Kate Quinn, a high school teacher living in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, was checking out her Facebook newsfeed, she found out that a lot of her friends wanted to help but did not know what to do.

She tried to connect volunteers and those who are in need by creating a Facebook group named "Cinnaminson helping Cinnaminson". They started by coordinating grocery supplies, supply exchanges, and prescription pick-ups. Just this week, they started collecting formula milk for moms.

More than 90 volunteers joined Quinn, and they have helped 50 families and counting.

Quinn, 45, told the People in this week's cover story that the outpour of help is wild, and since their town is small, people look out for each other. She also said that it is good to help others, to make people smile.

Invisible Hands

In New York City, Liam Elkind, a 20-year-old college student, started "Invisible Hands" to do free delivery service for seniors and those who need help. As of Thursday, they already have 7,900 young volunteers and have delivered 500 essential goods and medicines to the needy. They have also raised more than $30,000.

One of the volunteers, Healy Chait, 25, was excited to be able to help many people because it feels a lot better than laying around and watching Netflix at home.

Pandemic Pals

When people were told to isolate, the Chamber of Commerce in Gallatin, Tennessee, wanted to assist vulnerable, older residents. Hence, they created a "Pandemic Pals" program where they match volunteers to help the elderly pals by delivering their needs and checking in on them.

Tabitha Graves, 34, a volunteer who was paired with an elderly who lives alone, said that one of the fears of people as they get older is being unable to come out and do things on their own. She added that elders need kind faces and spirits on the phone to help them get by.

She further said that if she can help the people do what they could not do, then that makes the world go round.

Anonymous Mom

In Maryland, an anonymous mom set up a curbside cafeteria in Severna Park that offers free bagged lunches from 11 am to 1:30 pm to anyone who needs them, said Capital Gazette.

She added a sign addressing people who need something to eat, saying that she will be leaving healthy sack lunches on the table for the hungry. Then she followed this with a sweet note saying, "Made with love by a neighborhood mom in a clean and sanitized kitchen."

Inside the brown bags are ham sandwiches, oranges, and other fruit snacks.

The times are tough, but with such loving kindness from the people around us, they make the world a better place.
Agra, March 27 : The district health authorities have sealed a nursing home in Agra's posh Kamla Nagar colony, after the son of the doctor-owner, was found COVID-19 positive late Thursday evening.

The health department officials were tracing the patients and relatives who visited the crowded nursing home, through the screening of records and CCTV footage. The number could run into hundreds.

The parents and son along with some 25 staffers have been admitted to the isolation ward of the S.N. Medical College. So far ten have been found negative.

"Seven days ago, the son of the doctor couple returned from America. He was not well and was being treated. The health department officials visited the nursing home Thursday evening and picked up the son for testing.

"When it was confirmed that he was corona-positive, that the administrative machinery got into panic mode and sealed the nursing home. The whole colony is now being sanitised and houses in the neighbourhood being screened," a social activist, living in the area, told IANS.

The District Magistrate P.N. Singh and the Chief medical Officer (CMO) Mukesh Vats confirmed the test report late Thursday night, and initiated preventive measures early Friday to contain the spread of the deadly virus. The city is already under total lockdown.

"Right now there is fear and anxiety all around, after this case. The administration has fully geared up its health safety apparatus, while the police has put up barriers at more than 150 points and effectively sealed the entry points," an official said.
business US has now most confirmed coronavirus cases in world With 81,321 cases of infection, the country of 330 million people has surpassed virus hotspots China and Italy in reaching the grim milestone.
Believing the worst is yet to come, some top advisers to President Trump are struggling to steer him away from Easter as an arbitrary deadline for much of the nation to reopen.

State of play: The operating assumption among administration officials involved in the coronavirus planning is that the April 12 mark  16 days away  will not, in fact, turn out to be the starting gun for businesses across America to reopen.

But Trump is far from chastened. "I dont think he feels in any way that his messaging was off," a top official said. "He feels more convinced than ever that America needs to get back to work."

One person close to Trump expressed concern about market reaction the day after Easter, if the president allows that to be set up too rigidly as Open Day.

If the reality is worse than Trump hopes  and large numbers of Americans have to stay isolated  some close to Trump think a false Easter expectation could send markets downward.

Between the lines: The reality is that the administration is unlikely to go from red light to green light.

More likely its a step-by-step process  a "tiered" approach, different guidelines based on geography and other factors, as Trump has been foreshadowing.

Trump sought yesterday to provide himself more flexibility, given internal expectations that awful data will only mount.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CNN last night that Easter was Trump's "aspirational projection" to "give people some hope." But Fauci said Trump is "listening to us when we say we really got to reevaluate it, in real time, and any decision we make has to be based on the data."

Weaning Trump from setting a date for millions of Americans to get back to work is a delicate, ongoing process.

Final options haven't been presented to Trump, as officials await more data.

Aides plan to continue finalizing recommendations right up to expected weekend meetings with the president.

What's next: Despite the blowback for imposing an unrealistic and artificial deadline on a virus that knows no deadline, Trump remains impatient.

On Monday, he faces his first self-imposed deadline  the end of the White House's "15 days to slow the spread."

Some senior administration officials said they wish they could ignore it, because they need more time for societal isolation to catch up to the virus.

But the White Houses decision to relentlessly brand that 15-day period means Trump will have to address it somehow.

Behind the scenes: Advisers have tried to encourage Trump to offer hope without dates or deadlines  to get him away from offering dates and to find new ways to be optimistic without giving the public a false expectation that an end to the crisis is near.

Aides have discussed using other benchmarks to give the public a sense that the coronavirus shut-in wont go on forever.

They've talked about getting past the peak of transmissions, then gradually loosening restrictions as cases trend downward.

Trump has already signaled the direction he wants to go: He wants states to pursue their own policies, depending on their level of risk.

He's encouraged by states like Alabama and Mississippi keeping many businesses open, and sticking to fairly basic measures like hand washing and social distancing.

Trump accepts that other states like New York will likely stay shut down.

The bottom line: A senior White House official said the administration is having trouble offering anything approaching certainty.

With states including Louisiana and Florida showing increasingly alarming signals, theres a sense that a rolling disaster awaits.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.
Parts of Punjab has been hit by a major Coronavirus (Covid-19) scare after it emerged that a man who passed away on March 18 after he was tested positive for the infection has passed on the virus to at least a dozen people in his area.

The 70-year-old man, who was a Gurdwara priest, had returned to Delhi from Germany via Italy on March 6 after a two-week tour.

AFP

After reaching Delhi, he and his two friends drove to the Pathlawa village in Nawanshahr, Punjab instead of going to his village, where he was asked to be in home isolation.

After attending the Hola Mohalla festival at Anandpur Sahib from March 8-10th he and his friends returned to their native village.

Even at his village, he defied the isolation norms and met with several people.

On March 18, he complained of severe chest pain and was brought to a hospital, where he collapsed and died later in the day.

AFP/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

Since then 23 people including 14 from his family who are spread across three villages have been tested positive for Covid-19.

This includes his granddaughter and grandson each met scores of people.

But according to the Punjab Health Authorities, he had come into contact with some 128 people since his return.

Following his death, the three villages have been locked out and authorities are ensuring that no one moves around in the village. A house-to-house survey is also being conducted in the region to identify everyone with symptoms.

Punjab has so far recorded 33 Covid-19 cases out of which 23 were transmitted by the 70-year-old.

BCCL

The incident in Punjab once again highlights why it is important for people to follow self-isolation to avoid putting themselves and others around them at risk of the infection.

Being in public places and gatherings also has the risk of community transmission where the infected person passes on the virus those coming in contact with him and then it is spread to more and more at which point it becomes out of control.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that as of now there is no community transmission in the country but has warned that the threat is real.





According to ICMR a community transmission of Covid-19 cases may take anywhere from a minimum of 20 days to a few months to be visible.

Given this situation, the ICMR is also stepping up the number of tests and has invited quotes for the supply of 10 lakh antibody kits (serological test) for diagnosis of COVID-19.
Paramedics wearing protective equipment carry a stretcher into Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images

President Donald Trump wants the country to "open up," but a growing number of health experts want a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Those experts are saying the United States needs to impose a two-week or longer pause of non-essential activity before federal and state governments can even think about economic and social life starting to return to normal. Far tighter restrictions on businesses and individuals need to be adopted, not the loosening of restrictions called for by some, including Trump, the experts say. "This will not be licked by Easter," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, who is one of the loudest voices calling for a shutdown. Trump suggested earlier this week that at least some areas of the U.S. could return to normal by Easter, saying he would love to see churches "packed" on that day, April 12.

Dr. Aaron E. Carroll Source: Dr. Aaron E. Carroll

Trump plans this weekend to hear recommendations from the White House coronavirus task force on plans to "open the country up." Vice President Mike Pence, who heads that task force, said Thursday, "The president has made it clear that in his words he wants to open the country up." "But we're going to do that responsibly, and as the president told the governors today, we'll do that based on the data," said Pence. On Friday, a day after Pence spoke, there were more than 86,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S., and 1,301 confirmed deaths from the virus. Carroll said the rising number of cases and the pressing need to get even better data on how the virus is spreading are strong evidence against opening up the country anytime soon. "There's a lot of people who want to wish away the problem," Carroll said. But, he added, "We have not faced a virus or an infection that is this infectious and this dangerous and for which we have had no resistance or immunity since the flu of 1918," when tens of millions of people died worldwide from that pandemic. "This is a combination of stuff that we've not seen before," Carroll said. "It's really important that we treat it as that." "If we do take a national pause it will flatten the curve" of the pandemic's trajectory and avoid many deaths, Carroll said. "The danger will be that some states will take restrictions off and some people will believe that it's safe to go about normal business," he said. "Then it will come roaring back." On Thursday, the Trump White House health advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the U.S. "can start thinking about  thinking about  getting back to some degree of normality when the country as a whole turns that corner" of reducing the trajectory of the coronavirus curve. That curve currently is on track to surpass the rate of spread seen in Italy, which has been the European country hit hardest by COVID-19 so far. On Thursday, the U.S. became the leader worldwide in the number of coronavirus cases, with New York City becoming the epicenter of the outbreak in the nation. On Friday morning, Dr. Atul Gawande, the CEO of Haven, the joint health-care venture between JPMorgan, Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway, said the U.S. should lock down to flatten the upward curve of COVID-19 cases. "Our death toll curve is now worse than when China was at the same stage," Gawande said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "We have 12 states with more than 1,500 cases. China had one province." "We really need a national shelter-in-place," Gawande said.
With the world on lockdown due to COVID-19  one tourism company has gone above and beyond to give people around the world the chance to experience Lapland in all its majesty  without having to leave the confines of their homes.

Specialist Aurora Photography company, Lights Over Lapland, has brought together some of Europes best photographers and Virtual Reality videographers from thejetlagged.com to create three experiences for those suffering wanderlust to virtually travel to Northern Europe and visit ICEHOTEL; visit the local Arctic wilderness; meet local huskies and reindeer; go dogsledding and reindeer sledding; and even join a Northern Lights hunt.

This new experience has been shared free of charge in an effort to give those missing out on travelling in person, or those simply wanting to fulfil a travel dream, the chance to experience travel to the region whilst confined to their homes during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

I had the realisation about how incredible Virtual Reality is earlier this winter and we started a project that would give us the opportunity to show the world just how incredible Abisko National Park and all the great experiences on offer really are  even if the audience cant physically visit Abisko for themselves. Little did we know how relevant and necessary this would be, said Chad Blakely, founder of Lights Over Lapland.

Our virtual adventure starts with a morning at the ICEHOTEL followed by a journey northwest towards the Arctic birch forest. After strolling through the birch trees, we lead you to the shore of Lake Tornetrask where you can take in all its scenic views before visiting a friend of mine who is a reindeer herder and riding in a sleigh behind one of his reindeer  just like he and his family have done for centuries. Finally, we will visit one of my favourite locations in all Abisko National Park: the Sami hut at the base of Mt. Noulja. After spending a few moments in this incredible structure, we will finally head outside and watch the Aurora dance overhead.

While nothing is as exciting as an evening of chasing the northern lights in person, the team behind the new content released believe it to be the next best thing and as close as you can get to being there in person.

Chad Blakely, founder of Lights Over Lapland, added: There is always debate about the future of travel, however the reality may be the only way that a majority of the worlds population would ever be able to experience this sort of a destination  will be virtually. Whether travel is limited as it is today by a global crisis, or there are other financial or physical limitations, VR may well be a solution to enable more to experience this sort of beauty without ever pushing beyond their limitations and leaving their own home.

Lights Over Lapland is inviting anyone interested in experiencing Lapland to grab a VR headset (or even take a look on the phone or computer and experience a day in Abisko for yourself. To find the virtual experiences, visit Lights Over Lapland on www.lightsoverlapland.com. - TradeArabia News Service
Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee says only about 10 per cent of residential sales in Queensland utilise the auction process.

Brisbanes not a big auction market anyway so it wont have the same impact well see in Melbourne and Sydney, Ms Conisbee told realestate.com.au.

Realestate.com.au has launched virtual tours of properties listed on its site to help home hunters.

"To continue to view properties online, it introduced digital inspections showing all the features.

For people looking to buy, the bigger deal will be not being able to go into the home, Ms Conisbee said.

There are two main ways of going about adding a video or a three-dimensional tour to a listing.

The first being via an Agent Admin where you will need to find the listing. When you have found the listing, through the 'Images and Copy' tab, scroll down to 'Links'. This is where you can add video links to the Video URL field, or Online Tour 1 field for 3D tours.

A video or 3D tour can also be added via your third-party listing uploader where you would have to update the listing directly through its portal.

There are a range of 3D tour companies that can be embedded in the image carousel of Realestate.com.au listings. For instance, Scann3D, Ticketyview, DIAKRIT, Augment Space, Google Tour Creator, Virtual Tours Creator, CampaignTrack and BWRM.
Pa. church apologizes for holding large worship service despite pandemic concerns

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A church in Pennsylvania has issued an apology for holding worship on Sunday amid federal government recommendations that people not hold gatherings of more than 10 people.

Word of Life Church of Greensburg held what Jim Madalinsky of Pittsburghs Action News 4 described as a large church service inside their church building on Sunday.

The gathering stood in contrast to efforts across the country to reduce large gatherings, including religious ones, in order to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Word of Life Pastor Tom Walters posted a statement to the churchs Facebook page on Monday apologizing for the decision to hold the service.

Walters explained that the gathering began with him and the church staff coming together to pray, with others joining them because they felt led to.

Please believe me when I say that it was not out of arrogance or defiance, but solely for the purpose of praying for our churches, communities, and nation, explained Walters.

We certainly want to be a blessing to our community and have certainly tried to be in years gone by. My heart was so heavy to experience the amount of hateful comments we received, but I guess I can understand.

Walters went on to explain that, for the foreseeable future, they will only hold worship through online livestreaming and that they will be canceling their Passion Play performance.

I will try harder to be more of an asset to our community, he concluded. Again, I ask your forgiveness, for we as a ministry want to do all we can to serve you.

For his part, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf commented on churches staying open despite the coronavirus pandemic, acknowledging that there was a financial impact to consider.

While I recognize the financial responsibility of these organizations, we also have to recognize the responsibility we have to each other, said Wolf, as reported by Action News.

Over the past few weeks, large numbers of churches in the United States and abroad have opted to close their doors due to concerns over spreading the coronavirus.

Many congregations have turned toward alternative means of holding worship, often through livestreaming services or pre-recorded sermons posted online to social media.

On Sunday, Genoa Church of Westerville, Ohio, held two Drive in Church services, where hundreds came and parked in their lot, listening to a sermon and music via an FM transmitter.

We decided to do this as an alternative way to allow people to worship collectively in a safe environment of their own car and to honor the guidelines of our governor, explained Genoa Church Pastor Frank Carl in an earlier interview with The Christian Post.

We had a complete worship set, sermon, and offering buckets were in the exit as people left if they wanted to contribute  and they did so very generously.
Nigeria popular Radio/TV Personality and veteran Journalist, Mr. Luciano Okere was few days ago attacked by hoodlums around at the Central business district in Abuja. According to reports the journalist barely escaped but fell into a ditch and broke his legs while being chased by the hoodlums.

Disclosing his ordeal to AbujaPress, "Whyneluciano" as he is popularly described by friends, fans and colleagues narrated that he was on his way home after work from Lit Club, a social fun arena, located at Treasure Suites, Central Business District Abuja where he's a Manager, when some boys in numbers attacked him.

According to his narration, he immediately took to his heels, as the hoodlums chased him with plans to rub him off everything he had, but haplessly he fell into a ditch where he sustained critical injury on his leg. The injury was quite critical and has left Luciano with a broken leg as he now limps with clutches.

Described as "Jack of all Trade", haven worked with several reputable media brands, event management organisations and consultancy projects. The young entrepreneur, Luciano Okere is presently receiving medical care, though he may have to live with using clutches for a while. Luciano in his narration also called on security officers in Abuja to beef-up surveillance, especially during late hours to enable safety of lives and property in the city center.
Chubb confirmed that is looking into a possible hack attack, though a spokesperson said the insurance giants network appears at this point to be unaffected.

We are currently investigating a computer security incident that may involve unauthorized access to data held by a third-party service provider, a company spokesman told Carrier Management via email.

The Chubb spokesman said the insurer is working with law enforcement and a leading cybersecurity firm as part of its investigation. He also downplayed any effect the incident may have had on the insurers operations.

We have no evidence that the incident affected Chubbs network, he said. Our network remains fully operational and we will continue to service all policyholder needs, including claims. Securing the data entrusted to Chubb is a top priority for us. We will provide further information as appropriate.

The spokesman declined to disclose further details.

A threat analyst from the New Zealand based web security firm Emsisoft publicized the possible hack attack in a March 26 email to news media, claiming that the Maze ransomware group hit the company and stole its data. The analyst wrote the data hasnt been published yet.

Topics Cyber Chubb
Shooter_Sam/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Though the Senate's passage of a $2 trillion stimulus package Wednesday night was regarded as progress in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, leaders of some of the nations most affected cities issued sharp criticism that it just wasnt enough.



"The congressional action, in my opinion, simply failed to address the governmental need," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference on Thursday.



"The only thing it's doing is helping us in the COVID virus expenses, which is nice. But the bigger problem is on the lost revenues," said the governor, who is at the helm of the most infected state in the country. New York reported more than 30,000 cases as of Thursday, which is 15 times more than California and Washington state.



According to the bill, the allocation for New York, and the other 49 states, is determined by population, not by how severely the state is affected by coronavirus. Thats why New York state, which has plunged into debt fighting COVID-19, claims that the payment it is receiving is insufficient.



But every state is guaranteed at least $1.25 billion under the bill, which means states that are less populous than New York, such as Wyoming, or states with a higher population and fewer reported cases, such as Texas, could fare quite well. It's something Cuomos office has pointed to in frustration.



"The gross political manipulation is obvious," Dani Lever, communications director for Cuomo, said in a statement Wednesday -- subtly pointing out that both Texas and Wyoming are Republican states, while New York is a reliably Democratic state.



A few hundred miles south, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed frustration because her city wouldnt receive even the minimum of $1.25 billion. Instead, the city -- which the bill will count alongside the territories even though all residents there pay federal income taxes -- would share one $3 billion dollar sum with the the other five U.S. territories, divided up by population.



By that math, the nation's capital is expected to receive $500 million.



The "very idea of being treated like a territory is shocking, infuriating. Its wrong, its outrageous," Bowser said at a press conference Wednesday. "We pay more taxes than 22 states. We have a larger population than several states. ... Its unconscionable to give D.C. the least amount of funding of any state."



Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that the allocation for Washington "makes no sense" and suggested there could be other motivations for the perceived snub.



"It doesn't face the realities of a public health crisis that we have in our country and goes out of its way to do something so out of the ordinary," she said. "But it was a decision. It wasn't an accident. It was a decision. So let's make a decision to correct that."



As Pelosi hinted, both Cuomo and Bowsers concerns could be taken up in the next round of stimulus efforts, which Congress is already looking into.



But for now, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer -- who Cuomo was in touch with about his sharp criticism -- said New York should be happy with what it got.



"He wanted more to the state government and I told everybody he should take his case to Mitch McConnell," Schumer, who represents New York, said of his conversations with Cuomo during a press conference Wednesday evening.



New York residents will cumulatively get $40 billion in relief, Schumer said, because of the other assistance included in the bill thats targeted at Americans, regardless of state -- relief that will go to small business owners, hospitals and unemployment insurance.



And in fact, the $2 trillion package will open the door for assistance far beyond even the states, local businesses across the country or hospitals.



Buried in 800 pages of text are clues to how how some Americans are going to experience a benefit from the stimulus package, and how some are missing out.



Who stands to gain?



The telehealth industry: The bill relaxes restrictions for in-home care, allowing more providers to do at home consultations and allowing more funding to allow for this care. Lawmakers emphasized telehealth care as one way to prevent non-critical COVID-19 patients from entering medical facilities and possibly spreading the virus.



Those requiring unemployment benefits: The bill increases state unemployment benefits, allowing those seeking unemployment to receive their state unemployment benefits, plus an additional $600 per month. Schumer called it "unemployment insurance on steroids." Those facing unemployment due to the virus will also be eligible for four months of benefits.



Local businesses: To call it a win might be a stretch, since many businesses have already had to lay off workers or permanently shutter as non-essential businesses across the country have been ordered to close. Still, the stimulus bill does allocate $350 billion for loans to be given to small businesses so that they can maintain payroll and cover other overhead expenses.



If small businesses are able to limit their layoffs and meet other requirements, these loans would turn into grants and be forgiven by the government.



Hospitals: Hospitals are getting money to support staff, enhance their capacities and equipment needs, and secure more personal protective equipment for health care workers.



The bill also allocates money for research into vaccines and treatments for coronavirus and places requirements on insurers to cover testing.



Some in need of fast cash: American adults who are making less than $75,000 singly or $150,000 jointly can expect to see $1,200 per adult in the coming weeks, plus an additional $500 per child. Single adults making less than $99,000 or couples making less than $198,000 will receive some money, though not the full $1,200 amount. Those whose income is above that threshold will not receive any money.



Undocumented workers: Those who file their taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number have been left out, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. This means undocumented workers -- despite their enormous role in the economy -- are left out of relief policies, including checks that will be delivered to 90% of Americans for up to $1,200.



The cruise ship industry: Though President Donald Trump pointed to the industry as a "prime candidate" for some sort of federal relief package, there's no money in the bill allocated directly for cruises. The industry may be eligible to compete for loans coming out of the $500 billion fund managed by the Treasury.



Trump family companies and other companies owned by elected officials: Democrats lobbied hard for language in the bill that would prevent companies owned by the families of government officials from qualifying for federal loans under the bill. They won. Additional regulations on the $500 billion in Treasury loans were also written into the bill, including a special inspector general to examine the loans, a congressional oversight board and requirements for speedy public disclosure of the loans.



Oil and renewable energy: The original Republican proposal for the bill included support for the oil industry. Democratic negotiators countered, instead seeking new emissions standards and tax credits for solar energy. Neither prevailed. There are no oil benefits or green energy incentives in the bill.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Olivia Alanis weighs strawberries in a Watsonville, Calif., field in 2014. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. State Department moved Thursday to ease a bottleneck caused by coronavirus precautions and allow more foreign agricultural guest workers to cross from Mexico to work fields in California and other states.

The emergency measures helped allay fears of a labor shortage just as the harvest of major produce crops gets underway in California, the top producer of many seasonal fresh vegetables and fruits nationwide.

Most foreign applicants no longer will need an in-person interview to obtain the H-2A agricultural guest worker permits, under the new rules announced Thursday.

That interview requirement had caused a bottleneck after U.S. consulates in the U.S.-Mexico border region were shuttered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only certain returning applicants had been eligible for a waiver of the interview. Now, the waivers will apply also to first-time applicants and far more returning applicants, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture memo.

"We anticipate the vast majority of otherwise qualified H-2 applicants will now be adjudicated without an interview," the USDA memorandum said.

The expansion of the interview waivers will ensure minimal disruption to the flow of guest workers at a time when our farming companies are redoubling their efforts to provide our nation with a safe, healthy, abundant and affordable food supply," Dave Puglia, president of the Western Growers Assn., a regional trade group, said Thursday.

California has faced years of labor shortages caused by the aging of the local workforce, immigration crackdowns, improvements in job prospects in Mexico and other factors. The state's growers have recruited more than 23,000 H-2A workers in the fiscal year that ended in October, placing the state fourth behind Florida, Georgia and Washington, respectively, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Labor contracting surges dramatically in March and April, as produce shifts from the winter desert regions of California and Arizona and gets underway along the Central Coast. That region hosts the bulk of the states strawberry production and much of its spring and summer leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower, among other crops.

Although guest workers make up a tiny fraction of the estimated 420,000 farmworkers in the state, they make up an important percentage of the crews in harvest areas, including the coastal valleys from Ventura Countys Oxnard plain through the Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and the Salinas Valley in Monterey County.

The move comes days after the U.S. and Mexico agreed to block nonessential travel across their shared border in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The governing board of Pre-K 4 SA, the city-funded early childhood education program, will ask the City Council to place the renewal of its sales tax on the November ballot, reversing course from its earlier request to call a special May election.

Who would have predicted what our country, what our state, what our city would be going through at this point in time? the board chairwoman, Elaine Mendoza, said before calling for a vote during a teleconference call Thursday afternoon.

Out of coronavirus concerns, Gov. Greg Abbott suspended provisions of the Texas Election Code last week to allow local governments to postpone their May elections to November.

Pre-K 4 SA officials anticipate going before the City Council on April 2 to make their recommendation. Council members likely will vote the same day.

In February, the board had successfully persuaded the council that the sales tax for the citys early childhood program would be buried on a long November ballot amid a higher turnout of voters indifferent to the issue.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio City Council signs off on May ballot for Pre-K 4 SA sales tax

Those concerns remain, but the coronavirus crisis no longer makes it seem logical to push for a May election, several board members said.

The 10-member board voted unanimously in favor of adopting CEO Sarah Barays recommendation to seek placement on the November ballot.

Its just the tenuous nature of the election in May that concerns me. However, if there is an election in May, then our issue would be very clearly on the ballot, said Gloria Ramirez, board member representing District 5. My concern is that on the later date it would be very chaotic. There are so many things on that ballot.

San Antonio and surrounding municipalities are under stay-at-home orders for the next few weeks to fight spread of COVID-19, and those could be extended. Early voting for the May election is scheduled to begin April 20. All area schools, including Pre-K 4 SA, extended their closures to April 24.

Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox

We didnt want to put citizens in a situation where they had to choose between wanting to support Pre-K 4 SA or wanting to voice their opinion about Pre-K 4 SA, either for or against and having to go into the community when that may not be a safe thing to do, Baray said. We must prioritize the health and well being of citizens and thats how we arrived at our recommendation.

Other area school districts have items on the May ballot and are meeting to decide whether to postpone their elections, Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen has said.

Her department needs to know their decisions by April 6 to be ready for early voting.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Alamo Colleges trustees plan to call a special meeting to discuss whether to move the districts election.

North East ISD trustees have not made a decision, spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said. The district has received guidance from the Bexar County elections department and is monitoring election decisions in Castle Hills and the Alamo Colleges District, she said.

When it comes to a trustee election, education code states that we must participate in joint elections with municipalities and community college districts, she said. Therefore, we are waiting for other entities to make decisions before we can decide whether to postpone or not.

Staff writer Ashley McBride contributed to this report. | Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Krista, become a subscriber. Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva
An international research team led by scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has recently discovered that high-entropy alloys (HEAs) exhibit exceptional mechanical properties at ultra-low temperatures due to the coexistence of multiple deformation mechanisms. Their discovery may hold the key to design new structural materials for applications at low temperatures.

Professor Wang Xunli, a newly elected Fellow of the Neutron Scattering Society of America, Chair Professor and Head of Department of Physics at CityU, joined hands with scientists from Japan and mainland China in conducting this challenging study on HEAs' deformation behaviours at ultra-low temperatures. Their research findings were published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Science Advances, titled "Cooperative deformation in high-entropy alloys at ultralow temperatures".

Neutron scattering: a powerful measurement tool

HEAs are a new class of structural materials with different favorable mechanical properties, such as excellent strength-ductility combination, high fracture toughness, and resistance against corrosion. It consists of multiple principal elements, contributing to complex deformation behaviours.

Usually, materials would become brittle at low temperatures because the atoms are "frozen" and lose their mobility. But HEAs demonstrate high ductility and they can be stretched to a large deformation at low temperatures. "This phenomenon was first discovered in 2014, but the mechanism behind is still unknown. It's intriguing," said Professor Wang who has been studying the mechanism since then and is the corresponding author of the paper.

To solve this puzzle, the research team led by Professor Wang made use of the in-situ neutron diffraction technique to study the deformation process of HEAs. "Neutron diffraction measurement is one of the only few means to observe what's going on during the materials' deformation. We can see every step: which mechanism kicks in first and how each of them interacts with the others, which is not feasible by conventional experimental methods like the transmission electron microscopy," Professor Wang explained, who is also the director of CityU Center on Neutron Scattering.

"More importantly, it can conduct measurements at ultra-low temperatures, i.e. near absolute zero. And the measurements are representative of the bulk of the sample rather than from the surface or localized area, providing microscopic information like how different grains of the materials interacted with each other," he added.

Sequence of deformation mechanisms revealed

Using this technique, the sequence of deformation mechanisms in HEAs at ultra-low temperatures are revealed for the first time. The team found out that at 15 Kelvin (K), the HEA deforms in four stages.

It begins with the dislocation slip, a common deformation mechanism for face-centered-cubic materials, where the planes of crystal lattice slide over each other. While the dislocations continue, stacking faults gradually become active and dominant, where the stacking sequence of crystal lattice planes are changed by the deformation. It is then followed by twinning, where the misorientation of lattice planes occurs, resulting in a mirror image of parent crystal. Finally, it transits to serrations where the HEA shows big oscillations of deforming stress.

"It is interesting to see how these mechanisms become active and cooperate with each other when the material deforms," said Mr Muhammad Naeem, a graduating PhD student and Senior Research Assistant from CityU's Department of Physics who is the first author of the paper.

In their experiments, they found that the HEAs showed a higher and more stable strain hardening (strain hardening means materials become stronger and harder after deformation), and the exceedingly large ductility as the temperature decreased. Based on the quantitative analysis of their in-situ experimental data, they concluded that the three observed additional deformation mechanisms - stacking faults, twinning, and serrations - as well as the interaction among these mechanisms, are the source of those extraordinary mechanical properties.

A new terrain: deformations at ultra-low temperatures

The whole study took the team almost three years. But there is a lot for further exploration. "Complicated deformation mechanisms in HEAs at ultra-low temperatures is a new terrain that very few people have ventured before. The findings of this study only show the tip of an iceberg," said Professor Wang.

For their next step, the team will further investigate when stacking faults will appear in other alloys and their deformation mechanisms at different temperatures. "Understanding deformation mechanisms will facilitate the design of new alloys. By deploying different mechanisms in synergy, we can tune them to achieve better mechanical properties for applications at low temperatures," said Mr Naeem.

###

The CityU research team members included Professor Liu Chain-tsuan, University Distinguished Professor and Dr Wang Feng, Associate Professor of Department of Materials Science and Engineering at CityU, as well as Dr Wang Bing, Dr Lan Si, Dr Wu Zhenduo, and He Haiyan from Department of Physics. Other co-authors included Professor Lu Zhaoping, Professor Wu Yuan from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, Dr Stefanus Harjo and Dr Takuro Kawasaki from Japan's J-PARC Center, as well as Professor Zhang Zhongwu of Harbin Engineering University.

The study was supported by the Croucher Foundation, the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee, and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.
MONTREALThere is a silence in the streets of Outremont, the Montreal neighbourhood that is home to thousands of ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jews.

The back alleys and playgrounds normally filled with Hasidic children playing under the watch of older siblings and mothers are mostly empty. Many Hasidic-run stores are closed or open only for delivery. There are fewer black-hatted Hasidic men rushing between home, work and the synagogue, where they normally pray three times a day.

It's been this way for some time in Montreal, which declared a state of emergency Friday  a measure that gives authorities extra powers to enforce quarantines and marshal public resources. But the death this week of a 67-year-old man from COVID-19 has underscored the virulence of the virus and the particular hazards for this insular and close-knit religious community.

The deceased man, who had a history of cardiac problems, noticed the first symptoms of the coronavirus last Sunday. He only sought medical treatment two days later.

On Tuesday he was sitting with his kids, kidding around. On Wednesday, he was gone, said Alex Werzberger, a spokesperson for Montreals Hasidic community.

Its a very difficult period not only for Jews, but for humanity.

Much of the world is chafing under government-imposed lockdowns, which has meant lost jobs and incomes. The ultra-Orthodox Jews of Outremont, who account for about a quarter of the neighbourhoods 25,000 person population, are facing these same challenges while also struggling to adapt their lives and religious obligations to the restrictions intended to limit the novel coronavirus threat.

The death this week followed the religious holiday of Purim in early March, which often brings together Hasidic families in Montreal with relatives in New York. On March 16, there was also a Hasidic wedding in Montreal which drew family members from the United States. One of the parents of the married couple was later diagnosed with COVID-19, Radio-Canada reported.

Quebecs public health director, Dr. Horracio Arruda, said on Friday that the source of the 67-year-old mans infection was still under investigation. Even if it was known, he said privacy considerations prevent him from revealing the information.

But its for this reason that we say that gatherings and funerals and all that stuff is a factor, Arruda said.

Within the Hasidic community, Max Lieberman has been transmitting this message for more than two weeks through a special coronavirus committee to raise awareness and organize help for those in need.

One of the biggest obstacles we found was the language and the lack of TVs in the Hasidic community, said the member of the Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec. Most speak Yiddish and English, but not French, the language used by the Quebec government for public communications.

The 25-member Hasidic COVID-19 committee started spreading the message about the need to wash hands and keep a safe distance from others. It warned about the risk of travel to and from New York even before the Canada-U.S. border was closed. It also set up a hotline that people could call for information and assistance and, earlier this month, helped organize the closure of Hasidic schools and synagogues.

Werzberger, who lives on the main floor of a duplex, is 10 days into a self-imposed quarantine, cut off from his daughter, son-in-law and their seven children, who live upstairs.

I dont want to get sick. Im what you would call an elderly gentleman. Im over 70, so I dont need (the virus).

He said he misses the gatherings at the synagogue. Prayers, which normally require a quorum of 10 men aged 13 and older, are not only discouraged but prohibited under provincial rules that prevent large gatherings.

Getting together in the synagogue is probably the best way of spreading the disease, Werzberger said. The prayer services and all the other Jewish laws are being maintained  but in the house.

Another pandemic-related problem lies on the horizon.

In just over a week, Jews in quarantine and lockdown will be confined as they celebrate Passover, the religious holiday that marks the liberation of the Jews from slavery.

The website of Montreals Chabad Chai Jewish Community Centre is filled with advice on how to mark the occasion in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak. There is a religious reminder that Passover is a blessed respite from digital connectivity.

That means no long-distance phone calls to family, no Skype connections at the dinner table, no Zoom reunions.

I have three married kids who were going to be at my seder and I now know they wont. Everybodys going to make it on their own. And the whole preparation is very hard because you rely a lot on shops and stores to be open and theyre all closed now, said Lieberman.

The threat of infection has forced Hasidic Jews to upend lives that are guided by the Torah, the religious book that spells out their obligations and prohibitions, from eating kosher foods to not driving cars on the Sabbath.

But the most important thing is the health, Lieberman said. When it comes to saving a life, all that goes out of the window.
A file photo of a detainee at the Theo Lacy Facility, a county jail in Orange County, Calif., on March 14, 2017. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Orange County COVID-19 Cases Rise 37%; Two Jail Inmates Diagnosed

SANTA ANA (CNS)Orange Countys confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 256 on March 26, from 187 a day earlier. But no additional deaths were reported by local health officials.

Thats a jump of 69 confirmed cases, or about 37 percent in one day.

The countys only fatality was reported on Tuesday and involved a 75- year-old man who was hospitalized March 17 and died two days later.

Of the 256 cases reported, 71 cases involved residents who contracted the virus through traveling; 25 by person-to-person spread; and 71 were community acquired, according to Orange County Public Health officials. Eighty-nine are under investigation as to how the patients were infected.

As of March 26, 3,605 people had been tested, leaving county officials with enough tests for 1,239 people.

On March 27, Orange County officials plan to begin providing more details on COVID-19 cases, including the numbers from each of the countys cities.

Santiago Canyon College in Orange was closed March 27 because a part- time employee has tested positive for COVID-19, and another local community college district reported that one of its students returned from a study-abroad program with the virus. Rancho Santiago Community College District officials said they were notified March 25 that the Santiago Canyon College employee tested positive for COVID-19.

Officials said that in an abundance of caution, the campus was closed to all employees, and will remain closed on Friday. Only security guards will be on campus patrolling the perimeter. The college districts online learning will not be interrupted.

North Orange County Community College District officials said they learned on March 25 a student who recently returned from a program in London reported testing positive for COVID-19. The student has been in self- quarantine since returning home and has not been on either of the districts campuses: Fullerton College and Cypress College.

COVID-19 at Santa Ana Jail

At the Mens Central Jail in Santa Ana, two inmates were diagnosed with COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the total number of inmates infected to three, according to the Orange County Sheriffs Department. All three inmates were housed in the same area in the jail, the department said.

The two newly diagnosed individuals are isolated and receiving medical treatment, the department tweeted. Additionally, all other inmates in the module are being moved to isolated housing units and will be monitored for symptoms.

Deputies were already closely monitoring all of the inmates, guards and other personnel who came into contact with a prisoner who tested positive on March 24, the first inmate stricken with the disease in the county.

The man, who is in his 40s, was placed in isolation when he began exhibiting moderate symptoms, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said. The inmate has not required hospitalization.

Sheriffs officials have an electronic-card system that can trace the inmates movements so they can see who he has been in contact with, said department spokeswoman Carrie Braun, adding six inmates are in isolation awaiting test results.

The inmate who tested positive was booked on June 17, 2018, on suspicion of child endangerment, torture, false imprisonment, and assault with a deadly weapon, Braun said. He was last in court on his case March 9.

Test results of eight other inmates recently came back negative, Braun said.

Barnes announced on March 13 that he would prohibit visitation at the jails. The sheriff said arrests were down 10 percent, about 500 below what the rate was two weeks ago.

On March 25, Tom Dominguez, the president of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, wrote a letter to Barnes expressing concerns about protecting the members of his union.

Dominguez asked for about 1,500 masks in the departments inventory to be given to deputies. He also asked for any other personal protection equipment available.

The union also wants to shut down any dormitory or barracks-style jail housing.

These types of inmate housing locations consist of living conditions and movement requirements that force inmates to be in very close proximity to one another, Dominguez wrote, adding that his union supports releasing non- violent offender inmates who have less than 30 days to serve on their sentence.
Hrithik Roshan has always been working out at home and continues to do so even during the countrywide lockdown. The actor has shared an adorable picture from his indoor gym with his dog in tow.

Hrithik can be seen lying on the floor as he looks at his dog who comes close to the camera. He captioned it, Zane wants to tell you to stay home like his daddy . .#stayhome and #loveyourdog #resilience #followtherules #coexist #coronavirus.

Interestingly, many of his fans asked the actor to help in save the world, just like he did in his Krrish series. A fan wrote, Krish shaheb Antidote banwado yaar is virus ka. Another called him Rohit, his character name in films such as Koi... Mil Gaya, Krrish and Krrish 3, said, rohit yrr bacha le duniya ko.

For the uninitiated, Hrithiks character Rohit/Krrish had to deal with a deadly virus created by the antagonist in the film Krrish 3.

Hrithik however, did his bit by coming forward to help out coronavirus warriors. The actor had tweeted on Wednesday, In times such as these, we must do whatever we can to ensure the safety of the most fundamental caretakers of our city and society. I have procured N95 and FFP3 masks for our BMC workers and other caretakers.

In times such as these, we must do whatever we can to ensure the safety of the most fundamental caretakers of our city and society. I have procured N95 and FFP3 masks for our BMC workers and other caretakers... 1/2  Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) March 26, 2020

My gratitude to @AUThackeray for giving me the opportunity to support the Maharashtra govt in their endeavour to curb the pandemic. It is our duty to help in whatever capacity we can. @mybmc #coronavirusoutbreak #stayhomestaysafe  Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) March 26, 2020

My gratitude to @AUThackeray for giving me the opportunity to support the Maharashtra govt in their endeavour to curb the pandemic. It is our duty to help in whatever capacity we can. @mybmc #coronavirusoutbreak #stayhomestaysafe, he said.

Also read: Dino Morea explains his absence: The offers I got were absolutely rubbish, it was better to sit at home

Meanwhile, Hrithiks ex-wife Sussanne Khan has moved in to his house to co-parent their kids: Hrehaan and Hridahan during the 21-day lockdown. He had written a long note on Instagram thanking her for being supportive and understanding. He had written, It is unimaginable for me, as a parent, to think of having to be separated from my children at a time when the country is practicing lockdowns.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
U.S. seniors have been stuck paying enormous nursing home bills after hospital stays classified as "observation," even though services may be the same as those for admitted patients. Read more

Hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who have been denied coverage for nursing home stays because their time in the hospital was changed from inpatient to observation care can now appeal to Medicare for reimbursement, a federal judge in Hartford, Conn., ruled last week.

If the government does not challenge the decision and patients win their appeals, Medicare could pay them millions of dollars for staggeringly high nursing home bills.

To receive coverage for nursing home care, patients must first be admitted to the hospital as inpatients for three consecutive days. Time spent in the hospital for observation doesnt count, even though they may stay overnight and receive some of the same treatment and other services provided to inpatients.

And theres another big difference: While inpatients can file an appeal with Medicare if they question any other coverage denial, observation patients cannot. So, in 2011, seven Medicare beneficiaries and their families sued the Department of Health and Human Services, in what became a nationwide class action lawsuit.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Michael Shea ruled that the patients are entitled to appeal if they are admitted as inpatients to the hospital by their doctor but later switched to observation care by their hospital. However, he said patients whose doctors initially place them in observation care under Medicares two-midnight rule cannot appeal because that rule requires doctors to base their decision on medical judgment. If the doctor determines that a patients stay is unlikely to stretch over two midnights, the patient would most likely receive observation care, though there are exceptions.

Sheas decision applies to all traditional Medicare beneficiaries who experienced such a switch since Jan. 1, 2009, spent at least three days in the hospital and were enrolled in Medicares Part A hospital benefit. If they win their appeal, most hospital expenses and any nursing home bills they paid would be reimbursed under Part A.

Shea estimated that hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries would be able to seek repayment.

Lawyers at the Department of Justice argued that doctors and hospitals make admission decisions so patients cant ask the government to change a decision it didnt make. A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on the decision or whether the government would appeal. They have until May 25 to decide.

But the physicians decision is not final because it is reviewed by the hospitals utilization review staff, a team each hospital participating in the Medicare program must have in place to review whether the physicians decision is correct under mandatory, nationwide standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the judge wrote.

Alice Bers, litigation director at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, one of the groups representing the plaintiffs, said the decision recognized that Medicare coverage is subject to due process protection.

If I had gone home, I would have died, said Ervin Kanefsky, 94, a plaintiff from the Philadelphia suburbs. He was admitted to the hospital as an inpatient after fracturing his shoulder in a fall. When he was about to leave after five days to recuperate at a nursing home, a hospital official told him his status had changed to observation. With one arm in a sling, stitches in the other, and unable to hold on to his walker, he learned Medicare wouldnt pay for the nursing home.

I had to pay $2,000 just to get in the door, he said, and his monthlong stay in 2016 cost $9,145. He called Medicare numerous times, wrote a letter to the hospitals president, and contacted his congressman for help. I tried every which way, he said, to no avail.

Medicare has temporarily suspended the three-day inpatient admission requirement during the coronavirus emergency.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
An evergreen Disney classic brings everything you love from the original which truly justifies 'Beauty Lies Within'. Witness the beautiful tale of two lovers who meet in an unusual way as &flix, the destination for the biggest Hollywood hits, is set to air 'Beauty And The Beast' this Sunday, March 29, 2020, at 1 PM and 9 PM.

Available as part of Zee Prime English Pack, the movie truly embraces the thought of loving someone truly regardless of their traits. Directed by Oscar-winner Bill Condon, the story revolves around a handsome prince Dan Steven who has been cursed and turned into a beast by an enchantress.

Belle (Emma Watson) is set on a voyage to find the imprisoned father, Maurice (Kevin Kline) and takes his place at the prison. Belle oversees his fury coat and befriends him for his genuine heart. Gradually falling in love, Belle must confess before the last petal falls and must find a way to break the curse.

Will Belle be able to prove her love for the beast to the villagers and urge to enchantress to break his curse?

#LeapForth with some drama and romance as &flix airs a day special for the movie 'Beauty And The Beast', this Sunday, March 29, 2020, at 1 PM and 9 PM.
SEATTLE, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CareGrove, an online resident payment portal exclusively focused in Senior Living, today has been selected by LeadingAge, the national trusted voice for aging, as a trusted business resource for communities struggling through the coronavirus crisis.

For a complete list of LeadingAge trusted business resources , visit https://www.leadingage.org/trusted-business-resources

, visit https://www.leadingage.org/trusted-business-resources For more information about CareGroveNOW, visit https://www.caregrove.com/caregrovenow

CareGrove is the leader in secure online payments for Senior Living communities.

"We've always looked up to LeadingAge as a great advocate for Senior Living communities," said Chief Growth Officer Trevor Gavin. "We are honored to be selected as a LeadingAge Trusted Business Resource to help communities affected by the coronavirus crisis."

Earlier this month marked the launch of CareGroveNOW, the solution built by CareGrove in response to COVID-19 that allows for Senior Living communities to have an online payment portal launched within 24 hours to assist residents and their families to quickly pay online for care.

"LeadingAge curated offers from businesses wanting to help communities get through the coronavirus crisis," said LeadingAge Chief Operations Officer Burt Hudson. "We are grateful for the offer the CareGrove team has given with CareGroveNOW."

What is wrong?

Many senior living communities are accepting only cash or check payments, with many communities closed to visitors and many team members required to work from home.

What needs to happen?

More than ever, communities must allow both residents and family members to pay for rent with debit card, credit card or ACH bank information from their phone or computer.

How CareGroveNOW helps:

Quick setup for communities

Remote payment flexibility

Remote management enablement

Exclusively focused on Senior Living

What CareGroveNOW offers:

Zero Processing Fees*

Zero Setup Fees

Zero Monthly Fees

Processing fees for CareGroveNOW:

Credit Cards  2.99%

Debit Cards  0.99%

ACH  $0.99

*When passing the fees to the cardholder, the community does not directly pay any fees.

About CareGrove

CareGrove is a Senior Living payment company that exclusively serves assisted living, independent living, memory care, and CCRC communities. CareGrove is the leader in secure online payments for Senior Living communities and believes that through flexible payment options and excellent service, Senior Living communities can present a smoother and safer payment experience to residents and their family members.

Media Inquiries:

Trevor Gavin, Chief Growth Officer

[email protected] | 206.350.7060

Related Images

caregrove-logo.png

CareGrove Logo

CareGrove is the leader in secure online payments for Senior Living communities.

SOURCE CareGrove

Related Links

https://www.caregrove.com


WASHINGTON  When a federal correction officer geared up for duty recently at a Florida prison complex, he added an N95 mask amid coronavirus fears. He has a sister who had an organ transplant and an elderly mother at home.

But a supervisor ordered him to take it off and threatened disciplinary action if he refused. At other federal prisons, though, he would have been told to wear one. Rules on protective gear vary widely from prison to prison.

And inmates say there is little guidance on what to do if they experience flu-like symptoms and very little social distancing. Some who have symptoms are not tested.

Together, these accounts detail a scattershot policy on COVID-19 safety at the federal Bureau of Prisons amid the growing pandemic. Advocates and even prison guards are calling for reforms to head off a potential outbreak in a prison system plagued for years by violence, misconduct and staffing shortages.

This report is based on interviews with nearly two dozen correction officers, inmates, attorneys and advocates, many of whom spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

Health officials have been warning for more than a decade about the dangers of epidemics in jails and prisons, which are ideal environments for virus outbreaks: Inmates share small cells with strangers, use toilets just a few feet (meters) from their beds and are herded into day rooms where they spend hours at a time together.

While statistically the number of confirmed coronavirus cases within the Bureau of Prisons system is far lower than the rate outside prisons in the U.S., there is widespread fear among inmates and staff members that the virus could spread rapidly. So far, 10 inmates and eight staff members within the federal prison system have been confirmed to have COVID-19.

Attorney General William Barr said Thursday that the Justice Department takes seriously our responsibility to protect those who are put in our custody.

We want to make sure that our institutions dont become petri dishes, he said. But we have the protocols that are designed to stop that, and we are using all the tools we have to protect the inmates.

In a statement to the AP, Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal said the agency has thus far been fortunate in that our rate of COVID-19 infection is remarkably low.

We believe that the low number of cases to this point, in a system this large, is a testament to our effective planning and execution to date, he said.

And the Bureau of Prisons said its employees were expected to follow its guidance on the coronavirus and would investigate if officials are made aware of specific circumstances that would lead us to believe that policy or guidance may not have been followed.

There are approximately 146,000 inmates at the 122 federal correctional facilities across the U.S., including about 10,000 over the age of 60. New inmates coming into the federal prison system are screened for COVID-19 risk factors, have their temperature taken and are being quarantined for 14 days.

But inmates nationwide contacted by the AP raised a similar issue: There are no signs or documents listing the symptoms of COVID-19, and theres been little communication about what they should do if they experience flu-like symptoms.

Some exhibiting flu-like symptoms were not tested or quarantined at several facilities, including at the FCI Yazoo City in Mississippi and at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, according to inmates and advocates. There have been confirmed COVID-19 cases at both.

Joseph Plany, locked up at a federal prison camp in Beaumont, Texas, said one inmate sought treatment for respiratory symptoms and was turned away at the medical unit and sent back to his dorm.

Theyre not telling us anything, he said in an interview with the AP. They just theyre not equipped to handle it.

Congressional leaders and prison advocates are pressing the Justice Department to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak, arguing that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.83 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

There is no adequate possible plan, certainly not without greatly decreasing the population in these institutions, said David Patton, executive director and chief attorney at the Federal Defenders of New York. There is simply not enough space in there.

Barr sent a memo to the Bureau of Prisons on Thursday to increase the use of home confinement and identify non-violent, at-risk inmates who might be safer serving their sentences in home confinement rather than in BOP facilities.

Prison staff members in Florida and South Carolina described scenes of inmates allowed to be far closer than the 6-foot recommendation, situations that leave correctional officers and prison employees also at risk.

At Coleman, a large federal prison complex near Orlando, Florida, dozens of inmates were crowded last week into the commissary, admissions area and prison yard, a staff member said.

At a minimum security federal prison in Bennettsville, South Carolina, inmates were let out of their cells two units at a time, nearly 250 people at a time. They crowded into open spaces and filled up a room to watch television  about 20 inmates sitting no more than 3 feet (0.91 meters) apart, correctional officer Charles DApice said.

There is no social distancing on the inside, DApice said. Theyre telling the inmates to stay 6 feet apart from each other, but then they let 120 in a unit out together. They get as close as they want.

At the Metropolitan Correctional Center, the notorious federal jail where Jeffrey Epstein killed himself last year, one staff member said gloves are readily available but masks are not. The staff restrooms are running empty of even the most basic pandemic need: soap.

Carvajal said in a statement that cleaning, sanitation and medical supplies had been inventoried and there were ample supplies on hand and ready to be distributed or moved to any facility as deemed necessary. The agency had also ordered additional supplies, he said.

Visitors are now banned from prisons, but inmates are still being shuttled to and from court appearances, where employees fear they could come into contact with the virus and bring it back behind bars. Inmates making those trips still need to be patted down and escorted by officers  close contact that flies in the face of social distancing requirements.

As part of the agencys protocols for dealing with the virus, staff members who work in facilities in areas with sustained community transmission are having their temperature taken before their shifts start. If its too high, theyll be sent home.

But officers at a medium-security federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, described broken thermometers hampering screenings. When a staff member got a frighteningly low reading of 89 degrees  an indication of hypothermia  management argued that each persons body temperature is different and refused to replace the thermometers, they said.

Pam Milwood, a local union president at Jesup, said staff members who report being sick are still being told to work, their temperatures taken not by medical staff.

How do you determine that I look sick and you dont? Who makes that call? You have a factory foreman over there taking our temperatures, not even clinical. Who is he to make that call? she 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. The vast majority of people recover.

Worldwide, there have been more than 535,000 cases and more than 24,000 deaths. In the United States, there have been about 86,000 cases and about 1,300 deaths.

___

Sisak reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jim Mustian and Martha Mendoza contributed to this report.

___

Follow Balsamo and Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 and twitter.com/MikeSisak.
V enezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hit back at US charges of narco-terrorism by labelling Donald Trump a "racist cowboy" and "miserable human being".

The US Department of Justice accused Mr Maduro and several of his key aides of conspiring with Colombian rebels "to flood the United States with cocaine".

It said: "We estimate that somewhere between 200 and 250 metric tons of cocaine are shipped out of Venezuela by these routes. Those 250 metric tons equates to 30 million lethal doses."

Rewards of up to $15 million for Mr Maduro and up to $10 million each for the others are being offered under the department's Narcotics Rewards Programme.

President Maduro labelled Donald Trump a 'miserable human being'. / REUTERS

Mr Maduro, a former bus driver who fashions himself an everyman icon of the Latin American left, said the charges were politically motivated.

Donald Trump, you are a miserable human being, Mr Maduro said during a televised address on Thursday. You manage international relations like a New York mafia extortion artist you once were as a real estate boss.

"If there is anything I have cultivated, it is honesty, purpose, morality, the combative ethics of a revolutionary.

"If there is anything we have done, it is to fight the economic, political and all kinds of mafias in this country and we will continue to fight them."

Venezuelan opposition leader urges military to end rule of Nicolas Maduro

He claimed the charges ignored Colombia's role as the main source of the world's cocaine and his own role in facilitating peace talks between Colombia's government and the country's rebels over the past decade.

The Venezuelan President threats came with a warning of military force: "If one day the imperialists and Colombian oligarchy dare to touch even a single hair, they will face the Bolivarian fury of an entire nation that will wipe them all out.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced that the State Department would offer cash rewards of up to 55 million dollars for information leading to the arrests or convictions of Mr Maduro and four of his associates.

Mr Pompeo said: While holding key positions in the Maduro regime, these individuals violated the public trust by facilitating shipments of narcotics from Venezuela, including control over planes that leave from a Venezuelan air base, as well as control of drug routes through the ports in Venezuela.

The indictment of a functioning head of state is bound to ratchet up tensions between Washington and Caracas as the spread of the coronavirus threatens to collapse a health system and oil-dependent economy driven deep into the ground by years of corruption and US sanctions.

Venezuela Protests: January 2019 - In pictures 1 /30 Venezuela Protests: January 2019 - In pictures Opposition demonstrators clash with security forces in a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of the 1958 uprising that overthrew the military dictatorship, in Caracas AFP/Getty Images Security forces look on after clashing with opposition supporters participating in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government and to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the end of the dictatorship of Marcos Perez Jimenez in Tachira, Venezuela Reuters A demonstrator throws back a tear gas canister Reuters Members of the Bolivarian National Police clash with protesters EPA Venezuelans opposed to President Nicolas Maduro hold a demonstration in Bogota, Colombia in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido's self-proclamation as acting president of Venezuela AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators during a protest against the government of Nicolas Maduro at Plaza Altamira Getty Images Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C) speaks to a crowd of supporters flanked by his wife Cilia Flores (L) and Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez during a rally in Caracas AFP/Getty Images An anti-government protester wears a makeshift gas mask to protect himself from tear gas, during clashes with security forces after a rally demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, AP Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard soldiers detain an anti-government protester AP Venezuelans based in Mexico gather to show their support for the leader of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, who proclaimed himself president of Venezuela, in the Plaza de Armas of the city of Saltillo, Mexico EPA Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guardsmen look for anti-government protesters after a rally demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela AP An anti-government protester who was overcome by tear gas is aided by a paramedic during clashes after a rally demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro AP A protester burns a motorcycle during clashes AFP/Getty Images National Police officers confront opposition supporters AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators ride in a back of a truck during a protest of opposition supporters against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela Reuters National Police officers confront opposition supporters protesting against the government of President Nicolas Maduro AFP/Getty Images A vehicle is overturned as oppositors demonstrators block a freeway during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of the 1958 uprising that overthrew the military dictatorship, in Caracas AFP/Getty Images A person participates in a demonstration against the Government of the Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela EPA People help a young woman who fainted after inhaling tear gas during a demonstration against the Government of the Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela EPA A person participates in a demonstration against the Government of the Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela EPA Thousands of Venezuelans living in Argentina, opposed to President Nicolas Maduro, hold a demonstration in Buenos Aires in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido's self-proclamation as acting president of Venezuela AFP/Getty Images A vehicle of the Bolivarian National Police Venezuelan is burning as thousands take to the streets during a protest against President Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela EPA Opposition demonstrators clash with security forces during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro AFP/Getty Images

Mr Maduro has ordered Venezuelans to stay home in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which officials say has infected 107 and claimed its first death on Thursday.

Speaking in an online news conference from Washington, Attorney General William Barr said: "The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality.

"While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal lines their pockets with drug money, and the proceeds of their corruption. And this has to come to an end."

Analysts said the action could boost Mr Trumps re-election chances in the key swing state of Florida, which he won by a narrow margin in 2016 and where Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans fleeing authoritarian regimes have political muscle.
Times of uncertainty and fear bring out the best and worst in humanity.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/3/2020 (662 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Times of uncertainty and fear bring out the best and worst in humanity.

Were certainly seeing that in these unprecedented days of the novel coronavirus.

Health-care workers are and will be enduring long hours  risking their own health  to care for the very ill. Folks are donating to food banks. Communities are coming together (albeit through collective social distancing to stop the spread of disease).

Thats the good.

Then theres the bad.

Some people are hoarding toilet paper, surgical masks, respirators and disinfectant wipes, and then selling them for an exorbitant price.

Interpol also issued a warning about criminals claiming to sell these products online, but instead theyre just taking peoples money and disappearing.

Then the province warned the public regarding calls asking to prepay for medication should they test positive for COVID-19, but this is a scam seeking the unsuspecting folks credit card information.

And just two days ago, securities regulators warned of penny stock, pump-and-dump scams related to false claims about vaccine development.

So its somewhat fitting then amid the chaos that March is Fraud Awareness Month. And we could likely all use a reminder to keep our wits about us, and not fall prey to those seeking to exploit our fear.

"One of the things about fraud is the people involved in it are really good at finding weak spots," David Cheop, chair of the Manitoba Securities Commission.

He notes Manitobans need to be ever vigilant of fake emails, calls and other solicitations that may purport to be their financial institution, Canada Revenue Agency or some other organization.

"I just got one the other day on my personal cell line claiming to be the CRA," he says. "And its scary if you dont know (its fake) and youre not attuned to it."

CRA, of course, will not call and threaten you, he notes. Dont let the caller ID on your phone fool you either. Fraudsters are sophisticated enough to alter it to make it look as if youre being called by the CRA, or your bank.

"They are increasingly innovative and creative in how they go about scamming," says Jason Storsley, RBCs vice-president of fraud management.

While the schemes may change and are becoming more convincing, the goals remain the same. Theyre either seeking for you to send money via e-transfer or some other means. Or theyre trying to get your personal information  like your user ID and password for an online bank account, or even email.

With access, they are again able to steal your money, or identity.

Storsley adds Canadians may not be doing all that good of a job at protecting their personal information, pointing to a recent RBC poll. It revealed 55 per cent of Canadians surveyed indicated sharing banking PINs or passwords with others.

Additionally, it found 40 per cent of Prairie residents have written down their PIN on their bank card or kept passwords in the wallet.

"Security is a partnership between us and our clients," he says.

The subtext here is financial institutions want and expect customers to take good care of the personal information. And if you dont, you could find yourself on the hook for fraud losses.

Last year, CBC reported many financial institutions are reluctant to reimburse clients who lose money to email fraud, particularly if the bank believes the client did not take reasonable steps to protect personal information.

Storsley notes RBC is committed to stopping fraud, and helping its clients. And he suggests anyone who believes they might have become a fraud victim should contact their financial institution immediately.

They should also contact police, or in the case of investment fraud  their provincial securities regulator.

Indeed, one major problem for investigators is that fraud is generally under-reported, says Tyler Fleming, director of the investor office at the Ontario Securities Commission, which oversees the Toronto Stock Exchange.

"Only about five per cent of fraud gets reported," he says, referring to an estimate cited often by police.

But getting your money back after its been stolen can be challenging. Thats why prevention through education is critical. Fleming says fraud typically involves at least one of the following red flags.

 High return on your investment with minimum risk. In reality the rules of investing are the opposite: the greater the potential return the greater the risk of losing your money.

 Pressure to invest or give money without time to evaluate the investment or opportunity. No legitimate financial company pressures people to invest.

 And third, fraudsters look to exploit your emotions, particularly in times like this when were all a little, or very, fearful.

Most experts agree that aging Canadians are most at risk of fraud. Its one reason why regulators are now proposing ensuring clients of financial firms provide a trusted contact person. That way if advisers believe a client is experiencing cognitive decline (i.e. dementia) or being exploited (elder abuse), they can call that contact person to voice their concern.

"Its intended to be an emergency contact similar to what you would give at your kids school," Fleming says.

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.

"It doesnt replace a power of attorney or supplant any other relationship that exists."

But it can serve as an important backstop to halt an odd request to cash out a massive sum of money from a retirement account until it can be verified that everything is on the up and up, he says.

That said, a trusted contact person, or even power of attorney, cannot stop people of sound mind from making bad financial decisions  like selling everything at the bottom of a bear market, Cheop notes.

But more broadly speaking, having a trusted contact person would likely be good for everyone if only because we all need someone to lean on for advice when were uncertain.

Indeed, Cheop is often that trusted contact for people in his life.

"Ive gotten calls from people I know asking, Is this sort of thing right?"
Twelve more people have been tested positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra's Sangli, informed the state Health Department on Friday.

All these twelve people were contacts of earlier positive cases. Maharashtra is one of the worst-hit states in the country with 147 COVID-19 cases.

The country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown came into effect after Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi's announcement on Tuesday.

The prime minister had said that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the highly contagious disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
We all know the benefits of spending time in nature. From physical activity to stress-management, its no wonder millions of outdoor enthusiasts escape to the mountains each year.

But not everyone is looking for a peaceful walk in the woods. If steep cliffs, 1000 foot drop-offs, and rickety cliffside platforms are your idea of a day in the park, then check out our list of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world where blisters are the least of the worries.

5. The Maze, Utah

The Maze, Utah

The Maze is one of the most dangerous hikes in terms of navigation. The trail is located in a remote area outside Canyonlands National Park. Its series of connecting canyons, dead ends, and narrow passages make The Maze one of the most confusing and disorienting hikes in the world. Each year countless visitors lose their way and require rescue assistance. A detailed map, reliable compass, and plenty of provisions are required for this 3-7 day hiking expedition.

4. Drakensberg Traverse, South Africa

Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa. Image credit: Rick McCharles/Flickr.com

Drakensberg Traverse is located in the Natal National Park. The mountain range is rugged, isolated, and the hike lacks a definitive trail. Hikers will follow footpaths and animal trails to make their way across the over 140-foot long trail. The beginning of the trail is the most challenging with chain ladders that must be scaled before ever even starting the excursion. Hikers must arrive fully prepared and self-sufficient as there are no checkpoints or campgrounds along the 15-day adventure.

3. Angels Landing, Utah

The stunning landscape of Angels Landing, Utah. Image credit: Steve Adcock from Pixabay

Angels Landing is one of the most popular hiking trails in Zion National Park. This 2.5-mile trek is one of the shortest adventure hikes to experience. The path is mostly a moderate hike up until Scouts Landing, where the adventure begins. Hikers will walk a steep narrow ridge with a 1000 foot drop-off on either side. The outlook provides some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the world.

2. El Caminito del Ray, Spain

Caminito del Rey in El Chorro (Malaga, Spain). Image credit: User Gabirulo on Flickr/Wikimedia.org

El Caminito del Rey or The Kings Little Pathway was named for Spains King Alfonso XIII after he hiked the trail during its official opening in 1921. Located in the remote corner of Andalusia, El Caminito del Rey tops the list of those seeking the most thrilling hiking excursions in the world. Trekkers walk a 350-foot steep limestone cliff across a bolted steel and concrete platform.

The century-old trail was originally constructed for workers to reach the hydroelectric dam for maintenance. During that time, villagers used the trail as a short cut around the mountain, and even children walked the dangerous path to school. In 2015, after realizing the tourism potential, the trail underwent reconstruction to make the hike - somewhat - less dangerous.

1. Mount Huashan, China

Hiking plank along the Mount Huashan, China. Image credit: Ianz/Flickr.com

Mount Huashan is the birthplace of Chinese civilization. The mountain range encompasses five peaks, each offering visitors their own unique attractions. Hikers will have to navigate across a plank wall of narrow wooden boards secured to the side of a rock wall. The only means of support is an old rusty chain. The payoff is viewing some of the most picturesque scenery, breathtaking sunrises, and peaceful sunsets. The peak of the summit offers an added bonus, a centuries-old temple to explore.
Local journalism is important  and producing it costs time and money.

To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe.
"There aren't provisions explaining a list of people eligible  it's a broad definition, meant to be as all-encompassing as possible," Zona said.

"They are eligible," said Michael Zona, a spokesman for Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee that put together the legislation.

The answer is yes, regardless of whether they are on Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, or veterans benefits.

A big question among individuals who are living on Social Security or other government benefits is whether they will be eligible for a relief check.

The checks will amount to $1,200 for those who earn $75,000 or less, and $2,400 for couples making $150,000 or less. The legislation now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has said he will sign it.

Congress passed new legislation Friday that will put stimulus relief checks in the hands of millions of Americans.

Like other Americans, the size of the checks for those on Social Security will be based on their adjusted gross income as reported on their tax returns. The stimulus bill calls for using that information from 2019 filings, if they are in, or otherwise 2018.

However, some Social Security beneficiaries do not file returns either because they do not have taxable income or their tax liability is very low. In that case, their relief checks will be based on information in their 1099 form.

But not everyone receives those forms, particularly those who are on Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, because that is not taxable income.

"A possibility is for the [approximately] 4 million individuals affected by this quirk to file zero-liability tax returns," said Webster Phillips, senior policy analyst at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

"But no one knows for now how this will be handled," Phillips said.

SSI benefits are provided to older, blind or disabled individuals who have little or no income.

"They're the very poorest among us," said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works.

While the government already has their addresses and sends them monthly payments, they may still have to file a tax return just to get their stimulus money, she said.

"The people who are really focused on that population are trying to figure out how this is going to work," Altman said.

Plus, all payments will be disbursed by the Treasury Department and not the Social Security Administration, which is a complication, she said.

Still, both advocacy groups applauded the fact that the package covers Social Security beneficiaries.

"That will go a long way," Altman said of the $1,200 checks.
In a joint action by the Indian Army and Air Force, around 150 back-mounted spraying machines and 2000 liter spraying compound was on Friday delivered to Srinagar Municipal Corporation to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"Today, we handed over around 150 back-mounted spraying machines and 2000 liter spraying compound to Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which was brought by Indian Air Force through the air," Brigadier Amit Rao told reporters here.

He said that these materials will be effective in the fight against coronavirus in the region.

An official in the local administration said that they had requested the Indian Air Force to provide these materials to effectively sanitize the region and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"We had requested for back-mounted spraying machines and chemicals to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the region and sanitise the region. Mayor and Commissioner recently took up the matter with Air Force and Army," the official said.

He said that these machines and chemicals were brought from Surat.

This comes as the country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has claimed 17 lives and infected 724 people as on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Broker, Credit Products; IRS/Tax Transcript, Jumbo, MISMO, RON Changes

While in captivity it is important to have good communication. (Early anecdotal chatter indicates that the remote workforce has signs of improved productivity!) In the Northwest, Banner Banks mortgage group celebrated working from home with a short YouTube video of everyones home office (one is in the garage  bumper to bumper every day!) Thank you to Kris van Beever who sent along these cybersecurity tips for working from home to keep communication safe. Communicating with politicians in this crisis is critical. Rob, do politicians understand that one years worth of forbearance would basically put every lender who services loans out of business? I dunno. At this point the MBA, state, and industry organizations are working overtime on making sure they know. Fronting monthly payments would be a huge amount of cash coming out of servicers to the end-investors. The Treasury has the resources, but it is a matter of how they are deployed. Much more on the Bills impact on our industry below.



Lender Services and Products

An Exciting New Partnership for Volly & FundingShield. Vollys new integration partnership with FundingShield will allow lenders to utilize FundingShields wire fraud and settlement risk management technology through the Volly POS. This exciting integration will give lenders and borrowers alike a more secure loan closing experience. Click here to schedule a demo.

With refinances at record highs, chances are your team is under immense pressure to keep your pipeline moving during the COVID-19 crisis. And with social distancing guidelines at top of mind, its important to keep your borrowers safe, while obtaining the equity lending appraisal data you need. Dont miss Data Facts next webinar: COVID-19, Interior Appraisal Inspections, and Possible Alternatives on Wednesday April 1stat 10:00 CST, where well discuss alternatives to traditional interior appraisal inspections that are suitable for the current state of affairs. You can register here.

COVID-19 may force more branch office teams to start working from home as a general practice. Unprepared teams will struggle to service high demand for refis and new loans. LOs and processors are at risk of becoming less productive and unable to capitalize on the boom. How can branch offices meet demand if they must work from home? This case study may provide an answer and the results are impressive. The case study profiles Equity Mortgage Group, a division of American Pacific Mortgage. EMGs team generally works remotely. But, after moving to a simple process management platform, TeamworkIQ, they became far more productive doing so. We scaled up production and revenues by 280% in 10 days with $0 added headcount, said Charlie Christensen, Branch Manager and Sr. Loan Officer. TeamworkIQ is easy to set up, simple, very affordable, online process management for teams. View the case study here.

The Association of Independent Mortgage Experts is extending the submission deadline for the inaugural AIME Broker Rankings to March 31. The rankings are the first in the industry to feature lists based on data from independent mortgage brokerages and loan originators who are working solely in the wholesale channel. AIME Broker Rankings will recognize the top-producing, fastest-growing and most accomplished independent mortgage brokers and brokerages. Those that qualify and are confirmed as part of the final AIME Broker Rankings will receive a digital recognition badge that individuals can use on their websites and social media. The AIME Broker Rankings are part of AIMEs commitment to increasing the visibility of the independent mortgage broker community by highlighting the achievements of the men and women working in their own communities to bring the best mortgage options to their clients. Click here for more information about the rankings.

During this time of great uncertainty, some lenders are experiencing record-setting business while others are seeing a drop off. Both are challenges that can be hard to manage, even in a normal environment. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, theres greater anxiety and even more obstacles to overcome. Credit Plus appreciates your business and is here to assist you during this unprecedented time. Were committed to helping you by offering time-saving tips, additional training and personalized solutions to meet your unique concerns. Consider Credit Plus your dependable verifications partner and know you can reach out to us for assistance whenever the need arises. Just contact info@creditplus.com (800.258.3488). We are confident that by working together, well get through this tough time and emerge stronger than ever.

QLMS continues its explosive growth. And the mortgage community has noticed. QLMS just reached another major milestone. As of March 25th, 7,000 mortgage brokers, regional banks and credit unions have chosen to partner with QLMS. It took 7 years for QLMS to reach 1,000 partners. It took another 2 years to get to 2,000 partners. But it only took 18 months to add 5,000 additional partners to get to 7,000. The mortgage community interest in QLMS is overwhelming. In fact, it took just a mere 100 days to go from 6,000 to 7,000 partners! In turbulent times, mortgage professionals are seeking the strength and reliability QLMS provides. To learn more about the value recognized by 7,000 of the very best mortgage companies, click here and become Stronger Together with QLMS.

While we all are dealing with this virus situation, Caliber Home Loans, Inc. continues to help customers to the best of our capacity. Were officially in Spring and that means customers need to purchase homes. While showings may be more virtual in nature right now, the reality of Open Houses and closing selfies will be here before we know it! Caliber stands ready to deliver the American Dream in all seasons with marketing resources in CaliberPRO, Regional Operations Centers that know your area, and seasoned Account Executives that get deals done. Plan for purchase success with your Caliber Account Executive today. If youre not yet approved with Caliber Wholesale, contact Tony Kottenbrock.



Corona-Driven Changes

In its just released March Insights Report, STRATMOR Group examines several areas affecting lenders as rates drop and coronavirus infections rise. In Pipelines and Pandemic: Managing Through the Virus-Driven Storm, STRATMOR offers insight into Capital Markets, MSRs, remote work, outsourcing and the customer experience. In a second article in this issue, COVID-19 and the Customer Experience, STRATMOR MortgageSAT Director Mike Seminari offers lenders four ideas to help sustain communications with borrowers during these uncertain times. Check out the March Insights Report.

National MI rolled out its response to Freddie and Fannies changes earlier this week.

AmeriHome sent out, Effective for new locks taken on and after Friday, April 3, 2020, the minimum decision credit score for all government loans will be the greater of the program guide requirement or 640. (As perspective, Wells Fargos is 680.)

The IRS has been busy. The IRS is temporarily suspending acceptance of new IVES work at this time as we adjust to the impact of state and local shelter in place orders. We will keep all participants posted. We appreciate your patience as we navigate through numerous different challenges in this very rapidly changing environment. Sandra James with 4506-Transcripts.com checked in with her thoughts. This is definitely an unprecedented time we are all experiencing and things are changing fast! The IRS told us this morning that they were at 4-9-day turnaround time due to staff shortages and closed offices. At noon we received the IVES suspension notice. But we are continuing to help lenders, so they should not hesitate to reach out to us as we are still able to complete manual VOEs quickly!

Lenders and investors acted swiftly. For example, Effective immediately, PennyMac is temporarily suspending the PennyMac requirement for tax transcripts. Note that USDA transactions require tax transcripts. Correspondents remain responsible for complying with all USDA requirements. An announcement will be released when the tax transcript requirement is reinstated. Please note that PennyMac will continue to require signed 4506-T according to current guidelines.

From Bedford Andy Cadorette, Senior Manager, Business Development, informed me that New Hampshire Housing is open for business and once again taking loan reservations.

Wells Fargo Funding remains committed to purchasing your Non-Conforming Loans. However, due to unprecedented market conditions, were making the changes outlined below, effective with Registrations, Locks, relocks, and renegotiations on and after March 27, 2020, to help ensure the long-term viability of our Non-Conforming program. The following transactions will be ineligible under our Non-Conforming program: Cash-out refinances, Investment properties, LTV/CLTVs >80%. Were worsening FICO/LTV adjusters for Non-Conforming Loans.

With Wells Fargos retail group eliminating the requirement for interior photos for existing construction (still required for new construction), the industry is reacting. For example, Kim Perotti, co-president of AXIS AMC, sent, At AXIS, we are focusing on training and support for our appraisers as we begin ordering Desktops and Exteriors. Although appraisers are using the same forms to complete these assignments, they are developing their opinion of values without the benefit of the data they typically gather when inspecting the interior of the home. Now, they need to expand data sources to still complete every field on the form and as a result, data collection and analysis has new challenges as well as new opportunities. AXIS is here to help them rise to that challenge.

TD Bank Correspondent Lending will auto-extend all commitments retroactive to 3/15/20 for 30 days, without cost, from the current expiration date. Any extensions previously made to loans that fall under these parameters will be provided a rebate back for extension fees incurred. These free extensions will be completed in the system by 3/31/20. Additionally, TD Bank Correspondent Lending will provide automatic extensions for 30 days, without cost, for new purchase money locks through locks received 4/30/2020. (*Note: Loans must be locked with TD Bank through the closing and funding dates. This includes the three (3) day right of rescission required on refinance transactions.)

All eyes are on the House of Representatives voting on the corona stimulus bill, probably today. The MBA sent out, As it relates to mortgage forbearance, the most important language in the bill is on pages 567-570 (single-family) and 570-574 (commercial/multifamily). $454 billion for loans, loan guarantees, and investments in programs or facilities established by the Federal Reserve for the purposes of providing liquidity to the financial system that supports lending to eligible businesses, states, or municipalities. This funding would enable Treasury and the Fed to establish a liquidity facility for loan servicers to access for advancing payments, and we continue to press hard on all fronts for a speedy announcement of such a facility.

Consumer Right to Request Forbearance: Applies to federally backed mortgage loans (Fannie/Freddie/FHA/VA/USDA) for those directly or indirectly impacted by the COVID-19 virus (if the borrower requests and affirms hardship). No signature or documentation is required, and the initial period is up to 180 days initially, with the option to extend for up to an additional 180 days. This broadly mimics the programs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have already announced.

Moratorium on Evictions: For 120 days after date of enactment, applies to single-family and multifamily properties that participate in federal housing, homelessness, rural programs, or properties financed by federally insured, guaranteed, supplemented, or assisted mortgages, including mortgages purchased or securitized by the GSEs.

Small-Business Assistance: $349 billion for SBA loans to help small businesses make payroll and pay rent and mortgage payments, with loans of up to $10 million. Proceeds may be used for payroll, rent, payment of mortgage interest (not principal), and utilities.



RON (Remote Online Notarization)

Every lender knows that mortgage closings are at risk as coronavirus shutters title and recording offices. State, county and local governments have shut down or are limiting the number of people who may enter their offices, including property recording centers. Currently, nearly 2,100 counties provide some electronic access to their property records, but about a third of the jurisdictions still dont have the ability to accept digital documents. Sens. Kevin Cramer and Mark Warner introduced Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020.

MISMO introduced the Digital Mortgage Resource Center web page to provide information on digital mortgage resources. The first posting includes a list of Remote Online Notarization (RON) Providers. If you believe your organization should be included on the list below, please contact MISMO at info@mismo.org. Included are Digital Delivery, Inc., DocMagic, DocuTech, DocVerify, eNotaryLog, Notarize, NotaryCam, Nexsys, Pavaso, SafeDocs, Signix, and SimplySecureSign.

Harry Gardner, EVP of eStrategies at Docutech and chair of the Electronic Signature and Records Association (ESRA), shot over a note. On March 20 Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic (SECURE) Notarization Act of 2020. It permits immediate nationwide use of Remote Online Notarization (RON), a type of electronic notarization where the notary and signer are in different physical locations. The Act builds on the traditional interstate recognition of notarial acts on paper and expands that to remote online notarial acts.

The primary benefit is that, if passed, the bill would allow nationwide use of RON immediately (with a set of minimum standards), which provides certainty for interstate recognition for title insurance providers and expands the market for loan originators and investors. This would let lenders offer many more borrowers a new option for closing their mortgage loans while remaining safely at home during pandemic social distancing orders and guidelines. Many states have already seen the value in such a service and have taken action to temporarily allow the process within their borders. New York, Connecticut, Florida, New Hampshire and others have issued executive orders allowing remote notarization in a variety of forms. New Jersey accelerated the passing of their full RON bill to give a full spread of capabilities to borrowers.

Docutechs Solex eClosing will feature RON capabilities in the products April release. For more info, visit the website here to download the solution brief.

Yes, Docutech put out a write up on, Ramping up Support for RON.

From Secure Insight, Andrew Liput sent, We are in the process of supplementing our 80,000 strong nationwide database identifying attorneys, title agents, mobile notaries, and escrow officers who have eNotary and eClosing experience. Lenders nationwide are seeking trained professionals and we are fielding thousands of your emails and calls to verify and then update your profiles in our system to recognize your talents. We are also launching an online training program Friday, March 27th, in conjunction with the My Professional Educator online training academy, to help bring the basics of eMortgages and eClosings to anyone interested. The post-COVID-19 world for mortgage lending must embrace electronic transactions and we are doing our part to be innovative and lead when it comes to lenders and their closing professional partners.



Capital Markets

U.S. Treasuries rallied yesterday on continued pandemic fears. As expected, initial claims posted the highest ever number recorded, registering over 3 million when the prior record was just under 700k in October 1982. Both initial and continuing claims are expected to increase from here. The report should help provide some context for just how dire the market situation currently is. The third estimate for Q4 GDP showed a 2.1 percent annualized rate of growth, in line with the second estimate, though the report is inconsequential at this juncture. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield closed the day -5 bps to 0.81 percent.

Internationally, it was reported Japan's government is planning a JPY56 trillion stimulus package that would include direct payments to citizens. The European Central Bank announced that it began purchasing assets under its pandemic emergency purchase program (PEPP) today. Assets eligible for purchase include Greek debt, non-financial commercial paper, and all assets that can be purchased under the existing quantitative easing program. The Bank of England made no changes to its policy stance. Austrian officials opposed the issuance of joint euro debt. Finally Banxico lowered its target rate by 50 bps.

For the day, the Desk purchased $35.804 billion MBS of the estimated $50 billion, or 71.6 percent of the expected planned purchases. Total purchases since the Fed restarted QE purchases are now over the initial $200 billion announced, at $209.9 billion. The Desk will again conduct a total of $50 billion in MBS FedTrade operations today. Additionally, the Desk will kick off its buying in agency CMBS today, purchasing up to $1 billion FNMA DUS pools with a 10-year loan term (with maintenance protection term of 9.5-year) with an average life of at least 7-years.

If anyone cares, todays economic calendar is already under way with February Personal Income and Spending (+.6 percent and +.2 percent), PCE Prices. Later this morning brings Final March Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey. We begin the day with Agency MBS prices better by .125-.250 and the 10-year yielding .77 percent.

Jobs

Carrington Mortgage Services, a national top 10 wholesale lender, is seeking mortgage underwriters for the following locations: Anaheim & Scottsdale, AZ. If interested please send resumes to John Cervantes.

Earlier in the year, Thrive Mortgage posted about our relationship with a Veteran-focused organization named Defenders of Freedom. Although many of us are blessed with record-breaking months, aided by incredible technology, other industries and organizations are not. Thrive is proud of our partnership with Defenders of Freedom, and we draw attention to these true heroes, their families, and their needs more than anything else. Please visit their pages and see how you might be able to also positively impact the lives of the valiant soldiers who have risked so much. Additionally, many in the industry have reached out to us seeking assistance or guidance regarding much of the technology we employ. If we can be of service to you regarding any similar request, contact us at info@thrivemortgage.com. We may be competitors, but were colleagues first with a common goal of moving our industry forward. Stay safe and stay healthy!

Paul Conway of Conway & Greenwood executive search is retained by San Francisco wholesalers Parkside Lending for its EVP, Operations search. The EVP, Operations can work remotely and central to western time zones are preferred.

FirstClose has tapped Joe Dahleen as the companys SVP of strategy and sales responsible for working with the companys enterprise sales and product development.
Democratic presidential hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden (C) and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders shake hands ahead of the third Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season hosted by ABC News in partnership with Univision at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas on September 12, 2019.

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders haven't aired campaign television ads in nearly two weeks as the coronavirus spreads and dominates headlines.

The Democratic presidential rivals haven't aired an ad on TV since March 17, according to data compiled by Advertising Analytics. Instead, they are focusing on digital advertising.

The move comes as both campaigns have eliminated in-person campaigning, opting instead to address supporters through virtual events.

Since last week, Biden has been spent more on Facebook ads, investing just over $1 million into spots that appear on the social media platform, according to Facebook's ad archive. Sanders, who has been a prolific online fundraiser, has put up only $190,000 on Facebook and none of the ads he's purchased is currently active.

Sanders' campaign, despite being behind Biden in the delegate count, has publicly called on the Vermont senator's supporters to help them raise money for charities fighting the coronavirus.

Biden has used his digital ads to go hard after President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus crisis. One of the advertisements, which also was published on Biden's Twitter feed, portrays the former vice president as a leader who is better positioned to comfort the country during a time of tragedy and upheaval.

Tweet:

While Biden's campaign itself hasn't been on TV, a super PAC supporting him, Unite the Country, has been hammering Trump on the airwaves with an ad depicting past presidents such as Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, contrasting their leadership with Trump's. Advertising Analytics said the ad has been aired at least 365 times. Priorities USA, another super PAC backing Biden, has also been airing TV ads against Trump as part of a recent $6 million ad buy.

Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden's new campaign manager, sent a memo to supporters Thursday that outlines the organization's digital plans. Dillon said the campaign is still reaching out to Wisconsin primary voters, who are still scheduled to vote on April 7, despite the coronavirus' spread. The campaign is encouraging voters in that state to use mail-in ballots as an alternative to in-person voting.

Dillon also stressed the importance of digital fundraising, since the campaign has halted in-person donor events.

The campaign told supporters in an email on Friday that it raised over $30 million online during the month of March, which saw Biden surge ahead of Sanders thanks to primary victories in delegate-rich states such as Texas, Illinois and Michigan.

Biden and Sanders may also be getting a boost from a former rival. Sen. Elizabeth Warren's former presidential campaign published a list of tech companies they worked with when she was running in the primary. According to a blog post, the hope is "that other Democratic candidates and progressive causes will use the ideas and code we developed to run stronger campaigns and help Democrats win."
The state government doesn't know how many people in WA are currently in mandatory self-isolation, with the number likely to be in the tens of thousands as residents continue to return home from overseas.

From Sunday, all West Australians flying home will be required to quarantine in government-assigned accommodation - likely Rottnest Island or a hotel - as authorities move to clamp down on self-isolation compliance.

The decision was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday after statistics revealed 75 per cent of WA's confirmed COVID-19 cases contracted the virus while overseas or on a cruise ship.

Thousands of people in Perth are self-isolating. Credit:Facebook

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said his officers had responded to around 700 community complaints about people breaching self-isolation rules, with one person charged after being stopped on his way to the beach.
Facing falling demand, Hungarian group introduces special measures include taking a significant portion of its truck fleet out of service with immediate effect, to preserve the short-term financial stability of the company

One of Europes leading full truckload (FTL) operators, Waberers International, has announced the introduction of special measures to counter the adverse impact of COVID-19 and delayed the release of its 2019 annual results, originally scheduled for this week.

The measures include taking a significant portion of its truck fleet out of service with immediate effect, in order to preserve the short-term financial stability of the company. The company has around 4,300 HGVs and employs more than 8,000 staff.

The Hungary-based operator has also announced that its CEO Robert Ziegler has stepped down and resigned from Waberers board of directors, replaced on an interim basis by CFO Barna Erdelyi.

In a trading update issued last week, the company noted: With the serious decline in economic activity as a result of the special measures against the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent supply chain disruptions across the entire European continent, Waberers estimates that it will experience a material loss in orders.

This may have a substantial effect on the Groups second quarter financials. It is too early to predict how long this drop in demand will last and exactly how severe the consequences will be on Waberers cash flow and full year results.

Waberers added that it was in a final stage of securing financing provided by its current lenders and majority shareholder. The company will implement immediate measures to counter the adverse effects of the sudden decline in demand.

It added: In these extraordinary times, Waberers is doing everything it can to continue to operate as an integral part of the European supply chain and provide its specialised transportation services to many critical sectors in Hungary and Europe.

In addition to the significant reduction in its road fleet, other special measures implemented by Waberers include a repatriation plan of the assets and the drivers outside the country (Hungary) has been adopted and its execution has started. Most discretionary spending has also been suspended.

The company is also rationalising its workforce to match the decline in demand. A combination of HR measures introduced involve a hiring freeze, wage renegotiation and an unpaid leave programme.

Waberers underlined that the companys labour unions were involved in drawing up the measures.

New CEO Barna Erdelyi commented: These are unprecedented times that require unprecedented responses. I am confident that the measures introduced strike a careful balance between the necessary improvement of our financials and to maintain service level to our clients, and ensure the sustainability of the operations in the current challenging times.

In November 2019, Waberers reported a net loss and decline in turnover in the third quarter of its financial year (July-September), compared with the same period in 2019. However, it said that the negative figures were largely a result of ongoing restructuring measures in its international road freight business focusing on a fleet reduction programme and which were beginning to bear fruit.

Waberers is majority-controlled by Luxembourg-based CEE Transport Holdco (which has a stake of almost 72%), which itself is owned by private equity player Mid Europa Partners.
Companies from China are leveraging their prowess to help countries fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, as the virus has been spreading rapidly across the world.

Chinese investment conglomerate Fosun Group sent 36,000 pieces of protective medical supplies to Japan on March 1. The company also donated 45,500 pieces of protective medical supplies to Italy, as well as 22,000 pieces and 100,000 detection reagents to South Korea. On March 20, it delivered 2,300 pieces of protective medical supplies and 85,500 pieces to the UK and France, respectively.

As a global company, Fosun should shoulder responsibilities to help countries across the world, said the companys chairman Guo Guangchang.

The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation donated millions of masks, test kits and other supplies to Japan, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, the United States and African countries between March 2 and present, while Chinese electronics retailer Suning donated the first batch of 300,000 masks to Italy on March 11.

Meanwhile, many Chinese technology companies have launched online consulting platforms globally to share Chinese experience in the fight against the virus.

WeDoctor, Chinas leading technology-enabled healthcare solution provider, launched a bilingual global pandemic prevention and control platform in both Chinese and English to offer assistance. As of March 24, the platform had brought together 7,273 doctors in this regard.

On March 18, Zhao Lei, a chief physician with Wuhan Union Hospital, had a video talk with a doctor named Luca Varcasia from the Italian city of Sassari by means of the platform. Users from nine countries, including the Netherlands and India, watched the live broadcast, with over 10,000 viewers.

During the video communications, Zhao answered in detail seven questions from Luca and other Italian counterparts. The information shared by Dr. Zhao would be pure gold for us, Luca said after their video talk.

Another internet platform, JD Health, under Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, has also launched a global free health consultation platform, including a psychological counseling hotline and a special team consisting of 30 experts in traditional Chinese medicine.
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio speaks during a video press conference on the city's response to the COVID-19 outbreak held at City Hall in New York City on March 19, 2020. (William Farrington-Pool/Getty Images)

NYC Mayor Says City Will Likely Stay on Lockdown Until May

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that his city, which has the most number of CCP virus cases in the United States, might be shut down until May.

We think this crisis is going to grow through April and into May, the mayor told ABC News on Friday morning. When he was asked about what will happen to the citys schools and if they will be shuttered until that time, he responded, I think we have to be ready for that.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

The comment comes after President Donald Trump this week said that he hopes that parts of the country are reopened by Easter Sunday, which lies on April 12 this year. On Thursday, he told a news conference that the United States has to get back to work amid the pandemic, as economic losses and unemployment claims continue to mount.

Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City on March 25, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

This idea of Easter is, unfortunately, a false hope, de Blasio remarked.

De Blasio then predicted that around half of New York City, which has a population of around 8.5. million, will be infected with the virus.

For over 80 percent, [there] will be very little impact, de Blasio told ABC News. But 20 percent of the people infected, its going to be tough, and for some of them, it will be fatal.

At least 365 people have died in New York City from the virus, which is more than twice as many across New York state, according to researchers with Johns Hopkins University. Most of the states COVID-19 cases outside of the city are in Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties, which are all New York City suburbs.

A sign is seen at the NYU Langone Health Center hospital emergency room entrance in New York City on March 23, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

De Blasio also warned that his city still needs about 15,000 ventilators for seriously ill patients.

We have some, and Im thankful for that, but it has to keep coming, de Blasio said. The president has to make that contract happen with the companies that can create ventilators not just for New York City and New York state, but for the whole country. This is going to get worse before it gets better.

The mayor also pushed back against reports saying that some of the citys hospital workers dont have enough protective gear after the New York Post published a front-page story featuring doctors and nurses wearing garbage bags.

The truth is we have again the supplies for this week and next. We have to make sure every hospital is getting them to their extraordinary, heroic medical personnelthe nurses and doctors everyone in those hospitals because supplies are here, he added.
In the months prior to the most ferocious stock market crash in history and the eruption of the biggest public health crisis of our generation, we witnessed the biggest exodus of corporate CEOs that we have ever seen. And as you will see below, corporate insiders also sold off billions of dollars worth of shares in their own companies just before the stock market imploded. In life, timing can be everything, and sometimes people simply get lucky. But it does seem odd that so many among the corporate elite would be so exceedingly lucky all at the same time. In this article I am not claiming to know the motivations of any of these individuals, but I am pointing out certain patterns that I believe are worth investigating.

One financial publication is using the phrase the great CEO exodus to describe the phenomenon that we have been witnessing. It all started last year when chief executives started resigning in numbers unlike anything that we have ever seen before. The following was published by NBC News last November

Chief executives are leaving in record numbers this year, with more than 1,332 stepping aside in the period from January through the end of October, according to new data released on Wednesday. While its not unusual to see CEOs fleeing in the middle of a recession, it is noteworthy to see such a rash of executive exits amid robust corporate earnings and record stock market highs. Last month, 172 chief executives left their jobs, according to executive placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Its the highest monthly number on record, and the year-to-date total outpaces even the wave of executive exits during the financial crisis.

By the end of the year, an all-time record high 1,480 CEOs had left their posts.

But to most people it seemed like the good times were still rolling at the end of 2019. Corporate profits were rising and the stock market was setting record high after record high.

Yes, there were lots of signs that the global economy was really slowing down, but most experts were not forecasting an imminent recession.

So why did so many chief executives suddenly decide that it was time to move on?

The following are just a few of the big name CEOs that chose to step down in 2019

Dennis Muilenburg  Boeing

United Airlines  Oscar Munoz

Alphabet  Larry Page

Gap  Art Peck

McDonalds  Steve Easterbrook

Wells Fargo  Tim Sloan

Under Armour  Kevin Plank

PG&E  Geisha Williams

Kraft Heinz  Bernardo Hees

HP  Dion Weisler

Bed, Bath & Beyond  Steven Temares

Warner Bros.  Kevin Tsujihara

Best Buy  Hubert Joly

New York Post  Jesse Angelo

Colgate-Palmolive  Ian Cook

MetLife  Steven Kandarian

eBay  Devin Wenig

Nike  Mark Parker

Of course the mass exodus of chief executives did not end there.

In fact, a whopping 219 CEOs stepped down during the month of January 2020 alone.

By then, it was starting to become clear that the coronavirus that was ripping through China could potentially become a major global pandemic, and I certainly can understand why many among the corporate elite would choose to abandon ship at that moment.

Some of these CEOs have made absolutely absurd salaries for many years, and it is much easier to take the money and run than it is to stick around and steer a major corporation through the most difficult global crisis that any of us have ever experienced.

The following are just a few of the well known CEOs that have resigned so far in 2020

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney

Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM

Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich

T-Mobiles CEO John Legere

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner

Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga

Keith Block, co-CEO of Salesforce

Tidjane Thiam, CEO of Credit Suisse

Hulu CEO Randy Freer

It is important for me to say that I do not have any special insight into the personal motivations of any of these individuals, and every situation is different.

But I do think that it is quite strange that we have seen such an unprecedented corporate exodus at such a critical moment in our history.

Meanwhile, top corporate executives were dumping billions of dollars worth of shares in their own companies just before the market completely cratered. The following comes from the Wall Street Journal

Top executives at U.S.-traded companies sold a total of roughly $9.2 billion in shares of their own companies between the start of February and the end of last week, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows. The selling saved the executivesincluding many in the financial industrypotential losses totaling $1.9 billion, according to the analysis, as the S&P 500 stock index plunged about 30% from its peak on Feb. 19 through the close of trading March 20.

In the stock market, you only make money if you get out in time, and many among the corporate elite seem to have impeccable timing.

Perhaps they just got really lucky. Or perhaps they were reading my articles and understood that COVID-19 was going to cause the global economy to shut down. In any event, things worked out really well for those that were able to dump their stocks before it was too late.

And it turns out that several members of Congress were also selling stocks just before the market went nuts

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and three of her Senate colleagues reported selling off stocks worth millions of dollars in the days before the coronavirus outbreak crashed the market, according to reports. The data is listed on a U.S. Senate website containing financial disclosures from Senate members.

Of course most ordinary Americans were not so lucky, and the financial losses for the country as a whole have been absolutely staggering.

The good news is that there was a tremendous rally on Wall Street on Tuesday, and that will provide some temporary relief for investors.

But the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to escalate at an exponential rate all over the globe, and this crisis appears to be a long way from over.
With interest rates at historic lows and recent increases in Tucson home values, many jittery homeowners impacted by the coronavirus outbreak are looking to refinance to get their hands on cash. Experts sound off on whether that's the right move.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Jack Graham (Reuters) Toronto, Canada  Fri, March 27, 2020 10:03 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dc3ebb 2 Science & Tech technology,LGBTQ,entrepreneurs,funding Free

Struggling to find funding, technology entrepreneur Bobbie Racette was told by one investor to downplay her sexuality.

"You don't need to tell us that you're LGBT," she was told. "We can just leave that out of your pitch deck."

Data suggests the odds are stacked against LGBT+ tech founders and entrepreneurs trying to obtain venture capital (VC) funding.

More than $1.5 trillion was invested in global VC deals from 2010 to 2019, according to Crunchbase, a business information website.

VC funding allows startups and other small companies with high growth potential to raise capital, offering investors high returns in exchange for taking a risk on new or expanding businesses

Less than 1 percent of US deals go in favor of LGBT+ founders, according to VC firm Backstage Capital, and 37 percent of LGBT+ entrepreneurs choose not to "out" themselves to investors, according to StartOut, a non-profit for LGBT+ entrepreneurs.

Venture Out, which connects LGBT+ tech professionals and entrepreneurs, recently launched a six-week accelerator providing mentorship and other support to help a dozen early-stage LGBT+ founders in Canada find investment.

"For a long time, venture capital has been a very specific type of demographic," said Danielle Graham, a principal at VC firm Dream Maker Ventures and one of Venture Out's industry contacts developing a fund for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

"When the decision-making is taking place without any kind of (LGBT+) representation, then the likelihood of them being able to relate to those individuals is very low," she said.

The organizers would like to see more LGBT+ entrepreneurs follow in the footsteps of Dax Dasilva, founder of Montreal-based Lightspeed, a software provider.

Dasilva, who is gay, founded the company in 2005 and 14 years later it raised CAD$240 million at an initial public offering.

In Calgary, Alberta, Racette struggled to find funding for her start-up Virtual Gurus, which connects businesses to remote workers. She said she suspected being indigenous, LGBT+ and a woman played a part.

Read also: Asia's first LGBT-focused streaming service tackles taboos

Her straight, white, male friends were getting investments, "and they weren't even off the ground yet," she said.

Racette eventually secured CAD$1.2 million in VC funding in February after meeting one of her investors at conference in Toronto for the LGBT+ tech community run by Venture Out.

Investors base decisions on a practise known as pattern matching, betting on people who mirror those who have succeeded before, such as straight white men, said Kristina Flynn, a Founders Program participant.

In a competitive field, this explains why some entrepreneurs hide their LGBT+ identity, said Flynn, co-founder of jiiWA, which helps non-profits collect and manage data.

"We have to think about how we're going to present ourselves," said Flynn. "I almost have to do a cost-benefit (analysis)."

This can be especially difficult when dealing with investors from countries that are less progressive on LGBT+ issues, said another participant Yangqi Xu.

"Should I disclose that I'm married to a female?" asked Xu, chief operating officer of Toronto-based Destin AI, an artificial intelligence platform that helps applicants navigate the Canadian immigration process.

Opening up the VC world to more LGBT+ people could reach the largely untapped global purchasing power of the LGBT+ community in the technology market, said Taylor Bond, co-lead of the Founders Program.

"When we get funding, mentorship and community into the hands of these folks, we're going to see some really exciting market potentials open up," he said.

Albert Lam, who co-founded Venture Out and leads the Toronto chapter of Gaingels, a US-based investment vehicle for LGBT+ founders and executives, concurred.

"Our challenges are actually not that different from any other minority group," Lam said. "Once we become leaders in companies moving the economy, we have a lot more power to effect change."

Topics : technology LGBTQ entrepreneurs funding
Australians are being urged to ditch banknotes and use contactless cards to to avoid catching coronavirus, as experts warn the pandemic could kill cash for good.

Some retail stores are already turning away customers who use notes in desperate attempts to combat the rapid growth of the virus.

Coles and Woolworths are still accepting banknotes but are encouraging customers to use cards and urging employees to regularly use hand sanitiser.

Experts have said more Australians will continue to switch to cashless payments, and warned those who don't should wash their hands or wear gloves.

Australians are being urged to leave cash behind and use card payments instead in attempts to combat the spread of coronavirus

Shane Oliver, Chief Economist for AMP said the trend of using card payments over cash was being 'accelerated' in the wake of coronavirus.

'We've already been moving away from cash to credit cards, debit cards and phone and I think coronavirus just accelerates that,' Mr Oliver told Daily Mail Australia.

'When you go to the shops, you want to use your phone or tap and go so you don't touch anything.

'I think that forces people to go down that path (of not using cash) and once they do that, they'll never go back.'

Mr Oliver said he didn't believe cash would ever be gone for good, but stressed there were even less ATMs available to the public.

'I know some people love cash. When I use it, I always wash my hands after, I never used to but since coronavirus I do,' he said.

A Harris Farm Store is seen showing a sign saying cash will no longer be accepted

An Australian AWPL retail store also let customers know there would be card only payments

'This will accelerate the decline of cash. We are even seeing ATMs disappear.'

The economist also said more retailers were opting for card-only payments.

'I know a lot of retailers are encouraging the use of card over cash. Taking out a few hundred dollars every week might be a thing of the past,' Mr Oliver said.

'I think there will be a lot of people discovering they can buy things with their phones.'

A pharmacy in Hornsby on Sydney's north shore has banned customers from entering the store and will now only take card payments.

'Customers will present at the window to have their order taken and runners inside will collect the order,' Superpharmacy general manager Christian Todd told Daily Mail Australia.

'We already have put in place an EFTPOS-only policy.

'As I am sure you are aware previous studies have shown cash to have more bacteria on it than a toilet door handle.'

Superpharmacy, which has stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will also take the temperature of staff before each shift to ensure they don't spread COVID-19

The company's Hornsby store, in Sydney's north, has boarded up the shopfront so customers will now have to place their prescriptions through a small window (pictured) and collect them from another service counter opening in the wall

Mr Todd said not all customers were on board with the payment policy.

'This EFTPOS-only policy has angered quite a lot of customers and we have had some heated incidents at this site and our other sites around the country for people who prefer to deal in cash,' he said.

Economic analyst John Adams urged Australians to wear gloves when handling cash.

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

'Previous medical research has shown that influenza or virus particles can remain on physical banknotes anywhere between a few hours to a couple of weeks,' Mr Adams told Daily Mail Australia.

'As an immediate precaution, individual Australians should wear protective gloves when handling physical cash.'

Mr Adams said if there was evidence to show the disease could be spread through banknotes, the government should enforce regulations around cash.

'Having said this, in times of economic and financial distress, the rate of bank withdrawals and the hoarding of physical cash do increase as concerns regarding the solvency of the banking system does rise,' he said.

'This is happening in both Australia and Germany at the moment.

'Many Australians don't want a cashless society on economic freedom and wealth preservation grounds.

'Such attempts may prove to be counterproductive in both the war against the coronavirus and the Australian banking system.'
As the coronavirus pandemic engulfs the nation, Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor and advisor to President Barack Obama revived his infamous phrase: Never let a crisis to go to waste. True to form, some politicians in Washington are using the current turmoil to toss aside free market principles in favor of protectionist trade policies, specifically tariffs on imported crude oil. Even in the best of economic conditions tariffs are, to put it bluntly, a lousy idea. With the economic impact of the coronavirus reverberating from Wall Street to Main Street, tariffs can only make life worse.

The market was already on shaky ground, with the coronavirus racing across the globe, when OPEC+ leaders Saudi Arabia and Russia failed to reach an agreement on oil production cuts. As both nations threatened to ramp up production, the oil markets went off the rails: West Texas Intermediate crude and Brent crude (an international benchmark) plunged to historic price lows not seen in thirty years.

From outward appearances, Russia and Saudi Arabia look to be battling only each other in the price war, but some analysts believe Russian President Vladimir Putin has motives aimed squarely at the United States. Helima Croft, head of global commodities strategy at RBC, noted, We fear that it could be a [protracted] struggle, as Russias strategy seems to be targeting not simply US shale companies but the coercive sanctions policy that American energy abundance has enabled.

The emergence of the United States as a global energy superpower changed the dynamics of a market long dominated by other nations. The push to increase global energy supplies in the face of lower short-term demand is a direct reaction to this new paradigm. While coronavirus has reduced demand for oil and the Russia-Saudi Arabia price war has destabilized markets, the long-term industry outlook remains strong. When recovery inevitably comes, the world will demand more energy, including fossil fuels.

The fact remains that the oil and natural gas industry is one of Americas most resilient, demonstrating time and again a unique ability to weather uncertain markets. All the more reason for Washington to refrain from enacting protectionist trade measures such as the ones Senators Jim Inhofe, Roger Wicker, and seven other Republican senators proposed in a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Senator Inhofe specifically asked Secretary Ross to impose tariffs on imported crude oil using Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the law which authorizes President Trump to restrict trade based on national security reasons. The President invoked this law in 2018 when he increased tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Even under the extraordinary market upheaval we are experiencing, tariffs are not the answer, no matter how tempting. History shows that free market policies provide greater stability and growth for the market and the nation. Hasty reactions like those being proposed will not have their intended effect, but will damage American companies and harm consumers.

Tariffsas they always do regardless of which industry affectedwould raise costs for US refineries that rely on some oil imports. The increased costs would add uncertainty for global supply chains and lead to higher gas prices for Americans who are already struggling to cope with the pandemic.

Poor policy ideas arent confined to Washington. Deep in the heart of oil country, Ryan Sitton, a Commissioner on the Texas Railroad Commission (which regulates the states oil production), proposed pro-rationing schedules that would compel the states firms to cut production. In exchange, he argues, Russia and Saudi Arabia would do likewise.

Setting aside the fact that a production quota system could take years to implement, imposing such quotas on Texas crude oil would penalize the more efficient and lower cost producers while supporting those that are less efficient. Quotas would also add significant wellhead monitoring costs on oil producers who are already struggling in an unpredictable environment. Additionally, quotas will be notoriously slow to react to future demand or supply shocks. And this is no guarantee that Russia and Saudi Arabia will play game. While not perfect, free market incentives will adjust the markets faster and more efficiently than a fresh layer of government controls.

There are no winners in an oil price war, a lesson that Russia and Saudi Arabia will soon rediscover. And Washington should remember the increased costs of recent tariffs on other industries. Washington and Texas should show patience and let the free markets continue to be the best arbiter of supply and demand. Americans and the economy are under a tremendous strain in these unprecedented times. Lets not make things worse by launching a new trade war.
Pilbara miner Fortescue Metals Group will slash worker movement to and from its mines by 40 per cent from Monday by making major changes to its rosters.

Workers were told on Friday morning that those working two weeks on and one week off would move to a four on, two off arrangement while workers on four and three days and eight and six days would start working two weeks on, two off.

FMG workers will move to drastically different rosters over the next three months to stop the spread of coronavirus. Credit:Quentin Jones

The roster changes come after growing concern over the impact the virus would have in WA's regions and remote communities and images emerge of miners not following social distancing protocols.

Miners have so far been exempt from any major restrictions, including some interstate travel, but earlier this week all non-essential travel to WA's Kimberley region was banned and some shire councillors in the area have called for it to include FIFO workers.
Germany has decided that saving lives is more important than saving face. In a rather undiplomatic letter to German citizens in Japan posted on the Embassy Of Germanyas web site on March 24, the embassy did not mince words in discussing Japanas poor handling of coronavirus testing. It warns that we should assume there are a high number of unreported carriers.

While noting that there is a possibility that German citizens might be entirely banned from entering Japan, the letter urges German citizens to exercise caution in coming to the country or staying. It notes that aFor Germans and other EU citizens, visa-free travel to Japan is suspended until the end of April . New applications are possible, but the granting of visas is restricted.a

The most interesting passage is below. The brevity and beauty of the German language makes it a wonderfully chilling dense read.

aDas Infektionsrisiko in Japan ist nicht seriAs einzuschAtzen. Von einer hohen Dunkelziffer von Infektionen, bedingt durch die geringe Zahl durchgefAhrter Tests, ist auszugehen. COVID-19 TestmAglichkeiten gibt es weiterhin nur fAr bereits schwer erkrankte Personen (Symptome und 4 Tage hohes Fieber) und fAr Personen mit anderweitigem Anfangsverdacht (Kontakt zu Infizierten, Aufenthalte in Risikogebieten)a

It could be translated several ways. Please feel free to submit your own translation!

Here is one translation by a German scholar.

aThe [stated] risk of infection [from coronavirus] in Japan cannot be believed. A high number of non-reported cases can be expected, due to the low rate of testing. The possibility of being tested for the coronavirus continue only to be available for those who are very sick (four days of high fever) and for persons with other risk factors (contact to others infected, [those who have stayed] stay in high-risk areas.a

You could also translate the first sentences as:

aThe risk of infection in Japan cannot be assessed seriously. It can be assumed that there are high number of unreported infections due to the small number of tests carried out.a

Let us further translate the full two paragraphs above from diplomatic understatement to colloquial English.

aJapan is lying. No one can fucking believe what theyare saying, because how can they know if they donat test? They are barely testing. They only test you if you meet super-stringent criteria. Weare going to see a surge in the numbers if they ever get off their asses and actually test people for the disease. Assume (auszugehen) there a lot of coronavirus carriers out there in Japan.a

My Social Studies teachers used to say, aYou should never aassumea because it makes an aassa out of aua and ame'a, but in this case we are all assuming the German Embassy in Tokyo is correct. As of March 2nd, Japan averaged 72 tests for coronavirus per million. Korea averaged 4099.

Things have slightly improved, as of March 20th, Japan had moved up to 117.8 corona virus tests per million people. Have a look at the chartaitas an abysmal figure. You might mistake it for a visual representation of Japanas gender equality ranking, which ranks at an all-time low of 121 out of 153 companies. In a positive sense, if sexual discrimination was something to be proud of, Japan would be in the top tier.

Japan ranks miserably in testing for the coronavirus, 118 people per million. In fact, itas ranking for testing is so low, it resembles the nationas ranking on gender equality, 121 out of 153 nations. In cover-ups and sexism, Japan leads the pack.

Everybody knows in Japan thereas no visible coronavirus epidemic because Japan generally doesnat test people for it. Itas an obstacle course designed to prevent you from reaching the goal line of getting tested and possibly embarrassing the nation by making infection rates higher.
Petra Diamonds said today that it is withdrawing guidance after scaling down its mines to operate at a minimum level.

The miner is complying with South Africa's directive, a nationwide lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19.

Petra also withdrew from a tender after poor attendance, deteriorating market conditions and opportunistic bids.

"Petras fifth diamond sale of FY 2020, with tenders in both South Africa and Antwerp, commenced on Thursday 19 March and was due to close on Thursday 26 March. However, sensing the rapid deterioration of market conditions, particularly due to travel restrictions, factory and retail closures, and the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa, the company brought forward the closure of its South African sale to Monday 23 March," said the company in a news release.

"During this constrained sales period, the Company saw severely depressed and opportunistic bidding for its goods, particularly in the larger size and higher quality, greater value categories. As a result, Petra chose to sell a portion of its South African goods, representing ca. 75% by volume and ca. 50% by value. These goods saw price decreases of ca. 24% on a like-for-like basis in comparison to pricing achieved at the February 2020 sales cycle. The remaining goods were exported to Antwerp and will be offered for sale when market conditions allow."
Maintenance checkups are promised as well, - Head of Parliamentary Committee for Health, Medical Aid and Medical Insurance

During the urgent session of the Ukrainian Parliament, lawmakers will be provided with devices of personal protection. Lada Bulakh, the MP and the Head of Parliamentary Committee for Health, Medical Aid and Medical Insurance said so in her commentary for the press. Ukrainska Pravda reported that on March 27.

"They promise us maintenance checkups. The apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada has to provide all MPs", she said.

According to her, the issue of protection masks and gloves is already solved; the question of the use of protection glasses is still open.

Other MPs also confirmed that respective means of protection will be provided during the Rada session. The session itself is supposed to take place on Saturday, March 28.

Prior to the session, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with leaders of parliamentary factions and groups.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously to move forward with a proposed federal safety rule that would prohibit the sale of padded crib bumpers that fail to meet airflow requirements, according to an announcement made by the safety agency yesterday.

The proposed ban, which safety advocates say is years overdue, was voted through by all four CPSC commissioners in an effort to protect infants from the risk of suffocation and other deadly hazards linked to padded bumpers. The CPSC also proposed that crib liners, which are thin pieces of fabric attached to the crib slats, must meet specific requirements that would be part of a new mandatory safety standard.

Currently, crib bumpers are subject only to voluntary industry standards, and manufacturers are not required by the government to test their safety before putting them on the market.

Medical experts have long discouraged the use of crib bumpers because they increase the risk of sudden unexpected infant death. For years the American Academy of Pediatrics has told caregivers not to use padded crib bumpers, which have been tied to dozens of infant fatalities, says Ben Hoffman, M.D., chairman of the AAPs Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention.

Crib bumpers go counter to a key aspect of the AAPs safe sleep recommendations, which state that babies should sleep on their backs, alone, unrestrained, on a firm, flat surface that is free of loose bedding and bumpers.

But bumpers have remained on the market, advertised as a nursery accessory and safety product geared toward preventing babies from getting their arms and legs stuck between crib slats. Research shows, however, that padded crib bumpers offer no protection from serious injury.

Contrary to popular belief, bumpers do not serve any safety purpose and are an unnecessary product designed to solve a problem that doesnt exist, Hoffman says. I am ecstatic to hear that these products are one step closer to being removed from the market because it is going to have a positive impact on children.

Story continues

Oriene Shin, policy counsel for home and product safety at Consumer Reports, says that the presence of crib bumpers on the market could lead parents to unwittingly put their baby at risk, so we commend the CPSC for taking this step.

A spokesperson for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, an industry trade group, told CR that it also applauds the CPSCs action and that the majority of crib bumpers available on the market today should already meet the updated rule.

Crib Bumper Confusion

The availability of padded crib bumpers on store shelves and online for years has confused parents into thinking the products are safe and perhaps even a safety item, but nothing could be further from the truth, says Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids In Danger, a safety organization focused on reducing product-related deaths in children. Bumpers have no place in a safe sleep environment.

A few states and localities have already banned padded crib bumpers, including Maryland, New York, Ohio, and the city of Chicago. While each law is different, these bans generally continue to allow the sale of mesh crib liners.

The CPSC staff, however, has been divided for decades over whether or not the agency should regulate crib bumpers at the federal level, and if so, what regulations should be put in place, even as deaths linked to the products mounted.

N.J. Scheers, Ph.D., a former manager of the CPSCs Infant Suffocation Project, has warned about the dangers of crib bumpers. She has done extensive research into infant sleep deaths, and co-authored groundbreaking studies on bumper-related injuries and fatalities along with Bradley T. Thach, M.D., a professor emeritus of pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Its been more than 12 years since Brad Thach wrote his first article, says Scheers, referencing Thachs 2007 landmark study that found that crib bumpers can cause suffocation and strangulation when babies turn their faces into the soft padding or become entangled in the bumpers ties. And there have been many needless deaths in those 12 years. Crib bumper fatalities are entirely preventable, and its really upsetting to think about these babies that didnt have to die.

Scheers acknowledges that the manner in which infant sleep deaths are classified in various datasets has made it difficult to pin down the exact number of fatalities caused by crib bumpers. But her 2016 study found there were at least 77 bumper-related deaths between 1985 and October 2012.

There is no code for crib bumpers on death certificates, so many of the sleep-related deaths linked to bumpers are not reported, and we know the numbers we have are the tip of the iceberg, Scheers says. It seems to me that there is more than enough information to determine that padded bumpers cause infant deaths, and while were waiting for more research, babies are dying.

New Regulations

Todays announcement, however, signals a turning point at the CPSC. The agency has struggled for years with infant sleep deaths, which are often so difficult to understand, says CPSC acting chairman Robert Adler. We finally felt that the public health evidencewhich indicated real problems with the breathability of padded crib bumperswas simply overwhelming.

What comes next: Now that the CPSC commissioners have all voted in favor of this proposal, it will be open for public comment to consumers, companies, and safety experts, among others. The comments will be assessed, and ultimately, the agency will issue a final mandatory standard for crib liners and will require all padded bumpers be pulled from the market.

The rulemaking process is likely to take at least a year.

While the proposal still allows thin crib liners, and Nancy Cowles at KID would like to see a total ban of all of these kinds of products for the crib, padded and not padded, she and other safety advocates see this proposed rule as a major win for child safety. With this vote, the CPSC is finally beginning the process of getting padded bumpers off store shelves and out of homes.





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.
Healthy people should go against Boris Johnsons advice and visit supermarkets in person to free up delivery slots for the elderly and vulnerable, the managing director of Iceland has said.

Richard Walker said while the company has done their best to restrict online orders to those most in need, any new slots released are being quickly snapped up.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Friday: In a seminal address to the nation, the prime minister urged everyone to use food delivery services wherever possible, but the reality is that current demand vastly exceeds supply.

Id actually urge the opposite of the prime minister, in that, if you are healthy, not in a vulnerable category and adhere to social distancing guidelines, please do shop in store, but make sure you shop responsibly.

No panic-buying, adhere to the two-metre rule, because that will enhance priority online for those who need it most.

While he urged people not to panic-buy, Mr Walker said he could totally understand why people are fearful given the endless images of desolate supermarket shelves.

But stockpiling is inherently socially divisive because its not an option for those who cant afford it, he added.

By stripping the shelves and not shopping responsibly, it means that others go without.

Panic-buying and stockpiling is also completely unnecessary because production has not dried up.

The current shortages will largely be resolved once people simply revert to their normal shopping habits and shop for what they actually need, which Im pleased to report is starting to happen.

Mr Walker also called for more protection for store colleagues, saying staff really felt on the front line in a war.

It is a reality of any shopworkers daily life at the moment that they are facing customer abuse and frustration, he said.

Mr Walker said there had been delays in obtaining face masks for staff but the supermarket was doing our best to protect them by enforcing all of the new rules around social distancing as well as installing protective screens on all tills.

He called on the government do provide more practical support for supermarkets, saying: Its all very well for the government to lay down the law on what retailers must do to protect their colleagues and customers but it would really help if they could give us some more practical support in expediting the delivery of PPE equipment.
Bosch has created a coronavirus test and machine that gives results in two-and-a-half hours, removing the need to send samples to a laboratory.

The results are 95 per cent accurate, according to the German manufacturer, better known for its washing machines and fridge freezers.

Swabs from patients are placed into a special cartridge and put into the machine to automatically test for coronavirus, removing the need for a lab technician.

Most swab tests - including ones used by the NHS - take up to 48 hours to produce a result because they are sent off to laboratories to be analysed by specialists.

The Government has faced continuous criticism for its handling of testing in the UK  but defends its strategy to test only the most vulnerable in hospital.

The 11,000 cases reported are just the tip of the iceberg, with the true toll likely to be in the hundreds of thousands.

Bosch has created a coronavirus swab test and machine that gives results in less than three hours, removing the need to send samples to a laboratory

A swab sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patients and placed in a cartridge. The cartridge is put into the Vivalytic analyser, a machine which automatically does the work of a specialist in a laboratory

HOW DOES THE BOSCH TEST WORK? Molecular diagnostic tests are considered the gold standard for diagnosing infections, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Protection (CDC). They look for nucleic acids of the virus in people's samples. They can also scan a patients' genetics for signs of disease. The tests are favoured for their precision and speed, but are more expensive than using a blood sample. A swab sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient and placed in a cartridge. The cartridge is put into the Vivalytic analyser, a machine which automatically does the work of a specialist in a laboratory. It analyses the sample for pathogens including the coronavirus, or nine other respiratory diseases, such as the flu, removing the need to do more tests to find out what is causing the patient's symptoms. Bosch's test is different to that bought by the UK Government - an antibody test. These tests are only able to detect antibodies which show a person has fought infection, but don't show if the virus is in a person's blood. The World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend this type of test. Advertisement

Dozens of tests that slash the wait-time for results have been made in recent weeks in a bid to stem the spread of infection.

The more people are tested, the better understanding officials have of the outbreak and the quicker they can curb it.

Bosch says each of its Vivalytic machines can process 10 tests in 24 hours. Therefore, 1,000 tests can be performed each day on 100 machines.

Dr Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH said: 'We want the Bosch rapid COVID-19 test to play a part in containing the coronavirus pandemic as quickly as possible. It will speed up the identification and isolation of infected patients.'

Bosch  a leading technology company known for its household products  developed its Vivalytic test in six weeks amid the escalating pandemic.

More than half a million people have been infected worldwide, killing almost 24,000.

The newly developed test, designed with the Northern Irish medical technology company Randox Laboratories Ltd, will be available in Germany starting in April. Other markets in Europe and elsewhere to follow, the company said.

The system has two parts. First, a swab sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient and placed in a cartridge.

The cartridge is put into the Vivalytic analyser, a machine which automatically does the work of a specialist in a laboratory.

It analyses the patient's genes for biomarkers of the coronavirus, a method called molecular diagnostic testing.

WHY HASN'T THE UK SCALED UP ITS CORONAVIRUS TESTING, AND WHY HAVEN'T HOME-SCREENING KITS BEEN ORDERED YET? Aren't home-testing kits already available? Several British firms have made the home-testing kits, including Derby-based SureScreen. It claims to have shipped its 6 finger prick tests to Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. Mologic Ltd - which is based in Bedfordshire - has also produced an antibody test that takes just 10 minutes. But it says its diagnostic tool is still 'five or six months' away from being ready to be mass produced. A number of US firms have also developed rapid finger prick tests which are being fast-tracked for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. Why isn't the Government using them? Health chiefs are concerned the tests are not accurate enough to be rolled out yet. Professor Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer, said the 'one thing worse than no test is a bad test'. The SureScreen finger prick device is currently being trialled at a Public Health England laboratory in Oxfordshire, but it could take weeks before it is deemed reliable enough to be distributed. How much would they cost? SureScreen charges 6 for one of its tests. Mologic's kits cost less than 1 to make and the firm said it would sell the tests to the Government 'at cost', meaning without making any profit. Could the Government use home-testing kits one day? Professor Sharon Peacock, director of Public Health England's National Infection Service, told MPs the devices would be available 'within days'. Professor Peacock told the House of Commons Science and Health Committee that Britons would be able to pick them up in Boots or on Amazon. But England's CMO said it would be weeks before they were validated and deemed reliable enough for mass use. How many people can we test each day? The UK has repeatedly been slammed for its lacklustre approach to testing. Currently tests are only routinely given to people so ill they have to go into hospital, or those who are already on wards - even NHS staff don't get tested. Only 5,000 tests are conducted each day. This is because the crisis has escalated faster than the UK could manufacture tests. PHE says it has increased its capacity and will be testing 25,000 people within weeks. But didn't Boris Johnson say it would go up to 250,000? The Government wants to screen a quarter of a million people a day to get on top of the outbreak. But Boris Johnson has admitted the country will need to source tests from private companies to fulfill its ambition.

Advertisement

Molecular diagnostic tests are increasingly being used for infectious diseases, favoured for its precision and speed.

In less than two and a half hours, the results are delivered electronically.

The test can also differentiate between the coronavirus and nine other respiratory viruses, including flu, which can cause similar clinical symptoms.

The Vivalytic test can be used by a doctor in a GP surgery or on a hospital ward with minimal contact with the patient's sample.

Currently tests in the UK can only be performed by PHE. It can take days for a suspected patient to be swabbed and to receive their result for COVID-19.

What's more, diagnostic testing is only available to a fraction of the public. Anyone who thinks they have the tell-tale symptoms - a fever or persistent cough - are only told to self isolate.

Almost 105,000 people have been tested in the UK. Efforts to scale-up testing means that around 7,000 are being swabbed every day compared, to 1,000 or so at the beginning of the outbreak.

In Germany, where the mortality rate is low in comparison to other countries, half a million citizens can be tested per week, according to health minister Jens Spahn.

The UK Government claims to have bought millions of blood-based antibody tests. It is not clear when they will become available.

The kits use a sample of blood and test for antibodies, which show if a person has already had and cleared the virus from their system.

Antibody tests do not look for signs of the actual virus, which is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

For weeks Britons have been told that the kit, which can diagnose people within a matter of minutes, was in the pipeline and could be done in a person's home.

But Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, revealed yesterday samples will still need to be sent to a lab and analysed by specialists - a process that could take much longer than 10 minutes, like some home-testing kits take.

England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty shot down claims by PHE that the 3.5million home-testing kits would be available in Boots 'within days'.

He said the devices were still 'a few weeks' from being ready, further fuelling confusion.

Experts described the row among senior health chiefs as 'a nightmare' and urged the Government to work together on sending clear messages.

Meanwhile, manufactures across the globe  including in Britain  say they are waiting to be approached after designing rapid diagnostic tests.

Derby-based SureScreen Diagnostics and Mologic Ltd, headquartered in Bedfordshire, are two of the frontrunners to mass produce the home-screening kits for the UK.

But neither has received the go-ahead from the Government to scale up manufacturing yet - sparking it could be weeks before Britain gets a grip on the true size of the crisis.

SureScreen said it had sent hundreds of its 6 finger prick tests to a lab in Oxfordshire earlier this week but has yet to hear back.

The firm's director, David Campbell, said he believed they were in the running to be selected to produce tests for the UK.

Mologic said it did not expects its tests to be included in the 3.5million announced earlier this week.

The company, which was awarded 1million by the Government to make tests, said its devices were still at least 'five to six months' away.

Test by test: The types of coronavirus kits from 10-minute finger-prick results to a mask which can diagnose instantly that the government could be using amid row over shortage  as PM brands impending antibody check a 'game changer'

Boris Johnson yesterday announced that coronavirus testing was to be ramped up to 25,000 per day after the government was slammed for potentially allowing tens of thousands of infected people to walk the streets undiagnosed.

Only 5,000 were being swabbed for COVID-19 previously, a fraction of the number seen elsewhere.

Mr Johnson said a new 'game changing' coronavirus test which analyses antibodies in the blood could detect asymptomatic patients and those who have already shrugged off the bug.

The Prime Minister said this would allow people to know whether they had gained immunity and get back to their working and social lives as soon as possible.

Public Health England previously said that only patients who meet certain criteria will be able to be tested for the bug and those who were being screened were having nasal swabs.

The Prime Minister conceded that the NHS will continue to use nasal swab tests that take up to 48 hours to be analysed in a lab.

Other countries around the world - including the US, China, South Korea, Japan and Italy - have been using testing kits that take just minutes to produce results.

And in a further development, Oxford University researchers claimed that they have created a new test which analyses viral RNA to detect COVID-19 in just 30 minutes.

Here, MailOnline looks at the cutting-edge testing kits currently being rolled out in other counties and at private clinics in Britain:

FINGER PRINT TEST

Name: COVID-19 IgM IgG Rapid Test

Manufacturers: BioMedomics

Diagnostic time: 15 minutes

The blood test is not being used in the UK, despite health bodies in China, Italy and Japan diagnosing patients with it.

On March 5, BioMedomics claimed its 'quick and easy' test was ready and being used in South Korea, Japan, Italy, China and some countries in the Middle East.

After the sample of blood is collected, a technician injects it into the analysis device - which is about the size of an Apple TV or Roku remote - along with some buffer, and waits 15 minutes.

One line means negative, two lines in a spread-out configuration means the sample contains antibodies that the body starts making shortly after infection.

A blood sample is collected, inserted into the reader, a buffer is combined, and results come back within 15 minutes, the company claims

Two lines closer together mean the person is positive for the later-stage antibodies, and three lines mean the patient is positive for both types of antibodies.

A small study showed the test produced a correct response 80 per cent of the time.

PHE confirmed it was not using the advanced blood test because it was not accurate enough, and are hoping to develop their own. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also yet to approve it.

A former PHE strategist said he was 'not confident' the test could produce correct results and is therefore unlikely to be rolled out. However, the method was desirable.

NASAL SWAB

Name: TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit

Manufacturers: ThermoFisher

Diagnostic time: Four hours

The DIY test detects specific DNA given off by the coronavirus in the noses of infected patients.

Samples are then delivered to labs where they are analysed and results are produced within four hours.

The test was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration this week and 5million kits will be sent across America in the coming days.

It is hoped the UK will follow suit after representatives from ThermoFisher, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, were seen entering Downing Street last night carrying a box with the tests.

It is understood ministers were giving a demonstration of how the test works.

FINGER PRICK TEST

Name: COVID-19 Rapid Test Cassette

Manufacturers: SureScreen Diagnostics

Diagnostic time: Ten minutes

The private firm, based in Derby, has created a test which can allegedly determine with 98 per cent certainty if a person is infected.

It involves taking a blood sample via finger prick and then putting it into a screening device.

SureScreen Diagnostics says a prick of blood from the fingertip is sufficient to determine with more than 98 per cent accuracy

The private firm says its test has been validated and is already being used in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. Currently, official swap-based methods take between 24 and 48 hours for results to come back

Public Health England cautions members of the public against using such tests amid fears they are unreliable, saying there is 'little information on the accuracy of the tests'

Results are displayed in a similar fashion to those of an at-home pregnancy test within minutes and could potentially save delays in diagnosis.

SureScreen says its test has been validated and is already being used by private buyers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman.

It is believed around 175,000 tests have been conducted with the SureScreen kit so far. The company claims it has had over two million orders for next month.

Director David Campbell said: 'We've been working hard to produce a coronavirus test (COVID19) that can be used at the patient side, with capillary blood, easily taken from someone's fingertip and diagnose them within 10 minutes.

'There is a big problem with the diagnosis of the disease currently because the standard method of screening is to send samples to the laboratory, which takes a lot of time.

'Meanwhile, someone could be spreading the virus without knowing, or having the issue of self-isolation.'

FACE MASK TESTS

Manufacturers: University of Leicester

Diagnostic time: 12 hours

How it works: Breath test inserted in a mask

Scientists have started a trial of the pioneering 2 gadget, which tests have already proven can detect tuberculosis, a deadly lung infection.

Scientists have started a trial of the pioneering 2 gadget (pictured), which tests have already proven can detect tuberculosis

The researchers at the University of Leicester and the University of Pretoria designed 3D printed strips of polyvinyl alcohol that are inserted into the mask (pictured)

The masks, which could cost pennies if manufactured on a wider scale, are fitted with strips that soak up droplets from the wearer's breath, which may be carrying traces of bacterial or viral infection.

The strips can be tested in labs with results coming back within hours. Current tests for coronavirus can take up to 48 hours.

University of Leicester researchers believe it will be at least two months before they can test the masks on actual COVID-19 patients.

But they are hopeful it will work because it is a respiratory disease, meaning it infects the lungs and can is present in the air people breathe out.

After 30 minutes, the strips can be tested in a laboratory (pictured)

First, the team have to test the gadgets on dozens of patients with other lung infections to prove they can pick up bugs other than tuberculosis, which they were designed for.

Patients with infections such as flu and bronchitis will have the results from their mask tests compared to those from throat swabs, which are known to be accurate.

Tests on tuberculosis patients, the only ones that have been done so far, show the masks can detect the killer disease almost 90 per cent of the time.

Leicester's Professor Mike Barer and colleagues are hopeful they will be successful because the coronavirus infects the lungs in a similar way to tuberculosis.

BREATH TEST

Manufacturers: Northumbria University, Newcastle

Diagnostic time: Almost instantly

A breath sampling device that could rapidly identify patients with coronavirus has been developed by British scientists.

The technology, developed by a team at Northumbria University in Newcastle, is still in development and needs further testing.

But experts believe it could change the way the virus is spotted around the world.

A breath test that helps rapidly identify patients with coronavirus has been developed by British scientists (file)

Dr Sterghios Moschos, right, said the test could be used to produce results in minutes

The Northumbria team's device collects breath samples which can then be tested separately for biological information  known as biomarkers.

These biomarkers, which include DNA, RNA, proteins and fat molecules can signal diseases of the lung and other parts of the body.

People simply breathe into the device, which collects a sample of the breath.

Dr Sterghios Moschos, associate professor at Northumbria University, said: 'Our ambition is to reduce the need for bloodletting for diagnosis in its broadest sense.'

The device is currently being trialled.

PRIVATE HARLEY STREET CLINIC

Manufacturers: Private Harley Street Clinic

Diagnostic time: Three days

How it works: Nose and throat swab

Price: 375

More than 2,000 people have ordered a 375 home testing kit from a Harley Street clinic in London after being turned down by the NHS, according to the Daily Telegraph.

In addition to individuals, some 60 firms including oil and telecoms companies, have bought them for their staff.

On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products

Dr Mark Ali, director of the Private Harley Street Clinic on London's world-renowned medical avenue, said his practice was offering a new kit for 375 each

The test is posted to the client's home or preferred address, where the client takes swabs from both the nostrils and throat.

The sample is then placed in the box provided and posted back as per the instructions.

Dr Mark Ali, director of the Private Harley Street Clinic on London's world-renowned medical avenue, said his practice was offering a new kit for 375 each.

On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products.

The practice says the test is 'performed by a world renown UKAS accredited British laboratory and the test results are 100 per cent accurate and do not require further tests to confirm any diagnoses.'

The website hastens to add, that though it oversees the entire process, patients should not attempt to pick up their kits from Harley Street.

'Please note under no circumstances can this test be done in our clinic or be collected from our clinic.' The website states.

'It is sent to your designated address by courier service within 48 hrs. Please refer to the details below and order through the link at the bottom of this page.'

Dr Ali told The Telegraph he has received countless requests from buyers.

'People are worried sick. They want to get some clarity back in their lives,' he told The Telegraph.

'We've got university students in England who want to go back to Nepal, but need to know if they have the disease so they can be let back into their own country.

'We've got a businessman who owns a construction company employing 60 people. He needs to know the state of play, or he risks letting down his customers. So every single person in that company is being tested.'

ANTIGEN TEST

Manufacturers: Mologic

Diagnostic time: Ten minutes

British firm Mologic is working on an antigen test after receiving 1million from the UK Government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was taken on a tour of the Bedford laboratory of Mologic earlier this month

The firm hopes it will take just 10 minutes to produce a result, like that of the antibody test.

Antigens are parts of a virus that trigger the immune system's response to fight the infection, and can show up in blood before antibodies are made.

SALIVA TEST

Manufacturer: myLAB Box

US-based firm myLAB Box is mass producing a home test that requires a saliva swab to be sent away to an overnight lab to be analysed

Diagnostic time: One day

US-based firm myLAB Box announced this week that it has opened pre-sales of its COVID-19 home test for health professionals, doctors surgeries and pharmacies.

They require suspected patients to self-collect a saliva swab sample. These samples are sent away to a CLIA-certified lab to be analysed overnight.

myLAB Box also said that free telephone consultations will be made available to those who test positive for the virus.

It is planning to process up to 20,000 tests per day once it is approved by the FDA. It is currently under review.

FINGER PRICK TEST

Manufacturer: Scanwell

Diagnostic time: 15 minutes

American startup Scanwell has produced a finger prick coronavirus test that takes just 15 minutes to complete at home.

It is posted to users via next-day delivery and is used alongside the Scanwell Health App.

American startup Scanwell has produced a finger prick coronavirus test that takes just 15 minutes to complete at home. It will work in conjunction with a health app (similar to its UTI test)

The test can be completed and uploaded through the app within 15 minutes, according to the company

The test is being fast-tracked for approval by the FDA but isn't expected to hit the US market for another six to eight weeks.

Scanwell is best known for its smartphone-based urinary tract infection screening platform.

NASAL/THROAT SWABS

Manufacturers: Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey

Diagnostic time: Half an hour

Researchers at Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey have developed a device to detect COVID-19 in 30 minutes using a smartphone application.

The batter-operated and hand-held costs 100. It works by taking nasal or throat swabs, which are put into the device.

Researchers at Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey have developed a device to detect COVID-19 in 30 minutes using a smartphone application (file)

Then in 30 minutes, it can determine if someone has CoVID-19 using artificial intelligence.

The samples dont need to go to a laboratory and the same device can test six people at once at a cost of around 4 per person.

The science behind the device has been tested in the Philippines to check chickens for viral infections.

The team has adapted it to detect COVID-19 in humans and is talking with backers to get it urgently mass-produced.

Scientists behind the device say the current system is capable to perform diagnostics at any location with very minimal training.

The researchers believe that the device would be operated by ambulatory care professionals, nurses, and biomedical scientists.

It would also let people self-isolating test themselves and health care workers test patients to help slow the spread of the pandemic and ease the burden on the NHS.

The Xpert Xpress test was developed by the company Cepheid which plans to have it on sale in the US by the end of March

ORAL SWAB

Manufacturer: Cepheid

Diagnostic time: 45 minutes

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorised the first 'point-of-care' coronavirus test which can be used in hospitals and emergency rooms, delivering test results in 45 minutes.

The new test was developed by the company Cepheid which plans to have it on sale in the US by the end of March.

The test will importantly deliver results onsite in 45 minutes at the hospital or emergency room where it is taken, cutting out the time-consuming step of sending the test to a lab.

A swab is inserted into a screening device, known as GeneXpert Systems, which scours for COVID-19 genes and takes less than an hour to deliver a result.

There are 5,000 of these machines located around the U.S. and 23,000 around the world.

THROAT/NASAL SWAB

Manufacturer: Bosch

Diagnostic time: Two-and-a-half hours

The home appliances firm has created a test provides that gives results in less than two-and-a-half hours.

The sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient using a swab and placed inside a 'cartridge' and inserted into a device which scours for genes of the virus.

The home appliances firm has created a test provides that gives results in less than two-and-a-half hours. The sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient using a swab and placed inside a 'cartridge' and inserted into a device which scours for genes of the virus

Vivalytic is said to be 'easy and intuitive' to operate, according to Bosch.

The system does not require any additionally trained personnel, so that even hospital or doctor's practice staff without special laboratory experience can operate the machines.

SALIVA/THROAT SWABS

Manufacturer: Everlywell

Diagnostic time: Up to one day

Users collect their own saliva, throat swabs or deep nasal swabs at home and send the samples to labs to be tested for the virus.

The US-firm, based in Austin, Texas, has sold around 30,000 COVID-19 at-home testing kits across the US to healthcare companies who have used them to test their medics on the front lines of the outbreak.

But the tests have not been approved by the FDA and the public being advised against using them. The agency says the accuracy of such home testing kits 'has yet to be clearly determined.'

Everlywell has sold around 30,000 COVID-19 at-home testing kits across the US to healthcare companies

CT SCANS

Who came up with the idea? Mount Sinai Health System, New York

Diagnostic time: 1 hour 30 minutes

How it works: Detects lung damage

Doctors from The Mount Sinai Health System in New York say CT scans may be faster than nasal and throat swabs at diagnosing coronavirus patients.

The team were the first in the US to analyze lung scans of patients in China with the highly contagious disease.

They said they were able to identify specific patterns in the lungs as markers of the virus, also known as COVID-19, as it developed over the course of about two weeks>

Patients who received scans zero to two days after symptoms first appeared had little to no evidence of lung disease in their results like this 19-year-old male who had a CT scan one day after symptoms first appeared

The team said the pattern in the lung of coronavirus patients are similar to scans of patients with SARS and very different from diseases such as bacterial pneumonia (pictured)

The researchers say these quicker diagnoses could help keep patients isolated in early stages of the disease, perhaps even before symptoms appear and when it may not show up on other scans such as chest X-rays.

'CT scans are an extremely powerful diagnostic tool, because you can seen the inner organs in a three-dimensional way,' lead author Dr Adam Bernheim, an assistant professor of diagnostic, molecular and interventional radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told DailyMail.com.

'And you can see the manifestation of many diseases.'

For the study, published in the journal Radiology, the team analyzed scans of 94 patients at four medical centers in four Chinese provinces.

The patients had been admitted between January 18 and February 2, and all had either recently traveled to Wuhan - the epicenter of an outbreak - or had come into contact with an infected person.

Radiologists reviewed the scan and took notes based on when symptoms first appeared and when the CT scan was performed.

Thirty-six patients received scans zero to two days after reporting symptoms and more than half showed no evidence of lung disease.

The team says this is important because it suggests that CT scans cannot reliably detect coronavirus in its very earliest stages.

Nasal and throat swabs test can identify patients even before patients become symptomatic, although some may still have the virus if they first test negative.

Its results, however, may take days to get back from the agency's labs.

But 33 patients who received scans three to five days after symptoms developed had patterns of 'ground glass opacities,' or haziness in the lungs.

'The lung abnormalities are very round in shape and affect the perimeter of the lung,' co-author Dr Michael Chung, an assistant professor of diagnostic, molecular and interventional radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told DailyMail.com.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Local Bodies Public representatives have decided to donate their one month's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

"TRS Local Bodies Public representatives have decided to donate their one-month's salary of Rs 9,51,17,500 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. To this effect, TRS Municipal Corporation Mayors, Corporators, Municipal Chairperson, Counsellors, ZP Chairpersons, ZPTCs, MPTCs and Sarpanches have given their consent to the Chief Minister. They urged the government to utilise their contributions to the measures taken to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in the State," Chief Minister camp office said.

The representatives said that they are inspired by the initiatives taken by the CM K Chandrashekhar Rao to combat COVID-19.

Rao has appreciated the decision taken by the local body representatives.

TRS MPs, MLAs, MLCs have already announced to give their one month's salary to the CMRF.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 27, 2020] UMAI launches largest database of restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia that sell gift cards to help keep favorite restaurants afloat

SINGAPORE, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On 27th March 2020, UMAI has launched the largest directory of Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants and cafes that offer gift cards and vouchers, making it easier for diners to support their favorite restaurants by purchasing for themselves, loved ones, or the less fortunate. Buying full or discounted value vouchers will help restaurants with immediate cashflow, and offset lost income amidst the COVID-19 health crisis. Restaurants are struggling to stay afloat, as restrictions are placed on serving customers in-house, fewer customers are dining out, and sales are down across the region. As F&B businesses typically operate at a 3-5% margin, there's not much buffer room left for them to weather this out, putting their teams and business at risk of closure. While gift cards provide immediate income relief that will elp these business continue running, less than 1% of restaurants in the region are offering this service -- UMAI is offering this software for free globally, during this unprecedented times.



"There are a lot of restaurants that are deciding whether they stay is business or not," says Co-Founder, Jonas Chelbat. "Our generosity, collectively as consumers, now literally affects the ability of your favorite restaurant to stay open." "At this point, the purchasing of gift cards is the best thing any of us can do to support restaurants -- and it's win- win. It's like giving a restaurant or cafe a loan, and getting paid back in food, drinks and appreciation. We built this software so that consumers can purchase this on behalf of loved ones, support the less fortunate or simply for themselves during this difficult time," says Co-Founder, Alexander Small. "The most important thing we can do is bring attention to the problem, and help the community play a role in solving it."

The sites currently features 130 restaurants that sell gift cards. UMAI is aiming to help at least 300 more restaurants make it onto the lists. Visitors can: Search for a specific restaurant, or browse based on who has discounted gift cards - by area, cuisine type and so forth.

Visitors can purchase a restaurants gift card directly from the restaurant's website, by clicking on a restaurant.

Any restaurant can add their gift card to the directory. For more information, visit: Singapore: https://www.umai.io/en/singapore

Malaysia: https://www.umai.io/en/malaysia About UMAI With hundreds of restaurants in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, UMAI offers CRM and marketing software to restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. Customers include Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, HardRock Cafe, Blu Kouzina, to name a few. Reach out, and let's have a conversation about how we can contribute in helping you improve your business! Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200327/2762542-1 SOURCE UMAI

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Michigan is preparing for the possibility of a coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak behind prison walls.

The Michigan Department of Corrections recently began preparing quarantine areas in various prisons to house prisoners who test positive for COVID-19 or who need to be isolated while awaiting test results to determine if theyve contracted the virus, MDOC spokesman Chris Gautz said.

Prisoners would only be moved to the designated quarantine area in another prison if their is an inability to keep them isolated where they currently reside, he said.

Gautz called the preparation a contingency plan" for a worst-case scenario" involving widespread outbreak of the coronavirus. The number of confirmed coronavirus, COVID-19 cases among Michigan inmates nearly doubled to 13 Thursday, up from seven the day prior.

Gautz said administrators havent projected how many inmates might eventually contract the highly contagious virus, and he didnt immediately know how much quarantine space is available throughout the prison network.

While some prisons have the ability to quarantine, others may be barracks-style facilities that cant isolate individual inmates, Gautz said.

In some prisons, theres additional unused space that can be prepared for isolating inmates, he said. In one example, he said a prison has two large visiting rooms. One of those is being converted for possible use as quarantine space.

As of now, prison transfers are extremely limited in order to curb potential spread of the coronavirus, Gautz said.

The confirmed cases include:

7 at Parnall Correctional Facility, Blackman Township near Jackson

2 at Lakeland Correctional Facility, Coldwater

1 at Macomb Correctional Facility, Lenox Township

1 at Newberry Correctional Facility, Newberry in the Upper Peninsula

1 at Duane L. Waters Hospital in Jackson

1 at Woodland Center Correctional Facility, Whitemore Lake

Another case was discovered at the Detroit Detention Center, where prisoners are booked prior to arraignment. That detainee has been released.

MDOC suspended all prisoner visitations beginning March 13 as fears over spread of the coronavirus heightened.

At that time, 10 prisons were already under lockdown for influenza outbreaks. While multiple prisoners in each of those facilities had tested positive for influenza, they hadnt been tested for COVID-19, according to Gautz.

If a prisoner has symptoms and meets the criteria for testing, the MDOC will seek permission from the local health department in the county the prison is in to conduct a test utilizing a test kit, the MDOC said. A limited number of test kits have been distributed to all MDOC facilities, but can only be used with the permission of local community health officials."

The agency has increased frequency and thoroughness of facility cleaning; provided more soap to inmates; posted Centers for Disease Control proper-hygiene notices, which have also been recreated digitally to play on facility TV screens; and began screening staff or other authorized visitors for COVID-19 symptoms. The screening process involves taking the temperature of staff who are not allowed in facilities if they register over 100.4 degrees.

The number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus COVID-19 in Michigan took another big jump, reaching 2,856 on Thursday, March 26, up from 2,295 the day before. There are 60 recorded deaths.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan.

Related coverage:

Michigan lawmakers approve additional $125 million for coronavirus response

Michigan Gov. Whitmer says medics are reusing face masks, asks for donations amid coronavirus spread

Thursday, March 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Another big jump in Michigan coronavirus numbers: Now at 2,295 cases; 43 deaths

Michigan doctor says leave groceries outside for 3 days if possible, shows how to disinfect

Michigan unemployment system overwhelmed
Nicolas Maduro Moros and 14 Current and Former Venezuelan Officials Charged with Narco-Terrorism, Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Criminal Charges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Maduro and Other High Ranking Venezuelan Officials Allegedly Partnered With the FARC to Use Cocaine as a Weapon to "Flood" the United States

Former President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Moros, Venezuela's vice president for the economy, Venezuela's Minister of Defense, and Venezuela's Chief Supreme Court Justice are among those charged in New York City; Washington, DC; and Miami, along with current and former Venezuelan government officials as well as two Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) leaders, announced U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman of the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa D. Erichs of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

"The Venezuelan regime, once led by Nicolas Maduro Moros, remains plagued by criminality and corruption," said Attorney General Barr. "For more than 20 years, Maduro and a number of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the FARC, causing tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities. Today's announcement is focused on rooting out the extensive corruption within the Venezuelan government  a system constructed and controlled to enrich those at the highest levels of the government. The United States will not allow these corrupt Venezuelan officials to use the U.S. banking system to move their illicit proceeds from South America nor further their criminal schemes."

"Today we announce criminal charges against Nicolas Maduro Moros for running, together with his top lieutenants, a narco-terrorism partnership with the FARC for the past 20 years," said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. "The scope and magnitude of the drug trafficking alleged was made possible only because Maduro and others corrupted the institutions of Venezuela and provided political and military protection for the rampant narco-terrorism crimes described in our charges. As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation. Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon. While Maduro and other cartel members held lofty titles in Venezuela's political and military leadership, the conduct described in the Indictment wasn't statecraft or service to the Venezuelan people. As alleged, the defendants betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions to line their pockets with drug money."

"Over the last decade, corrupt Venezuelan government officials have systematically looted Venezuela of billions of dollars," said U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan. "Far too often, these corrupt officials and their co-conspirators have used South Florida banks and real estate to conceal and perpetuate their illegal activity. As the recent charges show, Venezuelan corruption and money laundering in South Florida extends to even the highest levels of Venezuela's judicial system. In the last couple of years, the US Attorney's Office in South Florida and its federal law enforcement partners have united to bring dozens of criminal charges against high-level regime officials and co-conspirators resulting in seizures of approximately $450 million dollars."

"These indictments expose the devastating systemic corruption at the highest levels of Nicolas Maduro's regime," said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. "These officials repeatedly and knowingly betrayed the people of Venezuela, conspiring, for personal gain, with drug traffickers and designated foreign terrorist organizations like the FARC. Today's actions send a clear message to corrupt officials everywhere that no one is above the law or beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. The Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to protect the American people from ruthless drug traffickers  no matter who they are or where they live."

"The collaborative nature of this investigation is representative of the ongoing work HSI and international law enforcement agencies perform each day, often behind the scenes and unknown to the public, to make our communities safer and free from corruption," said HSI's Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa D. Erichs. "Today's announcement highlights HSI's global reach and commitment to aggressively identify, target and investigate individuals who violate U.S. laws, exploit financial systems, and hide behind cryptocurrency to further their illicit criminal activity. Let this indictment be a reminder that no one is above the law - not even powerful political officials."

A four-count superseding indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) charges Nicolas Maduro Moros, 57; Diosdado Cabello Rondon, 56, head of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly; Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios aka "El Pollo," 59, former director of military intelligence; Cliver Antonio Alcala Cordones, 58, former General in the Venezuelan armed forces; Luciano Marin Arango aka "Ivan Marquez," 64, a member of the FARC's Secretariat, which is the FARC's highest leadership body; and Seuxis Paucis Hernandez Solarte aka "Jesus Santrich," 53, a member of the FARC's Central High Command, which is the FARC's second-highest leadership body. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

The U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering rewards of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Maduro Moros, up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Cabello Rondon, Carvajal Barrios, and Alcala Cordones, and up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Marin Arango.

Maduro Moros, Cabello Rondon, Carvajal Barrios, Alcala Cordones, Marin Arango, and Hernandez Solarte have each been charged with: (1) participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; (2) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; (3) using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life in prison; and (4) conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The potential mandatory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:

Since at least 1999, Maduro Moros, Cabello Rondon, Carvajal Barrios and Alcala Cordones, acted as leaders and managers of the Cartel de Los Soles, or "Cartel of the Suns." The Cartel's name refers to the sun insignias affixed to the uniforms of high-ranking Venezuelan military officials. Maduro Moros and the other charged Cartel members abused the Venezuelan people and corrupted the legitimate institutions of Venezuelaincluding parts of the military, intelligence apparatus, legislature, and the judiciaryto facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States. The Cartel de Los Soles sought to not only enrich its members and enhance their power, but also to "flood" the United States with cocaine and inflict the drug's harmful and addictive effects on users in the United States.

Marin Arango and Hernandez Solarte are leaders of the FARC. Beginning in approximately 1999, while the FARC was purporting to negotiate toward peace with the Colombian government, FARC leaders agreed with leaders of the Cartel de Los Soles to relocate some of the FARC's operations to Venezuela under the protection of the Cartel. Thereafter, the FARC and the Cartel de Los Soles dispatched processed cocaine from Venezuela to the United States via transshipment points in the Caribbean and Central America, such as Honduras. By approximately 2004, the U.S. Department of State estimated that 250 or more tons of cocaine were transiting Venezuela per year. The maritime shipments were shipped north from Venezuela's coastline using go-fast vessels, fishing boats, and container ships. Air shipments were often dispatched from clandestine airstrips, typically made of dirt or grass, concentrated in the Apure State. According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 75 unauthorized flights suspected of drug-trafficking activities entered Honduran airspace in 2010 alone, using what is known as the "air bridge" cocaine route between Venezuela and Honduras.

In his role as a leader of the Cartel de Los Soles, Maduro Moros negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine; directed that the Cartel de Los Soles provide military-grade weapons to the FARC; coordinated foreign affairs with Honduras and other countries to facilitate large-scale drug trafficking; and solicited assistance from FARC leadership in training an unsanctioned militia group that functioned, in essence, as an armed forces unit for the Cartel de Los Soles.

DEA's Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Miami Field Division conducted the investigation. This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York's Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Houle, Matthew J. Laroche, Jason A. Richman, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.

* * *

An indictment unsealed today in the District of Columbia charges Vladimir Padrino Lopez, 56, Minister of Defense of Venezuela. The indictment alleges that from March 2014 until May 2019, Padrino Lopez conspired with others to distribute cocaine on board an aircraft registered in the United States.

Padrino Lopez, who holds the rank of General in the Venezuelan armed forces, held the authority for interdicting aircraft, many of which are registered in the United States, suspected of being used to traffic drugs from Venezuela to countries in Central America. On numerous occasions, Padrino Lopez ordered or authorized the Venezuelan military to force suspected trafficking aircraft to land or to shoot down the aircraft. However, Padrino Lopez allowed for other aircraft whose drug trafficking coordinators paid bribes to him to safely transit Venezuelan airspace.

On Sept. 25, 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) included Padrino Lopez on its Specially Designated Nationals List. Pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, this means that his assets are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from having financial transactions with him.

The DEA Orlando District Office led the investigation, which was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program and the Criminal Division's Office of Enforcement Operations. Acting Deputy Chief Charles Miracle and Trial Attorneys Michael Christin and Kirt Marsh of the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

* * *

Maikel Jose Moreno Perez, 54, current Chief Justice of the Venezuelan Supreme Court, was charged via a criminal complaint in the Southern District of Florida with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering in connection with the alleged corrupt receipt or intended receipt of tens of millions of dollars and bribes to illegally fix dozens of civil and criminal cases in Venezuela.

The complaint alleges, for example, that the defendant authorized a seizure and sale of a General Motors auto plant with an estimated value of $100 million in exchange for a personal percentage of the proceeds. Similarly, the complaint alleges that the defendant received bribes to authorize the dismissal of charges or release against Venezuelans, including one charged in a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme against the Venezuelan state-owned oil company.

According to the criminal complaint, in or around October 2014, Moreno Perez told U.S. authorities in a visa application that he earned the equivalent of about $12,000 per year from his work in Venezuela. From 2012 to 2016, the defendant's U.S. bank records show approximately $3 million in inflows to the defendant's accounts, primarily from large round-dollar transfers from shell corporations with foreign bank accounts linked to Co-Conspirator 1, who is a former criminal defense attorney in Venezuela that currently controls a media company in Venezuela.

As set out in the criminal complaint, the defendant's bank records allegedly show that from 2012 to 2016, the defendant spent approximately $3 million, primarily in the geographical area of South Florida. For example, bank records allegedly show that Moreno Perez spent about $1 million for a private aircraft and private pilot, more than $600,000 in credit or debit card purchases at stores primarily in South Florida (including tens of thousands of dollars at luxury stores in Bal Harbor, such as Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo), about $50,000 in payments to a luxury watch repair store in Aventura, and approximately $40,000 in payments to a Venezuelan beauty pageant director.

HSI's Miami Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger of the Southern District of Florida is in charge of the prosecution.

* * *

A separate superseding indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of New York charges Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah , 45, Venezuela's vice president for the economy, Joselit Ramirez Camacho, 33, Venezuela's superintendent of cryptocurrency (Sunacrip), and Samark Lopez Bello, 45, a Venezuelan businessman, with a series of crimes relating to efforts to evade sanctions imposed by OFAC against Maduro Moros, El Aissami Maddah, and Lopez Bello.

The indictment alleges that from February 2017 until March 2019, El Aissami Maddah and Ramirez Camacho worked with U.S. persons and U.S.-based entities to provide private flight services for the benefit of Maduro's 2018 presidential campaign, in violation of OFAC's sanctions targeting Maduro after he organized elections for the illegitimate National Constituent Assembly that Cabello Rondon now leads.

The U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of El Aissami Maddah.

HSI's New York Field Office conducted the investigation. This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York's Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Amanda L. Houle are in charge of the prosecution.

* * *

Other individuals charged in separate indictments include:

Luis Motta Dominguez , 67, Former Minister of Energy, was charged in the Southern District of Florida for his alleged role in laundering the proceeds of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with his alleged receipt of bribes to award Corpoelec business to U.S.-based companies;

, 67, Former Minister of Energy, was charged in the Southern District of Florida for his alleged role in laundering the proceeds of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with his alleged receipt of bribes to award Corpoelec business to U.S.-based companies; Nestor Reverol Torres , 55, former General Director of Venezuela's La Oficina Nacional Antidrogas (ONA) and former commander of Venezuela's National Guard and Edylberto Jose Molina Molina , 57, former Sub-Director of Venezuela's ONA and currently Venezuela's military attache to Germany, were charged in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy where they allegedly assisted narcotics traffickers in importing cocaine into the United States;

, 55, former General Director of Venezuela's La Oficina Nacional Antidrogas (ONA) and former commander of Venezuela's National Guard and , 57, former Sub-Director of Venezuela's ONA and currently Venezuela's military attache to Germany, were charged in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy where they allegedly assisted narcotics traffickers in importing cocaine into the United States; Vassyly Kotosky Villarroel Ramirez aka "Mauro" and "Angel," 47, a former captain in the Venezuelan Guardia Nacional, was charged in a third superseding indictment in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 1, 2009;

aka "Mauro" and "Angel," 47, a former captain in the Venezuelan Guardia Nacional, was charged in a third superseding indictment in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 1, 2009; Rafael Antonio Villasana Fernandez , 48, a former officer in the Venezuelan Guardia Nacional, was charged in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 1, 2009. According to court documents, Kotosky and Villasana allegedly used official government vehicles to transport more than seven metric tons of cocaine from the Colombian border to various airports and seaports in Venezuela for ultimate importation into the United States;

, 48, a former officer in the Venezuelan Guardia Nacional, was charged in the Eastern District of New York with participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy between Jan. 1, 2004, and Dec. 1, 2009. According to court documents, Kotosky and Villasana allegedly used official government vehicles to transport more than seven metric tons of cocaine from the Colombian border to various airports and seaports in Venezuela for ultimate importation into the United States; Nervis Gerardo Villalobos Cardenas , 52, former Vice Minister of Energy of Venezuela, was charged in a 20-count indictment in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for his alleged role in an international money laundering scheme involving bribes paid by the owners of U.S.-based companies to Venezuelan government officials to corruptly secure energy contracts and payment priority on outstanding invoices; and

, 52, former Vice Minister of Energy of Venezuela, was charged in a 20-count indictment in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for his alleged role in an international money laundering scheme involving bribes paid by the owners of U.S.-based companies to Venezuelan government officials to corruptly secure energy contracts and payment priority on outstanding invoices; and Oscar Rafael Colmenarez Villalobos, 51, former Venezuelan Air Force Officer, charged in the District of Arizona with violations of the Arms Export Control Act. He allegedly conspired with others, including individuals associated with an aviation company in Arizona, to smuggle from the United States to Venezuela T-76 military aircraft engines used on OV-10 Bronco aircraft to individuals in Venezuela and allegedly made false and misleading statements on shipping and export control documents to conceal the prohibited activities and transactions from detection of the U.S. government.



An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations provided valuable assistance.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years .

Attachment(s):

Download Venezuela Regime Chart

Download Cocaine Trafficking Map

Topic(s):

Drug Trafficking

Foreign Corruption

Component(s):

Criminal Division

Criminal - Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section

Criminal - Office of Enforcement Operations

Criminal - Office of International Affairs

Office of the Attorney General

USAO - Florida, Southern

USAO - New York, Southern

Press Release Number: 20-340

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese commerce official said Thursday that the country will encourage local authorities to to roll out measures to help stimulate auto sales.

To cushion the short-term impact the coronavirus outbreak has caused on auto sales, a pillar of China's consumption, local authorities could encourage purchases of new energy vehicles and unveil auto replacement policies, Ministry of Commerce official Xian Guoyi said during an online news briefing.

Auto sales in the country fell 42 percent year on year during the first two months of the year, including a 79.1-percent plunge in February, as the epidemic disrupted business activities and kept buyers at home.

Xian said as of Tuesday, 94.7 percent of the country's 4S shops had resumed operation, with 61.7 percent of buyers coming back to market, according to a survey of 8,569 4S shops by the China Automobile Dealers Association.

The epidemic will not change the long-term sound growth of China's consumer market, which Xian said would be revived as business and life gradually recovered from the epidemic shock, while the effects of the country's consumption-encouraging policies filtered through.
The decree adds "religious activities of any kind" to the list of exempted services, alongside supermarkets and pharmacies

Brasilia: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro decreed Thursday that places of worship are "essential services" that must be exempted from coronavirus confinement orders, the far-right leader's latest jab at aggressive containment measures.

The decree, published in the government diary, adds "religious activities of any kind" to the list of exempted services, alongside supermarkets and pharmacies.

It adds that such activities must be carried out "in accordance with health ministry guidelines."

The president, who has called the reaction to the pandemic "overblown," says such measures are unnecessary and will wreck Latin America's biggest economy.

Most places of worship in Brazil have already suspended services because of the outbreak, often broadcasting them online instead.

However, some prominent religious leaders have refused.

Asked if the coronavirus in Brazil could reach the same level of infection as in the United States, Bolsonaro said he didn't "believe it will reach that point."

Brazilians, he said, "don't catch anything. You see a guy jumping over sewer water there, he goes out, he falls in... and nothing happens to him."

"Moreover I believe that many people are already infected (with the coronavirus) in Brazil, weeks or months ago -- they already have antibodies that help it to not proliferate," Bolsonaro said, speaking to reporters outside the presidential residence in Brasilia.

Last week, the influential evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia, a Bolsonaro ally, called confinement measures "a tactic by Satan."

"My friends, do not worry about coronavirus. It is just another tactic by Satan. Satan works with fear," he said.

Malafaia changed course Friday and suspended his churches' services. But he insisted that was because of official restrictions on public transportation, and said the doors would remain open for worshippers.
Photo credit: Getty Images

From House Beautiful

Today, the Royal Family revealed that Prince Charles has tested positive for COVID-19. Like many of us, Charles, along with Camilla, is self-isolatingonly not in a tiny apartment but at Balmoral Castle. Balmoral has been a holiday home of the Royal Family since 1852, when Prince Albert purchased the original castle and its estate for his wife, Queen Victoria. Balmoral Castle is just one of many royal residences; there are over 20 royal homes, which are worth a grand total of approximately $18 billion. Here's what makes Balmoral particularly unique.

Photo credit: DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA - Getty Images

Queen Victoria first visited Scotland in 1842, with her husband, Prince Albert, and the trip went so well that they decided to purchase the Balmoral Estate six years later, in 1848. After Queen Victorias death in 1901, Balmoral was left to King Edward VII. Today, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Prince Charles all contribute to the management and improvements of the estate.

Every year, Queen Elizabeth II spends part of her summer at Balmoral Castle, which sits on an estate that encompasses some 50,000 acres. Balmoral Estate also features farmland and forests, which serve as home to deer, ponies, Highland cattle, and red grouse. In the 2016 film Our Queen at Ninety, Princess Eugenie spoke of Queen Elizabeth IIs love for the property, saying, "I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.

Photo credit: oneworld picture - Getty Images

Balmoral Castle is situated in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The structure is a work of the Scottish baronial style of architecture, and it is a listed building of Category A, meaning that it is of national or international importance. Following the decision that the size of the original home was inadequate due to the magnitude of the royal family, Scottish architect William Smith designed the castle that exists today. Prince Albert was also a part of the design process, contributing edits to Smiths designs.

Story continues

The building of the new structure was completed in 1856, and the original castle was demolished not long after. The royals stayed in the first castle until the completion of the new version. Commemorating the first Balmoral Castle is a stone that was set in place by Queen Victoria herself in the spot where the front door once was. Placed in a space beneath the stone is a bottle that contains coins from the time period and parchment paper that was signed by Queen Victoria. The paper is dated September 28th, 1853.

Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.

You Might Also Like
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
But the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board, which governs the South Shore Line, has canceled its meeting scheduled for Monday, March 30, as there is no essential business on which the Board must take action at this time, according to the announcement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for lockdown sent a lot of people rushing to the nearby stores to stock up for the coming weeks. However, the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers from across the country have reiterated that essential goods will be made available to the people and provisions are being made for the same.

However, as stepping out amid the lockdown has become a challenge in itself, concerns over gathering essential items and groceries have continued. One thing to keep in mind during the lockdown is that you can only go to your nearby shops.

Also read: Coronavirus India News Live Updates: Centre asks states to stop exodus; tally rises to 147 in Maharashtra

Here's how you can gather groceries during the 21-day lockdown period:

Delhi: The Delhi government has made it clear that essential goods will continue to be available during the lockdown. CM Arvind Kejriwal said that all shops that provide essential items are being allowed to operate 24X7 without passes. Door delivery of medicines has also been allowed by the government. The Delhi government has also issued e-passes to essential service and goods providers.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police took to social media to assure people that groceries and medicines would be available throughout the 21-day period. "All are requested to note that the lockdown will not affect any essential commodities or services like food, groceries, medicine and medical equipment etc. The essential services and the establishments of essential commodities will remain open. There is no need to panic and rush to shops now," said Pranay Ashok, Spokesperson of Mumbai Police.

Also read: Lockdown reduces Delhi pollution; air quality turns 'good' from 'hazardous'

Bengaluru: You can procure groceries and medicines from your nearby shops. Moreover, city-based social enterprise Three Wheels United has also launched a programme that allows auto drivers to prove essentials like medicines and groceries to the ones in need.

Noida: While you can still step out to the nearest store, a very easy option is to get your groceries and medicines delivered to your homes. The UP government has approved 12,000 vendors who can go and deliver goods and essentials to the ones in need.

Gurugram: The Delhi-Noida model applies to Gurugram as well. The Delhi government has also made provisions to allow passage of essential goods between Noida, Delhi and Gurugram.

Chandigarh: For the residents of the city, home delivery is the best option. The government has issued a list of medical shops and grocery shops that are allowed to make home deliveries to residents.

Jalandhar: The city has been divided into various sectors. The sectors have been allotted medical and grocery shops that will ensure delivery to the homes.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: ITC sets up Rs 150 crore fund to help the poor

Hyderabad: The Police has ensured that essential commodities are allowed free passage. The Director General of Police has issued orders to let delivery executives roam freely to deliver essential commodities.

Kolkata: As people broke lockdown protocols on the first day, the police has been keeping a strict eye on movement. However, you will be allowed to step out to the nearest store to stock up.

ONLINE DELIVERY

Additionally, the governments have also allowed online grocery, medicine and food delivery as essential commodities. BigBasket, Grofers, Flipkart and Amazon faced initial hurdles over delivery of essentials and suspended services. While some are in talks with local authorities for free passage, some platforms are back to delivering.

Also read: Coronavirus is a big crisis, follow govt orders to contain spread: NCP chief Sharad Pawar
For all the accusations of repression against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, he has refrained from one bold step: Arresting his political nemesis, the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido.

But the Trump administration's indictment of Maduro on narcoterrorism charges on Thursday, complete with a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction, has raised a new question: Does Maduro really have anything left to lose by moving against Guaido?

Recognized by the United States and more than 50 other nations as Venezuela's interim head of state, Guaido has notably refrained from publicly speaking about the U.S. indictments against Maduro and more than a dozen other current and former Venezuelan officials. But in statements and internal discussions, Guaido's camp has backed the indictments, seeing the charges as a powerful hammer that could fracture Maduro's internal support.

Even with a U.S. bounty on Maduro, most analysts think the authoritarian leader still has more to lose than to gain by putting Guaido behind bars - a step that could risk a hardening of sanctions by European nations, which have been far softer on him than U.S. officials would like. But people close to Guaido say he is steeling himself for the possibility that Maduro becomes more belligerent.

Arrested last month, Guaido's uncle, for instance, remains in jail on terrorism charges the opposition calls invented. Maduro's government has also routinely arrested and harassed opposition lawmakers. He could now choose to target more people close to Guaido, or, eventually, the opposition leader himself.

"I do believe there is a real possibility that Maduro puts him into prison, and Guaido is very clear on that," said Leopoldo Lopez, Guaido's second-in-command, who himself faced years as a political prisoner and has been in refuge since last year inside the Spanish Embassy in Caracas. "We spoke about that last night, and I know Guaido is prepared for that."

The U.S. indictments came as political calculations in Venezuela were suddenly changing because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has raised dire alarm in a country rife with hunger and plagued by a broken health-care system. Maduro's move to lock down Venezuela has effectively halted the opposition's already fading street protests. Several people familiar with both the opposition's thinking - as well as the thinking in Maduro's government - say the outbreak has created infighting and power struggles in both camps.

The opposition appears deeply divided on how to handle an apparent olive branch being offered by Maduro. Before the indictments this week, Maduro offered to meet with the opposition, though not with Guaido, to seek a truce during the viral outbreak.

"If you don't recognize me as president, I don't care," Maduro said on national television Wednesday night. "I care that you recognize the urge to protect the people."

Guaido has offered a lukewarm response, pushing his own deal to aid Venezuela that largely excludes Maduro.

To fight the outbreak, Guaido said he would seek to make available millions of dollars from Venezuelan government funds frozen by the United States. He also vowed to channel aid into the country through international agencies. The opposition, according to two people familiar with internal deliberations, is also weighing other offers to defuse the crisis amid the pandemic, including a public pledge by Guaido to back down from his claim to the presidency if Maduro agrees to resign.

"We are willing to do whatever we have to so that the aid gets to every Venezuelan," Guaido said, "but we have conditions."

Yet some in the opposition, including Henrique Capriles - a two-time presidential candidate who still heads one of the country's four major opposition parties - have appeared more willing to seek a truce through direct dialogue with Maduro. Capriles's apparent overtures to the government have been seen in some quarters as undermining Guaido's leadership.

Capriles declined a request to comment. But earlier this week, via Instagram Live, he said, "Crises create opportunities. Hopefully this is a great opportunity for Venezuela to move forward."

Some analysts, however, see the U.S. indictments as a chill on attempts between the opposition and Maduro's government to reach common ground during the outbreak.

"I think there was an environment more inclined to seek some specific agreement. Not a national political agreement, but a meeting of the minds to obtain resources to deal with the [coronavirus] crisis," said Luis Vicente Leon, a Caracas-based political analyst. "But that possibility dies now."

In fact, Maduro came out firing late Thursday, calling President Donald Trump a "racist cowboy" for a U.S. indictment that came in the middle of a viral outbreak.

"You have to be a miserable person to make this terrorist calculation in the middle of a pandemic that is beating up the world," Maduro said.

In one unexpected twist, one of the former Maduro officials indicted by the United States - Cliver Alcala Cordones, a retired army major general - claimed on Thursday that he had been plotting a violent overthrow of Maduro with the knowledge of Guaido, Lopez, and Cesar Omana, a Miami-based businessman and mediator. Guaido's camp denied any connection with Cordones.

"I don't even know him, I've never met him, never talked to him, and I've never advocated violence as a solution in my country," Omana told The Washington Post.

U.S. officials have maintained that the indictment against Maduro does not amount to a change in policy. Maduro must go, they say, and the possibility of dialogue to achieve that end remains open. He could still, they say, retire to a friendly country - Cuba, for example - where the socialist leader could be protected from extradition to the United States.

Yet Maduro's government remains in charge, and U.S. officials on Friday warned that there was credible information that American citizens in Venezuela faced a heightened threat from pro-government enforcers known as colectivos.

But in practice, analysts say the indictments may bolster government hard-liners, who have been unyielding with the opposition.

"This approach is going to be a setback for any attempt to get the military to rethink it's support for Maduro," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank. "I think this backfires. I think they'll close ranks."

- - -

The Washington Post's Mariana Zuniga and Ana Herrero in Caracas contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on the Plainfield Patch

PLAINFIELD, IL  We live in strange times. The coronavirus pandemic has upended the normal rhythm of life for just about everyone on the planet. It's uncharted territory for many of us; a sudden outbreak of infectious disease on a scale not seen since the the start of the AIDS crisis. It's empty streets and closed stores; it's messages on sidewalks for everyone and no one in particular.

And it's what local photographer Lauren Powe has recently attempted to capture in Plainfield with a haunting series of black-and-white photos; images of a town in the time of coronavirus.

"I think I saw a lot of extremes," Powe said. "When I got to downtown Plainfield, I was like, 'wow, this is bad.' Every single business had something on their doors and I was the only person around... it was pretty depressing. The next day when... I was walking through my neighborhood, I found all these positive messages, and that actually makes you realize people are doing their best to cheer people up around them."

Photo used with permission of Lauren Powe





Powe said she has been working as a photographer since leaving her job as a 911 dispatcher some time ago. Taking photos of a town in the midst of a pandemic is a far cry from her usual work of family portraiture, but she said it was an opportunity to archive history that she didn't want to pass up.

"I mostly do families and weddings and things like that, so something like this is different from what I would normally do," she said. "But I couldn't help myself... it just became heavier and heavier every time I left my house, and I was like, 'I really want to document this,' you know? It's going to be a part of history."

Many of the images Powe captured are not happy, to put it bluntly. There's a macabre, almost Lovecraftian feeling to the pictures of empty streets and bare trees through the fog, and the shots of 'closed' signs in business windows recall historic photos from the Great Depression. Powe's choice to shoot in grayscale makes the resemblance even more noticeable.

Story continues

Photo used with permission of Lauren Powe





"This is going to be a part of history. I think [the grayscale] gives it that historic feel," Powe said. "I looked at [the photos] in color and thought, it doesn't have as much feeling to it as seeing them in black and white."

But just like photos of the Great Depression, and of the Spanish Flu pandemic a decade earlier, there are images of hope amid the horror. A young man pushes an older one in a wheelchair into a hospital. A message in chalk quotes the Iranian poet Rumi, "This too shall pass." Another offers a reassurance of solidarity, "We're all in this together."

Powe said that, should the quarantine extend past Governor Pritzker's previously established deadline of April 7, she intends to go out and photograph Plainfield again. She also said she'd like to photograph her hometown of Justice, to see how it is doing during the coronavirus crisis as compared to Plainfield.

"I don't think this is something that's going to be over in the next few weeks or even months," Powe said. "I think that more businesses will have to shut their doors because of this... If I start noticing more changes I'm totally willing to get out there and take more pictures."

Photo used with permission of Lauren Powe





To see Powe's full series of photos, which she has titled 'Plainfield During Covid-19,' visit the Lauren Powe Photography Facebook page. If you have any artwork you'd like to share with the Patch community, post it on the Patch Neighbor Post page or send it to your Plainfield Patch editor.

To keep on top of the latest coronavirus news, subscribe to Patch news alerts and newsletters. The latest updates on the coronavirus situation can be found on this page.


Q. I am 67 years old, married, and have $800,000 in traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and 403(b)s. Over decades, I have jockeyed assets within these funds, but never took a taxable withdrawal. I started doing mid-December traditional-to-Roth conversions. Reporting the conversion to the IRS is a piece of cake, but New Jersey stymies me. How do I calculate the excludable portion of the conversion of old, intermingled money? I have been ball-parking but can I continue to do this without attracting unwanted attention? I am being honest, but dont want to hire a nest-egg forensic analyst.

 Stymied in New Jersey

A. Thank you for your question. Lets take this step by step.

Well start with you IRA.

When you contribute funds to a traditional IRA they may or may not be tax deductible for federal income tax purposes, said Bernie Kiely, a certified financial planner and certified public accountant with Kiely Capital Management in Morristown.

He said if your contributions are made on an after-tax basis, you have whats called basis.

Want more personal finance news? Enter your email address to be the first to know:

Basis is tax-speak for your cost. When you withdraw funds from your traditional IRA, you do not have to pay tax on the amount that represents your cost basis, Kiely said. New Jersey does not allow an income tax deduction for a contribution to an IRA account, so, you always have tax basis in your IRA for New Jersey tax purposes.

According to the instruction booklet for the New Jersey income tax return, there are two methods available for dealing with tax basis on your New Jersey income tax return.

Worksheet A is for the Three-Year Method.

If you will withdraw all of your tax basis within the first three years, it is assumed you are withdrawing tax basis first, Kiely said. Accordingly, your withdrawals will be tax-free until you have withdrawn all of your basis. Then all subsequent withdrawals will be fully taxable.

If it will take longer than three years to recoup your tax basis, then you use Worksheet B. With this method, part of each withdrawal represents a portion of your tax basis. The balance of your withdrawal will be taxable, Kiely said.

The key to calculating your tax basis is that you have to keep records.

The problem is most people dont keep records. If you kept records, you would know the exact amount of your tax basis, Kiely said. Each year you would subtract the amount of tax basis you used each year.

Kiely recommends you back each year and look up the maximum allowable IRA contribution. This could give you a reasonable cost basis amount, he said.Now to your 403(b).

For federal income tax purposes, contributions to a 403(b) plan are made on a pre-tax basis. Therefore, all withdrawals from a 403(b) plan are fully taxable.

However, in New Jersey, 403(b) contributions are made on an after-tax basis, Kiely said, so for New Jersey income tax purposes, tax basis and the rules above still apply.

The good news is the 403(b) custodian has been keeping good records for you so the exact amount of tax basis is a known quantity, he said.

Finally, your 401(k).

Almost all contributions to a 401(k) plan are made on a pre-tax basis for both federal and New Jersey purposes, he said. Some participants may choose to make additional after-tax contributions to their 401(k) plans. But once again, the plan custodian will keep good records.

Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.

Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday filed its first price gouging lawsuit amid the coronavirus crisis, alleging a company illegally drove up prices for health-related products.

After Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster on March 13, Auctions Unlimited, LLC, listed an auction on its website for over 750,000 face masks as well as N95 particulate respirator masks, hand soap, all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant wipes, according to the attorney generals office.

On March 24, bidding on N95 respirator masks pushed listings as high as $180 for a package of 16 masks. According to the suit, the company typically sells these masks at auction for $10 to $20 a box.

The Houston-based companys owner, Tim Worstell, denied the attorney generals claims on Thursday. Customers determine prices, he said, not auctioneers.

We believe that the attorney general is 100 percent wrong, Worstell said. Its a shame, because the buyers of these masks need these masks today.

American hospitals are experiencing severe shortages of such supplies as they race to treat rising numbers of positive COVID-19 patients. Many are scrambling to buy more, asking the public to donate or make masks at home, reusing them or using substitutes that arent fully protective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an unprecedented move this month recommended nurses use bandannas or scarves in place of masks as a last resort.

Worstell admitted to receiving warnings from both local police and the Texas Attorney General but moved forward anyway, according to the office. The company made $154,000 in sales over these auctions and Worstell personally made as much as $40,000.

The penalty for price gouging in Texas is a fine of up to $10,000 per violation with an additional penalty of up to $250,000 if the affected consumers are elderly.

The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act expressly prohibits anyone from selling necessary items at an excessive price when a disaster is declared and, despite repeated warnings from law enforcement, that is exactly what weve seen Auctions Unlimited do, Paxton said in a statement. My office will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of Texans in need and profiting from this health crisis.

The state is seeking a jury trial and ultimately to block the company from making further sales of products intended to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

Worstell said that he doesnt view the sales as profiteering, saying that all of his companys products start at $1. Auctions Unlimited, which specializes in liquidation sales for other businesses, has sold the masks since mid-2018.

He said he asked the sellers to consider donating the equipment, and some did. Others wouldnt, and Worstell went ahead with the auction. He ended up selling to 204 buyers, he said.

This wasnt an easy decision by any means, Worstell said.

After closing the sale, Worstell waited to send out the masks because he said he wanted definitive instructions from the attorney generals office. In the terms and conditions of the auction, he informed the buyers that no sale was final until he received approval from the state, he said.

In the meantime, Worstell said he assumes the masks will sit unused in a warehouse  as they have for days  until the dispute is resolved.

Theyre going to sit here collecting dust because of these games, he said.

Texans who believe they have encountered price gouging can call the Attorney Generals toll-free complaint line at 800-621-0508 or file a complaint online at txoag.force.com/CPDOnlineForm.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NEW YORK  It was not even 9 in the morning and Dr. Sylvie de Souzas green N95 mask, which was supposed to form a seal against her face, was already askew.

In freezing rain Monday, she trudged in clogs between the emergency department she chairs at the Brooklyn Hospital Center and a tent outside, keeping a sharp eye on the trainee doctors, nurses and other staff members who would screen nearly 100 walk-in patients for the coronavirus that day.

Inside her ER, more than a dozen people showing signs of infection waited for evaluation in an area used just a few weeks ago for stitches and casts. Another dozen lay on gurneys arranged one in front of the next, like a New York City car park. One man on a ventilator was waiting for space in the intensive care unit.

Minutes before paramedics wheeled in a heart attack patient, de Souza pointed to beds reserved for serious emergencies, separated by a newly constructed wall from the suspected virus cases. This is our safe area, she told a reporter. Then she corrected herself: This is thought to be safe. There was really no way to know.

The virus descended on the hospital three weeks ago. De Souza began writing down details of each potential case on a sheet of paper, a list that has grown to more than 800 patients, most of them seen in the walk-in tent.

She and others at the hospital had prepared for the growing onslaught: canceling most surgeries to bring down the census, designating an X-ray room just for patients suspected of having the virus, searching for supplies, barring most visitors, redeploying nurses to new roles, opening a hotline for the community.

The 175-year-old hospital  where Walt Whitman brought peaches and poems to comfort the Civil War wounded and where Anthony Fauci, the White House adviser who is now Americas most famous doctor, was born  is scaling up, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo has required all New York hospitals to do. The city, now the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, had reported more than 20,000 confirmed infections and 280 deaths as of late Wednesday.

Licensed to treat 464 patients, the Brooklyn medical center typically has only enough staff and beds to handle 250 to 300. It is planning to increase that number by half if needed, but it may have to double it.

I have so many different fears, de Souza said Wednesday. If the patient volume increases at the current pace, she is concerned the emergency room will be out of space by next week. If many patients are desperately ill and need life support, she worries about having to choose between them.

That morning for the first time, the health workers in the tent lifted their arms at a safe distance, as if they were holding hands, and said a prayer  to make the right decisions; to be protected, along with their patients, from the disease. De Souza plans to make it a tradition. Thats all we can do: Just pray, stick together, encourage each other, not get paralyzed by fear, she said.

More than 40% of the hospitals inpatients  scattered throughout the building  were confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases, as were more than two-thirds of the critical care patients. By Wednesday four had died, three of them since Monday.

More than a half-dozen hospital workers have contracted the virus and close to 50 staff members were potentially exposed by just one patient  the hospitals first  who developed symptoms after being in the ICU for a different medical problem, according to hospital leaders. Some of them have been in quarantine. Most worrisome, at the start of the week, two hospital staff members were receiving intensive care themselves. It feels, one employee said, like an invisible war.

In the emergency room Monday, de Souza thought she saw a familiar face. A patient was coughing so hard he could barely speak. The young man was one of their own, Dr. Yijiao Fan, 31, an oral surgery resident with no prior medical issues who had tested positive for the virus. He had been in isolation at home all week and thought he was getting better, but began coughing blood that morning. He was awaiting a chest scan. He had no known risk factors other, perhaps, than practicing his profession.

Fan, as both surgeon and patient, had a message for a nation debating how to fight the pandemic. It was short enough to whisper between coughing fits: Just stay home.

This Is Where My Heart Is

The hospital keeps personal protective equipment tightly guarded, because it is rapidly consuming donations of masks and other supplies; this week it was low on gowns. In the emergency room, those in the know approach the busy unit clerk, Donna Mosley, who is surrounded by ringing phones. Hold on, I can do one thing at a time, she told one employee.

Soon she bent down below her desk, fished in a box and handed over a set: An N95 mask that filters viruses; a surgical mask to go over it, with a plastic shield in crinkly packaging, donated by the relative of an emergency room doctor; a thin blue gown that covers a persons front and arms and is open in back; and a pair of blue booties. Employees have to sign a form. One set per day.

The hospital has no parent company to request extra supplies from, no network of other institutions to share resources during the pandemic for the predominantly low-income and culturally diverse population it serves. It has resisted the era of mergers. As an independent hospital we can control our destiny, control our resources, and really do what we think is right by the community, said Gary G. Terrinoni, its president and chief executive.

Last week the hospital ran dangerously short of testing swabs, and its appeals for more reached the federal government. Were in disaster mode, Terrinoni said.

The emergency room phone rang again. It was a man who lived down the street, offering handmade masks. Are you selling them or donating them? de Souza asked. Donating. She took his number and thanked him. The hospital has received gifts of gloves, food and a brown bottle with a mysterious liquid concocted by a local artisanal deodorant maker, which said it could be used to disinfect face shields. For now, that would be put aside.

An even bigger gift had arrived the previous night in a convoy of black sport utility vehicles that approached with flashing lights: boxes of coronavirus test kits reportedly from the federal strategic national stockpile, 200 in all. On Monday morning, two officers with the U.S. Public Health Service in crisp blue uniforms arrived to oversee their use.

But there was a problem. Test results from the kits would be delivered directly to the patient, not to the hospital. De Souza asked the public health officers how that could possibly work. We cant predict the patients clinical course, she said. If someone was using a breathing tube, theyre not going to be able to come to the phone and get their result. Hospital leaders tried to sort out the issue, and the boxes of tests were not opened.

Under new restrictions from the local health department, communicated by fax to the hospitals laboratory, doctors were supposed to test only the people sick enough to be admitted as inpatients. De Souza printed out the revised testing protocol, the eighth the hospital had received in recent weeks. She walked through the emergency department ripping down copies of the old one and stapling the new guidelines to the walls.

A few weeks ago, the hospital was able to send swabs to the citys public health laboratory, which returned results in a day. Now, swabs were picked up by courier twice a day and sent to a Quest laboratory in California. At first the results took two days, then four days, and now it was a week.

Thats really killing us, Terrinoni said. On Wednesday the hospital had 65 patients awaiting results. They each had to be isolated in a room that was typically used for two patients.

The state had asked the hospital for a plan to increase bed capacity by 50%. Terrinoni found the space, but we dont have the beds, literally the physical beds, we dont have the staffing. The hospital put out a call to the citys volunteer Medical Reserve Corps for doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists.

There were other important roles. Marilyn Hunt pushed a cart with a garbage can and supplies, stopping to change paper towels in one of the emergency departments bathrooms. Were here in the front lines trying to do the best, she said. Were supporting each other, she added, praying to God that this doesnt do a lot of damage.

After the virus hit, de Souza, 55, worked three weeks straight; her deputy was one of those quarantined for a while. Born in Paris, the daughter of a diplomat from Benin, and raised in several countries, de Souza trained at the Brooklyn hospital, located in Fort Greene. This is where my heart is, she said.

She offered to stay away from her family during the pandemic, but they insisted that she come home at night. When she arrives, she immediately takes a shower and washes her clothes in hot water. She sleeps in a separate room from her husband and maintains distance from him and their adult son and his girlfriend, who have moved in with them.

Just trying to keep them safe, thats my main concern, she said. I think every health care worker has the same concern.

We All Probably Have It

In the outdoor testing tent, Luciano Mahecha, 50, peeled off his ski jacket. A surgical intern placed a stethoscope on his back. Your lungs are nice and clear. Theres no need to test, Dr. Robert Jardine said. He told Mahecha to go home and stay there as long as his symptoms  a cough and fatigue  persisted.

Mahecha, whose first language is not English, agreed to keep away from other people, but he seemed to misunderstand whether he had the virus. I thought I have it, but thank God everything is fine, he said. I dont have it.

He probably has it, Jardine told a reporter, and then gestured toward his colleagues. We all probably have it. Were exposed every day to people who we know are more likely than others to be infected. Medical students were told to stop coming to the hospital last week, but residents like Jardine, less than a year out of medical school, accounted for a majority of the doctors evaluating people in the tent.

The rain picked up outside, and the floor began buckling. We need help. Tent is getting flooded, de Souza messaged the hospitals engineers on the Signal app.

An older man shuffled into the tent, using a walker. He waited, sitting side by side with others coughing behind surgical masks they were given at the tent door. When he told the registrar he had come for wound care treatment, the staff member was alarmed. You gotta get out of here! he instructed.

Diana Purnell had a fever for a week, was short of breath and was sicker than most in the tent. Her age, 62, and high blood pressure put her at greater risk for complications from the coronavirus, which she suspected she had contracted from her Zumba teacher. She had called the New York state coronavirus hotline at 1 in the morning, waiting for two hours on hold until she woke up to a nurses voice.

Purnell said she was told a doctor would call her back about testing, but one never did. She said she reached out to an urgent care doctor in her neighborhood, but his clinic was closed.

In the emergency room, Purnell sat in a blue chair in the former fast track area with a dozen other listless patients, one of whom was missing a surgical mask and coughing. When she was taken for an X-ray, she was put on the side that was supposed to be kept for patients not suspected of having coronavirus infection: Shes not COVID, so we can put her in this room, a staff member said.

After the X-ray, Dr. Samridhi Sinha, a second-year resident, asked about her symptoms  fever, dry cough, extreme tiredness. Yeah, its the virus, the doctor said.

Aside from the test kits from the federal stockpile, still unopened in their boxes, the hospital was down to its last four testing swabs. They were being saved for critically ill inpatients. Sinha asked Purnell to go to a sink in the corner and spit into a cup typically used for urine samples. The health department did not recommend this method of coronavirus testing, but Quest was willing to accept it.

Because Purnells vital signs were stable and chest X-ray was clear, she was sent home to await a call from the health department if her test was positive. If its not positive youre not going to call? she asked. Sinha said she didnt think so. Because we are testing thousands of people, right now only people who are testing positive are getting calls.

Its Going to Get Worse

Walking through the emergency department, de Souza stopped to talk with two intensive care doctors.

Youve got one down here, she told them. Amid the patients waiting to be moved upstairs was the critically ill patient on a ventilator.

The unit was full, Dr. Jose Orsini told her, adding, And its going to get worse.

De Souza dreads that possibility, haunted by accounts of Italian doctors denying lifesaving resources to older adults or providing inadequate care at overrun hospitals. Im asking myself if thats where were going, she said Wednesday night. Some patients who were screened and went home have since returned with difficulty breathing, needing to be put on ventilators. Its getting really, really more difficult every day.

The intensive care unit had 18 staffed beds, and it added six more Wednesday night. All are full and about two-thirds of the patients are confirmed or suspected to have coronavirus, according to Dr. James Gasperino, director of critical care services at the hospital.

He said eight more could be made immediately available in the surgical intensive care unit, and more still could be opened up, with additional staffing, in operating rooms, the surgical recovery area and a former intermediate care unit on a different floor.

Patients with the coronavirus who develop pneumonia can often require two to three weeks on a ventilator. The intensity level is higher, said Gasperino, who is also chair of medicine. Its harder to oxygenate than your typical flu patient whos sick. He added, The staff is anxious. So far none of the coronavirus patients requiring ventilators have recovered enough not to need one, although several younger patients were rapidly improving, he said.

Another patient, Gasperino said, went into cardiac arrest Sunday night, and he and his team were able to bring the person back to life. Four coronavirus patients at the hospital have died, including some whose families opted to withdraw life support.

This week the hospital counted up all the ventilators it had, including anesthesia machines used during surgeries. It found 61 in total. Were looking to purchase new ventilators, Gasperino said. Were looking at one ventilator for two patients, which some experts believe would be risky and difficult. He said they would need to simulate the process to make sure it worked.

While he hoped to avoid the worst-case scenario, Gasperino said he and the head of the ethics committee were planning to draft a guideline on how the hospital might ration ventilators, based on published recommendations.

On Tuesday  after 120 swabs from Quest arrived  Lenny Singletary, the hospitals senior vice president for external affairs, returned the federal test swabs to the citys department of emergency management, asking half-jokingly if he could trade them for ventilators.

The next day, he said the hospital accepted 12 ventilators from the emergency management office, St. Georges University and a company, Comprehensive Equipment Management Corporation.

For now, staff members are still pushing to do everything possible. The hospital cannot close to other patients, said Singletary, who grew up in the neighborhood. The medical center cares for children, women having babies, and people having strokes, among others. You cant shut down the hospital to treat coronavirus alone, he said.

And so the staff members continue their work.

They just take their courage in their hands, de Souza said of her team. They put on their garb and they show up. Thats what they do. Of course they have anxiety, of course they have fear, theyre human. None of us knows where this is taking us. We dont even know if we might get sick. But none of them so far has defaulted on their duty, their calling.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Editor's notes:China's Certified Data Analyst (CDA) Data Science Research Institute and Tsingyan Research have released their lists of industries most affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Zhang Jiahui, a researcher for the leading think tank and integrative high-tech enterprise Tsingyan Research, said her team found the epidemic will seriously affect the economy and people's lives.

"First, it's the separation of human and capital, resulting in short-term production disruption," she said. "A number of labor-intensive companies choose to delay the resumption of work and production, which has caused a structural imbalance between production and supply."

Other impacts include, regional lockdowns causing a loss of economic efficiency; residents staying at home, causing consumption to slow; international concerns causing declining imports and exports; and investors avoiding risks, resulting in insufficient market cash flows.

CDA Data Science Research Institute said in its report that in the short term, the epidemic is like "a pulse, which significantly impacts the economic rhythm;" but in the long run, the epidemic is also like "a wave in the ocean of history, and time will heal everything."

Since the outbreak, China has invested huge amounts of money, resources, strategies and policies, so that the damages and risks are under control. While the epidemic may be a war without smoke for individuals, enterprises and countries, everyone can find a way out.

1. International trade

China is the world's largest exporter and its economy plays an important role in the global supply chain. Meanwhile, exports are central to China's economic development. When the World Health Organization declared that the situation had become a pandemic, imports and exports were impacted. For example, China introduced measures for all goods to be sterilized or inspected upon entering or leaving the country, which meant that the cost and difficulty of international trade increased.

Meanwhile, some countries may consider reducing or suspending the import of certain merchandise, deliveries are difficult, and workers' wages still have to be paid, which all pose new challenges to the operation of enterprises.

While China starts the resumption of work and production, the virus has spread around the globe and shuts down many countries as well as businesses. Industry insiders describe the situation with a joke: "China fought the first half, the world fights the second half, but the international trade industry fights all the time."
Mumbai, March 27 : Fearing infection by the coronavirus in jail, Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor on Friday applied for bail in the money-laundering case in which he is lodged in Taloja Prison, Raigad, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

In his bail plea - filed before the Special PMLA Court through his lawyer Subhash Jadhav - Kapoor has contended that his present medical condition puts him at risk of catching the Coronavirus behind bars.

He has listed his medical condition of chronic immuno-deficiency syndrome that can aggravate into lung infections, sinus and skin diseases, besides suffering from bronchial asthma which needs inhalers, hypertension and anxiety which have been treated in the midst of his family since the past nearly two years.

Kapoor, 62, further claimed that in view of his medical condition, he could get severe lung infection leading to death at his age, and hence pleaded that he should be given proper home-cooked food for which he was required to stay at home.

The Special Court has directed the ED to submit Kapoor's medical records, and asked the jail authorities to monitor his health properly. The court posted the matter for further hearing on Monday.

Kapoor was arrested by the ED early morning of March 8, just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Maharashtra, and has been in custody since then.
Marie-Pascale Schuller started feeling sick last week. The 57-year-old doctor specializes in respiratory illnesses, and she had a strong suspicion as to what her fever, cough and aches meant.

She wanted to keep seeing patients without the risk of exposing them to Covid-19, so she turned to Qare, a telemedicine app backed by French insurer AXA SA that shed started using part-time a year ago which allows her to meet with patients via video. The French government is now reimbursing people who use Qare  usually a private service  to cope with a surge in demand for doctor appointments.

I am not the only one. Many of my fellow pneumologists  all of those I know at least  are 100% telehealth now, Schuller said in an interview from her home in the Paris suburb of Montgeron. This is a sanitary measure, as much to protect themselves as the patients.

Telemedicine apps can be anything from text-based services to video chats with doctors. Their use had been growing before the arrival of Covid-19, and the virus is likely to push adoption higher. KRY, which offers telemedicine services in Germany, the UK, Norway and Sweden, said its seen a 47% increase in the number of doctors working for its service in the last two weeks.

People who are exposed to the virus are advised by groups like Britains National Health Service and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to self-isolate for at least 14 days. Those who develop symptoms have to stay home for at least seven days. With such a contagious disease  a sick person spreads the illness to an average of 2 to 2.5 people  large numbers of health-care workers will get exposed or become sick.

Schuller has recovered from what she suspects was Covid-19. She worked through the illness for two hours at a time, resting for an hour between sessions and seeing about 12 patients a day. About a third of those are potential coronavirus sufferers, and all have been able to monitor their conditions from home.

Its certain that more patients will be using telemedicine after this crisis because they will have gotten used to it, because its comfortable, Schuller said. We will continue to have our face-to-face meetings but  especially in respiratory diseases  what matters is to have long-term contacts with our patients to adjust the treatment, and telemedicine is very useful in this.

Read more: Coronavirus Drives Patients to Online Doctors, Spurring Telemedicine Sector

The European Commission in 2018 estimated that the global telemedicine market would grow by 14% a year to reach 37 billion euros ($40.5 billion) by 2021. Those numbers may now be surpassed as virus concerns boost demand, making such consultations more routine and widely accepted.

Low-Grade Fever

London-based Babylon Healthcare Services Ltd., one of the biggest providers which got $550 million in funding from investors including the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia last year, declined to give exact figures but said its user base has grown since the outbreak began.

Janaki Thakerar is a doctor of general medicine with the NHS. Her oncologist husband came home from a night shift last week feeling unwell. The couple suspected it was the coronavirus and decided to stay home. By Sunday, Thakerar developed a low-grade fever. After taking an over-the-counter painkiller, she felt well enough to work.

Thakerar started using Babylon five months ago to see patients remotely a few days a week, splitting her time between the app and NHS practices. While shes in quarantine, shes added more Babylon sessions and is helping with the NHSs 111 service, a phone line people can call to discuss their symptoms.

A lot of diagnoses are based on someones medical history, she said, so you dont always need to see patients.

And doctors are getting creative about some of the tests theyd typically do in person. For example, theres the Roth test, which helps doctors estimate a persons oxygen levels remotely. Patients take a deep breath, start counting to 30, and see how far they get before they need another one.

Things are really challenging, said Thakerar. Were not managing in the same way we were two weeks ago. Its difficult for primary care, and all the other health conditions havent gone away. Were all trying to be as resourceful as we can.

With assistance from Natalia Drozdiak.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics COVID-19 Medical Professional Liability
The projection will be much bigger, far higher than the 25 million we estimated warns ILO director.

Global job losses from the coronavirus crisis could far exceed the 25 million estimated just days ago, United Nations officials said on Thursday, as United States jobless claims surged to record levels, starkly showing the scale of the economic disaster.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency, had estimated a week ago that, based on different scenarios for the impact of the pandemic on growth, the global ranks of the jobless would rise by between 5.3 million and 24.7 million.

However, Sangheon Lee, director of the ILOs employment policy department, told Reuters news agency in Geneva on Thursday that the scale of temporary unemployment, layoffs and the number of unemployment benefits claims were far higher than first expected.

We are trying to factor the temporary massive shock into our estimate modelling. The magnitude of fluctuation is much bigger than expected, he said.

The projection will be much bigger, far higher than the 25 million we estimated.

By comparison, the 2008 to 2009 global financial crisis increased global unemployment by 22 million.

In the US where, as in many parts of the world, measures to contain the pandemic have brought the country to a sudden halt, the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits surged to more than three million last week.

That shattered the previous record of 695,000 set in 1982. Economists polled by Reuters news agency had forecast claims would rise to one million, though estimates were as high as four million.

The data added to an alarming scenario spelled out by James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis, who warned that up to 46 million people in the country  nearly a third of US workers  could lose their jobs in the short term.

Indian lockdown

Countries across the world are feeling the intense human and economic pain wrought by the coronavirus, which has infected more than 470,000 people, killed more than 21,000, and is expected to trigger a global recession.

In India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown this week to stem the spread of the disease, industry groups warned job losses could run into the tens of millions.

Garish Oberoi, treasurer of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality, told Reuters that the trade group estimates that about 38 million jobs could be lost in the tourism and hospitality sector alone.

Among those hardest hit will be Indias estimated 120 million migrant labourers, for whom the lockdown means wages are disappearing. Many cannot afford rent or food in the cities and, with transport systems shut down, many have now begun to walk hundreds of miles to return to their villages.

In Europe, France is pulling out the stops to persuade companies not to fire their employees, including through a scheme that allows businesses to reduce worker hours without the employee taking a massive pay hit.

Frances Labour Ministry said nearly 100,000 French companies have asked the government to reimburse them for putting 1.2 million workers on shorter or zero hours since the outbreak, with more than half of requests coming on Monday and Tuesday.

Unemployment crisis

In the United Kingdom, the government said 477,000 people had applied over the past nine days for Universal Credit, a payment to help with living costs for those unemployed or on low incomes. The Resolution Foundation think-tank said that was an increase of more than 500 percent from the same period in 2019.

It said the jump showed that the country was already in the midst of an unemployment crisis that is building much faster than during the financial crisis.

Irelands unemployment rate could meanwhile soar to around 18 percent by the summer from 4.8 percent last month, the Economic and Social Research Institute think-tank said on Thursday, projecting a recession with output contracting by 7.1 percent in 2020.

Unemployment is extremely sensitive and volatile in response to economic activity, that is quite worrisome in our view, said Lee of the ILO.

The sentiment among businesses is maybe it will take more time to get back to normal activities, he said. They are making quick decisions to adjust their workforce rather than keeping workers.
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Friday that the same lines of action will be maintained in the fight against the new coronavirus, the fundamental goal being to defend the health and life of the citizens, to reduce the spread of the virus and to improve diagnostic capacity.

Orban made these clarifications after a meeting held at the Ministry of Health.

"I wanted to be present in person as the Minister of Health, Nelu Tataru takes office. We have discussed the priorities for the Ministry of Health in the next period, we are certainly maintaining the same lines of action. Our main goal is to defend the health and life of the Romanian citizens, to reduce the spread of the virus, to increase the diagnostic capacity of public health departments so as to cope with the fundamental mission they have in the fight against the coronavirus, and to prepare hospitals for receiving patients with coronavirus," said Orban .

The prime minister went on to say that talks also focused on measures regarding the medical staff.

"We have discussed the urgency of purchasing protective equipment to protect all those in the public health system who are involved in the fight against coronavirus and also to protect medical and non-medical staff in hospitals, to protect the representatives of Public Health Directorates," added Orban.

The prime minister mentioned that he personally conveyed to the minister Nelu Tataru the request to distribute protective equipment, disinfectants to the network of family and outpatient medics, as well.
A special sign greeted Memorial Memorial Hospital workers Thursday as they arrived for their respective shifts.

The sign says Heroes work here! and was gifted to the hospital by someone in the community, MMH CEO Russell Meyers said.

A great gift because of morale management and appreciation for the unusual circumstances that our employees are facing and the risks that theyre taking every day by coming to work and doing their jobs, Meyers said. Keeping up peoples morale and expressing our appreciation to them is a vital part of the effort.

We know that we have people whose skills set are in short supply and we need to keep them on the job and keep them motivated by expressing our appreciation to them for what they do.

Restaurants like Opals Table have delivered meals to the hospital staff and other kinds of supplies that have been needed, he said.

Meyers said that the state of Texas has 974 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday. There are six confirmed cases in Midland County. There have been 12 deaths in the state from the virus and one death at MMH.

Coronavirus cases and testing

There are 13 patients in the MMH critical care unit. Five of those 13 are in a separate cohort and are persons under investigation for COVID-19. Meyers said they have a segregated unit and there are eight persons under investigation there. Thirteen patients, as of Thursday morning, were persons under investigation for COVID-19. The age range of persons under investigation ranges from the youngest patient is a pediatric patient, which means they are under 18, and the oldest patient is 81 years old.

We did hear from our primary laboratory vendor yesterday, Meyers said. We understand that the delay in test results have been the result of computer problems in their main lab. They got about four days worth of downtime and now theyre having to manually report.  Were hoping that those results come soon.

The hospital and its affiliates have sent out 192 tests to labs. There have been 26 negative results and six positive results.

For patients for whom there seems to be some more urgency, we have actually re-swabbed and sent the samples to another lab to get more rapid turnaround, Meyers said.

Meyers said there has been some confusion about lab reporting.

A typical virus panel has multiple viruses that are named coronavirus on it, Meyers said. There are actually four that are typically tested for and as youve heard before, those are associated with the common cold. Those viruses testing negative and showing up on a typical viral panel does not mean that the patient does not have the COVID-19 virus, the actual name of the virus that causes COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2.

Meyers said the regular coronavirus negatives dont mean that someone doesnt have it, and thats a point they are clarifying to anyone who has access to lab results.

68-Nurse and masks

Meyers said officials have seen a lot of phone traffic on the 68-Nurse hotline.

As of last night, we have additional capacity online and were about one week away from completing that entire project to dramatically and permanently increase our phone capacity, as well as improve our ability to allow employees to work from home on our computer backbone, Meyers said.

He said that project has taken a lot of time and effort for the hospitals staff and was funded substantially by the Scharbauer Foundation.

Meyers said the clinical pharmacists and infectious disease doctor have developed a protocol for the drug combination of hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin. The hospital is actively using this protocol now. He said suppliers are beginning to come through with some of the mask orders.

Our mask supply is holding as we dont have a huge number of patients in the house, Meyers said. Weve had a tremendous response from the community for donating masks. We have some folks who sew for us, have changed their work and are sewing masks. Were using those throughout the facility.

On Wednesday, they are beginning to put a mask on every patient who arrives at the emergency department.

Were trying to be as cautious as we can, both with the potential for exposure of the people around those patients they encounter as they come into the facility and especially the exposure potential for our employees, he said.

Meyers said that MMH has started reporting its capacity and census to the state everyday along with other hospitals. This information will be available to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The state has also asked MMH to report their in-house lab testing for COVID-19 when they start in a few days, Meyers said.

Its a pretty big deal, Meyers said. I think the most important thing, as weve said every day weve had anywhere from 10 to 15 patients in those persons under investigation cohorts that were managing as if they are positive for the virus, but we dont know if they are positive or not. I think if we could confirm that some of those patients are negative, then we could move them to a different environment, we could treat them somewhat differently.

Meyers said having test results back could possibly free up rooms for patients who are positive and the staff who are caring for them would have some peace of mind.

The unknown is one of our greatest enemies now, both with the hospital patients who have symptoms and for the whole community, Meyers said.

He said the hospital testing wont solve everything because the hospital wont have enough volume to test broadly or really confirm how many people in the community have COVID-19. He did say that more people are coming to the hospital they will be able to turn around their tests faster and know what they are dealing with.
The Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, has directed the police in Lagos to immediately investigate some police officers captured in a video destroying beer bottles at a drinking spot.

The one-minute video, which has been trending on Twitter since Thursday, showed uniformed police officers kicking and pulling down stacks of crates, and breaking several beer bottles.

The incident reportedly happened in Lagos, and the officers were apparently enforcing the restriction order in the state occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Nigerians have been expressing outrage over the action of the officers.

A tweet from the police Twitter handle (@PoliceNG) on Friday said the police chief condemned the apparent unprofessionalism and highhandedness exhibited by the Police officers.

Mr Adamu is said to have directed the commissioner of police in Lagos State to immediately investigate and commence disciplinary actions against the officers involved.

The police chief said officers involved in enforcement of restriction orders and other law enforcement functions must exercise discretionary powers with the utmost sense of professionalism, compassion and respect for the citizens.
Chinese energy giant PetroChina Company Limited PTR reported 2019 earnings of RMB 45,677 million or RMB 0.25 per share compared with RMB 53,030 million or RMB 0.29 in the year-earlier period.



One of Chinas big three oil giants, the other two being Sinopec SNP and CNOOC Limited CEO, PetroChinas earnings were dragged down by lower commodity prices, weaker downstream results and massive gas import losses.



However, Chinas dominant oil and gas producers total revenues during the year increased 6% from the 2018 level to RMB 2,516,810 million on higher oil and gas production.

PetroChina Company Limited Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

PetroChina Company Limited Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

PetroChina Company Limited price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | PetroChina Company Limited Quote

Segment Performance



Upstream: PetroChina posted higher upstream output during the 12 months ended Dec 31, 2019. Crude oil volumes  accounting for more than 58% of the total  rose 2.1% from the year-ago period to 909.3 million barrels, while marketable natural gas output was up 8.3% to 3,908 billion cubic feet. As a result, PetroChinas overall production of oil and natural gas increased 4.6% year over year to 1,560.8 million barrels of oil equivalent. Of the total, domestic output contributed 1,345.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (up 4.5% year over year), or 86.2%.



The rise in production buoyed the upstream (or exploration & production) segment operating income to RMB 96,097 million, rising significantly from the year-ago profit of RMB 73,519 million. A tight leash on oil and gas lifting cost, that decreased 1.6% compared with the same period of last year, also helped results.



This was partly offset by drop in oil prices. Average realized crude price during 2019 was $60.96 per barrel, 10.7% lower than the year-ago period.



Downstream: The Beijing-based companys Refining & Chemicals business generated an operating income of RMB 13,764 million. This was down 69.2% from the year-earlier period earnings of RMB 44,701 million. The plunge in the downstream division was due to domestic refined products oversupply, narrowing profit margin and lower chemicals prices, which more than offset the impacts of strict cost control, optimized resource allocation and increased production of high-value products.



PetroChinas refinery division processed 1,228.4 million barrels of crude oil last year, up 4.1% from 2018. The company produced 9,580 thousand tons of synthetic resin in the period (a rise of 4.5% year over year), besides manufacturing 5,863 thousand tons of ethylene (up 5.3%). It also produced 117,791 thousand tons of gasoline, diesel and kerosene during the period against 111,148 thousand tons a year earlier.



Natural Gas & Pipelines: A rise in sales volume of domestic natural gas, optimal utilization of its marketing channels and resources, together with stress on online transactions helped the Chinese behemoths segment earnings.



All these factors drove the segments income to RMB 26,108 million in the period under review, improving from the year-earlier profit of RMB 25,515 million.



However, PetroChina lost money to the tune of RMB 30,710 million on the sales of imported natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Central Asia and Burma. The losses were wider compared with 2018 due to foreign exchange effects and higher procurement costs.



Marketing: In marketing operations, the state-owned group sold 187,712 thousand tons of gasoline, diesel and kerosene during the twelve-month period, up 5.1% year over year. The incremental volumes were enough to offset the impacts of domestic refined products supply glut and the pitfalls of a cutthroat competitive environment. All these helped PetroChinas Marketing segment to narrow its loss substantially  from RMB 6,450 million recorded in the same period last year, to RMB 565 million.



Liquidity & Capital Expenditure



At the end of 2019, the groups cash balance was RMB 86,409 million and long-term debt amounted to RMB 627,186. PetroChinas debt-to-capital ratio was 30.3%. Meanwhile, cash flow from operating activities was RMB 359,610 million. Capital expenditure for the year reached RMB 296,776 million, up 15.9% from the year-ago level.



Coronavirus Impact



In a rare move, PetroChina withheld its capital expenditure and production targets for 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic leaves the worldwide energy industry struggling for survival following a collapse in demand amid a supply glut. The company cautioned investors about 'severe' profit hit from the contagion that originated in China and has now spread across the globe.



The fast-spreading novel coronavirus outbreak has triggered an unprecedented selloff in the commodity. In particular, with major cities under lock-down and travel restrictions in place, the consumption for crude is set to drop substantially. Global efforts to combat the pandemics impact and rev up economic activity have largely failed so far. The virus-inflicted demand slowdown has led to oil prices falling below $25. Pressure in the oil markets has been exacerbated by the no-holds-barred price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.



Zacks Rank & Stock Picks



PetroChina currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Meanwhile, investors interested in the energy space could look at a better option like Murphy USA MUSA, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Murphy USAs 2020 earnings indicates year-over-year improvement of 7.7%.



The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All



Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.



See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>





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



CNOOC Limited (CEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



PetroChina Company Limited (PTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
A postman was verbally abused by a yob who then kicked his van after he scolded the youngster and his friends for being out during the coronavirus lockdown.

The explosion of anger took place on Thursday in Brighstone on the Isle of Wight and was filmed by a shocked resident, who posted it on Facebook.

Her footage shows the young thug confronting the postie while he is sat in his vehicle.

A postman was verbally abused by a yob who then kicked his van after he scolded the youngster and his friends for being out during the coronavirus lockdown. The incident took place on Thursday in Brighstone on the Isle of Wight

He then screams at him before booting the door of his delivery van.

The yob walks away briefly before returning and is then involved in a stand-off with the postman who has gotten out of his van.

The social media post of the video has gone viral after being shared 1,100 times.

She said: 'The postman only told them that two people are meant to be out together.'

Locals spoke of their anger.

Kenneth Marriott said: 'This has disgusted me.

The exchange was filmed by a resident who posted the footage on Facebook. The postman got out of his van to confront the yobs after one of them kicked his van

'What do these little twits think they are doing.

'Total disrespect for people's lives.'

Ray Cobb added: 'It's situations like this that will lead to it being taken into people's own hands.

'Police have got enough to deal with at the moment.'

Danny Brind said: 'If I was the postman I would have decked him.'

Anna Errington added: 'Hope the postman is okay.'

Hampshire Police has been approached for comment.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered Brits on Monday to stay at home to help the NHS battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the measures, they were told to only leave their house for essential work, exercise or shopping and to stay two metres from people and in groups of no more than two.

There have so far been more than 11,000 cases of coronavirus in the UK and 578 people are confirmed to have died.
Temasek to support SIA plan to raise SGD 15 billion through issuing bonds and shares

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be offering all shareholders SGD5.3 billion in new equity and up to a further SGD 9.7 billion through a 10-year Mandatory Convertible Bonds (MCB).

Both will be offered on a pro-rata basis via a rights issue, and both issuances will be treated as equity in the companys balance sheet, SIA said in a press statement.



The airline intends to use the proceeds from the rights issues to fund capital and operational expenditure requirements. Both rights issuances are subject to shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) that will be held in due course.

Photo courtesy: SIA

Meanwhile, SIA has also arranged a SGD 4 billion bridge loan facility with DBS Bank, supporting the Companys near-term liquidity requirements.

SIAs largest shareholder Temasek Holdings will vote in favour of the resolutions and procure a subscription for its full entitlement and the remaining balance of both issuances.



This is an exceptional time for the SIA Group. Since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak, passenger demand has fallen precipitously amid an unprecedented closure of borders worldwide," said SIA Chairman Peter Seah.

Photo courtesy: Temasek

The airline has since moved quickly to cut capacity and implement cost-cutting measures.



We are especially grateful for Temaseks strong vote of confidence. The Board is confident that this package of new funding will ensure that SIA is equipped with the resources to overcome the current challenges, and be in a position of strength to grow and reinforce our leadership in the aviation sector, he added



Temasek International CEO, Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, commented, The impact of Covid-19 on the global travel industry is unprecedented, especially for airlines and the related sector players. This transaction will not only tide SIA over a short term financial liquidity challenge, but will position it for growth beyond the pandemic.



The aviation sector is a key pillar of Singapores economy, supporting more than 12 per cent of the countrys GDP and 375,000 jobs. SIA Group is at the heart of the aviation ecosystem in the country, with SIA, SilkAir and Scoot accounting for more than half of the passengers flying in and out of Changi Airport.
(Alliance News) - Bluebird Merchant Ventures Ltd on Thursday said it has entered into a funding agreement with an undisclosed South Korean company.

The gold development company explained that the deal creates a path to provide USD5.0 million of debt finance which will be repaid from future gold production.

Bluebird said it expects to update the market in the coming weeks with further detail, but said there can be no guarantee that this will be successful.

Meanwhile, the company has secured a short-term funding of GBP200,000 from investors to ensure it can meet its obligations until funding for the projects is agreed.

The term of the loan is five months, Bluebird said, and it carries a fixed interest of GBP10,000 payable at the end of the loan term.

The company may draw down the loan in stages.

Bluebird said 15.4 million warrants have been issued to the unnamed loan provider with an exercise price of 1.3 pence per share and a maturity of two years.

The stock was down 0.6% higher in London on Friday morning at 1.79p a share.

Looking ahead, Bluebird said South Korea is emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic and "life is slowly returning to normal".

The company said it believes it is unlikely that there will be a long-term material effect to its business or its ability to bring about gold production.

By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Page Content

The Police force of St. Maarten is coordinating controls together with their French counterparts starting Friday, March 27, 2020 in order to enforce the restricted movement of persons, which has been implemented as a preventative measure on St. Maarten/St. Martin to avoid the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.





Controls have been ongoing by the French Gendarmes to inhibit unnecessary movement on French St. Martin. The restrictions require all persons to be in possession of a document that authorizes them to travel in and around the French side and even to the Dutch side and defines whether it is work related or related to an urgent matter (which shouldn't exceed one hour). This restriction applies to French citizens who work or live on the Dutch side as well as Dutch citizens who work or live on the French side.





Seeing that the spread of the virus has increased drastically on French St. Martin in the past few days, and local transmission is highly likely, Dutch residents are strongly advised not to venture to the French side, unless strictly necessary for work purposes or in case of emergencies. While this may seem restrictive to us as St. Martiners, as many family ties exist between our two sides, this measure is for your own health and safety, and the health and safety of your family and the rest of our community.





For the past few weeks, we have been asking for persons to heighten their awareness of ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We have stressed on the practice of proper hygiene, enforced school closures, placed restrictions on non-essential businesses, and minimized business hours all with the intention to minimize movement. While no curfew yet exists prohibiting movement of the population, each and every citizen is asked to STAY at home as much as possible in order to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.





The police force has commended our citizens and business community for their compliant behavior thus far throughout this process, and I encourage you to comply with these latest measures as well. Those not following the direct instructions by the Police to return to their homes, will be fined according to article 3 of the General Police Ordinance.





Collective Prevention Services (CPS) and our health care system, while doing their utmost to serve the people of St. Maarten, remain at limited capacity, which will not be able to sustain a major outbreak if





persons continue to go about their lives as usual. Persons who have traveled within the past three weeks, should have registered with CPS by now (by calling 914), and should be in self-quarantine (no symptoms, but have a travel history). Persons who have a family member who has traveled in the past three weeks in their home, should also be self-quarantined even if you have no symptoms. Do not go to work or venture out into the community. Persons who have flu like symptoms, and no travel history, are not automatically considered suspected Covid-19 patients, but should also self-isolate at home (stay away from their family as well) and monitor their symptoms, in case they may have been exposed to someone who has traveled.





All of the above persons, should contact CPS or their house doctor for information as to whether they should be tested. CPS nurses are currently monitoring over 450 persons who are either in quarantine or isolation, only those who meet the profile of travel history and flu-like symptoms will be tested right away. Others will continue to be monitored for the event that they may start to show symptoms. Persons who are extremely ill with flu-like symptoms, with extreme shortness of breath, requiring hospitalization, whether they have contacted CPS or not, should call the ambulance, and explain the situation to receive urgent care.





It has been brought to my attention that some people who have traveled and have flu like symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has, are waiting too long to contact CPS. The last few days have seen patients with symptoms and severe shortness of breath along with varying symptoms that may or may not be covid-19 related calling at the last minute.





I once again urge you all to take this virus seriously. Your actions may save your own life or the life of someone you love. There is no shame in reporting possible exposure to the virus. Do not be afraid to call your Doctor or CPS if you are ill and unsure of what your symptoms may mean. Do not be afraid to treat non-COVID-19 symptoms because you are afraid to go to the Doctor or the hospital.





This is a worldwide pandemic and yes, our capacity is small to handle an outbreak. While help has been promised, it has been merely trickling in. Lets keep our numbers low, by being conscious of our actions and interactions with persons. Do not venture out and about unless strictly necessary. Only Essential workers should be out and for limited time to allow for essential services to be carried out.





Our health care professionals and emergency service providers work 24 hours per day. Give them the time and space to do so, as your excessive movement can be a danger to them. Stay off the roads. Spend quality time with family at home and use technology to interact with those you cannot visit at this time.





Resilience will be shown in our behavior in challenging times. Show our true resilient spirit by taking care of you, your family and loved ones. Practice proper hygiene and social distancing to see us through these very dark days around the world. Prayer and meditation, reading and talking to loved ones can calm our fears and help us to plan and focus on the blessings of life itself.





Stay Safe, be aware of yourself and your surroundings, and follow the instructions of our law enforcement officers at all times. God Bless St. Maarten and all her people!




Dutch French English

ABO-Group Annual Results for 2019

Ghent, March 27, 2020  18.00 CET  Press release / Regulated information

The ABO-Group, an engineering office focussing on construction, environment and energy, has today announced its consolidated financial figures for 2019.

Review of 2019

Absolute record figures in turnover, operating result and net profit

Strong sales growth of 8.2%, driven by geotechnics

20% growth in France and 8.5% in the Netherlands

Operating profit before depreciation increased by 84% to 0.7 euros / share

Strong operating cash flow and a solid balance sheet

Outlook for 2020

25 years of ABO

Temporary brake due to COVID-19 / long-term objectives confirmed

Further expansion of geotechnics

2018

in  000 2019

in  000 Change

in  000 Change

in % Per share

in  Turnover 44,393 48,015 3,622 8.2% Total operating income 45,432 49,251 3,819 8.4% Operating profit before depreciation 4,039 7,432 3,393 84.0% 0.70 Depreciation 2,663 4,266 1,603 60.2% Operating profit 1,376 3,166 1,790 130.1% Financial result -430 -609 -179 41.6% Profit before tax 946 2,557 1,611 170.3% Net profit 553 1,790 1,237 223.7% 0.17 Total results 1,560 1,665 105 6.7% 0.16 Total equity 15,124 16,748 1,624 10.74% 1.58 Net cash flow from operations 3,291 6,366 3,075 93.44% Balance sheet total 42,928 49,571 6,643 15.47%

Absolute record figures in turnover, operating result and net profit

Frank De Palmenaer, CEO of the ABO-GROUP Environment, explains: 2019 was an absolute record year for the ABO-GROUP. We achieved group sales of just under 50 million euros, an operating result of 3.2 million euros and a net profit of 1.8 million euros. These figures are the best the group has ever reported. They testify to the consistent implementation of our growth strategy. From the stock market listing in 2014, the group has achieved revenue growth of more than 10% per year on average, with an EBITDA margin that has doubled. We are proud of this, and thank all our enthusiastic employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. ABO will continue on this path in 2020, which is an anniversary year for the group. The recent impact of COVID-19 is slowing our growth rate in the short term, but we are convinced that the underlying structural trends are favourable for all parts of the ABO-GROUP. We are starting from a very healthy basis and have built up a solid buffer; we are therefore hopeful that we will get through the current difficult period as a strengthened group.

Strong sales growth of 8.2%, driven by geotechnics

The turnover of the ABO-GROUP increased from 44.4 million to 48 million euros in 2019. As anticipated and announced, geotechnics serves as the real growth engine of the group, with an impressive growth of almost 20%. The Soil and Environment department also continues to grow organically, but at a slower pace of approximately 5%. The Asbestos and Energy department experienced a decline, which is, however, entirely attributable to the energy department. The disappearance of a number of large framework contracts, for which a great deal of subcontracting had to be done, affects turnover, but has only a minimal effect on profitability. The sale of the trading fund of the unprofitable international division at the beginning of March 2019 fully explains the decline in the Other segment.

2018

in  000 2019

in  000 Change

in  000 Change

in % % of

Turnover Geotechnology 21,624 25,765 4,141 19.15% 53.7% Soil & Environment 19,394 20,235 841 4.34% 42.1% Asbestos & Energy 2,518 1,932 -586 -23.3% 4.0% Others 856 83 -773 -90.3% 0.2% Sales 44,393 48,015 3,622 8.2% 100%

20% growth in France and 8.5% in the Netherlands

The growth in France comes from geotechnics. Each of our geotechnical divisions is contributing to this growth, but it is mainly the Grandes Investigations Complexes and Conception Geotechnique departments that are making the greatest progress. These two business lines, which were specifically developed for large clients, are reaping the benefits of their years of experience and the accumulated expertise in the most difficult and complex projects. Innogeo, which joined the group on July 1, 2019, contributed more than half a million euros to the turnover. The integration has now been successfully completed, and synergy with the other operations and countries is being fully activated.

The ABO-Group is experiencing strong growth in geotechnics in Belgium (under the Geosonda brand), as well as in soil, more specifically in the demolition and archaeology sub-sections of ABO NV. The one-stop-shop principle, whereby builders, project developers and architects can turn to one party for all their supporting environmental and geotechnical related studies, is unique in the Belgian market and is gaining in importance. The investments in R&D are also increasingly bearing fruit. This is expressed in a number of large-scale, multi-year research assignments in collaboration with various governments and research institutions, mainly around the development of innovative soil remediation technology. The activities in the Translab asbestos laboratory grew strongly, among other things by adding analyses with an electron microscope (SEM / EDX) to its range of services. The energy department experienced a significant drop in turnover (-815k euros) due to the expiry of a number of large framework contracts. However, as mentioned, this only has an effect on turnover, not on added value, as these contracts were almost entirely subcontracted. The (unprofitable) international segment, which still had a turnover of just over 800k euros in 2018, was discontinued.

For the first time, the operations in the Netherlands exceeded the symbolic threshold of 10 million euros, an increase of 8.5%. The growth was driven by the soil activities, which experienced particularly strong demand in the second half of the year as a result of the PFAS regulations. As a result, both advice and fieldwork had their hands more than full, an effect that will continue to be felt in 2020. Geotechnical advice and fieldwork remained stable at a high level. The demand for qualified personnel remains the biggest bottleneck for the time being.

2018

in  000 2019

in  000 Change

in  000 Change

in % % of

Turnover France 18,868 22,641 3,773 20.0% 47.15% Belgium 15,437 15,271 -166 -1.08% 31.80% The Netherlands 9,272 10,061 789 8.51% 20.95% International 815 42 -773 -94.85% 0.09% Sales 44,393 48,015 3,622 8.2% 100%

Operating profit before depreciation increased by 84% to 0.7 euros / share

The operating profit before depreciation amounts to 7.4 million euros (0.70 euros/share), an increase of 84%. The application of IFRS 16 is responsible for approximately 1.1 million euros. This increase is further offset in the income statement by higher depreciation and higher interest charges, however; the net impact of IFRS 16 for 2019 amounts to a slightly negative effect of 29k euros.

At the operating result level (from 1.4 to 3.2 million euros, +130%), we see a significantly higher year-on-year contribution from the French activities (+1.1 million euros) driven by strong revenue growth, more attractive projects and higher efficiency (as a reminder, planning was hugely disrupted in France due to strikes). We have also recorded a good improvement in returns in Belgium, (+ 750k euros), driven by the reduction of unprofitable operations, higher turnover and the control and optimisation of personnel costs. The Netherlands remains at the same level; the higher operating result in soil is levelled off by higher depreciation as a result of the intensive investment programme in geotechnics carried out in recent years.

Depreciation increased from 2.66 million euros to 4.26 million euros. As indicated, 1.08 million euros of this is attributable to the application of IFRS16. The remaining increase is a logical consequence of further investments in tangible fixed assets. The largest investment in 2019 was the acquisition of a new office building and the associated land in Marseilles (> 3 million euros).

The financial result is negatively affected by the application of IFRS 16 (-103k euros), and to a lesser extent by the increased financial debts.

Net profit tripled, from 0.55 million to 1.8 million euros (0.17 euro per share). The total result (part of the group) increased from 1.55 to 1.64 million euros. The updating of the French pension liabilities was carried out directly via the group's equity and, due to the downward adjustment of the discounting rate, has a negative impact of net 132k euros.

Strong operating cash flow and a solid balance sheet

Net cash flow from operating activities rose from 3.3 to 6.4 million euros, driven by strong operational figures and continuous monitoring of working capital.

The balance sheet total increased from 42.9 to 49.6 million euros. On the asset side, the main change is the increase in tangible fixed assets by more than 5 million euros, a combined effect of IFRS 16 (net increase of 2.5 million euros), the purchase of the new building in Marseilles and the continuation of the investment programme. On the liabilities side, equity increased to 16.7 million euros on the one hand, and financial debts on the other, which are the expression of financing the increase in tangible fixed assets. The equity ratio is 33.8%. Solvency, calculated as the ratio of net financial debts to the operating result before depreciation, is a comfortable 1.7 (compared to 2.1 at the end of 2018).

The full consolidated income statement and balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity, and the consolidated cash flow statement are included below.

Outlook for 2020

25 years of ABO

The ABO NV company, the basis and cradle of the current ABO-GROUP, was established on October 27, 1995. We will thereby be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the group in 2020. In the autumn, the group will be hosting various celebrations to highlight its evolution, but especially its product range, to staff, customers and other stakeholders.

Temporary brake due to COVID-19 / long-term objectives confirmed

The recent developments with regard to curbing the spread of the corona virus are temporarily restricting the revenue generation of the group. ABO is following the statutory rules as far as possible, and has virtually entirely switched to working from home. Where necessary, we are making use of temporary unemployment. In this way, the financial impact is expected to remain manageable, barring loss of turnover. ABO assumes that there will be a postponement in the projects, not cancellations. As we are currently passing through the eye of the storm, it is extremely difficult to provide a concrete figure. Depending on the time involved until full resumption of the operations, this will entail a different level of impact. ABO remains available to its customers during these difficult times, however, and continues to strive for maximum production.

The year 2020 has otherwise started quite favourably, due to mild weather conditions. ABO remains confident in its expertise, its markets and the structural growth of its sector. The long-term objectives, double-digit growth through a mix of organic and acquisitive growth, will therefore be maintained without any problem.

Further expansion of geotechnics

ABO-Group remains fully committed to further expanding the range of operations. Within geotechnics, we look forward to an acceleration in Belgium via the purchase of a new CPT vehicle and an increase in the number of CPT teams. We anticipate the further expansion of the geotechnical laboratories in Belgium (addition of various tri-axial tests) and France (start-up in Marseilles), as well as the start-up of a new office near Toulouse. Where possible, we support internal growth by recruiting experts to set up and expand new activities. We anticipate that these initiatives will support the turnover and profitability in 2020.

In addition, the group continues to look forward to strengthening its position in the home countries through acquisition. For example, the Innogeo company was acquired in 2019 and has been subsequently successfully integrated. The group will continue to monitor the acquisition market in 2020. The group has identified a number of interesting opportunities, without being able to give any guarantee of an effective transaction, however.

Financial calendar

24/04/2020: Publication of the 2019 annual report and convocation to the General Meeting

27/05/2020: General Meeting

18/09/2020: Figures for the first half of 2020

Statement of the statutory auditor

The statutory auditor of ABO-Group Environment NV, EY Bedrijfsrevisoren CVBA, represented by Marnix Van Dooren, has confirmed that his audit review, which was thoroughly completed, has not revealed any significant corrections that would require an adjustment to the 2019 consolidated figures for the Group that are included in this press release.

About the ABO-Group

The ABO-Group is a specialised engineering company focused on construction, environment and energy. The ABO-Group is active in Belgium, the Netherlands and France, as well as internationally, through its consultancy and testing & monitoring departments. ABO-Group guarantees its customers a sustainable solution. For a more detailed description of the operations of the group, please consult the ABO-Group website ( www.abo-group.eu ).

For more information:

Frank De Palmenaer Johan Reybroeck

CEO ABO-Group Environment NV CFO ABO-Group Environment NV

frank.depalmenaer@abo-group.eu johan.reybroeck@abo-group.eu

T +32 (0)9 242 88 88

Derbystraat 255, Maaltecenter Blok G, B-9051 Ghent (SDW), Belgium

This press release is available on our website www.abo-group.eu .

Attachment
The honor guards of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy stand in formation before a naval parade staged to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the PLA Navy at a pier in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on April 23, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

The People's Liberation Army condemned recent "provocative actions" taken by the United States against the navy, warning such activities have undermined Chinese sovereignty, poisoned bilateral relations and disrupted regional peace and security.

China urged the US to strengthen strategic dialogue based on mutual respect, properly handle differences, facilitate practical cooperation and help steer military-to-military development in a positive direction, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, said on Thursday.

On Feb 27, while the PLA naval fleet was conducting a routine drill in international waters, a US P-8A surveillance plane ignored numerous warnings from the Chinese and closely spied on the Chinese fleet for over four hours, Ren said.

"The closest distance between the Chinese ship and plane was only 400 meters," he said. "The dangerous maneuvers by the US plane were extremely inappropriate, unprofessional and unsafe."

For years, the US has been spying in China's marine and air space as well as near PLA ships and aircraft, which has led to many close encounters and tense moments, he said.

"The provocative actions by the US has damaged China's security interests and has endangered the lives of front-line soldiers and their equipment," he said. "They constitute a serious violation of international laws on freedom of navigation and are the root cause of problems between China and the US on maritime security.

"Yet the US not only ignores their wrongdoings but has also launched complaints and baseless accusations. We resolutely oppose these actions," he added. "We urge the US to stop such dangerous provocations, to stop smearing China and to avoid damaging military relations and bilateral ties."

Earlier this month, both foreign and domestic media reported US ships and naval planes had conducted numerous exercises and operations in the South China Sea, drawing condemnation from Ren and the Chinese military.

"It uses freedom of navigation as an excuse to barge recklessly into the region, threaten national security of nearby countries and disrupt regional peace and stability."

When commenting on recent reports that hacker group APT-C-39 from the US Central Intelligence Agency has been infiltrating Chinese companies and research institutions for 11 years, Ren said the US must stop conducting such activities against China.

"For years, the US has violated international laws and basic principles of international relations to carry out massive, organized, indiscriminate operations of online theft, as well as surveillance and attacks on foreign governments, companies and individuals," he said.

Ren also discussed the relationship between the US and Taiwan, saying recent actions by the US have seriously interfered with China's domestic affairs, damaged cross-Straits peace and stability and "seriously poisoned the two nations' military relations and bilateral ties".

On March 25, the destroyer USS McCampbell sailed through the Taiwan Straits. Ren deemed the action very dangerous and said it sent the wrong message to Taiwan secessionists.

The US also passed the TAIPEI Act this month, which promises more official interactions and diplomatic support for the island's international presence.

"We will absolutely not allow any foreign forces to play the Taiwan card, and will not tolerate any attempts of secession," Ren said. "The PLA has the will, confidence and capability to thwart all secession efforts and safeguard the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Comfort Coming to NYC Ahead of Schedule

By Carla Babb March 26, 2020

The Navy hospital ship Comfort is deploying to New York Harbor well ahead of schedule and could arrive early next week to help relieve local hospitals overrun with coronavirus patients, according to the acting U.S. Navy secretary.

The ship had been expected to depart its port in Norfolk, Virginia, around April 3, Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said Thursday, but it will now likely leave Saturday or Sunday.

The USNS Mercy hospital ship will port in Los Angeles on Friday to support the city's response to an overwhelming number of coronavirus cases.

Navy officials say both ships are preparing for a 1,000-bed mission, the largest these ships can accommodate.

The U.S. military's two hospital ships and other military assets, such as field hospitals, will provide triage and urgent care but will not treat coronavirus patients, because the ships are not designed with segregated spaces needed to treat infectious diseases.

Instead, their mission will free up local hospital beds and local medical professionals so they can devote more of their resources to isolating and treating those with the highly contagious COVID-19.

Two Army hospital units deploying to New York state will set up over the weekend and will be able to start seeing patients on Monday, Army Chief General James McConville said Thursday. The units are capable of providing nearly 300 total bed spaces.

Another Army hospital unit will soon deploy to Seattle, capable of setting up about 250 hospital bed spaces once the location is chosen.

More than 11,000 U.S. National Guard personnel are responding to the coronavirus pandemic in all U.S. states and territories and the District of Columbia, according to officials. Tasks range from delivering meals to screening symptoms for testing facilities.

'Insufficient' measures

The efforts come as the number of Defense Department-related coronavirus cases increased by more than a third in just 24 hours.

As of early Thursday, 574 coronavirus cases around the globe were related to the U.S. military  280 service members, 134 civilians, 98 dependents and 62 contractors  the Pentagon said.

One U.S. defense contractor in northern Virginia has died from the virus.

"I think we need to do more to limit exposure, especially for those who are not doing mission-essential tasks," McConville said.

An Army memo released by Newsweek late Wednesday said that "mitigation measures taken by the U.S. Army to blunt the spread of COVID-19 have proven insufficient," with the coronavirus continuing its "spread geographically, as the number of infected persons continues to rise."

Lieutenant General Scott Dingle, the Army surgeon general, told reporters Thursday that he was "hoping that it is seasonal" and was looking at the "summer time frame" as to when the number of coronavirus cases would come down.

"The discipline of social distancing is going to be a key factor. If we don't, the numbers will increase, and then we are putting ourselves at risk," Dingle said.

On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper issued an order to all troops, civilian personnel and families to halt travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days, the latest sweeping move by the military to try to limit the spread of COVID-19.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






SACRAMENTO  Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a two-month halt Friday on evictions for Californians who cannot pay their rent because of the coronavirus.

The order bans the enforcement of evictions against tenants who have previously paid their rent and now cannot because they were laid off, lost hours or had to miss work to care for a child or a sick family member during the pandemic.

Tenants must let their landlords know in writing ahead of time, or within seven days of the rent being due, that they are unable to pay. The order does not waive their obligation to pay the rent eventually.

Newsoms action comes just days before the April 1 rent due date for many tenants. It runs through May 31 and does not apply to commercial evictions.

Newsom issued an executive order earlier this month authorizing local governments to issue eviction moratoriums on their own. During a news conference Friday, the governor said he was creating a new overlay for the state because too few cities and counties had followed through.

Thirty jurisdictions have moved already or moved now more aggressively to establish a framework, but only 30, he said.

Newsom praised San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles as leaders in putting moratoriums on evictions, and said his order would not preempt any local ordinances that go deeper or farther.

Tenant advocates had complained that the patchwork response left many Californians at risk of losing their homes and urged Newsom to take a statewide approach. Nearly 40 lawmakers published a letter this week calling on Newsom to ban all evictions for the duration of the coronavirus state of emergency.

Those advocates criticized the governors order Friday as too complicated and limited.

Meghan Gordon, director of the housing practice at the East Bay Community Law Center, said the order would allow landlords to continue filing eviction lawsuits during the next two months. Although tenants would have more time to respond to their cases, she said, eviction proceedings that wrapped up before then could still be carried out on June 1.

Tenants who did not provide their landlords with proper documentation  and those being evicted for reasons other than an inability to pay rent, such as an owner wanting to move into the unit  would not be protected during the coronavirus crisis, Gordon added.

This is chaos, she said. Tons of tenants are going to fall through the cracks because they think evictions are banned when theyre not.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who signed the letter to Newsom, said the order isnt enough.

The last thing we need is a wave of evictions immediately after the emergency ends, and that is exactly what this executive order allows, he said in a statement.

Some landlord groups have pledged to work with residents in the coming months. The California Apartment Association issued guidelines this week urging members to freeze rents and halt evictions for tenants affected by the coronavirus and waive late fees through May 31.

Newsoms order suspending evictions follows his announcement Wednesday that hundreds of banks and credit unions had agreed to a 90-day grace period for mortgage payments.

Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
A 36-year-old Indian-American mother has been charged with the capital murder of her minor son in the US state of Texas, police said.

Ritika Rohatgi Agrawal is charged with the capital murder of her 4-year-old son, who was found dead in their home in Sugar Land in Texas on Saturday, according to the Sugar Land Police Department.

A Fort Bend County magistrate on Tuesday set the bond for Agarwal at USD 950,000.

Investigators said that the boy's father arrived home, saw blood everywhere and found his wife walking around the house with several injuries. He went upstairs where he found his child dead and immediately informed the police.

The police officers found the boy's body upstairs with his throat slit and found the Agarwal's wounds on her neck and wrists were self-inflicted.

She was rushed to the hospital for treatment and was later taken into custody after she was discharged from the hospital on Monday, the police said.

However, authorities suspect, Agrawal may be suffering from mental illness.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Change of clothing every hour: Chilean fisheries confront COVID-19

by Christian Molinari

March 27,2020 | Source: SeafoodSource

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Chile rises, the countrys seafood industry is working to manage the spread of the virus.



The COVID-19 pandemic puts us all to the test: people, industries, and governments. We can clearly say that the companies that belong to the association are taking all the measures needed to prevent contagion, Arturo Clement, president of Chiles salmon industry association, SalmonChile, said in his Twitter feed. As an industry, we have increased prevention measures to keep our workers safe.



SalmonChile includes as members most of the 47 main producers and supply companies of Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, and trout in Chile. SalmonChile has reported the industry is undertaking a number of special actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including sanitizing bathrooms, hallways, cafeterias, means of transport, and infrastructure, with alcohol gel being made available at strategic points. Lunch shifts have been modified to bring groupings of people to a minimum at each facility, encouraging social distancing between workers. Bag lunches are also being made available to make sure human contact is avoided as much as possible. Entry and exit times of work schedules have also been tiered to avoid gatherings of large groups of people, while commute protocols have been established to minimize contact between workers at the facilities.



Preventative health control measures have also been implemented, including taking the temperatures of workers and other health monitoring protocols. Salmon farmer Blumar said on its website it has been reinforcing work teams with health professionals, taking the temperature of all workers and visitors that enter its facilities. The company has also executed an internal communications awareness campaign, a toll-free hotline for questions and follow-up of suspected cases, as well as travel and meetings restrictions.



Responding to SalmonChiles call, a number of companies confirmed that workers with a record of chronic illness, senior citizens, pregnant women, and mothers with children younger than two years of age have all been sent home without having their pay-to-date docked.



Meanwhile, the industry association outlined other measures that are not so conventional.



We have established a protocol that requires the changing of work clothes every hour, Clement said on Twitter. While our workers are used to the highest standards of sterilization and sanitation, this measure will serve to increase preventative efforts.



Mowi Chile, in turn, has implemented longer shifts at its farming centers, with its workers now working 14 days straight and then receiving 14 days off, with private ground, water, and air transport to transfer those workers to and from the centers so as to avoid areas of contagion, Fernando Villarroel, the companys general manager, told newspaper Diario Financiero. A full 65 percent of Mowi Chiles employees are teleworking, and that number is set to rise, he added.



In terms of workers that physically need to be at the facilities, salmon farms and their employees are exempt from the curfew that was declared as part of the emergency measures on 18 March by Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, which prohibits circulation between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. According to Chiles Sub-Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca), the restrictions must be compatible with a fundamental need of guaranteeing the availability of the country's food supply



"It is essential that fishing and aquaculture plants continue to work in order to ensure the supply chain, but safeguarding the health and well-being of their workers, through strict compliance with the health recommendations provided by the authorities, Subpesca said. Safe conduct permits may be issued by the national police force ... for fishery workers.



Over the weekend, the National Confederation of Salmon and Mytilidae Workers (Conatrasal) sent a letter to Pinera, Clement, and the minister of health proposing a complete halt to the business in general; with the aim of "safeguarding the lives of all the people who work in this field and their families," publication BioBio Chile reported.



However, considering all of the safety measures being put in place, Clement said that fully closing operations would be an overreaction.Clement said the industrys plans to lower production while decreasing the presence of humans at different levels of operation, ensuring the execution of basic operations for the health care of the fish and the industry overall, will be a sufficient response to the coronavirus.



We can avoid seeing our communities affected by an environmental crisis due to the death of fish from the total closure of the plants, he said on Twitter.

 2020 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Mainly clear. Low around 25F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 25F. Winds light and variable.
The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Friday morning include:

A sixth Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The deputy is at home and sheriff's officials are investigating who else may have been exposed to the virus including staff and inmates.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkeys export of steel to Kazakhstan from January through February 2020 made up $2.4 million which is 5.2 percent more compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 18.

Turkeys export of steel to Kazakhstan in February 2020 increased to $1.5 million, which is 7.7 percent more compared to February 2019, the ministry noted.

From January through February 2020, export of steel from Turkey to world markets dropped by 9.5 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $2.1 billion.

Turkeys steel export amounted to 7.4 percent of the countrys total export in January through February 2020.

In February 2020, Turkeys export of steel to world markets amounted to $1 billion, which is 15 percent less compared to the same month of 2019.

Turkeys steel export in February 2020 made up 6.9 percent of the countrys total export.

From February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey exported steel worth $13.6 billion.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover in January 2020 exceeded $33.9 billion.

In January 2020, Turkey's total export exceeded $14.7 billion, which is increase by 6.4 percent compared to January 2019.

Turkey's total import increased by 18.8 percent in January 2020 compared to the same month of 2019 and exceeded $19.2 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
John Spollen, the soft spoken president of the Irish Travel Agents Association, describes what has happened since the outbreak of coronavirus as a "Wild West of aviation" as airlines have abandoned their customers and ignored their rights.

Emirates is giving refunds but only from 12 months out. Customers have a year to make their mind up, and after that if they still want a refund, it will give you the refund.

Not much use if you need the refund to fly home now.

One anxious exile who paid 900 for a flight to Dublin at the Virgin Australia airline desk in Sydney airport, but did not make it to the gate on time, has been told she has to wait 12 months to get her money back.

Options for the stranded are worryingly few. One is to go to the airport and sit on an airline desk, ready to buy a no-show seat as if it was the 1980s.

It is hardly helped by the fact airlines routinely overbook long-haul flights by 10 or more seats, and have long waiting lists of those who have already paid for flights, some of whom may already been on standby from earlier cancelled flights.

Staying put, and awaiting repatriation, is an increasingly attractive alternative.

Ready access to social media and the right demographic profile mean the Irish stranded in Australia are exerting maximum political pressure in a way that Irish stranded elsewhere could not.

When Poland closed its border a week earlier, many more Irish residents were stranded there than in Australia. Their plight went unremarked.

It has been quite a week. Emirates' final flight from Dublin to Dubai, EK 162, departed on Monday, its last for the foreseeable future.

One of those left behind was a Brisbane-bound passenger who was surprised when Emirates would not let him check in. He had not seen anything on the news.

Somehow, in all the fuss of the past week, he was unaware that Irish citizens are banned from entering Australia, that Dubai is closed for transit passengers, and that UAE airlines had been forbidden by their government from carrying any but their own citizens on the final flights.

"The one thing that surprised me is the number of people who sleepwalked into this crisis," one airline executive says. "They left it until it was too late to get home, and are now finding themselves displaced."

But if passengers have been sleepwalking, airlines were tardy in setting the alarm. Two of the chief links to Australia were shut in an untidy manner. Emirates and Etihad, who between them fly 21 flights a week at this time of the year, both announced at the weekend they were due to close their services on Wednesday.

But both airlines brought the route closure forward to Monday. Passengers scrambled to react to texts and emails, and some missed the deadline.

When an airline cancels services, it would be normal practice to rebook passengers on alternative airlines. This is what Turkish Airlines did, painstakingly and to a high degree of success, when it suddenly cancelled services through Istanbul on Friday.

With Australian services, however, there was no longer any chance to rebook.

The exodus from Australia started abruptly on Thursday of last week. It had become a stampede by the time Emirates and Etihad closed for business on Monday.

Qatar continues to fly as a one-stop option, but has drastically reduced services. It grounded its Australian-bound A380s, using smaller aircraft instead, and cut the Dublin-Doha flights from seven to four a week.

That leaves barely enough room for pre-booked passengers, never mind the pile-on of the suddenly stranded or those offloaded by competitors.

Two-stop routes like Malaysia and China Southern faced similar issues as Brits and Germans joined the rush.

Those big airport hubs we know so well in Asia are shutting down. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore are now closed to transit passengers. However, three do remain open, Bangkok, Doha and Kuala Lumpur, although that may change at any time.

Sheremetyevo, through which healthy numbers of stranded were able to return using Aeroflot's scarcely-noticed Dublin service, will be closed to transit passengers by the time you read this.

India has banned all international flights. Chinese carriers can bring passengers through cities like Guanzhou, but not Beijing. All this helps explain the headline stories of people buying 8,000 business class tickets to get home. There was nothing else left.

Matters are complicated by the nature of Ireland's tourism to Australia. The figures are surprisingly high. Ireland is the 20th most important market for Australia with 67,000 visitors a year. About 10pc of these are long stayers on a one-year backpacker visa. About 1,700 stay for a second year, and a small number remain for a third under a scheme open to only four countries, including Ireland.

Customers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to a refund under the law. Airlines have offered vouchers instead, to avoid a cash crunch caused by the refund of several weeks of cancelled flight bookings.
New Delhi: As the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues to dig its vicious claws worldwide killing thousands and infecting lakhs of people, the total number of positive cases across the globe reached 576,859 and 26,455 people died according to figures by Johns Hopkins University on Friday midnight. The last 24 hours have been the worst in terms of the number of positive cases recorded and the death toll since the outbreak in December 2019 in China.

The deadly virus has infected 66,751 more people since March 26 midnight and the cases have shot up to 5,76,859 from 5,10,108 while the death toll has climbed to 26,455 from 22,993, a rise of 3,462 in just 24 hours. Among all the nations, the United States of America, the world superpower, tops the positive cases with 94,238, leaving China way behind and the death toll in Italy has been the maximum till now. The European nation registered 919 deaths in the last 24 hours and the overall toll stands at 9,134.

Coronavirus took 67 days to infect the first 1 lakh people after the outbreak in December 2019. The next 1 lakh were infected in 11 days while the virus took four days to reach the 3 lakh-mark. From 3 to 4 lakh took just three days and the next 1 lakh took only two days. And the virus is only gaining momentum in its scale and speed of infecting and killing people.

Italy's coronavirus epidemic could peak in the next few days, experts said Friday, but regional authorities warned the crisis was far from over, as four more frontline doctors died. The national health institute (ISS) cautiously suggested stricter lockdown measures to curb the spread of the disease

Spain`s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 769 overnight to 4,858, but a senior health official said the daily increase in the number of fatalities was stabilizing. Spain is second only to Italy in the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide.

More than 300,000 cases of the new coronavirus were recorded in Europe, with more than half registered in Italy and Spain. There were a total of 305,851 cases in Europe, including 18,289 deaths making it the worst-hit continent. Asia was in second place with 102,043 cases of which 3,683 were fatal.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 21-day lockdown from March 25 to April 14 entered its third day. But thousands of poor and daily wage earners have started to break the lockdown and are travelling to their native places as they find it tough to survive in the big cities without any source of income.

Almost all the big cities of India saw massive streams of the poor trying to go back to their native places on foot, some even hundreds of kilometres away with their families. The mass migration has raised fears of coronavirus spreading fast in the interiors of the country, putting the medical system under great strain.

India had till Friday midnight recorded over 700 positive cases along with 17 deaths and with an aim to keep the virus under control, the Centre asked the state governments to make arrangements for the poor to stop them from reverse migrating to their native places.
I felt no worse than I've ever felt when returning from a trip. It was on Saturday night when I was eating dinner that I realised it didn't taste like much. It was the next day and I was reading an article and someone mentioned they had really mild symptoms of coronavirus but one of the things they noticed was they had a reduced sense of taste and smell. Jess said the lack of taste persisted on Sunday and Monday, so she decided to get tested. On Wednesday she got the call to say she had tested positive.

Jess began taking notes of her symptoms on the plane on March 20. Credit:Jess/Supplies Life with COVID-19 Fortunately for Jess, her symptoms are mild, with only the lack of taste and breathlessness separating it from a common cold. Speaking to WAtoday over the phone, there was a slight croakiness to Jess' voice that sounded like the tail end of a sickness. Im ok but Im definitely feeling more breathless, she said. Breathlessness is a symptom of people being stressed and I had to rush to fly home and I knew I was flying with a whole lot of sick people so I assumed that's part of it. In all honesty, this feels like the type of cold that people wouldn't think anything of.

While she counts herself lucky, Jess is acutely aware of the risk the virus could have to others. I am in my 20s, Im quite healthy and literally the weekend before last I had climbed a volcano and I am noticing the breathlessness ... so I can only imagine what it would be like for someone who is older and has some kind of condition, she said. Plane stupid The most frustrating part of Jess ordeal was seeing a number of people ignore directions from airport staff to notify them if they had any COVID-19 symptoms on her flight back to Perth. It held me up by an hour and a half but Id still do it again and it didn't change anything because they're making everyone isolate anyway," she said.

Jess has been receiving these text messages from the WA Health Department. Credit:Jess/Supplied [My symptoms were] so mild but I still have it, so for all those people who were literally hacking up a lung on the plane, they might not have it, but they have something. People should just be honest. I just think that is really negligent on their behalf and really disappointing. Alone time Jess new daily routine is catching up with friends digitally and responding to a Department of Health text message asking whether she still had symptoms.

She said the advice provided to her was that she could come out of isolation when her symptoms disappeared for three days or at the end of her quarantine  whichever comes last. With her symptoms diary, that will be something much easier to determine. She said it was disappointing health authorities werent testing patients for the virus to confirm they had beaten it. I think it is really difficult that they dont test you to make sure you're negative before you're allowed back out because obviously some people are completely asymptomatic, she said. My dad is over 65 and my mum is in her 60s as well. They're healthy but at the same time it is not a risk I want to take.
The city of Ferguson, Missouri, has agreed to a $1.7 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit that accused its municipal court of charging illegal court fees, attorneys involved in the case said.

A judge on March 24 approved a preliminary settlement. A final hearing is scheduled for May 6.

The class-action lawsuit was among several filed in the wake of protests that followed the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed, by a white Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9, 2014.

The officer, Darren Wilson, was not charged, but the shooting led to intense scrutiny of Fergusons police and municipal court. The U.S. Department of Justice found that Ferguson was using its court system to generate revenue, largely on the backs of poor and black people.

The scrutiny spread to other municipal courts in the St. Louis area. At least four other settlements have been reached with other municipal courts in St. Louis, St. John, Florissant and Jennings.

Ferguson City Attorney Apollo Carey did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The city did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement.

Michael-John Voss of ArchCity Defenders, one of the law firms representing the plaintiffs, said the settlement affects more than 10,000 people who were charged fees for the issuance of warrants or for failure to appear in court, dating back to 2009. Those who paid the fees will get 80% of what they paid in a refund if they file a claim, attorneys said.

The killing of Michael Brown brought into sharp focus abuses in municipal courts throughout St. Louis County and across the state. This is just one of many lawsuits which continue to move through the courts to correct these abuses, Brendan Roediger of the St. Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics and one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, said in a statement.

Roediger said the fees were not authorized by the state legislature or the Missouri Supreme Court. Ferguson no longer charges those fees.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits
The government is set to announce funding support for charities hit by the coronavirus outbreak, cabinet minister Michael Gove has revealed.

The announcement  due within days from culture secretary Oliver Dowden  comes amid increasingly desperate pleas for help from the charitable sector, which the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) estimates is set to lose at least 4.3bn in income over the next 12 weeks.

It came as The Independent launched its Help The Hungry campaign in support of the London Food Alliance, to help get food to those in danger of going hungry because of job losses, isolation or the closure of food banks as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Across Britain, community hubs are being set up in response to the outbreak to deliver food to many of these people, beginning as early as next week. The Independent has teamed up with The Felix Project  a start-up charity we helped launch in 2016  to deliver produce to hubs in the capital.

Recommended How to support our campaign

Challenged at a Downing Street press conference to commit the government to offer financial and logistical support for initiatives of this kind, Mr Gove paid tribute to the national solidarity shown by volunteers across the country, including the 700,000-plus who have come forward to offer their help to the NHS.

And he said: We will be doing everything we can to support them, and my colleague Oliver Dowden in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is looking at a specific fund in order to support charities in the work that they do. And we'll be saying more about this in the days to come.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

There was no immediate information available from the DCMS on the nature or size of the fund, or who might benefit from its support.

NCVO chief executive Karl Wilding told The Independent: We are looking forward to seeing the detail of that and it cant come soon enough for charities who are making very difficult decisions in the coming days.

The NCVO said charities had been in conversation with government about a package of support, but believes that without an urgent injection of cash many charities of all sizes will soon start closing their doors.

With charity shops closed and fundraising events and activies cancelled, reserves depleted and demand for services increasing, charities are having to make immediate decisions about their financial viability.

Andrew Wallis, the CEO of anti-slavery charity Unseen welcomed Mr Goves comments, but cautioned: We don't have many days left.

And the Association of Chairs, which supports charities and social enterprise companies, said in a tweet: Good to hear Michael Gove say the government plans an announcement on help for charities. Please make it soon, so charities can continue to help those in need.

More than 200 MPs and peers from parties across the House of Commons have signed a letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for help for the charitable sector.

They warned: Without an immediate injection of money, many charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises of all sizes will soon close. Funds are running out.

The letter called for immediate emergency funding for the sector, especially where it is alleviating pressure on the NHS or helping people suffering from the impact of Covid-19.

The signatories demanded a stabilisation fund to allow charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises to stay afloat and keep operating during the pandemic.

And they urged ministers to confirm that the charitable sector is eligible for business interruption support announced by Mr Sunak as well as payments to cover 80 per cent of salaries of employees at risk of being laid off because of coronavirus.

Labours shadow culture secretary Tracy Brabin said: Its good to hear from Michael Gove that Oliver Dowden will be announcing money for charities next week.

The charitable sector cant be furloughed but has lost millions in income. The government must support them so they can support us.
Thomas McEvoy, Head of Enterprise in Louth this week invited local companies to apply for the new Business Continuity Voucher.

The voucher helps business owners access professional advice to develop short and long term strategies to respond to the COVID-19 challenges.



The new Business Continuity Voucher was launched earlier this week by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Minister Heather Humphreys T.D.



The voucher is now available through Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Louth, which is part of Louth County Council. The LEO is the first port of call for anyone in business who needs advice, training, mentoring or support.



The Business Continuity Voucher is available to sole traders and companies across every business sector locally that employ up to 50 people. It is worth up to 2,500 in third party consultancy costs and can be used to develop short-term and long-term strategies to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. The goal is to help business owners make informed decisions about what immediate measures and actions should be taken to protect staff and sales.



Thomas explains: The kind of areas that the voucher will help will vary, depending on the needs of each local business. But it will include very important measures such as preparing a business case for application to emergency funding, developing a business continuity plan, reducing costs or implementing remote working procedures.



He continues The voucher will give companies access to contingency planning advice that will help them to continue trading through this crisis and to be ready for the recovery phase, when it comes. Download an application form from www.LocalEnterprise.ie/response and submit your completed form to us by email info@leo.louthcoco.ie.



This is just one of a wide package of measures announced to support Irish businesses through these challenging times. Visit www.localenterprise.ie/response for all the latest information or contact us in Local Enterprise Office Louth on 1890 202 303 or info@leo.louthcoco.ie.
The shortage of ventilators has emerged as one of the major criticisms of the Trump administrations response to the coronavirus. The need to quickly equip hospitals across the country with tens of thousands more of the devices to treat those most seriously ill with the virus was not anticipated despite the Trump administrations own projection in a simulation last year that millions of people could be hospitalized. And even now, the effort to produce them has been confused and disorganized.

At the center of the discussion about how to ramp up the production of ventilators is Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and a senior White House aide, who has told people that he was called in two weeks ago by Vice President Mike Pence to produce more coronavirus test kits and who has now turned his attention to ventilators.

He has been directing officials at FEMA in the effort. Two officials said the suggestion to wait on the General Motors offer came from Col. Patrick Work, who is working at FEMA. Some government officials expressed concern about the possibility of ordering too many ventilators, leaving them with an expensive surplus.

As the agency has sorted through offers, trying to weigh production ability and costs, hospitals in New York and elsewhere are reporting a desperate need for more ventilators, which are critical in treating respiratory problems in a fast-rising tide of severe coronavirus cases.

A spokeswoman for FEMA said Colonel Work presented information on each contract in such meetings but did not make any recommendations. A White House spokesman declined to comment.

The involvement of General Motors was first floated this month as the carmakers factory floor in Kokomo was grinding to a halt and workers were being sent home  partly because the market was collapsing but also because workers would otherwise risk exposure to the coronavirus.

Last week, General Motors, Ventec Life Systems and a coalition of business executives called StopTheSpread.org issued a statement saying that Ventec would leverage G.M.s logistics, purchasing and manufacturing expertise to build more of their critically important ventilators, including some portable units.
After the opening of the Advanced care centers (Centres de soins avances - CSA), the daily balance sheet and forecasts will make it possible to best anticipate the day-to-day management of the influx of patients.

Structures:

Luxembourg-City (23.03.): Luxexpo

Esch-Belval (24.03.): Rockhal

Ettelbruck (25.03.): Daichhal

Grevenmacher (27.03.): Cultural centre

The CSAs have been opened with variable consultation lines, according to the sanitary needs of each sector. The number of these consultation lines can be increased if necessary.

A CSA, in its initial configuration, can allow up to eight doctors to be seen in parallel.

Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the first phase, including weekends. If necessary, it is planned to extend the opening hours as needed.

By way of illustration, the treatment capacity in Luxembourg City is 1,500 patients per day - 25 people are present there continuously.

Functioning:

These new facilities are designed to operate through two strictly separate lines of consultation - the first is designed to accommodate patients with signs of COVID-19 infection, the second is designed to accommodate patients who come to the centre with no signs of COVID-19 infection.

In order to limit waiting times as much as possible, each channel provides healthcare of several patients in parallel.

Medical and administrative staff:

A physician is responsible for the clinical examination of patients during the entire time the CSA is open. He is assisted in his care by nurses who take vital signs (measurements of basic body functions) and collect clinical information.

A team is also involved in gathering administrative information and another team is in place to handle logistics.

Patient management process:

The CSAs are ambulant treatment centres that have the necessary medical equipment for initial care. However, emergencies must respect the usual channels in place in Luxembourg and not go through the CSAs. However, if a patient's state of health deteriorates while under the care of the CSA, a medical evacuation is planned.

In order to meet the essential criteria of avoiding contact between patients with symptoms of COVID-19 and other patients, these individuals are triaged as soon as they arrive at the Advanced care centre. At the reception desk, they are thus directed either to the protected COVID-19 channel or to the general medicine channel and find themselves in separate waiting rooms. Their data are recorded by separate administrative departments and they are then attended by a nurse who takes their first anamnesis. Then a clinical examination is carried out by a physician.

Patients who are suspected by the physician of having COVID-19 infection are tested on site. If the test is positive, they are redirected according to their state of health. Either they can go home for self-isolation or they are transferred to a hospital structure in a specially equipped ambulance if their state of health requires it.

Finally, consultation in a CSA is free of charge: The patient will have to bring his social security card and an identity document.

Press release by the Ministry of Health
Crafting innovative solutions for complex risks is the bread and butter of the wholesale, specialty and surplus lines insurance industry. Companies in this space are experts in placing unique and hard-to-place risks; the best of the bunch have the ability to react quickly to  and even foresee  market changes to accommodate non-standard needs.

According to the 2019 year-end report from the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX), the 15 US surplus lines stamping and service offices recorded collective premium of $37.45 billion in 2019, marking a significant 19.32% increase over the $31.39 billion reported for 2018. Additionally, total filings were up 9% from 2018, coming in at around 4.83 million.

Those numbers represent more than 60% of the surplus lines premium written nationwide and therefore provide a solid basis for estimating nationwide growth for the year, according to Brady Kelley, executive director of the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA). In 2018, the SLTX year-end report noted premium growth of 11.3%; AM Bests September 2019 Market Segment Report announced 11.2% growth nationwide. Using that as a guide, Kelley anticipates AM Bests September 2020 report will reveal nationwide growth close to the 19% reported in the SLTX report.

I think this is being driven by overall economic growth in the US, Kelley says. Theres growth in commercial and residential development, higher payrolls, new businesses emerging, and new product innovation, among many other positive economic developments. All of those things drive increased consumer demand for insurance.

As surplus lines premium intake grows amid positive market conditions, WSIA membership has also boomed. In September 2019, the association had its largest annual marketplace ever, hosting 5,049 attendees, a 13% increase from 2018. Kelly anticipates even more growth through 2020.

All of these factors point to stability and strength in the wholesale, specialty and surplus lines industry and signal continued positive growth moving forward, even in the face of market challenges.

Methodology

Within this segment, which wholesale brokers and MGAs are delivering standout service to their retail partners? To find out, IBA asked retail producers to rate the performance and service of their wholesale broker and MGA partners on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent) in eight essential areas:

Underwriting responsiveness/ turnaround time

Technical expertise and product knowledge

Range of products

Communication

Compensation

Marketing support

Claims support

Technology/automation

The wholesale brokers and MGAs that earned an average score of 8 or greater in at least one category were awarded a five-star designation, signifying their exceptional service. Producers were also asked to provide feedback on how their partners could improve each aspect of the producer/wholesaler relationship.

In total, 32 wholesale partners earned a five-star rating this year. Of those, 25 were also designated as All-Star Wholesalers, having earned five-star status in all eight categories. Read on to find out which companies earned top marks from producers.
An Egyptian criminal court sentenced this week five people to death for oil pipeline damage that killed nine people in November, Egyptian media report.

Five other people who were involved in the pipeline destruction received a sentence of 25 years in jail.

The ten defendants rented in October a private property in northern Egypt, through which a petroleum pipeline passed, to dig underground and place smaller pipes to steal fuel from the pipeline.

In the middle of November 2019, the would-be petroleum thieves accidentally ruptured the pipeline while trying to steal gasoline, causing a leak and a fire that killed nine people and injured more than a dozen others. A hospital in the area of the village between Alexandria and Cairo was full of survivors from the fire, and there appeared to be more wounded people treated for injuries than reported, one resident told Reuters at the time.

Egypts top prosecutor, Hamada al-Sawy, had referred the defendants to a criminal court in the country after the failed fuel thieves confessed to their crime.

In recent years, Egypt has been gradually cutting its fuel subsidy program, aiming to let fuel prices reach international levels and stop subsidizing fuels as part of a program for economic reforms backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for loans.

By the middle of 2019, Egypt had phased out subsidies on most fuels, saving government expenses in the process, but allowing fuel prices for consumers to rise.

In July 2019, Egypt decided to create a committee that would set the fuel prices in the country every three months, based on international oil prices. This committee is expected to soon announce the new fuel prices as of April 1, and is considering slashing them by 20-30 percent, due to the low oil prices and the challenges for the economies in the COVID-19 pandemic, local outlet Ahram Online reported this week, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The number of deaths in San Antonio from COVID-19 increased to five, with two occurring Thursday.

Also Thursday, Comal County reported its first coronavirus death, a New Braunfels man in his 40s.

Both of those who died Thursday in San Antonio were women with an underlying health condition, one in her late 40s and one in her 60s, city spokeswoman Laura Mayes said.

All who have died from the novel coronavirus in Bexar County have been women.

Mike Fisher

The woman in her late 40s died at the downtown Baptist Medical Center, officials said.

Our hearts go out to the family for their loss, Baptist Health System said in a statement. We are here for them and committed to providing compassionate, quality care for our patients during this critical time, as always.

Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

Bexar County also reached a milestone number of cases with 113, an increase of 29 from Wednesday, the largest daily spike so far. Of the 113, 43 are travel-related and 39 are from community transmission.

Fifteen of the cases have been recorded as close contact. Sixteen remain under investigation.

With the community transmission cases about to outpace the travel-related ones, its clear the virus is spreading more and more in the area, rather than being imported from elsewhere.

The Comal County man died Thursday afternoon at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where he had been treated. His case was one of eight that have been reported in Comal County, where three people have recovered.

Our hearts as well as our thoughts and our prayers go out to this mans family and friends, Comal County Judge Sherman Krause said in a statement. This tragic news emphasizes the need for all of us to make sure we are taking every effort to maintain social distancing measures and protect ourselves, our loved ones and the most vulnerable among us from contracting COVID-19.

The Bexar County Juvenile Probation Department announced that it learned late Tuesday that a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19.

Although the person hasnt worked in a Bexar County facility for the last two weeks, those who may have been in close contact with him have been notified, county spokeswoman Monica Ramos said in a statement.

The JPD has a very dedicated staff of committed professionals who pride themselves on ensuring that our facilities are safe and the residents well cared for, Ramos said. We continue to monitor our children and staff carefully for any signs of illness.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

As an added precaution, the department has increased cleaning and disinfectant protocols, Ramos said.

We realize it is stressful for families to be separated from children, especially in light of the current health concern, Ramos said. In an effort to support family connections while keeping all children and staff healthy, all visits are currently being conducted by videoconference or extended phone calls.

Also Thursday, Cibolo announced two more cases, raising its total to three. One is related to travel, and the cause of the other is undetermined.

More Information Local coronavirus information Call the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District for information about coronavirus: 210-207-5779 (Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., English and Spanish). Email questions to COVID-19@sanantonio.gov See More Collapse

Both people are experiencing mild symptoms and are under quarantine in their homes. One visited the Walmart at 602 Cibolo Valley Drive between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, city of Cibolo spokeswoman Christine Pollok said.

The risk of contracting the virus from that kind of exposure is low, so chances are nobody will get it, Pollok said. But we do want the public to know that if they are showing symptoms, they need to contact their health provider.

Tom Orsborn covers news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | torsborn@express-news.net | Twitter: @tom_orsborn
by Prachee last updated -

If you ask about the national dish of Senegal, a name that is bound to come up more than the others is thieboudienne. It is also quickly becoming one of the representatives of West African cuisine, making a mark around the world. Also known as ceebu jen, thieb, or tiep, if you havent come across this dish before, you would be surprised by how humble it is. In all its versions, chebu jen is an easy-to-make, unassuming yet versatile plate of one-pot rice and fish, which is what most of those names translate to. Use this recipe to cook up a traditional and exotic rice-and-fish bowl right in your kitchen.

What is Thieboudienne?

The name might make it look complicated but it is pretty simple, like its pronunciation. Called che-boo-jen, thieboudienne is the most popular dish in Senegal, but several versions of this prevail all across the Sahel region and West Africa. From another perspective, it is the jollof rice of Senegal and Ghana, but that comparison might be unfair to either. While the most traditional dish in Senegal is considered to be the preparation of white fish and rice, versions across the region use chicken or meat as well.

Irrespective of how it is prepared or what ingredients are used, one commonality binding all versions of tiep and making it truly traditional is the way it is eaten. It is a dish to be eaten with your people and everyone is welcome. The way it is prepared, served and eaten aptly represents teranga, the Wolof language word which signifies the standards of hospitality in Senegal.

This explains slight tweaks in the recipe from one kitchen to another. What makes thieboudienne a popular dish and representative of Senegal on the global food scene is the welcoming nature of the hosts and the love and effort they pour into making humble fish and rice.

That being said, making the best ceebu jen is something we wouldnt mind doing. And we have a recipe for that. Gather your close ones around for a one-pot feast.

How to Make Tiep?

To start with, you are going to need some firm, white fish. This means you are free to pick your favorite or the best available option. Your options include catfish, halibut, snapper, barramundi, tilapia or other such varieties of fish. Picking locally grown and available ones is a sustainable practice and we would recommend the same. If you are comfortable with cutting and cleaning the fish, buy a whole fresh catch. Alternatively, you can choose a cleaned fish or even fish steaks.

One of the most surprising elements in this traditional dish is the use of flavor cubes or bouillon. The use of such cubes is very popular in African cuisine and they have even adapted their classic recipes to modern taste and convenience. We dont mind doing the same.

The cooking process of this thieboudienne can be deconstructed into three parts: the fish, the vegetables, and the rice. As with cooking, so with the serving. While it can be cooked in a single pot, the dish has to be assembled while serving.

Humble, One-pot Thieboudienne The magic of thieboudienne lies in bringing people together to experience Senegalese hospitality, teranga. When you make this simple, flavorful fish-and-rice dish, dont forget to invite your loved one over for a global feast. 5 from 1 vote Print Pin Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes Servings: 8 Author: Prachee [1] [2] Pin Ingredients For the Fish Stuffing 3 medium-sized white fish cut in large pieces

1.5 cups parsley roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 bouillon cube shrimp or fish

1 quarter onion diced

habanero pepper For the Rice 3 cups broken jasmine rice

4 carrots

2 cassava

2 onions

1 cabbage small or medium

1 eggplant large

2 cups [3] tomato paste

2-3 bouillon cubes shrimp or fish

2 onions chopped

2-3 habanero peppers

4 cloves garlic crushed

water

salt to taste Instructions To begin your thieboudienne, start by prepping your fish and vegetables. Clean and cut your fish in large pieces and start piercing two or three holes in the flesh with a knife. The filling will be stuffed in these holes. Do not prick the skin of the fish.

For the vegetables, cut them into big pieces. Clean and peel the carrots, cut them in half only if needed to fit in the pot. Quarter the eggplant, as well as the peeled cassava. Clean the cabbage and cut it into quarters as well.

For the fish stuffing, start by making a garlic paste in the mortar and pestle. To this, add parsley, onions, habanero pepper, and finally bouillon powder. Keep grinding as you add new ingredients to achieve a paste-like consistency.

Fill the knife cuts in the fish with this stuffing. Shallow fry these pieces till brown on all sides. Take them out of the pan and let it rest.

In the same pan, add onion and fry until translucent. To this, add the tomato paste and mix it well. The color of this mix will turn somewhere between red to brown.

Once the paste is properly fried, add crushed garlic. Let the garlic turn golden before you add the peppers. You can crush the habanero peppers in a paste or roughly chop them.

Add the vegetables to this mix. Add water so the vegetables are almost covered and stir in bouillon cubes. Cover the utensil with a lid and let the vegetables cook for 10-15 mins on medium-high heat. Stir the pot through the process, if necessary.

When the vegetables are close to done, add the fried fish to the pot. Let it sit till the vegetables are properly cooked.

Once done, pick the fish out and let it rest. Next, pick the vegetables and place them in a separate dish.

Let the pan with the gravy be on heat. To this, add rice which has been soaked for about 15-20 minutes. Stir it well, put the lid on, and let the rice cook properly.

Once your rice is done, it is time to serve. This is a dish that brings people together and is supposed to be served in a way to reflect that. Start by taking a large hollow plate or a bowl.

Start by plating the rice as the deepest layer in the bowl. Over this, add a layer of burnt rice, if any. Place the vegetables and fish over this as the final layer.

Enjoy with friends and family. Notes If you are sensitive to heat, you can swap the habanero pepper for a milder pepper or use suitable amounts of paprika instead. You can also use ghost pepper, or more habanero peppers if you like more concentrated heat.

The recipe recommends for broken jasmine rice but if you cannot find that, use any variety of broken rice as the recipe traditionally requires it.

Once you get comfortable with the recipe, you can easily use the vegetables you like along with, or instead of, the ones mentioned in this recipe.

Cassava might take longer to cook than the other vegetables. We recommend adding it first and letting it cook in the pan for a few more minutes. You can do this for all the vegetables that take longer to cook.

Maggi cubes or bouillon cubes are popular in several West African dishes. However, if you are finding it difficult to get them, use concentrated broth instead.

Do you have any such traditional recipes from around the world? We would love to hear about it. Drop us a recipe submission here. Also, dont forget to tell us if you have tried this recipe. We would love to know about it in the comments below.
With 144 more deaths in one day, the total officially confirmed infection cases of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Iran jumped by 2,926 on March 27.

In his daily update on Friday, Dr. Kianoush Jahanpur, the Spokesman of Iran's National Coronavirus Combat Taskforce, said the total number of coronavirus infections in the country has now reached 32,332.

A total of 2,378 have died of the disease in Iran since February 19 when the first two cases of coronavirus deaths were reported in the city of Qom according to the official announcements.

The recent high infection figures indicate an acceleration in the identification of new cases which may be due to better availability of test kits and a government online screening initiative for identification of possible cases.

Imported or internationally donated test kits have now become more available to the Iranian health system but according to Dr. Jahanpur Iran will also start using home-grown test kits soon. He said Iran's Pasteur Institute, a century-old government-funded medical research center in Tehran, has now approved Iranian-made coronavirus test kits and 80,000 kits per week could be available after approval of the Food and Medicine Agency.

Iran's Health Ministry officials say that an online coronavirus screening plan is now being implemented throughout the country which can push the number of identified cases up considerably. All Iranians have been asked to fill in the online questionnaire and check their symptoms on the government health portal.

Dr. Jahanpur on Thursday said more than 50 million Iranians have signed up on the portal but 30 million more still need to sign up and fill in the questionnaire.

The Health Ministry officials insist that their data is based on the final test of coronavirus on patients, and they exclude the number of persons who have had clinical symptoms of the Covid-19 but were not tested for the virus. Due to unavailability of enough test kits this could considerably keep the numbers low.

Critics, however, allege that the Iranian government for certain political and security reasons intentionally keeps the figures low, so many of the coronavirus infections and deaths are registered as "acute respiratory diseases".

Data gathered by Radio Farda from various national and local media in Iran, as well as comments made by regional authorities and Health Ministry officials, indicate 3,036 people have fallen victim to the novel coronavirus.

Our data shows that as of March 26 at least 59,120 patients had tested positive and been hospitalized for contracting the deadly virus in the country's 31 provinces since February 19. This is nearly double the official number of 32,000 announced by the government.

Radio Farda's estimate is also very conservative, and the real number of the victims could be much higher. The data show that most of the victims belong to the provinces of Isfahan, Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Khorasan Razavi, Tehran and Qom. A World Health Organization official who recently visited Iran has said that the real figures can potentially be up to five times higher.

Iranian health authorities are still reluctant to publish the number of Covid-19 victims in the provinces of Tehran and Qom, possibly due to the high number of the victims in the two neighboring regions and their importance as political and religious centers of the country. They have also refused to publish the breakdown of the number of victims for each province so far.
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has reported on a very good progress in negotiations with Ukrainian authorities about the new EFF program and the possibility of its increase in case of adoption of bills on the land market and regulation of banking activities (the so-called anti-Kolomoisky bill No. 3260).

"This last week, very good progress has been made in the discussions with the Ukrainian authorities on the new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. Adoption of legislation to improve the bank resolution framework and on land reform would allow moving forward quickly with finalizing the parameters of the new arrangement, with larger access than previously envisaged," she said.

As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the National Bank and the former government in early December 2019 agreed with the IMF management on opening a new three-year EFF program worth $5.5 billion. A positive IMF decision will also allow the government to receive macro-financial assistance from the EU (EUR500 million) and a loan from the World Bank (up to $1 billion).
The ongoing 21-day national lockdown is unprecedented, though it could not have come as a surprise to those who had been watching how other countries responded to the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19). India was quick to react to it, convening a crisis management group in early January.

Since then, beginning with the stoppage of flights from China in January, to screening of arriving international passengers, and quarantining, preventive measures have been gradually ratcheted up. This is as it should be. Any other way, say, imposing total lockdown a month earlier, would not only have been premature, but would have had a calamitous impact on the economy, far worse than the already serious current setback.

More importantly, such a drastic measure likely could not have been enforced before achieving a tipping point of acceptance among the populace. In fact, even now, there are stray examples of lack of compliance, even among the educated middle-class. This is why the rehearsal on March 22, the voluntary one-day janata curfew (peoples curfew) was a crucial prerequisite.

The eerie stillness all around the nation during the janata curfew was unprecedented. Social media was full of netizens posts, some with videos, about the only sounds heard all day being the long-forgotten chirping of birds. Except at 5pm, with millions thronging their doorsteps, balconies and windows to applaud the work of those in essential services with protracted clapping and clanging of utensils.

India has seen large-scale mass movements before, of course, but they have been political. From Mahatma Gandhis non-cooperation movement to Jayaprakash Narayans challenge to Indira Gandhis continuance, impassioned millions thronged the streets. And despite stated objectives to the contrary, violence invariably ensued.

But never before had India seen the buy-in, on such a grand scale, totally peacefully, of so many of its citizens for a social cause. Yes, there were a few who came out onto the streets in a misguided, celebratory mood. But they were a tiny fraction of those who joined in from their homes, in the true spirit of what was being attempted.

The reason this exercise was important has to do with democracy and State capacity. Authoritarian states like China can, and did, clamp down hard in enforcing social distancing. Of course, China bears culpability for suppressing information about the coronavirus in the initial weeks, to the extent of harassing and disciplining the first whistle-blower doctor. But in a first after decades, it demonstrated something heretofore unimaginable in the 21st century, that shutting down entire cities and provinces was not only conceivable but also doable.

Democracies find it harder to emulate that sort of brutal, top-down policymaking and enforcement. Examples abound in this particular crisis itself, with various democracies reacting at different speeds. All democracies, by definition, are burdened by slower decision-making than authoritarian ones. The ones that did take tough decisions faster did so, more likely, because of cultural attributes than any inherent systemic speed.

As the largest, most diverse democracy, India is no exception. In fact, over the seven decades in which it has been gradually rediscovering its historic relevance after centuries of slide, India has often been found wanting in State capacity on a variety of fronts. Unlike in China, therefore, no one, not even the most popular prime minister (PM) in decades, could simply snap his fingers and expect to successfully enforce a lockdown. Millions of argumentative Indians would have resisted, not for rational reasons, but due to long inculcated discomfort with diktats.Thus, democracies require leaders who excel at communicating with the masses, especially during crises. And that, unarguably, is this PMs forte. Even leaving aside his ability to rally the electorate during campaigning  which has resulted in the biggest mandates in decades  there are plenty of other examples.

Narendra Modis messianic zeal in uniting millions for a social cause, simply by the power of exhortation, has been on display many times. His reigniting of the national consciousness towards public hygiene through the Swachh Bharat Mission was initially mocked by opponents. But six years down the line, it is widely acknowledged as having begun showing results. There is still a long way to go, but changes in attitudes are discernible.

Similarly, among many other examples, another one that stood out was the PMs appeal to middle-class beneficiaries of subsidised cooking gas cylinders to voluntarily surrender them. Over 10 million Indians did so, enabling subsidies to be directed to the needy.

Nevertheless, to stop a pandemic in its tracks in a country like India, exhortation is a necessary but not sufficient precondition. Strict enforcement is unavoidable. Though large segments of the population are convinced of the need for social isolation, a few can still be seen violating the lockdown. Whether they are not yet convinced or are indisciplined, harsh enforcement of public health guidelines must be put in place.

As these weeks grind on, there will be many challenges. The marshalling of enormous resources will be required. The big package announced this week for the most economically vulnerable citizens is a crucial component. The government is surely working on more such measures. And yes, from time to time, exhortations from the top will continue to be needed.

Baijayant Jay Panda is vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and a former Member of Parliament

The views expressed are personal
That pay was something but not enough, said David Andrade, Davys father and a co-founder of the shop with his wife. Ive been telling the diggers, take it easy, wait for the restaurants to come back, he said. But in all reality, youve got to make $200 a day to pay for the boat.

Even these small orders have been helped, Davy Andrade said, by an unexpected form of local generosity: A town resident donated $600 to provide free clams to Andrades Catch customers. The donation became the impetus for a retail special: Anyone spending $24 or more on seafood this week received 24 free clams, enough for a pot of chowder. (The donor asked to remain anonymous.)

Even without the special, the shop has still remained busy with sales of other seafood.

Mr. Andrades fiancee, Victoria Young, runs an Instagram account that posts daily lists of available seafood, much of which comes from the trawler fleet working in nearby New Bedford, Mass. She also encourages shoppers to place orders by phone and to collect purchases curbside  reducing traffic in the store and potential dangers to the customers and staff.
The coronavirus epidemic this week reached Beadle County, South Dakota. A single case tied to travel has exploded into 14 infections and counting, with no way to know how many were exposed while supply shortages forced the entire state to briefly suspend testing.

Confirmed cases in New York City, where hospitals have fallen into chaos as resources run thin, on Thursday surpassed Beadles entire population of 18,500. With too few tests for too many cases, doctors there already had been told it no longer made sense to test most ill patients.

From its biggest cities to its smallest towns, Americas chance to contain the coronavirus crisis came and went in the seven weeks since U.S. health officials botched the testing rollout and then misled scientists in state laboratories about this critical early failure. Federal regulators failed to recognize the spiraling disaster and were slow to relax the rules that prevented labs and major hospitals from advancing a backup.

Scientists around the country found themselves shackled as the disease spread.

We were watching a tsunami and standing there frozen, said Dr. Debra Wadford, director of the public viral disease laboratory in California, where some of the country's earliest patients were identified.

The nations public health pillars  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration  shirked their responsibility to protect Americans in an emergency like this new coronavirus, USA TODAY found in interviews with dozens of scientists, public health experts and community leaders, as well as email communications between laboratories and hospitals across the country.

The result was a cascading series of failures now costing lives.

Get daily coronavirus updates in your inbox: Sign up for our newsletter now.

MAP: Tracking the coronavirus outbreak

CDC leaders not only bungled their role in developing the first coronavirus test permitted in the country, they also misrepresented the efficacy of early solutions to state health authorities.

Story continues

Then, public and private lab directors felt rebuffed by the FDA when they first offered to help troubleshoot the problem by developing their own tests. The agency, through its emergency authority, had placed restrictions on labs that can apply in emergencies but not in normal circumstances.

In a statement to USA Today, FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said validating outside tests is essential in a crisis when "false results can lead to significant adverse public health consequences."

A reliable, accessible test was key to averting todays disaster. Countries such as South Korea had already shown how such diagnostics  developed and scaled up with the help of the private sector at the onset  could be used to identify people with early infections before they spread the virus widely.

In late February, the CDC's deputy director of infectious disease projected calm in a conference call with state laboratories. The labs were told they could now send samples to the CDC and receive results within 24 hours.

That was a bald-faced lie, said Wadford. At that point, she was waiting four to five days on test results for samples she had sent to the CDC.

The most disappointing part was that they couldnt just be frank and straight with us, said Wadford, who took detailed notes of the conference call that she dictated to USA TODAY. Tell us the situation. Dont sugarcoat it and lie. But to mislead us is just not right.

The following week, President Trump tweeted: The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!

Since then, the U.S. went from 51 confirmed cases to more than 100,000, from zero deaths to over 1,900 as of Friday, while the economic toll of shuttering wide swaths of the country has cost millions their jobs and pummeled the stock market.

Brett Murphy and Letitia Stein are reporters on the USA TODAY national investigations team. Contact Brett at brett.murphy@usatoday.com or Letitia at lstein@usatoday.com.

Caccomo denied that the FDA was overly restrictive at the onset of the outbreak and then slow to adapt to the "unprecedented public health emergency. The agency worked with outside labs as early as Jan. 22, she said, before opening up the emergency authorization process at the end of February.

"As the emergency evolved," Caccomo added, "FDA determined that the benefits of increased testing capacity outweighed the risks associated with use of additional tests."

The time lost in February was critical to containing the outbreak and helping hospitals prepare, experts say. With each delay, the virus spread undetected as people likely unaware of an infection attended conferences and weddings, frequented bars and restaurants and took long-planned cruise vacations.

America is now paying the price. More than half of the countrys population has been ordered to stay home to slow the spread. Doctors are rationing supplies. Like New York City, communities have limited testing because the outbreak has grown so large that hospitals must instead target the most vulnerable.

READ: Coronavirus lockdowns: These states are ordering residents to stay home or shelter in place

From Texas to New York  the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak  medical facilities burned through protective supplies, including masks, almost immediately, in part because doctors did not have widespread access to tests a month ago, forcing them to take extensive precautions with all patients showing symptoms.

Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York.

New York City health officials now recommend against testing patients who do not require hospitalization, even if they have symptoms such as fever, to preserve limited resources. In viral social media posts, doctors describe hospitals overrun with the sick and dying. Patients with symptoms wait in clinic lines for up to 11 hours to get tested.

Dr. Alan Bigman, who runs a multi-speciality medical practice there, has agonized over an impossible position: pull patients away from jobs and out of the community without a diagnosis or risk running out of testing supplies for the next person who walks into the clinic.

They have kids, and they have neighbors, he said. I need to know if they are positive or not.

Healthcare workers: Tell us your coronavirus story

The crisis may soon be just as dire in rural communities. As of mid-March, Dr. April Abbott, the microbiology lab director at the largest hospital chain in southern Indiana, said she could not get equipment to run her own tests, in part because the federal government does not consider her area a priority like New York or California.

Hotspots could be hiding across the country. Smart thermometer company, Kinsa, recently noted an unusually high volume of fevers in east Texas and northern New Mexico, for instance, places where reported infections  and tests  remain low.

We're not able to get testing supplies because we can't prove we need them, Abbott said, And we can't prove we need them because we can't perform the tests.

Abbott initially looked into sending her Deaconess Hospital patients samples to other labs. But the state-run lab told her they were too overwhelmed by a bottleneck of demand to take them. Increasingly alarmed, she sent emails to private companies pleading for them to loan her equipment to run tests.

Below Indianapolis, our state has virtually no functional testing capability, Abbott wrote to a diagnostics company on March 16. I cannot overemphasize the lack of testing available in our region.

Eventually she found labs in other states to take her samples, but results took almost two weeks.

The infrastructure has failed us, Abbott said in an interview. As of mid-week, Indiana had confirmed just 645 cases of coronavirus.

The marquee at Luxury Cinemas in Huron, South Dakota on Sunday, March 22, tells residents to "stay safe."

Similar concerns were raised in South Dakota, where the resource-strapped state lab has lagged far behind others. Fewer than 2,200 test results were reported by the state as of Thursday, with 46 confirmed positive.

Health officials there had to suspend testing briefly just as its cases started to rise because the government's lab  then the only in-state option  ran out of testing supplies.

I am absolutely appalled at what is going on, said Ashley Kingdon-Reese, a home health care operator in Huron, South Dakota, who knows about a patient with likely exposure who continued to visit with family.

She fears the community was broadly exposed by these kinds of comings and goings while tests were backlogged.

People who could be spreading the virus, she said, have been in the public the whole time.

Federal testing push falls behind

Since early January, a virus raging in China had the attention of public health experts. A coronavirus, it was the newest member of a large family of viruses whose evils include the common cold. The name refers to how it looks under a microscope, with crown-like spikes on its surface.

U.S. intelligence communities soon began warning of a global pandemic, which The Washington Post reported last week was downplayed by the Trump administration.

After the first American case turned up in Seattle in late January, an infectious disease expert there began asking state and federal officials to let her repurpose nasal swab flu tests for the new coronavirus. The answer, the New York Times reported: no.

Twenty-plus years of public health preparedness drills dictated what the government should have done next: mobilize state, hospital and commercial laboratories to develop testing to isolate the sick and buy time for hospitals to activate plans for handling a surge.

When you see a disaster coming, you want to go big and go now, said Dr. Tara OToole, who helped develop pandemic response plans in the Department of Homeland Security under former President Barack Obama.

But for weeks, the federal testing push fell further and further behind.

On Jan. 31, after Americans began returning stateside from the outbreaks origin in Wuhan, China, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency, but called the threat to this country low.

Shortly after, the FDA gave the CDC authority through an emergency use authorization to begin rolling out a diagnostic test kit for the state public health labs.

If any scientists at universities, the public labs or private facilities wanted to develop their own tests  which they sometimes call home brew  or adopt the World Health Organizations, they would need to submit separate applications with 28 pages of guidelines.

Doctors test hospital staff with flu-like symptoms for coronavirus in set-up tents to triage possible COVID-19 patients outside before they enter the main Emergency department area at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx on March 24, 2020 in New York City.

Labs found the process more burdensome than any other regulation they deal with.

Under normal circumstances, scientists can run various tests without special FDA approval. But emergency orders shift the regulatory landscape, imposing restrictions. Experts say the agency moved far too slowly to lift them, given the magnitude of the building crisis.

Instead, the FDA stuck with one of the most restrictive approaches possible, according to Dr. Josh Sharfstein, a former deputy commissioner at FDA.

The response has been backwards, said Sharfstein, now vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at Johns Hopkins University, who advocates for more regulation during non-emergencies and less in urgent situations like this one.

The FDA, an arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, regulates according to laws passed by Congress and guidance laid out by the administration. Yet Trump has blamed the initial approach on the prior administration, which he said created barriers that made it difficult to rapidly ramp up testing.

I dont take responsibility at all, he said at a news conference two weeks ago.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment and directed USA TODAY to the health department, which also did not respond.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, who served as commissioner of the FDA under former president Barack Obama and helped oversee the agencys response to the H1N1 flu outbreak, said there was nothing stopping the administration from acting sooner.

Ive been confused by those characterizations of the FDAs inability to move swiftly in a crisis, Hamburg said.

Flawed test, then flawed response

The federal emergency declaration allowed the CDC to begin distributing test kits to state health department labs across the nation in early February.

Right away, a problem surfaced. California received its kits on a Friday. Scientists worked through the weekend, discovering that some components of the CDCs test were flawed and produced inconclusive results.

The issue centered on one of the three testing components, or reagents, used to detect the new virus, COVID-19.

READ: 'Not gone as smoothly as we would have liked': CDC fixes coronavirus testing kit glitch

On Sunday, Wadford, one of the directors of the California public health lab, frantically messaged colleagues at the Association of Public Health Laboratories. She wanted to know if other labs had encountered the same problem.

We are hearing of it from at least one state lab, an official from the laboratory association wrote back in an email. Seems like it might be real.

The CDC promised to quickly fix the test. But for two weeks, the agency offered temporary solutions  such as creating a new surge lab and offering to receive samples at CDC headquarters in Atlanta.

Those patches themselves were so flawed that results that took days were often inconclusive, too, according to Wadford. At one point, the surge lab also failed to immediately notify the state labs of positive cases by phone, as they had done earlier in crises.

The CDC has acknowledged problems with its testing development.

"This has not gone as smoothly as we would have liked," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters in late February.

Noting that the U.S. had few cases at the time, she added: "To date, our strategies have been largely successful."

The agency did not respond to a request for additional comment under deadline.

By the third week of February, still with no permanent solution in place, the FDA was well aware of the problem.

On Feb. 24  the same day Trump tweeted the Coronavirus is very much under control  Scott Becker, executive director of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, sent a letter to the FDA begging the agency to scale back its original strategy and lift the home-brew restrictions preventing them from making their own tests.

Around the same time, more than 100 scientists in private labs and universities penned a similar letter to Congress.

They are first responders with lab coats and they couldnt actually gown up, Becker said in an interview, calling the situation at that stage desperate.

A physician outside Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York City on March 26, the day after officials reported 13 COVID-19 patients had died at the hospital in a 24-hour span.

On Feb. 29, the administration changed course and began rolling back the restrictions. The new strategy allowed both private and public labs to use a modified version of the CDC test and start developing their own.

In the coming days and weeks, the FDA continued to ease restrictions to make it easier for others to come online with tests, including commercial laboratories.

Experts criticize the agency, however, for moving slowly given the magnitude of the health epidemic unfolding.

CDC tests were never supposed to meet the entire need for the U.S., said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former CDC director, noting that commercial labs and hospitals play critical roles in reaching the scale required in a major epidemic such as the new coronavirus.

During these lost weeks in February, federal officials missed their chance to contain the outbreak before it swept across the country, unseen.

As testing ramped up, states found themselves behind

At Texas Childrens Hospital, doctors lament the weeks that passed without an in-house test to show in hours, not days, what they were dealing with.

Dr. Jim Dunn, director of medical microbiology and virology at the hospital, had developed lab tests for the Zika virus for weeks before the FDA stepped in. He said the restrictions this time prevented Texas Childrens from getting out in front of COVID-19.

They pulled the plug before we even had a chance to get going, said Dunn, noting that the hospital expended resources in the early days when doctors didnt know who did and didnt have the virus. It could have affected how the masks were allocated.

South Dakota, initially appearing largely untouched by the epidemic, nonetheless rallied its emergency planners.

In Beadle County, the Huron Regional Medical Center rolled out a testing protocol that leaders now acknowledge was aggressive to the point of overuse.

Clinicians burned through supplies, using four nasal swabs to run testing for COVID-19 and other respiratory concerns. The protocol was eventually scaled back to one swab per nostril, then one per patient.

As the state lab backlogged, with limited supplies to process the tests, people with suspected cases were urged to self-quarantine.

When we started out, there was no shortage of supplies, said Dr. Jake Redden, the hospitals vice president of quality, who coordinated with state health officials.

Testing hit a snag just as an early cluster of travel-related cases surfaced in the county of 18,500 people within a state whose entire population is less than 900,000.

Lacking a crucial chemical used to process the test, in short supply nationally, South Dakotas public testing lab posted a notice online last Wednesday that it had temporarily suspended testing.

It was alarming, said Dr. Robert Summerer, president of the South Dakota State Medical Association.

The lack of test data presented a challenge for members of the association, who were trying to draft guidelines for the governor on closing restaurants and cancelling elective surgeries. No one knew whether the state really had few cases or was clueless for lack of test results.

Other states had commercial and hospital-based labs running, but South Dakota still lacked an in-state backup.

The day after the state halted testing, Republican governor Kristi Noem told the White House on a conference call that it had been juggling shortage issues for two weeks.

She described how the CDC kept directing the state to private suppliers, which would cancel orders for the chemical reagent at the last minute. After getting a little pushy, she said enough supplies had come in for her state to resume processing tests.

I need to understand how youre triaging supplies, she told the White House, according to a transcript of the call. I just dont want to not be a priority area, because were a smaller state or less populated.

It will never happen to your state, Trump responded.

With limited supplies, however, the state lab focused on processing cases identified as higher priority. As of early this week, authorities were awaiting results from 700 tests sent out of state to be processed by labs with four- to five-day turnaround times.

Beadle Countys cases already had multiplied as test results came back.

The day before the governors White House call, Beadle County had a single case.

On the day that Noem spoke with Trump, the count rose to four.

By Sunday, when city and county officials voted in an emergency session to shut down restaurants, gyms and movie theaters, there were 10.

READ: Gov. Kristi Noem confirms more coronavirus cases in state

Testing has ramped up within the state this week. So has fear.

Mayor Paul Aylward and a joint city/county task force discuss the new restrictions in Huron and Beadle County based on new coronavirus cases on Sunday, March 22.

The mayor of Beadles county seat, Huron, issued a news release to combat rumors circulating on social media that the virus had arrived in their community via its significant population of Karen immigrants from Myanmar. He noted the cases reported to that point all were white residents.

If wed have had better testing supplies, Huron Mayor Paul Aylward told USA TODAY, we could have been ahead of this curve.

Data reporter Kevin Crowe contributed to this report.

Brett Murphy and Letitia Stein are reporters on the USA TODAY national investigations team. Contact Brett at brett.murphy@usatoday.com or @brettMmurphy or Letitia at lstein@usatoday.com, @LetitiaStein, by phone or Signal at 813-524-0673.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus test: Officials botched the rollout, derailed containment
But Rokus, a 73-year-old Loudoun County Public Schools reading tutor, died Wednesday night of novel coronavirus-related health complications, according to the Loudoun County Health Department. She left behind a niece in North Carolina, friends said. It is the first known death from the virus reported in Loudoun County and the first of a Virginia public school educator. Health officials said they notified her contacts that she was sick but didnt say where she contracted the virus.
The threat from a rapid diffusion of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) initially threatened to become Indias most severe health crisis since the Spanish Flu, which killed almost 15 million people a century ago. Increasingly, however, it is spiraling into an economic crisis and could easily spin out of control into a humanitarian crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech conveyed a clear sense of the gravity of the situation. Given the structural constraints  Indias population density, weak health and sanitation infrastructure, and limited resources more generally  the need to slow the spread of infection is paramount. Whether the decision to lockdown the country for 21 days should have come earlier, should have been made with more preparation, should have been longer or shorter in duration, will be intensely debated, but its need is unequivocal.

At the same time, given Indias population density, the cramped and squalid conditions in which tens of millions people live, not only will social distancing have limited effectiveness (household members of every infected person will be at high risk), but the loss of livelihoods and access to basic necessities will impose significant human costs.

The short-term tradeoff between lives and livelihoods is manifest and nobody really knows where the precise balance lies. Too limited a lockout period risks the lives of potentially hundreds of thousands of people; too restrictive a lockout could result in the eruption of serious social unrest.

The public health challenge

There is little doubt that a lockdown that is somewhat longer than the 14-day upper-limit incubation period of the coronavirus is essential, not because it will annihilate the virus but will slow its spread and buy desperate time. But now that the lockdown has begun, what should the State do and what are the instrumentalities of the Indian State to manage its multiple  and conflicting goals?

To save lives, the government has taken the first major step at social distancing, and while this continues, it must heed the advice of the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Test, test, test. All countries should be able to test all suspected cases, they cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded.

This requires ramping up the manufacture and distribution of a) personal protection equipment (from disposable face masks, to eye protection, gloves and gowns); b) lab testing and diagnostics, c) manufacture of medicines needed to treat secondary infections and complications and ventilators and d) rapidly creating dedicated hospitalisation facilities for those with serious infections.

The economic challenge

But what about livelihoods? Here, the key lies in not creating anything new, but protecting and ramping up select existing programs and supporting private actors in specific areas. The key is extreme selectivity, knowing that there is little time and limited capacity.

The finance ministers proposals are broadly in the right direction, with a mix of cash (PM-Kisan, Jan Dhan) and kind (increased allocations of rice or wheat and free distribution of gas cylinders to beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme). Importantly these measures use existing plumbing  the Jan Dhan Account-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) infrastructure and the Public Distribution System (PDS)  which despite some weaknesses, can ensure rapid delivery at scale.

The nearly 60 million ton grain mountain of Food Corporation of India can be rapidly drawn down via free rations through PDS. With the rabi wheat crop about to be harvested, it might be better to draw down rice reserves to a greater extent, else wheat markets could be hit hard.

Concurrently, there are three critical supply chains that need to be maintained: energy (electricity, fuel and cooking fuel); delivery services for essential goods; and agriculture harvesting and supply chains.

Electricity generation and distribution are not manpower-intensive activities. Distribution is, but hopefully there will be limited disruptions over the next few weeks. The very success of Ujjwala means that dependency on cooking gas has markedly increased, and free delivery to BPL families for a few months will be provide considerable relief.

The critical lacuna is agriculture where the government has to be more flexible, whether allowing farmers to sell outside Agricultural Produce Market Committees (and waiving mandi taxes), allowing herders to graze their flocks and bring their goats to markets, and critically allow all seed supply operations which are hugely important for the planting of the kharif crop.

To manage the conflicting objectives of lives and livelihoods around agriculture, the government needs to work with arthiyas (middlemen) and farmers groups. Instead of farmers coming to the mandi, which then becomes a hotspot for disease transmission, it will be necessary to have the gram panchayats work with arthiyas to bring to the 22,000 Gramin Agricultural Markets and from there (if necessary) to the APMCs. As Mekhala Krishnamurthy argued in an excellent piece in ThePrint, with the rabi harvest in full swing, farmers need to be able to sell their produce and schemes such as Madhya Pradeshs SMS-based pre-registration systems to try to regulate arrivals and manage logistics, while ensuring some social distancing.

Responses cannot be one-size-fits-all and will need to be tailored to local needs. Agriculture is a state subject and states and district administrators should have flexibility and be encouraged to be innovative and not punished for thinking out of the box.

Deploying all institutions

But how should all this be done? What are the instruments the State has at its disposal? The enactment of Disaster Management Act 2005 established the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2005, headed by the Prime Minister. The NDMA is the countrys apex body for disaster management, and is responsible for laying down policies and guidelines for disaster management and ensuring effective responses.

In 2009, India adopted a National Policy on Disaster Management. Following the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (the first major international agreement of the post-2015 development agenda), the revised National Disaster Management Plan of 2019 recognises that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.

While the plan covers a wide range of emergency events, it largely envisaged local or regional effects, not the sort of systemic wide emergency that can bring down critical infrastructure and supply chains and overwhelm healthcare facilities.

With the NDMA acting as coordinator both horizontally (across government departments) and vertically (with states and districts), in addition to the 15-year-old National Disaster Response Force (NDRF  a specially trained force which is structured like paramilitary forces for rapid deployment), the government needs to rapidly redeploy the three pan-Indian organizations with the largest human and organizational resources: the military, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and the Indian Railways.

The army has the best ability to rapidly scale up quarantine and hospitalisation facilities. The CAPFs need to be deployed in ensuring crucial supply chains (and, where needed, supplemented by the army). The railways have a network of 182 Accident Relief Trains, 165 Accident Relief Medical Vans (ARMVs). Each of these should be dispatched to a poorly resourced district to augment its weak health care facilities.

A road map

Concurrently the government needs to do five things.

One, there needs to be clear messaging about behavioural changes aimed not just at the public but also the police. If the Prime Minster folds his hands, requesting the public to keep indoors, the police should be given stronger guidance and need to be under strict instructions that force should be the last and not the first resort.

Two, the State needs to work with industry to rapidly develop and manufacture diagnostic tests, personal protection equipment, medications and ventilators. This needs to be done in Mission Mode, working alongside empowered leadership from the private sector with deep experience and credibility in manufacturing. For each product requites one team, that midwives the manufacture of the product from selecting the design and standards, to identifying a set of manufacturers, ensuring working capital, and robust input logistics chains and output distribution channels. They need to be indemnified and protected against any future CAG, IT type enquires. Yes, there are risks in this approach, but the risk in delay are manifestly greater.

Three, the government needs to leverage the credibility and trust enjoyed by many civil society organisations to get essential services to vulnerable populations who the state cannot reach easily, such as migrants, older people or people with disabilities. And it should do so with fealty to its own National Disaster Management Plan of 2019 which pointedly devotes a whole chapter on social inclusion, emphasising, While hazards do not discriminate, people do.

Four, from health care to supply chains, from the civil services to public utility personnel, several million Indians will necessarily be part of maintaining essential services. They are serving the country at considerable risk to themselves. They need to have first claims to personal protective equipment and testing and better life insurance. The finance ministers proposal for Rs 50 lakh medical insurance cover to health professionals is very much in the right direction.

Five, the government needs to recognise that in a crisis of this magnitude it needs the best expertise and competence, whether bureaucrats (serving or retired), or personnel from the private sector and civil society. Loyalty and ideology may have their place  but the costs today are simply too grave and manifest.

Finally, the Prime Minister has to realise that more than anything else, he will be remembered in history most by how he and his government handled this grave national peril. His leadership will require bringing the country together in a way that has not been his governments strong suit. He needs to strongly lead with a spirit of cooperation with all states (such as a regular conference call with all the chief minsters), reach out to the political opposition and to all communities. History will then remember him as a healer and unifier, which will be critical to pull the country out from a spiraling national crisis.

(Devesh Kapur is the Starr Foundation South Asia Studies Professor and Asia Programs Director at the Paul H NitzeSchool of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC. The views expressed are personal)
On the pandemic and the electoral system

By Malkhaz Matsaberidze

The main topics in the Georgian politics are the Coronavirus pandemic and ongoing discussions around the implementation of the March 8th agreement on reforming the electoral system. However, the pandemic might slow down this discussion.The implementation of the agreement reached between the government and the United Opposition on March 8th depends primarily on the government. The oppositions trust in the government is low- everyone remembers the failure of the promise to hold proportional elections in 2020.Some experts and politicians have suggested that the government would benefit from the Coronavirus epidemic, declare a state of emergency, and no constitutional changes would be made under such conditions. They also claim that the elections, scheduled for late October 2020, could even be postponed.Despite such suspicions, the Georgian Dream seems to be fulfilling the first part of the agreement reached on March 8th. A constitutional commission has already been set up in Parliament and a one-month public-debate under the constitution is underway. Past experience shows that this is a fairly formal process, but it was held in the form of direct meetings with citizens, which is not possible in a pandemic. However, a solution was found; since the constitution does not specify the form of the discussion necessary, the constitutional commission plans to inform the public of the content of the draft law via television and use social networks for further communication.According to Kobakhidze, Former Speaker of Parliament, April 28th is the closest date when it is possible to vote on the draft constitutional amendments at the first hearing in Parliament.The opposition attended the parliamentary session, where the constitutional commission was set up, but the opposition claims that if political prisoners arent released, they will no longer attend Parliament sessions, including on constitutional amendments.The opposition and the government do not seem to agree over the second part of the March 8th agreement, which says that the court should not be used for political reasons.The United Opposition says that this point means the release of the detained opposition members and that the government has to fulfill it.Kote Kemularia, one of the leaders of the political party Victorious Georgia, says that if Gigi Ugulava, Besik Tamliani, Irakli Okruashvili and Giorgi Rurua are not released, the opposition will not support the electoral changes.The opposition has a plan - Gigi Ugulava should be pardoned by the president and the other three simply released because they are not convicted and have no tangible accusations against them. Gigi Ugulava and his lawyer have already applied to Salome Zourabichvili for pardon. Authorities say the clause does not provide for the release of anyone and there are no political prisoners in the country.Here's the question: If they agreed to release the political prisoners, why didn't the parties sign it officially? The opposition's response is that foreign diplomats were mediating the negotiations, and they are the guarantee of the fulfillment of the agreement. If such a specific agreement was really in place, its non-compliance would be detrimental to the Georgian Dream.There is a month left before the parliament votes for the constitutional amendments, and it is unknown if the opposition will participate. However, the above-mentioned prisoners themselves were asking that the opposition does not disrupt the negotiations over the electoral system because of their demand to release the political prisoners.It is clear that if constitutional amendments fail, this will significantly aggravate the situation before the elections. Breaking the March 8th agreement would be more damaging to the image of the government than to the opposition. Why does the government not release the four named individuals? The answer is simple: it does not want to acknowledge the existence of political prisoners and to not appear weak in the eyes of voters. Some experts believe that releasing them would be more beneficial to the government's image.There are seven months left before the election, and today the government looks much stronger than the opposition. The government has well-structured law enforcement agencies, strong administrative resources, and great financial capabilities.The unity of the opposition is quite fragile, in terms of reforming the electoral system, and financially poor. The coronavirus epidemic is preventing street rallies. The mass rally announced on April 4th in Tbilisi is canceled.Part of the opposition, in the critical situation created by the epidemic, is demanding that the leader of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, addresses the public. According to the majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze, Bidzina Ivanishvili is actively involved in political life, sometimes in the party office and sometimes in active communication with him. Majority MP Nukri Kantaria says that if Bidzina Ivanishvili decides to go public and address the people, he will do so.The Coronavirus pandemic has not reached its peak in Georgia yet, but it already hit the Georgian economy. The social situation is exacerbated, which poses a serious threat to stability and makes radical populist programs attractive to voters.
The total number of COVID-19 test kits will be distributed among four health care facilities and laboratories: the FiHealth and Neoclinic medical centers, and the Bodimed and Ramus laboratories. The donation covers both the cost of purchasing the kits and of conducting the tests in home or clinical settings.

The CEO of Fibank Mr. Nikola Bakalov commented that the bank's management monitors closely the development of the epidemiological situation and is prepared to extend the donation if necessary.

"As a socially responsible institution, Fibank is sensitive to the challenges that have arisen for Bulgarian people and businesses at this difficult time for all of us. Every day we are considering various options aimed at implementing the necessary measures to alleviate the financial stress of our customers and to ensure the safety of them and our employees. With the donation of these tests, we hope to help even more Bulgarians to be diagnosed and receive timely and successful treatment," added Mr. Bakalov.

Fibank was the first bank in Bulgaria to provide deferred loan payments for its customers, as well as a number of other financial benefits. In addition, the bank offers the full range of digital banking services, ensuring continuity of business processes, as well as maximum protection for employees and customers in its banking offices.

SOURCE Fibank (First Investment Bank)
Citrus growers are expecting to see a huge rise in sales in the coming months as people find ways to stay healthy during the coronavirus pandemic.

As fear rises from the spread of COVID-19 across the country, many people have been looking to fresh fruits and vegetables to take in extra nutrients and vitamins.

The winter of 2019-20 has provided ideal growing conditions for Florida oranges, and now, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to drive a large demand for the citrus. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)

Oranges have been said to help support a healthy immune system, which can help combat diseases. Orange growers in Florida are seeing their crop as an opportunity to help the fight for staying healthy.

"Florida orange juice is the most nutrient dense juice in the marketplace. Chuck-full, of course, with Vitamin C," CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual Mike Sparks told AccuWeather Multimedia Journalist Bill Wadell.

CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual Mike Sparks discusses the demand for orange juice amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)

During cold and flu season the demand for orange juice typically rises, as people seek a dose of vitamin C to help prevent illness. Now with residents being ordered to stay home, orange industry experts are projecting that Americans will be looking for ways to get vitamin C again by drinking more orange juice.

"There's no question in my mind, there's going to be a run on orange juice," said Sparks.

Weather has also helped play a role in helping the orange juice industry this season. The mild winter has kept orange trees healthy and undamaged.

"It was a very, very mild winter. Zero frost. We've had no frost this year whatsoever... Pretty good year for growing oranges," said Archie Ritch, owner of Ridge Island Groves.

Archie Ritch, owner of Ridge Island Groves, told AccuWeather's Bill Wadell that orange growers are "trying to capitalize on the health benefits of drinking 100 percent pure Florida orange juice." (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)

Ridge Island Groves is located in Haines City, Florida, which had temperatures drop into the 30s just once all winter, in late January.

Story continues

This week, temperatures are expected to climb into the 90s F, and over the weekend, could reach near 100 degrees. This is expected to prompt more customers coming in to buy oranges and orange juice.

As for if oranges can help prevent coronavirus, officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) told AccuWeather that other than a general benefit to one's individual health, there is no evidence that orange juice can help prevent COVID-19.

Latest coronavirus COVID-19 coverage from AccuWeather.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released blog posts to dispel rumors about coronavirus remedies that were ubiquitous on social media early on in the outbreak. A CDC blog post titled the "Best Remedy for COVID-19 Is Prevention" does not address whether orange juice can boost your immune system directly but stresses the importance of preventative measures such as avoiding close contact with others and proper hand washing and sanitation.

"Don't fall for claims about remedies that will immunize or cure you of the disease. While there isn't currently a vaccine or cure for coronavirus, there is a lot that you can still do to protect yourself and your health. Many of these are common practices that you already do every day," the CDC said.

Reporting by Bill Wadell.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
With hospitals running short on everything from masks to ventilators, a reporter asked Anthony Fauci earlier this week if the American medical supply industry is in crisis. His response, to the dismay of the cantankerous dignitary standing immediately to his right? Youre not making things up.

But there could be a ready-made solution to this problem. As the American auto industry suspends production of cars indefinitely, some of our countrys biggest car companies may start making ventilators and other medical supplies.

On Sunday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer slammed the Trump administration for its handling of the virus. Lives will be lost because we werent prepared, Whitmer said on Sunday during an appearance on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos, adding, Ive got to solve problems and I need the federal government to help me make sure that Ive got what we need for our frontline providers, in particular, but also ventilators for people that are going to suffer.

Now Michigans auto industry is making good on that suggestion. On Monday, General Motors said its exploring the feasibility of building much needed ventilators for Ventec Life Systems, a Seattle-based medical supply company, at the automakers manufacturing facility in Kokomo, Indiana. A day later, Ford announced a partnership with 3M and GE Healthcare to produce both ventilators and masks to alleviate the strain. Fiat Chrysler also threw its hat in the ring, indicating that the company will soon produce face masks to help relieve national shortage  at least one million per month throughout the pandemic.

There is an obvious historical precedent for these major Detroit automakers taking action: World War II, when automakers in southeast Michigan took up a call to arms and turned their facilities into fabricators of various products needed for war.

Ford Motors turned to its auto manufacturing manpower to create the B-24 Liberator, a four-engine bomber. They produced nearly 9,000 aircraft; the B-24 remains the single most mass-produced military plane in American history. As for General Motors, Cadillac plants made tanks, Oldsmobile plants made artillery rounds and Pontiac made anti-aircraft guns. By the end of the war, General Motors accrued more than $12 billion, stimulating the regions economic footprint.

Back in the present day, the transition from cars to medical supplies brings with it a whole new set of challenges. Plants wont be making medical supplies by retrofitting their assembly lines  theyll essentially build a whole new one. They will need to reach out to those who supply them with electronics and circuit boards, and they can reach out to those who provide them with hoses for the breathing hoses, Carla Bailo, Vice President for the Center of Automotive Research, tells InsideHook. They can also ignite their 3D printer capacities to make needed parts.

State and local officials across the country, particularly those in New York, the nations hardest hit region, are pleading with the federal government to federalize the assembly. The Department of Health and Human Services has 20,000 ventilators in its stockpile; New York City alone requested 15,000. Mayor Bill de Blasio pleaded his case to the federal government, pointing out that the city currently only has enough ventilators for two weeks, and half of the COVID-19 cases in the entire country are in his state. The federal government gave him 400.

The apex is higher than we thought and sooner than we thought, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference Tuesday. He then urged the federal government to help car companies get the investment they need to get their fledgling operations up and running.

It takes an investment to do this  what was done during World War II was fast but it was not as fast as we need now, Michael Belzer, Professor of Economics at Wayne State University, tells InsideHook. There was a lot of national coordination to put this together  we are not doing any coordinated version of what we need. Its not just a matter of producing. We need to get everyone on the same page.

In the nations capital, thats not happening. Last week, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to respond to the public health crisis. On Tuesday, in a self-contradictory tweet, the president said, The Defense Production Act is in full force, but havent had to use it. To the contrary, only minutes later on CNN, FEMA Chief Peter Gaynor said the administration will use the allocation portion of the DPA today.

During World War II, the country owned the capital and took over production of the factories. They let the companies [GM and Ford] operate in them. They provided capital and investment. The companies were not providing their own capital investment, Belzer says. The government is asking [the auto industry] to jump in and roll up their sleeves, but what are they jumping into and rolling up their sleeves for?

Regardless, back at the epicenter of the auto industry, the call to arms has empowered the economic legacies of southeast Michigan and their affiliated businesses across the country. There is a renewed call of patriotism here, Bailo says.

In recent years, the Motor City has made massive strides in revitalization and economic diversification after years of population decline. Detroit, after 60, maybe 65 years of decline, has made some real strides in the last few years, she continues. While the COVID-19-induced downturn is taking a massive toll on the economy across all sectors, in the long-term, it could have a net positive impact on the auto industry.

Dr. Charles Ballard, Professor of Economics at Michigan State University, warns that we shouldnt get carried away with our expectations, though. The effective growth will likely be small. It will help Detroit some, he says.

One thing thats become clear is that theres still a place for a city that subsists on heavy industry in modern-day America. While the financial toll on cities with heavy service-based economies like New York and Los Angeles will be devastating until this unprecedented public health crisis is over, Detroit will dutifully trudge along  just like it always has.

The post For Detroit's Auto Industry, The Coronavirus Represents a Massive Opportunity appeared first on InsideHook.
March 26, 2020

New projections show social distancing must be maintained to protect health care system

(Portland  March 26, 2020) The fight against the coronavirus depends on Oregon hospitals having enough beds to treat the coming surge in patients who will become seriously ill with the virus. Today, Oregon health officials and hospitals announced a joint statewide action plan to dramatically bolster the states ability to treat people with COVID-19 illness who need hospital care.

The plan was developed by the Governors Joint Task Force for Health Care Systems Response to COVID-19, convened by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). It includes a broad range of health systems, health care providers, human services organizations, public health and public safety agencies, insurers and other organizations needed in the battle.

The plan addresses 4 urgent actions necessary to expand the health care systems capacity and maintain its capability as Oregon braces for a projected spike in new coronavirus cases:

Procure and distribute critical medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers and ventilators. Optimize hospital capacity to be able to treat COVID-19 cases. Mobilize the health care workforce to respond to COVID-19. Maintain a unified, coordinated and transparent emergency response to COVID-19.

New projections of COVID-19 cases in Oregon show the state is at a critical moment in the fight against the disease. Social distancing measures could alter the trajectory of new infections, which gives Oregons health care system the chance to ramp up to meet the coming surge. But the state has little margin for error. A return to business as usual or slight differences in actual infection rates (compared to projected ones) could swamp hospitals with more coronavirus cases than they could treat.

Governor Brown said, Hospital leaders and health officials are doing their part to find beds, secure supplies and protect health care workers. Oregonians can make a difference too: stay home and save lives. We all have a role to play in an unprecedented, unified effort across Oregon to stop the coronavirus from taking the tragic toll weve seen it claim elsewhere.

State agencies, hospitals and health care providers have already begun to implement the plan.

The state is collecting PPE for re-distribution to facilities in need.

Regional hospitals have signed mutual aid agreements to shift equipment, workforce and patients from overburdened facilities to others with adequate capacity.

The state is working with providers to stand-up alternate care locations (such as the Oregon Medical Station), identify and develop new alternate care sites, enable ambulatory care centers to house patients and re-purpose long-term care facilities.

The state and hospitals are sharing hospital bed utilization data so hospitals can manage the use of beds and equipment across their region.

The state is developing childcare options for health care workers, so their work isnt interrupted by school closings and family responsibilities.

OHA Director Patrick Allen said, Oregons health care system began preparing for a pandemic years ago, which gave us a head start on this plan. From expanding testing to securing more ventilators for Oregon hospitals, we are united by a set of common strategies to save lives in every corner of the state.

The latest models state health officials released today forecast the following outcomes for 3 different scenarios:

Return to business as usual: If Oregon lifted all the social distancing measures state leaders have instituted in recent weeks, there will be an estimated 15,000 cumulative infections by May 8th (within a range of 5,900-26,000). Approximately 1,100 people would need inpatient beds (850 AAC/250 ICU) across Oregon.

If Oregon lifted all the social distancing measures state leaders have instituted in recent weeks, there will be an estimated 15,000 cumulative infections by May 8th (within a range of 5,900-26,000). Approximately 1,100 people would need inpatient beds (850 AAC/250 ICU) across Oregon. Maintain bans on large gatherings and indefinite school closures: There would be an estimated 6,100 cumulative infections by May 8th (within a range of 2,000-12,000) and 340 people will need inpatient beds (260 AAC/80 ICU).

There would be an estimated 6,100 cumulative infections by May 8th (within a range of 2,000-12,000) and 340 people will need inpatient beds (260 AAC/80 ICU). Maintain aggressive interventions put into place on Monday, March 23rd (i.e.., Stay Home, Save Lives) with high public adherence: There will be an estimated 1,000 (within a possible range of 700-3,800) cumulative infections by May 8th. Under this scenario, hospitals would have to boost capacity by a smaller number of beds.

The models show that only aggressive interventions, like the Stay Home, Save Lives executive order Governor Brown issued on March 23rd, are predicted to decrease the number of active infections.

The models state health officials released today were prepared by the Institute for Disease Modeling. While similar to projections completed earlier by researchers at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), these newer models from IDM take into account the impact of community-level social distancing interventions, which were not incorporated into the OHSU study. Researchers from OHSU and other hospitals are collaborating with OHA to forecast the COVID-19 burden for their specific hospitals based on this information.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state health officer at OHA, said: These projections tell us the sacrifices Oregonians are making right now can save lives. At the same time, they paint a dark picture of what could happen. We cant afford to drop our guard.
After months of deliberation, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday announced his 21-member team to negotiate peace with the Taliban, only to have his political opponent reject it as not inclusive enough.

Afghanistan's political turmoil has impeded each tentative step toward negotiations with the Taliban negotiations that are supposed to come next under a peace deal that Washington signed with the insurgents last month.

The deal calls for the eventual withdrawal of all 13,000 US soldiers from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to fight other militant groups, including the Islamic State group.

The deal has been touted as Afghanistan's best chance yet of ending its relentless wars.

But Ghani and his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, have been locked in a power struggle that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could not resolve during his emergency visit to Kabul earlier this week.

Pompeo held talks with both Ghani and Abdullah, who has also declared himself president in a parallel inauguration ceremony earlier this month, but made no headway in reconciling the two.

Washington subsequently said it would cut USD 1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan if the two leaders couldn't get their act together.

Ghani's 21-member team is led by the Masoom Stanikzai, former head of Afghanistan's intelligence agency, who was forced to resign last year.

He quit after a CIA-trained team under his command was found to have killed four brothers they falsely accused of being Islamic State operatives.

The special forces unit known as Unit 02 still operates despite reports of abuses, including one last year by the Human Rights Watch, which documented what it says are mounting atrocities by US-backed Afghan special forces.

Abdullah seeks a power-sharing deal with Ghani, something the Afghan president has so far rejected.

Abdullah accuses Ghani of being unwilling to compromise while Ghani says his rival's power-sharing demands will require a constitutional change and that can come only by holding a loya jirga, or grand council, of all Afghans.

In a televised speech a day after Pompeo's visit, Ghani dismissed the threat of funding cuts and claimed that Afghanistan can manage without the USD 1 billion in US aid. Despite 18 years and billions of dollars in international aid, Afghanistan remains desperately poor.

The poverty level soared from 35 Per Cent of the population in 2012 to more than 55 Per Cent last year.

Poverty level counts those who survive on usd 1 or less a day. Successive Afghan governments, including Ghani's, have been accused by international watchdogs of widespread corruption.

Meanwhile, Taliban political spokesman Sohail Shaheen said the group would send four members to the US-led coalition base in Bagram, north of Kabul, to oversee the release of their prisoners, also part of the deal signed with the US.

That deal calls for the release of 5,000 Taliban and 1,000 government personnel and Afghan troops held captive by the Taliban.

The visit to Bagram will be the first time Taliban representatives have officially visited Afghanistan since being thrown out of power in 2001 by the US-led coalition after they had sheltered al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government Friday ordered a three-week lock-down for Kabul to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.

Pharmacies and grocery stores will be allowed to open.

Earlier, authorities imposed a lockdown in western Herat province, where nearly 200,000 Afghans had passed through on their return from Iran since the start of the year, on their way to their homes across the country.

Herat borders Iran, which has been hardest-hit in the region by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Afghanistan has so far recorded just 91 cases and four deaths but the tens of thousands returnees from Iran have dispersed throughout the country without being tested or having their whereabouts recorded.

Afghanistan's health care system, already devastated by decades of war, would be overwhelmed by a major outbreak.

Also Friday, the Taliban were handing out soap and face masks in northern Badghis province, in areas under their control, according to images circulated on social media.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said their prayer leaders were also explaining safety measures to the public and how to protect against the virus.

In a Pashto-language statement, the Taliban said they have carried out public awareness campaigns in four provinces of northern Afghanistan, distributing face masks, soap and pamphlets telling the faithful that it was a religious duty to to keep themselves and their environment clean.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On a late January afternoon, as Tom Feegel scrolled through sales figures on his laptop, the businessman realized that something was amiss.

This was weeks before the novel coronavirus began dominating headlines in the United States, before the Bay Area was put on lockdown, before social distancing entered the public lexicon. On this ordinary weekday, the president of EO Products was still living in a familiar world.

The figures on his screen, though, indicated something else. The companys hand sanitizer sales were beginning to skyrocket. A super spike, as Feegel remembered it.

Hand sanitizer wasnt the main product of the 150-employee company. EO Products  short for Essential Oils  dealt in niche organic body and hair care, first retailing at Whole Foods before hitting the shelves of Target and Walmart. Based in San Rafael, the private company makes about $100 million in sales annually  far less than the $370 million made by Gojo Industries, which manufactures the leading sanitizer, Purell.

In that moment, Feegel realized that soon the companys focus would no longer be on sulfate-free shampoo and lavender-scented bubble bath. In the coming weeks, the company would become a first responder, in a way, to a deadly pandemic where the main answer was to stay at home  and to wash ones hands, to sanitize ones hands.

By February, everything we thought might be happening was happening, Feegel said. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime challenges when the normal rules of business are reconsidered.

Now Playing: EO Products Factory Produces Hand Sanitizer Video: San Francisco Chronicle

As the number of coronavirus cases across the United States soared, sanitizer and soap became nearly impossible to obtain. Panicked consumers emptied grocery store aisles and filled online shopping carts, stockpiling the products, along with bleach and toilet paper (and  oddly enough  bananas and yellow onions).

During a four-week period ending on Feb. 22, Nielsen reported a 73% jump in sanitizer sales. Based on trends elsewhere, sales wont peak for some time, the analytics firm said in its report.

The spike in demand has befuddled and amazed EO executives, who have quadrupled production of sanitizer in the form of wipes, spray and gel, and soap  normally their less popular products. All without increasing prices, Feegel is quick to note.

Several weeks into his new normal, on an overcast morning in mid-March, Feegel walked through EOs nondescript warehouse 20 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County. About 75 workers in blue gloves and hairnets paralleled the production lines, screwing spray tops onto bottles. The air slightly smelled of flowers, and they spoke to each other in muted Spanish.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Outside, Highway 101 was desolate, and schools and government buildings sat empty. But inside, the activity  deemed essential  continued at a feverish pace. Plastic bottles hurtled down a conveyor belt, where they were filled with scented goop  lavender and grapefruit, coconut-lemon and peppermint  then pushed through a label-maker and into awaiting boxes. Sanitizer whirred past by the thousands, enough to make an Amazon shopper weep.

EO Products has seen a 1,300% increase in demand on its website since that late January afternoon, when Feegel first noticed that super spike. Normally, seven production lines run in the companys warehouse, manufacturing everything from shampoo to deodorant. Now, five of those seven are only focused on sanitizer and soap. The company is churning out 1 million hand sanitizer products a month.

Additional employees have been hired in the warehouse, while support staff works from home. The warehouse workers crank out products for the companys two brand lines: the higher-priced EO and the more affordable Everyone, which sells in stores like Target and Walmart. Both lines sanitizer are about 50% pricier than those from Purell. But the higher prices seem to have no effect on demand.

EO Products recently partnered with the city and county of San Francisco to deliver  what else?  hand sanitizer. Last week, more than 8,000 bottles went to the citys Emergency Response Center at the Moscone Center.

In the warehouse, Feegel ducked past machines depositing gel into both gallon-size and miniature containers, which once on sale would be gone within hours. Its all hands, he said, pausing. All hands on deck, and all thinking about hands. Thats really what were focusing on. Weve trained for this, to some degree, but this isnt routine for us.

Everyday life at the warehouse has changed, too. Security guards now patrol the parking lot, fending off desperate consumers who seek to buy directly from the factory. The lobby has been turned into a break room, so production staff can eat lunch while social distancing from each other. Employees fill out health surveys before reporting to their shifts.

Customer service calls have increased by 340%, with people begging for sanitizer. Each has a heart-tugging story: an immuno-compromised loved one, a family member working in health care, an elderly parent. But Feegel said the company cant dole out sanitizer to every caller.

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.

Instead, he said, the company hopes to help by getting its products into the hands of first responders and essential workers  hospital workers, Lyft drivers. For EOs co-founder, Brad Black, who started the company with his ex-wife and helps out in the warehouse, that includes the police station in his Inner Richmond neighborhood. The company is also ramping up shipments to their big-box retailers, for the widest distribution.

EO has faced shortages of its own. Last month it ran out of the aluminum seals that top the sanitizer bottles; the product is regulated by the FDA, meaning that finding a replacement top took precious extra time from production. (The agency has since relaxed its guidelines to kick-start production.) Black has also worried about dwindling alcohol shipments from Brazil and spray tops from China.

Still, he believes the 25-year-old company will prevail.

Part of the feeling is that we are making bullets for World War II, Black said. Its different, and its the same.

At the back of the warehouse, flats of sanitizer were marked for their destinations: Amazon, Walmart, Whole Foods. A special section was marked for Canada, with bilingual instructions in French and English. Before the bottles were shipped to grocery stores and online retailers, though, there was one final step: An employee quietly blessed the shipment.

Maria Martinez, who goes by Meche, has worked at EO Products for 17 years. She felt lucky to still have a job, lucky that she and her fellow production-line workers could help in their small way. As the bottles passed her on the conveyor belt, she prayed that no customer would fall ill to COVID-19.

To be able to come to work and provide is a great thing, Martinez said. During this crisis, everyone needs to be more in love with their family  and not just their family, but everyone around them, the whole world. We have to take care of each other.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
Bottom line: The situation surrounding Covid-19 in the US hasn't exactly improved over the past week. Rather, the search giant has likely worked out the kinks associated with sending its workforce home to comply with local quarantine orders.

Google is back at it just one week after the Covid-19 outbreak forced the software maker to pause upcoming Chrome releases.

Google said in a recent blog post that its stable channel will resume activity starting next week with security and critical updates for Chrome 80, the current stable version of Chrome. Canary, Dev and Beta channels have already or will resume this week, were told, with Chrome 83 moving to Dev and Chrome 81 continuing in Beta.

Chrome 81 is now slated to launch during the week of April 7 with Chrome 83 to follow some three weeks earlier than planned, in mid-May. The latter will include everything that was supposed to be part of Chrome 82.

If you recall, Google revealed last week that it would be skipping version 82 in order to ensure that users remain safe. All efforts were diverted to keeping Chrome 80 safe and secure as Google employees adjusted to the new normal that is working from home.

Starting in May 2020, we are pausing all optional non-security releases (C and D updates) for all supported versions of Windows client and server products to prioritize security and keep customers protected and productive. More information here: https://t.co/G5NcWtIiEQ.  Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) March 24, 2020

Microsoft last week also paused Edge updates in order to be consistent with the Chromium project. On Tuesday, Redmond said it would be halting optional Windows 10 updates starting in May 2020.
As more states have extended their school building closuresor shuttered through the end of the academic yearstate educational agencies have had to pivot from providing short-term guidance to long-term remote learning plans.

For some, this means figuring out how to extend the infrastructure and policies designed for limited remote instructionlike snow day plansto support students for the rest of the school year. Still others are creating roadmaps for the first time.

Online learning is far from a new approach, said Candice Dodson, the executive director for the State Education Technology Directors Association. But even in cases when districts conducted e-learning for one- or two-week stretches, its nothing like this, she said.

Most states have canceled spring testing. By March 27, 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Bureau of Indian Education had all received or were seeking permission from the U.S. Department of Education to suspend or cancel these assessments.

And on Saturday, the education department released a fact sheet, aiming to clarify that federal special education law shouldnt prevent schools from offering remote learning opportunities , including for students with disabilities.

But there are still a lot of open questions for all students, about what instruction should actually look like, how it will be measured, and how it can be delivered if students dont have internet connectivity. So far, states guidance on remote instruction have left many of these decisions up to districts.

Brent Clark, the executive director of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, said his state agency has done a great job in working with districts, and that educators have put forth a heroic effort to get learning started again. But schools across the country are still in the beginning phases of figuring out how a remote system will work, he said.

Theres just a lot to reinvent in a few days in a system thats been built over 100 years, Clark added.

Adapting Existing E-Learning Plans

A SETDA report from late 2019 found that only 12 states had formal e-learning policies, while four more had some districts that were implementing remote learning days.

But those e-learning days were generally used for short-term school closures, such as snow days or other inclement weather events. And not all school systems in the state used them.

In response to long-term school shutdowns, some of these states, including Kentucky and New Hampshire, have planned to transition to remote learning for all districts for the duration.

In Kentucky, the education department shortened the application process for its nontraditional instruction, or NTI, program, so that the half of the districts in the state that werent currently participating could start immediately. The state passed a law allowing districts to request an unlimited number of NTI days. These days are counted as instructional days, and districts will have to report student and teacher participation to the state at the end of the schools shutdown.

Even in districts that have used the NTI program for years, instruction is going to look different, said David Cook, the director of the Kentucky Department of Educations division of innovation. They cant do review work for 20 days, or however many days its going to be. Theyre going to have to do some things that are introducing new material.

Still, he said, we probably cant deliver the entirety of the curriculum. Its going to be harder to do that at home. You cant teach it as quickly.

And not all districts started NTI right away. Jefferson County Public Schools, the largest district in the state with 98,000 students, sent them home with optional activities when schools closed earlier this month, but arent making the move to NTI until April 7.

Different Degrees of Guidance, Requirements

Other states have also required that instruction continue, issuing different degrees of guidance and requirements. These plans acknowledge that instruction is going to look dramatically different from how it did in the classroom, and that this will vary significantly from district to district.

We know that over the next two months, were not going to be able to replicate the type of learning thats been going on through the year, said Brad Neuenswander, the deputy commissioner of the division of learning services for the Kansas State Department of Education. The state was one of the first to come out with a comprehensive remote learning plan, after Gov. Laura Kelly shut down all school buildings for the remainder of the year.

We know that students want to be engaged with their teachers. We know that parents want their kids engaged, he said.

Still, the plan recommends much less instruction than would be in a regular school daya sliding scale that starts at no more than 30 minutes for preschoolers and kindergartners and no more than three hours total for grades 6-12. The document notes that students and teachers both may be dealing with stressors at home and limited internet, making longer expectations unreasonable.

Many state plans dont have any requirements for the length or format of lessons and activities, meaning that districts will have a lot of flexibility in demonstrating that they are providing instruction during closures.

In Texas, for example, schools are advised to attempt to retain some documentation that instruction is happening. This can take the form of grade books, but could also be demonstrated with samples of student work.

Other states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, have waived rules on mandated hours of instruction for the school calendar year, or said they wont penalize schools that fall short of these time requirements.

In Ohio, the department of education has encouraged districts to provide learning and enrichment opportunities during the period that students are out of regularly scheduled classes, but has acknowledged that figuring out who is actually participating could be a challenge. We recognize that attempting to track student attendance under such circumstances would be extremely complicated, reads guidance on the state department website. Consequently, students will be deemed to be in attendance during the non-spring-break periods included in the three-week closure.

District leaders are looking for maximum local flexibility, and for states to recognize that there are going to be variations in what remote learning looks like district by district, said Clark. He noted that Illinois has rural, suburban, and urban areas, all with different capabilities, a trait that it shares with many other states.

Still, he said, districts do need guardrails from the state agency for some matters, to ensure consistency. One, in particular, that Clark highlighted: grading.

In Illinois, for the closure period before March 30, grades could only be counted if they didnt negatively affect a students academic standing. But once districts move to online learning statewide after that date, its not yet clear how grades will be tallied, Clark said. (Other states have encouraged districts not to grade work, while some have said the question is up to districts to decide.)

Another unanswered question: How should students continue in career and technical education classes, in which they demonstrate proficiency through in-person tasks? Or in dual credit courses, which require collaboration with local colleges and universities, many of which are also closed?

In Kansas, Neuenswander said, some schools are already working with institutes of higher education on these questions.

The Illinois state agency has tried to be very responsive, Clark said, but the rapid school closures have left many challenges that states are still working through.

Digital Divide Now On Everyones Agenda

Concerns about CTE courses arent the only reason that not all remote learning can be done via e-learning. In issuing guidance, states have also had to provide options for students and teachers who dont have devices or connectivity.

Results from a recent Education Week survey of schools preparedness for coronavirus demonstrate that this guidance is likely necessary. Forty-one percent of school and district leaders surveyed said that they did not have the ability to provide every child with e-learning or distance learning for even one day .

Even if a family has a computer at home, they may only have one computer, said Dodson. This presents a problem in households where two parents are working from home, and multiple kids are expected to be doing online learning. Theres also a learning curve when it comes to new tools, and considerations for accommodating students with special needs and English-language learners, Dodson said.

The digital divide has long been a problem for K-12 students, she said. Now, it seems to be on everyones agenda.

In its guidance document for learning during the pandemic, the Consortium for School Networking suggests that schools consider all reasonable alternatives before switching to online instruction. States, too, are giving districts the option to continue learning via paper and pencil methods.

California law requires that students have access to standards-aligned materials in their core subjects, both at school and at home. But the states distance learning plan notes that expectation can be achieved through different strategies.

Its important to note that equitable access does not require that LEAs [local education agencies] offer the exact same content through the same channel for all students, the plan reads. Instead of abandoning a promising e-learning approach because not all students will have equal access to it from home, the plan should include an analysis of alternate deliveries of comparable educational content.

The Texas Education Association has published guidance for preparing and delivering packets that weighs the pros and cons of packet delivery versus pick-up, and offers suggestions for keeping student materials sanitary.

In Kentucky, districts have the option to use e-learning, paper-and-pencil work, or some combination of both. School meal delivery services in the state have been able to support continuing instruction, Cook said.

Theyre literally driving buses with food in one box and these packets in another box, and theyre delivering them to the families that dont have internet access, he said.

Data privacy is also a factor when considering print versus online learning, Clark said. Right now, he said, educators are trying very creative things to try to stay connected with kids. But over the long haul, he said, teachers are going to need more information about best practices in situations that may not have regularly come up in a classroom setting.

SETDA has tried to share state and district model plans that keep data privacy in the forefront, Dodson said. Student data privacy cannot just go out the window with this. We have to be very mindful of that, she said.

Remote Learning All Summer Long?

For now, some states are in an in-between period with remote instruction, having given districts a period of time to put together a long-term plan.

When schools first shut down in Washington state, districts had the option to start remote learning. Starting March 30, though, all districts will be required to start implementing a plan through the end of school closures in late April. In Minnesota, which closed school buildings statewide on March 18, districts also have until March 30 to start remote learning.

When Oklahoma first stopped in-person instruction on March 17, the state required that instruction stop too. This week, the state board of education approved a plan to start remote learning on April 6, through the end of the school year.

Its best to make plans to continue the year with learning and achievement and enrichment and the kind of supports that our kids need, but weve got to provide that with a different delivery, said State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister. Districts will have this time to identify barriers, and plan how they will reach all students, including those with limited connectivity, she said.

But other states arent requiring that remote learning occur at all. In Virginia, which has also closed school buildings through the end of the year, school divisions can provide continuous instruction. If they dont think they can provide equitable access, though, they have other options.

Unless you can embrace and include all students, all learners, then the best route is to take advantage of the flexibility the state board is going to offer in terms of providing waivers for school districts that cant make up all the time thats been lost, said Charles Pyle, a spokesman for the Virginia department of education, in an interview.

To cover the content that students would have learned this year, districts have other choices: They could integrate it into next years existing school calendar, or they could plan to extend this school year or the next.

While many states guidance documents dont mention summer learning yet, Neuenswander, in Kansas, said its possible that remote instruction could continue past the end of the traditional school year.

This could be one of the biggest summer learning debts that weve seen across the country. We want to eliminate as much of that as possible, he said. I think our teachers are going to understand we could do this all summer long.
March 26, 2020

Transcript

Marine Corps Officials Hold a Defense Department News Briefing on COVID-19 Efforts

Marine Corps Commandant General David H. Berger; Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps Troy E. Black; Thomas B. Modly, Acting Secretary Of The Navy; Rear Admiral James Hancock, Medical Officer Of The Marine Corps

STAFF: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

This morning, the secretary will provide remarks, and then we'll field questions by the commandant of the Marine Corps and sergeant major of the Marine Corps and the medical officer of the Marine Corps.

Sir?

ACTING SECRETARY OF THE NAVY THOMAS B. MODLY: Okay, thank you.

Good morning. Thanks again for what you do to keep the nation informed and for giving us a forum to -- to get information out. We appreciate it very much.

So good morning to all of you, and good morning to General Berger and Sergeant Major Black. Thanks for being here, and thanks for your leadership of the Marine Corps.

On Tuesday, I spoke to you about our efforts on the Navy side, and today we want to update you on the measures we are taking within the Marine Corps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

But before I do that, let me just give our latest Navy numbers so everyone's on the same page, in terms of where we are.

We have a total of 133 COVID-19-positive cases in the United States Navy. That's 104 active duty military, 23 civilians, 16 dependents, and 19 contractors.

I also want to give a quick update on the Teddy Roosevelt, which we spoke about the other day. We are -- we found several more cases on board the ship. We are in the process now of testing 100 percent of the crew of that ship to ensure that -- that we don't -- that we were able to contain whatever spread might have occurred there on the ship. And -- but I also want to emphasize that the ship is operationally capable and can do its mission if -- if required to do so.

So the ship is pulling into Guam. It will be pier-side. No one on the crew will be allowed to leave anywhere into Guam other than on pier-side. And we are already starting the process of testing 100 percent of the crew to ensure that -- that we've got that contained.

The sailors who have been flown off the ship are currently doing fine. None of them have been required to be hospitalized because their symptoms are very mild, their aches and pains and those types of things, sore throats but nothing that required hospitalization. So they're in quarantine now on Guam.

With respect to the Marine Corps, as of today, we have 44 positive tests for COVID-19 within the Marine Corps; 31 military, five civilian, five dependents and three contractors. We are continuing to take actions across the force to prevent the spread of the disease, contain any potential outbreaks and recover the force as quickly as possible.

We're doing all this across our integrated naval force in partnership with the Joint Force and our whole-of-government approach. We continue to provide quarantine support at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for American citizens returning from home from areas impacted by the virus.

We provided commanders and supervisors guidance to help personnel and families impacted by official travel restrictions and delays.

This supplemental guidance will help commanders identify personnel, policies, pay, benefits and flexibilities to help minimize the risk to Marines, respond to evolving situations and to ensure the readiness of the force. This guidance covers topics such as alternative places of duty, telework, leave and liberty along with subsistence, housing, family separation, temporary living and restriction of movement allowances.

General Berger recently published a white letter to all commanders and senior enlisted leaders describing our expectation of commanders and giving them the leeway to make decisions to preserve the force. And I'll obviously give him some time to talk about that if you -- if you'd like to hear more about that.

To help with social distancing, General Berger also has directed much of the headquarters and Marine Corps staff to remain at home to telework if they have the capability. Our intent is to maximize virtual conferences, meetings, classes and telework to alleviate large office crowding as consistent with the CDC guidance.

We have scaled back or canceled several service-level exercises to include exercises in Twentynine Palms and our Mountain Warfare Training Center.

We canceled scheduled training with our partner nations to prevent the spread of the virus. We remain fully transparent in reporting any positive tests on our installations to the local communities.

In that spirit, I want to confirm that a Marine stationed at the Pentagon tested positive for COVID-19 on March 24th. Per U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines, the Marine is currently in isolation at his home and will undergo further assessment by health professionals.

The Marine followed official guidance by isolating himself when his spouse began to show some symptoms. Once he became ill, he contacted his assigned medical facility. His workspace has been cleaned by a Pentagon response team and a thorough contact investigation is currently under way to mitigate risk and to preserve the health of our Marines, civilians, and families.

The Marine was last inside the Pentagon on March 13th. Two individuals were advised to self-isolate due to close contact with this individual and the Pentagon, and both those individuals are currently asymptomatic.

Effective immediately, naval recruiters will temporarily transition to prospecting via digital and telephone means only. Marine recruiters will not be meeting in person with prospects or with applicants. Both Marine Corps recruit depots have implemented formal screening measures to identify possible cases of COVID-19 in recruits upon their arrival to the depot, as well as prior to traveling to the depot during their in-processing at the military entrance processing stations; we call those MEPS. Those who present any symptoms receive follow-on assessment to protect the health of our communities and sustain force health in -- force health and generation. At this time we -- we know that at least two recruits have tested positive for the virus down at Parris Island, but no instructors have tested positive.

Recent test results confirmed also that two Marines stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, have also tested for COVID-19. Those Marines are already in quarantine when they were notified of their test results. Both of those Marines worked in offices independent and separate from the recruit training locations. They are in -- as I mentioned, we just received -- received word that there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 with recruits.

Public graduation ceremonies have been closed to the public until further notice to minimize the spread of the -- spread of the virus to the force and to their families. The depots have also implemented other health protection measures, to include spatial distancing in common areas like the chow hall, squad bays, and classrooms. We expect leaders to apply judgment to all situations and implement force health protection measures in order to preserve the force and our mission. Our commanders are empowered to take necessary precautions because the virus is unique to every situation and in every location.

We will continue to assess and modify as needed future global force management for deployment and redeployment plans for the next 60 days. Today, roughly 37,000 Marines are forward-deployed or forward-stationed. Those preparing for deployment continue to do so, while taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Marine Corps and our entire integrated naval force remains committed to mission readiness during this COVID-19 pandemic. We stand ready to answer the nation's call, while also preserving the force and our communities, and of course, our families.

Thank you. We look forward to your questions.

STAFF: Sir, we'll start on the phone. Bob Burns, Associated Press?

Q: Yes, thank you. Can you hear me?

STAFF: Yes, we hear you. Go ahead, Bob.

Q: Okay, Bob Burns from AP. I have a question for both commandant and the secretary.

General Berger, the secretary just mentioned briefly the reductions and cancellations of various exercises and training. I'm wondering if you can give a more broad assessment of the -- the -- the degree to which training has been impaired here. Is it, like, given all the restraints, including the stop movement order from Secretary Esper yesterday, is -- is training been reduced by, say, 50 percent or more?

And then if I could also ask a question of the secretary. You mentioned the 103 active duty Navy have been tested positive. I don't know precisely the comparison with the other services, but that seems to be higher than the other services, and I'm -- I'm wondering whether there's an explanation for why the infection rate seems to be higher in the Navy. Thank you.

SEC. MODLY: Well, let me answer that question first, then I'll turn it over to General Berger on the -- the other question about the training piece.

I think we are trending higher. I think some data that I saw this morning showed that we are probably a third of all the active-duty people that have tested positive are within the Navy and -- and Marine Corps. I don't have a reason for that. I -- I -- it would be speculation for me to try to give you a reason for why that has happened.

I -- I will say that we -- our forces are all over the world, all the time. That may have something to do with it, and they -- we also have big fleet concentration areas such as San Diego and Norfolk and other areas, where we have a lot of people that are together. But that's all speculation. We have not done the forensics yet on -- on where -- where these individual sailors contracted the disease, and until we know that, it just wouldn't -- it would be irresponsible for me to say why we think this is happening.

General Berger?

MARINE CORPS COMMANDANT GENERAL DAVID H. BERGER: Yes. As far as training, I think -- I -- I wouldn't -- I don't know if 50 percent -- I don't know the exact percentage. We haven't calculated it. I would say, though, that as the secretary mentioned, the -- the unique part about the Navy and Marine Corps team is this is your force in readiness that has to be ready to respond to a problem around the world, and we've -- we've never been given advance notice when that'll happen, so we have to be ready all the time.

So the -- the commanders, the guidance to them is pretty clear: Our force has to be ready to respond when we're given the direction to do so. So you need to conduct a training that's necessary to maintain your readiness. Now, they have changed the way that they're training and -- and to a large degree, where there's not large bodies in a close, confined space. They've spread it out, and they've curtailed some training that was nice to do, good to do, but not absolutely necessary for their mission-essential tasks.

So they've tailored it, but I think you expect your Marine Corps and -- and your Navy to be ready to go when -- when called to do so, and that's what they're training -- that's what their responsibility is.

STAFF: Mike Glenn?

Q: Yes, sir.

About the basic training graduations, when I graduated from basic is was important for my -- my -- my parents, it was important for them to be there because I accomplished something, finally, in my life. How -- what are you doing to allow them -- allow parents -- I mean, are you putting it on closed circuit, or you know, some sort of videotaping it or something so they can watch it at home.

SEC. MODLY: Yeah, they are. You want to answer the rest of that? I know -- correct. Everything is being televised live and recorded both. You -- you want to add anything, Sergeant Major?

SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE MARINE CORPS TROY E. BLACK: I had a couple tours of -- of depots as a drill instructor, so I -- I understand how important that those events are for the families and -- and for the recruits, new Marines that are getting ready to graduate. So this is a unique time. We're trying to find a unique answer to be able to provide that same sort of experience. It's not going to be the same as sitting at the bleachers at a graduation. There's just no way to replicate that, but there is some digital record of it that that's going to be transitioned with the new Marine, and they'll have that in their -- in their capacity to have that.

STAFF: Gina Harkins? Gina, are you there?

Q: Good morning. Thanks for doing this.

So as you know, some of these services, you know, the Navy in particular have taken some aggressive measures to keep troops from gathering in groups. They're delaying fitness testing, promotion selection boards, relaxing grooming standards. Is the Marine Corps moving out on any of those policies? And if not, why not?

GEN. BERGER: I want to address each one individually, but where they make sense, yes. Things like grooming standards  barber shops in one area may be open, and in another base they may be closed. So we very much trust the leaders to make those calls, and we've given them the latitude to waive requirements where it's not practical to meet them. So because the -- the flu, like other pandemics, is different area to area, region to region, we've not said all grooming standards are relaxed for a given period of time. But what we have said is all commanders have the latitude to make adjustments based on what's available at your location.

I don't know if that answers exactly what you're asking, Gina.

Q: It does. And what about promotions board meeting, fitness tests?

GEN. BERGER: Promotion board's pretty fascinating. This is an area where over the last week, week and a half -- and I suppose probably the other service are the same -- looking at really creative ways for how you would run a promotion board.

Instead of, in other words, everybody being in one room staring at a computer screen discussing one Marine at a time, we're now looking at either we might have to delay it, or is it possible to spread across two or three rooms electronically with video teleconference capability and still be able to have the promotion board run on time, but you would be spread across multiple rooms.

So it's driving us to be pretty creative. And I -- again -- I suppose the other services are doing the same.

In some cases we'll delay things, in other cases that I think like always, younger leaders are coming up with really creative ideas for how to -- how to accomplish it but in a different way.

STAFF: Tara.

Q: Thank you. Tara Copp with McClatchy.

I was wondering how boot camp has changed now, or what adjustments have you made with the personal grooming or is everybody still getting their head shaved? What's going on there?

GEN. BERGER: Everybody's still getting their head shaved as long as the barbers come to work. But they are -- like here, he's smiling. You probably got the same, right, I imagine?

But there will come that time if it gets worse and worse and worse where barbers won't come to work. In that case, you know, we'll have to make a decision: Do Marines cut Marines' hair? Do we make adjustments? And we'll -- the commanders at both of our recruit depots have thought their way through it.

I think on the preventive side is the -- as the secretary mentioned, those who are going through the military entrance processing center and then onto Parris Island or San Diego, they're being isolated for a period of time to have a good look at them, to observe them before training starts, where normally they would have that period after boot camp -- like I'm probably sure you did for leave afterwards. We've just moved that to the front end.

So now, when you get to Parris Island or San Diego, you're in isolation for a period of time so we can observe and make sure everybody's healthy to go to start training day one.

But during training -- I don't know if you heard major adjustments during training, Sergeant Major, let me ask you.

SGT. MAJ. BLACK: Ma'am, that's a great question.

Again, here's my experience in the environment. There are challenges. It's kind of a new opportunity.

But social distancing is one of the largest hurdles right now in the environment, because it is closed. However, in our dining facilities, recruits are spread out more than they probably would be. Inside squad bays, they're spread out more than they normally would be. Hygiene's always a priority and cleanliness is always a high priority inside of recruit training, because inherently, no matter what, you bring people from across America, in one close space, there's challenges. That's a good thing, because there's already a heightened sense of hygiene already in that environment.

So imagine those things right now and making minor adjustments to the training schedule. But right now there's no significant impacts to what that product is at the end, which is a U.S. Marine.

Q: And then as a follow up, have any of the Marine Corps cases been aboard ships?

GEN. BERGER: None that I know of. There might be, but none that I'm aware of yet. No.

Q: And then if I may one last one, Mr. Secretary, for Navy personnel on the ships that tested positive, how did you get the tests to test the entire ship? And where are those tests going now to be processed?

SEC. MODLY: So on the carriers, on -- on the large-deck ships we have the capability to test in a lab there on the ship. So that's, sort of, our limiting factor right now: they can process through a certain number a day. And so we are looking at ways now to not only test -- maximize that capacity on the ship to test, but also to send some of those swab tests out to some of the other DOD labs for -- for testing.

STAFF: Shawn Snow? Shawn, are you there?

Q: General Berger, thank you for doing this.

I was wondering if you could address this idea that there's a general sense that the Marine Corps is not being a responsible stakeholder.

Pictures are still flowing in of large-scale mass formations, rifle ranges are still ongoing, exercises still kicking off as far as I know, 3/1 still has a large-scale ITX slated at Twentynine Palms in April, and barber shops on Marine bases are still open in states with stay-at-home orders.

How much readiness is impacted by the Corps just simply staying put for a couple months or altering its training to use more virtual trainers or academic classes? Thank you.

GEN. BERGER: I think it's the -- if the pictures look different to you, Shawn, if they look unique, it's probably because it's true, the Marine Corps is unique. And we are mandated by law to be the nation's most ready force, and that's what I think you expect us to be.

The exercise you referred to at Twentynine Palms -- I'm not sure where you're getting your information from -- will not go in April, and we made that decision a couple days ago. So again, I'm not sure where you're pulling your information from but it may be dated a day or two.

The training that we do have to do -- for example, like the sergeant major said, at recruit training or officer candidate training, some of that is absolutely necessary and everything from where they live to martial arts training, some of that is pretty close and up personal .

But we're very confident that both the -- the leadership that supervises that training and the medical capabilities needed to respond to it are all in place.

All the right measures, I'm confident, are being taken. And the right exercises are either -- the exercises are either being postponed or canceled completely.

STAFF: Megan Eckstein.

Q: Yes. Thank you very much.

A clarification first, and then a question for the both of you. You mentioned earlier that there was some modifications taking place to training events that are going forward, just to allow for social distancing. I wonder if you had any examples you could share.

And then for the both of you, I know that the Marine Corps is obviously going through some major efforts right now with the Integrated Naval FSA as well as the Force Design 2030 effort. And I wonder how those are being impacted whether it's, you know, an inability to do wargaming and simulation efforts or just, you know, challenges with budgeting folks teleworking, just any impacts that you might be seeing?

BERGER: I think in terms of training, I'm trying to think of a good -- kind of a visual example where you could picture it in your mind, but I would say on something like a pistol range, where all of us might be this close to each other, lined up on a pistol range on a detail, they'll spread them out now, just like we are in this room, and maybe run more relays than they would normally run to keep a spread between Marines where -- where they can.

If it's a live-fire exercise, okay, you can only do so much to moderate social distancing when you're moving down-range. So each type of training, commanders taking the measures they can that make sense. But also making sure that their units are ready, are trained and ready to go.

The second part of your question, on force design -- and I'll turn it over to the secretary, but no impact to that. That's -- we're not going to spend time talking about it today, but the quick answer is no impact to that planning that I know of. It's just a little harder to do electronically and it's distributed but not stopped, I don't think. You know, that's --

SEC. MODLY: No, as you know, Megan, that's a good question.

And we -- we've been pretty aggressive at trying to look at this over the last several months. And the deputy secretary is now leading an effort to look at the overall force structure, which we are participating in, obviously, as well as the new carrier study that I launched a couple weeks ago, as well as sort of looking at our 355-plus plan and how we're going to do all that. All that work is continuing. And actually a lot of that work sort of lends itself to it not having to be in the same place. So I think that's fine.

And the bigger concerns I have, sort of -- is sort of the budget development process. Because as you know, we do that well in advance. And I think we're still trying to get our arms around what are the impacts of this virus going to be in terms of readiness that we're going to have to make up. So I think that's the only thing. But, you know, we're working this all in real time and no one's stopped.

Q: Okay. I know all those efforts require, you know, heavy modeling and simulation efforts with some of the computer labs that are set up at DOD facilities. Can that still take place now?

SEC. MODLY: Well, that's going to be -- that's going to be the bigger part of the challenge, I think. You know, we're integrating with the War College on this as well. They're -- basically have all gone virtual right now, so we're going to have to think through how we do all that.

Q: Okay, thank you.

STAFF: -- Politico? Politico, Lara, are you there?

Q: Hi, sorry. Can you hear me?

STAFF: Yes.

Q: Okay, great. Thanks -- thanks for doing this.

I was wondering if you could tell me, the secretary earlier this morning in an interview, Reuters, was saying that he was going to -- the Pentagon's going to stop providing such granular information on the coronavirus.

I'm just wondering how this applies to the Navy. Are you still going to be giving us updates on the number of people who are getting tested on the ships, as you've currently been doing, and how many cases you've been having on the ships and in these -- these hotspots?

SEC. MODLY: Well, I think we're trying to be as responsive and transparent as possible in this. I think it's important that people understand where we are, how it's impacting us. But there - we have to balance that against operational concerns as well as privacy concerns.

So we're trying to develop the balance on that. It had been our policy not to really discuss where -- what ships were impacted, but obviously the information about the T.R. came out and we felt it was responsible for us to come out and give you all the straight story about what's happening there.

So we will follow the direction of the secretary of defense in terms of -- in terms of this, but from our -- from our perspective, from my perspective, being as transparent as possible is probably the best path.

STAFF: Jennifer?

Q: Secretary Modly, if I could follow up on what you said about tests on ships being available and labs on ship. I thought that we were told, 24 hours ago, that there weren't labs on ships, that they had to do the -- the testing, the swab testing and fly those off to labs on land. Has that changed?

And do you have the ability now, on all ships, to not only test -- you have enough swab kits -- but you also can put them through labs on board the ships?

SEC. MODLY: So, Jennifer, I think this is just --

MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE MARINE CORPS REAR ADMIRAL JAMES HANCOCK: Sir, yes. Thank you for the question.

Yes, no, we -- we do fly them off and they go en masse. We're working with industry, really, to answer that question. We would like a point-of-care testing, as you know, as well as our civilian counterparts. But we're just not there yet. What we can do is do surveillance testing. So we do it across the ship, so we know that.

As you guys know -- Force Health Protection's not new to us. The coronavirus is a novel virus. Viruses are not novel to the Navy and the Marine Corps. We do this every day, that's the reason that we're being responsive to it. Thank you.

Q: But just to follow up, when you say that you're going to test all 5,000 people on board the Roosevelt, those will be swab tests or surveillance testing?

SEC. MODLY: It's going to be a -- let me answer this one, because I just had a -- a call with -- with our medical people on this. It's going to be a combination of whatever we have available for us to do that.

And my understanding, we'll have to get you a more precise answer to that question. I know the small ships don't have the ability to test on board. But it's my understanding that on the larger ships, we do have the ability to do some limited testing on board. But that --

Q: Limited, so are you short of test swabs on board something like the T.R. Roosevelt?

SEC. MODLY: T.R. has approximately 800 kits on board. We're flying more on there today as we speak. So, they will have more brought in to help solve this problem.

Q: Okay.

And, General Berger, just in terms of the barbershops being open, you're still bringing barbers from outside the bases into -- from civilian community into the Marine bases to cut hair. And is that really a good idea?

GEN. BERGER: It varies base to base, as the last week has shown, where they've going from health protection condition A to B to C. Now countrywide in C. It has -- it has varied base to base.

Is it a good idea? We keep the commissaries open, keep the exchanges open, keep as many functions as we can to support the families. And we are planning, though, like the other services are, to reach a point where they don't come to work, it's not safe to do so. And then we'll make adjustments.

STAFF: Sylvie, you'll get the last question with AFP.

Q: Hello. Thank you. This is Sylvie Lanteaume from AFP.

I -- I understand -- this is a question for the secretary.

I understand the Mercy is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles on Friday. What about Comfort? Where do you expect it to arrive in New York?

SEC. MODLY: Well, we've -- we've -- thanks for the question.

We've accelerated the plan for Comfort. We had been originally been looking at April 3rd, but in all likelihood she's going to be getting underway this weekend. So hopefully she'll be there in New York by the early part of next week.

Q: Monday? Tuesday?

SEC. MODLY: Yeah, I'd rather not give a firm date on that. So -- but, we're -- I'm actually going to be going down there to the ship either tomorrow or Saturday. So sometime after that she'll be leaving.

And it will all depend on her transit time and how well she's functioning on the -- on the -- on the route up there, but I would say within a couple days of that.

Q: Can I ask one clarification on your response on the testing aboard the Roosevelt?

So, does the Roosevelt have the ability to process the tests or are those tests being flown off? I'm -- I was confused by the initial response and then the clarification.

SEC. MODLY: So -- so what was explained to me this morning is that there is some limited ability to do testing on the ship itself.

Q: To process -- to not only swab, but process them?

SEC. MODLY: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Q: Okay.

And then can you tell us how -- you said several more sailors had tested positive or were being -- can you give us a number, how many there were?

SEC. MODLY: There were three initial. There were five more that were flown off the ship or in the process of being flown off the ship. And then there are several others that are in isolation right now.

But as I said, the ship is going to be pulling into Guam and then they're going to figure out from there who needs to come off, who needs to -- who can stay on, looking at the level of symptoms and things like that.

STAFF: Any final remarks --

Q: Guam was where the initial sailors were or -- because you all -- you all were a little, sort of, hesitant about saying initially where they went. But it -- it was actually Guam, right?

SEC. MODLY: That's where the ship is going. So, yes.

STAFF: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.

Q: Thank you.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2127585/

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






On Mar 26, news of two extremely unfortunate scenarios surfaced. First, the Department of Labor reported that initial jobless claims by Americans jumped to a historic high 3.28 million for the week ended Mar 21, on account of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Second, the number of people affected by the deadly virus in the United States surpassed China and Italy with the death toll crossing 1,000.



Yet, at the end of yesterday's trading session, the three major stock indexes  the Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite  rallied 6.4%, 6.2% and 5.6%, respectively. Notably, the Dow and the S&P 500 posted three consecutive days of gains for the first time since Feb 6 and 12, respectively.



In fact, in the last three days, the Dow surged 21.3%  best three-day stretch since 1931. The S&P 500 climbed 17.6%, reflecting its best three-day streak since 1933. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite advanced 13.7% in the last three days.



Bad News Generates Rally in a Highly Oversold Market



The market has been so oversold in the past five weeks that even a bad news, except for the worst case scenario, will not deter market participants from buying good stocks at an attractive valuation. This is because the bad news is already factored in or priced in market valuation. 3.28 million of jobless claims were better compared with more than 4 million expected by some industry researchers.



In fact, in the near future, we may witness several bad news and economic data. A large number of analysts have already predicted that the second quarter U.S. GDP will decline by more than 20%. We may see several weak estimates for other metrics also. However, the stock market recovery will not cease unless the actual data represents the worst case scenario.



This is primarily because of extremely low stock market valuation owing to overselling, mostly panic selling due to the unprecedented non-financial hazard to global financial markets. The Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite are still down 23.7%, 22.3% and 20.7%, respectively, from their all-time highs recorded in last month, even after the historic rally of last three days.



Good News Drives Market Rally



Aside from the bad news, some good news has also surfaced. The U.S. government and the Fed have already decided upon unprecedented fiscal and monetary packages worth more than $6 trillion together. Moreover, the central bank has reduced the Fed fund rate to 0-0.25%.



Beside United States, internationally another $5 trillion of stimulus is expected to be generated in next few weeks. Several important members of the Eurozone, the U.K., Japan and China entered this league. Furthermore, prominent emerging economies like Singapore, India and Malaysia are also injecting large sums of money to restore the sagging global economy.



Upward Revision of EPS Estimates: A Crucial Indicator



An upward earnings per share (EPS) estimate revision for 2020 of any stock simply means the market is expecting these companies to do good business this year. However, in the past 30 days most stocks witnessed either negative EPS revisions or remained flat due to coronavirus pandemic.



Meanwhile, a positive EPS estimate revision during the period of historic financial turmoil highlights solid business model and robust growth potential of these companies. Investors can certainly take a look at this stocks at the moment.



Our Top Picks



We have narrowed down our search to five large-cap stocks with positive EPS estimate revision in either last seven or 30 days. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks in the past month.

Story continues

Microsoft Corp. MSFT is one of the largest broad-based technology providers in the world. It dominates the PC software market with more than 80% of the market share for Windows operating systems.



The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 18.5% for the current year (ending June 2020). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 0.2% over the past seven days. The stock price is still 18.1% below its 52-week high.



Amazon.com Inc. AMZN is engaged in the retail sale of consumer products and subscriptions in North America and internationally. It operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services. It sells merchandise and content purchased for resale from third-party sellers through physical and online stores.



The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 19.2% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 0.3% over the past seven days. The stock price is still 10.5% below its 52-week high.



Leidos Holdings Inc. LDOS provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Defense Solutions, Civil and Health.



The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 9.3% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 0.5% over the past seven days. The stock price is still 26.4% below its 52-week high.



Costco Wholesale Corp. COST operates membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and Taiwan. It offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories.



The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 6.8% for the current year (ending August 2020). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 0.3% over the past seven days. The stock price is still 10.1% below its 52-week high.



MarketAxess Holdings Inc. MKTX is a leading multi-dealer trading platform that offers institutional investors access to global liquidity in products like U.S. high-grade corporate bonds, emerging markets and high-yield bonds, European bonds, U.S. agency bonds credit derivatives and other fixed-income securities.



The company has an expected earnings growth rate of 13.3% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 2.3% over the past 30 days. The stock price is still 16.3% below its 52-week high.



The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All



Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.



See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

Click to get this free report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MKTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research
Xiaofang Guo informs Chinese nationals in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens about the true nature of the Chinese Communist Party, in New York. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Telling Chinese People the Truth About the CCP

Its not just Americans who are only now realizing the extent of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) influence and its deceptionsmany Chinese living in mainland China are in the same boat.

For nearly 20 years, Jianglan Xiao has taken sharing the truth with the Chinese people as her mission. Working from California, shes trying to warn people in China about the CCPs lies. With the rise of the CCP virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, they are starting to really listen.

The CCP is capable of vile, outright evil, and it carries out these acts in broad daylight, said Xiao, who grew up in China. I know, because I know the CCP, she said.

Xiaos father was a school president, which meant that during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 70s, he was sent to labor campsbut not before being publicly denounced and humiliated. This was the norm for all scholars and intellectuals. As a child, she didnt understand what was happening; she only thought that if everyone was saying her father was bad, he must have been bad.

For years, she felt ashamed of him and didnt even want to call him her father.

Thats the level of brainwashing the CCP is capable of meting out, Xiao said. It isnt something many in the West can understand, having never experienced it firsthand.

Turning Points

But, in 1998, Xiaos world changed. She was gifted a book by a kind dentist she met who had made an impression on her. When she read it, she realized it was a guide to being a better person.

Zhuan Falun, the main text of the spiritual practice Falun Gong, teaches truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Xiao realized it was completely at odds with the culture she lived in, but that was who she now wanted to be. She took up the practice and did the five meditative exercises every day.

A year later, Xiao got married and moved to the United States. Only a few months after her move, she heard some very upsetting news. Her sister told her that in China, Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) had been officially banned by the Chinese Communist Party and that those who refused to renounce the practice were being detained and sent to re-education campsin other words, brainwashing centers.

At the time, in 1999, the number of Falun Gong practitioners in China had risen to an estimated 70 million to 100 millionmany more than the number of CCP members.

While Xiao was shocked, she knew what the CCP was capable of and could see why the Party wouldnt want something so antithetical to its culture to thrive.

Falun Dafa teaches us to be good people, she said. The CCP does not want us to be good people.

For Xiao, the CCPs actions also cemented the fact that the Party stood for evil; how else could one be opposed to truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance? Far worse, the CCP began a vicious propaganda campaign that deceived Chinese citizens into believing that the persecution of the peaceful practice was justified.

Calling China

In 2001, from her home in California, Xiao and an elderly neighbor began calling people inside China to try to share the truth with them.

This was back before we had cellphones, she said. Some people would scold and curse us, and sometimes I just had to put the receiver down until they were out of steam. And then some of them would listen, and some would believe.

All media in China are state-run and publish the same Party propaganda. With nowhere else to turn to for information, everyone with whom Xiao spoke believed the CCPs lies. But we had to let them know [the truth], she said.

Xiao made many calls in those first years, in her spare time. Over the past 10 years, Xiao said, she has dedicated one morning per week to making the calls. And since the spread of the CCP virus, she has been trying to do more whenever she can.

Xiao, and others like her, try to call police stations and centers that are involved in the persecution of Falun Gong. Often, they speak to people directly involved in the oppressionthose who say they have orders to go to practitioners homes, confiscate their books and belongings, and make arrests.

The listeners are almost always terrified, Xiao added, but she and other callers appeal to their humanity, and sometimes that approach works. Some listeners realize that the CCP is wrong but are scared to challenge the Party. Others will stay on the line for only a few seconds before hanging up, but will stay on longer during a subsequent call, listening for minutes at a time.

Tuidang

Women at the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party in Flushing, New York, June 25, 2014. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times)

In 2004, amid this brutal persecution of Falun Gong, The Epoch Times published Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. The editorial series detailed the history of the CCP and laid bare its crimes against humanity. The truth shocked Chinese people living in China and abroad, and sparked a global movement to quit the CCP, also known as tuidang (quitting the party).

The series has since been made available in 33 languages and has inspired more than 350 million people to quit the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, to date.

Since the publication of the series, and the start of the movement, Xiao and other callers have asked listeners to withdraw from the CCP.

CCP Virus Coverup

Things took another turn with the rise of the CCP virus.

Last December, we already knew about the CCP virus, that it started in Wuhan, but they didnt want to listen, Xiao said. At the time, the CCP was still covering up all news of the virus as if it wasnt spreading in China.

By January, the dam had broken, and people appeared to be starved for the truth.

Since January, they listened very well, Xiao said. But it was short-lived.

Only a week or two later, telephone calls began to be preceded by an automated message from the state reminding citizens to not spread rumors. The reminder that the surveillance state was watching spooked listeners. Xiao noticed that more people were suddenly hanging up on the calls.

Outreach in New York

In New York, Xiaofang Guo tries to share information with the large population of Chinese nationals she sees on Main Street in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens. She has been persecuted herself by the CCP, detained in a labor camp for more than a year between 2011 and 2013, for practicing Falun Gong.

Most people dont want to listen, Guo said. Even so, shes been trying to reach out regularly, since 2015.

Guo describes what sounds like a thankless job. Sometimes, people call her a liar, say the CCP is good because it pays them, and tell her the persecution is long over or even that its perfectly normal for that sort of persecution to take place in China. Shes had people shout at her, curse at her, and violently grab materials out of her hands and throw them on the ground.

Theyve listened to all of the lies for 20 years, Guo said. Even outside of China, many of the people she speaks to get their news from China-run media sources.

The CCPs reach is long enough that even those who understand the lies are too scared to speak out, or even be seen listening to the truth.

Theyll say they still have to go back to Chinatheyre really scared, Guo said.

Then there are some who will listen to her, then ask specific questions. They want to know if Guo can refute the CCPs talking points. After listening to facts and reason, they might even tell Guo they are thankful for her mission and now support Falun Gong.

I want to save Chinese people from the lies, Guo said. I really think I have a mission to do this.
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: The first coronavirus death in Rajasthans Bhilwara on Thursday, coupled with the fact that nearly half the number of confirmed cases in the state belong to this district, has set off alarm bells about Bhilwara becoming the epicentre of the virus in the state. The 73-year-old patient was suffering from chronic kidney disease and diabetes and later tested positive for Covid-19. He was admitted to the Brajesh Bangar Hospital in Bhilwara district after a brain stroke on March 3 and stayed there till March 11 before being transferred.

On Thursday evening, his son and granddaughter too tested positive, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 43. The question uppermost on the minds of health facilitators is whether the victim contracted the disease from one of the doctors, who was found affected on March 20, after an asymptomatic returnee from Saudi Arabia visited the hospital. While the state government searches for answers to these questions, it is faced with a huge challenge posed by the outbreak in Bhilwara. Consider this: after the first doctor tested positive, two more doctors and three nurses and para-medics, besides three other persons came down with the deadly virus. Eighteen of the 43 confirmed cases in the desert state belong to Bhilwara.

FOLLOW OUR CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

What has spooked the state government is that the hospital treated thousands of patients before the doctors and nurses tested positive for Covid-19, raising concerns that they may have infected others as well. This forced the Bhilwara administration to impose curfew in the entire district and seal all exits. Twenty-five other persons found to have been in immediate contact of affected doctors and health personnel were immediately quarantined. The administration ordered a complete lockdown, sealed markets and launched an all-out screening of 3.5 lakh people in 80,000 households. The exercise is halfway through, but the district magistrate has now alerted neighbouring districts, that a few patients who attended the hospitals were also suspects and needed to be tracked immediately.

Bhilwara Collector Rajendra Bhatt said, Other collectors have been sent lists and details of the people who could have come in contact with the positive cases. They have been asked to get them all screened. Additional Chief Secretary, Medical and Health Department Rohit Kumar Singh said that Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have started working on a war footing and RRTs from Udaipur have also been summoned to render all public places such as hospitals, railway and bus stations and religious places in Bhilwara infection-free. He said samples of 25 patients suspected with the disease have been brought to Jaipur and tested out of which 10 tested negative, while results of the other 15 samples were inconclusive.

Doctors said the coronavirus impact was earlier concentrated near the hospital, but now it seems to be moving towards the community stage. They said till now doctors, nursing workers and other staff were the ones to be found positive, but now patients who had been in contact with them, or even others contacted by the medical personnel are turning out to be positive. The real worry is that it is spreading even out of Bhilwara district and many of them may not be easily tracked before they have done the damage, said a doctor. Meanwhile, all cases found positive have been kept in isolation. Others with milder symptoms or suspected cases have been advised quarantine, with some being isolated at home. Health Minister Raghu Sharma remained confident that the crisis would be tackled effectively. We think the condition is under control and the CM along with senior officials and health experts are tracking all developments.

Whats happening

March 20: A doctor treating patients at Brijesh Bangar Hospital tests positive

March 21: Two other doctors and three nurses and para-medical staff also infected

March 22: Bhilwara district becomes first city in India put under curfew

March 23: District administration mounts door-to-door survey

18 out of 43 confirmed cases in Rajasthan belong to Bhilwara

300 teams of auxiliary nurse midwifes, Asha workers tasked with surveying 80,000 households

3.5 lakh people to be screened, the highest in India

25,000 households in rural and urban Bhilwara already screened

506 people tracked by rapid response teams
CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  A Chicago man is facing several preliminary charges, including violating the local travel advisory, after an alleged intoxicated police chase Friday morning. At the start, police said he had clothes on. By the end, he was naked and lying in a field, according to police.

About 1:10 Friday morning, Indiana State Police were called to Interstate 65 northbound in Clinton County for a report of a reckless driver. ISP said the man was driving about 40 miles per hour, swerving and driving without headlights.

Francis Joseph mugshot Francis Joseph mugshot

A police chase began when troopers tried to pull the car over after the driver got off at the State Road 28 exit. The chase went into Tippecanoe County and eventually ended in Clinton County when the driver tried to drive through a field. Police said the car became stuck and the driver, 26-year-old Francis Joseph, ran away with only one shoe on.

A Boone County K9 eventually found Joseph in a field. According to police, Joseph was laying on his back naked. Joseph didn't provide a reason as to why he took his clothes off.

Joseph was taken to the Clinton County Jail on preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, operating while intoxicated endangerment, reckless driving, criminal recklessness and violation of local travel advisory.

Gov. Eric Holcomb's 'stay at home' began Wednesday.
GoDaddy says it has a human review process that effectively detects and disrupts fraudulent content.

Boston: Internet firm Namecheap is ending the automated registration of website names related to the COVID-19 pandemic, an attempt to combat coronavirus-related fraud, while top domain registries such as GoDaddy have taken down some suspicious websites.

Los Angeles-based Namecheap Inc. made the pledge after a federal judge in Texas ordered the takedown of a website the US Department of Justice accused of stealing credit card information while offering fake coronavirus vaccine kits. The website allegedly offered what it claimed were World Health Organization vaccine kits in exchange for a $4.95 shipping charge.

There is currently no vaccine for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Experts say it will take 12 to 18 months to develop one.

The DOJ said the site, coronoavirusmedicalkit.com, was harvesting credit card information. The site registered that domain with Namecheap.

Namecheap CEO Richard Kirkendall said in an email to customers Thursday that the company was banning terms such as coronavirus, COVID and vaccine from the company's domain availability search tool. He said company employees could manually register legitimate domains.

The largest US domain registry business, Arizona-based GoDaddy, has not adopted a similar policy but spokesman Dan Race said it has a human review process that effectively detects and disrupts fraudulent content.

Toronto-based Tucows Inc., a top competitor whose retail registration business is called Hover, has also not removed virus-related keywords from its customer-facing search engine. The company is, however, flagging all covid and corona domains for manual review, spokesman Graeme Bunton said. It is looking in particular for fake tests and cures.

Cybersecurity firms have reported a big jump in coronavirus-related internet domains in recent weeks, and say many are the work of cybercriminals sowing malware, scamming the public with false cures and harvesting payment card and other personal information. One cybersecurity firm reported discovering a malicious data-stealing program masquerading as a virus information map.

The New York Attorney General's office wrote Namecheap, GoDaddy and other major U.S. registrars on March 20 asking them to take aggressive measures against the illegal use of coronoavirus domains, including blocking the rapid registration of virus-related domains.

In a tweet the same day the letter was sent, GoDaddy said it had already removed sites promoting online coronavirus for violating its terms of service and said it would continue to do so.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
As school districts in Montgomery County close to slow the spread of COVID-19 and move classes online, New Caney ISD is uniquely prepared to educate its students from their homes.

For about five years the district has provided students in grades six through 12 with Chromebook computers for the entire school year. Elementary students also have access to Chromebooks, and during this closure the district has provided them with the devices to use at home.

Over the last few days the district has handed out over 3,000 Chromebooks using curbside distribution to elementary school families.

If a family has internet access challenges at home, theres an option to pick up printed materials, said Scott Powers, executive director of Public Relations for the district.

The district does an annual survey to measure how many students in the district dont have access to the internet at home. Powers said their survey shows that around 85 to 90 percent of New Caney ISD students do have internet at home.

Starting last week our teachers started reaching out to families individually, Powers said. That gave us some idea of what we might be looking at in terms of distributing Chromebooks and materials this week.

The district website has some basic information for parents and students to work through issues trying to access the online materials. But as the school closures continue, for however long that may be, Powers said he sees the possibility that people could email the district technology department to work through any further issues.

For most students, in six through 12 grade, their access is the same now as it has been all year. So far, Powers said the district has not heard of any issues that students are having while trying to get materials at home.

New Caney ISD plans to be closed until April 19. While other districts in the county had their spring break in March, New Caney had scheduled theirs to be April 13 through April 17. Like all other districts, Powers said New Caney would evaluate that plan as the return date approaches and alert the community to any necessary changes.

Starting earlier this week, the districts curbside food distribution from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for both breakfast and lunch through April 17. There is no charge for children 18-years-old and younger, but adult meals cost $2.75 for breakfast and $4 for lunch. Pickup locations are still New Caney Elementary School and Sorters Mill Elementary School.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
Andrew Cuomo has personally thanked Rihanna for donating equipment to help in the fight against coronavirus.

The New York governor extended his thanks to the artist in a tweet on Thursday, saying she had donated personal protective equipment (PPE).

PPE includes items such as masks, gloves, and gowns. Its notably used by healthcare workers who need to avoid infection.

I want to thank @rihanna and the Rihanna Foundation for donating Personal Protective Equipment to New York State, Cuomo tweeted.

Were so appreciative of your help and that of so many others who have stepped up.

The message came a day before Cuomo gave a solemn address from New York Citys Jacob K Javits Concention Centre, which has been turned into a temporary hospital.

New York could see a peak in the demand for hospital capacity in three weeks due to the coronavirus, and is planning to build a total of eight temporary hospitals to meet the surge, Cuomo said.

Speaking against a backdrop of makeshift hospital beds, the governor also said schools should remain closed for another two weeks until 15 April.

Cuomo has become a leading national voice on the coronavirus pandemic as the state has accounted for roughly one third of the national death toll and half the known number of cases.

He said 44,635 people have tested positive in New York, up about 7,400 from Thursday, and that 519 New Yorkers have died from the virus, up from the previous days total of 385 deaths.

Cuomo said the state was seeking to build another four temporary makeshift hospitals to add an additional 4,000 beds, which he called part of a plan B to try to make up for a shortage of medical resources.

He plans to ask the White House to grant the request to build those additional resources.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Call for action: UK chancellor Rishi Sunak is under pressure to support major airlines

UK airlines including Ryanair, EasyJet and British Airways have sought a suspension of air traffic control charges for 2020 and a number of other financial measures to help them survive during the coronavirus pandemic.

Airline traffic across Europe has now slumped 80pc compared to last year, with EasyJet and Ryanair among those that have grounded all or most of their aircraft this week. British Airways is owned by IAG, which also owns Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling and Level.

The UK's chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has already told airlines that the government will only provide financial support as a "last resort".

He has said airlines in need of capital should try to raise it from their shareholders or other sources first.

Industry lobby group Airlines UK has now urged the British government to initiate a number of measures that would underpin the carriers' futures.

It wrote to transport minister Grant Shapps, asking him to waive air traffic control and related charges for the remainder of 2020, and has sought relief from EU flight compensation requirements.

"We believe a number of such measures are necessary to enable aviation both to deal with the ongoing crisis in the short term but also to support and accelerate a strong UK recovery later in the year," it said in the letter.

The organisation said airlines also needed clarity on how to access a new government scheme that sees temporarily laid-off workers receive 80pc of their wages from the public purse.

"Please can we urge that further clarity is provided as soon as possible, owing to the severe cash pressures that airlines are facing," the industry body told the UK transport minister.

Eurocontrol, the Brussels-based group that manages Europe's airspace, said yesterday that the number of flights across the region on Wednesday had slumped by 79pc compared with a year ago.

The number of flights operated by Ryanair was down 95pc to just 89, while EasyJet operated none.

Airlines within the IAG group operated 403 flights, which was almost 81pc lower than 12 months ago.

Lufthansa operated 244 flights, which was almost 93pc less than a comparable March day 12 months ago.

European carriers including TUI, Czech Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Transavia France are among those that have completely suspended flights.
From around 2% of all global cases on March 1, United States, Italy, Germany and Spain together now have more than 50% of the worlds Covid-19 cases  a surge that demonstrates how the pandemic has shifted from being battle fought largely in China to one that is now heavily centred in the West.

The rising cases in these four countries -- the US is now the most infected nation in the world and Italy the one with the most deaths -- are preventing a flattening of the curve, which has been a global goal for several weeks to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The spread across the United States, the new epicentre of the disease, is far more uniform than it was in China, where nearly 68,000 of the total 81,800 cases were reported in the Hubei province where the disease is said to have originated. As of Friday night, 86,548 people across the US were infected, and New York alone reported 38,977 cases.

On Friday, the US surpassed Italy and China in number of Covid-19 infections with a large jump in New York state that now has 50% of the countrys patients and faces a health care catastrophe with hospitals projected to run out of capacity soon.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China will further enhance international military cooperation with other countries in face of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, a Chinese spokesman told a press conference on Thursday.

Noting the rapidly spreading of the epidemic in multiple places and countries, Ren Guoqiang, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said China, who is still fighting against the outbreak within borders, is willing to help countries and organizations as much as it can.

Medical supplies including nucleic acid testing kits, protective clothing and masks were sent by Chinese military to Iran for epidemic control on March 19, said Ren.

On March 24, medical professionals dispatched by Chinese military, carrying supplies and equipment, arrived in Cambodia to offer a hand against the outbreak.

"We will never forget the foreign militaries and international organizations who helped out China at our most difficult times," said Ren.
Berejiklian's action is a rejection of the argument that the federal government has been making for two months  that the tests were unreliable and therefore shouldn't be used. "We can't rely on the federal government to do its job so we have to do their job for them," says a senior NSW Liberal. "Since when did border control become a state responsibility? Since when did NSW Health officials man our borders? It's a Border Force responsibility." Temperature tests on all overseas arrivals "were reliable in South Korea, they were reliable in Singapore, they were reliable in Hong Kong and they were reliable in Taiwan  why would we be any different?" Morrison ministers argue privately that the sheer volume of overseas arrivals made fever checks impracticable when numbers were running at 30,000 or more a day nationwide. Now that they've fallen to 7000, the tests had become more workable, they said. Airports are a federal jurisdiction. But state officials were aghast at footage of the arrivals hall at Sydney's international terminal on Thursday. Densely packed groups of travellers queued without any attempt at distancing and struggled with each other to get luggage. It was too much for the NSW government.

"The one thing the federal Libs are supposed to be good at  border control  they've failed," said a fuming NSW Liberal MP. Separately, a Victorian Liberal agreed: "People have just been pouring across the border with no checks and only token screening," he said. "Until recently they hadn't even been given any information." Loading Governments, NSW and federal, had already blamed each other for the blunder of allowing the Ruby Princess cruise ship to disgorge its infected passengers in Sydney. About 5 per cent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in NSW disembarked among them. Sydney blamed Border Force for the decision to let them ashore; Border Force said health checks were a state responsibility. Another vote of no confidence in federal border controls was lodged in Perth. Western Australia's Premier, Mark McGowan, announced this week that Australian residents arriving by cruise ship would be put into compulsory quarantine for 14 days on resort island of Rottnest, just offshore. McGowan wasn't about to trust Border Force. The culmination of all this came on Friday when Morrison agreed to a serious tightening of controls on all overseas arrivals nationwide. He announced that all would be put into compulsory quarantine immediately on arrival, from midnight on Saturday, in the city of their arrival, not necessarily their home towns.

Patience with Morrison has worn especially thin on Spring Street as well as Macquarie Street. It was Victoria's government that first broke ranks on school policy. Premier Daniel Andrews closed Victorian schools from Tuesday in defiance of Morrison's position. The Prime Minister on Friday relented further on schools, saying that each state would now make its own decision. His hand had been forced by the states. A Berejiklian ally says: "Daniel Andrews and Gladys are working hand in glove. They are trying to lead the rest of the country." That's despite the fact that the Andrews government is Labor. "They can see a tsunami of virus cases coming at them and they've set politics aside." The premiers worry that Morrison has put the economy above health care, moving too slowly to control the disease, allowing the virus to flourish while protracting the ultimate economic pain. Morrison hinted at this tension at his Friday press conference: "Those who often are pushing for greater restrictions, they will keep their job. I am not going to be so cavalier about it. I will make sure I fight for every job I can." Hospitals are run by the states; the premiers fear the intensive care system is about to be overrun with severe COVID-19 cases.

Federal leaders are frustrated with the states, too. "Premiers," said one Morrison cabinet minister, "are panicking." Loading Federal ministers argue that new controls imposed this week are starting to have a measurable effect. The evidence? Morrison pointed to a dramatic fall in the number of people out and about in Melbourne and Sydney  a fall of two-thirds in a week. And ministers pointed to the number of new infections. The rolling average three-day rate of new coronavirus cases was up by 21 per cent to Thursday night, but the numbers reported for Thursday itself showed a daily increase of 14 per cent. "The curve is flattening," concluded a federal minister. "Our measures are starting to have an effect." National unity has fractured on two other levels. One is at the national political level. Until now, federal Labor has been constructive and co-operative. Its help was essential in allowing the Parliament to pass the $84 billion economic support bills in a single day this week.

But Labor leader Anthony Albanese was unimpressed with some of the Morrison government's antics. Undertakings made and not honoured. Labor will continue to be constructive in its approach to the crisis. But the government can expect it to be much more vocal in objecting to government policy, and more insistent in proposing alternatives. Loading Labor, for instance, is pushing the government to do what Britain, New Zealand and a raft of other countries are doing  pay wage subsidies to employers. This is a key incentive to keep people employed. It is a very good idea that Morrison and Josh Frydenberg need to implement. The cost  social, economic and political  of the coming wave of unemployment will be monstrous otherwise. Morrison's objection is that it would require new delivery mechanisms. This is an excuse, not a reason. Employers need incentives to keep workers employed until the virus passes. This is the best way. Labor, like most of the premiers, also thinks Morrison needs to move more swiftly to a total lockdown of people's movements to halt the virus. "We say you have to put health first or the economic cost and the health costs will be higher," says Albanese.

The third level on which national unity has collapsed is on the health advice. Already under strain, expert support for the government's policy choices all but collapsed this week. Outside the government's own official medical committee, the weight of medical opinion is now converging on the need to move to a sweeping lockdown. Loading And it just so happens that as unity fractures at all three levels  federal with state leaders, federal Labor with Liberal, and any sort of consensus of medical opinion  it is all shifting in the same direction. The premiers, federal Labor and the preponderance of medical opinion are coalescing around the idea that Australia should give urgent priority to a national lockdown of people's movements to stop the epidemic's spread. The Morrison government is increasingly isolated. If Morrison is fully convinced, on the basis of hard evidence, that he is on the right course, he needs to persuade the rest of the country. If he isn't, he needs to move. And quickly.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The foundations of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and its co-founder Jack Ma said on Wednesday they had sent medical equipment, including masks and coronavirus tests, to Russia to help it fight an outbreak.

Russia has so far reported 658 confirmed coronavirus cases and canceled many flights to and from the country. One person who tested positive for coronavirus has died.

The Alibaba Foundation and the Jack Ma Foundation said in a joint statement they had sent coronavirus tests, medical masks and other protective equipment to Russia on a charter flight from China. They did not say how much equipment had been sent.

Russia earlier this month suspended its exports of surgical masks and medical gear, including bandages and one-use chemical protection suits, as part of its efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further.

(Reporting by Nadezhda Tsydenova and Anastasia Lyrchikova; Writing by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Editing by Louise Heavens)
A new cross-platform teaching tool has been created which is hoped to help parents home-school their children while primary schools remain closed.

RTE's new Home School Hub will run across its television and online platforms, providing primary school children with daily lessons from the comfort of their homes.

RTE and Macalla Teo, with support from Mary Immaculate College, collaborated to introduce a cross-platform teaching initiative on RTE2, RTE Player, and rte.ie/learn.

Children will be able to watch, download and engage with curriculum-based content, project work, and fun activities to keep them entertained and learning.

"Children are already facing increased disruption to their everyday lives due to school closures, cancelled activities and more but we are aiming to help children and parents cope during these times of uncertainty," said Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of Children's & Young People's Content.

Kids may be stuck inside but with RTE providing structured learning for both kids and parents we will keep everyone busy and occupied. Our goal is to ease the burden on parents with an easily accessible source of education for their kids.

Beginning on Monday, bilingual teachers will present three short class segments each morning from 11am to 12 noon on RTE2 aimed at first and second class, third and fourth class and fifth and sixth class before redirecting them to fun content and project work on rte.ie/learn and the RTE Player.

A catch-up programme later in the day, RTE Home School Extra at 4.15pm, will showcase video messages and content made by primary school children from all over the country.

All content will be presented by primary school teachers, modeled, and curated around the existing primary school curriculum. Content will be stockpiled for all primary school children and their parents across TV, rte.ie/learn and RTE Player.

"We are hearing about innovative and dedicated teachers all across the country finding new ways to support childrens learning while not in the classroom. This RTE Home School Hub will support and complement the ongoing efforts of teachers," said Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Transformation of portions of the College of Staten Islands Willowbrook campus into a 1,000-bed field hospital will not proceed until President Donald Trump gives the required approval, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

At a press conference, Cuomo said he will ask Trump to approve the Islands field hospital and three others he is looking to set up around the city to create more capacity to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

Cuomo said he plans to speak to the president about getting the sites authorized later today.

Following approval, Cuomo said it would take about 10 days to build out the field hospital. The Army Corps of Engineers has been responsible for the transformation of civilian facilities into field hospitals, with support from the National Guard.

On Thursday Rep. Max Rose said he was working with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the federal government to set up the temporary medical facility because he believed the Islands private hospitals were rapidly approaching capacity.

Two parts of the CSI campus -- the Dolphin Cove dorms and the Recreational Center -- are being eyed for the care facilities, according to communications from the school.

PLAN B

Cuomo described the new field hospitals as part of his plan B game plan to expand hospital capacity across the downstate region after choosing his initial round of field hospitals to provide a 4,000 bed capacity at places like the Javits Center and SUNY Stony Brook.

Whats plan B? Were going to seek to build another four temporary emergency hospitals which would get us another 4,000 beds and weve just been scouting sites for a few days, Cuomo said during a press conference at the Javits Center in Manhattan. We have settled on a few sites working with the Army Corps of Engineers, and I'm going to ask the president today if he will authorize another four temporary hospitals for us.

The initial field hospitals Cuomo is already moving forward with and the next four planned for CSI, New York Expo Center in the Bronx, the Aqueduct Racetrack site in Queens and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, would bring a total of 8,000 additional hospital beds in the New York City region.

But its still unclear who exactly will staff the field hospital, when it will open and whether the site will be for positive coronavirus patients or non-positive coronavirus patients. The Javits Center hospital is reportedly being staffed by federal employees.

Rep. Rose and the governors office could not be reached for comment to provide more information about these details at press time.

And Borough President James Oddos office said it could not elaborate on details about the CSI site because it is part of a state-run program.

STATEN ISLAND BEDS WILL NUMBER ROUGHLY 1,900

Cuomo has said the state will need to go from its current 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds up to 140,000 hospital beds, 40,000 ICU beds, and provide a minimum of 30,000 ventilators to respond to the outbreak.

The heads of Staten Islands two private hospitals told the Advance on Tuesday that they are currently able to expand to 829 ICU and general hospital beds combined.

With the addition of the planned CSI field hospital, it could bring the Islands total hospital capacity to about 1,900.

Asked whether he thought roughly 1,900 hospital beds was enough for the only borough without a public hospital to respond to the outbreak, and as Staten Islands case total creeps into the thousands, Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed Thursday to keep looking for more capacity on the borough.

On March 27 at 8:30 a.m. the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the city stood at 25,573 including 1,440 cases on Staten Island.

As of 6 p.m. March 26, there were 3,882 people hospitalized in New York Citys hospitals including 877 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), the mayors office said Friday.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.

Be the first to know: Sign up for our newsletters; and get breaking news and top stories pushed to your phone with the SILive.com mobile app.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Data analysis of Staten Island and New York cases

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

How the coronavirus hit Staten Island: A timeline of the pandemic in our borough

Governor seeks to limit coronavirus impact on hospitals

NYPD Commissioner: Cooperation, not closures, expected for ban on dining at restaurants and bars
Several MPs and MLAs in Madhya



Pradesh have sanctioned funds from their local area development funds for the purchase of life-saving equipment, like ventilators, to enable hospitals to fight the coronavirus outbreak effectively.

Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste sanctioned Rs 40 lakh, while MP Dr Dhal Singh Bisen sanctioned Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for the district hospitals in Balaghat and Seoni respectively, sources said.

MLA Chaitanya Kashyap announced Rs 21 lakh for providing food and other essential things to the poor during the lockdown period, while state BJP chief and MP Vishnu Dutt Sharma sanctioned Rs 30 lakh (Rs 10 lakh each) for Chhattarpur, Panna and Katni district hospitals, they said.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh provided the phone number of his office and asked the people of Bhopal to contact it in case they need any help.

BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also appealed to the people to contact him and his supporters over phone for any help they require in this time of crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON - Faced with a rising number of complaints from Americans stranded abroad, State Department officials tried to quell those concerns last Sunday in a conference call with Senate staffers speaking on behalf of their anxious and exasperated constituents.

The officials opened the conversation with a breakdown of U.S. efforts to bring Americans home, but once the call turned to questions, the conversation grew tense, according to several aides present for the call and audio reviewed by The Washington Post.

At one point, a senior State Department official referred to Guatemala when asked about Peru. Republican and Democratic staffers complained that a website set up for travelers did not work, leaving constituents unsure if their information had even been received.

Some staffers said the information they received from embassies contradicted what State Department officials in Washington had told them. Repeatedly, staffers raised concerns about constituents stuck in South America, only to be told the department was still working out evacuation plans. When a senator asked about Americans in Zambia, the State Department said it was tracking no one there.

"It wouldn't be accurate to say there's been a lack of response from the State Department. Instead, it's more a matter of a lack of specific information either to our office or, more importantly, directly to constituents in the various countries," said a spokeswoman for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

The effort to bring Americans home has created a rare unity of purpose among Democrats and Republicans in Congress who have been flooded with phone calls from desperate constituents - more than 50,000 still seeking help, according to the U.S. government.

Lawmakers in both parties acknowledged that the department has made significant improvements in recent days in coordinating with local governments, working around arcane travel regulations and arranging chartered flights for thousands of Americans stranded abroad during an unparalleled situation. In many cases, senators and aides say, they understand that the State Department is doing all it can. Several spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to freely discuss internal government discussions.

But interviews with more than a dozen senators, aides and American travelers show there are widespread frustrations with the process of getting U.S. citizens home.

Critics include a broad array of bipartisan senators, from Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Murkowski to Democratic Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Chris Murphy of Connecticut. More than a dozen Republican senators recently requested a call with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the concerns, records reviewed by The Post show.

Some have gone to unusual lengths. For example, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.. called the White House and spoke to President Donald Trump directly after feeling stymied at the State Department, a GOP aide said.

Defenders of the department say it has performed scrappily in the face of a historic and global crisis, helping evacuate more than 15,000 Americans from more than 40 countries since January and arranging the return of thousands more Americans by chartered aircraft every day. They also point out that other governments, such as Peru, were slow to approve the charter flights necessary to scoop up stranded Americans.

"Our teams, working around the clock in Washington and overseas, will bring home thousands more in the coming days, from every region of the world," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.

The department has dedicated more diplomats to the effort. This month, routine visa services were suspended, and diplomats who returned to Washington due to specific vulnerabilities related to the covid-19 epidemic were reassigned to American Citizen Services, or "ACS."

In Peru, where thousands of Americans have been stranded, State Department officials converted a hangar used for counternarcotics operations into an ad hoc processing center for evacuations. Several congressional offices reached out to The Post to praise the State Department after U.S. officials notified them of the impending story.

"I can't thank the State Department professionals enough for their tireless efforts to help us reunite families and get our citizens back home," said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., adding that over the last two weeks, 20 U.S. citizens from southeast Louisiana were returned home, including two nurses stuck in Guatemala.

Another senior Republican, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, also complimented the department for "working around the clock."

Still, tens of thousands of Americans have notified U.S. embassies they need help, and many from South Africa to Peru to Morocco have complained on social media that they are running out of money and medicine, and that other nations are working faster to organize charter flights. A flurry of new hashtags and Facebook groups have emerged with names including "Stay Strong, Quarantine On."

One evacuation flight out of Peru this week had scores of empty seats because a lag in communication between the Peruvian and U.S. governments didn't provide Americans enough time to get to the airport in time, U.S. officials said.

Warner, the Virginia Democrat, said more than 100 of his constituents remained stuck in Algeria, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, India, Samoa, Ghana, the Philippines and Peru. Many of them, he said, are in remote areas where there are curfews and lockdowns.

Dylan Cooper said his father and mother, ages 78 and 76, respectively, who are from Maine, are stuck in Honduras, where they have done volunteer work for years. Cooper said communication with the U.S. Embassy there has been mostly useless.

"My father has complained that it has mostly been too late and with too little detail to be useful," he said. "For example, one United Airlines flight was announced for March 26. By the time that he received the email saying that United was considering flights, it was already fully booked."

Fred Warkentine, a doctor who was recently evacuated to Kentucky after an intervention from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told local news outlets that the State Department did very little for him. He did not return a request for comment from The Post.

Lawmakers have blamed different areas of the State Department for the communication problems. Rubio, a longtime ally of Pompeo, complained that "mid-level" officials at the State Department failed to quickly repatriate citizens from Peru after it closed its border on March 16.

"As the number of cases in Peru increased, the senator grew frustrated with the lack of action from the State Department," a spokesperson with Rubio's office said. "The individual manning the Peru desk has been 'tracking' this issue for a week, but doing nothing and the ambassador essentially abandoned the post to return to Washington. The senator made his frustration known directly to the State Department."

The embassy put out a statement saying the U.S. ambassador, Krishna Urs, left the country on March 20 due to medical concerns but continued working with the Peruvian government remotely to address the evacuation crisis.

Other senators have laid the blame at Pompeo, who they say has been impossible to reach during the ordeal. When the Republican senators requested a formal call with him to discuss their problems, they were instead routed to two of his deputies, according to records reviewed by The Post. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has struggled to get Pompeo on the phone, people familiar with the matter say.

On the Sunday call, Jessica Lewis, the chief staff member for the Foreign Relations Committee, said lawmakers appreciated the help now but that "State came way late to this game, and people simply are not getting the information they need."

"While the scale of the pandemic may not have been entirely predictable, if this administration, including Secretary Pompeo and his senior leadership team, had taken the coronavirus threat seriously and planned ahead, we may have been able to avoid some of the confusion and chaos Americans abroad encountered in their efforts to return home," Menendez said in a statement.

The State Department has urged citizens abroad to enter their information into its "STEP" website to receive updates on evacuation planning in their specific country, but people have complained that the site is not responsive.

When asked about problems with the site, a senior State Department official said that "yes, we recognize it's an issue."

The official said the site had worked for him when he tried to register for a trip to Peru, but when his colleague tried the same thing, it didn't work because he "didn't quite get the data put in correct."

"So sometimes it's a question of operator error. Other times it can be a question of the system getting overloaded," the official conceded.

On the call, some staffers said they were also frustrated with an email system employed by the State Department that repeatedly did not work.

"We get undeliverable bouncebacks," a senior staffer to Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., said on the Sunday call. The officials said they would try to fix it.

At times, the communication has been confusing, according to aides and records reviewed by The Post. One email from the State Department, titled "Peru flight delays," said the U.S. government was still looking for permission from the Peruvian government to land planes but had accidentally communicated with some of the wrong people.

"U.S. Citizens in Peru may have received Embassy notification that today's flights from Peru to the United States have been delayed. We understand this may have caused some confusion as not everyone who received the message was manifested on one of the planned flights," the State Department email said.

Warner and other senators conceded that in many cases, governments had refused "to work with U.S. officials to help get them home," he said. "But in a lot of cases, the State Department was simply unprepared and understaffed for the massive logistical challenges of telling thousands of Americans to come back immediately."

Sen. Chris Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat, said that in Peru, the government was not processing passengers quickly and that it was proving near impossible to get charter flights into the country.

He urged Trump and Pompeo to work the phones, saying it would take a high-level intervention to change the policy, and that many of the State Department "implementers" were doing the best job they could.

"Peru is an ally. They aren't an adversary. I'm sure they'd be flattered by a call from the president of the United States," he said. "It just seems there has been no directive from the top to get this done quickly."
It was Shakespeare who said -- All the world's a stage. And who better to know it than our actors. Theatre has been cited as a stepping stone to films since the beginning of cinema in India. Most of our top actors, be it Prithviraj Kapoor, Balraj Sahni, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah to Paresh Rawal, owe their beginnings to theatre. The discipline of performing in front of a live audience honed their craft to perfection. On the occasion of the World Theatre Day, we bring you a list of some of the best Bollywood actors who have come from a theatre background...

The history of both the Indian cinema and Indian theatre wont be complete without the inclusion of this giants name. Prithviraj Kapoor was one of the founder members of India Peoples Theatre Association (IPTA) and also the founder of Prithvi Theatre, which has been the epicentre of Mumbais theatre activities. The tall and handsome Kapoor, who had a booming voice as well, was often the lead in his productions. One of his plays, Pathan, which was first staged in 1947, talked about Hindu Muslim unity at a time when Partition riots were ravaging the country. The play is said to have a 600 show run in the theatres. Deewar, which came out in 1945, was another of his famous plays. It forewarned the public about the horror of Partition. Kapoor also was said to have staged plays by Sanskrit playwright Kalidasa as well.He is one of our most famous playwrights, winning worldwide acclaim for the plays he has written. His first play, Yayati, influenced by stories of the Mahabharata, came out in 1963 when he was just 23. His next, Tuglaq, which came out in 1964, was about the idealist Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughluq. It was a critique of Nehruvian politics and won him instant acclaim. It was first staged by the National School of Drama Repertory by Ebrahim Alkazi, with Manohar Singh playing the title role. Other plays like Hayavadana (1971), Naga-Mandala (1988) and more too won him plaudits. Karnad, who later had a flourishing career in both Kannada and Bollywood films won a Sangeet Natak Akademi award for his efforts in 1972.It wont be an exaggeration to say that Utpal Dutt single-handedly revolutionised the Bengali theatre world. He founded the Little Theatre Group in 1949. And enacted many English, Shakespearean and Brecht plays, before changing tracks towards political satire and Marxist ideology. He became famous as a Shakespearean actor when he brought to life Richard III. He was also a founding member of IPTA. Satyajit Ray was the president of the Brecht Society, founded by him in 1948. Then, as said earlier, his plays took on political hues and some, like Barricade, Dusswapner Nagari and Ebaar Rajar Pala even got banned by the government for their anti-establishment content. He was one of the foremost actor-managers of Indian theatre. Incidentally, Hindi film viewers know him more for his comedic acting than his serious works in films like Guddi, Gol Maal, Naram Garam, Rang Birangi and Shaukeen.The handsome Punjabi originally hailing from Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) was always interested in acting. His first wife Damayanti was a well-known theatre actress. He was associated with Tagore and taught briefly at Shantiniketan. Born with a dulcet voice, he even worked as an announcer at the BBC Hindi service in London. He started his career as an actor with Indian Peoples Theatre Association and made a name for himself in plays like Zubeida and The Inspector General. Though he was known for his serious roles in Hindi films, this stalwart was a versatile actor when it came to the theatre and his comedic turn in the play Jadu Ki Kursi came for much praise.He will be forever known as Mogambo but before becoming Bollywoods most hated villain, Amrish Puri was a much-respected name in Indian theatre. His claim to fame was Satyadev Dubeys adaptation of Girish Karnads Yayati in Hindi. He worked with Ebrahim Alkazi and P.D. Shenoy as well and played the lead role in plays like Andha Yug by Dharamvir Bharati, Ashad Ka Ek Din by Mohan Rakesh, Vijay Tendulkars Chup, Court Chalu Hal, Badal Sircars Evam Indrajeet and Girish Karnads Hayavadan. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1979 for his contribution to theatre.The internationally acclaimed star started life as a theatre actor in Punjab during the late 60s while in college. He was a part of the Punjab Kala Manch, headed by Harpal Tiwana. He was part of many plays like The Father by August Strindberg, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, The Misunderstanding by Albert Camus. He joined the National School Of Drama, situated in New Delhi in 1970. In 1977, he formed a theatre group called Majma in Mumbai. The group was active till 1986. When Prithvi Theatre was inaugurated in 1978, his production of Govind Deshpandes Udhvastha Dharamshala performed there in the evening. His most famous play as an actor was Ghashiram Kotwal, where he played the title role. Om left the theatre world when he became active in films, though he did make a comeback after 25 years.

Naseeruddin Shah

Naseeruddin Shah is the founder and creative director of the Motley Theatre Group. For more than forty years, he has been actively involved either as an actor, director and producer for various plays like Waiting for Godot, The Lesson, Julius Caesar, Dear Liar, Katha Collage, A Walk in the Woods, Kambakht Bilkul Aurat and other celebrated plays from writers around the world. Unlike other film actors who seldom went back to the theatre once they crossed the film threshold, Naseer treats theatre to sort of charge his batteries, to rejuvenate and reinvent himself.

The actor, known to Hindi film audiences as a mild-mannered common man in films like Gol Maal, Chhoti Si Baat and Rajnigandha, started out doing experimental theatre with Satyadev Dubey in the late 60sand later formed his own group, Aniket. His minimalistic approach to such plays like Chup! Court Chalu Hai, Hayavadana and Adhe Adhure won him a lot of fame. Sadly, he left the theatre world after becoming popular in films. Though he did make a return last year to the theatre world with Kusur, an adaptation of the Danish film Den Skyldige.The actor, who has been a chairperson of NSD in the past, was rejected by the academy during his first attempt at joining it. But passed with flying colours during his second try and later graduated with a gold medal. After winning critical acclaim as a theatre actor, he graduated to films and never looked back after Saaransh (1984). He has, however, returned to the theatre with two plays, the autobiographical Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai and Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha.He started doing plays while studying at the Narsee Monjee College in the 70s. The successful Gujarati play, Khelaiya, brought him into the limelight. Maharathi and Thokaar too were successful. After making a name in films, he did venture back to theatre again tasting success with plays like Dear Father. His play Kishan V/S Kanhaiya, which started in 2011, is hugely popular till today and has been performed all over the world.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / Deep neck infection (DNI) is a potentially life-threatening disease involving deep cervical spaces. It is also commonly seen in otolaryngology emergencies. Patients usually attend emergency departments complaining of neck swelling, dysphagia, and even respiratory distress. These patients usually require intensive care and aggressive treatments, such as intensive care unit admission, surgical drainage, or even tracheostomy. However, the incidence, management and treatment outcome of DNI in patients with specific catastrophic diseases remained unknown, because it's very difficult to conduct a single-center study with an adequate sample size and sufficient follow-up period.

Using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), a nationwide population-based database of Taiwan, Dr. Geng-He Chang, Dr. Ming-Shao Tsai, Dr. Yao-Hsu Yang, Chia-Yen Liu, and Health Information and Epidemiology Lab of Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital identified adequate numbers of patients with sufficient follow-up period and minimal selection bias. Dr. Chang et al. have published five studies in distinguished journals. These studies are the first to investigating the risk, treatment, and prognosis of DNI in patients with end-stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and type I DM. Dr. Chang et al. extended the disease spectrum and prompts physicians to pay more attention to DNI patients comorbid with the above catastrophic diseases.

Links of the publications about deep neck infection

Deep Neck Infection in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: Real-World Evidence Real-world evidence for increased deep neck infection risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis The Association Between Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis and Deep Neck Infection: Real-World Evidence High Risk of Deep Neck Infection in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study End-stage renal disease: a risk factor of deep neck infection-a nationwide follow-up study in Taiwan

About Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital was founded in 1973 by Wang Yung-ching to commemorate his father Wang Chang-gung. The hospital network has a total of 10,050 beds. Established in 2002, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is a district hospital in Chiayi County, Taiwan. In 2001, founder Yung-Ching Wang believed the people of Chiayi lacked medical resources and expertise and built Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in a former sugar field.

Contacts

Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Dr. Geng-He Chang

+886 2713 6500

https://www1.cgmh.org.tw/branch/jia/index.htm

Media contacts

Le Yu

leyu@wpr2.com

SOURCE: Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582835/Major-Medical-Breakthrough-in-Taiwan-Chiayi-Chang-Gung-Memorial-Hospital-Extended-the-Disease-Spectrum-of-Deep-Neck-Infection
BAGHDAD, March 26 (Xinhua) -- A new PCR lab built by the Chinese team of experts has been inaugurated in Iraq's capital Baghdad, which will increase the testing capacity to contain COVID-19 in the war-torn country.

ENHANCE TESTING CAPACITY

After years of wars, Iraq has been suffering from weak health system and it urgently needs nucleic acid detection capability to confirm COVID-19 cases.

The Central Public Health Laboratory in Baghdad, the only place across Iraq to conduct PCR test, is under mounting pressure to conduct around 200 to 400 tests per day.

Based on the Chinese donation of 50,000 nucleic acid test kits and other equipment, the new lab built by Chinese experts has the ability to conduct some 1,000 tests per day to detect COVID-19 cases.

"We have exploited the presence of the Chinese team, which brought assistance, such as devices, supplies, and diagnostic kits for the infection of COVID-19," said Mohammed Ghanim Mahdi, director of the National Center of the Teaching Laboratories of the Medical City facility in Baghdad, told Xinhua.

"The new laboratory will give sufficient flexibility to the health authorities to expand the laboratory tests for suspected cases," Mohammed said.

"The testing ability in Iraq is far from enough," said Yang Honghui, a member of the expert group.

Iraqi health authorities should consider expanding the scope of testing after the new lab is put into operation, in an effort to detect cases early and isolate and treat patients in a timely manner, according to Yang.

REDUCE PRESSURE ON CENTRAL LAB

The pandemic in Iraq has reached a critical juncture as the number of newly reported cases has been rising over the past few days.

Iraqi Health Ministry on Thursday confirmed seven more deaths from COVID-19 and 36 new cases, bringing the total number of the infected to 382.

Asaad Mahdi, deputy director general of the Iraqi Ministry of Health, told Xinhua that the new Chinese-built lab will be instrumental in increasing Iraq's ability to test larger number of suspected cases of COVID-19, and will dramatically reduce the pressure on the central lab.

He said that the 50,000 nucleic acid testing kits and other laboratory equipment assisted by China are enough to support five new laboratories in other Iraqi provinces. This will increase Iraq's ability to expand its detected population and better respond to the outbreak.

"China has successfully stopped the pandemic, and Iraq is in urgent need of this experience, and we have benefited a lot from the Chinese expert group," Asaad Mahdi said.

GAIN CRUCIAL EXPERIENCE

PCR test and image detection complement each other in confirming cases infected with coronavirus. This is China's front-line prevention and control experience.

The Chinese assistance also included medical screening equipment such as mobile X-ray and CT, in addition to training the Iraqi health providers.

"They taught us a lot of their experiences, in addition to their daily presence, which added to our laboratory a modern touch that gives a lot to the laboratory service," Mohammed said.

The new laboratory will be the main laboratory in Iraq and is representing the first brick in the efforts of fight against the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Mohammed added.

For his part, Assad Mahdi said "this new laboratory will enhance our capability to deal with this pandemic for the residents of Baghdad who make up to about 20 percent of Iraq's population."

He said that the Chinese medical team has excellent experiences, and the Iraqi health authority intends to ask them to prolong their presence to improve the performance of the Iraqi health cadres in confronting the pandemic.

To help Iraq cope with the spread of the novel coronavirus, a Chinese team of seven experts arrived in Baghdad on March 7.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has issued a stark warning that the city's healthcare system has nine days before potential collapse under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic unless urgent measures are taken.

At a press conference on Friday, de Blasio said that he believes the city's strained healthcare system has the personnel and supplies to make it through next week, but beyond that is uncertain.

It came as total cases in the city hit 25,573, deaths reached 450, and hospitals throughout the city reported being strained.

'After next Sunday, April 5, is when I get very, very worried about everything we're gonna need,' he said, saying that an infusion of medical staff and equipment was needed to stave off disaster.

Scroll down for video

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has issued a stark warning that the city's healthcare system has nine days before potential collapse under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic

'I've put down that marker to the White House, that that is a decisive moment for the city of New York,' he said, saying the city urgently needs additional federal and military support, as well as at least 15,000 ventilators.

'We need to make sure we can get to that day and face the week after that, and the week after that as well,' de Blasio said. 'Right now we're not there.'

'I think people need to be ready for battle, and the hard truth helps them gird themselves for what's ahead,' he continued.

As of 8.30am on Friday, New York City had 25,573 confirmed cases, an increase of 10.6 percent from the day prior.

Deaths in the city increased to 450 on Friday night, after the toll was reported at 366 at de Blasio's press conference.

Of the five boroughs, Queens is now the epicenter of the epicenter, with 8,214 cases, a one-day increase of 32 percent.

Brooklyn, the most populous borough, has 6,750 cases, up 26 percent from Thursday.

The Bronx has 4,655 cases and Manhattan has 4,478 cases, both increases of 18 percent. Staten Island was up 6 percent, at 1,440 cases.

De Blasio said that additional staffers had been deployed to Elmhurst hospital in Queens, the city's hardest hit facility, which recorded 13 deaths in 24 hours earlier this week.

Today, 64 additional clinicians were sent to Elmhurst, and 105 extra nurses are going there tomorrow, according to de Blasio. In addition, 45 members of the hospital's ambulatory staff have been reassigned to work on coronvirus patients.

A patient is wheeled into the trauma center at the Elmhurst Hospital Center where testing and treatment for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is taking place in Queens on Friday

Workers build a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital to handle an expected surge in coronavirus victims on Friday in New York City

'Elmhurst is the first in everyone's mind,' he said. 'We're making sure reinforcements are sent constantly.'

De Blasio urged President Donald Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to mandate private companies to begin cranking out medical supplies, and called for a full mobilization of the military.

Trump has invoked the act with General Motors, ordering the company to make ventilators, but de Blasio urged him to go further.

The mayor said that he spoke to Trump on Friday about how the city needs additional medical personnel as quickly as possible, and asked Trump to keep Elmhurst in mind, as Trump grew up in Queens.

At his press conference, de Blasio said that trying to promote economic recovery before controlling the pandemic and preventing a healthcare system collapse was 'putting the cart before the horse.'

'Recovery only comes when people are whole; they are safe. When we're a functioning nation again. That's when we go into recovery,' he said.

NYC releases more prisoners from Rikers Island as de Blasio threatens $500 fines for people who disregard social distancing

De Blasio said he is considering fining people up to $500 if they continue to disregard orders against congregating in parks.

'Overwhelmingly, we're seeing the vast majority of New Yorkers do the right thing, observe social distancing, spend only the time that they have to be outdoors, outdoors,' he said.

However, he added: 'We have seen some non-compliance that is really of concern. We obviously have to think about the warmer weather coming ahead.'

De Blasio said that he would make a decision this weekend about whether to begin issuing fines of $500 against violators.

Crowds of people are seen out in Brooklyn's Prospect Park during the outbreak on Friday. De Blasio has threatened to fine people $500 for congregating in groups in parks

People are seen out in Manhattan's Hudson River Park on Friday in the midst of the pandemic

Thus far, the NYPD has been patrolling parks and telling any groups to break up and move along, but relying on education rather than penalties.

'No more getting together unless it's with people under your roof. If you don't follow the rules, we're going to have to start penalizing,' de Blasio said. 'This is really, really serious.'

'I need people to listen. We'll have more information on that over the weekend. I'm asking New Yorkers to take it seriously or else there will have to be more severe measures,' he continued.

De Blasio also threatened penalties against houses of worship that flout the ban on mass gatherings, but did not specify the fines he is considering.

Rikers Island jail complex is seen in a file photo with Manhattan in the background. Inmates have been released by the hundreds in recent days

'A small number of churches, synagogues are not paying attention to this guidance. I want to say to all those who are preparing services; if you go to your church or synagogue and attempt to hold services, our enforcement agents will have no choice but to shut down those services,' he said.

'It's the last thing I want to do - people need their faith - but we do not need mass gatherings.'

Meanwhile, the city continues to release inmates from Rikers Island in a bid to limit the chance of an outbreak in the island's jails.

De Blasio said that as of Thursday night, 375 inmates had been released, a number that would exceed 450 by Friday night.

He boasted in a tweet that the city's jail population was now at its lowest level since 1949.
Ethnic Rawang villager Ah Ning, 70, looks after her grandchildren in a tent at Ka Bu Dam camp Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar. Ning is displaced and lives in the tent, provided by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.  UNHCR/Paul Vrieze

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned at reports of mounting civilian casualties and growing displacement triggered by the latest escalation of clashes in western Myanmar.

According to recent local reports, at least 21 civilians have lost their lives as a series of clashes hit their villages along the border between Myanmars Rakhine and Chin states earlier this month. Losses among the civilian population have become frequent, and underscore the human cost and heavy impact of a ceaseless conflict on the local communities.

Fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Arakan Army has continued since a rise in tensions in late 2018. A sharp upward trend in civilian casualties has been observed since February of this year.

UNHCR reiterates its calls to all sides to the conflict in western Myanmar to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We are adding our voice to this weeks appeal by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging warring parties across the world to cease their fighting in support of the bigger battle against the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Civilians in areas ravaged by conflict, in particular those who are displaced, are especially vulnerable in this global public health emergency.

Myanmar authorities estimate that more than 61,000 people are newly displaced in Rakhine State as of 16 March, representing an increase of some 10,000 people as compared to the previous month. They are sheltered across 133 sites. Another 4,800 people are displaced in Chin State in 34 sites.

The latest displacement comes on top of more than 130,000 already displaced people in Rakhine State, most of whom are Rohingya, who have been displaced since 2012. The number of people affected by the conflict is likely to be significantly higher as population movements continue and there are frequent reports of new arrivals at some displacement sites.

Families forced to flee have sought shelter when possible in neighbouring villages and communities. They are mainly taking refuge in religious buildings, schools, and with host families. In remote areas, people affected by the clashes are making shelters of bamboo and tarpaulin in paddy fields.

Speaking to visiting UNHCR teams, displaced families shared their worries  their critical needs include food, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene. They are also concerned about a lack of access to essential services such as healthcare and education for their children. Breadwinners have been cut off from their livelihoods and affected families are becoming increasingly dependent on humanitarian assistance.

Their return is hindered by ongoing fighting. Newly laid antipersonnel mines and improvised explosive devices pose additional risks. There is also a critical lack of fresh and reliable information as an internet blackout remains in place in nine townships in Rakhine State.

In response to the urgent needs, UNHCR and partners, together with local authorities and humanitarian actors, have provided emergency assistance and protection support to close to 57,000 displaced people as well as host communities since April 2019 across Rakhine and southern Chin states. Assistance includes shelter materials such as tarpaulins, as well as core relief items such as clothes, solar lanterns, blankets, sleeping mats and kitchen items.

Across Myanmar, more than 312,000 people are displaced  mostly in Rakhine, Kachin, and northern Shan states, as well as the South East region.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

In Myanmar, Aoife Mc Donnell, [email protected] , +959 403 487572

, +959 403 487572 In Bangkok, Catherine Stubberfield, [email protected] , +66 65 929 8062

, +66 65 929 8062 In Geneva, Andrej Mahecic, [email protected] , +41 79 642 97 09


N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Up to 30,000 layoffs so far as confirmed cases climbs to 33

An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 New Brunswickers have been laid off as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Premier Blaine Higgs announced on Thursday.

"We are facing a situation unlike we have ever experienced before," he said as the province's total cases of the viral infection climbed to 33, with seven new confirmed cases, all of them travel-related.

Although the federal government has announced comprehensive measures to support employers, Higgs said there are still "gaps" for businesses to access the working capital they need to address cash-flow shortages.

His government will provide $50 million to support the provincial economy, he said.

The funding will provide "bridging support" to assist small, medium and large employers in the immediate term, so they can continue to operate and keep workers employed, he said.

The new cases include:

Zone 1, southeast:

An individual in their 20s.

Two individuals in their 60s.

Zone 2, south:

An individual in their 30s.

Zone 3, centralwest:

An individual in their 50s.

Two individuals in their 60s.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell said a new confirmed case of COVID-19 in P.E.I. arrived at the Greater Moncton Romeo LeBlanc International Airport on March 18 from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on Air Transat flight TS2653

The individual did not have any symptoms of the virus at the time, said Russell.

Anyone returning from international or interprovincial travel is supposed to self-isolate for 14 days, but she wanted to advise the other travellers, she told reporters during her daily update in Fredericton.

Photo: Mike Heenan/CBC News

Other provinces are seeing clusters of COVID-19 cases through community transmission.

"These are cases where the chain of contagion cannot be readily identified or traced back to travel," she said.

This means testing will shift to symptomatic healthcare workers, staff of long-term care facilities, prisons, hospitalized patients with respiratory problems, symptomatic workers having to maintain critical infrastructure, residents of long-term care facilities and other vulnerable people in the community, as well as travellers outside the province.

Story continues

The format of the media briefing was changed on Thursday.

"We will allow one question per media outlet," Tyler Campbell advised the media in an email, saying the goal is to wrap up the question and answer portion within 20 minutes.

Here is a roundup of other developments.

43 businesses close

The Department of Public Safety has been checking businesses across the province to see if they're complying to last week's recommendations from Public Health to close.

Higgs said officers followed up on the 43 businesses who were not following the new regulations earlier this week. Those businesses have since closed.

Public safety officers have checked 762 businesses so far and will continue to check on any potential cases of non-compliance across the province.

Support for businesses and workers

Higgs said the province will provide a one-time income benefit of $900 administered through the Red Cross to workers or self-employed people who have lost their job because of the state of emergency.

"As applicants come in, we're ready to distribute that," he said.

Higgs said the program will be a $4.5 million investment and is being introduced as a bridge before the federal aid program kicks in.

Photo: CBC News

The province is also introducing amendments to provide job protection for workers who need to take a leave of absence because of the pandemic. This includes workers who have gotten sick, are caring for family members or people who have been instructed to self-isolate or quarantine.

This will provide unpaid leave of up to 15 weeks, without fear of losing their jobs.

The provincial government will also defer loan and interest repayments for existing business loans with government departments for up to six months on a casebycase basis.

Small businesses owners, such as restaurants, seasonal tourism operators and the service sectors can apply for a loan up to $200,000 and will not be required to pay principal for up to 12 months.

The province will offer working capital in excess of $200,000 to help medium to large employers manage the impact of COVID-19. This includes manufacturing and processing industries, information technology centres, tourism service operators, business service sectors and cultural enterprises.

Businesses can apply directly to Opportunities NB for this support.

Opportunities New Brunswick will work with companies to identify different products and services in high demand during the pandemic.

Higgs said the province will also reconsider any additional funding that is required, and affordable housing would be included in this.

Nurses worried

Nurses have growing concerns about the unknowns that come with treating people who might have COVID-19, the president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union says.

Paula Doucet said some people experiencing COVID-19 are still showing up at emergency rooms instead of calling 811 beforehand and visiting one of the province's eight testing centres.

"It's a question of which data, which resources are we using to ensure that frontline workers have the proper protection required for this virus," Doucet said.

CBC

Nurses unions across the country and other health-care unions are following the guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada, along with the guidelines from the U.S. and Europe.

"We are advocating for, at the minimum, a precautionary principle until more is known."

Hospitals in Ontario have had to ration protective equipment for nurses.

Photo: Elizabeth Fraser/CBC News

The New Brunswick Nurses Union hasn't been told how many masks are available but has been reassured by government there's "ample supply."

Protecting essential service workers

Russell said it's important to protect essential service workers, such as health-care workers.

"These are the people who are going to look out for us throughout this entire event, the people whose skills and dedication may save your life if you become gravely ill," she said.

She said it's also important to protect other essential service workers.

"Those who put their own health on the line everyday to make sure we can continue to put food on our tables and maintain the necessities of life," she said.

She said it's also important to protect society's most vulnerable, including seniors and those with health issues.

Photo: Elizabeth Fraser/CBC News

According to the government website, there have been 1,795 tests that have come back negative. That number is up from 1,524 Wednesday afternoon.

COVID-19 and Medicare

According to the government website, New Brunswick will cover the cost of COVID-19 services for uninsured people who do not meet the criteria for Medicare coverage.

"This will help to ensure that no one will be discouraged from seeking screening or treatment for COVID-19 for financial reasons," the website said.

Submitted by Nellie Elizabeth

Anyone living in New Brunswick, regardless of their current Medicare eligibility status, will be covered by Medicare for any care or service necessary for the treatment of all emergency medical conditions.

Meanwhile, if a person's medicare card expires between March 16 and April 30, their coverage will automatically be extended until June 1.

Small businesses at risk of folding

Some Fredericton businesses are not sure they will be able to reopen once the pandemic ends.

Krista Ross, CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, said she's received calls from businesses that are already asking about steps they need to take to declare bankruptcy.

Ross said business owners are scared.

"They have not ever in their careers encountered any situation that would come close to what they're experiencing in these times," Ross said.

Ross said the 10 per cent wage subsidy offered by the federal government is not enough to offset the loss in business revenue.

In an emailed statement to CBC News, John Wishart, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton, said most businesses in the area have issued temporary layoff notices to staff.

Wishart said it's too soon for businesses to consider bankruptcy. But some businesses are worried about paying for lease costs next month.

David Duplisea, CEO of the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, said he's thankful for the federal government's support package, but it's only a temporary solution.

"At the end of the day the bills have to be paid, and there's only so much businesses and taxpayers have to give, especially in a slowed economy," he said in an emailed statement.

Caribou mine halts production

The company that operates the Caribou underground mine near Bathurst has announced it is stopping production for the foreseeable future because of a plunging zinc price and the coronavirus pandemic..

British Columbia-based Trevali Mining Corp. announced Thursday it's shifting the mine into care and maintenance mode but offered no timeline for when the mine could resume production.

Trevali mines for zinc, lead and silver at the property and had employed about 370 people. A news release says the company will provide "transition assistance" to its workforce in addition to severance, though no specifics were provided.

Watch for suspected child abuse

Social workers are urging the public to watch for signs of child abuse and neglect in their community, as vulnerable children are told to stay at home with their parents during the COVID-19 crisis.

With children out of school for an indefinite period of time, those who are dealing with abuse at home have lost a place they can go to escape, according to Sylvie LeBlanc, a youth social worker at Dieppe's Boreal Centre.

"For a lot of people, when we think of home, it's supposed to be a safe place," said LeBlanc, who offers therapy to children who've been physically, sexually or emotionally abused.

"But for these type of kids, it's not a safe place. Being at home right now, it's probably one of their worst nightmares."

Missing school also means that teachers and guidance counsellors  a major source of referrals to child protection  won't be able to see vulnerable children every day and monitor how they're doing.

What to do if you have any symptoms?

Symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough or breathlessness. In this case, residents should:
In view of hardship faced by the outbreak of COVID-19, the Reserve Bank of India on Friday extended the deadline for meeting the last tranche of capital conservation buffer (CCB) by another six months

Mumbai: In view of hardship faced by the outbreak of COVID-19, the Reserve Bank of India on Friday extended the deadline for meeting the last tranche of capital conservation buffer (CCB) by another six months.

The move would leave about Rs 35,000 crore capital in the hands of banks for lending to on-lending to productive sectors of the economy.

This would help banks increase lending by over Rs 3.5 lakh crore by leveraging ten times of the capital.

"Considering the potential stress on account of COVID-19, it has been decided to further defer the implementation of the last tranche of 0.625 percent of the CCB from 31 March to 30 September, 2020," RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said while unveiling a slew of measures to fight the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

Currently, the CCB of banks stands at 1.875 percent of the core capital.

Sharing the decisions of RBI's seventh bi-monthly monetary policy review, the governor said the CCB is designed to ensure that banks build up capital buffers during normal times, that are outside periods of stress which can be drawn down, as losses are incurred during a stressed period.

As per Basel standards, the CCB was to be implemented in tranches of 0.625 percent and the transition to full CCB of 2.5 percent was set to be completed by 31 March, 2019. It was introduced after the 2008 global financial crisis to improve the ability of banks to withstand adverse economic conditions.

It was one of the sore points between RBI and the government during 2018. Following the change of guard at the central bank, it was decided to defer it by a year till March 2020.

"Consequently, the pre-specified trigger for loss absorption through conversion/write-down of Additional Tier 1 instruments (PNCPS and PDI) shall remain at 5.5 percent of risk-weighted assets (RWAs) and will rise to 6.125 percent of RWAs on 30 September, 2020," he said.

Besides, it was also decided to defer the implementation of Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR).

The NSFR, which reduces funding risk by requiring banks to fund their activities with sufficiently stable sources of funding over a time horizon of a year in order to mitigate the risk of future funding stress, was required to be introduced by banks from 1 April, 2020.

"It has now been decided to defer the implementation of NSFR by six months to 1 October, 2020," Das said.
Two large Huntsville employers, Lockheed Martin and Toyota Motor North America, have announced responses to the coronavirus pandemic that will pump millions and new medical supplies into the national fight against the virus.

Toyota also said it will provide payment relief options such as contract extensions and deferred lease payments for vehicle customers affected by the coronavirus.

Lockheed Martin, a defense and aerospace contractor with 600 Huntsville employees, will advance more than $50 million to small- and medium-sized suppliers to ensure they have the financial means to continue to operate, sustain jobs and support the economy, Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson said today.

Lockheed Martin will also donate $10 million to relief and assistance organizations with an emphasis on veterans and military families. The company also announced a $6.5 million relief fund for employees and retirees.

The company will also offer its engineering and technical expertise to governments at all levels, offer its facilities for crisis-related activities and donate its corporate aircraft and vehicle fleet for relief support and medical supply delivery.

Lockheed Martin said it will also continue planned employee recruiting and hiring.

Toyota said it will begin mass production of 3-D printed face shields next week for distribution to hospitals starting with centers in Texas, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. The company employees 1,400 people in Huntsville making engines in Huntsville.

The company is almost ready to work with at least two companies to produce ventilators and respirators and is seeking partners for filters to produce COVID-19 masks.

Toyota is also offering its organizational skills to hospitals and communities for organizing such things as drive-up testing sites.
Coyotes are apparently now roaming the empty streets of San Francisco after the city's residents were ordered to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Photos have emerged on social media claiming to show several wild coyotes in various parts of the northern California city.

People are sharing photos of their coyote sightings during the pandemic with the wild animals making appearances on normally busy sidewalks and in now deserted parks.

In one photo, a pack of coyotes could be seen sleeping in a patch of grass in the middle of the city.

Others have reported sightings in their front yards.

Coyotes are apparently now roaming the empty streets of San Francisco after the city's residents were ordered to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic

It is not uncommon for coyotes to be occasionally spotted in various parts of the city.

Much of California, including San Francisco, have been urged to stay home as the coronavirus continues to spread.

In California, there are now more than 4,000 confirmed corinavirus cases and 82 deaths.

The daily rhythm of life has changed swiftly across the state with the majority of residents only going out to buy groceries, visit the doctor or do anything deemed essential.

Gov. Gavin Newsom closed schools last week and encouraged people 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions to stay indoors.

He has also called for the shutdown of bars, movie theaters, gyms and other gathering places, and for restaurants to only serve food to go - restrictions that are already in place in Los Angeles and several other cities.

In one photo, a pack of coyotes could be seen sleeping in a patch of grass in the middle of the city

This Twitter user spotted a coyote in Bernal Heights in southeastern San Francisco

It comes as the United States recorded the most coronavirus cases in the world with more than 86,000 confirmed infections, overtaking both China and Italy.

More than 1,200 people have died from coronavirus in the US.

Disease experts have warned the American death toll could eventually top 80,000 even if people adhere to social distancing.

While New York is America's epicenter for the virus, analysts have identified 11 other hotspots for the virus that have the potential for mass-breakouts of the kind not seen in other badly-hit countries.

Washington, California, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas all have more than 1,500 cases of the disease each.
New York, March 27 : Nineteen out of 50 US states are reporting "extraordinarily" low numbers of coronavirus infections and the New York area alone is turning up 55 per cent of all new cases at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic caseload in America surged past China and Italys numbers on Thursday.

The US now has more than 83,000 confirmed cases with the death toll topping 1,200 by end of day March 26.

"At this time, we do have 19 out of our 50 states that had early cases but have persistently low level of cases and at this point have less than 200 cases", Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus co-ordinator said at an hour-long briefing this evening.

Birx reassured Americans that they need not fear a sudden spike where a substantial portion of the population gets infected.

"There's no model right now and no ground reality where we can see that 60 to 70 percent of Americans are going to get infected in the next eight to 12 weeks. I just want to be clear about that", Birx said.

Birx explained that the 19 states which are showing a total of only 200 cases are continuing to test and apply mitigation strategies. Most of the high risk cases are concentrated in urban areas, Birx said.

"Still though, 55 per cent of all cases and 55 per cent of all new cases continue out of the New York and New York metro area", Birx said.

At this time, 86 per cent of the tests done on people who present with fever and symptoms are coming back negative, according to Birx.

Continuing to shine a light on data-led bright spots, Birx said that no country till date has shown an attack rate of more than one in 1000.

"The only people who are over really one in 1000 cases are those that have very small populations, like Monaco." At this time, New York is reporting an infection rate of 1 in 1000 compared with around 0.2 per cent per 1000 in the rest of the states.

Birx cautioned that predictive modeling is not matching the ground reality either in the US, China, South Korea or Italy.

"So when people start talking about 20% of a population getting infected, it's very scary, but we don't have data that matches that based on the experience", Birx said. She was speaking to reports that have been painting alarming scenarios for the UK attack rate.

Earlier, Birx urged Americans "not to let up for a moment" as the 15 day mark nears for the first test case of social distancing guidelines.

"This is a real call to every person in New York City in the New York metro area to continue to follow the White House social distancing guidelines", she said.

Four counties - New York City, Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau County - account for the maximum cases in the New York metro area.

New York currently accounts for 31 per cent of people succumbing to Covid-19, according to data from Birx and New York Governor Cuomo.

The White House coronavirus task force pointed to early signs that social distancing norms in the US are beginning to work, with the number of new cases in the high risk New York area relatively "constant" instead of curving sharply upwards.

Two other areas - Wayne County in Michigan and Cook County in Chicago - are on the White House radar now because of a rapid increase in the number of cases.

By March 26, 552000 tests have been completed across the United States.

(Nikhila Natarajan can be contacted at @byniknat)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Presidential candidate of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), hero of Artsakh, General Vitaly Balasanyan has addressed the people of Artsakh with the following message which particularly reads as follows:

Dear people of Artsakh, sisters and brothers,

As you know, on March 16, the Government of Armenia followed the example of several countries and declared a state of emergency to fight against the coronavirus. The decision came late, but it was the right decision.

Artsakh and Armenia are not isolated territories, and the citizens of both countries actively communicate with each other. Of course, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Artsakh, but if we dont make active efforts, we cant guarantee that the coronavirus wont spread to Artsakh.

This is exactly why I called on declaring a state of emergency in the country ten days ago, and yesterday I sent the head of state my lawyers statement of information presenting the sufficient grounds for the lawfulness of a state of emergency. If undesired developments unfold, the incumbent authorities will be fully responsible.

The circles that are trying to destabilize the domestic political situation in Artsakh with the help of foreign forces must also have a sense of responsibility.

I have already stated that if turbulence is incited by foreign forces, only Artsakhs enemy can benefit from this, and this is inadmissible. Artsakh is not an ordinary state. Unfortunately, it is still internationally unrecognized, and there is always a risk of war. Any turbulence will increase the risks.

Dear compatriots,

We dont need powerful turbulence. We need a powerful Artsakh.
From Women's Health

I slip on disposable vinyl gloves and a surgical face mask, securing the elastic behind my ears. Susan Taylor-Pilarski, MD, does the same. Then, she hands me a gently used paper bag that once stored coffee beans.

"Put your mask in this after you take it off so you can reuse it," she tells me.

Its 8 a.m. and were standing 6 feet away from each other in the parking lot of Alfalfas supermarket in Louisville, Colorado, suiting up as if were about to see patients. Except were about to go grocery shopping.

Dr. Taylor-Pilarski is a family medicine doctor with Kaiser Permanente Colorado, and shes got the day off. These days, shes "seeing" patients via telemedicineand shes also on the front lines of the battle against the novel coronavirus, testing patients with symptoms and working shifts at the hospital. "Some of my colleagues have underlying conditions that would make taking care of people with COVID-19 more dangerous for them," says Dr. Taylor-Pilarski, "so Ive volunteered to take care of patients with symptoms."

Thats why the doctor wears a maskand why she gives me one, too. "Im interacting with patients so I need to be extra careful," she says. She reminds that the average person, who isnt a health-care worker and isnt sick, doesnt need to wear a mask and definitely shouldnt hoard them, because we are in a serious shortage of supplies right now.

Until the novel coronavirus outbreak, food shopping was a mundane task that I could do mindlessly, not thinking twice about it as I'd perused the aisles in my local store. Now, every seemingly trivial outing has become an opportunity to pick up (or even spread!) the virus. "Keeping distance is important," Dr. Taylor-Pilarski notes, "because we know that people can carry the virus even if they have no symptoms."

Not to mention, there is still a lot of unknown about how long the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness can survive on surfaces ranging from plastic to paper to fabricall materials involved in food packaging and/or hauling. One recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the virus that causes COVID-19 was detectable for up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel and up to 24 hours on cardboard, and less is known about how this virus interacts with fabric. Whew. A lot to think about.

Story continues

So, there we arearmed with disinfectant wipes as we walk toward the front entrance. "I know it may seem over the top to some people, but my theory is that its better to take too many precautions than too few," Dr. Taylor-Pilarski says. "You dont want to risk you or your family getting sick if you can prevent it."

The day before we pow-wow in the store parking lot, I get an e-mail from Dr. Taylor-Pilarski with her plan of attack.

In her note, she suggests I make a list of what I need for the upcoming week on a piece of papernot my iPhone, as I usually dobecause Ill be leaving my phone in my car. "You want to minimize the number of times you have to leave the house, which is why getting what you need for at least a week is smart," she says.

She also makes sure I plan to travel light: "The less you take into the store with you, the better," says Dr. Taylor-Pilarski, who also suggests I plan on putting my license and credit card in my jacket pocket rather than taking my purse into the store to minimize the number of things you bring into the store with you. (The more you carry, the more surfaces that have the potential to get contaminated with the new coronavirus, given that we're just not totally sure what the virus can and can't live on.)

We decide to meet an hour after Alfalfas opens. "Earlier is better, because thats when stores tend to be cleanestand least crowded, which makes it easier to stay 6 feet apart from others," she says.

She instructs me to bring a mask, disposable gloves, and disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer. I have disposable gloves stashed in the back of my medicine cabinet and grab a pair, and I also have wipes and a travel-size antibacterial spray in my car. But I dont have a mask.

Shell bring me one from her stash, she says. (She's a doctor, so it's not out of the ordinary for her to have some basic masks at home.) When I ask her what people who dont have access to any of these things should do, she tells me wipes or hand sanitizer is most important. "I know everyone is low on these, but many stores still have wipes for you to useespecially in the morning, before they run out," she says.

Photo credit: Jewelyn Butron

Next up: I have to plan my outfit. (I know, I rolled my eyes when I first read this in her note, too.) But Dr. Taylor-Pilarski explains that I should wear something I can toss in a high-heat wash after I get home. It's worth noting that changing out of your clothes immediately after an outing is another extreme precaution that there is little evidence for, but it's something Dr. Taylor-Pilarski (and many other medical pros) does to be extra careful, so I'm following her lead for the purpose of this story.

She also asks me if I have canvas bags to use rather than the coated plastic reusable totes I keep stashed in my car. Given that the new coronavirus may be able to live on plastic longer, paper seems to be better. "Canvas that you can toss into that high heat wash with your clothes when you get home is best," she adds.

"Also, dont wear any jewelry or a watch, which the virus can land on and make it more difficult to keep your hands clean," says Dr. Taylor-Pilarski. Another who-woulda-thought tip she offers? "Pull your hair back into a ponytail or bun because if your hair is down, youll be more likely to touch your face."

Lastly, she says not to forget to leave a clean pair of clothes and some disinfectant wipes next to my front dooror better yet, the garage entry (if you have one)to minimize the chance of bringing germs into the house.

A trip to the grocery store has never felt so involvedand annoying. But these strange times call for what may seem like strange measures.

When we arrive at the store, we park far away from the entrance.

We need to for a reason: Itll give us the best shot at staying at least 6 feet away from other shoppers. We are in full-on social distancing mode, and Dr. Taylor-Pilarski is especially focused on this when she notices a woman in her 60s or 70s walking out as were about to walk in.

"Lets give her a little more space," she says to me, and I realize the mindless way I usually zoom through the grocery store isnt going to cut it now.

We grab carts and, because were wearing gloves, we dont wipe down our handles with the wipes the store has provided. "Lets save the wipes for shoppers who dont have gloves," says Dr. Taylor-Pilarski. "And remember, dont touch your face."

I trail her as she shops, peppering her with questions along the way. "Why are you grabbing produce from all the way in the back?" I ask. She points out, "Lower odds that other shoppers have touched it."

Dr. Taylor-Pilarski scans the store, waiting to walk down one aisle if she sees another shopper walking toward her. Were in the baking goods aisle ("I dont know about you, but Im making a lot more cookies than usual," she says with a laugh) when a young guy approaches, obviously looking for a specific ingredient. Dr. Taylor-Pilarski stops, rather than attempt to maneuver past him, and he snatches the product hes here for and then steps away quickly.

"Did you notice how he did that?" she says. "That was great. I think most people are aware of the importance of keeping as much space as possible between us. But if you see someone getting a little too close, dont be afraid to speak up and say something like, 'Isnt it hard to stay at least 6 feet away from each other?' Its a nice reminder to everyone around you."

Photo credit: Jewelyn Butron

When were finished shopping, Dr. Taylor-Pilarski tells me that self-checkout is ideal. "Its the safest way to maintain social distancing and reduce your risk of exposure, as well as the risk of the employees at the storewho we should all be so grateful for right now," she says.

Alfalfas doesnt have self-checkout, so we keep a 6-foot distance from other shoppers in front of us as we wait to put our stuff on the conveyor belt. "If we werent wearing gloves, it would be a good idea to wipe down the credit card machine and any other area that you or your bag will touch with an antibacterial wipe," says Dr. Taylor-Pilarski. "Also, toss that paper grocery list in the garbage before you leave, and say no when asked if you want a receipt."



We leave the store, walk to our cars, and remove our masks, remembering to touch only the outside of the mask. I put mine in my brown bag, which Ive left in the trunk of my car. As I go to open my back door to load my groceries on the seat like I usually do, Dr. Taylor-Pilarski stops me. "Its a good idea to treat one spot in your car as contaminated, and the trunk is great for that."

I wipe down the lever that opens my trunk with an antibacterial wipe after Ive closed it. Dr. Taylor-Pilarski says its wise to do that to any surface in your car that you mightve touched after handling the grocery bags without gloves on, like the car door handle or steering wheel.

"Id give you a hug but, well, I wont," she says as we walk back from the garbage can, where weve just tossed our disposable gloves. We get in our cars to drive home.

Dr. Taylor-Pilarski has also given me simple instructions to follow when I get home.

With my two bags of groceries, I first take off my shoes and leave them outside to minimize the chances of bringing germs into the house. Next, I change into the spare clothes I left on a chair near our entrance.

As Im doing this, it feels extremeand in fact, theres not a lot of research out there showing its necessary, as I mentioned. But then I think about what a small ask it is. Annoying? Sure. But it takes all of two minutes. And if it cuts my risk of traipsing with this virus in my house by even a fraction of a percentage, count me in.

Photo credit: Jewelyn Butron

I also unload everything on the tile floor in our foyer, add my canvas bags to my pile of possibly contaminated clothes, and bring them to the laundry room and start a load immediately, using hot water. Next, I bring my Alfalfas haul to the kitchen and put all of the produce in the sink to wash before storing in the fridge. I also wipe down cans and boxes with an antibacterial wipe.

Finally, I hit the front doorknobs (outside and in), as well as the kitchen counter, fridge handle, and sink handle with an antibacterial wipe as well, and wash my hands like Ive seen surgeons do on TV: working up a good lather, washing halfway up my forearms, and even getting under my fingernails. Im at the sink for a solid 20 seconds.

I remember Dr. Taylor-Pilarski saying that washing my hands like this is also important to do before preparing or eating food, even a few days from now. "And remember to do all of this before you give your husband or kids a hug when you get home," she says.

While all of the steps may seem like overkill, the truth is, shopping like Dr. Taylor-Pilarski wasnt *that* hard.

Hey, that detailed adventure may inspire you to stay up until 2 a.m. to snag a grocery delivery time via Amazon or your local store. But if you leave the house and run errands safely and with proper planning, you can leave more availability open for delivery and curbside pickup services to high-risk groups like the elderly and immunocompromised to take advantage of. (If you do use those services, take the same precautions when it comes to wearing gloves while handling cardboard and wiping down food cans and boxes and washing produce before putting it away. You'll also want to tip using a store app, if that's available, instead of with cash.)

Taking all of these steps keeps me and my household virus-free during a time when experts around the world are asking all of us to be more aware than ever before of contaminating ourselves and each other. And that feels like a small effort with a potentially huge payoff.

You Might Also Like
Thousands of migrant workers and daily wage workers crossed over to Uttar Pradesh on Friday and many others waited to do so, desperate to return to their distant villages even if it meant walking the entire way home.

Carrying their children, bags and any other belongings they could manage to bundle up, they walked in a steady flow of thousands from the National Capital Region (NCR) to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.

At the Ghazipur border, they huddled close together, only some with masks -- aware of the coronavirus threat that had led to an unprecedented 21-day lockdown of the country and taken away their jobs, but helpless to do anything about combating the infection.

About 10,000 migrant workers from Delhi and Gurgaon crossed over today, said a police official at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur where many waited to enter the state.

The Delhi government was making arrangements to feed the workers and they did not need to leave the city, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain told NDTV.

But there was no keeping back the crowd at Ghazipur.

Most were men but there were also some women and children who had left their homes for a better livelihood working as construction labourers, factory workers, vegetable vendors, rickshaw pullers and a myriad other jobs.

Dhanraj, 35, began his 570-km journey home to Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh from Najafgarh in west Delhi on Friday afternoon. He earned Rs 300-400 a day fitting iron rods at construction sites but the little savings he had are gone.

I have no money and my landlord asked me to pay the rent. He said if I could not pay the rent, then I should vacate the room. My contractor also said he has no money to give me, so it is best to go back home. And I have no option but to walk all the way, Dhanraj told PTI.

Waiting for him at home are his father, wife and two sons. He has found travelling companions in another group of workers like him headed to Fatehpur.

Police stopped him at Uttam Nagar but he continued his journey as soon as they left.

Fearing the spread of the infection, police officials asked many workers not to make the journey. But many said they had no option and tried to hoodwink the police.

There were buses but some of the workers said they were not allowed to board them as they were reserved for essential services. Inter-state road transport remains suspended.

Many said they would make it, one way or the other, hopefully hitching a ride on a truck for part of the way or depending on the generosity of strangers for food.

Ajay Kumar, 20, who repairs shutters said his dream of earning more bucks in a big city crashed just a fortnight after he came to the city from his village in Bareilly.

Now, I don't even have money. The only resort is to walk back to my village as others are doing, he said, determined to get to his home 300 kilometres away.

There were many others like him.

Shiv Kumar, 25, worked at a sweet shop in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi and earned Rs 500 a day. But with the lockdown, he said he has been left with no option but to go back to his hometown in Ayodhya, some 700 kilometres from Delhi.

At least, I will be with my family. I will come back when situation settles down here, he added.

Asked how would he managed to cover the distance on foot, he replied, There is hardly any option. Once we enter Uttar Pradesh, we will try to find a mode of transport, Kumar said.

Similar was the case with Mohammad Riaz, 19, a carpenter.

Riaz, who has been working in Delhi for the last three years, said he earned Rs 600 for working six hours a day and Rs 900 for nine hours.

But with no earnings for the next few days, my savings will dry up. So it is best to go back home. Since there is no transport, there is no alternative but to walk, Riaz, a native of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, said.

The stories found echo in the satellite town of Gurgaon where a group of about 20 men began the march to Madhya Pradesh.

Walking the silent roads, they said they would prefer to go home to their families rather than stay here and starve.

Friday is day three of the countrywide 21-lockdown to curtail the spread of the disease.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people should stay where they were, it was clearly not an option migrant workers, with no jobs, no money and no savings, were willing to exercise.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MBABANE  Vendors are caught between a rock and a hard surface as over 60 of them have been ordered to stay home.



At least 78 fruit and vegetable vendors operate in the city and have been ordered by the Mbabane Municipal Council to slash the numbers to 10 vendors trading per day during the partial lockdown period.

In a bid to adhere to governments measures to prohibit public gatherings of a group of 20 people.



This move has not been welcomed by the vendors, who noted that they were dealing in perishable goods.

Government, through the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Mancoba Khumalo, listed food retailers under essential services, a category the vendors also felt they were under.



Vice Chairperson of the Vendors Committee Sibongile Hlanze said they understood the seriousness of COVID-19 but were pleading with council to consider a work plan that would be good enough for them.



Confused



Hlanze said they were confused as to what steps to take as they were a huge group, meaning that they would have to remain home for almost 10 days if they alternated.

According to Hlanze, as small business entrepreneurs they were looked down upon, yet they also contributed the economy.

The chairperson said such a decision was a huge blow for their business as they dealt in perishable goods.



If I am not available for 10 days, these goods will spoil and I will incur a huge loss, said Hlanze.

She said they lived from hand to mouth and such a decision by council would adversely affect them.

Hlanze said they were breadwinners and took care of orphans and their sickly relatives and could not afford to look after them if they did not wake up to sell their fruit and vegetables, something they did on a day to day basis.



Also she said they had debts to pay, including rent.

The vendors also mentioned that they had already made an attempt to space themselves as per governments directive of keeping one metre apart.

Meanwhile, Council Assistant Public Information Officer Siphesihle Nkwanyana said the decision was not a personal attack on the vendors.

Nkwanyana said vendors were their biggest stakeholders and their health was very important to them.



She said they understood the concerns raised by the vendors but the situation was not an ordinary one, thus it had negative effects, especially on the vendors themselves if they were left to conduct business as usual.

We are trying to support them as much as we can by not shutting them down, she said.



Nkwanyana said the idea of rotation by council was in consideration of the fact that families should live despite the situation, so that they did not close up completely.



Further, Nkwanyana said government called for the reduction in numbers on all operations, adding that even those who would be at work would be doing so with minimal staff.



Complying



This is a crisis and emergency that needs to be treated as such. Council is simply complying with government sanctions of the partial lockdown which emphasises minimal movement, whether it is retailers or shoppers.

Nkwanyana urged vendors to work with them as they endeavour to protect their lives and their families.



Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Communications Officer Thabile Mdluli referred all questions to the municipality.

Meanwhile, Minister Khumalo was explicit that informal traders should be allowed to operate so long as they adhered to the one metre distancing and did not have crowds of over 20.
Advertisement

Switzerland is lighting up the Matterhorn in a beautiful Alpine display to send a message of 'hope' and warn people to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 14,600ft mountain was lit up in the colours of the Swiss flag last night in a projection which shone over the nearby resort of Zermatt.

The display is appearing every evening between sunset and 11pm, displaying messages including the English word 'hope' and the instruction to 'stay home'.

Ski organisers in Zermatt say they want to 'show solidarity with all the people who are currently suffering and are grateful to all those who are helping to overcome the crisis'.

Switzerland, which borders hard-hit northern Italy, yesterday became the fifth European country to record 10,000 cases of the virus.

Message on the mountain: The Matterhorn is illuminated with a message to 'stay home' during the coronavirus pandemic, shown from the tourist resort of Zermatt which has shut its doors because of the crisis

The Alpine mountain is being illuminated in the red and white colours of the Swiss flag, sending messages of 'hope' and an instruction to 'stay home' to stop the spread of the disease

The projection installed by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter has also displayed a heart (pictured above last night), an image of the Swiss flag and a German-language call for 'solidarity'

The illumination was set up by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter and is being broadcast on webcams so that people can watch without leaving their homes.

As well as the English words, the projection has also displayed a heart, an image of the Swiss flag and a German-language call for 'solidarity'.

The tourist resort has been shut down until at least April 19 because of the pandemic, bringing its cable cars, mountain railways, and ski lifts to a halt.

All ski resorts have been shut down since March 13, although some regions of Switzerland had already imposed their own bans before then.

The light installation sends a message of 'hope' from the Alps, seen here from the resort of Zermatt where cable cars and ski lifts have come to a halt because of the coronavirus pandemic

The mountain light projection sends the message 'stay home' last night, with Switzerland banning any gatherings of more than five people in a bid to slow the epidemic

The illumination was set up by Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter and is being broadcast on webcams so that people can watch without leaving their homes

Switzerland yesterday became the fifth European country to declare more than 10,000 virus infections, joining Italy, Spain, France and Germany in passing the unwanted landmark.

The health ministry said 10,714 people in the Alpine country have tested positive for the new coronavirus, after 949 new cases brought the total from 9,765 into five figures.

Switzerland has recorded 161 deaths from the disease.

The Italian-speaking southern region of Ticino, which borders hard-hit northern Italy, is the worst-affected of its 26 cantons, accounting for around 40 per cent of Swiss deaths.

Elsewhere, China, Iran and the United States have also passed the 10,000 mark, according to the latest World Health Organization situation report on the global pandemic.

The light projection displays a heart from the side of the 14,692ft Alpine mountain, which straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy

People in Switzerland are being told to stay at home to slow an outbreak which has already infected more than 10,000 people

In total, '91,400 tests have been carried out for Covid-19, of which 14 per cent were positive,' the Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland says.

Those testing positive have ranged in age from under one to 102, with a median age of 52 years old, and a near-even split of men and women.

The Swiss government has ordered the closure of schools and all places of leisure, including restaurants, bars and non-food shops.

Last Friday it went further, banning all gatherings of more than five people, while anyone standing closer than two metres to others risks a fine.

'At the moment it would definitely be too early to talk about easing' the restrictions, health ministry official Daniel Koch, who is heading the Swiss response, told a press conference in Bern.

'We must first have proof that we have reached the peak of this epidemic - which unfortunately is not yet the case.'
There are 50 more tickets for the last flight

The last flights depart from London to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Embassy in the UK posted photos from British airport.

SkyUp Airlines will take away 160 Ukrainians from the UK. There are 50 more tickets for the last UIA flight.

As we reported before, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was diagnosed with coronavirus.

According to him, over the last 24 hours he had developed mild symptoms and was tested positive for coronavirus. After that he passed a second test, which turned out to be positive.

Earlier, Ukrainian woman has died from the coronavirus outside Ukraine; now the number of Ukrainians who died from the disease abroad has reached four.

According to the MFA, 160 citizens of Ukraine are under lockdown in a number of countries, 22 Ukrainians are receiving treatment, and eight of our fellow citizens have already recovered.

Also, 274 Ukrainians are being evacuated from Canada. "Ukrainians are returning home from Canada. 274 passengers have departed via the UIA flight from Toronto to Kyiv," the report of Ukraine's Embassy in Canada reads.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  With some southeast Michigan hospitals nearing capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state is working with healthcare providers to free up space by transferring patients to other Michigan hospitals.

So will hospitals in West Michigan participate?

Our hospital leadership met this afternoon and we are not able to support hospitals on the east side of the state during their current COVID-19 patient surge, Jamie Allen, a spokesperson for Metro Health in Wyoming, said in a statement.

We are focusing on our own internal operations to ensure that we are in the best position to meet the needs of our current patients and those we are expecting in the weeks to come.

Spectrum Health, the regions largest hospital system, with 14 hospitals in a 13-county footprint, could not be reached for comment.

Speaking Thursday in Lansing, state Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun announced that Michigan is implementing a load balancing plan for hospitals.

Under the plan, hospitals outside of southeast Michigan would be asked to serve as relief hospitals and accept patients from health care facilities that are at or near capacity. Participating hospitals would be asked to offer 10 percent of their space to the effort.

Mercy Health, which has hospitals in Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Shelby, said in a statement that we can help other hospitals create capacity by taking non-COVID patients as part of an effort to load balance.

Mercy spokesperson Amy Rotter said the hospital system is not at this time accepting transfer patients with coronavirus COVID-19. Mercy has not yet received requests to accept transfer patients, she said.

Mercy Health is affiliated with Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, which has hospitals in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Howell, Livonia and Pontiac. In a statement, Mercy Health said it and Saint Joseph Mercy Health have hundreds of patients in its hospitals who are under investigation for or already diagnosed with coronavirus COVID-19.

We believe we likely have more who have not been confirmed, who have not been tested, Mercy said in its statement. We also have a growing number of patients who have tested positive in our hospital and ambulatory communities who have been sent home to quarantine and are being followed under the care of our physician practices. We believe we are on the brink of a surge and stand ready.

The number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus COVID-19 in Michigan jumped to 2,856 on Thursday, March 26, state figures show. Thats up from 2,295 diagnosed cases the day before.

Eighty-four percent of those cases are clustered in the states three most populous counties: Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. Hospital systems in the three-county area, including Beaumont Health and Henry Ford Health System, have been strained by a surge in patients.

Dr. Michael Jakubowski, chief medical officer at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, said Mary Free Bed will be accepting non-COVID-19 patients. The hospital, as of Thursday night, had about 40 beds available.

He said its unclear when the first transfer patients could arrive, and that Mary Free Bed has not at this time received any requests to accept transfer patients. The hospital will admit patients from rehabilitation units in southeast Michigan and acute care medical and surgical patients who require rehabilitation.

Jakubowski said the rehabilitation hospital is not accepting COVID-19 patients because its not equipped to care for such patients. Mary Free Bed provides rehabilitation services for patients recovering from brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries and more.

We have a lot of intensive care unit capacity, but we are not a place that typically has patients who are actively getting worse, Jakubowski said. Because those patients cannot do any rehabilitation, and there are federal guidelines we must follow for who can come in and be in a rehabilitation hospital.

In southwest Michigan, Bronson Healthcare, which has hospitals in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Paw Paw and South Haven, said it has no plans at this time to admit patients from elsewhere in the state.

Bronsons four hospitals are prepared to take COVID-19 patients from Southwest Michigan, which is our designated service area, the healthcare system said in a statement.

Officials with Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo could not be reached for comment.

Holland Hospital in Ottawa County has no plans at this time to accept patients from elsewhere in Michigan, said spokesperson Jennifer Schmitt.

Holland Hospital is prepared to take COVID-19 patients from our designated service area, she said in a statement.

Sixty people have died from coronavirus COVID-19 as of Thursday, March 26, state figures show.

PREVENTION TIPS

Read more:

Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 2,856 cases, doubling in three days

First Michigan lawmaker tests positive for coronavirus

Third Michigan law enforcement death attributed to the coronavirus
Miami: Nicolas Maduro effectively converted Venezuela into a criminal enterprise at the service of drug traffickers and terrorist groups as he and his allies stole billions from the South American country, the US Justice Department charged in several indictments made public on Thursday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Credit:AP

The coordinated unsealing of indictments against 14 officials and government- connected individuals, and rewards of $US55 million ($90 million) against Maduro and four others, attacked all the key planks of what Attorney-General William Barr called the "corrupt Venezuelan regime", including the Maduro-dominated judiciary and the powerful armed forces.

One indictment by prosecutors in New York accused Maduro and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of the rubber-stamping constitutional assembly, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and members of the military "to flood the United States with cocaine" and use the drug trade as a "weapon against America".

Criminal acts to advance a drug and weapons conspiracy that dates back to the start of Hugo Chavez's revolution in 1999 occurred as far afield as Syria, Mexico, Honduras and Iran, the indictment alleged. Barr estimated that the conspiracy helped smuggle as much as 250 metric tonnes of cocaine a year out of South America.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
For weeks now, shoppers have stocked up on toilet paper, clearing shelves at local grocery stores amid fears of the coronavirus.

In an effort to remind residents to stop panic buying, the San Antonio Police Department tweeted a Fiesta-related joke Thursday in hopes that San Antonians will relate.

Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news with mySA.com:

In the tweet, SAPD asked the community to stop buying the toiletry product as if its Fiesta medals. Residents in San Antonio typically collect medals to show off during Fiesta.

RELATED: Nirenberg is tired of seeing 'trunk full' of toilet paper-hoarding

"Stop panic buying! Only buy what you need, so others can have some too," the tweet said, concluding with hashtags asking the community to be kind to their neighbor and to stay safe.

The police department isn't the first to release a message about the panic buying. Earlier this week, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg tweeted that he was tired of seeing a "trunk full" of toilet paper hoarding.

H-E-B has limited the amount of toilet paper a shopper can buy at one time. The purpose of the limits is to keep the supply chain strong, the company said in a news release this week.

Priscilla Aguirre is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
Pulmuone's premium fresh noodle items / Courtesy of Pulmuone

By Kim Jae-heun



Korean fresh food company Pulmuone is seeing positive results in the American market with its Asian noodle products. According to the company, Tuesday, annual gross sales of its noodle packs have skyrocketed, increasing six-fold in four years to record over $30 million. Pulmuone adopted the strategy of putting a strong emphasis on product quality, placing premium fresh noodles in the American market where only relatively cheap instant noodles with flavoring powder existed before.



The fresh food company first entered the U.S. mainstream Asian noodle market with premium noodle products in 2015 when its annual sales started at $5 million. With the solid performance of its Black Bean Sauce Noodles and Teriyaki Stir-fry Udon packs in Costco stores across the country, their sales have been increasing steadily. Pulmuone saw particular success in 2018 when the number soared by 85 percent in one year to hit the $30 million mark.



The Black Bean Sauce Noodles was Pulmuone's initial offering that attracted U.S. buyers and consumers. The company first introduced the premium noodle pack by hosting a Costco roadshow with the item in 2015. Originating from China, the now "Koreanized" black bean noodle dish, also known as Jjajangmyeon here, earned interest from American customers, many of who became familiar with the dish due to it being referenced in Oscar-winning film "Parasite."



After introducing Black Bean Sauce Noodles to Costco stores in the U.S., Pulmuone's gross sales in the Asian noodle category posted $8 million in 2017. At the end of 2016, the fresh food company launched a new product, Teriyaki Stir-fry Udon, a soybean-sauce-based fresh noodle meal with a mixed vegetable topping. Bringing home the authentic taste of Asian restaurants, Pulmuone's Teriyaki Stir-fry Udon went on to contribute to the company's sales record of $16 million in 2018. Now, the two fresh noodle items sell at more than 300 Costco stores in the U.S.



"As the U.S. Asian noodle market was focused on items of low-priced instant noodles, we chose to approach the market with premium fresh noodles to meet the consumer needs for quality Asian foods," said Sujie Park, a Product Manager of Asian Category Marketing at Pulmuone USA Foods. "Pulmuone's main products in the U.S. have been groceries such as tofu and kimchi so far, but we are aggressively expanding our lineup of convenience foods including fresh noodles."



Pulmuone is continuing to expanding its product lineup with new items such as Korean Inspired Beef Udon, Knife-cut Asian Noodles, Pho Noodle Soup and Katsuo Udon.


Phi Phi bar owners arrested for selling drugs to tourists, B23mn in accounts seized

PHUKET: Two people have been arrested for selling drugs at a bar on Phi Phi Island, and officers have seized more than B23 million in funds in bank accounts, Immigration Bureau Chief Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang has announced.

drugstourismcrimepolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 27 March 2020, 08:47PM

Ms Supranee was found at a homestay resort on Koh Yao Yai, east of Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Ms Supranee was found at a homestay resort on Koh Yao Yai, east of Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Ms Supranee was found at a homestay resort on Koh Yao Yai, east of Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Ms Supranee was found at a homestay resort on Koh Yao Yai, east of Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Lt Gen Sompong revealed the news at a press conference in Bangkok today (Mar 27).

A tip-off to police led officers to raid the Barnana bar on Phi Phi Island on Mar 1, he said.

Officers arrested the bars owner, Piyawat Khunbunthreng, after they found him in possession of a cache of drugs, he said.

Officers seized 18 pills of ecstasy, with an estimated sale value of B1,500 per pill, Lt Gen Sompong said.

Also seized were packs of marijuana weighing a total of 875 grammes, worth an estimated B100,000, and 534 hand-rolled cigarettes of marijuana mixed with tobacco which sold for B200 each, he added.

Officers also seized B280,470 cash, Lt Gen Sompong noted.

They also seized bank accounts containing more than B23 million, he added.

Piyawat confessed that drugs were smuggled onto the island so they could be sold to tourists, Lt Gen Sompong said.

Officers continued their investigation, which led them to track down Piyawats partner in the bar, who Lt Gen Somphong named only as Ms Supranee.

Armed with an arrest warrant issued by Krabi Provincial Court on Mar 2, officers began their search for Supranee.

The telling clue came on Mar 14, when she withdrew B2.08 million from one of the accounts at the Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) branch at the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong.

Working with Tourist Police, Krabi Police and Phang Nga Police, and by using CCTV footage, officers tracked down and arrested Supranee at a homestay resort on Koh Yao Yai, east of Phuket but technically in Phang Nga Province, Lt Gen Somphong explained.

Both Piyawat and Supranee have been charged with possession of drugs with intent to sell, and will be prosecuted according, Lt Gen Somphong noted.
Amber Heard lost her legal bid Friday to get a $50 million defamation suit brought by her ex-husband Johnny Depp thrown out, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

The 33-year-old actress argued that statements made in a Washington Post op-ed detailing her experiences as a domestic violence survivor did not name Depp, 55, and were not defamatory.

But a judge rejected her motion to dismiss on the grounds that three of the four sentences the Pirates of the Caribbean star complained about could 'convey the alleged defamatory meaning that Mr Depp abused Ms Heard.'

The former couple met on the set of The Rum Diary, back in 2011, married four years later but split in May 2016 amid a slew of blood-curdling domestic violence allegations and tabloid headlines.

They looked to have put their feud behind them after agreeing to a $7 million divorce settlement in August of that year until Heard wrote an article in December 2018 about being a domestic abuse victim.

Suing: Johnny Depp is taking his ex Amber Heard to court in Fairfax County, Virginia, accusing her of defamation for a Washington Post op-ed where she wrote about being a 'public figure representing domestic abuse' and saying it cost him his role as Captain Jack Sparrow

Losing side: Amber Heard who was seen with her girlfriend Bianca Butti in Los Angeles this week taking a break from social isolation, failed to get the case against her thrown out

The Pirates of the Caribbean star accuses his ex-wife of trying to frame him as an abuser

The article did not mention Depp by name but he filed for defamation in March of last year, saying it led to speculation that he was the abuser and caused him to lose the role of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Heard's legal team tried to persuade a court in Fairfax County, Virginia to grant a demurrer on the basis Depp had not presented an actionable claim.

Chief Judge Bruce D. White disagreed, concluding that statements such as: 'I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse' could be seen to refer to Depp.

He also said the statements 'I spoke up against sexual violence - and faced our culture's wrath' and 'two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse' could equally be taken as references to the Oscar-nominated actor.

The judge agreed with Heard that a section in her op-ed complaining about being hounded by tabloid photographers and receiving death threats was not defamatory.

But he rejected her claim the lawsuit had fallen outside of the statute of limitations, pointing out that it was filed within four months of the article's publication even though it dealt with allegations dating back to 2016.

Depp has always argued that he was the victim of an 'elaborate hoax' instigated by his ex-wife, who 'faked' her injuries with makeup after a blowout May 2016 fight that finally ended their toxic marriage.

Heard has previously responded with a 300-page filing of her own, cataloging the years of alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of 'the monster'.

The case is due to be heard in August.

Heard's attorney Roberta Kaplan said of the court's ruling: 'Today's decision leaves it to a jury to decide the meaning of Ms Heard's op-ed and the truth of what she said.

'As we have said all along, the courts have strong mechanisms in place for determining the truth.

'Here, we remain confident that Ms Heard will prevail at trial when the jury is presented with evidence on the question that the Court identified namely, whether 'Ms Heard was abused by Mr Depp'.'

The decision comes a day after DailyMail.com published exclusive images of Heard cuddling up to Elon Musk in the private elevator to Johnny Depp's former Los Angeles penthouse.

Now, surveillance camera images obtained by DailyMail.com capture his ex-wife cozying up to Musk as they ride the elevator at the luxury downtown LA apartment complex where she once lived with Depp. The Space X inventor, 48, can been seen in one image draping his arms around Heard, who appears to be wearing just a swimsuit and a towel

Musk insists the 33-year-old actress had already split from Depp by the time they began seeing one another and their relationship didn't become romantic 'until some time later'

'Elon and Amber didn't start seeing each other until May 2016, and even then it was infrequent,' Musk's spokesman said. 'Their relationship didn't become romantic until some time later'

There are no timestamps or clues as to when the pictures were taken however security guards have previously gone on record to state that Musk visited Heard on multiple occasions before and after she filed for divorce in May 2016

The Tesla mogul can been seen in one of the pictures, taken from surveillance camera footage, draping his arms around Heard - who appears to be wearing just a swimsuit and cover-up.

There are no time stamps on the images and Heard lived alone in the penthouse for six months after her split with Depp.

Musk insists the couple had gone their separate ways by the time he began seeing Heard and says their relationship didn't become romantic 'until some time later'.

However Depp's defamation lawsuit accuses the pair of starting an affair one month into his 2015 marriage and he has subpoenaed the Space X billionaire for his text messages.

He specifically wants to know what she told the tech tycoon about the May 21, 2016 fight that resulted in Heard seeking a restraining order, accusing Depp of hurling a phone at her and beating her.

DailyMail.com has also published a series of exclusive leaked audio tapes in recent months in which the ex-couple can be overheard discussing their various fights and bust ups.

In one such tape, Heard admitted to throwing pots, pans and vases at Depp, while in another she conceded she had 'clocked' him in the face.

Her lawyers insist Depp was always the instigator of the violence and that their client acted in self-defense.
According to the GuruFocus All-in-One Screener as of March 27, the following guru-held companies have high dividend yields and are trading with very low price-earnings ratios.

Cincinnati Financial

Cincinnati Financial Corp.'s (NASDAQ:CINF) dividend yield is 3.02% and the payout ratio is 0.19. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has declined 4.75% and shares are trading with a price-book ratio of 1.25 and a price-earnings ratio of 6.25.





ab7d61a4b6d85a81c1efc41fe5fd63ed.png

The insurance company has a market cap of $12.34 billion. The return on equity of 22.27% and return on assets of 8.34% are outperforming 89% of companies in the insurance industry. The cash-debt ratio of 0.87 is outperforming 92% of competitors.

The company's largest guru shareholders are Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) and Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio)' Renaissance Technologies with 0.14% of outstanding shares, followed by Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.03%.

Horace Mann Educators

Horace Mann Educators Corp.'s (NYSE:HMN) dividend yield is 3.5%. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has fallen 6% and the shares are trading with a price-earnings ratio of 7.56 and a price-book ratio of 0.87.

c9a12bfc94771d2f7c8f92d2b49663e2.png

The insurance holding company, which primarily serves educators and their families, has a $1.37 billion market cap. The return on equity of 12.53% and return on assets of 1.56% are outperforming 52% of competitors. The cash-debt ratio of 0.06 is underperforming 97% of competitors. The equity-asset ratio of 0.13 is below the industry median of 0.23.

Hotchkis & Wiley is the company's largest guru shareholder with 0.79% of outstanding shares, followed by John Rogers (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.61% and Simons' firm with 0.31%.

JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s (NYSE:JPM) dividend yield is 3.7% with a payout ratio of 0.32. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has fallen 8.85%. Shares are trading with a price-book ratio of 1.21 and a price-earnings ratio of 8.59.

Story continues

3f76b1d69f25dcdbbb867f8af0e50e40.png

The bank has a market cap of $285 million. GuruFocus rated its profitability 5 out of 10. The return on equity of 13.27% and return on assets of 1.35% are outperforming 75% of competitors. Its financial strength is rated 3 out of 10. The cash-debt ratio of 0.79 is below the industry median of 0.58.

Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) is the company's largest guru shareholder with 1.93% of outstanding shares, followed by PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.72% and Dodge & Cox with 0.46%.

Mobile TeleSystems

Mobile TeleSystems PJSC's (NYSE:MBT) dividend yield is 12.17% with a payout ratio of 1.02. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has fallen 4% and the shares are trading with a price-book ratio of 14.69 and a price-earnings ratio of 9.61.

d606abda4b65dc34e35c3f8235b3fcf5.png

The Russian wireless operator has a market cap of $6.63 billion and a GuruFocus profitability rating of 9 out of 10. The return on equity of 110.88% and return on assets of 6.25% are outperforming 77% of competitors. Its financial strength is rated 3 out of 10 with a cash-debt ratio of 0.24 and an equity-asset ratio of 0.04.

With 4.42% of outstanding shares, Simons' firm is the company's largest guru shareholder, followed by Sarah Ketterer (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.61% and Charles Brandes (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.40%.

Western Union

The Western Union Co.'s (NYSE:WU) dividend yield is 4.12% and the payout ratio is 0.33. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has gained 7%. The shares are trading with a price-earnings ratio of 8.15.

b844db38fe9d0b129f051d3be41801f9.png

The provider of international money transfer solutions has a market cap of $8.25 billion. GuruFocus rated its profitability 8 out of 10. The return on assets of 11.75% is outperforming 94% of competitors. Its financial strength is rated 4 out of 10. The cash-debt ratio of 1.01 is above the industry median of 0.2.

With 1.05% of outstanding shares, Pioneer Investments is the company's largest guru shareholder, followed by Simons' firm with 0.75% and Rogers with 0.38%.

Disclosure: I do not own any stocks mentioned.

Read more here:

5 Retailers Predicted to Boost Earnings

6 Restaurants Trading With Low Price-Earnings Ratios

5 Cycical Companies Boosting Book Value







Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Returning Australians to Be Held in Hotels For 2 Weeks

Australians returning from overseas as the CCP virus pandemic worsens will now be quarantined in hotels and other facilities for two weeks before returning to their homes.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mishandling allowed the virus to spread throughout China and spark a global pandemic.

The crackdown on international travellers will come into effect on Saturday night and be enforced by the states and territories with support from the Australian Defence Force.

People will be quarantined in the city they fly to, regardless of whether its in their home state.

Defence personnel will also help enforce existing self-isolation restrictions on people who have already returned from overseas to ensure they are staying at home for 14 days.

Almost two-thirds of the more than 3,000 CCP virus cases recorded in Australia are among people who have returned from overseas.

A significant percentage of the remaining cases are believed to have been transmitted to others by returned overseas travellers.

The prime minister acknowledged the new quarantine measures were tough but insisted they were necessary and non-negotiable.

Scott Morrison urged Australians wanting to fly home to do so as quickly as possible, given countries are rapidly closing their borders as the deadly disease continues to spread.

It wont be too long before it will be very difficult to get back into Australia, he told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

The states and territories will shoulder the cost of quarantine in hotels, with NSW to have the greatest burden, given it has the most arrivals.

The federal government contribution will be to provide ADF troops to enforce the self-isolation rules.

About 7,000 Australians return from overseas daily despite strong travel restrictions and warnings.

Read More 21 Million Fewer Cellphone Users in China May Suggest a High CCP Virus Death Toll

Latest Response to CCP Virus Pandemic

Travel

Isolation declaration card for Australians coming back from overseas will be strictly enforced

By no later than 11.59pm on Saturday, states and territories will quarantine all arrivals in hotels and other accommodation for mandatory 14-day isolation before they return to their homes

Defence force personnel will support state enforcement efforts in terms of people already in home isolation

Global

Australia has the highest coronavirus testing rate in the world

Coronavirus economic measures of 10 per cent of GDP stack up against other G20 member nations

Movement

An 80 percent drop in the movement of Australians has saved lives, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says

Business

Main aim is to keep Australians in work and the economy running

Hibernation of Australian businesses will be allowed so they will not be saddled by rent and other costs during the next six months. Details to be announced in coming days

Third tranche of economic support is being developed.

Read More Editorial: Giving the Right Name to the Virus Causing a Worldwide Pandemic

NSW Lockdown Inches Closer as Cases Climb

Coronavirus cases in NSW without a clear source of transmission are on the rise, nudging the state closer to a lockdown scenario.

The state branch of the Australian Medical Association, meanwhile, has called for an immediate lockdown amid highly unusual times and an assurance that healthcare workers can access protective gear.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday in NSW rose by 186 to 1405. Of those cases, the source of infection for 145 people is unknown, prompting concern among health authorities.

This number is the primary criterion by which NSW authorities are gauging the success of shutdown measures in halting the virus spread.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian urged people to be vigilant and sensible, adding no one should leave their homes unless they have to.

But if CCP virus cases from community-to-community transmission continue to rise, a more comprehensive lockdown would be needed.

That tells us we are starting to see the increasing spread from unknown sources, Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

Theres a number of (lockdown) trigger pointsyou look at the proportion of community-to-community transfer, the capacity of our hospital system, how many people are presenting to hospital with the disease.

You also look to see how much community activity has been reduced.

Berejiklian said it would be important for residents to have time to absorb government decisions, and reiterated that at least seven days were required to determine the success of current restrictions.

Nevertheless, she is willing to move ahead of NSW Health advice, an action demanded on Friday by AMA NSW.

President Dr Kean-Seng Lim said stronger physical distancing measures were required immediately and called for a central point of command within the health system, rather than local health district management.

He also demanded assurances doctors and nurses were protected from infection through access equipment such as masks and gloves.

We dont want to see any deaths of healthcare workers in NSW and the community needs to do everything possible to support that goal. These are highly unusual times, Lim said in a statement. We are calling on every person in NSW to play their part and stay home.

NSW Health on Friday said in a statement that 162 passengers of the Ruby Princess cruise ship permitted to disembark last week in Sydney have now been confirmed to have COVID-19, up from 121.

Other confirmed cases include a Bathurst Base Hospital doctor and two Chilean sailors who have been in NSW since March 1.

Almost 20 coronavirus patients in NSW are in intensive care.

A one-year-old girl confirmed on Thursday to have been infected with the CCP virus was also found to have visited a child care centre one day before her onset of symptoms. NSW Health will contact the parents of all children at the centre.

It comes as the NSW government announces a second round of economic stimulus measures including an additional $750 million to sustain businesses and retrain retrenched employees.

NSW last week injected $2.3 billion into the economy in its first stimulus package including $700 for increased health spending.

Berejiklian on Thursday said police would ramp up their public presence and no cruise ship passengers would be permitted to disembark in NSW until clearer protocols were established with border authorities.

Police have the power to hand out fines of $1000 to individuals and $5000 to businesses that breach public health orders or ministerial directions.

Crime Stoppers in the past two days had received 600 calls alleging self-isolation flouting, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said on Friday.

Meanwhile, figures show Waverley Council in Sydneys east has recorded the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases with 105 on Thursday.

By Daniel McCulloch, Paul Osbourne and AAP reporters

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
The claim: President Trump handed out personal checks to Tennessee tornado victims during his March 6 visit to the Volunteer State.

On March 6, 2020, President Donald Trump visited Tennessee and met with local and state officials, residents and first responders to survey major damage from a deadly tornado that killed 25 people across the Midstate.

Trump was accompanied by members of the state's congressional delegation, including the state's two Republican senators, Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn.

On March 11, several Facebook users posted on social media that Trump handed out personal checks during his visit. Some of the posts garnered millions of views.

President Donald Trump chats with Tennessee first lady Maria Lee, Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter, Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Friday, March 6, 2020 in Putnam County, Tenn. after tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee earlier in the week killing 25 people.

Post by lisa.knight.399.

Facebook user Lisa Knight posted:

"Trump came to Nashville to assess damage from the tornado. I made tea in case he happened to drop by. He visited each area via helicopter to avoid exasperating the already burdened traffic flows in the city. Im particularly grateful for that since it took me 2 hours to go a whopping 5 miles last week. On top of everything else, he wrote PERSONAL checks to those in need hearing of their hardship. He even brought along his own personal accountant to do so, on his own dime. No other President in history has done this. None."

USA TODAY reached out to Knight and several others who made similar claims on Facebook, but did not receive responses from most.

Facebook user Kirby Pearce said he did not witness Trump handing anyone a check, but heard about it from someone else.

John Horstman, deputy director of media affairs at the White House, said he could not confirm whether checks were distributed.

Spokeswomen for Alexander and Blackburn also said they could not confirm it.

Michael Collins, a White House correspondent for USA TODAY, said the presidents accountant, Allen Weisselberg, is not mentioned in any of the national pool reports from that trip.

But the White House seldom provides a complete list of everyone traveling with the president. Reporters list the names of those travelers they recognize.

Story continues

USA TODAY also reached out directly to Trump and the Trump Organization about the claim, but they did not respond.

Our ruling: Unproven

We rate the claims made in the Facebook posts as unproven because they lack any evidence and are not supported by our research. The consensus among reporters and photographers in the press pool, and lack of knowledge at the White House and from two Republican Tennessee senators suggests Trump did not hand out personal checks to Tennessee tornado victims.

Our fact-check sources:

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fact check: It's unclear if Trump wrote checks after Tennessee tornadoes
Stumpy, a mix who was adopted this week by Lindsey Glick of Redondo Beach. (Lindsey Glick)

L.A.-area animal shelters and rescue organizations have closed temporarily because of the coronavirus outbreak. But that doesn't mean you can't give a cat or dog a home. New online protocols allow you to adopt or foster a pet while adhering to stay-at-home rules.

Unlike New York City, which is running out of pets to adopt because of the huge demand, L.A. shelters have pets ready to go but expect the process to take longer than usual.

"We have had such an amazing response that we have added staff to process the applications faster," Los Angeles Animal Services spokeswoman Agnes Sibal-von Debschitz said in an email.

Here are county and city-run shelters as well as rescue organizations you can contact to adopt or foster a pet.

Los Angeles Animal Services

The city of Los Angeles oversees six centers that are open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only.

"If people want a small dog, we have only a few at this time," Sibal-von Debschitz said in her email. "We need help with medium and larger dogs, and adult cats right now. But people should visit our website for new animals coming in."

Here's the step-by-step process:

"Visit laanimalservices.com/adopt. When you see a pet you want to adopt, call (888) 452-7381 with the Animal ID number .... We will share all of the information we have regarding the pet with you.

"If you want to move forward with the paperwork to adopt this animal, we will obtain all information to complete the paperwork for adoption over the phone and schedule a pick-up appointment.

"During the appointment, staff will be able to show you the selected animals. We have a directive to not have more than 10 people assembled at one time and that includes staff."

L.A. County Animal Care and Control

Don Belton, public information officer for the county's seven animal care centers, urged people to do the same thing: Go online, take a look at the animals available and start the adoption process.

Story continues

"If you have an animal in mind, make an appointment with that specific animal care center," Belton said. "Then you'll meet and interact with that animal, and hopefully fall in love."

Adoptions are handled first before fostering requests, Belton said. Just be patient waiting for a response because the agency is dealing with many requests.

The staff continues to take care of the animals while keeping themselves and others safe. Also, people can "volunteer from home" by making masks for staff members or making a donation.

To adopt or foster, go online to view animals and learn the process at L.A. County Animal Care and Control. Also call (562) 940-6898; for those who want to foster, email foster@animalcare.lacounty.gov.

Animal rescue organizations

Lindsey Glick and Stumpy, a puppy she adopted from Pardon the Pups. (Lindsey Glick)

Lindsey Glick of Redondo Beach adopted a dog Tuesday after an online search. She found some agencies and organizations slow to respond to her request. The special education teacher and her husband wound up at Pardon the Pups rescue organization in the L.A. area and adopted Stumpy, a mix of corgi, Shih Tzu, pitbull and husky.

"At the beginning of this week, I really started looking to find a dog, knowing we would both be home for two months and we needed something to do," Glick said. She felt it was the ideal time for her and her husband to bond with and teach the dog.

Stumpy, who's about 4 months old, "looks like a Slinky ... with really short front legs."

Besides Pardon the Pups, prospective pet owners can contact the No-Kill L.A./Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in West L.A. to to arrange an adoption.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has shamed Republicans in Congress for fighting for proponents of the $2trn coronavirus response bill that she characterised as nothing more than a corporate giveaway that would exacerbate American income and wealth inequality going forward.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, said during a floor speech before the House of Representatives voted on that bill that her home district has been devastated by the virus  and criticised the billions of dollars that Republican senators have demanded be given to American industries in the proposed stimulus package.

I represent one of the hardest hit communities in the hardest hit city in this country, Queens, New York. Thirteen dead in a night, she said. Our communitys reality is this countrys future if we dont do anything. Hospital workers do not have protective equipment. We dont have the necessary ventilators."

She continued, pivoting to the stimulus bill: But we have to go into this vote eyes wide open. What did the Senate majority fight for? One of the largest corporate bailouts with as few strings as possible in American history. Shameful. The greed of that fight is wrong for crumbs for our families and the option that we have is to either let them suffer with nothing or to allow this greed and billions of dollars which will be leveraged into trillions of dollars to contribute to the largest income inequality gap in our future.

There should be shame about what was fought for in this bill and the choices that we have to make, she said.

The Democrat-controlled House voted through the bill after the Senate  which is controlled by a Republican majority  approved the measure, which includes $500bn worth of loans that the Treasury Department will divvy up to struggling industries, including the airline industry and elsewhere.

Democrats have so far succeeded in ensuring that protections for ordinary workers were included in the bill, as well, including the distribution of $1,200 to Americans over the coming weeks.

Despite those inclusions, progressives have blasted the bill for its bailout of American industries including the airline industry, which has been criticised for pumping profits into stock buybacks that benefited shareholders but left them vulnerable to the kinds of economic shocks now being seen as a result of the global pandemic.
Buenos Aires: As Argentina was scrambling to introduce emergency measures to insulate its ailing economy from the coronavirus last week, the Chinese ambassador paid a visit to the home of President Alberto Fernandez to discuss an offer.

At the meeting in the wealthy Olivos suburb of Buenos Aires, ambassador Zou Xiaoli laid out how the Asian giant was ready to help Argentina face the pandemic: donating masks, gloves, thermometers and protective suits.

A temporary field hospital built by the Argentine Army at Campo de Mayo Military base in Buenos Aires with the assistance of Chinese donations. Credit:Getty Images

The donations, welcomed by Fernandez's government, show how China is leveraging its production of medical equipment and expertise in halting the coronavirus as a soft-power tool in regions such as South America, where it is jostling for influence against the United States.

From Argentina to Mexico, Brazil to Peru, Latin American nations have accepted offers of support from China as the number of coronavirus cases across the region has climbed, amid growing fears about the preparedness of their healthcare systems.
Man found packing two guns, ammo arrested in Cancun

Cancun, Q.R.  An armed subject who identified himself as a military agent was arrested Thursday morning by Cancun police after they found him in possession of guns and ammunition.

Quintana Roo Police announced the arrest of 58-year-old William N for the carrying of firearms. According to their report, the arrest was recorded when police officers, who were conducting surveillance tours in SM 23, saw a person inside a vehicle remove a weapon from his waist when he noticed police.

The man then assumed an evasive attitude. Police proceeded to inspect the man and his vehicle, discovering two guns and ammo. He was taken into custody and held for authorities.
A federal judge in New York ordered the release Thursday of 10 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees from correctional facilities in New Jersey to protect them from coronavirus.

The 10 inmates all suffer from chronic medical conditions and face an imminent risk of death or serious injury in immigration detention if exposed to COVID-19, United States District Court Judge Analisa Torres wrote in her decision.

Torres granted the ten men a temporary restraining order releasing them on their own recognizance subject to reasonable and appropriate conditions."

The judges order also stopped Thomas Decker, director of ICEs New York Field Office, and Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the U.S. Department Homeland Security, from arresting the men for civil immigration detention purposes during their immigration hearings.

The restraining order will expire on April 9 at 6:30 p.m. and Wolf and Decker have until April 2 to explain why it should not be converted to a preliminary injunction, Torres decision said.

An ICE spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Three of the inmates were being held at Hudson County jail. Five were being held at Bergen County jail.

And the remaining two were being held at the Essex County jail.

The 10 detainees were represented by Brooklyn Defender Services, which began petitioning for the release of the inmates on March 16.

Some of the inmates underlying conditions cited in the judges decision included asthma, severe heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

In a similar effort, two New York legal groups, The Legal Aid Society and The Bronx Defenders, also filed action recently to free seven ICE detainees in New Jersey and New York jails who are at imminent risk of COVID-19 because of their age or underlying health conditions.

And in an unrelated case, an ICE detainee at the Bergen County jail who tested positive for the coronavirus was freed from the facility Thursday. The 31-year-old was the countrys first federal immigration detainee to test positive, according to Emilio Dabul, spokesman for ICE in New Jersey.

Last week, a sheriffs corrections officer who works at the jail also tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting seven other corrections officers who had contact with him to self-quarantine. The corrections officer self-quarantined at home for 14 days.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.
The coronavirus dealt a triple blow to the heart of government yesterday.

Boris Johnson revealed he had tested positive for the disease after developing a temperature and persistent cough.

Shortly afterwards, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that he too had been diagnosed with the virus and was working from home.

Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, who advised the PM to take a test after examining him on Thursday afternoon, then revealed he was self-isolating after developing symptoms.

Boris Johnson (pictured) revealed he had tested positive for the disease after developing a temperature and persistent cough

The triple blow came as the NHS braced itself for an onslaught from the virus in the coming days.

The official UK death toll jumped to 759, with 181 deaths in a single day  the highest since the crisis began.

NHS chief Sir Simon Stevens revealed that more than 6,200 people with the virus were being treated in hospitals in England.

Mr Johnson said he has only 'mild symptoms' and was self-isolating in Downing Street for the next week, cut off from face-to-face contact with officials and ministers.

Matt Hancock, pictured second from left, also said he had tested positive. That means of the four people who have been at the heart of the government's response, two now have coronavirus and one has symptoms. Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser (pictured second from right), said he has no symptoms

Speaking at the government's daily press conference on Friday, Michael Gove said the 'virus does not discriminate' and 'we are all at risk'

In a video message he said he would continue to lead the 'national fightback' from isolation.

No 10 refused to comment on the whereabouts of his pregnant girlfriend Carrie Symonds, but she is understood to have taken the decision to move out of Downing Street some days ago to reduce the risk of contracting the virus, which is tearing through Westminster.

She is thought to be staying at the PM's country retreat, Chequers in Buckinghamshire.

Senior ministers have been told to limit all face-to-face contact with colleagues and officials to try to prevent the epidemic crippling the Government's ability to respond.

No 10 refused to comment on the whereabouts of his pregnant girlfriend Carrie Symonds, but she is understood to have taken the decision to move out of Downing Street some days ago to reduce the risk of contracting the virus, which is tearing through Westminster

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was working from home yesterday despite showing no symptoms of the disease.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who will take charge if Mr Johnson is incapacitated, has been dialling in to critical meetings for more than a week to prevent the two men contracting the virus at the same time.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was in Downing Street yesterday but only as a last-minute substitute for Mr Hancock, who had been due to give the press briefing.

Mr Gove said: 'The fact that the Prime Minister and Health Secretary have contracted the virus is a reminder that it does not discriminate. We are all at risk. It is a powerful reminder of the need for all of us to act to slow the spread of the virus.'

It came as:
WASHINGTONSymbolically speaking, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said, its important the United States and Canada share an unmilitarized border.

Were neighbours, she said. Our countries have been friends for a very, very long time.

Symbolically. Yes. In Canada, you grow up learning as a point of pride that you share the worlds longest undefended border with the United States. It represents the trust between us, a friendship that was demonstrated one week ago when our governments announced a joint border agreement barring non-essential travel.

That accounts for some of the sting when it came to light that the Trump administration was considering deploying military personnel near the Canada-U.S. border to assist to border patrol officers during the COVID-19 crisis.

The White House has reportedly backed off the idea since. But still, is that how you treat long-time friends?

Canadians immediately went on the defensive. No Canadian started trending on Twitter, as in, No Canadian in their right mind is trying to go to the States right now. The pandemic has hit the U.S. more dramatically than Canada. Whats its military defending against?

Some border experts cautioned against reading too much into it. It wouldnt be a Checkpoint Charlie situation, trade lawyer Daniel Ujczo of Dickinson Wright pointed out. These troops would be well away from the actual border, and providing intelligence support, not manning artillery.

They were also likely to be members of the National Guard  the reservists who get called up to help in emergencies like hurricanes  according to Christopher Sands, who heads up the Canada Institute at the Wilson Centre in Washington.

Sands thought it was more likely theyd catch people trying to cross from the U.S. into Canada than coming the other way. I dont think it should worry people, he said.

A leaked Department of Homeland Security memo published by The Nation certainly suggested the anticipated public health threat was from incoming border-crossers. It cited the need to prevent any unknown or illegal entry into the United States in between ports of entry.

A statement from a senior U.S. administration official didnt clear much up: The administration is considering every option to help slow the spread of the virus, minimize health threats entering the country, and protect Americans while ensuring essential travel for workers, movement of goods, and security of supply chains are not impeded.

The official went on to say President Donald Trump was working with long-trusted partners in both Canada and Mexico and will continue to consider additional actions to ensure federal law enforcement personnel at our borders have the resources and operational support needed during a pandemic.

Symbols resonate on both sides of that long border, of course. Sands notes that Americans have a great trust in their military, and many of them are comforted by the sight of soldiers in a crisis.

Trump has put a lot of emphasis on border control in his COVID-19 response, so sending troops may simply be a symbolic act  or, given his track record, an impulsive one.

While the latter is certainly possible, Ujczo cautioned against reading this merely as a Trump tantrum. He noted the extensive co-operation between the two countries in managing the border. The key question is, what is the intelligence now that has the U.S. on heightened alert?

Its a question the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to. Freelands strong public pushback suggested Canada hadnt seen evidence of a threat.

And Trump? Asked about it Thursday afternoon, he said, Ill find out about that, before noting there are lots of troops on the southern border, and that reinforcing the northern one might be a matter of equal justice.

Then he started riffing a bit. Theres a lot of illegal trade that comes in from Canada, he said, before bragging of the stiff tariffs hed imposed on steel imports. We dont like steel coming through our border thats been dumped. He said mostly it comes from China, but they can come through the Canadian border too, so were always watching for that.

Freeland said plainly that this had nothing to do with trade, so it seemed unlikely the U.S. is considering a military presence on the Canadian border just now to monitor steel smuggling.

More likely? The president hadnt been briefed on the proposal and didnt fully understand the implications  just hours after Canadas highest elected officials emphasized its importance to them.

There may be symbolism in that, too.

Read more about:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 15:49:36|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LHASA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- An annual peach blossom festival is expected to be held in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, marking the start of a gradual service resumption of local tourist sites as the COVID-19 outbreak becomes more subdued in China.

The festival, which will be held in the city of Nyingchi on April 2, will feature wild peach groves, artistic performances and livestreaming sightseeing tours for visitors, according to the city's tourism development bureau.

Before the on-site event gets started, the beautiful sceneries of peaches, valleys and snow-capped mountains will be livestreamed around the clock between Saturday and April 6 by the city via six social media platforms, including Sina Weibo and Douyin, also known as TikTok.

Liu Guangming, executive vice mayor of Nyingchi, said the city would take this chance to gradually restore and promote its tourism industry, which was affected by the epidemic.

To reduce the risk of cross infections, the city has demanded the disinfection and cleaning of the tourist sites, and fever screening and personal information registration for visitors upon arrival in the scenic spots.

More than 40 million tourists from home and abroad visited Tibet in 2019, up 19 percent year on year, according to local authorities.

The autonomous region temporarily closed its scenic attractions to tourists starting Jan. 27 to help battle the epidemic.

Tibet had reported one confirmed COVID-19 case by Thursday, who has been discharged from hospital after recovery. No new confirmed or suspected cases were reported for the past 57 consecutive days, the regional health commission said.
The US$2 trillion hedge-fund industry is facing a triple whammy of margin calls, redemptions and whipsaw prices in markets, as it battles to prove its worth in a financial crisis.

Investors pulled US$1.7 billion out of the asset class in the first two months of the year, according to database provider Eurekahedge. If that was not enough, governments are increasingly banning short selling, which drastically limits hedge funds' ability to profit from falling markets.

"March will be a true test of managers' skills. You can go from hero to zero in a day," said Ed Rogers, head of Tokyo-based Rogers Investment Advisors, which helps pension funds and other big-money managers put cash in hedge funds.

Hedge-fund managers are under pressure to prove that they can provide uncorrelated performance during a market crash, something that the asset class failed to do during the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2008.

A global index of hedge-fund managers' performance compiled by data provider HFR had dropped 110.01 points to 1,169.07 on March 23 from 1,279.08 on February 28, a bigger fall in monthly index value than in October 2008, when the index lost 109.86 points to 1,065.50.

In the decade that followed, hedge funds' fees dropped from a 2 per cent annual management fee and a performance charge of 20 per cent to around 1.5 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. "2008 killed the 2 and 20 model. Maybe 2020 brings it back," Rogers said.

The average hedge fund in Asia had outperformed broader indices, but was still posting a loss for the year up until February 28, according to the latest available data. And while some investors see that as hedge funds doing their job, others do not want to lose money and are asking where is the hedge in hedge funds?

"This is a major stress test of managers. We'll see as the dust settles who has done their job on a risk-adjusted basis and who has not," said Donald Rice, who is head of fund investment specialists in Asia for Zurich-headquartered Bank Julius Baer.

Story continues

HFR's Asia excluding Japan hedge-fund index was down 4.09 per cent between January 1 and February 28, outperforming the MSCI Asia-Pacific index, which dropped 8.8 per cent over the same period. About a third of Asian hedge funds have their offices in Hong Kong.

Average numbers hide a motley performance as hedge funds span a wide range of strategies, with some managers more nimble than others. Eurekahedge said performance ranged globally from up 5.29 per cent to down 4.39 per cent in February; investment managers said the dispersion of results has widened significantly in March. Rogers' Japan-only fund-of-hedge-funds was down 2.5 per cent in February. That included one dedicated short-seller up 15 per cent and activists, who are by definition long only, posting losses.

Bank Julius Baer's team of analysts closely monitor a variety of funds, including a US manager who has been doggedly bearish for the past 18 months and is up 12.6 per cent so far in March and up 17.9 per cent for the year up to March 26.

Rice has noticed others who have fared less well. "Merger arbitrage funds have been hurt, for example, as spreads have widened, as 90 per cent of M&A deals are on hold," said Rice, who is based in Singapore. Tough market conditions may force these funds to sell and realise their losses even if they believe that an M&A transaction will eventually go through.

The so-called tail risk funds, which were made famous by Mark Spitznagel's Universa fund, prepare for Black Swan events such as the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes the disease known as Covid-19 and has killed more than 23,000 people around the world.

Some investment advisers were sceptical that these funds were worth the wait. "It's very rare to see these funds successfully pull it off when you need them to. What you usually see is a gradual erosion of value in wildly out-of-the-money options over time," Rice said.

There are few such funds in Asia. About half of Asian hedge funds by assets under management are long-short equities funds. Most marketed themselves as a play on the Asian growth story during the 11-year bull market stretching from the end of the global financial crisis to March.

"Long-short funds tend to be more long than short. Being short or hedging usually cost investors in the previous rising market," said Allen Veryan, head of machine-learning investment at a family office in Tokyo.

Another drawback for hedge funds in Asia is the shortage of data in digital format across the region's patchwork of markets. Technology-driven funds that rely on data have been ramping up in Asia in recent years. New York-headquartered DE Shaw launched a systematic futures fund in September 2019, its first onshore investment product.

"Many hedge funds tend to use recent years' data but what has happened in the past decade? Markets have primarily gone up in those years," Veryan said. "There are a lot of similar algorithms trading the market, which could potentially aggravate market movement."

Even if hedge funds do manage to outperform, they still face challenges outside their control.

Hedge funds borrow from investment banks to juice their performance. During the global financial crisis banks tightened the amount of credit they were willing to offer, asking funds to deposit more capital in their accounts, forcing hedge funds to sell investments to make repayments. Hedge funds across Asia have been deep in conversation with their counterparties at investment banks to try and forestall such a repeat performance, said market sources.

So far, Lyn Ngooi at JPMorgan said, she has not seen any failures to meet margin calls. She put it down to a more robust banking system than in 2008 and hedge funds using less leverage. Quant funds, which select securities using advanced quantitative analysis, for example, often leveraged their capital 10 times before 2008 and are now around half of that.

"Funds learned from 2008 and have focused on securing stability of funding. Also while there will likely be an uptick in redemptions, many funds are on a quarterly " or even longer " redemption schedule," said Ngooi, who works in the Wall Street bank's Asia-Pacific hedge-fund solutions team based in Singapore.

Governments are also raising barriers for hedge funds. South Korea, India and Indonesia among others have curbed short selling in Asia.

When the market storm abates, hedge funds should be more profitable, particularly in areas such as distressed debt funds. The steady upwards grind between 2008 and this year becalmed many hedge funds and made bearish managers unpopular.

In the short term though, Ngooi said: "There's no place to hide."

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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 26) - Tarlac province will go into lockdown starting this weekend after recording its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases, with at least 17,000 people under monitoring for possible infection.

Tarlac Governor Susan Yap said in a video message that the lockdown will start at 12:01 am of Sunday, March 29.

Yap said that one of the confirmed cases is a 75-year-old female from Barangay Patalan in Paniqui town. The other is a 39-year-old male from Barangay Pinasling in Gerona town.

The tests were done by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

Tarlac, which is strategically located in Central Luzon, now has 17,040 persons under monitoring, 174 patients under investigation with mild symptoms, and 39 with severe symptoms.

Nationwide there are now 707 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 28 recoveries, and 45 deaths.

The enhanced community quarantine in the whole island of Luzon will end of April 13.
Donald Trump has praised a 'very good' call with Xi Jinping and said the US and China are 'working closely' in their fight against coronavirus.

The leaders spoke over the phone Thursday night Washington time in their first direct conversation since the pandemic began in Wuhan late last year.

Trump touted his 'respect' for China's efforts to tackle the disease, despite goading Beijing over what he has described as the 'Chinese virus' in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Xi said he 'wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US' and called on the two countries to 'unite to fight' the disease.

The call came shortly after the US leap-frogged China to report the largest number of coronavirus cases anywhere in the world at 83,553.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping spoke over the phone Thursday night in their first direct contact since the coronavirus pandemic emerged, vowing to work together to beat the disease

Trump touted the 'very good' call and gave 'much respect' to China over its efforts to tackle the disease, despite branding it the 'Chinese virus' in a move which angered Beijing

Beijing has reported 81,340 cases, claiming zero domestic infections in recent days after draconian lockdown measures - of the kind being resisted by the US - were put in place.

Chinese media said Xi told Trump he hoped the 'US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations' following back-and-forth blame games over the virus.

Trump has persisted in describing coronavirus as the 'Chinese virus' despite claims of racism from his critics at home.

He said he began using the term after Beijing officials claimed the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

In fact, researchers believe the virus began spreading from a meat market in the city which sold wild animals - likely originating in a bat or pangolin.

The call was initially scheduled for 9pm Washington time, but Trump rescheduled the call for 10.30pm so he could do a phone interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity.

In the wild segment, Trump claimed that Democrat governors including New York's Andrew Cuomo are overstating their need for key equipment including ventilators that are used to keep people suffering from coronavirus alive.

'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!' Trump said.

'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.'

The call came shortly after the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus infections in the world at 83,553. Beijing has reported 81,404 infections with zero domestic transmissions in recent weeks after shutting down most of the country for two months

US coronavirus cases have been following an exponential growth curve - roughly doubling every three days - though Trump has claimed the numbers are down to increased testing

Experts have warned that 80,000 Americans could die from coronavirus even with quarantines in place, despite Trump hinting he wants the country back at work by Easter

New York, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, has 37,258 confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least 285 deaths.

Doctors say that coronavirus patients often need ventilators for weeks, if not longer - slowing the hand-off from one patient to the next and creating deadly shortages.

'I think that a lot of things are being said that are more, I don't think certain things will materialize, a lot of equipment is being asked for but I don't think they'll need,' Trump added.

Hannity concurred, calling Cuomo's insistent pleas for the medical devices 'annoying'.

The President made the remarks despite already being accused of leaving the US vulnerable to the virus by downplaying its severity in the early stages.

As recently as the end of last month, Trump was claiming that the virus would 'disappear' of its own accord.

Aside from coronavirus and the massive economic fallout resulting from mass social distancing strategies, Trump and Xi are thought to have discussed plans to negotiate a new trade agreement between the world's two biggest economies.

Trump earlier suggested that Xi may 'want to wait' until after the US presidential election in November 'to see if Trump gets beaten.'

According to Trump his likely Democratic opponent Joe Biden would be Beijing's 'best dream in the world' when it comes to negotiating.

Xi said Sino-US relations were at a 'critical juncture', CCTV reported, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and 'the only right choice.'

During the call, Xi said China had shared information about the epidemic with the World Health Organization and other countries including the US in a 'timely' manner throughout.

'Infectious diseases are the common enemy of mankind, and do not recognise borders or races,' said Xi.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added.

At an emergency videoconference chaired by Saudi Arabia Thursday - which both Xi and Trump joined - G20 nations pledged a 'united front' in the fight against the coronavirus.

The group said they would inject $5 trillion into the global economy to counter the pandemic amid forecasts of a deep recession.
An Iranian scientist who was exonerated in a US sanctions trial but remains jailed by immigration authorities said the conditions in detention were filthy and overcrowded  and officials were doing little to prevent a deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Dr Sirous Asgari, a materials science and engineering professor, was acquitted in November on federal charges of stealing trade secrets related to his academic work with a university in Ohio. Although the US government lost its case on all charges, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) has kept him indefinitely detained since the trial. Now hes speaking out about the inhumane treatment that could cost him his life.

Asgari, 59, told the Guardian that his Ice holding facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, had no basic cleaning practices in place and continued to bring in new detainees from across the country with no strategy to minimize the threat of Covid-19.

In a phone call from the Alexandria Staging Facility (ASF), he said he believed the only safe option would be to shut down the facility due to the deplorable conditions. ASF is a 400-bed site where people are supposed to be detained for no more than 72 hours, typically a final stop before they are deported. But with Covid-19 travel restrictions and flight cancellations, Ice has been holding people for days on end in cramped bunkbeds alongside new arrivals who may have been exposed to the virus.

Asgari arrived at ASF on 10 March and has been seeking to voluntarily self deport to Iran. Ice has refused to let him fly home or be temporarily released with his family in the US. He alleged:

Detainees have no hand sanitizer, and the facility is not regularly cleaning bathrooms or sleeping areas. Asgari and a few other detainees have devised a schedule to try to clean surfaces themselves with the minimal soap available.

Detainees lack access to masks. For two weeks, ASF also refused to let Asgari wear his own protective mask, which he brought with him to the facility, and it has refused to supply one, despite his history of serious respiratory problems.

Story continues

Detainees struggle to stay clean, and the facility has an awful stench. Because the facility is supposed to be temporary, there is no laundry available and detainees are stuck with the clothes they were wearing upon arrival, sometimes after long journeys.

There are no physical distancing guidelines at the facility. It appears no procedures or practices have changed in response to Covid-19 since Asgaris arrival, even as Louisiana state and federal officials have urged people to isolate.

The way Ice looks at these people is not like they are human beings, but are objects to get rid of, said Asgari, a professor at the Sharif University of Technology, a public university in Tehran. The way that they have been treating us is absolutely terrifying. I dont think many people in the US know what is happening inside this black box.

The situation is particularly worrying for Asgari, who is at risk of getting pneumonia if an infection like Covid-19 reaches his lungs. Given the conditions at ASF and treatment of detainees, if he were to get coronavirus there, I dont think I would survive, he said.

Related: US surpasses China for highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world

Advocates said Asgaris case was especially troubling given that there was no legal justification or logic to his continued detention. He arrived in the US in 2017 with his wife and with valid passports and visas but upon arrival discovered he was being prosecuted by the US government for alleged violations of sanctions law.

Asgari, a father of three, has deep ties to the US. He completed his materials engineering PhD at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, and two of his children live in the US. But the FBI surveilled him and ultimately he was charged with fraud and trade secret theft relating to his work with a university in Ohio.

During a long trial, Asgari won his case and was acquitted in November of 2019, with a judge ruling the governments evidence was insufficient. But because the US had revoked his original visa, he was then taken into Ice custody and has remained imprisoned since. He has asked Ice to let him buy his own ticket back to Iran, but he has not been able to go before an immigration judge and has not been granted bond to at least wait in the US with his daughter.

It is so egregious. He didnt do anything wrong, said Mehrnoush Yazdanyar, an attorney and sanctions law expert who is helping Asgaris family and facilitated the Guardians interview behind bars. This is someone who is being unlawfully detained. Now if he gets corona, his chances of survival are slim to none.

The stakes of his case escalated dramatically after he was taken to ASF on 10 March, just as the coronavirus was officially declared a global pandemic. The professor said the conditions at the facility were unbearable for long-term stays. New detainees are brought in at all hours, meaning its impossible to get sleep in his pod, where there can be up to 100 people in bunk beds in a single room. He puts toilet paper in his ears but has struggled to get any rest and now has a sleep disorder.

Asgari said there was not enough food. There is only one hot meal at 5pm and two smaller meals at breakfast and lunch, and no way to purchase any other food. There are six showers for his pod, and people have a hard time getting clean and cant access clean clothes.

Detainees struggled to stay clean in the Ice facility, Asgari said. Photograph: Gregory Bull/AP

In other detention centers and jails, detainees often have official paid jobs and shifts cleaning the facilities. But at ASF, Asgari said, there was no system in place: They say cleaning is everybodys responsibility  They do sanitization once in a while.

He said he had been trying to encourage others to help him clean on a schedule, and that sometimes they have Clorox in the bathroom, but that other times they have had to just use the foam soap from the showers.

One of his biggest concerns, however, is that so many people continue to be brought in and mixed with the detainees already there, violating the most basic standards of social distancing. They are downplaying it in this facility, that it is safe  But the circulation of people under this coronavirus outbreak is absolutely nonsense  Coronavirus is a viral bomb waiting to blow up here.

For reasons that are unclear, Ice transferred Asgari from ASF on Monday, took him out of state, then brought him back to the Louisiana facility two days later. When he returned, ASF finally let him use his own mask for the first time, Yazdanyar said.

An Ice spokesman did not respond to specific questions about Asgaris case or allegations but said in an email that no one in custody in Louisiana had tested positive for Covid-19 and that detainees were provided appropriate soap and cleaning supplies.

He said Ice was conducting testing at Ice facilities and providing personal protective equipment in accordance with US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, and that all individuals were screened upon arrival.

Asgari said he was doing his best to help fellow detainees when he could: Im trying to comfort others.

Related: First US immigration agency employees test positive for coronavirus

If Ice officials were forced to spend a few nights trying to sleep at the facility, they would understand what an inhumane situation they have created, he added.

ASF must close to save lives, he said: Instead of shutting down, they are doing business as usual  The process is overruling human rights 

Asgari said he struggled to comprehend the fact that he remained incarcerated months after his trial ended. I am deeply hurt by the way I have been treated after I have been exonerated. Ice does not care about justice. Ice does not care about the constitution.
Warning that Wales could still lose a number of its MPs in boundary shake-up

This article is old - Published: Friday, Mar 27th, 2020

A planned Westminster boundary revamp could still see Wales lose a number of its MPs, it has been warned.

On Tuesday the UK Government announced it was dropping plans to slash the number of sitting members from 650 to 600  which would have seen Wales lose 11 of its 40 returnees.

If implemented it would have resulted in north Wales losing four of its current 11 members, with much larger constituencies covering  in some cases  vast geographical areas.

But suggestions that the new boundaries would result in roughly equal sized constituencies across the British Isles has led to fears that Wales may still miss out when the new lines are drawn up.

If ministers press ahead with creating constituencies with a near-equal numbers of voters, it is estimated that this would leave Wales with around 32 seats.

Any cut in the number of Welsh MPs puts additional pressure on the Senedd, which we already know is severely overstretched at just 60 Members, said Jess Blair, a Director at the Electoral Reform Society.

A reduction of this number, which would see Wales lose almost a quarter of its parliamentary representation provides further impetus to increase the number of Members of the Senedd.

She added, This is the third iteration of proposed changes to the number of MPs in recent years and we need clarity on what exactly this means for Wales. Boundaries must be based on a proper set of principles such as those registered in the area and the number of people represented by an MP and not just be drawn on a whim.

If the UK Government genuinely care about ensuring all votes count equally reducing Wales voice in Westminster is not the solution. Instead, we need a fair, modern and proportional voting system  ending the travesty of super-safe seats vs the handful of swing constituencies.

Ynys Mon AM, Rhun ap Iorwerth, added: When I heard the plans to stop boundary changes were being scrapped I was pleased because of the previous proposal to get rid of the stand-alone Ynys Mon seat.

Other UK islands were given a particular status under the proposals, and Id argued we should, too, for good democratic reasons.

Now we hear they will STILL go ahead an cut the number of MPs in Wales by nearly a quarter  reducing Welsh representation at Westminster and creating additional seats in England.

It further diminishes Wales voice, when were already vastly outnumbered.

In a written statement, Cabinet Office minister Chloe Smith said the Government remained committed to creating constituencies with near-equal numbers of voters but that it was sensible for there to continue to be 650 MPs.

This is a change in policy from the position previously legislated for under the coalition government, she wrote.

Since that policy was established in the coalition agreement, the United Kingdom has now left the European Union.

The UK Parliament will have a greater workload now we are taking back control and regaining our political and economic independence.

She revealed that the Government, as well as bringing forward legislation to block the implementation of the 2018 overhaul, would call for boundary reviews to take place every eight years rather than every five.

It would mean boundaries would be in place for at least two general elections before being reconsidered.

By Gareth Williams  BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme)
Legendary Houston rapper Scarface, who had been battling an illness for weeks, was told he tested positive for coronavirus.

Scarface, whose real name is Brad Jordan, made the announcement in an interview on Willie D's YouTube channel on Thursday. Willie D and Scarface were members of the rap group Geto Boys.

AT HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Coronavirus reccovery fund to benefit residents hurt by pandemic

The 49-year-old Jordan recently ran for Houston City Council, losing the District D election in a runoff.

Jordan, who said he hasn't traveled recently, said he wanted to talk publicly about the coronavirus because he thinks it can save lives.

"You need to relay and convey that message to everybody that this (stuff) is not fake," Jordan told Willie D in the interview. "It is not fake."

AT HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Brad Jordan puts his Geto Boys past behind him to run for city council

Jordan said he first felt an itch in his throat a few weeks ago and started taking some medicine. A few days later, he developed a fever that got as high as 103 and he went to the emergency room. After he was treated and released, Jordan said he didn't feel any better and went back to the emergency room after a few days and was tested for coronavirus.

Jordan, who also has asthma, said he was struggling to breathe and it felt like an "elephant was sitting on my chest."

"This whole three weeks has been an ordeal," Jordan said. "It's the craziest (stuff) I've ever seen in my life. I've been to the point where I felt I was gonna die."

Jordan said he's feeling better than he had been but "I'm not all the way out of the woods yet."

Jordan is the second local rapper to test positive for coronavirus. Slim Thug announced he also had the virus Tuesday.
DR OSEI KWAME DESPITE & DR ERNEST OFORI SARPONG of DESPITE GROUP OF COMPANIES & SPECIAL GROUP OF COMPANIES respectively, are two indigenous businessmen of our land very well known for their kindness, benevolence and philanthropic works and gestures. Dr Osei Kwame Despite and Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, have once again demonstrated their kind-heartedness in these challenging times of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic.



Globally, these are trying times for even the well developed countries, how much more for a developing country like our dear Ghana? They are aware the Government is doing all that it can within its power to handle the situation and some Corporate Organizations, Religious Bodies and individuals have also come in to contribute to support our Health System in these trying times.









Be that, as it may, this situation is overwhelming and for this reason Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong & Dr Osei Kwame Despite are unable to sit down and look on without offering their support to the nation in this crucial time as this virus obliterates. They have therefore come to The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital with a cash sum of One Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($100,000) to support the hospital and the country in the fight against this pandemic.



Dr Osei Kwame Despite and Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong acknowledge the support of the Government, to all the Regional Hospitals across the country. However, the selection of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital comes as a result of the Hospitals support for not only the Ashanti Region but all neighboring regions within the middle belt and Northern part of Ghana.



The two brothers wish to support the immediate needs of the Hospital with this cash sum of One Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($100,000) to enable the hospital administrators to acquire all the necessary tools and medications needed to combat this pandemic. They hope and trust that this amount will be put into judicious use for the benefit of the vulnerable and the sick in our society. They are therefore entreating the CEO and the entire management team of the hospital to see to the proper spending of the money to help fight the virus.



Dr Osei Kwame Despite and Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong fervently believe in prayer, and believe that, as they do their part to support the fight against the novel Corona Virus (Covid Virus), God will also manifest himself to save us all.



God bless our homeland Ghana and Make our Nation Great and Strong.







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
What is Dublin city centre without seeing the plush windowscapes of Brown Thomas on Grafton Street and Arnotts on Henry Street, or the temptation to bag a bargain in Penneys?

To describe Dublin - and Ireland - as being in a time like no other would be an understatement.

Last week, it was announced that Irelands titans of retail would be closing their brick and mortar operations for the foreseeable future in response to the COVID-19 crisis. As retailers around the country struggle to cope with their new normal, one which involves shutting its doors indefinitely, how will they cope with digital-only models?

Brown Thomas and Arnotts, which merged in 2015 when its parent company Selfridges bought the latter, both announced their doors were shut indefinitely in response to the crisis.

In recent years, both have invested heavily in their in-store presence: Brown Thomas spent 12m on a makeover of its Beauty Hall in 2014, kick-starting a renovation that would extend across its four storeys over the last six years.

Last year, Selfridges committed to a 70m investment across both stores by 2024.

Expand Close Precaution: A shopper wearing a mask leaves Arnotts in Dublin city centre. The department store closed its doors at 5pm in order to protect its staff and the public from coronavirus. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Precaution: A shopper wearing a mask leaves Arnotts in Dublin city centre. The department store closed its doors at 5pm in order to protect its staff and the public from coronavirus. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Similarly, Arnotts, with a fresh injection of cash due to its new owners, began its improvements with its cosmetic counters. They have landed exclusive deals with brands like HUDA Beauty and IT Cosmetics, both of which are big draws for consumers who are perusing the department store.

But now that they are in competition with the brands which they stock - who are also in crisis - they are responding with emergency levels of focus. And they emphasise its business as usual with their eponymous websites, albeit with a few necessary tweaks and offers to entice shoppers.

Arnotts - which celebrated its 175th anniversary in bountiful style in 2018 - also prides itself on promoting Irish brands, many of which have also had to adapt in these uncertain times; by either introducing click and collect models or a delivery service in order to keep their virtual doors open.

Meanwhile, Primark (which operates as Penneys in Ireland), has 37 stores around the country. The store, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, has always prided itself on not having an e-commerce model. As every shopper knows the Penneys experience is a live one, based on regular stock updates and an immersive model that makes spending 90 when you only went in for socks an expected outcome at nearly every visit.

Video of the Day

In 2019, Associated British Foods, Primarks parent company, said it would be more costly for them to operate an online shopping function.

And it continued to defy the odds of its retail peers, already operating in a precarious market conditions as they competed with an ever-growing digital market. Penneys had not just survived the high street downturn, it thrived.

However, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world, now identifying Europe as its epicentre, its projected sales in France, Spain and Austria of 208m are now inconsequential. In the UK, which accounts for 41pc of the companys global sales, stores remain open and are operating under directives by the British government.

The supply chain remains intact: CEO Paul Merchant expressed his concern in February that closures of factories in China, where coronavirus originated, could potentially affect its deliveries. Now that the virus has been minimised there, most factories have re-opened, but its far from business as usual in Ireland.

Penneys has overcome many challenges over the past 50 years, and we pride ourselves on our agility and our ability to adapt. We thank all our employees, customers, suppliers and partners for their continued support, Penneys said in a statement.

They said it was still too early to discuss the introduction of an e-commerce model as the situation is so unprecedented. But for the millions of customers who visit their stores annually, there is hopefully good news on the horizon in the future; news which might change the way we shop forever.
Fearing considerable loss of standing crops due to intermittent rains over the last few days in the state, the Rajasthan government has asked insurance companies to entertain farmers' claims of crop loss and promptly address them.

The state government has also requested the neighbouring Punjab government to grant permits and passes for inter-state movement of harvesting machines to facilitate them reach Rajasthan for harvesting work.

Agriculture commissioner Om Prakash said farmers can directly inform insurance companies on their toll-free numbers for raising a claim within 72 hours of the natural calamity.

He said there is no need to submit applications personally for loss of the standing crops.

The department has also asked insurance companies to keep their toll-free number lines open 24/7.

District collectors in the state too have been directed to permit inter-district movement of harvesting machines. They have also been asked to ensure timely and ample supply of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides while maintaining the guidelines to prevent the COVID-19 infection spread.

Use of machines instead of the manual labour will prevent virus spread if the machine operators are screened properly and hygiene is maintained, principal secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar said in a statement.

The state has been lashed by intermittent rains over the last few days.

As per the MeT department, till 8.30 am pm Friday, Dabok recorded 26 mm rainfall followed by 18 mm in Kota, 17 mm in Chittorgarh, 15.15 mm in Jaisalmer, 9.5 mm in Jodhpur, 9.1 mm in Ajmer, 8.2 mm in Bikaner, 6.8 mm in Jaipur, 6 mm in Bundi besides 1 to 5 mm at several places.

From Friday morning till 6.30 pm, Sriganganagar recorded 12.2 mm rainfall followed by 5.6 mm in Churu, 2.1 mm in Bikaner, 1.2 mm in Kota and 0.4 mm in Jaipur.

Due to rainfalls, the temperature in the state has fallen by four to five degree celsius in various places.

Maximum temperature at most of the places hovered between 21 and 29.5 degree celsius whereas the minimum temperature was recorded between 14.4 and 18.3 degree celsius.

The MeT Department has forecast rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm at a few places in the state in next 24 hours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:21:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

File photo shows Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

China wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus, and has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need, Xi said.

He added that China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic.

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday spoke over phone with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on anti-epidemic cooperation and bilateral ties.

Xi stressed that China has been sharing information on COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries including the United States since the onset of the epidemic.

China, he said, wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus, and has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need.

He added that China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic.

Epidemics recognize no national borders or races and are a common enemy of humankind, noted the president, adding that only by making a collective response can the international community defeat them.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

With joint efforts of all parties, the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 on Thursday reached many consensuses and achieved positive results, Xi said, expressing his hope that all parties will strengthen coordination and cooperation, implement the outcomes, and inject strong vigor into enhancing international anti-epidemic cooperation and stabilizing the global economy.

China, he added, is willing to work with the United States and other parties to continue to support the WHO in playing an important role, enhance sharing of information and experience on epidemic prevention and control, accelerate cooperation in scientific research, and improve global health governance.

Xi also called for concerted efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, in order to stabilize markets, maintain growth, safeguard people's wellbeing, and ensure the openness, stability and safety of global supply chains.

Upon inquiry, Xi introduced in detail the measures China has taken to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic.

A man wearing a face mask and gloves rides a bike at the Times Square in New York, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

He said he follows closely and is concerned about the development of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and has noticed that Trump is carrying out a series of policies and measures in response.

The Chinese people, Xi said, sincerely hope that the United States contains the spread of the epidemic at an early date, so as to reduce the losses inflicted by the disease upon the American people.

China has always maintained an active attitude towards international collaboration on epidemic prevention and control, Xi said, adding that under current circumstances China and the United States should unite against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health departments and medical experts of the two countries have maintained communication over the global pandemic situation and bilateral anti-epidemic cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to continue sharing, without reservation, relevant information and experience with the United States.

Noting that some Chinese provinces and enterprises have been providing the United States with assistance in medical supplies, Xi said China understands the United States' current predicament and stands ready to provide support within its capacity.

Passengers wait to depart at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the United States, March 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

There are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students, and the Chinese government attaches great importance to their safety and health, Xi stressed, expressing his hope that the U.S. side will take practical and effective measures to safeguard their safety and health.

Xi emphasized that China-U.S. relations are now at an important juncture, and that both will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Calling on the United States to take substantive action to improve bilateral relations, Xi suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Trump, for his part, said that he listened closely to Xi's speech at the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, and appreciates Xi's views and proposals along with other leaders.

Trump asked Xi in detail about China's anti-epidemic measures, saying that both countries are facing the challenge of the COVID-19 epidemic, and he is delighted to see the positive progress made by China in combating the disease.

Stressing that China's experience is very illuminating to him, he said he will make personal efforts to ensure that the United States and China can ward off distractions and concentrate on cooperation against COVID-19.

The United States, he added, is grateful to China for providing medical supplies for its fight against the epidemic, and promoting bilateral medical and health care exchanges, including cooperation in research and development of effective medicines against the disease.

Trump said he has publicly made clear on social media that the American people respect and love the Chinese people very much and that Chinese students are of great significance to the U.S. educational business.

The United States will protect Chinese nationals on its soil, including Chinese students, he added.

The two heads of state agreed to maintain communication on subjects of shared interest. 
By Maresa Fagan and Juno McEnroe

The Department of Foreign Affairs has secured additional seats on flights from key Australian cities to assist Irish people to get home in the coming days.

It is not clear how many seats have been secured by the Department but the Irish Embassy in Australia confirmed the availability of additional seats on Qatar Airways flights from March 28 through to March 31.

The additional seats were available on Qatar Airways flights departing from Sydney on Saturday and Monday, from Melbourne on Saturday and Sunday, and from Brisbane on Tuesday.

Confirmation of the additional flights come as Qatar Airways ramps up the number of flights and seats available from Australia from Monday to provide an additional 48,000 seats to a number of international destinations.

The embassy said it would continue to work with airlines on options for travel and urged people to contact Hannon Travel on 046 9075852 or by email to infor@hannontravel.com. The flights cost 1,740.

A spokesperson for the Department said: Our Embassy network is working around the clock to assist Irish citizens with getting home. Our missions provide information, when available, on limited options offered by commercial airline companies.

We recommend contacting the airlines directly for details of these flights.

Irish citizens should also remain in contact with their local Embassy or Consulate.

The Department also advised citizens trying to get home to sign up to a citizens register to allow staff to update them in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that over 2,000 Irish citizens are stranded in 86 countries across the globe.

The figures were confirmed by the assistant secretary-general at the Department of the Taoiseach, Elizabeth Canavan, on Friday as it was confirmed that an emergency flight was being organised to bring Irish citizens home from Peru.

The department official said: "Currently we are trying to help over 2,000 of our citizens in 86 countries who are seeking assistance to return to Ireland.

Further travel updates and advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs is available here.

[snippet1]987277[/snippet1]
Iceland's managing director has said panic buying is finally starting to ease off in his supermarkets because young people have realised 'they only need so much loo roll in their lives'.

Managing director Richard Walker said he is 'pleased to report' people are no longer stockpiling in such great numbers.

He believes it is partially down to a 'growing public awareness' and Iceland 'beefing up' its supply chains, but also because the fit and healthy have realised they only need a certain amount of bathroom supplies.

Toilet paper was one of the first products to disappear from supermarket shelves up and down the country more than a week before the Prime Minister put the UK on lockdown.

Managing director Richard Walker (pictured) said he is 'pleased to report' people are no longer stockpiling in such great numbers

He believes it is partially down to a 'growing public awareness' and Iceland 'beefing up' its supply chains, but also because the fit and healthy have realised they only need a certain amount of toilet paper

Mr Walker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I totally understand why people are fearful, but stockpiling is inherently socially divisive because it's not an option for those who can't afford it, but also by stripping the shelves and not shopping responsibly it means that others go without.

'Panic buying and stockpiling is unnecessary because production has not dried up.

'The current shortages will largely be resolved when people revert to their normal shopping habits and only buy what they actually need, which I am pleased to report is starting to happen.

'I think that's down to a growing awareness from the public and because we have beef up our supply chains.

'But it's probably a realization by people that they only need so much loo roll in their life.'

Mr Walker also directly contradicted Boris Johnson's Monday lockdown speech, urging young people not to use online food delivery services.

He said: 'I would urge the opposite of the PM if you are healthy, not in a vulnerable category.

'Please do shop in store but make sure you shop responsibly  adhere to social distancing, don't panic buy - that will enhance priority online for those that need it most.'

Toilet paper was one of the first products to disappear from supermarket shelves up and down the country more than a week before the Prime Minister put the UK on lockdown

The Iceland boss claimed he has not been able to purchase enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for his frontline staff.

He added: 'We've ordered hand sanitizers, face masks and gloves but they're taking far too long to arrive, we don't have enough to provide them for customer use.'

Mr Walker revealed he has 1million pairs of gloves arriving for staff tomorrow but an order of facemasks that was placed weeks ago is still not due to arrive until the middle of next week.

He added: 'It's all well and good for the Government to lay down the law on protecting customers, but it would really help if they could give us more practical support by giving us the PPE we desperately want.'

Iceland, like many other supermarkets, is now using age verification to prioritise older, vulnerable and self-isolating customers.

Tesco have begun limiting their online supermarket delivery baskets to 80 items to stop people buying huge amounts.
New Delhi, March 28 : The National Students Union of India on Friday wrote to the Delhi University demanding proper arrangement of meals and sanitation for varsity students living in hostels or in rented accommodation.

The Congress' student wing has also demanded that the varsity administration must also arrange for transportation facility for the students stuck in national capital away from their hometowns.

"Delhi University students living in PGs are also responsibility of Delhi University. These are tough times and the authorities cannot ignore the students living from the outside Delhi in the delhi university hostels, they still are college's responsibilities," NSUI wrote.

DUSU Secretary Ashish Lamba, who is from the NSUI, has already written a letter to Dean, Students' Welfare in this regard.
Read The Stars live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here. This story is no longer updating.

The latest novel coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Friday (this file will be updated throughout the day):

5:30 p.m. There were no new cases of COVID-19 in the province, according to the governments daily 5:30 p.m. update.

The numbers given at the 10:30 a.m. update remain the most up-to-date information.

There is now a provincial total of 993 cases and 18 deaths.

Ontario reported 135 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths Friday, including two at a nursing home that local officials say is the site of the provinces largest outbreak, according to The Canadian Press.

The provincial total of COVID-19 cases is now 993, including 18 deaths and eight people whose cases have fully resolved.

No information was made available Friday about the 135 new cases, but associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said 60 of the provinces active cases are in hospital. There are 43 people in intensive care and 32 of them are on ventilators, she said.

One-third of the provinces deaths have been long-term care residents.

Two residents of a Bobcaygeon, Ont., nursing home died amid a COVID-19 outbreak there that has also left at least 14 staff members infected, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit said.

Three residents at Pinecrest Nursing Home tested positive and since then, 35 other residents developed symptoms, although they have not been tested, according to provincial guidelines, as the virus was already confirmed to be in the facility, said the regions medical officer of health, Dr. Lynn Noseworthy.

Ontario has already barred all but essential visitors to long-term care homes and is not allowing residents to come and go.

We know that people who are over 70 are 10 per cent more likely to contract COVID-19, said Health Minister Christine Elliott.

If youre over 80, youre 20 per cent more likely to get it. And we know many people who are in long-term care of course have other health issues.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams said the province has started to make progress on a backlog of pending test results. The number dropped for the first time Friday, from nearly 11,000 to just over 10,000.

Ontario hopes to be doing 5,000 tests a day by the end of the weekend.

5:23 p.m. There are 4,768 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada, according to The Canadian Press. Of these 11 are presumptive, and 4,757 confirmed, including 55 deaths and 320 resolved.

Quebec: 2,021 confirmed (including 18 deaths, one resolved)

Ontario: 993 confirmed (including 18 deaths, eight resolved)

British Columbia: 792 confirmed (including 16 deaths, 275 resolved)

Alberta: 542 confirmed (including two deaths, 33 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 104 confirmed (including 3 resolved)

Newfoundland and Labrador: 102 confirmed

Nova Scotia: 90 confirmed

Manitoba: 39 confirmed (including one death), 11 presumptive

New Brunswick: 45 confirmed

Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed

Prince Edward Island: 11 confirmed

Yukon: four confirmed

Northwest Territories: one confirmed

Nunavut reports that it has no confirmed cases.

5:17 p.m. Toronto Police confirmed that a uniformed officer from 14 Division tested positive for COVID-19.

We are working with public health authorities who are conducting an in-depth investigation related to the individual and their contacts, spokesperson Meaghan Gray wrote in an email. All proper notifications were made and immediate steps were taken.

This is the first case of a uniformed police officer testing positive for the coronavirus. Last week, the agency confirmed that a civilian employee had tested positive.

3:55 p.m. There are 457 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Toronto, up 118 from yesterday, 29 cases are hospitalized, 15 are in ICU. Around a quarter of cases are attributed to community spread. Eighteen people have recovered, according to Dr. Eileen de Villa, medical officer of health for the City of Toronto.

We are seeing a significant increase, she said.

We expect to see similar patterns of increase in the coming days, said de Villa, who noted that people who travelled on March Break are returning to Canada and most are coming from areas where the coronavirus is active.

Mayor John Tory emphasized the need for everyone to stay home to reduce community spread of COVID-19.

There are four cases in the shelter system for the homeless.

3:32 p.m. The TTC reported Friday that a third employee had tested positive for COVID-19. The employee is a Wheel-Trans operator who had a recent travel history, and was last at work March 12, five days before he started showing symptoms.

The TTC said the man was resting at home and Toronto Public Health had advised there is no increased risk of exposure to other employees or customers.

The Citys medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said the agency would perform a thorough history and assessment to understand how he might have acquired the infection, and to determine hour by hour where he had been and who he might have had contact with while potentially infectious.

3:30 p.m. There are 4,635 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada, 11 of which are presumptive and 4,624 confirmed, including 53 deaths and 212 resolved, according to The Canadian Press.

Quebec: 2,021 confirmed, including 18 deaths and one resolved

Ontario: 993 confirmed, including 18 deaths and eight resolved

British Columbia: 725 confirmed, including 14 deaths and 173 resolved

Alberta: 486 confirmed, including two deaths and 27 resolved

Newfoundland and Labrador: 102 confirmed

Saskatchewan: 95 confirmed, including three resolved

Nova Scotia: 90 confirmed

Manitoba: 39 confirmed, including one death and 11 presumptive

New Brunswick: 45 confirmed

Repatriated Canadians account for 13 confirmed cases

Prince Edward Island: 11 confirmed

Yukon: three confirmed

Northwest Territories: one confirmed

Nunavut reports it has no confirmed cases.

2:50 p.m.: Ontario health officials telling a briefing they are considering field hospitals and providing some care in heated garages or warehouses if required by a surge in COVID-19. Were preparing for every scenario, says deputy minister. Were preparing for Italy.

2 p.m.: British Columbia has release its worst case scenario data related to the COVID-19 pandemic but the numbers show the province believes it will more closely mirror the South Korean experience, rather than the situation in Italy.

A briefing offered today by health officials, including B.C. medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, shows the province would be overwhelmed if it saw a scale of COVID-19 cases similar to Italy.

But officials say the model shows B.C. is already developing a cascading approach to free up additional hospital and other capacity over time.

Data suggests travel restrictions and social-distancing measures are beginning to have an impact and the trajectory of new cases in B.C. changed from a 24-per-cent average daily increase to 12 per cent as of March 21  but experts arent ready to predict that the curve is flattening.

1:55 p.m.: New Brunswick is announcing 12 new cases of COVID-19 in the province, for a total of 45.

Chief public health officer Jennifer Russel said today 11 of the cases are travel-related while one is being investigated as a possible case of community transmission.

Russel says one new case cannot be traced to an infection that occurred outside the province.

1:50 p.m.: Finance Minister Bill Morneau wont say whether a promised 75 per cent wage subsidy for employers struggling to pay their employees will have a cap, saying more details will be rolled out soon.

The federal government announced this morning that was increasing the wage subsidy from the 10 per cent announced last week so employers dont have to lay off their staff.

Morneau also says the support and loans promised for small businesses on Friday amounts to about $95 billion, which is in addition to the $52-billion in direct support to Canadians that was approved by Parliament earlier this week and $55 billion in deferred income tax.

1:50 p.m.: Four passengers have died aboard the Zaandam as the cruise ship awaits permission to transit the Panama Canal, the Miami Herald reports. Almost 150 people are sick with flu-like symptoms, according to a release from Holland America cruise line. There are 1,243 passengers and 586 crew onboard.

1:28 p.m.: Ontario reported 135 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths Friday, including two at a nursing home that local officials say is the site of the provinces largest outbreak.

The provincial total of the COVID-19 cases is now 993, including 18 deaths and eight people whose cases have fully resolved.

Two residents of a Bobcaygeon, Ont., nursing home died amid a COVID-19 outbreak there that has also left at least 14 staff members infected, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit said.

Three residents at Pinecrest Nursing Home tested positive and since then, 35 other residents developed symptoms, though they have not been tested  per provincial guidelines  since the virus was already confirmed to be in the facility, said the regions medical officer of health, Dr. Lynn Noseworthy.

1:27 p.m.: Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the federal government is deferring GST/HST payments from businesses until the end of June so companies have money to pay their employees and bills during the COVID-19 crisis.

He says the move will leave around $30 billion in cash in the hands of businesses.

Morneau also says small businesses that access up to $40,000 in government-guaranteed, interest-free loans from banks to help endure the crisis could be allowed to keep up to $10,000 if they repay the rest of the loan by the end of 2022.

The measures are part of a broader package of federal support for small businesses announced on Friday amid concerns about the impact the pandemic will have on the economy.

1:15 p.m.: Quebec is announcing 10 more COVID-19 deaths in the province, bringing its total to 18. Premier Francois Legault said today the province recorded another 392 positive COVID-19 test results, for a total of 2,021 cases.

Legault says another 35 people have been hospitalized since Thursday, including seven more people who are in intensive care.

The premier is also asking Quebecers to avoid travelling to Montreal and to the Eastern Townships area, which he says are the two regions of the province with the highest number of COVID-19 cases.

There are 4,607 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada, according to the latest numbers from The Canadian Press.

1:15 p.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial aid applications.

The federal government announced Thursday night it would close down the network of in-person Service Canada centres over COVID-19 concerns.

1:05 p.m.: Newfoundland and Labrador has reported 20 more positive cases of COVID-19 and reported its first hospitalization from the virus today. The province has now reported 102 cases of the illness.

Nineteen of the new cases are in the Eastern Health authority and one is in Labrador-Grenfell Health.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the provinces chief medical officer of health, says 68 cases in the province are directly linked to an exposure at a funeral home in St. Johns between March 15 and 17.

1 p.m.: Ontarians will get emergency alerts sent to their cellphones, radios and TVs at 2 p.m. today, warning recent travellers to stay at home.

The alert will tell travellers returning to Ontario that they are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days as they are at high risk of spreading COVID-19.

It will tell them, DO NOT visit stores, family or friends.

The message will say that everyone should stay home to help stop the spread of the virus.

1 p.m.: Canadas deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo suggests Quebec has been hard hit by COVID-19 in part because its March break was earlier than the rest of the country.

March break in Quebec was held from March 2-6, when the scope of the virus was still unknown and governments at all levels in Canada had yet to start enforcing stringent measures to prevent its spread.

Other provinces had their March break from March 16-20, after travel restrictions and efforts to start semi-isolating were starting to be implemented.

Njoo also says the current crisis is going to last months, not days or weeks.

1 p.m.: Prince Edward Islands chief medical officer of health says the provinces schools and daycare centres will remain closed until May 11.

Dr. Heather Morrison also says all non-essential government services and businesses must remain closed indefinitely.

Morrison reported no new cases of COVID-19 on the Island. The province has nine confirmed cases.

12:45 p.m.: Nova Scotia is reporting 17 new cases of COVID-19 for a total of 90 confirmed cases.

Health officials say most of the cases are connected to travel or a known case.

12:40 p.m.: Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canadian officials are urgently following up with American counterparts following reports the U.S. may deport asylum seekers who are turned away by Canada and may be at risk in their native countries, contrary to international agreements.

Canada closed the border to illegal asylum seekers last week in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Freeland wont say whether Canada will reopen the border to illegal agreements, saying she did not want to negotiate with U.S. officials in public.

12:30 p.m.: According to the latest Ontario report, 41,032 people have been tested; 29,967 are negative; 10,074 cases are currently under investigation, and eight cases resolved.

12:25 p.m.: Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says it is up to the U.S. to say whether it has abandoned a plan to send American troops to the border with Canada, but that Canadian officials continue to oppose the idea.

Deputy public health officer Howard Njoo says federal health authorities are looking at ways to increase testing, including new technologies.

But he says authorities need to make sure any new approach is reliable.

12:20 p.m.: Manitoba has recorded its first death from COVID-19  a woman in her 60s who was in critical condition earlier this week.

The provincial government is also reporting three new cases, bringing the total to 39. The province is now only allowing public gatherings of 10 people, down from an earlier limit of 50.

12 p.m.: Ontario reports 135 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total to 993. Three more deaths were announced, bringing the total to 18. Unlike previous reports, no details were given for any of the new cases.

11:35 a.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government needs to hammer out the details around how supports for small businesses will be implemented, which he hopes to provide by Monday.

Asked about paying for the measures, the prime minister says the governments economic foundations were strong before the pandemic and he expressed confidence the economy will bounce back after COVID passes.

11:30 a.m.: Metrolinx has informed its staff today that a GO Transit train operator has tested positive for COVID-19. The train operator was last at work March 20, and worked on the Lakeshore and Kitchener corridors, with a regular layover at GOs Shirley facility in Kitchener.

11:28 a.m.: Trudeau sidestepped questions about whether the U.S. has decided not to send troops to its border with Canada. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday night that American officials had nixed the plan following fierce push-back from Canadian authorities.

Reiterating the importance of keeping the border undefended, Trudeau said Canadian and American officials continue to have a range of discussions about the border and that the federal government would provide more information when it has it.

11:19 a.m.: Ottawa will cover 75 per cent of wages for qualifying small and medium businesses to avoid layoffs because of COVID-19, up from 10 per cent, Trudeau announces. More details here from the Stars Heather Scoffield.

11:12 a.m.: A Toronto man has been charged with fraud for allegedly shipping packages of prohibited COVID-19 testing kits across Canada and the United States, police said Friday.

11:10 a.m.: Yukon has three confirmed cases of COVID-19, but health officials in the territory are warning that some Whitehorse residents may have been exposed at two local businesses.

A statement from Yukons Health and Social Services Ministry says anyone who was at Elias Dental on March 9, 13 or 16 or a Bethany Church gathering on March 8 or 15, may have been exposed.

The statement says two people have tested positive after one visited the church event and the other was at the dental office, and both are recovering at home with no ongoing risk to the community.

11:08 a.m.: The first person in Montreal to die of COVID-19 was a member of the citys Hasidic Jewish community.

Max Lieberman, with the Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec, said today the 67-year-old man started exhibiting flu-like symptoms on Sunday and died Wednesday.

10:52 a.m.: Spains health ministry reported another 7,800 infections overnight for a total of 64,059. Deaths climbed by 769 to 4,858  the worlds second highest total after Italys 8,214 fatalities.

Spain says 9,444 health workers have contracted the coronavirus. Thats nearly 15 per cent of the total number of cases.

Its true that we have more deaths than what we saw yesterday, but its also true that the percentage increase today is similar to that of the past three days and it appears there is a stabilization, said Fernando Simon, the head of Spains health emergency co-ordinationcentre.

10:05 a.m.: The grocery chain Longos says an employee at one of their stores tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. The company says its the first confirmed case of the virus at one of their stores.

Longos says the location in Woodbridge, Ont., will be closed until Saturday morning after they perform a deep clean of the building.

9:50 a.m.: Ryerson University announced that its spring 2020 convocation ceremonies are being postponed until fall.

This was not a decision that we made lightly, but now is not the time for large public gathering, nor is it the time to ignore social distancing protocols, wrote president and vice-chancellor Mohamed Lachemi.

Earlier this week, the University of Toronto announced that it has cancelled all spring convocation ceremonies. York University also announced that its spring convocations will also not proceed as planned.

9:15 a.m.: Parliaments budget watchdog is projecting that the federal deficit for the coming fiscal year could be $112.7 billion.

Thats a jump of $89.5 billion from previous forecasts as government spending climbs to combat the economic fallout from COVID-19.

Unemployment could reach 15 per cent by third quarter.

9 a.m.: The Bank of Canada slashed its key interest rate by half a percentage point to 0.25 per cent in an unscheduled cut. Just two weeks ago, on March 13, the bank had lowered the rate to 0.75 per cent. This unscheduled rate decision is intended to provide support to the Canadian financial system and the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

8:49 a.m.: A male in New Brunswick is facing an assault charge for allegedly coughing in someones face.

Police say they were called Thursday morning to a home in Rothesay where the occupants complained that two other people had failed to isolate themselves after returning home from travelling abroad.

8:20 a.m.: Hamilton police say theyve charged a teenage fast-food employee after she allegedly faked a doctors note saying she had COVID-19.

Police say the 18-year-old woman worked at a McDonalds, which was immediately forced to close on Monday and send all its employees home to self-isolate.

7:25 a.m. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus and is suffering mild symptoms, the British government said Friday. He is the first leader of a major Western country known to have contracted the virus.

After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of Englands chief medical officer, Prof. Chris Whitty, the government said in a statement. The test was carried out in No. 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive, referring to the National Health Service. In keeping with the guidance, the prime minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

7:20 a.m.: Iran announced another 144 deaths from the coronavirus on Friday and said thousands more were in critical condition as the military completed work on a 2,000-bed field hospital in an exhibition centre in the capital

Iran has reported nearly 2,400 deaths among more than 32,000 cases. Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted they have the outbreak under control despite concerns it could overwhelm the countrys health facilities.

7 a.m. Chancellor Angela Merkel said its premature to consider easing Germanys lockdown measures as coronavirus infections can take as long as 14 days to incubate.

Were not even close to where we can see if the measures are working, Merkel said via audio conference from Berlin in her first public comments since entering precautionary quarantine on Sunday.

The German leader isolated herself at home after she learned that she had come in contact with a doctor who later tested positive. Two initial tests turned up a negative result. Merkel spoke after back-to-back video conferences with leaders of the Group of 20 nations and European Union member states.

The G-20 said they were injecting more than $5 trillion to help buoy the global economy  and that leaders will do whatever it takes to stave off economic catastrophe.

7 a.m.: Swiss authorities are lighting up one of their most famed landmarks, the Matterhorn, to show solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus.

Local officials in the nearby town of Zermatt have authorized light artist Gerry Hofstetter to splash the Alpine peak each night with words and images of encouragement and inspiration.

6 a.m.: Doctors and nurses in Italys overwhelmed northern hospitals have welcomed a slight stabilizing in the number of coronavirus infections but fear the virus is still silently spreading in the south two weeks into the Wests most extreme nationwide shutdown.

As the dead in Italy keep piling up, virologists warn that the actual number of Italys positive cases is up to five times as high as the official count of 80,539. That means infections will still climb even with Italians ordered to stay home for all but essential activity.

Italy, the epicentre of Europes pandemic, has by far the most virus deaths of any nation in the world, a grim tally of 8,165. On Friday, Italy is on track to surpass China in its infection count and have the most cases of any nation behind the U.S.

5:48 a.m.: A shaken South Africa on Friday announced its first two deaths from the coronavirus as the countrys cases rose above 1,000 and a three-week lockdown began, with some police screaming at the homeless on emptying streets.

The health minister said the deaths occurred in Western Cape province, home of Cape Town. South Africa has the most virus cases in Africa, with the total across the continent now above 3,200.

4:01 a.m.: There are 4,043 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada.

Quebec: 1,629 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 1 resolved)

Ontario: 858 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 8 resolved)

British Columbia: 725 confirmed (including 14 deaths, 173 resolved)

Alberta: 486 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 27 resolved)

Saskatchewan: 95 confirmed (including 3 resolved)

Newfoundland and Labrador: 82 confirmed

Nova Scotia: 73 confirmed

Manitoba: 25 confirmed, 11 presumptive

New Brunswick: 33 confirmed

Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed

Prince Edward Island: 9 confirmed

Yukon: 3 confirmed

Northwest Territories: 1 confirmed

Nunavut: No confirmed cases

Total: 4,043 (11 presumptive, 4,032 confirmed including 39 deaths, 212 resolved)

12:45 a.m.: The Victoria Police Departments patrol officers paid tribute to hospital staff with a 15-car salute Thursday.

A news release says officers began their night shift by visiting the Royal Jubilee Hospital to acknowledge the health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A full watch of patrol officers circled the Royal Jubilee Hospital in their police cars with their lights activated around 7 p.m.

The officers got out of their vehicles outside the emergency room bay and took a moment to clap and celebrate the work of hospital staff and health care workers.

Read more about:
The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG) has called on the government to declare a nationwide lockdown.

According to the group, the lockdown has become necessary owing to the spike in the number of Coronavirus cases in the country.

Currently, the number of Coronavirus cases in Ghana has risen to 132, with three deaths.

In a statement, UPNMG said the pandemic looks certain to escalate in the coming days and a lockdown is certainly the most efficient way to control the rising number of cases.

In a statement signed by the National PRO, John Agbenyeavu, the UPNMG confirmed that despite the economic consequences, a lockdown will be the best way to contain the pandemic.

As the saying goes, drastic situations demand drastic measures, the Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives would like to call on the President to take steps to declare a nationwide lockdown to control community spread of the COVID-19, the statement read.

Despite the economic consequences of this lockdown, the UPNMG is certain that, this measure will be the best way to control and contain the COVID-19.

Meanwhile, President Nana Addo has explained that a lockdown will be considered only if other means to contain the virus will prove to be ineffective.

Below is the full statement by the UPNMG:

Statement from UPNMG
Manna Lal has walked 100 km over the last 24 hours with almost no food or water. He has to cover 150km more to get home.

Lal, 48, is one in a group of eight labourers walking across the length of eastern Uttar Pradesh to get to their ancestral village of Gatla Beli in Bahraich district  roughly 250km from Kanpur city, where they worked as masons.

They left their construction site at 3am on Wednesday after the care-taker told them that work would be halted in the wake of the 21-day national lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that has infected 606 people and killed 10.

Hours after the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the local contractor stopped work and told them they had no place to live.

By Tuesday night, we had already exhausted half of our money. So we decided to go home, said Guddu, 15. They first walked to the local railway station, 20km away but it was shut. Our hearts sankwe rested a bit and started walking.

With a small bundle of clothes and belongings slung over his shoulders, Lal and the others walked for 12 hours with no food  his last meal was at the construction site on Tuesday night. We survived only on water, he said. But it is better to be in village than in a city where we will not even get food, he added.

Each of them have between 50 and 200 but are unwilling to part with it, hoping that they will eventually find a bus to board. Also, we dont know what the situation would be back home with no income coming, said Ram Achal, 28.

Their feet sore with blisters, the group lumbered into Lucknow on Wednesday afternoon, where they met with an unexpected stroke of good luck  the constables at the local check post opened their tiffin boxes and gave them eight rotis, one for each of them, and some sweets. We havent eaten them yet. We are saving them for when the hunger becomes unbearable, said Lal.

They arent the only ones.

Munna Mahto reached his village in Jharkhands Latehar from Ranchi, about 110 kms away, on Tuesday. Dashrath Yadav, walked all night on Tuesday without food and water, with three other family members, to reach Gujarats Ahmedabad from Vadodara, a distance of 110 kms. And, Rabiul Shaikh just reached his home in West Bengals West Midnapore district on Thursday morning after walking with his family for almost 10 hours.

Stranded after the lockdown, thousands of such workers are walking back to their villages and towns from their places of work hundreds of kilometers away. Some of them have cooking gas stoves with them, others are begging on the way, and the rest are trying to suppress their hunger while they desperately look for any mode of transport to get back home. When we got off the train at Howrah station, I was scared the disease will catch us. But we were so hungry, we didnt think too much about it, said Shaikh.

Last rung of the ladder

According to the 2011 Census, 54 million or nearly 5% people living in India migrated to their present state of residence from some other state. A quarter of them, or about 13 million people, migrated for economic reasons such as work, employment or business. More than half of these 13 million migrated out of just three states  Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. More than half went to four states  Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat and Karnataka, primary driven to urban clusters such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.

Starved of economic opportunities, workers make their way through formal, informal, family and clan networks into a variety of jobs on the economic and social hierarchy: a private security guard at the top and a construction labourer at the bottom. Millions of women work as labourers, domestic help, cooks and cleaners. They are at particular risk of Covid-19 because they live in cramped quarters. Families often share a room and it is not uncommon for 10-12 men to share one kachha house. They are at great economic precarity at the hands of contractors. And, there is precarity on both sides. At home, agriculture is risky and there are few economic opportunities. And in the city, there is the threat of recession shock, floods and epidemics, said Chinmay Tumbe, a faculty member at IIM-Ahmedabad, and author of India Moving: A History of Migration.

He pointed out the difference in approach between internal and international migration, the latter being a matter of prestige and national image. State governments need to do more and with greater coordination, he added.

Better coordination could have saved Mahto and three friends a world of trouble. They took a train from Bengaluru for Latehar but the journey ended in Ranchi on March 21 as the railways cancelled all trains. After staying at a night shelter for two days, they decided to walk. Whatever money we earned was spent on food. We have nothing left. We will go to our village, where we can at least survive on herbs and vegetables from jungle, he said.

Many migrants have faced harassment from police. Shaikh said his family had to start running to escape the lathis. A lot of other men were beaten up and forced to kneel down on the side of the road, he said. Videos and television visuals from across India showed workers being forced to crawl on roads, made to do sit-ups and kneel down on the side of highways. A number of state governments have now set up community kitchens and some states such as Odisha have allowed eateries to open along the highways so that the labourers can get food and water. Some states such as Delhi, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have made night shelters operational.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to CMs of other states asking them to assist stranded people.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has written to his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani to ensure workers reach the state borders from where they can be taken to their villages.

We are also trying them to convince them not to leave, said Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel. Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has promised that any worker stuck in the state would be cared for by the government.

Fear and stigma

Returning home has not been pleasant for Bhajaman Nayak. A resident of Kumbharapipiliguda village in Kalahandi district of Odisha, Nayak was one of the lucky workers who found a berth on the Alappuzha-Dhanbad Express from Thrissur, where he worked, and returned home a day before the lockdown was imposed on Tuesday.

But fear and stigma about the disease wiped out his luck. He was forced to pitch a tent outside the village as local residents barred him from coming within 200 metres of habitation. Our only scare is that we can be bitten by snakes. Some of us guard against snakes in night, he said.

In many other villages, migrant labourers have been barred from entering and compelled to stay in make-shift quarantine homes.

In Haryanas Hassan village, even the entry of relatives has been banned. We have sealed the boundaries of the village and people going to fields are only allowed to pass through it, said Pratap Singh, village head.

For women workers, the sudden migration has brought forth a loss of income, safety and the added burden of unpaid work.

I earned more than my husband as a help. I was saving up to buy a cycle, but now I fear I will cooking and cleaning for the family and not earn, said Pinki, Shaikhs wife. But it is alright if we are saved from this disease.

It is Thursday evening, and Lal and his group of eight still have several hours of walking ahead. They are tired, but continue with only short breaks. If we go at this pace and determination, we will reach home Friday morning, said Kandhai Lal.

(with inputs from Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa)
MONTREALPremier Francois Legault on Friday warned against travelling to Montreal or the Eastern Townships  the two hardest-hit regions in the province for COVID-19  and urged people who lived in those two hot spots to stay there.

Legault announced 10 more people had died of the disease in the province, bringing the death toll to 18. Quebec recorded another 392 positive cases compared with the day prior, Legault said, for a total of 2,021.

The spike in cases prompted premier to issue a warning to Quebecers  already told not to travel between regions unless necessary  to avoid Montreal and the Eastern Townships regions, which account for nearly 60 per cent of the provinces confirmed cases as of Friday.

Im asking people living in Montreal and the Eastern Townships to stay in those regions and people from other regions not to go, Legault said. They are more infected  they have more cases in (terms of) percentage of the population compared to the rest of Quebec.

Later in the day, Montreal declared a state of emergency at the behest of the provinces director of public health.

Mayor Valerie Plante said the city needed extra powers to help stop the spread of COVID-19, particularly among the citys homeless.

The state of emergency declaration also gives the city the ability to spend money more easily as well as the authority to order police and firefighters to enforce public health directives, Plante said.

At this moment, the most vulnerable in our society need us, she told reporters. The situation in day centres and shelters is very difficult, so it was important for us to find rapid and efficient solutions.

The city plans to open outdoor day centres and shelters with fewer beds for the citys homeless. Plante also wanted to dispel concerns the city was about to restrict the movement of citizens.

The city is not under lock down nor is it in quarantine, Plante said. If this happens one day, itll be at the request of the Government of Quebec and the Health Department, and if it happens, it will be done in a coherent and orderly way  were not at that point at all.

The province reports that 141 people in Quebec are in hospital, with 50 in intensive care.

Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebecs director of public health, said its unclear why Montreals west-end districts and suburbs are particularly hard hit. He hypothesized that those communities may have more ties to areas such as New York state, which has one of the highest infection rates in the United States.

Mayors in Quebecs popular weekend getaway communities in the Laurentians urged potential visitors to stay away.

The mayors of Mont-Tremblant and Val-David, Que. made the request after many people  including out-of-province visitors  flocked to the communities last weekend.

Mont-Tremblant Mayor Luc Brisebois said Thursday in a statement that all events are cancelled this weekend and implored people with chalets or country homes to choose one residence and stick to it.

By commuting, you could further spread contamination in the Laurentians region and this is what we want to avoid, Brisebois said.

Earlier Friday, a leader in Montreals Hasidic Jewish community confirmed a member was the first person to die of COVID-19 in the city.

Max Lieberman, with the Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec, said the 67-year-old victim started exhibiting flu-like symptoms Sunday, had difficulty breathing Tuesday night and died Wednesday after being put on a ventilator in hospital.

I know him as a healthy man, Lieberman said in an interview. He wasnt an old 67, he was a young 67, a very nice, gentle guy.

Lieberman said the family had a private, graveside funeral service instead of the more typical large affair given rules forbidding gatherings amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Normally there would be hundreds of people, but it was a very small funeral, ten or 12 people, Lieberman said, adding mourners were able to listen to eulogies over the phone.

Lieberman said the community is on edge because many of its members had recently participated in large gatherings for a religious holiday, just prior to the introduction of widespread isolation directives by health authorities.

As each day passes since Purim festivities, Lieberman said hes thankful there hasnt been an uptick of cases.

With the help of God well get over it, hopefully in the next few weeks, and life at one point will be able to return to normal, Lieberman said.

Read more about:
Dr. Zhou Min, a recovered COVID-19 patient who has passed his 14-day quarantine, donates plasma in the city's blood center in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contains antibodies that may help reduce the viral load in patients that are fighting the disease. Read more

An old idea for fighting infections - an approach most physicians know about only from medical lore - is being revived as people wait for drugs and vaccines to thwart the novel coronavirus. If it works, the blood plasma of people who have recovered from covid-19 would be used to protect health-care workers and help sick people get well.

The possible therapy is based on a medical concept called "passive immunity." People who recover from an infection develop antibodies that circulate in the blood and can neutralize the pathogen. Infusions of plasma - the clear liquid that remains when blood cells are removed - may increase people's disease-fighting response to the virus, giving their immune systems an important boost. The approach has been successful against polio, measles, mumps and flu.

"The recovered people could have in their blood something that could be very useful," said Arturo Casadevall, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "The history is this has been used in 120 years in medicine, and it's well-known."

Casadevall is hopeful the treatment, called "convalescent plasma," could provide short-term relief to a medical system that faces a surge of patients, with no approved drugs or vaccines. But he and colleagues face regulatory, logistical and scientific challenges to set up a process that will ultimately be limited in how many people it can treat. Researchers must collect blood plasma from people after they've recovered, then test it to determine if it is likely to be potent against the disease and deliver it to patients.

Infectious disease specialists are sharing information through grass-roots networks, helping each other with clinical trial designs and ideas on how to screen plasma for virus-fighting antibodies.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, announced his state would begin trying the treatment in patients stricken with covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday it was helping facilitate access to the experimental treatment, while underscoring the need to establish safety and effectiveness. Mount Sinai Health System in New York announced this week it plans to begin transfers of antibody-rich plasma from recovered patients to people who are severely ill.

"We get really hung up on always trying the newest, latest, greatest thing. And sometimes the classics are good, too, and they tend to be ignored," said Jeffrey P. Henderson, an infectious disease specialist at Washington University in St. Louis, who is working on the project.

First, experts must develop tests to measure the levels of antibodies, and then use those to identify donors whose plasma is rich in antibodies that could help others battle the illness. Then, they have to deliver the plasma to patients - most likely in clinical trials designed to measure whether it works. The plasma must be safe and disease-free, not only from other blood-borne pathogens but also from the novel coronavirus.

Plasma could be used to treat people who are sick and to prevent illness in health-care workers, Casadevall said, especially those at greatest risk for developing the illness because of repeated exposure.

"Convalescent plasma has a real role - this has been going on for over 100 years. We know this stuff works," said Wayne Marasco, an infectious disease physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "If you do this right and harvest plasma from someone who has undergone infection, you can get protective antibodies that can be infused in other people."

Access to the therapy is likely to vary. Many hospitals are racing to set up clinical trials that would be open to patients who meet specific criteria. The FDA has also created a track for "emergency use" - a way for people with serious or immediately life-threatening disease to gain access to the treatment. But many logistical questions need to be solved, including the question of who will pay for the experimental treatment.

On Friday, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the state of Maryland announced they would jointly provide $4 million to support the effort.

Michael Joyner, an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic, said that, so far, he has been repurposing resources - redeploying about 20 people - to work on the project full time.

"For specific services, I am charging my endowment funds. The resources will catch up. If they don't catch up, that is life," Joyner said.

But the research into plasma is only one part of a broader effort to learn from people's natural immune response to unlock secrets to treatment. In the longer term, Marasco and other researchers plan to develop drugs based on coronavirus-fighting antibodies. Marasco has a library of 27 billion antibodies from 57 donors that he plans to screen, looking for ones that are active against the new coronavirus.

Rockefeller University immunologist Michel Nussenzweig and his colleagues launched a study of people who have recovered from coronavirus infections this month - a study that also focuses on antibodies.

Nussenzweig searches for people who, as he described it, have "exceptional responses to viral infections." In the past, he has studied patients with HIV, hepatitis B and C and other viruses. The approach worked most clearly with HIV. "There are just a small number of individuals that are infected that develop broadly neutralizing antibodies" to the virus that causes AIDS, he said, and their antibodies can be cloned, and, in theory, turned into therapies.

"It's hard to tell in this exceptional time," Nussenzweig said. "Normally, this is something that would take a year and a half. I don't know exactly how much it can be accelerated."

The convalescent plasma approach is appealing because it could provide a shorter-term option than an antibody therapy, which is also being pursued by drug companies. But even those who are working to make the treatment possible acknowledge it is just a bridge to a better, and more broadly accessible, solution.

"None of us sees this as a long-term solution. This is a stopgap, pending availability of more definitive interventions," such as a vaccine or antiviral drug, said Evan Bloch, associate professor of pathology at Hopkins.

To give the treatment the best chance of succeeding, the researchers want to make sure they provide patients plasma that contains lots of antibodies - and design trials that can rigorously demonstrate whether it is working.

Ashoka Mukpo, a freelance journalist infected with Ebola in 2014, received plasma from a recovered physician after being evacuated to Nebraska Medical Center. He said he received the treatment at the height of his illness and recovered, but it is hard to know whether to attribute it to the treatment.

I did have an adverse reaction - my heart rate dropped to 40, and they had to stop the transfusion briefly before resuming it, Mukpo said in an email. It was a very unpleasant experience, but I did feel better the next day. Its hard to say whether that was because of the transfusion or just my body finally getting over the hump.
David Heald, President and CEO remarked, "We are thrilled with our 4 th place ranking among 4,391 community banks under $3 billion across the nation. To place first in California is another amazing milestone for Santa Cruz County Bank. This is a testament to the hard work, vision and focus of our entire team, which includes our Board of Directors. I applaud our team for their commitment to continued delivery of outstanding financial performance."

To compile this ranking, S&P Global Market intelligence calculated scores for each company based on six metrics: pre-tax return on tangible common equity, net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans, efficiency ratio, adjusted Texas ratio, net interest margin and loan growth. Each company's standard deviation from the industry mean was calculated for every ranking metric, equally weighted, then added together to derive a performance score. To help normalize the data and mitigate the impact of the outliers, caps and floors were applied for each metric. To be eligible for the ranking, a bank and thrift must possess a loan-to-asset ratio of at least 33.33% and no more than half of those loans could come from credit cards. Furthermore, the company had to be well capitalized according to current regulatory standards and no more than half of the institution's revenue could come from nontraditional banking activities. Banks with parent companies above $3 billion in assets were excluded.

Based on the above criteria, 4,391 commercial banks, savings banks, and savings and loan associations were eligible for ranking.

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BANK

Santa Cruz County Bank was founded in 2004. It is a top-rated, locally-owned and operated, full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. The bank has seven branchesAptos, Capitola, Cupertino, Santa Cruz (2), Scotts Valley and Watsonville  all of which are Green Business Certified in accordance with the Bank's commitment to the environment. Santa Cruz County Bank is distinguished from "big banks" by its relationship-based service, problem-solving focus, and direct access to decision makers. The bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley, and a top USDA lender in the state of California. As a full-service bank, Santa Cruz County Bank offers competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction lending, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment, and treasury management. True to its community roots, Santa Cruz County Bank has supported regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local not-for-profit organizations.

Santa Cruz County Bank stock is publicly traded on the OTC marketplace under the symbol SCZC. Stock purchase orders may be placed online, through a brokerage firm, or through Market Makers listed in the Investor Relations section of the bank's website. For more information about Santa Cruz County Bank, visit www.sccountybank.com.

NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL RATINGS AND AWARDS

S&P Global Top 100 Community Banks: Santa Cruz County Bank ranked 4th in the nation out of more than 4,200 banks with assets under $3 billion based upon 2019 performance. The Bank has ranked in the Top 100 Community Banks by S&P Global for four consecutive years.

Financial Management Consulting (FMC) Group: Santa Cruz County Bank has ranked in FMC's top ten banks in California for the past five years.

The Findley Reports, Inc.: The Bank has received the top ranking of Super Premier by Findley for nine consecutive years.

Bauer Financial Reports, Inc.: Santa Cruz County Bank is rated 5-star "Superior" based upon its financial performance for every quarter in 2019.

American Banker Magazine: Santa Cruz County Bank ranked 12th out of 601 institutions in American Banker Magazine's "Top Performing 200 Community Banks & Thrifts in the United States" based upon 3-year average return on equity. The Bank ranked 4th out of 26 California banks. The Bank has ranked in the Top 200 Community Banks in the United States for six consecutive years.

The Bank ranks 4th in the Silicon Valley for the number of SBA loans lent to Silicon Valley businesses for the SBA's 2019 fiscal year.

COMMUNITY AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, 2018 Business of the Year Award.

Farm Bureau of Santa Cruz County, 2018 Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award for support of the agricultural industry and providing access to capital.

Second Harvest Food Bank, Platinum Level Award for the 2019 Holiday Food & Fund Drive.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2019 Reader's Choice Award, number one bank in Santa Cruz County as voted by Santa Cruz Sentinel readers.

Good Times, 2019 Best of Santa Cruz County Award, Voted "Best Bank" for the seven consecutive years.

Santa Cruz Waves Magazine, 2019 Swellies Awards, Voted "Favorite Bank" in Santa Cruz County.

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties may include but are not necessarily limited to fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, government regulations and general economic conditions, and competition within the business areas in which the Bank is conducting its operations, including the real estate market in California and other factors beyond the Bank's control. Such risks and uncertainties could cause results for subsequent interim periods or for the entire year to differ materially from those indicated. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. The Bank undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

SOURCE Santa Cruz County Bank

Related Links

http://www.sccountybank.com


Professor Richard B. Kennedy of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic explains the different kinds of tests being used and the different treatment prospects for the virus

Ahram Online spoke to Professor Richard B. Kennedy, associate consultant at the Department of Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in the USA, about recent updates in the medical research aimed at tackling the coronavirus.

Ahram Online: What is the chance that a recovered case could transmit the disease?

Richard Kennedy: Most people can still transmit the disease for a short period of time after they are feeling better. Because of this, we are defining recovered cases as those who test negative for the virus on two separate tests taken 24 hours apart. If the patient does not have the virus in them, they cannot transmit the disease. It is possible that patients can have a very low level of virus that is not detected by our tests.

However, the good news is that the amount of virus in the patients lungs is directly related to how infectious they are. Right now we believe that the chance of a recovered patient transmitting the virus is low.

AO: What is the difference between the different kits for COVID-19 detection?

RK: There are two main types of kits. The first are called molecular assay (or PCR assays). These are designed to detect the RNA that is found inside each viral particle. The use a process called Polymerase Chain Reaction to rapidly [make] millions of copies of short pieces of RNA found only in the virus. We then look for the presence or absence of this RNA. These kits are very sensitive and can detect a little as a few thousand viral particles per ml of blood.

Recently, our research teams developed a new PCR test that is currently submitted for review and authorisation. We hope that these kits would ease some of the burden on the main laboratories in the different countries of the world.

The second type of assay is a serological test. These assays look for the presence of antibodies in the blood that can attack the virus. It takes several days to a week for your body to produce these antibodies after you are infected. Because of that delay, it may not be as sensitive in detecting people who were recently infected.

AO: Regarding the clinical trials of drugs, how long it will take for FDA approval?

RK: These trials are just starting so it will take some time to find out if these drugs really do work. The FDA has streamlined its approval process for the clinical assays and is likely to be doing the same thing for its drug approval process. If early results are promising, sometimes drugs can be used under Emergency Use Authorization.

Normally, there are four phases of clinical trials. Phase 1 trials are small studies that focus on patient safety. Phase 2 trials focus on efficacy (does the drug work?). Both of these are small scale studies. If a drug successfully completes these trials, it will move on to Phase 3. In a Phase 3 trial, we study the same questions Is it safe? Does it work? But we do so in much larger populations, including groups who are at high risk of infection. When a drug successfully finishes a Phase 3 trial, it can be ready for regulatory approval and mass production. Phase 4 trials typically happen after a product is commercially available and can involve tens of thousands of people. The intent of these trials is to look for long-term safety and/or rare side effects.

AO: Knowing that the vaccine approval may take between 12 to 18 months, is there a way to speed up the approval of vaccines?

RK: Yes. Regulatory approval processes can be streamlined  most countries are now doing this. Some vaccines (e.g. live virus and whole inactivated virus) require a lot of time and effort to create, while other vaccines (e.g. protein, RNA) can be produced more quickly. We learned a lot about immune responses to coronaviruses during the SARS and MERS outbreaks in 2003 and 2012 respectively. That significantly speeds up the process since we do not need to develop new detection assays, new animal models, or other basic tools to test new vaccines.

AO: With respect to the research efforts globally, what could be the forecast scenarios if the COVID-19 virus mutates during the approval process of new drugs and vaccines?

RK: All coronaviruses are RNA viruses (like influenza). RNA viruses have very high mutation rates. When they copy their genetic information, they make mistakes often. Early reports indicate that this virus mutates about once a month. Occasionally a mutation may make the virus resistant to a drug. One way to prevent that is to use multiple drugs at the same time  it is less likely that the virus develops multiple mutations to resist many drugs simultaneously.

Vaccines are another potential solution. A vaccine typically creates an immune response to multiple parts of a virus, making it difficult for the virus to mutate all of those parts at the same time.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


U.S. airlines' first plea for $58 billion in government aid to weather the coronavirus landed with a thud among lawmakers and the public.

Carriers requested half of it in grants that they wouldn't have to pay back, drumming up criticism about everything from hitting passengers with myriad fees to skimpy leg room to the billions carriers spent on buying back their own shares.

But the matter was urgent for the industry. Demand was cratering as governments, including the U.S., imposed severe travel restrictions, consumers' flight cancellations outpaced new bookings, and airlines dramatically reduced capacity to respond. President Donald Trump said several times over the past several weeks that airlines would receive government aid.

Labor unions quickly changed the narrative, pushing the industry toward a pledge to not furlough workers in exchange for the grants  at least through the summer. Their efforts were instrumental in getting approval for the airline aid, one of the most contentious parts of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, which passed the House on Friday, in the Senate earlier this week.

"We basically said to the airlines: the public doesn't like you," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 50,000 cabin crew members at airlines including United, Spirit and Alaska "You're not going to get anything but we can get something to keep people on the job."

Nelson, a prominent labor leader before this crisis who railed against the government for not paying aviation workers during last year's partial shutdown before it ended hours after a shortage of air traffic controllers disrupted flights, said she's learned lessons from previous industry bailouts, including following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that left carriers on shaky footing and led to thousands of layoffs in the tumultuous decade after.

"When you send the money to the companies and the banks, the money doesn't come down to the workers," said Nelson in an interview. "Fundamentally, that was what we wanted to fix."

"I was sure we we were going to drive the train this time," she said.

Nelson sent a framework for airline grants that would go expressly to payroll to payroll to Rep. Peter DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The framework informed the House bill, said Nelson and another person familiar with House Democrats' negotiations.

A proposal by Republican senators provided airlines the sum they wanted but only in loans, falling short of the industry's request, while Democrats fretted that the industry would receive a blank check.

Nelson reached out to senators including New York Sen. Charles Schumer to explain that the funds would go directly to payroll. Thousands of airline workers used social media to urge lawmakers to approve the payroll guarantees.

"I was dialing for dollars," she said. "We were calling everyone we possibly could."

The format Nelson advocated for ended up in the successful Senate bill. It was latest battle for labor unions and workers, who have fought and won higher pay and benefits from companies that were enjoying record streaks of profits.

"The court of public opinion was making guarantees to the people who actually provided that service in that industry versus people who allocate capital in those industry," said Bob Mann, an aviation analyst and former airline executive. "It came down in favor of the front-line folks whose fault it wasn't."

Airlines for America, U.S. airlines' lobbying group, changed its phrasing to say the $29 billion in grants would be exclusively for workers. In a desperate letter signed by airline CEOs to congressional leadership over the weekend, it warned, "Unless worker payroll protection grants are passed immediately, many of us will be forced to take draconian measures such as furloughs."

Labor unions backed CEOs in jointly signed letters, including from American Airlines, which has had some of the most fraught relations with its workers' unions, pleading for aid to save jobs.

The bill that passed the Senate included $25 billion in grants for passenger airlines and $4 billion for cargo airlines and $3 billion for airline contractors, like catering workers, in exchange for not furloughing workers through Sept. 30. It also would provide $25 billion in loans to passenger carriers, and $4 billion to cargo airlines, financing that would require them to refrain from stock buybacks and dividend payments. Accepting some of the aid will also allow the government to take equity stakes in carriers and require airlines to maintain some routes.

Thousands of airline contractors have already lost their jobs, according to their union, while one of big carriers' regional contractors, Compass Airlines, said it is forced to shutter.

"Every worker is hurting right now," said Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association.

"This is not a bailout for shareholders," wrote Cowen airline analyst Helane Becker. "In fact, calling it a bailout isn't even correct. It's a lifeline for employees."

Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American's some 15,000 pilots, said the payroll guarantees are a signal that taxpayers won't allow airlines "to take advantage of this life vest we gave you."

"This isn't just for you to lounge in the ocean and get a suntan," he said. "It's incumbent upon all of us to respect taxpayers' money."
The Montgomery County District Attorneys Office is warning individuals exploiting the coronavirus disaster declaration that it will pursue their punishment to the highest extent of the law.

Trial Bureau Chief Kelly Blackburn wants to assure the public the DAs office is focused on prosecuting looting, domestic violence and child abuse, crimes he said spike during declared disasters and whose punishment may be elevated.

Currently, there is a countywide disaster declaration temporarily closing multiple businesses and a stay-at-home order, along with a state-ordered closure of all schools. These measures amplify concerns about a rise in crime related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The enhancement (of punishment) is just a better tool in our tool belt to use to try to effectively prosecute people that are taking advantage of this situation, Blackburn said.

Case by case

Blackburn explained that through enhanced punishment as authorized by the Texas Penal Code, sentencing is increased by one level.

If, for instance, someone is found guilty of burglarizing a business, then during a disaster declaration the degree of offense could be moved up from a state jail felony up to a third-degree felony. A Class B misdemeanor offense could be enhanced to a Class A, possibly increasing a 180-day jail sentence to up to a year.

But Blackburn said all offenses are reviewed by prosecutors on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they should be enhanced.

The DAs office does not just enhance every offense that we can just because there is a disaster declaration, Blackburn said. Cases are looked at independently. We like there to be a certain type of nexus between the actual offense being committed, why its being committed and the disaster declaration.

The district attorneys office is using a January 2018 conviction of a home burglar as a point of reference in how it will prosecute looters.

Conroe resident Caleb Andrew Carmichael was caught breaking into a River Plantation subdivision home whose owner evacuated because of Hurricane Harvey. The case against Carmichael, who is now serving a five-year sentence, was one of multiple in Montgomery County during Harvey that resulted in an enhancement in offense, Blackburn noted.

Aside from burglary, the Texas Penal Code also allows the application of enhanced punishment during a disaster to theft, robbery and assault offenses.

Ready to act

In neighboring Harris County, where a stay-at-home order took effect Tuesday night, advocates are pointing to the likelihood of an increase in domestic violence as victims quarantine with their abusers.

We anticipate an escalation of violence as people become more isolated, said Houston Area Womens Center President and CEO Emilee Dawn Whitehurst in a recent Houston Chronicle article.

The DAs office understands at-home isolation may also produce situations like the ones Whitehurst points to.

But prosecutors are ready to act.

We have no qualms about enhancing (domestic violence) crime when everybodys resources are strained, Blackburn said. Everybodys trying to work together to get through this.

The family violence division at the district attorneys office includes a felony case prosecutor and one who works on misdemeanor charges, as well as an investigator and a victim services coordinator, Blackburn pointed out. Cases, he added, are reviewed on a daily basis.

That group right now is working as hard as they can to make sure that they can identify whats going on to get (victims) these sort of resources they need and the help that they need even during this time of crisis, Blackburn said.

Similarly, for instances where isolation and the postponement of school may leave children vulnerable to abuse, the DAs office also has a special victims division at work.

Blackburn wants to remind residents law enforcement remains exempt to limitations in Montgomery County Judge Mark Keoughs local disaster declaration. Work continues in patrolling and prosecuting.

Were still out there doing the best we can, Blackburn said.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
Oregon state and county health officials Friday reported nearly 100 new coronavirus cases, marking the largest increase of infections in a single day and bringing the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state to 414.

The Oregon Health Authority also reported the states 12th death linked to the illness, an 82-year-old Marion County woman who died Wednesday at Salem Hospital. She had underlying medical conditions, state health officials said.

Residents in Clackamas (10), Columbia (1), Deschutes (3), Douglas (1), Jackson (2), Klamath (1), Lane (2), Linn (2), Marion (26), Morrow (1), Multnomah (22), Polk (4), Umatilla (1), Wasco (1), Washington (18), Yamhill (4) counties tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours, the health authority said.

During that time, more than 1,650 new people received coronavirus test results  up slightly from 1,527 the previous day, which resulted in just 50 positive tests, according to figures published on the health authoritys website.

There are now known coronavirus cases linked to 24 of Oregons 36 counties: 122 in Washington County; 83 in Marion County; 67 in Multnomah County; 31 in Clackamas County; 28 in Linn County; 18 in Deschutes County; 11 in Yamhill County; 10 in Polk County; nine in Lane County; six in Jackson County; five in Benton County; four in Douglas and Josephine counties; three in Umatilla County; two in Clatsop, Klamath and Wasco counties; one each in Columbia, Grant, Hood River, Lincoln, Morrow, Tillamook, Union counties.

Of the cases, 170 people, or 41%, are under the age of 50, state figures show. Another 82, or 20%, are over age 70.

At least 102 of the states COVID-19 patients, or 25%, have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, according to the Oregon Health Authority, up from 90 the previous day. Thirty-one COVID-19 patients are currently on ventilators.

State health officials have reported 11 previous COVID-19 deaths in the state. Theyve included residents from Clackamas (3), Lane (1), Linn (1), Multnomah (2), Marion (2) and Washington (2) counties. All had underlying medical conditions, state health officials said, but didnt release any details.

While state figures show nearly 9,000 people in the state have now received tests, reflecting a continued expansion of test processing at private labs as well as Providence Health & Services in Portland, countless more remain unable to obtain one due limited availability.

The state reported that of the 8,924 tests administered so far, 8,510 were negative.

Testing shortages remain a problem across the nation, not only in Oregon, creating a dramatic undercount of how many people actually are infected with the virus. Some Oregonians are waiting nearly two weeks to get test results.

At this time, health care providers, people 60 and over and those with underlying health issues or who are pregnant should be prioritized for testing in the state if they have COVID-19 symptoms, the Oregon Health Authority said in its latest testing guidelines, published Wednesday.

Others who exhibit the symptoms  such as a dry cough, fever or shortness of breath  are being asked by state and local health officials to contact a primary care physician, clinic or to self-quarantine at home.

The state discourages doctors from testing people who are asymptomatic, or have only mild symptoms.

Oregon Health & Sciences University has also said that it will soon launch a coronavirus hotline to answer questions from prospective patients, though a date has not been announced.

This story has been updated to reflect the following correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the total number COVID-19 cases, due to incorrect information provided by the Oregon Health Authority. On Saturday afternoon, the state confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive that officials had double counted one COVID-19 case earlier in the week.

-- 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
business Coronavirus pandemic | RBI cuts repo rate by 75 bps to 4.40%, advances MPC meet to March 24-27 While the rate cut at this point is unlikely to revive loan demands in the market, it can definitely boost the morale in the financial market at this difficult time.
Iowa farm corn Last year's flooding hit farmers hard. In this file photo, Jeff Jorgenson looks over a partially flooded field he farms near Shenandoah, Iowa. About a quarter of his land was lost last year to Missouri River flooding. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

The 2020 U.S. crop season was lining up to be an excellent bounce-back year, which was welcome news for farmers eager to recover from 2019's disaster. Then things changed in America very quickly in March because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The impact of the outbreak has affected both the overall U.S. and agriculture-specific economies, most notably in falling commodity prices, and a lower demand for corn-based ethanol because of plummeting oil prices.

"The slowdown in the economy ... has presented a never-before-seen challenge to those in the grain and livestock business," long-time Nebraska farmer Edwin C. Brummels told AccuWeather. "Patience and understanding are going to be required in marketing and by those having a financial stake in each grower's operation for the foreseeable future."

The good news for U.S. farmers: AccuWeather still foresees a record-setting corn crop, a significant year-over-year increase in soybean production and cotton production that could be the best in a decade. The forecasted warmer spring and summer weather also should be beneficial for wheat production.

AccuWeather is predicting U.S. corn production in 2020 will reach 15.486 billion bushels (393.344 million metric tons), based on 87 million acres harvested with 178 bushels per acre. The U.S. record for annual corn production is 15.15 billion bushels, set in 2016.

U.S. corn production was 13.69 billion bushels in 2019, the lowest since 2015 (13.601 billion bushels). The 13.1 percent increase AccuWeather is predicting for this year would be the largest year-over-year increase since 2013 (28.5 percent increase from 2012).

AccuWeather also is predicting U.S. soybean production will see a strong comeback, with production estimated to be 4.258 billion bushels (115.886 million metric tons), based on 83.5 million acres harvested with 51 bushels per acre.

Story continues

That would be a 19.6 percent increase from 2019's total of 3.558 billion bushels, which was the lowest total since 2013 (3.357 billion bushels). Such an increase would be the largest year-over-year improvement since 2004 (27.3 percent increase from 2003).

"Any farmer who is living on the edge will at the very least consider the risk of growing a crop which may not be profitable," said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dave Samuhel. "That could lead to more conservative acreage then what the market may have dictated before the virus hit.

"However, last year was a record number by far for prevented plant acreage - 18 million acres combined for corn, soybeans and wheat - so farmers are going to be eager to get back into action," Samuhel added.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

Thanks to good starting growing conditions, AccuWeather predicts cotton production will reach its highest output in a decade: 19.85 million (480 lb.) bales from 10.95 million acres yielding 870 pounds per acre. U.S. wheat production (winter and spring) in 2020 is predicted to reach 1.874 billion bushels, based on 38.1 million harvested acres with 49.2 bushels per acre (51.016 million metric tons).

The weather in spring and summer looks to be a boon for farmers. AccuWeather is forecasting higher-than-normal temperatures over the next three months throughout the United States. "There is almost no part of the country that we are predicting to be below normal in any of the three months, which is unusual," said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. "This may be a first."

"The big thing is getting the sun out at this time of year," said AccuWeather commodities consultant Jim Candor. "If you get that April sun, it'll warm the topsoil pretty fast. Right now, it's wet. But that's why getting a dry week in the first half of April is pretty important."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) on April 9. Its estimates in March were: corn: 15.458 billion bushels; soybeans: 4.194 billion bushels; wheat: 1.836 billion bushels; and cotton: 19.5 million bales.

Farmers are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic as another reality that must be managed. "Obviously, we take extra precautions when needed," said Nebraska farmer Justin Mensik. "I think the vast majority of us will be just fine. We see more cows than people in a day."

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
The discharge of an Italy-returned Hoshiarpur man from a hospital here after being cured and found negative for the coronavirus infection has triggered a spat between two medical authorities of the district.

The middle-aged man, who was the first to have been tested positive for the coronavirus in Punjab, was discharged from the isolation ward of the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital after he was found negative.

Amritsar Civil Surgeon, Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal, however, on Friday said Guru Nanak Dev Hospital (GNDH) has discharged the patient without our knowledge."



Patient should have been handed over to the IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme) department of his native Hoshiarpur district for further follow up. Today we informed the district administration of Hoshiarpur, she said.

Guru Nanak Dev Hospital is being run by the Government Medical College Amritsar and Principal Government Medical College is the senior most person to look after the affairs of GNDH.

On being contacted medical college principal, Dr Sujata Sharma said, I am not answerable to Civil Surgeon."



"Moreover, we have our own IDSP department which was informed accordingly. The head of the isolation ward has informed the various departments about the discharge of the patient including civil Surgeon in routine, she added.

Sharma said, When patient was found fit to be discharged, he was handed over to his family members on Thursday evening and it is not mandatory to inform the civil surgeon before reliving him. They were simply sent information in routine, she quipped.

The middle aged man was earlier this month admitted in the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital where he had shown good response to the treatment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A teenager girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by an Indian man covered in tribal tattoos while on a packed tram.

Police allege the 14-year-old was headed to St Kilda from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne about 10.30am on February 2 when the man approached her.

He allegedly sexually assaulted the young girl from behind before hopping off the 96-tram at St Kilda.

Police released images of a man who they believe will be able to assist with their investigation into the alleged sexual assault

Police released images of a man who they believe will be able to assist with their investigation into the alleged brazen sex attack.

The man is described to be of Indian appearance and approximately 180cm tall with a medium build.

He is believed to be aged between 25-30.

He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, white runners and has a distinctive tribal style tattoos on his upper right arm and forearm.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
As many as six more people tested



positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 35 in the state, the government said.

Of them, five people contracted the infection through contact with those tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a tweet, the National Health Mission - Tamil Nadu said: "6 new positive cases of #Covid19 in TN..." and taking "the total tally to 35 so far."



When asked by PTI, a senior health official said the total number of cases includes a man who has been discharged and another who died.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On March 26, the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) discussed the security situation in Donbas and the mutual release of detainees in a video conference format, no documents were signed at the meeting.

"The regular meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on the Peaceful Settlement of the Situation in Donbas, which, in connection with the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, was held in the form of a video conference," the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine said on Thursday.

The key issues raised by the Ukrainian party concerned the security situation in Donbas and the mutual release of detained persons.

The Ukrainian party reaffirmed its commitment to a sustainable and complete ceasefire and called on TCG participants to support this initiative. The work is also underway to form lists in the framework of the mutual release of detained persons. In addition, TCG participants continued consultations on the next areas of disengagement of forces and assets, primarily with regard to humanitarian criteria," the President's Office said.

Zelensky Office emphasized that no documents were signed during the TCG meeting on March 26.
[March 27, 2020] Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Markets & Revenue Forecasts (2019-2024) by Type, Technology, End-user Industry and Region

DUBLIN, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market: Investments vs Potential" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The scope of this report is broad and covers the global markets for artificial intelligence, which is increasingly being implemented across a wide range of industries for various applications. The market is broken down by solution, end-user industry, technology, and region. Revenue forecasts from 2019 to 2024 are presented for each type, technology, end-user industry, and regional market.



The report also includes a discussion of the major players in each regional market for artificial intelligence. It explains the major market drivers of the global market, current trends in the industry and the regional dynamics of the artificial intelligence market. The report concludes with detailed profiles of major vendors in the global artificial intelligence industry. In recent years, artificial intelligence has gained significant traction worldwide from businesses in both the public and the private sectors. This is mainly due to the perceived benefits associated with the integration of AI in business processes, such as higher productivity, cost reductions, and efficiency improvements. Going forward, technology is expected to have a significant impact on virtually every business sector and every human being. Continuous advancements in the field are also expected to drive the adoption of other emerging technologies in the market, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and big data.



With the expanding economic landscape of AI technology, it is emerging as a general-purpose technology. By delivering more accurate and cost-effective predictions, recommendations and decisions, the technology is enabling businesses to enhance productivity and address complex business challenges.



In terms of technology, the artificial intelligence market can be classified into four types: machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), context-aware computing and computer vision. The rapid expansion of the field is attributed to the maturity of an ML modeling technique known as neural networks, as well as the growing availability of large datasets and advancements in computing power abilities. The report includes: An overview of the global market and technologies for artificial intelligence (AI)

Analyses of market trends, with data from 2018, 2019 and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024

Discussion on market drivers, restraints, current trends and investments in the artificial intelligence market

Knowledge about machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), context-aware computing and computer vision

Assessment of current market size, market forecast, and market share analysis of the leading suppliers of the industry

Information on mergers & acquisitions, partnerships, and expansion in the artificial intelligence market

Detailed profiles of key companies in the industry, including Amazon, Cisco Systems Inc., Facebook Inc., General Electric, Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Salesforce Ic., and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.



Key Topics Covered

Chapter 1 Introduction

Study Goals and Objectives

Reasons for Doing This Study

Intended Audience

Recent Developments

Scope of Report

Information Sources

Methodology

Geographic Breakdown Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights



Chapter 3 Market and Technology Background Introduction

AI Based on Functionality

Reactive Machines

Limited Memory

Theory of Mind

Self-Aware

AI Based on Capability

Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)

Mergers and Acquisitions

AI Solutions

AI Hardware

AI Software

AI Services

AI Technologies

Machine Learning (ML)

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Context-Aware Computing

Computer Vision

AI by End-User Industry

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Automotive

Agriculture

Retail

Security and Surveillance

Human Resources

Marketing

Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)

Legal Chapter 4 Global Market for Artificial Intelligence Global Market for AI by Technology

Global Market for AI by Solution

Global Market for AI by End-User Industry

Global Market for AI by Region

Global Market for AI Hardware by Type

Global Market for AI Processors by Type

Global Market for AI Hardware by End-User Industry

Global Market for AI Software by End-User Industry

Global Market for AI Services by End-User Industry Chapter 5 Global Market for Artificial Intelligence Applications by End-User Industry Global Market for AI in Healthcare Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Healthcare Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Manufacturing Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Manufacturing Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Automotive Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Automotive Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Agriculture Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Agriculture Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Retail Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Retail Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Security Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Security Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Human Resource Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Human Resource Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Marketing Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Marketing Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in BFSI Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the BFSI Industry by Region

Global Market for AI in Legal Industry Applications

Global Market for AI in the Legal Industry by Region Chapter 6 Global Market for Artificial Intelligence by Region/Country North American Market

U.S. Market

Canadian Market

Mexican Market

European Market

German Market

U.K. Market

French Market

Italian Market

Rest of European Market

Asia-Pacific Market

Chinese Market

Indian Market

Japanese Market

Rest of Asia-Pacific Market

South American Market

Brazilian Market

Rest of South American Market

RoW Market

Middle Eastern Market

African Market Chapter 7 Market Drivers and Challenges Drivers

Rising Adoption of AI Among Businesses to Enhance Customer Service

Growing Interest and Investments in AI Technologies

Increasing Demand to Analyze and Interpret Large Amounts of Data

Cloud-Based Applications and Services Gaining Traction

Challenges

Irregularity of AI Algorithms

Growing Concerns Regarding Data Privacy Chapter 8 Patent Review Recent Patents Chapter 9 Company Profiles Adapteva Inc.

Ageagle Aerial System Inc. (Agribotix Llc)

Aibrain Inc.

Amazon

Appier Inc.

Applied Brain Research

Atomwise Inc.

Baidu Inc.

Cisco Systems Inc.

Cylance Inc.

Darktrace

Descartes Lab Inc.

Didi Chuxing

Drawbridge Inc.

Ec2Ce

Face++

Facebook Inc.

Gamaya

General Electric

General Vision

Google Llc

Graphcore

Gumgum Inc.

IBM

Inbenta Inc.

Intel Corp.

Iris Automation Inc.

Koniku Inc.

Mariana

Mellanox Technologies Inc.

Micron Technology Inc.

Microsoft Corp.

Mythic

Narrative Science

Neurala Inc.

Nvidia Corp.

Oracle Corp.

Persado

Pilot Ai Labs Inc.

Precision Hawk

Preferred Networks Inc.

Progress Datarpm

Rockwell Automation Inc.

Salesforce Inc.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

SAP

SAS Institute Inc.

Sentient Technologies

Siemens

SK Hynix Inc.

Tenstorrent Inc.

Twitter Inc.

Vicarious

Wave Computing Inc.

Xant

Xilinx Inc.

Zensed

Zephyr Health

Zoox Inc.

Zylab Technologies For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r4jaxr Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-artificial-intelligence-ai-markets--revenue-forecasts-2019-2024-by-type-technology-end-user-industry-and-region-301030877.html SOURCE Research and Markets

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
ISTANBUL - Turkish authorities on Friday morning evacuated several hundreds of migrants and refugees who had been camping for a month at the border with Greece after the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced it would not be stopping anymore those who wanted to travel to the EU.



According to Anadolu, the migrants agreed to be taken to a hosting facility in the border province of Edirne, where they will be quarantined to prevent the risk of contagion from coronavirus.



After the period of isolation, the migrants will be invited to move to the Turkish provinces that are willing to host them.



Over the past few days, several dozens of people had autonomously left the border area after a possible new agreement between Turkey and the EU had stalled, travelling to Istanbul and other cities on their own, without assistance nor preventive measures. (ANSAmed).


Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said that a tragic situation has arisen on Delhi border with thousands of people walking on foot without food during the lockdown to reach their homes and urged the government to help them.

In a tweet, she said that fear of coronavirus, unemployment, and hunger was pushing these people towards their villages.

"A tragic situation has arisen on the Delhi border. Thousands of people have started for their homes on foot without food and transport. Fear of coronavirus, unemployment, and hunger is pushing these people towards their villages. I urge the government to help them," she said.

The government enforced a 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Gandhi also posted a video in which she said all possible help should be extended to the people.

She said the UP Congress has formed a highway task force and was helping people to the extent possible.

"Seeing the migration of thousands of workers towards Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on foot, I am feeling very pained. They are our people. They are poor and do labour tasks. Is it not our responsibility to help them," she asked.

"When so many were stuck abroad, we sent aeroplanes to bring them back to their families. Every person has this wish that at the time of crisis, he should be with the family. They also have the same desire. They work honestly in Delhi," she said.

Gandhi said all political parties should come together to help them.

"The UP Congress has formed a highway task force and we are helping to the extent possible. But without government help, they will not be able to reach their homes. I urge the government to help them," Gandhi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SPRINGFIELD  Dr. Andrew Artenstein, head of Baystate Healths COVID-19 command center, told CNN viewers Friday that Western Massachusetts is witnessing the early weeks in a rise of coronavirus.

Further, the shortage of high volume testing is very tough on Baystates staff, which is working to stay safe while caring for patients, he said.

We are just seeing probably Week Number 1 or Week Number 2 of the up slope of the curve, said Artenstein, an infectious disease specialist with a background in retroviruses like the novel SARS-CovV-2 that has caused the current pandemic as well as in vaccine development.

But we are seeing more evidence of community transmission, but with limited testing it is hard to confirm that.

John King, CNNs chief national correspondent, asked Artenstein at the start of the interview for his response to remarks by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, that testing needs to be ratcheted up." He also asked when Artenstein thought the U.S. would be able to do testing in a fair way that allows us to have a fair representation of how many people have this."

I agree 100 percent with Dr. Fauci and our national experts. We need to dial up, said Artenstein, who is Baystates chief physician executive and chief academic officer, as well as president of Baystate Medical Practices. We are not there yet and I cannot give you the answer to that excellent and valid question.

King interrupted Artensteins response, saying, Sorry to interrupt you, doctor, but what does that tell you being on the front lines that you cant give an answer to the question? What does that tell you? Whose fault is that?

I do not know who is at fault, but I do know that it is very hard for the 12,000 people that I have who are in harms way taking care of our patients and trying to stay safe," said Artenstein of the need for more high volume testing in a country that now has the highest number of cases worldwide.

Artenstein, who also responded to submitted questions by viewers, was asked by King if he is confident to know what he has today in terms of personal protective equipment, "you are going to have tomorrow, next week and the week after that.

I am not confident. We are working as hard as we can and trying the best we can. Just like everyone else nationally, we are in a scarce situation with personal protective equipment." Artenstein said.

Asked about Gov. Charlie Bakers frustration expressed during a press conference in still waiting to receive promised personal protective equipment from the federal government, Artenstein said Baystate was trying to conserve as best we can its supplies and that he agreed 100 percent with the governors frustration.

Asking health care workers and others to take care of sick patients  which is what they sign up to do everyday  we need to be able to protect those people.

As of Friday, Baystate Health facilities in Western Massachusetts have tested 1,066 people for COVID-19 and found a total of 109 individuals to have the virus. Another 547 people tested negative. The Springfield-based health provider in still awaiting test results for 409 others; and 1 case is indeterminate.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related content:
By PTI

NEW DELHI: India is soon likely to participate in the WHO's "solidarity trial" for developing potential drugs for COVID-19, officials said on Friday.

At a press briefing on coronavirus at 4 pm, Joint Secretary (Health Department) Lav Agarwal said that 75 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. "We are soon likely to participate in the WHO solidarity trial for developing potential drugs for COVID-19. Earlier we did not do it because our numbers were small and our contribution would have looked minuscule," Raman R Gangakhedkar, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at ICMR, said.

ALSO READ| President asks governors, LGs to engage Red Cross, religious bodies to contain COVID-19 spread

Agarwal said that a PSU has been ordered to provide 10,000 ventilators while Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has been requested to purchase 30,000 additional ventilators in one-two months amidst a shortage of the machines in the country.

Joint Secretary (Home Affairs- Internal Security) Punya Salila Srivastava said that states and union territories (UTs) have been requested to make arrangements for food, water and sanitation for migrant labourers.

Hotels and rented accommodation should stay open and functional. However, she ruled out any plan to ferry stranded migrants from across cities or states, saying that the whole idea of a lockdown was to ensure no movement of people from their present places.

CLICK FOR LIVE COVERAGE OF COVID-19

Agarwal also said that keeping in mind that hospital OPDs are being shut, the government has issued national telemedicine guidelines. "This facilitates the process wherein doctors sitting at their homes can provide services to the patients. We urge and request citizens to take advantage of it and doctors to utilise this," he said.
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and has been forced into isolation during the worsening emergency in the United Kingdom.

In a video posted to Twitter, Johnson, aged 55, said he had developed mild symptoms and was tested inside Downing Street by National Health Service staff on the advice of the country's chief medical officer.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for COVID-19. Credit:Getty

He vowed to continue leading Britain's response to the pandemic via teleconferencing, however the diagnosis will raise questions about the Prime Minister's contact over recent weeks with other key officials and cabinet ministers.

"I am working from home, I'm self-isolating and that's entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with my top team to lead the fightback against coronavirus," he said.
A Dublin man who was jailed earlier this year for the fatal assault of Drumlish man Danny McGee has been released early from prison.

Steven OBrien, a Dublin native living in Queens, New York, was jailed for six months at a New York court in January following an incident outside a bar in Queens on November 22, 2018.

Mr OBrien, with an address at 42nd Street, Queens, New York, was sentenced to six months in prison and began his jail term on 8 January.

ALSO READ: Man jailed for death of Longfords Danny McGee

It is understood the 26-year-old Dubliner's release is linked to the Covid-19 outbreak in New York.

Hundreds of prisoners are being let out early in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the New York jail system.

Mr McGee's mother, Coleen, said the impact of her sons death on has been immeasurable.

As his mother there is no one in this world who loves him as much as I do or misses him as much as I do," she said in a victim impact statement at the time.

"Life will never be the same without him. I will mourn him and grieve for him and miss him every day for the rest of my life.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:53:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan compatriots stranded in the coronavirus-hit Hubei Province were deeply disappointed at the Taiwan authorities' arrangement for their flights back to the island and expressed strong dissatisfaction.

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority on Friday turned down the mainland's proposal to send back remaining Taiwan compatriots in Hubei by temporary flights from the provincial capital Wuhan, considered the most convenient and favored plan by the compatriots, said an official with the Hubei provincial Taiwan affairs office.

The Taiwan authorities required the Taiwan compatriots to take two scheduled flights from Shanghai on Sunday and Monday respectively, disregarding the long distance between Shanghai and Hubei and the trouble for compatriots in different parts of Hubei to travel.

There are more than 800 Taiwan compatriots waiting to return home, but the two flights arranged by the Taiwan authorities cannot meet their demand, said the official.

Hubei Province will provide services to the Taiwan compatriots as always to facilitate their outbound travel.
Technavio has been monitoring the automotive high-performance tires market and it is poised to grow by 2.4 million units during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of 16% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005631/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Automotive High-performance Tires Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Bridgestone, Continental, MICHELIN, Pirelli C, The Goodyear Tire Rubber, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER are some of the major market participants. The benefits of high-performance tires 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.

Benefits of high-performance tires has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Automotive High-performance Tires Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Automotive High-performance Tires Market is segmented as below:

Application Sports car Others

Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA.



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30250

Automotive High-performance Tires Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our automotive high-performance tires market report covers the following areas:

Automotive High-performance Tires Market Size

Automotive High-performance Tires Market Trends

Automotive High-performance Tires Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies development of eco-friendly tires as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive high-performance tires market growth during the next few years.

Automotive High-performance Tires Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Automotive High-performance Tires Market, including some of the vendors such as Bridgestone, Continental, MICHELIN, Pirelli C, The Goodyear Tire Rubber, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Automotive High-performance Tires Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Automotive High-performance Tires Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive high-performance tires market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the automotive high-performance tires market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the automotive high-performance tires market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive high-performance tires market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Sports car Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Innovations in automotive high-performance tires market

Increased product portfolio of eco-friendly tires

Developments in tire retreading market

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Bridgestone

Continental

MICHELIN

Pirelli C

The Goodyear Tire Rubber

THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005631/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/
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) shares are down a considerable 36% in the last month. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 39% in that time.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio.

View our latest analysis for Delta Air Lines

Does Delta Air Lines Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

Delta Air Lines's P/E is 4.33. The image below shows that Delta Air Lines has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the airlines industry average (4.4).

NYSE:DAL Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

That indicates that the market expects Delta Air Lines will perform roughly in line with other companies in its industry. The company could surprise by performing better than average, in the future. I would further inform my view by checking insider buying and selling., among other things.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

Delta Air Lines increased earnings per share by a whopping 29% last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 56% per year over the last five years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio.

Story continues

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

One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

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

Delta Air Lines's Balance Sheet

Delta Air Lines has net debt equal to 39% of its market cap. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.

The Verdict On Delta Air Lines's P/E Ratio

Delta Air Lines's P/E is 4.3 which is below average (13.4) in the US market. The EPS growth last year was strong, and debt levels are quite reasonable. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. Given Delta Air Lines's P/E ratio has declined from 6.8 to 4.3 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If 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 visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Pawan Batra (name changed) has a small auto component manufacturing unit in Anand Parbat area of New Delhi. Earlier this week, he received several SOS calls from his workers for an advance, citing they don't have cash to buy food. Batra went to the factory despite the lockdown and paid all his 60 workers March dues. His factory is shut since Janata curfew (March 21) and payments from clients are not coming. "We work on very thin margins, so while I want to heed to government's ask to not terminate workers, I don't know how long I can continue," he says. "I am willing but for how long I can afford." His labour wage bill is Rs 6-8 lakh monthly.

He suggests government should reimburse at least 50 per cent of their wage expense upon submission of proof. "If government is asking us to continue paying them despite the closure, they should support us, only then everyone will come forward whole-heartedly." By supporting me they will assist at least 70 families, he says.

While the government has announced the lockdown as a preventive measure to curb the spread of COVID-19, it will have much wider socio-economic implications. It has also asked businesses not to layoff employees or cut salaries.

While large businesses with deeper pockets might be able to endure it for much longer, MSMEs work on tight cash flows and are much likely to face liquidity crunch. "MSMEs have been crying for credit subvention and other relief measures and in the absence of those they will not have the wherewithal to respond to government's appeal to not terminate workers," says K.R. Shyam Sundar, Professor, Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur.

He adds, "The government is missing the point that if they want private sector to help, they have to first give them suitable relief measures. But, the economic relief package has ignored the MSME industry."

The urban poor who work in the unorganised sector neither have income security nor social security. Several daily wage labourers, street vendors, domestic workers, contract workers and casual workers will continue to go out to find work as they are not covered by EPF subsidy or by MGNREGA or any other direct cash transfer scheme.

"In spite of three-day consultation with the industry, the relief package is not well coordinated and is not a comprehensive package," says Sundar. He explains that a comprehensive package should have simultaneous reliefs across different realms, for instance, tax compliance, relief for poor, RBI monetary policy interventions, and relief for middle class in terms of EMI, internet rate subvention and most importantly an increase in investment in health infrastructure. But, that is unfortunately not the case.

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Karnataka cabinet practices social distancing

Also Read: Coronavirus India News Live Updates: 'You're a fighter,' PM Modi says in tweet to Boris Johnson
'Without it, it is going to be much, much, much, much worse.'

'In the meantime, we really need to work on a sort of war footing, given that it is a natural disaster, provide relief, provide essentials, till we get biological herd immunity, we need to get economic immunity, and also social immunity.'

IMAGE: A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation worker fumigates Byculla market in south central Mumbai, March 26, 2020 as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus. Photograph: PTI

When Professor Bhramar Mukherjee went into self-quarantine, in her home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, after contact with someone covoid-19 exposed, she felt "this trauma."

For the chair of the University of Michigan School of Public Health's biostatistics department and professor of biostatistics, epidemiology as well as global public health, the situation around her in the US looked pretty grim.

And getting grimmer.

Her parents were far away in Kolkata.

There was a travel ban in place.

"I have been in this country since 1996. I came as a graduate student to do my PhD.

It has been about 24 years. I've never felt this helpless -- that even if I want to, I cannot go back to India, if something happens to my parents."

The news out of India, which was not yet facing any significant number of coronavirus cases, looked unsettling.

India seemed unprepared, not testing enough and not entirely willing to believe that the covid-19 tsunami was headed her way.

Dr Mukerjee knew, from looking at the stats, that each death conceals 1,000 additional maybe hidden cases.

A few calls around made this Indian-origin epidemiologist realise that there were many like her in the "same boat" including some of her Indian graduate students.

Everyone was worried sick about India and their folks and could not go back home.

That inspired them to get together and work on a special epidemiological report on the potential coronavirus situation for India.

They crunched numbers, re-purposed available data, used various modelling, to sketch a statistical picture of India in the grip of COVID-19 a few weeks ahead in time, called the COV-IND-19 Study Group.

"I'm a data scientist. I can only look at data. I cannot go to the front line and cure people. Or try to discover drugs. I can only try to unravel the patterns that are hidden in the data and help the public."

IMAGE: Dr Bhramar Mukherjee. IMAGE: Dr Bhramar Mukherjee.

When they started up their work, India was lagging behind other countries in Europe and America, in covid-19 cases, because India had less China connections, says Dr Mukherjee, and cases only began to trickle in after Thailand, Singapore and other Asian countries got infected.

But that did not mean, as per her and her team's calculations, India would escape without serious casualties.

"It is amazing that when a team of people work, you can accomplish something really remarkable... One of my colleagues actually had built this (epidemiological covid-19 assessing) model for Hubei (China).

"And he was continuously telling me that, you know, for China, I cannot do anything, because I cannot change policy because it was already been done. But for India use this model. It's really, actually very important right now."

So she collaborated with her colleague Professor Peter X K Song, and his student Lili Wang, using their modelling, package and software, and a team from the department of biostatistics, as well as biostatistics specialists, from other universities, to construct this report.

"It all came together. In four days. I barely slept. My team barely slept. We really wanted to get the data out there. This gave (us) purpose. It was a very positive thing for us to do."

IMAGE: A priest recites mass in Mumbai for a live telecast in an empty church following the lockdown. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

One the main conclusions of Dr Mukherjee's team's report was that India needed a man-made disruption of some sort to stop the burgeoning tide of covid-19 cases flowing across India.

That fortuitously happened on March 24 when Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi announced a three-week nation-wide lockdown.

The government could look at extending that date or modifying the nature of the clampdown after they, like Dr Mukherjee, figure out what is the "optimal period of lockdown."

"The lockdown is giving you time and there's an exceptional value in time because if you can give the right treatment and treat people, then the mortality is not that high," Dr Mukherjee tells Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com.

Please click on the graphics and table for a full-screen resolution.

IMAGE: Figure 1. Description of the cases, recovered and fatalities in India with landmark policy/recommendations.

According to your study you said India needed to take draconian measures and create some sort of disruption to stop the tidal wave of cases due in India.

Is the three-week lockdown that Prime Minister Modi announced the disruption you had in mind?

The disruption your report suggested to reduce the projected skyrocketing numbers?

We thought there would be a huge impact (with) an intervention.

Our calculations are really supported by what happened in two other countries -- that it was, actually, in two weeks, three weeks, were able to contain it.

Now, whether this is going to go away.

That's another question.

Right.

That's the pivotal question.

Is this just a matter of three weeks?

We have to be really cautious and really devise how the absolute lockdown will naturally open.

You (India) may not need such draconian measures (beyond three weeks).

I do think that you need long term support, economic support, and surveillance to contact chasing and large-scale testing, building healthcare capacity.

The lockdown is giving you time, and there's an exceptional value in time because if you can give the right treatment and treat people, then the mortality is not that high.

But if people do not get the right treatment then there are too many patients and too few beds and too few ventilators, then then the death rate is going to be very high.

The death rate in South Korea, because they could detect early and could contain the disease is about 0.1 per cent.

In China it has been three to four per cent, which is a huge difference.

I do feel that slowing down the process is extremely critical.

And that's why every epidemiologist, everyone has been talking about flattening the curve.

India needs more, because it has one-fourth the number of hospital beds, maybe one-tenth the number of ICU beds and ventilators compared to the other countries that we are talking about.

IMAGE: Figure 2. Early phase of the epidemic and daily growth in cumulative case counts in India compared to other countries affected by the pandemic. The zero on the horizontal axis is the day where confirmed cases exceeded 50.

But when I was looking at the report's figures, America is showing really very few hospital beds.

Isn't that odd?

Yeah, so it's 2.8 for 1,000.

So that's the World Bank number.

The UK is also 2.9.

I was surprised with the numbers, honestly, but that's the World Bank data source.

I don't have any other sources of data where I can verify across the different countries.

And in many of the charts in this study I don't know why you decided to compare India, US and Italy.

Of course, China is not there because it's in or was in a different situation, because it began there.

Did you choose these three countries because they are going to be worst affected?

Or is it just a random sampling?

You know, I'll be honest with you, that when I first started looking at this data, I am not an infectious disease epidemiologist.

I started looking at the data.

And it is striking to me how similar the US numbers are to the numbers in Italy, at a lag of 11 days.

They are just almost like within one week of each other.

I found that very fascinating: Why is the USA 11 days behind Italy?

Then I plotted the Indian numbers, and they were exactly almost 11 to 13 days behind US numbers, right.

There is the pattern that was just fascinating to me as a mathematician, and when we looked at all the growth curves, the initial period is very slow, and that's exactly why it's deceptive.

There are lots of asymptotic cases and you are thinking that the cases are ten when there are hundreds of cases which are asymptotic, right?

That's why it creeped in very slowly and then exploded suddenly, that's what we call like the exponential growth.

So every curve is like an S shaped curve where it's very low, and then there's a boom, and then it plateaus.

This looks so predictable.

That's why I started modelling (a simple, mathematically-formalized way to estimate reality) it.

Because there is a lot that could be told, because the progress of contagion is somewhat mathematically defined.

IMAGE: Figure 3. Daily growth in cumulative case counts in India compared to the US and Italy (all affected by the pandemic) up to May 15. Observed data are shown for days up to March 16.

Predicted future case counts for March 17 and onwards based on observed data until March 16 using the eSIR model assuming no intervention has been implemented.

Observed case counts for March 17, 18 and 19 are also plotted that show how close these predictions are and that the predictions for India are likely conservative.

The counts are adjusted for the total population of each country (data from the World Bank and the United States Census Bureau).

You said India doesn't have that much contact with China.

And that's why there was a time lag for India vis-a-vis covid-19 exposure, but India has huge population that could be affected.

America did have connections (3.8 million Chinese-Americans).

But why did Italy jump into this into this mix.

It is said that happened because of Italy's enormous older population.

But why does Italy have so many cases?

What I suspect -- and I didn't know because I really started looking at the data in India in depth -- and others probably I just looked at the patterns...

Well, what are the intrinsic causes I do not know.

But what I read, I am about to tell you: In the initial period in Italy, the first few carriers were really super carriers.

They were asymptomatic and they were very active people and they went and infected many, many people.

If your initial carrier is like a very quiet person, does not interact, doesn't go to the gym, does not go to the restaurant, that could have a completely different impact.

That's very critical, because the first few people can infect hundreds of people...

That's what can change this -- the initial group (infected).

Also what I heard: My brother actually lives in Italy and he had done some wonderful pieces, that he wrote for a Bengali newspaper, that they were not following social quarantine,

They interpreted it in a very cavalier, European, way, and they were still going to bars.

Until there was a central lockdown.

They were showing their spirit which is what you want to do at this time.

Isn't this exactly the issue with India?

Exactly.

The attitude: That this is not a big deal for my country.

And then from there to central lockdown!

It has taken maybe a few days in many countries, so should we (India) make that mistake?

So that's exactly why this (lockdown).

You have country after country showing that is what works.

There is no reason to not call for this.

IMAGE: Migrant workers with their families walk to their homes in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, from New Delhi, March 26, 2020. Photograph: PTI

What about India's comorbidity (presence of additional health conditions in the population that makes them vulnerable), according to whatever statistics you are looking at?

How does India's comorbidity compare with let's say America or Italy or China?

So you should look at Table II (below), where we actually tabulate how many million people are in the comorbid categories, that are have been already identified to be more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

Among them diabetes and hypertension really stands out and cancer too, because usually cancer patients, after going through chemotherapy, they have immunity compromised.

Those numbers are worrisome.

I calculated like 122 million people with diabetes.

Just the sheer population, if you think that 20 per cent of the affected cases will have to be hospitalised and about 10 per cent will actually need a ventilator.

Because of the population of India if this really spreads and is not going to be localized, then it's going to be a disaster.

I wanted to understand something about the figures projected of those likely to be affected by covid-19 in the future.

Basically you are saying now that the lockdown is the disruption, that epidemiologists like you were suggesting, has come into place.

If the lockdown is taken reasonably seriously, then as per your graphs, maybe future deaths will come down to 14,000 or 15,000 if these measures are effective?

Those are point estimates.

So in any statistical estimation there is no one answer.

There is a wide interval.

So in our first graph (Figure 1), you see the bars, which are the projections, and 59,000 is an estimate but the upper line is really 900,000 right?

Similarly, that 15,000 is sort of the best medium estimate, but there is uncertainty around it.

The main takeaway message is very clear.

That from millions and hundreds of thousands, you can come down to less than, like 50,000.

We are talking about a drastic drop in terms of the projected number of cases.

So based on those statistics it could come down to... yes they are still many, many, and human lives -- but as little as 14,000.

That's a small possibility?

There is a small possibility, but as I told you, that India is not doing large-scale testing.

As far as deaths goes if there are nine deaths, then there are probably 9,000 or 7,000 to 10,000 cases in the community, according to the calculations.

You are not getting them (to these cases).

You are not chasing them.

(If you do then) I think this is still containable.

But if we don't do testing, there will probably be asymptotic cases of quarantined people.

You will never get that exact count.

So this is based on how many people you test and the confirmed cases with the low level of testing in India.

We may never know the number of true cases because we are not doing large-scale testing.

IMAGE: Table 2

Let me get that number again: How many hidden cases can be behind each death?

800 to 900 is the estimate, according to the other studies, behind each death.

Many articles appeared some days ago urging India to test more.

Even WHO said so.

But the central government health minister said India is testing, but we should not, you know, randomly test that much and everybody doesn't need to test.

Was he saying that because they didn't have enough tests and they were using them strategically?

How does that sort of fit in with an epidemiological view?

Testing capacities need to expand.

I think this time, with the lockdown, should be devoted to expanding testing and treatment capacity, because you are sort of pushing behind the tidal wave.

But there will be a strong wave coming and you need to build your dam.

There are different components of the dam and building testing and treatment capacity (are two of the components).

Okay, community transmission has not happened.

I believe the government data.

(But) what I would really like to recommend is to treat respiratory illness cases all across the country.

Test some of those people.

The serious people are going to have serious respiratory illness and are going to be admitted to the hospital.

You can randomly test these people for covid-19 and see if anybody turns out to be positive.

So some kind of network of monitoring and surveillance.

You can do this in an intelligent way.

In villages test the people who have returned (from the cities).

In India, only 20 per cent people probably have private (health) insurance.

If you actually looked at insurance claims that also may show some spike, which could be predictors of something coming.

I do think that the respiratory illness is a symptom, and you should randomly test those people.

You have to be intelligent if you don't have enough number of tests.

You don't have to test anybody, but you still have to be thoughtful in terms of what is going to be the surveillance strategy, in the meantime, as the central lockdown is going on.

IMAGE: Figure 4. Daily growth in case counts in India per 100,000 people and how that is affected by different non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies.

Observed case counts are shown until March 18, after which the predicted future case counts from the eSIR model are shown. The case counts are based on the total population of the cities Mumbai, Pune, Kochi and Bengaluru (censusindia.gov.in) since the current COVID-19 hotspots of India are in the states of Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka.

And what about slums?

The big worry, especially in Mumbai, in Kolkata and Delhi, is the slums.

There's very little isolating that can be done, even though, for instance in Mumbai, door-to-door checks are, apparently, being done by the municipal corporation.

How will India keep the slums safe based on the escalation that your report shows?

This is an interesting question.

What South Korea did is sort of maybe interesting here.

What they did was really cluster testing.

That if one person was found to be showing symptoms, then they tested the whole community, maybe the whole apartment building or the entire (community) of the church (where the person went to).

Some kind of surveillance with cluster testing will have to be in place.

But we also have to be prepared that some people are going to fall sick.

Fortunately, 80 per cent of the people do not need hospitalisation.

Twenty per cent of these people are going to need hospitalisation.

We have to make sure they are treated so that their chance of survival is strong.

For that, two things we have to do -- we have to repurpose some of the existing facilities in terms of quarantine wards or hospitals.

And then we have to protect our healthcare workers, so that they do not die.

They are the most vulnerable, as well.

You have seen so many unfortunate deaths in frontline health care workers in US and other countries.

You have to make sure that they have the protective gear, like gloves, gowns, masks.

We really have to put all our resources into thinking about surveillance and testing strategy.

This is my personal opinion.

As well as preparing to be caring for a number of people, who are going to fall sick inevitably, in the next few weeks.

But you do have a little bit of information on how many tests are happening.

You do have information on India's hospital bed capacity.

But do you have any information on PPE (personal protection equipment) availability statistics out of India.

Or is that a gray area entirely?

Yeah, I do not know.

I saw some numbers.

I'm not sure I believe them.

Even in the United States, I'll be honest with you, that we got an e-mail from our health system to donate protective gear, if we have them saved in the house.

So even a country like United States is massively running out of these supplies.

But I think that India is (looking) at creative ways -- I heard.

This is a war.

It requires partnership between private organisation and the government and requires partnership between the government and the public.

I really liked Prime Minister Modi's speech because he was appealing to the heart of the public (about) how critical this is.

And if there is any chance of adherence and listening to him, then you need a public-government-industry partnership with scientists and experts, partnership with these different branches.

But what I also think that India will have its own creative ways of emerging out the crisis, for example, in West Bengal I heard that many of the stadiums are being converted into temporary quarantine wards.

I heard that many people (among) students are making masks.

We have very big society.

Our solution is not going to be the solution of the West.

But if we know what we want to achieve, then we can achieve the solution in a different way.

We have tremendous capacity.

We may want to take over some plants, clothing plants or fabric plants and just make masks.

Such choices I think India can do.

People can help.

We have to be really, really mindful of what is coming and have a long-term strategy.

IMAGE: Figure 5. Left: Country-wise total monthly incidence of COVID-19 in the months of January, February and March (until 15th). The horizontal lines approximately indicate the equator, the tropic of cancer and the 60N latitude. Right: Average monthly temperature (in C) during the months of January, February and March.

The big thing about this lockdown is that people are -- like even last night -- are rushing out to get food and they are still allowing people to get food.

China also has crowds.

How did they prevent people from going rushing to stores and breaking the rules of social distancing.

What China did, we cannot do.

China had a lot of control on their public.

They mandated, I think, that one person can go out three times a week or something like that.

So they really chartered and rationed that.

Again, I'm going back to numbers.

But we are in lockdown and it runs out in three weeks.

So how will the numbers you projected earlier change in reaction to the lockdown.

How many more cases will appear post lockdown?

Any really very, very ballpark figures you could venture?

Yeah, that's hard to say.

Also a function of whether they are going to expand the testing criteria right.

Too hard to say?

There could still be some cases where there are mild symptoms and whether they are going to become confirmed cases, or not, depends on who you are testing.

Hard to answer.

But according to our calculations, there will be a drastic drop with the lockdown.

With only social distancing and travel ban, there was going to be 48 cases per 100,000.

That means somewhere around 55,000 cases.

But with the lockdown that number came down to somewhere like you know, 15,000 to 20,000.

In context of India, in Table Four (please see), we project, that under surveillance that if there was 161 (cases), how it came down to 48, and then to four and then to one (with a combination of all three).

I believe that these (methods) will be effective.

I cannot and I don't dare to project the number.

The qualitative takeaway message is that this will reduce the numbers.

The exact numbers we do not know.

But without it, it is going to be much, much, much, much worse.

In the meantime, we really need to work on a sort of war footing, given that it is a natural disaster, provide relief, provide essentials, till we get biological herd immunity, we need to get economic immunity, and also social immunity.

Because these times are very hard for people in confined spaces and not being able to have their daily wages.

The government has to be really creative on how to make people adhere and not go astray with this ban, which is not an easy task.

It's quite a daunting task.

This is the hard situation right?

You're trying to optimise the control of the virus.

Then there are other economic holes and detriments and social detriments that you are facing.

But I don't see a choice.

I think what has been done is the right thing from a public point of view.

IMAGE: Table 1

All Graphics and tables: Kind courtesy COV-IND-19 Study Group

X

Production: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com, Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Automotive intelligence battery sensors market are used in determining the correct state of voltage, current and temperature of the battery, that too, reliably and precisely. It also measures the state of the battery. The global automotive intelligence battery sensors market is expected to register a 11% CAGR during the forecast period (2018-2023). Market Research Future (MRFR) in their recent article on the automotive intelligence battery sensors market have raised their concerns regarding factors that can impact the coming years.

The automotive intelligence battery sensors market is gaining momentum owing to factors like increased sales in premium cars, automotive markets expansion in the developing countries, and surge in demand for electric vehicles and hybrid ones. This sensor plays an integral part in curbing the carbon dioxide emission by timely stating the exact condition of batteries. But its high price makes it difficult for the low-priced cars to get hold of it. This can dampen its market prospect in the coming years. However, government regulations regarding emission is expected to steer back the automotive intelligence battery sensors market on the track in no time.

Segmentation:

MRFR, to analyze the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market in a detailed manner, segmented it by technology, voltage, vehicle type, and electric vehicle. This segmentation provides a much closer look at market dynamics.

Based on the technology, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market can be segmented into motor controller unit (MCU), controller area network (CAN), and local interconnect network (LIN).

Based on the voltage, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market includes 12 volt, 14 volt, 24 volt, and 48 volt.

Based on the vehicle type, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market comprises passenger car and commercial vehicles. The passenger car segment is gaining substantial ground owing to the hike in disposable income of the populace.

Based on the electric vehicle, the automotive intelligence battery sensor market consists battery electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The hybrid electric vehicle model is gaining momentum owing to the rise in the demand for eco-friendly cars.

Request for Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6905

Regional Analysis:

Geographically, the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market is segmented in the MRFR report into four important regions namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW).

The APAC region is in a dominating position and during the forecast period it is going to retain its rank. Europe is expected to follow the APAC in terms of revenue generation. The APAC market is witnessing exponential growth in the automotive industry owing to the growth in the number of factories as many of the market titans are trying to gain mileage from the available cost-effective labor in the zone. It is mostly happening in India, China, and Japan.

Europe has a robust automotive industry, and high investment capacity of locals are allowing increase in sale of premium cars. These two factors, together, are the primary reasons leading the regional market. At the same time, the region has high demand for hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. These types of cars also exhibit a strong demand for automotive intelligence battery sensors for better performance.

Competitive Landscape:

Major players impacting the global automotive intelligence battery sensor market are HELLA GmbH and Co. KGaA (Germany), Continental AG (Germany), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands), Inomatic GmbH (Germany) Furukawa electric co., ltd. (Japan), ams AG (Austria), DENSO CORPORATION (Japan), Vishay Intertechnology Inc. (U.S.), MTA S.p.A. (Italy, and others. These companies are influencing the global market by employing strategic decisions that are expected to take respective companies forward. However, these moves are also putting a mark on the market as a whole.

In 2018, Mercedes launched Tourismo that is using this latest technology to identify the exact state of the automotive battery. This is to ensure consumer management and maximize battery charge usage.
Holy Week celebrations at the Diocese of Allentown will have to be observed from the privacy of ones home.

The diocese sent out a press release announcing that its suspension of public Masses due to the coronavirus pandemic will continue through Holy Week, which runs from April 5 through April 12. The decision came from Bishop Alfred Schlert after much prayer and consultation with health professionals, also taking into account the restrictions put in place by civil authorities.

However, while priests of the diocese will be celebrating private Masses during the week that includes Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil, the bishop is asking for all electronic and spiritual resources to be available so that members of the diocese can participate while staying socially distanced.

Bishop Schlert has also been celebrating a daily Mass himself and broadcasting it through a live stream on the dioceses website. His Mass from his private chapel takes place at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

I am pained to have made this decision, the bishop says in the release. I certainly never envisioned that there would be a time when we would have to cancel public Masses for Holy Week and Easter. However, it is the safest course of action for our region.

Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ConnorLagore. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Amid rising cases of coronavirus in the country, and a nationwide lockdown for 21 days, a video of Health workers from Rajasthan surfaced in which they can be seen singing songs to keep the spirit high. In the video, a group of 4 health workers can be seen wearing masks and Hazmat suit. One of them sings "Hum Hindustani" song. The health workers are from Bhilwara district of the state that is worst hit by the novel coronavirus.

#WATCH Rajasthan: A team of health workers at a government hospital in Bhilwara, sing a song to keep up the spirit amid the fight against #Coronavirus. (25.03.2020) pic.twitter.com/yAAN1ypLeD  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

India reported 43 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours: Health Ministry

Bhilwara has so far reported 19 cases, including 15 medical practitioners, on Thursday, pushing the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 43. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding assistance in terms of food and social security for economically weaker sections, tourism industry and MSME units in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

PM Modi leads the COVID-19 fight at G20 virtual summit, statement accessed

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, asper the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

(image from PTI)
Health officials have repeatedly stressed that developing new drugs and vaccines is a difficult process that can take months and even years.

But there is some optimism among health officials such as Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling, who told CNBC on Thursday that trials underway at his hospital system are showing signs of progress.

Northwell Health, the largest health-care provider in New York state, is working with Regeneron and Gilead Sciences to test the efficacy of existing drugs. The trials have not produced definitive results yet, Dowling cautioned on Squawk on the Street.

But I am pretty certain that within the next week or two, were going to find out that one or more of these drugs do make a difference and that would obviously change the landscape when that happens, Dowling said.
Detectives are investigating if a pensioner was murdered during a burglary at her home before being left undiscovered for almost a week.

The victim has been named locally as Ann Butler (70) who lived alone at Maudlin Street in Kilkenny city.

A male in his late 20s was last night being quizzed by gardai on suspicion of the murder of Ms Butler.

The Irish Independent has learned that the suspect, who is from Kilkenny, alerted officers himself to the scene on Wednesday evening.

He brought gardai to Ms Butler's home and when they made the gruesome discovery they arrested him.

Searches at three other locations have also been carried out as part of the investigation.

Detectives are trying to establish the circumstances surrounding the murder of Ms Butler and one line of inquiry is that she was killed in the course of a burglary.

A post-mortem examination was being carried out at a Dublin mortuary yesterday evening.

"The suspect is known to gardai but has not come to attention for any serious offences; he would be a petty criminal," a source told Independent.ie.

"There is no known connection between this individual and the deceased, and one avenue is that this was a burglary that went wrong."

Locals in the town have reacted with shock that such a vulnerable and elderly person could be found dead in suspicious circumstances.

Members of the Garda technical bureau carried out a forensic examination of the scene inside and outside the house.

Then just before 1pm a hearse arrived and Ms Butler's body was removed to the city morgue in Dublin for a post-mortem.

Locals described Ms Butler as an independent, but vulnerable woman.

She was often seen in the town but had not been spotted out since the weekend.

Neighbours became aware that something was wrong late on Wednesday evening when gardai, who appeared to have been acting on information, began calling to houses on the narrow street.

"It seems they had some limited information and were working on that. They were knocking on doors and asking people about neighbours, and somebody must have said that Ann had not been seen," said one local man. "We haven't seen her since the weekend anyway, so it is possible she was there that long. Then the gardai went into the house and it was sealed off."

Local woman Jill Kavanagh brought flowers to the scene and gave them to a garda who then brought them down the small avenue to Ms Butler's house.

"This is a tight-knit community and we all look out for one another. We all know each other by name.

"I'm shocked that this could happen on this street with its lovely people and lovely history," she said.

"You would often see Ann out and about, and everyone around here knew her.

"People looked out for her because she didn't have it easy."

Another woman who lives locally said Ms Butler had had her troubles in the past and that there should have been better systems in place to care for her.

"The system failed Ann in my view. Somebody owed her a duty of care and it just didn't happen," she added.

"I've been on to the gardai several times out of concern, and now this is the situation we are in."
On Friday afternoon, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood on the House floor in front of her peers in an effort to encourage her colleagues to take the threat of the coronavirus seriously. And she wanted to make sure she was heard.

Though her words were powerful on their own  shameful!" definitely gets the point across  the image of the 30-year-old standing behind her podium, pointing her fingers and stamping her foot, made them all the more impactful. She did everything she could possibly do to be strong, says Patti Wood, a body language expert and the author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.

Related Video: Inside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Trip to Standing Rock

Ocasio-Cortez represents the 14th district in New York, which is one of the areas hardest hit by the coronavirus, in one of the most-infected states in the country. Dr. Colleen Smith, an ER doctor at Elmhurst Hospital, located in AOCs district in Queens, gave the New York Times a glimpse at their dire state on Wednesday, decrying the lack of ventilators, the lack of proper protective equipment for staff, and the disorganization as they were flooded with nearly double the number of patients they typically see in a day.

But AOC was ready to fight for her and every other medical professional in the country  and she wasnt going to be overlooked. Our communitys reality is this countrys future, she said, pointing her fingers at others in the room.

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan shouts through the gavel during House debate on the coronavirus relief bill:



To our doctors and nurses, I wear these latex gloves to tell every American: Do not be afraid! pic.twitter.com/0oxkLwJ0Ss  NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) March 27, 2020

In demonstrating her anger, she expressed the urgency that so many of us in New York have felt as confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the state reach almost 50,000. There is fear, there is anger, and there is frustration stemming from the fact that we were warned of the disaster to come, and yet our hospitals are still ill-equipped, hourly workers are afraid for their livelihoods, and, our neighbors are worried about how they will pay their rent.

Story continues

But AOCs not going to give up on the fight.

My mom works an hourly job.



This is personal to me. https://t.co/QLaR0jIjqK  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 27, 2020

Here, Wood analyzed how Ocasio-Cortex used her body language to leverage her time before her peers.

On her large gestures:

Wood calls AOCs gesturing highly unusual, in that it's incredibly dramatic. By raising her hands with her palms out and fingers spread out, shes emphasizing how important the issue is, and to get her colleagues attention  as she says, to take in threat of the coronavirus with eyes wide open. Wood notes that the action is rarely done by women, as its akin to stage acting.

Its an enlarging gesture, says Wood, that tells you how important she thinks it is to have our eyes wide open.

On her hands:

[Ocasio-Cortez] starts with her hands in front of her  holding her own hand, both as a way to self-comfort herself, explains Wood. Also, shes doing it top-down to get her emotions to come down a little bit. She pats her hand down, as if to try to keep from screaming.

On her finger pointing:

She does an expressive finger fling  she flings them outward when she says, hardest hit in the city and the hardest hit in the country, says Wood. This symbolizes frustration and emotion coming outward, [shes] throwing the emotion at [her fellow representatives] so they feel it.

AOC begins to express her anger as she says the words, 13 dead in one night, says Wood. When she mentions Elmhurst Hospital, she puts her fingers in a symbolic gun, adds Wood of the subconscious gesture. Its a combination of a pointing finger going up in the air as she says Elmhurst, and then shes pointing at [the people in the room] when she says this countrys future.

RELATED: A Photo of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Become the Subject of Some Creative Memes

On her downward motion:

When she talks about hospitals not having protective equipment, she does very rapid pushing down motion, adds Wood. She strikes downward.

She makes the same motion when discussing corporate bailouts. That downward pointing emphasizes how negative she thinks those actions were. As she does that, her body goes downard too. Whereas moving upwards indicates joy and excitement, Wood says, we go down in depression, despondency, and sadness.

On her foot stomping:

When a parent stomps their foot in anger, it creates an emphasis of power, says Wood. AOC stomps her foot when she calls the bill and corporate bailouts shameful, Wood adds, shes admonishing [them].

Her performance:

Though she spent just one minute and 30 seconds speaking, her speech, according to Wood, accomplished two things: It shows her anger and her frustration, but it also shows her strength and her power.

She did everything she could possibly do to be strong.
In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. I will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple!

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Check out our latest analysis for Thermo Fisher Scientific

The method

We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$4.64b US$5.36b US$5.43b US$5.50b US$5.58b US$5.67b US$5.76b US$5.86b US$5.95b US$6.05b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x8 Analyst x7 Analyst x4 Est @ 1.34% Est @ 1.46% Est @ 1.54% Est @ 1.6% Est @ 1.64% Est @ 1.67% Est @ 1.69% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.8% US$4.3k US$4.6k US$4.3k US$4.1k US$3.8k US$3.6k US$3.4k US$3.2k US$3.0k US$2.9k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$37b

Story continues

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 10-year government bond rate of 1.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.8%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2029  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$6.1b (1 + 1.7%)  7.8% 1.7%) = US$102b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$102b ( 1 + 7.8%)10= US$48b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$86b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$283, the company appears potentially overvalued at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

NYSE:TMO Intrinsic value March 27th 2020

Important assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Thermo Fisher Scientific as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.108. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price to differ from the intrinsic value? For Thermo Fisher Scientific, There are three essential aspects you should further examine:

Risks: For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Thermo Fisher Scientific that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does TMO's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every US stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will represent Delhi and India in a global meet of city leaders being held on Friday evening to share lessons in fight against coronavirus. The meeting is being organised by an international body named C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group through video conferencing, agencies reported.

Delhi chief minister will address around 35 top city leaders from across the world including the mayors of Los Angeles, Seoul, Paris, Milan, Istanbul and Rome, among others, reported PTI.

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi led by Kejriwal was the first to announce a lockdown to contain the spread of Sars-Cov-2 virus before the announcement of a nation-wide lockdown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kejriwal government responded to the contagion by ordering private firms, barring those involved in the delivery of essential services, to shut down operations to enforce social distancing, besides, shutting public and private educational institutions, places for recreation, religious and social gatherings, mass transport systems in the private and public sector.

The Delhi government also scaled up facilities for testing and quarantine for suspected cases while simultaneously announcing a slew of welfare measures for the vulnerable sections of society.

On Friday, the chief minister told media that the national capital was ready to deal with a possible rapid rise in the number of positive cases to even up to a thousand a day.

He said a five-member panel of doctors had readied a standard operating procedure for dealing with the situation involving 100, 500 and up to 1,000 new coronavirus patients per day.

We are removing the shortcomings and making preparations to deal with a situation of up to 1,000 coronavirus cases per day. I, however, hope that the number of cases will come down in the coming days, Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said Delhi had seen a total of 39 coronavirus cases till now, however, a Central health ministry dashboard puts the number of confirmed cases in the capital to 35. The ministry says 6 positive cases were discharged after successful treatment.

Kejriwal government had announced free ration for the poor enrolled in the PDS system, direct cash transfers for registered daily-wage workers, free cooked food in night shelters (mainly for the impoverished and the homeless), additional money for pensioners among other measures to mitigate the fallout of the lockdown necessitated by the outbreak.

Kejriwal said on Friday that nearly two lakh poor people in the city were being fed currently and that it will double to four lakh from Saturday.

Besides 224 night-shelters, 325 government schools will also distribute food, including lunch and dinner, among the poor and homeless people, Kejriwal said.

He also assured that migrants from other states will also be taken care of by his government.
South Africa came under a nationwide military-patrolled lockdown on Friday, joining other African countries imposing strict curfews and shutdowns in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus across the continent.

Some 57 million people are to be restricted to their homes during South Africa's three-week total lockdown which began at midnight.

Kenya, Rwanda and Mali are some of the African countries that have imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has been confirmed to have infected 3,203 people and killed 87.

Although Africa's toll is far lower than in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, health experts say the world's poorest continent is especially vulnerable and the figures likely fall far short of the reality.

Donning camouflage uniform complete with a cap, President Cyril Ramaphosa saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in Soweto township outside economic hub Johannesburg.

"I send you out to go and defend our people against coronavirus," Ramaphosa said.

"This is unprecedented, not only in our democracy but also in the history of our country, that we will have a lockdown for 21 days to go out and wage war against an invisible enemy coronavirus," he said.

During South Africa's shutdown there will be no jogging, dog-walking or sale of alcohol across the country, which so far has the highest number of detected infections in sub-Saharan Africa at 927, with Ramaphosa projecting it could reach 1,500 "within a few days".

Nigeria's government warned Thursday that Africa's most populous nation could soon see an "exponential" increase in infections unless contacts of confirmed cases are tracked down quicker.

Kenya, which has 31 cases, on Thursday recorded its first death -- a 66-year-old Kenyan man who had travelled from South Africa on March 13.

The east African country will begin a night-time curfew on Friday to try curtail the spread.

In the Sahel, Burkina Faso, which last week recorded sub-Saharan Africa's first death, announced that eight towns, including the capital Ouagadougou, would be "quarantined" from Friday.

"Quarantined means that nobody will enter or leave the towns involved," communication minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou said, adding that the measure would be applied for "two weeks".

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities ordered a four-day "total confinement" in the capital Kinshasa, starting Saturday.
The major Asia-Pacific stock indexes finished mixed but mostly higher on Friday  once again led by a sharp rise in Japan while Australia suffered another beat down. The theme remained the same. Investors are worried about the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy and investor sentiment.

On Friday, Japans Nikkei 225 Index settled at 19389.43, up 724.83 or +3.88%. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index finished at 23479.89, up 127.55 or +0.55% and South Koreas KOSPI Index closed at 1717.73, up 31.49 or +1.87%.

Chinas Shanghai Index settled at 2772.20, up 7.29 or +0.26% and Australias S&P/ASX 200 index finished at 4842.40, down 270.90 or -5.30%.

Nikkei Rallies on Stimulus Hopes, Logs Biggest Weekly Gain Ever

Japans share benchmark Nikkei rebounded on Friday and logged its biggest weekly gain on record as policymakers around the world launched a raft of stimulus efforts to mitigate the economic damage from the coronavirus, Reuters reported.

The Nikkei average rose 3.88% to 19,389.43 points, recouping most of the 4.5% losses suffered on Thursday. The index jumped more than 200 points in the final minute of trade on passive investors buying to reinvest expected dividend payments.

For the week, the index surged 17.1%, but it is still down 18% for the year after the explosive spread of the virus triggered a global economic crisis and a meltdown in financial markets.

The Nikkei volatility index, a measure of investors volatility expectations based on option pricing and considered to be a fear gauge, fell 3.2% to 52.47, moving further away from a nine-year peak of 60.86 hit on March 16, Reuters said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to order his cabinet to compile an economic package with spending worth $135 billion or more, government officials and lawmakers say.

All Eyes on China

Japan and the rest of Asia look likely to get their economies back on their feet way before the U.S. and Europe, said Nicholas Smith, Japan strategist at CLSA Securities. If you think Japan and the rest of Asia will recover first what do you buy? Japanese stocks that are most exposed to China.

Story continues

Japan may be betting on a recovery in China, but there is still nothing to suggest the Chinese economy has turned a major corner. However, the latest dismal economic readings reinforced hopes Beijing would roll out more monetary and fiscal measures to bolster its economy.

Profits at Chinas industrial firms slumped in the first two months of the year to their lowest in at least a decade, with the mining, manufacturing and power sectors all seeing sharp falls as the virus outbreak battered Chinas economy, according to Reuters.

The profit outlook will remain bleak before new stimulus to aggregate demand, said Xing Zhaopeng, markets economist at ANZ in Shanghai. The worldwide lockdowns will continue to weigh on the economy.

Nonetheless, sentiment in China is being lifted by the news that leaders of the Group of 20 major economies pledged on Thursday to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to limit job and income losses from the coronavirus and do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Advertisement

Airport passengers have dramatically improved their social distancing a day after hundreds were filmed cramming together in a tightly-packed queue.

Foreigners heading home from Sydney Airport on Friday morning stood in staggered lines as they waited to check in their flights or board the plane at the gate.

Australians seen arriving from overseas also kept their distance from each other as they trudged through the arrivals hall - only stopping to embrace loved ones waiting for them.

Airport passengers have dramatically improved their social distancing - as seen in this check-in line at Sydney Airport - a day after hundreds were filmed cramming together in a tightly-packed queue

Passengers waiting for their flights were seen leaving a seat between each other in an attempt to stay 1.5m apart while still passing the time in comfort.

Foreigners heading home from Sydney Airport on Friday morning stood in staggered lines as they waited to check in their flights or board the plane at the gate

One passenger went over the top with his protection as they arrived at Sydney Airport wearing not only a mask but a head-to-toe hazmat suit

Although many international flights are cancelled and non-resident arrivals banned, Australian citizens can still return to Australia and self-isolate for 14 days, and foreigners can fly home

More than half the international departures on Friday were cancelled since the travel ban on Australians came into effect at noon on Wednesday

Groups of passengers stood next to each other, but kept apart from other groups and solo travellers at the airport

Passengers waiting for their flights were seen leaving a seat between each other in an attempt to stay 1.5m apart while still passing the time in comfort.

One passenger went over the top with his protection as they arrived at Sydney Airport wearing not only a mask but a head-to-toe hazmat suit.

Although many international flights are cancelled and non-resident arrivals banned, Australian citizens can still return to Australia and self-isolate for 14 days, and foreigners can fly home.

More than half the international departures on Friday were cancelled since the travel ban on Australians came into effect at noon on Wednesday.

Some queues were still too tightly packed but a were a far cry from the chaos at an arrivals gate that outraged Australians on Thursday.

A shocking video, filmed by an outraged pilot, shows the passengers standing within touching distance of one another as they queued for immigration.

Passengers who got off planes and walked through the arrivals hall managed to keep their distance from each other

Two passengers wore both masks and goggles along with protective suits as they waited in a queue to get on a plane

Some queues were still too tightly packed but a were a far cry from the chaos at an arrivals gate that outraged Australians on Thursday

Travellers arriving from flight QF66 from Johannesberg wearing protective face masks at Sydney Airport

Two other passengers on that flight from South Africa wrapped their suitcases in plastic as well as wearing masks

A husband and wife embrace after she arrived from flight QF66 from Johannesberg on Friday

The pilot said Border Force did nothing about it, despite the government mandating social distancing of 1.5m to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The pilot who filmed the video told Daily Mail Australia he was 'stunned, angry and disappointed' after discovering about 300 to 400 people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder in the one room.

The pilot confronted an Australian Border Force officer about it. 'I asked him, are you aware of the national guidelines? He said "yeah".

'Then he shrugged his shoulders and said "that's not my problem... it's Biosecurity's".'

But the Community and Public Sector Union blamed the 'mass confusion' on 'badly communicated changes' including temperature checking every passenger, which began on Thursday.

'Today all passengers are undergoing increased health screening. The testing space is too small for all passengers, and disembarking is not being staggered to allow for social distancing,' the union said.

Biosecurity staff and nurses previously only tested people who had arrived from high-risk countries like China, Iran, and Italy.

I am livid 



This was international arrivals at @SydneyAirport this morn.



When @AusBorderForce was asked wtf re #SocialDistancing the reply was not our problem, thats biosecurity.#coronavirusaustralia #covid19australia pic.twitter.com/5tSxzEUZsg  Sally Prosser (@sally_prosser) March 25, 2020

A shocking video, filmed by an outraged pilot, shows the passengers standing within touching distance of one another as they queued for immigration

Thousands of Australians ignored social distancing rules after landing at Sydney Airport on Thursday morning

Testing is being conducted in a small staff-only corridor between the arrival gates and immigration hallway.

The Agriculture Department blamed Sydney Airport staff for not preventing the situation.

'The responsibility for managing airport terminal infrastructure including arrival halls, luggage pick-up and customs processing sits with the airport corporations not [the department] and not Border Force,' it said.

But Sydney Airport said its response was always guided by the advice from health authorities.

'We are supporting federal and state government agencies as they conduct health assessments and roll out passenger information campaigns regarding self-isolation and social distancing,' she said.

Sydney Airport has put up social distancing signs, rolled out more hand sanitisers, and switched to hospital grade disinfectants and cleaning products.
A California couple who has been waiting two and a half years to adopt a child from an Indian orphanage was days away from completion when the country introduced a strict coronavirus lockdown, bringing the process to a halt.

Firefighter and paramedic Michael Cannon and nurse Rose Barnes told Yahoo News they traveled to New Delhi March 13 on what should have been one of the happiest trips of their life, to bring the two-and-a-half year old girl home with them to Murrieta, Calif. But instead, they faced suspicion from locals and are now stuck in India awaiting news on when they can return home, and whether the child they hoped to welcome into their family can accompany them.

India issued its official first day of a nationwide lockdown on March 25, with police enforcing the strict measures on its 1.3 billion people. Although currently the country has fewer coronavirus cases than in Europe and the U.S., one projection estimated the country could have to deal with 300 million cases if the outbreak spreads.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the total lockdown was to save India, to save its citizens, your family.

Some Westerners say they have been met with hostility, apparently because locals suspect them of bringing the coronavirus to their country, and in trying to find food have been threatened by police who were enforcing the lockdown.

The emergency measure shocked Cannon and Barnes, both 34.

The couple said some locals have been suspicious of them and their 8 year-old daughter, Camille, since they arrived on March 13, just four hours before the nation banned all tourist visas. I think that there might be a stigma being passed around, like maybe [they think] we're bringing corona[virus] to India, Barnes said. The man selling tickets at a train station seemed shocked by the sight of her husband when he entered. I think they just think we're carriers [of the virus.]

Nurse Rose Barnes, firefighter and paramedic Michael Cannon and their daughter Camille. (Courtesy of the family)

They're scared of us. We're definitely being watched, you know, and they get nervous, Barnes told Yahoo News.

Story continues

But the Barnes and Cannon said they are trying to stay positive, describing their situation as not quite dire, and saying the staff at their hotel has been attentive and friendly, but adding supplies could run out soon.

The couple, who would be called on to work on the frontlines to fight coronavirus back home in Southern California, said they were in contact with the U.S. embassy in New Delhi and would take a flight home if one becomes available.

And they are still trying to complete the adoption of the girl, which Cannon said officials had confirmed could proceed when they receive a written order from a judge. Theres just one last step to complete, Barnes said.

The situation, it's a little devastating, and also just a little comical, Cannon said, If you're in it, you can't be faint of heart, and you need to be tenacious and ready to roll with the punches, he told Yahoo News.

The three members of the family are among thousands of U.S. citizens hoping to get home from India since the country banned all outgoing international flights, an order that will remain in effect until April 15.

Yahoo News spoke to dozens of other Americans in India who are awaiting word from U.S. authorities on when and if they can leave the country before the lockdown  which Prime Minister Modi estimates will last at least three weeks  is lifted.

Valeria Savelyeva from Seattle is currently stuck in South Goa, a beach resort which is usually bustling with tourists. But now, Its like a ghost town, she said.

Valeria Savelyeva. (Courtesy of Valeria Savelyeva)

The former Amazon corporate worker left her job on a sabbatical to travel to India and to complete a two-month course on how to become a yoga teacher, arriving in early March. But around two weeks ago, as she became more aware of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the world, she tried to buy flights back home.

Savelyeva explained that as the nearest airport to her in Goa only serves smaller flights, the prices skyrocketed  the one flight I could book to get home was $8,000, she said, so she waited, looking every few days to see if she had other options. She eventually found a flight that cost $850 and would have allowed her to leave on March 30, but it has since been canceled because of the strict lockdown.

So I was freaking out trying to get home like a law-abiding citizen with no help, Savelyeva said,

Savelyeva, who is a U.S. citizen and has lived in America for over 20 years, also has a Russian passport and said she was more hopeful of getting help to fly there, than back to the U.S.

Im extremely surprised about how the U.S. is handling it, especially after Trump was saying, You need to come home. Im like, How can I come home? Savelyeva said. We have families at home. Next week we might have no food from the restaurant, then what?, she added.

U.S. authorities have told the citizens to join the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to register their location in case of emergency.

A statement released by the U.S. embassy on Friday said it was working with the Department of State and was making progress on possible commercial and/or charter flights from India to the United States for U.S. citizens.

It said initial flights would most likely depart from New Delhi and Mumbai, but it will try to facilitate travel for people who are in different cities.

But some Americans trapped in India said they have been told by the U.S. embassy in New Delhi that no flights can be arranged as there are currently no airlines operating out of the country. Others complained that they were registered with STEP but had not been receiving any email updates from authorities.

A spokesperson at the State Department told Yahoo News that stranded Americans in any country, including India, should use the STEP program and their local embassy to register for help.

Paramilitary forces near the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. (Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Meanwhile other Americans are desperately trying to get supplies together for the lockdown. Pam Lilak said that in Siolim, Goa, all the shops have been closed because of the strict measures. She noted that at the moment she has enough food but is running out.

The worst part is if you drive around looking for a shop to open via black market, then theres a risk to get beaten by police, Lilak said over Facebook, weve been stopped a few times, forcefully yelled at and threatened to get a beating.

Some U.S. citizens also drew attention to the fact in some cases Indian nationals were also being discriminated against for either helping them find food or shelter or for having recently traveled abroad  potentially bringing the virus back with them.

A statement from Air India noted that some members of their crew had been ostracized by local communities since returning.

Psychology professor Lisa Carley Hotaling from New York said she was pressured to leave her apartment in Bangalore after locals accused her of breaking curfew, which she believes was discrimination because she is American. But with help from some other Indian friends Hotaling managed to escape to Goa, where she says locals have been desperately trying to help her.

Hotaling, whose husband is currently working in health care in New York, wants to get home as soon as possible, as shes worried her kids may be left without a caregiver should her husband contract coronavirus. She is also concerned about her ongoing health conditions, which are related to kidney disease, as she accidentally left all of her prescriptions in Bangalore.

I reached out to the consulate in Mumbai; they were very kind, but ultimately just [said] that the U.S. had no definite plans to get a flight out. I have panic disorder and other health concerns and do not have any meds with me, Hotaling said.

This story has augmented reality! Tap the video above to see how it looks and download the Yahoo News app to launch the full experience. Augmented reality is currently available to iPhone users (iPhone 8 and later) with the latest version of iOS.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Deborah Borfitz

March 27, 2020 | A virtual reality (VR) platform developed by researchers at the University of Bristol is allowing chemists, computational scientists and structural biologists to collaboratively design molecules like engineers create airplane components. Its bringing human intuition to bear in a new way, according to Adrian Mulholland, a professor in the universitys Centre for Computational Chemistry.

The newest task for the interactive molecular dynamics simulations in VR (iMD-VR) tool is to help a seven-member team at the University of Bristol predict how potential drugs will bind to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) targets, Mulholland says. Its amazing how quickly the international scientific community has responded to the COVID-19 outbreak, he adds. Structures of proteins from the virus have been solved by X-ray crystallography and Google DeepMind has predicted the structure of other [culprit] proteins, and people are starting to try to assemble models of the virus.

VR has been touted as a drug development tool for two decades but dismissed by some scientists as little more than a toy for looking at molecules and proteins, not a genuine research or education tool, Mulholland says. Sentiments have been changing with the maturation of VR and its application in training everyone from surgeons to architects.

Gaming technology has been the big game changer when it comes to using VR for structure-based drug design, he continues, with the development of VR technology such as Facebooks Oculus. We are now able to not just look at a molecule but also to manipulate it. Many small-molecule drugs work by binding to proteins, thereby stopping a virus from reproducing, but they need to be precisely positioned to fit snugly to their biological targets, he explains.

The cost of setting up a VR system has also come down dramatically from a million-dollar investment in large, three-dimensional immersive spaces to about $5,000 for an iMD-VR setup to cover the cost of the hardware (one headset and a set of paddles) and graphics card to run simulations. The system is based on free, open-source software (Narupa interface), described last year in the Journal of Chemical Physics, and uses easily accessible room-scale VR headsets, such as the HTC Vive, says Mulholland.

What makes the iMD-VR tool unique is that it enables multiple users to be in the same virtual environment, enabling collaboration across labs and geographies, he says. Its lead developer is David R. Glowacki, a research fellow at the University of Bristol with a joint position in chemistry and computer science. Hundreds of people have done user tests of the technology, many at industry conferences.

Use of VR is taking off at universities around the world. Nanome has a VR docking program it describes as a Minecraft for matter that researchers are using to visualize and directly manipulate atoms, molecules and proteins. The lab of Jacob Durrant, an assistant professor of computer-aided drug design at the University of Pittsburgh, is developing VR software enabling students and researchers to walk around, and through, their favorite proteins, Mulholland says. The University of Troms in Norway has a dedicated VR lab and one is being built at the University of Copenhagen, he cites as examples.

It wont be long before VR is the customary way drug designers work on many drug development problems, Mulholland predicts. Being able to view small molecules as three-dimensional objects simplifies the task of modifying them so they more tightly fit within the keyhole of a protein binding site.

In a recent study published in PLOS One, University of Bristol researchers demonstrated that even in the hands of nonexperts the iMD-VR system could be used to easily dock a small drug molecule to influenza neuraminidase and HIV protease, recreating the binding poses hypothesized by X-ray crystallography.

In previous work, Mulholland, Glowacki and coworkers carried out user tests that showed that iMD-VR was better for molecular modelling tasks than traditional computer-and-mouse methods. Its likely that the newer technology performs much better because its the more intuitive way to deal with a molecule, he adds. You really get a sense of [a molecules] three-dimensional structure and literally reach out and grab each end and move it with your hands, and you can also walk around the problem.

iMD-VR users in the study were able to accurately unbind and rebind drugs from protein targets in less than five minutes of real time, he notes. Its the combination of VR with interactive molecular dynamics that makes all the differencea drug design process he likens to playing the Nintendo game 3D Tetris. Using human intuition and a bit of chemistry knowledge [anyone] can do a real good job in VR of predicting how a drug binds.

Educational Value

Using iMD-VR requires almost no training at all, says Mulholland. After a brief demonstration, undergraduate students in a teaching lab at the University of Bristol can effectively use a VR headset and paddles to manipulate molecules and learn how they bind to proteins. Even high school students have completed sophisticated molecular modeling tasks relatively easily and well.

Plastic models of molecules traditionally used in chemistry class are quite informative but can break and dont move properly, says Mulholland. With iMD-VR, students can physically and correctly see how molecules behave, how they move and how they react either by using the tool themselves or watching a live demonstration by their instructor. In principle, everyone could be manipulating the same molecule at the same time.

In Mulhollands lab, iMD-VR is currently being used for binding molecules to proteins involved in antibiotic resistance as well as to find drugs for COVID-19. In collaboration with BP, researchers are also modeling catalysts in VR trying to understand how to make molecules in cleaner processes, consuming less energy and generating less waste (aka green chemistry), he says.

Two years ago, with support from Oracle, University of Bristol researchers were using VR cloud-based tools that allowed several people to interact with molecules in the same virtual space at the same time, says Mulholland. It successfully demonstrated that a simulation run in Frankfurt on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure at the companys German center could be visualized in Bristol, allowing geographically dispersed scientists to collaborate on molecular modeling tasks.

The University of Bristol subsequently did some interactive data sharing with other universities, he adds, and is looking to build on this model. Such collaborations benefit from cloud mounting of the framework and sharing of computational resources.
Press Release

March 27, 2020 Gatchalian to government: eliminate red tape, expedite delivery of services to public amid lockdown As the country races against time to contain the spread of the deadly virus, Senator Win Gatchalian urges the national government to relax the requirements on COVID-19 related transactions to expedite the delivery of relief and services to the public. The national government he says should tap local government units (LGUs) to help make it work, emphasizing that there are complex bureaucratic procedures that hamper the delivery of aid to communities that need them most. "The virus is spreading fast across our country making major damage in our health, livelihood, and economy. Therefore, we in the government should move the delivery of our services to our kababayans faster than the virus," Gatchalian said. For one, Gatchalian cited the assistance package of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the affected workers in private establishments. The problem he said is that the package can only be released in two weeks once all the application of beneficiaries are received at the regional offices. Aside from that, employers are also required to submit their COVID-19 precautionary measure reports. Another is the Quick Response Fund (QRF) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which is a standby fund for relief, recovery, reconstruction, and other works or services in times of disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies. The lawmaker commented that before it gets to the people, LGUs have to meet a long list of requirements to utilize the fund. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has yet to release calamity and quick response funds. "Red tape will eventually kill Filipinos and not the virus. Government should relax rules and tap LGUs to act fast. Ang tulong na kailangang ibigay sa mga nangangailangang pamilya at komunidad ay ngayon na at hindi na pwedeng paghintayin pa", he said. "Sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon kasi ngayon, double-whammy ito sa ating mga Pilipino. Hindi lamang tayo dumaranas ng krisis pangkalusugan, ang red tape sa gobyerno ay isang malaking krisis din," Gatchalian added. The Anti-Red Authority (ARTA) has recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-03 or the "Extension of Deadline of Submission of the Citizen's Charter and Suspension of Processing Times in the Delivery of Government Services in Luzon Area in Light of the Imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
(Bloomberg) -- Wistron Corp., one of Apples manufacturing partners, said this week half its capacity could reside outside China within a year. The declaration underscored how the Asian assemblers that keep the world supplied with iPhones and other gadgets are shifting to a higher gear after the coronavirus showed the folly of staking everything on one country.

The move in production out of China has been underway since the trade war between Washington and Beijing reached its zenith last year. Now, Covid-19 is expediting that. Decisions by companies like Wistron and other Apple Inc. partners including Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Inventec Corp. and Pegatron Corp., could re-shape tech supply chains.

Read more: Trump Tumult Has Gadget Giants Splitting Along U.S.-China Lines

Taipei-listed Wistron is targeting India -- where its already making some iPhones -- along with Vietnam and Mexico, setting aside $1 billion to fund the expansion this year and next. We understand from a lot of messages from our customers that they believe this is something we have to do, Chairman Simon Lin said on an earnings call. Theyre happy and appreciate that we can continue to make such a move and they will continue to work with us.

IPhone assembler Pegatron is also diversifying manufacturing sites, including by adding capacity back home in Taiwan. Chief Executive Officer Liao Syh-jang said Thursday the company hopes to kick-start manufacturing operations in Vietnam in 2021 after setting up a new plant in Indonesia last year, and its further looking at India as a location for new facilities. It said on Friday it had agreed to purchase land and a plant in northern Taiwan.

Apples main assembly partner for AirPods, Inventec, said Tuesday its preparing to establish a unit in Vietnam.

More than any other assembler, Hon Hai encapsulated how the coronavirus brought the worlds No. 2 economy to a standstill. Better known as Foxconn, it augurs a potential shift in a global production paradigm thats governed the electronics industry well over three decades. The company also has facilities in India, where it began churning out iPhones last year, and Vietnam. Trade, the virus, all these things will make the world very different in the next decade, Alex Yang, the companys investors relations chief, told investors in a recent call.

Story continues

Its unlikely that China will fully give up its place as the worlds electronics workshop anytime soon. Thats because its difficult to replicate the intricate network of suppliers, competent workers, efficient distribution systems and large home market that the country offers. Large-scale relocation of manufacturing capabilities would also take time. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in late February that the company wasnt looking to make any quick moves out of China in light of virus-related supply-chain interruptions. Were talking about adjusting some knobs, not some sort of wholesale, fundamental change, he said.

Read more: Apples Cook Sees Minor Supply Chain Changes in Wake of Virus

Still, the outward-bound trend is accelerating, especially among smaller-scale manufacturers. That extends to gadget makers serving customers other than Apple. Meiloon Industrial Co., which makes speakers and counts Harman International Industries Inc. and Xiaomi Corp. among its clients, said its seeking alternatives to China-based production and speeding up a move of capacity to places like Taiwan and Indonesia, spokesperson Eva Kuo said in a phone interview.

The singularly trying experience of dealing with the outbreak in China will reverberate well after Covid-19 subsides, raising questions about the globalized business model of modern corporations. Its a wake-up call, Joerg Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, told Bloomberg Television last month. China was a given, it was the perfect infrastructure for us to source and buy from there, and to sell. Now of course we have to reconsider scenarios, how to deal with China in the future.

(Updates with Pegatrons facility investment in Taiwan in fourth paragraph.)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Agency spokesman David Bursten said that during outdoor recreation periods, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidelines on social distancing of six feet or more "are being followed as permitted."

He said that regarding inmate meal times, Indianas "correctional housing facility does not allow for meal service in groups of 10 or less."

Porter County Sheriff's Police Cpl. Benjamin McFalls said, "We do not have large dining halls compared to the prisons. The inmates eat where they are currently housed, not in a separate location.

"In addition, we do not have outdoor recreation," he said.

Allen said his department is doing what it can to head off exposure in the jail, including screening the health of incoming inmates through questioning and the taking of temperatures.

Food preparation workers are also wearing gloves, masks and hairnets, he said.

The IDOC points out that there are no known cases of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, among the nearly 27,000 offenders housed at the state's prisons, but it also concedes that it hasn't tested any of those inmates.
IRELAND'S first charitable community air ambulance will be indefinitely grounded from April after the Covid-19 crisis wiped out its entire fundraising base

Farmers were among the key backers of the project with the farming community donating thousands to the project.

Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) officials admitted they were "heartbroken and distraught" at the decision which, they warned, will now result in lives being lost.

The service was was only launched last September by Tanaiste Simon Coveney.

The Cork-based service aimed to respond to 500 calls per year and bring a rural population of 10,000 square miles south of Galway and

Dublin to within 20 minutes of critical medical attention.

Its Agusta helicopter was operating in conjunction with the Athlone-based Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS).

However, it was dependent on 2m in charitable fundraising each year. The service has flown over 351 missions in just eight months - and saved dozens of lives through getting road traffic accident, farm accident and mountaineering fall victims to hospital in a faster time than other emergency alternatives.

Operations Manager Ruth Bruton said they were left totally devastated by the decision.

We are incredibly upset that lives will be lost due to the grounding of this service at this time, especially given how vital frontline medical support is during the Covid-19 pandemic and how incredibly successful the service has been to date, she said.

ICRR had already implemented harsh cost cutting measures in an effort to continue.

This included laying off of non-essential staff, cutting the hours of current staff and the already introduced five day operational week.

Our sincere thanks to the people of Ireland who supported this service and kept it flying for the last eight months," she added.

"You have all been part of a community that has saved hundreds of lives and impacted many, many families. We could not have gotten off the ground without every single person who donated money, gave their time to fundraise or share our mission."

ICRR said all its fundraising avenues had been effectively extinguished by the virus pandemic.

"As a last resort, ICRR immediately sought interim support from Government, however, they have yet to receive correspondence from those in Government about interim supports to keep this vital frontline service flying as cardiac arrests, strokes, farming accidents and road traffic collisions still occur amid the Covid-19 pandemic."

The ICRR board admitted they were distraught at having to suspend the service at a time when it was desperately needed given the healthcare crisis Ireland is facing.
PHUKET, Thailand (AP)  From the sun-soaked beaches of Thailand to the foothills of Mount Everest, tourists across Asia are finding their dream vacations have turned into travel nightmares as airlines cancel flights and countries close their borders in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of tourists escaping cold weather in Europe were scrambling this week to find alternative ways to return home from the Thai island of Phuket in the Andaman Sea.

Ksenia Vostriakova and her friends were scheduled to fly back to Moscow on an April 3 Singapore Airlines flight, but it was among those canceled when the airline slashed its operations. They have booked a flight on Qatar Airways for April 6 and are hoping nothing else changes.

Now were really worried that this flight also might be canceled, Vostriakova said, adding that their Thai visas run out in mid-April. We might still stay here because everything changes.

Thailand went under a state of emergency this week as the government gives itself new powers to deal with the virus crisis. The country, which last year welcomed 39 million tourists, announced it was closing its borders to nearly all foreigners. Its national airline, Thai Airways, said it was suspending almost all of its flights.

It's a trend seen around the region and the world. The Airports Council International Asia-Pacific said Friday that 12 major hubs in Asia-Pacific had seen an average decrease in air traffic of more than 80% in the second week of March versus the same period last year.

Up to 10,000 tourists are believed to be stranded in Nepal after the government ordered a complete lockdown that halted all flights and road travel to prevent the spread of the virus, the country's tourism board said. Most businesses and government offices were also shut.

Spring is the tourist season for Nepal when thousands of visitors come to hike the mountain trails.

At the Lukla Airport, the only gateway to the Mount Everest region, there were more than 200 trekkers stranded, according to Dhurba Shrestha, an airport official. Even if the highways were open, the closest road is three days trek downhill.

Story continues

Officials were working on arrangements of special flights to at least get tourists back to the capital, Kathmandu.

The German government on Friday arranged a rescue flight  a Qatar Airways charter  that left the capital with 305 people on board, mostly German nationals.

In Kathmandu's tourist enclave, visitors could still be found wandering around empty streets. A handful of restaurants and hotels were still open, but most shops were shuttered. Police were blocking locals from moving around but not tourists.

We were supposed to leave on March 21 but we are still in Nepal and waiting for our embassy to help us arrange a flight, said New Lee Kuan, from Malaysia.

The Indian Ocean island nation of Sri Lanka said that it was ready to help an estimated 18,000 tourists return home either via scheduled flights that are still operating or special charters if required. The country is under a nationwide curfew until at least next week.

In Indonesia, more than 2,500 foreign tourists were stranded in Bali, the most famous of the country's more than 17,000 islands. The government has granted all tourists automatic visa extensions, a move made after long lines formed at immigration offices.

"This is good news that helped us a lot," said Ruben Evert Ernst, a German on vacation with his partner whose visa had been set to expire in a few days.

Visitors to Thailand haven't been so lucky. Hundreds of tourists seeking visa extensions were crowded Friday under a row of awnings next to a makeshift immigration office that's been set up on the outskirts of Bangkok after throngs formed at the main building. There wasn't enough room for the tourists to keep their distance and stay in the shade so most were pressed up almost against one another.

I woke up today at 5:30 to get here on time so its very stressful, said Murdoch Baghaie, from Sacramento, California. I'm supposed to be a tourist enjoying the scenery. Nothing like enjoying Thailand anymore."

Shopping malls, bars, sit-down restaurants, public swimming pools and many other places have all been ordered closed in Thailand.

At least for now, Phuket's beaches remain open. That's good news for Russian tourist Vitaliy Kurikov, who has been spending his days playing with his son on the white sands of Bang Tao beach.

If they close the beaches, I really dont know what to do, he said.

___

Associated Press journalists Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, Bharatha Mallawarachi in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Binaj Gurubacharya in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Friday prayers were not held at nearly all mosques of Prayagraj. Muslims offered prayers at their homes on the requests of imams with a view to checking the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Jama Masjid in Chowk, Wasi Ullah Masjid in Roshanbagh, Abu Baqr Masjid in Kareli and nearly all other mosques wore a deserted look.

A notice on the door of a mosque on GT Road urging people to offer prayers at home (HT Photo)

Many people, who were not aware of the announcement, reached the mosques but returned after being asked by imams and caretakers to do so.

Imam of Shia Jama Masjid at Chak and other imams of Shia mosques in the city called off Friday prayers last Friday.

Sheher Qazi Shafeeq Ahmad Sharif said Friday prayers were not offered at nearly all mosques of the city in view of coronavirus threat.

Muslims have been urged to offer namaz at home and follow the lockdown for their own safety as well as in the larger interest of the country, he added.
As the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic mounts, businesses are beginning to look to their commercial insurance policies to understand if there is coverage for business losses and extra expenses for a pandemic-related event.

While many players in the insurance industry have already warned that most businesses will not be covered, some policies might, in fact, provide a measure of relief.

For most insured businesses, the coverage most likely to respond to a COVID-19 loss is that for business interruption.

The intent of business-interruption insurance is to indemnify a business for its loss of profit and additional expenses as a result of an insured peril.

The problem for most companies, however, is that the only business-interruption coverage they will have is under their commercial property insurance policy.

That means that the company is not insured against business interruption per se; it is insured against property damage.

Only if an event covered by the property insurance policy occurs, such as a fire or a flood, can the insured look to recover its business interruption and other losses caused by the property damage.

The crucial question for businesses is whether the circumstances surrounding their COVID-19 losses trigger coverage under their property policies. The trigger in many policies is described as direct physical loss of or damage to the insured property.

If a companys losses are caused by a general decline in demand owing to the pandemic, this coverage is unlikely to be triggered.

However, if all or part of a companys loss is due to the presence of contagion in its premises, this may be sufficient to trigger coverage.

In that case, there is a physical alteration of the premises, albeit on a microscopic level, and there is case law to suggest this may constitute damage to the insured property.

Similarly, some policies contain extensions to business-interruption coverage that may create additional coverage for COVID-19 losses.

One such extension relates to insured perils occurring in neighbouring premises that prevent or hinder the use of or access to the insured business. In that case, if even part of a business loss is caused by the presence of contagion on neighbouring premises, there is also an argument for coverage. Other extensions to business interruption may also apply, including those pertaining to insured perils occurring at the premises on which the company depends for business, or at the premises of suppliers or customers. These extensions are commonly referred to as contingent or dependent property business-interruption insurance.

If business-interruption coverage is triggered, an insured can expect to recover its loss of profit, any increase in the cost of working, such as additional labour or operating expenses, and extra expenses.

Depending on the policy type, the period during which losses can be claimed is limited to the period of restoration for the property or until the business returns to the same level of profitability achieved prior to the commencement of the loss. All policies will also have a maximum length for which they provide indemnity, which is typically up to 12 or 24 months.

Companies may also be able to look to coverages other than business interruption. Other potential responsive coverages include event-cancellation insurance, infectious disease and other non-physical damage endorsements, or specialized manuscript policies which have customized wordings drafted for an insured to fit the particulars of their business risks.

In each case, the policy wording, including any applicable exclusions, will need to be carefully reviewed. The causes of the loss in question will also need to be understood. This may require some degree of investigation to determine, for example, the extent to which a business profit declined owing to contagion at a neighbouring premises, at a dependent property, or at a supplier or customers premises.

Many of the legal issues raised by the pandemic are without precedent in Canadian history, and the manner in which insurance contracts apply to these losses will likely require interpretation by the courts. A test case is already under way in the United States, the outcome of which is sure to be followed with interest north of the border.

In short, while most businesses will regrettably have to bear most of their COVID-19 losses on their own, there is at least a possibility that some losses will be compensated by insurers.

If there is one certainty, it is that courts, once they reopen, will be resolving these issues for years to come.
The UK prime minister says he has mild symptoms and will continue to lead government.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus, Johnson announced on Twitter on Friday.

I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video conference as we fight this virus.

A Downing Street spokesman said Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday  a day after he attended the prime ministers weekly question time in the chamber of the House of Commons.





The prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of Englands Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, the spokesman said, in a statement emailed to Al Jazeera.

The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive, the spokesman added.

In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

In early February, as the UK took a different approach to much of the rest of Europe in its handling of the crisis, Johnson said he was continuing to shake hands with people  even in a hospital in which he said there were patients being treated for coronavirus infections.

Three weeks later, the country was placed in a state of near-lockdown, with movement restricted and all but essential workers advised not to leave their homes.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

By some distance, Boris Johnson is the most important world leader to have announced hes contracted the virus, said Al Jazeeras Laurence Lee, reporting from London.

The coronavirus has its epicentre in London  which is the epicentre of the country  and within that it has actually been centred around Westminster. Several people in Whitehall have all said they have got it, and Boris Johnson has obviously been in regular contact with all these people every day. So on one level, you can look at this and say wow, the prime minister has coronavirus, thats amazing, but on another, its quite expected and not much of a surprise.

He managed to get through a two-minute video on Twitter without coughing once, which is pretty amazing given an uncontrollable cough is one symptom.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also announced he has the virus and will be in self-isolation, working from home.

Fortunately for me, the symptoms so far have been very mild, so Ive been able to carry on with the work of driving forward the UK response, he said.

Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus. Ive tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home & self-isolating. Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 27, 2020

The UK does not formally have a deputy prime minister, so if the prime minister were incapacitated, who would take over?

It would probably be the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, but it doesnt look that serious, unless it gets a lot worse very quickly, said Laurence Lee.

Governments are doing business by videoconference nowadays anyway, so I suspect this is not going to be any different..

And then there is the public response  a couple of days ago, Prince Charles announced he had tested positive for the virus, and a lot of people then asked how come he got tested, when doctors and nurses werent able to get tests. And a lot of people on Twitter are now making exactly the same point  how come Boris Johnson got a test and other people didnt?
"Yun hi basabab na fira karo, kisi shaam ghar bhi raha karo" (Don't roam around without any purpose, stay at your home). Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan broke into poetry during a video conference with President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday to emphasise the significance of social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Khan lauded the role of the government, voluntary organisations, medical professionals, paramedics and the police to act in a coordinated manner to persuade people to maintain social distancing in Kerala, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Reciting a couplet, he said, "Yun hi basabab na fira karo, kisi shaam ghar bhi raha karo" (broadly translates to: Don't roam around without any purpose, stay at your home) to emphasise the significance of social distancing, it said.

Further, 1,800 retired doctors and MBBS students in Kerala have enlisted with the state government to volunteer with their services if the need arises, the statement said.

"375 psychologists are also roped in to give advice to those who find quarantine as a difficult phase in their lives. This is considered to be an innovative move in Kerala worth emulating for other states," it said.

In a video conference with the Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of the states and the UTs, the President along with Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu asked them to find ways to complement the efforts of the central and state governments in meeting the challenges arising from the outbreak of COVID-19.

President Kovind and Vice President Naidu expressed hope that the Indian society's inherent strength of "sharing and caring" and the government's measures would mitigate the sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of society, particularly workers of the unorganised sectors and the destitute, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

During the plenary session to be held on March 30, Azerbaijans parliament will discuss Azerbaijan's joining another international document, Trend reports.

The draft law "On joining the Intergovernmental Agreement for Dry Ports" has been included in the agenda of the parliament. Previously, the document was discussed at sessions of parliamentary committees and recommended for discussion at the parliaments plenary session.

The agreement was signed at a meeting of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand on November 7, 2013. The document envisages development of dry ports within the national programs, laws and regulations. It reflects such issues as the signing, ratification, approval, accession and entry into force of the document.

The document also reflects clauses providing for the establishment of working groups on dry ports, amendments within the agreement implementation, the procedure for changing and amending the documents main content, withdrawal from the agreement and other issues.
Pakistani government officials have been urging people to avoid praying at mosques to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus, but the appeals have largely been ignored.

Worshippers congregated at one Karachi mosque during Friday prayers, albeit in smaller numbers, and sitting further apart.

Other measures to encourage social distancing have also been implemented, like placing white markings outside banks and shops for people to keep a safe distance from each other.
Though some tracks elsewhere in the country remain in operation, Chris Block, an Illinois-based trainer and breeder, said many horses have nowhere to race. Thoroughbred sales have also felt the impact of the virus: Upcoming auctions have been postponed after the last one saw many horses sold for a fraction of their value, if they sold at all.
MBABANE  We are now on partial lockdown. Today marks the official start of the countrys 20-day partial lockdown.

Setting the record straight was Acting Government Spokesperson Sabelo Dlamini, giving clarity on the mushrooming questions on the commencement of the partial lockdown.



Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, when announcing the partial lockdown on Tuesday, pointed out that it would commence on Friday, March 27, 2020 but he was not specific on what time exactly.



At exactly 00:01, the country was already on the partial lockdown and for the next 19 days, all citizens of the country are expected to adhere to the precautionary measures that complement the partial lockdown in the quest to curb the transmission of the coronavirus pandemic.



The primary precaution, as announced by the PM, was to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel, with the exception of personnel attached to essential services.

This is inclusive of health workers, police officers, army personnel, food outlets employees and the media. Civil servants were also not spared from those who would be reporting for duty today on the arrangement that they would rotate on a weekly basis.



Government wishes to issue a reminder that the partial lockdown announced by Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini is with effect from 00:00 tonight (last night). This means that Friday, March 27, 2020 will be the first official day of the partial lockdown, said Sabelo in a press statement yesterday.
The Irish technology firm LetsGetChecked has offered to supply extra coronavirus tests to the Irish government at cost through in-home and on-site hospital testing.

The companys main business is home-testing for viruses and diseases. It claims to have tested 335,000 people for other ailments through its system over the last five years.

"The "cost" price was not specified. An initial estimate of 129 was subsequently amended with a spokesman saying it would be subject to "variables".

Having received 38m in private funding in recent years, LetsGetChecked has a US laboratory that the company claims will soon be able to conduct 10,000 tests daily. It is also scaling up to be in a position to carry out up to 100,000 tests per day within the next two months, according to a spokesman.

It says that it has developed a two-part test to detect Covid-19..

We set up this company to provide health screening and care in the home, said Peter Foley, founder and chief executive of the company. We have been developing our platform for years around this core concept and have delivered hundreds of thousands of tests to patients remotely. We are committed to diverting all resources to this problem so that we can be part of the solution to help people fight this global pandemic.

We are in a unique position to act quickly and help our frontline health workers get tested safely. We hope to be able to do this as soon as possible and have written to the Health Minister and the HSE to find the quickest practical solution.

The company is based in Dun Laoghaire and employs 160 people.

The offer comes after Vodafone announced that it has donated 1,000 budget smartphones and 2,000 20 prepay credit vouchers to Alone, the charity that helps vulnerable older people. The value of the smartphones is around 60,000.

"At Vodafone, we believe that technology and connectivity is vital, especially for those who may be more vulnerable and isolated in our communities during this very difficult time for our country," said Anne O'Leary, CEO of Vodafone.

The telecoms network is also making an unspecified donation to Women's Aid, Ms O'Leary said.
5 Car-Shopping Trends That Signal Opportunity in the Shadow of COVID-19

Expert New Car Reviews - 2021-1993

Its news to no one that these are anxious times. But despite what probably feels like all doom and gloom right now, there is actually plenty of opportunity for dealers to stay connected to customers, bring in new business, and even transform your 21st century sales and operational strategy for the better.

Weve analyzed the most recent data on consumer and dealer sentiment as well as shopping behavior to create the following five key takeaways you can use to help inform your business strategy moving forward.

1) People Are Still Shopping

It may be more attention-grabbing to highlight that 28% of consumers have delayed their vehicle purchase as a result of COVID-19. But do the math and the other 72% might still be shopping. The bottom line is that despite the ups and downs of the stock market, the proximity of a recession, and consumer fears in general, people are likely still shopping for cars.

2) Shoppers Are Now Even Less Likely to Visit the Showroom In-Person

As social distancing becomes the refrain for our battle with the Coronavirus, its no wonder that 55% of shoppers now say they prefer NOT to visit the physical dealership. But it wasnt this recent crisis that started this trend. With online shopping becoming the norm, consumers expect to be able to do more, if not most, of the car-buying process from the convenience of their own laptop or mobile device. Implement a digital retailing strategy to make the most of this growing demand and let shoppers know about this essential shopping experience.

3) Customers Are Putting Off Repairs

Right now, theyd usually be scheduling snow-to-summer tire changeovers in the northern parts of the country or getting their vehicles ready for the warmer months ahead. But, for many, thats not the case this spring. In fact, 29% of consumers now plan to postpone service/repair work for fear of exposure to COVID-19. To overcome this challenge, exceed customer expectations and edge out the competition by offering at-home services like vehicle pick-ups and drop-offs. Learn more about Xtime and Clutch Technologies.

4) Dealers Are Taking Precautions; Customers Need to Know That

The health and safety of not only your customers but of your employees are priorities for you, and are top of mind for dealers everywhere across the country. At last check, 84% of dealers are taking proactive steps to address these concerns. You can assuage customer apprehensions of car dealership interaction by continuing to encourage them to do more online while communicating your dealerships COVID-19 preventative measures on your website, in emails, or on social media.

5) Dealers See Light at the End of the Tunnel

While were all still very much in the throes of COVID-19, its worth pointing out that nearly 50% of dealers believe that theyll resume business as normal by the end of June. Hopefully, Independence Day will take on a new meaning this 4th of July if this is the case!

Now is the time to turn up your efforts online, whether its sales, service, or both. Keep connected to your customers through these challenges and let them know youre still very much open for business. It just might look a little differently than it used to.
The Central government on March 26 directed all the medicine retailers to sale any preparation containing the drug Hydroxychloroquine in accordance with the conditions for the sale of drugs specified in Schedule H1 to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. In the order by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Central government has said that Hydroxychloroquine is necessary to meet requirements during COVID 19 and hence the restriction on its sale is mandatory.

Here is the circular:

Here's what Congress' Adhir Ranjan has to say about Centre's $22.6 Bn Coronavirus package

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, as per the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

Health workers in Rajasthan sing a song to keep spirit high amid fight against Coronavirus
VANCOUVERBritish Columbias College of Pharmacists is telling its members not fill prescriptions for certain medications if the drugs are being prescribed for unproven uses, outside of a clinical trial.

A statement from the college says health professionals are aware of growing demands on social media for access to antiviral or antibiotic drugs to treat COVID-19.

The college says a proven treatment for COVID-19 does not yet exist and using unproven therapies is not only dangerous, it could risk the health of those who need those drugs for legitimate treatments.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently called the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine a game changer in fighting the new coronavirus, but the college includes that drug in its warning.

It says other unproven treatments include a powerful antibiotic and antivirals prescribed to treat HIV/AIDS.

The college says, outside of clinical trials, doctors and nurse practitioners should not prescribe those drugs for COVID-19 treatment and pharmacists are instructed not to fill prescriptions if they do.

Read more about:
S muggled pangolins have been found to carry viruses similar to the Covid-19 pathogen sweeping the world, with scientists warning they should be banned from sale in wildlife markets to prevent another outbreak in the future.

Researchers in Hong Kong and China identified two coronaviruses in the scaly mammals closely related to the one responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.

The research, published on Thursday in the journal Nature, concluded that handling pangolins "requires considerable caution" and that the sale of these animals in wildlife markets "should be strictly prohibited".

"The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to Sars-CoV-2 suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible hosts in the emergence of novel coronaviruses and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic (animal to human) transmission," the researchers wrote.

Pangolins are the most-commonly illegally trafficked mammal in the world / BBC/Maria Diekmann

The team's findings were based on analysis of samples taken from more than 30 Malayan pangolins seized during anti-smuggling operations between August 2017 and January 2019.

Despite detecting the coronaviruses in some of the animals smuggled into China, the researchers said the role of pangolins as the intermediate host of Sars-CoV-2 - the virus behind the human pandemic - remains to be confirmed.

They added further surveillance is needed to understand the role of the animals in the emergence of coronaviruses.

Pangolins, which are listed as threatened with extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are the most-commonly illegally trafficked mammal in the world.

Found in Africa and Asia, the animals' meat is considered a delicacy in parts of the latter, while their scales are highly sought after for use in traditional Chinese medicine.

Bats are thought to be the original source of Sars-CoV-2, with another species being an intermediate host before the virus jumped to humans.

Outside of bats, pangolins are the only mammals to date that have been reported to be infected with a coronavirus related to Sars-CoV-2.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

The researchers said their findings highlight "a potentially important role" for the animals in the ecology of coronaviruses.

Conservationists, meanwhile, said it was critical the apparent discovery must not be used to justify further persecution of the endangered, shy mammal.

"This is the time for the international community to pressure their governments to end illegal wildlife trade," Elisa Panjang of Cardiff University, a pangolin conservation officer at the Danau Girang Field Centre in Malaysia, told the BBC.

China has moved to roll out a strict ban on the consumption and farming of wild animals in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, a city in China's Hubei province, in December last year.

Since then, more than 542,000 cases of coronavirus have been recorded globally, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University, with the pandemic affecting every continent besides Antarctica.
By now you know Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick stepped in it pretty good.

Speaking with Fox News Tucker Carlson, Patrick said the following: You know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren? And if thats the exchange, Im all in.

From what I can tell, that is the comment that launched a thousand articles and editorials. That is the comment, which made an otherwise blah interview the story of the day. It was a mistake by Patrick, who coincidentally made his name on talk radio.

I have to admit that I didnt think much of the interview the first time I saw it on YouTube. I had to go back and listen for that quote that allegedly turned Patrick into this conservative monster looking to serve up senior citizens to the altar of whatever is out there to stop coronavirus in its tracks.

In my view, the only comment that stayed with me was the following, Our biggest gift we give to country, children and grandchildren is the legacy of the country. Coronavirus has wrecked the economy. On that he was spot on. However, by the end of the interview between two conservatives, it was too little, too late.

The more head-scratching part of the interview was that Patrick, the leader of the Texas Senate, wasnt playing the role of key lieutenant for Gov. Greg Abbott. Texas top Republican  Abbott -- has been successful in walking the fine line between health and economics. As a conservative, I am more disappointed that Patrick wasnt telling Americans that Texas governor was doing it right, Texas policies are spot on, and personal responsibility matters more than any law legislators can put into place.

I think the governor is doing everything he can to honor what we believe as Texans and as Americans about life, liberty and pursuit of happiness and our freedoms and helping people be responsible for this, Mayor Patrick Payton said.

You see, leaders are out there, and Midlanders and Texans should take note of those who are part of the leadership that will flatten the curve and promote personal responsibility (including social distancing and proper hygiene) and who are not. At the end of the day, it is easy to see the line following the great governor of the great state of Texas. The only line following the lieutenant governor is those swinging haymakers and landing more often than naught.
The Corporate Social Investment arm of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, GNPC Foundation, has presented hygiene facilities to the Efia Nkwanta Government Hospital and the Takoradi European Hospital in the Western Region as part of its campaign against the spread of the world wide COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.



The items presented to the hospitals included Veronica buckets with hand washing basins, Gallons of liquid soaps, bottles of hand sanitizers and Tissue paper.



The Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Dominic Eduah, lauded the role of the hospitals and health professionals across the country at the forefront of the fight against CODVID-19.



Were all in this together and every effort counts; from governmental level to the last citizen and we all must heed to the standard protocols of good hygiene and social distancing as much as possible to curb the spread of the virus, he said.



Rev Osei Boateng, Administrator of Takoradi Hospital, said though the Western Region has not recorded any cases, this gesture remains a timely one as a number of measures are being put in place to hopefully forestall any occurrences.



He further stated that the hospital lacked nose masks and other protective gears for its frontline staff asked for support from corporate entities who could assist in procuring them. He thanked the GNPC Foundation and assured that the items will be put to its intended use.



The GNPC Foundation looks forward to extending similar support to other regions in due course.

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
NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakh authorities say they have detained 25 people during a police operation connected to February's deadly ethnic clashes in the southern region of Zhambyl.

Deputy Prosecutor-General Yerlik Kenebaev charged on March 27 that the detainees "took an active part " in the violence that claimed 11 lives.

Kenebaev said the 25 included ethnic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, as well as members of the Dungan minority, a Muslim group of Chinese origin.

They were detained in Zhambyl region and the cities of Almaty and Shymkent, he said, adding that seven had previous convictions.

During a visit to the Zhambyl region on March 1, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev blamed "criminal groups" for the February 7-8 clashes.

Authorities said that a road-rage brawl sparked wider violence between ethnic Kazakhs and Dungans that spread into the villages of Sortobe, Masanchi, Auqatty, and Bulan-Batyr.

More than 23,000 people, mostly Dungans, fled villages where the violence broke out.

Kenebaev said that along with the 11 people killed in the clashes, 192 other people were injured -- including 19 police officers.

He said 168 houses and 122 cars were also damaged.

He said the situation in the region was now "stable."

Police detentions after the violence also sparked protests.
Police are searching for a four-year-old girl who vanished while walking her dog in rural Alabama.

Evelyn Vadie Sides of Lee County was last seen at 2.30pm on Wednesday in the small town of Loachapoka, half a mile west of Auburn.

Lee County Sheriffs Office said that Evelyn was under the supervision of a family friend while walking her dog when she essentially just disappeared.

Few details have been released, but while Evelyn was not near her home at the time of her disappearance, she was familiar with the location.

Foul play is not currently suspected in her disappearance.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers were drafted in to search for Evelyn on Wednesday, but by the time many arrived we were fighting darkness, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The search continues with helicopters, drones, and searchers on horseback. The area is heavily wooded and sparsely populated.

Evelyn is three-feet tall and weighs 40 pounds. She has red hair and green eyes with a red mark on her nose. She was wearing a short-sleeve floral dress when she disappeared.

Her dog is also missing and is described as a reddish hound dog and is wearing a collar.
Hours after downplaying a need for ventilators in the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump scolded General Motors over a shortage of the life-saving medical devices.

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump wrote on Twitter Friday. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P.'"

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!

GM no longer owns the Lordstown plant in Ohio.

According to the New York Post, Trump was referring to General Motors CEO Mary Barra, accusing the auto-maker accusing of moving too slowly on to produce ventilators to prevent a shortage. Trump also tweeted that invoke 'P' means the Defense Production Act, which would allow him to order private companies to use their factories for government needs, such as producing masks, ventilators and other hospital equipment.

The New York Times reported Thursday that the White House called off a $1 billion deal with GM to build as much as 80,000 ventilators after FEMA said the price was too high. The machines cost between $16,000 and $40,000 each, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week while asking the federal government to help provide 30,000 ventilators as New York could see the peak of the pandemic in 2-3 weeks.

Detroits Big Three automakers -- Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler -- and Tesla closed factories last week to slow the spread of COVID-19. Theyve since announced plans to reopen plants and shift from producing cars to ventilators, but its unclear how many or when.

Approximately 12 hours ago, President Trump said he didnt believe New York really needed so many ventilators.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be, Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News Thursday night. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Trump did not elaborate on the basis for his feeling" or provide any data.

The U.S. has more than 86,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Friday, now more than any other country. New York has become Americas epicenter with nearly half of all COVID-19 cases, especially straining the hospital system in New York City.

Cuomo said Wednesday that New York had 4,000 ventilators when the crisis began and has since bought another 7,000. Hes asked Trump to use the Defense Production Act to order more companies to produce ventilators, and expressed frustration earlier in the week when the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent 400 despite needing 26,000.

FEMA says, were sending 400 ventilators. Really? What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000? Cuomo said Tuesday. You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.

The Trump administration has since pledged to send 4,000 ventilators to New York.

In another tweet Friday, the president claimed there were thousand of Federal Government (delivered) Ventilators found in New York storage. N.Y. must distribute NOW! He did not elaborate.

Several lawmakers responded to Trump on Twitter Friday.

General Motors sold Lordstown. If the President cared about its former workers, he would know that," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) wrote. "Instead of throwing a tantrum on Twitter, why dont you just invoke the DPA?

Glad you reversed yourself & now realize the US is short on ventilators, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) tweeted. Also, you can do more than just tweet in all caps about GM Lordstown & Ford. You can ensure this happens by activating the Defense Production Act. Lives are at stake.

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!! @GeneralMotors @Ford  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Invoke P means Defense Production Act!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020
The Taoiseach has offered a stark warning that the next government will only suffer "disappointment and defeat".

As his party eyes further talks with Fianna Fail next week to form a government, the two will need further support from a number of others to garner the 80 seats needed for a majority.

Leo Varadkar has told any party considering going into government that it won't be easy, will take immense effort, under "constant criticism, disappointment and defeat", trying to get the country back on track after the Coronavirus pandemic.

" One thing I'm absolutely sure of, is any government that's formed, needs to have a functioning majority in the Dail, the kind of decisions that are going to be taken in the next couple of months, and in the next couple of years, to get the country going again, aren't going to be easy," he said.

"They're not going to be popular.

"We're not going to be offering people incentives, or concessions all we're offering people who are willing to come join the government is endless effort, constant criticism, disappointment and defeat."

The Taoiseach has arrived at Total Produce in Swords to discuss supply chains in Irish supermarkets. (Its obviously casual Friday rules and Im feeling much better about wearing trainers because Varadkar is too) pic.twitter.com/s5DQ6Chu8s  aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) March 27, 2020

During the week the Green Party ruled itself out of any further government formation talks, instead concentrating on their proposal of a "unity government", with all parties represented in a national government style, to steer the country through the current pandemic.

This leaves only the Social Democrats and Labour Party as well as a independent TDs as both parties are against involving Sinn Fein, who garnered the largest vote in the last election.

Leo Varadkar has not ruled out the Green Party however, and says the door remains open.

"My party is willing to talk to the Labour Party, the Green Party, Social Democrats and independents about participation in government," he said.

"I need to be very frank with people, the two parties together didn't win enough seats in the election form of government.

"So we will need a third party, as well as some independents as well to come on board, and so far that hasn't been possible."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says his thoughts are with the families of the ten people who died in Ireland and that he wishes Boris Johnson well, and wont be getting into criticism of other countries responses to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/xtLw2qZ40D  aoife moore. (@aoifegracemoore) March 27, 2020

There are conflicting legal opinions on whether or not the Seanad can approve any new legislation beyond midnight on Sunday, without the 11 Taoiseach's nominees being appointed to the house, which would normally be carried out after the Seanad election on Monday.

The government is confident that they have all the legislation that they need passed by that time.

"As things stand any legislation we need we believe we'll have through by the weekend," Mr Varadkar added.

"But of course it is a possibility that at some stage over the next few weeks we may find we need additional legislation, and at the very least that legislation would be open to challenge"
It has been a week since Tran Diem My, a student of Hanoi Medical University, began volunteering.

A medical student helps a healthcare worker.

She is supporting the National Steering Committee to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

My is getting used to her job investigating airline passengers entering Viet Nam who may have been exposed to coronavirus.

Her tasks include making phone calls and contacting with passengers who travelled on certain flights, creating a database and classifying passengers so the national steering committee can identify risks.

It may sound simple, ringing passengers and jotting down a few notes, but the workload is so huge theres little time for chit chat.

We work from 6.30am to between 2 and 3am the following morning, My said, adding that speed is essential, and they must contact potential carriers as soon as possible.

Our work has been more stressful in the last few days as more and more people return to Viet Nam due to complicated developments of COVID-19 in other countries.

Working at the office of Health Ministry is near her house but My said she spends little time at home.

Instead, she and her colleagues stay at the office so they can work around the clock if required.

My said as soon as the first COVID-19 infection cases were detected in Viet Nam, medical students like her started researching the disease.

Loaded with information, they also take in as many training courses offered by their universities, Ha Nois Centre for Diseases Control and the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

Until now, all students in my class volunteered joining COVID-19 prevention and control, My said, adding they were are confident in their abilities, because they are trained and equipped with the necessary knowledge.

Nguyen Cong Minh, a fourth-year student of the Public Health University is working in Xuan Tao Ward, Bac Tu Liem District to investigate and detect suspected infections.

The team is also instructing local people to properly implement quarantine and isolation.

As soon as two COVID-19 infections were announced in the district, we worked harder with intensive preventive actions, Minh said.

In the last few days, we are busy reviewing local households, searching for suspected cases and for those who have close contact with patients as well as making plans for disinfecting the neighbourhood, he said.

Things are made easier as most people are very constructive and co-operative in carrying disease prevention and control. They aware of the need to protect their health and obtain consultations from healthcare workers, Minh said.

Head of Youth Union in Ha Noi Medical University, o Nam Khanh said My was one of 124 students joining disease prevention and control activities of the Health Ministry and Ha Nois Health Department.

All of the volunteering students are studying Preventive Medicines or Public Health.

A group of 27 students is supporting National Steering Committees investigations department while 48 students are helping Ha Nois Centre for Diseases Control in the epidemic investigation at Noi Bai Airport, quarantine areas.

They help take samples for tests as well as processing data.

The other 50 are working at the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in both direct and indirect work relating to disease prevention and control.

We get good feedback about the students performance. They work with high responsibilities and very effectively, Khanh said.

Vice-principal of Public Health University Nguyen Thanh Ha said responding to requests from the National Steering Committee, more than 200 students signed up to help.

When Bac Tu Liem District authority called out for support, within half a day, 252 students of the university registered to volunteer.

Students not only contribute to the community but also get chances to practise what they learn, Ha said. We can do it.

Responding to the call from the Health Ministry, healthcare workers, medical teachers and students nationwide are ready to join the fight against COVID-19.

They are asked to sharpen their skills to effectively prevent and control the disease, look after patients, conduct tests and detect infections as well as carry out preventive measures in the community.

Thousands of medical students nationwide have registered to help reduce the burden and pressure for their seniors.

Professor and Dr Ta Thanh Van, Principal of Ha Noi Medical University said during the crisis, medical students kept studying at school and work.

The medical students join the fight as a way to contribute to the community, Van said, adding that medical staff was on the frontline battling the disease and medical students were the future soldiers with no fears for their own safety.

If we fear, we wont allow our students to take that voluntary work. We always place the students safety as a top priority, Van said.

Khanh from the universitys Youth Union said medical students had the advantages of youth, skills and knowledge so they confidently join the fight.

First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Le Quoc Phong said March 26 marked the 89th anniversary of the union and March was usually chosen as Youth Month which was featured with dozens of activities by young people nationwide contributing to the community.

Youth Month this year is special as young people nationwide have been working with the whole country in the fight against COVID-19, Phong said.

Following previous generations, Vietnamese young people still act with the same slogan Ready to go anywhere and do anything when the country needs.  VNS

HCM City strives to keep number of COVID-19 cases within 300 Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked relevant agencies to further strengthen COVID-19 prevention and control measures so that the number of cases in the city is contained within 300.
The Mount Hood National Forest has joined other agencies by closing all recreation areas to the public amid the coronavirus outbreak in the Pacific Northwest.

The U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday that all developed recreation sites on and around Mount Hood are now temporarily closed, abiding by Oregon Gov. Kate Browns order banning all nonessential travel.

Closures will affect all trailheads, sno-parks, day-use areas, campgrounds, fire lookouts and cabins within the national forest. The forest service will issue refunds to anyone who previously held reservations.

The Mount Hood National Forest released the news simultaneously with an announcement by the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest in Washington, both of which also issued wide-ranging closures of recreation areas in response to the spreading coronavirus.

As we work through an unpredictable and rapidly changing situation, health and safety is our number one priority, forest officials said in a news release. The Mt. Hood National Forest continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and evaluate potential impacts to the forest.

The closures will last at least through May 8, officials said, and will be re-evaluated as that date approaches.

Thursdays closures are the latest in public agencies efforts to limit access to Oregons parks, trails and recreational areas as crowds flocked to natural spaces despite warnings from officials. Last weekend, coastal residents were outraged by spring break travelers crowding state parks and beaches. On Monday, Gov. Brown issued orders to close all campgrounds and playgrounds.

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
UTICA, N.Y.  Businesses in the Mohawk Valley have joined together to support local restaurants through the Take Out the Virus campaign.

Bank of Utica, Casa Imports, Gilroy, Kernan & Gilroy, Indium Corporation, McCraith Beverage, ParTech and Strategic Financial Services will now reimburse employees when they purchase takeout from area eateries.

Megan McGrogan of the Utica Chamber of Commerce says employers should have a set amount they are willing to reimburse.

"You have to decide what amount are you willing to reimburse your employees at? Is it $10? $20? $50? So, that's all on a business to decide. Once you make a decision, you can log on and make the pledge. And what will happen is we will include your logo on our website to recognize you as a business that's doing this," said McGrogan.

Residents are also invited to participate in the campaign.

We recognize this is a tough time for a lot of businesses as well, and not everyone is in the position to help. So, we came up with a way for consumers to participate too. Everyone is welcome to visit our website and take the pledge, whether youre a business or an individual community member, she added.

Anyone interested in making the pledge to support local restaurants by participating in the campaign can sign up at: greateruticachamber.org.
LONDON, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Valaris plc (NYSE: VAL) ("Valaris" or the "Company") announced today that the Company continues actively working to recover or replace the blowout preventer (BOP) stack on VALARIS DS-8 following a non-drilling incident earlier this month. On March 19, 2020, the Company received a termination notice for the drilling contract for VALARIS DS-8. The Company is in discussions with the customer regarding the notice. The drilling contract represents approximately $150 million of the Company's contracted revenue backlog of $2.5 billion as of December 31, 2019. The operating day rate for VALARIS DS-8 is approximately $620,000 per day. The Company has loss of hire insurance for $602,500 per day after the expiration of a 45-day deductible waiting period through the end of the contract in November 2020. If the contract is terminated, the Company will seek to recover losses incurred in accordance with the terms of this insurance policy, which would largely offset the lost backlog noted above. There can be no assurance as to the timing or amount of insurance proceeds paid to the Company.

The Company has received a notice of contract termination from a customer for VALARIS JU-109, which was scheduled to operate offshore Angola until July 2021. As a result of this termination, the rig's contract is now expected to end in mid-April 2020 and contracted revenue backlog will be reduced by approximately $50 million. The Company expects to receive additional notices of contract terminations and requests to renegotiate contract day rates and terms in light of increased market uncertainty.

Since the beginning of March, VALARIS JU-87 was awarded a one-well contract with Cox in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico that commenced in mid-March, with an estimated duration of 30 days that added approximately $1 million of contracted revenue backlog. Additionally, a previously announced contract for VALARIS DS-4 with Amni offshore Ghana has been transferred to VALARIS DS-7 and is expected to commence in April 2020, and the previously announced contract for VALARIS JU-144 (EXL II) with ENI offshore Mexico has been transferred to VALARIS JU-102 and is expected to commence in September 2020.

For the period between the Company's fleet status report that was filed on February 13, 2020 and the beginning of March, the Company executed the following new contracts and contract extensions with associated revenue backlog of approximately $100 million:

VALARIS MS-1 awarded a three-well contract with Santos offshore Australia that is expected to commence in first quarter 2021, with an estimated duration of 155 days.

VALARIS 8505 awarded a one-well contract with Lukoil Upstream Mexico that is expected to commence in mid-November, with an estimated duration of 80 days.

VALARIS JU-118 ( Joe Douglas ) awarded a three-well contract with Fieldwood offshore Mexico that commenced in mid-March, with an estimated duration of 425 days.

VALARIS JU-144 (EXL II) awarded a two-well contract with Fieldwood offshore Mexico that is expected to commence in April, with an estimated duration of 200 days.

In addition, the Company is withdrawing its first quarter and full year 2020 financial guidance that was provided on its February 21, 2020 conference call.

About Valaris plc

Valaris plc (NYSE: VAL) is the industry leader in offshore drilling services across all water depths and geographies. Operating a high-quality rig fleet of ultra-deepwater drillships, versatile semisubmersibles and modern shallow-water jackups, Valaris has experience operating in nearly every major offshore basin. With an unwavering commitment to safety and operational excellence, and a focus on technology and innovation, Valaris was rated first in total customer satisfaction in the latest independent survey by EnergyPoint Research - the ninth consecutive year that the Company has earned this distinction. Valaris plc is an English limited company (England No. 7023598) with its corporate headquarters located at 110 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6EU. To learn more, visit our website at www.valaris.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "could," "may," "might," "should," "will" and similar words and specifically include statements involving expected financial performance; backlog; rig commitments and contracts; contract duration, status, terms and other contract commitments; contract cancellations; and general market, business and industry conditions, trends and outlook. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to vary materially from those indicated, including actions by regulatory authorities, rating agencies or other third parties; actions by our security holders; costs and difficulties related to the integration of Ensco and Rowan and the related impact on our financial results and performance; our ability to repay debt and the timing thereof; availability and terms of any financing; commodity price fluctuations, customer demand, new rig supply, downtime and other risks associated with offshore rig operations, relocations, severe weather or hurricanes; changes in worldwide rig supply and demand, competition and technology; future levels of offshore drilling activity; governmental action, civil unrest and political and economic uncertainties; terrorism, piracy and military action; risks inherent to shipyard rig construction, repair, maintenance or enhancement; possible cancellation, suspension or termination of drilling contracts as a result of mechanical difficulties, performance, customer finances, the decline or the perceived risk of a further decline in oil and/or natural gas prices, or other reasons, including terminations for convenience (without cause); our ability to enter into, and the terms of, future drilling contracts; any failure to execute definitive contracts following announcements of letters of intent, letters of award or other expected work commitments; the outcome of litigation, legal proceedings, investigations or other claims or contract disputes; governmental regulatory, legislative and permitting requirements affecting drilling operations; our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel on commercially reasonable terms; environmental or other liabilities, risks or losses; debt restrictions that may limit our liquidity and flexibility; and cybersecurity risks and threats. In addition to the numerous factors described above, you should also carefully read and consider "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I and "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II of our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as updated in our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or on the Investor Relations section of our website at www.valaris.com. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Investor & Media Contacts

Nick Georgas

Vice President  Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

+1-713-430-4607

SOURCE Valaris plc

Related Links

http://www.valaris.com/


Although the industry always records a strong growth in March, this year the growth is stronger compared to average 10 per cent growth logged in previous years



The demand for life and health insurance policies has seen a huge spurt over the last 20-30 days as the number of coronavirus positive cases started growing. Online distribution portal Policybazaar says health insurance has seen a jump of 35-40 per cent on its platform, while life insurance registered a 20 per cent growth during this period.

Although the industry always records a strong growth in March as people rush to buy policies before the end of financial year, this year the growth is stronger compared to average 10 per cent growth logged in previous years in both the categories, says Policybazaar.

Digital insurance player Digit Insurance saw a 50 per cent increase in average policies sold a day in March over January for its comprehensive health insurance policies. The company received a robust response for its coronavirus-specific insurance product as well that it launched in the first week of March. Since the product was launched under Sandbox regulations, the company has rolled it back after they hit the IRDA-specified upper limit. "In less than a month we clocked a total premium of over Rs 39 lakh which was nearing the limit of Rs 50 lakh that the regulator had fixed, hence we had to stop the product," says Vivek Chaturvedi. Head of Marketing and Direct (online) sales at Digit Insurance.

Digital players aside, the trend is opposite for traditional insurers, who sell their products primarily via insurance agents. Dr S. Prakash, managing director, Star Health and Allied Insurance, says the insurer has seen a drop of 50 per cent in March in the number of policies sold compared to last year due to the lockdown. "There has been a gradual decline in policies sold from the first week of March to the fourth week as sales managers and insurance agents are unable to meet customers. However, we recorded 32 per cent growth in February compared to 25 per cent industry growth as people were inclined to buy policies thanks to awareness around coronavirus."

Digital onboarding - the way forward

Although, on an average only 10-20 per cent business comes digitally for traditional players, they have realised the need to push it forward. Insurers such as HDFC Ergo Health Insurance, Religare, Max Bupa, HDFC life, Max Life and Tata AIA are working with Policybazaar to ramp up the tele-medical services.

"Health and term life insurance now can be bought through Policybazaar without physical medical check-up to ease the burden on medical centers. The customer can now get a term plan of sum assured of up to Rs 2 crore and health cover of Rs 1 crore with a medical check on phone," says Santosh Agarwal. Chief Business Officer- Life Insurance at Policybazaar.

The distributor along with the insurers are looking to deploy an increased volume of physicians and health professionals to consult with patients and assess their health condition over a call making the need of visiting physical centers during the COVID-19 outbreak redundant.

"In the current situation, it is difficult to get the pre-medical tests done for buying the insurance cover. In light of the above, we have started tele underwriting of the cases which fall under the category of medical tests and taking decision case to case. Generally, the cases which fall under this category are less than 15%," says Pankaj Arora, MD and CEO, Raheja QBE General Insurance.

Max Bupa says its call centres are remotely operational to help customers and a team of doctors is working 24X7 to underwrite new policies.

Meanwhile, Star Health has expanded its digital operations to on-board customers 100 per cent digitally. "Insurance products are complex in design, so difficult for people to understand. We make sure that someone goes in person to meet customers and explain product features. On the online platform, they will have to make sense of the policy by themselves. This is why we never attempted for 100 per cent digital on-boarding process. The current situation is forcing us to go through a painful but a positive reform," says Prakash.

While online on-boarding may involve low-cost and convenience, divulging any inaccurate information may catch you by surprise when you settle a claim. So, if you intend to buy a new policy, make sure that you disclose all accurate information during tele-medical process. "If the customer disclosure is incorrect and it gets proven during the investigation then the Insurance company holds every right to completely decline the claim," cautions Agarwal of Policybazaar.

Initiatives around Covid-19

Insurers are doing their best to ensure seamless services and support their policholders. Max Bupa says it is encouraging its customers to use digital assets for any assistance regarding policy renewal, claims settlement and other necessary information. "Our chatbot Cia is helping customers to renew policies, generate claim status, send policy packs and tax receipts. Cia also has the capability to address basic queries around covid-19 coverage," says Ashish Mehrotra, MD & CEO, Max Bupa Health Insurance.

The company is soon going to start Home Health programs for its customers. Some of its plans like GoActive already have telemedicine and psychological counselling available. "It is quite relevant at a time when there is a nationwide lockdown."

Star Health has launched 'Star Novel Coronavirus Insurance Policy', a benefit policy to cover all those who test positive for the COVID-19 and require hospitalisation. The policy doesn't exclude customers with international travel history.

Note that IRDA has notified all insurers to cover Covid-19 for existing policies. Star Health has in fact approved a claim on coronavirus. "We received a claim from Pune last week. The person was admitted in the hospital for respiratory infection and was diagnosed with coronavirus. We have approved the claim, and the person is still hospitalised," says Prakash.

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Karnataka cabinet practices social distancing

Also Read: Coronavirus India News Live Updates: 'You're a fighter,' PM Modi says in tweet to Boris Johnson
42.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trump is threatening to take away licenses from television stations if they air an ad that is critical of his response to the coronavirus.

Via Bloomberg:



The Trump re-election campaign told TV stations they could lose their operating licenses for airing an ad criticizing the presidents actions in the coronavirus crisis  a challenge that may be more bluster than actual threat.

..

Failure to remove the ad could put your stations license in jeopardy before the Federal Communications Commission, the campaign said in the letter. Your station has an obligation to cease and desist from airing it immediately to comply with FCC licensing requirements.

There are a couple of huge problems with the Trump campaigns threat. First, the President doesnt have the power to take licenses away from television stations. Second, the ad is free speech. It is criticism of the government that is protected by the Constitution. If Trump tried to take a license away from a broadcaster for airing the ad, the issue would go to court, Trump would lose.

It is not surprising that after years of attacks on the free press, the Trump campaign would threaten the license of any station that airs criticism of him. However, the campaigns over the top reaction reveals that they are sensitive to the criticism of Trumps response, and it is up to the critics of this administration to loudly and repeatedly tell the truth about how Trump made America the world leader in coronavirus.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, An Air India special flight carrying 314 Israelis back to their country landed safely here on Thursday evening with many passengers carrying Indian and Israeli flags while deplaning.

The Israeli embassy had put up a request with the Ministry of External Affairs, which, in turn, asked Air India to operate such a flight.

The national carrier had earlier organised rescue flights for Indians stuck in China, Italy, Iran and Madrid.

According to a senior official of the airline, the Boeing 777 aircraft had departed from Delhi around 4 pm.

Israel's Ambassador in New Delhi, Ron Malka, came to the airport to see off the passengers and thanked Air India for the selfless service.

"I thank and appreciate the @airindiain flight staff who are responsibly and selflessly ensuring that Israelis get home safe. Dhanyavad from the bottom of our (heart in emoji)", Malka tweeted before the flight took off from India.

Air India's country manager in Tel Aviv, Pankaj Tiwari, praised the entire team of "Ground Staff, Engineering personnel, Catering Staff and the Crew of the flight who in such difficult circumstances rose to the occasion keeping aside their personal interests to make this flight a reality".

"Whenever such call of service is made, Air India will always be in the forefront and do their best to safely unite the passengers to their families", Tiwari told PTI.

India is on lockdown from March 25 to April 15 to curb the spread of the virus. Consequently, domestic and international flights have been suspended too. However, cargo flights, special flights conducted with the approval of aviation regulator DGCA, offshore helicopter operations and medical evacuation flight operations have been exempted from the flight ban imposed in India.

Air India used a Boeing 777 jet instead of the regular dreamliner that operates on this route, in view of more than 300 passengers. The jet went back empty without any passengers as it had come on a "rescue" mission.

Israel's national carrier, El Al, had earlier organised two flights from Mumbai to bring back several hundred Israelis.

There was a festive spirit among returning passengers both at the airport in Delhi while boarding and at the Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv after deplaning.

Israel is under total lockdown with people not allowed to even walk beyond 100 metres from their homes and have been generally advised to go out only to stock up food.

The returning passengers went through check ups at the airport and would be in self quarantine or special supervision depending on their condition.

The number of people infected by Coronavirus in Israel went up to 2666, with 8 casualties so far, official sources said. PTI HM CK
[March 26, 2020] Huawei Unveils Servers with Intel Cascade Lake Refresh Processors

SHENZHEN, China, March 26, 2020 /CNW/ -- Intel has launched the Cascade Lake Refresh processor, a new member of the Cascade Lake processor family, which delivers a performance that is 36% higher than its predecessors. As an indication of the closeness between Huawei and Intel, Huawei adapted its FusionServer Pro series servers to the Cascade Lake Refresh processor in February. Huawei has so far completed the adaptation tests and launched a wide range of mainstream products, including rack servers 1288H V5, 2288H V5, 2298 V5, and 5288 V5, high-density server X6000 V5, and blade server E9000. FusionServer Pro 1288H V5 and 2288H V5 are typical Huawei universal rack servers and both feature robust performance, flexible configuration, intelligent energy saving, and intelligent management. FusionServer Pro 2288H V5 is a 2U 2-socket rack server applicable to multiple scenarios, including cloud computing virtualization, database, and big data. It is configurable with 24 DDR4 DIMM slots and 10 PCIe expansion slots, and supports 28 NVMe SSDs, 20 3.5-inch drives, or 31 2.5-inch drives for local storage. Additionally, it integrates proprietary technologies, such as the Dynamic Energy Management Technology (DEMT) and Fault Diagnosis & Management (FDM), to reduce operating expenses (OPEX) and increase returns on investment (ROI).



FusionServer Pro 2298 V5 is a 2U 2-socket storage rack server that adopts a hybrid storage architecture for tiered data storage. It supports 24 3.5-inch drives and 4 NVMe SSDs, meeting requirements such as the tiered deployment of hot, warm, and cold data, and historical data archiving. Due to its efficient design, 2298 V5 can unleash ultimate computing performance with flexible expansion and ultra-large local storage at a lower data storage cost.

As a global strategic partner of Intel, Huawei has been adhering to a customer-centric approach and making unswerving commitments to the digital transformation of enterprises for the success of customers. A more intelligent data center is the key to fulfilling this commitment. Huawei is collaborating with Intel to provide high-performance, energy-efficient, secure, and reliable products and solutions. About Huawei Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains  telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services  we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. Huawei's end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes. At Huawei, innovation focuses on customer needs. We invest heavily in basic research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have more than 194,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company wholly owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei

http://www.twitter.com/Huawei

http://www.facebook.com/Huawei

http://www.youtube.com/Huawei View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-unveils-servers-with-intel-cascade-lake-refresh-processors-301030749.html SOURCE Huawei

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-26 02:33:13|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

A woman wearing mask walks past closed shops in Kampala, Uganda, March 26, 2020. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday announced a 14-day suspension of public transport as one of the measures aimed at stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the east African country. (Xinhua/Nicholas Kajoba)

KAMPALA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday announced a 14-day suspension of public transport as one of the measures aimed at stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the east African country.

Museveni in a televised address said all commuter taxis, buses, passenger trains and motorcycles commonly known as boda bodas are not allowed to move.

He said private vehicles are allowed to move provided they do not carry more than three people including the driver.

"Therefore even a private vehicle packed with family members is not allowed. That is why all those family functions should be postponed. Let us first get out of this danger," said Museveni.

He said cargo vehicles, ambulances and those of security services are allowed to move.

Museveni also banned crowding in markets, noting that markets should only be allowed to sell food.

"For now, we wouldn't like to close the markets but to carry out some changes. The markets should only be for selling food stuff. Therefore trading in markets for non-food stuff like clothes, mobile phones, and necklaces is from now onwards suspended. This will reduce numbers for social distancing," said Museveni.

The president also said government offices should work out a plan where essential staff can remain working. He said this can be on rotation basis.

He said there are several hubs across the country where samples can be taken before they are transported to the main laboratory, Uganda Virus Institute in Entebbe, 40 km south of the capital Kampala. He directed that districts in remote areas must be able to provide vehicles to the surveillance teams that will be collecting samples.

He said all the measures have been taken to reduce crowding of people as one of the critical measures in limiting the spread of COVID-19.

The president said the country currently has 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Five cases were confirmed on Wednesday, including two Chinese nationals.

He said out of the initial nine patients, eight are recovering and are in a stable condition.

Uganda already instituted a series of stringent measures aimed at containing the spread of the disease including the closure of its borders to incoming or outgoing international travelers.

The country has banned all public gatherings and closed schools, centers of worship.

Security agencies have also started arresting people who do not follow the guidelines set by the ministry of health.
MUSKEGON, MI  Police have confirmed that the body recovered from Lake Michigan in Ottawa County Thursday is that of a man who went missing in Muskegon last month.

Ramal Roby, 30, of Muskegon Heights went missing the evening of Feb. 26 after walking onto unstable ice at Muskegons Pere Marquette Park.

His body was recovered from Lake Michigan near Holland the afternoon of Thursday, March 16, said Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis.

Im just so thankful for the family that were able to get him back to them, Lewis told MLive.

Roby disappeared after venturing out onto ice along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Muskegon around 8 p.m. and failed to return. A companion called authorities who searched for two hours using a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

By the time searchers returned the following day, most of the ice had disappeared, allowing divers to enter the water to search.

Since then, there have been ongoing searches, including several dive missions and helicopter searches, Lewis said. A Michigan State Police helicopter conducted low-flying missions earlier this week, Lewis said.

We looked and looked for him, Lewis said.

Ottawa County deputies responded about 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 26, to the 100 block of Lakeshore Drive in Park Township after someone called police to report what appeared to be a body floating in the water near the shoreline.

Police were able to recover the body from the area near Tunnel Park.

Ice conditions were treacherous when Roby went missing, with multiple holes in the ice, floating ice floes and 10-foot drop-offs, Lewis said.

I just truly believe he did not understand how risky it was out there in those circumstances, Lewis said.

More on MLive:

Stay off the ice, officials warn after presumed Lake Michigan drowning

Poor conditions suspend search for man missing in Lake Michigan

Body found in Lake Michigan near Tunnel Park
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have permanently relocated to California amid the coronavirus pandemic, media reports said Friday. The royal couple flew by private jet from Canada to Los Angeles last week before the border between the two countries closed because of the deadly virus outbreak, The Sun reported. "Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good," a "royal insider" told the tabloid. "The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out." The border between the US and Canada -- the longest in the world -- closed last week in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as both countries see escalating numbers of cases. Harry and Meghan rocked the royal family with their January announcement that they will no longer represent the monarchy as they pursue a new, financially independent life. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will formally step back from royal duties on March 31. It had been thought they would base themselves in Canada, where they have spent time in recent months. But The Sun said the move to California "had been planned for some time" and that the couple had "realised Canada would not work out for various reasons". "They want to be based in the Los Angeles area," the source told the tabloid. Meghan grew up in the Californian city and her mother, Doria Ragland, still lives there. The one-time actress also has a network of friends and work contacts in Los Angeles, where she could now restart her career. Disney announced on Thursday that she will narrate a new film about a family of African elephants, set for release next Friday. Kensington Palace, the couple's official residence, did not respond to a request for comment about the reported US move. In Britain, the royal family has been showing solidarity with frontline health staff in the fight against the new coronavirus. Prince Charles, who has tested positive for the virus but is so far showing only mild symptoms, appeared for the first time since the Wednesday announcement of his diagnosis. The heir to Queen Elizabeth II joined Britons across the country showing their appreciation for state-run National Health Service (NHS) workers by publicly clapping simultaneously at 8pm (2000 GMT) on Thursday. Clarence House posted a video on Instagram showing the queen's eldest son applauding from the family's Balmoral estate in Scotland, where he is self-isolating. The children of his eldest son Prince William and wife Kate were also filmed clapping for Britain's army of health staff in another video posted to Instagram. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan rocked the royal family with their January announcement that they will no longer represent the monarchy as they pursue a financially independent life
Cruise ships foster an intense hookup culture.

Mikhail Starodubov/Shutterstock

Sex among cruise-ship workers is pervasive, current and former cruise-ship employees told Business Insider.

Some compared the hookup culture as being similar to, or even exceeding, that of a college dorm.

But the permissive sexual culture on cruise ships can also lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior.

Romantic relationships among employees develop and end much faster than on land, which, along with frequent turnover, can make long-term relationships difficult.

Do you work in the cruise industry? Do you have an opinion about how your company or the industry as a whole has handled the coronavirus? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com .

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Among the many distinctive features of a cruise ship job is the fact that you live with your co-workers. That can result in unusually close bonds among employees and an unusual amount of sex between them, current and former cruise-ship employees told Business Insider. Some requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal from their current or former employers.

"There's a lot of sex on cruise ships," said a former casino manager for Holland America Line.

Related Video: How the Navy's Hospital Ships Can Help With the Coronavirus

Some compared the hookup culture as being similar to, or even exceeding, that of a college dorm. And, like college, sexual activity is fueled by frequent alcohol consumption. Sex among employees is so pervasive that former Carnival Cruise Line waiter and art auctioneer Brian David Bruns said a co-worker was surprised when Bruns had not hooked up with one of his colleagues during his first night on a ship.

"What the hell, man?" the co-worker said, according to Bruns.

But the permissive sexual culture on cruise ships can also lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior. A former Royal Caribbean Cruises employee said one of her managers would make comments about her sexual orientation and criticize her for never changing her hairstyle.

Story continues

Royal Caribbean did not respond to a request for comment.

A former Carnival employee said at one point, she was dating a man whose contract was close to ending. Male co-workers would remind her of her boyfriend's imminent departure, and, as soon as he left, made advances under the guise of comforting her.

Do you work in the cruise industry? Do you have an opinion about how your company or the industry as a whole has handled the coronavirus? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

Relationships move faster than on land

Romantic relationships among employees develop and end much faster than on land, which, along with frequent turnover, can make long-term relationships difficult.

"One month on a ship is maybe like two years on land, because you spend so much time with these people," said Taylor Sokol, a former cruise director for Holland America.

But the close proximity between employees can make it difficult to maintain a healthy amount of space from a romantic partner, Sokol said.

"It's kind of hard to give someone their space when you live maybe 10 feet away from them."

Chad Stone, a former production manager for Seabourn Cruise Line, said the dating scene on cruise ships was part of the reason he stopped working on them. At one point, he got engaged to a co-worker, but ended the engagement a month later after he learned his fiancee had cheated on him during a break between contracts.

Long-term relationships are difficult

The cruise ship lifestyle also makes the prospect of raising children a challenge, as cruise ship workers sign contracts that keep them on board for months at a time. Nina Beader, a former youth staff employee for Carnival, said she decided to stop working on cruise ships in part because she wanted to one day have a family and feared that a cruise ship job would prevent her from spending enough time with her children.

"I did not want to end up being 40 and not having a family," she said.

A former Royal Caribbean employee who spent two decades working on cruise ships expressed ambivalence about the unusual nature of on-board romance. Before he left the company, he said he was considering ending his time on cruise ships in part because they aren't conducive to long-term relationships, though he added that he had noticed friends in conventional relationships who did not appear to be satisfied with them.

"I look at my friends all over the world that have relationships that would be considered normal, and I don't find a whole lot of them too happy," he said. "I'm still pretty happy with my single lifestyle and not having to answer to anybody. I'm okay with that for now."

Do you work on a cruise ship? Do you have an opinion about how your company or the industry as a whole has handled the coronavirus? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

Business Insider
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the National Bank Holdings (NYSE:NBHC) share price has dived 30% in the last thirty days. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 31% in that time.

All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

View our latest analysis for National Bank Holdings

Does National Bank Holdings Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

National Bank Holdings's P/E is 8.96. The image below shows that National Bank Holdings has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the banks industry average (9.0).

NYSE:NBHC Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

Its P/E ratio suggests that National Bank Holdings shareholders think that in the future it will perform about the same as other companies in its industry classification. If the company has better than average prospects, then the market might be underestimating it. Further research into factors such as insider buying and selling, could help you form your own view on whether that is likely.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

Story continues

Notably, National Bank Holdings grew EPS by a whopping 29% in the last year. And earnings per share have improved by 64% annually, over the last five years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio.

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

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

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

Is Debt Impacting National Bank Holdings's P/E?

Net debt totals 23% of National Bank Holdings's market cap. That's enough debt to impact the P/E ratio a little; so keep it in mind if you're comparing it to companies without debt.

The Verdict On National Bank Holdings's P/E Ratio

National Bank Holdings's P/E is 9.0 which is below average (13.4) in the US market. The EPS growth last year was strong, and debt levels are quite reasonable. If it continues to grow, then the current low P/E may prove to be unjustified. Given National Bank Holdings's P/E ratio has declined from 12.8 to 9.0 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. 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.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Christs Family Congregation  North Kaneshie, has donated food items and hand sanitizers to help individuals in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The items, which included rice, oil, and mackerel, among others, were presented to the poor and needy individuals, and members of the church as part of the churchs efforts towards curbing the spread of the virus in the country.

According to the District Minister and Minister In-Charge, Rev. Dr. Joseph Kofi Antwi, who was present together with the Associate Minister, Rev. Geoffrey Nana Yaw Bempong and Catechist Esther Akoto-Bamfo, at the presentation, over 300 people are being provided with food items and hand sanitizers with the aim of encouraging them to stay home.

In this time of COVID-19, we as a church believe it forms part of our social responsibility to support the elderly, poor and needy in society so that we can all stay healthy and safe, he said.

Rev. Dr. Kofi Antwi also added, the churchs role is not only to hold services and pray to God but also to assist members in times of need. It is our Godly duty.

He further urged Ghanaians to focus on sanitation, personal hygiene while observing social distancing and all safety and precautionary measures put out by the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Service.

The Church hopes that with its donation, it can reach out to many people and educate them on the need to restrict their movement and rather stay home to avoid contracting the disease.

Already Ghana has recorded 136 cases of COVID-19, three deaths and one recovery.

Covid-19 has infected over 549,298 persons worldwide, claiming 24,871 lives.

The threat has brought the world to a near standstill as several social activities have been forced to take a back seat as part of social distancing measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Every Tuesday, Alemondji market in northern Togo swarms with people. Amid the throng, Burkinabe and Ghanaian traders offer clothes and kitchen utensils for sale. Others, calling out their wares, come from the nearby towns of Lawagnon, Moreta and Issati. Their stalls overflow with peanuts, millet, sorghum, sesame, and beans.

"Just a few years ago, it was no easy matter to travel to this market. It was open for three days in succession, Tuesday to Thursday, and then again on Sunday, but we only came for one day, because our main route to travel to the market was so poor," said Robiro Kadokah, a millet seller.

Her taxi from Issati now crosses the Alemondji bridge at a good speed. Located 200 kilometres (km) north of the Togolese capital Lome, the bridge is a symbol of the opening-up of many of the region's agricultural communities.

"Before, when we travelled from Lawagnon, Moreta or Issati, we had to make a 50-kilometre detour before reaching the main road. Then, we could set off for Alemondji to go to the market. It all took two or three hours, and we were losing customers. Now, though, it only takes 10 or 15 minutes for us to get to the market place," the 50-year-old woman explained as she got out at the bus station.

Akilasso Magasso is a tax collector. He too has less to worry about than he used to. "We really were cut off from the rest of the world. Only a few motorcycles managed to make the journey along the muddy road to Alemondji. We have got our smiles back since this bridge was built," he said enthusiastically.

The 120-metre Alemondji bridge was built as part of the renovation of the roads on the CU9 corridor linking Lome, Cinkanse, and Ouagadougou. The $325 million-project was 70% financed by the African Development Fund, the concessional funding arm of the African Development Bank, and by the Fragile States Facility.

Work was carried out on 150 km of road in Togo and a further 153 km in Burkina Faso. On the Togolese side, the Atakpame-Blitta (102 km) and Blitta-Aouda (48 km) sections were renovated, 55 km of rural feeder roads were improved, and the Alemondji bridge was rebuilt.

Since the road rehabilitation, there has been an increase in traffic to and from Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali to 2 million tonnes of goods per year since 2016. Travel times between the Burkinabe capital of Ouagadougou and the port of Lome halved from six to three days between 2011 and 2016.

"All the conditions are right to make trouble-free journeys by both day and night. We are seeing many traders every week from neighbouring countries such as Ghana and Burkina Faso working at Alemondji market. This road and especially this bridge have revitalised our region," said Robiro Kadokah.

Besides the market, other important resources are more accessible, improving the quality of life for residents. For example, the Lawagnon Adult Training Institute for the Development of Fish Farming and the Order of Malta general hospital are all now reachable across the bridge.

"Patients are regularly sent to this hospital. They mostly come from the capital, Lome. Now that the bridge has been restored, it is saving lives," Magasso said.

"This infrastructure ensures a flow of agricultural production and improved access to markets for inputs and products. Not only that, it stimulates the economy and facilitates the region's integration into the national and international economies," said Georges Bohoussou, the African Development Bank's Country Manager in Togo.

Bohoussou said the CU9 road project had put an end to the isolation of the agricultural communities of Gbecon and Moretan and had improved the supply of drinking water for 15 neighbouring villages. To improve women's incomes, the project also renovated and extended the international market at Anie and the weekly market at Doufio in northern Togo.
Texas joined other US states Thursday in imposing quarantines on travelers from the New York area, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US.

The state also put similar restrictions on people arriving from nearby New Orleans as the number of cases there surged dramatically.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the moves as Texas surpassed 1,400 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and 18 related deaths.

Concerns over the virus also forced the Houston school district, the biggest in Texas, to indefinitely suspend meals for low-income families after a worker went into self-isolation over a possible exposure.

By requiring anyone arriving by plane from New Orleans and the New York area - including New Jersey and Connecticut - to quarantine for 14 days, Texas became the latest state to race to isolate travelers coming from places where the coronavirus crisis is most severe.

Governors in Florida and Maryland announced similar restrictions this week pertaining to New York.

New Orleans is also becoming a major center of COVID-19 worries, as the number of cases Thursday surpassed 2,300 and deaths climbed to 86.

Abbott said two members of the White House coronavirus task force advised the quarantines for travelers from those two areas: coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert.

Asked about the new Texas order, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said, I cant say that that is inappropriate.
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Number of people infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world has surpassed 550,000, according to the latest updates by coronavirus research centers.

Death cases are over 24,000.

128,701 patients have recovered.

Statistics

US overtakes China in terms of number of confirmed cases. Number of people infected with the novel coronavirus in the United States has reached 85,749. 1304 patients have died in from COVID-19.

China, where the outbreak started, has 81,340 confirmed cases. Death cases are 3,292.

Then comes Italy with a total of 80,589 confirmed cases. Italy is in the first place in the world with the largest death cases from coronavirus (8,215).

Italy is followed by Spain which confirmed 64,059 cases. 796 deaths were reported in one day, bringing the total number of death cases to 4,858.

Then comes Germany (47,373), followed by Iran (32,332), France (29,155), Switzerland (11,951), UK (11,658), South Korea (9,332).

Russia confirmed 1036 coronavirus cases, Turkey  3,629 and Georgia  81.

According to the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 195 countries and territories.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this, Johnson tweeted.

China ready to assist US in fighting COVID19

China is ready to support the United States in fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, RIA Novosti reports.

In current situation China and the US should unite and fight against the epidemic. Several Chinese companies provided a humanitarian aid to the US. The Chinese side understands the current difficulties facing the US side and is willing to assist, the Chinese President said.

Argentina closes borders to prevent spread of coronavirus

The government of Argentina made a decision to close the countrys borders to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), TASS news agency reports.

Apply the restriction on ports, airports, land borders, Argentinas residents and Argentineans living abroad. These restrictions will remain into force until March 31, the governments decree said.

The close borders do not relate to the external trade.

The first case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Argentina on March 3. According to the latest data, the number of confirmed cases has reached 589. 12 death cases have been reported so far. On March 20 Argentina declared a mandatory quarantine.

Life never stopped in Damascus during war years, today the city is empty

Like in many countries of the world, in Syria as well tough quarantine measures are being taken to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Only grocery stores and pharmacies operate. During the years of war the stores in Damascus didnt close, but today the country is empty due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Number of coronavirus cases in Syria is 5, no death case has been reported so far.

Germany will ban entry of refugees

The German federal interior minister signed a decree according to which the refugees have been included into the category of those foreigners who will not be able to enter into the country. Before the decree, the entry to Germany for refugees was free.





Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
BERKELEY (BCN)

A Berkeley firefighter has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and is recovering at home, city officials said Thursday.

The firefighter tested positive Wednesday, and the city's Public Health Division is working to reach out to anyone who may have been in contact, including the firefighter's colleagues.

"This news heightens the urgency for all of us to put social distancing into place," Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Brannigan said in a news release. "As Health Officers have ordered, everyone should stay home except for essential activities."

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
The Washington Post

Passover begins April 8, so here are five kosher wines suitable for the traditional Seder. Two delicious roses lead the way, along with a Bordeaux, a California cabernet and a South African bubbly.

With retail restrictions imposed by local governments due to the coronavirus pandemic, I recommend calling a store or checking its website to see if the store is open. Many are offering delivery or curbside pickup services.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 24,000 people around the world, including at least 1,288 people in the United States.

Worldwide, there are more than 531,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, spanning every continent except Antarctica, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. At least 122,000 people around the world have recovered.

With more than 85,500 diagnosed cases, the U.S has the highest national total, ahead of Italy and China.

Featured stories

Trump says he discussed crisis in great detail with Chinese president (ABC News)

A N.Y. nurse dies. Angry co-workers blame a lack of protective gear (New York Times)

It was the worst week for the economy in decades. The pain is just beginning (Washington Post)

House members race back to Washington amid fears the $2 trillion coronavirus bill could be delayed (NBC News)

Coronavirus outbreak diverts Navy aircraft carrier to Guam, all 5,000 aboard to be tested (NBC News)

National news

Trump tells governors he is setting new coronavirus social distancing guidelines (NBC News)

As Trump signals readiness to break with experts, his online base assails Fauci (Washington Post)

Americans divided on Trump coronavirus response as presidents approval rating climbs, polls find (USA Today)

Trumps faulty testing claims (FactCheck.org)

Why New Orleans is quickly becoming a coronavirus epicenter in the U.S. (NBC News)

Barr tells federal prisons to send inmates home in response to coronavirus outbreak (CBS News)

Judge orders release of 10 immigration detainees from N.J. jails (Politico)

Surging anti-Asian hate crimes being tracked during coronavirus pandemic: Things are getting very physical (CBS News)

Stimulus check: Calculate how much money you could get (USA Today)

World news

A sign telling people how to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by staying home sits on an the empty downtown street Thurdsay in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Jason Franson, The Canadian Press via AP)

Trudeau calls for keeping U.S.-Canada border demilitarized (The Hill)

Italys coronavirus death toll is more than double that of Chinas  this might be why (CNBC)

The Kremlin sends mixed messages on coronavirus as Russian cases spiral (CNN)

Coronavirus infections in Africa are rapidly rising. Its weak health systems may buckle (USA Today)

Coronavirus: South Africa reports first deaths as lockdown begins (BBC)

Benny Gantz elected Israeli speaker, signaling deal with Netanyahu (The Guardian)

Brazils governors press Bolsonaro for more coronavirus support (Reuters)
The Iranian military has set up a 2,000-bed hospital in an exhibition center in the capital to shore up the local health care system as it battles the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, state TV reported.

It said the new facility, which includes three units and several isolation wards, was set up in just 48 hours. It will be used for patients who are recovering from the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus.

State TV on Thursday quoted Gen. Ali Jahanshahi, the army's deputy coordinator, as saying the hospital has been handed over to medical staff and will begin receiving patients next week.

Most people infected by the virus only experience mild symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within a few weeks. But the virus can cause severe illness and death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems. It is highly contagious and can be spread by otherwise healthy people showing no visible symptoms.

Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region, with more than 2,200 deaths among nearly 30,000 confirmed cases. Authorities have urged people to stay home but have not imposed the sweeping lockdowns seen elsewhere in the region.

Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted they have the outbreak under control despite concerns it could overwhelm the country's health facilities.

Iran has been under severe U.S. sanctions since President Donald Trump withdrew his country from Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers. The U.S. has offered humanitarian aid to Iran but authorities have refused.

Earlier this week, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refused American aid and seized on a conspiracy theory that the United States created the virus, something for which there is no scientific evidence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Days ago, the U.S. Army sent out an unusual plea to its retired officers and enlisted soldiers: If you served in one of eight high-demand medical specialties, it said, you may be able to "re-join the team" in order to help the service fight the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need to hear from you STAT!" the message from the Army's head of personnel, Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, read.

The Army's retirees took that seriously.

"We reached out to more than 800,000 retired Soldiers to gauge their willingness to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic response," an Army spokesperson told Military.com Friday. To date, more than 14,000 retirees "representing various specialties" have contacted the service for more information, he said.

Related: Army Asks Retired Soldiers in Health Care Fields to Come Back for COVID-19 Fight

That comes out to a remarkable response rate of 1.75% -- and that figure may grow considerably. Between Thursday evening and Friday, the pool of respondents increased by 5,000.

Seamands' message said the Army was looking for retirees from the following specialties: critical care officer; anesthesiologist; nurse anesthetist; critical care nurse; nurse practitioner; ER nurse; respiratory specialist; and medic.

Army officials have declined to answer questions about how many medical positions they're looking to fill or what the timeline will be to get volunteers vetted, trained and situated.

"We've had some positive responses," Gen. James McConville, the chief of staff of the Army, said Thursday in response to a Military.com question. "What we're looking for is medical expertise."

Lt. Gen. Raymond Scott Dingle, the surgeon general of the Army, added that volunteers will be assessed for current medical certifications and credentials.

"Then once we do that, we will plug them into all of our medical treatment facilities as required in support of the mission," he said.

The Army does not often issue voluntary retiree recall requests, but there is a process established for retirees returning to active duty. According to the Army Human Resource Center, the average retiree recall tour is 365 days long, although they can stretch 730 days or more. Ultimately the length of recall is determined and agreed upon between the command and the soldier.

While retirees may be eligible for an increase in retirement pay if the recall tour lasts two years or more, they cannot be promoted in recall status.

Dingle said it takes about 330 soldiers to man each military field hospital, including the headquarters element and all staffing.

The Army has already issued deployment orders for the first three field hospitals, bound for New York City and Seattle -- two of the regions hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Those soldiers that are assigned to medical treatment facilities, what we call military medically assigned personnel, their primary mission is to support the force," Dingle said. "When they are called upon to deploy -- in this case here, to support the whole-of-government, our nation, those medical providers, we look at cross-leveling within the medical command. And then the volunteers that you're talking about is where we also will leverage, in addition to the Army reserves, to fill those holes from the medical treatment facilities so that we can maintain the readiness of our soldiers as well as to the beneficiary population."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Read More: Marines Told to Cut High-Intensity Workouts During Virus Outbreak
A murder investigation has been launched after a woman's body was found in the grounds of a Plaistow church.

Police were called after the body was discovered in the grounds of Memorial Community Church in Barking Road on Thursday at around 3pm.

Officers and London Ambulance Service paramedics found the victim, a woman in her early 40s, with multiple injuries.

She was declared dead at the scene, police said.

Officers are working to trace the her next of kin.

The body of the woman was discovered in the grounds of the Memorial Community Church in Barking Road, Plaistow. / Google maps

They believe the incident happened between 12.45am and 1.45pm on Thursday, March 26 and are appealing for any witnesses or people with information to come forward.

Detective Inspector Darren Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: We are working hard to establish the circumstances of what happened to the victim and at this stage we are keeping an open mind regarding a motive.

There is a dedicated team who are exploring every single avenue to track down the persons responsible.

Our thoughts are with the victim and her family.

North East Area Borough Commander Richard Tucker added that a team of specialist officers are working to find and arrest whoever is responsible for the "shocking incident."

"I am grateful for our local communiy's support and assistance during this time," he said.

A crime scene is in place as police conduct a detailed search in the surrounding area. Road closures are in place and no arrests have been made.
The coronavirus COVID-19 has had unprecedented debilitating impact around the world. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is no exception, and with the authorities taking measures to deal with the situation, THE VINCENTIAN took to the streets of Kingstown to find out how citizens are responding to the appeal to safeguard themselves, and how they felt about measures being taken generally.





Jemaine Charles - Sailor





I am glad that I am home. The journey to get here was hard but I did the necessary precaution mask, hand sanitizer, etc. Because my biggest fear was coming through airport. Getting off the ship was no problem, but the journey to get here was an issue for me, but once I got home, I did my 14 days quarantine and I am good.





As far as St. Vincent is concerned, I am a little bit skeptical because every airport I pass through theyre doing full screening. But when I got here, the lady had a small machine at the gate and she was not doing everybody, so that was a bit mind-boggling. She scanned the person in front of me, skipped me and the gentleman man behind me, and went to the next person.





I think SVG as a whole, the people are little more aware hygiene wise than the outside world, but preparation wise if there was to be a breakout, God forbid, I dont think we can handle it. So lets just hope we dont have a break out.





Desarie Pompey - Temporary worker





My concern as a single mother who is working and going to college, is that I have nobody to look after my child. I see a lot of people acting all crazy about the virus, but the most you can do is read and educate yourself.

I think we should have closed the borders.





Why do they want to wait until the virus reaches a certain stage before measures are put in place? That should have been done in the beginning. Even at the airport there is no real testing. Testing at the airport should be mandatory. The most I can do is continue my personal hygiene.





Juniel Alexander - Tour Guide/ Soca artist

I dont think we are doing enough. We should have closed borders because we dont know who are carrying this thing .





I am worried for my families because some of them are overseas and I am always on social media looking for update.





For me working as a Tour Guide, things are slow so I am hoping this thing is over with and they find a vaccine to deal with the virus.





I always have my hand sanitizer , always washing my hands and avoid hugging people, and I am staying at home





Tito Cartman Rogers - Cartman





My business is affected right now, like everybody start to get scared . People are keeping out of town. People use to come town and buy things to send down Grenadines, now the virus making people scared , down to me. well not really scared but anxious because you have to wonder what is going to happen down the road.





I have seen press releases from the Ministry of Health, but it seems like the government officials are ignoring the warning from that Ministry. Because the Prime Minister had an event in Union Island with more than 20 people present despite the Chief Medical Officer speaking about social distancing.





This thing is affecting my business, but if we have to shut down the country for a couple days, we have to shut it down because our health is our wealth. I rather to be broken today and healthy than next week am sick and wealthy.
LAPD reported a large decline in crime in March that experts say is tied to the city's coronavirus shutdown. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Crime in Los Angeles fell sharply in March as the city imposed strict new rules on residents and businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Violent offenses in the city dropped 14% and property crime declined 12% through March 25 compared with the same period last year, according to figures from the Los Angeles Police Department. The department had reported single-digit reductions before this month.

Homicides have dropped slightly so far this month from 15 to 12, department figures show. Robberies were down 22% along with an 11% decrease in aggravated assaults. Meanwhile, thefts fell 18% and burglaries were down 7%. The only categories to see increases were vehicle theft, up 10%, and rape, which ticked up 2% during that time.

The downward trend occurred as Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered nonessential businesses to shut down and told residents to stay home.

L.A. County imposed similar restrictions, and the Sheriff's Department also reported a drop-off in crime.

LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Arcos said criminal activity is declining as fewer people venture out of their homes to shop or visit bars and restaurants.

"Suspects for the most part are opportunists and they are looking at those locations, looking for that activity and looking for that victim," said Arcos, who heads the departments patrol operations. "When you remove those things from that equation, it's not surprising to start to see these types of decreases."

It's a unique moment for policing in L.A., he said. The only comparable times Arcos could recall were the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake and when thousands of military troops were sent to the city to quell violence and looting during the 1992 riots.

Its at the top of list for being unprecedented," said Arcos, a 32-year veteran with the department.

In areas patrolled by L.A. County deputies, violent offenses have dropped 10% and overall crime has fallen 6% so far this year compared with last year, according to Sheriff Alex Villanueva. The nation's largest sheriff's department had reported small declines before this month.

Story continues

But Villanueva said he worries that domestic abuse incidents may increase as the outbreak continues.

With so many people living in cramped, close quarters with nothing to do and nowhere to go  that will be a challenge, he said. We exhort everybody who is at home to reach out, use a phone, use a computer and find ways to interact with others and alleviate some of the tension and boredom that can set in.

Peter Moskos, criminology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, likened the current situation to how inclement weather typically leads to less criminal activity.

"If you are inside youre not going to get robbed on the street, its really that simple," Moskos said. "Everyone hunkered down at home is going to lower the crime rate."

Arrests by LAPD officers dropped 14% the first half of March compared with the same period last year, The Times reported last week.

Moskos said a decline in arrests will probably result in fewer recorded incidents because many crime statistics are compiled from arrest records. And officers may be more hesitant to make arrests because it requires close contact with a suspect, he said.

"Cops are worried about catching the bug and bringing it back home. They are trying to practice social distancing as much as everyone else. That changes policing because certainly arrests are a hands-on job," Moskos said.

So far, 15 LAPD officers have tested positive for the virus, including four members of the senior command staff, according to the department.

Arcos said officers are trained in how to deal with people who have communicable diseases and have personal protective equipment and testing available. Still, officers are rightfully concerned about their own safety and their loved ones', he said.

"I think that's something that weighs on them. What could happen to their families when they come home from work? Could they potentially have been exposed? Those are all realistic questions that they have to work through," Arcos said.

"It's in the back of their minds just like anyone else who is going through this and it is creating different degrees of anxiety."
The mass extinction at the end of the Permian Peri od 252 million years ago -- one of the great turnovers of life on Earth -- appears to have played out differently and at different times on land and in the sea, according to newly redated fossils beds from South Africa and Australia.

New ages for fossilized vertebrates that lived just after the demise of the fauna that dominated the late Permian show that the ecosystem changes began hundreds of thousands of years earlier on land than in the sea, eventually resulting in the demise of up to 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species. The later marine extinction, in which nearly 95% of ocean species disappeared, may have occurred over the time span of tens of thousands of years.

Though most scientists believe that a series of volcanic eruptions, occurring in large pulses over a period of a million years in what is now Siberia, were the primary cause of the end-Permian extinction, the lag between the land extinction in the Southern Hemisphere and the marine extinction in the Northern Hemisphere suggests different immediate causes.

"Most people thought that the terrestrial collapse started at the same time as the marine collapse, and that it happened at the same time in the Southern Hemisphere and in the Northern Hemisphere," said paleobotanist Cindy Looy, University of California, Berkeley, associate professor of integrative biology. "The fact that the big changes were not synchronous in the Northern and Southern hemispheres has a big effect on hypotheses for what caused the extinction. An extinction in the ocean does not, per se, have to have the same cause or mechanism as an extinction that happened on land."

Members of Looy's lab have conducted experiments on living plants to determine whether a collapse of Earth's protective ozone layer may have irradiated and wiped out plant species. Other global changes -- a warming climate, a rise in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and an increase in ocean acidification -- also occurred around the end of the Permian period and the beginning of the Triassic and likely contributed.

On land, the end-Permian extinction of vertebrates is best documented in Gondwana, the southern half of the supercontinent known as Pangea that eventually separated into the continents we know today as Antarctica, Africa, South America and Australia. There, in the South African Karoo Basin, populations of large herbivores, or plant eaters, shifted from the Daptocephalus assemblage to the Lystrosaurus assemblage. These groups are now extinct.

In the ocean, the extinction is best documented in the Northern Hemisphere, in particular by Chinese fossils. The end-Permian extinction is perhaps best associated with the demise of trilobites.

To improve on previous dates for the land extinction, an international team of scientists, including Looy, conducted uranium-lead dating of zircon crystals in a well-preserved volcanic ash deposit from the Karoo Basin. Looy, who is also a curator of paleobotany at the campus's Museum of Paleontology and curator of gymnosperms at the University and Jepson Herbaria, confirmed that sediments from several meters above the dated layer were devoid of Glossopteris pollen, evidence that these seed ferns, which used to dominate late Permian Gondwanan floras, became extinct around that time.

At 252.24 million years old, the zircons -- microscopic silicate crystals that form in rising magma inside volcanoes and are spewed into the atmosphere during eruptions -- are 300,000 years older than dates obtained for the confirmed Permian-Triassic (P-T) boundary in China. This means that the sediment layer assumed to contain the P-T boundary in South Africa was actually at least 300,000 years too old.

Dates for an ash deposit in Australia, just above the layers that document the initial plant extinction, similarly came in almost 400,000 years older than thought. That work was published in January by Christopher Fielding and colleagues at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

"The Karoo Basin is the poster child for the end-Permian vertebrate turnover, but until recently, it was not well-dated," Looy said. "Our new zircon date shows that the base of the Lystrosaurus zone predates the marine extinction with several hundred thousand years, similar to the pattern in Australia. This means that both the floral and faunal turnover in Gondwana is out of sync with the Northern Hemisphere marine biotic crisis.

"For some years now, we have known that -- in contrast to the marine mass extinction -- the pulses of disturbance of life on land continued deep into the Triassic Period. But that the start of the terrestrial turnover happened so long before the marine extinction was a surprise."

In their paper, Looy and an international team of colleagues concluded "that greater consideration should be given to a more gradual, complex, and nuanced transition of terrestrial ecosystems during the Changhsingian (the last part of the Permian) and, possibly, the early Triassic."

Looy and colleagues published their findings March 19 in the open access journal Nature Communications. Her co-authors are Robert Gastaldo of Colby College in Maine; Sandra Kamo of the University of Toronto in Ontario; Johann Neveling of the Council for Geosciences in Pretoria, South Africa; John Geissman of the University of Texas in Dallas and Anna Martini of Amherst College in Massachusetts. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

###
And Shedd staff since has been shepherding their flightless charges through other parts of the closed-to-the-public aquarium  as well as providing a great quantity of other glimpses into what aquarium animals are up to. Best way to see them all for yourself is to Google search the @Shedd_Aquarium twitter feed, scroll through and click on the videos, like this one:
Issy Powell woke up in the middle of the night and felt like her chest was burning.

She had fallen asleep watching Criminal Minds and woken up to a feeling she described as burning throw-up. She sat in her bed, waiting for it to stop. It didn't.

Issy, 12, told her mother about the feeling. Larissa Powell, 37, couldnt figure out what it was. Was she sick? Was it the novel coronavirus? Did Issy want attention? She nearly put the symptoms into WebMD. Instead, she got a thermometer that also reads heart rate.

When she put it on Issys finger, she found Issys heart rate had spiked to 170.

Coronavirus updates: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust

Her brother, panicked, wanted to take it again. Issy backed up. Dont touch me.

Everyone had questions. She was breathing heavily. Her vision blurred. She needed it to stop. She snarled to her mother: Back up.

Powell brought her daughter to Texas Childrens, a mask covering her face. They sat facing a bright-pink wall, with curlicue letters urging patients to GET WELL SOON. They were the only ones there.

The doctor gave the Powells a diagnosis: Anxiety, brought on by the coronavirus circumstances.

Its becoming a common diagnosis during the pandemic, with constant fear for loved ones and isolation and mourning life as it once was, both for people with preexisting mental health conditions and people who never experienced extreme anxiety or depression before.

On HoustonChronicle.com: What it's like living paycheck-to-paycheck in Houston during a coronavirus pandemic

It doesnt mean they never had symptoms before, said Elizabeth McIngvale, director of the McLean OCD Institute. But theyre at higher risk that itll be clinical when stress and anxiety are felt across the globe.

Like most of the world, Issy Powells life has upended in the last few weeks. Issy, who lives in the Elm Grove neighborhood of Kingwood, is out of school, keeping the worst part (homework) and losing the best (friends). Her dad is in Illinois, running a crew at a plant. He may need to self-quarantine when he comes back home (If he doesnt have to Im gonna make him.). And Larissa works 12 hours a day as a logistics manager. She showers immediately when she gets home.

Powell will be getting Issy a therapist. The night of Issys diagnosis, she called her husband, crying, when Issy was in bed and she could let her happy face drop.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Its too late for them: Houstons homeless on the streets left vulnerable to coronavirus

Issy is already fluent in her new language: She attributes that time she yelled at her mother to an anxiety spike and realizes that although she woke up in the middle of the night thinking about Criminal Minds, she was probably thinking about coronavirus.

There are new rules in the Powell household, namely, no more 24/7 news cycle. They do not ignore the pandemic  Issy sews masks for hospital workers  but it does not consume them.

One thing we discussed is were going to let the adults worry about this mess  

 I probably shouldnt be here during this conversation about my anxiety 

 and were going to continue to be safe.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Harris County is under a coronavirus stay-at-home order. The homeless have nowhere to go.

Larissa Powell goes out of her way to find the silly. She ordered two inflatable shark costumes and served as camerawoman and chauffeur while Issy and her brother donned the costumes and went on errands (The one-handed job of pumping gas is a two-finned task).

At H-E-B, the sharks bumped jaws and led the way through the meat aisle (mom stopped for provisions), past the cheeses and to the bakery. One shark posed with an employee in the fish section.

At the sliding door, as Larissa trailed with the cart, Issy and her brother went in for a hug  as close as they could get with their fins. The sharks bounded outside into a light rain, fins up in triumph, and turned around to wave.

sarah.smith@chron.com
T op London comedians are demanding the cancellation of this summers Edinburgh Fringe festival, which has not been called off despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Jordan Brookes, who won the main comedy award last year, said: Cancel the Edinburgh Fringe for the love of absolute God.

Fellow stand-up Ahir Shah, who appears on The Mash Report, wrote last night: Can Rishi Sunak unilaterally cancel the Edinburgh Fringe or do we need to get the Queen involved.

Comics have found ways to be funny about the dilemma. A fake Twitter account called Edinburgh Festival (cough) Fringe  Still Open! has been started, describing the event as an arts festival/corona Petri dish and using the hashtag #CovEdFringe. A choice joke includes: Many locked-down performers stepped outside tonight at 8pm to show their appreciation for the NHS... and to secretly imagine the sound of applause was for them.

Last week organisers said: We still dont know what the future holds... a Fringe will happen, a programme will happen, but it just might not look as it has before. Could this years be the first-ever digital Fringe?

--

Cometh the hour, cometh the Beard Liberation Front. The informal network of beard wearers offers up a six-step guide to growing a working-from-home beard as barbers close and men let it grow. First step? Do not shave and recycle all shaving equipment immediately. Careful  that kind of extremism may land them on a government list.

--

ITV News political editor Robert Peston tells The Londoner why he swore on live TV during a government press conference yesterday. The screen froze at the worst possible moment, when the Chancellor turned to ask me a question, he explains.

I let my frustration with a series of technological glitches get the better of me. The curse of tech.

--

Piping on in lockdown...

Lily James Instagram

Keeping up appearances, presenter Maya Jama posted a glam bathroom snap, while actor Lily James (above) was off to a (remote) personal fitness class.

Alastair Campbell Instagram

And New Labour comms chief Alastair Campbell joined in last nights celebration of NHS staff, cheering on family friend and nurse Sissy Bridge  who had just finished a double shift  by playing the bagpipes for her. Not sure all the neighbours were cheering.

--

SW1A

Rishi Sunaks announcement of financial support for the self-employed was broadcast live on Periscope. Viewers reacted by fluttering emoji hearts at him. Truly, bewildering times.

--
(Photo : Screenshot From Kitboga Official Youtube Channel) Kitboga Twitch Streamer Coronavirus Cure Scammers

The whole buzz around the world is revolving around the coronavirus (COVID-19). Due to its raging infamy, even scammers have decided to take advantage of the global pandemic. Kitoga is a popular Twitch streamer that preys on telemarketing scams live. In his latest edition, he decided to deal with a coronavirus cure scam!

Watch the video here.

How the call went down

Kitboga used a voice modulator to change his voice and pretended to be a female caller in a persona he called Barbara "Barbie" Kendal, who wants to place a large wholesale order for essential oils to be distributed to the Mayo Clinic located in Arizona.

Playing his persona "Barbie," he asked common questions of the product like, "how many people have been healed using product." He also asked the product can be kept at the countertop and can be poured into a hot bath right after a Bridge game. The telemarketer answered his questions without even correcting his terminology.

Read Also: [VIDEO] Mother Shows Son with Coronavirus; Infected Children Only Show Mild or No Symptoms, Doctor Says

The scammer's name was Anne, and he told her, "They should call you Saint Anne," in an evil voice.

Twitch Streamer Kitboga

The Twitch Streamer has a unique niche to his channel as he focuses on exposing telemarketing scams live as opposed to the regular gaming streams, which are quite popular these days. He often goes live on Twitch with an average of 7,000 viewers watching him troll mercilessly on the devious criminals. At the end of the prank, he revealed that he is not Barbie, Edna, or other personas he used.

These criminals are the type of people who try to trick people like old ladies by telling them that they owe the IRS a massive amount of money, prompting them to give up their MasterCard number.

The famous streamer has experienced a wide range of scammers-- from callers posing as an antivirus software salesperson trying to install ransomware into the computer to telemarketers ad nauseam explaining how to transfer bitcoins to India.

Read Also: [BREAKING] Coronavirus Cure Available Online is Fake! $14 Million Worth of Fake Cures Seized With121 Arrests, and 37 Organized Crime Groups Dismantled

For him, these people are the lowest kind. He got into this line of work right after a scammer took advantage of his poor grandmother, who is suffering from dementia. After that incident, he decided to do his part and give scammers a taste of their own medicine.

The growing surge of coronavirus scams

It was announced earlier this month by the Federal Trade Commission that coronavirus scams on the loose. FTC warned the public to watch out to these new robocalls that show advertisements of coronavirus treatments as well as at-home test kits.

There are currently no vaccines, pills, potions, lozenges, lotions, prescription, or over the counter products that are available to treat the growing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic according to the FTC. Digital marketplaces, just like Amazon, are doing their part in fighting the spread of false coronavirus cures, which may even potentially damage the user even more, but success has yet to be achieved.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New Delhi: The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is responsible for the terrorist attacks on the Gurudwara in Kabul on Wednesday, has released a photo of attackers stating that the assault on the Sikh temple was carried out by Abu Khalid al-Hindi.

Security agencies suspect that Abu Khalid-al-Hindi hails from Kasargod in Kerala, and he may be linked to the ISKP Kasaragod module. Investigative agencies suspect that Abu Khalid-al-Hindi would have joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba a few months ago.

"We suspect that Abu Khalid-al-Hindi is originally from Kasaragod in Kerala, who joined the Islamic State in 2015. We are trying to get details of those terrorists who have gone from Kerala to Syria and Afghanistan in the past, So that the true identity of Abu Khalid-al-Hindi can be found out," officer working with Central Security establishment told Zee News.

Officials tracking Kerala's ISIS module believe that the terrorist attack on Kabul's Gurudwara was carried out by the Haqqani Network with Lashkar-e-Taiba from Pakistan. Haqqani network has the capability to launch such an attack inside high-security zone of Kabul.

It is a deliberate attempt to throw dust in the eyes of the world that ISKP is behind the attack. Earlier, it was found that ISKP claimed the attacks where the Haqqani network was originally involved. Pakistan is reportedly promoting ISKP and other groups as a check on the Taliban.

"Taliban will deny so that they are projected as a responsible organisation in line with the US Taliban agreement. ISI will use the name of ISKP or unknown outfits to claim the responsibility," an officer working with a Central Security establishment told Zee News.

Investigative agencies suspect that Abu Khalid-al-Hindi joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba a few months before the attack on Kabul. This is part of the ISIs strategy to put forth that Indian Muslims are working against the Indian government. ISI is also brainwashing Indian Muslims under a well-planned conspiracy to attack the Indian security forces or Indian bases to convey the message that Muslims in India are against the Indian government.

On Wednesday, terrorists attacked the Gurudwara in the Shor Bazar area when 150 people were there killing at least 27 people. Terrorists wanted to target Indian diplomats visiting Gurudwara at the time of the attack, say reports.

Afghan security sources speaking to Afghan Media stated that the Haqqani Network, an ISI controlled group that is part of the Taliban, wanted to attack the Indian mission in Kabul but failed due to tight security. Since they were not able to attack the Indian mission, they attacked the Gurudwara instead.

"This attack is a clear message to India and a signal to curtail Indian influence in Afghanistan in the near future," said another officer.

After the attack, ISIL claimed to have killed and injured 150 people, according to the group's Amaq website.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid later tweeted to clarify that the Taliban were not involved.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27 2020

Bank Indonesia (BI) has continued to inject up to Rp 300 trillion (US$18.19 billion) into the financial markets and banks to help support the countrys crashing currency as foreign investors sell off Indonesian assets over COVID-19 fears.

BI Governor Perry Warjiyo said the central bank had bought back government bonds worth Rp 168.2 trillion this year, with bank repurchase agreements (repos) to provide another Rp 55 trillion. The central banks policy of lowering the reserve requirement ratio will also free up another Rp 75 trillion for banks to finance businesses, he added.

We are injecting liquidity to make sure the rupiah is able to meet banks needs and foreign exchange is adequate in the money market, Perry told reporters on Tuesday. The central bank will continue to intervene through the spot market, domestic non-deliverable forward and bonds if needed.

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
Two women allegedly brazenly stole six bottles of hand sanitiser from a hospital, police claimed, as health officials struggle under the weight of the coronavirus.

Police are now hunting for the two women, with CCTV images showing the accused leaving Tasmania's Mersey Community Hospital.

Hand sanitiser has become an essential commodity during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite scientists insisting washing hands is far more effective.

It is alleged the women stole the medical supplies at around 7pm on Wednesday from the Latrobe hospital.

Police want to speak to two women (pictured) who they believe stole several bottles of hand sanitiser from a Tasmanian hospital

Police alleged the women (pictured) stole the medical supplies on Wednesday at around 7pm

'A review of CCTV from the hospital shows two women exiting the hospital through the rear doors near Accident and Emergency with bottles of hand sanitiser,' Inspector Robert Gunton of Burnie CIB said.

'Its incredibly disappointing, especially during this time of emergency, that someone would steal sanitiser from a hospital and the people that provide vital medical services to our community.'

The women are described as being brown-haired, with one wearing a pink jumper and the other a grey jumper.

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the world, hand sanitiser, soap and even toilet paper have become essential items - with supermarket shelves left bare.

Panic buying has resulted in supermarkets left stripped of toilet paper, pasta, rice and frozen food, as well as tinned and other dried goods (pictured, a Melbourne supermarket on March 17)

It is has forced the major supermarkets to bring in buying restrictions on many goods.

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

Even Bunnings has put limits on how many cleaning products and face masks customers can purchase as panic buyers stock up on items.

Some shoppers have even become embroiled in ugly confrontations over limited stock, particularly toilet paper.

Bunnings managing director Michael Schneider told the Today Show that his customers have been predominantly stocking up on cleaning products and face masks.

He said there's also been a spike in sales of office supplies, as a growing number of people work from home.

'As the uncertainty continues we want to make sure we can reassure customers that if you come to Bunnings you can get the products you are looking for,' Mr Schneider said.

'And you can get the things done at home you need too.'
Police have identified 11 additonal victims of a Melbourne immigration agent accused of drugging, raping and filming women across the state over seven years.

Frank Hu, 34, who ran a string of migration and travel agencies under the name Lakenest Group, allegedly lured many of his victims to his CBD office under the pretense of a job interview.

He was initially charged with 13 counts of rape relating to one victim.

Victoria Police and the Australian Border Force raid the offices of Frank Hu.

But court documents released to The Age on Friday show Mr Hu, also known as Xiadong Frank Hu, is now facing 235 separate charges relating to 12 different victims. The crimes are alleged to have occurred between 2013 and 2019.
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society has offered medical and humanitarian supplies to Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The move was made in coordination with the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Two members of his family have been diagnosed positive

Mumbai: A senior doctor of Mumbai died of Covid-19 infection early Friday morning at the Hinduja Hospital less than two weeks after his grandson returned to the city from the United Kingdom.

Two members of the deceased doctors family have tested positive and were taken to the Kasturba Hospital.

According to sources, the grandson of the doctor showed mild symptoms of Covid-19 infection at the airport when he landed from the UK on March 12, but he successfully convinced the health officers that he would stay in quarantine for the next 14 days.

The 85-year-old doctor developed a cough four days ago. Tests at a private lab returned a positive and the doctor was admitted to Hinduja hospital. He succumbed on Friday. The patient had diabetes and also had had a pacemaker installed. He was ailing with cardiac ailments, the Maharashtra health department said in a statement.

Dr Daksha Shah, deputy director of the BMC health department, said she had no idea why the grandson was allowed to go by officials at the airport.

Dr Vernon Desa, director (medical governance and clinical compliance) at Saifee Hospital said, The deceased underwent a CT scan at Saifee Hospital and was diagnosed for Covid19. He was transferred to the special isolation facility at the P.D. Hinduja Hospital where he subsequently died. All containment and surveillance measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of our staff, patients, and visitors.
HDFC Life Insurance Company slumped 5.08% to Rs 453.20 after the media reported that promoter Standard Life will sell up to 5 crore shares or 2.5% equity stake in the company.

On BSE, over 5.4 crore shares were traded in the HDFC Life counter so far, a 158.03 times surge over two-week average daily volume of 3.42 lakh shares.

After opening at Rs 455, the scrip touched a high of Rs 483.90 and low of Rs 441 so far.

On a consolidated basis, the company reported 2.66% rise in net profit to Rs 251.09 crore on a 25.29% increase in total income to Rs 11768.90 crore in Q3 December 2019 over Q3 December 2018.

HDFC Life Insurance Company provides various individual and group insurance solutions across India.

As on 31 December 2019, Standard Life (Mauritius Holdings) 2006 held 14.73% stake while Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) held 51.45% stake in HDFC Life Insurance Company.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The reality is, the worldwide toll could have been checked within time if China had been more transparent and had warned countries regarding the new strain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-like infection, which originated at a 'wet market' in its province of Hubei late last year.

IMAGE: A staff member checks the temperature of a passenger entering a subway station, as the country is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Beijing, China. Photograph: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Almost 5,00,000 covid-19 positive cases and more than 23,000 deaths later, Beijing is now urging for an all-out global war against the pandemic that originated in its own courtyard, Wuhan, before sweeping the world, perishing men, women, children, old and derailing the economies.

However, the reality is -- the world-wide toll could have been checked within time if China had been more transparent and had warned countries regarding the new strain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-like infection, which originated at a 'wet market' in its province of Hubei late last year, as per a report published by American magazine National Review.

The coronavirus that jumps from an animal species to a human and has now become a deadly infection, was first identified in a patient, a resident of Wuhan in the Hubei province, on December 1, 2019.

Five days after the onset of illness, the already infected man's 53-year-old wife who had no known history of exposure to the market was also diagnosed with pneumonia, a common symptom of the contagious infection, and was hospitalised and placed in an isolation ward.

It wasn't until the second week of December that the doctors in Wuhan were able find new cases that further indicated the virus was spreading from one human to another.

On December 25, Chinese medical staff in two hospitals in Wuhan were suspected of contracting viral pneumonia and were quarantined. Later, hospitals in Wuhan witnessed an "exponential" increase in the number of cases in late December that cannot be linked back to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

Whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang warned a group of other doctors about a possible outbreak of an illness that resembled "severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)". He urged them to take protective measures against infection.

On December 31, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission declared that their investigation has not found "any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection."

China contacted the World Health Organization (WHO) three weeks after doctors first started noticing the cases.

At the beginning of January 2020, summons were issued to Li Wenliang by the Wuhan Public Security Bureau accusing the doctor of "spreading rumours."

On January 3, Dr Li signed a statement at a police station acknowledging his "misdemeanour" and promising not to commit further "unlawful acts." China's National Health Commission ordered institutions not to publish any information related to the unknown disease.

On the same day, the Hubei Provincial Health Commission ordered to stop testing samples from Wuhan related to the new disease and destroyed all existing samples.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission released another statement, reiterating that preliminary investigations have shown "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infections."

Fifty-nine people in Wuhan were sickened by a "pneumonia-like illness", as per a report by The New York Times published on January 6. On the same day, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level 1 travel watch. It advised travellers to Wuhan to avoid contact with 'living or dead animals, animal markets, and sick people.'

On January 8, Chinese medical authorities claimed to have identified the virus, reiterating that it still found "no clear evidence of human-to-human transfer".

On January 11, China announced its first death from the virus, a 61-year-old man who had purchased goods from the seafood market.

On the same day, the Wuhan City Health Commission released a Q&A sheet emphasising that most of the unexplained viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan have a history of exposure to the South China seafood market and "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found."

Dr Li Wenliang was hospitalised on January 12. He started coughing and developed a fever after unknowingly treating a patient with the coronavirus. Later, Wenliang's condition deteriorated so badly that he was admitted to the intensive care unit and was given oxygen support.

On January 13, the first case of novel coronavirus was reported outside China involving a 61-year-old Chinese woman in Thailand, who had visited Wuhan.

However, Thailand's ministry of public health said the woman had not visited the Wuhan seafood market and had come down with a fever on January 5. The woman had visited a different, smaller market in Wuhan, in which live and freshly slaughtered animals were sold.

On January 14, the World Health Organization in its report stated: Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China.

On January 15, Japan reported its first case of coronavirus and its health ministry said the patient had not visited any seafood markets in China.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in a statement said that the possibility of "limited human-to-human transmission" cannot be ruled out.

Despite the fact that Wuhan doctors knew that the virus was "contagious", city authorities allowed 40,000 families to gather and share home-cooked food in a Lunar New Year banquet, as per the article in National Review.

On January 19, the Chinese National Health Commission declared the virus "still preventable and controllable".

A day later, the head of China's national health commission team investigating the outbreak, confirmed that two cases of infection in China's Guangdong province had been caused by "human-to-human transmission and medical staff had been infected".

On January 21, the CDC announced the first case of the coronavirus in the US. The patient had returned from China six days ago.

On January 22, a WHO delegation conducted a field visit to Wuhan and concluded, "deployment of the new test kit nationally suggests that human-to-human transmission is taking place in Wuhan."

Nearly two months after the first case of the virus was reported, Chinese authorities announced their 'first steps for a quarantine of Wuhan.' By this time, a significant number of Chinese citizens had travelled abroad as "asymptomatic, oblivious carriers".

Dr Wenliang tested positive for coronavirus on February 1 and died six days later.

Today, the killer bug has spread to over 170 countries across the globe, apart from Antarctica. After inflicting its wrath in Asia, the virus has now travelled to Europe which has become the new epicentre of the disease outbreak.

Cases in Europe topped 250,000 -- more than half of which were in Spain and hard-hit Italy. Spain recorded 655 new fatalities over 24 hours, while Italy's death toll rose by 712 to hit 8,215.
Donald Trump is activating the Defence Production Act to compel General Motors to begin building ventilators as areas try to cope with the coronavirus outbreak.

The president also signed a $2.2 trillion economic stabilisation bill known as the CARES act into law hours after the House approved it, as Washington aims to head off an economic disaster with millions seeking government jobless benefits.

The president made the move before signing a the massive bill into law, even though he told Fox News in a Thursday night interview he doubts governor Andrew Cuomos claim his state needs 30,000 to 40,000 ventilators.

Earlier on Friday, he used all capital letters in part of a tweet to slam the company for not simply abiding by his rhetorical demands they start making the machines.

He has declared the country on a war footing against Covid-19, which he calls the invisible enemy.

The president took the bold step of forcing a US company into action despite downplaying the severity and potential spread of the disease. He wants to start opening parts of the locked down country by Easter Sunday (12 April).

Before the president signed the economic recovery bill, a group of Republican lawmakers and members of his coronavirus task force lavished praise upon him in the Oval Office.

The massive CARES Act started as a draft plan among Republicans controlling the Senate who were seeking a greater voice in the coronavirus response efforts  especially after Democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi was a dominant force in earlier legislation imposing a sick leave mandate on businesses.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, welcomed Democratic participation a week ago, and signed off on a major expansion of unemployment insurance, but his efforts to freeze out Ms Pelosi and force a quick agreement were met with Democratic demands for large infusions of aid to states and hospitals, as well as an assortment of smaller items.

Mr McConnell and top senate Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York wrestled for days, along with treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and other administration officials.

Negotiations finally produced a deal early Wednesday morning, and the senate passed the measure by a 96-0 vote.

The legislation dwarfs prior Washington responses to crises like 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and natural disasters.

Key elements are untested, such as grants to small businesses to keep workers on payroll and complex lending programs to larger businesses. Rebate payments will go to people who have retained their jobs. Agencies like the Small Business Administration and state unemployment systems will be severely taxed, and conservatives fear that a new, generous unemployment benefit will dissuade jobless people from returning to the workforce.

The bill amounts to a bridge loan for much of the economy and carries a price tag that equals half the size of the entire $4 trillion (3.2tn)-plus annual federal budget.

The legislation also establishes a $454bn program for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries in hopes of leveraging up to $4.5 trillion in lending to distressed businesses, states, and municipalities.

There is also $150bn devoted to the health care system, including $100bn for grants to hospitals and other health care providers buckling under the strain of Covid-19 caseloads.

It also seeks to strengthen the safety net for the poor and homeless. Schools and students would get relief, small business loans payments would be deferred. Evictions from public housing would be put on pause.

Republicans successfully pressed for an employee retention tax credit designed to help companies keep workers on payroll. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2 per cent Social Security payroll tax. A huge tax break for interest costs and operating losses limited by the 2017 tax overhaul was restored at a $200bn cost in a boon for the real estate sector.

Additional reporting by agencies
Greeter is first coronavirus death at Ark. church where 34 infected

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

William Bill Barton, a greeter at Greers Ferry First Assembly in Cleburne County, Arkansas, where at least 34 people have been struck by the new coronavirus became first of the infected to die Tuesday. He was 91.

State and local government officials confirmed the 91-year-old died at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Conway Regional Medical Center, and was the second coronavirus fatality in the state, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The first was a 59-year-old Sherwood man who had underlying health issues.

Sadly weve had our first death from COVID-19 and since that came about earlier today, weve had another death so now we have two deaths from COVID-19, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said at a press conference Tuesday.

Today, Ive had meetings with hospitals, Ive had meetings with counties, legislators in talking to my public health team. They used this language and said what were seeing is the calm before the storm. I know that many people dont see this as a calm but I think the way that its phrased, makes us understand that were still on the lower end of the slope as it goes up, he warned.

While the church has yet to release a formal statement on Bartons passing, member Gracie Campbell confirmed with the Gazette that Barton had passed and was a greeter at the church.

His funeral arrangements are currently being handled by Bishop-Crites Funeral Home in Greenbrier, where owner Jeff Crites told The Christian Post Wednesday that Bartons family was distraught and wouldnt be available for interviews.

My main concern is taking care of the family, Crites said.

When asked if he had any concerns about the impact of the coronavirus on funerals in general, Crites said they were following universal precautions.

I will not go into the church. Were restricting everything to graveside services only. Its sad, he said.

We use universal precaution on everybody. Everybody is contagious. Thats the way youve got to look at it because we dont know when we first get them (the bodies).

Bartons death comes just days after the churchs pastor, Mark Palenske who is recovering from the virus along with his wife Dena, warned others not to underestimate how dangerous the virus is and treat it with wisdom and restraint.

There was very little in my training for the ministry that covered the full measure of what our church family has dealt with in the past few weeks, Palenske said in a statement on Facebook Sunday.

The intensity of this virus has been underestimated by so many, and I continue to ask that each of you take it very seriously. An act of wisdom and restraint on your part can be the blessing that preserves the health of someone else.

Donald Shipp, a deacon of the church who is also infected with the virus along with his wife, told The Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Monday that at least 34 people connected with the church tested positive for the virus and several others are still awaiting results after a childrens event held at the church on March 5-8. Of those who tested positive for the virus, 31 are on staff at the church or are members, Shipp said. The others are two evangelists who led the childrens event and a child who was visiting.

"You've got to be about as tough as it is," Shipp said of the virus. "We are slowly but surely wearing it out."

Campbell, who confirmed Bartons passing, told the Gazette earlier that both her and her husband, Chuck, have also been sick and are currently among those awaiting test results.

"I think it was just bad timing," she said of the childrens event that is the suspected source of the massive community spread.

"I'm sure there are plenty of people walking around exposed [to the virus] and don't even know it, and other people that don't care," Campbell said. "That's the sad thing. There are people that don't even believe that it is a virus and that's ridiculous."

Of the more than 200 coronavirus cases in Arkansas, officials revealed on Tuesday that 11 are children. Data from Johns Hopkins as of Wednesday morning showed that more than 55,000 people across the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and just over 800 have died. Global figures stood at nearly 440,000 infections and nearly 20,000 deaths.

Officials say the outbreak of the virus at Greers Ferry First Assembly of God is responsible for the spread of the disease in the relatively small Cleburne County, which has a population of 25,000. The county now has the second highest number of coronavirus cases in the state.

"It appears, from what I know at this time, most of the cases that we have in our county" are related to the Greers Ferry church, Jerry Holmes, county judge of Cleburne County, told the Gazette.
[March 27, 2020] Telemedicine Is Gearing up to Be the 'Next Big Thing' in the Healthcare Sector: Infiniti Research Reveals Comprehensive Insights

Infiniti Research is a leading provider of market intelligence services to businesses around the globe. For over 15 years, Infiniti has been helping companies across industries to identify key market challenges and strategize to meet the changing market demands. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005142/en/ Innovations in telehealth services (Graphic: Business Wire) Today, hospitals can barely keep up with the growing number of patients, and some doctors are opting for MDVIP or Concierge Practice, where they only take on a small number of patients who can pay a premium for more individualized care. It is almost impossible to walk into a clinic without waiting, even in North America. In some places, the closest hospital facility may be 100 miles away or simply doesn't have the proper resources. The age of technology and smart devices has opened the doors to a new, promising way to address healthcare that capitalizes on the connectivity of our world: telehealth. Telehealth services have a host of applications, from being used to virtually diagnose a patient to providing general health instruction. Wonder how to cope with the rising healthcare costs? Infiniti's market intelligence solutions for the healthcare industry can help you find the answer. Request a free proposal.



Recent Innovations and Market Updates on Telehealth Services Direct to consumer market has matured

Direct to consumer is one of the commercially successful telehealth services segments that has attracted the maximum health technology investment. A couple of telehealth services providers own a significant chunk of the market share in the direct to consumer market. It encompasses several products and services and enables the highest level of quality and cost-effective healthcare for patients, irrespective of their geographic location. However, healthcare systems struggle to turn this form of technology into a profitable revenue stream as consumers have been slow to adopt this model. It attracts a new set of consumers who might not otherwise use medical services, thereby, driving costs up. Telemedicine kiosks to dispense prescription medication Although the use of self-service kiosks in hospitals and clinics are becoming common, the use of kiosks to provide healthcare assistance outside hospital premises is a fairly new concept in healthcare. A company based out of the US recently launched telemedicine service kiosks that can dispense prescription medications. These kiosks are primarily aimed at patients with non-life-threatening conditions like colds, rashes, and fever. It also helps in analyzing height, weight, and blood pressure. Each unit also includes a locked dispensary, which contains a number of the most commonly prescribed medications in the most commonly prescribed dosages, which can be prescribed at the end of a telehealth visit. Such innovative telehealth services will be highly useful in providing faster and easier healthcare access to patients. Provider collaboration offering opportunities for growth Provider collaboration could play a major role in enhancing communication between physicians, specialists, and nursing staff. Furthermore, it helps physicians to seek the expertise that they don't possess. It provides neurologists immediate access to incoming stroke patients through emergency room video conferencing. There are a huge number of companies leveraging such telehealth services. Get in touch with an expert for more insights on our portfolio of services for companies in the healthcare industry. About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit:https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005142/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The steep, narrow lanes are empty but for police patrols and the relatively few residents who live in the Old City full time. Worship sites of all kinds are closed, most notably the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the site where Jesus is said to have been buried and resurrected; the Western Wall, the most sacred place of prayer for Jews; and al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.
Dubais Al Zarooni Group said it will waive up to three months rent for eligible tenants at its two malls, Mercato and Town Centre Jumeirah, as part of plans to ease the financial burdens faced by retailers affected by COVID-19.



The rental relief worth Dh25 million ($6.8 million) comes within the framework of ongoing assistance being offered by leading government and private sector entities in Dubai to help businesses ease the financial pressures on them in the current environment caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.



Abdul Rahim Al Zarooni, chairman of Al Zarooni Group, commented: The retail sector is facing an unprecedented situation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we feel that its our responsibility as a partner of the government to support our tenants experiencing financial hardships. During these challenging times, Al Zarooni Group will continue to stand by its partners so that their businesses are able to recover fast once the pandemic is over. We will also continue to support the overall relief efforts and initiatives of the government to safeguard the retail sector, a key pillar of Dubais economy.



In accordance with government directives, Mercato and Town Centre Jumeirah will close for two weeks from 25 March. However, providers of essential services like supermarkets and pharmacies will remain open while F & B outlets will only operate a delivery service,



Earlier, Abdul Rahim Al Zarooni had announced a donation of Dh10 million to the healthcare sector to support their efforts to combat the novel coronavirus.  TradeArabia News Service
In a seemingly paradoxical turn of events, Mexican protesters on March 25 blocked incoming traffic at the U.S. southern border, demanding their government do more to restrict American travel into their country.

A group of about a dozen protesters, holding signs and wearing face masks, used two vehicles to block southbound traffic coming out of a U.S.-Mexico port of entry near Nogales, Arizona, according to the Arizona Republic. The protesters said their stunt was meant to highlight the dangers posed by incoming U.S. residents who might carry the coronavirus.

The protesters also voiced their displeasure with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, saying he is not doing enough to protect Mexicans from the deadly virus.

There are no health screenings by the federal government to deal with this pandemic, Jose Luis Hernandez, a member of the group, told the Arizona Republic. Thats why were here in Nogales. Weve taken this action to call on the Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to act now.

The protesters, who identified themselves as Sonorans for Health and Life, blocked traffic for several hours and made clear their concern of incoming Americans. Some of their signs explicitly told U.S. residents to stay at home.

Hernandez said the blockade was the first warning, and that the government should expect more unless Lopez Obrador does more to protect Mexicans from the spread of COVID-19.

This is for your health. This is for your family, he said. Or what do you want to happen? That this becomes worse given the irresponsibility of the Mexican government? Of course not. Thats why were here.

The United States has, by leaps and bounds, been harder hit by the coronavirus pandemic than Mexico. As of Thursday morning, more than 68,000 people across the United States have tested positive for COVID-19, and at least 990 have died from the virus. Mexico, in contrast, has only seen 475 people sickened from coronavirus, and six have died so far.

The Trump administration announced a closure of all non-essential travel through its northern and southern borders. While Lopez Obrador has worked with the Trump administration on the ongoing closure at the U.S.-Mexico border, he has refrained from adopting the same sort of lockdown orders seen across the United States.

Fearful about hurting the fragile Mexican economy, Lopez Obrador has not executed any wide-scale closure of businesses, and he has continued to hold massive rallies.

We are still in the first phase, he said. I will tell you when not to go out anymore.

By Jason Hopkins

Follow Jason on Twitter

From The Daily Caller News Foundation

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A young Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in Keralas Kollam has been booked for jumping home quarantine and leaving for Uttar Pradesh amid rising cases of Covid-19 in the southern state, officials said on Friday.

Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra had come back from Singapore last week and was asked to self-quarantine but left for his hometown Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

His exit came to notice when health workers went to his official residence for an inquiry a few days ago.

Mishra is said to have left for Kanpur on March 21, a few days before a three-week countrywide lockdown began to check the spread of coronavirus that has affected close to 700 people in the country and claimed almost a dozen lives so far.

A senior spokesperson of the Kerala government had described the officers conduct as a serious lapse on part of an IAS officer.

The spokesperson said officials of Kerala government are in touch with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and will also bring the developments to the notice of the Union ministry of personnel.

Mishras driver, personal security guard and secretary have been put in isolation after his disappearance came to light.

Kerala has reported 138 Covid-19 cases so far and ramped up measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Among the new measures, special voluntary task forces will be set up and the police have said they will enforce the lockdown ruthlessly.

Many roads have been closed with barricades to curb movement. Vehicles will be seized and occupants arrested if they are found to be violating rules, said state police chief Loknath Behera.

The government has said it will take strict action against those who raise prices of essential commodities and hoard them. It has also announced a package for lakhs of migrant workers stranded in the state. Their movement will be curtailed and they will be provided with food and lodging, officials said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Mondi plc

Incorporated in England and Wales

Registered number: 6209386

LEI: 213800LOZA69QFDC9N34

LSE share code: MNDI ISIN: GB00B1CRLC47

JSE share code: MNP

27 March 2020

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933) OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW

Mondi launches 750 million Eurobond

Mondi has successfully launched a 750 million, 8-year Eurobond. Proceeds of the issue, which is due to close on 1 April 2020, will be used for general corporate purposes.

The Eurobond matures in April 2028, has a coupon of 2.375%, and an application will be made for it to be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's regulated market. The joint book-runners for the issue were BofA Securities, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, SEB and UniCredit.



The Eurobond will be issued under Mondi's Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) programme, which is rated Baa1 by Moody's and BBB+ by Standard and Poor's.



Andrew King, Group CEO designate, said: "We are pleased to have successfully launched a 750 million Eurobond today, which was supported by a wide group of European institutional investors, extending our debt maturity profile and further strengthening the Group's liquidity position."

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE "SECURITIES ACT")). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

This communication is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters related to investments and who are investment professionals within the meaning of Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) of the United Kingdom (the "Financial Promotion Order"); (iii) persons who fall within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Promotion Order; and (iv) any other persons to whom this communication may otherwise lawfully be directed (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This communication must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the United Kingdom. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. This communication must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons.

Contact details:

Mondi Group

James Paterson

Group Treasurer

+44 1932 826340

Clara Valera

Group Head of Strategy and Investor Relations

+44 1932 826357







About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, delighting its customers and consumers with innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain - from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is embedded in everything we do. In 2019, Mondi had revenues of 7.27 billion and underlying EBITDA of 1.66 billion.

Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.

Sponsor in South Africa: UBS South Africa Proprietary Limited.
When Alberto Fernandez visited Mexico on his first foreign trip since winning Argentina's presidency, he said that both countries would face the "challenge of globalization" together.

Less than five months later, the respective stances of Fernandez and Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to fighting the coronavirus pandemic couldn't be further apart.

Whereas the Mexican leader has only now started urging citizens to stay at home -- after encouraging them to eat out to support the local economy -- Argentina shuttered social life and imposed a strict stay-at-home policy a week ago, even at the risk of disproportionately affecting the livelihoods of Fernandez's mostly middle-to-lower class voter base.

Key to that decision was the upgrade of the virus to a pandemic and stark conversations with leaders at the heart of fighting the disease, people familiar with the strategy said.

"The choice is to take care of the economy or take care of lives," Fernandez said Wednesday. "I chose to take care of lives."

In Latin America, where huge numbers of people rely on the informal economy to survive, there are no good options for leaders. Fernandez's decision to go all-in to fight Covid-19 stands out not just for its contrast with Mexico but also with Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the risks and publicly clashed with state governors who are taking stringent measures to combat the virus locally.

"This is a make or break moment for Alberto Fernandez to show he's in control and leading the country," said Jimena Blanco, head of Latin America political research at consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft. "The worst scenario is to get a disorderly response -- or no response at all -- which is what we're seeing in Mexico and Brazil."

Fernandez's move to put his country into quarantine was deeply influenced by the World Health Organization's March 11 announcement that the coronavirus was a pandemic, according to a senior government official. Dr. Maureen Birmingham, the WHO representative in Argentina, is in constant communication with the authorities and Fernandez himself.

That decision was reinforced when the president saw cases balloon rapidly in Italy and Spain -- two countries where many Argentines' ancestors hail from. Prior to his announcement of a lockdown, Fernandez spoke with the Italian and Spanish prime ministers, Giuseppe Conte and Pedro Sanchez, to hear their experiences, the official said. Fernandez developed good relations with both men after visiting them earlier this year. Mexico's president is by contrast famously loath to travel abroad.

He also wanted to buy time for Argentina's fragile health-care system by trying to flatten the curve as soon as possible, the official said. The president speaks on a daily basis with the governor of Buenos Aires province and the city's mayor, where most cases are concentrated.

At the same time, Fernandez, who has publicly conceded his strategy will put the economy in a bigger hole, has said that he expects cases to peak in the first half of May and is willing to extend the lockdown that ends March 31 if needed.

Governments worldwide are adopting their own approaches to curb the spread of the virus, with some countries like Japan that are relatively unaffected taking minimal measures, others including Spain and Italy at the heart of the epidemic in total lockdown, and a third group including Australia seeking to balance economic damage with protecting public health.

While each stance is contentious, in Argentina, a land of chronic financial crisis and fiercely divisive politics, the challenge of tackling the coronavirus is bringing an unusual sense of unity. Fernandez stood together with leaders from different ends of the political spectrum for the March 19 lockdown announcement, a rare display of consensus made all the more unlikely given that the country is enduring a third year of economic crisis and again flirting with default.

Beyond purely humanitarian motives, the show of consensus hands Fernandez an opportunity to emerge from the shadow of his vice president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the two-time former president who was instrumental in catapulting her namesake -- who is no relation -- to his election victory in October.

"A mass external shock that makes things terrible everywhere, instead of just where you are, can be politically useful," said Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez, a geopolitical risk analyst who teaches at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "The early adopters were often the leaders who were most ready to change the conversation."

Polls shows a majority of Argentines approving the government's response.

Still, it's a huge gamble for Fernandez. While the wealthy can sit out the crisis working from home, that's not a luxury afforded the less well-off who make up his base. As of 2018, almost half of Argentine workers were in the informal economy, according to the research institute at the Universidad Catolica de Argentina, including jobs like street vendors and household workers.

The government's financial response to the crisis has attempted to bridge that gap, with measures like extra payments for low-income parents and retirees, a 10,000-peso ($155) transfer for informal and some independent workers in April, and a price freeze on 2,300 essential products.

There is still no guarantee that his harsh measures, also implemented by some other smaller economies such as Chile, Peru and Colombia, will be successful in fighting a pandemic that's quickly spreading throughout Latin America.

Cases rose almost 30% in one day to 502 as of Thursday, with eight deaths recorded. Also, with just about 2,500 tests performed this month, Argentina shows a poor testing rate when compared to neighbors like Chile, where President Sebastian Pinera's government has conducted more than 7,500.

The sudden bipartisan cordiality may not last long either. Yet it still represents a political bargain notably absent in Brazil and Mexico, the region's No. 1 and No. 2 economies respectively.In Mexico, Lopez Obrador is taking advantage of his popularity and majority in congress to follow a more Quixotic route, focusing for weeks on preventing an economic collapse before shifting gears Thursday when he called on people to stay home. Bolsonaro has left state governors with no other option than to take the difficult decisions themselves, sending conflicting messages to the country of 210 million.

It's true the coronavirus offers a distraction for Fernandez, who has yet to unveil a comprehensive plan to take Argentina out of the economic crisis. It also justifies more social spending on his base. Regardless of any political motives, he may have bought Argentina valuable time to fight the virus.

"We saw what was happening in Europe, we had the images in newspapers of Spain and Italy, countries very close to us, that created anxiety and stress in Argentina, and the government went out to attack the situation," said Juan Negri, a political science professor at Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires. "He's trying to anticipate the worst case scenario of a social crisis exploding."

It's too early to say if Fernandez's approach will work any better than those of Lopez Obrador or Bolsonaro. But if it does, he might just have a chance to heal Argentina's bitter political divide, according to Blanco, of Verisk Maplecroft.

"If steered well, it could cement him as the leader for the population, including people who didn't vote for him," she said.
Maruti Suzuki India has said Gujarat-based Suzuki Motor Gujarat Pvt Ltd (SMG) will extend its plant shutdown till April 14 pursuant to the lockdown announced in the country.

Following the latest government directive on the COVID-19 situation, SMG will be extending plant shutdown till April 14, 2020, MSI said in a regulatory filing.

Earlier, the company had announced to temporarily suspend production till March 31, 2020.

SMG manufactures cars on a contract basis for MSI.
China demand to return by April; rest of world enters lockdown

27 March 2020

Social distancing and country lockdowns have become the norm across the world as governments formulate new policies on a daily basis to contain and manage the COVID-19 pandemic.



The WHO now estimates that half-a-million people have been infected by the virus worldwide. The US now has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus than any other country, with 85,500 positive tests, while Italy has the most fatalities at 8215, followed by China at 3291.



Cement industry shuts down

In line with government emergency responses and guidance in each country, the cement industry has reacted promptly by implementing social distancing measures for staff, including working from home where possible, improving sanitary conditions for workers that remain active in plants and temporarily suspending operations where appropriate.



No region of the world has been spared. In India, where 1.3bn people are now under a lockdown, Dalmia Bharat reported it has suspended the entire 26.5Mta of cement manufacturing capacity. In Latin America, Cemex suspended production in Colombia and Panama. NPC also reported a complete lockdown of its operations in South Africa. In Europe companies have suspended multiple operations, while some are continuing to operate at reduced levels for the time being.

At a company level, emergency continency plans are being rolled out rapidly. LafargeHolcims action plan  Health, Cost and Cash  summarises the key priorities for most cement businesses at this time: to protect the health of their employees, reduce all possible expenditure and conserve cash.

The economic consequences of the crisis will be immense. In Spain, where the impact of the virus has been particularly severe, the cement industry association has called upon the government not to paralyse the construction sector in the face of the pandemic, and to consider maintaining minimum activity levels so as to ensure the country is prepared for the exit of the crisis.



China cement demand to return by April

In the meantime, construction activity and cement production operations in China are restarting at pace, as the country emerges from the lockdown which commenced in February. As of 20 March, the operating rate of 274 cement clinker production lines surveyed across the country was 71.9 per cent. It has been reported that 96.6 per cent of plants owned by the Anhui Conch Group, one of Chinas largest building materials producers, are now operational. Industry commentators are estimating cement demand to return to precrisis levels by April.



The world will be watching closely as China returns to work. The main fear is that by releasing the lockdown, the virus will simply return in a second wave, which will require a second lockdown. Managed correctly, and with continued social distancing, the hope is that China can control the virus effectively enough for the country to return to work.



RESOURCES ON CEMNET.COM

>> ICR's technical consultant, Dr Michael Clark, has compiled a punchlist to help cement plants ready themselves for COVID-19.

> > ICR's news page for COVID-19 related items, updated daily: https://www.cemnet.com/home/tags/COVID-19

Published under
Less a novel than a suite of interlocking stories, Frying Plantain follows Kara, a girl with Jamaican heritage, as she grows up in Toronto. Its a coming of age tale that emerges through an artful layering of episodes, many with a mortifying twist. On a trip to Jamaica as a 10-year-old, Kara is terrified by a pigs head she discovers in her great-aunts possession  a story that gets transformed into something else entirely for an audience of her schoolfriends back in Canada. Navigating the cultural distance between Jamaica and Canada becomes a recurring motif, most affectingly realised in the bond between the teenager and her overbearing mother Eloise. Zalika Reid-Bentas debut brings a tenderness and awkward humour to the portrayal of adolescence that can only be drawn from life.

Nancy

Bruno Lloret

Giramondo, $26.95

Credit:

Bruno Llorets airless experimental novella might not be quite the pick for a first lockdown read, especially given it is riddled with Xs (which might symbolise the borderline between life and death, or be part of some broken net through which the story is falling). The book is related by Nancy, a woman with terminal cancer, who remembers her life in fragments through the delirium of her final days. Her tale is unbelievably stark  death, abuse, exploitation seem to rise like shadows from almost every page  but theres an astringent elegance to the writing, and Nancys compulsion to unburden herself of experience has such an uncompromising and hypnotic quality, that a stoical kind of beauty emerges from all the suffering and bleakness disclosed. Lloret is a writers writer: no one who aspires to write contemporary literature could fail to be impressed by the originality and ambition of this (mercifully slender) volume.
Reporters Without Borders is concerned abour Russia's deliberate activity in this regard

We are concerned to see the Russian government stepping up control of domestic reporting in connection with the coronavirus epidemic, the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says in a statement.

In addition, it is conducting a disinformation campaign about it internationally, the press freedom organization argues.

Censorship from Roskomnadzor

At the forefront of the development is the Russian media control authority Roskomnadzor, that increasingly forces media outlets to delete and adjust stories about the virus.

Several media, among them Radio Echo Moskvy, as well as Facebook and the Russian social network VKontakte, were recently forced to delete posts under the federal Law on disinformation that took effect in March 2019.

Russias big censor, Roskomnadzor, must not increase its activities at a time of crisis, when unrestricted access to information is extremely necessary, said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSFs Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

Information control initiatives are being stepped up on the pretext of combatting disinformation. The Russian authorities must not take advantage of this epidemic to restrict press freedom. We call for the repeal of the excessively vague fake news law, which violates the freedom to inform, Cavelier underlined.

EU is target

The RSF also warns against Russian disinformation efforts in the European Union.

The East StratCom Task Force, a EU communication body, has long said that the Kremlin is running comprehensive disinformation efforts aimed at European countries. In a new report on the coronavirus, the body maintains that corona-related disinformation cases is flourishing.

They are part of the Kremlins well-established strategy of using disinformation to amplify divisions, sow distrust and chaos, and exacerbate crisis situations and issues of public concern, the report reads.

Disinfo strategy

According to the Task Force, there are also notable differences in the Kremlins disinformation strategies vis-a-vis domestic and international audiences.

When targeting domestic audiences, the Russian authorities describe the virus as a form of foreign aggression, while the country itself is fighting the outbreak.

Meanwhile, when targeting international audiences they focus primarily on conspiracy theories and aim to induce distrust in national and European authorities and healthcare systems, as well as international institutions and scientific experts.

Read the full story here.
Next to me on the couch, one of my dogs twitches his feet and curls his lower lip in his sleep. His tail thumps on a soft pillow. An urph  maybe a stifled bark  escapes his mouth and he wakes himself up, looking at me accusingly. That was you! I tell him.

As a writer and dog-cognition researcher, I can  and do  spend the greatest part of the day observing dogs, talking to dogs and hanging out beside my dog while working. And now, in this extraordinary time, many more of us find ourselves working at home with our dogs full time. Good for us  and great for the dogs.

Quarantine, and even social distancing, is meant to impose an isolation that most of us, as a highly social species, work hard throughout our lives to avoid. Even the most introverted of us need company  some touchstone of a shared existence through time. In reflecting on our changed society, the isolation of the elderly and the sick seems especially cruel. In many places, older residents quarantined in nursing homes cannot have visitors, and are suffering not just from potentially fatal infections but also from the loss of the company of their family members and the comfort of their presence and touch  a biological urge.

Our drive to keep animals, dogs in particular, strikes me as similar in nature: Their simple presence, and their willingness to be touched, is viscerally satisfying. Time spent reading on the couch is massively improved by a dogs head resting on my leg; a warm, snuffling muzzle directed at me is instantly calming. Social media abounds with images of dogs (some bemused, some wagging their tails so hard as to sprain them) alongside their isolated persons: Dogs are now our proxy for other humans.
Funeral homes throughout New Jersey are bracing for a growing number of deaths caused by the rapidly spreading coronavirus, which has already claimed the lives of 81 people across the state.

Nineteen new deaths related to COVID-19 were announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday. This was the largest single-day climb in deaths the state has reported since the onset of the outbreak, the second largest being 18  which Murphy shared just one day earlier.

George Kelder Jr., executive director of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, expressed confidence that funeral homes across New Jersey are ready to handle a continuing spike in deaths caused by the coronavirus.

Funeral homes in the state of New Jersey typically handle 6,300 deaths and funerals each month," Kelder said. "And so, while the numbers are growing on a daily basis one week into the executive order, were currently prepared, and we have been attempting to make sure the timely transfer of decedents from the place of death to the place of disposition are occurring.

While funeral ceremonies open to the public are prohibited statewide, the deceased continue to be immediately serviced with cremations and private services, or burials attended by 10 people or less.

Coronavirus hot spot

Bergen Funeral Service in Hasbrouck Heights is located in New Jerseys biggest coronavirus hot spot  Bergen County, which currently has the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths in the state, with 18 in total.

Andrew Nimmo, manager of the funeral home in Hasbrouck Heights, said the business, which also has locations in New York and Florida, is overall busier, but the staff is prepared to handle a growth in decedents as well as in tough cases.

Nimmo cited his biggest concern as enough refrigeration space to temporarily hold the deceased. Bergen Funeral Service does provide space of its own, but also utilizes space offered by hospitals and other facilities.

He said capacity is not currently an issue at the establishment, and he hopes the funeral home will be able to coordinate effectively with hospitals should it become one.

Its just all a group effort, Nimmo said.

A burial service at the Floral Park Cemetery in South Brunswick, in the age of the coronavirus outbreak.

Contingency plans might be needed

According to Kelder, the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner and the Office of Emergency Management would establish temporary housing of decedents if hospitals and medical examiner systems became overstrained.

All it would mean to funeral homes is that theyre going to a different place to retrieve the decedents back into their care, Kelder said.

While stating that Bergen Funeral Service has plenty of supplies in terms of protective gear for its staff, Nimmo remains nonetheless concerned about their general health and well-being in light of the pandemic.

Even if people arent testing positive, there is a general sense ... that they might have it. So we are having to be cautious with more than just the people that are in the news (testing positive), Nimmo explained.

Kelder said the state is well aware of funeral homes concern for the safety of their staff, particularly because funeral homes are classified as Tier II responders, while healthcare systems, hospitals and first responders are classified as Tier I. This means that supplementing these groups supplies and protective gears would be prioritized over that of the funeral homes, Kelder said.

We deal with dead people of those same qualifications, and we will be behind (those groups) in replenishing our stock of personal equipment, Kelder said. At some point in time, we may see staff illness and staff absenteeism, which could ... put some stresses on the system. No ones immune from potentially contracting the virus, so were just being as mindful as we can and being respectful of social distancing.

Kelder does not believe funeral homes will eventually become limited in their supplies, but said the system is being taxed, as all systems are being taxed right now."

Prepared for a spike in deaths

Marilou Rogers, co-owner of Kedz Funeral Home in Toms River, said the funeral home has both the supplies and staff experience needed to carry the business through a potential surge in deaths.

Pretty much every (funeral home) has a staff and the equipment to take care of whats coming our way," Rogers said. We do what everybody else is doing in the healthcare business; we make sure were fully gowned, we make sure were masked, (and have) gloves. Were doing all the same precautions we normally do, maybe a little more stringent."

We definitely are cleaning all our equipment and are prepared for in the future whats going to be coming, she added.

Kedz Funeral Home is based in Ocean County, which had six recorded COVID-19 deaths as of Thursday afternoon.

Should the establishment become overwhelmed with servicing the deceased, Rogers said she would refer affected families to other local funeral homes.

I would think theres plenty of funeral homes in New Jersey that all the people can be taken care of without a problem," Rogers said. "Most funeral homes, we do work together. Were a friendly bunch. If somebodys doing too much of one thing, somebody else will pitch in.

Another New Jersey funeral home prepared for an impending boost in deaths is Van Tassel Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Bloomfield is based out of Essex County, which has 15 recorded deaths caused by the coronavirus.

Owner Izabela Van Tassel said the funeral home has stocked up on extra protective gear and cremation-related supplies, as coronavirus patients who are cremated at the funeral home are required to be placed into double  rather than single  pouches.

Cremations on the rise

While the average number of deaths serviced at the funeral home has not changed, Van Tassel said there recently has been a slight increase in the number of cremations.

According to Van Tassel, flight and travel restrictions have obligated immigrants or individuals visiting from outside the United States and experienced a loss during the pandemic to cremate the body instead of coordinating a burial in their respective homelands.

I ship a lot of bodies overseas ... but now the families are struggling because we cant ship the bodies, Van Tassel said.

These individuals are instead opting to cremate the bodies so they can deliver the ashes outside of the country via a postal or package delivery service, a choice Van Tassel said has placed an emotional burden on the families."

A lot of Roman Catholic families, older generations, do not believe in cremation. So now the families struggle with choosing cremation against the (deceaseds) will," Van Tassel said.

While Kelder said the cremation rate of bodies across the state has remained unchanging at 50%, he, like Van Tassel, noted the undue mental toll the coronavirus has and will continue to inflict upon mourning families  which, unlike these funeral homes, they can do little to prepare for.

The biggest challenge right now is this compounded grief. We do not know when the pandemic will end, and there will be no public memorialization until that time is reached, Kelder said. So we have families grieving with the suddenness and tragedy of a death, compounded by the restrictions of the pandemic, only to be opened up in the future  to have it all over again when the public ceremonies begin.

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

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

Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips.

Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.
Chinese netizens are angry after internet censors deleted a picture circulating on social media of people lining up to pick up their family members ashes from a funeral home in Wuhan, ground zero of Chinas virus epidemic.

On March 25, health officials in Hubei Province lowered the risk level for Wuhan from high to medium, based on a three-tier system that corresponds to different levels of quarantining. The same day, some funeral homes began to allow locals to pick up ashes of their relatives who have died since the city was placed under lockdown in late January.

A Chinese netizen, who goes by the online moniker Mao Daqing, posted on Weibo, a social media platform similar to Twitter, a photo of a long line outside the Hankou Funeral Home in Wuhan, one of the citys seven government-run funeral parlors.

According to his personal description, Mao is from Beijing and the president of a Chinese firm.

Maos original post was soon deleted by authorities, drawing outcry from many Weibo users. Some successfully saved Maos original photo and reposted the picture on their accounts, while questioning why the photo was being censored.

Photo posted by Weibo user @ . Some wuhan ppl, after months of shelter-in-place, are waiting in line at Hankou Funeral Home to pick up family members ashes. This is heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/pceIslxpa9  Tony Lin (social distancing aka introverting) (@tony_zy) March 25, 2020

One netizen from Beijing wrote: They [Chinese state-run media] only report on the dire situation [of the outbreak] in other countries. But talking about [Chinas outbreak] is forbidden.

Another netizen with the moniker Player Name 721 from Beijing sarcastically wrote that the picture must have been taken somewhere outside of China, such as Italy or the United States, since according to the Chinese regime the country has successfully combated the virus.

A Chinese netizen with the moniker Sha Qiu 2046, who describes himself as a reporter from southwestern Chinas Sichuan Province on his Weibo, said he also saw a long line of cars parked along the road to the Hankou Funeral Home. According to his Weibo posts, he arrived in Wuhan in early February.

In a March 26 post, he said there was tight security at the facility when he arrived at around 10 a.m. local time.

The entrance was under tight security, and there were plainclothes officers everywhere. Basically, whenever somebody raised their cellphones, they were immediately told to stop what they were doing, he wrote.

Earlier in February, The Epoch Times conducted an undercover investigation, calling funeral homes in Wuhan in order to understand the true death toll of the epidemic.

At the time, the Hankou Funeral Home confirmed that its crematorium was using 20 furnaces to cremate bodies 24 hours a day, the sudden rise in intake suggesting that more people were dying of the CCP virus than officially reported.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Overseas, Chinas coverup of the CCP virus outbreak has been heavily criticized by officials, most recently by U.S. Secretary of the State Mike Pompeo at a G-7 meeting, in which he said the Chinese regime has and continues to withhold information about the virus, endangering peoples lives.

In a statement, the European Unions top diplomat also highlighted Beijings attempts to divert global attention away from its initial coverup of the CCP virus outbreak by presenting itself as a global leader in fighting the pandemic.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a statement on March 24, outlined how Chinese authorities censored key information during the initial days of the outbreak.

RSF demonstrates, based on the events in the early days of the crisis, that without the control and censorship imposed by the authorities, the Chinese media would have informed the public much earlier of the seriousness of the epidemic, saving thousands of lives and possibly avoiding the current pandemic, the rights group stated.

From The Epoch Times
Terming the coronavirus outbreak



a grave crisis, NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday urged the people to follow the government's directives to contain its spread.

He said if people do not follow the government orders, then everybody will have to face serious consequences.

Pawar said this during a live interaction with people on Facebook.

He said he has seen several calamities like earthquakes, floods and droughts in the past, but the present crisis is "very serious".

During the interaction, Pawar's daughter and NCP MP Supriya Sule read out some of the queries and appeals addressed to him. It included an appeal made by state Health Minister Rajesh Tope, who was viewing the live interaction, in which he requested Pawar to urge the people to stay indoors.

In his response, Pawar said, "It is our duty to support your and your team's efforts...I am staying indoors and will not venture out.

The former Union minister welcomed the Central government's economic package and RBI's decisions to tide over the crisis.

He, however, said, "The package for agriculture sector is not enough. It is impossible to repay the crop loan. Some steps should be taken for the horticulture sector as well."



The Centre on Thursday announced the Rs 1.7-lakh crore stimulus that included free foodgrain and cooking gas to the poor for three months, and cash doles to women and senior citizens as it looked to ease the economic impact of the 21- day nationwide lockdown.

Pawar appealed to the people to maintain self- discipline and also asked the police to exercise restraint and allow movement of vehicles transporting essential services and goods.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Switzerland on Thursday joined the small group of countries to declare more than 10,000 officially-recorded cases of COVID-19, as it launched plans to start tracking crowd build-ups through mobile phone data.

The health ministry said 10,661 people in the Alpine country have tested positive for the new coronavirus  nearly 1,000 more than a day earlier  while 161 people have died.

Switzerland, which is among the countries that have conducted most COVID-19 tests per capita, is the fifth country in Europe to pass 10,000 officially-recorded cases.

It follows neighbours Italy, Germany and France, and Spain  all of which have far bigger populations.-

Elsewhere, China, Iran and the United States have also passed the five-figure mark, according to the latest World Health Organization situation report on the global pandemic.

Switzerlands Italian-speaking southern region of Ticino, which borders hard-hit northern Italy, is the worst-affected of its 26 cantons, with 393 cases per 100,000 people.

Around two-fifths of Switzerlands COVID-19 deaths have occurred in Ticino.

The first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed in Switzerland on February 24.

Since then, 91,400 tests have been carried out for COVID-19, of which 14 percent were positive, the Federal Office of Public Health said.

Those testing positive have ranged in age from under one to 102, with a median age of 52 years old, and a near-even split of men and women.

 Too early to ease restrictions 

The Swiss government has ordered the closure of schools and all places of leisure, including restaurants, bars and non-food shops.

Last Friday it went further, banning all gatherings of more than five people, while anyone standing closer than two metres to others risks a fine.

At the moment it would definitely be too early to talk about easing the restrictions, health ministry official Daniel Koch, who is heading the Swiss response, told a press conference in Bern.

We must first have proof that we have reached the peak of this epidemic  which unfortunately is not yet the case.

Revelations this week that majority state-owned telecoms operator Swisscom would provide authorities with mobile phone data to monitor if people were adhering to the restrictions on public gatherings sparked an outcry.

But Koch said it was not a question of monitoring population movements in real time, but instead doing retrospective analysis.

Meanwhile some 3,800 to 4,000 troops  the totality of the medical forces of the Swiss army  have been mobilised, said Brigadier General Raynald Droz, chief of staff of the militarys joint operations command.

The global number of officially-recorded infections has topped 480,000, with more than 21,800 deaths.

SOURCE: AFP
In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many foreign cultural centres and language training institutes here have shifted their events to the digital platform.

The British Council will discuss festival case studies at a webinar on March 27, while the Alliance Franaise du Bengale will organise two online demo classes of French language on March 28.

During the discussion on Festival Building and Management in India, participants from Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and the UK will talk about festival case studies at the webinar, a British Council spokesperson said.

The speakers would join the programme on the Zoom platform where they will present case studies of festivals they represent, discuss key points in the cultural festivals space, and take questions from an online audience, the spokesperson said.

Shifting to the digital mode in the present situation, Alliance Franaise du Bengale, a cultural centre and a French language training institute, will organise two online demo classes of French language from 4 pm on March 28.

"Fifteen students will attend each class from their homes," a spokesman said.

Due to the countrywide lockdown to halt the spread of the deadly virus, all events have been postponed till April 15 as per an advisory of the Central government, the spokesman said.

With the closure of Max Mueller Bhavan, which fosters Indo-German cooperation, one can register himself online for courses on modern art at Stadel Museum.

One can also read via the digital platform, works of classical and contemporary poets from all over the world and browse through 54 e books.

"In light of the rapidly evolving situation, the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Kolkata is entirely closed, including the library and caf. All classes, examinations, registrations for classes and examinations and programmes are postponed till further notice," the institute said in a statement.

Meanwhile, First Flea Edition II, a major lifestyle event exhibiting home decor, art work, food, costume under one roof, has been indefinitely postponed from its scheduled date of March 28, the organisers said.

"We decided to postpone the event because we cannot put anyone's life in danger. We hope to tide over this and come back stronger," they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Here is a selection of people starting new roles in Ireland, with Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, Esri Ireland, Hibernia REIT, Initiative Ireland, Irish Life Investment Managers and Savills.

Kyla OKelly has joined the board of the self-regulatory body Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland. She is also currently a board director at advertising agency Javelin Group, where she works on the overall agency direction and vision while also overseeing the business of several key clients. She is also a board director for the Young Social Innovators, a charity working with young people in schools. Prior to Javelin, she lived and worked in Brussels training at the European Commission, followed by a communications role at an independent EU public affairs conference specialist. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, she is a mother of two and lives in Dublin.

Aideen Croasdell has been appointment as engagement manager for life-long learning for Esri Ireland, specialist in geographic information systems (GIS). She will lead integration and promotion of the Esri ArcGIS for Schools Programme across the island of Ireland, working on mapping projects with schools and geography teachers, including the new Teach with ArcGIS for Schools teacher training course. She previously worked in senior roles at Esri Ireland for eight years, and as a GIS technician with eSpatial Solutions. She holds a degree in English and Geography as well as an MSc in GIS and Environmental Remote Sensing from NUI Maynooth.

Neil Menzies has been named as sustainability manager with Hibernia REIT, which owns and develops property and specialises in Dublin city centre offices. He will lead the firms sustainability strategy, cutting energy consumption and water usage across its property portfolio. He joins from Transdev, operator of the LUAS, where he was environment and sustainability manager, responsible for its sustainability activities in relation to the operation of the LUAS system. Mr Menzies said: Im thrilled to join Hibernia at a time when sustainability and wider environmental, social, and governance trends are hugely important in the property and construction sector.

Declan OBrien has been appointed as chief investment officer with property finance and impact investment firm Initiative Ireland, which helps investors to co-fund the construction of energy-efficient social and affordable housing projects nationwide. He brings 25 years of investment management experience, working in senior management roles at international banks such as JP Morgan, HSBC, and BNP Paribas. As group CEO of the Barak Fund Management, a trade finance and private debt fund management company based in Mauritius, he grew the business from $100m into $1bn of assets under management. Initiative Ireland is based at NovaUCD, and is supported by Enterprise Ireland.

Kathy Ryan has been named as head of responsible investment with Irish Life Investment Managers. A senior sustainable investment specialist, she is experienced in environmental, social, and governance factors in investments. She joins from Aviva Investors, where she was a product strategist in the same field. She has also been an executive director at Global Green Investments. She has also worked with the World Bank, attracting private capital for renewable energy projects. She has also advised the European Commission on green bond development and carbon tracker and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment on climate risk.

Mary Birmingham has been recruited as a consultant to the development and consultancy division of estate agents Savills. Her experience spans over 30 years across all real estate sectors, with a unique exposure to institutional fund management, project management, consultancy and the public sector. She previously spent eight years at NAMA as head of asset management and was a member of the state agencys senior executive team. She also worked in senior roles at Irish Life Investment Managers and, more recently, Glenveagh Properties. She has also had lead roles in major property transactions and high-profile development projects in the Dublin Docklands including Project Wave, now known as Dublin Landings, where Ballymore are developing over one million square feet of offices, apartments and shops, in addition to Bolands Quay on Grand Canal Dock. Savills Irelands development and consultancy division has 12 full-time employees.
Rome, March 27 : The coronavirus pandemic has claimed 8,165 lives in locked-down Italy by Thursday, with the cumulative number of cases reaching 80,539, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department.

Speaking during a nightly televised press conference, Agostino Miozzo, director of Civil Protection Department and coordinator of the Technical and Scientific Committee, confirmed that there are 4,492 new coronavirus infections compared to Wednesday, bringing the nationwide active infections to 62,013 cases, Xinhua reported.

Of those infected, 33,648 are under house isolation and 3,612 are hospitalized in intensive care, while 24,753 are in ordinary hospital wards.

He added that there were 999 new recoveries compared to Wednesday, bringing the total to 10,361.

The death toll between Wednesday and Thursday was 662, bringing the total to 8,165 since the pandemic first broke out in northern Italy on February 21.

The numbers are up from an official tally on Wednesday evening of 57,521 actively infected, 7,503 deaths, and 9,362 recoveries.

Miozzo also confirmed that Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli has tested negative for the virus, and that Italian citizens have so far donated over 52 million euros to the Civil Protection Department to fight the emergency. (1 euro = $1.10)
A presidential aide has released the statement below announcing the death of a former mobile police commander at the State House.

Abdullahi Ibrahim and his wife died in an auto accident, President Muhammadu Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said.

Read Mr Shehus full statement below.

President Muhammadu Buhari expresses deep sadness and grief at the news of the death of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abdulahi Ibrahim, on Friday in a car accident.

ACP Ibrahim died with his wife while his children who were travelling with him to Onitsha, his post, are responding to treatment.

Recalling his tour of duty as Commander MOPOL 24 in the State House, between 2016 and 2019 where he was entrusted with the delicate responsibility of ensuring the safety of the president and his motorcade, President Buhari said:

ACP Ibrahim was a highly dedicated officer, responsible and extremely reliable. He undertook his job most professionally. He knew what was expected of him and carried it out to the letter.

READ ALSO:

The President commiserates with the Government and people of Bauchi State , the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force on the loss of such a highly dependable officer at a time that the nation looks up to such dedicated personnel.

He prays that God Almighty will comfort family, friends and colleagues who mourn, grant the children quick recovery and repose the souls of the departed.

Garba Shehu
 Flash

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed the COVID-19 outbreak in a video conference Thursday, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The statement said the video conference was held at the initiative of the French side before the emergency virtual G20 meeting.

Putin and Macron informed each other about measures taken by Russia and France to counter the spread of the infection and minimize the negative socio-economic consequences, the statement said.

The parties confirmed their will to coordinate efforts on the issues of returning citizens of both countries to their homeland, as well as providing conditions for transporting medical supplies and equipment.

They discussed possible interaction within the framework of the UN Security Council in the joint fight against the coronavirus, according to the Kremlin.

Putin and Macron also discussed actual aspects of the settlement in Syria and Libya, the statement said, without providing further details.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 01:51:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Orphans wear masks they received as an aid against the coronavirus in an orphan center in Sanaa, Yemen, March 23, 2020. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)

"We are at war with a virus -- and not winning it," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a virtual summit of G20 leaders. "This war needs a wartime plan to fight it."

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday asked the Group of 20 (G20) largest economies of the world for a "wartime plan" to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are at war with a virus -- and not winning it," Guterres told a virtual summit of G20 leaders. "This war needs a wartime plan to fight it."

It took the world three months to reach 100,000 confirmed cases of infection. The next 100,000 happened in just 12 days. The third took four days. The fourth, just one and a half, he noted.

"This is exponential growth and only the tip of the iceberg."

Solidarity is essential -- among the G20 and with the developing world, including countries in conflict, he said.

He asked for a coordinated G20 response mechanism; efforts to minimize the social and economic impact, including stimulus packages; and a vision for sustainable development to ensure a healthier recovery of the world economy. 
The McDowell County Health Department was notified today by the North Carolina State Lab that two additional McDowell County residents have tested positive for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). These cases are linked to contact with an out of state traveler. These individuals are in isolation.

That brings the local total to five

Public health staff have already initiated an investigation and will be identifying close contacts to contain the spread of disease. To protect individual privacy, no further information about the case will be released.

The McDowell County Health Department and McDowell County Emergency Management will keep the public informed by announcing any additional cases that may arise through our local media partners.
Iraqi authorities disinfected on Thursday gold-domed holy shrines in the city of Karbala, where religious tourism has nearly ground to a halt because of the new coronavirus.

The shrines of Imam Hussein and his half-brother Imam Abbas were disinfected.

Imam Hussein was killed in a climactic battle in Karbala in AD 680, which cemented the rift between Sunnis and Shiites.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Shiite Muslim pilgrims visit the holy city of Karbala.

But because of the new coronavirus, the city is nearly empty of tourists.

Nearby hotels for pilgrims were almost deserted after authorities closed the borders to Iranian nationals.

Iraq has confirmed 382 cases of the new virus and 36 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.
If and when the COVID-19 storm subsides, new norms will likely be needed to dictate how states behave with each other.

Politics, people and markets are similar in how they respond to crisis, from natural disaster, to financial slump, to the onset of war. The instinctive response is fear and uncertainty; followed by mitigation; followed ultimately by the search for renewal in the wreckage of calamity.

While countries around the world roll out emergency measures to respond to COVID-19, and with an estimated 50 million people in lockdown, few are actually prepared for what a post-pandemic world will look like  the demands it will make of the societies left to populate it, and the extent to which it will blunt the confidence and hyper-individualism that has characterised the 21st century thus far.

At the end of World War II, the need for a global framework based on shared values and interdependence rallied political and policy elites to the cause of a liberal international order. In the 70-odd years that followed, that framework was gradually eroded by the combined forces of globalisation, poverty and the unresponsiveness of mainstream political parties to local discontent.

Until a few months ago, it seemed almost certain that the resurgence of the political right from Brazil to Hungary, and India to the United States would unambiguously come to define the remainder of the 21st century. Autocracies would consolidate. Exclusion and xenophobia would dominate election promises; and events such as the European migrant crisis would further the logic for nativism and tougher rules on immigration and protectionism.

But will the pandemic, the deadliest since the Spanish influenza, change all that? Or will the neo-authoritarian character of the last two decades, culminating dramatically in Britains exit from the EU, be immune to the indiscriminate, deadly spread of COVID-19, and the consequences of its universal reach?

While even the liberal global north takes drastic steps to isolate, quarantine and restrict the movement of citizens, in the long-term, the pandemic will likely demonstrate that a world without safety nets, cooperation and deep cross-border engagement is no longer tenable. Leaders and electorates will have to answer tough questions about why they were caught unprepared, and the sustainability of a planet dictated by climate deniers and political chauvinists whose ascent to power has been enabled by a tradition of misrepresentation, manipulation, and misinformation.

As a result of COVID-19, governments not just in Europe, but from Latin America to South Asia, have been forced overnight into solidarity and cooperation: coordinating international travel rules, sharing information about public health management strategies, fact-checking domestic news, and exchanging scientific expertise. Like the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Western Europe, governments will soon need to cooperate over fiscal stimulus and trade. That will be a big task for an international system that, under Americas go-it-alone unipolar shadow, has been largely inward-looking, driven by a lack of disruptive innovation, and eschewed any real alignment of national plans or priorities.

Already, European leaders have responded angrily to the self-regarding unilateralism of President Donald Trumps travel ban on its European allies. Amid a scalding oil-price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, oil producers are now being forced to discuss how best to stabilise the price of the commodity against a backdrop of the pandemic.

American legislators have called on the US to revisit its maximum pressure policy of sanctions on Iran that have hit the countrys ability to import medical supplies. Tehran, for the first time in six decades, has approached the IMF to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak. In the Far East, members of Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party have voted to donate their monthly salaries to help arch-nemesis China fight the outbreak. In response, Chinese social media quickly filled with gratitude for Japanese well wishes.

As the pandemic peaks, populists in power will inevitably face a credibility crisis. Many, such as Donald Trump in the United States and Narendra Modi in India, were sufficiently adept at dealing with emergencies geared at otherising a convenient enemy, immigrants in the case of the former, Muslims in the case of the latter. But in the pandemic, there is no visible, ethnically identifiable other to strong-arm. Populists will face criticism for their inability to effectively respond and contain the spread of the disease. It is for this reason, perhaps, that Indian Prime Minister Modi hurriedly turned to technology by holding a videoconference between heads of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states this week. But the fact remains that India under Modis authoritarian spell spent the last five years working against regional integration, instead ratcheting up neighbourhood tensions, including a lockdown and Internet shutdown for eight million people in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Finally, in China, where the outbreak began, and where the rules against social media bloggers and activists are strict, even the Communist Party has been forced to realise the costs of restricting the flow of information in tackling the outbreak, and the countervailing power of social media and the digital public sphere in daily governance.

Will COVID-19 trigger global political change? There are two reasons why it might. The first is that unlike shocks such as war, earthquakes and famines, pandemics do not discriminate by geography or human identity. By nature, pandemics are inclusionary, rendering borders futile, and requiring global responses that are inclusionary in turn. Secondly, unlike other security crises that preceded it  the Cold War, 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria  governments will be unable to use the spread of Covid-19 to silence opponents, since it will be harder to label criticism in these cases as disloyal or unpatriotic. This will make regimes vulnerable to leadership change, and offer an opportunity to marginalised political parties to innovate.

For democracies and autocracies alike, COVID-19 will ultimately be a moral reckoning in the conduct of foreign and domestic policy, as nations ability to grapple with the challenges of inequality, climate change and social mobility will stand exposed for all to see. Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan has already called on the global north to write off the debt of vulnerable countries. Whether or not that happens, government functionaries will certainly be held accountable for lack of regulation, commitment to social equity, and sufficiently deep cross-border engagement that preceded the disaster. And if and when the storm subsides, new norms will likely be needed to dictate how states behave with each other.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
IndusInd Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying up to 20 per cent

Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex surged over 1,100 points in opening session on Friday led by gains in banking stocks ahead of Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das' address.

Positive cues from the global markets too enthused investor sentiment.

The 30-share BSE barometer was trading 1,140.10 points or 3.81 per cent higher at 31,086.87.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty zoomed 367.10 points, or 4.25 per cent, to 9,008.55.

IndusInd Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying up to 20 per cent, followed by Axis Bank, SBI, Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and M&M. On the other hand, Bharti Airtel, HCL Tech, TCS and Bajaj Auto were the top losers.

In the previous session, equity benchmarks surged for the third straight session, logging their best three-day gains in years.

The BSE gauge surged 1,410.99 points or 4.94 per cent to settle at 29,946.77; while the Nifty shot up 323.60 points or 3.89 per cent to 8,641.45.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net sellers in the capital market, as they sold equity shares worth Rs 484.78 crore on Thursday, according to provisional exchange data.

According to traders, after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Rs 1.70 lakh crore economic stimulus to ease the economic blow of the Covid-19 pandemic, investors are eyeing more sops from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, who is scheduled to address media at 1000 hours.

Domestic markets have been driven by optimism on USD 2 trillion package to US economy and also in anticipation of an economic package by the RBI for the Indian economy.

The number of deaths around the world linked to the new coronavirus has crossed over 24,000. In India, around 700 Covid-19 cases have been reported so far.
A gas turbine that Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction developed. / Courtesy of Doosan Heavy



By Nam Hyun-woo





Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction CEO Park Gee-won.
The House passed a historic $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Friday, sending it to President Trumps desk for signature.

The massive spending package is intended to buoy the flagging economy, which has been damaged by the coronavirus pandemic as it spreads across the country and causes businesses to shut down and lay off workers.

An agreement on the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously in a 96-to-0 vote Thursday, was reached after five days of intense negotiations between senators and senior members of the Trump administration.

Lawmakers rushed back to Washington, D.C. on Thursday after Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, indicated he may delay the bill by demanding a recorded vote requiring at least 216 members to appear on the floor.

The bill passed by a voice vote after lawmakers defeated Massies attempt to demand a recorded vote.

Members are advised that it is possible this measure will not pass by voice vote, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday, adding that members should follow the guidance of their local and state health officials but if they are able and willing to be in Washington by 10 a.m. on Friday they are encouraged to do so with caution.

The bill, the third coronavirus-related spending bill passed by Congress, provides $367 billion in loans to help small businesses hit hard by the outbreak to keep making payroll, $100 billion for hospitals, and $150 billion for state and local governments. The plan also provides for Americans who make up to $75,000 to receive a one-time payment of $1,200. A $500 billion fund earmarked for corporations that have been economically damaged by the pandemic will be overseen by an inspector general and a congressional panel, in accordance with Democrats demands.

U.S. coronavirus cases rose by 15,000 on Thursday, bumping the total number of infected individuals to more than 82,100, above the number the virus has sickened in China, where the virus outbreak began, and Italy, which has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. More than 1,200 people have died in the U.S. after being infected.

More from National Review
The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to three connected firms involved in the food distribution business whose turnovers have plunged due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Wert Capital Ltd and related firms Dublin Foods Sales Ltd and Scallans Food Service Ltd which have over 70 employees were all granted the protection of the court from their creditors.

The firms are involved in the delivery of mainly food and some non food products to restaurants, pubs, offices hotels nursing homes and catering companies in the Leinster area and South East of the country.

At the High Court on Friday afternoon Ms Justice Niamh Hyland said she was satisfied to appoint insolvency practioner Neil Hughes of Baker Tilly as interim examiner to the companies.

The judge said that while the firms are currently insolvent and unable to pay their debts, an independent expert's report had stated that the companies have a reasonable prospect of survival if certain steps are taken.

These steps included securing fresh investment in the firm, and the examiner putting together a scheme of arrangement with the three firms' creditors, which if approved by the court would allow them continue to trade as going concerns.

The firms, represented in court by Ross Gorman Bl, petitioned the court for Mr Hughes's appointment.

Counsel said that the had been profitable in recent years but had run into cash flow difficulties.

The outbreak of covid-19 and the resultant closure of businesses, schools, pubs and restaurants had seen the firms turnover reduced by 70%.

The companies also has had to lay off a significant part of their workforce, counsel said.

The firms' creditors include Bank of Ireland, Revenue, a financial fund called BDO Davy EIIS which it borrowed money to fund acquisitions made in 2017 and a significant number of trade creditors.

Other causes of the companies difficulties included a shortfall on an invoicing facility they have entered into with a company called Grenke Invoice Finance, and the firms' were underfunded following the acquisition of new businesses which resulted in a rapid rise in turnover.

Counsel said that the appointment of an interim examiner was required in order to deal with the firm's employees who had in recent days been paid their wages directly by a director of the companies Mr Richard Meehan.

The examiner as well as putting a scheme of arrangement together could also help resolve any issues with Grenke over the invoicing, counsel added.

Counsel said there has also been expressions of interest in what are profitable businesses by investors, and the firm was looking to diversify in these troubled times and establishing a home delivery service.

After appointing Mr Hughes, following an ex-parte hearing, the judge made the matter returnable to a date in early April.

This article was updated on March 28.
The study, published in the journal Nature, said the degree of similarity between the virus in the small anteater mammals, and the one causing the pandemic is not sufficient to suggest that the animals are the intermediate hosts behind the current outbreak

Beijing: Pangolins that were smuggled into China carry coronavirus that are closely related to the one behind the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study which sheds more light on the origins of the deadly virus.

However, the study, published in the journal Nature, said the degree of similarity between the virus in the small anteater mammals, and the one causing the pandemic is not sufficient to suggest that the animals are the intermediate hosts behind the current outbreak.

According to the researchers, including those from The University of Hong Kong, the findings suggest that pangolins are a second mammalian host of coronavirus.

They said the sale of pangolins in wildlife markets should be strictly prohibited to minimise the risk of future virus transmission to humans.

While evidence suggests that bats may be the reservoir for the pandemic causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, the researchers said the identity of intermediate host animals, that could have facilitated its transfer to humans, remains unknown.

A seafood market linked to early cases of the recent outbreak of respiratory disease was cleared out shortly after the outbreak began, the scientists said, impeding the search for the animal species that is the source of the coronavirus.

One possible host, they said, are pangolins, the most-commonly illegally trafficked mammal, that are used both as food and in traditional medicine.

In the study, Yi Guan and his colleagues analysed samples taken from 18 Malayan pangolins that were obtained from anti-smuggling operations in southern China between August 2017 and January 2018. They detected SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in five of these animals.

On further analysis, they reported the presence of similar coronaviruses in three out of 12 additional animals seized in a second province in 2018, and in an additional animal from a third province from which a sample was collected in 2019.

The viruses isolated from these samples have a sequence similarity of approximately 85 to 92 percent to SARS-CoV-2, the study noted.

One virus, the scientists said, shows strong similarity in the sequence of the receptor-binding domain, a region that encodes the spike' of the virus that facilitates entry into host cells.

However, they said all of the pangolin coronaviruses identified to date lack a specific alteration in their sequences that is seen in human SARS-CoV-2.

They said this places uncertainty on their role in the transmission of the novel coronavirus into humans.

According to the researchers, pangolins are the only mammals other than bats that have been found to be infected with a SARS-CoV-2-related coronavirus.

Based on the findings, they said there is a potentially important role for pangolins in the ecology of coronaviruses.

However, the scientists said pangolins cannot be directly implicated in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

They said these mammals should be handled with caution, suggesting that further monitoring of pangolins is needed to understand their role in the emergence of coronaviruses with the potential to infect humans.

"The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to SARS-CoV-2 suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible hosts in the emergence of novel coronavirus, and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic transmission," the researchers wrote in the study.
Concerns are growing in Hong Kong after the arrest of a pro-democracy district council member that the government may not need to enact controversial new laws to accuse people of sedition and subversion.



Hong Kong police on arrested Cheng Lai-king, the chairwoman of Central and Western District Council, on suspicion of "seditious intention" under existing colonial-era laws.



Pro-democracy lawmakers and lawyers have said the offense of seditious intent, which carries a fine of HK$5,000 (U.S.$645) and a jail term of up to two years, could contravene Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.



The concept applied under British colonial rule to anyone who incites disaffection against "the person of His Majesty, or His Heirs or Successors, or against the government of this colony."



Cheng was held for more than 10 hours and then released without charge, although police said an investigation is still ongoing.



Cheng could also face a lawsuit brought by the city's secretary for justice for contempt of court after she was accused of sharing a Facebook post containing the personal details of a police officer believed to be linked to the shooting of Indonesian journalist Veby Mega Indah while she was covering protests last September.



Veby lost her sight in one eye after being hit by a police projectile believed to be a rubber or textile bullet.



No such post was visible on Chengs Facebook page on , Reuters reported.



Cheng's arrest prompted a protest by around 100 members of the Democratic Party, of which she is a member, and their supporters, outside Kwai Chung police station, where she was being held.



100 Democrats rally in support

Superintendent Swalikh Mohammed said Cheng is believed to have shared the officer's name, picture, staff number, address and phone number, via her social media account.



"If you look online, there are a lot of words which are in fact, causing a lot of incitement," he told government broadcaster RTHK.



"What we have noticed in the past eight, nine months is that somebody incites some violence and you see it happening on the streets immediately. That's what concerns us and that's why we have to take appropriate enforcement action against people who breach the law."



About 100 Democrats went to Kwai Chung Police Station on morning to express their support, criticizing the police for over arrest and retaliation.



Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui, who is also a district councilor, said it was significant that a pro-democracy councilor had been singled out under an outdated law.



"The police are only targeting speech by pro-democracy politicians," Hui said. "Why have they only targeted speech by the chairwoman of a district council?"



"I think this is a pretext for political retaliation on the part of the police, because one of our district councilors exposed wrongdoing and abuse of power by the police," he said. "This is extremely shameful."



In January, Cheng ordered plainclothes police officers who refused to show credentials at a meeting of the Central and Western District Council to leave the chamber, in the presence of police commissioner Chris Tang.



She also ordered police supporters to leave after they heckled the meeting from the public seats.



Voters rebuke Beijing

Millions of voters in Hong Kong delivered a stunning rebuke to Beijing and the administration of chief executive Carrie Lam with a landslide victory for pro-democracy candidates in District Council elections last November, after months of pro democracy and anti-government protests in the city.



Pro-democracy candidates won 388 seats, an overwhelming majority of the 452 council seats up for grabs, after 71 percent of registered voters -- nearly half the city's population -- turned out to vote, delivering control of 17 out of 18 districts to pro-democracy groups.



Since then, police have arrested 15 newly elected pro-democracy councilors, including three chairmen and women and one deputy chairman, sparking concerns that they are targeting the local politicians for political reasons.



Pro-democracy politicians fear that the use of colonial-era sedition laws could be a way of testing the waters in the light of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's insistence that Hong Kong enact sedition and subversion laws as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law.



Mass protests against the Article 23 legislation led to the early resignation of then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa, after which the bill was shelved.



But Beijing has repeatedly said it shouldn't be put off any longer.



Civic Party lawmaker Alvin Yeung said the colonial laws had remained on the statute book after the 1997 handover to Chinese rule because of government "indifference."



"Put simply, this is equivalent to an incitement [to subversion] law," Yeung said. "In making use of an illiberal law left over from colonial times, the Hong Kong government is absolutely violating human rights law."



Democratic Party lawmaker James To said that if this law is brought back into use, there will be no need to enact new laws under Article 23.



"If they have the guts to use the Crimes Ordinance [in this way], it means that we already effectively have Article 23 legislation here in Hong Kong," To said.



"I have reason to believe that they want to use this as a test to make a case for using these existing laws as Article 23 legislation," he said. "They want to see how the courts will decide if they start using them again."



The sedition laws were used to prosecute the pro-Beijing Ta Kung Pao newspaper and dissidents who criticized the British colonial government.



Reported by Lu Xi and Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Aside from the global coronavirus pandemic and its devastating effects around the world, the only other thing my brain has the capacity to think about right now is Netflixs Tiger King. The new docuseries exposes the dark world of exotic animal ownership and its most notorious players  in particular, Joe Exotic Maldonado-Passage: big cat breeder, purveyor of Tiger King underwear, and former owner of the G.W. Zoo in Wynnewood, OK, who also currently happens to be serving 22 years in prison for plotting a murder-for-hire (which was ultimately foiled). The intended target? Carole Baskin, animal rights activist and Joe Exotics public enemy number one.

For years, Baskin, who is the founder of Big Cat Rescue, a big cat sanctuary in Tampa, FL, has made it her mission to end big cat ownership across the world. This is the basis of Maldonado-Passages vendetta against her, which spurred a years-long feud full of lawsuits, propaganda, and rage-fueled vlogs between the two of them, and ultimately escalated to the point of Maldonado-Passage hatching a $3,000 ploy to have Baskin killed. Among his many frustrations with Baskin: before Big Cat Rescue, Baskin also bred big cats, and even now, profits off the animals in her sanctuary by charging visitors. Between this, her $1 million trademark infringement lawsuit against Maldonado-Passage, and the assets Baskin inherited decades ago when her second husband Don Lewis disappeared mysteriously, the animal rights activist is thought to have a lot of money. Just how much? Weve done a bit of investigating in the hopes of finding out.

Baskins late husband, who disappeared under uncertain  and quite dubious  circumstances, was said to have been a multi-millionaire whose assets mostly fell to Baskin following his disappearance, leaving his daughters with a small leftover sum. But in a blog post on the Big Cat Rescue site, Baskin refutes many of these claims and insinuations from the docuseries. In regards to her late husband Don Lewiss wealth, Baskin asserts that his pockets were not nearly as deep when she first met him as they were portrayed to be in the docuseries. But once married, Baskin explains, they got into the business of  buying defaulted loans from banks and going to tax deed sales, which they built into a portfolio valued at approximately $5 million by the time Lewis disappeared.

Story continues

She also states that after Lewiss disappearance, his daughters came away with assets worth approximately $1 million, which contradicts the claim they make in the series that the inheritance was only roughly 10% of their late fathers fortune. Baskin also writes in the blog post that she inherited $2 million in assets from a different trust, and that she did not choose which assets Lewiss daughters received, as they allege in the series.

While we cant know for certain, whats true across the board is that all of players in Tiger King have amassed big earnings from big cats  and that apparently there are a lot more wild animals lurking in our neighbors backyards than we may have realized.

Related Content:

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Think About It: A Tiger King-Bachelorette Show

What Carole From 'The Tiger King' Is Doing Now
Tanaiste & Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD during a press briefing in the Courtyard of Government Buildings, Dublin Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

More than 100 Irish citizens currently stranded in Peru are expected to be flown back to Ireland this Sunday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the government has been given clearance to arrange a repatriation flight following a phone call between Tanaiste Simon Coveney and the Peruvian Foreign Minister.

Arrangements are being made for the internal transport of those in Cusco and Lima.

Following a call between An Tanaiste and the Peruvian Foreign Minister, diplomatic clearance has been given for a repatriation flight now scheduled for Sunday at 4pm, a statement from the DFA reads.

Our Embassy in Santiago is in contact with our citizens on the ground in Peru keeping them informed.

A large amount of effort is also going into arrangements for the internal transport of our citizens, especially from Cusco to Lima.

That remains a very challenging situation and we are doing everything that we can in order for this to take place as planned over the next couple of days.

There are 135 Irish citizens stuck in Peru which is currently under a strict lock-down.

Mr Coveney recently said Aer Lingus had agreed with British Airways to send a charter plane to collect them from Lima in the coming days.

He said they wouldn't face a big bill to return home and that the Government would seek to recoup up to 70pc of the 300,000 cost from the EU.
Police said they broke up another wedding Thursday in Lakewood, at least the third time township officers had to disperse a group violating the states ban on gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Patrol officers at the scene of a car accident discovered the celebration taking place on Wayne Street, according to Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith.

While tending to the scene two vans pulled up with would be wedding guests. The officers then noticed that a nearby backyard had a party tent set up, the captain said in an email.

It was not immediately clear how many people were at the wedding, Staffordsmith said. Officers issued a criminal complaint for maintaining a nuisance to 39-year-old William Katzenstein.

Gov. Phil Murphy banned gatherings - including weddings - in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected at least 6,876 people in New Jersey.

Our social distancing directives are not polite suggestions. We will enforce these, Murphy said Wednesday at his daily briefing on the virus.

Last week, Lakewood police also broke up two weddings in the densely populated township.

Health officials reported 468 positive cases of the respiratory virus in Ocean County, with 198 in Lakewood as of Thursday.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
In stressful times, solving a crossword is not just a diversion but a necessary solace. In fact, the crossword puzzle was born in December 1913, on the eve of World War I. Arthur Wynne, an editor at the New York World, needed a new game for that papers FUN section. So he printed a blank word-search grid, devised clues so readers could figure out the letters, and called it FUNs Word-Cross Puzzle. A typographical error a few weeks later transposed the puzzles title to Cross-Word, and the puzzle was permanently re-christened. New solvers became rabid cruciverbaliststhat is, crossword fanspractically overnight, latching onto the grid as a refuge from chaos.

As the war progressed and headlines in the World became increasingly bleak, the papers advertising efforts to point solvers to the puzzle also dialed up, with banners on the front pages directing readers straight past the dire news and to the crossword for an anchor in increasingly uncertain times.

And as World War I ramped up, so did cruciverbal production, and the activitys popularity only grew after the Armistice. During the 1920s, the crossword boomed: from crossword-patterned stockings to crossword-themed musicals to comic strips like Cross Word Cal, the puzzle was everywhere. However, crosswords themselves were all over the map in terms of their form and content. Though some puzzles were carefully edited and regulated, others were much more freewheeling, all shapes and sizes and riddled with errors.

Readers clearly craved puzzles, but one American newspaper refused to yield its staunch stance against games: the New York Times. Throughout the 20s and 30s, the Times ran several editorials pooh-poohing crosswords as a passing fad; though solvers wrote pleading the paper to print a puzzle, the publishers refused. This moral high ground stemmed from the Times historical abstinence from any kind of yellow journalism: the paper wanted to maintain the highest standards possible. Its editors also believed that the paper should captivate readers attention without needing to rely on a puzzle.

Story continues

For decades, the Times remained the only major metropolitan newspaper in America without a puzzle. On Feb. 15, 1942, just two months after the Japanese Navy Air Service had launched its air strike against the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, the Times caved. Suddenly, the puzzle was not a frivolous distraction but a necessary diversion, something to keep readers sane with the rest of the news so bleak. And, as an editor pointed out in a note to publisher Arthur Hay Sulzberger, the crossword would provide readers something to occupy time during coming blackout days. So Sulzberger decided to institute a puzzle. But, he reasoned, if the Times was going to have a crossword, it was going to be the best crossword in the nation.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

Sulzberger hired Margaret Petherbridge Farrar, who edited Simon and Schusters wildly successful series of crossword collections, as its puzzle editor. Farrar, who started her career as crossword editor at the New York World, insisted on the highest-quality puzzles possible. While other publications might allow for wild-looking grids and play fast and loose in terms of clues, Farrar instituted regulations that have now become industry standards. Most of these were architectural  grids cannot contain unchecked squares, for example, and grids must have rotational symmetry. But she also made sure that puzzles passed the Sunday Breakfast Test; that is, clues and answers would be appropriate for all ages.

In England, the crossword contained more serious threats to civilization than potential lack of civility. During World War II, some answers in the Observers puzzles put British intelligence offices on alert. The appearance of GOLD, SWORD and JUNO, code names for beaches assigned to Allied troops, didnt cause too much suspicion at first; after all, these were relatively common words, spaced far enough apart that they could be chalked up to coincidence. But in May 1994, more unusual code words started appearing, and more frequently: UTAH and OMAHA, two more beaches; MULBERRY, the operations floating harbors; NEPTUNE, the naval-assault stage; and OVERLORD, the name for DDay itself.

Most suspiciously of all, British intelligence officials traced the suspect puzzles to a single source. Leonard Dawe, a mild-manned, bespectacled headmaster at a boys prep school, was one of the Observers top constructors, contributing hundreds of puzzles to that newspaper. When officials arrived at Dawes house and demanded his notebooks, the professor was bewildered: after all, he had no idea he was doing anything in the least suspicious. The British intelligence couldnt find any other links between Dawe and enemy forces, so they reluctantly declared he wasnt a traitor. The mystery remained unsolved until 1984, when one of Dawes former students came forward and said hed helped Dawe fill in his puzzles. Lots of the boys did, he saidthey found interesting words and slotted them into the grid. Like many of students, theyd hung around a soldiers camp adjacent to the school during recess, where theyd picked up code words and stray bits of information through eavesdropping, and then added these intriguing words to the grids. After the British intelligence came knocking at this door, Dawe had demanded to know where his students had gotten these words. Horrified that hed indeed been an accidental traitor, Dawe made the boys swear never to telland, the former student said, I have kept that oath until now.

In 1945, the war ended. But, in both the U.K. and the U.S., the crossword remained, transitioning from relief to ritual. And in new times of trouble, the crossword puzzle is still there to help solvers escapejust as solvers before them have been doing for more than a century.

Penguin

Adrienne Raphel is the author of Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Cant Live Without Them, available now from Penguin Press.
T he genetic code of Covid-19 has been relatively slow to mutate during its global spread so a future vaccine could remain effective over a long period, research has suggested.

Two independent studies by teams of infectious diseases scientists helping Italys fight against coronavirus have reported they found the fast-proliferating pathogen to be reasonably stable.

The findings will add to a better understanding of the virus and how it spreads  and raise hopes that a future vaccine could have a higher rate of effectiveness against the strain.

The studies were carried out by Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome and the forensic division of the department of biomedical sciences and public health at Ancona University Hospital.

Professor Stefano Menzo, head of virology at the hospital, said: A virus with a stable genome is good news for vaccine development because it indicates that the effectiveness of vaccines could be more consistent, possibly over many years.

Forty-four vaccines are being evaluated for eventual use against coronavirus and two of them are at the clinical trial stage.

The World Health Organisation has said it could be at least a year before a vaccine is available because it must be safe.

Meanwhile, data collected via the NHSs 111 telephone service is to be mixed with data from other sources to help predict where ventilators, hospital beds, and medical staff will be most in need.
The Metropolitan Police has asked retired officers to consider returning to the beat amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Commissioner Cressida Dick is writing to all former Met officers who retired within the last five years to ask them to re-join either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

Serving officers who are nearing 30 years' pensionable service are also being asked to delay their retirement.

Firefighters are also joining the fight against coronavirus by helping delivering food and medicines as well as driving ambulances or retrieving dead bodies. There are currently 48,000 firefighters and control staff in Britain.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, pictured on the beat on New Bond Street earlier this week, left, has written to former officers who have retired over the past five years to ask them to return temporarily to help with Scotland Yard's coronavirus response

London Ambulance Service has also asked its recently-retired staff to return to work

The government is also considering allowing civil servants to volunteer as special constables in an effort to bolster numbers.

It is understood the Government is considering temporarily changing tax and pension rules which would prevent former police officers from returning to the beat.

Ms Dick said: 'On behalf of London, and all the men and women of the Met, it is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers.

'Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see that the Met is here for them. We must maintain our operational resilience and continue to provide the best possible service to London.

'Police officers overwhelmingly join 'the job' to help people and to make a difference, and that desire will be as strong today as it was the very first day they joined.

'I am hopeful that these exceptionally experienced and knowledgeable former colleagues choose to come and be part of our team and support London at this extraordinary time - either as a re-employed police officer, special constable or a volunteer.'

London Ambulance Service has also appealed for former staff to return.

The service tweeted: 'We are asking former members of our team to consider returning, if they can, to support us in helping Londoners in need.

'We're particularly keen to hear from former 111 and 999 control room team staff.'

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), warned the pandemic could put the emergency services under huge pressure, but vowed that 'we can and will get through it together'.

A new agreement between fire service organisations will allow firefighters to take on extra responsibilities to tackle the spread of Covid-19, alongside their day-to-day duties of responding to emergencies such as fires and collisions.

London Fire Brigade will join the fight against coronavirus by driving ambulances, delivering food and medicine as well as transporting dead bodies to alleviate the pressure on other emergency front line services

Describing the outbreak as a 'humanitarian emergency', Mr Wrack said: 'To get through this, we must find ways to work together with other emergency services. Firefighters are fantastic at teamwork, are experienced in driving emergency vehicles and, as a service rooted in the community, may be best placed to deliver essential items to the most vulnerable.

'Many fear the loss of life in this outbreak could be overwhelming - and firefighters, who often handle terrible situations and incidents, are ready to step in to assist with body retrieval.

'Firefighters and control staff have always stepped in when the public has been in danger and this crisis is no different.'

The agreement between the FBU, fire chiefs and employers, will initially be in place for two months, but can be extended or shortened if agreed between all parties.

Mr Wrack told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a 'need to protect core functions' of the fire service and that taking on additional work would be 'quite a serious challenge'.

He added: 'I think this is a huge challenge across public services and also clearly we need to ensure that firefighters and others are protected in terms of personal protective equipment because no-one can do their job if their own safety is compromised.'
By MSU Public Relations Mar. 27, 2020 | 08:28 AM | MURRAY

The Murray State University Institute of Engineering is producing and donating face shield apparatuses as part of its response to the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis.

Engineering Graphics and Design program coordinator Dr. Rudy Ottway and student worker Clay Doron, a junior majoring in the program, are using 3D printers and an open-source 3D computer-aided drafting model to produce face shield headbands. Coupled with a snapped-on plastic shield and surgical mask, this solution offers vital protection to area healthcare workers for little cost.

"We're grateful for the work of Murray State and the Institute of Engineering to help us confront this pandemic," said MCCH Vice President for Institutional Development Keith Travis. "This effort helps us replenish our reserves and adapt to this ever-changing situation, all while protecting our doctors, nurses and staff as they interact with patients."

"We had everything we needed in personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies from the health department except for the important face shields," said Dr. Bob Hughes, chief medical officer of Murray State University Health Services. "Murray State University stepped up and provided those when we needed them most. We cannot thank them enough at this very important time for being there for us. We are all in this together."

"The Institute of Engineering is honored to donate this gear to those who are in need," said Dr. Danny Claiborne, chair of the Institute of Engineering. "We're truly all in this together, and we want to support our community any way we can. Typically, these shields can run as much as $30 per unit, and 3D printing allows us to produce them for less than a dollar each."

The Institute expects to have 300 completed apparatuses by early next week.

"I am very proud of our faculty, staff and students in the Institute of Engineering who have responded to the needs of our local medical providers," said Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson. "There is a tremendous shortage of personal protective equipment and we are pleased to do our part during this period of uncertainty."
He has been sharing photos and videos of his home quarantine in New York City with his beloved pet pooch Kuma on Instagram.

But on Friday afternoon Justin Theroux was all business when he took to the desolate streets of Manhattan to pick up some needed supplies with a female companion by his side.

The actor took extra precautions amid the still growing coronavirus pandemic by wearing a protective mask and gloves.

Provision run amid coronavirus crisis: Justin Theroux, 48, stocked up on groceries with a female companion in New York City on Friday

Always one to have a keen eye for style, the Leftovers star wore army-green cargo pants and a black t-shirt under a fitted black bomber jacket.

He also donned a black beanie cap over his short dark hair and black shoes as he carried two bags stuffed with groceries.

His lady friend followed close to his side in black skinny jeans with a white t-shirt and a dark brown winter coat.

Like Theroux, she also wore a beanie cap and sunglasses for the walk back to his apartment.

Taking care: The pair took extra precautions and donned protective masks and gloves

Cool cat: Always one who has a keen eye for style, the Leftovers star wore army-green cargo pants and a black t-shirt under a fitted black bomber jacket

On on typical day, Theroux is usually spotted out taking his Pit Bull mix out for a walk on the bustling streets.

But with most people on some sort of quarantine since COVID-19 reached a fever pitch, these are nothing close to typical times.

To help keep himself and Kuma entertained, Theroux has been posting images of their time together cooped up at home.

On Wednesday he shared an adorable video to his Instagram Stories of Kuma trying to join in as he did a series of push ups.

Four-legged family members: The actor has been sharing photos and videos on Instagram of his home quarantine with his beloved pet dog Kuma

Getting into the mix: Theroux shared an adorable video on Wednesday of his Pit Bull mix Kuma spreading some love as he tried to do a series of push ups

Clothes crisis: Meanwhile, his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston told Ellen DeGeneres that she has been spending her in-door hours cleaning out her designer-filled clothing closet

And just days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, the Washington, DC native posted a photo of Kuma relaxing with a play toy with the caption: 'Riding it out,' written on the bottom.

Theroux adopted Kuma from the Texas-based organization called A Chance To Bloom Dog Rescue in 2018.

The non-profit rescued her from a kill shelter not long after she was found among the destruction left behind by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston told Ellen DeGeneres that she has been spending her in-door hours cleaning out her designer-filled clothing closet.
HONOLULU - Travellers landing in Hawaii Thursday found a new requirement that they hole up in hotel rooms or their homes for 14 days to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Most tourists stayed away, having received the message to avoid one of the worlds most popular visitor destinations after Gov. David Ige announced the new quarantine order on Saturday. Most of those collecting bags at the Honolulu airport were Hawaii residents returning home.

Destiny Rohrer, 19, a sailor in the Navy, had visited San Diego to see some friends before they deployed. She plans to spend her quarantine cooking and watching Netflix.

I dont mind it. I get to spend time with my dog, she said.

As of Wednesday, 106 people in Hawaii had tested positive for COVID-19. Most had travelled out-of-state or been exposed to people who had. Of these, seven had to be hospitalized.

There is little for travellers to do even if there was no quarantine, as a statewide shelter-in-place directive took effect on Wednesday.

The city and state have closed beach parks and popular hiking trails. Shopping malls and places travellers like to visit, like the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, have shut down.

Restaurants may only offer takeout, drive-through and delivery service. Sit-down meals at restaurants are prohibited.

That should put a super wet blanket on any spread, said Lt. Gov. Josh Green of the quarantine and stay-at-home orders.

Armando Baiza learned of the quarantine when he landed in Hawaii on a flight from San Francisco. The 61-year-old welder came to Oahu for work. His employer knew about the quarantine, and Baiza has people who will shop for him while he stays inside.

Thats OK. I dont mind. Its for everybodys own good, he said.

One returning Honolulu resident said she found the process followed by state quarantine workers to be haphazard. Pam Miller-Sofos said the workers made all the passengers coming off her flight from Seattle file into an enclosed space without following social distancing guidelines.

They kind of herd you in. And I said, Arent we supposed to be 6 feet apart? And they kind of laughed and handed me a paper and that was it, she said.

Miller-Sofos supports the quarantine but wishes the state had better procedures for passengers getting off planes.

Ige said the new quarantine rules are a learning experience for everyone.

This is a brand new procedure and the workers are implementing the quarantine process for the first time. I know that well get better each and every day, Ige said at a news conference when asked to respond to the problems reported by passengers.

The travel restrictions are devastating Hawaiis economy as tourism is the states biggest industry, responsible for employing nearly 20% of its workforce.

The state of 1.4 million people welcomed a record 10 million tourists last year for an average of about 830,000 a month.

The numbers have been crashing since early this month and are expected to dwindle nearly to zero in April.

On Tuesday, just over 4,000 people arrived in Hawaii by airplane from out of state, down 87% from the 32,000 who did so at the same time last year. On Thursday, many flights arrived with less than 10 passengers.

Dozens of hotels have either closed or made plans to close, including Disneys family-friendly Aulani Resort and the luxurious Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki.

Also Thursday, the Army Corps of Engineers said it has been evaluating buildings that might be converted to healthcare use if Hawaii experiences a surge in patients needing care.

So far, the corps has assessed the Hawaii Convention Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Center, both in Honolulu. It plans to examine sites on Maui on Friday.
Goliath Killers: Destroying Stubborn Challenges: a powerful inspiration that revisits the story of David and Goliath, and guides the readers in facing their own problems triumphantly. Goliath Killers: Destroying Stubborn Challenges is the creation of published author Israel Jimah, a minister who has served God in various capacities in the church until he was ordained into the ministry in 1989. Besides training pastors as a Bible school dean, he has also ministered as an itinerant traveling evangelist to several countries across the world.

Jimah shares, Goliath of Gath was a powerful enemy who defied the Israeli army of King Saul and, by extension, the God of Israel. No Israelite could withstand Goliath, but when David came on the scene, the story changed.

As it was then, so it is today. There are Goliath forces that are seeking to frustrate the glorious destinies of individuals, families, communities, and even nations. The God of David has not changed; what he did through David he is still doing today.

Goliath killers are being raised by the God of heaven to bring down the Goliaths that stand on their way just like David. It is amazing that upon all the boastings of Goliath, a young man brought him down with a stone and a sling. God directed Davids stone into Goliaths soft spot, his forehead. Your Goliath has a soft spot, and God knows how to target that spot with your sling and smooth stone. That Goliath in your life must die; that enemy has to be brought down by the power of the God of heaven. That stubborn challenge staring you in the face must come down.

This book is a Holy Spiritinspired spiritual-war material that details the killing of Goliath by David and how you and I can rise up today and also kill our own Goliaths by the power of God. We cannot allow the forces of Goliath any more space, no more room for them, no more chance for them, enough is enough, now is the time to get them down, and God wants to use us like he used David. Check out this book and see how you can be a Goliath killer.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Israel Jimahs new book is a profound reminder to every single person that no matter how great their Goliaths in life, they will be able to defeat them with Gods help as they nurture their faith in Him.

View a synopsis of Goliath Killers: Destroying Stubborn Challenges on YouTube.

Consumers can purchaseGoliath Killers: Destroying Stubborn Challenges at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Goliath Killers: Destroying Stubborn Challenges, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.


LONDON (Reuters) - Britain pledged on Thursday to contribute 210 million pounds ($253 million) to the international coalition to find a vaccine against coronavirus, which it said made it the biggest contributor. Announcing the commitment after a virtual summit with other G20 leaders, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on governments to work together to create a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to anyone who needs it

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain pledged on Thursday to contribute 210 million pounds ($253 million) to the international coalition to find a vaccine against coronavirus, which it said made it the biggest contributor.

Announcing the commitment after a virtual summit with other G20 leaders, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on governments to work together to create a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to anyone who needs it.

"My call to every G20 country and to governments around the world is to step up and help us defeat this virus," Johnson said in a statement.

The British funding is being channelled to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has said it requires an additional $2 billion in funding from governments to develop the crucial vaccine.

"If all G20 governments pledged $100 million funding, this shortfall would be met instantly," the British government statement said.

The director of the Wellcome Trust, an independent health foundation, has said the world needs $8 billion for the immediate research and development needs of creating, testing and trialing a potential vaccine.

That estimate does not include the cost of manufacturing and distributing any vaccine.

Around 60 or more research projects worldwide are currently seeking to develop a vaccine.

The British government has so far committed a total of 544 million pounds of aid money to the international effort against coronavirus.

That includes 71 million pounds in previously announced funding for vaccine and diagnostics research, and up to 150 million for the International Monetary Fund to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable countries.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Stephen Addison)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Car exports from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan increased by 117.30 percent from January through February 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, amounting to $ 2.116 million, Turkish Trade Ministry told Trend.

The ministry said that the supply of cars from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan increased by 85.04 percent in February 2020, compared to February 2019, amounting to $ 1.504 million.

Car exports from Turkey to world markets grew by 1 percent from January through February 2020, compared to the same period last year, amounting to $4.923 billion.

Car exports from Turkey accounted for 16.7 percent of the country's total exports from January through February 2020.

Turkey exported $2.522 billion worth of automobiles to world markets in February 2020, which is 0.9 percent less than the same period in 2019.

Car exports from Turkey in February 2020 amounted to 17.2 percent of the country's total exports.

Turkey exported cars worth $ 30.638 billion from February 2019 through February 2020.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
ACROSS Manitoba, faith groups are getting serious about the need to temporarily shutter religious services to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ACROSS Manitoba, faith groups are getting serious about the need to temporarily shutter religious services to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Instead of gathering in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and other places of worship, people are gathering online.

Glen Klassen, retired microbiologist

This will go a long way towards flattening the COVID-19 case number curve  and also help prevent what happened to Mennonites in southern Manitoba during the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic.

During that terrible time, when as many as 50 million people died worldwide and 55,000 in Canada, members of Mennonite churches in that part of the province died at double the rate of the rest of the population, retired Steinbach microbiologist Glen Klassen found in his 2008 research on the diseases impact.

Klassens interest in the topic was sparked by his involvement in the 2007 Faith Community Pandemic Summit at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, which he helped organize.

The summit  which was sponsored by the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, Mennonite Disaster Service, Salvation Army, Christian Reformed Church and various other groups  was to help faith groups prepare for the next such global health emergency.

According to Klassen, who taught microbiology at the University of Manitoba, it is thought around 60 per cent of Mennonites in the Hanover area (which includes Steinbach) got sick in 1918-19. There were roughly 60 flu-related deaths in the rural municipality  a higher rate than in other nearby municipalities with smaller non-Mennonite populations.

A similar high death rate was found in other RMs with high numbers of Mennonites, such as Stanley (Winkler), Rhineland (Altona) and Morris, Klassen said.

"They died at twice the rate of non-Mennonites within the same municipality and between municipalities," he said this week, noting the finding was confirmed by later research by Vanessa Quiring of the University of Winnipeg.

While there is no definite reason for the higher Mennonite numbers, one theory is based on how they maintained regular church-going habits.

"There was very little social distancing until it was too late," Klassen said.

Compounding the problem, he noted, was some Mennonite church services moved around from village to village, meaning people went to church in different places and with different groups each time. "They met a different combination of people at each event," said Klassen.

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.

Added to this was the "constant visiting between relatives from many locales," such as Sunday faspa, a late afternoon lunch and visit held after church in various homes. They were "promiscuous in their socializing," Klassen said of how the desire to maintain community contributed to the spread of the flu virus.

Other contributing factors included strained relations between Mennonites and the Manitoba government over registration for military service during the First World War, and over control of schooling  factors that may have made them more suspicious of government warnings about the pandemic.

There was also a tendency among the community to see the sickness as an act of God that couldnt be avoided, or as a sign of Gods displeasure and judgment. "Some said, The Lord is speaking to us harshly," Klassen said.

For Klassen, who attends Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach, the experience of Mennonites a century ago confirms the importance of social distancing and the need to close religious services during the time of COVID-19.

"Until we get a vaccine, we will have to do everything we can to prevent deaths," he said.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
KABUL, Afghanistan  After months of deliberation, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday announced his 21-member team to negotiate peace with the Taliban, only to have his political opponent reject it as not inclusive enough.

Afghanistans political turmoil has impeded each tentative step toward negotiations with the Taliban  negotiations that are supposed to come next under a peace deal that Washington signed with the insurgents last month.

The deal calls for the eventual withdrawal of all 13,000 U.S. soldiers from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to fight other militant groups, including the Islamic State group. The deal has been touted as Afghanistans best chance yet of ending its relentless wars.

But Ghani and his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, have been locked in a power struggle that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could not resolve during his emergency visit to Kabul earlier this week.

Pompeo held talks with both Ghani and Abdullah, who has also declared himself president in a parallel inauguration ceremony earlier this month, but made no headway in reconciling the two. Washington subsequently said it would cut $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan if the two leaders couldnt get their act together.

Ghanis 21-member team is led by the Masoom Stanikzai, former head of Afghanistans intelligence agency, who was forced to resign last year. He quit after a CIA-trained team under his command was found to have killed four brothers they falsely accused of being Islamic State operatives.

The special forces unit known as Unit 02 still operates despite reports of abuses, including one last year by the Human Rights Watch, which documented what it says are mounting atrocities by U.S.-backed Afghan special forces.

Abdullah seeks a power-sharing deal with Ghani, something the Afghan president has so far rejected. Abdullah accuses Ghani of being unwilling to compromise while Ghani says his rivals power-sharing demands will require a constitutional change and that can come only by holding a loya jirga, or grand council, of all Afghans.

In a televised speech a day after Pompeos visit, Ghani dismissed the threat of funding cuts and claimed that Afghanistan can manage without the $1 billion in U.S. aid.

Despite 18 years and billions of dollars in international aid, Afghanistan remains desperately poor. The poverty level soared from 35% of the population in 2012 to more than 55% last year. Poverty level counts those who survive on $1 or less a day. Successive Afghan governments, including Ghanis, have been accused by international watchdogs of widespread corruption.

Meanwhile, Taliban political spokesman Sohail Shaheen said the group would send four members to the U.S.-led coalition base in Bagram, north of Kabul, to oversee the release of their prisoners, also part of the deal signed with the U.S.

That deal calls for the release of 5,000 Taliban and 1,000 government personnel and Afghan troops held captive by the Taliban.

The visit to Bagram will be the first time Taliban representatives have officially visited Afghanistan since being thrown out of power in 2001 by the U.S.-led coalition after they had sheltered al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government Friday ordered a three-week lock-down for Kabul to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Pharmacies and grocery stores will be allowed to open. Earlier, authorities imposed a lockdown in western Herat province, where nearly 200,000 Afghans had passed through on their return from Iran since the start of the year, on their way to their homes across the country.

Herat borders Iran, which has been hardest-hit in the region by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Afghanistan has so far recorded just 91 cases and four deaths but the tens of thousands returnees from Iran have dispersed throughout the country without being tested or having their whereabouts recorded.

Afghanistans health care system, already devastated by decades of war, would be overwhelmed by a major outbreak.

Also Friday, the Taliban were handing out soap and face masks in northern Badghis province, in areas under their control, according to images circulated on social media. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said their prayer leaders were also explaining safety measures to the public and how to protect against the virus.

In a Pashto-language statement, the Taliban said they have carried out public awareness campaigns in four provinces of northern Afghanistan, distributing face masks, soap and pamphlets telling the faithful that it was a religious duty to to keep themselves and their environment clean.

___

Gannon reported from Islamabad.
A Ludhiana woman and her friend are stuck in Rajasthans Jodhpur for the past five days after lockdown was announced across the country. Their problems got worse after the owner of hotel, in which they were staying asked them vacate the room. Currently the women are staying up at a shelter home in Jodhpur. They said the uncertainty over train and bus service has further left them perplexed.

Twenty-six-year-old Sadhna of New Azad Nagar here and her friend Aashiya of Mumbai, who had come to see Sadhna on March 4, had left for Rajasthan on March 10. On March 20, they reached Jodhpur and stayed in a hotel. Before they could come back to Ludhiana, a nationwide lockdown was imposed due to coronavirus outbreak and they were stuck in Jodhpur.

Sadhnas husband Amit Kumar Yadav has gone to meet deputy commissioner Pradeep Agrawal on Friday seeking help, but the staff did not allow him to meet the officer. The family said that they have left the things on fate, as they have tried everything.

When contacted, Sadhna, mother of a five-year-old daughter, said, Before we could make any arrangement to return home, trains and bus services were suspended. As we were the only guests in the hotel, they have asked us to vacate the room on Thursday.

She said after leaving the hotel they walked 10 kms seeking help and reached Mandore Police station, however, they were not allowed to enter the police station. When we told the police officials that we are stuck here and needed their help, the cops brazenly asked us to walk all the way to Ludhiana. As we had no other option, we kept walking seeking some help. After walking for another one kilometer, we found a police checkpoint, where we found members of some NGOs, who took us to a shelter home, she added.

The members of the NGO have promised us to make some arrangement to send us home, but they need to take permission from the district magistrate and it would take some three days.

Sadhnas husband runs a general store in New Azad Nagar.

Amit said that they all are worried about Sadhna and her friend Aashiya. He said that he made multiple requests to officials, but to no avail. He said that it is difficult to console her five-year-old daughter who keeps asking about her mother every day.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sandeep Shukla has requested officials to make efforts to help woman.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future published a research report high throughput screening instrument market size Research Report  Global Forecast till 2025 Market Overview, Segmentation, Progress, Regional analysis, key Trends, Major Players and Forecast to 2025. Global Wearable Sensors Market is likely to value of USD 13,460 million with a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period

Competitive Landscape:

Better integration of diverse plans in the global high throughput screening market and introduction of several strategic moves that encompasses mergers, acquisitions, tie-ups, and others are expected to inspire growth. Companies impacting the growth in the market are Danaher (US), Aurora Biomed Inc. (Canada), Tecan (Switzerland), PerkinElmer (US), Axxam (Italy), Hamilton (US), Corning (US), Merck Group (Germany), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (US), BioTek (US), Luminex Corporation (US), Agilent Technologies Inc. (US), and Roche (Switzerland).

Overview

High-throughput screening (HTS) can be defined as a method that includes scientific experimentation needed for various drug discovery and deciding typical moves in the the fields of biology and chemistry. The procedure includes data processing/control software, liquid handling devices, robotics, and sensitive detectors. This allows the system to get into the procedure of conducting tests for millions of chemical, genetic, or pharmacological processes. The process has evolved as necessary to find active compounds, antibodies, or genes that can cover various biomolecular pathway. This process assists in the designing of various market process.

The high throughput screening (hts) market is getting traction from high technological advancements in HTS and hike in expenditure for research and development. The government funding for the procedure is also providing better scope for growth.

Segmental Analysis

The global market for high throughput screening, by product & service, can be segmented into instruments, reagents & assay kits, consumables & accessories, and software and services. The reagents & assay kits segment can find growth with increasing demand from the diagnostic segment.

By technology, the global market report on high throughput screening can be segmented into cell-based assays, Bioinformatics, 3D cell culture, 2D cell culture, perfusion cell culture, 3D cell culture, Ultra-high-throughput Screening, lab-on-a-chip (LOC), and Label-free Technology. The 3D cell culture segment includes scaffold-based technologies and scaffold-free technologies. The scaffold-based segment comprises hydrogels, inert matrix, and micropatterned surfaces. The scaffold-free technologies segment consists ultra-low binding plates, hanging-drop plates, microplate, and other scaffold-free technologies.

By application, the global market for high throughput screening includes primary and secondary screening, toxicology assessment, target identification & validation, and others. The application segment is showing signs of fastest CAGR owing to its inclusion in the research and development sector.

By end user, the global market for high throughput screening can be segmented into contract research organizations, academic & government institutes, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and others.

Global High Throughput Screening Market Research Report- https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/high-throughput-screening-market-1280

In October 2019, researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute revealed that they have developed a machine-learning algorithm that would assist in the high throughput screening of epigenetic drugs.

Related News

Blood Glucose Monitoring Market  Global Forecast till 2023

Dercums Disease Market  Global Forecast till 2023

About Market Research Future:

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

Contact:

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com
At a time when other Indian states are experiencing a daily increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, the seven states of the northeast have been relatively resilientat least until date.

Apart from one patient each in Manipur and Mizoram testing positive for the virus, the other states of the regionAssam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradeshhave so far been free of the disease.

Even so, health authorities in the region are leaving nothing to chance and putting in place measures to tackle a possible worsening of the situation. Each state has initiated steps to implement the 21-day lockdown, ramp up healthcare facilities, ensure supply of essentials and prevent the spread of misinformation.

Also read| RBIs big Covid-19 move: Leaders to experts, who said what

Assam started building a 1,000-bed quarantine facility at a stadium in Guwahati on Thursday with a similar one planned in another stadium in the city. The state will soon convert all major government hospitals into exclusive facilities to treat Covid-19 patients. Construction of a large hospital exclusively for coronavirus patients is also being discussed.

Talks have taken place with private hospitals to take up the treatment of all non-coronavirus patients, for which the state government will compensate private entities. One of the largest private hospital groups, GNRC Hospitals, has pledged to reserve all its 500 beds for treatment of non-Covid-19 cases.

Final-year medical and nursing students will be enlisted reinforce healthcare staff. Recruitment process of ward boys and girls is being speeded up so that they can start work soon.

We have prepared a training module on coronavirus for them which will be imparted from this week, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

While officials have been asked to enforce lockdown sternly, arrangements are being made to provide essentials including groceries, vegetables and medicine.

The regions first Covid-19 case was reported from Manipur when a 23-year-old student, who returned home from UK last week, tested positive this week. At present, 190 persons are in government quarantine and 151 others are under surveillance in home isolation.

On Thursday, chief minister N Biren Singh said the state government has already handed over a months supply of rice to MLAs and district authorities for distribution among the public.

A 50-year-old pastor who returned to Mizoram after a trip to the Netherlands was the first Covid-19 positive case in the state and the second in the region.

Mizoram was one of the first states in the country to seal its international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh as well as ban the entry of those from outside the state, both Indians and foreigners.

In Arunachal Pradesh, chief minister Pema Khandu announced on Thursday that the states lone medical college hospital will be converted into a facility to treat Covid-19 patients exclusively.

We have to be well prepared for any kind of mass outbreak of the disease. Therefore, it is but necessary, for us to have a separate hospital with adequate facilities to handle the pandemic, said Khandu.

The state government has announced the release of Rs1,000 each to all below-poverty line (BPL) card holders in Arunachal. Regular talks are underway with the Assam government to ensure there is no disruption in transport and supply of essentials.

In Tripura, the government has converted 18 buildings that included of 12 public rest houses, four Primary Health Centers ( PHC) and two guest houses into quarantine centres and hospitals. There are nearly 60 beds in the isolation wards in different locations. Fifty ambulances were launched recently for emergency health services.

From Thursday, community kitchens set up by the state government started distributing khichdi twice a day to poor and homeless people during the 21-day lockdown.

Like several other states in the region, the Nagaland government has also identified facilities at Dimapur and Kohima to exclusively treat Covid-19 patients and quarantine those with symptoms of the disease.

The government of Nagaland is leaving no stone unturned to prevent the spread of coronavirus, chief minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted on Thursday.

The Meghalaya government on Thursday appealed to Assam to allow easy movement of trucks carrying essential goods after reports emerged that truckers were being stamped and placed under quarantine.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
S upermarket customers who have paid for a delivery pass but haven't been able to get a slot due to the coronavirus outbreak might be able to get a refund.

To try to curb the spread of Covid-19, shoppers have been urged to use food delivery services instead of venturing out to the supermarket, prompting a huge increase in demand and long online queues to order basic essentials.

Most delivery slots at major supermarkets - Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda - are sold out across the country and many have stopped taking new customers.

Some grocers have introduced new rules to prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers.

Iceland is now reserving all delivery slots for these customers and Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis urged healthy shoppers to leave slots for the most vulnerable members of the community.

But what happens if you are signed up to a delivery pass plan? Can you get a refund if you have not been able to get a delivery slot?

Supermarkets have started enforcing strict rules for shoppers / PA

Which supermarkets offer home delivery?

Almost all major UK supermarkets usually offer home delivery, but some are prioritising deliveries to elderly and vulnerable customers, or stopped accepting new customers.

Since Monday, Sainsbury's has been giving existing online customers who are vulnerable priority access to online home delivery.

Sainsbury's and Tesco have also stopped new customers from signing up too, which means only existing customers can use the home delivery service for the foreseeable future.

Iceland has restricted its home deliveries to those who are over the age of 65, vulnerable or elderly.

Asda is accepting new customers and offers home delivery, but it has brought in rationing, meaning you will only be able to buy three of the same item of food, cleaning products and toiletries.

Lidl and Aldi do not currently offer home deliveries.

How do I get an online delivery slot?

Many supermarkets have run out of delivery slots, but some companies are trying to increase their capacity and the number of delivery drivers available.

To try and get a slot, shoppers are advised to visit the websites at quieter times, for example, late at night or early in the morning.

If you are vulnerable or elderly, shoppers should let Iceland, Tesco and Sainsbury's know and a delivery slot should be made available to you.

The next available delivery slot for most other customers is two weeks away, but it might be best to book that slot now while you can.

Can I get a refund on my pass if I can't get a slot?

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's refunds customers with an e-voucher if the price of their delivery pass doesn't cover the cash amount of delivery slots they've used during the pass period.

The refund is issued automatically when it comes to renewing the pass.

The supermarket is not accepting any new delivery pass applications, but said it will continue to review this decision to ensure it is supporting vulnerable and elderly shoppers in the best way it can.

Sainsbury's charges 60 for a 12-month "anytime" pass, 35 for a six-month pass, or 20 for three months. Customers can also get a 12-month "mid-week" pass for 30, a six-month version for 18, or a three-month pass for 10.

Tesco

Tesco customers can request a refund on their delivery pass by contacting the supermarket, although lines are expected to be extremely busy during this period.

The supermarket's customer service line can be contacted on 0330 123 4040 or through WhatsApp on 0800 917 7403.

Tesco is currently not accepting new delivery pass applications.

The supermarket charges 12.99 a month on a rolling basis for "same day" passes, or 9.99 a month for a six-month deal. "Any day" passes cost 7.99 a month on a rolling contract, or 6.99 a month for a six-month contract.

For mid-week deliveries, Tesco charges 3.99 a month on a rolling basis, or 3.49 for a six-month deal.

Shopper queue to enter an Asda supermarket in London / Getty Images

Asda

Like Sainsbury's, Asda said it refunds customers in the form of an e-voucher if the cash amount of delivery slots they used doesn't come to more than the amount spent on their delivery pass.

The e-vouchers can only be spent at Asda and will be issued automatically once the pass runs out.

You can get a full refund if you've purchased your pass within the last 14 days and haven't booked a slot by calling 0800 952 0101.

Unlike other major supermarket chains, Asda is still accepting new delivery pass customers.

An "anytime" 12-month pass costs 5 a month or 60 in a one off payment, a six-month "anytime" pass costs 6 a month or 36 in one payment, or a mid-week 12-month delivery pass costs 24.

Morrisons

Morrisons shoppers are entitled to a refund if they cancel their delivery pass, but it is not clear how much money customers might get back.

Shoppers can cancel their Morrisons delivery pass by calling 0345 322 0000 or emailing fresh@morrisons.com.

Like Asda, Morrisons is still selling delivery passes.

Shoppers can get a 12-month "anytime" pass for 65, or a six-month "anytime" pass for 40.

A "mid-week" 12-month pass is 40, or a six-month "mid-week" pass for 20

Ocado

When we tried to check whether delivery pass customers are entitled to refunds at Ocado, we were put in a queue of 183,497 people, with the estimated wait time of more than an hour.

"We are releasing slots as and when they become available, but they are selling out extremely fast," the supermarket says on its online shopping page.

Ocado shoppers can get a 12-month "anytime" pass for 109.99, or a six-month "anytime" pass for 49.99.

A "mid-week" 12-month pass costs 59.99, or a six-month "mid-week" pass for 34.99.

The supermarket also offers monthly passes, including a rolling "anytime" pass for 10.99 a month, or a "mid-week" pass for 6.99 a month.

The drinks delivery services bringing the bar to your doorstep 1 /6 The drinks delivery services bringing the bar to your doorstep The Wine List Primo Aperitivo Diogenes the Dog photolarder.com Signature Brew Scout

Which other other stores are offering home delivery?

Here are some other options.

Co-op

The Co-op offers home delivery in some areas of London, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester, Southampton and Bournemouth, so it is worth popping your postcode in on the website and checking if the service is available in your area.

But a message on its website says its service is restricted due to high demand and if you do manage to secure a delivery slot, you will only be able to order 20 items.

HelloFresh

HelloFresh delivers fresh food to your door weekly or fortnightly with step-by-step recipes and as of today, they are still taking new customers for home delivery.

It costs 5 per meal and you can select the number of people you are ordering for and how many recipes you would like.

Marks and Spencers
The remains of a Kentucky teenager have been discovered ten years after she went missing, police have said.

The remains, found by an individual in Clermont County, Ohio have been identified as Paige Johnson who was 17 years old when she disappeared in 2010, according to FOX19.

Paige had a daughter who was twoat the time of her disappearance, according to The New York Post.

Officially it is a missing persons investigation, Covington Police Lt Col Brian R Valenti told People.

It is being investigated to see if we can come up with homicide charges. That is what we are trying to figure out with the analysis of her remains.

On Sunday, Clermont County Ohio Sheriffs Office was contacted by an individual who said they located what they believed to be was human remains in a wooded area near by.

Paiges family were notified on Wednesday morning once the Covington Police Department had positively identified the remains.

Ive been wanting to bring my baby home for so long. This is a day I was worried I would go to my grave without ever getting this day, Donna Johnson, Paige's mother told WLWT.

A cause of death has not yet been determined and the investigation is ongoing, officials said.

Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said investigators would be looking into every piece of evidence surrounding the case.

At the press conference, Mr Sanders spoke of his frustration about the decade long case.

There were multiple witnesses that either refused to cooperate with police, lied to police [or] told police half stories, he said. It was a very frustrating investigation.

Covington Police are continuing their investigation and urge anyone with information about Paige's disappearance to contact Greater Cincinnati Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ), have called on the federal government to commence supervised self-isolation in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The groups, in separate statements issued on Thursday, said, such a move will ensure returnees from countries with high prevalence adhere to instructions and confine themselves to a location.

With increasing cases of Covid-19, the issue of self-isolation has raised public concern in the country.

This is especially, as some people who returned from high-risk countries or had contact with a positive case have reportedly refused to observe the 14-day compulsory isolation period.

As of Thursday night, Nigeria had recorded 65 cases of the Covid-19 virus.

Supervised self-isolation

The president of NMA, Francis Faduyile, said official monitoring of people under isolation will deliver better results than voluntary reports of failing health.

NMA calls for immediate commencement of supervised self-isolation in any manner that will protect public health.

This would ensure that returnees from the countries with high prevalence will adhere to instructions and confine themselves to a location in order to protect members of the public.

Physical visits by the designated officials to the returnees to track their locations, taking their vital signs and those of each of their contacts rather than voluntary reports of failing health and serial testing of their samples will deliver better results, he said.

Mr Faduyile also urged the government to commence a strategic partnership with states on day to day basis as the weakest link in the chain can rubbish every effort of the stronger parts.

Working together eliminates this. This partnership and cooperation will be most needed in the area of technical support and funding, he said.

The association also demanded uniformity in the implementation of the lock-down orders on non-essential services.

We are observing with dismay that some state governments of the federation are vacillating on the closure of schools and banning social and religious gatherings, basking in the euphoria that there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their states.

We, therefore, call on President Buhari to issue an Executive order to enforce compliance, Mr Faduyile said.

Similar appeal

In a statement signed by the president of ANHEJ, Hassan Zaggi, the group said the sudden rise in the new cases of Covid-19 in the country is linked to the current self-isolation method.

Even though it is not time to apportion blames, as journalists covering the health sector, we have, at various media briefings organised by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, observed the need for forced isolation instead of the current method of self-isolation being adopted by the federal government.

We have severally argued that some Nigerians may not observe the voluntarily 14-day self-isolation, hence, the need to force them in order to prevent them from spreading the disease in the country.

Our fears seem to be coming true. We, however, insist that forced isolation for anyone coming into the country is the way to go, it said.

The group urged the government to take proactive measures to ensure that the country does not slip into community transmission of Covid-19.

Most worrisome, is that, a considerable number of the newly confirmed cases are not imported. What this implies is that our situation is gradually getting to community transmission of the diseases.

This is evident in the case of aides of some top government functionaries who are said to have come down with the illness without travelling outside the country. They contracted it from their bosses.

Advertisements



ANHEJ, therefore, calls on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, to track all the people that might have had close contact with the top government functionaries who are currently down with the Covid-19. Nobody should be left out, no matter how high placed. They should be closely monitored for 14 days, the group said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self isolating but will still lead the government's response to the outbreak.

Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday, a day after he answered at the prime minister's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament's House of Commons chamber, and received the positive test result around midnight.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. "I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.

"So I am working from home. I'm self-isolating," Johnson said. "Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus."

British health minister Matt Hancock said later on Friday morning that he has also tested positive and is self-isolating at home with mild symptoms.

Johnson is the first leader of a major power to announce a positive test result for coronavirus. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into isolation earlier this month after his wife tested positive for the virus.

U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both been tested, so far with negative results.

Johnson chaired a government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via teleconference.

It was not immediately clear how many Downing Street staff and senior ministers would need to isolate themselves given that many have had contact with Johnson over recent days and weeks.

The moment Johnson felt symptoms he took steps to avoid close contact with anyone, a spokesman said, adding that ministers would need to self-isolate if they developed symptoms but that he was unaware of further testing among senior ministers.

Johnson will have his meals delivered to the door of an apartment at Number 11 Downing Street, while he self-isolates for seven days from the warren of corridors and rooms that make up the seat of British political power at Number 10 Downing Street.

"The doors between Number 10 and Number 11 have been closed off to all other staff who work in the building," a Downing Street spokesman said. "The PM will work from the office and the study in Number 11."

His finance minister, Rishi Sunak, who traditionally works out of Number 11 Downing Street, is not self-isolating, a Treasury source said.

Britons paid tribute to health workers on Thursday evening, clapping and cheering from doorways and windows. Johnson and Sunak took part, but came out of separate entrances on Downing Street and did not come into close contact, according to a Reuters photographer at the scene.

It was not immediately clear whether Johnson's 32-year-old partner, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, had been tested.

Queen Elizabeth last saw Johnson on March 11 and she remains in good health, Buckingham Palace said. The 93-year-old monarch usually sees the prime minister once a week but has recently conducted the regular audience by telephone.

"The queen last saw the PM on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare," a palace spokesman said.

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The death toll is the seventh highest in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States, according to a Reuters tally.

Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week. He is in good health and is now self-isolating at his residence in Scotland with mild symptoms along with his wife Camilla, who tested negative, his office said.

More to follow...
Are you lost in the wild?

Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found

Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 14:21 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dd723d 1 World Indonesia,UN,COVID-19,ESCAP,SDGs,discourse Free

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has published its progress report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), concluding that the Asia-Pacific region is underperforming and on track to miss most if not all of the goals by 2030. The Jakarta Posts Dian Septiari spoke with Armida S. Alisjahbana, the executive secretary of UNESCAP, about the reports findings and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected progress. The following are excerpts from the interview:

Question: Data from the SDG progress report shows that the Asia-Pacific is not on track to achieve any of the 17 goals, with researchers pointing to the importance of accelerated action. Where should we start?

Answer: The report presents the overall picture for the region, where even though each country has differences in terms of SDG progress, overall it is more or less the same.

I think the highest priority is on how to reverse the negative trends because some are in reverse and [in the] wrong direction, especially on climate change.

And then related to that  the sustainable development and consumption production indicators  [...] they are growing but not in a sustainable manner.

The other [indicator] is about inequality  we have very slow progress there. Although [in] the past few years there has been some progress, disparity between rich and poor continues to grow.

Indicators that relate to the environment, such as natural resources management and climate change, have also shown not so good signs.

Meanwhile, there are several other goals that showed progress but were not fast enough, including poverty, hunger, health, gender issues, clean water and sanitation. All of these are basic services that are improving but still are not adequate enough.

With this level of progress, we will not be able to meet the 2030 target.

Do you think that progress on Goal 3 on health and well-being have been reflected in countries responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on targets for universal health coverage, health financing and capacity for managing global health risks?

Indeed, if the healthcare system in a country is already well established, they will be better prepared to face COVID-19. But its not a guarantee, especially when we see many European countries and American countries are also overwhelmed, even though they have good healthcare systems. Previously, China was also overwhelmed.

Therefore, the lesson learned is that preventive measures must be strong.

For example, some countries that feel they are overwhelmed have enacted lockdown procedures from the outset, long before the number of cases increased. [This is to] prevent community transmissions, which will be even harder to deal with.

But COVID-19 cannot be seen as a benchmark because it is an extraordinary incident; it isnt normal. Any country would be overstretched and overwhelmed.

The global economy has come to a screeching halt as countries scramble to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Can we expect further regression in the achievement of the SDGs if recession becomes inevitable?

We hope it doesn't last too long.

Obviously it has a direct impact on poverty goals and other indicators. In the very short term, the most affected groups are the marginal or vulnerable groups who are slightly above the poverty line, whose daily lives depend on irregular income.

Therefore, the first safety net must come from governments including Indonesia, who should provide direct assistance to mitigate impacts in the vulnerable segments of the population.

Armida S. Alisjahbana, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) (Courtesy of/UN Web)

What advice would you give to countries that face these challenges?

This is a difficult one, but clearly we have had many lessons learned.

We have learned to start from preventive measures, such as allocating a large amount of resources for research on our understanding [of the virus], on vaccines and treatments, and how once when this happens we can quickly increase capacity.

For all of this, we need a basic healthcare system in place [that] can be activated immediately when needed. This is a big issue that requires global cooperation, not just one or two countries.

Third, we must also have a system in place to mitigate socioeconomic impacts.

Some countries have good assistance and social safety nets  this includes Indonesia, which has had direct cash assistance [provisions] under then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and which has now been expanded to other programs such as the Indonesia Smart Card.

Small and medium enterprises and the service and tourism sectors would be the hardest hit and they need special support.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Garrett Goble dreamed of being a police officer. But as he got older and started a family, he decided law enforcement was too dangerous. Instead, he found a job as a subway train operator  a much safer option, he thought.

Danger found him anyway.

As Mr. Goble pulled his No. 2 train into a station along the northern edge of Central Park early Friday, he heard the trains conductor yell that there was heavy smoke and fire in the front of the train, one car away from where Mr. Goble sat.

In a mad dash, he and the conductor rushed to evacuate passengers as fire consumed the car. His colleague then managed to escape the smoke-filled station.

But Mr. Goble did not. When emergency workers arrived, they found him lying unconscious on the tracks, officials said. They believe he was trying to flee from the burning train into the subway tunnel when he was overcome by smoke and collapsed.
When disasters strike, animal organizations are hit hard. In 2005, the country learned from Hurricane Katrina that animals need services in times of crisis, too.

It can be hard when an animal shelter or spay-neuter clinic has to close its doors temporarily and people cant donate, adopt or volunteer. Thats been the case at many San Antonio rescue facilities, but they are still serving animals despite that. To accomplish their goals, however, they need financial help.

The Animal Defense League of Texas (ADL) and San Antonio Humane Society (SAHS) have closed their doors to the public but are still showing up every day to take care of the animals. SAHS has halted adoptions, but ADL is still adopting and finding foster homes by appointment only. If youre going to be home for a few days or a few weeks, this may be a great time to add a furry friend to the family.

To donate, go to adltexas.org or sahumane.org.

The city of San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) closed its doors to the public this week, but will still respond to public safety calls, and staff will continue to care for the animals at its campus. If you find a stray, you can still call 311.

ACS officials are asking residents, however, to reconsider surrendering pets during this crisis. Space is severely limited right now. If you need further information, email acsintake@sanantonio.gov. To donate, go to sanantonio.gov/Animal-Care/Home.

San Antonio Pets Alive (SAPA) takes animals from ACSs euthanasia list. These animals are generally adopted through their Petco and PetSmart in-store adoption locations. They needed to close those locations temporarily, so the group placed 373 dogs and cats into homes these past two weeks; 131 adoptions, 208 foster placements, and nearly three-dozen transfers to rescue groups.

SAPA continues to work at the ACS campus, where you can adopt or foster by appointment. It even launched Cuddle Shuttle, which uses volunteers to drive pets to their new foster families (observing all the required distancing guidelines). To donate, please go to sanantoniopetsalive.org.

The San Antonio Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) is trying to stay open because every spring sees an explosion of puppies and kittens into our community, which could present additional pressures on families, said Mary Kate Lawler, executive director for SNAP.

The majority of our clients are those who struggle to maintain their families financially ... If families struggling financially have a pregnant dog or cat, the number of family members to care for increases instantly with unwanted births of more companion animals. Lawler added that these animals also need to be on flea/tick prevention, and need to be vaccinated and dewormed. To donate, please go to snapus.org/san-antonio.

With so many people having lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of those who feed and care for feral cats have found themselves no longer able to afford to buy cat food for their charges. The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition has received more calls for help than usual, and its feral food program funds are depleted. Just $10 can feed a small colony of cats for a month, so please consider donating at sanantonioferalcats.org.

Please check out the websites of these groups and others you may support to help them help animals during this crisis.

Send your pet questions, tips and stories to cathy@petpundit.com. You can read the Animals Matter blog at http://blog.mysanantonio.com/animals and follow her at @cathymrosenthal.
Former Bachelor star Elora Murger was forced to close her Mooloolaba cafe, The Rusty Batch, on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite opening just four months ago, she decided it was best for locals, her family and her mother visiting from France to cease trading for the time being.

The 29-year-old businesswoman told Daily Mail Australia she felt 'at risk' staying open because some customers didn't appear to be taking COVID-19 seriously.

Scroll down for video

'I felt at risk being open': Former Bachelor star Elora Murger (pictured) was forced to close her Mooloolaba cafe, The Rusty Batch, on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic

Elora rose to fame on Matthew Johnson's season of The Bachelor in 2017 before appearing on Bachelor in Paradise in 2018 and 2019.

'To be honest, a lot of them [customers] weren't taking this seriously, unfortunately,' she said.

'This is why I feel like I'm at risk here, because a lot of people are saying, "Nah, it's just a flu." But now people are starting to really worry about it.'

She said the reality of coronavirus didn't hit home for many locals until an event at Noosa restaurant Sails was linked to 30 confirmed cases.

'My fiance [Azriel Wratten] was saying,"It's not real until it happens to someone close to you." But I don't think anyone should wait until it happens to them to do something about it.'

Familiar face: Elora rose to fame on Matthew Johnson's season of The Bachelor in 2017 before appearing on Bachelor in Paradise in 2018 and 2019

'We cannot risk exposing ourselves and taking it home': Despite opening just four months ago, Elora decided it was best for locals and her family to cease trading for the time being

Blase: 'To be honest, a lot of customers weren't taking this seriously, unfortunately,' Elora said. 'This is why I feel like I'm at risk here, because a lot of people are saying, "Nah, it's just a flu"'

The Australian government hasn't yet forced restaurants and cafes to close, but they have been made to shut their dining areas and can only offer takeaway.

These restrictions resulted in a 90 per cent drop in revenue for Elora's cafe.

She said of her decision to close The Rusty Batch: 'I felt like a bit of a hypocrite saying open as it's almost allowing people to walk around.

'I know that we all have to survive, but I think the government should be taking responsibility and forcing us to close down instead of staying open because somebody wants takeaway coffee.'

Taking action: Elora (pictured with her fiance, Azriel Wratten) urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to consider a total lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve

She urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to consider a complete lockdown to limit the spread of coronavirus and flatten the curve.

While venues are closed, she believes the government should offer financial support to business owners and enforce a moratorium on rent payments.

'Everything should just go on standby. Because if someone is worried about how they're going to pay their bills, they're going to have to expose themselves to [COVID-19] just for the money, and it's ridiculous,' she said.

Support: While venues are closed, Elora believes the government should offer financial support to business owners and enforce a moratorium on rent payments. Pictured speaking to Daily Mail Australia's Candice Jackson via Skype

'They have enough money to help us out, so we shouldn't have to feel obligated to stay open to survive,' she added.

'I think there's no other way to go about it. It's about prioritising what really matters.'

Elora doesn't know when she will be able to re-open The Rusty Batch, and is worried about how long she can afford to stay closed for.

Fears: Elora doesn't know when she will be able to re-open The Rusty Batch, and is worried about how long she can afford to stay closed for

As of midday Friday, there are 3,050 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 13 deaths.

It's likely the government will soon enforce a 'stage three lockdown', which will result in the closure of some retail outlets, hairdressers and indoor and outdoor markets.

Victoria and New South Wales could go into lockdown as early as this weekend if the crisis continues to deepen and Morrison's restrictions don't flatten the curve.
Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast

After weeks of resisting pleas from governors and healthcare workers to force private companies to ramp up production of medical supplies to help combat the coronavirus crisis, President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon announced that he had changed his mind.

In a public announcement the White House said that President Trump had written a memo to the Department of Health and Human Services directing secretary Alex Azar to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators.

The news came after a confusing morning in the White House where officials were caught off guard by Trumps mysterious tweets where he demanded General Motors and Ford to make ventilators and hinted that he may use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to enforce his requests.

Three senior Trump administration officials who have worked on these matters each independently told The Daily Beast that they were befuddled by the Friday tweets, and did not know what the presidents posts actually meant. Each official said that they were, at the time, still trying to get clarity from Trump or other senior officials on what, if anything, new had just been decreed.

Shortly after the tweet rant ended, White House officials told The Daily Beast that the president had yet to implement the DPAa law that allows him to demand private companies ramp up domestic production of suppliesand that he was still relying on volunteers to come forward and help with production. Hours later, officials said Trump had decided to finally implement the DPA over the course of the day.

Trumps mixed messaging raises additional questions about why the process for addressing dire hospital needs has been so disjointed more than 60 days after senior Trump administration officials were first warned that the new coronavirus would spread across the United States.

Trumps tweet on Friday came amid renewed criticism from state governorschief among them Andrew Cuomo of New Yorkwho have begged him to use the DPA to help fill the needs for, among other things, additional ventilators. For the last week, doctors and nurses from New York City have posted harrowing accounts of mass shortages of personal protective equipment affecting their ability to save lives. Nurses from Mount Sinai, for example, posted a picture of themselves using trash bags instead of medical gowns.

Story continues

But Trump has stressed that the private sector was doing enough to meet demand. On Thursday night, he went further, saying it was his belief that the request for ventilators from Cuomo was overstated.

That posture appeared to change by the next morning, when the president admonished General Motors and Ford for not ramping up ventilator production. He demanded that GM utilize a plant in Lordstown that it had sold last November to do so. And then said he would Invoke P. Only later did he clarify that Invoke P means Defense Production Act!

Those whod been with the president on Thursday said he had grown enraged at General Motors for what he perceived to be a reneged deal, in which they were to have produced ventilators for states in crisis to use. The assumption was that Trump was merely letting off steam on Twitter as he absorbed the critical media coverage of that collapsed deal, which was first reported by The New York Times. Later on Friday, GM said it would be making ventilators but not at the plant Trump had suggested.

Trump has threatened to use the DPA before, only to not follow through. And he has been egged on in resisting to do so by a group of advisers who see in the coronavirus outbreak an opportunity to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and medical supply lines.

Chief among those aides is White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who officials say is one of the people leading the White Houses response to demands that the federal government do more to help states fight the coronavirus.

The DPA is standing at the ready, providing us quiet leverage, Navarro told The Daily Beast on Thursday. Were getting tremendous cooperation from private enterprise, and if and when we need it for any reason whatsoever, we wont hesitate to use it.

Navarros position has confounded medical professionals, who warn that the current situation presents a dire crisis that the federal government must address. They and governors across the country continue to warn that relying on private companies could take weeks or even months to produce things like N95 respirators and ventilators at the scale necessary to put a dent in the virus spread. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus task force coordinator, said Thursday that there was enough equipment to go around and that states could share. But health officials in hot spot states such as New York are panicking. In the past 24 hours, 7,300 people in the state have tested positive for the virus. One hundred thirty-four people died in that same time period.

Hoda Kotb Cries on Today Following COVID-19 Interview

Thats left New York searching desperately for ways to maximize the scant resources at the states disposal. On Thursday, Cuomo approved measures to split ventilators in the states hospitals so that each one can serve multiple patients simultaneously.

Experts have been blunt in assessing the damage: were it not for the presidents insistence on not using the DPA, they say, additional lives might have been saved.

In times of crisis, especially when lives are at stake, lawyers and policymakers are supposed to find solutions to problems, not create obstacles to saving lives, said James Baker, a former legal adviser to the National Security Council. There are solutions here.

Global medical pandemics can prove difficult for massive bureaucracies to tackle. But the Trump administrations response to coronavirus has been described as uniquely rocky. Officials say that the interagency processwhere agencies are supposed to work together to respond to a problem failed in the early days of the administrations response, because there was a fundamental lack of understanding of how to coordinate around a pandemic.

The whole-of-government approach that everyone keeps talking about really wasnt happening in the early days, one senior official working with the coronavirus task force said.

Even absent any official orders under the DPA, the measure can theoretically be used as an unspoken threat against companies that do not fall in line and lend their expertise and capacity to administration efforts to ramp up national production. The prospect of such aggressive federal intervention, the thinking goes, might be enough to spur private industry into action.

But the reliance on industry to make and distribute desperately needed supplies makes it difficult to determine whether those private manufacturers are on pace to meet the unprecedented demand for needed medical products.

If the DPA was intended for anything, it was for this moment. Fifty states under operational stress, and we have a statute that actually cures that demand, said Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Theres clearly a cog in the system Im fearing its a philosophy.

Even as the White House insists that it has a firm grasp of the countrys ventilator needs, its clear that the administration is still grappling with how to go about solving the shortage problem. Federal procurement records tell a story of a slapdash and not particularly overwhelming response effort. There are sporadic purchases of personal protection equipment, various forms of coronavirus tests, and acquisitions of medical supplies such as ventilators over the last few weeks. Illinois industrial supply firm W.W. Grainger has provided the Department of Health and Human Services with more than $1.2 million in laboratory coveralls, hoods, and sleeves. The company 3M landed a contract worth nearly $5 million this week to provide HHS with N95 respirator masks. Laboratory firm Qiagen is working on a $600,000 HHS contract, awarded earlier this month, to develop coronavirus tests.

HHS is even paying North Carolina pharmaceutical company PPD to develop treatment options using chloroquine, a malaria drug that Trump has suggestedand some medical experts have disputedcould be a silver bullet for coronavirus treatment. Chloroquine is currently available to a limited number of patients under Food and Drug Administration guidelines known as compassionate use, which allow patients facing life-threatening conditions to gain access to some experimental treatments.

Trumps Coronavirus Speech Sparks Total Chaos in His Own Administration

But the bulk of federal procurement data indicate efforts to stock up on medical supplies for use by federal agencies themselves. Those agencies have scrambled for the necessary goods to disinfect workspaces and protect federal employees from transmission. The General Services Administration, the federal governments logistics agency, has reported scores of purchases of respirators and face masks. Federal prisons have placed five-figure orders for toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The Department of Veterans Affairs has lodged a host of emergency purchase orders for medical centers around the country that find themselves dealing with or preparing for a huge influx of coronavirus patients.

Federal records indicate that VA facilities in New York have been particularly hard hit. On Tuesday, the Veterans Health Administration, which oversees the departments health care system, lodged a $316,000 purchase order with medical device company Hill-Rom for emergency ICU beds due to COVID-19 crisis for VA medical centers in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

It was one of at least 15 VHA purchases related to the coronavirus outbreak over the past two weeks labeled as an emergency order in federal procurement records.

Three officials working with the administrations coronavirus task force described the internal conversations about procuring much-needed medical supplies and equipment as uncoordinated and chaotic. One official said just two weeks ago that the representatives from various agencies were still trying to figure out who among them had the responsibility to collect data on what kinds of supplies were needed where. Others were confused about how the administration should or could go about procuring those supplies.

The Daily Beast previously reported that on an interagency call about the supply chain breakdown during the coronavirus outbreak, a representative from the National Security Council said their team was collecting data on hand sanitizer shortages from press reports.

The situation was confused even more when the president announced that he had signed the Defense Production Act and then backed away from its implementation, sources said.

It wasnt until last week that the Federal Emergency Management Agency took the lead on the governments response on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services that officials began to more fully understand how best to respond to the crisis..

Although FEMA is not used to organizing large-scale responses to pandemics, it does have well-established coordinating mechanisms that help the federal government facilitate the transfer of supplies to states and regions across the country.

Crisis management has two partsyou have the brain, which is the policy side, and then the muscle, where the agencies are. This administration is doing neither but is owning both, and thats where the confusion is, said Kayyem. FEMA knows what assets exist in the federal government and possibly in the private sector. And it knows how to deliver those federal assets to the states. This is not rocket science. This is basic demand, supply, get the chain moving.

UPDATE: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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.
West Charlotte High School students leave a bus in Charlotte, N.C. A man whose challenge to the notion of segregated public schools helped spark the use of busing to integrate schools has died at his Virginia home. The Rev. Darius L. Swann was 95. (Harold L. Valentine/AP)

The Rev. Darius L. Swann, whose challenge to the notion of segregated public schools helped spark the use of busing to integrate schools across the country, has died at his Virginia home. He was 95.

The Rev. David Ensign, interim pastor at Burke Presbyterian Church, where Swann's family attended church, confirmed that Swann died March 8.

Swann's wife, Vera, told the Washington Post that her husband died of pneumonia.

On Sept. 2, 1964, Swann wrote a letter to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., school board, asking that his son James be allowed to attend Seversville School, two blocks from his home, rather than the all-black Biddleville School, which was more than twice as far away. He was allowed to argue his case at a subsequent meeting of the school board, which suggested that the Swanns enroll James in Biddleville, then request a transfer.

The Swanns said no thanks.

"We figured that the system was really protecting segregation," Swann said in an interview in 2000. "What they wanted to do was decide things on a case-by-case basis, when what they needed to do was change the whole system; there was a systemic problem."

Enlisting the support of local activist Reginald Hawkins and civil rights attorney Julius Chambers, Swann sued the school system in January 1965. While they pursued their legal fight, the Swanns enrolled James and his younger sister, Edith, in a private Lutheran school.

After one year there, the Swanns moved their children to Eastover, a public school in the affluent, predominantly white Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte, N.C.

Chambers continued the lawsuit even after the Swanns moved to New York, where he and his wife worked at Columbia University, and later to Hawaii before moving to India, where he researched Asian theater.

"Sure he got tired of it," Chambers said of the lawsuit. "He had difficulty understanding all the opposition and how mean people could be, but he never to my knowledge ever thought about bailing out."

Story continues

In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld court-ordered busing in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district, clearing the way for the use of busing as a means of desegregation across the nation. Swann learned of the decision while he was in a mountain village in India and read about it in a newspaper.

At the time, Swann said he had no regrets about the long legal battle he endured on behalf of his children and children across the country.

"I felt that schools were a means of our becoming one society," Swann explained. Perhaps I was overly optimistic, but I still think it's a significant factor. We have to have an integrated society in order to be one, and if we don't have an integrated society, we will continue to be two people, separate, unequal.




Doctors are often on the front line in the war against the coronavirus

Is it easy to call a doctor these days and find him or her available?

Their telephones are always busy, and their WhatsApp groups are often full. Friends and relatives are very often inquiring either about symptoms like those of the Covid-19 or questioning the notes shared on social media related to the pandemic.

At this point, all our resources have been mobilised to fight the pandemic. As doctors we are practising anything that can help, Dr Tarek Shaarawy told Al-Ahram Weekly.

Shaarawy is president of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgeons and believes that although the situation differs from one country to another, all physicians feel that they are responsible in facing the pandemic.

He said that the last global pandemic that was almost at the same level of danger was the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1920 that left millions of people dead. At that time medical equipment was not as developed as now, but neither was the spread of the pandemic as quick as it has been now, he said.

Doctors are on the front line in the war against Covid-19 to save the largest number of patients, and their efforts depend on the facilities of each country and the number of doctors.

Based in Switzerland, Shaarawy said that at the university hospital, they have closed the Opthalmology Department and redirected nursing staff to work in intensive care.

The pandemic has changed the lives of doctors beyond recognition, he said. People who have been practising a certain specialty for many years like myself as an ophthalmologist are now being mobilised to do other medical jobs such as intensive care and general emergency or even help out with administrative matters, Shaarawy told the Weekly.

Besides adjustments to routines, the pandemic has also brought enormous stress. A physician who preferred to remain anonymous told the Weekly that the main stress that many Egyptian doctors feel is the fear of carrying the disease to their loves ones. She said that doctors especially in intensive care units are exposed to patients in critical condition. Some of them later suffer from diseases related to stress.

But Egyptian doctors have proved that they are responsible and are doing their best regardless of the conditions that many of them work in, she added.

Many Egyptian doctors seek positions abroad, leading to a shortage in the number of locally available doctors. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 2.2 doctors for every 1,000 citizens in Egypt, whereas the WHO advises the minimum should be 3.4.

However, the doctor who spoke to the Weekly said that when the pandemic hit Egypt, I witnessed many of those who were preparing to work abroad being willing to offer medical services in Egypt without any pressure from senior doctors.

Protection against the virus is crucial for physicians, stressed Ashraf Salah, who has been a physician for 25 years.

The number of physicians who can put in a tracheostomy tube is low. They are precious, so we need to protect them or we will end up by asking dentists to do it, he said.

People should understand that doctors are working in very difficult conditions, and they should help them rather than make their lives more difficult. When people rushed to hoard alcohol-based disinfectants and surgical hand disinfectants and gloves, some doctors could not find any to protect themselves, he said.

He mentioned that one of his patients had offered him a bottle of alcohol, and when Salah refused, the patient insisted that he should take it as he had 100 more at home.

The anonymous doctor agreed with Salah, adding that the situation in government hospitals was better than in private ones regarding the stock of gloves, masks, and sterilisation materials, although she feared that in the coming days the number of patients may increase.

Our main target now at the government and educational hospitals is to increase the number of these items, she said.

Many charity initiatives have taken place to buy hygienic materials for hospitals, and infection-control courses are being held for all medical specialties to train them on how to protect patients and doctors.

Some doctors have also taken the initiative to help patients with other diseases through social media to keep them from coming to hospitals unless absolutely necessary. Through a WhatsApp group Stay home and ask your doctor, patients can ask medical questions, easing the pressure on hospitals preventing further infections.

In the midst of all this, physicians are paid a LE19 infection allowance per month, which is a little over $1, complained physician Sherweif Abdel-Fattah, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the National Cancer Institute.

This is very little in comparison with the efforts and the atmosphere that doctors work in, he said, adding that when the crisis is over he hopes compensations will be reconsidered.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Legal notices

1) The material on this blog has been created by W. Blake Gray, is protected under US copyright law and cannot be used without his permission.



2) To the FTC: In the course of my work, I accept free samples, meals and other considerations. I do not trade positive reviews or coverage for money or any financial considerations, unlike certain famous print publications which have for-profit wine clubs but, because they are not classified as "bloggers," are not required by the FTC to post a notice like this.


3 pastors killed by coronavirus; one thought God allowed infection so he could get a little rest

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

At least three separate pastors have died in recent days after testing positive for the new coronavirus, including two who raised concern that the virus was being used as a tool of the devil to manipulate the masses or silence Christians. One thought God would use His infection to spread the Gospel or give him a little rest.

Pastor Ronnie Hampton of New Vision Community Church, a Free Methodist Church Planting Project targeting the communities of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., died Wednesday evening, a day after he tested positive for the new coronavirus also known as COVID-19, close family members told KSLA12 News.

Days before his death, he told supporters in at least two videos on social media, including one from his hospital bed, that Christians should not be afraid of the coronavirus and perhaps God was just using his infection to help him get a little rest or would use it to spread the Gospel.

This virus that is out now, look at what its doing. Its shutting down everything, which means that the physical connection of Christians is being ripped apart. Were not able to fellowship. Were not able to love each other. Were not able to greet each other with a handshake or a hug. Were not able to be in close proximity of each other, Hampton said in a Facebook Live broadcast exactly one week before his death.

Were not able to break bread, sit down and eat with each other because Caesar is mandating how we conduct ourselves using the pretext of this virus to be able to conduct our lives and run our lives for us, he continued.

He then began listing various discussions and conspiracy theories that have been circulating online and in discussion groups about the virus.

Now, heres a theory. It was brought to my attention that this virus thing, people die from the flu more than theyve died from this virus. In my opinion, death is death. I dont care what its by. But I listened and they say well, its something thats come up. And now everything is being shut down, borders are being closed, and theyre gonna come up with a vaccine because they are keeping everybody away from each other just so that they can install martial law, Hampton said.

Theyre gonna come up with a vaccine and in that vaccine everybody is gonna have to take it  and inside of that vaccine theres going to be some type of electronic computer device thats gonna put some type of chip in you and maybe even have some mood, mind-altering circumstances  and theyre saying that the chip would be the mark of the beast, he continued.

He then noted that some people have even been saying that the coronavirus is a sign of the last days before urging Christians not to get caught up in the paranoia surrounding the virus.

My theory is that weve been living in the last days ever since Jesus died on the cross and ascended in Heaven. What Im saying is basically, keep your spiritual lives in order. Be truthful in your relationship with Jesus. Jesus is not meant for us to be in bondage. He is meant for us to be free and he said he that who the Son set free is free indeed.

He continued: "God didnt make no cowards. God didnt make people to be scared of any kind of circumstance that comes along thatll shake your very foundation, but He will allow you to be able to come to yourself about it just like He did with that prodigal son, he said. Dont let no coronavirus steal your praise. Dont let no coronavirus steal your worship. Dont let coronavirus steal your spirit.

In another broadcast on Sunday, this time from his hospital bed between spells of dry coughing just three days before his death, Hampton revealed to his audience that he was suspected of having the deadly virus.

Im being treated. Im in isolation, Im being treated as a precaution to the coronavirus. And I just couldnt let it get me down, he said.

I presented to the emergency room Friday afternoon because I had some abdominal pain and I had a chronic cough that caused me some abdominal pain that made me feel like my abdominal wall was being compromised. So I came here for that and they gave me X-rays and found out I had pneumonia in both my lungs, Hampton revealed.

He insisted that despite his infection his faith remained strong and was confident that he would overcome the virus.

I want you to know that my faith has never wavered as far as Gods intended purpose for me and for New Vision Community Church, he said.

Im optimistic about the outcome of all of this. The paranoia thats based around all of this is so profound that when people hear coronavirus they cant do testing on anything else, they just figure you got it. ... I havent tested positive for the coronavirus and if I do test positive, we do what we gotta do to take care of it, he said.

I want you to know that the Lord said not to let your heart be troubled. So Im not trying to worry about this. Im just gonna continue to be prayerful, be faithful, this may be His way of sitting me down so I can get a little rest, he continued.

Were gonna be fine. Were gonna be all right. And Im believing that. So I want you all to pray with me that the Lord uses this to be able to continue to spread His message about the Good News about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he added.

The Rev. Isaac Graham, the longtime pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City, also died from the coronavirus on Sunday, just six days after he was diagnosed with the virus and hospitalized, according to a PIX11 report. He was 66.

His wife of 45 years, Cheryl, said he was stuck on a ventilator until his last breath and she was quarantined away from him.

His last words to me were, I love you, she said.

But those words could not be delivered in person because of the virus.

I couldnt even go to the morgue after he passed to see him because of the effects of the coronavirus, the widow said.

New York Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who believes America should be completely shut down for a time to stem the spread of the virus, said in a statement on Facebook Friday that Graham was an invaluable part of the fabric of Harlem.

Our hearts and deepest sympathies extend to the congregation and family of Reverend Isaac Graham, pastor of Harlems Macedonia Baptist Church, who passed away Sunday due to the coronavirus. Rev. Graham was an invaluable part of the fabric of Harlem and his presence will be missed throughout our community. May God comfort his wife, Cheryl, their family and friends during this time of bereavement, he said. We are facing unprecedented times and it will take unprecedented strength, faith and action. We are strong and our communities are strong, and we will overcome.

Pastor Johnnie Green of Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem told PIX11 that Grahams sudden passing came as a shock to those who knew him.

He was doing good and expecting a full recovery then the word came that he passed away and it has sent shockwaves, Green said.

He further noted that the virus has also been ravaging members on his congregation as well, already claiming two lives.

Weve had 11 of our parishioners test positive. Weve had two to transition, he said.

Landon Spradlin, another 66-year-old preacher and accomplished musician from Virginia, also died Wednesday morning from the virus.

According to the Register & Bee, Spradlin was in New Orleans with Jean, his wife of 35 years, when he suddenly started getting sick and decided to head back home to Gretna, Virginia.

While they were heading back on March 17, Jean said her husbands condition got worse and he could barely breathe so she took him to a hospital in Concord, North Carolina, where he was tested and diagnosed with the new coronavirus a day later.

Jean Spradlin tested negative but was still in quarantine Wednesday when her husband died due to complications from the virus and double pneumonia after being on a ventilator for more than a week.

We express our sincere condolences to this persons family. Unfortunately those over 65 and those with underlying health conditions are at greater risk of serious complications from COVID-19, Scott Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, wrote in a statement on Spradlins death.

Judah Strickland, one of Spradlins five children, remembered her father as a man who loved Jesus.

My father was a very big bunch of people-loving, Jesus-loving dynamite in a small package, Strickland said.

Spradlin was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016, the Register & Bee reported. He has also led a number of non-traditional churches, including one in the 1990s that was located between two strip clubs in New Orleans and another for bikers in Texas that met at a bar.

Jesse Spradlin, another daughter, called her father a modern-day Apostle Paul.
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has noted significant progress in discussions with the Ukrainian authorities on a new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

The IMF Managing Director said this in a statement published on the IMF website on March 26.

This last week, very good progress has been made in the discussions with the Ukrainian authorities on the new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. Adoption of legislation to improve the bank resolution framework and on land reform would allow moving forward quickly with finalizing the parameters of the new arrangement, with larger access than previously envisaged, the statement reads.

As reported, on January 18, 2020, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that Ukraine should fulfill preliminary requirements for the launch of a new Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program worth $5.5 billion. According to her, Ukraine and the IMF have reached a staff-level agreement that stipulates the fulfillment of certain preliminary requirements.

In December 2019, the IMF agreed with the Ukrainian government on a new three-year EFF program for 4 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), or about $5.52 billion.

ish
How to decant fine wine  an expert guide

From which wines to decant to candles, ah-sos and those troublesome crumbling corks  wine specialist Charles Foley offers his top tips and tricks for decanting fine wine (with a little help from a Faberge silver pheasant)

Decanting wine adds drama to even the simplest of dinners, says Christies wine specialist Charles Foley. The large silver pheasant with which he is pictured below illustrates this perfectly  a closer look reveals it to be a Faberge wine decanter, modelled in around 1890 by Julius Rappoport, the creator of many exquisite animal figures for the Russian jeweller. An entire culture of equipment, techniques and tricks has grown up around the spectacle of decanting, Foley elaborates. Why you should decant wine The purpose of decanting is threefold: to aerate a wine, to remove sediment, and to add a bit showmanship to a dinner party. Aerating the wine is similar to shaking a crumpled blanket or a throw on a bed: the air smooths the creases and crinkles so that the tannin  the fine mesh in a red wine that gives it structure  appears plump and rounded, explains the specialist.

Christies specialist Charles Foley with a large and rare silver pheasant decanter by Faberge, offered in the Russian Art sale on 1 June at Christies in London

The wines that benefit from being decanted Young, heavier reds with vibrant fruit and fine-grained tannins benefit from a period of aeration so that they can open up and show at their very best. Varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec, Nebbiolo and Tempranillo should be opened two hours before being decanted and served. Lighter styles of red such as Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Grenache and Gamay can have their corks drawn an hour or so before serving. Why decanting older wines is different Older red wines may not benefit from prolonged periods of aeration: the major aim with such wines is to separate the liquid from the sediment. It is best to open them around 30 minutes before dinner, in the moment of calm before the storm, says Foley. This will also allow you time to check the quality of the wine, and to replace it with another bottle if the wine has perished. White wines that are also worth decanting White wines are less frequently decanted. The British wine critic Hugh Johnson, however, famously decants old Riesling, while the celebrated wine writer Steven Spurrier decants white Rhone. In Bordeaux, white wines are often decanted before they are served. Sparkling wine is rarely decanted  unless it be an old vintage of oxidative champagne such as Selosse or Henri Giraud  because the bubbles dissipate quickly. In the Cote de Beaune region in France, wine connoisseurs generally eschew decanting Chardonnay.

Preparatory steps for decanting wine Standing a wine up the day before serving is an excellent way to let the sediment settle to the bottom of the bottle. Keeping it in the cellar before moving it to the dining room for decanting will ensure that the wine does not gently cook itself, and you are not decanting a faulty wine from the offset. How to remove the cork Choose your weapon  a waiters friend is one of the most useful kitchen tools, and will work perfectly with most young wines with strong corks. Placing the tip in the centre of the cork and using your index finger to guide down the shaft is the best method. Place the T-bar in the palm of your hand to force the screw in. Drawing the cork out results in the best sound in the world of wine, says Foley with a smile. A satisfying pop. Technical corkscrews for older, more crumbly corks Older vintages will require more technical corkscrews, because the corks are less durable and tend to crumble. Opt for an ah-so, a beautiful two-pronged instrument that is inserted down the sides of the cork and the neck of the bottle. Lead with the longer prong and wiggle it in into the space between the cork and bottle until the shorter prong follows on the opposite side. Once the peg is level with the top of the bottle, twist and pull to remove a full cork  thus avoiding the horror of fragments of cork floating in your bottle.

The Durand  the ideal choice for the oldest vintages. Photo: Courtesy of thedurand.com

There is also the Durand  the connoisseurs corkscrew. This combination of the corkscrew and the ah-so should be used for the oldest vintages. When used with care, it is the most failsafe way of removing a full, if slightly saturated cork. Durands can also be used on large-format bottles such as jeroboams. A large-format wine cradle is the best option for drawing corks on huge bottles, adds Foley. How to choose your decanter Your choice of decanter involves both practical and aesthetic considerations. The key factor is that you need to be able to swirl the wine, and therefore a wide bowl is important. A narrow neck is also essential to funnel the liquid into the glass and avoid spraying a tablecloth.

A large and rare silver pheasant decanter by Faberge, with the workmasters mark of Julius Rappoport, St Petersburg, circa 1890. 26 in (66 cm) long. Estimate: 100,000-150,000. Offered in Russian Art on 1 June at Christies in London

I was recently honoured to decant a wonderful old vintage bottle of La Tache from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti into the belly of this pheasant, says Foley, referring to the Faberge silver pheasant decanter above, which is offered in the Russian Art auction on 1 June at Christies in London. Since theatre is an integral part of decanting, its hard to think of a better vessel for a fine vintage French wine. The pheasant was acquired in Russia in 1900, and has remained in the same family for 120 years. Don't forget the muslin and a candle During the decanting process, the mouth of the decanter should be covered by something that will act as a filter to catch sediment: muslin, cheesecloth or a fine sieve are perfect. Light a candle, hold the bottle neck above it and begin to pour the wine at a 180-degree angle into a decanter. Stop pouring the wine when the sediment (seen as a dark deposit) appears in the bottle neck. Inevitably, some wine will remain with the sediment in the bottle.

Sign up today The Online Magazine delivers the best features, videos, and auction

news to your inbox every week Subscribe

Perfectly poured Port Port traditionally throws a large sediment and historically corks could be quite saturated. Some clever, if dramatic soul, thus invented port tongs, notes Foley. The tongs are heated over a flame and applied to the bottle neck before a cold cloth is compressed over the same area.

Port tongs ease the problem of dealing with saturated corks. Photo: Courtesy of PortTongs.com.
As the world energy markets have shown in the past few weeks, New Mexicos over-reliance on oil and gas revenue leaves our state vulnerable  not just to the economic effects of oil price fluctuations, but also to short-sighted demands from the industry that are detrimental for our children and the health of our communities.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been on the right path in working to boost education spending, diversify the states economy, and aggressively fight climate-wrecking methane pollution. But any day now, I am sure the oil and gas industry lobbyists will come to her seeking relief from new methane rules, hoping to use the recent drop in oil prices as an excuse to avoid oversight.

However, now is exactly the right time for New Mexico to enact nationally leading regulations to reduce methane waste and pollution. The downturn means New Mexicos school funding and other key budget priorities are vulnerable, and without nationally leading regulations, methane waste is costing the state tens of millions of dollars every year in valuable tax and royalty revenue.

Each year in New Mexico, oil and gas companies waste hundreds of millions of dollars worth of natural gas through venting, flaring and leaks, all of which worsens air pollution and costs the state more than $43 million in royalty and tax revenue. That is enough revenue to increase pre-K enrollment by 80% and offer more than 7,000 additional New Mexico kids access to quality early childhood education.

We must deliver for New Mexicos kids to prepare them for college and careers. As a state with endemic poverty and an underfunded education system, New Mexico has no money or time to waste. We need to harness every dollar we can to give New Mexicos kids the educational tools and opportunities every child needs to succeed.

Our children are also disproportionately impacted by pollution from oil and gas operations, including ozone-forming toxins that worsen respiratory diseases and trigger asthma attacks. Those living near oilfields are also exposed to cancer-causing chemicals such as benzene and toluene. The Navajo Refinery in Artesia has the second-highest levels of benzene pollution in the nation, with concentrations that are 300% of standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. That refinery is less than a quarter mile away from an elementary school.

The oil and gas industrys outsized impact on our state budget and economy cannot be an excuse to ignore the detrimental effects of fossil fuel dependency on our climate, our air quality and the health of our communities.

By enacting nation-leading rules to reduce methane waste and pollution, by combating climate change through economy-wide market-based systems with declining emissions limits, and by strategically investing in proven programs to improve educational outcomes, we can simultaneously boost revenue, deliver better outcomes for our children, improve the health of our communities and environment, and, eventually, reduce our dependence on oil and natural gas.

Now is the time to enact strong, statewide methane rules.
Rapper French Montana is being sued for sexual battery by a woman who claims he drugged her at his home in Hidden Hills, California.

According to a court documents filed Thursday evening and obtained by PEOPLE, the woman claims French, ne Karim Kharbouch, his employee Mansour Bennouna and his record label Coke Boy Records had a longstanding practice of inviting women to their recording sessions, or choosing women at bars, and inviting them back to the Hidden Hills house, The Blast was first to report.

A representative for French, 35, did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

The woman is accusing French, Bennouna and Coke Boy Records of assault and battery, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, supervision and retention and negligence.

The woman claims in the lawsuit that Defendants would be in control of how much alcohol was provided, always making sure there was excessive amounts, given and encouraging the women to drink.

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images French Montana

RELATED: French Montana Reveals Hes Finally Out of the ICU: Getting Better One Day at a Time

The woman also accuses French of taking drugs and encouraging women to follow suit.

Further in the lawsuit, the woman claims that Bennouna sexually assaulted, sexually harassed, and raped her on March 28, 2018.

On that same day, the woman claims in the filing that French also sexually assaulted and sexually harassed her.

The woman says the incident unfolded after she French and Bennouna arrived at the rappers home at around 6 a.m.

She claims in the lawsuit that while at Montanas home, Bennouna and French told her to take shots. She says she later blacked out.

While incapacitated, the woman says she recalled several men coming in and out of the bedroom and believes French sexually assaulted her, she states in the lawsuit.

RELATED: Khloe Kardashians Ex French Montana Reflects on Their Real Dope Romance: The Love Was Real

Story continues

When she later regained consciousness, the woman alleges in the filing that she woke up to find Bennouna spooning her.

She also claims that she felt pain in her pelvis, lower back and vagina.

She says that she quickly grew frazzled, feeling as though she had been drugged and raped.

The woman claims that she later went to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center and was given a rape kit exam. She also reported the incident to police, according to the filing.
Trinnette Morris initial reaction to the coronavirus pandemic was not to panic.

I went into innovation mode, she said.

Translation: The owner of Trindy Gourmet restaurants in West Palm Beach, Florida, reinvented her business. Her second location, in the Pleasant City section of town, was not due to open for a few weeks.

But driven, she said, by a desire to provide quality meals for her community, keep her employees working and sustain business in the wake of crippling operating restrictions, Morris created daily pop-ups at the unfinished space.

There, she hosts these semi-unplanned food events, Morris explained. Were not open for business as usual, but we pop up each day for a short time with different food options.

Salmon Jerk Pasta (Courtesy of Trinnette Morris)

Daily she offers an entree or item from her new menu and serves it at discounted rates via pickup, curbside or free Uber Eats delivery.

Through all of whats happened in this changed world, people still need to get a quality meal, Morris said. The responsibility I take is not to just stay above floating as a business, but to be of service in any way I can. So, thats why, even though we were not ready to open the doors, the doors are open.

Morris pop-ups work like this: She posts on social media each morning that days specials, takes orders online or on the phone, and delivers to customers upon pick up or delivery. Usually, she would promote milling about and socializing among her clients. But she has implemented strict safety guidelines in cleanliness and maintaining social distance.

Last week she featured blue cheese and bacon mussels. When they sold out, she knew her innovative idea was working.

Next up was her Island Burger, which is flavored with oxtail and jerk seasoning and is complimented by sweet peppers, pepper jack cheese, red onions, plantains, slaw and jerk ketchup and mustard.

It was a big hit, Morris, 46, said.

Island Burger (Courtesy of Trinnette Morris)

Shes also offered a Jerk Alfredo that went fast and a Boozy Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich (for adults only) that has crunchy peanut butter infused with Crown Royal Apple bourbon, strawberry jelly on cinnamon bread drizzled with Crown Royal Honey and cinnamon sugar.

Story continues

This has been a way to sample items from the upcoming menu and serve people at the same time, she said.

Morris said she has five employees and has not laid off anyone, so far, although she has cut back on their hours.

Shes charging customers $3 less than normal for each entree and appetizer. Morris said she is suffering losses from corporate catering, which makes up 60 percent of her revenue, or $3,500 per week. She's lost about $25,000 in catering for March and April from cancellations because of the coronavirus and needs $16,000 monthly to cover bills and salaries.

Her first location in the northwest section of town is a breakfast-only spot, so many of her staff move on to part-time jobs after leaving Trindys. But shes using her pop-ups as a way of assuring her staff can continue to receive a paycheck if their other jobs are phased out, Morris said. These are different times. Im grateful that we have the capacity to do this.

Morris' is one of the 2.5 million black-owned businesses in America that has been forced to be creative to generate business or close its doors -- perhaps never to reopen.

A Goldman Sachs survey of 1,500 small-business owners indicated that 96 percent have been affected by the coronavirus, with more than half only able to operate for up to three months.

For black-owned businesses that number is far lower. A report by the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts said that many of them would suffer long-term consequences without financial assistance.

Black businesses were already in a precarious position prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a report by the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts states. The current crisis has devastated an already hampered business community.

Morris has saved for the proverbial "rainy day," she said, "but this is something different. It's tough. But we're facing it head on."

She is a former teacher, principal and executive, but food in general and restaurants in particular have been in her life all of her life. Her grandmother and mother cooked for a living, and her father owned a catering company.

They didnt want me in this industry, especially my father, Morris said. Its a hard business on a black man, and he didnt want me to face it as a black woman. If he had his way, I would be superintendent of schools in Palm Beach County. But he supports me in this. Every morning he brings in the lemonade and tea to the restaurant that my mom makes.

Morris efforts go beyond supporting the community with affordable, tasty meal options. She has brought along other black-owned businesses in her pop-ups as a way of generating income for them as well.

She called in Nikki Moore, owner of Nikkis Jazzy Sweets, to sell her desserts. Moore creates her product out of her home and sells them at restaurants or private functions.

Because there is no dining in because of the coronavirus, most restaurants have cut back on their dessert orders, Moore said. People are canceling or postponing parties that we were going to be involved with.  So, its a challenge to make up for the larger orders were missing.

This pop-up helps. It gets you in front of people and helps you make sales. And patronizing small businesses, especially now, is really important because we are taking a bigger hit.

Because of the nature of the coronavirus, Morris, a self-described germophobe, stresses that she has redoubled her efforts for cleanliness at her pop-ups.

We have someone in charge of executing the severe cleaning procedures. There is no huggingI like to hug and greet my customersor standing around talking and enjoying each other, Morris said. We are vigilant about keeping people safe. And unfortunately, when we come out of this, a lot of small businesses wont be around.

Were trying to stay above floating while helping other small businesses stay afloat, too. So we will continue to have our pop-ups until were told we cantor this whole thing ends, she said. Whichever comes first.
The Orion spacecraft, secured atop a transporter in its shipping container, is carried to the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 25, 2020. The spacecraft was transported to Kennedy in NASAs Super Guppy aircraft from the agencys Plum Brook Station in Ohio.

A NASA Orion crew capsule has made it to its Florida launch site ahead of a landmark 2021 mission around the moon.

Orion arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) yesterday (March 25) after flying from Ohio to Florida aboard the agency's Super Guppy transport plane , NASA officials said.

The capsule had been in Ohio for the past four months , undergoing testing in the world's biggest space-simulation vacuum chamber at NASA's Plum Brook Station. During these tests, engineers subjected Orion to extreme temperatures that ranged from minus 250 degrees to plus 200 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 160 to 90 degrees Celsius) and made sure the capsule's various systems worked properly in the types of electromagnetic environments it will experience off Earth.

Related: The Orion space capsule: NASA's next spaceship (photos)

The test campaign "went exceptionally well, especially considering we were doing all of this for the first time," Nicole Smith, testing project manager at NASAs Glenn Research Center in Ohio, said in a statement . (Plum Brook Station is a test facility operated by NASA Glenn.)

"We found a lot of efficiencies throughout the thermal vacuum phase and overcame a few facility equipment challenges early during electromagnetic interference testing, but our combined NASA, Lockheed Martin, ESA (European Space Agency) and Airbus team was able to complete the testing ahead of schedule," Smith added.

At KSC, Orion will endure a final round of processing and testing. It will then be stacked atop NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket for Artemis 1, an uncrewed mission around the moon that's scheduled to lift off in mid-2021.

NASA's Orion spacecraft destined to fly the Artemis 1 mission around the moon on an uncrewed test flight is seen at the agency's Plum Brook Station in Cleveland, Ohio, where environmental testing on the capsule was performed. (Image credit: NASA/Marvin Smith)

Artemis 1 will be the first flight for SLS and the second for Orion, which aced an uncrewed test flight to Earth orbit in December 2014 that launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.

If all goes according to plan, Orion and SLS will fly again in 2022, on the Artemis 2 mission. Artemis 2, another round-the-moon flight, will be the first crewed mission for Artemis, NASA's new lunar exploration program. Artemis 3 will land two astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2024. (This aggressive timeline, like many other projects around the world, might end up being affected by the coronavirus pandemic. For example, NASA has had to halt some key SLS production and testing work because of the outbreak.)

The moon is not the be-all, end-all for Artemis. NASA views the program as a steppingstone to Mars, helping pave the way for crewed Red Planet missions in the 2030s.

"With Orion back at Kennedy, we're ready," Scott Wilson, NASA Orion production operations manager, said in the same statement. "Ready to finalize the vehicle and send it to be integrated for its voyage to deep space, tackling the next era of human space exploration."

Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook .
Click here to read the full article.

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched Unorthodox, steaming now on Netflix.

Theres a scene in Netflixs limited series Unorthodox, which is streaming now, in which its then-17-year-old protagonist, Esther Esty Shapiro, a young Jewish woman from the Satmar Hassidic sect in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, stares deep into the mirror, sobbing. Esty has just been married off to a man she barely knows and, per Satmar tradition, a local woman in the community takes an electric razor to Estys head. Section by section, Estys long, auburn hair falls in feather-like clumps onto the floor. Esty, eyes possessed with dread, fights to smile through the torrent of tears. But there is no stopping them. She is married now. And she is lucky to have found a husband, to start a new life. This is just what one does.

More from Variety

From now on, a sheitel (wig) will cover Estys shaven head.

The scene is as striking for its simplicity as for its gut-wrenching loss: of Estys freedom, of her blind acquiescence to Jewish law. Hers is not radical acceptance so much as it is dutiful compliance, reluctant surrender. And its a scene that helps shape Estys journey, wheres shes going, where shes been.

For Shira Haas, the Israeli actress who plays Esty, the scene  and shaving her head in real life  was a way to step further into the character  to embody her and to embrace her entire backstory.

We shot that scene on the first shooting day, says Haas, who makes her current home in Tel Aviv. I knew that I was going to shave my hair from the very beginning, even before I signed on. And then I read the episode and I understood how crucial it is and how beautiful it is. Its part of this community  the rituals  and its so important for her journey. And of course I said yes, without even questioning it.

Story continues

When it came time to shoot the scene, though, Haas admits to having butterflies. On paper, it was a one-page sequence that the production team was capturing with two cameras, and Haas was both very excited, but also very nervous. The simultaneous and contrasting feelings of fear and happiness, she notes, was the same as what her character was experiencing.

She is very proud, because it means that shes a married woman, and shes very excited. But its also her goodbye to childhood, Haas says.

Since 2013, Haas has been a steady fixture in Israeli television and film. She first broke out in the acclaimed and globally addictive small screen series Shtisel playing Ruchama Weiss, an ultra-Orthodox teen who lives in Jerusalems Geula neighborhood and secretly marries an orphaned yeshiva student. Roles in Broken Mirrors and the Oscar-nominated Fotxtrot followed, as well as supporting turns in Niki Caros The Zookeepers Wife and Natalie Portmans directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness. In 2018, Haas won the Israeli Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in Marco Carmels drama Pere Atzil.

But its Unorthodox that stands to make Haas a known commodity among American audiences.

Inspired by events in Deborahs Feldmans 2012 best-selling memoir of the same name, the four-parter tracks Esty, whom we soon learn is pregnant with her husbands child, as she flees the Satmar community for Berlin. There she seeks enrollment at a prestigious music academy as a piano student and meets a bevy of new friends. Berlin, where most of the series was filmed, is significant not only because its where Estys birth mother lives, but also because its in Germany where Hitler hatched his Final Solution to exterminate the Jewish people. In fact, its while swimming in Berlins Lake Wannsee that Esty slips off her sheitel and tosses it off for good. This is where she tastes freedom and carves out a new life  a poetic act in a place where death once reigned supreme.

This character is probably the most complex one that Ive played, not because its the lead role, but because she has so many conflicts within, says Haas. Shes very, very brave, but shes also very insecure and vulnerable. You need to bring this conflict to every scene. And its a challenging thing.

Even as Esty embraces her new secular life, she is triggered and haunted by conflict within. She tastes ham for the first time at a Berlin cafe, experiencing her inaugural bite of treif (non-kosher) food. But it takes her racing outside and leaning against a tree for support before realizing that she will not actually fall physically ill. She is pregnant, but has no intention of aborting her child, even if she is alone now. And when Estys husband Yakov (played by Israeli actor Amit Rahav) comes looking for her in Berlin, and takes a scissors to his peyot (sidelocks) in a dramatic expression of willingness to leave behind the Satmar sect, Esty knows that despite this grand gesture, things between them could never work out. Far too much has happened.

But just as Esty leaves behind all that she has never known, there is a moment, near the series end, when it becomes clear that a piece of her childhood will remain forever embedded inside her. Its the day of Estys audition at the music academy, but its not the piano she plays. Rather, its a song, a traditional Hassidic melody, which she sings in Yiddish, the language of her family, her ancestors, her community. In singing this song, angst and longing gushing forth, Esty proclaims herself not merely a woman reborn, but a woman forever intertwined with the story of her past.

Only this time she gets to tell it on her own terms.

This scene was so meaningful for me, because its literally about a girl finding her own voice, says Haas. And now she has, literally.

Unorthodox is the first original Netflix series that is primarily in Yiddish (with a smattering of Hebrew and English throughout).

My grandparents speak to each other in Yiddish, which they learned from their [birthplace] in Europe, but, unfortunately, it is a language that barely exists any more, and mainly only in Hassidic communities, says Haas.

She arrived a month before the shoot to learn the language, which is an amalgam of Hebrew and German and a language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews in central Europe starting in the ninth century.

Learning a new language is very, very different from doing an accent, says Haas. Everything is new, everything is fresh. And I can tell you, I know all my lines in Yiddish until today. But not just like memorizing, but really understanding what the words mean. I remember suddenly being able to read Yiddish poetry. Its a beautiful language, and it really gets you to a place where you are truly inside the Hassidic culture. A lot of me understanding Esther came out of me being able to speak Yiddish.

One question that Haas seems to get asked a lot, she notes, is what its like to have played two Hassidic characters  Ruchama in Shtisel and Esty in Unorthodox. But they are not the same person she is quick to point out, and Hassidic Judaism is not necessarily a monolithic practice.

There are so many different communities in the Ultra-orthodox world, and they are so different from one another in really everything, says Haas. Maybe the clothing is similar. Thats it. And even inside those communities, the families sometimes are different. Its very, very, very important for people to understand that. I understand why people might ask me to compare the two characters, because for them it could be their first exposure to the ultra-Orthodox world. But its like comparing any other two characters, because they are so different, their worlds are so different. Everyone is different, and there is no black and white.

The same goes for Haas, whose roster of upcoming projects represent a vast and varied slate. Asia, an indie drama in which she stars as a skate-park kid, is due out this April, and Haas is also gearing up to shoot the long-awaited third seson of Shtisel.

Like Israeli actors such as Lior Raz (Fauda) and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) that have made a splash Stateside, Haas believes series such as Unorthodox can bring more Israeli actors to the fore and help bridge cultural gaps worldwide.

There are so many doors that are open with Netflix, because while the world is huge, its also very small, she says. People are curious about different people, and I think that art and cinema and television have the possibility to show people different cultures, different languages and different communities. Because we are all human beings. And people dont only want to see themselves; they want to see themselves through the lens of other people that are different. And thats an amazing thing.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
43 Hungarians and 31 citizens from other European countries arrived on Thursday in Budapest on a charter flight from Tel Aviv, which was organised by an Orthodox Jewish group affiliated with Chabad Lubavitch. The same plane returned later that day to Tel Aviv, carrying around 160 Israeli citizens, most of whom had been living in Hungary.

Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi Slomo Koves said the flight, which was chartered by the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation, was organised so members and employees of their community could return to Israel for Passover, one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar.

30-year-old medical student Roy Ram said he was returning home to Tel Aviv to be with his parents because he would be more comfortable there compared to Budapest during the coronavirus pandemic.

On the earlier flight which arrived into the Hungarian capital, 22-year-old travel agent David Ben Yosef said he had travelled to Budapest because he preferred to be there during the pandemic as he could be closer to his family.

(Picture Credit: representative image/AP)
Advertisement

Britain's coronavirus death toll surged by 181 yesterday as Government advisers warned that even stricter social distancing measures could be on the way. It is by far the biggest daily increase and means the disease has claimed 759 lives, including young and previously healthy people.

Government advisers said stricter social distancing policies may have to be rolled out next month if the grim figures continued to rise. The measures would be introduced in three weeks as the outbreak reached its peak to further reduce 'person-to-person interaction'.

This week France announced that individuals could only exercise alone  unless with children  for a maximum of an hour and within 1,000 yards of their homes. Spain and Italy have banned exercise altogether, and there are concerns that Britons are deliberately misinterpreting the guidance by travelling to beauty spots miles from their homes.

Members of the public exercising closely with a personal trainer at Paddington Recreation Ground in London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that people should only leave their homes for essential work, groceries, medical necessity and exercise

People exercise in the early morning sun at Hyde Park in central London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19

The Lake District (pictured today) has been closed to prevent visitors flooding to the area, thought to be the first time ever done, as the nationwide lockdown continues due to the coronavirus outbreak

Britain's coronavirus death toll surged by 181 yesterday as Government advisers warned that even stricter social distancing measures could be on the way. It is by far the biggest daily increase and means the disease has claimed 759 lives

Ambulance staff and health workers outside the ExCel Center in London. The NHS is anticipating a Coronavirus 'tsunami' as the peak of infarction rates nears

Ambulances are seen outside the Excel Centre, London today while it is being prepared to become the NHS Nightingale Hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease

Medical equipment is seen outside the Excel Centre, London today while it is being prepared to become the NHS Nightingale Hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues

A paramedic sets up medical equipment outside the Excel Centre, London while it is being prepared to become the NHS Nightingale Hospital

The police are seen breaking up a football game taking place in Cardiff, South Wales as a group of people ignore the lockdown and social distancing advice given by the government

Police are powerless to prevent people leaving home more than once in a day or driving to beauty spots for exercise Britain's police chiefs are begging millions of Britons to adhere to Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown as they admit to being powerless to enforce it. Forces across the country are understood to be confused and divided over the rules and the sweeping powers afforded by the emergency laws. Guidance from the National Police Chiefs' Council states people must stay at home except for medical reasons, essential shopping, or for once-daily exercise. Police took full advantage of their new authority, using the new emergency powers within the first 12 hours of them being ratified by MPs. However, the likes of Derbyshire and Lincolnshire - which have used drones to track and shame dog walkers before posting online - have faced charges of 'overzealousness' from ex-MPs, lawyers, and human-rights group. The Times reports that the NPCC is privately displeased by some of the more excessive measures officers have taken to enforce the lockdown. But NPCC boss Martin Hewitt is urging Britons to obey the rules as police chiefs admit they are powerless to prevent people from exercising more than once a day. Deputy Chief Constable of Hampshire Sara Glen told the newspaper: 'There is nothing in the legislation that talks about once-a-day exercise. It talks about exercise only with a household member.' 'The law doesn't say once a day. The law doesn't specify what that type of activity might be. Many people need to be out in the fresh air. 'We don't want everyone driving to the same area to do their exercise. 'All we are saying is exercise on your own or with other household members, not where there are other people.' Advertisement

Yesterday's figures show that London hospitals recorded the highest number of new deaths at 54, followed by West Midlands hospitals with 19. But these numbers do not include patients who die at home or in care homes, meaning the true number may be higher.

A senior government adviser suggested the figures would continue to rise for at least the next three weeks, meaning the peak is likely to hit at Easter. The adviser said hospitals 'should be OK', but admitted 'we can't guarantee it' and stressed some intensive care units may struggle to cope.

And should the number of deaths rise significantly, 'greater enforcement' of social distancing policies would have to be introduced. This would include 'anything that can be done to push it (down) further' and prevent people catching the disease.

The adviser added: 'I expect death numbers to increase over two, three or four weeks, and then to gradually decrease.' Officials were generally 'very happy' with the levels of compliance with social distancing guidance, despite some Britons travelling some distance to beauty spots in the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales to exercise.

The advice says the public should leave their house only to shop for groceries, provide or receive medical care, travel to work or exercise, which is limited to once a day. The total number of confirmed cases in the UK now stands at 14,543, up from 11,658. But this is a huge underestimate of the true figure as most patients with the virus are not being tested.

Professor Jim Naismith, an expert in structural biology at Oxford University, said: 'Although Covid-19 is a mild disease for over 80 per cent of us, today's deaths will have come as a terrible blow to families. The increase in the deaths are following the exponential pattern predicted.

This means we are likely to continue to see further increases in the numbers of daily deaths until social distancing measures have their effect. 'The deaths tomorrow and in the days ahead will be of people who were infected before the social distancing measures were implemented.

I understand the temptation to live on each day's numbers, but what matters is what is ahead of us and what we can do to save lives.' Dr Mike Tildesley, of the University of Warwick, added: 'We may expect to see the number of daily confirmed cases continue to climb, before starting to decline once the current social distancing measures start to have an effect.'

In other coronavirus developments today:

Police chiefs want Britons to snitch on any neighbours they suspect of breaching the coronavirus lockdown

Humberside, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and Avon and Somerset have created a mixture of 'hotlines' and 'online portals' where people can submit tip-offs if lockdown infractions occur

Images from inside ExCeL Centre show construction work to transform the exhibition centre into a hospital

Andy Burnham has said that hundreds of firms in Manchester have remained open 'without good reason'

Workers who have not taken a holiday because of the crisis will be able to carry it over into the next two years

NHS staff to be tested for coronavirus from next week at places including Chessington World of Adventures

The coronavirus social distancing limit is four times too short, Massachusetts Institute of Technology warned

Members of the public jogging in Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that people should only leave their homes for essential work, groceries, medical necessity and exercise

An elderly woman wears a mask as a precautionary measure against covid-19, as people take their daily exercise in Battersea Park in London

People walk and jog to get their daily exercise allowance in Battersea Park in London today as part of their daily exercise

A group of friends flouting social distancing advice by enjoying a picnic and smoking shisha pipes at a popular beauty spot in the Peak District last week

The first NHS workers to be tested at the drive facility in Surrey NHS testing centre being built at Chessington world of adventures in Surrey

A marketplace operates an entry system in Grantham, Lincolnshire as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

A police officer talks to a cyclist at Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that people should only leave their homes for essential work, groceries, medical necessity and exercise

Doctors and nurses have begged people to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, pleading with people to stay at home and save lives.

But sun-seekers were seemingly oblivious today as they soaked up the rays in Southsea, Bournemouth and Somerset.

The Prime Minister has stressed that unless you are a key worker or helping someone vulnerable, the only reasons to go outside are to go shopping for essentials, exercise once a day or fulfil any medical needs.

Police encouraging Britons to snitch on neighbours suspected of breaching lockdown Police chiefs are encouraging Britons to snitch on neighbours suspected of breaching Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown. Humberside Police have created a 'hotline' where people can submit tip-offs if they flout social distancing rules, including gatherings of more than two people. West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and Avon and Somerset have also established online forums for 'snoopers' keen to punish rule-breakers. The portals have been made in response to an increase in the number of calls to the non-emergency 101 number since Monday. Advertisement

This comes as police up and down the country exercise their new powers to enforce the coronavirus lockdown - stopping people having picnics and dog walkers in the Peak District by chasing them with drones.

Police chiefs are encouraging Britons to snitch on neighbours suspected of breaching Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown.

Humberside Police have created a 'hotline' where people can submit tip-offs if they flout social distancing rules, including gatherings of more than two people.

West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and Avon and Somerset have also established online forums for 'snoopers' keen to punish rule-breakers.

The portals have been made in response to an increase in the number of calls to the non-emergency 101 number since Monday.

Despite this, forces yesterday were facing accusations of being overzealous as they use the sweeping new powers to crack down on people flouting the rules, using road blocks, drones and helicopters to enforce it.

Officers have already issued fines less than 24 hours after new laws were brought into force, the National Police Chiefs' Council has said.

Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence. But fines could reach 1,000-plus for repeat offenders.

Equipment being setup at the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital - the NHS Nightingale hospital, comprising of two wards, each of 2,000 people, to help tackle coronavirus

The military and contractors build the Nightingale Hospital at the Excel in London for Covid-19 patients

The ExCeL London Centre is being refitted to create thousands of new beds for COVID-19 sufferers, complete with oxygen, ventilators and other key equipment in the battle against the deadly virus

The exhibition centre, in East London, will become the NHS Nightingale Hospital, creating an impressive 4,000 beds

Ambulance staff and health workers outside the ExCel Center in London today. The NHS is anticipating a Coronavirus 'tsunami' as the peak f infarction rates nears. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that Britons can only leave their homes for essential reasons or may be fined, in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus

Shoppers keep their distance as they wait for a Tesco store to open in Leatherhead, Surrey. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have tested positive for the virus and are now self isolating

A Sussex Police patrol car moves amongst people walking along the promenade in Brighton as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

Home Office reveals new powers to tackle people flouting the coronavirus lockdown Up to two years in prison if you cough deliberately on someone after spate of attacks on police and emergency service workers

People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and can be arrested as part of new enforcement powers announced by the Home Office.

Officers can also tell them to go home, leave or disperse an area and ensure parents are taking necessary steps to stop their children breaking the law.

Those who refuse to comply could be issued with a fixed penalty notice of 60, which will be lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days.

Second-time offenders could be issued a fixed penalty notice of 120, doubling on each further repeat offence.

Those who do not pay the penalty can be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose fines up to 1,000 or more; Advertisement

Elsewhere, the Met Police today fined a bakery boss 80 for criminal damage after she put temporary lines outside her shop to keep her customers safe from coronavirus.

The extraordinary incident took place outside the Grodzinski bakery in Edgware, north-west London, this morning, when police spotted the owner using a can of non-permanent spray chalk to help maintain social distancing of two metres.

The officer told the flabbergasted woman that she had graffitied the pavement and if police failed to punish crimes like these there would be 'anarchy', adding: 'I can't help the law. We're also fining people for congregating - is that wrong too?'.

The woman, who gives her name as Gemma, confronts the officer and says: 'This is not graffiti, it's chalk, it washes off. So you would rather all my customers don't stand two metres apart? I'm doing it for people's safety - to stop the spread of coronavirus', to which the officer replies: 'It doesn't matter. It's criminal damage. It's the law'.

The officer then tells her she needs to wash it off or she 'will be committing another offence', and she says to protect her customers she will happily 'get another ticket, and another ticket and another ticket. I don't care'.

A witness who filmed the incident told the policeman: 'People are dying and this is what you care about, this is ridiculous, this is horrendous' and the officer replies: 'The law doesn't stop unfortunately. It's still a criminal offence. The law is the law and it doesn't change because of what is happening. There would be anarchy in the world'. And a council is facing a furious backlash today after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are 'unlawfully' trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs.

A mostly empty marketplace in Grantham, Lincolnshire as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

Members of the public walk in Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that people should only leave their homes for essential work, groceries, medical necessity and exercise

Members of the public walk in Regents Park in London, during a lockdown over the spread of coronavirus

The first NHS workers to be tested at the drive facility in Surrey NHS testing centre being built at Chessington world of adventures in Surrey. The theme parks car parks are now being used as a drive through testing centre

Members of the military push a trolley of equipment at the back of the ExCeL London exhibition centre in London today

People take their daily exercise allowance in Battersea Park in London today. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary Matt Hancock -- both announced Friday they had tested positive for COVID-19

Police patrol the beach on March 28, 2020 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming more than 25,000 lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more

Officers have already issued fines to people breaching coronavirus lockdown rules, less than 24 hours after new laws were brought into force, the National Police Chiefs' Council has said.

Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence. But fines could reach 1,000-plus for repeat offenders.

Two-metre social distancing rule may need to be FOUR TIMES bigger The two-metre social distancing rule being used to keep people apart may need to be four times bigger to halt the spread of the coronavirus, MIT says. A new report by the renowned US university has found that viral droplets expelled in coughs and sneezes can travel at speeds of 33ft to 100ft per second. This creates a cloud that can span up to 27ft. Across the UK, supermarkets have stuck lines of tape to their floors to ensure shoppers are adequately separated. Advertisement

But guidelines issued by the Cabinet Office do not prohibit driving somewhere for exercise or dog walking.

Derbyshire Police is now embroiled in a heated row after tweeting 'menacing' drone footage chasing and 'shaming' ramblers and dog walkers in the Peak District.

Neath Port Talbot council has also begun using drones equipped with speakers to shout at groups of people outside - though some targeted claim they had been 'waiting hours for prescriptions before they were ordered to go home.'

But members of the public have hit back at the extraordinary move, claiming they are being targeted while queuing outside for hours waiting for groceries and medication.

Critics say the unprecedented powers handed to officers by ministers will see the country 'sliding into dystopia.'

As the row intensified, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an 'overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful.'

Former MPs also claim police are 'showing an astounding lack of judgement' and needed to exercise 'common sense and respect' and use their powers elsewhere.

But chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, Martin Hewitt, doubled down on the measures, telling the BBC: 'This is a national emergency, not a national holiday.'

Joggers run to take their exercise in Battersea Park in London on March 28, 2020, as life continues in Britain during the novel coronavirus pandemic

An NHS worker being tested for coronavirus at a temporary testing station in the car park of Chessington World of Adventures in Chessington, Greater London

A member of the public wears a protective face mask whilst shopping at a marketplace in Grantham, Lincolnshire as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

A family sit on the beach in Brighton as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

Police talk to people in the town centre gardens today in Bournemouth, United Kingdom

A man wears a mask during a walk as Sussex Police patrol the promenade in Brighton as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus

As the row intensified today, Leading QC Matthew Ryder said there was an 'overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful'

In another frantic day of developments in the battle against coronavirus:

Michael Gove revealed a new alliance between businesses, research institutes and universities will boost testing capacity so NHS workers will know if they have coronavirus with testing starting next week;

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said there are now 33,000 beds available nationwide for coronavirus patients

He also revealed two new Nightingale hospitals will be set up in Birmingham and Manchester in addition to the one in London;

A council is facing a furious backlash after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are 'unlawfully' trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs;

There are demands for the government to go further to help millions of self-employed after Mr Sunak admitted a bailout for income support will not be up and running until June;

Buckingham Palace has said the Queen remains in 'good health' and has not seen the PM since March 11;

UK supermarkets said they will use a government database of 1.5 million vulnerable shoppers to help prioritise delivery slots.

Brussels slapdown for UK in ventilators row Brussels slapped down Downing Street yesterday for claiming Britain did not join an EU scheme to supply more ventilators because of an email 'mix-up'. Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Thursday that the UK had not taken part in the joint project because of an 'initial communication problem'. But yesterday Brussels rubbished that claim, saying British officials had sat in on key meetings to discuss the plans. Mr Johnson is under pressure over the UK's ventilator shortage after it emerged that thousands of machines the Government ordered may not arrive until after the peak of the coronavirus epidemic. The Government was criticised when it emerged that the UK was not taking part in the EU scheme to boost the number of ventilators available to doctors. It said: 'Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint procurements.' But a European Commission spokesman said equipment needs 'have been discussed several times in the meetings of the Health Security Committee, Advertisement

Among those responding to Derbyshire Police's drone footage was ex-Lord Chancellor, David Gauke.

The former Work and Pensions Secretary and Justice Secretary said: 'This is badly misjudged. People should maintain social distancing, which is what these people are doing. We need to maintain public support for fundamental behaviour change which requires the authorities to focus on genuinely bad behaviour.'

Derbyshire Police took the extraordinary step of using one of its drones to film dog walkers, ramblers and a group posing for Instagram pictures on a cliff top at sunset last night - highlighting their movements and accusing them of making an 'unessential' trip.

Using the unmanned aircraft they also gathered number plates from parked cars and traced their owners to their homes in Sheffield saying: 'Walking your dog in the Peak District: Not essential.'

Appearing on BBC Breakfast yeasterday, Superintendent Steve Pont from Derbyshire Police hit back at allegations he was 'shaming' dog walkers, claiming people were 'looking for excuses and loopholes as to why they don't need to stay at home when everyone else does.'

Supt Pont said his force was, 'here to apply the law the government makes.'

Staff load equipment into London Ambulance Service vehicles in the east car park at the ExCeL London exhibition centre in London on March 28, 2020, that is being transformed into a field hospital to be known as the NHS Nightingale Hospital

Medical staff wheel a model of a fake patient on a trolley into the ExCeL London exhibition centre in London

People observing the two metre rule while shopping in London today amid the coronavirus outbreak

Shoppers ensure they stand two metres apart while getting their groceries in London this morning

Police will now ARREST anyone who flouts the travel ban People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police. Those who ignore tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially and another for 120 for a second offence, the Home Office warned. Officers will have the power to enforce rules on staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel from Thursday. They can order members of the public to go home, leave an area and have the power to disperse a group. Police can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules. According to the guidance, the cost of initial fixed penalty notices will be cut to 30 if paid within 14 days and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines. The Home Office said: 'If an individual continues to refuse to comply, they will be acting unlawfully, and the police may arrest them where deemed proportionate and necessary. 'However, in the first instance, the police will always apply their common sense and discretion.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'The Prime Minister has been clear on what we need to do: stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives. 'All our frontline services really are the best of us and are doing an incredible job to stop this terrible virus from spreading. 'That's why I'm giving the police these new enforcement powers, to protect the public and keep people safe.' Advertisement

Boris Johnson has stressed that unless you are a key worker or helping someone vulnerable, the only reasons to go outside are to go shopping for essentials, exercise once a day or fulfil any medical needs.

Those flouting the rules face fines of up to 960, and police can now arrest anyone found outside without good reason.

In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions warned that anyone deliberately coughing at 999 workers to spread coronavirus faces up to two years in jail.

But barrister Matthew Ryder argued: 'Seems to be overwhelming consensus from lawyers that police trying to restrict people to 'emergency travel only' is unlawful.

'They have no power to stop someone driving to an isolated scenic spot to exercise away from others (nor is there any logical reason why there should be).

'If you live in a densely packed city like London, the local park now feels like a crowded gym much of the day: people exercising, walking dogs, letting kids run about.

'Stopping people going out to isolated spots for exercise in order to ease that crowding is counterproductive.'

Former West Midlands MEP Roger Helmer tweeted: 'For heaven's sake, Derbyshire police, get a sense of proportion. These people were taking exercise (permitted) and maintaining social separation (mandated). There are much more important matters which you should be pursuing.'

Supt Pont told the BBC: 'We've received the legislation which is easy for people to understand. If people continue to flout this then we will resort to giving out fines.

'We wanted to reinforce the message of, 'stay home' because a number of people aren't staying home; they're finding excuses and loopholes to go out.

'We wanted to illustrate that this is the wrong thing to do - last weekend the Peak District was overflowing with tourists.'

But presenter Charlie Stayt argued there was little chance of infecting other people if people travel in their own car to a remote location and walk away from other people, exercising their rights in a safe manner.

He added: 'It's not really up to you to stop them.'

Supt Pont added: 'If people drive in their cars and go walking along the clifftops, there's a potential for accidents. Mountain rescue have said they don't want people doing it.

'If the NHS are responding to a road traffic collisions, that is taking up their time.

People stand two meters apart as they social distance themselves from one another whilst queing to shop for essentials at a Tesco Supermarket in Stoke-on-Trent, central England today

A man wears a welding suit and mask to do shopping in Tesco Extra this morning in Stockton, Teesside (left and right)

Police Scotland were using their own helicopter to catch people and issue fines in Pollok Park, Glasgow yesterday

'The point is, government legislation says you should make your time away from home as short as possible.

'It is not as short as possible if you feel like going for a drive in the Peak District.'

He added: 'We are hoping to appeal to the better judgement of these people.

'The NHS are heroes - they are asking, begging us, to stay at home. And 93-4 per cent of the public are doing that but some people are trying to find excuses not to.'

The apparent need for the new police powers to break up gatherings has been illustrated by reports of officers being called to friends having barbecues, house parties and games of football.

Neath Port Talbot council and South Wales Police are also using drones equipped with speakers to disperse groups of people congregating outside.

The council has teamed up with South Wales Police to identify popular hotspots.

The council says it hopes the use of drones, 'will help to remind people not following the rules about what their responsibilities are.'

A spokesman from Neath Port Talbot council said: 'Drones are now being used to distribute public information messages across Neath Port Talbot during the coronavirus outbreak.

'We have teamed up with South Wales Police to survey hotspots where people are not following government measures on social distancing.'

NEW POLICE POWERS: WHEN DID THEY COME INTO FORCE AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN? Police officers now have powers to enforce staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel, as of 1pm on Thursday. As a result, people who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and could be arrested or fined. Officers can use 'reasonable force, if necessary'. What is the law called and where is it in force? Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, they are currently in force in England. The regulations are expected to be introduced in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales by the end of Thursday. What are the main points of the rules? Police can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, have the power to disperse a group, using 'reasonable force, if necessary' and can make arrests if someone refuses to comply. Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine initially - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence. Those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines. Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is an arrestable offence. Officers can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules. Why have the rules been enacted? The Government says it is to protect the public and keep people safe. The regulations state they are made 'in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health' posed by Covid-19 and the Government considers the 'restrictions and requirements imposed by these regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve'. But human rights campaigners have raised concerns about the restrictions posed by the powers. How long will they be in force? The regulations are classed as emergency laws. They must be reviewed at least once every 21 days, starting on April 16. Why can I leave my house and how often? Reasons for why someone may leave their house as well as to get food and medical supplies for you, your household or vulnerable people, are to get money and to exercise. A reasonable excuse also includes: to give blood, attend a funeral, meet bail conditions, go to court and take part in legal proceedings, to move house and to 'avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm'. The rules do not appear to limit how many times per day someone can leave their house. What else do the rules say? The rules define who is considered a vulnerable person under the law as someone who is aged 70 or older, anyone aged under 70 who has an underlying health condition and anyone who is pregnant. Underlying health conditions include: chronic long-term respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, hepatitis, Parkinson's, diabetes, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, a learning disability or cerebral palsy, HIV, Aids, cancer, and obesity. It also lists in detail the businesses and buildings which can stay open - like supermarkets, hardware stores and post offices - and must close - such as pubs, restaurants and theatres - during the crisis. Advertisement

The council added: 'The drones are equipped with speakers that will transmit messages directly to the public.

'We are reminding residents to stay at home except for (reasons outlined by the Government).'

But while some praised the measures, others claimed they were unnecessary.

Writing on Facebook, Carly Murray said: 'This upset a lot of people today at Neath boots.

'People were waiting for prescriptions and people were very orderly and staying two metres apart. This drone turned up and changed the mood.

'As people were perplexed where it's had come from and what they could do as they were waiting for Boots.

'People were annoyed to be told to go home when they were already stressed and fed up waiting hours for medications.'

The head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max Hill QC, warned that offenders coughing and spitting at key workers would be charged with common assault, punishable by up to two years in prison.

His intervention came after Darren Rafferty, 45, from Dagenham, east London, admitted three counts of assaulting an emergency worker after claiming to have coronavirus and deliberately coughing at officers arresting him for grievous bodily harm.

David Mott, 40, from Blackburn, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison after threatening to spit at officers when they asked him why he was outdoors with two others on Monday night.

In response to new police powers being brought into force to make sure coronavirus lockdown restrictions are followed, Clare Collier, advocacy director at Liberty, said: 'We're extremely concerned by the extent of these coercive powers.

'This is a pandemic and so it should be treated as a public health issue. Instead, the Government is treating it as a criminal justice issue, putting resources into detaining and criminalising.

'What's concerning is what this heavy-handed approach will do to the public's relationship with the police in the long-term.

'While some people will feel reassured by a firmer police response to the pandemic, others will feel fear, especially groups who are already over-policed.

'We've seen an amazing response from communities to the pandemic, with neighourhoods rallying together, but trust and goodwill may break down in the face of authoritarianism and harsh policing.'

Police forces this week have reported a surge of mindless violence by bored yobs.

In Merseyside, a hospital worker was attacked with a bike saddle by a group of teenagers as he went to buy groceries.

The radiographer at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral needed seven stitches after he was targeted by four youths outside an Asda supermarket in Birkenhead.

Elsewhere in Merseyside, a group of children became involved in a standoff with police after climbing onto a leisure centre roof for an hour and refusing to come down.

Derbyshire Police revealed they were investigating a vicious assault on a farmer who was punched 15 times and kicked in the ribs when he asked a Peak District walker to 'go home'.

The victim, from Edale, was 'left shaken and bruised' after he was assaulted while disinfecting his gates on Sunday due to hundreds of people walking past.

New powers were announced on Thursday to allow police to enforce lockdown rules brought in to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Home Office said people who continue to flout tougher restrictions on movement will be breaking the law and could be arrested by police.

Those who ignore the rules could be hit with a 60 fine initially and another for 120 for a second offence, with the penalty doubling for additional breaches.

Officers in England were given the power to enforce rules on staying at home and avoiding non-essential travel as of 1pm on Thursday.

They can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, and have the power to disperse a group, using 'reasonable force, if necessary'.

Police can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the powers were designed to 'protect the public and keep people safe'.

According to the guidance, the cost of initial fixed penalty notices will be cut to 30 if paid within 14 days and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines.

Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is an arrestable offence.

Known as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, similar rules will be in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The regulations state they are made 'in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health' posed by Covid-19 and the Government considers the 'restrictions and requirements imposed by these regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve'.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 16:27:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a powerful signal in encouraging international cooperation and information sharing in his statement delivered at an extraordinary G20 leaders' summit on COVID-19, UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Thursday.

"He's demonstrated China's commitment to work with other nations to deal with this challenge" of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Lowcock, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in an interview with Xinhua via video-link.

"I read also President Xi Jinping's important statement and he of course frames it in the context of working together," he said. "This is a disease that threatens the whole of humanity. Nobody will be safe from this disease until everybody is safe from it."

He said the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 held Thursday via video-link marked a "step in the right direction."

"The emphasis that President Xi put on every country -- mobilizing the whole nation, was important," said Lowcock.

Lowcock also hailed Xi's appeal for taking measures to support the global economy and related international organizations working to contain the pandemic.

"What he said about the leading role of the World Health Organization, in particular, from my point of view, was much to be welcomed," the senior UN official added, referring to Xi's call for better information sharing and policy coordination with the WHO's support.

"Because China is such an important player in the world economy, what President Xi said in terms of supporting the global economy, keeping supply chains open, promoting macro-economic coordination, are very important," Lowcock said.

Speaking of China's anti-virus efforts, Lowcock said he is "pleased to see that China has been able so far largely to contain the virus."

Talking about the measures that China has taken, Lowcock said that he "was encouraged to see that some of the measures that had been put in place in Wuhan (city) and Hubei (province)," the hardest-hit places in China.

"We can see extraordinary measures being taken to deal with public health services, to test people, to trace them, to treat them, but then to keep people far enough apart, so that the pandemic doesn't get out of control," he said.

Referring to the economy, Lowcock said that he has heard that the Chinese economy is "getting back going again to the normal extent," particularly on manufacturing and supply of key products.

All the measures to support the economy, which President Xi placed important emphasis on, are "very important," the UN humanitarian chief said.

"That's an important contribution both to fighting the pandemic and to keeping the global economy moving," he noted.
The New Delhi Parsi Association has sent its second relief cargo, including medicine and medical equipment, to coronavirus-hit Iran, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)-linked Fars news agency reported.

Followers of the Iranian monotheist prophet, Zoroaster, or Zarathustra, (c. 1500 BC  1000 BC) in India are called Parsis, or Parsees. The Parsis moved from Iran to India during the 7th century AD to flee persecution from Muslim Arabs who had conquered the Persian Empire.

As a dwindling community that struggles to survive, they live chiefly in Mumbai, but also in Karachi (Pakistan) and Bengaluru (Karnataka, India). The number of Parsis in New Delhi, today, 700.

In the official census of 2001, the Parsis numbered 69,601, representing about 0.006% of the total population of India.

Parsis are renowned for being the most successful religious minority in the whole subcontinent.

In Iran itself, Zoroastrians are the oldest religious community. Before the Muslim conquest of Persia, Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion in the Persian Empire.

According to the Islamic Republic's official census, there were 25,271 Zoroastrians in the country as of 2011.

According to Fars News Agency (FNA), the second cargo sent by the New Delhi Parsis was carried to Iran by the IRGC-controlled Mahan Airlines on Wednesday, March 25. In the meantime, 137 citizens of Iran returned from India on the same Mahan Airline flight.

In an emergency flight, Mahan Airline plane left India at a time that all local and international flights were suspended.

Based on the FNA report, the consignment sent by the Parsis consisted of products urgently needed by the Iranian health sector to fight the novel coronavirus and its related disease, Covid-19.

Based on the latest data, there are 1,200 Indians living in Iran who are mainly pilgrims and students. Three hundred eighty-nine citizens of India have so far returned to their homeland.
Shore up your marching program to avoid and recover from common money problems.

Operating a marching arts organization, whether independently or as part of a high school or college, can be an expensive endeavor. As any leader knows, there are good years and not-so-good ones.

David Hobart, executive director of the Sunrisers Drum and Bugle Corps on Long Island, New York, knows all about the highs and lows. This winter, the Sunrisers 2020 season got off to a slow start. Membership numbers were down, and fewer members mean less paid tuition. Hobart found a way to increase signups by calling prospective members himself.

Financial pitfalls and challenges have sent marching arts performance groups into countless crises over the years. Some scale back or shut down; others move forward with solutions that fill up their coffers or, at least, keep the uniforms and instruments in relatively good shape.

The Sunrisers through the years have had many ups and downs, says Hobart of the all-age competitive corps that began in 1953. The thing is: How quickly do you get up and dust yourself off when youre down?  My advice to any ensemble director is just never give up.

Create a Rainy-Day Fund

Not-for-profits operate close to their margins, a dangerous business model that leaves them vulnerable to emergencies. But marching arts performance groups, in particular, can run on even thinner margins, relying primarily on dues and scattered donations, says Rick Cohen, spokesperson for the National Council of Nonprofits. Any unexpected expense can really throw the group for a loop, he says.

School budget cuts and inadequate budgeting, planning, and saving are common financial challenges for groups.

The biggest thing where people fail is they dont budget properly, says Scott McCormick, founder of the National Association of Music Parents, which supports parent music booster organizations. Every organization needs to have a realistic budget that deals with not only the knowns but also some of the unknowns.

A budget doesnt need to be sophisticated, says Dr. Sarah Nathan, associate director of The Fund Raising School at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University  Purdue University Indianapolis.

If you dont feel comfortable with your own money management skills, get support. The key is to find people who can help with that, so that you have a really strong understanding of how youre spending your money every year and what those revenue sources are, Nathan says.

Avoid the mentality of keeping up with the Joneses. Despite being low on funds, some ensembles purchase the latest uniforms or invest in new instruments to match the flashier equipment and costuming of their wealthier competitors.

It probably happens way too much, McCormick says. Weve all been our own worst enemy in this profession.

Build up a reserve thats in a separate account from your operating funds to help pay for the next time the sound system crashes or the equipment truck breaks down.

Just raising dues by $5 per person per year with the intent that the money gets shuttled into a rainy-day fund can help, Cohen says. It takes time, but thats OK. Over a few years, that will build up without being a significant barrier, he says.

Prioritize Communication and Continuity

Planning poorly for emergencies isnt the only hazard. Frequent leadership changes in boards or booster groups might result in a lack of consistency. Communication issues between staff and volunteers can result in misunderstandings, especially during a crisis.

From a parent booster organization perspective, the times that Ive seen parent organizations and teachers or directors come at odds is when theres just a blanket expectation that needs are going to be met regardless of whether it was budgeted for or not, McCormick says.

Band directors and fundraising leaders should meet face-to-face every other week to stay on top of needs and issues, McCormick recommends. The regular dialogue helps groups map out plans for specific needs and ensures everybody is on the same page if disaster strikes.

If the expectation is that the money is going to come from a parent or booster organization, the director needs to be clear about what the expectation is, McCormick says.

To ensure consistency as board members cycle in and out, Nathan advises groups to improve continuity through staggered terms and mentorship of new members before old chairpeople move out.

Make sure that the baton is passed on in a way that sets up the next group of parents and the next group of volunteers to be really successful, so theyre not starting from ground zero, Nathan says.

Reconsider Your Fundraisers

Ineffective fundraising effortsand inaction about themcan also drag down a group. In the 1980s and 1990s, Bingo nights brought in hundreds of thousandseven millionsof dollars.

But people dont play bingo like they once did. And when some organizations failed to find a modern alternative, they folded.

Not-for-profits can be slow to move on to new money-raising tactics when a longtime favorite is no longer successful. They get stuck, Nathan says.

Relying on a single event, like those Bingo nights, is risky, Nathan says. Event planning can take a lot of time, and peoples interests change. If the event or activity fails, disaster can befall an organization that has no alternative plan. Diverse donor pools and revenue streams are key, Nathan says.

But bands also should be strategic, McCormick recommends. All too often, I see these programs that will do eight or 12 fundraisers a year, and theyre nickel-and-diming their communities by selling candy and candles, he says.

Especially when facing high-cost needs or emergencies, creative efforts may be your best recovery plan.

When Dabni McCrary saw the aging percussion equipment used by her son at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach, Florida, she sprang into action. Through a GoFundMe online fundraising page and other efforts, she raised $15,000 within a month to replace the equipment.

The effort forced McCrary to get out of her comfort zone and be vocal about what the band needed. I had to be willing to tell the community the story of what we needed and why its important and share lots of media and videos and pictures of the kids using this stuff and show them that its broken, she says. If people dont know, they wont help.

The Headland (Alabama) Middle and High School can thank a carnival delicacy and an instrument drive for helping to shore up the program.

A few years ago, a band parent came up with a recipe for Honey Nut Puffs, a deep-fried peanut butter and honey treat, to sell at the bands longtime concession stand at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama. Coupled with a move to the festivals main food area, Honey Nut Puffs have doubled the stands profits, and the snack was featured on the Cooking Channel show Carnival Eats.

On a smaller scale in summer 2018, the band set up a community instrument drive that netted local media coverage. The drive brought in 25 instruments, and additional drives will be planned.

There are a lot of programs out there struggling, and weve just tried to be creative, says John Taylor, Headland band director. The more people you can get involved with your band, parents, and community, then I think the more theyre willing to help out. Sometimes that doesnt come in money. Sometimes it might come in somebodys old, used instrument that still can be played.

Promote the Good and Band Together

Bands may be more inclined to reach out to their communities during crises, but that shouldnt be the only time. Donors dont want to be the ones always bailing out an organization because they dont have a plan for sustainability, Nathan says.

Build awareness about the great things you do, Nathan recommends. Luckily, marching arts groups can easily share their talents using just a smartphone and Facebook.

Marching arts performing organizations have something that many organizations wish they had, and that is something that is perfect for video, Cohen says. It can be very powerful.

In addition, band directors should lean on each other for support. The band or drum corps next door may be your biggest competitor, but the leader may also be your best source of advice. Hobart finds himself regularly relying on the support of his colleagues and sharing lessons hes learned with them as well.

As a director, you learn over the years as things come at you, he says. Well face an obstacle this year, and well roll with it. Every corps does.

Learn about bingo fundraisers here.

Photo of the Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach, Florida, courtesy of Dabni McCrary.

Photo of the carnival poster from a Headland (Alabama) Middle and High School band program courtesy of John Taylor.
Tehran Has No Knowledge of Missing US Agent Levinson's Whereabouts

Sputnik News

11:39 GMT 26.03.2020

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran has no knowledge of the whereabouts of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in the country in 2007, the spokesman for Iran's UN Mission, Alireza Miryousefi, said Thursday, in the wake of claims by his family that he had died in detention in Iran.

"Iran has always maintained that its officials have no knowledge of Mr. Levinson's whereabouts, and that he is not in Iranian custody. Those facts have not changed," Miryousefi said in a tweet.

On Wednesday, Levinson's family released a statement in which they said they recently received information from US officials which led them to believe that Levinson was dead. They said it was not clear when and where Levinson had died but noted that it happened before the coronavirus pandemic, which was declared on 11 March.

Levinson had retired from the FBI in 1998 but was believed to be in Iran on a CIA mission when he disappeared in March 2007.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly denied having detained Levinson and maintain no knowledge of his whereabouts.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Wear masks when you have the flu or other infectious respiratory diseases and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing in public places, these etiquette rules have been added to the latest draft of the regulation on Beijing's civilization promotion on Thursday.

According to Sun Li, with the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the new clauses were proposed by representatives to better contain the novel coronavirus outbreak and help people develop good hygienic habits.

Representatives also proposed to include clauses on improving the living environment and public health facilities and promoting good dining habits, among others, into the new draft.

The draft also proposed that those who repeatedly violate the regulation or refuse to correct their behavior shall receive heavier administrative penalty.
27.03.2020 LISTEN

The outbreak of the Covid-19, a strain of corona viruses and its ensuring respiratory disease has led many nations to take necessary precautions in order that their citizens stay safe as well as prevent economic crisis. Initially, when the outbreak of the disease started in China, nations thought of it as a geographical problem rather than a global issue. After it was recorded that people had died from this disease, nations now felt the veracity of the matter thus, decided to take massive steps to help solve this global cancer.

Wuhan, China, the birthplace of this diseases put up emergency hospitals to help treat patients affected by this virus and now, minimal cases are recorded in China. Even with that a total of 81, 285 cases have been recorded. The official report as of March 26, 2020, 5:15 GMT according to the World Health Organization (WHO) also places the situation at 509, 477 cases worldwide with Italy, the worst hit by the crises recording a total of 80, 539 cases.

On 11th March, 2020, WHO declared Corona virus as a pandemic and since that day, many countries have implemented the observance of strict measures which include; self-isolation, social distancing, public education, the use of hand sanitizer, washing of hands, closure of public institutions, among other effective measures.

These measures have to a large extent helped in controlling the spread of the virus.

In Ghana, there is a public debate on a total lockdown of the country, especially, after the cases have increased to 132 in Kumasi and Accra. A lockdown will mean, closing our borders, avoiding mass travelling, staying indoors, and self-isolation, among other safer measures, to controlling the spread of disease.

This write-up will analyze the importance of a lockdown of the country and how it will help save the greater population as well as save the economy a lot of headache. However, there is the need to understand that a lockdown will not be fully positive and some negative implications include, economic hardships, social depression, etc. The question to ask is, if that is the way to help stop the spread of the virus, should it be adopted at that cost?

First, the lockdown will help in sustaining the economy. Countries rely on human resource and capital based drives to develop their economy. Even though arguments could be made that people, especially, commercial workers and traders will be deprived of their means of sustenance, the lockdown will help sustain the economy, as the government will use the money it has to cater for those who already have the virus and cut down cost for going through the stress to use the limited amount the nation has to be treating additional people who will contract the virus. It must be noted that the virus does not spread itself but it is humans who spread the virus, hence a lockdown will help stop the spread of the virus.

Currently, people have been quarantined in hotels and the government is responsible to cater for taking care of these people. Additional cases will mean a drain on the economy. Even though the average person surviving on the street will be affected, a lockdown will help protect that person since there will not be the need to be scared about getting the virus, thus, families will have peace of mind and will not think about using the little amount of money they have to cater for a member in future.

Again, a lockdown will help support and protect our health practitioners who are risking their lives to save those who have contracted the virus. I am because we are and because we are, I am, is a popular saying that shows the essence for caring and supporting one another and as this virus has hit the nation, now is the time to help support our health practitioners by staying home and if people are refusing to stay home, a lockdown is a better alternative to adopt in order that the virus will be controlled.

Without a lockdown, simply telling people to stay home would not suffice as there would always be a reason to go. With the possibility of a lockdown, people would be forced to stock essential goods and brace themselves for the upcoming week(s). This would also cater for the not in my backyard mentality whereby people are not concerned about the spread of the virus until, through their lackadaisical carelessness, they finally contract it or have a close associate contract it.

China was able to deal with the spread effectively by quickly building makeshift quarantine hospitals and limiting travel and contact in Wuhan and the previously endemic provinces. Reactiveness is what helps the virus spread until our resources are so strained that we have to make the gut wrenching decision as to who to save and who to allow die, something that has scarred Italy and possibly would give them nightmares long after corona virus has gone.

Also, a lockdown is necessary and the best option for Ghana because of the structure of Ghanaian society and healthcare system. Most of our people in the peri-urban and rural areas have not, as of official reports today, contracted the virus. For those in the bigger cities like Accra and Kumasi, we can help them through quarantining and equipping places like KCCR and Nunguchi Memorial Institute. What is someone who contracted the virus in a small vicinity around Zabzugu-Tatale or Agotime-Kpetoe supposed to do? Typically, in this country, pregnant women die on their way to delivery due to poor roads and sometimes insanitary conditions. There are places in Central region, etc. where they still practice open defecation.

A simple case in any of these areas would present itself a public health disaster. If anything is to be learnt from History, in 1918, a similar pandemic, the Spanish Flu hit the shores of the then Gold Coast. The country was not shut down and business continued as usual. This lead to the death of about 100,000 people. Of course, the colonial governments cared more about the whites than they did us and the health systems were much more primitive, but the fact still remains that if the then governor has headed the caution of the governor of Sierra Leone then, the scale of death wouldnt have been that high. A lockdown is necessary.

In conclusion, a lockdown is necessary to help stop the spread of the virus. If the government adopts a lockdown policy, it should also put in place proactive measures to help control the spread of the virus now and in future to safeguard the country. Is a lockdown necessary? Yes. Will it do the nation a great service? Definitely.

Aside measures the government and healthcare practitioners are putting in place to control the spread of Covid-19, we should stay safe and stay at home. Regardless of the enforcement of the lockdown, we are responsible for our own safety and that of others indirectly.
Myanmar Says 'Terrorist' Arakan Army Is Losing Chance to Join Peace Process

2020-03-26 -- The rebel Arakan Army fighting the national army in western Myanmar's Rakhine state has "very little chance" to join the country's struggling peace process now that the government has designated the 11-year-old force an unlawful, terrorist organization, a military spokesman said Thursday.

The mostly ethnic Rakhine Buddhist force has been engaged in intensified hostilities with Myanmar soldiers in northern Rakhine state since late 2018 and early January 2019, when its troops killed 13 policemen and injured nine others in attacks on four police outposts.

The 15-month conflict so far has killed dozens of civilians and displaced 140,000 villagers, disrupting life and commerce in a state still reeling from the army's violent expulsion of 750,000 Rohingya Muslims into neighboring Bangladesh.

"They have shown that they don't want peace," Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun of the military's information committee told RFA's Myanmar Service. "They have repeatedly engaged in terrorist activities although they have been repeatedly warned."

"Now that they have been declared a terrorist group, in legal sense, they have very little chance of participating in peace process," he said.

The military spokesman made the comments in response to statements by AA officials in the wake of the government's designation on Monday of the AA and its political arm as terrorist group saying that the government's decision would hurt any peace process.

The peace process to end Myanmar's armed conflicts that leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made the cornerstone of her four-year-old government has been stymied by ongoing fighting between Myanmar forces and rebel armies in outlying ethnic regions.

Only 10 of Myanmar's 20-odd ethnic armies have signed a 2015 national cease-fire agreement (NCA) with the government. The AA, which seeks greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhines in Rakhine state, has not signed the pact.

AA officials also have said that the government's designation could worsen the situation of ethnic Rakhines accused of having connections to the AA and charged under the country's Counter-Terrorism Law.

But Zaw Min Tun countered that the government's designation will protect civilians who are not involved with the rebel army in Rakhine state.

"Now that we have officially designated them under the Counter-Terrorism Law, we can strengthen our actions against them," he said. "For those who are innocent, we can give them better protection. But for those who are dishonest and are abetting AA activities, it will be harsher."

Zaw Min Tun said that the Myanmar military has conducted educational campaigns for the local people not to engage with AA members, and warned the Arakan forces to avoid staging battles near civilian villages or taking cover in them during armed conflicts.

Hypocritical

The AA has accused Myanmar forces of continuing to fight amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus epidemic which so far has infected three people in the country. Zaw Min Tun said the Arakan force is being hypocritical since it has continued its attacks.

An AA assault on a Myanmar military training school in Rakhine's Minbya township prompted fighting between the two armies in at least three nearby locations with fatalities on both sides. Recent fighting in the township has displaced roughly 1,000 civilians.

The AA has claimed that attacks by Myanmar forces will bode worse for them in a case before the International Court of Justice, where the West African country Gambia has filed genocide-related charges over the military's atrocities against Rohingya Muslims during a 2017 crackdown in northern Rakhine state

Zaw Min Tun brushed aside that assessment and suggested that the military can level similar accusations against the AA.

"Legally designating the AA as a terrorist group means the government can take a stronger stance on this issue internationally," he said.

"The U.S. has designated al-Qaeda as terrorist group although it is located outside its sovereign territory, so that the U.S. can take action against it legally, both in terms of national law and international law," he said. "This is the right and the authority of a sovereign state."

Zaw Htay, spokesman for President Win Myint's office, declined to comment, saying he does not do interviews by phone.

Reported by Waiyan Moe Myint for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






LANDOWNERS who start gorse fires to clear scrubland have been warned their actions are putting a strain on fire brigades and emergency services already stretched because of the Covid-19 crisis.

Gorse fires have been reported in Cork and Kerry over recent days and the recent spell of fine weather has increased fears of further blazes across Ireland.

Councils warned that such fires are illegal and anyone found to be deliberately starting blazes could face prosecution.

The Mayor of Cork Councillor Ian Doyle stressed that landowners need to be responsible and not place further demands on emergency services.

"Cork Co Council wishes to advise that it is illegal to use burning to control vegetation between March 1 and September 1," he said.

"Cork fire services continues to respond to gorse fire call outs - however given the current Covid 19 pandemic and its impact on resources, landowners are being called upon to act responsibly and observe these laws."

Now, more than ever, we need to consider how our actions affect our own wellbeing, that of the community, and the nation. This pandemic has revealed just how connected we are and it is essential that we all do our part to protect the public health.

The lives of property owners, people on the land and our front line emergency personnel, who are already under pressure, are endangered by illegal fires."

"Everyone in our community needs to be mindful of how their actions can affect the lives of others. Now is the time for solidarity and observance of the law and of guidelines set out by the HSE. We all need to do everything we can to allow our emergency services to respond to the situation at hand.

The warning came amid fears gorse fires could rage out of control depending on wind strength and dry conditions.

Last year, a Donegal gorse fire raged out of control and destroyed a residential property.

In 2017, a gorse fire in Cork blazed out of control and destroyed over 300 acres before it was extinguised.

Dublin, Wicklow, Tipperary and Waterford have also witnessed major gorse fires over recent years.
Channel 10 has responded to the coronavirus pandemic by releasing the new season of Drunk History early on streaming service 10 Play.

Now people self-isolating at home can watch the comedy series in full instead of waiting for it to air on television.

Grant Denyer, who stars in one of the episodes, shared several teaser photos to Instagram on Friday to promote the early release.

'It's a cracker of a show!' Channel 10 has responded to the coronavirus pandemic by releasing the new season of Drunk History early on streaming service 10 Play. Pictured: Grant Denyer

He wrote in the caption: 'Bored in these crazy times? Well cop this. The legends at @channel10au are releasing the entire brand new series of #DrunkHistoryAustralia on @10playau from today!

'It's an unbelievable cracker of a show where hilariously "loaded" celebs try and re-tell / slur legendary Aussie tales. Well, their version of what they can remember at least.'

He added: 'These famous stories are then questionably recreated in full glory by people like me, to bring these drunken tales to life!'

In character: Grant Denyer, who stars in one of the episodes as Captain Thunderbolt, shared several teaser photos to Instagram on Friday to promote the early release

Grant will star as Australian bushranger Frederick Ward, who was better known as Captain Thunderbolt in the 1800s.

He explained: 'I play Captain Thunderbolt, the gentleman bushranger who fell in love with an Indigenous woman and became Australia's Bonnie and Clyde. Robbing, bonking and getting arrested... repeat.

'Its a mighty tale. They all are. Get ya eyeballs on it. Great fun.'

Tall tale: 'I play Captain Thunderbolt, the gentleman bushranger who fell in love with an Indigenous woman and became Australia's Bonnie and Clyde,' Grant said

The six-episode series will retell the stories of the first Miss Australia, the dismissal of Gough Whitlam and the life of opera legend Dame Nellie Melba, and many more.

Aside from Grant, the series will include cameos by the likes of Yvie Jones, Osher Gunsberg, Darren McMullan and former Bachelor winner Alex Nation.

As of Friday, there are 3,112 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia, including 13 deaths.
Surf lifesavers were called out to a swimmer in trouble on a remote stretch of the Raglan coast just hours before the country moved to the Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown.

In response, lifesaving officials have re-emphasised their advice to kiwis to stay out of the water while the COVID-19 emergency continues.

All surf lifesaving patrols in New Zealand have been discontinued till further notice as part of the COVID-19 response moving to Level 4  a move SLSNR Chief Executive Matt Williams says is a no-brainer. Williams says surf lifesaving clubs will clearly not be able to provide lifeguards under the self-isolation requirements, but equally, we expect to see very few people at the beaches, apart from residents who we are advising to stay on land and not go for a swim or take part in any other water-based activities.

Williams says surf lifesaving emergency callout squads will remain on readiness should an on-water incident occur. But they will be limited to when they are officially tasked by the Police, and surf lifesaving response times will not be as rapid as in normal times. Its very important for the public to understand that if they do enter the water and get into trouble during this Level 4 period, it will be harder for lifeguards to respond quickly enough to save their life.

So like other emergency authorities we urging all people to stay out of the water.

Williams hopes the recent experience in Australia where crowds at Bondi beach were cleared by authorities and beaches were closed to the public would not be replicated in New Zealand to any extent. But that requires the public to act sensibly and in the best interest of their communities over the next few weeks while we are at Level 4.

He advised members of the public to check on the Safeswim website (www.safeswim.org.nz) for updates on any change to beach availability.
While most people are making an effort to stick to the new government rules to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, some people are using the COVID-19 as an excuse to have more social media followers.

The Coronavirus Challenge involves people on TikTok licking random objects, including toilet seats, grocery store produce, door handles, and other random objects.

As of Tuesday, one internet influencer named Larz, with the Twitter handle @GayShawnMendez from California, had recently launched the stunt on his TikTok account.

The 22-year-old shared the nauseating clip on Twitter with the caption, "RT to spread awareness for the coronavirus."

Days after posting a video of himself licking it, the TikTok personality has reportedly tested for coronavirus.

He uploaded another video for the fans where he seems to be in a hospital bed. The caption reads, "I got diagnosed with coronavirus."

Larz, who is known as an internet prankster, was also the same personality who had earlier licked an ice cream in a grocery store and replaced the tub in a challenge last year.

While it is unsure if Larz was afflicted with the disease because of his stunt, a study reveals that the disease can stay on surfaces of copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours and plastic and steel for up to 72 hours.

Toilet Seat Challenge

The toilet seat challenge first emerged early this month when TikTok user Ava Louise filmed herself licking an airplane toilet seat as well.

She did the challenge while she was flying to Miami and uploaded the footage on her TikTok account on March 14.

Please RT this so people can know how to properly be sanitary on the airplane pic.twitter.com/x7GX9b4Lxc  Ava Louise (ig @avalouiise) (@realavalouiise) March 14, 2020

"Please repost this so people can know how to be sanitary on the airplane properly," she captioned the video.

But the 21-year-old wasn't bothered by the backlash she received from people, especially to what "The View" host Meghan McCain tweeted to "Put her ass in jail."

The desperate-for-fame "skinny legend" reportedly also wants to cough on Dr. Phil after he criticized her for bizarre viral upload.

"I'll pull up an I'll cough on you," said Ava, to which the psychologist replied by calling her "spoiled" and "entitled." She has already been on the show recently, and when asked by Dr. Phil if she infects one person who suddenly lost their life, "is it worth it for you to have this attention?"

To which she answered, "Yeah."

Ava Louise addressed more of her haters in another video, claiming that she "doesn't care" if the internet cancels her because she is "blonde, rich and skinny."

She added, "I can recover from anything because of hot girl privilege."

However, in an interview with the Miami Herald, Ava said she "trolled America" because it was actually "a clean toilet seat on a sugar daddy's plane."

Ava was also sure that she does not have coronavirus because she feels "hot, rich and iconic" and continued that "if those are the symptoms of corona, then I'm ill."

Luckily, while it is labeled as the Coronavirus Challenge, it does not appear to be copied by other TikTok users, as per the New York Post.
bb wrote:

Canada is always weaker than the US in terms of the comp for the MBA grads. However, the fact that your spouse can work and help support you as well as healthcare availability just in case and easier immigration policies do make it attractive.



I think with all the Visa and process challenges, it may be suicidal to try to make it to Kelley unfortunately. Also the fact that you do not have a brand on your resume and with 10 years of work experience, will make the Kelley on-campus recruiting tougher as it is designed for a bit younger group. On the other hand, Canada will appreciate your longer work experience potentially. But this all depends on what you are planning/wanting to do after you graduate. What are you goals?

This is insightful. I am 32, and my goal after graduation is to work as a Management/Strategy Consultant in Deloitte, EY, PWC. I Will also aim for MBB but I do not rely on that part because of my less attractive background. On the longterm (10 years), I plan to start my own consulting group with a referral-based niche customer base. So it gets more into entrepreneurship after a while for me.
Subscriber content preview

SEATTLE  The Gladstone apartments, at 2038 Yale Ave. E., sold for $3.6 million, according to King County records.

The seller was Gladstone on Yale LLC, which acquired the property in 2015 for $1.9 million.





. . .
Overlooked is a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, went unreported in The Times.

In the comic book series Omaha the Cat Dancer, Susie Jensen is a tall, curvy anthropomorphic feline stripper with a large bosom and the stage name Omaha. She has an on-again, off-again relationship with the equally feline Chuck, a freelance commercial artist whose father is opening an underground strip club. Theres sex, theres nudity and theres fur  lots of it.

Omaha was unusual for an erotic comic book in the 1980s. Most adult comics, as they were called, were exploitative and emphasized violence, sex or a combination of the two. Omaha was more of a soap opera that included sex.

At the heart of the series was the writer Kate Worley, who gave the comic its distinctive voice and helped cultivate its wide-ranging fan base.
Egyptian Information Minister Osama Heikal said that the coronavirus is currently under control but that the government may resort to harsher measures if coronavirus infections in the country exceed a thousand cases.

Egypt introduced a two-week curfew on Wednesday, in effect from 7pm to 6am, as part of stricter measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

It had earlier suspended schools and universities and closed airports.

Egypt has logged 495 infections and 24 fatalities since the fast-spreading contagion first appeared in the country in mid-February.

We are still seeking to maintain stability to stay at the second phase of the virus spread as much as possible, until the curve of infections either decreases or is maintained, so that it does not exceed 1,000 infections, Heikal told Sada Al-Balad talk show by phone on Thursday

The harsher measures that may be necessary include a work shutdown, closure of roads or even the isolation of certain governorates, he said.

We still dont know when the crisis will be over. We were expecting the crisis to end by this month, then by the end of June and now even by the end of this year, but the scenario is still unclear, Heikal added.

He said the government is considering the economic impact of the crisis in its budget, aiming to reduce the impact to the least possible level.

The World Health Organization said in a report on Thursday that Egypts strong disease surveillance system and contact tracing efforts have proved effective in controlling and managing sporadic and clusters of cases before they can spread, but that further efforts are needed

The UN body hailed progress made by Egyptian health authorities in expanding the number of laboratories that can test for the virus.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Poems have a way of finding me at the right time. They seem to know what I need to hear, and what I want to say  down to the exact words. This is not unusual, since poetry has been kinder to me than people have.

Poetry offers clarity and understanding without asking too many questions. It holds me when I need to mourn. In the middle of the global panic around Covid-19, the most visible health crisis of our time, I have been struck by the outpouring of poetry from different parts of the world. It is a medium that speaks to me because it appeals to a hunger that is fed by more ...
Chinas president told his U.S. counterpart Friday in a telephone conversation that China is willing to offer its support to the U.S. in the battle against COVID-19.

China was once the epicenter of the outbreak, but the U.S. holds that status now.

Early Friday the U.S. had 85,991 confirmed coronavirus cases, China had 81,828, while Italy, the epicenter of the virus in Europe, had 80,589, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

After the phone call, Trump posted on Twitter: Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi (Jinping) of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!

Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

In his recent press briefings, however, the U.S. president has not displayed much respect for China, making disparaging remarks about how the Asian nation handled the outbreak. The U.S. leader often referred to the virus as the Chinese virus.

New York hot spot



New York state is the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak with New York City the hot spot. There were more 21,000 cases in the countrys largest city, with officials saying that number is growing by at least 3,000 a day.

On Friday, the U.S. House plans to pass the $2 trillion economic relief package that the Senate passed Wednesday night, and President Donald Trump has indicated he will sign.

The centerpiece of the bill are direct cash payments to individuals who have lost their jobs and businesses forced to close their doors because of the outbreak.

Although the U.S. now has the largest number of cases, Trump said Thursday the government will be able to announce in the next two days what he calls good statistics and facts, which will make your lives easier.

He also plans to go to Norfolk, Virginia, to see the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort leave for deployment in New York Harbor.

Holistic approach



A United Nations expert has called for a holistic human rights approach for older people during the coronavirus outbreak that ensures equal realization of all their rights, including access to health care.

I am deeply concerned that decisions around the allocation of scarce medical resources such as ventilators in intensive care units may be made solely on the basis of age, denying older persons their right to health and life on an equal basis with others, said Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, a U.N. independent expert on human rights for older persons.

"Older people have become highly visible in the COVID-19 outbreak, but their voices, opinions and concerns have not been heard. Instead, the deep-rooted ageism in our societies has become even more apparent, she said.

A Reuters report says Americas home health care industry that can screen for the virus and that provides services to millions of the countrys most vulnerable residents, including the elderly, is on the verge of collapse in the wake of the coronavirus.

Roger Noyes, a spokesman for New Yorks Home Care Association told Reuters, its a hair-on-fire crisis.

The Reuters account said some caregivers are working without masks or gloves, while other workers have left their jobs and their patients.

Copy

Canada balks at US proposal



Canada is balking at a U.S. proposal to deploy hundreds of Americans troops along the U.S.-Candian border, which is closed to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Canada is strongly opposed to this U.S. proposal and we have made that opposition very, very clear, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday. The public health situation does not require such action.

In their first-ever remote vote, the EU Parliament members approved a $41 billion package of economic aid to members whose economies have also taken a beating because of the outbreak.

From one day to the next, our lifestyles changed. Our streets emptied. Our doors closed. And we moved from a daily routine to the fight of our lives, the head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, told the lawmakers. Nearly all of them were under lockdown across the 27-member bloc.

Italy, Spain hit hard



Italy and Spain have been particularly hard hit by the outbreak.

A a second U.S. soldier stationed in South Korea has tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials at Camp Humphrey say she is isolated as they clean all areas she was known to have visited. They are also trying to determine who else has been exposed.

China improving



China is temporarily closing its borders to all foreign visitors. Nearly all the new coronavirus cases in the past week in China have come from people arriving from overseas.

The outbreak appears to have eased in China, and authorities certainly dont want a resurgence.

South Africa and the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Medina and Mecca  the last are two of Islam's holiest cities  are the latest to go under lockdown.

And the Associated Press reports U.N. ambassadors from eight countries under United States sanctions  China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela  are asking Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to press the U.S. to lift the sanctions so they can effectively fight the outbreak. The ambassadors accused the U.S. of politicizing the pandemic.
THAILAND

Thailand reported another 111 cases of COVID-19 infection cases, bringing the total number to 1,045, said an official.

According to Anupong Suchariyakul, a physician attached to the Disease Control Department, the number breached 1,000 on Thursday. Of the total mount of 1,045 cases, 953 are currently treated at hospitals in Bangkok and various provinces, including four patients in critical condition, while 88 others have fully recovered and been discharged and four fatalities have been reported.

THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

ROK reported 104 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Thursday local time, raising the total number of infections to 9,241.

The newly confirmed cases stayed above 100 for the second straight day amid the growing imported infections. Of the new cases, 57 were imported from abroad, topping 50 for two days in a row.

Five more deaths were confirmed, lifting the death toll to 131. The total fatality rate came in at 1.42 percent.

A total of 414 more patients were discharged from quarantine after making full recovery, pulling up the combined number to 4,144.

JAPAN

Japan's health ministry and local governments said that 47 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed in Tokyo, marking a new record in daily infections in the capital, bringing the total number of people infected in Japan to 1,373 as of 6:30 p.m. local time here.

The death toll in Japan from the virus currently stands at a total of 56 people, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, close to Tokyo.

Of the 1,373 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan, the majority are still in Japan's capital city of Tokyo, which has confirmed 259 cases.

INDIA

The death toll due to COVID-19 in India on Thursday morning rose to 13, the federal health ministry said, with 649 confirmed cases reported so far.

"Death toll related to novel coronavirus has reached 13," said the ministry at 10:15 a.m. (local time).

"The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India is 649," the ministry said. "Of these, 602 cases are Indian nationals and 47 foreign nationals."

According to the ministry, 43 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement and the number of active cases in the country right now is 593.

PHILIPPINES

The Philippines reported 71 more people, including a senator, who had tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of the cases to 707.

Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque said 45 people had died from the virus, while 28 patients had recovered.

"Cases are expected to rise in the coming days due to our capacity to make more tests," Duque said, adding that it is better to confirm those who are positive so that they can be isolated and given proper medical care.

AUSTRALIA

Australia's COVID-19 death toll has increased from eight to 12 in a single day.

Victoria has recorded its first three deaths related to the COVID-19 over the past day. All three deaths in the state were men in their 70s who were being treated in hospital and the other one in Queensland is a 68-year-old man who became infected on a cruise ship.

Paul Kelly, Australia's deputy chief medical officer, told reporters in Canberra on Thursday afternoon that there have been 2,793 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, an increase of 24 percent from 2,252 as of Wednesday morning.

Seven passengers on the Artania cruise ship, held offshore at anchor near Western Australia (WA), have tested positive for the COVID-19.

WA Health Department officials boarded the ship on Wednesday after 25 people reported respiratory symptoms.

There are more than 800 passengers and 500 crew on board and none of them are Australians.

LAOS

Laos has detected three more confirmed COVID-19 cases, with its total number rising to six, Lao Deputy Health Minister Phouthone Moungpak said.

All of these infections were close contacts of the previous confirmed patients, and they are treated in the designated hospital, the Mittaphab Hospital in Vientiane, Moungpak said.

The patients are not in a serious condition and the treatment is going well, he added.

Laos detected the first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 24.

THE MALDIVES

Three more COVID-19 positive patients have made a recovery in the Maldives, bringing the country's total number of active cases to five, local media reported.

Maldives President Ibrahim Solih announced on Wednesday evening that three COVID-19 infected patients had made a recovery thanks to the efforts of healthcare workers. So far, a total of eight out of 13 confirmed COVID-19 patients have recovered in the last few weeks.

MALAYSIA

A total of 23 people have died of the COVID-19 in Malaysia as of Thursday with 235 newly confirmed cases in its largest one-day increase so far, bringing the total number to 2,031, said the Health Ministry.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah told a press briefing that among the new cases, at least 60 were traced to a large-scale religious event held near the capital of Kuala Lumpur from late February to early March. The number of cases in the country has spiked following the event.

INDONESIA

The death toll of the COVID-19 in Indonesia climbed to 78 by noon local time on Thursday, according to the Indonesian government.

At a press conference, the government's spokesperson for all the coronavirus-related matters Achmad Yurianto said that 893 cases had been confirmed in the archipelagic country and 35 patients had recovered from the disease.
Your browser does not support the audio element.

Editor's note: Mark Barnes is a freelance journalist currently based in Hanoi, Vietnam. He sent this piece to Tuoi Tre News as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused countries including Vietnam  where 153 infections have been confirmed  to impose different levels of travel restrictions and border lockdowns in bids to curb the spread of the virus.

Governments around the world have urged their citizens to come home if they wish to as many countries, including Vietnam, close their borders to slow the spread of COVID-19.

In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period, the U.S. Department of State advised on March 19.

Similar messages have been communicated to expats from countries around the world that are residing in Hanoi.

This has led to a mass exodus of Hanois international community. However, many foreign residents have also made the decision to stay.

I do not want to return to the U.S., says English teacher, Regan Brown. One of the biggest reasons is, honestly, this is my home. This is where my friends are. This is where my job is. This is where I'm happiest.

Returning to the United States also presents its own set of problems for Brown.

Healthcare in the United States is among the most expensive in the world and the U.S. is the only developed economy that does not have a universal healthcare system.

I don't have health insurance in the U.S. So if I do get sick, which, honestly, is really likely right now, I literally can't afford to go to a doctor, says Brown.

So if I get sick here, I will be taken care of but in the U.S. I won't be.

Diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the United States have topped 85,600 whereas in Vietnam there are just 153.

In fact, in the U.S., the novel coronavirus has spread so rapidly that earlier this week the WHO flagged the U.S. as possibly becoming the next epicenter of the outbreak.

We are now seeing a very large acceleration in the numbers of cases from the United States  so it does have that potential, the WHOs Margaret Harris said.

Julie Beasley, a kindergarten teacher from the United Kingdom, took a more emotional approach to deciding to stay in Hanoi.

She says that it was her pet cats that kept her from leaving.

They are my babies so I was not prepared to leave them behind. They are my family, she says.

But Beasley had to weigh this against her 85-year-old mother who is currently hospitalized in the UK.

At the moment that's consuming my thoughts on a daily basis, says Beasley. "But they've actually closed the hospitals now so nobody can go and visit her.

Not only are hospitals in the UK closed to visitors but there is a mandatory quarantine period for arrivals from overseas of 14 days.

This means that even if Beasley could get back to the United Kingdom she would still be prevented from visiting her aging mother.

You know I feel that I really want to be there but I know I can't Fortunately, I have a very big family back home so there is support there for her.

Beasley says that keeping in regular contact is key, which is a recommendation seconded by governments around the world as their citizens increasingly find themselves confined to foreign countries.

In this regard, Beasley also went on to note that Vietnam was possibly the best place to be as the global crisis worsens.

I think at the moment we're probably in one of the safest places in the world, she said. Hanoi has not been hit as hard as many places have been.

In the United Kingdom, 11,658 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed resulting in 578 deaths as of Friday, according to a government website.

Australian Kim Encel, who is currently working with UNESCO in Hanoi, shared a similar sentiment. He says that he and his partner never even discussed the possibility of returning to Melbourne.

The main reason is that Vietnam has been really proactive about the whole COVID-19 situation and also I think my workplace has been really informative and helpful, he says.

But he did have some concerns, like Beasley, about family back home.

My parents are older, so if something happened to them and I was not able to get home in a month that would be a terrible situation.

Australian citizens were advised to decide on their future in Vietnam as recently as March 21.

If you are in Vietnam and wish to leave, you should do so as soon as possible while commercial options are available, the Australian Embassy said on its Facebook page.

In Australia, 3,005 cases of the disease have been identified resulting in 13 deaths, according to The Guardian.

The full impact of border closures around the world is yet to be realized. That said, those that have chosen to stay in Hanoi may not be able to return to their country of origin for months.

In this respect, for those that have chosen to stay, the Australian ambassador, Robyn Mudie, on Wednesday, offered this advice:

As a community overseas, please reach out and support one another. Stay in touch regularly with your friends and family in Vietnam, Australia or wherever they might be globally.

"These are challenging times, but we will come through this together.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
West Bengal on Friday reported five fresh cases of COVID-19 including that of an infant, the highest number of confirmed cases on a single day in the state, pushing the total number of positive cases to 15.

Of the five fresh cases which were reported from Nadia district in South Bengal, four did not have any recent travel history.

The five, who belong to one family, are a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and two women aged 27 and 45, a health official said.

The 27-year-old woman had visited Delhi, where she came in contact with a person from the UK who recently tested positive, the official said.

"We tracked the entire family and tested eight of them. Five were found positive," the official said, adding that they are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nadia district.

"We are now trying to track down those with whom these five patients came in contact," the official said.

Of the 15 afflicted with the disease in the state, one has died and an elderly patient is in critical condition.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening and appreciated the state government's role in controlling the spread of COVID-19, sources close to the CM said.

During the 10-minute conversation, Modi also took stock of the current situation in the state in the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak.

The chief minister also warned people against posting or sharing fake information on the COVID-19 pandemic, saying strong action would be taken against those found guilty.

She said all international flights to Kolkata will continue to remain suspended till April 14.

Banerjee also asked officials to facilitate the opening of 27 night shelters for the homeless in the city.

Various parts of the state wore a deserted look on Friday as people preferred to stay indoors on the third day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The prime minister had on Tuesday evening announced a three-week lockdown in the country, as part of the central government's measures to fight the pandemic.

Private and public vehicle operators largely stayed off the roads, while business establishments, barring those dealing with essential commodities, remained shut.

A few markets witnessed people shoving each other, though many adhered to the social distancing rules while buying essentials at grocery stores.

More than 2,000 people have been arrested in the state this week for violating the lockdown prohibitions.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has reserved two burial grounds and a crematorium for last rites of coronavirus victims in the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One of three men charged with robbery connected to a fatal collision in south Co Dublin has told a judge he plans to apply for bail in four weeks.

Edward Andrews (25), of Belarmine Hall, Stepaside, and Terry Meegan (27), of Ridge Hall, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, had been charged with robbery of Centra Stores on Barnhill Road in Dalkey of 806 in connection with the incident.

Mr Andrews was refused bail, but Mr Meegan made no application when they appeared in court a week ago, although his solicitor said they wished to apply for bail at his next hearing. Both men appeared at Cloverhill District Court yesterday.

Jacqueline McGovern (54) and another woman were struck by a car as they walked on a footpath at Avondale Road in Killiney on the night of March 10, minutes after an alleged shop raid in the locality.

Mother-of-three Ms McGovern, a special needs assistant who worked at Our Lady of Good Counsel Girls National School in Johnstown, was pronounced dead at St Vincent's University Hospital the morning after the collision.

Father-of-one Mr Andrews was further remanded in custody to appear again in four weeks.

Mr Meegan was also further held until April 23 but when questioned by his solicitor, Andrew Vallely, he confirmed to Judge Victor Blake that he wished to apply for bail at his next hearing.

Co-accused Mr Andrews had applied for bail at his first hearing on March 19 but Detective Garda Robert Clifford objected citing the seriousness of the case.

Masked

He had said: "There is a possibility of further serious charges arising out of this incident."

In his objection, Detective Garda Clifford said the incident at Centra Barnhill Stores took place at 9.20pm on March 10.

He alleged two masked raiders entered the store and threatened staff, including a 79-year-old man.

Three tills were opened and just over 800 was allegedly taken.

It was alleged the raiders fled to a waiting car.

A couple of minutes later a collision occurred and two women were knocked down, one was injured but the second died, Detective Garda Clifford said.

His solicitor had said Mr Andrews worked part-time as a labourer but was also on social welfare.

He had a child and a partner, and he has lived with his parents at his current address for the past 10 years.

The third defendant, Darren Rowe (24), of Dunedin Terrace, Monkstown, Co Dublin, was charged with robbery of the shop and endangerment of life, creating substantial risk of death or serious harm to another, at Avondale Road.

He made no application for bail when he first appeared in court last Friday and will face his next hearing today.
Asian markets mostly rose Thursday as investors breathed a sigh of relief that US senators have finally passed a gargantuan stimulus package for the world's top economy after being delayed by wrangling over details.

The unprecedented $2 trillion plan -- described by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a "wartime level of investment" -- helped spur a surge across global equities as panicked traders worried about the impact of the coronavirus sweeping the planet.

But another advance on Wall Street was blunted Wednesday as it emerged that four Republican senators have baulked at the generous provisions agreed to in the bipartisan deal with the White House.

The bill eventually cleared the Senate by an overwhelming majority and will now head to the House of Representatives before going to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Follow live developments on the coronavirus pandemic here

The monster deal thrashed out between Republicans, Democrats and the White House includes cash payments to American taxpayers and several hundred billion dollars in grants and loans to small businesses and core industries. It also buttresses hospitals desperately in need of medical equipment and expands unemployment benefits.

The plan, together with a huge bond-buying programme by the Federal Reserve that effectively prints cash, is part of an unprecedented global response to the outbreak, which has even seen Germany put together a list of measures worth more than $1 trillion.

Asian markets mostly rose though major indexes struggled after posting hefty gains this week.

Tokyo ended down 4.5 percent after surging almost a fifth over the previous three days, while Hong Kong shed 0.7 percent and Shanghai eased 0.6 percent. Seoul fell more than one percent.

But Sydney jumped more than two percent, Wellington and Mumbai climbed four percent, while Manila rallied nearly eight percent. Jakarta soared more than 10 percent as dealers there played catch-up with the rest of Asia having been closed Wednesday for a holiday.

There were also healthy gains in Taipei and Bangkok.

Singapore lost more than one percent after data showed the city-state's economy suffered its worst quarterly contraction since the financial crisis more than a decade ago, giving global investors an early insight into the economic effects of the pandemic. The government on Thursday unveiled a US$33 billion stimulus package.

Singapore is considered a bellwether for trade-reliant Asian countries.

In early trade, London sank almost three percent, while Paris and Frankfurt lost more than two percent.

While the US bill provides much-needed support, observers continue to err towards caution with most now expecting the global economy to plunge into recession as countries go into lockdown, turning off the growth taps.

"While this is good news... it's impossible to gauge the ultimate economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for weeks, possibly months, and until that point, the sustainability of any rally in oil or equity markets is questionable and suggests the current high level of volatility will likely extend," said AxiCorp's Stephen Innes.

"All the stimulus chatter will fade if the COVID-19 headcount curve goes vertical. The reality is the 'Big Bazooka' sway is impossible to sustain, and not to mention the surprise effects greatly diminish. Ultimately, policy is harder to maintain the more protracted virus outbreaks continue."

Investors are now nervously awaiting the release later Thursday of US jobless claims data, which is expected to show a massive rise.

"The high-frequency data will confirm we're in a horrible vortex of the fastest and most substantial rise in the US unemployment in modern financial history," Innes added.

And CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said the figures "could well be extremely ugly" and warned some estimates had put them at around the four million mark.

Also Thursday, G20 leaders will be holding a summit by teleconference, with hopes they can provide a united front in the face of the pandemic after the group of leading economies faced criticism that it had been slow to address the crisis.

French presidential sources said the virtual meeting would focus on "coordination on the health level" as well as sending a "strong signal" to financial markets over efforts to stabilise the global economy.

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 4.5 percent at 18,664.60 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.7 percent at 23,352.34 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.6 percent at 2,764.91 (close)

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 2.9 percent at 5,529.78

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0921 from $1.0883 at 2230 GMT

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.43 yen from 111.20 yen

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.1931 from $1.1890

Euro/pound: UP at 91.53 pence from 91.51 pence

Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 3.0 percent at $26.56 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 3.9 percent at $23.53 per barrel

New York - Dow: UP 2.4 percent at 21,200.55 (close)
Today, in his second live telecast of announcing the Pakej Rangsangan Ekonomi, our Prime Minister Muhyiddin has announced that Malaysians will be granted free 1GB Internet data in this extended Movement Control Order period. It shall begin from 1 April onwards until the MCO ends.

According to our Prime Minister, this initiative cost RM600 million and all our respective telco companies will have to play their part. To add on, another RM400 million will be used to improve the network quality and increase coverage across the nation. In terms of tech-related news regarding this, he also reminded Malaysians that the electricity bill discount from the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is in line with this, as well as a 2% discount for commercial, industrial, agricultural and household sectors which will begin from 1 April.

To be more detailed on the electricity bill discount, TNB will increase an additional RM530 million to provide discount rates ranging from 15% to 50%. This will depend on the electricity rate usage with a maximum limit of 600 kilowatts per month. For example, the 50% discount will be given to those who use less than 200 kilowatts, 25% for those in between 201 - 300 kilowatts, and finally, 15% for those in between 301 - 600 kilowatts. This discount rates will be effective for six months starting from, you guessed it, 1 April 2020.

Furthermore, PM Muhyiddin also added that the Government will provide one-off assistance of RM500 to 120,000 e-hailing drivers (that's you, Grab drivers). That's a total of RM60 million and from the previous Economic Stimulus Package, taxi drivers will also receive their one-off assistance payment with RM600 starting from the aforementioned date.

So this is part of the important announcement regarding the tech industry. There are a lot more details from the Pakej Rangsangan Ekonomi, such as add-on allowance for those earning at a certain salary, as well as for the front liners particularly those working in the medical field. Keep calm, stay at home and wash your hand. Stay tuned for more tech news at TechNave.com.
US registers nearly 86,000 cases including fewer than 800 recoveries; 1,300 people have died so far in the country.

The United States now has the most reported coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy, with the three countries accounting for almost half of the worlds infections.

The US has registered nearly 86,000 cases, including fewer than 800 recoveries, while China counted about 81,000 cases, more than 74,000 of which had already recovered, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University in the US. For its part, Italy has logged more than 80,000 cases, with 10,360 recoveries and some 8,200 deaths.

The US has registered about 1,300 deaths, almost a quarter of them in New York City, where hospitals are overwhelmed.

In China, where the virus was believed to have been transferred from wild animals to humans, the National Health Commission on Friday reported 55 new cases, including 54 it said were imported infections in recent arrivals from overseas.

There were no new cases reported in Wuhan, the provincial capital where the coronavirus is reported to have emerged from late last year.





US President Donald Trump, who had until recently insisted on calling the new coronavirus the Chinese virus, tweeted on Friday that he and Chinas President Xi Jinping had a very good conversation and discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet.

Economy

The economic damage from the pandemic was growing as a record-shattering 3.3 million US citizens applied for unemployment benefits in a single week  nearly five times the old record, set in 1982.

Job losses have swept across sectors from food services to retail to transportation, as nearly half of the country has closed to non-essential businesses.

200126061554884

It is staggering. We are only seeing the initial numbers. They will get worse, unfortunately, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters, estimating that half a million people in the city would lose work.

But stock markets continued to climb on Friday, with Asian bourses in the green after a third straight day of rises on Wall Street.

Traders have taken heart from the passage through the Senate of a $2 trillion stimulus bill  the largest in US history, which will support the countrys businesses and provide cash payouts to people.

The rescue plan, which is expected to be voted on in the House of Representatives on Friday, would initially dispense cheques of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child.
BERLIN, March 26 (Reuters) - Germany views the euro zone bailout fund as the main instrument to help other European countries fight the social and economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday following an European Union leaders summit.

Asked if EU leaders discussed the issuance of joint debt, also known as eurobonds or coronabonds, Merkel said that the ESM bailout fund was giving enough scope to react to the crisis without giving up "fundamental principles".

Merkel also confirmed that EU leaders had asked euro zone finance ministers to work out in two weeks details of a special ESM credit line to support economies hit by coronavirus. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Sandra Maler)
BOSTON - States are pulling back the welcome mat for travellers from the New York area, which is the epicenter of the countrys coronavirus outbreak, but some say at least one states measures are unconstitutional.

Governors in Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina this week ordered people arriving from the New York area including New Jersey and Connecticut  and other virus hot spots to self-quarantine for at least 14 days upon arrival.

Connecticut officials have also pleaded with New Yorkers and others from out of state to avoid visiting unless absolutely necessary.

But, in the most dramatic steps taken to date, Rhode Island State Police on Friday began pulling over drivers with New York plates so that National Guard officials can collect contact information and inform them of a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.

Gov. Gina Raimondo ratcheted up the measures Friday afternoon, announcing shell also order the state National Guard to go door-to-door in coastal communities starting this weekend to find out whether any of the homes residents have recently arrived from New York and inform them of the quarantine order.

The Democrat had already deployed the guard to bus stations, train stations and the airport to enforce the executive order, which also applies to anyone who has travelled to New York in the last 14 days.

I know its unusual. I know its extreme and I know some people disagree with it, she said Friday, adding that she has consulted with state lawyers.

If you want to seek refuge in Rhode Island, you must be quarantined.

Raimondo maintains shes within her emergency powers to impose the measures, but the American Civil Liberties Union has called it an ill-advised and unconstitutional plan.

Governors have the authority to suspend some state laws and regulations in a state of emergency, but they cant just suspend the Constitution, argued Steven Brown, head of the ACLUs Rhode Island chapter.

Under the Fourth Amendment, having a New York state license plate simply does not, and cannot, constitute probable cause to allow police to stop a car and interrogate the driver, no matter how laudable the goal of the stop may be, he said.

Its the latest worry for civil rights and libertarian groups already concerned about fundamental freedoms being tossed out in the name of public health.

New York has more than 40,000 cases and more than 500 deaths from the virus, by far the most in the country.

For most people, the virus 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, or death.

Florida was the first state to try to deter fleeing New Yorkers, ordering tri-state area arrivals on Monday to go into mandatory quarantine for two weeks. It has since expended the restrictions to travellers from Louisiana. The federal government followed up Tuesday with a recommendation to do the same country-wide.

If you were in New York state, you left when you were told to shelter in place, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this week. You defied that and then you got on a plane and came here, and so we dont want there to be any fallout here.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has warned that those who dont comply with his Thursday order, which also extends to those coming from New Orleans, risk jail time. State troopers would be conducting visits to make sure people were staying put as required, he added.

Connecticut officials have voiced concern that people from New York and elsewhere are returning earlier than normal to their summer homes, but Gov. Ned Lamont has so far not issued an official order for out-of-staters to self-quarantine.

In Rhode Island, Raimondo stressed that contact information wont be collected from drivers passing through the state. Commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers, wont be stopped either, so goods can continue to be transported across state lines uninterrupted, she said.

Shes also promised that any information collected from travellers will be used only for public health reasons and not for police or immigration purposes.

New York City is a hot spot  their infection rate is skyrocketing  and they are so close to Rhode Island, Raimondo said Thursday announcing the order. There is a lot of panic in Rhode Island right now related to folks from New York coming to Rhode Island.

__

Associated Press reporters Terry Spencer and Brendan Farrington in Florida, Meg Kinnard in South Carolina, and Dave Collins and Susan Haigh in Connecticut contributed to this story.
189 Shares Share

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced several measures guiding the care of patients during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Another important action that will immensely help the health care workers at the forefront is to reduce the documentation requirements for all patients. Health care workers should be unshackled from endless documentations freeing up their time and resources to take care of the increasing number of patients. CMS, insurance carriers, and other regulatory agencies demand a slew of documentation for billing. This results in health care workers spending more time in front of a computer rather than with the patient. Most of these documentations are duplicative or add little value to the care of patients, like pertinent negatives. A moratorium on the current billing documentation requirements should last till we are able to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians and nurses should be permitted to document the necessary minimum for billing purposes and regulatory compliance.

An example of the proposed initial hospital history and physical note (level 3 visit) of a typical COVID-19 patient:

A 68-year-old man with a past medical history of COPD and CHF was admitted with cough, shortness of breath and bilateral interstitial pneumonia. COVID -19 test is positive. Patient is being treated with antibiotics, bronchodilators and experimental antiviral medication. He is saturating 92 percent on 4 liters of oxygen. On examination, vitals are stable. Lungs bilateral rhonchi. CXR interstitial pneumonia, CBC leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Assessment and plan: Acute COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia, continue medications, monitor lytes, guarded prognosis. Risk of death or adverse consequences high.

The complexity of medical decision making could be captured from a few sentences in the assessment and plan section. A follow-up note (level 3 visit) might look like this:

This 68-year-old man admitted with acute COVID-19 and interstitial pneumonia is on bronchodilators, antibiotics and antivirals. Shortness of breath increased today. Oxygen saturation stable. Examination: stable vitals, persistent rhonchi. CXR showed slight worsening. Sodium 120. Plan: Acute COIVD-19 with interstitial pneumonia. Continue current medications and monitoring. No indication of ARDS. Hold off IV steroids. Check for SIADH. Risk of death or adverse consequences remains high.

Nursing documentation can also be simplified along these lines. Currently, nurses document the same data every so often, amounting to cutting and pasting. They should be able to document meaningful information less frequently in the EMR.

Simplifying the documentation will help physicians, such as intensivists to focus on the care of patients. This will be important in case of an intensivist/physician shortage, which is happening in Italy right now.

Hospital billing criteria should also be relaxed during this crisis to ease the pressure on physicians to document extensively. Instead of forcing the hospitals to comb for every minute details in the chart in an attempt to add several co-morbidities to obtain the correct level of reimbursement, payments could be based on the average DRG payment the institution received for a particular diagnosis during previous years.

Caregivers should be able to share physical examination findings unless there is an acute change in the patients condition. A single examination policy will avoid unnecessary close contact with the patient by several providers and also will save on personal protective equipment (PPE). Other initiatives, such as reducing the frequency of checking vitals and finger stick blood sugars and corrective insulin administration, will reduce documentation volume.

These measures should also be applicable to the outpatient setting where resources can be stretched thin. As always, CMS and other agencies should conduct periodic audits to detect any irregularities or systematic fraud.

These actions will go a long way in helping our health care workers during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We need them to take care of the sickest patients and not to produce voluminous notes.

P. Dileep Kumar is a hospitalist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Australian stocks snapped a three-day winning streak in spectacular fashion on Friday, giving up early gains of more than 2 per cent to close deep in the red.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 tumbled 270.9 points, or 5.3 per cent, to 4842.4, erasing much of the rebound seen in the previous three sessions.

Despite the late plunge, the index still managed to finish the week with a gain of 0.5 per cent.

Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, said he was not surprised by the late move, suggesting the rally from the multi-year lows hit on Monday lacked conviction.

Im not convinced by the rally, not at all, Mr Weston said. Volumes are rubbish. Theres no conviction - I just feel people are absolutely knackered.

Given the speed of the rebound, coming despite a torrent of bad news on the state of the local and global economy, Mr Weston believes theres a lot of scepticism among investors.

After everything weve seen, people are not sure whether they should chase this rally, he said. Should they put money to work now, has it just been a short-covering rally, or is it due to month-end positioning.

Fitting with the ugly close, all sectors finished lower, led by REITs which tumbled 8.7 per cent. Healthcare also slumped 7.1 per cent.

Among the big names, Scentre Group tanked 12.5 per cent to $1.51 while Goodman Group shed 10.7 per cent to $11.13.

CSL fell 7.6 per cent to $279.12 while all of the big four banks tumbled by more than 6.3 per cent, led by ANZ with a fall of 7.4 per cent to $15.47.

Wesfarmers and Transurban also skidded more than 7 per cent, closing at $32.25 and $11.84 per cent respectively.

Charter Hall Group was the worst performer on the benchmark index, finishing with a loss of 14.7 per cent to $2.96. ALS sat at the other end of the scoreboard, gaining 5.5 per cent to $5.39.

As for when a sustained rebound in equity markets will occur, Mr Weston said it will come down to when businesses begin to come back online

The defining moment will be when activity levels start to normalise, he said. You look at anyones forecasts, consensus looks for a disastrous June quarter followed by a big snap-back in the September quarter with a lot of stimulus.

Anything that makes me question that the September quarter wont as goods as everyone thinks, then I think equities will take another leg lower.
The Attorney General issued a memorandum today to the Federal Bureau of Prisons officials. Given the COVID-19 crisis, BOP officials will be making decisions on possibly releasing eligible inmates to Home Confinement. The criteria for such releases in many ways mirrors what is in place inside the First Step Act. Below are criteria noted in the Memorandum as a baseliine for prison officials. Releases are on a case-by-case basis, with an emphasis on non-violent, elderly and vulnerable individuals. Some of the discretionary factors are listed below:  The age and vulnerability of the inmate to COVID-19, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines;

 The security level of the facility currentl y holding the inmate, with priority given to inmates residing in low (FCI) and minimum (camp) security facilities;

 The inmate's conduct (clear preferred) in prison, with inmates who have engaged in violent or gang related activity in prison or who have incurred a BOP violation within the last year not receiving priority treatment under the Memorandum;

 The inmate's score under PATTERN (Risk Assessment Tool), with inmates who have anything above a minimum score not receiving priority treatment under the Memorandum;

 Whether the inmate has a demonstrated and verifiable re-entry plan that will prevent recidivism and maximize public safety, including verification that the conditions under which the inmate would be confined upon release would present a lower risk of contracting COVID-19 than the inmate would face in his or her BOP facility;

 The inmate's crime of conviction, and assessment of the danger posed by the inmate to the community. Some offenses, such as sex offenses, (those with Public Safety Factors) will render an inmate ineligible for home detention. Other serious offenses should weigh more heavily against consideration for home detention.

We will be closely monitoring this situation. Inmates with releases in 2020 to mid 2021 should be preparing for RRC and release services as seen eligible by BOP policy.

Bruce Cameron and Jose Santana can be reached:

FederalprisonauthorityBOP@gmail.com

www.federalprisonauthority.com
More than 450 workers let go from Akumal hotel

Akumal, Q.R.  Dozens of hotel workers expressed their annoyance Thursday after approximately 460 were let go from Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya earlier in the week.

The group demonstrated outside the hotel citing unjustified dismissals and asking to keep their jobs with minimum wage pay. Accompanied by their union delegate, the workers demand that during the period of inactivity they be paid a minimum wage as the law indicates.

Colleagues work and train, but they are not valued. We have been waiting three days from morning to afternoon looking for an answer. Today the hotel closes, but they wash their hands, they say they are leaving until further notice, said Petronila Rodriguez Cruz, CROC delegate for this hotel.

The group said they would stay until a hotel manager agreed to meet, which eventually did happen. There was no word on the outcome of the meeting.
Cancer patients who receive oncology care in Tullamore hospital are set to have their care managed at a private hospital in Dublin for the duration of the coronavirus, the hospital's general manager has confirmed.

The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore says it is actively planning to manage essential acute services through the Covid-19 pandemic taking into account the anticipated unprecedented demand on acute services.

"This contingency planning for the Covid-19 period is based on patient safety, maintaining essential service, taking into account the limitations of our staffing numbers and expertise.

"As part of our contingency planning, a decision has been taken to temporarily relocate the Oncology/Haematology services to the Hermitage Medical Clinic.

"All service users have been contacted by their Medical Team to ensure a safe transition of care," it said.

Private hospitals have come under the control of the HSE for the duration of the crisis.

Noreen Hynes, General Manager Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore said the measures announced are temporary but necessary.

"It is so important that all of us within the health service take whatever steps are possible to ensure that we appropriately manage our available resources and protect our patients and secure the continuity of care.

"We are all committed to providing the best possible clinical care to those who need it and we believe that by taking these steps, the health system as a whole will be strengthened.

"The Hospital Management Team would like to thank our staff and service users for responsiveness and flexibility during these unprecedented times," she said.
There are new twists on the standard advice to stay home if you can to avoid spreading the highly contagious new coronavirus.

Premier Doug Ford sent warnings Friday to travellers returning from trips outside Canada and to city folk inclined to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic working remotely or chilling at their cottages.

Ford said hes been getting a tremendous number of calls from municipal leaders and residents in cottage country concerned too many people are arriving and placing strains on supermarkets, stores and hospitals not equipped to handle the influx at this time of year.

If you have a cottage, theyre just asking you, please, dont come up to the cottage because of whats happening, the premier told reporters.

His remarks echoed appeals recently seen on social media from those who fear not only bare supermarket shelves but increased spread of the new coronavirus. Half of Ontarios confirmed cases are from Toronto where the bug is now increasingly circulating in the community.

The hospitals, they dont have the capacity we do in urban settings, added Ford, a Muskoka cottage owner himself.

As they all say, were going to welcome you with open arms when we get through this but right now its putting a lot of strain on their system up there.

The other warning came in what sounded like an Amber Alert for a missing child.

Ontario sent out emergency messages on cellphones, television and radio Friday at 2 p.m. telling recent travellers they are at high risk of spreading COVID-19. The high-volume alerts will continue on mobile phones over the next two weeks as more Ontarians return from trips.

With the new coronavirus already responsible for 18 deaths in the province, the alert noted: You are required by law to self-isolate for 14 days.

Do not visit stores, family or friends, Ford said at Queens Park minutes before the alerts went out with DO NOT in capital letters.

The alerts point readers to www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus for more information.

While the vast majority of people are obeying the post-travel, stay-at-home orders issued by the federal government earlier this week, Ford said some may be unaware or tempted to sneak out.

We thought it was a good reminder to get out and tell people this is still onstay the course, said Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health.

The new coronavirus virus has had a devastating impact in Italy, Iran, Spain and cases are on the rise in the United States. Travellers from the U.S. and Europe account for many of Ontarios nearly 1,000 confirmed cases.

A day after he accused an upscale grocer of price gouging for charging $30 for a package of sanitizing wipes that costs less than $5 in most stores, Ford said the few retailers who are bad actors can expect to see very large fines legalized within days under Ontarios state of emergency order.

I just wont tolerate it. Anyone who wants to gouge the public in these times, were going to come down hard. Were going to come down really hard on them, he said.

Read more about:
COVID-19 testing kits are packaged on a production line at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju, South Korea, on March 27, 2020. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

OC Health Officer Warns Against Unauthorized Tests for COVID-19

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS)Orange Countys Health Officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, is warning residents against relying on COVID-19 testing kits that have not been approved by federal officials because they often provide false positives.

These non-approved tests can produce false results and lead to unintended negative consequences for the individual and the broader community, Quick said.

For example, a false negative result from a non-approved testing kit may lead an individual who in fact has COVID-19 to think they are healthy and not capable of spreading the virus. We want to ensure our community members are getting accurate information about their health, and accurate information drives appropriate medical care.

The testing kits Quick warned against measure a level of antibodies generated to fight a virus, so they are not as accurate as the testing kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which analyze a specimen taken by a swab.

The FDA approves polymerase chain reactionor PCRtesting kits, which can detect minute amounts of the virus in a specimen, which is taken from a patient. The OC Health Care Agency and commercial labs use PCR testing kits.
At a time of when social distancing is being repeatedly emphasised to contain the spread of coronavirus, hundreds of people on Friday crossed Delhi border on foot at Ghazipur in an effort to reach their homes in different districts of Uttar Pradesh in the wake of lockdown.

They said they were going to Lal Kuan in Ghaziabad after getting information that buses were available for their onward journey. Some of them were wearing masks while many others had tied handkerchiefs on their faces as protection against coronavirus.

"I am walking on foot from Vishwas Nagar. I want to go home but there is no transport for people like me, " said a labourer hailing from Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh.

Arun, a daily-wage earner, said he was going to his village in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

"I am coming from Gurugram. I have walked 70 km on foot. There is no help from the government. I am a daily-wage earner and now I have become jobless," he said.

Rambaran Yadav, who was returning to his village in Rae Bareli, said DTC buses were plying in Delhi but they did not allow them to get in after asking for a pass. "They asked for a pass. We do not have any pass. We are forced to walk on foot," he said.

Shailendra Kumar Singh, ADM, Ghaziabad City told ANI that around 250 buses had been deployed to take the people to their homes.

"We are also doing the medical check-up of the people. We have asked the district authorities to place these people under home quarantine for 14 days after they reach their homes," he said.

He said they were giving priority to women, children and elderly and no money is being charged.

"It is challenging for us as people are gathering here in large numbers. They are coming from Delhi and Gurugram and Noida. We are also providing food. We are giving priority to women, children and old-age people. We are not charging any money from them," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday issued a notification asking police officials and District Magistrates (DMs) to arrange food and shelter for migrant workers who are facing difficulties due to the 21-day lockdown announced to contain the spread of COVID-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government has announced there are now 1,170 confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa, with one confirmed death.

This is an increase of 243 cases over the past day  the biggest daily increase recorded in the country.

High-profile individuals are now among those who have tested positive for the coronavirus, including evangelist Angus Buchan.

The ACDP has also announced that both its president, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, and MP Steve Swart tested positive for the coronavirus.

Deaths

Earlier today, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize announced that two South Africans had died after being infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus.

This morning, we wake South Africans up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19, Mkhize said in a statement.

These two deaths occurred in the Western Cape. One at a private hospital and the other at a public hospital.

This number has now been revised, with 1 confirmed death and 1 death which is suspected to be related to COVID-19.

National lockdown

South Africas 21-day lockdown is now in effect, with only essential services allowed to continue functioning as normal.

Several citizens have already been arrested for breaching the restrictions of the lockdown on the morning of 27 March 2020.

Regulations related to the lockdown prohibit the sale of alcohol and gatherings of any kind during the period.

People are also not allowed to go jogging, walk their dog in public, or move between districts or provinces.

There are also restrictions on visiting cinemas, bars and shebeens, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, lodges, and beaches  many of which are closed for the lockdown.

Police Minister Bheki Cele warned that those who break the rules will be arrested and face a fine or even jail time.

Now read: First coronavirus deaths recorded in South Africa
The 21-day lockdown in South Africa came into effect this morning and several people have been arrested for breaching its restrictions.

Regulations related to the lockdown prohibit the sale of alcohol and gatherings of any kind during the period.

People are also not allowed to go jogging, walk their dog in public, or move between districts or provinces.

There are also restrictions on visiting cinemas, bars and shebeens, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, lodges, and beaches  many of which are closed for the lockdown.

Police Minister Bheki Cele warned that those who break the rules will be arrested and face a fine or even jail time.

People arrested

Several hours into the lockdown in South Africa, and arrests have already been made at establishments which broke the rules this morning.

SABC News covered the arrests, with people who visited a tavern in Hillbrow arrested in the early hours of Friday morning. The manager of the tavern was also arrested.

Comments regarding these arrested were mostly positive. Im so glad South Africas government is taking this seriously. If they dont, it will become like Italy, said one person.

Irresponsible, immature and selfish. This is an opportunity to be creative in so many ways. Explore their potential. Excellent work SAPS, said another.

The video below from SABC News show the arrests of the people.
No new case of coronavirus has been reported from Gujarat in the last 12 hours, state health secretary Jayanti Ravi said on Friday.

"In the last 12 hours no coronavirus positive case has been reported in Gujarat," Jayanti Ravi Principal Secretary (Health), Gujarat government said addressing the media here.

In Gujarat so far, there are total 43 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, according to the data compiled by the Union Health Ministry. There have been 3 deaths linked to COVID-19 reported from the state so far.

As per data shared by the state health department Ahmedabad has reported 15 cases, Surat has 7, Rajkot 4, Vadodara 8, Gandhinagar 7, Bhavnagar 1 and Kutch 1.

"Today in Surat those who have been quarantined in government or home quarantine or private quarantine for them we had started a COVID-19 tracking application. We had started a project in Surat. Looking at its success in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Baroda, Rajkot too we have started its pilot today. We appeal to those quarantined to download this application. It will enable us to track your location and map them and be useful for the public too," Jayanti Ravi said.

According to the Central government, the cases of COVID-19 are on a rise every day and so far there have been 640 active cases of novel coronavirus in India which includes 66 recoveries and 17 fatalities.

The number of cases tested positive in the country for coronavirus stood at 724 on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, during his address to media, said the RBI had decided to cut repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent, while the reverse repo-rate has been reduced by 90 basis points. He said his address was coming amidst "extraordinary circumstances". He said the MPC voted for sizeable reduction in repo rate to revive growth, mitigate covid-19 impact. Shaktikanta Das' address to the media has been scheduled a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to help the lower strata of the society.

Check all the latest updates on the RBI Governor's live conference on BusinessToday.In live blog

10.37 AM: The RBI allows lending institutions, banks to defer interest on working capital repayments by 3 months.

10.36 AM: The RBI governor says moratorium on term loans, deferment of interest payment will not result in asset classification downgrade.

10.35 AM: The RBI governor says banks may reassess working capital cycle and that they won't be treated as NPA.

10.33 AM: Deferring NSFR implementation by banks by 6 month, says the RBI

10.31 AM: Monetary policy committee voted 4:2 majority to cut repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 pc: RBI Governor

10.30 am: Watch live coverage of the RBI Governor's address to media.

Governors address to media https://t.co/vsfV13L0UK ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) March 27, 2020

10.29 AM: The outlook is now heavily contingent upon the intensity, spread and duration of the pandemic. There is a rising probability that large parts of the world will slip into recession: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

10.23 AM: MPC noted that global economic activity has come to a near stand-still as COVID19 related lockdowns and social distancing in affected countries. Expectations of a shallow recovery in 2020 from 2019's decade low in global growth have been dashed: RBI Guvernor

10.22 AM: The CRR cut done by the central bank will release Rs 1.37 lakh crore into market, says Shaktikanta Das

10.21 AM: The RBI has cut cash reserve ratio by 100 bps to 3%

10.20 AM: Downside risks to growth arise from Covid-19, lockdowns: RBI Governor

10.18 AM: Banks should keep the credit flowing: RBI chief

10.15 AM: The MPC voted for sizeable reduction in repo rate to revive growth, mitigate covid-19 impact: RBI chief

10.12 AM: The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee met from March 24-27

10.11 AM: This address comes amidst extraordinary circumstances: RBI Governor

10.00 AM: Will there be a repo rate cut?

Expectations are rife that the RBI could announce major repo rate cut to allow helping hand to banks. In its February 6 bi-monthly meeting, the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee had maintained status quo by keeping repo rate unchanged at 5.15 per cent. Consequently, the reverse repo rate was also kept unchanged at 4.90 per cent.

9.45 AM: Modi govt's Rs 1.7 lakh crore package

The Modi government on Thursday announced food transfers for free, cash for the vulnerable, cooking gas, concessions to reduce burden on low income families as well as an insurance cover for the front line workers.

9.30 AM: Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana

Under the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKBY) the minister announced funds of Rs 1.7 lakh crore to help the ones with no resources. Farmers, elderly citizens, women, construction workers, those below poverty line, organised and unorganised workers would be the primary beneficiaries of these measures. The Finance Minister also announced 5kg of rice or wheat free of cost to 80 crore poor people in the country for the next three months. She also announced a Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for every front line worker, including doctors, paramedics, nurses, sanitation worker.

Also read: RBI ready to help in every way to tackle coronavirus: Shaktikanta Das

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Positive cases near 700; deaths rise to 16

Also read: Coronavirus relief: Finance Ministry urges RBI to pause EMI, loan repayment s
Families of Afghan Sikhs killed in a terror attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul said that they are tired of living in Afghanistan, urging the government to investigate the attacks on the minority community.

A heavily armed Islamic State suicide bomber stormed a prominent Gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, killing 25 Sikhs and injuring eight others.

On Thursday, another blast took place near a Sikh crematorium here, injuring a child and disrupting funeral services for the 25 members of the minority community killed in the Gurudwara attack. The Sikh families cremated the remains of the victims on Thursday and urged the government to investigate the attacks.

Some Sikh citizens said they are tired of living in Afghanistan , the TOLO News reported. We want investigations, our 25 people have been killed, said Dip Singh, a relative of one victim who was killed.

In which book do you come to attack a mosque and attack a Dharamshala. In what religion does that happen? Andar Singh, a family member of a slain victim, was quoted as saying.

Wednesday's attack was one of the deadliest targeting the Sikh community in the strife-torn country. Eighty people, including women and children, were rescued from the Gurdwara.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying the attack on the religious sites shows the extreme weakness of the enemy, religious sites should not be vulnerable to attacks and violence.

Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan. In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.

Also Read: UN Chief Antonio Guterres condemns ISIS attack on Kabul Gurudwara

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Total cases increase to 724; GoAir signs up for emergency services
A meat processing plant. Workers at Linden Foods in Tyrone have refused to start their shift. (Photofusion/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Around 60 workers have refused to start their shifts at a Northern Ireland food processing plant, citing concerns about how the company is handling the coronavirus pandemic, according to trade union Unite.

Employees at a Linden Foods plant in Dungannon, County Tyrone, say that social distancing measures have not been implemented at the facility, and that those exhibiting coronavirus symptoms have still been allowed to work.

There have been ongoing issues between management and workers at Linden Foods in Dungannon over the issue of the absence of social distancing for workers on the boning line, in the canteen, changing areas and at entry and exit points, said Unite regional officer Brian Hewitt on Friday.

Read more: Coronavirus exposes UK food supply to crisis of hunger

Hewitt said that the company has also not provided additional wash facilities, and has failed to stagger breaks.

Linden Foods did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo Finance.

Unite said that the workers refused to enter the workplace on Friday, noting that Linden Foods has ignored the health and safety concerns that have been raised over the past number of weeks.

The 60 workers are seeking assurances from management that distancing measures would be adopted at the plant.

They are putting the lives and well-being of their employees at risk  their intransigence is entirely unacceptable, Hewitt said.

Linden Foods must engage with these workers and commit to provide comprehensive infection control measures to end this walkout.

Read more: Domino's hiring extra staff as people order lockdown pizzas

Linden Foods, which processes beef and lamb, current provides its products to a range of retailers and convenience food manufacturers, as well as to the European meat-packing industry.

On Wednesday, staff at the Portadown processing plant of Moy Park, Northern Irelands largest employer, left their stations in protest over the lack of social distancing measures.

Story continues

Moy Park subsequently introduced what it calls robust measures to protect staff, such as staggered break times and screens on some of its production lines.

Northern Ireland first minister Arlene Foster said businesses that can implement social distancing measures could remain open.

If you are operating a business and you can have safe working practices then you can continue to do that, Foster told the BBC.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
VAN BUREN, N.Y. -- Tessy Plastics has shut down its factory near Baldwinsville and told 280 workers to stay home after an employee fell seriously ill with COVID-19.

Company President Roland Beck said he closed the plant on State Fair Boulevard on Thursday evening after the family of an employee informed him that the worker had been admitted to the hospital with COVID-19, the sometimes deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Beck said the infected worker had traveled within the last couple of weeks on personal business to the New York City area, a hotspot for the coronavirus.

The employee last worked at the Van Buren plant over the weekend, when there was only a skeleton crew of about a dozen people working at the facility, which makes underarm deodorant containers, Beck said.

However, because the incubation period of the coronavirus can be up to 14 days, it is possible the employee was working at the facility, unaware he had been infected, when it was fully operating with a workforce of 280, he said.

Beck said any employees who worked near the worker have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. The rest of the employees who worked in the building have been told to stay home for the same period, he said.

A cleaning company has been brought in to do a deep clean and sanitization of the 520,000-square-foot building, he said. It has not been decided when it will reopen, he said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo last Friday ordered all non-essential businesses to send their employees home to slow the spread of the coronavirus New York, the state hit hardest by the disease. Nearly 45,000 people in New York have been infected with the virus and 519 have died from it.

Companies making personal care products are exempt from the order. However, Beck said he shut down manufacturing of the underarm deodorant containers late last week as a precaution and planned to transfer the plants workers to other Tessy facilities. Now, those workers will not be transferred for at least 14 days, he said.

Tessy has facilities in Elbridge and Skaneateles. More than half the products they make go into medical devices and other personal care products such as tampon applicators, which are also exempt from the governors shutdown order.

The company employs 1,000 people in the county, making it one of Central New Yorks largest manufacturers. It gave all of its workers $2,000 checks on Thursday to help cushion the financial blow from the coronavirus, even if they are not among those who are being temporarily laid off because of the pandemic.

>> Tessy Plastics to give every employee $2K as coronavirus disrupts production

The infected employees family told the company Friday morning that he has been released from the hospital and was home, though still ill, Beck said.

Most of the work that was being done at the building in Van Buren this week involved shipping out containers that had been made before manufacturing stopped, he said.

Tessys manufacturing lines pump out thousands of plastic parts at a time and, in the case of the underarm deodorant containers, assemble and package them without the need for workers to touch them. However, as a precaution, the company will either dispose of the remaining containers or wait at least 10 days, the longest the virus could live on them, before shipping them, Beck said.

Tessy completed a large expansion of the Van Buren plant in 2017.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Busted! County exec calls out Radisson tailgaters violating social distancing order (pic)

Ask Syracuse.com: Will I get a check if I dont file a tax return? What if Im on disability?

Coronavirus: Onondaga County schools might stay closed until late April

16 in hospital, 4 critical in coronavirus crisis in Onondaga Co.; total cases jump to 111

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro reportedly declared in a statement on March 26 that all essential operations, including the religious services, will remain functional during the coronavirus pandemic. He aimed the decision at the currently suspended holy sites across the populous states of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro announced that the states must return to normalcy and abandon scorched-earth policies in his address to the state press.

According to the decree published in the official gazette by the government, "Religious activities, of whatever nature" were now permitted as long as they complied with the "determinations" of the Health Ministry, the statement read. President of Brazil had earlier sounded contention with the coronavirus pandemic containment measures saying that the disease was Brazilian media fantasy that stoked mass hysteria, in a televised address to the nation. The virus has arrived in the states, the government and the dedicated authorities would deal with it, he was quoted saying. The lives have to continue, and jobs must be maintained, Bolsonaro added.

Read: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro Tests Negative For Coronavirus For The Second Time

Read: Donald Trump Meets Jair Bolsonaro In Mar-a-Lago

President calls it 'small flu'

Brazils governors, however, defied the governments stance to reopen schools and continue operating the businesses, dismissing their Presidents arguments as per the state media reports. His stance has also conjured social unrest across many states in the country as citizens criticized his contemptuous attitude. Bolsanaro dismissed the crisis as small flu, despite its spread worldwide, as per media reports.

To date, over 549,298 have been contaminated with the deadly COVID-19 disease. Brazils president, however, was quoted saying in a press briefing that Brazilians can bathe in excrement but nothing happens. He was also quoted saying by a news agency that the coronavirus would not reach that point, and that, a Brazilian bloke could jump in the sewage and get out alive but nothing happens to him in Brazil, while speaking to the press in the capital, Brazilia. Brazil has recorded over 2,988 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and at least 77 fatalities have been confirmed so far, 3 new cases emerged in the past 24 hours.

Read: Congress Locks Trump Oversight Into $2.2 Trillion Package

Read: A Defiant Maduro Threatens 'cowboy' Trump After Drug Charge
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
Gulfport Marine Terminal "...the development has brought significant job creation to a borough of New York City that could really benefit from it. We are proud to have contributed through the EB-5 program to the creation of this important facility, said Tom Rosenfeld, President and CEO of CanAm Enterprises.



CanAm Enterprises (CanAm) is thrilled to announce that another of its EB-5 investments has repaid in full and on-time. A total $50 million EB-5 investment raised in two phases was made in the Gulfport Marine Terminal project in Staten Island, NY to develop a 674-acre tract of vacant land located on the Arthur Kill waterfront into a more than 2 million square foot industrial logistics center and eventual marine terminal. The first tranche was repaid in December 2018, and the second tranche was repaid today. The development has created 1,671 jobs, which far exceeds the EB-5 investment requirements of 10 jobs per investor.

The Gulfport Marine Terminal Project has brought enormous economic benefits to the local economy in New Yorks Staten Island, converting a former oil tanker farm that had been vacant for decades into a state-of-the-art transportation and logistics terminal that maximizes the advantages of the location on the waterfront and with direct access to rail and highways. Most importantly, the development has brought significant job creation to a borough of New York City that could really benefit from it. We are proud to have contributed through the EB-5 program to the creation of this important facility, said Tom Rosenfeld, President and CEO of CanAm Enterprises.

The Gulfport Marine Terminal was built on a 674-acre tract of vacant land located on the Arthur Kill waterfront in Staten Island, Richmond County, New York. The terminal features a 193-acre on-site logistics center as well as an additional 135-acre tract that is intended to be developed into a full-service port facility. Ikea took occupancy of a 1 million square foot building in August 2018, and Amazon opened an 850,000 square foot robotics-enhanced fulfillment center in September 2018. The opening of this second facility was significant in that it marks the first fulfillment center Amazon has located within New York City. Both companies are the largest employers in the borough, bringing even more economic growth and opportunities to Staten Island, NY.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (EB-5 Program) is administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The EB-5 Program provides qualified foreign investors with the opportunity to earn a conditional, or temporary, two-year green card in return for investing $900,000 in projects located in high unemployment areas that create at least ten permanent full-time jobs for U.S. workers.

Prospective investors pursuing permanent residency in the United States are invited to read CanAms EB-5 Program Overview and inquire about the EB-5 Visa options.

###

About CanAm Enterprises

With three decades of experience promoting immigration-linked investments in the United States and Canada, CanAm has a long and established track record. Basing its business on a reputation of credibility and trust, CanAm has financed 60 projects and raised $3 billion in EB-5 investments. More than $1.4 billion in EB-5 capital from over 2,800 families have been repaid by CanAms 41 projects to date. CanAm exclusively operates seven USCIS-designated regional centers that are located in the city of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the metropolitan regions of New York & New Jersey, the states of California, Hawaii, Florida, and Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.canamenterprises.com.


A powerful commission in charge of regulating utilities and other New Mexico businesses is being evicted from its state offices by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration.

Officials with the Public Regulation Commission say the timing is suspicious, given recent legal battles between the governor and commissioners over implementation of the states new energy transition law, which clears the way for the closure of a major coal-fired power plant and adoption of more ambitious renewable energy goals.

The notice requiring the commission to vacate the building by the end of June came with no explanation and afforded the the agency less than four months to find new offices.

The commissions attorney argued in a March 13 response to state officials that the current location across the street from the state Capitol includes specially designed hearing rooms and public meeting spaces that can accommodate the crowds that usually turn out for rate-setting decisions and other cases.

At this time, the termination of the PRC lease is directly contrary to the public interest, attorney Michael Smith wrote to the states facilities management division.

Aside from the upheaval of government operations, the closure of many businesses and the halting of other activities because of the coronavirus public health emergency, the commission is in the middle of a landmark case with major implications for providing electricity to residents and businesses in coming decades.

Commission staff has pointed to what would likely by a six-figure price tag to move the agency, special requirements for public meeting spaces and the prospect of adding close to $1 million in recurring rent costs to the bottom line if space must be found elsewhere in Santa Fe. The commission currently doesnt pay rent.

Commissioners have said the fight over office space is the latest in what they described as sustained assaults on the agency. They pointed to an unsuccessful effort during the recent legislative session by the governor and others to overhaul the commission.

Instead of allowing the agency to focus on their responsibilities and caring for their health, the PRC staff will now be spending taxpayer time packing offices and searching for a home, the commission said in a statement. It is a troubling fact that this is being done now and in this manner.

State officials said Wednesday they need to make room for New Mexicos new early childhood agency and the commissions headquarters, which already house state child welfare offices, are the best place.

General Services Department Secretary Ken Ortiz said the new agency will come online in July and the site will help centralize operations. He said his agency is willing to work with the commission to identify its needs and issue a request for proposals for a new space. He acknowledged the Santa Fe market typically is on the high end.

Public Regulation Commission Chief of Staff Jason Montoya said had the commission been consulted early on, the turmoil that has resulted over the real estate flap could have been avoided.

The commission is adamant that under the existing tenant agreement, the state has no legal authority to terminate the lease ahead of schedule.
When JoAnn Gregolis daughter, a nurse practitioner, told her about the shortage of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, she sprang into action.

An international event planner, Gregoli is used to being able to track down whatever item she needs. But she knew N95 masks would be impossible to get amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So she did the next best thing: she started making mask covers and recruited dozens of other women to make them, too.

But she needs even more help  hundreds of more people - because time is of the essence, Gregoli said.

Gregoli has enlisted Sparta Moms and other groups from Madison and Chatham and is now starting to get volunteers from Passaic Moms. Shes hoping to attract more volunteers from Passaic County and hard-hit Bergen County in particular.

Gregoli "is a force to be reckoned with. Its amazing what she can accomplish, said Christine Preston, of Madison, a former client of Gregolis whose wedding she planned 19 years ago.

Preston saw a message Gregoli posted on social media asking for people to sew masks or donate fabric and other materials.

Initially my intention was just to share on it on social media pages where I was involved, Preston said. Very quickly, we got a pretty big response.

About 300 masks have been made through the contributions of about 75 people in Madison and Chatham, since Monday.

Gregoli said the need is so dire that medical professionals have been reaching out to her saying they were told to use scarves from home and some have been using paper towels as masks.

What started as a mission for my child has turned into a lifesaving effort, Gregoli said.

She tells people, Save a life, Make a mask.

If we lose these front line people, whos going to take care of us if we need them? she said.

The groups Gregoli oversees have produced more than 2,500 masks in a week that have been distributed to Overlook Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Morristown Medical Center, St. Claires Hospital, St. Barnabas Hospital, Newton Medical Center, Mountainside Hospital, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Holy Name Medical Center.

Gregoli is hoping to inspire people who are sitting home, because they cant work, or who want to help during this crisis but they dont know how.

The masks her team is making are assembled from three squares of fabric and elastic straps. Theyre meant to work as covers for N95 masks because healthcare workers are being forced to reuse the same mask, in some cases, for days.

These are an extra layer of protection, she said.

If youre wondering if your sewing skills are adequate to help, Gregoli suggests viewing this video on how to make a mask.

If you cant sew and want to contribute money that is being used for supplies for the masks and food for healthcare workers, theres a GoFundMe page.

To contact JoAnn Gregoli to join the effort, fill out this online form.

Editors Note: This story has been updated to correct Gregolis daughters occupation.

Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
It's difficult to speculate what will be the specific measures from the government, but a fiscal stimulus of 1.5-2 percent of GDP is required in the current situation, Sampath Reddy, Chief Investment Officer, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company said in an interview to Moneycontrol's Sunil Shankar Matkar.

Edited excerpt:

Q: At a time when the market is bleeding, what are your suggestions to your clients?

As we know, it is difficult to predict or time the market bottoms and tops accurately. We could still see some short-term volatility in markets as the coronavirus cases continue to escalate.

However, with this sharp correction in markets, valuations have become quite attractive, as indicated by various valuation indicators. This presents some buying opportunity for long term investors, and we suggest investors to gradually start deploying in equities (as per their risk profile).

Historical data has shown that investments made in challenging times have been quite rewarding for investors over the medium to long term.

The prudent thing is to at least get started, or not to panic and sell-off. If someone is panicking and exiting now, they may be making their losses permanent (by booking them)which is not advisable.

Q: FIIs net sold over Rs 1 lakh crore in equity and debt in March so far, which seems to be the highest monthly outflow. Do you expect the more FII outflow in the coming weeks or will they start pouring in again due to attractive valuations?

During periods of risk aversion, emerging markets (including India) see FPI outflows, and that is what we are witnessing right now. It is difficult to predict the quantum of FPI outflows, but outflows so far in 2020 have been much lower than that during the global financial crisis of 2008-09 (but it should also be noted than it's just been only a couple of months in this correction). The FPI flows and trajectory will depend on how the coronavirus pandemic pans out, and how long the global risk aversion continuesand is, therefore, a developing situation.

Q: The market fell drastically in the past one month as COVID-19 has been spreading widely in Europe and the United States, which investors worried the most? What are your thoughts and what is the way ahead for the market?

As we know, a complete lockdown has been announced pan-India for a 21-day period. Though this should be beneficial in controlling the coronavirus outbreak in India, we will have to see how it pans out. Also, the lockdown will hamper economic activity in the short-term, and we will have to see how long the lockdown continues - and its impact on economic growth. We have already seen a sharp correction in markets, but its difficult (and maybe futile) to predict whether we have reached a bottom or may see further correction. However, as mentioned before, market valuations are quite attractive now, and we suggest investors to gradually start deploying money in equities.

Q: All stocks/sectors turn more attractive in terms of valuations now. Have you started accumulating? What are those sectors which can create great value in next couple of years, what is your pecking order and why?

Yes, we have started to accumulate gradually. From a sectoral perspective, with financials seeing a healthy correction in this fall, valuations for certain private financials look quite attractive at this juncture. Other sectors we prefer at this point are FMCG and pharma.

Q: Earlier the economic and earnings recovery was expected to start in second half of FY21. But now most of experts started talking about FY22 for recovery. What are your thoughts and how much damage (approximately) do you expect in earnings and economic growth in Q4, FY20 and FY21?

We are likely to see downward revisions to corporate earnings, and a further slowdown in economic growth in FY21, but the quantum of downgrade will depend on how long the pandemic (and lockdown) continues. So, it's still a developing situation, and clarity will emerge in a few months.

Q: As Finance Minister recently said they are working on stimulus given the shutdown across the country to limit virus cases. What could be included in fiscal stimulus?

It's difficult to speculate what will be the specific measures from the government, but a fiscal stimulus of 1.5-2 percent of GDP is required in the current situation. During the global financial crisis, we have seen the central fiscal deficit expanded from 3.4 percent of GDP in FY07 to 6.1 percent in FY09 and 6.6 percent in FY10  so that was quite a large and extended fiscal stimulus.

Q: Do you feel the government has a major relief in fiscal deficit due to more than 50 percent fall in oil prices globally, when it is finding hard to meet divestment target which reduced to Rs 65,000 crore from over Rs 1 lakh crore?

The sharp fall in crude oil prices will help us on the current account deficit, as India is a large net oil importer. India imports around 1.3 billion barrels of crude every year, so a $20 per barrel fall in crude price will result in an annual savings of around $26 billion. This will in turn help to reduce our current account deficit. Market estimates indicate that a $10 per barrel fall in crude price helps to reduce current account deficit by around 40 bps (0.4 percent).

The high divestment target of Rs 2.1 lakh crore budgeted for FY21 seems challenging, considering the current market conditions. But we will have to see how the pandemic pans out and if market conditions improve going forward.

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
This concerns those who did not do this before March 27; Ukrainians will be able to return from abroad on foot or in their own cars

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine explained citizens where to go if they did not have time to return before March 27 or purchased a ticket for a flight, which was canceled. The Foreign Ministry website stated this.

In embassies and consulates it will be possible to:

solve the issue of expired documents for a stay in a foreign country;

get information about the possibility of returning to Ukraine;

receive information on changes in the epidemiological situation in the host country;

get help with household issues and healthcare.

The Foreign Ministry said that the planes that flew on March 27 will be able to complete their flights. Those who did not purchase tickets or did not have time to buy until March 27 inclusive are encouraged not to buy tickets and, if possible, to extend their stay in the country of residence. Ukrainians will be able to return home by car or on foot through checkpoints where permitted.

If you purchased tickets for dates later than March 27, then you can apply for reimbursement of the cost of tickets to the airlines. The possibility of organizing additional flights will depend on the epidemic situation in the country.

To obtain information regarding transfers from Boryspil Airport or a border crossing point, you must contact the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.

It is worth remembering that all Ukrainians who return from abroad must be self-isolated for 14 days.

As we reported earlier, the last flights depart from London to Ukraine.
Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.

So should Ashanti Sankofa (CVE:ASI) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? For the purpose of this article, we'll define cash burn as the amount of cash the company is spending each year to fund its growth (also called its negative free cash flow). Let's start with an examination of the business's cash, relative to its cash burn.

See our latest analysis for Ashanti Sankofa

How Long Is Ashanti Sankofa's Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. As at November 2019, Ashanti Sankofa had cash of CA$1.3k and no debt. Importantly, its cash burn was CA$53k over the trailing twelve months. So it seems to us it had a cash runway of less than two months from November 2019. To be frank we are alarmed by how short that cash runway is! The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

TSXV:ASI Historical Debt March 27th 2020

How Is Ashanti Sankofa's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

Ashanti Sankofa didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. From a cash flow perspective, it's great to see the company's cash burn dropped by 87% over the last year. That might not be promising when it comes to business development, but it's good for the companies cash preservation. Admittedly, we're a bit cautious of Ashanti Sankofa due to its lack of significant operating revenues. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth.

Story continues

Can Ashanti Sankofa Raise More Cash Easily?

There's no doubt Ashanti Sankofa's rapidly reducing cash burn brings comfort, but even if it's only hypothetical, it's always worth asking how easily it could raise more money to fund further growth. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash to drive growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate).

Ashanti Sankofa's cash burn of CA$53k is about 12% of its CA$444k market capitalisation. As a result, we'd venture that the company could raise more cash for growth without much trouble, albeit at the cost of some dilution.

How Risky Is Ashanti Sankofa's Cash Burn Situation?

Even though its cash runway makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought Ashanti Sankofa's cash burn reduction was relatively promising. Summing up, we think the Ashanti Sankofa's cash burn is a risk, based on the factors we mentioned in this article. Taking a deeper dive, we've spotted 5 warning signs for Ashanti Sankofa you should be aware of, and 3 of them make us uncomfortable.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he feels vindicated by the decision to mandatorily quarantine travellers who flew into the country when he issued a directive to shutdown Ghana's borders.



According to him, the overwhelming number of coronavirus cases that Ghana has recorded are all imported into the country by people who are returning from abroad.



An extreme number, have been found to carry the virus. So, focusing on the importation of the virus and infection have proof to be absolutely spot on.



"We are now seeing the benefits of these measures, the President told members of the TUC at the Jubilee House.



He added that the country will continue to look at an additional strong measure that will help deal with combating the dreaded novel Coronavirus pandemic.



Issues of lockdown



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo noted that when the country is locked down, the majority of the ordinary citizens of the country will be greatly affected.



He said, a responsible government is required to look at the implications of the decision to lockdown a country in such a time, before it takes a firm decision.



it is important for us to take into account the circumstances and conditions. When we lockdown Accra, what are the consequences? he quizzed.



President Akufo-Addo indicated that currently, his administration is looking at all the possible options available before he communicates it to Ghanaians.



I am hoping that much sooner than later, we will come to an agreement on what those measures are and the Ghanaian people will be informed, he stressed.









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 National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) expects that the economic recovery in Ukraine will begin at the end of the third quarter of 2020.

First Deputy NBU Governor Kateryna Rozhkova said this at a briefing on March 27, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"We expect, basing on the forecasts we hear, that from the end of the third quarter, the economy will recover and customers and banks will return to normal regime," Rozhkova said.

As Ukrinform reported, according the National Bank estimates, the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on Ukraine's balance of payments will be insignificant, but the pandemic is likely to have a negative impact on economic growth overall.

iy
Newark is fronting most of the cash in its $6 million fund that will help residents and small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While other municipalities are waiting on state aid or federal funds, Newark has come up with its own economic stimulus for local business owners forced to close and residents losing paychecks.

The city is tapping into federal grants it already has and repurposing them for its response to COVID-19. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka expects those grants will be reimbursed because of the emergency declarations that have been put in place around the nation.

Each of these funding sources are being repurposed to focus on COVID-19 so that we can address the issues that are front and center and present for the residents and businesses in Newark, said the citys Economic and Housing Development director, Allison Ladd.

Community Block Development Grants and HOME funds - both federal grants that help communities address issues like affordable housing for low-income residents - will be repurposed, said Ladd.

Money from the citys Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Community & Economic Trust Fund will also be re-allocated. Some of those trusts are funded by developers who get approval to build projects that dont meet the citys mandated number of affordable housing units under local inclusionary zoning laws.

The $6 million fund, however, is helping residents who most often benefit from those grants and city dollars.

Those who would be helped include small businesses, the homeless, arts organizations, homeowners and nonprofits.

The mayor also directed the tax assessor to reassess property values for developers who have buildings with business tenants negatively impacted by COVID-19. Those buildings will be reassessed to reduce the taxes owed to the city and the tax savings will have to be passed along to small business tenants through rent reductions, the city said.

Baraka said on Thursday that a developers application will have to be jointly filed with business tenants in order to receive the tax reduction.

We'll be able to definitely find out if this is happening or not, Baraka said.

City officials are already looking for ways to expand the $6 million fund. That could happen with money from a federal economic stimulus package and contributions from major corporations based in Newark, city officials said.

We seeded this grant with $6 million and were hoping that other people begin to add on to that seed, the mayor said.

The city has already received some seed money for the $6 million fund from Prudential Financial, which is headquartered in Newark. The company contributed $300,00 to the city and $600,000 to the United Way of Greater Newark, which will administer some of the funds to support the citys initiative.

Other funds for different industries in the citys initiative will be administered directly by Newark.

Additional information about the programs will be announced over the next few days, the city said. For more information about each of the programs, email EHD@ci.newark.nj.us.

Here are each of the initiatives:

1. An investment of up to $2 million in a small business and non-profit emergency fund with grants up to $10,000 for 200 qualified businesses.

Applications for this fund will open on March 30, through a link on the United Way of Essex County website

The business must have a physical establishment located in Newark and have 10 employees or less. The business must show loss of income directly tied to the coronavirus. Any businesses that owe money to the city will have their applications placed at bottom of list.

An informational webinar on the program will be held Friday at 1 p.m. Small businesses and non-profits must register online.

2. Approximately $1 million investment in rapid, short-term rental housing for 300 of the most vulnerable Newark residents, including the homeless.

3. Up to $1 million investment in community-based non-profits that serve Newark residents.

4. A $1 million investment in the Live Newark program to provide down payment and rehabilitation funds for up to 100 Newark homeowners.

5. Up to $750,000 arts initiative investment that will assist up to 30 arts and cultural organizations with operating funds and capital funds.

6. Savings from tax reassessments aimed at helping lower business tenants rents.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.
With the number of COVID-19 cases growing, life for people around the world has changed rapidly as many are asked to stay home to help slow the spread of the virus.

In San Antonio, it is no different as residents take to Twitter to tweet about adjusting to life under stay-at-home orders, often times with humorous posts.

From makeshift hazmat suits to shaming toilet paper hoarders, San Antonio's twitter game has been strong.

Scroll through and see 10 San Antonio tweets you may have missed this week (that you really need to see).
A 'perfectly healthy' father of six passed away just days after being diagnosed with coronavirus, causing his wife to warn 'it can happen to anyone'.

Adolph Mendez, 44, was a kindergarten teacher in New Braunfels, Texas.

After testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, his condition deteriorated rapidly and he died on Thursday just two days after receiving the diagnosis.

On the day he died, Texas had 1,651 cases and 21 people had died.

Family man Adolph Mendez, 44, (pictured) was a kindergarten teacher in New Braunfels, Texas

Mr Mendez, who was referred to fondly as T.J, tested positive for the virus on Tuesday after being tested last week, and passed away on Thursday at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, from complications of the illness.

He leaves behind his three daughters and three sons, and wife, Angela, who say Mendez was perfectly healthy prior to catching the virus.

'You hear that the people who die are older, or have previous health conditions, but he was neither and the virus took him down hard,' Angela told the Herald Zeitung.

'It can happen to anyone, it's not just a story that happens to people across the world. It's here and it's real and it can kill anyone, just like it did my husband.'

He leaves behind his three daughters and three sons, and wife, Angela, who say Mendez was perfectly healthy prior to catching the virus

One of his daughters, Brenda Johson, described her father as 'perfectly healthy'.

She explained how his students had called him sticker man as he was known for giving out stickers every Sunday.

'He loved his family so much. He was very involved in our community and our church,' she said.

Pastor Ray Still of Oakwood Church paid tribute to Mr Mendez as a devout Christian. 'He loved his wife and children, his Lord and the Lord's church and served it faithfully.

'He will be greatly missed. All the people of Oakwood Church grieve with his wife and children and their loss.'
Maharashtra Health Minister



Rajesh Tope on Friday said the state government is considering to provide insurance cover to the medical staff treating COVID-19 patients in the state.

In a Facebook live, Tope said apart from the insurance cover, the government also plans to give monetary incentive to the staff.

"These medical workers have risked their lives to treat the patients," he said.

Tope appealed to the private doctors, who have stopped their medical practice due to the coronavirus scare, to remain operational for treatment of people.

"OPD, emergency medical services have been stopped... This is not right. There are other illnesses apart from COVID-19. Where will people go for deliveries or if someone suffers a heart attack?" he asked.

Medicine is a noble profession and doctors should not stop their medical practice, he said.

"Don't show insensitivity in times of crisis," Tope told the private medical practitioners.

He said the number of coronavirus positive patients in the state is now 135.

"A total of 4,228 people were tested, of whom the reports of 4,017 patients tested negative. So far, 19 patients have been discharged," he added.

Tope said as international flights have been suspended, the spread of coronavirus from such travellers has stopped.

"Now, the spread from positive patients needs to be tackled," he said.

"The focus is now on three Ts - tracing, testing and treatment," Tope said.

He also appealed to people to donate blood.

"Blood supply is required not just for coronavirus patients, but also to people with other illnesses," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 27, 2020] The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa continues to offer child protection services

OTTAWA, March 27, 2020 /CNW/ - As per Minister Ford's announcement earlier this week, our agency is considered an essential workplace and we continue to offer protection services; we are NOT closed. The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa (CASO) is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and we are following the advice of public health authorities. Agencies across the province have modified business practices to respond to health and safety concerns, and as such we are limiting face-to-face contact across many of our services, encouraging video conferences, phone calls and emails. Nonetheless, face-to-face contact will occur when necessary, such as child abuse investigations and when bringing a child or youth to a place of safety.



During a time of increased anxiety, vulnerable children, youth and families need support and care more than ever. Should you have concerns for safety or well-being of a child, or if you are a caregiver who requires support to keep your child safe, please call us at 613-747-7800. www.casott.on.ca

SOURCE Children's Aid Society of Ottawa

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Dr. Lee is a Harvard trained plastic surgeon serving patients in the greater Boston area.

The Haute Beauty Network, well known for its exclusivity, and luxurious lifestyle, is privileged to present Dr. Jeffrey Lee as a leading weight-loss and Breast expert representing the Boston market and the newest addition to the Haute Living partnership.

Haute Beauty offers a prominent collective of leading doctors nationwide. The invitation-only exclusive network maintains elite as ever, with only two doctors in every market. This partnership allows Haute Beauty to connect its affluent readers with industry-leading doctors.

Visit Dr. Lees Haute Beauty Profile https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/member/dr-jeffrey-lee/

About Dr. Lee:

Dr. Lee is a Harvard trained plastic surgeon serving patients in the greater Boston area. He specializes in cosmetic procedures of the face, breast, body, as well as nonsurgical treatments such as Botox and Juvederm. Dr. Lee's vision for patient care blends both safety, as well as optimal aesthetic outcomes. "I am first and foremost a doctor. My primary objective is to keep things safe and if something is unsafe or not worth the risk, I will tell you. I also tell all of my patients that I always reserve the right to change the plan if it becomes a safety issue."By utilizing the most advanced techniques coupled with an in-depth understanding of the human body, Dr. Lee is able to achieve outstanding outcomes which result in extremely happy patients!

Education and Training

Dr. Lee grew up in the northeast and graduated from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania with honors (magna cum laude). From there he went to medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine where he made the decision to become a surgeon. After medical school he completed his training in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School hospital. During this time, he also completed a fellowship in the Plastic Surgery Research Lab where he published numerous book chapters and journal articles. He also traveled extensively giving presentations at the national and international level advancing the field of plastic surgery.From there, he was accepted to the Harvard Plastic Surgery Combined Residency Program where he further refined his surgical skills in all aspects of plastic surgery. Dr. Lee then completed his training as the fellow in Craniofacial Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital.Breast surgery is by far the most commonly performed aesthetic surgery in the world. Whatever the goal, Dr. Lee will make an accurate assessment and then formulate a safe, customized
LONDON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Partners ("SDLP" or the "Company") announces that Grant Creed will step down as Chief Financial Officer of Seadrill Partners to support Seadrill Limited on a full time basis.

John T. Roche, Chief Executive Officer of Seadrill Partners, will assume the responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer in addition to his current role until a suitable replacement is found.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. In particular, statements regarding offshore drilling markets, the Company's ability to make cash distributions, the expected performance of the drilling units in the Company's fleet, estimated duration of customer contracts, contract dayrate amounts, contract backlog, forecasts of operating income and Adjusted EBITDA and the ability of the Company to negotiate the refinancing of its near term debt maturities with lenders are considered forward-looking statements. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to offshore drilling market conditions including supply and demand, dayrates, customer drilling programs and effects of new rigs on the market, contract awards and rig mobilizations, contract backlog, the performance of the drilling units in the Company's fleet, delay in payment or disputes with customers, the outcome of any pending litigation, our ability to successfully employ our drilling units, procure or have access to financing, liquidity and adequacy of cash flow from operations, fluctuations in the international price of oil, changes in governmental regulations that affect the Company or the operations of the Company's fleet, increased competition in the offshore drilling industry, and general economic, political and business conditions globally. Important additional factors include the Company's operational dependency on Seadrill Limited for certain management and technical support services, the Company's ability to continue to comply with loan covenants and the Company's ability to negotiate the refinancing of its near term debt maturities with its lenders and whether the terms of any such refinancing would be as favorable as or any more favorable than the terms of the Company's existing term loan facility. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward looking statement.

CONTACT:

Contact: ir@seadrill.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:23:33|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- In a heartfelt message published on its website on Friday, the Port of Antwerp in Belgium thanked China's COSCO Shipping Group for donating 20,000 face masks to Belgium, saying that "a drop of water in need shall be thanked with a fountain of deed."

The Port of Antwerp also emphasized that "Asia and Europe are far away from each other, but China and Belgium are linked together by vessels."

The port, which is responsible for 3.7 percent of all employment in Belgium, has called for international support to help the country contain the spread of COVID-19. COSCO Shipping Group has responded to this request and donated 20,000 face masks to Belgium. The shipment of boxes, each labelled "Stay Strong Belgium," arrived on March 26.

The masks will be distributed to medical staff, who have been on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.

COSCO Shipping Group has also donated epidemic prevention materials, such as masks, medical gloves, protective clothing and goggles, to worst-hit countries, such as Italy and Greece.

As of Friday, Belgium has confirmed 69 new deaths and 1,049 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of fatalities to 289 and confirmed cases to 7,284.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Infosys on March 27 said it has terminated the services of an employee who had made an objectionable comment related to the spread of the deadly coronavirus.



Infosys has completed its investigation on the social media post by one of its employees and we believe that this is not a case of mistaken identity. (1/2)

 Infosys (@Infosys) March 27, 2020

"Infosys has completed its investigation on the social media post by one of its employees and we believe that this is not a case of mistaken identity. The social media post by the employee is against Infosys code of conduct and its commitment to responsible social sharing. Infosys has a zero tolerance policy towards such acts and has accordingly, terminated the services of the employee."



The social media post by the employee is against Infosys code of conduct and its commitment to responsible social sharing. Infosys has a zero tolerance policy towards such acts and has accordingly, terminated the services of the employee. (2/2)  Infosys (@Infosys) March 27, 2020

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 employee, Mujeeb Mohammad, had allegedly posted: "Let's join hands, go out and sneeze with open mouth in public. Spread the virus [sic]."

Track this blog for latest updates on coronavirus outbreak

Infosys had issued a statement on March 26 saying it would investigate the matter internally.

The Bengaluru Police has also registered a case against Mujeeb under Section 505 of IPC.
One of the exceptions to the Spanish government's tight restrictions on movement during the coronavirus lockdown is for dog walking. However, there is a lack of clarity as to what is allowed. Anything from being 50 to 250 metres from your home, to 20 minutes for a dog to do its necessities are all being reported.

Information given out on town hall websites says only one owner may take the dog and they should carry a bottle of water mixed with detergent to rinse urine from the street as well as bags to pick up faeces, which really goes without saying.

For many dog owners, the enforced lockdown is leading to difficulties in caring for pets and there are fears over a rise in animals being abandoned, either by people who are unable to leave their houses because of illness or fear of contracting the virus when outside.

Scientists have confirmed that there is no evidence that the virus can be passed between domestic animals and humans.

Vets are permitted to stay open but are requesting that people make phone or internet appointments before going, in line with social distancing rules. Spain's veterinary organisation, Organizacion Colegial Veterinaria Espanola (OCV), explains on its website that the official guidance is only one person may accompany an animal and that appointments should be for emergencies only.

According to the OCV website around 10,000 vets are still working during the crisis at veterinary practices, on farms, in laboratories and in the food industry.

Animal charities

Animal charities have inevitably been hit hard by the lockdown with shelters closed to the public and adoptions on hold until the emergency is over.

The pressures and concerns regarding the rehoming of animals either locally or abroad as well as main sources of income, including charity shops being closed for four weeks, are being felt by animal charities across Malaga province. Diane McClelland, president of Axarquia Animal Rescue (AAR) said, "the loss of income could be crippling for us."

She explained that as they are reliant on a team of fosterers and volunteers and with no physical shelter, they are unable to take on new animals.

Like AAR, Triple A in Marbella and ADANA in Estepona have had to cancel fundraising events planned for March and early April and with uncertainty as to how long the situation will go on for.

Triple A, which currently has 259 dogs and 282 cats in its shelter, has had to reduce its number of volunteers and has seen a "slight increase" in abandoned animals since the state of alarm was declared. Secretary Jan Weimer said, "Unfortunately, we are unable to help people outside Triple A as we cannot travel by car," and adds that with reduced numbers of volunteers "it is pretty hard to take care of the 600 animals at the shelter".

ADANA has also had to close its shop and shelter to the public, which means dog walking volunteers cannot help out and no visitors means no adoptions. However, they are still taking in animals.

Treasurer Reg Winkworth said, "We have received an official government letter asking us to be readily available to take in the dogs of those people who are in less fortunate situations than ourselves, hospitalised and homeless people who are always vulnerable anyway."

All of the charities are relying on donations being made online and Diane McClelland said that her team are thinking of ways of running fundraisers through the charity's social network sites.
Those actions were aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 which, as of Thursday, had resulted in 2,538 confirmed cases of the disease in 37 counties in Illinois and had caused 26 deaths. In Iowa, there are 145 known confirmed cases on one death.

Looking forward, Swenson declined to give specific number predictions. He said recessions normally happens with unemployment growing, not spiking like what is currently happening and what it likely will do again next week.

But the reduction could have less long-term impact depending on the recovery.

Im sorry, but we dont know. Were so early in this, we dont know. And people who I believe act like they know dont know; I think theyre just offering up some good guesses, he said.

The Iowa-based economist again declined to give any specific numbers of unemployment he thinks may be on the horizon. That was done because he is self-advised to be careful as no one is sure what the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic will be as it continues to spread across the U.S. and other parts of the world.

We are slaves to this virus. The economy is a slave to this virus right now and to pretend otherwise is foolish, Swenson said.

Jerry Nowicki of Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local Houston-area health officials have advised school districts around the city to close buildings and teach students from home in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease caused by coronavirus.

Students in Cy-Fair ISD officially began using the online portal Edgenuity on March 23 to complete classwork, learn and collaborate with other students at their own pace. Parents of students within the district have praised the system for being easy-to-use while some had issues using the system with younger students.

Edgenuity is an online learning curriculum provider for grades K-12 being used by school districts across the country to deliver learning materials to students. The district has offered online learning materials for primary school, grades K-5; while secondary students, grades 6-12, will mainly use Edgenuity, said Linda Macias, chief academic officer for CFISD. CFISD has provided a guide for how to log in to Edgenuity accessible through the districts Learning At Home website.

All of the different content in Edgenuity, our coordinators have aligned them to scope and sequence, Macias said during a special, remote meeting of the board of trustees March 23. They are right there in line for the instruction that we would be delivering for our students.

The system, which has students select from categories based on their grade or advanced placement or dual credit courses, comes with a suggested schedule, links to accommodations for students and the ability to review previously learned materials, Macias said. Career and technology education, or CTE, and fine arts classes are also available through Edgenuity.

Edgenuity is really a self-paced course, Macias said. Our students can move through it as fast, or as slow as they need their instruction to occur. There are quizzes available on Edgenuity and feedback is provided through Edgenuity system for our students as they complete their quizzes.

Macias said as of March 23 that no grades were being taken for any students.

Related: Cy-Fair ISD updates community on COVID-19 during pandemic

Multiple parents responded to a Facebook post last week requesting comments about their impressions of Edgenuity, and CFISDs attempt at online education overall.

My 6th grader is up and running with no problems, Grace Graybeal said. We have not had much communication from her teachers, just two reached out via email, but the home learning has been self explanatory so, at this point, its not been an issue. I am sure it will continue to evolve as time goes on and thus far I have been pretty happy with the new process.

Related: Coronavirus live updates: Lawyers seek Harris jail releases, MoCo issues stay home order

Christine Nguyen said her 6th grader had issues using the online learning system the first day, but was able to log in and do the work himself the next day. Stephanie Shirley said her 6th and 8th grade students attending Spillane Middle School and her 9th grader attending Cy-Ranch High School have had a generally easy time logging in and learning. Shirley said she likes the fact that teachers are not pressured to make lesson plans.

All core classes for secondary schools were there and today foreign languages were added, Shirley said. A lot of what they are doing is material they have already learned and a review, so not much assistance is needed from me. So far Ive noticed video learning, question checkpoints as they learn as well as 10 question quizzes that give them an hour to complete and 3 attempts to take, none of which the district will actually keep as a grade.

Parents with younger children, like Traci Buell, said their children are having mixed results, with most of them taking time to adjust to the new system. Krys Voreh said her son, who has autism, has adapted well to the new system. Students are also meeting through the video chat app Zoom.

My 4th graderhad the hardest time using this, Deana Jenkins said. There are WAY TOO many websites we have to work from for each kid. But their teachers are phenomenal. Theyve been so helpful during this. I cant praise these angels of education enough.

Klein ISD parents also chimed in, adding that their students have also started online education. Courtney Osborne, teacher and parent of a Klein ISD student, said teachers are mainly reviewing previous material before moving on to new material to get students used to the new way of learning.

Many teachers are calling, emailing and having Zoom meetings just to touch base with our kiddos and make sure were all good and ready to learn next week, Osborne said. We as educators want to make sure ALL our kids have what they need and know how much we love and miss them! We will get through this together.

For more information on CFISD and online learning, visit www.cfisd.net/en/parents-students/health/coronavirus/learning-home .

chevall.pryce@chron.com
Kolkata, March 27 : Bengali actress-politician Mimi Chakraborty has shared a funny expectation-versus-reality post on her Instagram while being under quarantine.

Mimi shared a couple of photos to underline her point. In the first, she strikes a super hot gym pose, which she captioned as "expectation". The other picture has her cleaning her kitchen, which she described as "reality".

"Expectation vs reality. Quarantine days," the actress wrote.

The actress and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi is unable to hit the gym as she is confined at her home amid the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, she is using the time to do some dusting and cleaning work at home.

Commenting on her post, a user asked: "Are you staying at the MP quarters in Delhi?" Another user suggested the actress to "workout from home and make a fit body." While comments like "hot" and "sexy" flooded Mimi's inbox, a fan suggested that it is high time the Tollywood star ventured Bollywood!
The United Nations on Thursday hailed armed groups heeding its call for a ceasefire during the coronavirus crisis, as Security Council and General Assembly members prepared draft resolutions in support of the measure. Armed groups in Cameroon, the Philippines, Yemen and Syria have moved in recent days to reduce violence as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday issued an appeal for ceasefire. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffith, said he was "heartened" to see positive responses from both the government and Huthi rebels. "I expect the parties to adhere to their words and put the interest of the Yemeni people above all," Griffith said in a statement, calling for an "urgent meeting" on how to put their commitments into practice. The civil war in Yemen, which has dragged on for more than five years, pits the Iran-aligned Huthis against government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Experts say that the conflict has created the worse humanitarian crisis in the world. Guterres issued his ceasefire call in a bid to protect civilians in war-ravaged countries like Yemen and Syria -- largely spared so far by the virus -- whose barely functioning health care systems could not handle its spread. Elements of a draft resolution related to COVID-19's impact on "peace and security situations" is circulating between the five permanent members of the Security Council, according to a diplomat who requested anonymity to speak freely. Some UN Countries are "thinking about a text on supporting Guterres' appeal," another diplomatic source told AFP, a move initiated by France. Following a conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that the United States and France were "preparing with other countries a new strong initiative in the coming days." It was not immediately clear whether he was referring to measures being discussed between Security Council member states. In a parallel process, six countries -- Switzerland, Singapore, Norway, Liechtenstein, Indonesia and Ghana -- have drafted a General Assembly resolution stressing the importance of multilateralism and international cooperation amid the coronavirus outbreak, sources told AFP. Unlike in the Security Council, resolutions adopted by the General Assembly's 193 members are not binding but can have strong political value if enough countries sign on. - 'Renewed dialogue' - In Cameroon, separatists in two mainly English-speaking regions have been fighting the government in the majority French-speaking central African country for three years in a war that has left more than 3,000 people dead, many of them civilians. "We welcome the temporary ceasefire announced by the Southern Cameroons Defense Force," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at his weekly press briefing in New York. "The Secretary-General calls on other armed groups to do likewise." That group issued its temporary ceasefire call on Wednesday, but the conflict involves a multitude of groups, and their representatives -- some of whom live abroad -- are not always in close touch with those on the ground. Guterres called for "renewed dialogue" in Cameroon "that will put an end to the violence and human suffering," Dujarric said. In the Philippines, the UN said the armed wing of the Communist Party, which is fighting to overthrow the Manila government, had announced a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday. It added that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the north-east of the country also supported the ceasefire appeal and had announced on Tuesday their "commitment to avoid engaging in military action." The secretary-general meanwhile called on other parties in the Syrian conflict to support the ceasefire. Guterres "hopes that this will serve as an example across the world to silence the guns and come together as we face the global threat of COVID-19," Dujarric said. A worker fumigates a neighbourhood in Yemen's Huthi rebel-held capital Sanaa as part of safety precautions during the coronavirus pandemic on March 23 A man wears a mask while walking outside the entrance to the Yaounde General Hospital in Yaounde, Cameroon on March 6 A man walks in the mostly empty Hamidiya bazaar in Syria's capital Damascus on March 24
President Trump slammed Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) on Friday for saying he would vote against the Senates $2-trillion coronavirus relief package, calling him a third rate Grandstander who just wants the publicity and saying he should be kicked out of the GOP.

Trump, who called it HELL to work with Democrats, also admitted Republicans had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done.

& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault. It is HELL dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Trump then added that the Kentucky Republican is empowering the Radical Left Democrats and is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!

By empowering the Radical Left Democrats, do nothing Kentucky politician @RepThomasMassie is making their War on the 2nd Amendment more and more difficult to win (But dont worry, we will win anyway!). He is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

According to Politico, Massie reportedly reached out to Trump on Friday morning, but it remains unclear if they connected.

NEWS  @RepThomasMassie reached out to talk to @realDonaldTrump this morning, per multiple sources. Not clear if they connected  but @RepThomasMassie made the call.  Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 27, 2020

Massie said in a radio interview on Thursday morning that the bill, although it includes direct payments of $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for married couples, is not justified due to its price tag, which would further worsen the already-growing national debt.

Story continues

Massies comments prompted congressional leadership to urge their members to rush back to Washington, D.C., to vote in person due to concerns that Massies lone dissenting vote could have blocked the unanimous consent required to pass a bill by a so-called voice vote.

I know there are people saying, Oh, you gotta vote for it. You cant slow this down, Massie argued. Meanwhile, they spent a week in the Senate arguing how much money should go to the Kennedy Center.

Multiple members of Congress publicly criticized Massies stance.

While Representative Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.) said, I dont want make an insignificant person more significant, New York Republican Peter King lit into his fellow caucus member.

Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible, tweeted King, who said in November he would not seek reelection in 2020.

Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible.  Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) March 27, 2020

Massie is already being challenged by Todd McMurtry  the lawyer for Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann  who said in January that he was launching a primary bid against Massie in Kentuckys fourth congressional district.

McMurtrys campaign has already positioned itself with the president, arguing that Trump cannot count on Massies support.

More from National Review
Chris Dreyer We have received the distinguished Inc. 5000 award for the past three years running, and winning at the regional level is equally exciting. It is fantastic to have our achievements, and exceptional growth celebrated year-over-year

Inc. magazine today revealed that Rankings.io is No. 99 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses.

Eight years ago, Chris Dreyer called upon his nearly 15 years of experience in the digital space to build Rankings.io, a marketing agency providing SEO solutions for preeminent personal injury attorneys who are interested in dominating first page rankings.

We are honored to be recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 Series fastest-growing companies in the Midwest. We have received the distinguished Inc. 5000 award for the past three years running, and to win at the regional level is equally exciting. It is fantastic to have our achievements and exceptional growth celebrated year-over-year.

 Chris Dreyer, President and Founder

This list show stunning rates of growth across all industries. Over the past two years, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 360 percent. In a single year they employ more than 27,000 people and add over $13 billion to the Midwests economy.

Across every single industry, these businesses have posted revenue and growth rates that are beyond impressive, further proving the tenacity of their founders and CEOs. says Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk
[March 27, 2020] American Manufacturer Presents AI Patented Technology for Indoor Farming

HOUSTON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- American AgroTech leader, Calyx Cultivation, recently patented a revolutionary LED grow light with artificial intelligence. This pioneering technology was invented by James J. Higgins and John C. Higgins to help combat food scarcity. The 'Genius Grow' LED light automatically creates optimal environments for healthy crops, essentially taking the guesswork out of indoor farming. This first AI patented LED grow light simultaneously controls crop cultivation and maintains a high level of nutritional value by harnessing every aspect of the grow cycle. Genius Grow self-adjusts both the proximity and spectrum of light directed at crops according to the plant species. This product additionally features customized grow light spectra and antifungal capabilities which further ensure plant health. These horticultural advancements have all occurred on American soil, creating many manufacturing jobs. Calyx has developed a unique proprietary recipe locally and continues to assemble their products here in the US. In fact, five acres of crops are generated within Calyx's 650 square foot research and development facility in Houston, Texas. It is no secret that traditional farming methods struggle to produce adequate food for increasing populationsamidst environmental changes. Genius Grow contributes a piece of the solution to food scarcity by facilitating higher yields using limited space. It can fill the void of this emerging market's needs. Genius Grow enhances indoor farming for novice, industrial, hobbyist and professional growers alike.



James Hinton, owner of the vertical farming company Zero Point Organics, understands the immense value of utilizing Calyx's new LED grow lights. Mr. Hinton issued the following impactful endorsement of Genius Grow: "As a vertical farming company, we are always looking for innovation in our industry to maximize yields. Calyx AI patented LED grow lights which auto adjusts to the crop is pioneering technology for indoor agriculture." About Calyx Cultivation Technology Corporation

Calyx Cultivation takes pride in creating technology that has the potential to feed the world. They strive to deliver sensible horticulture lighting solutions and become a global leader in this growing industry projected to reach $40 billion by 2022. Those interested in investing in Calyx can visit https://wefunder.com/calyx.cultivation. Contact To learn more, please contact: John Higgins

Calyx Cultivation Tech.

14340 Torrey Chase Blvd. #250

Houston, TX 77014

(713) 249-2903

www.calyxcultivation.com

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-manufacturer-presents-ai-patented-technology-for-indoor-farming-301030706.html SOURCE Calyx Cultivation Tech

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
With Covid-19 continuing to spread across the country, the impact of the disease is being felt acutely in most parts of the book publishing industry.

Among the developments last week, another major publishing conference was canceled. The American Library Association called off its annual conference and meeting, which was scheduled for June 2530 in Chicago. We recognize the magnitude of this decision for the association and our membership, said ALA executive director Tracie D. Hall. This year, we were especially looking forward to the conference taking place in ALAs hometown of Chicago. However, the well-being of our library community, staff, and fellow Chicago residents has to be the number one concern, and that drove our decision-making.

The ALA conference was canceled just days after the organization made another unprecedented announcement, in which it urged libraries to close to slow the spread of Covid-19.

The coronavirus pandemic had already led to the cancellation of the London Book Fair and the Bologna Childrens Book Fair. In addition, ReedPop was forced to move the dates of BookExpo and BookCon from late May to July 2226. The organizer still plans to hold the event in New York Citys Javits Center. The change in dates was not enough to convince any of the Big Five New York publishers to attend, however. Penguin Random House had pulled out before the new dates were announced, and following the announcement, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster all withdrew. In a statement, HC noted that the current situation and the unpredictability of the coronavirus in the coming months forced the publisher to make the difficult decision to withdraw from the events.

ReedPop executives said they plan to go ahead with the show. We are working closely with the Javits Center to ensure the health and safety of our customers, said event director Jenny Martin. We are all doing the best we can during these times, and what that means for BookExpo is to work hard to provide the place that gives our customers the tools to bounce back from this.

As book sales slow, publishers have taken steps to protect their cash flow. Skyhorse Publishing cut its staff by 30% last week, with founder and CEO Tony Lyons explaining that given the circumstances he had no alternative. We believe these staff cuts will enable us to continue to succeed as a company in the long run, he told PW.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group CEO Jed Lyons opted to furlough most of his staff for two weeks (beginning March 23) rather than turn to layoffs. He said he believes the step is the most effective way to save the companys cash flow.

Scholastic used a combination of furloughs, shortened work weeks, and voluntary unpaid leave to cut costs after the coronavirus outbreak led the publisher to revise its sales forecast downward in the quarter ending May 31. We are implementing temporary staffing measures with staff across our U.S. organization, the majority of whom are located in 60 distribution centers and warehouses across the country, said a spokesperson for the publisher, adding that Scholastic expects to resume normal operations soon.

Though the supply chain has held up fairly well, strains were beginning to show last week. Faced with a surge in demand for such items as household staples and health and medical goods, Amazon reduced its orders and extended its shipping times for other products, including books. Early last week, some books were showing a three-week delivery time.

And in response to the widespread closure of comics shops and distribution centers due to the pandemic, Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest distributor of comics in North America, has ceased the delivery of weekly published comics until further notice. Diamond will immediately stop the delivery of new comics with a release date of April 1 or later but will continue to fulfill certain orders from publications already in its warehouses.

Shelter-in-place policies instituted in several states have contributed to a growing number of store closings. Barnes & Noble has temporarily closed about 400 of its outlets to foot traffic, though most of those stores are still offering curbside pickup for online orders. Many independent booksellers have also been forced to close their physical stores and have been looking for ways to adapt to the coronavirus world. Many have seen a surge in online sales and some are offering home delivery and curbisde pickup to customers for online orders. With more states implementing edicts barring all but essential retail outlets from remaining open, booksellers have been applying for waivers to allow them to operate in some fashion.

Riverstone Books in Pittsburgh applied for an exemption from a March 19 Pennsylvania-wide order to close all businesses that are not life-sustaining. On March 23, the bookstore received that exemption and is continuing to take orders while offering curbside pickup and home delivery, along with free shipping. We believe books are essential to life, owner Barbara Jeremiah wrote to customers, informing them of the exemption.

At Avid Bookshop in Athens, Ga., owner Janet Geddis has seen a jump in online sales but is already preparing for circumstances to change. Im not sure how long business will be brisk, so I am sketching out various scenarios depending on what happens in the coming days, weeks, and months, she said.

One good bit of good news was that unit sales of print books for the week ended March 21 were even with the previous week at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. A huge gain in unit sales in the juvenile nonfiction category helped to offset declines in adult nonfiction and juvenile fiction. Sales of adult fiction rose 4% over the previous week.

The 66% jump in juvenile nonfiction unit sales was led by the education/reference/language segment, where sales soared 186% over the previous week. Sales of games/activities/hobbies rose by 117%. Top titles were My First Learn-to-Write Workbook and Paint by Sticker Kids.

To move or not move

One of the thorniest questions facing publishers is whether to move release dates for titles set to be published over the next few months, given that many bookstores will be closed and opportunities for promoting the books will be nearly nonexistent. But delaying publication is not so easy, publishers and agents agreed.

Its kind of a nightmare changing pub dates, said one high-level publicist at a major house, who requested anonymity. Explaining that its tricky to reschedule a title even in normal times, the publicist noted that moving a lot of titles simultaneously isnt feasible. With titles scheduled well into the fall, there are bandwidth issuesthere wont be staff available to market and promote titles moved from spring to fall, since they are already working on a full slate of fall booksand other, more practical issues. The publicist asked whether moving a pub date would even help, since no one knows how long the pandemic will go on. It seems like this could be the new normal for awhile, she said.

Among the major houses, S&S looks to be the one most aggressively moving titles into other months, or seasons, to avoid publishing during the coronavirus outbreak. Adam Rothberg, S&Ss senior v-p of corporate communications, estimated that the publisher has already moved about 145 of its adult titles. He said the houses aim is to maximize sales for each title we publish in the marketplace as it exists today. On the issue of timing, Rothberg said S&Ss publishers are working with the sales and supply chain teams, as well as with authors and agents, to decide which books can be successfully published by keeping to their original publication date, and which books will benefit from being moved.

Jennifer Weltz, an agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, said she has 12 books coming out before the end of May but added that there are too many unknowns to assume moving pub dates would help the situation. The problem is that we dont know how long this is going to go, she noted. Instead of focusing on schedule shifts, Weltz is trying to be creative about promoting the titles coming out. Were really trying to figure out virtual events to bring peoples attention to the books. All publishers have been amazing. I find everybody is working hard, being supportive, understanding, and trying to innovate. Maybe Im a Pollyanna, but thats where Im going with this.
Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Mar 27 (ANI): Out of work and with no money at hand, a group of daily wage labourers set out on foot for a 300 km journey from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad to their native village of Dausa in Rajasthan. The COVID-19 lockdown has left them with no shelter and food, they said.



"We are daily wage earners. They first said that lockdown will only remain until March 31 but then it was extended. There is no work and no arrangement for food and shelter for us. Earlier, we used to live in a park," Ram Lal, one of the migrant labourers, told ANI.

The country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has already claimed 17 lives and has 640 active cases in the country.

Lal said that it should take around a three-day walk to reach Dausa, which is over 300 kms away from Ghaziabad by road.

"We spent all the money we had on food and other necessities during the first few days of the lockdown. Now, our families are also worried," he lamented.

Another migrant worker, Laxman, said that they have no other option but to walk home.

"We will get to have food if we find any 'Langars' on our way home. Otherwise, we will keep walking and have some snacks with whatever little money we have," he explained.

This comes despite repeated assurances by central and state governments of helping daily wage earners and poor people affected by the lockdown.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama had on Thursday announced a relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore for the underprivileged, poor and migrant workers.

(ANI)


Lets play a game. Lets play it by making it interactive and geared toward the mind of a first grader. Lets also add in exercise, fresh air, art -- and requirements for social distancing in the wake of school closings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

No pressure, right?

Not for Cari Heinzel, the mom of a first grader in Camden County. Heinzel came up with the idea of a scavenger hunt of artwork made by first-grade classmates of her son Lawrence at the Mark Newbie School in Collingswood.

The idea was for his classmates to draw pictures and have their parents display them on front doors or windows. Then, for students who have been mostly cooped up in the house for the past two weeks since schools closed because of the pandemic, to take a family walk with a list of addresses in a six-block radius to find the pictures and guess which classmate made it.

(Hint, a letter of their first name sometimes accompanied the drawings.)

I dont think the original idea was mine, said Heinzel, who also has a 3-year-old girl. I belong to a lot of Facebook moms groups and people have been posting saying if we cant have social contacts lets make pictures and put them up in windows to uplift the neighborhoods.

But Heinzel wanted to take it a step further with the neighborhood scavenger hunt.

I was super excited, she said. I just thought that was a little way we could all connect.

She wasnt the only one who was excited. Melissa Nelson, Lawrences teacher, also thought it was a great idea.

First graders are looking for drawings like this around Collingswood in scavenger hunt in wake of coronavirus pandemic.

I loved it, Nelson said Thursday. I thought it was such a great way to bring the kids together, while social distancing, while we cant be together. Its so important. I miss them so much.

Nelson lives in Collingswood, but outside of the school neighborhood on E. Browning Road. But she has been added to the scavenger hunt list as a special mystery guest.

Its such a small community and even with social distancing its really hard not to get close to neighbors, Heinzel said. I just thought it was good to get them out and have some peer interaction.

Drawings like this are featured in a scavenger hunt for first graders in New Jersey trying to stay connected in wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The drawings include a gremlin, cat, octopus, dog, mouse and a unicorn. The hunt is scheduled to conclude this weekend, but Heinzel and Nelson are already dreaming up new activities.

Were thinking about some sidewalk chalk drawings, Nelson said.

Finding social activities to reconnect students with teachers have not been easy. A teacher procession in cars took place in Deptford in Gloucester County on Thursday but similar ideas in Westampton and Riverside in Burlington County were shot down by local officials as a safety risk.

The number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey climbed to more than 6,876 on Thursday. The number of coronavirus deaths in the state is up to 81.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
COLUMBIA  Gov. Henry McMaster said Friday the temporary departure of the director of South Carolina's public health agency, who took leave to get his blood pressure under control, will not affect the state's response to one of the world's worst health disasters in a century.

Rick Toomey, director of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, told employees in an email Thursday he's taking a leave of absence to get his blood pressure down.

"Some of you are aware that several weeks ago, I checked into the Chest Pain Center at MUSC. All cardiac tests were negative, but my blood pressure was very elevated," he wrote in an email provided Friday to The Post and Courier. "My primary care physician adapted my blood pressure medication. Unfortunately, those changes have not achieved the desired results."

The email went out at 6 p.m. Thursday, shortly after DHEC announced the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Carolina had risen to 456, including nine deaths. On Friday, the agency reported four additional deaths and 83 cases, attributing the spike to a two-day backlog in DHEC's lab due to a shortage of supplies needed to process the tests.

The agency estimates there could be more than 8,000 cases by early May, based on the spread so far.

Toomey has not contracted the coronavirus, said Jennifer Read, DHEC's chief of staff. He is expected to be absent for two to three weeks for what she called an ongoing medical condition.

His decision was first reported by The State newspaper of Columbia.

Toomey called McMaster on Thursday to tell him he was taking some time off. McMaster is confident in the agency's leadership team fighting the pandemic, his spokesman said Friday.

"The governor told him to rest up and get better and get back as soon as he can," said his spokesman Brian Symmes. "The governor also has complete confidence in the staff at DHEC and the team responding to the coronavirus in South Carolina. Toomey is unwell and the governor absolutely believes he needs to take care of himself."

In the interim, Marshall Taylor, the agency's chief attorney, will serve as acting director. He has been in that position twice before, from January to May 2015, and in January and February of 2019, when the state Senate confirmed Toomey as director.

Nothing has changed in the leadership team put in place three weeks ago for fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, said Read, who's also the deputy commander of the coronavirus team.

"That structure and the staff leading our response effort remain unchanged," she said.

The team's commander continues to be Nick Davidson, director of the agency's public health division. The team's 10 other members include Dr. Linda Bell, the state's chief epidemiologist, whose team title is "subject matter expert."

While Toomey is the face of the agency, Bell has been the lead figure for the agency's coronavirus response, both in public news conferences and telebriefings with reporters, and in private briefings with lawmakers. Toomey has participated in some of the briefings, most recently on a phone call with reporters Wednesday.

The agency tasked with protecting the health of the public and the environment is among the largest in state government, with more than 3,000 employees. Its health duties alone are vast. Beyond detecting and controlling diseases and operating the state lab  the functions used in the fight against COVID-19  its health responsibilities include inspecting restaurants, helping people quit tobacco addiction, screening newborns for health disorders, and licensing and certifying both healthcare facilities and emergency responders.

Before becoming DHEC's director, Toomey was a longtime hospital administrator. Taylor's background is environmental law.
Erratum: The first version of the article mentioned Iligan City, Lanao del Norte instead of Ilagan City, Isabela. The article has been updated already. We apologize for the mistake.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  A Department of Education schools division official in Mandaluyong City has tested positive for COVID-19, DepEd reported Friday.

It said the test result was released Wednesday, adding the patient is confined in a hospital.

The Education Department said the official attended competition events at the National Festival of Talents or NFOT held in Ilagan City, Isabela from March 9 to 13. Thousands of public and private school students participated in the said national event.

Contact tracing is being done, it added.

"As he visited some competition events at the NFOT, we also checked on updates of our precautionary home quarantine of NFOT and NSPC (National Schools Press Conference) delegates... Overall we have monitored a small number of participants that were classified as PUIs, but there is no link that can be established to the patient," it said in a statement.

DepEd also said the patient's colleagues are not showing respiratory symptoms.

Philippines has a total of 707 confirmed cases, 45 deaths, and 28 recoveries.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Iranian Revolutionary Guards-Linked Firms, Individuals

By RFE/RL March 26, 2020

The United States says it has imposed sanctions against 20 companies based in Iran and Iraq, along with officials and other individuals there who are accused of supporting terrorist groups.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on March 26 that the targeted "front companies, senior officials, and business associatesprovide support to or act for or on behalf of" Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its branch for elite operations abroad, the Quds Force.

The individuals and entities are also accused of "transferring lethal aid to Iranian-backed terrorist militias in Iraq such as Kata'ib Hizballah (KH) and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH)," the Treasury Department said.

Among other activities, the companies and individuals were said to be involved in smuggling weapons to Yemen, selling U.S.-blacklisted Iranian oil to the Syrian government, promoting propaganda efforts in Iraq, and intimidating Iraqi politicians.

The sanctions freeze any U.S.-held assets of those designated and bar Americans from doing business with them.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Iran "employs a web of front companies to fund terrorist groups across the region, siphoning resources away from the Iranian people and prioritizing terrorist proxies over the basic needs of its people."

The targeted entities and individuals include the Reconstruction Organization of the Holy Shrines in Iraq, which the U.S. Treasury Department described as an organization based in Iran and Iraq that is controlled by the Quds Force.

Also targeted by the sanctions is that organization's executive chairman, Mohammad Jalal Maab.

Maab, an Iranian citizen from the town of Kerman, was appointed to the post in 2019 by Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC's Quds Force commander who was killed by a U.S. air strike in Baghdad in early January.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s- imposes-sanctions-on-irgc-linked-firms- individuals/30511332.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






Another 801 cases of coronavirus COVID-19 have been reported in Michigan, with the total number reaching 3,657 on Friday, March 27, up from 2,856 from the day before.

Ninety-two people have died, according to the states daily update on coronavirus numbers. Thats up from 60 on Thursday.

Once again, the number of Michigan coronavirus cases has more than doubled in the past three days, although health officials say thats partly due to a significant increase in testing.

What Michigans coronavirus numbers tell us, and what we still dont know

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 801 new cases on its daily update, setting another record for a one-day increase.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

The numbers have spiked since last week, when the state began to significantly increase the number of people tested for the coronavirus.

Fifty-six of Michigans 83 counties are home to a resident who contracted coronavirus.

About 83% of the COVID-19 cases are in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

The disproportionate number of cases in metro Detroit is a result of several factors, including the areas large population, more aggressive testing in those counties and community spread of coronavirus, said Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

About 39% of Michigan residents live in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties.

There are 1,075 patients who are Detroit residents; 735 who live elsewhere in Wayne County; 824 who live in Oakland County and 404 in Macomb County.

Of the 92 patients who died, 23 were residents of Detroit, 14 in Wayne County outside of Detroit, 26 in Oakland County, 14 in Macomb, three in Washtenaw, four in Genesee, two in Muskegon and one each in Kent, Ingham, Livingston, Mecosta, Tuscola, Marquette and Gogebic counties.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Statewide, the numbers from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services show that men are slightly more likely than women to be diagnosed with coronavirus, and significantly more men have died of the virus.

[3:52 PM] Scott W. Levin Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

As of Thursday, there were 13,769 completed coronavirus tests on Michigan residents and 3,163 -- or 23% -- were positive, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human and Services.

Its unclear how many tests are pending.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Whitmer declared a state of emergency on March 10 after the first cases were identified. She has since closed schools, bars, restaurants and other establishments to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further

On Monday, March 23, Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order, requiring Michigan residents to stay at home except for essential business.

There have been more than 85,000 cases of the coronavirus and more than 1,200 deaths in the United States.

Every state in the country has reported a COVID-19 case. States with the highest number of cases include Washington, New York, California, New Jersey and Louisiana.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

To read more on MLive:

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

GM will build ventilators in Indiana, surgical masks in Warren

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to re-open this school year

Michigan medical chief fears hospitals will run out of room
Off and on for a few years, my two kids have asked to be home schooled.

The topic usually came up when they had had a bad day at school.

My reply was always the same: I scoffed, knowing there was no way I would be able to teach them at home for a whole school day.

Besides, Ive had a full-time job for years that helps pay the bills. Home school was not an option.

But now, with coronavirus having spread across the globe, learning at home is no longer a choice.

Schools have already rolled out, or will soon roll out, distance learning while we are adhering to social distancing and a new way of life in hopes of stopping the spread of this virus.

My daughter, 9, is especially excited about the prospect of learning at home.

My son, almost 12, isnt thrilled with the idea of school in general, but is happy to hear he will join other New Milford students in finishing up the school year before June 30, once the distance learning rolled out in the district Wednesday, March 25.

After I finished putting out the first Spectrum remotely March 17, I mentally prepared myself  well, sort of  for a trial run of school with the kids.

On March 17, Eleanor arranged desks and chairs in our living room, set up a teachers desk and chair for me, labeled a bin with finished work for completed assignments, set up student and teacher pencil boxes, placed a dry erase board on my desk and put out a small an American flag for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I think she considered our school time more as play, but the reality is, this way of life will be the new normal for the foreseeable future.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday Connecticut public schools will be closed at least through April 20 but hinted the next day schools could be closed until fall.

Here we go

On March 18, I assumed my seat in the teachers chair and kicked off our own trial days of school to give the kids  and myself  some sort of structure.

After the Pledge and a welcome, the kids read about the coronavirus in health; reviewed the latest emails from their respective principals and Superintendent Dr. Kerry Parker; completed math problems I made up; discussed healthy eating and meal planned; did a few chores; took a walk for PE; and took a field trip to drop off a care package to a loved one.

All in all, it was a good first day. I was proud it worked out, and to be able to get my day job done, too.

Its far from a fail-proof system, though.

By day two, the teacher showed up over an hour late for the start of school (what can I say? I slept in); one student held his head in his hand and stormed off to his room, saying I quit school when I announced it was reading time; and the other student ran out of the classroom during music after being told to quiet down because she was singing, unaware the student was recording a song in a music app.

But we did implement home ec activities, which will be something incorporated more meaningfully into our daily routines moving forward.

Day three was a bust. I called it Professional Development Day, which included free time for everyone with limited structured activities.

It snowed on day four, so we had a delayed opening but squeezed in the tasks on the dry erase board. And we made progress with reading because Nathaniel built reading forts to make reading time more fun.

Classroom management is difficult (God bless all teachers). The struggle is real.

Were in this together

In recent days, individuals have shared their struggles with the kids being home all day on social media, too. Its reassuring to know none of us are alone.

We are all doing the best we can  with the resources we have  given the situation we face.

Who knows how things will go in the weeks ahead?

But one thing is certain: I need to lower my expectations. Im not perfect, and neither are my kids.

I cant expect my kids to hold it all together 24 hours a day. This is hard on them, too.

Its difficult to explain to children how this virus is so new and dangerous, and how it has affected the entire globe.

Its hard enough for an adult to comprehend that, let alone a child.

Kids want to play with their friends, not be told they cant have play dates or play ball or ride bikes with their friends in the neighborhood.

My house has never looked like its ready to be featured in a home magazine  we have dust balls, papers on the dining room table and kitchen counters and toys on the living room floor  and its certainly not going to get that way in the coming weeks and months, especially with family members all working remotely.

Our house is lived in and will feel even more so in the coming weeks as we all share the same space 24 hours a day.

There are bound to be even more spats, full-on arguments, bickering and yelling, spilled food and drinks and, I expect, tears.

We are all going to lose our patience at some point.

But we are also going to have fun. We will be together for quality family time and do it one day at a time.

Deborah Rose is a lifelong New Milford resident who has worked at The Spectrum since its inception in 1998. She can be reached by email at drose@newstimes.com.
Senator Marsha Blackburn is calling on the Chinese government to take responsibility for its "abject failure to be forthright about the severity of its COVID-19 crisis at its inception". She is joined by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Reps. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) who led bipartisan companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

Chinese officials destroyed early COVID-19 test kits, suppressed information and refused international assistance, Senator Blackburn said. The Communist Party is so petrified of the truth that they kicked out journalists and fabricated a story of where the virus originated. Its time the Communist Party admits to the serious missteps that heightened the severity and spread of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese Communist Party wasted precious weeks on a cynical coverup instead of containing the China virus at its epicenter, said Senator Cotton. Our first priority after protecting Americans must be holding China accountable for unleashing this plague on the world.

As the Chinese Communist Party pushes propaganda and lies to try and blame the United States for coronavirus, we need to make the case to the world that China is ultimately responsible for this outbreak," said Rep. Banks. "They tried to cover-up news of the virus, jailed doctors warning of a possible pandemic, and prevented the CDC from coming to study the disease. In all, they cost the globe two months in time to prepare for this virus. I hope this begins a conversation about how China can be held accountable for their negligent coronavirus response."

The resolution calls on the Chinese Government to:

Publicly state there is no evidence that COVID-19 originated anywhere else but China;

Denounce the baseless conspiracy that the US Army place COVID-19 in Wuhan;

Revoke its expulsion of American journalists;

End its detainment of Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted ethnic minorities; and

End all forced labor programs.

The resolution also condemns:



The Chinese Government censorship of doctors and journalists during the early days of the outbreak and its treatment of the deceased Dr. Li Wenliang;

The Chinese Governments refusal to allow scientists from the Centers of Disease Control to assist in response to COVID-19 for over a month after cooperation was offered;

Chinas duplicitous denial of the person-to-person transmissibility of COVID-19.

Lastly, the resolution calls for the World Health Organization Director-General to retract highly misleading statements of support for the Chinese Governments response to COVID-19, especially his praise for Chinas top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated.

The House resolution is also cosponsored by Reps. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Jason Smith (R-Mo.), Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), Jim Hagerdorn (R-Minn.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Will Hurd (R-Texas), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and John Joyce (R-Pa.).

Please find the text of the Senate resolution here.
Amid the nationwide lockdown due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, Bollywood stars are keeping themselves busy by chilling with their family, doing daily household chores and working out at home. Hrithik Roshan, who is in self-isolation, has his dog Zane to give him some company.

The superstar, recently shared a picture where he is seen working out in his private gym at home. But guess what, it's his dog Zane who steals the show in the snap. The War actor captioned the click as, "Zane wants to tell you to stay home like his daddy. #stayhome and #loveyourdog #resilience #followtherules #coexist #coronavirus."

Meanwhile, the netizens had some hilarious reactions to the picture. "Krish shaheb Antidote banwado yaar is virus ka," read a comment. Another Instagram user wrote, "Rohit yrr bacha le duniya ko," (sic) referring to his character name from his sci-fi film Koi Mil Gaya.

Hrithik recently lent a helping hand to the Government of Maharashtra by contributing Rs. 20 lakhs for Coronavirus aid.

On Wednesday, the superstar tweeted, "In times such as these, we must do whatever we can to ensure the safety of the most fundamental caretakers of our city and society. I have procured N95 and FFP3 masks for our BMC workers and other caretakers." (sic)

Hrithik is one of the many Bollywood celebrities who has been actively spreading awareness about the Coronavirus through videos on social media. Recently, the actor, along with his 'neighbour' Akshay Kumar, was seen clapping and clanging plates on the day of Janta Curfew to express their gratitude towards people who are toiling day and night to combat this deadly virus.

Speaking about work, the actor had a successful 2019 where he delivered two back-to-back blockbusters in the form of Vikas Bahl's Super 30 and Siddharth Anand's War. While speculations about his next project continues to hit the headlines, the actor hasn't officially announced anything yet.

COVID-19: Hrithik Roshan Contributes Rs 20 Lakhs To Procure Preventive Masks For BMC Workers" title=" COVID-19: Hrithik Roshan Contributes Rs 20 Lakhs To Procure Preventive Masks For BMC Workers" /> COVID-19: Hrithik Roshan Contributes Rs 20 Lakhs To Procure Preventive Masks For BMC Workers

Allu Arjun Inspires Hrithik Roshan With These Qualities; Find Out
Over 2,000 Indian nationals are among the 16,900 foreign tourists stranded in Sri Lanka due to the lockdown imposed by the government after the coronavirus outbreak, official figures released here said on Friday.

At 2,439, the Indians are the highest among the number of tourists stranded in the island nation followed by the Chinese at 2,167, data from the Sri Lanka Tourism and Development Authority said.

The data was released a day after Sri Lanka said that it will allow chartered flights from any country to land here and fly out their citizens stranded in the country on a holiday or for work purposes due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Sri Lanka shut its international airports for incoming flights since last week and the people were asked to skip foreign travel in view of the coronavirus threat.

A limited number of outbound flights do still operate.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded 104 confirmed COVID-19 cases while another over 200 others are under observation.

Sri Lanka's first known COVID-19 was a female Chinese tourist. She was cured and departed early this month.

The first Sri Lankan national to be confirmed to carry the virus was a tour guide who worked with Italian tourists. He was cured and left hospital this week.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far.

At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 1300 people have died in the US due to the disease.

The coronavirus outbreak has highly impacted tourism of Sri Lanka, a major source of revenue for the country.

This blow to the island nation's tourism comes after the Easter Sunday attacks last year that killed 258 people, including Indians.

In 2018 the island country attracted a record 2.2 million visitors, earning Sri Lanka about USD 4.4 bn. It was named as the world's top tourist destination in 2019 by the travel guide, Lonely Planet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday appealed to migrant workers to not leave the national capital in the wake of the 21-day lockdown as the Delhi government has made sufficient arrangements for them.

In a joint digital press conference with Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Kejriwal urged people belonging to states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bengal, to return from the border.

He said the government has also set up ''hunger relief centres'' to serve free meals to the needy people in all districts.

In the wake of the lockdown to the combat the coronavirus threat, thousands of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states have started returning back to their home states.

Kejriwal said from Saturday the government will be serving lunch and dinner to nearly four lakh people at over 224 night shelters, 325 schools and other locations.

The chief minister said pension of Rs 5,000 each has been transferred into the bank accounts of eight lakh beneficiaries under widow, differently-abled and elderly pension schemes, and Rs 5, 000 will further be transferred in the first week of April.

So far, 39 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the national capital, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Our novice senator needs a lesson in first responder process. The house is on fire and she has run off to find who brought the matches. There will be plenty of time to do this hunt of witches. Now is the time to focus on what the whole of Tennessee needs from the good senator.

That being hospitals, care facilities and health departments having the tools and supplies they need to deal with the crisis at hand.

It's funny if not for the tragedy of how politics works. Im going to get a check or two at some point thanks to our Congress. At the same time, my community has no logical idea when testing for COVID-19 will reach the national four million per week someone promised three weeks ago or when the 17 drive through testing centers promised in seven days around the state 11 days ago by the governor will have our share arrive.

So how can I use this money safely? Is this the cake promised in 18th century France?

Please, senator, stop distracting yourself, get to the work your constituents need. If I spoke wrong here, forgive me> The only press release I get is what the local papers post, that of your distractions.

Prentice Hicks
Rohingya at the Leda refugee camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh, keep their distance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, March 27, 2020.

The United Nations on Friday urged Bangladesh to remove an internet blackout at Rohingya camps during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Human Rights Watch said the government was risking the lives of refugees by not lifting restrictions on their communications.

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, including 740,000 who fled a brutal military offensive in Rakhine state in August 2017, are sheltering in crowded camps and settlements in southeastern Bangladesh.

Communication is key to the timely and effective management of this situation, mobile data communications restrictions in the Rohingya refugee camps should be lifted, Louise Donovan, a spokeswoman for the U.N.s refugee agency, UNHCR, told BenarNews on Friday.

Humanitarian partners are advocating to the government to re-establish internet connectivity within the camps, to ensure that all refugees have adequate access to information, and to enable communication between partners. Life-saving health interventions require rapid and effective communication, Donovan said.

Citing national security and a need to maintain law and order, the government in September 2019 ordered mobile phone operators to block internet access to the Rohingya camps. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission also asked providers to stop selling SIM cards to the Rohingya.

The Bangladesh government is in a race against the clock to contain the spread of coronavirus, including in the Rohingya refugee camps, and cant afford to waste precious time with harmful policies, Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said in a news release on Thursday.

Authorities should lift the internet shutdown, which is obstructing crucial information about symptoms and prevention, or end up risking the lives of refugees, host communities and health care workers.

On March 19, the United Nations, in a joint statement with the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged governments worldwide to refrain from blocking access to the internet during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Especially at a time of emergency, when access to information is of critical importance, broad restrictions on access to the internet cannot be justified on public order or national security grounds, the groups said.

In Bangladesh on Friday, a government official responded that no decision had been made on the internet blackout at the camps.

The issue of restoring internet facilities in Rohingya camps has yet to be discussed, Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabber told BenarNews, adding his ministry would not make that decision on its own.

We would implement it after getting directives from Home, Foreign and Disaster and Relief ministries. So far, we have not received any such directives, he said.

We know little about the virus

HRW said government officials had advised aid workers against releasing information about COVID-19 for fear of creating panic. Rohingya youth volunteers said Bangladesh officials in charge of camps had refused requests to allow information campaigns.

Instead of preventing anxiety, the lack of accurate information is contributing to the spread of misinformation about the disease, the global rights watchdog said.

A leader at the Kutupalong camp said the pandemic had panicked the Rohingya in his and other camps.

But we know little about the virus. We could have known more if there were internet facilities, camp leader Mohammad Nur told BenarNews, adding that Rohingya were trying to maintain social distancing.

No Rohingya have been diagnosed as positive for COVID-19, according to Mohammad Shamsu Douza, additional commissioner of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission.

However, four people who came from India and one from Australia have been put in quarantine at a UNHCR transit camp and hospital, he told BenarNews. None have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Despite the internet blackout and restrictions on mobile phone devices in the camps, information about how people can protect themselves from the virus is being disseminated through radio spots, videos, posters, leaflets and messages in the Bengali, Burmese and Rohingya languages, according to Donovan of UNHCR.

Imams and other community leaders have also been helping spread the word, Donovan said.

The humanitarian community is taking all preventive and precautionary measures to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 for the people we serve, as well as our own teams, while also ensuring that essential activities and facilities, to the extent possible, must continue, the U.N. official told BenarNews via email.

The stepping up of hygiene promotion, staff training for infection prevention and control, and the mapping of isolation facilities are among measures that aid agencies and groups are taking to safeguard the residents of the crowded refugee camps from COVID-19, she said.

Meanwhile in the capital Dhaka on Friday, Bangladesh officials reported four new coronavirus cases at the national level, bringing the total number of cases to 48. Bangladesh has also recorded five deaths from COVID-19.

Globally, more than 25,400 people have died and at least 566,000 have been infected, according to the latest data compiled by disease experts at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
A group of migrant workers walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP border in New Delhi. PTI photo

New Delhi: With thousands of poor, migrant workers, homeless and others getting effected due to the nationwide lockdown to combat the COVID-19, the BJP has initiated an effort to link community kitchens across the country, which can serve a minimum of 1,000 people every day during the lockdown. The ruling party also welcomed the COVID-19 relief package announced by the Narendra Modi government asserting that the government is resolved that nobody will be left hungry.

The central government and state governments have put in place measures to promote social distancing and had appealed people to stay at homes to curb the pandemic spread.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an appeal to people to adopt atleast nine poor and needy families for the 21 days of complete lockdown that came into force from Wednesday.



The BJP has also told its state units that party workers will feed over five crore poor people across the country during the lockdown period. Atleast one crore party workers will be engaged in feeding atleast five crore people and will coordinate with party MLAs, MPs and office beaers of their respective state units.

BJP president JP Nadda will be personally monitoring both efforts initiated by the party. The party has also engaged the social media in its efforts by launching a campaign #LetsFeedThePoor to engage more and more people and organization in this effort.

For linking up the community kitchens, the party has floated an online form seeking details of people or organisations running community kitchens.

Also, Union ministers have been charge of states to monitor that no problems are faced by citizens during the lockdown and there is no dearth of essential commodities and also various measures to ease citizens are being implemented. A direction in this regard was issued by the PMO.

Lauding the relief package announced by the government, Mr Nadda said "On behalf of every BJP worker, I thank the prime minister for this relief to the poor, farmers, women, youths, senior citizens and the organised sector for such important decisions and this relief package.

Union home minister Amit Shah said the decision taken by the government will help every section of the poor, farmers, labourers, elderly, women and Divyangs, and reflects the sensitivity of the government.

BJP national general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the government under Mr Modi's leadership stands solidly with the poor and other segments of population and is committed to the country getting over the coronavirus pandemic.
The world is struggling to grapple with the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. It has spread across the world within a very short span of time and is overwhelming the healthcare facilities of some of the most developed countries in the world. Italy is being ravaged by the virus. People are dying in great numbers in France and Spain as well. Iran has been devastated by the virus.

The USA is struggling to tackle the virus as well. Large parts of the world are currently under lockdown as countries took severe measures to curb the spread of the pandemic. One country, however, that has been extremely lax in its approach and is contributing immensely to the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus is Pakistan.

Even as Iran cancelled the weekly prayers and Saudi Arabia suspended the Ummah pilgrimage by the end of February, Pakistan permitted the Tableeghi Ijtema organized by Tableeghi Jamaat to play out as planned. It was ultimately called off on the 12th of March but by then, around 2,50,000 people had already attended the event.

The event drew participants from numerous countries across the world. Even more bewilderingly, by the end of February, Pakistan had already recorded its first cases of the Wuhan Coronavirus. Nevertheless, the event which was scheduled to occur between the 11th of March and the 15th was not postponed despite numerous calls.

Raiwind in Lahore hosts the annual Tableeghi Ijtema. When it was called off on the 12th of March, the reason cited was not the pandemic but rainy weather. All the while, Islamic Clerics in Pakistan were issuing diktats that Islam will somehow protect the country from the Wuhan Coronavirus. Some claimed that the cure for the disease was the recital of certain Quranic verses which had been revealed in someones dream.

Another person said that he has the cure for the infection but wont reveal it because he was afraid to be mocked like Aristotle and Socrates were. The Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan, Usman Bazdur, assured a delegation of Islamic clerics that Mosques will not be shut down to curb the Wuhan Coronavirus.

The end result of it all is that Pakistan is becoming a breeding ground of super-spreaders of the Wuhan Coronavirus. On Sunday, Palestinian authorities revealed that two of its citizens with a recent history of travel to Pakistan had tested positive for the virus. They had attended the congregation in Raiwind.

A resident of Kyrgystan, who was staying with the Tableeghi Jamaat, has tested positive for the same. Even within Pakistan, the congregation has assisted the spreading of the infection greatly. Islamabads union council of Kot Hathial was placed under quarantine after six members of the Tableeghi Jamaat who live in the area tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus. Earlier, four people in Sindh had tested positive after attending the Tableeghi Ijtema.

In India, a member of the Tableeghi Jamaat with an extensive history of travel in the country died of the Wuhan Coronavirus in Srinagar. Its not clear yet if he visited the congregation in Pakistan. However, it is reported that the Islamic preacher had travelled in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Samba, Jammu, Srinagar and Sopore to participate in religious events. Four others contracted the virus from him.

Lessons not learnt : Tabligh Jamat preachers spread radical Islam in the West, according to FBI and KGB. Now such Indonesian preachers have been found Corona+ in Telangana. Is it not the duty of Govt of @narendramodi and HM @AmitShah to stop such clerics coming from abroad ? pic.twitter.com/KiCkmI8bYq  Uday Mahurkar (@UdayMahurkar) March 25, 2020

It is also reported that of Jammu and Kashmirs eleven Wuhan Coronavirus patients, five of them had attended a religious event where the deceased religious preacher was also present. It is not yet clear how the person contracted the virus. According to reports, he was not cooperative during the investigation. He wasnt very forthcomingnot cooperative, said a government health department official. However, it is speculated that he either travelled abroad or came into contact with those who had travelled abroad.

Meanwhile, Tableeghi Jamaat has surfaced as a great super-spreader of the Wuhan Coronavirus. Malaysian authorities reported that 624 of the 1030 cases in the country as of Friday were linked to a gathering organized by the Islamic missionary movement at a mosque outside of Kuala Lumpur. Over 1,500 foreigners from a dozen countries had attended the event. Most of the 73 cases in Brunei are connected to the event as are 10 cases in Thailand.

Eleven out of twelve people who tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus on March 16 in Cambodia had attended the Islamic evangelical event in Malaysia. The Muslims attending the event were religious despots who congregated at the Mosque despite the obvious risks associated with it. Seven Indonesian nationals who had tested positive for the virus in India had attended a Tablighi Ijtema in Telanganas Karimnagar.

It is quite clear that Pakistan has become a breeding ground for the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus due to the whimsical approach of the authorities and the government in the country. Furthermore, organizations such as the Tableeghi Jamaat are still having an almost free run in the country, thereby, not only putting Pakistanis in jeopardy but citizens of other countries as well. They appear more concerned with ensuring that Islamic clerics are not miffed than with containing the spread of the virus. The predicament of Pakistan is comparable to that of Iran, another country that has been devastated by the Wuhan Coronavirus due to the pervasive religious bigotry of its population.

Source : OpIndia
The number of parents fined for taking children on holiday during school term time rocketed by 28 per cent last year.

A total of 333,400 fines were issued in 2018-19, up from 260,900 the year before.

The vast majority  86 per cent  were handed out because of unauthorised holidays.

The vast majority of fines were handed out to parents who took their children away on unauthorised holidays (stock photo)

Just 0.3 per cent were issued for pupils being late and 13 per cent for other unauthorised absences, according to Department for Education figures.

The surge in fines comes after a controversial 2017 test case in the Supreme Court which backed the decision to prosecute a father who took his family on a weeks holiday to Disney World Florida in term-time.

The region with the highest rate of fines per pupil last year was Yorkshire and the Humber at 7.2 per cent.

The lowest was Inner London at just 2.3 per cent. The number of pupils with one or more unauthorised absences rose 4 per cent in 2018-19.

The fine is 60 per child, which rises to 120 if not paid within 21 days.

After 28 days the family may face prosecution.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has signed an agreement with the central government to provide an official development assistance (ODA) loan of 39,928 million yen (around Rs 2,480 crore) for Mumbai Metro Line 3.

The ODA loan agreement was signed between the finance ministry and Katsuo Matsumoto, the chief representative of Jica in India.

Matsumoto said, "Given the population of Mumbai, there is an essential need for the metro project in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Mass rapid transport systems also help in reducing pollution caused by private vehicles and improving living conditions".

With a total of 33.7 km, entailing 26 stations, the Line 3 or the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz line is planned to connect southern part of the city with the major activity areas like Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the airport, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation area and Seepz area.

The fully underground project is scheduled for completion by 2021.

Overall, Jica has so far extended concessional ODA loans worth over 1 trillion yen (around Rs 60,000 crore) for the development of metro systems in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By AFP

URUGUAY: Coronavirus cases in Latin America surpassed 10,000 on Friday, according to an AFP count based on official government and World Health Organization figures.

The first case in Latin America was reported on February 26 in Brazil, which has become the regional epicenter of the pandemic with almost 3,000 cases and 77 deaths.

Overall, there have been 182 deaths from COVID-19 in Latin America and almost 10,500 cases.

The worst affected countries after Brazil are Chile with more than 1,600 cases and Ecuador with over 1,400. However, while Chile has suffered five deaths, there have been 34 in Ecuador.

Over the last week, Latin American countries have been reinforcing their measures to combat the outbreak.

Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Panama and Venezuela are in complete lockdown.

Guatemala, Honduras and Peru have imposed nighttime curfews and closed their borders.

But in countries with high levels of poverty, many governments have also put into action economic assistance plans.

Recession-hit Argentina, for example, has increased subsidies for poor families, pensioners and the unemployed, while pledging $5.3 billion to help small and medium-sized companies.

Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Peru have also offered one-off subsidies for poor families.
Western Australians will be in a regional lockdown as of midnight Tuesday as the government considers on-the-spot fines for people failing to observe social distancing rules.

Premier Mark McGowan said the measures were extraordinary, but necessary to protect West Australians.

He said further details on the travel ban would be released before it came into effect, but the state would be divided into regions matching development commission boundaries and only essential movement between them would be permitted.

The ban would be enforceable by police, with fines of $50,000 in place.
Senator Pauline Hanson in the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on July 4, 2019.(Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

Australian Politician Warns of Mass Foreign Buy-Up Amid Weak Dollar

'Australians want rapid safeguards put in place'

An Australian senator is warning that Australia must guard itself against foreign buyers amid an economic recession triggered by the CCP virus pandemic.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

Senator Pauline Hanson, who leads the nationalist One Nation Party, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison warning against international vultures and asked that he immediately suspend any sale approvals by the countrys foreign investment regulator, the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).

Given unemployment numbers are surging, our stocks have been knee-capped, housing prices are set to fall, and our dollar is weakened, I will not allow foreign nations to fight over the carcass of Australias misfortune, Hanson wrote.

The senator said she had alerted parliament on numerous occasions the unforgivable volume of FIRB approvals.

In a statement accompanying the letter, the Queensland senator said that Australians want rapid safeguards put in place to ensure China and other opportunistic countries are prevented from buying up housing stock, prime agricultural land, businesses, and corporations affected by this Chinese virus.

I wont tolerate China or any other country coming in here and buying Australia up for a song, leaving our people without a say, she also said.

Whats happening right now in this country and right across the globe should be a wakeup call to all politicians, stop allowing the sell-off of our industries and manufacturing and start investing in ourselves.

Water, manufacturing, industry, agriculture, and jobs for Australians, she said.

Hanson noted how FIRB Chair David Irvine in 2018 estimated that more than A$40 billion in critical infrastructure transactions had been approved in just three years.

Between 2007/08 and 2017/18, the Foreign Investment Review Board reviewed almost 12,000 applications and rejected just five, she said.

How can the FIRB, which has one permanent employee and a handful of part-time members, give proper consideration to the sale of so many Australian assets? she asked. It cant and therefore they arent looking out for the best interest of all Australians and need to be stopped.

The senator told 2GB host Alan Jones that she fears that people are going to hurt and a lot of businesses are going to go under.

Irvine in 2018 said that the FIRB approved more than 1,100 business-related approvals in the 2016-17 financial year.

The two largest source countries for approved investment in the 2016-17 financial year were China and the United States, he said at the time.

We continue to see strong interest from Chinese investors despite the impact of factors such as tightening of capital controls by Chinese authorities, Irvine added. In recent years, there has been significant foreign investor interest in Australian critical infrastructure assets, with activity driven by state government privatizations, particularly in ports and electricity infrastructure.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday that there was growing concern within the Australian government regarding how to handle foreign takeovers of Australian businesses, as more companies are expected to permanently shut down in the coming months due to the economic impact of the CCP virus pandemic.

According to the paper, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has privately expressed concern about Australian assets ending up in the hands of opportunistic foreign interests, and Liberal Member of Parliament Andrew Hastie also raised the issue directly with the FIRB.

SMH also noted that Liberal MPs are calling for a revisit of the criteria for FIRB approval of foreign acquisitions, with an added emphasis on companies with links to foreign governments.
Russian state news broadcaster RT has lost a London High Court challenge over a 200,000 fine for 'serious and repeated' breaches of impartiality rules over broadcasts on the Salisbury poisoning and the war in Syria.

Ofcom, the UK's broadcasting watchdog, sanctioned the Kremlin-backed channel over seven news and current affairs programmes between March 17 and April 26, 2018 which failed the requirement for news to be presented with 'due impartiality'.

Two of the sanctioned broadcasts were editions of Sputnik presented by former MP George Galloway which covered the poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March 2018.

Ofcom also found that four news broadcasts addressing US involvement in the Syrian conflict, and a programme concerning the Ukrainian Government's position on Nazism and the treatment of Roma gypsies, breached impartiality rules.

RT challenged Ofcom's decision, arguing that it breached its right to freedom of expression, and that the official watchdog failed to take account of the 'dominant media narrative' in relation to the Salisbury poisoning.

Ofcom sanctioned RT broadcasts including two editions of Sputnik hosted by former British MP George Galloway on the novichok poisoning in Salisbury, 2018

Alleged novichok poisoners Ruslan Boshirov (left) and Alexander Petrov (right), accused by UK authorities of attempting a hit on former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

At a High Court hearing in October, RT's lawyers said the dominant media narrative from other broadcasters was the UK Government's belief that the Russian state had been involved in the attack, meaning RT did not need to reproduce it.

However, Lord Justice Dingemans - sitting with Dame Victoria Sharp, the president of the Queen's Bench Division - today dismissed RT's claim.

The judge said RT's 'concept of a dominant media narrative is a nebulous one', which would make it 'difficult, if not impossible, for broadcasters to discern in advance precisely what the dominant media narrative was, and what could be broadcast'.

Justice Dingemans said that could produce a 'chilling effect' on broadcasters, which would be 'likely to inhibit rather than enhance their freedom of expression'.

He added: 'RT's submission that the dominant media narrative reduces the harm from the broadcasts in my judgment misses the point about the importance of the viewers who are not aware of the other viewpoint.'

The judge also rejected RT's contention that the 'due impartiality' requirement in news broadcasts interfered with its right to freedom of expression.

He said the requirement was necessary because 'at present, the broadcast media maintains a reach and immediacy that remains unrivalled by other media'.

British politicians including Alex Salmond (left) and Nigel Farage (right) have appeared on RT

RT receives funding from the Russian state (pictured, President Vladimir Putin)

Justice Dingemans state: 'There is reason to consider that the need is at least as great, if not greater than ever before, given current concerns about the effect on the democratic process of news manipulation and of fake news.'

Ofcom v Russia: another battlefield in the New Cold War Relations between Moscow and Western powers first soured after the former's war with Georgia in 2008, backing separatists in the tiny Caucasian state. Russia annexed Crimea and helped fuel Ukraine's bloody civil war, which began after the toppling of the pro-Moscow regime in 2014. Moscow has found itself at loggerheads with the US, Britain, and France in Syria, where it has backed Bashar al-Assad and Iran since 2015. Vladimir Putin has lamented the collapse of the USSR, and accused NATO of provocation since the end of the Cold War in 1989-91. Advertisement

The judge said 'where viewers access news on media which is not the subject of a requirement of "due impartiality", they may receive only one viewpoint to the exclusion of other viewpoints'.

'In such circumstances a viewer may interact only with one viewpoint, and the media accessed by that viewer may become 'an echo chamber' or 'information silo' for that single viewpoint,' Justice Dingemans added.

He concluded RT were not restricted from broadcasting the material they wished to broadcast on the Salisbury poisoning, the war in Syria, or on events in Ukraine.

'The only requirement was that, in the programme as broadcast, RT provided balance to ensure that there was "due impartiality",' he said.

Ofcom said it welcomes today's judgments that its investigation and decisions were 'fair and proportionate'.

A spokesperson added: 'Trust in news and current affairs has never been more important, and RT's failures to preserve due impartiality were serious and repeated.'

RT said: 'We are aware of the court's decision, and we intend to appeal.'

The broadcaster previously warned British media working in Russia to get 'ready to face the consequences' after it was fined 200,000 last year.

British politicians including Jeremy Corbyn, Alex Salmond, and Nigel Farage have appeared on RT, which receives money from the Russian Government.

The PM's father Stanley Johnson has also appeared on the news channel, and several Tory MPs including the former Brexit minister Steve Baker.
The risk of a pandemic also continues to grow, the brief said, since infectious diseases can spread around the globe in a matter of days due to increased urbanization and international travel. These conditions pose a threat to Americas health security  its preparedness for and ability to withstand incidents with public-health consequences.

To ensure health security, the country needs a robust health work force, the brief said. Rescinding DACA, however, would deprive the public of domestically educated, well-trained, and otherwise qualified health.

Muneer I. Ahmad, a law professor at Yale who represents the DACA recipients in Fridays filing, said the basic arguments were not new. Still, he said, the pandemic casts into sharp relief how catastrophic the termination of DACA would be at this point.

In the past, President Trump has praised the programs goals and suggested he wanted to preserve it. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? he asked on Twitter in 2017.

But when the Supreme Court heard arguments in November, the president struck a different tone. Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from angels, he wrote on Twitter. Some are very tough, hardened criminals.

In fact, the program has strict requirements. To be eligible, applicants had to show that they had committed no serious crimes, had arrived in the United States before they turned 16 and were no older than 30, had lived in the United States for at least the previous five years, and were in school, had graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency diploma, or were an honorably discharged veteran.

The status lasts for two years and is renewable, but it does not provide a path to citizenship.

The Trump administration, which ordinarily takes a broad view of executive power, said Mr. Obama had acted unlawfully in creating the program. Lower courts rejected that rationale for shutting it down.
A Fox News host sparked a firestorm of outrage Thursday by voicing concern over how women are going to get their hair and nails done during the coronavirus pandemic. Ainsley Earhardt was absolutely clear that she was talking about trivial everyday worries rather than the life-or-death issues which are of much larger import. But that didn't stop a social media pile-on from critics who described her complaint about the frustrating side of lockdowns and social distancing as "vapid" and "vain." "This is not a priority, but women have to get their hair done," Earhardt told viewers of US President Donald Trump's favorite conservative-leaning morning talk show, "Fox and Friends". "I saw someone tweet out, 'You're gonna see what real color our hair is, because our roots are gonna grow in.' "All my friends are saying, you know, this is not a priority -- people are dying and I realize that -- but they can't get their nails done," she said. One critic posted on Twitter that the segment was "a perfect distillation of Trump Republicanism" while another sneered at "rich white lady problems." "Republicans are pro-life until they have to get their nails done. This genius is the poster child for why the entire world laughs at us," said another. But some came to the defense of the 43-year-old mother-of-one, arguing that she was expressing legitimate concerns and suggesting that the criticism was sexist. Others pointed out that Bernie Sanders's press secretary Briahna Joy Gray had made a similar complaint days earlier -- while also underlining that there were bigger concerns. Confirmed cases of the new coronavirus are accelerating in the United States, with more than 76,000 confirmed cases and 849 deaths. The pandemic has shut down large swaths of the country, pushing the economy into a tailspin. Fox host Ainsley Earhardt (in pink) pictured with her fellow presenters and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in 2019, was hit with a torrent of angry tweets
Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran

U.S. Department of the Treasury

March 26, 2020

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated 20 Iran- and Iraq-based front companies, senior officials, and business associates that provide support to or act for or on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) in addition to transferring lethal aid to Iranian-backed terrorist militias in Iraq such as Kata'ib Hizballah (KH) and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH). Among other malign activities, these entities and individuals perpetrated or supported: smuggling through the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr; money laundering through Iraqi front companies; selling Iranian oil to the Syrian regime; smuggling weapons to Iraq and Yemen; promoting propaganda efforts in Iraq on behalf of the IRGC-QF and its terrorist militias; intimidating Iraqi politicians; and using funds and public donations made to an ostensibly religious institution to supplement IRGC-QF budgets. The terrorist militias supported by the Iranian regime such as KH and AAH have continued to engage in attacks on U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq.

"Iran employs a web of front companies to fund terrorist groups across the region, siphoning resources away from the Iranian people and prioritizing terrorist proxies over the basic needs of its people," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "The United States maintains broad exceptions and authorizations for humanitarian aid including agriculture commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices to help the people of Iran combat the coronavirus."

Today's designations were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists and those providing support to or acting for or on behalf of designated terrorists or supporting acts of terrorism.

RECONSTRUCTION ORGANIZATION OF THE HOLY SHRINES IN IRAQ

The Reconstruction Organization of the Holy Shrines in Iraq (ROHSI) is an IRGC-QF-controlled organization based in Iran and Iraq whose leadership was appointed by the late IRGC-QF Commander Qassem Soleimani. Though ostensibly a religious institution, ROHSI has transferred millions of dollars to the Iraq-based Bahjat al Kawthar Company for Construction and Trading Ltd, also known as Kosar Company, another Iraq-based entity under the IRGC-QF's control. Kosar Company has served as a base for Iranian intelligence activities in Iraq, including the shipment of weapons and ammunition to Iranian-backed terrorist militia groups.

Additionally, Kosar Company has received millions of dollars in transfers from the Central Bank of Iran, which was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 in September 2019 for its financial support of the IRGC-QF and Lebanese Hizballah. Both the IRGC-QF and Hizballah have been designated by the U.S. Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

In addition, IRGC-QF officials have used ROHSI's funds to supplement IRGC-QF budgets, likely embezzling public donations intended for the construction and maintenance of Shiite shrines in Iraq.

ROHSI and Kosar Company are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF.

OFAC is also designating Mohammad Jalal Maab, the current head of ROHSI, who was personally appointed to the position by former IRGC-QF Commander Soleimani. Jalal Maab succeeded Hassan Pelarak, an IRGC-QF officer and co-owner of Kosar Company, who was selected by Soleimani to serve as his special assistant on an IRGC-QF-led committee focused on sanctions evasions activity. Pelarak also worked with IRGC-QF officials to transfer missiles, explosives, and small arms to Yemen, intensifying the Yemeni conflict and exacerbating one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes.

Mohammad Jalal Maab is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being a leader or official of ROHSI. Hassan Pelarak is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF.

Alireza Fadakar, another co-owner of Kosar Company, has worked in Iraq on behalf of the IRGC-QF for several years and is an IRGC-QF commander in Najaf, Iraq. Muhammad al-Ghorayfi is an IRGC-QF affiliate and employee of Kosar Company who provides administrative support to Fadakar and has facilitated the travel of IRGC-QF officials between Iraq and Iran.

Alireza Fadakar is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF. Muhammad al-Ghorayfi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Alireza Fadakar.

Masoud Shoustaripousti, another co-owner of Kosar Company, has worked in Iraq on behalf of the IRGC-QF for several years and has laundered money for the group. Shoushtaripousti worked with Mashallah Bakhtiari, who used Kosar Company to launder money and worked with officials at the Baghdad-based branch of Iran's Bank Melli to deposit funds for the IRGC-QF in Iraq. OFAC designated Bank Melli in November 2018, pursuant to E.O. 13224, for acting as a conduit for payments to the IRGC-QF which also used Bank Melli to dispense funds to Iranian-backed terrorist groups in Iraq.

Masoud Shoustaripousti is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF. Mashallah Bakhtiari is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF.

AL KHAMAEL MARITIME SERVICES

Separately, OFAC is taking action against Al Khamael Maritime Services (AKMS), an Iraq-based company operating out of Umm Qasr port in which the IRGC-QF has a financial interest. The IRGC-QF leveraged Shiite militia group contacts to evade Iraqi government inspection protocol at Umm Qasr port and has charged foreign companies and vessels fees for services at its terminal at the port. AKMS also worked to sell Iranian-origin petroleum products in contravention of U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime.

AKMS is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF.

OFAC is also designating Hasan Saburinezhad, also known as Engineer Morteza, who is involved in the finances of AKMS. As a representative of AKMS, Saburinezhad worked to facilitate the entry of Iranian shipments into Iraqi ports for the benefit of the IRGC-QF. Saburinezhad is also involved in IRGC-QF financial and economic activities between Iran, Iraq, and Syria, including smuggling activities along the Syria/Iraq border. Saburinezhad also runs smuggling routes to help Iraqi terrorist group KH and the IRGC-QF smuggle goods into Iraq from Iran, and has assisted KH in funding the acquisition and transfer of goods out of Iran.

Saburinezhad is the Managing Director and a member of the board of directors of Mada'in Novin Traders (MNT), an Iran- and Iraq-based company associated with multiple IRGC-QF officials, including Vali Gholizadeh, who has worked with Saburinezhad for the benefit of both AKMS and MNT.

Hasan Saburinezhad is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF. Mada'in Novin Traders is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Saburinezhad. Gholizadeh is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being a leader or official of Mada'in Novin Traders.

OFAC is also designating Mohammed Saeed Odhafa Al Behadili, the Managing Director of AKMS, and Ali Hussein Falih Al-Mansoori, also known as Seyyed Rezvan, the company's deputy managing director and head of its board of directors. Additionally, as of 2018, Al Behadili was focused on facilitating shipments and business transactions to circumvent U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime. Al-Mansoori has worked with IRGC-QF officials on business issues related to AKMS.

Mohammed Saeed Odhafa Al Behadili is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, AKMS. Ali Hussein Falih Al-Mansoori is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being a leader or official of AKMS.

Sayyed Reza Musavifar, who is responsible for the accounts and finances of AKMS, has worked with the IRGC-QF to transfer money to terrorist militias, including KH and Lebanese Hizballah. In 2014, Musavifar transferred the equivalent of millions of dollars of foreign currency to senior IRGC-QF officials.

Musavifar is a part owner of Middle East Saman Chemical Company, an Iran-based company that maintained an account at Rashed Exchange, an Iran-based exchange house used to convert currency for the IRGC-QF that was designated in May 2018 for being owned or controlled by Mohammadreza Khedmati, an individual designated for support to the IRGC-QF.

Sayyed Reza Musavifar is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF. Middle East Saman Chemical Company is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Sayyed Reza Musavifar.

Additionally, Ali Farhan Asadi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, AKMS.

SAYYED YASER MUSAVIR AND MEHDI GHASEMZADEH

IRGC-QF official Sayyed Yaser Musavir has been deployed to Iraq extensively since early 2014 in support of the IRGC-QF, and he has coordinated operations between the group and Iraqi terrorist militia group officials. In 2019, Musavir coordinated with IRGC-QF officials to sell Iranian petroleum products to Syria. In 2018, Musavir coordinated propaganda efforts with AAH on behalf of senior IRGC-QF officials. AAH was designated in January 2020 by the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to E.O. 13224.

Sayyed Yaser Musavir is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF.

Mehdi Ghasemzadeh is an IRGC-QF official and is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the IRGC-QF.

SHAYKH 'ADNAN AL-HAMIDAWI

Shaykh 'Adnan Al-Hamidawi is a Special Operations Commander for KH who in 2019 planned to intimidate Iraqi politicians who did not support the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq. KH, an Iranian-backed terrorist militia group that has been a U.S. Department of State-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and SDGT since 2009, receives lethal support from the IRGC-QF, and has been responsible for numerous terrorist acts against Iraqi, U.S., and Coalition forces in Iraq for over a decade, including bombings, rocket attacks, and sniper operations.

Shaykh 'Adnan Al-Hamidawi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KH.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of these persons that are in or come within the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve and property or interests in property of blocked persons.

In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the persons designated today may themselves be exposed to sanctions. Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of individuals and entities designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions.

Identifying information on the entities designated today.

####

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Friday, March 27, 2020

Travis Kupp, a member of our Emerging Fellows program checks the preparedness of Asia for demographic changes in his third post for our EF blog. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the APF or its other members.

Among the most significant determinants of an Asian Century is demographics. The expectations and behaviors of a nations peopledriven in part by attributes that can be measured in aggregate, like ageinfluence economic performance and political dynamics. Projected declines in the working age populations in East Asia present a major challenge to maintaining their gravitas. Meanwhile, the rest of the continent generally has a much better outlook, at least in terms of potentially productive youth. Immigration policies that succeed in overcoming ideological intolerance may be the key to sustaining Asias rise to global dominance.

Japan is a preview of what could potentially happen at a different scale for its neighbors. The archipelago nation is now selling more adult diapers than baby diapers in supermarkets. The increased spending on healthcare that comes with this age demographic inversion is unsustainable with a simultaneously shrinking workforce and tax base. Japan recognizes that efforts to raise its fertility rate will not be sufficient to address the problems already emerging. Longevity of life is coming to also mean longevity of work-life well beyond the age of 60. Automation of care is being developed, where possible, to lower the costs of the ballooning system. It is yet to be seen whether this will be a successful formula for saving the nations economy.

China is taking a different approach. Demographic data shows their working population shrinking and the trend portends a net population decline starting as soon as 2032. Like Japan, China has started offering cash bonuses and subsidies to encourage more births, but it is unlikely that this will be enough to cover the dearth of young people to care for the elderly in the short term. Nor will automation of such services soon be ready to take on the task at scale. Instead, China is bolstering its economy by moving the value chain from the Middle Kingdom to tributary states in Central, South, and Southeast Asia through its Belt and Road Initiative. In a time of national economic war, however, it is not unthinkable that some of these target states may attempt to limit the extent to which others draw on their resources.

Migration will increasingly be a flashpoint as Asian demographics change. Cultural similarities make Southeast Asia the clearest option from which China and Japan could draw human capital, or at least extract the output. China is adamant that newcomers assimilate to their norms, an approach that may need to be loosened in light of its expanding global reach. Indias government, particularly in the case of Muslims, seems determined to reject even its own over ideological differences. West and Central Asia have growing populations that could strengthen the Asian position but are better poised to bolster Russian and European populations, even though immigration policies in both destinations are lacking. All of these tensions will escalate if regimes do not adapt quickly enough to the inevitable changes in their constituencies.

Asian nations, on the whole, are unprepared for what lies ahead demographically. Economic and social policies are slowly and insufficiently trying to adapt to a future in which families are small and the old outnumber the young. Regimes attempting to unilaterally solve for these shifts without sufficient regard for pressures beyond their centralized control, like accelerated migration, will face the most serious challenge. While some nations may have more reason to be optimistic, they will need to be ready to compete to keep their workforce from migrating to other more attractive markets. If an Asian Century does come to pass, one thing is certain: it will be with a populace that looks quite different than the one we know today.

 Travis Kupp 2020
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International, the worlds busiest airport, has turned a runway into a parking lot for grounded aircraft; about 80% of Frankfurt airport workers have had their working hours cut and many now wont go to work at all; Manchester has closed two of its three terminals and short-hop specialist London City Airport is suspending all flights until the end of April. Orly airport near Paris is also closing temporarily.

The sudden collapse of air travel triggered by travel restrictions and customer fears of coronavirus is having a severe impact on airport cash flows. The fees they get from airlines have been cut to the bone, as have commercial revenues from services like car-parking. If retail concessions or car rental agents go bust, another source of income could be wiped out. European airport operators estimate that they face a 14 billion euro ($15 billion) hit to revenues.

Like their airline customers, the worlds airports are calling on governments for financial assistance. Some help is justified  not least because airports play a vital role in transporting essential medical supplies. But for privatized airports, like those in the U.K., it could be more difficult to convince authorities that help is merited. International investors whove funded a massive expansion of global airport capacity in recent years may have to make sacrifices too.

Where airports remain in public hands, as in the U.S., bailouts arent so controversial: airports are due to get a $10 billion handout as part of the governments $2 trillion rescue plan. Without it, they worry they wont be able to service a combined $100 billion debt load. A default would push up borrowing costs across the sector.

The main Paris and Frankfurt airports, though part of listed groups, also have public anchor shareholders, which guarantees them a sympathetic ear should the need arise. French president Emmanuel Macron has wanted to sell down the states 50% shareholding in Aeroports de Paris but hasnt made much progress.

Story continues

But in the U.K., taxpayer help for airports is more sensitive because much of the infrastructure is owned by international investors whove piled on debt and reaped large profits.

Heathrows co-owners, which include Qatar Holding, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and China Investment Corporation, have lately collected about 500 million pounds ($592 million) annually in dividends. London Gatwicks owner Global Infrastructure Partners pocketed a 640 million pound dividend before selling a majority stake to French infrastructure group Vinci SA for 2.9 billion pounds last year. GIP also sold the much smaller London City Airport to a Canadian-led consortium in 2016 for 2 billion pounds. Willie Walsh, the boss of British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, described the sky high price as foolish. After its temporary closure this week, Walsh probably wouldnt revise his opinion.

Its no wonder the new U.K. finance minister Rishi Sunak is playing hardball. Writing to airlines and airports this week, Sunak told them to first try to raise money from shareholders or to seek flexibility from lenders before asking the public for help. Because of favorable regulation and the asset-heavy nature of the business, airports have been thought capable of supporting higher than average debt loads. Heathrow has 12.4 billion pounds of net debt, or 6.5 times ebitda (an imperfect measure of cash earnings).

But its still a risky business. The danger that a global pandemic could sap future demand for air travel is clearly spelled out in airport loan documents. The financial health of airports is also intertwined with the airlines that use them most. British Airways contributes more than 40% of Heathrows airline-related income, while Lufthansa provides Frankfurt airport with about 60% of its passengers. Both are now grounding the bulk of their fleets.

For now, U.K. airports have stopped short of asking for government cash or loans. Some are better placed to cope than others. Heathrow says it has 3.3 billion pounds in liquidity, sufficient for at least a year of cash needs. In contrast, Gatwick held only about 15 million pounds of cash, plus a 300-million-pound undrawn loan facility, according to the most recent accounts. But its new majority owner Vinci has 14.5 billion pounds of cash and undrawn credit facilities.

Instead, U.K airports are calling for a reduction in regulatory and policing costs, relief from business taxes and that lenders be required to not enforce loan covenants temporarily. European peers are saying all aviation taxes should be suspended until the end of the year.

This is controversial stuff. Until a few weeks ago, politicians in Europe were leaning toward making air travel more expensive to discourage planet-heating carbon emissions. Still, there are decent arguments for why airports, even those in the U.K., should be cut some slack. In recent weeks their workers have braved crowded terminals to get passengers home, risking contracting the coronavirus themselves. And when the virus is defeated, well need airports around the world to help kick-start an export recovery.

After warning that its financial performance would be significantly impacted, Heathrow has announced a variety of steps to cut costs, including cancelling executive pay and delaying investments. But unlike Frankfurt airport operator Fraport AG, which is scrapping shareholder payouts, Heathrow has been oddly reticent about dividends. A clear statement that these payouts will now end might make Sunak more sympathetic to the industrys plight.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Chris Bryant is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies. He previously worked for the Financial Times.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ben Simon (Agence France-Presse) Jerusalem  Fri, March 27, 2020 14:06 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dd47f2 2 World Israel,Politician,BenjaminNetanyahu,Benny-Gantz,parliament,government,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

Israel's Benny Gantz called for an emergency unity government after being elected parliament speaker Thursday, surprise developments that point towards an interim alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to tackle coronavirus.

Gantz's moves appeared to offer the premier, indicted on corruption charges, a path to extend his 11-year tenure, although no agreement had yet been declared and the shifting political landscape was causing significant fallout within the anti-Netanyahu bloc.

Gantz ally Yair Lapid, who broke with the ex-military chief earlier on Thursday, accused him of surrendering "without a fight", declaring the break-up of the Blue and White Alliance that Gantz had led.

The centrist Gantz and right-winger Netanyahu had fought three bitter, inconclusive elections over the past year, with neither heavyweight securing enough support to form a viable coalition in Israel's fractious political system.

Gantz was tasked with forming a government following the March 2 vote -- something he was unable to do after two elections last year.

There was no guarantee he would succeed this time, given the lack of cohesion within the anti-Netanyahu bloc.

The divided anti-Netanyahu forces, who held a narrow majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, forced the ouster this week of ex-speaker Yuli Edelstein, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party.

Gantz then put himself forward as Edelstein's replacement on Thursday, a dramatic move widely seen as an acceptance that he would not be prime minister -- at least not yet.

"These are unusual times and they call for unusual decisions," Gantz told the Knesset after his election to the speaker's post.

"That is why I intend to explore the formation of an emergency unity government," he added.

Likud, in a statement, did not deny talks on a unity government but said details emerging about its make-up were merely "rumors."

Any arrangement would likely be temporary, perhaps lasting long enough for Israel to pass through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel has more than 2,600 confirmed coronavirus cases and has imposed a total, nationwide ban on non-essential movement in the hope of containing contagion.

"The people of Israel are justifiably looking to us and expecting us to keep supporting the sacred battle against coronavirus and its effects," Gantz said.

'Crawl' towards Netanyahu

While attention has immediately turned to the expected unity deal, Gantz's move also triggered a break-up of his centrist bloc.

Two key partners in the Blue and White alliance -- the Telem and Yesh Atid parties -- immediately filed paperwork to split from Blue and White.

Lapid, who heads Yesh Atid, said "Benny Gantz decided today to break apart Blue and White and crawl into Netanyahu's government."

"What's being formed today isn't a unity government and not an emergency government. It's another Netanyahu government. Benny Gantz surrendered without a fight," he added.

Blue and White sources indicated to AFP that the bloc would retain its name, but no longer considered Gantz its leader.

"I founded Blue and White, and I am proud of it," Gantz told parliament on Thursday.

"It has been my intention, and it is still my intention, to do everything possible to keep us together. I urge all of my potential political partners to act in the same spirit," he said.

Netanyahu is the first Israeli premier to be indicted while in office, after being formally charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in January.

The veteran premier, in office since 2009, denies the charges.

Gantz had previously ruled out serving alongside a prime minister under criminal indictment, but that was before the coronavirus pandemic unfolded.

Netanyahu has offered Gantz a series of deals since the March 2 vote, including scenarios where the job of premier would rotate between the two.
Two people have died from coronavirus in South Africa, the health ministry said on Friday, adding that the total number of cases in the country have risen to more than 1,000, from 927 a day earlier.

"This morning, we South Africans wake up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19," the health ministry said in a statement.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Pastor Mensa Otabil has said Ghanaians should not stampede the government into making one decision or the other with regard to a lockdown.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) and others have called for a lockdown just as many countries in Europe, Asia, America and Rwanda have done, to fight the pandemic.

The Ghanaian government has, however, not made any moves to lock down the country but says all options to help prevent the spread of the virus are on the table.

Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, 24 March 2020 said: At this point in time, theres no decision to lockdown but all options remain on the table.,

He added that: The President has said that any time he has to escalate his measures, he will do so, and if anybody or any group has some research propositions that they want to share to help the decision-making process, we are happy to receive it, Mr Nkrumah said.

Pastor Otabil said in his opinion, there should be a suspension of public transport since it is one of the means of spreading the virus.

Speaking in a live Facebook session, the founder and leader of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) noted that: The manifestation of the pandemic in Ghana may not be the same as Great Britain, the incidence may not be the same. I think the best thing for our political leaders is to have the most objective sources of information and balance between the needs of the people and the reality of what should be done.

Different countries have used different models to resolve this. Some did very draconian lockdowns and it worked for them, others did massive testing and it worked for them and different people have approached it differently

Should there be a lockdown in Ghana, I dont know, I dont have the facts, but my common sense will be that we should suspend public transport because this thing travels by transportation. Weve shut down airlines, so, maybe inter-city travel must be shut down. We have to start shutting down travel one way or the other that may end up becoming like a lockdown one way or the other except people decide to walk from Accra to Kumasi or wherever they want to walk to, and that will be my commonsensical approach.

He added that: I dont think the government has any responsibility to take my advice; Im seeing it from the information I have, they are seeing it from a different point of view and they may make a different call on the same facts. Yes, everybody thinks shutting down maybe the answer but shutting down can be very scary.

---classfmonline
A hospital has shared a heartwarming video of doctors and nurses singing "you'll never walk alone" to their intensive care unit colleagues battling the coronavirus outbreak.

The video, posted on Twitter by Maasstad Hospital in Rotterdam, shows hospital staff and ambulance workers walking to a set of doors which divide them from the intensive care unit where patients with Covid-19 are treated in quarantine.

The group of medics start sway their arms to the famous song 'You'll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry & The Pacemakers, before their colleagues in intensive care join in on the other side of the doors and sing it back to them, finishing with a round of applause.

Piers Morgan, who has been championing UK healthcare workers in their battle against the virus, posted the video on Thursday night, saying: "Love this!"

"This just goes to show: we are here together and we are doing this together," Carla van Zuijlen, spokeswoman for Maasstad Hospital told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

Hospital staff said the idea to sing to each other came about when they heard about a plan for 183 radio stations across the world to play the song at the same time.

As of Thursday, the Netherlands had more than 7,437 cases of Covid-19, with the death toll standing at 434.

It comes as thousands of people in the UK took part in a mass round of applause for NHS staff and key workers on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis on Thursday.
As confirmed coronavirus cases exceeded half a million across the world, the death toll has climbed past 25, 000, data from worldometers.info has shown.

This means the crisis has reached historic proportions, especially for the U.S which has become the country most ravaged by the contagion.

Confirmed cases were 566,064 and 25, 401 deaths on Friday evening, according to worldometer, a platform that provides live updates on the coronavirus globally.

Meanwhile, almost 300, 000 people have recovered from the virus worldwide, following treatments, the public health tracker found.

With 93,151 confirmed cases, the U.S is now the epicentre of the pandemic, surpassing China, where the virus broke out last December. China now has 81, 340 cases while Italy is third with over 80, 000 cases as at the time of reporting.

Of the 25,422 deaths so far recorded from the outbreak, Italy still has the highest  8, 215, a development experts attributed to the countrys high number of aged people. 3, 292 deaths have been recorded in China, while the U.S came has 1, 382 deaths.

PREMIUM TIMES monitored the worldometer platform and noticed a spike in the number of cases. In about 20 minutes Friday evening, more than 10, 000 cases were reported live on the platform, showing an explosion of the virus around the globe. This time last month, there were only 82,700 confirmed global cases and a month before that, just under 3,000 people had tested positive.

READ ALSO:

It was, however, unclear how many people have actually been infected, as many countries continue to report inadequate testing kits.

Medical experts and scientists have also warned that the virus worst is yet to come, urging countries to brace for more infections in the coming weeks.

Countries have raced to enforce containment policies within their boundaries. The United States and European countries are on complete national lockdowns while social distancing is being strictly enforced.

Africa

Although Africa has not been racked by the virus-like other parts of the world in both economic and human toll, the continent has also begun seeing a worrisome uptick in reported cases.

Nigeria has 65 cases as of Friday evening, up from nine days ago when only five people had tested positive. Only one has died of the virus in Nigeria, where reported cases are lower in comparison to South Africa with almost a thousand confirmed cases and two deaths, the continents hardest-hit.

About 45 of Africas 54 countries now have confirmed cases as governments across the continent rush to contain the spread of the disease, knowing that their fragile health systems will be swiftly overwhelmed if the disease spreads beyond a small number of cases.

Social distancing and complete lockdown measures are not just difficult to maintain in the continent, it has bared deep cracks of inequality.

Slums and informal settlements which are also part of the physical infrastructures of many African cities are mostly overcrowded and lack services even before the threat of a global health crisis emerged.
(CNN) -- The World Health Organization announced on Friday that the first patients enrolled in its Solidarity trial, which will examine potential treatment options for Covid-19, will be based in Norway and Spain. The first patient enrolled in the trial is at the University of Oslo in Norway.

"We are delighted to announced that today in Norway and Spain, the first patients will shortly be enrolled in the Solidarity trial, which will compare the safety and effectiveness of four different drugs or drug combinations against Covid-19," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"This is a historic trial which will dramatically cut the time needed to generate robust evidence about what drugs work. Over 45 countries are contributing to the trial and more have expressed interest," Tedros said. "The more countries who join the trial, the faster we will have results."

WHO announced last week that it had organized the trial to test coronavirus treatment approaches across several countries and compare data to find which treatments may be most effective. When the announcement was made, WHO noted that many countries agreed to join the trial, including Argentina, Bahrain, Canada, France, Iran, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand.
By Online Desk

As the COVID-19 cases crossed 900-mark, the state of Telangana reported its first death after a 74-year-old Khairatabad resident passed away on Saturday.

Sixty days after Kerala reported the first COVID-19 case when a Thrissur native was diagnosed with the deadly disease, Kerala reported the first casualty of the outbreak on Saturday morning. The 69-year-old patient, a native of Chullikkal in Ernakulam district had returned from Dubai on March 16.

However, he did not show any symptoms when he arrived. He was admitted to the isolation ward of Ernakulam Medical College at Kalamassery on March 22 with symptoms of acute pneumonia.

Meanwhile, the health disaster has led to a humanitarian crisis as thousands of migrant labourers try to return to their villages on foot due to lack of public transport amid the lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday set up a public assistance fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the Tatas have pledged Rs 1,500 crore to fight the health crisis.

COVID-19: CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR STATE HERE
Deadly coronavirus is rapidly spreading in a terrifying new way and health bosses have no idea where it is coming from.

The number of community transmission cases with an unknown source has tripled in NSW from 46 on Sunday to 145 on Friday, and doubled from 88 on Thursday.

Most cases in NSW have come from overseas or have been transmitted to a person by someone known to them.

Community transmission is where someone becomes ill and authorities can't trace it back to a known case, meaning the virus is uncontrollably spreading.

The number of community transmission cases with an unknown source has tripled in NSW from 46 on Sunday to 145 on Friday

The huge spike in cases where the source of the infection was unknown prompted a warning from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

'The one figure that we are most worried about is the number of people that are getting it within the community,' she said on Friday morning.

'That's why it is so important that all of us maintain social distancing if we have to be out and about.

'And in the case of my parents, I haven't let them out of the home and I won't.'

She said people who caught coronavirus through an unknown source were also less likely to suspect they were infected and know they needed to self-isolate.

Victoria's Health Department said on Friday this worrying trend may also be starting there as its community transmission cases jumped from nine to 16 overnight.

Other states have confirmed a handful of such cases in recent days and have their own fears they could balloon in coming days.

Sydney's eastern suburbs have become the epicentre of Australia's outbreak with more than 100 cases on the eastern beaches alone - many of these being community cases

Until this week, Australia's coronavirus cases were almost entirely travellers returning from overseas, and those they came in contact with.

However, community transmission means COVID-19 is spreading among people who haven't been in contact with either - making the virus virtually untraceable.

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

Health authorities are desperate to keep a lid on community transmission as it is by far the greatest threat to Australia's ability to handle the pandemic.

Ms Berejiklian said an increasing number of community transmissions would likely lead to stronger lockdowns.

'When it is community-to-community transmission and you don't have a source, that means the virus is starting to spread in the community without us knowing where and that's a concern,' she said.

'We are starting to see an increase in the spread from unknown sources and that's why we are stepping up the compliance, we are stepping up the advice.'

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which advises Prime Minister Scott Morrison, said a 50 per cent community transmission rate was an important threshold.

On Thursday the committee said Australia was approaching that proportion and that was why the stage 2 lockdown was implemented on Wednesday.

Even more alarmingly, the number almost doubled from Thursday when it was 88, prompting a warning from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian

It said the 'major trigger' was 'the rapid growth in total cases and the case-load particularly in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane/Gold Coast.'

The number of community transmission cases would determine when stricter lockdowns would come in as Australia tries to 'stay ahead of the curve'.

'A trigger for local lockdown provisions in a part (or parts) of the country (as seen in Italy and elsewhere) would be a substantial growth in locally transmitted cases,' it said.

'Which could be predicted to exceed the future capacity of the region's health services.'
Violent attacks on unarmed civilians, especially when they are in prayer, are always reprehensible. They are all the more so during a time of global crisis, when people should be joining hands to tackle the crisis rather than intensifying existing problems and triggering new ones. On Wednesday, 25 people, including a six-year-old child, were killed and eight others injured when an armed extremist went on a rampage, spraying bullets into scores of people inside a Sikh gurudwara complex in Kabul. As if the mass killing at the gurudwara wasnt bad enough, a bomb was exploded at the gates of the crematorium where the victims were being cremated. Militants have repeatedly targeted Afghanistans religious minorities. Sikhs have suffered both under earlier Taliban rule and later. In 2018, a convoy of Sikhs and Hindus going to meet President Ashraf Ghani were targeted by a suicide bomber. Just a month ago, at least 30 Shia Hazaras were killed in an attack. It is heartening that all sections of Afghan society have expressed solidarity with the Sikhs.

The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), as the ISIS Afghan affiliate is known, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the gurudwara. But analysts in Kabul claim that IS-K barely exists today and that it is Pakistan-based terror organizations like the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed that are carrying out attacks under the IS-Ks banner, a view that Indian officials share in the case of the gurudwara attack.

The very day that worshippers at the gurudwara were being gunned down, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases doubled in Afghanistan. The commandos who rescued the hostages at the gurudwara were armed with weapons and anti-coronavirus masks, underscoring the multiple enemies they are up against. Even as the Taliban, the IS-K and other groups continue to unleash violence on hapless civilians and security forces, Afghans struggle against the coronavirus. Afghanistan borders China, Iran and Pakistan, all countries hit by the coronavirus. It has a long and open border with Iran and thousands of Afghans who had fled their country to live there are returning home. Politically stable countries with more resources than Afghanistan are struggling to deal with Covid-19. Afghanistans challenge will be more daunting. It is therefore important that Afghans pull together to overcome the crisis. Afghanistan needs its police to enforce lockdowns. Extremist outfits, their patrons and collaborators must hold their fire and allow health workers to do their work. President Ghani and his defeated rival Abdullah Abdullah must end their squabbling now. Their unseemly and unending power struggle is weakening Afghans. They need empathetic and strong leadership now.
A medical worker in protective gear tends to a patient on March 24, 2020 at the new COVID 3 level intensive care unit for coronavirus COVID-19 cases at the Casal Palocco hospital near Rome, during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 (new coronavirus) pandemic. Alberto Pizzoli | AFP | Getty Images

Demographics, social behavior and lower testing capacity are just some of the reasons why Italy and Spain have the highest number of deaths in the world from the coronavirus, health experts told CNBC. Italy has reported more than twice as many deaths than China, where the virus first emerged in late 2019. As of Friday morning, there had been 8,215 deaths in Italy compared to 3,291 in China, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. At the same time, Spain's death toll has risen sharply in recent days and it is currently at 4,365  also significantly above China's. The worrying figures have raised questions about what's behind these European countries' high fatality rate. Two health experts told CNBC there are several reasons.

Slow response

"There was a lot of spread before people realized (the virus was present)," Alexander Edwards, an expert in immunology from the University of Reading, told CNBC Thursday about the situation in Italy. He explained that in most European countries, people assumed the outbreak "was a problem elsewhere" and this initial attitude led to the fast spreading of the virus in places such as Italy and Spain. China's Wuhan region, where the virus originated, has been shut off from the rest of the world since mid-January. The area will partially lift its lockdown in early April, given that there have been no new cases reported for a number days. In hindsight, the extreme lockdown appears to have had a positive effect, however at the time, the decision to tell 11 million people to stay at home seemed too drastic to many, and without a guarantee of success. Italy implemented its first lockdown measures in late February, in 11 municipalities in the northern part of the country. A nationwide lockdown was only put in place on March 9. "Italy was a bit behind," Edwards told CNBC.

Testing capacity

The death rate is also linked to how many people are being tested for the virus, Michael Tildesley, an epidemiologist at Warwick University, told CNBC Thursday over the phone. Essentially, the more people who get tested, the better authorities can respond.

As a result in places where many people are being tested, and quickly, such as China, the number of deaths is not as high as those seen in Italy and Spain, where only citizens showing symptoms of the coronavirus are being tested. Edwards added that in China, people with the virus were identified quickly and isolated within the health system, rather than at home, which is what happened in Italy.

Population

There was a "double combination of risk factors" in Italy, according to Edwards. He explained that the first group of people to get hit by the virus in the country were the elderly. OECD data shows that Italy has the second oldest population in the world, after Japan. Those aged above 60 are believed to be at a higher risk of having severe symptoms from the virus. "Every Sunday, (young Italians) go see their grandparents, they kiss them, they go to church or have meals together," Edwards told CNBC, adding that this contact with the elderly helped spread the virus across Italy. Even though Spain does not have one of the oldest populations in the world, the coronavirus also is hitting this age bracket hard. Data from the Spanish government has shown that the age groups with the highest number of cases are: 50-59; 70-79; and above 80. In addition, Spain has a similar family culture to Italy, which according to the experts suggests that contact between the young and the elderly has contributed to a higher number of deaths. "Part of it is also cultural," Tildesley, from Warwick University, said, adding that China saw a higher level of compliance with the lockdown measures compared to Europe. Finally, there have been some suggestions that differences in the types of medicines used in Europe, compared with China, might have had an impact on the coronavirus death rate. However, Edwards from Reading University, said it was hard to say whether "Eastern versus Western" medicine made a difference in this case.
Two companies under Chevron has extended assistance to frontliners and health workers, adding to the number of helping hands. A total of P1 million worth of cash and fuels will be donated to join the nation's fight against the dreaded disease. Chevron Philippines Inc. (Caltex), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, and Chevron Holdings Inc. (CHI), donated P500,000 to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. (PGHMFI) to address the shortage in medical supplies and personal protective equipment that our frontline healthcare professionals need for proper patient management. PGH is one of the designated exclusive Covid-19 hospitals in Metro Manila and the Philippines largest public tertiary hospital. Caltex also teamed up with JAC Liner, one of the largest bus companies in the country, to provide fuel support amounting to P250,000 to four (4) shuttle buses servicing frontliners and health workers so that they can quickly and safely report for duty. The donation will cover the routes from Paranaque Integrated Terminal to Alabang and Ortigas to Shaw Boulevard until the first week of April.

Caltex JAC

Caltex Makati Credit Cooperative (run by Caltex employees) also donated P25,000 to Kaya Natin! Foundationnon-profit and non-government organization that promotes good governance and ethical leadershipto aid its volunteers in ferrying hospital workers from various pick up and drop off points in Metro Manila. Caltex also partnered with ride-hailing platform Grab Philippines through the GrabBayanihan initiative with a Php300 daily gas voucher provided to each Grab volunteer driver-partners. Caltex is one with the Philippine nation and our frontliners and health workers in battling this global pandemic. We are actively responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and while we continue to closely monitor our operating environment, we are also supporting PGH, JAC Liner, Kaya Natin! Foundation, and Grab Philippines in their mission to help curtail this virus. We hope this crisis will soon be over and that everyone stays safe, CPI Country Chairman Louie Zhang said. Caltex stations in Luzon remain open amidst the enhanced community quarantine. In addition to raising hygiene standards in the stations, regular temperature checks, observance of meter-long social distancing, and more frequent sanitation of areas with high human touchpoints are also implemented. Customers are encouraged to utilize contactless payment methods and are welcome to make use of the disinfectants or hand sanitizers located at the cashiers.

Story continues

Caltex station

Also read:
Medartis Holding AG (VTX:MED), which is in the medical equipment business, and is based in Switzerland, saw significant share price movement during recent months on the SWX, rising to highs of CHF47.50 and falling to the lows of CHF33.20. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Medartis Holding's current trading price of CHF35.00 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Medartis Holdings outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for Medartis Holding

What is Medartis Holding worth?

Good news, investors! Medartis Holding is still a bargain right now. According to my valuation, the intrinsic value for the stock is CHF57.06, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. Medartis Holdings share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its true value, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once its there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

What kind of growth will Medartis Holding generate?

SWX:MED Past and Future Earnings March 27th 2020

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to more than double over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Medartis Holding. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Since MED is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on MED for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy MED. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed investment decision.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Medartis Holding. You can find everything you need to know about Medartis Holding in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Medartis Holding, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
The British Fashion Council has launched a new fund today to help creative businesses and individuals to survive the coronavirus crisis.

The BFC Foundation Covid Crisis Fund will make 1,000,000 of emergency funds available to designer businesses, with a portion of the money also being allocated to students to "underpin the future generation of creative talent."

Now more than ever, we are committed to support the businesses and people that make up our industry," Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC, said. "With the BFC Foundation Covid Crisis Fund and the donations raised, our hope is to support those British businesses that need additional subsidies, beyond Government stimulus available, to address their most urgent challenges.

The BFC has raised the money through pooling the BFC talent support grants that would have traditionally been awarded to emerging brands for either early stage showcasing support or business growth and promotion.

Molly Goddard's AW20 collection which was showcased during London Fashion Week / SplashNews.com

The BFC is also calling on the government to help support its mission of creating an industry stimulus, and on the fashion industry and individuals to support the Covid Crisis Fund through donations, so that more businesses can be supported.

The news comes as the British fashion industry grapples with how to handle the falling out of the crisis. Burberry has confirmed that retail store sales were down 50 per cent over the last six weeks, and there are also grave concerns for smaller brands too.
Reuters

India is in a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of the rampaging coronavirus that has sickened at least 724 people and killed 17. While announcing the decision to keep 1.3 billion people locked indoors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the virus could spread at a lightning speed and overwhelm even the best healthcare systems in the world, as he went on to cite the examples of Italy, France and other countries.

Indias healthcare system is poor and would not be able to handle an outbreak, experts have warned. In his address to the nation, Modi also announced a Rs 15,000-crore package to strengthen healthcare. The money should have come much earlier but for that India would have had to take the human development index a lot more seriously. But we didnt and it shows.

Track this blog for latest updates on coronavirus outbreak

India spent barely 1.28% of its GDP on health services in 2017-18, figures released by the government in October 2019 show.

In a digital age, it is worrying that the latest data on health, education or agriculture, all of the key sectors of the economy, is not available.

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

According to the National Health Profile (NHP), 2019, health expenditure in 2015 was just 3.4% of the general expenditure. Our neighbouring countries spent around 8.5% on healthcare. Perhaps that is why India lags almost all developed and developing countries on the index.

The same NHP report says India recorded 4,19,96,260 cases and 3,740 deaths from acute respiratory infection in 2018. In the same year, 7,59,004 cases and 4,105 pneumonia deaths were recorded.

These numbers are significant because the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes respiratory distress and attacks the lungs.

Expensive healthcare

With government facilities lacking, people are forced to turn to the private sector and it is expensive. Several studies have shown that debt incurred to pay medical bills is one of the biggest reasons for poverty in India.

The government has set up primary health centres (PHCs) across the country but they are ill-equipped to provide secondary or tertiary care. They are of little help in times like these. They cant test for coronavirus.

As testing is vital to check the spread of the virus, the ICMR had said if private clinics were allowed, they should offer free tests and get the money reimbursed by the government. But, it has been decided that private clinics will charge patients Rs 4,500 per test, one of the 12 approved private pathology companies said in an investor teleconference on March 24.

People who cant afford the test will go without it or be forced to go to a poorly managed government centre. Not just testing, isolation wards, which are needed to keep infections in check, in government hospitals have common toilets  a major source of infection -- and unsanitary conditions.

Had its health services been good, India could have opted for measures other than a lockdown. It could have adopted the Singapore model. The city-state has not shut schools or offices and its people do not wear masks. But they are not letting the guard down. There is constant monitoring and testing, and the confirmed cases are isolated immediately and treated.

Or, it could have done what Japan is doing. Japan has reported 49 deaths, so far. The country has adopted a dont ask, dont tell strategy based on minimal testing and buttressed by information massage. It treats the ones identified. But like Singapore, it too has ensured national calm and continued economic activity.

Both countries have depended on information technology and a medical system geared to tackle emergencies and offer the finest healthcare services.

India could have done the same had its healthcare system been dependable, without crippling the economy that would only add to hardship.

Govt has to let go

It is important that the government takes a step back and a new system is put in place to improve healthcare in India.

One good option is through the insurance regulator. Why should the insurance regulator get involved?

First, because it deals with medical insurance. Second, because as of now, it does not reimburse people for their pathology expenses. This is unfortunate because testing allows people to know the health risks they face. This will allow insurance companies to recommend preventive measures to reduce the risk for both the individual and the insurance sector.

For instance, had the insurance regulator been overseeing the medicare sector, it could have reached a deal with developers: Mumbai and its neighbourhood have around 3 lakh unsold flats, with entire apartment blocks lying vacant. It will take builders five years to sell this stock. These apartments could have been rented at a nominal rate to hospital chains for the period and converted into isolation wards, each room with a toilet. The costs would be manageable if the entire insurance sector, with government subsidy for the crisis, backed it.

Insurance companies can give their customers a 60% rebate on pathology tests. It is a win-win for all. It will lead to a decline in out-of-pocket expenditure and people will have an incentive to take medical policies. Insurance companies will benefit because of high registrants and the pathology firms will gain because insurance companies can drive volumes.

The insurance regulator can also oversee Ayushman Bharat. Currently, the healthcare programme is hobbled. There are not enough doctors. India has just 1.3 hospital beds and 0.8 physicians for every 1,000 people.

India is not testing enough, so the credibility of figures being shared by the ministry of health is being questioned. Bihar has only one testing centre. . . Having just 52 centres across India makes no sense. And not even all of these are fully functional, Dr T Sundararaman, a former director of the National Health Systems Resource Centre, has said. Bihar, one of the poorest states in India, has reported only four cases and one death, so far.

Again, insurance companies can league up with the likes of the UK-based Mologic Ltd, in collaboration with Senegalese research foundation Institut Pasteur de Dakar, which in three months promises to bring down the cost of COVID-19 testing kits to just $1 and testing time to10 minutes. That could be a game-changer.

For now, there is a lockdown for three weeks. Much of the business will be crippled but the government can use these 21 days to overhaul the medicare sector.

(Series concludes)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 03:52:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), as of Friday, 1,025 coronavirus cases had been confirmed by laboratories in Finland. The THL also said that seven people had died from coronavirus complications.

Currently, 108 COVID-19 patients are in hospital in Finland, 32 of them in intensive care. Fifty-three percent of the patients with confirmed cases are men, said the THL.

Hospitals in Finland are concerned that protective gear supplies are running low. Paivi Sillanaukee, director general at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, has described the situation as historic.

The Finnish government has announced earlier that strategic stockpiles of hospital equipment would be opened. As the projected number of intensive care (IC) patients is high, work is ongoing to increase IC capacity throughout the country.

The National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) said on Friday that it had signed large contracts for the delivery of respirator masks needed for healthcare providers.

Jyrki Hakola, basic supply and industry director at the NESA, told Finnish national broadcaster Yle that as the biggest producer country, China is the natural place to procure the masks.

Last weekend, Yle reported that masks were already in short supply at certain Finnish hospitals.

To prevent the further spread of the virus, the Finnish government on Wednesday launched a plan to block the country's hardest-hit Uusimaa region, which includes the capital Helsinki. The lockdown is expected to start on Friday night under police supervision.
Aurobindo Pharma informed that the company's Hyderabad-based facility received an EIR from the US drug regulator.

In an exchange filing made after market hours yesterday, the pharmaceutical company announced that its Unit VIII, API manufacturing facility located at Gaddapotharam, Hyderabad, has received the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) with Voluntary Action Initiated (VAl) status from US FDA.

On 6 November 2020, the company, in a regulatory filing, said that the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) had inspected its Unit VIII, API manufacturing facility at Gaddapotharam, Hyderabad from 21 to 25 October 2019. At the end of the inspections, the company was issued a 'Form 483' with 4 observations for the said facility.

Shares of Auro Pharma ended 8.37% higher at Rs 361.40 yesterday 26 March 2020.

Aurobindo Pharma is engaged in producing oral and injectable generic formulations and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Its product portfolio is spread over seven therapeutic/product areas, including antibiotics, anti-retrovirals, cardiovascular, central nervous system, gastroenterologicals, anti-allergies and anti-diabetics.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)




Mohammad Tawhidi mocked Buhari on Twitter

Popular Iranian-born Australia-based Islamic cleric, Mohammad Tawhidi a.k.a Imam of Peace has taken to Twitter to mock President Buhari.

He mocked Buhari for not knowing about the coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands of people as the President gave a speech Sunday March 22 where he was unable to pronounce the name of the virus correctly.

Instead of coronavirus or COVID-19 as it is known, Buhari called it CIVIK 1-9.

The Imam also lashed out at the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan who according to him thinks Iran and Japan share a border.

See his Tweets below:
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world's busiest airport, has turned a runway into a parking lot for grounded aircraft; about 80 per cent of Frankfurt airport workers have had their working hours cut and many now won't go to work at all; Manchester has closed two of its three terminals and short-hop specialist London City Airport is suspending all flights until the end of April. Orly airport near Paris is also closing temporarily.

Airports around the world have become glorified parking lots for planes. Credit:AP

The sudden collapse of air travel triggered by travel restrictions and customer fears of coronavirus is having a severe impact on airport cash flows. The fees they get from airlines have been cut to the bone, as have commercial revenues from services like car-parking. If retail concessions or car rental agents go bust, another source of income could be wiped out. European airport operators estimate that they face a 14 billion euro ($US25.5 billion) hit to revenues.

Like their airline customers, the world's airports are calling on governments for financial assistance. Some help is justified - not least because airports play a vital role in transporting essential medical supplies. But for privatised airports, it could be more difficult to convince authorities that help is merited. International investors who've funded a massive expansion of global airport capacity in recent years may have to make sacrifices too.

Where airports remain in public hands, as in the US, bailouts aren't so controversial: airports are due to get a $US10 billion handout as part of the government's $US2 trillion ($3.3 trillion) rescue plan. Without it, they worry they won't be able to service a combined $US100 billion debt load. A default would push up borrowing costs across the sector.
Albemarle County schools will roll out six weeks of new lesson plans starting April 13, after spring break.

The lessons will be conducted remotely as schools are closed for the rest of the academic year, and teachers are working to build them now. The lessons, which will be designed to be done by students at any time, will not be graded.

Officials did not discuss whether there would be additional weeks of lesson plans coming.

Division staff members briefed School Board members on their plans for instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual meeting Thursday held over Zoom, a video conferencing app. The meeting was the first since schools were closed at the order of Gov. Ralph Northam and the pandemic took hold in Virginia.

How the crisis will affect the budget for the coming fiscal year still is uncertain, according to a presentation Thursday. The School Board adopted a $210 million spending plan in February and will formally vote on a budget May 14.

However, revenues could be in flux in May as localities and the state wrestle with the long-term impact of the pandemic. The state is expecting to lose $1 billion in revenue in each year of its pending two-year budget.

Maya Kumazawa, the Albemarle school divisions director of planning and budget, said the board will have to build flexibility and contingencies into the budget and might need to use management tools such as a hiring freeze or delaying compensation strategies.

With school buildings closed, the division is saving money operationally.

We started in a good position going into this pandemic, so we actually remain optimistic in the short-term, said Rosalyn Schmitt, the divisions chief operating officer.

Thursdays meeting agenda was pared down to only items relating to the COVID-19 crisis or in need of immediate attention. The School Board next meets April 16, and board Chairman Jonno Alcaro is expecting the virtual meetings to be the norm for a while.

To assist with virtual learning, division staffers have handed out 1,400 laptops to students in third to fifth grade and are working on a plan to make sure students in kindergarten to second grade have devices as well. Internet access through the division is accessible in the parking lots of schools, as well as the Yancey Community Center.

The Virginia Department of Education said this week that high school seniors on track to graduate could do so and that decisions about holding students back a grade will be up to each district. Additionally, any learning during the extended closure should be accessible to all groups of student groups, including those with disabilities.

Divisions will be responsible for determining how the closure affects services for students with disabilities and English language learners.

In a video message posted Thursday afternoon, Albemarle schools Superintendent Matt Haas emphasized that the school year is not over, even if school buildings are closed.

Your principal, teachers and staff throughout the school division are very much engaged in completing plans to support your learning between now and June, Haas said. To all of our students, I want you to know that this school year is not over.

Haas said hes expecting principals and teachers to create a common elementary, middle and high school weekly schedule of activities for students and staff that can be monitored and adjusted throughout the spring.

I want us to emphasize quality over quantity and to appreciate the concept of pace, Haas said. We all must pace ourselves. Not everything has to be done at once, and it is more important to have a good learning system up and running than it is to do something quickly that is less effective.

Baker-Butler capacity

Albemarle County is planning to lease a six-classroom trailer to address rising student enrollment at Baker-Butler Elementary. The trailer would have bathrooms inside and be located to the left of the buildings front entrance.

The trailer would cost $434,500 to set up and $60,000 a year to lease.

The schools enrollment is over the building capacity by 75 students this school year, and the number is expected to grow over the next several years.

For next school year, the immediate need is two classrooms. All full-sized classrooms in the building were used by a grade-level class or self-contained special education class this school year.

The divisions Long Range Planning Advisory Committee recommended in July that students at Baker-Butler be redistricted to Broadus-Wood Elementary, which has about 90 open spaces.

Schmitt said those extra seats wouldnt be enough to accommodate the projected growth at Baker-Butler.

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| 2020-03-28 01:14:07|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

NEW YORK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A fire erupted in a New York subway train Friday morning, killing the conductor and injuring more than a dozen people, local authorities said.

According to police, smoke emerged in a No. 2 train car while the train was moving into the 110th Street Central Park North subway station in Harlem at around 3:20 a.m. (0720 GMT).

The train conductor and another subway worker on the train evacuated passengers after the train pulled off at the station, according to The New York Times.

Firefighters brought the fire under control in around 30 minutes. The 36-year-old train conductor was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital. Another 17 people, including five firefighters, were injured, the Times said.

Police are investigating the cause of the fire, noting that other three subway stations around this area also reported fire around 3 a.m. Friday.

"We are investigating it as a criminal matter," New York Police Department Deputy Chief Brian McGee said, adding that no arrest has been made.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:15:26|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

"We will share timely and transparent information; exchange epidemiological and clinical data; share materials necessary for research and development; and strengthen health systems globally, including through supporting the full implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)," G20 leaders said in the joint statement.



RIYADH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Group of 20 (G20) major economies on Thursday pledged to present a "united front" against the common threat posed by COVID-19, while vowing to inject over 5 trillion U.S. dollars to boost the global economy.

G20 leaders made the pledges in a joint statement released after Saudi Arabia convened an extraordinary summit by video-link to coordinate multilateral response to the pandemic.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud attends the extraordinary G20 leaders' virtual summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 26, 2020. (Department of Public Information of Saudi Arabia/Handout via Xinhua)

JOINT FIGHT

The leaders who attended the virtual conference pledged full support for the World Health Organization (WHO) in coordinating global efforts against the COVID-19 epidemic.

"We fully support and commit to further strengthen the WHO's mandate in coordinating the international fight against the pandemic," G20 leaders said in the joint statement.

The leaders seek to ensure adequate financing to contain the pandemic and commit to provide immediate resources to the WHO, according to the statement.

"We will share timely and transparent information; exchange epidemiological and clinical data; share materials necessary for research and development; and strengthen health systems globally, including through supporting the full implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)," the statement said.

"We task our Health Ministers to meet as needed to share national best practices and develop a set of G20 urgent actions on jointly combatting the pandemic by their ministerial meeting in April," the statement added.

A person wearing a face mask rides a bicycle at Times Square in New York, the United States, on March 26, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

ECONOMIC STIMULUS

The G20 major economies also said they are pumping in over 5 trillion dollars into the global economy as part of their joint efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

"We are injecting over 5 trillion U.S. dollars into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic," the statement said.

As part of multilateral response to the pandemic, G20 leaders also commit to continue working together to facilitate international trade and coordinate responses in ways that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade, according to the statement.

"We reiterate our goal to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open," the leaders said.

According to the statement, G20 leaders commit to do "whatever it takes" and to use "all available policy tools" to minimize the economic and social damage from the pandemic, restore global growth, maintain market stability, and strengthen resilience. 
The Kerala government on Friday directed the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), which looks after the affairs of Keralites abroad, to help the film crew from the state stranded in Jordan due to lockdown initiated there over the spread of Covid-19.

Actor Prithviraj, director Blessy and the film crew are in Jordan for the shoot of a movie.

"The Kerala chief ministerhas instructed the Norka principal secretary to contact the Embassy in Jordan and provide assistance to the film crew. As of now, the team has resumed the shooting," a release issued by the chief minister's office said.

The Embassy has also assured that they would keep in touch with the movie crew and provide all assistance to them.

The crew was in Jordan shooting for a movie based on a novel, 'Goat Days' written by Benyamin.

'Aadujeevitham' (Goat Days) is a 2008 Malayalam novel about an abused migrant worker in Saudi Arabia written by author Benyamin.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
J ournalist Robert Peston appeared to swear as the Governments daily coronavirus briefing was broadcast live to the nation.

Mr Peston was heard muttering what sounded like "oh s***" during a video phone in session with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on Thursday.

The ITV political editor seemed to struggle with technical problems as he dialled in remotely to ask questions about coronavirus packages for the UK's self-employed workers.

He mentioned that his connection to the briefing did not seem to be stable and before apparently swearing when Mr Sunak called on him to ask his question.

The ITV journalist struggled with technical difficulties during the live broadcast / Sky News

Afterwards, Peston retweeted a clip of the moment, and said: Just to clear up any misunderstanding, screen froze at precisely the moment chancellor turned to me!
By PTI

KABUL: Families of Afghan Sikhs killed in a terror attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul said that they are tired" of living in Afghanistan, urging the government to investigate the attacks on the minority community.

A heavily armed Islamic State suicide bomber stormed a prominent Gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, killing 25 Sikhs and injuring eight others.

On Thursday, another blast took place near a Sikh crematorium here, injuring a child and disrupting funeral services for the 25 members of the minority community killed in the Gurudwara attack.

The Sikh families cremated the remains of the victims on Thursday and urged the government to investigate the attacks.

Some Sikh citizens said they are tired of living in Afghanistan, the TOLO News reported.

We want investigations, our 25 people have been killed, said Dip Singh, a relative of one victim who was killed.

In which book do you come to attack a mosque and attack a Dharamshala. In what religion does that happen? Andar Singh, a family member of a slain victim, was quoted as saying.

ALSO READ: No justification for killing civilians in religious houses, says UN

Wednesday's attack was one of the deadliest targeting the Sikh community in the strife-torn country.

Eighty people, including women and children, were rescued from the Gurdwara.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying the attack on the religious sites shows the extreme weakness of the enemy, religious sites should not be vulnerable to attacks and violence.

Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan.

In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.
Several car manufacturers have offered to help in the combined effort to produce thousands of ventilators for the NHS. (PA)

UK manufacturers such as Vauxhall and Airbus (AIR.PA) are planning to repurpose their factories and utilise 3D-printing technology to create parts for ventilators to treat coronavirus patients.

Prime minister Boris Johnson appealed to companies to help in a wartime effort to help produce 20,000 ventilators in as little as two weeks in a call that has seen a response from over 60 firms.

Carmaker Vauxhall, owned by the French automotive group PSA (UG.PA), has offered to 3D-print parts and assemble the much-needed medical devices at its Ellesmere Port plant, which is due to be shut as a car manufacturing site until 27 March due to coronavirus fears.

Read more: Coronavirus forces Airbus to pause production in Spain and France

The car factorys paint shops, could be used for production of the ventilators as they have similar controlled-environment conditions to those required for the manufacture of medical equipment.

We are experts at assembly and efficient mass production; we know how to process and we know how to make it lean, Helen Foord, head of government relations at Vauxhall, told The Guardian.

Weve offered our services as an assembly plant and we have 3D-printing capability at Ellesmere Port too.

Some of the UKs leading companies in engineering, the automotive sector and aerospace already use 3D-printing technology and sophisticated computer-aided design software in the manufacturing of their own products so are in a good position to help with the joint efforts.

The manufacturers will be provided with technical drawings by the public research and development body Innovate UK and the efforts will be overseen by PA Consulting, a global consultancy firm that has worked with Richard Branson on high-speed transport project Virgin Hyperloop One and has also helped the UK Space Agency design a regulator for space travel.

A source at another company told The Guardian that it was unlikely the companies would charge for lending their equipment or employees. Its a bit of a wartime footing, they said. However, it is thought that the government will pay for finished ventilators.

Story continues

Read more: Coronavirus forces carmakers to shut plants in Europe

Other car makers such as Rolls-Royce (RR.L) and Jaguar Land Rover (TTM), have also offered their assistance in the making of the ventilators and the aerospace multinational Airbus asked its engineering and technology teams to explore ways to help the government equip the NHS for a jump in patient numbers, with options understood to include the 3D-printing of parts.

Breas UK, a specialist firm that makes ventilators, said it had raised levels of staffing and was increasing production to a seven-day working week to manage the surge in demand.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
Ethiopian Airlines has transported medical supplies donated by Chinas Jack Ma Foundation to the government to help fight against the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).



The flight carrying the consignment--100,000 medical masks, 20,000 test kits, 1,000 protective suits and 1000 face shields, landed at the Kotoka International Airport.



Madam Alemayehu, Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, said: 'Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to deliver these much needed critical medical supplies and equipment which would help in the global fight against the COVID-19.'



"We appreciate the donation of the Jack Ma Foundation and the generosity of Mr Jack Ma. We admire our Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed for his initiative and organisation of the entire coordination of the process," she said.



She said as an indigenous and pioneer Pan African airline, Ethiopian Airlines has stood together with Africans at all times for the last seven decades.



The Area Manager said Ethiopian has supported Africans in good and challenging times and in this unprecedented global pandemic, Ethiopian would continue its commitment for African people to help them fight and win this invisible enemy.



"Today, we are very happy to deliver these medical supplies to the Government and people of Ghana, she said.



Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister for Health, who received the consignment, said government is grateful for the support received from the Jack Ma Foundation, the Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, the Ethiopian Ambassador in Ghana.



He also commended the Ethiopian Airlines commitment to transport the consignments for free.



Mr Zhu Jing, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, said Jack Mas company, Alibaba, through the Jack Ma Foundation was donating to each of the 54 African countries.



"The Chinese government is very concerned about the situation in Ghana," he said.



Each country will have 100,000 masks, 20,000 testing kits, and 1,000 medical protective suits, and 1000 face shields.

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


Yazan is a one-year-old heart disease patient in Libya. He was born with only one of the usual four chambers, or main parts, of the human heart. His heart pumped so little blood that when Yazan cried, his skin would turn black. He required an operation to survive. But Libya only has one doctor that does such operations on young children.

About 1,200 babies with heart defects are born in Libya every year. Usually, about 150 of them are in urgent need of heart operations. Most do not get them and they die in their first year, said William Novick, a childrens heart doctor from the United States.

To me this is simply an unacceptable situation that needs our attention, said Novick.

Novick leads an international team of experts called the Novick Cardiac Alliance. They travel to Libya often to perform operations on patients like Yazan.

Libya has been in major disorder since 2011, when opposition forces ousted long-time leader Muammar Gadhafi. Armed conflict continues in the country with foreign countries supporting opposing armed groups. The latest fighting began last spring and has killed hundreds of civilians.

The conflict also has severely affected health care in the country. The World Health Organization describes the Libyan health care system as overworked, unproductive and lacking in medicine and equipment.

Novicks team was the best, and perhaps last, hope for Yazan. For treatment, however, the boy and his family had to travel to the most dangerous place in Libya, its capital Tripoli.

Last month, Yazan and his family arrived in the city after a 1,500 kilometer trip from their home in the desert. On February 26, Yazan had a five-hour operation to begin repair on his heart. It went well. Although Yazan will need one more operation, Novick and his team expect him to fully recover.

Novicks group has treated 1,000 children in Libya since it began treatments there in 2012.

But his Cardiac Alliance was born much earlier.

Novick was a medical student at the University of Alabama when he first witnessed the suffering of children born with heart disease. He also learned about the problems families experience trying to get care for their children. He decided then to work to help children with heart problems no matter where they are born.

For nearly 30 years, Novick and his partners have made hundreds of trips to 32 countries including Ukraine, Nigeria, Iraq, Iran and Colombia.

For the February visit to Libya, Novicks team included 20 volunteer doctors and nurses. The team performed 10 difficult open-heart operations in the countrys west.

The team worked in areas controlled by each of the two main armed groups.

Novick said that a main goal of his group is to be apolitical and help the children.

Novicks group also trains Libyan doctors and nurses to develop the countrys health care system.

He said, Were not going to be here forever and we shouldnt be here forever.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Mstyslav Chernov and Felipe Dana reported this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

defect  n. a physical problem that causes something to be less valuable, effective, healthy, etc.
Today the Department of Justice indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and 14 of his close associates on drug trafficking charges:

The U.S. indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for drug trafficking on Thursday, offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on an adversary it has sought to push aside. The U.S. also indicted 14 key Maduro associates, including former Vice President Diosdado Cabello, offering $10 million for information leading to their arrests. Charges were filed against the countrys defense minister, chief justice and superintendent of cryptocurrency.

Apparently the socialist regimes involvement in the drug trade has long been known:

The charges allege a conspiracy involving the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a terrorist group that [Attorney General William] Barr said was determined to flood the U.S. with cocaine. He said that Maduros regime gives the FARC, as the group is known, authority to fly drug-filled planes over Venezuelan airspace and safely manufacture cocaine on its territory. We estimate that somewhere between 200 and 250 metric tons of cocaine are shipped out of Venezuela by these routes, Barr said, adding that the shipments were equivalent to 30 million lethal doses of drugs.

***

Some $2 billion worth of cocaine, about a quarter of what was produced in Colombia last year, passed through Venezuela before making its way to other countries, according to Jeremy McDermott, co-founder of Insight Crime, a research group that studies organized crime. He called it a fairly typical year for the traffic. Theres evidence that the criminal groups that transport these drugs have infiltrated Venezuelan government security forces, forming a network known as the Cartel of the Suns to facilitate the passage of illicit drugs into and out the country, according to a 2019 report by the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board.

President Trump is to be commended for keeping up the pressure on criminal regimes in Venezuela and Iran. Is the indictment of Maduro entirely symbolic? Maybe, but the precedent of Manuel Noriega comes to mind. Attorney General Barr comments:

We do expect to eventually gain custody of these defendants, Barr said of Maduro and his indicted aides.

Lets hope so.
Dont panic. Its not exactly toilet paper.

Since the coronavirus-inspired shut down of on-premises dining and drinking, there does appear to be at least a temporary shortage of some of the containers used to carry draft beer out from bars and brewery tap rooms.

In particular, brewery tap rooms set up for pick-up or delivery are hearing about a national shortage of crowlers -- the 32-ounce cans that breweries fill using specialized machines with draft beer to go. Crowlers are sealed on-site and are recyclable but not reusable. The only national producer is backed up.

Local 315 Brewing Co. in Warners, one of the first Central New York breweries to use crowlers, placed a new order last week just as the rush for them was starting, said owner Dan Mathews.

"We had to pay about double for them,'' he said. But at least we have them in stock.

Bars that are now serving their draft beer to go typically dont have crowler-filling machines in any case. They also dont keep many of the glass 64-ounce to-go bottles called growlers in stock. They are more typically sold at breweries.

The good news is that growlers, sealed with plastic or metal caps, are reusable. And brewery and bar owners say customers should not be afraid to bring their growlers from home in for a re-fill. Even if the customer washes it before coming in, the bar or tap room will give it another cleaning on site.

We, of course, wash everything before filling and after filling and encourage our customers to wash their hands after use as well, said Lauren Monforte, owner of the Beer Belly Deli on Westcott Street.

At the start of the takeout-only order on March 15, some bars and retailers put out a call for growlers for those customers who might not have their own. Middle Ages Brewing in Syracuse responded by providing some of its inventory to a few bars and retailers. Two cases went to Beer Belly.

So far, there doesnt appear to be the same temporary shortage on growlers available to breweries as there has for crowlers. That didnt stop one Finger Lakes brewery owner from heading to his supplier near Rochester for a fresh stock last week.

George Aldrich of Reinvention Brewing in Manchester, Ontario County, with a pallet of 64-ounce glass growlers in his car.

Its always funny to see an entire pallet of boxes crammed into our Subaru, said George Aldrich, co-owner of Reinvention Brewing, just off the Thruway in Manchester, Ontario County.

Its a sign of uncertain times for brewers, as with everyone else dealing with the effect of the virus and the effort to contain it. But Aldrich picked up his typical order and resisted the urge to hoard.

All the breweries are scrambling to understand and prepare for this new sales paradigm, and the hoarding mentality is rampant everywhere right now, he said.

Theres another alternative to the to-go containers at brewery taprooms like Middle Ages. Breweries are also selling much of their beer in 6-pack or 4-packs of cans, or less frequently these days in bottles.

As more breweries add their own on-site canning lines, the demand for to-go containers has been dropping anyway, said Middle Ages Isaac Rubenstein.

Weve been doing more packaging (cans and bottles) than anything else, said Rubenstein, who is offering daily pick-up and delivery from the tap room at 120 Wilkinson St.

Local 315 just installed its own canning line last week, Mathews said.

At Willow Rock Brewing, off Ainsley Drive in Syracuse, the recent installation of an on-site canning line led them to drop crowlers altogether. Much of their business is now in 16-ounce cans.

Were just making sure people can get their beer any way the can, Willow Rock co-owner Rockney Roberts said. The support from our customers has been amazing. Weve had a lot of our regulars coming by for our curbside pick-up and we appreciate that.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Busted! County exec calls out Radisson tailgaters violating social distancing order (pic)

Ask Syracuse.com: Will I get a check if I dont file a tax return? What if Im on disability?

Coronavirus: Onondaga County schools might stay closed until late April

16 in hospital, 4 critical in coronavirus crisis in Onondaga Co.; total cases jump to 111

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
The wounded woman was rushed to a local hospital and provided qualified medical assistance.

Russian armed groups have once again cynically attacked civilian infrastructure in a Donbas frontline settlement, Joint Forces Operation HQ reported Friday.

Today, the invaders opened fire on a residential neighborhood near the Avdiyivka industrial zone. As a result, a civilian woman, 65, sustained a gunshot wound in the leg.

The wounded woman was rushed to a local hospital and provided qualified medical assistance.

She is now in satisfactory condition with no threat to life.

Read alsoEU demands probes into reported torture of Ukrainian hostages in occupied Donbas

The team of the National Police's Main Directorate in Donetsk region is working at the scene, clarifying circumstances of the incident.

"The invaders once again neglected the rules of warfare defined by international humanitarian law and demonstrated a cynical attitude to the life and health of defenseless civilians," the JFO HQ wrote on Facebook.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian occupation forces on Friday five times violated the ceasefire in Donbas.
As coronavirus cases flourish in some state nursing homes and assisted living centers, operators of those facilities have stepped up precautions, sent workers home and isolated residents who may have been exposed.

But keeping track of everyone who has become ill or tested positive across that care sector has proven elusive. Thats because the state doesnt require nursing homes and other facilities to report every employee who is quarantined or has tested positive for coronavirus.

The state has a record of every citizen in Connecticut who tests positive, and it keeps a running tally of nursing home patients who have contracted the disease. But officials are not tracking how many workers systemwide have tested positive or are self-isolating, raising concerns about transmission and staffing levels.

What this pandemic has shown us is there are some parts of our reporting system that work and some parts that need improvement, said Max Reiss, a spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont. When it comes to a reporting requirement on positive tests for caregivers in our nursing homes, that obviously needs to be looked at to make sure people who are receiving care are receiving it from people who are healthy.

Some nursing home operators are voluntarily reporting when employees are sick. Others are not.

Officials at Evergreen Health Care Center in Stafford Springs, the nursing home with the most reported coronavirus cases, said three workers have tested positive for the disease. Another 14 employees were sent home for possible exposure, but later returned to work after experiencing no symptoms.

Two former residents of that facility have died, and another five residents have tested positive.

At Benchmark Senior Living in Ridgefield, an assisted living center near the New York border, at least four workers were sent home after they were exposed to a resident who tested positive.

More for you CT hospitals scramble for needed supplies

Two residents of Benchmark have also died, and another 16 people there contracted the virus.

Union officials, whose fellow members include thousands of nursing home workers, say theyre aware of at least two other facilities where an employee has tested positive - one in Danbury and one in Stamford - though they declined to name the nursing homes.

Given what happened in Washington, one would think they would be tracking this, said Pedro Zayas, a spokesman for the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199 SEIU, which includes about 6,000 nursing home workers.

Zayas was referring to the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., where 37 people have died and more than 80 residents have tested positive for coronavirus. Dozens of employees at the facility contracted the disease.

There are a lot of people in nursing homes and theyre all vulnerable people, Zayas said. Theyre subject to whatever staff is available. Nursing homes should be a priority in terms of the state having a system to make itself aware of situations at facilities.

Tracking worker illnesses would not only help protect employees and patients, it also could expose staffing shortages at facilities where many workers are sick.

Some nursing homes are already short on employees and are expecting conditions to worsen as the virus continues to spread.

If, say, 14 workers have to be sent home and they cant return until the recommended time frame has passed  thats a huge amount of workers that are out of the building, said Matthew Barrett, president of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities. So you have to layer that kind of crisis on top of an underlying near-crisis that was already being experienced in terms of staffing shortages at Connecticut nursing facilities.

After the CT Mirror raised questions about the lack of mandated reporting around sick nursing home employees, Reiss said the states Public Health Department is working on an order that would require health care staff at state licensed facilities to report positive coronavirus test results to their employers. Those employers must then share the information with the state.

It would put the same requirement on the reporting as if you were a patient, Reiss said. It was unclear when the new policy would take effect.

More precautions

Nursing homes and other care centers are taking more precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

At Evergreen Health Care Center, employees must have their temperatures taken at the beginning and end of each shift. Their oxygen levels are also being monitored.

Staff did a deep cleaning of that facility, as did workers at the Sharon Health Care Center, where one resident tested positive for the disease.

Patients who have symptoms or are confirmed to have the virus are being isolated. If spacing becomes an issue, two residents who test positive may be placed in the same room, said Jane Steele, head of infection prevention for Athena, the parent company of the Stafford Springs and Sharon nursing homes.

Staff at Evergreen and other facilities are being restricted to certain areas. Those who work in a designated unit must stay in their unit. Only a limited number of employees may care for residents who test positive or show symptoms.

We try not to have staff go among different units, Steele said. In addition, the staff are being screened before they come in. Theyre getting their temp monitored, they are getting asked specific questions regarding their respiratory status and also having their oxygen level obtained.

Workers at the Ridgefield assisted living center were also having their temperatures taken, and are required to wear protective gear.

Barbara Cass, head of facility licensing and investigations for the state health department, said nursing homes have been asked to eliminate all communal activities. Visitations have also been banned except under special circumstances, such as an end-of-life situation.

Dining is being done in resident rooms, recreation activities are being done in resident rooms, Cass said. The ban on visitors was very impactful to residents and family members, but that was a significant control measure we believe will be of great value as we move through this crisis.

As the coronavirus continues to spread, labor leaders and nursing home operators have called for better access to testing. Due to a shortage of tests, state officials say priority is given to certain people, including those who are hospitalized with symptoms. In many cases, nursing home workers and employees at other care facilities must get a doctors referral, even if they have been directly exposed to residents who test positive.

We have had reports of folks attempting to get testing and just not be able to get through the red tape to get the test, said Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199, the states largest health care workers union. The scarcity of equipment, including tests, is a major concern.

Access to testing is so bad that workers have to self-quarantine, he added. And testing is taking up to seven or eight days to get a result.

State leaders have not yet offered a remedy for the testing shortage, but say they are watching the nursing homes closely.

We know that nursing homes can be a petri dish, and theyre spreading a virus to the most vulnerable population, Lamont told reporters. We saw what happened in Kirkland, Washington  and were going to do the best we can, sometimes sailing against the wind, to make sure that doesnt happen in our nursing homes.
A closure sign in San Francisco's Marina district. Getty Images

In San Francisco, once feared to be a hotbed for the coronavirus, doctors are not yet seeing the dire overcrowding of hospitals that areas such as New York are experiencing. "I was on campus today, and it's actually quite mellow," said Dr. Bob Wachter, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at UC San Francisco, told CNBC on Thursday. "Because we're not doing elective procedures that can be pushed back, it's even quieter than usual." For now, UCSF clinicians are managing a steady trickle of patients entering the emergency rooms with COVID-19 symptoms, while still bracing for a possible flood. As of Friday, San Francisco has 279 confirmed cases, and the city saw its largest increase of COVID-19 diagnoses on Thursday. California now has more than 4,000 known COVID-19 cases. At UCSF's Parnassus campus, there were 11 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 as of Thursday, seven of them in intensive care, according to Wachter who has made it a point to make that information available to the public. In preparation for a potential surge, the hospital has scaled down surgeries to only those that are essential, making it less busy than in the months before the pandemic. Wachter said he personally visited the Parnassus hospital on Thursday, and noted that the hospital's intensive care unit is still filled with empty beds and the emergency room is only "moderately busy." Moreover, the UCSF clinics have dialed down the volume of patients, with more than 50% of encounters now taking place online between doctors and patients. Because the number of seriously ill COVID-19 patients has been increasing at a manageable rate, the hospital has had more time to prepare. Infectious disease experts say that the region's early steps, including ordering people to avoid crowds and shelter in place, may have slowed the trajectory of the virus. But experts say it remains critically important that residents continue to heed the advice of public health officials and stay home. Wachter said he could see the situation take a dramatic turn for the worse at any moment and his team is watching closely for any signals. In the past few days, some medical experts, like the cardiologist and researcher Dr. Eric Topol, have noticed by studying the data that California appears to be taking a turn for the worse. "Their (California's) death curve slope is heading north, whereas it was more akin to Washington until the last 48 hours," he noted.

San Francisco residents have been sheltering in place for more than a week Jarred Colli

Wachter stressed that it's vitally important that residents continue to take the pandemic threat seriously. If the lockdown doesn't continue, people with mild COVID-19 symptoms, or those with no symptoms at all, could infect others at a rapid clip. California has only tested half as many residents as has New York, administering just over 66,000 tests as of midweek. That's far from enough. Similarly, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has pleaded with residents to act responsibly in public settings and threatened to take more drastic steps if needed. "I'm far from ready to declare victory," said Wachter. "But it is not too soon to say that there is a meaningful and statistically significant difference between San Francisco and New York."

Early steps

New York City now has more than 25,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and deaths in the state have topped 500, according to a briefing Friday by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The true numbers of cases could be far higher given the lack of testing. The situation has become so overwhelming in New York that at some hospitals, patients are getting transferred to other facilities. Physicians have described the situation inside hospitals as "apocalyptic," with patients dying while waiting for a bed and doctors struggling to make do with limited numbers of ventilators. While true numbers are hard to gauge in either city, public health experts are already investigating why the number of patients sick enough to head to emergency rooms in San Francisco seems to be growing linearly, rather than exponentially. Two weeks ago, the two cities had roughly the same number of known cases. tweet One theory, according to Wachter, is that the Bay Area was early to restrict people from gathering in large numbers. San Francisco banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people on March 11 and joined five other Bay Area counties on March 16 as the first region in the U.S. to order residents to "shelter in place," that is, avoid leaving their homes except for essential business such as grocery shopping and medical visits. On March 19, the entire state of California followed suit. Another factor is that San Francisco is less dense and less populated than Manhattan, so its residents have not been in such close contact. Moreover, in the Bay Area, some of the largest employers, such as Twitter, Facebook and Google took an early lead in asking their workers to work from home before the region mandated it. "I think we're seeing some early signs that San Francisco seems to be doing something that's working," said John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "There's lots of factors for that, absolutely, but I think the interventions that were put in place early on in California compared to other parts of the country are having an impact."

'We can't celebrate anything yet'

Outside of UCSF's hospitals, doctors are reporting similar experiences. At San Francisco's California Pacific Medical Center, which is part of Sutter Health, there were 14 positive cases across the hospitals as of Thursday, according to Dr. Jeffrey Swisher, the chairman of the department of anesthesiology. Swisher said he still expects to see an uptick in the next week but he also has reason to hope that the "slope won't be as steep" as in New York. "We haven't seen the surge here yet," he said. "It doesn't look anything like New York."

Sign at the entrance to the Mission Bay campus of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) medical center in San Francisco, California. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Stanford, in Santa Clara County, has been harder hit by the virus than has San Francisco. A memo shared with staff and summarized by an insider for CNBC shows there are 33 positive or suspected COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday. But in a more concerning sign, 25 health providers were cited in the document as having the virus, but some of them were likely quarantined at home rather than at the hospital. It is unclear if these medical professionals, half a dozen of them doctors, caught the virus at work. A Stanford spokesperson declined to comment on the total number of COVID-19 cases, noting that the "situation is fluid." In other parts of the state, the situation is similarly stable but doctors are unnerved about the potential for a shift at any moment. Dr. Ceasar Djavaherian, an emergency medicine physician, described an "eerie silence in the emergency rooms" when he was at the hospital on Monday at Northbay Health System in Vacaville, California. The hospital treated one of the first known coronavirus cases in the United States, and has seen several health workers likely infected. This week, Djavaherian said he's considered relocating to New York to help after talking to doctors there but has decided to stay put in San Francisco in case the situation worsens locally. Likewise, Dr. Ethan Weiss, a UCSF cardiologist and researcher who's been helping out at the Mission Bay campus, said the doctors there aren't seeing "much yet." But Weiss did say he went to one of San Francisco's most popular parks this weekend and saw young people ignoring the guidance by sitting closely together, socializing and drinking. "When I see that, I'm reminded that we can't celebrate anything yet."
Two smaller, more rural counties in northwestern Montana, Toole and Lincoln, picked up their first case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, over the last two days.

So did Hill County, with a larger population center of Havre. Cases are identified by county, not town, because of concerns about patient privacy, so it's not possible to narrow down a patient's precise location within a county.

Gallatin County still has the most known cases in the state by more than double the next closest county, at 38.

Yellowstone County has 14, Missoula has seven, Cascade and Flathead each have five, Butte-Silver Bow and Lewis and Clark each have five, Madison and Broadwater have two, and Jefferson, Ravalli, Roosevelt, Hill, Toole, Meagher and Lincoln each have one.

The state also reported seven hospitalization from the coronavirus Wednesday.
A federal judge Friday asked lawyers to hammer out a plan for releasing about 1,000 indigent inmates detained on bonds of $10,000 or less amid fear of a COVID-19 outbreak at the third largest jail in the country. The judge indicated she would take up the fate of another 3,400 people in the Harris County Jail awaiting trial on higher bonds next week.

The instructions by Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal came in response to an emergency request Friday by the team of lawyers who challenged the countys bail policies. They argued that thousands of poor defendants trapped in the jail simply because they couldnt afford bail should be granted immediate bail hearings or be released.

The pleading laid a grave situation at the hands of a judge who has made many tough decisions in the criminal justice realm.

A public health catastrophe of historic proportion looms in the Harris County Jail. Only this Court can avert it, the motion says. With every passing hour, the risk of disaster increases. All eyes turn to this Court in this dire moment.

The bail lawsuit motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction seeks release of about half the jails population of nearly 8,000 if they cannot be afforded immediate bail hearings. This would mean thousands of people charged with nonviolent offenses would be allowed to await trial on bond outside the facility, as they would otherwise be able to do if they could post cash bond.

Other local officials, including the sheriff, state district judges and top county official have been tackling the potential public health threat from different angles over the past two weeks, seeking compassionate releases of medically vulnerable inmates, bonds for those accused of nonviolent offenses, or some cross-section of the two groups.

But early Friday lawyers from Civil Rights Corps, the Texas Civil Rights Project and pro bono counsel from Susman Godfrey, stepped in with a constitutional approach to the jail problem that could allow much more drastic cuts in the population than the compassionate release plans outlined by the sheriff and the county judge.

Rosenthal asked the lawyers for indigent defendants and attorneys for the sheriff and the county to assemble by Monday a list of thousands of people who might qualify for release based on their bond amounts, charges, criminal histories and risk factors. In addition, the judge indicated she would move swiftly on a subset of the indigent defendants who cant pay their bond. She asked for confirmation that 1,000 or so people being held on bonds of up to $10,000 were not subject to other holds or detainers.

The sheriff and county officials told the judge that they had no objection to this first group being released if they fit the judges criteria. According to a lawyer for the plaintiffs, the only agency that opposed the release of those facing $10,000 bonds was the Texas Attorney Generals Office.

Now Playing: Now more than ever people need to be aware of COVID-19 symptoms and the proper way to treat the illness. Take a look at how to differentiate coronavirus vs. allergies, and hear a few words of advice from Dr. Peter Hotez with the Baylor College of Medicine. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who oversees the jail, has taken a narrower and more measured approach, pleading for compassionate releases of medically compromised and elderly inmates charged with nonviolent offenses. He also wants safeguards that inmates have a place to go.

Gonzalezs office estimated his plan called for about 500 releases from the current population of 7,976. Some judges began working their dockets piecemeal, but the numbers at the jail dipped only slightly.

Right now our focus is navigating through this public health crisis, and I dont think its time to be in a squabble over constitutional type issues, Gonzalez said. I have to balance public safety as well.  Weve got to really understand who were releasing, and thats why in principle Ive been against mass releases of any kind.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said any releases of inmates should come with safeguards and be handled in a clear, transparent and careful manner, including an assessment of what charges each person is facing and where theyre going upon release.

I dont see the state prison releasing large numbers of felons, he said. Do you?

This is about transparency; its about showing us exactly who is being released, what are they in for, what is the need to release them, where are they being released to, and how are they going to be supervised, he said. Finally, how is the community going to be protected from being re-victimized by these people, who are facing serious charges?

He said he thought a risk assessment and not money should be the determining factor.

County Judge Lina Hidalgo was ready to issue an executive order Friday for compassionate releases, but then decided to shelve it over serious concerns state Attorney General Ken Paxton would issue an injunction, halting it. Hidalgos order, based on input from the sheriff, district attorney and pretrial services, would have been broader in its impact than what the sheriff envisioned, according to people who viewed drafts of the order.

The county judge intended to empower the sheriff to release at least 900 inmates awaiting trial on nonviolent felony and misdemeanor charges. Hidalgo separately was examining the best method to request that Immigration and Customs Enforcement release holds for another 900 inmates. The order would have given the sheriff the discretion to examine inmates histories and backgrounds and prioritize those who were medically vulnerable.

Based on information Hidalgo gathered, she believed that if Paxton issued an injunction it would have frozen everything.

In another effort to address the issue, Harris Health System leaders on Friday sent a letter asking for the release of defendants with nonviolent offenses.

The county medical systems president and CEO stressed that an outbreak in the Harris County Jail is not a matter of if, but when.

The Harris County Jail and other large correctional facilities pose a real and immediate danger to the health of the community, Esmaeil Porsa said. An even limited outbreak of COVID-19 in the Harris County Jail has the potential to overwhelm our already overburdened hospital system. If this happened  and the likelihood is high  it could leave many vulnerable people in our community without access to care.

Porsa urged the county to consider prioritizing inmates over 60 with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, asthma and chronic pulmonary disease, heart disease and HIV. Jails are known to have higher concentrations of people in the high-risk group, he said.

He added that social distancing is nearly impossible, with dorm settings holding between 20 and 60 people in a close space. And quarantine is also unfeasible when inmates are booked in and out of the jail on a daily basis.

County leaders Friday morning were holding a meeting on how to reduce the jail population. About 1,000 defendants in the jail are being held on bonds of $10,000 or less, according to a slideshow from Darrell Jordan, presiding judge over the county criminal courts at law.

The pleading in federal court comes in a 2019 lawsuit, Russell et al v. Harris County, Texas et al, which seeks to even the playing field for pretrial felony defendants  who make up the vast majority at the jail  on the grounds that it violates their right to due process and equal protection to be locked up and have their lives and livelihoods derailed simply because they cant mount an arbitrary fee.

Rosenthal presides over the Russell case, brought on behalf of all indigent people held on felony changes, and also over ODonnell et al v. Harris County et al, the class action over misdemeanor bail  which was settled last year in the form of a consent decree that allows roughly 85 percent of people to be released on general order bond. She ruled in 2017 that wealth-based detention was unconstitutional.

St. John Barned-Smith and Samantha Ketterer and contributed to this report.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  President Rodrigo Duterte has been advised by his doctor and the Presidential Security Group to undergo self-quarantine after confirmed cases of coronavirus infection among some officials.

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, former Special Assistant to the President, confirmed this in a statement on Friday as he gave updates on Duterte's 75th birthday on Saturday.

Go said it has been the President's tradition to stay home during his birthdays, and such is the case now that he is on home quarantine.

"Parehas rin lang ngayon dahil inabisuhan siya ng kanyang doktor at ng PSG na magself-quarantine na rin para sa kanyang proteksyon bilang exposed siya sa Malacanang," Go said.

[Translation: The situation is similar now because he has been advised by his doctor and the PSG to undergo self-quarantine for his protection since he was exposed to Malacanang.]

Go stressed that the President will continue to work from home, monitoring the country's situation and giving the necessary orders.

Malacanang also confirmed this in a statement, adding that the President's only wish "is for our countrymen to stay home and the total eradication of the coronavirus."

Earlier, the PSG said the entire team guarding Duterte in the Malacanang complex in Manila will undergo quarantine as precautionary measure against COVID-19.

PSG Commander Col. Jesus Durante III told CNN Philippines the quarantine order will be imposed from March 28 until April 10 on all PSG personnel and their family living in the compound. The order comes after several government officials and lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19.

One of them, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Yap attended a Malacanang meeting last Saturday and the PSG is now eyeing charges against him.

The Philippines now has 803 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of this number, 54 have died while 31 have recovered. Duterte has placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine, restricting people's movement, to contain the spread of the virus.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister



Ajit Pawar on Friday demanded that the Reserve Bank of India give clear instructions to banks and other financial institutions to stop loan recovery for three months.

The banks will not heed a mere "request", he said.

The RBI earlier on Friday allowed banks to put on hold EMI payments on all term loans for three months as part of relief measures in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Pawar, who is also the state's finance minister, said the Central bank should issue clear instructions regarding the three-month moratorium.

"Banks will not heed just requests. The RBI decisions announced today will partially help revive the economy, which is affected by the coronavirus outbreak," he said.

The national lockdown will have an impact on the economy and some intervention from the RBI was expected, he said.

The reduction in repo rate will bring the loan interest amount down, he said, adding that reducing CRR would help the banks.

But the RBI needs to give clear instructions to banks for three-month moratorium of loan recovery, Pawar added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of the pandemic coronavirus digging its deadly claws globally, the nations worldwide are following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strategy to win the war against COVID-19. The countries which used to refuse to listen to India, are now being forced to follow its culture and methods.

PM Modi had appealed to the people to cheer and support those who were fighting the virus risking their own lives by clapping at 5 pm on March 2. This method of PM Modi was discussed all over the world and now Britain too clapped in support of the coronavirus warriors across its country, following PM Modi's move.

Britain is reeling from the disaster of the coronavirus and on March 26 the people across Britain greeted them by clapping to express their gratitude to the people involved in health care facilities in this hour of crisis. Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson along with Indian-origin Finance Minister Rishi Sunak also cheered for those fighting against this war by applauding outside 10 Downing Street. In India, if the word 'Tali' is trending on social media, '#clapforourcarers' is trending in the UK.

In his address to the country, Boris Johnson said that no prime minister wants to put such pressure on his people, but the circumstances are such that they need to restrict the movement of people and take action against people who gather in more than two in numbers.

PM Modi appealed to the people to express their gratitude by tali (clapping), beating thali (plates) and playing shankh (conch) from the rooftops and balconies of their homes for those providing health care services and essential facilities including doctors and nurses. Although some people mocked and criticized his appeal, this appeal is influencing the world. In many countries, people are greeting the people fighting coronavirus by playing 'tali'.

After this, PM Modi, while addressing the public, announced a lockdown of 21 days, till April 14, across the country. He said that just as the war of Mahabharata was won in 18 days, a decisive war against the coronavirus will be won in 21 days on the same lines. Therefore, a 21-day lockdown is being announced.

So far in the UK, coronavirus has killed 578 people. In the last 24 hours, 100 people have died there, while more than 8,000 people are vulnerable. Even members of the royal family like Prince Charles have tested positive. British PM Boris Johnson has taken steps to reduce social interaction to deal with the threat of coronavirus. He has announced the closure of cafes, pubs, bars, restaurants, night clubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and eating places.
Chances, amounts of weekend snow still up in the air
Phuket Opinion: The Last Stand

PHUKET: The national emergency powers rolled out this week to help try to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus are as divisive as the last time Prime Minister Prayut had such wide-ranging powers, immediately after the 2014 coup.

opinionCoronavirusCOVID-19tourismpatong

By The Phuket News

Friday 27 March 2020, 07:08PM

People still enjoying Patong Beach. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

The state of emergency has been confirmed so far for Mar 26-Apr 30, and may be extended further. Yet no matter what measures are doled out, they will not silence critics. If the official reports are to be believed  and we presume that at least the government believes them  the measures already in place have already made Thailand one of the safest places in Asia. The governments own reports beg the question that if the existing measures have already contained the virus to just five deaths as of Friday (Mar 27), then why the need for the emergency powers?

Of course, the strong argument of a preventative policy is best is being advocated, and that too is difficult to argue against. But the only real measure that can be taken is an all-out ban on being in public without essential need  a real lockdown, not the measures taken so far that have already been given that label by enthusiastic officials and excited media.

Local officials this week finally took genuine measures to reasonably try to prevent the spread of the disease with the mass closure of venues across the island, but the big question for Phuket is whether or not they will close the beaches.

This is where all those people stuck in Phuket might relish where they happen to be trapped during this global episode  providing they dont catch the disease while having minimal or no health coverage at all. People on the beaches this week have shown that some enjoy the social distance the sand can provide, while others plainly, and dangerously, did not. At this stage it is still a choice.

Its no secret that the beaches are nigh sacrosanct when it comes to the islands tourism image. People flout the law at will where they want or simply have the tacit approval of local authorities, as long as it does not interfere with the money-making lure of our shores.

Now, while were under siege by this virus, whether Phukets beaches will remain open will send a clear message as to exactly how serious officials consider the threat.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad discussed the coronavirus pandemic over the phone on Friday, a statement from United Arab Emirates' news agency reported.

The statement added that both leaders discussed the precautionary measures taken in their countries to face this pandemic, adding that Sheikh Mohammed stressed to Assad that Syria would not be alone in these critical conditions.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


While there is no scientific evidence yet to prove the coronavirus was first transmitted from a bat to a person who might have consumed the animal, actor Emraan Hashmi made such a case in his latest tweet with mock conviction.

And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT, tweeted @emraan hashmi, venting ire on someone in the faraway Chinese city of Wuhan who might have consumed an infected bat to contract COVID-19, and then pass it on to others, thereby planting the seed of the ongoing global pandemic.

And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT ...  Emraan Hashmi (@emraanhashmi) March 26, 2020

At the last count, over half a million coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 22,000 deaths. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a 21-day national lockdown to stem the spread of the virus.

Emraan had earlier slammed people who took to the streets to play drums and celebrate at 5pm on Sunday. He wrote on Twitter, With the current outbreak hope everyone is safe and tucked away in their homes. Please travel or venture out only if you really need to. How we discipline ourselves will dictate how well we can control this pandemic. There will be enough time to dance on the streets.. Take care.

With the current outbreak hope everyone is safe and tucked away in their homes. Please travel or venture out only if you really need to. How we discipline ourselves will dictate how well we can control this pandemic. There will be enough time to dance on the streets.. Take care.  Emraan Hashmi (@emraanhashmi) March 23, 2020

Also read: Dino Morea explains his absence: The offers I got were absolutely rubbish, it was better to sit at home

Meanwhile, several Bollywood and South India actors such as Hrithik Roshan, Prabhas, Mahesh Babu, comic-TV host Kapil Sharma on Thursday pledged to donate both funds and medical supplies to help the country combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

South superstar Rajinikanth was the first celebrity to come forward by donating Rs 50 lakh to help daily wage workers. Several A-listers from the south, including Pawan Kalyan and Ram Charan have also donated money.

(With HT inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Home  Just In  Kathmandu city to track all citizens who were outside Nepal recently

Kathmandu, March 27

The local government in the countrys capital, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, has decided to track all its citizens who recently returned home from outside the country. The city governments recent decision is a part of its effort to minimimse the risk of coronavirus infection.

Nama Raj Dhakal, the chief of the citys administration department, has recently written a letter to all 32 wards of the city, directing them to begin keeping records of the details of the citizens who recently returned from any country.

Meanwhile, the city government also directed the ward offices to ensure the smooth operation of its regular essential operation such as solid waste collection during the lockdown also.

Likewise, they have been told to make all the shops selling essential foodstuffs open during this period. The shops will be told to deliver the goods at doorsteps as far as possible so that the citizens do not need to visit the shops, thereby making crowds.
The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. This weeks issue is written by Besha Rodell, a columnist with the Australia bureau.

During a week when the news has been so bleak, when weve heard about the deaths of colleagues and artists and beloved educators, when much of the worlds population is in lockdown, the closing of a pub might not strike you as a tragedy. And yet the news that my local pub was going out of business finally undid me. After weeks of gritting my teeth as my own work dried up, my husbands new business shuttered, my son came home from school indefinitely, and my best friend lay with her newborn in a hospital where no visitors were allowed (including her husband), I relented and crumpled when I heard about the pub.

My grief is about more than just a place in my neighborhood to grab a beer and a parma. Its true that this particular pub became a touchstone for me and my family when we were adjusting to our move from the United States to Melbourne, its weekly trivia nights a dependable and fun way for us to connect with our new community. Whenever visitors or new friends were around on a Wednesday, trivia night welcomed them into our fold with good beer and banter and a fire roaring in the corner. On weekends, my husband and I played pool in its slightly shabby barroom, chattering to the owner, who became a friend.

So, my sadness is for that friend who is losing his business, but it feels bigger than that, like it encompasses all of the owners and workers out there who are losing their livelihoods. It represents my intense anxiety about what our cities will look like when we come out of this crisis. In recent days Ive heard stories about inflexible landlords and collapsing business models at every conceivable venue: iconic, world renowned bars; restaurants owned by famous chefs; my beloved neighborhood pub. The hope that take-away and delivery might save even a fraction of these operations is optimistic. And for a city like Melbourne (or Sydney, or Hobart  you get the idea), the loss of our hospitality industry is almost unthinkable. As a country, we have increasingly built tourism on our strengths as a food and drink destination. Not only does food and drink support hundreds of thousands of workers, it makes our cities the livable, wonderful, delicious places that we call home.

The economic and health crisis unfolding in Australia and around the world is bound to become a cultural crisis down the line. In an email chat, Anthea Loucas Bosha, the chief executive of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, told me that the crisis will affect us for years to come and, in turn, change us forever.
Odessa police arrested a 36-year-old man Thursday in connection with an incident that occurred Wednesday night.

Jackson Lee McMillian has been charged with burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony, a first-degree felony; evading arrest with previous convictions, a state jail felony; and for a failure to appear warrant, according to a press release from Odessa Police Department.

Police responded to the 3200 block of Chestnut at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in reference to a subject with a gun. The homes residents told police McMillian forced his way in and threatened them with a gun, according to the release. No one was injured.

Police obtained arrest and search warrants and found the firearm used by McMillian, according to the release.

McMillian was found in the 3200 block of Chestnut at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, and he immediately evaded officers southbound in the east alley of Chestnut, according to the release.

He was caught and placed into custody in the 2700 block of Colonial.
Other senators have laid the blame at Pompeo, who they say has been impossible to reach during the ordeal. When the Republican senators requested a formal call with him to discuss their problems, they were instead routed to two of his deputies, according to records reviewed by The Post. New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has struggled to get Pompeo on the phone, people familiar with the matter say.
Speaking from her home in New Delhi, Taslima Nasrin travels back to the time when Amar Meyebela was another solitary thought, keeping her company in exile

It is said that the contents of a daily diary carry a disarming honesty. People with ordinary lives often chronicle their everyday tasks and thoughts by emptying them onto a paper, with no intentions of taking it to a publisher. However, how could someone with a seven-part autobiography written over 10 years not maintain a diary while growing up? Taslima Nasrin cultivated that habit only when she went into hiding in Bangladesh after receiving death threats from radical fundamentalist groups. "I was living in different people's houses to stay safe, and writing a diary helped me a lot," she says.

Years later, parts of what had been written in the diary made up Sei Sob Ondhokar (later translated into English as Those Dark Days), the fourth autobiographical account in Nasrin's seven-part series. Her entire oeuvre comprises 45 books, one of which has been freshly translated into English by Maharghya Chakraborty. First published in 1998, My Girlhood is set against the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. In revisiting her childhood, replete with war, displacement, gendered violence, and the rise of fundamentalism, Nasrin paints a desperate picture of growing up Muslim in present-day Bangladesh.

Speaking from her home in New Delhi, she travels back to the time when Amar Meyebela was another solitary thought, keeping her company in exile. Excerpts from the interview below:

What do you remember of the day you sat down to write Amar Meyebela?

I wrote it in 1997 while living in exile in Sweden. One day, I felt like writing about my childhood as I was looking back on the life I had been forced to leave behind. I was remembering where I was born because I wasn't allowed to go home. In a foreign land, away from my country, society, family, and friends...I was alone.

When did you begin to actively chronicle your life?

While writing Amar Meyebela, all the memories from my childhood came rushing back to me. That's when I first considered writing a thin autobiography, but I later realised that I would need multiple books to chronicle my whole journey. Even though I never imagined it, I've now written seven novels about my childhood, my life in hiding in Bangladesh, the years spent in exile, the death of my mother, getting thrown out of Calcutta, and so on.

What made you pick up the pen after the events of 1993, marked by unusual resistance against you amid no support from the State?

I continued to write even after leaving Bangladesh because I knew it was not just my story. It was the story of millions of women. I was painting a social picture of the times I grew up in. It was important to keep doing that because many people related to my story as their lives had also evolved in a similar way. The younger generation, which had not seen war, was able to familiarise itself with that history.

Many people write non-fiction about war and displacement, but if it's a woman telling a story, it's always different because our experiences are unique. I do not think many women writers follow that 'unique' voice. I knew I did not want to write a love story with a male protagonist and submissive women. The women in my novels may be perceived as 'bad' but they are rebels who do not strengthen misogyny.

...and how did you develop that literary quality?

When I started writing, I hadn't read feminist literature at all. No one taught me not to accept patriarchy. However, I was still able to address women's rights because I had constantly questioned everything around me  specifically the oppression I faced because of being a woman. When I was in Europe, I asked Gloria Steinem [writer, political activist, and feminist organiser] one day, 'how come I was writing about women's equality even before reading you?' She said, 'Because you were conscious about your rights, and that runs parallel to feminist writing.'

You have led a life of unprecedented conflict due to your writing. How important is it for a publishing house to stand by the writer in such times?

You know, a writer doesn't die when they are living in exile. They die when they stop getting published. When I was in exile, I was dead to the publishers too.

I was a popular writer in Bangladesh until 1994. I was regularly contributing to publications which would carry my poetry, essays, and short stories. However, in August 1994, I had to leave the country after because the fundamentalists were on the streets, demanding my execution. All of a sudden, all the newspapers which would eagerly wait to carry my writing, went incommunicado. Publishing houses were afraid to publish my books; editors were afraid to give me space in their papers. So that did contribute to my isolation.

How has the landscape of gender justice changed in the last 20 years? How do you respond to feminist debates being reinvented due to changing social times and context?

I have always been critical of misogyny. It's nothing new for me. I have been struggling to make women free from regressive practices because laws should be based on equality and not religion. You can't be a feminist if you accept religious oppression. I have been termed aggressive for opposing the burqa. However, there is no land beneath my feet. How come I am the aggressive one when it is me who has been living in exile for 25 years? Atheists are not aggressive, we just have scientific temper. It is not atheists who issue fatwas. Whenever we are critical of a religion, our books get banned, we get attacked. So how come we are extremists?
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:54:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PARIS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- France will extend the lockdown by two weeks until April 15 to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced on Friday.

"After these first 10 days of confinement, it is clear that we are just at the beginning of this epidemic wave. It has submerged eastern France and now it is arriving in the Paris region and northern France," Philippe said.

"With the agreement of the President of the Republic, I'm announcing the extension of the confinement period by two weeks, starting from next Tuesday until April 15," he added.

Under the lockdown, declared on March 17, people can only leave their homes to buy food and medicine, and all non-essential businesses have been closed.

Further strict restrictions on people's movement were decided to fight against the rampant infection cases. Open-air markets are shut down. People would be allowed to go out for a walk with their children or to exercise once a day for no more than one hour, and within one kilometer of their home. Sanctions against those who break the rules are tougher.

"The same rules as those currently in force will continue to apply. This confinement period may be extended if the sanitary situation requires it," Philippe said after a cabinet meeting.

The death toll from the outbreak of coronavirus in France has jumped by 365 to 1,696 as of Thursday, the highest daily tally since the epidemic emerged on Jan. 24.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose by 3,922 within one day to 29,155, while 13,904 patients were hospitalized.
While six confirmed cases of Covid 19 have been reported in Jabalpur, two each have been reported in Bhopal and Shivpuri

A BMC workers sprays disinfectant in the premises of a residential area to contain the spread of coronavirus during lockdown in Bhopal. PTI image

Bhopal: A 65-year-old woman in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh succumbed to corona virus infection late on Wednesday night.

This was the first death caused by Covid19 in MP.

Another suspected corona virus victim, a 47-year-old man, died in Ujjain early on Thursday morning.

He was admitted in the local government hospital in Indore on Wednesday night and died a few hours later, an Indore district health department officer said.

However test reports of his sample was still awaited.

Meanwhile, five new positive cases of Covid 19 were reported in Indore in the last 12 hours, taking the tally of confirmed cases in MP to 21.

With this, the number of people who tested positive in Indore alone has gone up to 10.

While six confirmed cases of Covid 19 have been reported in Jabalpur, two each have been reported in Bhopal and Shivpuri. Gwalior has reported one confirmed case of Covid 19.

Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday issued an appeal to all the journalists of Bhopal who attended the March 20 presser of former chief minister Kamal Nath to quarantine themselves in their respective homes after a scribe who attended the news conference tested positive for the virus.

Panic has set in among the journalists here when one of the members of their fraternity tested positive for Covid19.

The scribes daughter, who returned from London where she studies law, has earlier tested positive.

Curfew has been imposed in seven districts in MP were corona virus cases were reported. They included Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Ujjain and Chhatarpur.

Corona virus has cast its shadow over famed Khajuraho shrine in Chhatarpur district with tourists deserting the tourist hotspot this season due to corona virus outbreak.

This was the first time in the history of tourism in Khajuraho, the tourist site has been deserted by the visitors for fear of the virus.

A man hailing from Gwalior who tested positive for Covid19 had visited Khajuraho recently.

In Chhattisgarh, two more people tested positive taking the tally of confirmed cases in the state to three.

While a man in Raipur tested positive for the virus, another man hailing from Rajnandgaon tested positive for Covid19.

Earlier, a woman in Raipur has tested positive for the virus.

Budget session of Chhattisgarh assembly which began last fortnight was on Thursday adjourned sine die due to corona virus outbreak.
Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required!

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.
Private school pupils have been told to block a disgraced former principal on social media amid claims he has been in touch with at least two girls since he was sacked last month.

Parents at Ruthin School in Wales were sent a letter yesterday warning them the ex-head of the top school, Toby Belfield, had allegedly contacted youngsters to ask about their exams.

It comes after Mr Belfield was sacked for sending inappropriate messages to girls as young as 15.

In the messages, he boasted about his seniority and said 'flirting is fine,' sent love hearts and commented on the size of TV star Rachel Riley's breasts.

Parents at Ruthin School in Wales were sent a letter yesterday warning them the ex-head of the top school, Toby Belfield (pictured), had allegedly contacted youngsters

He also discussed one pupil's virginity, suggested another could be a lesbian and called for controls on pregnancy - saying women who cannot properly look after a baby should be deported, sterilised or even shot.

He bragged about being 'Britain's strictest headteacher' after making headlines over the years and commented on how 'in more than 99 per cent of schools the Principal would be sacked for sending chat messages to a pupil'.

The letter that went out to parents yesterday from Tracey Kerrigan, chair of the council of management, read: 'You are all of course aware of the concerning circumstances of Mr Belfield's departure from Ruthin School.

'In light of those, he has previously been requested not to contact any existing students or former students under the age of 25.

It comes after Mr Belfield was sacked from the 35,000-a-year school (pictured) for sending inappropriate messages to girls as young as 15

'Unfortunately, Mr Belfield has ignored that request by purposefully sending two social media messages that we are aware of, intended for students and regarding this year's exams - via WeChat Moments.

'The safety and wellbeing of our students is our key priority and we would like to ask for your continuing support with this.

'Please inform Ruthin's designated safeguarding person... if your child sees or receives any communication from Mr Belfield - whether in person or online.

It comes after one former student, Cat (pictured), revealed she was just 15 when Mr Belfield started messaging her

'This includes direct messages or general messages such as those on Insta stories or WeChat Moments.'

The letter went on to ask parents to tell their children to 'unfriend' and block their former headteacher from 'all social media platforms through which he may currently be able to communicate with them'.

It added: 'The school has also requested Mr Belfield to unfriend all existing Ruthin students and all former Ruthin students under the age of 25 from his social media accounts.'

A letter sent by the school asked parents to tell their children to 'unfriend' and block their former headteacher (pictured) from 'all social media platforms through which he may currently be able to communicate with them'

Earlier this week, the school announced a new interim head and a new bursar - Paul Wallace-Woodroffe and Nicholas Grenfell-Marten - who will step in in Mr Belfield's place.

Previously, he had been carrying out both roles at the 35,000-a-year school.

It comes after one former student, Cat, revealed she was just 15 when Mr Belfield started messaging her.

She'd heard other female pupils at the school in Denbighshire, North Wales, talking about chatty texts they'd received from the principal, Toby Belfield, calling them 'cute', 'naughty' and 'gorgeous'.

At first it seemed Belfield cared about her wellbeing. 'I'm thinking about you. I just wanted you to know,' he wrote in one.

When Cat was struggling to cope with problems at home, he offered her a free boarding place at the co-ed school, telling her: 'I'm your "father" now.'

As she turned 16, the tone of the messages changed, shifting towards subjects such as sex and boyfriends and babies.

The married teacher told the teenager she was 'naughty' and 'cute' and looked like a 'model' in her school blazer. At one point he joked she was 'breaking my heart'.

Before Mr Belfield was sacked Cat told the Mail: 'It is shocking he has not been sacked for what he has done. He has ruined my life.

Cat says that when she finally told a teacher about his messages, she was told: 'It's just Mr Belfield being Mr Belfield.' Another told her to block him on social media

'He should be sacked. He knew I was vulnerable. At the time, school was the be-all-and-end-all for me. I was having problems at home and he offered me a free boarding place.

'When he started messaging me, I thought it was weird but I thought I had to reply because he was my headteacher. I was scared he would kick me out if I blocked him.

'School, my friends and teachers were my family at that time, I was scared he could take it all away.'

Despite an investigation by social services  as well as two separate school inspections last November which concluded that pupils are 'at risk of harm'  a loophole in the law meant only governors at the independent school were able to dismiss members of staff.

Ruthin's governors, known as the 'Council of Management' (COM) and whose members include a retired doctor and a circuit judge, say they were co-operating with 'ongoing external investigations' and that 'the principal has not been carrying out his role while these investigations are ongoing'.

Welsh education minister Kirsty Williams announced that, while she had 'no powers to direct an independent school to dismiss a member of staff', she would shut down the school, which has 360 boys and girls aged 11 to 18, if appropriate action is not taken by the COM.

He was finally sacked on January 31 - four months after North Wales Live revealed the extent of the text messages.
As an expansive dome of high pressure continues to remain parked over the Gulf of Mexico and the southern United States, record-challenging heat will continue for many areas that have already smashed records this week.

Going into the weekend, the stretch of summerlike heat allowed, New Orleans to set daily high temperature records six days in a row. Cooler air will begin to filter into the area on Sunday, but temperatures may still challenge the record high temperature of 83.

Zapata, Texas, also observed temperatures well above the century mark during the day on Thursday, tying the all-time highest temperature ever recorded in the U.S. during the month of March at 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The last time this was reached was in Rio Grande City, Texas, on March 31, 1954.

All of this heat and humidity in place across the South also acted as one of the driving factors behind severe thunderstorms that erupted across the center of the country on Saturday.

With many area beaches, especially across the state of Florida, being closed due to COVID-19 concerns, typical activities people resort to when trying to beat the heat will not be available during this stretch of summerlike weather.

With other area businesses closing down due to similar concerns, AccuWeather forecasters are worried this record-challenging heat could be even more dangerous.

"My concern is certain businesses may have helped people to get out of the heat, and now, some people may not be as fortunate to have a place to cool off during the hottest part of the day," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said.

"The heat index could conceivably get to 105 degrees in parts of Florida. And of course when it gets to 105 your body starts stressing out trying to keep your body temperature down," Kottlowski added.

For those across the South that may not have air conditioning units or other means to cool down, the heat could become a health concern.

The heat and humidity can also put an additional strain on medical staff working in COVID-19 triage tents which are popping up at an increased pace across the South.

Story continues

People keeping their social distance by spending time outdoors will want to make sure they stay properly hydrated and protected from the sun by wearing hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you must work outside, taking frequent breaks in the shade and drinking plenty of water or electrolyte beverages will greatly lower the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Remember to never leave children or pets in a sealed vehicle for any length of time. The temperature inside the vehicle can rise to lethal levels in a matter of minutes, even during the early spring months.

The record-challenging heat will begin to erode in a west-to-east fashion on Sunday as a powerful storm system sweeps across the country, but not before another day of widespread record-challenging heat across the Southeast.

By Sunday, temperatures closer to seasonable averages in the 70s F will replace afternoon high temperatures in the 80s and 90s in most of the South Central states and locales across the lower Mississippi Valley.

Meanwhile, the heat will continue across the Southeast on Sunday. Temps in Orlando are expected to approach record levels once again, with highs in the lower to middle 90s expected. Temperatures in the middle 80s could even extend as far north as Virginia Beach to round out the weekend.

Into early week, the heat will begin to diminish across the South, as a storm is expected to bring rounds of rain and thunderstorms to most places that will experience record-challenging heat in the coming days.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Social media and marketing conference planned for Belfast

The Northern Ireland Social Media & Marketing Show 2020 is returning to Belfast towards the end of April.

Social media and marketing have now become integrated and when taken together, constitute a powerful tool that can effectively accelerate the development of a business. Therefore, it has become increasingly important to create a coherent strategy that takes this medium into consideration and incorporates it into a viable and comprehensive approach when it comes to marketing.

This flagship show is presented by Hashtag Events and attracts specialist companies from across the province and further afield. It is an opportunity for delegates to meet, listen and learn from some of the most innovative commercial minds. Such an exchange of ideas, tips, hints and advice can be a useful way of discovering solutions to many business issues.

The event consists of the main exhibition show and a series of seminars and workshops that will be running all day on topics of current interest. It also acts as a valuable open forum for networking and developing further business relationships.

There is no charge for attendance and a free ticket gains admission and access to all areas. Printing services should not be neglected when engaged in the process of developing a business.

The Northern Ireland Social Media & Marketing Show will take place between 10am and 3pm on Wednesday 29th April at the Clayton Hotel in Belfast.
Families of Afghan Sikhs killed in a terror attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul said that they are tired" of living in Afghanistan, urging the government to investigate the attacks on the minority community. A heavily armed Islamic State suicide bomber stormed a prominent Gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, killing 25 Sikhs and injuring eight others. On Thursday, another blast took place near a Sikh crematorium here, injuring a child and disrupting funeral services for the 25 members of the minority community killed in the Gurudwara attack.

Afghan Sikhs demand probe into IS attack

The Sikh families cremated the remains of the victims on Thursday and urged the government to investigate the attacks. Some Sikh citizens said they are tired of living in Afghanistan, the TOLO News reported. We want investigations, our 25 people have been killed, said Dip Singh, a relative of one victim who was killed. In which book do you come to attack a mosque and attack a Dharamshala. In what religion does that happen? Andar Singh, a family member of a slain victim, was quoted as saying.

Wednesday's attack was one of the deadliest targeting the Sikh community in the strife-torn country. Eighty people, including women and children, were rescued from the Gurdwara. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying the attack on the religious sites shows the extreme weakness of the enemy, religious sites should not be vulnerable to attacks and violence. Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan. In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.
Last week, Trey Azars craft distillery was bottling several varieties of vodka and gin. Today, his San Antonio-based Seersucker Distillery sounds more like a medical facility than the life of the party as employees try to make sense of hydrogen peroxide, glycerol, isopropyl alcohol (also called IPA) and other chemicals.

Seersucker is one of many San Antonio-area distilleries that are suspending some or all of their normal booze production to focus on making alcohol-based hand sanitizer as demand skyrockets nationwide amid the coronavirus outbreak.

I didnt know anything about hand sanitizer 96 hours ago, Azar said Thursday. The first time I heard IPA (also a common abreviation for India Pale Ale), I asked why are they talking about beer?

Hand sanitizers are often made with isopropyl alcohol, which is not drinkable. In early March, federal regulations were temporarily changed to allow small distillers such as Azar to make hand sanitizer with ethanol, the consumable alcohol in vodka, whiskey and other distilled spirits, during the ongoing public health emergency.

Ethanol-based hand sanitizers produced by area distilleries all have an alcohol content at or above the 60 percent level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to fight coronavirus.

Now that Azar has the hand sanitizer recipe down, on Monday his facility will turn to full-time production of the stuff until the need abates. Seersucker will be producing industrial-size vats of hand sanitizer for the wholesale market that will largely supply the healthcare industry, first responders and other critical workers fighting the coronavirus spread.

On ExpressNews.com: Restaurants turn into grocery stores as businesses adapt to coronavirus

I could spend the rest of the year making hand sanitizer based the number of orders Im getting right now, Azar said.

Several other San Antonio distillers are following that same path. Some are producing sanitizers for sale to the general public. Others are donating those products to first responders and the medical community.

The Express-News checked in with other area distillers Thursday to see how their businesses have reacted to the coronavirus crisis. Heres what we found.

Artisan on Alamo Distillery: This small downtown distillery, which normally produces vodka, is making hand sanitizer available to the public at $10 for a 750-milliliter bottle. The product is a liquid, not a gel, and distillery owner Nick Spink suggests using it in an atomizer or pump bottle. Availability and hours for purchase will be announced at Facebook: Artisan Distillery and Drinks. 315 Eighth St., 210-896-5070, artisanonalamo.com

Dorcol Distilling + Brewing Company: Dorcol, which makes an apricot-based brandy called rakia sold under the brand Kinsman, is using part of its alcohol normally disposed of in the distilling process to make a sprayable hand sanitizer. The product is currently being tested for efficacy, and Dorcol owners intend to donate it for use in grocery stores or other institutions with high need for sanitizer right now. 1902 S. Flores St., 210-229-0607, dorcolspirits.com

On ExpressNews.com: Area restaurants offering curbside pickup and delivery menus

Maverick Whiskey: Maverick has suspended production of its normal line of spirits to focus on hand sanitizer. The distillery aims to produce up to 50 gallons per day and will donate that supply to the city of San Antonio for useby first responders, in hospitals and other critical operations. 115 Broadway St., 210-447-7010, maverickwhiskey.com

Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling: This Northeast Side distillery and brewery is making hand sanitizer in bulk quantities and donating it to first responders, healthcare facilities and other agencies on the front lines of the coronavirus battle. The distillery is also giving free small spray bottles of hand sanitizer to individuals from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday as supply allows. Availability will be announced at Facebook: @rangercreek. 4834 Whirlwind Drive, Suite 102, 210-339-2282, drinkrangercreek.com

Rebecca Creek Distillery: Rebecca Creek has temporarily suspended production of its usual vodka and whiskey. Owners estimate an initial production run of 16,000 liters of hand sanitizer for distribution to health care providers and first responders. 26605 Bulverde Road, 830-714-4581, rebeccacreekdistillery.com

Seersucker Distillery: Seersucker is focusing on producing mass quantities of hand sanitizer for sale on the wholesale market. 8501 Cover Road, 210-817-1580, seersuckergin.com

Titos Handmade Vodka: Founder and San Antonio native Tito Beveridge has produced 24 tons of hand sanitizer at his Austin-based distillery for distribution to first responders, medical professionals and care facilities. Applications for the bulk-packaged sanitizer can be filled out at tfaforms.com/4812077.

Paul Stephen is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
There's a lot of bad news out there. Here are some headlines, surprising videos, and inspiring stories to brighten your day.





Mayor London Breeds does her hair on Instagram.



In one of the most interesting moments we've seen all week, Mayor London Breed shared a video of Instagram in which she shares her tools and products of choice for doing her own hair at home. Watch it above.





On the bright side: Mill Valley howls in unison, on a nightly basis, San Francisco Chronicle



While Italians and also folks in Sonoma prefer to sing from their windows during shelter in place, Mill Valley folks are barking up a different tree. Come 8pm, the dogs come out and group howling begins. Watch the video.





G-EAZY: FREE MEALS ON ME, FOR A MONTH ... I Got You, Bay Area Kids!!!, TMZ

Through his Endless Summer Fund and in partnership with Larkin Street Youth Services, East Bay rapper G-Eazy will give out free meals to at-risk youths via the Mi Morena food truck for the next month. Read more.





The National Emergency Library is a gift to readers everywhere, The New Yorker

The San Franciscobased Internet Archive is making available nearly 1.5 million books, available for free online borrowing during the COVID-19 crisis. Read more.





This Bay Area R&B singer shot a 'quarantine style' music video in her house, SFGate



Kehlani dropped her new single, "Toxic," earlier this month, and since a typical studio shoot was out of the question during these crazy times, she took matters into her own hands, producing a music video "CREATED DIRECTED EDITED BY ME IN MY ROOM IN AN HOUR THANK U RED WINE." Watch the video below. Read more.
It is worrying, but not surprising that there are clusters of Covid-19 infection in nursing homes, says infectious disease expert, Sam McConkey.

Chief medical officer at the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, confirmed on Thursday that six coronavirus clusters have been found in nursing homes.

Prof McConkey believes more can be done in nursing homes to prevent transmission, such as regularly cleaning shared surfaces.

He also suggests that staff complete a checklist before going on duty to establish whether they have early symptoms of the virus.

But reports of clusters of the disease is not surprising, said Prof McConkey, during an interview on RTE radio.

We know this is an illness that can be really infectious and can have four or five days of incubation before it becomes obvious.

So, unfortunately, I am not particularly surprised about that. But we have to try and deal with it robustly, he said.

Chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, Tadgh Daly, said the clusters are a worrying development.

Mr Daly said the challenge for almost 550 nursing homes across the country is to slow down the spread of the coronavirus and contain the current outbreaks.

Asked about how many nursing home residents tested positive for Covid-19, Mr Daly said he would not be commenting on the figures.

He said the provision of personal protection equipment (PPE) is more urgent in the nursing home sector because of the vulnerability of residents.

He has been assured by the HSE that more PPE equipment is on its way to Ireland but they also need to assure their members that they are being prioritised.

Mr Daly said they will be meeting Health Minister, Simon Harris, on Monday and, as well as PPE, staffing is also an issue they want to raise with him.

Over the last few weeks, the HSE has been recruiting from nursing homes and the NHI has asked the health authority to stop because it is counterproductive.

Mr Daly said the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment has made it more difficult for nursing homes to recruit people, describing it as an unintended consequence.

And, because of the travel ban, it is harder to recruit nurses from overseas.

He said NHI also wants millions of euro in extra funding so nursing homes can continue to provide a service at this critical time.

"If we cant sustain the nursing home sector what will happen is all those residents will fall back on on the public health system which is overstretched? That cannot be countenanced."

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Algeria, coffee is the product that can be promoted exports to this market in the future as coffee is the most favorite drink of Algerian people. Every year, this country spends US$300 million on importing around 130,000 tons of coffee beans of all kinds.



In the past years, coffee has always been the top export product of Vietnam to Algeria with market share accounting for more than 50 percent. Last year, Vietnam exported around 70,000 tons of coffee to Algeria.



Rice is also considered a potential commodity for export to this market in the coming time when the Covid-19 pandemic is stopped because Algeria does not produce rice, this product is 100 percent imported with a volume of about 100,000 tons of rice annually.



The import tariffs on rice are also fairly low compared to other countries with customs duty at 5 percent and value-added tax at 7 percent. Last year, Vietnam exported nearly 17,000 tons of rice to Algeria, accounting for around 16 percent. According to the assessment, this market is still promising for Vietnamese rice as Algerian people have been familiar with using Vietnamese rice. Besides, the number of Asian workers in Algeria is higher and higher, especially Chinese workers, contributing to increasing the demand for rice in the Algerian market.

By Ha Van  Translated by Thuy Doan
Quarantine officials spray disinfectant on a car in front of a hospital in Daegu, Friday, as a new cluster of COVID-19 infections emerged there. Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye



The central government and municipal administrations have pledged a zero-tolerance policy for those who do not comply with 14-day quarantine rules imposed in as part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, warning that violators would face criminal charges and possible compensation suits, officials said Friday.



Any foreigners who leave their self-isolation venues without permission will face deportation, officials added.



The government has made it mandatory for all Korean nationals and foreigners from Europe and the United States to self-isolate in their homes or quarantine facilities if they intend to stay more than 90 days here, even if they show no symptoms.



The measure comes amid a continuous increase in the number of foreign-origin coronavirus cases amid the global pandemic.



The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) detected 91 additional cases, Thursday, bringing the total number to 9,332. Of the 91 new cases, 13 tested positive at airports.



The KCDC said 309 patients including 31 foreigners out of the total 9,332 were infected abroad.



The government and municipalities issued the strong warning as some arrivals from Europe and the United States have appeared to violate the self-isolation guidelines, sparking concerns about the further spread of COVID-19 in local communities.



"Monitoring those subject to mandatory two-week self-quarantine has become more important as the number of patients who were infected abroad keeps increasing," said Na Baek-joo who is a health official at the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), during a briefing.



"The SMG will apply zero tolerance to violators of the self-quarantine guidelines by, for example, filing compensation suits against them."



The Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Government said it has decided to file a compensation suit against a mother and daughter who traveled to Jeju Island despite showing symptoms associated with the coronavirus.



The two tested positive right after returning to Seoul.



The daughter, a student of a university in the United States, came back to Korea, March 15, and traveled to the resort island with her mother for five days from March 20.



The daughter suffered muscle pain and a sore throat on the first day of the trip, and even visited a local hospital on March 23.



The Jeju provincial government said there seemed to be "intentionality" in the two's behavior as they pushed ahead with their trip despite the daughter showing virus symptoms, noting that the amount of compensation for resulting damages is estimated at 100 million won ($83,000).



The plaintiff would include the provincial government, which spent its budget for disinfection activities, and owners of shops visited by the two and forced to be shut down as well as local residents who were ordered to self-isolate after coming in contact with the two.



"Some selfish visitors and their guardians will have to be held legally accountable," Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said.



Meanwhile, the KCDC said the government will instruct all air carriers to check the temperature of passengers before they board flights heading to Korea, beginning from Monday.



Under the measures, airlines are required to deny the boarding of passengers whose temperature is above 37.5 degree Celsius and issue a refund of the airfare.


President Donald Trump declared Florida a disaster area Wednesday because of the new coronavirus outbreak, while another of the states largest metropolitan areas moved toward a near-shutdown.

The president acted a day after Gov. Ron DeSantis requested the declaration, becoming the sixth state to receive one because of the virus. The move makes the state eligible for federal funding for emergency protective measures and crisis counseling.

The declaration came shortly after the two major counties in the Tampa Bay area, Hillsborough and Pinellas, moved to impose lockdown orders. Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to impose a statewide lockdown like California, New York, Illinois and other states have done, saying the mostly smaller counties that have no or few confirmed cases should not have the same restrictions that the metropolitan areas are imposing.

State Democrats have called on the Republican governor to impose a statewide lockdown, but he said again that he doesnt believe that all areas in such a large state need the same approach.

There are parts of the state where you have more sporadic cases and to order someone to not earn a paycheck when them going to work is not having any effect on what we are doing with the virus, that is something that I think is inappropriate, DeSantis said.

As DeSantis left a meeting with reporters in his office Wednesday, the governor noted that his pregnant wife and their two children felt ill in January, so he is now wondering if they had COVID-19. He said only when a test is available to see who had the disease with no or few symptoms will the nation know exactly how contagious and deadly it is.

DeSantis has ordered some statewide measures such as closing bars and gyms, and limited restaurants to takeout and delivery. State parks have been closed. Anyone arriving from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut or anyone who returned from there within the last three weeks must self-quarantine under threat of 60 days in jail, DeSantis has said. The state issued recommendations Wednesday that people 65 and older or with health issues confine themselves to their home. The state is approaching 1,700 confirmed cases and at least 21 have died.

In Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, commissioners on Wednesday ordered their nearly 1 million residents to stay at home except for essential activity like trips for groceries and medical needs. The directive takes effect at noon Thursday. It allows non-essential businesses to remain open as long as they follow Centers for Disease Control social distancing guidance of 6-foot (2-meter) separation. Parks and boat ramps will remain open. Residents are permitted to exercise outdoors if they keep the proper distance apart and gather in groups of 10 or less.

The county has had 50 confirmed cases and one death, according to the state.

Officials in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, will meet by telephone Thursday to hammer out the final language on an order that would restrict residents to their homes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends, with exceptions to get food, groceries, medicine and other essentials. Businesses deemed essential could stay open, provided that a 6-foot (2-meter) distance was maintained during any interaction with customers. Residents would also be allowed to do recreational activities outside. The county has had 106 cases and no deaths.

Counties and cities throughout the state, especially in the major metropolitan areas of south and central Florida, have imposed restrictions on their residents and businesses. The highway into the Florida Keys has been closed to non-residents. Stay-at-home orders for Orange and Osceola counties in the Orlando area go into effect Thursday night. Smaller, more rural counties have generally stuck with the restrictions DeSantis imposed statewide.

The state did get some good news Wednesday when the Florida Senate released a report showing sales tax revenues before the coronavirus hit were higher than expected. Collections were nearly $49 million above estimates, and the state had seen an overall $141 million gain in revenue through February compared to the same period last year.

The Legislature last week sent DeSantis a $93 billion state budget that many lawmakers believe will have to be adjusted as tax revenues will plummet with the closure of the states theme parks, beaches and other attractions. The state does have $4 billion in reserves.

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 vast majority of people recover.

__

Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale. Associated Press writers Mike Schneider in Orlando and Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Florida
For weeks, government officials and physicians have warned the public to be aware of a dry cough and a temperature above 100 degrees as key symptoms for the coronavirus.

But hospitals around the country are beginning to see a new symptom appear: stomach pain. Michael Hirsh, Worcesters director of public health, said the citys hospitals are now seeing patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are displaying only abdominal pain.

What weve been seeing is patients coming in not so much with complaints about respiratory stuff but with abdominal stuff, Hirsh said.

The pain in the stomach is a result of a patient developing pneumonia in the lower lobes of the lungs, Hirsh said. If the lobes are inflamed frequently, the irritation in the diaphragm causes pain in the abdomen.

The more we see the disease, were going to see manifestations of the disease that dont fit that classic picture of dry hacking cough and fever, Hirsh said. Were going to see other manifestations of it.

Hirsh said many of the patients with abdominal pain havent had any respiratory symptoms. While theres not enough data available yet, Hirsh said at this time younger patients reported the stomach pain, while older patients showed respiratory symptoms.

Of the 2,417 coronavirus cases in Massachusetts, 437 are people between the ages of 50 and 59  the highest age group affected by the outbreak. The second highest age group is 30 to 39, with 433 confirmed cases, and the third highest age group is 20 to 29, with 425 confirmed cases, according to the Department of Public Health.

The United States now has the highest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world. Doctors continue to study the virus as it spreads by the thousands each day.

One symptom doctors discovered as an early symptom of the virus is a loss of smell.

Like stomach pain, loss of smell is a new symptom and the medical community continues to wait on more data.

Symptoms that youd see, nausea, diarrhea and fever, at this point I would warn the public, they shouldnt write off those symptoms just the routine springtime gastroenteritis or flu, Hirsh said.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:
An IAS officer in Kerala has



'skipped' home quarantine after his return from Singapore nearly ten days ago and seems to have left for Bengaluru to be with his brother, prompting the state government to seek an explanation from him, a top district official said on Friday.

Kollam Sub-Collector Anupam Mishra had returned to the state on March 19 from Singapore and was advised to remain under home quarantine, as per the protocol for overseas returnees in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak, District Collector B Abdul Nasser said.

The bureaucrat from Uttar Pradesh was on leave after his marriage and had taken permission to travel to Malaysia and Singapore.

"On his return I advised him to remain under home quarantine. Seems like he left to be with his family at Bengaluru," Nasser told PTI.

He said the state government has sought an explanation in this regard.

"We have asked him to provide his current address and travel details to Bengaluru. On his return to Kerala from the foreign trip, he had undergone, medical examination and did not show symptoms. His close family and personal staff, including gunman, are under observation," the collector said.

He, however, did not share any detail about other family members of the officer and whether they too had been put under home quarantine.

Local media reports said people in Mishra's neighbourhood informed officials after noticing no movement in his home for quite some time.

Incidentally, Kollam, is the only district in the state, which has not reported any positive case of COVID-19 so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Just weeks ago, Fridays were a day of the week where Pennsylvanians would shake off the stresses of their daily lives and settle down with a glass of their favorite spirit.

But since March 17, the access to those spirits has been cut off. Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the shuttering of the state-controlled wine and spirit stores to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus much to many peoples dismay.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is not considering reopening its Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores at this time, said Elizabeth Brassell, the agencys spokeswoman. But consumers could get a chance to buy liquor in the future.

We continue to monitor the situation in consultation with the Wolf Administration and public health officials, she said. "We are evaluating the resumption of limited online sales.

Brassell said more information will become available about opening up sales again in some form or fashion as plans are finalized to support our employees, licensees, suppliers and customers to the best of our abilities in these uncertain times.

After announcing on March 14 that wine and liquor stores in four suburban Philadelphia counties would be closing on March 16 until further notice, the governor revisited that decision on March 16 and ordered the closure of all of the PLCB stores until further notice as of 9 p.m. March 17.

That sparked a rush on the liquor stores with people jamming into stores to stock up on bottles of their alcoholic beverage of choice to ride out the COVID-19 outbreak.

How much of a rush? According to the PLCB, sales skyrocketed.

The day the governor announced the planned statewide closing of the stores, sales from all customers (licensees and individual consumers) through all channels (stores, e-commerce, licensee delivery) totaled more than $29.8 million, compared to $8.5 million on the same day the year before, Brassell said.

By March 17, many of the stores shelves were depleted of stock from the throngs of customers who ignored social distancing guidelines to stand in lines that wove themselves down aisles and around the perimeter inside the stores. Still, total sales that day ran 513% higher than the March 17 year before: $20.3 million compared to $3.3 million the prior year.

The PLCB said the decision to close its stores was not one made lightly. A statement on the agencys website said, It is critical that we all do our part to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. In these uncertain and unprecedented times, the public health crisis must take priority over the sale of wine and spirits, as the health and safety of our employees and communities is paramount.

Consumers can buy wine and beer in grocery stores and beer distributors are permitted to be open. Craft breweries and distilleries serving food can also operate for takeout and delivery.

But the state-owned stores are the only option for those who want to buy liquor.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:20:45|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

RIYADH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen announced on Friday the interception of drones launched by Houthi militia, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The drones targeting civilian objects in Saudi cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait were destroyed, Turki al-Malki, spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition said in a statement.

The incident took place after a break of such attacks that usually target Saudi border cities near Yemen. Most of the drones and missiles launched by Houthis were intercepted before reaching their goals.

On March 25, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it welcomed the decision of the Yemeni government for accepting the call of the United Nations secretary-general for a ceasefire in Yemen and combatting the fallouts of coronavirus outbreak.
Bold programmes are needed to mitigate the economic crisis

The Covid-19 crisis is first and foremost a health and humanitarian crisis is likely to have lasting impacts on how we live.

It is also likely to have a lasting impact, in the long term, on how we conduct our economic lives. In the short term, we need to urgently consider how we manage the economic impacts in a way that does the least long-term harm.

The economic fallout from Covid-19 is unique for at least five reasons. First, unless you have lived through the Great Depression in the 1930s, the extent of the economic decline takes us into uncharted territory.

Second, and more complex, is the fact that we are unable to deal with the crisis employing the normal set of tools we traditionally use in an economic crisis. When an economic crisis occurs, and the level of aggregate demand in the economy falls, we find ways  typically through increasing government expenditure or loosening monetary policy  to boost the level of aggregate demand. In other words, policymakers act to counteract the factors leading to a fall in demand. The uniqueness of the current situation is that we are, from a health perspective, actively trying to suppress the level of aggregate demand.

In order to manage the spread of Covid-19, governments are being forced to ask the population to stay at home, closing schools and universities, and restricting spending in restaurants and bars. In other words, our policy response is further reducing the level of demand. Furthermore, our health policy actions are also impacting on the supply side of the economy. Asking workers to stay at home impacts negatively on firms ability to supply goods to the market.

As the level and rate of infections increases, we can expect that not only will we have to deal with increasing costs of healthcare service provision, but the economic dimensions of the crisis will deepen. Both the demand and supply side of the economy will have to be further constrained to manage the infections. In short, this is no time for traditional economic policy tools  we need a bold and different response.

Third, in designing a response to the economic challenges, it is worth noting that the economic fallout has very little to do with purely economic factors. However, unless we act to address the economic fallout, vast swathes of our economic system will be significantly undermined, if not destroyed.

Moreover, we cannot succeed in our health policy objectives to reduce infection rates and flatten the curve, if we ignore the realities of our economic life. How does one ask an informal worker not to operate her food stall at a busy intersection without providing relief to ensure that she can feed her family?

Fourth, we dont know how long the crisis will last and what its final impact will be, but this crisis is a temporary phenomenon, which will end. From an economic perspective, it would be prudent for policies to assist to ride out the storm rather than pick up the pieces at the end. We should be implementing emergency measures to ensure that economic agents  firms, workers and households  are able to maintain as much of their economic infrastructure as possible.

Policies should be aiming to ensure that, as far as is possible, firms do not close down, workers do not lose their jobs and households are able to maintain their current economic standards. The economic costs of retaining firm capacity, jobs and economic life are likely to be much lower than the costs of re-establishing these after the crisis has run its course. Moreover, we cannot ignore the risks to peoples health and economic wellbeing.

In South Africa, the economic problems that we have faced for the last few years have already significantly undermined our productive capacity and that of households across the board, but especially so the lowest-income households, who have fewer resources than in previous years. The economic impacts of the Covid-19 infections will have to be absorbed by an already stressed economy.

Fifth, the pace at which the infections are spreading and will continue to spread, notwithstanding the social distancing measures, is exponential. The economic impacts are also being felt at a pace that we have not experienced before. Thus, governments need to act urgently. The Cabinet has acted decisively on the strategy to flatten the curve. We now need urgent action on the economic front.

The following is a set of programmes that could feasibly be implemented on an urgent basis:

The most urgent need is to adequately resource the health system, both public and private, to manage the immediate response to a rise in the level of infections. At least two areas of the health system will be severely challenged  our abilities to test and our abilities to manage the emergency response in hospitals. While healthcare professionals can design the response, they will require substantial additional resources. Based on the experiences of other countries who are further along the path than we are, the health department should be able to estimate, under different scenarios, the economic resources that will be required in the coming weeks. From a fiscal policy perspective, the government should urgently investigate the efficacy of a special appropriation bill to make the necessary resources available to the health system. If need be, the National Treasury will need to revise our fiscal policy and adjust the budget deficit. The economic and social costs of not acting now will be more significant than the economic costs of a temporary adjustment of our fiscal targets. The evidence from South Korea indicates that this health system response is a critical factor in reducing the infection rates and managing the crisis. Given the challenges in aggregate demand and the complexities with supply chains, firms, both large and small, will have a significant fall in revenue, but not in costs (which may well increase). This will temporarily place pressure on firms and households liquidity and balance sheets. Unless we have measures to tide firms and households over this temporary financial shock, many will be forced to lay off workers and cease operations (for firms), or plunge into severe stress (for households). Here, collaborative strategies with development finance institutions and the commercial banking sector are likely to have significant ameliorative impacts  policies such as temporary mortgage holidays will give firms and households the breathing space to manage the challenge. Interventions of this sort are needed for more systemic temporary relief. Mortgage holidays for owners of a property will allow them to, in turn, allow temporary rent holidays to tenants. In short, we need to investigate temporary financial instruments to manage the pressure on the liquidity of firms and households. Government has already announced measures to use the R180-billion surplus in the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to assist firms and workers. While these measures are to be welcomed, a short-term holiday on UIF contributions is unlikely to have a major impact. On a more positive note, using the Training Layoff scheme, which suspends the employment relationship and pays the worker 75% of the wage, will have a positive impact. Even this, however, may well be insufficient. It is interesting to note that even right-wing governments like the UK are providing guarantees to cover 80% of the salary of workers that may be temporarily laid off work. Our most vulnerable group of South Africans are poor pensioners. This group has the highest level of risk and the least ability to themselves manage the challenge. South Africa is in the very fortunate position of having direct access to this group via the old-age pension and grants system. Policy interventions like one (or more) additional payments to this group (a 13th cheque) may go a long way to increasing their ability to manage the shock. One particularly vulnerable group is workers in the informal economy. South Africa has approximately 3-million informal workers. This group is especially vulnerable because their daily work activity  selling small batches of tomatoes, preparing meals, collecting waste, etc.  is the only way by which they and their families are able to survive. Many of these workers are itinerant, and operate in areas like taxi ranks, where large numbers of people congregate. Unfortunately, we do not have an easy mechanism to provide support to this group, but unless we find a mechanism to do so, the repercussions will be serious, on both health and economic considerations. I am not, under normal circumstances, a supporter of a universal income grant, but in these extraordinary times, the government will have to provide income support to this group. A short-term, emergency universal grant to all South Africans for a fixed period of time, to be recovered later through the tax system, may well be a necessary and effective measure. A measure such as this, linked to an ID number to be cashed through the banking system or even at retail outlets, may well be feasible to implement, even for those without bank accounts. The government should be careful not to focus exclusively on the poorest among our citizens. The economic impacts of Covid-19 will be felt by the middle classes too (in South Africa, the middle classes do not have particularly high incomes). Policies such as interest-free credit card purchases of food and medical supplies for a period of six months would go a long way toward protecting middle-income groups. From a health response perspective, we are likely to face severe shortages of vital medical equipment and drugs  gloves, ventilators, drugs such as prednisone, etc. Special procurement arrangements with manufacturers, similar to those entered into for antiretrovirals, will not only boost economic output, but also build the capacity of the healthcare system to manage the upcoming challenge. Our scientific capabilities to better understand the medical and social dimensions of the Covid-19 challenge will likely have a significant impact on our ability to manage the challenge. South Africa has excellent capacity in its universities and science councils to assist with the global effort to manage the crisis. Two interventions may be useful: first, to appoint a high-level scientific committee to advise (like many South Africans I am concerned about the plethora of advisory bodies, but this is a crisis and we should have the best minds advising); and to make available a competitive research grant fund for short-term research interventions to assist in managing the crisis. Government has acted speedily to address the challenges of price gouging of critical products like food and medical supplies. In general, price controls are not a good idea because it creates further opportunity for hoarding and black markets. However, there may be a good case for the government to work with the private sector to establish price controls in a few very specific medical items. If the pandemic spreads as it is expected to, South Africa will need a significant capacity to test for the virus. We should urgently be developing local capacity to produce testing kits. Also, the price of a testing kit, whether in the public or private sector, should be set at a price that will be affordable. Currently, a Covid-19 test in the private sector costs between R1,000 and R1,200  this is clearly unaffordable. If we are to make Covid-19 testing kits available to all, this price will have to be reduced. Our economic policymakers need to be working in concert with each other. While respecting the independence of the South African Reserve Bank, we need a fiscal and monetary policy to be fully coordinated. Furthermore, it is important that our policies, both on health and economics, are aligned with countries in the region. While it is important to close borders to reduce the spread of infections, South Africas health and economic systems, however inadequate, are much better resourced than our neighbouring countries. We should be working collaboratively to manage the health challenges and coordinate our economic measures.

In summary, these are extraordinary times. The impact of Covid-19 will have to be absorbed by an already fragile economy. Millions of South Africans live well below any benchmark of a reasonable economic life and, unfortunately, this is precisely the group that will be most affected by the economic fallout from Covid-19. The 100-basis points reduction in the repo rate by the South African Reserve Bank provides some relief. However, this is hopelessly inadequate for the task at hand. What we need is an urgent economic policy action. Unless we address the economic challenges, our health policy efforts to flatten the curve will be compromised and the risks of economic inaction are significantly higher than decisive action now.

Professor Imraan Valodia is the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at Wits University. This article was first published in the Business Maverick.
The death of a three-week-old baby found unresponsive in east London is being treated as unexplained.

Police were called by ambulance crews to Whitechapel yesterday lunchtime to a report of an infant not breathing.

The tot was taken to hospital and sadly died nearly an hour later.

Police were called by ambulance crews to Whitechapel yesterday lunchtime, pictured, to a report of an infant not breathing

Emergency services were seen in the area throughout the day.

A spokesman for the Met said: 'Police were called to Selby Street, E1, by London Ambulance Service (LAS) shortly after 12.30pm on Thursday, March 26 to a report of baby not breathing.

'Officers attended. The baby was subsequently taken to hospital by paramedics. Despite the efforts of medical staff, the three-week-old baby died at 1.20pm.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, the tot sadly died in hospital later that afternoon

'Next of kin have been informed. The death is being treated as unexplained. A scene has been put in place.

'Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.'
Home healthcare providers, the lifelines to 12 million vulnerable Americans, are scrambling to decide how to serve patients who show symptoms of coronavirus  and how to ensure that the providers themselves neither catch nor spread it.

A Texas-based company operating in 26 states instructed its caregivers to leave the homes of clients who recently traveled from states with widespread community transmission or who had contact with anyone screened for coronavirus, regardless of whether that person tested positive, according to an internal directive reviewed by Reuters.

In Ohio, a group representing hundreds of providers warned the governor last week of a sense of impending doom that things are collapsing. Companies there said they need financial help and protective gear to continue home care.

And in New York, Americas epicenter of coronavirus cases, trade groups said dozens of caregivers have left their jobs and their patients, hurting efforts to swiftly screen at-risk adults and slow the spread of the virus.

Its a hair-on-fire crisis, said Roger Noyes, spokesman for New Yorks Home Care Association.

Back of the Line

As hospitals continue to handle an influx of coronavirus cases, patients who need care but are not critically ill are likely to be sent home. If home care providers cant stay afloat or decline to offer services, those patients will face a rapid, immediately life-threatening deterioration of their health, said Al Cardillo, president of the New York group.

Compounding the industrys financial woes are bidding wars for essential medical equipment, including latex gloves and coveted N95 masks, which provide a higher level of protection than surgical masks. Private companies and public agencies are fighting for limited supplies  and those with the biggest pocketbooks are winning.

During a news conference this week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo decried that he was forced to amass basic medical supplies by bidding up other states on the prices.

For now, that can leave smaller home health companies at the back of the line, said Emma Dickison, board president of the Home Care Association of America.

I spent the whole weekend to score new masks, said Dickison, also executive officer of Cincinnati-based Home Helpers Home Care.

With three weeks worth of masks in inventory, her own company, a large franchise operation that serves 1,000 cities and towns, is among the fortunate. Caregivers from a handful of much smaller Ohio home health businesses have no masks or gloves, a trade group representative told Reuters.

Stop the visit, leave the residence

Caregivers Safety

In recent weeks, many home health companies have launched safety programs to protect caregivers and patients from coronavirus.

One of the nations most comprehensive approaches belongs to Texas-based Addus HomeCare. The company oversees 33,000 employees in 26 states, including Washington and New York  two of the hardest hit by the virus.

Addus caregivers are required to ask clients five questions about emerging or worsening respiratory problems; contacts with other people diagnosed or screened for the virus; and recent domestic and foreign travel.

In the event that a client answers Yes to any of the questions, an alert will be triggered, according to the directive distributed last week. You will be instructed to stop the visit, leave the residence, and contact your supervisor immediately.

In turn, supervisors complete a one-page incident report and notify local health departments in cases of suspected infection.

In most cases, Addus caregivers told Reuters, care is quickly resumed absent clear evidence of respiratory disease. Even in confirmed cases of coronavirus, care may continue if delays would pose potential harm to patients.

Caregivers must answer the same five questions for supervisors at the start of each shift.

Patient screening by home health companies can help detect new viral outbreaks and allow quicker response by public health agencies. However, accuracy relies on the honor system, possibly undermined by caregivers who dont want to miss a day of work or by patients unwilling to delay care.

Breaking Point

Joe Russell, executive director for the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice, said he knew the letter he sent last week to the states governor on behalf of 600 providers would raise alarms.

I dont care, he said. Im going to keep yelling until someone pays attention.

Because of financial challenges tied to coronavirus, many home-care businesses are at a financial breaking point, he wrote in the four-page letter. Care programs earmarked for low-income homebound patients are poised to collapse. While the need for home care is increasing daily, our ability to provide these services has decreased.

He asked Gov. Mike DeWine to waive restrictions prohibiting the use of telehealth services, such as live video conference calls. Remote patient monitoring, or telehealth, is a common time-saving strategy used by hospitals and doctors for nearly a decade. It is subsidized by state and federal reimbursements.

But for the home healthcare industry, government reimbursements generally cover only person-to-person visits to the home.

Although DeWines office did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment, Russell said state officials are giving the matter serious consideration.

Were just sort of in a holding pattern, he said.

National home health trade groups have pushed government regulators for years to expand use of telehealth services, a plea more pressing today because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Many home visits are administrative in nature, often involving doctors and nurses who review care plans or query patients on their conditions, Russell said. Approving telehealth options for such visits would reap huge financial savings for home health companies without diminishing quality of care, he said.

Our problems are not caused by COVID-19, he said. Our problems are caused by what the government hasnt done.

(Reporting By Michael Berens in Chicago. Additional reporting by Jonnelle Marte in New York. Edited by Blake Morrison.)

Topics COVID-19 New York Ohio Medical Professional Liability
The coronavirus is ravaging New York Citys hospitals. On Wednesday, the city had its highest number of 911 calls since 9/11. And daily reports have been detailing hospitals rapid decline as they run out of supplies, beds and ventilators.

Its apocalyptic, Dr. Ashley Bray, a general medicine resident at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, told The New York Times. Queens has been the hardest-hit borough, with 7,362 cases as of Thursday evening.

A video, published by the Times on Wednesday, gave a harrowing glimpse inside the hospital, which has quickly become overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients. As Dr. Colleen Smith, the emergency room physician who recorded footage and narrated the video, shows the busy hospital, every bed is filled with patients who have contracted the virus and doctors are wearing protective gear head-to-toe. She explained that the emergency room typically sees 200 patients on average per day when busy but now the hospital is seeing upward of 400 patients a day. The hospital is operating at more than 125% of its usual capacity.

Smith also explained that ventilators are scarce, and its likely that the hospital will soon need to beg for more, in addition to other supplies.

On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News that he doesnt believe New York needs the number of ventilators that its asking for, minimizing the severity of the states COVID-19 outbreak. I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be, Trump said. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Ventilators have become so scarce in the city that New York-Presbyterian Hospital requested  and was approved  to hook up two people to one ventilator, a controversial practice. The city has received 2,500 ventilators in the past week, according to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, but he expects that it will need 15,000 soon. On Thursday evening, the mayor announced that Elon Musk will be donating hundreds of ventilators to the city and state to combat the shortage. The city also sent 40 more ventilators to Elmhurst Hospital on Thursday, which is its fourth shipment of additional ventilators in the past 10 days.

Other hospital supplies, such as masks, gloves and other protective gear have also been in short supply, forcing medical workers to reuse what they have. On Friday, de Blasio announced that 8,000 N95 masks, 18,000 head covers and 2,000 booties would be sent to Elmhurst Hospital, though other hospitals are continuing to struggle.

On Wednesday, a photo of two nurses at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan wearing garbage bags as protective gear went viral, highlighting the desperate conditions for workers as hospitals run out of supplies like gowns.

The city has been signing contracts with manufacturers to provide hospitals with more supplies, such as face shields, medical gowns and hand sanitizer. Its estimated that 240,000 face shields will be produced for hospitals by the end of next week. People are even sewing and donating homemade masks to help protect medical workers.

Medical staffers are being stretched thin, working long hours several days in a row. Many medical workers have said that the lack of protective equipment and other supplies puts them at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19. A number of medical workers have already tested positive for the virus, though the exact number of medical workers who have COVID-19 is not known.

On Thursday, the city sent 56 new staff members to Elmhurst Hospital to tackle its increasing number of COVID-19 patients. New York University has offered to let its medical students graduate three months early to help the citys hospitals maintain their staffing levels. The city and state have even asked retired and private medical workers to volunteer at hospitals in desperate need of staff  so far 40,000 have answered Gov. Andrew Cuomos call.

Elmhurst Hospital has even been using some of its younger fellows and residents because its so short-staffed, leaving less experienced doctors and students to deal with complicated medical cases, The City reports. Nurses have also been asked to handle more intense cases than they were trained for. The reason theyre able to deal with the staffing is because theyre able to throw a lot of trainees into the line of fire, an Elmhurst Hospital doctor told The City. Youre asking (medical) residents to assume care of tons of complex, intubated patients.

Hospital beds are also quickly being taken up by COVID-19 patients. Some patients have even died in the emergency room while waiting for a bed. Its just like a tidal wave, an Elmhurst Hospital doctor told The City. The only beds weve been able to free up are people who have died.

Hospitals, such as Mount Sinai Queens, have begun building triage units outside to create more space for patients.

Mount Sinai Queens started building a triage tent outside its emergency room Thursday.

The Astoria hospital is among seven Mount Sinai locations getting a tent, which will expand emergency department capacity for the coronavirus pandemic.https://t.co/g1KyJqG6l0 pic.twitter.com/NrEg0LDarH  Maya Kaufman (@mayakauf) March 27, 2020

On Thursday, de Blasio announced that the city is aiming to triple the number of hospital beds it has to 60,000 by May. However, the city has been secretive about the number of intensive care unit beds it has currently or has already filled. Its estimated that the city has around 1,800 total ICU beds and 840 ICU patients. Its expected those remaining beds will be filled within the next couple days.

A Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, which contains 1,000 hospital beds, is expected to arrive in the city on Monday. The Javits Center, which is being transformed into a field hospital with up to 2,000 beds, is expected to open on Monday. Even colleges across the city have begun to free up their dorms for the city to possibly use for patients.

The seemingly miles of beds being set up at Javits. It is absolutely unreal to see what the National Guard & first responders have put together here in just days. pic.twitter.com/dD0AQg4PO4  Sarah Boxer (@Sarah_Boxer) March 27, 2020

The state has 53,000 total hospital beds but expects it will need 140,000 beds as the number of coronavirus cases peaks in about two weeks, according to Cuomo.

In the Times video, Smith also said that Elmhurst Hospital had rented a refrigerated truck to store the bodies of deceased COVID-19 patients because they didnt have the space for them. Refrigerated units being used as makeshift morgues have also been spotted outside of Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. Morgues all over the city have become overrun because of the high number of coronavirus-related deaths, and the citys morgues are close to reaching their capacity. Should the city run out of space for bodies, it would most likely ask for federal mortuary assistance, as it did after 9/11, which should provide hospitals with the space they need to house the deceased. However, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner feels the city will not have problems with a lack of morgue space, as its morgues can house up to 900 bodies.

We have the ability to expand pretty dramatically, Aja Worthy-Davis, a spokeswoman for the office, told Politico. If you look back at what we did during 9/11, we have the ability to create mobile stations that allow us to house bodies if we run out of space.
Sixty-two more Queenslanders tested positive to the coronavirus since Thursday, taking the state total to 555.

"Just one of those cases are currently requiring intensive care," Health Minister Steven Miles said.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles (front, right) speaks to media alongside Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

As of Thursday, 80 per cent of cases were acquired overseas, with most of the rest of the cases contracted by family members of those people, the minister said.

"We need to put a stop to the importation of this virus."
Authorities in Argentina have recently announced that they will be closing their borders to all foreign nationals in an effort to control the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina has reported 589 positive coronavirus cases and the countrys death toll is at 12. As per reports, 72 people have recovered from the virus in Argentina.

Closes borders

According to reports, Argentina already had restrictions in place for air transportation but will now be extending those restrictions to include restrictions on land and sea transportation also. Argentinian citizens will still be allowed entry into the country the restrictions will go into effect from midnight on March 27. Latin America announced its first coronavirus case on February 26, after an elderly man in Brazil contracted the virus. Since then, the deadly virus has spread to almost major countries paralysing the region.

Read: Gonzalo Higuain Manages To Fly Back To Argentina After Being Held At Turin Airport

Read: HUR Vs IND Dream11 Prediction, Top Picks, Team News, Argentina Superleague Standings

Chile, which has reported 1,306 cases of infection and 4 deaths has recently unveiled an $11.75 billion economic stimulus package to cope with the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Ecuadorian government prevented a Spain operated plane to land at an airport in Guayaquil. The plane was sent to pick up stranded foreigners from a country which remain in lockdown.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez announced on March 20 that the country would go into full lockdown, starting March 20 at midnight local time until midnight March 31, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Mexico reported its first death on March 18 - a 41-year-old man with diabetes who died in Mexico City. According to reports, A Mexican federal judge ordered President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take all preventative measures and necessary actions in order to detect infected persons in the country. Peru, which has a total of 580 confirmed cases, reported its ninth coronavirus related death. Meanwhile, the deadly Coronavirus has gripped 183 countries infecting 5,32,263 people and killing 24,090.

Read: David Beckham Makes Fans Nostalgic, Posts About 2002 World Cup Penalty Against Argentina

Read: Coronavirus Paralyses Latin America, Argentina Announces Lockdown
WASHINGTON  President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela was charged in the United States on Thursday with federal drug trafficking crimes after an investigation by federal authorities in Washington, New York and Florida.

The indictment of a head of state was highly unusual and served as an escalation of the Trump administrations campaign to pressure Maduro to leave office after his widely disputed reelection in 2018. Maduro has led Venezuelas economy into shambles and prompted an exodus of millions of people into neighboring countries.

Attorney General William Barr announced the charges along with the head of the Justice Departments Criminal Division and the top federal prosecutors in New York and Miami.

In addition to Maduro, charges were announced against nearly a dozen others, including the Venezuelan government and intelligence officials and members of the largest rebel group in Colombia, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, known as FARC, which has long drawn its financing from the cocaine trade.

Few details of the charges were available early Thursday, but they included narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States.

The charges came a month after President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union address, called Maduro an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalizes his people, and vowed that Maduros grip on tyranny will be smashed and broken.

For years, watchdog groups have accused Maduros close aides of working with drug lords to line their pockets and prop up the crumbling state. As the Venezuelan oil industry has collapsed, Maduros critics have said that the drug trade is playing an increasingly important role in keeping him in power.

Last year, Maduros former vice president, Tareck El Aissami, was indicted in federal court in New York City, accused of using his position of power to engage in international drug trafficking. He had been sanctioned by the United States following similar accusations two years before.

The Treasury Department has also accused Diosdado Cabello, the former president of the National Assembly and one of Maduros closest allies, of narcotics trafficking and other corrupt activities.

And two of Maduros nephews are serving prison sentences in the United States following convictions on drug charges. In that case, prosecutors said the nephews  sometimes called the narcosobrinos in Venezuela  attempted to bring in $20 million in drug money to assist their family in staying in power.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Russian arrested in Phuket for overstay, working as illegal taxi driver

PHUKET: A Russian man who had overstayed in the country illegally for 163 days has been arrested for working as an illegal taxi driver, picking up tourists from Phuket International Airport.

tourismtransportRussianimmigrationcrimepolice

By The Phuket News

Friday 27 March 2020, 11:51PM

The Russian driver was hired through the website GoTripPhuket.com. Screnshot: GoTripPhuket.com / home page

The Russian driver was hired through the website GoTripPhuket.com. Photo: Immigration Bureau

The Russian driver was hired through the website GoTripPhuket.com. Photo: Immigration Bureau

The arrest was made after a formal complaint was filed by the Phuket International Airport Taxi Association, Immigration officers explained at a press conference attended by Immigration Bureau chief Lt Gen Somphong Chingduang in Bangkok today (Mar 27).

Acting on the complaint, and working with officer from Sakhu Police, Immigration Division 6 officers began their operation by first checking the website GoTripPhuket.com, which they were told is operated by a group of Russians providing professional drivers to transport other Russians.

One officer who can communicate in Russian made a request through the websites contact page, and soon was contacted by a foreign woman communicating in Russian through WhatsApp, the press conference was told.

The officer then requested a car to pick up a Malaysian tourist from a hotel in the Sakhu area to take the tourist to the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall. After agreeing a fare of B800, the officer was sent photos of the car and the driver who would arrive to pick him up, and given a contact phone number.

The car and the driver arrived, and the officer continued the charade of being a Malaysian tourist.

While en route, the officer sent a message letting his fellow officers know to intercept the car and check the drivers credentials.

The driver was initially unable to present his passport or work permit, and was taken in for questioning. Officers later confirmed that he was indeed Russian national Konstantin Morozov.

Further checking revealed that Morozov had already overstayed in the country 163 days, the press conference was told.

Morozov was charged at Sakhu Police Station for working illegally and for illegally staying in the country.

It was not reported whether or not Morozov will be deported, or detained in Thailand while awaiting deportation.

It was also not reported whether any further investigation into the services provided by GoTripPhuket.com would be investigated.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has threatened to sue an online news platform, Sahara Reporters, and a writer Emmanuel John, for allegedly publishing libellous material against the agency.

NITDA in a statement by its head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Hadiza Umar, denied allegation contained in an article published by the online platform alleging that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had directed the National Communications Commission (NCC) to fund NITDA with N1 billion.

The agency denied knowledge of the purported payment describing the publication as malicious aimed to malign the personality of the Honourable Minister, the Director General of NITDA and the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC.

NITDA therefore asked for retraction from the media organisation and threatened to take legal action if the content is not retracted.

Read full text of the press statement below:

Malicious Publication Against NITDA on 1 billion Naira Project Fund Received from NCC

The attention of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is drawn to a false and malicious article published by Sahara Reporters today, Friday 27th March 2020, attacking the person of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. It went further to falsely allege, among other libelous details, that the Honourable Minister has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to release the sum of one billion naira (N1bn) to NITDA for a non-existent digital learning scheme. It is unfortunate that this medium will publish manufactured and malicious facts to malign the personality of the Honourable Minister, the Director General of NITDA and the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC.

For avoidance of doubt, NITDA is not promoting and has never promoted any program with the title Digital Learning Scheme and has therefore never received any sum from the NCC for this phantom project or any other project. We also wish to state publicly and unequivocally, that NITDA, as all other Federal Public Institutions, has a strict budgeting and accounting process that is reviewed by the oversight committees of the National Assembly. NITDA operates the Treasury Single Account (TSA), primarily designed to enthrone centralised, transparent and accountable revenue management. All NITDAs expenditures go through the rigorous auditing process as required by law under the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. Therefore, if any anomaly such as alleged in this dubious piece published by Sahara Reporters is flagged by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, NITDA and NCC would have been indicted by the Auditor General.

The author and publishers of this piece are well known to court controversy and tarnish the image of public officers and citizens who are resolute in executing an agenda without kowtowing to powerful vested interest groups who resort to mudslinging where their asks or demands are not met. This is the case of corruption fighting back as a result of the Honourable Ministers efforts at fighting all elements of corrupt practices within and outside the Ministry and Parastatals under his supervision. The public is invited to utilize the Freedom of Information Framework to seek to know the truth on any transaction or records of NITDA that can be made public by the operation of the Freedom of Information Act. The author and publishers are therefore given seven (7) days to withdraw this libelous and malicious publication as well as publicly apologize. Failing to do so, the Agency will not hesitate to explore all legal options to bring them before the law and to seek redress for this libelous and malicious publication.

The Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy has continued to lead the sector remarkably with doggedness and foresight to achieve the mandate of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. His leadership and programs have already started yielding result. More importantly, ICT is now a focal sector for economic diversification as well as a platform to catalyze other sectors such as health, agriculture, security, education and financial services. The Honourable Minster has ensured greater harmony, coordination and participation to all Parastatals under the Ministrys supervision.We are pleased that Mr President, in his speech at the event, recognized these leadership qualities and commended the Honourable Minister for the high level of synergy that has been created amongst the Parastatals under his supervision. However, posterity will be the best judge for the Honourable Ministers legacies and leadership.

We use the opportunity to appreciate our sector stakeholders for reaching out to us with outpouring of support and encouragement at this time. We also thank the public for being critical enough to assess falsehood and lies emanating from those who wish to keep Nigeria in perpetual backwardness. We will strive to do our best and execute our mandate for building the skills of Nigerians to thrive in the Digital Economy and to empower our young people to be dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is a Federal Government Agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. NITDA was established in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy as well as coordinate general IT development and regulation in the country. Specifically, Section 6(a & c) of the Act mandates NITDA to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria; develop guidelines for electronic governance and monitor the use of electronic data interchange and other forms of electronic communication transactions as an alternative to paper-based methods in government, commerce, education, the private and public sectors, labour, and other fields, where the use of electronic communication may improve the exchange of data and information.

Signed:

Mrs Hadiza Umar, MNIPR, MAPRA, MICPR

Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations

Corporate Headquarters, Garki, Abuja
Send to Email Address

Your Name

Your Email Address

Post was not sent - check your email addresses!

Email check failed, please try again

Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Trump was asked what he is doing to prevent hate crimes against Asian-Americans. He answered I dont know then proclaimed himself close to Asians.

The exchange:

Q: Domestically, you just tweeted the other day saying that its very important that we totally protect Asian Americans.

Trump: Yes, I did. Very important to me. Very important to me. We have to protect our Asian Americans. Its a very important  that was a very important tweet to me, because I didnt like things that I was hearing. Please, go ahead.

Q: Whats the concrete measure that youre taking to combat the hate crimes against Asians?

Trump: Well, I dont know. All I know is this. Asian Americans in our country are doing fantastically well. Im very close to them, use know. And theyre doing fantastically well. And I think they appreciate the job were doing. But I did want to put that statement out, the social media question, because to me, Asian Americans are a great part of our country. Thank you all very much. Well see you soon.

Video:

Trump says, "I don't know," when asked what he is doing to prevent hate crimes against Asian-Americans. pic.twitter.com/ByNXJwFUOF  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 26, 2020

Trump whips up hate against Asian-Americans by referring to the coronavirus as the Chinese virus, and then when he is asked what he is going to do about the fact that endangered Asian-Americans, he responds by blowing off the question and retreated into his usual racist grandpa rhetoric about how he is close to the minority in question.

America needs a leader, but Trump is MIA.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Police across the country stepped up their vigil to ensure there was no violation of prohibitory orders on the third day of the national lockdown on Friday but faced thousands of migrant workers who were massed in Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and desperate to reach their homes.

IMAGE: A traffic police personnel folds her hands as she requests a commuter to stay at home, during day-3 of a nationwide lockdown, imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, in Karad district of Maharashtra. Photograph:PTI Photo

Authorities were also working on ways to ease the hardships faced by migrant workers, who stare at loss of livelihood, trudging long distances back to their villages and also try fix the bottlenecks in movement of essential supplies.

The migrant workers gathered at Ghazipur were sent to the Uttar Pradesh side of the border by police in batches and they appeared prepared to walk long distances in case no help was forthcoming to ferry them in public transport.



Around 40 migrant labourers working in Mumbai were also caught in Thane for allegedly trying to escape in a truck to Uttar Pradesh.



The 21-day coronavirus lockdown in force since Wednesday has triggered a mass exodus of migrant workers across the country since the last few days.

IMAGE: A policeman chases away a commuter for defying the nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Jammu. Photograph: PTI Photo

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to some of the chief ministers and asked them to look into the issue of the mass exodus.

In an advisory, the Union home ministry asked state governments to prevent a mass exodus of migrant agriculture labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector employees from their workplaces to hometowns.



The advisory to all states and Union territories said they should also make arrangements for uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to hotels, working women hostels so that they continue to live in existing facilities.



"The home ministry has issued an advisory to states/UTs to prevent mass exodus of migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector workers, so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19," an official spokesperson said.

IMAGE: Locals stand in a queue to buy vegatables, during day-3 of a nationwide lockdown, imposed in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, at Ulubari in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo

The states and union territories have also been advised to make these vulnerable groups aware of measures taken by the government, including provision of free food grains and other essential items through PDS, and streamline the procedures.



"This would help prevent the exodus of such people," the spokesperson said.

SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar.



Amid reports of violation of prohibitory orders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to K Palaniswami and B S Yeddiruappa, chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively, urging them to enforce strictly the national lockdown and ensure availability of essential commodities for the people.



"Morning at 9:30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to me and said despite lockdown in Karnataka aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19, people are still coming out and commuting and instructed that proper bandobast has to be made. We have discussed regarding this," Yeddiruappa told reporters in Bengaluru.

IMAGE: Victoria Memorial wears a deserted look in Kolkata. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI Photo

Amid concerns over availability of essential supplies, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade said it is regularly engaging with retailers and e-commerce companies to ensure that the supply chain of essential goods is not disrupted and various facilities continue to function smoothly.

Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India also alleged that telecom operators are facing issues in maintaining networks as their employees on duty are being harassed and even beaten by police in some states.



The government has kept telecom services in the list of essential services in order to support work from home during the lockdown period.

IMAGE: Locals maintain social distance as they stand in a queue to buy vegetables, supplied by the State Food Supply department at Ganeshguri in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo

Amid reports of movement of food delivery vehicles encountering problems from the police, a truck driver in Patna was shot at by police for allegedly refusing to pay bribe for his potato-laden truck to pass.



A senior police officer said three police constables were arrested and sent to jail.



People in several places threw the concept of social distancing to the wind by crowding at kirana stores and local markets.

IMAGE: Police personnel wearing masks, stand outside the historic Charminar to prevent congregation for Friday prayers, during day-3 of a nationwide lockdown, imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, in Hyderabad. Photograph: PTI Photo

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government will close down markets in Guwahati to avoid overcrowding after people jostled to get essential items despite the advice of social distancing in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.



Fancy Bazar, the main commercial hub of the Northeast, was chock-a-block with people knocking each other to buy food items, vegetables, meat and fish.



Tempos, trucks, private vehicles, rickshaws and hand-carts blocked the roads near the market, seeming to be just any other usual working day.

IMAGE: Migrant workers along with their familes walk to return to their villages after a 21-day nationwide lockdown was imposed by the government in wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Prayagraj. Photograph: PTI Photo

There were similar scenes in other markets in the city and other districts in the state.



In Madhya Pradesh, a muslim cleric and 27 others were booked for defying lockdown restrictions and offering prayers at a mosque in Bhopal city. Police said the Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised a prayer at 8 pm on Thursday, violating orohibitory orders.



Earlier in Kerala, two Catholic priests were booked for breaching the restrictions by conducting mass in a Church.

IMAGE: Volunteers serve food to homeless people and migrant daily wagers waiting at a bus stop for transportation to return to their native places, during the nationwide lockdown imposed in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Moradabad. Photograph: PTI Photo

And in an incident apparently linked to the lockdown, police said a 38-year-old daily wage labourer In Thrissur in Kerala committed 'suicide' allegedly frustrated over not getting liquor and after struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

Sanoj, a painting worker, was found hanging from a tree next to his house, a police officer said.



"In our preliminary investigation, his family told us that he was frustrated over the closing of liquor shops. He was showing withdrawal symptoms as he was not getting alcohol for last two days," the officer said.



In Uttarakhand, raids were conducted at sabzi mandis and provision shops by the food and supplies department to check illegal profiteering following complaints that traders were overpricing essential items at some places taking advantage of people's compulsions, state officials said in Dehradun.
Anyone flying into Texas from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or the city of New Orleans will be subject to a mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days or the duration of their stay, per a new executive order Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The order is in line with new federal guidelines, Abbott said, and will be enforced by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Violators will be subject to a $1,000 fine or 180 days in jail or both. It applies only to those traveling by air, not by road.

This is intended simply to achieve the goals that have been articulated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and by the White House organization focused on reducing the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., Abbott said.

Other states could be added in the future  potentially California and Washington, he said.

The latest: Interactive maps, charts show spread of coronavirus in Texas

Speaking from the Texas Capitol, Abbott said Texas is on a very good trajectory in terms of its testing for the coronavirus even though the state is well behind others.

As of Thursday, 1,424 Texans had tested positive for COVID-19, up from 97 on Friday, and 18 have died from the disease, compared with five Friday. About 100 patients are hospitalized in Texas for COVID-19, Abbott said.

But as of Thursday morning, Texas has tested only about 21,000 people since the outbreak began. California has tested more than 66,000, Florida over 27,000 and New York over 120,000.

We are administering every test that we get, Abbott said when asked why Texas is testing less per capita.

Abbott said the state is relying on the federal government for testing supplies and that it has prioritized states with more fatalities.

The federal government has triaged this in a way that prioritizes New York for obvious reasons; California and Washington for obvious reasons, he said.

New York has had more than 385 deaths. Washington has had more than 132, and California has had 65. Texas had reported 18 deaths as of Thursday.

There is good news in some of the testing in Texas so far, Abbott said.

Less than 10 percent of the people who test positive need to be in a hospital as of this time, Abbott said. Our goal in this whole testing process is to test as many people as possible, to see those numbers grow and then to see a leveling off of the increase of those numbers in Texas.

Abbott said one of his top priorities has been assessing the capacity of Texas hospitals as they anticipate an influx of COVID-19 patients.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

He said that as he has instituted executive orders over the last week, such as postponing elective surgeries and waiving certain facility licensing requirements allowing recently closed hospitals to come back online, more than 3,000 beds have become available in Texas.

Our job is not to deal with the situation where we are but to be constantly looking forward to the worst-case scenario of where we may be, Abbott said. We dont want to be in a situation like what New York is in right now.

Abbott said that as for ventilators, the state is trying to get a good tally of how many it can access and how many could be needed when the virus hits its peak in Texas.

Some early information shows that we have some supplies to make sure that we will be able to respond to the immediate need, he said without detailing how many the state could need or how many are available.

New York officials have complained that they will be nearly 30,000 ventilators short when the number of COVID-19 patients peaks over the next three weeks.

Abbott held his briefing Thursday shortly after President Donald Trump sent a letter to governors saying he is preparing to issue new, potentially more relaxed social distancing guidelines. Trump has also said publicly that he wants to start lifting restrictions by Easter.

Asked about Trumps push, Abbott acknowledged that a lot of people want to get back to normal living after being confined. But he made clear the decision to lower the restrictions in Texas will be based on medical advice.

Everyone understands we will all be working off of the best advice from medical professionals, Abbott said. We wouldnt want to suddenly open schools or businesses only to have to shut them down again.
Whether the class of 2020 will face long-term consequences depends on a range of factors, including the length of the pandemic and the severity of the recession that seems certain to follow. But it doesnt look good.

Im worried for them, said Lisa Kahn, an economist who has studied how recessions affect college graduates. If theyre graduating into a large recession, theyre going to suffer some pretty severe short-term consequences. And thats probably going to stay with them for almost the next decade.

At her home near Houston, Caroline Carlson, an agricultural economics major at Texas A&M University, has grown increasingly concerned about her chances of landing a job working on sustainability issues at a food company. Her mother has tried to spin news footage of people panic-shopping at grocery stores as a positive  a reminder that there will always be a market for food. Ms. Carlson remains pessimistic.

I dont think companies are really going to be looking to bring on more corporate positions or go through the steps of training someone, she said.

I get emails from Glassdoor daily  like, Youd be a great fit for Walmart cashier, she continued. Thank you so much, thats really what I want my bachelors degree to go toward.

A severe downturn could also jeopardize the career prospects of students who graduate later this year or in 2021.

Martin Lang, Jr., who is set to finish business school at the University of Detroit Mercy in December, got an email last week saying his internship at Urban Outfitters corporate office in Philadelphia was canceled. An aspiring stylist, Mr. Lang had hoped to stay at the company long term. It would have given me fashion experience and credibility in an industry I want to be in, he said. Now Ill go a year without working in a corporate environment.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Some mixed winter precipitation possible early. Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. Low near 25F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 100%..

Tonight

Some mixed winter precipitation possible early. Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. Low near 25F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 100%.
Working to save lives In Zambia and other low-resource areas, supplies are desperately needed. Through in-country partners and our Medical Donations Program, CMMB is working to protect the safety of healthcare workers and stock facilities with lifesaving supplies and equipment essential to treat patients with COVID-19.

"The people there don't realize what's coming. I feel its a bit like the frog in the pot of slowly boiling water, completely carefree until its too late," says Cassie Richens, a volunteer nurse with CMMB who recently returned from Mwandi, Zambia.

"I had enough cell service that I could constantly scroll the news. Every day, I watched as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world. However, the main thing I watched is how COVID-19 is creeping into Africa. When coronavirus does reach sub-Saharan Africa, where there are the worlds most fragile health systems, it could be completely devastating."

Communities around Mwandi, like so many others, are extremely vulnerable. HIV is prevalent, malnutrition is a major concern. There are weakened immune systems everywhere. In Mwandi, there is only one small hospital, without an x-ray machine, and no ventilators. In the outer districts, further from the communities, are small clinics, within even less supplies.

Right now, we are urgently looking to expand our partnerships to accelerate these lifesaving efforts, as they are needed now more than ever with the threat of COVID-19, states Bruce Wilkinson, CEO of CMMB.

To educate the public on COVID-19 prevention and treatment, CMMBs technical team is rapidly implementing new COVID-19 training for in-country healthcare workers. This training will ensure that all have a firm understanding of COVID-19 signs and symptoms as well as best practices and protocols for prevention, control, and mitigation.

In these low-resource settings, critical, lifesaving supplies, and equipment are lacking. Through in-country partners and a robust Medical Donations Program, CMMB is quickly working to stock health facilities with personal protection items and lifesaving supplies and equipment essential to treat patients with serious cases of COVID-19.

CMMB is working with their current partners and is reaching out to others to help provide essential medical supplies to healthcare workers and health facilities. Personal protective equipment, including face masks, gloves, gowns, face shield, goggles are a priority. Medical equipment, including ventilators and other respiratory support, generators and antiviral and antibiotic medications are critical.

If you would like to help, email cmmb at info@cmmb.org or visit their website at cmmb.org.

We are doing everything in our power to sound the alarm of the storm that is looming, says Wilkinson. We are one human family, all brothers and sisters and if we dont act now, if we dont come together, there is no telling the toll this will take on these innocent lives.
An international team with the participation of Prof. Dr. Michael Kues from the Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD at Leibniz University Hannover has developed a new method for generating quantum-entangled photons in a spectral range of light that was previously inaccessible. The discovery can make the encryption of satellite-based communications much more secure in the future.

A 15-member research team from the UK, Germany and Japan has developed a new method for generating and detecting quantum-entangled photons at a wavelength of 2.1 micrometres. In practice, entangled photons are used in encryption methods such as quantum key distribution to completely secure telecommunications between two partners against eavesdropping attempts. The research results are presented to the public for the first time in the current issue of Science Advances.

Until now, it has been only technically possible to implement such encryption mechanisms with entangled photons in the near-infrared range of 700 to 1550 nanometers. However, these shorter wavelengths have disadvantages, especially in satellite-based communication: They are disturbed by light-absorbing gases in the atmosphere as well as the background radiation of the sun. With the existing technology, end-to-end encryption of transmitted data can only be guaranteed at night, but not on sunny and cloudy days.

The international team, led by Dr. Matteo Clerici from the University of Glasgow, wants to solve this problem with its discovery. The photon pairs entangled at two micrometre wavelength would be significantly less influenced by the solar background radiation, says Prof. Dr. Michael Kues from the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence at Leibniz University of Hannover. In addition, so-called transmission windows exist in the earth's atmosphere, especially for wavelengths of two micrometers, so that the photons are less absorbed by the atmospheric gases, in turn allowing a more effective communication.

For their experiment, the researchers used a nonlinear crystal made of lithium niobate. They sent ultrashort light pulses from a laser into the crystal and a nonlinear interaction produced the entangled photon pairs with the new wavelength of 2.1 micrometres.

The research results published in the journal Science Advances describe the details of the experimental system and the verification of the entangled photon pairs: "The next crucial step will be to miniaturize this system by converting it into photonic integrated devices, making it suitable for mass production and for the use in other application scenarios", says Kues.

After completing his studies and doctorate in physics at the Westfalische Wilhelms University of Munster, Kues worked at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Centre Energie Materiaux et Telecommunications (Canada). There he headed the research group "Nonlinear integrated quantum optics" for four years. He then moved to the University of Glasgow and joined the international team around Dr. Matteo Clerici. Since spring 2019, Kues has been a professor at the Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT) at Leibniz Universitat Hannover and is researching, within the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence, the development of novel photonic quantum technologies exploiting micro- and nanophotonics approaches. Kues wants to expand his five-member research team and has currently advertised two positions for research assistants (PhD positions)..

###

The PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence

Between 2019 and 2025, the Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD led by Leibniz University Hannover will receive approximately 52 million euros of funding from the federal government and the State of Lower Saxony via the German Research Foundation (DFG). The cluster is a collaboration of TU Braunschweig, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. Within the scope of the cluster, more than 100 scientists from the fields of physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry, computer science and mathematics conduct interdisciplinary research. The cluster explores the possibilities offered by digitisation for novel optical systems as well as their production and application.

On October 20, 2020, the cluster is organizing the PhoenixD Laser Day at Leibniz University Hannover. At the one-day conference, scientists in the field of optics and photonics from the USA, Australia, Europe and Germany will present their research results. Further information: http://www.phoenixd.uni-hannover.de

Original article

S. Prabhakar, T. Shields, A. C. Dada, M. Ebrahim, G. G. Taylor, D. Morozov, K. Erotokritou, S. Miki, M. Yabuno, H. Terai, C. Gawith, M. Kues, L. Caspani, R. H. Hadfield, M. Clerici

Two-photon quantum interference and entanglement at 2.1 micrometer

Science Advances 6, eaay5195 (2020)

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aay5195

Note to editors:

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr Michael Kues: Phone +49 511 762 17903, Email michael.kues@hot.uni-hannover.de. He holds a professorship at the Hannover Centre for Optical Technologies (HOT) and is a member of the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence.
Sanaa, March 27 (IANS) As countries across the world are fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Yemen's warring factions were still focusing on their military activities rather than preparing for a possible outbreak.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels were intensifying their efforts to spark new battles in different parts of the war-torn Arab country despite the UN's call for a ceasefire, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, hundreds of government troops with modern armoured vehicles arrived in the strategic city of Shuqrah on the Arabian Sea and began preparing for military offensives in the country's southern part.

In Shuqrah, the Yemeni government forces also began conducting military maneouvers attended by high-ranking commanders who arrived recently from the northeastern province of Marib.

An official of the Yemeni government forces told Xinhua on Thursday that the Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal signed between the Southern Transition Council (STC) and the government has completely ended.

"We are determined to come back to expel the STC's forces out from the state institutions in the southern provinces after the failure of Riyadh deal," the source said.

The rival parties didn't focus on the efforts on preventing a potential outbreak of the coronavirus in Yemen which is already facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

On Tuesday, the forces linked to Yemen's government clashed with the STC's security units tasked with securing the strategic southern city of Aden, causing panic among local residents.

An official of the Aden-based STC told Xinhua that Yemen's government did not want to combine the efforts to focus on fighting the coronavirus.

He said that Aidarous Zubaidi, president of the STC, called on all the political parties in Yemen to work together in order to jointly fight the coronavirus.

Zubaidi ordered the security units that are controlling Aden to shut down crowded markets as a precautionary measure and also direct an emergency committee to increase cooperation with the local health organizations.

"Most of the government officials are based in other countries and paid no attention to our calls aimed at combining the efforts and reducing the suffering of the Yemeni citizens," the source said.

He accused other factions of preparing for invading Aden with no regard to humanitarian risks that will affect the people living there.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate global ceasefire and ending the hostilities, to focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Iranian-backed Houthis continued pushing for more military offensives against several areas in the country's northeastern part.

During the past two days, the Houthis mobilized hundreds of young fighters and pushed for invading the oil-rich province of Marib just days after capturing the strategic neighboring province of al-Jawf.

Elsewhere in Yemen, the Houthis launched sporadic attacks against the southern province of Dhalea that's considered the main gate of the neighboring provinces such as Lahj and Aden.

Both health authorities in the government-controlled southern provinces and in the Houthi-controlled northern provinces have not reported any coronavirus cases so far.

--IANS

ksk/
The Leinster Leader newspaper will be published every week as usual throughout the Covid-19 crisis as we continue to support the community of Kildare in these unprecedented times.

The Leinster Leader team will bring you accurate and reliable information about Covid-19 in factual and non-sensational reporting both online and in print. Our LeinsterLeader.ie and KildareNow.com news websites will continue to provide rolling, up-to-date information 24/7.

We are part of the fabric of Kildare and we will also highlight the positive news stories from our communities. Stories of heroic community deeds already abound as people unite to look after the needs of others in the county. In difficult times, you can always rely on community spirit to get people through.

Now, the focus is on the stories that matter to local people. In times like these, your local newspaper should be the voice of the community, helping people to understand what is going on and offering peace of mind.

Together, we are stronger. Tell us your stories, send us your news, photos and videos. We might be socially distant but we have never needed each other more.

Email editor@leinsterleader.ie or send us a message via Facebook or Twitter.
Five members of a family, including three children, tested positive for Covid-19 in West Bengal on Friday, taking the number of such cases in the state to 15, a senior health official said.

Among the five are a nine-month-old baby, a six-year- old girl, a 11-year-old boy, and two women aged 27 and 45, he said.

The 27-year-old woman had recently visited Delhi, where she came in contact with a person from the UK, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
IRGC-QF Sanctions and Iraq's Electricity Waiver

Press Statement

Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson

March 26, 2020



The United States announced today the designations of 20 individuals and entities that violate Iraqi sovereignty and exploit Iraq's economy to funnel money to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Some of these people help provide the financial support that enables the IRGC-QF to transfer lethal aid to Iranian-backed terrorist groups such as Kata'ib Hizballah (KH) and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), and engage in other malign activities that undermine the Iraqi government's efforts toward energy independence.

Among today's designations include entities and individuals that exploit for the benefit of the IRGC-QF Iraq's dependence on Iranian electricity imports. Under a U.S.-issued sanctions waiver, Iraq is permitted to engage in financial transactions related to the import of electricity from Iran. The purpose of this waiver, which the United States is renewing today, is to meet the immediate energy needs of the Iraqi people.

Today's designations underscore that the United States will not tolerate profiteering by malign Iranian actors from transactions that take place under the sanctions waiver, and we will remain focused on sanctioning those who do so for the benefit of the IRGC-QF or other designated terrorist groups. Iraq is rich in natural resources and has the ability to reduce its energy dependence on Iran, both for the sake of Iraq's security and the welfare of its people.

The United States engages regularly with the Iraqi government on energy security, and we support measures that reduce Iraq's energy dependence on Iran. We look forward to a speedy resolution to Iraq's government formation process and to working with an Iraqi government that is committed to providing the Iraqi people with the security they deserve.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Viewership of TV and streaming platforms is rising to historic heights as people are told to stay home to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Even adults working from home want to try and unwind a little in the evening, which is leading to some dark humor about scrolling way down on Netflix, in search of something to watch.

But you dont have to just stick with Netflix if youre looking for streaming choices. This is the first in a series of posts intended to point you toward some other places where you can find terrific shows or movies to watch while youre on the couch, doing your part to fight the pandemic.

Lets start with Hulu, a subscription streaming service that offers movies, series from TV networks including ABC, and its own original content. The company is co-owned by the Walt Disney Company and Comcast.

Cord-cutters can choose between Hulu (starts at $5.99 a month), which allows subscribers to see originals, network or cable series a day or more after they air on linear TV, among other content; or Hulu + Live TV ($54.99 a month), which subscribers can use to watch live and on-demand programming, in addition to other Hulu content.

Subscribers can also pay extra to add such content from such premium channels as HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax. Theres also a bundle that includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ ($12.99 a month).

So whats worth watching on Hulu? Here are some best bets:

HULU ORIGINALS

Little Fires Everywhere: The limited series based on Celeste Ngs 2017 bestseller, may have some similarities with the HBO series, Big Little Lies," which also focused on how women can judge one another and how society judges them. But Reese Witherspoon, who starred in Big Little Lies is in fine form here as another uptight woman obsessed with having the perfect family, and home and community. Kerry Washington brings vitality as a single mother who arrives in the upscale suburban community, accompanied by her teenage daughter, and some secrets of her own. The series, which is rolling out new episodes each week on Hulu, is a watchable tale of mothers, daughters and the panful ways they clash.

Hillary: The well-done documentary series explores the life and career of Hillary Rodham Clinton, incorporating footage from her 2016 campaign for president, and fresh interviews with Clinton herself, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, journalists, and more.

High Fidelity: Zoe Kravitz stars in a gender-flipped take on Nick Hornbys novel, and the movie it inspired, that starred John Cusack. In this series, Kravitz is the owner of a record store who is trying to sort out who she is and what she wants, not just what pop culture she loves.

Shrill: Aidy Bryant stars in the gently funny story of Annie, an aspiring writer in Portland, whos dealing with her own self-image, her relationships and her job. Bryant is likable, as is the rest of the cast, and the Portland locations add freshness.

The Act: Another story about a mother and daughter, this limited series tells the grim, fact-based saga of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Joey King), and her mother, Dee Dee (Patricia Arquette), who lies to her daughter about the grave illnesses Gypsy supposedly suffers from. It all leads to, well, a true crime.

The Handmaids Tale: The series inspired by Margaret Atwoods novel was tough viewing when it premiered, and I admit I stopped watching in Season 2 (there are three seasons streaming). But if you want to put yourself through it, Season 1 is very well done, and the cast, led by Elisabeth Moss, are consistently affecting.

FX ON HULU

The FX cable channel has been giving us some of TVs best series for years. Now the channel has a deal with Hulu (and is included in a Hulu subscription, so no extra charge is involved), which includes FX and FXX cable shows, along with new series that will stream exclusively on Hulu.

Shows that air on FX or FXX will stream on Hulu the following day. And FX on Hulu originals include Devs, Alex Garlands imaginative drama about a mysterious high tech company, which is streaming new episodes now. More originals that will be exclusive to FX on Hulu include Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America (April 15).

Shows from the FX and FXX library available to stream include American Horror Story; Atlanta; Better Things; Fargo; Fosse/Verdon; Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Justified; Nip/Tuck; Sons of Anarchy; and What We Do in the Shadows.

NETWORK SERIES

Sometimes you just want a good, old-fashioned comedy, family drama, or a series featuring first responders heroically taking care of emergencies. Hulu has plenty of examples, including The Good Doctor: 9-1-1; Greys Anatomy; Brooklyn Nine-Nine; A Million Little Things; Younger; and episodes of Saturday Night Live.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Medical personnel tend to passengers as they disembark from the Grand Princess cruise ship at the Port of Oakland on March 9. (Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images)

The massive $2-trillion coronavirus relief package signed into law Friday by President Trump will likely not set aside funding for one of the industries hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak: the cruise lines.

While the package  the biggest funding bill in U.S. history  is expected to help the ailing airlines and hospitality companies, cruise lines that have all but stopped sailing, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, don't appear to qualify for loans or relief grants.

The stimulus package includes $500 billion in loans for struggling businesses, $377 billion in loans and grants for small businesses, $150 billion for local, state and tribal governments facing a drop in revenue and $130 billion for hospitals dealing with an onslaught of patients.

But a segment of the funding bill that would apply to the cruise industry limits aid to "an entity or business that is domiciled in the United States with significant operations and employees located in the United States." That restriction would likely exclude companies such as Carnival Corp., Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have headquarters in the U.S. but most of the ships are registered in Panama, Bermuda or elsewhere and are staffed with employees hired outside of the U.S. to avoid paying U.S. taxes and abiding by U.S. employment rules.

Trump, who has spoken out about helping the cruise lines, acknowledged the problem during a media briefing Thursday when he said he favors having cruise lines register their ships in the U.S.

"It's very difficult to make a loan to a company when they are based in a different country," Trump said. "But that being said, they have thousands and thousands of people that work there and, almost as importantly, that work onshore, filling these ships with goods and products."

Even so, the cruise industry wasn't complaining Friday about being left out of the funding package.

Story continues

"We did not ask nor expect a cash bailout from the U.S. government," said Roger Frizzell, a spokesman for Carnival. "We recently secured $3 billion from our revolver [credit line] and we have significant assets around the world."

Asked about the U.S. funding bill, Royal Caribbean directed reporters to a March 23 news release that said the company had "entered into a $2.2 billion, 364-day secured term loan facility, further enhancing the company's liquidity position."

In addition, Royal Caribbean said it has "over $3.6 billion of liquidity comprised of cash deposits and its existing undrawn revolving credit facilities" and had already committed financing for all of its new ships on order.

"This is a period of unprecedented disruption for the cruise industry," Jason T. Liberty, Royal Caribbean executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in the release. "We continue to take decisive actions to protect the company's financial and liquidity positions as they enable us to keep focused on our guests, our crew and our long-term plans."

Norwegian Cruise Lines could not be reached for comment.

Bari Golin-Blaugrund, a spokeswoman for the Cruise Line Industry Assn., said the trade group that represents most of the world's biggest cruise companies was focused on getting funding support for the more than 30,000 travel agents "who are very much in need of relief as a result of the slowdown in cruise operations."

"We are grateful that they will receive support as a result of this bill," she said.

Cruise lines support more than 421,000 American jobs and annually contribute about $53 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the Cruise Line Industry Assn.

But several lawmakers, including Sen. Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, and labor groups and environmental organizations have spoken out against providing federal funding or loans to the cruise lines.

Cruise industry often registers abroad to avoid US taxes, environmental regs, worker rights



Now seems they want a taxpayer-funded bailout?!



NoWe rebuffed GOP attempts to bailout companies registered abroad



Cruise companies registered or organized off our shores won't qualify https://t.co/VMv7kVI2IL  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 27, 2020

The International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, which includes 5,500 licensed deck officers and mariners who work on tug, ferry and harbor tour vessels, among others, issued a statement Friday saying the group was "gratified that federal stimulus funds will not be extended to flag-of-convenience, tax-dodging cruise ship companies."

"While many of these businesses are American-owned and publicly traded, they choose to sail under the flags of the Bahamas, Panama and other nations in order to avoid hiring Americans, paying reasonable wages and adhering to our labor and environmental standards," the group said.

Several lawmakers including Reps. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) and John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Monday, urging that strong conditions be included in the package before any aid is offered to cruise lines.

"If cruise lines want aid from the U.S. government, they should play by its rules and uphold its values, the letter said.

Environmental groups that have accused cruise lines of polluting the air and seas, also wrote to Pelosi and other lawmakers earlier this month, urging them not to include financial aid to the cruise industry.

"Providing U.S. taxpayer dollars to massive foreign cruise ship corporations that pollute our environment, take advantage of tax loopholes, and flag ships in foreign countries would allow the cruise industry to return to business as usual, which is unacceptable," according to the letter from Friends of the Earth, Stand.earth and Greenpeace.

Responding to such accusations in the past, the Cruise Line Industry Assn. has said the cruise industry has invested heavily in innovative technologies to reduce air and water pollution and adheres to regulations imposed by such agencies as the International Labour Organization, the World Health Organization, the U.S Coast Guard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Oyo State has recorded another two new cases of the coronavirus, increasing Nigerias toll to 70.

Three cases were also recorded in Abuja, the nations capital.

Five new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria: 3 in FCT & 2 in Oyo State, NCDC tweeted.

As at 08:00 pm 27th March there are 70 cases of confirmed #COVID19 reported Nigeria. 3 have been discharged with 1 death.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) committed $25 million to the "COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator"  a global effort to help speed the development of treatments for COVID-19. In partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Mastercard, CZI's investment will support efforts to identify and assess potentially promising therapies for COVID-19, expedite their development, and scale up their production to benefit millions of patients worldwide. CZI is providing $20 million, with another $5 million available based on future needs.

"We're excited to partner with the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Mastercard to help the biomedical research community quickly identify, develop, and test treatments for COVID-19," said CZI co-founders and co-CEOs Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg. "The Therapeutics Accelerator will enable researchers to quickly determine whether or not existing drugs have a potential benefit against COVID-19. We hope these coordinated efforts will help stop the spread of COVID-19 as well as provide shared, reusable strategies to respond to future pandemics."

The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator is aimed at accelerating and evaluating new and repurposed drugs to treat patients with COVID-19. The Accelerator brings together resources and expertise to lower the financial and technical risk for academia, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments while ensuring equal access to these therapies once they are developed  including making them available and affordable in underserved communities. The Accelerator will work with the World Health Organization, government, and private sector funders and organizations, as well as global regulatory and policy-setting institutions. For more information about the Accelerator, read the joint announcement press release.

"In joining the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, we're taking part in a coordinated response that will help address this outbreak, and future outbreaks as well," said CZI Head of Science Cori Bargmann. "By working together, we can dramatically accelerate drug development and deployment to find the effective therapeutics that will ultimately save lives."

For more information about how CZI and our grant partners are responding to COVID-19, visit our website.

About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Founded by Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg in 2015, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) is a new kind of philanthropy that's leveraging technology to help solve some of the world's toughest challenges  from eradicating disease, to improving education, to reforming the criminal justice system. Across three core Initiative focus areas of Science, Education, and Justice & Opportunity, we're pairing engineering with grant-making, impact investing, and policy and advocacy work to help build an inclusive, just and healthy future for everyone. For more information, please visit www.chanzuckerberg.com.

SOURCE Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Related Links

https://chanzuckerberg.com


A longtime American Airlines flight attendant has died while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test.

Paul Frishkorn, a longtime union representative in his 60s, died in Philadelphia this week, the airline confirmed Wednesday.

The news came as flight attendants have told how they fear for their lives because of the lack of social distancing on board plane.

They likened the close contact conditions to being 'on the frontline', with one saying they are 'very much on edge'.

Lngtime American Airlines flight attendant Paul Frishkorn died while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test

Friskhorn had taken a test for coronavirus after becoming sick, but was still waiting for the results when he died.

He left a voicemail greeting on his phone in his final days saying he was 'very ill', CNN reported.

His exact cause of death has not yet been released by Pennsylvania authorities.

'Our hearts go out to Paul's family and friends, many of whom work for American,' American Airlines said in a statement.

'We are working directly with Paul's family to ensure they are cared for during this extraordinarily difficult time.'

The exemplar worker had twice been named one of the company's Flight Service Champions for excellent customer service.

Lori Bassani, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said in a statement that Frishkorn was 'recently spending time in the Philadelphia crew room, answering questions and assisting our members through this difficult time.'

Bassani said the fatality highlighted the risks flight attendants are being placed in as they continue to work, being classed as essential workers amid state shutdowns.

Flight attendants have spoken out about how they fear they may catch the deadly virus because of the lack of social distancing on board planes

'Paul's death sheds a solemn light on our profession as front line workers,' Bassani said.

'It underlines the risk to our members who continue to work as 'essential workers' in the airlines.'

His death has sparked fears for the 119,000 Americans who work as flight attendants across the country, with several colleagues speaking of their concerns that they are putting their lives at risk taking to the air.

One longtime flight attendant with a heart condition in North Carolina said he fell ill after taking multiple flights in recent weeks.

James Rhoades, 55, told CNN Wednesday he developed a dry cough last week, which developed into more symptoms of coronavirus including a fever, headaches and shortness of breath.

Rhoades said flights had been emptier but that some domestic planes heading to holiday destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the Bahamas were still full of passengers.

Flight attendant James Rhoades, 55, said he had a dry cough last week after taking multiple flights in the preceding weeks, which has developed into more symptoms of coronavirus including a fever, headaches and shortness of breath

For flight attendants, this means constant exposure to potential coronavirus cases.

Social distancing is also impossible, Rhoades said, because flight attendants sit close together on jump seats and also have close contact and share facilities with passengers.

'The main purpose of my job is to save people's lives,' he said. 'And today I'm fighting for mine.'

The attendant said he was still waiting for results of a coronavirus test Wednesday.

Another attendant for American Airlines said she was 'on edge' because of the working conditions in airplane cabins.

'Flight attendants are very much on edge right now,' Tracy Sear told CNN.

American Airlines said in a statement to CNN that it had taken 'enhanced steps' to keep workers safe, including two weeks extra paid sick leave if an employee is diagnosed with the virus or put under quarantine.

However the flight attendant union last week slammed the airline for offering its pilots paid leave during the crisis but not them.

The company has been offering staff take a voluntary leave of absence in order to cut its losses as it is battered by falling sales and travel bans.

Pilots have been given three options including unpaid leave of absence of up to 12 months; permanent leave of absence, and paid short-term leave of absence of up to six months where they will get paid for 55 hours a month.

Flight attendants meanwhile have two options - both fully unpaid.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents all 26,000 flight attendants at American, sent a letter to the the firm expressing that its staff were 'highly offended' by decisions around pay at this challenging time.

Pilot salaries typically dwarf that of flight attendants, with the average base pay of a pilot in the US standing at $80,290 a year, according to jobsite Indeed.

Flight attendants earn on average less than half, at $35,012.

Under the conditions some flight attendants will have no option but to keep going to work on airplanes.

American Airlines last week took out a $1billion loan and slashed 55,000 flights for April as the company president warned staff 'we are in the fight of our lives' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline has taken out the loan 'to strengthen our balance sheet' as it expects 'demand to fall even more before it gets better,' President Robert Isom said in an email sent to staff last Thursday.

Isom warned staff there would be tough times ahead as the airline industry continues to be hammered by falling bookings.

This came after the airline had announced plans to ground nearly half of its fleet and said that it would be slashing 55,000 flights scheduled for April.

The flight cuts include a 75% drop in international flights and 30% drop in domestic flights in April, with further cuts in the pipeline for May.
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Mark Blum, an Obie Award-winning New York stage and screen actor whose roles ranged from highly flawed husbands to overconfident blowhards, died on Wednesday in Manhattan. He was 69.

The actor Lee Wilkof, a close family friend, said the cause was complications of the coronavirus. Mr. Blum also had asthma.

Mr. Blum was an omnipresent figure in the Off Broadway world for decades, but his biggest moment in the spotlight came in 1989 after he played a time-traveling 20th-century playwright who befriends Gustav Mahler, in the Playwrights Horizons production of Albert Innauratos Gus and Al.
(Bloomberg) --

Donald Trump looks increasingly intent on playing a game of chicken of sorts with his governments Covid-19 response.

As the U.S. death toll topped 1,000 yesterday, the presidents vision of putting Americans back to work by Easter has set him on a collision course with some other global leaders and the heads of U.S. cities and states who are imposing lockdowns to stem the contagion.

Trumps play-it-down approach, also embraced by like-minded Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, contrasts with the nations warning their health-care systems risk being overrun. The schism will be on full display today as Group of 20 leaders hold a virtual summit to advance a coordinated global response.

Others who adopted lenient stances have since bowed to the reality of the virus. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned a herd immunity approach and announced a three-week lockdown. In Russia, Vladimir Putin postponed a constitutional vote that would let him rule to 2036, and Japan, where workers were thronging the Tokyo metro as recently as yesterday, is considering declaring a state of emergency.

The World Health Organization wants governments to stop wasting time.

We squandered the first window of opportunity, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday in a rare public admonishment of the response so far. The time to act was actually more than a month ago or two months ago.

Global Headlines

U.S. stimulus | The Senate approved a $2 trillion economic rescue plan, putting pressure on the Democratic-led House to do the same and send it to Trump for his signature. The legislation passed on a 96-0 vote just before midnight following intense negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, who demanded changes after saying the measures provisions were too focused on companies.

Click here for a breakdown of the bill. White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow said jobless claims data out today will show a very large increase in Americans filing for benefits.

Story continues

Life-or-death choice | In Spain, people are dying in hospital waiting rooms before they can even be admitted, Ben Sills and Laura Millan Lombrana report. Triage rules for access to overflowing intensive-care wards dictate that older patients miss out to younger people with a better shot at surviving the virus. With some funeral services halted and no space left in morgues, corpses are being stored at the main ice rink. We are completely overwhelmed, one medic said.

Taking control | Governments worldwide have adopted sweeping powers to control the coronavirus, Iain Marlow reports. Theyre locking down cities with the help of the army, mapping population flows via smartphones and jailing or sequestering quarantine breakers using CCTV and facial recognition cameras. As the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. shows, however, governments may be reluctant to relinquish these tools once the immediate crisis is over.

Power shift | Israels parliament meets today to choose a new speaker, a vote thats expected to hand control of the legislative agenda to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus opponents, the Blue and White bloc of Benny Gantz. It follows a showdown between the High Court and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, a Netanyahu ally, who resigned rather than call a vote on his successor. The court transferred his authority to convene parliament to an opposition legislator.

Refugee risk | Social distancing and even clean water needed to keep the coronavirus at bay are luxuries few of the worlds 30 million refugees can afford, Saud Abu Ramadan and David Wainer report. With health-care systems and employment opportunities already under severe strain, camps for those fleeing conflict and poverty and urban slums are potential breeding grounds for the pandemic.

What to Watch

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will announce assistance today to help millions of self-employed people whose incomes are threatened by the pandemic. Joe Biden rejected any idea of an April debate with Bernie Sanders and signaled that he views the Democratic nominating contest as essentially over.

Tell us how were doing or what were missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net.

And finally  Kosovo became Europes first nation to torpedo a government for the way its confronting the coronavirus. Lawmakers voted to remove Prime Minister Albin Kurti after he clashed with President Hashim Thaci over calling a state of emergency. The ouster underscores a split between Western powers over Kosovos approach to resolving its dispute with Serbia: Germany and France warned it could spread instability but Washington supported Kurtis departure because the U.S. prefers Thaci calling the shots.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
An Australian government MP is worried about Chinese firms with Communist Party links buying up distressed local companies as coronavirus forces them to retrench staff.

Daily Mail Australia understands the Foreign Investment Review Board will be watching for potential predatory behaviour from Australia's biggest trading partner, China.

Federal Liberal backbencher Andrew Hastie said the government body charged with approving foreign takeovers of Australian firms needed to be particularly vigilant.

'Now is the time to keep our guard up,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

An Australian government MP is worried about Chinese firms with Communist Party links buying up distressed local companies as coronavirus forces them to retrench staff. Pictured is a Qantas Freight jet. Daily Mail Australia understands the Foreign Investment Review Board will be watching for potential predatory behaviour from Australia's biggest trading partner, China

'We've taken some big economic hits and we need to protect ourselves from predatory behaviour.'

Mr Hastie, an outspoken critic of China, said the freight services of major airlines would be a particular target.

'Authoritarian states will be looking to snap up distressed businesses and assets, particularly ones that are critical to global supply chains  like aviation and cargo freight,' the member for Canning said.

'We need to stay vigilant, especially those who are responsible for reviewing foreign investment.'

Federal Liberal backbencher Andrew Hastie (pictured) said the government body charged with approval foreign takeovers of Australian firms needed to be particularly vigilant

Clive Hamilton, a professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University's Canberra campus, said state-owned Chinese firms would be looking to buy troubled Australian companies.

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

'Australia should tighten its foreign investment filter so that Australian companies have plenty of time to get back on their feet,' the author of Silent Invasion: China's Influence In Australia told Daily Mail Australia.

'There's a significant risk that Chinese companies, including state-backed ones, will buy up Australian companies crippled by the coronavirus lockdown.'

Last year, FIRB allowed the partially state-owned Hong Kong-listed firm, China Mengniu Dairy Co, to buy Australian baby formula company Bellamy's for $600million from Japanese beverage company Kirin.

Aviation would be a bit trickier.

Qantas must maintain its headquarters in Australia under privatisation rules introduced by a federal Labor government in the early 1990s, but foreign interests can still buy a stake in the airline.

Divisions of the airline could possibly be sold off, with the flying kangaroo airline this month retrenching 20,000 staff, or two-thirds of its workforce, as COVID-19 forced it to suspend international flights until at least May.
SINGAPORE, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 27, 2020, KuCoin, an IDG-backed exchange, announced the official launch of Project Pinocchio together with 21 top blockchain institutions around the world.

The Project Pinocchio is a neutral and credible alert platform for less trustworthy projects in the cryptocurrency industry. Through the establishment of a crypto credit reporting system, it will prevent malignant business behaviors such as cooperative breach of contract, illegal fundraising, and bad cryptos expeling good cryptos. The Project Pinocchio is committed to creating a fair, just and transparent business environment, and providing a foundation for the healthy development of the blockchain and crypto industry.

The Project Pinocchio will introduce the Pinocchio Index as the evaluation standard, and all judgment results will be disclosed based on legal compliance. All information records will be stored on-chain with immutability via blockchain technology, eventually we will establish a non-profit credit reporting DApp.

Johnny Lyu, the CEO at KuCoin said, "KuCoin will start this brand-new credit infrastructure "Project Pinocchio" for the entire cryptocurrency industry to maintain the industry order and promote integrity. This program will contribute to society, which we believe will encourage innovation and technology development."

At present, the first batch of members of the Project Pinocchio includes: Cointelegraph Chinese, Jinse Finance, ChainDD, ChainNews, Deepchain, BTCmanager, Cryptodiffer, DASH, Decenter, Digital Renaissance Foundation, J.M Consultancy Services, Newsbtc, PANews, Republic.co, TokenInsight, BlockBeats, Boliancaijing, Odaily, Mars Fiance, CCValue, Honeycomb Finance, and more members are welcomed to join and contribute to the project.

The Project Pinocchio will continue to update the progress of the project on the KuCoin website as well as other official KuCoin channels.

SOURCE KuCoin
In a relief to automobile dealers, the Supreme Court on Friday allowed the sale of BS IV compliant vehicles for 10 days, except in Delhi-NCR, after the ongoing countrywide lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic is lifted.

The apex court, which had earlier fixed the deadline of March 31, 2020 for sale of BS IV compliant vehicles across the country, passed the order on a plea by Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA), seeking extension of time for sale of inventory amid coronavirus scare and economic slowdown.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta, which heard the matter on Friday through video-conferencing, made it clear however that no BS IV vehicles will be allowed to be sold in Delhi-NCR from April 1, 2020.

It said that only 10 per cent of the unsold inventory of BS IV vehicles can be permitted to be sold during this 10-day period after the lockdown, which has been enforced since March 24.

Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms are standards instituted by the government to regulate output of air pollutants from motor vehicles. The BS-IV norms have been enforced across the country since April, 2017.

India has decided to switch to the world's cleanest petrol and diesel from April 1 as it leapfrogs straight to Euro-VI emission compliant fuels from Euro-IV grades now - a feat achieved in just three years and not seen in any of the large economies around the globe.

The top court made it clear that BS IV compliant vehicles which have already been sold but not registered due to lockdown can be registered after the restrictions are lifted.

It asked the automobile dealers to submit on affidavit the details of sold and unsold inventories, within one week.

While Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, appeared for the Centre through video conferencing from Goa, Senior Advocate K V Vishwanathan, appearing for FADA, linked up from his office here.

During the hearing, Vishwanathan said that the deadline needs to be extended due to the ongoing lockdown and economic slowdown faced by the country due to coronavirus pandemic.

He said that over 1.7 lakh passenger cars and 14,000 commercial vehicles amounting to Rs 7,000 crore are yet to be sold and sought time till May 31, to sell these BS IV vehicles.

The top court, however, said that it cannot keep extending time for BS IV vehicles and dealers should be ready to sacrifice and do something for the country's environment.

Nadkarni said that people might have faced hardship in registering their vehicles sold before March 31 due to the lockdown and therefore time till end of April or May, be provided.

The bench disposed of two applications filed by FADA and Honda India seeking modification of apex court's order of October 24, 2018, by which it had fixed the March 31, 2020 deadline for sale and registration of BS IV compliant vehicles.

On February 14, the top court had rejected the plea filed by an association of automobile dealers seeking extension of the March 31, 2020 deadline by one more month to sell Bharat Stage-IV norms compliant vehicles across the country.

The apex court had on October 24, 2018 said no Bharat Stage-IV vehicle would be sold or registered in India from April 1, 2020. In 2016, the Centre had announced that India would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.

In its October 2018 order, the top court had said that any extension of time in introducing new emission norms would adversely impact the health of citizens as the pollution has reached an "alarming and critical" level.

It had said there cannot be any compromise on the health of citizens which has to take precedence over the "greed" of a few automobile manufacturers who want to stretch the time-line to make a "little more money".

The court had passed the order in 2018 while deciding the issue of whether BS-IV compliant vehicles should be permitted to be sold in India after March 31, 2020.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Blood Oath Pact 6 2020 One-Time Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Blood Oath Pact 6 - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the 6th release of Lux Row Distillers Blood Oath Series. The Blood Oath Series is an annually released series of blended bourbons that change recipes on each new release. Their latest, 5th pact, was extremely popular, so this new release is highly anticipated by bourbon-heads worldwide. The upcoming Blood Oath Pact 6 is a combination of 14-Year Extra-Aged Rye Bourbon, 8-Year Rye Bourbon, and 7-Year Rye Bourbon finished in Cognac Barrels. Blood Oath Pact 6 is a bottle your mouth will remember forever, starting with a nose of light caramel and toasted sugar and blossoming into tasting notes of spiced raisins and dark berries followed by a creme brulee finish.

Blood Oath Pact 6s head distiller and master blender John Rempe is a Certified Food Scientist with over 20 years of experience in the distillation of spirits. Rempe created other known brands like David Nicholson Reserve, Rebel Yell 10-Year, and the Ultra-Premium Blood Oath Series. But Rempe's Blood Oath Pact 6 takes premium whiskey to an entirely new level. The oath taken by Lux Row Distillers and John Rempe is a promise to seek out bourbons that are rare and wonderful, yet forgotten. Blending these sought-after bourbons makes for a whole new whiskey that's unimaginably good. Lux Row Distillers is over 18,000 square feet, and has six barrel warehouses capable of producing 50 thousand barrels of whiskey annually.

As Americas largest online premium spirits marketplace, CaskCartel.com guarantees the delivery of every Blood Oath Pact 6 bottle ordered. Lux Row Distillers will be holding 1,400 bottles of this one-time limited-edition release for a future trilogy set, which will be the only other time youll be able to buy Blood Oath Pact 6. As this is the only time youll be able to experience this one-time-only release, dont hesitate to order your bottle today. With easy mobile friendly online ordering and doorstep delivery, let CaskCartel.com bring this Blood Oath Pact 6 - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey straight to you.

About Luxco Distillery

Luxco, Inc. is a privately owned producer and marketer of distilled beverages and liqueurs. Luxco was born of humble beginnings back in 1958 when Paul A. Lux and David Sherman Sr. established the David Sherman Corporation (DSC) as a private label bottler to serve the needs of distributors, wholesalers and retailers. Since that time, the company has quietly and patiently grown into a leading producer, bottler, importer and marketer with an impressive portfolio of beverage brands. Formerly called the David Sherman Corporation, the company was renamed in 2006 as a tribute to their founder, Paul Lux. Luxco is a consumer products company that is mindful of the past, yet focused on the future. Their mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of their consumers, associates and business partners through optimized resources, incomparable service and an innovative brand portfolio.

About Cask Cartel

Cask Cartel is America's #1 online premium spirits marketplace. Featured and seen in Rolling Stone, Men's Journal and Us Weekly Magazines. The company prides itself of having the largest marketplace in the world giving access to over 6000+ products. Combined with a superior customer service experience this makes them the leader in the alcohol beverage industry. Cask Cartel has extensive partners and relationships with producers, brands and the licensed local retailers which grant consumers online access to new arrivals, limited productions and allocated items. Their online Marketplace transforms the way premium spirits are shopped sold and fulfilled by creating a network of the largest network of liquor selections available online.
IMF announces progress in talks on new program for Ukraine

11:40, 27.03.20 4603

Georgieva has named conditions under which the previously stipulated funding of US$5.5 billion could be increased.
Donald Eng / Hearst Connecticut Media

First responders protect the public all the time, so now is the perfect time for the public to do its part, Jing Jack Jiang said as he unpacked boxes of protective masks at Trumbull EMS headquarters Friday.

Jiang, a professor at Sacred Heart University and seven-year Trumbull resident, is one of many Chinese Americans that have been purchasing protective equipment through friends and family in China. The items are then shipped to the U.S. for distribution to various health and emergency workers. Jiang said he and a group of Trumbull residents of Chinese descent had made a bulk purchase of 3,400 masks and he had made the drive into New Jersey to pick them up.
Newlyweds Bindi Irwin, 21, and Chandler Powell, 23, are working on a 'very special project' following their nuptials this week.

Australia Zoo told Daily Mail Australia on Friday that the newlyweds are busy putting together something that will 'ensure their wedding is shared with everyone'.

While additional details are yet to be revealed, a spokesperson for Australia Zoo encouraged fans to 'keep an eye' on their social media channels for updates.

'We're thrilled!' Australia Zoo wished newlyweds Bindi Irwin, 21, and Chandler Powell, 23, (both pictured), a 'long and happy future together' in a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Friday

Australia Zoo said they were 'thrilled for Bindi and Chandler' and 'wish them a long and happy future together as husband and wife'.

Bindi and Chandler made the 'difficult decision' to host their wedding without guests amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision came just hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison enforced new restrictions on weddings, with only five people allowed to attend - including the couple, the celebrant and witnesses.

In the works: The couple are said to be working on a 'very special project' to ensure fans get to witness their special day. Pictured at their wedding at Australia Zoo on Wednesday night

Bindi shared the first photo of the couple as husband and wife to Instagram on Wednesday night, and told fans that it was 'important to keep everyone safe'.

'March 25th 2020. We held a small ceremony and I married my best friend. There are no words to describe the amount of love and light in my heart right now,' she wrote.

'We've planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn't have guests at our wedding. This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe.

Rules: Bindi and Chandler made the 'difficult decision' to host their wedding without guests. Hours before the nuptials, Prime Minister Scott Morrison enforced new rules on weddings, with only a maximum of five to attend, including couple. Pictured: event planners setting up

Crisis: Strict measures have been enforced due to coronavirus (COVID-19). As of March 27, the total number of people diagnosed with the virus in Australia is 3,050 including 13 deaths

'We wish all of our friends and family could have been there with us, however it's lovely that we will be able to share photos and videos.

'Right now we're encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love, which will carry us forward during this profound time in history.'

In the stunning photo, taken in the grounds of Australia Zoo, Bindi wore a princess-style gown with a lace bodice and semi-sheer sleeves.

Love story: Bindi and Chandler got engaged at Australia Zoo in Queensland in July last year, on what was her 21st birthday and they began dating in 2015. Pictured in April, 2018

A TIMELINE OF THEIR ROMANCE NOVEMBER 2013: The pair first meet at Australia Zoo in Queensland. Chandler later asks Bindi's mother, Terri, if he can keep in touch with her JULY 2015: Bindi announces on Instagram that Chandler has become a 'Wildlife Warrior' as they embark on a long-distance romance SEPTEMBER 2015: Bindi and Chandler debut their relationship on the red carpet after her appearance on Dancing with the Stars LATE 2018: Chandler moves to Queensland to live with the Irwins NOVEMBER 2018: Bindi says she feels 'lucky' to have found 'The One' DECEMBER 2018: The couple dismiss engagement rumours, saying they are in no rush to marry JULY 24, 2019: The pair announce their engagement on Bindi's 21st birthday Advertisement

Bindi styled her brunette locks in soft waves, and added an intricate beaded crown.

Chandler cut a suave figure in a blue dress shirt, beige trousers and dress shoes.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can produce pneumonia.

As of March 27, the total number of people diagnosed with the virus in Australia is 3,050 including 13 deaths.

Bindi and Chandler got engaged at Australia Zoo in Queensland in July last year, on what was her 21st birthday and they began dating in 2015.

Family: Despite celebrating a birthday and engagement on the same day, Bindi admitted last year that it was 'bittersweet' as her father Steve Irwin (right) was not there. Pictured also with mother Terri Irwin and brother Robert

Despite it being her birthday and engagement, Bindi admitted in an Instagram post at the time that it was a 'bittersweet' day as she was celebrating without her father.

Steve Irwin, famously known as the 'Crocodile Hunter', tragically died from a stingray barb to the heart in 2006. He was 44-years-old.

Speaking to the Sunshine Coast Daily, she explained: 'I do really wish that dad was here to be able to celebrate with us as a family.

'I think in some ways he is and his spirit lives on in everything that we do, and I always feel closest to dad here at Australia Zoo.'
CHANGSHA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Du Xu, a postgraduate from Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), turned on his laptop and prepared for his dissertation pre-defense online.

While at home in eastern China's Shandong Province, Du presented his dissertation to five professors for the first time through the remote video connection.

"Half a month ago, the university informed us to prepare an online pre-defense, find out the tutors' opinions on the first draft and then revise it," the 26-year-old said. Although he had experience with an opening thesis defense and other face-to-face forms, he was not familiar with the process of online defense, which made him feel nervous.

According to the CSUFT, all the postgraduate dissertations must be pre-defended before being submitted for examination to ensure the quality. The graduate school of the university adjusted the arrangement amid the epidemic. Online defense started on Feb. 10 to ensure that the graduate students could graduate on time.

"Since our defense is open and anyone can click the link to join, there were 55 students online when I spoke," Du said. The open online defense can help us check missing key points and learn from each other. Some students also recorded the defense process to follow up on the comments of the tutor to further modify their dissertation, according to Du.

The university said the pre-defense would be submitted via the Internet, and the degree management office has set up an online platform for it.

Feng Jiajin, a graduate of the Hunan Railway Professional Technology College (HRPTC), who works as an intern at the Nanchang Railway Bureau in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, also needs to demonstrate his graduation project through an online defense.

On March 18, Feng launched a video conference for his final project defense in the office via software on his mobile phone during his lunch break. More than 10 teachers from his college attended the meeting.

In front of the camera, Feng talked about his graduation project "Ultrasonic Ranging and Reversing System" and displayed the slides on the screen with explanations.

When displaying his final product, he showed the results of the graduation project in different situations.

"Vocational schools focus on students' practical ability. Before the formal defense, the instructor first reviewed the students' graduation projects and the statements. Only when the work is qualified are the students are allowed to participate in the defense and display," said Xiong Yi with HRPTC.

According to the college, members of the dissertation defense committee ask questions about the relevant theoretical knowledge and the design methods, which the students should answer one by one. Finally, the members of the defense committee discuss the defense process and results. The results will be announced after a secret ballot. The entire process of the dissertation defense will be recorded, screenshot and saved as the defense record.

"The outbreak of coronavirus won't affect the students' graduation and seeking employment. Before the start of the new semester, the university will use online defense to ensure their graduation on time," said Zhang Ying, vice president of HRPTC, adding that in March, the school will have more than 600 graduates participate in online defense.
Australian and British astronomers, using radio and optical telescopes in Australia, discovered the quasar. They calculate the quasar to be the most luminous known object in the universe, pouring out the energy of 100 million million suns.

An x-ray view of deep space and a quasar taken by NASA's High Energy Astronomy Observatory in 1979. Credit:NASA

A quasar (quasi-star) has been found 20,000 million light years from Earth, making it the most distant object discovered and shattering the theory that the edge of the universe had been seen already.

Such is the distance of the quasar  code-named PKS 2000-330  that the light picked up by the scientists at the CSIRO's radio telescope at Parkes, New South Wales, last week would have left the star-like object 20,000 million years ago.

Before this, the most distant object known was a quasar 15,500 million light years away, discovered by American scientists nine years ago.

Announcing the discovery yesterday, the Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Mr Thomson, said it opened a new debate on the extent and age of the universe and rekindled the controversy about the nature of quasars.

Quasars are the most distant and luminous bodies known. More than 200 have been discovered, but the source of their intense radiation remains unknown.

They have spectrums  the wavelength of light  with a big "red shift." The red shift is directly proportional to distance. The, farther the shift towards the longest (red) wavelength the farther the object is from Earth.
All sides in Yemens long conflict offered support on Thursday for the United Nations call for a ceasefire to protect civilians from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The move came on the fifth anniversary of regional power Saudi Arabias intervention in Yemens civil war, at the helm of a military coalition supporting the internationally recognised government against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

Yemens broken healthcare system has not so far recorded a case of the COVID-19 illness, but aid groups have warned that when it does hit, the impact will be catastrophic in a country already regarded as facing the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

Millions of people have been displaced and diseases including cholera are widespread due to the scarcity of clean water.-

Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government and the rebels all welcomed the appeal from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who this week called for an immediate global ceasefire to help avert disaster for vulnerable people in conflict zones.

However, the Yemen conflict has been punctuated by failed agreements, and negotiating a pause could be very difficult. None of the parties to the conflict spelt out any mechanism for the process.

The government of Yemen said in a statement that it welcomes the call of the UN chief for a ceasefire in the face of coronavirus, and to de-escalate acts of violence in the entire country.

The political, economic and health situation require halting all escalations to preserve peoples lives and deal responsibly with this pandemic.

The Saudi-led coalition also backed the initiative, saying: We support the Yemeni governments decision to accept the UNs calls for a ceasefire.

The Huthis, who move into the sixth year of the conflict in a strong position with more strategic gains in recent months in the countrys north, also welcomed Guterress call to wind back fighting.

Mehdi al-Mashat, head of the Huthis political wing, expressed the insurgents total readiness to be open to all efforts and initiatives in the context of a full and real ceasefire.

UN special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, called for an urgent meeting of all sides to discuss the implementation of a ceasefire.

He urged the warring parties to put their words into action.

I expect the parties to adhere to their words and put the interest of the Yemeni people above all, he said in a statement.

In his appeal from UN headquarters in New York on Monday, Guterres had said: The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war.

That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world.

SOURCE: AFP
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that his administration is working to publish new guidelines to help state and local policymakers make decisions about maintaining, increasing or relaxing social distancing and other measures theyve put in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to the nations governors, Trump said that expanded testing capabilities will rapidly allow federal authorities to publish criteria to help classify the nations counties according to the continued risks posed by the virus. The letter said the system would incorporate robust surveillance testing, which allows us to monitor the spread of the virus throughout the country.

The data will be used to suggest guidelines categorizing counties as high-risk, medium-risk or low risk, the letter said.

Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton was skeptical of the idea of lifting sanctions on some counties at a Thursday briefing with reporters. She said theres been documented spread of the disease in at least sixty of Ohios counties, and more cases are out there because not everyone has been tested. She said its hard to draw any conclusions about the state because it was one of the last to receive working test kits.

We cant assume anything about whats happening in any given community because we really cant test for it, Acton said.

She predicted Ohio could eventually see 6,000 to 8,000 cases a day of the virus, noting the number of cases in New York are doubling every three days.

The more we can push that surge off, the better hospitals are getting ready, said Acton.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Ohio intends to relax sanctions at some point but were not to the point now where we can do that.

This is really a very crucial time, a very critical time and we want people to be very, very careful, DeWine said. What occurs now is going to determine whether we literally have the capacity in our hospitals.

In Ohio, Cuyahoga County currently has the most cases of the disease, followed by Franklin, Hamilton and Summit counties. Fewer cases have been recorded in the states northwestern and southeastern corners. The Ohio Department of Health says 867 people in the state have been diagnosed with coronavirus, with 223 hospitalizations and 15 deaths.

Trumps letter said that with every passing day, "our increasingly extensive testing capabilities are giving us a better understanding of the virus and its path.

As testing gives us more information about who has been infected, we are tracking the virus and isolating it to prevent further spread," the letter said. "This new information will drive the next phase in our war against this invisible enemy.

During a Wednesday press briefing on the coronavirus emergency, Trump said that large sections of the country would probably be permitted to get people back to work, back to school and back to normal much sooner than other sections.

At some point in the not-too-distant future, certain states are going to come off the rolls, Trump said. Maybe New York cant and maybe California cant. Maybe the state of Washington cant, although if you look at them, their biggest problem was in one nursing home... Theres big sections of our country that are very, you know, little affected by whats taking place. Then there are other sections that are very heavily affected, so theres a big difference.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response to coronavirus, said a federal system to examine flu-like illnesses is up and running in county after county and state after state." New York City and several New York counties in its vicinity - Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester - constitute the majority of both the current cases and new cases in the nation, she said.

Id like to get our country back, Trump said. I have tremendous numbers of people wanting to go back. You have store owners where the store is sitting there. They dont know whats happened; theyve got to get back.

More coronavirus coverage:

U.S. Senate approves $2 trillion coronavirus package that includes relief checks

$1,200 checks, extended unemployment benefits: Whats in the U.S. Senates $2 trillion coronavirus deal

Ohio Democrats want President Trump to federalize medical supply chain during coronavirus emergency

Ohio health centers get $3.2 million from federal government to address coronavirus

Sen. Rand Pauls positive coronavirus test negatively affects other senators, but Ohio senators still on the job

Democrats including Ohios Sherrod Brown block Senate GOP coronavirus bill

President Trump suspends student loan interest, allows payment delays during coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus causes suspension of the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals

Senate passes coronavirus relief bill as Ohio legislators seek more aid for workers and businesses

Canadian border will be closed to non-essential traffic over coronavirus, Trump says

U.S. government may issue coronavirus relief checks to workers

Federal judge halts upcoming food stamp cut amid coronavirus concerns

Sen. Sherrod Brown criticizes President Trump over pandemic office closure claim

Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Anthony Gonzalez close DC offices over coronavirus

Ohio gets more than $15 million in federal money to fight coronavirus

Does lack of paid sick days put Ohio at risk of coronavirus outbreak?
Hundreds of Vietnamese citizens returned home from Laos via a border gate in the north-central province of Nghe An on Thursday and were brought to a quarantine camp to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Following their arrival at Nam Can Border Gate in Ky Son District in Nghe An, the citizens were required to have their body temperature measured and fill out heath declaration forms.

They were then brought to a quarantine facility at a local high school.

According to Ho Quyet Thang, deputy chief of the provincial border guard unit, 45 checkpoints have been established and 357 officers mobilized to supervise arrivals along the borderline between Nghe An Province and Laos.

Hundreds of Vietnamese citizens return from Laos to Nghe An Province, Vietnam, March 26, 2020. Photo: Le Thach / Tuoi Tre

At Nam Can Border Gate, officers have caught ten people entering the country illegally in an attempt to dodge quarantine, Thang continued.

Statistics from the Nghe An steering committee for epidemic prevention and control show that about 4,000 Nghe An residents are working and living in Laos.

As more people are expected to return to their hometown in the coming days, local authorities are planning on establishing more quarantine facilities at military bases and school dormitories.

Citizens returning from Laos are brought to a quarantine camp in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, March 26, 2020. Photo: Le Thach / Tuoi Tre

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 540,000 and killed more than 24,300 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has confirmed 153 COVID-19 cases, with 20 having already been discharged from the hospital.

Citizens returning from Laos are brought to a quarantine camp in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, March 26, 2020. Photo: Le Thach / Tuoi Tre

More than 2,300 people are being quarantined in Nghe An Province, of whom 601 are under home isolation.

A total of 342 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the province, and 150 samples have come back negative. Results of the remaining 192 samples are pending.

Local benefactors have donated over VND16.2 billion (US$689,900) to anti-epidemic efforts in the province.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Being a person of color is inherently political, especially when your identities have been stigmatized because of attitudes towards religion and immigration. We hold a depth of history within us, but get stuck in the same conversations. Our cultural climate has trapped minorities in the monolith and has made us accept being visible, even if we are not fully seen. Were past representation, which can be performative, and in search of sustainable visions for change.

South Asian Muslim women have been central to this movement, through creating art and building communities which provide greater nuance to their stories. March 27 is Muslim Womens Day, an important time to celebrate and elevate Muslim female voices, which feels especially relevant in a deeply political time amongst the South Asian community.

In December 2019, the Indian government passed the Citizenship Amendment Act, which fast-tracks the naturalization process for refugees of certain religions, excluding Islam. This is shocking because India has a secular constitution, and this is the first time that a Citizenship Amendment Bill has enforced religious-based criteria for citizenship. The law has led to mass protests in India, whose impact has been felt around the world.

To show our support for the community, we created the #UnapologeticallyMuslim photo series, an extension of the project Unapologetically Muslim in partnership with Brown Girl Magazine and Saba Zafar, with makeup by Shaza Rizvi, as a space for intersectional identity and self-definition.

This focus was necessary because South Asians have not traditionally been centered in Western conversations about Muslim identity, even though South Asia has the largest population of Muslims in the world. To highlight their stories, this photo series features individual journeys with art, community and activism.

Minorities often find ourselves in an unfortunate cycle, because we are expected to address our visible identities through our art, regardless of how we identify on the inside. Even though people may realize our stories are valuable, it remains difficult to be seen or respected past the surface level. This has led many artists to remain in the same conversations about race, gender, and diversity because of systemic barriers that prevent them from exploring a deeper consciousness of identity.

Story continues

With this series, were featuring specific conversations about the issues and experiences which the artists personally value, rather than what society considers relatable or profitable. With everyday life on pause due to COVID-19, its the first time that many of us have seen the whole world come together to heal. This cultural moment has illuminated how our society is often based on money and profit, but the best way to take care of each other is by recognizing our humanity, connecting across communities, and seeking comfort in art.

To illustrate the beauty and range of these stories, were featuring visionary creatives across art forms, from a niqabi photographer exploring creative expression for veiled women to an Indo-Caribbean writer documenting the diaspora to New York Citys first Bangladeshi female candidate for city council.

Weve captured these artists in their creative process while wearing accessories from their culture with personal significance. Through their profiles, youll learn about their artistic journeys, visions for the future, and how their origins influence their work.

Shahana Hanif, 29, community organizer and candidate for NY city council

Im a Bangladeshi Muslim woman born and raised in Kensington, the largest Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn. Im running for City Council. Im a brown woman in politics, which is a rarity. Weve never elected a South Asian or Bangladeshi Muslim woman to the NYC Council. So, Im navigating a space that is a first for me. Navigating politics in Brooklyn is an art form. Im running a campaign that is creative and authentically me and true to my values of family, feminism, community and inclusivity. My politics for progress and freedom are beautifully interwoven with my Bangladeshi heritage and history and Muslim identity in Brooklyn. Ive been intentional about setting a tone that is rooted in love, justice, and working-class power. This also means dismantling white supremacist values that have gated brown and black communities from participating in progressive politics.

When the Muslim Ban was instated in our country, I organized on my block. Countless families needed the IDNYC card, free legal services, and sanctuary. We needed arts and cultural programming. I did this work in coalition with organizations leading mass movement-building work in my neighborhood and across our city. Whats beautiful is that this work doesnt rest on me alone  there are so many organizers who are building multiracial and intergenerational coalitions and challenging the status quo.

For me this work is lifelong. I hope that through the work, I am smiling and experiencing joy. Rest is important too. I remind myself that none of what Im involved in is a quick fix. The road ahead is for freedom, and that requires being in community and on my block. I hope to love people as they come.

Faiza Ilyas, 21, photographer and model

Im a Pakistani-American Muslim woman and a niqabi. The niqab is a religious symbol but I want to enhance it creatively and show people that its not a limitation. Originally, I began wearing the niqab for religious and cultural reasons and as I became more involved in the photography community, I found myself facing questions about my identity. Its actually kind of funny if you think about it  society makes you think that niqabis should blend in, but Im on the street with a camera taking pictures. Ive gone through many forms of creative expression but most recently fashion design. After creating garments for a few showcases I realized that I love capturing fashion more than making it. I love shooting fashion that stands out  much like myself.

I want to build niqabi representation but we dont have many niqabis in New York City who are willing to be a part of the media. Most wear it for religious reasons and would find it a huge step to come in front of the camera or put a creative take on it. Thats why I took a step and put myself in front of the camera; I want to include niqabi faces in this work. Through my art, Im taking a conservative garment and placing it into a modern setting. Im sharing the flexibility of self-expression  I dont want to put a religious take on it. We have a lot of hijabi representation now, but the hijab altered as it progressed in the public eye. Over time people found it difficult to stick to the original garment, thinking it limits creativity and/or self-expression. When it comes to the niqab  in the name of representation, I want to make sure its not reduced over time and the modesty remains intact. Im willing to do anything creatively with the niqab as long as we preserve its integrity.

Nova A., 22, model, actor, activist and creative

Im Bengali-American and I identify as a non-binary womxn. I am a creative and a thinker. You can trap me in four white walls with no window and Ill be completely fine.

Modeling and acting help me be conscious of what Im saying to the world without using my words. I also write to process intense moments that Ive been through and have something tangible for myself to show that it happened.

When I was younger, the standard was to be white so I grew up hating my identity and hating myself. I had to make up for a lot of time lost not loving all of myself. Now, reflecting the community and being unapologetically me is a huge part of what I do in the industry.

I have no choice but to be political. My people have been political from the beginning of their existence. Thats why Im so involved and why I talk about what I do, because its all come full circle for me and affects me.

Our lack of representation made me think that Bengali people werent important, but when I look at present times, I see the power that we hold, especially potentially in politics. Weve had to fight for so much to just exist, speak our mother tongue and become a sovereign state. I think our fight for liberty is as American as it gets.

For such a long time, most young people have felt powerless and like our voices dont matter which is why we dont vote. Were starting to unlearn that and I love the anger that marginalized people and people of color have so that white cis men wont be the standard. Im really happy that were speaking out about it.

Gabrielle Deonath, 23, writer

Im a hijabi Muslim Indo-Caribbean woman, but the word that speaks to the core of who I am is a writer. Writing is my way of processing the world around me, but it also helps me understand the world within.

The hardest part about growing up Indo-Caribbean was understanding my cultural identity. My family is from Guyana, the only country in South America where English is the national language. I believe the loss of native tongue has significantly eroded the connection to our ancestral roots. Most South Asians can trace their lineage back to a village, city or state, but many Indo-Caribbeans, like myself, are unable to pinpoint exactly what part of the subcontinent theyre from. The most I can say is that Im Indian. My ancestors left nearly a century before Partition happened, when practically all of South Asia was referred to as India.

Indo-Caribbeans have historically been excluded from the larger South Asian community, which has further fostered a feeling of deep disconnect. Because theres no specific place Im rooted, Ive had to shape my cultural identity on my own. Dance has become another art form I can express myself through and also helps keep my South Asian heritage alive.

Its rewarding when people of similar backgrounds can identify with my work and feel represented. However, I want my work to be most appreciated for its craft. Ive learned that people can relate to your work even if they dont share parts of your identity  people feel seen in ways you dont expect. So I want to write stories with characters who look and sound like the people I know, stories that are culturally specific so minorities can see themselves represented, but ultimately stories that are just human at their core.

Zubi Ahmed, 30, comedian and filmmaker

Im from a low-income neighborhood at the border of Brooklyn and Queens. Growing up, laughter was so important, because we didnt have a lot. I was that cousin who would bring everyone into the room and do impressions of family members and dance. But when I was younger, I was always told to pipe down and keep to myself because girls are supposed to be demure, mysterious and practically invisible.

I have a loud laugh and a big body, and for most of my life I was taught to be ashamed of all of it. It is so special to be taking up space in the comedy scene as a fat Bengali Muslim woman and resisting societys standards of what a woman should be.

It is a vulnerable act to be a comedian and let an entire crowd of strangers into your thoughts. We expect people of color to talk about their visible identities in their art, and dont always support what we identify as on the inside. There are so many parts to us which people dont see which might surprise them. The stories that we tell are untapped and can bring people together, even if it seems unlikely.

Its been a really interesting time with COVID-19 because, as comedians, we have to find new ways to keep our creative flow going. Now that our usual platforms dont exist, were learning how to use the Internet as our new comedy club. Its challenging in a good way. Now that everyone is online, youre going to see different sides of us. Its basically a science project at this point.

Ive lost a lot of gigs. I do freelance video producing as well, and all my money is gone for the next coming months, so that sucks, but Im trying to look at it in a different way. Its also been good for my creativity because I have fewer distractions and more time to work on my ideas. People have really come together to support comedians and artists, even financially, which has been amazing to see.

Tori Mumtaz, 24, photographer

I moved to New York from London when I was eight years old. I identify with a lot of things  I am Pakistani, British, American and Muslim. I am a woman and Im also bi.

Ive been interested in visual arts since I was young. To me, photography is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The camera is just one tool of many that I use to bring my vision to life.

Most of my work is portraiture, and I spend a lot of time on casting, styling, and set design. Unless youre shooting yourself, portrait work is very social and deeply collaborative. Ive had so many beautiful collaborations with such thoughtful and creative people (mostly women) and Im forever grateful for that. Outside of branded work, the people I photograph are usually real friends. From the beginning, those relationships have been absolutely central. Theres a magic that happens between the photographer and the subject when the chemistry is right and your visions align. Thats the moment I live for.

I feel that the South Asian and Muslim diasporas are at a crossroads of many things. I want to embrace all of it through my work, and not just replicate popular imagery. We are past defining ourselves in dichotomies like East vs. West, and we are well past defining the Muslim community as primarily an immigrant community, as many often do. This erases the depth of Muslim history in America and erases Black American Muslims, who have been here since before the US became a country. The American Muslim community is so fractured along lines drawn by race and class  I want to change that. I want to hold space for all of the communities here.

Fabliha Anbar, 20, writer and community organizer

Im a Bangladeshi, plus size and queer woman. Growing up, it was really hard to deal with the Muslim community, because I was really lost in terms of my sexuality and had to force myself to be a certain way to please others. I used to see my size and sexuality as negative, but Im at a time in my life where Im proud to be all these things.

I express myself through community organizing, which I view as an art form, because youre bringing people together. Growing up, I felt really isolated because I didnt know anyone else who was queer and South Asian, so I co-founded the South Asian Queer and Trans Collective to create the community I wish I had and unite lost souls who also felt isolated growing up.

Storytelling is such a powerful tool to heal souls. Growing up, I never saw people be open about their sexuality so I hope I can do that for other people. Through my writing, I try to address curiosity and provide the knowledge to build empathy. You dont necessarily need to have the same experiences to understand and learn.

Our team at the South Asian Queer and Trans Collective has basically shut down because of quarantine. I was really worried if our community members will feel safe, because a lot of queer people who come to our events want to escape their homes, where they often have to act a certain way for survival. I was almost ready to give up, but I realized that being at home doesnt mean that our community cant exist. In these desperate times, we still need communities and resources, so were planning virtual support groups on Zoom and even an online open mic.

This quarantine has shown me how community is beyond physical presence and all about genuine connection. As an artist, Ive been inspired seeing people come together in a time of need. Im trying to pace myself and take small steps, one day at a time.

Suswana Chowdhury, 23, dancer, writer and video producer

I grew up as a first-generation Bengali American and, for a very long time, distanced myself from my culture. It wasnt until I was in college that I finally started to understand the history of Bangladesh, how we fought to be able to speak our language, and about the sacrifices that our ancestors went through to have the right to express themselves in Bangla.



This has propelled my focus to increase awareness and representation of Bengali culture. I started out as a writer, but am now primarily a video producer and a dancer, trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathak Indian classical dance. I use dance to reflect the intermix of my upbringing and am currently working with a performing arts troupe to bring Bengali art into the mainstream.



My dream is to have my own production company where I can help fund and produce stories that might get rejected by a more mainstream production house because they dont understand their cultural importance. I think its critically important to have us in positions of power where we can make decisions. If I can be in that seat, then I can help other writers, cinematographers and directors tell the stories that they want. I always want to be seen as somebody who is amplifying the voices of those who may not have the resources and the privilege of voicing themselves. The goal is to have people listen.

With our current state of crisis, its definitely been an unprecedented time. Most of the art I create is with other people, and all of my productions have come to a standstill. At a time like this, it is art that helps heal. Were in quarantine, but people are still hungry for content. As creatives, were going to get creative and figure it out. However, we have to find a balance between wanting to produce content and recognizing that we need to heal and rehabilitate ourselves. Through any crisis, art has always found a way to survive. Its a relief and its catharsis, so were going to make it through.

Sona Rehman, 26, painter and digital illustrator

I was born and raised in New Jersey, and identify as a Pakistani-American. I grew up in a predominantly white/upper middle class town and realized, at a young age, that people would never be able to see past my hyphenated identity. I never really felt like I fit in until I started to embrace my differences during my senior year in high school, and people began to recognize me for who I was.

I spent nearly half of my early life in Pakistan, and I have my parents to thank for that. If I had not been exposed to my Pakistani roots, I would have never been able to learn the languages of the country or build a bond with the culture.

Ive been into art and illustration for as long as I can remember, and draw a lot of inspiration from Pakistani culture. A lot of people who have known me since I was really young often tell me that when I would come over, Id ask for paper and pencil. And while the rest of the children would run around restless and wreak havoc, Id just lay belly down in the causeway and draw.

Im most drawn to surrealism because I feel that it peels back the layers of reality and exposes you to a different way of viewing whats actually in front of you. Its visually striking and you can have a lot of muted tones and contrast them with sharp and vivid color. Surrealism is hyper-realistic, so your brain recognizes different aspects of the image. It uncovers a hidden layer of meaning where you see reality through a warped lens and the truth is suddenly revealed. It also enables me, as the artist, to leave hidden messages and Easter eggs in the art itself, which makes it all the more appealing.

Myhra Mirza, 30, product designer and small business owner

I was born and raised in London but moved to Orlando, Florida at the age of 11. It was a sensitive time to emigrate, not just because I was at a delicate age, but my family and I are practicing Muslims who happened to arrive in the US the week of 9/11. At that age, I worried about peoples reactions towards Muslims. When classmates assumed I came from South America, I wondered if I should correct them.



As a kid, I was more cautious with my Muslim identity. Now I fully embrace all aspects of who I am: Muslim, Pakistani, British and American. Ive learned to be more vocal about my needs without fear. Im open about my faith and my need for a space to pray at work.



I am someone who generally loves to create. I am a product designer by trade, but from a young age, I loved to draw. Recently I used that skill to create my own company of multipurpose prayer mats called Niyya, the Islamic word for intention. I wanted to build a brand around the concept of intention and how that can vastly differ from owner to owner. Niyya can be used as a mat, blanket, shawl, or otherwise  the intention can be spiritual or practical.

It was important to me to design something thoughtful for the Muslim community, not just using my culture in visual design but also using design as a tool and a complement to my faith. Growing up, our differences were brought to attention in a more negative way, so the work Im doing is a way to create mindful conversations between different communities. I hope my products allow people to learn more about Islam and the Muslim community as they integrate Niyya into their day-to-day lives.

Refinery29 is proudly partnering with MuslimGirl.com to celebrate the fourth annual #MuslimWomensDay on March 27 by highlighting the real voices of Muslim women in 2020. This years theme is Autonomy, from redefining self-isolation to creating space in the narratives for voices that arent always allowed to speak for themselves.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Muslim Ban Predicted Trump's Coronavirus Racism

Young Muslim Women On Their Hopes For 2018

Why Muslim Women's Day Matters
Who the government's $550 payments forgot. Source: Getty

Many Australians who have just lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus are sighing with relief after the introduction of the governments Coronavirus Supplement - but some who have called Australia home for many years arent so lucky.

Those not residentially qualified for social security payments, including temporary visa holders, asylum seekers on bridging visas and New Zealanders on special category visas arent qualified for the governments Coronavirus Supplement.

Vulnerable Kiwis have started a Change.org petition seeking 300,000 signatures in a bid to get the government to reinstate full Centrelink support to New Zealand citizens living in Australia during the coronavirus pandemic.

Centrelink support for Kiwis was withdrawn in 2001, unlike New Zealands policy which states Australians who are in the country for more than 30 days, and intend to make it their permanent home, can access full support from the Ministry of Social Development.

There is a relatively small number of Kiwis [650,000] living in Australia who have found themselves suddenly out of work because of the COVID-19 outbreak and consequential shutdowns, Alax Robinson, founder of the petition stated.

I myself received a text message on my way to work, telling me that unfortunately I no longer have a job. My Mum is here with me, is high-risk for COVID-19, and now cant return to New Zealand.

And Ive heard from hundreds of Kiwis with heartbreaking stories. People with families, mortgages, and no way to keep going.

The petition states 650,000 Kiwis have made Australia their home and all contribute to the Australian economy.

Im a NZ citizen but have been living and working in Australia for 12 years and still cant get my citizenship here, Victoria Daley, signatory to the petition said. Im a flight attendant for Qantas and am still unsure what will be happening with our jobs. I cannot afford to not have a job.

Story continues

New Zealanders have had and will always have our backs. During this crisis Id say its about time we had theirs, Peta Sykes said.

Jacinda Ardern calls on Aussie government

Ardern confirmed earlier this week she had spoken with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and asked him to support Kiwis during this time.

I have raised this issue with Prime Minister Morrison. I have specifically soughta short-term exemption, just for these exceptional circumstances for New Zealanders to be supported, not least because it will encourage compliance at a time when we need everyone to be self-isolating if they had to, for instance, she said.

It is unclear whether Kiwi sole traders in Australia will be able to access the small business support provided by the government.

The petition has so far garnered more than 200,000 signatures.

Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.

Follow Yahoo Finance Australia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
India has proposed the creation of an electronic platform for Saarc states to exchange information and expertise to counter the Covid-19 pandemic during a virtual meeting of health professionals of the eight-member countries.

The video conference of the health professionals from the member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) was held on Thursday as a follow-up to the virtual meeting of leaders of the grouping on March 15.

During the video conference that lasted almost two hours, India proposed the creation of an electronic platform for all Saarc states to share and exchange information, knowledge, expertise and best practices for jointly combating the pandemic.

The Indian side told the meeting that considerable work has already gone into creating the platform, which could serve as a multipurpose vehicle to further discuss and conduct activities such as online training for emergency response personnel, knowledge partnerships, sharing of expertise in disease surveillance, including the corresponding software, and joint research for new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for epidemic diseases, according to the external affairs ministry.

India also proposed that till the electronic platform is fully operational, a network of experts representing health services of Saarc states could set up a group on email or WhatsApp to facilitate the exchange of information in real time.
Around 60 workers refused to start work at a Dungannon food company on Friday due to their concerns over social distancing.

Staff at Linden Foods in Dungannon instead protested outside the company's premises, demanding immediate talks with management over infection control measures.

It comes after deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that any company found not adhering to the guidance around social distancing would be punished.

Speaking at the Executive's daily briefing on the coronavirus on Thursday she said that all non essential companies must close and that any company ignoring the guidance could lose out on Government contracts in future.

Citing the case of manufacturer Ulster Carpets she said that carpet manufacturing was non essential and the company should close.

However First Minister Arlene Foster told the BBC's The View programme on Thursday evening that companies could remain open as long as they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

"It is important that we allow people to continue if they can put in place very safe working practices to protect their employees," the DUP leader said.

"It won't be a surprise to anyone that there may be different emphasis from people in the Executive, but let me be very clear, we want to be able to come out of this in as best a way as we possibly can. That's true for our public health and it's true for our economic health as well."

Ulster Carpets remains open, despite Ms O'Neill's comments. On Thursday the company said they would be remaining open while following the guidelines.

The Executive is set to release an updated list of what is defined as essential and non essential businesses.

Unite Regional Officer for workers at Linden Foods, Brian Hewitt, said there had been issues between management and staff over social distancing for workers on the boning line, in the canteen, changing areas and at entry and exit points.

"The company's management has provided no additional wash facilities and failed to stagger breaks," Mr Hewitt said.

"Workers have been reporting to Unite that those exhibiting symptoms are still allowed to work as are those with family members who are self-isolating as result of being in the high risk health category. Everyone needs to take responsibility but companys actions are putting workers needlessly at further risk.

"In desperation and fear for their health and well-being, this morning approximately sixty workers refused to enter the workplace and sought assurances from management that two metres spacing would be adopted throughout."

Mr Hewitt said that the company had so far ignoring the concerns of the workers.

Expand Close Workers outside the Linden Foods factory in Dungannon. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Workers outside the Linden Foods factory in Dungannon. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

In a statement Linden Foods said their utmost priority continues to be the health, safety and wellbeing of staff

"In light of the evolving pandemic we have been actively implementing a range of measures across all our sites to provide a safe working environment," a company spokesperson said.

"We are adhering to government guidance and continue to actively take feedback from our teams on the implementation of the measures taken. Today we have approximately 40 employees from our total workforce who did not attend work.

"We have doubled the size of our canteens, have erected new multiple handwashing units at the entrance to all our sites, increased sanitising units which are closely monitored, staggered breaks, erected new temporary changing facilities, carrying out temperature checks on all employees twice daily, reviewed social distancing and are installing screens and respacing work areas, increased PPE and undertaken additional training of our teams.

"We fully appreciate and respect our teams who continue to attend work as key workers, ensuring that the food supply chain functions smoothly to keep the nation fed."

Expand Close Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill Photopress / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill

Speaking on Thursday Ms O'Neill said that companies must take responsibility for staff safety.

"Today we are still hearing reports about workers being exploited during this public health emergency. They're being given no option by their employers other than to go to work, whenever it's not safe for them to do so," the Sinn Fein vice-President said.

"That has to stop. It must stop immediately. And shame on any employer that is exploiting their workforce at this moment in time.

"Non-essential businesses - close your doors, stop using your workers in this way, send them home and let them stay there. And if you don't, we will have to take action against you."

Linden Foods has been contacted in relation to this story.
Italy's coronavirus death toll surged by 969 today in the biggest one-day jump that any country has suffered so far.

The hundreds of new deaths bring Italy's total from 8,165 to 9,134, by far the highest in the world and an increase of 11.9 per cent since yesterday.

In another significant landmark, Italy's total infection count surpassed China's today after rising by 5,959 to bring the total from 80,539 to 86,498.

China has racked up 81,897 cases while the United States has the highest tally in the world with 92,932.

However, the percentage rise in new infections in Italy - 7.4 per cent - was the lowest yet.

The head of Italy's national health institute warned today that 'we haven't reached the peak and we haven't passed it'.

Italy's national lockdown is already in its third week but school closures and a ban on non-essential activities are likely to be extended beyond April 3.

The world also passed another grim milestone today as the global death toll reached 25,000, the majority of them in Europe.

Italy's coronavirus death toll surged by 969 today in the biggest one-day jump that any country has suffered so far

Medical staff wearing face masks and blue protective suits treat a coronavirus patient in an intensive care unit at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan today

Italian army soldiers wearing protective suits transport coffins to the cemetery of Cinisello Balsamo near Milan after they were removed from overloaded Bergamo

Cases have continued to surge in Italy despite a total shutdown of everyday life which began more than two weeks ago.

The figure of 969 deaths in the last 24 hours compares with 712 deaths on Thursday, 683 on Wednesday, 743 on Tuesday and 602 on Monday.

However, the increase in new infections was only 7.4 per cent, the lowest since the contagion began to spiral in Italy.

The government in Rome has progressively tightened the lockdown rules, banning all non-essential activities until at least next Friday.

Franco Locatelli, who heads the council which advises the government on health matters, told reporters this deadline would need extending.

'If I had to decide using today's data, I believe it is inevitable these measures will be prolonged,' he said before Friday's figures were released.

Schools and universities were amongst the first places to be shut down, closing their doors nationwide on March 5.

Education minister Lucia Azzolina said on Friday that the current date for the order to be lifted, April 3, would also have to be extended.

'Our aim is to ensure that students return to school only when we are completely sure that it is safe. Health is the priority,' she told state broadcaster RAI.

Lombardy has taken the heaviest hit in Italy, accounting for around 43 per cent of cases and 60 per cent of deaths.

The crisis has left hospitals in northern Italy overwhelmed and forced doctors into unenviable life-or-death decisions over who gets access to intensive care.

The body count has also been too much for morgues and cemeteries, who have had to call in the army to take coronavirus victims away for cremation.

Medical staff attend to coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit in Milan today, in the region of Lombardy which has been hardest hit by the crisis

An Italian priest wearing a face mask hands out bags of food to homeless and poor people who were queuing up in Italy today

The head of the country's national health institute warned today that infections in Italy have yet to reach their peak.

'We haven't reached the peak and we haven't passed it,' Silvio Brusaferro, told reporters.

However, he added that there were however 'signs of a slowdown' in the numbers of people becoming infected.

'When the descent begins, how steep it is will depend on our behaviour,' Brusaferro said.

Italy today became the second nation in 24 hours to overtake China's infection count, after the United States jumped ahead last night.

China still had a majority of world infections and deaths as recently as March 15, according to World Health Organisation figures.

But in the 12 days since then, its proportion of global deaths has fallen from 56 per cent to 13 per cent.

The coronavirus crisis has also killed 44 medics in Italy after another four died yesterday and two today, a doctor's federation says.

The Italian Federation of Medical Professionals said the latest victims included doctors in Bergamo, Turin, Genoa, Lecco and Pesaro e Urbino.

Some 6,414 medical workers have been infected, an Italian research institute says - taking them away from the health service when they are desperately needed.

The infected health workers make up nearly 8.0 per cent of Italy's total cases.

The latest medics to die of Covid-19 include pulmonologist Marcello Ugolini, 70, and medical councillor Anna Maria Focarete, 69, who died today, according to the federation.

Of the four who died yesterday, two were associated with the province of Bergamo which has been exceptionally hard hit by the crisis.

'What we face every day is a real war bulletin. Doctors and their families mourn their dead,' said Filippo Anelli, president of the doctors' federation.

The doctors' federation has warned that the true death toll may be higher because 'many doctors die suddenly, even if the cause of death is not directly attributable to the virus, because the swab is not carried out.'

A member of the medical staff in a protective suit treats a patient suffering from coronavirus in an intensive care unit in Milan today

An Italian soldier holds his weapon while wearing gloves and a face mask as police and the army guard access to the town of Nerola yesterday

On top of that, at least one nurse is believed to have killed herself after being infected with coronavirus and fearing she had spread the disease to others.

Daniela Trezzi, 34, had been working on the front line of the coronavirus crisis at a hospital in Lombardy, the worst-affected region of Italy.

The National Federation of Nurses of Italy confirmed her death and expressed its 'pain and dismay' in a statement earlier this week.

The nursing group also revealed that 'a similar episode had happened a week ago in Venice, with the same underlying reasons'.

Many Italian hospitals have been overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis and are facing shortages of ventilators and other medical supplies.

Thousands of medics falling sick has taken them away from the front line when they are urgently needed.

Nino Cartabellotta, the head of the Gimbe foundation which is gathering data on the number of infected medics, urged that this 'phenomemon' must be 'curbed to safeguard those who take care of us'.

As well as hospital doctors and general practitioners, the dead include dentists, psychiatrists and an ophthalmologist.

A man wearing protective gear sprays disinfectant over an army truck near the cemetery in Bergamo, which has been unable to cope with the number of deaths

Doctors stand over the bed of a coronavirus patient in Rome, in a country where hospitals have been facing medical shortages because of the crisis
Kolkata, March 27 : The coronavirus count in West Bengal shot up to 15 on Friday, with five members of the same family testing positive for the disease, state health officials said.

Three of the afflicted are children and two others women. They have all been admitted at the ID Hospital, Beliaghata.

Health Department sources said the patients included a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old child, and an 11-year-old boy. The two women victims are aged 27 and 45 years.

An official said they attended a marriage function in Tehatta of Nadia district where one of the guests who came from London via Delhi was detected with the virus.

Fifteen others who have come in close contact of this family would be quarantined, the Health Department official said.

He said 61 swab samples were sent for testing on Friday, of which 56 gave negative results.

This is the first case of a baby getting infected with the deadly virus in the state.

So far, one person has died of the disease in Bengal. Nine others previously detected with the virus are under treatment in hospital.
Like many other musicians, Alex Maryol had weeks worth of performances set up this spring.

Then COVID-19 spread and venues were forced to shut to fight the spread.

Maryol wanted to continue to perform, as well as promote his album, In the Meantime, which was released at the end of February.

The New Mexico native turned to social media  specifically, Instagram and Facebook  to put on house concerts.

And its been successful.

Thankfully, we have this technology to where we are all able to connect, he says.

For the past week, Maryol has set up a station in his home, where he performs once or twice a night.

On a recent night, he performed In the Meantime in its entirety.

I started on the album about three years ago, he says. I had raised money through Kickstarter for the album and needed to get it out to the supporters.

When the songs were completed, Maryol went to Leadville, Colorado, where he recorded the album.

Maryol says this album challenged him in his writing.

I wanted to move along with my writing and write about themes that are more significant to my life, he says. When I was younger, I was writing woe is me, breakup songs. This album isnt centered on that. This album is all electric guitar, and theres no acoustic on it. This album was getting back into me playing electric guitar. I feel really good about the final product.

Maryols shows from his bedroom have become a hit for his fans across the country.

Hes also feeling more comfortable in front of the camera because its just him.

Theres no ambient noise for me as a performer, he says. I can hear everything clearer. I play a lot of breweries normally, and Im usually the in the background. I like this in a better way because when I look into the live interface on my phone, I can see how many people are watching. I know they are watching and I put a little more of my personality into the performance. It kind of makes the people watching feel like Im singing to them. Its a little more personal despite being streamed.

Maryol wants to continue to perform at least four times a week through social media.

Being able to perform a show not only gives me something to do, he says. Im able to connect with new and old fans. Were all looking for something to do as we are staying home. Its a different avenue, but its also helping us bond, which Im surprised about.

Online

To join in on Alex Maryols concerts, follow him on Facebook and Instagram by searching his name. His new album is available on all streaming platforms.
On Tuesday evening when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-day lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19, 37-year-old Manoj Pal, a contract staff with East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), sat listening intently in front of his second-hand television set with his wife and three children.

The next day, at dawn, he cycled to report for duty and spent the rest of the day collecting garbage from neighbourhoods around east Delhi, segregating it and finally disposing of it.

Friday was no different. By 8 am, Pal reached his contractors office at Patparganj industrial area, signed on the daily register and then proceeded to the EDMC office a kilometre away to board the tipper truck assigned to him. By 9 am, he has to report to the first colony in Patparganj.

While the pandemic has forced people to stay at home, Pal has been going about his duties like nothing had changedby 12.30pm he needs to get back to the EDMC and head to the landfill. He says that till two days ago, he did not even have gloves, a mask or boots to do his job. On Thursday, his contractor gave him a pair of used rubber gloves and a flimsy mask as his battle armour.

What has changed is the attitude of people and the way they look at me these days, as if I am diseased, Pal says, snapping at his torn gloves.

After a moment of thought, he adds, Saying this means a lot because waste collectors like me face a lot of discrimination even on regular days.

Between his daily trip of collecting trash from neighbourhoods to reaching the landfill, he gets a half-hour gap for lunch. Out of this time, he takes 15 minutes to eat the food that his wife packed and then calls back home to check on his family.

For the last one week, in many gated neighbourhoods, residents either come to the gate to dispose of their garbage, or a worker from the colony collects it from each house and dumps it into Pals van.

While residents from these colonies hand over their waste, most of them have carefully covered their mouths with masks or with some cloth. People are also careful to not touch his hand in any way and some do not even wait to get home to wash their hands and immediately rub sanitiser over their hands with a cringed face right in front of him.

Looking at the news I know that the virus came from those who are rich enough to travel to foreign countries. So technically, I should run the other way, he laughs.

Pal says that in the zone assigned to him, he has got a list of four houses where people are under home quarantine by the directions of authorities. He is tasked with lifting waste from these houses every alternate day.

There is a separate truck that has been assigned to collect garbage from these houses, he says.

Work becomes more intense as the day progresses. Wiping his brow, as he empties out black garbage bags from his van to a garbage dump near Ghazipur landfill, around 3 pm on Friday, he lifts out two masks that he found in the pile, You can find these a lot in the garbage dumps these days. This could be of someone who has symptoms, who know.

By 5.30 pm after wrapping up work, he usually sticks around for some time to have a cup of tea with his colleagues before he heads home. However, since his children are home these days because of the lockdown, he has been heading home.

At 6 pm he is home.

I fear for my children. Before entering home these days, I just rub some ash mixed with water and get rid of all the dirt. If you are destined to die of a disease, even the Gods cant save you, he says.

The next few hours go in playing with his children and listening to his wife complain about how they kept her on her toes all day. His family has made it a tradition for everyone to sit together for dinner at 9 pm.

The day is usually so long that I crash by 10.30 pm after watching some funny videos on my mobile, he says, preparing for the same routine the next day.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
We know Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions is the right choice to offer exceptional service, an expanded product mix and full engineering support to our long-standing customer base. Past News Releases RSS

Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions, http://www.pyebarker.com, announced today that they are joining their business operations with Coastal Air Compressor, Inc. to offer an expanded mix of products and enhanced service capabilities to Georgias manufacturing and industrial market.

Pye-Barker has provided compressed air, pumping, and blower/vacuum systems since 1936. This month, they acquire all of Coastal Air Compressors assets, employees and customer contracts. This includes their complete line of replacement lubricants, air compressor rental/rebuild services, and their new and pre-owned air compressor, dryer sales and service operations with replacement and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts.

It was time to sell the business, and we were looking for a respected company within the industry that shared our values and commitment to the customer, states Larry D. Rivers, Coastal Air Compressor, Inc. President. Having competed with Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions for years, I have always known them to provide best-in-class products and services and to operate with the highest integrity. So, we know they are the right choice to offer exceptional service, an expanded product mix and full engineering support to our long-standing customer base.

Known for their personal attention and commitment to quality service work, Coastal Air Compressor, Inc. is a privately-owned business backed by over 30 years of air compressor service and repair experience in Sylvania, Georgia.

This acquisition is an exciting opportunity to significantly enhance our service team and provide our customers with even more timely response to their repair and maintenance needs, regardless of the product or equipment, states Eric Lunsford, Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions President and CEO. And our new Service Center already has all the appropriate tools and equipment ready to go. We will also be adding a few more skilled technicians to significantly improve repair turnaround times for our customers.

The building at 452 Industrial Park Rd., Sylvania, GA 30467, will become Pye-Barkers official Compressed Air Service Center for all air compressors and compressed air accessories that cant be repaired in the field. The current service technicians will continue their work out of this location as Pye-Barker team members. All products and services are backed by Pye-Barkers 225 years of combined engineering expertise, certified maintenance and repair services, and their 100% satisfaction guarantee.

As our Georgia customers look to streamline their operations and optimize equipment performance, they can expect increased availability of service technicians from this acquisition to help them save time and money, says Lunsford. We look forward to future growth and the opportunity to exceed our customers changing needs.

For more information, visit http://www.pyebarker.com

About Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions

Founded in 1936, Pye-Barker specializes in creating engineered solutions to help industrial companies in Georgia and now Florida with their compressed air, pumping and blower/vacuum systems. With over 225 years of combined engineering experience, they help clients create engineered solutions specific to their needs. Then, they deliver the highest quality products and services possible, all backed by certified maintenance and repair and their unique, 100% satisfaction, risk-free guarantee. With offices in Forest Park and Savannah Georgia and Orlando Florida, Pye-Barker Engineered Solutions is ready to service the needs of local customers quickly and cost-effectively. For more information, visit http://www.pyebarker.com or call (404) 363-6000.

Media Contact: Melanie Rembrandt, Rembrandt Communications, 800-771-0116
More than 11 million has been spent on the search for Madeleine McCann, pictured

The operation to find Madeleine McCann is set to receive another cash boost, on top of the 11 million already pledged in the hunt for the missing girl.

Detectives have requested extra money to continue their investigation into the disappearance of the toddler in Portugal back in 2007, according to The Sun.

Funds for Operation Grange will expire at the end of the month but it's suggested more resources to ensure the search continues should not be an issue.

A Met Police source told the site: 'There has been some recent speculation that the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance could be put on hold or discontinued because of the coronavirus epidemic and a shortage of officers working.

'This isn't the case and we can't see the outbreak causing a problem for this ongoing inquiry. Neither can the Home Office.

She disappeared from apartment 5A in Praia Da Luz in Portugal, pictured, in 2007, while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant

'We've been told there will hopefully be no problem with new funding.'

The news has been welcomed by Maddie's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, according to their spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

'While an active investigation is ongoing, it gives them hope that one day they will find out what happened to Madeleine after all these years,' he said.

'The Met has an iron will determination to find the answers Kate and Gerry so desperately want.'

Three-year-old Madeleine vanished after she had been left sleeping alone with her younger twin siblings while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant at their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz.

The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, who insist they made regular checks on the children throughout that evening, have never given up hope of finding their daughter.

Parents Kate and Gerry McCann, pictured, welcomed the news of more resources through their spokesman

However, ex-detective Mark Williams-Thomas recently claimed the case will never be solved because a crucial CCTV camera was switched off when Maddie, who would now be 17, disappeared.

The Met took over the hunt in 2011 after the parents made a personal plea to then-Prime Minister David Cameron, and has received more than 11m in funding, despite some police chiefs calling for the search to end.

There were fears the demands of the Covid-19 pandemic on policing would mean further funding could be shelved, but it appears detectives will continue to be backed in the coming days.

Officials from the force told The Sun: 'The Met has previously said that the team leading the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is small in number.

'The team continue to lead that investigation, but can flex if it is required.'
BOSTON  States are pulling back the welcome mat for travelers from the New York area, which is the epicenter of the countrys coronavirus outbreak, but some say at least one states measures are unconstitutional.

Governors in Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina this week ordered people arriving from the New York area including New Jersey and Connecticut  and other virus hot spots to self-quarantine for at least 14 days upon arrival.

Connecticut officials have also pleaded with New Yorkers and others from out of state to avoid visiting unless absolutely necessary.

But, in the most dramatic steps taken to date, Rhode Island State Police on Friday began pulling over drivers with New York plates so that National Guard officials can collect contact information and inform them of a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.

Gov. Gina Raimondo ratcheted up the measures Friday afternoon, announcing shell also order the state National Guard to go door-to-door in coastal communities starting this weekend to find out whether any of the homes residents have recently arrived from New York and inform them of the quarantine order.

The Democrat had already deployed the guard to bus stations, train stations and the airport to enforce the executive order, which also applies to anyone who has traveled to New York in the last 14 days.

I know its unusual. I know its extreme and I know some people disagree with it, she said Friday, adding that she has consulted with state lawyers.

If you want to seek refuge in Rhode Island, you must be quarantined.

Raimondo maintains shes within her emergency powers to impose the measures, but the American Civil Liberties Union has called it an ill-advised and unconstitutional plan.

Governors have the authority to suspend some state laws and regulations in a state of emergency, but they cant just suspend the Constitution, argued Steven Brown, head of the ACLUs Rhode Island chapter.

Under the Fourth Amendment, having a New York state license plate simply does not, and cannot, constitute probable cause to allow police to stop a car and interrogate the driver, no matter how laudable the goal of the stop may be, he said.

Its the latest worry for civil rights and libertarian groups already concerned about fundamental freedoms being tossed out in the name of public health.

New York has more than 40,000 cases and more than 500 deaths from the virus, by far the most in the country.

For most people, the virus 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, or death.

Florida was the first state to try to deter fleeing New Yorkers, ordering tri-state area arrivals on Monday to go into mandatory quarantine for two weeks. It has since expended the restrictions to travelers from Louisiana. The federal government followed up Tuesday with a recommendation to do the same country-wide.

If you were in New York state, you left when you were told to shelter in place, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this week. You defied that and then you got on a plane and came here, and so we dont want there to be any fallout here.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has warned that those who dont comply with his Thursday order, which also extends to those coming from New Orleans, risk jail time. State troopers would be conducting visits to make sure people were staying put as required, he added.

Connecticut officials have voiced concern that people from New York and elsewhere are returning earlier than normal to their summer homes, but Gov. Ned Lamont has so far not issued an official order for out-of-staters to self-quarantine.

In Rhode Island, Raimondo stressed that contact information wont be collected from drivers passing through the state. Commercial vehicles, including tractor-trailers, wont be stopped either, so goods can continue to be transported across state lines uninterrupted, she said.

Shes also promised that any information collected from travelers will be used only for public health reasons and not for police or immigration purposes.

New York City is a hot spot  their infection rate is skyrocketing  and they are so close to Rhode Island, Raimondo said Thursday announcing the order. There is a lot of panic in Rhode Island right now related to folks from New York coming to Rhode Island.

__

Associated Press reporters Terry Spencer and Brendan Farrington in Florida, Meg Kinnard in South Carolina, and Dave Collins and Susan Haigh in Connecticut contributed to this story.
Amaravati, March 27 : In view of the coronavirus crisis, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to issue an ordinance for vote on account for the three month period ending June 30. The AP cabinet headed by chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy met on Friday and also reviewed the situation after lockdown in the state.

Social distancing norms were followed in the cabinet meeting too.

Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Information and & Public Relations Minister Perni Nani said, "The cabinet has approved the Ordinance for drawing money for the expenses of State for the next three months and once it gets the Governor's nod, the details would be revealed. As it is not possible to convene the budget session in the wake of the pandemic, the government is going for an Ordinance." Friday's cabinet meeting also reviewed the status of measures put in place for containing the coronavirus. During the meeting, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy held extensive discussions on the medical facilities and ways to further strengthen the medicare system. To obtain state-level feedback, a task force comprising five ministers, 10 senior IAS officers and four officials from the CMO will be formed to coordinate with district level teams of ministers and officers.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state has risen to 11, with one more case detected in Visakhapatnam. Over 28,000 foreign returnees have been tracked and a constant vigil is being maintained on them and their contacts.

Four hospitals - one each at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Nellore have been converted into dedicated super specialty Covid hospitals while 100-bedded isolation centres are in place at constituency level, and 200-bed isolation centres at the district level. About 400 ventilators are in place and PPEs (Personal Protection Equipment) surgical masks for patient attendants along with N95 masks are available in required numbers and order was placed for more equipment which will be delivered in a couple of days.

The minister also urged the people to take the lockdown seriously and help the government fight the invisible enemy.

"It is very sad to see that students and others from our state are stranded at other places but the helplessness of the situation prompts us to say that they have to stay where they are or cross the border and be quarantined for 14 days. In other days the Chief Minister would have been more than happy to seek Centre's help to bring back Andhra students from anywhere but now in the times of Covid-19, the situation is grim and everyone has to stay where they are to avoid the spread," the minister said.

Perni Nani requested the media to refrain from sensationalising the developments at the state borders to prevent panic.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 19 persons tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday which included a first case from Wayanad. The other confirmed cases were from Kannur (9), Kasaragod and Malappuram (3 each), Thrissur (2), and Idukki and Wayanad (one each). A total of 137 cases have been confirmed in the state so far. A record 25,461 people were quarantined on Thursday alone.

Five people recovered on Thursday, taking the total number of recovered patients to 11. They included the three-year-old and his parents who had reached Kochi from Italy. Meanwhile, the state government has set up a war room at the Secretariat to fight the Covid spread. It will be headed by senior IAS officer K Ellangovan.

Meanwhile, at least four more coronavirus deaths were reported across the country on Thursday, the highest in a day so far, taking the toll to 17. However, the Union health ministry dismissed concerns of community transmission of the virus. The total number of confirmed cases validated by the ministry stands at 694. A total of 80 cases were reported on Thursday alone.
American Airlines (AA) is expected to have its last service operating between Miami International Airport and St. Vincents Argyle International Airport (AIA) next Wednesday, April 1.





This follows Air Canadas previous announcement that it will temporarily suspend flights to the AIA as of yesterday, Thursday 26th March.





Both airlines have taken this action as a result of the COVID-19 pademic and the extent to which air transport has been affected across the globe.





Air Canada, though, says that it will suspend flights to St Vincent and the Grenadines for at least one month, but has set May 4 as a possible date for resumption.





There has been no similar indication from Amercian Airlines.





Regional carrier LIAT has said it is continuing to fly across the region, but has reduced its flight schedule by 40%. The reduced schedule is in response to the decline in travel as well as travel restrictions and border closures imposed by governments of destinations into which LIAT operates, the airline stated.





According to the Tourism Authority, in a statement on Wednesday, "The situation is evolving rapidly, and non-residents of the United States currently booked to travel are advised to contact their travel agent or airline contact to make the necessary changes to their ticket as they may not be allowed to board.





As of Monday, March 23, all travellers arriving to SVG from the following countries are now required to quarantine for 14 days: Iran, China, South Korea, Italy, United States of America, United Kingdom and European Union Member Countries.





All persons with a travel history including countries not listed will only be allowed into SVG, once no symptoms of COVID-19 are exhibited. In addition, upon entering the country, all persons will be issued a card with the COVID-19 hotline number and indicating that they are required by law to report any symptom, which may develop after entry and during their stay.





The Prime Minister also announced that he has given permission to hire between 20 and 25 additional Vincentian nurses to strengthen surveillance, maintenance and management of COVID 19 especially at airports and other ports of entry.




Low-income Oregonians enrolled in the federal food stamp program will be able to purchase groceries online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

All Oregonians enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, will be able to buy food online for delivery from Walmart and Amazon, making it easier for those residents to adhere to social distancing guidelines, the Oregon Department of Human Services announced Thursday. The move is an expansion of a pilot program that the state rolled out in early March to allow SNAP recipients in Portland and Grants Pass to buy food online.

The federal government does not allow delivery or pickup fees to be paid for using food stamp benefits, meaning that SNAP recipients will still have to pay those fees out of pocket.

We are grateful that these retailers expanded their grocery services to all Oregonians receiving SNAP benefits, said Dan Haun, self-sufficiency programs director at the Oregon Department of Human Services, in a statement. Convenience, quality and fresh groceries should not be determined by how someone pays. The expansion will increase food access for those who experience challenges visiting brick-and-mortar stores.

The change in policy comes as the state is seeing an influx of Oregonians in need of food. The number of Oregonian applying for food stamp benefits quadrupled in the last week as unemployment rates skyrocketed due to the coronavirus crisis. The Oregon Food Bank has seen food assistance requests at its partner agencies increase by an estimated 20 to 30 percent as well.

Any additional changes to SNAP benefits and eligibility requirements for the program would have to be made by the federal government. However, residents that have lost their jobs or seen their work hours reduced due to the coronavirus crisis could become eligible for food stamp benefits, as well as food assistance through the Oregon Food Bank.

Susannah Morgan, chief executive officer of the Oregon Food Bank, said that the organization has made changes to its operations as well to maintain social distancing and meet the rising demand for food assistance in Oregon and Southwest Washington. More than 860,000 people per year were relying on the Oregon Food Banks network before the coronavirus crisis.

The Food Bank regularly holds food sorting events with more than 100 volunteers, but has altered its policy to allow no more that 15 volunteers at any event. With a more limited staff, the organization is no longer accepting food donations from the general public, which generally take longer to sort.

We are strongly asking the community to donate funds, which we can then turn into food, Morgan said. We can purchase food by the truckload from manufacturers or growers in pack sizes that are readily available for distribution for families.

The 1,400 food assistance sites that partner with the Oregon Food Bank are also taking steps to limit interpersonal contact.

Grocery distribution sites have been extending hours and limiting the number of people allowed inside facilities at one time, moving food distribution services outside to make social distancing easier or distributing pre-packed food boxes. Meal sites that partner with the Oregon Food Bank have been handing out to-go boxes with premade hot meals.

Morgan said that residents utilizing the food assistance sites could also pick up groceries for neighbors or friends in need to further support social distancing efforts. Before coming to a food assistance site, Morgan encouraged Oregonians in need to enroll in SNAP, apply for unemployment insurance, when applicable, and access meals through their school districts when food is being provided.

Please dont accept hunger, Morgan said. Your community is here to take care of you now, as you take care of your community when youre going through better times.

Oregonians that are seeking to enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can apply online at OHP.Oregon.Gov. The Department of Human Services is providing additional resources on their website aimed at helping Oregonians navigate the COVID-19 crisis. Residents can find information on local food assistance sites on the Oregon Food Banks website or by calling 2-1-1. Multnomah County has compiled a list of schools providing food and meals on their website as well.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The G7 ambassadors in Ukraine welcome a statement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the potential expansion of its assistance for Ukraine and support the economic reforms in the country.

"The G7 Ambassadors welcome the IMF statement on potentially expanding its assistance for Ukraine and reiterate our support for the government in its efforts to approve necessary legislation. We stand by President Zelensky and the government of Ukraine as they work to address the coronavirus crisis and continue pursuing the important reforms that will transform Ukraine's economy and attract international investment," G7 ambassadors said on their Twitter microblog on Friday.

As reported, Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva reported on a very good progress in negotiations with Ukrainian authorities about the new EFF program and the possibility of its increase in case of adoption of bills on the land market and regulation of banking activities (the so-called anti-Kolomoisky bill No. 3260).
According to its Ombudsman Darina Morozova, the Ukrainian side responded with a refusal

Daria Morozova, the DPR ombudsman Open source

The so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR) suggested holding an exchange of prisoners with Ukraine via "10 for 8" formula in the shortest time. It was reported by TASS with reference to DNR's Ombudsman Darina Morozova.

According to Morozova, the proposal was made during the negotiations that took place on March 26, within the framework of the Tripartite Contact Group on the resolution of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

She noted that the Ukrainian side had responded with a refusal.

"The Donetsk Peoples Republic insists on the swiftest exchange due to the complicated epidemiological situation in the world. For this reason, on March 26, during the meeting of Tripartite Contact Group, we put forward a proposal to exchange according to the 10 for 8 formula. The Ukrainian side flatly rejected our offer," Morozova said.

As we reported earlier, the European Union stated about the importance of the unhindered access of the OSCE SMM to areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are uncontrolled by Ukraine.

It is crucial that Russia and the armed formations that it backs allow the OSCE SMM, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and the ICRC freedom of movement across the contact line, the message said.
By Maria Tsvetkova, Gleb Stolyarov and Katya Golubkova

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A new OPEC+ deal to balance oil markets might be possible if other countries join in, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund said, adding that countries should also cooperate to cushion the economic fallout from coronavirus.

A pact between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers, including Russia (known as OPEC+), to curb oil production to support prices fell apart earlier this month, sending global oil prices into a tailspin.

"Joint actions by countries are needed to restore the(global) economy... They (joint actions) are also possible in OPEC+ deal's framework," Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), told Reuters in a phone interview.

Dmitriev and the Energy Minister Alexander Novak were Russia's top negotiators in the production cut deal with OPEC. The existing deal expires on March 31.

"We are in contact with Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries. Based on these contacts we see that if the number of OPEC+ members will increase and other countries will join there is a possibility of a joint agreement to balance oil markets."

Dmitriev declined to say who the new deal's members should or could be. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week he would get involved in the oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia at the appropriate time.

Dmitriev also said that a global economic crisis was inevitable as global debt to the world's gross domestic product had risen to 323% as of now from 230% at a time of the previous economic crisis of 2008. The virus just triggered it, he said.

"Efforts to restore relations between Russia and the United States are now as important as ever, we will take all the efforts our side and hope the United States will also understand that this is necessary," he said.

The fund - the Russian Direct Investment Fund - and its partners have produced 500,000 coronavirus test kits so far, but are planning to increase production to 2.5 million kits a week.

Story continues

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he hoped Russia would defeat coronavirus in 2-3 months, as the total number of infected Russians, including some close to the country's elite, topped 1,000, with four virus-related deaths.

Dmitriev said he believed that Russia should follow examples of South Korea and Hong Kong - which have shown how testing can limit the coronavirus spread.

For now, the fund and its partners are focusing on producing tests for companies which need them to test workers at towns where their big plants are located, so-called single-industry or "monotowns."

Dmitriev said that within a month, test kits for fast and mass public use would be ready, so people could order them at home via taxi and delivery service apps at tech companies Yandex <YNDX.O> and Mail.Ru <MAILRq.L>. Only a third of all tests will be exported.

(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Gleb Stolyarov and Katya Golubkova; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Jane Merriman)
Was made in response to rising prices at supermarket and financial struggles

Deepak Tailor, 32, from Essex and Tom Kelsey, 33, from Oxford, also involved

Three bargain hunters have created a free supermarket price comparison tool following the collapse and closure of MySupermarket.

Tom Kelsey, 33, from Oxford, Tom Church, 29, from London, and Deepak Tailor, 32, from Essex, have made a free tool that compares the prices for essential supermarket products at Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Waitrose and Iceland.

The tool was made in response to rising prices at supermarkets and families struggling financially.

After receiving messages asking for help, the trio, who run online money saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, have worked day and night to create the tool.

Tom Kelsey, 33, from Oxford, Tom Church, 29 from London, and Deepak Tailor, 32, from Essex, have created a free supermarket price comparison tool (pictured) following the collapse and closure of MySupermarket

The tool (pictured) is available for free within the Latest Deals app on Apple iOS and Google Android

MySupermarket was the UK's biggest supermarket comparison site but it closed without warning last month leaving users without service.

The tool is available for free within the Latest Deals app on Apple iOS and Google Android.

'We started to receive hundreds of messages asking for help,' explained Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk. 'Supermarket prices are increasing, there are fewer discounts, and the lack of stock for home brands means people are forced to upgrade to more expensive products.'

'The only supermarket price comparison tool was MySupermarket. But this shutdown last month.'

Tom went on to explain that he asked the community if they would find it helpful if the trio made a free alternative.

'The response was overwhelming,' he said. 'For some parents, saving 20p on bread is the difference between having food on the table or not. Thousands are losing their jobs and waiting for Universal Credit.

One of the trio who created the tool revealed how they have exclusively focused on the six big supermarkets that do online shopping and home delivery. Pictured, the supermarket comparison tool

One of the creators, Tom Church (pictured), said the tool was made in response to rising prices at supermarkets and families struggling financially

'Knowing where is cheapest to buy your essentials is critical and essential information at this time. People are rapidly descending into financial difficulty and we knew we had to do something.

He added that Kelsey - their tech wizz - had 72 hours without proper sleep so the comparison App could be launched.

'We want to get this out to people to help them as fast as possible,' explained Tom. 'It might not sound like a big deal to some folk, but when you only have 20 a week to feed your family, it's a huge problem.

'MySupermarket closed without warning leaving millions of users with no alternative. They had 14 years of development with a professional team. We've made an alternative within 72 hours and it's free for everyone.

However, some people have pointed out that this tool may encourage shopping at multiple supermarkets.

Tom added: 'We have exclusively focused on the six big supermarkets that do online shopping and home delivery. We have not included Aldi, Lidl, Co-Op or other food stores yet for precisely this reason.'

'Plus, to help supermarkets who are under strain, if their websites are down or have a queue system, we'll hide those results from members.'
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine demands that Russia give the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) access to the occupied territories of Donbas.

Russia and its proxies must allow lifesaving aid to flow and the OSCE SMM - Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to fulfill its mandate unimpeded throughout Ukraine, the embassy wrote on its Facebook page.

Since March 21, members of the armed formations at checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine have denied the patrols of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) passage into and from non-government-controlled areas.

In addition, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are facing difficulties in accessing the non-government-controlled areas.

The European Union urged Russia not to create new obstacles to efforts within the Normandy format and the Minsk process.

ish
Much of the security of person and property in modern nations is the effect of manners and opinion rather than law.  John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy

In 2002 smoking was banned inside New York City restaurants and bars. Wise minds can dispute whether or not the ban made sense, and whether or not Mayor Bloomberg violated property rights, but for at least one NYC restaurant mogul, the ban was superfluous. Danny Meyer had banned smoking in his restaurants twelve years earlier.

Meyer did so for a variety of reasons, including his belief that wafting smoke ruined the dining experiences for non-smokers. As he explained it in his very excellent 2008 book Setting the Table, Its my opinion that you can do anything you want in your own place of business. I didnt need a law. Amen!

Its all a reminder that most laws are excess. We adults are free to eat candy and ice cream to our hearts content, but most of us dont for a variety of reasons; many of them health and wellness related. The lethal drug PCP is illegal, but even if it werent, its safe to say that usage wouldnt increase on account of jail not being a consequence of possession or usage. Even though theft of a neighbors property would have us in jail, fear of jail isnt what keeps most of us from thieving. Its just not what good people do.

Which brings us to the Coronavirus discussion, and the tragically aggressive, arguably unconstitutional response to the virus by politicians on the local, state and national level that has revealed itself in the shutdown of major parts of the U.S. economy. Why isnt there more outrage about this?

Worse is that even those who think it crucial that Americans be allowed to get back to work, like the usually excellent John Cochrane, have made allowances for a response by politicians that made millions redundant, will destroy untold amounts of businesses, and will drive poverty up in ways that will almost certainly be much more detrimental to individual health than the virus itself. In Cochranes own words, governors had to call a sudden economic stop to get a handle on an out-of-control situation. Really? Why?

If we ignore endless amounts of analysis like that of Stanford professors Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya, which indicates that estimates about the coronavirus fatality rate may be too high by orders of magnitude, why are free thinkers like Cochrane so willing to forgive forceful actions from politicians that brutalize the economic present and future of so many? Interesting is that even Bendavid and Bhattacharya feel these actions by politicians would have been justified if what they dont believe to be true were in fact true: that the novel coronavirus would kill millions without shelter-in-place orders and quarantines. Really? And once again, why do the professors along with Cochrane believe as they do?

Would they need a law, or a decree from a politician, to keep them from doing that which could kill them? Absent Governor Newsoms shelter-in-place policies in California where Cochrane, Bendavid and Bhattacharya reside, would the three scholars have been out and about, utterly uncaring about a virus that threatened their lives? The question answers itself.

So with it fairly certain that Cochrane et al would have responded to the virus threat with a fair bit of caution, is their point that others not part of the brilliant Stanford/Hoover Institution ecosystem lack their life-elongating couth such that they need their hands held? Is it laws that keep Americas most populous state largely death free, or do people broadly get it?

To which they may reply that the novel coronavirus is different, that its invisible, that the invisibility of it represents a threat unlike others on a day-to-day basis. To which some might respond, precisely. And precisely because the virus brought and brings with it invisible qualities, those who would prefer to live would be extra careful. And assuming Cochrane et al dont trust those outside their world to take extra care, the scholars might individually exceed any shelter-in-place rules given their fear about what the others would do.

Of course, some, as Cochrane et al seem to allude, would ignore all decrees from scientists, Stanford professors, and politicians no matter what. True, but then these things happen every day as evidenced by how individuals make all manner of poor choices when it comes to their health, well-being and future. Applied to the coronavirus, those who ignore all reason would perhaps contract the virus, or perhaps they wouldnt, they would perhaps die or perhaps they would just go mildly ill, but even those who turn their nose up to what the scholars and politicians deem reason would, by acting freely, provide crucial, health enhancing information useful to us all.

All of which brings us to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis decision to shut off water and power to all nonessential businesses in Los Angeles that havent closed. Well, of course. This is what politicians always do. They always overreach, only to turn a problem into an economy-crushing crisis. Though one would guess Cochrane, Bendavid and Bhattacharya wouldnt countenance Garcettis sick-inducing actions, these are the kinds of tragedies that present themselves any time the prominent in our midst accept political overreach for others seemingly not as wise as them. It manifests itself in whats happening in Los Angeles whereby a mere politician, allegedly a servant to Los Angelenos, can strip away their livelihoods and lifes work in the most ghoulish of ways. Wheres the outrage?

Better yet, why isnt an allegedly pro-business Trump administration throwing every kind of Fifth Amendment takings clause lawsuit its DOJ can imagine at Garcetti, and every other politician so ghastly as to trash the ability of the others to make a living? Do they, and do the academics who support their enforcement of a sudden economic stop, really think so little of the others that they need to be watched like children so that they dont harm themselves?

Oh well, heres your chance Mr. Trump. With your re-election chances perhaps compromised by a contraction foisted on the American people care of a political class youre broadly part of, heres your chance to take a stand for reason, property rights, economic freedom, and the obvious truth that we dont need a law. Garcettis actions require shaming in the most vivid and public of ways. Better yet, stopping Eric Garcetti might save you.
LONDON (Reuters) - Global energy trader Vitol said on Friday its 2019 revenues were $225 billion (184 billion pounds) and its traded oil and refined products volumes rose by 8%.

Chief Executive Russell Hardy said last year's performance was "solid", as the company's traded oil volume hit 8 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 7.4 million bpd in 2018.

"Across the barrel, margins were favoured by a relative tightness, enabling us to optimise performance ... Most products benefited from these conditions, with crude oil volumes increasing 10%, gasoil 20% and gasoline 13%," Hardy said in a statement.

"As anticipated, IMO impacted high sulphur fuel oil demand and our fuel oil volumes consequently fell 11%."

At the beginning of January, the global shipping industry had to start using fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5% according to new rules by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in order to cut pollution.

Vitol, the world's largest oil trader, and its competitors have increasingly been looking at how to adjust their business models, heavily reliant on fossil fuels, to the energy transition.

Hardy said Vitol expects "non-oil to comprise an increasing share of our revenues, albeit from a relatively low base". Its traded liquefied natural gas volumes jumped 35% to 10.5 million tonnes as part of this shift as natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels like coal or fuel oil.

"(We) anticipate being invested in over a gigawatt of renewable power capacity in the next 36 months," he said.

In Ghana, Vitol's joint upstream gas project with Italian major Eni and Ghana's GNPC allowed the country to cut carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tonnes last year as its power stations replaced liquid fuels with natural gas.

Last year, was also marked by further downstream consolidation as Abu Dhabi's ADNOC took a 10% stake in storage arm VTTI.

(Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Mark Potter)
A video from inside a coronavirus intensive care unit in South Korea's national medical centre shows the conditions under which nurses are working to treat patients with the Covid-19 virus.

Nurses can be seen wearing hazmat suits fitted with breathing apparatus to keep them fully protected from the virus while still being able to breath themselves.

The weight of the equipment they are wearing means the nurses are drenched in sweat as they battle with the difficult conditions to save the lives of patients who are in critical condition after catching the virus.

Laura Bicker, the BBC's Seoul correspondent, is wearing a large protective mask herself, and gestures to the floor showing a red line that runs the full length of the intensive care unit (ICU).

She explains that 'this red line is the difference between the uninfected area and the area where nurses and doctors head in to treat patients.'

'This red line is sacred,' she says. 'You do not cross it without complete disinfection afterwards.'

Patients are kept in glass tanks that are totally sealed off. Behind the glass, you can see machines and hospital beds, with nurses working to keep their patients alive

Behind the glass, nurses wearing the equipment can be seen treating patients that are hooked up to ventilators

The chilling video gives a glimpse into the lengths which South Korea are taking in order to care for patients with the deadly virus and also protect their healthcare workers.

Patients and the nurses treating them are totally isolated within glass tanks, and are disinfected every time they cross back over the red line.

Jang Wok-Soon, one of the ICU nurses in the medical centre, told the BBC: 'The hardest thing is communicating. It makes you feel more anxious because of it.

'There is fear here,' she said. 'But I like to just think of them as our patients. And when you think of it that way, it's not that scary.'

Good spirits: Two of the hospital's ICU nurses treating patients in critical conditions give the camera a thumbs up while wearing their protective gear, despite being visibly exhausted

Through the glass, you can see patients on hospital beds hooked up to ventilators and other life support machines.

BBC's Bicker points out two nurses working inside the isolation chambers, and explains the equipment they are wearing.

'In there we see four nurses at the moment. They take shifts of about two hours each,' she says. 'What they're wearing is almost like a respiratory system that allows them to breathe within that mask.'

She is told by the nurses, she says, that the protective equipment is 'incredibly heavy' and that they take two hour shifts each because of the intense conditions.

The equipment, similar to hazmat suits, is vert heavy requires multiple people to help put it on

South Korea has been praised for acting quickly following the Covid-19 outbreak in China, with some calling their response the 'model' for beating the coronavirus.

Given the country's proximity to China, it was one the earliest hit countries, but has since started to 'flatten the curve', reducing the daily number of new cases of the virus during the last couple of weeks.

The latest figures from the Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource centre state that South Korea has had a total of 9,332 confirmed cases and 139 deaths.
Hungary has announced a two-week lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19, as Prime Minster Viktor Orban's government seeks an open-ended extension of a state of emergency that would allow the administration to bypass parliament.

Speaking earlier this Friday, Orban announced on state radio that from Saturday, Hungarians would be subject to restrictions on leaving their homes, similar to what was imposed in France last week.

Orban's government has also presented parliament with a law that would indefinitely extend a state of emergency declared on 11 March, which would allow Orban to rule by decree. It is likely to pass as legislators vote next week.

Hungary has 300 cases of the coronavirus, and ten people have died. Orban said Friday that the peak of the epidemic is expected in June or July.

Lockdown rules

Under the confinement measures, people can only leave home to go to work, buy food or medicine, or take children to daycare. They can go out for exercise, but must keep distance from each other.

The restrictions, which will remain in place until 11 April, will be enforced by police, who can impose fines on people found to be in breach of the lockdown..

Food stores and pharmacies will restrict entry to those over the age of 65, from 9am until noon.

Orban said Friday that the government has taken steps, with the central bank, to shore up growth, and will present a post-outbreak action plan for the economy in the first or second week of April.

Fears of unchecked powers

Parliament is dominated by Orban's right wing Fidesz party, and is expected to vote on Tuesday on the coronavirus law, which would not only allow the government to bypass parliament, but also allow for heavy jail terms for publishers of "false information" about the virus and the government's measures.

One opposition party called the legislation an attempted "coup d'etat", and others have urged Orban to fix a time limit on the powers.

Supporters argue that decisive rule is necessary during the current crisis.

European leaders and partners, who have clashed with Orban before on migration policy, have warned against passing the legislation.

The Council of Europe wrote a letter to Orban last week, warning that an "indefinite and uncontrolled state of emergency cannot guarantee that the basic principles of democracy will be observed."

Orban responded by telling the Council to "read the exact text of the law".

Power grabs elsewhere

Hungary is not the only state to beef up government powers during the virus crisis. Poland's conservative government is going ahead with a planned presidential election in May, which is seen as a way to capitalise on its handling of the coronavirus crisis.

In Bulgaria, the government has proposed a controversial law, similar to Hungary's, which mandates jail terms for those spreading fake news about infectious diseases.

Last week, United Nations experts urged states not to "abuse" security and safety measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Meghan Markle has narrated a Disney film about a plucky elephant and his mother on an "epic journey" across the Kalahari Desert, to be released three days after she officially leaves the royal family.

The duchess agreed to do the voice-over after a direct request from the filmmakers, and recorded it in the UK in the autumn after seeing the documentary footage.

It is the first project for the duchess since leaving the royal family to pursue "financial independence", and comes after she was seen in conversation with Disney chairman Bob Iger at the 'Lion King' premiere last July.

The company will be making a donation to Elephants Without Borders (EWB), which the film is supporting. A spokesman did not comment on whether the duchess had received a separate fee.

It is understood there is no further deal with Disney, despite previous reports that Meghan was seeking a role in a film franchise.

The film, called 'Elephant', will be shown on the Disney+ digital streaming channel, which launched in Ireland this week. It premieres on April 3.

The documentary is co-directed by Alastair Fothergill and Vanessa Berlowitz, who have won Baftas and Emmys for their work with the BBC, and have been behind some of David Attenborough's most popular wildlife series including 'Planet Earth', 'Blue Planet' and 'Frozen Planet'. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Video of the Day

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 20:49:15|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TOKYO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- More than 90 passengers and crew members on a flight to Japan's Narita airport from Chicago were given entry to the country without being requested to self-quarantine for 14 days and not use public transport, the health ministry here said Friday.

The self-quarantine measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus came into effect for passengers departing from the United States after midnight on Wednesday in Japan.

The 92 passengers and crew members departing Chicago, however, were granted unconditional entry to Japan at the airport near Tokyo, owing to the quarantine station miscalculating the time difference, the health ministry said.

"This incident is really regrettable and shouldn't have happened," health minister Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing on the matter.

Under the quarantine measures, travelers are required to self-isolate for two weeks at their hotels or places of residence and are being asked not to use public transportation networks.

The health ministry said it is trying to confirm the health conditions of the passengers and crew members on the flight from Chicago.
The UK government has pledged 544 million including an additional 210 million support to accelerate the work to find a coronavirus vaccine in an announcement following the virtual summit of G20 leaders.

The funding will ensure British scientists and researchers continue to lead the global fight against the virus. The total contribution makes the UK the biggest contributor to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) -- the international coalition to find a vaccine.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, this record British funding will help to find a vaccine for the entire UK medics and researchers are at the forefront of this pioneering work."

Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson said, "This important announcement demonstrates the UK's continued commitment to finding a coronavirus vaccine alongside our key international partners. We already have a strong record of research collaboration with India. At a time like this, international collaboration is more important than ever."

The additional package of funding will go towards producing rapid tests for coronavirus and testing and developing medicines to treat the disease, for use in the UK and around the Quickly identifying those with coronavirus and having the means to treat those most affected will be pivotal in bringing down the number of people killed, said a statement.

210 million is for the new funding for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations in addition to 40 million already given to the organisation. It will help scientists and researchers continue to lead global efforts to develop a workable coronavirus vaccine, including at the University of Oxford.

The other 40 million has been contributed to develop affordable treatments for coronavirus patients. This will support the Therapeutic Accelerator, a fund for the rapid development of antiretrovirals or immunotherapies against coronavirus which is already backed by the UK-based Wellcome Trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Mastercard. It aims to make 10 million treatments available in the coming months globally, including in the UK.

Furthermore, 23 million has been contributed to further develop easily-manufactured testing devices. This is additional funding for the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, a partnership between academic organisations and pharmaceutical companies which will build rapid testing technology like the new prototype test developed by the Mologic lab in Bedford, which is currently funded by the UK.

As per the WHO over 542,378 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide and over 24,368 people have lost their lives to the infectious Coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I read The Stand back in junior high, and it lodged itself in my brain. In Stephen Kings novel, the world changes forever when a superflu virus (soon named Captain Trips) designed as a bioweapon escapes the lab in which it was created, killing over 99 percent of the population. As society collapses, the good guys choose to follow a mystic named Mother Abigail, while the bad guys flock to the demonic Randall Flagg, aka the Walkin Dude.

Although COVID-19 is no Captain Trips, our current crisis has made me think again about the shapes the end of the world takes in stories like Kings. In my classes on post-apocalyptic literature, my students and I spend a lot of time talking about how so many of these scenarios include a complete breakdown in the social order. We started calling this the Lord of the Flies hypothesis, after William Goldings classic novel.

Why, we pondered, should we take it as a given that society would devolve into a state of barbarism if the controls were removed? Some of my students argued that we created civilization, so we would just keep that civilization going if part of the population died off in some apocalypse. Others were more cynical, saying that if the controls were removed or weakened, we would be in a Battle Royale almost immediately.

The writer Rebecca Solnit agrees with the students who see society continuing or even heroically rising to the occasion. In A Paradise Built in Hell, Solnit says that after disasters, most people are altruistic, urgently engaged in caring for themselves and those around them. Although there are always news stories of looting and shooting, we do generally hold out a hand to help our fellows, according to Solnit.

Todays crisis, however, differs from Solnits examples in one crucial way. All of her examples involve fairly localized apocalypses; things like the San Francisco earthquake or Hurricane Katrina were huge events, but their immediate impacts were largely limited to relatively small corners of the country. What happens when the impact is global? When Katrina devastated New Orleans, Louisianans found aid flooding in from all across the country. Now, nearly everyone is fearing the reaper and trying to keep the pandemic at bay with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Who feels safe enough to spare supplies (or a square of increasingly valuable toilet paper)?

As I look around, though, I see Solnits stories of redemption amid disruption. Today I dropped off some extra food and found volunteers cheerfully loading the senior center van; a steady stream of cars with donations flowed. Facebook tells me that the Bethel schools served more than 1,200 meals today with the help of Famous Pizza and Bethel Cycle Works. All of the teachers in the area transformed their classes to online in only a week; my son loves seeing his teacher and principal in their videos every morning. Grocery workers find themselves hailed as heroes for keeping shelves stocked.

Lest I paint too rosy a picture, I can also see the Lt. Governor of Texas volunteering to sacrifice the nations grandparents to keep the economy from suffering from the virus. Toilet paper is still an endangered species. Ive seen plenty of viral videos of fights breaking out over the last bottle of Purell. In other words, humanitys worst side is not practicing social distancing.

What we might forget, though, is that we get to choose how we respond to the Pandemic of 2020. We can follow Mother Abigail, or we can join the Walkin Dude and create more destruction. We can choose to be heroes or villains.

Rick Magee, a Bethel resident, is an English professor in Connecticut. Contact him at r.m.magee.writer@gmail.com.
Four people have died and 233 are ill with coronavirus-like symptoms aboard two Holland America cruise ships making their way to Ft. Lauderdale.

The MS Zaandam, which had been stranded off the coast of Panama with 189 sick passengers and crew on board as of Monday, met up with another ship, the MS Rotterdam, in order to transfer asymptomatic passengers to the new boat. Those making the switch underwent a health screening before boarding.

Since the transfer, however, 14 people aboard the Rotterdam have begun showing coronavirus symptoms as well, according to a statement issued by Holland America on Wednesday.

On Monday, Holland America confirmed that two people on the Zaandam out of an undisclosed number tested had been confirmed to have the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Its unclear if the four older guests who died had been tested for the virus.

Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time, the company said in an earlier statement.

RELATED: Carnival Offers Cruise Ships as Temporary Hospitals as Coronavirus Spreads, but Doctors Have Doubts

Luis Acosta/Getty

The Zaandam set sail from Buenos Aires on March 7, days before Holland America, which is part of the Carnival Corporation, suspended all sailings for 30 days on March 13. Its voyage was intended to end in San Antonio, Chile on March 21.

After March 13, all ships currently at sea were ordered home by the company and the Zaandam began looking for an expedient and safe port from which it could fly the 1,243 passengers on board home, a spokesperson tells people.

However, as the ship proceeded north, port options became more limited due to the continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19, the spokesperson added. San Antonio was closed for disembarkation as well as all Chilean ports.

No passengers had left the boat since March 14, when it made a planned stop in Punta Arenas in far southern Chile.

Story continues

Luis Acosta/Getty

The second ship, the MS Rotterdam, met the Zaandam off shore on Thursday evening to deliver medical supplies, including coronavirus tests, and begin to transfer some asymptomatic passengers to the new, empty ship.

RELATED: Norwegian Cruise Line Managers Reportedly Pressured Employees to Lie to About Coronavirus Danger

Luis Acosta/Getty The MS Rotterdam meets the MS Zaandam off the coast of Panama.

Holland America stated at the time that this would be done with strict protocols for this process developed in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Priority was given to passengers over the age of 70 and those who were staying in interior staterooms.

Members of Panamas Aeronaval National Service were also seen heading off shore to assist the two ships.

Luis Acosta/Getty Members of Panamas Aeronaval National Service head for the Zaandam to deliver supplies.

Any passenger who is ill or has been in contact with someone who is ill, as well as all crew stayed aboard the Zaandam. There are also four doctors and four nurses on the ship.

The vessels needed to make an unplanned passage through the Panama Canal, which caused further delay. But both have now passed and are en route to Florida.

Holland America operates 14 ships on voyages on all seven continents. President Orlando Ashford said of the decision to cancel cruises on March 14, We thank all of our guests, travel advisor partners, employees and business partners for their support during this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming our guests back on board soon.

Since the beginning of the global spread of COVID-19, several cruise ships have seen severe  and deadly  outbreaks of the virus.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, was quarantined off Yokohama, Japan, for weeks in February with sick passengers on board. A total of 621 people eventually tested positive. According to Reuters, seven former passengers have now died. Some of the infected passengers from that ship have since become among the first to take part in a coronavirus drug trial.

Carl Court/Getty

RELATED: Grand Princess Cruise Ship Carrying 21 People with Coronavirus Docks in California

A second ship, the Grand Princess, was quarantined off San Francisco after 21 people on board tested positive for the illness in March. That ship has since docked in the port of Oakland and those on board have been placed in quarantine on land.

A few days before most major cruise lines made the call to suspend voyages, the U.S. State Department issued a warning that U.S. citizens should not travel by cruise ship during the coronavirus outbreak, noting that the cruise ship environment can foster an increased risk of infection. The CDC issued a similar statement.

Cruise ships are incubators, according to infectious disease expert Dr. William Haseltine. Everybodys close together, packed in all the time. One person gets sick, a lot of them get sick. Its a very unfavorable environment for disease transmission.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
Editors note: This post includes updates related to COVID-19 and its effects on Albuquerque and the rest of the state.

PICTURES





UPDATES

6:56 p.m.

Authorities not checking drivers for essential travel

Authorities both local and statewide said Friday that they are not stopping drivers to make sure their travel is essential in the wake of the governors public health order.

This is FALSE, State Police spokesman Ray Wilson said. The New Mexico State Police is not making traffic stops to ensure the public or their travel is considered essential.

Wilson reiterated that people are allowed to leave their houses while following the guidelines of the governors order.

Connor Otero, a Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office spokesman, said deputies are not pulling people over simply to see if they are essential workers or if their travel is considered essential.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said APD had been hearing the same rumors.

He said if a driver is stopped solely for the purpose of enforcing the governors order they should get the officers unit number and report the incident to the non-emergency line.

 Matthew Reisen

4:58 p.m.

SFCC closed for semester, commencement postponed

Santa Fe Community College, and all its adjoining facilities, will be closed for the rest of the Spring 2020 semester, College President Becky Rowley announced in a written statement Friday.

The decision was made in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has forced the closure of many colleges and universities, including the University of Mexico and New Mexico State.

SFCC was originally scheduled to reopen April 6, but Rowley said the current spread of the virus made that impossible.

Read more >>

 Kyle Land

4:04 p.m.

Coronavirus cases jump to 191 in NM

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in New Mexico exploded to 191 on Friday as 55 more people tested positive, state officials said.

Its the biggest single-day surge announced so far, more than twice the previous high.

The number of virus patients hospitalized also jumped to 17, up from 13 the day before.

The Department of Health also repeated its warning that given the infectious nature of the virus it is likely other residents are infected but yet to be tested or confirmed positive. To that end, all New Mexicans have been instructed to stay home except for outings absolutely necessary for health, safety and welfare.

Read more >>

 Dan McKay

3:17 p.m.

Lujan Grisham orders quarantine for air travelers

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered air travelers into New Mexico to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival Friday as the state tries to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

Her executive order also warns travelers that they face the possibility of involuntary isolation if they dont comply, and she authorized the state Department of Public Health to screen, isolate and quarantine people covered by the order. The department, she said, was authorized to make temporary holds and seek court orders for isolation if necessary.

She cited the Public Health Emergency Response Act as authority for the order.

In a written statement, Lujan Grisham said most of New Mexicos coronavirus cases are the result of interstate or international travel.

Because some individuals infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms, she said in the order, travelers may be unaware they are carrying the virus. For this reason, persons arriving in New Mexicos airports must self-isolate for a period of time sufficient to ensure that the public health and safety is not jeopardized.

 Dan McKay

2:37 p.m.

Trump seeks to force General Motors to produce ventilators

President Donald Trump issued an order Friday that seeks to force General Motors to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients under the Defense Production Act.

Trump said negotiations with General Motors had been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course.

Trump said GM was wasting time and said his actions will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

Experts say the U.S. is hundreds of thousands of breathing machines short of what it likely will need to treat a rapidly rising number of COVID-19 patients. New York, Michigan, Louisiana and the state of Washington have been singled out as virus hot spots in the U.S.

Read more >>

 AP

1:48 p.m.

More than 31K have filed for unemployment in NM since March 19

The number of new unemployment claims continues to skyrocket in New Mexico, as more than 31,000 New Mexicans filed claims this week.

According to unofficial numbers released by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Friday morning, 31,849 initial claims were filed March 19-26. Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley called the spike in claims unprecedented while speaking at Mayor Tim Kellers Friday briefing.

Read more >>

 Stephen Hamway

11:21 a.m.

Optum launching 3 Fever Upper Respiratory Infection sites

A local medical group is offering patients worried that they are have COVID-19 a more in-depth evaluation.

Optum New Mexico announced Friday that it was launching three Fever Upper Respiratory Infection sites in the Albuquerque metro-area. Officials said in a news release that the sites are intended to compliment drive-through COVID-19 testing sites, where patients can stay in their call and give a sample that will be tested for the virus.

At the respiratory infection sites, people can receive additional treatment and a medical evaluation, according to the news release.

No other medical visits will take place Optums three respiratory infection sites, which are at its locations at Journal Center Urgent Care, Rio Rancho and Tramway.

The Journal Center location will be open from 7 a.m. To 5 p.m., seven days a week. The sites on Tramway and in Rio Rancho will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. To 4 p..m.

State health officials have said that anyone concerned they have COVID-19 first call the state coronavirus hotline before seeking a test.

 Ryan Boetel

10:11 a.m.

NM public schools to stay closed for rest of year

School is out for summer, but distance learning efforts could be just beginning.

Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart announced Friday that a statewide school closure will be extended for the rest of the current academic year, due to rising coronavirus infection rates.

Its quite clear that its not yet safe to bring our students back into school, Stewart said in during a virtual news conference.

Public preschools and K-12 schools across the state were ordered to shut down effective March 16 to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Students were initially scheduled to go back to school April 6, though the Governors Office warned  both early on and recently  that the closure could be for longer.

Read more >>

 Shelby Perea, Dan Boyd

8:18 a.m.

ART service to be temporarily halted

As of Saturday, ART buses will be suspended from operating along the Central Avenue corridor, a victim of decreased ridership because of social distancing and stay-home mandates by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

But ART isnt the only public transportation affected by safety measures put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus. Other city bus routes, on-demand Sun Van runs and local taxi companies are all feeling the effects of reduced ridership.

Starting Monday, city buses will run Monday through Saturday on what had been the normally reduced Saturday schedule, Albuquerque Transit Department spokesman Rick De Reyes said. Sunday buses will stick to their normal, even leaner, schedule.

Read more >>

 Rick Nathanson, Matthew Reisen

6:05 a.m.

Small changes, huge difference

Even a small change in how quickly infections spread throughout New Mexico could make a stunning difference in the states coronavirus outbreak, a state health official says.

But its too soon to determine how well the states stay-at-home instruction has succeeded in slowing the growth of COVID-19 infections, though there are signs that people are going out less, according to the state.

Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department, said the math behind the spread of infections demonstrates the potential effectiveness of social-distancing strategies, such as staying at home and limiting trips to essential outings.

If each person with COVID-19 gives it to about one fewer person than they otherwise would, for example, it could add up to thousands of fewer cases in time, he said.

Its a huge difference, Scrase told the Journal.

Read more >>

 Dan McKay

6:05 a.m.

400-plus noncompliance calls fielded by law enforcement

Has Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams order for the closure of nonessential businesses and banning congregations of more than five people fallen on deaf ears? Or are some people just confused?

New Mexico State Police have responded to more than 300 complaints of noncompliance since the governors order took effect Tuesday. Albuquerque police reported another 100 or so more.

People also have taken to social media, including to the governors Facebook page, and emails to the Journal to complain about smoke shops, hobby supply stores and estate sale companies that are continuing to hold sales where people may be congregating.

Several times the governors office has intervened to demand closure.

Read more >>

 Colleen Heild, Matthew Reisen

6:05 a.m.

PED: School closures to be extended

Schools will stay closed for longer than initially planned, according to the New Mexico Public Education Department. But the state hadnt said how long as of Thursday afternoon.

In an online social media posting, the education department said that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Secretary of Education Ryan Stewart and the state Department of Health would formally announce an extension to school closures and provide more information on Friday morning.

Read more >>

 Shelby Perea
By Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: Harvesting and marketing of potato and horticulture produce by farmers will go on in Punjab with necessary restrictions relating to COVID-19 precautions.

Capt. Amarinder Singh government on Friday assured smooth procurement and timely payments of the produce while asking the departments concerned to allow harvesting of the horticulture crops.

Besides, wheat harvesting in the state will also commence around mid-April if weather conditions turn favourable. The wheat harvesting is delayed due to unfavourable weather conditions and is likely to start only by April 12-15, Amarinder Singh said after reviewing arrangements for harvesting of wheat and potato crops. Detailed guidelines for wheat harvesting were expected to be issued by March 31, 2020, said an official spokesperson.

Proper harvesting arrangements are being put in place for harvesting and storage of potato crop, said the CM. He directed officials of horticulture department, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and Punjab Mandi Board to work out the modalities, in coordination with the respective district officials, to allow farmers to harvest and transport their horticulture produce for seamless marketing without putting them to any more hardship.

An official said that a detailed list of District Mandi Officers, along with their contact numbers, has been issued by Punjab Mandi Board so that farmers can contact the officers concerned.

In line with the Chief Ministers directive, the Additional Chief Secretary and Development-cum-Financial Commissioner (Horticulture) has also issued an advisory asking all Deputy Commissioners to grant the relevant permissions/relaxation to the farm labourers and farmers for harvesting and transporting the horticulture produce including vegetables to the markets and cold storage.

Director Horticulture Shailender Kaur has provided a comprehensive list of farmers who require labourers for harvesting and need transportation of their produce to the markets as well as cold stores. Also, 69 FPOs comprising nearly 600 farmers have been contacted and assured full cooperation from the government in this regard.

The fruit-growers, especially in the citrus belt of Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Muktsar Sahib and Bathinda districts, the potato-growers in the districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Moga, Ludhiana and Bathinda districts and vegetable-growers in the state were facing problems in harvesting and marketing

due to the lockdown orders by the National Disaster Management Authority on March 24.
False: Banks and its branches will not be closed during the lock down

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: There is a rumour floating that bank branches will be closed. The message has been circulated several times on the social media and also forwarded on WhatsApp.

However there is no reason to believe these rumours. Customer service bank branches are operational and will continue to provide services even during the lockdown, the Press Information Bureau has said.

Earlier in the day, Reserve Bank of India Governor, Shaktikanta Das said that there was no need for customers to indulge in panic withdrawals.

Das said that the Indian banks are safe and there is no need to resort to panic withdrawals. He said that the RBI has infused Rs 2.7 lakh crore into the system since the last February policy meet. The RBI will continue to vigilant and also take steps necessary to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.

Fake: RBI did not reset its financial year due to coronavirus

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

He also said "tough times do not last. Only tough people and tough institutions do."

Das said that the RBI has permitted all commercial banks and NBFC allow a three month moratorium on payment of instalments of all term loans.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 14:26 [IST]
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here has developed an "infection-proof fabric" to be used at hospitals to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

The development by "Fabiosys Innovations", a start-up incubated at IIT-Delhi, comes at a time when the world is dealing with the deadly coronavirus outbreak. However, the team has been working on the project for over a year with support from the government's Department of Science and Technology.

According to official statistics from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, for every 100 hospitalised patients in developing countries, 10 acquire HAIs and the risk is even higher at the time of a coronavirus outbreak.

The team claims to have developed an affordable, novel textile-processing technology, which converts regular cotton fabric into infection-proof fabric.

"We take rolls of cotton fabric and treat it with a set of proprietary-developed chemicals under a set of particular reaction conditions, using the machinery already commonly available in textile industries. The fabric, after undergoing these processes, gains the powerful antimicrobial functionality," Samrat Mukhopadhyay, a professor at the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering in IIT-Delhi, said.

"What is interesting about the Fabiosys' fabric is that even after washing multiple times, it does not lose its functionality. This fabric can be stitched into various articles such as bedsheets, the uniforms for patients, doctors and nurses and even curtains. The fabric satisfies the Indian washing standards in terms of number of washing. It is also completely non-toxic and affordable," he added.

IIT has collaborated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for a pilot run of the product.

"While talking to a few patients at the AIIMS, we got to know that they became more sick after getting admitted there. When we started researching, we found that hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a grave problem, especially in developing countries like India, where the tropical climatic conditions are suitable for the growth of bacteria.

"I was surprised to see that many patients are not even aware about HAIs. People usually become aware of any cross-contamination when it has already taken the form of an outbreak or epidemic. The recent case of coronavirus is one such example," Yatee Gupta, a BTech graduate from the institute who is working on the innovation, said.

According to Gupta, one of the major ways these infections spread is through contact from contaminated surfaces and a patient in a hospital is surrounded by a variety of fabric in the form of bedsheets, the uniforms for patients, doctors and nurses etc. and these textile surfaces actually become the breeding ground for pathogens, which do not get killed even while washing in hot water.

"We are currently in the process of conducting large-scale manufacturing trials in the Delhi-NCR region. We have collaborated with AIIMS, Delhi to pilot our products. We are also in early talks with some of the largest hospital chains in India for further pilots and strategic collaborations. We have been financially supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Human Resource Development, IIT Delhi and Department of Biotechnology in the form of grants and fellowships," Gupta said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RIYADH/WASHINGTON -- Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies pledged on Thursday to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to limit job and income losses from the coronavirus and do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic.

Showing more unity than at any time since the G20 was created during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, the leaders said they committed during a videoconference summit to implement and fund all necessary health measures needed to stop the virus spread.

The G20 is committed to do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic, along with the World Health Organization and other international institutions, they said.

Their statement contained the most conciliatory G20 language on trade in years, pledging to ensure the flow of vital medical supplies and other goods across borders and to resolve supply chain disruptions.

But it stopped well short of calling for an end to export bans that many countries have enacted on medical supplies, with the G20 leaders saying their responses should be coordinated to avoid unnecessary interference.

Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary, they said.

The G20 leaders also expressed concern about the risks to fragile countries, notably in Africa, and populations like refugees, acknowledging the need to bolster global financial safety nets and national health systems.

We are strongly committed to presenting a united front against this common threat, the G20 leaders said their statement.

Saudi Arabia, the current G20 chair, called the video summit amid earlier criticism of the groups slow response to the disease.

It has infected more than 500,000 people worldwide, killed almost 24,000, and is expected to trigger a global recession.

Saudi King Salman, in opening remarks, said G20 countries should resume the normal flow of goods and services, including vital medical supplies, as soon as possible to help restore confidence in the global economy.

The group said it was injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures and guarantee schemes to blunt economic fallout from the pandemic.

The amount is about the same as G20 countries injected to prop up the global economy in 2009. But a U.S. relief bill is pledging $2 trillion in fiscal spending, more than double its commitment from that crisis.

U.S. President Donald Trump said later the videoconference showed tremendous spirit to get this over with.

He told a White House news briefing on the coronavirus that the G20 countries were keeping each other informed about their efforts to fight the crisis.

Were handling it a little bit in different ways but there is great uniformity, Trump said.

Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed in a call on Thursday on the importance of cooperation through the G20 and other groupings to help international organizations eliminate the pandemic quickly and minimize its economic impact, the White House said.

Pledge of joint action

The meeting displayed little acrimony despite an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, an observer to the meeting said.

Everyone realizes that it is essential to preserve jobs, and to maintain trade flows, not disrupt the supply chains, said one Brazilian government official with knowledge of the videoconference discussions.

No country advocated total confinement, mainly because most of the countries in G20 are not implementing such moves, the official added.

While the group pledged joint action, the leaders statement lacked the urgency of the 2009 effort, said Mark Sobel, a former U.S. Treasury and International Monetary Fund official.

Its endorsing whats already being done in various countries but it isnt offering a multilateral, global vision. said Sobel, now affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The G20 leaders also asked the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group to support countries in need using all instruments to the fullest extent.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva plans to ask the Funds steering committee on Friday to consider doubling the current $50 billion in emergency financing available to help developing countries deal with the virus, a source familiar with the plans told Reuters.

To boost global liquidity, Georgieva also asked G20 leaders to back a Fund plan to allow member countries to temporarily draw on part of its $1 trillion in overall resources to boost liquidity.

The IMF made a similar move in 2009 with a $250 billion allocation of Special Drawing Rights, its internal unit of currency.

Georgieva gave no specific number in her statement, but observers to the G20 meeting said an SDR allocation of up to $500 billion could be needed.

On the health response, the G20 leaders committed to close the financing gap in the WHOs response plan and strengthen its mandate as well as expand manufacturing capacity of medical supplies, strengthen capacities to respond to infectious diseases, and share clinical data.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the G20 to seek support for ramping up funding and production of personal protection equipment for health workers amid a global shortage.
On Aug. 8, 1982, down a single column on page 31, next to an ad for a velvety black suede handbag from Lord & Taylor, the New York Times published a story about a serious disease whose victims are primarily homosexual men  called acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or A.I.D.S. It was the first time the acronym had appeared in a mainstream publication.

As coverage increased, AIDSno periodswas regularly in the news. That posed a dilemma for Merriam-Webster Inc. The dictionary publishers standards required that words show broad, long-term use before gaining admission to the lexicon. How long? A decade or more wasnt unusual. But a science editor named Roger Pease recognized the severity of the health crisis and the likely staying power of the term, and pushed for AIDS to be entered as soon as possible. The word was added to a new printing of Merriams flagship Collegiate dictionary in 1984. The two-year journey from coinage to print was one of the fastest, if not the fastest, in the history of the dictionary.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Until the coronavirus. Last week, Merriam announced a special update of its free online dictionary with about a dozen words related to the pandemic. At the top of the list was COVID-19. The terma mash-up of coronavirus disease 2019was created by the World Health Organization and unveiled on Feb. 11 at a news conference in Geneva. On March 16, Merriam-Webster added it to the dictionary. For a word to go from nonexistent to defined and entered in 34 days isnt just an unprecedented reflection of a hectic, dire moment in history. It also shows how dictionaries, including Americas oldest and most lexicographically conservative one, are battling for speed, authority, and readers online.

Merriam-Webster dates to Noah Websters first American dictionary, published in 1806. Even in the digital age, with none of the space constraints of books, Merriam has clung to a tradition of linguistic fermentation, resisting the temptation to certify trendy words, on grounds they might disappear quickly from the language. Twerk first appeared in 2001 but wasnt added until 2015. The Twitter sense of tweet took five years. Blog needed six. You will not find smexy or funtastic in Merriam.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Merriam-Webster has not historically been chasing those clicks, said lexicographer Ben Zimmer, the language columnist for the Wall Street Journal and chair of the new words committee of the American Dialect Society. The coronavirus update shows that even Merriam sees the value of having that kind of rapid response as long as it can be done in a responsible way. If they can put their resources to defining social distancing, why shouldnt they be doing that now?

Merriam-Webster began monitoring coronavirus-related words as news arrived from China in early January. Thats normal practice. Merriams staff of about 20 definers and other editors collect in a database citations of new or existing words as they are used in the wild. New words, with a short definition and other information, are added to a spreadsheet called, well, New Words. There they sit until accumulated evidence, and an editors judgment, determines they are worthy of admission to the good place, the dictionary.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In January, editors at Merriams 80-year-old brick headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts, created a special spreadsheet for words emerging from the pandemic. In-house data showed coronaviruswhich dates to 1968pandemic, and quarantine surging in lookups by readers, followed by zeitgeisty words like draconian, lockdown, martial law, xenophobia, apocalypse, calamity, pestilence, and Kafkaesque. But Merriam also tracks failed searchesfor words that arent in the dictionary. Covid, COVID-19, social distancing, and self-quarantine topped that list. It was becoming clear that these new entries should get included sooner rather than later, Joan Narmontas, Merriams senior editor for life sciences, told me.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Merriam could have written a blog post about the trending words and saved the actual lexicography for later. That was the initial plan. A regular, periodic update featuring several hundred new words was scheduled for April; the new coronavirus words, and revisions of existing entries with new coronavirus-related senses, would be included in that. Definitions for coronavirus disease 2019 and COVID-19 were written first, followed by community spread, contact tracing, self-quarantine, social distancing, super-spreader, and a few others.*

Advertisement

Advertisement

Even the April timeline was by Merriam standards a rush, and not just because of the dictionarys wait-and-see philosophy. Dictionary databases are complicated. Entries include lots of disparate parts: headword, pronunciation, cross-references, example sentences, etymology. Adding hundreds of words takes months of editorial and tech work. But recent upgrades in Merriams data-processing system had shaved the time needed to add new entries from weeks to hours. It seemed clear that our responsibility was to provide the answers people are looking for without delay, Merriams publisher and chief digital officer, Lisa Schneider, told me.

So the dictionary did something the dictionary had never done: It acted like a newsroom on deadline. Schneider discussed creating a special update of coronavirus words with the staff on March 9. The batch of 20 entries was keyed into a data file, proofread, and delivered to tech on March 12. Editors reviewed the material to check for display problems the next day. The words went live at noon Eastern on March 16.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The dictionary did something the dictionary had never done: It acted like a newsroom on deadline.

Less than five minutes later, before Merriam announced the update on its website or promoted it on Twitter, traffic spiked at COVID-19. That kind of search jump for a new entry had never happened before. It indicated that people were looking up the word constantly, and now Merriam had something for them to find, which was good for the dictionarys editorial credibility and its page views. On the companys Slack channel, associate life sciences editor Chris Connor wrote, clearly this information was in demand.

That wasnt surprising. When everythings in fluxnews is coming at you from everywhere, and you arent sure whats accurate and whats notpeople tend to want an objective authority to turn to, Kory Stamper, a former editor at Merriam-Webster and author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, told me. We already think of dictionaries as authorities, so its not all that surprising that, when people want clear information about something, they turn to them.

Advertisement

The pandemic has been long-lasting, far-reaching, and constantly shiftingand has involved lots of unfamiliar, nuanced, and, depending on the source, conflicting language. Individual words and phrases are especially fraught right now, Stamper said, and because the responses are so local, the words we use to talk about the pandemic also end up being local. Is a stay-at-home order the same as a shelter-in-place order? Whats an essential business? Whats a dry cough? These questions might have been idle curiosity a month ago, but now theyre literally a matter of life and death.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Merriams main American competitor, Dictionary.com, has posted articles on distinctions in meaning that, based on its search lookups, appear to be confusing readers: quarantine vs. isolation, respirator vs. ventilator, epidemic vs. pandemic. As a grammar break, Dictionary.com senior research editor John Kelly told me, the site has written about whether inflected forms of cancel are spelled with one L or two, because as society shuts down, people are looking that up too. Theres curiosity all up and down the language, he said, and its all consistently tracking news around the coronavirus.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Kelly said Dictionary.com is preparing its own batch of traditional definitions, including shelter in place, PPE, and the informal shortening rona. For its stand-alone slang silowhich currently features blue waffle and wenisthe site is drafting more-casual entries for covidiot, moronavirus, quarantini, virtual happy hour, doom scrolling, and coronials. I think theres going to be a lot more wordplay, Kelly said. But as with a lot of slang, its short-lived.

As is often the case in language, some of the new words associated with the pandemic arent new at all. Community spread dates to a 1945 article in the Scientific Monthly titled Sanitary Ventilation by Radiant Disinfection. Patient zero first appeared in Randy Shilts 1987 book about AIDS, And the Band Played On; the Oxford English Dictionary added it in 2005, but it had been bypassed by Merriam for more than 30 years. Social distance has a sociological meaning thats been around since 1824. The updated entry includes the sense with which the world is suddenly familiar. The noun social distancing now has its own spot too.

Advertisement

I wouldnt anticipate other categories of words seeing this type of speed to entry  Merriam publisher Lisa Schneider

Theres more to come in Merriams regular update next monthalternate forms of the main virus (Covid-19, COVID19, CV-19, plain old COVID), epidemic curve, spike protein, forehead thermometer, temporal thermometer, and the potential coronavirus treatment drugs remdesivir and favipiravir. Use of the less-impersonal physical distance has surged since the World Heath Organization made a linguistic policy switch last week, so Merriam is adding noun and verb forms for that, plus the noun physical distancing. WFHwork from homealso will get a permanent home in the dictionary.

Schneider, the Merriam publisher, said the emergency coronavirus update doesnt mean the dictionary is relaxing its standards. (Im pretty confident covidiot and quarantini wont ever crack Merriam.) But these are extraordinary times, even at the dictionary. I wouldnt anticipate other categories of words seeing this type of speed to entry, Schneider said, but unfortunately here we are, and we did what we thought was right and useful.
666 Shares Share

The waiting room is empty, and I take signout on five patients. The patients that typically line the hallways waiting for beds, for stress tests, for MRIs all stayed home. The familiar drunks still get their blister-packed turkey sandwiches. Theres a trickle of patients onto my side: a middle-aged woman who lost vision and a prematurely grey man clutching his distended belly that tightens like a drum as I lay my hands on him. Meanwhile, Ive never eaten better as I pile my plate with donated food from the break room as the TV continues its endless roll of the exasperated pleas of Manhattan doctors and images of Italian nurses crying in hallways.

They pulled him out of the COVID-19 tent: a slapdash field hospital grafted onto the ambulance bay where the worried well sit six feet apart while taking in the boilerplate guidance of a gowned and masked provider pacing in front of them while the never-ceasing ventilation fans drone on and on. Hes smartly dressed in a long coat as he walks down the hall toward the negative pressure room. A month ago, I couldnt have imagined a world where this man would have an EMT toting an oxygen tank at his heels.

Hes tired. His wool coat hides pale and clammy skin and the all-to-obvious rise and fall of his chest. His X-ray reveals the reticulated spiderwebbing that I know will soon become commonplace. I dont need to listen to his lungs. I do it so I can hear the coarse rattle of his chest for myself and because its what he deserves. Constant through all of this is the steady of the beep of the pulse oximeter as the monitor begs us to recognize the 89 percent flashing on its screen. The 4 liters of oxygen I run through his nasal cannula gives him palpable relief, but its not enough. I call the ICU.

Outside the negative pressure room, I don as many layers of plastic, latex, and nylon as our dwindling supply will allow. I get to work as he sits upright in bed with his phone never separated from his clammy hands. Its all rote. Talk ventilator settings with the respiratory therapist. The pharmacist draws up meds for sedation and paralysis. Gather equipment. Prepare for the worst. I run my checklist again and again and wonder if this man has read about ventilator shortages and if hes absorbed my practiced speech about intubation. We need to use a breathing machine to let you rest. Your lungs need time to heal. You will be asleep, and we will keep you safe.

Soon its quiet except for the gentle hiss of the suction canister. Hes stopped texting. With a sudden attack of guilt, my eyes find his LCD screen.

Papa, whats going on?

In the intimacy of this moment, moments before the inherent violence of the procedure we all know is coming; my stomach churns with this violation. I squat at his bedside, and my eyes meet his through my goggles and face shield. Somehow hes aged in the last 30 minutes, sweat beads near his faintly greying temples. His thumbs tap out a response which he deletes. Then another. As he deletes the third message, I finally speak.

Do you want to call her?

He shakes his head, no. There are no tears in his wide, brown eyes as he finally settles on a response.

The doctor will call you and tell you.

He hands me his phone and looks straight ahead. Absent is the usual crowd of onlookers. The extension tubing from his lines run out the door where the pharmacist mans the pump, and a team of nurses stands behind the sliding door to watch the first drops of the coming storm land against the glass windows. Im alone with the RT and the nurse, conferring with the attending and fellow through a cell phone sealed in a plastic bag. The tube is in within a few seconds. The room fills again. The intensivist is a familiar face, even behind her N95. She asks for a central line, and I throw the drape over the man lying paralyzed in front of me. I need to cover his face. His vessels bounce under the needle. His skin is taut and smooth. Before long, Im stripping layers of gown off of my sweat-soaked scrubs that cling to my chest and back.

The waiting room still sits mostly empty at the end of the hall. The stroke patient got tPA, and the bowel obstruction has been whisked off to the OR. I run my uncharacteristically short list of patients while the gowned and hooded docs outside burn through patients in the ambulance bay. The last minutes of the shift end uneventfully, and I sign out a record-low number of patients to my relief.

Whats going to happen? Whats going on? I wish someone could tell me.

Matt McCauley is an emergency medicine resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Russian journalist and Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich once interviewed a soldier who said witnessing a traumatic event was like a nightmare you watch from behind a sheet of glass.

A few weeks ago, I saw a short film that had been shot through a piece of glass held in front of the lens. The blur turned Natalie Portman, who was featured in it, into an almost-unrecognisable ghost. Watching it felt like trying to recall an uncomfortable dream.

Ellena Savage recalls this reflection in her essay, Yellow City, when she picks up one of Alexievichs books in an attempt to distract herself from the task at hand: obtaining files from the Lisbon police that detail her assault case from 11 years before. She is trying to piece together her brush with terror.

That essay begins Savages debut collection, Blueberries, which contains 14 other pieces that tend to stray away from traditional straightforwardness. Two standouts are the title essay  a very clever examination of how cultural capital works in the context of highbrow academia  and Notes to Unlived Time, with its Berlin backdrop, which ponders  in a world of other things  the pull of memories and the box of unfulfilled fantasies that one tucks away in some corner of the mind and adds to as time passes.

Ellena Savage is a biting interrogator of the world. Credit:

Blueberries is a sometimes playful, sometimes fierce collection that is, in its own zigzagging way, a coming-of-age story. In every piece, Savage has a biting interrogation of the world and herself, the writer/artist in society  whatever that means  and how you can be industrious and purposeful when as she quite rightly points out, our bodies are in search only of love and breath.

Savage is an excellent critic and a droll one. In Satellite, she reflects on her worldly teenage passions  the French language, communist literature, collecting berets  from the standpoint of an adult for whom the dreadful truths of Australian colonialism loom larger.
TSAGHKADZOR, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Healthcare of Armenia Arsen Torosyan visited citizens who are currently quarantined in Nairi Rest House in Tsaghkadzor resort town, the minister said live on Facebook.

Today I decided to tour the places where our citizens are in a temporary quarantine in order to rule out their direct contact with the remaining citizens and prevent the spread of the virus. Currently I am in Nairi Rest House, the minister said.

One of the volunteers, who follows the health condition of isolated citizens, told the minister that all rooms in the House are occupied, all quarantined people feel well.

Minister Torosyan said he will visit also the other places where there are quarantined citizens during the day.

On March 16 Armenia declared a 30-day state of emergency to fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state of emergency is effective until April 14, at 17:00.

According to the latest data, the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia is 329, 28 patients have recovered. 1 citizen, aged 72, has died on March 26.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 22:48:35|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING. March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Friday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition after the United States signed the so-called "Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019" into law.

The act was signed into law despite stern representations from China, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress.

This act is in serious violation of the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and goes against international laws and basic norms governing international relations, said the statement.

It also grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and sent a gravely wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatists.

The Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests. The act disregards the basic facts that the one-China principle is universally recognized by the international community and that the United States established formal diplomatic ties with China 41 years ago.

By groundlessly obstructing other countries from establishing diplomatic ties with China and helping Taiwan expand the so-called "international space," the act runs counter to the one-China policy long held by the U.S. governments since the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic ties and the important consensus between the heads of state of the two countries.

The act will seriously disrupt China-U.S. relations and cooperation in major fields and will eventually hurt the interests of the United States.

There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and a common consensus of the international community, the statement said.

"We strongly urge the U.S. side to fully recognize the highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan question and adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques," the statement said. "The U.S. side should refrain from implementing the act, prudently handle Taiwan-related issues, and take concrete action to safeguard China-U.S. relations and cross-Strait peace and stability."


Central New York native, Nick Serio, and his wife, Virginia, are staying put in Putignano. Each year, the couple spends two months in southern Italy, near Bari. This year, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, it's going to be more like three months. Of course, they had no idea what was in store when they'd arrived, in early February.

"It wasn't really on the radar. It really didn't start til mid-February, when there were concerns that there were a few cases in northern Italy," said Nick Serio, via Skype, on Thursday. The virus spread like wildfire through Italy's elderly population.

On March 8th, Italy resorted to desperate measures to contain the virus' spread.

"They've locked down the country so now you cannot leave the town in which you reside," said Nick. "The rule now is you can only go to the pharmacy or the grocery store."

This trip, there will be no driving the Italian countryside for the Serios; no getting together with family in nearby Alberobello. They're limited to walks around their villa, in the gated community where they're staying, and surreal trips to the market.

"Outside, they have a tag station like you would see at a deli counter. You pull your tag. Everybody wears a face mask. When they call your number, and that's based on how many people are coming out the exit door, they let you in. You have to maintain distance," said Nick.

There are good reasons to maintain social distancing; Itally's death toll is staggering.

"On Tuesday, there was a spike to 743," said Nick, who believes part of the reason for the high death rate is the country's elderly populaton. "One of the reasons is that Italy has the oldest population in Europe; the second oldest population in the world."

Serio thinks part of the reason for the rapid spread, is that people aren't taking the virus seriously enough.

"We have videos of people we know in Milan, two week ago, going to the cafes, having their espressos, large groups of people. They are arresting people still who are congregating to have birhtday parties, things of that nature," said Nick. "The mayors of the cities are out walking the streets, admonishing people to go home."

While the Serios' two-month trip is looking more like a three-month trip, they're having no problem isolating themselves in their beautiful surroundings, and they have no problem riding it out right where they are.

"The situation in the United States is evolving on a daily, minute by minute basis, and it doesn't look good. At this point, where we are, we feel much safer than returning to the United States," said Nick.

"When our families were calling from the United States saying 'come home now, come home now', one, we felt that we knew the United States was a few week behind Italy as far as the crisis and pandemic, but more so, everybody's locked down. The airports aren't flying," added Virginia.

The Serios miss their children and grandchildren. But they're glad they didn't invite family to joint them this year like they've done in years past; then, they all would have been stuck in Italy. For now, they remain in southern Italy indefinitely. There is no takeout; they have to cook every meal, and other than when one of them goes to the market every week or so to grab food to cook, there is no contact with anyone other than each other. Fortunately, they say they're spouses, but also, best friends, and there is no bickering near Bari.

"It's good that we do get along so well, and we have Netflix!" said Viriginia. "So, we can change Netflix to English from Italian."
A s of today, police officers have the powers to make sure people stay at home and avoid non-essential travel amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The powers came into force at 1pm on Thursday and anyone who ignores the lockdown rules will now be breaking the law and could be arrested or fined.

It comes after Boris Johnson ordered all non-essential shops and businesses to close and told Brits to stay home as the NHS battles the Covid-19 crisis.

Here, we take a look at what the new law means.

UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus 1 /25 UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus The Shard in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting against coronavirus Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS Reuters London's Piccadilly Circus saluting local heroes during Thursday's nationwide Clap for Carers NHS initiative to applaud NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic PA Selfridges lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus on the frontline PA Fulwell Windmill in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus PA MediaCityUK in Manchester lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Belfast City Hall is lit up in support of the NHS Reuters The SSE Arena, Wembley, is seen with a lit up sign for the Clap For Our Carers campaign REUTERS Tawstock Court in Barnstaple lit up in blue PA Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City FC is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks PA Wembley stadium is seen lit up blue REUTERS Wembley Arch in London is lit up in blue PA The Lowry lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff who are trying to battle coronavirus. PA The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff PA People applaud infront of big screen in Piccadilly Circus during the Clap For Our Carers campaign Reuters The Shard in London is lit up blue

What is the law and where is it in force?

The emergency law, known as Health Protection Regulations 2020, is currently in force in England, but the regulations are expected to be introduced in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales by the end of the day today.

What can the police do?

Police can order members of the public to go home, leave an area, disperse a group, using "reasonable force, if necessary", and can make arrests if someone refuses to comply.

Officers can also take steps to make sure parents are stopping their children from breaking the rules.

Those who ignore the tougher restrictions on movement could be hit with a 60 fine - reduced to 30 if paid within 14 days - and another for 120 for a second offence, and those who do not pay could be taken to court and risk facing costs for unlimited fines.

Refusing to provide a name and address to avoid being given a fine is also an arrestable offence.

Why have the rules been put into place?

The law has been introduced to protect the public and keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

The regulations are "in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health" and the Government considers the restrictions "proportionate to what they seek to achieve".

How long will they be in force?

The regulations are classed as emergency laws and they will be reviewed as least once every 21 days, starting on April 16.

London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /66 London during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures A woman jogging near City Hall, London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA An image of Queen Elizabeth II and quotes from her broadcast on Sunday to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA A pedestrian walks past a billboard reading "Please believe these days will pass" on Broadway Market in east London AFP via Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge Getty Images Boris Johnson Jeremy Selwyn Sun-seekers cool off in the water and sunbathe on the riverbank at Hackney Marshes in east London AFP via Getty Images Ed Davey is shown on screens as he speaks via videolink during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London PA A herd of fallow deer graze on the lawns in front of a housing estate in Harold Hill in east London AFP via Getty Images A woman wearing a mask crosses a bridge over Camden Lock, London PA An empty Millenium Bridge PA A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images People push to enter the Niketown shop in Londo AP Jo Proudlove and daughter Eve, 9, follow the daily online "PE with Joe" Joe Wickes' exercise class on "Fancy dress Friday Reuters Police in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn Waterloo station looking empty PA Getty Images A quiet Parliament Square Getty Images PABest A man walks along a passageway at London's Oxford Street Underground station the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the Coronavirus PA Social distancing markers around the camel enclosure at ZSL London Zoo PA A police car patrols Greenwich Park in London PA The Premier League in action in front of empty stands AP Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed. A deserted Piccadilly Circus PA A general view is seen of a deserted Trafalgar Square AFP via Getty Images Getty Images The iconic Abbey Road crossing is seen after a re-paint by a Highways Maintenance team as they take advantage of the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown and quiet streets to refresh the markings Getty Images A view of 20 Fenchurch Street (the 'Walkie Talkie' building) in the City of London, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus PA A deserted Chinatown PA A person looks at graffiti on a JD Wetherspoon pub in Crystal Palace, south London. Wetherspoons workers have described founder Tim Martin's lack of support for his chain's 40,000 employees as "absolutely outrageous" PA The London ExCel centre that has been turned into a makeshift NHS Hospital and critical care unit to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic PA The Palace Theatre, which usually shows the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA The Sondheim Theatre, which usually shows the Les Miserables musical, sits in a deserted Shaftesbury Avenue PA Two members of a British Army mounted regiment exercise their horses in Parliament Square AP Westminster Bridge is deserted PA A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA An empty street and bus stop at St James's Park AFP via Getty Images Whitehall Jeremy Selwyn A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn Buckingham Palace looking empty in London, PA London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn Kings Cross and St Pancras Jeremy Selwyn London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn London's Carnaby Street empty as shops closed after a lockdown was announced in the latest bid to stop the spread of coronavirus through the UK AP A quiet Jubilee line westbound train carriage PA A single pedestrian walks past The national Gallery AFP via Getty Images A quiet Canary Wharf Underground Station PA Empty Embankment Jeremy Selwyn

Can I leave my house and how often?

The only reasons people should be leaving their homes is to travel to work if you are a key worker and it is "absolutely necessary", to get food and medical supplies for you, people you live with or vulnerable people, to get money and to exercise.

A "reasonable excuse" includes: to give blood, attend a funeral, meet bail conditions, go to court and take part in legal proceedings, to move house and to "avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm".

The rules do not appear to limit how many times a day someone can leave their house.

People obeying social distancing rules outside a bank in Walthamstow / AFP via Getty Images

What else do the rules say?

The regulations define who is considered a vulnerable person under the law as someone who is aged 70 or older, anyone aged under 70 who has an underlying health condition and anyone who is pregnant.

Underlying health conditions include: chronic long-term respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, hepatitis, Parkinson's, diabetes, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, a learning disability or cerebral palsy, HIV, Aids, cancer, and obesity.
It does not require an economist to tell that a complete social and economic lockdown of India for 21 days would severely impact the supply side of the economy, that is, production and distribution of goods and services, except for the essential items that are exempt.

In an economy already reeling under a demand depression, rising unemployment, and lowering of industrial output and profits, all of which happening together for several quarters now, a supply-side constraint would deliver a big blow, jeopardising growth prospects and social and economic wellbeing of a large number of people.

The quarterly GDP growth has consistently fallen since Q4 of FY18. If there is a deviation in Q4 of FY19, as shown in the graph below, it is because the National Statistical Office (NSO) revised its data on February 28, 2020, drastically cutting down growth rates in the first three quarters of FY19 (from 8% to 7.1% for Q1; from 7% to 6.2% in Q2 and 6.6% to 5.6% in Q3).

What could be the magnitude of the impact of a complete social and economic shutdown may not be easy to estimate, but it is likely to be far more severe than either the 2016 demonetisation or the 2017 GST rollout.

Nobody now disputes that those two events delivered economic shocks from which the economy had not yet recovered when the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Also Read: Coronavirus lockdown: Brokers' body ANMI seeks closure of markets

Little foresight or preparations for country-wide lockdown

The similarity with the 2016's demonetisation or 2017's GST does not end at their economic impact.

The blow to people and businesses could have been considerably softened but for lack of foresight, planning and strategies. That would have saved a mad scramble by the government too.

For example, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 1.76 lakh crore relief package on March 26 afternoon, a good 42 hours after the 21-day lockdown was announced. It would largely benefit the unorganised sector workers, especially daily wage workers, and urban and rural poor. The relief would include cash transfers and PDS (Public Distribution System) supply.

This was followed by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvid Kejriwal's assurance to street vendors, petty traders, and shopkeepers that curfew passes would be provided to them online to prevent their harassment at the hands of cops.

All these steps could have been taken before the lockdown was announced, particularly since the March 24 announcement succeeded a 'Janta curfew' of March 22 and a "complete lockdown" of 548 districts a day earlier.

The aftershock of sudden lockdown is visible.

For one, people rushed into provision stores, making a mockery of 'social distancing' which is the primary goal of it. Secondly, a day after the lockdown, online suppliers of grocery, medicine and food, like Amazon, Flipkart, Bigbasket, SuprDaily and many others, suspended their services across the country, citing "confusion" or "restrictions imposed by local authorities" on their movements. Others, like Grofers and FreshToHome, complained of official obstructions.

Two days earlier, another online supplier Milkbasket had stopped delivery services in seven Indian cities saying that it was not being allowed to deliver milk and vegetables, "resulting in us dumping 15,000 litres of milk and throwing over 10,000 kg of fruits and vegetables".

The harassment didn't restrict to them alone. Cops were seen beating anyone and everyone moving on the streets in many cities across the country, the video evidence of which is circulating on social media. There are instances of cops attacking provision stores in markets too, even when the essential services are allowed during the lockdown.

It was only after several senior state and central government officials stepped in that the prospect of supply of essential services improved. But with trains and trucks also banned, how long their supplies would last is anybody's guess.

The shutdown of planes, trains, and bus services had caused people to rush into airports, railway stations and bus stands, again making a mockery of social distancing. It had another consequence. Inter-state migrants were seen walking hundreds of kilometers with women and kids in tow to their homes because there was no transport and no work.

There was no food or money to buy food for many daily wagers. In Delhi, for example, thousands of daily wagers crowd shelter homes set up by the Delhi government to provide them food, again making a mockery of social distancing. Business Today estimated that about 300 million informal workers could be vulnerable and seeking help.

Also Read: Coronavirus lockdown: India's electricity consumption falls to lowest in 5 months

How the lockdown would impact the economy?

Business Today reached out to two eminent economists with decades of experience in dealing with the Indian economy, Pronab Sen and C Rangarajan, to find out how the lockdown would impact the economy and to what extent.

Here is how the lockdown would impact the economy.

Pronab Sen says, "At the moment, it is a supply-side problem. Both production and distribution of non-essentials have come to a halt. This affects at least 55% of the economy for three weeks or about Rs 2 lakh crore. It may even be larger due to previous partial lockdowns by various state governments.

"Now, after the lockdown is lifted, there will quite possibly be an increase in sales which will be met through existing inventories. This does not, however, add to the GDP (as these goods and services had already been produced and accounted for). It may take a few more months for the final production and sales to resume.

"In the interim, between now and full production resuming, a large number of people would have been unemployed and not earned any income. As a result, in the second round, demand-side will become a serious constraint."

Rangarajan says, "The impact of lockdown will be felt through several channels, weakening of domestic demand, disruption in supply chain and disruption in financial market. All of this would result in declining production and retrenchment of employees."

Also Read: Coronavirus blues: Who and how many are vulnerable to COVID-19 pandemic

How serious could the impact be on GDP?

Sen says, "In FY20, we would be lucky if the growth rate is 3.5% (full fiscal). It would be a very different scenario for FY21. In the first half, we would be lucky if the growth rate is zero. In the second half, the growth could revive by as much as 7%, taking the average growth for the year to 3.5%."

Rangarajan is more optimistic. He says, "The growth rate in FY20 may decline by 0.5% (from 5% that the NSO's first advance estimate says). In Q1 of FY21, the growth rate will be negative. I don't know what would happen in Q2 and Q3 but my best estimate for the entire fiscal would be 4%."
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL -- The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners has issued the following revised commissioners' meeting notice in response to the coronavirus outbreak:

"FOR THEIR SAFETY, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED

TO ATTEND ONLINE AND PARTICIPATE VIA TELEPHONE

On March 20, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-69 which permits local government to utilize communications media technology, such as telephonic and video conferencing, as provided in section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes to conduct government meetings.

THEREFORE, in the interest of public safety and to limit the possibility of spreading the COVID-19 through the continued operation of the County government,

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners, for so long as the COVID-19 state of emergency persists and unless otherwise provided, shall hold its regular meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 5:30 P.M. with the following safety conditions:

VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE

While the public is legally permitted to attend meetings in person, all are encouraged to view meetings online by visiting this link at the time of or during any meeting:

https://www.columbiacountyfla.com/watch/

To offer public comment while viewing a live meeting online, please be prepared to call (386) 984-2595 when the chair requests public comment. The chair will allow for sufficient time for lines to clear and all calls to be heard.

If you attend any meeting in-person:

1. You should not enter the School Board Administrative Complex if you feel ill, have reason to believe you have been exposed to someone who is or might be ill, or have health concerns that make you more susceptible to succumb to the virus.

2. The chair will require that all persons maintain an appropriate distance of not less than 6 feet at all times from every other person inside the meeting room.

3. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer upon entering the building.

4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth at all times.

5. Cover any cough or sneeze with a tissue or your bent elbow. Do not cough or sneeze into the air or into your hands.

Pursuant to Florida Statutes section 286.0105

, any person wishing to appeal any decision made by a board, agency, or commission with respect to any matter considered at a meeting or hearing will need a record of the proceedings. For such purpose, any person wishing to appeal will need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , should any person with a disability as defined by the ADA need a special accommodation to attend or participate in any meeting, then that person should contact the Columbia County ADA Coordinator at (386) 758-1006 no later than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting time. Pursuant to Florida Statutes section 286.26, the chairperson will provide for such accommodation."

Courtesy of the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners
Every day, at the White House briefing about the coronavirus, Donald Trump gets the undivided attention of the media, a national television audience bloated by crisis and as many minutes as he wants to play a wartime president, as he grandiosely calls himself. Never mind that he flubs his lines and turns tragedy into farce. Hes the star. His billing communicates that hes in command.

And every day, Joe Biden watches from the far reaches of the upper balcony as he waits and waits to be declared the de facto Democratic presidential nominee and assume leadership of his party. The coronavirus has postponed state primaries, prolonged the contest, yanked him out of the news and left him in political limbo, where he wonders if Bernie Sanders will ever acknowledge defeat and shivers in the shadow of another Democrat, Andrew Cuomo, who didnt even run for president.

There was never any doubt that this pandemic would scramble November 2020, but how much  and how? At first, all the great oracles augured Trumps long-delayed reckoning and his certain demise, given his hemming, his hawing, his lying and his economy, which was suddenly in tatters. This was it. Hed finally met his undoing. It couldnt have happened to a more cavalier guy.

But over the past two weeks, that prophecy has changed  or at least turned cloudier. In recent polls, his approval rating ticked upward. His disapproval rating inched downward. Theres talk of a Trump bump, an appallingly cute phrase for an unthinkably dire development. Now more than ever, its hard to fathom four more years of this president.
China has shared its experience in prevention and control of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with more than 100 countries, as numbers of infection cases continue to grow around the world, a Chinese epidemiology expert said at a recent press conference.

(Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese experience emphasizes the core effect of separating susceptible people from sources of infection, said Wu Zunyou with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention at the press conference.

"China's epidemic control work mainly focuses on three aspects: tight control of the infection source, breaking the chain of transmission and protecting the susceptible population," said Wu.

Detecting infected people, keeping them in quarantine and giving them medical treatment have effectively controlled the source of infection in China, said Wu.

To cut the chain of transmission, Wu stressed the importance of wearing face masks, washing hands and ensuring good ventilation. The novel coronavirus is highly infectious at the end of its latent period and in the early stages of clinical symptoms, which is why healthy people are asked to wear masks.

China also prolonged the Spring Festival holiday and encouraged people to keep a certain distance from each other to protect the susceptible population, he said.

Meanwhile, it is important to use different treatments for patients with different conditions. Specifically, patients with mild symptoms should be kept in quarantine and monitored for any change in their condition, while severe and critical cases need to be treated promptly in medical institutions.

If these measures arent taken, those with mild symptoms may take up too many medical resources and prevent severe patients from receiving timely treatment, said Wang Guiqiang, a chief physician of infectious disease at the Peking University First Hospital.

As the novel coronavirus mainly attacks the lungs of patients, oxygen therapy and respiration assistance are essential in treating pneumonia patients.
Two out of the five patients returned from abroad and entered Vietnam from March 21st-23rd and have been quarantined since their entry. The remainders were infected with the virus from patients inside the country. The 149th patient is a 40-year-old Vietnamese man who worked as a freelancer in Hessen state of Germany. He arrived at Van Don Airport in northern Quang Ninh province on flight VN36 (seat number 55C) on March 23 along with his mother (seat number 55A). He tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on March 25th.

In a testing laboratory (Photo: VNA)

The man is treated at the Hospital No.2 in Quang Ninhs Ha Long city.

The 150th patient is a 55-year-old Vietnamese man. On March 13th, he and his wife flew from the US, transited in Taiwan (China) and boarded flight BR395 of EVA Air (seat numbers 2D and 2K) back to Vietnam. They arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on the same day.

He had contact with many people after his entry. He has been quarantined at Can Gio districts COVID-19 treatment hospital since March 18th.

The 151st patient is a 45-year-old Brazilian woman, who is residing in HCM Citys district 2, and working at two branches of her footwear company in Dong Nai province and HCM City.

She had close contact with the 124th patient. She also visited restaurants and supermarkets in HCM City and Dong Nai.

The patient is now treated at a quarantine area in HCM Citys Cu Chi district.

The 152nd patient is a Vietnamese woman, 27, residing in HCM Citys Tan Phu district. She is an older sister of the 127th patient, who worked as a waiter at Buddha Bar.

She has been under quarantine since March 23 at Can Gio districts COVID-19 treatment hospital.

The 153rd patient is a 60-year-old Vietnamese woman residing in central Da Nang citys Hai Chau district.

She visited her relatives in Australia and returned Vietnam on March 21 on flight VN772 to the Tan Son Nhat airport. Upon her arrival, she was quarantined along with the 143rd patient and two other people in the same room at the dormitory of Vietnam National University-HCM City.

After the 143rd patient was confirmed to contract the disease, she and the two remainders were transferred to the acute respiratory disease hospital in Cu Chi district for quarantine and testing on March 23rd./.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The trajectory of the coronavirus in New York state is still going up, with the apex of the viruss spread now projected for three weeks from now, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a Friday press conference.

While preparing for the worst, Cuomo said he believes the number of confirmed cases -- which had been doubling every two days -- may be slowing because of the drastic measures to social distance across New York, as well as testing strategies.

Were testing to find the positive, isolate the positive and stop the spread. Were doing more testing than any place in the country and per capita more than any place in the globe. Is that why the doubling is slowing? I would think theres a correlation; I dont think its a coincidence, he said.

However, preparations for the apex must continue.

Ideally, Cuomo said he would like to see hospitals increase their capacities by 100% to prepare for the influx of potential COVID-19 positive patients who need to be hospitalized, but all hospitals are mandated to increase by at least 50%. Staten Islands hospitals are increasing their available beds to more than 800, the Advance previously reported.

Cuomo said increasing capacity is the main priority at this time.

With hospitals across the borough, city, and state already nearing their capacities, it is important that New York prepare as many sites as possible, he said from inside the Javits Center, which has been converted to a field hospital.

Beginning next week, the field hospital at the Javits Center and the USNS Comfort will both open and create an additional 1,000 beds each.

Cuomo said he wants to have a field hospital in every borough, but that work on those sites cannot proceed without approval from President Donald Trump, since they are built out by the federal government. Staten Islands field hospital will be at the College of Staten Island.

The following week the state will work on converting some hotels and dorm rooms, followed by continuing to clean and retrofit additional hotels and dorm rooms the week of April 13 to continue increasing bed capacity.

Were finding all of the space that we can possibly find and convert it in case we need it, Cuomo said.

THIS WILL NOT BE A SHORT DEPLOYMENT, CUOMO SAYS TO NATIONAL GUARD

Speaking to National Guard members in attendance, Cuomo gave a battle-like speech preparing them for whats to come.

This is a different beast that were dealing with; its an insidious beast, Cuomo said. This will not be a short deployment. This will be weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks. This is going to be a hard day; this is going to be a long day; its going to be an ugly and its going to be a sad day.

The mission is to save lives, and as hard as we work, were not going to be able to save everyone. And whats even more cruel, is this enemy doesnt attack the strongest of us, it attacks the most vulnerable, which makes it worse.

This is a moment thats going to change this nation, he said.

Following the sobering speech, Cuomo thanked the National Guard for its work -- along with the Javits Center workers -- building out the field hospital over the last week.

You did such a good job Im asking for four more, he said.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN DEATHS

In New York City there are 25,398 positive cases as of Friday afternoon and 44,635 statewide. Up from 385, there have been a total of 519 deaths in the state.

There have been 28 deaths on Staten Island, surpassing the 24 lives lost during Hurricane Sandy.

There will be a significant increase in deaths because of the length of time people are on the ventilator, he said. It is not unexpected news; its tragic news. Deaths continuing to rise is literally the worst news I have to tell the people of New York.

The current data shows that 80% of people who get COVID-19 will be able to self-resolve from home and will never have to go to the hospital. Twenty percent will go to the hospital, but most will get short-term treatment and be sent home, Cuomo said.

ADDITIONAL VENTILATORS NOT IMMEDIATELY DISTRIBUTED

Weve been gathering equipment from everywhere we can. The most important piece of equipment for us is ventilators, Cuomo said. And were shopping literally around the globe to put it in place.

The stockpile is being created, he said, so that when and if the apex hits the state will be prepared.

Cuomo said that the state is working to stockpile 30,000 ventilators that could be needed at the apex of the viruss spread -- and that ventilators in the stockpile are being saved for that time.

I dont have a crystal ball, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I dont operate here on opinion  I operate on facts and data and on numbers and projections, he said.

All projections, including those from the Center for Disease Control, say the state could need 140,000 beds and about 40,000 ventilators.

Not I feel, I think, I believe, not what I want to believe. Make the decisions based on the data and the science, he said.

On Thursday night, President Donald Trump said he thought that states were inflating the number of ventilators they would need.

During an interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, Trump said, I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes, theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying can we order 30,000 ventilators?

All the projections say we will need 30,000-40,000 ventilators. So that is what we will strive to have, Cuomo said.

***

Sign up for text message alerts from SILive.com on coronavirus:





Be the first to know: Sign up for our newsletters; and get breaking news and top stories pushed to your phone with the SILive.com mobile app.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Data analysis of Staten Island and New York cases

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

How the coronavirus hit Staten Island: A timeline of the pandemic in our borough

NYPD Commissioner: Cooperation, not closures, expected for ban on dining at restaurants and bars
Its time for Canadas governments to get serious about the COVID-19 epidemic.

Up to now, Ottawa and most provinces havent been willing to bite the bullet in the fight against this virus. They have relied instead on half-measures and an appeal to the good will of Canadians.

If we are to avoid the fate of countries like Spain and Italy, that is no longer enough. The hammer has to come down.

It is easy to understand why governments initially preferred persuasion over diktat. Politically, honey goes down better than vinegar.

As well, the consensus among many experts was that coercive measures, such as border controls or mandatory quarantines, werent worthwhile.

The argument here was that strict enforcement was too costly and that it made more sense to spend scarce resources on other measures of infection control.

Which is true enough as long as the rate of infection doesnt explode. But in this pandemic, the number of cases has accelerated dramatically  first in China, later in South Korea and most recently in Italy and Spain.

Of those four countries, China and South Korea, which moved quickly to institute draconian infection control measures, did best.

But this was not Canadas strategy. At both the federal and provincial level, it relied instead on sweet reason.

Public health officials were trundled out to explain what was happening and to offer preferred remedies, most notably hand washing and so-called social distancing.

Initially, the federal Liberal government relied on the honour system to keep the borders safe. Travellers arriving by air were asked to report any COVID-19 symptoms to public health officials and to voluntarily isolate themselves from family and friends.

Ottawa chose not to invoke the wide-ranging federal Emergencies Act, arguing that as long as provinces used their own emergency powers such a move was not necessary.

Indeed, most provinces did act. But as Ontarios experience demonstrates, there was often less to this action than met the eye.

This week, Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservative government ordered all non-essential workplaces in Ontario to shut down for at least two weeks.

The move sounded dramatic. It was not  for the simple reason that the word essential is defined so broadly that the closure order exempts not just those which sell the necessities of life, such as food and medicine, but thousands of other businesses.

All manufacturing is deemed essential, as is all economic activity related to mining, forestry and agriculture.

All construction is considered essential and thus exempted from the closure order as are businesses related to hunting and fishing.

Hardware stores are defined as essential. So are car dealerships and office supply stores.

Dry cleaners are deemed essential to the well-being of Ontarians and thus allowed to stay open. So are businesses that grow or sell cannabis.

Under the emergency provincial order, it is not legal to operate a shop that sells, say, shoes. But it is still legal to operate one that sells wine, liquor or beer.

As long as they sell products that can loosely be defined as food, all convenience stores are exempt from the closure order.

If the experience of Spain and Italy is any indication, none of this is nearly enough to slow the virus down. Governments, including Ontarios, will need to do much more.

The federal government is finally beginning to face the reality that it cannot rely solely on Canadians better angels to see us through this crisis. This week, it reluctantly invoked the Quarantine Act to force those returning to the country to self-isolate for two weeks.

Is it willing to demand a comprehensive nation-wide shutdown to deal with the epidemic? Not yet, it seems. But matters are moving apace.

Thomas Walkom is a Toronto-based freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Reach him via email: is a Toronto-based freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Reach him via email: walkomtom@gmail.com
Although they are not currently open due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I love libraries for many reasons. I love to read, I love how quiet they are at any given time and I love the abundance of resources that can be found there. I hate the fact that libraries are used less often than they used to be  and less often than they should be, but thats a different topic  but I love the fact that I can pop my headphones in, wander into any aisle and be alone. I prefer the nonfiction section near where they keep books about musicians, because I enjoying those, and because nobody is ever there; Google provides information about musician faster than reading a book can, though its not nearly as fun.
A new petition has been launched calling for the release of an Iranian pastor who is at risk of catching COVID-19 while in prison.

House church leader Youcef Nadarkhani has served two years of a 10-year sentence for allegedly seeking to evangelize Muslims. Now, with Iran battling a severe outbreak of the disease amongst the incarcerated, Nadarkhani finds himself at grave risk.

Earlier this month, the Iranian government announced that it would be releasing 85,000 prisoners early as a precautionary measure to confront the outbreak." The inmates that were furloughed had all been serving sentences of five years or less and tested negative for the illness. As a result of his lengthy prison term, Pastor Nadarkhani did not qualify for the early release and will remain behind bars indefinitely.

He is currently housed in the disease-ridden Evin prison, which is notorious for maltreatment of detainees. In a recorded phone call obtained by The Guardian, one British-Iranian prisoner described the horrific conditions in the prisons hospital, as COVID-19 continues to run riot among the inmate population.

As we entered [the new prison ward] the soldiers were wearing worn-out masks, and no gloves. Nobody checked anybody for high temperature. All our stuff they touched when we entered, said prisoner Anoosheh Ashoori, who is accused of being an Israeli spy.

Last night bedbugs were biting everyone. Nobody slept through the night. Today we have newcomers who are murderers and all different outlaws. Someone was sent from corona[virus] quarantine. It is chaos and I cannot explain how bad this situation is. All the places are filthy with bedbugs. I cannot explain how bad this situation is. It needs international attention.

The petition to have Pastor Nadarkhani released has been organized by D.C.-based persecution watchdog, International Christian Concern (ICC).

As Pastor Nadarkhani and his family navigate these difficult times, we ask that you please join us in showing them your support, the group wrote. By signing this petition, you have the chance to show the American and Iranian governments that the Nadarkhani family matters, that they are remembered, and that they deserve basic human rights. You are also letting the Iranian government know that the world is watching.

You can sign the petition by heading here.

Related:

Assyrian Christian among 85,000 Prisoners Released in Iran amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Photo courtesy: Emiliano Bar/Unsplash

Will Maule is a British journalist who has spent the past several years working as a digital news editor. Since earning a degree in international relations and politics, Will has developed a particular interest in covering ethical issues, human rights and global religious persecution. Will's work has been featured in various outlets including The Spectator, Faithwire, CBN News, Spiked, The Federalist and Christian Headlines. Follow him on Twitter at @WillAMaule.
Its March 27, officially the end of the second full work week of pandemic-related restrictions. Its also the end of what was supposed to be a 15-day work-from home situation, which will now stretch into April  or perhaps the foreseeable future.

The New Normal aims to be a somewhat lighthearted, conversational overview of all things corona in San Antonio, but the news makes that goal exceedingly difficult.

Theres no getting around it. Its bleak. The United States now has the most virus cases in the world, approaching 100,000 people. More than 1,300 people have died. New York has descended into pandemic horror-movie territory, with 13 patients dying from COVID-19 on one day alone at a hospital in Queens.

Five people have died from the virus in Bexar County, and 113 others are infected, according to Thursdays count.

Where is the good news here, people? The third season of Ozark now streaming on Netflix?

There are repositories of hope, most of it coming from the actions of local leaders  the governors and mayors and civic types who have taken the corona bull by the horns and enacted the tough but necessary social and business restrictions.

Some moves have been aimed at protecting the most vulnerable among us, the ones most hard-hit by the pandemic. Renters who cant pay the rent wont get evicted. Folks who cant pay their water bill still have water to wash their hands. Those behind on their property taxes wont get foreclosed on.

And some leaders are already looking to the future, when the virus finally tires of our bodies and the city can begin the hard work of rebuilding. The county plans to issue more than $5 million in interest-free loans and grants to local businesses over the next four years. Officials are trying to get a year-long freeze on property values, to reduce the tax burden on renters and home owners.

Theres even a revitalization plan being discussed to help those in poverty and struggling business owners.

This as the city bleeds revenue from the decimated hotel, restaurant, tourism and hospitality sectors, and some warn the unemployment rate in San Antonio could zoom up to14 percent.

We must celebrate good news where we can find it.

As Mr. Rogers mother once famously said: Look for the helpers.

The San Antonio Area Foundation and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County have already started disbursing some of the almost $3 million thats been raised to help local nonprofits that serve those on the margins during the pandemic. A host of philanthropic groups have stepped up to supply the flow of dollars, and you can help too.

Some local businesses are selling gift cards to be redeemed when they can open their doors once again, with the proceeds going to laid-off staff. At one local watering hole, loyal patrons are lining up to help.

In the ordinary-human-beings-are-awesome department, some folks are setting up tables in their front yards, loading them with free food and other products, like toilet paper, to help their neighbors in need. Others are converting their front yard mini-libraries  thank you, AwesomeSA  into mini-food pantries.

The impulse to help is wide-ranging indeed.

Even local distilleries are getting into the action, switching from booze to making hand sanitizer.

Kendra Scott, the jeweler, will be donating 20 percent of sales to University Health Systems Foundation Patient Assistance Fund during a virtual online drive from March 31 through April 1. To learn more visit here.

One North Side restaurant, Don Adolfo's Bar and Grill, is serving free meals to first responders, healthcare workers, journalists and anyone else who is helping those impacted by the virus. (And trust me, reporters love free food.)

Heres a heartening compendium of national and international good news related to the coronavirus, such as a possible vaccine in late-stage trials in Israel, and a reduction in pollution around the word, thanks to quarantines and lockdowns.

Finally, if youre itching to join the growing circle of people reaching out to help, heres a host of outlets for your charitable impulses.

One more: H-E-B just created a Twitter hashtag that broadcasts positive ways that Texans can help Texans. Learn more at this site.

Yes, the news is depressing. Yes, its likely going to get worse  maybe much worse  before it gets better. But lets take some comfort in how communities and individuals are coming together to help one another.

Americas not a perfect nation, not by a long shot. God knows weve been all but torn apart by polarizing anger and disagreement in recent times. Wouldnt it be something if one lasting legacy of COVID-19 turned out to be a new ability to recognize and value each others common humanity, despite our divisions?

We can dream, cant we?

The New Normal wishes you a safe and happy weekend.

Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news, cultural trends and interesting people and goings-on around San Antonio and Bexar County, as well as all across South Texas. To read more from Melissa , become a subscriber. mstoeltje@express-news.net | Twitter: @mstoeltje
Australian radio presenter Kate Langbroek has been in lockdown in Italy for three weeks now amid the coronavirus pandemic.

And the mother-of-four, 54, spoke to Fifi, Fev & Byron on Friday about some of the strict measures put in place by the government.

'We're still allowed out to buy food [from the supermarket], but you've got to have a police form to fill out, that you have to have with you,' she said.

Inside Kate Langbroek's coronavirus hell: The Bologna-based radio host revealed on Friday she must now fill out a police form just to buy food from the supermarket

'Of course the printer's not open so I've got a photo of [the police form] on my phone,' Kate added with a laugh.

She also revealed that she and her family go 'for days' without leaving their apartment, with the exception of trips to the grocery store.

'Every couple of days it feels like something happens. Something else closes, there's something you're not allowed to do. So we're literally going for days and days now where we don't leave the apartment,' she said.

Strict measures: 'We're still allowed out to buy food, but you've got to have a police form to fill out, that you have to have with you,' she told Fifi, Fev & Byron

Kate said that all her family can do is 'stay at home and hope to kill the beast'.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered all shops, bars and restaurants to close on March 11 in response to the rising death toll.

Only stores selling 'basic necessities', such as pharmacies and supermarkets, are staying open.

Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy in January 2019 with their children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, for what was supposed to be a 'gap year', but they have since extended their stay for another 12 months.

Keep calm and carry on: Kate (pictured on The Project on Thursday) said that all her family can do is 'stay at home and hope to kill the beast'

Abroad: Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy in January 2019 with their children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, for what was supposed to be a 'gap year', but they have since extended their stay for another 12 months

As of Friday, there are over 80,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy, including more than 8,200 deaths.

More people have died from COVID-19 in Italy than in China, where the virus was first identified in December.

In Australia, there are 3,050 reported cases and 13 deaths.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness characterised by fever, coughing, a sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can cause pneumonia.

Crisis: More people have died from COVID-19 in Italy than in China, where the virus was first identified in December
'Inwood Drive' film review: Unmasking the crimes of abortionists

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

When it comes to the abortion debate in the United States, the conversation is usually about "a woman's right to choose" or maybe "reproductive freedom."

But such sanitized phrases conveniently hide the actions of callous abortionists, some of whom have savagely harmed countless women and girls. And when you pull back the proverbial curtain, these kinds of horrors are not too hard to find and they cannot be papered over with polite-sounding euphemisms.

Look no further than the new documentary "Inwood Drive," which unmasks for all to see the crimes of abortionist Ulrich "George" Klopfer and his convoluted rationale in defense of his despicable deeds. After his death in September 2019, it was discovered that Klopfer had kept 2,411 carcasses of aborted babies in the trunk of his car and in the garage of his Illinois home. Many of those abortions were performed years earlier at his abortion clinics in neighboring Indiana.

Though some of the news coverage when Klopfer died centered on how his operation resembled that of the now-jailed Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, his sordid history of intentionally ignoring other state regulations is less known. "Inwood Drive" filmmakers Mark and Amber Archer compellingly recount that and several other significant parts of this story, which, as was true of the Gosnell case in 2013, many national mainstream media outlets neglected to report the full story.

The film unpacks some of the history of abortion politics in the Hoosier state and explains how a Baptist church located on Inwood Drive in Fort Wayne found itself in the middle of the conflict when Klopfer moved his operation into a building across the street. Viewers learn how a county commissioner  a public office in which one's views on abortion are usually considered unimportant for the job  played a vital role in the pro-life movement.

Klopfer was an itinerant abortionist who lived in Illinois but would cross state lines and routinely perform abortions at his three clinics in Gary, Fort Wayne and South Bend. Because of his status as an itinerant and the way certain policies were written, he was able to evade regulations and conduct his business with relative impunity.

Yet over the course of a few years, Allen County Commissioner Nelson Peters, working closely with a local right-to-life group, was able to pass an ordinance requiring itinerant medical personnel, which was not limited to abortionists, operating within county lines to have a back-up physician should complications arise.

Just as state laws mandating that abortion clinics and other ambulatory surgical centers have admitting privileges to nearby hospitals have been and continue to be bitterly contested, the county rule faced opposition from Planned Parenthood and other abortion-rights groups.

When women suffered medical complications related to the abortions Klopfer performed on them, they would sometimes find themselves in the care of Dr. Geoffrey Cly, a Fort Wayne-based Catholic OB-GYN.

Cly describes in the film having to treat several women Klopfer harmed, including one where he had to fish out the remaining body parts of a baby Klopfer had left inside a 20-year-old woman. That 20-year-old woman subsequently underwent an emergency hysterectomy because of Klopfer's sloppiness.

The filmmakers explain how, in what proved to be a shrewd move, Cly agreed to be listed as Klopfer's back-up doctor as required by the county ordinance, despite his personal objections to abortion. While it was initially misunderstood by some pro-lifers as to why he was doing this, because of Cly's overarching concern for patient safety he ended up saving the ordinance when Planned Parenthood and a New York-based abortion-rights group took the county to court over the measure.

Klopfer and the abortion lobby had argued that because he was operating in a largely pro-life county no doctor would volunteer to be his back-up physician. Yet as a result of Cly strategically stepping up as he did, the county rule was upheld and the lawsuit arguing the regulation was unconstitutional failed.

What ultimately stopped the unscrupulous abortionist was the tireless work of local pro-lifers who painstakingly combed through documents and discovered that he had failed to file the necessary paperwork within a few days, as was required by law, after he performed an abortion on a 13-year-old girl.

That specific statute was in place because it assumes, rightly, that when a girl that young becomes pregnant, a rape and other sexual abuse likely occurred and a further police investigation is warranted. But because Klopfer failed to report within the established timeframe, it's extremely likely she was sent back to an abusive home.

Klopfer's careless yet stubborn refusal to comply with those standards was the main reason the medical board eventually suspended his license, the documentary explains. But we'll never know the extent of his blatant disregard for the law.

I found myself wondering during the closing portion of the film  which features Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill's powerful remarks last month during a graveside service at a cemetery in South Bend where the remains of the 2,411 babies Klopfer kept were buried  how many of those babies were extracted from young teenage girls? And how many of those teenage girls were sent back home to be raped again and again?

The film showcases that important point which is sometimes made within the abortion debate yet should be emphasized more often.

Although abortion is almost always framed in political discourse as a constitutionally-protected right to "choice," it indelibly serves the purposes of monstrous abusers who violate women and girls.

Whether domestic abusers, rapists, pimps, traffickers, or lawless abortionists like Klopfer, the violence of abortion empowers evil. It covers up their crimes, gives the impression that they've been let off the hook morally, and reinforces the mindset that they are entitled to seemingly consequence-free sex.

Ask any seasoned sidewalk counselor or crisis pregnancy center operator how many times male-on-female abuse dynamics are present in these scenarios and they'll tell you "all the time."

In 2014, Life Dynamics compiled a list of 60 court cases that dealt with young girls being taken to Planned Parenthood and other clinics by their abusers to get an abortion.

And during a 2014 undercover video filmed at a Planned Parenthood workshop in Michigan, an abortionist argued against helping young victims of rape and sexual assault by asserting during her presentation that because clinic workers are not state employees they shouldn't be required to report suspected cases of child abuse to authorities.

Laura J. Lederer, president of Global Centurion, an anti-trafficking organization, stressed at a June 2018 news conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol that the abortion industry and the sex trade are inextricably linked.

In other words, just like Gosnell and Planned Parenthood, Klopfer is not an outlier. There are many more like him out there.

I also wondered while watching the film just how many young girls have been sent back to their abusers because abortionists looked the other way.

"I think what it takes is making the harm visible," Lederer told this Christian Post reporter when asked what it would take for the American public to see how closely tethered these scourges are.

Major kudos to "Inwood Drive" for doing just that quite effectively.

To watch the film, click here or visit fearlessfeatures.org
Cases of the coronavirus surged to 8,825 new positive test results Friday, and the number of deaths topped 100 in the state after 27 more people died; the largest one-day total of new deaths since the outbreak of fast-moving virus began earlier this month.

It has now killed at least 108 people in New Jersey, which has about 9 million residents, and ranks second in the United States in total coronavirus cases, after its neighboring state of New York.

We mourn with these families and indeed with our entire state every precious life that has been lost, Gov. Phil Murphy said at the Trenton War Memorial during his daily coronavirus press briefing. We cant bring them back. That is as stark a reality as we have to face.

Heres a roundup of coronavirus news:

Murphy calls for anyone with medical training to join N.J.'s battle against coronavirus. We need you.

State officials are asking retired healthcare workers and anyone with medical training to help New Jerseys medical system battle the coronavirus.

Retired nurses or doctors, medical and nursing students, EMTs, former members of our armed services medical corps," Murphy said. Any of the above, all of the above. If you have training, we need you."

52 inmates released from Bergen County jail amid coronavirus pandemic:

Bergen County Jail released 33 county inmates on Tuesday and 19 more on Thursday, said Derek Sands, spokesperson for the Bergen County Sheriffs Office, which manages the jail.

The inmates released Tuesday were either serving a sentence as a condition of probation or for a municipal court conviction, Sands said. Those released Thursday were serving time waiting for a re-sentencing after violating probation or a county sentence for a fourth-degree crime, he said.

How to disinfect groceries from coronavirus? Dont leave them outside, N.J. experts warn.

The advice to leave your groceries outside as a way to disinfect them comes from a viral video shared by a family doctor in Michigan, which also advocates for disinfecting every single box, repackaging all dried foods, and washing all fresh foods with soap. Is all of this really necessary?

Definitely not, two experts told NJ Advance Media.

Bergen County to open coronavirus testing site for 1st responders and healthcare workers

Starting 8 a.m., a drive-thru testing site for symptomatic first responders and healthcare professionals will open at the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, at 230 East Ridgewood Ave. in Paramus, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced Friday. The testing site is only open to first responders and health care professionals who live or work in Bergen County, said Tedesco.

What will happen to N.J. businesses defying Murphys order to close during coronavirus crisis?

Complaints are distributed to county prosecutors and local authorities, who inspect the businesses to ensure the report is valid, Col. Pat Callahan, the superintendent of the State Police, said Friday.

The state is still investigating complaints against businesses and hasnt decided which charges will be issued yet, he said. He said no charges against businesses have been filed yet.

But Murphy emphasized that there will be punishment to those who violate his orders.

Trump just signed $2T coronavirus stimulus bill. Heres what N.J. will get.

The legislation was the third bill passed by Congress to address the coronavirus, and the amounts going to New Jersey were calculated by aides to U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker based on projections and existing formulas for distributing federal aid.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.
The 21-day nationwide lockdown has brought out both sides of the Assam Police, with its personnel, on one hand, enforcing the restrictions on the movement of people by caning violators and making them do push-ups and on the other, they were also seen feeding the poor and helping the needy.

The lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the spread of novel coronavirus entered the third day on Friday.

Individual and collective deeds of kindness by police personnel were witnessed across the state in the past two days.

While lone constables were seen feeding beggars in Golaghat and Nalbari districts, a police team distributed food grains to the needy in Nagaon district.

Another such team eased the homeward-bound journey of an octogenarian who walked nearly 100 km from Kaliabor to reach Biswanath Chariali by giving him lift in a police vehicle to his village in Lakhimpur district.

On Thursday, personnel of the Smart Protection Unit of the Assam Police were seen distributing cooked food in Guwahati's Fancy Bazar area.

The 70,000-strong state police force has earned praise from people for such initiatives.

"We are helping people with the mindset of social service. We are doing every possible thing to alleviate the distress of the people in this hour of need," Additional Director General (Administration) Harmeet Singh told PTI.

Singh said a nodal officer has been appointed to coordinate with organisations and individuals willing to feed the poor.

He said in the last two days, several NGOs have come forward and provided the needy with food items while a dozen others have contacted the police for similar initiatives in the coming few days.

From Friday, police personnel in Goalpara district will feed lunch to 100 BPL cardholders every day for the next 20 days, Singh said.

At Srirampur in Kokrajhar district along the Assam- West Bengal border, police personnel have fed hundreds of people arriving from various parts of the country before placing them under quarantine, he said.

Personnel of the force were also seen delivering essential commodities, including medicines and gas cylinders, to elderly persons.

"We are looking after elderly persons who live alone as their children have migrated to other states or abroad for work. We are responding to many requests for help across the state," Singh added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News.


Vistara Airlines will implement one to three days of leave without pay for 30 per cent of its employees in April and has deferred its annual increment to July, following the suspension of all domestic operations till April 14. "While we are doing all possible, including a recruitment freeze, we have to look at other means to further reduce our cost," the airline's chief executive officer Leslie Thng said in an email to employees today.

Air India, GoAir and IndiGo have already announced salary cuts to tide over cash crunch caused by suspension of operations. In ...
Doris Reina-Landaverde, 41 (pictured), has been working as a custodian at Harvard University for the last 15 years

A Harvard custodian experiencing coronavirus symptoms has accused the university with a $40.9 billion endowment of neglect after she was told there were no more masks available.

Doris Reina-Landaverde, 41, stayed behind on campus after students were told to leave on March 10 so she could disinfect dormitories.

But when her supply of latex gloves and masks ran out and she asked her supervisor for more masks, she was told none were left, reported NBC News.

Reina-Landaverde says she's now feeling symptoms including a sore throat, chills and coughing.

She has been getting donations of personal protective gear (PPE) from students and said it's a shame she can't rely on her employer.

'I feel like the university doesn't care about me or my co-workers,' she told NBC News.

'We are human beings. I feel like a vacuum or a broom that you only use when you need it.'

When students were told leave campus (pictured) on March 10, she stayed behind to disinfect the dormitories

Reina-Landaverde said she ran out of masks and when she went to ask for a new supply, she was told they had no more. Pictured: EMTs lift a patient that was identified to have coronavirus in New York City, March 26

The mother-of-three has been experiencing symptoms including a cough, fever and chills since last week

'We remain committed to providing all of our essential workers with the appropriate tools and training they need to stay safe on campus,' university spokesman Jason Newton told NBC News.

'Any employee who is ill, who needs to self-isolate or who needs to care for dependents can immediately begin using their paid time-off benefits, including use of up to 14 days of paid sick time they have not yet earned.'

Harvard University did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment.

According to VOA News, Reina-Landaverde was making $114 per month when she decided to leave her native El Salvador in 2000.

She made a three-month journey across Mexico's Sonoran desert and arrived in the US with temporary protected status.

The program, from the US Department of Homeland Security, allows recipients from countries with man-made or environmental crises to work and live legally in the US.

Reina-Landaverde has worked at Harvard for 15 years, fighting for social justice, including contract negotiations in 2016 when janitors unionized in 2016.

She began feeling symptoms of COVID-19 including chills, a sore throat and coughing last week. Her physician advised her to stay home and self-quarantine.

Reina-Landaverde said she's been told she doesn't meet the criteria for testing so she's self-isolating from her husband and three daughters.

On Tuesday, Harvard President Lawrence Bacow announced that he and his wife Adele tested positive for coronavirus.

Bacow said they started experiencing symptoms including a cough, fever, chills and body aches on Sunday.

The couple has been working from home and limiting their contact with others since March 14 as a precaution

Harvard said 18 of its community members have tested positive for COVID-19 or are presumed to have the illness. It's not clear if this includes Reina-Landarverde.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

Trend:

During the next plenary session of Azerbaijans parliament to be held on March 30, 2020, the MPs will sit at least 2 meters apart, the parliaments press service told Trend.

MPs, staff of the Office and the Department of Affairs of the parliament underwent a medical examination for coronavirus in due order, and the parliaments cars were disinfected.

Management in the Azerbaijani parliament is carried out via fixed and mobile communications. Information exchange between the parliament leadership, the heads of committees and commissions, the leaders of political parties represented in the parliament, as well as the staff of the Office and the Department of Affairs of the parliament is successfully implemented online.
The virus has been slower to arrive in countries south of the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas, but hopes that it would not spread in warmer countries havent been borne out. The first cases were reported this week in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 2 million Palestinians are crammed into an area only twice the size of the District of Columbia, and where hospitals normally maintain only 40 intensive care beds. Several dozen more cases have been recorded in the nearby West Bank. Cases also have been reported in perpetually war-ravaged Somalia and Congo.
HOUSTON - (March 27, 2020) - One nanotube could be great for electronics applications, but there's new evidence that two could be tops.

Rice University engineers already knew that size matters when using single-walled carbon nanotubes for their electrical properties. But until now, nobody had studied how electrons act when confronted with the Russian doll-like structure of multiwalled tubes.

The Rice lab of materials theorist Boris Yakobson has now calculated the impact of curvature of semiconducting double-wall carbon nanotubes on their flexoelectric voltage, a measure of electrical imbalance between the nanotube's inner and outer walls.

This affects how suitable nested nanotube pairs may be for nanoelectronics applications, especially photovoltaics.

The theoretical research by Yakobson's Brown School of Engineering group appears in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.

In an 2002 study, Yakobson and his Rice colleagues had revealed how charge transfer, the difference between positive and negative poles that allows voltage to exist between one and the other, scales linearly to the curvature of the nanotube wall. The width of the tube dictates curvature, and the lab found that the thinner the nanotube (and thus larger the curvature), the greater the potential voltage.

When carbon atoms form flat graphene, the charge density of the atoms on either side of the plane are identical, Yakobson said. Curving the graphene sheet into a tube breaks that symmetry, changing the balance.

That creates a flexoelectric local dipole in the direction of, and proportional to, the curvature, according to the researchers, who noted that the flexoelectricity of 2D carbon "is a remarkable but also fairly subtle effect."

But more than one wall greatly complicates the balance, altering the distribution of electrons. In double-walled nanotubes, the curvature of the inner and outer tubes differ, giving each a distinct band gap. Additionally, the models showed the flexoelectric voltage of the outer wall shifts the band gap of the inner wall, creating a staggered band alignment in the nested system.

"The novelty is that the inserted tube, the 'baby' (inside) matryoshka has all of its quantum energy levels shifted because of the voltage created by exterior nanotube," Yakobson said. The interplay of different curvatures, he said, causes a straddling-to-staggered band gap transition that takes place at an estimated critical diameter of about 2.4 nanometers.

"This is a huge advantage for solar cells, essentially a prerequisite for separating positive and negative charges to create a current," Yakobson said. "When light is absorbed, an electron always jumps from the top of an occupied valence band (leaving a 'plus' hole behind) to the lowest state of empty conductance band.

"But in a staggered configuration they happen to be in different tubes, or layers," he said. "The 'plus' and 'minus' get separated between the tubes and can flow away by generating current in a circuit."

The team's calculations also showed that modifying the nanotubes' surfaces with either positive or negative atoms could create "substantial voltages of either sign" up to three volts. "Although functionalization could strongly perturb the electronic properties of nanotubes, it may be a very powerful way of inducing voltage for certain applications," the researchers wrote.

The team suggested its findings may apply to other types of nanotubes, including boron nitride and molybdenum disulfide, on their own or as hybrids with carbon nanotubes.

###

Rice alumnus Vasilii Artyukhov, now at Quantlab Financial, Houston, is lead author of the paper. Co-authors are Rice graduate student Sunny Gupta and research scientist Alex Kutana. Yakobson is the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and a professor of chemistry at Rice.

The Army Research Office and the Robert Welch Foundation supported the research, with computational support from the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program and the Department of Energy Office of Science.

Read the abstract at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b05345.

This news release can be found online at https://news.rice.edu/2020/03/27/double-walled-nanotubes-have-electro-optical-advantages/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Related materials:

Curvature-induced polarization in carbon nanoshells: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009261402008205?via%3Dihub

Yakobson Research Group: https://biygroup.blogs.rice.edu

Rice Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering: https://msne.rice.edu

George R. Brown School of Engineering: https://engineering.rice.edu

Image for download:

https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2020/03/0330_NANOTUBE-1-WEB.jpg

Rice University theorists have calculated flexoelectric effects in double-walled carbon nanotubes. The electrical potential (P) of atoms on either side of a graphene sheet (top) are identical, but not when the sheet is curved into a nanotube. Double-walled nanotubes (bottom) show unique effects as band gaps in inner and outer tubes are staggered. (Credit: Yakobson Research Group/Rice University)

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 4 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

Jeff Falk

713-348-6775

jfalk@rice.edu

Mike Williams

713-348-6728

mikewilliams@rice.edu
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Here are some stocks that are in the news today:

Yes Bank: The bank said it has increased its fundraising size to Rs 15,000 crore from Rs 10,000 crore.

Aurobindo Pharma gets USFDA nod for Muscle Relaxant Tizanidine Hydrochloride - CNBC-TV18

Arvind Fashion decided to defer the right issue of the company

Piramal Enterprises: CARE affirmed its AA/Stable credit rating for additional NCD of up to Rs 1,000 cr.

PVR: Vishal Kashyap Mahadevia, Non-Executive Director resigned.

NTPC: Company executed SPA with Govt for the acquisition of THDC India and NEEPCO for Rs 11,500 crore.

Lupin: Company appointed Ramesh Swaminathan as Chief Financial Officer and Head Corporate Affairs.

Arvind Fashions: Company deferred the rights issue due to novel coronavirus.

Sanghvi Movers: ICRA retained company's long-term rating at A-, but revised outlook to Negative from Stable.

State Bank of India: The bank's board will meet on March 27 for general purposes.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories: The board will meet on March 27 for general purposes.

Balrampur Chini Mills: ICICI Bank invested Rs 51.09 crore in associate company Auxilo Finserve against 9.90 percent stake.

Jamna Auto Industries: ICRA reaffirmed the long-term rating at AA- and outlook is Negative.

Maharashtra Seamless acquired an Offshore Jack Up Drilling Rig from Star Drilling Pte. Ltd.. Singapore for USD 100 million

ICICI Bank entered into an agreement to invest in Auxilo Finserve Private Limited
Portugal's central bank, the Banco de Portugal (BdP), warned on Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic would severely impact economic growth and unemployment in 2020, namely an over 3 percent reduction in Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and more than 10 percent unemployment, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

"In the baseline scenario, a 3.7 percent reduction in real GDP is expected in 2020. It is assumed that the economic impact of the pandemic is relatively limited, which partly stems from the hypothesis that the measures taken by the authorities are successful in containing damage to the economy," the BdP said in a statement.

In the adverse scenario, "the economic impact of the pandemic is assumed to be more significant due to the more prolonged paralysis of economic activity in several countries, leading to greater destruction of capital and job loss," said the BdP, adding that this scenario predicts a recession of 5.7 percent.

According to the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE), Portugal registered a 2.2 percent increase in GDP in 2019.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is expected to rise above 10 percent in 2020, according to the BdP.

In the baseline scenario, BdP forecasted an unemployment rate of 10.1 percent in 2020, with a progressive decline to 9.5 percent in 2021 and 8.0 percent in 2022.

The central bank warned that in the baseline scenario, "the projected evolution for unemployment depends crucially on the configuration and magnitude of policy measures that can be implemented immediately."

In the adverse scenario, the unemployment rate will skyrocket to 11.7 percent this year, falling to 10.7 percent in 2021 and 8.3 percent in 2022.

"Both scenarios contemplate a recession in the Portuguese economy in 2020, differing in the assumed magnitude for the global pandemic's economic impact," the BdP said.

In 2019, the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, according to the INE.

Portugal has reported 60 deaths associated with COVID-19 and 3,544 cases of infection, according to the daily bulletin of the country's Directorate-General for Health on Thursday.
Prince Harry and Prince William are known to have very different personalities. However, the two brothers were quite close to one another growing up, especially after the death of their mother, Princess Diana.

Yet, these days, its clear that Prince Harry and Prince William no longer get along like before. In fact, an insider recently claimed that there could be a lot of anger and resentment between them.

How did the feud between Prince Harry and Prince William start?

Prince Harry | Chris Jackson  Pool/Getty Images

According to many reports, the feud between the two princes started in 2016 after Prince Harry started dating Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Prince Harry reportedly was concerned that his brother and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge were not being supportive of his relationship, and this caused a rift between them.

It was all so quick that William and Kate didnt have a moment to get to know Meghan because Harry hardly knew Meghan, royal expert Ingrid Seward said. And, of course, quite naturally William and Kate would have thought, Oh, shes been married before, shes older than Harry, I hope shes going to make him happy. Anyone would think that.

However, Prince Harry did not appreciate his relationship being questioned, especially since he was supportive of Prince William and Kate being together from the get-go.

According to other sources, Prince Harry and Prince William already had tension between them long before Meghan came into the picture. The two princes have different personalities, so they reportedly just grew apart as they got older.

Prince Harry and Prince William still have anger and resentment

Things are not looking any better for Prince Harry and Prince William, and it seems like a lot of work needs to be done before their relationship can become normal again.

An insider recently told Us Weekly: Publicly, theyve stopped short of trash-talking each other. But behind closed doors, theyre both filled with anger and resentment.

This is reportedly due to Prince Harrys abrupt departure from the royal family. In January, Prince Harry and Meghan announced that they were stepping down as senior members of the royal family. The couple would also be spending a lot of time in North America.

Sources alleged that Prince William was blindsided by the announcement, and Prince Harry is aware that the move did not do much for improve his strained relationship with his brother.

Harry knows Williams mad at him for uprooting and leaving him to pick up the pieces, the insider told Us Weekly. But the way Harry sees it, Meghans happiness is way more important  Harrys fed up with being judged or expected to act a certain way.

Many fans wish that the two princes would get along again, and it seems like Prince William agrees.

According to The Sunday Times, Prince William reportedly said at a meeting to discuss Prince Harry and Meghans exit from the royal family: Ive put my arm around my brother all our lives and I cant do that anymore. Im sad about that.

Do Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton get along?

Its very possible that Prince Harry and Prince Williams rift could spill over into the relationship between their wives. There were rumors that Meghan and Kate did not get along very well when they first met. However, they allegedly grew closer after Meghan became a mother for the first time.

Its not clear what their relationship is like today. Some people believe that Meghan and Kate were never actually best friends simply because they are quite different from one another. Other people believe that Meghans distance from the royal family could help them get closer since Meghan would, in theory, be happier with her life.
Fencing blocks the entrances to the boardwalk in Spring Lake, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, but kept its beaches open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Crowds of people enjoy a warm spring day on one boardwalk, while other stretches of boards are now empty. This Jersey Shore beach is open, that one is closed.

Officials along the Jersey Shore are forced to navigate uncharted waters -- weighing the safety of residents against the hope of keeping some semblance of normalcy -- as the state battles the coronavirus pandemic.

Seaside Heights was the first Jersey Shore town to close its beaches. On Monday, all ocean and bay beaches were ordered closed by Mayor Anthony E. Vaz in anticipation that the warmer weather would bring too many people out and people would not be able to maintain social distancing. Seaside Heights closed it boardwalk Friday morning.

Don't Edit

Beach access is blocked off in Seaside Heights, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Officials announced Monday that all bay and ocean beaches would be closed, but the boardwalk would remain open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

On Tuesday, Point Pleasant Beach and Spring Lake announced closures of their own. Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk, blocking access with orange netting and fencing, but allowing access to the beach. The borough also blocked off the inlet, as drivers were parking too close to each other.

Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening, but on Thursday afternoon it seemed as if anyone wanting to use it just wandered a little north to Belmar's boardwalk, which at times saw people shoulder-to-shoulder, unable to maintain that six feet of space from one another so ordered by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Ocean City followed suit by closing both its beaches and boardwalk on Wednesday, but it wasn't until 2:18 p.m. Thursday that people were ushered away with an announcement over the boardwalk's loudspeakers: "The beach and boardwalk are closed to the public until further notice. Please exit at the nearest ramp. Thank you for your understanding during this public health crisis."

Don't Edit

A small sign marks that the beach and boardwalk in Lavallette, N.J., is closed during the coronavirus pandemic, Thursday afternoon, March 26, 2020. People were still using the beach and boardwalk, but the announcement had only recently been made and some people were unaware of the closure. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Thursday afternoon, people were still walking along the small boardwalk in Lavallette; some did not know the town's boardwalk and beaches had recently been closed. Early Thursday evening, a police officer sat in a small beach vehicle, ensuring that people stayed off the boardwalk. Beach access in Sea Girt remains open at this time.

Police officers in Asbury Park are continuing to keep an eye on visitors on the boardwalk -- signs are seemingly everywhere to maintain social distancing -- but officials have warned that they may close the boardwalk and beach at any time they deem necessary to maintain public safety.

Scroll below to see images of the Jersey Shore during the coronavirus outbreak.

Don't Edit

A man sits by the Ocean City Music Pier, Thursday, March 26, 2020, despite the city closing the boardwalk a day earlier to control the coronavirus spread. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People enjoy the beach in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The entrances to Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., are blocked off, Thursday, March 26, 2020. Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk Tuesday amid concerns the boardwalk was too narrow to safely practice social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People walk along the beach in Sea Girt, N.J., late Thursday afternoon, March 26, 2020. Officials closed the boardwalk Thursday morning due to concern over people spreading the coronavirus, but the beach remains open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

A bicyclist rides up the ramp to the Ocean City Boardwalk, past a vacant police car, the day after the city announced it was closed due to the coronavirus scare, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

An electronic sign reads "use social distancing" in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

A woman sets up her chair on the beach in Spring Lake, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, but kept its beaches open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Crowds of people walk along the boardwalk in Belmar, N.J., just steps away from the closed boardwalk in Spring Lake during the coronavirus pandemic, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

The entrances to Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., are blocked off, Thursday, March 26, 2020. Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk Tuesday amid concerns the boardwalk was too narrow to safely practice social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

A woman walks a dog along the boardwalk in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People enjoy a spring day at the beach in Spring Lake, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, but kept its beaches open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Orange netting blocks access to the boardwalk in Sea Girt, N.J., late Thursday afternoon, March 26, 2020. Officials closed the boardwalk Thursday morning due to concern over people spreading the coronavirus, but the beach remains open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Placards encouraging people to "please continue social distancing when outdoors" dot the boardwalk in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

A woman is reflected in the window of the Fudge Kitchen the day after the city announced the Ocean City Boardwalk was closed due to the coronavirus scare, Thursday, March 26, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People walk the boardwalk in Lavallette, N.J., shortly after it was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Thursday afternoon, March 26, 2020. The announcement had only recently been made and some people were unaware of the closure. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Surfers head to the ocean in Spring Lake, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, but kept its beaches open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

The sign for Tim McLoone's Supper Club in Asbury Park, N.J., reads "closed, stay safe," Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

A police vehicle guards the closed boardwalk in Sea Girt, N.J., late Thursday afternoon, March 26, 2020. Officials closed the boardwalk Thursday morning due to concern over people spreading the coronavirus, but the beach remains open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People enjoy a sunny day on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020, despite the city closing it a day earlier to control the coronavirus spread. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Picnickers eat lunch on a spring day in Spring Lake, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Spring Lake closed its boardwalk Tuesday evening to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, but kept its beaches open. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

People walk the boardwalk in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

A man wears gloves while on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, N.J., Thursday, March 26, 2020. Asbury Park police officers are monitoring use of the boardwalk to ensure people are practicing social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak, and officials may decide to close the boardwalk and beach if visitors do not abide by the current measures in effect. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The boardwalk and inlet in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., are blocked off, Thursday, March 26, 2020. Point Pleasant Beach closed its boardwalk as well as the inlet Tuesday to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

RELATED STORIES:

It's dark and empty. See what Atlantic City looks like after coronavirus shutdown.

Animal shelters face tough times in coronavirus outbreak. Your help may be their cure.

Deaf therapy dog does drive-by visit to cheer up students stuck at home from coronavirus pandemic

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

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

Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Lori on Instagram at @photog_lori and Twitter @photoglori. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Instagram @photog_hawk and Twitter @photogthawk.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com's newsletters.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
A private zoo in southeastern Mexico have named a new Bengal tiger cub Covid after the deadly coronavirus epidemic that has killed tens of thousands around the world.

The rare birth of a baby tiger has brought a glimmer of hope to the zoo, even as normal life seizes up in the country to contain the deadly pandemic that inspired his name.

Named by the family that owns the zoo, tiger Covid was born on March 14 in a small zoo in the city of Cordoba that specializes in rescuing animals from circuses and exotic private collections.

The coronavirus causes the respiratory disease COVID-19, which is often used synonymously with the virus.

The daughter of the owner of a Mexican animal shelter chose Covid as the name of a Bengal cub

Covid (pictured) was born March 14 to an eight-year-old tigress who had been nursed back to health

The tiger's birth came as a surprise to everyone, said Kitzia Rodriguez, daughter of the zoo owner and a vet there.

'We didn't know he was on the way,' Rodriguez told Reuters.

'He's going to have a big impact because the situation right now is difficult for everyone, even for us,' she said.

'But I think the birth, in spite of the situation, will help us and gives us hope to carry on, so we can have visitors. Covid was a gift.'

Covid was born at a Bio-Zoo, an animal shelter that specializes in saving wild animals from circuses and homes

The owner of the Veracruz, Mexico, zoo said Covid's birth represented a major 'achievement' for the reproduction of the animals that are sheltered

Covid was named after the coronavirus. He was born March 14 at a shelter for wild animals in Veracruz, Mexico

The BioZoo in the state of Veracruz is still operating even as public life slowly winds down in Mexico to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed over 22,000 people worldwide.

Covid was born to an 8-year-old tigress that had been in a circus and was nursed back to health after needing an operation for a hip fracture, said zoo owner Gonzalo Rodriguez.

The cub's father, age 6, joined the shelter after hurting his mouth by biting into a vase at the private home where he was kept, said Rodriguez, who has run the zoo for over two decades.

Rodriguez told local newspaper El Portal Noticias that the birth of the tiger represented a major 'achievement' for the reproduction of the animals that are sheltered at his zoo.

The coronavirus has killed more than 23,700 people and infected over 526,000 people around the world. It has been blamed for six deaths in Mexico, which has 475 confirmed cases.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a last minute dash across the border from Canada to the US to start their new life in Los Angeles.

The couple took a private jet to California with their ten-month-old son Archie just before non-essential travel between the two countries was suspended last week because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Harry and Meghan have long planned to set up in the duchesss home state, where her mother Doria lives  but were forced to bring plans forward because of the outbreak.

They leave behind their borrowed 10million mansion on Canadas tranquil Vancouver Island to join their team of Hollywood agents and publicists, who they have hired to launch their new careers.

Sources said the couple, who officially step down as senior royals on Tuesday, knew Canada wouldnt work for them in the long-term.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 05, 2020. Their last public engagement

Harry and Meghans exact whereabouts is unknown, but it has been reported they are locking down in an exclusive gated community in LA.

The move, which comes shortly after Canadian authorities said they would no longer contribute to the cost of the couples security, has fired up the row over who should foot the bill.

The Sussexes insist they are still entitled to taxpayer-funded security abroad  provided by the Met Police to the tune of millions of pounds a year.

But critics point out the family is tying up valuable resources at a time when Britain needs every officer deployed in the battle against coronavirus.

The move to North America has paved the way for the couple to have their own armed private security team.

In Canada, private security guards are not allowed to carry and use guns unless they are guarding cash or precious metals  but California has some of the tightest private protection in the world.

Meghan is said to have found life as a Royal too restrictive and immediately wanted to leave

Last night Dai Davies, former head of royalty protection at Scotland Yard, said: It is time for them to cut the strings.

Surely now is the opportunity for the Met to say enough is enough, pay for your own security and relinquish our officers because the Met needs them back in Britain helping their colleagues in London.

We are in the grip of a national emergency and the Met is so desperate it is asking retired officers to come back.

And what are Harry and Meghan doing? Flying straight into the worst affected country, while Harrys father is ill, his grandparents are elderly and at risk and the country is in lockdown. The timing of this is unbelievable.

If the pair planned to live like rock stars they should expect to be treated like celebrities and pay their own way, Mr Davies added.

He said the US is very well policed, but warned: In Hollywood, Harry and Meghan will raise their profile and therefore the risk to them may increase. They will have to contend with paparazzi who know no boundaries, especially in America.

Prince Harry visits Abbey Road Studios to meet Jon Bon Jovi and members of the Invictus Games Choir, who recorded a special single in aid of the Invictus Games Foundation

The move is likely to spark a fresh review by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which is made up of the Home Office, the Met Polices royalty protection command and palace officials.

Ultimately, the decision on whether the couple should be stripped of their taxpayer-funded security would be in the hands of Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Meanwhile the move to Hollywood will also have serious personal and financial implications for the couple.

Harry cannot automatically become a US citizen by marriage  rather, Meghan will have to go through the formal process of petitioning for him to receive a permanent lawful residency, known as a Green Card.

The upmarket shopping street, Rodeo Drive in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Harry will be eligible to apply for full US citizenship in three years  but there is one stumbling block.

One question asks: Do you now have, or did you ever have, a hereditary title or an order of nobility in any foreign country?

If the answer is yes, the applicant is then asked if he or she is willing to give up those titles at a naturalisation ceremony.

Harry will then have to decide whether to relinquish his Duke of Sussex title.

The pair will also have to deal with complex tax issues.

California is the highest tax state in the US, with an income tax rate of 13 per cent and federal tax rate of 37 per cent.

As the Sussexes continue to build their new careers and all important top team, it yesterday emerged that they have poached one of Bill and Melinda Gates senior staff to lead their new charity.

Catherine St-Laurent, who is director at Melinda Gates women and families foundation, told colleagues: I am thrilled to be able to play a supporting role in realising [Harry and Meghans] vision.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reach the promised land of California  within kissing distance of Hollywood  Meghans got all she wanted and Harrys given up so much

By Jan Moir

And with one bound, they were free.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have finally reached the promised land of California and they are within kissing distance of Hollywood, no doubt their intended destination all along.

That weird rental stay in Canada?

It now seems clear that it was nothing but a smokescreen  a nice, Commonwealth-friendly stopgap to give a sheen of royal respectability to their act of usurpation.

Or should that be her ambition? Now that the duchess has her duke exactly where she wants him, which is stuck fast in the amber of her Los Angeles hometown, will the power base in their relationship tilt even further her way?

Undoubtedly so. From now until forever, in America at least, it is Meghan who will be the guest of honour and Harry the lowly plus one at her side.

The famous Hollywood sign during a typically sunny Southern California day

For she is the architect of their new world pageantry, the queen bee in their westerly Windsor hive.

He will just have to hold her handbag and do what he is told  and perhaps he will be more than happy to do so.

Surely, for a headstrong young pup like him, anything is better than his lowly post on the Windsor totem pole: being bossed around by Gan-Gan, Papa, big brother Wills and a battalion of chisel-faced courtiers insisting on protocol, protocol, protocol.

The couple say they still want to be busy, to support the Queen and carve out a progressive role within the Royal Family but that dream has already died, kids, that ship sailed long ago on the Megxit tide.

This week, in the middle of the biggest public health crisis this country has ever seen, the Sussexes already seem self-absorbed, detached and utterly irrelevant.

The residence of Prince Harry and and his wife Meghan is seen in Deep Cove Neighborhood from a boat on the Saanich Inlet, North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Perhaps it was bad timing but within hours of the nation coming together on Thursday to show its support of the NHS by taking to the streets and clapping, news emerged that the Sussexes had flown from Canada earlier this week  private jet, naturally  to settle in LA.

Just as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis charmed the nation with that video footage of them earnestly clapping along, all rosy cheeks and sweet woolly jumpers, the Sussexes were nowhere to be seen.

Public comfort came there none. All they could offer was a lame post on their preposterous SussexRoyal Instagram account, one that sounded like a note left for the cleaner.

Thank you for all that you continue to do! Applauding you from across the pond, read the message, accompanied by two lines of clapping hands emojis.

Honestly, Harry and Meghan, if this is the best you can do, dont bloody bother.

Those dashed off ho-hum words are an insult to everyone in this country, not least of all those NHS workers on the front line risking their lives every day to save others and try to control this pandemic.

At a time of national peril, the last thing anyone needs is another trite and meaningless gesture from this pair of do-gooding dopes, but sadly they seem unstoppable.

The million dollar house Harry and Meghan are said to have looked at prior to their move

Earlier, the couple posted another gobbledegook quote to their 11.3million followers, harbouring under the fond delusion that it was somehow inspirational.

This moment is as true a testament there is to the human spirit, it read.

Is it really? Then why arent the pair of you doing something about it, instead of slipping from the public gaze entirely?

No one is expecting the Sussexes  or any other royals  to start touring wards and crocheting facemasks, but surely the very essence of being royal is to provide a visible and calming presence at a time of catastrophe?

Instead the Sussexes focus is, as ever, firmly on themselves.

This week Disney announced that Meghan has provided the voiceover for a new wildlife documentary called Elephant, which starts streaming next month.

Thats pretty fast work, considering it is just over six months since Prince Harry was caught on camera making that embarrassing red carpet pitch to Disney boss Bob Iger to get his wife some voiceover work.

Ker-ching! It worked.

That is the thing about the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan claim to be on the side of the little people and the disenfranchised.

But they will grind home every advantage and privilege of their own with ruthless efficiency.

Were supposed to think this is all marvellous because Meghan is giving her Disney fee to charity, as if she is somehow doing the company a huge favour.

Last year Disney donated over 274million to charitable causes, the tip of a corporate benevolence that also funds many college placements and childrens hospitals.

Every little helps of course, but it is clear that the cause the Sussexes support most keenly is their own.

Still, one must wish them well.

The Sussexes have made it abundantly clear that, for them, royal life in Britain was not a sanctuary but a prison  one that they have decided to escape and now exploit abroad.

Increasingly it is impossible to ignore the irony of historical momentum here, or fail to see the similarities between their situation and that of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

Both couples chose exile over duty, but it remains to be seen if the Sussexes will dissolve into the mortifying bog of inconsequence that engulfed the latter.
(Natural News) The changes occurring in our world due to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are many, as youve surely noticed. Restaurants are closed, people are standing very far apart from one another, and the globalists cant stop talking about herding the sheep into even tighter and more heavily surveilled life prisons.

The most recent idea to come out of the deep states crisis vault is to create a global data-sharing system to track all individuals around the world, and all in the name of stopping the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Like some kind of 9/11 2.0, the governments almost uniform response to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is to up the ante in terms of mass surveillance and human tracking. And mobile phone carriers, as well as the industry groups that represent them, couldnt be more excited.

At least one mobile phone company recently indicated to the GSM Association, which sets international standards for the mobile phone industry, that it already has the capability to track individuals globally through their mobile devices. This company is said to have discussed the possibility of developing a government tracking system for keeping an eye on pretty much everyone who owns a cell phone.

Up until now, the use of mobile phones to supposedly fight the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has been restricted to national government, which either monitor data within their borders or are currently in discussions to do so. This includes companies not just in the United States, but also in India, Iran, Poland, Singapore, Israel and South Korea.

The British government is also in talks with BT, which owns the U.K. (United Kingdom) mobile phone company EE, about using phone location and usage data to determine how effectively isolation orders are working to curb the spread of the virus.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how Los Angeles County has officially surrendered to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) by agreeing to conduct no more tests:

Global monitoring system to be ushered in under the guise of protecting against coronavirus

While many individual countries are already engaged in mobile phone tracking due to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), what some are pushing is to have this expanded to include international tracking across borders.

An exploratory committee says the process is currently at an early stage, but that the end game is to create a novel contact tracing system to keep tabs on the locations of infected persons, as well as any others with whom they may have come in contact.

A spokesperson from GSMA strenuously denied, to quote The Guardian, all insinuations that it is in any way involved with a project to create some kind of global tracking system. The GSMA would not, however, comment on any of the discussions that had taken place, or what, exactly, is being explored.

In this emergency situation, the GSMA and its members are doing everything they can to help the global fight against COVID-19, stated Mats Granryd, director of the GSMA, in a statement to The Guardian.

We are engaging with operators, policymakers and international organizations around the world to explore viable mobile big data and AI (artificial intelligence) solutions to fight this pandemic while adhering to principles of privacy and ethics.

Once again under the guise of dealing with medical emergencies, advocates of such technology claim that it can provide accurate and up-to-date information about patients for public health purposes.

Another concern is getting patients in and out of hospitals quickly, as hospitals in some of the hardest-hit areas are now reaching max capacity due to an influx of new cases.

To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheGuardian.com

NaturalNews.com
Kious Kelly, a nurse manager at a Manhattan hospital, texted his sister on March 18 with some devastating news: He had tested positive for the coronavirus and was on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. He told her he could text but not talk.

Im okay. Dont tell Mom and Dad. Theyll worry, he wrote to his sister, Marya Patrice Sherron.

That was his last message. Ms. Sherrons subsequent texts to him went unanswered. In less than a week, he was dead.

Mr. Kelly, a 48-year-old assistant nurse manager at Mount Sinai West, may have been the first New York City nurse to die from the virus.

His sister said he had asthma but was otherwise well.

His death could have been prevented, Ms. Sherron said on Facebook Wednesday. Later, she added: Im angry. He was healthy.
A man in New Jersey has been reprimanded by police after hosting a wedding for 40 people, in direct breach of the state's social distancing rules.

William Katzenstein, 39, was issued a summons after around 40 guests gathered to celebrate nuptials despite Governor Phil Murphy explicitly banning people getting together for any type of social event including weddings or celebrations

The wedding was broken up and the guests were asked to leave.

Katzenstein will have to appear in court on a future date.

It is the third wedding in the same community in recent weeks to have been broken up by police after breaching new laws on social distancing.

Last week. several residents of Lakewood, New Jersey, have called the police after witnessing large gatherings at private homes in violation of a statewide ban which was enacted to help stop the spread of the coronavirus

'We understand that everyone's daily routine has been effected by the coronavirus and our state's effort to isolate and contain the spread of this outbreak,' Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said.

'It's not easy. We understand how difficult it is change your way of living. We are all adapting as best we can. We all need to recognize the vital role we all have in flattening the curve of this outbreak. Stay home, practice social distancing and please be considerate of the risks our men and women in law enforcement are facing every day.'

The governor has also made a point of telling New Jersey residents that abuse towards any community will not be tolerated.

'Folks are using a couple of examples like that to extrapolate and start blaming, vilifying communities. In this case, our Jewish brothers and sisters,' he said.

'Regardless of how you worship. Regardless of your ethnicity, race, who you love, your gender, we are one family. We rise and fall as one family,' Murphy said.

'There is a special place in hell for the very small minority of individuals' who scapegoat, bully or vilify another community,' the governor continued.

Last week, two New Jersey residents were charged after hosting large crowds at events in their homes, including a pop-up wedding.

Eliyohu Zaks, 49, was summonsed by police last Friday after authorities said he hosted a pop-up wedding in his home on Spruce Street in Lakewood, according to the Asbury Park Press.

The event was attended by more than 50 people.

Another local resident, 43-year-old Shaul Kuperwasser, was also cited by police after a large crowd was seen gathering at his home last Thursday.

Lakewood officials said they have received dozens of angry phone calls from local residents who have reported mass gatherings, according to Patch.

The authorities said they are acting with a sense of urgency after Lakewood reported a confirmed 141 cases of coronavirus through Wednesday.

Across New Jersey, at least 108 people have died of coronavirus infection. Statewide, there have been a confirmed 8,825 cases.

The recent sightings of public gatherings have already exacerbated long-running tensions in Lakewood, where a large Orthodox Jewish population has relocated in recent years.

As wedding halls were ordered to shut down, residents simply moved the ceremonies to backyards on their residential properties.

Orthodox community leaders in Lakewood said that all 200 local synagogues and 130 yeshivas in the area have either shut down completely or limited prayer to small groups.

'This is a very concentrated close-knit community,' Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg told NJ Advance Media.

'Many day-to-day activities and religious customs are done in group settings, so it's a bit of a learning curve.

Rabbi Abe Friedman, a chaplain for the State Police and a member of the governor's interfaith advisory council, told New Jersey 101.5 most Lakewood residents are following Murphy's order but it is difficult for some Jewish residents who are used to gathering together for prayers three times a day.

'This is a community, I believe, gathers and lives tight knit. The average family with five to eight children. Then when they grow older, marry off and then they have children, so the average household has about 20, including their own children, grandchildren and a son- or daughter-in-law,' Friedman said.

'It's very difficult to pull the plug on the routine of daily prayer and say 'you've done this for the past 10, 20, 30, 50 years. Now just go home pray at home with no other people with you,'' Friedman said.
A New York Police officer wears a face mask as he directs traffic on a local street in New York City on March 27, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

More States Requiring Travelers From New York to Enter 2-Week Isolation

More states are requiring people traveling from New York to enter a two-week quarantine to try to blunt the spread of the new CCP virus.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

New York was approaching 40,000 confirmed cases as of Thursday, with thousands more expected to be confirmed on Friday. The state has the highest number of cases in the country.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said early this week that anyone from New York or New Jersey flying into Florida would have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Thousands of people from the area flew to Florida after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a stay-at-home order earlier this month, according to DeSantis. Florida is threatening up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for anyone who violates the mandatory quarantine.

Now other states are following suit, including Texas, Arkansas, and Rhode Island.

Paramedics move a patient into the hospital during the outbreak of the CCP virus in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York on March 25, 2020. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order mandates a two-week quarantine for anyone flying into his state from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or New Orleans.

Each person covered under this order to self-quarantine shall be responsible for all associated costs, including transportation, lodging, food, and medical care, the order states.

Abbott cited public health experts on the White House coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has called for quarantines of travelers from New York so the state does not act as a seeding point to the rest of the country.

White House officials repeatedly said this week that anyone from New York City or surrounding areas who has already traveled outside the region should self-isolate until two weeks have elapsed since they left.

We dont want anyoneand no one would want toinadvertently carry the coronavirus to a community or to a family member, Vice President Mike Pence, the head of the task force, told reporters.

The Arkansas Department of Public Health said travelers from New York state and any country outside the United States should quarantine at home.

In the interest of the public health, all travelers who return from one of these locations are advised to quarantine at home for 14 days, starting from the date they left that location. If you develop fever, cough, or other symptom of COVID-19, you should contact your doctor for advice on where to be evaluated, it stated.

Medical officials aid a resident from St. Josephs nursing home to board a bus, after a number of residents tested positive for the CCP virus in Woodbridge, New Jersey on March 25, 2020. (Stefan Jeremiah/Reuters)

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said that anyone traveling from the New York City region must isolate for two weeks after arriving in the state while South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster asked any visitor who plans to stay in the state for at least two nights to quarantine for two weeks.

Any Marylander, or anyone visiting Maryland who has recently spent time in New York or visited the tri-state area must quarantine in place and limit contact with others for at least 14 days, Hogan said at a press conference on Monday.

Hawaii and Alaska have both implemented quarantines for travelers from anywhere in attempts to prevent the spread of the virus in the states. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the measures even for Alaska residents returning from other locales.

If you are a resident, your designated quarantine location is your residence, his order stated. If you are a visitor or worker, your designated quarantine location is your hotel room or rented lodging.

Anyone who breaks the quarantine in Hawaii will face up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, officials said.

State police in Rhode Island will enforce an executive order signed by Gov. Gina Raimondo mandating anyone entering the state from New York enter quarantine for two weeks.

The order includes people arriving in cars, buses, or trains, unlike most other orders from states further away.

Officers and National Guard troops will take down addresses and other information about relatives of those entering Rhode Island from New York.

In this March 22, 2020 file photo, Gov. Gina Raimondo gives an update on the coronavirus during a news conference in the State Room of the Rhode Island State House in Providence, R.I. (Kris Craig/Providence Journal via AP, Pool)

I understand this is an extreme measure, Raimondo told reporters on Thursday, adding that the measure was needed because New York City and the surrounding areas are a hot zone and the infection rate is skyrocketing.

Part of Raimondos move move was questioned by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island.

Under the Fourth Amendment, having a New York state license plate simply does not, and cannot, constitute probable cause to allow police to stop a car and interrogate the driver, no matter how laudable the goal of the stop may be, Steven Brown, executive director of the chapter, said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasnt issued specific guidance on domestic travel but did warn people to consider whether theyll possibly transmit COVID-19 to others when they leave an area where the new illness is spreading.

Consider the risk of passing COVID-19 to others during travel, particularly if you will be in close contact with people who are older adults or have severe chronic health condition. These people are at higher risk of getting very sick. If your symptoms are mild or you dont have a fever, you may not realize you are infectious, the agencys website stated.
BRIDGEPORT  Bridgeport is struggling to find a safe harbor for its homeless population and protect those who serve them.

Lives are at stake, said Cheryl Bell, head of housing for the Recovery Network nonprofit.

The homeless population is particularly vulnerable to the pandemics ravages, said Eneida Martinez, a city councilwoman who also works with the homeless population as a caseworker for Recovery.

A lot of them do not have family support, a lot have mental health issues, substance abuse issues. A lot come from foster care or females who are physically abused by either parents or family and have no support. Some are illiterate, she said.

People who work with homeless men and women say they find themselves in a bind at a time when shelter in place and social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus have become the order of the day.

Space where beds are all in the same room or day shelters, drop-in centers where people would normally be seated or sleeping in close proximity  those spaces present a particular challenge at this time, said David Gonzalez Rice, a community impact coordinator with the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness in Hartford.

Bell said Bridgeport and its nonprofit partners are treating the pandemic like a deep winter freeze, when the street homeless who normally fend for themselves need and seek more support.

Still, she said, some members of that community will continue to decline a place to stay.

Some of them want to come in and some of them dont, Bell said. You can get all the resources in place, but if the person doesnt want it, you cant make them. ... Mental health is a factor. And they dont want to come into the shelter where theres some level of order or expectations of them for safety.

Bell added, Its very difficult, sometimes, to educate them on whats going on and them having a full understanding.

Late last week, the Bridgeport Rescue Mission announced that it would not provide beds for any more new clients and that existing overnight guests normally allowed to come and go would have to shelter in place because of the high risk of exposure to coronavirus.

Which means anybody who has a bed now can remain with us in the shelter, but they will be required to stay on premises, Donna Romano, a mission spokesperson, said in an interview.

Otherwise, Romano said, We dont know where they are going during the day, so we dont know they are adhering to social distancing. And because of that uncertainty, it presents a health risk to everyone they might come in contact with.

In anticipation of a sudden need for beds, the city, along with groups like Recovery Network, Alpha Community Services YMCA, and Operation Hope this week opened a temporary shelter at the South End Community Center.

We said we have a site because our childcare program is closed, said Carmen Colon, a vice president with Alpha, which runs the center. Thats a site where we offer childcare and rental space. Its a very clean site.

Colon said those staying in the South End location will be free to leave and return.

We obviously encourage people to please stay as much as possible. But some folks are going to go out. Folks are also working and need to be able to go to their jobs, Colon said.

Anyone entering is screened for possible virus symptoms. Their temperatures are checked for fever. If they display any signs of coronavirus, they will be sent to the hospital, she said.

Mayor Joe Ganim this week also said that the city is considering opening up Bassick High School as a Plan B shelter should the need arise.

They can provide (space for) 120 beds, Ganim said in one of his now daily live Facebook briefings on the pandemic.

And just like healthcare employees are scrambling to obtain personal protective gear to protect them from infection, so are those who interact with the homeless population.

We are hearing from a number of our partners on the ground that they have staff who fall into a high risk category  pregnant, elderly, immune compromised, said Rice. That poses a real challenge to continuing to provide services.

Supplies are very limited, but we are all sharing (what) we have, Colon said. The city finally was able to get some masks in and are delivering some added masks and thermometers.

And organizations like the Bridgeport Rescue Mission are also trying to put together wellness kits for clients with all of the items the general public is vying for at the store, like hand sanitizers and gloves.

Ganim has used his Facebook briefings to also appeal for supplies and financial assistance for the Thomas Merton Center, which, according to its website, provides breakfast, lunch and day shelter to approximately 260 people, Monday through Saturday.

The Merton Center has been hit hard by this outbreak, Ganim said. Their stocks of nonperishable foods are dwindling and financial contributions have significantly dropped off. So they need our assistance.

One silver lining is that, compared with other states, homelessness in Connecticut has trended downward consistently by comparison to the rest of the country, Rice said, and weve often been at the forefront of developing coordinated responses and having good data to show where were doing well and shore things up.

But, he added, Our view is that the general public cant really ever afford to ignore the homeless, and right now thats being made really clear.

Or, as Ganim put it, We have an obligation. We have a home and benefits (that) sometimes we take for granted.
In order to fight a pandemic, travel restrictions are most useful in its early and late phases, a new study suggests.

Analysis of human mobility and epidemiological data by a global consortium of researchers, led by the University of Oxford in the UK and Northeastern University in the US, shows that human mobility was predictive of the spread of the epidemic in China.

Our findings show that early in the coronavirus outbreak travel restrictions were effective in preventing the import of infections from a known source, said study researcher Moritz Kraemer from the University of Oxford.

Restrictions of travel from Wuhan province in China, unfortunately, came too late.

The research, published in the journal Science, showed that the impact of travel restrictions declines as the epidemic grows. Provinces outside Hubei that acted early to test, track and contain imported coronavirus cases fared the best in preventing or containing local outbreaks, the study said.

Mobile geolocation data from China-based search engine giant Baidu Inc, combined with a rich epidemiological dataset from the Open COVID-19 Data Working Group, showed that local person-to-person transmission happened extensively early on in the coronavirus outbreak and was mitigated by drastic control measures.

However, with an average incubation period of five days, and up to 14 days in some cases, these mobility restrictions did not begin to positively impact the data on new cases for over a week -- with things appearing to get worse in the 5-7 days immediately after the lockdown as local transmission was well under way.

According to the researchers, among the cases reported outside Hubei, 515 had a known travel history to Wuhan and a symptom onset date before January 31, 2020, compared with only 39 after this date, illustrating the effect of travel restrictions in decreasing the spread to other Chinese provinces.

This is where a full package of measures, including local mobility restrictions, testing, tracing and isolation need to work together to mitigate the epidemic, Kraemer added.

Chinese provinces and other countries that have successfully halted internal transmission of COVID-19 need to consider carefully how they will manage to reinstate travel and mobility to avoid the reintroduction and spread of the disease in their populations, the researchers said.

Travel and mobility restrictions are the most useful right at the start, when local transmission has not yet become a factor, said Samuel V Scarpino, Professor at Northeastern University.

After transmission is established, physical distancing and the quarantine of sick individuals will work, but it takes time, Scarpino added.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.)

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter
The dailies on Friday, March 27, reports on increasing cases of coronavirus with the government having confirmed the first death on Thursday.

The publications have also reported on how the state has been preparing to enforce a dusk to dawn curfew as was directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

READ ALSO: First COVID-19 death confirmed in Kenya

The dailies on Friday, March 27, reports on increasing cases of coronavirus with the government confirming the first death on Thursday.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mwanzilishi wa kampuni ya Goldenscape akamatwa kwa shutuma za utapeli

1. The Standard

The newspaper reports on concerted efforts by a contingent of police officers deployed to enforce President Uhuru Kenyatta's curfew orders that will begin on Friday, March 27, evening.

Uhuru issued a stay-home directive between 7pm to 5am daily to minimize chances of the spread of coronavirus which has so far infected 31 people in the country and resulted in one death.

Inspector-General of Police (IG) Hillary Mutyambai asked all those planning to travel to schedule their plans outside curfew hours to avoid being arrested.

To ensure maximum enforcement of the rule, Muryambai ordered all police officers on leave to return on duty with immediate effect.

The IG further directed police commanders to map areas that may require more resources to ensure they are effectively equipped to deal with violators of the presidential directive.

The Standard newspaper for March 27. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

2. The Star

The newspaper reports on four politicians who have finished their self-quarantine after returning from Europe earlier in the month.

Eldas MP Aden Keynan, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, his Vihiga counterpart George Khaniri and Taveta MP Naomi Shaban finished their quarantine on Thursday and returned negative results for COVID-19.

The leaders caused an uproar when their colleagues claimed they were aboard the same plane with a passenger who tested positive for the virus upon landing in the country.

Keynan who attempted to attend parliament proceedings was forced out of the chambers by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi after his colleagues raised alarm.

The Star newspaper for March 27. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

3. Daily Nation

The daily reports on defining moments for Kenya in the wake of coronavirus pandemic that has so far claimed one life in the country.

Health Cabinet Secretary expressed concerns over increasing cases and partially blamed it on a section of Kenyans who failed to adhere to government guidelines to curb the spread of the virus

Other than reporting the first case, the country also recorded three more cases of COVID-19 infections bringing the total tally to 31.

Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi named Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kajiado and Kwale counties as potential hotspots for the outbreak.

Daily Nation newspaper for March 27. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

4. Taifa Leo

The Swahili newspaper reports on the defied nature of Kenyans even in the wake of the global pandemic which has so far claimed more than 20, 000 lives globally.

The publication specifically looks at the scramble for ferry services in Likoni where passengers hardly adhere to a one-meter social distancing directive.

Despite the president directing that police and Coast guard officers take charge of the operations to restore order, the scramble that almost degenerated into a stampede was still evident on Thursday.

Taifa Leo for March 27. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

5. People Daily

The publication reports on more stringent measures taken by the police fraternity to make Uhuru's curfew directive a succesful operation.

According to the newspaper, a total of 70, 000 officers have been deployed to enforce the order.

For those who will be found outside beyond 7pm and before 5am, they will be arrested and sentenced to three months in custody.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

The agony of underage mothers in Nairobi slums | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Social commerce is on the rise, with traditional and direct-to-consumer brands alike embracing the opportunity to sell their products in a new way. In fact, 66 percent of brands analyzed in a 2018 Gartner study had started using a social commerce feature within the last year.

But it's a fairly new trend, and many marketers are still deciphering how it fits into their brands' growth strategies. Since co-founding my content marketing company, I've seen how quickly trends like social commerce can catch on--it's no secret that social-media platforms are rapidly evolving, and can even feel a little volatile!

If your brand is considering a move into social commerce, here's a quick rundown of the basics, and a little inspiration from other companies that have cracked the code for brilliant social-commerce campaigns.

What is social commerce anyway?

Social commerce describes the behavior of buying and selling something on social platforms. Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are some of the major players in the space, as they've invested heavily in launching features to drive social commerce.

Facebook has a "Shop Now" button, for example, and Instagram introduced shoppable posts, stories, and its Checkout feature, which lets customers buy from brands from within the app. According to Instagram, roughly 130 million people interact with product tags in shoppable posts every month.

Pinterest also uses shoppable posts and recently unveiled its "Try On" feature, which leverages AR technology to let users virtually test out makeup and beauty products before they purchase.

Newer platforms are starting to lay the foundation for social commerce, too. TikTok added in-app purchasing features and "link in bio" functionality, so select users could add links to any destination, including e-commerce sites, to their profiles.

Which brands are leading the charge?

Social commerce is a strategic channel for many lifestyle brands in the retail space--think clothing, beauty, home goods, and luxury items.

Allbirds, a direct-to-consumer shoe brand, executed a creative campaign for its second birthday that was totally built around social commerce. The brand launched a limited-edition shoe collection that was only available to purchase via Instagram, creating a sense of exclusivity and rewarding its followers.

Allbirds isn't the only footwear brand to take advantage of all that social commerce has to offer. Nike's Jordan brand partnered with Snapchat to pre-release the Air Jordan III "Tinker" sneaker via the app. The result? The shoe sold out within 23 minutes!

Beauty brands like Estee Lauder, Sephora, and Lancome are embracing Pinterest's Try On feature to empower consumers to "test" their products via the app. For example, users can test out different shades of lipstick to find their perfect shade, and then easily purchase it through the app.

Beloved clothing brands are wisely taking advantage of Instagram's shoppable posts and stories. J. Crew and Madewell often use shoppable product stickers in their stories and posts, while highlighting outfit ideas and inspiration for consumers.

These examples are just scratching the surface. It's exciting to see how even more brands are putting these tools to use to drive purchases through social-media platforms.

Make it your own

As tools continue to evolve, the possibilities for brands to incorporate social commerce into their overall growth strategies are seemingly endless. Think about it: If your audience is already engaged with your brand on social, there's a good chance they'll have high intent to buy something from you.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Nine more Staten Islanders have succumbed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Friday morning, making the prior 24 hours the deadliest in the borough since the pandemics outbreak.

For the second straight day, Staten Island surpassed its highest single-day death rate related to the coronavirus. The previous high had been seven deaths on Wednesday into Thursday.

Thus far, the disease has claimed the lives of 37 borough residents.

There have been 31 deaths in Staten Island University Hospitals (SIUH) system, an increase of eight since Thursday, said Jillian OHara, a hospital spokeswoman.

Six people have died in Richmond University Medical Center, Alex Lutz, a hospital spokesman, said. There had been five deaths in the hospital as of Thursday.

While specific information about the Staten Island fatalities is not available, citywide, 97% of people who died have had underlying illnesses such as diabetes, lung disease, cancer, immunodeficiency, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, kidney disease, and GI/liver disease.

Overall, there had been 366 deaths in the city as of 8:30 a.m. Friday morning, said the New York City Department of Health.

Hospitalizations on Staten Island due to the coronavirus raised slightly.

There are 200 confirmed coronavirus patients being treated in the boroughs two hospital systems.

That number represents an increase of 11 from the 189 patients being treated on Thursday.

There are 145 hospitalized patients in SIUH  116 at the Ocean Breeze campus, with an additional 29 in the Princes Bay facility, said OHara.

Richmond University is caring for 55 patents, including 11 in the Intensive Care Unit, Lutz said.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

STATEN ISLAND CORONAVIRUS RATE REMAINS THIRD IN NYC

As of 8:30 a.m. Friday, there were 1,440 positive coronavirus cases on Staten Island, the Health Department said.

While it marks an increase of 164 cases from Thursday, that number represents a slight downtick from a spike of 192 cases from Wednesday into Thursday.

Based on positive tests, which officials have stressed does not necessarily reflect the full spread of the virus, 302 of every 100,000 Staten Islanders have tested positive for the virus, according to 2018 Census data projections and the Health Departments Friday morning data.

That number reflects a jump of 34 residents per-100,000 since Thursday.

Staten Island accounts for 6% of the citys 25,573 coronavirus cases.

Total city coronavirus cases increased by 2,461 from Thursday, yet that figure represents the lowest daily increase since Sunday into Monday.

Among the five boroughs, Staten Island has the third-highest rate of positive coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents after previously having the highest rate in the city two days ago.

The highest rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in the city remains in Queens, with 360 residents per 100,000 testing positive. That borough has 8,214 cases total, accounting for 32% of the citys total.

The Bronx, which has recently seen cases sharply rise, has a rate of 325 infections per every 100,000 residents  the second-highest in the city, despite being the borough with the second-lowest population.

The Bronx has 4,655 total cases, which equates to 18% of those in the city, Health Department data shows.

Manhattan has the fourth-highest rate of coronavirus cases with 275 per 100,000 residents testing positive. There have been 4,478 positive cases in Manhattan, which also accounts for 18% of the citys total cases, according to the citys Health Department.

Despite having the largest population among the five boroughs, Brooklyn has the lowest rate of infection per 100,000 residents at 261. However, the borough has the second highest case total at 6,750, or 26% of the citys overall total, Health Department statistics show.

VENTILATORS

Citing privacy concerns, Lutz, the Richmond University spokesman, declined to say how many ventilators the hospital has and is currently using.

But Lutz did say Richmond University is trying to obtain at least 45 more ventilators as quickly as possible through the state and the Greater New York Hospital Association.

The spokesman thanked the boroughs elected officials, the city and state Departments of Health and the hospital association for their efforts to help Richmond University secure extra ventilators.

Without providing numbers, OHara, the SIUH spokeswoman, said officials are confident there is currently an adequate amount of ventilators and other supplies on hand to protect patients and staff.

We continue to order more to prepare for a surge, she said in an email. As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the region, Northwell Health has been able to increase the number of ventilators it has in its network by 50%.

SIUH is part of the Northwell Health network.

With testing stepped up, recent data shows less than half of those examined for the coronavirus on Staten Island have tested positive.

For the vast majority of the borough, between 40.85% and 46.34% of those examined have tested positive, according to data from the United Hospital Fund in New York City.

A swath of northwestern Staten Island has shown smaller level of positive tests  between 30.12% and 40.85%, the data said.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Its going to be an ugly and sad day: Cuomo prepares for coronavirus apex, now predicted in 3 weeks

Preventing coronavirus: How to properly clean your home

ER doctor: Heres what to do if youre feeling ill

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




By Kim Se-jeong







Park June-log





Park June-log is a retired high school biology teacher from Busan who is passionate about conserving wetlands in the city and protecting the migratory bird species that visit them.







Eulsuk Island, located at the estuary of the Nakdong River, is a sizable wetland and one of the largest migratory bird habitats in Korea. It is home to black-headed gulls, swans, snipes, Japanese cranes, storks and other species, including endangered ones.







For the last 17 years, he has been bird watching and recording data on the migratory birds of the island.







In the early 2000s, Park led a fight against the Busan Metropolitan Government over the construction of the Eulsuk Bridge. The prolonged fight ended when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city government. The bridge opened in 2009. Yet, he persuaded the city to alter the construction plan so that the bridge could go around a crucial habitat spot for swans on the island, instead of going over it.







Asked how his passion for conservation began, Park said, "I thought school children should experience nature firsthand instead of just learning through books. So, I took my children to the island. That's how it began. As I traveled to the island, I learned more about wetlands and migratory birds," Park said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. He retired from teaching last year.







"However, I also witnessed how urban development destroyed the wetlands. I was compelled to do something. Like-minded teachers and I reached out to local environmental groups to inform them of what was happening, but they were too busy with other problems. So, we decided to act ourselves."







In 2000, the 59-year-old former teacher founded an NGO named Wetlands and Birds Korea.







Park said that what he had witnessed in terms of destruction of the wetlands and the consequences on the bird populations was quite devastating.







"Take the swans, for example. Wetlands in Busan are where you can see one of the largest number of swans in the world. Previously, I could see almost 3,000 swans every winter. Three years ago, the number was only half of that, and this winter, we only saw about 1000 birds," Park said. "This impacts humans because we're all part of a big ecosystem. Developmental projects play a crucial role in decreasing the number of migratory birds. This is why we're deeply worried about the situation."



Swans are only one such example.



Spoon-billed Sandpipers suffer the biggest risk of extinction. "Worldwide, fewer than 500 birds are believed to remain. They come to Eulsuk Island to stay. We'd seen 15-20 birds per year until the the early 2000s, but now I see only one or two a year."







Currently, he is fighting against the government's planned construction of two more bridges. "The bridges would go over important habitat spots on the island. They could make the bridges go around critical areas."










Malawi has ordered opposition political parties to halt coronavirus awareness campaigns, calling the efforts a politicization of the pandemic. While Malawi has yet to confirm a case of the virus, President Peter Mutharika last week declared COVID-19 a national disaster and opposition parties have been going door-to-door to educate people on symptoms and prevention.

Malawi government spokesman Mark Botoman says opposition parties must immediately stop education campaigns on the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Speaking by telephone, he said their messages are not crafted by health experts, making the efforts a political move that could do more harm than good.

What we are also saying is that yes, they can be partners that would want to come in to help, but they need to go through the Ministry of Health because the Ministry of Health is the one spearheading all activities around the COVID-19," he said.

The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Transformation Movement party (UTM) have been going door-to-door in rural areas to raise awareness of symptoms and prevention.

They say their campaigners wear masks and gloves and preach handwashing to prevent coronavirus from spreading.

The leader of the UTM partys coronavirus awareness campaign, Felix Njawala, said there is nothing political in their messaging.

If the person doesnt know anything about it, then we start enlightening a person about coronavirus; what it has done in other countries and from there, we provide details of the measure that are there for them to protect themselves from contracting the virus. Then we were providing them with hand washing soap," he said.

Malawis healthcare rights activists have welcomed all coronavirus education campaigns.

Speaking by telephone, former president of Malawis National Organization of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) Dorothy Ngoma, said: "Do you think that committee of ministers will be managing to run top to bottom to teach people in the villages? I dont think so. We should allow whatever political party, the chiefs, and the churches, to continue doing this, 24 hours a day, until we make sure that this infection is not going to knock on our doors.

As the coronavirus spreads across Africa, Malawi has intensified screening for the virus at all entry points and hospitals.

Health authorities say over 500 people are being monitored while on self-quarantine across the country.

The squabble over opposition political parties coronavirus campaigning comes as Malawis electoral commission on Monday said a rerun of last years annulled polls would be held on July 2nd.

The Constitutional Court last month overturned the May 2019 election, citing widespread irregularities. President Mutharikas party is appealing the decision at the Supreme Court.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Zoe Tabary (Thomson Reuters Foundation) London, United Kingdom  Fri, March 27, 2020 06:30 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206db9559 2 World homeless,underpreviledge,housing,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,novel-coronavirus,health Free

"Stay home" - that's the message stretching from Italy to Iran as the world tries to contain coronavirus. But what if you've got no place to call home, or your house is out of bounds in the pandemic?

Some 1.8 billion people worldwide are homeless or live in inadequate housing, experts say, calling for urgent measures to ensure the most vulnerable get sanctuary in the outbreak. Thousands more need a temporary place to live, either to stay close to crisis centers at the core of the coronavirus fightback or to keep housemates infection-free during weeks of lockdown.

Worldwide, the respiratory disease  which emerged last year in China  has infected more than 490,000 people and the death toll tops 22,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

"Housing has become the front line defense against the coronavirus, said Leilani Farha, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing. "Home has rarely been more of a life or death situation."

To that end, officials are scouring cities for vacant spaces or disused buildings to turn into makeshift homes.

From empty motels to festival halls, conference centers to cottages - buildings are being repurposed at breakneck speed, with the homeless a top priority. "Housing, not handcuffs or forced congregate sheltering, for those experiencing homelessness, is the way to best ensure we all remain safer," Eric Tars, of the US National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, said in a statement.

Shelter

In Italy, which has registered more than 7,500 deaths from the virus  it is the world's worst hit country  some rail stations are doubling up as centers offering shelter and wash rooms.

Alessandro Radicchi, who runs the Binario 95 shelter in Rome's central train station, said police were now routinely stopping homeless people, saying they could pay a fine for wandering the streets without proof of residence.

"You can imagine how a homeless person who feels alone during an ordinary time, now really feels there is no one," Radicchi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

The center supports about 70 people daily but can only sleep 12, Radicchi said, adding that the Italian capital has more than 40,000 people living without adequate housing but only 1,000 beds in homeless shelters.

"We cannot host all of them. But we tell them, 'when you go in the street, remember these things like keep the mask and don't touch anything if you don't have to'," he explained.

Officials expect the crisis to have an outsized impact on the homeless, who often make do without sanitation or food, bed down in close quarters and suffer more underlying illnesses.

For the millions of poor and daily wage workers in India, the threat of hunger and a lack of shelter looms larger than that of the deadly coronavirus, which has prompted the government to lock down the country until mid-April.

Since the shutdown began on Wednesday night, homeless shelters have filled with migrant workers and laborers who have lost their livelihoods and so cannot afford food or a bed.

Isolation

In the Canadian city of Montreal, a former hospital is this week being transformed into an isolation facility for homeless people exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus.

Patients will be kept in individual rooms in a building that sits at the top of a hill, tested for the virus and quarantined should they test positive, said a spokesman for the regional health agency, with capacity that can go up to 150 beds.

In London, the government will open a temporary hospital at the cavernous ExCel exhibition center in east London, installing ventilators and beds in what was once an Olympic sporting venue.

US communities have taken things into their own hands.

In California, a collective of homeless people and others whose housing is insecure have occupied six vacant, state-owned homes in the Los Angeles area.

"Letting hundreds of homes sit empty during a pandemic poses a health hazard to those like us  those who lack stable housing," the Reclaiming Our Homes collective wrote on Facebook.

Just a bed

Cities are also scrambling to help hard-pressed healthcare staff - working flat out and often without transport networks - with well-placed home owners opening up their flats for free.

As the virus decimates tourism, hotels and holiday lets are also sitting empty, prompting rental company Airbnb to open pages in Italy and France to connect medics with hosts.

"Doctors and nurses were requested to move from one city to another to support hospitals with exploding intensive care units. It was our desire to support ... these heroes," said Airbnb's general manager in Italy, Giacomo Trovato.

He said the firm would pay hosts a minimum rate of about 10 euros a night and cover cleaning and fees for up to two months.

More than 2,000 homeowners and 180 doctors and nurses signed up within days of the launch, he said by phone.

Europe's largest hotel group Accor said on Tuesday it had created a platform to offer housing to medical staff, and would offer up to 2,000 beds in 40 hotels for the homeless.

Such measures will be even more pressing as the virus digs into poorer countries where densely populated slum neighborhoods create ideal conditions for disease transmission.

"COVID-19 is likely to spread at an even faster rate in informal settlements than elsewhere and with more disastrous consequences," Farha said via WhatsApp.

"A 'stay at home' policy fails to recognize the conditions in informal settlements that make staying at home just as deadly, if not more, than no policy at all," she said.
Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) now offers new and current patients access to board certified fertility specialists through virtual consults. SGFs telemedicine program makes it easier for fertility patients to navigate their fertility journey and use this time to progress toward building their family.

Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)home to more than 85,000 babies bornnow offers new and current patients uninterrupted access to board certified fertility specialists through virtual physician consults, thereby minimizing interruptions in access to fertility care during this pandemic and beyond.

One the hallmarks of SGF over its 29 year history has always been to improve access to care. Were pleased to be able to offer patients the ability to consult with their physician and continue their care in a virtual setting by providing local and long-distance virtual consultations wherever they are, shared Eric A. Widra, M.D., SGF Chief Medical Officer.

SGFs telemedicine program makes it easier for fertility patients to navigate their fertility journey and use this time to progress toward building their family. Virtual consults also reduce time away from work and other commitments, reduce travel time and expense, and increase convenience as both partners can attend virtually from any location.

Through the use of a secured online portal, patients and physicians will share private access to medical records, informed consent documents, patient instructions, educational videos, and much more.

During these uncertain times, now more than ever, patients need our support and to regain a sense of control. By connecting virtually with their physician, we can put time back on our side and take advantage of this easy to use platform to communicate with patients and help them make progress toward their dream of building a family, adds Widra.

To schedule a virtual new patient appointment with an SGF physician, call the SGF New Patient Center at 888-761-1967 or complete this brief online form.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and counting. With 38 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including treatment guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
Across the state, residents are rallying to the aid of health and emergency workers and those feeling financial strain from the coronavirus outbreak.

The regions Chinese Americans have been in the forefront.

In the past week alone, the Chinese American community in Connecticut has donated 3,400 protective masks to Trumbull emergency workers and Bridgeport Hospital, another 1,000 to Griffin Hospital in Derby, protective gear and cleaning supplies to UConn Health Center and Yale-New Haven Hospital, and more than a half ton of food to the Salvation Army food bank in Ansonia.

These workers are always protecting us, now we can help protect them, said Jing Jack Jiang of Trumbull, a college professor who was born in China.

Fire Marshal Megan Murphy, who heads the towns Office of Emergency Management, said the donation would keep the towns responders protected for more than a month.

The EMS alone needs 1,000 masks a month, she said. We are so thankful for this donation.

Jiang said the pandemic has hit home to the regions Chinese Americans, many of whom have family and friends living in China.

A lot of the supplies are made in China and they had shortages there last month, he said. Now with the virus receding in China, people are buying the supplies there in bulk and sending them to family and friends in the U.S.

A family member in New Jersey got 3,400 masks, and I drove down there and brought them back, he said.

On the drive down, he was reminded of just how much the country has been affected by the virus, he said.

The Merritt Parkway was empty, he said. Even on the bridge, there was no traffic.

Lin Yang, also of Trumbull, said the Chinese American community was in a unique position to appreciate the seriousness of the situation. Yang organized the food drive that resulted in a donation of more than 1,000 pounds of canned soup, meats, fish and pasta.

We in the Chinese community feel we are being hit for the second time, she said. Most of us still have family in China and we know what they are going through there. We helped out there  now the crisis is here. We felt we had to step up again.

But with the Chinese American community donating masks by the thousand, many people wonder how they are able to get them when hospitals cant. The answer, according to Jiankan Guo of Cheshire, is simple.

They dont know who to ask, he said. Their normal suppliers run out, and they dont know where to go. Or they have a language barrier and cant communicate with the supplier in China.

Guo, who works at Yales medical school, said production of masks ramped up in China when the virus first struck. The masks are now readily available there, but not necessarily through normal channels.

Back in the beginning of March, relatives started sending me masks, saying, Youll need these, Guo said.

And two weeks ago, it seemed their predictions were coming true, as Guo began seeing work emails circulating telling employees to stop throwing away their used masks because supplies were very tight. Days later, the situation had not eased, he said.

I realized there was no solution to the problem, he said. Supplies had dried up. They cant get any.

So Guo, and others including Lin Young in Greenwich and Adella Lin in Westchester asked local friends to start calling their relatives in China.

We started asking friends to try and buy masks and send them here, Guo said. Even if its just 50 or 100, send us what you can.

And the community responded, Guo said. A Yale University Chinese parents group came through with masks. Lin and a group of friends who work in importing businesses managed to locate 100,000 surgical masks that they distributed to area hospitals and police departments, she said.

Everyone has to do their part, she said. There are more on the way.

At least one politician has gotten in on the effort, Guo said. State Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, has criss-crossed the Valley on behalf of donors, dropping off food and protective supplies.

Hes been the go-to person for people who were able to collect supplies, but couldnt deliver them, Guo said. Anyone with anything to donate, hell come to their house and pick it up and deliver it.

Guo agreed that the effort would continue until U.S. production can catch up.

I have another 15,000 masks in transit, he said. Theres more coming.
Amid the chaos of leaving the British royal family and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex made a drastic move for their small family. The Sussexes and their young son, Archie Harrison, packed up their lives on Vancouver Island in Canada and reportedly left for the duchess hometown of Los Angeles, California.

Though there had been talks about the Sussexes moving to LA for some time following Megxit, they never revealed their timeline. Amid the pandemic, we werent sure if they would still be able to make their big transition. However, because they were seemingly fairly isolated in Canada, the duchess may have wanted to be closer to her mother, Doria Ragland, and many familiar faces.

Heres what we know about the Sussexes super-secret move.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been planning their move to LA for awhile

Amid Megxit, the duo reportedly had always planned to land in LA, at least for some time. Back in January 2020, rumors of their plans began to circulate.

They have started to look at homes online and are in the process of interviewing security teams, a source close to the Sussexes told E! News at the time. They are getting their ducks in a row and seeing if its logistically possible. Theyve reached out to people in L.A. and would like to assemble a team of locals. Meghan would like to be able to do meetings at the house and also be able to host friends and entertain. Those are two things that are important to her.

Disney+ just announced that the duchess will be narrating the forthcoming Disneynature documentary, Elephant. Therefore, its clear that she is looking to return to her Hollywood roots in some capacity.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry took a private jet to LA

Just before the border between the United States and Canada was shut, the Sussexes took a private jet from Vancouver Island to LA.

Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good, an alleged source told The Sun. The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out. But this move was planned for some time. They realized Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area. They have a big support network there. Its where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria.

Two new movies, two unforgettable journeys. Start streaming Disneynatures Elephant, narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, and Disneynatures Dolphin Reef, narrated by Natalie Portman, on April 3, only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/N0yW0e7Lv6  Disneynature (@Disneynature) March 26, 2020

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are quarantined in a compound in Los Angeles

The Sussexes are reportedly now in self-quarantine in a compound near the Hollywood area in LA. They have not ventured out at all considering the pandemic. Though they are, of course, concerned for Prince Charles health considering his recent diagnosis, they are looking ahead.

Harry is looking straight ahead at his future with his family, an insider told People. They will be spending time in California.  Hes not looking back.

Once the social distancing and self-quarantining lifts, it will be interesting to see the Sussexes out and about in LA.
COLUMBUS, OhioPresident Donald Trump took to Twitter on Friday to demand that automaker General Motors reopen its Lordstown, Ohio plant to produce medical ventilators urgently needed to treat coronavirus patients.

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! the president wrote.

General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!! @GeneralMotors @Ford  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Theres just one problem: General Motors no longer has a plant in Lordstown. The auto giant sold the 6.2 million-square-foot facility last November to Lordstown Motors, a newly formed company that intends to produce electric trucks.

GM spokespeople confirmed Friday that their company no longer has any stake in the Lordstown plant.

Dave Roman, GMs executive director of brand and corporate communications, didnt have an immediate comment about Trumps tweet, other than to refer a reporter to a release announcing GM will begin manufacturing ventilators next month at its Kokomo, Indiana plant.

The White House was preparing on Wednesday to reveal a joint venture between GM and Ventec Life Systems to produce as many as 80,000 ventilators, but that announcement was postponed after the Federal Emergency Management Agency expressed concerns over the $1 billion-plus price tag, according to the New York Times.

In a separate tweet on Friday, the president indicated he might invoke his powers under the Defense Production Act to force companies to manufacture ventilators and other critical supplies needed to treat cases of coronavirus, which has infected nearly 95,000 Americans as of Friday afternoon, including more than 1,100 in Ohio.

The presidents tweet came after he downplayed the need for ventilators during a Thursday night interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News.

I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said, referring to a claim made by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes and they'll have two ventilators and now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"

Trump faced criticism when GM closed the Lordstown plant last year, which once employed more than 1,400 workers. During a visit to the Mahoning Valley in 2017, Trump promised voters that jobs would return to the region. "Theyre all coming back. Dont move. Dont sell your house, he said at a rally.

Last May, the president tweeted that it was GREAT NEWS FOR OHIO that GM would be selling the Lordstown plant to Cincinnati-based electric vehicle manufacturer Workhorse. The plant was eventually sold to Lordstown Motors, headed by Workhorses founder and former CEO Steve Burns and owned in part by Workhorse.

Read more Ohio coronavirus coverage:

House passes $2 trillion coronavirus relief package

Ohios unemployment insurance fund will still pay benefits despite years of near-insolvency, officials say

Ohio coronavirus cases surpass 1,000 mark with 19 deaths: Gov. Mike DeWines Friday, March 27 briefing

Trump-branded coronavirus government mailing spurs criticism

Gov. Mike DeWine postpones State of the State address amid coronavirus crisis
The mayors of New York City and Los Angeles have issued grim predictions about the coming weeks as their cities face rising numbers of residents infected with the coronavirus.

New York Mayor Mike De Blasio appeared on Good Morning America on Friday morning, suggesting the city would be shut down until the end of May and nearly half of its denizens will become infected with coronavirus.

I think we need to be ready for that, Mr De Blasio said. Unfortunately we think its going to go through April and in to May. Its just a blunt reality.

He went on to say that more than half the people in this city will ultimately be infected.

Mr De Blasio did note that for the majority of infected, there will be very little impact, in truth - its like having a cold or flu and you get through it in seven to 10 days.

He went on to say that 20 percent would have more severe symptoms and a small percentage would die from the virus.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti had similar concerns, telling Business Insider the projections were "horrifying."

"Will we have hundreds of thousands of deaths, or tens of thousands of deaths? That's what keeps us up. These are people who all know, who each one of us will know. It'll be our friends, it'll be our family, it'll be people whom we love dearly," Mr Garcetti said.

During the interview, Mr De Blasio insisted that aid must continue to come from the federal government and criticised President Donald Trump for suggesting the city doesnt need extra ventilators.

During an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Mr Trump doubted the idea that cities would need tens of thousands of ventilators to deal with the fallout of the virus.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying can we order 30,000 ventilators, he said.

Prior to the interview, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state would need an additional 30,000 ventilators to ensure healthcare personnel arent overwhelmed by coronavirus patients.

We need help now. When the president says the state of New York doesnt need 30,000 ventilators, hes not looking at the facts, Mr De Blasio said. A ventilator means someone lives or dies. If they get the ventilator in time they can come through but if they dont, theyre not going to make it.

Mr Garcetti went a step further, predicting hospital shortages would occur across the country.

"There is no place in America that will not be overwhelmed in terms of the number of patients who need ICU and other hospital beds, and how many we have in this country," he said. "There is no place that won't be overwhelmed by needing more ventilators and not having enough."

Though Mr Trump could - and, for a time, seemed ready to - use the Defense Production Act and instruct corporations to begin manufacturing ventilators, the New York Times reported that corporate heads have lobbied the administration against using the act.

Mr Trump said the Defense Production Act scared the business community because youre going to nationalize an industry.

The Defense Production Act does not nationalize any industries, but simply gives the government the power to temporarily redirect what companies produce and how they allocate their resources.

It has to keep coming. The president has to make that contract with a company that can make ventilators. Without a ventilator, doctors cant save lives, Mr De Blasio said. Theyre going through hell. Look at what they are having to deal with.

Mr De Blasio said he didnt want to give people false hope and said the city had a really tough battle ahead.

This idea of Easter is a false hope. It would be better if [Mr Trump] was honest with people, he said.

Mr Garcetti echoed Mr De Blasio's sentiments.

"Giving people false hope will crush their spirits and kill more people," he said. "Crush their spirits, revert their actions, and kill more people."

The virus has killed 365 people in New York City and infected 23,000. New York City announced between Wednesday and Thursday, 177 people died of the virus.
Thousands of Australians who fly back in to Melbourne will be detained for 14 days by the Victorian government as authorities get tough on quarantine restrictions in the face of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Defence Force will provide back-up for the new national regime, which begins on Sunday, of compulsory two-week quarantine in hotels, motels, caravan parks and student accommodation for all international arrivals.

Daniel Andrews explains the new quarantine rules on Friday. Credit:AAP

The cost of the accommodation will be paid by the state governments after the national crisis cabinet agreed on Friday to the unprecedented crackdown, which will replace the previous system of asking travellers to voluntarily self-isolate for two weeks.

Victoria was widely tipped to toughen its social distancing measure to the "stage 3 level" on Friday but Premier Daniel Andrew said "that's not today", while threatening to close beaches in the state if people did not stop gathering at the seaside in defiance of the official guidelines.
Indiana is certain to tally more than 1,000 positive COVID-19 cases by the weekend, as state health officials report on Friday they now have 981 cases statewide.

6,936 Hoosiers have been tested, up from 4,650 the day before, according to figures released Friday morning by the Indiana State Department of Health.

In all, 24 Hoosiers have now died from the respiratory disease, up from 17.

Lake, LaPorte and Porter counties have recorded at least 55 active cases, data show.

Lake County is now reporting 47 cases, up from 31 the day before.

ISDH is reporting six cases in Porter County, but Porter County health officials have reported a total of nine positive cases there, some of which have yet to be reported to the state.

Porter County Health Department officials announced Friday morning that they had no new cases within the last 24 hours.

In LaPorte, positive cases remain steady, at two.

Neighboring St. Joseph County has 27 confirmed cases, up from 21 on Wednesday.
The Blue and White party collapsed like a house of cards March 26, and with it, the most meaningful challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus rule in the past decade. It will just be a matter of days before Israelis are introduced to their new coronavirus government, with Blue and White leader Gantz holding either the defense or foreign affairs portfolio. Based on the emerging agreement, he will replace Netanyahu as prime minister in another year and a half.

Gantz made the most difficult decision of his political career, knowing that it would lead to the dismantling of Blue and White. He struggled and anguished over it, and he postponed it to the very last minute in the hope that Yair Lapid, the No. 2 member of Blue and White, would lift his veto of a Netanyahu government. At the same time, however, he also came to realize that there was no way for him to form a minority government. He went with the polls, which showed that the people were fed up with all the political squabbling and most of his voters wanted a unity government, even if it included Netanyahu. The coronavirus had the final word.

The problem was that as much as Gantz leaned toward a unity government, Lapid and his ally, Yisrael Beitenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman, stood firm in their opposition to the move and used whatever power they had to block it. As leaders of the contrarian line against the Blue and White party chairman, they even tried to take over the Knesset with their Anyone but Netanyahu bloc of a supposed 61 seats. Only this, they claimed, would bring an end to Netanyahus government.

What Lapid never fully understood about Gantz was that despite his kindly demeanor and his maneuverability, he could also make difficult decisions in a matter of minutes without the slightest display of emotion. That is exactly what happened too, when Lapid yanked on the rope a little too hard. Benny [Gantz] realized that Lapid and Liberman were neutralizing him. He didnt have a government, and they were preventing him from leading in his own way, so he decided to put them to the test, one of Gantzs senior advisers told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The test that Gantz posed to Lapid on Thursday morning was actually quite simple. He asked him to shelve his plan to get Knesset member Meir Cohen (of Lapids Yesh Atid party) elected speaker of the Knesset. Cohen was something of a red flag for the Likud. The decision to remove him from the running signaled that there was still room for negotiations with Netanyahu over a unity government.

But Lapid was adamant in his refusal to do that. According to someone close to Gantz who spoke on condition of anonymity, Lapid told him, The only thing Netanyahu understands is strength. Any negotiations with him over a unity government should only take place after he has lost all control of the Knesset. From that moment onward, the explosion was inevitable. Once it occurred, everything happened at dizzying speeds. No one who was in the Knesset that day could recall anything quite as surreal as what they were now witnessing. Gantz submitted his candidacy for speaker, while Lapid and Liberman, both of them stunned, left the plenum with their fellow party members during the vote. Instead, it was Netanyahu and his right-wing, ultra-Orthodox bloc that ended up voting for Gantz.

There can be no doubt that this was one of the most surreal and unusual days in the history of Israeli politics. With millions of Israelis sequestered in their homes and the Knesset operating within the guidelines regarding restrictions on gatherings because of the coronavirus, there was a sudden political explosion with far-reaching reverberations. Gantz was elected speaker of the Knesset because of the votes from the right-wing, ultra-Orthodox bloc, while Lapid and the No. 3 member of the Blue and White party, former Chief of Staff and Telem party chairman Moshe Yaalon, rushed to ask the Knesset for permission to split from the Blue and White party and form a faction of their own.

Liberman stormed out of the Knesset before the vote for Gantz even took place and instructed his fellow party members to do the same. He knows that he is one of the biggest losers in the dismantling of the Blue and White party. The collapse of Blue and White meant the failure of his own efforts to bring down Netanyahu. He has maintained his silence ever since.

As was expected, reactions from Gantzs former partners were harsh. Lapid and Yaalon called a press conference in Tel Aviv, at which they had some sharp comments about their former party chairman. Together with us, over a million Blue and White voters marched from street to street and from bridge to bridge.  They feel betrayed today, and justifiably so. Their votes were stolen and given as a gift to Netanyahu, said a stern-faced Lapid. Yaalon was just as blunt: Gantz surrendered today without a battle and went crawling to a Netanyahu government, he declared. While this was going on, some of Gantzs supporters organized a demonstration outside his home in Rosh HaAyin to express their outrage over his decision. They showed up waving black protest flags. For his part, Gantz showed restraint in his response to these declarations by Lapid and Yaalon, tweeting, At the end of the day, I believe we must not drag Israel to a fourth election at such a challenging time.  We disagree on that point.

So whats next? Gantz took an enormous risk. He may even have ended his political career. But he also showed leadership and an ability to make tough decisions, for which he will be credited if the coronavirus crisis is handled responsibly. Furthermore, Gantz was able to force Netanyahu to make major concessions in their negotiations. He got the prime minister to give up the Justice Ministry, which is especially dear to him but which will now be handed to someone of Gantzs choosing. And he got Netanyahu to put a stop to all the impending immunity legislation. No less important than all of that, Gantz managed to limit Netanyahus term to a year and a half. What Gantz proved to the Israeli electorate, already exhausted by a series of undecided elections, was that he was prepared to sacrifice himself for the sake of a united leadership at a very difficult, historic juncture in the nations history.

Unlike Lapid and Liberman, Gantz and the person occupying the No. 4 slot on the Blue and White list, former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, understood that the moment unfolding in front of them was much bigger than their Anyone but Netanyahu" agenda. Neither Gantz nor Ashkenazi was ever happy about their partys connection with the Arab Joint List, and they knew that they would pay for it in the next election. The most recent polls showed how damaging this potential partnership really was. They showed the Likud getting significantly stronger, while the Blue and White party lost strength.

Israels political map ended up getting redrawn on March 26. Netanyahu exhibited a rare ability to maneuver around the obstacles, including his indictment, the coronavirus and the fact that he did not win the March 2 election. What he actually succeeded in doing was to bring about the dismantling of the Blue and White party, survive in power for another year and a half, and delay the start of his trial. As for his fight with Liberman, Netanyahu can take credit for a total knockout.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves will not be swayed to change his governments stance, unless advised so to do by the appropriate civil servants.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves will not be swayed to change his open border policy here, even in the face of concerns presented by Opposition Leader Dr. Godwin Friday.





Friday availed himself of a motion of adjournment to discuss a matter of urgent national importance  border controls - as provided by the scarcely invoked Section 14 of the House of Assembly Standing Orders.





In his inaugural ruling, House Speaker Carlos James flexed his muscles and allotted each member a 25-minute window in which to address Parliament.





Dr. Friday explicitly called for a revision of governments policy of continuing with open borders in the face of the expanding COVID-19 threat.





He qualified the call, stating that it meant shutting off Vincentian borders to all but the most essential trade and personnel movements with allowance, of course, for nationals to return home.





Prime Minister Gonsalves took the time to note all of the 11 questions that Opposition House members submitted for ventilation as part of the days intended proceedings.





"Im a little taken aback by the lack of urgency on the part of the Opposition in the questions which they had put down I think since last week Thursday, one week ago, to be asked of us in this Honorable House.





The questions referred to issues touching and concerning CLICO, violence and sexual abuse against women, Citizenship By Investment programme, road conditions in Chapmans Village and Belair, amongst others.





The Prime Minister then offered to lodge as "a document of the House, a copy of the address he made the night before, detailing what he described as his governments COVID-19 Socio-Economic Recovery Plan.





From it he read, "I know that in several countries in our Caribbean there have been total shutdowns, partial shutdowns, the declaration of an entire country as a disaster area and declarations of states of emergency. Some Caribbean countries have adopted the broad approach of incremental measures for lower risks, accelerated measures for heightened risks as we have done in St. Vincent in accordance with all the circumstances.





The Prime Minister pointed to several other countries "which have used a measured approach in their COVID-19 response.





He also highlighted the updated quarantine list that stipulates a mandatory period of seclusion for travellers from several "hotspots as proof of his cognizance of the need "to control persons coming in to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





The additional nursing staff and auxiliary Coast Guard resources, namely the "8 or 9 Coast Guard  safe boats, PM Gonsalves said, are further evidence of his governments commitment to strengthen "the surveillance at the borders.





As it relates to the cruise vessel that stirred some measure of fear among Grenadine residents, Gonsalves told Vincentians, it "had been cleared sometime before and was hanging around in Bequia. So, it simply went down the Southern Grenadines, didnt take on any other passengers, was the same persons who had already been cleared.





"I know that the person who called you from Mayreau I would expect that person to be fearful.





The Prime Minister committed to close individual ports providing that any issue requiring such an action is of sufficient magnitude, and is brought to his attention via the appropriate civil servants.
L ondon Fire Brigade has been criticised over the consultation process for its planned new museum.

The Brigade gave out pre-completed consultation cards allowing people to say they supported the plan without giving them the option to oppose it.

After a member of the public complained, the Museums Associations ethics committee examined the process. They have not made their advice public but the Standard has seen correspondence with LFB in which the committee said they were concerned.

It stated: Ethical consultation should be carried out with an open mind about public feedback, and it is not clear if this was the case. It also raised concerns about potential damage to trust in museums more widely if the LFB Museum is perceived to be acting on behalf of developers. LFB plans to open the museum in 2023 as part of a redevelopment of its old HQ on the Albert Embankment. The architects want to make firefighters living exhibits by installing a glass wall dividing the building from a new fire station next door.

Lambeth fire station could become London's hottest new museum 1 /6 Lambeth fire station could become London's hottest new museum A glass wall will let visitors see the firefighters next door going out on 999 calls Pilbrow & Partners A painting made by firefighters during the Blitz Crispin Hughes A vintage fire engine Crispin Hughes A helmet belonging to fire brigade founder Eyre Massey Shaw Crispin Hughes Model of wheeled escape ladder with slide

The scheme, which includes flats and a hotel, was approved by the council in December but more than 3,000 people have signed a petition opposing it.

A LFB spokesperson said the plans would keep Lambeth residents safe long into the future with a refurbishment of Lambeth Fire Station.

They added: We were recently contacted by the Museums Association who asked us some questions about the consultation that was carried out as part of the planning application process and we were happy to discuss this with them.
Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant.  Anthony J. D'Angelo, American author

How can leaders adapt to a rapidly changing environment?

According to D'Angelo, we should learn to embrace the turning of the tide. And theres perhaps no better example of this than the present.

In the coming years, the business world will no doubt be affected by continued periods of crisis that will make remote/virtual work part of our daily lives.

The scale and scope of organizations asking employees to work from home so quickly is unprecedented, writes Harvard professor of business administration, Tsedal Neeley. Its not that people are going to permanently adopt this new format of work, but this experience will expand everyones capacity.

Still, when in-person meetings with teams are likely to be canceled for days or weeks at a time, how do you adjust? These days its hard to get people to pay attention in any meeting, but when people arent in the same room, it can be especially difficult, co-authors Justin Hale and Joseph Grenny write in a story for Harvard Business Review.

And its particularly annoying when you make a nine-minute argument, pause for an expected reaction, and get: Im not sure I followed you, which might as well mean: I was grabbing a cup of tea and didnt realize I would be called on.

I think we can all agree that virtual meetings are no walk in the park. I, for one, am someone who thrives on face-to-face interaction. I hold walking meetings and demo days where my team is encouraged to share their thoughts, discuss ideas and decompress. Its a working arrangement thats proven effective over the 14 years Ive spent growing my business, JotForm.

Since founding my company, weve done away with unnecessary status update meetings and focused instead on innovation and problem-solving. What isnt working? I often ask, and then work my way backward to the answer.

Its important for me to always be questioning how to improve  how to hack away at the inessential.

But I believe part of our success is rooted in our ability to embrace change and evolve with our circumstances. While theres no way of replicating the level of social engagement in live interactions  we can still make the best out of our virtual meetings by planning ahead and encouraging a positive remote culture.

Related: How Can You Better Engage Your Remote Workers? 6 Ways.

A healthy and productive guide to virtual meetings

Virtual meetings will be part of life for every leader at some point or another. And as D'Angelo expressed, wed be wise to approach these interactions strategically. Ive learned a few tricks from my own experience and research that have proved helpful to us at JotForm, and that I hope will work for you.

1. Set ground rules.

Firmly and politely let your team know that they need to turn off their phones and refrain from checking emails while videoconferencing. Studies have found that while most people think they can multitask, they really cant. Doing more than one task at a time takes a toll on productivity.

But more than that, devices are especially distracting to others. This is true of both live and virtual meetings. If someone is presenting or sharing an idea with the group, it can feel particularly disrespectful to see someone looking down or seeming distracted.

2. Connect first.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite things about building a business has been creating a culture that allows people to bring their best selves to work.

You want to strengthen these ties when working remotely, and you do this by using the first few minutes of your videoconference to check in on everyone. Ask how everyone is doing, and be thoughtful about it. Research shows that loneliness is one of the biggest struggles of working remotely, so encouraging positive communication is critical for ensuring a productive meeting.

Related: Why Working From Home Is Beneficial for the Employer and Employee

3. Make it engaging.

Its hard enough to demand attention when youre giving a long, passive lecture in person. Now imagine that on a screen. Can you really blame people for dozing off mid-sentence?

Thats why its crucial to captivate people in the first 60 seconds. Personally, Im a big fan of starting out with a provocative statistic or anecdote where I share something Ive learned. What you want is to help your team understand the problem at hand before coming up with solutions.

4. Avoid mind-numbing data.

Keep this in mind: Jargon is the enemy of connection. Going through a list of talking points and endless slides is the best way to ensure that people zone out. It doesnt matter how smart or sophisticated the group is, if your goal is engagement, you must mix facts and stories, Hale and Grenny emphasize. They encourage leaders to pick the least amount of data needed to inform and engage your team, and not adding a single slide more.

Whenever I organize a meeting, I think back to one of my old college professors, who told us to make our presentations as translatable as possible to the average person. Dont become a slave to the data, hed say.

5. Create meaningful involvement.

One of the biggest mistakes many leaders make is droning on about a problem without reading the room  in this case, the virtual space created between different team members who have an array of distractions at their disposal.

Before setting your agenda, come up with two to three opportunities to create meaningful engagement. This can be in the form of polling people for their opinions, or giving them a few minutes to discuss solutions among themselves.

The point is to keep people feeling engaged, valued and connected.

Its a lesson every CEO of every organization should continuously strive for  to embrace the changing tide and be willing to quickly adapt. Or to quote classical pianist Arthur Rubinstein: Of course there is no formula for success except, perhaps, an unconditional acceptance of life and what it brings.

Related: RingCentral Meetings Makes Aligning Your Remote Workforce Simple

Related:

5 Ways to Set Good Habits That Actually Stick

10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Actually Get Work Done While Homeschooling Kids

A Healthy and Productive Guide to Virtual Meetings



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Actor Sameera Reddy, who is also under quarantine amid coronavirus outbreak, has posted an emotional video about the mental health of kids in the current scenario.She broke down as talked about the signs of anxiety in kids and shared tips for mothers to tackle the situation.

The most important thing I can tell you right now, the mental health of children is definitely not in the best space right now. And every child who is stuck in a lockdown is wondering deep down what the hell is going on. I was talking to Hans two weeks ago because I knew this was coming and the stuff he told me, I realised maybe we are watching too much news around him. Imagine if we have so much anxiety, how much anxiety do kids have? Akshay and me are talking among ourselves, preparing ourselves for this but we didnt realise that this little boy... said Sameera as she broke down.

He is....It is so frustrating, it is just frustrating that kids have to see this. You want to make them feel safe, you want to make them feel loved. So what can we do? What can we mommies do? she asked.

She went on to say, I have put signs of deep anxiety in children on this post. Please look at it. Even if your kid is bit short right now and impatient and cannot handle this, talk and just be there for them. Make them feel safe, just be honest. Give things to do but a routine is just not going to do it. Its gonna cut it if you are actually there for them. This is a time for that, this is a time for that.

She shared the video on Instagram and wrote, Day 2. Children are finding it hard to process this situation. It hurts me that Hans is exposed to the paranoia and fear. But this is the new normal . And imagine if we feel anxiety they feel it even more . Signs of deep anxiety in children -finding it hard to concentrate. -not sleeping, or waking in the night with bad dreams. -not eating properly. -quickly getting angry or irritable, and being out of control during outbursts.-constantly worrying or having negative thoughts. -feeling tense and fidgety, or using the toilet often.-always crying. -being clingy. -complaining of tummy aches and feeling unwell s please be aware and communicate with your child . Its important . Keeping them busy is a good thing but talking to them and being honest about the situation is recommended . Make them feel safe. Lots of hugs and lots of patience . #staysafe #stayhome #mentalhealth #children #lockdown.

Also read: Maska movie review: Netflix and Manisha Koirala offer dollop of good-natured fun during dark times

A fan, a teacher with no kid, lauded Sameeras post and commented, Maam I am a primary teacher, though I dont have a child but my students are my children.... I have forwarded your message to all the parents and requested to take good care of their child... I am missing them soo much feel like the mother of 40 kids ..... Thank you for your post maam..... God bless you and your family om Shanti.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
FILE PHOTO: Amazon boxes are seen stacked for delivery in the Manhattan borough of New York City

Reuters

Amazon's algorithms have been favoring nonessential items sold directly by Amazon or sellers that use its warehouses over third-party sellers with faster delivery options, according to Recode.

Amazon said last week that it would temporarily pause shipments of nonessential items to its warehouses to prioritize products that have been in high demand because of the coronavirus.

Amazon has also come under scrutiny in the past for how it decides which products are featured in its "Buy Box."

Amazon has also seen unprecedented demand recently as people are using its platform to order household staples amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon's algorithm has been favoring nonessential items sold directly by Amazon  or sellers that store their products in Amazon's warehouses  over listings from third-party sellers that offer faster delivery options, according to a report from Recode.

Amazon said last week that it would temporarily pause all shipments of nonessential items to its warehouses until April 5 as part of an effort to prioritize household staples, medical supplies, and other highly-demanded items during the coronavirus outbreak, as Business Insider's Eugene Kim reported.

However, Recode's report reveals that there are options on Amazon for purchasing nonessential items with faster delivery times  like sporting goods, for instance  but such options are not featured in Amazon's "Buy Box". Instead, shoppers would have to click on a smaller box located lower on the product page that says "New and Used" to see such options.

The "Buy Box," as its name implies, is the box located along the right side of the product listing page that allows customers to add the item to their cart.

Amazon issued Recode the following statement indicating that the hidden listings were the result of an error.

Story continues

"To address the need for high-priority items and ensure customers are receiving deliveries as quickly as possible, we've made a number of adjustments to how our store works," the statement said. "In this case, some of these changes have resulted in an error which, in some cases, resulted in an unintended variation in how we select which offers to feature. We are working to correct it as quickly as possible."

Amazon did not immediately respond to Business Insider's question regarding when the error would be corrected and request for additional comment.

It's not the first time the algorithms that decide which products Amazon features prominently have come under scrutiny. In 2016, an investigation from ProPublica found that the company was favoring products sold directly by Amazon.

The methods Amazon uses to inform which products are featured in its "Buy Box" have also been at the center of antitrust concerns surrounding the company over the past year.

Last July, for example, the European Union's Competition Commission opened an investigation into Amazon to see if it was engaging in anticompetitive behavior. The commission said it would look into the data Amazon uses to decide which listings are featured in the "Buy Box," as well as Amazon's agreements with marketplace sellers, as part of its investigation.

The report comes as people across the United States are relying on Amazon more than ever as they avoid crowded stores amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Amazon has said it's hiring 100,000 warehouse workers to help the company keep up with the unprecedented surge in demand caused by the virus.

Read the original article on Business Insider
English Lithuanian

Vilnius, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicinos Bankas UAB would like to inform you that the meeting of the Supervisory Board of the bank of 26 March 2020 elected the current members of the Board, i.e. Dalia Klisauskiene, Igor Kovalcuk and Marius Arlauskas, for a new term of four years. Aleksejus Tonkich who has been working for the bank since September 2008 and is currently the Director of the Accounting and Reporting Department was elected to be the fourth member of the Board. He will take up his duties as a member of the Board as soon as the Bank of Lithuania gives him permission to act as a manager of the bank.

The Supervisory Board of the bank elected the members of the Board at the end of the term provided for in the Statute of the bank.
[March 27, 2020] KuCoin's Futures Platform KuMEX Launches USDT Perpetual Contracts

SINGAPORE, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- KuMEX , the Bitcoin futures platform developed by KuCoin , today announced that USDT Perpetual Contracts will be officially available on the exchange at around 18:00 on March 30, 2020 (UTC+8) and deposit of USDT has already been enabled. Unlike the Bitcoin (BTC) Perpetual Contracts on KuMEX, all profits, losses and account balances will be denominated in USDT. To better manage trading risks, the BTC/USDT Spot Index used by KuMEX is the volume-weighted average price of BTC/USDT across six exchanges including Binance, OKEx, Huobi and KuCoin. Also, the trading volume weight will be adjusted on a quarterly basis. Johnny Lyu, CEO at KuCoin Global, said, "By introducing the world's first Lite Version of Bitcoin futures platform, supporting 10+ languages and now the launch of USDT Contracts, KuMEX is committed to building a simple, reliable and transparent futures platform. The USDT Perpetual Contracts will make it clearer and easier for new futures traders to make investment decisions using USDT, and mitigate the volatility brought by non-pegged tokens."



Along with the launch of the USDT Perpetual Contracts, KuMEX is launching a series of giveaway activities to reward users. Traders will be able to share up to 400,000 USDT by trying out the USDT Perpetual Contracts. More rewards will be given away based on trading volume. Officially launched on July 8, 2019, the KuMEX platform was developed by the KuCoin team. KuMEX is the only crypto futures platform that enables Level 3 Data, allowing traders to check every single trade on the exchange, effectively avoiding unusual liquidation caused by market manipulation. KuMEX offers up to 100x leverage and currently supports 13 languages including English, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Turkish, etc.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kucoins-futures-platform-kumex-launches-usdt-perpetual-contracts-301030776.html SOURCE KuCoin

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
UPDATE: Deal is reached to keep Easton Hospital open for at least a month

The owner of Easton Hospital on Friday gave Pennsylvania until midnight to assume operations and responsibility of the facility, claiming a state commitment of millions of dollars in emergency funding has fallen apart.

If the Commonwealth has no interest in assuming all operating expenses and liabilities of Easton Hospital, Steward Health Care will proceed immediately on planning to close the facility, Steward Health Care System LLC executive Dr. Michael Callum wrote in a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf.

The pending closure of the community hospital offering an emergency department, intensive care, laboratory and other services comes amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic that threatens unprecedented strain on the nations health care system.

Steward Health Care in a letter to Wolf dated March 22 said it needed to secure by Wednesday about $40 million in emergency funds or it will be forced to close by April 1.

Wolf on Thursday said his administration was doing everything possible to keep the Wilson Borough facility open.

According to Steward Health Care, Wolf's administration had agreed Wednesday to provide $8 million to keep Easton Hospital open for four weeks, with a goal of working month-to-month to secure a total of $24 million through June. Since then, Steward claims the administration clarified its position to make the initial "$8 million contingent on Steward keeping the facility 'open throughout the disaster declaration or at a minimum June 30, 2020.'"

Since this is in direct contradiction to what was agreed to ... Steward Health Care is formally offering the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania the opportunity to assume operations and responsibility of Easton Hospital, effective at midnight this evening, March 27, 2020, wrote Callum, who is president of Steward Medical Group.

Efforts to reach Wolfs office for comment after lehighvalleylive.com obtained Steward Health Cares letter were not immediately successful.

State Rep. Robert Freeman, whose district includes Wilson Borough, called the threatened closure very irresponsible on their part.

Im very disappointed in Steward Health Care, said Freeman, D-Northampton. "Theyre being very irresponsible in the face of a pandemic and they should be ashamed of themselves.

I would say that they owe it to the community to continue to try to work through something with the governors office and not close down a facility that is absolutely vital at this time.

Steward Health Care argues it has no choice, financially. The for-profit owner says it notified the Pennsylvania Department of Health in January the hospital would either be sold to St. Lukes University Health Network by April 21 or close on or before that date, resulting in the loss of 700 jobs -- as well as a community resource.

The hospital has been extremely distressed for months, and it lost $5 million from operations in February alone, states a letter dated March 22 signed by Callum and Robert Wax, senior vice president and general counsel at St. Lukes.

Since then, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Easton Hospital decided to postpone all elective surgeries to conserve personal protective equipment and blood supplies that will be needed to treat COVID-19 patients. That has cut operating revenue even more drastically.

Like all hospitals making this difficult choice, Callum and Wax continued, Easton Hospitals outpatient and inpatient volumes have dropped precipitously. The resulting losses have made the continued operation of Easton Hospital impossible. Meanwhile, given the financial realities facing hospitals, St. Lukes is unable to complete the transaction in the original timeframe.

A St. Lukes representative on Friday afternoon said he was unaware of new developments in Easton Hospitals push for emergency funding, and could not be reached subsequently for comment after the release of Steward Health Cares latest letter to the governor.

Steward Health Care, based in Dallas, Texas, bought Easton Hospital in 2017 from Tennessee-based Community Health Systems (CHS). The hospital property itself is owned by Medical Properties Trust, which Steward leases.

Easton Hospital was a nonprofit until its acquisition by CHS in 2001. Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2015, it opened with 11 beds in Easton in 1890 and moved in 1930 to Wilson Borough.

In an effort to remain open, Easton Hospital under Steward narrowed its areas of focus in 2019 by partnering with St. Lukes University Health Network for certain care. That list of services shifted to St. Lukes broadened in February with the closure of Eastons obstetrics and gynecology unit.

This is a breaking news post and will be updated.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov or covid19.nj.gov and the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Felimon Santos Jr. has tested positive for COVID-19 and will undergo strict quarantine starting Friday.

AFP in a statement said Santos received his test result on Friday. His swab was taken on March 23. This comes after he presided over the donning of rank for a promoted senior AFP officer who later tested positive for the viral disease.

Upon learning that, I immediately had myself quarantined, and with the criteria of DOH, having exposed to a positive case, he told CNN Philippines Newsroom.

The AFP assured that the Chief of Staff is in good health and will not be admitted in a hospital. He will be continuously monitored by physicians while he is in his military quarters, where he will continue to work.

"He is well and in good health condition. He will be in his military quarters where he will continue the discharge of his duties and responsibilities," it said in a statement.

Santos added he meets with his staff through teleconferencing while he is under quarantine.

AFP Vice Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Gaudencio Collado, Jr. was tasked to oversee the daily operational activities, while Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Erickson Gloria will attend to administrative matters.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he will undergo self-quarantine after his close contact with Santos during events in Villamor Airbase on March 21 and in Camp Aguindaldo and Malacanang on the 22nd.

"I have no symptoms but protocol says I have to self-quarantine for 14 days," he said in a message.

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat also said she will undergo self-isolation after attending a meeting with Santos on March 22. Despite her exposure to a positive case, she said she will not ask for a COVID-19 test as she is not showing flu-like symptoms.

"I will not be having myself tested in order to save the limited supply of testing kits to people who truly need it," she said in a statement.

The Philippines has a total of 803 confirmed cases, 54 deaths, and 31 recoveries.
Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, has assembled and deployed field assessment teams tasked with evaluating existing facilities in Michigan for the possible conversion into alternate care facilities as part of the nationwide federal, state and local effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under this planning mission assignment from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), personnel from FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and state and local emergency management and medical personnel are conducting initial and in-depth site assessments at multiple locations as determined by state leadership. The teams are providing assessments to the State of Michigan that deliver information on the possible conversion of existing buildings into alternate care facilities in southeast Michigan.
As U.S. cases of COVID-19 increase, a shortage of ventilators, medical equipment and health care workers has captured nationwide attention. Some New York nurses have resorted to garbage bags in lieu of medical gowns and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has asked retired physicians and nurses to consider returning to work. New York University, a top medical school, is allowing fourth-year students to start working immediately in hospitals.

Yet as the need for physicians has increased, each year many qualified medical school seniors fail to acquire a residency position in a hospital, a requirement for beginning a practice. The number of medical school graduates is increasing faster than the number of residency slots, thanks in part to a cap on federal funding for residency programs that has been in place for over 20 years. Without securing a residency, medical school graduates cannot go on to become physicians. Some find themselves in their mid-20s with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt after eight years of higher education, earning a living driving for car services or as baristas.

The limited supply of residency positions could eventually lead to a physician shortage in the U.S., authorities warn.

The COVID-19 pandemic is really shining a very bright light on this deficiency thats been present for far too long, Dr. Monya De, an internist in Los Angeles, told Yahoo News.

Makeshift hospital rooms at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

A 2019 report by the Association of American Medical Colleges projected that the demand for physicians will grow faster than supply, leading to a total shortfall of up to 121,900 physicians by 2032.

No matter how much ground we make up in terms of increasing the number of medical students  which we have done over the last 15 years  if you dont increase the number of residency positions, those students cannot go on and practice independently and take care of you, me, our neighbors and our families, Dr. Atul Grover, executive vice president of the AAMC, told Yahoo News. Creating more residency slots is only one part of a multipronged solution that we need to address the physician shortage, but its an important one.

Story continues

Every year, medical school seniors enter the National Resident Matching Program  or the match. An algorithm selects applicants for a residency based on how applicants and residency programs rank each other, but each year many applicants fail to match to a residency. This years Match Day, held on March 20, was the largest in history, according to the NRMP, which reported that 40,084 applicants submitted program choices (or ranking lists) for 37,256 positions.

You have a lot of students who are unmatched who have been reporting working at delis, working as baristas. They might be teaching at a community college or something like that because they have an MD, but they cant work clinically, De said. Service industry jobs are really common. Bartending, waitering or waitressing. There are a lot of unmatched students driving for Uber and Lyft, I will tell you that.

Many who dont match to a residency search for unfilled residency spots in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, also known as the scramble. This year, 1,897 positions were offered, according to the NRMP. Some of those who still fail to find a residency find jobs in pharmacy or research  a tough transition after years of study and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in pursuit of becoming a physician.

These are not bad students, Dr. Kavita Patel, a Yahoo medical contributor who served as director of policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement during the Obama administration, said of fourth-year medical students who do not match with a residency program.

Before they can even apply to match with a residency, applicants need to pass several rigorous medical licensing exams.

They come from really good schools, and things just dont go as they planned. They either didnt apply to the right places, or they set their ambitions too high. Often the people who dont match applied into extremely competitive specialties.

A survey by the AAMC found that 75 percent of medical school deans are concerned about the availability of residency slots nationally, and 44 percent expressed concern about their own incoming students ability to find residency positions of their choice after medical school.

With many residency positions relying on Medicare funding, part of the residency shortage stems from a cap on federal expenditures for hospital training programs, imposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Since then, residency positions across the U.S. have grown just 1 percent a year  far less than the increase in medical school graduates.

Some in Congress have attempted to address this with the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019, which would add 15,000 residency slots over five years. It was introduced in the House and Senate last year with bipartisan support, but so far there has been little movement in either chamber.

We must be prepared to meet the future health care needs of citizens across the country, Sen. John Boozman, a Republican from Arkansas who co-sponsored the bill, said in a statement to Yahoo News. By gradually lifting the caps on Medicare-supported doctor training, we can create new residency training slots to prevent a shortfall of well-qualified doctors. This is important to the long-term health of our communities.

Our current situation demonstrates the urgency to pass this bill.

There is an ongoing debate over who should pay for residency programs. Some hospitals have supplemented the Medicare-funded residency programs by paying out of their own budgets, especially if they have a shortage in certain specialties.

They have spent their own money, unreimbursed by the Graduate Medical Education (GME) support, to add residency slots for themselves. So theyll get GME funding, but then theyll add slots on top of that, Patel explained. California is probably the best example of this, because California has had such a growth in population in areas.

There are all sorts of other ways you can fund residency programs, including Medicaid and self-funding. But the majority are Medicare, Patel said.

Federal funding for medical residencies has existed for as long as Medicare itself. The rationale for federal financing was that educational programs enhance the quality of care at hospitals, and that hospitals should receive additional compensation for treating patients under Medicare, which pays for services at a discounted rate. But since 1997, the amount that Medicare contributes to residencies has stagnated.

Teaching hospitals really do pay the bulk of the cost of training each resident, and that ends up being ... about $160,000 per year, Grover said. On average, even for those physicians that Medicare is supporting, theyre only supporting $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

The other big question is whether we need more doctors at all, with some suggesting that the answer to Americas health care troubles is not more physicians.

There are experts, not just inside the government, that would argue that the AAMC estimate is just too inflated and its too high. Because they represent all the medical schools  of course theyre going to ask for more, Patel said.

The crux of this is, really, how many doctors do we need? The easiest thing to remember is we have about 300 physicians for every hundred thousand people. Some say thats too many. Some say thats too little. It just depends. Whats the right number? Its a debate thats a lofty policy debate, but its also a very real issue.

Part of the problem is the distribution of residency trainees and, subsequently, new physicians. Rural hospitals tend to attract fewer applicants.

I think it depends on whose perspective you have, Patel said, pointing to locations like rural Iowa, where physicians are more difficult to come by. If you were in that part of the country, you would probably argue, I need a medical school. I need a hospital. I need all of it. And then if youre in Philadelphia, where there are so many hospitals and medical schools, one could argue, There are too many medical schools. Why dont we have fewer medical schools?

Patients waiting inside an urgent care pharmacy in Queens, N.Y. (John Minchillo/AP)

The primary care specialties, which include family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics, have proved particularly difficult to fill.

Generally speaking, U.S. MD medical school seniors do not apply in great numbers to the primary care specialties, Barry Eisenberg, senior communications analyst at the NRMP, told Yahoo News.

Eisenberg said that of the 34,266 first-year positions that were offered this year, 17,135 were in the primary care specialties. Of those positions, 16,343 (or 95.4 percent) were filled, but only 7,369 (or 45.1 percent) were filled by graduates of U.S. medical schools. Many positions are filled by international applicants, including both non-U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens who studied abroad.

In addition to an overall shortfall of physicians by 2032, the AAMC report predicted a shortage of up to 55,200 primary care physicians. Lower pay, longer hours and physician burnout are all factors discouraging graduates from entering primary care, compared with more lucrative specialties.

But apart from primary care needs, Grover pointed to gaps in other specialties, such as surgeons, that are in need of more trained physicians as the baby-boomer generation ages and as health care needs evolve.

I think what the current crisis has exposed is that we have been at a very tight supply, Grover said. People have said, Well, maybe we can be more efficient. Maybe we can use more technology. All those things are great. All those things are important. But the challenge is when youre at this tight of a supply, if anything goes wrong, with us collectively as a neighborhood, as a community, as a nation, people are going to suffer.

And so now is the time, late as it is, to resume paying for that additional training. Because were going to need it. When this crisis is over  and hopefully its soon  were still going to need those additional physicians out there.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
A German cruise ship has docked in Perth with more than 70 people who are ill and are believed to have coronavirus.

State authorities are scrambling over what to do with the MV Artania, which is carrying more than 800 foreign passengers and 500 crew onboard.

The ship was given permission to berth at Fremantle Port, in Perth on Friday after requesting assistance for a medical emergency.

Nine people who are confirmed or suspected of being infected with COVID-19 disembarked on Friday to be treated in Perth, but hundreds more remain on the ship until they can be evacuated to Germany.

State authorities are scrambling over what to do with the MV Artania, which is carrying hundreds of foreigners who could potentially be carrying coronavirus

Cases of coronavirus soared on Saturday morning after 111 people were diagnosed in Victoria

The ship's captain has since reported an additional 70 people have begun showing symptoms on board, the West Australian reported.

The state was forced to turn to the Federal Government for help, fearing a potential health crisis would overwhelm Perth's hospitals with hundreds of sick foreigners.

WA has recorded 24 new cases of coronavirus, including 11 from cruise ships and a five-month-old baby, taking the state's total to 255.

Thirteen are being treated in hospital and two in intensive care.

Premier Mark McGowan had been reluctant to allow passengers to be treated in the city's hospitals and suggested anyone requiring medical attention be taken to a defence base.

He said under 'no circumstances' would they be permitted to 'wander the streets in our state.'

The Artania and Vasco Da Gama were pictured side-by-side in the Western Australian dock as they await orders from the WA government

Any infected passengers with a life-threatening emergency could only go to a federal government facility such as a defence force base, the premier said, but the Artania must continue on to its next port in South Africa 'urgently'.

'This ship needs to leave immediately,' he told reporters on Thursday.

'The main thing we want is the ship gone.'

Mr McGowan said the nine people who had been taken to hospital for an initial assessment then would be quarantined at police academy accommodation.

'We were unable to secure a Commonwealth facility for this purpose,' he told reporters on Friday.

The healthy passengers and some crew will be flown to Germany on three planes over the weekend.

Two other people, who are critically ill but not with COVID-19, disembarked on Thursday.

Mr McGowan said one was evacuated by police boat while at sea, but the WA health department expressed concerns for the second person so the ship was allowed to berth in Fremantle.

There are no Australians on the vessel or on the cruise ship Magnifica, which is anchored off Fremantle but does not have any coronavirus cases. The Magnifica will leave after reprovisioning.

A passenger walks from the MV Artania to be attended to by waiting paramedics on the wharf at the Fremantle Passenger Terminal

Mr McGowan said the Vasco da Gama would dock later on Friday so New Zealand passengers could catch a flight home on Saturday.

About 200 passengers from WA will go into isolation on Rottnest Island for 14 days, while about 600 other Australians will go to either Rottnest or another hotel to quarantine for two weeks, then return home for another isolation period.

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

Mr McGowan also announced the closure of gun shops and firearm dealerships, but farmers can still access ammunition for pest control.

Intrastate travel restrictions will take effect from midnight Tuesday, with non-essential travel banned. Offenders face a $50,000 fine.

'Do not travel around WA. Easter holiday plans cannot proceed. Stay within your region,' Mr McGowan said.

'We're trying to save your life.'

WA has recorded 24 new cases, including 11 from cruise ships and a five-month-old baby, taking the state's total to 255.

One woman was forced into quarantine after she failed to self-isolate following contact with a confirmed case, although she has not been diagnosed with the virus.

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson read a statement from the 'devastated' family of Ray Daniels, who was a fit and healthy 73-year-old man before he collapsed at home and died within 48 hours from coronavirus.

'Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us,' the statement read.

Meanwhile, the WA Police Union wants an expansion of laws that impose a mandatory six months imprisonment on anyone who assaults a public officer.

The union wants the law extended to people who threaten frontline workers with COVID-19 by deliberately spitting, sneezing or wiping bodily fluids on them.

WA opposition leader Liza Harvey has called for a six-month deferment of all household fees and charges.
Singapores plan is the largest in Asia, drawing US billion from the countrys national reserves. The local economy contracted 2.2 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Japan is considering a US0 billion stimulus. China plans investments but has not provided details.

Singapore (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Singapore has unveiled an economic stimulus plan worth S billion (US.7 billion) to counter the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. This follows the S.4 billion (US.5 billion) announced in February to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.

Major think tanks expect world GDP to contract in the first two quarters of 2020, followed by a slow economic recovery in the second half of the year.

In the first quarter of this year, Singapore's economy shrunk by 2.2 per cent over the same period last year. Now the island nation plans to draw S billion (US billion) from its national reserves, estimated at around US trillion,

The last time Singapore tapped its reserves was in 2009, during the US subprime crisis, when it drew S billion (US.8 billion).

As part of its action, the government will offset up to 50 per cent of wages in the food services sector, whilst the aviation and tourism sectors will receive up to 75 per cent in co-funding.

With todays announcement, Singapore has the biggest support package in the region, and it is not alone.

In Thailand, the government approved a US.7 billion plan. South Korea already unveiled measures worth some US.8 billion, Indonesia announced a US.1 billion target, and Vietnam wants to spend US.16 billion, whilst Malaysia will make public its plan in the coming days.

Among the bigger players, Japan is considering a 30 trillion (US0 billion) economic stimulus to boost spending. In 2008-2009 crisis, it injected 15 trillion (US5 billion).

So far China injected trillions into the financial system, but has not unveiled a targeted economic plan.

In February, it announced huge spending in infrastructure investment to jumpstart the economy. The new spending will be backed by as much as RMB 2.8 trillion (US4 billion) of special local government bonds.

In 2008, in the middle of the subprime crisis, Beijing responded with an RMB4 trillion (US6 billion) stimulus package, which overheated the Chinese economy, increasing the level of indebtedness of local governments.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das, on March 27, announced a massive 75 basis points cut in repo rate as a measure to counter the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the fifth biggest repo rate cut by RBI in the last two decades. Repo rate now stands at 4.40 percent vs 5.15 percent earlier.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, central banks of major economies have taken a step to cut the rate and also announced the stimulus packages to survive the economy.

Central banks have cut their rates in response to the economic damage caused by the covid-19 epidemic

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

Stimulus Package:

- India announced an economic stimulus package worth 1.7 trillion rupees (USD 22.5 billion) on Thursday to help those affected by the lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic.

- United States Senate has approved historic USD 2 trillion stimulus deals amid growing coronavirus fears

- Italy government is ready to spend as much as 25 billion euros (USD 28.3 billion) on stimulus measures to shield the economy from Europes worst outbreak of the coronavirus.

- Chinas central bank has launched USD 79 billion stimulus for virus-hit companies

- UK government has allocated a total of almost 57 billion pounds (USD 66 billion) to fight the economic fallout from the coronavirus.
There was shock in Portadown on Friday after major local employer Thompson Aero Seating paid off 350 contract workers.

Chinese-owned Thompson Aero Seating makes seating for the aircraft industry.

Workers took to social media to voice their anger.

Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie said the news was a blow to the area, adding that the firm had been on life support because of the hit taken by the air commercial aircraft industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

The layoffs are a direct result of Covid-19, he said.

Its a blow to the area  but its not surprising.

The Upper Bann MLA said he thought the company was now in survival mode,

These are worrying times. Covid-19 is reaching into every corner of our society.

Upper Bann Sinn Fein MLA John ODowd said the firm could and should have accessed the UK governments Furlough scheme for salary protection during the virus emergency.

They now face huge uncertainty when the company could have secured 80% of their wages.

I call on management at Thompsons, even at this eleventh hour, to release these workers under the Furlough scheme rather than laying them off, the MLA said.

DUP MP Carla Lockhart said: "This is a devastating blow for the workers affected, for their families and for the local economy. First and foremost my thoughts are with them.

"This is an extremely difficult time for business. The impact of COVID-19 is impacting on all aspects of our economy. Undoubtedly the aviation industry has felt the pain more acutely than most and thus has contributed to the decision to let these workers go.

"I have spoken to management and asked them to explore even at this late stage if anything can be done to save some or all of these jobs. Thompson Aerospace are a large employer and it is sad to see that so many workers have lost their job.

"I have urged them to place these employees on furlough rather than making them redundant as we will emerge from this crisis eventually.

"When speaking with Senior Management at the company I outlined the many concerns of the remaining workers concerning COVID-19 and ask for their to be direct engagement with the employees regarding safety measures and social distancing.

"I will continue to liaise with them to ensure that they adhere to the Government guidelines. At this time of great concern for peoples health and well-being it is important that people feel safe in their work environment.

The firm has sites at Portadown, Carn, and Banbridge.

Its parent company is the China Aviation Industry Corporation

In 2019 the company reported a drastic slump in profits, making a 27.7m loss in 2018.

The company could not be reached for comment after the news broke on Friday afternoon.
On the second day of the three-week curfew announced by the prime minister, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman came out with a slew of measures for the poor to address the disruption in the economy. The Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief is bunched in silos. For the most vulnerable, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will provide farmers with the first instalment of Rs 2,000 from the Rs 6,000-a-year PM-KISAN scheme, while two crore senior citizens and disabled will get Rs 1,000 each.

Construction workers, who now face joblessness, will get aid from the Rs 31,000 crore Construction Workers Fund. Then there is the free five kg of grains every month over the next three months. The relief measures are a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to alleviate the suffering of the poor, as the economic losses they will face are unprecedented. Back-of-the-envelope calculations show the disruption and destruction of wealth over the coronavirus lockdown will be far greater than what we saw after demonetisation.

British brokerage Barclays has estimated the cost of the economic paralysis at Rs 9 lakh crore or around 4% of GDP. Similarly, Nomura Holdings says 75% of the countrys economy will shut down during the curfew period leading to a production loss of 4.5%.Further, there is double accounting in the relief package. The Rs 31,000 crore for construction workers and Rs 2,000 from the Rs 6,000-a-year-per-farmer in direct transfer have been budgeted for earlier and are not fresh reliefs.

Withdrawal of provident fund monies is giving access to employees to their own savings, and is no skin off the back of the governments kitty; Rs 1,000 for the old and infirm for this shutdown period is not good enough. As has been repeatedly pointed out, survival money has to be put directly in the accounts of those who are likely to suffer the mostjobless casual workers and immigrants who have fled the cities. The government should address the shortcomings and come out with further measures soon.
Since a ceasefire was agreed between Russia and Turkey, two sides have been bolstering their positions in Idleb and Aleppo, with more fortifications and more troops writes Zaman Al-Wasl.

On Thursday, the Turkish army established a new observation point on the strategic M4 highway near Jisr al-Shughour city, according to Zaman Al-Wasls reporter.

The new outpost was established in the town of al-Kfayr, west of Idleb city, on the Aleppo-Lattakia highway, known as the M4.

Over the past three weeks, Turkish forces set up six observation points in al-Ghassaneyah, Bidama, al-Najiyeh, and al-Zainiya, al-Misherfah and Tel Khattab, an array of villages located in the Jisr al-Shughour region.

The rapid deployments by both sides, Turkey and the Syrian regime, have been continuing despite a ceasefire deal reached in early March in northwestern Syria.

Local monitors have recorded multiple violations.

On Tuesday, a Syrian military convoy was sent to reinforce regime army bastions in Idleb province, a rebel source told Zaman Al-Wasl.

The regime trucks were carrying 200 troops operating in the 25th Special Missions Division, five tanks and 40 and armored vehicles.

Turkey, which backs rebels opposed to Bashar al-Assad, agreed a ceasefire with Russia three weeks ago after months of fighting displaced nearly 1 million people in Idleb. Moscow supports Syrian regime forces.

The truce halted a terrifying three-month air and ground campaign that killed hundreds and sent 1 million people fleeing toward the Turkish border.

The agreement did not make the Assad forces roll back the significant military gains secured during the Russian-backed offensive  a key Turkish demand prior to the talks.

The regime offensive in Idleb province and parts of Aleppo has displaced more than 1,041,000 people from their homes and killed 700 people, including 91 women, 212 children and 17 rescue workers, over the past three months, the Syrian Response Coordination Group said.

In other relevant development, Irans Revolutionary Guards have formed a command center in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo province and parts of Idleb.

The joint command room included top commanders of the IRGC, Hezbollah and the Iraqi and Afghan militias.

Additionally, 17 more Iranian outposts were set up in the southwestern countryside of Aleppo and eastern Idleb region. About 2,000 militants and heavy weapons were deployed in the new positions, a rebel commander told Zaman Al-Wasl.

The eight-year-old war has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and forced 13 million people from their homes, half of whom have left their shattered homeland.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Government has called on all political parties to support its efforts aimed at fighting the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

It said issues of the disease must be depoliticized.

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said it was important for the various political parties to join forces with the government to help tackle the pandemic.

He made the call at a sensitization workshop for political parties in Accra on Thursday 26th March 2020.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the NPP, NDC, CPP, NDP and the LPG.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the engagement was important and in line with the key pillars of global pandemics which includes risk Communications and Social Mobilization.

One of the groups that require serious engagement is political parties. It is because political parties among other things have a very large following who sometimes belief their following more than experts. So at a time like this when you are trying to get as many people as possible mobilized to follow a particular path as part of the preventive measures, you cannot leave out Political Parties. You literally on a daily basis are part of the national communication exercise and are putting out views and facts and alternative facts, so it is the reason why you have to be engaged on the dos and don'ts and also take feedback from you, he said.

The Minister said the meeting was also to give the Ghana Health Service a platform to engage the Political Parties on the virus and discuss how we can rally the entire national support behind all that is being done to win the fight and not politicize the matter.

The Deputy Minister for Health Alexander Abban who also addressed the gathering stressed on the need to unite as Political Parties in fighting the pandemic and not build political capital on the matter.

Alexander Abban

When we leave this engagement, we are leaving here as Ghanaians ready to fight this pandemic and not political parties. We need ideas that must not shape partisanship, he added.

The meeting with the Political Parties forms part of the government's broader consultation and training to equip stakeholders with the appropriate information on the outbreak of the Pandemic in the country.

citinewsroom
One more person tested positive for coronavirus in Haryana on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 19.

The case has been reported from Panipat.

The number of positive cases reported from Gurgaon stand at 10, four cases from Panipat, two are from Faridabad and one each from Palwal, Panchkula and Sonipat, as per the state's health department.

The test reports of 126 samples are still awaited.

Earlier, a 21-year-old nurse from Panipat, who works in a private hospital in Gurgaon, had tested positive for coronavirus.

The nurse had travelled to her hometown Panipat over a week ago from Gurgaon, where she worked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Work is underway on Peter Devitts luxury Muse apartment complex on St Kilda Road after it received a green light from Victorias planning tribunal.

The buildings sales pitch includes high-tech security features such as face, fingerprint and voice recognition. Credit:Artist's impression

The 15-storey project with just 42 oversize apartments was stalled at the planning stage, after gaining planning approval in 2017, when residents in a neighbouring building objected to its perceived impact on the historic Fawkner Park.

The new apartment complex at 409-413 St Kilda Road has an estimated end value of $300 million and backs on to the heritage-listed park.

The park  bordered by St Kilda, Commercial and Toorak roads  has significant landscape, archaeological and cultural elements in its gardens, waterways and open spaces.
The largest infusion of federal money into the U.S. economy in history wont be enough to protect Americans and the economy from the ravages of COVID-19. But its a start.

Passing Friday 96-0 in the Senate and on a voice vote in the House, the $2.2 trillion economic stabilization bill will bring immediate relief to individuals and small and large businesses.

In just three weeks, Congress and President Donald Trump have advanced and enacted three aid packages in response to the fast-spreading virus. The first one was $8.3 billion for vaccine research and development, while the second one of $104 billion provided up to 10 days of fully paid sick leave, 12 weeks of paid family leave for parents at two-thirds of their salaries, expand unemployment insurance and increased funding for food stamps and Medicaid.

The latest bill, the one most desperately anticipated by Americans, includes direct payments. Individuals earning up to $75,000 per year and couples earning up to $150,000 will receive checks of $1,200 per individual and $500 per child. People earning more will receive less.

The bill funds expanded unemployment benefits for up to four months, and it will match and sometimes exceed what workers were making before losing their jobs. This needlessly caused pause for a few Republican senators, who then proceeded to join their colleagues in support.

The largest obstacle for Democrats was a $500 billion corporate aid fund whose distribution, in its original form, would have been left to the discretion of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and, presumably, Trump.

Now, most of that money would go to the Federal Reserve to cover loans and will be overseen by an inspector general and panel appointed by Congress.

Included in the bill is $350 billion for small business loans, $150 billion for state and local governments, and $400 million in election assistance to help states prepare for the November elections.

As with most legislation, neither side got all of what it wanted, but both agreed upon a compromise that gives the country what it needs for the short term. The passage in three weeks of three significant bills, including one totaling more than $2 trillion, with a minimal amount of rancor underlies the seriousness of the crisis we are in and the certainty it will get worse.

An affirmation of that concern came Thursday when the government reported 3.3 million Americans applied for jobless benefits in a single week, a record obliterating the previous mark of about 700,000 in 1982.

The direct payments and unemployment benefits are welcome, and Congress and Trump should be commended for acting quickly to provide relief.

But the relief will only be short-term. Its difficult to not agree with economists that over the next few months the federal government will need to inject more cash into the economy to stabilize families and businesses. It also doesnt absolve the federal government from a lack of preparedness for this outbreak that could have limited the spread of the virus.

Negotiations over this economic relief happened to coincide with ample discussion about balancing public health and the economy. The president has said, I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter. And there were those comments from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrickabout senior citizens sacrificing themselves for the economy. To be clear, there is no healthy economy in a global pandemic.

Thats why this rescue package is so necessary, why more will likely be needed, and why all who can should stay home to flatten the curve.
Ville de Buea 1 archives

Three persons quarantined in Cameroons South West Region  one in Limbe and two in Buea  after showing symptoms akin to those of the novel coronavirus have tested negative to the deadly virus, officials have said Thursday.

According to Dr. Martin Divine Ngomba Mokake, Director of the Regional Hospital Annex Buea, results of samples sent to Yaounde for tests proved that the suspects are negative.

Two samples were sent to Yaounde and the results are back and all of them tested negative for the coronavirus. We are happy to know that. The third case actually does not, for now, fulfil all the profiles of a coronavirus patient. So the national level has advised us to observe the patient still in quarantine for two days and treat the patient as a normal common cold patient. And the patient is improving. So, we think that this one is the normal seasonal changes that we have, said Dr. Mokake.

Although the hitherto COVID-19 suspected cases have now tested negative, Dr. Mokake insists that the public must triple efforts to beat back the pandemic and stop it from getting into the region.

Hear him: But the two most suspected cases sent to Yaounde were completely negative. However, we will still advise the population to keep to the measures prescribed by government and the ministry of public health such that we can be able to stay safe. It has been this way because of the responsibility they have taken upon themselves to make sure that we keep ourselves away from the virus.

If at all we should relent in our efforts, thinking that we are already safe, that is when we definitely will have it. And when it starts, there will definitely be a catastrophe. So, it is just another platform for us to triple our efforts towards maintaining the status quo.

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the South West Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr. Ebongo Zacchaeus Nanje said the three suspects manifested majority of the symptoms of Coronavirus and were known to have recently travelled to COVID-19 hit countries. He added that samples were collected from the suspects and sent to Yaounde for examination.

The results have laid to rest fears nursed by the people of the South West Region given that they are already dealing with a cholera epidemic. The South West Regional Delegate of Public Health says the region is just from handling cases of cholera in the Bakassi area and is battling with 51 other cholera cases in Tiko Subdivision.

With no fewer than 88 known positive cases, two deaths and hundreds of suspected cases under quarantine, Dr. Ebongo says we are heading towards a potential disaster given that the restrictive measures rolled out by government are not being respected by the population.

Cameroon has since March 18 ramped up measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, including closing its borders, schools and restricting gatherings of more than 50 persons among other restrictions for a 15-day period renewable.
States have been asked to make sustained action to ensure that passengers not on the radar are placed under close surveillance

In view of the rising numbers of new positive cases of novel coronavirus in India, the Central government on Friday said that the gap in monitoring the 15 lakh air travellers who arrived in India over the last two months could seriously jeopardise the countrys efforts to check the spread of Covid-19.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the countrys top bureaucrat who is leading the Covid-19 crisis management group, wrote in a sharp letter to states and Union Territories that concerted and sustained action is needed urgently to ensure that passengers not on the radar are placed under close surveillance immediately.

On Friday, the total number of positive cases in India reached 724, out of which 640 are active cases, 66 have been cured, 17 have died and one migrated.

The government maintains that there is still no community spread of coronavirus and India has not reached Stage 3. But given that many of those who have tested positive so far in India have a history of international travel, the government fears a spike in the number of positive cases and has asked authorities to ramp up surveillance of air passengers on a war footing.

As you are aware, we initiated screening of international incoming passengers at the airports with effect from January 18, 2020. I have been informed that up to March 23, 2020, cumulatively, Bureau Of Immigration has shared details of more than 15 lakh incoming international passengers with the states/UTs for monitoring for Covid-19. However, there appears to be a gap between the number of international passengers who need to be monitored by the states/UTs and the actual number of passengers being monitored, Mr Gauba said in his letter.

There have been instances of people skipping quarantine or hospital visits after returning from abroad. In Punjab, a man who died on Thursday, and his two fellow travellers, met hundreds of people after returning from a two-week trip to Germany and Italy. Fifteen Punjab villages have now been sealed.

In Kolkata, a teen who returned from London tested positive after he showed up at the designated hospital two days after his arrival. His mother, a senior bureaucrat, even attended office and meetings in the state government building, where chief minister Mamata Banerjee also sits.

Health officials said that the infection of the three more persons in Noida who tested positive on Friday has been traced back to a British national who was in the city earlier this month. In all, three employees of a Noida firm and their family members have tested positive to the virus.

Health ministry said India is diligently following contact tracing as per the defined protocol as part of Covid-19 containment strategy. We have to be alert, follow lockdown and social distancing norms diligently to combat coronavirus, health ministry official said.

Apart from the 15 lakh air travellers, several have entered India through seaports and international land borders.

Meanwhile, the government has started the process of procuring 10,000 ventilators through its PSUs, while BEL has been asked to provide 30,000 more in two months time. Covid-19 affects the respiratory system of patients who are then required to be put on ventilator, which is a medical device used to assist with breathing.
On the heels of reporting on an Army memo stating that service efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus had so far been 'insufficient,' the Chief of Staff of the Army provided new insights on the way social distancing in the ranks is being maintained, acknowledging that in many places the attempt is not to keep individual soldiers six feet apart, but to isolate small groups.

"It's almost that you want to create bubbles and keep a small amount of people in that bubble," Gen. James McConville told reporters at a Thursday afternoon briefing from the Pentagon. "Because if one person comes up with the virus, then you don't get into that exponential growth that we see when ... people are touching a whole bunch of people."

McConville cited the Army squad, which has 10 soldiers, as the typical size for the "bubbles" he referenced.

"From where we sit, the best thing we can do is keep the exposure or the circle that people run in very, very small," he said. "You keep your circles very, very small, and that's how you flatten the curve."

When possible in training, he noted, the Army is still putting space between individual soldiers.

"When we maneuver a squad, we usually have five meters in between members, just in case ... in a tactical situation, because of the threat," he said. "In this case this is an invisible threat, but we still need to keep that distance ... there are soldiers that need to perform critical functions around the world, and they will continue to do that based on the commander's assessment of the threat to the force and the threat to the mission."

Related: Military Announces New Hardship Pay for Troops in Quarantine

As of Thursday, there were 288 cases of COVID-19 within the Army: 100 among soldiers and the rest among service civilians, contractors and dependents. Cases among soldiers represented more than a third of the 280 cases reported from all U.S. troops.

McConville acknowledged a message from the Department of the Army to tenant commands, first reported by Task and Purpose that found "mitigation measures taken by the U.S. Army to blunt the spread of COVID-19 have proven insufficient" and urged commanders to do more to curtail transmission.

"I think what led us to that conclusion is ... we see it's started to increase around the country. So what we're trying to do is put the appropriate measures in place to protect the force," he said. "And each of these commanders is doing a trade-off. They know they have a wartime mission that they have to train for. They also know they need to protect the force or they're not going to be ready when they're called."

This week, Army installations around the globe went to Health Protection Condition Charlie, the second-highest security level, limiting base access to essential personnel and closing some gates. The 82nd Airborne, the Army's contingency response forces, was placed in HPCON Delta conditions, meaning they are largely confined at home to limit the risk of infection.

McConville said top Army officials had been "going to school" on virus management with insights from Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, who has emerged as a profile on successful leadership after locking down bases in the country to stem the spread of COVID-19.

"We are winning!" U.S. Army Garrison Daegu tweeted March 16 as new virus cases on the peninsula began to decrease and some personnel prepared to return to work.

McConville said it was more challenging to implement the kind of lockdown protocols across the United States that had been implemented in Korea, noting that each command had to balance the needs of its mission and training requirements with safety guidelines. But, he said, while physical training might be a persistent requirement, for example, formation runs were not.

"I think we need to do more to limit exposure, especially for those who are not doing mission-essential tasks," he said. "So that's what we're really saying right now, is when we look at our commands, we say, "Do you -- do you really have to do this task that may increase the risk to our soldiers? Or if you have to do that task, then how can you make it a little safer?"

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Read More: Army Asks Retired Soldiers in Health Care Fields to Come Back for COVID-19 Fight
Sensex erased all its gains in early trade today after RBI announced repo rate cut of 75 basis points and announced liquidity boosting measure of Rs 3.74 lakh crore for the financial system hit by impact of coronavirus outbreak. Sensex which traded at 30,886 before the RBI announced its emergency rate cut fell to a low of 29,360 post the apex bank's policy.

The index which lost 1,526 points after the policy announcement had surged 1,180 points in early trade compared to its previous close of 29,946.

The crash in Sensex was unexpected.

Shaktikanta Das Press Conference Live: RBI chief announces loan payment relief, Rs 3.7 lakh crore liquidity boost

Amit Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO, TradingBells said, "It is a very good policy to cheer the market but the problem is that the market has already rallied too much from lower levels ahead of policy. Real trend decider for the market will be direction of new cases of Covid-19 globally and locally."

Sensex has gained 5,145 points till date intra day since it logged its biggest ever loss of 3,934 points on Monday. Nifty too has managed a 1,428-point recovery till date after suffering a massive loss of 1,135 points on Monday.
Six men were arrested after a car was spotted driving dangerously on the northside of Dublin last night.

One man is due in court this morning, while five others have been released without charge.

At around 9pm last night, Gardai observed a car driving dangerously and at speed in the Cardiffsbridge Road area of Finglas.

Gardai attempted to stop the vehicle and chase ensued.

During the course of the pursuit, the offending vehicle collided with two official Garda cars before being stopped in the Abbotstown Avenue area of Finglas.

The driver of the car, a man aged in his 30s, was arrested and taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station.

He has since been charged in relation to dangerous driving offences and is due appear before Blanchardstown District Court this morning,

Five passengers of the car, one man aged in his late teens and four men in their 20s, were also arrested at the scene.

They have all since been released from custody.

One was injured and Gardai said they are continuing to investigate all circumstances behind the incident.
Wadia Group aviation venture GoAir has written to civil aviation ministry and sector watchdog DGCA, offering its grounded aircraft fleet, cockpit and cabin crew, and airport staff for carrying out emergency services and repatriation of citizens.

Regular passenger air services are suspended in the country till April 14 amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown, which is in place from Tuesday mid-night, as part of the larger efforts of the government to contain COVID-19 (coronavirus), which has wreaked havoc in several developed economies. This has left the entire fleet of over 650 planes with the domestic air operators grounded, along with huge manpower with no work.

Moreover, stringent border control measures by various countries, including India, to deal with the unprecedented situation has left thousands of people stuck in different territories, and governments are operating special flights to evacuate their stranded citizens.

GoAir has reached out to the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and offered its services in the wake of a complete lockdown across the nation, the airline said in a statement to PTI on Thursday. The budget carrier's proposal came a day after market leader IndiGo made a similar offer to the government.

"Everyone around the world is facing an unprecedented challenge as we try and battle this global pandemic," it said. The Mumbai-headquartered passenger air carrier has a workforce of around 5,500 personnel to operate its fleet of 56 planes.

"GoAir airline is fully supportive of the initiatives announced by Prime Minister. In fact, we were the only airline to respond to Prime Minister's call to observe Janata Curfew on March 22 by suspending all our flights on that day. With our state-of-the-art fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, GoAir is on stand-by for any flight that the government may want us to fly," GoAir Managing Director Jeh Wadia said.

The airline, in the letter, has proposed that it can help in services such as ship cargo on behalf of the government, essential services such as medicines, food grains, ship manpower who would carry out emergency services: doctors, nurses, para medics, relief workers.

Besides it can also help in repatriation of stranded Indian citizens and expats to each other's countries as well as bring back people stuck in various states within the country to their respective places.

Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: India extends ban on international flights till April 14

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Positive cases near 700; deaths rise to 16
[March 26, 2020] Jacobs Strengthens Financial Flexibility with Additional Liquidity Capacity

DALLAS, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:J) announced effective March 25, 2020 it entered into a new term loan facility. Under the terms of the facility, the company borrowed $730 million and a U.K. subsidiary borrowed 250 million with a maturity in March 2025. The proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including the repayment of certain debt. Borrowings under the term loan will bear interest at the prevailing LIBOR rate plus a margin of between 0.875% and 1.50%. President and CFO Kevin Berryman said, "Jacobs has made significant progress transforming to a business model aligned to longer term margin enhancing growth opportunities in sectors such as national security, space exploration, environmental and water resiliency, transportation related infrastructure and the convergence of information and operational technology." Berryman continued, "We are pleased that our strategic actions have facilitated our ability to execute this transaction, thereby further enhancing the company's financial flexibility through an additional $1 billion of liquidity capacity, which brings our total cash on hand and revolver capacity to more than $2 billion. Given the current market conditions, we are pleased that our banking partners recognized the financial strength associated with our transformed company and thank them for their continued partnership." The company will provide further details in a Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Jacobs

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 27, 2019, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law.







For additional information contact:

Investors: Media: Jonathan Doros, 817-239-3457 Marietta Hannigan, 214-920-8035 [email protected] [email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jacobs-strengthens-financial-flexibility-with-additional-liquidity-capacity-301030743.html SOURCE Jacobs

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
In a clear response to recent happenings across the globe, over 2 billion people have indicated interest in participating in a two-hour Global Day of Prayer event being organized by President, Loveworld Incorporated Rev. (Dr.) Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Benny Hinn, today Friday March 27, 2020, from 7pm to 9pm GMT+1.



The two Men of God had declared this special prayer program that will be broadcast LIVE on all LoveWorld TV networks, Ceflix, @PastorChrisLive super User handle on Kingschat, terrestrial TV stations, various Radio stations across the globe and also on various Internet and Social Media platforms.



This is a timely instruction of the Holy Ghost poised to change the narrative and free the world from the devastating effects caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. These Gods generals will also be bringing a special message to the world during this program.

To this end, Christians around the world, irrespective of denominations, are now preparing to take a stand in unity against the forces of darkness causing panic and perplexity in the world today, as they observe this Global Day of Prayer. This is a special call to prayer according to the inspiration of Gods Spirit.



It is a faith response to restore hope amidst the growing fear and confusion expressed by different governments of the world in the wake of the Coronavirus epidemic. Through effective prayers, there is an assurance that the nations will be liberated from the siege of this pandemic.



In the featured video, Pastor Chris and Pastor Benny unveil deep truths about the events being witnessed across the world today in relation to Bible prophecies. They emphasize the need for the body Christ to unite in prayers and put a stop to the devils schemes as the Church is the only hope for the world.



Over Two billion people are expected to participate in the #GlobalDayofPrayer with Pastor Chris and Pastor Benny Hinn as the publicity for the programme has reached top gear. According to Pastor Chris, Over 2 billion people have already indicated they will join what tonight may be the largest prayer meeting ever.



Some of the local Television Stations that will broadcast this global event live today from 7pm include Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), AIT, TVC, STV, SUPERSCREEN, MiTV, LTV, GALAXY TV, NTA2 Lagos, NTA10 Lagos, WAZOBIA TV, ITV, RSTV among others.



It will be recalled that LoveWorld President Pastor Chris Oyakhilome on March 1, 2020, during his Monthly Global Service and Communion prayed for the entire world going through anxiety as a result of a global pestilence that has been raging since late last year.



He prayed: Father, in the name of Jesus Christthank you for your word that has been given to us. Lord you told us that in the last days, there will be perplexity of nations. Mens heart failing them from fear because of the things they will seebecause of the terrible experiences in the nations of the world,



Right now Lord, many are afraid because of this deadly virus orchestrated by the devil, but you gave us power over every unclean spiritsto cast them out and cure diseases. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we come against the Corona virus from the very cause of itfrom the very root of it. And we come against the devils, the demons that spearheaded this project.



You devils of sickness and diseaseyou evil spirit behind the Corona virus, it is said that your work started in China, but wherever you started from and whatever nations you have gone, we break your influence now in the name of Jesus and we command you to stop your operations and your maneuvers over the governments of the world.



In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, every demon of darkness that is involved in this wicked onslaught against the nations of the world. You devils of darkness that are responsible for destroying lives and economies of nations through fear of the Corona virus, we bind you; we break your influence in the name of Jesus.



We command you now to stop in your tracks in the name of Jesus Christ. Your works are now frustrated. We dispatch angels of God to go forth and cause the vaccines to be made available; to come into operation; solution to come to men in their various nations; the cure to be available and cheap by the wisdom of God, be released into the nations now. In the name of Jesus, there is an answer and there is cure right now in the name of Jesus Christ. And there will be no more fear of it by the power of the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus Christ.













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
Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, who had complained of chest pain, was discharged from hospital on Friday.

Oli, 69, was taken to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a medical check up as he had irregular heartbeat and chest pain on Thursday night.

The prime minister was discharged after spending nearly a day in the hospital.

Oli had undergone a second kidney transplant on March 4 in Kathmandu. He was discharged from the hospital after more than a week, and the doctors had advised him to avoid any meeting, gathering, and events for the next few months.

Oli, however, has been engaged in meetings following the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this week, he had also chaired a cabinet meeting.
A vast trove of visual art can be enjoyed online and there has never been a better time to discover local artists and galleries from the comfort of your own home.

Many private and artist-run galleries are busy uploading current exhibitions and art from their stockrooms as well as planning online exhibitions.

Most private galleries are open only by appointment but that means visitors can enjoy a more intimate art experience after viewing it first online.

The National Portrait Gallery may have closed its physical doors but art lovers can still check out the finalists in the Darling Portrait Prize, including David Darcy's portrait of environmental campaigner Wendy Bowman. Credit:David Darcy

Jan Minchin, director of Melbournes Tolarno Galleries said she was fielding calls to book private viewings of their current exhibition as soon as she sent out an email announcing the change.
"Go Go" is doing great! Thats the news from dad Carson Daly  and thats his nickname for new daughter Goldie Patricia Daly.

Carson called into TODAY Friday morning from his home to give an update about his familys new addition, and about their experience welcoming her into the world during an extraordinary time.

Beaming mom Siri Daly shows off the newest member of the family, daughter Goldie. (Carson Daly)

"I wake up today just really, profoundly moved by two things on my mind," Cason said. "Number one is the strength of my wife. I mean, watching her over the last 48 hours  not to mention during this pregnancy  but being nine months pregnant at this time, you can imagine the extra anxiety that it brought."

Little Goldie  Carson and Siri's fourth child and third daughter  was born Thursday afternoon at a New York hospital amid a pandemic thats added an element of uncertainty for expectant parents and put an enormous burden on the medical community.

Many expecting couples have had to rearrange their birth plans, and some mothers have had to face delivery without their partners by their sides.

And though Carson and Siri were separated for much of her stay, he's thankful he was there for the most important part.

Dad Carson Daly has his hands full. (Carson Daly)

"I dropped (Siri) off at the hospital, because the hospitals in and around New York, as you can imagine, have new guidelines," he explained. "She went alone on Wednesday night. I could only join her for the birth, and then I had to leave again."

The experience left him in awe of his wife's strength.

"Her heroism  shes a superstar. Shes a superhero," Carson said. "I wake up enamored by her and also the medical staff that we dealt with last night. The work that theyre doing on the front lines  you dont actually believe it until youre there and you can see it."

That echoes a sentiment he shared Thursday night, when announcing Goldie's birth on Instagram.

Download the TODAY app for the latest coverage on the coronavirus outbreak.

Story continues

The Daly family wants to send a special shout out to the incredibly brave & selfless medical staff at our hospital in New York and also the many courageous people on the front lines of this dreadful virus, he wrote. We thank God not only for the safe birth of our daughter, but for their tireless work attending to so many in need. It is a bittersweet event for us as we are extremely grateful, but also mindful of this unparalleled time in our history.

But amid it all, Carson and Siri have much to celebrate. Their beautiful baby girl entered the world healthy, weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20 inches long.

Carson and Siri are also parents to son Jack, 11, and sisters Etta, 7, and London, 5, all of whom have been eagerly awaiting Go Go's arrival.

"Theyre very excited for little Go Go," Carson said. "They are anxiously awaiting for mommy and Go Go to come home. Also, as London, my youngest, reminded me, Daddy, I think you said Go Go was going to buy me a toy. So when do I get my toy?'"
Southern Illinois University Carbondale confirmed Thursday night that the second person to test positive for COVID-19 in Jackson County is living on campus.

The individual, a male in his late teens, is doing fair and is in isolation on west campus, the university said. This individual is thought to have been exposed to the novel coronavirus through recent travel to the Chicago area, according to both SIU officials and the Jackson County Health Department. "This individual is not allowed to leave home until they are well and can no longer transmit the disease," SIU said in a message to the Carbondale campus community Thursday night.

The university said the information was provided in accordance with its commitment to provide timely emergency information as required under the federal Clery Act.

Earlier Thursday evening, the Jackson County Health Department, which first reported the case, said that public health officials have begun an investigation that includes speaking with individuals who he may have come into contact with before this diagnosis.

Through the investigation, public health may place other individuals on home quarantine if they are determined to have had significant exposure, as is typical protocol.

SIU canceled in-person classes two weeks ago and extended its spring break, originally set to end March 16, by a week. Students were allowed to return to their dorms, which are single occupancy, or family housing apartments, and finish out their classes online from campus. SIU's release said he was a resident on campus, but did not provide further details.

The health department asks that if you are contacted by public health officials, please respond promptly.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois has risen dramatically over the past week. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), there were 2,538 individuals confirmed with COVID-19 in Illinois today.

The release from the health department also states that the department expects more cases to be confirmed locally, as the number of tests being conducted is increasing.
Hemlock Semiconductor Operations (HSC) has extended the deadline for the 30 scholarships it's offering to Great Lakes Bay Region high school students interested in attending Michigan Technological University's Engineering Scholars Summer Youth Program.

The new deadline is May 1.

The $1,000 scholarship will fully cover tuition, classroom supplies, housing, meals and round-trip charter bus transportation from the Great Lakes Bay Region to Michigan Tech's campus in Houghton in the Upper Peninsula the week of July 19-25. Applications will be accepted from students attending school in Midland, Saginaw, Bay or Gratiot counties until 5 p.m. Friday, May 1.

Summer Youth Program Scholarships provide funding for students in grades 9 to 11 to attend a week-long program at Michigan Tech that will fully immerse them in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and help them explore careers in engineering and related disciplines.

The Summer Youth Program's first priority is the health and safety of all participants and community members, said Amanda Jackson, assistant director of the Center for Educational Outreach at Michigan Tech. At this time, Michigan Tech has implemented a pandemic preparedness plan which includes suspension of face-to-face classes, labs, and travel restrictions until April 17.

Jackson said that the Summer Youth Programs, including the Engineering Scholars Program, are expected to run as scheduled. The situation around this decision is being monitored closely. For questions specific to how this situation impacts Summer Youth Programs, please visit their COVID-19 FAQ page.

Students who are selected for this competitive scholarship program will:

Explore engineering by constructing a building strong enough to withstand an earthquake, create an artificial intelligence army and much more.

Get inside information from role models working in engineering fields.

Work in teams to solve engineering problems and complete group projects.

Experience college life by staying in a residence hall, exploring campus and meeting others with similar interests.

Enjoy team competitions, a variety show and many outdoor activities in Michigan's beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula.

More information about the program and the HSC scholarship, as well as the application form, can be found at: https://www.mtu.edu/syp/discover/competitive-scholarships/esp-app-2020-web1.pdf.
The Zaandam, with 1,800 passengers, has been prevented from docking in several countries due to coronavirus fears.

Four passengers have died on board a cruise ship carrying several people with flu-like symptoms that has been stranded off the Pacific coast of South America for several days, the liner company said on Friday.

The Zaandam, with 1,800 passengers on board, is currently in Panamas territorial waters, having been prevented from docking in several countries due to coronavirus fears.

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam, the Dutch-owned company said in a statement.

Yesterday a number of patients with respiratory symptoms were tested for Covid-19 and two individuals tested positive.

The Zaandam liner left Buenos Aires on March 7 and was supposed to arrive last Saturday at San Antonio, near Santiago in Chile.

Since a brief stop in Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia on March 14, it was turned away from several ports after reporting that 42 people on board were suffering from flu-like symptoms.

It is trying to head to Florida, but to get there, it must pass through the Panama Canal. On Friday, authorities denied the ship access to the waterway.

Holland America sent another cruise liner, the Rotterdam, carrying COVID-19 test kits, supplies and relief staff to meet the Zaandam in Panamanian waters.

The company said 53 of the 1,243 guests and 85 of the 586 crew on board the Zaandam have reported to the ships medical center with influenza-like symptoms.

It plans to transfer those passengers that have not been ill or exposed to someone who has been to the Rotterdam, while leaving ill passengers and all crew on board the Zaandam.

While the onward plan for both ships is still being finalised, we continue to work with the Panamanian authorities on approval to transit the Panama Canal for sailing to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said Holland America.

On Wednesday, Panamas Health Minister Rosario Turner had said the Zaandam would be allowed to pass through the canal.

But on Friday morning, Panamas seaway administrator Ricaurte Vasquez said the health ministry had denied access to the liner.
155 inmates in the minimum-security unit at the women's prison in Pierre are under observation after they were potentially exposed to a fellow inmate who tested positive for the coronavirus. And all transfers and parole releases from the unit are suspended for the time being.

The woman who tested positive for COVID-19 remains in isolation and no other South Dakota prisoner has tested positive for the virus, the Department of Corrections posted to its website on Thursday. The woman is being isolated in a solitary confinement cell, inmates and others told the Journal.

The DOC also shared for the first time the specific steps it's taking to keep staff and prisoners safe. It didn't mention if any staff members are being isolated.

Thursday's DOC update provides the most details on its COVID-19 safety measures and the status of inmates at the minimum-security Pierre Community Work Center since the virus broke out. It came a day after the Journal reported that inmates in that unit fear for their safety due to COVID-19.

"We continue to work closely with (the Department of Health) to ensure proper protocols are being followed to ensure the health and safety of our staff and the men and women in custody," the DOC said in the update.

State officials announced during a live news conference on Monday that a woman housed in the work center tested positive for COVID-19. That night, nine women walked away from the unit. The warden of the women's prison resigned on Wednesday.

The DOC had only announced that eight women fled but the Journal confirmed that a ninth woman left before she was arrested in Rapid City and booked into the Pennington County Jail early Tuesday morning. A police email obtained by the Journal described the woman as having symptoms of COVID-19, and a state official confirmed she had been tested.

Officials have not said whether the woman was tested in Pierre or only once she arrived in Rapid City, or whether her specific test has come back yet. However the DOC said there's no new positive cases and as of Thursday afternoon, the DOH's COVID-19 website lists no new cases in Hughes or Pennington counties where the woman was housed.

Safety measures

The DOC is following directions from the DOH and Centers for Disease Control in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, according to its update.

Specific COVID-19 prevention measures include:

Screening staff members by asking them questions and taking their temperature

Providing prevention educational materials to staff and inmates

Adding extra hand washing stations to DOC facilities

Waiving inmate medical co-pays

Reducing dental services

Ordering more medications

Creating isolation and quarantine plans for all facilities

Barring work release inmates and parolees from going to their outside jobs and volunteer sites

Adjusting schedules to reduce contacts

Increasing disinfecting and laundry services

Limiting the size of inmate groups during meals and other activities as much as possible

Suspending visits from volunteers, friends and families

Gov. Kristi Noem and the DOC said they're not planning any special coronavirus-related early releases but that inmates can go through the standard parole and compassionate release process.

The next parole board meeting is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time on April 9 at the Jameson Annex in Sioux Falls. Anyone interested in attending the meeting should call the parole board office at 605-367-5040.

Escape update

The nine inmates fled because they were afraid of the virus, another inmate from the work center told the Journal.

Philomene Bone Shirt and Sylvia Red Leaf are still missing and anyone who sees them or knows where they are should contact law enforcement, the DOC said in a news release.

One woman was arrested early Tuesday morning in Rapid City, three were found on the Crow Creek Reservation later that day, and three more women were detained Wednesday evening in Pierre.

These seven women have all been returned to women's prison, but they were booked back into the main unit of the women's prison  not the minimum-security one they used to be housed in  according to the DOC website.

The three women found on the reservation were put in solitary confinement, an inmate told the Journal on Wednesday.

Noem said during her Thursday news conference that three of the escapees were given COVID-19 tests that came back negative.

 Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The US House of Representatives has rushed to President Donald Trump a $2.2 tn rescue package after passing it on Friday, potentially tossing a life preserver to a US economy and health care system left flailing by the coronavirus pandemic.

The House approved the sweeping measure by a voice vote, as strong majorities of both parties lined up behind the most colossal economic relief bill in the nations history. It will ship payments of up to $1,200 to millions of Americans, bolster unemployment benefits, offer loans, grants and tax breaks to businesses large and small and flush billions more to states, local governments and the nations all but overwhelmed health care system.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Hungary's parliament is set to adopt a new law which will give the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban a legal mandate to rule by decree - without any sunset clause or parliamentary oversight.

The government initially sought to fast-track the legislation and adopt it on Tuesday of this week, but it lacked the super-majority needed to accelerate the proceedings.

The party, however, does not lack the votes to ensure it passes through the legislative process a few days later.

The brazenness of Mr Orban's power grab is without parallel in recent European history. Like Hungary, other European countries have declared a state of emergency and resorted to draconian measures, including shutting down air travel, closing borders, restricting personal freedom and even nationalising sectors of the economy.

While all European governments need flexibility to respond to the pandemic, any new powers they acquire are subject to parliamentary review and remain in effect only for limited periods.

Similarly, the Hungarian constitution allows the government to maintain a state of emergency - in place since March 11 - only for an initial 15 days, after which it must seek parliamentary approval.

Yet instead of asking parliament for an extension for a fixed period, to be followed by another round of parliamentary deliberation if necessary, the new Hungarian legislation would ensure the state of emergency remains in force as long as the government deems necessary, while parliamentary oversight is suspended.

Throughout that time, the government would be free to legislate by decree. No snap elections or referendums could be held, and even the rules of the country's Constitutional Court could be altered by its president.

The proposed legislation also creates two new crimes: interfering with quarantine would lead to a prison sentence of up to five years, or eight if anyone dies as a result; more strikingly, to "claim or spread a falsehood or claim or spread a distorted truth in relation to the emergency in a way that is suitable for alarming or agitating a large group of people" would be punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.

A government-run news outlet has already called for the prosecution of opposition politicians - simply for pointing out the lack of readiness of the public health system.

Everyone should think twice before giving Mr Orban the benefit of the doubt. His decade-long premiership has been marked by a continual assault on any constraints on his power, whether by courts, civil society or the media.

Hungary's previous moves toward authoritarianism were disguised as a necessary reaction to outside threats: foreign corporate interests during the financial crisis, "cosmopolitan elites" during the refugee crisis of 2016, or, whenever the occasion demands, the philanthropist George Soros, a staple of Orban's nativist playbook.

Mr Orban did not hesitate to connect the virus to migration: "We are fighting a two-front war. One front is called migration, and the other one belongs to the coronavirus. There is a logical connection between the two, as both spread with movement."

Hungary's new Law on Protecting Against the Coronavirus demonstrates Mr Orban will never let a serious crisis go to waste in the quest to entrench himself as prime minister for life. Unless there is strong push-back from Brussels and Washington - which are both preoccupied by more urgent matters - Hungary is bound to emerge from the current crisis as a full-fledged dictatorship. ( Washington Post)

Dalibor Rohac is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute

 Washington Post
The newly renovated sign for the city of Colorado Springs was vandalized overnight with red paint. Workers from the city were removing the graffiti at the sign north of Colorado Springs and south of North Gate Rd. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
Pennsylvania State Police said they issued 21 more warnings to businesses statewide on Wednesday, bringing the total number of warnings to 57.

Locally in Troop H, which covers Cumberland County and much of the Midstate, there were four new warnings issued to businesses that were deemed noncompliant with Gov. Tom Wolfs order to shut down amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The local barracks has issued 10 warnings total this week to businesses.

Though police did not specify if any of the warnings were duplicate warnings for businesses, police did say they have not yet issued citations to businesses.

What businesses are considered life-sustaining in Pennsylvania? Here is the updated list Search to see if your business or a business you patronize is permitted to be open under Gov. Tom Wolf's closure order.

Wolf has directed the following state agencies and local officials to enforce the closure orders to the full extent of the law:

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Department of Health

Department of Agriculture

Pennsylvania State Police

Municipal Police

Local officials, using their resources to enforce closure orders within their jurisdictions

To report a noncompliant business, contact your local law enforcement agencys non-emergency number. Do not call 911 to file reports.

Tracking COVID-19: Charts detail the course of coronavirus in Cumberland County The Sentinel is tracking the spread of COVID-19 through different data visualizations using the daily report from the Department of Health.
Although Chicago was home base for Bross, he had many interests outside the city. One of those was in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. There he and his second wife, Judy, got involved through church trips with two congregations in the town of Yochib, where many of the residents speak Mayan.
NEW HAVEN  Mayor Justin Elicker at his daily press conference said homelessness is becoming an increasing issue as staffing at the shelters here is down by 30 percent to 40 percent.

The mayor said this is putting a strain on the resources needed to decompress the number of people in the shelters to achieve a better opportunity for social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus.

He said the state Department of Housing also is concerned with this across Connecticut and continues to promote using hotel rooms as a way to separate homeless individuals from each other.

We are all working very hard to address that challenge. It is very challenging, as you can imagine, the mayor said.

The city on Thursday also reached out on its Facebook page asking people to volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps to help out in the citys response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is open to medical and non-medical volunteers 18 years of age and older.

While there is a shortage of protective equipment, Elicker and Health Director Maritza Bond said what is also needed is for people to step up and help us on the ground. We need volunteers, doctors, nurses, and medical professionals to help out with our Covid-19 response by signing up with the Medical Reserve Corps.

They said they are looking for retired persons or those still active in their professions, students and community members, but the biggest need is for volunteers with medical experience.

The volunteers would be trained and asked to be available on an as-needed basis whether that is the weekend, late at night or first thing in the morning where they might be deployed to a shelter or a public health site.

Some of the tasks that need to be done include medical screening and support in mass care settings. They might also be asked to help with patient tracking at planned events; assist with planned and unplanned public health activities.

Health Director Maritza Bond added, By signing up to be a New Haven MRC volunteer, applicants will gain valuable emergency preparedness knowledge and experience through training, exercises, and real-world events. You will train and work alongside government agencies, federal partners, non-governmental agencies, and community partners. New Haven, we need your help.

The city has had a problem staffing the emergency shelter at Hill Regional Career High School that it wants to use for homeless persons not sick enough with Covid-19 to stay in the hospital, but who need a place where they can be monitored.

The number of persons diagnosed with Covid-19 in the city is now 30.

Elicker reiterated that the city has 84 individuals in hotel rooms, 24 rooms paid for by the city and each occupied by two individuals, with the rest supported by state funds. He said that situation may change. The mayor said all 84 are not showing signs of Covid-19.

Bond was asked about the citys ability to continue to do contact tracing to determine who else might be at risk when a resident is found positive for Covid-19.

That is a challenge that we talk about daily on our calls with a number of public health leaders and healthcare professionals who have a vested interest in trying to mitigate this as much as possible, Bond said.

She said the city is looking at ways to expand contact tracing as it knows the only way to flatten the curve of increasing cases is for residents to continue to practice social distancing and for persons who are sick with COVID-19 or are exposed to it they should self-isolate.

The health director said contact tracing continues the identification and isolation phase.

She said the city is looking at Boston and New York and how the cases are evolving there, so New Haven can be prepared.

The mayor however had a different perspective and said a lot of choices are defined by the citys limited resources and what phase the pandemic is in.

He said his administration is debating whether it should continue more contact tracing and testing given that the city has limited personal protective equipment. Elicker said the more the city tests, the more it expends this equipment and clothing, leaving fewer of these items for doctors and nurses.

Elicker said they might choose for a period to stop testing so as to protect the healthcare providers until the city goes through the peak (number of cases) whenever that might be.

The mayor said after the peak is over, or the supply of protective gear is replenished, the city might then return to testing because it would have the capacity to protect the test workers as well as the hospital workers.

He said ideally they would not drop testing or contact tracing, but there is a limited number of staff that may have to do other things.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577.
RENO, Nev. - The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Washoe County prosecutors lack jurisdictional authority  at least for now  to prosecute a Salvadoran immigrant in Reno for two of the four killings that hes accused of committing outside the county.

The high court ordered Judge Connie Steinheimer to reconsider her refusal to dismiss some of the charges accusing Wilber Martinez Guzman of going on a six-day killing rampage in northern Nevada in January 2019.

But the justices explained Thursday she could deny the motion again if she determines the crimes were sufficiently related to justify prosecuting him in Washoe County for all the shootings, including two in nearby Douglas County.

For now, they said Steinheimer has incorrectly concluded the Washoe County grand jury enjoyed statewide authority to indict him on the Douglas County counts.

Territorial jurisdiction of the district court does not extend statewide, Justice Elissa Cadish wrote in the unanimous, 14-page opinion.

Federal officials have said Martinez-Guzman is in the U.S. illegally, but they dont know how or when he crossed the Mexico border. The case has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump, who says it shows the need for a border wall.

A Washoe County grand jury indicted Martinez Guzman on 10 counts last year.

Investigators say he stole a revolver from Gerald and Sharon David in southwest Reno Jan. 4, 2019, before travelling to rural Douglas County where he shot Constance Koontz Jan. 9 and Sophia Renken Jan. 12, then returned to rob and kill the Davids Jan. 15.

District Attorneys Chris Hicks of Washoe County and Mark Jackson of Douglas County said they sought a single indictment in Reno partly to expedite prosecution.

They insisted the crimes are linked because he shot all four victims with the same gun he stole from the Reno couple he had worked for in 2018 as a landscaper.

The facts of this case are so intertwined that his possession of the firearm was an act requisite to consummation of the crimes in Douglas County, Jackson said.

Public defenders wrote in the motion to dismiss the Douglas County counts last July that a county grand jury was never intended to serve as a roving commission inquiring into statewide crimes.

This is the first (time) where a prosecutor asked a grand jury to indict on a crime that did not occur in the county, John Reese Petty told the Supreme Court during oral arguments in November.

Prosecutors told the justices the intent for the Douglas County killings was formed in Washoe County.

But Petty said nothing suggests Martinez Guzman suddenly formed this criminal intent to go on a crime spree across Nevada.

Theres no grand conspiracy, no grand scheme or plan that (he) made in Washoe County, Petty said

Steinheimer agreed with prosecutors about statewide jurisdiction and threw out the motion to dismiss without advancing to the next step to determine the extent the crimes were related.

The justices said thats now what she must do.

The district court shall review the evidence presented to the Washoe County grand jury to determine whether there is sufficient connection between the Douglas County offences and Washoe County, Cadish wrote.

A dismissal at this stage would not prevent Douglas County from initiating its own criminal proceedings regarding Martinez Guzmans alleged Douglas County offences, she added.

___

This story corrects an earlier version that misspelled Wilber Martinez Guzmans first name.
Gig workers for the grocery delivery app Instacart are planning an emergency strike starting Monday to protest the company's lack of worker protection during the covid-19 pandemic, a move that is likely to cause waves in the already-disrupted grocery space.

Instacart has become a lifeline for some consumers during the outbreak as more states order residents to shelter-in-place.

Gig workers have become akin to first responders for some people during the crisis, but they perform this labor without meaningful health benefits or pay protection. Instacart hasn't provided workers with any hand sanitizers or protection, Vanessa Bain, a veteran shopper for Instacart who helped organize the strike, told The Washington Post.

"It's so scary to be in a grocery store right now, and so scary to be around swarm and mobs of people," she said. "I would convey to customers that we are also doing this out of interest in protecting them."

Instacart workers are asking for hand sanitizer and disinfectant, an additional $5 per order in hazard pay, as well as for the default tip to be set to 10 percent, rather than 5 percent. They are also seeking an indefinite extension of pay for workers impacted by covid-19, including "anyone who has a doctor's note for either a pre-existing condition that's a known risk factor or requiring a self-quarantine."

The strike will continue until Instacart, which has raised $1.95 billion in venture capital, according to Pitchbook, agrees to the terms, according to a Medium post outlining their terms.

Instacart did not respond to comment. Hours after news of the strike broke, the company published a Medium post announcing some small additional measures for workers, including additional bonuses for in-store shoppers, shift leads and site managers, a small percentage of its 200,000-person workforce. Instacart also extended the 14-day benefit for those diagnosed or in quarantine by an additional 30 days.

"They're so tragically predictable," said Bain. "Walk off is still on, this addresses one of our four demands, and it's the least meaningful, because workers can't actually access the sick pay."

Instacart was already struggling to keep up with the surge in demand. The company said on Monday it was seeking to hire an additional 300,000 workers, who are not considered full-time employees. Amazon's Prime Now also has been experiencing disruptions. (The Washington Post is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.)

Earlier in March, before as many people were sheltering in place, Instacart spokeswoman Natalia Montalvo told The Post that growth has surged by 10 times in California and Washington and by 20 times in New York and that searches for hand sanitizer increased by 23 times.

On social media, customers have been flooding Instacart workers will gratitude and praise. Users often post images of texts with their shoppers.

Customers have also been watching the app intently and reaching out to customer service as items in their orders go out of stock. Users anxiously await responses from the company.

The same workers that vulnerable people around the country now depend on say Instacart has left them defenseless against the novel coronavirus.

Workers in a national Facebook group with more than 15,000 members responded eagerly when the strike was announced Friday, Bain said.

Instacart has turned this pandemic into a PR campaign, portraying itself (as) the hero of families that are sheltered-in-place, isolated, or quarantined, the organizers wrote in a Medium post Monday morning. Instacart has still not provided essential protections to Shoppers on the front lines that could prevent them from becoming carriers, falling ill themselves, or worse.
(Photo : Image by Tayeb MEZAHDIA from Pixabay )

Advertisement

Image by Tayeb MEZAHDIA from Pixabay



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

Experts in the digital services sector in China discussed how Alibaba, Tencent, Metuan, Baidu and other tech companies battle for market domination amid rapidly-changing consumer demand. They discussed the investment strategies by analyzing the quarterly earnings of Tencent, Pinduoduo, and JD, the strongest competitors in the digital industry.



A host of Tech Node Elliot Zaagman and analyst and portfolio manager at Hullx Capital and co-host of the China Tech Investor Podcast James Hull discussed the adverse effects of the pandemic on the Chinese tech market. Their discussion was guested by keynote speaker on Digital China and Asia Tech and host of Jeff's Asia Tech Class Jeffrey Towson.



They claimed that China's economy will strengthen and the adverse effects of the pandemic would be short-lived. They also suggested that people should research and invest their cash on businesses that continue to grow despite the pandemic. It was also mentioned that Baby Boomers have been investing in businesses when prices are down. Hence, they claimed that businesses such as Tencent and Alibaba, two of China's strongest e-commerce giants, would be healthy investments in today's markets.



It was revealed that Chinese e-commerce apps have been experiencing consistent market growth, but the market competition continues to intensify. It was explained that the issue of 'forced exclusivity' that compels sellers or users to use their platforms to provide services, has been a common complaint among industry players. It was also explained that this was the reason why Tencent and Alibaba continue to enjoy market strength in China because of the popularity of their online applications.



Last November, China's market regulators showed that more than 20 e-commerce players forced sellers into exclusive agreements and that such practice is illegal. A self-identified customer service manager at Pinduoduo revealed that several of its employees received alerts from their accounts. The warnings said that they are not using the applications that are accessible until March 28, 2020.



The manager then said in a letter that it was an extension of Alibaba's 'forced' exclusivity and that the strategy was targeting Pinduoduo employees individually. She also claimed that the block of services would affect employees of Chinese artificial intelligence startup Yitu. The latter allegedly shares IP addresses with the app Pinduoduo since the two companies are located in Jinhongqiao International office in Shanghai.



It was also revealed that IPs at the manager's company at Tenga were also blocked because they were located in the same building. Another user claimed that a Quora-link query platform has also blocked services on an Alibaba platform including promotional coupons and discounts.



The user then shared a Weibo post explaining that platforms are open to all users but only restrict unruly practices. Personnel with the app then said that some users are blocked to prevent unscrupulous and disruptive practices on the platform.



Advertisement

Tagsmarket domination, consumer demand, Alibaba, Tencent
Maska

Director - Neeraj Udhwani

Cast - Manisha Koirala, Prit Kamani, Javed Jaffrey, Shirley Setia, Mallika Chopra

I watched Maska, the new Netflix India original film, several weeks ago. A lot has changed since then. The need, for instance, to be reminded of more innocent times has greatly increased, as has our desire to be distracted, and entertained.

While some might very rightly find the personal problems of a privileged youth difficult to invest in, given our current situation, or wonder why the rigours of running a restaurant are relevant at a time when more than half our countrys population may face a food crisis, I feel films like Maska have more to offer now. What was serviceable mediocrity a month ago might have become a vital source of cheer.

Watch the Maska trailer here

This isnt to say there arent better alternatives to be found -- there are -- but a certain audience will find Maska to be just the sort of buttery comfort food that they need. Directed by debutant Neeraj Udhwani, the film tells the story of a teenage Parsi boy, caught between his dream to become an actor, and his mothers desire for him to follow in his fathers footsteps, and take over the family business -- a charming Irani cafe in Mumbai. Manisha Koirala plays the overbearing mother, while Javed Jaffery appears in an extended cameo as Rustom, popping up on occasion to offer advice to his son.

The trouble with Maska is that it focusses on the least interesting of its three main characters. Rumis confusion, after a while, comes across as a bit grating, mostly because of his delusional quest to become an actor. He simply isnt good enough, and it takes him awfully long to come to this realisation. It is, however, strongly implied that he is a skilled chef.

Rustoms bun maska is his signature dish, and in one of the films better moments, Rumi recreates it from scratch. The scene is shot lusciously, the warm hues and stylised lighting bringing to mind Linus Sandgrens work on The Hundred-Foot Journey, another food film that touched similar themes of legacy and family. Rumi kneads the dough with his bare hands, as fine maida hovers in the air, illuminated by light as golden-brown as the crust of freshly baked bread. He churns his own butter, playfully letting little specks fall on his face. All this while, his mother observes with a growing sense of pride. Her son is just like his father.

Manisha Koirala in a still from Netflixs Maska.

As the eccentric bawa, Javed Jaffrey is a scene-stealer. The actor has always had a knack for accents, and his smooth performance as the mischievous Rustom is, forgive the pun, his bread and butter. Both Rustom and his wife are far more interesting characters than Rumi. Theres a sense that Rustom also went through a period of great angst in his youth, and that Diana -- thats Manishas character -- sacrificed her own dreams to help her husband, and then her son. Both actors are experienced enough to allow these questions to linger in the viewers minds, whereas the younger actors -- Prit Kamani as Rumi, Shirley Setia as a photographer, and Mallika Chopra as Rumis girlfriend -- simply cant keep up with their illustrious older co-stars.

Also read: Rajma Chawal movie review: Rishi Kapoor and Netflix cook up discomfort food

It is one of Maskas recurring problems that Rumi, like a typical Indian man, far too often relies on the women in his life to make the right decisions. And even though he treats nearly all of them unfairly -- Rumi is rather self-obsessed -- the women are nothing short of angelic to him, showering him with attention and advice.

But the film has such as an endearing charm that it becomes virtually impossible to hold a grudge against it, even when you realise that Maska (like the hundreds of chefs whove tried to mimic Manish Mehrotras Daulat Ki Chaat) is essentially scene-for-scene rip-off of the 2009 film Todays Special, starring Aasif Mandvi and Naseeruddin Shah.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

The author tweets @RohanNaahar
(Sharecast News) - Cairn Energy updated the market in light of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic on Friday, saying it was "proactively reviewing" each of its assets and related capital expenditure programmes.

The FTSE 250 company said "significant" reductions and deferrals had already been identified for the 2020 programme, representing an overall 23% reduction in capital expenditure for the year.



Further initiatives relating to the whole forward programme were also under active discussion with joint venture partners and other stakeholders.



Those changes were not expected to impact the firm's previously-disclosed production and production cost guidance for 2020.



At its producing assets, Cairn said planned 2020 capital expenditure on the UK assets was expected to be less than $45m, reduced from the original forecast of $65m as a result of cost savings identified, and the deferral of certain activities planned for the Catcher fields.



Looking at its development assets, the company said the Sangomar joint venture partnership was working to assess several substantial initiatives to reduce and re-phase capital expenditure.



At the current stage, based on initiatives already identified, Cairn said it was expecting net capital expenditure on Sangomar to be less than $330m for 2020, down from the original forecast of $400m.



It said a broader review of capital expenditure for 2020 and future years was ongoing with the joint venture, and an update on the results of that would be provided in due course.



On the exploration front, Cairn said all forward capital expenditure on exploration and appraisal activity was now deferred, with the exception of ongoing operations on the Eni-operated Ehecatl well in Mexico.



Capital expenditure on exploration in 2020 was now anticipated to be about $100m, down from the initial forecast of $150m.



The company said it was "well funded" from existing sources of financing, with a 2020 opening cash position of $255m, proforma for the sale of its Norwegian subsidiary, which completed in February.



It was expecting continued cash flows from UK production, which was expected to be between 19,000 and 23,000 barrels of oil per day in 2020, with 36% of mid case production hedged at $62 per barrel Brent and a targeted all-in production cost of below $20 per barrel of oil equivalent.



The company also noted its undrawn $575m reserves-based lending facility, which included an accordion option to increase commitments by up to an additional $425m on the inclusion of Sangomar in the borrowing base assets.



An update on the actual additional debt capacity determined by the inclusion of Sangomar in the facility would be provided, the board said, as discussions with lenders progressed.



"The health and safety of our staff and contractors remains our primary focus in these challenging times," said chief executive officer Simon Thomson.



"We have also moved quickly to adjust our forward capital programme to current market conditions.



"Our balance sheet remains strong and we are proactively reviewing options for further capital expenditure savings and deferrals, whilst retaining the financial flexibility to add value on an ongoing basis."



At 1039 GMT, shares in Cairn Energy were down 4.29% at 82.6p.
Almost 100 Northern Ireland companies have answered the call to help manufacture vital healthcare products for the coronavirus battle.

The businesses are involved in efforts to scale up production of critical items such as ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitisers and medical scrubs.

Stormont ministers have hailed the response.

Health Minister Robin Swann said: As we all prepare ourselves for a critical phase in the battle to save lives, all parts of society have a part to play and it has been heartening indeed to see industry stepping up in the way they are.

Nearly 100 local companies have come forward offering their skills and expertise to assist the effort to provide those on the front line with the precious resources that they need.

Robin Swann said all sections of society had a part to play in the battle (David Young/PA)

More than 30 responses came from companies that will now be involved in the UK-wide push to produce Rapid Manufactured Ventilator Systems (RMVS).

They will join consortiums from across the UK with the target of producing a prototype that can be scaled up to the thousands within the next few weeks.

Around 20,000 units are to be manufactured and bought by NHS England and allocated to each region, including Northern Ireland.

A further 40-plus companies have stepped forward to assist in the production of PPE.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy said it was vital that frontline health workers were protected.

I want to put on record my thanks to all public sector workers who have continued to provide vital public services in challenging circumstances, he said.

I commend the procurement teams across the public sector who have been working hard locally, nationally and internationally on supply chains so we can access essential supplies.

With immediate effect, ONeills are manufacturing scrubs for the Health and Social Care Trusts.



The health and safety of our workers is paramount. We are observing government hygiene and distancing protocol.



We are delighted to support the work of frontline healthcare staff. pic.twitter.com/oZJwNR5ek9  O'Neills (@ONeills1918) March 23, 2020

Economy Minister Diane Dodds added: In the face of huge challenges, local business is doing what local business does  stepping up and innovating.

More than 40 companies have volunteered to assist in providing support to produce various PPE requirements.

These include companies that have offered help to provide hand sanitiser, those such as ONeills in Strabane who have already begun the manufacture of clinical scrubs, and companies that will provide a range of other PPE equipment.

Invest Northern Ireland is providing valuable input to the process and I am hugely grateful for everyones efforts at this difficult time. The local business community is doing us proud and I want to give them all the support possible.

Businesses that want to offer assistance can contact: ppesupplieroffers.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
Hairdressing salon owner Laila Kornasevska (34) cried when she had to lay off her workforce of 12 stylists the weekend before St Patrick's Day.

She believes her busy salon in Carrick-on-Shannon was one of the first to close as people began to grasp the extent of the threat posed by the coronavirus.

Not long afterwards, she availed of the Government's emergency pandemic payment scheme, which allowed her to keep her staff on the payroll.

She pays them 203 a week each up front and then gets a rebate - but in order for her to pay them this weekend, she will have to take money from her own account.

Even though a new Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme will be in place soon, she fears this means she will have to pay up to 70pc of wages in advance.

To make matters worse, Revenue collected 12,000 from her during the week in corporation tax, VAT and PRSI.

She tried to get the payments deferred but the phone lines were too busy.

"I worry for my girls," she said. "The first few weeks I was really worried.

"I cried that I had to lay off people because I never had to do that before.

"They are not just hairdressers, they are psychologists and friends and a creative community."

Originally from Latvia, the mother of one has lived in Ireland for 15 years.

At least half of her customers are older people and many are asking stylists to do their hair at home.

"I've been saying to them, 'You're not going anywhere really. This will be over.'

"But I worry about a black market that could mean we are feeding what we are afraid of."
By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom will use firefighters to help deliver food, retrieve dead bodies and drive ambulances as it braces for the looming peak of the coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed the lives of more than 22,000 people across the world.

Britain initially took a strikingly modest approach to the worst health crisis since the 1918 influenza epidemic but then changed tack to impose stringent controls after projections showed a quarter of a million British people could die.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a virtual lockdown of the world's fifth largest economy to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus banning Britons from leaving their homes for all non-essential reasons.

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The UK toll is the seventh worst in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France and the United States, according to a Reuters tally.

Under a deal struck between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Fire chiefs and Fire and Rescue Employers, firefighters will continue to respond to their usual emergencies but will now also carry out new tasks.

"We face a public health crisis unparalleled in our lifetimes. The coronavirus outbreak is now a humanitarian emergency and firefighters rightly want help their communities," said Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary.

"Many fear the loss of life in this outbreak could be overwhelming and firefighters, who often handle terrible situations and incidents, are ready to step in to assist with body retrieval."

As well as collecting those who die should there be mass casualties, firefighters can drive ambulances, and take food and medicine to the vulnerable under the agreement.

To cope with the outbreak, Britain has already asked tens of thousands of retired doctors and healthcare workers to return to work, while hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered to assist the state-run National Health Service.

Story continues

On Friday, the capital's ambulance service appealed to former paramedics and control room staff for help, and London's police force asked officers who have retired in the last five years to come back.

"It is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers," London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said.

BRITAIN CLAPS

Britons across the country took to their balconies and front doors on Thursday evening to applaud health workers and bang pots and pans to show support for those working for the nation's much-loved NHS.

There has been criticism that the government has not acted quickly enough to provide protective equipment to frontline healthcare staff and it is also scrambling to source thousands of ventilators to treat those with severe breathing problems caused by the virus.

The government has admitted that it missed an opportunity to join a European Union procurement scheme to source the equipment because of an email mix up.

"There was an issue in terms of communications so the tendering process on those schemes had already started," Business Secretary Alok Sharma told BBC radio on Friday.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
(Alliance News) - Wilmcote Holdings PLC on Friday said its interim pretax loss remained flat as it continued its search for an acquisition.

The stock was untraded on Friday afternoon in London, last quoted at 2.00 pence each.

For the six months to the end of December, the acquisition vehicle focused on the chemicals sector posted pretax loss of GBP1.7 million, unchanged from the comparative period the year prior. The firm did not generate any revenue, as it has no operating businesses.

During the period, Wilmcote secured funding of GBP6.5 million through an open offer with the funds used to secure a platform from which to quickly respond to investment opportunities, and to provide a vehicle to attract a new management team in advance of an acquisition.

Looking ahead, the company said that while there is a risk that future losses may occur from its pursuit of an acquisition, it will mitigate risks by reducing the target size of potential acquisitions to businesses with a value of up to GBP500 million, and seeking appropriate risk-sharing measures with professional service providers and with vendors.

Wilmcote added that the recent disruption caused by the Covid-19 outbreak provides it with more opportunities for investment.

"The company has continued to receive inbound leads with regards to potential platform acquisitions as well as introductions to sector-leading management teams looking to deploy a buy-and-build strategy utilising a listed vehicle. While there is no certainty these discussions will lead to a new executive team being appointed, or a platform acquisition being completed, we look forward to updating shareholders with our progress in due course."

As at the end of December the company had cash of GBP6.5 million.

By Ife Taiwo; ifetaiwo@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
More than 350 undocumented immigrants have been staging a hunger strike since Thursday at a privately owned detention facility in Georgia, demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement provide better safeguards against the coronavirus outbreak.

The Wall Street Journal reported that guards have pepper sprayed some of the inmates during clashes.

According to Project South director Azadeh Shahshahani, more than 2,000 men are detained at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where inmates are gathered in groups of at least 200 for their meals in the dining area.

The jail, which is used by ICE as a detention center, is located about 50 miles from Dougherty County, where more than 100 people have tested positive for COVID-19.

More than 350 undocumented immigrants are on a hunger strike at the privately owned Stewart Detention Center in Georgia where ICE houses more than 2,000 detainees

A detainee speaks on the phone at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where ICE detainees are currently staging a hunger strike

The entrance to the Stewart Detention Center, which is privately own but used as an ICE detention center

North Carolina-based immigrant advocacy group Siembra NC has spoken to detained immigrants at Stewart Detention Center who have blasted ICE for the heightened sense of nervousness that permeates inside the prison.

'We're just waiting to get infected,' said Ventura Quintanar-Rico, 32, according to Siembra NC.

'They're not taking the most basic precautions at this place. If one of us gets infected, all of us will. We are not able to stay six feet apart from each other. We share space with 62 other people,' the Mexican native said.

Shahshahani said the nearest hospital from the facility is close to 20 miles away, which poses a huge concern to the inmate population should any of them fall ill.

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at the ICE detention facility. However, a facility in New Jersey reported two positive cases, including a 52-year-old detainee.

A New York center where unaccompanied minors are held reported three positive cases Thursday, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Pro-immigrant groups have pleaded with the U.S. government to release more than 38,000 undocumented immigrants detained by ICE because of the challenges the often crowded jails could face in the event of a massive outbreak.

'A COVID-19 outbreak will definitely spread like a fire, so we are demanding that Stewart be closed and everyone released. Let the people out, let them have a chance to fight this epidemic on their own terms,' Kimberly Bollo Aponte, of Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, told La Opinion.

Ana Maria Reichenbach told Atlanta NBC affiliate WXIA that she fears for her friend's well-being at Stewart Detention Center.

Measures such as social distancing are null at the facility.

'Coming into this country without authorization is one thing, but losing their lives over this virus is a completely different thing,' Reichenbach said. 'There's literally no way to avoid a massive amount of people contracting the virus.'
A view of the PetroChina (CNPC) liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal on September 22, 2016 in Rudong, China.

PetroChina, China's top natural gas importer, will seek to renegotiate prices with global suppliers to control costs and curb losses at its gas import business, senior executives said on Thursday.

The impact of the novel coronavirus has been devastating for energy prices as measures to contain it have destroyed demand, while supplies have swollen.

Earlier this month, PetroChina cancelled some gas contracts with suppliers  including of piped gas from central Asia and liquefied natural gas from Qatar and Australia.

"Our gas import costs will trend lower with falling oil prices, but we're not going to pin hope on that to cut losses," Lin Xiao, a vice president at PetroChina, said during the group's annual earnings briefing on Thursday.

"We'll actively engage in price renegotiations...and keep optimising the pace in imports and adjust the import volume where contracts allow."

PetroChina is also striving for a deal with China's newly-established national pipeline group on the transfer of pipeline assets.

Lin said no agreement had yet been reached.

PetroChina, also China's second-largest refiner, cut refinery operations significantly in February after China became the first country to suffer from the outbreak of the conoronavirus.

Chinese production has started to pick up this month as efforts to contain the virus succeeded, PetroChina said.

But now the virus has spread to the rest of the world, energy companies across the world are reviewing costs.

PetroChina said it would "dynamically optimise" and adjust spending this year from an earlier planned budget of 295 billion yuan ($41.66 billion). It did not give a new target.

The contrast with last year is stark. PetroChina raised spending to a near-record level of 297 billion yuan in response to Beijing's call to boost domestic oil and gas supply security.

So far this year, the company's Hong Kong-listed shares have fallen by 35%, compared with an 18% fall in the broader Hang Seng Index.

PetroChina on Thursday reported a 13.9% fall in 2019 net profit at 45.68 billion yuan.

Its natural gas import business recorded a 30.71 billion yuan net loss last year, 5.803 billion yuan deeper than the previous year's loss because of slower demand growth at home and as import costs exceeded domestic rates.

The state energy group said it expects to maintain steady domestic oil production and to speed up natural gas development, including new shale gas discoveries in the southwest Sichuan basin.

Its total crude oil output rose 2.1% last year to 909 million barrels and gas increased by 8.3% to 3.91 trillion cubic feet.
Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has donated N500,000 in cash to the families of each of the 47 soldiers who lost their lives during an attack by Boko Haram on Sunday at Gorgi village in Yobe State.

The soldiers lost their lives in a deadly ambush on their convoy.

Mr Zulum was on Friday at the Brigadier Maimalari Barracks to sympathise with the military.

The governor, according to a statement by his spokesman, Isa Gusau, said the N500,000 cash was not given as rebate for losing their loved ones but as social protection at tough economic times caused by COVID-19-inspired lockdowns across the country.

Mr Zulum, who was received by the General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigeria Army, A.K Ibrahim, conveyed his condolences and words of solidarity with the military.

The Government and people of Borno state share the grief of the Nigerian military, particularly those of bereaved families of the soldiers who died last week at a time the country is faced wa ith pandemic,  he said.

READ ALSO:

We pray for the repose of the souls of these gallant soldiers and we salute and appreciate their supreme sacrifices. Nothing can compensate for losing these precious brothers and patriotic Nigerians. We commiserate with their families and because of our area tough and unprecedented times, the government of Borno will support each family with N500,000. Importantly also, we hope the unfortunate incident will not dampen the spirit of our gallant military in our shared fight against Boko Haram, Mr Zulum said.

Meets the widows

After delivering his condolences, Governor Zulum met the widows of some of the bereaved soldiers.

The statement indicated that the governor directed that an accurate and verifiable list of all widows and families be compiled, with each identifying her choice of small scale business and bank account details attached to every name so that the government can transfer startups to them.

You the widows and those married women with children have borne the impact of the sacrifices made by your soldier-husbands, the governor said.

We know your pains and we share them. We are mightily proud of your husbands and we salute them and you who stand by them.

We will support you in ways we can and we will support you directly through your bank accounts so that you sta art business and boost the ones you are d,oing, Mr Zulum said.

Gifts for the barracks

Mr Zulum, before departing the barracks, announced the release of additional transformers to enhance power supply in the barracks to complement an earlier one released last week which the GOC said was already being used at the barrack.

The governor also announced the drilling of two boreholes with distribution lines to families.
Health concerns remained paramount, and no one wanted to pack several hundred lawmakers onto the House floor. Hoyer said that his first suggestion was to establish a quorum, as the majority is called, by walking groups of 30 onto the House floor and recording their presence, then having them leave out the other door so another group of 30 could enter to be recorded as present.
Kabul, March 27 (IANS) Based on a decree issued by President Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan government said that up to 10,000 prisoners will be released in the next 10 days in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus in jails across the country, it was reported.

On Thursday, Ahmad Rashid Totakhil, head of the general directorate of prisons, said that the prisoners who will released does not pse a threat to the society, TOLO News reported.

"The persons that we are releasing are not a big threat to society, they had committed small crimes," said Totakhil.

In a statement, Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz, said: "Because we do not have any vaccine or treatment for the virus, the only way is to implement health-recommended measures. The measures are very easy and can save the lives of millions."

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) added that the prsioners who pose a threat to national security will not be released.

"Another issue that is very important for people to know is that crimes against national and international security and terrorism are not included in the decree," TOLO News quoted Mohammad Farid Hamidi, head of the AGO, as saying.

Officials at the Ministry of Public Health said that six health employees have been infected by the virus in Herat and Kandahar provinces.

Based on the Ministry of Public Health figures, a total of 94 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus in Afghanistan, while four have died.

--IANS

ksk/
By AFP

BEIJING: China and the United States should "unite to fight" the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the globe, said President Xi Jinping in a call with his US counterpart on Friday, according to state media.

The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi told President Donald Trump that China "wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US," said state broadcaster CCTV.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES

The two leaders appeared to strike a conciliatory tone after Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angered Beijing this month by repeatedly referring to "the Chinese virus" when discussing the COVID-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Earlier this month a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing also suggested in a tweet that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

ALSO READ: Trump to discuss coronavirus crisis with Xi as US cases surpass those of China

Friday's call also took place as the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus cases - the pathogen has now infected more than 82,400 people in the world's largest economy.

Xi Jinping said Sino-US relations were at a "critical juncture", CCTV said, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and "the only right choice."

"I hope that the US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations, and both sides can work together to strengthen cooperation in fighting the epidemic," he said.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi Jinping added.
Gandhinagar, March 27 : The Gujarat government on Friday said that no new coronavirus positive case have been reported in the state during last 24 hours Informing the media, Jayanti Ravi, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department said, "There was not a single positive case for coronavirus in Gujarat during the last 24 hours. All the 11 samples sent for testing were confirmed to be negative." So far, Gujarat has confirmed three deaths due to the virus infection. First case was that of a 67 year male with comorbid conditions. The second case was of an 85 year-old woman from Ahmedabad and the third was of a 70-year-old man from Bhavnagar with a travel history of Delhi.

The total cases of corona infected patients in Gujarat is 44.

The health authorities have had a total of 824 samples tested so far for the COVID-19. A total of 20,103 have been quarantined so far in Gujarat.
Drivers for the online food delivery service Postmates Inc. are employees who are eligible for state unemployment insurance, New Yorks top court has ruled.

The ruling upsets the gig business model of courier service Postmates and other platforms like transportation firm Uber that have insisted their delivery persons are independent contractors rather than employees and thus not eligible for benefits like unemployment insurance. The two firms have lobbied for the government to recognize a third classification of workers between employees and independent contractors.

The case reached the top court as Postmates sought to overturn the states Unemployment Insurance Appeal Boards decision in favor of the driver, Luis Vega, who filed for unemployment benefits after he was terminated in 2015. Postmates won on appeal in state court in 2018 but now has lost in the states top court.

The majority of judges on the New York State Court of Appeals agreed with the state board that the companys workers are employees and not independent contractors and found Postmates must pay into the states unemployment insurance fund for each employee.

New Tech, Old Story In Vega v. Postmates, the New York State Court of Appeals harkened back to a different era and a 1986 case: Although the operative technology has changed in the interim decades, this case is indistinguishable from Matter of Rivera, where we held that substantial evidence supported the Boards conclusion that a similar delivery person was an employee of the delivery companyeven though he set his own delivery routes and did not have a set work schedule but called the companys dispatcher whenever he wished to engage in work, accepting only the jobs he desired.

Postmates is a delivery business that uses a website and smartphone application to dispatch couriers to pick-up and deliver goods from local restaurants and stores to customers in cities across the United States.

The court looked to the traditional test of whether the employer exercises control over the results produced or the means used to achieve the results and found that Postmates dominates the significant aspects of its couriers work by dictating to which customers they can deliver, where to deliver the requested items, effectively limiting the time frame for delivery and controlling all aspects of pricing and payment.

The court noted that the application of this test will necessarily vary depending on the nature of the work, adding that Postmates couriers perform unskilled labor and have little input over how to do their jobs.

The court said there is substantial evidence to support the determination that Postmates exercises control over its couriers sufficient to render them employees. While couriers decide when to log into the Postmates app and accept delivery jobs, the company controls the assignment of deliveries. Customers cannot request a particular worker. The company tracks the couriers location in real time on the app. Couriers can use a company sponsored card to purchase the customers requested items. Postmates handles all complaints and, in some circumstances, retains liability to the customer for incorrect or damaged deliveries.

Also, the couriers compensation, which they have no ability to negotiate, is paid by Postmates and Postmates bears the loss when customers do not pay.

Postmates exercises more than incidental control over its courierslow-paid workers performing unskilled labor who possess limited discretion over how to do their jobs. That the couriers retain some independence to choose their work schedule and delivery route does not mean that they have actual control over their work or the service Postmates provides its customers, the court wrote.

The court likened the situation to delivery persons who call a dispatcher to get assignments rather than report through an app  they are also employees.

Postmates told Reuters that the ruling showed that New York needs a modern worker classification framework.

New York Attorney General Letitia James welcomed the ruling. The courts have solidified what we all have known for a while  delivery drivers are employees and are entitled to the same unemployment benefits other employees can obtain. As the nation battles the spread of the coronavirus and more and more employees are laid off, Postmates drivers should know they have the same safety net millions of others in New York have today, she said.

During the current coronavirus pandemic, Uber and Postmates have renewed their call for changes to employment laws to provide some benefits while maintaining workers status as independent contractors. The two have also been trying to block a new California law that makes it harder for them to classify their workers as independent contractors rather than employees.

The $2 trillion federal coronavirus relief bill now before Congress includes some unemployment benefits to independent contractors and self-employed persons.

Related:

Topics Legislation New York Personal Auto Contractors
SIOUX CITY -- Three new cases of the novel coronavirus was reported Thursday in Northwest Iowa.

Woodbury County has its third case of the virus, Sioux County now has two cases, and Dickinson County reported its first. The latter is also the first case in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

The third COVID-19 patient in Woodbury County was described as an older adult male, between the ages of 61 and 80 years old. He is currently recovering at home, according to Siouxland District Health.

Iowa Department of Public Health on Thursday announced a second case of COVID-19 in Sioux County. The new patient is an older adult, between 61 and 80 years old. The person's gender is not known, nor is their condition. Sioux County's first case was also an older adult in that age range.

The second Sioux County case was one of 34 additional cases the state reported Thursday. Monona County's first case, initially disclosed on Wednesday, was included on Thursday's list. The state's total has risen to 179 cases in 37 counties, though this figure does not include the new cases in Dickinson or Woodbury counties.

Dickinson County became the fourth Northwest Iowa county to have a confirmed COVID-19 case. No information about the individual was disclosed in a press release from Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, other than the patient is receiving treatment in isolation.

Woodbury County was the first Northwest Iowa to announce a case on Saturday, and the second was reported on Monday.

One coronavirus-related death has been reported thus far in Iowa. Thirty-one individuals are hospitalized due to the virus, according to state public health department data. Another 15 hospitalizations were discharged and are recovering.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 17:43 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de7ec5 1 National COVID-19-travel-ban,Saudi-Arabia,haj-pilgrimage,cancellation,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,Fachrul-Razi,Religious-Affairs-Ministry Free

The Religious Affairs Ministry is considering what to do if this years annual haj is canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have prepared a plan for if the haj is eventually canceled, said Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi in a statement on Friday.

He said the Saudi government might cancel the haj because it is currently restricting people from visiting the two Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, where most of the haj processions take place. Saudi Arabia has also been suspending international flights to and from the country since March 15.

Should Saudi Arabia prolong the restrictions and eventually call off the annual pilgrimage, Fachrul said the government would return all travel payments to Indonesian pilgrims.

According to the ministry, about 221,000 pilgrims were to go on haj this year. They were required to pay travel expenses ranging from Rp 31.4 million (US$2,169) to Rp 72.3 million per person, depending on the point of departure.

However, Fachrul asked haj pilgrims to still fully pay their haj travel expenses until May 19, as there had no further notice from the Saudi government. The minister added that 83,337 haj pilgrims had paid for their expenses as of Friday.

We promise to return the travel expenses to pilgrims if the haj is canceled. We are monitoring any policy changes in Saudi Arabia and ask pilgrims to be patient when facing the situation, he added.

Read also: COVID-19: 42 Indonesian pilgrims stranded as Saudi Arabia imposes travel restrictions

This years haj preparations were still underway, as the government had started procuring transportation, accommodations and catering for Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

However, the government had not disbursed the down payments for those services since the Saudi haj and umrah (minor haj) minister sent a letter to the government last week asking Indonesia to postpone all payments related to haj accommodations.

The government would also suspend manasik (pilgrimage rehearsals) for Indonesian pilgrims to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, given that the event had always involved massive crowds of would-be haj pilgrims.

We are now preparing another plan so that the pilgrims would still be able to perform manasik even though they will not gather in a big place, Fachrul said.

We would distribute haj books, provide education via social media and online learning so that the pilgrims can practice haj before their departure to Saudi Arabia. (glh)
Posted by Jeremy on at 03:03 AM CST

The latest exclusive Black Series action figure -Stormtrooper Commander - is now available to pre-order at Gamestop.com for $24.99. This latest addition to Gamestop's exclusive Gaming Greats, which includes Heavy Battle Droid (Battlefront II) and Jedi Knight Revan (Knights of the Old Republic), has yet to receive a release date yet but you won't be billed until it is ready to ship.
We will continue to deliver the latest information as quickly as possible, so operators have the tools necessary to inform the tough decisions they are facing every minute. Kelli Valade, Black Box Intelligence CEO and president.

Black Box Intelligence, the leading provider of data and insights to the restaurant industry for over 20 years, recently opened a free survey for restaurant operators to collect and distribute daily sales and traffic data.

In a time of uncertainty and heightened anxiety we want to extend what we do best  data and insights  to the entire restaurant community to help navigate this new reality, shared Kelli Valade, chief executive officer at Black Box Intelligence. We will continue to deliver the latest information as quickly as possible, so operators have the tools necessary to inform the tough decisions they are facing every minute.

The survey opens daily at 8:00 AM CDT and closes at 2:00 PM CDT. Results are delivered in a daily flash report later in the afternoon. The survey is conducted seven days a week and complimentary for all restaurant operators, regardless of the relationship to Black Box Intelligence.

Watching the number of participating restaurants grow from just a few to nearly 20,000, from all segments of the industry in just over a week, makes us grateful and honored to be adding value for the restaurant operators in the industry we love in such a challenging time, said Sarah Higgins, vice president of marketing for Black Box Intelligence.

This new report breaks down percentages of locations operating at a limited capacity or are fully closed, broken down by segment (quick service, fast casual, family dining, casual dining and upscale casual). Median growth rates show year-over-year comp sales and traffic, as week as off-premise sales growth by segment. Additionally, regional results are broken down by segment. Results from the daily flash report inform the Special COVID-19 Weekly Reports.

To participate, restaurant operators can email marketing@blackboxintelligence.com to begin receiving the daily survey and report. For validation purposes, please email from your restaurant company email address.

About Black Box Intelligence

Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) is the leading data and insights provider of workforce, guest, consumer and financial performance benchmarks for the hospitality industry. The Black Box Intelligence product suite is the industry standard for operators seeking to achieve best-in-class performance results. With the largest and most reliable set of real restaurant data in the marketplace, Black Box Intelligence currently tracks and analyzes more than 300 companies, over 2.8 million employees, 47,000 restaurant units and $75 billion in annual sales revenue. Black Box Intelligence is also the producer of the Global Best Practices Conference held annually in Dallas, Texas. Learn more at blackboxintelligence.com.
Prison visits to jails in Portlaoise and other jails are to be suspended to help stem the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19.

The announcement was made on Friday, March 27 by Liz Canavan, assistant secretary to the Department of An Taoiseach, who is chair of the Government group that is overseeing the management of the virus.

"The volume of people entering our prisons on a daily basis means effective infection control and vigilance is absolutely essential. Prisons are home or work for over 7,000 people and the Irish Prison Service has taken a number of necessary measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 including the restrictions of visits to prisons.

"The Irish Prison Service has made every effort to continue to run normal family visits for as long as possible, however, in the best interest of the health and safety of prison staff, prisoners and their families, from tomorrow (Saturday, March 28) normal physical visits will no longer be possible. Physical visits will be replaced by electronic visits via internet platforms, video links and video phones.

"Electronic visits will negate the need for visitors to, for example, gather in the visitor centre at each prison and are in line with the recommendations announced this week by the Taoiseach," she said.

Apart from tighter restrictions on prison visits the Irish Prison Service has taken other measures in recent weeks including the temporary release of some prisoners.

There were 3,880 prisoners in Irish jails as of Thursday, March 26. A total of 90% of beds in jails are occupied.
They are the friendly cashiers, the helpful baggers, the essential stockers and warehouse workers. The receivers who unload the delivery trucks, the personal shoppers who fulfill online orders and the teenagers who haul back all the shopping carts left behind in the parking lot.

Supermarket employees have long toiled behind the scenes of the most mundane of weekly errands: grocery shopping. But since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the humble grocery worker has taken on a new mantle in society, that of an emergency first responder in the global fight against the spread of the virus.

Grocery employees are working long hours  and putting their lives on the line  to provide food and basic household essentials to worried consumers increasingly staying at home during the pandemic. Unlike office staff, these workers cannot do their job from the comfort of their homes. U.S. grocery cashiers made a median wage of $10.78 per hour in 2018, far less than the median salaries for police officers ($30.47 an hour) and firefighters ($23.85 an hour), according to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

At the same time, these workers have taken on additional duties, particularly to help keep stores clean. H-E-B is asking employees to devote shifts to cleaning entire stores, wiping down self-checkout after every two customers and frequently sanitizing high-touch areas, such as scales and shopping carts.

People are starting to realize who they are, that these folks are really unbelievable, H-E-B President Scott McClelland said. They realize were on the front lines and weve got a role to fill in the community, one thats as essential as the medical community.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust

To support its employees, H-E-B has reduced their hours of operation, limited the number of shoppers it allows inside stores, installed hand sanitzers and plastic sneeze guards at checkout and placed floor markers to encourage social distancing. The San Antonio-based grocer also raised hourly wages by $2, expanded sick leave and encouraged workers who feel ill or uncomfortable to stay home.

H-E-B also is hiring additional temporary workers, including daytime and overnight stockers, checkers and baggers, to meet the surging demand. Hourly wages start at $9.50 for baggers, $13.50 for checkers and daytime stockers and $15 for overnight stockers, according to job postings. H-E-B employs 120,000 workers in Texas and Mexico, including nearly 32,000 in the Houston area.

Grasping the gravity

H-E-B employees at the Bellaire Market on Wednesday  the first day of Harris Countys stay-at-home order, which classified grocery workers as essential  acknowledged the new risks involved with their occupation. But they also said they understood the vital role they have always played in society, albeit one that has taken on a heightened importance during the pandemic.

James Moss, 35, orders produce, stocks shelves and manages the produce department as a purchasing manager at the Bellaire store. He said his wife worries for his safety, knowing that its difficult to practice social distancing at a grocery store frequented by so many people. After coming home each day, Moss washes his hands and all of his clothes, he said.

My wife knows how much I love what I do, and the important role and service we provide to the community, Moss said. People are relying on us to feed themselves and their families.

Breaking News: Get email alerts from Chron.com sent directly to your inbox

The gravity of the work has been taken to heart by even H-E-Bs youngest employees.

When 17-year-old Kevon Adewole took his first job as a part-time cashier and bagger for H-E-B in August, the Westside High School senior was hoping to make some extra cash during his final year, working at a job held by generations of teenagers before him.

With the virus spreading, Adewoles high school is closed, and his senior prom and graduation ceremony are up in the air. Instead of wallowing at home, he took on more shifts at H-E-B, saying he felt a call of duty. Adewole, who typically makes $13.70 an hour, said he is making $15 an hour during the pandemic..

Its a little sad for the class of 2020, but this is teaching me to be more responsible and not take things for granted, the teenager said. I want to help out the best way I can.

The sacrifice that grocery workers are making is not lost on shoppers, many of whom are saying thank you and we appreciate you more often. The workers said they were humbled by the outpouring of support they have received from customers.

Im just coming in and doing my job, but hearing that youre vital, important and we need you, its cool, said Andrew Knowles, 32, a healthy living specialist and a backup receiver for H-E-B. Its really fulfilling.

Morning rush

The sliding glass doors opened Wednesday at 8 a.m. sharp, and more than a dozen customers  some wearing face masks and latex gloves  streamed inside H-E-Bs Bellaire store. The first customers got in line outside the store at 6:30 a.m.

Erika Pantoja, 46, stood at her checkout station, smiling as she waited for customers to ring up. The cashier and sampling specialist has been working for H-E-B and its Hispanic-focused stores Mi Tienda for seven years. H-E-B is a family affair: Pantojas 27-year-old son, 20-year-old daughter and daughter-in-law all work in various capacities for the grocery chain.

Pantoja said she sees the worried faces on her customers but hopes her positive energy and a mostly well-stocked store can help ease their concerns..

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Customers come in a little sad, but I give everyone a smile, she said. Even though were all going through a hard time, were happy to be here helping people.

Anshul Varma, 48, who went shopping for groceries and cleaning supplies, admitted he didnt think a lot about the grocery workers who help get food to his dining table. But since the coronavirus, the Houston management consultant said hes had a greater appreciation for everyone working at his local grocer.

Its been an eye-opener, Varma said. I didnt realize just how important they are. I just hope they all stay safe because these guys are all bearing the brunt of it.

Trudy Timian, 69, said she ventured out to go grocery shopping on Wednesday for the first time in more than a week after cleaning out her fridge and pantry. She, too, said she worried for grocery workers health but said she wouldnt have food at home if not for them.

I have the utmost respect for them, she said. I thank every single one of them, because they deserve it. Theyre going the extra mile for us.

paul.takahashi@chron.com

twitter.com/paultakahashi
Only two days ago, the news of Prince Charles being tested positive for Coronavirus hit the headlines. It was further reported that he has been quarantined with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and have moved to the Balmoral estate in Scotland for self-isolation.

Now we hear according to a UK daily that Meghan Markle has asked Prince Harry to avoid travelling in the current situation to meet his father, Prince Charles. According to the sources, the Duchess of Sussex who recently moved to LA with her family is not keen on Prince Harry taking any trips right now. She is also frustrated that they cant do anything to help Prince Charles directly.

The news report also states that Meghan told her inner circle of friends that Harry has been communicating with Prince William and the Queen on a pretty consistent basis.
Inspired by Pawan Kalyan, another Telugu superstar, Ram Charan, has decided to donate to the government's relief fund to battle the COVID 19 pandemic. He will be donating Rs 70 lakh.

On Thursday afternoon, Ram Charan announced on Instagram: "Inspired by Pawan Kalyan Garu's tweet, I would like to contribute Rs 70 lakh towards the centre and states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh relief fund in this moment of crisis.

I would like to applaud the commendable efforts of our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and Honourable Chief Ministers of our respective states KCR Garu and Jagan Mohan Reddy Garu in curtailing the vast effects of the pandemic COVID 19.

As a responsible citizen, I encourage all to strictly abide by their rules and recommendations. Jai Hind."

Not only was Ram Charan been inspired by Pawan Kalyan, South star Mahesh Babu also tweeted that he would be donating Rs 1 crore to fight the Coronavirus pandemic.

Let's battle the COVID-19 as a nation! I urge everyone to follow the rules put forth by our Government. My deepest gratitude for all your efforts @PMOIndia @TelanganaCMO @KTRTRS @AndhraPradeshCM @ysjagan.  Humanity will rise and we will win this war! #StayHomeStaySafe pic.twitter.com/csfdtaZPWy Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) March 26, 2020

"Let's battle the COVID-19 as a nation! I urge everyone to follow the rules put forth by our Government. My deepest gratitude for all your efforts @PMOIndia @TelanganaCMO @KTRTRS @AndhraPradeshCM @ysjagan Humanity will rise and we will win this war! #StayHomeStaySafe," he wrote.

On Thursday morning, Pawan Kalyan announced that he would be donating Rs 50 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Minister's relief funds and Rs 1 crore to the Prime Minister's relief fund.

Ram Charan and Mahesh Babu followed his footsteps and announced to make his contribution as India faces a tough time battling the COVID 19 pandemic.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Australia's largest hairdressing chain, Just Cuts, has shut down for at least the next month.

Bosses said they could 'no longer wait for the National Cabinet to do the right thing' and close salons, with both staff and clients at increasing risk from coronavirus.

The Australian government has come under increasing pressure to force a further shutdown of the country to help stop the spread of the disease.

Just Cuts CEO Denis McFadden said the current COVID-19 restrictions were 'impossible to maintain' and that there was a 'physical risk and mental toll on hairdressers and clients'.

In a damning statement, he accused the government of leaving the public at risk of infection and said they were 'putting people's lives on the line'.

He said he had pleaded with the Australian government to add hairdressing to its list of non-essential services, but the calls 'fell on deaf ears'.

None of its 190 salons, or 2,500 employees, will carry on working.

'We had hoped that common sense would finally kick in and the State, Federal and Territory Governments would act on the medical advice that safe distancing is critical,' Mr McFadden said on Friday night.

'National Cabinet has today failed to act on our pleas to add hairdressing to the list of non-essential services.

'This is despite calls from medical experts including the Australian Medical Association for more and stronger self-distancing measures.

There have been 13 deaths from coronavirus in Australia, with 3,168 cases recorded nationwide

Just Cuts chief executive Denis McFadden (pictured) said the government's policy was putting lives at risk

'This is despite the acknowledgement from Deputy Chief Medicial Officer Dr Paul Kelly that for hairdressing its impossible to take those social distancing rules.

'Our stylists are scared. Our customers are scared. How can we ask them to continue when everything and all the medical experts says the risks are too high?

'We had hoped National Cabinet would understand the difficulties their failure to change position leaves our franchise salon owners and their teams in.

'We are extremely disappointed that our calls for action fell on deaf ears.

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

'We arent prepared to put the lives of our people or our clients on the line anymore.

'Livelihoods are still at stake.'

In a video posted earlier this week, Mr McFadden pleaded with the state and federal governments to recognise the dangers of keeping hairdressers open.

In the video he demonstrated why keeping hairdressers working is dangerous.

'I am touching this client's hair and our stylists are doing this every day. We need the government now to shut us down,' he said.

'I plead with the state and federal government that this is dangerous.'

The National Cabinet relaxed the rules on 30-minute time limits for hairdressers on Wednesday night after backlash from the industry.

At midnight on Wednesday stage two restrictions over the coronavirus crisis came into effect forcing the closure of non-essential services.

While this included massages and nail treatments, it did not include hair salons.

Hairdressers and barbers were told to minimise contact with people where possible to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Wales Air Ambulance launches emergency appeal as coronavirus pandemic forces closure of its charity shops

This article is old - Published: Friday, Mar 27th, 2020

Wales Air Ambulance (WAA) has launched an emergency appeal for funds after the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of its charity shops.

WAA is a charity providing emergency air cover for those who face life-threatening life illness or injuries.

The charity needs to raise 6.5 million every year to operate the day-to-day running of missions, each call out costs on average 1500.

Many of the ways that WAA raises funds are through face-to-face public events or its charity shops.

In a statement, the charity say: Quite rightly, events have been cancelled and our shops have closed as we all play our part to protect the most vulnerable in our society against the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it does mean that we will see a significant decrease in the money that we can raise to maintain our lifesaving service. The charity has said

Wales Air Ambulance was created by the people of Wales, for the people of Wales.

You are the reason that we exist and we know that you will continue to support us, as we will continue to support you.

This is an extremely difficult time for everybody, and we appreciate that not everybody will be in a position to do so, but if you can support us, we would be very grateful.

Wales Air Ambulance was launched on St. Davids Day in 2001.

From humble beginnings as a one-helicopter service, it has grown into the UKs largest air ambulance operation with four aircraft at bases across Wales.

The service is now one of the most advanced in Europe.

If you can donate: Click Here
Ending a year-long political impasse, Israel inched towards forming a new government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger, former army Chief Benny Gantz of the Blue and White part, reaching a deal with him.

The unsigned deal, as per local media reports, ensures Netanyahu's continuity at the helm of the affairs for the first 18 months after which he will be replaced by Gantz.

Netanyahu last July became the longest serving Premier in the country's history but has failed to win a clear mandate in the last three elections, all held in a span of less than a year.

The former Israel Defence Forces chief of Staff was elected the speaker of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) on Thursday, in a surprise move, with the support of Netanyahu led right-wing bloc, a development that left his own Blue and White party in tatters and an eventual split.

Former Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party was a major alliance partner in the Blue and White party led the charge against Gantz accusing him of "betrayal to voters and a theft of votes".

We ran together because Benny Gantz looked me in the eye and said he would never sit in this bad government. I believed him", Lapid said at a joint press conference with fellow Blue & White leader, Moshe Ya'alon, a former Defence Minister, on Thursday evening.

"Together with us, over a million Blue & White voters marched from street to street and from bridge to bridge They feel betrayed today, and justifiably so. Their votes were stolen and given as a gift to Netanyahu," Lapid accused.

What's being formed today isn't a unity government or an emergency government. It's another Netanyahu government. Benny Gantz surrendered without a fight and crawled into Netanyahu's government, he charged.

Ya'alon said this was "a sad evening" and that Gantz's decision to join a Netanyahu government "symbolizes everything we oppose".

"Therefore, Yair and I have no choice but to declare our partnership as a faction that will fight against this negative phenomenon from the opposition", he asserted.

Lawmakers of the center-left bloc took the Knesset podium earlier on Thursday to condemn Gantz and his clandestine partnership with Netanyahu.

You'll end up a rug under the feet of an alleged crook, an inciter and racist, Zandberg said.

We're standing here in shock trying to internalize the depth of your deception the disaster you're inflicting on millions of voters [who backed] the left-democratic bloc who sought an alternative [to Netanyahu]", she said.

Gantz, who won the mandate from President Reuven Rivlin to form a new government after being backed by 61 lawmakers following an unprecedented third round of polls on March 2, including those from the Arab dominated Joint List, has been left with only his faction of Israel Resilience party that has 15 members.

The factions led by Lapid and Ya'alon are likely to be recognised as the new Blue and White party following the split.

Parliamentarian Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List slammed Gantz's Israel Resilience party and called it a "Likud B", an offshoot of Netanyahu's ruling party.

"Likud B, who spoke of a "Jewish majority" and backed a unilateral annexation [of the Jordan Valley in the West Bank] during the election campaign, has finally joined Likud A," said Jabareen.

Gantz's move however received the backing of his party's co-leader, Gabi Ashkenazi, himself a former army Chief of Staff and being seen as the next Defence Minister in the deal, who published a tweet expressing his support for the move.

The country is in the midst of a national crisis, one of the worst we've known. A difficult crisis demands difficult decisions," wrote Ashkenazi.

"We could not keep standing on the sidelines at a time like this. Israeli citizens now need a national emergency government", he added.

Gantz is likely to serve as Netanyahu's Number 2 for the first 18 months after which he will replace him as the next Prime Minister.

His loyalists will get senior cabinet posts, including the Justice Ministry from where they will be able to ensure that when the courts return to normal, Netanyahu will indeed go on trial for his graft indictment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gunmen kill 25 at Afghan temple, UN chief calls for accountability

26 March 2020 - The Secretary-General condemned Wednesday's attack on a Sikh-Hindu temple in the heart of Kabul, Afghanistan, that left dozens of civilians killed and injured.

As Sikh worshipers gathered for morning prayers, news reports said that Islamic State militants stormed the temple, where attackers killed a guard and caused people to flee for shelter before a lengthy siege that turned dozens into hostages and left 25 dead, including a child.

"Attacks against civilians are unacceptable and those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable", the Secretary-General reiterated in a statement.

He expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the victims' families and wished the injured "a speedy recovery".

"The United Nations stands in solidarity with the people and the Government of Afghanistan and will continue supporting efforts to bring peace to their country", concluded the statement.

'Despicable' attack

Meanwhile, Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), expressed his dismay at the "despicable" attack.

In a statement on his behalf, his Spokesperson said that that the attack came "at a time when the world is facing a pandemic" that adversely impacts everyone and requires all "to stand together as 'One Humanity'".

Recalling the UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, the High Representative stressed that "attacks targeting sacred sites and worshippers are intolerable and have to stop".

Mr. Moratinos called on all governments, as well as others, to support the implementation of the plan to guarantee the sanctity of worship places and the safety of worshipers".

Against the backdrop of previous terrorist assaults on Sikhs and other religious minorities in Afghanistan, he said that raid "adds to an expanding number of attacks targeting various faith communities around the world".

He underscored that "such outrageous acts of terror" should not be a dissuasion to promoting "solidarity, respect, and peace globally".

The statement concluded with the High Representative's condolences to the victims' families and his wishes of "solidarity to the people and the Government of Afghanistan".

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






People around the world are sharing heartwarming photos and videos of grandparents meeting their newborn grandchildren for the first time through glass window and doors.

The uplifting footage proves that families are finding creative new ways to celebrate life's big moments amid the coronavirus pandemic, even if they can't physically be together.

Kathy Rezac, 58, from Georgia took to Facebook on March 18 to share a tear-jerking video of the moment her father saw his newborn great-granddaughter for the very first time.

Scroll down for video

Aww! People around the world are taking to social media to share tear-jerking footage of grandparents meeting their newborn grandchildren through windows

Heartwarming: Kathy Rezac, 58, from Georgia shared a video of the emotional moment her father (right) saw his newborn great-granddaughter (left) for the very first time

In the clip, Kathy's daughter and son-in-law can be seen walking their baby girl to a window where her dad was waiting on the opposite side.

'She's everything,' he gushed. 'What a beautiful baby.'

The proud great-grandpa couldn't help but tear up as he excitedly tapped on the window to try and wake the sleeping newborn.

'My granddaughter meeting her great grandfather for the first time. Love shines through windows. Feel free to share - we could all use a little uplifting these days,' Kathy captioned the viral clip, which has been viewed more than 1.6 million times.

So sweet: The proud great-grandpa couldn't help but tear up as he excitedly tapped on the window to try and wake the sleeping newborn.

People have also posted pictures of similar moments on Twitter, providing some much-needed joy during the global crisis.

When Morganne Nadler, 32, from Atlanta, Georgia, announced the birth of her son last week, she revealed that Northside Hospital helped arrange a safe meeting between her baby boy and mother.

In the picture that she shared, her husband can be seen holding their newborn son up to the hospital window while Morganne's mom peeks in from outside.

'Overjoyed to announce the arrival of Branson Von, on 3/20/20,' the new mom tweeted. 'In the midst of trying times where extreme caution is necessary, we're so thankful to @NorthsideHosp for allowing us to get creative so my mom could meet her 1st grandson. #COVID19 #QuaratineLife #newborn #coronavirus.'

Making it work: Morganne Nadler, 32, from Atlanta, Georgia, revealed that Northside Hospital helped arrange a safe meeting between her baby boy and mother

First meeting: In the picture that she shared, her husband can be seen holding their newborn son up to the hospital window while Morganne's mom peeks in from outside

Meanwhile, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, 68, from Big Timber, Montana, urged people to continue practicing social distancing as she posted a precious photo of her daughter cradling her newborn near a window for her family to see from outside.

'This is the new normal in the face of #COVID19,' she tweeted. 'My brother meets my daughter's newborn through the front porch window. Better safe. Be smart .'

Across the pond, Emma Gall, from Meath, Ireland, shared a snapshot of her brother Micheal holding his newborn son Faolan up to the window so their father could meet the baby boy for the first time.

'Three generations of social distancing as my dad meets his grandson for the first time,' she tweeted, later adding: 'Thanks everyone for your lovely messages!

Safety first: Dr. Nancy Snyderman, 68, from Big Timber, Montana, urged people to practice social distancing as she posted a photo of her daughter cradling her newborn near a window

New norm: Across the pond, Emma Gall, from Meath, Ireland, shared a snapshot of her brother Micheal holding his newborn son Faolan so their father could meet the baby boy

'The good news is baby Faolan is doing great and oblivious to his new fame. Also Faolan is my nephew and it is my brother Micheal holding him. His Mammy (whose name is also Emma) took the picture.'

Journalist Summer Said also posted a snapshot of her mother- and father-in-law meeting her baby girl for the first time.

In the sweet photo, they are outside, bundled up in winter coats while looking in on their granddaughter as she sleeps in her crib.

'My parents in law seeing their 3-day old granddaughter for the very first time through glass door. #Belgium #coronavirus,' she wrote.

Looking in: Journalist Summer Said also posted a snapshot of her mother- and father-in-law meeting her baby girl for the first time

Not only are the images endearing, but they are also a reminder of the lengths people need to go to keep their older relatives and babies safe from the novel virus.

Earlier this week, a three-week-old infant in New York was identified as the youngest patient in the U.S. to test positive for coronavirus.

Worldwide, the youngest confirmed case was a newborn baby in China who tested positive for coronavirus just 30 hours after birth.

Experts say that it serves as a reminder that children are not immune to coronavirus, warning parents to be on guard to protect their kids from potential exposure.

However, while some children and infants have been infected with coronavirus, adults make up most of the known cases to date, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The White House said Thursday that a missing former FBI agent may have died in Iran, acknowledging his family's conclusions, but Tehran said he had left the country years ago. The family of Bob Levinson, who disappeared in 2007 on a mysterious trip to Iran, said Wednesday that US intelligence had convinced them that he died in Iranian custody but that it was unclear when or how. President Donald Trump did not confirm Levinson's death when asked by reporters late Wednesday but his national security advisor, Robert O'Brien, went further Thursday. "Iran must provide a complete accounting of what occurred with Bob Levinson. While the investigation is ongoing, we believe that Bob Levinson may have passed away some time ago," O'Brien said in a statement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a cautious separate statement, said: "Only Iran knows for certain what happened to Bob since his abduction more than 13 years ago." Both Pompeo and O'Brien renewed demands that Iran release several US citizens who remain in jail. Levinson, who would have turned 72 this month, is one of a number of Americans who have disappeared in arch-enemy Iran, but his case has been among the most perplexing. The father of seven vanished in March 2007 in Kish, an island that has more lenient visa rules than the rest of Iran, and was said to have been investigating cigarette counterfeiting. But The Washington Post reported in 2013 that Levinson, who had retired from the FBI, was working for the CIA and had gone on a rogue mission aimed at gathering intelligence on Iran. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi implicitly denied the family's claim that Levinson died in Iranian custody. "Based on credible evidence, (Levinson) left Iran years ago for an unknown destination," Mousavi said in a statement. He added that Iran had done everything it could to trace what happened after he left but found "no evidence of him being alive." Mousavi called on Washington to make an official announcement if Levinson's death was confirmed, without "politicizing and exploiting the family's feelings." Alireza Miryousefi, Iran's chief press officer at the United Nations, had said earlier that Tehran had "no knowledge" of Levinson's whereabouts. The family has accused Iranian authorities of lying and demanding accountability for Levinson. Family members have also accused some US officials of doing too little to help Levinson. The US government has long denied Levinson was employed by it, although the 2013 report by The Washington Post said the CIA paid his wife $2.5 million to accept responsibility for his disappearance.
Fisheries is playing an important role in Pakistans economy

by Abdul Sattar Rahuja

March 27,2020 | Source: Daily Times

Change in the priorities of the nations of the world has re-designed their economies. In the contemporary era, steady and sound economies are indispensable for political stability. In this world of globalisation, the maritime economy or trade plays a crucial and a significant role as it assists, transforms and globalise. The maritime economy is also known as the blue economy or ocean economy, as it depends on the ocean for inputs to strengthen and boost its production process, depending on the industry as well as the geographical location. Pakistan is situated in such a blessed region where there is both land and sea, and a lot of potential for renewable recourses. Sea is the backbone of Pakistans economy. Pakistan is located at the centre of the Indian Ocean, making it a coastal state. It executes 95 percent of its trade through blue, via its ports in Karachi and Gwadar.



Maritime affairs vastly increased after the construction of a deep-sea port at the Gwadar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan took the initiative of easy-going, peaceful business policy for renewal of the shipping industry through trade; shipment is the cheapest mode of transport. In the maritime economy of Pakistan, navy is an essential element of military power at sea to protect the strategic and national interests.



More than 15 million barrels of crude oil are shipped across the Pakistani coast from the Gulf state. Pakistan also has the shortest sea access to the Central Asian states, Afghanistan and China. Pakistan is an important littoral state. It not only reflects the pivotal and potential of Pakistans maritime economy but also culminates its geostrategic and geo-military importance. Fisheries also play an important role in Pakistans economy and have the capacity to export fish worth 500 million dollars, but unfortunately, due to the lack of concentration of government, Pakistans fish industries are depleting.



There is a dire need to understand the importance of the maritime sector in Pakistan. Firstly, Pakistan should realise that land resources are limited and are getting depleted all around the world in general and particularly, in developing countries with respect to population. This condition will lead us towards sea resources, Secondly, Pakistan has the potential of a 960 km coastline, which is a gateway towards the riches of the Arabian Sea. Thirdly, the marine nation has a position of superiority over landlocked countries due to better economic opportunities, which eventually results in sturdy defence. Maritime affairs vastly increased after the construction of a deep-sea port at the Gwadar China Pakistan Economic Corridor



Fourthly, Pakistan is a blessed country with an Exclusive Economic Zone and is full of resources that cannot be fully utilised without maritime attentiveness because the sea is the cheapest way of trading. Last but not least, Pakistan has a geostrategic location that creates an enviable access to the Muslim nations of the region, and therefore, Pakistan should serve as a platform for forging greater unity.



Pakistan is a littoral state, with huge maritime potential. Our decision makers have a land-oriented mindset, and they focus very little on the maritime sector of Pakistan. It is nothing but lack of command and farsightedness. Now the time has come that Pakistan takes ample and adequate steps to develop attention towards this sector and try to make up for years of neglect. To understand maritime, we need to study the subject on the right lines and adopt a positive attitude for the betterment of the maritime economy. Pakistan as a developing state has a fragile economy. We must re-prioritise our maritime sector to gain economic benefits. Sooner or later, we will have to turn towards the sea to dig out its riches to meet state demands.



Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1976 should be revised. That is why we lag behind in enjoying various benefits and have failed to acquire the rights entitled to us under the 1982 Law of Sea Convention. We need to focus on the coastal highway that crosses from Ormara, Pasni and Godami; they have some security issues because of the local insurgency. The highway has high potential, but it is also very unsafe; until or unless we will not take action to resolve the issue of securitisation, we may not be able to avail this world-class facility.



The access to the sea is Gods gift to our country. Sea is the backbone of a nations economic activity so we must give attention to the policies of maritime. The current economic condition of our country is also indicating us to enrich maritime awareness to the people of our country. It is the right time to switch our minds from land-oriented to sea-oriented thinking. It is important to utilise our Exclusive Economic Zone to make higher benefits. The sea can provide us the much-needed economic prosperity with much less investment.



Maritime power not only includes maritime defence but also ports, merchant ships and harbours, and its related infrastructure. Therefore, we should give immediate attention to achieve better results. By delaying further in this regard means failure in economic development and weak defence of the sea border of the country. The sooner the nation manages to gain control over the prevailing environment, the better it will be for economic stability and maritime defence. There is no doubt that there are hundreds of challenges, but once it starts the economy will rise leaps and bounds. Building a maritime sector is not an overnight task. However, if government takes steps for the development of the maritime sector in a timely manner, it may eventually become a strong maritime nation.
Marie Osmond is currently on hiatus from her daytime roundtable talk show The Talk, amid the growing coronavirus pandemic.

But the country music star isn't about to let her beauty routine slip during self-quarantine, even if that means some improvising.

She recently revealed how she's keeping control of her gray hairs while she's confined to isolation without access to a salon.

Touchup: Marie Osmond recently revealed how she's keeping control of her gray hairs while she's confined to quarantine without access to a salon

The 60-year-old revealed Wednesday to ET that she's been staying in touch with her hairstylist via FaceTime who offered a good tip.

She said: 'I called her up and I said, "How does it look?" and she goes, "You're right, you really can't do hair, can you?"

'She talked me through this. She made me pin this all forward in a ponytail, and she said, "Now you pull it over your grays and then they can't see it."'

Osmond continued: 'She told me what to do. It's fun because there's all kinds of ways you can hide things and do things that saves time and money, and right now when people can't go...

Working remote: The 60-year-old revealed Wednesday to ET that she's been staying in touch with her hairstylist via FaceTime who offered a good tip

Helpful trick: She said: 'She talked me through this. She made me pin this all forward in a ponytail, and she said, "Now you pull it over your grays and then they can't see it"'

On hiatus: And she's making sure to look her best as she joins The Talk co-host Carrie Ann Inaba in making an Instagram Live version of the show while on hiatus

'I do know how to color my hair. I just don't have any of the coloring things here so she's sending me some.'

And she's making sure to look her best as she joins The Talk co-host Carrie Ann Inaba in making an Instagram Live version of the show while on hiatus.

The Donny & Marie star posted a video Thursday morning, looking gorgeous as she prepared to interview the Bella twins via video chat.

She's currently at home in Utah under quarantine with husband, as he's diabetic and she has immune system issues.

Osmond also told ET: 'It's the first time we have been alone since forever... We have the best time. I don't think I've ever slept this much. For 57 years I've worked. It's been incredible.'
What happened

Shares of Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) tumbled more than 10% by 11:30 a.m. EDT on Friday. Several factors weighed on the copper and gold mining company, including a sell-off in the market and issues with its mine in Peru.

So what

The stock market is giving back some of its recent gains today. The S&P 500 index was down about 3% in mid-morning trading, as most stocks are in the red. Commodity prices are also falling today, with gold down about 1.5% and copper giving back some of its recent gains.

Meanwhile, Freeport-McMoRan is reportedly in talks with the government of Peru to start limited operations at its Cerro Verde mine, according to Reuters. The company previously placed the mine in care and maintenance mode following Peru's declaration of a 15-day national emergency on March 16 because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The country recently extended that until April 12. The mine is an important one for Freeport because it produced 1 billion pounds of copper and another 29 million pounds of molybdenum last year. As such, every day it's not operating, it costs the company money.

Freeport has already taken action to cut costs due to the COVID-19 outbreak's impact on the global economy. Earlier this month, it suspended its dividend and said it would target "aggressive" reductions in capital spending and other expenses. It also said that it might voluntarily reduce its copper and molybdenum production in North and South America due to the expectations of weaker demand for those products.

Now what

Freeport-McMoRan complied with Peru's initial 15-day work stoppage at its Cerro Verde mine. However, the company wants to start some work at that location so it doesn't keep losing money, especially if the national emergency gets extended again. That uncertainty, as well as the continued spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, is weighing on its stock. It will likely continue doing so until there's more clarity as to when conditions will improve.
In the escalating battle against the coronavirus, California and the Bay Area have looked across the oceans to China, South Korea and Italy to anticipate how bad things may get  and now theyre looking much closer to home in New York, the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic.

New York state has nearly 40,000 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Thats roughly half of the countrys total, and 10 times as many as in California. About 385 people in New York have died, or more than a third of the U.S. total and five times Californias death toll.

California leaders hope the state will get through its coronavirus outbreak with a far less tragic toll, due to more aggressive moves to shut down social interactions and enact stay-home orders on the West Coast. But theyre still closely following events in New York, where cases are mounting so fast that very ill patients are beginning to overwhelm hospitals.

The most important lesson from New York may also be the most difficult, said Shannon Bennett, chief of science at the California Academy of Sciences: Sheltering in place works, and Californians need to stick with it to avoid the East Coast fate.

New York might not have flattened the curve soon enough, if at all, Bennett said. Thats the lesson, and its absolutely heartbreaking.

The curve is the count of coronavirus cases charted on a graph  a sharp spike, which is what New York is experiencing. It means many people are sick all at once, and hospitals cant keep up. A flatter curve may mean the outbreak takes longer to pass, but the cases wont outpace health care capacity.

The crisis in New York is helping California understand how to prepare for a surge in patients who need hospital care. On Thursday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said more than 5,000 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 in the state, and a fifth of them are in intensive-care units. The state has enough protective gear to meet demand at the moment, but will run out in a week or two, he said.

California public health officials have not released reports of how many people in the state have been hospitalized for COVID-19 or been treated in intensive care units. But state leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have warned that California is similarly low on supplies.

And leaders in both New York and California have said they expect to need thousands more ventilators to treat the most severely ill patients.

Public health officials say they are heeding New Yorks warnings to ramp up preparations, even though California may never need to meet the same level of demand New York is seeing now.

What the governor in New York is doing about getting places set up quickly, thats hugely educational for us  how to do it, how you staff them, where you get supplies, said George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease expert. Those things are important lessons if it comes down to that here. Were still fingers crossed, hoping well be able to keep this down.

California instituted its statewide shelter-in-place order on March 20, two days before New Yorks took effect. The Bay Area was even further ahead, placing six counties, or roughly 6.7 million people, under stay-at-home orders five days before New York.

Those days may have made an enormous difference, infectious disease experts said, because the coronavirus can spread alarmingly fast, and sometimes between individuals who appear to have no symptoms. That makes it very challenging to control, and it makes early interventions like social distancing critical.

But experts point out that aside from the earlier shelter-in-place orders, the two coastal regions differ in other ways that make New York an imperfect stand-in for California, as far as using the East Coast to predict what will happen here.

The biggest difference: New York City, which has more than 21,000 cases, is the densest area in the United States, and far more crowded than the Bay Area or Los Angeles, which have 1,322 cases and 799 cases, respectively. Density helps the virus spread more quickly from person to person.

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.

San Francisco is the second-densest city in the country, but it still lags far behind New York City  about 18,000 people per square mile versus 28,000 per square mile, according to U.S. census data.

We could have assumed that New York would be one of the hardest hit, said Robert Siegel, a Stanford virologist.

Siegel and other infectious-disease experts also are watching New York for reasons unrelated to the public health response: New York City and the Bay Area have close bonds, socially and professionally.

Siegel has a son in New York City. Bennett said she is in constant contact with East Coast colleagues in infectious disease who, like her, have shifted almost all of their study to the coronavirus. Rutherford has friends and former colleagues in New York City who are sheltering in place just as he is.

One especially close connection between New York and San Francisco is Mitch Katz  the former director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health and now the head of the New York Health and Hospitals Corp., which runs New York Citys public hospitals.

Katz led the San Francisco department when Grant Colfax, the current director, was head of its HIV division, and many local public health and infectious disease experts worked with Katz during the worst years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

I have not called or emailed Mitch Katz, understanding what thousand-email days look like, said Rutherford, who has known Katz for years. I do not envy him this job, at this point in time.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday
Amid reports of migrant workers walking down to their villages due to a lockdown in the country, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the government to help them reach their homes.

In a video message, she said she was pained at seeing them walk for many kilometres in their bid to reach their homes and be with their families.

"I am pained at seeing thousands of migrant labourers walk down towards Uttar Pradesh from the Delhi border. They are poor people and is it not our duty to help them," she asked.

"When so many people were stranded abroad, we sent aircraft to get them back. Everyone wants to stay with their families during such times of crisis. We must help them and I urge the government to help them. We all political parties must unite in helping such people in distress. UP Congress has formed a highway task force to help such people," she said in her video message.

She also tweeted, "A tragic situation has arisen on the border of Delhi, with thousands of people leaving for their homes on foot. No means, no food."



"Corona's terror, unemployment and fear of hunger are pushing their feet home towards their villages. I pray to the government, please help them," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel said, "We are concerned about migrant workers walking on empty highways. The Central Govt must issue a directive to enable one time train/bus service so these people can reach home. If we can evacuate Indians stranded in foreign soil why not assist those stranded on domestic soil?"



Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted, "Appeal to Central Govt -Deploy Special Buses for stranded labourers and those walking home.

"If Air India can be used to bring Indians trapped abroad, then the government should also do something for the labourers trying to reach their homes on foot in the country," he said.

Shergill said the government must support poor people in distress as it was their duty to do so.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pennsylvania voters will now go to the polls on June 2 to pick their Republican or Democratic nominee for president as well as choices for congressional and a number of state offices.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday announced he signed legislation that delays the April 28 primary due to overriding concerns about the health and safety of voters, poll workers and election workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. In Pennsylvania, the number of cases are closing in on 1,700 and health officials expect that figure to continue to surge.

Delaying this years primary election as several other states have done is in the best interests of voters, poll workers and county election officials, Wolf said in a statement announcing the signing of this bill and other coronavirus-related legislation. I commend the General Assembly for acting quickly on this critical legislation. The Department of State will continue to work with local election officials to ensure Pennsylvania has a fair and accessible election.

The House and Senate on Wednesday unanimously voted  the majority of them voting remotely from outside the state Capitol  on legislation to postpone the primary as at least 10 other states and territory has done.

The move was hailed by county officials as necessary to allow them more time to prepare for the primary and finding poll workers and places to host polling places. Several county election directors said that they were facing a shortage of both because people and places were bowing out over COVID-19 concerns.

York County welcomes the changes enacted by the governor and Legislature to move the primary to June 2, said Mark Walters, a spokesman for that county. We will use the additional time to continue preparing York County for a safe and successful primary.

Common Cause Pennsylvania also applauded the unprecedented move in an emergency situation. Not only does it protect the safety of all voters, the government reform organization says it ensures integrity in the election.

Rescheduling a primary election is not a decision that is made lightly, but moving this election now prevents us from having to implement last minute changes, which can disenfranchise voters, a statement from Common Cause said. We witnessed last weeks confusion in Ohio, when its government cancelled an election at the last minute. We dont want that in Pennsylvania.

Along with changing the date of the election to as late as it possibly could go to avoid interfering with the national party conventions, the legislation also:

Allows polling places to be consolidated.

Permits polls to be located in places that serve alcoholic beverages provided voting not take place in the same room where those beverages are served and where voters dont have to pass through an area where alcoholic beverages are served.

Allows county elections officials to begin processing mail-in and absentee ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Not everyone was happy that the bill didnt do more. Election officials would have liked it to lift the ban on government workers from serving as poll workers to help fill the void created by many of the senior citizens who often handle that task bowing out due to coronavirus concerns. Some also wanted it to allow more time before Election Day for processing the anticipated high volume of mail-in and absentee ballots.

Others also would have preferred a mail-in only primary using postage-paid ballots. But House State Government Committee Garth Everett, R-Lycoming County, said in his floor remarks on Wednesday he didnt favor that idea. He said voters should be able to choose how they want to vote and requiring them to vote in a certain manner would have exceeded lawmakers authority.

But as Dauphin Countys elections director Jerry Feaser said, Im going to attempt to rise to the challenge that this election presents but I dont know that theyve really given us viable options to address the two most important pillars of conducting an election: poll workers and polling places.

Voters who want to vote by mail-in ballot rather than going to a polling place on Election Da and sign up for either a mail-in or absentee ballot using the commonwealths new online application . Already, more than 215,000 registered voters have signed up for either a mail-in or absentee ballot.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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.
With COVID-19 outbreaks having become increasingly intense, many European Union (EU) economies, especially Eurozone members, have been pushed closer to the brink of collapse, as economic activities stagnate amid a spike in the anti-epidemic budget. Despite spending hours in video conference discussions on March 24, finance ministers of the euro area (Eurogroup) still could not set aside their disagreements to put forward measures to support regional economies, particularly the activation of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) package of reforms. However, President of the Eurogroup Mario Centeno stated that discussions had just begun and that the parties needed more time to reach consensus.

The current economic difficulties of Eurozone countries are reminiscent of the public debt crisis in this region nearly 10 years ago, when the ESM was founded and put into force to rescue EU member economies who were immersed in debt. The ESM was considered the most important weapon to deal with the 2011 debt crisis in the Eurozone, by which the EU provided loan guarantees to member countries, accompanied by harsh conditions and reforms. At the moment, the ESM is ready to mobilise about EUR400 billion, and possibly an even greater amount, for emergencies. In the context of many Eurozone economies facing difficulties due to the impact of COVID-19, the ESM is expected to help unfreeze credit flow within the EU to assist its members.

The first discussion on ESM activation ended up in failure although the Eurogroup confirmed its commitment to seeking all possible ways to assist Eurozone economies through the current difficult time. The root cause of the failure was disagreements between two groups of member countries, in southern and northern Europe. Backed by France and Spain, southern member Italy proposed the EU promptly deliver a widespread response and historic solidarity action on finance. This implies the EU announcing financial bailout packages and emergency assistance for countries at the front lines of the anti-epidemic battle. Romes desire is understandable as Italy is suffering greatly from the consequences of COVID-19.

However, members in the north, led by the Netherlands and Germany, were not interested in the proposal of their southern counterparts, stating that despite the dangerous developments of the pandemic, they are as yet insufficient to warrant resorting to the ESM, the EUs most important financial fund. On March 18, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced a new plan called the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP). Accordingly, the ECB will spend up to EUR750 billion purchasing bonds to help cope with risks caused by COVID-19 to monetary policy transfer mechanisms and Eurozone economic prospects. According to the Netherlands, at the moment, the size of the ECBs support package is sufficient, without the need for ESM capital. Meanwhile, despite announcing its support for the activation of the term solidarity in the EUs treaty to provide a comprehensive and quick response to the spread of COVID-19, Germany still objected to Italys idea of financial action, termed corona bond by Berlin. In general, countries in the north and rich countries in the EU have been dissatisfied with some southern members violations of financial discipline which pushed the Eurozone into a serious public debt crisis in the early years of the last decade.

Nearly a decade has gone by but the EU has not yet forgotten the financial troubles that stemmed from serious budget deficits in some member countries. More than anyone else, the blocs member countries also understand the problems they are experiencing due to COVID-19. To help its members cope with the pandemic, the EU was forced to break the rules in an unprecedented move, passing the escape clause allowing national governments to freely spend money on fighting the epidemic without being restricted by rules regarding a budget deficit ceiling of 3% of annual GDP.

The danger of an economic downturn has been flagged with a level of severity no less than the devastation caused by COVID-19. There remains an arduous journey ahead to discuss the rescue of the Eurozone economies amid widespread fear over the disease.
With additional reporting from Juno McEnroe

Public transport services are to be curtailed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Irish Rail, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus and DART services are all to be reduced in the coming days.

Under the revised timetables, some services will run at approximately 80% of current levels, though there will be further cuts to others.

The new schedule for Irish Rail will be effective on Monday, March 30.

For Dublin Bus, Go Ahead Ireland and Bus Eireann, the changes are effective next Wednesday, April 1.

Passenger numbers on public transport services are down by about 80%, according to the National Transport Authority (NTA). Some services still have higher passenger loads, giving rise to concerns about social distancing, though.

The revised timetables will free up fleet and driver resources, allowing the deployment of additional vehicles where demand is greater.

Under the changes, Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland will move to a Saturday Plus schedule, based on the current Saturday schedule, augmented by additional services, particularly early in the morning.

Go-Ahead will operate at 94% of its current schedule, with Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann operating at about 80%.

Irish Rail will see intercity services cut to 45% to 65% of normal levels, with commuter services in the Dublin area also reduced to this level. The DART will operate every 15 minutes at peak and every 30 off peak.

There will be no change to Luas services.

In all cases, the NTA will seek to ensure bus services to hospitals and other essential facilities are maintained as an overriding priority.

Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, said, Id like to thank all those who are providing these essential services so that people who rely on public transport, working in hospitals, pharmacies, the grocery sector, and other vital areas, can continue to get to where they are needed to the benefit of us all.

Elizabeth Canavan, assistant secretary general at the Department of Taoiseach, said it is important to continue public transport provision to maintain vital services.

However we will be making some changes in response to social distancing requirements and the level of service demand, she said.

While passenger numbers on public transport services are down, there are some services that continue to have heavier loading; this could potentially lead to issues with social distancing requirements.

"With some fleet and driver resources being freed up under the new schedules, additional vehicles can be provided for services where there is greater demand which will address those physical distancing concerns.

Full details of all changes will be published on the individual operators websites and communicated through social media channels and on the TFI journey planner and real time information apps.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
CoronaVirus Curve, Stock Market Crash, and Mortgage Massacre

In this last segment of our multi-part research article, we want to highlight our expectations of the Covid-19 virus event and how the next 6+ months of global market activity may play out. Weve covered some of the data points we believe are important and weve touched on the collateral damage that may be unknown at this time. Today, well try to put the bigger picture together for investors to help you understand what we believe may be the 12+ month outcome.

As the global central banks and US Fed attempt to come to the rescue, the reality is that monetary policy works better when consumers are able to actually go out and engage in spending and economic activity. If the Covid-19 virus event contracts global consumer activity, as it has recently, for an extended period of time (4 to 6+ months), then we have a real issue with how QE efforts and consumer activity translate into any real recovery attempt.

The real risks to the global markets is an extended risk that the Covid-19 virus creates a contracting economic environment for many months/quarters and potentially fosters an environment where extensive collateral damage to corporations, consumer activity, credit/debt markets, and other massive financial risks boil over.

Before you continue, be sure to opt-in to our free market trend signals before closing this page, so you dont miss our next special report!

News is already starting to hit that QE is not helping the deteriorating situation in the Mortgage banking business. Remember, this is the same segment of the financial industry that started the 2007-08 credit crisis event. News that mortgage lenders and bankers are already starting to experience margin-calls and have attempted to contract their exposure to the risks in the markets (a bit late) are concerning. This is a pretty big collateral damage risk for the global markets.

Additionally, as we expected, applications for new mortgages have collapsed to their lowest level since 2009. Until consumers feel confident in their ability to get out, engage in real economic growth and take on home loans they know are relatively secure in their ability to repay  there is going to be a continued market contraction. The next phase of this contraction is a price reduction, forced selling/foreclosures and a glut of assets waiting for a bottom.

Home-purchase applications dropped by 14.6% while

refinancing applications plummeted 33.8% 

(Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/mortgage-apps-crash-most-2009 )

I think the most important aspect of this global virus event is to remember that we will survive it (in some form) and we will live to rebuild after this event completes. Yet, the reality is that we were not prepared for this event to happen and we dont know the total scope of this Covid-19 virus event. We simply dont know how long it will take to remove the threat of the virus and for societies to reengage in normal economic activity  and that is the key to starting a real recovery.

(Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/no-country-has-exit-strategy-expert-warns-lockdowns-could-last-months-years )

Hong Kong has recently reported a third wave of Covid-19 infections. I believe we should attempt to learn from places like Hong Kong, where news is moderately accurate and reported via social media and other resources. If we want to learn what to expect in the US and how the process of containing this virus may play out, we need to start learning from other nations that are ahead of us in the curve.

It appears that any attempt to resume somewhat normal economic activities while the virus is still active spouts a new wave of infections. This would suggest that the only way to attempt to reengage in any somewhat normal economic activity would be when a vaccine or true medical cure is in place to allow nations to attempt to eradicate the virus as these waves continue. (Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/third-wave-hong-kong-thought-it-had-a-handle-on-coronavirus-it-doesnt-2020-03-23 )

The price collapse in 2008-09 represented a -56% decline from top to bottom. Currently, the S&P has fallen by just over 35%. We dont believe the bottom in the US stock market has setup just yet and we do believe there is a greater downside price risk ahead. We dont believe the housing market will be able to sustain any of the current price levels for much longer. We believe the collateral damage of this event is just starting to be known and we believe a greater economic contraction is unfolding not only in the US but throughout the globe.

Skilled traders need to understand the total scope of this event. Weve attempted to highlight this risk in this article and in our Crunching Numbers research article (PART III). An economic contraction, like the Covid-19 virus event, could contract global GDP by as much as 8 to 15% over an extended 16 to 36+ month span of time. Are we concerned about the Real Estate market? You Bet! Are we concerned about global markets? You Bet! Are we prepared for this as traders? You Bet! Are the central banks global nations prepared for this? We certainly hope so.

As a technical analysis and trader since 1997, I have been through a few bull/bear market cycles. I believe I have a good pulse on the market and timing key turning points for short-term swing traders.

Visit my ETF Wealth Building Newsletter and if you like what I offer, and ride my coattails as I navigate these financial markets and build wealth while others lose nearly everything they own during the next financial crisis.

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Couleecap is launching the COVID-19 Financial Assistance Program for low-to-moderate wage workers whose employment has been ended or reduced due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program, which is funded by the Viroqua Area Foundation and an anonymous donor, will provide limited financial assistance for critical expenses, emergency budgeting help, and referrals to programs available to people in need.

A simple, online application process will determine recent unemployment, income eligibility, and critical needs of the household so appropriate assistance can be determined. All participants will be provided referrals to the Wisconsin Unemployment Office, other government programs for which participants can apply, and local resources, such as food pantries. Program participants will also receive information on emergency and unemployment budgeting, including tips for reducing or eliminating expenses during a crisis.

We are getting calls every day from people in our area asking for assistance because their jobs have been terminated or their hours have been cut. They dont know how they are going to pay their bills until unemployment benefits kick in, says Ashley Lacenski, Community Development Director for Couleecap. As a community action and financial counseling agency, we are able to help.

We truly appreciate the responsiveness of the Viroqua Area Foundation and the anonymous donor who are making this program available, says Hetti Brown, Executive Director of Couleecap. When I reached out to them for help, they didnt hesitate.

Residents seeking assistance can complete an application at www.Couleecap.org. General household information, recent pay statements, and documentation of reduced or terminated employment will be required. For phone assistance, residents may contact Sara Berger at 608-632-6512 but given the volume of calls Couleecap is receiving, online assistance will be faster. Funding is limited and, therefore, the highest needs will be determined through the application process.

Couleecap is seeking donations to maintain this program. People can donate to this effort at www.Couleecap.org or by mailing a donation to Couleecap, 201 Melby St., Westby, WI 54667.

Couleecap is also offering this program to La Crosse County residents, as supported by the La Crosse Community Foundation and Great Rivers United Way. The agency is also seeking funding to launch programs in Monroe and Crawford Counties. Residents in those areas should check the Couleecap website for updates.

Other Couleecap resources are available to help people impacted by the current emergency. Agency food pantries in Sparta and Prairie du Chien have expanded hours, Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with curbside pick up and limited home delivery. To find details, visit the Couleecap website. Other services may also be found on the site.
Masayoshi Son speaks during a joint announcement with Toyota Motor to make new venture to develop mobility services in Tokyo in October 2018.

SoftBank has decided to let satellite internet provider OneWeb file for bankruptcy Friday rather than pump billions of dollars into the start-up to save it, according to people familiar with the matter.

SoftBank, which has already invested $2 billion into OneWeb, was in talks to provide more capital to the satellite operator but ultimately backed down after making the decision it needs to save capital instead of spending more, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions were private. OneWeb plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday when markets close in New York at 4 p.m. ET, one of the people said.

Spokespeople for SoftBank and OneWeb declined to comment.

OneWeb was in the early stages of launching its own global satellite internet constellation, which would have competed directly with the network SpaceX is building called Starlink. While SoftBank is its largest investor, OneWeb had raised about $3.4 billion in funding with investors including Qualcomm, Airbus, Virgin Group, Coca-Cola, Maxar Technologies, Hughes Communications and Intelsat. All 74 of the satellites OneWeb put in orbit so far are operating as expected.

CEO Adrian Steckel told CNBC in a February interview that the company "is always raising" money.

"We're constantly raising capital," Steckel said, just after the company's second launch. "We're not being public about what we're raising. When the time comes we'll make an announcement."

The Financial Times first reported that OneWeb would file for bankruptcy.

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell knocked OneWeb in candid comments last October, made to a crowd of investors at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. She claimed Starlink was well ahead in the new internet space race, saying "we have far more capacity per satellite than our competitors."

"Our competitors are largely these new entrants to the market. OneWeb? We are 17 times better per bit," Shotwell said.

The SpaceX leader didn't stop at a comparison, giving the opera house full of investors an ominous warning about backing OneWeb. "If you're thinking about investing in OneWeb, I would recommend strongly against it. They fooled some people who are going to be pretty disappointed in the near term," Shotwell said.

SpaceX has likewise been steadily raising funds, including $500 million in a round this year. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in an interview earlier in March that there are "zero" similar satellite efforts "that didn't go bankrupt," referring to companies that fell short of building networks in the early 2000s.

"We just want to be in the 'not bankrupt' category, that's our goal," Musk added.
Hyderabad, March 27 : Telugu star Allu Arjun has contributed Rs 1.25 crore for the battle against coronavirus outbreak in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The actor made the announcement through a video message he shared with IANS on Friday.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many lives . In these difficult times with humility I would like to donate One Crore twenty five lakhs to the People of Andhra Pradesh , Telangana & Kerala .

I am hopeful together we will fight & end this pandemic soon . #stayhome pic.twitter.com/IeuRGa3ObI  Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) March 27, 2020

"The COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and changed our everyday lives, but even at times like this people like doctors, nurses, military, policemen and many other sectors have done great contribution to our society," he says in the video.

Drawing inspiration from them, he would also like to do his bit.

"With all humility, I would like to announce Rs 1.25 crore to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala," he says.

He also appealed to the public to maintain hygiene and practice isolation.

This comes a day after his uncle and superstar Pawan Kalyan and Allu's cousin Ram Charan announced donations to the government's relief fund to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chiranjeevi, Mahesh Babu and Prabhas are other Telugu superstars who have contributed for the cause.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Several supermarkets have said they are going to access the governments list of vulnerable people so they are able to better prioritise online deliveries for those most in need.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, many supermarkets have been introducing measures to help customers who are elderly or vulnerable purchase food and household essentials without difficulty.

This has included implementing dedicated shopping hours in-store and giving priority to certain customers for online delivery slots.

As demand has increased for online deliveries following the nation being placed under lockdown, supermarkets including Sainsburys and Asda have stated they are going to use the governments list of most vulnerable members of the public to provide them with greater clarity on who needs their groceries with more urgency.

In a letter sent to Sainsburys customers this week, chief executive Mike Coupe explained how the measure is going to work.

We will receive the government database this week which tells us which people in England the government considers to be the most vulnerable, Mr Coupe said.

Where these people are already registered with us, we will start to write to them next week to offer them a delivery slot.

The chief executive added that the supermarket is working hard to secure details for vulnerable people living in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

He also issued an apology for customers who he acknowledged are feeling very frustrated at not being able to book slots.

Please bear with us and I hope you can understand why we feel the need to prioritise the elderly and vulnerable customers at the moment, Mr Coupe stated.

Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon AFP/Getty Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome Reuters

A spokesperson for Asda said the supermarket is working with the government and several other supermarkets to ensure those people who have identified as highly vulnerable get what they need and are protected from Covid-19.

We have a dedicated team who will work with government on the available data to support as many extremely vulnerable people as we can  whilst also continuing to ensure our stores are stocked and our deliveries are moving for millions of customers nationwide, the spokesperson outlined.

A spokesperson for Waitrose explained to The Independent that the supermarket is making strong efforts to ensure elderly and vulnerable customers receive priority for online delivery slots.

They outlined that they are currently in the process of contacting customers who have Partnership cards and a waitrose.com account to offer them available slots, and will also be contacting as many customers as possible who have previously informed the company that they are elderly or vulnerable.

Ben Stimson, director of waitrose.com, explained that the supermarket is getting in touch with elderly and vulnerable customers directly so they dont need to call us to arrange a slot.

Waitrose will also be accessing the governments data to help prioritise vulnerable customers when sorting out online delivery slots.

Over the last month we have delivered to more customers than we have at any point in our history and we know that many of those orders have reached elderly and vulnerable people, Mr Stimson said.

Our shops and distribution teams have been working tirelessly on this, adding in additional emergency deliveries to vulnerable people where they possibly can.

We have far more demand than we have capacity for but were trying to reach our most vulnerable customers first to help support them at this difficult time. This is no easy task and while we have to start small to get it right, we are working through these measures as quickly as we can.

On the governments website, it offers a free service that allows members of the public in England to register as an extremely vulnerable person or to do so for someone else.

On the webpage it states: Register if you have a medical condition that makes you extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. For example, youll be able to ask for help getting deliveries of essential supplies like food.

If youre not sure whether your medical condition makes you extremely vulnerable, register anyway.

People who register will be asked to provide their NHS letter, which can be found on any prescription letter sent by the NHS.
Kirk Cameron calls for 30 days of prayer to strengthen faith during global pandemic

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Popular actor Kirk Cameron launched a prayer initiative called 30 Days Faith Strong to help believers refocus their thoughts on God while the nation is in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Join me in prayer to strengthen your faith and send fear running as we appeal to Heaven together with intensity and intentionality for the next 30 days, he told his followers on social media.

The Growing Pains star, who is an outspoken Christian, posted a video on Instagram urging people to have faith in a God who loves us, faith in a God who will guide and direct us and faith in a God who will restore us, knowing that He will guide us and shape us and refocus us through this."

"He'll reformat our society and He will transform our hearts and minds through it, If we allow Him to do that, Cameron continued. That's what I want. I want God to reformat my thinking during this time and I think that we can do that through intense and intentional prayer.

The actor asked others to join him in prayer for the next 30 days.

I want to pray today against the spirit of fear and I want to pray for our president and the governors of the states and all those who are making important decisions for our nation. I want to pray for the elderly and those who are most vulnerable, he said.

Fear you are not welcome, you are not going to set up a residence in my mind, you have no incubator in our imagination. You're not welcome here. There's no room for fear in our minds in our hearts in Jesus name go, leave.

The Fireproof actor is not the only one who is challenging believers to pray in this season. The organization We Pray 24/7 partnered with churches around the world, including the Rock Church, Flood Church, and Life Church, to call people to pray for 15 minutes a day for 90 days.

The organization has cited 2 Chronicles 7:14 in their mission statement, which says, If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We Pray 24/7s goal is to call on the presence of God together.
: The Kerala Government on Friday suspended IAS officer Anupam Mishra, who left the state violating instructions to remain under home quarantine after his trip abroad.

An FIR had been registered against Mishra, the Kollam Sub- Collector, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, on the basis of a report from the health department about the violation.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told repoters that the officer had left without taking permission from the authorities.

"That is not a right act. We have requested those under observation to strictly follow quarantine instructions. But when a responsible officer like the sub collector fled Kerla, it has broght disgrace to the state, Vijayan said.

Hence, "We have decided to suspend him", he said.

The young IAS officer had returned to the state on March 19 from his honeymoon abroad and had been asked to remain under observation.

However, he left for his brother's place in Bengaluru without informing anyone.

Kollam Collector B Abdul Nasser said Mishra had returned to Kerala on March 19 from his Malaysia-Singapore trip and was advised to remain under quarantine, as per the protocol for overseas returnees in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak.

Though he underwent a medical examination, he did not show symptoms. His personal staff, including gunman, have also been kept under observation.

When the Collector got in touch with him, Mishra informed him that he was in Bengaluru.

However, police said Mishra's mobile tower location showed that he was at Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Authorities came to know on Thursday that Mishra, who had been staying alone in his quarters at Kollam, was not there after health department staff, who regularly visit people in quarantine, found the lights in his house switched off, police sources said.

"When an officer leaves his jurisdiction, he is supposed to inform the government, which Mishra did not do. He has also not taken prior permission for leaving the state," the Collector said.

A case has been registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent Act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule), police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-26 19:06:04|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The world is now in a battle against COVID-19, a disease caused by a previously unknown coronavirus that has spread to over 190 countries and regions.

The following are the updates on the contagious illness.

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and his wife Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah will undergo a 14-day quarantine after several palace employees were infected with COVID-19, the national palace said Thursday.

Abdullah and Azizah had themselves tested negative for the virus, Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said in a statement.

- - - -

DAKAR -- Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action confirmed on Thursday the country's total COVID-19 cases have surpassed 100, with six new confirmed cases reported, bringing the total number to 105.

During the daily press conference on COVID-19, Dr. Alyose Waly Diouf, spokesperson of the health ministry said among 130 tests done by Institute Pasteur in Dakar, 6 came back positive, including 5 imported cases and one close contact of earlier confirmed patients.

Among the 105 confirmed cases, 51 are imported ones.

- - - -

JAKARTA -- The death toll of the COVID-19 in Indonesia climbed to 78 by noon local time on Thursday, according to the Indonesian government.

At a press conference, the government's spokesperson for the all coronavirus-related matters Achmad Yurianto said that 893 cases had been confirmed in the archipelagic country and 35 patients had recovered from the disease.

- - - -

ROME -- The number of new COVID-19 cases reported daily in Italy is dropping steadily while the daily death toll is still fluctuating.

Based on the mixed picture, local experts forecast a trend of slower growth of COVID-19 infections in the country in the coming weeks.

A total of 3,491 new cases were reported on Wednesday, representing a downward trend from the past few days when the figure stood at 3,612 Tuesday, 3,780 Monday and 3,956 Sunday respectively.

- - - -

VIENTIANE -- Laos has been preparing medical teams and more control measures to prevent the widespread outbreak of COVID-19.

Local media on Thursday quoted the deputy head of the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Phouthone Muongpak, as saying that health officials were strengthening measures for coronavirus response and ensuring that the public can access healthcare.

- - - -

ULAN BATOR -- Mongolia's National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD) said Thursday that one more Mongolian citizen tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of the confirmed cases in the country to 11.

"One of more than 200 Mongolian citizens who arrived in Mongolia on (a) chartered flight in route of Istanbul-Ulan Bator on last Wednesday night tested positive for the novel coronavirus," Dulmaa Nyamkhuu, head of the NCCD, told a press conference.

- - - -

BEIJING -- China has strengthened international cooperation in the research and development of vaccines against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to an official Thursday.

Vaccines are key to the fight against the epidemic and it is the right choice to carry out international cooperation as vaccine development is difficult and faces many uncertainties, said Xu Nanping, vice minister of science and technology, at a press conference.

- - - -

CANBERRA -- Australia's COVID-19 death toll has increased from eight to 12 in a single day.

Victoria has recorded its first three deaths related to COVID-19 over the past day. All three deaths in the state were men in their 70s who were being treated in hospital and the other one in Queensland is a 68-year-old man who became infected on a cruise ship.

- - - -

NEW DELHI -- The death toll due to COVID-19 in India on Thursday morning rose to 13, the federal health ministry said, with 649 confirmed cases reported so far.

"Death toll related to novel coronavirus has reached 13," said the ministry at 10:15 a.m. local time.

"The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across India is 649," the ministry said. "Of these, 602 cases are Indian nationals and 47 foreign nationals."

- - - -

BEIJING -- China's 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource database has recorded more than 4 million downloads, providing data service to users from 152 countries and regions in the world, a Chinese official said on Thursday.

The COVID-19 outbreak presents a challenge for the whole world, requiring joint efforts from the global scientific and technological community as well as the wisdom of the whole society, said Xu Nanping, Vice Minister of Science and Technology, at a press conference.

- - - -

SUVA -- Vanuatu declared on Thursday a state of emergency as part of its efforts to curb COVID-19.

In a national address on Thursday, Vanuatu's caretaker Prime Minister Charlot Salwai said that the declaration was necessary to allow the government to mobilize resources and funding for their coronavirus response.
Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajendra held a meeting with the medical representatives in which he stated that the state is in the forefront of arrangements to treat coronavirus patients.

Rajendra stated that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is monitoring every moment and added that arrangements are made in advance rather than holding hands periodically.

The Health Minister said that the state has prepared 10,000 beds for the treatment of coronavirus positive cases. Moreover, 700 ICUs and 190 ventilators are ready.

Rajendra said that the state has screened people at airports.

"In 26 days, 47 people have been diagnosed with the virus. One of them had already recovered and went home. We are going to discharge some more people from tomorrow. There is no cross-contamination in our state like in other countries," Rajendra said.

"The international airport has been closed since March 22, with a virus incubation period of 14 days. It ends in a matter of days. It is clear how many cases are coming up this week. But we are getting ready to save people's lives. For this purpose, we have established hospitals to provide a full range of coronavirus treatment," he added.

The state Health Minister further informed that almost 7,000 beds are available in government hospitals.

"The government is providing personal care kits to hospitals... The government pays for their staff with necessary passes, transportation and dining facilities," Rajendra said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Balazs Koranyi and Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has ditched a cap on how many bonds it can buy from any single euro zone country, clearing the way for potentially unlimited money-printing as it scales up its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

By Balazs Koranyi and Francesco Canepa

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has ditched a cap on how many bonds it can buy from any single euro zone country, clearing the way for potentially unlimited money-printing as it scales up its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Major central banks are lining up to pump ever-growing amounts of cash into the financial system to counter fallout from the virus, which is expected to trigger a global recession this year.

The ECB made its move - a historic and potentially divisive one - overnight, saying in a legal document it would not apply self-imposed limits under a new 750 billion euro ($818 billion) bond purchase scheme aimed at shoring up governments, businesses and households in the face of the epidemic.

The document paves the way for the ECB to hold more than a third of any one country's debt - a level that it is close to reaching with benchmark bond issuer Germany and some smaller countries including Portugal.

It will also allow the ECB to focus its stimulus where it is most needed and extend it for as long as it wants without resorting to its emergency bond purchases, known as Outright Monetary Transactions, two sources told Reuters.

But it leaves the ECB exposed to legal challenges and accusations that it is bankrolling governments directly.

NO MORE CONSTRAINTS?

Under its long-running asset purchase scheme, the ECB has capped bond buys at 33% of each euro zone state's debt, but the bank said that for the temporary Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) - which began on Thursday - the limit will not apply.

"In a nutshell, the decision removes virtually all constraints on asset purchases, in a further boost to the credibility of the ECB's commitment," Pictet Wealth Management Strategist Frederik Ducrozet said.

While the ECB flagged on March 18 that it would "consider" revising the limits, the legal text is evidence that they have already been removed, in a step that even caught some within the ECB by surprise.

The change ensures the ECB would find enough bonds to buy even if euro zone governments failed to heed President Christine Lagarde call for the issue of joint "coronabonds".

Germany and some other northern states with high credit ratings, which would de facto guarantee such bonds, remain opposed to this form of common euro zone debt despite the economic devastation that the epidemic has triggered.

"While the Eurogroup of finance ministers dithers, shying away from sending an impressive signal of solidarity on Tuesday evening, the ECB continues to deliver," Florian Hense, an economist at Berenberg, said.

Government bond yields in Italy, the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe and the country where it has killed most people, fell across the curve after the ECB decision was reported [GVD/EUR]. Yields of other southern European sovereigns did the same.

But dropping the bond limits may invite a legal challenge as the European Court of Justice specifically pointed to these thresholds in a 2018 ruling when it argued that the ECB was not breaching a prohibition on monetary financing.

COURT CHALLENGE

Critics in Germany, where a Constitutional Court case is still pending, have repeatedly taken the ECB to court over bond buying, arguing it has exceeded its powers while buying over 2.6 trillion euros ($2.85 trillion) of debt since 2015.

"The central bank is fighting for the preservation of the euro currency and... to protect essential parts of the currency area - Italy - from the markets," finance professor Mark Kerber - a party to the case - told Reuters.

"In practice, the ECB is uncontrolled and uncontrollable."

The ECB also said it would buy debt with maturities as short as 70 days, compared with a one-year minimum under previous purchases.

Such a change was necessary as the bank said it would include commercial paper in its portfolio for the first time, but the pool of eligible assets could be expanded significantly if government debt with shorter maturities was also purchased.

The ECB added that its purchases would still be guided by each country's shareholding in the ECB, the so-called capital key, but would be carried out in a "flexible" manner allowing for deviations.

The ECB also said it would publish some weekly and monthly data on purchases. The legal text makes no commitment to publish detailed figures, broken down by country or debt instruments.

($1 = 0.9138 euros)

(Additional reporting by Frank Siebelt; Editing by John Stonestreet)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Essential businesses are allowed to stay open in California. But what essential means is open to debate  and loopholes.

Guidelines from San Francisco and other Bay Area counties say that essential businesses may remain open during the shelter-in-place period. An executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week said critical infrastructure could continue to operate, including crucial manufacturing and information technology operations. Some businesses have deemed their work critical under those exemptions  including gun shops and video game stores  when local governments might disagree.

Some counties chief lawyers have not clearly communicated about businesses operating in the gray area between critical and not, allowing some bad actors to stay open, posing potential health risks to employees and customers, according to Maureen Gorsen, an attorney with the law firm Alston & Bird in Los Angeles.

All week long Ive been calling counties on behalf of clients, said Gorsen, who also served as the general counsel of the California Environmental Protection Agency. She said some counties have flatly declined to give opinions on whether specific companies could continue to operate.

The California Department of Justice, the states top law enforcement agency, referred questions on the stay-at-home order to Newsoms office. The governors press office did not respond to requests for comment on how enforcement of his executive order will work with respect to businesses.

The San Francisco city attorneys office referred questions about enforcement to the citys Joint Information Center, which pointed to a fact sheet that did not address the issue of enforcement.

Businesses had mostly been compliant with the closure orders, Police Chief William Scott said during a news conference Monday.

The city attorneys office tweeted Wednesday that it is working with San Francisco police to prevent illegal gatherings.

The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office said it had not shut down any businesses or gatherings as of last week, according to an email from Sgt. Michael Low.

County Counsel James Williams said the county maintains an online FAQ for businesses and that the district attorneys office is fielding tips on businesses defying the order.

They are coordinating with local law enforcement such as the San Jose Police Department and others, Williams said.

The Alameda County counsels office, which recently confronted electric carmaker Tesla on its choice to continue manufacturing cars after being told it could not, did not respond to a request for comment. The San Jose Sheriffs Department said Friday it had forcibly closed 56 businesses.

While authorities continue to figure out how to enforce the orders, businesses desperate to keep money coming in pushed the limits of the new rules, with some resulting in confrontations with authorities and others executing fighting retreats on experiments that they realized would not fly under the region and states strict virus-fighting regimens.

Video game and electronics retailer GameStop tweeted that it would reduce its hours through March 29 but that some stores would remain open. The company said it sells products that facilitate remote work and other virtual connectivity and can therefore stay open under county orders.

Tesla initially resisted the shutdown order at its sprawling Fremont factory that employs around 10,000 people before relenting and powering down its production lines this week, according to internal emails obtained by The Chronicle.

Two Tesla employees recently tested positive for the coronavirus, another email obtained by The Chronicle said. The email did not make clear whether the employees worked at the factory or when or how they might have been exposed to the virus.

Another business, Castro Valleys Solar Tactical gun shop, initially said on Facebook it would remain open as an essential business, but also relented.

Its selective enforcement of what shops theyre targeting, store owner Michael Addis said in a video filmed outside his store last week.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Another retail business, the nationwide 7-Eleven chain, has kept its doors open  convenience stores sell food  but has also kept employees not directly involved in store operations working and even traveling.

A posting for 7-Eleven field consultants says the job requires overnight and daily travel for tasks like recruiting and supervising stores in a particular territory.

The company said it needs to support its franchisees, which include our field operations team who are delivering critical information and training materials to stores.

Restaurants and their staffs have been hit especially hard by the closure orders, which prohibit dining in, and some have tried to get creative to keep revenue flowing.

Cow Hollows Atelier Crenn sent an email last week announcing meal kits for pickup, but also offered in-home meals that appeared to violate government orders.

We are also going to have Atelier At Home, an option for small gatherings of 8 guests maximum. Our team will remain small as well  two chefs and one server only  who will come to your home to help prepare a five-course dinner with menu items that we will choose with you in advance as well as wine pairings, the restaurant wrote in its newsletter.

After an inquiry by The Chronicle, the restaurant sent out another message saying Atelier At Home would not be available until things returned to normal.

Atelier At Home was never meant to be implemented now during the shelter-in-place mandates, the restaurant wrote, even though the wording of its first newsletter suggested more immediate availability. This is something we hope to be able to practice in the near future, the restaurant wrote, noting the option is not available for reservation right now.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Esther Mobley contributed to this report.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
(Bloomberg) --

South Africas biggest mobile phone companies have been asked to help track the movement of people days before a national lock-down as authorities grow concerned that they may spread the coronavirus to remote parts of the country.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases, which is spearheading the governments response to the outbreak, wants the information so that it can better prepare for the next areas most at risk. So far, most confirmed cases have been in or near major urban areas and linked to affluent travelers returning from Europe.

The three-day gap between President Cyril Ramaphosas announcement of the shutdown and its implementation gave people ample time to travel. Many South Africans work in Gauteng, the economic hub in which Johannesburg is located. The province has about 40% of all the countrys 1,170 confirmed cases.

One of the unintended consequences of a lock-down is migration and that means transmission, said Nandi Siegfried, an independent clinical epidemiology consultant in Cape Town. The whole point of a lock-down is to restrict movement.

Case Spike

Remote areas of the country that have so far been spared the virus, including rural parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, could be affected and see a spike in cases in two to three weeks, health experts say.

The request is for high-level aggregated data on how people are moving to help curb the spread of Covid-19, said Byron Kennedy, a spokesman for Vodacom Group Ltd., the biggest provider of mobile phone services to South Africans. This does not include personal information or information that identifies a specific individual and wont breach privacy laws, he said.

MTN Group Ltd., Vodacoms biggest rival, said it will also avail its mobility information to the government.

Still, it would have been difficult to put the lock-down in place more quickly, said Kerrin Begg, a senior lecturer in health leadership and management at Stellenbosch University.

Story continues

This is always a balancing act; there is no right answer, Begg said.

NICD communications manager Sinenhlanhla Jimoh and Presidency spokeswoman Khusela Diko didnt immediately answer calls made to their mobile phones.

(Adds confirmed case number in third paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Dharamsala, March 27 : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has contributed Rs 15 lakh to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister's Relief Fund to contain the coronavirus, saying he has an affinity with this state that has been his home for 60 years.

In a letter to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday, the Nobel Peace laureate expressed his support in his efforts to control the growing threat of the coronavirus, which has spread across the world and has even broken out in this state.

"Since Himachal Pradesh has been my home for almost 60 years, I naturally feel an affinity for its people. Therefore, as a token of respect and sympathy, I am making a donation from the Gaden Phodrang Trust of the Dalai Lama to the Chief Minister's Fund in order to contribute to providing essential supplies like food and medicine for the poor and needy members of the community," he wrote in the letter.

His Holiness concluded by expressing confidence that the steps being taken by the Central government, under the Prime Minister's firm leadership, will be effective in containing the spread of the virus.

The Tibetan administration-in-exile is based in Dharamsala town.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday decided to cancel the annual examinations for classes VI to IX and promote all students to the next class.

Since the state has been under a lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus till April 14, it is not feasible to conduct annual examinations (summative assessment II) for students of classes VI to IX.

Therefore, it has been decided to cancel the summative assessment II for these classes and declare the students as all pass, Commissioner of School Education Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu said in a memo to Regional Joint Directors and District Educational Officers.

The order was issued following a directive from Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at a review meeting on Thursday.

Jagan also directed that dry ration be supplied at the house of each student, in lieu of mid-day meal, as the schools have been closed due to the coronavirus lockdown.

He asked the authorities to ensure quality of ration supplied to the wards, a CMO release said.
An elderly woman has died due to coronavirus here on Friday.

Maharashtra Health Ministry said, "A 65-year old woman died today due to COVID-19 at Kasturba Hospital, Mumbai. This was the fifth death in the state due to the virus. An 85-year-old doctor, a likely COVID19 positive case, also died today at a private hospital in Mumbai."

"Two relatives of the 85-year-old doctor had recently returned from England. He was a diabetic and had a pacemaker too. The diagnosis was done at a private lab, therefore, it is being verified," the Maharashtra Health Ministry said.

As nine fresh cases of COVID-19 disease were reported from Mumbai and one in Vashi, the total number of coronavirus patients in the state has risen to 153.

With nine new coronavirus positive cases in Mumbai and one in Vashi, the total number of positive cases in Maharashtra has risen to 153, the Health Department of the Government of Maharashtra said on Friday.

The total number of coronavirus-positive cases in Mumbai now stands at 86.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In response to Americans' need for timely and accurate information, Vote.org's team of engineers built a page dedicated to COVID-19 election updates, directing voters to a state-by-state guide tracking latest deadlines and state health department-related guidelines.

Over the past week, the onset of COVID-19 has caused Americans to reconsider every aspect of our lives. CDC guidelines related to social distancing have changed how we work, interact, and live, as well as how, when, and where we vote.

In response to Americans' need for timely and accurate information, Vote.org's team of engineers built a page dedicated to COVID-19 election updates, directing voters to a state-by-state guide tracking latest deadlines and state health department-related guidelines. Thousands of visitors have accessed this guide over the past week, resulting in over fifty thousand requests for absentee ballots.

Thus far, the pandemic has resulted in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio postponing their primaries. Voters need a reliable source they can trust, to provide real-time updates on the evolving details of their upcoming primaries with easy to access options to switch their method of voting (i.e., early voting, vote-by-mail, and absentee ballots where this applies to certain states).

The addition of this new feature demonstrates Vote.orgs unwavering commitment to its mission of simplifying political engagement, increasing voter turnout, and strengthening American democracy. It also reflects the values of Vote.orgs leadership team, who are committed to giving voters the tools and information they need so that all Americans are empowered to participate in every election.

Contact:

Desiree Barnes- press@vote.org

# # #

About Vote.org

Founded in 2016, Vote.org is the leading non-partisan, non-profit voter engagement and registration organization in America. Over the past four years, Vote.org has earned the trust of over 30 million Americans, by providing real-time information to voters, and by offering registration tools used by corporations, organizations, and other entities, to promote the political welfare of our nation. Vote.org advances its mission through the use of technology, including its online platform and SMS messaging program, to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy. For more information, please visit http://www.vote.org.

Steps Taken To Reach Voters:


Advertisement

The recently launched US Space Force has sent its first national security satellite into orbit despite a 'leaner staff' due to the coronavirus pandemic.

'Nothing stops the space launch mission!' the 45th Space Wing tweeted from Cape Canaveral, Florida during the launch of the $1 billion satellite.

While it is the first launch for the Space Force, it will form the sixth and final part of the US military's Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation.

The devices are upgraded from the older Milstar satellites and has been providing secure communication from 22,000 miles above the Earth for nearly a decade.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from launch complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with a payload of a high frequency satellite Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Florida

Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications and was launched by the US Space Force

The recently launched US Space Force has sent its first national security satellite into orbit despite a 'leaner staff' due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fewer people than usual were able to watch the launch due to social distancing measures

A powerful Atlas V rocket hoisted the 13,600-pound satellite off the Earth with the new Space Force seal adorning the United Launch Alliance rocket.

The Space Force officially became a new branch of the US military in December and this is their first launch into orbit.

With the viewing area closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, fewer people than usual watched the liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Lieutenant General John F Thompson, Commander of the Space and Missiles System Centre in California said the launch had to go ahead despite the COVID-19 crisis.

'It is a really, really important launch,' he told the BBC.

'There are critical things, or mission essential things, that the US Department of Defence does every day. Even in the face of a global pandemic we must continue to perform mission essential tasks.'

United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Bruno said non-essential personnel were banned from the launch control room to reduce the size of the crowd.

He tweeted that you 'can't quite get 6 ft everywhere' but that 'surfaces would be cleaned between people' after the launch.

In a major change to normal launch processes, Bruno monitored the launch from company headquarters in Denver rather than be at the launch site.

It's not just personnel affected by the coronavirus - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was due to be renamed Cape Canaveral Space Force Station - but that is delayed.

A powerful Atlas V rocket hoisted the 13,600-pound satellite off the Earth with the new Space Force seal adorning the United Launch Alliance rocket

United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Bruno said non-essential personnel were banned from the launch control room to reduce the size of the crowd

In a major change to normal launch processes, Bruno monitored the launch from company headquarters in Denver rather than be at the launch site

Other space launches have seen a bigger impact from coronavirus, including the European Space Agency ExoMars mission being delayed until 2024.

NASAs mission to return humans to the Moon by 2024 could also face delays after it was forced to close the facilities building the Space Launch System rocket that will lift the Orion lunar spaceship off the Earth surface.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the US space agency was closely following the advice of health professions on coronavirus to keep their workforce safe.

'Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities,' he said.

While it is the first launch for the Space Force, it will form the sixth and final part of the US military's Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation
Life was a lot simpler when there was just one Spider-Man. Okay, so it was a stretch of the imagination to think that a teenager bitten by a radioactive spider might develop superpowers and save the world, but it was manageable. One hero, one world. Simple.

Then, in 2018, Columbia and Sony unleashed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It was a huge hitcritics and fans were delighted, an Oscar was awarded, and the movie made more money than any other Sony animation in history. What was the key plot device of this barnstorming blockbuster? A multiverse.

Yes, thats rightthe universe, Im afraid, is old hat. That uni sitting at the front of it implies one, and it just wont do any more. The Spider-Verse was a whole new realm; one in which there were countless Spider-Men and Spider-Women, countless New Yorks, countless bad guys, and countless storylines to be exploitedwhich the writers did to great (and brain-boggling) effect.

As it happens, interactive systems of parallel universes have existed in the world of science fiction for many yearsfrom the big screen and small screen to paperback novelsand they have become a staple for any author looking to play with possibilities and muddle our minds. Thankfully, though, such complex extravagancies need not trouble us here in the real world, for the multiverse is fictional.

Isnt it?

Leveling Up

The rather surprising answer to that question is: not necessarily. Over the past decade or so, more and more top-level scientists have not only entertained the notion but have bought into it wholesale. According to some of the best minds in the business, there may very well be a lot more going on than just our own little (very, very big) universe. There may be lots of universes. There may even be an infinite number of them.

What on earth(s) is going on here? Where has such a strange idea come from? Is there any evidence for it? More to the point for Christians: What does it mean for God? Does he still exist? Might there even be Gods?

The first thing to point out is this: The concept of a multiverse can be arrived at by following many different scientific routes. It is, therefore, far too simplistic to write it off as an atheistic version of pie in the skyone that was devised purely to try to get rid of God. Multiverses show up as possibilities when we start to ask questions about physicsand they show up often enough to be worthy of real, considered discussion.

Back in the mid-2000s, the MIT cosmologist Max Tegmark bit the bullet and reviewed all the different multiverse models that had been doing the rounds. He decided that every existing theory could be placed into one of four categories, which he called Levels I to IV. They are, briefly:

Level I: Our own universe carries on forever (or very, very far)way past anything that we can currently, or could ever, observe. Level II: There are other regions of space that have the same basic laws of physics as ours, but different constants of naturedifferent particle types, different numbers of dimensions, etc. Level III: There are parallel and inaccessible universes that are constantly being created by quantum mechanical effects. Some of these will be very similar to ours, while some end up being very different. Level IV: Anything goes. There is an infinite number of universes, all with their own laws of physicssome have no gravity, some no electricity, etc. The only limitations in place are due to the abstract laws of maths and logic.

Most, but not all, practising physicists are on board with the existence of at least a Level I multiverse. It should be pointed out, however, that this could still quite sensibly be called a universe, since there is only one of it. When we hit Levels II or higher, though, controversy reigns. This is because other universes are undetectable to usand will almost certainly remain so, regardless of technological breakthroughs. Multiverses of these types, it would seem, are pretty close to being a matter of scientific gut instinct, or of taste, or of faith.

Article continues below

Getting Rid of God

Having said all this, there is an undeniable attraction to the multiverse for atheists because the existence of many universes can help them deal with an issue that is otherwise quite problematic for their worldview. One such thinker was Stephen Hawking, who nailed his atheistic colours to the mast in the years before his death in 2018. When discussing the dilemma of fine-tuningthe inescapable fact that our universe has rules and constants that are magnificently suited to our human existencehe wrote:

The discovery relatively recently of the extreme fine-tuning of so many of the laws of nature could lead at least some of us back to the old idea that this grand design is the work of some grand designer.

Hawking is right. The mind-blowing precision of the values we measure smacks of divine intervention; even the hard-nosed atheist Fred Hoyle admitted that a common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics.

This often-undesired conclusion can be avoided, however, if a multiplicity of universes exists out there somewhere. Ours is perfect for us, yes, but there was bound to be at least one cosmology like that amongst the ensemble. The mystery, therefore, goes away. Hawking again writes:

The multiverse concept can explain the fine-tuning of physical law without the need for a benevolent creator who made the universe for our benefit.

Hawking saw fine-tuning and the necessity of a First Cause as being the two strongest arguments for the existence of God. In the 1980s, working with professor James Hartle of UC Santa Barbara, he figured that he had found a way of dealing with both of themby combining the two most successful scientific theories of all time: quantum mechanics and general relativity.

The outcome was a universe that appeared to have no beginning in time, thus removing the need for a First Cause. Whats more, as the Hawking-Hartle model was let loose, it was capable of describing not only a universe that looked very loosely like ours but also billions of other universes. Hawkings reassessment of the rules had not just brought about one potential cosmos but had built a countless number of them vying for his attention. Suddenly, the Spider-Verse doesnt seem quite so crazy.

The Grand Design

Hawkings model and its seemingly endless list of possible worlds caused him a major headache because pretty much each time the model was run, it predicted lifeless, empty universes. Why then, was the actual final outcomeoursso rich and life-bearing? To answer this, the scientific genius decided to leave his specialized world of physics and dip his toe into a little philosophy. His solution was most unusual, and it makes the plots of most superhero movies look rather bland by comparison.

Hawking gives an example of his thinking in his book The Grand Design. He concedes, for instance, that his model allows for the existence of a universe just like ours but with a moon made out of cheese. The thing is, though, we have been to the moon, and we have discovered that it is not made of cheese. This discovery, Hawking says, has the most extraordinary effect: It echoes backward through time, explores his evolving multiverse, and removes all universe versions that contain cheese-moonsbefore they become reality.

Article continues below

In other words, every measurement we ever make of anything fixes that value in place. If I measure the length of my driveway and I find that it is 10 yards long, then all universes that might have existed in which it is 9 yards or 11 yards are cut out of the multiverse system before they even get going. If this sounds rather outrageous, thats because it is. Hawking readily admits as much: This leads to a radically different view of  the relation between cause and effect.  We create history by our observation, rather than history creating us.

What is even more strange about this is that nothing in the actual science of his model demands this odd backward-in-time behaviour. Professor Tom Lancaster of Durham University told me in an interview that it is simply not necessary to argue that these alternative universes are in any way real, let alone posit that our present is changing the past: Hawkings physics does not require retrocausality.

Time-traveling measurements or not, it is clear that the Cambridge cosmologist was convinced he had dismissed God from the table. No longer was there a traditional beginning to the universe, so a First Cause was irrelevant. Fine-tuning was not due to a divine Architect but was brought about by our own observations: We see ourselves, so we must be here by definition. After all, any universe in which we would not have existed has been deleted from the multiverse by our mere presence.

The Sign Given to Us

Dont worry if you are finding this unsatisfactory or unconvincing. You are not the only one. In general, cosmologists are not in favor of Hawkings theory. Even Jim Hartle, its co-inventor, is not committed to its actual truth, as he told fellow big-thinker Aron Wall (who holds the office next to Hawkings old one). The unavoidable fact is that the Hawking-Hartle model ultimately predicts the existence of a sparse, boring, lifeless universe, and that it is, therefore, wrong.

But that is not really the point.

Trying to figure out where we came from is difficultand no one knows how to do it. What makes Hawking so special is that he came up with a new idea when it looked like there was nothing at all to be done. He took a scientific step in the right direction and opened up the field for others. He gave his colleagues fresh hope that the laws of physics might, one day, be completely devised and understood. His thoughts on the expansion of the universe, on black holes, and on quantum information include some of the best physics done by anyone.

Where Hawking falls down is his theology. The case for God is not simply the First Cause argument and the appearance of design. Hawking only ever considered a God who was a vague and distant landlord, disinterested in his creation. And he was, of course, right to conclude that such a god is not worth all that much.

Instead, the case for the Christian God is historical, philosophical, psychological, experiential, scientific, and more. The Bible, for example, is a testable document. It describes real people, real events, and real placesand, when we subject it to examination on these points of evidence, it stands firm. This can help us make a decision about whether we can trust it on other more supernatural fronts, such as its central tenet: that Jesus rose from the dead. This assertion forms the capstone of Christianityyet Hawking doesnt give Easter a single mention.

Hawkings colleague professor Don Page, with whom he wrote many papers, thinks this is a key point:

I personally think it might be a theological mistake to look for fine tuning as a sign of the existence of God  In other words, I regard the death and resurrection of Jesus as the sign given to us that He is indeed the Son of God and Saviour He claimed to be, rather than needing signs from fine tuning.

Article continues below

Page, like many others, is a scientist convinced of the truth of Christianity. While he clearly does not see his science as causing any problems for his faith, he also rejects the idea that cosmology should be the sole source of evidence for its truth. Hawkings mistake, then, was to begin looking in one domain onlyphysicsfor answers. Whenever we do that, our understanding will be incomplete, for we risk missing out on insights offered from other areas of human interest. History can inform psychology; biology can inform art. Andsomewhat crucially in Hawkings casetheology can inform science.

Manifold Wisdom

So then: What of beginnings, and what of the multiverse? The universe almost certainly has a beginning; but even if it doesnt, that does not prove Christianity wrong. Wall, for example, says, I think that belief in the creation of the universe does not really depend on there being a first moment of time. God could have made a universe that stretches back infinitely far in time, he says, just as a human author could write a book that never specifies just how far back its fictional universe goes.

And, as far as the multiverse is concerned, the short answer is that we really have no idea whether it exists or not. We will probably never know, since those parallel universes are likely to remain forever beyond our reach. Christians need not be afraid of this conclusion, thoughfor, as Hawkings fellow Oxbridge professor John Lennox reminds us: God could create as many universes as he pleases. The multiverse concept of itself does not and cannot rule God out.

This notion leads to some intriguing questions: Did God make other people in these other universes? Did they fall? Did Jesus die for them, too? Fascinatingly, humans have asked questions like this before. In the Middle Ages, theologians wondered about aliens living on other planets and about their relationship with God. Perhaps modern thinkers should revisit their work.

In Ephesians 3:10, Paul describes how God created our world and its salvation story to demonstrate his manifold wisdom to a supernatural audience. Manifold could equally be translated many-colored or multifaceted. Perhaps, then, God has displayed other colors and faces elsewhere. After all, it may turn out that one universe is simply not enough to exalt him fullythat a suitable display of Gods glory demands a few more.

Maybe, even, an infinite number of them.

The ideas expressed in this article are drawn from God, Stephen Hawking and the Multiverse: What Hawking Said and Why It Matters, by David Hutchings and David Wilkinson (SPCK, March 2020).

David Hutchings is a physics teacher at Pocklington School near York, United Kingdom. He is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and a leader in the local church in York. His first book, Let There Be Science:Why God loves science, and science needs God(Lion Hudson), was co-written with Tom McLeish, a fellow of the Royal Society.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Riza Roidila Mufti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 09:53 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dc20a5 1 Business COVID-19-in-Indonesia,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,Airlines,layoffs,aviation-industry,incentives Free

A number of Indonesian airlines have started taking efficiency measures amid challenging times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by laying off employees, ranging from pilots, flight attendants, technicians to other supporting crew, as reported by the Indonesia National Air Carrier Association (INACA).

The pandemic has hit the airline industry hard, with many airlines forced to cut both international and domestic flights due to travel bans and restrictions to several countries. Virus fears have also held people back from traveling by air.

INACA chairman Denon Prawiratmadja said on Thursday that there had been a drastic decline in the number of air passengers since early March, causing all airlines to cut flight frequency and routes by 50 percent or more.

If there is more uncertainty about when COVID-19 can be contained, this will worsen the aviation industry [situation] and may even lead to operational termination due to bankruptcy, Denon said in an official statement.

He added that airlines had been halting operations and laying off employees to reduce financial loss.

Denon went on to say that the industry needed help in the form of fiscal incentives, such as corporate income tax payment postponement and spare part import duty suspension, as well as stimulus from the government through discounts on several fees to keep the industry alive during the pandemic and recovery period.

Moreover, the industry hopes state-owned enterprises (SOEs) provide assistance, including with a reduction in airport and navigation fees. If the government and SOEs did not immediately respond to such demands, Denon said there would be more massive layoffs to ensure the airlines survival.

Such crisis has also hit supporting industries, such as aircraft maintenance, ground handling and travel agents. Therefore, INACA is really hoping for a positive response from the government to avoid more job cuts, the chairman said.

A drastic drop in flight frequency and vast flight cancellations have been reported since January. Angkasa Pura I (AP I), for example, saw massive flight cancellations between January and February at its 15 airports across the country due to decreasing demand.

During the period, AP I reported that as many as 12,703 flights with about 1.67 million passengers had been canceled  11,680 of which were domestic.
For the devotees of the Christian Religion, Galatians 6:7 states thus, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. This cause-effect teaching is appropriate and applicable to the circumstances in which the world finds itself now - a near-apocalyptic strain of new diseases; the latest being the novel Coronavirus.

Agreeably, the most challenging diseases of today are those that are caused by viruses, cancer cells and diseases of mysterious or unexplainable origin. They differ from diseases caused by pathogens, fungi, chemicals, and injury which Medical Science can treat by the administration of drugs or surgery. But when it comes to cancer and virus-related diseases, the farthest the ingenuity of the scientist can go at this time is to manage the symptoms but not to uproot the disease at its source. It is when the origin/cause of a disease is known that a lasting solution can be found. So when material science has done its best without proven success, then people begin to look elsewhere for an alternative explanations. That is where the world has reached today.

It should be understood that the whole Universe is actually the Body of the Creator. There is nothing like a vacuum or empty space because the Creator fills everywhere with His Own Being and in a situation where no physical object is observable His Presence is still there, occupied by a myriad of Intelligent Beings who cannot be seen by the physical eyes. In the Bible, Acts 17:28, tells us that For in Him we live and move and have our being.

There are many covered spiritual truths in the creation of stories. The key areas worth recollecting in this write-up are the following; Gen.1-26, God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth ...Gen; 1-36, And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Gen: 2-2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Gen:3-22, Then the LORD God said, Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...

Man comprises spirit, body and soul with the sheath of mind linking the body and the spirit. The Earth Planet is the home of man and all planets in our solar system are given LIFE by the SUN. It means that the LIFE SUSTENANCE in man has its source from the SUN and by extension without the SUN nothing in our solar system will exist physically or spiritually. There are over 20 verses in the Bible that mention that GOD IS LIGHT. Humanity is yet to come to grasp with the energy that the SUN radiates physically and spiritually. The LIGHT from the SUN emits to all planets whose atmospheres extend beyond their physical boundaries.

In fact, each planet absorbs and throws back portion of the SUNs LIGHT into inter-planetary space and thus influences beings on other planets. The scientists have confirmed that from the 6th layer of the earths atmosphere is an interplanetary space. Each individual has an unseen atmosphere called sometimes as ether or aura just as it is with the Earth Planet. In the spirits material and spiritual journey to become perfect, man is required to exercise his God-given bodies and talents.

The mind and the heart are key to his spiritual development. If man will develop by learning and experience, it means that to whatever purpose he exercises his divine attributes, the results (good or bad) must be reaped. Spiritually, mans atmosphere is coloured by his own thoughts, wishes, desires, words and actions. Likes attracts likes; so as humanity is not alone in the Solar System or Universe but amidst hosts of other beings (who are good or bad), whatever energy he exercises, a connection is established immediately or delayed and the result must be reaped eventually.

There is a strong invisible prismatic joining between the aura or ethers of man and his physical body. It is the ethers that quicken the physical body and the source of energy of the ethers is the SUN. Each individual has a distinct atmosphere aside the Earths ether, the Solar ethers and others. These ethers intermingle and impinge on one another depending on their affinity, polarity and point of attraction. The individuals ethers are exact copy of his physical body; atom for atom, molecule for molecule.

It is the ethers that materialize and hold the physical body in place. If we are in good health, the ethers absorb the solar energy in adequate quantity and throw back the excess in a very rapid motion  the strength of which prevents any negative foreign matter or energy from entering the ethers and thus affecting the chemistry of the physical body. All diseases begin with a breakdown in the individuals ethers or corresponding spiritual bodies.

At the Golgotha (head or dwelling place of the spirit) collects a lot of the energy in the positive man. Depending on how he exercises especially his mind and heart, man can consciously or unconsciously enhance or draw back his spirituality. If he is negative, definitely, he will attract invisible forces that will ignite a spiritual clash between the physical body and the etheric atoms leading to a modification in the natural code / DNA of a cell/cells. This pseudo-cell(s) is/are termed by the material scientist as a virus/viruses. It is actually a poisonous by-product of the Coronavirus being the latest. Once, a virus is formed, its ability to adapt and spread is unimaginable. By the time material science researches into it and treats the symptoms of the disease, it might have done much damage. The force behind it is moving so fast across the world.

The means of mans protection are his pulse and rate of spiritual vibration, free will and how it is exercised. The body is naturally primed to fight invaders hence the development of antibodies. The body of a person is the home or the dwelling place of his spirit, who alone is the owner of his temple. But at times, man does not win in driving away these invaders and requires external support by way of medication.

The point here is that a breach of the ethers exposes the physical body of man to diseases. Viruses and cancers are first created in the ethers before physical manifestation. Depending on what type of virus and the invisible force that sparked and sustained it, its behavior and effect can be devastating as we are seeing with the Coronavirus.

What are the wrong things men do to lower their spiritual vibration and thus originate virus? Gal. 5: 18-22 states, the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Other examples include eating unnatural food, gluttony, lack of fresh air and appropriate level of sunshine, lack of cleanliness, lack of exercise, lack of rest and sleep, lack of self-control, harboring thoughts of anger, hatred, and resentment, yielding to hasty temper, gratifying low desires including the use of intoxicants, and harming fellow-creatures, whether human or animal.

Even as mankind makes frantic efforts (medication, social distancing, and lock-downs) to control the fatal effect of the Coronavirus, a lasting weapon is to follow what Gal. 5: 22-23 tells us and how to increase our spiritual vibration, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

Prayers and fasting are useful in raising spiritual vibration. Importantly, keeping a strong positive mind and avoiding stress is required. Isaiah 26:20 says Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast.

This Coronavirus too will pass us by but the effects will be devastating at the individual and collective level because humanity created it first in the spiritual world. Whether there will be a worse virus case in the future depends on how humanity in general exercises its free will in the Kingdom of God  to use materiality to advance spirituality or use it to retard the journey towards perfection.
Bored at home? Like to draw? Here's a great new project for all the family.

Toyota Ireland is delighted to announce the launch of the Build a Better World Art Competition, inspired by the companys global initiative Dream Car Art Contest which runs annually. The Build a Better World Art Competition will run online for four weeks and will see three winners announced every week, one from each age category.

The new Build a Better World Art Competition was created to bring some relief and joy to families as Ireland and the rest of the world navigates the uncertainty due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The competition stems from Toyotas brand platform of Built for a Better World, where above all else Toyota aims to create a better world for future generations. Young artists from across the country are encouraged to get their creative juices flowing to take part in this creative initiative and show what a better world will look like for those in Ireland once we are COVID-19 free.

Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director of Toyota Ireland commented: Community and creating a Better World is at the very core of who we are here at Toyota Ireland and we are delighted to announce the Build a Better World Art Competition. We understand how difficult the past couple of weeks have been and how challenging the weeks ahead will be for families in Ireland. Unfortunately, there are uncertain times ahead with the COVID-19 virus, however, we wanted to inject a bit of joy & positivity into the lives of Irish children, their families and their new routines. The Irish people have an incredible spirit even in times of hardship and we feel that nothing powers the youth like creativity. We hope that this competition will bring some joy to families across Ireland and we encourage all budding young artists to get involved.

The competition will take place over four weeks with a weekly theme announced each Monday at 10am. The competition will close each week on Friday at 12pm.

The first week of the competition will begin today (Friday, March 27) and the deadline for entries is Friday (April 3) at 12pm. This weeks theme is Family and Friends.

Week Theme announcement Closing date

Week 1 Friday, 27th March Friday, 3rd April

Week 2 Monday, 6th April Friday, 10th April

Week 3 Monday, 13th April Friday, 17th April

Week 4 Monday, 20th April Friday, 24th April



How to Enter

Young artists are being asked to draw, paint or build their vision based on a theme that will be announced each Monday at 10am.

An image of the artwork must be emailed to dreamcarart@toyota.ie before 12pm each Friday, along with a completed entry form (which is available to download from www.toyota.ie/world-of-toyota/ Build-a-Better-World-Art- Competition.json.

Every week one winner in each age category will be announced and receive a prize of a 100 Art & Hobby gift voucher.

The age categories are:

Under 8

Age 8  11

Age 12  15



Full details and rules for the Toyota Build a Better World Art Competition can be found at www.toyota.ie/world-of-toyota/ Build-a-Better-World-Art- Competition.json.
The number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh increased to 29 on Friday, with three men, including a railway guard, testing positive, an official said.

Of the 29 coronavirus cases in the state, two, one from Indore and another from Ujjain, have died, while 27 patients are being treated at hospitals.

A 50-year-old man, a railway guard, tested positive at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal.

"He had been referred to the AIIMS by Railway hospital," said a health department official.

The person had traveled to Jhansi rencenly, he added.

In Jabalpur, two persons who worked at the shop of a businessman who had returned from Dubai tested positive.

The businessman and his family members were the first coronavirus cases in the state.

Meanwhile, the Bhopal district administration said that area in one-km radius from the residence of coronavirus patients would considered as a "containment area".

All the residents of a containment area would be home quarantined and traffic would be stopped, the order stated.

An additional two-km buffer zone would also be created around such areas.

There are 13 cases in Indore, eight in Jabalpur, three in Bhopal, two each in Shivpuri and Ujjain and one in Gwalior, according to state officials.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, meanwhile, ordered closure of all liquor shopts -- whether selling 'foreign' or 'country-made -- as such shops attract crowds, official sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A factory worker stockpiled weapons and supplies including 14 exploding Kinder Eggs at his home to prepare for an apocalypse, a court heard.

Daniel Magee, 39, had spent 20 years collecting items including knives, body armour, camouflage clothing, and smoke pellets.

He was arrested after two parcels, ordered from China, were intercepted at Royal Mail's International Logistics Centre in Berkshire last October.

One of the parcels purported to contain an 'outdoor tool' but had two flick knives inside, while the other claimed to hold a 'door handle' but was in fact a baton.

Magee was arrested at his home in Southmead, Bristol, and directed police officers to a box containing a 'significant collection of weapons'.

These included three stun guns, swords, knives, crossbows and crossbow bolts, knuckle dusters, body armour, holsters, camouflage clothing and smoke pellets.

Officers also discovered 14 Kinder Eggs containing gun powder and ammunition in his bedroom drawer that would explode if thrown into a fire.

Daniel Magee collected weapons for 20 years in preparation for an apocalypse, including Chinese flick knives, stun guns and crossbows, and exploding Kinder Eggs

Judge Peter Blair QC, the Recorder of Bristol, sentenced Magee to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months.

'Your motivation appears to be a misplaced fascination with weaponry and preparing a stockpile for if anarchy broke out in the country and a doomsday scenario played out,' the judge told Magee, who appeared via video link from prison.

'You have obviously had time to reflect while you have been in custody about how foolish and stupid you have been getting yourself into this position.'

The judge ordered Magee to carry out eight days of rehabilitation activity and imposed a three-month curfew between 7pm and 6am. Magee was also ordered to pay a 149 surcharge and 250 towards prosecution costs.

The parcel containing the flick knives, ordered from China to the home address of Magee's mother, was intercepted on October 14. A week later, the package containing the baton was intercepted at the same logistics centre.

Officers discovered 14 Kinder Eggs packed with gun powder in his Bristol bedroom drawer

Explosives were found in 14 Kinder Eggs. Magee was given a 12-month suspended sentence

Officers from Avon and Somerset Police attended Magee's home on Shetland Road on December 28 and arrested him.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said: 'That collection was in a box, a large box because it contained over 100 items of interest.

'The items in his home were predominantly lawful.'

In interview, Magee explained that he had been collecting such items for the past 20 years. When asked if he had any explosive devices, Magee told officers there were 14 Kinder Eggs containing gun powder and ammunition in a bedroom drawer.

People living in eight neighbouring properties were evacuated for two days while the Army's explosive ordnance disposal team searched Magee's home.

More than 50 police officers were involved in the investigation, with over 10,000 electronic files searched to establish his motivation.

Mr Posner said the Kinder Eggs did not contain fuses but were capable of exploding if they were 'thrown into a fire'.

'Despite having acquired a manual explaining how to make explosives, there was no other purpose for making explosives and collecting weapons other than to prepare for what seems to be some sort of doomsday,' he told the court.

Magee was described in court as an 'enthusiastic collector' sharing his passion with others

Representing Magee, Richard Hall described how his client had been an 'enthusiastic collector' and shared his passion with others he was 'in communication with'.

Mr Hall said Magee had 'simply given no thought' as to the alarm bells that would ring for those who came across his collection.

'He is enormously sorry and ashamed,' Mr Hall said.

He added that Magee did not realise he had ordered flick knives, as the items were described as 'stainless steel knives' online and on their packaging.

Magee, who has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his arrest in December, admitted four charges at Bristol Crown Court in February.

These were making an explosive substance, possessing three stun guns and two counts of importing prohibited items, namely the baton and flick knives.

Det Insp Ben Lavender said: 'Daniel Magee's reckless actions jeopardised not only his own safety but also put innocent people in the surrounding area at risk too.

'Officers worked as quickly as possible to establish there was not a wider danger to the public,' he said, before thanking those evacuated from their homes.
We are committed to using all of our resources to get this critical message to all communities in Chicago, and expressly thank our celebrity partners for their efforts to help flatten the curve and put this crisis behind us, a mayoral representative said in a statement to the Tribune. We have asked them to use the hashtags #stayhomesavelives #flattenthecurvechi in their social media posts as they support the citys work to promote and ensure compliance with the life-saving stay-at-home order.
New Delhi, March 27 : The Haryana government has ordered closure of all liquor vends across the state amid the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

After the nationwide lockdown was announced from the midnight of March 24, the liquor vends were allowed to open in Haryana, till now.

A senior state government official said: "The vends were ordered to close from Thursday midnight and strict action would be taken against those not following orders." During the lockdown an exception had been made for essential services only. Given this and the fact that restaurants, beer bars and pubs had been closed, opening of liquor vends in Gurugram, Rohtak, Faridabad, and Sonepat had raised many an eyebrows.

Congress leader Deepender Hooda had said: The Haryana government is playing with the health of people by letting liquor vends open amid the 21-day lockdown due to coronavirus scare. With whose backing is such an arrangement been continuing? Those in the government should rise above self-interests and work for national interests."
Advertisement

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo revealed on Friday that the state's coronavirus death toll was now 603 an increase of 134 in just one day, as he gave a rallying call to action to National Guard to 'kick coronavirus a*s' from a new, 1,000-bed field hospital at the Javits Center.

There are now more than 44,000 cases of infection in the state of New York. Currently, 6,481 people are hospitalized and 1,583 people are in ICU beds.

Cuomo anticipates that he will need 140,000 beds in total when the pandemic peak hits. He also needs 30,000 ventilators but only has 8,000.

In New York City, 365 people had died from the virus by Thursday afternoon - an increase of 177 people in a day.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 25,573 cases of it in the city - 4000 more cases than the previous day.

One additional death was reported in New York City on Friday, bringing the total to 366.

On Friday, Gov. Cuomo announced he was keeping all schools across the state closed for another two weeks, until April 15, to try to stop the virus spreading.

He spoke at a press conference at the Javits Center, one of the field hospitals where 1,000 beds will be placed, and addressed a crowd of National Guard troops.

Scroll down for video

Gov. Cuomo gave a rallying call to action to National Guard troops on Friday at the Javits Center in New York City where he said there had been another 134 deaths overnight in the state of New York . In the background, hospital beds that have been set up to take in patients

The troops were distanced to avoid spreading the disease. Cuomo praised them for their work so far and urged them to keep going

A closer view of one of the hospital rooms that has been set up in the Javits Center in the last week by the National Guard

Some of the supplies include hand sanitizer and lip balm. Cuomo praised the troops for putting together the hospital so quickly

There are 1,000 beds in the Javits Center hospital. Cuomo plans to add 8,000 beds in total by creating 8 field hospitals

There are now 1,000 extra beds in the Javits Center; Cuomo's other field hospitals, that are yet to be built, will add another 7,000

In New York City alone, there have been 365 deaths and there are 25,398

The number of deaths in New York State every day continues to rise. There were 134 overnight

NY CITY AND NY STATE NUMBERS Every day, Gov. Cuomo gives updated figures for NY state's total death toll and a breakdown of how many infections are in each area, in the morning. De Blasio announces his own figures - of the city's death toll - later in the day. They do not always correlate, which has led to confusion in the specific numbers in both NY State and NYC. NY STATE Death toll: 519 (As of Friday afternoon, + 134 since Thursday) Infections: 44, 635 (As of Friday afternoon, + 7,337 since Thursday) NY CITY Death toll: 366 (As of Friday, an increase of 1 since Thursday) Infections: 25,573 (As of Friday afternoon, an increase of 4,000 since Thursday) Advertisement

He also revealed his multi-stage plan to keep the city from being overwhelmed.

Over the next three weeks, multiple field hospitals are to be built as they are needed to help ease the strain on the city's health system.

He has another three in his sights that will be built at the campuses of CUNY Stony Brook, CUNY Westchester, SUNY Old Westbury.

Those three and the Javits Center provide 4,000 additional beds.

Cuomo wants to build another four sites, which will add another 4,000 beds.

He wants to put one in each borough of New York City - Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn - and one in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester beyond the city.

A potential field hospital is the Marriott Hotel Brooklyn Bridge as is the Brooklyn Center.

The USNS Comfort, a Navy ship with 1,000 beds, is also on its way to New York City where it will dock on Monday, bringing 1,200 medical personnel with it,

The latest New York figures came as;

Mayor Bill de Blasio warned NYC could be under lockdown until the end of May

A new study by the University of Washington Medical School predicted 81,000 may die before the pandemic ends and the country could stay on lockdown until June

The Surgeon General warned that some states will be battling the virus in September and that it will travel through the country

The US remained the country with the highest number of infections in the world with more than 90,000

New Orleans emerged as the potential next 'epicenter'

Of the spike in deaths, he said: 'We're seeing a significant increase in deaths because the length of time people are on the ventilator is increasing. We expect that to continue to increase.

'This is a different beast, an invisible beast, an insidious beast. This is not going to be a short deployment Cuomo to National Guard troops

'It's bad news, it's tragic news, the worst news. But it's not unexpected news,' he said.

They will go up in college campuses, hotels and exposition centers. Cuomo needs the president to sign off on the plan for him to be able to put it into action.

In a rallying speech to the National Guard troops who will build the sites, he said on Friday: 'This is a different beast, an invisible beast, an insidious beast.

'This is not going to be a short deployment where you go out for a few days work out and go home.

Army personnel listen to instructions while sitting a safe distance from one another at the Javits Center on Friday

The National Guard will be used to help build the field hospitals around the state of New York

US Army and Javit Center personnel listen to Cuomo's rousing speech on Friday

US Army Troops at the Javits Center in New York City on Friday afternoon

'You are living a moment in history. This is one of those moments that they're going to write about, talk about, this is a moment that forges character, forges people, changes people, make them stronger, weaker, this is a moment that will change character.

'In 10 years from now you'll be talking about today to your children from grandchildren and you will shed a tear because you will remember the lives lost and faces and names and you'll remember how hard we worked and that we still lost loved ones.

'You will shed a tear and you should because it's sad but you will also be proud.

'That you showed up - when other people played it safe, you had the courage to show up and you had the skill and professionalism to make a difference and save lives.

'At the end of the day, nobody can ask any more of you.

CUOMO TO TRUMP - DEAL IN FACTS NOT OPINIONS Cuomo shot back at President Trump, who last night suggested he was exaggerating with his demand for 30,000 ventilators, saying that is what the data is projecting. 'I don't have a crystal ball, everybody is entitled to an opinion, but I don't operate here on opinion. I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators. 'Those are numbers, not "I feel, I think, I believe, I want to believe." 'Make the decisions based on the data and the science - we're following the data and the science and that's what it says. I hope we don't need 30,000 ventilators. 'I hope some natural weather change happens overnight and kills the virus globally. 'That's what I hope. But that's my emotion - the numbers say you may need 30,000 ventilators,' he said. Trump had said on Thursday: 'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!' Trump 'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.' Then Trump referenced his gut instincts, as he did on a push to get the nation's economy going by Easter even as health experts say social distancing must be kept in place. 'I think that a lot of things are being said that are more, I don't think certain things will materialize, a lot of equipment is being asked for but I don't think they'll need,' Trump said. 'I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they're going to be.' Trump continued. 'I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes and they'll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'' Advertisement

'That is your duty. To do what you can when you can, you will have shown skill and talent.

'You'll be there with your mind and with your heart.

'You'll serve with honor and that will give you pride.

'I know that I am proud of you.

'Every time the national guard as been called out, they make every New Yorker proud.

'I say we go out there today and we kick coronavirus a*s,' he said.

At the start of the press conference, where he gave the national guard troops seats directly in front of him, he said: 'We are battling a deadly virus.

'Is there an intrusion on life? Yes. Is there an intrusion on the economy?

'Yes. But what's on the other side of the scale is literally saving lives and that is not rhetorical.

'That's fact,' he said.

Cuomo also expressed gratitude for the 62,000 healthcare workers who have volunteered since the pandemic began.

He said of the city: 'New Yorkers never cease to amaze me. Sure, we're tough.

'To live in a place like this you have to be tough. But as tough as we are, as loving as we are.

'When someone needs something, there's no place I'd rather be than New York.'

He also shot back at President Trump, who last night suggested he was exaggerating with his demand for 30,000 ventilators, saying that is what the data is projecting.

'I don't have a crystal ball, everybody is entitled to an opinion, but I don't operate here on opinion.

'I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators.

'Those are numbers, not "I feel, I think, I believe, I want to believe."

'Make the decisions based on the data and the science - we're following the data and the science and that's what it says.

'I hope we don't need 30,000 ventilators.

'I hope some natural weather change happens overnight and kills the virus globally.

'That's what I hope. But that's my emotion - the numbers say you may need 30,000 ventilators,' he said.

Coronavirus could kill 81,000 people in the US over the next four months even if social distancing lockdowns WORK - and the worst of outbreak may not subside until June, analysis finds

The coronavirus pandemic could kill more than 81,000 Americans over the next four months and may not subside until June, a new analysis suggests.

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine predict that the number of US deaths could vary widely, ranging from as low as around 38,000 to as high as around 162,000.

The number of hospitalized patients is expected to peak nationally by the second week of April, though the peak may come later in some states.

Some people could continue to die of the virus as late as July, although deaths should be below epidemic levels of 10 per day by June at the latest, according to the analysis.

However, the team says that this is only if people follow local and federal guidelines and stay indoors.

For the analysis, the team analyzed data from the local and federal government, hospital and other sources.

Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said the variance in deaths is due in part to disparate rates of the spread of the virus in different regions.

The latest data shows how the US has overtaken Italy with the number of new cases per day since March 19

For example, the virus had spread quite rapidly in New York City but has been slow in several Midwest and Mountain states.

The duration of the virus means there may be a need for social distancing measures for longer than initially expected, Dr Murray, who led the study said.

However, he added that the country may eventually be able relax restrictions if it can more effectively test and quarantine the sick.

The analysis also highlights the strain that will be placed on hospitals.

At the epidemic's peak, sick patients could exceed the number of available hospital beds by 64,000 and could require the use of around 20,000 ventilators.

Ventilators are already running short in hard-hit places like New York City. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that New York State needs 30,000.

The virus is spreading more slowly in California, which could mean that peak cases there will come later in April and social distancing measures will need to be extended in the state for longer, Murray said.

Louisiana and Georgia are predicted to see high rates of contagion and could see a particularly high burden on their local healthcare systems, he added.
'All the hotels and restaurants from where I used to eat have been shut. I used to beg but now there is no one to give me alms too'

IMAGE: Homeless people and daily wagers eat food at a government shelter during the nationwide lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic near Nigam Bodh ghat in New Delhi . Photograph: Manvender Vashist /PTI Photo

"Self-quarantining ourselves is a luxury homeless like us cannot afford," believes 68-year-old Rupa who has been living on the streets of Delhi-NCR for as long as she can remember.

Rupa, currently living near a Noida metro station, says she does not understand everything happening around her -- whether it is empty roads or closure of most shops -- but what she does realise is that there is a disease which has forced people to stay indoors.

"But self-quarantining ourselves is a luxury homeless like us cannot afford," she said.

Asked if she worries about being infected with the virus, Rupa casually replies that she has seen worse and for her it is nothing more than a flu.

"Getting food is a major concern for me not this (coronavirus)," she said.

"I went to a shelter home but I got scared that I will catch some other disease there," said Rupa who refused to give details of the shelter home where she was taken.

At some distance, Ghanshyam, another homeless in his late 40s, explains how procuring food has been the biggest challenge for him in the past few days.

"My worry is not that of the disease but of getting food. All the hotels and restaurants from where I used to eat have been shut. I used to beg but now there is no one to give me alms too," he said.

India is under the biggest lockdown in its history with all 1.3 billion people asked to stay home for three weeks in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 17 lives and infected over 700 people around the country.

IMAGE: A homeless man collects water from a leaking pipe as others sit on the ground . Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Ghanshyam said he has been surviving by eating food from the garbage since the lockdown was announced and is worried that if the situation persists this source too would deplete.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday directed officials to start community kitchens to provide food to the poor and migrant labourers amid the lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus but daily wager Ramesh has his doubts over its effective implementation.

"How do we reach these kitchens, if we walk we will be stopped and questioned by the police. How do we reach there?" asked Ramesh who used to work as a daily wage worker at a construction factory but lost his job ever since the lockdown and has been living on the streets since last then.

According to the 2011 census, India is home to 17 lakh homeless people who also happen to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their exposure.

Leilani Farha, United Nations Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, said approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide live in homelessness and grossly inadequate housing, often in overcrowded conditions, lacking access to water and sanitation -- making them particularly vulnerable to contracting the virus, as they are often suffering from multiple health issues.

She urged States to "take extraordinary measures" to secure the right to housing for all to protect against the pandemic.

"By ensuring access to secure housing with adequate sanitation, States will not only protect the lives of those who are homeless or living in informal settlements but will help protect the entire world's population by flattening the curve of coronavirus, the UN expert said.

IMAGE: A daily wager receives food at a government shelter amid the nationwide lockdown near Nigam Bodh ghat in New Delhi . Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

The government and medical professionals have advised everyone to 'stay at home' and wash hands as much as possible.

"Washing our hands regularly is also something not easy for us. Where do we get the soaps from or even clean water," Ramesh asked.

"We have seen a lot in our lives, slept hungry on many nights but never we have witnessed such a situation. We are not sure what is coming next for us and what should we do to protect ourselves. All the steps advised whether it is quarantine or washing our hands is for rich people not for people like us who neither have roof over our heads nor food in our stomachs," he added.

Bharat Gopal, Senior Consultant Pulmonologist and Director National Chest Centre, said maintaining hygiene and social distancing is the key to fight this disease.

"However for those unfortunate homeless people where do they go. On top of it they are the fragile part of our population  the most vulnerable. Though the government is making efforts to provide food and shelter, awareness and the need for staying away from each other would be the key," Gopal told said.

"Areas to wash hands should be made available to these people too. The NGOs can teach them the correct technique and if these people also learn the hygiene  this enemy (coronavirus) would teach us the biggest lesson and actually save the whole population in future from so many other diseases," he added.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced the Vietnamese Government has decided to offer US$200,000 in medical aid to help Laos and Cambodia fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds separate phone talks with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on March 26, 2020. Photo: VGP





The Government chief informed his Lao and Cambodian counterparts about the decision during their phone talks on Thursday.



He also said Viet Nam is ready to send medical experts to support Cambodias COVID-19 combat and expressed his wish that the three countries would continue closely cooperate in ASEAN in line with the bloc's spirit of solidarity and unity enshrined in the Chairman's Statement on ASEAN Collective Response to COVID-19 Outbreak.



During his phone talks with Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith, PM Phuc spoke highly of the efforts made by the Government of Laos in employing preventive measures, affirming Viet Nam stands ready to assist and work side by side with Laos in the fight against the pandemic in order to soon stabilize situation in each country.



Sisoulith highly valued Viet Nams efforts and outcomes in containing the virus, expressing his wish that both countries would strengthen information sharing as well as coordination and mutual support in this fight.



Phuc suggested the Lao Government continue facilitating the Vietnamese communitys access to necessary conditions to protect themselves against the COVID-19, and coordinate with Viet Nam in maintaining stability and security in respective countries, especially in border provinces.



The two leaders agreed to pay more attention to sustain the development of the bilateral ties with particular focus on effective implementation of the agreements reached at the 42nd meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee that took place earlier this year.



Both sides agreed to continue facilitating cross-border movement of goods in a bid to help the two nations overcome difficulties resulted from the pandemic.



During his phone talks with Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Phuc also spoke highly of Cambodias measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 outbreak, emphasizing the need for countries to join hands in pushing back the pandemic.



Amid complicated developments of the pandemic, Phuc suggested the two countries foster coordination and create favorable conditions for representative agencies to support repatriation of citizens.



He also suggested both sides ministries, agencies and localities collaborate actively in stemming the pandemic, ensuring smooth information exchanges, timely addressing obstacles obstacles based on the spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding.



The two countries should also maintain regular trade exchanges through facilitation of movement of goods along the shared border line.



Phuc affirmed that Viet Nam is ready to work with the Cambodian side to repatriate Cambodian people who have been quarantined and wish to return home.



Meanwhile, PM Hun Sen highly valued Viet Nams measures to contain the pandemic and extended thanks for the Vietnamese Governments responses to his countrys requests.



Hun Sen stressed that the royal Government and people of Cambodia have always regard the Vietnamese in Cambodia as the locals.



Both PM Thongloun Sisoulith and PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen expressed sincere thanks to the Government and people of Viet Nam for the latest medical aid, saying that it is the meaningful gift in the current context. VGP
Social distancing, self-isolation and work from home has brought on some challenges and a whole new perspective on life at home in times of a global pandemic, and were all learning to get along with these changes. When you sit by yourself in complete isolation, what is the one thing that instantly comes to mind? As far as Im concerned, its usually wanting to pick up a book but ending up scrolling through my social media profiles to get a peek into my friends, their dogs, cats, babies lives and then some. On days of what Id like to term purposeful scrolling Ill go to accounts held and run by artists, poets, writers, food aficionados and then some. If you too have been scrolling through Instagram and other social media assets more often now as part of your quarantine adjustment, you may have stumbled upon a new string of posts with the caption and/or hashtag until tomorrow.

As the virus and the panic around it continues to spread, the digital-friendly world has been looking for ways to keep themselves occupied, in turn creating a window for new trends on social media.

From toilet paper filters on Snapchat to songs against coronavirus and positive messages about staying home on TikTok, to Facebook groups teaching new skills to fans, users are going all-out to create shareable content on social media. And the best part is that were all in it together.

What is the Only Until Tomorrow challenge?

The latest viral challenge on Instagram has users post cringe-worthy pictures of themselves for a period of 24 hours with hashtags as captions - #UntilTomorrow or #OnlyUntilTomorrow.

There is all but one rule to join in: the picture should be as embarrassing as possible. These are made available for until the next day and users are free to delete them afterwards. (Personal advice: Archiving is better, it doesnt show up on your feed but you have a memory of the moment in place).

How to ace the Only Until Tomorrow challenge?

A Reddit thread explains that to become a part of the challenge, you have to be nominated by someone who has posted a picture as part of the challenge. For example, if a friend of yours has posted a picture and you like it, you have self-nominated yourself. On the other hand, you can be roped in by a friend or a user to participate. Once you accept it, you have to share an embarrassing albeit hilarious picture of yourself and use the hashtag #onlyuntiltomorrow so that others can see your posts.

Remember to revisit and delete the picture 24 hours later: thats the reason why this challenge has been named Only Until Tomorrow.

Mr Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India says, Instagrams the home for creativity and expression. We are working to ensure that everyone has accurate information pertaining to COVID19, stopping misinformation and harmful content, and supporting global health experts and relief efforts. Simultaneously, with the new reality of social distancing, were glad to see public figures and creators connecting with their communities and engaging with them. Especially in the past week, weve especially seen content on home workout regimens, quarantine antakshri, IG music festivals and challenges like the ones on safe hands and until tomorrow being posted on the platform.

Interestingly, Twitterati also reacted to Only Until Tomorrow even though the trend has gone viral on Instagram.

Ghar Baitho India on TikTok:

TikToks #GharBaithoIndia campaign aims to encourage Indians by egging them on to be their productive and creative best while they stay indoors and safeguard themselves. This campaign has already seen engagement from general users and celebrities alike. People have been uploading videos about how they are spending time either by cooking unique recipes, showing their new home-workout routine or even the glimpses of them working from home. Popular TikTok creators such as actors Kajol, Kartik Aaryan, Adah Sharma, Riteish Deshmukh, Rannvijay Singh, Karanveer Bohra, Yo Yo Honey Singh to name a few, have captured moments of fun, leisure and learning from their daily lives while staying indoors and inspiring everyone out there.

Cooking, Fitness, Travel via Facebook:

With the world fighting back the pandemic that has gripped pour daily lives, the good part is using this time especially the commuting and traffic snag hours into learning a new skill. From learning new recipes to sprucing up your home with handy home decor tips to taking care of your body and mind to virtually travelling the world to getting the artist in you out, theres something in it for everyone. Go the DIY route and learn a skill that you can use for the next few years with discipline and perseverance.

From pages like 5-min crafts, Tastemade, Your Food Lab, Under Armour, Fittr, to seeing the Pyramids or the insides of a Glowworm Cave in New Zealand via Virtual and Augmented Reality, theres a plethora of activities lined up virtually, available at the click of a button. For moms and dads who are managing their time between working from home, con calls, their homes and children, kids art and craft groups are also a great place to keep your child busy with while you manage your hours at work, from home.

Stay Home and Co-watching with Instagram:

Instagram also launched a sticker to spread the message of staying home. When the sticker is added to an (Instagram) Story, it can be featured in the Stay Home story, which when tapped will show how your Instagram friends are keeping safe at home, all in one place. The message in the sticker also shows up in Hindi, as ghar pe raho. The stickers are available in English and Hindi.

All social media platforms have taken the responsible route to show updated information from World Health Organisation so people are updated with relevant and up-to-date resources.

Instagram also introduced a feature called Co-watching that lets users engage remotely via their DM inboxes. The Co-Watching feature lets the user view posts along with your friends over video chat within Instagram  including saved, liked, and suggested photos/videos. To enable, click on the video icon within an already existing DM chat, or click the plus (+) sign in the top of the Direct inbox to create a new chat group and proceed by clicking the video icon from there. From here you can then tap the photo icon in the bottom left corner of your video chat to display posts that all members of the chat group can view together.

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
F oreign Secretary Dominic Raab will now stand in to lead the UK's coronavirus response "where necessary" as Boris Johnson goes into intensive care to battle for his life.

Mr Raab had been prior selected to deputise for Mr Johnson in the event that the PM became too unwell to carry out his duties.

Mr Johnson had been leading the country from self-isolation in his Downing Street flat since testing positive for coronavirus on Friday March 27.

But as his symptoms persisted he was admitted to St Thomas' hospital in London on Sunday before his conditions worsened and he was put into intensive care on Monday evening.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus

Here, we take a look at Mr Raab's political career thus far as he steps in to lead the country.

Who is Dominic Raab?

Born in Buckinghamshire, Mr Raab is the current Foreign secretary and former Brexit Secretary.

He attended Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, before going to study law at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and a master's degree at Jesus College, Cambridge.

Starting his career, he worked at Linklaters in London and qualified as a solicitor in 2000.

He joined the Foreign Office in the same year and worked as Chief of Staff to Shadow Home Secretary David Davis and to Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Grieve from 2006 to 2010.

Mr Raab was elected to Parliament in 2010 to represent Esher and Walton and he was re-elected in 2015 and 2017.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (right) walks from the Foreign Office towards 10 Downing Street / AFP via Getty Images

He was an active campaigner for leaving the EU during the 2016 referendum and in July 2018 he was appointed Brexit Secretary.

But he resigned just a few months later in November over the Cabinet's position on the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Following the resignation of Theresa May in 2019, Mr Raab entered the Conservative Party leadership race, but came in sixth place.

After Boris Johnson's win, he appointed Mr Raab Foreign Secretary and handed him the additional title First Secretary of State, meaning he is the most senior member of the Cabinet.

Boris Johnson Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Will Dominic Raab take over as Prime Minister from Boris Johnson?

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will deputise where necessary as Mr Johnson goes into intensive care, a No 10 spokesman said.

As First Secretary of State, Mr Raab has been on standby to take charge should the PM's condition deteriorate.

The spokesman added: Since Sunday evening, the Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital.

The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary.

The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.

Political career highlights

The highlights of Mr Raab's career include several senior positions in the Cabinet.

After actively campaigning for the UK to leave the EU, he was appointed Brexit Secretary in 2018, but quit soon after over "fatal flaws" in the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

He was appointed Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State - the highest ranking position in the Cabinet - by the Prime Minister last year.

At the time, he said: "I'm hugely humbled to take on this role at this time and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead."
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: Bihar is now facing a double whammy. Adding to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the state is now facing an outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) and swine flu ( H1N1).

Besides the deaths of hundreds of crows and other birds in Patna, Nalanda and Nawada districts, about 50 pigs had also suspectedly died recently in Bhgalapur and Rohtas districts due to swine flu.

Confirming the outbreaks of bird and swine flues, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that the deaths of crows hints at an outbreak of birds flu.

According to official sources, more than 50 pigs had suspectedly died recently in Bhgalapur and Rohtas districts due to the fever caused by the swine flu.

Officials said that teams of doctors of concerned department are looking into the unnatural deaths of crows and pigs.

"We are keeping a special vigil on polutry farms in the bird flu-affected districts. Samples of dead crows and other birds are being collected and sent to Kolkata for lab test", Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department N Saravana Kumar told the CM at a high-level meeting to formulate plans to deal with the issue.

Alarmed at the outbreaks, the CM asked the officials of animal and fisheries department to tame the outbreaks on war footing.

Avian influenza (H5N1) occurs mainly in birds and is contagious among them. There have been instances of human beings getting infected with the virus.
A detail from an 1866 illustration of the 10th plaguethe killing of all firstborn sons in Egyptby Gustave Dore (18321883). (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Past Pandemics and Epidemics

Whether ancient or modern, the death toll was often staggering

Plagues have been recorded since ancient times and were once thought to be a manifestation of the wrath of gods, often following soldiers around the world or merchants involved in trade. Here are a few notable pandemics from history:

Black Plague

Perhaps the most famous of pandemics is the Black Plague, which swept across Europe in the middle of the 14th century, killing an estimated half of Europes population over four years (between 75 million and 200 million people). The disease moved from Central Asia to Mediterranean ports to the bulk of Europe.

The plague devastated some cities so much that some required mass restructuring. Such was the case in Florence, Italy, which, after losing the majority of its population, turned fervently to religion, paving the way for the Renaissance.

The Black Death is now known as the bubonic plague and is treatable. But in the past, the plague had recurrent outbreaks every decade or so for two centuries, up to the Great Plague of London in 1665, which killed a quarter of the London population in 18 months. That event marked the last major European outbreak.

Russian Flu

The 1889 outbreak was first recorded in St. Petersburg, Russia. With the increased travel infrastructure of the time, it took only four months for the disease to spread from Eastern Russia to cover the entire Northern Hemisphere. It was one of the first epidemics covered by the daily press.

The flu had several recurrences around the world until 1895 and killed about 1 million people in total.

The medical response to the virus wasnt coordinated globally. Interestingly, in 1889, there also were earthquakes reported monthly from a wide variety of places around the world. There were many theories as to what was causing the flu, and some even linked the disease to these seismic events, as well as volcanic eruptions.

Spanish Influenza

The Spanish flu of 1918 is sometimes called the forgotten pandemic, because although it infected a third of the worlds population and killed more than 50 million people, its timing at the end of World War I meant that reporting on the disease was obscured by the war.

By 1918, the United States had joined the war, and the sudden mobilization of millions across the world contributed to the viruss rapid spread. It affected both sides of the conflict, downing thousands on either side.

In the United States, the virus spread across the country after a military outbreak at Camp Funston, but died away with summer. By fall, a mutated strain among soldiers came back. In total, an estimated 675,000 Americans died from the H1N1 virus, which forced quarantines all over the nation. At the time, children would skip rope to a song that went, I had a little bird/Its name was Enza/I opened the window/And in-flu-enza.

SARS

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is coronavirus, which first began in southern China in 2002 before spreading to 29 countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

When the virus first began spreading in China, state-run media were ordered by the Chinese regime not to report on the epidemic, but whistleblower Dr. Jiang Yanyong leaked statistics to Western media.

According to the World Health Organization, there were more than 8,000 recorded infections and 774 deaths in 2003, and since then there have been small numbers of cases. It didnt spread widely in the United States, with 156 recorded cases in 2003.
America is engaged in a deep and broad debate unlike anything in our history. Its a debate about what the common good is in the midst of a pandemic.

That is, how do we maximize the common good in the least heartless way?

To help surface this unarticulated ethical debate  so maybe we can have it more productively  I called Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel. His lectures on justice have been devoured by millions of students around the world, and he is just finishing a book on why weve lost sight of the common good. (Disclosure: He is a friend of many years, and we have taught together.)

I began our combination phone-email interview with this question: What do we actually mean by the common good?

Sandel: The common good is about how we live together in community. Its about the ethical ideals we strive for together, the benefits and burdens we share, the sacrifices we make for one another. Its about the lessons we learn from one another about how to live a good and decent life. This may seem a far cry from what we see in politics these days. But the common good, like all ethical ideals, is contestable.

Friedman: Well, if we are having a debate about what is the common good, how would you describe the actual competing positions?

Sandel: Think about the two emblematic slogans of the pandemic: social distancing and were all in this together. In ordinary times, these slogans point to competing ethical principles  setting ourselves apart from one another, and pulling together. As a response to the pandemic, we need both.

Friedman: There has been a lot of discussion, most prominently in Britain before it opted for a three-week shutdown, about herd immunity  let a lot of people quickly get the virus, most will recover fine, tend to the most ill, but within a period of weeks a critical mass of people who become immune will eventually force the virus to peter out because it wont have enough hosts.

How do you see the ethical choices around herd immunity?

Sandel: The strategy of contending with the pandemic by allowing the virus to run its course as quickly as possible in hopes of hastening herd immunity is a callous approach reminiscent of social Darwinism  the idea of the survival of the fittest.

This purely utilitarian approach is far from the ideal of solidarity, which requires that we show as much care and concern for those who are weak and vulnerable as for those who are strong and powerful.

I understand, though, that responsible public health experts have a less harsh scenario in mind.

Friedman: Yes, the ones I have been writing about or following are actually proposing a phased strategy: 1) Practice social distancing and sheltering in place across the country for at least two weeks, so whoever has the disease would likely manifest symptoms in that period. Those who can recover at home would do so, sequestered from healthy living partners, and those who needed hospitalization would seek it. 2) Alongside this we would do much more testing, to actually get a grasp on which regions and age cohorts  how many young people, how many in their 40s  are most affected. 3) Once we have enough of that data, we can then begin phasing healthy and immune workers back into the workplace, or back to school, while still sequestering those who are elderly or immune-compromised until the all-clear.

Theyre arguing that work and the overall health of the economy is also a health issue. If we have millions of people who have lost businesses that they have spent a lifetime building or savings that they have spent a lifetime accruing, we will have an epidemic of suicide, despair and addiction that will dwarf the COVID-19 epidemic.

President Donald Trump said that he would love to have the country opened up, and just raring to go, by Easter, April 12, less than three weeks away. I appreciate the presidents eagerness to get as many people as possible back to work. I want to as well, but we need this kind of national three-part plan  with real health care metrics established by experts and confirmed by data  to get there.

Sandel: If Trump, out of impatience with the economic downturn, declares victory over the virus and sends people back to work prematurely, then he will be enacting, in effect, the social Darwinist scenario.

Friedman: Do we just have to make a hellish trade-off between medical health and economic health?

Sandel: No, not necessarily. It all depends on whether we can start to reorganize the economy in a way that promotes the common good.

It is clear that this era requires an economy that provides universal access to health care, paid sick leave for all workers and economic support for those who lose their jobs.

Heres an idea: Why not consider, as a condition of sending Americans back to work, extending health and economic protections to all Americans for 18 months? Maybe this gesture of solidarity will prove habit-forming  and worth continuing even when the virus recedes.

@NYTFriedman
Cots are set up six feet apart at Westwood Recreation Center last week to shelter homeless people amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Despite unprecedented attention and spending on homelessness, tens of thousands of people are still living on the streets of California amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Officials say failing to help them move indoors is a stumbling block in efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as cases across California spike and hospitals are rapidly filling up.

A new study puts the risk homeless individuals face in stark terms: It estimates that nearly 2,600 homeless people in the Los Angeles area alone will need to be hospitalized for COVID-19, and about 900 of them will require intensive care. The data shows how an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile hospital system.

If that many homeless people do indeed stream into local hospitals in the coming weeks, it could lead to increased competition among all patients for beds and ventilators. Officials have said California has far fewer of both than will be needed in coming weeks as hospitals fill up with the sick.

Homeless people, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems, often from living on the streets, are at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population.

"It's a really urgent thing," said Thomas Byrne, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Social Work.

Far from giving in to such dire projections, state and local officials have started working on ways to quickly move people indoors, though so far the numbers have been small. What Gov. Gavin Newsom billed a week ago as a coordinated effort has in reality rolled out in the same patchwork, locally led approach that has hamstrung solutions to homelessness for decades.

Some cities and counties are rushing to open mass shelters and drawing up plans for how to leave some people outdoors. Others are pinning their hopes on a state-backed effort to secure hotel and motel rooms.

Story continues

Federal guidance has been confusing on how best to address homelessness during the outbreak and limit the spread of the coronavirus. And some local governments lack the personnel for the massive challenge of moving people indoors quickly.

There also is a growing awareness that many beds and rooms originally planned for homeless people might instead be needed for patients if hospitals are full, or for doctors, nurses and first responders who may be unable to return to their homes between shifts for fear of infecting their families. That is despite the fact that Newsom this week drastically increased the number of hospital beds in the state to handle the expected flood of COVID-19 cases.

Statewide, there is little consensus on the best approach to getting homeless people off the streets.

A man looks out from behind a cluster of tents in downtown Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Last week, Newsom allocated $50 million to purchase or lease hotels and motels across the state for that purpose, along with an additional $100 million in emergency grants.

On Wednesday, he said that there are now 4,305 hotel rooms available across the state, all intended to be run by local jurisdictions.

But Los Angeles is relying heavily on new emergency shelters. Some 6,000 beds are planned in city-owned recreation centers.

As of Monday, eight of those shelters had opened with a total of 366 beds. And as of Thursday, most were at 100% capacity, said Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. She said five more shelters were to open by the end of the week, for a total of 13 with 561 beds.

There has been pushback to using the recreation centers, though, and a fear that they could be incubators for spreading the novel coronavirus among an already high-risk population. While most health experts, advocates and some politicians agree that quick action will require using multiple types of shelter, they say single-occupancy spaces such as motel or hotel rooms are safer.

L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin said while he's encouraged by the shelters at recreation centers, he is angry and frustrated that there hasn't been more movement on the issue of hotel rooms.

"I think, based on the public health advice, that the best thing is for everyone to be housed in a hotel room, motel room or college dormitory," he said. "That is optimum from a public health perspective."

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County has compiled a list of 5,000 motel and hotel rooms that could be rented for homeless people who are at high risk for COVID-19, said Phil Ansell, director of the L.A. County Homeless Initiative.

That list has been sent to the state, which will negotiate with the owners of the hotels and motels. It's unclear how many rooms the state will fund.

The county also is trying to cobble together 2,000 hotel and motel rooms for anyone who needs to be quarantined or isolated because of the virus, not just people who are homeless.

So far, two hotels with 314 rooms are up and running with medical services, food, laundry service and security. Three more hotels with 442 rooms are under contract and are being prepared for patients, said Kevin McGowan, director of the Office of Emergency Management.

We continue to prepare for additional capacity, McGowan said Thursday.

Security guards outside the Echo Park Community Center, one of many area recreation centers that have become temporary shelters for homeless people due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

San Francisco has embraced the hotel approach in a dramatic fashion. Last week, the county put out a call to see which hotels and motels might be interested in housing people. The rooms mostly would be used for quarantine and for housing those who now live in San Francisco's roughly 19,000 single-room occupancy hotels, where bathrooms are often shared and conditions are crowded.

Several hotels, including posh establishments such as the Palace Hotel and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, have offered more than 8,000 rooms for use during the pandemic. Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency, estimated the need at about 4,500 rooms. Three hundred have been secured.

About 1,000 of those rooms would be reserved for medical workers and, potentially, to move patients from crowded hospitals if they required a lower level of care.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti talks about the drawbacks of sheltering homeless people in hotel rooms during the pandemic without having their health monitored.

The residents of San Francisco's current homeless shelters would likely move to smaller motels, "where we can better provide services that they would need."

But the city also is planning to open three other shelters with about 2,500 beds, so those who remain in group settings can have more space. They also want to create more space for people who are suspected of having COVID-19 and need to be isolated.

Rhorer declined to say how much San Francisco was willing to pay to rent hotel and motel rooms because negotiations were still underway, but said "literally tens of millions of dollars" would go toward accommodations and meals.

Dr. Mark Rosenberg, an epidemiologist and former assistant surgeon general of the U.S., said that while single rooms are best, shelters could still be useful because it would allow for monitoring, finding and isolating infected people.

"That doesnt happen when people are on the street," Rosenberg said.

Staffing shortages

Finding space for homeless people is only part of the holdup, though. There also aren't enough people to provide services for the newly housed.

"That is the main reason why a whole lot of things havent opened up so far," said Sam Cobbs, chief executive of Tipping Point, a Bay Area nonprofit that works on poverty issues. "It's not because the places to put people aren't there. It's because of the staffing."

Which agencies should be providing medical care, meals and other services also has been a point of contention.

While typically, county homeless services departments oversee homeless funding and nonprofit partners run shelters, Cobbs and others said the critical nature of the pandemic should mean county public health departments or medical professionals should provide some staffing.

"It's not a skill thing. It's a will thing," Cobbs said. "The emergency relief workers, they're not interested or willing to staff the shelters because they are saying, 'Hey, that is not a medical emergency.'"

In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti cited some of the same concerns.

Salvation Army volunteer Christina Cuevas sets up cots for homeless people at Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles last week. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

"You can't just put somebody in a hotel room," he said Tuesday. "You have to be able to monitor them and make sure that you can check on their temperature or, if they are symptomatic, you can check health."

Some cities and counties, faced with staffing limitations, are now planning to leave homeless people on the streets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently put out revised guidelines, advising local governments not to clear encampments if indoor space isn't available, and instead allow people to remain where they are with enhanced sanitation services.

"Even if communities are able to offer housing, forcing people against their will into services or accommodations of any kind is simply not an effective approach," said Barbara DiPietro, policy director of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. "Trained outreach workers understand how to build relationships and engage people into care  and unfortunately, many communities are having to pull back outreach services at this time, which may leave very vulnerable and isolated people without a trusted source of information and care."

For those left on the streets, the pandemic has already disrupted daily life and caused a secondary set of problems.

Shaunn Cartwright, an activist in San Jose  where Santa Clara County has announced that at least one homeless person has died from COVID-19  said the strict social distancing mandated by health officials is making it hard for homeless people to find food and services because many businesses are closed.

"When we went to shelter in place, it took away 90% of the places where they charge their phone  McDonald's, libraries, Starbucks," Cartwright pointed out.

Randall Kuhn, a UCLA researcher who helped compile the study on how the coronavirus will affect homeless people, agreed that the shutdown in California and other states has meant that those sleeping on sidewalks are living without the resources they need.

Across the United States, nearly 22,000 homeless people, or 4.3% of the homeless population, could require hospitalization, though researchers say the final number could go as high as 10%. More than 7,000 may need to be placed in intensive care. Researchers estimate that 400,000 additional beds at a cost of $11.5 billion would be required to address the country's emergency quarantine and shelter needs.

Kuhn said that Los Angeles in particular needs more ways to bring people inside because it's not a given the outreach workers will be able to continue working on the streets if the outbreak continues.

"The proportion of unsheltered individuals who could legitimately ride out more than a week or two of serious lockdown is probably no more than 10%," Kuhn said.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2020 -- Baby Foods and Formula Market Research Study  The exploration report comprised with market data derived from primary as well as secondary research techniques. The points covered in this study are primarily factors which are considered to be market driving forces. The aim is to get premium insights, quality data figures and information in relation to aspects such as market scope, market size, share, and segments including Types of Products and Services, Application / end use industry, SWOT Analysis and by various emerging by geographies. Some of the profiled players in standard version of this study are AMUL (India), Milupa Nutricia GmbH (Germany), Nurture Inc. (Happy Family) (USA), Balactan Nutrition (Spain), Danone Nutricia (France), Beingmate Group Co., Ltd. (China), Bellamy's Organic (Australia), Biostime Inc. (China), Wakodo Co. Ltd. (Japan), Yashili International Holdings Ltd. (China), Abbott Nutrition (USA), Dana Dairy Group (Switzerland), Danone SA (France), Ausnutria Dairy Corporation Ltd. (China) & Wakodo Co. Ltd. (Japan).



REQUEST to GET FREE Sample PDF of Global (United States, European Union and China) Baby Foods and Formula Market Report NOW!



The Baby Foods and Formula Market study incorporates valuable differentiating data regarding each of the market segments. These segments are studied further on various fronts including historical performance, market size contributions, % market share, expected rate of growth, and many more.



Key Businesses Segmentation or Breakdown covered in Baby Foods and Formula Market Study is by Type [, Infant Formula, RTE Foods, Dried Foods & Others], by Application [0-1 Year-old Baby, 1-3 Year-old Baby & 3-6 Year-old Baby] and by Region [United States, China, European Union & Rest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)].



Business Strategies

Key strategies in theGlobal (United States, European Union and China) Baby Foods and Formula Market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc discussed in this report. The worth of strategic analysis has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with undisputed market challenges. Type 1 of Baby Foods and Formula market is expected to the dominate the overall market during the forecast period till 2026. The market will boost by application XX to improve operations efficiently and with minimum operational cost.



Rethink to Unleash Growth Pattern; Know More @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1787654-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-baby-foods-and-formula-market



What primary data figures are included in the Baby Foods and Formula market report?

- Market size (Last few years, current and expected)

- Market share analysis as per different companies)

- Market (Demand forecast)

- Price Analysis

- Market Contributions (Size, Share as per regional boundaries)



What are the crucial aspects incorporated in the Global (United States, European Union and China) Baby Foods and Formula Market Study?



- Industry Value Chain

- Consumption Data

- Market Size Expansion

- Key Economic Indicators



Who all can be benefitted out of this Global (United States, European Union and China) Baby Foods and Formula Market Report?



- Market Investigators

- Teams, departments, and companies

- Competitive organizations

- Individual professionals

- Vendors, Buyers, Suppliers

- Others



Have any Query Regarding this Report? Contact us at: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1787654-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-baby-foods-and-formula-market



Baby Foods and Formula Market  Geographical Segment

- North America (Canada, United States & Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, the United Kingdom, BeNeLux, France, Russia & Italy)

- Asia-Pacific (Japan, South Korea, China, India & Southeast Asia)

- South America (Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Etc.)

- Middle East & Africa (United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria & South Africa)



The Baby Foods and Formula Market  Report Allows You to:



- Formulate Significant Competitor Information, Analysis, and Insights to Improve R&D Strategies of Baby Foods and Formula Market

- Identify Emerging Players of Baby Foods and Formula Market with Potentially Strong Product Portfolio and Create Effective Counter Strategies to

Gain Competitive Advantage

- Identify and Understand Important and Diverse Types of Baby Foods and Formula Market Under Development

- Develop Baby Foods and Formula Market Entry and Market Expansion Strategies

- Plan Mergers and Acquisitions Effectively by Identifying Major Players, CAGR, SWOT Analysis with The Most Promising Pipeline of Baby Foods and Formula Market

- In-Depth Analysis of the Product's Current Stage of Development, Territory and Estimated Launch Date of Baby Foods and Formula Market



Purchase Full Report Now



(*If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.)



About Author:

HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the "Accurate Forecast" in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their "Goals & Objectives".



Contact US :

Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)

HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited

Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ

New Jersey USA  08837

Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218

sales@htfmarketreport.com
The Federal Government has announced plans of releasing additional N6.5billion as an emergency intervention to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as the fight against coronavirus intensifies.

Personal assistant on new media to President Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, revealed this earlier today.

According to Ahmad, the move which was confirmed by Nigerias Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, is to aid in the fight to curb the spread of the COVID19 in the country.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 19:31 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dede72 1 World Indonesia,foreign-embassies,travel-advisory,COVID-19,evacuation,US,EU,Australia,diplomacy Free

Foreign missions in Indonesia are racing against time to get their citizens home before transport restrictions come into full effect, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise and concerns over the countrys healthcare capabilities deepen.

The United States Embassy became the first foreign mission to announce that family members of its staff who are under 21 years of age must immediately leave the country.

The Department of State made this decision due to evidence of COVID-19 in Indonesia, current Indonesian medical capacity, and current availability of flights out of Indonesia, the embassy said in a statement published on Thursday.

Washington has already urged its citizens not to travel to the archipelago due to the Global Health Advisory and Embassy Jakartas limited capacity to provide support to US citizens, it said in an online travel advisory for Indonesia.

It follows a March 14 decision to authorize the departure of US personnel and family members from any diplomatic [...] post in the world who have determined they are at higher risk if exposed to COVID-19 or who have requested departure based on a commensurate justification.

The US mission has a track record of taking early precautionary measures for its citizens, sometimes well before a serious incident occurs.

In 2016, the US Embassy reportedly sent out warnings to its citizens to avoid the area around Sarinah Plaza and the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Central Jakarta, just hours before terrorists launched a shooting spree there.

In 1998, the embassy moved to evacuate all staffers to Singapore before airlifting them home, days before massive riots broke out all across Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Indonesias closest neighbor Australia also updated its travel advisory with strong wording and advised its citizens to leave the country.

If youre an Australian tourist in Bali [or Indonesia more broadly] leave now  dont delay your departure. If youre a long-term Australian resident of Indonesia, consider whether you have the support and access to effective health services you and your family will need in what will be a hugely challenging period for local authorities and service providers. Many services will not be available, Canberra said in its latest travel advisory updated on Thursday.

The update follows measures last week to offer non-essential staff and family members from Australian diplomatic posts across the country the opportunity to return to Australia before air travel is completely restricted.

Other countries have meanwhile been more reserved in their actions, at a time when COVID-19 has infected more than 1,000 people in Indonesia and killed 87 people as of Friday.

European Union Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Piket said his approach was to strike a balance between business continuity and the safety of our staff and their dependents.

He said the EU delegation was in full teleworking mode and all staff were asked to work from home. Meanwhile, all nonessential staff were authorized to return to Europe with their families.

The EU delegation and the embassies of all EU member states work together for the repatriation of EU travelers stranded in Indonesia due to the lack of flights. Our first priority is to bring home the elderly, other vulnerable persons and families with children, Piket said in a statement to The Jakarta Post on Friday.

British Ambassador to Indonesia Owen Jenkins said that British nationals staying in Indonesia in the short term should immediately weigh their options as more airports had closed and more airlines had suspended flights.

If you can think of any circumstances at all where you would wish to be in the UK over the next few months, we strongly advise you to leave, Jenkins said in a video posted on the embassys Twitter account on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 outbreak has put a massive strain on Indonesias healthcare system, with reports of inadequate medical supplies and the deaths of hospital workers amid a surge of new cases.

A hospital crisis looms as reports indicate inadequate facilities to treat COVID-19 patients, while protective gear is in short supply in both referral and regular hospitals across the country.

Foreign missions have identified these shortcomings and communicated them to their citizens. The Australian Embassy, for instance, said that critical care facilities are significantly below the standards available at home.

While such policies might indicate distrust in the Indonesian healthcare system, it also poses even greater risks for these foreign citizens, said Dewi Fortuna Anwar, an international relations research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Center for Political Studies.

Sending children back to the US is even riskier  theyd be flying extensively and transiting in hubs that bring together many people from around the world, so the risk of contracting the coronavirus might be even higher, Dewi told the Post, in reference to the US policy.

Furthermore, she added, the healthcare systems in the US and in Europe also already faced huge pressures and had not shown any great successes either.

Frankly, there is not one country that can give such assurances. What is certain is that long-haul travel  and especially cross-country travel  is reckless. People are asked to stay at home, not to engage in international travel and spread the virus further, she said on Friday.

Globally, more than half a million people have been infected and some 24,000 people have died, according to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The US currently has the most cases.
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has reportedly sent a man named Emmanuel Benson away from the government-owned hospital after he tested positive for coronavirus.

According to SaharaReporters, Benson had visited LUTH on March 21, 2020, after had close contact with two persons that recently arrived Lagos from the United Kingdom.

Benson was hoping to be quarantined and treated at LUTH after he tested positive to the deadly virus, but a medical personnel at the hospital asked him to go back home over lack of bed space to admit him at the facility.

It was gathered that since the refusal of LUTH to admit Benson, he had returned home and continued his normal life.

He moved to and from LUTH through public transportation. He has been mingling freely with people, a friend to the young man told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

When contacted on Thursday night through his mobile number, Benson indeed confirmed that he tested positive for the virus and was not admitted to LUTH for treatment by medical personnel.

He disclosed that he went for the test after coming in contact with the two UK returnees at a dinner party in Lagos last week.

When asked if money was demanded from him before the test was conducted, Benson refused to open up, instead saying that he does not want unnecessary attention.

While chatting with a reporter from SH on social networking platform, Whatsapp, Benson, who expressed fear of being stigmatised should his story be published, quickly deleted his display photo on his profile.

He was standing with an unidentified person in the photo where both men were wearing tags over their necks. He said:

I am at home on self-isolation now. I had the test at LUTH even though the queue was too long. Some of the medical staff I spoke with later advised me to go home and self-isolate. They said I should get back to them after 14 days or that in seven days they might call to check my progress. I was infected at a dinner party organised for the two men who returned to Nigeria from the UK.I went for the test on March 21.

When asked if he had attempted to contact the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to notify them of his situation and probably seek help, Benson said, I have called the NCDC lines several times but they are not picking up the call.

To further give credence to Bensons situation, it was leant thst the testing kits for the virus are being used for politicians and their families while ordinary Nigerians with symptoms of the pandemic are being left to their fates.

Till date, less than 200 persons have been tested for the virus in Nigeria despite Lagos alone having a population of over 20 million persons.

An official of the Nigerian Medical Association told SaharaReporters that the number of confirmed cases declared by NCDC was far below the real figure because there were already hundreds of citizens infected with Coronavirus walking and freely mixing up with others thus increasing the risk of a further spread.
The chief executive of Novartis cautioned on Friday that it is "too soon" to be sure whether two anti-malaria drugs could be a definitive treatment for the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump touted them as a "game-changer" for the global outbreak.

As of Friday, more than 537,000 people around the world had contracted COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with 24,110 deaths.

There are no vaccines or treatments available for the virus, but trials are underway to find drugs that could serve this purpose.

One of those trials, led by the University of Minnesota, will test to see whether hydroxychloroquine can prevent or reduce the severity of the coronavirus. Novartis is one of the main producers of this anti-malaria drug.

"With hydroxychloroquine, what we know is in preclinical studies, the drug is quite active against the coronavirus but these are, of course, not in human beings  not in patients," Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" via video link on Friday.

"I do think it is too soon to know for sure until we have properly controlled randomized studies," he said. "We hope over the next 18 months to two years, we can come back with a vaccine that will ultimately be the definitive way to deal with this pandemic."
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Prensa Comunitaria knows first-hand the risks of covering environmental issues and powerful economic interests. In August 2017, authorities in the eastern Izabal department issued arrest warrants for seven individuals, including two of the news websites indigenous journalists: Carlos Choc and Jerson Xitumul Morales.

The journalists said they believe the warrants, which accused the men of incitement to commit crimes, illegal protests and illegal detention during protests, were meant to intimidate and silence them.

At the time, the outlet was reporting on the protests and also investigating apparent pollution of Guatemalas largest lake, Lake Izabal, in a region that is home to nickel deposits and a number of indigenous communities. Choc had also documented the death of a fisherman, killed when police fired on protesters on May 27, 2017.

Choc, Xitumul, and their colleagues deny the charges and said that the journalists were there only to cover the protests. They added that the reporters were not even present at one of the alleged incidents.

The case has dragged on for years, with the men forced to make frequent trips of three to four hours each way for court appearances that inevitably end with the judge postponing the trial. Authorities arrested Xitumul on November 11, 2017, and held him in pre-trial detention for more than five weeks before releasing him under house arrest.

Choc, who received threatening calls and messages over his reporting, said he presented himself before a judge in February 2018, but went into hiding after an arrest warrant was issued.

The goal was to send me to jail and silence me, Choc said.

The member of the Maya Qeqchi community said he went into hiding over fears that police would take him into custody or that the callers would act on their threats.

Choc moved to a safe house, where he spent almost a year cut off from the world. The journalists colleagues said they had to find a safe house for Choc after the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a nonprofit that offers support to those under threat, failed to find a suitable location.

While in the safe house, Choc had to sell possessions, including his motorcycle and phone, to send money to his family. He spoke to his children only over a secure internet connection. It was very hard to leave my children behind and go somewhere else without anything, said Choc, who has been a journalist for more than 12 years. I couldnt even speak.

The Prensa Comunitaria journalists say their colleagues never had a chance for a fair trial. The presiding judge repeatedly referred to Choc and Xitumul as trade unionists, dismissed their role as journalists, and consistently ruled in favor of the mining company in other cases related to the protests. In July 2018, a court dismissed the charges against Xitumul, but at a preliminary hearing in January 2019, the judge allowed the case against Choc to proceed, despite prosecutors asking that it be dismissed for lack of evidence, Prensa Comunitaria reported.

CPJs calls for comment to the Criminal Court of First Instance for Drug Trafficking and Environmental Crimes in Puerto Barrios went unanswered.

While Choc waits for the judge to respond to his legal teams request to drop the case, he remains under substitute measures meaning he must check in with authorities once a month and follow other arbitrary guidelines, such as avoiding places that serve alcohol.

Im stuck on standby, literally, he told CPJ in January 2020. Choc said he was still reporting but keeping a low profile. His colleague Xitumul, however, has stopped working as a journalist.
Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG), a major food processing company, announced today that it will give all of its workers at its American, Canadian, and Mexican facilities a cash bonus. Part-time employees will receive $250 each, while full-time workers are eligible for $500. The payment is intended to recognize the "hard work and dedication" of the company's workforce during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, according to President and CEO Sean Connolly.

The company also states that any of its workers who fall ill with the coronavirus will continue to receive their normal pay while they are receiving treatment. These individuals will also be paid the "recognition bonus."

Extra sanitation measures at Conagra's approximately 50 production plants in Canada, Mexico, and the United States aim at keeping infections to a minimum. The company has increased cleaning above its ordinary level in common areas of the facilities. Conagra pointed out that the coronavirus has seemingly never been transmitted via food, but that safety is "top-of-mind" during all their production processes.

Demand for food products has been exceptionally high in recent weeks as Americans stockpile supplies to weather the pandemic, putting pressure on food industry workers attempting to keep supermarkets supplied with food, including those at Conagra. Connolly declared that the bonuses are well-deserved, adding, "I thank each team member for their extraordinary efforts to meet the needs of consumers, achieve outstanding customer service levels and keep our plants operating effectively and efficiently."
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

Most Americans will be receiving checks from the federal government after President Donald Trump and Congress agreed to a $2 trillion coronavirus relief deal Wednesday.

The stimulus is unprecedented in size, and politicians hope it will prevent the country from descending into a recession if a protracted fight against COVID-19 grinds the economy to a halt.

NEXT PHASE OF PANDEMIC: Houston gearing up with makeshift care centers, hotel rooms and quarantines to prepare for surge of patients

So what does it mean for you? Although the final legislative language is still being hammered out, here is what was proposed and passed in regards to stimulus checks:

 Individual taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 will receive a one-time $1,200 direct payment. If you make more than $99,000, you will get nothing. If you make between that range, you'll get less than $1,200, but the exact number has not been confirmed yet. An earlier version of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act stipulated $5 would be subtracted from the $1,200 for every additional $100 in income.

 For couples, everything doubles. Combined incomes of up to $150,000 will receive $2,400; the cap is a combined income of $198,000.

 Families that qualified for the one-time payment will also receive an additional $500 per child.

 Annual income is based on your 2018 tax returns. If you did not file a tax return in 2018, you must file the 2019 return before qualifying for the stimulus check.

 If you're on unemployment, the bill increased unemployment insurance by $600 per week for four months (this is on top of what individual states pay out for unemployment). It has also been expanded to include freelance and gig economy workers.

COVID-19 SPREAD: Coronavirus spread in Houston could burn out by mid-May under stay-at-home order

 Although Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spoke of a desire to send checks regularly throughout the coronavirus pandemic, this ultimately didn't make it into the final bill. If Congress wants to send more than one stimulus check, it will have to separately authorize another payout.

As to when checks will arrive, that's still very much up in the air. The last time Americans got stimulus checks  in 2008 under George W. Bush  it took about three months for checks to arrive. Theoretically, Americans should get them faster this time, provided they're signed up with the IRS for direct deposit into their bank accounts (like how you get tax refunds).

Nonetheless, it seems like the earliest estimates for seeing that cash is around mid-April.

Katie Dowd is a senior digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: katie.dowd@sfgate.com
With movie theaters closing amid the coronavirus pandemic, studios are sending theatrical releases to streaming or skipping theater reveals altogether. That's forcing the entire industry to adapt, and today, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced that it will temporarily consider films for the Golden Globe Awards even if they don't first screen in a theater.

Producers and studios must still prove that they had a "bona fide theatrical release" planned in Los Angeles between March 15th and April 30th, The Hollywood Reporter notes. Distributors must still set a date for an official screening, but they can send a DVD screener or screening link to HFPA members. The HFPA will also consider, at least temporarily, films released via streaming services and cable -- before they had to be released by pay-per-view services or theaters. HFPA says it will reassess and may extend the temporary changes beyond April 30th.

Other awards will likely follow suit. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering changes to Oscars eligibility, and it is expected to announce its decision following a meeting on April 14th.

Universal is now releasing movies in homes and theaters on the same day. Pixar's Onward arrived on Disney+ just weeks after its theatrical release, and Paramount is sending films straight to Netflix. Film festivals, including SXSW, are considering how they too might adapt, and of course, no one knows how long these measures will be necessary.
Regulators in North Carolina and Georgia are clarifying that insurance is considered an essential business as states move to limit what industries remain open during the current coronavirus outbreak.

On March 24, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey requested that if Governor Roy Cooper issued a statewide Stay at Home or Shelter in Place order, that financial services, including insurance services, would be deemed essential businesses to remain open to the public throughout the COVID-19 health emergency.

NCDOI said in a statement March 26 that while Governor Cooper has not yet issued such an order, many local units of government have done so, with all orders currently exempting insurance services.

The state insurance regulator said the insurance industry can choose to have their essential employees (agents, adjusters, etc.) either work in the office or at home during the declared Stay at Home or Shelter in Place orders, and does not mean an office must open its doors. Instead, the insurance industry can have their essential employees be available either by phone, online or by appointment.

This designation allows consumers to have access to information about their insurance products at all times during this critical period, said Causey. However, in no way do I want to put insurance industry employees in harms way if they feel their health and well-being is jeopardy by meeting face-to-face with clients.

Causey and NCDOI will continue to operate if and when a statewide Shelter in Place declaration is made. In addition, it will continue to update the regulated community on the impact of any such orders.



Read More

Insurance Makes Essential Business List for States Restricting Commerce Due to Virus Southeast Insurance Regulators Issue Industry Guidance for Coronavirus Outbreak



In Georgia, Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King requested that counties and municipalities across Georgia determine that insurance services are an essential services, and at a minimum permit employees to work on-site who are fulfilling core functions.

King issued a bulletin this that referred to March 19 guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that identified 16 critical infrastructure sections that are needed to maintain the services and functions Americans depend on daily. King said the financial services sector, which includes insurance services, is identified as one of the critical sections.

Counties and municipalities that determine non-essential businesses should be closed should consider insurance services as essential business services, Kings bulletin states.

The bulletin says that although some insurance business can be handled remotely, insurance companies must have individuals on-site to complete core functions, including:

Providing IT support for employees working remotely

Processing mail, to include receiving claims and other time-sensitive items

Claims adjusting, including processing and payment of claims. Because some claims, including disability and workers compensation, are paid on a regular, periodic basis, and claimants are dependent on receiving timely payments.

Security for both facilities and information access.

The bulletin noted that certain counties in Georgia  Fulton and Bibb  contain extensive facilities for national insurers that serve millions of customers through the Southeast, Midwest, Florida and New York regions.

An interruption to these facilities would affect insurance claims across broad swaths of the United States at a critical time, the bulletin states.

Topics Georgia Market North Carolina
When Joel Solomon sold his financial services firm in mid-January, he had been planning to call his estate lawyer to update his will and trusts. But with coronavirus cases spiking, Solomon and his wife, Nancy, decided to act immediately.

The virus accelerated the need not to wait another week or another day, said Joel Solomon, 66, who lives in Newport Beach, Calif. We wanted to focus on, What if both of us were gone tomorrow? There was a real sense of urgency to ensure the documents say what we want them to say, especially when it came to helping their three-year-old grandson.

As deaths from the coronavirus climb, estate-planning lawyers said this week that they were noting a rise in calls from new clients and anxious existing ones who wanted to put their end-of-life plans in order. Besides seeking to draft or alter wills and trusts, many clients were changing trustees, executors and the agents they assigned to oversee their finances and health care if they were unable to make decisions themselves.

It was quiet for a week, and then  oh my God, it was, How will I ever get this all done? said Colleen Barney, a lawyer in Irvine, Calif., who represents the Solomons. After the initial shock of the pandemic, people began to focus on their own mortality and their heirs security, she said. People were calling and saying, I think I still have my jerk brother as the trustee. I need to change that.

With social distancing the new normal, lawyers said they were conducting client meetings by telephone, Skype, FaceTime or video conference. But experts guideline to stay roughly two metres away from others is creating unprecedented roadblocks.

While lawyers can draft documents from their own homes, the papers (even those downloaded from online services) generally must be signed by clients, witnesses and notaries. And though laws differ by state, these parties usually must be in the same room for the documents to be legally valid.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his March 7 executive order declaring New York in a disaster emergency, temporarily gave notaries the go-ahead to authenticate documents by video conference.

A few other states, including Texas, Florida and Virginia, already allowed remote notarizations. Governors of Connecticut, Iowa and New Hampshire recently issued executive orders to temporarily allow video notarizations. For more information, one resource is the National Notary Association.

Besides needing notarizations, however, wills executed in New York require two witnesses to be present in the room when the document is signed. So does a health-care proxy, which appoints an agent to make medical decisions if someone is incapacitated.

On March 25, Ron Meyers, an estate-planning lawyer in Manhattan, adjusted his practice to the times. From home, he used FaceTime to watch two clients and their witnesses more than 150 kilometres away sign new financial powers of attorney and health-care proxies. He used his laptop to record a video of the proceedings. His clients used their phone.

The clients, Phyllis Diamond, 74, a psychotherapist, and her husband, Peter Dignazio, 79, a retired engineer, bundled in coats and scarves, sat on the enclosed porch of their friends house in Columbia County, outside New York City, where the couple live. The couple have a second home nearby.

Diamond and Dignazio, wearing vinyl gloves, signed the papers at a large table, while their two friends, both witnesses, stood two metres away. When the couple finished signing, they moved away and their friends moved in, Diamond said.

We thanked them profusely, Diamond said of her friends. We said we would have a virtual cocktail party.

Diamond said she scanned the documents, which she sent electronically to Meyers, who notarized them. She is also sending him the paper copy, which he will authenticate.

In New Jersey, where notaries need to be present, Wynne Whitman, an estate-planning lawyer with Schenck Price in Florham Park, also found a creative way to deal with social distancing. A friend told her that two emergency-room nurses, who were single mothers and handling coronavirus cases, had posted a Facebook notice: they had downloaded estate-planning documents from an online service and could not find a notary to authenticate their signatures.

All lawyers in New Jersey can act as notaries, and, on March 21, Whitman met the nurses, who had set up a table in the front yard of one of their houses. A rock kept the papers from blowing away. Everyone wore gloves. It was BYOP  bring your own pen, she said.

Each nurse acted as the witness for the other, and another friend witnessed both. After one person signed, she stepped away while another moved to the table, Whitman said.

What documents do you need?

Besides creating wills and possibly trusts for more complex estates, lawyers suggest that people draw up a financial power of attorney and an advance directive, which designate agents to make financial and health-care decisions while a person is alive, but incapacitated.

Make sure that the people you have named know what their responsibilities are and send them copies of the documents, said Rudy Ogburn, an estate-planning lawyer in Raleigh, N.C.

With the financial power of attorney, the agent makes financial and legal decisions when someone is disabled, even for a short period. Meyers advises clients to choose a durable power of attorney, which takes effect immediately.

During the weeks that a person may be ill with COVID-19, or another incapacitating illness, the agent could file taxes and pay bills, including premiums for long-term-care insurance, which could lapse because of a late payment, Meyers said.

To safeguard against an agent stealing, he said, Only name someone as an agent you can fully trust.

Depending on the state, advance directives come in two parts. One directive is a living will, which describes the kind of life-sustaining medical treatment a person would want or not want if terminally ill or with no chance of recovery. The other is a health-care proxy, or a medical power of attorney, which names an agent to make medical decisions.

Advance directives typically cover permanent unconsciousness, an irreversible fatal illness or severe brain damage  all with no expectation a patient would recover and have a meaningful quality of life, Whitman said.

This is a high standard, Whitman said. Ending life-sustaining treatment would require a very dire situation in the opinion of a physician.

Barney said it was best to name just one person to be a health-care agent. It is very difficult if the doctor needs to talk to two people if they do not act together, she said. And if someone is drawing up documents now, she said, it may make sense to choose an agent who lives close by, given travel difficulties since the coronavirus began spreading.

Also included in the documents should be a HIPAA medical records release form, which would allow health-care providers to provide private information to approved family members, friends and others.

Parents of college-age students and single adults in their 20s should ask their children to sign their own HIPAA release and perhaps an advance directive, lawyers say. Without these documents, once a child turns 18 or 21 (depending on the state), a parent cannot make decisions related to their care and may be unable, depending on a physicians discretion, to get information on a childs condition.

Also, it is imperative to review, and perhaps update, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life-insurance policies, experts say. A beneficiary designation on an IRA or company 401(k), for example, would override any instruction in a will for that asset. Its not unusual for someone to fill in a beneficiary on Day 1 of a job and never look at it again, Meyers said. Holders of accounts and policies should be able to change beneficiaries online.

People who do not have complex estates or the money to spend on costly legal fees can turn to online services such as LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer, which offer estate-planning services at a low cost. As the emergency-room nurses in New Jersey found, such services can be particularly helpful for busy health-care workers and others who can easily get online access to legal help, experts say.

At LegalZoom, clients can spend anywhere from $35 (U.S.) for a financial power of attorney to $329 for a bundle of documents plus a telephone consultation with a lawyer.

Chas Rampenthal, general counsel of LegalZoom, said young families, besides setting up advance directives and powers of attorney, can use a will to name a guardian for their children in the event both parents die. Its important not to leave the decision to people who are not you, Rampenthal said. The least selfish thing you can do is to put it in writing now.

Collecting the documents

For medical directives in particular, it is important for people and their agents to be able to find the documents in an emergency. Several online sites and apps make this possible.

One option is DocuBank. The service will store advance directives, lists of a patients doctors and medications, HIPAA release forms and other health-care information. A client carries a wallet card, which includes an identification number a hospital can use to get the documents quickly.

The challenge with COVID-19 is that hospitals will be overwhelmed, said Randi Siegel, president of DocuBank. This helps hospital staff know who to talk to about a person who is admitted and to know what medical conditions the person has.

People can store a wide range of end-of-life documents and information in one place using Everplans. To create a digital file cabinet, subscribers can upload medical directives, funeral preferences and information on insurance policies, vehicle registration and deeds. The site provides state-by-state estate-planning forms and laws and checklists for organizing documents.

A subscriber can assign a deputy or two to gain access to the records in an emergency. Users pay $75 a year for the service, which is suspending fees through March for new subscribers.

Besides emergency medical information, estate-planning lawyers said people should write a letter of instruction to help agents and executors know how to find key documents and key advisers.

The letter should include names of an accountant, estate lawyer and financial adviser. It also should list investment accounts, loans, cemetery-plot records, real estate holdings, social security numbers and military benefits. And it should also provide the location of birth certificates, deeds, insurance policies and other important documents.

The Solomons are using this housebound time to tell their daughters, 32 and 28 years old, where they can find important papers and advisers names and how they want their assets used.

These discussions and updates would have happened at some point, said Nancy Solomon, 65. It all comes to the forefront of your mind when something like this happens, she said, referring to the coronavirus. Safety is foremost in our minds, but also protecting our childrens future.






Ford officially declared dates for when it plans to get some of its plants back in business. The No. 2. U.S. automaker said it was bringing key plants back online, while introducing additional safety measures to protect returning workers from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico is expected to return April 6. Ford currently produces the Fusion and Lincoln MKZ at the Hermosillo plant. April 14 is a much bigger date for Ford, though, as it intends to reopen multiple plants in the U.S. on that date.

The following locations are tentatively scheduled for an April 14 reopening: Dearborn Truck Plant, Kentucky Truck Plant, Kansas City Assembly Plant's Transit Line, and the Ohio Assembly Plant. In order to support these plants, Ford intends to open more facilities including the Dearborn Stamping Plant, Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing Plant, Integrated Stamping Plants within Kansas City and Kentucky Truck Plants, Sharonville Transmission Plant, and portions of Van Dyke Transmission, Lima Engine and Rawsonville Component plants.

Earlier this week, Reuters had reported, citing sources that Ford did not plan to restart production until at least April 6, warning it could be further delayed into April. Michigan is currently subject to a "stay at home" order that is in effect through April 13.

Detroits Big Three shut plants and curtailed production to limit the number of workers on the job to prevent the spread of coronavirus among roughly 150,000 factory employees. Neither GM nor FCA have provided hard dates for the reopening of its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. yet.

"We will continue to assess public health conditions as well as supplier readiness and will adjust plans if necessary," Kumar Galhotra, Ford's president of North America, said in a statement.

Related video:



Click here to See Video >>
A new study published in Nature Research stated that there are various types of cancer and its stages that may create microbial DNA signatures, which can be determined or identified in a persons blood. (Photo : Pixabay)

A new study published in Nature Research stated that there are various types of cancer and its stages that may create microbial DNA signatures, which can be determined or identified in a person's blood.

This preliminary research was spearheaded by a team from the Centre for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California, San Diego. They have examined 33 different types of cancer and more than 18,000 samples of tumors to identify whether particular patterns of microbial DNA are found in cancer.

Gregory Poore, one of the lead researchers of the study entitled: Microbiome analyses of blood and tissues suggest cancer diagnostic approach, along with his team of scientists, have developed a new method of determining who has cancer and which type of cancer it is. The process is done by essentially analyzing the patterns of microbial DNA, both bacterial and viral, that is present in a person's blood.

Professor Rob Knight, PhD, director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation said that most of previous cancer research efforts have supposed that tumors are sterile environments and have not considered the multifaceted interaction and relationship that these human cancer cells may have with viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that live and thrive in our bodies. He also mentioned that the large number of microbial genes in a person's body outnumber the number of human genes, thus, these microbes provide significant clues to a person's health.

The team of researchers initially observed microbial data from The Cancer Genome Atlas which contain genomic and other information about patient tumors. From the evaluation of tumor samples and cancer types, microbial signatures and patterns that are associated with certain cancer types have emerged.

The scientists also assessed plasma from patients with different type of cancers such as lung and skin cancers, high-grade prostate cancer, and also people without cancer. This was conducted to evaluate whether the microbe results applied to real-life samples. All patients in the sampling were examined for signatory DNA codes.

The findings showed that the microbe signature only existed in cancer samples and there were no false positives in the results. Moreover, certain microbe signatures can be useful in potential differentiation among cancer types. In the research for example, prostate and lung cancer samples achieved 81 percent accuracy in terms of distinction.

Some microbial signatures and patterns that have emerged, as expected, are associated with certain types of cancers, such as human papillomavirus and cervical, head, and neck cancers; and Fusobacterium species was significantly more abundant and strongly linked to gastrointestinal cancers. Further, the team has discovered previously unidentified microbial signatures that strongly discriminate against other kinds of cancer. Colon cancer can be distinguished from other cancer types through the presence of Faecalibacterium species.

Knight said that there are still plenty of challenges that lie ahead as their team is still in the initial phase of developing their preliminary observations into an FDA-approved diagnostic test for cancer. There is also a need for further validation of their findings in a bigger, more diverse patient population which is a costly undertaking. Nonetheless, their latest study may prompt for crucial changes in the field of cancer biology according to Poore.
A woman is due to appear before court this morning charged in relation to an aggravated burglary which took place in Dublin yesterday.

The incident happened at an apartment in the Railway Road area of Clongfriffin, Dublin 13.

A garda spokesman said in a statement: "At approximately 6:40pm, the woman broke into the apartment armed with a knife. The woman then fled the scene when disturbed. No injuries were sustained."

The woman (late 30s) was disturbed and fled the scene but was later located by Gardai, arrested and brought to Coolock garda station.

The woman was then charged in relation to the incident and is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice this morning at approximately 10:30am.
The Indian Jute Mills



Association has sought exemption from the Centre to resume their operations during the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak, saying that shortage of jute bags could lead to a disruption of foodgrain supply, an official said on Friday.

The industry body also urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to give permission to restart operation in the mills.

"Food Corporation of India and state procurement agencies require jute bags urgently in view of the arrival of foodgrains for RMS (Rabi marketing season) 2020-21.

"Non-availability of packing material at the time of foodgrains arrival can derail the procurement process and create law and order problem in various states," the IJMA said in a letter to Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday.

It also requested that the mills engaged in the manufacture of jute sacking bags, an important material under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, be exempted from the lockdown and allowed to resume production, the industry body said.

Workers in jute mills are either living in quarters in the mill premises or staying nearby, and hence the need to avail public transport does not arise, the official of the association said.

The IJMA also assured the Centre and the West Bengal government that the mills will abide by the safety guidelines and ensure adequate availability of masks and sanitisers for workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The cast of Contagion is having a digital reunion to keep fans educated about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle and Lawrence Fishburn, who all starred in the 2011 movie about an eerily similar virus wreaking havoc on the world, came together to film different PSAs about the things everyone should know in midst of the pandemic.

Since January, when the cases of the virus started growing in China, Contagion has remained one of the most watched movies on streaming platforms. Damon and his costars decided to use the spotlight on their old film to bring about new awareness.

A few years ago a bunch of us did this movie called Contagion, which weve noticed is is creeping its way back up on the charts on iTunes for obvious reasons, given what were all going through right now, Damon says at the beginning of his clip.

RELATED: People Are Watching 2011s Contagion in Huge Numbers as Coronavirus Spreads

The cast teamed up with scientists from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to bring the most accurate information.

Matt Damon, Kate Winslet

In the movie I played a guy who was immune to the hypothetical virus that was spreading around the world, Damon continues. That was a movie. This is real life. I have no reason to believe Im immune to COVID-19 and neither do you, no matter how young you are. This is a new virus. Its gonna take some times for our bodies and our doctors to understand it and understand new ways to protect us.

Now is the time to spend all the time you want staring at your phone or your tablet, he says after explaining how social distancing will help stop the spread. And if anybody gives you a hard time about it, tell them not to bother you because you are saving lives. We can all do this together just by staying apart. Please do your part.

WATCH: Contagion PSAs: Kate Winslet Stresses the Importance of Hand Washing

Contagion PSAs: Kate Winslet Stresses the Importance of Hand Washing

Story continues

The cast of Contagion had a virtual reunion to raise awareness during the coronavirus pandemic

Winslets PSA is all about the importance of washing hands to contain the virus.

In the movie Contagion, I played an epidemiologist trying to stop the spread of a hypothetical virus, Winslet says from her bathroom. To prepare for the role, I spent time with some of the best public health professionals in the world. And what was one of the most important things they taught me? Wash your hands like your life depends on it because right now, in particular, it just might.

Contagion

RELATED: Contagion Writer Says Coronavirus Pandemic Isnt That Surprising: This Was a Matter of When

So if youre feeling overwhelmed, a little bit powerless at the moment, heres something we can all do to make a difference. And it doesnt require a medical degree, or a microscope, or a ton of knowledge, Winslet adds.

Recently, a chief medical consultant on Contagion tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). On Tuesday, Dr. Ian Lipkin, the director of Columbia Universitys Center for Infection and Immunity, spoke to Fox Business about the pandemic, warning the public to take the virus seriously as it can spread to anyone.

I would just like to say on this show tonight that this has become very personal for me, too, he said, revealing that he tested positive for COVID as of yesterday.

And it is miserable, he admitted. If it can hit me, it can hit anybody. Thats the message I want to convey.

Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, is available on platforms like Apple iTunes and Amazon.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
Advertisement

Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock faced accusations they had failed to follow their own advice on social distancing after both tested positive for coronavirus.

The Prime Minister and Health Secretary were pictured at close quarters in the Commons in recent days  well within the advised 6ft limit.

Just hours after they confirmed they had the virus, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, who has been the face of the nation's coronavirus response, revealed he too had symptoms.

Professor Whitty said he would be isolating at home for seven days having experienced symptoms 'compatible' with the disease on Thursday night.

In fact the Chief Medical Officer  who is also a consultant doctor  had even advised the Prime Minister in person earlier that evening after Mr Johnson complained of coronavirus-like symptoms.

It is not known whether Professor Whitty examined Mr Johnson or took his temperature, but he is unlikely to have been wearing protective clothing.

In another frantic day of developments in the battle against coronavirus:

US President Donald Trump wished Mr Johnson a 'speedy recovery' as the two leaders spoke on the phone;

Mr Gove revealed a new alliance between businesses, research institutes and universities will boost testing capacity so NHS workers will know if they have coronavirus with testing starting next week;

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said there are now 33,000 beds available nationwide for coronavirus patients;

He also revealed two new Nightingale hospitals will be set up in Birmingham and Manchester in addition to the one in London;

A council is facing a furious backlash after targeting members of the public with drones, as lawyers warned that police are 'unlawfully' trying to restrict people travelling to isolated spots to exercise and walk their dogs;

There are demands for the government to go further to help millions of self-employed after Mr Sunak admitted a bailout for income support will not be up and running until June;

Buckingham Palace has said the Queen remains in 'good health' and has not seen the PM since March 11;

UK supermarkets said they will use a government database of 1.5 million vulnerable shoppers to help prioritise delivery slots.

Boris Johnson pictured within six-foot of Health Secretary Matt Hancock before a press conference at No10 Downing Street on March 12. Both have tested positive for the virus and chief medical officer Chris Whitty, pictured at the top of the stairs, has symptoms

Boris Johnson pictured announcing to the UK that he has tested positive for coronavirus in a video shared to social media

The UK saw coronavirus cases jump by 2,921 on Friday, the largest increase so far

PM's pregnant partner Carrie thought to be in self-isolation Concerns have been raised for Boris Johnson's pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds following his infection. Miss Symonds, 32, who is due in late May or early June, is understood to have moved out of Downing Street to the Prime Minister's country retreat at Chequers in Buckinghamshire. But it is not known whether she was in contact with him while he was symptomatic. Crucially, Miss Symonds is understood to be in the third trimester and beyond the 28 weeks of pregnancy at which doctors say women should take extra precautions to avoid the virus. It led to fears for his pregnant girlfriend Carrie Symonds. They were last seen together on Saturday. Ms Symonds is thought to be self-isolating in Chequers, Kent The data on how Covid-19 affects expectant mothers is limited and health officials are not sure whether they are more likely to get serious complications as they are with flu. As a precaution, the Government is advising pregnant women to take social distancing measures very seriously. And the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists urges those beyond 28 weeks to be 'extremely careful'. Despite the limited research, there is no suggestion coronavirus increases the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. But pregnancy does weaken a woman's immune system. This means she will be more at risk of catching the virus and potentially contracting a more severe form. Dr Michael Head, of the University of Southampton said: 'It is reassuring that so far there have been few noted complications during pregnancy with Covid-19. However, the health services will be cautious.' Downing Street yesterday implied Miss Symonds was not living with the Prime Minister at present, although they did not confirm whether she only moved out when he tested positive. Advertisement

A Downing Street spokesman suggested it was unlikely the Chief Medical Officer contracted the disease from the Prime Minister, as the first signs usually take several days to appear.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, revealed on Thursday he was self-isolating with symptoms, and several Department of Health advisers are also thought to have the virus.

That the virus has infected so many senior figures who are co-ordinating the nation's response will raise concerns policies to contain its spread will be impeded.

A Department of Health source said Professor Whitty only had mild symptoms and would still be coordinating the nation's response in self-isolation at home.

Writing on Twitter yesterday, Professor Whitty said: 'After experiencing symptoms compatible with Covid-19 last night, in line with the guidance, I will be self-isolating at home for the next seven days. I will be continuing to advise the Government on the medical response to coronavirus, supported by my deputies.'

Mr Hancock developed a temperature and sore throat on Wednesday evening  just hours after he had been in close contact with the Prime Minister.

As recently as Wednesday afternoon, he was pictured next to Mr Johnson and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who is considered more at risk from coronavirus as he has Type 1 diabetes, shortly after Prime Minister's Questions.Mr Johnson, meanwhile, was photographed clapping for NHS staff on Thursday night with Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street, when he is likely to have had symptoms, although kept a distance apart.

In recent weeks Mr Johnson has continued to meet his Cabinet and key advisers, including Professor Whitty, while urging the public to work from home wherever possible. Although the Prime Minister and Health Secretary have both tested positive, the Chief Medical Officer has not himself undertaken a test.

Tests are only available to Cabinet ministers if they show symptoms, which raises the possibility that others may have contracted the disease and spread it without realising they were ill.

A spokesman for Mr Sunak, who is not self-isolating, said he has not had any symptoms and therefore has not been tested.

Downing Street has previously confirmed that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would stand in if Mr Johnson was too unwell to continue leading the nation.

If Mr Raab also became ill, the Prime Minister has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers.

The government faced a mauling yesterday afternoon after it failed to stop the senior figures in the UK's fight against coronavirus from catching the deadly disease.

Professor Susan Michie, director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, told The Sun: 'Whilst the PM was telling people to stay at home and keep at least two metres apart from each other, the House of Commons was open for business and face-to-face parliamentary activities were carrying on.'

The chief executive of Public Health England, Duncan Selbie, revealed on Thursday that he would be self-isolating after experiencing symptoms of the virus

The Prime Minister is isolating in an ensuite bedroom above No11 Downing Street after he was diagnosed with coronavirus

Professor slams Boris Johnson for carrying on with face-to-face parliamentary activities The government faced a mauling yesterday afternoon after it failed to stop the senior figures in the UK's fight against coronavirus from catching the deadly disease. Professor Susan Michie, director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, told The Sun: 'Whilst the PM was telling people to stay at home and keep at least two metres apart from each other, the House of Commons was open for business and face-to-face parliamentary activities were carrying on.' Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, was forced to defend the government's approach to the crisis after it hit hard at the heart of Westminster as he took part in the now daily Number 10 coronavirus press conference. It was suggested to Mr Gove that ministers had at best been 'careless' and at worst 'negligent' by allowing the killer bug to infect Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock amid criticism of the government's testing efforts. Advertisement

Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, was forced to defend the government's approach to the crisis after it hit hard at the heart of Westminster as he took part in the now daily Number 10 coronavirus press conference.

It was suggested to Mr Gove that ministers had at best been 'careless' and at worst 'negligent' by allowing the killer bug to infect Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock amid criticism of the government's testing efforts.

But Mr Gove argued the fact they had caught coronavirus showed it 'does not discriminate' and 'we are all at risk' as he said: 'The fact that the virus is no respecter of individuals, whoever they are, is one of the reasons why we do need to have strict social distancing measures.'

It was announced tonight that all NHS frontline staff will start to be tested next week in a move aimed at boosting the workforce and allow those self-isolating with illnesses other than coronavirus to return to work.

But Downing Street said senior ministers, officials and aides will only be tested if they develop a fever or persistent cough, despite the two positive tests and Prof Whitty's symptoms.

Mr Gove insisted that was the right approach, telling reporters: 'People are tested if they are symptomatic and those members of the sort of central effort in helping to defeat the virus who do show symptoms are appropriately tested.'

Boris Johnson was outside No10 last night applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation - but kept his distance from Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Mr Johnson was in the Commons for PMQs on Wednesday, raising fears other politicians might have been infected

Dominic Raab will take over if Boris Johnson is incapacitated by coronavirus Dominic Raab will take over if Boris Johnson is incapacitated by coronavirus, No 10 has said. The Foreign Secretary is also First Secretary of State  an honorary title reflecting his seniority. It is understood Mr Raab has not met the Prime Minister for a week and has dialled into 'war cabinet' meetings from outside, meaning it is unlikely he has caught the disease from colleagues. But if he goes down with the disease as well, it is unclear who takes over because the British Government has no US-style order of succession. Dominic Raab arrives in earlier this week as the Government deals with the coronavirus outbreak If the worst came to the worst, it is likely that Chancellor Rishi Sunak or Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, would take over. Health Secretary Matt Hancock would also be a candidate but is at present in isolation after testing positive for the disease. No 10 has said that beyond Mr Raab, there is no formal list and Mr Johnson can appoint whoever he wants. Whitehall sources say measures have been put in place to prevent contact between the Prime Minister and Mr Raab in case the latter needs to take over. The Foreign Secretary is currently concentrating on getting hundreds of stranded Britons back home from around the world. Sources say he has not begun to think about being in charge because Mr Johnson has only mild symptoms and is expected to get better. If Mr Raab became ill, Mr Gove is the most experienced candidate, having been in Cabinet for a decade. He stood in for the Prime Minister at yesterday's No 10 press conference. In the US, the presidential line of succession starts with the vice-president and House speaker and there is always a named 'designated survivor'. Advertisement

It came as the UK's coronavirus death toll jumped by a third to 759 after officials announced 181 more victims of the killer infection in the biggest daily rise yet. Health chiefs also confirmed almost 15,000 Britons have now caught the virus.

The PM is now self-isolating in Number 11 Downing Street but has insisted he will continue to lead the nation's fight against coronavirus with aides leaving work and food at his door for him to pick up. Mr Hancock is also continuing to work as normal from home with both men now reliant on video conferencing.

The government's own guidance states people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, but no senior figures, including top adviser Dominic Cummings and Mr Sunak, are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street today carrying a rucksack.

Mr Johnson, Mr Hancock and Prof Whitty have been three of the main public figures in the fight against coronavirus so far.

The fourth main figure, Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's Chief Scientific Adviser, said this afternoon that he had no coronavirus symptoms and had therefore not been tested and 'will continue following guidelines including social distancing and hand washing'.

In his video message posted this morning, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'

London is regarded as the engine of the outbreak in the UK, and many at Westminster have been struck down with symptoms.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first confirmed MP case, and has since recovered and returned to work.

Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week after he too was tested.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said the tests for staff would initially be focused on those working in intensive care, A&E, GP practices and staff running ambulance services.

Speaking at a press conference at Downing Street, Sir Simon said: 'I can say that today we can announce we will be rolling out staff testing across the NHS, beginning next week and starting with the critical care nurses, other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, GPs.

'And as the testing volumes increase, we want to widen that to a wider range of essential public service workers, including our social care services, as well as continuing of course with our patient testing which is so vital.'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday took questions from the media alongside the deputy chief medical officer as he unveiled a bail out for the self-employed

Mr Johnson chaired Cabinet by video conference on Tuesday - but senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill were still close to the PM

Speaking at the government's daily press conference Michael Gove said the 'virus does not discriminate' and 'we are all at risk'

Boris Johnson is not the first to fall victim to disease in office, historian NIGEL JONES explains As Boris Johnson self-isolates after testing positive for Covid-19, he can take some comfort from the long list of previous PMs who have fallen victim to disease in office while grappling with equally grave crises  as historian NIGEL JONES explains. David Lloyd George  Spanish flu In 1918, while Europe was struggling in the closing months of World War One, Prime Minister David Lloyd George suddenly succumbed to the 'Spanish' flu pandemic which killed up to 50 million people worldwide. The Liberal leader of the wartime coalition government was 55  the same age as Boris Johnson today. News of the 'Welsh wizard's' illness was kept from the public, even though he was unable to leave Manchester City Hall where he was being treated, for 12 days. Winston Churchill  pneumonia and stroke Britain's other great wartime leader, Winston Churchill, was felled by pneumonia at the height of World War Two. He was struck down twice  in 1943 and again in 1944. Once more, news of his illnesses was kept secret. After being ousted in 1945, Churchill was returned to office in 1951 at the age of 77. But the old warrior was by now beset by hardening arteries, and suffered a series of cardio-vascular episodes, culminating in a major stroke in June 1953, but he remained in office for two more years. Anthony Eden  damaged bile duct During an abdominal operation in 1953, the surgeon's scalpel had nicked Anthony Eden's bile duct. Undetected, bile leaked into his body, leading to his addiction to barbiturate pills. The drugs warped the new PM's judgement and hugely contributed to his disastrous decision to invade Egypt in the 1956 Suez crisis. Harold Macmillan  prostate problems Eden was succeeded in No 10 by his chancellor Harold Macmillan, whose premiership also ended in a crisis caused by ill health. In 1963, 'Supermac' went into hospital for urgent surgery on his prostate gland. The 69-year-old premier wrongly believed that he was suffering from prostate cancer and immediately resigned. Harold Wilson  Alzheimer's Unexpectedly returned to office in 1974, Wilson became aware that his powers of debate and concentration were failing, and he resigned in March 1976. Shortly afterwards Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed.  Nigel Jones is author of Peace & War: Britain in 1914 (Head of Zeus, 2014) Advertisement

The Government has confirmed the service will be free and would 'help end the uncertainty of whether NHS staff need to stay at home'.

Those who test negative for coronavirus will be able to return to work, said the Department for Health and Social Care.

Seb James, UK and Ireland managing director of Boots, said the high street chain would assist in delivering tests but confirmed they would not be done in-store.

'We will work with the NHS to recruit trained professionals - both Boots colleagues and from the wider community,' he said.

'I am sure there will be many trained healthcare clinicians and students who will step forward to support our dedicated NHS colleagues.

'Locations are being defined but will be spread across the UK - they will not however be in Boots stores, allowing our colleagues to focus on supporting our customers and patients.'

Rico Back, the Royal Mail Group's chief executive, said: 'We will safely deliver these vital tests, a key step forward in the nation's battle against the virus.'

Mr Johnson was outside No10 on Thursday evening alongside Mr Sunak applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation.

His spokesman said he thought it was 'important' to take part in the NHS clap, and he stayed a 'very significant distance from the Chancellor'. He chaired a remote meeting of the coronavirus 'war cabinet' this morning.

Mr Johnson took PMQs in the Commons on Wednesday, which could raise fears other politicians have been infected, even though people have been well spaced out in the chamber.

Cabinet on Tuesday was also carried out over video conference.

However, senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill were close to the PM in Downing Street for the meeting.

Number 10 said the advice to staff is they don't need to do anything unless they suspect they have symptoms, and then they should follow isolation guidance.

Asked if the Chancellor or other senior figures have been tested, the PM's spokesman said: 'I am not aware of any further testing.'

'Here in Number 10 we have been observing the advice on social distancing,' the spokesman said.

Mr Johnson has not taken any of the regular government press conferences this week.

His weekly audience with the Queen, aged 93, was conducted by telephone. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare.'

On Monday he gave a dramatic address to the nation in which he declared that the country had to go into lockdown, with no-one leaving their houses unless absolutely necessary,

Mr Johnson's fiancee Ms Symonds is pregnant and is thought to have been self-isolating in line with government advice.

Boris Johnson today announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus while Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty (pictured left) has developed symptoms and will be self-isolating

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty this afternoon said he is experiencing coronavirus symptoms and is now self-isolating

Government could have prevented 'chaos and panic', says editor of British medical journal The government could have prevented 'chaos and panic' in a system left 'wholly unprepared for this pandemic', the editor of a British medical journal has said. Numerous warnings were issued to the NHS bosses but these were not heeded, Richard Horton wrote in The Lancet. He cited an example from his journal on January 20, pointing to a global epidemic: 'preparedness plans should be readied for deployment at short notice, including securing supply chains of pharmaceuticals, personal protective equipment, hospital supplies and the necessary human resources to deal with the consequences of a global outbreak of this magnitude.' Dr Horton said the Government's Contain-Delay-Mitigate-Research plan had failed. He said: 'It failed, in part, because ministers didn't follow WHO's advice to 'test, test, test' every suspected case. They didn't isolate and quarantine. They didn't contact trace. 'These basic principles of public health and infectious disease control were ignored, for reasons that remain opaque.' He added that 'The result has been chaos and panic across the NHS'. Dr Horton's warning came as the UK saw its biggest day-on-day rise in deaths since the Covid-19 outbreak began, as Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock said they have tested positive for the virus and frontline testing of NHS workers was set to begin. A total of 759 people have now died in UK hospitals after being diagnosed with coronavirus, while 14,500 have tested positive and hundreds of thousands more people are thought to be infected. Dr Horton also expressed concerns over the Government's new Suppress-Shield-Treat-Palliate plan. 'But this plan, agreed far too late in the course of the outbreak, has left the NHS wholly unprepared for the surge of severely and critically ill patients that will soon come,' he said. Meanwhile, more than 18,000 doctors, nurses and other former NHS staff have volunteered to return to work to fight the virus. The en masse effort came after NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens was forced to defend his track record heading the service, with the country's proportion of intensive care units before the crisis among the lowest in Europe. Advertisement

Ms Symonds, 32, who is believed to be six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, was last seen in Downing Street over the weekend and is likely to have left to protect herself.

She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus, with pregnant women more likely to catch an infection than women who are not pregnant.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to comment on her whereabouts, health or whether she has been tested.

Good wishes were sent to Mr Johnson from across the political spectrum after his announcement today.

Mr Trump and Mr Johnson spoke on the phone with the US President wishing the PM a 'speedy recovery' as they 'agreed to work together closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic'.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: 'I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery and hope his family are safe and healthy.

'Coronavirus can and does affect anyone. Everyone be safe. Our own health depends on everybody else.'

Mayor London Sadiq Khan posted: 'Sorry to hear this and hope you feel better soon. Thank you for everything your Government is doing to help us fight this.

'This is a reminder that anyone can get #COVID19. We must all follow the rules and stay at home to support our amazing NHS staff to save lives.'

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott tweeted: 'I don't wish anyone ill. I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery. I hope everyone in coming days gets the care and medical attention they need.'

Nigel Farage posted: 'Wishing @BorisJohnson well and a very rapid recovery.'

And former chancellor Sajid Javid replied: 'Get well soon. Sending you best wishes from Javid family and Bailey.'

European Council President Charles Michel tweeted: 'Get well soon @BorisJohnson Europe wishes you a speedy recovery. I believe we'll win this fight against #COVID19 together.'

World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted: 'Please take good care PM @BorisJohnson. I wish you an easy recovery. Thank you for calling on your nation to follow @NHSuk's guidance. Your leadership and commitment to beating the #coronavirus are key to saving lives in.'

The latest coronavirus figures for the UK were published after officials changed the timings of how they counted deaths, with the total declared on Wednesday only taking into account an eight-hour period. Yesterday's shocking figure represented a full 24-hour count.

The PM's video statement in full 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test. 'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus. 'I want to thank everybody who is involved. I want to thank of course above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it is not just the NHS, it's our police, it's our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff. 'An amazing national effort by the public services but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering - an incredible response, 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus. 'I want to thank you. I want to thank everybody who is working to keep our country going through this epidemic and we will get through it. 'The way we are going to get through it is of course by applying the measures that you will have heard so much about and the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we will bounce back. 'So thank you to everybody who is doing what I am doing, working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household. That is the way we are going to win. We are doing to beat it and we are going to beat it together. 'Stay at home. Protect the NHS. And save lives.' Advertisement

The prisoner of Downing St: While Carrie Symonds is in Chequers with Dilyn the dog, Boris Johnson is marooned above the shop, his meals left outside his door - as he juggles a national crisis with anxiety for his unborn child, writes RICHARD KAY

By Richard Kay for the Daily Mail

From the plumped up pillows of his king-size bed, through the tall windows above the famous rose garden, he can look down on the vast emptiness of Horse Guards Parade. Closer to home he can see the couriers bringing government papers, the delivery men with their supplies and the to-ing and fro-ing of visitors.

But while there is urgency and vitality all around him, Boris Johnson, locked in the biggest peace time crisis in British history, is now a prisoner of Downing Street  isolated from his loved ones, his ministers and his staff.

Within hours of the diagnosis that he was suffering from coronavirus, the first world leader to contract the illness, the Prime Minister had quarantined himself in the spacious flat above Number 11.

With its five bedrooms, playroom and drawing rooms that lead off the double-height atrium, there is plenty of space.

Boris Johnson pictured conducting his weekly audience with the Queen via telephone on March 25. He has now self isolated in No11 Downing Street

Carrie Symonds pictured with the couple's dog Dilyn arriving at a count in Uxbridge, west London, during the UK's general election in December

He, however, is confining himself to a single bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and ground-floor study which  until Thursday night  was the office of Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The confirmation that Mr Johnson had Covid-19 came at midnight, following a swab test after he complained during the afternoon of 'feeling rough'.

But last night, as the Government response to the pandemic deepened with the news that Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Chief Medical Officer of England Chris Whitty also had the virus, there was frenzy over just how many people the PM had come into contact with.

While the focus was inevitably on those senior aides and ministers working closely with Mr Johnson, there was special concern over two figures  the Queen and the Prime Minister's pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds.

He last saw the Queen, who is at Windsor, on March 11. But with the Prince of Wales also testing positive for Covid-19, royal physicians are understandably edgy.

The whereabouts of Carrie, 32, are not clear, but No10 sources dropped a sizeable hint that she was no longer on the premises when they briefed that the PM would be self-isolating for seven days, rather than the 14 recommended for those sharing their lives with family and friends.

Fears were also raised for the Queen's health (pictured above holding her weekly audience with the prime minister via telephone on March 25). However, she last met the Prime Minister for an audience on March 11

Carrie herself also suggested she had moved out after posting on her Instagram account a photograph of her with the couple's dog Dilyn, a Jack Russell cross, with the caption: 'Self-isolating isn't so bad with this one'.

The picture may have been taken at Chequers, the PM's official residence, or Chevening, in Kent: another government home the couple have used in recent times.

'It would make sense for her to be at one of those addresses,' said an aide. 'There are staff, grounds to stroll in and plenty of fresh air.'

The question is: when did Miss Symonds, whose baby is due in early June, leave Downing Street?

The couple were together last week to celebrate her 32nd birthday, and visited Chequers for part of the day on Saturday.

Even if she was not there when Boris fell ill, the couple will naturally be anxious as Covid-19 seemingly has a typical incubation period of several days. Aides declined to say whether she too had been tested.

For a larger-than-life, hyperactive and gregarious figure like Mr Johnson, the ramifications of the restrictions on his movements will be profound. Ever since the crisis took its deadly grip on the country, No10 has been a bunker on a war-time footing, with staff working round the clock and Boris standing firmly at the helm.

Within minutes of complaining to Professor Whitty that he was feeling unwell, the PM began practising social distancing.

When he and the Chancellor appeared on their respective doorsteps to join the national applause for the NHS on Thursday night, they remained several feet apart.

But when did he go into self-isolation?

The domestic arrangements of the two flats above Numbers 10 and 11 cannot have helped. While Boris works at No10, he uses the flat at No11, just as David Cameron and his family did.

Mr Sunak works from No 11 but because his wife and children have remained at their family home, the accommodation at No10 is empty. It is thought that the PM's self-isolation began after he received the results of his test.

Health secretary Matt Hancock also revealed yesterday he had tested positive for the virus

Immediately, a lockdown began. Interconnecting doors which normally open between No10 and No11 were sealed, and staff were ordered to remain at distance from the Prime Minister.

Yesterday morning, Mr Johnson's breakfast of fresh berries and juice was delivered on a tray to his closed study door by a flunky in gloves and a mask.

Video-conferencing facilities were set up through the night so that Mr Johnson could deliver the news of his own diagnosis to the nation yesterday morning.

And through the same technology he will continue to remain in close contact with officials and the key members of the Cobra emergency committee  Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, Mr Hancock and Mr Sunak.

Tracing the Prime Minister's social contacts may be a near-impossible task.

There is a vast bureaucracy in and out of Downing Street, and at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons just three days ago, Mr Johnson was seen perilously close to Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who suffers from Type 1 diabetes.

If the infections at Downing Street worsen  and there is every fear that they will  there is a huge supply of ready meals and other products in the PM's fridge.

Mr Johnson's usual diet of spicy sausages, cheese and red wine, has been supplemented by large quantities of vegan food. The company All Plants has been providing boxes of vegan meals and other vegetables.

Yet the frustration for our energetic PM will not be hunger but confinement  and anxiety over Carrie and the welfare of their unborn child.

Where did Boris Johnson catch coronavirus and who did he infect? How PM came into close contact with politicians and health chiefs over past 10 days before testing positive

Boris Johnson has been in close contact with dozens of politicians and health chiefs over the past ten days before testing positive for coronavirus.

The Prime Minister has been holding press conferences at 10 Downing Street with the likes of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.

He has also stood near Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.

The three scientists have appeared at the Downing Street press conferences, and have also been meeting other politicians and civil servants across Westminster.

While the PM has held Cabinet meetings and discussions with the Queen remotely, he still attended the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

Last night Mr Johnson stood outside in Downing Street with Mr Sunak as they both joined in the national clap for NHS staff. They stood distanced from one another.

However a spokesman for Mr Sunak has said he had not had any symptoms and therefore had not been tested for coronavirus and was not self-isolating.

Going further back, the Prime Minister attended the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9 with his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds.

There, the couple spoke to a number of dignitaries and celebrities, and Mr Johnson was photographed shaking hands with boxer Anthony Joshua after the service.

He has also spoken to schoolchildren at No10 on March 5, visited flood defences in Worcestershire on March 8 and been to laboratories on March 1 and March 6.

Here is a pictorial guide to what Mr Johnson has been doing this month:

Boris Johnson joins in with a national applause for the NHS outside Downing Street last night

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street for the applause last night

Boris Johnson in the study of 10 Downing Street on a video call to other G20 leaders yesterday

Boris Johnson on the phone in his office in Downing Street to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks during his first remote news conference on coronavirus on Wednesday

Boris Johnson returns to 10 Downing Street from Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday morning

Boris Johnson chairs a weekly Cabinet meeting remotely from the Cabinet Rroom on Tuesday

Boris Johnson addresses the nation from Downing Street and imposes a lockdown on Monday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday, with Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's daily coronavirus update in the Cabinet Room on Saturday

Boris Johnson (centre) with Chancellor Rishi Sunak (left) and Jenny Harries (right) on March 20

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (left) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance (right) watch as Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 19

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on March 18

Boris Johnson with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance at Downing Street on March 17

Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds speak with heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day on March 9

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arriving at Westminster Abbey for the service on March 9

Boris Johnson surveys flood defences in the Worcestershire town of Bewdley on March 8

Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park on March 6

Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 5, in an event attended by Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who later tested positive for the virus, as well as Trade Secretary Liz Truss (in red next to the podium) and athlete Kelly Holmes (in a black suit, two places to Ms Truss's left)
Chandigarh, March 27 : In view of the 21-day lockdown, the Haryana government on Friday decided to provide food and shelter to the migrant labourers and the homeless in temporary community shelters.

While settling them in the temporary shelters, the social distancing norms would be strictly followed, a spokesman for the Revenue and Disaster Management Department said.

He said the district administration would arrange for their stay in temporary community shelters. Besides, they would also be provided with food and other essential commodities such as medicines.

The spokesman said directions have been issued to check the movement of migrant labourers such as factory workers, construction workers, brick-kiln workers, daily-wage earners, rickshaw pullers and casual workers.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Government Buildings for a coronavirus press briefing, where they announced from midnight tonight and for a two-week period, everybody in Ireland must stay at home, except in specific circumstances. PA Photo.

THE Government has tightened the lockdown in the battle against the coronavirus and is telling people to remain in their houses at almost all times.

From midnight tonight, individuals are advised to take brief individual physical exercise within two kilometers of homes.

For two weeks everybody must stay at home in all but the most limited circumstances, said Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

"We're not prisoners of fate. We can influence what's going to happen to us next. There is no fate, for what we make for ourselves," he added.

The new measures include staying at home in all circumstances except:

To travel for work if you are a healthcare professional, social care worker or provide another essential service.

To shop for essential food and household goods.

To attend medical appointments or collect medicines.

For vital family reasons, such as providing care to children or vulnerable people.

To take brief exercise (within 2km of your home).

For farming purposes.

Other measures announced by the Taoiseach include:

All public and private gathering of any number are prohibited.

Everybody over 70 years of age and people who are extremely medically vulnerable to cocoon, i.e. not leave their home.

Further range of non-essential shops and services to close.

All non-essential surgery and health procedures postponed.

No visits to hospitals or prisons unless permission is given on exceptional compassionate grounds.

Public transport to only be used by essential workers.

Local authorities to relax on-street public parking restrictions to meet travel needs of essential workers.

The list of essential services was still being finalised but independent understands they include:

Health, public health and social care workers;

Public and civil service personnel;

Those involved in production of foods and medicine;

Some financial services employees;

Journalists;

Utilities personnel such as ESB, Bord Gais and Irish Water staff;

Transport workers like hauliers and bus/train drivers.

The Taoiseach highlighted that gardai had powers to police the restrictions but he expressed hope they would be achieved with the "consent and co-operation" of the public.

Tonight, the Government has received further recommendations on the actions that we need to take to protect our people. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/2bmDzEt22q  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 27, 2020

Mr Varadkar added that Ireland is now entering "the most intensive phase of restrictive action" and the government's emergency response "will be ramped up".

He said "freedom was hard won in our country," but, it is not an "abstract concept."

"We give it meaning every single day, in the way we live our lives, and the decisions we take willingly to protect our loved ones and colleagues.

"So I'm asking people to give meaning to our freedom and liberty by agreeing to these restrictions, restricting how we live our lives, so that others may live. I'm asking us for a time to forego our personal liberties and freedoms.

"I'm appealing to every man, woman and child in our country, to make these sacrifices, not out of self interest. But for the love of each other."

Mr Varadkar also confirmed that one of the patients who died from the coronavirus today was a healthcare worker.

Mr Varadkar was joined by Health Minister Simon Harris and Tony Holohan Chief Medical Officer, at the Government Buildings tonight to give an update on the Government response to Covid-19.

Health Minister Simon Harris acknowledged the steps would mean "intensive and difficult changes" for people's way of life.

He said introducing the measures now may mean they would ultimately last for a shorter period than if they were put in place later in the outbreak.

"We need to stay the course and, put simply, we need to stay at home," he said.

Garda Patrolling

An Garda Siochana announced they have started a major nationwide policing operation focused on supporting public compliance with public health measures over this weekend.

Following recent announcements by An Taoiseach of the necessity for people to undertake a range of public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19, there will be high visibility patrolling by Garda members across the country during the weekend.

The focus of this activity will be on encouraging people to adhere to public health measures as announced by An Taoiseach.

The policing operation runs from 7pm until 7am on Monday morning March 30 and will involve thousands of Gardai on foot, bike and mobile patrols.

While An Garda Siochana will seek to encourage people to maintain the necessary public health measures, it will intervene where venues/ outlets are not in compliance or where groups of people are not adhering to recommended measures.

Numbers rise

Earlier on Friday, the National Public Health Emergency Team announced that three more people have died from the coronavirus in Ireland, taking the countrys death toll to 22.

The patients who passed away were a person in the north-west of the country and two females in the east.

The number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus has risen again by 302, bringing the toll to 2,121 in the Republic of Ireland.

The Department of Health said there has been another rise in the numbers of very ill patients admitted to intensive care.

There are now 59 patients in intensive care units across the country who are severely ill from the virus. This includes 79 clusters involving 317 cases, with the median age of confirmed cases at 46 years.

Earlier on Friday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that deaths from the coronavirus in Ireland will only increase over the next two to four weeks and that it will be a "very pleasant surprise" if the toll is kept below 1,000.

The Taoiseach said the death toll is "impossible to predict" as the virus is new and "we're only still learning about it".

"If you take the average flu season in Ireland, there'll be roughly 500 deaths. If you take a bad flu season in Ireland, there'd be roughly 1,000 deaths.

"So it would be a surprise, and a very pleasant surprise if the number of deaths at the end of this is less than 1,000," Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Varadkar also warned that Ireland's intensive care units will be at capacity "in a number of days".

"The way things are heading indicate that ICU will be at capacity in a number of days," Mr Varadkar said.

"That's already the case around Europe, it may happen here. We have to plan for that.

"We need to make sure we have capacity, ventilators, all of those things.

"An unprecedented effort is being made by the health service to tool up, to recruit, to provide additional capacity, to do all the things we need to use.

"Just as we are seeing across Europe, just as we are seeing in the US now, just as we saw in China, there isn't a health service in the world that isn't going to be able to tool up or scale up as quickly as necessary, so we are going to be demanding a very difficult situation and everyone is going to be doing the very best job."
LINCOLN, Neb., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BenefitEd, a joint venture between Ameritas and Nelnet offering customized student loan repayment and college savings programs to companies of all sizes, will begin working with employers to offer tax-advantaged student loan repayment programs.

As part of HR 748 in the COVID-19 $2 trillion stimulus package, which was signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020, employer contributions toward employee student loans will be nontaxable for both federal and state purposes for the remainder of 2020. This change to the federal law will make student loan repayment programs even more valuable to employees and therefore more impactful for employers to offer as a recruiting and retention benefit.

BenefitEd is prepared to assist employers looking to take advantage of a tax-free, customized student loan repayment program. "In the current economic situation, some employers might be looking for a unique benefit for recruitment and retention, while others can't add additional benefits at this time. Whether it is now, or in the future, BenefitEd is ready to work with employers to provide this valuable benefit," said Mike Riordan, CEO of BenefitEd.

With nearly 45 million Americans struggling with student loan debt, this bill gives companies an opportunity to make a positive impact on their employees' financial wellbeing without any tax penalty to the employee. This law is extremely positive for employees as it will both increase their take-home pay and help in eliminating their student loan debt even faster.

The new law amended Section 127 of the Code, allowing both principal and interest on student loan payments from employers to lenders to be tax-free for both federal and state purposes. Payments made by employers toward their employees' student loans, in combination with tuition reimbursement, are limited to $5,250 per year on a tax-free basis. Any amounts paid in excess of this threshold are subject to taxation to the employee.

Employers can continue to fully deduct payments made toward employee student loans. It is worth noting that employees cannot deduct the interest or take credit for these payments, as they themselves did not pay them, nor were they included in their taxable compensation. Currently set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020, it is projected that this change will become part of the annual extenders package.

This change means employer contributions to student loans through any of BenefitEd's programs, including Employee Choice, are tax free to the extent they meet the parameters mentioned above. Employers interested in utilizing tax-advantaged student loan repayment programs should contact BenefitEd for additional information.

About BenefitEd

BenefitEd offers customized student loan repayment and college savings programs that help progressive employers engage, attract, and retain a more engaged, productive workforce. As a joint venture between Ameritas and Nelnet, BenefitEd leverages a deep understanding of employee benefits programs and expertise in education payment processing. For more information, visit youbenefited.com.

About Ameritas

Founded in 1887, Ameritas Life and its affiliated companies offer a wide range of insurance and financial products and services to individuals, families and businesses. These products and services include life insurance; annuities; individual disability income insurance; dental, vision and hearing care insurance; retirement plans; investments; mutual funds; asset management and public finance. Securities offered through affiliate Ameritas Investment Corp., member FINRA/SIPC. For more information, visit ameritas.com.

About Nelnet

Nelnet (NYSE: NNI) is a diversified and innovative company focused on offering educational services, technology solutions, telecommunications, and asset management. Nelnet helps students and families plan and pay for their education and makes the administrative processes for schools more efficient with student loan servicing, tuition payment processing, school administration software, and college planning resources. With its acquisition of ALLO Communications, Nelnet also offers fiber-optic services directly to homes and businesses for ultra-fast fiber internet, television, and telephone services. The company also makes investments in real estate developments and new ventures. For more information, visit nelnetinc.com.

(code #: nnig)

SOURCE Nelnet

Related Links

https://nelnetinc.com


False rapid tests from China? - Georgia, Spain, The Czech Republic Complain About Quality - GeorgianJournal
Boris Johnson's positive test for coronavirus has shaken the foundations of the government with all eyes now on who would take over from the Prime Minister if he becomes incapacitated.

Downing Street has said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would take over the PM's duties due to his status as First Secretary of State.

The UK does not have a deputy prime minister but first secretary has been used by a number of governments to show who is second in command.

However, it is not immediately clear what would happen if Mr Raab also became incapacitated, with the UK not having a formal system of succession like other countries, for example the US.

Downing Street is said to have drawn up plans to ensure the continuation of government in all circumstances but details have not been divulged publicly.

Mr Raab's status as the person waiting in the wings is believed to have sparked furious rows within the government with other ministers adamant Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, should be the one to take over.

Mr Johnson today insisted he only has mild coronavirus symptoms and that he will continue to lead the nation's fight against the disease.

But Number 10 is likely to face intense pressure in the coming days to set out exactly what would happen if Mr Johnson and other senior ministers can no longer work.

Boris Johnson's positive test for coronavirus has sparked scrutiny of the government's line of succession plans. Downing Street said Dominic Raab (pictured right) will take over if the PM is incapacitated but some ministers have pushed for Michael Gove to be given the job

Mr Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock both today revealed they have tested positive for coronavirus

The UK has four great offices of state: Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary.

But beyond that there is no public plan on the line of succession should the PM be struck down.

The US is one of a number of countries which has such a plan: If the President cannot work, the Vice President takes over and so on down a long list of government figures.

The US also has a 'designated survivor' - someone in the line of succession who is told to stay away from major events like inaugurations and State of the Union Addresses in case something bad happens and they can then step in as commander in chief.

The UK does not have a known 'designated survivor' strategy but Downing Street said on Monday that it would be Mr Raab who would take over from Mr Johnson should circumstances demand it.

The PM's official spokesman said at the time: 'The Prime Minister is well. In relation to your question the Foreign Secretary is the First Secretary of State.'

Number 10 also said the PM 'has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers but, for now, it's the Prime Minister and then the Foreign Secretary'.

Reports at the weekend suggested there was considerable disquiet in the government about Mr Raab being designated as Mr Johnson's stand in.

One minister told the Sunday Times: 'If Boris can't do his job because he is incapacitated, a lot of people think that Michael should be running the show, not Raab. One of these people is Michael, of course.'

Mr Raab, Mr Gove, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Matt Hancock are widely seen as the most important ministers in the government at the moment in terms of combating coronavirus.

Each chairs a committee coordinating different parts of the government's response to the crisis.

Mr Gove's is focused on public sector preparedness, Mr Hancock's is focused on NHS capacity, Mr Raab's deals with the overseas response and Mr Sunak's looks at the economy.

But with Mr Hancock also having tested positive for coronavirus and the fact Mr Sunak was only just elevated to his role, Mr Raab and Mr Gove appear to be the two most important people in the government underneath Mr Johnson.

Successive prime ministers have resisted calls to formally set out succession plans because of the message they fear it would convey to the public and because of the damage it could do to their political standing.

But there have been repeated attempts by backbench MPs to pass a law formalising the succession issue.

Boris Johnson started to feel unwell yesterday afternoon and was then tested. He took part in a clap for the NHS event last night before being told at midnight he had tested positive

Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock testing positive for the disease means Chancellor Rishi Sunak will likely be doing even more of the heavy lifting for the government in terms of daily press conference appearances in the days ahead

The PM's video statement in full 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test. 'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus. 'I want to thank everybody who is involved. I want to thank of course above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it is not just the NHS, it's our police, it's our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff. 'An amazing national effort by the public services but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering - an incredible response, 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus. 'I want to thank you. I want to thank everybody who is working to keep our country going through this epidemic and we will get through it. 'The way we are going to get through it is of course by applying the measures that you will have heard so much about and the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we will bounce back. 'So thank you to everybody who is doing what I am doing, working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household. That is the way we are going to win. We are doing to beat it and we are going to beat it together. 'Stay at home. Protect the NHS. And save lives.' Advertisement

Peter Bone, a Tory MP who has led those efforts in the past, said last week: 'Nobody seems to be able to tell me what happens if the prime minister is incapacitated.

'In a national emergency, you don't want to be scrabbling around worrying about who's in charge.

'And you don't want the foreign secretary and the cabinet office minister arguing about who's in charge.'

With Mr Raab ready to step in for Mr Johnson, other secretary of states are thought to have identified ministerial backups should they fall ill.

Each department's minister of state would likely be expected to step in should their boss be incapacitated.

Mr Raab's status as PM-in-waiting caps off a meteoric rise for the arch Brexiteer.

He only joined the Cabinet for the first time in July 2018 when he was made Brexit Secretary by Theresa May.

He subsequently quit of Mrs May's Brexit policy before taking part in the early stages of the Tory leadership contest in June last year.

After he was ousted he swiftly backed Mr Johnson's candidacy and became a vocal supporter for the former Mayor of London.

That made his return to the Cabinet when Mr Johnson won power in July last year unsurprising but many in Westminster were shocked at just how high the office was with which he was rewarded.

Mr Johnson said in a video message announcing his positive test for coronavirus that he will continue to perform his PM duties as normal but everything will have to be done via video conferencing while he self-isolates for seven days.

He said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating. That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

'The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

'In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

'He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus.'
Four Chinese tourists neglect PPHO rules, detained by police

PHUKET: Four Chinese tourists visiting Phuket have been detained by police after neglecting to inform authorities of an address change during their stay.

Friday 27 March 2020, 01:04PM

Two of the errant Chinese tourists have their temperatures taken. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Two of the Chinese tourists are tracked down to their villa. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The Chief of Saku Police Station, Lt Col Kaken Nikrahatchai, told The Phuket News today (Mar 27) that the four Chinese nationals had originally declared they would be staying at an address in Patong but, unable to secure this address, had decided to move on.

However, they did not notify the change of accommodation address with the Phuket Public Health Department (PPHO) which resulted in the police undertaking a search to track them down.

We were advised by the PPHO on Wednesday (Mar 25) of the situation, said Lt Col Kaken.

Police embarked on a search after a tip off by another group of Chinese tourists staying in Phuket Town who had seen the news and were familiar with the conditions of foreigners staying here, especially in the current climate with health precautions around COVD-19 being so important.

We managed to track all four down yesterday (Mar 26), Lt Col Kaken commented.

Two of the Chinese were found to be staying in a villa in Phuket Town and the other 2 were in a villa in Cherng Thalay. I am unaware of the names of the villas they were found at, he added.

Having located the four tourists, police conducted temperature checks to ensure there was no health risk.

Initially one of the group registered a high temperature reading but we decided to wait and test again as clearly the individual in question was stressed and uncomfortable, Lt Col Kaken said.

After checking again the temperature reading was confirmed as normal and carrying no health risk.

Lt Col Kaken also confirmed all four were carrying valid medical certificates stating they had no prior illness and certifying no diseases had been detected.

All four were detained by police and taken to Saku police station today where they will meet with Phuket PPHO officials to understand and acknowledge the possible charges and penalties of the Disease Control Act, said Lt Col Kaken.

Asked whether they will be charged, Lt Col Kaken replied he was unsure at this point and it would depend on the outcome of the discussion today.
Two weeks ago, a nagging worry prompted me to call Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Werent the nearly 9,000 county inmates sitting ducks for contracting the novel coronavirus? And given the long lag time between infection and symptoms, wouldnt it be far too late to worry about it once an inmate did get sick?

Gonzalez minced no words. Yes, and yes, he answered. He added it could quickly become a catastrophe. To prevent that from happening, Gonzalez said he was busy on two fronts. Hes been asking local police, including his own deputies, to be choosier about whom to arrest. With daily bookings topping 400 on some days, it was a question of when, not if someone would bring the virus with them, he said.

Those efforts have helped slow the daily bookings, falling to as low as 131 last Sunday and hovering in 200s on other days this week, Gonzalezs spokesman Jason Spencer told me Thursday.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Hidalgo pressing for release of some inmates

The second thing Gonzalez has been doing is making individual appeals to judges to release specific inmates, those who are elderly or otherwise especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Hes had to ask judges because, as he noted, his authority as chief jailer does not include any say in when or if inmates are released. The approaches have been working, however, to drop the inmate count. Two weeks ago the jail housed about 8.800 inmates. Thursday, the count was down to 8,000.

We now have more people leaving than coming in, Spencer said. That has meant inmates can be spread out, when possible, and it means more room to quarantine inmates when needed. Ordinarily, Spencer said, the jail had four quarantine pods capable of holding 26 inmates each. The need is expected to exceed that capacity.

But Gonzalez has also pressed for a more widespread release of inmates, what hes calling a compassionate release program  and so far, county officials including County Judge Lina Hidalgo have been receptive. But that effort hit a snag this week when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a reminder that despite the coronavirus crisis, state offices are expected to operate fully. Thats being interpreted to mean state officials, rather than county leaders, have purview over decisions to release inmates.

Legal opinions differ, but whats important is that the differences be ironed out quickly.

Gonzalezs idea is not just wise, its urgently needed, and not just for the inmates. Compassionate release is also strategic release because it saves hospital beds for the general population. If one inmate gets sick, it will be very difficult to keep dozens or even hundreds from getting sick.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Editorial: Take care of yourself and remember those who cant

Thats frightening for all kinds of reasons. Thousands of employees work at the jail - its a city within a city, as Gonzalez told me - and the more they go in and out of the jail, the more likely they are to be exposed to inmates who might have the virus. Thats a risk for those workers, of course, but it is also a risk for all of us. Those workers live all over the region and whatever they are exposed to, their families, co-workers and others will be too.

Already, Spencer said 20 inmates have shown symptoms of illness and have been tested for COVID-19. The results are painfully slow, however. So far, just four of the tests had come back as of late Thursday. All four were negative.

Thank goodness. But its probably only a matter of time. Six members of the sheriffs department have tested positive for the virus. One works in the operational side of the jail, and has only limited contact with inmates. At least one inmate in Dallas Countys jail has tested positive. This thing is spreading dangerously, silently  and quickly.

So what about public safety? Isnt that as important as public health? Sure. Thats why no one is talking about releasing the vast majority of inmates. The idea is to thin the population slightly, to give the jail a better chance of keeping inmates and guards properly spaced out.

Gonzalezs idea is to focus on the relatively few inmates over age 55 or so, those especially vulnerable to the disease, or those whose charges  most inmates havent been tried, much less convicted  involve nonviolent offenses. All together that might total about 500 inmates of the 8,000 total, Spencer said.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo isnt ready to sign off on the compassionate release. I trust Ed, he said of the sheriff. But I am not sure I trust everyone involved. There are some public officials who simply believe no one should be in jail pre-trial.

Using the pandemic scare to advance that agenda, he said, is wrong. But most of his concerns are already covered by the limited nature of what Gonzalez has been urging. Acevedos demand that the county give the police good information about each inmate who is released early makes sense, too. He says they should be tested for the virus, as well, to make sure they dont leave the jail only to infect others.

All that can be done, and the jail still made safer. For all of our sakes, we should let every inmate out we safely can. Thousands will remain behind bars. Thats OK. Jail officials will have an easier time keeping them  and us  safe if theyve got a little less company.
C oronavirus could affect the clocks going forward on Sunday morning, according to the GMB union in Yorkshire.

The organisation said that contractors told Wakefield Council their work to manually change the clocks would not go ahead this year.

The time on a number of prominent clocks in Yorkshire will therefore not be altered to British Summer Time for some months, the union said.

It comes after the UK went into a nationwide lockdown with the Government ordering Brits to stay at home to stem the spread of Covid-19.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

Meanwhile the NHS is bracing for an intensive period as Friday saw steep surge in new coronavirus cases, which hit a total of 14,543, while the death toll roles to 759.

A GMB regional spokesman said that the virus and lockdown measures are also affecting "routine tasks" of local services.

Leeds Town Hall seen alongside a gold clock on the side of Leeds Civic Hall in Yorkshire / AFP via Getty Images

This virus and the measures required to keep people safe are affecting local services in so many different ways and the routine tasks which workers do, which are taken for granted, are now seen for the value they bring to society," he said.

We all wish the clocks could be put forward a few months this weekend so we can be over this terrible time. Sadly, in Wakefield, the public clocks wont be going forward at all on Sunday. 

"The union said a number of clocks would be affected in Wakefield, Featherstone, Pontefract town halls and a number of churches."

Clocks are always changed in the last week of March to mark the beginning of British Summer Time (BST), otherwise referred to as Daylight Saving Time.

Lots of phones and smart gadgets will update automatically on this Sunday - March, 29 - at 1am.
Since its inception, Cape Town based crowdsolving startup Zindi has been building a database of data scientists across Africa.

It now has 12,000 registered on its its platform that uses AI and machine learning to tackle complex problems and will offer them cash-prizes to find solutions to curb COVID-19.

Zindi has an open challenge focused on stemming the spread and havoc of coronavirus and will introduce a hackathon in April. The current competition, sponsored by AI4D, tasks scientists to create models that can use data to predict the global spread of COVID-19 over the next three months.

The challenge is open until April 19, solutions will be evaluated against future numbers and the winner will receive $5,000.

The competition fits with Zindi's business model of building a platform that can aggregate pressing private or public-sector challenges and match the solution seekers to problem solvers.

Founded in 2018, the early-stage venture allows companies, NGOs or government institutions to host online competitions around data oriented issues.

Zindis model has gained the attention of some notable corporate names in and outside of Africa. Those who have hosted competitions include Microsoft, IBM and Liquid Telecom. Public sector actors  such as the government of South Africa and UNICEF  have also tapped Zindi for challenges as varied as traffic safety and disruptions in agriculture.

Zindi Team in Cape Town 1

The startup's CEO didn't imagine a COVID-19 situation precisely, but sees it as one of the reasons she co-founded Zindi with South African Megan Yates and Ghanaian Ekow Duker.

The ability to apply Africa's data science expertise, to solve problems around a complex health crisis such as COVID-19 is what Zindi was meant for, Lee explained to TechCrunch on a call from Cape Town.

"As an online platform, Zindi is well-positioned to mobilize data scientists at scale, across Africa and around the world, from the safety of their homes," she said.

Story continues

Lee explained that perception leads many to believe Africa is the victim or source of epidemics and disease. "We wanted to show Africa can actually also contribute to the solution for the globe."

With COVID-19, Zindi is being employed to alleviate a problem that is also impacting its founder, staff and the world.

Lee spoke to TechCrunch while sheltering in place in Cape Town, as South Africa went into lockdown Friday due to coronavirus. Zindi's founder explained she also has in-laws in New York and family in San Francisco living under similar circumstances due to the global spread of COVID-19.

Lee believes the startup's competitions can produce solutions that nations in Africa could tap as the coronavirus spreads. "The government of Kenya just started a task force where they're including companies from the ICT sector. So I think there could be interest," she said.

Starting April, Zindi will launch six weekend hackathons focused on COVID-19. "They're kind of like sprints so we can get solutions out much quicker," Lee said. Data scientists registered on Zindi's website can participate and more info will go up on the startup's website in coming days.

That could be timely given the trend of COVID-19 in Africa. The continents cases by country were in the single digits in early March, but those numbers spiked last week  prompting the World Health Organization's Regional Director Dr Matshidiso Moeti to sound an alarm on the rapid evolution of the virus on the continent.

By the WHO's stats Wednesday there were 1691 COVID-19 cases in Sub-Saharan Africa and 29 confirmed deaths related to the virus  up from 463 cases and 10 deaths last Wednesday.

The trajectory of the coronavirus in Africa has prompted countries and startups, such as Zindi, to include the continent's tech sector as part of a broader response. Central banks and fintech companies in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya have employed measures to encourage more mobile-money usage, vs. cash  which the World Health Organization flagged as a conduit for the spread of the virus.

The continent's largest incubator, CcHub, launched a fund and open call for tech projects aimed at curbing COVID-19 and its social and economic impact.

Pan-African e-commerce company Jumia has offered African governments use of its last-mile delivery network for distribution of supplies to healthcare facilities and workers.

Zindi's CEO Celina Lee anticipates the startup's COVID-19 related competitions can provide additional means for policy-makers to combat the spread of the virus.

"The one that's open right now should hopefully go into informing governments to be able to anticipate the spread of the disease and to more accurately predict the high risk areas in a country," she said.
A judge again rejected a request from a northern Virginia man who sought to overturn his life sentence for joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate then-President George W. Bush. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted in 2005. He filed a motion last year seeking a new sentence, arguing that the

Key evidence against Abu Ali came from a confession he gave in Saudi custody. Abu Ali said the confession was tortured out of him by Saudi Arabias internal security agency. Saudi agents testified under assumed names at Abu Alis trial, denying any torture.

Abu Alis lawyer argued that Khashoggis 2018 killing is evidence Saudi security forces will lie about mistreatment they inflict. Saudi Arabia initially denied any responsibility for Khashoggis death.

In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston in Alexandria rejected Abu Ali's request. Alston said the truthfulness of the Saudi agents was an issue that was contested vigorously at Abu Ali's 2005 trial, and that the Khashoggi killing does not give Abu Ali an opportunity to re-litigate the issue.

The judge issued a similar ruling in November, but the issue was muddied slightly by technical issues over whether Abu Ali's appeal rights had been exhausted.

(Picture Credit: representative image/pixabay)
An 85-year-old cardiac surgeon from a hospital in south Mumbai, who was diagnosed Covid-19 positive on Thursday morning, has succumbed to the infection.

Police sources told Hindustan Times that the senior doctor was suspected to have contracted the disease from his grandson (in his mid 20s), who had returned from the United Kingdom two weeks ago on March 12. The family, however, did not take him to hospital and instead home quarantined him. Police sources claimed that the 52-year-old son of the cardiac surgeon, who is also a heart specialist, has been diagnosed positive for Covid-19 too.

Following this, two family members are undergoing treatment for Covid-19 and two other members and a female domestic help have been undergoing tests for suspected contraction of the disease.

The civic and hospital authorities did not disclose the details of the incidents. However,the hospital issued a statement following his death.

Mumbai Police officials said that the doctor lived with his family in an apartment complex in the Girgaon area of south Mumbai.

Police officials told Hindustan Times the grandson of the deceased doctor, had gone to the United Kingdom for medical studies and had returned to India after the outbreak of the coronavirus there.

Police sources said that at the airport he was suspected to be infected with the virus , but his family managed to convince the authorities to allow him to go home as the his father and grandfather are senior doctors and would take care of his treatment.

The family kept the man isolated at home and gave him medicines, but eventually the grandfather got infected by the disease. On Wednesday, he was rushed to the Hinduja Hospital and diagnosed positive for the disease by the doctors. During treatment he succumbed to the infection in the night, hospital sources confirmed.

The local Mahim police and the civic authority were informed about the case by the hospital. Further inquiry by the civic and police officials revealed the entire chain of incidents.

Mahim police informed the LT Marg police which escorted the body from the hospital to the cemetery. During the early hours of Friday the deceaseds body was cremated as per rules and in the presence of civic officials, a police officer said requesting anonymity.

Since the doctor had been working at a prominent south Mumbai hospital, few people from the hospital who are suspected to have come in close contact of the doctor have been sent for medical examination, sources at the hospital said.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

With having published myriads of reports for global clients, Future Market Insights exhibits its expertise in the market research field. Our dedicated crew of professionals ride the wave of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and big data analytics, to project the adoption pattern and consumption trends regarding the market. A three-step quality check process  data collection, triangulation, and validation  is paramount while assuring the authenticity of the information captured.

Global Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market Report

The latest business intelligence study by FMI suggests that the global market of Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market reached US$ XX in 2019 with a CAGR of ~ XX% from 2019 to 2029 (Forecast period). The research study focuses on the drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends impacting the Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market.

All the relevant vendors running in the Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market are examined based on market share and product footprint. Key players include- Intercos S.p.A, Swallowfield PLC, Schwan-STABILO Cosmetic GmbH & Co. KG, HCT Group, Alkos Cosmetiques SAS, Oxygen Development LLC, JOVI S.A, A.W. Faber-Castell Cosmetics GmbH, Confalonieri Matite S.R.L, Columbia Cosmetics Manufacturing Inc, and others.

The data associated with each market player includes:

 Company Profile

 Main Business Information

 SWOT Analysis

 Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin

Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2565

By Product Type -wise Segmentation Assessment:

Sharpenable Wooden Pencils

Sharpenable Molded Pencils

Mechanical Pencils

By Material -wise Segmentation Assessment:

Plastic

Wood

Metal

Download Segment-wise Analysis@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/2565

By Region -wise Segmentation Assessment:

North America

Latin America

Europe

Asia Pacific

MEA

The Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market research also takes into account the important countries that hold significant share in the respective regions.

What does the Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market research holds for the readers?

 Market segmentation assessment, including qualitative and quantitative research depicting the impact of economic and non-economic factors.

 Breakdown of each Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market player as per mergers & acquisitions, R&D projects, and product launches.

 Leading regions holding significant share in the global Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market alongwith the key countries.

 One to one company profile of prominent stakeholders.

 Critical study of each Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market manufacturer, such as market share, regional footprint, and product innovations.

Ask An Analyst: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-the-analyst/rep-gb-2565

The Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market research clears away the following queries:

1. Why region holds the largest share in the Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market over the forecast period?

2. Why are stakeholders shifting away from conventional methods for manufacturing Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market?

3. In which year, the global Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market has the lowest Y-o-Y growth rate?

4. At what rate has the global Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market been growing throughout the historic period 2014-2018?

5. By end use segment, which segment currently leads the global Cosmetic Pencil and Pen Packaging Market?

And many more
After months of uncertainty, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the states system for designating sexually violent predators  the worst of the worst sex offenders  is constitutionally permissible.

The decision, covered in an opinion by Justice Kevin M. Dougherty, clears the way for county judges to resume imposing the SVP label on sex offenders who are determined to be perpetual dangers to society.

The SVP designation is a step above even the requirement imposed on some sex offenders to register with state police for life or 25 or 15 years, depending on the nature of their convictions. SVP offenders have a lifetime registration mandate as well and police additionally inform their future neighbors and local schools and daycare centers in their neighborhoods about their crimes. They also must attend monthly sex offender counseling programs until they die.

The Supreme Court justices reached their conclusion in deciding the Butler County case of Joseph Dean Butler, who was convicted of molesting a 15-year-old girl about 50 times between October of 2013 and June 2014. A county judge upheld the conclusion of the state Sexual Offender Assessment Board that Butler should be designated a predator.

Butler claimed the designation constituted an illegal sentence. The case went to the Supreme Court on appeal after a divided state Superior Court panel voided his SVP rating that was imposed by a county judge.

In the high court ruling, Dougherty found that the SVP designation does not constitute criminal punishment.

Rather, he concluded, the Legislature is setting the SVP guidelines had a justified legitimate purpose to protect the public from offenders who are dangerously mentally ill and who pose a peril for as long as they live.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said the Supreme Courts decision will affect a minority of convicted sex offenders.

This law involves designation of the worst of the worst sex offenders as sexually violent predators, Chardo said. The designation only applies if, following conviction and a separate hearing, the judge determines that the commonwealth has proven that the defendant is a sexually violent predator.

Those currently listed as SVPs in Pnnsylvania include former actor/comedian Bill Cosby, who was convicted by a Montgomery County jury and is serving a 3- to 10-year prison term for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home.
Ohio megachurch continues to hold services despite coronavirus concerns

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

While large numbers of churches have canceled services over coronavirus concerns, one congregation in Ohio is continuing to hold worship services.

Solid Rock Church, a nondenominational megachurch with campuses in Lebanon and Cincinnati, has decided against canceling services.

On its website, which was visited by The Christian Post on Friday, Sold Rock Church included a pop-up message explaining their decision to stay open.

We at Solid Rock Church share everyones concern to help keep people safe. The First Amendment of our Constitution guarantees freedom concerning religion, expression, and assembly. It specifically forbids congress from restricting an individuals religious practices. Therefore, the government ban on large gatherings does not apply to religious worship, the church noted in its statement.

There is no pressure from Solid Rock Church to require anyone to come to our services. We are respectful of every individuals right to choose either to come to our service or to watch online. We do believe that it is important for our doors to remain open for whomever to come to worship and pray during this time of great challenge in our country.

The church is not expected to face any legal trouble, as religious services were exempted from a state order banning large gatherings.

The move has received a great deal of negative feedback, however, with a live stream of their Sunday service receiving some 3,000 negative comments, according to news station WHIO.

One online critic, quoted by WHIO, stated you have a moral obligation to protect your flock  God gave us brains to use them.

In response to the coronavirus, there has been some debate among different churches over whether to cancel in-person services and events.

Influential pastor and author Joel Osteen, among many others, canceled all services at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, and instead broadcast his sermons online.

In a statement shared with The Christian Post on March 16, Lakewood reported that the decision led to a record number of viewers online.

We saw 4.51 million people tune in throughout the weekend across platforms, the church said. This broke our previous record of 4.17 million in November of last year when we broadcast Kanye Wests Sunday service from Lakewood. This number could increase throughout the week.

Other faith leaders, such as Roman Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke, have argued that churches should remain open, with efforts being made to accommodate calls for social distancing.

Just as we are able to purchase food and medicine, while taking care not to spread the coronavirus in the process, so also we must be able to pray in our churches and chapels, receive the Sacraments, and engage in acts of public prayer and devotion, wrote Burke in a post to his website.

Historically, in times of pestilence, the faithful gathered in fervent prayer and took part in processions. In fact, in the Roman Missal, promulgated by Pope Saint John XXIII in 1962, there are special texts for the Holy Mass to be offered in times of pestilence 

In Arkansas, nearly 40 members of Greers Ferry First Assembly in Cleburne County have tested positive for the coronavirus following a youth event in early March.

We currently have 37 that have tested positive, with only a small handful that are still waiting on test results," said pastor Mark Palenske in a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday.

We are familiar with the expanding scope of the Covid-19 crisis and that daily individuals are being treated and advised accordingly. Our prayers are that God would strengthen them just as he did with us.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani had a telephonic conversation on Thursday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the entire world. Both the leaders discussed the ongoing developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic impact.

PM Modi responded in gratitude for the Qatari Amirs personal attention to the welfare of Indians living and working in Qatar, particularly in the present crisis situation. The Amir assured PM Modi about the safety and welfare of all Indian expatriates in Qatar.

READ | Amul Comes Up With Creative Topical Post On 21-day Lockdown Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

PM Modi also held a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 25 and appreciated the cooperation of Russian authorities in ensuring the wellbeing of Indian students in Russia.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation in the face of the global crisis, including those pertaining to health, medicine, scientific research, humanitarian matters and impact on the global economy.

READ | COVID19: Amit Shah Announces Rs 500 For 20 Cr Women, Free Gas For 3 Months Under Package

PM Modi at G20

Earlier in the day, PM Modi attended the virtual G20 summit that was called upon in the wake of the deadly pandemic that has taken the world economy hostage. The G20 Summit witnessed the participation of member nations to form an effective and coordinated response to the COVID-19 crisis and restore confidence in the global economy in the wake of the pandemic.

PM Modi interacted with fellow world leaders during the Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia where he stressed the need to put humanitarian interest first amid the pandemic. He said that three months since the crisis began, countries have "finally come together for considering a coordinated response".

"In this grim situation, not just our own citizens, but the whole world is looking up to us. Our decisions and actions will shape the worlds response not just to this but also future pandemics and calamities," PM Modi said.

READ | Trump Slams WHO For Allegedly Siding With China On Coronavirus Crisis

What PM Modi stressed on:

PM Modi asked world leaders at the Summit to turn the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic into opportunities. Among many points he made, here are some:

Put human beings, rather than economic targets, at the Centre of our vision of global prosperity and cooperation.

Freely and openly share medical research and development for the benefit of the entire humanity.

Develop more adaptive, responsive, affordable, and humane health care systems and resources that can be deployed globally.

(Representative Image, source - Twitter/MEAIndia)
Under the Mamatas Kitchen initiative, migrant workers will be provided meals at just Rs 5 from 11 am to 3 pm every day

Aakanksha Arora and Aasheerwad Dwivedi

We are living in unprecedented times with almost every nation under some kind of lockdown. In most of the countries, including India, first cases of COVID-19 were found in urban centres, from where it spread to the other parts of the country.

The virus is spreading in an unequal world  which means that the experience of people, unfortunately, will be extremely different across regions. There is a threat that the pandemic can reinforce the regional inequalities with possibilities of scarring society forever, if not handled in a just manner.

It is in this context that the support announced under PM Garib Kalyan Scheme is a very good step. Taking cue from best practices and experiences of other nations, India implemented social distancing and a lockdown at a relatively earlier stage of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread.

The ability to detect the disease and respond via tools such as social distancing and lockdown varies significantly across different states/UTs, because the availability of the resources also differ significantly. What we are facing today is complex interplay of healthcare, labour and leisure, area, education, and information  and each aspect warrants attention.

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 current crisis highlights the modest provision of health infrastructure, which varies widely across state, and reiterates the need for strengthening it. The average population served per government hospital is very high in some states, ranging from nearly 170,000 in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Maharashtra, more than four times that of Haryana and Punjab. Similarly, registered doctors per 1,000 people vary from two in West Bengal, 1.8 in Tamil Nadu to just 0.2 in Haryana, 0.4 in Bihar and MP.

As evident from the painful case of Italy, demographic features play key role in determining the impact of the virus. States with the highest proportion of population above 60 years are Kerala with 13.2 percent, followed by Tamil Nadu with 10.5 percent in 2016. On the other hand, Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh have just 6.7-7 percent population above 60 years. This clearly shows that demographically Delhi, UP, Bihar, etc. are better placed to fight the crisis than states such as Kerala and Himachal Pradesh.

Similarly, in the time of social distancing, another scarce resource is space. The density of population varies widely among Indian states, which determines the likelihood of interaction. It is extremely difficult to practice quarantine in an overcrowded neighbourhood.

Migrant workers and their families board a truck to return to their villages after a 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced, in Ahmedabad, March 25. REUTERS

Migrant workers and their families board a truck to return to their villages after the 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced, in Ahmedabad, March 25. REUTERS

The destiny of the 21-day lockdown  perhaps the biggest such measure in recent history largely depends on maintaining law and order, and the flow of essential goods and services. This can be achieved through an effective dissemination of information, which is a big challenge in the era of information overload  which includes an overflow of fake news. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calls this phenomenon infodemics, a process in which the rumours also spread fast (like a virus), creating conflicting knowledge in the community under threat.

The flow of information about the pandemic, its risks and precautions to follow are easily accessed in well off and better connected areas than in poorer, less connected areas. The government provides up-to-date information and clarifications, but here also literacy and access to Internet is crucial in determining the flow of information. In this context, the Indian governments step to replace the normal ringing tone with an awareness message about Coronavirus, in English and other vernaculars is an excellent step.

The literacy rates vary widely across states with Kerala having a 94 percent literate population, while in Bihar it is 61.8 percent, which is the lowest. Also, per capita Internet subscribers stand at 1.4 in Delhi, 1 in Himachal Pradesh and just 0.2 in Uttar Pradesh or 0.3 in Rajasthan and Odisha. Illiteracy makes the optimal utilisation of Internet difficult, making citizens prone to fake news.

Nearly 87 percent of Indias workforce is in the informal sector without the luxury of a work from home option. They have two options: work, which requires physical interaction and increases the risk of getting infected and spreading infection, or stay at home, which means no income and yet at a higher risk of infection because of overcrowded homes and surroundings. Although the spread of informality is quite widespread in India, states such as West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have a higher concentration of informal workers than the south-western states.

The resources available to states largely stems from their fiscal capacity, which is not uniform. Out of the tax revenue generated by all states and UTs, Maharashtra accounts for more than 15 percent and Uttar Pradesh accounts for 9.7 percent; much higher than West Bengal and Delhi. The per capita health expenditure, or state spend on each resident, ranges from Rs 491 in Bihar to Rs 1,463 in Kerala and Rs 2,667 in Himachal Pradesh. The disparity among states on this parameter is huge.

Considering these factors, we can say that inequalities within India determine how people experience pandemics, who is hit hard, who is more likely to survive, and, most importantly, who will recover fastest once the virus is gone. The 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only way to control the spread of the virus and hopefully break the transmission cycle. It is imperative that everyone, irrespective of our inequalities, follow it to the T. The ability to manage the crisis will differ from state to state though everyone faces the same degree of threat.

In such times, the Rs 1.7 lakh-crore financial package announced by central government under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Scheme is timely and much-needed.
As hundreds of thousands of migrants workers started walking back to their villages from big cities across the country, the government on Friday issued an advisory to states and Union territories to stop the mass exodus amid the 21-day lockdown, PTI reported.

News agency Press Trust of India said the Union ministry of home affairs has asked the state governments and administrations of Union territories to prevent the movement of these migrant and agricultural labourers and workers of industrial and unorganised sectors.

They have been advised to make vulnerable groups aware of free food grains and other essentials to stop the mass exodus, PTI reported.

The migrants, mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have left the metros across the country after losing jobs and unable today for food and rent after the government enforced strict rules to lock down the country in an effort to fight Covid-19 spread.

Chief ministers of several states, including West Bengal and Jharkhand, have raised concerns for the safety and needs of these workers seen on deserted highways as they trudged back to their villages after trains, buses and all other modes of transports were stopped.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has even written to her counterparts in 18 states, urging them to provide basic shelter, food and medicine to migrant workers from her state. We, in Bengal, are taking care of such stuck people in our state, she said in her letter.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officers of all 75 districts in his state to serve food and water to these migrant labourers and Delhis Kejriwal has said his government will take care of all such people.

The government has said it is set to ease some of its rules during the 21-day lockdown in order to facilitate the return of these migrants and ensure they get food and shelter.

Senior government officials, who are familiar with the matter, have said provisions will either be made to provide safe transport to these daily-wage labourers, or government shelters will be set up for them.

The Centre has been in touch with chief secretaries of several states to resolve the issue, and feedback has also been sought from the state transport departments.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, a member of Parliament from Bihar, said that discussions were on at the highest level of government about how to help these men and women.

The government is alive to their situation. I also appeal to all civil society members to rise up and make provisions for such people, Prasad said while speaking to HT.

On Thursday, the Centre announced an economic stimulus package of Rs 170,000 crore to address the immediate economic distress in the wake of the lockdown prompted by the Covid-19, coronavirus disease, pandemic.

The primary beneficiaries of these measures include those below the poverty line, farmers, women, elderly citizens, the physically challenged, construction workers, and workers in both the unorganised and organised sectors.

The series of measures announced focused on additional food transfers at no cost, cash for vulnerable segments, concessions on government schemes aimed to help households reduce their expenditure, and support those on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
No lasting peace in Yemen without end to Saudi war, siege: Ansarullah

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 10:25 AM

The Houthi Ansarullah movement says any political solution to the Yemen conflict should begin with an end to the US-sponsored Saudi military aggression and the blockade on the impoverished state.

"We renew our firm position that any comprehensive, just and lasting political solution will not be practically achieved before ending the aggression and lifting the siege," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam tweeted on Thursday.

His comments come as Yemen is marking the fifth anniversary of the military campaign that the Saudi regime and its allies launched against the impoverished nation with the support of the US and its Western allies in 2015 to reinstall a former Riyadh-friendly government.

The Yemeni official described the war as an American campaign of aggression "executed by Saudi-Emirati tools," saying the offensive has achieved "nothing but arbitrary massacres,the likes of which the world has never seen."

On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Yemen's rival parties to work with his Special Envoy, Martin Griffiths, to achieve a nation-wide de-escalation, saying, "a political solution is the only way to a comprehensive and sustainable resolution of the conflict in Yemen."

It followed an earlier call by Guterres for "an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world" to tackle the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He also warned that in war-torn countries health systems have collapsed and the small number of health professionals left were often targeted in the fighting.

On Wednesday, Mahdi al-Mashat, the president of Yemen's Supreme Political Council welcomed Guterres' call for a ceasefire in the conflict-ridden country.

"We welcome the UN secretary-general's call for cease-fire...we reaffirmed our readiness to deal with all peace initiatives to achieve a comprehensive political solution," he said in a televised speech. "We are ready to cooperate to move from war stage to peace."

Meanwhile, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Colonel Turki Al-Maliki said the alliance supports Griffiths' efforts towards a ceasefire in Yemen.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of Yemen, also tweeted that the coalition's announcement of support for a ceasefire is welcomed and that the Houthis are waiting for it to be applied practically.

According to a tally released last November by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project or ACLED, over 100,000 Yemenis have been killed in the war.

The Western-backed bombing campaign, coupled with a naval blockade, has plunged Yemen into what the UN says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Yemen has not recorded any COVID-19 cases to date, but the possibility of an outbreak threatens the country's fragile healthcare system, which is already struggling to fight cholera and dengue fever.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Advertisement

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package that will result in individual checks being sent to Americans, loans going to small businesses and aid for industries hard hit by the coronavirus.

'We got hit by the invisible enemy and we got hit hard,' President Trump said during the signing ceremony at the Oval Office. 'I want to thank Republicans and Democrats for coming together, setting aside their differences and putting America first.'

The president joked about the package's trillion dollar price tag.

'I've never signed anything with a T on it,' he said.

Even though the president called it bipartisan work, he was only surrounded by Republican lawmakers and members of his Cabinet at the signing ceremony.

President Trump joined by Republicans only at the signing ceremony for the coronavirus, including (from left): Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Economic adviser Larry Kudlow, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, Vice President Mike Pence, Republican Rep. Kevin Brady, Dr. Deborah Birx, and Rep. Greg Walden

Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the legislation along side Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy and Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer

President Trump signed the $2 trillion package into law

President Trump gives a pen to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who led negotiations for the administration

President Trump also gave a pen to Dr. Anthony Fauci

President Trump added his signature under Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate President Pro Temp Chuck Grassley

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both of whom worked with the administration in negotiations led by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, were notably absent.

Trump and Pelosi are not believed to have spoken since October 16 when she walked out a White House meeting. They were together during the State of Union address in the House chamber in January but the president refused to shake her hand and she ripped up the text of his speech at its conclusion.

The legislation includes individual checks to Americans that are due to be sent out in the next three weeks.

The funds include $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year before phasing out and ending altogether for those earning more than $99,000. That would result in $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.

The measure moved to the White House after the House overcame a move by a rogue lawmaker to hold it up.

The threat from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky united President Trump, Speaker Pelosi and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy in anger against him.

The legislation passed the House by a voice vote in under two minutes on Friday afternoon, after the Senate passed it unanimously on Wednesday. President Trump will sign it into law at the White House on Friday afternoon.

The package - which offers loans to small businesses, individual checks to Americans, and aid to industries effected by the coronavirus - is the largest stimulus package passed in congressional history, beating out the financial bailout of 2008.

It was a remarkable feat of legislative work. For a branch of government known for its slow pace, the package came together in just under a week with round-the-clock negotiations taking place with House and Senate leadership in conjunction with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who led the effort for the administration.

'We are all a family and like many families we have our differences but we all know what is important to us,' Pelosi said after the vote was completed. And, in a sign of the bipartisanship at work, McCarthy joined her for the signing ceremony, which is rare for the leader of the opposition party to do.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the House floor ahead of the vote on the $2 trillion coronavirus package, which passed after leaders defeated a move by Rep. Thomas Massie

Speaker Pelosi signed the approved bill, which will be signed by President Trump into law

In a sign of bipartisanship, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy joined Speaker Pelosi for the signing ceremony, a rare thing for the opposition leader to do

Speaker Pelosi's signature; President Trump will sign the package into law Friday afternoon

But the work was threatened Thursday night when Massie made it known he was uncomfortable with the legislation passing by unanimous consent - a procedure typically used for noncontroversial legislation - instead of a roll call vote, which would leave a record of how each lawmaker voted.

Massie made it known he would object to the voice vote and ask for a roll call vote, which would require a quorum of lawmakers on the House floor. Leadership had objected to that on the grounds it was dangerous for some lawmakers to travel during the pandemic.

And leaders were prepared to counter Massie's move.

Pelosi, who, as Speaker of the House, is the final speaker ahead of any vote, told lawmakers to make their way to the chamber.

The sooner you come, the shorter my remarks will be, she said to chuckles from the lawmakers in the chamber.

Right now were going to pass this legislation, she said, adding we know this will not be the final bill to address the fallout from the coronavirus.

In preparation for the vote Friday afternoon, the lawmakers who made it to Washington D.C. for the vote, in order to obey proper social distancing practices, spread out to sit on the House floor and in the public galleries looking over the chamber in order to keep the recommended six feet between them.

In a notice to lawmakers before the vote, leaders on both sides of the aisle told members they are strongly advised to remain seated during' Massie's request for a recorded vote.

Rep. Thomas Massie tried to over ride House leadership's wish for a voice vote on the coronavirus package

Rep. Anthony Brown, who was presiding over the House during the vote, gaveled the passage of the coronavirus measure to a close

Rep. Thomas Massie leaves the Capitol building after his failed attempt to call a roll call vote on the $2 trillion coronavirus package

The vote on the package was called for and Massie made his move.

I came here to make sure our republic doesnt die by unanimous consent in an empty chamber and I request a recorded vote, he said.

When Massie made his request to hold a roll call vote, Rep. Anthony Brown, the presiding officer in the speakers chair, pointed out that not enough members rose to back his request. House rules require one-fifth of lawmakers to stand up in support.

An insufficient amount having risen, a recorded vote is refused, Brown said.

Massie then protested, saying there is not a quorum of lawmakers present.

I object on the basis a quorum is not present, he said.

Brown then counted the lawmakers seated in the chamber and galleries. He ruled there was a quorum present and thereby denied Massies request for a roll call vote.

A quorum is present. The motion is adopted, Brown declared and gaveled the vote to a close.

The lawmakers in the chamber gave a standing ovation.

Lawmakers spread out on the House floor and sat in the galleries above the chamber to keep to social distancing guidelines

Before the House vote got underway, President Trump railed against Massie for his threat to call a roll call vote on the measure, which would have delayed its passage, and called on the GOP to throw the eight-term lawmaker out of the party.

Massie, who was a vocal defender of the president's during the impeachment inquiry, made it clear he would not bow down to pressure from the party's leader.

'I swore an oath to uphold the constitution, and I take that oath seriously. In a few moments I will request a vote on the CARES Act which means members of Congress will vote on it by pushing yes or no or present,"' Massie wrote on Twitter.

'The Constitution requires that a quorum of members be present to conduct business in the House. Right now, millions of essential, working-class Americans are still required to go to work during this pandemic such as manufacturing line workers, healthcare professionals, pilots, grocery clerks, cooks/chefs, delivery drivers, auto mechanics, and janitors (to name just a few). Is it too much to ask that the House do its job, just like the Senate did?,' he added.

He announced his decision after he was spotted in a conversation on the House floor with McCarthy and Pelosi.

The two leaders pushed for a vote on the package by unanimous consent, which would allow lawmakers to stay in their districts instead of traveling during the pandemic. Many members of the House are in their 60s or above, which puts them at higher risk if they contract the virus.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were furious at having to travel at risk to their health to vote on a bill that all agreed was going to pass no matter how the vote was taken.

President Trump railed against Rep. Thomas Massie, a member of his own party who threatened to hold up Friday's House vote on the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package

President Trump blasted Rep. Thomas Massie and suggested he be thrown out of the GOP

Massie sparked fury from both Republicans and Democrats with his move, which united two branches of government against him.

'Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous & costly,' President Trump complained on Twitter Friday morning.

'Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault. It is HELL dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!,' he added.

John Kerry, a former senator who was secretary of state under Barack Obama, said he agreed with President Trump about Massie and he called the congressman an 'a**hole.'

'Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an a**hole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. He's given new meaning to the term #Masshole. (Finally, something the president and I can agree on!),' he tweeted.

President Trump gave Kerry his approval.

'Never knew John Kerry had such a good sense of humor! Very impressed!,' Trump tweeted back to him.

But Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas stepped in to defend Massie, telling the president to 'back off.'

'.@RepThomasMassie is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country. He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. Theres nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump. I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off,' Roy tweeted.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arriving in the Capitol Friday morning, reassured her lawmakers the coronavirus package would pass

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy urged lawmakers to get to Washington D.C. for the vote

Leadership planned to do the voice vote so lawmakers would not have to travel during the pandemic.

Additionally it would help keep the virus out of the Capitol, where two House members - Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican from Florida, and Ben McAdams, a Democrat from Utah - and one senator, Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky, have tested positive for it.

After the vote concluded Friday, Republican Rep. Joe Cunningham of South Carolina announced he tested positive. Rep. Katie Porter, a Democrat from California who showed symptoms, announced her was negative.

Thursday evening leadership for both parties sent out notice to lawmakers to get to Washington D.C. if they could - an action they hoped to avoid.

'Members are advised that it is possible this measure will not pass by voice vote. Members are encouraged to follow the guidance of their local and state health officials. However, if they are able and willing to be in Washington D.C. by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Members are encouraged to do so with caution,' leaders warned lawmakers.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle boarded planes back to Washington D.C. - and grumbled about it given the guarantee the package will pass as it had support from both Republicans and Democrats.

'Heading to the airport now to vote in DC. am going just like every person that picks our food, works at a hospital, picks up the garbage. I am doing it because it is my f***ing job. But I get a comfortable salary, our essential workers should get same. #coronavirus,' wrote Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego on Twitter on Friday morning.

Other lawmakers citied safety concerns about trying to contain the virus.

'Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible,' wrote Republican Rep. Peter King on Twitter.

Lawmakers, such as Rep. Dina Titus, tweeted images of deserted airports and planes as they made their way back to the Capitol.

The relief package provides loans to small businesses, direct checks to Americans and aid to industries hit hard by the virus; above a nurse conducts a coronavirus test in Seattle

The House gaveled into session at 9 a.m. and held three hours of debate on the package.

The debate began with lawmakers from both parties switching back-and-forth to talk about the legislation.

Some lawmakers grew emotional.

Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat wearing pink latex gloves with a black suit and big pearl necklace, had a meltdown on the House floor when discussing the legislation.

I rise for every American who is scared right now, she said, waving her glove-clad hands in the air.

She grew emotional when talking about the pandemic, talking louder and waving her hands frantically. With her time up, Rep. Anthony Brown, who was the presiding officer of the House, tried to end her speech.

But she kept talking even as Brown banged his gavel and called on her to stop.

To our doctors and nurses, I wear these latex gloves to tell every American: Do not be afraid!, she said. 'I rise before you adorning these latex gloves not for personal attention  not for personal attention  but to encourage you to take this disease seriously.'

The gentle lady is out of order, Brown said, banging his gavel.

But Stevens kept yelling over him even as her mic was turned off, shouting about medical workers as other lawmakers on the floor called on her to stop.

Similar times have tried the medical staff: wars and flus past. You will see darkness, you will be pushed. Our society needs you to stand together at this time. Our country loves you, she yelled.

Brown again cut her off and ruled her out of order and out of time. She conceded the floor back to Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Rep. Haley Stevens, a Democrat wearing pink latex gloves with a black suit and big pearl necklace, had a meltdown on the House floor when discussing the legislation

Lawmakers ruled Rep. Stevens out of order for her comments

Safety measures were taken during the vote and its proceeding debate to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Lawmakers were required to use hand sanitizer before arriving on House floor and after leaving. The Speaker's Lobby, the area outside the House chamber where lawmakers and members of the media usually gather, is closed.

Lawmakers also were asked to have no more than two members in an elevator at a time and not to bring staff with them to the vote.

'We have members on both sides of the aisle who have the virus. We have members who are quarantined. We have members who have challenges with airlines, getting their flights canceled. We will have enough to get this through, but the floor will look different,' McCarthy said on Thursday.

The House vote came after the passed it.

Wednesday night's unanimous Senate vote on the bill was striking - a united front that followed days of sometimes tumultuous negotiations and partisan eruptions with all 96 senators present voting yes.

It was the third such legislation passed to give economic relief in the wake of the virus, which has shuttered businesses and strained the economy. There have been over 81,000 cases of the virus in the United States.

The legislation will include $500 billion in direct payments to people in two waves of checks.

The funds include $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year before phasing out and ending altogether for those earning more than $99,000. That would result in $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.

And there may be more to come as fourth and fifth economic packages could follow if the virus continues to spread.
Some modelling suggests between 30 and 40 per cent of police will be infected. Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told us: The medical advice is our rate of infection should be around the community infections rate. We have been sourcing PPE [personal protective equipment] from around the country for weeks. The Chief Commissioner revealed police have contingency plans to mobilise many of the 1000 Protective Services Officers presently used on Melbournes railway stations. As the public transport system winds down, the PSOs may be assigned to patrol food stores, attend hospitals and assist in enforcing lockdown orders. We are planning to use them in different roles if there is free capacity, Ashton says. He notes that there has already been a change in crime patterns. With pubs and clubs closed assaults are down, people staying at home means fewer house burglaries, less cars at railway stations means a reduction in theft from motor vehicles. We will wait and see on drug trafficking. The ban on mass gatherings may reduce the use of so-called party drugs, although one dealer who has moved to online deliveries says he has never been busier.

As businesses close their doors police anticipate a jump in commercial burglaries and will ramp up patrols in industrial areas. Police predict there will be a jump in family violence calls, Ashton says: We expect to see a spike there. It will not just be known offenders  there are thousands of people who have lost their jobs and dont know how they will survive. With no outlets, no escape and alcohol as self-medication, there will be an upsurge in what is our worst crime problem. With schools likely to close for extended periods, expect an increase in juvenile crime including graffiti, vandalism and opportunistic theft. Internet scams have spiked, with isolated individuals likely targets. Loading

Export rackets selling hoarded goods have already been exposed. The Police Academy is still operating on a reduced scale  concentrating on recruits and mandatory safety and firearms training. All other courses are cancelled. Expect a flood of applications to join. Traditionally people head to secure jobs at times of high unemployment. Police will use drones to monitor public spaces to ensure people adhere to lockdown instructions. How spooky is that? The state using remote-control planes to watch people while the world is infected by a killer disease that started in China. George Orwell on angel dust couldnt have invented that plot. Ashton says it is not a case of enforcement but one of co-operation: The community hasnt seen something like this since World War I. You must put the community first for the greater good. If you dont, vulnerable people will die.

We need the community to get behind this. Make sure you do the right thing. How long this lasts relates to how the community complies with the rules. In the last couple of weeks, the government has advertised for applications for the position of Chief Commissioner, with Ashton set to retire in June. Clearly this is nonsense. It is a worldwide search, yet overseas applicants would not be able to get here for an interview. And if senior interstate police have time to complete a detailed application during a national emergency, we dont want them. Ashton must be extended until the crisis is over. You dont change captains in the middle of a storm. It is almost certain parole restrictions will be relaxed and prisoners nearing the end of their sentence and those (non-dangerous) infirm ones will be released into home detention to lower their infection risk.

If there is no spike in crime when the world returns to some form of normality, we should rethink our present race to record prison numbers. In Victoria, prison numbers are at an all-time high of around 8000 and projected to reach 11,000 in 2023. The annual cost of running the state's prisons is now more than $1.6 billion, triple the outlay in 2009-10. Then there is another $1.8 billion allocated for building jails. When we come out of this, we will have less cash than a tone-deaf busker with BO and if we could get away with not building new prisons for a while the money could be spent on finding people jobs. Courts have reduced to core duties, with procedural mentions abandoned. Perhaps this will result in forced efficiencies being introduced on return. Magistrates holding sessions inside prisons rather than relying on hundreds of inmates being transferred to court would be a good start. There is no doubt self-isolation is taxing. In times of disaster and triumph we gather together to share. After the Bourke Street Mall massacre, strangers headed to the spot to mourn. Even in the darkest days of World War II the pubs stayed open as a relief from the darkness. The movies were either light or laced with propaganda, painting the war as a march to victory.

Today, with 24-hour news streams and never-ending social media, we can nearly drown in bad news. It is therefore vital we all build our own survival plans for the weeks and months ahead. Reach out to someone you think is struggling  ring a friend, text a colleague, just dont let the world shrink around you. We at Naked City attempt to find experts to deal with any existing conundrums, which is why we turned to the ever-colourful Mick Gatto on the issue of self-isolation. Gatto is a gregarious man who loves nothing more than holding court (rather than being in one) at a large restaurant table with his closest mates, accompanied by a cheeky local red and a splash of Johnnie Walker Blue. Mick Gatto after he was acquitted of the murder of Andrew "Benji" Veniamin in 2005. Credit:Jason South But he knows how to deal with social distancing, having spent 14 months in solitary confinement between March 23, 2004, when he was charged with the murder of hitman Andrew Veniamin, and June 15, 2005, when he was acquitted in the Supreme Court.

While we have some movement and the capacity to communicate via phones and social media, Gatto was locked in a cell not much bigger than a bathroom for 23 hours a day. You have to keep both your mind and body busy. I would write letters, exercise for hours and read my Brief of Evidence until I knew it backwards. You have to stay busy if you want to stay sane. Gatto, a former heavyweight boxer, shadowboxed for round after round, day after day. When he turned up at the Supreme Court for his trial, he was back to his fighting weight and was 30 kilos lighter than the day he shot Veniamin (in self-defence). Gatto has a reputation of not always following the rules but this time he is on the side of law and order: We have to self-isolate and commit now or many more people will die.

For more than 60 years we have lived in a country without major violence, civil unrest, savage unemployment, class war or religious conflict. We are better educated, largely better paid, better fed, live longer and have one of the best health systems in the world. We live by the rule of law, have a justice system that works and a democratic process that is trusted. Generations of freedom have allowed us to indulge our individual ambitions and interests as we see fit. But the world as we know it has changed and there is no going back  at least in the short term. Our political leaders, the people we elected, have been clear: it is time to put the community first. "I want" is no longer an option. The days, weeks and months ahead will define us as individuals and as a community. History will judge us. The rest of the world was hit by a tsunami they didnt see. We are one of the few nations given plenty of warning. If you sit on the beach when the wave is coming you will drown. If we dont do what the experts say you will be killing people and destroying our childrens economic future in the process.
A hurricane is a complex storm system that spells natural disaster. It combines tempestuous winds, torrential rains, floods, whirlwinds and whirlpools into an extremely powerful and destructive package. Developed countries are generally prepared for such events.

They have early warning systems that give them time to take the necessary precautions. They build on previous experiences to develop new and better response plans. They also have the ability to handle the aftermath with reconstruction, compensation and reforms that help avert the mistakes of previous experiences. Today, the Arab world is experiencing a storm of this sort.

In part, it is a product of nature, like the dragon storm that battered Egypt a couple of weeks ago. But a large part of it began with the so-called Arab Spring which swept Arab countries so violently and in different ways that it rendered them vulnerable to the ambitions of non-Arab regional powers.

Maybe the seeds for this weather system were planted with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, nurtured by the militarisation of the second Palestinian Intifada, fed by the US invasion of Iraq and other phenomena that culminated in that hot khamaseen called the Arab Spring that shook the foundations of the Arab state.

Fortunately, some Arab states weathered the storm. Some of these managed to recover fairly quickly while others managed to ride the crest and let the future take care of the cracks and fissures. At the same time, from the rubble and ashes, there arose awareness of the need for urgent and deep political, economic, cultural and religious reform.

Now we are facing a new storm system. It is called Covid-19 and it struck the whole world. One of its consequences was plummeting oil prices.

It struck while some Arab countries were struggling to form a new government, others were experiencing new outbreaks of political uprisings, and yet others were facing waves of foreign aggression: from the Iranian offensives in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen (and even Morocco) and the Turkish military interventions in Qatar, Syria and Libya to Israels bids to annex large chunks of occupied Palestine while pretending it will grant independence to a Palestinian state, and last but not least the Ethiopian attempt to build a dam, one of the most important purposes of which is to deprive Egypt of its historic, geographic, legal and moral right to the waters of the Nile.

All of these developments have had debilitating effects on Arab countries, on the Arab region, on the Arabs international relations and on Arab resources and energies, creating even greater pressures on the Arabs dwindling influence and prestige.

Things cannot continue this way. This is not about the type of losses that some countries can ward off with their money or power, others can avert through their connections with the East or the West, and others might be able to cope with in other ways. What we are facing is an ongoing assault. It hasnt revealed its face openly, but it can be seen in the processes of attrition, in the diversion of resources from construction and reform to battles against flagrant aggressions and infiltrations, and in the sapping of energies in endlessly protracted negotiations on matters over which agreement is actually within reach.

The balance of powers in the region is not in the Arabs favour, which is why non-Arab regional powers have been able to capitalise on our harsh circumstances in the past and are now trying to capitalise on no less harsh circumstances in the present. Although the entire Arab region is under attack, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been singled out. The former by Ethiopia via the Nile, and Turkey via Libya, and the latter by Iran via Iraq, the Gulf and Yemen, and by Turkey in Syria.

Strategically, what we are looking at is an attempt to lay siege to the basic foundations of the Arab order. The remedy to this can only be an Arab one. As readers of my columns know, I am not an ultra Arab nationalist. I do not subscribe to a notion of Arab nationalism that supersedes or ignores the particular individual interests and properties of each Arab country.

However, the countries of Europe, Asia, South America and even Africa have learned how to come together and work collectively to counter adversities precipitated by similar types of imbalances or deficiencies. Their first step toward resistance was to promote profound internal reform. Many Arab states, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Morocco, have already initiated ambitious reform projects.

But reform, however sweeping, is not sufficient in the face of the current storm system, with its gale force winds and lethal vortexes. So far, as things stand, there is only one effective mechanism for collective Arab action against the threat: the Arab Quartet made up of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain. Unfortunately, the Arab League, despite the efforts of its secretary general, is shackled by an Arab order that is feeble and beleaguered.

The Arab Quartet should not be seen as an instrument for dealing with Qatar. That problem is not nearly as important as the need to focus on other regional and international parties in order to rectify the balances of powers and to establish a regional security order to prevent further attrition to Arab rights, to their security, land and territorial integrity, territorial waters and stability. Just as reform drives alone are not enough to contain and find a cure for Covid-19, they are not enough to combat the Arab regional illness which is the product of disparities in power and the ferocity of the onslaught from some regional powers.

There are heartening experiences we can draw on. For example, the maritime border agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia opened a vast horizon for bilateral cooperation in many fields, not least the project of building a Red Sea regional order extending down to the Horn of Africa. In like manner, the maritime border agreement between Egypt and Cyprus paved the way to the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum which, in addition to Egypt, includes Arab countries such as Jordan and Palestine. Of course, such experiences are also not enough. They forge the beginning of the road but do not take us to the ultimate goal.

While the world is preoccupied with the fight against Coronavirus, Iran, as hard hit as it is by this contagion, appears poised to ratchet up its designs in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Lebanon. Ethiopia is looking to Arab Gulf countries for investments while planning to monopolise control over the Nile which brings water to Egypt. Israel is fighting the virus with one hand while trying to snatch up the Jordan Valley and annex West Bank settlements with the other.

The Arab Quartet can serve as the nucleus of a Concert of Arabia, a strategic order capable of rectifying the imbalances and weaknesses that provided the openings that non-Arab powers have taken advantage of. The way forward will not be easy. But what will be more difficult is to continue as is, with each country facing the threats and contagions on its own.

*The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future Published a Cooked Research Report on Fumed Silica Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023

Market Definition:

Fumed silica exhibits thixotropic behaviours and has rheological properties, which makes it a suitable ingredient for the manufacturing paint and coating. Pyrogenic silica is increasing used to prevent rust and corrosion. Fumed silica is used for adhesives, sealants, coatings, toner, inks, food additives, cosmetics, and deformers among others.

Market Scenario and Growth Factors:

Fumed silica is used for manufacturing various products. Its application ranges from highly technical to simple processes. According to the recent study conducted by Market Research Future (MRFR), the global Fumed Silica Market Report is expected to grow to over USD 1600 Mn by 2023 up from USD 989 Mn, reflecting a 7.80% CAGR from 2019 to 2023.

Get a Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4542

Fumed silica-based adhesives, sealant, coatings and paints are in high demand in the construction industry and automotive industry. Hence, fumed silica has major application scope in these industries. Demand for fumed silica is on the rise partly owing to its cost effective attributed. It is witnessing an increased acceptance in various industry verticals. In addition, the product is finds application opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. In terms of revenue, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to make a noteworthy contribution to the global fumed silica market in the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, emergence of biogenic fumed silica is a major threat to the market. Inclination towards biogenic fumed silica can be attributed to the rising concerns over environmental degradation.

Competitive Landscape:

Evonik Industries AG (Germany),

Cabot Corporation (U.S.),

PPG Industrie, Inc (U.S.),

Dalian Fuchang Chemical Co., Ltd (China),

Power Chemical Corporation Ltd (UK),

Kemitura, Dongyue Group Ltd. (China),

Tokuyama Corporation (Japan), 3M (U.S.)

Wacker Chemie AG (Germany)

Segmental Overview:

The segmental analysis of the global Fumed Silica Market is based on application, type and region.

On the basis of application, the market has been segmented into adhesive and sealants, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, UPS, paint and coating, battery gel, silicon rubber and others. By type, the market has been segmented into hydrophobic fumed silica and hydrophilic fumed silica.

Browse key industry insights spread across 139 pages with 148market data tables & 6 figures & charts from the report, Fumed Silica market: by type (hydrophilic and hydrophobic fumed silica), by Application (Paint and coating, adhesive and sealants, silicon rubber, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, battery gel, UPS, and others), and region - Forecast till 2023 in detail along with the table of contents @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/fumed-silica-market-4542

Regional Analysis:

Based on region, the market has been segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), North America, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Of these, APAC holds the largest market share in terms of revenue. APAC commanded for more than one-third market share in the year 2016 and this trend has continued in the following years. China remains at the centre of all the action in APAC. China represents a considerable share both in terms of production and consumption. Rapid economic development and tremendous growth of major sectors such as construction, paint & coatings, automotive, and healthcare in the countries has reflected favourably on the market. In 2016, the market in China raked in USD 159 Mn in revenues. Growth of the end use industry is a major driver of the market.

North America represents the second largest market for fumed silica and is expected to high attractive during the assessment period. In North America, market growth will be primary driven by the robust consumption of fumed silica in the domestic manufacturing sector. Europe is also expected to remain a crucial market for fumed silica during the forecast period. Advanced countries such as the U.K., Russia, France and Germany are the major contributors to the market in Europe. Stringent regulations on usage of industrial chemicals is prompting market player to opt for bio-based alternatives that do not harm the environment. The market in MEA is also expected to witness a steady growth in the forthcoming years. The GCC countries are expected to play an important role in driving the market growth as these countries are undergoing rapid development and economic restructuring.
India unveiled on Thursday a 170,000 crore welfare package for the poor in the wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown prompted by the coronavirus disease that has infected 724 people and killed 17 in the country. Amid a rush for essentials after the announcement of the lockdown, the Delhi government tried to assuage concerns of citizens, saying all shops selling essential items, including medicines, will be allowed to run round the clock. Meanwhile, hundreds of migrant labourers, stranded due to the shutdown, have started a long walk back -- stretchig a few hundred kilometres -- to their villages.

Coronavirus update: India fights economic epidemic amid lockdown to curb Covid-19 spread

India on Thursday announced a 170,000 crore package under a new scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKBY), to address the immediate economic distress in the wake of the lockdown prompted by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, and ensure food and cash reaches the marginalised segments of society. Read more

India needs a major stimulus

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a 1.7 lakh crore relief package involving cash transfers and food security, aimed at ensuring that the most vulnerable sections of society have enough resources to survive the ongoing lockdown and the loss of livelihoods caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Delhi shops selling essential items can remain open 24x7

To ensure people do not crowd shops to stock up their supplies and are able to practise social distancing, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday announced that all stores selling essential items will be allowed to remain open round the clock in Delhi. Read more

Coronavirus update: A long walk home on empty stomachs for masked migrants

Stranded after the lockdown, thousands of migrant workers are walking back to their villages and towns from their places of work hundreds of kilometers away. Read more

Coronavirus update: 1,169 contacts of Covid-19 infected doctor at Delhi mohalla clinic traced

The Delhi governments health department has asked over 1,169 people, who had come in contact with a Mohalla Clinic doctor in east Delhi, to remain in home quarantine for 14 days. Of these, most were patients who visited the clinic between March 12 and 18. Read more

Covid-19: What you need to know today

Sixty-three, 79, 81, 75, 65, 70, and 88. Thats the number of new infections every day in India for the past six days.Its clear from the numbers that the number of Covid-19 infections in the country, while increasing steadily, are not even following a geometric progression. Read more

ICMR fast-tracks validation of commercial testing kits

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has added three more labs to evaluate commercial kits to test for coronavirus disease (Covid-19), taking the total number of such facilities clearing the devices to four, including the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. Read more

Covid-19 outbreak has not hit our preparedness: Army chief

Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Thursday said that the army is undertaking its operational tasks like before and the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak has not hit its preparedness. Read more

Coronavirus update: Centre to pay 2,000 to farmers in advance under PM-Kisan plan

The Narendra Modi government will make an advance payout of its universal cash-for-farmers programme, PM-KISAN, on April 1, 2 or 3, rather than in June, responding to the coronavirus epidemic, which could upend agriculture, the countrys largest employer. Read more

2.2 million health workers taking care of Covid-19 patients get special insurance

Doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians, and other health care professionals involved in the care of Covid-19 patients will get a special insurance cover of 50 lakh, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Thursday. Read more

PM asks ministries to ramp up medical gear production

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Central government ministries to look for innovative ways of using their resources for manufacturing medical equipment and scaling up their production to deal with the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, according to officials aware of the matter. Read more

Coronavirus update: Govt schemes to pump cash in rural sector amid lockdown over Covid-19

The Narendra Modi government plans to pump in cash into rural homes under two major heads, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the National Rural Livelihood Mission, and ensure social pension for three months is distributed in one go by April 10 to help Indian villages cope with the national lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Read more

As Parliament observes shutdown over Covid-19, key legislation may face delay

The passage of some key bills is likely to take a longer time than expected amid the extraordinary measures, including a three-week national lockdown, put in place to ensure social distancing to check the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Read more

Covid-19 update: Amid lockdown over coronavirus, Kerala grapples with alcohol withdrawal

The Kerala government is planning to open more de-addiction centres across the state after being flooded with complaints about irrational behaviour and withdrawal symptoms among tipplers amid the closure of liquor shops and bars in the state due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Read more

Coronavirus update: Stock shortage and travel curbs hit traders of vegetables, grains in Delhi

Wholesale traders of perishable goods, such as vegetables fruits and grains, have been facing several problems over the last four days, in the absence of proper supply and the need to dispose of their stock. Read more

Coronavirus update: Private hospitals in Delhi open isolation wards for Covid-19 patients

Increasing the isolation capacity of the private hospitals was one of the suggestions of a committee of five doctors set up to assist the CM on the health impacts and what needs to be done in case the number of cases go up. Read more

Coronavirus update: Police, civilians come out to feed hungry in Delhi during lockdown

Please help us, said the voice on the other end when a policeman at north Delhis Inderpuri police post picked up a call at 9.30am Thursday. Dilshad and Prashant, both 20 year olds, had had their last meal  a few biscuits and water  four days ago. In their desperation, they dialled 100, the old police helpline. Read more

Delhis CR Park muted by shut markets, closed gates, and one crippling shortage  fish

On Tuesday evening, immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his speech announcing a 21-day lockdown in the country, market number two of South Delhis Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) witnessed complete pandemonium. Read more
For those patients who must visit the office, staff members have removed half of the seats in the waiting room to ensure there is proper distancing between patients.

Telemedicine allows us to check on our patients without exposing them to ourselves or other sick patients, Shahbandar said. Patients who suffer from pain often have other medical conditions that make them medically frail.

The practice has been using telemedicine for about a week, and so far, has had more than 100 interactions.

We use telemedicine for follow-ups, so mostly we already know the diagnosis of these patients, he said.

For patients who bring up new pains during the online interaction, Shahbandar will have them point to the area of the body where they are experiencing an issue.

I had a patient who fell and I saw his bruise, for example, he said. It is limited compared to an actual physical exam, which we would prefer, but it works very well for this current situation.

Offering telemedicine services also helps ensure patients stay up to date on their treatment and do not push it aside for fear of contracting COVID-19.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin



Kumar Kateel has released Rs 1 crore from his MP local area development (MPLAD) fund towards measures to combat novel coronavirus in the district.

Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes had also granted Rs 1 crore from his MPLAD fund for efforts to fight covid-19 in his home district of Udupi.

Meanwhile, the South Canara district central cooperative (SCDCC) bank has also decided to donate Rs 1 crore to help the efforts of the state and central governments in the battle against the virus.

Bank president M N Rajendra Kumar, in a statement said the Karnataka state cooperative apex bank also will contribute Rs 50 lakh towards efforts to check the spread of the disease.

The employees of SCDCC Bank will donate a day's salary and the Navodaya grama vikas charitable trust will donate masks worth Rs 50,000, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A study from York University has found that Canada is on track to have between 4,000 and 10,000 positive cases of COVID-19 by March 31 if we stick to social distancing and public health intervention measures.

In the most pessimistic scenario, Canada could expect to see as many as 15,000 new cases by that same date if public health measures are not enforced.

If measures are enforced, in the optimistic scenario, we can expect that this number is 4,000 cases, said Nicola Bragazzi, a post-doctoral fellow with York University who co-authored the study.

Our study wanted to predict the trend of the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada in the absence of implementation and escalation of public health interventions, Bragazzi said.

The study used a model free approach that did not make assumptions about how the outbreak would proceed, as the pandemic is still ongoing. The study instead uses pure data about the outbreak.

We noticed that the graph of the epidemic was similar to the graph of Italy in the early stage of (their) outbreak, Bragazzi explained.

Additionally, Canada is similar to Italy in terms of age group and demographic profile  and also because Canada has a public health capacity which is quite similar to that of Italy as far as how many hospital beds are available for emergencies.

These measures can spare (up to) 11,000 cases, if properly enforced and implemented, Bragazzi said. If the compliance  of the people to self isolate is high, we can observe a positive effect of the measures.

He said the findings mean that Canada does not currently need to take further strict measures, such as implementing the Emergencies Act in order to achieve a lower number of positive cases.

Data made available by the federal government as of Wednesday evening shows that 58 per cent of all COVID-19 cases in Canada were due to exposure within the community. As of Monday, 44 per cent were due to community spread. Meanwhile, 40 per cent were either exposed while travelling or because they were exposed to a traveller that had returned to Canada.

In Italy, the government has gone a step further than Canada by banning travel within the country. Mayors in some Italian cities have taken to social media to demand that people comply with orders to stay inside, while police are fining those that dont comply.

The outbreak has prompted discussion about whether the federal government will move to implement the Emergencies Act  the successor to the War Measures Act  in order to keep the outbreak at bay.

The scale of the pandemic is clearly something that we havent seen in our lifetime, said Trudo Lemmens, professor of health law and policy with the University of Toronto and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, though he questioned whether it was necessary to use the act given that provincial and local authorities are already in a position to impose most essential measures.

Restrictions on individual liberty, suspending various businesses and places where people meet, and other measures to impose physical distancing are of course appropriate in a public health crisis, Lemmens said. However, he added We have to be careful ... that these restrictions can be realistically implemented and governments or local authorities should take extra measures to implement these measures fairly.

Public health emergencies fall under the Emergencies Act, Lemmens explained. We can do a lot without necessarily involve invoking the emergency measures (act), but it would provide a clear basis if the crisis deepens for the federal government to regulate the distribution and availability of essential goods, services and resources.

A major issue is that the pandemic is new and information is limited. Data on what prevention measures work best are not necessarily completely there, Lemmens said.

Current data reflects that physical distancing is essential, but the method to encourage or enforce physical distance is still being worked out, he said.

It will be important to gather data and social data about how people respond to health messaging in different countries, Lemmens said.

Finding out why people respect certain rules, or certain calls for action, as well as what demographics are best reached by those calls will help influence the methods governments use when we face another pandemic, he explained.

Correction - March 27, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the name of the Emergencies Act. As well, the Emergencies Act is the successor to the War Measures Act. It replaced the War Measures Act in 1988.

Read more about:
World is in lockdown and the coronavirus threat is real. But Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro is having none of it and has even gone on to call coronavirus a 'little flu.'

He even went on to boast about how if COVID-19 infected him, 'he wouldn't feel anything.' While the country's death toll due to coronavirus has gone past 40, Bolsanaro is not at all worried about the mounting infected cases.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro/AP

Yet, the story has a twist. Brazilian mafia has now stepped in and enforced curfew in parts of the country. No, it is not a movie. This is happening for real and residents seem to be obeying and staying indoors.



Drug traffickers in one of Rio de Janeiros best-known favelas have imposed a coronavirus curfew, amid growing fears over the impact the virus could have on some of Brazils poorest citizens.



The traffickers are doing this because the government is absent. The authorities are blind to us, one Rio de Janeiro resident told The Guardian.



Loudspeakers within a Rio favela known as City of God, broadcast that punishment would await all those who broke the curfew.

AP

Gang members also moved around the area telling people, We will do a curfew because no one is taking it seriously. Anyone who is on the street or kicking will receive [punishment] and will be an example. It is better to stay at home.  The message has already been given, according to Extra, a Rio de Janeiro-based newspaper.



City of Gods gangsters are not the only outlaws attacking coronavirus in Rios densely populated favelas, which are home to about 2 of the citys 7 million residents.

In the Morro dos Prazeres, gang members have told residents only circulate in groups of two while in Rocinha, one of Latin Americas biggest favelas, traffickers have also decreed a curfew, The Guardian has reported.

In Santa Marta, a favela that sits in the shadow of Rios Christ the Redeemer statue, traffickers have been handing out soap and have placed signs near a public water fountain at the communitys entrance that say: Please wash your hands before entering the favela.



Well, this is quite a plot. When the government is still not imposing lockdown in Brazil, the mafia is ensuring the curfew is in play to contain the spread of coronavirus.

But the question begs, why is the Brazilian government taking this lightly? With more than 21 crore population and the risk of large population getting infected, this is strange and reckless move by government, not to enforce lockdown.

Let's hope the mafia keeps doing what government isn't at the moment - keep people inside their homes.
PSE&G announced it is donating 50,000 N95 respiratory masks to one of New Jerseys largest health care systems to help the medical community amid the coronavirus outbreak.

We recognize the dire need that the medical and first responder communities are facing, and we are eager to share our supplies. This critical staff is on the front lines in the drive to contain the coronavirus outbreak, and we want to do whatever we can to support their lifesaving mission," PSEG Chairman, President and CEO Ralph Izzo said.

The masks were part of PSEGs emergency supplies. The company did not say which health care system is receiving the supplies, but said it will continue evaluating its inventory to identify future donation opportunities.

The global coronavirus pandemic has created an increased demand for personal protective equipment, including respirator masks, gloves and protective gowns.

Gov. Phil Murphy has said the state is turning over every stone to find more supplies, and working with major New Jersey companies. Prudential Financial, the Newark-based insurance giant, also announced it was donating 153,000 protective face masks and respirators to the state.

PSEG is urging other organizations to do the same.

We applaud the state for establishing a central repository to receive critical supplies and will work closely with them moving forward. And we hope todays donation will alert and inspire others to review their storage and supply chain," Izzo said. The need for critical protective equipment is tremendous and long-lasting and every bit of supply helps in this fight to protect and save lives.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
A senior Conservative has warned of significant concern about delays in getting cash support to the self-employed after Chancellor Rishi Sunak admitted his rescue package will not deliver money until June.

Former minister Mel Stride, who chairs the Treasury Select Committee, called on ministers to pull out every single possible stop to get money through to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Sunak last night unveiled a scheme costing at least 9 billion to target 3.8 million people with payments for three months worth 80 per cent of past profits, up to 2,500 a month.

Mr Stride praised the bold and comprehensive scope, but said many small traders and self-employed could not wait two months for money.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak holds a digital coronavirus disease news conference / via REUTERS

The art here will be for the Government to pull out every single possible stop to try and get this money through as quickly as possible, he said.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma told Sky: If we can do it faster we will.

He said on BBC Breakfast: I completely understand that people will be worried and they want us to get this money to them as quickly as possible and I can tell you we are literally working night and day to make sure that system is up and running.

Mel Stride / PA Wire/PA Images

He said that welfare benefits were available like tomorrow for people who needed faster help.

Public transport usage was down again in London this morning, suggesting more workers are heeding calls to stay at home.
The Laurel facility, located between Baltimore and the District, is the first hospital in the Washington region slated to reopen to deal with the coronavirus. Hogan said Laurel was chosen because of its location  Prince Georges County and neighboring Montgomery County lead the state in positive cases  and because the building could get back in shape faster than facilities that had been closed for longer.
An individual who tested positive for COVID-19 in Uvalde visited several stores in the city without knowing that they had contacted the virus, officials said.

On Thursday, Uvalde confirmed its first case of the coronavirus. That person has since been transported to a hospital in San Antonio, the city of Uvalde said in a news release.
Under Ghebreyesus' leadership, the WHO has been actively advancing global cooperation against COVID-19 and gained wide recognition from the international community, Xi said.

Beijing/Washington: The war of words between the US and China over the origins of the deadly coronavirus has extended to the WHO. This comes after the Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the UN health agency's role in advancing global battle against COVID-19 amid his American counterpart Donald Trump's criticism that it sided with Beijing and people are unhappy with its position.

President Xi on Thursday appreciated the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to advance the global battle against the pandemic.

In a reply letter to Ghebreyesus, Xi said China will continue to provide support for the international community in combating the coronavirus disease.

COVIDChina, he added, will continue to firmly support Ghebreyesus and the WHO in playing an active and leading role in the global fight against the pandemic.

China has also contributed $20 million to WHO for its fight against COVID-19 in different countries.

Xi's praise of WHO and Ghebreyesus' leadership came after Trump said the UN health body has "very much sided" with China on the coronavirus crisis and claimed that many are unhappy with the "very unfair" praise by the agency on Beijing's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

President Trump was responding to a question on allegations by Republican Senator Marco Rubio that the WHO showed "favouritism" to China where the disease originated.

Congressman Michael McCaul, ranking member on the House Foreign Relations Committee, has questioned the integrity of the WHO's Director-General, saying "that there were several red flags in his past with respect to his relationship with China."

"It (WHO) has been very very much sided with China. A lot of people are not happy about it," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Wednesday.

Trump was asked if he agreed that the WHO showed favouritism and the US should re-explore its relationship with the Geneva-based UN health agency once the dust settles.

"I think there is certainly a lot of talk that it's been very unfair. I think that a lot of people feel that it's been very unfair," Trump replied.

In a tweet Congressman Greg Steube alleged that the WHO has been a mouthpiece for China during the coronavirus pandemic.

Both the WHO and China must face consequences once this pandemic is under control, he demanded.

Senator Josh Hawley echoed Steube's view and demanded the same. "There need to be consequences here. WHO has sided with China Communist Party against the world in this pandemic," he said in another tweet.

WHO chief has faced criticism for praising China's leadership for its "determination to end the new coronavirus outbreak".

He has also been accused of conspiring with Beijing in its "propaganda" to hush-up coronavirus cases.

Ghebreyesus had gone to China in January to meet President Xi and a WHO team comprising of international health experts was working in the country.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

"Today I met with Xi Jinping, President of China, in Beijing to discuss next steps in battle against the new coronavirus outbreak. WHO appreciates the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak & the transparency authorities have demonstrated," he had said in a tweet after his meeting with Xi.

"Just back from China where I held frank talks with President Xi Jinping, who has taken charge of a monumental national response to the coronavirus outbreak. Based on cooperation & solidarity, China has committed to protecting its citizens & all people globally from the outbreak," he said in another tweet.

Subsequently, WHO sent a team of experts to Beijing, Guangzhou and the virus epicentre Wuhan. The team included a specialist from the US.

The team coordinator, Bruce Aylward, a Canadian epidemiologist, also heaped praise on China for handling the crisis.

The US-China spat came as Trump has termed COVID-19, Chinese virus, which Beijing refuted saying that it amounted stigmatisation.

Globally, the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 21,293 with more than 471,518 cases reported in over 170 countries and territories, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Although the epicentres Hubei province and its capital Wuhan have been reporting zero cases for a while, death toll there continued to rise.

On Wednesday, six deaths were reported from Hubei province, taking the death toll in China to 3,287 people and total number of cases to 81,285.

In Hubei and Wuhan alone as of Wednesday 3,169 people died since January. The virus was first reported in Wuhan in December last year.

According to WHO, China has reported 81,869 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,287 deaths.
As of March 19 all non-essential businesses, including gyms, were ordered to close in Los Angeles in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

And amid strict social distancing guidelines and instructions for LA residents to stay home, it was curious to see Mark Wahlberg and Mario Lopez leaving a gym session in Sherman Oaks on Thursday.

The duo were seen strolling out of F45 Training after filming a grueling workout for an Instagram livestream event.

Essential business? Actor Mark Wahlberg and host Mario Lopez were pictured leaving the F45 gym in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles on Thursday

Shortly after the gym session, the stars posted photos and videos to social media promoting the live workout, and fans were quick to point out the dangerous risk they were taking by flouting the stay at home order.

The Safer at Home order in Los Angeles requires that residents stay in their homes - unless it's 'absolutely essential' for them to leave - in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, the actor, TV host and numerous other unidentified people, headed to the gym (which Wahlberg owns), after it was re-opened on Thursday especially for the live event.

Looking sweaty after his workout, Lopez, 46, shared a clip to his Instagram featuring Wahlberg, 48, in the background, as he assured viewers they were staying six feet apart and that the equipment had been sanitized.

Workout: Mario insisted that the duo were following social distancing requirements and revealed the gym was opened especially for them

'Everyone's pretty much been cooped up at home the last few weeks, so now more than ever, since we don't know when this is going to end, we need to stay active, not just for physical health but for your mental health,' Lopez said in the clip.

He added, 'we're staying 6 feet away. This place we're at right now, we have it completely to ourselves, it's sanitized, disinfected.

'We did a heck of a workout, F45 style. You can do this in your apartment, no equipment needed.' Mario said.

Instagram users asked the duo why they were hanging out together amid the strict statewide requirements.

'That is not quarantine': Some fans were quick to point out that the duo were breaking some serious rules in LA after the Safer At Home order was enacted to protect people from COVID-19

He added, 'We're staying 6 feet away. This place we're at right now, we have it completely to ourselves, it's sanitized, disinfected,

'You can do this in your apartment, no equipment needed.' Mario and Mark did the workout which was livestreamed on the F45 Training Instagram page on Thursday

'Why are you two in the same room? ' one person asked in response to the actor's social media posts, as another echoed the same sentiment, 'You guys shouldn't even be in the same gym. should be home with people in your own household only'.

Another comment read: 'You guys shouldn't be in the same gym. That is not quarantine. Even if 6 feet that is not essential like groceries - plus you are sweating everywhere.'

Dailymail.com has contacted reps for Mark and Mario for comment.

Later in the day, Mark attempted a spot of damage control, while neatly promoting another family business. This time it was the Wahlberg burger chain, Wahlburgers, which he mentioned while asking fans to do their bit to help care givers battling coronavirus.

Saying his business would be sending food to medical staff at a Detroit hospital, he asked fans to also try and help.

'Guys, lets try to help out by donating any emergency supplies to your local hospitals/doctors who are all in a battle with this virus,' said Mark.

Like a second home: Wahlberg is a part owner of F45 Training, so it's no surprise the gym opened for his special workout event

Meanwhile, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti pressed further on how seriously the order should be taken, as he said this week: 'We're all safer at home, and that's not a suggestion - it is the law,

'Refusing to follow it isn't brave or funny - it's stupid and could wind up killing you or someone else. Angelenos are doing an extraordinary job of staying in their homes, and we won't tolerate the selfish behavior of a few who unnecessarily put our community at risk.'

'The Safer at Home order requires Angelenos to remain in their homes except for the most essential activities  including critical tasks such as securing food and health, safety and medical necessities, as well as caring for children, elder adults, family, friends and people with disabilities. Failure to heed the order is a misdemeanor that can result in fines or jail time.'
Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Hasta hoy hemos tomado 10 065 muestras, de las cuales 635 han dado positivas. De esta cifra, 79 pacientes estan hospitalizados, de los cuales 21 estan en UCI. Los casos aumentan pero dentro de los parametros previstos en este periodo de la enfermedad.
MADISON  More than a year into her term as state treasurer, Sarah Godlewski has announced the launch of a task force aimed at boosting home ownership, part of a quest to bring her office  long a shadow of its former self  back to life.

The task force, made up predominantly of local treasurers, is scheduled to conclude its work by the end of the year, and seeks to help Wisconsinites buy their first homes and be able to stay in them by avoiding penalties, delinquencies and foreclosures.

The task force is Godlewskis latest effort to restore the importance of the state treasurers office, which lawmakers from both parties have said no longer serves a purpose. Lawmakers have shifted most of the offices responsibilities to other agencies since the mid-1990s.

Godlewski won election after leading a campaign to preserve the office during an ultimately unsuccessful 2018 referendum to eliminate it.

Republican legislators have expressed little appetite for expanding the role of the office, whose budget shrunk from $544,800 in fiscal 2014 and 2015 to $113,500 in fiscal 2018 and 2019, and have said the downsizing represents a win for small government.

The people of Wisconsin asked for this, Godlewski said. I believe the reason that we won was we talked about financial security as part of that mission that the state treasurer should be achieving.

Her task force will seek to develop a network of local treasurers and community organizations that can work together to improve home ownership and prevent foreclosures. Wisconsin has one state treasurer, 72 county treasurers and more than 1,400 municipal treasurers.

Godlewski said one example of what the task force could do might be to encourage local treasurers to connect struggling homeowners with organizations that help them buy a first house or deal with foreclosures. Godlewski said another outcome she hopes for is to create a foreclosure prevention system where local treasurers can provide resources for residents who have trouble paying utilities or property taxes.

Godlewski said the task force, which met for the first time March 4, isnt meant to produce reports that would sit on the shelf or result in legislative action. Rather, Godlewski said she wants to find ways to work within her own authority to improve home ownership in the state.

Exactly why I ran was to help Wisconsinites build their financial security, Godlewski said. One of the responsibilities under the state treasurer is to help train county and municipal treasurers and work together, and this was happening.

Besides Godlewski and local treasurers, the task force includes representatives from the Wisconsin League of Municipalities and the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

According to the WRA, Wisconsin has a lower home ownership rate among people ages 25 to 44 than most neighboring states, and rates of homeownership have declined in the state from 2007 to 2017 across all age groups except seniors, with the youngest age group seeing the largest drop.

The homeownership rate among Wisconsins African American population is about 25%, while the rate among the Hispanic population is 47% and the rate among the white population is over 70%.
Jill Palmer lost her job as a substitute secretary for Portland Public schools after schools closed statewide in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Before, Palmer and her kids spent nearly 12 hours daily outside of the house and kept a super busy and scary structured schedule. Now, Palmer and her two sons, Ivan, 13, and Oliver, 10, are homebound.

It was like culture shock, she said. It was hard for the first few days figuring out a rhythm. But the longer were here, the easier it gets.

Ten days after Gov. Kate Brown closed schools until late April to slow the spread of coronavirus, many parents and caregivers are working to fill vast and sudden gaps in education and childcare. More than 1,200 schools are shuttered.

Families are rewriting their daily lives. Kids are adjusting to life without school. Many parents are figuring out how to provide care and homeschool their kids, while managing pressures about their own jobs or economic uncertainty.

Other parents, like Palmer, are now looking for work after the sweeping shutdowns of schools and businesses.

She cant afford the child care that would allow her to devote her time to searching for a job. For now, Palmers 13-year-old son will help babysit.

Its like a rock and a hard place, Palmer said. Theres no solution. I dont know how I am going to resolve my need to work with not being able to afford childcare.

Mariel Reynolds also feels the stress as a single parent who studies environmental sustainability at Portland Community College. With recent closures and shifts to remote learning, Reynolds decided to take the semester off amid the uncertainty.

The choice means she wont get financial aid or the paid child care provided for her 4-year-old son when she was in school.

Im really hoping these government checks come through, Reynolds said. I can pay rent and bills this next month and thats it.

She plans to look for work, but she cant afford to pay for full-time childcare while she does, and possibly not even after that.

My childcare facility costs more than my rent, she said. I cannot put my son into day care until I start working more.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

While the closures bring upheaval, some parents see them as a necessary step.

I was wanting schools to close down right away, said Misty Stone, a Portland mother. I wasnt too excited for what it meant for our family, but it needed to happen.

Stone, a part-time pharmacist, and her husband, a clinical analyst, have a first grader and a 3-year-old in preschool. When Stone works outside of the home, her husband watches the kids and works at the same time. Trying to do both is taking a toll.

The stress adds to many others triggered by the pandemic: Fears about work, livelihood and safety.

I would say that our mental health is not the greatest, Stone said.

Stone has attempted to homeschool her kids but has mostly relinquished the effort. It was impossible, she said, to get through the substantive amount of teaching with her older son while simultaneously watching a 3-year-old.

He would just melt down and say I dont want to do this, or the three-year-old would come in the room, and I would feel more stress or anxiety, Stone said.

Some parents have turned to online learning platforms to supplement their childs education. But parents say this is ultimately a poor substitute for school.

Tara Herivel, a public defender in the Portland area, has sheltered in place for two weeks with her 7-year-old son. She found homeschooling her son while managing a caseload of about 60 clients impossible.

I have a friend who's a teacher in India, and she is going to do remote teaching with him, Herivel said.

Although the closures have brought chaos to many households, many parents say they understand the greater purpose behind the shutdowns to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

I would rather just white-knuckle this and keep everyone safe, Stone said. I want to keep the kids home as long as we can, because thats what I feel is best for the population as a whole.

-- Piper McDaniel; amcdaniel@oregonian.com; 503-221-4307; @piperamcdaniel

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
During the current period of enforced isolation and social distancing, you may be craving warmth, companionship and plain old physical closeness. You may yearn to snuggle on the couch, feel valued and talk honestly about your practical problems and deep anxieties.

Did you know dogs are attentive listeners?

Animal shelters are among the many industries adapting to coronavirus regulations and stay-at-home orders. If youre considering adopting or fostering a pet, you can do most of the groundwork online. Has the prospect occurred to you? Why not get a pet?

If you think YouTube cat videos are a treat, imagine a live performance all day, every day. Granted, a lot of the spectacle will involve sleeping. But as TV personality Jane Pauley once noted, You cant look at a sleeping cat and be tense. An important note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, We do not have evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19.

If you arent ready for a permanent arrangement, you can take a pet on a temporary basis, known as fostering. That frees shelter space and allows the animal to get used to life in a real home. If youre new to pet ownership, or not quite sure, you can think of this arrangement as a trial run to learn whether its right for you. At worst, youll serve as a bridge between the dog or cat and its permanent placement. At best, youll fall hopelessly in love.

PAWS Chicago founder Paula Fasseas says that organization has established a virtual adoption process, which allows interested adopters to browse animals online and talk to an adoption counselor without leaving their homes. If you take a pet home and change your mind, you can get a refund on fees, which range from $25 to $400. With all due respect to Garfield, cats are cheaper to adopt.

Other rescue facilities have shifted from regular visiting hours to meet-and-greet appointments.

Not only might this be a perfect time for people to adopt or foster, it may be a time when saviors are especially needed. Brian Krajewski, chairman of the Animal Services Committee for DuPage County, says that in periods of economic trouble, its not unusual to see an increase in the number of animals being handed over by owners or simply dumped by the side of the road.

It happens when people lose their jobs, or they cant afford to keep their pet, or they have to move and cant take their pet with them, he says. Owners who are quarantined or hospitalized by COVID-19 may be unable to care for their pets or to find someone else to do it. His agency and its rescue shelter partners can use help in accommodating these animals.

If you decide to take on this humane task, youll have the satisfaction of knowing you made a worthwhile contribution during a time of national crisis.

And, from the animal you take in, youll get an endless supply of gratitude.

 Chicago Tribune
The Limerick Leader will continue to be published every week as usual throughout the Covid-19 crisis as we continue to support the community here in these unprecedented times.

Our tabloid paper on Monday will continue, as will our traditional weekend papers, with city, county and west Limerick editions.

The Leader team will bring you accurate and reliable information about Covid-19 in factual and accurate reporting both online and in print.

We are part of the fabric of Limerick and have been here since 1889. And while we have gone through a Civil War, two world wars and numerous other crises, we have never had to face anything like this in our history.

We will continue to highlight the positive news stories from our communities. Stories of heroic community deeds already abound as people unite to look after the needs of others in the county. In difficult times, you can always rely on community spirit to get people through.

Now, the focus is on the stories that matter to local people. In times like these, your local newspaper should be the voice of the community, helping people to understand what is going on and offering peace of mind.

Together, we are stronger. Tell us your stories, send us your news, photos and videos. We might be socially distant but we have never needed each other more.

Keep in contact with all the latest happenings on our website on www.limerickleader.ie.

Contact news@limerickleader if you have any stories.

For advertising contact Lorna Clancy at lorna.clancy@limerickleader.ie and Deirdre Whelan at deirdre.whelan@limerickleader.ie.
T wo further field hospitals will open in Manchester and Birmingham to cope with a surge in coronavirus patients, with more expected to be built later.

Birminghams National Exhibition Centre and Manchesters Central Convention Centre are being turned into coronavirus field hospitals with further such hospitals to follow.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens made the announcement during the Government's daily Covid-19 briefing on Friday, which was led by Cabinet Minister Michael Gove .

He said the two temporary hospitals - which will reportedly have space for 6,000 beds between them - would be available next month.

The NEC will be turned into a temporary field hospital for coronavirus patients. / PA Wire/PA Images

On Wednesday, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, Britain's largest exhibition space, had said it "stands ready" to be used as a hospital.

NEC chief executive Paul Thandi said: As a cornerstone of the local community, we are committed to playing our part in ensuring the health and wellbeing of everyone in our area.

As such, we stand ready and willing to help our emergency services  especially at a time like this."

Mr Thandi added: We are and have been in constant communication with the local NHS Trust, police and fire service, and the services are fully aware of the capabilities of the venue. We will do our utmost to support the effort in combating the virus.

The NEC is nearly three times as large as the ExCel centre in terms of floor space.

The ExCel centre is being turned into a field hospital / PA

Work has also begun on a temporary mortuary with space for around 12,000 bodies at Birmingham Airport, near the NEC.

The mortuary is being prepared for a worst-case scenario, according to local police, councils and other agencies.

The Manchester Central convention centre is much smaller than both the NEC and the ExCel centre, but would still have room for hundreds of patients, the Manchester Evening News reported.

The Standard has approached the Manchester Central convention centre for comment.

Manchester Central will also become a field hospital for coronavirus patients. / JGreenwood/Wikimedia Commons

The news comes as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham raised concerns that more than 150 companies in the city have broken social distancing rules this week.

Mr Burnham called on the Government to make guidance clearer and said: "So many of our city-regions businesses, large and small, are pulling together and supporting our communities through this outbreak.

"However, despite repeated calls to stay at home and protect the NHS, some employers are carrying on as normal and refusing to adapt. This is unacceptable."
A High Court challenge has been brought over the State's refusal to make a payment from the Social Insurance Fund to a woman who lost her job at a pharmaceutical company, which operated as a partnership.

Indira Attride was refused the payment by the Department of Social Protection after she received awards from a rights commissioner arising out of the termination of her employment in respect of her claim she was unfairly dismissed.

Ms Attride had worked in an administrative role for a partnership trading as Canopus BioPharma Ltd, located at Straffan, Co Kildare between November 2012 and March 2014.

The awards, which totaled 28,513 could not be enforced, as the business she worked for ceased trading, one of the two partners she worked for went bankrupt, and the partnership has no assets.

She sought payment out of the Social Insurance Fund. She was told she was not entitled to payment from the fund because only one of the two partners in the business went bankrupt.

Ms Attride, represented by John Kennedy SC, claims the State's position in regards her claim breaches EU Directives on workers entitlements.

Counsel said the situation his client found herself in was unfair, and that relevant Irish legislation failed to provide for circumstances where an employee is employed by a partnership.

The Minister for Social Protection, counsel added, was under a duty to put into effect EU regulations to remedy this defect in national law but has failed to do this.

Ms Attride, a homemaker from The Downings Prosperous Co Kildare could not afford to bring legal proceedings seeking to have the other partner in the business she was employed adjudicated as a bankrupt.

In reply to a question from Mr Justice Sanfey counsel agreed that the Minister's approach seemed to be that if a partnership comprised of 30 people went out of business all of them would have to be made bankrupt before it would make a payment out of the fund to employees in the same situation as Ms Attride.

In proceedings against the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Ireland and the Attorney General Ms Attride seeks various orders including that the Minister pay her the awards from the Social Insurance Fund, and that Irish law is brought into compliance with EU law.

She further seeks declarations including that the Irish State is in breach of EU Directives by requiring that employers order to pay an award to an employee must be made bankrupt before paying an award from the social insurance fund.

Permission to bring the challenge was granted on an ex-parte basis by Mr Justice Sanfey on Friday. The judge adjourned the matter to a later date.
In the wake of the deadly infection, Kosovo lawmakers voted to remove Prime Minister Albin Kurti, becoming the first nation in Europe to vote out a government over the way it handled the coronavirus outbreak. The government collapsed late on March 25, just months after it took office. The vote was called by a junior coalition partner who criticized steps taken to curb the contagion.

Clashes between Kurti, President Hashim Thaci

Kurti ordered a curfew and banned public gatherings to stem the spread, defying President Hashim Thaci, who wanted to declare a national emergency. The two officials have been at clashes all along, mainly on how Kosovo should mend ties with Serbia and which of them should lead those efforts. The Cabinet's collapse is a setback for the Balkan state that seeks to gain full international recognition after it declared unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008. Its neighbour has been lobbying against Kosovo's efforts to join international institutions such as Interpol. Relations deteriorated again in 2018 when Kosovo imposed a tax on Serb products in retaliation for its steps against Kosovo.

Read: Maryland Election Board Recommends No In-person Voting

Read: US: Coronavirus Bill Sends $400 Million To Help States With Elections

Kurti remains in charge as a caretaker premier for up to two weeks. During that time, his party may propose a new government leader but it may struggle to find a coalition partner. More than 70 people have been infected with the virus in the landlocked nation of 1.8 million. Kurtis ouster showed an unusual split among Western powers. While German and French ambassadors spoke out against the no-confidence vote, their US colleague said he was pleased to see the motion taking place. That also reflects their division on how ties with Serbia should be fixed.

According to Gerald Knaus, chairman of the European Stability Initiative, a think-tank based in Berlin, now the US is pushing an approach that's directly opposed to key European nations. The current situation is like back in the 1990s, when the West was completely divided on the core issues in the former Yugoslavia, which left countries like Kosovo in an impossible position.

While Kurti has been saying that any deal with Serbia should be negotiated by parliament, Thaci has wanted to still be the one in charge of talks with his Serb counterpart Aleksandar Vucic. Two years ago, the two presidents floated an idea of a reconciliatory deal that also included redrawing of borders, an explosive issue in the Balkans.

Read: Election Limbo As Coronavirus Outbreak Upends US Primaries

Read: Zilla Panchayat Elections In Goa Postponed Due To 'Janta Curfew'
Northern Ireland council areas with low rates of confirmed coronavirus cases must not get complacent, a top virologist has warned.

Dr Connor Bamford, a research fellow at Queen's University, issued the plea as the death toll here hit 13 on Friday and the number of recorded infections jumped by 34 to a total of 275 cases.

The Public Health Agency's (PHA) latest figures reveal that a total of 4,014 people here have been tested for the infection.

Meanwhile, the UK overall witnessed its biggest day-on-day rise in deaths since the Covid-19 outbreak, bringing the total to 759 deaths recorded in hospitals across all four regions.

UK-wide a total of 113,777 people have tested positive, although experts have stressed that it is likely that hundreds of thousands more people are thought to be infected.

In Northern Ireland, broken down by council district area, Belfast has the highest number of confirmed cases at 86, according to the latest available data provided by the PHA.

The second highest area is Lisburn and Castlereagh with 39. Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon is placed third highest (29), followed by North Down and Ards (25) and Antrim and Newtownabbey in fifth place with 18.

Sixth is Fermanagh and Omagh (17), narrowly followed by Mid and East Antrim and Newry, Mourne and Down with both each having 16 confirmed cases, placing them joint seventh.

Ninth is Derry and Strabane with nine cases, with Mid Ulster and Causeway ranking 10th and 11th with seven and five cases respectively.

There are also seven cases where the location is unknown.

Separate analysis of data, meanwhile, shows coronavirus is most prevalent in Lisburn and Castlereagh (27 cases per 100,000 population), followed by Belfast (25 cases per 100,000) and Ards and North Down (16 cases per 100,000).

Outlining his analysis of the PHA geographical spread of coronavirus, Dr Bamford insisted the graphic data fits with how a virus spreads among a population.

He told the Belfast Telegraph it was not surprising areas like Belfast, and Lisburn and Castlereagh, were recording as "virus hotspots".

"It is what you would expect. Those are the areas with the most people, so that's why there are more cases," explained Dr Bamford.

"There's more cases in Belfast because it's more connected. There's also a lot of testing areas in the east [of the region]."

He also warned that actual numbers of people here contracting the virus are likely to be much higher than recorded cases, due to low testing numbers.

"This [PHA graphic] is based on the number of confirmed cases, and we know that there is going to be at least 10 times the number of known cases."

However, he stressed the numbers could accurately reflect the spread of Covid-19 across Northern Ireland.

"These number of cases will reflect the percentage of a total, but they will maybe accurately reflect the picture," said Dr Bamford.

Noting the lower number of confirmed cases, largely located in the west of Northern Ireland - indicated on the PHA graphic as white or light pink - the virologist emphasised that council areas with the lowest recorded cases should not be drawn into a false sense of security.

"Nowhere is safe. If we left this [fight against coronavirus where it is] and didn't do anything, Derry and Strabane would [go darker on the map] as well as Mid Ulster," he insisted.

"We're dealing with a small number of confirmed cases; the difference between Derry and Strabane and Mid Ulster [changing from white to pink on the map], for example, could only be a single confirmed case," he insisted.

The expert also cautioned against Northern Ireland overall descending into complacency as the lockdown continues.

"Northern Ireland as a whole is a couple of weeks behind the rest of the UK, even England and London. But we have the potential to reach those numbers and that kind of situation if we ignore the seriousness of coronavirus," said the virologist.

Authorities here are making preparations in anticipation of a surge in cases. Work is under way to establish large, temporary field hospitals for coronavirus patients after modelling indicated that the current health service network in Northern Ireland may not have the capacity to cope at the peak of the outbreak. A soon-to-be-decommissioned Co Down Army base will be used as a temporary morgue if facilities are overwhelmed.
The Makers House Chapel International, as part of measures to support Ghanaians in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, is embarking on a humanitarian mission to feed the needy and underprivileged in society.



Believing in the doctrine of Jesus Christ to give to the poor and needy, the church has put initiatives in place to donate food items, bottled water, antibacterial hand wash, and hand sanitizers to individuals to help cushion them as well as fight against the spread of the virus, otherwise known as COVID-19.



The initiative dubbed Humanitarian Donation For The Needy And Destitute will ensure that significant numbers of underprivileged individuals across the nation are able to fend for themselves and their households in these trying times.



The donation is expected to reach over 1000 households all over the country.

According to the management of the church, any person in need of food items should follow these instructions in order to benefit from this kind gesture. Call 0208159507 and give them your location for food items to be delivered to you and your household.



Persons can also spot the church vans with inscription Emergency Food Relief Van at certain locations to receive the various listed items.



The items will be delivered for free and at no cost to the beneficiaries.

The General Overseer of The Makers House, Dr. Michael Boadi Nyamekye explained that its a duty of the church to assist those who need help, particularly in dire times.

These are indeed trying times and our humanity is being tested by the day. However, its our collective responsibility to stand with the poor and the needy in society. We and our partners, collectively, are reaching out to 1500 households in Ghana. People who need to be supported with food items regardless of your religious background or denomination! Thats our duty! #letsstandtogether #weareonepeople #tmh #bnmichaelministries, a post by the General Overseer read.

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
The number of Covid-19 cases continued to surge in Nagpur after four more people tested positive for the infection, taking the total coronavirus cases to nine in the Maharashtra city, officials said on Friday.

Another case of Covid-19 was also reported from neighbouring Gondia. The sample of the person, who has a history of foreign travel, was sent to Nagpurs Mayo Hospital for testing and found positive on Friday morning.

With these new cases, there are 14 Covid-19 patients cases so far in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Ravindra Thakre, Nagpurs district collector, said of them, nine are in Nagpur, four in Yavatmal and now one from Gondia.

The four people, including two women, in Nagpur tested positive after they contracted the infection from an already positive patient, who returned from Delhi by a train on March 18.

Thakre said the 43-year-old businessman from Khamla area in west Nagpur locality, who returned from Delhi, tested positive for the coronavirus disease on Thursday. He had complained of fever and cough after coming back from the national capital.

His wife, brother, mother and a business friend are among the new cases in the city. The business friend had also returned along with him from Delhi by a train on March 18. All have been admitted to the government-run Mayo General Hospital.

Officials said the new cases are a major cause of worry as they feel it could be an indication of community spread of the coronavirus disease. The first person to contract Covid-19 had returned from the US.

According to sources, the Khamla businessman visited a hospital run by Nagpur Municipal Corporation but was refused treatment. He remained at home for two more days.

During the period, his family members too developed symptoms. Finally, he approached Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (Mayo General Hospital) on Wednesday night.

His throat swab sample was taken and sent to the laboratory on Thursday morning along with 24 other samples. Out of which, 23 samples tested negative but that of the businessman was positive.

Nagpurs first coronavirus patient, an IT professional who returned from the US, has been found negative for the infection following a fresh test and he will soon be discharged from the hospital.

Dr Sajal Mitra, the dean of government-run Medical College and Hospital, said all remaining positive cases have been under isolation and are stable. Close contacts of these cases have also been put under quarantine and surveillance, he added.

Dr Vikas Mahatme, the BJPs Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra, has given Rs 50 lakh from his MP fund for the year 2019-20, for battle the against Covid-19 outbreak. Dr Mahatme sent a letter to the district administration on Thursday in this regard.

Dr Mahatme asked the district administration to cancel his proposals under MP fund given previously and approve the new one.

He has asked for the money to be used to provide Hazmat (hazardous materials) suits to health workers treating Covid-19 patients and suspects. He has also proposed to utilise his funds to buy face masks, personal protection equipment, sanitiser, coronavirus testing kit etc.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 15:05:47|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced a slew of measures to ensure liquidity in the country's economy amid the 21-day lockdown and fears among the bank depositors as some private banks' shares falling in the past few days.

Addressing a press conference televised live on TV channels, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das ensured the countrymen that the banking system in India was "safe," and appealed to them not to resort to panic withdrawal of their deposits with banks.

"It was fallacious to relate banks' share prices to deposits' safety," said Das, appealing to adopt digital payments and not indulge in cash transactions.

In a bid to ensure liquidity in the country's economy, the RBI's top official announced to reduce repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 percent, and reverse repo rate by 90 points to 4 percent. They also permitted banks a three-month moratorium on payments of installments of all loans and interest on working capital.

The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for all banks was also reduced by 100 basis points to 3 percent, which would release 137,000 crore Indian Rupees (around 18.3 billion U.S. dollars) into the Indian economy.

The minimum CRR balance for all banks was also reduced to 80 percent from 90 percent.

According to Das, all these measures would inject a total 374,000 crore Indian Rupees (around 50 billion U.S. dollars) into the Indian economy, ensuring enough liquidity.

The death toll due to COVID-19 in India rose by one to 17 on Friday, the country's Health Ministry announced, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rising to 724.
VICTORIA - British Columbia will spend $5 billion to help individuals, businesses and services endure the economic stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier John Horgan said Monday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/3/2020 (660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier John Horgan and a dozen MLAs gather in the legislative assembly to make special statements about the COVID-19 pandemic during a rare event at the Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, March 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VICTORIA - British Columbia will spend $5 billion to help individuals, businesses and services endure the economic stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier John Horgan said Monday.

"There has to be hope as we get through these challenging times," he told a news conference at the legislature. "I firmly believe by working together all of us will get through this."

The government's plan will see $2.8 billion spent on people and services, and $2.2 billion on businesses and economic recovery after the pandemic.

A dozen members of the B.C. legislature  which has 87 members  from the minority government New Democrats, the Opposition Liberals and the Green party met Monday to pass two pieces of legislation. The legislative measures allow the government to change employment standards to ensure nobody loses their job due to COVID-19 and gives the province the authority to spend the money in its plan.

B.C. reported three additional deaths related to COVID-19 and 48 new cases of the respiratory virus on Monday. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 472 people in B.C. have tested positive for COVID-19.

The three deaths brings the total number of fatalities related to the new coronavirus to 13.

"We are very saddened, of course, by the passing of these people," Henry said in announcing the latest deaths.

Horgan said the government's economic plan includes direct payments of $1,000 to people who are eligible to receive Employment Insurance, and businesses can expect to defer payments of the carbon and employer health taxes.

The carbon tax, scheduled to increase to $45 per tonne from $40 per tonne, will not go ahead on April 1, he said. Motorists in B.C. currently pay 8.89 cents per litre in carbon tax.

Horgan said B.C.'s approach builds on the $82 billion plan announced last week by the federal government. He said the B.C. plan supports people worried about paying bills and staying afloat.

There will be targeted tax relief and support for renters to make sure no one is evicted because of the novel coronavirus, the premier said.

"People need help now. Businesses need help now," said Horgan. "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are required."

Finance Minister Carole James said the plan is a starting point and will "evolve as the situation evolves."

She said $1.7 billion will be devoted to fund critical services, including health care, housing and helping families and people with disabilities. James said $1.1 billion will boost the income of people affected by COVID-19.

She said student loan payments will be paused until Sept. 30 and businesses can delay filing taxes until the end of September.

"The plan is a first step but a critical step," James said. "The pandemic will present extraordinary hurdles for all of us."

B.C.'s 2020-21 budget, which was forecast to end in a surplus when it was presented last month, will be hit hard by the pandemic, she added.

"There is no question we are impacted as every jurisdiction across the world is impacted," James said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said B.C.'s recent move to cancel elective and scheduled surgeries has increased the number of beds available at B.C. hospitals in anticipation of "things about to come."

He said hospital bed capacity in B.C. regularly measures just above 100 per cent, but in the past week the capacity dropped to 68.6 per cent, with 3,632 available beds.

"We are preparing for the circumstances that are before us," Dix said. "We are preparing for the weeks that are to come."

Henry said of the three deaths announced Monday, two were connected to long-term care facilities in Metro Vancouver at the Lynn Valley Care Centre and Haro Park, with the third person being a resident in the Fraser Health region.

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.

She said 100 people with the novel coronavirus in B.C. are now considered recovered and can be released from isolation.

"That is a really good thing to be able to put that on our books, finally," Henry told a news conference.

Henry said she senses people in B.C. have grasped the necessity of following her recent orders to stay home if sick, self-isolate for 14 days if they recently travelled outside the country and to practise physical distancing from others when outside.

She said she never imagined in her 30 years in public health that she would close schools and order people to keep their distance from each other.

"We're seeing people come to that recognition and there's been a transition over this past week," she said. "Just reflect on the monumental changes that we have asked society to do."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2020.
We live in strange times. On the one hand, because I am confined to my house, I no longer notice what day of the week it is: Wednesday is not very different from Sunday. In that sense, time has stood still or become nearly irrelevant.

On the other hand, time is simultaneously also galloping ahead. It is hard to believe just how much our lives have changed in a matter of days.

On 7 March, when most people thought that everything was okay, I went to the new Bombay Sweet Shop to talk to Sameer Seth, Yash Bhanage and Floyd Cardoz about the fifth anniversary of Bombay Canteen which they had started. Because I am married to a woman who had long been convinced that Corona was a much bigger deal than the government realised, I found a relatively isolated part of the restaurant and made sure that the three of us did not sit too close together.

The interview went fine. I said goodbye to Floyd who said he was flying back to New York later that night. I teased him that despite his fame in New York, he was a much bigger success in India. Why not come home? I said. Why not just work fulltime with his Bombay Canteen group?

Floyd looked at me a little suspiciously and then turned to Yash and Sameer and asked Did you put him up to it?

It turned out that Floyds partners had been trying to persuade him to do the same thing.

Surely, what they were suggesting made sense?

Floyd conceded that perhaps it did. Lets see when I am next in India, he said. Maybe I should move here full time.

The interview over, we got up to go. (No handshaking because I had been told to be careful!) I got into my car. Floyd waved goodbye.

I never saw him again.

Ten days later, on 17 March, Sameer called to say that Floyd had admitted himself to a hospital in New Jersey because he had respiratory symptoms. Floyd thought it might be Corona but his partners believed he should not assume the worst until the test results came back.

Sameers view (and apparently Floyds too) was that he had either picked up the Corona infection on the flight (via Frankfurt) or that he had got it in New York. Neither Yash nor Sameer had any symptoms; nor did anybody else who worked at their restaurants.

But Sameer still felt he had a duty to tell anyone who had spent time with Floyd so that we could consider taking some steps to protect ourselves. I had come back from meeting a friend that day, having already taken care to sit far apart in an open space.

I told Sameer that I would just totally isolate myself now. It had already been ten days, and no symptoms had manifested themselves but ten more days of isolation would do no harm.

Two days later Sameer called to say that Floyd had tested positive for Coronavirus. It had now been 12 days since I had met Floyd. Sameer was concerned about the safety of his team (apart from his own health). But nobody had developed symptoms, he said. They were told by doctors that tests were necessary (and available) to anyone who had developed symptoms so his team was closely monitoring their own health. The restaurants had closed a few days before.

I said that I was in isolation till 27 March anyway. (Doctors reckon that three weeks of self-isolation should be okay though some say that if you are asymptomatic after 14 days, the chances of being infected are very low). Then, of course, the whole country was put into isolation anyway so I suspect I will be at home for the foreseeable future.

On the night of 25 March, Sameer called again. He sounded devastated. Floyd had died, he said.

Then the tributes started pouring in. The worlds best chefs acknowledged Floyds greatness. Daniel Humm said on Instagram: Speechless, heartbroken. RIP my brother, your game changing contribution will live on forever. David Chang who had shot with Floyd last year for his show. Ugly Delicious, tweeted. I dont want to believe this! Easily one of the most beloved people in the business. Indian chefs were fulsome in their praise. From Suvir Saran to Vikas Khanna to Vineet Bhatia, they seemed sad and even, shattered.

But I thought the best tribute came from the New York Times Pete Wells. Of Floyd, he wrote He told us stories about the thrills and the comforts of India He told us that sharing your enthusiasm could be a form of generosity. From most points of view it doesnt make a lot of sense for a restaurant to serve about a dozen egg dishes, unless it is a diner. It makes even less sense for the same restaurant to offer single-malt Scotch of every known region, shade, aroma, flavour, style and age. Mr. Cardoz was wild about eggs though and crazy for Scotch, so he bet heavily on both.

I liked Wells piece because I thought it captured Floyds essential philosophy. Food was about joy and about passion. Wells singled out Eggs Kejriwal, the dish that the Bombay Canteen made famous, as an example of Floyds style: simple, low cost, regional, seasonal ingredients cooked with flair, fun and passion.

Technically, Floyd was an exceptional French chef. He had risen to the top at Lespinasse, in its time, New Yorks best French restaurant, so he knew his fancy ingredients, his classic techniques and his sauces.

But he didnt care only about fancy food. People still rave about Tabla, the modern Indian restaurant he ran in New York for 14 years. But they forget that he also ran the cheaper Bread Bar in the same building, serving simpler Indian food. They forget too that such staples of Indian restaurant cuisine as the Bacon Kulcha were created at Tabla in 1998.

Judging by the number of great global chefs and critics who have written to say how much they admired him. Floyd could have made a very successful career out of cooking European or American food in the West.

But the commitment to Indian food came from deep within his soul. In 2019 when I wrote that Indian chefs did not get the global recognition they deserved, he wrote to me: Love your insights on 50 Best. It drives me crazy that our chefs are not recognised. Thank you for putting it out there. Many Indians still like to kowtow to anything that is not Indian. I have so much to say about it.

He didnt get to say all of it, alas. Such are Brunchs deadlines that though I interviewed the Bombay Canteen team on 7 March, the article did not appear till last Sunday more than two weeks later.

In that fortnight it seemed as though the world had changed. Floyd had gone back to America, had gone to hospital, had been diagnosed with Coronavirus and by the time the article appeared, all restaurants had been shut. Within three days of the publication of the article, he was dead.

There are many reasons to admire Floyd. But these are the ones I will remember. He was respected around the world but in his heart, he was an Indian who cared passionately about our cuisine. He thought that food without fun or joy, made solely to impress foreign critics (and God knows, Floyd had impressed them all in his time) was fake and phoney. He believed in Indian flavours recreated without artifice. Long before farm to table became a pretentious mantra, Floyd was talking about the treasures of the land and the sea and using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

He loved his chefs and mentored them. Two of the best chefs in Mumbai: Thomas Zacharias and Hussain Shahzad (of O Pedro) were Floyd proteges. He was humble and unwilling to push himself forward. I was at an event where Mauro Colagreco (three Michelin stars, owner of Mirazur, the best restaurant in the world according to the 50 Best List) saw Floyd and called out to him. Floyd obviously knew Mauro but he was much keener to get Hussain to meet him than to talk to Mauro himself.

Each time I think of Floyd, my final image is of him waving goodbye as I drove away from the Bombay Sweet Shop.

Who would have imagined how things would change so soon?

The restaurant community has lost a legend. And the world has lost a very good human being.

To read more on The Taste With Vir, click here

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Oregon State Police explain what they will and wont do under Gov. Kate Browns stay at home order:

Is this martial law?

No, not even close. There are no curfews and a persons movements are not restricted under the Governors Executive Order. While details are offered in the order relating to social distancing, specific business closures and non-essential social gatherings -- Oregonians movements are generally unrestricted.

Do I need documentation from my employer deeming me essential?

No. The Governors Executive Order closes certain businesses, outlined in section (2). These businesses reflect operations that would make close contact difficult or impossible to avoid. Officers are not asking or looking for any type of special paperwork from your employer.

Do I need a special placard on my car, when going to work or if I drive for work?

No. There is no special documentation or placards for people going to work or permitted activities.

Will I be pulled over for driving on the highway? Not for violation of the Governors Executive Order, which specifically outlines efforts to avoid large gatherings- not restrict the movement of Oregonians. If, however, you are committing a traffic violation or crime that would be enforced independent of the order, you may be stopped, like any other day.

Are the state lines closed and are there roadblocks?

No, traffic is moving freely within Oregon and our border states. There are no roadblocks or restrictions of vehicle movement. Washington State is operating under a similar executive order from their Governor, so Oregonians should be aware of these provisions when traveling in their state.

If my business is closed, can I still go to work if my employer makes me? Wont I be arrested?

While the order prohibits the public from congregating at a closed business, the employer may still have work to do on site. As long as employees are not conducting business that is prohibited by the Executive Order, it is okay to still be at the worksite. No passes or paperwork is required.

Are rest areas open?

Yes, generally. Some rest areas are connected to parks, which are currently closed to comply with the Executive Order.

Are police arresting or ticketing people in public or in violation of the Governors Executive Order?

People that violate the Governors Order in an Emergency Declaration could be arrested or cited, which is a C Misdemeanor- the lowest level of criminal conduct designation. All Oregon law enforcement are united on the premise that police action is extremely undesirable and we hope to educate Oregonians if congregating in violation of the Governors Order. Citation or arrest would be an extreme last resort if a person failed to comply with the lawful direction of a police officer.

What about my kids that may congregate in a place without my permission, like a skate park?

Police know our children dont often take their parents advice and may ignore direction when away. Like adults found to be congregating in a location, officers will likely approach the youths and educate them on the order. Citations and arrest are extremely unlikely, reserved for only the most extreme circumstances.

Can I still go hiking and fishing?

Yes. Oregonians can still recreate outdoors, if their recreational activity involves non-contact with others and they can maintain appropriate social distancing, which is defined as 6 feet or more from others. Oregonians and visitors to our state should be aware most campgrounds and boat ramps are closed, so you should research your plans before recreating.

Should I call 911 if I see people congregating?

No. The level of this violation is not for reporting police, fire or medical emergencies through 911. People may choose to self-educate their fellow Oregonians or if a large gathering is noted, they may call their respective police agencys non-emergency number.
Construction and manufacturing workers could be the next Australians to lose their jobs as the coronavirus pandemic pushes unemployment to Great Depression levels.

Tens of thousands of people across the country have already been retrenched as the Australian Government banned overseas travel and shut 'non-essential' businesses to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Queues outside Centrelink are a reminder of what happened during the 1930s, when unemployment quickly surged into the double digits.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's cabinet has agreed to allow the construction industry to continue working during the world's worst health crisis in 100 years, but economists fear builders could be next.

Construction and manufacturing workers could be the next Australians to lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Tradesmen practising social distancing in Sydney's city centre on Thursday

Construction and manufacturing workers could be the next Australians to lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Construction workers at a housing development at Kellyville, north-west of Sydney, on Wednesday

Westpac, Australia's second biggest bank, fears the national jobless rate will more than double by June, from 5.1 per cent to 11.1 per cent.

This would see 814,000 people lose their jobs, as unemployment soared to the highest level since December 1992.

Westpac is also forecasting an economic contraction in the March, June and September quarters, which would mark the first technical recession in 29 years.

This downturn would be even more severe than the global financial crisis of a decade ago.

The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre forecast the jobless rate rising to 12.7 per cent by May 2021, which would be the highest unemployment level since the 1930s Great Depression.

In February, less than 700,000 people couldn't find a job but in little more than a year, that was expected to hit 1.7million - as 1,070,804 people lost their jobs.

Economist Saul Eslake said hospitality job losses, following this week's ban on pubs and clubs, had overshadowed the dangers facing the building industry.

'We haven't seen too much yet about job losses in manufacturing or construction because the focus has been on areas such as retail, hotels and transport,' he told News Corp Australia.

The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre is forecast the jobless rate rising to 12.7 per cent by May 2021, which would be the highest unemployment level since the 1930s Great Depression. In February, less than 700,000 people couldn't find a job but in little more than a year, that was expected to hit 1.7million - as 1,070,804 people lost their jobs

'But manufacturing and construction are jobs that you can't do from home, almost by definition.'

In a bid to keep construction up and running, unions are urging employers and staff to strictly follow the public health advice.

Electrical Trades Union national secretary Allen Hicks says reckless individuals may 'stuff it up' for everyone else.

'There are some people out there who are treating this as business as usual,' he told Australian Associated Press.

'Some of the sites are doing an awesome job, others need a shot across the bow.

'If they are going to stuff this up they will stuff it up for the whole industry.'

Pictured: Workers practice safe distancing at a worksite meeting in Melbourne

Construction workers would further clog the welfare system if building projects were suspended during the pandemic, Mr Hicks said.

'We are talking about hundreds of thousands of construction workers - it will put enormous strain on the welfare system.'

SafeWork NSW on Thursday told AAP it had received 13 complaints about possible coronavirus exposure on construction sites.

Inspectors were enforcing coronavirus health guidelines during building site visits, a SafeWork spokesman said.

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

'Where on-site construction work is required, operators should put in place controls to ensure social distancing and positive hygiene practices can be maintained.'

The construction union on Thursday said a Melbourne worker had been infected with coronavirus after travelling overseas.

The worksite was immediately shut down and no close contacts had displayed COVID-19 symptoms, the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union said.

'All necessary procedures to ensure the health and safety of site workers were implemented,' the union said in a statement.

CFMMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan says members are being urged to report any worksite not following coronavirus guidelines.

'The union has heard from members that some worksites are not changing their practices or setups to meet the hygiene and safety measures that have been advised by medical authorities and mandated by the government,' he told AAP.

'This is not good enough. It is essential that the industry maintain all of the health and hygiene precautions that are required for construction workers to remain safe.'

Mr Hicks said unions would only push for construction work to continue so long as health authorities said it was safe.

The number of coronavirus cases in Australia soared over 3,000 on Friday morning

A group of 11 unions and industry associations on Wednesday issued a joint statement stressing the importance of keeping construction jobs running.

'As vital constituents of the economy, it is critical that all stakeholders of the building and construction industry work together to ensure the protection of employers, workers, their families and our community,' the statement said.

Almost half of Australia's businesses have already felt the effects of the coronavirus and four out of five expect to be hit in coming months.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics research was released on Thursday as staff were retrenched at Virgin Australia, Flight Centre and Premier Investments, which owns retailer Smiggle and a range of clothing stores.

The ABS collected data from 3000 business in mid-March, pre-dating the first phase of the Morrison government's social distancing measures.

The most prevalent impact was felt in the accommodation and food services sector where over three-quarters of businesses have been affected, while just shy of 100 per cent anticipated impacts in coming months.

'The pandemic is causing havoc across all industries,' National Australia Bank economist Kaixin Owyong said in a note to clients.
The ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) has disclosed that they may suspend its parliamentary and presidential primaries.



Speaking to the General Secretary of the party on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' program, John Boadu explained that as it stands now the party has not taken any decision to postpone the official date for the primaries.



"Our date for the primaries remains unchanged though the government has asked for social distancing.



"However, if it goes beyond our date for the parliamentary and presidential primaries we will have no option than to have the primaries postponed," he said.



He added that aspirants have taken over social media to the campaign as the social distancing order is still in place and people are staying safe and observing safety measures.



Aspirants can go about their campaign duties but until any further changes, the date for the primaries still remains unchanged.



President Nana Akufo-Addo has said the government is holding extensive consultations on the possible measures aimed at curbing the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has planned to hold Parliamentary primaries in areas where it has sitting Members of Parliament (MP) on April 25, 2020.



The NPP has I69 sitting Members of Parliament out of the total 275 seats in Parliament.



The party has already elected more than 95 Parliamentary candidates who would be contesting on its ticket in orphan constituencies [areas the party does not have sitting MPs].



The same April 25, 2020 date would also be used to elect a flagbearer for the party for Election 2020.



Nana Akufo-Addo said though a lockdown remains an option, extensive consultations will be made to ensure that the government takes the right decision.



Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, Nana Akufo-Addo said the government will consider all factors before a lockdown is announced.



People in Ghana are now talking about a lockdown. The majority of people who will be affected by the decisions of that nature are the working people of our country. The ordinary people of Ghana. They are the ones who will be affected and it is important for us to take into account the circumstances and conditions. When we lock down Accra, what are the consequences?



"A responsible government is required to look at all the implications before decisions are made. And that is the exercise we are currently engaged in and I am hoping that much sooner than later we will come to an agreement on what those measures are and the Ghanaian people will be informed, the President said.



Restrictions to stop COVID-19 spread



Following the many calls for Ghana to declare a lockdown in order to stop the spread of COVID-19, the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah earlier gave indications that the government may announce restrictions in some parts of Ghana as part of additional measures to stop the spread of Coronavirus in the country.



Watch Video Below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A man in Argentina could be facing 15 years in prison if prosecutors can prove he willfully spread the coronavirus after he dismissed a quarantine law and attended a birthday party that has left at least 11 people sickened.

Eric Torales returned to Buenos Aires from the United States on March 13 and celebrated the 15th birthday bash of a family friend in the town of Moreno the following day.

Instead of adhering to the mandatory isolation decree that was imposed by the Argentine government the day before his arrival, the 24-year-old man joined 100 other partygoers for the birthday.

News outlet Todo Noticias reported that on March 19 Torales experienced respiratory issues, one of the symptoms associated with the deadly disease, and visited Clinica Adventista, where he was admitted and placed in the intensive care unit after he later tested positive for COVID-19.

Eric Torales was detained in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for violating a national quarantine law and attending a birthday party which is linked to 11 coronavirus infections. The 24-year-old arrived in Argentina from the United States on March 13 and attended a party the next day before he was admitted to a local hospital March 19 after testing positive

A police officer in Buenos Aires, Argentina (center) interrogates the 24-year-old man, who was arrested on charges of dismissing the South American nation's coronavirus quarantine law and allegedly spreading the virus to 11 people at a birthday party earlier this month after he returned from a trip to the United States

Among the 11 infected are a 15-year-old girl who was the party's guest of honor, another child and two elderly persons, ages 76 and 79.

Health officials announced that at least 20 other birthday party attendants have been placed under observation as a precaution.

Officials are also looking into reaching out to other people who may have had contact with Torales following his return from the U.S. and his decision to attend the event instead of quarantining.

Torales, who was ordered to turn in his passport, was placed under house arrest Wednesday after he was discharged from the hospital. He will only be allowed to leave the home for medical appointments.

Torales was released from the hospital Wednesday and placed under house arrest. He can only leave his home for scheduled doctor visits

Prosecutors in the coming days will officially charge Torales with spreading a contagious disease.

He could face three to 15 years in prison if he is found guilty of violating article 202 of the Penal Code.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused more than 25,000 deaths and sickened over 558,500 across the globe, as of Friday.

The virus has killed 13 and produced 589 positive cases in Argentina alone.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  An economic development firm serving West Michigan has received a $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to support small businesses amid the coronavirus public health emergency.

The grant, part of the Michigan Small Business Relief Program, will provide grants of up to $10,000 to businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Businesses can apply for grants now.

In this unprecedented time of economic and business stress, we want to do everything we can for West Michigan businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, Birgit Klohs, President and CEO of The Right Place, said in a statement.

We are collaborating with our local and regional partners in this effort to quickly and efficiently provide much needed financial support to small businesses.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a news release, The Right Place said the grants may be used to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses that occur in the ordinary course of business.

Businesses in the following counties are eligible for the grants: Barry, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana and Osceola.

According to The Right Place, grant applications will be reviewed by local committees comprised of officials from the public and private sector.

There are over 76,000 small businesses in these 11 counties and $1 million in funds, Klohs said. We anticipate demand will far exceed availability of funding, which will necessitate difficult decisions throughout the grant review process.

According to The Right Place, Each county will be accepting, reviewing, and approving applications through their local committees. Heres the contacts for the local committees:

Ionia: Travis Alden  The Right Place, Inc.  aldent@rightplace.org |231-233-4349

Montcalm: Kathy Jo VanderLaan  The Right Place, Inc.  vanderLaank@rightplace.org | 616-498-0374

Newaygo: Julie Burrell  The Right Place, Inc.  burrellj@rightplace.org | 231-335-1985

Lake: Jodi Nichols  The Right Place, Inc.  nicholsj@rightplace.org | 231-742-3328

Oceana: Jodi Nichols  The Right Place, Inc.  nicholsj@rightplace.org | 231-742-3328

Kent: Brent Case  The Right Place, Inc. covidrelief@rightplace.org | 616-301-6246

Barry: Jennifer Heinzman  Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Alliance  jennifer@mibarry.com | 269-945-2454

Mason: Brandy Miller  Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce - brandyh@ludington.org | (231) 845-0324

Mecosta: Jim Sandy  Mecosta County Development Corporation - jsandy@mecostacounty.org | 231-250-9226

Muskegon: Morgan Carroll  Muskegon Area First - mcarroll@muskegon.org | 231-286-9497

Osceola: Dan Massy  Osceola County Community & Economic Development Dept. - dmassy@osceolacountymi.com | (231) 832-7397

PREVENTION TIPS

Read more:

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to reopen this year under coronavirus pandemic

Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 3,657 -- up 801 cases

West Michigan counties ranked by percentage without health insurance

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
The US military has cancelled a large-scale exercise involving thousands of troops in the Philippines because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to scrap Balikatan 2020 was taken "in light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and in the best interest of the health and safety of both countries' forces", US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Phil Davidson said. The war games, scheduled for May 4-15, would have involved more than 10,000 troops from the two longstanding allies and a smaller contingent from Australia, according to the hosts. "We are in an extraordinary time and it's clear we would have put many people at risk had we pursued Balikatan," said Rear Admiral Adelius Bordado, the Philippines' exercise director. The United States now has the largest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the world while the Philippines, with limited testing, has reported around 700 cases. Among those who tested positive is Philippines military chief General Felimon Santos, the defence secretary said Friday. The American troops who take part in Balikatan (which means "Shoulder to Shoulder" in Tagalog) usually come from bases in Japan and South Korea, which have reported coronavirus cases. The US troops that take part in the war games usually come from its bases in Japan and South Korea, which have reported coronavirus cases
As the effects of the novel coronavirus continue to ripple around the globe, institutions and individuals are implementing various forms of social distancing protocols and remote work arrangements. And as self- or government-imposed quarantines become necessary, technology is evolving alongside newfound needs.A remarkable event recently took place in China. Local authorities and drone companies accelerated their drone delivery pilot programs as the health crisis peaked. In the past month, according to preliminary reports , drone operators made thousands of drone flights in affected regions, totaling 11 tons of parcel and medical deliveries. The roundtrip flights not only helped prevent virus spread but also provided a glimpse into the global race to commercialize on-demand parcel and medical supply deliveries via drone.As if on cue last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans to certify drone service , clearing a path for some package deliveries by companies like Amazon. The benefits for this type of service are increasingly obvious, yet current federal plans may create undue animosity between the drone industry, state governments and their residents.Consider a case from the summer of 2015, in which a polarizing scenario involving guns, privacy and technology unfolded at William Merediths Kentucky residence. As he, his friends, and family were grilling in his backyard, Merediths young daughter alerted him to a small drone flying over the neighborhood, which wasnt the first drone sighting near his house. Annoyed, he retrieved his shotgun from his home, and when the drone crossed his property line, he shot it out of the sky.The drones owner, a neighbor, called the police upon discovering his destroyed drone. Meredith was then arrested and charged under local law for firing a gun in a populated area. At the highly publicized trial in state court, the judge dismissed the charges with a brief statement that Meredith was justified in shooting because of the invasion of privacy.The core dispute is one that many Americans have wondered as drones go mainstream: Where does my property line end and drone airspace begin? As drone technology advances and regular flight paths sprout up, local authorities and residents will need to have more input over drone operations if the industry is to thrive.Theres great potential for drones to provide new services and skilled jobs. Investors have devoted a few billion dollars to commercial drone companies in the past decade . Most of that activity is based in the United States, yet tens of thousands of postal and medical deliveries via drone have been completed in countries as geographically and politically diverse as Switzerland, Rwanda, Iceland, and China.Closer to home, utilities, cellular operators, and railroads use drones for inspections. The next drone opportunity is securing a sliver of the $30 billion home delivery market . Consumers want same-day grocery deliveries and Amazon Prime packages, and courier companies are looking to drones to make delivery faster, cheaper, and  by taking five-ton delivery vehicles off the roads  better for the environment. Ground traffic congestion would also benefit. Companies like Walmart, Amazon, Uber, and Walgreens are all investing in U.S. drone delivery services as the sector rapidly matures.Some airspace regulation maximalists within the FAA and industry believe  as a top drone official at the FAA opined in 2014  that drones expand the FAAs regulatory reach all the way down to the tips of grass in backyards, private woodlands, and farm fields all across the country.That view represents a massive expansion of federal authority at tension with Supreme Court rulings and common law principles of property ownership. To counteract simmering resistance from state lawmakers and city officials, federal lawmakers and a state law commission have proposed to formalize landowners air rights, generally up to 200 feet above the ground. Tech firms and drone companies oppose those efforts at their peril. Though few landowners are rash enough to shoot drones flying overhead, many Americans dont want drone operations and policy to be determined by firms and regulators in Washington, D.C.As with automobiles and telecommunications, federal and state roles for drones should be complementary. Federal agencies, for instance, certify the designs and safety features of automobiles and mobile networks, but states and cities determine local issues like vehicle noise restrictions and cell tower placement. When the technology is safe enough, residents and local officials will want to determine where drone routes are placed.Cities own or control the airspace above public roads, and these aerial corridors could serve as a natural route for drone highways. Leasing out these rights of way would give cities passive income for the use of the routes  and importantly, it would also avoid the thorny eminent domain questions by keeping most drones out of backyards.Drone services have a bright future, enabling commerce and responding to crises. Countries around the globe are already embracing them to save lives, increase crop yields, and deliver goods. Drone airspace use is not like traditional aviation, and the current stalemate over its management benefits no one.The sooner states and cities recognize their proper role, the better.Governing
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 27, 2020 | 04:02 PM | PADUCAH





On Thursday, the Paducah Police Department's Crisis Negotiations Team was sent to a home on Fiarmont Street to calm 57-year-old Teddy R. Roberts down after a crisis line worker informed officers that he was reportedly threatening to harm himself. Roberts also reportedly told the crisis line worker that he would shoot police officers if they arrived at his property.







Officers cordoned off the area and made contact with Roberts. Crisis negotiators were called in and a short time later they were able to convince Roberts to give himself up. Officers say he was intoxicated.







A computer check reportedly revealed that Roberts is a convicted felon, and after a search warrant was issued a firearm was reportedly found in his home along with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.







He is being charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged in the McCracken County Jail.

A Paducah man is facing numerous charges after reportedly threatening to shoot police officers.
On Thursday, Day 2 of the 21-day lockdown, the supply of essential goods was better than on Wednesday, although there were complaints of shortage of medicines, milk, vegetables and also a spurt in the prices of essential food items because of supply constraints. The police continued to arrest and book people who came out in violation of the lockdown regulations.

While Amul (The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation) and Mother Dairy, in separate statements, said their supply was at par with normal days at most locations, smaller dairy companies expressed apprehension of disruption in supply if the shortage of raw material and workers continued in the absence of curfew passes.

Milk supply in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Patna and Lucknow may get affected as supply from villages has fallen. Local district officials said instructions were being issued to police to allow vehicles carrying milk from villages to local milk collection centres.

As per our information, the milk supply from villages was less today and we have only seven days stock of coal needed for processing of milk. If the situation continues, it will be difficult to supply milk to cities, said DV Ghanekar, managing director of Gokul Milk, which supplies a million liters of milk to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region every day.

In cities such as Delhi, Dehradun and Mumbai, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee wholesale market started full operations on Thursday, albeit with reduced inflows of fruits and vegetables. There were also very few workers to unload the few trucks that arrived.

Vishal Sethia, a wholesale pulse trader in Mumbai said, There is panic and many of the labourers have left for their villages. Only one-sixth of the workforce I have reported for work today.

In Delhis Azadpur wholesale fruit and vegetable market, more trucks arrived (than on Wednesday) although the offtake was not high because of mobility restrictions for fruit and vegetable vendors, said commission agents at the market.

In Goa, there was no supply of milk and bread because of a complete lockdown.

Chief minister Pramod Sawants plan to home-deliver food, including milk, proved to a non-starter. For Panaji, having population of 150,000, there are only three phone numbers listed for home delivery of milk.

I am also attentive to the fact that people are not getting things on time. We will take about two days to put systems in place, Sawant said. However, residents have approached Bombay high court at Goa seeking directions to the state government to ensure supply of essential goods.

In Punjab and Chandigarh, the administration reported that they have received requests for curfew passes for calling a barber to home, to take dogs for morning walks, and from VIPs seeking curfew passes for their gunmen and cooks. The Punjab government, in a statement, said most of the essential goods were being supplied adequately.

In Odisha, the main vegetable market of Bhubaneswar, which operates in a congested space, was relocated to a thoroughfare with traders and shoppers asked to line up while maintaining distance. The state police also started a helpline for goods truck drivers carrying essential goods in case they faced problems.

In Uttarkand, the state government started home delivery of food and medicines for senior citizens and students, who live alone. The government also announced that it would soon notify regulations to penalise shopkeepers hoarding essential items as complaints of price spikes were reported from various parts of the state. The state also issued orders that all essential goods also be sold in fair price shops. The state government also assured people that they have stock of pulses and cereals for three months.

In Jharkhand and Bihar, people faced problems in getting cooking gas cylinders and there was rush at the local cylinder distribution centres. In order to prevent chaos, the two state governments announced doorstep delivery of LPG gas cylinders. The Ranchi administration also issued phone numbers and mobile applications for doorstep delivery of ration and vegetables.

In Assam, one of the very few states not to report any Covid-19 positive case, the state government has set up a 1,000-bed quarantine facility at Sausajai stadium in Guwahati; a similar one in another stadium within the city is also planned.The government has also taken on rent an apartment complex near the quarantine facility where nearly 200 doctors can stay. It will become operational within the next few days. Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said there was no shortage of essential goods in the state.

The Confederation of Indian Industryin a letter to the consumer affairs ministry has said that there is ambiguity in the lockdown orders issued by various local authorities, with the term grocery not clearly defined, resulting in short supply of items such as floor cleaners and toiletries and oral hygiene products such as tooth paste and toothbrushes.

As you know that at present personal and home hygiene has become extremely important to fight the Covid 19 Virus, the letter said, seeking necessary clarification to the states from the government.

(With inputs from state bureaus)
Summer traditionally begins with a thud. As the clocks spring forward over the last weekend of March, lighter evenings are traditionally accompanied by ever-wider horizons for travellers  symbolised by the arrival in the post of the April edition of the OAG Pocket Flight Guide.

Even in a digital age, this monthly compendium of hypermobility has the edge over online sources, whether you wish to count the Polish cities served nonstop from Doncaster (six) or identify the one day of the week when it is possible to fly from the UK to the dreamily beautiful island of Terceira (Wednesday, 2.10pm from Stansted, Ryanair).

Never have bigger, stronger pockets been needed for this guide. After a lean winter, the airlines gather strength and confidence. They lay on hundreds of new flights and count the cash as it rolls in for late-notice Easter breaks, early summer holidays and lucrative July and August departures. Reflecting the record-breaking summer schedules, the OAG April 2020 issue has 1,216 Bible-thin pages, each containing travel dreams encapsulated in microscopic font.

Ever-expanding horizons, better value, safer journeys: that has been the constant quest for the travel business since the dawn of time, or at least the start of the Jumbo jet age 50 years ago.

Right now, though, the industry of human happiness finds itself in despair.

Desperation is most intense among travellers who find themselves on the wrong side of a world beset by barriers. As flight bans creep across the planet, they yearn to be home: to access medication, to care for family or friends who need them, or to return to their jobs in the NHS.

Normally I have the privilege of recommending great journeys to readers. Instead, I have spent much of this week advising people on escape routes.

Denises son is stranded in Nicaragua: See if the British embassy in Managua can provide him with documentation to travel to San Jose in Costa Rica so he can fly out on one of the Iberia rescue flights to Madrid. And Laura finds herself detained in Durban by South Africas sudden international flight ban: If you can cross to Mozambique by Sunday theres an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Addis Ababa with a connection to London.

The prospect of distant horizons has turned into a hasty and muddled retreat, and travel is currently calibrated in degrees of distress, not joy.

Where were you planning to be this weekend or over Easter? Perhaps sipping coffee in a cafe in Amsterdam or Paris as you contemplate which magnificent collection of art to visit next; carving your way, elegantly or not, down a snowy mountainside; or lazing on a beach while your cares ebb away with the tide.

Instead, our travel plans have been crushed by coronavirus. You may, like me, spend part of your days of reclusion trying to extract your failed investment in future travel  whether from an airline that is manipulating its website to try to deflect refund claims for cancelled flights, or from a holiday company that is flouting the law.

Ryanair is rolling its schedule back to circa 1995, with a handful of Irish Sea services and a couple of continental links. British Airways scheduled operation for April sees, on the few routes still operating, as many flights in a week as previously took off in a day.

And Im the man who pays his way but currently cant, now a recluse clutching a copy of a once-reliable reference source that has become a work of fantasy.

Distant dreams: the Pocket Flight Guide, April 2020 (Simon Calder/OAG)

The Pocket Flight Guide for April 2020 will be seen henceforth as a historic document of dashed aspirations. The May edition may turn out to be as flimsy as a flat-Earthers arguments. But it will provide a starting point for anyone who believes the world is the better for tourism.

For the sake of the tens of millions of people whose livelihoods depend on travel, to satisfy the human aspiration for adventure, and to have a dream to hang on to, start planning your next journey.
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson says she is looking forward to seeing her daughter Rose "in a flower girl dress" at her upcoming wedding with "Saturday Night Live" writer Colin Jost.

Johansson and Jost engaged last May after dating for two years.

The couple has often been seen spending time with Johansson's five-year-old daughter, whom she shares with ex-husband, journalist Romain Dauriac.

The "Jojo Rabbit" actor said she tries to instill values in Rose such as reducing food waste and be more environment friendly, reported People magazine.

"It's hard, especially because my daughter is only five, so her world is so small. I think reminding her of how other people live and how her actions impact others is where to begin.

"Kids are aware of their own waste now and how to conserve and recycle. She sometimes will say things like, 'We can't use plastic straws'. I didn't even teach her that!" Johansson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The High Court has appointed provisional liquidators to four companies in the well-known USIT student travel group, employing 149 people, after the coronavirus crisis caused their collapse.

Severe restrictions on international travel as a result of the pandemic has lead to cancellations of many spring and summer travel bookings and tours for students and school groups and an immediate collapse of new bookings, causing a cash flow crisis leaving the companies insolvent and unable to pay their debts as they fall due, Rossa Fanning SC, for the companies, outlined on Friday.

The companies had received booking deposits and pre-payments from a large number of customers with some 1.2m owed to pre-booking creditors, including some 3,000 students who paid deposits of 299 or higher sums for intended travel to the US this summer.

USIT Ireland Ltd is a bonded travel agent and that may allow for refunds of deposits, he said. Travel insurance or credit card companies may provide "an alternative route" for refunds.

Ms Fanning said, as a result of cancellations and lack of new income over the coming months, the companies lack the financial resources to continue trading through to October 2020 and cannot raise the necessary 3.3m funds to do so.

There was also debt to Ulster Bank of 1.7m and the directors had decided there was no option but to wind-up the four companies and petition for the appointment of joint provisional liquidators.

This was entirely a result of the catastrophic impact on international travel of the Covid-19 pandemic because, up until a few weeks ago, all but one of the companies have been largely profitable and there was no issue about the management of the businesses.

USIT Ireland had forecast it would generate earnings of some 700,000 in the financial year ending October 2020 and, until a number of weeks ago, its business was on track to achieve this forecast, he said.

Bookings for the US summer work and travel programme were well up on 2019 and bookings for travel to Australia and Canada were performing better than 2019.

This position "suddenly and dramatically changed" with the emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic across Europa and the US in February and March.

The directors very much regretted making this application but it was beyond their control. The company was unable to ensure employees would be paid to the end of March, he added.

Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granted orders on Friday evening to Mr Fanning, with John Lavelle, instructed by William Fry solicitors, for the appointment of Kieran Wallace and Andrew OLeary of KPMG as provisional liquidators to the four companies, with addresses at Aston Quay, O'Connell Bridge, Dublin.

The companies are Kinlay Group Ltd, the holding company; USIT Ireland Ltd, the principal trading company; School and Group Tours Ltd and Dublin College of Business Studies Ltd.

USIT Ireland specialises in US summer work and related travel programmes; School and Group Tours Ltd is involved in organising school tours to European destinations and DCBS operates a school at Abbey Street, Dublin 1, trading as the English Studio Dublin, teaching English as a foreign language.

DCBS has struggled financially in recent years and recorded an after tax loss of some 650,575 in the year to October last, the court heard.

'Entirely unfortunate situation'

Mr Justice Sanfey said it was an entirely unfortunate situation.

He, like hundreds of thousands of Irish students, had availed of the services of USIT a long time ago. It is sad it has come to this."

The nature of USITs business meant it was "particularly seriously affected" by the pandemic and he hoped many other businesses affected will continue in business.

The interconnected nature of the USIT companies means it is very difficult for any of them to survive, he said.

The holding company owes 1.7m to Ulster Bank and that is cross-guaranteed by the three other companies.

USIT Ireland is entirely dependent on its summer trade and has cash flow requirements making it "completely impossible" to survive through this summer.

He noted the directors - David Andrews, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Dublin, Niall McHugh, Wilfield Park, Sandymount, Dublin and Elaine Russell, Knocksinna Park, Foxrock, Dublin - had considered seeking examinership but concluded that was unviable.

Given the fluid nature of the businesses, especially of USIT Ireland and that a multiplicity of people are affected, it is appropriate to appoint provisional liquidators as sought, he said.

He hoped that would give the companies "breathing space to rationalise their affairs and ensure everybody is treated fairly".

[snippet1]987277[/snippet1]
90 Day Fiance fans are never sure how much to trust when it comes to Nicole Nafzigers social media posts. The reality star has been accused of frauding fans of the show in the past, but nothing has ever been truly confirmed. Many fans arent entirely convinced that Nafziger is truly still dating Azan Tefou, despite the fact that Nafziger has posted pictures suggesting shes visiting Tefou in Morocco amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. However, despite her posts on Instagram, some 90 Day Fiance fans arent convinced. One fan in particular thinks Nafziger might actually be staying alone in Morocco, not at Tefous house.

Nicole Nafziger visits Azan Tefou

Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou have allegedly maintained their relationship since their time together on 90 Day Fiance, despite the fact that they have tried and failed to get married twice. Many fans have been left wondering if the two will ever truly tie the knot, and how invested Azan Tefou really is in their relationship.

Now, despite conjecture about the nature of their relationship, Nafziger seems to be visiting Azan Tefou in Morocco. When she first prepared for her trip, Nafziger posted pictures of Moroccan money, and kept fans updated as she made her journey to Morocco. She also posted photos of herself with Azan Tefou after landing.

Fans remained skeptical despite the photo evidence. In one post, Nafziger shared a photo of herself and Tefou, and captioned it, Had a great night out the other day. An Instagrammer replied with, Other day as in yesterday, 4 days ago, 4 months ago or 2-4 years?

On a separate post of the two, an Instagram user commented, How do we know this is a new photo? Hold up a newspaper with todays date!

Nicole Nafziger might be stuck in Morocco, fans react

Now, it seems Nicole Nafziger may be stuck in Morocco with her beau during the coronavirus crisis.

CNN recently reported that Morocco has closed both air and sea borders during the viral outbreak. Travelers have basically been stranded in Morocco since March 15, and that includes Nicole Nafziger.

However, Nafziger did not bring her daughter, May, on the trip. And 90 Day Fiance fans have been tearing into Nafziger for not thinking of her daughter enough during the outbreak.

One Redditor commented, She has no plan. Classic [Nicole] not thinking ahead or about Mays best interest.

Another fan added, [Nicole] appears as though she never has a plan. That is why Mommy and Daddy are always bailing her out and giving her money. They are her safety net and always will be as long as they continue to enable her behavior.

Maybe she should have thought of that instead of quitting her low paying job and going on an expensive trip. She has a child and doesnt appear to give a f*ck about supporting her or bettering their lives, opined another commenter.

Why some 90 Day Fiance fans think shes staying alone

Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou of 90 Day Fiance | TLC

Some 90 Day Fiance fans are theorizing that Nicole Nafziger might not actually be staying with Azan Tefou in Morocco after all. One Reddit user has suggested that she might be staying in an AirBnB while in Morocco.

One Redditor suggested that most of her trip is a ruse to get fans thinking she and Azan Tefou are closer than they really are. They wrote, My belief is that she is in Morocco, but that she invited herself over there, so Azan really couldnt say no. Azans family didnt want her with them, so she is staying in an AirBnB. She thought she would see Azan all the time (hence her promise to vlog her trip), but that hes been avoiding her on the regular, and that she spends a lot of her time there alone.

The Redditor continued, As you point out, the room is not the same as his Moms or his Aunts. The childrens toys arent consistent with either of them either, since the Aunts daughter was older. It might be his sisters, but then we wouldnt see her regularly eating alone in front of the TV.

In fact, eating alone is a weird thing to do when you are in another familys home, especially when they have cooked for you, which they did (two tajine photos). Its not so weird when you dont know the family you are staying with and when they are used to renting to foreign guests, they went on to add.

At this point, I am guessing that he is using quarantine to avoid her. Shes sitting around watching TV all day with a family she doesnt know, who make dinner for her, and let her eat in front of the TV since she is paying, finished the Redditor. What do you think? Could Nicole Nafziger be staying in an AirBnB while Azan Tefou snubs her?
[March 26, 2020] Infinx Healthcare Offers Special Contingency Pricing on Its AR Optimization Solution

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinx Healthcare announced today it is offering its Infinx AR Optimization Solution (AROS) with no upfront fees to support radiology and imaging centers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has requested that non-essential imaging procedures be rescheduled until further notice, creating a revenue crisis for radiology groups and imaging centers across the country. Infinx AROS provides radiology groups with the power to analyze, predict and realize maximum revenue from their outstanding aging payer accounts receivables (AR). The new artificial intelligence solution uses advanced machine learning capabilities to turn data into actionable insights that optimizes AR recovery and significantly decreases costly write-offs. A recent pilot of the Infinx AROS with a large radiology group demonstrated significant results, including*: A 26.1% increase in denial collections

A 60% reduction of >120 days aged AR in 6 months

An improvement of 12% in first-pass payments

A 60% reduction in cost to collect "The guidance provided by the CDC is sound protection for all healthcare providers, but also severely impacts the ability of radiology groups to maintain their revenue cycle," said Navaneeth Nair, Infinx's Vice President of Products. "We're offering special contingency pricing to support this important segment during this time of need. With AROS, groups can quickly and easily generate additional revenue from their aging AR without adding staff or increasing administrative costs." Infinx AROS provides real-time analytics, predictive recovery insights, and performs prioritization of the outstanding charges, that significantly improve recovery over manual efforts. The scalable infrstructure of Infinx AROS acts as an extension of your AR team, reducing costs and improving collections.



"Our Infinx AROS seamlessly integrates with existing billing systems that manage AR follow-up activities," said Nair. "By providing these advanced tools to speed up their AR recovery efforts, we hope the revenue generated will help bridge some of the gaps they are experiencing during this unprecedented time." For more information about Infinx AROS special contingency pricing during this COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

*Based on a case study of a radiology group with an average billing of $71M per month and $25.7M average collections per month. About Infinx Healthcare Infinx provides innovative and scalable prior authorization and revenue cycle management technology solutions for healthcare providers, hospitals, imaging centers, cardiology and orthopedic practices, and laboratories. Infinx helps clients preserve and capture more revenue, enabling them to shift focus from burdensome administrative details to improving patient care and experience. For more information, visit www.infinx.com. Media Contact: Lora Pada | 408-430-7469 | [email protected] Related Images infinx-healthcare-offers-special.jpg

Infinx Healthcare Offers Special Contingency Pricing on Its AR Optimization Solution Related Links AR Optimization | Infinx Healthcare Our Commitment During COVID 19 | Infinx Healthcare View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infinx-healthcare-offers-special-contingency-pricing-on-its-ar-optimization-solution-301030662.html SOURCE Infinx Healthcare

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW FAIRFIELD  The body of the New Fairfield man killed last year in a murder-suicide lay in his house for two days before police were alerted, according to recently released information from state police.

Police had previously been tight lipped about the April 2019 murder-suicide at 15 Cornell Road, but the case was recently closed, prompting state police to release the computer-aided dispatch notes requested last year through the Freedom of Information Act.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27

Trend:

Another provocation of Armenian Armed Forces has been suppressed, Azerbaijans State Border Service told Trend.

Units of the Armenian armed forces stationed near the village of Boganis of Armenias Noyemberyan region fired at border guard posts in the direction of Azerbaijans Gazakh region and supply service vehicles at the far border using large-caliber weapons and sniper rifles from 12:00, March 27, Azerbaijans State Border Service said.

The provocation was suppressed, combat and sniper positions, wherefrom the border-fighting posts of Azerbaijans state border service were fired, were suppressed by return fire.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 05:49:08|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A plane carrying medical supplies donated by a Chinese company arrives in Algiers, Algeria, on March 27, 2020. A plane carrying Chinese medical aid arrived on Friday at the International Airport of Algiers, as part of the Chinese efforts to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus in Algeria. The medical supplies worth 450,000 U.S. dollars were donated by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC).

ALGIERS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A plane carrying Chinese medical aid arrived on Friday at the International Airport of Algiers, as part of the Chinese efforts to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus in Algeria.

The medical supplies worth 450,000 U.S. dollars were donated by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC).

The donation ceremony at the airport was attended by senior Algerian officials, Chinese Ambassador to Algeria Li Lianhe and CSCEC Algeria Manager Zhou Sheng.

"China and Algeria are bound by deep friendship and strategic relations. At a time when Algeria urgently needs medical protection equipment, China has managed to urgently purchase the equipment and donate them to Algeria," Li said.

This first batch of donation contains 500,000 medical surgical masks, 50,000 N95 masks and 2,000 units of medical protective clothing and medical face masks as well as respirators for intensive care, he noted.

"The Chinese government, public and private charity foundations, Chinese companies based both in Algeria and China, and Chinese nationals living in Algeria are all mobilized to contribute to the efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 in Algeria," the ambassador said.

Meanwhile, Lotfi Benbahmed, Algeria's vice health minister in charge of pharmaceutical industry, hailed the deep and strong relations between Algeria and China reflected in the donation.

"We are very proud of the relations and we are committed to strengthening the relations for the benefit of our peoples," he said.

On Friday, the Algerian health authorities announced 409 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 26 deaths in the North African country.
India's largest automaker Tata Motors on Friday decided to convert its passenger vehicle business unit including its new found electric vehicle business into a separate subsidiary. The move is aimed at facilitating any potential alliance partnership for the future.

The new subsidiary would be led by the current president of the EV business, Shailesh Chandra from April 1 while the current managing director of the PV business unit Mayank Pareek will retire from the company in February next year.

"TML Board has in-principle approved to subsidiarise TML's PV business (Including EV) by transferring relevant assets, IPs and employees directly relatable to the PV business for it to be fully functional on a standalone basis through a slump sale. However, certain shared services and central functions will be retained at TML to deliver cost efficiencies for the entire group," the company said in a statement.

"This shall help provide differentiated focus for the PV and CV businesses and help each of them realise their potential. This decision is a first step in our plans to secure mutually beneficial strategic alliances for the domestic PV business and help secure its long-term viability."

ALSO READ:Tata Motors may shut Maharashtra plant due to COVID-19 concerns

The passenger vehicle business unit is considered the weaker of Tata's standalone India businesses. Tata Motors had reported a revenue of Rs 3.02 lakh crore in 2018-19 with the India business accounting for Rs 72,607 crore while its UK based subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover accounted for Rs 223,514 crore. The passenger vehicle business accounted for nearly 20 per cent of the India standalone business and less than 5 per cent in the consolidated company. During the fiscal the PV business unit had incurred a loss of over Rs 1,500 crore as against a loss of over Rs 3,800 crore in fiscal 2018. The commercial vehicle business unit had returned a profit of over Rs 3,500 crore in fiscal 2019.

"The Passenger Vehicle business landscape is seeing rapid transformation in the form of tightening emission norms, push towards electrification, enhanced disruptions from autonomous and connected technologies. Additionally, India continues to remain an attractive market for global OEMs while the aspiration levels of the Indian consumer continue to rise requiring stepped up investments in contemporary products in a competitive market.

The passenger vehicle business had seen a turnaround in sales in fiscal 2018 but a protracted slowdown in the domestic market has reversed the trend this fiscal. The company's overall sales are down 29 per cent in this fiscal so far. Commercial vehicle sales are down 27 per cent while passenger vehicle sales have declined by 35 per cent.

ALSO READ:Coronavirus impact: Tata Motors JLR to suspend production in UK from next week

"Over the last few years, TML's PV business has implemented a strong turnaround and has earned its right to grow by launching a slew of successful products like the Tiago, Tiger. Nexon. Hexa, Harrier and most recently the Altroz and Nexon EV. A fully refreshed BSVI ready product portfolio based on the Impact 2.0 design philosophy, consistently improving NPS scores, improved retail market shares and an exciting entry into the EV space coupled with improved profitability makes the business ready to realise its potential," the company said.

"However, the recent outbreak of COVID-19 virus increases the challenges faced by the business. In this situation our first priority is to secure the health and safety of our people while continuing to serve our customers and securing the viability of our ecosystem. Additionally, in sync with our strategy to "Win Sustainably" we will take decisive steps to strengthen our business over the long-term. A move towards subsidiarization of the PV business is the first step in securing mutually beneficial strategic alliances that provide access to products, architectures, powertrains, new age technologies and capital," it added.

The proposed transfer shall be implemented through a scheme of arrangement, which will be tabled for approval to the TML Board over the next few weeks. Implementation of the scheme is subject to regulatory and statutory approvals as applicable, including approval of shareholders and creditors. We expect the transfer process to be completed in the next one year.

ALSO READ:SIAM warns coronavirus to hit auto production, BS-VI rollout

The company has in the past made a few unsuccessful attempts at forming partnerships with global automakers. In 2015, it was in talks with French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen for a tie up that would have seen Tata manufacturing and producing the cars for the French company from its Sanand factory in Gujarat. The deal did not fructify. Then again in 2017, it signed an MoU with Skoda led Volkswagen Group to jointly develop a small car platform. It was called off after just four months.

With a clutch of Chinese carmakers looking to enter India, the new found subsidiary could become an easy target for a tie up. The other big Indian automaker Mahindra and Mahindra already has an alliance with US car major Ford.
- A 39-year-old Filipino working in Italy as a warehouse employee died of respiratory failure after having been infected with COVID-19

- The brother of the Filipino worker is worried because the latter is not a member of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

- Cost for cremation is usually shouldered by the family since the person is not a member of OWWA

- The Filipino worker previously had a heart attack in Italy and was admitted to the hospital for almost a year

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

The remains of the Filipino warehouse worker who died after contracting the coronavirus in Italy has not yet arrived in the Philippines.

ABS-CBN reported that his sibling is now asking for help in order to bring his remains back home.

KAMI learned that Angelo, the 39-year-old worker, is not a member of OWWA; hence, cremation and any other burial expenses would have to be shouldered by the family.

The sibling, who refused to be named, wishes even for just the ashes of his brother to be brought home.

It was found out that the Filipino was considered as an invalid and his allowance was not enough even for his own needs.

Sibling of COVID-19 positive Filipino who died in Italy seeks help to bring brother's remains home (Photo: vperemencom - Pixabay)

Source: Facebook

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, the government faced problems when they imposed the initial community quarantine, which was elevated into the now ongoing enhanced community quarantine. It also suspended transportation causing massive problems with commuters.

The coronavirus outbreak started out in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. Scientists believed that the virus came from an animal at one of Wuhan's wet markets. At present, the Philippines is under a state of calamity while the entire Luzon is under an enhanced community quarantine.

Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters!

Are you an avid fan of a celeb? You might want to challenge yourself and see if you can guess the voice of celebs through recordings. Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
On 26 March 2020, Singapores Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat unveiled the Resilience Budget, a second stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the Unity Budget announced on 18 February 2020, the government will be dedicating close to $55 bn, amounting to 11% of Singapores GDP.

resilience budget

Commenting on the Resilience Budget, Colliers International said, the Singapore government has announced a bold and decisive supplementary budget in Parliament on March 26, 2020 to tackle the deepening impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its economy.

Known as the Resilience Package, this second stimulus package  valued at an eye-catching SGD48 billion  will see Singapore drawing on national reserves to fund the support measures.

The Resilience Budget comprises new and enhanced measures aimed at helping to support businesses and households, protect livelihoods, as well as to strengthen social resilience, so as to emerge stronger from the crisis. Many of the measures in the Resilience Budget are also laser-focused on helping sectors most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak  such as the aviation and tourism-related industries.

The extra stimulus will take the governments COVID-19-related relief measures to about SGD55 billion, representing 11% of gross domestic product.

Ms Tricia Song, Colliers Internationals Head of Research for Singapore said:

We note that the Resilience Package did not offer measures that private housing developers had been hoping for  such as an extension of project completion timeline under the Additional Buyers Stamp Duty rules. That said, the stimulus package did provide other initiatives that will either directly or indirectly support the real estate sector, as outlined below:

Measures Supplementary Budget on 26 March Budget on 18 Feb Positive for sector/ group Property tax rebates for qualifying commercial properties including shops and restaurants 100% 15% Retail malls Property tax rebate for hotels, serviced apartments, tourist attractions, MICE venues 100% 30% Hospitality Property tax rebate for Integrated Resorts 60% 10% Property tax rebate for non-residential properties 30% None Industrial, warehouse, office landlords Rental waivers for non-residential tenants of state properties Such as hawker centres, JTC, SLA, HDB, URA, BCA, NParks, and PA 0.5 to 3 months 0 to 1 month Non-residential Deferment of income tax payments for companies and self-employed persons 3 months None Industry-wide Jobs Support Scheme 25% of monthly wages for every local worker in employment, capped at SGD4,600, for 9 months til end-2020 None Industry-wide Enhanced Jobs Support Scheme for Aviation, Tourism, Food Services, Land Transport, Arts & Culture sector Up to 75% wage offset, capped at monthly wage of SGD4,600 None Industry-wide Cash payout and grocery vouchers to households SGD300-900 SGD100-300 Industry-wide

Source: Colliers International, Ministry of Finance  Resilience Budget

Story continues

In particular, the property tax rebates for retail malls have been significantly boosted from just 15% to 100%. Depending on how badly hit their tenants are, we believe these tax rebates are broadly sufficient to provide for at least three months of 50% tenant rental rebates.

The hospitality sector which has borne the brunt of travel curbs arising from the pandemic will also see property tax rebates go up from 30% to 100%. Notably, the integrated resorts will get a 60% property tax rebate, up from 10% in the previous budget package. Meanwhile, the office, industrial and warehouse landlords  who were non-beneficiaries in the Budget announced in February  could now enjoy 30% property tax rebates.

These property tax rebates, alongside the deferment of income tax and various jobs support schemes will go some way to help improve companies cashflow and hopefully see them tide through this challenging time. Business viability is important in maintaining occupancy rates at commercial buildings.

Meanwhile, the enhanced cash payout to Singaporeans aged 21 and above as well as grocery vouchers  and initiatives to save jobs  will help households with their finances and support consumption.

Taken together, we believe the measures will help to buttress Singapores economy amid this mighty storm that is the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the Resilience Package CBRE noted that drawing up to $17 bn from its reserves, this will be the second time in history that Singapore has drawn down on its reserves after 2009. The Resilience Budget will be worth $48.4 bn, surpassing the record $20.5 bn stimulus package which had helped Singapore tide over the 2009 Global Financial Crisis and is more than seven times the $6.4 bn in the first tranche of COVID-19 support measures.

Mr Desmond Sim, CBREs Head of Research for Southeast Asia, commenting on the Resilience Budget said:

This additional package was widely anticipated and seen as a necessary cushion with Singapore not spared from the pandemic; its economy contracted 2.2% y-o-y in the first quarter of 2020, according to advance estimates released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on 26 March 2020. MTI also further downgraded Singapores GDP growth forecast for 2020 to -4.0% to -1.0% from -0.5% to +1.5% previously, signifying that the economy is expected to register its first full year recession in two decades.

This Resilience Budget consists of three main thrusts: 1) Save jobs, supporting workers and protecting livelihoods, 2) Helping businesses overcome immediate challenges, and 3) Strengthening economic and social resilience.

1) Save Jobs, Support Workers, and Protect Livelihoods

The schemes introduced aim to keep workers employed during this period of uncertainty. These include:

a) Government co-funding ratio (Enhanced Jobs Support Scheme) of wages for every employed local worker

Before After Local workers 8% 25% Food services sector 8% 50% Aviation & tourism sector 8% 75%

b) Enhanced Jobs Support Scheme totalling to $15.1 bn over three tranches in May, July and October

Before After Monthly qualifying wage $3,600 $4,600 Scheme duration 1 quarter 3 quarters

c) Helping families with daily expenses

Enhanced care and support Help for families with young children Triple one-off cash payout to $300-$900 for all adult Singaporeans aged 21 and above Additional cash payout to each parent tripled from $100 to $300 Enhanced workfare special payment Enhanced grocery voucher Cash payout of $3,000 this year Total of $400 in 2020 and 2021 for needy Singaporeans

d) Greater flexibility on fees and loans

 One-year freeze on government fees and charges

 Student loan relief: one-year suspension of loan repayment and interest charges

 HDB mortgage arrears relief: 3-month suspension of late payment charges

This is including a slew of other policies that provide support for self-employed persons, additional training, support for the unemployed and lower- and middle-income Singaporeans.

2) Help Businesses Overcome Immediate Challenges

The government announced numerous initiatives to ease cash flow for businesses. These include:

Enhanced property tax rebate for 2020 Enhanced rental waivers for government  managed properties  100% rebate for qualifying commercial properties such as hotels, serviced apartments, tourist attractions, shops and restaurants

 30% rebate for other non-residential properties

 Landlords are urged to pass these savings to tenants  Increased rental waiver from 1 month to 2 months, for stallholders in hawker centres managed by NEA or NEA-appointed operators

 Increased rental waiver from 0.5 months to 2 months for eligible tenants of government agencies

 All other non-residential tenants of government agencies receive 0.5 months of rental waiver

*Property tax rebate from 1 Jan 2020  30 Dec 2020

To tide over this outbreak, there will be a one-year freeze on government fees and charges from 1 Apr 2020 to 31 Mar 2021. Various measures were also introduced to support affected sectors such as the aviation, tourism, food services, land transport, as well as the arts and culture industry. $90 m will also be set aside to help the tourism industry rebound when the time is right.

3) Strengthen Economic and Social Resilience

Mr. Heng reassured Singaporeans that Singapore has built up a healthy stockpile of health supplies as well as food. There has also been additional support to achieve the 30 by 30 vision to produce 30% of our food locally by 2030 for food security.

The government acknowledges that it is costly for employers and households to implement safe distancing measures and that the government will offer help to cushion the impact.

CBRE Research Views

Overall, this stimulus package was more targeted to support Singaporeans and businesses, fortifying the original stimulus package (announced on 18 Feb 2020). It aims to provide a shot in the arm to cushion the impact and limit repercussions through the economy; relieving businesses of cashflow, credit and operational costs issues, as well as putting more cash in the hands of consumers.

With enhanced support for daily expenses, we expect domestic consumption to be shored up especially for non-discretionary items such as groceries and pharmaceutical products.

Landlords are expected to benefit from increased property tax rebates and highly encouraged to pass these on to tenants. All non-residential properties will enjoy a 30% property tax rebate, which is equivalent to 3% of rental relief per annum for non-residential properties. As for qualifying commercial properties such as hotels, serviced apartments, tourist attractions, shops and restaurants, the property tax rebate has been increased up to 100%. This translates up to 10% rental reprieve per annum for these qualifying commercial properties.

This additional support will further incentivise landlords to work with their tenants on easing their rental costs. In addition, both landlords and tenants can also focus on their cashflow with the deferment of income tax as well as the one-year freeze on government fees and charges. Going forward, we expect landlords to work more closely with tenants.

As the world continues to grapple with this pandemic, the Singapore government has tapped into our reserves to provide a package that aims to buffer the impact for all Singaporeans and businesses. Although it has been reported that this pandemic is likely to last for more than a year, it was mentioned that Singapore could dig deeper into our reserves for another stimulus, should the need arise. In addition to this financial stimulus, it remains of utmost importance to be socially responsible.

Keep calm and carry on.

The post Resilience Budget laser-focused on helping sectors affected by the COVID-19 appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
 ,                  .      -  ...
business Coronavirus pandemic: RBI General Das launches COVID-19 battle; over to government to wage war RBIs liquidity bonanza will make sure there is no immediate cash squeeze in the system and huge spike in NPAs on account of the adverse environment. This will help to avoid short-term panic
Muzay Man

27.03.2020 LISTEN

Sierra Leonean Artist Musa Conteh with stage name Muzay Man was adjudged the best male continental artist of the year 2019 at the Belgium All Works of Life (AWOL) awards.

This was after Muzay Man signed an international contract with Dutch Label.

The Dutch-based Sierra Leonean afro dancehall artist made the entire continent proud after picking up the award in Belgium which placed him top of the African music pyramid.

The award marked the culmination of years of hard work by the burgeoning artist who has been making waves in music all the way from his native Sierra Leone to the Netherlands and Belgium in Europe.

It also served as vindication for his major backer, Dutch woman Madam Greethe who in 2018 signed him to first international contract.

Madam Greethe had seen massive potential in Muzay Man and chose to invest in him, and his career.
Millions of Americans across the country face an additional hardship in their efforts to protect themselves from the coronavirus  lack of access to running water.

A 2016 survey of utility companies published by Food & Water Watch revealed that as many as 15 million people, or five per cent of households, could be without running water in any year.

With the first line of defence against the coronavirus pandemic being hand washing, people are struggling to maintain basic levels of hygiene to avoid getting ill, often relying on bottled water.

Water shut-offs typically arise from unpaid bills and usually last for a few days, but in areas where poverty is endemic and repairs to ageing properties are out of reach financially, they can go on for months or even years.

The Food & Water Watch survey found that shut-offs are more common in the South of the US, and there are hotspots in New Orleans and, in the north, Detroit.

In many cases the root cause is that water service is unaffordable, taking up to nine per cent of household income. Government funding is scarce for large-scale repairs to ageing infrastructure and the costs are being passed on to the consumer leading to dramatic price rises.

However, with the current crisis, some cities are tackling the problem head on. NBC News reports that more than 400 municipalities and states have suspended water shut-offs  but only 44 have promised to restore water to homes that have already lost it.

In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan rolled out a water restart plan on 9 March. The plan covers the cost of water restoration, limits residents payments to $25 a month, and defers old water debts until the health crisis is over. Repairs needed to restore water are being paid for by the city, state and the local plumbers union.

By Tuesday, some 700 homes had been reconnected, but unfortunately, the work takes time. Advocates are trying to make sure the sense of urgency is there given the current crisis, but also want to underline that this is an ongoing health emergency.

Abdul El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and former Detroit city health commissioner who ran for governor in 2018, has called on all cities to stop shutting off water, whether theres a crisis or not: It should not have taken a pandemic to get them to realise that maybe no water in peoples houses is a public health issue.
Response coordinator for White House Coronavirus Task Force Deborah Birx speaks, while US President Donald Trump listens, during the daily briefing on the CCP virus, at the White House in Washington, DC on March 24, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Birx: There Is No Present Shortage of Hospital Beds or Ventilators in New York

There is no present shortage of intensive care unit beds or ventilators in New York, according to Dr. Deborah Birx, a senior member of the White House coronavirus task force.

Birx made the comment during a White House briefing on March 26 in response to discussions in the media about the possibility that the states healthcare system may be overwhelmed by patients infected by the CCP virus.

We are reassured in meeting with our colleagues in New York that there are still ICU [intensive care unit] beds remaining and there are still significantover a thousand or two thousandventilators that have not been utilized yet.

Birx pointed to CNN and Washington Post coverage of do-not-resuscitate situations being discussed in some hospitals as being disconnected from the reality on the ground. A do-not-resuscitate order is written by a doctor in agreement with a patient or the patients family. CNN and the Post both reported on discussions at some hospitals of overriding the wishes of the patients and families in order to protect doctors and nurses from potential infection from resuscitation due to potential lack of protective gear.

Birx said such media reports are overblowing the significance of technical discussions which take place at hospitals as doctors and nurses prepare for worst-case scenarios which may or may not occur.

There is no situation in the United States right now that warrants that kind of discussion, Birx said.

You can be thinking about it in a hospital. Certainly many hospitals talk about this on a daily basis, but to say that to the American people, to make the implication that when they need a hospital bed its not going to be there, or when they need that ventilator its not going to be there, we dont have any evidence of that right now.

Birx was addressing the projected shortage of hospital beds and ventilators in New York state. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has regularly relied on a projection that New York will need 140,000 hospital beds and 30,000 ventilators. The state has an estimated 53,000 beds and is far short of the projected need for ventilators. Birx underlined that there is no current shortage and that the White House is constantly adjusting to the reality on the ground.

Right now you can see these cases are concentrated in highly urban areas. There are other parts of the States that have lots of ventilators and other parts of New York state that dont have any infections right now. So we can be creative. We can meet the need by being responsive.

At a coronavirus briefing in New York, Cuomo said the state is stockpiling ventilators for when they are needed.

We dont need them today because were not at capacity to day, the governor said. Thats why theyre not deployed, because theyre not needed.

Birx has recently been vocal in calling for a sense of calm and taking a rational view of some of the doomsday projections about the CCP virus.

New York has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States. The outbreak is concentrated in New York City, which reported 365 total deaths and over 30,000 confirmed cases on March 26.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
Bengaluru: India should take a cue from the UK and Italy and allow final year medical students to skip exam and bring them into the hospital system immediately to fight the war against COVID-19, noted cardiac surgeon Devi Prasad Shetty on Friday said.

The Chairman and Founder of the city-based Narayana Health said there should be some reforms in medical education like the UK and Italy.

In the UK, he noted, final year medical students have been told that they don't need to appear for the exam, and they will be given pass based on the past performance and they can get into the hospital system to fill the shortage.

Italy got 10,000 more doctors following the move to cut short the duration of MBBS by nine months, according to him.

COVID-19 battle can be only won by young doctors and young nurses. Its like a war, Shetty told PTI.

He said: Senior doctorsnone of them will be able to touch the patients because they are past the age of 50. A person who is past the age of 50 is very vulnerable himself.

This is a very contagious disease. "But we dont have that many battalion (of doctors). We need one and half lakh doctors to manage all these government

hospitals and private hospitals (to fight COVID-19)", he added.
A grandmother-of-two who has spent over 60,000 on plastic surgery, has praised the procedures for making her feel sexier than ever.

Prior to her first cosmetic procedure, Tara Ellis, 55 from Westhoughton, Bolton, used to hide under baggy clothes and shy away from social situations.

But now 30 years on, she's oozing with confidence and says she's regularly approached by men as young as 30.

The adult industry worker has spent 13,500 on three boob jobs and a whopping 30,000 on Botox and fillers alone.

Tara Ellis, 55, (pictured) from Westhoughton, Bolton, who has been having cosmetic treatments since her thirties, said she feels sexier than ever in fifties

Tara has spent over 60,000 on plastic surgery including a 9,000 thread face lift and 5,000 on liposuction. Pictured: Tara in her twenties

Along with 5,000 on liposuction and an additional 9,000 on a thread face lift which is a procedure that removes loose skin and 4,000 on veneers.

Tara who admits she is addicted to surgery, said: 'I was a tomboy growing up who used to wear tracksuits and very unflattering clothes with my hair covering my face.

'I cringe when I look back at photos.

'People never believe me when they find out I'm in my 50s, they think I am 35 which is a massive compliment.

'I look younger now and much sexier than I did when I was younger, but I certainly couldn't have done it without surgery.

'I first went under the knife when I was 33 to have my boobs done and I have never looked back since.

Tara (pictured) whose natural breast size was a B cup, claims having three children left them looking saggy

How much has Tara spent on surgery? Tara has had Botox twice for year for the past two decades. Pictured: Tara in January before her third liposuction THREE BREAST AUGMENTATION - 13,500 LIPOSUCTION X 3 - 5000 VENEERS - 4000 FAT FREEZE ON ARMS AND LEGS - 1500 FACIAL THREADS - 9000 BOTOX TWICE A YEAR FOR 20 YEARS - 20K FILLERS - EVERY 8 MONTHS - 10K for 20 years TOTAL - 63,0000 Advertisement

'My natural breasts were a B cup and saggy after having three children. So I had them enlarged to a DD, which gave me a new zest for life.

'It is addictive, but if I've got the money to do it and it makes me feel good, why not?

'It is a huge compliment knowing I can still turn heads at my age - especially when they are much younger than me in their 30s.

'I would never go there though, I'm not a cougar.

'However it is flattering and nice to be chatted up with someone who is young enough to be my son.'

Tara (pictured) who wears a UK size ten, revealed she has experienced jealousy from other women because of her appearance

Tara said she has become more feminine with age, opting for wearing tight jeans and dresses. Pictured: Tara in her twenties

Tara discovered Botox and fillers during her thirties, which require regular upkeep. She has spent 500 yearly on the treatments for the past two decades.

She says she also had liposuction three times along with an alternative liposuction procedure known as fat freeze for 1,500 on her arms and legs.

She now flaunts her size 10 body and says younger women are jealous of her.

Tara said: 'I have got much more feminine with age and I now love wearing tight jeans and dresses.

'Young women in the changing room have told me I have a 'body to die for' which is great to hear.

Tara (pictured) claims it's easier to have fat sucked out than to go to the gym, younger women in the changing rooms have said she has a 'body to die for'

The grandmother-of-two has had three boob jobs because her first enhancement was too big and the second exploded. Pictured: Tara in her twenties

Tara (pictured) explained that she has regular Botox and fillers to avoid wrinkles and ensure her cheeks look defined

'Whereas others are intimidated by me and very jealous because I have a fabulous lifestyle.

'I just get all the fat sucked out rather than go to the gym - it is easier!

'I've had three boob jobs as the first time they were too big so I had them reduced to a C cup but then one exploded and I had them replaced with a D cup.

'I regularly get Botox and fillers to ensure I have no wrinkles and my cheeks look defined and lips plump.

'But I keep it naturally and make sure I don't look over the top.

'I am finally comfortable in my own skin and I am not afraid to flaunt it.'
One of the many industries hit hard by the city and state shutdowns and social distancing practices caused by the rapid spread of Covid-19 is the movie business.

With movie theaters following the CDC's guidelines and closing across the country, studios are having to rethink how to release many of their new films.
The government should give each jobless Hongkonger HK$34,800 (US$4,500) over six months and offer compensation to those who catch the coronavirus at work, according to a charity which has reported a fourfold rise in unemployment among the citys poorest families during the health crisis.

Of the 324 people surveyed by Oxfam Hong Kong and Kwun Tong Methodist Social Service, only 32 were unemployed before Lunar New Year, but that figure had surged to 161 within two months.

The holidays started on January 25, the same week Hong Kong confirmed its first Covid-19 cases, which now number more than 450 citywide.

The poll was conducted between March 16 and March 22 on 364 low-income families, who lived in a subdivided flat or earned a household income lower than 70 per cent of the citys median.

They all lived in Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, Prince Edward, Tai Kok Tsui, and North District.

The citys official unemployment rate reached a nine-year high of 3.7 per cent in February.

Of the 161 unemployed respondents, 30 per cent said their employers or agents did not offer new job opportunities. Nearly a quarter (22 per cent), said they were laid off, while 13 per cent lost their jobs because their companies folded.

Moreover, 40 per cent of the respondents with jobs said their employers were considering firing them because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 75 per cent of those responding to the survey had no confidence in getting new jobs. Another 76 per cent said having short-term unemployment support would be helpful.

Some of the low-income households surveyed lived in Tai Kok Tsui. Photo: Felix Wong

Ho Yu-ying, a social worker at Kwun Tong Methodist Social Service, said Hong Kong did not have the welfare and insurance systems established by countries such as Britain, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

Ho said: The application requirement of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance is too strict for most of low-income families.

This system does not provide timely assistance to those facing short-term unemployment as a result of sudden economic problems like the coronavirus outbreak.

Story continues

The survey respondents monthly income is below HK$6,230 and HK$31,850 for one and four-person households respectively, Oxfam Hong Kong said.

The charity has called on the government to provide those out of work with unemployment benefits of HK$5,800 per month for at least six months, as well as more training to help them find jobs, and compensation for those who contract the virus at work.

Wong Shek-hung, project manager at Oxfam Hong Kong, said: Setting up an unemployment insurance system can provide the working class with more security, but this involves the reform of the social system.

In the long run, the government has the responsibility to look into how to establish an unemployment insurance system to help the unemployed.

The Hong Kong government has announced a series of funding measures designed to support low-income families this year, on top of its welfare programme, the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

In February, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor promised a special allowance of about $5,000 per family for about 200,000 low-income families in Hong Kong.

The government's flagship policy in last months budget speech was a HK$10,000 handout for all permanent residents.

Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.

This article Hong Kongs unemployed need HK$35,000 handouts as coronavirus accelerates job cuts among citys poorest, charities say first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020.
PORTLAND, Ore.  Even in a best-cased scenario, Oregon hospitals could come close to being overwhelmed by people with serious complications from the new coronavirus, according to new projections by the Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM).

On Thursday, the Oregon Health Authority held a press webinar on the state and healthcare providers' preparations as the number of cases continue to rise. At the forefront were three models from IDM based on different scenarios  a return to "business as usual," moderate intervention in Oregonians' everyday lives, and the current "aggressive interventions" aimed at enforcing social distancing.

About 80% of people who have #COVID19 will have mild to moderate flu-like symptoms, like a fever and cough. But if you're very ill or have trouble breathing, those are important reasons to be seen by a health care provider. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/xkZ6BfHevx  OR Health Authority (@OHAOregon) March 25, 2020

Based on the models, only the current strategy would come close to keeping Oregon's hospitals from becoming quickly overwhelmed, and it would still require that individuals practice a consistent level of responsibility.

These projections tell us the sacrifices Oregonians are making right now can save lives," said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state health officer at OHA. "At the same time, they paint a dark picture of what could happen. We cant afford to drop our guard.

Sidelinger told reporters that state healthcare providers currently have a total of 684 ventilators. Hospitals are also scrambling to gather enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to handle the rise in patients, what OHA's Dr. Dana Hargunani called a "coming surge."

Oregon's stay-at-home order: What does it mean and where am I allowed to go?

The OHA and individual hospitals are working to gather more ventilators and PPE, though they are having to rely on donations and contributions from federal partners for the latter.

In the best-cased scenario model of social distancing, Oregon would see an estimated 1,000 people infected with COVID-19 by May 8. Under this model, the number of people needing inpatient care at hospitals would most likely be manageable with the current steps that hospitals are taking to increase capacity and preparedness.

With the more intermediate model, which is based on banning large gatherings and maintaining school closures alone, there would be 6,100 cumulative infections by May 8, with an estimated 340 people needing inpatient beds.

The worst-case scenario reflects a return to "business as usual," if the state were to lift all social distancing measures. IDM estimated that this would result in 15,000 infections by May 8 and 1,100 people in need of inpatient beds.

Dr. Sidelinger noted that patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 might require care for three weeks or more. And hospitals in the state are not empty by any stretch of the imagination. Right now hospitals and other medical providers are canceling elective procedures and asking EMS services to divert patients to "lower levels of care" whenever able in order to free up space.

OHA said that these models are similar to earlier projections from researchers at OHSU, but take into account the possible impact of social distancing measures across the state.

Currently, OHA says that state agencies are working with hospitals and other healthcare providers on a plan to handle the incoming cases, whatever the outcome:

The state is collecting PPE for re-distribution to facilities in need.

Regional hospitals have signed mutual aid agreements to shift equipment, workforce and patients from overburdened facilities to others with adequate capacity.

The state is working with providers to stand-up alternate care locations (such as the Oregon Medical Station), identify and develop new alternate care sites, enable ambulatory care centers to house patients and re-purpose long-term care facilities.

The state and hospitals are sharing hospital bed utilization data so hospitals can manage the use of beds and equipment across their region.

The state is developing childcare options for health care workers, so their work isnt interrupted by school closings and family responsibilities.

Oregons health care system began preparing for a pandemic years ago, which gave us a head start on this plan," said OHA director Patrick Allen. "From expanding testing to securing more ventilators for Oregon hospitals, we are united by a set of common strategies to save lives in every corner of the state.

Thursday's webinar represented the unveiling of Oregon's joint statewide action plan, developed by the Governors Joint Task Force for Health Care Systems Response to COVID-19"  a coalition of state and local agencies, healthcare providers, and other organizations.

Hospital leaders and health officials are doing their part to find beds, secure supplies and protect health care workers. Oregonians can make a difference too: stay home and save lives. We all have a role to play in an unprecedented, unified effort across Oregon to stop the coronavirus from taking the tragic toll weve seen it claim elsewhere, said Governor Kate Brown.
Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here!

(Kitco News) - Repairs to Anglo American Platinums converter plant are continuing despite lockdown measures in South Africa to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, with work on the phase B unit expected to be done around May 25, the company said Friday.

South Africa is starting a three-week lockdown, which will impact mining. The country accounts for 70% to 75% of the worlds platinum and around 40% of the worlds palladium.

Amplats, the worlds second-largest platinum producer, declared a force majeure and cut its production guidance earlier this month after an explosion resulted in the shutdown of Anglo Converter Plant processing facilities. The blast occurred at a phase A unit at the Waterval smelter. Then, a phase B unit could not take over production when water was detected in the furnace. This meant the risk of another explosion, leading the company to shut down the plant. At the time, Amplats estimated repairs to the phase B unit would take 80 days, while repairs on the other unit would not be completed until early 2021.

Now, the company is curtailing a number of operations due to a lockdown in South Africa. Still, work on the phase B unit will continue, officials said.

Critical care-and-maintenance work will continue at all operations and will include the ongoing repair of the Anglo Converter Plant Phase B unit, to ensure the integrity of the assets, and prepare for a safe operational ramp-up, Amplats said. All required parts and equipment for the Phase B repair are on site and the estimated time for repair work remains 80 days, ending around May 25, 2020.

Amplats said it is ramping down underground mining operations at Amandelbult, the Modikwa and Kroondal joint ventures, as well as the Mortimer and Waterval smelters, placing them into care and maintenance during the lockdown. Meanwhile, in line with government regulations, mining operations that will continue on a reduced basis include the open-pit Mogalakwena mine and the mechanized Mototolo mine. The Polokwane smelter will also operate to smelt this material into furnace matte. The company said it is putting in place safety, health and hygiene measures.

Amplats said that it has agreed to pay all employees basic salaries, housing allowance and continue with contributions to medical and pension funds throughout the 21-day lockdown period.
Sinquerim: The Baga Beach bears a deserted look after the Goa Government invoked Section 144 in the wake of increasing cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus), in Sinquerim on March 21, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Panaji, March 27 : Chaos reigned on the streets of Goa on Friday after chief minister Pramod Sawant decided to open grocery stores, a decision he said taken "under duress".

Thousands of people thronged the streets from as early as 5 a.m. to scout for essential goods like rice, wheat flour, milk, oil and vegetables and mobbed grocers and other vendors paying scant attention to the social distancing norms, with the police, though deployed across the state, not enforcing the regulations, which are essential to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Opposition has now accused Chief Minister of lording over a total collapse in administration and abetting public chaos.

Earlier on Friday, the availability of essential food supplies in most stores across Goa dried up in the first few hours itself, on account of the rush of local buyers, who have been under lockdown since March 22. Goa had originally extended the one-day janata curfew by more three days, before seamlessly slipping into the 21-day curfew mode, with just a four hour relaxation window on March 23.

"There were no dry essential goods available by 6 a.m. itself. Some stores were open, but there was such chaos and panic buying that we opted not to venture out for safety reasons," Engelbert D'Mello, a finance professional and a resident of Bastora village in North Goa said.

Panic buying and violation of social distancing norms were also evident in major cities like Panaji, Mapusa, etc. Police, who have been criticized by civil society and the opposition in Goa for using excessive force and beating up people in order to enforce Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 21-day curfew over the last few days, were not involved in the enforcement of social distancing guidelines.

Sawant, who has been slammed by not just the civil society and opposition, but from his own party members over his decision-making related to the COVID-19 virus crisis, in a video message on Thursday had said, that his government should not be blamed for an increase in coronavirus spread, now that he was "forced to" open grocery stores under duress.

"We cannot say when and how the coronavirus can be transmitted. Therefore we should take care of ourselves. If tomorrow, coronavirus spreads in a big way in Goa, then you cannot blame the government," Sawant had said in his public message on Thursday.

"Government wanted a 100 per cent lockdown. The government did not want unnecessary contact because it could lead to the spread of the virus," the Chief Minister also said, adding that he was under duress to take a decision "due to complaints from many quarters".

The Opposition has now said that blaming people for his poor decision and abdication of responsibility is a sign of bad governance.

"No need of GOVERNMENT if people were expected to resolve all issues themselves. It's complete collapse of administration in Goa under @goacm which he admitted by blaming people," state Congress president Girish Chodankar tweeted on Friday.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
MANILA, Philippines  Senator Aquilino Koko Pimentel III on Friday said he is ready to face and will respond in due time to charges reportedly being prepared against him in line with his visit to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) while he was under investigation for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Pimentel said he will respond to the allegation after reading and comparing with what is in the law.

We are in an entirely new environment where everything is in a state of flux. I believe even the so-called protocols have changed over time. Everything will be clarified in due time, he said.

Former University of Makati Law Dean Rico Quicho said he and his associates are looking to file charges against Pimentel, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Quicho said they are determined to pursue charges against the senator for allegedly breaking the home quarantine protocol and unduly exposing MMC hospital personnel to possible infection.

He also expressed hope that the MMC would eventually press charges against Pimentel even if it has released a statement wanting to move forward from the issue.

We respect MMCs decision to just focus on the fight against COVID 19. We, on the other hand, will also do our part in making sure that our frontliners are protected from not just the virus but also against the abuses of those in power, he said.

Quicho said they are planning to charge the senator for violating Section 9 of the Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, which states that (d) Non-cooperation of persons and entities that should report and/or respond to notifiable diseases or health events of public concern; and (e) Non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of public concern.

Violators of the law may face fine of P20,000 to P50,000 or a jail term of one to six months.

Story continues

Quicho said Pimentel could also face suspension or revocation of his civil service eligibility, as well as disbarment for his actions.

Naiintindihan po natin ang pag-aalala ng isang expectant father who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19. But as a father, more so a public servant, he should also know the virtue in sacrifice, lalo nat maraming buhay ang nadamay at maraming frontliners ang na-expose. His selfish act led to the quarantine of a whole department and greatly handicapped critical medical services, he said.

Justice Secretary Menard Guevarra earlier assured that they will act upon the filing of a proper complaint by any interested party against Pimentel, and that they will temper the rigor of the law with human compassion as people are prone to commit violations during abnormal times.

But Quicho scored the Department of Justices indifference on Pimentels case, saying the senator clearly violated the protocol of home quarantine.

Hindi naman tayo papayag sa pinakitang indifference ng DOJ. Lalo natin dapat palakasin complaint natin. Malinaw na may paglabag si Koko sa mga batas. Hindi dahilan ang excitement para expose ang madaming tao at mga medical practitioners sa kapahamakan, he said.

Anong human compassion? Libu-libo hinuhuli on the spot for violation of enhanced community quarantine. Kasi nga kailangan social distancing, he added.  RRD (with details from Correspondent Harlene Delgado)

The post Senator Pimentel on possible raps over his breach of COVID-19 protocol: I will respond in due time appeared first on UNTV News.
4 Shares Share

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11th. Shortly thereafter, the governor of Massachusetts declared a state of emergency and recommended social distancing. Schools and daycares across the state closed. My hospital responded by postponing elective procedures and encouraged physicians to reschedule non-urgent patients in the clinic.

Across the country, within the span of a few days, peoples personal and professional lives were completely disrupted. As I scrambled to find childcare while deciding what patients could be rescheduled in the clinic and what necessitated an urgent visit, I felt as though all the careful order and control I had built into my life as a dual physician household with two young children had been wrested away from me.

So I decided to take back control of my life by potty training my toddler, because nothing restores control like dealing with a willful child. And what better time to potty train than in a pandemic where social distancing was becoming the norm? We were essentially quarantined, so now was the perfect time to practice the no-pants method of potty training.

Or so I thought. I had forgotten that my strong-willed child had to be sleep trained three times before finally sleeping through the night at 23 months of age. I was quickly reminded of this when my child peed on the floor, peed on my husbandessentially peed anywhere but the potty. I bribed her with chocolate chips each time she sat on the potty, but then we ran out of chocolate chips, so I went to the grocery store to buy more. I stood in a line 30 people deep just to get into the store and saw a man grab the last four bags of chocolate chips while I was stuck behind four grocery carts. (I hope hes making the worlds biggest chocolate chip cookie, because otherwise there is no excuse for that kind of behavior.)

I returned home defeated by the savagery witnessed in the grocery store, only to find a trail of feces from my older childs bedroom to the diaper pail in the toddlers bedroom. The toddler meanwhile was standing in front of the diaper pail, a gleeful smile pasted on her face, scooping poop into the pail. She proudly stated, I poop in the garbage!

And back to diapers we went. Potty training was officially over, and the conclusion I came to was that potty training during a pandemic is not recommended.

The irony is that while things were literally covered in feces and falling apart in my house, it reflected what was happening in the world around me. Daily emails from the hospital informed me of the lack of testing kits, face masks, and gowns. The pile of poop needing to be scooped into the diaper pail grew exponentially larger nationally as social distancing was ignored, and people willfully continued to live their lives as though all was normal.

Theres a pile of poop on the floor, people. We are living through a pandemic. Nothing will ever be normal again.

Even before this pandemic, our health care system was struggling. We spend over 17 percent of our GDP on health care but consistently have worse outcomes when compared to other high-income countries. As an OB/GYN, I am particularly aware of the disparate rates of maternal mortality in this country compared to other high-income countries. Maternal mortality is a good benchmark for a health care system as it measures the risk of pregnancy and delivery in an overall healthy patient population. A professor of mine in medical school joked that pregnancy was a pathologic state; it is a joke that I have come to appreciate as containing a kernel of truth after witnessing so much pathology even in my brief career. Yet, that pathologic state is often balanced by the fact that pregnant women are generally healthy. In addition, modern medicine has provided us the knowledge and tools to make pregnancy and delivery much safer. We can never take away all the risks of pregnancy and labor, so the maternal mortality rate may never be 0, but we can get it as close to 0 as possible. Yet our nation has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries and fails at making birth safer every single day.

Now we are taking a broken health care system and having it confront a pandemic. The health care system is struggling, but the test hasnt even come yet for the vast majority of states in the nation. SARS-CoV-2 shows no signs of abating, and nationally, cases of COVID-19 have surpassed 51,000. The pandemic has exposed the failings in our system, the discordant, disparate, and ineffective response as each hospital navigates on its own how to respond to an extraordinary situation. Paraphrasing Dr. Bharel from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health: we are past the stage of containment and are currently trying to mitigate the pandemic. In other wordstheres poop on the floor, and were trying to clean it up.

As an OB/GYN, I may never be on the front line of this pandemic. We also dont know how severe the pandemic will become in the United States, but as I read about the health care systems that are overwhelmed by the burden of disease in countries such as Italy and Spain, I cannot help but worry that soon we too will be facing a national shortage of ventilators, just as we already have a shortage of personal protective equipment.

While the opportunity for containment has passed, theres still time for mitigation. Amidst these uncertain times, the only thing we can be certain of is that we must temporarily halt peoples normal lives in order to contain an invisible but potent enemy. And as we look toward the future, we can begin to think about reforming a health care system that has failed us yet again, unless we want there to be more poop on the floor.

Huma Farid is an obstetrics-gynecology physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Infosys on Friday said it has terminated the services of the employee who had made an "inappropriate post" on social media related to the coronovirus outbreak.

Infosys, in a tweet from its official handle, said the social media post by the employee is against its code of conduct and its commitment to responsible social sharing.

"Infosys has completed its investigation on the social media post by one of its employees, and we believe that this is not a case of mistaken identity," it noted.

The Bengaluru-based company further said the company has a "zero tolerance policy towards such acts and has accordingly, terminated the services of the employee".

The individual, whose post triggered an outrage on Twitter on Thursday, had said "Let's join hands, go out and sneeze with open in public. Spread the virus" in the post.

Infosys had on Thursday tweeted that it was deeply concerned with the post and that it would take necessary action based on its investigation.

The deadly coronavirus, which started in China and has spread to many parts of the world. In India, the number of positive cases in India touched 724, and has claimed 17 lives so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
T he coronavirus lockdown may have removed Londons chefs from their beloved restaurants, but it hasnt necessarily kicked them out of the kitchen.

Many of the capitals top culinary creatives are quite rightly taking the governments advice and staying at home, meaning their cooking exploits are currently confined to their non-professional kitchens.

While we are all plainly envious of their families/self-isolation buddies, many chefs are giving us a little taste of high-end home cooking by showcasing their talents (and tips) via Instagram.

Need some inspiration for your socially distanced dinners? In a big week for sweets and pastry, check out what three of the capitals top chefs cooked this week.

Tom Booton - Potato terrine with brisket and broccoli

Tom Booton came to the Grill at the Dorchester last year as its youngest head chef in its 88-year history, aged just 26. He was initially tasked with shaking up the menu, but hes now had to mastermind the restaurants first ever delivery service too. Booton gave some of his make-it-yourself kits a go in his own home this week, putting the finishing touches to this delivered side dish of potato terrine with brisket and tenderstem broccoli. The Grill at the Dorchester MIY is available to order now via Slerp.

Noor Murad - Zaatar mac and cheese

Noor Murad is usually hard at work in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen based in Camden, but lockdown has seen her head back to her native Bahrain to be with her family. That doesnt mean shes stopped testing recipes, however. With her mixed British-Bahraini heritage, Murad loves to combine European and Middle Eastern flavours, and this week cooked up a Middle Eastern take on mac and cheese, made with both cheddar and feta, a zaatar pesto, fried onions and a pinch of turmeric and toasted cumin seeds.

Zoe Adjonyoh - Hibiscus foccacia
Detectives are investigating if a pensioner was murdered during a burglary at her home before being left undiscovered for almost a week.

The victim has been named locally as Ann Butler (70), who lived alone at Maudlin Street in Kilkenny city.

A man in his late 20s was last night being quizzed by gardai on suspicion of her murder.

The Herald has learnt that the suspect, who is from Kilkenny, alerted officers himself to the scene on Wednesday evening.

He brought gardai to Ms Butler's home and when they made the gruesome discovery they arrested him at the scene.

Searches at three other locations have also been carried out as part of the investigation.

Detectives are trying to establish the circumstances surrounding Ms Butler's murder and one line of inquiry is that she was killed in the course of a burglary.

Mortuary

A post-mortem was being carried out at a Dublin mortuary yesterday evening.

A source told the Herald: "The suspect is known to gardai but has not come to attention for any serious offences. He would be a petty criminal.

"There is no known connection between this individual and the deceased, and one avenue is that this was a burglary that went wrong."

Locals reacted with shock that such a vulnerable and elderly person could be found dead in suspicious circumstances.

Yesterday morning the scene remained sealed off, with garda tape stretched across the front of the small house in Maudlin Street in the north of the city close to the River Nore.

It is one of three houses grouped together and accessed by a small flight of steps.

Two gardai were on duty outside and Ms Butler's body remained in the house.

Members of the Garda Technical Bureau then arrived and carried out a forensic examination of the scene inside and outside.

Then just before 1pm a hearse arrived and Ms Butler's body was removed to the morgue.

Locals described the pensioner as independent but vulnerable.

She was often seen in the town but had not been spotted out since the weekend.

Neighbours became aware that something was wrong late on Wednesday evening when gardai, who appeared to have been acting on information, began calling to houses on the narrow street.

"It seems they had some limited information and were working on that," said one local man.

"They were knocking on doors and asking people about neighbours, and somebody must have said that Ann had not been seen.

"We haven't seen her since the weekend anyway, so it is possible she was there that long.

"Then the gardai went into the house and it was sealed off."

Local woman Jill Kavanagh brought flowers to the scene and gave them to a garda who then brought them down the small avenue to Ms Butler's house.

"This is a tight-knit community and we all look out for one another. We all know each other by name," she said.

"I'm shocked that this could happen on this street with its lovely people and lovely history.

"You would often see Ann out and about, and everyone around here knew her. People looked out for her because she didn't have it easy."

Another woman who lives locally said Ms Butler had her troubles in the past and that there should have been better systems in place to care for her.

"The system failed Ann, in my view. Somebody owed her a duty of care and it just didn't happen," she said.

"I've been on to the gardai several times out of concern, and now this is the situation we are in."

Unexplained

A Garda spokesman said officers were investigating "the circumstances surrounding the unexplained death" and added that a man was in custody on suspicion of murder.

The suspect is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at Kilkenny Garda Station.

Gardai are appealing for anyone with information in relation to the incident to contact Kilkenny Garda Station on 056 7775000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
Due to COVID-19

JK Tyre & Industries has decided to suspend operations at its administrative office, sales offices and all its manufacturing facilities across India - Karnataka , Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand (through Cavendish industries Ltd.- subsidiary) until further notice.

In an effort to mitigate the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Company has also put in place stringent measures to safeguard its employees and other stakeholders, including travel restrictions, remote working, social distancing and sanitising of facilities, etc.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PRESIDENT John Magufuli has implored government leaders at all levels to act responsibly and address burning issues facing Tanzanians swiftly, instead of waiting for intervention from security organs.

Likewise, Dr Magufuli heaped praises on the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Mr Charles Kichere and the Director General of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Brigadier General John Mbungo, for the good job they have done in their respective offices.

The President made the remarks yesterday at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma shortly after he received the Annual Audit Report from CAG and the PCCB report for the year 2018/19.

He said all leaders should work effectively in the interest of the public, provided that they have all the needed resources.

The report from PCCB indicates that the agency managed to recover 8bn/- that was stolen by a few individuals from cooperative unions, but thank God we have all government leaders with all the resources. My call is that every leader should play their roles effectively, Im commending PCCB for a job well done, he said at the event that was broadcasted live.

Receiving the CAG report, President Magufuli said the government will go through it and deliver it to parliament for further procedures as required by the law.

Equally, he said the government will continue to take appropriate action from the recommendations, and instructed all government leaders whose dockets have been mentioned in the reports to respond accordingly.

Dr Magufuli asked the police force to tighten loopholes that led to the paying of 193.13 m/- to eleven officers who have died, retired or sacked from service, contrary to the Public Services Regulations of 2001.

Presenting the report, Mr Kichere said among public offices that have received qualified audit reports include Tanzanias Embassy in Ethiopia over misappropriation of funds.

In his response, President Magufuli said he has already recalled Tanzanias Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ms Naimi Aziz.

Due to that, I have called her back home and she is no longer our diplomat there, this should be a lesson to other Ambassadors abroad, so that they should not think that we are not serious on this matter, he said.

He was also in favour of the decision by the CAG to start auditing public institutions, saying the move has come at the right time and it will help the government save a lot of money that would have been spent on paying private auditors.

In 2018/19, the CAG audited ten institutions and saved 1.4bn/- that was to be paid to private auditors.

The decision is perfect... Its a true patriotism, how many institutions do we have in the country? And what if all of them are to be audited by private firms? A lot of money would have gone for sure. Im so impressed by this decision, said the head of state.

He also gave permission to employ 25 professionals of different cadres as requested by the CAG in order to improve capacity of the audit team.

In another development, President Magufuli said the government will continue to hold key meetings, and that the threat of coronavirus wont change anything.

According to him, there are official meetings and activities such as parliament meetings, general elections and other key programmes that cant be postponed because of the COVID-19.

General elections will be held as scheduled, we shall not postpone it some of these activities cant be postponed, as you can see, even in the most affected countries they are still holding parliamentary sessions as usual, said the President.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced fresh restrictions during the lockdown period to avoid people's unnecessary movement as the state is entering the second stage of coronavirus spread. The fresh restrictions will come into force from March 29. The Chief Minister appealed to the people to cooperate with the steps taken by the government.

Here are the fresh restrictions:

1 Petrol bunks will function only between 6 am and 2.30 pm., However, the exclusive bunks for government vehicles and 108 ambulances will continue to function round the clock.

2 All grocery and vegetable shops, including Koyambedu market in Chennai, should be kept open only between 6 am and 2.30 pm. However, eateries (only takeaways) and medical shops can function throughout the day.

3 Swiggy, Zomato, Ubereats will be allowed to deliver food in three time slots - 7 am.to 9.30 am, 12 noon to 2.30 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm. Those engaged in this service should be allowed to go out only after health check-up.

FULL STORY: Food delivery apps, grocery stalls in Tamil Nadu to work during allotted hours

4 Not more than 20 people can attend funerals.

5 There are workers who are unable to return to their native in other states. The companies which employ them should make arrangements for their stay. Similarly, Chennai Corporation and respective district administrations will make arrangements for the workers in Tamil Nadu who are unable to go to their States.

6 Those who have returned from foreign countries after February 15 and those who were in contact with them should home quarantine themselves voluntarily and inform this to the district administration.

7. Vehicles carrying vegetables and fruits should download the goods at Koyambedu market between 6 pm.and 6 am. Efforts to maintain hygiene in the market should be intensified.

8 People are advised not to distribute cooked food to the needy people. Instead, they can hand over things necessary for cooking to Chennai Corporation Commissioner in Chennai and District Collectors in rest of the districts.

9 Those who are willing to create additional facilities in the hospitals are requested to approach the administration of the respective hospitals.
27 out of 50 states lack an online portal or capability of signing and submitting forms online

Mobile document/form signing is largely overlooked among state agencies

Leading states (e.g. Washington, Ohio) offer one online portal for all professional licensing

In 1960, only one in 20 U.S. jobs required a professional license. Today, one in four workers  or about 40 million individuals  require government approval via a license to perform their jobs. That means states need to process millions more professional licenses today than ever before. At the same time, the public expects governments level of service to be as good as or better than they receive from commercial organizations.This year, the landscape changed dramatically as concern over the spread of COVID-19 caused a massive and sudden shift to a remote workforce. This shift has huge implications for professional licensing. In a work-from-home world where government offices are suddenly closed, government workers are remote, and theres no one around to check the mail, an analog licensing process is simply no longer feasible. This is especially critical because healthcare workers  who need professional licenses to work  are on the front lines of fighting this disease. More barriers created by an inefficient process are the last thing we need.In fall 2019, we commissioned a study with the Center for Digital Government (CDG) to evaluate the availability and accessibility of professional licensing applications throughout the 50 states. Each states processes were assessed to see how professional licensing documents, forms and other agreements can be accessed, signed and submitted by the public. Some interesting highlights from the study:As the survey indicates, there is huge potential for improvement, especially because the number of jobs that require a professional license continues to grow. For example, most healthcare jobs require a license, and employment in healthcare occupations alone is projected to grow 14 percent between 2018 and 2028 . To handle this onslaught -- especially because government agencies generally cant add staff  the processes involved need to become much more efficient.Strategic use of technology is one way to streamline professional licensing. As mentioned earlier, our survey found mobile document access and form signing are still largely overlooked by state agencies. Yet as more people use mobile devices, offering mobile access to documents and the ability to sign documents using a mobile device is a critical component of meeting the customer where theyre at. For example, I recently purchased a new home. I signed most of the documents required for that purchase using DocuSign and my mobile phone. Enabling similar methods can help government agencies streamline processes, lower costs and reduce reliance on paper.Similarly, states can move the entire professional licensing application process online. According to the CDG survey, only 21 states currently allow people to submit professional licensing forms online. When doing so, states should ensure the entire process is truly online-enabled. Replacing a paper process with a virtual paper process is not going to move the bar in terms of improving efficiency. If applicants still have to print, hand sign documents and then upload them, you arent necessarily improving the experience. But if a state can fully digitize the process, allowing applicants to fill out a form online, digitally sign it and submit it electronically, theyve made progress. A process like renewing a license  where the state entity already has an applicants vital details in their database  is typically an easy place to start. Once states move these processes online, sudden and unexpected disruptions like the COVID-19 outbreak will no longer bring activities like professional licensing to a standstill.The CDG study also found most states rely on decentralized licensing processes. Each occupation tends to have its own professional board responsible for reviewing information and issuing licenses. But because each boards processes are similar, theres an opportunity to leverage economies of scale and create a more efficient, centralized process. For example, Washington state took a unique approach to licensing and developed one unified e-licensing portal for drivers, vehicles and professional licenses. The Washington Department of Licensing, as its known, now manages over 300,000 professional licenses for individuals and businesses each year. Ohio took a similar approach.Its also worth noting that professional licensing is a key way governments raise revenue. According to data from the U.S. Census of Governments, licensing and permitting fees account for around six percent of state budgets on average. In states that dont have an income tax, that percentage can be as high as 40 percent. States that make their licensing and permitting processes more seamless and digital can raise more revenues faster while improving the licensee experience.The good news is, modernizing professional licensing isnt difficult. If you take the time to reimagine how the process works and how technology can help, youll see how some straightforward changes can enable your agency to spend more time delivering services and less time focused on paperwork.i National Council of State Legislators Occupational Licensing Project, http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/occupational-licensing.aspx ii U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.html iii Washington Department of Licensing, https://www.dol.wa.gov/about/docs/2019-CY-stats-at-a-glance.pdf
The $2 trillion stimulus bill in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was passed by the House on Friday, March 27 and signed by President Donald Trump.

The plan includes a one-time direct payment, which some Americans started receiving this weekend, according to the IRS. Individuals will receive up to $1,200, married couples will get up to $2,400 and $500 will be added for every child.

There are income restrictions: If you earn more than $75,000 as an individual or $150,000 as a couple, the total amount you're eligible to receive starts to decrease. If you earn $99,000 or more as an individual or $198,000 as a couple, you aren't eligible to receive a stimulus check.

To help you figure out how much money you'll likely receive, Grow, a personal finance website published by CNBC and Acorns, created a calculator that factors in your filing status, annual income and the number of kids you have.
Two North Iowa businesses have temporarily expanded their product list to help fulfill a need for plastic medical facemasks.

Metalcraft's Chief Operating Officer Kyle Bermel said the company was just one of many looking for ways to help where it could during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The property identification company's leaders looked at its 3D printer, which it uses to create prototypes of its RFID tags, and its benchtop laser cutter and wheels began to turn.

How could these tools, on pause during a slowdown, be used to benefit Iowa's medical community?

Turns out, Bermel said, the 3D printer is well suited to "print" the foam halos that go around health care workers' heads and upon which a plastic shield is mounted. The bench laser-cutter can make various-sized plastic shields.

So both are humming along now, knocking out a low volume of halos and shields for local medical facilities, Bermel said.

And Metalcraft acquired a local partner of sorts in its effort. Garner-based Stellar Industries President Dave Zrostlik heard and read the stories about other companies' efforts, including Metalcraft's, which caused him to ask the same question: What can we do?

Stellar has two large format 3D printers, and after one of the company's engineers worked with Metalcraft to get the correct print to plug into the printer's software, the two printers together will generate about 40 halos a day. The printers were working on their first halos on Friday afternoon, Zrostlik said.

Stellar will send the halos over to Metalcraft to be sent wherever they're most needed locally.

But a few dozen halos and a couple hundred of shields a day won't do it, so Metalcraft has also invested in the dies that will allow their machines to make up to tens of thousands of the plastic masks a day. In that effort they are joining several other companies around the state with the project being overseen by the state.

Despite the investment in the dies, which will arrive in time for the company to start mass producing next week, it's not a new product line Metalcraft expects to make permanently.

"We're just trying to help out where we can," Bermel said.

Jaci Smith is the editor of the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @IowaJaci.


WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - In view of the fall in demand for automobiles and the challenges in the supply chain due to coronavirus outbreak, Volkswagen extended its production at its passenger cars brand, commercial vehicles as well as Volkswagen group components until April 9. Earlier on 21st, the German carmaker has closed most of its factories for two weeks.



The company said the application for an extension of short-time working for a total of 80,000 employees of Volkswagen AG has been submitted and plans to end short-time working with the night shift of April 9 to 10.



Volkswagen said its Dresden, Emden, Osnabruck, Wolfsburg, and Zwickau as well as the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles plant in Hanover, the plants of Volkswagen Group Components at Brunswick, Kassel, Salzgitter, Chemnitz and Hanover and the German plants of SITECH are affected.



Further, the company said it is preparing intensively for the resumption of production and the protection of employees will once again be significantly strengthened.



Andreas Tostmann, Member of the Volkswagen brand Board of Management responsible for Production and Logistics said, 'The health of our employees has the highest priority. We will ensure that they can return to safe workplaces when production and logistics activities are resumed.'



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
NAIROBI - Late Thursday, the State Department posted a request on its website and on Twitter to "encourage medical professionals seeking work in the U.S. on a work or exchange visitor visa (H or J), particularly those working on #COVID19 issues, to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate for a visa appointment."

The announcement also indicated that those who were already in the United States on those visas should talk with their sponsors about extending them.

Routine visa services at U.S. embassies across the world were suspended March 20, as most embassies evacuated staff and shrank to skeleton staffs carrying out essential services. In a simultaneous missive Thursday, the State Department also announced that in-person interviews will be waived for H-2 visas (which include medical professionals) for both returning and first-time applicants.

On Friday, State Department officials clarified their original posting, saying they were only processing people already accepted for jobs or studies in the United States.

Ian Brownlee, the assistant secretary of state for Consular Affairs, said the United States was not seeking new applicants or giving preference to medical professionals. But he acknowledged that the initial message on the website was "not as clear as it might have been."

"We're ready to work with people who are already accepted into existing U.S. programs, and had otherwise planned to travel to the United States," he told reporters. "We are not going out looking for others. These are people who were ready to come in."

While the State Department has suspended routine visa services, Brownlee said they are still processing some visas for "certain cases." Among those are visas for American couples seeking to adopt a child overseas, immigrants who might otherwise age out of eligibility, and medical professionals who already had been accepted for work or study.

Asked why it was considered necessary to put out a statement singling out medical professionals working on coronavirus, Brownlee said he would have to look into "how this all came to pass" before he could answer.

The initial announcement was widely panned on social media by users across the world who accused the U.S. government of promoting a potentially deadly brain drain of doctors and nurses away from countries with weaker health systems.

Others noted how difficult procuring these visas can be in normal times, often taking years to process, and were resentful that the rules would be changed so drastically in a moment of crisis.
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - In its efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, Tunisia has launched a mobile clinic to follow patients in confinement, immigrants or homeless people
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) -Contact Gold Corp. (TSXV: C) (the "Company" or "Contact Gold") is pleased to announce the terms of a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of up to 7,500,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds of up to $750,000.

Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder to purchase an additional Common Share at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 24 months from the closing date (the "Expiry Date"). In the event that at any time between four months and one day following the closing date and the Expiry Date, the Common Shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") at a closing price which is equal to or greater than $0.30 for a period of ten consecutive trading days, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof and in such case the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date such notice is provided.

Net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used to undertake further drilling at Contact Gold's Green Springs & Pony Creek gold projects located in Nevada, and for general working capital.

Green Springs Project:

The past-producing Green Springs gold project is located at the southern end of Nevada's prolific Carlin Trend, 60 km southwest of the historic mining centre of Ely, Nevada in a region hosting numerous producing and past producing Carlin-type gold deposits. Green Springs encompasses 16 km2 and is approximately 10 km east of Fiore Gold's Gold Rock Project, 10 km south of Waterton's Mt. Hamilton gold deposit and 20 km southeast of Fiore Gold's producing Pan Mine.

In 2019 Contact Gold confirmed that past drilling at the Echo and Charlie zones hit entirely oxidized gold mineralization in 4 drill holes that were re-assayed for cyanide solubility. Subsequently Contact Gold started a drill program to follow-up and extend oxide gold mineralization from in the known zones and drilled 1,300m in 10 drill holes. Contact Gold recently reported new oxide gold discoveries at the Alpha and Echo Zones.

2019 Drill Highlights include:

4.09 g/t Au over 38.10 m in hole GS19-09 (Echo, news release January 28, 2020 )

1.02 g/t Au over 22.86 m in hole GS19-10 (Bravo, news release February 12, 2020 )

1.68 g/t Au over 35.05 m in hole GS19-03 (Alpha, news release January 14, 2020)

In 2020, the Company anticipates continuing exploration on the Green Springs property. The Company plans to grow discoveries at Alpha and Echo Zones as well as drill new target areas.

Pony Creek Project:

The Pony Creek project is located on Nevada's prolific Carlin Trend, immediately south of Gold Standard Venture's Railroad project and 20 km south of the Nevada Gold Mines Joint Venture's Rain and Emigrant gold mines. Pony Creek totals 81 km2 of prospective mineral tenure and hosts multiple Carlin Type gold occurrences, including the Bowl and West Zones, and multiple untested exploration targets.

In 2018 Contact Gold made a new gold discovery at Pony Creek's Stallion Zone, with near surface oxide gold mineralization in drilling over a 2.3 kilometre strike length.

During 2020, the Company anticipates continuing exploration on the Pony Creek property. The Company plans to grow the new discovery at the Stallion Zone and drill new targets Palomino, Mustang and Elliott Dome.

Details of the Offering:

The offered securities have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, any person in the United States or any "U.S person", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. Offers and sales in the United States will be limited to institutional accredited investor. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four month and one day statutory hold period in Canada, and are also deemed to be "restricted securities" under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, which generally requires a one-year hold period. Completion of the Offering is subject to the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the conditional approval of the TSXV.

Certain persons may be eligible to receive finder fees, payable in cash, in connection with the Offering.

Closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about April 22, 2020.

About Contact Gold Corp.

Contact Gold is an exploration company focused on producing district scale gold discoveries in Nevada. Contact Gold's extensive land holdings are on the prolific Carlin, Independence and Northern Nevada Rift gold trends which host numerous gold deposits and mines. Contact Gold's land position comprises approximately 140 km2 of target rich mineral tenure hosting numerous known gold occurrences, ranging from early- to advanced-exploration and resource definition stage.

Green Springs and Pony Creek are early stage exploration properties and do not contain any mineral resource estimates as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). There has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource estimate at Green Springs and Pony Creek. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in targets at either project being delineated as a mineral resource. There are no assurances that the geological similarities to projects mentioned herein (or documents referenced herein) operated by Gold Standard Ventures, Waterton, Fiore Gold or the Nevada Gold Mines Joint Venture, will result in the establishment of any mineral resource estimates at any of the Company's property interests including Green Springs or Pony Creek, or that the projects can be advanced in a similar timeframe.

Additional information about Pony Creek is summarized in the NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Pony Creek Project, Elko County, Nevada, USA" prepared for Contact Gold, with an effective date of October 16, 2018, and dated October 22, 2018, as prepared by Vance Spalding, C.P.G; VP Exploration of Contact Gold, and can be viewed under Contact Gold's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Vance Spalding, CPG, VP Exploration, Contact Gold, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of NI 43-101.

Additional information about the Company is available at www.contactgold.com.

For more information, please contact: +1 (604) 449-3361

Matthew Lennox-King - President & CEO

E-mail: info@ContactGold.com

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to the Offering generally, the anticipated closing and successful completion of the Offering, the use of proceeds therefrom, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals including TSXV conditional approval, and proposed exploration activities of the Company on the Green Springs and Pony Creek properties and the results thereof.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; receipt of applicable regulatory approvals including TSXV conditional approval of the Offering; availability of financing; business integration risks; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53873
The pace of testing in California had remained stubbornly low for weeks, but it appears to be on the rise. Still, the state, with twice the population of New York, has conducted far fewer tests for the virus. Limited testing in California may mean that the state may never get a clear handle on how many are infected.

In Louisiana, as testing ramped up, the number of cases surged. The state may be experiencing the worlds fastest rate of growth in new cases, which is largely attributed to Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.

Washington State, where the first confirmed U.S. case was reported in January, faced a myriad of delays before large-scale testing began. Doctors in the state eventually began testing for the virus, without government approval, and found that it was already spreading locally.

New York has been testing aggressively. Health officials there say that a significant increase in testing has revealed the extent of the outbreak, especially in the New York City region, which is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic .

Within the country, there is tremendous variation in the rate of testing among states. Thats partly because testing protocols and reporting procedures are often at the discretion of individual primary care physicians and public health departments at the state, county or city level.

But the United States, which has the most known coronavirus cases in the world, continues to lag in tests per capita, according to an analysis of estimates from the COVID Tracking Project . Both South Korea and Italy have much smaller populations than the U.S.

This week, the number of coronavirus tests in the United States surpassed those in South Korea and Italy  two countries that had been testing more aggressively.

About 65,000 coronavirus tests are being performed on Americans each day  a meteoric rise from just 10 days ago. But public health experts say that about 150,000 tests are needed every day, so that infected patients can be quickly identified and separated.

The United States cannot even test everyone who is sick because of a shortage of testing kits and personal protective equipment for health care workers. At the Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, the line of people waiting outside for a test forms as early as 6 a.m., with some staying until 5 p.m. Many go home without being tested.

Early flaws in the testing process  like not relying on the World Health Organizations coronavirus test and problems with the test kits  cost the United States valuable time and has left the country with a haphazard testing process from coast to coast.

If youve seen how one county does it, then youve seen how one county does it, said Dr. Gary L. LeRoy, a family practitioner in Dayton, Ohio, who is the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, which represents nearly 135,000 doctors and medical students nationwide.

Public health laboratories in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. are now testing for the coronavirus and many more labs are completing testing verification procedures outlined by the Federal Drug Administration. But some states are actively discouraging testing for anyone who is not showing symptoms, and a request from a doctor is no guarantee of a test, Dr. LeRoy said.

The state labs are largely being used for patients identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as high priority. This includes hospitalized patients with symptoms compatible with the coronavirus; those over 65; those with chronic medical conditions or compromised immune systems; those who show symptoms within 14 days of being in contact with a confirmed coronavirus patient; and those with a history of travel to China, Italy, Iran or South Korea.

Many states are also working with private companies like Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp for testing, both of which take up to five days to process tests, much longer than state labs. There are drive-through locations in every state, but they are few and far between, and many are limited to health care workers and first responders.

At a virtual town hall event for primary care doctors across the country on Wednesday night, many doctors were still asking about the availability of tests and how to get them, Dr. LeRoy said.

Its like sending the troops out there without ammunition and wondering why the battle is being lost, he said. We should have been the first to have the testing capability, the equipment and the knowledge.
The coronavirus pandemic, that has forced billions of people across the globe to stay home, is making parents skip routine immunisations for their kids, the United Nations childrens agency UNICEF warned on Thursday.

Highlights UNICEF says coronavirus outbreak making parents skip routine immunisations Pakistan and other impoverished countries are of particular concern Pakistan has more than 1100 Covid-19 patients, has sought funds from IMF, World Bank

Of particular concern are impoverished and war-torn countries battling measles, cholera or polio outbreaks, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Philippines, Syria and South Sudan.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries where polio remains endemic.

Even before the coronavirus crisis Pakistan was struggling to vaccinate kids as local populations viewed inoculation teams with suspicion.

Opposition grew after the CIA organised a fake vaccination drive to help track down Al-Qaedas former leader Osama Bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

Vaccine alliance GAVI, which is making funding available for lower-income countries to respond to the coronavirus crisis, also called for routine immunisations to continue.

We cannot have two global outbreaks on our hands, GAVI chair Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement on Thursday.

Pakistan has, meanwhile, sought US $3.7 billion additional loan from three multilateral creditors to cope with the economic crisis being posed by the coronavirus outbreak, as the pandemic spread further in the country, infecting over 1,100 people and killing nine so far.

In addition to US $1.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will extend loans of US $1 billion and US $1.25 billion respectively to the country, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier announced a Rs 1.2 trillion economic relief package.

Slight improvement was seen in worst-hit Sindh as the number of new cases slowed but it was increasing in Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and federal capital areas. Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said 12 more coronavirus cases were reported, taking the total provincial tally to 131.
Henry Ford Health System developed an emergency policy to determine which patients can access life-saving ventilators if the coronavirus pandemic causes a shortage of available equipment.

A letter from the Detroit hospital network circulating online states patients who have the best chance of getting better will be first in line to access the breathing equipment. Henry Ford spokesperson Vicky Lorencen said a finalized policy, which is not currently in use, provides guidance to healthcare workers who may make difficult patient care decisions in a worst-case scenario.

The letter states patients will be evaluated before being placed on the breathing machine. Patients who are deemed unlikely to survive would receive treatment for pain and comfort, according to the letter, while patients who do not improve over time could lose access to ventilator treatment.

Some patients will be extremely sick and very unlikely to survive their illness even with critical treatment, the letter states. Treating these patients would take away resources from patients who might survive.

Decisions would not be based on health insurance status, the ability to pay for care, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status or employment status, according to the letter.

The coronavirus is an infectious respiratory disease that includes symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Ventilators are machines used to support patients with severe respiratory conditions, providing oxygen to a patients lungs. The equipment can sustain patients for longer periods of time than manual forms of ventilation.

The Henry Ford letter lists several conditions that are likely to may make you not eligible, including severe heart, lung, kidney or liver failure, terminal cancers and severe physical trauma or burns.

The guidelines are deeply patient-focused, intended to honor patients and families, the hospital said in a statement. We were pleased to share the policy with colleagues across Michigan to help others develop similar, compassionate approaches.

It is Henry Ford Health Systems hope to never have to apply the guidelines, and the Health System will always do everything possible to care for patients, utilizing every resource available to make that happen."

Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said in an interview Friday Michigan hospitals are and should be preparing plans on how to prioritize resources like ventilators in the event they are overwhelmed with patients.

"Our goal is that we do not have to get to the point where we are not implementing our first standard of care models when it comes to especially our critically ill patients, Khaldun said.

But we have to plan for the worst, and hope that that day never comes, but it is appropriate to plan for the worst at this time.

The state is looking at tailoring crisis standards of care to the COVID-19 outbreak, she said, but is not giving directives at this point.

Were working very closely with our hospital CEOs, and our Regional Health Care Coalition to understand their needs and to start having those conversations. But as of right now, we are not telling front-line doctors how to care for their patients, Khaldun said.

Michigans confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise daily. There were 60 people who died and 2,856 confirmed cases as of Thursday.

MLive lead reporter Emily Lawler contributed to this report.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to reopen this year under coronavirus pandemic

GM will defer 20 percent of pay for salaried workers worldwide in response to coronavirus

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Upper Peninsula reports first death attributed to coronavirus
Scientists have developed a way of extracting a richer palette of colours from the available spectrum by harnessing disordered patterns inspired by nature that would typically be seen as black.

Colours that we see in nature often come from nanoscale patterns that reflect light back in particular ways. A butterfly's wing, for example, might appear blue because tiny grooves in the surface of the wing cause only blue light to be reflected.

When surfaces appear black or white, however, it's often because the nanoscale structures are completely disordered, causing all the light to be either absorbed or reflected.

A team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham has now found a way to control the way light passes through these disordered surfaces to produce vivid colours.

The team, which includes colleagues in Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, and Nanjing University in China, has compared the method to techniques that artists have exploited for centuries. Among the most famous examples of this is the fourth-century Roman Lycurgus cup, made from glass that appears green when light shines on it from the front, but red when light shines through it from behind.

In a modern advance, the research team demonstrated a way of finely controlling this effect to produce extraordinarily precise colour reproduction.

The different colours in the image are represented in different thicknesses of a transparent material - such as glass - on a lithographic plate. On top of this, the researchers deposited the disordered layer - in this case made of random clusters of gold nanoparticles. Finally, beneath this layer, the team placed a mirrored to form a transparent cavity. The cavity is able to trap particles of light, or photons, inside. The photons behave like waves inside the cavity, resonating at different frequencies beneath the lithographic surface and releasing different colours according to the length of each wave.

By using this technique, the team was able to reproduce a Chinese water colour painting with exquisite colour accuracy.

Lead researcher, Professor Shuang Zhang, explains: "The different ways in which nature can produce colour are really fascinating. If we can harness them effectively, we can open up a treasure trove of richer, more vivid colours than we have yet seen."

Co-author Dr Changxu Liu adds: "In physics, we're used to thinking that randomness in nanofabrication is bad, but here we show that randomness can lead to be superior to an ordered structure in some specific applications. Also, the light intensity within the random structures that we produced is really strong - we can use that in other areas of physics such as new kinds of sensing technologies."

###

Notes to editor:

The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world's top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.

Publication details: Mao et al (2020). 'Manipulating disordered plasmonic systems by external cavity with transition from broadband absorption to reconfigurable reflection'. Nature Communications, 11, 1538 (2020)
A young IAS officer in Kerala has been booked by police after he left the state violating instructions to remain under home quarantine following his recent return from honeymoon abroad, officials said on Friday.

An FIR has been registered against Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, based on a report from the Health department about the violation, Kollam Superintendent of Police T Narayanan told PTI.

Describing the action of the officer as a "serious matter", District Collector B Abdul Nasser said Mishra had returned to Kerala on March 19 from his Malaysia-Singapore trip and was advised to remain under quarantine, as per the protocol for overseas returnees in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak.

On his return to Kerala from the foreign trip, Mishra had undergone medical examination and did not show symptoms. His personal staff, including gunman, have also been kept under observation.

However, the officer had left for his brother's place in Bengaluru without informing anyone, Nasser said.

When the Collector got in touch with him, Mishra informed him that he was in Bengaluru.

"He was on leave after his marriage and took permission to travel to Malaysia and Singapore. On his return I advised him to remain under home quarantine. Seems like he left to be with his family at Bengaluru," Nasser told PTI.

However, police said Mishra's mobile tower location shows Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Authorities came to know on Thursday that Mishra, who had been staying alone in his quarters at Kollam, was not there after health department staff, who regularly visit people in quarantine, found the lights in his house switched off, police sources said.

"The officer has gone without prior permission or leave. He did not have any symptoms of the virus. Without informing us, he left. It is a serious matter, the collector said adding Mishra has been asked to provide his current address and travel details to Bengaluru."



When an officer leaves his jurisdiction, he is supposed to inform the government, which Mishra did not do. He has also not taken prior permission for leaving the state, the later told reporters.

The state government has sought an explanation from the officer in this regard.

Case has been registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent Act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule), police said.

Kollam, is the only district in the state, which has not reported any positive case of COVID-19 so far. A total of 126 positive cases have been reported in the state so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW YORK, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

The Global AR/VR Display Market is expected to grow from USD 1,836.36 Million in 2018 to USD 5,567.37 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.16%.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871968/?utm_source=PRN



The positioning of the Global AR/VR Display Market vendors in FPNV Positioning Matrix are determined by Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) and placed into four quadrants (F: Forefront, P: Pathfinders, N: Niche, and V: Vital).



The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global AR/VR Display Market including are Emagin Corporation, Kopin Corporation, LG Display, Samsung Electronics, Sony, AU Optronics, Barco, BOE Technology, Holoeye Photonics, Japan Display, Seiko Epson, and Syndiant.



On the basis of Technology, the Global AR/VR Display Market is studied across AR and VR.



On the basis of Device Type, the Global AR/VR Display Market is studied across Hmd, Hud, and Projectors.



On the basis of Application , the Global AR/VR Display Market is studied across Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Commercial, Consumer, Energy, Enterprise, and Healthcare.



For the detailed coverage of the study, the market has been geographically divided into the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The report provides details of qualitative and quantitative insights about the major countries in the region and taps the major regional developments in detail.



In the report, we have covered two proprietary models, the FPNV Positioning Matrix and Competitive Strategic Window. The FPNV Positioning Matrix analyses the competitive market place for the players in terms of product satisfaction and business strategy they adopt to sustain in the market. The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisitions strategies, geography expansion, research & development, new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.



Research Methodology:

Our market forecasting is based on a market model derived from market connectivity, dynamics, and identified influential factors around which assumptions about the market are made. These assumptions are enlightened by fact-bases, put by primary and secondary research instruments, regressive analysis and an extensive connect with industry people. Market forecasting derived from in-depth understanding attained from future market spending patterns provides quantified insight to support your decision-making process. The interview is recorded, and the information gathered in put on the drawing board with the information collected through secondary research.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on sulfuric acid offered by the key players in the Global AR/VR Display Market

2. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments in the Global AR/VR Display Market

3. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets for the Global AR/VR Display Market

4. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new products launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Global AR/VR Display Market

5. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the Global AR/VR Display Market



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size of AR/VR Display market in the Global?

2. What are the factors that affect the growth in the Global AR/VR Display Market over the forecast period?

3. What is the competitive position in the Global AR/VR Display Market?

4. Which are the best product areas to be invested in over the forecast period in the Global AR/VR Display Market?

5. What are the opportunities in the Global AR/VR Display Market?

6. What are the modes of entering the Global AR/VR Display Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871968/?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


In recent years, many attempts have been made to reform teacher education in Ghana to enable it to meet the countrys desire to improve childrens learning outcomes in the basic school system.



One such initiative was the policy reform on teacher education in Ghana which, in August 2017, found out that the current three-year Diploma in Basic



Education (DBE) curriculum on which the initial training of teachers in the colleges of education is anchored is not and has not responded adequately to this expectation and desire.



In actual fact, the policy identified several other challenges faced by the countrys school system because of the kind of training offered to pre-tertiary teachers in the training institutions.



Pre-service training



In the light of this, it became imperative that the pre-service training programme be radically designed and taught the student-teachers who would, in turn, teach their learners, if the anticipated and required improvement on learning outcomes is to be achieved.



Towards this end, the government initiated reforms to review the curriculum and set teacher standards in the training institutions, all in an attempt to deliver quality education at all levels and equip learners with skills and competencies to deliver that type of education which would make learners functional citizens who could contribute to the attainment of national development goals and thus be relevant to themselves and the country at large.



Subsequent to this, a document titled: Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-Tel), was developed and approved by the Cabinet.



Upgrade



Following from this, the Ministry of Education upgraded the colleges of education as campuses of the existing public universities to make them degree-awarding institutions, effective 2018.



Contributions and inputs of relevant stakeholders were sought, and a four-year Bachelor of Education degree, with its attendant curriculum, was fashioned out, to train teachers for the basic school system.



The snag, however, is that holders of the DBE certificate from the colleges of education now in the field teaching were not considered in the scheme of things.



Top-up



This has created a gap in aligning the pre-service teacher education curriculum with the pre-tertiary education curriculum reforms, meant to improve the quality of teaching, as well as learning outcomes.



Concerned citizens and the pre-tertiary education unions find this state of affairs unfortunate, as the DBE practitioners would be teaching the same content of the new educational system with their degree-holding counterparts.



Again, they will now become subordinates to colleagues who were their juniors at the college and who will even enjoy higher salaries than they.

This writer foresees problems in our schools with this development very soon.



There could be despondency in the schools, and learners will bear the brunt.

This is why I am calling for a one-year top-up for the DBE holders to enable them to earn the Bachelor of Education degree.



This will ensure they are not disadvantaged, and save them from the anxieties, worries and loss of self-esteem they may go through.



This done, this writer believes the success and quality we all yearn for will be achieved, and Ghana would be the winner.



The one-year top-up is a task that must be done, and done expeditiously.



The writer is the General Secretary of GNAT

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
PORT HUENEME, Calif. - "We Build, We Fight" has been the motto of the U. S. Navy's Construction Force, known as the "Seabees," for more than seven decades. The Navy Seabees are an elite group of personnel trained in both combat and the craft skills of the construction industry.

Constructionman Austin Carter, a native of Fairgrove, Michigan, builds and fights around the world as a member of naval construction battalion center located in Port Hueneme, California.

Carter is serving as a Navy utilitiesman, who is responsible for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and underground piping.

"I work mainly with horizontal construction and everything from the ground up on a construction project," Carter said.

Building in austere environments can be a challenge. Fighting in harsh conditions can also be a challenge. Building in austere environments while fighting in harsh conditions takes a special kind of person with a great deal of perseverance and determination, according to officials with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command. These are the kinds of people being trained at Port Hueneme, to provide crucial support to Seabee units deployed around the world.

The jobs of some of the Seabees today have remained unchanged since World War II, when the Seabees paved the 10,000-mile road to victory for the allies in the Pacific and in Europe, said Lara Godbille, director of the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum.

"I enjoy the camaraderie of all my fellow Seabees," said Carter. "Even when morale is low, we find a way to make it enjoyable."

Seabees have served in all American conflicts for nearly 80 years. They have also supported humanitarian efforts using their construction skills to help communities around the world following earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Carter is a 2016 Akron-Fairgrove High School graduate. According to Carter, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fairgrove.

"Being a hard worker and learning to adjust to any situation has been key to my success in the Navy so far," Carter said.

Port Hueneme is the West Coast homeport of the Navy's Seabees. It's one of five learning sites in the Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering domain. They train and develop sailors, soldiers, airman, and Marines in construction trades and military skills for Department of Defense operating forces to accomplish contingency and peacetime construction, chemical, biological, and radiological operations, and humanitarian assistance missions worldwide.

Port Hueneme and the men and women who serve there play a key role in the Navy's broader mission of protecting American interests on the world's oceans.

According to Navy officials, maintaining maritime superiority is a vital part of a Navy that is present today and prepared for tomorrow.

The impact affects Americans and their interests around the world, as more than 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water and 90 percent of all trade travels by sea.

The foundation of the Navy the nation needs includes a focus on warfighting, warfighters and the future of the fighting force.

"I am confident that we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow," said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations.

"We will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners."

Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community and career, Carter is most proud of receiving a letter of appreciation for his humanitarian work in Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands.

"It was my first deployment and I had the opportunity to help out people in need," said Carter. "It doesn't get more rewarding than that."

Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Carter, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Carter is honored to carry on the family tradition.

"My dad served in the Navy," said Carter. "I joined the Navy to carry on the tradition of service and to make him proud."

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Carter, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance.

"Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

"To be able to take in all the knowledge and skills from prior Seabees is very important," said Carter. "We are a proud group and I am happy to be a part of it."
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday sanctioned Rs 50 lakh from the CM relief fund for the people from the state stranded in Delhi on way to their homes due to a nationwide lockdown.

The amount has been handed over to Uttarakhand's Additional Resident Commissioner in Delhi.

The fund is meant to be spent strictly over food, lodging and transportation of people from the state stranded because of the lockdownl, an official communique here said.

A large number of people from the state got stuck in Delhi while returning to their homes from their respective places of work.

Around 350 such people have already been transported to their homes in Uttarakhand and quarantined, an official said.

The chief minister said food, lodging and transportation of stranded people is his government's top priority.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Appeals court reverses early release of Russian penitentiary services ex-director Reimer

 RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko

17:47 27/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 27 (RAPSI)  The Kaliningrad City Court has reversed a lower courts order releasing ex-director of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) Alexander Reimer convicted of embezzlement on parole, the courts press-service informs RAPSI.

On February 20, the Central District Court of Kaliningrad granted early release of Reimer. This was not the first petition for parole filed by the former penitentiary official. In May 2019, the court dismissed his similar motion.

In June 2017, Reimer was sentenced to 8 years in a penal colony for embezzling funds allocated for procurement of ankle bracelets, fined 800,000 rubles (about $12,000), and stripped of his General rank.

Ex-deputy of FSIN Nikolay Krivolapov and an ex-director of FSINs Information and Technical Support Center Viktor Opredelyonov received 5 years and 8 months and 6 years in prison respectively. Krivolapov was fined 600,000 rubles ($9,000) while Opredelyonov got a 700,000-ruble fine ($11,000).

Lawyers for the defendants asked to repeal or soften the sentences. A lawyer of Reimer said that the Zamoskvorestsky District Court issued a ruling with numerous violations and that it did not study some of the case documents.

On August 22, 2018, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow recovered over 2.2 billion rubles ($35 million at the current exchange rate) from Reimer and his accomplices convicted of embezzlement.

In April 2019, the court lifted the seizure of 1.8 million rubles (about $30,000) belonging to Reimer. The convicts funds were ordered to be paid as a compensation for damage caused.

According to investigators, Reimer, Krivolapov and Opredelyonov conspired with businessman Nikolay Martynov. a head of NPF Meta company that was supplying bracelets for prison inmates, to embezzle monetary funds from the Russian state budget.

Between 2010 and 2012, Reimer and his accomplices stole money allocated for the purchase of ankle bracelets for persons placed under house arrest. The procurement was pursued at an enormously overvalued price. Damage allegedly caused to the state budget was estimated at no less than 2.7 billion rubles (over $40 million).

A case against Martynov was reviewed separately as he fully admitted his guilt in large-scale embezzlement. The businessman cooperated with investigators and announced that he is going to compensate the government with delivery of 7,000 new ankle bracelets.
YEREVAN.  Two more servicemen tested positive for coronavirus, spokesperson for Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan said on Facebook.

After three servicemen tested positive for coronavirus, 32 military personnel of the same military unit, who were not involved in combat missions, were tested for coronavirus. Five more tests were taken later.

As a result of testing, two more military personnel tested positive for coronavirus, in 35 other cases the tests were negative. The confirmed cases are interconnected with the primary case registered in this military unit. The servicemen are hospitalized, they are in satisfactory condition. Both soldiers were previously isolated. None of the infected soldiers has pneumonia, one of them has a mild fever, and the other four have no symptoms, Stepanyan said.

All those having close contacts with the soldiers were isolated, the spokesperson for the defense ministry said.

The defense ministry said they would provide further information on the fight against the virus and called to follow the official reports.
China's state media has lashed out at the US embassy in Beijing after it referred to the novel coronavirus as the 'Wuhan virus' on heavily censored Chinese social media.

The diplomatic mission used the term twice yesterday when it commented on the pandemic in Chinese on Weibo, the country's equivalent to Twitter, sparking an uproar among web users.

Beijing's censors are particularly sensitive about controversial articles and posts written in Chinese because they can be understood by Chinese citizens, who are not allowed to use foreign social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook.

China's state news agency Xinhua has condemned the US embassy in Beijing after it used the term the 'Wuhan virus' twice on its official account on Weibo. Pictured, security officers wearing hazmat suit check the passport of passengers arriving at Wuhan railway station today

The US embassy (pictured) uploaded the controversial posts hours after China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang condemned US State of Secretary Pompeo over the term

The posts emerged hours after China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang accused US State of Secretary Mike Pompeo of having a 'sinister motive' for calling the virus to be named after the city where it was first detected.

Official news agency Xinhua today doubled down on the criticism as it slammed 'certain American politicians' as 'sinister' and 'shameless' over the wording from the US embassy.

The first post in question was uploaded yesterday evening on the embassy's official Weibo account when it shared the translated transcript of a speech given by the Pompeo a day earlier.

The first post in question read: 'State of Secretary Pompeo: On the occasion of the unprecedented global challenge that is the Wuhan virus, it is more important than ever to collaborate with our partners.' Beijing accused Pompeo of having having 'sinister motive'

The embassy then posted the translation of a statement from the office of the spokesperson, which criticised Iran. 'The rumour Khamenei fabricated about the US being responsible for the Wuhan virus puts Iranians, Americans and the whole world in danger,' it wrote

Part of it read: 'State of Secretary Pompeo: On the occasion of the unprecedented global challenge that is the Wuhan virus, it is more important than ever to collaborate with our partners.'

Pompeo was addressing reporters at a press conference at the State Department in Washington after a virtual meeting with the G7 foreign ministers.

The second mention appeared about an hour later when the embassy posted the translation of a statement from the office of the spokesperson, which criticised Iran for suggesting that the US should be held responsible for the virus.

'The rumour Khamenei fabricated about the US being responsible for the Wuhan virus puts Iranians, Americans and the whole world in danger,' it wrote.

China has strongly pushed back on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's insistence on referring to the deadly novel coronavirus as the 'Wuhan virus' after the city in China where it was first detected. Pompeo is pictured speaking at a briefing in Washington on March 25

Both posts were quickly met with criticism from Chinese web users, who left tens of thousands of angry replies under them.

One popular comment said: 'Correction: American virus.'

Another reply accused the US of giving disinformation: 'If the US did not cover up the [fact] of the virus and lie to American people, how can it explain that the number of confirmed cases soared from a few hundred to 70,000 in less than 10 days.'

The pandemic has killed more than 23,900 people and infected over 530,000 worldwide

In a commentary today, Xinhua News Agency condemned the US embassy for 'publicly echoing' Pompeo's remarks.

It said: 'Some people in American go against the stream and are destined to lose public support.'

It accused 'certain American politicians' of failing to actively contribute to the fight against the pandemic.

'Instead, [they are] devoted to shifting their responsibility in creative ways, have sinister motives and are shameless,' it blasted.

The commentary was released hours before US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping discussed the pandemic in a phone call as the two countries locked horns in a diplomatic row over the origin of the disease.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping spoke over the phone Thursday night in their first direct contact since the coronavirus pandemic emerged, vowing to work together to beat the disease

Trump praised the call with Xi as 'very good' and said the US and China were 'working closely' in their fight against coronavirus.

It was the first direct conversation between the two leaders since the global crisis began in Wuhan late last year.

Trump touted his 'respect' for China's efforts to tackle the disease, despite goading Beijing over what he has described as the 'Chinese virus' in recent weeks.

US coronavirus cases have been following an exponential growth curve - roughly doubling every three days - though Trump has claimed the numbers are down to increased testing

Experts have warned that 80,000 Americans could die from coronavirus even with quarantines in place, despite Trump hinting he wants the country back at work by Easter

Meanwhile, Xi said he 'wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US' and called on the two countries to 'unite to fight' the disease.

The call came shortly after the US leap-frogged China to report the largest number of coronavirus cases anywhere in the world at 83,553.

Beijing has reported 81,340 cases, claiming zero domestic infections in recent days after draconian lockdown measures - of the kind being resisted by the US - were put in place.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced to create a special volunteer force to help fight the coronavirus outbreak which has infected 1,298 people as Pakistan opened its borders with all-weather ally China for a day to accept much needed medical supplies.

The number of coronavirus patients in Pakistan has reached to 1,298, according to the latest data. There were 440 patients in Sindh, 419 in Punjab, 131 in Balochistan, 176 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 103 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 27 in Islamabad and 2 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. So far, nine patients have died, 23 recovered and 7 others are in critical condition.

Interacting with the media after meeting of the National Core Committee on the coronavirus, Khan said that registration for Corona Relief Tiger Force will begin on March 31.

The voluntary force will help to identify poor and needy in various areas and government will directly help them. The force will also provide food to those who cannot go out of their homes due to lockdown, he said.

Khan also announced to set up a Corona Relief Fund which will be used to collect donations and that money will be distributed to needy people.

He said that the government has decided to lift restrictions on the movement of goods in the country in order counter the threat of shortages.

Goods transport service will be fully restored from tomorrow, he said.

Minister for Planning Asad Umar said a national command center was set up at the National Disaster Management Authority where representatives of federal government and provinces would sit together to coordinate and take key decisions.

Advisor on health Dr Zafar Mirza said that unlike the rest of the world, 61 per cent of patients in Pakistan are between 21-50 years of age.

Meanwhile, China was providing critical medical supplies to Pakistan and the Khunjerab pass between the two countries was opened on Friday to let the goods enter Pakistan, according to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

"Medical supplies from Xinjiang, China to Pakistan is delivered through Khunjerab (5,000m) port today, highest land port on Earth. Both sides from China and Pakistan braved the cold, cleared the roads, made good preparations for the delivery of the medical supplies at the Khunjerab Pass, the mission tweeted on Friday.

China on Thursday asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies to fight coronavirus pandemic could be transported into the country.

China has also sent 56,000 coronavirus testing kits, N-95 masks and other equipment to Pakistan. Governor Sindh Imran Ismail received the consignment at the Jinnah international Airport in Karachi.

Pakistan and China describe their relations as all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party lawmaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from Mardan was tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

"I am not saddened by my diagnosis; my conscience did not allow me to look the other way while others were suffering. God willing, I will recover soon and continue to work for the people of my constituency," Member of Provincial Assembly Abdul Salam Afridi said in a video message.

Complete lockdown has been imposed by the regional government and strict measures were taken to prevent the further spread.

According to the Sindh Health and Population Welfare Department, 11 of the new cases reported across the province on Friday are local transmission cases from Karachi.

The Sindh government has given divisional commissioners the provision to declare emergency in their divisions.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has extended the date for successful Hajj applicants to submit their medical certificates till April 10. March 27 was the last day to submit the certificates.

Several cases of extreme negligence were also being reported from different areas.

Close to 40 to 50 people in Lahore defied government orders and offered the Friday prayers at the iconic Badshahi mosque. However, they maintained a distance during the prayers.

In Islamabad, Friday prayers were held at Faisal Mosque where nearly 40 people offered prayers by maintaining some distance.

The government had issued a notification limiting the number of people between three to five who can attend Friday and congregational prayers in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

In Pakpattan, some 200 kms from Lahore, police arrested a groom and 50 others present at his wedding for violating the lockdown rules.

Meanwhile, Lahore's Services Hospital doctors have reportedly refused to admit suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients to the facility after a doctor was infected.

According to officials, over 200 suspected patients of COVID-19 were denied admission at the Services Hospital on Thursday and Friday.

The doctors sent the samples of these suspected patients to the lab for tests and asked them to revisit the hospital to collect their reports. Of them five patients were tested positive. It is feared that these patients might have infected several others before collecting their reports from the hospital.

The Punjab government has launched a probe into the matter. Young doctors and nurses in different public hospitals have been protesting for not getting protective medical kit and gear.

Punjab Police on Friday presented a guard of honour to the doctors and nurses performing their duties at Lahore' Mayo Hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed his appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for approving a 1 billion Naira grant for his state towards the fight against coronavirus.

The governor made this known in a tweet on Friday, in response to the presidents tweet.

The president had in a tweet announced that the grant was given to Lagos being the epicentre of the disease in Nigeria.

Buhari said: The immediate release of a 10 billion Naira grant to Lagos State, which remains the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria.

This grant will enable Lagos increase its capacity to control and contain the outbreak, while also supporting other States with capacity-building.

Read Also: Coronavirus: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Tests Positive

Reacting, Sanwo-Olu wrote: Thank you, Your Excellency, President @MBuhari for understanding the critical role Lagos plays.

With the approved grant to Lagos state and other measures initiated, we believe we can increase our capacity and contain the spread of #COVID19.
The UK is examining if it should roll out around 3.5 million home test kits in response to the coronavirus crisis. What do they involve?

The home test plan is being investigated by UK public health experts. It would allow people to do a DIY test at home.

It is not designed to diagnose the virus. It is an antibody test and may be able to tell somebody they are now cleared of it. It could be used by someone whose infection was already confirmed. It would also apply to a person who self-isolated after getting potential symptoms, are not sure they had the coronavirus but wants to know if they are free of it.

So it is not a fast-track alternative to the current test offered in this country to someone from a priority group who has been referred by their GP?

No. That test which is available here for priority groups is a PCR test. It tests for current infection. The test detects the virus in nasal secretions after someone has had a swab taken.

How does the antibody home test work?

The test is carried out by a device which pricks the finger for blood. It is like a home pregnancy test of sorts. It examines the blood for coronavirus antibodies and takes about 15 minutes.

If it is positive it means you have had the virus and cleared it and gained some immunity to getting it again.

What is the practical benefit of this antibody test?

Prof Kingston Mills, an expert in immunology at Trinity College Dublin, said that, while the tests cannot diagnose the virus, they could have a role to play.

They can indicate to the person if they can return to work and this is very useful if they are a health worker who needs to be back in a hospital or GP surgery as soon as possible.

They are also useful in getting a statistical picture of the extent of the infection in the community among people who did not qualify for a diagnostic test.

Could this could become more useful as time goes on and more people have to self-isolate, preventing them from working or resuming normal family life?

Yes. It would give people the reassurance that they have recovered and do not pose a risk of passing it on.

How sure can somebody be who has had coronavirus that they will not become infected again?

There is still a lot to learn about this virus but if somebody has had it they are much less likely to be infected again.
Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Tunde Ajayi, has announced that six of the patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital battling Coronavirus, have recovered and would be discharged soon.

Dr Ajayi disclosed this via his Twitter handle. He wrote

Six of our #COVID19 inpatients have recovered and will be discharged soon. There is something Lagos is doing right. Lagos takes the lead,

Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, also confirmed this in a tweet.

Read below;
[March 27, 2020] Arcadia Stresses the Importance of Distance Learning in the Pandemic Environment

LONDON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- During these uncertain times, people all around the world are encouraged or required to work from home. Similarly, with schools being widely closed for safety reasons, students alike are required to work in remote mode using distance learning platforms. The trend is growing as seen just last week when education technology providers in Finland started offering free educational tools for distance learning amidst the COVID-19 epidemic.



Arcadia is a proven leader in e-learning and digital assessments solutions, designing and building custom virtual learning environments used in all level of education, from primary schools to universities.



"Arcadia's digital tools are supporting distance learning for all ages. We work with world's leading learning platform providers with the aim of helping to produce engaging and valuable apps that benefit both the teachers and the students" explains Dmitri Adov, Technical Director at Arcadia.

Some of our work includes improving current education technology platforms by scaling up the performance to accommodate a growing number of users, providing responsive web design to enable usage on mobile devices and incorporating collaboration tools that support the communication between teachers and students.







With home schooling and distance learning the challenge is often to keep users engaged and motivated so the addition of digital tools such as internal chats, video chats and discussion boards is an easy but effective way to maintain successful learning and top of the line results. We also build in accessibility features as required by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA level both in Europe and in the UK, for all people with disabilities so nobody gets left behind.



The visual reporting tools we design and build make sure that teachers have access to instant easy to digest snapshots of students performance and frees them from labour intensive manual analysis."





Studying from home is now the norm that e-learning web solutions are well placed to facilitate.



Arcadia, a multi-million pound British Standards Institute (BSI) certified company that works extensively with Fortune 500 companies designing and building high-load web solutions for digitisation, analytics, big data, reporting and AI, integrated with core business software, provides the full range of software development services across sectors from education to pharmaceuticals and from retail to airlines. For more information about Arcadia, contact

Dmitri Adov, Technical Director

[email protected]

+44-127-401-9741

www.softwarecountry.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Soon the U.S. Army will have a new retro look as it transitions to its new "Army Greens" throwback uniforms, based on the "Pinks and Greens" of World War II. The blue Army Service Uniform will become more and more rare as it phases out.

A lot of rarely worn uniform items stay in circulation a long time, either because of the saltier troops who hang onto them or because they're just worth keeping around.

Here are few of those rare items. Some are still in use (though you may have to go looking for them), while others are recently deceased.

7. The Marine Corps' Evening Dress Boat Cloak

Virtually extinct in the wild but still authorized for wear is the boat cloak for male officers and senior noncommissioned officers. It is intended for evening dress but can also be worn with blue dress A/B uniforms for official social functions -- unless the blue dress uniform is the uniform of the day.

There is anecdotal evidence of the existence of the boat cloak, but its rarity can probably be best explained by the fact that it's made-to-order at the MCX and can cost more than $1,000.

6. Army Dress Whites

Dress whites weren't just for the Navy for much of U.S. military history. Both the Air Force and the Army sported nifty dress whites, as did the Marine Corps. The uniforms weren't just for formal ceremonies, either. They were worn as an everyday uniform for troops in tropical climates, such as the former Panama Canal Zone.

General Sam S. Walker, Commanding General of Allied Land Forces, South East Europe from 1977 to 1978. (U.S. Army)

Air Force Chief of Staff Merrill McPeak did away with the Air Force whites in the early 1990s, and the Marine Corps whites were phased out by 2000. The Army held on a little bit longer, doing away with the uniform in 2007.

5. Coast Guard Tropical Blue Shorts

These days, when new Coasties are told to wear their Trops as the uniform of the day, some of the saltier Guardsmen might accidentally refer to them as Tropical Blue Long, instead of the new term, Tropical Blues. The reason is that there used to be a Tropical Blue Short version.

Laid-back Coast Guard crews might even wear a uniform polot with their Trops. The Shorts version is now long gone.

4. Navy Aviation Greens

If the Army can wear white, why can't the Navy wear green? In the earliest days of Naval Aviation, aviators wore green uniforms, distinct from other officers' uniforms. Flying was a dirty job, and the grease, fuel and oil stained wreaked havoc on the uniforms of the day. The Navy's aviation greens became an aviator's working uniform.

Aviation greens underwent minor changes throughout the years, but one thing remained the same: the color green. It wasn't until the Navy introduced its Type I digital "blueberries" uniform in 2010 that the aviation greens finally went by the board.

3. U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Horse Detachment

When you think of calling in the cavalry, these are the guys you think about. Not only is the 1st Cavalry the only cavalry unit to still ride horses, they're also the only Army unit to sport full throwback uniforms hailing the glory days of American horse cavalry.

The 1st Cavalry Division Horse Detachment passes in review. (U.S. Army)

These throwbacks come complete with Springfield model 1873 carbine rifles, a model 1860 cavalry saber, and a Colt single-action Army "Peacemaker" revolver.

2. First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry

First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry in their signature dress uniforms and bearskin helmets at this years Fourth of July event at the Liberty Bell. The troop dates back to 1774. (First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry)

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard's First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry is a military unit older than the U.S. Army itself. As such, it has a couple of special provisions that exempt it from some of the Militia Acts of the late 1790s that organized and standardized the Army, so its traditions have never gone away -- including its distinctive ceremonial uniforms.

1. The Commander-In-Chief's Guard

Officially, Company A, 4th Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment can be called out to help control civil unrest in the Washington, DC area. But as a Special Ceremonial Unit, the "Commander In Chief's Guard," as Company A has been called since America's bicentennial, performs ceremonial duties.

Ceremonial troops of the 3rd United States Infantry (The Old Guard), also known as the commander in CHIEF's Guard, salute distinguished guests as they pass in review during the Cessation of Hostilities Bicentennial Celebration at the Pentagon River Plaza. (NARA)

At official state functions, like a Presidential Inauguration or a state visit from a foreign leader, this special unit dons the blue greatcoats, powdered wigs, and tricorn hat of the Continental Army era, complete with a Brown Bess-type musket that was the premier infantry weapon of the time.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com.

Want to Learn More About Military Life?

Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  The Bicol region broke its COVID-19-free status after recording its first three confirmed cases of the viral disease, the Department of Health reported Friday.

The DOH said two of those who contracted COVID-19 are currently confined at the Bicol Regional Training Hospital in Daraga, Albay, while the third was at the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City.

The two Daraga patients are both males, 50 and 53 years old. The patient in Naga is a 48-year-old female. DOH did not provide other details.

The [DOH Center for Health Development] is validating the said cases and will coordinate closely with the hospitals and the local government units concerned for the contact tracing of those who had exposure or a close contact with the said patients, said Ernie Vera, DPH CHD Regional Director.

The province of Albay earlier imposed travel restrictions, limiting the entry of persons via land, air and sea, before the cases were brought to light.
Knives Out, written and directed by Rian Johnson; The Last Thing He Wanted, directed by Dee Rees, written by Rees and Marco Villalobos

Knives Out

Knives Out, written and directed by Rian Johnson (The Brothers Bloom, Looper), is an amusing whodunit with certain social implications. The murder mystery features prominently the selfish, vicious and parasitical tendencies of the moneyed classes, while emphasizing that human decency should prevail. Although the movie tends toward the innocuous, it has nonetheless managed to arouse the ire of right-wing critics.

The starting point for Knives Out is the questionable death, on his 85th birthday, of successful crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) at his Massachusetts estate, home as well to assorted Thrombey family members, a collection of deadbeats, spongers and worse.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Riki Lindhome, Jaeden Martell and Katherine Langford in Knives Out

Leading the pack of bloodsuckers is eldest daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), together with her philandering husband Richard (Don Johnson) and their irresponsible, appropriately named son Ransom (Chris Evans). Next come Harlans thieving New Age daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and her perennial-student daughter Meg (Katherine Langford). Michael Shannon plays Harlans ineffectual son Walt, whose own distasteful offspring Jacob someone labels a Nazi child.

Once called to the scene, the police are quick to rule Harlans demise a suicide, but super-sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig complete with a Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried drawl), a private detective hired by an anonymous client, is not so sure. Various interrogations and inquiries are set into motion, resulting in inevitable twists and turns, some of them more convincing than others.

When Harlans will is read out, providing that his entire $60 million estate go to his trusted young Latina caregiver Marta (Ana de Armas), his relatives worst instincts take effect. Marta, a very reluctant legatee, now has every reason to fear for her health and safety. Her cleverness and social instincts are called on to steer her through the treacherous waters.

The biggest drawback of Johnsons Knives Out is its over-fondness for and insistence on paying respect to Agatha Christie-type mysteries (with the oddly exotic Blanc-Craig a stand-in for Hercule Poirot), Anthony Shaffers Sleuth and so forth. If the film had simply struck out on its own and developed its personal and social relationships without regard to mystery story tradition, it might have packed a good deal more punch. As it is, Knives Out functions too much like a board game version of a crime story, in which potential murder suspects lurk behind every door and down every hallway in the dark-paneled, turreted manor house.

Nonetheless, taking it for what it is, this decently constructed, attractive-looking movie has worthwhile touches. The Thrombey clan are a vain, self-important bunch. When one of the lazy parvenus laments the fact that Marta will be stealing the familys ancestral home, Blanc points out cuttingly that Harlan bought the mansion from a Pakistani businessman in the 1980s. Making a further point, the mansions living room is filled not with antiquities, but with a large, revolving wheel of knives, a cheesy homage apparently to one of Harlans novels, Knives Out .

The various Thrombeys unfailingly mix up which South American country Marta hails from, totally uninterested, up to that point, in knowing anything about the woman who has been in charge of their fathers well-being. (In fact, except for Marta, no one mourns Harlans death.) They are, however, fully aware that Martas mother is undocumented and have no qualms about threatening to call the authorities when their interests appear to warrant it.

As to who should inherit the earth, or at least the fruits of Harlans labors, decent working-class Marta, who cannot tell a lieliterally, she vomits when she utters an untruthappears to be the most deserving by far.

Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas in Knives Out

This notion and image have not sat well with some. A December comment on the movie in the ultra-right National Review, headlined Knives Out Takes On the Anti-Immigration Crowd, begins by charging over-heatedly that the movie revels in the alleged moral superiority of the oppressed and dares its audience to object. It further complains that [actress] De Armass caregiver [Marta] serves as a vessel into which progressive viewers can pour their racial pieties.

The piece ends with the thin-skinned declamation that the movie is a commentary on the future of race dynamics in this country and an annihilation fantasy for woke white moviegoers.

In its criticism of the rich for their avarice, xenophobia and general lack of humanity, Knives Out turns out to be more than a run-of-the-mill mystery yarn.

The Last Thing He Wanted

Directed by Dee Rees, written by Rees and Marco Villalobos, based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Joan Didion, The Last Thing He Wanted is a British-American political thriller that makes reference to US arms dealing in Latin America and the Iran-Contra scandal.

Anne Hathaway features as Elena McMahon, an intrepid American reporter who, when the movie opens in 1982, finds herself in war-torn El Salvador investigating US interference in Central American affairs. On orders from her newspaper in Washington, Elena is suspiciously pulled off the story and reassigned to cover Ronald Reagans 1984 presidential campaign.

When her semi-deranged, seriously ill father Richard (Willem Dafoe) ensnares her in a weapons-smuggling operation (on whose behalf?), she returns to Central America. From this point on, Elena must dodge potentially lethal dangers in Florida, Costa Rica and Antigua. She eventually places herself under the wing of a sinister US agent, Treat Morrison (Ben Affleck)with deadly consequences.

Anne Hathaway in The Last Thing He Wanted

The Last Thing He Wanted seems intended to expose or suggest US wrongdoings under the Reagan administration. Despite anti-establishment undertones, however, the movie is too elliptical and fragmented for its own good. It is very difficult to make sense of precisely what is happening and who is doing it. Almost no concrete detail comes before the viewer.

Rees directed Mudbound in 2017, which focused on black and white poverty in post-World War II Mississippi. Of her more recent movie and its relevance to the present day, the director said in an interview, not shedding all that much light, [Televangelist] Jerry Falwell is talking about Nicaragua, about abortion rates. Much of the movie was shot in Puerto Rico, post-Hurricane Maria. People were rebuilding their homes, rebuilding their lives. It was a complicated place to be.

As for the Affleck character, Rees explained to another interviewera little more helpfullythat Morrison is representative of the system. Thats the way in which systems fail you and the way in which governments fail. We dont want to believe that our governments are corrupt. We dont want to believe that this level of deep-lying happens, but it does.

In any event, whatever the overall aims of The Last Thing He Wanted may be, they are largely lost in the fog.
Human stem cells have been regarded as one of the promising cell sources for cardiac regeneration therapy. But their clinical use is hampered due to the poor performance after transplantation into failing hearts. Recently a stem cell biologist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU), together with his collaborators, has developed a novel strategy, called in vivo priming, to "train" the stem cells to stay strong after implantation to the damaged heart via the 3D-printed bandage-like patch. The positive results of the study show that an in vivo priming strategy can be an effective means to enhance cardiac repair.

Dr Ban Kiwon, Assistant Professor of CityU's Department of Biomedical Sciences, collaborated with cardiologist and experts in 3D printing from South Korea in achieving this breakthrough. Their findings were published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Science Advances, titled "In vivo priming of human mesenchymal stem cells with hepatocyte growth factor-engineered mesenchymal stem cells promotes therapeutic potential for cardiac repair".

Harsh environment in failing hearts hinders stem cell survival

One of the proposed approaches to treat myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attack, with regeneration therapy is to inject the human stem cells directly into the failing hearts. In particular, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been considered as a competitive agent for clinical uses for their proven safety and significant paracrine effects supporting new blood vessel formation and inhibiting cell death. However, "the clinical trial results are disappointing as the micro-environment of a failing heart is very harsh for the injected hMSCs to stay alive," said Dr Ban.

Therefore researchers have been exploring ways to increase the survival rate of hMSCs in failing hearts. "Priming, or called preconditioning, is a common strategy to empower the cells. The cells are educated through certain stimulations, and when they are relocated to tough environments, they are much stronger against bad condition and they will know how to react because of their previous experiences," explained Dr Ban.

Conventionally, priming is performed in vitro (outside a living organism) before the cells are transplanted into the heart. "But the effects of priming done in this way usually last for two or three days only. To extend the duration of the priming effect, I have come up with an idea of 'in vivo priming', which means the hMSCs are primed directly on the failing hearts," said Dr Ban.

Novel strategy: in vivo priming of hMSCs

To prove the concept, the research team loaded two types of MSCs into a tailor-made 3D-printed patch, namely the human bone marrow-derived MSCs, and the genetically engineered MSCs which have human hepatocyte growth factor protein. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is involved in multiple biological activities, such as cell survival, blood vessel formation, anti-fibrotic activities, and important in adult organ regeneration and wound healing.

The patch, like a bandage, was then implanted on the top of the infarct area of the myocardial-infarction-induced heart of rats. "The genetically engineered MSCs can continuously secret human HGF protein to prime the hMSCs within the patch and make them 'stronger'," said Dr Ban.

Instead of directly injecting the genetically engineered cells into the heart, he added that encapsulating the cells in the patch for putting on the surface of the heart can help prevent mutation or other undesirable outcomes. And the patch is fabricated by 3D-printing of pig heart-derived extracellular matrix hydrogel, simulating the cardiac tissue-specific micro-environment.

It was found that the primed hMSCs had a higher survival rate compared with unprimed ones in the patches attached to the failing hearts. Those empowered hMSCs released greater amounts of paracrine factors beneficial for repairing damaged cardiac muscle tissues and regenerating vasculatures.

"We found that the primed cells can survive even after 8 weeks in the patch after implantation to the heart. Also, there is a significant improvement in cardiac function as well as vessel regeneration comparing to the unprimed cells," said Dr Ban.

Great improvement of the priming effect

"Our team is the very first to achieve priming in hearts in vivo. But more importantly, by showing that in vivo priming of hMSCs can enhance the therapeutic potential for cardiac repair, we hope our study can bring significant implications for related stem cell therapy in future," concluded Dr Ban. It took the team over two years to achieve these remarkable results. The team will explore the possibility of conducting the experiments on bigger animals and even clinical trials, as well as modifying the structure of the patch.

###

Dr Ban, Dr Jang Jinah from Pohang University of Science and Technology, as well as Professor Park Hun-Jun from The Catholic University of Korea are the leading authors of the paper. Mr Lee Sunghun, a PhD student from Department of Biomedical Sciences at CityU also participated in this research.

The study was supported by CityU, Hong Kong Research Grants Council, National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Education as well as the Ministry of Science and ICT in South Korea.
SYDNEY, Australia  The line for unemployment benefits curled around the block in an upscale neighborhood of Australias largest city, with officially prescribed wide distances between everyone in need.

There were restaurant workers in masks who had spent decades jumping from one hip hangout to another. An immigrant whose paychecks had risen as reliably as the sun. And a manager of event venues wearing $500 boots who hadnt worried about work since the 1990s.

In a country where the last recession predates the birth of the web browser nearly three decades ago, the coronavirus is ripping away any pretense of economic exceptionalism and shouting to the nation that its days of exuberance are over.

It always felt like if you work hard and put in the hours, you can get whatever you want, said Milena Molina, 45, the manager of a law firm who was laid off last week for the first time in her career. Now its just uncertainty. It gets worse every day.
New York: Scientists warned that the United States someday would become the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. That moment arrived on Thursday, US time (Friday AEDT).

In the United States, at least 81,321 people are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, including more than 1000 deaths  more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen.

A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Centre COVID-19 testing team calls in the next patient in line. Credit:AP

With 330 million residents, the United States is the world's third-most populous nation, meaning it provides a vast pool of people who can potentially get COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

And it is a sprawling, cacophonous democracy, where states set their own policies and President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages about the scale of the danger and how to fight it, ensuring there was no coherent, unified response to a grave public health threat.
A 27-year-old Oswego man has been arrested and accused of stabbing a man during a fight at a Granby gas station, according to New York State Police.

Keith E. Chetney was charged with first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

The stabbing happened on March 16, police said. The victim, a 27-year-old man, was stabbed in the stomach at about 8:35 p.m. at the Pit Stop located at 433 County Route 3, according to police.

Chetney was arrested Thursday, police said.

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter.

Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
KENNEBECASIS, N.B.Two men in New Brunswick who recently travelled to the Dominican Republic are facing charges in a bizarre case involving allegations both suspects purposely coughed on neighbours in a rooming house.

Police said they responded to a call Thursday morning from a residence in Rothesay, where an individual had complained that two other people had allegedly failed to isolate themselves after returning home from abroad.

When we did our investigation, it was revealed that both had coughed on the other individuals in the house, Wayne Gallant, chief of the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force, said Friday. Theyve both been charged with (assault).

The ugly incident came to light as health officials in the Atlantic region reported 51 additional cases of COVID-19.

In Kennebecasis, police Insp. Anika Becker said one of the accused in the Rothesay case doesnt live at the home in question, but his travelling companion does.

Becker said another occupant of the home  a 41-year-old man  had complained about the pairs failure to self isolate, as required by New Brunswick law. Thats when the coughing started, Becker said.

Under the provinces rules for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, anyone who returns to New Brunswick after travelling abroad must self-isolate for 14 days.

The province declared a state of emergency March 19 after Premier Blaine Higgs said too few citizens were following orders to avoid public gatherings.

If anyone has concerns that someone is not self-isolating properly, they should not take matters in their own hands, Kennebecasis police said in a statement, adding that the province has established a toll-free phone line for people to report non-compliance.

In another incident on Thursday, police in western Newfoundland said a woman had been arrested for a second time after allegedly refusing to stay inside following her return from travel outside the province.

The 53-year-old was arrested in Corner Brook a day after she was released from custody for contravening orders under Newfoundland and Labradors Public Health Protection and Promotion Act.

She could be fined between $500 and $2,500 or jailed for up to six months.

Meanwhile in Quebec City, police arrested a woman last week who they said had contracted the novel coronavirus and was walking outside after being ordered to stay indoors.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, health officials reported 20 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, which meant the total number of cases stood at 102  the highest in the Atlantic region.

As well, they said one infected person had been admitted to hospital  a first for the province.

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the provinces chief medical officer of health, said 68 cases were linked to exposures at a funeral home in St. Johns between March 15 and 17.

Fitzgerald said that cluster represents spread within the community. However, she said the virus was not considered widespread in the province because those cases were all linked to one venue.

This emphasizes the importance and the impact measures like physical distancing can have, she said.

In Nova Scotia, 17 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, increasing the total to 90 confirmed cases. Two people remain in hospital.

Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotias chief medical officer of health, said he was aware of reports that the Atlantic Superstore in Bedford, N.S., was closed Friday after an employee tested positive for the virus.

We do know that the individual at this store was not working at the front lines, not interacting with the public, Strang told a news conference. There really isnt a significant risk for the public.

Loblaw Atlantic spokesman Mark Boudreau told Global News the store would be cleaned and was expected to reopen Saturday.

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil announced a rent deferral program for small businesses forced to close as a result of the provinces state of emergency.

In Prince Edward Island, the provinces chief medical officer of health said the provinces schools and daycare centres will remained closed until May 11.

The province plans reveal its plans for online learning on Monday.

Dr. Heather Morrison also said all non-essential government services and businesses must remain closed indefinitely.

This is not over, she told a news conference.

Morrison said visitors headed to the Island, including those who have rented cottages, should postpone their trip unless they know people in P.E.I. who can support them while they are complying with a mandatory 14-day isolation order.

All unnecessary travel into Prince Edward Island is prohibited, Morrison said, noting that travel deemed essential, including medical appointments and emergencies, is still allowed.

Morrison later confirmed that two new cases of COVID-19 had been reported on Friday. The Island had 11 confirmed cases by late Friday afternoon.

In New Brunswick, health officials announced 12 new cases, bringing the total there to 45.

Chief public health officer Jennifer Russell said 11 of the new cases are travel-related while one is being investigated as a possible case of community transmission.

 By Michael MacDonald in Halifax, with files from Keith Doucette in Halifax, Holly McKenzie-Sutter in St. Johns, N.L., and Kevin Bissett in Fredericton.

Read more about:
Women at each table were invited to light the Shabbat candles.

The smell of matzo ball soup and the sound of chattering voices traveled through the hallways of the UCF Student Union Friday night. Feb. 21, as the UCF community gathered to celebrate Judaism's day of rest, Shabbat.

Mega Shabbat was hosted by Chabad at UCF to experience Shabbat and to invite people of all backgrounds to experience the tradition as well.

"All of the UCF Jewish community comes together," said Rivkie Lipskier, co-director of Chabad at UCF. "Ninety-nine percent of those who attend are students and professors."

Rivkie Lipskier said this is the eighth year Mega Shabbat has been held at UCF, and 500 individuals attend the event each year.

When the doors of the Pegasus Ballroom opened a few minutes past 6 p.m., attendees flooded into the room and took their seats.

UCF Student Government Financial Allocations for Organizations Chair Natalia Correa-Ferro said this was the fourth time she's attended UCF's Mega Shabbat.

"I'm here to show support, and I'm also Jewish," Correa-Ferro said. "Everyone at UCF is family."

Various speakers-including students, and professors, -spoke during the event. As is tradition during Shabbat, attendees were asked to stay off their cellphones for the remainder of the night.

The Shabbat candle-lighting tradition was led by Rivkie Lipskier. Women at each table were invited to light Shabbat Candles. According to chabad.org, lighting these candles brings "peace and blessing."

Rabbi Chaim Lipskier led attendees in prayer, and the sound of attendees clapping and singing along with the rabbi "Shalom Aleichem" filled the room.

As the night wore on, attendees began to eat dinner, which included a delicious traditional Shabbat Dinner.

Candles flickered on each table in the dim room, and the sound of laughter and utensils hitting plates echoed throughout the room as Mega Shabbat went on into the night.

"This makes me feel closer to my family," Molly Lucia said. "My grandparents get really happy when I celebrate Shabbat."

Mega Shabbat was made possible by Student Government, other organizations and individual donors.

For more information about Chabad at UCF visit jewishucf.com
Cruise line workers are returning to their respective homelands where many of them, including Vincentians, will be quarantined.

Vincentian nationals employed in the cruise ship industry and who have chosen to return home, now that cruise lines have halted operations as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be subjected to mandatory quarantine for a period of 14 days.





Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache told THE VINCENTIAN that the Ministry of Health has been tracking such individuals, and increasing surveillance accordingly.





Keizer-Beache said that the persons concerned were being monitored through community health personnel, from the time of their arrival home.





"We have to remind the general public that persons coming from the cruise lines must have transited through either the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and now Canada, to get home, she said.





"Even if they went through Puerto Rico, that country too is on the list. So, all cruise workers, unless they were somewhere else in the Caribbean for the last 14 days, they need to be under quarantine for 14 days, Dr Keizer-Beache emphasized.





The Ministry on Wednesday updated the list of countries from where travellers will be quarantined, to include Canada.





The other countries include China, Iran, South Korea, United States including the U.S Virgin Islands, UK, the European Union including Italy and the Overseas Departments of France to include Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Martin and French Guiana and now Canada.
Converse Bank has launched a new Mobile Banking App. The app is simple, functional, and flexible.

Converse Bank was the first in Armenia to launch Mobile Banking App in 2014 enabling customers to partially move banking operations to digital platforms. The launch of the new Mobile Banking App is another step in the Bank's Digital Platform Transfer Policy. The development of the app will be continuous and we look forward to the active involvement and support of our customers in this process. We are open to hear, discuss application development, add new features, simplify their wishes and expectations and bring them to life, said Marine Bleyan, the Head of Converse Bank's Digital Banking Center.

The Bank's Mobile App allows you not only to perform "classic" functions such as replenishment, loan repayment, transfers, payments, currency exchange, etc., but also to take advantage of some of the unprecedented opportunities in Armenia.



Our app is the only one in Armenia by which one can pay Card to Card international transfers to foreign bank payment cards, Opening Accounts, for Zvartnots Airport parking servicing and more. The registrants in the app are also automatically given a Visa virtual card and account at the time of registration, which are simple tools for shopping online, added Marine Bleyan.

It was also noted that the Bank's current and potential customers will be informed in a more detailed way about the possibilities of the Mobile Banking App following the publications in this regard.

Converse Bank CJSC is regulated by Central Bank
The ventricular assist devices market is poised to grow by USD 943.27 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 12% during the forecast period. Request free sample pages

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005176/en/

Technavio has published e latest market research report titled Global Ventricular Assist Devices Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Read the 145-page report with TOC on "Ventricular Assist Devices Market Analysis Report by Product (left and right ventricular assist devices and bi-ventricular assist devices) and Geographic Landscape (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024".

https://www.technavio.com/report/global-ventricular-assist-devices-market-industry-analysis

The market is driven by the rise in number of heart failure. In addition, the development of next-generation ventricular assist devices with enhanced hemocompatibility and durability is anticipated to boost the growth of the ventricular assist devices market.

Patients who suffer from chronic cardiovascular diseases have high risk of heart failure. Ischemic heart disease is one of the most common causes of heart failure. Surgeons use implantable mechanical pumps such as ventricular assist devices in patients with heart failure or those with a weak heart muscle. In addition, the implantation of ventricular assist devices is also recommended for patients with congestive heart failure. Thus, the increasing prevalence of heart failure is expected to drive market growth during the forecast period.

Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free.

View market snapshot before purchasing

Major Five Ventricular Assist Devices Companies:

Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories is headquartered in the US and operates the business under various segments such as Established Pharmaceuticals, Nutritionals, Diagnostics, and Cardiovascular and Neuromodulation. The company offers a left ventricular assist device, HeartMate 3 LVAD.

Abiomed Inc.

Abiomed Inc. is headquartered in the US and offers products through an unified business segment. The company offers Impella 2.5 and Impella RP to various end-user industries including hospitals, clinics, and ASCs.

Asahi Kasei Corp.

Asahi Kasei Corp. is headquartered in Japan and operates under various business segments, namely Material, Homes, and Health Care. The company offers an implantable left ventricular assist system, Evaheart LVAS.

Berlin Heart GmbH

Berlin Heart GmbH is headquartered in Germany and offers products through an unified business segment. The company offers a mechanical paracorporeal ventricular assist device, EXCOR Adult to various end-user industries including hospitals, clinics, and ASCs.

CorWave SA

CorWave SA is headquartered in France and offers products through an unified business segment. The company offers a next-generation left ventricular assist device, Neptune to various end-user industries including hospitals, clinics, and ASCs.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Ventricular Assist Devices Market Product Outlook (Revenue, USD mn, 2020-2024)

Left and right ventricular assist devices

Bi-ventricular assist devices

Ventricular Assist Devices Market Geographic Outlook (Revenue, USD mn, 2020-2024)

Asia

Europe

North America

ROW

Key leading countries

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005176/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/
Scientists say Louisiana may be experiencing the worlds fastest growth in new infections. Nearly half of the states 2,300 confirmed cases are in New Orleans, possibly because so many people visited last month for what now looks like an epidemiological nightmare: the annual Mardi Gras festival.

And in an anxious New York City, which has more than a quarter of the nations confirmed cases, our reporter went behind the scenes at a Brooklyn hospital where the emergency room could run out of space by next week.

None of us knows where this is taking us, Sylvie de Souza, the hospitals chair of emergency medicine, said of her staff. We dont even know if we might get sick. But none of them so far has defaulted on their duty, their calling.

Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.

Markets: Futures markets predicted that stocks in Europe and the U.S. would open lower today. Major benchmarks on both continents ended sharply higher on Thursday, after lawmakers in Washington struck a deal for a huge stimulus plan  and despite an alarming surge in U.S. unemployment claims.

Another angle: The White House is still mulling a potential $1 billion deal with two companies to produce as many as 80,000 ventilators, the critical devices that are desperately needed in hospitals across the nation.
- A 46-year-old woman has recovered from coronavirus in Tanzania, making it the country's first

- The woman tested positive to Covid-19 when she came back to the country from Belgium on Friday, March 15

- Ummy Mwalimu, Tanzanian health minister, said that the patient tested negative to all the tests that were carried out on her to ascertain her subsequent status

As the world is hit by coronavirus pandemic, Tanzania has recorded a win as its first patient recovered from the virus.

The news was broken by the countrys health minister, Ummy Mwalimu, who said the patient tested negative in all the three series of tests carried out on her, Daily Monitor reports.

The recovered woman tested positive to the virus on Friday, March 15, after she returned from Belgium on a RwandAir plane.

The country is presently working on the discharge process for the recovered patient. Photo source: Daily Monitor/AJ English

Source: UGC

Though she was screened at Kilimanjaro International Airport on her arrival, she did not show any symptoms of the virus until she took ill on the second day in her hotel room.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed five new cases of the raging coronavirus in the country as Rivers state gets its first case.

The NCDC said two of the new cases are in Lagos, two are in Abuja while the remaining one is in Rivers state.

With the new confirmed cases, Nigeria now has 51 cases with two patients discharged and one death, as of Wednesday evening, March 25.

Legit.ng also gathered that since the confirmation of the index case of the novel coronavirus in Lagos, the Nigerian government has been telling the citizens not to panic, giving assurance that everything is under control.

However, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country increases, Nigerians put pressure on the federal government to restrict movements into the country.

The Nigerian government responded by placing a travel ban on countries with over 1,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

In related news, Bishop Sam Zuga of House of Joy ministry and founder of both Samzuga free medical treatment and Samzuga international has left many of his followers with high hopes after he offered to treat anyone infected with the coronavirus.

The man of God revealed this during a healing crusade organised to sensitize people about coronavirus also known as COVID-19, in Yola, Adamawa state.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: We have upgraded to serve you better

Coronavirus: Nigeria's health minister speaks on chloroquine as cure for COVID-19 | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
HOSHIARPUR/JALANDHAR: Four new patients, including three in Hoshiarpur and one in Jalandhar, tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Friday, taking the total number of cases in Punjab to 37.

Health officials of Hoshiarpur district said that the wife, daughter-in-law and a close contact of a 68-year-old resident of Moranwali village, who had tested positive last week, have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The health department collected 30 more samples from the village in Garhshankar sub division, including other members of the affected family.

In Jalandhar, a 27-year-old man tested positive on Friday. District nodal officer Dr TPS Sandhu said the youngster is a resident of Virk village in Phillaur sub-division. He is a close contact of three members of the Virk village family related to Punjabs first coronavirus death victim Baldev Singh, 70, who died at Banga civil hospital on March 18.

Twenty-seven people who came in contact with Baldev Singh have been infected by the virus. They include his 14 family members, three relatives from Phillaur, a 27-year-old close contact of the Philluar family, two who returned from Germany via Italy along with him, his five close contacts from Hoshiarpur district and the Pathlawa sarpanch and his mother.

Besides 19 people found positive in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, five cases each have been reported in Mohali and Jalandhar, six from Hoshiarpur, and one each from Ludhiana and Amritsar.
Hackers have apparently been trying to breach the firewalls of the World Health Organization (WHO), which was the target of an unsuccessful cyberattack earlier this month, according to Reuters In what appears to be a trend of attacks on health organizations fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, an unidentified "elite team" of hackers apparently used a fake site that "mimicked WHO's internal email system" in an attempt to steal passwords from agency staffers. This revelation follows shortly on the heels of a largely unsuccessful attack against the U.S. Health and Human Services (HSS) agency.WHO, which is an agency of the United Nations, has been at the forefront of education and outreach regarding the global health crisis.It is suspected that the group responsible for the attempt is one called Darkhotel, which is believed to originate out of South Korea and is known mostly for its targeting of business executives in Asia and Russia, according to Kaspersky Labs While some hacking groups have claimed they will abstain from attacking health organizations during the COVID-19 outbreak, WHO CISO Flavior Aggio said that his organization has seen a "twofold" increase in attempted cyberattacks since they've been fighting the virus.There has been a big increase in targeting of the WHO and other cybersecurity incidents, Aggio said, speaking with Reuters . There are no hard numbers, but such compromise attempts against us and the use of (WHO) impersonations to target others have more than doubled.Hackers have also used the WHO's authority as a renowned health organization in their schemes, crafting lures and fake, malware-laden websites to take advantage of people looking for credible information about the spread of the virus.The organization put out a release last month warning online visitors of criminals "pretending to be WHO."
In an address to soldiers on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday said it was important for them to stay fit and remain away from coronavirus if they have to help the countrymen in these serious times.

Naravane asked them to strictly adhere to a string of preventive measures circulated by the army to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

As the army chief, force protection is a priority for me. All of us have to stay away from coronavirus. Only then can we discharge our duties, he said.

The army chief said soldiers deployed along the border had to stay close to each other due to operational and tactical reasons and it was all the more important for them to ensure they were fit and disease free.

On Thursday, he said the army was undertaking its operational tasks like before and the Covid-19 outbreak had not hit its preparedness. He said that Covid-19 was in preparatory stage of impact in India and the country was making concerted efforts to prevent the disease from establishing a firm base

I want to assure all the soldiers posted on the border that their families are being taken care of. I also want to assure all the families that their husbands are safe while performing their operational duties, he said in his address.

He said Veer Naaris (army widows) and the veterans should take care of themselves and stay safe. In case of any need, contact the commander of the nearest army cantonment without hesitation We have established Command-wise helpline numbers on which calls can be made any time, he said.

BOOSTING MEDICAL READINESS

The army has asked all field hospitals to be ready to set up a 45-bed isolation facility and create a 10-bed ICU facility at six hours notice. The armed forces, which are an important institutional pillar in the countrys fight against the pandemic, are working on a war footing to deal with Covid-19 cases, including setting up testing facilities in more hospitals.

Lieutenant General Anup Banerji, who heads the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), said on Friday that isolation wards had been set up at peripheral hospitals in forward areas to stay prepared for the Covid-19 threat.

Segregation facilities have been set up to observe troops already back from leave from various states, he said.

The armed forces are operating six quarantine facilities across the country at Hindan, Manesar, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ghatkopar and Chennai. We are housing 1,059 civilian evacuees from countries like Italy, Iran and Malaysia in these centres. Of these, three have tested positive so far, he said.

Banerji said the availability of personal Protective equipment (PPE) was a challenge both nationally and globally. Their rational usage is very crucial and we have issued necessary advisory to that effect to the services. We, as AFMS, are presently geared up with adequate PPEs for use in our hospitals, he said, adding that additional PPE procurement was planned to meet the requirements in the coming weeks and months.

He said currently five hospitals run by the armed forces were equipped to carry out Covid-19 tests and six more will be added to the list soon. The army has earmarked 28 service hospitals for managing Covid-29 cases, he said. This includes armed forces patients as well as civilian patients transferred from state health authorities, in case their capacity is overwhelmed, he said.

He said the soldier who had tested positive in Leh --- the armys first and only coronavirus case so far --- has made an uneventful recovery.

On medical assistance being given to neighbouring countries, he said, Apart from the Maldives, we are ready to dispatch a rapid response team to Nepal for assisting them with the present Covid-19 situation there. Other assistance as sought from ministries of external affairs and defence for other countries will be provided as and when required.

The defence ministry has asked 62 cantonment boards, spread across 19 states and union territories, to identify beds in hospitals, health centres and guest houses, to meet any eventuality, a ministry spokesperson said.

Presidents and chief executive officers of the cantonment boards are in constant touch with civilian authorities in their respective areas and providing required assistance whenever needed, a ministry release said.

NAVY FLIES 60,000 MASKS TO GOA

The India Navy on Friday flew 60,000 masks in an Ilyushin-38 aircraft from Delhi to Goa where health workers need them. A shipment of 60,000 face masks ordered by Indian Medical Association, Goa, was stuck in Delhi as trucks could not move in the current lockdown, a navy spokesperson said.

A request for facilitating transportation of the masks to Goa was made by the Indian Medical Association to the Indian Navy at Goa. An IL-38 long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft flew from Goa to Palam Airport on Friday and returned to Goa with the masks, he added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The loans come with an incentive to keep workers on the payroll: A portion of the loans can be forgiven if businesses retain their employees, according to an early version of the bill. Businesses with fewer than 500 employees are eligible for loans of up to $10 million, which can be used to pay for salaries and benefits, mortgage or rent, utilities and existing debt.
Working in construction during the coronavirus pandemic has split the industry down the middle, according to advocates and health experts.

On one hand, buildings, roads and utilities need regular maintenance and upgrades, and millions of blue-collar workers need those jobs to support families, construction union leaders said. At the same time, those close-knit worksites and, sometimes, unsanitary work conditions are ripe for exposure to the virus, according to Jeanne Stellman, a professor at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, who specializes in workers safety issues.

MORE: Coronavirus economic updates: 3.28 million unemployment filings shatter 1982 record of 695,000

"The question is, 'What jobs can be done safely?'" she told ABC News. "This is a time when those generally poor standards [at construction sites] need to be addressed."

Stellman and other advocates called on the government to come up with immediate solutions to address both issues before they create a deeper economic and public health problem on the nation.

PHOTO: A general view of a construction site is seen in New York, March 26, 2020. (Ivan Pereira/ABC News)

More than 7.6 million Americans worked in a construction job in February, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For many states, including New York, the hardest hit by the pandemic, construction projects have continued after being deemed essential services.

Ken Rigmaiden, the general president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, which has over 111,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, estimated that half of the construction sites in the country have shut down since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Rigmaiden noted one of his members, Tureka Dixon, a single mother from Philadelphia with a child on the autism spectrum, lost her construction job recently and is desperate to get back to work.

"People need to be aware of that in this industry, if they dont work and dont get paid, they are hurt," Rigmaiden told ABC News.

Story continues

The union leader added that governments should be using the construction workforce to their advantage as the need for new hospital spaces and coronavirus testing centers soar. Rigmaiden acknowledged that some workers would prefer to stay at home to avoid contracting the disease, for which there should be assistance.

The Laborers' International Union of North America, which has half a million members in North America, sent a letter to congressional leaders Tuesday urging them to come up with relief plans for construction workers. Some of the recommendations the union put forward include family and medical leave for their members, and a new emergency safety standard for work during the outbreak.

"I want to stress the importance of making sure that federal action to address COVID-19 should benefit the workers and families who are bearing the brunt of this crisis," LIUNA general president Terry OSullivan wrote.

MORE: Small businesses face 'nightmare' cash crunch from coronavirus pandemic

Stellman said the calls for financial assistance are important for those workers, and at the same time, the government should stress better safety standards. In addition to the number of risks construction workers face while doing their tasks, Stellman said the sanitary hazards are far more concerning.

Things like a lack of clean toilets and sinks to tight lifts and a lack of personal protective equipment raise the chances that the workers will contract COVID-19, she said. Stellman warned that the country should learn the lessons from the excavation and extraction work that took place at Ground Zero after 9/11 when workers were not protected from the poisonous atmosphere.

"We operated there 24/7 without any precautions and we are still paying the price for the brave guys who did all for us," she said.

PHOTO: Construction workers take a break on their jobs on March 26, 2020 in New York.spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

Carlo Scissura, the president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, a trade group that represents developers and construction companies, said several major companies have instituted stricter health safety policies in the last few weeks. Several companies, he said, are taking the temperatures of their workers when they arrive on site and are asking any employee who feels sick to stay at home.

"A lot of these sites are union sites and unions have clear guidelines for their employees," Scissura told ABC News. "Were monitoring to see if there are site-specific cases where there are people who arent given the opportunity to go home if theyre sick."

MORE: Rural communities' digital deserts cripple tele-education during coronavirus outbreak

Stellman said she hopes the situation will spur elected officials and industry leaders to take a good look at the health safety standards in construction sites concerning pandemics and institute stronger safeguards.

"Construction workers have always stepped up to their responsibilities to provide us with the structures that we need for our lives," she said. "They have shown to do it at great risk and we as a society have to ask that the risk they take is absolutely minimal."

Construction unions call for better safety, health protections as work continues during coronavirus pandemic originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
More Coronavirus Cases Found Among Crew of Theodore Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier - US Navy

Sputnik News

14:12 GMT 26.03.2020(updated 14:57 GMT 26.03.2020)

Earlier this week, acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said that three sailors on one of the US Navy's largest vessels, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, had tested positive for COVID-19.

Acting Secretary of the US Navy Thomas Modly stated on Thursday that additional coronavirus cases have been found on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier.

The official added that all personnel on board the aircraft carrier will be tested for the coronavirus when the vessel docks in Guam.

"We found several more cases on board the ship, we are in the process now of testing 100 percent of the crew on that ship to ensure that we are able to contain whatever spread might have occurred there on the ship," Modly said. "The ship is pulling into Guam, it will be pier side."

The Roosevelt has about 5,000 personnel onboard and is based in San Diego, California. The ship is presently in the Philippine Sea after having recently called to port in Da Nang, Vietnam, for five days earlier this month.

Earlier this week, the acting secretary said that three sailors on the USS Theodore Roosevelt had tested positive for COVID-19 about two weeks after visiting Vietnam.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The coronavirus pandemic is stretching Alabamas health care system to its limits, with unprecedented needs in level of care and supplies.

And several Alabama companies are stepping into the gap with a mixture of initiative and ingenuity.

When containment measures for the coronavirus shuttered eateries last week, they also affected Mobiles Calagaz Printing, which specializes in commercial printing for national restaurant chains. Owner Joe Calagaz, who has been in the business for almost 30 years, told his 17 employees that he intended on keeping them on payroll by cleaning and crosstraining.

But Sales Director Michael Cuesta read a news story about the need for plastic medical face shields, and pitched an idea to General Manager Donnie Webb: Why not make these for local hospitals?

My concern was that, on the surface, was this going to be a feelgood project that really wasnt going to help hospitals, Calagaz said.

They had materials overnighted in so that, by Monday, they had six prototypes to take to area hospitals. The design was based on an existing face shield which medical technicians told Calagaz was currently on back order - from the Wuhan District of China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.

The earliest they will get them will be July, Calagaz said.

This weekend, Calagaz said he hopes to deliver an initial 6,000 face shields to Mobile Infirmary, Springhill Hospital, Providence Hospital, USA Health University Hospital, USA Health Childrens & Womens Hospital. From there, he said, he could produce another 24,000, and eventually, ramp it up to 100,000 a month, if demand is there.

I want to be able to do as much as I possibly can to assist everybody that needs these shields, Calagaz said.

A coalition of technology companies, an Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine student and a nonprofit community makerspace called Red Mountain Makers are leading the effort in Birmingham to produce 3D-printed face shields and N95 face masks for healthcare workers.

Shirley Hicks, a founding member of Red Mountain Makers, said the group started collaborating last weekend to help ease the national medical supply shortage. The coalition is in the beginning stages of making prototypes of the face shields and masks and sending the samples to UAB for approval.

Once the group gets the OK from the hospital, Hicks said they could start making the equipment next week. Until then, Hicks said they need to assemble a production team. Forrest Satterfield, CEO of Satterfield Technologies, will be coordinating the production effort.

Individuals, companies or businesses that have access to 3D printers, laser cutters and other equipment can volunteer to help create face shields and masks by signing up through this Google document. Clinics, hospitals and other facilities wanting to request the face shields and masks can leave their emails in this Google document and a member will be in touch with you.

Not all volunteers have to be tech-savvy, Hicks said. The coalition also needs people who can help organize the Birmingham effort or distribute the materials to the hospitals, Hicks said.

Essentially, we are organizing, very quickly, a dispersed production assembly line, Hicks said. So, this is a call to action for all of those who have access to a 3D printer that they have tried out the last couple years. This is a time to bring it out.

Ethan Summers, commercial operations leader of a consumer electronic startup called Fledging, has been tasked with meeting UAB officials to get prototypes approved. He is familiar with how the medical supply chain works. Before joining the startup in June, Summers was part of UABs sourcing for two years and is friends with people who make the decisions at the hospital.

Because of his background, Summers was able to set up meetings with UAB to show staff the face shield and face mask prototypes. He said he is also talking to other healthcare providers as well.

They are very eager to explore options to have backups, Summers said I think the interest has really ramped up across the board. Im talking to a lot of healthcare organizations right now that are looking for any extra supply help they can get.

Since he no longer works for UAB, Summers couldnt give specifics about UABs medical supply during the coronavirus pandemic. But he attributed the national medical supply shortage to a rapid surge of demand due to the spread of the virus.

In Alabama, 500 cases is obviously bad news, but when states like New York have so many cases, it really taxes the system, Summers said.

Another big focus of the Birmingham group right is building capital. Those who dont have the supplies or time to volunteer can donate to the cause. Summers said all the money will be going towards the face masks and shields.

John Olsen, a father of three and a ACOM medical student, has turned his hobby of 3D printing into a lifesaving operation inside his garage. In a GoFundMe he started for the coalition on Sunday, Olsen said he is able to produce eight face shields daily, but with extra equipment he can bump the amount up to 50 daily. So far, Olsen has received $7,862 of his $15,000 goal.

Imagine 50 nurses, doctors, first responders out there who could be significantly less likely to be incapacitated by COVID-19 with this equipment, Olsen said in the GoFundMe.

Red Land Cotton, based in Lawrence County, normally makes bedding, bath towels and lounge wear from cotton grown on the family farm. But starting last Friday, founder Anna Brakefield said, the company began looking at how to contribute to the efforts of hospitals fighting the coronavirus.

Partnering with Heidi Elnore, a wedding dress designer, they thought about making masks to protect patients at local nursing homes and hospitals. A local nursing home, she said, estimates it needs between 600 to 700 masks.

But the company also contacted UAB Hospital, which provided some specifications for masks they could use, Brakefield said.

It evolved from, how can we make masks for the community to how can we serve an even broader area with this fabric that we have on hand? she said. Our primary concern was, would our fabric be effective or even helpful? I dont want to make something thats not going to be helpful.

Starting tomorrow, the company will begin making two kinds of masks  a basic two-ply surgical mask that can be placed over the N-95 mask to extend its life; and a three-ply surgical mask with a pocket to insert a 3M air filter, providing another protective barrier.

We got feedback from UAB about what would be helpful, she said. By no means is it ideal, but the hope is that, if they are in need, they can wash them and replace the filter.

Brakefield said the company plans on producing about 1,000 masks it hopes to supply to the hospital starting this weekend. Red Land then plans on making a few hundred more a day to anyone needing masks.

Hospitals needing masks can send an email to info@redlandcotton.com. Brakefield said the company is working to streamline the process for orders.
Seven more people tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 50, a health official said.

Of the seven fresh cases, Noida reported four, Ghaziabad two and Agra one, Director Information Shishir told PTI.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in Noida has gone up to 18.

Agra has so far reported 10 cases, Lucknow eight, Ghaziabad five, Pilibhit two and Lakhimpur-Kheri, Moradabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Jaunpur, Shamli and Baghpat one case each.

Of the total 50 coronavirus patients in the state, 14 have been cured and discharged from hospitals. Those cured include seven from Agra, four from Noida, two from Ghaziabad and one from Lucknow.

The UP health department is planing to make Level-1 COVID hospitals operational in all 75 districts of the state at the earliest to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, according to an official release.

The state has developed a web-based application, "Quarantine tracking app", to track the health of people who have recently returned from abroad.

A message is being sent to every traveller with request to download the app.

After downloading the app, they can fill their details in the webform and can update their health status on the application daily for next 28 days. If they report any symptom on any day, an alert will be sent to the state control room and a medical team will visit them for assistance. PTI ABN



http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg



We bring the World to you"Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you.

http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg



We bring the World to you"



Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Toronto, March 27 : Canadian researchers are developing a DNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and has currently infected nearly 5,00,000 people worldwide and crippled the global economy.

Entos Pharmaceuticals, a health-care biotechnology company headed by a University of Alberta researchers, develop new therapeutic compounds using the company's proprietary drug-delivery platform and has begun manufacturing vaccine candidates against the novel coronavirus.

"Given the urgency of the situation, we can have a lead candidate vaccine within two months. Once we have that it's a race to get it into clinical trials," said John Lewis, CEO of Entos and a Professor at the University of Alberta in Canada.

Lewis said in comparison to a traditional vaccine, DNA-based vaccines hold several advantages.

Nucleic acids are introduced directly into the patient's own cells, causing them to make pieces of the virus--tricking the immune system into mounting a response without the full virus actually being present, the researcher said.

According to the company, the approach is recognised as being easier to move into large-scale manufacturing, offers improved vaccine stability and works without needing an infectious agent.

In the current absence of a vaccine for COVID-19, several companies around the world are mounting efforts to begin similar work.

The first clinical trial using a DNA-based vaccine developed by Moderna Inc.in the US on March 13.

Their approach allows for antibodies to be made in the human trial volunteers against a specific protein on the surface of the coronavirus that lets the virus enter human cells.

The hope is that the antibodies will stop the interaction.

Though this approach is designed to be effective against COVID-19 specifically, Lewis said Entos is taking a different tack.

The company plans to use plasmid DNA to amplify the production of key coronavirus surface and structural proteins with each injection, with an eye to the bigger picture.

"Many of the structural proteins in the virus are pretty well conserved across all the coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS," said Lewis.

"We're hoping that if we express more of the structural proteins that are common to most coronaviruses, we can inhibit the current COVID-19, and also potentially protect against all coronaviruses both past and future," Lewis added.

To move the project forward quickly, the company is seeking financial support from both provincial and federal levels of government.

"We have the opportunity to save a lot of lives, and I think it's really upon us and governments to find solutions for that," Lewis said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
PANAMA CITY - Four passengers have died aboard a cruise ship now anchored off the coast of Panama and two people aboard the ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the cruise line said Friday, with hundreds of passengers unsure how long they will remain at sea.

Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of 248 Canadians on the ship  247 passengers and one crew member.

Holland America Line confirmed Canadians are not among the four dead.

GAC says it is actively monitoring the situation and has contacted the Canadians on board to provide information on how they can protect themselves. GAC adds it is talking with Panamas government and working with Holland America on plans to get the Canadians home.

Holland America Line said in a post on its Facebook page that more than 130 people aboard the Zaandam had reported flu-like symptoms.

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam, the statement said. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time. It did not identify the cause of deaths.

The ship, which had been denied passage through the Panama Canal and had been turned away from other ports, was receiving medical supplies and medical personnel from another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam and the company planned to begin transferring healthy passengers to that ship.

Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70, the statement said. There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board the Zaandam.

The Zaandam departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7. The ship was trying to get to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being denied permission to dock at its original destination of San Antonio, Chile a week ago. The cruise line said no one had been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile.

On March 22, when a number of passengers began reporting flu-like symptoms, the ship instituted protective measures, including telling everyone to self-isolate in their cabins, the cruise line said. On Thursday, all passengers and crew received masks and instruction on how to use them.

Neil Bedford said his parents, Kim and Chris Bedford from Bradford, England, left on March 4 for a flight to Argentina and boarded the ship on the 7th.

They were enjoying their time, he told The Associated Press in a Twitter message. But on the 15th, it was announced that the cruise was over and they were turned away from several countries.

The meals are delivered to their rooms three times during the day. Im not sure if they are left outside for them to collect or if someone brings them into the room. The captain is making announcements once a day but everyone seems to be getting frustrated as its constantly bad news, he said.

His parents are both in their 60s.

They are just growing increasingly concerned with what will happen to them, he wrote. There is a new ship alongside them, the Rotterdam, which the healthy will be evacuated to, but they will need testing first before that can happen. They are becoming terrified of being stuck onboard the ship.

Hayley Pillai Johnson, a medical student at Cambridge University in England, also posted on Twitter, asking questions her grandfather and his wife.

We just want them home, she wrote in a message.

Her grandfather, Sethy Pillai, is a 90-year-old retired doctor. His wife, Hazel Pillai, is 75 and has diabetes. They are from Oxforshire in England, and she spoke with them Friday via WhatsApp as they were quarantined in their room.

They are scared now they have heard of the 4 deaths and never thought this would happen, she wrote. My grandma has a non-dry cough but no temperature, so has been counted in the symptom category. My grandpa feels tired and scared but is fine.

Holland America needs to get all guests off this cruise, test them and go from there. We are worried sick about them, especially as the route through Panama Canal has not yet been confirmed and neither has the docking at Port Everglades.

Panamas Maritime Authority Administrator Noriel Arauz said Friday that the ships were authorized to manoeuvr, but no one would be allowed ashore.

The Zaandam had planned to pass through the Panama Canal en route to Florida, but after being inspected by Panamanian authorities, the request to use the canal was denied, said canal Administrator Ricauter Vasquez. The Health Ministry did not give permission, Vasquez told reporters Friday. The ship is in territorial waters but has to remain isolated.

It was not immediately clear where either ship would go. The Rotterdam had not requested permission to pass through the Panama Canal.

There are four doctors and four nurses on the Zaandam, according to cruise line statement, while the Rotterdam had two doctors and four nurses aboard.

Holland America Line had announced March 17 that it was voluntarily suspending its cruise operations for 30 days Due to the continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19 and in an abundance of caution. At that point, the company said none of its passengers or crew had tested positive for the virus.

The Seattle-based cruise line is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.

__

Lush reported from St. Petersburg, Florida.

 With files from The Canadian Press.
This article originally appeared on the Seattle Patch

OLYMPIA, WA  Gov. Jay Inslee's order requiring Washingtonians to stay home and avoid non-essential activities may be extended beyond two weeks if state leaders feel the move is necessary to slow the spread of coronavirus, the governor said Thursday.

Washington's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order went into full effect Thursday and is set to expire April 8.

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Washington. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.



During a press briefing Thursday, Inslee said he was heartened by the response to his order so far, and pledged state agencies would continue to work with millions of people and businesses in Washington affected by widespread business closures.



"So far, we have seen overwhelming compliance, and that is to be expected, I think, because Washingtonians know what it is to work together," Inslee said.

Among the methods the state uses to determine the order's effectiveness, Inslee says, is monitoring daily traffic statistics and using geographic information from cell phones to develop a model on how overall public movements are changing.

Graph shows "very modest improvement" in new case rates



The governor also pointed to recent data showing current social distancing efforts appeared to be effective in slowing the rate of new COVID-19 infections in Washington.

(Handout, Office of the Governor)





"What you're seeing is that our line has gone up  bad news  and fatalities have continued to increase," Inslee said. "But if you look at the line, it has some slight reduction in the rate of this acceleration, the curve."

"It is a small reduction of the rate of increase, but it is a glimmer of hope," Inslee said. "This is suggestive that some of the things we are doing together is having some very modest improvement."

Story continues

Despite the modest improvement, the governor warned against complacency and said it was essential to fully commit to mitigation efforts until the threat is fully extinguished.

"We simply cannot allow this virus to be slowed, then spring back upon us," Inslee said. "We've got to pound it, and we've got to pound it until it's done."

Inslee says COVID-19 continues to be a threat across all Washington counties

Although the majority of confirmed cases and deaths linked to COVID-19 are in Washington's three most populous counties, Inslee said the virus continues to be a statewide threat, and could quickly lead to tragedy anywhere.

"Some may think that action is not necessary outside of those counties," Inslee said. "The unfortunate reality is that today this virus is spreading across the entire state of Washington."

"What we are seeing in Seattle today could be in Walla Walla fairly shortly, [or] in Port Angeles, in Centralia."

While the state response has rapidly evolved since the beginning of the month, the governor says it is important to remember that Washington is just at the beginning of its effort to fully contain the virus.

"It will not be successful to have a success in these first two weeks and then give up all of our efforts," Inslee said. "We need our economy to come back as fast as possible, and the way to do that is to eliminate the virus in our state."

Washington seeks expanded federal support to fight coronavirus, more medical personnel



The governor said he spoke to the White House Thursday morning and renewed calls for increased federal testing support and expanded manufacturing for needed medical equipment.

"Today we are in a mad scramble, frankly, with 50 states competing against one another for crucial supplies," Inslee said.

While the health care system is not overwhelmed, Inslee says that is likely to change in the weeks ahead and underlines the need for a swift increase in hospital capacity.

"If this curve is not dramatically decreased, we could have a need for 5,000 beds in the next week or two," Inslee said. "We're going to have to do significantly more."

Some help is on the way, the governor said, including potential Army field hospitals. Inslee said the first deployment would likely be somewhere in the Puget Sound core, with further expansions elsewhere as needs require.

"We are going to need significant additional medical personnel as this wave increases," Inslee said.

The governor said he was hopeful some retired nurses and physicians would consider coming out of retirement, at least for a few weeks, to assist in the ongoing efforts.

"We have cleared the decks to get those licenses restored quickly," Inslee said. "This could make all the difference in the world."

Learn more about the state COVID-19 response and resources available to workers and businesses here.
In this interview, Dr Jameel addresses some of the questions regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic. He said, 'If we don't stop the transmission, we should brace ourselves for an Italy-like situation, perhaps even worse, considering our healthcare infrastructure.'

Dr. Shahid Jameel is a former group leader of Virology at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi. He is now the CEO of Wellcome Trust/ DBT India Alliance, an independent public charity that funds research in health and biomedical sciences in India. He is the Fellow of all the three Indian Science Academies and a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Medical Sciences (2000) for his work on the Hepatitis E virus and HIV.

In this exclusive interview, Dr Jameel addresses some of the questions that are on everyone's mind regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic. He said, "If we don't stop the transmission, we should brace ourselves for an Italy-like situation, perhaps even worse, considering our healthcare infrastructure."

Here are the edited excerpts from the interview:

Q: What do you think about the processes of self-isolation and government-mandated quarantine? How effective are these actions in mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, given that widespread tests are not yet a reality in India?

I think they are extremely effective, if done well. Singapore and South Korea are examples of this during the current pandemic. It is best for each one of us to consider ourselves as infected and do whatever is being said to protect others. This is the only reliable tool available with us today to defeat the virus.

Q: Would you like to compare the COVID-19 pandemic to previous pandemics/ epidemics?

The swine flu pandemic of 2009 was similar. But there are also important concepts for us to understand. In the swine flu pandemic, every country in the world reported cases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 11-21 percent of the world population, i.e. 700 million to 1.4 billion people were infected with an estimated 1,50,000 to 5,75,000 deaths, which would be a fatality rate of about 0.02 percent.

We don't yet know how many people have been infected with the COVID-19 virus since there is no suitable test for population screening so far. What we do know is that by today there are over 4,70,000 confirmed cases and more than 21,000 deaths reported from 174 countries. This puts the current case fatality rate for COVID-19 at about 4.4 percent. But one must also understand that this is not the same as population fatality rate.

Going by these numbers and a 7.8 billion world population, only 0.006 percent of the world population is confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus. Again, these are underestimates since we are measuring only cases not population infection. The actual numbers will become clearer in times to come. The alarming think about COVID-19 is that cases are doubling roughly every 6 days. In places like USA, this is happening about everyday. Even in India, the rate of appearance of new cases has picked up in the past two weeks, now doubling in about 4 days. We had 200 cases on 20 March and reached 400 cases on 24 March.

Q: Should India be attempting to mitigate the spread of the virus or contain it, as things stand now?

It is impossible to contain it now, we can only restrict it. We can't make sure the virus doesn't spread (contain) but we can try to reduce the spread as much as possible (restrict). The approach that the government is using right now is the correct one. The entire emphasis is to slowdown the spread of virus so that the number of people requiring quarantine, hospitalisation and ICU admissions do not cross the capacity available in the country.

Q: Is there evidence of community transfer of coronavirus in India so far? What stage of the pandemic are we in? There is no clear evidence yet presented yet, but if you look at the rate at which numbers are increasing in India (see the graph), that must be the case. I have said this earlier as well. As of today, officially we are still in Phase II.

Q: What are your thoughts on the timeline with regards to this pandemic? Can you comment on the near-term and long-term scenarios with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic in India? What should we brace ourselves for?

Viral pandemics such as this, or even large outbreaks, are very hard to predict since viruses spread due to human behaviour, which itself is highly unpredictable. So it's best not to attempt this prediction. I think what is more important is to follow advice and guidelines that are widely circulated. Maintaining discipline and following rules will surely help us overcome this. But if we don't follow rules and don't slow down and eventually stop the transmission, we should brace ourselves for an Italy-like situation, perhaps even worse, considering our healthcare infrastructure.

I will appeal to people with all my might to please follow rules and be disciplined. This is the only tool available to us.

Q: We are hearing a lot about vaccines, what are the chances of finding a successful vaccine? What does the timeline for this look like?

The WHO has stated that there are at least 40 different candidate vaccines for the coronavirus that are currently in development in labs across the world. The Serum Institute of India based in Pune is working with Codagenix, an American company to develop a vaccine as well. The one that has the most buzz is the mRNA-1273, an experimental vaccine developed by Moderna, a US biotechnology company, which has gone into Phase 1 trial. This vaccine has caught the world's attention because it is the first time that a candidate vaccine has been developed so quickly. They began testing it in just 63 days from the time the virus sequence became available. To compare, the SARS vaccine took 20 months to reach that point in the last decade.

It takes a long time to develop and test vaccines that are safe and efficacious in humans. This is because the proof-of-concept needs to be shown in labs, then a manufacturing process is developed to make a stable and a highly pure product. This is then tested in animals and finally in humans, in three phases with increasing numbers of volunteers. All this takes time and money. From proof-of-concept to a successful vaccine takes at least 2 years, generally more.

The Moderna vaccine has been fast-tracked into humans without prior testing in animals given the urgency of the situation. Despite this, it may still take one or even two years for the clinical trials to be over. Also there is no guarantee that this or any other vaccine currently in development will work. To increase the probability of a successful vaccine, one must have numerous candidates, and that is what we have for the coronavirus.

Q: Can you elaborate on how global medical community is coming together (or not) to develop vaccines or any anti-viral for COVID-19?

There is unprecedented cooperation in the global research and medical community in this time of crisis. New knowledge on medical interventions, etc. is openly shared. There are over 300 research papers and reports related to coronavirus in MedRxiv, an open source medical sharing platform. New knowledge on the virus is openly shared on various openly accessible research platforms such as bioRxiv, preprint.org and others. The sequences of viruses from around the world are shared with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) repository and openly modelled at Nextstrain.org. This helps greatly in tracing how the virus is evolving. Information on drug trials is openly available on the websites of the USFDA and Chinese Clinical Trials Registry as well. And, of course, as I mentioned earlier over 40 vaccines are under development as well.

Q: What are the other treatment options available until a vaccine is ready to be deployed?

As of now there are only experimental treatments using existing drugs or combinations. There is no approved treatment yet but drugs such as chloroquine / hydroxychloroquine are approved as experimental drugs as they undergo proper clinical evaluation. For most people the treatment is symptomatic to reduce fever etc. In critical cases, it is best to ensure ventilation and oxygen supply in case the lungs are compromised.

There is a lot of misconception in India, even among educated people, that chloroquine can be taken as a preventive to protect from infection. There is no evidence for it, but there is sufficient evidence that wrong use of chloroquine can cause various other health problems. Don't self-mediate and use it as a preventive for coronavirus.

Q: How effective are anti-virals for COVID-19? Can they be a viable solution to deal with the pandemic? Are any anti-virals already available or nearing deployment?

As things stand now, some anti-virals have been tried in limited experimental and emergency situations. It is important to note that none of them have been approved so far. The control of this pandemic through antivirals is not yet an option.

Q: There is little to no information regarding the numbers available or the supply and manufacture of coronavirus tests, can you shed some light on this?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (M0HFW) has said many times that they have one lakh tests, and have ordered another 10 lakh. We should believe them. Recently, testing is also being opened to government research labs and private sector diagnostic labs. This will help improve the numbers of tests conducted as well.

Q: In your opinion, what are we doing right to deal with coronavirus? What should we be doing differently?

I think the 21-day lockdown and earlier travel restrictions are correct decisions and will prove effective if adhered to properly. But we should even be prepared for a longer lockdown if the situation requires, after these three weeks. Widespread messaging for reducing spread is also urgent and is being carried out well. It is up to us to make it successful by being disciplined and following guidelines.

Having said this, if we had started all of this a few weeks earlier, it we could have done better. The delay is definitely something that could have been avoided. I also think testing should have been much more aggressive. Better collaboration between the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), public institutions and private sector would have also made handling this situation easier. There was a lot of mixed messaging earlier with doubtful AYUSH products and now with chloroquine. Such erroneous and conflicting messaging should at all costs be avoided.

We must remain vigilant yet sensitive to the needs of others. We have a very large poor population in our country, which is going to be hit badly with the lockdown and economic downturn. While following all precautions, please help people in your area with food and other needs to the best of your ability. Those who can afford should reach out with a helping hand to those who cannot.

In the end, we will overcome this if we use common sense, be disciplined and follow orders. This challenge is also an opportunity to win friends through compassion.

The author is an independent journalist based in Bengaluru. He tweets @sibi123
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Georgian JSC TBC Bank ("TBC Bank"), the subsidiary of the TBC Bank Group PLC (TBC PLC) has signed a loan agreement in the amount of $50 million with the OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund), Trend reports via Georgian media.

As reported, the three-year loan facility will be used primarily to finance the international trade activities of TBC Bank customers.

I am very pleased that over time we have built such a successful partnership with the OPEC Fund. With this new facility, TBC Bank will continue to more actively support local businesses to expand their import and export activities and engage in international markets," said Vakhtang Butskhrikidze, CEO of the TBC Bank.

International trade is important to the global economy, and it is crucial to a small country such as Georgia. We are pleased to work with TBC Bank once more. Our loan will support international trade and ultimately improve employment opportunities and economic growth in Georgia, says the OPEC Fund Director-General, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa.

TBC Bank and the OPEC Fund enjoy a long-standing partnership. In 2012, the OPEC Fund approved a $10 million trade finance loan to TBC Bank, mostly related to the import of goods. In 2017, the OPEC Fund participated with a further $25 million in a syndicated term loan to TBC Bank, arranged by FMO, the Dutch development bank to support international trade of Georgia.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 15:54:52|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A senior writes an couplets in support of China's fight against the novel coronavirus at the annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles, the United States, Feb. 15, 2020. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China hopes for the U.S. side to take practical and effective measures to safeguard the safety and health of Chinese citizens in the United States.

In a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, Xi noted that there are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students.

The Chinese president also urged the United States to take substantive actions in improving bilateral relations.

He suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. 
Former Union Minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma (79) passed away on March 27. He was also a Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party.

The veteran leader had served as the Union Communication Minister from 1996 to 1998 in the cabinet of HD Deve Gowda and was appointed the Steel Minister in 2011 during the tenure of Manmohan Singh.



    ,                ' '           ! -    

 Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) March 27, 2020

"The demise of senior Samajwadi Party leader, Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister respected Beni Prasad Verma Ji, our dear Babu Ji, is an irreparable loss. Condolences to the bereaved family! Centenary greetings and tearful tributes," the Samajwadi Party tweeted in Hindi.

Verma briefly joined the Congress party in 2009 but returned to the fold of the Samajwadi Party in 2016.

SP leader Akhilesh Yadav also condoled the death of the party's veteran leader. He tweeted, "The founding member of Samajwadi Party and former Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma ji 'Beni Babu Ji' passed away. Deepest condolences to the family. May his soul rest in peace."
LAKEWOOD, Colo., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kastlfel, the leader in sustainable printed apparel for destination resort and specialty retail, announced today the launch of Rise Up Fundraising. In an effort to raise funds for the Colorado COVID Relief Fund and to help put Kastlfel employees back to work, the company has pledged 50% of all online sales will be donated to the fund.

"This week our core business of selling printed destination retail and event apparel essentially ground to a halt. Like many manufacturers, we have had to make some very difficult decisions," said Will Glennie, COO. "We are taking steps to service customers today and be positioned to quickly hire back staff as soon as conditions allow. The limited production staff remaining on reduced shifts is able to keep us moving forward and support the Rise Up initiative," Glennie continued.

"It is not in our nature to sit back and wait for answers. At Kastlfel we made the unified decision to rise up to this challenge and do our best to make a difference today regardless of what relief might come our way, because this is the American way," stated Jerry Wheeler, CEO. "We have been innovating and leading in sustainable textiles and screen printing for years. Today we dedicate our time and resources to fight for our employees' livelihood and raise funds for those in need through our Rise Up Fundraising Program," said Jerry Wheeler, CEO.

Kastlfel stands with small businesses and entrepreneurs that never stop innovating. Today marks a commitment to adapt its business model to focus on three key fundraising initiatives to provide vital funds for those in need in Colorado, and to get the Kastlfel family back to work sooner.

First, we launched a new website dedicating all efforts to fundraising. 50% of all online sales will be donated to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund. View the collection at Rise Up & Lock Down.

Second, we are calling on Colorado businesses to join us by co-branding any of these Rise Up & Lock Down designs with their brand identity for customers and/or staff. While your employees Rise Up to work, even remotely, they can wear these garments proudly knowing 50% of the cost went to help those in need.

Third, we offer our fundraising platform, design team and production to any company nationwide interested in creating their own custom goods with the Kastlfel Rise Up Fundraising Program.

Transparency is a core value for Kastlfel. For more information on the Rise Up program and details of how funds will be distributed visit Kastlfel. Social: @Kastlfel Hashtags: #RiseUpColorado #KnowYourProductsStory

Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12816252

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Kastlfel

Related Links

http://www.kastlfel.com


After another tie vote Tuesday night, the Boyertown Area School Board abandoned its plan to narrow its seven applicants for a board vacancy down to two finalists, and instead picked from the entire list, thereby choosing Marianne Scott as the newest member.
BBC Radio 1Xtra is making changes to its schedule to reduce the number of presenters and staff in its studios throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

The digital station, which plays urban and black music, said it will focus on live programming to provide community, solidarity and support to listeners.

A number of its presenters will also rotate each week and the length of some of its daytime and evening shows will be extended.

MistaJams Drivetime slot will start an hour early, at 3pm, and run until 7pm, while the Breakfast Show with Dotty will remain four hours long but will air from 7-11am rather than 6-10am.

The new schedule will begin on Monday and continue for the foreseeable future, the BBC said.

The corporation has already announced that BBC Radio One will enact similar measures, with Greg Jamess show among those affected.

BBC Radio One Breakfast host Greg James (Lia Toby/PA)

Mark Strippel, head of programmes at 1Xtra, said: During this challenging time I have taken the decision to simplify the 1Xtra schedule to ensure that were looking after our teams, and that we can continue to provide a great public service and daily connection when our audience needs us most.

Im incredibly proud of how our 1Xtra teams have pulled together and delivered brilliant output under difficult circumstances. 1Xtra has a special connection with its communities, artists and culture.

Video of the Day

Our role in entertaining and informing our audiences is critical during these unprecedented times.
Rochester Magazine:Heres four of your self-descriptors. Give me a sentence or two to describe each. So, one, "transplant recipient."

James Rabe:Yes. My sister gave me a kidney. She lives here in town. Saved my life.

RM:Two, "mental health advocate."

JR:I deal with anxiety and depression quite regularly. When I was finally diagnosed, I was more or less open with it. When I came back to Rochester from hither and yon [in 2015], I decided I wanted to focus on two things: organ donation and mental health awareness.

RM:Your third self-descriptor is "suicide preventioner."

ADVERTISEMENT

JR:Ive given many classes through NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness in southeastern Minnesota, to help kids and adults understand how to intervene. Its a really cool program they have that is very much like CPR, but its called QPR. Question, persuade, respond.

RM:Your fourth self descriptor, "irregular underpants model."

JR:For years, I had this thing where I liked pretending to be Superman. But I didnt have any clothes that looked like him, so I just wore long underwear with white tighty-whities over them and a towel around my shoulder. I thought it was cool until I let my friend see it, and I learned very quickly it was not cool.

RM:Not sure what to do with that. I had made up "irregular underpants model." Im not sure if you are telling the truth, but I think its better to not pursue it.

JR:Thats probably for the best.

RM:You were voted Best Dressed at Sault Ste. Marie Area High School in Michigan. Is that a fair assessment of your clothing style?

JR:In high school it absolutely was, and if you look closely, if you can see the yearbook, not only was I nominated for Best Dressed and won, but I also won Most Likely To Succeed, and I have different fancy clothes in each picture.

RM:Wow. Yes. We may or may not have been in the Sault at the same time. I was working there from late 92 to 95.

ADVERTISEMENT

JR:I would have been gone. I picked up my bag and took all my cares away about 91.

RM:What was in that bag?

JR:Oh, my gosh. I had nothing, except really bad resumes. Three pages. My sister was here. I had no job. I came to Rochester and worked part-time at KROC, and full-time at JC Penney for about a year. Ended up working at KROC until 2007, then worked around the country and came back here in 2015,

RM:And now youre on every single radio station in Rochester.

JR:Pretty much. I do the mornings on Y105-FM, and I am on KROC-AM, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. And I also have a syndicated show that goes out across the nation that is a classic hits afternoon show, and we tape that in Rochester on 104.3.

RM:Best on-air moment?

JR:Every time something works, every time I work with a partner and we have something fun. And any time something great happens, when someone feels something. When someone calls in and says, "I was feeling bad the other day and you told me about the numbers on your website. So I called up and Im getting help. Thank you for that." These are moments that are pretty huge, and theyre all over the place. ... But its also when I say the weather right, Im also very happy. Its just a great job.

RM:Favorite guest of all time?

ADVERTISEMENT

JR:Johnny Cashs guitarist that used to travel with Six Mile Grove, Bob Wooton. Great stories.

RM:Im going to #$*@! ask you this one more time. Favorite guest of all time?

JR:Oh. Steve Lange ... .

RM:Thanks for that. Thats sweet. How did you discover your kidneys were failing?

JR:Oh, the usual thing. Youre pulling skin out of your mouth and youre not sleeping properly and you put a pair of pants on one leg at a time because you need a rest in the middle, that sort of stuff.

RM:Yes, all very common. Especially the mouth skin thing.

JR:Right? I finally went to the doctor because I was stumbling up stairs, and the doctor said, "Your hemoglobin is like three. You shouldnt be alive." They checked my blood and that day I was in dialysis, but my blood had been dirty for probably eight, nine months, and not really been being cleaned properly.

RM:Tell me about when your sister found out she was a match to give you a kidney.

JR:I was driving when I got the call. Id been on dialysis for a year and Joan was the first one to get tested. She called and said, "Hey, Im a match." She didnt balk at all.

RM:Did she get to pick which one to keep?

JR:I got the ugly one for sure. The one that was on her right side was just exactly like you see a kidney. And the other one was like, "Oh, I just got beat up on the playground." You remember Andy Capp cartoons, how he looked at the end of scrimmages? Thats the one I got.

RM:Does she lord it over you?

JR:Yes, she absolutely does. "Oh, I cant reach the remote control, James. Oh, will you go get the mail, James? Remember when I gave you a kidney?" I tell her, "Yeah, but I helped you lose three ounces." So be an organ donor. Make sure your family knows. You can be a hero.
Lockdown. Social distancing. Self-quarantine. The COVID-19 outbreak forced a number of new words to become part of the worlds collective vocabulary. But perhaps the most powerful of such terms came from the state of Kerala where the government has started referring to migrant labourers as guest labourers".

In wake of the severe economic crisis that hit the unorganized sector as a total lockdown was imposed in India Tuesday midnight onward, thousands of migrant and daily wage workers have been left in a lurch. At such a time, Kerala government is being praised not just for its proactive approach toward handling the coronavirus outbreak but also for its treatment of such workers whom the Chief Minister, as well as other government officials now, refer to as Atithi thozhilalikal. Atithi means guest and thozhilalikal means mazdoor or labourer.

The observation was made by a journalist on Twitter who referred to as creating new words/cultures during #CoronaCrisis.

In Kerala, theres a new word to refer to migrant workers. Its guest labourers (Atithi thozhilalikal). As the CM to officials started using it, its becoming a common word there, I am told. creating new words/culture during #CoronaCrisis Liz Mathew (@MathewLiz) March 27, 2020

This is not the first time that the term has been used in Kerala. In fact, the term was coined first by the states Finance Minister Thomas Issac during his Budget speech in February 2018. The idea then had been to commemorate the 3.5 million migrant labourers in Kerala and honour them for their contributions to the states labour force.

Kerala is considered one of the friendliest states when it comes to guest labourers, especially since minimum wages for the unskilled labour are almost three times the amount they would receive in several other states for equal work. The government has also taken several efforts to increase education among migrant workers through courses in Malayalam aimed at increasing literacy and integration through schemes like Changathi.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak that has brought economic activities in the unorganised sector to nearly a halt, the move by the Vijayan government to honour the victims did not go unappreciated on social media.

 Kerala is setting so many examples  Anjali Ojha (@ojhaanjali) March 27, 2020

Hats off Kerala!We reveal who we are in times of crisis. And Kerala is shining through.  Tanushree Mainrai (@MainraiTanu) March 27, 2020

However, some expressed concern that just renaming migrant workers as guests would not solve the crisis that thousands of workers find themselves in a soup as jobs dry up.

And in the absence of public transport during the lockdown, many were forced to undertake arduous journeys back home on foot

Calling them guests" instead of migrants, nevertheless, marks a refreshing shift in a states approach toward its migrant workforce, which is often targeted as outsider" in times of economic stress. At a time when the global COVID-19 pandemic is adding is threatening to leave millions in India jobless and foodless, the governments efforts at inclusion should come as a lesson for other Indian states.

The government has also set up community kitchens for guest labourers and others hit by the crisis to ensure no one in the state goes hungry.

(This article was originally published on March 27, 2020)

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
Representative image

There has been no solid evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in India as yet and the infection appears to be relatively stabilising considering the rate at which it is increasing, the health ministry said on Thursday.

At the same, it said the latest figures do not establish a clear trend and in no way the government is relaxed about anything at this point.

The number of coronavirus cases climbed to 694 in India on Thursday and the death rose to 16, according to the Health Ministry.

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the ministry of health, told a press conference that while the "numbers of COVID-19 cases are increasing, there appears to be relatively a stable trend or even little bit reduction in the rate at which they are increasing".

"This however does not establish a clear trend and in no way are we relaxed about anything at this point," he added.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Agarwal said the ministry is hopeful of containing the spread of the coronavirus by social distancing policy, conducting a proper contact tracing of positive cases and by ensuring that all people at home quarantine are monitored.

While adding a note of caution, Agarwal said the community transmission phase of the disease will begin if the community and the government do not work collectively and follow the set guidelines of social distancing, home quarantine and treatment.

He urged people to support the lockdown announced by the prime minister saying social distancing can be an effective intervention to break the chain of transmission and all the efforts will go into waste even if one person does not follow the policy for containment of the disease.

"Continued people's support for implementation of lockdown is needed," he said.

Commenting over the cases reported in Hyderabad and Bhilwada, Raman R Gangakhedkar, head of the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at ICMR said, "Going by one or two cases we cannot say there has been community transmission. Also why should we hide if there has been a community transmission."

"There is still no solid evidence to say there has been community transmission of coronavirus infection in India," he asserted. Agarwal further said that 17 states have started work on earmarking hospitals for dedicated treatment of COVID-19 patients on their request.

He also denied that the virus spreads through mosquitoes.

He further said that the Cabinet Secretary had discussed with all chief secretaries the lockdown measures and preparedness of states in terms of hospitals and logistic arrangements and has called for making an arrangement to ensure essential commodities reach the people.

He said the ministry in collaboration with AIIMS, Delhi started providing orientation of protocol by training doctors online on epidemiology, infection control practices and case management.

"Further the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is involved by the government for conducting behavioural module training," he said.

Agarwal informed that about 64,411 people across the country have been brought into surveillance.

Out of these, 8,300 people are quarantined at facilities while the remaining are at home quarantine.

States are monitoring those people who came to India before the travel restrictions were imposed, he said.

Assuring the general public, Agarwal said India is geared up for COVID-19 challenge.

A home ministry official said a discussion on travel restrictions has been conducted during a meeting of the Group of Ministers and it will be conveyed to the public soon.

On private laboratories being given approval for testing of COVID-19 Gangakhedkar said, though approval has been given, they have not been started testing as they are procuring the test kits.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days from Tuesday midnight.
The U.S. on Thursday became the country with the most total coronavirus cases, surpassing China and even Italy, where the pandemic has been particularly devastating.

The U.S. now has more than 85,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and at least 1,278 people have died after being infected with the respiratory illness. Chinas cases, the spread of which have now slowed, have reached 81,285 and more than 3,000 people have died in the country. Italys caseload topped 80,500 as deaths passed 8,200.

Globally, the coronavirus has sickened more than 533,400 people and killed more than 24,000.

Cases in the U.S. spiked by more than 15,000 on Thursday, with New York reporting 100 more deaths as the New York City metropolitan area reels from an explosion of cases in the international travel hub.

Mayors and governors have expressed concern that the caseload at U.S. hospitals, including in New York, which has about half the nations cases, could overwhelm hospitals and their health care staff.

However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the strict social distancing measures the state has put in place have begun to slow the spread of the virus. Residents have been instructed to leave their homes only for essential trips such as grocery shopping.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak financial havoc on workers and businesses in the U.S. as the federal government scrambles to provide economic relief.

The House is set to vote Friday on a historic $2.2 trillion economic relief package which the Senate passed unanimously a day earlier. The bill, which President Trump has indicated he will sign, is intended to provide a shot in the arm for the flailing economy, including $250 billion in direct payments to every American and loan aid for small businesses.

Close to 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment insurance last week, passing the highest level of weekly claims during the Great Recession in 2009 and shattering the previous all-time record in 1982 as businesses are forced to shut in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.

More from National Review
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the state government has declined a request to open its borders for Nigeria LNG Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, International Breweries PLC, Oilserve Limited, and Nigerian Gas Company.

Mr Wike disclosed this on Thursday in a statewide broadcast to update residents of the state on the coronavirus and the preventive measures by his administration.

Government cannot grant their requests now because the protection of human life is more important than any other thing and we shall do everything necessary to fulfill our obligation in this direction.

However, we shall review our restrictions concerning their activities when we are fully convinced that it will be reasonable to do so. Let me reiterate that we have taken these painful decisions because we cannot afford to lose any life in this state, Mr Wike said.

The governor, in the broadcast, explained the circumstances around the confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.

The positive case is a 19-year-old female model from Edo State who resides in Port Harcourt. Her travel history reveals that she travelled to France, Italy, and Greece before returning to Port Harcourt on the 16th of March, 2020.

On arrival to Port Harcourt, she was asymptomatic and commenced self-isolation in her family house before her samples were collected and sent to the Reference Laboratory, Irruan in Edo State.

The patient is presently being managed at the State Treatment Centre and she is doing excellently well, the governor said.

Measures

The governor said officials have begun tracing people she has been in contact with and that samples have been collected from high risk contacts for further evaluation while the decontamination process has also commenced.

He appealed to the residents to remain calm. The state government is fully prepared to ensure that the incident is contained to avoid further spread, he said.

Before the confirmed case of the virus in the state, Mr Wike had announced a complete lockdown of Rivers, with vehicles banned from entering or leaving the state.

Mr Wike, in the latest broadcast, announced the closure of all the markets in the state from Saturday, March 28. He also ordered government workers from grade level 1 to 10 to stay at home until further notice.

All local government chairmen are to head task forces in their various local government areas that will ensure that markets remain closed. Council chairmen are empowered to confiscate the goods of defaulters.

All commissioners and special advisers are to monitor the compliance of the above directives in their various local government areas.

Security agencies have also been directed to enforce all the decisions taken by the security council, the governor said.

He advised residents to continue to practice personal hygiene and maintain social distancing.

Outbreak

So far, Nigeria has a total of 65 confirmed cases and one death as at March 26. Three persons have been discharged.

The number of new cases has been rising in the country in the last two weeks. Lagos State still has the highest number of confirmed cases in the country at 44.

Most of the cases confirmed in the country are returnees from countries with high burden of coronavirus.

Earlier on Thursday, the minister of information, Lai Mohammed, and his health counterpart, Osagie Ehanire, lamented that most of the returnees have not been following the advisory of self-isolation after returning from overseas travels.

Some returnees who flouted the advisory and later tested positive for Covid-19 are top government officials. These include President Muhammadu Buharis Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, and the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.

Advertisements



While contact tracing and testing of suspected persons are still ongoing, public health experts have said Nigeria should be prepared for more cases.

To contain the spread, the federal government has banned international travels while various state governments have restricted public gatherings, closed schools, markets and other public places.
[March 26, 2020] Rasmussen College Offers its eRasmussen Suite of Professional Development Training at No Cost

Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, announced today that eRasmussen, its suite of professional development trainings, is now available at no cost to the general public. The eRasmussen platform offers professional development training and education solutions-available 100% online-that is designed to help individuals advance their careers by leveraging curriculum from the various degree programs at Rasmussen College. Amid adjustments and disruptions due to COVID-19 that prioritize the health and safety of the nation, Rasmussen College is committed to providing opportunities for everyone to continue their professional development and educational journey safely and on their own terms with online non-credit courses. "Rasmussen College believes in the power of education and wants to be supportive during this time of uncertainty," said Dr. Trenda Boyum-Breen, president of Rasmussen College. "We hope that giving open access to our eRasmussen platform provides flexible avenues and new opportunities for students and the public to continue their pursuit of education. The dedication of our students is inspiring and motivating to all of us at Rasmussen, and we want to do our part to help the broader public stay committed to their professional oals."



About eRasmussen* The eRasmussen learning platform offers four areas of educational development including business, project management, information technology and healthcare, with various Professional Certificates within those four areas. Certificates include Digital Marketing, Marketing Communications and Consumer Behavior, Healthcare Management and Business Intelligence and Data Visualization. Anyone seeking to advance their knowledge by learning specific skills and stay-up-to-date in today's rapidly evolving workforce can benefit from the College's suite of Professional Certificates. Specifically, the eRasmussen Professional Certificates are:

Targeted to specific areas of learning needed for in-demand jobs. Composed of courses that are both convenient and flexible, starting immediately upon enrollment and are completed within 90 days based on your schedule. Learnings that can be applied immediately on-the-job. eRasmussen will extend access to its online courses at no cost through July 31, 2020. This offer is available to everyone. No prior or future commitment is required. To learn more about eRasmussen and its Professional Certificates now available at no cost, please visit: https://rasmussen.co/timetolearn * Professional certificates are intended for the purposes of professional development and training and are not intended to prepare individuals for entry-level employment. They are non-credit, non-accredited, non-licensed and are not intended to transfer to any institution of higher education. ABOUT RASMUSSEN COLLEGE Rasmussen College is a private college regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of our diverse communities through in-demand, flexible, accessible and affordable educational programs. A pioneer in career-focused education since 1900, the College leads advancements in innovations such as employer-led and expert-designed curriculum and comprehensive student support services to help working adults advance their educations. Additionally, Rasmussen College is a nationwide leader in competency-based education. Rasmussen College offers undergraduate and graduate programs online and across its 24 Midwest and Florida campuses. The College encourages its students, faculty and staff to strive for academic excellence, community enrichment and service to the public good. For more information about Rasmussen College, please visit rasmussen.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005797/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A pooch has gone viral after his wacky mane left adoring fans saying he looks like Tina Turner.

Five-year-old Springer spaniel Teddy has gained him an army of followers across his social media platforms for his charming posts and crazy hair-do.

Owner Tracy Burgess, 48, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, started posting photos of her popular pooch on a dog Facebook group and set up a page devoted to him after fans started flocking to her posts.

Now, she posts daily updates to Teddy's followers - who come from as a far as Australia, America and South Africa - and captions them with hilarious 'quotes' from the hound in a Yorkshire accent.

Five-year-old Springer spaniel Teddy (pictured), from Sheffield, has gone viral after his wacky mane left adoring fans comparing him to the likes of 'Rod Stewart' and 'Tina Turner'

The pooch (pictured) has gained an army of followers across his social media platforms for his charming posts and crazy hair-do

Owner Tracy Burgess (pictured with Teddy), 48, started posting photos of Teddy on a dog Facebook group

Tracy has even written a book about Teddy's life and spaniel has even got his own calendar - raising over 21,000 for charity over the years.

'People often compare him to celebrities like "Rod Stewart" and "Tina Turner" because of his crazy hair,' said the stay-at-home mum. 'He's got followers from all over the world - it's gone mental.

'People love his posts, especially because they're all in a Yorkshire sounding accent. We're based in Sheffield and I imagine he'd sound like Sean Bean if he could talk.

'We've done meet and greet before and I think some of his fans are genuinely surprised he doesn't speak in that accent!

'He loves teddy bears but we have to call them his "babies" because he gets confused otherwise - he has around 80 that fans have sent him from all over the world.'

Tracy first fell in love with Teddy when she found him at the South Yorkshire Springer Spaniel rescue centre in December 2015.

After fans started flocking to her posts, the proud owner decided to set up a page devoted to Teddy (pictured)

Tracy now posts daily updates to Teddy's followers and captions them with hilarious 'quotes' from the hound in a Yorkshire accent. Pictured, playing with his toy over the park

Tracy has even written a book about Teddy's life and the spaniel has even got his own calendar - which has raised over 21,000 for charity over the years. Pictured, with his wacky mane

After bringing him home, she started posting photos of him online before creating the 'Teddy Burgess' Facebook page in 2018.

Since then, she has been overwhelmed with the response and Teddy has gained thousands of fans all over the world.

'I used to donate to the rescue centre a lot and one day I saw Teddy in there - he had been rehomed a couple of times,' she explained. 'The next time I saw him to walk him he went crackers and started crying and I knew he remembered me.

'I wasn't planning on adopting a dog but I just fell in love. After I got him home, I started posting photos of him on springer spaniel Facebook pages and people loved him.

'After that, my daughter, Storm, 15, helped me set-up a Facebook page, and things just blew up from there.'

Tracy posts daily - sometimes up to seven times a day - with photos that follow the day-to-day happenings of her pet pooch.

Every post include a funny captions that written phonetically - which when read aloud, would sound like someone with a Yorkshire accent.

Over the last couple of years Teddy's following has shot up over a thousand across all Facebook and Instagram - which keeps growing.

Teddy (pictured over the park) has followers across the world including Australia, America and South Africa

Tracy first fell in love with Teddy (pictured) when she found him at the South Yorkshire Springer Spaniel rescue centre in December 2015

Tracy posts daily - sometimes up to seven times a day - with photos that follow the day-to-day happenings of her pet pooch, Teddy (pictured)

'I just post photos and updates of Teddy's life and people love it,' said Tracy. 'I think the fact he sounds like he has a Yorkshire accent is what really makes him stand out.

'That and his crazy hair style. We have followers from all over the world - I can't believe how much it's taken off.

'People from Australia, America and places in Africa have got in touch to say how much they love Teddy.'

Tracy has also written a book called 'Ey Up It's Ted' about Teddy's life story and is written in first person from his perspective.

She also sells Teddy-themed merchandise - from aprons to mugs - all the proceedings of which go to animal charities.

'We created a calendar for Teddy in 2019 and 2020,' she explained. 'All the proceeds go to charity and so far we've raised 21,000.

'We split the proceeds between around 15 or 16 different rescue centres, not just dogs, but cats and donkeys too.

'It's lovely to see how much joy he can bring and how his posts can brighten up people's day.'

Teddy (pictured with his toy) has around 80 teddy bears that fans have sent him from all over the world

The owner revealed Teddy (pictured with one of his toys) has done a meet and greet, and joked she thinks some of his fans are surprised he doesn't speak in an accent
By Trend

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree "On Amending the "List of Raw Materials Exempted from Value Added Tax", approved by decree of the President of Azerbaijan No. 1654 of November 2, 2017."

According to the decree, the import of shoe covers, sterile and non-sterile gloves, medical masks (for surgical operations and procedural) and respirators is exempt from VAT.

The decree will be valid until June 1, 2020.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
China Rebukes Pompeo for 'Wuhan Virus' Comment

By VOA News March 26, 2020

China's Foreign Ministry Thursday strongly condemned comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which he referred to COVID-19 as the "Wuhan" virus and claimed China has been waging a "disinformation campaign" about the epidemic.

Pompeo made the comments to reporters Wednesday on the sidelines of a videoconference with Group of Seven economic powers nations. Pompeo said the nations were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation."

Speaking a regular news briefing in Beijing Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said Pompeo insists on using the term "Wuhan virus" to stigmatize China and discredit China's efforts in an attempt to divert attention and shift responsibilities. Shuang said Pompeo "has a very sinister motive."

Pompeo and other members of the administration, including U.S. President Donald Trump himself have frequently referred to the new coronavirus as the "Wuhan" or "China" virus. The World Health Organization and other international bodies have officially named the virus "Coronavirus disease / COVID-19."

The use of the term became an issue during the G7 teleconference Wednesday when the U.S. insisted on using the term "Wuhan virus" in the joint statement to be issued following the meeting. Other member nations objected to the use of the term, which resulted in separate statements being issued.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Not just the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, investigated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), India's own investigating agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Income Tax Department (ITD) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) have found enough evidence that shell companies are now an essential part of the economy.

That, however, poses a great challenge for the Indian regulatory authorities. Without a better understanding of their activities and effective oversight, the chances of shell companies being misused are very high. Here are some recent instances.

Shell companies flooding out of the woodwork

As financial scams tumbled out in India in recent times, more and more shell companies came out of the woodwork.

On March 7, a day after the Yes Bank's management was superseded by the RBI and the residence of its founder Rana Kapoor raided, the ED officials alleged that one of the bank's defaulters, the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) had siphoned off Rs 13,000 crore using 79 shell companies.

The next day, when Kapoor was arrested, ED officials alleged that a part of the siphoned-off money had reached him and his family and that they had invested more than Rs 2,000 crore through several shell companies they ran or controlled.

Also Read: Taxing the untaxed VIII: How India and multilateral bodies are fighting tax avoidance

Initially, the number of shell companies run or controlled by Kapoor and his family was said to be 'over a dozen'. A week later it went up to 78 and another week later, to 'over 102'. By this time the CBI had joined the probe.

The DHFL is a deposit-taking non-banking financial company (NBFC-D) which was sent to bankruptcy proceedings by the RBI in November 2019. It had a debt of over Rs 83,000 crore.

In 2018, the ITD had alleged that a subsidiary of yet another Yes Bank defaulter, the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) had used shell companies to claim expenses in multiple non-existent infrastructure projects and divert funds for a commission. The IL&FS is a non-deposit taking NBFC which had gone to the bankruptcy court (National Company Law Tribunal or NCLT) in September 2018 on its own (seeking its protection), along with 40 of its subsidiaries, including the one (IL&FS Rail Ltd) which allegedly used shell companies for illicit purposes.

The Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case had also hit the headlines in 2018. The ED officials had alleged that the fugitive billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi laundered Rs 5,921 crore in 2017 through 17 shell companies based in India.

The officials had further alleged that Nirav Modi's uncle Mehul Choksi, a fellow fugitive billionaire diamond merchant, ran a far larger number of shell companies. While the ED had shortlisted top 140 shell companies for an in-depth probe, the SFIO was probing at least 400 shell companies.

Both Modi and Choksi had turned fugitive after duping the PNB of Rs 14,000 crore by obtaining Letters of Undertakings (LoUs) fraudulently.

Three things become clear from these examples: (a) shell companies are an integral part of the Indian economy (b) they are being used for questionable financial deals and (c) there is little regulatory oversight over them.

Also Read: Taxing the untaxed VII: Who supports tax havens and how do they flourish?

Panama, Paradise Papers and shell companies

The role of shell companies, particularly the offshore ones, came to the fore in a big way through the investigations into the Panama Papers of 2016 and Paradise Papers of 2017.

The Panama Papers provided data on some 214,000 such companies. The ICIJ investigation showed a little known Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca selling shell companies across the world for $1,000. For an extra price, it provided sham directors and much more.

It revealed that 140 politicians, several celebrities, drug dealers, alleged arms traffickers, and others obscured their wealth (legally and illegally) and carried out questionable deals through "hard-to-trace companies in offshore havens". These companies are spread across 200 countries/ territories.

The Paradise Papers also revealed the use of shell companies and tax havens by more than 100 multinationals to reduce taxes.

To get an overall picture of their activities, here is an estimate by the International Monetary Fund-University of Copenhagen.

In their 2018 study, they estimated that multinational companies had invested about $12 trillion globally in empty corporate shells with no actual economic activity. In 2019, the amount went up to $15 trillion or almost 40% of the total global FDI. This was called 'phantom investment', which was meant to avoid tax

Now, here is some basic information about what a shell company is and why are they so scary.

Also Read: Taxing the untaxed VI: What are tax havens and why they matter to India

India: No definition of a shell company

When it comes to India, the sobering fact is that there is no legal definition of a shell company. And this can lead to unimagined situations. Here is an illustration.

On May 27, 2019, Mumbai's Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) set aside market regulator SEBI's directive to stock markets for harsh actions against an alleged shell company. This company was among the '331 listed shell companies' that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had flagged off to SEBI for action in 2017.

While dismissing SEBI's action for not even trying to establish first whether it was a shell company or not, the SAT made an observation that needs attention.

It said (in May 2019): "In Assam Company India Ltd. and Ors. vs The Union of India & Ors. Manu/GH/01542/2019 the Gauhati High Court held that there is no statutory definition of a shell Company in any laws of India. However, in popular parlance, a shell company is artificially identified with dubious activities concerning serious economic offences such as tax evasion, money laundering, benami transactions, conversion of black money into white, round-tripping with a host of other associated offences. No such finding has been given by the respondent except that the appellant company is not carrying out any production activities since September 2000."

Here, 'respondent' are SEBI and BSE and 'appellant' the alleged shell company.

Two things are clear: (a) lack of legal definition can be a serious handicap for oversight mechanism and (b) how should a company not carrying out any production activities for 17 years (from 2000 to 2017) be treated is not clear.

Also Read : Taxing the untaxed V: What paralyses India from enforcing anti-tax avoidance law

Many shades of shell companies

Contrary to India, the US defines shell companies.

According to its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), "The term shell company means a registrant, other than an asset-backed issuer as defined in Item 1101(b) of Regulation AB (229.1101(b) of this chapter), that has: (1) No or nominal operations; and (2) Either: (i) No or nominal assets; (ii) Assets consisting solely of cash and cash equivalents; or (iii) Assets consisting of any amount of cash and cash equivalents and nominal other assets."

For more clarity, one would do well to read the 2018 study by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS). Such was the menace of shell companies that the European Parliament had sought a study to improve its understanding of these entities operating in the European Union.

Here is how it explains the shell companies.

It then went on to define three categories of shell companies, their roles and the threats they pose.

Also Read : Taxing the untaxed IV: All that's wrong with India's tax system, GST

Anonymous shell companies are the ones that provide anonymity while guaranteeing control over the shell company and its resources. The ultimate beneficiary (UBO) remains hidden behind this or behind a chain of interconnecting shell companies, often in several jurisdictions. "Such companies are often mentioned in relation to tax evasion, corruption, money laundering, and terrorist financing." (Like the ones on the Panama Papers)

Letterbox or mailbox shell companies are registered in one member state while substantive economic activity takes place in another member state, "sometimes used to circumvent labour laws and social contributions in the member state where substantive economic activity is taking place".

Special purpose entities (SPEs) are ones whose core business consists of group financing or holding activities. They have no or few employees, little or no physical presence in the host economy and their assets and liabilities represent investments in or from other countries. These firms are usually mentioned with regard to use in aggressive tax planning (another term for tax avoidance).

While reminding that "the use of shell companies can be legal" it summed up what they are in the following words.

When and why shell companies present a threat

This was succinctly explained in the same report and is reproduced below.

Too tough to number or identify shell companies

Where this European Parliamentary study failed is quite critical. It did try its best but then came to the conclusion that: "Reliable data on shell companies however is not available, especially in the case of the first two types of shell companies."

No number means failure to identify shell companies. And without identification, regulatory measures can be meaningless.

Also Read:Taxing the untaxed III: Is govt oblivious to leakages in direct tax collection?

India's lackadaisical approach

Not only is there no legal definition of a shell company in India, there is no credible study on them either.

The MCA and SEBI's action against the 331 listed shell companies in 2017, which was seen as a major drive against such entities, received a major setback. The SAT order of May 2019 set it aside for one, but since the same course of action had been taken for all 331 alleged shell companies, the rest would have benefitted similarly.

Given this state of affair, it is not clear what action awaits the shell companies detected in recent investigations.

Also Read: Taxing the untaxed II: Why India's smaller taxpayers bear heavier burden
The global death toll from the coronavirus has neared 27,000 with more than 591,000 infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.

Here's a roundup of developments in RFE/RL's broadcast countries.

Ukraine

Ukraine says it has confirmed 92 new coronavirus cases as the country begins to impose new restrictions at its borders in the battle to contain the effects of the global pandemic.



The Health Ministrys Center for Public Health said that with the new infections, there were 310 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 respiratory illness as of the end of March 27.



Since the crisis began, five deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, with patients ages ranging from 33 to 71 years.



The jump in new cases comes on the eve of new measures ordered by the government.



President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in an online video address to the nation explained the countrys decision to shut cross-border travel after March 27, including for Ukrainian nationals.



Previously, the cabinet had issued a nationwide directive limiting passengers in all public transportation. All above-ground transportation such as, minibuses, buses, trolleybuses, and trams should only ride up to half capacity.

Russia

The Kremlin says a member of President Vladimir Putin's administration has been infected with the coronavirus, but the person had not been in direct contact with Russia's leader.



The announcement came as the government widened restrictions aimed at fighting the disease, ordering all restaurants and cafes to close, beginning March 28.



As of March 27, the country's total number of confirmed cases was 1,036, up 196 from a day earlier. Another reported death on March 27 increased the total to four.

According to Moscow's coronavirus-response headquarters, the 56-year-old woman who died on March 27 was also suffering from cancer and had one lung removed during an earlier operation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that a man working in the presidential administration had been infected with the coronavirus.



Indeed, a coronavirus case has been identified in the presidential administration," Peskov was quoted as saying.



"All necessary sanitary and epidemiological measures are being taken to prevent the virus from spreading further. The sick man did not come into contact with the president," he added, saying this was the only known case at the Kremlin.

He gave no further details.

As Russias confirmed cases have climbed, the government has steadily increased the restrictions and other measures seeking to curtail the diseases spread.



Putin has called for a weeklong work holiday, ordering all nonessential businesses to close down for a week, beginning March 28.



In the order released by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's government on March 27, regional authorities across the country were instructed to "halt the activities of public food service organizations." The restrictions will take effect on March 28.



The government has also ordered all vacation and health resorts closed until June. Other restrictions included the cancellation of all international flights.



In Russia's capital and largest city, Moscow, city authorities have encouraged people to stay home and placed restrictions on public transit.



The majority of confirmed cases are in Moscow.



The Russian media regulator, meanwhile, said the social messaging network Twitter has deleted a post that it said contained false information about a pending curfew.



Roskomnadzor said it filed a request with the U.S. company on March 26, asking for the post to be taken down.

According to the regulator, the post made mention of a pending order by the Defense Ministry that a curfew was to be imposed in Moscow. That information is false, Roskomnadzor said in a statement on March 27.



Twitter had no immediate comment on the statement by Roskomnadzor.



The Prosecutor-General's Office, meanwhile, said officials had made similar requests about allegedly false information circulating on other social media outlets, including Facebook and VK.



Facebook "removed the incorrect, socially significant information concerning the number of coronavirus cases," Roskomnadzor said.

Iran

Iran reported 144 new coronavirus deaths as authorities continued to struggle to contain the outbreak, with the number of confirmed cases jumping by nearly 2,400.

The new tally, announced on March 27 by Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, pushed Irans total confirmed cases to at least 32,332.

Iran is one of the worst-hit countries in the world, along with China, Italy, Spain, and now the United States.

Earlier this week, authorities enacted a new travel ban after fears that many Iranians had ignored previous advice to stay at home and cancel travel plans for the Persian New Year holidays that began on March 20.

On March 25, government spokesman Ali Rabiei warned about the danger of ignoring the travel guidelines.

"This could cause a second wave of the coronavirus," Rabiei said.

State TV, meanwhile, reported that the military has set up a 2,000-bed hospital in an exhibition center in the capital, Tehran, to shore up the local health-care system.

President Hassan Rohani has pledged that authorities will contain the spread of the coronavirus within two weeks. However, the continued rise in numbers, along with fears that the countrys health-care system is incapable of dealing with the surge of infections, have raised doubts about meeting that goal.

Earlier this week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei refused U.S. aid and seized on a conspiracy theory that the United States had created the virus, something for which there is no scientific evidence.

Om March 27, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the United States to release Iranians held in U.S. jails on sanctions-related issues due to fears about the coronavirus epidemic.

"Release our men," Zarif said on Twitter.

The minister referred to a report by the Guardian newspaper about an Iranian science professor who it said remained jailed by U.S. immigration authorities after being acquitted in November 2019 on charges of stealing trade secrets related to his academic work.

The professor, Sirous Asgari, complained that conditions in detention were "filthy and overcrowded" and that officials were "doing little" to prevent the coronavirus outbreak, according to The Guardian.

Iranian authorities have arrested dozens of foreigners and dual citizens over recent years, mostly on espionage charges.

Rights activists have accused Iranian authorities of arresting them to try to win concessions from other countries -- a charge dismissed by Tehran.

Serbia

Three people in Serbia have been sentenced to jail for violating a self-isolation order aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

The two- to three-year sentences were handed down during a video court session, a first in the Balkan country. The session was conducted remotely to protect employees and defendants from potential exposure to the coronavirus.

One of the defendants was sentenced to three years in prison -- the maximum -- in the eastern town Dimitrovgrad, a Serbian justice source confirmed to RFE/RL. The others were sentenced at a court in the city of Pozarevac to two and 2 1/2 years.

Dragana Jevremovic-Todorovic, a judge and spokeswoman for the court in Pozarevac, told RFE/RL that the two people convicted there had been charged with a criminal offense of noncompliance with health regulations.

"They violated the measure of self-isolation when they came from abroad. One arrived in Serbia on March 14, the other on March 17, both from the Hungarian border crossing," she said.

"They were informed that they had been given a measure of self-isolation and a restraining order, which they did not respect. The measure was to last 14 days, and they violated it before the deadline," Jevremovic-Todorovic said.

"By violating self-isolation, they have created a danger to human health, as this can spread the infectious disease," Jevremovic-Todorovic said.

The Ministry of Justice on March 26 sent a memo to courts that conduct proceedings against people who violate self-isolation measures, allowing them to hold trials remotely using Internet-enabled computers, cameras, and microphones.

The judiciary noted that the first-time video judgments were not final, but the defendants remain in custody while they await trial.

According to the Justice Ministry's Criminal Sanctions Directorate, 111 people are in custody at detention facilities in three Serbian cities - Pirot, Vrsac, and Pozarevac -- on suspicion of violating the emergency public-health order.

Serbia has recorded 528 coronavirus cases and eight deaths. Restrictive measures introduced by Belgrade include a ban on people over age 65 leaving their homes and a 12-hour overnight curfew enforced by police.

Meanwhile, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic pledged on March 27 to donate 1 million euros ($1.1 million) to buy ventilators and other medical equipment for health workers in Serbia.

"Unfortunately, more and more people are getting infected every day," Djokovic told Serbian media.

The world men's No. 1 player, who was in top form before the pandemic interrupted the current season, thanked medical staff around the world for their efforts.

Georgia

Georgia's government has canceled a $1.2 million contract to buy thousands of rapid-result coronavirus tests from a Chinese company.



The cancellation is the latest controversy for Bioeasy, whose test kits have been deemed faulty in Spain and returned.



Georgia's order for 215,000 rapid-result tests also will be returned to Bioeasy, based in the Shenzhen region, near Hong Kong.

Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze told reporters on March 27 that Bioeasy had agreed to take them back.

Rapid-result tests, which can be used for diseases like influenza as well as coronavirus, are known for providing quick results, though with less accuracy.



In Spain, which is one of the countries worst-hit by the coronavirus, health officials found the tests were far less accurate than needed, and ordered the tests returned.

Tikaradze said Georgians should not be afraid of being misdiagnosed.

She said new diagnostic tests were being examined at Tbilisi's Lugar Center for Public Health Research, a medical research facility funded mostly by the U.S. government.



"I want to reassure our population," she said. "Any new tests coming into the territory of Georgia are being tested at the Lugar Center and hence we are testing the reliability of the tests and then using them for widespread use."

Georgia has 81 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and no deaths, as of March 27.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has tightened its quarantine rules from March 29 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The movement of vehicles between regions and cities across the country will be banned, with some exceptions, including ambulances, social services, and agricultural vehicles, the government said on March 27.

Baku's subway system will operate only five hours a day.

Restaurants, cafes, tea houses, and shops -- except supermarkets, grocery stores, and pharmacies -- will remain closed.

Access to parks, boulevards, and other recreation areas will be restricted.

The South Caucasus country has reported 165 coronavirus cases, with three deaths. Officials say 15 patients have recovered.

In addition, more than 3,000 people remain in quarantine.

On March 26, Azerbaijani authorities extended holidays related to Persian New Year celebrations until April 4, from a previous end date of March 29.

Hungary

Hungary's prime minister has ordered new restrictions to try and curtail the spread of the coronavirus, calling for Hungarians to remain at home for two weeks.

In a March 27 announcement on state radio, Viktor Orban said people would only be allowed to travel to work and make essential trips to buy food or medicine or take children to daycare until April 11.

He also proposed special shopping hours at food stores for people 65 and over, and called on people to observe "social distancing" -- staying about 2 meters away from other people to prevent the spread of infection.

Hungary currently has 300 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, though Orban has said the actual number of cases is likely much higher.

Ten infected people have died.

Orban has increasingly tightened his grip on power during his decade in office. Opposition leaders and critics have accused him of moving the country towards an autocracy.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's government has widened restrictions in the country's two largest cities, ordering most companies to suspend operations next week as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

The restrictions, announced March 27, came as the number of confirmed cases announced by the government reached 120. Most of the cases are in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city.

A day earlier, as the country reported its first death from COVID-19, the government barred residents of Nur-Sultan and Almaty from leaving their homes except for work or to buy food or medicines, starting from March 28.

The closure of most businesses in the two cities also takes effect March 28.

Authorities have also closed all intercity transport terminals and public spaces in Shymkent, Kazakhstan's third-largest city, in order to curb the spread of coronavirus, the government said.

Uzbekistan

In neighboring Uzbekistan, officials announced the country's first death from coronavirus: a 72-year-old man in the city of Namangan who had suffered from other ailments.

As of early March 27, Uzbekistan -- Central Asia's most populous nation -- has confirmed 75 cases of infection.

Earlier, municipal authorities announced restrictions in Samarkand and the Ferghana valley cities Namangan and Andijon on March 26.

All vehicle traffic in and out of the cities has been restricted, with the exception of cargo transport, or security and government officials.

Tashkent has been closed to the entry and exit of all passenger transport since March 24.

Kyrgyzstan

Another Central Asian country, Kyrgyzstan, announced 14 new cases on March 27, bringing the country's total to 58.

Earlier this week, authorities declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bishkek, and several other cities and regions.

Two other Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, have not reported any confirmed infections yet.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani, Georgian, Kazakh, Uzbek services and Radio Farda, AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters, TASS, and Interfax
It is hard to take in the scale and potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. With so much to absorb, perhaps the perspective of one significant sector has been overlooked. What about the Christian Churches, whose raison d'etre is the building up of Christ's kingdom of love, peace and justice in the world, and the saving of souls? We may live in an increasingly secular society, but both parts of Ireland still self-identify as being predominantly Christian to a greater extent than in most of Europe.

There is still a strong, vibrant body of intentional Christians across the denominations in Northern Ireland, and the practice of their faith has been dramatically affected by the draconian social distancing measures that have had to be introduced to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Churches have been closed. Wakes have been forbidden and funeral services must take place at gravesides, or in our only crematorium, at Roselawn, on the outskirts of Belfast. Weddings, baptisms and confirmations have been postponed indefinitely.

Church and religious-type gatherings, from the Anglican Communion's Lambeth Conference at Canterbury, to a synod to discern the future of the Irish Augustinian Order in Kilkenny, to the world-famous Passion Play at Oberammergau in southern Germany, have all been postponed. The image of Pope Francis giving his blessing over an eerily empty St Peter's Square in Rome said it all.

Life for the faithful, who attend church regularly and for whom Sunday worship is a central part of their lives, has changed utterly, echoing the all-consuming change that comes when a country goes to war, in this case a worldwide war against an invisible enemy.

It is difficult to overstate the challenges (and opportunities) the Covid-19 pandemic poses for the Churches, whose ministers are called to pastor people at their most vulnerable, underlined by reports that up to 60 priests have died in Italy. How are our Churches appearing to measure up to this unprecedented challenge?

I say "appearing", because, like everyone, they are responding to an incredibly fast-moving situation, a national and international emergency, with no emergency manual to lift from the shelf on how to deal with it. And it is early days. The peak of the epidemic is still believed to be some weeks away, probably some time after Easter.

In passing, one cannot but note that any objective reading of the situation suggests that President Donald Trump - worried, no doubt, that a prolonged crisis and recession may imperil his re-election in November - is deluded in thinking that America, where unemployment has just jumped massively, can be reopened for business by Easter, in just 16 days' time.

However, it would appear that the Churches here are, generally speaking, responding with urgency, civic responsibility and imagination. No one I spoke to this week raised what will become a pressing issue not far down the line: the steep drop in income from the halt to weekly church collections. The sense is, correctly, that for now, the pastoral takes priority over the pecuniary.

First and foremost, Churches have responded instantly and positively to the advice from the health authorities. As Bishop Noel Treanor, of Down and Connor, said in a pastoral letter this week: "The sole aim of these measures is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, to save lives and to enable us all to protect each other." He accepted that these measures had caused some pain and were difficult for some to accept.

This echoed the words of the Presbyterian Moderator, Rev Dr William Henry, in an online service on Sunday: "These really are exceptional days. There is a real sense of fear and we can recognise that in the people we speak to. And it is now that we want God to be able to speak into our lives and into our situations."

A look at the various denominations' websites reveals that everyone who wishes to can participate in a Sunday religious service via the internet, if not from their own parish then from elsewhere.

One was struck by the speed of some individual church responses. I looked at random at the Facebook page of Helen's Bay Presbyterian Church in north Down to find that a young man called Josh is conducting their usual Sunday evening youth fellowship meeting from his home, in a most engaging manner. Josh tells those watching and listening at home: "God is not done. We have to be creative in how we communicate with one another and study God's Word together."

Other examples of creativity on Facebook include Fr Martin Magill and Rev Brendan Dowd, a priest and a permanent deacon respectively in Down and Connor, also conducting prayer services from their homes in Belfast, complementing the daily mass and other prayers that are available from countless churches at various times via, for example, Church Services TV and MCN Media.

On Wednesday, the Feast of the Annunciation, Archbishop Eamon Martin, in an online service from St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, joined bishops and the rest of the faithful throughout the island in consecrating the Irish people to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for protection from the coronavirus.

The Church of Ireland has also responded with energy and a sense of urgency; for example, in the Diocese of Armagh, a diocesan morning service was recorded at St Swithin's, Magherafelt and broadcast last Sunday on the diocesan website (www.armagh.anglican.org).

The new bishop of Down and Dromore, Bishop David McClay, encouraged Church members to support local businesses, where possible, to gift a Bible to those without one and encourage the use of the Book of Common Prayer as a resource for worship at home. In the adjoining diocese of Connor, Lisburn Cathedral's youth group is sharing videos about identity and Christianity that can be accessed online (www.connor.anglican.org).

Bishop John McDowell of Clogher and Archbishop-elect of Armagh spoke for all when he urged parishes to "look out for one another".

We may be living in worrying times and the worst is yet to come. We are heading for an Eastertide like no other in history, with the celebration of the Resurrection observed by the faithful in their homes online.

And while it is natural and human to be fearful, at the heart of the Christian story is the reality that there are always grounds for hope, rooted in the fact of the Resurrection and in God's message "Be not afraid", repeated 21 times in the Bible from Deuteronomy to the First Epistle of Peter (according to my Cruden's Complete Concordance to the Bible).

Seamus Heaney's last message to his wife, Maire, sent by text just minutes before his death, read "Noli timere", the Latin phrase meaning "Do not be afraid". It was Heaney who also wrote, in 1972, the worst year of the Troubles: "If we can winter this one out, we can summer anywhere."

Martin O'Brien is a journalist and award-winning broadcaster
Take a deep breath. Is the air inside your home stuffy? Don't delay: Open a window and let fresh air and sunlight into your quarantined space. It won't just help make your place smell better and feel fresher, it can also make your home healthier. And it may just help elevate your mood in these stressful times.

With a pandemic raging, the Centers for Disease Control recommends all households "increase ventilation by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning." This call for fresh air is in addition to regular disinfecting and best hygiene practices to blunt the spike of COVID-19 cases.

Sunlight plus a cool breeze to assist in the fight against infection isn't a new idea. There's a history of fresh air and sunlight being used to control the spread of disease.

During the 1918 flu pandemic, "open air" treatments were used to treat sick soldiers and sailors, according to public health expert Richard Hobday. It remained a popular therapeutic method to treat infection through the 1950s.

In a recent article, Hobday explains the lessons learned from the 1918 flu outbreak: Over a century ago, medical officers discovered a "combination of fresh air and sunlight sees to have prevented deaths among patients; and infections among medical staff." Hobday cites a report that indicates open-air treatment during the 1918 pandemic reduced deaths in hospitals from about 40% to about 13%.

In 2018, researchers led by Dr. Ashkan Fahimipour published findings in the Microbiome Journal that show sunlight does help kill bacteria in household dust. However, the doctor cautions there isn't direct evidence sunlight is an effective deterrent for the spread of COVID-19.

"We do have scientific evidence that sunlight inactivates some microorganisms, including viruses," says Fahimipour. "However, to my knowledge, data on the effects of sunlight on COVID-19 do not exist. That said, sunlight is a 'free' potential infection control measure that is easy to implement and unlikely to contribute deleterious effectswith emphasis on potential."

So if the sun's rays and fresh air are an easy way to boost the overall health of your living space, we wanted to focus on that crucial potential for beneficial effects We spoke with a few pros for tips on how to maximize airflow and sunlight in your home.

__________

Watch: How Does Your Vegetable Garden Grow? Indoors

__________

Open your windows, even if you have to adjust the thermostat

Whether you're in a part of the country in the full throes of spring or still dealing with a deep freeze, think about opening your windows for fresh air and adjusting the thermostat to compensate. And yes, we know it's expensive to run the heater with windows open, but letting the air circulate for a few hours a day can help improve the atmosphere inside your home.

Jeff Scroggins runs Creative Design Group, a design firm focused on high-end homes in Colorado's ski resort towns. Even in the often-frigid Rockies, where air conditioning isn't a standard feature, Scroggins says he has plenty of clients who crack open their windows year-round just for airflow. Even when temperatures dip below freezing, fresh air can offer benefits.

If you have outdoor space, use it

If you're lucky enough to be quarantined at home and have a backyard, use that space for dining alfresco, grilling, or even an impromptu picnic.

And your backyard doesn't need to be designed to the nines to enjoy it. Make the most of what you have right now.

"Pretend you are in a luxurious resort, and start your day by experiencing that first cup of coffee outside, listening to the birds," suggests Susan Solliday, president of the Arizona North Chapter of American Society of Interior Designers. "Pull out chairs and tables suitable for outside, and place them in great morning spots."

No yard? No problem. Designer and real estate agent James Judge says even the smallest outdoor spaces can be transformed into an inviting hangout spot.

"It can be as simple as a yoga mat on the patio or a cute bistro set that you order online," Judge says. "An indoor and outdoor throw pillow can brighten up a space, too."

Ditch heavy drapery for sheer curtains

Judge also recommends sheer curtains to lighten up your space. Now is not the time to live out your vampire fantasiesso consider replacing heavy drapes or thick fabric curtains to allow sunlight to stream in.

"With sheers you can still achieve privacy, but they are a great way to get natural light in, too," says Judge.

There are several options for blinds and shades, like solar shades, which are designed to maximize natural light while cutting down on glare and blocking harmful UV, which could damage furniture or other valuables.

Blinds with larger slats let in the most light, but offer less privacy than those with smaller slats, which is important to consider for windows facing the street.

How you approach letting sunlight and fresh air in to your shelter-in-place lifestyle will be personal. It depends on your home, your climate, and your health. Whatever your situation, try to make every effort to keep your surroundings as healthy as possible. Opening a window is free, easy, and proven to boost your health. And that's something we can all use right now.

The post Take Advantage of Free Disinfectants: How To Fill Your Home With Sunlight and Fresh Air appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
[March 26, 2020] University of Nottingham Ningbo China Offers British Degrees With Affordability

There are many questions a prospective student may ask about a university before narrowing down their targets for application. One important question is - which university is of best value? Prospective students in the United States, interested in gaining a world-class degree - but put off by sky-high tuition fees and living costs - are being encouraged to consider looking east for their education. As a University of Nottingham's overseas branch campus, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) offers a wide array of scholarships to help with the cost of studying abroad. UNNC is located on China's eastern seaboard, a two-hour train ride south of Shanghai. The University offers degrees from the University of Nottingham, which are taught in English and subject to the same rigorous quality assurance standards as the UK. Scholarships on offer range from a quarter scholarship (which waives 2 percent of the first-year tuition fee) to a full scholarship (roughly USD 15,700), and apply to both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. The estimated total cost is around USD 22,000 per year, and the length of study is three years for undergraduate and one year for master's programmes.



Programmes at UNNC are available at bachelors, masters and doctoral level, and certain bachelors programmes even offer the opportunity to spend the last two years studying at the University of Nottingham's UK campus. Alexis Stemper, a master's student on UNNC's Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme, received a scholarship that waived half of her tuition fee. Originally from the State of Wisconsin, she plans to remain in Ningbo after graduation. "The overall experience of living and studying at UNNC has turned out to be great," she says. "I wanted to learn to teach English in a non-native speaking country. Choosing UNNC gives me the edge because I receive a Nottingham degree that is recognised around the world, while the cost is much more affordable compared to a UK or US university."

Students who attend UNNC also get the opportunity to take complimentary Chinese language classes, and experience living in China in one of the country's best cities for business, Ningbo. More information about studying at UNNC can be found at: https://www.nottingham.edu.cn/en/Global/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005823/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Associated Press

Former Vice President Joe Biden doesn't want to debate Sen. Bernie Sanders again.

Biden on Wednesday said he's focusing on dealing with the crisis surrounding coronavirus pandemic right now and that there have been enough debates.

"I think we should get on with this," Biden told reporters.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the frontrunner for the 2020 Democratic nomination, on Wednesday, March 25, said he does not want to debate Sen. Bernie Sanders again this election cycle.

Biden said he wants to focus his energy on the coronavirus pandemic and the escalating public health and economic crises surrounding it.

"My focus is just dealing with this crisis right now. I haven't thought about any more debates. I think we've had enough debates. I think we should get on with this," Biden told reporters.

There have been 11 Democratic presidential debates for the 2020 nomination thus far, and the most recent took place on March 15.

ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 25, 2020

The Sanders campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

The Vermont senator's campaign on Tuesday has said that he plans to participate in a debate in April if one is held.

After dominating recent voting contests, Biden has a sizable lead of Sanders in delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination: 1,168 to 884.

He's within striking distance of the magic number necessary to clinch the nomination outright: 1,191.

The former vice president had lackluster performances in many of the 2020 Democratic presidential debates.

In a recent debate with Sanders, however, which occurred amid the pandemic and therefore without a live audience, Biden showed improvement.

As of Wednesday, Biden had a 98% chance of winning the Democratic nomination, according to FiveThirtyEight's projections, while Sanders had less than a 1% chance. Though the 2020 Democratic race started off with a large, diverse crop of candidates, Biden and Sanders  both septuagenarians  are now the last men standing.

Story continues

When asked by a reporter on March 18 if he was considering suspending his campaign, Sanders issued a scathing response: "I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis."

"Right now, I'm trying to do my best to make sure that we don't have an economic meltdown and that people don't die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?" Sanders added.

Biden, who has faced some criticism for not taking a more public-facing approach to the coronavirus crisis early on, has been engaging in a media blitz in recent days to make up for his relative absence in the past few weeks.

The 2020 race has taken a backseat as coronavirus places major restrictions on life in America  including the delaying of various primary elections  and dominates the nation's attention and airwaves. The latest Monmouth University poll shows a tight race between Biden and President Donald Trump, giving the former vice president a narrow three point lead over the commander-in-chief.

Read the original article on Business Insider
THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) recovered a sum of 82.8bn/- during the 2018/19 financial year that could have been lost due to embezzlement, as compared to the 70.3bn/- the year before.

The feat is a result of a notable performance improvement by the bureau, which rose from 81.4 per cent in the 2017/18 financial year to 88.1 per cent in the 2018/19 period.

This is according to the new PCCB Director General, Brigadier General John Mbungo, who presented the bureaus Performance Report for the financial year 2018/19 yesterday at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma.

Due to his outstanding performance for the time he has been acting in the office, President John Magufuli yesterday decided to confirm Brig Gen Mbungo as full Director General of the anti-graft body.

Brig Gen Mbungo was acting as Director General of PCCB, after Diwani Athumani, the former DG, was appointed the Director General of Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS) September, last year.

You have done a great job, serving 8bn/- of poor farmers that had been embezzled by few individuals isnt a joke, from now, I have confirmed for the position, said President Magufuli.

He was confident that the new PCCB boss would maintain the same momentum and ensure all staff of the bureau execute their duties diligently as per the rules and regulations governing their employment.

According to Brig General Mbungo, the number of development projects assessed went up from 691 projects valued at 1.2trl/- to 1,106 projects worth 1.7trl/-.

During the period in question, the bureau probed 911 case files pertaining to different crimes, 266 files relating to bribes, and 645 other offences, he revealed.

Out of 388 case files presented to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) office for approval, 277 files were certified to proceed to the court, including seven major corruption cases.

Brig Gen Mbungo further noted that during the same period, about 497 cases were filed to the court, making up a total of 1013 cases, four of which involved major crimes filed at the Economic, Corruption and Organised Crime High Courts Division.

In 206 cases, the accused persons were convicted of the offences while in 135 cases the accused were acquitted.

The rate at which the bureau won cases increased to 62.4 per cent compared to 60.1 per cent which was recorded in the previous, 2017/18, financial year, he noted.

Brig Gen Mbungo went on to reveal that 82.8bn/- was recovered in various operations conducted by PCCB.

Up to 5.5bn/- cash which was recovered has been stored in various accounts including that of the PCCB Director General (661m/-) at Central Bank, Tanzania Revenue Authority (3.3bn/-) and 1.6bn/- local government authorities, he stated further.

Properties amounting to 59.1bn/- , including a one storey building and a petrol station situated in Mwanza worth 10.1 bn/-, whose owner was involved in corruption have been confiscated, the DG further revealed.

Other assets worth 49bn/- were recovered by a task force formed by the Treasurer Registrar in collaboration with the PCCB.

The team also made a follow up on assets belonging to various privatized industries and companies after the owners violated procedures including Mangula Mechanical and Machine Tools, National Steel in Temeke Dar es Salaam and Nachingwea Cashew nut Processing Factory, among others.

Also, an injunction has been filed on assets which belong to various accused persons before finalizing their confiscation process.

Apart from cash money worth 25.3bn/- and US dollars 5.7 million, other assets include 14 vehicles and 16 houses.

He said several surveys conducted by PCCB unearthed massive irregularities in the collection revenues on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) transportation and TAMISEMI.

The Bureau recommended proper use of electronic fiscal devices among other point of sales systems. Brig General Mbungo lauded President Magufuli for spearheading the anti-corruption war relentlessly.

The efforts and action the President has been putting in the fight against corruption is a clear manifestation of the zero tolerance against graft, he said.

The Presidents zeal against corruption has resulted in increased discipline, integrity and accountability in the public sector, while promoting socio-economic growth, noted Brig Gen Mbungo.

He added that Tanzania has continued to be ranked high in the various released corruption performance indexes from within and outside the country.
More than 7,500 Rajasthan home guards have joined hands with the police in combating COVID19 and assisting the administrative machinery round the clock to ensure the lockdown remains effective, a senior police officer said.

So far, 45 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the state.

The home guards help in maintaining the lockdown along with the law and order situation in the fight against the pandemic, Director General (DG), Rajasthan Home Guards, Rajeev Dasot said on Thursday.

The DG said a total of 7,569 personnel are assisting the police and medical staff in maintaining the lockdown, the DG said.

After permission was granted from the home department, the home guards were deployed in the field from Tuesday, he added. The home guards deployed in the field also include the border home guards who are as good as the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), Dasot claimed.

Besides, 1,000 additional home guards have already been engaged on night duties with the police for patrolling, he said.

The home guards are a volunteer paramilitary force functioning as an auxiliary to the police in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
FILE PHOTO: Newly cast ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold at the Krastsvetmet non-ferrous metals plant in Siberia

By Sumita Layek

(Reuters) - Gold fell on Friday on caution ahead of the weekend, but prices were set to post their biggest weekly gain since 2008 as economic damage expected from the coronavirus boosted bullion's safe-haven appeal.

Platinum and palladium were on track for their biggest weekly gains on record on supply concerns arising from a lockdown in major producer South Africa.

Spot gold fell 0.5% to $1,620.81 per ounce as of 11:42 a.m. EDT (1542 GMT). U.S. gold futures were 1.7% lower at $1,623.30 per ounce.

"A sell-off in U.S. equities has weighed in on all asset classes again leading to a series of margin call pressure on precious metals," said Phil Streible, chief market strategist at Blue Line Futures in Chicago.

Wall Street shares fell more than 3%, as fears about the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic returned to the forefront.

"Gold has tied itself with the equity markets," said Bob Haberkorn, senior market strategist at RJO Futures. "There are so many unknowns heading into the weekend, and though gold is a safety asset, there is just a reluctance to add risk-on."

Gold has gained more than 8% so far this week, supported by the biggest-ever jump in U.S. weekly jobless claims, and the U.S. Federal Reserve's unprecedented economic stimulus measures.

Investors are awaiting passage of a $2.2 trillion stimulus package bill that will pump money into the world's largest economy to stem the damage caused by the pandemic.

"The market is looking to assess the impact of numerous lockdowns and business closures on the economy," Standard Chartered Bank analyst Suki Cooper said in a note. "Gold prices have gained further ground in anticipation of further stimulus and weaker data to come."

"Price risks remain to the upside barring profit-taking and (we) expect prices to average $1,725 per ounce in Q2-2020," she said.

Gold market participants also kept a close eye on physical supply as virus-led lockdowns stalled supply chains.

Story continues

Physical gold dealers struggled to meet surging safe-haven demand this week, especially in Singapore, as the pandemic choked global supply chains, while massive discounts were offered in India amid a lockdown.

Among other precious metals, palladium was down 3% at $2,261.88 per ounce, but has risen around 38.6% so far this week. Platinum was flat at $736.06 per ounce but has gained about 21% this week.

Silver fell 0.3% to $14.35 per ounce, but was heading for its largest weekly gain since 2008.

(Reporting by Sumita Layek and Eileen Soreng in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang)
Hot on the heels of yesterdays unveiling of the Huawei P40 flagship line, the Chinese giant might just have to brace for even more setbacks from the ongoing US-China trade war and consequent sour relations.

As per a report by Reuters, US officials from various agencies met on Wednesday to discuss alterations to the Foreign Direct Product Rule. For the most part, thats the legal framework that allows the US to regulate certain foreign-made goods that are based on US technology or software.

Up until now, this set of rules has been successfully leveraged to keep certain Huawei and subsidiary hardware and equipment, including smartphones, off of US markets in varying degrees. The US has been coupling these efforts with an ongoing campaign with its allies to limit Huaweis global involvement in 5G infrastructure projects. The main justification being spying concerns.

Throughout all this, Huawei has managed to flex some impressive muscle and work around many of the restrictions, especially solidifying its domestic market positions to insure its future. Clearly, a move not particularly enjoyed by certain US officials.

As per the source, these new alterations to the Foreign Direct Product Rule will require foreign companies that use US chip making equipment to obtain a specific license, before they can supply chips to Huawei.

Some analysts believe this move is specifically aimed at the relations between Huawei and its own HiSilicon in-house division and the TSMC foundry  manufacturer of a large portion of modern ARM SoC units. Apparently, TSMC, as well as most chip manufacturers utilize equipment in their fabs from US companies, such as KLA Corp, Lam Research and Applied Materials.

If the new rules do come into effect, Huawei might actually be forced to re-work a large part of its supply chain, to even get its Kirin chipsets manufactured for domestic use. As per our understanding, on a more positive note, its just the sophisticated SoC components that will likely be affected, with cheaper, mode common chips not affected by the new regulations.

Naturally, US and China relations, as a whole, have been further complicated recently by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, president Trumps most recent statements on the subject of the Huawei scandal have been signaling a readiness to re-negotiate terms and restore business relations. Presumably, in no small part due to fears that stricter regulations might just end up hurting the US economy quite badly. Its still early to say, then, whether these new changes to the Foreign Direct Product Rule will even be signed-off on and see the light of day.

Source
A 63-year-old Wayne County sheriffs commander has died after testing positive for COVID-19, raising the total number of known Michigan law enforcement deaths attributed to the coronavirus to three. All three victims worked in Detroit or Wayne County.

It is with deep sorrow and sadness for the Wayne County Sheriffs Office (WCSO) that we inform the community of the passing of Commander Donafay Collins, the Wayne County Sheriffs Office said in statement issued Thursday. Collins "died Wednesday ... due to COVID-19.

Collins has been a valued member of our team for almost 30 years, and will truly be missed. He leaves behind a loving wife and four children.

Collins worked as a radio DJ with Mix 92.3 FM until retiring in March 2019.

The Wayne County Sheriffs Office said 18 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, COVID-19. It has not released the number of deputies or other employees under quarantine.

Nearly half of Michigans confirmed coronavirus cases, 1,356 of 2,856, and 43% of the deaths, 26 of 60, are from Wayne County, according to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services data released Thursday.

As of Thursday, the nearby Detroit Police Department had reported two deaths, including of a Capt. Jonathan Parnell and a 38-year-old 911 dispatcher. The department had 25 officers who tested positive for the coronavirus and 398 officers under quarantine.

Wayne County Sheriff's Office Commander Donafay Collins died on March 25 after testing positive for the coronavirus, COVID-19.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan.

Related coverage:

Michigan lawmakers approve additional $125 million for coronavirus response

Michigan Gov. Whitmer says medics are reusing face masks, asks for donations amid coronavirus spread

Thursday, March 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Another big jump in Michigan coronavirus numbers: Now at 2,295 cases; 43 deaths

Michigan doctor says leave groceries outside for 3 days if possible, shows how to disinfect

Michigan unemployment system overwhelmed
Washington, US: The United States on Thursday took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment as world leaders vowed $5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse.

More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, overwhelming healthcare systems even in wealthy nations and triggering an avalanche of government-ordered lockdowns that have disrupted life for billions.

In the United States, more than 83,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the metropolis of Wuhan.

The US has recorded 1,178 deaths, while the global death toll stood at 23,293.

"We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and military resource, to halt its spread and protect our citizens," US President Donald Trump said.

With about 40 percent of Americans under lockdown orders, Trump urged citizens to do their part by practicing social distancing: "Stay home. Just relax, stay home."

With fears mounting of a global recession if not depression, leaders from the Group of 20 major economies held crisis talks by video link Thursday, pledging a "united front" to fight the outbreak -- along with an enormous financial injection.

"The virus respects no borders," the leaders said in a statement.

"We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic."

They also pledged "robust" support for developing nations, where coronavirus could next take hold after ravaging China and then Europe.

But the unity pledged by the G20 has been in short supply, with China and the United States trading barbs over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

And Italy as well as Spain, which has the second-highest death toll, objected to a draft economic plan by the European Union which they saw as too weak.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wants a "strong and sufficient" financial response that deploys "innovative financial instruments truly adapted to a war," his office said.
People wait in line at a pharmacy to pick up masks pre-ordered online, in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 18, 2020. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images )

China Researcher Explains Why Beijings Virus Infection Numbers Cannot Be Trusted

TAIPEI, TaiwanAfter U.S. President Donald Trump publicly voiced concerns about the validity of Chinas virus data, a Taiwanese professor explained why the Chinese regimes figures were unreliable.

You dont know what the numbers are in China, Trump said during a Thursday press conference, when asked by a reporter whether he was surprised that the United States now has more confirmed cases of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus than what China has officially reported.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

Im sure youre not able to tell what China is testing or not testing, Trump told the reporter. I think thats a little hard.

According to a tracking map published by Johns Hopkins University, at the time of writing, the United States has 85,991 known cases of the virus, about 4,200 more cases than what China has publicly announced.

Wu Se-chih, adjunct assistant professor at the Taipei College of Maritime Technology, said that countries around the world should be aware of China underreporting its confirmed cases, as well as how China has not been forthright about the epidemic inside its borders.

Wu is also a researcher at local nonprofit Cross-Strait Policy Association.

The United States must warn the world that this pandemic is still out of controldespite claims by China that it has effectively controlled the outbreakso the world will not make any misjudgments by [what China says], Wu said.

He added that the World Health Organization (WHO)s close relations with China has dangerous consequences. WHO has been taking Chinas side, saying that China has done a good job [in combating the virus]. But the reality is that the pandemic has become serious all over the world.

On Jan. 12, the WHO repeated Beijings claim that there was no clear evidence of human to human transmission for the CCP virus. Eight days later, Chinas state-run media Xinhua admitted that human transmission was possible.

Wu said two examples illustrated why Chinas infection numbers were problematic. First, he pointed to the presence of faulty virus test kits in the supplies sent by China to European countries.

The Czech Republics deputy health minister said the error rate in Chinese test kits were found to be around 20 to 30 percent, local news site Novinky.cz reported.

In Spain, local authorities found that test kits purchased from Chinese company Bioeasy, which is based in southern Chinas Shenzhen city, only correctly identified 30 percent of virus cases, according to local newspaper El Pais.

On Friday, the Chinese firm said it would replace the kits it sent to Spain, after the government deemed them inaccurate in diagnosing patients.

Wu said: If these medical kits have such a high defective rate, this shows that there are some problems with Chinas own virus tests.

He also pointed out that economists have long doubted the veracity of Chinas economic data; thus, people should not take the Chinese regimes virus data at face value.

In addition, the Taiwanese government was planning to evacuate about 440 Taiwanese citizens from Hubei province, the epicenter of Chinas outbreak, at the end of this month, according to local media Taipei Times. Wu said that if China had indeed done a good job at containing the virus, Taiwanese citizens who work or live in mainland China would not feel the need to return to the island.

Taiwan previously evacuated 416 Taiwanese nationals and their family members from China on two separate flights in February and early March, according to local media.

Wu urged for tighter cooperation between the United States and Taiwan in combating the virus, pointing to Taiwan officials early warning to the WHO about the viruss risk of human transmission in December last year.

#Taiwan & the #US are working hand in hand to combat #Coronavirus. The like-minded partners will pool R&D data & resources to develop cutting-edge & effective measures targeting #COVID19. Yes! Taiwan-U.S. cooperation & #ScienceDiplomacy can help realize @WHO's #HealthForAll. pic.twitter.com/we8WIHdErX   Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)  (@MOFA_Taiwan) March 18, 2020

He said the United States could rely on Taiwan instead for reliable information about mainland China, due to the islands close proximity.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Unipec, the trading arm of Asia's largest refiner Sinopec, has decided against lifting more Saudi crude in April after freight rates surged, three sources familiar with the matter said.

The refiner had initially asked for more Saudi oil after the world's top exporter slashed prices for April-loading supplies, the sources said.

However, freight rates for oil tankers surged and offset the large discounts on Saudi oil, making it less economical, they said.

Also, Saudi Aramco was offering more light crude while Unipec's preference was for medium and heavier grades, two of the sources said.

Sinopec declined to comment.

(Reporting by Florence Tan and Shu Zhang; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Clarence Fernandez)
LAS VEGAS, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To help businesses endure the economic challenges brought on by the spread of COVID-19, RJ Business Updates has been created to provide Clark County companies and consumers a free and direct channel of communication. In its first 48 hours of operation, the website powered by the Las Vegas Review-Journal received hundreds of listings from local business owners looking for a way to effectively communicate with customers through a trusted source. The listings also will occasionally appear in the Review-Journal print edition.

"The Business Updates platform on our website and in our newspaper will keep businesses connected to customers seeking real-time information," Chase Rankin, senior vice president for sales and marketing, said. "Our ultimate goals: help businesses recover, grow, and to ensure RJ readers find the products and services they're looking for at a time when many companies have been ordered to close," Rankin said.

Businesses can upload and update information online at lvrj.com/vegasbizupdates or by phone at 702-383-0383. That information  an address, a logo, contact information, business hours and service/product offerings  will appear at www.lvrj.com/vegas-business-updates , where customers can stay informed.

If a company's information changes based on the status of the governor's temporary closure order, a business' needs, or a slowdown in the spread of the virus, that company can edit its information as needed. "It's a confusing business landscape. So we're here to provide up-to-date information that helps connect readers and businesses alike navigate this shutdown," said Glenn Cook, the Review-Journal's executive editor and senior vice president for news. "The more businesses we can help keep alive, the faster our city will bounce back from this unimaginable economic disruption."

In a normal week, the Review-Journal's platforms reach more than 777,000 adults in Clark County, but local visitors to reviewjournal.com have more than doubled in recent weeks. In March, the reviewjournal.com had more article views than any other two-day period since the website launched in 1997.

"We aim to keep our community of readers safe, with the understanding the Review-Journal must continue to be an essential pipeline and a trusted source of information for the masses," Rankin said. "We're in this together, stronger together." RJ Business Updates will be available throughout the shutdown, until the entire community is once again open for business.

About the Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has been Nevada's news leader since 1909. A state, regional and national award-winning multi-platform news organization, the Review-Journal operates reviewjournal.com, a network of niche publications and community newspapers, e-newsletters, custom printing, a video production studio, RJ Network and more to meet the specific needs of readers and advertisers alike.

Media Contact:

Wanda Blair/702-383-0223

[email protected]

SOURCE Las Vegas Review-Journal

Related Links

http://www.reviewjournal.com


With five more people testing positive for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the toll of infected people in Madhya Pradesh has risen to 20, health officials said on Thursday. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 27 : Borders have been sealed, people are masked, supermarkets are plucked clean, lives quarantined: In trying times like ours, reading is a great way to fill up the hours.

Social-distancing or self-isolation, right now, is a civic responsibility, and there is a silver lining in it. We can catch up on our sleep, unfinished reads or movies, establish self-care and workout routines at all.

For starters, here are some publications of Niyogi Books to read if you still haven't done that yet.

"Quartet" (Chaturanga) by Rabindranath Tagore (Translated by Nirmal Kranti Bhattacharjee) This is a short novella set in 19th century Bengal. The philosophical questions, which are raised in the course of the story, make this one of his most complex and metaphorical works. A social novel centered on four characters, it raises pointed questions about religion and atheism, dabbling in the complex hues of the man-woman relationship.

It successfully brings out Tagore's profound understanding of the human subconscious, without sacrificing the underlying playfulness in the language and the unique style of the original work.

"Day & Dastan" by Intizar Husain Intizar Husain is one of the the finest writers of Urdu prose and one of the most brilliant story-tellers of the post-partition generation.

These two novellas (Din Aur Dastan) point to his versatility and fictional inventiveness. "Day", a realistic story, is a meditation on the cruellest of events to have scarred our times - migration.

In contrast, "Dastan" is a traditional tale of wonder. Its language islyrical and exaggerated; its narrative, obsessed with action, weaves dreams and adventure, heroism and mercy, beauty and love, magic and grace.

"The Chronicler" by Jvalant Sampath His designation is 'the chronicler'. He stores memories. Set in the immediate future, as Pakistan's economy collapses, China invades Pakistan and is knocking on the doors of India. China is determined to change the power equation in the world. Inadvertently, the chronicler harbours memories that could change the map of the world and the course of history.

Caught in the vortex of a high-stakes game between governments, spy agencies, and powerful organizations across international borders, can the chronicler save himself and the information as he races against time? "Saakshi" (The Witness) by S.L. Bhyrappa Saakshi uses the Puranas and Vedanta, as well as Gandhian concepts, to discuss the meaning of truth and its distortions through greed, sexuality and desire. Overcome by guilt at having committed perjury in court, in a murder trial, Parameshwarayya, a village elder, commits suicide.

Yama, the god of death and righteousness, affords him the privilege of presenting his case himself. Thereafter, he commands Parameshwarayya to return to earth in spiritual form to witness, but not to intervene, in subsequent events. Parameshwarayya observes his daughter Savitri, son Ramakrishna, son-in-law Satyappa, the woman Lakkoo and the sensitive Dr Hasheem as they are confronted by difficult decisions and revelations, which cause them to look inward and attempt an appraisal of their lives and values.

"The Aryabhata Clan" by Sudipto Das The Islamic state has spread its tentacles in India, penetrating stealthily into the academia, media and politics. The mastermind is Shamsur Ali, a physicist from Bangladesh. To destabilize India, he wants to create a sort of apocalypse, which the 21-year-old Kubha must prevent at any cost, come what may.

In a brazen attempt at legitimizing the demolition of one of the most prominent historical structures in India, someone unbelievably, it could be both Hiranyagarbha Bharata, a radical Hindu outfit and the Islamic state resorts to a big deceit. Afsar Fareedi, a linguistic paleontologist, catches the fraud. In the melee, there are three gruesome murders, including that of her father, perhaps to eliminate all traces of a carpet which, Afsar discovers, has a lot hidden in its mysterious motifs. At the centre of all this is a verse composed by the mathematician Aryabhata, some 1,500 years ago.

"The Legend of Kuldhara" by Malathi Ramachandran Kuldhara, a village in the Rajasthan desert, perched at the edge of time. Abandoned, cursed, nearly two hundred years ago, to remain a heap of rubble and stone. It lies dreaming of its vibrant past when the streets echoed with laughter and the fields swayed green and gold.

What happened one night that drove its inhabitants from their homes, never to return? Did they flee to preserve their honour, when the covetous gaze of a local lord fell on Pari, the headman's daughter? Where did they go? How did they survive?
Pacific Gas & Electric vehicles at the PG&E Oakland Service Center. The utility wants to pay its $4-million fine from a fund set aside for victims of the Camp fire. (Ben Margot / Associated Press)

Pacific Gas & Electric, the utility that has pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the 2018 Camp fire, plans to pay its $4-million fine from a fund set aside for victims of the blaze.

The utility is on the hook for $3.5 million in fines and penalties and an additional $500,000 that will go to the Butte County District Attorneys Environmental and Consumer Protection Fund as part of a plea agreement the utility recently reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The utility plans to pay that $4 million out of a $13.5-billion Fire Victim Trust that was set up during its bankruptcy after the wildfire, which killed 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings in the rural mountain town of Paradise in Northern California.

This is an unconscionable attempt to avoid responsibility for the very crime to which it just confessed, said Michael Carlson of Caymus Vineyards, one of thousands of claimants against the utility. The district attorney worked hard to hold PG&E responsible for its crime, and we are confident he never intended for PG&E to use funds dedicated to fire victims.

Indeed, Butte County Dist. Atty. Michael Ramsey told The Times on Thursday he was surprised when he learned of the utilitys payment plan.

Its incredibly stupid and insenisitve, in a nutshell, Ramsey said. All these statements of great remorse. Is that all fake?

But Ramsey acknowledged he does not have the power to tell the utility how to pay its fine. That will be up to the judge overseeing the utilitys bankruptcy. Observers such as Paradise Councilman Michael Zuccolillo have already made up their minds on how the judge should rule.

Its a fine against PG&E, its not a fine against the wildfire fund, said the councilman, who like most of the towns residents lost his home in the 2018 blaze. I think its extremely poor PR. I have a hard time imagining PG&E cant come up with $4 million.

Story continues

PG&E officials argued that when the trust was established, all parties agreed to use the fund to pay out claims against the utility. Fines and penalties is mentioned in the fine print once, on the third page of the agreement's term sheet.

To undo this specific portion of the agreement could throw PG&E's entire bankruptcy plan into jeopardy, including its financing, the company said in a statement emailed to The Times on Thursday.

"The action we took this week related to the Camp fire charges is an important step in taking responsibility for the past and working to create a better future for all concerned," the company statement said. "We want to do right by the victims and the communities. That is why we have been focused on resolving the cases quickly so that victims can start to receive the help they need as quickly as possible."

Earlier this month, it appeared that the victim trust could be tapped by both the California Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recover costs from their responses to the fire as well. Both agencies have since agreed that victims will receive their payments out of the trust first.

The fine and settlement PG&E reached with Butte County prosecutors included the caveat that prosecutors cannot seek additional charges against the utility for the Camp fire, which shattered California records for lives lost, buildings destroyed and insurance claims filed for a single wildfire.

Investigators found that PG&E workers had failed to do climbing inspections on many of its grid towers, including the century-old tower where equipment failed the morning of Nov. 8, 2018. On that day, a small metal hook holding up a high-voltage transmission line and insulator failed, creating the spark that ultimately grew into the wind-driven blaze.

This was not the first time PG&E had been found criminally responsible for a disaster.

In 2016, a federal jury found the utility guilty of violating pipeline safety regulations before a deadly natural gas pipeline explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area and then misleading investigators about how it was identifying high-risk pipelines.

Jurors convicted PG&E of obstruction and five of 11 counts of pipeline safety violations, including failing to gather information to evaluate potential gas line threats and deliberately not classifying a gas line as high risk.

The explosion of the PG&E natural gas pipeline in 2010 sent a giant plume of fire into the air, killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes in the city of San Bruno.
CHICO, Calif. With an increasing number of deaths and more people around the country testing positive for the coronavirus, will our Northern California region see an explosion in cases, similar to what is happening in New York?

Action News Now Morning Anchor Julia Yarbough put that question to Stanford researcher, Dr. Michael Lin. He is a neurobiologist studying the coronavirus.

Yarbough asked him about patterns impacting the rate of spread of the coronavirus.

Is there somewhat of a tipping point or a threshold, that all of a sudden a community needs to be aware that they are going to explode in cases?

The big problem with this virus has been the long incubation period. You can have the virus for five to seven days and be transmitting for some of the time and not realize it, explains Dr. Lin.

So what has happened in places like Italy and New York is that transmission happened before people realized it and the mild cases are just like a cold or flu and so people might believe they have something else and not corona.

He goes on to explain, The real warning sign is when you have one patient in your community who has been diagnosed and that means it's already going around. If you have deaths in your community that's a bad sign; that means enough of the virus has been going around that some people have started to die. The death rate is about 1%; that means if someone has died, the virus has been in your community and has probably already infected hundreds of people for a few weeks and that's a major concern. Once you see deaths, you're going to see a few more.

Dr. Lin says this coronavirus pandemic should teach the public and government leaders the importance of being educated and aware before a crisis hits.

STANFORD RESEARCHER CHARACTERIZES THE CORONAVIRUS AS A 'PARASITE'

What are researchers learning about the coronavirus? How does it live, how does it spread and what role are humans playing in helping it thrive?

Action News Now Morning Anchor Julia Yarbough put that question to Stanford professor Dr. Michael Lin; a neurobiologist and one of the leading researchers working on the coronavirus.

Yarbough asked Dr. Lin, Is this virus alive, is it not, how do we get rid of it and if it's not alive, how do we kill it? And if it's not alive how does it live on a surface?

Viruses kind of live in this grey zone between living and dead. They're alive in a sense that they can reproduce but depend on a host, explains Dr. Lin.

Its best to think of them as a parasite. They are parasitic things that will reproduce inside a person."

Because the virus can reproduce in people it will grow to large numbers and each infected person can infect many more people, who are known as super-spreaders that have infected 70 people, huge numbers from a single person.

On average the virus tends to infect two or three other people before the patient is healed so that number is big, because if each infects two to three others, we get into this rapid number of cases over time. It is very important to practice social distancing so we can break this chain of transmission, so projections show 50 percent of the population can be infected by June, that's how rapidly the virus spreads.

Dr. Lin says the positive aspects of the coronavirus include the fact this virus is not one that mutates quickly. He says that gives researchers more time to figure it out. He adds, the virus does not live for long if it doesnt have a host; describing it as a weak virus.
State officials say they could run out of ventilators and hospital beds by next week as they compete for federal funds.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the United States surpassed 100,000 on Friday, the state of Louisiana emerged as a new hot spot amid a surge in hospitalisations and looming shortages of supplies, staff and hospital beds.

More than 2,300 people in the state have tested positive for COVID-19 and 119 people have died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. More than 700 people have been hospitalised in the southern state and nearly 300 are on ventilators.

Rebekah Gee, a former state health secretary now on the faculty of the medical school at Louisiana State University (LSU), said Louisiana medical facilities will soon run out of ventilators and protective equipment if more are not provided soon.

By April 2 we will run out ventilators and by April 7, we will run out of beds if current capacity is maintained and not expanded, Gee told Al Jazeera.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards imposed several social distancing measures on Sunday, including a stay-at-home order, which requires most residents to limit their movements beyond essential needs such as buying groceries and going to medical appointments until at least April 12.

Now, more than ever, we need the people of Louisiana to stay home, stop the spread and save lives, Edwards said in a tweet at the time.

There simply are not enough healthcare resources to care for all those who will need care if we continue to develop cases at our current pace, Edwards said during a news conference on Thursday.

Its not conjecture, this isnt some flimsy theory, this isnt a scare tactic, he said. This is whats going to happen.

A one-pager from @LouisianaGov on the statewide stay-at-home order. It takes effect at 5 p.m Monday.https://t.co/R7EnbdQeTl pic.twitter.com/nc484C2ooC  Louisiana Department of Health (@LADeptHealth) March 22, 2020

Mardi Gras to blame?

Many experts believe the surge in infections in the state can at least be partially blamed on last months Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, which drew 1.4 million revelers.

My assumption is that during Mardi Gras, we already had people who were infected with the new coronavirus and then they spread it through the population, said Susanne Straif-Bourgeois, a specialist in infectious diseases at the LSU School of Public Health.

Its very crowded, very dense and very close contact with a lot of people with parades and parties, Straif-Bourgeois told Al Jazeera, I think this contributed to the spread of the disease.

Orleans Parish, which is home to part of New Orleans, has the highest coronavirus death rate per capita in the world, according to The New York Times.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she would have cancelled Mardi Gras if the federal government had issued any directives at the time.

A large crowd gathers during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana [Rusty Costanza/AP Photo]

If we were given clear direction we would not have had Mardi Gras and I wouldve been the leader to cancel it, Cantrell told CNN. No red flags were given, so absolutely, we moved forward.

Experts say the social distancing measures that have since been imposed have not been in place long enough to lower the rate of infections and hospitalisations.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incubation period for the coronavirus  the time between when a person contracts the contagious respiratory illness and starts to show symptoms such as fever and a cough  is between two and 14 days.

Louisiana officials have identified COVID-19 clusters, defined as two or more coronavirus cases that appear to be connected, in at least eight nursing homes that house the elderly, according to local media.

For most people, contracting the coronavirus only leads to mild or moderate symptoms, but for some, especially the elderly and those with underlying health issues, the virus can lead to serious illness including pneumonia.

Unlike hurricanes, coronavirus affects entire country

US President Donald Trump approved a major federal disaster declaration for Louisiana on Tuesday, freeing up federal funds and resources. Trump has also agreed to set up two federal field hospitals to treat patients in the state.

Trump on Friday signed a $2.2 trillion emergency stimulus package that will provide billions of dollars to state and local governments, as well as support to hospitals to help fight the virus. But it is still unclear how the funds will be distributed.

A nearly deserted scene on Bourbon Street, which is normally bustling with tourists and revelers, in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana [Gerald Herbert/AP Photo]

Louisiana is no stranger to disasters, often having to contend with devastating hurricanes, including the 2005 Hurricane Katrina that killed more than 1,800 along the Gulf Coast. But Alexander Billioux, assistant secretary at the Louisiana Office of Public Health, recently said that unlike hurricanes, which often affect just one state or region, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the entire country, putting a strain on available resources.

New York remains the countrys epicentre, with more than 44,800 confirmed cases. California, Washington state and New Jersey have also been hit particularly hard.

In a natural disaster, we can look to our neighbours. A hurricane doesnt hit the entire Gulf Coast or the entire country, and the federal government and our neighbouring states are able to muster and give us supplies, Billioux told CNN.

Right now, we may be and we are the second or third highest rate of infections per capita, but the virus is spread all over this country.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Infrastructure company Balfour Beatty Plc (BBY.L) Friday said it had a positive start to 2020. However, due to COVID-19, it is not possible to forecast its impact on the company's financial results for 2020. Balfour Beatty said it will provide further updates on its trading performance as and when appropriate. Further, the company has decided to postpone the Annual General Meeting, which was due to be held on May 14. The Group's proposed final dividend for 2019 of 4.3 pence per share, which was due to be paid on 3 July 2020, requires approval at the AGM. The company said the postponement of the AGM will result in the delay in the approval of the final dividend. Further, Group Chair, Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and the Group's Executive Committee have committed to take a 20% reduction to their salaries. In line with the current guidance on COVID-19 from the UK Government, the company's sites and contracts will remain operational where it is practical to appropriately implement the Standard Operating Procedure or SOP. In the US, the company is adhering to regulations on a state by state basis, whilst in Hong Kong operations are following local government guidance. As at March 25, the company had 395 million pounds of net cash and 375 million pounds of undrawn facilities. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
On the Upper West Side, Allia had no big brother and no iPad, but she pressed on completing her assignments on her mothers phone. She remembered days she spent in the classroom. Sometimes, when we have equations or something, my teacher calls an assignment, and when we do them, some kids, we kind of do it like a race, but at the same time we are trying to focus, and thats the fun part, she said.
Politics Axios

Democratic leaders have found a mechanism to enable them to bypass an initial Republican filibuster and debate the party's sweeping election reform bills, according to a new leadership memo obtained by Axios.Why it matters: The strategy is the latest example of how Democrats are seeking new ways to try to bypass Senate procedures that are blocking their agenda. But the ultimate outcome will likely be the same: insufficient support to change the 60-vote threshold needed to pass sweeping voting ri
A Virgin Australia flight attendant gave a free bottle of wine accompanied by a letter to a passenger after he found out the man had terminal cancer.

Jay Hill, 24, from Brisbane, Queensland will soon be stood down from Virgin Australia for a few months due to the reduction of flights caused by the coronavirus.

In what may be his final flight, Mr Hill talked to a passenger, known as Mr Douglas, travelling from LAX to Perth, who told him he had retired from work because he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

'The crew and I decided we would give him a free bottle of wine to take with him and we wrote on a card thanking him for joining us on our flight and that we wished all the very best,' Mr Hill said.

In what may be his final flight due to job cuts, Jay Hill (pictured right with crew member Carla) talked to a passenger, known as Mr Douglas, travelling from LAX to Perth, who told him he had retired from work because he was diagnosed with terminal cancer

'The crew and I decided we would give him a free bottle of wine to take with him and we wrote on a card thanking him for joining us on our flight and that we wished all the very best,' Mr Hill said

'We chatted about the large majority of cabin crew having their wings clipped and the stress of trying to make it home with cancelled flights everywhere,' Mr Hill said.

'I brought up some food he had ordered from the menu and to my shock he tipped me $50 to thank me for taking care of him.'

Mr Hill declined the Mr Douglas's offer and said he was simply doing his job and taking care of his guests.

When he was told about the his heath problems, Mr Hill said he began to tear up.

'My heart broke to hear such a kind-hearted man would be facing such a difficult time.'

That was when Mr Hill and the crew decided to give Mr Douglas a bottle of wine and write him a note.

'It was our pleasure having you on board today. It's people like you who make our job special,' the note read.

'In uncertain times like this all we have is each other and despite the difficult challenges he was facing, he was still smiling and reached out to us during our own challenges,' Mr Hill said.

On Thursday Virgin Australia said more than 1,000 of 8,000 workers asked to take leave will probably be made redundant (stock image)

Mr Hill shared the story online, where thousands of people were moved by the kind gesture during the coronavirus pandemic.

'This is so beautiful. Well done. What a memorable flight for the both of you,' one person wrote.

Another said: 'God bless and thank you for sharing. This horrid time in our history is definitely bringing out the best of humanity.'

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

'That is such a touching story. It brought tears to my eyes due to the kindness of all involved. Bless you all,' another wrote.

One person said: 'I really hope you are back in the air soon and it was lovely of your crew to do what you could for this man so he could continue his journey with a smile.'

As the coronavirus crisis continues to escalate travel bans and airspace closures have seen more than 50 airlines across the world temporarily suspended.

On Thursday Virgin Australia said more than 1,000 of 8,000 workers asked to take leave will probably be made redundant.

The airline had asked 80 per cent of its 10,000 staff to take a mixture of holiday, long service leave and leave without pay.

'Of the 8,000 that we asked to stand down yesterday, there is probably going to be more than a 1,000 of those (who) we do make redundant,' Virgin Australia managing director Paul Scurrah told the ABC on Thursday.

'This is the worst airline crisis the world has ever seen.'

Virgin Australia is also looking to redeploy staff to other companies - including major supermarkets and big banks - that need extra workers to cope with the pandemic.
Creative professionals whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak are flocking to membership platform Patreon in record numbers, the company claims. During the first three weeks of March, more than 30,000 new creators launched on the site -- a much larger number than usual. These creators are also acquiring patrons faster than ever and they're expanding their earnings at a quicker pace, as a result.

Creators around the world are being affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, often indirectly. To cut down on the spread of the novel coronavirus, live shows are being canceled and conferences and other events are being postponed. Other revenue streams creators may have previously relied on may be drying up, as well.

Many of these impacted creators have joined the Patreon platform in recent days to help with lost revenue, and their fans have quickly followed.

According to Patreon's internal metrics, average new patron growth across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia and Italy is up 36.2% in March compared to February.

In particular, Patreon saw a shift in patron behavior and creator additions starting on Friday, March 13th.

Since then, creators have been joining the platform at a faster rate than at any other point in the company's history.

In addition, the proportion of creators who acquire their first patron within 10 days of launching has also increased. This is one of the strongest influxes of memberships Patreon has seen, the company said.

Today, Patreon's platform serves more than 150,000 total artists worldwide who generate income by offering exclusive content and communities to a network of over 4 million patrons across 180 countries. To date, creators have earned more than $1 billion through the Patreon platform.

However, it's not all good news. Patreon also notes it's seeing slightly higher patron deletions as some members are choosing to exit the site due to financial hardships related to the COVID-19 crisis. But overall, churn rates are stable for now, Patreon says, and the deletions are not at a rate other businesses are seeing.

Story continues

Patreon isn't the only platform seeing significant growth due to the societal impacts of COVID-19.

Fundraising sites like GoFundMe have also seen increases in recent weeks as people ask for assistance with living expenses, food and other basics, small business support, healthcare expenses and more.

More than 22K coronavirus related fundraisers have been created on our platform in the past several weekscollectively raising over $40M to support hospitals, local businesses, & organizations helping on the frontlines around the world.  GoFundMe (@gofundme) March 21, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

GoFundMe recently said that more than 22,000 coronavirus-related fundraisers were created on its platform over the past few weeks, collectively raising over $40 million to support hospitals, businesses and other organizations. The company said it would commit $1.5 million to support communities impacted by the pandemic, as well.
There were the 500 hand-rolled croissants and the hundred quiches. There were the cakes, the pies and the unbaked sausage rolls. Thats not even counting the cinnamon buns, the cookies or the boxes of French pastries.

When coronavirus began shuttering events and discouraging travellers to Calgary, the wholesale orders for baked goods at Patisserie Du Soleil Bakery began to be cancelled, too.

Facing the new reality, Char Brewer and Ala Nahal made the difficult decision to shutter the stores they had opened 21 years ago, which they now run with the help of their four children.

But that didnt resolve the fate of the baked goods.

We had so much stuff, Brewer says.

Finally, Nahal suggested a sale, of sorts. Theyd give the goods away, for the price of a donation to the food bank. Char was immediately in love with the idea. There's so many people in our community, in our neighbourhood, that are elderly; there's so many people being laid off, she said. This is something nice we can do as a community.

Canadian small businesses are already being hammered hard by the novel coronavirus, which has sparked closures of events, bars and restaurants across the country.

In Calgary, the heart of Canadas once mighty oil industry, businesses are facing the double whammy of the virus and plummeting oil prices. The outlook for many is bleak. Many restaurants in particular are closing their doors without knowing if theyll ever open again.

But despite immense pressure, many have spent their past few days on one major project: making sure their extra food goes to those who need it most.

Lourdes Juan is the founder of the Leftovers Foundation, which picks up leftover food from restaurants or businesses and distributes it to people in need. Up until this week, their busy time of year was the Calgary Stampede, during which they scoured the midway and pancake breakfasts for extra food to redistribute.

I thought that was the busiest that we would ever be, like its the greatest outdoor show on earth, Juan laughed, referencing the rodeos popular tag line. Usually they pick up two tonnes of food over the Stampedes two-week run.

That is, until the past week or so. Their team of volunteers has collected 11 tonnes of food.

We were building the plane as we were flying it; we had no idea how to intake this much food, Juan said. We also saw service agencies that were coming out of the woodwork, that just didn't have the access to food because they were having more clients.

Air Canada donated 1,600 of the prepackaged breakfast and lunch meals it serves on flights, now grounded, which ended up going to an addiction treatment centre, Juan said.

The Calgary Zoo, also closed, volunteered fresh produce and dairy from its concession stands. Its prepackaged yogurts were especially welcomed by services agencies, Juan said, because theyre easy to hand to clients.

Steak chain The Keg came through with 20 massive prime rib roasts  and they could have easily frozen them, Juan points out  which will now be meals for families at the Ronald McDonald house, which supports families whose children are undergoing medical treatment.

A lot of these larger institutions, you know, resist the food recovery under normal circumstances. So perhaps this is a new, eye-opening experience for them, Juan said.

But it is the small businesses, Calgary institutions such as Charbar, Broken City and the Palomino among them, that really stood out to Juan. Many of them dont know whether theyll ever open again.

Its surreal to see restaurants that you normally go into that are so bustling and busy and seeing them completely dead, she said.

I think that the sort of silver lining in all of this is whats showing that we can band together. If we can close our doors together as a community, hopefully we can open them as a community.

Char Brewer and her family also gave 1,000 items to the leftover foundation, and then had their first giveaway sale to get rid of the rest Monday.

First, they hauled tables out front so people wouldnt crowd into the store. Everyone was in a very spaced-out line as they got a savoury pastry and a bag of sweet baked goods, she said, in exchange for whatever they could give to the food bank.

Char said they got a lot of students, who would begin with a quiet apology that they didnt have anything for the food bank, so theyd tell them it didnt matter and give them another bag of cookies.

Stefani Walstra lives nearby and had stopped by to grab some croissants and fresh vegetables for herself as well as some for neighbours with young kids.

We love this bakery and were sad to see this close during this time, she said. I think were realizing how close we are but how far we feel when we cant chat.

Terry Evans stopped by to make a donation to the food bank. Having recently been laid off himself, he said, he understood what a lot of people were going through. He and his wife make it a habit to donate to the food bank regularly, but the need is likely to be greater than ever now, he said.

Even if its temporary, a lot of of people just dont have the means to make it to the new paycheque, so every little bit helps.

Brewer said if they dont know how theyll cover rent on their three locations for months shes not sure theyll be able to open again.

Im not going to lie, its a little scary.

Still, she said, there was no better way to spend the last day before the stores were cleaned out and locked up.

It's a reminder that you're part of a larger community, you're not alone. We're all in this together.

With files from Christina Ryan

Read more about:
Jerusalem: The Israeli government has opened up a war bunker in the Jerusalem hills to help coordinate its campaign against the spread of the coronavirus, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

The bunker, called the "National Management Centre", was built more than a decade ago because of concern about Iran`s nuclear programme and missile exchanges with Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah or Palestinian militant group Hamas.

According to Israeli officials, it includes living quarters and command facilities and can be accessed from the government complex in Jerusalem and the western foothills leading to Tel Aviv.

"This (bunker) is another tool for managing, controlling, oversight and tracking" the coronavirus, said an Israeli official who requested anonymity. "We understand that this crisis will accompany us for an extended period of time yet."

Defence Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to play down the move, telling an Israel Radio reporter during a news conference that the bunker "is not so relevant (to the crisis). We are not under a missile attack that would require us to be underground."

Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz had earlier joked in an interview with Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM that the bunker had limited usefulness now as "it protects from bombs, but not from microbes".

Israel has reported 2,666 coronavirus cases and eight fatalities. After restricting people`s movements as a precaution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that a nationwide lockdown could be ordered within days.
Around 40,000 have been quarantined in India after a 'super spreader' preacher returned from coronavirus-stricken Italy.

Up to 20 villages in Punjab have been forced into isolation after Baldev Singh got back from the Mediterranean country and died of the deadly bug.

The 70-year-old also visited Germany before going home for the Hola Mohalla Sikh festival, which sees crowds of up to 10,000.

Police personnel stop commuters to advise them to stay home during a government-imposed lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Amritsar on Tuesday

Member of Parliament (MP) Gurjeet Singh Aujla (centre right) and Amritsar Improvement Trust Chairman Dinesh Bassi (centre left ) clean a street during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, outside Amritsar Improvement Trust in Amritsar today

Up to 20 villages in Punjab (pictured, Amritsar) have been forced into isolation after Baldev Singh came back from the Mediterranean country and died of the deadly bug

Mr Singh, who had reportedly flouted advice to stay at home, was revealed to have died from coronavirus in a postmortem and a week later 19 members of his family tested positive.

An official told the BBC: 'So far, we have been able to trace 550 people who came into direct contact with him and the number is growing. We have sealed 15 villages around the area he stayed.'

Five villages have also been put in lockdown in a neighbouring district. Punjab makes up 30 of the 640 coronavirus cases in India.

On Tuesday the country announced a 'total lockdown' for its 1.3billion people in the world's largest stay-at-home order to stop the spread of coronavirus.

A locator map shows the Punjab region of India, where up to 20 villages have been forced into isolation after Baldev Singh returned from Italy and died from COVID-19

Mr Singh, 70, also visited Germany before going home for the Hola Mohalla Sikh festival, which sees crowds of 10,000 each day. Pictured: Volunteers distribute fruits to people in Amritsar, Punjab

Punjab Police commando patrol in the front of Hall Gate during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Amritsar yesterday

Muslim volunteers pack grocery items to be distributed among needy people during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Amritsar yesterday

Prime minister Narendra Modi announced the 'total ban on venturing out of your homes' in a televised address.

The 21-day lockdown began at midnight in a measure which Modi said was intended 'to save India and every Indian'.

He said if the country failed to manage the next 21 days, it would be set back 21 years.

After his speech, Modi urged Indians to avoid the panic-buying which many Western countries have witnessed, as a government order confirmed stores would remain open.

The measure means more than 2.6billion people worldwide are in lockdown - half of them in India.

Health experts have warned a big jump in cases in the country could be imminent, which would overwhelm its underfunded public health infrastructure.

Some researchers have warned more than a million people in India could be infected with the coronavirus by mid-May.
A TSA checkpoint at John Wayne Airport, near empty, in Santa Ana on Tuesday. The TSA has agreed to provide its officers masks to wear while screening passengers. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The union representing the nation's 46,000 Transportation Security Administration officers said Friday it has convinced the agency to supply screening officers with respiratory masks to wear while on duty.

TSA officers, who already wear gloves while checking identification and screening passengers, will be supplied with N95 respiratory masks before each shift.

The American Federation of Government Employees said it had been requesting the masks for its members since January and was notified of the TSA's decision Wednesday.

"We've had meetings, made phone calls, and sent emails almost daily urging TSA management to provide N95 masks and other protective equipment for our officers," Hydrick Thomas, AFGE TSA Council 100 president, said in a statement. "Our efforts have finally paid off and now [Transportation Security Officers] can serve the public without fear of infecting themselves or passengers."

The TSA confirmed on its website Friday that 46 TSA screening officers have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past 14 days, with 19 of those working in New York and seven in New Jersey. No TSA officers in California tested positive in the past 14 days but earlier in the month, three TSA officers who work at Mineta San Jose International Airport tested positive for the coronavirus.

At Los Angeles International Airport, two screeners who checked arriving passengers for signs of the coronavirus on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested positive for the virus earlier this month.

TSA remains committed to the health and safety of our workforce and is now authorizing the use of eye protection and N95 respirators for employees," the TSA said in a statement Friday. "Employees have had the option to wear surgical masks since the beginning of the pandemic, and use of TSA standard nitrile gloves continues to be mandatory."

TSA officers must first undergo training on the use of the masks, and the TSA said the masks will begin shipping out early next week.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that the N95 masks, which are designed to screen out 95% of airborne particles, are part of a stockpile of 1.5 million masks that the Department of Homeland Security had in an Indiana warehouse. The masks are past their expiration date, but CDC studies have shown that the N95 masks are still functional beyond their expiration date if they are stored properly.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / The Law Offices of Vincent Wong announce that class actions have commenced on behalf of certain shareholders in the following companies. If you suffered a loss you have until the lead plaintiff deadline to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. There will be no obligation or cost to you.

Westpac Banking Corporation (WBK)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at: http://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/westpac-banking-corporation-loss-submission-form?prid=5838&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: March 30, 2020

Class Period: November 11, 2015 to November 19, 2019

Allegations against WBK include that: (1) contrary to Australian law, the Company failed to report over 19.5 million international funds transfer instructions to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre ("AUSTRAC"); (2) the Company did not appropriately monitor and assess the ongoing money laundering and terrorism financing risks associated with movement of money into and out of Australia; (3) the Westpac did not pass on requisite information about the source of funds to other banks in the transfer chain; (4) despite being aware of the heightened risks, the Company did not carry out appropriate due diligence on transactions in South East Asia and the Philippines that had known financial indicators relating to child exploitation risks; (5) the Company's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Policy Program was inadequate to identify, mitigate and manage money laundering and terrorism financing risks; and (6) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

HP Inc. (HPQ)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at: http://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/hp-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=5838&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: April 20, 2020

Class Period: February 23, 2017 to October 3, 2019

Story continues

According to the filed complaint, defendants knew that HP's "four-box" model for measuring its supplies business was severely deficient and not a strong predictor of supplies demand and outcomes because HP lacked telemetry data from its commercial printers and had to use unreliable and stagnant market share data to develop assumptions for the four-box model. The complaint further alleges that defendants knew the lack of telemetry data for commercial printing was a critical shortcoming of the four-box model because HP possessed telemetry data on its personal printing side and knew it was a necessary element for an accurate understanding of the supplies channel. As a result, the supplies inventory in the Company's channel exceeded demand by at least $100 million and HP's supplies revenue growth was grossly inflated.

Jeld-Wen Holding, Inc. (JELD)

If you suffered a loss, contact us at: http://www.wongesq.com/pslra-1/jeld-wen-holding-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=5838&wire=1

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: April 20, 2020

Class Period: January 26, 2017 to October 15, 2018

Allegations against JELD include that: (1) the Company's products, including doors, did not compete against other manufacturers on price, contrary to Jeld-Wen's representations; (2) the market in which the Company sells its doors is not "highly competitive" as the Company claimed; (3) Jeld-Wen's strong margins and anticipated margin growth were not, as the Company claimed, attributed to changes they had made in Jeld-Wen's business operations and strategies; and (4) Jeld-Wen failed to disclose the Company's anti-competitive conduct. Because of the foregoing, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations and prospects lacked a reasonable basis.

To learn more contact Vincent Wong, Esq. either via email vw@wongesq.com or by telephone at 212.425.1140.

Vincent Wong, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has represented investors in securities litigations involving financial fraud and violations of shareholder rights. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Vincent Wong, Esq.

39 East Broadway

Suite 304

New York, NY 10002

Tel. 212.425.1140

Fax. 866.699.3880

E-Mail: vw@wongesq.com

SOURCE: The Law Offices of Vincent Wong





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/582917/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-WBK-HPQ-JELD-The-Law-Offices-of-Vincent-Wong-Reminds-Investors-of-Important-Class-Action-Deadlines




[March 27, 2020] HotForex Makes Generous Donation to WHO Amid COVID-19 Crisis

In line with its commitment to social responsibility, award winning broker HotForex has made a generous donation to the World Health Organization amid the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HotForex, the award-winning forex and commodities broker on CFDs, has a strong commitment to not just providing the best possible customer experience, but also acknowledging its social responsibility to communities and organizations around the world. HotForex CEO George Koumantaris said: "HotForex has a deep-rooted sense of responsibility that it should help those less fortunate and actively lend assistance at every appropriate opportunity to do so. We are proud to be able to make a donaton to the WHO at this time of crisis and do our part to help such a worthy organization."



HotForex celebrates its ten year anniversary this year, a success story proven by its 35+ prestigious industry awards and 2,000,000 live accounts. With award-winning security of funds, market leading insurance of up to 5,000,000 and the flexibility to suit all types of traders, it has quickly become an unparalleled global broker of choice. To find out more about HotForex and its previous social responsibility actions, visit the HotForex website.

About HotForex With its origins dating back to 2010, HotForex is the brand name of HF Markets Group which encompasses global and regulated entities which are operating as multi-asset brokers offering both retail and institutional trading services to clients from around the world. HotForex is continuously establishing its position as a market leader, a fact affirmed by: Over 2,000,000 Live Accounts Opened

More than 35 International Awards

Client Support in 27+ Languages

Top Fund Security Measures To learn more about HotForex, please visit our website by clicking here . Risk warnings: Trading Leveraged Products such as Forex and Derivatives may not be suitable for all investors as they carry a high degree of risk to your capital. Media Contact:

HF Markets Ltd

[email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/830182/HotForex_Logo.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
WASHINGTON  The quality of personal protective gear for U.S. medical workers battling the coronavirus crisis remains inadequate, the head of the nation's largest organization of emergency room doctors said Thursday, suggesting it is roughly comparable to that of nations like Italy and others that have seen surging infection rates.

The warning from Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, or ACEP, comes after some leaders, including New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have indicated that the supply of masks, gloves and goggles is adequate in the near term.

Jaquis said in an interview that the claim is true only because hospitals have so sharply lowered their standards in coping with the crisis.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Doctors, nurses and other medical staff have been forced repeatedly to reuse masks, goggles and gloves, Jaquis said, while wearing standard surgical gowns instead of Tyvek hazmat suits that would better repel fluids and germs.

Image: Medical officials at a nursing home (Stefan Jeremiah / Reuters)

Jaquis, who praised Cuomo for doing a "great job," nevertheless warned that U.S. standards are more on par with those of countries like Italy, which has seen a huge spike in infections, as opposed to South Korea, where doctors are outfitted in more sophisticated protective gear and testing rates of the population are far higher.

"When he [Cuomo] says, 'We have enough,' he is saying we are no longer completely without," Jaquis said.

Cuomo said at his briefing that there might have been some "distribution" issues over the past few days, but he contended that there is no shortage at the moment.

Earlier Thursday, NBC News reported that DuPont is expediting delivery of the Tyvek suits, which are assembled primarily in Asia. Yet it's unclear whether the production level will meet hospital demand, underscoring the need for "a longer-term, sustainable approach," Jaquis said.

ACEP, which represents more than 38,000 emergency physicians, medical residents and medical students nationwide, has been calling for policy changes, including galvanizing U.S. industry through the 1950 Defense Production Act.

Story continues

The nation's leading medical professionals, including the American Medical Association and ACEP, are calling on President Donald Trump to fully implement the Defense Production Act. That would allow him to compel U.S. manufacturers to produce enough gear and ventilators to meet hospitals' demand and to prioritize outbreak hot spots so states would not compete with one another on the open market for scarce resources.

"There's no reason to hold back," said Steve Arnoff, ACEP's spokesman.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

The list of drastic measures doctors and nurses are taking to protect themselves, according to ACEP, includes bleaching and reusing masks meant for one-time use, while front desk workers sew ribbons on them after the elastic straps have worn off.

Others are wearing rain gear or masks typically used by construction workers, and some have inquired about scuba masks. Doctors are also looking into microwaving gear or using ultraviolet light to sterilize it, as well as do-it-yourself mask construction.

Meanwhile, photos of nurses forced to wear garbage bags while tending patients have flooded social media, drawing outrage.

News

Resources the Trump administration is drawing on in the national stockpile, including protective gear and ventilators, will eventually dwindle, Jaquis said.

"The best solution is more production and a distribution system that meets the needs of people putting themselves at risk across the country," he said.
Car companies dey answer call from goment to help make more ventilators and face mask to help out during di coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, Fiat begin to convert one of dia car plants for China to start to make about one million mask a month.

Di carmaker want to start production in di coming weeks, na so dia chief executive Mike Manley write for email.

Other major car companies dey look for ways wey dem fit shift manufacturing towards ventilators.

General Motors, Ford and Tesla for America don pledge dia support to offer resources to make more ventilators, along with Japan carmaker Nissan and Formula 1 teams for UK.

Major car plants for America, Europe and Asia don stop production to try to help prevent di spread of coronavirus.

But dem still dey pledge to help make ventilators and other vital medical equipment.

Ford on Tuesday say dem dey work with GE Healthcare and 3M, anoda health industry manufacturer, to design modified respirators and ventilators, which dem fit produce wit di use of fans, batteries and oda parts wey Ford dey use for dia cars.

Di firms say dem no get set timeline for dem to deliver dis products.
Queuing up at grocery shops as early as 5am, getting delivery through rear doors, shortage of stock, grocery shops phone numbers engaged or their failing to deliver were among the many problems that residents continued to faced on the fifth day of curfew on Friday. Flooded with such complaints, the district administration in the evening announced that the licence of the grocery store/medical store owner who fails to make home deliveries will be cancelled permanently.

Confirming the same, deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, who chaired a meeting to review the arrangements, said, It has come to our notice that despite taking a licence for home deliveries, several shopkeepers are not delivering. Strict action will be taken against such shopkeepers.

RESIDENTS ORDEAL

With grocery store owners flooded with huge number of orders and poor supply of goods, the residents are the worst sufferers as not only are they finding the numbers engaged or switched off, but the orders too are either not getting delivered on time or not at all.

I ordered a set grocery items including wheat flour, rice, salt and ghee. It has been three days but the items have not been delivered, said Isha Bhargava, a resident of Sarabha Nagar.

While residents said medical stores claimed depleting stock, several chemist shops in and around the city, who were running their business from shutters half down expressed helplessness in delivering items. We do not have the required number of workers and the stock is also limited, said one of the chemists in Model Town area.

Residents also complained that they were not even able to get bread as the supply was affected. Ramesh Mago, owner of Kitty Breads, said, No grocery store owners delivers bread at home as its cheap and they do not have the required number of workers. I have supplied over 50,000 packs of bread to various shops but am receiving calls from people who are not able to purchase it. The authorities should ensure that people are at least able to get basics like bread and eggs from the grocery stores with proper social distancing.

ONLINE DELIVERY UNITS START OPERATIONS

Meanwhile, in a huge relief for city residents, online giants like Amazon, Swiggy and Big Basket started operations in city from Friday evening. The companies signed an agreement with the Ludhiana police for smooth flow of operations without restrictions.

RETAILERS CAN BRING GOODS UNINTERRUPTED

Agrawal further said that the retailers/shopkeepers can now bring grocery items from Kesar Ganj Mandi themselves and assured that the police will not obstruct them. He said the nodal officers from police and civil administration have been deputed at the Kesar Ganj Mandi as well as Pindi Street.

He also clarified that if the trucks used for supply of essential commodities are stopped by the police or some other official, they should complain at the state-level helpline number 112, which is being monitored directly by the chief minister. For the benefit of suppliers, shopkeepers and retailers, one branch each of every bank would open in the city from 11am to 2pm on Saturday. All the banks have been directed that there should be no shortage of cash in the ATMs. He said mobile ATM facility will be started in the district soon.
South Korean drama My Secret, Terrius, which was on Netflix until a few days ago, predicted the Novel Coronavirus outbreak. The Kdrama, from two years ago, was found by Netflix users who are binge-watching content on the platform during the lockdown.

After Steven Soderberg's 2011 release, Contagion, My Secret, Terrius has been going viral on social media. The show is also being watched for its similar plotline to the ongoing pandemic.

Currently, while the show is unavailable on Netflix in India, but a clip from the 10th episode of the series' first season is going viral on social media. The clip shows a doctor handing over a file to another character and talking about coronavirus being used as a bioweapon.

The show stars top South Korean actors, So Ji-sab, Jung In-sun, and Yoon Sung-hyun in leading roles. The show's synopsis on Netflix reads, "A secret agent who detaches himself from the world after a failed operation tries to unravel the mystery behind a neighbour's death." My Secret, Terrius, reportedly, is currently only available on the streaming platform in the US and UK.

In the viral clip, the doctor tells the agent, "We must do more research, but it looks like a mutant coronavirus." To which she asks, "Corona? Then MERS?"

The doctor explains, "MERS, SARS, the common flu. They all fall in the same gene family with the same gene information, The coronavirus attacks the respiratory system. During the 2015 MERS epidemic, the mortality rate was over 20 per cent,"

The agent then asks, "But that's not serious enough to be used as a weapon. Am I wrong?"

The doctor adds, "Like I said, this is a mutant virus. Someone tweaked it to increase the mortality rate to 90 per cent."

Take a look at the clip,

OMG!!!! Netflix series called My Secret Terrius [S01E10 ] talking about manmade #coronavirus released in 2018!!!! WTF. pic.twitter.com/2a1THTaYL4  World Updates (@Rntk____) March 26, 2020

Netizens have been baffled by the way several fictional works of art from films, shows to books have predicted the outbreak by either its time or name in one form or the other. COVID-19 outbreak, which first began in Wuhan, China, has spread around the world and claimed around 22,000 lives.

After Contagion 10 Pandemic Films To Watch: Bird Box, World War Z, The Happening

Coronavirus: Did Disney Foresee The Quarantine In 2010 Movie Tangled?
Victoria Police spot checks on returned travellers subject to self isolation have found 42 people either not at home or having given a false address.

Officers conducting Operation Sentinel had conducted 180 checks by 9pm on Thursday but found only 138 people at home as required under Victoria's state of emergency laws. Twenty-two were not at home and 20 had provided incorrect addresses.

A Victoria police officer conducts a spot check on a traveller who returned from Bali.

The alarming result has sparked fears among officers involved in conducting spot checks that some returned travellers may have deliberately supplied a false address to avoid the mandatory self isolation period.

Text message exchanges between officers involved in Operation Sentinel reveal what police on the frontline are encountering.
The Trump administration abruptly waived enforcement on a range of environmental rules in a sweeping relaxation of regulations against polluters due to the coronavirus pandemic, saying affected industries may have trouble meeting compliance because of the outbreak.

The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, said it would stop its enforcement on a range of legally mandated public health and environmental protections because of the compliance concerns which have been brought about by the deadly, flu-like virus, also known as COVID-19.

Oil and gas companies were among the industries seeking an advance pass on the environmental and public health enforcement during the outbreak, citing the firms would experience potential staffing problems.

The Trump administration has waived enforcement on a range of environmental rules in a sweeping relaxation of regulations against polluters due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump is pictured delivering remarks at a Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Thursday

Oil and gas companies were among the industries seeking an advance pass on the environmental and public health enforcement during the outbreak. An oil pump San Joaquin, California, is pictured

The EPAs decision on Thursday was sweeping, forgoing fines or other civil penalties for companies that failed to monitor, report or meet some other requirements for releasing hazardous pollutants.

The move was the latest, and one of the broadest, regulation-easing moves by the EPA, which is seeking to roll back dozens of regulations as part of the Trump administration's purge of rules that the it sees as unfriendly to business.

Civil and criminal enforcement of polluters under the administration has fallen sharply.

Former Obama-era EPA chief Gina McCarthy, now president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the announcement 'an open license to pollute.'

The administration was 'taking advantage of an unprecedented public health crisis to do favors for polluters that threaten public health,' McCarthy said, in part of what was a flurry of condemnation from environmental groups to the announcement.

A snapshot of coronavirus cases across the US. Cities including New Orleans, Miami and Chicago each have more than 1,500 cases - unlike China where no area outside Hubei ever reached that. A total of 12 states have already surpassed 1,500 cases each

The EPA's decision comes as the US was confirmed to have the most coronavirus cases of anywhere in the world with more than 92,000 infections - overtaking China with 81,000 and Italy with 80,000.

In a statement, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the open-ended waiver was temporary and retroactive to March 13.

'[The] EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements,' Wheeler said. '

'This temporary policy is designed to provide enforcement discretion under the current, extraordinary conditions, while ensuring facility operations continue to protect human health and the environment,' he explained.

The EPA directive said industries would be expected to comply with regulations 'where reasonably practicable.'

Businesses that broke regulations would have to be able to show that they tried to reduce the harm, and show how any violations were caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the EPA said.

Collin OMara, president of the National Wildlife Federation, called the move 'an assault on our public health and an absolute abdication of the legal responsibilities of the EPA.'

The EPA said the advance pass on enforcement did not apply to criminal violations by polluters.

While there were circumstances where a disaster like the pandemic might make compliance impossible, those instances called for narrow decisions by regulators on clemency, said Cynthia Giles, a former senior EPA enforcement during the Obama administration.

Giles said she knew of no previous time in the EPAs half-century history where it 'relinquished its fundamental authority' as she said it did Thursday.

As the EPA pulls back enforcement on industries that may have difficulties complying with environmental regulations because of the outbreak, business closures and mandates that have kept non-essential workers home across the country have had an unintended benefit: an improvement in air quality.

How air pollution has declined across the US while millions are in lockdown

Air pollution has declined in parts of the US as millions of Americans are going into lockdown because of the outbreak.

California has experienced the biggest improvement in air quality, specifically over the Bay Area and Central Valley where stricter social distancing guidelines have been implemented.

Other metropolitan areas, including Seattle, New York, Chicago and Atlanta, have also showed a decline after residents have been asked to stay at home in order to limit the spread of the virus.

This pollution stems from the burning of fuel and emissions of vehicles and power plants.

Images showing a nitrogen dioxide drop were create by CNN using Sentinel-5P satellite data.

New York City is one of the metropolitan area to implement a lockdown due to the coronavirus. Researchers at Columbia University have seen emissions of carbon monoxide over New York City decline more than 50 percent below typical levels over the past week
March 26, 2020

News

By Air Force Tech Sgt. Shane Hughes

Defense.gov

Operation Steady Resolve Aids Ohioans During Coronavirus Pandemic

A joint military task force is working to help their fellow Ohioans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect their state.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a proclamation March 18 authorizing the activation of about 400 Ohio National Guard personnel to support a humanitarian mission in response to the COVID-19 pandemic facing the state.

Ohio National Guard members were placed on state active duty, along with some members of the Ohio Military Reserve, to support Operation Steady Resolve. The initial mission is to assist 12 food banks across Ohio with packaging, transporting and distributing food and other essential items to all 88 counties in support of the state's most vulnerable populations.

"When the community calls, we respond," said Army Lt. Col. Mike Draper, chief of staff for Joint Task Force 37. "Our mission may grow, but whatever those missions are, we are here to help."

The governor's proclamation was made in response to a request for assistance from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services after a significant number of people who normally volunteer at food banks around the state were directed to stay home. Most food bank volunteers are retired and in a high-risk age group for potentially contracting COVID-19, officials said.

"They became overwhelmed, given the impact [COVID-19] has had on their labor force, and we've been able to plug that gap so far," said Army Maj. Nick Palmer, operations officer for JTF-37.

Draper said he understands that people may be concerned when they see National Guard personnel in their neighborhoods during this pandemic, and that he has tried to reassure citizens that the Guard members working at each of the 12 food banks are from the local area they are supporting.

Although Operation Steady Resolve is still in the early phases, Draper said, the Guard members supporting one of the food banks were able to package more than a thousand meals in a single day, which is more than half of what that specific food bank packages in a typical month.

While those supporting Operation Steady Resolve potentially face exposure to the coronavirus while serving their duties, JTF 37 is actively working to ensure their safety. Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Gary Katz, a flight surgeon assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard's 178th Wing, was called to active duty and is working on JTF 37. He said he has issued numerous health advisories to Guard members performing the mission.

"We don't know how long this mission will last, and we have to make certain our force is healthy so they can keep providing aid and comfort to our neighbors in need," Katz said. "I'm confident the measures we are taking will help diminish the severity of this situation."

While JTF 37 is actively working to limit the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an unprecedented event for the National Guard that requires an unprecedented response.

"This is unlike anything else we've ever done before," Draper said. "We typically respond to event-driven emergencies  tornadoes, floods, snow storms, hurricanes  events with shorter life-cycles and tangible impacts. This challenge we face now is invisible, it's growing at an increasingly rapid rate and it has an unnerving effect on the public. We can be that calming presence for our community."

Palmer agreed. "This is coast-to-coast," he said. "It's in our homes, whether that's the actual infection or the fear of it. There isn't a single person in this country that isn't impacted by COVID-19. In this time of fear and disruption of daily life, we're ready and we're here. We're in this together and we're fulfilling our contract to Ohioans."

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shane Hughes is assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard's 178th Wing.)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A body has been found in a burnt-out house after an early morning blaze at a Narre Warren property.

Emergency services were called to Linlithgow Court around 3.30am on Saturday. Fire crews extinguished the blaze, and then found a body inside the home.

A body was found inside this Narre Warren home. Credit:Joe Armao

The cause of the fire and circumstances around the death are still unknown.

Police are investigating.
Speculation about where house prices and the property market will end up in the aftermath of Covid-19 has already started, with the publication during the week of a report by Davy Stockbrokers estimating that new house prices could fall by as much as 20pc if the coronavirus upheaval continues.

The important words here are "if" and "continues". It is reasonable to assume that the new homes market would be hit hardest given that developers are like retailers, with a certain amount of stock and a moving pipeline. And pipeline disruption can bring empty shelves, even after demand recovers, which could in turn adversely affect the housing crisis (remember that?).

It is estimated that 30pc of building materials now come from China, which is in recovery, with its factories moving again, although shipping is still being paralysed.

The second-hand market is different. Typically it takes time for a crisis to filter down into pricing. Take the example of Ireland's property crash, which can be traced back to a series of failed sales of luxury homes just before Easter in 2006. The first evidence of impact on prices didn't manifest in Dublin until March 2007 and didn't go countrywide until the following year. Second-hand owners can take almost a year to cut their price. They'll just withdraw and sit on their hands to wait it out.

The second-hand residential sector is much like other businesses which no longer rely on in-store activity. Impact will depend on how long the pandemic takes to push through. The SARS outbreak kiboshed sales activity temporarily in affected countries and hurt new home values in the short term, but actually didn't have much impact at all on second-hand residential property prices. Hong Kong's notoriously expensive housing market saw activity plummet by over 70pc, but a rapid play-out meant second-hand prices were largely unaffected.

The big problem arises if Covid-19, like the Spanish Flu of 1918, makes a second sweep. In that case we're certain to see falling values linked to longer-term job losses and overall economic impact. Poor long-term prospects for the second-hand market are usually linked to enduring recession.

But if Covid-19 plays out in months, evidence suggests that the market is likely to snap back to normal very quickly, albeit influenced by recessionary tinges that the overall economic impact will cause.

The word from estate agencies before the virus hit was that the upper-middle and luxury market in Dublin, which has been sluggish for a number of years thanks to Brexit, was looking like showing value gains for the first quarter. This week most agencies report making sales and dealing with large numbers of contacts from perspective buyers whose attention has been concentrated on property hunting by virtue of being confined together around the clock in their own homes.

Last week agents moved to enable more virtual walk-throughs, online viewings, increased video postings and even online accompanied Q&A sessions with agents. Smaller independents, however, have greater reliance on on-site visits, and these are being curtailed completely. The one-third hike in online property activity online activity reported by some agencies will certainly help properties that are now on the market.

The Sherry FitzGerald network issued a Q&A to its staff this week to answer questions their agents were raising re Covid-19. In this document, seen by the Irish Independent, the firm points out to staff that banks and solicitors are still operating as normal regarding mortgages and conveyancing and that sales are proceeding at all price levels. The agency said it was too early to say how new business is being affected.

The big problem for estate agents is that, as with other outbreaks which have occurred in the last 20 years, there will certainly be a fall-off in new instructions as the crisis becomes full-blown. Data from recent outbreaks like SARS shows that activity could plunge by as much as 70pc in the short term.

Thus far anecdotal evidence suggests that new instructions have fallen drastically, but that the levels of those instructions still coming in have been better than expected. This may change.

The key factors for the prospects of the property market are the duration of the crisis and then the longer-term impacts on jobs, security of income and the economy overall.

Irish estate agencies can at least take solace from the fact that things aren't as bad as in the UK, where Michael Gove recently issued a statement urging people not to move house at all, and the UK banks are ceasing the issue of new mortgage loans.

The longer-term impact on property values will also depend on local impacts. If tourists continue to stay away after Covid-19 has gone, then tourist-reliant areas with high numbers of holiday homes could see their values impacted.

A long-term impact on farming, which works on annual cycles for its income, could also impact further values of homes in areas reliant on it.

Unlike economically engineered recessions such as that of 2008, the overall bounce back for the residential market from Covid-19 is likely to be far quicker, again based on the evidence from the 1918 and SARS outbreaks.

But in poor case scenarios, if damage is done, expect the vulture - the crisis investor who is always out waiting and watching from the fence, sitting on a war chest. They swooped in when the Dublin market hit rock bottom in 2011 and hoovered up vast amounts of property in D4's leafy and value-depleted lanes. Those homes doubled in value in a decade. Unsavoury perhaps, but without the vultures there are no recoveries.
Pregnant women across the United States are wondering how COVID-19 could affect them and their babies. They also want to know how health professionals are making sure they stay safe and healthy. To get some answers, Yahoo News spoke to Dr. Lance Bruck, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Womens Health at Jersey City Medical Center, in New Jersey. Here is what he told us:

As of today, what we know about COVID-19 and pregnancy, unfortunately, is very little. We do not believe and will not have any special recommendations for women in pregnancy that are really any different than what the current CDC state and local authorities are telling everyone to do.

Those recommendations are covering your cough, washing your hands and what Bruck says is the most important for everyone but especially moms-to-be: staying away from people. Even people who dont show symptoms may be carriers of the coronavirus. My recommendation really is social distancing, Bruck says. And in particular, if a family member is ill, you need to try to distance yourself as best as your home situation allows.

Research is underway to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women, but so far there is no evidence suggesting that they are at higher risk of severe illness than the general population.

But what scientists do know is that pregnant women experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections. They also know how other respiratory illnesses similar to COVID-19 have affected pregnant women in the past. We do have information about flu that occurs every year and when there was SARS and MERS epidemics that pregnant women may be at increased risk. So clearly we would want for all of our pregnant women to adhere to the CDC guidelines that have been issued.

Physicians and hospitals across the country have also put into effect new guidelines for the safety of all patients, visitors and their staff. These vary from hospital to hospital and are changing day to day.

Story continues

A pregnant woman wearing a surgical mask. (LSOphoto/iStock/Getty Images; digitally altered by Yahoo News)

When it comes to routine exams during pregnancy, women who are in their first or second trimesters and do not have any health issues are encouraged to do a telemedicine visit if possible. But Bruck described some checkups that must be done in person. There are certain visits in pregnancy that women do need to attend to, for their glucose screening, during the third trimester of pregnancy, checking with their physician to monitor the blood pressure and fetal status is important. However, we are really kind of moving toward eliminating visits that are not critical.

If a woman goes into labor, hospitals and clinics are limiting the number of people in the delivery room. At Jersey City Medical Center, where Bruck practices, maternity and labor and delivery units are allowing just one person to accompany the mom. Other hospital systems like the NewYork-Presbyterian are taking more strict measures and banning all visitors, including partners. Even though this rule is difficult for families and affects the experience of giving birth, doctors believe it is very important during this time. The goal is to protect the patient that comes to the hospital. We also have to limit exposure to health care professionals. If we start to get health care professionals ill, it could have a dramatic impact on taking care of the community as a whole.

But what if a mother has COVID-19? To date, the COVID-19 virus hasnt been found in amniotic fluid or breast milk. Unlike the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus and cause birth defects, there is no evidence at this point that COVID-19 is transmitted to the fetus and the newborn. However, if a woman is diagnosed with coronavirus disease, most doctors are trying to minimize the amount of time that the newborn is exposed to the mother, particularly to respiratory secretions.

Unfortunately, this means breastfeeding, which is such an important part of keeping both the mom and the baby healthy after delivery, is being avoided at many hospitals. Instead, some doctors recommend that women express milk manually or using an electric pump. To make sure that the mothers milk is not contaminated, women should clean their breasts before pumping milk, as well as wear a mask and have a nurse or other parent bottle-feed the baby.

Even though the current circumstances are not ideal, Bruck encourages all pregnant women and new mothers to stay positive. Pregnancy is supposed to be a happy time  there really is a special connection between mom and fetus, even when in utero. Its important to stay upbeat for both of you.

___

Read more from Yahoo News:
People coming into Massachusetts are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Charlie Baker said Friday.

People landing in Boston will get fliers as they get off the plane notifying them about the two-week quarantine advisory. Drivers will see similar notices along the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Encouraging people and instructing people who come back to Massachusetts from someplace else to self-quarantine for 14 days is a perfectly reasonable and logical thing to expect them to do, Baker told reporters Friday morning.

Bakers travel restrictions apply to people coming in from out-of-state who arrive at Boston Logan International Airport and South Station, as well as those who drive into Massachusetts. Health care workers, public health workers, public safety officials and transportation workers are exempt.

Baker cited the situation in New York City and the tri-state-area as a primary concern, noting the states coronavirus advisory counsel advised that people who enter Massachusetts from New York City or who pass through New York City should self-quarantine for two weeks.

If youre coming back from some place, we want you to spend two weeks in self-quarantine, Baker said.

New York City is currently the nations epicenter of the coronavirus. Of the 1,301 deaths in the U.S., 365 have been reported in New York City, according to the virus tracker at Johns Hopkins University.

Yet Kent Sepkowitz, CNN medical analyst, told the TV station that its only a matter of time before other major U.S. cities see similar surges.

The notion that the book is written on how this is going to play out across the country is dangerous, said Sepkowitz, a professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Were seeing New Orleans going up now, Detroit. (In) the next few weeks, many cities will have a New York story.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

The United States became the country with the highest number of cases on Thursday. As of 11 a.m. Friday, the nation has more than 86,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

In Massachusetts, 25 people have died and 2,417 have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to figures released Thursday by the state Department of Public Health.

Baker urged people to use telemedicine if theyre starting to show mild symptoms in lieu of visiting a health care provider in person. He also used an online tool to offer medical information.

It is not to be used in place of emergency medical care, he said.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:
If the coronavirus crisis had not wreaked havoc on the world, the travel industry would be on the brink of a very busy and lucrative spring break travel season right now. Travelers everywhere would be taking off to beaches in Mexico or Hawaii, ski vacations in the Rockies, or flying to Amsterdam to see tulips, or to Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms.

Instead, most of us are stuck at home staring at our screens, worried about our health and finances, and trying to figure out how to stem losses around canceled spring break plans.

Here's something important to keep in mind as you wade into these waters.

According to the contracts of carriage that we enter into when buying airline tickets, passengers are entitled to full refunds if the airlines cancel their flights for any reason. This applies to both refundable, non-refundable, and even the cheapest basic economy tickets.

The rule is spelled out clearly on the Department of Transportation website. It states: "If your flight is cancelled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation  even for non-refundable tickets. You are also entitled to a refund for any bag fee that you paid, and any extras you may have purchased, such as a seat assignment." Similar rules are in effect for European flights, too.

But it appears cash-strapped airlines are chipping away at that rule, and trying to persuade customers to take credits (not refunds) for future flights as compensation for cancellations.

When they cancel flights, many airlines are now sending emails to passengers saying something along the lines of: "We regret to inform you that your flight to X has been canceled. In these uncertain times, we are simplifying the rebooking process for canceled flights. You may retain the value of your ticket as a credit to be used for a future flight within a year." These emails don't mention that a full refund is one of your options.

Ummm, a flight credit only valid within a certain timeframe is not a full refund.

My advice: Don't take the bait if you don't want to. If the airline cancels your flight and can't re-accommodate you in a reasonable amount of time, you are entitled to a full refund, and you need to ask for it on the spot  call, email or tweet your request to the airline, or find the refunds page on its website. If you cancel your flight, you have to take whatever the airline offers, typically a credit for a future flight. Most airlines have waived change or cancellation fees for near-future flights due to the current crisis. (SEE BELOW FOR A SAMPLE EMAIL TO SEND TO AIRLINES)

Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email fare and news alerts.

If you are a frequent traveler and know that you'll be back in the air when the current crisis passes, a flight credit is likely just fine  especially if change penalties are waived. But if you you travel infrequently, or simply want the flexibility of cash in your pocket, a full refund is an option.

Also, keep an eye out for incentives from airlines that would rather have you accept a credit instead of a refund. Some, like SWISS, are offering a flat $50 bonus added to your flight credit. Frontier Airlines is offering a $50 sweetener. There's also word that American is offering 20 percent bonuses for those accepting credits over refunds.

United and JetBlue recently amended their refund policy to only allow flight credits instead of refunds, which is pushing already nervous travelers away from booking their flights. It helps preserve United's cash, but it could have longer term effects according to Brett Snyder, editor of The Cranky Flier blog, who wrote, "The Department of Transportation says if your flight is canceled, you can get a refund. United says nah. I expect that United is going to find itself in trouble here. This isnt a time to be angering governmental agencies, since its the government that is likely the only hope United has of getting through this crisis intact." For the time being, United says that it will offer a refund only if it can't find an alternate flight within six hours of the canceled flight. More about that here.

"United is certainly the worst, most pugnacious offender, but Delta, BA and lots of other airlines are trying to game this," said Joe Brancatelli, editor of the popular JoeSentMe.com business travel blog, and one of many experts sounding off about airline moves to skirt long established rules around refunds.

If you find getting your refund for an airline-canceled flight is impossible, take the matter up with the credit card company that you used to purchase the ticket. Dispute the charge for services not rendered, and let the bank fight for the refund on your behalf. However, even that option is moving into a gray area. According to the Live and Let's Fly blog, American Express is refusing to dispute refunds for canceled Air France flights in the current environment. So the issue still appears to be open.

Brancatelli says that what we see happening in France won't happen in the US because of our Fair Credit Billing Act, adding: "If you want to help readers/viewers, tell them IN BIG LETTERS: Credit cards WILL process refunds.. Airline rules and DOT boilerplate are irrelevant now. Tell them to go FIRST to their card and contest charge."

Strategy: In the current environment, don't rush to cancel your spring break flights now. Wait until the very last minute to see whether the airline will cancel your flight before you do. That way you can ask for a refund. If you cancel before the airline does, you'll only get a flight credit.

"As this airline crisis deepens, we may see more and more airlines resorting to those methods. Sure, airlines need money. But so do Americans right now. And most importantly, airlines are breaking the law by not giving it to you after canceling a flight," wrote Kyle Potter on the Thrifty Traveler blog.

SAMPLE LETTER TO AIRLINES:

Here's a good form letter you can use to contact the airline-- fill in the blanks with your personal situation, flight and card info:





Dear (INSERT AIRLINE NAME)

I am/was scheduled to depart (INSERT DATE) from/to (INSERT CITY PAIR) on (INSERT AIRLINE). My confirmation number is (INSERT AIRLINE CONFIRMATION NUMBER).

I purchased this ticket for (INSERT AMOUNT) and charged it to my (INSERT CREDIT CARD COMPANY) card.

(INSERT AIRLINE) informed me on (INSERT DATE) that my flights were canceled and offered me a credit for a future flight.

I am writing to refuse this credit and request a full refund instead.

According to the Department of Transportation, when an airline cancels a flight, passengers are entitled to receive a refund for the full amount of the ticket price, plus additional fees.

I am requesting a refund in the amount of (INSERT AMOUNT) to be placed on the (INSERT CREDIT CARD) I used to purchase this ticket.

I am looking forward to receiving this refund soon. If I do not hear back from (INSERT AIRLINE) within two weeks, I plan to dispute this charge with the credit card company.

Sincerely,

(INSERT YOUR NAME, EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER)

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.
Italian researchers are looking at whether a higher than usual number of cases of severe pneumonia and flu in Lombardy in the last quarter of 2019 may be a signal that the new coronavirus might have spread beyond China earlier than previously thought.

Adriano Decarli, an epidemiologist and medical statistics professor at the University of Milan, said there had been a significant increase in the number of people hospitalized for pneumonia and flu in the areas of Milan and Lodi between October and December last year.

He told Reuters he could not give exact figures but hundreds more people than usual had been taken to hospital in the last three months of 2019 in those areas  two of Lombardys worst hit cities  with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms, and some of those had died.

Decarli is reviewing the hospital records and other clinical details of those cases, including people who later died at home, to try to understand whether the new coronavirus epidemic had already spread to Italy back then.

We want to know if the virus was already here in Italy at the end of 2019, and  if yes  why it remained undetected for a relatively long period so that we could have a clearer picture in case we have to face a second wave of the epidemic, he said.

The World Health Organization has said the new coronavirus and COVID-19, the respiratory disease it causes, were unknown before the outbreak was first reported in Wuhan, in central China, in December.

Decarli said once his research was concluded, local health authorities might decide to request authorisation to exhume bodies of people with suspect symptoms.

Other experts cast doubt on the hypothesis that the new virus could have been circulating in Europe before the end of 2019.

I think it extremely unlikely that the virus was present in Europe before January, said Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at Britains University of East Anglia who has been tracking the evolving pandemic.

Hunter said that unless Italian scientists get positive results from samples taken and stored at that time, then the suggestion should not be given credence.

He added that, given what we know about how infectious the virus is, and the ratio of patients showing no symptoms compared with those that get sick, it is inconceivable that we would not have had a pretty major epidemic in Europe much earlier if these cases had in fact been COVID-19.

HIGHEST DEATH TOLL

Italy, which now has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the world, recorded its first case of infection on Feb. 21, though some scientists think the virus began circulating in the country at least a month earlier.

The virus was already here in the second half of January, said Massimo Galli, head of the infectious disease unit at Milans Sacco hospital and a professor at the department of biomedical and clinical sciences at the University of Milan.

He said, however, that the probability of the virus circulating in Italy before January was very low.

Giuseppe Remuzzi, director of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, in Milan, said some family doctors in Lombardy had reported unusual cases of pneumonia late last year that now looked potentially suspicious.

He said among those were several cases of bilateral pneumonia  which means both lungs are affected  in the areas of Gera DAdda and Crema in late November and December, with high fever, cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing.

None of these cases have been documented as COVID-19 because there was no evidence yet of the existence of COVID-19, he said.

Remuzzi said that if evidence of COVID-19 cases in Italy as far back as November was confirmed, this may signal that the virus can go undetected for months.

He said some reports in scientific journals had also led other scientists to question whether the virus may have emerged in China as early as October.

SOURCE: REUTERS
The clip went viral. "If I get corona, I get corona. At the end of the day, I'm not gonna let it stop me from partying," Brady Sluder, a spring breaker in Miami, said last week.

Now, as the United States is at about 55,000 cases of the coronavirus, including more than 780 deaths, and is on track to become the new center of the pandemic, he has revised his message: "Don't be arrogant and think you're invincible like myself."

On Monday, Sluder posted a lengthy apology on his Instagram, first reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer, in which he said he "wasn't aware of the severity of my actions."

Of course, Sluder, 22, of Milford, Ohio, has elderly people in his life whom he "adores." He didn't want to put anyone at risk. Now, he understands how serious the virus is and is encouraging people to follow the guidelines on how to stay safe and reduce risk. Most of all, he's sorry.

Sluder's apology comes as more and more people are focusing their attention on how young people are responding to the virus, with the term "COVIDIOT" being used to describe some actions, especially since the news broke that at least six University of Tampa students tested positive after returning from spring break.

After initial reports that young people are largely unaffected by the disease, it's increasingly clear that they are not only affected by the virus but also can get very sick from it  even fatally so. It leaves many wondering: Are spring breakers like Sluder to blame for their previous blase attitude, or is it more the fault of governments for not communicating the severity of the situation?

David Anzarouth, who is recovering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, went to Miami in early March for vacation. Ten days later, the 25-year-old from Toronto was in a hospital emergency room with the virus, feeling "the most incredible pain that I've ever experienced," according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Anzarouth, who declined to comment further to NBC News but said through a spokesperson that he is feeling "well," said he regrets going.

Story continues

News

The coronavirus, he said, was "definitely on everybody's mind but ... at the time, we thought, 'Let's not lose all this money.' I myself have been needing a vacation."

"There's no one to blame. ... I understand that I put myself into a place where I risked my health," he told the CBC.

But Molly, a student at the University of Pittsburgh who asked that only her first name be used, thinks it's more complicated than that.

Like Sluder, Molly went to Florida two weeks ago on spring break. When she left, nobody she knew was talking about the virus. Then, on March 13, while she was in Florida, a national emergency was declared.

"My friends and I all freaked out," said Molly, 22. They decided to be "low-key" for the rest of the trip, avoiding clubs and crowded sections of the beach. Scheduled to go home the next day, Molly felt like a day or two wouldn't make a difference and didn't have the extra money to book a last-minute flight.

Now, she has second thoughts about the whole trip as cases in Florida continue to rise.

Molly feels fine, but she lives with her sister who works with the public and is worried about being an asymptomatic carrier.

She saw Sluder's video and said she has "a lot of feelings about it." She felt it was "really ignorant and selfish," but she said, "Most people are ignorant and selfish, especially at, like, 18 to 22 years old."

"At the time of the video, I don't think most people were considering the gravity of a pandemic, and I think that needs to be taken into account before we shame and ridicule these people," Molly said. Instead, they were probably thinking about the money they'd sunk into the trip and the break they'd been looking forward to for weeks or months, she said.

Michael Arceneaux took Molly's point one step further in his piece for NBC News THINK, titled "Young people didn't social distance because the government kept telling them not to worry."

Arceneaux said he "joined the nation in the booing and hissing" after watching clips of people like Sluder continuing to party on spring break, but he says they are not to blame.

Opinion

"The disease is spreading because the people in power  largely old white men  have failed the nation by not properly preparing for its effects in spite of dire warnings," he wrote.

Florida came under sharp criticism for its refusal to close its beaches as other states were shutting down nonessential businesses. If public health officials and governors weren't telling students to stay off the beaches, why should people have known better?

At that point, Arceneaux argued, leaders had "given them no real reason to give a damn."

Still, Abbey Acolia, 19, a college student in New Jersey, thinks the students in Florida could've shown more restraint. Her spring break on the Jersey Shore was more low-key, because she and her friends tried to stay inside the house they rented.

"We made the best of that," Acolia said.

Acolia and her friends left the house sometimes, but she said that whenever they did, it was so deserted it felt "eerie." She was unhappy when she saw the video of the spring breakers on the beach and felt like they were being foolish.

"They didn't seem to care," she said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced during a Thursday press conference that 200 inmates were released from jail facilities across the city in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The New York City mayor called the news a 'major, major milestone,' adding that an additional 175 inmates would be released be the end of the night.

de Blasio touted that the jail population was now below 5,000, marking the first time the number was that low since 1949.

There were 4,906 inmates in the city's jails as of Thursday, Vice reports.

Scroll down for video

The New York City mayor called the news a 'major, major milestone,' adding that an additional 175 inmates would be released be the end of the night

On Tuesday, de Blasio announced that he was freeing 300 inmates from Rikers Island.

The criminals will be those who have committed misdemeanors or non-violent felonies and who have less than a year on their sentence.

The news comes less than a week after de Blasio released 40 'low risk' inmates from facilities in an earlier bid to stop the coronavirus from spreading in the jails.

During Tuesday's press conference, de Blasio said he was trying to strike a 'humanitarian balance between trying to get everyone we need that we can physically out of her jail system out and be mindful that there are real public safety concerns here.'

On Tuesday, de Blasio announced that he was freeing 300 inmates from Rikers Island

Los Angeles County has released 1,700 inmates from its jails amid fears that coronavirus could run rampant behind bars. One inmate is seen walking to freedom Wednesday

'We're pained by both sides of the equation. That is a situation where I know broadly what I'd like to see happen... I also know there's a lot of extenuating circumstances,' he said.

It also comes a week after an inmate at Rikers Island tested positive for the coronavirus.

Union officials announced Wednesday that an unidentified New York City correction officer who works at Rikers Island had also been struck down with the virus. Soon, 80 cases would be confirmed at the facility.

A number of the inmates looked delighted by their first taste of freedom, brandishing large smiles as they headed out into the wider world

All prisoners who have been released were already due to be set free within the next 30 days

In New York, there are now 37,000 cases of the virus and 385 people have died from it.

New York Citys death toll reaches 365.

New York City had added 3,101 new confirmed coronavirus cases bringing their total to 23,112.

Other cities and states are taking similar steps to stop the spread of the coronavirus among their incarcerated communities.

New York Citys death toll reaches 365

New York City had added 3,101 new confirmed coronavirus cases bringing their total to 23,112

Los Angeles County announced on Tuesday that it released 1,700 inmates from its jails amid fears that coronavirus could run rampant behind bars.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced the startling figures as prisoners collected their belongings and leaving one of the county's facilities.

Some 1,300 people have died from the coronavirus

A number of the inmates looked delighted by their first taste of freedom, brandishing large smiles as they headed out into the wider world.

Villanueva confirmed that all of the 1,700 inmates who have been granted early release were due to be set free in less than 30 days.

He also clarified that they were all convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors, according to Los Angeles Daily News.

The LA County prison system has around 17,000 inmates, meaning that 10% of its entire population has now been released.
NEW HAVEN  After reviewing 35,330 applications for the class of 2024, Yale College Undergraduate Admissions announced Thursday it offered admission to 2,304 students.

The newest class completes the expansion of Yale Universitythat started three years ago. The class of 2024 will bring total undergraduate enrollment to about 6,250.

Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, said the accepted students span all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 72 other countries.

Offering a Yale education to more talented and promising students has been a highlight of my work and, in this case, will complete the universitys vision for a larger and stronger Yale College that has been more than a decade in the making, Quinlan said. The world has never been more in need of intelligent, strong, committed, energetic and visionary young people, and I am delighted so many of those young people decided to apply to Yale College.

Back in December 2019, Yale offered admission to 796 applicants through the Early Action program. An additional 87 future students were accepted through the QuestBridge National College Match program.

QuestBridge, a national nonprofit, matches high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds with selective colleges and universities.

Admitted students will not be able to attend Bulldog Days on campus  the overnight program for admitted students that lasts for three days in mid-April, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hannah Mendlowitz, director of recruitment at the admissions office, said there will be virtual events and opportunities for students to connect with current students, faculty and staff.

She said the future students will connect through chat and video, attend online master classes taught by Yale faculty, attend live-streamed video panels about different elements of campus life and expore virtual content from student organizations.

We are transforming the three days of Bulldog Days into the 30 Bulldog Days of April, she said. We are looking forward to helping our admitted students experience what makes Yale so special, from wherever they are in the world.

The admitted students have until May 1 to reply to Yales offer of admission. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The arrests were made by the Kolkata Police during naka-checking and patrolling across the city

Kolkata: Over 450 people have been arrested in the city in the last 24 hours since Wednesday 5 pm for defying the lockdown order imposed by the West Bengal government to contain the spread of the disease, a senior police officer said.

The arrests were made by the Kolkata Police during naka-checking and patrolling across the city, he said.

A total of 453 people have been arrested by the city police in the last 24 hours till 5 pm on Thursday for violating the Total Safety Restrictions, he said.

Of the 453 apprehended, 112 are from the north division and 75 from the eastern suburban division, the police officer said.

As many as 65 offenders have been arrested from the south suburban and 62 more from the central division, he said.

A total of 42 people have been picked up in the south division of the city police while 40 apprehended from the port area and 30 from the south-east division for violating the rules, the officer said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The policemen also held 18 from the south-west and nine from the east division, he said. All of them will be prosecuted under IPC sections dealing with disobedience of order, the officer added.

Ten people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state so far. Of them, one died at a city hospital on Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:37:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

PARIS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- China has assumed its role as a major country in the global fight against COVID-19 by adopting "the strategy of international cooperation," said former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

"China reacted forcefully and quickly to the brutal arrival of the crisis on its territory," the French veteran politician said in an interview with Xinhua, adding that its experience has been very useful around the world.

"The medical and scientific circles in France hail the rigor of the measures taken in China as well as the discipline of the Chinese people," he said. "I salute the courage and seriousness of the Chinese people who have faced the virus with discipline and dignity."

"China's good cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) has enabled various national authorities to prepare, as best as possible, for the difficulties brought by the wave of contamination," Raffarin added.

On the cooperation between France and China during the combat, the former premier said the shipment of masks and hospital equipment from China were highly appreciated.

"As with SARS in 2003 France immediately supported China and the city of Wuhan (at the beginning of the epidemic). In return, when France was also hit hard, China concretely showed its solidarity," he recalled.

"The Sino-French friendship will emerge strengthened from this tragic crisis. It is in difficulties that we measure true friendship," he said.

Raffarin found the scientific cooperation between the two countries "excellent" with potential to tap in pharmaceutical cooperation, elderly caring and university cooperation.

"Internationally, it is necessary to follow feedback of experiences on the best methodologies and processes so as to to build a global and concerted response for eventual future pandemics," he said.

Raffarin also commended the World Health Organization "which has done a remarkable job under very difficult conditions by monitoring and giving recommendations" amid the sanitary crisis.

"Its pooling of experiences has been particularly useful for many governments. In the future we can imagine an even more operational role for the WHO," he said.

As to the just concluded G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, Raffarin said the event marks a new step not only by launching the international cooperation in the health field but also by bringing multilateralism, which both France and China advocate, closer to the people.

"The public opinion considers health as the first priority of public action. This new 'multilateralism in health' will be popular," he said.

"On the whole, health is probably the best subject for a new multilateralism closer to the people. Here we join the logic of a community with a shared future for mankind."

"It shows that international solidarity could prevail over national selfishness," he said.

Referring to the G20 leaders' pledge to vigorously support the global economy, the former French leader called "the massive financial mobilization as a strong signal of the determination of G20 members to face the economic crisis" caused by the health crisis.

"Economic cooperation at international level will obviously be the priority after the crisis," Raffarin stressed.

"For the future we may wish for an acceleration of multilateralism, particularly for therapies and vaccine research," he said. "Our future will be even more shared tomorrow than today."
A 'bright and much loved' French schoolgirl with no underlying medical condition has died from coronavirus and is believed to be the youngest victim in Europe.

Tributes were today being paid to Julie Alliot, 16, who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a 'slight cough' a week ago.

'We must stop believing that his virus only affects the elderly,' said her heartbroken sister, Manon.

France's prime minister warned today that a likely spike in cases will put the country's health system under 'tremendous strain'. Officials fear that hospitals around Paris could be saturated within 48 hours.

Tributes were today being paid to Julie Alliot, 16, (pictured) who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a 'slight cough' a week ago

Julie's sister added: 'No one is invincible against this mutant virus. Julie just had a slight cough last week. It got worse last weekend with mucus and on Monday we went to see a general practitioner.

'It was there that she was diagnosed with respiratory distress. She had no particular illnesses before this.'

Manon agreed to speak to the Parisien newspaper, and to release a photograph of her sister, because she wanted to warn others about the risk of coronavirus to young people.

Until now, many have thought that only the old are in danger of dying because of the virus.

Julie was from Longjumeau, in the Essonne department, south of Paris, and was studying at high school while living with her family.

She was first rushed to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital in Paris.

'Her lungs failed,' said Manon. 'The doctors did everything they could but it was impossible to wake her up.

The teenager was first rushed to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital in Paris (pictured)

In the French city of Nice, authorities have set up a driveway reserved for medical staff to pick up protective masks and hand gels (pictured today)

On Thursday, the French authorities said 365 people had been killed by COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, taking the national total of those who have died in hospital to 1,696. Pictured: medical staff at an emergency coronavirus hospital being set up in a gymnasium in Taverny near Paris

Manon and her mother arrived at the hospital after Julie's death. 'It was violent,' she said. 'We had time to see her, but we quickly had to think about the future.'

Manon said Julie was 'bright and much loved' and 'loved to dance, sing, and make people laugh.'

'It's unbearable,' said Julie's mother, Sabine. 'She just had a mild cough that she tried to cure with syrup, herbs, inhalations.

'On Saturday, Julie began to be short of breath. She was having a hard time catching her breath. Then come the coughing fits.'

These persuaded the family to take Julie to a GP, who called the emergency services.

'They arrived in full overalls, masks and gloves,' said Julie. 'This was another dimension.'

Sabine was first advised that Julie's condition was 'not too serious' but then her daughter was placed in intensive care on Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the Necker hospital in Paris recently

Julie's funeral will take place on Monday in her home town, but with 'only ten people maximum' taking part.

A schoolfriend said Julie was 'a very sociable, funny, kind, ambitious girl who was loved by everyone in high school.'

'We'll never know why,' the girl's mother Sabine told AFP. 'She just had a cough' that anyone might get as winter winds down, she added.

Initially, they treated it with cough syrup and steam inhalation treatments.

By last Saturday, however, Julie began feeling tightness in her lungs. 'Nothing major, she just had a hard time catching her breath,' Sabine recalled.

Soon after, Julie was having coughing fits, so her mother took her to a doctor.

Diagnosing a respiratory impairment, the doctor called an ambulance, though it was fire-fighters, who often respond to emergency calls in France, who arrived.

Covered head to toe in protective coveralls, masks and gloves, 'It was like 'The Twilight Zone',' Sabine said, referring to an American science-fiction show from the 1960s.

The responders gave Julie a face mask to wear under an oxygen mask, and brought her to the nearest hospital, at Longjumeau in the Essonne department south of Paris.

She had a scan of her lungs, and was tested for COVID-19. While awaiting the results, Sabine went back home, and later called the hospital for news.

They told her the scan had shown some congestion in the lungs, she said, but 'nothing serious.'

Later that night Julie was again fighting for breath, and an ambulance transferred her to the renowned Necker children's hospital in Paris, where two more coronavirus tests were carried out.

By Tuesday, she was admitted to intensive care, and when Sabine visited, she found her daughter anxious, able to talk but exhausted, and complaining that 'my heart hurts.'

The latest coronavirus tests proved negative.

'The door to her room opens, the nurses come in without wearing protective gowns, and the doctor gives me a thumbs-up sign telling me that everything is fine,' Sabine said.

It was getting late, so she told her daughter goodnight and went home.

A few hours later, the hospital called: one of the COVID-19 tests was in fact positive, and Julie's condition had worsened to the point that doctors had to place a tube in her windpipe to keep her breathing.

'We can't believe it, there has to be a mistake. And why did this result come so much later?' Sabine recalled thinking.

Shortly after midnight, the hospital called again, telling Sabine to come quickly.

'At that point, I panicked. Some words, you just know what they mean,' Sabine said.

She and Manon rushed back to Paris, but Julie was dead when they arrived. 'Her skin was still warm,' Sabine said.

There was little time for mourning, and this would be the last time Sabine would see her daughter. Julie's body had to be isolated immediately and her clothes and other personal items incinerated.

Sabine managed to hold on to her daughter's baptism necklace and a bracelet.

To limit contagion risks, Julie's casket will remain closed for the funeral which only 10 people will be allowed to attend.

'It's unbearable,' Sabine said of the non-stop news reports of France's 16-year-old coronavirus victim. 'It's horrible because I know they're talking about my daughter.'

'We were supposed to have a normal life.'

France has so far avoided scenes seen in other European countries such as Spain and Italy - the worst-hit nations on the continent with the world's highest death tolls.

But on Thursday France recorded its highest death toll - 365 - and number of new infections - 3,922 - in a single day. It has now seen 29,155 infections and 1,696 deaths.

'The epidemic wave that is sweeping France is a wave that is extremely high and it is putting the entire care and health system under tremendous strain,' prime minister Edouard Philippe told reporters after a video conference between ministers today.

'The situation will be very difficult in the coming days.'

Frederic Valletoux, president of the French Hospitals Federation, said patients will have to be transferred to hospitals outside the capital because they could become overwhelmed within in two days.

He said: 'If we leave each hospital to fend for itself, each territory caught up in the epidemic to fend for itself, we are headed for disasters.'

French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had discussed the crisis with Donald Trump during a late-night phone call, posting: 'Very good discussion with @realDonaldTrump. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we are preparing with other countries a new strong initiative in the coming days.'

The country has some 14,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 548 in intensive care.

Spain yesterday announced its death toll rose by 769 to 4,858, while the total number of infected rose to 64,059 from 56,188.

The country's health chief Fernando Simon said: 'In percentage terms, today's increase is roughly equivalent to that of the past three days, in which we seem to see a clear stabilization.'

Italy's death and infections rate - 8,215 and 80,589 - has also stabilised in recent days.
Western Australia lags behind most of its interstate counterparts in coronavirus tests, with just 0.44 per cent of the population tested to date, statistics reveal.

But Health Minister Roger Cook moved to reassure West Australians the state was in an enviable position, with limited evidence of the virus spreading within the community, and just two per cent of those targeted for testing returning a positive result.

Mr Cook said 11,519 of the state's more than 2.5 million residents had undergone testing, with 231 returning positive results for COVID-19.

"We have a 2 per cent rate for tests per positive case ... to put that into an Australian context I think it's 1.9 per cent nationally, in the US it's 53 per cent, in South Korea  which is often held up as an exemplar  it's 2.9 per cent," he said.
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI  Citing Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay home, stay safe order, the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency announced Thursday it was suspending the five-day required response time for Freedom of Information Act requests until April 14.

A special notice posted on the agencys website stated, in part, that since they are not necessary to sustain or protect life, or to supporting those businesses and operations that are necessary to sustain or protect life the processing of, and responding to, FOIA requests would be suspended from March 24 through April 13.

For purposes of counting response times for any FOIA requests received during this time, or FOIA requests for which a response is due beginning at 12:01 a.m. on or after March 24, 2020, through April 14, 2020 at 12:01 am, time is suspended during the effective dates of EO (Executive Order) 2020-21, the notice reads.

Related: Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 3,657 -- up 801 cases

Rebecca Burns, health officer for the agency, said the agency is overwhelmed with work related to the pandemic. The decision to temporarily stop processing FOIA requests was triggered by a records request that had nothing to do with COVID-19, Burns said.

There was a request for information  a very large and time-consuming request  that we just dont have the capacity to fill right now, that was completely unrelated to COVID-19," she said. Based on the other work the agency is doing to respond to COVID-19, we requested guidance from our counsel and thats the advice that we were given.

But the agencys decision does not comply with the governors executive order, said Jennifer Dukarski, deputy general counsel with the Michigan Press Association.

This is inconsistent with the governors executive orders which have said that transparency and accountability must remain and have shown that communication is an essential function, Dukarski said. This is no time for a government to block transparency and accountability. And this is particularly true of a health department, who appears to be shutting down access to information of vital importance to its public.

Shutting down the FOIA process, although it may shut down requests for information that does not relate to COVID-19, it also forestalls any chance to ask questions about COVID-19 or other important health concerns."

Michigans Freedom of Information Act requires public bodies to provide copies of public records, with limited exemptions, when requested. The law requires public bodies to respond to any request within five business days, and also allows for a 10-day extension.

Burns said the agency will continue to send out daily press releases about the COVID-19 outbreak, and inform the public of the number of positive cases in the three counties it serves.

"Im not sure what additional information you would want about (COVID-19) as we cant tell you who our cases are, she said.

In the case of residents who test positive for the virus, the agency will continue to follow up with anyone who may have been exposed and work with those individuals to ensure they are staying home, following guidance from the agency and to see whether they are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19, Burns said.

To date, Branch and St. Joseph counties both have reported zero cases as of March 26, while Hillsdale has reported six cases.

Also on MLive:

Coronavirus cases now total 11 in Kalamazoo County

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to reopen this year under coronavirus pandemic

Without deadline extension, coronavirus could keep some Michigan political candidates off the ballot

Michigan hospitals weigh which patients could get ventilators in coronavirus policy
BUDAPEST, March 27 (Reuters) - Hungary's government will present its action plan to restart the economy after the new coronavirus sometime in the first or second week of April, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told public radio on Friday.

Orban said the economy will need to be restarted but for now it took a back seat to saving the lives of as many people as possible as Hungary faces a long uptick of the epidemic, which is expected to peak in June or July, he said. (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Oregon Gov. Kate Browns mid-March order shuttering the states public schools also applies to publicly funded online academies, state education officials said.

The order came down earlier this week during a meeting of the states superintendents, based on the governors March 17 executive order to extend her original closure mandate until April 28.

Although much of Browns announcement that day focused on the need to stem the spread of coronavirus by restricting access to school buildings, the governor did not specifically say her order applied to online charter schools, which already serve children without gathering them or their teachers in large groups.

Willamette Week first reported on the superintendents meeting.

The Oregon Department of Educations interpretation means that more than 8,000 students who could keep learning online without fear of contracting coronavirus or spreading it to their teachers or principals may have to stop proceeding through the curriculum as planned.

The COVID 19 crisis may have different impacts on different schools, Oregon Department of Education spokesman Marc Siegel told The Oregonian/OregonLive. It could impact staffing or other factors. Its hard to predict. But the student experience may not change much for students in some schools.

Affected schools may include Oregon Connections Academy, which enrolls 3,800 students; Baker Web Academy, with 2,000, and Oregon Virtual Academy, with 1,900.

Siegel said the order bars online schools from penalizing struggling students during the coronavirus pandemic.

Virtual public charter schools may continue to provide instruction to students throughout this public health crisis, but they must be mindful of the situation each student and teacher finds themselves in as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

A presentation obtained by the alternative weekly shows state officials also worried that, with brick-and-mortar schools shuttered, families would to flock to the free online academies if the online schools were allowed to continue operating.

The schools provide free books and other learning materials to their online students and, if families need it, also loan them computers and provide wifi.

Under Oregon law, families have the right to enroll their children at any charter school that accepts them. Funding follows the student.

Online academies are now barred from enrolling new students, however, according to the presentation. And among the reasons why is state officials fear that families will drop out of their neighborhood schools in favor of an online option, which would decrease funding for public brick-and-mortar schools across the state.

Officials at the state and local levels have said they simply lack the infrastructure to adopt an online learning strategy that can serve all of their students equally, in particular children with disabilities and for whom English is a second language.

Another obstacle for most districts is that not all of their students have home access to computers, tablets or the internet.

Portland Public Schools late last week rolled out a form for families to borrow from its stock of 45,000 devices late last week.

But the district, like many others across the state, doesnt have a formal online curriculum for its teachers, many of whom, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero told The Oregonian/OregonLive in mid-March, arent trained in conducting classes from afar.

Were about 10 years behind everyone else, he said.

Instead, the online portal the Portland district has launched contains supplemental material that isnt meant to be graded or advance students along the learning tracks they began at the outset of this school year.

According to the presentation from the state superintendents meeting, it appears online schools will be directed to do the same.

One method of compliance is to coordinate with their sponsor district, or other districts, to support the efforts of the district to meet the requirements of the executive order, presentation slides say. This may include supporting the delivery of supplemental education and learning supports, school meals and the provision of child care.

Do you have a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Eder at ecampuzano@oregonian.com or message either of the social accounts below.

--Eder Campuzano | 503-221-4344 | @edercampuzano

Oregons education reporters are looking for parents who would like to speak with a journalist about the effects coronavirus is having on families across the state. Would you like to chat with one of us? Fill out this form.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 25, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 25, 2020 | 04:15 PM | PADUCAH

UPDATE: The Paducah Police Department said Friday morning that Cope has been found and his family has been notified.





Police are seeking the publics help in locating a missing Paducah man.



The Paducah Police Department says Amy Cope told officers Wednesday morning that her husband, 36-year-old Randall Cope, was last seen when he was dropped off at the bus station in Paducah on Monday. She said it is unknown whether he got on a bus or not, but he may be heading to his mothers house in Florida. His mother has not seen or heard from him.



Cope is a 5'10" white male, and weighs 190 pounds. He is bald, with blue eyes. He last was seen wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt. He had two backpacks with him  one dark blue and the other black. He has numerous tattoos, including Amy on his left ring finger, loyalty above his right eye, wicked with lightning bolts on his hand and full sleeves on both arms. Amy Cope said her husband requires medication and has not been taking it.



Anyone with information is asked to call the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8550.
(Bloomberg) --

The U.S. became the first country to reach 100,000 coronavirus cases. Italy had its deadliest day with almost 1,000 fatalities. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his health secretary tested positive.

President Donald Trump ordered General Motors to start making ventilators by invoking a Cold War-era law. Toyotas idled U.S. manufacturing facilities will make much-needed face shields and masks.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said new infections will be astronomical. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned his city may see a New York-like surge in less than a week.

Key Developments:

Cases top 585,000; 26,800 dead, 130,000 recovered: Johns HopkinsU.S. cases top 100,000, more than Italy, ChinaU.S. ramps up virus testing, but demand still outpaces supplyWorkers critical to worlds food supply falling illU.K. orders unprecedented shutdown of housing marketTokyo braces for critical weekendFrom Spain to Germany, farmers warn of fresh food shortages

Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloombergs Prognosis team here.

Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here. To see the impact on oil and commodities demand, click here.

U.S. Becomes First Nation With 100,000 Cases (5:27 p.m. NY)

The U.S. became the first country to surpass 100,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Friday, a day after it overtook China to become the largest outbreak in the world. Americas most prominent hot spots are New York and New Jersey, which together account for half the countrys total cases. California has more than 4,000.

L.A. Warns of New York-Level Surge in Five Days (5:06 p.m. NY)

Los Angeles could see a coronavirus surge similar to New York Citys in five days if the spread continues at the rate its been going, Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

We will have doctors making excruciating decisions, Garcetti said at a press briefing alongside Governor Gavin Newsom. They spoke in front of the U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy, which docked in Los Angeles to lend extra medical space for non-coronavirus needs. It will be the largest hospital in the city, Garcetti said.

Story continues

Rhode Island Stops Cars With N.Y. Plates (5 p.m. NY)

Rhode Island police, aided by the National Guard, on Saturday will conduct house-to-house searches to find people who traveled from New York to demand they begin 14 days of self-quarantine. State police are already stopping cars with New York license plates.

Right now we have a pin-pointed risk, Governor Gina Raimondo said. And that risk is called New York City.

Raimondo, a Democrat, said she consulted lawyers and while she couldnt close the border, she felt confident she could enforce a quarantine. Many New Yorkers have summer houses in the state, especially in tony Newport, and the governor said authorities would be checking there.

Trump Signs $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill (4:47 p.m. NY)

President Donald Trump signed the largest stimulus package in U.S. history, a $2 trillion aid bill intended to rescue the economy. The plan will provide a massive injection of loans, tax breaks and direct payments to large corporations, small businesses and individuals whose revenue and income have plummeted under social distancing restrictions.

Read full story here

Four Die on Holland America Cruise Ship (4:30 p.m. NY)

Carnival Corp.s Holland America line said four passengers died on its Zaandam ship, which has had an outbreak of flu-like symptoms on board, including at least two confirmed cases of Covid-19. The cruise line said the passengers were older but didnt say how they died.

The Zaandam, currently near Panama, was still at sea when cruise companies halted new voyages earlier this month.

Trump Orders GM to Make Ventilators (4 p.m. NY)

President Donald Trump ordered General Motors Co. to immediately begin making ventilators, invoking a Cold War-era defense act amid productive talks with the automaker.

Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time, Trump said in a statement. Todays action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

GM and ventilator maker Ventec Life Systems Inc. had much of what they needed in place to ramp up production of the breathing machines. They were just waiting on the Trump administration to place orders and cut checks.

Belgium May Keep Limits Until May 2 (3 p.m. NY)

Belgium extended restrictions on citizens and businesses, which took effect March 14, by two weeks until April 19, and Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes signaled a further extension to May 3, saying its too early to declare the epidemic under control. Belgians must stay at home except for essential activities such as grocery shopping. Gatherings by more than two people are banned and stores selling non-essential goods remain closed.

N.Y. Seeks Aid for Four New Hospitals (2:45 p.m. NY)

New York is seeking federal assistance for four new emergency hospitals, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, as the number of state deaths spiked 35% in a day to more than 500.

The new sites would join four centers the U.S. is setting up in the city, he said. The state wants more beds for Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. Cuomo spoke from the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Manhattans west side, which is being converted into a 1,000-bed emergency hospital that will open Monday.

Cuomo said current demand for medical equipment is adequately covered and that the state is stockpiling additional supplies for a potential peak of infections three weeks from now. We dont need them yet, he said. We need them for the apex.

The governor said he would keep the states schools closed for an additional two weeks, at which time the situation will be reassessed.

Luxembourg Plans to Test for Herd Immunity (1:30 p.m. NY)

Luxembourg is in an intensive planing phase to be among the first nations to research so-called herd immunity based on new blood tests the country is expecting to get, Health Minister Paulette Lenert said Friday.

The new tests wouldnt check for Covid-19 infections but whether people have developed immunity against the new virus. Luxembourg, due to its small population of just over 600,000 people, is in a fortunate position to do this, the minister said. Scientists would be able to test samples that would be representative of the entire population, the minister said.

Italys Daily Toll Nears 1,000 (12:35 pm. NY)

Italy had its highest daily death toll even as the number of new cases declined on Friday. Fatalities shot up to 969, the most in a 24-hour period since the start of the outbreak.

New infections totaled 5,959, compared with 6,153 the previous day, civil protection authorities said at their daily news conference in Rome. Italy now has 86,498 total cases, roughly the same number as the U.S. and more than China, where the diseases first outbreak occurred.

U.S. Buys More Ventilators (12:30 p.m. NY)

President Donald Trump said the federal government bought many ventilators from several companies he didnt identify. Trump in a tweet said the names will be announced later.

State and local officials have been pleading with the federal government for more ventilators as cases of the coronavirus mount.

France Extends Restrictions (12:20 p.m. NY)

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said public confinement is being extended to April 15. The restrictions could be further extended if needed, he said in a press conference after a cabinet meeting on Friday. A scientific committee consulted by the government recommends at least six weeks of confinement, he said.

Portugals Cases Rise 20% (12:14 p.m. NY)

Portugals cases rose 20% to 4,268 from 3,544 a day earlier, the governments Directorate-General of Health said. That compares with a daily increase of 18% reported Thursday and a 27% rise on Wednesday. The total number of deaths increased to 76 on Friday from 60 reported through Thursday morning.

Director-General of Health Graca Freitas said the data suggest the peak wont be a moment in time but rather a plateau, and may not occur before May.

Libya, Syria Face Catastrophe: WHO (11:35 a.m. NY)

Libya reported its first case this week, meaning 21 of 22 Eastern Mediterranean nations have infections. The World Health Organization said Libyas capacity to respond is extremely limited in some areas and non-existent in others, with a large movement of people from neighboring countries.

The outbreak also threatens to cause a catastrophe in Syria, the WHO said. Half of the nations hospitals are not functioning after nine years of war and thousands of health workers having fled the country. Millions of displaced people live in overcrowded camps in the countrys northwest, but after two days of tests using 300 WHO kits, no cases so far have been detected, the agency said.

Toyota Shifts Factories to Face Shields (11:07 a.m. NY)

Toyota Motor Corp.s idled manufacturing facilities in the U.S. will make much-needed face shields and masks, and the Japanese automaker is closing in on deals with medical-device makers to help them boost production.

The carmaker said Friday it will start mass production of face shields early next week to supply hospitals near its plants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Texas. Toyota also said it is finalizing pacts with at least two companies to make breathing ventilators and respirator hoods, and its looking for partners to make protective masks. The company on Thursday extended its shutdown of North American factories for two weeks.

U.K. Virus Deaths Jump 30% (10:29 a.m. NY)

The number of people in the U.K. who have died from coronavirus increased by 31% to 759 as of Thursday, the Department of Health said. Thats higher than the five-day average of 20%.

Some 14,579 have tested positive for the disease as of Friday, an increase of about 25%, above the five-day average of 20%.

Two Fed Bankers Confident of Rebound (10:29 a.m. NY)

Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan expressed confidence the U.S. economy will rebound when restrictions on activity are lifted.

This is a public health crisis and different from a typical recession, Bostic said on Bloomberg Television Friday. Kaplan offered a similar view a few minutes earlier. We were strong before we went into this, and we believe that weve got a great chance to come out of this very strong, he said.

Kaplan said unemployment would peak in the low to mid teens before recovering to around 7%-to-8% by year-end.

Coronavirus Response Leaves U.K. Vulnerable: Lancet (9:29 a.m. NY)

A delayed response by the U.K. government to the coronavirus pandemic has left the health system wholly unprepared for an expected surge of critically ill patients, according to the editor of the medical journal The Lancet.

In a letter posted on the journals website, Richard Horton described chaos and panic across the National Health Service, basing his comments on messages he received from workers. The government last month should have expanded testing capacity, ensured the distribution of protective equipment and stepped up training, he said.

U.K. Prime Minister, Health Secretary Have Virus (9:17 a.m. NY)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will self-isolate in Downing Street for seven days after a test found he had the coronavirus, spokesman James Slack told reporters on Friday. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also contracted the illness, in a double blow to the U.K. governments response to the crisis.

Both men have reported mild symptoms. Meals will be left at Johnsons door while he continues to work by video-conference, Slack said. Hancock is self-isolating and working from home.

These are the latest high-profile individuals to contract the virus in Britain after Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, tested positive.

U.K. Sees No Change to Brexit Timetable (8:29 a.m. NY)

In terms of the timetable theres no change from our point of view, the U.K. prime ministers spokesman James Slack told reporters in a conference call. Slack was asked if there would be an extension to the Brexit transition period beyond December.

NYC Mayor Says Trump Needs to Face Reality on Ventilators (8:20 a.m. NY)

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said cases of the new coronavirus are going to become astronomical, putting unprecedented strain on the hospital system. Trump said in an interview on Fox News that he didnt think New York state needed the 30,000 ventilators that Governor Andrew Cuomo has asked for to treat Covid-19 patents with respiratory conditions.

When the president says the state of New York doesnt need 30,000 ventilators, with all due respect to him, hes not looking at the facts of this astronomical growth of this crisis, de Blasio said. If they dont have a ventilator, a lot of people are just not going to make it.

Rolls-Royce Pauses U.K. Civil-Engine Output (8:07 a.m. NY)

Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc will wind down jetliner-engine production in the U.K. as it spends a week implementing cleanup and safety measures to cope with the coronavirus outbreak. The company, which makes turbines for wide-body planes, will significantly reduce all but essential activities within its U.K. civil aerospace facilities from midnight, it said in a statement Friday.

Rolls-Royce is taking a break from manufacturing after customer Airbus SE also paused production to check on measures to protect employees from Covid-19. Boeing Co. has gone a step further, winding down planemaking in the Seattle area for two weeks after a worker died of virus-related complications.

China Ramps Up Stimulus Measures (8 a.m. NY)

China will appropriately raise its fiscal deficit as a share of gross domestic product, issue special sovereign debt and allow local governments to sell more infrastructure bonds as part of a stimulus package to stabilize the economy, according to a politburo meeting on Wednesday, central China television reported late on Friday.

Italy Virus Curve Seen Flattening Slightly (7:49 a.m. NY)

The curve of new coronavirus cases in Italy appears to have started flattening slightly since March 20, Silvio Brusaferro, head of the countrys National Health Institute, said at a press conference on Friday. The mortality rate in the country is proportional to patients age, Brusaferro said.

The National Health Institute said the country wasnt at the peak of the contagion yet, but the head of the Superior Health Council Franco Locatelli said there were clear signs that the containment measures are efficient, so people must respect them.

Italy reported its biggest rise in coronavirus infections in the last five days on Thursday, as the disease spread further in the northern Lombardy region, even after weeks of rigid lockdown rules.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is advising Irish people in America on short-term visas to make arrangements to come home.

Flights are continuing to operate to Dublin from New York, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco.
Shoppers have been queuing outside supermarkets as restrictions are introduced (Danny Lawson/PA)

Fresh fruit and vegetables will become increasingly scarce in Europe, suppliers warn, as the coronavirus pandemic hampers the global movement of produce and of the people needed to gather crops.

Governments are looking at ways to ease any shortage, including "green lanes" to allow fresh produce to move quickly across EU borders, recruiting a "shadow army" of harvesters and loosening travel rules for migrant workers.

While Europe's supermarkets say they are still getting most produce, supply pressures are building at source, including in Africa, a key provider of fresh goods, and within Europe.

Stores that are already dealing with hoarding by customers may struggle to keep shelves stocked.

In Kenya, a major supplier of green beans and peas to Europe, half of the workers in the sector have been sent home on mandatory leave because of the industry's inability to ship orders, even as demand from European retailers surge.

"Their (European) stocks are being depleted by the day," said Okisegere Ojepat, chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya which groups over 200 growers and exporters.

Shipments from another key supplier, South Africa, are becoming more challenging with the country set to begin a 21-day lockdown this week.

"We were in reasonably good shape until earlier this week but now things are becoming very difficult," said Hans Muylaert-Gelein, Managing Director at Fruits Unlimited, a South Africa-based company that exports fruits and vegetables to the UK.

"More and more flights are being grounded so I expect there are going to be big disruptions."

Those planes that are flying are charging more. Operators have tripled the price per kilo of produce to $3 in the past two weeks, said Hosea Machuki, head of the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya representing 117 growers and exporters.

Western supply chains are buckling as problems ranging from a shortage of truck drivers to restrictions on seafarers hit the smooth flow of goods, freight logistics operators say.

Even longer-lasting produce like citrus fruit, which is normally transported by sea, could be stranded because of the shortage of containers linked to China's shutdown, said Muylaert-Gelein.

"Oranges and lemons, the old ambassadors of Vitamin C, are in high demand. Also roots, carrots, cabbages, anything that has health properties people have stocked up on," he told Reuters.

NOT ENOUGH WORKERS

A shortage of migrant workers also threatens to disrupt production in several top European suppliers including Spain, the biggest exporter of fruit and vegetables in the EU.

Some 16,000 Moroccan seasonal workers, mostly women, were expected to arrive in the Huelva region in Spain to pick strawberries and red fruits under an agreement between the two countries.

Less than half had made it by March 12, as Morocco closed its borders to passenger traffic, said Abdelmounaim Madani, head of the Moroccan job promotion agency ANAPEC. The country's lockdown is due to last until April 20.

Philippe Binard, General Delegate of Freshfel Europe, which represents Europe's fresh produce industry, said the main problem was the lack of seasonal workers, especially for labour-intensive crops like strawberries and asparagus.

The challenges included moving workers from accommodation to farms while maintaining social distancing, he said.

"Before they were collected in a minivan of eight or nine people and then worked the day and then moved back. Now these collective transports are no longer possible."

Binard said supermarkets may move towards selling produce which could be more easily mechanized in the supply chain.

According to Muylaert-Gelein, Spain's need for migrant workers could affect a wide range of crops including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

"With the borders closed that is going to become very challenging and I think that will impact quite dramatically on prices and availability," he said.

Farmers and unions in Spain said the production, processing and export of fruit and vegetables was still going smoothly, although the state of emergency is restricting people's access to farms and packing areas.

Absentee rates were as high as 50% in recent days, said agricultural worker union representative Monica Vega.

'SHADOW ARMY'

In Germany, whose food sector relies on some 286,000 seasonal workers every year, the agriculture minister has talked with carrier Lufthansa to see if they could be flown in, if they can prove they are not infected.

Other ideas include temporarily easing the time limit for seasonal workers beyond the current 70 days.

France, where farmers forecast a shortage of around 200,000 labourers during the harvest period, has also appealed to newly laid-off workers to help pick fruit and vegetables.

Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume issued a rallying cry to what he called France's "shadow army".

Border restrictions introduced to stem the spread of the virus also disrupt the movement of produce within the EU, with traffic jams of up to 18 hours at some border points.

The European Commission has urged the 27 EU countries to adopt measures to ensure the free flow of freight along "green lanes" with border crossings lasting no more than 15 minutes.

Norbert Lins, chair of the agriculture committee of the European Parliament, said "green lanes" also had to apply to essential inputs such as feed, fertilisers and plant protection products.

He also called on the EU's executive and member states to find ways to allow some sort of cross-border movement for seasonal workers during the harvest season, even if travel restrictions are still in place.

European food retailers are keeping a close eye on the situation.

A spokesman for the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain said that in Germany, fruit and vegetable supplies were secure and supply chains were functioning.

"Despite this we are watching the current developments and making a new assessment of the situation from day to day."

A spokeswoman for UK-based food retailer Tesco said she could not comment specifically on fruit and vegetables but in general there had been a surge in demand and there had been some empty shelves as a result.

"We would ask our customers to buy only what they need so that there is enough for everyone," she said in a statement.
President Donald J. Trump Approves New Jersey Disaster Declaration

March 26, 2020

Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of New Jersey and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available for Crisis Counseling for affected individuals in all areas in the State of New Jersey.

Federal funding is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, for all areas in the State of New Jersey impacted by COVID-19.

Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Mr. Robert Little III as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syracuse, NY -- Six people are fighting for their lives Friday due to the coronavirus in Onondaga County. Thats up from four critical patients a day ago.

There are now 18 people in the hospital (up from 16 a day ago) and 123 total confirmed cases (up from 111 a day ago), County Executive Ryan McMahon said at his daily 3 p.m. news conference.

The county map has been updated with the new confirmed cases.

The percentage of positive test results remains the same: 5 percent of the total tests taken, McMahon said.

The number of life-threatening worst cases are expected to increase as the pandemic nears its second week locally, McMahon said. Those critical patients are the ones who likely need help breathing on ventilators. The longer theyre in critical, the worse the prognosis.

There are 472 people in mandatory quarantine in Onondaga County: 123 confirmed COVID-19 patients and 349 others -- their immediate family and others with direct exposure to them.

McMahon said that 275 tests returned results in the past day, resulting in the 12 new positives.

Of the cases, 28 percent are confirmed in patients under 30 years old, McMahon said.

The breakdown of confirmed cases, by community:

Syracuse: 42

Clay: 18

Cicero: 13

Salina: 11

Camillus: 8

Manlius: 6

Onondaga: 6

DeWitt: 5

Pompey: 4

Lysander: 3

Skaneateles: 3

Geddes: 1

LaFayette: 1

Spafford: 1

Van Buren: 1

The good news is a week-long backlog in tests awaiting results is almost gone. Test results announced in coming days are much more likely to have been taken within the past 48 hours.

McMahon estimated that about 125 to 150 tests are being taken each day now, with about 400 remaining awaiting results as of 3 p.m. Friday. He said that trend may still be going downward, another good sign assuming everyone who needs a test is getting one.

Testing remains open at the triage site, which has enough tests, over the weekend. If you have a physician, contact your doctor to see if you need testing. If you dont have a doctor, call the Upstate hotline at 315-464-3979.

Pastor Daren Jaime, of the Peoples A.M.E. Zion Church, in Syracuse, urged everyone who feels sick to get tested, assuming a doctor thinks its warranted.

Especially vulnerable are people with preexisting respiratory conditions. Jaime noted that communities of color are disproportionately affected by such preexisting conditions, making testing even more critical.

McMahon said hed love everyone in the county to be tested, but thats not realistic.

In other good news, two COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized at one point have since been released. That doesnt mean theyre recovered, but they no longer need to be hospitalized.

There have been no confirmed reports of local people who contracted the disease being completely cured.

As for social distancing enforcement, McMahon said the county had been called to 50 situations in which people were publicly gathering in groups. There have been no arrests so far, only warnings.

In addition, Syracuse police have responded to at least two non-essential businesses which were operating against the executive orders, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said.

Infected cases involving public places:

The following are cases of Covid-19 involving people who worked or attended functions in public places. Some of those situations have led county officials to issue warnings of a possible public threat. In other cases, the county says its confident that its investigation showed there is no known public health threat.

If you become sick, contact your primary care doctor. For those without doctors, call Upstate University Hospitals Covid-19 hotline: 315-464-3979.

Possible public threat:

Bethany Baptist Church: Infected person attended on Sunday, March 15.

Asciotis Market, located at 3249 Milton Ave. in Solvay: Infected employee worked from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17.

Americas Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, located at 3401 Erie Blvd East, DeWitt: Infected employee worked:

Monday 3/9 8:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday 3/10 9:30 am-6:30 pm

Wednesday 3/11 10:30 am-7:30 pm

Thursday 3/12 9:30 am-3:30 pm

No known public threat:

Taft Road post office: An infected employee in the areas central processing center posed a low risk to others, the postal service said in a memo. No further information has been released.

North Syracuse schools: Infected employee was not symptomatic while at work, has not been to work since March 13, superintendent said. No further information has been released.

Solvay schools: Infected employee confirmed Tuesday, March 24. District says everyone who came into contact with the staff member has been notified. No further information has been released, including where the staff member worked.

Three Syracuse schools, Nottingham High School, Roberts Elementary and Institute of Technology: The Nottingham case was reported more than a week after schools closed. Infected staff members at the other two schools did not appear to have contact with children or others, teachers union says. All infections apparently happened since schools closed on March 16.

Syracuse Veterans Hospital: Infected employee suspected of getting disease outside the hospital. No other information announced. VA says those with contact to employee being monitored.

Syracuse Hancock Airport: Officials have said that the infected worker did not appear to have extensive contact with travelers or other employees. No other information announced.

Staff writer Douglass Dowty can be reached at ddowty@syracuse.com or 315-470-6070.
Russia will not be able to achieve the lifting of sanctions against the backdrop of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, said Alexander Schallenberg, the Federal Minister for European and Integration Affairs of Austria.

"Russia's efforts to lift sanctions because of coronavirus pandemic are futile," assured the Austrian Foreign Minister during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

Both ministers stressed the joint position regarding the necessity to maintain sanctions of the international community in response to Russia's aggressive actions and Moscow's violation of international law.

In addition, Kuleba and Schallenberg came to an agreement that the Austrian authorities would understand the difficult circumstances of the Ukrainians, whose term of stay in Austria could be exceeded due to quarantine.

Kuleba also noted Vienna's active assistance in creating transit conditions for Ukrainian citizens returning by land transport through Austrian territory.

In turn, Schallenberg thanked for the assistance of Ukraine in the process of returning the Austrian citizens from Ukraine by flights operated by Ukrainian airlines.
Mumbai, March 27 : With Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar announcing the retelecast of the popular television serial of the 1980s, "Ramayan"on Doordarshan during the 21-day natonal lockdown, social media is full of request for retelecast of "Mahabharat" and "Chanakya".

People seems to be having a rush of nostalgia about these serials, which used to dominate the television in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These epics aired on Doordarshan kept people glued to their TV sets. Everybody used to watch "Ramayan" and "Mahabharat" together with their friends and family. Those who didn't have television at home used to visit neighbours to make sure they didn't miss a single episode.

Now with Ramanand Sagar's "Ramayan" being retelecast, everybody is eagerly waiting to watch it again, which reflects from their social media posts. Amid the nationwide lockdown, people confined to their homes have ample time to sit and watch hour-long episodes daily.

Talking about the same, a user tweeted: "#Ramayan to be re-telecast from Tomorrow i.e. 28th March, two times a day. 1st episode at 9 Am and 2nd episode at 9 Pm.

Doordarshan to re-telecast its all time greatest Dharmic content for #coronaviruslockdown and I think they will soon also start #Mahabharat." Another user demanded: "We love mahabharat also please telecast #Mahabharat." Another user requested: "Please #Mahabharat telecast at 9 P. M. because we all free in the night." Reacting to the Union Minister's tweet announcing "Ramayana", another user tweeted: "Great news Sir also retelecast #chanakya too. Please consider about it." Several others tweeted demanding retelecast of "Chanakya" and "Mahabharat" along with "Ramayan". Since Friday afternoon, the hashtags #Ramayan and #Mahabharat are trending on Twitter.

When asked about "Ramayan" being retelecast and public demanding "Mahabharat" too, actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who used to play the iconic character of Bhagwan Shri Krishna in "Mahabharat" told IANS: "This is wonderful. There are a certain set of values to be learnt from Ramayan and some lessons from Mahabharat. Ramayan will teach today's generation restraint while Mahabharat will give them so many things to think about. It will help them introspect." Emphasizing why millennials also should watch these epics, which were aired long before they were born, the actor further said: "Perhaps millennials will laugh at the special effects because they are used to much better quality but they need to be told by their parents that this was 30 years ago when special effects didn't exist in this country. Characterisation, storytelling and dialogues are the core things of these two serials. Kids will benefit if they focus on the same." "There has to be a reason why these two mahakavyas are alive and kicking actually! They have something to offer to mankind," he concluded.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
When it comes to the COVID-19 response package, President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State John Kerry found themselves in agreement Friday morning.

With Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky planning to vote against the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill Friday, and potentially pushing for a recorded vote that would require more House members to hustle to Capitol Hill amid a pandemic, the president tweeted that the congressman was a third rate grandstander who deserved to be tossed from the GOP, and Kerry called Massie a Masshole.

On Thursday morning, Massie told 55 KRC radio that the historic $2 trillion package would skyrocket the national debt through the one-time checks to Americans and hundreds of billions of dollars in loans to businesses.

If it were just about helping people to get more unemployment (benefits) to get through this calamity that, frankly, the governors have wrought on the people, then I could be for it, Massie said. But this is $2 trillion."

He just wants the publicity, Trump wrote Friday morning as House members debated the bill. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous and costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault.

Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous......  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Trump added that while it is HELL to deal with Democrats, Massie should be thrown out of the Republican Party.

Kerry, quoting Trumps tweet, quipped that Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an asshole.

He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity, the longtime Massachusetts senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee added. Hes given new meaning to the term #Masshole. (Finally, something the president and I can agree on!")

Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an asshole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. He's given new meaning to the term #Masshole. (Finally, something the president and I can agree on!) https://t.co/N1CNLPsZjc  John Kerry (@JohnKerry) March 27, 2020

Kerry had a previous run in with Massie over climate change during a congressional hearing last spring.

Massie mocked Kerry for earning a pseudo science college degree after Kerry explained that he had a bachelor of arts degree in political science.

Are you serious? I mean, this is really a serious happening here? Kerry said. A video of the exchange went viral.

Kerry had previously questioned whether a Trump administration climate change committee would be made up of properly credentialed scientists, and argued to Massie that the administration had kept the committee secretive.

It's almost as if someone said "Congress has hit rock bottom" and Massie replies with "hold my beer." https://t.co/UtkOHFwnlz  John Kerry (@JohnKerry) April 10, 2019

House leaders expect a vote on the COVID-19 stimulus package by Friday.

The bill is the largest aid package in U.S. history and would see most American taxpayers receive at least $1,200 checks in the coming weeks.

Related Content:
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

As artificial intelligence and related technologies become more entrenched in our daily lives, in everything from personal finance to health care, two Auburn University researchers are helping the state of Alabama stay ahead of the curve.

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering professors Hari Narayanan and Gerry Dozier are lending their expertise as members of the Alabama Commission on Artificial Intelligence and Associated Technologies.

The commission, whose members were appointed by leaders in state government, is tasked with advising Gov. Kay Ivey and the legislature on AI technologies and making policy recommendations to best position the state to take advantage of these emerging technologies.

Our hope is to provide a set of recommendations that will help the state of Alabama become a national leader in the area of AI, said Dozier, the Charles D. McCrary Professor of computer science and software engineering. I believe AI will affect everyone in some very exciting and positive ways. It's important that we embrace it and be prepared.

Subsets of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning and deep learning, are already in use today, ranging from personal assistants such as Alexa in smart devices to parking assistance and collision avoidance systems in vehicles. Future advances in this technology will lead to more accurate health care diagnoses and better optimized manufacturing systems, among other improvements.

The 25-member commission is broken up into five subcommittees: state regulations, government oversight and potential legislative action; education and workforce development; health care and medical services; future and evolving industries, economic development and research; and ethics, privacy and security.

The commission will present a report to Ivey upon the conclusion of its work in May. Dozier is serving as a lead author of the report.

The report is expected to provide guidance on helping the state's existing industry to evolve, attracting new IT industries to the state, supporting start-ups, spurring academic research in the state, producing graduates with the requisite skills to enter the workforce and developing training opportunities for the existing workforce, said Narayanan, computer science and software engineering chair and the John H. and Gail Watson Professor. It is also expected to review and make recommendations on avoiding potential pitfalls of employing these technologies on a large scale, such as bias and discrimination in business decisions, violations of privacy and ethics, or the creation of new vulnerabilities.

Alabama was only the third state in the nation to name a commission on artificial intelligence, although New York has since become the fourth. Given the states proactive approach, commissioners expect the bodys recommendations will allow Alabama to better adapt to these new technologies and position itself as a leader in this area.

K-12 and higher education curricula have not evolved sufficiently to incorporate these technological advances, and opportunities for up-skilling the state's workforce to become literate in these technologies are not widely available, Narayanan said. Therefore, building a foundation to prepare for the impact of these technologies is critical to the future economic prosperity of Alabama.

The commission is led by Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield as chair and state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, as vice chair. Waggoner visited the college in 2019 to learn about Auburn Universitys many research initiatives in artificial intelligence.
VIENTIANE, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese side has been delivering epidemic prevention materials to Laos to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese embassy in Laos said on Thursday.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have paid high attention to strengthening the cooperation with Laos on the COVID-19 prevention and control, while 2,016 sets of testing kits provided by China have been delivered to the Lao side, an embassy official told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, 5,000 sets of protective clothing, 5,000 N95 masks, 400,000 disposable medical masks, as well as 20,000 sets of testing kits provided by the Jack Ma Foundation have been shipped to Laos.

In the coming days, the Chinese government will also offer further assistance to Laos according to the epidemic prevention and control needs in Laos, the embassy official said.

Local governments of Yunnan, Hunan, Chongqing, Shandong and Shanghai in China, institutions and enterprises such as the China-Asia Economic Development Association, the China and Foreign Entrepreneurs Alliance, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Vientiane Branch, and overseas Chinese communities in Laos are also extending their assistance.

Some equipments and materials they prepared have been delivered to Laos.

On March 18, a shipment of COVID-19 testing kits provided by the Chinese government arrived in Vientiane, and on the same day Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong exchanged views on enhancing epidemic prevention and control cooperation with Lao Health Minister Bounkong Syhavong.

Laos detected three more COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing its total number to six.
Two Trillion-dollar federal relief bill passed through senate; Los Angeles County Officials provide projected update surrounding Corona Virus Pandemic

Thursday, March 26. Chairwoman of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, Kathryn Barger and Chair Pro Tem, Hilda Solis collaborate with the L.A. Public Health Department to disclose new developments regarding the COVID-19 virus. Considering the relief bill that passed through senate with no opposed vote, Los Angeles city officials decipher what this will mean for L.A. residents during this time of crisis.

Social distancing is an act of serving the greater good of the community. Supervisor Kathryn Barger shared that statement regarding the overwhelming inquiry from Angelenos looking to be of assistance. She also made a plea to donate blood, due to the abrupt drop in volunteers because of the coronavirus . All donors, staff, and volunteers will have their temperatures taken to confirm they are suitable to donate or volunteer within that setting. Chairwoman Barger noted to be mindful of your neighbors, Pick up groceries, medications, and toiletries for seniors and for those with other health concerns

The L.A. City officials focused on Flattening the Curve. Following the guidelines and remaining inside; its the only defense against the severe respiratory syndrome that is sweeping the nation. The primary focus of the Emergency Operation Center is to emphasize that everyone should be practicing essential safety measures. Some of the guidelines include staying six ft away from everyone when out in public, social distancing, and spend at least 20 seconds washing your hands thoroughly.

ADVERTISEMENT

Every day, the L.A. county has been working on assisting residents and property owners. Under the direction of Chair Pro Tem Supervisor Hilda Solis, the county treasurer and tax collectors are looking to trouble shoot with impacted property owners. They are looking to waive penalties for late property tax payments, this will be on a case by case basis. The goal is to prevent further adversity. Hilda Solis discussed the two trillion-dollar federal relief bill, it passed through senate unanimously on March 25. She shared that the bill would continue to undergo more voting by the House of Representatives, and then it will require the U.S. presidents signature. Solis explained, It is one of the largest economic recovery bills past by the senate in our history. Supervisor Solis went on to analyze what this means for Los Angeles.

The emergency 2.2 trillion-dollar relief will send checks to more than 150 million American households; ranging from $600-$1,200. There will be enormous loan programs for small and big businesses, and the bill would ensure billions of dollars would go into unemployment insurance programs. The two trillion stimulus package would provide about 17 billion dollars for hospitals. The bill also includes support for Homeless assistance and rental assistance programs.

Public Health Director, Barbara Ferrer broke down the latest news surrounding the coronavirus in the L.A. region. As of March 26, there is a report of 9 additional deaths. Bringing the total of COVID-19 related deaths to 21.

There are 421 new Public Health Director, Barbara Ferrer reports, and in the last 48 hours there has been 559 new cases. In summary, this brings the total amount of reported cases in the Los Angeles region to 1,216. This total includes 41 reports coming from Long Beach and 9 cases in Pasadena. This increased rate is due to the incline in testing, there are more tests available, in addition to the public health department going through cases that were delayed.

Ferrer noted, if there are 1,000 people positive with the COVID-19 virus, and each of those people infect two more, there could be a spread of the virus to over one million people within Los Angeles. The only defense available is to stay inside as much as possible; all of the county officials reiterated the severity of abiding by all the essential safety measures and public orders that can be reviewed at the following website cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Though Bailey was hospitalized, Richard Frieson said the family had been hopeful shed pull through because she was in better overall health than her sibling. We hoped for the best, but it just didnt happen, Frieson said.
SOFIA, Bulgaria, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fibank (First Investment Bank) will participate in a donation campaign to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Thanks to the donation made by the bank, a total of 1,000 people will be able to take the virus test for free. The kits are intended for people referred for testing by their GP.

The total number of COVID-19 test kits will be distributed among four health care facilities and laboratories: the FiHealth and Neoclinic medical centers, and the Bodimed and Ramus laboratories. The donation covers both the cost of purchasing the kits and of conducting the tests in home or clinical settings.

The CEO of Fibank Mr. Nikola Bakalov commented that the bank's management monitors closely the development of the epidemiological situation and is prepared to extend the donation if necessary.

"As a socially responsible institution, Fibank is sensitive to the challenges that have arisen for Bulgarian people and businesses at this difficult time for all of us. Every day we are considering various options aimed at implementing the necessary measures to alleviate the financial stress of our customers and to ensure the safety of them and our employees. With the donation of these tests, we hope to help even more Bulgarians to be diagnosed and receive timely and successful treatment," added Mr. Bakalov.

Fibank was the first bank in Bulgaria to provide deferred loan payments for its customers, as well as a number of other financial benefits. In addition, the bank offers the full range of digital banking services, ensuring continuity of business processes, as well as maximum protection for employees and customers in its banking offices.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134349/Fibank_Head_Office_Bulgaria.jpg
The UN Security Council has condemned the "heinous and cowardly" terrorist attack on a Sikh gurudwara in Kabul that killed 25 people, underlining the need to hold the perpetrators and sponsors of these "reprehensible" acts accountable and bring them to justice.

The over two dozen worshippers were killed and eight others injured when a heavily armed suicide bomber stormed a prominent gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, in one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in the strife-torn country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the 15-nation Council said it "condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" that took place in Shor Bazar area.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group, which has targeted Sikhs before in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Expressing their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Afghanistan, the Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities," the statement said.

The members of the Security Council reiterate that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, it said.

The Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also condemned the attack, reiterating that attacks against civilians are unacceptable and those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable.

There were about 150 worshippers inside the building when the attack took place.

In a tweet, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said it was "outrage" by the attack.

"There can be no justification for the killing of civilians at a religious house. Our condolences to the victims and their families."



Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan.

In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.

Awtar Singh Khalsa, one of the country's best-known Sikh politicians then, was among those killed in the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut climbed to 1,291. Six more people have died, bringing the total to 27, and 48 have been hospitalized since Thursday, which Lamont called the beginning of the surge.

The 279 new cases made up about 15 percent of 1,900 new tests completed in the last day, Gov. Ned Lamont said. The large number of tests is attributed to many results arriving from out-of-state labs, he said.

Patients are 10 times as likely to be hospitalized if they are over age 80 than under 50, he said. A total of 173 people have been hospitalized in Connecticut.

Less than 24 hours after announcing a loan program for small businesses, the Department of Economic and Community Development has already stopped accepting new applications, Lamont said. More than 4,000 businesses have applied for the no-interest loans, which were initially expected to be about $25 million total. I think were probably going to double the capacity, to $50 million, he said.

Jeffrey Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, said modeling indicates an expected peak of the virus in the second week of April.

Hospitals are working to add capacity in anticipation of a surge, and across the state, 39 percent of hospital beds are currently vacant, Josh Gabelle, Lamonts chief operating officer, said. In Fairfield County, theres a lot more stress on the system already.

Lamont praised Stanley Black & Decker for donating 75,000 surgical masks to Hartford HealthCare, and the tribes for donating more than 1 million surgical gloves. He also highlighted Custom Shop, an upholstery store in Glastonbury that is making and donating surgical masks, a parachute manufacturer making surgical gowns, and whiskey distilleries making hand sanitizer. I was impressed by the number of folks with sewing machines who are making surgical masks, he said.

Some of the equipment the state has ordered has been delayed, Lamont said; 3,000 thermometers are expected to arrive next week, while some of the surgical gowns and other equipment ordered wont arrive until next month. Weve got to take care of what we can take care of ourselves, he said. Its not clear whether that equipment was over-promised by the vendors, or if someone came in with a higher bid.

Geballe said hes in discussions with a few Connecticut companies that could potentially manufacture ventilators, though details werent immediately available. The state has 932 ventilators across hospital systems, he said, and another 1,500 ventilators have been sought from the national stockpile in two separate, still unanswered, requests.

Flaks said hospitals in the state are piloting an innovation already being used in New York that allows two patients to use one ventilators.

Under Lamonts latest executive order, issued shortly before 8 p.m. Friday, distilleries and other businesses can produce alcohol-based hand sanitizers and medical devices or protective equipment without registering as manufacturers, and health care providers can treat patients at facilities using their identification badges from other facilities.

He also suspended Department of Public Health licensing, renewal and inspection requirements, and waived the mandatory fees for children to participate in remote early intervention services, such as the Birth-to-Three program.

Speaking just after President Donald Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act for coronavirus relief, Lamont said he would have a better idea of how much money the state will be getting within a week, but that at least $1.5 billion will come to Connecticut.

Connecticut officials on Friday denounced discrimination against Asian-Americans, which they say has increased due to misinformation and xenophobia stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.

The commissions on Equity and Opportunity, Human Rights and Opportunities and on Women, Children and Seniors, along with Attorney General William Tong and Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, held a virtual news conference Friday to raise awareness of the issue.

We call for unity in the face of coronavirus (COVID-19) and condemn racism and discrimination targeting Asian-Americans  or anybody for that matter  related to the pandemic, commission co-chairman Alan Tan said in a statement. We are deeply concerned that recent incidents of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans in Connecticut threaten both our collective well-being and ability to manage this crisis.

Tong calls for lift of research restrictions

Tong and 14 other attorneys general have asked the federal government to lift restrictions on fetal tissue research, which they say will help respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Scientists need every single tool available to find a vaccine and cure for COVID-19, Tong said in a statement. For years, fetal tissue research contributed to major medical advancements. We need to lift this partisan impediment and let scientists get to work.

The Trump administration in June 2019 ended fetal tissue research at the National Institutes of Health, canceled a $2 million contract for a California university laboratory project and announced that research projects conducted at other universities with NIH funding would be reviewed by an ethics advisory board before being renewed. Fetal tissue is obtained from elective abortions.

The Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement at the time that promoting the dignity of human life from conception to natural death is one of the very top priorities of President Trumps administration. The restriction was criticized by scientists who said it would jeopardize research on diseases like Parkinsons, Alzheimers, HIV and spinal cord injuries.

Tong and the other attorneys general, from states including Massachusetts and New York, argue in their letter to the department and President Donald Trump that if we are going to rise as a nation to overcome this pandemic, then we need to utilize all the tools in our toolbox, including allowing our scientists to develop a vaccine and treatment to COVID-19. This means we need to permit research on all fronts. They wrote that they support NIH scientists who are appealing the ban.

Plastic bag backlash

Three state departments issued guidance Friday on the suspension of the 10-cent tax on plastic bags, which Lamont announced Thursday. That fee is suspended through May 15, the Department of Revenue Services said.

Residents are still strongly encouraged to bring and pack their own bags, the Departments of Public Health, Revenue Services and Energy and Environmental Protection said in a joint statement. They said the order, which also allows retail employees to refuse to use customers reusable bags, aims to give flexibility to workers in response to their concerns about transmission of the coronavirus.

The Citizens Campaign for the Environment criticized Lamont Friday for caving to the plastic industrys efforts to capitalize on this pandemic for their own benefit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it may be possible to get COVID-19 from a surface that has the virus on it, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Researchers from the NIH recently found that the virus can live on surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for up to two to three days.

Governors in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have already prohibited the use of reusable bags during the outbreak.
Actress Jessica Chastain has been spotted carrying an infant this week sparking speculation she has welcomed her second child with husband Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo.

In photographs taken on Wednesday, the couple can be seen strolling together in Santa Monica, California, with Gian Luca pushing their daughter Giulietta in a stroller.

Walking beside her husband, the 43-year-old Molly's Game actress looks content as she carries a tiny baby in a wrap, its head safely tucked inside close to her chest.

Added to their family: Jessica Chastain and husband Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo appear to have welcomed their second child after the actress was pictured carrying a newborn on Wednesday

The images, published by Page Six, appear to show the couple have welcomed a second child to their family.

A source told the website, 'They were really enjoying themselves. The baby seemed to be sleeping soundly the entire time.'

The couple's daughter Giulietta arrived in July 2018 via surrogate.

Earlier this week Jessica celebrated her 43rd birthday and popped open a bottle of champagne while marking the occasion at home amid the coronavirus lockdown.

'Thank you for all of the Birthday wishes & virtually celebrating with me yesterday!' she captioned a video of her all glammed up and blowing a kiss to the camera.

Feeling festive: Jessica popped open some champagne on Tuesday as she celebrated her 43rd birthday at home amid the coronavirus lockdowns

Time to celebrate: The actress looked glam in a colorblock dress and her hair and makeup done

The Dark Phoenix star began dating Gian Luca, an executive for fashion brand Moncler, in 2012 and they married on June 10 2017 at his family's estate in Carbonera, Italy.

The Sonoma, California born star is coming off Dark Phoenix and IT Chapter Two in 2019, with two more movies slated for release in 2020.

She plays the title character in Ava, a deadly assassin who works for a secret organization, travelling the world and pulling off high-profile hits.

She also plays Tammy Faye Baker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, alongside Andrew Garfield and Vincent D'Onofrio, and 355 with Sebastian Stan, hitting theaters January 15, 2021.

The Dark Phoenix star began dating Gian Luca, an executive for fashion brand Moncler, in 2012 and they married on June 10 2017 at his family's estate in Carbonera, Italy. They are pictured May 2017
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Will the coronavirus crisis do for the Second Arab Spring what the forces of counterrevolution did for the first? Today is the first Friday since October that the public squares of the Middle East and North Africa will be silent.

In Iraq, the antigovernment protests that have wracked the country for nearly six months were called off last week, when organizers bowed to the inevitable consequence of the pandemic. The Iraqis were only a few days behind the Algerian popular movement, known as Hirak, that ended a year-long streak of Friday protests on March 20. In Lebanon, the virus scare seems to have shut down the anticorruption demonstrations that had previously resisted intimidation from Hezbollah thugs.

The Second Arab Spring was having a good run when the epidemic struck. In Algeria and Sudan, popular protests brought down longtime dictators Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Omar al-Bashir. In Iraq they forced the resignation of one prime minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and headed his successor-designate, Mohammed Tawfik Allawi, off at the pass. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was forced to quit, and his replacement, Hassan Diab, was looking shaky within days of taking over.

All this was achieved with comparatively little bloodletting. Attacks on Iraqi protesters left 700 dead, and a bloody crackdown killed more than 100 Sudanese participating in a sit-in; but unlike the cases of Libya, Syria and Yemen, none of the countries that witnessed political upheaval last year descended into civil war.

And yet, in Baghdad, Algiers, Khartoum and Beirut, the sense lingers of a job left unfinished. The political systems in all four countries remain largely intact, in the hands of the elites that enabled the misrule protesters were hoping to end.

That is why Hirak had continued with its Friday demonstrations long after Bouteflika was gone, and a dubious election brought to power one of his former ministers, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Until last week, Iraqis were keeping up pressure on Mahdi, who is no more effective as a caretaker than he was as a prime minister. The precariousness of Sudanese politics was underlined last week, when Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok survived an assassination attempt.

Story continues

As they hunker down to wait out the epidemic, the protesters cant but worry that the changes they were able to extract from the political elites might yet be undone  that the coronavirus crisis will be used as a cover to restore the old status quo.

In Iraq, for instance, the absence of protests may allow the latest prime minister-designate, Adnan al-Zurfi, to secure the job, even though he has the same failings that made Allawi unacceptable to the protesters: membership in the corrupt establishment and dual nationality. Lebanons Diab now has breathing room in which to try and wrangle a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. And there are fears Sudans generals will renege on their power-sharing deal with the civilian opposition.

For the protesters, the challenge in this time of social distancing is to stay connected, to remain motivated, and to keep up the pressure on their rulers. The next few weeks will test their ability to adapt their movements to a unique set of circumstances.

They should take a page from the work of Gene Sharp, the American political scientist who enjoys wide following among protest groups of all stripes, from political dissidents to climate-change activists. Sharps treatises on nonviolent action  he famously listed 198 forms of resistance  were essential source material for the young protesters who led the first Arab Spring; his work continues to inspire their successors.

Sharps devotees elsewhere are already adapting some of his recommendations to the challenge of protest in the time of coronavirus. As scholars Jonathan Pinckney and Miranda Rivers of the U.S. Institute of Peace have pointed out, these range from online petitions (Hong Kong) and demonstrations on Facebook (Israel) to the banging of pots and pans at specific times to show dissatisfaction with the government (Brazil). Climate activists like Greta Thunberg are posting images of themselves holding signs, and using hashtags like #ClimateStrikeOnline.

But online activism is becoming harder to pull off. For one thing, the pandemic tends to dominate discussion, on digital platforms as much as anywhere else. The abundance of misinformation online has made Twitter and Facebook less effective as instruments of organization than they were during the first Arab Spring.

Besides, governments have become smarter about policing the digital public square and suppressing online dissent. Morocco, for instance, has drafted a new law to combat fake news that, activists complain, includes provisions that could infringe on freedom of expression and the right to protest.

Ultimately, the protesters know that digital activism can, at best, help to keep their movements in the public eye. No political system has yet been toppled by an online movement.

In a poignant video message from Baghdad earlier this week, Iraqi protesters promised, The revolution will be back. When it is safe to return to the public square, they will have their work cut out for them to regain the momentum lost to the epidemic.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Bobby Ghosh is a columnist and member of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Bad information about the novel coronavirus appears to be contagious. But there are some steps you can take to verify information on social media before you share it.

The temptation to share unverified but alarming information is understandable. Many of the people who share hoaxes don't do it to mislead; they think they're sharing valuable information with their friends and family. But it's easy to hit "retweet" on something that's just not true. And false information isn't helpful to anyone.

CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES: Pandemic in early stages, experts say

"We're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus and is just as dangerous," said World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Feb. 15.

For starters, if someone high up in the government or military was attempting to communicate vital information to American citizens, they probably wouldn't do it with a rambling screenshot from the Notes app. A source in Homeland Security is not trying to get the word out about impending martial law, and there is no "high-ranking military friend in D.C." passing along a tip about the president using the Stafford Act for a nationwide quarantine.

Another hot topic: ibuprofen. The French doctor who originally advised people not to take Tylenol probably meant well, but medical experts around the world say there's no evidence ibuprofen is linked to a higher risk of COVID-19 infection, nor has it been linked to increased complications from the disease.

President Trump, no stranger to repeating rumors that would reflect well on him, has repeatedly claimed that certain existing drugs could treat coronavirus. Elon Musk shared that optimism. But while scientists are working to test the efficacy of the malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in fighting coronavirus, there's currently no reliable, published, peer-reviewed evidence on the subject.

LATEST: What you need to know today about the virus outbreak

The Food and Drug Administration has not approved either drug to treat the disease, and no one should be attempting to self-medicate with it. Already, this bad information has had tragic repercussions: A man reportedly died after ingesting chloroquine at home in Arizona in hopes of preventing coronavirus.

So take a beat before you retweet. Here are some ways to verify what you're reading before you share.

Verify the account that's posting the information.

Check the account. Are they verified on Twitter or Facebook? That lends more credibility to what they say. If they aren't verified, do more checking.

Check the photo on the account. Does it seem like a real person, or is it a photo of a celebrity or something generic, like a sunset or a flower? You can use reverse Google Image search to see if the photo was taken from elsewhere on the internet.

Check the age of the account and how many followers it has. A brand-new account with a dozen followers is unlikely to be one that's breaking major national news.

A NEW ROUTINE: Coronavirus show what Houstonians take for granted

Scroll back through some older posts  has the account always shared news, or was it a meme account a month ago?

Take note of how the news is being presented to you  just in the tweet? Is there a link to a longer story somewhere? Again: A screenshot of an email, text message, Google Doc or Notes app is unlikely to be good information.

Check the source. Is the account attributing the information to an organization, a politician, a news outlet, or "a friend of a friend"? Good information will have a reputable name to back it up.

Verify the site the information is coming from.

If there's a link, click it. Does it go where you expected it to go? Check the URL  are you really on the site you think you're on, or does something seem off? Look for strange spelling and anything weird in the web address.

A website you've never heard of is unlikely to be the first and only source for major breaking news, no matter how slick the layout looks.

Check the date on the article. Is it new or old?

Check the byline. Is it a real name? Click through to the bio page  does it sound real? Does the author have social media accounts where you can verify that he or she is an actual reporter? This is another opportunity to use Google Image reverse search if there's a photo.

Verify the information itself.

The best way to verify a piece of information is to see whether reliable news outlets have reported it. As news organizations, there is a burden on us to do more digging to verify things before we share them on social media. We don't always get it right, but there's a better chance something tweeted from your local newspaper is true than something from a completely random person with no accountability to anyone.

Read the story or post. Does the wording sound off  maybe like it was run through Google Translate a few times? That's one way fake news websites rip off articles from legitimate sites.

Trust your gut. If there's a nagging voice in the back of your head saying, "Eh, I'm not entirely sure this is true," or "Wow, that sounds kind of far-fetched, but who knows?" it's better to hold off on sharing it until you can verify.

If you see someone on social media sharing information that's not true, try to be gentle when pointing it out. Correcting false information can backfire. People are prone to be defensive and to double down when they're challenged. We're all a little tense right now. Be kind. And don't forget to wash your hands.



(c)2020 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
From China to Italy and the United States to Australia - coronavirus disease has travelled across the globe, spawned over continents and infected a staggering 500,000 people worldwide. India, home to 1.3 billion people, has hastened its response and bolstered its efforts to fight the deadly contagion. Although global health bodies such as the World Health Organisation have hailed Indias move to initiate the 21-day lockdown, experts suggest working in isolation will not solve the Covid-19 problem at the macro level.

Matthew Jackson, William D Eberle professor of Economics at Stanfords School of Humanities of Sciences believes that a combined effort by all states and countries is needed to wipe out the virus from the face of the Earth, lest it raises its ugly head again like a disease relapse.

Managing the crisis requires a comprehensive and coordinated response between states within the US and across countries and continents, otherwise, the problem will continue to surge at a greater cost to the global economy and public health, said Jackson in a published piece on Stanfords blog.

Beating Covid-19 Without coordination within and across countries we will end up endlessly reacting to resurgences of the virus.

Locking areas down is a blunt instrument. It slows the virus down locally, but our research and common sense makes clear that, given the lack of coordination, it is not likely to be successful for long and will end up being extremely costly, he said.

The efficient way to tackle the spread of the virus would be to meticulously find out the exact point of its eruption and waste no time in dealing with it.

A combination of basic social distancing, and blanket testing with fast reactions, would involve the least disruption. In the meanwhile, as we devote all necessary resources to make tests more widely available, and push hard on developing a vaccine, we need to coordinate internationally on our containment strategies, Jackson noted.

The expert noted that lack of coordination, both within a country as well as with its international partners, will yield a lopsided result in tackling the Covid-19 crisis. In this manner, while one area will be striving hard to control the virus and minimising the number of cases, it will continue to grow and multiply somewhere else.

Once it is under control in the first area, it can return from another area. An analogy is trying to get rid of termites in a house. There is a reason they fumigate the whole house all at once, even if only a few parts of it show large infestations, the blog read.

Logically speaking, a country cant remain in a state of lockdown for a long period, we cannot seal our borders completely. Thus, without coordination within and across countries we will end up endlessly reacting to resurgences of the virus.

More than 24,000 people have died due to the Sars-CoV-2 virus across the world with Italy standing at the top with 8,215 deaths, followed by Spain (4,365) and China (3,169). The United States is now emerging as the new epicentre of the virus with cases going beyond what China has reported. According to the latest data shared by Johns Hopkins University, America now has more than 85,600 positive Covid-19 cases. China has reported under 82,000 cases till date.
Third-party candidates may be off the ballot this November unless petitioning requirements are relaxed, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins told Yahoo News on Wednesday.

Hawkins said on the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery that the Green Party may be unable to get on the ballot in as many as 30 states  including Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania  due to state laws requiring third parties to collect thousands of signatures on ballots to qualify. Hawkins said it will be impossible to meet these requirements in light of White House guidelines urging citizens to stay at home and avoid social gatherings.

Green Party lawyers are now asking state officials to grant them relief, arguing that depriving voters of the chance to cast ballots for their candidates will be a blow to American democracy.

Were going to have a third party on the left  that would be our base  and were in this race to raise issues that are concerns for voters on the left, Hawkins said. Those issues will not be debated in the general election unless the Green Party is in the race, so I think those are good reasons to have a real democracy and let people make their choices.

Hawkins still needs to fulfill ballot eligibility requirements in about 30 states, he said. He said, however, that his lawyers outreach to state officials has only just begun. He is asking to be allowed on state ballots without obtaining the estimated additional 1.5 million signatures required for him to run everywhere.

Four years ago, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was blamed by Democrats for helping elect Donald Trump. In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  all states that Trump won in 2016  the number of votes Stein received exceeded Trumps margin over Hillary Clinton.

Stein had attended a gala dinner with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a 2015 visit to Moscow and was seated at his table. A photo of Stein and Putin at the dinner surfaced in 2017, leading to accusations that Stein was a Russian asset positioned by Putin to help Trump win.

Story continues

Hawkins rejected the claim, telling Skullduggery hosts Daniel Klaidman and Michael Isikoff that Stein stood up to the Russians.

She was challenging Putin on issues like the Arctic  [and] an arms embargo on Syria, Hawkins said. If she was supposed to toe the Russian line as a Russian asset, she didnt get the memo.

Steins relative success in 2016 benefits Hawkins now because he said about 40 states at least partially evaluate third-party nominees claims to join the ballot based on how well the party performed in the last election. The Green Party was on the ballot in 45 states and an official write-in in three additional states in 2016.

A retired Teamster based in Syracuse, N.Y., Hawkins is a former construction worker and UPS employee who relies on a couple of pensions for income. He told the New York Times in late 2018 that the payments amounted to about $1,260 a month, placing him near the poverty line.

Hawkins said that with about a half-million offices up for election across the U.S. this year, he hopes the Green Party can build local and grassroots support to create a real base. Excluding third-party voices will suppress that base building effort and impact policy, Hawkins said, pointing to his belief that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo engaged more on Green Party policy priorities after Hawkins won close to 2 percent of votes in the 2018 New York state governors race.

Vote for what you want and make the politicians come to you, Hawkins said. You don't have to win the office to have leverage in the political system.

Still, Hawkins acknowledges that leverage will be harder to come by this year since the ballot petitioning process is complex and varies substantially across the 51 jurisdictions that will vote in November. Typically, states require thousands of physical signatures which can only be collected in person for third-party ballot access, though Hawkins hopes some will consider electronic signatures in light of the current pandemic.

Green Party stalwart Howie Hawkins. (Michael Kovac/FilmMagic via Getty Images)

Download or subscribe on iTunes: Skullduggery from Yahoo News

This country is off the charts compared to other electoral democracies around the world in how hard it is to get on the ballot, Hawkins said. Weve never had support from the Democrats on ballot access.

Hawkins said hes no spoiler and called the coronavirus Trumps Katrina, before adding that the November election is the Democrats to lose.

They have the megaphone, he said, emphasizing that his campaign is most focused on reaching alienated working-class and minority voters who have largely disengaged from politics.

He implored potential voters who agree with his left-wing platform to vote for it, batting away suggestions that his candidacy could lead to a Trump victory.

The idea is to build the Green Party from the bottom up, Hawkins said. If youre a progressive or a socialist and you vote for Joe Biden, they don't know whether youre a Sanders socialist or a Biden centrist. ... You get lost in the sauce and the left disappears.

This story has augmented reality! Tap the video above to see how it looks and download the Yahoo News app to launch the full experience. Augmented reality is currently available to iPhone users (iPhone 8 and later) with the latest version of iOS.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Lower Gwynedd police are still investigating a building fire earlier this week, and have taken a juvenile into custody on charges related to a burglary later the same day.

We do not believe they are related, said police Chief Paul Kenny.

The first incident took place around 11:40 p.m. on the 700 block of North Bethlehem Pike, when police responded to a report of a burglar alarm inside an office building. According to police, officers arrived and saw a working fire inside a first-floor office, and the fire was quickly extinguished and no occupants were found.

While investigating the scene, police said, officers noted that at least one person had gained access to the office by breaking a first-floor window, and officers found two additional windows broken along with damage to several office door knobs on the building. The incident is still under investigation by both the township fire marshal and police.

A second incident happened roughly 90 minutes later, around 1:20 a.m. on March 24, at the Meadows Condominiums at 501 N. Bethlehem Pike. There, police said, officers were dispatched for a report of a burglary in progress, where a male homeowner heard a noise coming from a bedroom and, when he went to investigate, saw a man running away from his apartment from an open window.

According to police, numerous officers responded and found an occupied truck on the property. The occupant of the truck fled on foot, and police established a perimeter, ultimately taking an individual into custody with assistance from Montgomery Township Police Departments police K-9 unit. The defendant is a juvenile, and charges are pending against him, police said.

Assisting on that incident were officers from the Upper Dublin, Ambler and Montgomery Township Police Departments, including Montgomerys Police Canine Odin; assisting on the office building fire were firefighters and repsonders from the Wissahickon, North Penn, Spring Mill and Flourtown fire companies and the Ambler Ambulance corps.
The association of newsprint manufacturers has written to the Union government to issue a direction to states to declare newspaper production as an essential service after some people involved in the process faced difficulties in some states in the wake of the 21-day lockdown announced on Tuesday.

The print media is listed as an essential service, which is allowed to function during the nationwide lockdown announced to control the spread of the coronavirus disease.

In a letter to the ministry of commerce and industry (DPIIT), dated March 24, the Indian Newsprint Manufacturers Association (INMA) has said the government should consider the domestic newsprint industry under the ambit of the essential commodity act to ensure continuity of production operation. The association said mills faced disruption in service in states such as Gujarat, Odisha and Maharashtra.

Secretary general of the INMA, Vijay Kumar told HT that the association has always been committed to providing unstinted support to the domestic print media, but because of the lockdown, several production units are facing difficulty in meeting the demand.

He said even though the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) declared the printing of newspaper under critical infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted operation under essential commodities act, the newsprint producers who supply the basic raw material for print media were not included under the ambit of the same act.

Though the domestic newsprint industry is a continuous process industry, as a result of the unavoidable nationwide lockdown, our member industries in most of the states were forced to shut down their entire operation to comply with the law, and in some of the states dispatch permission is the critical issue, he said.

The domestic industry produced about 1.2 million tonnes of paper in the last financial year and is expecting a massive fall in production in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. A bulk of newsprint consumed in India is imported. As per estimates, an order of 2.2 million tonnes of newsprint has been placed for the financial year 2020-21.

The Association of Radio Operators for India (AROI), an association of private radio stations, has also written to the ministry of information and broadcasting to announce a bailout package for private FM Radios.

In the wake of the pandemic and the subsequent drop in advertisements, the association has sought a years moratorium on all license fees and charges by the government and Prasar Bharati.

In a letter to the ministry, dated March 16, the AROI has said government advertising on radio should be restored so that the industry can get back on its feet to fight and survive the current COVID-19-wrought crisis.

It has also sought clearance of DAVP payments that have been held up for a long time.

Uday Chawla, secretary general of AROI, told HT that the association has been assured by the government that its request is under consideration.

At this time we are pooling in our resources to serve the people. FM Radio operators have prepared for emergency broadcast and have set up broadcast from home facilities for continuity in broadcast. We have started the Radio4India initiative and a coordination system between the government and the private radio operators is in place to help public get authentic information on private radio networks, Chawla said.

An official at the MIB said the government is relaying all relevant information, announcements and decisions to the private radio operators in real time to allow them to disseminate these to audiences.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Three French and one Iraqi, who disappeared on January 20. France expresses "gratitude" to the Iraqi authorities for contributing to the release. No confirmation of payment of a ransom. Due to the coronavirus emergency, Macron withdraws French troops from the country.

Baghdad (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The kidnapping of four operators from the non-governmental organization Sos Cristiani dOriente, three French and one Iraqi, on January 20 last has had a happy ending. A note released late yesterday by the Elysee confirms that the activists have been freed after just over two months in captivity and are in good condition.

In recent weeks, several Iraqi Christian leaders, including the archbishop of Erbil, Msgr. Bashar Warda, had launched appeals and promoted prayers for their release.

Their release comes just a few hours after the announcement made by President Emmanuel Macron, who that France would be withdrawing troops from Iraq due to the coronavirus emergency. The head of state, reads a note, "welcomes release of the three compatriots: Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy" and their Iraqi collaborator "Tariq Mattoka".

At the time of the kidnapping, the French authorities, in agreement with the leaders of Baghdad, had kept the identity of the kidnapped secret and protected the activity of Sos Cristiani d'Oriente in the region, which has been on the front lines in helping and supporting the population, especially the Christian minority. Macron, adds the note, "expresses his gratitude to the Iraqi authorities for their collaboration".

The French - and Iraqi - authorities have decided to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the kidnapping and release. They have neither confirmed nor denied the payment of a ransom. Last week the Christian NGO, active in the country since 2014, said that no group, after two months, had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and no requests for money had been received for the release of the four.

The kidnapping had taken place in a context of profound political turbulence in the Arab country. At the beginning of the year, on several occasions, tens of thousands of people had taken to the streets - welcoming an invitation from the radical Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr  demanding the expulsion of US troops from Iraq.

These were separate demonstrations to the anti-government protests which have been taking place since October of last year against corruption and malfeasance.

Added to this are the international tensions, in particular the head-on collision between the US and Iran which is (also) being played out even today on Iraqi territory.
Eleven crew members of Andrew Twiggy Forrest's superyacht that docked in Brisbane last week are self-isolating in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pangaea Ocean Explorer entered Australian waters on January 14 and has been operating domestically since.

The Pangaea Ocean Explorer, a state-of-the-art deep water marine research vessel, remains in Queensland waters. Credit:Cameron Myles.

The superyacht was purchased commercially by the Forrest family and loaned to marine conservation efforts.

A Minderoo spokesman said crew members were abiding by Marine Safety Queensland regulations while remaining in Brisbane waters.
Iran announced another 144 deaths from the coronavirus on Friday and said thousands more were in critical condition as the military completed work on a 2,000-bed field hospital in an exhibition center in the capital.

Iran has reported nearly 2,400 deaths among more than 32,000 cases. Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted they have the outbreak under control despite concerns it could overwhelm the country's health facilities.

In Yemen, meanwhile, the U.S. Agency for International Development began scaling back aid efforts in areas controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels over their resistance to allowing measures that ensure aid goes to those who most need it.

Yemen has yet to record any coronavirus cases, but an outbreak in the war-torn country could be catastrophic.

Iran's military said the new facility, which includes three units and several isolation wards, was set up in just 48 hours.

It will be used for patients who are recovering from the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus.

State TV on Thursday quoted Gen. Ali Jahanshahi as saying the hospital has been handed over to medical staff and will begin receiving patients next week.

Most people infected by the virus only experience mild symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within a few weeks.

But the virus can cause severe illness and death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems. It is highly contagious and can be spread by otherwise healthy people showing no visible symptoms.

The virus has infected more than half a million people worldwide and killed more than 24,000. More than 120,000 people have recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour announced the latest deaths on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 2,378 amid 32,332 confirmed cases.

He said nearly all of the approximately 2,900 newly confirmed cases are in critical condition. More than 11,000 people have been released from hospitals, according to the ministry.

Authorities have urged people to stay home but have not imposed the sweeping lockdowns seen elsewhere in the region.

Iran has been under severe U.S. sanctions since President Donald Trump withdrew his country from Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers. The U.S. has offered humanitarian aid to Iran but authorities have refused.

Earlier this week, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refused American aid and seized on a conspiracy theory that the United States created the virus, something for which there is no scientific evidence.

Hundreds of Iranians have meanwhile been sickened or died from drinking methanol in the mistaken belief that it offers protection from the virus.

Word of fake remedies has spread across social media in Iran, where many are deeply suspicious of the government after it initially downplayed the crisis.

Lebanon, which has reported 391 infections and seven deaths, will impose a nighttime curfew starting Friday.

The country of nearly 5 million has been under lockdown for two weeks, with only essential businesses allowed to remain open, a measure that will remain in place for at least another two weeks.

Israel, meanwhile, has seen a surge in infections in recent days. It has reported 3,035 cases and 10 fatalities, mainly older patients with pre-existing conditions.

The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has reported 84 cases.

Authorities in the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since the Hamas militant group seized power there in 2007, have reported nine cases.

Gaza's health care infrastructure has been severely eroded by years of conflict and isolation. A major outbreak in the territory, which is home to more than 2 million Palestinians, could be extremely difficult to contain.

Another major areas of concern is Yemen, where the Houthis have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition for five years.

The war has killed more than 100,000 people, displaced millions more and driven the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine.

A USAID spokesperson said it was suspending nearly $73 million in aid in the face of long-standing Houthi interference in humanitarian operations." The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, areas home to 70 per cent of the country's population.

The spokesperson said USAID will continue to provide life-saving assistance in areas at risk of famine. It will also support U.N. flights, water and sanitation programs which are essential to preventing the spread of the virus. It will also continue providing aid in southern Yemen.

The spokesperson spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in keeping with regulations.

The Houthis have long sought to divert aid to their fighters and supporters. Last year, the rebels blocked half of the U.N.'s aid programs and resisted efforts to expand biometric registration and other measures to ensure aid was delivered to civilians.

But Samah Hadid, director of advocacy for Oxfam Yemen, expressed concern that USAID's pullback could leave the country even more vulnerable to the pandemic.

With the start of the rainy season, we are projecting that Yemen could face over one million cases of cholera this year," she said. Coupled with coronavirus, this would spell a catastrophe for Yemen.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Health care is on the frontlines of managing the response to coronavirus outbreak, with efforts that range from finding effective treatments and vaccines to hospital patient care.

But those efforts are paired with a lot of uncertainty about the financial payoff. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and clinical labs are grappling with the cost of responding to the call of holding back the rising tide of COVID-19 infections versus the revenue they will generate. Meanwhile, physician practices may see their businesses dry up.

Which is why health care experts say the $2 trillion stimulus package that cleared the Senate late Wednesday is crucial. It includes more than $100 billion for hospitals, funding for vaccine and treatment research, and funding for a number of other health facilities.

However, a few observers see flaws: The bill helps hospitals and pharmaceuticals companies, but does not include laboratories and independent physicians.

We need to make sure that the package also contains support for those in the private practice, those practices that are, in fact, the small businesses in their communities and pay rent and pay salaries, Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association, told Yahoo Finance in an interview.

The AMA, along with the American Clinical Laboratory Association, are looking to address that gap  the latter having unsuccessfully lobbied Congress to be included in the stimulus package.

For the third time, Congress has failed to provide the necessary funds to support free testing for all Americans, the group said in a statement Wednesday.

Additionally, a number of hospitals are shutting down elective surgery and similar revenue-generating business to free-up space for a potential surge, forcing those running on thin margins to face potentially hard choices about future operations. The situation has made some rural hospitals have to decide whether or not to shut down.

In fact, Moodys recently downgraded the hospital sector from stable to negative within a week, given an expected decline in earnings for the next 12-18 months.

"The negative outlook for the US for-profit hospital sector reflects [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization] contraction in the low-to-mid single-digits over the coming year or so, down from our previous forecast of 3% to 4% growth," said Moodys senior credit officer, Jonathan Kanarek.

Story continues

Infections among staff may also force hospitals to bring in contract labor at higher costs, while sourcing scarce supplies may require them to use vendors they don't typically buy from, often at a greater cost, he added.

The cost of increased staffing  which is in high demand  and additional cost of medical gear pale in comparison to the sheer volume of patients that hospitals are likely to screen as the pandemic slams the U.S.

The uncertainty is being heightened by a lack of clarity surrounding how COVID-19 claims will be categorized. Hospitals could a specific classification for coronavirus, or may code it as traditional pneumonia  all of which may affect what reimbursements will look like.

Getting squeezed on bread and butter clients

The U.S. now has more reported cases than any other country, but a far lower death rate.

While hospitals are preparing for the increase in Covid-19 patients, physician practices are facing the opposite as revenues get squeezed.

Dr. Farzad Mostashari, CEO of Aledade, told Yahoo Finance the outbreak is already pressuring practices where it will hurt the most: Chronic illness cases and elderly patients.

Elderly and chronic patients are the bread and butter of primary care practices, who are, for their safety, being told to stay home and not come into the office, he said.

Some physicians have pivoted to telehealth, something Mostashari believes wont compensate for the financial hit resulting from losing in-person patient visits.

The reimbursement rates [of telehealth] are about 30% less than face-to-face, he added.

John Fanburg, health chair at the law firm of Brach Eichler, said his clients are looking at a range of strategies. Some are considering temporarily lowering staffing levels, shutting down entirely, or requesting landlords for assistance in deferring lease rents.

Either way, it delays care for the neediest patients.

It is a very complicated business arrangement because it's not like regular retail," Fanburg said.

Some practices could qualify for a Small Business Administration loan, but that still adds a strain as the loan would have to be repaid.

The AMA announced Friday a new loan product within the SBA was launched, providing providers with fewer than 500 employees access to loans of up to $10 million. In addition, up to $100 billion from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to cover treatments related to the outbreak, as well as on those who lose revenue due reductions in other services as a result of the pandemic. Exact eligibility criteria and application process is not yet defined pending implementation.

Why labs matter

Covid-19 test kits are prepared at the Genetworx clinical lab Wednesday March 25 , 2020, in Glen Allen, Va. Five thousand kits are being flown to Florida for a drive-thru coronavirus testing site. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

According to the ACLA, funding matters because a number of labs have quickly ramped up operations in response to the outbreak, and are now facing dire financial straits.

Laboratories perform testing first, and worry about being paid later. They are still waiting for reimbursement for tests performed, the group said, adding that many places are burdened with costs associated with processing specimens that dont have all the insurance info.

This is happening at drive thru sites across the country. The strain on laboratories is also coming at a time when the industry has endured year-over-year cuts to Medicare reimbursement to common lab tests, the ACLA said.

Yet the uncertainty surrounding payments is nothing new, according to Dr. Howard Forman, a health economist and professor at the Yale School of Medicine.

We never know what we will get paid for a patient coming in. A large number of patients are unable to pay after the fact This is the business, he told Yahoo Finance.

Thats why outpatient is where money is. With private insurance, we know how much (is being paid) and who is paying, he added.

Free testing is being reimbursed by insurers, employers and government payors alike. The insurance industry has largely committed to covering testing and related visits, as well as select telemedicine screenings and waiving pre-authorization to move patients through hospital settings.

The industry trade group, Americas Health Insurance Providers, penned a letter to Congress warning of a need to mitigate the impact of these actions. Specifically, insurers have said premiums are likely to spike following the outbreak.

Anjalee Khemlani is a reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter: @AnjKhem

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.
Mr. Reeves studied engineering, not journalism, and was working for the manufacturer Ingersoll-Rand in New Jersey when he began a double life as a journalist. On a lark, he and a few friends started a newspaper, the Phillipsburg Free Press, with Mr. Reeves serving as the editor by night, investigating local politicians and presiding over the papers headquarters  a converted movie theater big enough to house an old printing press.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 15:39:33|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

URUMQI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has donated medical supplies to the neighboring countries of Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to aid their fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday noon, a truck carrying five ventilators, 2,000 protective suits, 20,000 medical masks and 2,400 nucleic acid testing kits left the Khunjerab Pass for the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, according to the Urumqi customs in the regional capital.

The Khunjerab Pass only opens from April 1 to Nov. 30 every year. To ensure the rapid customs clearance of medical supplies, Xinjiang temporarily opened the pass and provided a green channel to release medical supplies.

Besides, a truck loaded with 180,000 medical masks headed to Kazakhstan via Xinjiang Horgos Port on Thursday. The masks, donated by the Urumqi city government, would be delivered to Almaty. On the same day, another batch of medical supplies, consisting of 10,000 respirators, 100,000 medical masks and 1,000 protective suits, departed from the Turgar Port to Kyrgyzstan.

Prior to this, Xinjiang had donated 380,000 medical masks to eight countries including Pakistan to help with the fight against the pandemic. The seven others were the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia and Algeria.
A sailor who served in the Falklands War has been reunited with his hat, almost 40 years after it went missing.

Richard Farrand was too busy celebrating, as HMS Invincible sailed into Portsmouth at the end of the war, to notice it had disappeared.

Then a 23-year-old leading engineer aboard the famous aircraft carrier, he gave up the vital piece of his Naval uniform as lost for ever amid the relief of returning home after 166 days at sea.

Now almost 40 years later Mr Farrand, 60, has been reunited with his hat after it came into the hands of a military artefacts dealer, who tracked the former sailor down after seeing his name on the inside of the hat.

Richard Farrand has been reunited with his hat (pictured above) almost forty years after returning from the conflict

The dealer had found Mr Farrand, a father-of-two, on Linkedin and had sent a note to the company he works for.

I have no idea how I lost it! he said. It just disappeared as we sailed back into port and I never thought any more of it.

To be honest, we all had a few beers on the way back in, he said. We had been saving our rations - three cans a day - until we got home.

You know what sailors are like. It all passed in a bit of a haze and somewhere along the way the hat went missing.

Richard Farrand pictured shortly after joining the Royal Navy. His time at sea spanned the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands

Mr Farrand, 60, now a commercial diver, has been reunited with his hat after it came into the hands of a military artefacts dealer, who tracked the former sailor down after seeing his name on the inside of the hat

None the worse for being lost for almost four decades, the souvenir of his 14 years in the Royal Navy now once again has pride of place at the 60-year-olds home in Marsden, West Yorkshire.

The dealer, called Jon, wrote: Richard. Forgive me for contacting you out of the blue. I deal in sporting and military antiques and may have a cap from Invincible that could have been yours.

Attached is a photo. Inside its marked LMEM (M) Farrand. If it was yours Id be happy to re-unite the two of you should you want it.

I know how these can get misplaced over the years. Thered be no charge. Kind regards, Jon.

Mr Farrand said: I was completely bowled over. I couldnt believe how generous he was. It has restored my faith in humanity. What a gesture!

To mark the 35th anniversary of the HMS Invincible returning to Portsmouth after the Falkland's conflict amateur photographer Chris Bonass has released this previously unseen picture of the homecoming

He joined the navy in 1976 after leaving school. He had a brush with death when his ship, the minesweeper HMS Fittleton, collided with HMS Mermaid and sank in the English Channel.

He was rescued but 12 of the crew lost their lives in the worst Royal Naval Reserve disaster in peacetime.

Recalling his time in the bowels of Invincible in the South Atlantic as a leading marine engineer mechanic, Mr Farrand said he would never forget the constant threat of attack from Argentinian jets.

Richard Farrand aboard the HMS Invincible on duty in the South Atlantic. He was too busy celebrating, as HMS Invincible sailed into Portsmouth at the end of the war, to notice his hat had disappeared

I remember once hitting the deck under an attack and you could feel the front of Invincible dip violently as her Sea Dart missiles went off, he said.

We had some SAS lads on board and they said they would not do our jobs for anything because we were trapped inside a tin can if anything happened.

His time at sea spanned the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands.

Mr Farrand sailed back into Portsmouth following the end of the Falklands War.

Along with sister ship HMS Hermes, the mammoth 19,500-ton warship, HMS Invincible, and her fleet of Sea Harrier jump jets played a key role in the 1982 conflict as British forces took back the Falklands from the Argentinian invaders.

When she returned to Portsmouth in September, tens of thousands of cheering, flag-waving well-wishers thronged the sea front at Portsmouth to welcome her home.

As her crew stood to attention on the flight deck she was accompanied into the harbour by a flotilla of small boats bedecked with red, white and blue bunting.

Mr Farrand served a total of 14 years in the navy and went on to join the police force, where he served for 25 years, before becoming a commercial diver.

He returned to the Falklands last year to remember the 255 British servicemen who lost their lives.

For her part, Invincible later saw service in the Balkans before being decommissioned in 2005 and sold for scrap in 2011.

I am just so delighted to have the hat back although I have to admit it does look as if it must have had some adventures since being cast adrift, Mr Farrand said.
Urgent research at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst could mean a breakthrough in one of the critical problems of the coronavirus crisis: a shortage of face masks for medical workers.

Initial results from testing done by Dr. Richard Peltier indicate that N95 masks may be safely reused after sterilization. The masks have been in short supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, endangering both health care workers and their patients.

Peltier is a School of Public Health and Health Sciences professor who partnered with Dr. Brian Hollenbeck, chief of infectious disease at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. Tests were made to determine whether used N95 face masks were still effective at blocking infectious particles after sterilization.

Earlier this week, Peltier said New England Baptist would consider starting a sterilization and reuse protocol for their clinicians. The next question is one hes not really in position to answer: would hospitals on a widespread basis take these results, produced professionally and under the most careful of conditions, as a go-ahead to reuse masks?

Though confident in the validity of his tests, Peltiers observation is that until a hospital or clinic is left with no other choice, there would be natural hesitation to move forward with even positive test results in hand. But he also acknowledged that in some cases, there may be no other good choice.

"Im not surprised that a hospital is reluctant to cast a wide policy, like sterilizing face masks as a standard operating procedure, until the situation is critical. My understanding is that it they are in short supply, but not entirely absent,'' Peltier told The Republican Friday.

"Im sure they want more reassurance of efficacy beyond just a single set of experiments as we conducted; science doesnt always get it completely right on the first go-around, but science is always self-correcting. As a professor, Im also removed from the direct impacts facing clinicians  things like legal liability, logistics of sterilization programs, and the like.

But I would conclude that if a hospital is faced with no N95 masks in stock, and an overwhelming flow of patients, sterilization using hydrogen peroxide will not affect the masks ability to protect the wearer. Under normal circumstances, I would just throw them away. But these are, unfortunately, not normal circumstances.

Waiting for more deliberate testing, which would be the normal procedure in such research, will be ongoing. But medical personnel are not just fighting COVID-19, they are racing against time  and it will take time to continue the research, Peltier said.

Whats left is a choice to consider taking emergency measures in an emergency, especially if using masks once once and disposing of them leaves a hospital with none available.

"The next steps, unfortunately, are to be far more thorough in testing. This project moved forward very fast, and under conditions where my laboratory is closed because of the stay-at-home order, there are no other people to work on this project. All of the experiments were performed by me,'' he said.

It would be wise to study different sterilization techniques, including multiple sterilizations of a mask to evaluate whether this is a robust finding. But, at the end of the day, these are designed to be disposable, and they probably remain so.

Scant research had been done on reusing masks before this week. Until the current crisis, there appeared to be no need. That situation has dramatically changed in the past few weeks.

"There was concern that sterilization might substantially degrade the filter material, causing it to function improperly. (But) they work just as well after sterilization, Peltier said.

As environmental health scientists, we are always looking for opportunities to improve public health. These results show there is no real difference in filtration between a new mask and one that has been sterilized.

N95 face masks are worn over the mouth and nose, and capture particulates in the air. They are designed to be worn once and then discarded. When new, they are very effective at protecting a person from particulates, including droplets that carry infectious agents like the new coronavirus, which causes a respiratory illness called COVID-19.

While these are ordinarily disposable protective devices for medical workers, these are not ordinary times. This science shows that sterilized face masks will protect our health care providers who are working under extraordinary conditions, Peltier said.

He has said that only the N95 type of mask, and not other classes of masks, is being tested. So, the results can only be applied to N95 masks  which, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can block at least 95% of very small particles. The masks do not completely eliminate the risk of illness or death, according to the FDA.

Peltier used state-of-the-art pollution instruments and a mannequin head wearing a face mask to measure whether microscopic particles can pass through the masks after they are sterilized.

Testing was done in a small chamber, with masks attached to a mannequin that had a small pipe extending from its mouth. The chamber was flooded with pollution, and air was collected through the mask as if the mannequin were breathing inside a room filled with pollutants.

The air was delivered to analyzers that used lasers to both count and estimate the size of millions of microscopic particles. Peltier switched between measuring the air from the chamber and the air from behind the mask to calculate how many particles passed through each mask type.

He tested both a new mask, as well as one that had been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide.

Peltier said he would ordinarily repeat the test dozens of times, but the hospital in Boston could not spare additional masks, which, once tested, were unusable.

We are no longer under ordinary circumstances and we have to improvise as best we can, Peltier said.

Related Content:
Coronavirus could pose a significant risk for people living with dementia in the UK  the Government must prioritise their welfare in the coming weeks. Find out more from Sally Copley, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships at Alzheimers Society.

The money provided for NHS and local authorities to deal with coronavirus is good news but the Government needs to say how its going to be used to protect vulnerable people with dementia."

The Coronavirus pandemic could pose a significant risk for people living with dementia in the UK. The virus looks to have the most severe effect for older and vulnerable groups.

Alzheimers Society has already been receiving calls to our Helpline asking how families can best support people with dementia through the outbreak.

With 95% of people living with dementia being over 65, the Government must prioritise their welfare in the coming weeks.

Three areas where Alzheimers Society believe support must be guaranteed

1. Support in social care

Two thirds of homecare users and 70% of people in care homes live with some form of dementia. Its really important that the Government makes sure the care sector has the support it needs.

In the Budget on Wednesday 11 March, the Government committed a 5 billion fund to be available to the NHS and social care to support them in their efforts against the virus. However, we dont yet know how this funding will reach the front line across the already-fragmented social care system.

And with current huge staffing shortages across the sector we need to know what support is in place for care homes where staff develop or come into contact with coronavirus and need to self-isolate as a duty of care.

Will Government guarantee pay for care home staff who are told to isolate themselves?"

If, as suggested, students step in to plug the gaps, what support will they be given to guarantee the quality of care?

The funding is a solution, the spending and availability of this money will dictate how we actually see people in social care protected.

2. Support in the NHS

Bed availability in the NHS will be a huge issue through the outbreak. In the worst affected countries, we have already seen a real strain on hospitals.

Just at the beginning of this year, Alzheimers Society shared our findings about the cost to the NHS of emergency admissions and delayed discharges for people with dementia, as a result of scarce care support in communities.

Our figures show that over 379,000 emergency admissions in England were for people with dementia in 2017/18, up by a third in five years, with 40,000 people with dementia stranded for longer than a month.

With beds now in much higher demand, will patients with dementia be the first to be discharged after being left stranded for so long?"

Around a quarter of people in hospitals are thought to be living with dementia, so we need guarantees on how decisions on discharge will be made and what extra support there will be in community services.

Often, weve worried about people with dementia stuck in hospital when they shouldnt be there  now there could be a risk people are discharged before theyre ready or without the support they need.

Above all we need to know that the rights of people with dementia will be protected throughout this outbreak."

With hospitals stretched to breaking point, there could be a risk of the most vulnerable patients being deprioritised or denied lifesaving treatment for care in favour of other patients.

We need the Government to rule out making decisions like this based on peoples existing conditions.

3. Support for families

There are 1.8 million unpaid carers in England, providing some level of support to a loved one living with dementia. Thousands of people across the UK rely on families for their dementia care.

About a third of people living with dementia live alone. We need to know what support will be offered if family carers have to self-isolate to protect their loved ones.

Who will step in to plug the gap for people who dont currently receive state support if family members cant provide care during the outbreak?"

It is already devastating that so many families have to turn to unpaid care following a lack of available social care. With no other choice, they may be left to choose between exposing their loved one to COVID-19 or leaving them without the support they need.

I cannot imagine what that choice must feel like for carers who are already often fighting with the emotional and financial challenges of accessing good dementia care for their family.

With two thirds of people living with dementia having reported feeling isolated and lonely, taking away any vital care from paid or unpaid help could contribute to decline and deterioration for people with a dementia diagnosis.

Further advice

To support families who are worried about the outbreak, Alzheimers Society has shared this thread on Twitter and published an information page that answers some of the key practical questions.

Coronavirus has been unexpected to all of us and has placed great strain and worry on those vulnerable to it and their families. This is exactly why we need a reformed and vastly improved social care system that is designed to meet the needs of people affected by dementia.

You can also join our campaign to end the dementia care crisis and to ensure the Government provides the support people living with dementia need all year round.
Jacques Villeneuve thinks the coronavirus situation could be about to get a lot worse.

The 1997 world champion, who is now a commentator for Italian and French television, lives on the outskirts of Milan - the region that has been the hardest hit by the global pandemic than anywhere else on earth.

"We are forced to stay at home so we follow the instructions," Villeneuve told Le Journal de Montreal.

"There are thousands of cases here and it is far from over. And what we are experiencing here now, we are going to experience elsewhere. We see it in Spain and France in particular.

"The next step, to a very large extent, could be America," the French Canadian added. "I don't want to alarm anyone, but the situation could get worse if this trend continues."

It has now emerged that the fabled Indy 500, which was scheduled to go ahead in May featuring Fernando Alonso, has been pushed back to August 23.

It is another clear sign that Canada's June 14 race is heading for postponement too.

But Villeneuve thinks it is possible that Montreal - his home race - will actually be the 2020 season opener.

"It would be a coup for Montreal," said the 48-year-old. "The grand prix marks the start of summer in Montreal - it's a great event that is eagerly awaited each year."

Villeneuve, however, admits that a dark cloud hangs over the race.

"Canada is behind the virus," he said. "I can hardly believe that it will take place on June 14. But the good news is that the assembly of the circuit can be delayed. It's not as complex as Baku or Monaco."

(GMM)
ANN ARBOR, MI - The Washtenaw County Circuit Court has granted an Ann Arbor cannabis shop temporary permission to sell products.

ArborSide, 1818 Packard St., did not possess a state certification to sell adult-use or medicinal cannabis products prior to the courts Thursday, March 26 ruling, according to the states Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

The store was denied a license on Jan. 27 by the states Marijuana Regulatory Agency, which equates to the state trying to shut the store down, said Stephanie Achenbach, an attorney representing ArborSide.

Circuit Judge Carol Kuhnke authorized the temporary allowance while the store appeals the decision.

The shop was previously able to operate based on an Ann Arbor city permit before Michigan required stores to apply for state licenses in 2018, Achenbach said. Since the store operated on temporary city permits in the past, it would not be punished for previously distributing cannabis without a state license, she said.

Selling or distributing more than 2.5 ounces of cannabis without a permit or license can lead to fines not exceeding $500 per violation, according to state law.

ArborSide, which bills itself as a medical provisioning center, has been in operation since September 2011, according to its website. It is offering curbside pickup of products during the states stay at home order due to COVID-19 infection concerns.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

Where to pick up marijuana curbside in Ann Arbor

Rock Paper Scissors selling quarantine kits online amid coronavirus outbreak

Ann Arbor bus system further reduces services amid coronavirus outbreak
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 16:17:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SHANGHAI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Municipality has further expanded quarantine measures for inbound passengers and strengthened joint epidemic control measures with provinces across the Yangtze River Delta.

All inbound passengers to destinations other than the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui across the Yangtze River Delta should undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arriving in Shanghai, according to the Information Office of the Shanghai municipal government.

For those inbound passengers who enter Shanghai and are destined for the above provinces, the three provincial governments will send working groups to directly transfer them from the Shanghai airport to their destinations for quarantine based on the joint epidemic control mechanism within the area.

The new regulation, taking effect on Friday, is the latest move to tackle the rising trend of imported novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the area.

Before Friday, inbound passengers destined for other provinces and cities could travel to their final destinations if their nucleic acid test results were negative and their body temperatures were normal upon arriving in Shanghai.

Shanghai reported 17 new confirmed COVID-19 cases from other countries on Thursday, bringing the total number of imported cases in the city to 129.
Some 1,500 passengers from Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan stranded at Istanbul airport over the coronavirus pandemic have been taken to a dormitory in northern Turkey

Some 1,500 passengers from Algeria, Tunisia and Jordan stranded at Istanbul airport over the coronavirus pandemic have been taken to a dormitory in northern Turkey, local media reported on Thursday.

The passengers -- the majority Algerian -- were trapped with flights to their home countries were cancelled.

They were bussed to a students' dormitory in the northern city of Karabuk, the private DHA news agency reported.

Istanbul Airport operator IGA said Tuesday that more than 1,000 Algerians were at the airport for several days as Ankara tried to "persuade the Algerian government to grant landing rights for the affected flights."

The North African country has suspended since March 19 all scheduled travel links with Europe in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke with his counterparts from Algeria and Tunisia on Wednesday, according to a diplomatic source.

Turkey has so far recorded 75 coronavirus-related deaths and 3,629 cases.
NEW YORK, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The investment objective and strategy of each Fund in the table below is currently to seek daily leveraged, or daily inverse leveraged, investment results, before fees and expenses, of 300% or -300%, as applicable, of the performance of its underlying index. Effective after market close on March 31, 2020 each Fund's investment objective and strategy will change to seek daily leveraged, or daily inverse leveraged, investment results, before fees and expenses, of 200% or -200%, as applicable, of the performance of its underlying index, as shown below:

Ticker Fund Underlying Index New Daily

Leveraged

Investment

Objective (before fees and

expenses) BRZU Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 3X

Shares MSCI Brazil 25/50 Index 200% RUSL Direxion Daily Russia Bull 3X Shares MVIS Russia Index 200% NUGT Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index

Bull 3X Shares NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index 200% DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index

Bear 3X Shares -200% JNUG Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners

Index Bull 3X Shares MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners

Index 200% JDST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners

Index Bear 3X Shares -200% ERX Direxion Daily Energy Bull 3X

Shares Energy Select Sector Index 200% ERY Direxion Daily Energy Bear 3X

Shares -200% GUSH Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp.

& Prod. Bull 3X Shares S&P Oil & Gas Exploration &

Production Select Industry Index 200% DRIP Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp.

& Prod. Bear 3X Shares -200%

In addition, the "3X" in each Fund's name will be replaced with "2X"as follows:

Ticker Current Fund Name New Fund Name BRZU Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 3X

Shares Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X

Shares RUSL Direxion Daily Russia Bull 3X Shares Direxion Daily Russia Bull 2X Shares NUGT Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull

3X Shares Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bull 2X

Shares DUST Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear

3X Shares Direxion Daily Gold Miners Index Bear

2X Shares JNUG Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index

Bull 3X Shares Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index

Bull 2X Shares JDST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index

Bear 3X Shares Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index

Bear 2X Shares ERX Direxion Daily Energy Bull 3X Shares Direxion Daily Energy Bull 2X Shares ERY Direxion Daily Energy Bear 3X Shares Direxion Daily Energy Bear 2X Shares GUSH Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. &

Prod. Bull 3X Shares Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. &

Prod. Bull 2X Shares DRIP Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. &

Prod. Bear 3X Shares Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exp. &

Prod. Bear 2X Shares

Each Fund had previously disclosed its plan to make these changes effective May 19, 2020. Due to recent market volatility and related developments, these changes will now occur on the earlier date stated above. For these same reasons and the need to transition each Fund's portfolio to its new investment objective and strategy; it is likely that some or all of the Funds will not achieve their current investment objectives of seeking daily leveraged, or daily inverse leveraged, investment results, before fees and expenses, of 300% or -300%, as applicable, of the performance of their underlying index.

About Direxion:

Direxion equips investors who are driven by conviction with ETF solutions built for purpose and fine-tuned for precision. These solutions are available for a broad spectrum of investors, whether executing short-term tactical trades, investing in macro themes, or building long-term asset allocation strategies. Direxion's reputation is founded on developing products that precisely express market perspectives and allow investors to manage their risk exposure. Founded in 1997, the company has approximately $15 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2019. For more information, please visit www.direxion.com.

There is no guarantee that the Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

For more information on all Direxion Shares daily leveraged ETFs, go to direxion.com, or call us at 866.301.9214.

Leveraged ETFs are not suitable for all investors and should be utilized only by investors who understand the risks associated with seeking daily leveraged and inverse investment results, and intend to actively monitor and manage their investments. Due to the daily nature of the leveraged and inverse investment strategies employed, there is no guarantee of long-term inverse returns. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

An investor should carefully consider a Fund's investment objective, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. A Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other information about the Direxion Shares. To obtain a Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus call 866-716-0735 or visit our website at direxion.com. A Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus should be read carefully before investing.

Direxion Shares Risks  An investment in the ETFs involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. The ETFs are non-diversified and include risks associated with concentration that results from an ETF's investments in a particular industry or sector which can increase volatility. The use of derivatives such as futures contracts and swaps are subject to market risks that may cause their price to fluctuate over time. The ETFs do not attempt to, and should not be expected to, provide returns which are a multiple of the return of their respective index for periods other than a single day. For other risks including leverage, correlation, daily compounding, market volatility and risks specific to an industry or sector, please read the prospectus.

Market Disruption Risk  Geopolitical and other events, including public health crises and natural disasters, have recently led to increased market volatility and significant market losses. Significant market volatility and market downturns may limit the Fund's ability to sell securities and obtain short exposure to securities, and the Fund's sales and short exposuresmay exacerbate the market volatility and downturn. Under such circumstances, the Fund may have difficulty achieving its investment objective for one or more trading days, which may adversely impact the Fund's returns on those days and periods inclusive of those days. Alternatively, the Fund may incur higher costs (including swap financing costs) in order to achieve its investment objective and may be forced to purchase and sell securities (including other ETFs' shares) at market prices that do not represent their fair value (including in the case of an ETF, its NAV) or at times that result in differences between the price the Fund receives for the security or the value of the swap exposure and the market closing price of the security or the market closing value of the swap exposure. Under those circumstances, the Fund's ability to track its Index is likely to be adversely affected, the market price of Fund shares may reflect a greater premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads in the Fund's shares may widen, resulting in increased transaction costs for secondarymarket purchasers and sellers. The Fund may also incur additional tracking error due to the use of futures contracts or other securities that are not perfectly correlated to the Fund's Index.

The recent pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 has proven to be a market disrupting event. The impact of this virus, like other pandemics that may arise in the future, has negatively affected and may continue to negatively affect the economies of many nations, companies and the global securities and commodities markets, including by reducing liquidity in the markets. Adverse effects may be more pronounced for developing or emerging market countries that have less established health care systems. How long such events will last and whether they will continue or recur cannot be predicted.

Distributor: Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

CONTACT: James Doyle

JConnelly

973.850.7308

[email protected]

SOURCE Direxion
First inpatient COVID-19 case confirmed at Sierra View: City to provide meals for less fortunate; Success Lake closed
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future Published a Half-Cooked Research Report on Global Water-Based Coatings Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023

Global Water-Based Coatings Market Growth is profiled in great detail in the latest research report from Market Research Future (MRFR). The Global Water-Based Coatings Market is mainly analyzed from the point of view of understanding the market's previous growth trajectory and then make studied forecasts and projections about the market's likely growth trajectory over the forecast period from 2016 to 2023. The major drivers and restraints affecting the Global Water-Based Coatings Market are also analyzed in detail in the report.

Water-Based Coatings are widely used in the construction, automotive, marine, electronics and other industries due to their benefits in terms of environmental viability. The conventional solvent-based coatings are still widely used in the industrial sector. However, the growing demand for Water-Based Coatings is majorly driven by the growing demand for environment-friendly alternatives. Water-Based Coatings do not emit poisonous substances into the ecology and are also biodegradable, which means that they have no major impact on the global ecosphere. This has been the major driver for the Global Water-Based Coatings Market.

The growing construction industry is likely to remain a major driver for the Global Water-Based Coatings Market over the forecast period. The construction industry has been driven by the growing urbanization in developing countries, which has driven the demand for new residential construction. As more and more workers migrate from rural areas to cities in search of better employment opportunities, the demand for residential construction is likely to grow at a rapid rate in the coming years. This, allied to the construction industry's increasing efforts to become more environmentally sustainable, has led to a growing demand from the Water-Based Coatings Market in the last few years. The construction industry has taken several steps to go green in the last few years, driven by political motivation as well as the increasing public will. The adoption of Water-Based Coatings is just one of many measures taken by the construction industry to reduce its environmental footprint. This is likely to remain a major driver for the Global Water-Based Coatings Market over the forecast period, as the construction industry is a major end-use application for Water-Based Coatings and is likely to play an important role in the market's development in the coming years.

Get Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5742

Regional Analysis:

Asia Pacific is likely to dominate the Global Water-Based Coatings Market over the forecast period, followed by North America. The growing automotive and construction industries in Asia Pacific are likely to remain the major contributors to the Global Water-Based Coatings Market over the forecast period. The electronics and marine sectors are also likely to play a key role in the growth of the Water-Based Coatings Market in Asia Pacific over the forecast period, with China playing a leading role.

Competitive Analysis:

Leading players in the Global Water-Based Coatings Market include Sika AG, Jotun, Chenyang Waterborne Paint, Tikkurila Oyj, The Valspar Corporation, Asian Paints, The Sherwin-Williams Company, RPM International Inc., PPG Industries Inc., Nippon Paint Company Limited, Kansai Paint Co. Ltd., Berger Paints India Limited, BASF SE, Axalta Coating Systems, and AkzoNobel NV.

In October 2019, WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH announced the launch of a new, state-of-the-art production facility for water-based coatings in Gerhardshofen, Germany. The plant is expected to have a production capacity of 30,000 tons once its full capacity is reached.

Browse Key Industry Insights spread across 100 pages with 47 market data tables & 13 figures & charts from the report, Water-Based Coatings Market Information: By Product Type (Water-Soluble Paints, Emulsions Paints, Water-Based Alkyds), Resin Type (Acrylic, Polyurethane), End-Use Industries (Building & Construction, Automotive, Electronics, Paper & Packaging) and Region  Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2023 in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/water-based-coatings-market-5742

Segmentation:

Global Water-Based Coatings Market is segmented on the basis of Product Type, Resin Type, End Use and Region.

By Product Type, the Global Water-Based Coatings Market is segmented into water-soluble paints, colloidal coatings, emulsions/latex paints, and water-based alkyds.

By Resin Type, the Global Water-Based Coatings Market is segmented into acrylic, polyurethane, formaldehyde, epoxy, alkyds, and others.

By End Use, the Global Water-Based Coatings Market is segmented into building and construction, electronics, automotive, marine, paper and packaging, and others. The construction industry holds the largest share in the Global Water-Based Coatings Market and is likely to remain the leading revenue generator over the forecast period.

Read our Blogs @ http://mrfrblog.com

Related Chemicals and Materials Market Research Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/categories/chemicals-market-report

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

Contact:

Market Research Future

+1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Schools are closed, non-essential businesses have been shut down, and people are sheltering in place to slow the spread of coronavirus.

As a result, Americans are staying inside and using the internet more, including doing virtual meetings with Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts and other video chat services; getting news updates; staying in touch through social media; broadcasting on Instagram Live, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube; online gaming; and watching Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+ and other streaming services.

Some users have reported apps slowing down and glitching, or seeing video quality reduced or frozen during heavy traffic periods. Mark Zuckerberg told The New York Times that hes just trying to keep the lights on as Facebook and WhatsApp have seen messaging increase more than 50 percent in many countries.

But could we break the internet? Probably not. (Kim Kardashian couldnt even do it.)

Recode reports overall U.S. internet traffic is up 18 percent from Jan. 1 to March 22, according to data from Cloudflare. The internet performance and security company says that spike in traffic is similar to what happens during major events like the Super Bowl, but is now happening throughout the day on a daily basis.

On a normal weekday in January, internet traffic was heaviest in the evening when people were done with work and relaxing with streaming services or catching up on social media. But during the COVID-19 shutdown, Cloudflare data shows more increases are occurring during the day as students do virtual learning at home or some 42 million Americans continue to work from home.

Video is already 70 percent of all internet traffic, and that might grow as more workers and students teleconference instead of meeting in offices and classrooms.

But Fortune points out the strain wont be on the internet itself, though people might see slowdowns at home if more devices -- computers, phones, tablets, smart TVs -- are connecting at the same time.

The weak link in the chain, where the system could get overloaded, is going to be the home broadband network, a network expert told the magazine. People will hit congestion, just like a highway, where the speed goes from 60 miles an hour to 20.

YouTube said this week that it was defaulting all video content to standard definition for all users worldwide, instead of typical HD format, to help ease the burden on some countries internet infrastructures. Netflix similarly said it would reduce streaming quality in Europe for at least 30 days, at the request of authorities.

But in America, were much more unlikely to overload the internet itself. Fortune says most homes with broadband wont see anything different from when, say, a snow day keeps workers and students from going out.

Its also not something that wears out, Prince told Recode. Its not like, if you run your car for a high rate of speed for an extended period of time, its more likely your cars gonna die. Networks dont work that way.

According to the Associated Press, users with direct fiber-optic connections are the least likely to encounter any problems.

For those who are seeing slowdowns at home, some suggestions from the AP include:

 A service upgrade -- some providers are temporarily offering more bandwidth or dropping service caps for data usage.

 A newer internet modem, especially if its a few years older.

 Add more access points and distribute Wi-Fi with a mesh network, adding satellite stations to boost your signal throughout the house. (Check with your internet provider.)

 Connect some some devices directly to the router with ethernet cables, instead of using Wi-Fi, especially for computers or laptops that may be using heavy data like streaming services or videoconferencing.

 Limit the number of devices streaming at the same time. If youre at home with a large family, dont have everyone in different rooms watching different shows on their phones simultaneously.

 Or conserve bandwidth by switching to audio-only during video chats and multiplayer online games -- one or two people can have video on while others are listening, talking and watching.

Zoom video-conferencing app keeps millions connected amid coronavirus pandemic

Free movies to watch: Try these streaming services while youre stuck at home

Coronavirus: Take a virtual tour of a state park on your computer

Here are all 450 free online Ivy League classes you can enroll in while you wait out coronavirus outbreak

Always free, always online: Access digital library resources
Advertisement

Coral Guise-Smith (right) spent 12 days aboard the coronavirus-infected Ruby Princess cruise ship from March 8 until March 19 before flying to London and on to Spain on March 22. (She is pictured with a friend on board the vessel shortly before it made its final stop in Sydney)

A British woman who complained of aches, pains and a 'shocking headache' after spending 12 days aboard the coronavirus-infected Ruby Princess flew from Sydney to London and on to her home in Spain in defiance of strict self-isolation rules aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Coral Guise-Smith, 65, travelled to Australia for the cruise of a lifetime, leaving Sydney's Circular Quay on Sunday, March 8 to sail across the Tasman Sea and stop at Wellington and Napier on New Zealand's North Island.

The Ruby Princess arrived back in Sydney Harbour on Thursday, March 19, before all 2,700 passengers spilled onto the city streets without being tested for coronavirus.

So far 133 of those have since been diagnosed with COVID-19, making it the single greatest source of infections in Australia since the outbreak began on January 25.

Despite being instructed to self-isolate at home or in a hotel room for 14 days, Ms Guise-Smith, from Sheffield, flew 18,447km across three continents, spending time in at least three airports on her way back to the upmarket coastal town of Moraira in southeastern Spain.

Since returning to Europe she has told friends on Facebook that she feels 'terrible' and has been resting in bed, taking doses of Paracetamol and vitamin C to alleviate her symptoms. She has not yet been tested for COVID-19.

The revelation comes as Australia's confirmed cases jumped to 3,573 after the nationwide death toll rose to 14 when a 91-year-old woman who was a resident at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged-care facility in Macquarie Park, NSW died on Saturday.

Ms Guise-Smith documented her time on board the Ruby Princess on Facebook, sharing photos of herself in a glamorous evening gown and posting updates as the global COVID-19 pandemic cast uncertainty over the ship's usual route.

'The ship docks early Thursday morning. Aussies can get off but they are not sure about international passengers,' she posted on Tuesday, March 17.

'Already to get flights for Friday, but what if they keep us on board for another 10 days isolation? The uncertainty is unfair on the Brits, Americans and other nationalities.'

A timeline of potential transmission: This graphic shows the path of the Ruby Princess between Sydney and three ports in New Zealand, and Ms Guise Smith's subsequent journey home to Spain via London

In a Facebook post shared on Wednesday, March 18, Ms Guise-Smith outlined the time frame of her journey home, which started with a flight from Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport on the afternoon of Saturday, March 21 and ended with an onward flight from London's Gatwick Airport to Spain on the evening of Sunday, March 22.

She also counted the days she would spend in self-isolation by the time her trip was over, saying: 'Two days in isolation in a hotel here [in Sydney] before we fly. So that's four days on the ship. Two in Sydney and then 14 in Spain. Lovely.'

On Friday, March 20, the day Ms Guise-Smith disembarked the Ruby Princess at Circular Quay, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard issued a statement to passengers instructing them to immediately quarantine themselves for 14 days.

'The very big concern is that those people came off the cruise with no knowledge of COVID-19 actually being on their ship,' he said.

'If they think that it's okay to be wandering around, the clear message from me as New South Wales health minister is "no it's not".

'Please put yourself into immediate quarantine for 14 days, self-isolate in your home or your normal place of residence, or whenever you may be, and start taking very serious note of your own health.'

Official advice from the British government's Gov UK website tells British travellers overseas to 'quarantine for your own protection' if the local authority issues that advice.

In these Facebook posts from Wednesday, March 18 (left) and Sunday, March 22 (right) she outlined her journey home and thanked friends for their well wishes and revealed she had sat 'in a very empty Gatwick airport from 7am - 4.30pm' on Sunday afternoon

In another post from Sunday, March 22, she thanked friends for their well wishes and revealed she had sat 'in a very empty Gatwick airport from 7am - 4.30pm [GMT]' that afternoon.

Ms Guise-Smith ended by saying she would be self-isolating until April 12 once she returned to Spain.

On Wednesday, March 25, Ms Guise-Smith told friends on Facebook she had taken Paracetamol and was lying in bed because she felt unwell.

'Not sure if I have the virus or not, but feel terrible,' she said.

In reply to a person who asked if she thinks she contracted the respiratory illness on the cruise, she said: 'If I have got it, it's a mild dose. No cough, no temperature, just shocking headache and back ache.'

Ms Guise-Smith urged people to 'stay home, self-isolate and stay alive' in a series of posts over the past week, despite making a transoceanic journey almost 20,000km across the world while she was supposed to be self-isolating in a hotel.

'Why is everyone waiting for Boris [Johnson] to clarify. Watch what is happening in Italy and Spain who are on full lockdown,' she said.

'Use your common sense...be sensible. No brainer to me.'

On Thursday, March 26, just hours after she complained of aches and a headache and said she 'wasn't sure' if she had the virus, Ms Guise-Smith posted a status confirming she felt better and attributed her symptoms to 'the stress of getting off the ship, getting home and jet lag'.

She said she was experiencing no symptoms of coronavirus, 'just very tired and [a] headache'.

Since returning to Spain, Ms Guise-Smith has been telling friends on Facebook she 'feels terrible' and has been suffering from aches and 'shocking headaches'

Ms Guise-Smith urges people to 'stay home, self-isolate and stay alive' in this post from Wednesday, March 25 - despite making a transoceanic journey almost 20,000km across the world while she was supposed to be self-isolating in a hotel

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Guise-Smith for comment but has received no response.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Guise-Smith for comment but has received no response

If she is suffering from COVID-19, there is no way of telling how many people she may have infected along her journey home.

Coronavirus is spread through contaminated respiratory droplets which become airborne when someone infected with the disease coughs or sneezes.

The virus can also be spread through handshakes and other physical contact with an infected individual, and by touching door knobs, taps or other surfaces which have been handled by a person with COVID-19.

The time between when a person is exposed to the virus and when symptoms first appear is typically five to six days, but the time frame can range anywhere from two to 14 days, according to NSW Health.

For this reason, people who might have been in contact with a confirmed case are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Most COVID-19 cases appear to be spread from people who have symptoms, but a small number of people seem to be infectious before their symptoms develop.

It's the latest in a string of stories connected to the Ruby Princess, with Australian Border Force blaming NSW Health authorities for giving the infected vessel clearance to dock in Sydney.

The ship docked in Port Chalmers in the city of Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island on Thursday, 12 March.

CORAL GUISE-SMITH'S TRAVEL TIMELINE Sunday March 8: Boards Ruby Princess at Circular Quay, Sydney Thursday March 12: Docks in Port Chalmers on New Zealand's South Island Saturday March 14: Docks in Wellington, New Zealand Sunday March 15: Docks in Napier, New Zealand Thursday March 19: Ship reaches final destination, docks at Circular Quay, Sydney All passengers are told they must self-isolate either at home or in a hotel for 14 days Between Thursday March 19 and the morning of Saturday March 21: Spends two nights at undisclosed hotel in Sydney Saturday afternoon, March 21: Flies from Sydney International Airport to London Early hours of Sunday March 22: Arrives in London and spends roughly eight hours in Gatwick Airport awaiting flight to Spain. Evening of Sunday March 22: Flies from London Gatwick to Alicante Airport, arriving at 8pm Advertisement

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

It continued on to the capital Wellington where it docked on Saturday, 14 March before sailing to Napier on the east coast of the North Island on Sunday, 15 March.

Five people on board had developed 'influenza-like illness' by the time the vessel reached Wellington, but tested negative for COVID-19 at the time, NSW Health revealed on Friday, March 20.

As of Tuesday, March 22, 133 people - 107 in NSW and 26 interstate - had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after leaving the ship, making it the single greatest source of infections in Australia since the outbreak began on January 25.

Other passengers - like Ms Guise-Smith - took flights back to their home countries, potentially carrying the virus with them.

Infectious disease experts have warned that more than 300 people on board the embattled cruise ship could have already contracted coronavirus by the time it docked in Sydney last week.

They predict the number of confirmed cases is likely to 'double or triple' in the next few days because of the virus' 14-day incubation period, which is the time between infection and the appearance of first symptoms.

Coronavirus cases in Australia as of Saturday morning

Cruise ship passengers have since been banned from disembarking in Sydney after the Ruby Princess fiasco.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday announced cruise ships will not be allowed to dock in Circular Quay until new protocols are signed.

'I don't want a single person coming off a ship in Sydney until various signing of protocols between the federal and state governments,' Ms Berejiklian said.
Edward Bloch was stationed in Hawaii and had just finished KP duty on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, when he heard the roar of a plane diving over Pearl Harbor. He and his Army buddies ran outside to watch.

They saw a formation of planes dropping bombs. When the bombs hit their targets, billows of black smoke and flames filled the air, Mr. Bloch, then 19, wrote in a diary he kept of events before, during, and after the Japanese attack.

Every one of us thought it was the Navy on maneuvers, he wrote. As soon as they pulled out of their dive, they headed for us at Hickam Field, flying at a daring low altitude, I judge at about 75 feet. And not until then would we see the insignia of the rising sun on the side of their [air]ships.

As American GIs slept in their barracks, the Japanese bombed a hangar, rows of parked airplanes, and an armament room that was blown to hell, Mr. Bloch wrote. The firehouse was hit so hard the men couldnt sound an alarm. There was no water pressure to fight the fires ignited by the explosions.

After a lull, there was a second air attack. Mr. Bloch dived under a building, as soldiers on either side of him were killed by the blasts.

I dont know how I was lucky enough to live through it, Mr. Bloch wrote.

Mr. Bloch, 97, a Philadelphia native and World War II Army Air Corps veteran who later became a television engineer, died Monday, March 9, of cardiac rest at a hospital in Pembroke Pines, Fla. He had moved 20 years ago to Florida from Lahaska, Bucks County.

Mr. Bloch graduated from Olney High School in 1940. In March 1941, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at age 18. He wanted to become an airplane mechanic but instead became a high-speed radio operator. He turned 19 just days before Dec. 7.

In his diary, Mr. Bloch told of the carnage he saw that morning. As the men fled the barracks, the Japanese pilots took aim, "strafing everything in sight, he wrote. He saw six men killed as they tried to repel the invaders with a machine gun.

"Some of the sights I saw made me sick at the stomach, he wrote. I couldnt eat for almost a whole day, although I tried to.

His most chilling memory was of seeing the enemy in their cockpits. In one case, he could see the face of the pilot and the guy in the back, the bombardier, they looked at each other and made eye contact, his stepdaughter, Judy Jawer, said.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Bloch stayed in the South Pacific, serving as a radio operator on B-17 and B-24 bombers. He flew more than 30 missions before being honorably discharged in July 1945 with the rank of technical sergeant.

He then studied television for two years at Temple University Technical School and taught there from 1948 to 1958.

From 1948 to 1966, Mr. Bloch also worked at WFIL-TV (ABC affiliate) in Philadelphia as a technician in the master control room, as a cameraman, and performing audio/videotape management and equipment maintenance.

He worked at WCAU-TV (CBS affiliate) in Philadelphia from 1966 to 1986 as a central control supervisor, programming coordinator, and equipment maintenance man.

In 2000, he moved to Bal Harbour, Fla., where he became a security guard at the Majestic Towers, a high-rise. He continued until retiring in his early 90s.

Mr. Bloch married Philadelphia television personality Lynne Barrett in 1964. They divorced in 1998 but remained friends. An earlier first marriage that produced two daughters ended in divorce.

A music lover, Mr. Bloch enjoyed playing the trumpet and the harmonica. He also enjoyed going to schools to tell of his wartime experiences. In December 2016, he returned to Pearl Harbor for the 75th commemoration of the attack. It was an amazing experience, Jawer said.

Besides his stepdaughter and his former wife Lynne Bloch, he is survived by a stepson, Bruce Jawer, and five grandchildren.

Services are being delayed due to the coronavirus.
Health Minister Simon Harris has warned that people visiting friends or family unnecessarily are at greater risk of spreading the coronavirus than people who are arriving in Ireland from abroad.

Community transmissions now account for more than half of all cases in Ireland.

We know were going to see many cases in our country, we sadly know were going to see deaths in our country, but we also know the measures were taking together, tough and challenging though they are, can make a real difference, he told Newstalks Pat Kenny Show.

We now have sadly seen 19 deaths from COVID-19, and I hope people are very much getting the message that we would not have done the

extraordinary things this week, were it not that serious. We have to take this extremely seriously in the coming days.

The Minister said he was concerned that people are focussing on external issues which was missing the point.

If you decide to continue to leave your home unnecessarily, then you are risking spreading this virus. If youre leaving your house today to make an unnecessary visit to a friend or family member, youre at much greater risk of spreading that virus than anybody else arriving in our country," he said.

If youre deciding to pop into a neighbour for a cup of coffee, human things that we all like to do, youre spreading that virus. I need you to stay at home unless you absolutely need to leave your home.

The Health Minister also said that the first plane-load of PPE will land in Ireland on Sunday.

He said 10 extra planes will follow in the subsequent days.

"We usually spend 15 million a year on PPE. This year, we are spending 225 million; that is nearly 15 years of PPE," he said.

He also praised Aer Lingus and Ryanair for stepping up, with pilots volunteering to fly over to China to pick up the equipment.

Mr Harris also said his "gut feeling" is that the current policies toward dental procedures needs to be examined. He has asked the NPHET to take a look at it.

"They will bring clarity shortly," he said, responding to questions from concerned dentists, who have called on health officials to cancel routine dental procedures amid fears of spreading the virus. I get the point they are making," Mr Harris said.

The Health Minister also praised the work of gardai helping out in the local community and warned that anyone "who decides to be a bit of an idiot" simply won't be tolerated in terms of social distancing, gatherings and instances of coughing or spitting at people.

Elsewhere, Minister Harris noted that officials will be visiting workplaces and businesses still open - such as construction sites - to ensure social distancing guidance is being followed.

"We have given them 48 hours to comply and we will be using the agencies of the state, including the HSA, to make sure they are," he said.

The NPHET are also examining the rate of admissions to ICU and the geographical spread of cases. Some two-thirds are in Dublin or Cork, he said, and they are keen to see if there is something that can be done to slow the spread of the virus.
ANSONIA  A downtown business owner has designed a crafty plan to keep local students busy as they remain at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Glitter Craze, an arts and crafts store that opened at 301 Main St. last fall, will hand out free slime kits next week, and will do a sign-up post for parents to pick them up curbside.

We would like to do something fun for some of the local children in Ansonia, said Glitter Craze owner Tammy Guys. We know parents are facing tough times right now and the added stress with little ones being cooped up at home and unable to get out and play or socialize.

Guys said she will post a sign-up sheet on her stores Facebook page on March 30. The sign-ups will be first come, first served, as theres a limited number of free kits that can be distributed. Parents who sign up can then pick up the kits between noon and 2 p.m. April 1 at curbside outside the store.

Guys then will hold a live tutorial on Facebook the following day at 2 p.m. to show kids how to make the slime and some of the fun things to do with it.

Its something we are blessed to be able to do and it gives the kids a creative outlet, Guys added. We feel like we are all in this together and every little bit helps. The kids need us as a community right now as many parents are facing hard times.

As long as shes able to continue to receive supplies, Guys hopes to do a few more giveaways of free craft kits. Shes already planning to pass out kindness rock kits the following week, with which kids can decorate a rock with a special picture or message, and leave it somewhere around town for someone else to find.

Its a way to pass some kindness and creativity on to the person who finds it, Guys noted.

Superintendent of Schools Joseph DiBacco lauded Guys for her creativity in helping kids keep busy during these challenging times.

I think it is wonderful to help families during these stressful and uncertain times, DiBacco said. We appreciate the local businesses that are being so generous by supporting families with free meals and free supplies. As someone who really enjoys art, I would personally like to thank Glitter Craze for what they are doing.

Mayor David Cassetti couldnt agree more.

At a time when businesses are struggling to survive, its extraordinary to see Glitter Craze put the needs of our residents above the needs of their business, said Cassetti.

They are proving that they care about our community and they truly belong here in Ansonia where we have a strong spirit of generosity and kindness. We are very fortunate to count Glitter Craze in our family of downtown businesses and restaurants, he said. I know when we come through this health crisis together, our community will find a way to thank the owners of Glitter Craze and everyone who has been so thoughtful. I want to thank all of the local businesses and restaurants who are stepping up during our time of need. You wont be forgotten.

jean.sos@snet.net
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:29:18|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced Friday the cabinet will increase wages for employees at Rafic Hariri University Hospital (RHUH), which is the heart of the fight against COVID-19, MTV local TV channel reported.

"The wage hikes will start to be applied by the end of this month," Diab told employees during a press conference after his tour at the medical center to follow up developments related to COVID-19.

Employees at the hospital held a sit-in on Friday to protest against their unpaid salaries and delayed wage hikes. Despite the outbreak of COVID-19, employees said that they did not receive yet their full entitlements.

Diab noted that the cabinet will grant employees their salaries hike but the payment of salaries is the responsibility of the hospital.

The prime minister also said the cabinet has allocated 60 million U.S. dollars to buy equipment and is treating patients infected with COVID-19 according to approved protocols.

He also noted that the cabinet will start soon distributing 600,000 portions of food for the most vulnerable people.

"We are doing the best we can to protect our people and restore citizens' confidence in the state," Diab said.

On Friday, Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased to 391 and the virus claimed the lives of seven people in the country.
New Delhi , March 27 : Amid reports of hundreds of migrants forced to walk back to native places in the absence of transport due to national lockdown, the Congress questioned that if stranded Indians could be evacuated from abroad, why could buses not be arranged to send the poor back home.

"If Air India planes can be deployed, rightly, to evacuate Indians stranded abroad, why can't the government deploy special buses/planes to come to the rescue of daily- wagers who are now walking 250-300 km to reach home? The government must ensure safe relocation -- 48 crore workforce needs help," said Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill.

Disturbing images of migrants trudging back home from Delhi and elsewhere during the rain on Friday have appeared in the media.

The 21-day nationwide lockdown since Tuesday midnight has brought all work to a halt, forcing poor people to migrate from the national capital region to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Todays sunshine is going to give way to some unsettled weather across much of Michigan this weekend. While there is only a slight chance of severe weather for the southern part of the state on Saturday, the next few days will bring some rounds of possibly heavy rain, high wind gusts, and maybe even some thunderstorms and lightning. One part of Michigan even has a shot at seeing some hail.

In the lower half of the Lower Peninsula, locally heavy rain and some isolated thunderstorms will move in tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

On Saturday, we will see a more widespread rain. It will get windier, too. Gusts of up to 30 mph are possible during the day, with gusts increasing to 50 mph in some areas overnight Saturday and into Sunday. These higher wind gusts will likely be in the central and southern Lower Peninsula, and mean that scattered power outages may be possible.

Highlights from the NWS report:

Most storms only capable of gusty winds, lightning, locally heavy downpours

Small risk for stronger storms south of I 94 - could contain localized damaging wind gusts (damage to trees, power lines), and large hail.

The risk of up to 1-inch hail is a possibility for southeastern Michigan later Saturday, but right now its not seen as a big severe weather threat.

On Sunday, well see temperatures turning colder and the winds ramping up. The southern part of the Lower Peninsula will see more rain showers, while the northern part of the Lower Peninsula as well as the Upper Peninsula will see rain changing to snow.

With these higher winds, gale warnings are expected for Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, with lakeshore flooding and erosion possible on Sunday.

A pretty active weather weekend is expected. Lightning strikes are hazards in any thunderstorm on Saturday, but some... Posted by US National Weather Service Grand Rapids Michigan on Friday, March 27, 2020

There is a marginal risk for severe weather and excessive rainfall for SE Michigan Saturday night. The main threats with... Posted by US National Weather Service Detroit / Pontiac Michigan on Friday, March 27, 2020

Our next storm system will arrive Saturday, bringing some heavier rain at times. A few thunderstorms are also possible... Posted by US National Weather Service Gaylord Michigan on Friday, March 27, 2020
Northern Irish farmers have welcomed a derogation from the Basic Payment Scheme's (BPS) three crop rule following the adverse weather conditions.

With many parts of the UK having experienced the wettest February on record, NI industry bodies called on the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to consider a derogation.

The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) urged DAERA to consider the challenges facing arable and horticulture growers while trying to meet their crop diversification requirements.

DAERA Minister, Edwin Poots announced the news, saying: This winter has seen extremely high levels of rainfall particularly over the December to February period with record amounts being recorded for the month of February.

I understand the difficulties that this has caused for arable farmers with plantings delayed or abandoned. In these circumstances, I believe that many farmers could not comply with the crop diversification requirements or could do so only with great difficulty.

"Therefore I intend to introduce a derogation from all the crop diversification requirements for 2020 scheme year and will bring forward the necessary legislation to the Assembly in due course for approval.

The derogation will apply to all farms with over 30 hectares of arable land.

Responding to the announcement, the UFU said the 'much needed' derogation has been 'well received' by farmers in Northern Ireland.

"The derogation will alleviate some of the current pressure on farms during this difficult time," he said.

DAERAs derogation will make a huge difference to UFU growers who have faced months of relentless heavy rain, waterlogging and flooding of fields leaving them unable to plant and establish crops for 2020.
As people around the world have transplanted their lives onto the internet while trying to stay in their homes during the coronavirus pandemic, technology experts have been confident that the web will be able to handle all the traffic. More and more countries are now instituting lockdowns in a desperate attempt to flatten the curve, and the internet hasnt exactly broken, but it is starting to creak and spark a bit. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently told the New York Times, Were just trying to keep the lights on over here, as the companys social networks try to accommodate soaring app usage rates for calls, messaging, and news consumption. If even Facebook is feeling the pressure, how is everyone else doing?

Broadband

Internet speeds have been declining in various coronavirus hot spots around the world as broadband providers scramble to keep up with sudden spikes in traffic. Hubei, the Chinese province that has Wuhan as its capital, has seen mobile broadband speeds fall by roughly 60 percent since January, according to Ooklas Downdetector, an internet monitoring service. Performance has been slowly improving in March as China reaches the tail end of the outbreak, though its nowhere close to fully recovering. Countries in western Europe began experiencing broadband performance issues in early March, around the time when governments there began enforcing lockdowns, though the dips have not been as dramatic as they have been in Hubei.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In the U.S., broadband declines have been negligible in some cities but dramatic in others. The broadband tracking service BroadbandNow found that 88 of the 200 most populous cities in the country experienced some amount of network degradation in the past week. Austin, Texas; Oxnard, California; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina saw download speeds drop by more than 40 percent, while San Jose, California, had a 38 percent drop. Meanwhile, there have been little to no changes in download speeds in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago.

Video Streaming

Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services have all committed to downgrading their picture quality in various parts of the world in order to avoid putting too much strain on the internet as hundreds of millions of people stay home and binge shows in an effort to practice social distancing. Before the pandemic, peak streaming times for most households lasted four hours on weekdays; its now 10 hours a day, according to CNBC. Video is by far the biggest bandwidth hog; Netflix alone consumes 15 percent of the worlds bandwidth.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Netflix said on Saturday that its reducing traffic by 25 percent in Spain and Italy and is now reportedly applying those cuts to other European countries as well as in Latin America and India. It has yet to do so for the U.S., though users across the country were unable to access the service for about an hour on Wednesday. YouTube announced on Tuesday that it would be setting the default video quality to standard definition across the globe for a month, though people will be able to opt in to higher resolution. Amazon is also throttling its Prime Video service in Europe and the U.K. but has been tight-lipped about the specifics. Disney+, in reducing its picture quality, is cutting its bandwidth consumption by at least 25 percent overall and is delaying its launch in France by two weeks.

Video Games

Similar to streaming sites, video game services have also been trying to enact measures to ease up the strain they put on networks. Sony and Steam, the virtual video game marketplace, have both committed to throttle traffic from downloading games. On Tuesday, Steam had more than 22.67 million people using its service concurrently, beating out a record it had set in early 2018 of just over 18.5 million. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox, has additionally asked major gaming companies to space out the releases of their online updates so as not to clog up any networks.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Some video game services themselves have also been experiencing outages. Xbox Live reported that users were having trouble with signing in and matchmaking, while Nintendos Europe division said that it was having issues with its network services. There have also been numerous spikes in reports of PlayStation Network malfunctions. And the online shooter game Fortnite said recently that it was also having problems with logins, matchmaking, and its virtual shop.

Unemployment Websites

Last week, nearly 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits, surpassing records set in previous recessions by a jaw-dropping margin. The websites that states run to accept applications have been collapsing under the weight of this newly unemployed population. Last week, I wrote about how online claim portals in Oregon, New York, Kentucky, and Virginia had crashed around the same time that their governors had ordered nonessential businesses to shut down. Since then, readers from Alabama, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Illinois have emailed me to share their frustrations with their states unemployment systems. Many users described websites crashing in the middle of filling out their applications and rerouting them to time out pages. Attempts to reach out directly to the unemployment offices via phone and email have gone unanswered. North Carolina is also experiencing website timeouts and crashing making it impossible to apply for benefits online. At their Asheville location my daughter and others were turned away from applying in person and told to keep trying the website, one reader told me. Can they not do better for these people who are desperate for assistance because theyve been laid off?

For more on the impact of the coronavirus, listen to this weeks Political Gabfest.
Two prisoners serving time at one of Britain's high-security Category A jails have been charged with murdering their arsonist cellmate.

Steven Hilden and Terry Jocham, both 28, are accused of killing convicted arsonist Sundeep Ghuman, 36, at HMP Belmarsh last February.

Ghuman was found with head injuries by prison guards following the alleged attack, and died the following evening at hospital.

A post-mortem examination recorded the cause of death as a head injury.

Ghuman was jailed for five years and four months in 2011 for a series of arson attacks in the southeast London borough of Bexley.

He broke into a Kwik Fit store on May 7, 2011, while armed with a blow torch and a propane gas canister, and set fire to a tyre stack and a fence.

Convicted arsonist Sundeep Ghuman was killed in HMP Belmarsh last February

HMP Belmarsh is one of only three high-security 'core' local prisons in England and Wales

Later that night, residents had to be evacuated from their homes after Ghuman damaged a pipe, causing a build-up of gas.

He was found guilty of two counts of arson and three counts of being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, The Bexley Times reported.

At the end of his sentence, Ghuman was to remain on licence for a further five years.

Scotland Yard said Hilden and Jocham have been charged with murder via postal requisition and are due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court today.

Belmarsh is one of only three high-security 'core' local prisons in England and Wales.

It has housed some of Britain's most high-profile prisoners, including Julian Assange - ahead of his extradition hearing - and Tommy Robinson.

Robinson, a far-Right political activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, served his sentence last year after being convicted of contempt of court.

An inspection report in 2018 showed that levels of violence had increased at Belmarsh since it was last assessed three years previously.

It opened in 1991 and had an operational capacity of 910 prisoners as of 2008, according to the Ministry of Justice.
The body of a coronavirus-infected Georgia health care worker was found in her house with her young child for more than 12 hours after she died of the coronavirus.

The 42-year-old woman was likely dead for 12 to 16 hours before she was found during a welfare check on Thursday at her Coweta County home. Her 4-year-old child was by her body.

Diedre Wilkes was a mammogram technician at a Coweta County, Georgia hospital whose body was discovered in the living room of her house.

According to Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk, tests undertaken after her death confirmed that she was diagnosed with COVID-19. It was not made clear if the child has also contracted the illness.

The Georgian woman in her home days after a friend reported her missing.

According to authorities, the child was alone for around 12 to 16 hours.

The woman had flu-like symptoms for about a week before she died, said Hawk.

According to Hawk, the woman did not have any known underlying conditions. It was not clear if or how long she had symptoms.

It was not immediately precise how she contracted the disease.

Georgia has registered more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus, with 38 fatalities. An autopsy is being conducted as of now.

A spokesperson at Piedmont Newnan Hospital issued a statement on Wednesday that the hospital staff was "deeply saddened when the coroner notified us ... of the sudden passing of our colleague."

The woman declined to take a test if she was positive of the virus prior to her death.

Also Read: High Dosages of Vitamin C May Help Treat Coronavirus Patients

Another coronavirus death of healthcare worker in Georgia

One the same day, another Georgia medical worker, 48, died in Jacksonville, Florida, upon being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. The healthcare provider worked at Donaldson Hospital.

The hospital said, "Healthcare workers are on the front lines of fighting the virus and deserve the utmost respect and honor for doing their jobs."

According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, as of Tuesday night, Coweta County has confirmed 10 cases of the coronavirus.

The total of coronavirus cases in the U.S. soared past 53,000.

Authorities are struggling to keep up with problems stemming from the virus. In some cases, vulnerable and marginalized people have fallen by the wayside.

Out of caution, the hospital where Wilkes worked contacted employees and patients she may have had contact with.

Piedmont declared that "because we were told that an initial COVID-19 test performed after her death was positive, and because we know people can expose others before they show evidence of the disease, as a cautionary measure, we have contacted the employees and patients who may have had contact with this employee in the days leading up to the colleague's last day at work."

According to their statement, "Piedmont is providing these individuals with detailed information for self-monitoring and will offer COVID-19 testing to those who request it."

The Georgia Department of Health released a statement indicating that Wilkes had a chronic health condition.

The U.S. has confirmed at least 706 fatalities.

Related Article: Hantavirus Kills One in China, May Be Next Outbreak After Coronavirus?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A hairdresser in the Netherlands named Bella Rosa has become an online sensation after she devised an unusual hazmat suit from a black umbrella to protect herself from the coronavirus transmission. The Dutch barberette posted a video on Facebook in which she can be seen attending to a client shielded behind the umbrella doing business, as usual, simultaneously maintaining social distancing measures.

The eight-second clip, which was uploaded last week, was shot at Bella Rossa salon in Oss, north of Eindhoven, Holland. The video has gone viral as the internet lauded the hair dressers bizarre, yet innovative, anti-coronavirus costume that amassed over 96k shares and 3.5k likes. Basically, the stylist cut two holes in the umbrella and wore it around her body to keep away from the infection. She also wore disposable gloves while cutting the clients hair. She wrote in the caption of the clip, This is not going well," as the client could be heard laughing in the video as the loud music played in the background.

Read: Barcelona Players Reject Wage Cut Proposal Amidst Coronavirus Crisis: Report

Read: Roman Reigns Dedicates A Song To WWE Fans To Spread Coronavirus Awareness: Watch

Netizens in splits

Nations worldwide have suspended all non-essential businesses such as hair salons from operating. Millions globally are put under quarantine as a containment measure to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Although there is no scientific evidence of such makeshift attires to protect against the disease, several people have been witnessed to have designed odd protective gear to keep the infection at bay.

Read: 'God I Miss It': Coronavirus Outbreak Makes Britons Miss Brexit Days

Nevertheless, social media has lauded her effort to be dedicated to work and adopt protective measures at the time. Really crazy you, wrote a user. You have an invention for everything, right, superwoman, said another Facebook commenter. I swear may God make you smile, wrote a third. "Bunch of lunatics," wrote a fourth user jokingly, following the laughter emojis.

Read: Anupam Kher's Show 'New Amsterdam' Pulls Down 'Pandemic' Episode Amid Coronavirus Spread

Read: Ed Sheeran Hailed By Fans For Keeping Restaurant Staff Employed In Coronavirus Pandemic
Aleppo has extended the closure of schools, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and has implemented remote educational programs writes Enab Baladi.

The Directorate of Education in the northern Aleppo countryside has decided to extend the suspension of classes in the area until the end of April as a preventative measure against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The directorate issued a decision to extend the suspension of classes on Wednesday, and published the decision on its Facebook page, without noting alternative procedures.

This came after the Turkish Education Ministry announced it was extending the suspension of classes in Turkey until the end of April.

Since the middle of March, the educational process has stopped in cities and towns in the northern Aleppo countryside to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Some private schools are carrying out remote education, while the education director in al-Bab city, Jumaa Kazkaz, previously told Enab Baladi that they had so far not done so in public schools.

Kazkaz said that they were considering setting up a digital education platform that included all curricula, which they would resort to if necessary, with the most qualified teachers selected for all subjects, and then the classes recorded and put up on the platform.

Education in Idleb ongoing remotely

The Education Directorate in Idleb province is continuing with a remote educational system with classes stopped at both public and private schools and in academies and educational points.

In a statement issued on Mar. 23, 2020, the directorate explained how to implement the remote education system, with the teacher sharing educational materials, which are designed according to a weekly plan with parents on a daily basis.

The educational material contains pictures, videos, audio and transcripts, designed by the teacher in collaboration with the Protection Officer and the librarian.

The teacher answers students questions and corrects materials that arrive via chat rooms.

The principal and main teacher oversee the implementation of the weekly plans, and submit the necessary reports and documentation.

The directorate has reduced the working hours of its departments and educational agencies, except for necessary procedures, such as registering students and following up on remote education and training.

The directorate suspended school hours for students only for one week, on Mar. 20, 2020, with administrative work in schools continuing.

According to reporting, no regions in northern Syria had registered cases of the coronavirus.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Matt Novak reports that the first teenager to die in the U.S. from Covid-19 coronavirus infection was uninsured and denied treatment at the urgent care clinic he tried to check into. They told him to go to another hospital; he went into cardiac arrest on the way.

A 17-year-old boy in Los Angeles County who became the first teen believed to have died from complications with covid-19 in the U.S. was denied treatment at an urgent care clinic because he didn't have health insurance.  "He didn't have insurance, so they did not treat him," [R. Rex] Parris said in a video posted to YouTube. The staff at the urgent care facility told the teen to try the emergency room at Antelope Valley (AV) Hospital, a public hospital in the area, according to the mayor.

Parris is the mayor of Lancaster, California. From the transcript of his remarks:
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 06:34 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206db9dd9 1 City COVID-19-in-Indonesia,doctors,nurses,medical-workers,Jakarta-administration,anies-baswedan,COVID-19,COVID-19-Jakarta Free

The Jakarta administration has provided special accommodation for doctors and nurses in the capital to support those on the front line in the fight against COVID-19.

A total of 220 rooms with 414 beds have been prepared for the medical workers in the Grand Cempaka Business Hotel managed by city-owned enterprise PT Jakarta Tourisindo (Jaktour).

The medical workers handling COVID-19 patients are the front-liners in the battle against the coronavirus. They are helping the people in this time of crisis while braving great risks to their health. We must fully support them and help them, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said on Thursday in a written statement.

Of the countrys 893 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 78 fatalities reported as of Thursday afternoon, 515 cases were recorded in Jakarta, which also had the highest number of deaths with 46.

Cases of infections continued to rise in the capital city  the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak  with hospitals scrambling to treat more patients each day as reports emerged that medical workers faced strain with short supplies of protective gear in both referral and regular hospitals.

Jakarta's COVID-19 task force chief Catur Laswanto said the city had provided medical workers with decent quarters so that they could take some rest calmly and comfortably without having to return home after long hours in the hospital.

Read also: If you love them, don't go home': Urban migrants decide to stay put amid COVID-19

They dont have to travel far to go back home. Their families would be relieved too if their medical worker-relatives were given this facility to ease their work in handling COVID-19, he added.

A total of 138 medical workers from Tarakan General Hospital and Pasar Minggu General Hospital moved into the Grand Cempaka Business Hotel on Thursday. Hundreds more will follow, Catur said.

The hotel is equipped specifically to cater to the medical workers needs, as each room will be routinely disinfected. Disinfectant chambers are also available at the entrance and exit door.

Authorities have also provided 15 Transjakarta buses and 50 school buses to shuttle medical workers.

Anies mentioned that the initiative was the work of many parties including the Jakarta-based Muslim philanthropic organization Dompet Dhuafa and city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya, which provided the disinfectant chambers, as well as Foodstation Jakarta, the Jakarta Bank, milk brand Diamond, Terra Restaurant and the Indonesian Food Service Association as the food donors.

Dont let medical workers fight alone. Lets support them and help them, Anies said.

The Jakarta administration is currently preparing three more hotels to cater to medical workers under Jaktour, with a total capacity of around 700 rooms. (aly)
At a time when the entire nation is battling against COVID-19, doctors and nurses have become the real heroes who are fighting on the frontlines to contain coronavirus spread. During such a crisis, a heart-warming video is doing rounds on social media in which a group of doctors at a hospital in Bhilwara is singing the song 'Chhodon Kal Ki Baatein' to cheer themselves up.

Bhilwara in Rajasthan is among the worst hit in the state with most positive coronavirus cases.

The doctors and nurses are being hailed as "God and angels" as they have been working tirelessly to save the lives of COVID-19 patients and providing them with the best possible treatment.

The 57-second clip shared by Rohit Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Government of Rajasthan, has a caption which states, "At the epicentre of COVID-19 in Rajasthan Government Hospital in Bhilwara - Doctors Mushtaq, Gaur and Prajapat, paramedics Mukesh, Sain, Gyan, Urwashi, Sarfaraz and Jalam are working 24*7 to beat Coronavirus. Take a bow, you are our true heroes! This is the spirit of new India."In the video, all six doctors, who are fully covered in hazmat suits, preventive glasses and face masks, together sing the song to lighten their mood and boost the morale of the nation during this difficult phase.

Soon after the video was shared, it garnered thousands of likes and Twitterati lauded the doctors for their selfless dedication and hard work.

"You are the saviours. Thank you," tweeted a user.

"Big salute to these real-life heroes," wrote another.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Theyve opted for a new life in La La Land  its what they wanted and planned.

But how long will it be before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex  especially the duke  begin to experience niggling regrets?

As one royal insider  previously a great admirer  said to me recently: Harry has given up everything, literally everything. He has burnt every single bridge back at home. And Meghan? Well I rather think shes got what she wanted

How fair this waspish conclusion is, remains to be seen.

Prince Charles with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the Trooping of the Colour in June 2018. On Tuesday the Sussexes' brief reign as the Royal Family's most glamourous couple will end as they officially step back from duties

But on Tuesday the Sussexes brief reign as the Royal Familys most glamorous and polarising power couple will end as they officially step back from duties.

And theyre not hanging about. As I revealed in January California was always the plan.

The move hasnt surprised the Royal household, but many feel it appears disrespectful to the Canadian people.

The Sussexes made much of the move to a Commonwealth country  and a British realm.

It was symbolic of wanting to retain their links with the monarchy.

Many within the Royal Family and the wider household view H and Ms decision to quit royal duties in such a rash fashion as a crying shame  both for the couple and the institution.

It didnt have to be like this, one source sighed as they described as the couples complete self-absorption.

The trouble is that they are so obstinate, stubborn and convinced of the righteousness of their cause, that even if Harry privately regretted it, he wouldnt want to lose faith and admit they were wrong.

As a long-term observer of the duke, I know that, so far, he doesnt regret it, not for a second.

Another senior royal source told me Meghan (pictured taking baby Archie and her dogs for a walk at North Hill Regional Park, Vancouver Island) had issued her husband with a stark ultimatum: Archie and me are your family

And having talked to insiders on both sides, I can reveal the most comprehensive account of the Megxit saga so far. I use the word Megxit with some apprehension.

For while Meghan was the catalyst in Harrys decision to walk away, this was very much his decision, too.

Which is why it has hurt  really hurt  Harrys family, particularly the Queen, so deeply.

Both she and Harrys father, the Prince of Wales, were delighted when Harry met Meghan in the summer of 2016 and quickly decided he wanted to share his life with her.

She was bright, beautiful, independent, and as a hard-working career woman, it was hoped she would ground the insecure Harry who had never found his footing since leaving the army.

But this relationship wouldnt be plain sailing. It is a deeply unpopular view with Meghans supporters  her critics are accused of racism or misogyny  but she was difficult and demanding with staff.

And suddenly the same was being said of a newly emboldened and humourless Harry.

Behaviour that was acceptable in Hollywood did not go down well in a Firm that revolves around a certain CEO.

One of the earliest signs that Meghan was determined to do it her way occurred when the Queen invited her to Chester after her wedding in June 2018. The Queens powerful personal assistant, Angela Kelly, sent a message that Her Majesty would be wearing a hat  polite Palace code for you should be wearing one too.

The message came back that Meghan preferred to go bareheaded.

The new duchess was clearly unwilling to acquiesce. Harry declared in the run-up to their wedding that what Meghan wants, Meghan gets after a row about tiaras. But most assumed it would calm down.

It didnt.

There were tales of screaming at staff, demands about homes, retinue and clothing allowances.

As one aggrieved royal insider told me: People had bent over backwards. They were given the wedding they wanted, house they wanted, office they wanted, the money they wanted, staff they wanted, tours they wanted and had the backing of their family. What more did they want?

Then, of course, William and Harry spectacularly fell out.

William, I am told, felt uncomfortable with his brothers new showbiz lifestyle. He felt Harry was rushing things with a woman he barely knew.

Harry accused his elder bro of being unsupportive, while Meghan said Kate was cold and uninterested in her.

The relationship has become so strained that William and Kates children have only seen their new cousin, Archie, twice.

Of course Harry and Meghan, united against a family they felt didnt understand them, saw it differently.

One source told me: They felt that the institution only wanted to trot them out to exploit their popularity when convenient. Otherwise it wanted to constrain because it was jealous and threatened by their popularity.

When they left for a holiday in Canada last autumn, there were just a couple of royal tours in the offing  including Mongolia and South Korea.

Harry and Meghan at the back of a royal procession at the Commonwealth Service on March 9. Two weeks later the Daily Mail has revealed Harry left The Firm by email and his official duties will come to an end on Tuesday

They felt the family just couldnt handle them. They felt trapped and believed senior Establishment figures, including William, were trying to derail them, another insider reveals.

Of course, the rest of the family say this is patently untrue.

Those working for the Queen would have being doing the institution of the monarchy a disservice in not standing up to them.

The monarchy has strict guidelines about what members of the Royal Family can do, particularly commercially, and how public money is spent. As the Queen knows, if you are a public figure on the public purse, then you have limits and responsibilities. Saying no is being responsible to the British taxpayer, not reactionary.

Harry and Meghan were increasingly unhappy. In October, while touring Africa, they complained about press and public criticism. It was then senior members of the Royal Family decided something needed to give.

The couples emotional interview with ITVs Tom Bradby only reinforced that view.

Many felt Bradby had taken advantage of Harrys clear vulnerability.

So when in mid-November Harry and Meghan decided on that six week family break in Canada  thats what they told the Queen  she gave her blessing.

Unknown to anyone, the couple had in fact been plotting a life outside of Britain.

Rebecca English, The Daily Mail's Royal Editor, has known Prince Harry for quite some time. Sources close to the Duke of Sussex have revealed how his family reacted to news of his departure

They had assembled a team of US advisers and managers, many of whom had worked with Meghan as an actress.

They also employed the Canadian website designer responsible for her popular pre-marriage lifestyle blog to create the Sussex Royal website to provide them with a window shop to the world.

Ensconced in that 10million Vancouver Island mansion, surrounded by Meghans friends, such as the Canadian TV presenter Jessica Mulroney, the couple developed a siege mentality.

Shortly before they came back to London in early January, Harry contacted his grandmother and father by email to tell them he and Meghan wanted out.

Both the Queen and Charles urged him not to rush into anything.

One family source tells me: They understood that he and Meghan wanted something different and were willing to help but it was complicated.

There were issues like security and funding, visas and tax, which neither of them had thought through. Harry was told to put his request in writing and come up with some ideas.

He thought his family were stonewalling and decided to push the nuclear button.

Back in the UK, Harry summoned his senior staff to meet the couple at Frogmore Cottage and told them their plans.

They begged him not to go public and warned him that putting all his cards on the table was a dangerous strategy.

They didnt even have clue what the term financially independent meant, snorts one insider.

Unfortunately he was just too stubborn, blinkered and bitter to see sense. He believed he was being forced to play second fiddle to William when it was he  and Meghan  who had the star power.

Yet his father had always made clear that while he favours a slimmed down monarchy, Harry and his family would be a significant part of that, my source said.

Egged on by Meghan, he released his bombshell statement without telling the Queen first.

One courtier revealed: Her Majesty was shocked. People were angry the Queen had been so disrespected.

Conference calls were held between the various royal residences. One source told me at the time: They have bombed their way to the table but theres still a desire to find a solution. The Queen knows she has to sort it.

Harry and Meghan left the $18million Mille Fleurs' estate in Vancouver to start a new life in Los Angeles. There is talk of their own production company, although the coronavirus pandemic has put plans to launch the couples charitable activities on hold

Charles was united with his mother in their resolve.

Harry and Meghan could not be allowed to exploit their status commercially and their plans for a half in, half out approach was unacceptable. Harry was devastated to lose his military and Commonwealth roles, but his biggest frustration was being ordered to walk away from their Sussex Royal brand.

They were obsessed that this was punitive and spiteful. They couldnt see that the Queen had no choice, I am told.

In the end, the Sussexes capitulated and walked away to start their new life.

One source close to Meghan told me that people needed to understand that marrying into the Royal Family hadnt been easy for her.

She grossly misjudged how culturally different the UK is from America. And then you add to that the protocol..., they said.

To be fair, she didnt really have any girlfriends to say to her if you dont wear a hat when you are with the Queen, you are going to mess this up. She didnt understand how bad it was to get something as simple as that so wrong.

Harry didnt know how to handle the situation. He would often go into see his private secretary, Samantha Cohen, begging her to help. It was a bit of a mess.

Another senior royal source told me Meghan had issued her husband with a stark ultimatum: Archie and me are your family.

Harry had been hopeful of finding a way to marry his desire for more freedom with his royal heritage, but Meghan convinced him there was no other option, She forced him to choose. He has spent three months convincing himself he has done the right thing.

So where to now? There is talk of their own production company, although the coronavirus pandemic has put plans to launch the couples charitable activities on hold.

There will be an announcement on Megxit Day on Tuesday but it will largely pass by unmarked.

To be honest, they checked out months ago. They have their eyes on a very different prize, sources tell me.

Behind them is a gaping wound that will take some time to heal.

The Queen doesnt deserve to be treated in this way. Its easy to say Harry and Meghan have made their bed, let them lie in it. But what they have done will have ramifications for possibly generations to come.
As the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients increases, India has turned aggressive and changed its approach to combating the disease from screening people at entry points to the country to reinforcing community surveillance and disease management.

In a little over two weeks, from 50 positive cases, India has seen an increase in the number of Covid-19-positive patients to 878, suggesting the spread of infection within the community although local scientists deny this. And from no deaths until March 11, 18 people have succumbed to the viral infection as of Friday, March 27.

When the disease has spread to 192 countries, then it means screening at entry points will serve no purpose. India anyway is in a state of lockdown that will show benefits if people follow the dos and donts. Since the disease is here what we need to do now is improve our case management and strengthen surveillance within the community. Our efforts now are concentrating on not letting it spread further, said Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary in the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

Infrastructure scale-up

Since the number of Covid-19 infections is rising, the government will need more hospital beds to keep patients in isolation; for treatment of critically ill patients, there will be an increased need for ventilators. Keeping the surge in cases in mind, the centre has directed the states and Union Territories to create a dedicated facility for Covid-19 positive cases. Close to 20 states have already started identifying hospitals that can be used to isolate and treat positive cases.

Delhi, for example, has three hospitals run by the Delhi government that are being converted into dedicated facilities for Covid-19 patients. Together, these hospitals will add 3,400 beds for Covid-19 patients, if needed.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, is also keeping its 800-bed National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, ready to accommodate a higher number of patients.

To meet the shortage of ventilators in the country, the government has prohibited export of ventilators, and has also asked two public sector undertakings to manufacture about 40,000 ventilator units. The government is also ensuring adequate supply of personal protection equipment (PPE), N-95 masks and hand sanitisers that are instrumental in infection control.

Containing clusters

The initial effort is to stop the spread of infection in certain pockets where cases have seen an unusual jump. The government still maintains there is no community transmission of Covid-19 in the country.

There is no evidence to support community transmission. Our experts at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other bodies are constantly maintaining a vigil and there is no case to suggest there is spread of transmission within the community that should worry us, said Aggarwal.

Dr Sujeet K Singh, director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said, Localized clustering does not mean community transmission. There have been a few incidences of localized outbreaks, some of which we have managed to contain and some we are in the process of containment. And in most clusters we have managed to trace the source.

Travel is the culprit, say experts. If one looks at the numbers, these are mostly travel-related. There has been an increase in numbers because a large number of people have travelled to India in the past few weeks before the lockdown was implemented, explained Dr Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR.

Community surveillance

Close to 200,000 people are under close monitoring by the local units of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). The government is conducting orientation exercises for grassroots-level healthcare workers and also doctors managing patients so that a uniform screening and treatment protocol is followed across India.

AIIMS, Delhi, has begun conducting webinars to train master trainers that has already been attended by at least 3,000 healthcare workers from across the country, said Aggarwal.

Introducing antibody testing

India is in the process of introducing antibody-based (blood) test that experts say could be a game changer. The currently used test  PCR (polymerase chain reaction) -- tells us who are currently sick. We are seeing only the tip of the iceberg. The antibody detection blood test will identify people who already have been infected, even those with mild or no symptoms. It will help us to know how many have been able to fight off the infection and have become what is called corona-blocke, says Dr Lalit Kant, a senior infectious disease expert.

It is being used for contact tracing in some countries. Indian health system has a lot of experience in doing such tests, like the ones for dengue, chikungunya, so it will be easy to ramp up the screening. Great tool for surveillance, and building up epidemiological data, he added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhythma Kaul Rhythma Kaul works as an assistant editor at Hindustan Times. She covers health and related topics, including ministry of health and family welfare, government of India. ...view detail
The Interior ministry said on Wednesday that so far over 1,000 people had been arrested in Spain for flouting lockdown rules and over 123,000 people reported or fined by different police forces nationwide.

The first prison term nationally has also been handed out in Tenerife, when a court issued a four-month sentence.

"Lack of solidarity has to have a suitable response," said Interior minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, on Tuesday.

Across the country, stories of people breaking the lockdown rules have been emerging.

The Guardia Civil has reported a man in Galicia for hiring out his dogs to people wanting to go for a walk. The two pets, a Golden Retriever and a Chihuahua, appeared advertised on WhatsApp. His fine could be between 500 and 5,000 euros.

Meanwhile, several patients diagnosed with coronavirus from hospitals in Madrid and Alicante left without having been discharged. Head of the National Police, Jose Angel Gonzalez, criticised the "irresponsibility" and said officers were having to "do a lot of work to track them down".

On Wednesday, a Guardia Civil officer was seriously injured when he was run over while carrying out checks on vehicles on a motorway near Madrid.

The government said on Thursday that 700 law-enforcement professionals had tested positive for coronavirus.
The Australian share market finished volatile session steep lower on Friday, 27 March 2020, amid broadbased selloff late afternoon, as uncertainty over the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak continues to weigh on investor sentiment. At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index dropped 270.86 points, or 5.3%, to 4,842.43. The broader All Ordinaries declined 261.03 points, or 5.08%, to 4,874.16. Despite the late plunge, the index still managed to finish the week with a gain of 0.5%.

Australia will be introducing enforced quarantine by midnight on Saturday for citizens returning home from overseas, as the number of coronavirus cases surpassed 3,000 on Friday from less than 100 at the start of March, raising fears of a community spread. Economists expect a six-week widespread shutdown in second-quarter and then a progressive relaxation will see gross domestic product slump 13% over the quarter.

Meanwhile, listed companies in Australia and New Zealand have already laid off or began considering laying off at least 106,955 people, temporarily or permanently, underlining the toll on livelihoods as virtual lockdowns take hold.

All sectors finished lower, led by REITs which tumbled 8.7%.

Healthcare also slumped 7.1%. Among the big names, Scentre Group tanked 12.5% to A$1.51 while Goodman Group shed 10.7% to A$11.13. CSL fell 7.6% to A$279.12

Heavyweight financials sub-index declined, with all the Big Four banks finishing firmly in the red , led by ANZ with a fall of 7.4% to A$15.47.

CURRENCY: The U. S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was last at 99.187 after falling from levels above 100 yesterday. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6087 after seeing levels below $0.58 earlier in the trading week.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
What to do when museums are under lock and key? Virtual visits are a possibility, so is sharing links to arty websites, even if there comes a point when the eye tires of the screen. Working from home - on the computer; shopping (or attempting to order) online; posting comments and photos via social media... For Tweet's sake, give us a break!

Virtual visits

Over-logged is the new over-booked. Too much screen time isn't just bad for kids. In this domain as in others, it's the quality that counts. If you're reading this, Chapeau! There's a pretty good chance that you have downloaded the print edition of SUR in English; maybe your next step will be to revisit virtually an exhibition you swished through during the pre-lockdown era - in what, with the benefit of hindsight, strikes you as a regrettably cursory manner. "Too crowded! Must come and see it again," you may well have chirped, whisking whoever was with you towards the exit; however, that second real-life visit wasn't in the cards; cultural confinement was around the corner.

My most recent e-thrill? A virtual peek at the Museo Carmen Thyssen, where a bijou show, focusing on Toulouse-Lautrec and the circus, harks back to the hustle and bustle of Parisian cafe society. A frisson of nostalgia bristles - from eye to brain to finger, tugging at the heartstrings - as the cursor hovers from a making-of video to the official inauguration. In the present context, it is moving to discover that Lautrec drew all of the sketches presented in the museum's Sala Noble from memory, when confined to a hospital room.

Just think

"Museum as no-go zone" is a concept totally alien to millennial museumgoers accustomed to fast-track internet access and keeping abreast of blockbuster retrospectives: "Scaree! Like being in a post-apocalyptic movie: Will Smith in I am Legend - stranded in the deserted streets of New York - only, it's real life!"

This spring, formerly essential keywords like "speedy entry" and "skip the line" are unlikely to get culture vultures into any of the major artistic events they had planned to throng to; instead, homebound art lovers will be searching their bookshelves for catalogues that have gathered dust, barely glanced at, because the reproductions were disappointing, compared to the "real experience". Flicking through them anew, we may land on a critic's foreword or on an artist's statement that makes us sit up, in our armchair. What if the mandatory obligation to "stay in" - epitomised in Spain by the ubiquitous "Yo me quedo en casa" slogan - were an opportunity for those of us fortunate enough to be symptomless to stop and think?

What if?

If contemplating the idea of "talking" more often to your "cerebrum" (Plato's idea of fun), as an antidote to claustrophobia... I have the perfect brainteaser (no, not yet another Sudoku or crossword puzzle) in my box of tricks. If you missed the unveiling of Charo Carrera's staircase project at the Pompidou Centre, on the last Saturday of February; if you didn't visit Malaga's iconic 'Rubik's cube' before it closed until further notice... you'll have to wait until it reopens to see her intervention up-close, in the flesh.

The good news is that the thought-conducive mural, featuring a blood-red, organic-looking frieze combined with gothic lettering - which this El Palo-based artist painstakingly painted and hand-scripted, perched on a ladder, brush in hand, over a period of several days - was originally scheduled to be visible to the public for an entire year. In the meantime, read on; mere mention of the concept, entitled Si yo, si tu (If I, if you), will set your mind ticking like a staircase timer.

In Charo's own words, she is extending "an invitation to change" to the onlooker. The rhythmically repetitive inscriptions, running parallel to the painting, surf on the Spanish language's conditional use of the imperfect subjunctive, unravelling - step by step - a stream of consciousness-like set of permutations. Our society, our planet, is "equivocada", on the wrong track, but... What if each of us were to turn things around, to attempt to change?

Rather than an "If only we had" posit in the spirit of "staircase wit" - esprit d'escalier, in French - Carrera has conjured up a series of questions, heralding potential "better times". Renewal is what it's about.

Something to look forward to, when 'El Cubo' re-opens, treating us (till next November) to a century of Spanish painterly flamboyance, From Miro to Barcelo.
Tara Reade worked on Joe Bidens Senate staff in the early 1990s. She claims that in 1993, Biden sexually assaulted her.

In an interview with journalist Katie Halper, Reade alleges that on one occasion, Biden began kissing her without her permission, pushed her against a wall, reached under her skirt, and penetrated her with his fingers. According to Reade, he said come on man, I heard you liked me.

The come on man would be pure Biden. At least he didnt say, look, heres the deal.

I view Reades allegation the same way I view other ancient claims of sexual assault  with skepticism at the outset. The alleged assault occurred 27 years ago. Why are we just hearing about it now? And why havent we heard other allegations of sexual assault against Biden?

Biden has taken the opposite approach. When Christine Blasey Ford brought ancient allegations of attempted rape against Brett Kavanaugh, Biden said, for a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, youve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what shes talking about is real.

Applying this principle to Reades claim, would mean presuming that the essence of her claim that Biden sexually assaulted her is real. As discussed below, Reade has been willing to come forward with her claim against the former vice president in the glare of a presidential campaign.

But just because Biden is a knee-jerk panderer to feminists doesnt mean the rest of us have to be.

Reade says she complained at the time about Bidens behavior to an office supervisor, but this person shut her down before she could tell the whole story. She also says she filled out an official form detailing her assault, but does not know what became of it.

If Reade can provide evidence of this, other than her say-so, it would, of course, strengthen her claim. But even in that event, we would want to know why Reade didnt raise the claim again for more than 25 years (as I understand it).

Reade says that a year ago she reached out to Times Up, a project of the National Womens Law Center that provides support to alleged #MeToo victims. Times Up declined to assist Reade. It said that involving itself in a dispute regarding a national political candidate could jeopardize its status as a 501(c)(3) non-partisan group.

Its worth noting, however, that the public relations firm that works on behalf of the Times Up Legal Defense Fund is SKDKnickerbocker. Its managing director, Anita Dunn, is a top adviser to Bidens presidential campaign.

By the same token, its worth noting that Reade reportedly has supported the campaigns of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

Will the mainstream media dig into Reades allegation to try to find out whether Biden engaged in sexual assault? Will it apply the believe all women standard that was so widely invoked during the Kavanaugh-Blasey Ford dispute? Will it remind us that Biden has embraced a version of that standard?

No, no, and no.
Queensland has recorded 62 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours bringing the state's total to 555 while the national total has surged to 3,112 as of Friday afternoon.

One person, understood to be a man in his 60s is being treated in intensive care at Brisbane's Princess Alexandria Hospital.

Authorities are increasingly concerned about the number of transmissions between Australians who haven't been overseas or in contact with someone infected.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were at least 1,405 COVID-19 cases in New South Wales, the country's worst-hit state, on Friday morning.

Victoria said the number of confirmed cases was at 574, with infections increasing by about 10 per cent from Thursday.

The number of coronavirus cases surged to 3,112 around Australia on Friday afternoon

In NSW, 877 patients are return travellers and 278 cases had been transmitted locally through close contact with an infected person or a known coronavirus cluster.

NSW Health stressed its concern about 145 cases transmitted locally with an 'unknown source'.

Dr Chant said 134 people were receiving care with 62 of them at home, 19 in ICU and 53 in standard hospital wards.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state is at a 'critical stage' as the number of coronavirus cases continues to increase in NSW.

'The one figure that we are most worried about is the number of people that are getting it within the community,' she said.

'That's why it is so important that all of us maintain social distancing if we have to be out and about.

'And in the case of my parents, I haven't let them out of the home and I won't.'

Pictured: New South Wales coronavirus hot spots. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were at least 1,405 COVID-19 cases in NSW on Friday

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

Ms Berejiklian encouraged the vulnerable to call Service NSW on 13 77 88 if they need assistance.

The premier said they have seen 'far more limited activity everywhere' and attendance in schools was at 10 per cent or less.

'It is up to all of us to come together to do our part and deal with the disease at this critical stage,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Because if we keep it contained as much as we can at this stage, we are better off in the next few weeks and months and I can't stress that enough.

'So, please heed the warnings. Please don't move around unless you have to.

'If you're an older or vulnerable person, don't even leave home.'

Professor Brendan Crabb, an infectious disease researcher, told ABC Radio that further measures 'need to be taken immediately' to combat the outbreak.

'The reason being that at this point in time, it's all we've really got, quite a blunt instrument  lockdown,' he said on Thursday.

'I would recommend we pull every suppression lever we have now.

'That means not just flatten the curve, but bend the curve down to a very low level  and then you come out of that.'

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said 134 people in New South Wales were receiving care for coronavirus, including 19 people in ICU

Meanwhile, new figures show Waverley Council in Sydney's eastern suburbs has recorded the highest number of confirmed coronavirus.

The local government area has had 105 cases of COVID-19, according to data published on the NSW Health website on Thursday.

The Sydney LGA has recorded 69, while Northern Beaches and Woollahra have recorded 68 and 66 cases respectively.

Ms Berejiklian said the government was 'looking very closely' at the impact of Monday's shutdowns on pubs, cinemas and churches. If they weren't sufficient, further action would be taken.

There are 3,112 confirmed cases of infection in Australia and 13 people have died.

Police have the power to hand out fines of $1,000 to individuals and $5,000 to businesses that breach public health orders or ministerial directions.

Five people in NSW were handed infringement notices on Thursday for flouting coronavirus public health orders.
[March 27, 2020] #GetUsPPE Announces Perspective Piece in the New England Journal of Medicine on Medical Equipment Shortage Crisis Due to Covid-19

BOSTON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- #GetUsPPE (GetUsPPE.org) announces the publication of a perspective piece in the New England Journal of Medicine on the critical need for ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as the Covid-19 pandemic ravages the U.S. and the world. The piece, "Critical Supply Shortages - The Need for Ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment during the Covid-19 Pandemic" by leading emergency room physicians Megan L. Ranney, M.D., M.P.H., Valerie Griffeth, M.D., Ph.D., and Ashish K. Jha, M.D., M.P.H., can be accessed here . Drs. Ranney and Griffeth are co-founders of GetUsPPE.org, a grassroots coalition to address the shortage crisis of PPE. Together they call for immediate and concerted action to address a critical shortage of supplies crucial to fighting the growing Covid-19 pandemic. "We wrote this piece because we are afraid. We are afraid of the lack of ventilator equipment for the wave of patients we see coming. We are afraid of getting ourselves, our patients, our families, and our colleagues sick." said Dr. Griffeth. "If we do not act now our frontline physicians will end up quarantined. Without immediate action the wave will crash upon a system that does not have the equipment or the medical professionals available to treat those who will desperately need intensive medical care to survive." The authors lay out a clear set of immediate actions that we as a united nation must take to prevent endangering the entire health care system. Slowing and reversing our current trajectory will require a coordinated effort from all sectors: local and national government, the private sector, and health care providers themselves. Dr. Ranney adds, "We took an oath, we are here, and we will not back down. We just ask that you continue to demand that our government back us up. Wuhan, Italy, Spain, Iran, Seattle, San Francisco, and New York have shown that the surge is coming. We must be equipped with the right tools we need to fight." GetUsPPE.org supports this call for leadership and coordination of efforts from the highest rungs of our local and federal gvernment. In the interim, the coalition calls for communities to take action now.



"The need for PPE today is critical. While we wait for global supply chains to ramp up we must take immediate action. We saw an opportunity to more efficiently empower communities to connect their donated, approved supplies with local institutions who urgently need them. www.GetUsPPE.org (#GetUsPPE) is now the largest coalition of PPE donor database projects nationwide with over 1,000 hospitals represented," said Dr. Shuhan He, MD, co-founder of GetUsPPE.org. "Together, we are stronger, more efficient than we were alone, and we are putting critical PPE in the hands of our front-line defense, now." About Ventilators

A ventilator is a machine designed to provide mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or who is breathing insufficiently. In order to be placed on a ventilator, the patient must be intubated. This means having an endotracheal tube placed in the mouth or nose and threaded down into the airway. Patients that need a ventilator require monitoring by specialty respiratory therapists, physicians, and nurses. There are serious risks of inappropriate airway pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen regulation while under ventilator support. The need for mechanical ventilation is a common feature in patients requiring admission to the intensive care unit. In these cases, a medical ventilator can be life-saving and is considered a critical piece of equipment. About Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes items such as respirators, face shields, gowns, booties, and gloves that protect workers from viral particles on surfaces and during other situations of close patient contact. When treating patients suspected of having coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends contact and droplet precautions, which requires only a procedural mask, gloves, and eye protection. But emerging research [1] demonstrates "that viable virus could be detected in aerosols up to 3 hours post aerosolization"  and prevention of aerosolized (i.e., airborne) spread requires a specific kind of respirator mask (N95) capable of filtering out virus-containing droplets. Healthcare workers simply cannot work safely without these protections. About #GetUsPPE (GetUsPPE.org) #GetUsPPE (GetUsPPE.org) is a movement founded by emergency physicians on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic. Today, it has become a leading national grassroots effort to equip front line health care workers with the protective equipment they need. It is the largest coalition of PPE donor database projects with new projects being merged on a daily basis. GetUsPPE.org establishes a centralized nationwide platform to share information and connect our community - it does not collect and distribute PPE. Our platform empowers citizens to take direct action in their own communities and connect with their local healthcare providers in need. With our platform we seek to advance three key initiatives: Advocate for more PPE production (#GetMePPE). Send, receive, and coordinate donations for PPE among the community and medical professionals. Unite the maker community to validate designs that can be widely shared among the medical community and easily printed in local manufacturing facilities. Visit www.GetUsPPE.org today to find out how you can take action.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram (@GetUsPPE), Facebook & LinkedIn (GetUsPPE.org)

Share #GetMePPE #GetUsPPE #HeroesWearMasks #SuppliesSaveLives Media Contact

#GetUsPPE

Name: Desiree Shayer, Media and Outreach Coordinator

Name: Brian Sullivan

Phone: +1 (617) 398 - 7521

Email: [email protected] [1] Letter to the Editor, NEJM, Published online March 17, 2020, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/getusppe-announces-perspective-piece-in-the-new-england-journal-of-medicine-on-medical-equipment-shortage-crisis-due-to-covid-19-301030994.html SOURCE #GetUsPPE

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
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.




Russia's biggest telecoms provider on Friday pleaded with clients to stop sending coronavirus memes and viral videos, as networks began to overload as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Memes and keeping in good spirits are important, but it is important to be responsible about using content online," MTS president Alexei Kornya said in a statement on the company's website.

"I'm not saying you should stop watching films online or participate in video conferences for work," he said.

But he called on Russians to "refrain from sending around funny but 'heavy' videos via messengers to dozens of contacts," straining the telecoms infrastructure.

MTS has 80 million clients in Russia and has seen a "considerable increase in the load on the network," mostly in large cities, particularly Moscow, Kornya said.

Russia has not ordered a mandatory lockdown, but many companies switched to telecommuting earlier this month to lower the risk of coronavirus infection.

The internet has exploded with coronavirus-related memes worldwide as face-to-face contacts have decreased because of lockdowns and quarantines.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Up to 14 April 2020

Ramkrishna Forgings has decided to extend closure of its operations at all its manufacturing facilities in Jharkhand upto 14 April, 2020 or such other dates as adviced by the Government.

Similarly, the operation in the Registered/Head office in Kolkata and the manufacturing facility at Liluah, Howrah, shall also remain closed during this period.

The duration of the closure will depend upon the Central/State Government Directive.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Deschutes County grand jury returned a five-count indictment Friday against a 35-year-old man accused of trying to infect a Bend police officer with the new coronavirus by "spitting, coughing and breathing'' at him.

The indictment charges Daniel Ray Stubblefield of Redmond with aggravated harassment, attempted second-degree assault, attempted assault of a public safety officer, menacing and reckless endangerment.

It stems from an encounter Monday after Bend police responded to a call of an unwanted person at a local residence. When police arrived, they found Stubblefield, who had warrants for his arrest.

As an officer was driving Stubblefield to the Deschutes County Jail, Stubblefield claimed he had contracted COVID-19 and then began "spitting, coughing and breathing' on Officer Cade Liverman, according to the indictment.

The officer stopped the car, got out and waited for back-up officers to arrive. Other officers placed Stubblefield in a so-called "WRAP restraint,'' with a spit mask, according to police and prosecutors.

Daniel R. Stubblefield, 35, will be arraigned on the five- count indictment on Monday.

Stubblefield was first taken to the Deschutes County Jail and then once there, authorities determined he should be transported to St. Charles Medical Center instead.

During the drive to the hospital, Stubblefield had calmed down and wasnt placed in any restraint or mask but again is accused of blowing air on the officer driving, police said.

Stubblefield later was returned to jail.

A Deschutes County jail lieutenant said Stubblefield didnt test positive for the new virus.

"Per our jail pandemic response plan, Mr. Stubblefield has been and will continue to be monitored by our jail medical unit,'' said Sgt. William Bailey, a spokesman for the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office.

Were not messing around,'' District Attorney John Hummel said in a statement. "Our first responders, medical professionals, and retail clerks are on the front lines of the battle to save lives and win the war against COVID-19. If anyone in our community takes a shot at infecting, and thus potentially killing, one of our front line heroes, I will use the full authority granted to me by the people of Oregon to hold them accountable.''

Hummel warned that if convicted, his office will seek the maximum penalty for Stubblefield. Hes scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

Last week, Hummel also promised that anyone who used the coronavirus pandemic to sell much-needed supplies at inflated prices would be "rotting in hell.'' In a news release last week, Hummel said hed have a zero-tolerance policy toward price gougers.

If youre putting our community at risk in order to make a buck during a time of crisis, in addition to rotting in hell, youll face the full weight of the legal power granted to me by the people of Oregon, Hummel said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

Subscribe to Facebook page
On Tuesday, President Trump made international headlines when he declared his hope that the American economy would broadly reopen by April 12  Easter Sunday. The stock markets, buoyed as well by positive developments in negotiations for a federal relief package, surged. The projection was no doubt comforting to the millions of American families juggling the sudden cancellation of school with new remote-work obligations or, worse, pink slips.

But many, including the presidents frequent adversaries in the press, expressed skepticism that the physicians and scientists on the White House coronavirus task force agree with this timeline. They pointed to the continued harrowing experiences of countries further along the pandemic curve and to more sobering models and projections from other public-health experts.

Which side is closer to the truth? And more to the point, how will we know when the time is right to begin lifting onerous restrictions and transition back to a semblance of normalcy?

Economists, medical professionals, policymakers, the press, and the public crave a set of immovable milestones that, confirmed by empirical evidence, show our progress in ultimately defeating the coronavirus. Thanks to a scarcity of statistically significant data and a surplus of ever-changing variables, we are currently unable to operate with such a degree of certainty. But there are concrete steps we can take to get from here to there.

Right now, we are largely analyzing the little data we have on a nationwide scale. Instead, we should focus our efforts to stabilize our nations health-care system on a region-by-region basis. Most importantly, we need to separate our thinking about hotspots from our thinking about non-hotspots and adapt our responses accordingly.

Hotspots are areas where COVID-19 is currently prevalent or expected to become widespread in the near future. Today thats the metropolitan areas of New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and New Orleans.

Story continues

It is highly unlikely that these regions will be in a position to lift restrictions in just two weeks, and that should not be the aim of our policy there. Instead, the goal should be stability, plain and simple. We must ensure that local health-care systems and personnel have all the resources they need to care for COVID-19 patients while simultaneously managing the workload of patients with other acute or life-threatening conditions. This requires surging manpower, facilities, supplies, and tests, while also safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of overwhelmed front-line workers.

Improving stability in hotspots also demands public compliance with aggressive steps to slow the spread of infection. These include existing shelter-in-place guidance, to reduce the number of new infections, prevent deaths, and limit the strain on our health-care system. A key component of this is ongoing community engagement and education, which allows ordinary Americans to see themselves as a crucial part of solving public-health challenges.

Policymakers ignore the importance of an educated and collaborative public at great peril. I know this firsthand. For five years, I served as the director of the Baltimore City Syphilis Elimination Program. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent and control the skyrocketed number of cases in Baltimore, our task force instituted increased testing, improved the management of outbreaks, and actively enlisted the community in our efforts to prevent the spread of this disease. Thanks to this proactive approach, the city saw a significant reduction of syphilis cases.

Fortunately, most Americans still do not live in areas likely to be overwhelmed by COVID-19. For residents of states with a more manageable number of cases and with epidemiological profiles less likely to lead to uncontrollable spread, this national panic may seem excessive or counterproductive. However, efforts in non-hotspot areas are just as crucial to fortifying our nations health-care system.

In these areas, stability means vigilance and, most critically, testing. We must have confidence that everyone who the CDC says should get a COVID-19 test can get one. Success here means that the number of infection cases per 100,000 residents would remain low and not grow exponentially.

These regions, meanwhile, must clearly understand the capacity of their local health departments to detect new cases, identify those with whom infected people have had contact, and isolate those who have been exposed. By doing their part, these non-hotspot areas can help conserve vital resources for the hotspots that need them so desperately.

For those non-hotspot areas, following these public-health protocols could very well mean returning to normal life sooner. Local governments should still direct residents to practice good hand hygiene to reduce transmission, encourage vulnerable and older populations to protect themselves, and continue testing and monitoring for new cases. If the testing data over the next several weeks suggest that the non-hotspots have evolved into hotspots, then the response should change.

If we can adequately test and care for patients while protecting the general public, there is good reason to believe that by mid- to late April, some areas of the United States might be able to begin getting back to work and back to life, even as hotspots continue to require significant resources to stabilize. The scientific community and the American people have done, and continue to do, their respective parts. Now, political leaders need to help make it happen.

More from National Review
More than 2,500 people have been placed under home quarantine in two districts of Assam till Friday, officials said.

Altogether 1,300 people who returned from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh and other middle eastern countries to Assam's Barpeta district, while 1,235 others have been placed under home quarantine in Hailakandi district in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak



Police in Hailakandi is on the lookout for some persons who reportedly fled to the district from neighbouring Mizoram, where one person has tested positive for COVID-19.

State Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that out the 1,300 people placed under home quarantine in Barpeta, samples of four suspected COVID-19 patients were sent for testing.

Two of the test reports were negative and the other two results are awaited, the minister said.

A 200-bed unit has been kept ready at Barpeta Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital to combat the fast-spreading deadly coronavirus, he said.

The minister said the supply of essential commodities and medicines are sufficient in the district at present. The administration is also considering supplying vegetables to the people for their convenience during the 21-day lockdown period.

In Hailakandi district, altogether 1,235 persons have been placed under home quarantine, a district administration spokesman said



Samples of three persons were sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital and all the samples tested negative, the spokesman said.

According to the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Hailakandi district, Pabindra Kumar Nath, all the border entry points with Mizoram have been sealed but there were reports that some persons had sneaked in from the neighbouring state through the jungles.

Meanwhile, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), Parvin Sultana Laskar, was beaten up and injured by a section of villagers in Chiparsangon part II village of Hailakandi district on Friday, when she was visiting the house where a person was allegedly trying to conceal his travel history, a district administration spokesman said.

The ASHA worker was assaulted when she tried to create awareness about COVID-19, he said, adding that the injured health worker was later admitted to Algapur hospital in the district.

Health officials in district have condemned the attack on the health activist and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 00:14:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Group of 20 (G20) major economies should uphold the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and strengthen unity, coordination and cooperation to resolutely stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and stabilize the world economy with all their strength, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday.

In a phone conversation with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Xi noted that with the king presiding, G20 leaders successfully held an extraordinary summit on COVID-19 on Thursday, and reached important consensus on fighting the pandemic in solidarity and stabilizing the world economy, which has sent a positive signal to the international community.

China, he added, appreciates the tremendous efforts Saudi Arabia made for the meeting as this year's G20 chair.

Viruses respect no national borders, and only with a collective response can the international community prevail over them, stressed the Chinese president, adding that China is ready to maintain close communication with Saudi Arabia and strengthen the momentum of G20 cooperation.

Xi recalled that after the coronavirus disease broke out in China, King Salman immediately expressed sympathies and support to him, and the Saudi government and various sections of Saudi society extended a helping hand one after another, and provided China with multiple batches of material assistance.

That will be engraved in the hearts of the Chinese people, Xi said, adding that the Chinese nation is a grateful nation that returns a favor with a favor.

Noting that now Saudi Arabia is also facing the severe challenge of COVID-19, Xi said China firmly supports the Saudi side in fighting the epidemic, and stands ready to provide as much assistance as its capability allows.

China, he added, is also willing to share its epidemic prevention and control experience with the Saudi side, and help Saudi Arabia purchase medical supplies, so as to protect the lives and health of the people in both countries, and jointly safeguard global and regional public health security.

Meanwhile, China is ready to join hands with Saudi Arabia to continuously enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and lift their comprehensive strategic partnership to new levels, said Xi.
The Fund also announced the possibility of extending the credit program for Ukraine

Open source

The IMF notes significant progress in the negotiations on a new EFF program for Ukraine and stresses the adoption of legislation on the improvement of the regulatory structure in the banking sector, as well as on the land reform. The press service of the IMF reported it.

According to IMF head Kristalina Georgieva, Ukraine must approve the so-called "anti-Kolomoysky" bill and the bill on the land sale market. The implementation of these steps could help with the allocation of more funding to Ukraine than it had been previously announced.

The IMF also announced the possibility of extending the credit program for Ukraine.

As we reported earlier, on March 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva discussed an increase in assistance to Ukraine during the coronavirus epidemic in a telephone conversation.

Zelensky informed the head of the International Monetary Fund about the measures that had been taken in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine.
" " Alameda Health System nurses, doctors and workers hold signs during a protest in front of Highland Hospital on March 26, 2020 in Oakland, California to demand better working conditions and that proper personal protective equipment be provided. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

When President Harry Truman signed the Defense Production Act (DPA) in 1950, the threat was clear. The Korean War was just beginning. And the United States needed to gear up to help the Republic of Korea (we know it now as South Korea) ward off the Soviet-backed North to stop the creep of communism worldwide.

Congress came up with a plan to mobilize the private sector, Truman inked his "Harry S.," and the Defense Production Act became law, awarding sweeping powers to the federal government to compel private industry to produce materials and goods to help in the war. The Act has been authorized and reauthorized, amended and fiddled with, more than 50 times since.

The threat to the United States is clear, today, too, if a little less conventional. The national emergency in the spring of 2020 is the deadly coronavirus. The concern is that the United States won't have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) like face shields, gloves, gowns and masks for health care workers, or ventilators and other medical equipment for those who are sick.

"It absolutely could be an effective tool. I don't think it's necessarily the only tool," says Peter Shulman, a history professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "But it's the law that's on the books. It already exists. The authority already exists to do a good chunk of what we need. That's why it's there."

Advertisement

How the Defense Production Act Was Born

At the end of World War II, post-1945, the American government went through a massive downsizing. The world was at peace. The Americans won the war. They didn't need this expansive (and expensive) fighting force and the guns, tanks and infrastructure to support it.

"The number of men and women in uniform goes down well over 90 percent. Military spending is cut sharply," says John McGreevy, a history professor at the University of Notre Dame. "And all the industrial controls over production are abandoned."

Years before that, though, before the demobilization, many people throughout government realized the need to have a tool at hand that would allow the country to quickly ready itself in time of national emergency. That time came much more quickly than anyone anticipated.

America became involved in the conflict in Korea in late June 1950, just five years after the end of WWII. But because of the forward thinking by some, the framework for what would become the DPA already was in place. The Act was drawn up, Congress passed it and Truman signed it less than three months later, in early September of '50. The long title:

An Act to establish a system of priorities and allocations for materials and facilities, authorize the requisitioning thereof, provide financial assistance for expansion of productive capacity and supply, provide for price and wage stabilization, provide for the settlement of labor disputes, strengthen controls over credit, and by these measures facilitate the production of goods and services necessary for the national security, and for other purposes.

The original Act  again, it's been tinkered with a lot  granted broad powers to the president. According to the Congressional Research Service, "the DPA allowed the President, among other powers, to demand that manufacturers give priority to defense production, to requisition materials and property, to expand government and private defense production capacity, ration consumer goods, fix wage and price ceilings, force settlement of some labor disputes, control consumer credit and regulate real estate construction credit and loans, provide certain antitrust protections to industry, and establish a voluntary reserve of private sector executives who would be available for emergency federal employment."

" " People line up outside Elmhurst Hospital in Queens to get tested for coronavirus. New York City has about a third of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. making it the country's epicenter of the outbreak. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Advertisement

The DPA Over the Years

The powers granted to the president through the DPA are meant to secure the national defense, aimed especially at the country being ready in times of emergency.

The definition of "national defense" has broadened over the years. It's defined now in the law as this, according to the CRS:

[P]rograms for military and energy production or construction, military or critical infrastructure assistance to any foreign nation, homeland security, stockpiling, space, and any directly related activity. Such term includes emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to title VI of The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act [42 U.S.C. 5195 et seq.] and critical infrastructure protection and restoration.

Likewise, the definition of what might threaten the national defense has been fluid and now goes well beyond the scope of war.

Again, from the CRS: "[T]he authorities [of the Act] may also be used to enhance and support domestic preparedness, response, and recovery from hazards, terrorist attacks, and other national emergencies, among other purposes."

The DPA was used to mobilize the country's war machine again for the war in Vietnam, and during the energy crisis of 1973, when president Richard Nixon authorized the Department of Defense to order 22 oil companies to deliver 826 million gallons (3.1 million liters) of fuel to the military. That was the first time the DPA was invoked in a non-war context, according to Shulman.

It was employed again to ensure that California companies received electricity and natural gas during an energy crisis in that state in 2001; it was used to develop new technologies (mainly for military use) for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; and yet again it was used to aid Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

"It was put there 70 years ago for the inevitable crisis," Shulman says. "At the time, it was for military crises, but it's been expanded. FEMA itself, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was a product of the original version. It gives an administration the power and the flexibility to meet the kind of mobilization needed for a crisis."

Advertisement

The DPA Today

On March 18, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the DPA in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus pandemic. But his unwillingness to enact it earlier, and the fact that he balked at actually using any of the Act's provisions to spur on the private sector, were criticized on many fronts.

"The fact that I signed it, it's in effect," Trump said four days later during a news conference. "But, you know, we're a country not based on nationalizing our business. Call a person over in Venezuela; ask them how did nationalization of their businesses work out. Not too well. The concept of nationalizing our business is not a good concept."

Said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Neil Bradley, in the Wall Street Journal: "The law is no panacea. The Defense Production Act isn't a magic wand to immediately solving medical supply shortages. It can't produce highly specialized manufacturing equipment overnight."

Still, many others are arguing for the DPA, including several lawmakers and a list of national security professionals who signed a statement March 25 urging Trump to utilize the Act to its fullest extent. Just four days before, on March 21, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association sent Trump a joint letter urging him to "immediately use the DPA to increase the domestic production of medical supplies and equipment that hospitals, health systems, physicians, nurses and all front line providers so desperately need." It has worked in the past, through wars and other crises. It can help now, they say.

"The real value is allowing the government to become the allocator of supplies. They can say, 'We're going to buy up all the ventilators, we're going to stop having states  as they are right now  competing with each other, and hospitals competing with each other for masks and ventilators and gowns and gloves," Shulman says. "And [they can] say the federal government is going to buy all this. And the federal government will consult with states and hospitals to figure out where the greatest needs lie, and allocate them according to those needs to make sure that supplies in fact are meeting demands. And we can make guarantees to make it financially worthwhile to the companies.

"It's a huge power for the government were they to invoke it to the fullest degree. It's not about nationalization. It's about allocation in an emergency."

Just as this story was going live on March 27, President Trump issued a statement that he signed a presidential memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to "use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize federal contracts for ventilators."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Congress regularly reauthorizes the DPA. The last time it did so was in a section of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which gave the DPA six more years before it expires. It now runs through Sept. 30, 2025.
A 'fit and healthy' father with no underlying medical conditions has died 48 hours after catching coronavirus.

Perth retiree Ray Daniels, who was 73, is the second person to die of COVID-19 in Western Australia.

He had been a passenger on a cruise ship in the lead up to his death, as had the state's first fatality, 78-year-old James Kwan. The cruise ship Mr Daniels travelled on is yet to be confirmed.

Mr Daniel's family asked Police Commissioner Chris Dawson on Friday to read their statement to the media.

'Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us,' the family said. 'He was a very fit, healthy and active man with no known underlying health issues. He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning.'

'Everybody needs to take this virus seriously and follow the health advice that is being given.'

Perth retiree Ray Daniels (pictured), who was 73, became the second person to die of COVID-19 in Western Australia

Mr Daniels was taken to Joondalup Health Campus where he died two days later.

The family thanked the facility's paramedics, doctors and nurses 'who tried everything to save his life' and the 'hundreds' of people who have sent them messages of support.

Mr Kwan and his 79-year-old wife contracted the coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship which was quarantined in Japan.

Mr Daniels collapsed on Wednesday morning and was taken to Joondalup Health Campus (pictured) where he died two days later

He was repatriated to Australia and later died on March 1 at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.

His wife has since recovered.



Eleven of Western Australia's 24 new infections identified on Friday are related to travel on cruise ships.

Five of those who tested positive were from the Ruby Princess, three from the Ovation of the Seas, two from the Voyager of the Seas and one from the Celebrity Solstice.

In total, 62 out of the state's 255 cases have been linked to cruise ship voyages.

There are now 3168 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 13 deaths.
Martin Walker, 48, said he has been selling Street Sense on and off since 2005. Martin, who is currently living on the streets, said he has made as much as $600 per week selling the paper. This week he made $35.
As a worker, a union member and a single mother, I want to build a Virginia that is good for working people now and creates more opportunities for the next generation. Even though I now make more than the minimum wage, I havent forgotten the years when my rights as a worker were abused. My co-workers and I would push for minor wage increases, but the law was not on our side. My daughter is 7 years old. I want her to know a very different Virginia than the one I worked in.
On Tuesday evening, immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his speech announcing a 21-day lockdown in the country, market number two of South Delhis Chittaranjan Park (CR Park) witnessed complete pandemonium. There was so much panic and chaos. Vegetable vendors were selling off their products at a premium.They were not even measuring the vegetables, said Rupanjali Mitra Basu (39), a resident of E-block in CR Park.

The fish markets in the neighbourhood, on the other hand, was already in a state of lockdown. Having last opened on Saturday, a day before the Junta curfew, the Bengali-dominated neighbourhood was left disappointed having no access to its most loved food item. I had last bought fish a day before the Janta curfew. I did not anticipate that such a lockdown will happen so soon and that none of the fish markets would be open, said Binoy Nath Choudhury (52), a resident of B-block said.

On the second day of the lockdown announced by the Indian government to control the spread of coronavirus, the streets and markets at CR Park remained absolutely empty, save for a few groceries and medical stores that remained open. Each of the open stores has devised their own method to ensure social distancing. While some had tied a rope around the store to ensure that customers did not crowd inside, there were others that had drawn circles outside so that customers maintained a metres distance among themselves.

The colony that came up in the early 1970s to house those who had been displaced from East Pakistan in the wake of the partition, consists 14 blocks. Wedged between Kalkaji on one side and Greater Kailash II on the other, the neighbourhood is not gated. In the wake of the lockdown though, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the area have improvised ways and means to ensure that outsiders do not get access into the colony without permission, while essentials can reach the elderly on time.

Each of the RWAs has ensured that only one gate in each of the blocks remains open. Consequently, only one security guard has been posted at each of the blocks and they are being given accommodation and food inside the RWA office space, said PK Paul, secretary of East Pakistan Displaced Persons Association (EPDP), the apex body of RWAs in CR Park.

At my block in Pocket 52, we are not allowing any outsiders, which include domestic help, and are also trying to get hold of thermal detectors to ensure that those visitors running a temperature are not let in. However, this is something that is only possible in those blocks that are completely gated, said Paul.

Along with holding off outsiders, the RWAs have also locked up the multiple parks in the neighbourhood to ensure people are not able to gather outside.

While residents of the neighbourhood are largely following rules of the lockdown, they are also worried and confused about the supply of essentials commodities and services.

The local police have shut down the fish markets. Now we are in discussion with the local MLA to see to that either the fish market is open for few hours a day, or that they are allowed to deliver at home, said Paul. He also explained that only those vegetable and fruit vendors are being allowed in the area,who have been issued a pass by the local police station after checking their temperature and other symptoms.

Yet another confusion is in regard to garbage collectors. While the EPDP has instructed garbage collectors to not go door-to-door, and instead ask residents to come down to deposit the garbage, many complain that no one has come to collect their waste in the past couple of days.

With a significant number of senior citizens in the neighbourhood, members of the RWAs are also trying to ensure that they are not affected during the lockdown. Accordingly, a social activist group have been formed that is collecting names and locations of all senior citizens in the locality. While majority of senior citizens here have a domestic help living with them 24 hours, there are few who are absolutely alone, with children living away, said Subir Dutta, member of EPDP. Through this social group  which primarily consists of RWA members and social activists  we are ensuring that the elderly people get all the facilities without having to step out, he said.

Speaking about how the neighbourhood has been dealing with the lockdown Dutta said, CR Park residents interact a lot with each other. Consequently, they have taken the lockdown in very good spirit and are following it thoroughly.

Ramesh Chanda (87), a resident of I block CR Park, said he has not stepped out of his home since Monday and there was pin drop silence his colony. Generally, there are so many cars that pass by from here. But I cannot hear a sound these days, he added. Chanda, who lives with his wife, explained that while he is not facing any shortage of grocery, he finds it difficult to get vegetables since vendors are not being allowed to do doorstep delivery. I also miss meeting my friends at the morning club, he added.
March 26, 2020

News

By Jim Garamone

Defense.gov

Army Leaders Detail Efforts Against Coronavirus

Army leaders detailed how the service is deploying field hospitals to New York and Seattle, and what the Army is doing to ensure its missions continue.

Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville and others briefed reporters at the Pentagon today on steps the service is taking in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. They spoke about force health protection, coronavirus testing and how the service maintains its combat effectiveness.

The Army has also reached out to retired personnel who have the qualifications to help in the fight against COVID-19.

The Army has 288 confirmed cases of COVID-19  100 are soldiers, 64 are civilian employees, 65 are dependents, nine are cadets and 50 are Army contractors.

McConville said that the service is rushing two field hospitals to the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.

The 531st Army Hospital from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the 9th Army Hospital from Fort Hood, Texas, received orders to deploy to New York City on March 23.

"The advance party is on the ground as I speak. The main body will arrive at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, tomorrow," the chief said. They will set up at the Javits Center in New York this weekend, and they will be operational for non-COVID-19 patients beginning March 30.

This means around 600 soldiers will be deploying to New York. They bring enough equipment for 284 beds, but since the facilities are being provided by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the number of beds will be much greater.

About 300 soldiers from the 627th Army Hospital from Fort Carson, Colorado, will deploy to Seattle. Soldiers are coordinating with state and local authorities and conducting a site survey of the CenturyLink Field and a state fairground. A location decision is pending, the general said.

The Army Corps of Engineers is operating in all states, territories and possessions, McConville said. The Corps is assisting FEMA and state authorities. The engineers are on the ground conducting site assessments for alternate care facilities.

More than 10,000 National Guard soldiers are supporting COVID-19 pandemic response efforts in communities in every state across the nation, the Army chief of staff said. Their missions are purely humanitarian and disaster relief  not policing.

"When we look at our soldiers across the 54 states, territories and District of Columbia, we are there to really protect our communities, not to police them, and we have no forecast or any planning taking place and we are not aware of any mission set to go down that way," said Army Lt. Gen. Dan Hoskinson, the chief of the Army National Guard.

The Army directed commanders around the world to raise the health protection condition from Bravo to Charlie. This move gives commanders more authority to control access to bases. For immediate response forces, the health protection level was raised to Delta.

The Army also has to be ready to respond to global situations, even in the middle of a pandemic. "We're continuing to train mission essential personnel," McConville said. "But really, what we're trying to do is we're trying to balance protecting the force so we can protect the nation."

Each Army commander is looking at their critical missions to determine what training they need, the chief said. "There are soldiers that need to perform critical functions around the world, and they will continue to do that based on the commander's assessment of the threat to the force and the threat to the mission," he said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






From the sun-soaked beaches of Thailand to the foothills of Mount Everest in Nepal, tourists across Asia are finding their dream vacations have turned into travel nightmares as airlines cancel flights and countries close their borders in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Hundreds of tourists escaping cold weather in Europe were scrambling this week to find alternative ways to return home from the Thai island of Phuket in the Adaman Sea.

Ksenia Vostriakova and her friends were scheduled to fly back to Moscow on an April 3 Singapore Airlines flight, but it was among those cancelled when the airline slashed its operations.

They have booked a flight on Qatar Airways for April 6 and are hoping nothing else changes. Now we're really worried that this flight also might be canceled, Vostriakova said, adding that their Thai visas run out in mid-April. We might still stay here because everything changes.

Thailand went under a state of emergency this week as the government gives itself new powers to deal with the virus crisis. The country, which last year welcomed 39 million tourists, announced it was closing its borders to nearly all foreigners. It's national airline Thai Airways said it was suspending almost all of its flights. It's a trend seen around the region and the world.

The Airports Council International Asia-Pacific said Friday that 12 major hubs in Asia-Pacific had seen an average decrease in air traffic of more than 80% in the second week of March versus the same period last year.

Up to 10,000 tourists are believed to be stranded in Nepal after the government ordered a complete lockdown that halted all flights and road travel to prevent the spread of the virus, the country's tourism board said. Most businesses and government offices were also shut.

Spring is the tourist season for Nepal when thousands of visitors come to hike the mountain trails.

At the Lukla Airport, the only gateway to the Mount Everest region, there were more than 200 trekkers stranded, according to Dhurba Shrestha, an airport official. Even if the highways were open, the closest road is three days trek downhill.

Officials were working on arrangements of special flights to at least get tourists back to the capital, Kathmandu.

The German government on Friday arranged a rescue flight a Qatar Airways charter that left the capital with 305 people on board, mostly German nationals.

In Kathmandu's tourist enclave, visitors could still be found wandering around empty streets. A handful of restaurants and hotels were still open, but most shops were shuttered. Police were blocking locals from moving around but not tourists.

We were supposed to leave on March 21 but we are still in Nepal and waiting for our embassy to help us arrange a flight, said New Lee Kuan, from Malaysia.

The Indian Ocean island nation of Sri Lanka said that it was ready to help an estimated 18,000 tourists return home either via scheduled flights that are still operating or special charters if required. The country is under a nationwide curfew until at least next week.

In Indonesia, more than 2,500 foreign tourists were stranded in Bali, the most famous of the country's more than 17,000 islands. The government has granted all tourists automatic visa extensions, a move made after long lines formed at immigration offices.

"This is good that helped us a lot," said Ruben Evert Ernst, a German on vacation with his partner whose visa had been set to expire in a few days.

Visitors to Thailand haven't been so lucky. Hundreds of tourists seeking visa extensions were crowded Friday under a row of awnings next to a makeshift immigration office that's been set up on the outskirts of Bangkok after throngs formed at the main building. There wasn't enough room for the tourists to keep their distance and stay in the shade so most were pressed up almost against one another.

I woke up today at 5:30 to get here on time so it's very stressful, said Murdoch Baghaie, from Sacramento, California. I'm supposed to be a tourist enjoying the scenery. Nothing like enjoying Thailand anymore." Shopping malls, bars, sit-down restaurants, public swimming pools and many other places have all been ordered closed in Thailand.

At least for now, Phuket's beaches remain open. That's good for Russian tourist Vitaliy Kurikov, who has been spending his days playing with his son on the white sands of Bagntao beach.

If they close the beaches, I really don't know what to do, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt has sparked outrage for voicing concern over how women are going to get their hair and nails done during the coronavirus pandemic.

The TV host, 43, made the remarks Thursday morning on Fox and Friends - the cable channel's flagship morning show based out of New York City, where more than 200 residents have died due to COVID-19.

'This is not a priority, but women have to get their hair done,' Earhardt told her co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade.

'I saw someone tweet out, "You're gonna see what real color our hair is, because our roots are gonna grow in"', she continued.

'All my friends are saying, you know, this is not a priority -- people are dying and I realize that -- but they can't get their nails done!'

Earhardt's remarks prompted a widespread backlash on Twitter, with users describing her remarks as 'idiotic' and 'insensitive'.

They were made on a day where more 265 Americans died from coronavirus, and a report showed more than 3 million had filed for unemployment.

Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt has sparked outrage for voicing concern over how women are going to get their hair and nails done during the coronavirus pandemic

Earhardt is usually based in New York City, but has relocated to her beach house on Long Island for the duration of the pandemic.

In the same segment, she pondered about the bills stacking up back at her Manhattan apartment, before stating: 'If you bought clothing before all this happen, if you want to return it, are stores going to waive that 30 day period where you can get your money back?'

Twitter users reacted with rage, with one stating: 'People need to realize that @ainsleyearhardt has clothes to return and needs to get her nails done. This is so hard for her right now. All of you whiny people out of work or those with dying parents in nursing homes just have no idea how hard things really are for people like her.'

'Tough times out there. Nails chipped, store returns, roots showing,' another user mocked.

Earhardt is usually based in New York City, but has relocated to her beach house on Long Island for the duration of the pandemic. She has not publicly responded to the backlash surrounding her remarks

Earhardt was widely mocked on Twitter for complaints about COVID-19 that appeared to come across as trivial

On Thursday the US surpassed China to become the country with the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world

'Think we may discover that the majority of those blondes on Fox are actually brunettes,' wisecracked another.

Meanwhile, one Twitter user revealed their mother had tested positive to COVID-19 offended and was hurt by Earhardt's comments.

However, some came to the defense of the Fox News star, arguing that she was expressing legitimate concerns and suggesting that the criticism was sexist.

Others pointed out that Bernie Sanders's press secretary Briahna Joy Gray had made a similar complaint days earlier -- while also underlining that there were bigger concerns.

On Thursday the US surpassed China to become the country with the most confirmed cases of coronavirus in the world. At last count, there were 86,038 Americans who have tested positive to COVID-19. At least 1,300 have died.

The pandemic has shut down large swaths of the country, pushing the economy into a tailspin.

Earhardt has not responded to the criticism. She is pictured in a recent social media snap with President Trump
Gov. Gavin Newsom updates the state's response to the coronavirus at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova, Calif., on March 23, 2020. (Rich Pedroncelli/Pool/AP Photo)

California Governor: 5 Big Banks Suspend Mortgage Payments

Five of the nations largest banks have agreed to temporarily suspend residential mortgage payments for people whose jobs have been affected by the CCP virus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on March 25.

The announcement came as Newsom provided yet another grim statistic about the economic devastation from the virus: 1 million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits since March 13 as businesses shut down or dramatically scaled back because of a statewide stay-at-home order to prevent virus spread.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

People walks along Zuma Beach, in Malibu, Calif., on March 23, 2020. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)

Meanwhile, Newsom said California is rapidly expanding its supply of equipment for health care workers and hospital beds in anticipation of the expected surge in patients that will come as more people are infected. Testing for the CCP virus is accelerating quickly as the state adds locations for the public to get checked.

We are leaning in to meet this moment, Newsom said.

Wells Fargo, US Bank, Citi, and JP Morgan Chase will defer mortgage payments for three months. State chartered banks and credit unions will offer similar deferrals. The banks also pledged not to initiate foreclosure sales or evictions for the next 60 days. And they promised not to report late payments to credit reporting agencies.

Newsom said everyone is eligible, regardless of how much money they make. He said homeowners must submit some form of documentation, but did not give details.

I thought the Great Recession was overwhelming, and we really had to react. This one is much bigger, said Diana Dykstra, CEO of the California-Nevada Credit Union League. Peoples health is on the line, its deeper and broader than that crisis was. It was a housing crisis. This is a crisis for everyone.

Light traffic and a mostly empty parking lot is seen along Pacific Coast Highway, in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 23, 2020. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)

Newsom criticized Bank of America for only committing to waive mortgage payments for one month. But Bank of American spokesman Bill Halldin said the company isnt capping its offer at 30 days. It will consider delaying payments on a monthly basis that could extend beyond 90 days depending on the length of the crisis.

The news comes after Congress reached an agreement with the Trump administration on a $2 trillion economic stimulus package to keep the economy afloat during the crisis. The plan would increase weekly unemployment benefits by $600 more than what states are already providing.

For California, that means some of the unemployed would be eligible for up to $1,000 per week. Thats on top of the $1,200 many adults will get as a one-time payment under the stimulus package.

At an afternoon news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti praised the package, calling it a glimmer of hope for those who are struggling economically because of the CCP virus.

I hardly can look at this as a stimulus package. Its a survival package, he said, predicting that business closures and stay-at-home orders are likely to be necessary for at least two months.

Police Sgt. Leo Moreno tells a couple they have to keep moving and cant sit on the Esplanade bench explaining that the bench may have the coronavirus on it in Capitola, Calif., on March 25, 2020. (Dan Coyro/The Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP)

More help could be on the way for Californians. Assemblyman Phil Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco, said Tuesday state lawmakers could consider a state stimulus package to supplement whatever Congress approves.

CCP virus cases in California are increasing as more testing is done. A tally by Johns Hopkins University counted nearly 3,000 infections and at least 65 deaths. Confirmed cases in the state are doubling every three to four days, according to California Health and Human Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.

California hospitals are preparing for a surge of patients, with state officials projecting the state will need an additional 50,000 hospital beds. Last week, Newsom announced the state had leased Seton Medical Center in Daly City, a hospital that was slated to close after its parent company filed for bankruptcy. On Wednesday, Newsom said the 357-bed facility is operational.

A significant milestone, he said.

The governors office also announced it is emptying the states special fund for economic uncertainties and using the $1.3 billion to buy protective equipment for health care workers and medical supplies and to help hospitals increase their capacity.

When the crisis began, California had a stockpile of 21 million masks for health care workers but was down to 2.5 million on Monday. The state has now acquired 100 million masks and is looking for more, Newsom said. The state also has authorized the procurement of 1 billion gloves.

The state has conducted 66,800 virus tests so far, Newsom said. Thats nearly 40,000 more tests than he had previously been announced. The quick increase comes because more labs are now reporting their testing numbers, he said.

Tens of thousands of people tested are still awaiting results, Newsom said.

By Adam Beam. Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Advertisement

The Pope has delivered a blessing which is normally reserved for Christmas and Easter in an extremely rare move in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Francis delivered the 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing - Latin for 'to the city and the world' - in an empty St Peter's Square this evening.

The blessing is usually given to mark the major Christian festivals of the year, or when a new Pope is elected. It was not clear whether a special blessing such as this one has ever happened before.

Catholics who watch the Pope's appearance online will be offered forgiveness for their sins if they receive the blessing.

Pope Francis delivered an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing to an empty St Peter's Square in Vatican City as a response to the coronavirus pandemic

Pope Francis presided over a moment of prayer on the sagrato, accompanied only by one other priest and television crews broadcasting his message to Italy and the rest of the world

Francis announced the surprise blessing in his weekly Angelus message last Sunday, which he has been delivering in a live-streamed format from inside the Vatican

The Pope delivering the blessing outside of the major Christian festivals underlines the gravity of the situation in Italy which has the largest death rate in the world and whose elderly population has been hardest hit

An aerial view of the Pope outside the Vatican, Rome giving the unusual 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing. He can seen here on an illuminated sheltered podium outside the entrance to the Vatican but St Peter's Square remained deserted due to lockdown

The Pope delivered the address to a completely deserted St Peter's Square as Italy is under lockdown due to the coronavirus

Francis announced the surprise blessing in his weekly Angelus message last Sunday, which he has been delivering in a live-streamed format from inside the Vatican.

The pontiff's decision to give a special Urbi et Orbi blessing underlines the gravity of the pandemic, especially in Italy which has the world's highest death toll.

St Peter's Square has been empty for weeks because of Italy's national lockdown.

The Vatican Museums are also closed, including the Sistine Chapel, in another blow to Italy's valuable tourism industry.

Pope Francis walks to give the unusual 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing to an empty St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, March 27, 2020

Pope Francis walked alone up the stairs to St Peter's Basilica to deliver an extraordinary 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing - normally given only at Christmas and Easter - as a response to the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic

Pope Francis walked alone up the stairs to St Peter's Basilica to deliver the extraordinary 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing

The Pope emphasised the solemnity of the occasion and used his address to pray for the end of the outbreak

The Vatican, which is surrounded by Rome, has imposed restrictions on movement and contact among its personnel in a bid to contain the virus.

Pope Francis has been celebrating Mass by himself to keep his distance, although he has urged other clergymen to 'have the courage' to visit the sick.

Francis himself is thought to have tested negative for coronavirus more than once, although the Vatican has never confirmed or denied this.

Alarms were raised after Francis coughed and blew his nose in church before hugging and kissing worshippers in St Peter's Square.

Francis has enjoyed generally good health, although he had part of one lung removed as a younger man.

Some priests have made themselves vulnerable to the virus by comforting the sick and presiding over funerals in recent weeks.

Pope Francis giving the unusual Urbi et Orbi blessing to an empty St. Peter's Square in front of the Vatican, Rome

Pope Francis kisses a miraculous crucifix that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the great plague. It was brought from the San Marcello al Corso church in Rome, during a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peters Basilica

Pope France went to an alter after the 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing to complete the ritual and promised the forgiveness of sins to all Catholics who accepted the blessing watching from TV anywhere in the world on the 27th March 2020

Pope Francis is pictured at St. Peter's Basilica after the extraordinary 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing at the Vatican, Rome

'A priest is always close to the people. For good or bad, it's his raison d'etre,' said Monsignor Giulio Dellavite, secretary-general of the diocese of Bergamo.

Of the 67 Italian priests who have died of the virus, more than 20 have come from Bergamo, including a bishop, according to the Catholic newspaper Avvenire.

But Giuseppe Locatelli, the priest of the parish in Albino, also in the province of Bergamo, says he has no plans to renounce his ministry.

'Priests are on the second line. Doctors and nurses are on the front line with the risks they take every day. We take fewer risks,' Locatelli said.

The Pope in a final moment of prayer after delivering the blessing from Rome to the Rest of the World
The number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh increased to 33 on Friday, with seven persons, including a railway guard, testing positive, a health official said.

A 50-year-old man, a railway guard, tested positive at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal.

"He had been referred to the AIIMS by Railway hospital," said a health department official. The man had traveled to Jhansi rencenly, he added.

In Jabalpur, two persons who worked at the shop of a businessman who had returned from Dubai tested positive.

The businessman and his family members were the first coronavirus cases in the state.

Meanwhile, the Bhopal district administration said that area in one-km radius from the residence of coronavirus patients would considered as a "containment area".

All the residents of a containment area would be home quarantined and traffic would be stopped, the order stated.

An additional two-km buffer zone would also be created around such areas.

There are now 16 cases in Indore, eight in Jabalpur, threeeachin Bhopal and Ujjain, two in Shivpuri and one in Gwalior, according to state officials.

Two of the 33 patients died earlier this week, both at a hospital in Indore.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, meanwhile, ordered closure of all liquor shops -- whether selling 'foreign' or 'country-made -- as such shops attract crowds, official sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The sister of a top nurse who died of coronavirus after treating patients at a Manhattan hospital where staff members were forced to wear trash bags to protect themselves says she doesnt know where her brothers body is.

Marya Sherron, the sister of Kious Jordan Kelly, told Chris Cuomo of CNN on Thursday that the family was in pain over the shock death of the beloved 48-year-old assistant nursing manager.

I dont know where he is, Sherron said. I dont know where his body is.

She added: We dont know whats happening entirely.

Marya Sherron (left), the sister of Kious Jordan Kelly (right), the Manhattan nurse who died after he was infected with coronavirus, says the family doesn't know where his body is

Kelly was an assistant nursing manager at Mount Sinai West in New York City. 'Today, we lost another hero - a compassionate colleague, friend and selfless caregiver,' Mount Sinai said in a statement released Wednesday when asked about Kelly's death

A shocking photo posted to Facebook shows three nurses at Mount Sinai West wearing black garbage bags as makeshift protective gowns

A NYC nursing manager who treated coronavirus patients died after testing positive for Covid-19.



Kious Jordan Kelly's sister, Marya Sherron, says his death would be "in vain if we're not going to get all of our health care workers everything that they need." pic.twitter.com/b0LOajpPqv  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) March 27, 2020

Kelly, 48, died at Mount Sinai West hospital in Manhattan on Tuesday night, a week after he was admitted upon testing positive for coronavirus.

Kelly was an assistant nursing manager at Mount Sinai West, which like other hospitals in New York and elsewhere has been hit by an urgent shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and isolation gowns.

A shocking photo posted to Facebook shows three nurses at Mount Sinai West wearing black garbage bags as makeshift protective gowns.

NO MORE GOWNS IN THE WHOLE HOSPITAL,' the caption on the photo reads.

'NO MORE MASKS AND REUSING THE DISPOSABLE ONESNURSES FIGURING IT OUT DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.'

Sherron, a resident of Indianapolis, said her brothers condition deteriorated rapidly over the course of a week.

Unfortunately everything happened so quickly, she told CNN.

He told my parents that he was positive and had corona.

Three days later he sent me a text message and shared that he was in the ICU and on a ventilator and he couldn't talk or he would choke so he was having trouble breathing.

Six days later he died.

Sherron described her brother as a leader and a champion for his units.

Armed military personnel and NYC Medical Examiner's Office set up white tents and refrigeration trucks for a makeshift morgue outside Bellevue hospital Wednesday

National Guards are seen inside the Jacob Javits Center on Monday in New York City. The massive convention center is being converted into a field hospital

He would be fighting for them right now, she said.

And thats part of why Im talking with you today.

Sherron hopes that her brothers death would be in vain if we're not going to get all of our health care workers everything that they need.

If he were still alive today, Sherron said, Kelly would be fighting for their protection. He advocated for them.

He would want his team protected, he would want the medical and health care workers protected, and he would want the janitors protected.

Its everyone there that is being exposed.

He would be doing something about it, in his way at his hospital for his unit.

Sherron described Kelly as the best brother in the world and an amazing uncle to my sons.

My parents are broken. He was a huge part of our life.

She said his death was too soon, too quick, and not necessary.

Sherron said the most difficult part of this ordeal was not being able to say goodbye to her brother for fear that she and her family would be infected with coronavirus.

Our parents are older and calling them and telling them and knowing that none of us could get to him, knowing that he died alone, thats just gut-wrenching to think about, she said.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Mount Sinai Health System wrote: 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our nursing staff.'

'The safety of our staff and patients has never been of greater importance and we are taking every precaution possible to protect everyone,' the statement continued.

'But this growing crisis is not abating and has already devastated hundreds of families in New York and turned our frontline professionals into true American heroes. Today, we lost another hero - a compassionate colleague, friend and selfless caregiver.'

At least four staffers who worked with Kelly have also tested positive for the coronavirus, and there are nine coronavirus patients being treated in the telemetry monitoring unit where he worked, according to the Post.

Mount Sinai West has about 40 coronavirus patients scattered throughout the building, sources said.

Kelly's nursing school classmate Annie K. Lee expressed her sorrow at his death in a moving Facebook post.

'I still remember hugging Kious on graduation day. I am at a loss for words and cannot even begin to describe how sorry I am, that the world has lost a flame as bright as you, in this unforgiving Coronavirus worldwide pandemic,' she wrote.

Lee issued an urgent plea to the public to support healthcare workers, writing: 'GIVE your unnecessarily stocked masks, N95s, N99s, gloves, isolation gowns, and Medical Protective Gear to your local hospitals.'

As of Thursday, the death toll of those infected with coronavirus in New York City reached 365 people.

City health official reported that in a 24-hour period, there were 3,101 confirmed new cases of coronavirus - bringing the total on Thursday to 23,112.

New York State reported 37,258 confirmed cases as of Thursday morning, up more than 6,400 from Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday, officials in New York City were taking grim steps to prepare for a potential public health disaster, new cases continued to emerge at an alarming rate and hospitalizations spiked.

A makeshift morgue was set up outside Bellevue Hospital, and the city's police, their ranks dwindling as more fall ill, were told to patrol nearly empty streets to enforce social distancing.

Public health officials hunted down beds and medical equipment and put out a call for more doctors and nurses for fear the number of sick will explode in a matter of weeks, overwhelming hospitals as has happened in Italy and Spain.

New York University offered to let its medical students graduate early so that they could join the battle.

Mayor Bill de Blasio predicted on Wednesday that half of all New Yorkers will eventually contract coronavirus.

New York City has a population of about 8.6 million.

If the current statewide mortality rate held true, deaths could exceed 40,000 in the city alone if half of all residents contracted coronavirus.

De Blasio said: 'It's a fair bet to say that half of all New Yorkers and maybe more than half will end up contracting this disease.'

Health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, added: 'We think 50 percent by the end of this epidemic, this pandemic, so by the time September rolls around likely 50 percent, but it could also be much higher.'

De Blasio also told New Yorkers not 'cling to the false hope' of reopening by Easter after President Donald Trump suggested that date for lifting lockdowns.

And he slammed Mitch McConnell for 'standing in the way' of the funding 'we need' as the $2 trillion economic rescue package continued to hit snags in Washington.

Meanwhile, Governor Andrew Cuomo, again pleading for help in dealing with the onslaught, attributed the cluster to the city's role as a gateway to international travelers and the sheer density of its population.

'Our closeness makes us vulnerable,' he said. 'But it's true that your greatest weakness is also your greatest strength. And our closeness is what makes us who we are. That is what New York is.'
The nation took to the streets on Thursday night to collectively applaud the NHS staff in a show of solidarity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

And on Friday morning, the stars of ITV Daytime shared a heartwarming video to once again thank them for risking their lives on the NHS frontline to save others.

Piers Morgan said: 'This is a war' and Susanna Reid said: 'Thank you for keeping us safe.'

'This is a war... Thank you for keeping us safe': The stars of ITV Daytime thanked the NHS staff for their hard work in fighting the coronavirus pandemic on Friday in a heartwarming video

Support: The video came hours after the nation took to the streets to collectively applaud the NHS workers for what they do for us

The video comes after it emerged that coronavirus deaths in the UK have risen by more than 100 in a day, taking the toll to 578 with 11, 658 confirmed cases.

Starting off the video was Stacey Solomon who said: 'We wanted to take this opportunity to thank our incredible NHS staff.'

Piers Morgan said: 'Make them feel valued, get behind them today. This is a war and the more we can do as a society to help our heros on the frontline the better.'

Piers Morgan said: 'Make them feel valued, get behind them today. This is a war and the more we can do as a society to help our heros on the frontline the better;

Currently quarantined at home, Susanna Reid said: 'Thank you for everything that you are doing, to keep us safe, keep us well and keep the country running'

Holly Willoughby said: 'This message is to every one of you...' and Phillip Schofield added: 'From doctors, nurses and all those in the medical field...'

Nadia Sawalha said: 'Who are working right hard right now to help as many people as possible during these extremely challenging times...'

'Including the many hospital cleaners, porters and admin staff, all of you who are working around the clock,' continued Ben Shephard.

Love: Starting off the video was Stacey Solomon who said: 'We wanted to take this opportunity to thank our incredible NHS staff'

Ruth Langsford said: 'And to the families of key workers, we know this must be a very tough time for you too. Rest assured though that your loved ones are heroes and you should be very, very proud of the sacrifices they're making for all of us'

Currently quarantined at home, Susanna Reid said: 'Thank you for everything that you are doing, to keep us safe, keep us well and keep the country running.'

Lorraine Kelly said: 'You are saving lives, you are helping the most vulnerable to cope and you're also giving them hope.'

Doctor Ranj Singh said: 'Please spare a thought for all those junior doctors out there that couldn't have imagined dealing with something quite so daunting.

Holly Willoughby said: 'This message is to every one of you...' and Phillip Schofield added: 'From doctors, nurses and all those in the medical field...'

Alison Hammond said: 'A big shout out to all the teachers who have actually gone back to work to look after the students of key workers. We see you and we thank you'

'What you have to remember is it's people like you, that mean that people like me and everybody in this country can walk around knowing that you've got our backs,' said Andi Peters.

GMB weather girl Laura Tobin added: 'Thinking about all the scientists that are in the labs doing the diagnosis and working so hard to find vaccinations.'

'Thank you for all your hard work, dedication and professionalism,' added Dr Hilary Jones.

Bright: GMB weather girl Laura Tobin said she was sending sunshine to anyone who was confined to their homes

Heartwarming: GMB's Alex Beresford said: 'From the bottom of the nation's heart.... THANK YOU!' chimed in the Loose Women panel

Also speaking from home, Charlotte Hawkins said: 'A massive thank you to the ambulance service, to the police, the fire service, who are working tirelessly to make sure we are safe, to protect us, to help support us.

'Also, I know the armed forces, who are going to be facing a very different challenge in the next few weeks.'

Alison Hammond seconded the above and said: 'A big shout out to all the teachers who have actually gone back to work to look after the students of key workers. We see you and we thank you.'

Not leaving anyone out: Doctor Ranj Singh said: 'Please spare a thought for all those junior doctors out there that couldn't have imagined dealing with something quite so daunting'

'Thank you: To the social care teams working tirelessly to help the elderly, the vulnerable and the sick in care homes and residencies all across the UK. You're incredible,' said Kate Garraway

'To the social care teams working tirelessly to help the elderly, the vulnerable and the sick in care homes and residencies all across the UK. You're incredible,' said Kate Garraway.

Ruth Langsford said: 'And to the families of key workers, we know this must be a very tough time for you too. Rest assured though that your loved ones are heroes and you should be very, very proud of the sacrifices they're making for all of us.'

Lorraine continued: 'To all of our amazing volunteers and unsung heroes in the community, who are putting others first during these unprecedented times, we salute you.'

Lorraine continued: 'To all of our amazing volunteers and unsung heroes in the community, who are putting others first during these unprecedented times, we salute you'

Eamonn Holmes said: 'Thank you very much indeed. Please keep up your incredible work'

Dr Ranj said: 'We have to mention all the retired healthcare workers who have signed up to offer their services. You are all incredible for doing so.'

'We've been blown away by the stories of kindness, courage and dedication,' said Holly.

Eamonn Holmes said: 'Thank you very much indeed. Please keep up your incredible work.'

Ben added: 'Let's not forget those in the supply chain, like the shop assistants, delivery drivers, the food manufacturers who are all working overtime to restock supermarket shelves.'

'Thank you for all your hard work, dedication and professionalism,' added Dr Hilary Jones

'Including the many hospital cleaners, porters and admin staff, all of you who are working around the clock,' continued Ben Shephard

Ranvir Singh continued: 'We know that some really difficult times are ahead. I just hope that each one of us can play out part to not spread this terrible disease and cause more terrible suffering to people around us'

GMB's Alex Beresford said: 'From the bottom of the nation's heart.... THANK YOU!' chimed in the Loose Women panel.

Ranvir Singh continued: 'We know that some really difficult times are ahead. I just hope that each one of us can play out part to not spread this terrible disease and cause more terrible suffering to people around us.'

Laura said: 'Thank you so much and if you can't get out, I am sending you some needed sunshine.'

Schofield and Kelly concluded: 'From everyone here at ITV Daytime, we cannot thank you enough. Lots of love. Stay safe.

'A huge thank you to every one of you and we are so lucky to have you.'
Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: De las crisis surgen las grandes posibilidades. Esta es una oportunidad de mejorar el sistema de salud de nuestro pais con el objetivo de brindar una mejor atencion del Estado hacia los ciudadanos. pic.twitter.com/XmQ9RlfqNq
Pacific Gas & Electric has been slammed as 'insensitive' after it emerged that the utility giant plans to pay fines totaling $4million out of a fund set up to aid the victims of California's deadly Camp Fire.

The news comes just days after PG&E pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the 2018 blaze that destroyed two Northern California towns and killed 85 people.

As part of the plea deal, the company has agreed to pay $13.5miilion to victims of the Camp Fire and other fires in 2017, and in return the Butte County District Attorney's Office won't pursue any further criminal charges.

Scroll down for video

Pacific Gas & Electric has been criticized for its decision to draw $4million from a fund set up to aid the victims of California's deadly Camp Fire to pay its fines and penalties

The company has pleaded guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter in the deadly Camp Fire that razed the town of Paradise in Northern California in 2018 (pictured)

PG&E is also required to pay just under $3.5million in fines, and an additional $500,000 to the Butte County District Attorney's Environmental and Consumer Protection Fund to cover the costs of the investigation into the fire.

'We cannot change the devastation or ever forget the loss of life that occurred. All of us at PG&E deeply regret this tragedy and the company's part in it,' PG&E Corp. CEO Bill Johnson said.

'We have previously acknowledged our role in the Camp Fire. Since the fire, we have worked side-by-side with Butte County residents and public officials to help the Paradise region recover and rebuild. That work continues today, and we are doing everything we can to make things right.

'We cannot replace all that the fire destroyed, but our hope is that this plea agreement, along with our rebuilding efforts, will help the community move forward from this tragic incident.'

'We cannot replace all that the fire destroyed, but our hope is that this plea agreement, along with our rebuilding efforts, will help the community move forward from this tragic incident,' PG&E Corp. CEO Bill Johnson said. Pictured in December 2019 during a Senate hearing on the impacts of the wildfires

PG&E's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing the agreement, which was first reported on by the Los Angeles Times, reveals that the utility plans to draw the $4million needed to cover its fines and penalties out of the $13.5million Fire Victim Trust.

'Its incredibly stupid and insensitive, in a nutshell,' District Attorney Michael Ramsey told the paper. 'All these statements of "great remorse." Is that all fake?'

There is nothing in the language of the agreement that would prevent PG&E from taking money from the fund to pay its fines, and Ramsey said he does not have the authority to bar the publicly-traded company from using the money set aside for claimants.

It will be up to the judge overseeing the utility's bankruptcy to decide whether PG&E should be allowed to draw funds from the trust.

The utility argued that changing the agreement now could put its entire bankruptcy plan at risk, which could undermine its ability to pay the victims.

Paradise Councilman Mike Zuccolillo, who lost his home in the 2018 inferno, condemned the utility company for planning to pay its fines with money from the fund intended to help those affected by the devastating fire.

'I think its ludicrous they would make such a request,' he said of the plan.

Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection found the utility company responsible for the Camp Fire - the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state spanning 153,000 - due to 'poor maintenance' after its electrical lines caught on fire on November 8, 2018, CAL Fire said in a news release.

As part of a plea deal, the company has agreed to pay $13.5millon to victims of the Camp Fire and other fires in 2017

'The tinder dry vegetation and Red Flag conditions consisting of strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures promoted this fire and caused extreme rates of spread,' CAL Fire said.

In January 2019 PG&E filed for bankruptcy due to billions of dollars in claims related to the deadly wildfires that ravaged through California state.

This is the second time PG&E has been blamed for a devastating wildfire.

In 1997, the company was found guilty of causing a fire three years earlier in Nevada County that burned down a dozen homes.




It started with a cough.

Then a fever.

Beth Milliner was exhausted and achy.

She had the telltale signs of coronavirus.

Milliner called her primary care doctor at Providence Medical Group. She told the staff that shed returned days earlier from a family function in Arizona. Shed traveled by plane.

The doctor told her to come in for testing. That was last Thursday. By 3 p.m. Friday, Milliner had her test results: She had coronavirus.

It wasnt like anything I ever experienced, then you are fearful and scared of what is going on and what is happening, she said.

Milliner, 46, and her wife, Liza Milliner, also 46, described their ordeal in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The Beaverton couple said they practiced social distancing as best as they could while spending time with family in Arizona. They returned to Oregon on March 15.

Three days later, Beth Milliner began to feel sick.

I was just tired and coughing at first, she said.

I had to lay down. Then my temperature starting going up and up and up and the body aches started. Its definitely the worst type of thing that I have ever experienced.

Beth Milliner is an IT manager for Nike; Liza Milliner is a purchasing manager for Ichor, a semiconducter company. Both began working from home the week of March 9 as their employers responded to the spread of coronavirus.

Last week, on the day of her testing appointment, Beth Milliner said she was told to arrive five minutes early at her doctors office at Tanasbourne. She said she didnt pass anyone as she entered the building and headed to the third floor. She said she assumed the appointments had been staggered to prevent patients from coming into contact with each other.

She said the door to the doctors suite was already open. A half-dozen members of the staff were at the front desk, all wearing masks and gloves. Nurses wore protective gowns. There was no check-in required; instead she was handed a mask and whisked to another open room.

Her physician wore protective gear as well, including a plexiglass shield that covered her face.

The doctor swabbed Milliners throat. She figures the appointment took about 20 minutes total.

Since the diagnosis, her doctor has checked in with her daily.

Milliner said shes still suffering from symptoms: a nagging fever, persistent cough and nausea. Shes exhausted.

I am never awake for very long, she said.

Two or three days after Beth Milliners diagnosis, her wife began to develop the same symptoms. The doctor said its likely that Liza Milliner, too, has developed the disease.

Beth and Liza Milliner said neither have underlying conditions that would have made them vulnerable to complications from the disease. They suspect they may have been exposed at the family event they attended or on the plane or at the airport.

They said they gave detailed interviews with their companies human resources departments and with Washington County public health officials. They said they shared their movements and social contacts for the two weeks before Beth Milliners diagnosis. Neither had been in close touch with colleagues in the days leading up to the diagnosis due to their travel and work-from-home schedules.

In a way, the fact that the companies did do work from home sooner limited the number of people who had to be quarantined when Beth got the positive diagnosis, Liza Milliner said.

Liza Milliner said her case is milder but shes still feeling exhausted and sick.

Its horrible to be feeling miserable and to be taking care of a loved one who is (feeling) miserable, she said.

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

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
BRIDGEPORT  Some came with empty baby strollers, others with large shopping and garbage bags.

There was no line, but a fairly steady stream of parents and students pulled up to a line of coolers at the front entrance of Curiale School late Friday morning.

Each cooler was labeled  one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for supper. Taped to the containers were instructions on how to heat up or store the meals.

Since a Grab-and-Go meal distribution program began two weeks ago when coronavirus shut down schools, participation has grown to more than 6,700 daily in the district, Acting Schools Superintendent Michael Testani said by text on Friday.

Since the program started, an estimated 32,000 meals had gone out.

State-wide, 128 districts are authorized to serve meals at 387 locations. In some districts, volunteers are even using school buses and trucks to deliver meals to school bus stops and apartment complexes at designated times.

In most cases, the meals are funded through the traditional federal school lunch program as well as a federal At-risk After School Meals Program,

Everything is going well, Testani said of the Bridgeport program. Every day, my numbers are going up.

Cafeteria worker Janice Northrop agreed.

We are so busy, Northrop said, running back and forth to refill coolers with the brown bagged meals.

They come in waves, she said of the parents.

Glancing at the sign that said the meals were for students age 18 and under, one young taker proudly announced himself a kindergartner.

The kids are all the time eating, said Alejandro Valencia, his father.

Northrop said she misses the students, but is happy to get the chance to finally meet many of their parents.

If school were in session, shed be serving about 460 lunches a day and another 90 dinners at the after-school Light House program.

Today, she and another cafeteria assistant were assembling about 100 bagged meals at a clip.

Breakfast this day was french toast, juice and milk. Lunch was pizza, mixed beans and a juice. Dinner was packaged mini-cheeseburgers and Tater Tots.

During his daily Facebook Live briefing, Mayor Joseph Ganim, who stopped by Curiale in the morning with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, declared it good food.

Murphy said thousands of meals are being served across the state during the crisis although the exact number was not available. In Bridgeport, 20 schools are open for meal pick-up from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The more we get out from school, the more the demand seems to be, said Curiale Principal Brett Gustafson.

On Friday, some parents were just now picking up school work packets distributed last week.

More than 500 have been picked up by Curiale parents, Gustafson said. Another 60 were printed out online by parents.

Angel LaForest was there to pick up meals for seven children.

It helps, and its good, LaForest said. One day they had chicken. The next day, pizza. And the cereal they give has less sugar in it.

See you Monday, Northrop called out to Marco Villa and his sister Quetzalli, after they collected their bags.

Marco said he was bored and ready to come back to school.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
STEPHANIE Pemberton has a missionto nurture the next generation of the middle class.

And not just in T&T. But in the Caribbean.

The way to do that, she reasons, is through the development of entrepreneurs.

So she established an entrepreneurship development company, Planting Seeds, which focuses on growing/promoting small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).
A one-and-half-year-old boy



tested positive for coronavirus in Navi Mumbai on Friday, a civic health official said.

This is the eighth case of coronavirus in Navi Mumbai.

The boy's grandfather, a Maulavi (cleric), had come in contact with some Philippines nationals at a mosque in the city.

After the Maulavi tested positive, samples of his family members and a domestic servant were sent for testing, and his son and the servant were confirmed to have coronavirus.

The samples of his daughter-in-law and his grandson, who returned from Mumbai recently, were sent for testing subsequently.

The boy tested positive on Friday and shifted to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai for treatment, the official said.

As many as 690 people have been advised home quarantine in Navi Mumbai, he said.

Across Maharashtra, 28 new coronavirus cases were detected on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As COVID-19 spreads rapidly throughout the United States, it has begun to enter our prisons and jails, which confine more than 2 million people. We are on the verge of catastrophefor incarcerated persons, staff, and their families, obviously, but also for the general public. Some officials have been sounding the alarm, and were beginning to see some actionbut not nearly enough, and not fast enough.

Prisons and jails house hundreds of thousands of medically vulnerable patientspeople at grave risk from COVID-19. But social distancing is all but impossible in jails and prisons. Space is limited; prisoners are double- or triple-celled, or housed in barracks-style dorms. They eat together; they share bathrooms; they are escorted from place to place by staff in close proximity. (Here and here are pictures used in support of a lawsuit seeking prisoner releases in California, illustrating this point.) Hand sanitizer is typically banned (because of alcohol content) and even soap is often scarce or too expensive for inmates whose jobs behind bars may pay only pennies a day. Copays often discourage medical care. Once a highly transmissible disease like COVID-19 makes its way into a jail or prison, containment will be extraordinarily difficult.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

There will be two dire results. First, prison and jail medical capacity will quickly be overwhelmed. Then, incarcerated people with serious respiratory impairments will flood already underequipped community hospitals, particularly in rural areas where many prisons are located.

Second, once prisons and jails have incubated COVID-19, the disease will spread past the prison gates. While many institutions have already barred visitors in response to the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of staff members come in and out daily. And especially in jailswhich hold shorter-term detainees, including those not yet tried for any crimepeople are constantly being admitted and released, often after just a few days.

So prisons and jails are among the most dangerous pandemic sitesdangerous for prisoners, for staff, and for everyone outside. The virus might have a single initial entry point to an institution, such as an infected staff member. But after it spreads through the population there, it will have countless exit points.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Per capita, the incarcerated population in the United States is several times larger than that of nearly every other country in the world. That renders us uniquely vulnerable to this disease vector. It is nearly inevitable that this virus will hit our prisons and jails hard and soon. Indeed, its surely already in more of them than we know. The only question is how bad the damage will be. We can mitigate it only with swift and aggressive action.

Advertisement

The only way to really limit this catastrophe is by quickly reducing the number of people incarcerated. If we can get everyone out who doesnt have to be there, it will also produce some critical space that institutions will need to enable social distancing and to isolate the sick, and might even make it possible to operate with reduced staff. And although some are already infected, there will be a smaller number if we act today than there will be if we act tomorrow, or next month. Moreover, we can minimize the risk those already infected pose to the community by ordering that those released stay at home for two weeks or more.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Governors of many states have the authority, under emergency powers and/or their ordinary clemency powers, to order quite sweeping steps. Courts can implement others (heres a catalog of state Supreme Court orders so far, and also of litigation seeking emergency prisoner releases), and local prosecutors can be crucial actors as well. There are several key steps that states (and the federal system) should take:

1. Delay new sentences, except as absolutely necessary. Sentence start dates, sentencing hearings, plea hearings, and trial dates can be deferred until after the emergency. This will also help to protect court personnel and citizens called to jury service. A number of statesfor example, Washington and Wyominghave delayed criminal proceedings. (Obviously this only helps if its coupled with releases of the defendants.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

2. Sharply limit pretrial detention. Many people in our jails have not been convicted of crimes at all. Most are detained pretrial not because they pose a danger but because they dont have money for bail. This is a serious problem at any time, but now, it endangers all of us.

Nobody should be detained pretrial unless there is clear and convincing evidence that they pose a flight risk or a danger to the public that cannot be satisfied with less restrictive means like home confinement. Prosecutors should not request money bail, and courts should not require it. Those already detained without a finding of unmitigable dangerousness or flight risk should be released and ordered to stay home instead. Again, a number of jurisdictions have taken at least significant steps in this direction. (They include Washington, California, South Carolina, and Harris County, Texas.)

Advertisement

3. Commute all sentences due to end within a year. Inevitably, hundreds of thousands of people will be released from prisons and jails during this emergency because they are due to be released. Keeping them behind bars until the crisis ends is not an option. Everyone will be safer if they are released now. The mechanism will vary by statein some, governors can use their emergency or normal clemency powers. For the federal government, Attorney General William Barr took a baby step in this direction on Thursday, announcing plans to shift some older federal prisoners to home confinement. In some states, courts could order this approach. (Californias Supreme Court, for example, has ordered identification/release of those with two months or less left to serve, which is a good step, but the crisis is not likely to be over in just two months.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The public safety risk would be minimal, and far outweighed by the benefits of reducing coronavirus spread. Many of those due for release within a year were convicted of misdemeanors or minor felonies and had short sentences to begin with. Others are people who have already served most of a longer sentence. Some have even already been granted parole but are awaiting various administrative steps for release. But all are due to be released soon anywaythe question is whether they bring the coronavirus with them.

Sentences could be commuted to time served or to house arrest for up to the remainder of the term. The order could even provide for releasees to return to prison if the state of emergency ends before their terms do. Domestic violence offenders could serve house arrest in a home other than that of their victim. Individuals released will need speedy reentry planning to support housing, health insurance enrollment, and medical care access as they get out. (This kind of reentry assistance is part of a recent release order in New Jersey.)

Advertisement

4. Release older and chronically ill individuals. Many older people behind bars are serving long sentences for long-ago violent crimes and are left out of steps targeting minor offenders. But even if past crimes were significant, nobody deserves the death sentence that COVID-19 could very likely become.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Moreover, the vast majority pose no risk to the public now (except as virus vectors). In a forthcoming study co-authored with J.J. Prescott and Benjamin Pyle, one of us assessed the crime risk posed by people with violent-crime convictions. We found that older individuals pose vanishingly small risks. For example, among homicide offenders released after age 55, only 0.4 percent were reconvicted of any new crime within the following three years. And those were ordinary releases. Replacing incarceration with detention at home (or in medical facilities) would presumably pose even less crime risk.

Some of the steps proposed here might seem radical in ordinary times. But these are extraordinary times. Throughout the country, governors and other public officials are taking sweeping, dramatic actions to protect the public from COVID-19. Ordinary Americans are upending our lives in ways we could not have imagined just a week or two ago. If we dont think at the same scale about the brewing crisis in prisons and jails, we will all suffer the consequences.
WASHINGTON (JTA)I know that many American Jews are not the biggest fans of President Donald Trump. But I also know that when it comes to Jewish issues, no candidate is better.

President Donald Trump is the most emphatically pro-Israel U.S. president since the Jewish states founding in 1948. He is the most instinctively philo-Semitic president at least since Abraham Lincoln spoke of America as an almost chosen peopleand perhaps since George Washington himself assured the Jews of Newport, Rhode Island that each child of the Stock of Abraham would forever sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree. In addition to recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving the U.S. embassy there, he successfully withdrew from President Barack Obamas capitulatory Iranian nuclear deal, a huge boon for the Jewish state, and has crippled the Islamic leadership with debilitating sanctions.

Recent Gallup polling suggests that a whopping 95% of American Jews hold favorable views of Israel. For all the hand-wringing about the role of Zionism in the future of American Jewry, these statistics speak for themselves: American Jews overwhelmingly support the worlds sole Jewish state. And there has been no greater presidential defender of that Jewish state than President Trump.

Trump has restored peace through strength deterrence throughout the Middle East and the confidence of our allies in the regionmost recently by killing the ruthless Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

Palestinian-Arab nationalism has been a violent threat towards Israel since the states early days, and todays Palestinian Authority continues that shameful legacy. The Trump administration has responded accordingly, closing the PLO mission in Washington, D.C. and defunding the PA due to its vile pay-to-slay jihad subsidization.

At the infamously anti-Israel United Nations, the Trump administration has consistently defended the Jewish state against the dictatorships that dominate that body. The administration has defunded UNRWA, the UN agency that perpetuates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by promulgating a definition for Palestinian-Arab refugees different than that for every other refugee group in the world. And the administration withdrew the U.S. from UNESCO, which has passed disgraceful resolutions denying all historical Jewish claims to Jerusalem.

The Trump administration has always protected Israels right to defend itself from incitement from Gaza and the West Bank, and has recently recognized the legality of Jewish settlements in the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria. His administration also formally recognized Israeli sovereignty over the strategic Golan Heights and has unveiled a plan for peace with the Palestinian-Arabs that is the most pro-Israel one ever offered by a U.S. president. After this Deal of the Century was unveiled, the administration successfully elicited hitherto unprecedented statements in support of recognition of Israel from leading Arab states.

This alone would comprise a compelling Jewish case to re-elect President Trump. But equally impressive has been the Trump administrations profound commitment to a pro-Jewish, pro-religious liberty domestic agenda.

In December 2019, Trump signed a groundbreaking executive order to protect Jewish students across America under the statutory ambit of Title VI. It shall be the policy of the executive branch to enforce Title VI against prohibited forms of discrimination rooted in anti-Semitism as vigorously as against all other forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI, the executive order states. This is perhaps the single most symbolically and substantively philo-Semitic executive order that a U.S. president has ever issued.

The Trump administrations commitment to religious liberty for all has been laudable. He has fought the Obama administrations contraception mandate tooth and nail. President Trump has also updated federal guidance to bolster protection for school prayer and has recently proposed a rule under which the government will not discriminate based on an organizations religious character when it comes to grant money for social service providers. Recently, he has also proposed a rule that would undo an Obama-era regulation limiting taxpayer funding for faith-based adoption agencies that support traditional family structures.

Finally, the president has appointed roughly a quarter of all federal circuit judgesnearly all of whom are committed to a robust conception of religious liberty under the law. The salutary effects of this judicial transformation will last for decades. Jews, who have often been the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to governments treatment of religion, stand to disproportionately benefit from a systemic governmental rededication to protecting religious liberty for all.

Yet the most obvious Jewish reason for supporting Trump may well be the nature of his remaining 2020 adversaries. Bernie Sanders has surrounded his campaign with anti-Israel figures like Linda Sarsour and Rep. Ilhan Omar, and has mollycoddled problematic leaders like Jeremy Corbyn. As for Joe Biden, it was his threat to halt U.S. aid to Israel nearly four decades ago that led then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin to issue his most famous words: I am not a Jew with trembling knees. It would be a shande to replace the rock-ribbed pro-Jewish, pro-Israel Trump with either of these contenders.

Josh Hammer is editor-at-large of The Daily Wire, where he provides commentary and heads The Daily Wires 2020 coverage. Josh is also Of Counsel at First Liberty Institute, the Texas-based religious liberty legal defense firm.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
BEIRUT, Lebanon  When Turkey this week announced indictments against 20 suspects in the killing of the dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, the prospects dimmed of anyone ever being held accountable for the crime.

None of the suspects are in Turkey, and Turkish courts do not normally try defendants in absentia. Calls for international legal action have gained little traction. And human rights advocates doubt that Saudi Arabias justice system will ever punish the suspects charged there.

For someone like Jamal to be killed in that way and the world remains silent? Mr. Khashoggis Turkish fiance, Hatice Cengiz, wrote in a text message to The New York Times this week. When will the world take action after this? And how does the West defend itself? With values? Where are the values?

Mr. Khashoggi was a prominent Saudi journalist who broke with the kingdoms de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and fled to the United States, where he wrote opinion columns critical of the Saudi leadership for The Washington Post.
A couple's dream honeymoon on a luxury island cruise turned into nightmare in which they ended up starting married life living in a cramped campervan.

Matt and Helen Fong had planned to swim with turtles off the coast of Fiji but ended up self-isolating and living off kebabs and pot noodles.

Plans to spend just a couple of days in Australia beforehand backfired with the couple still stranded there two weeks on and desperate to get home.

The couple, both 33, from Wetherby in Yorkshire, have now spent 4,500 on new flights to the UK which they are not sure they will be able to take as their route passes through Hong Kong.

Speaking to MailOnline, Matt said: 'This was supposed to be a once in a lifetime trip, but it has turned into hell.

A couple's dream honeymoon on a luxury island cruise turned into nightmare in which they ended up starting married life living in a cramped campervan

Matt and Helen Fong had planned to swim with turtles off the coast of Fiji but ended up self-isolating and living off kebabs and pot noodles

Plans to spend just a couple of days in Australia beforehand backfired with the couple still stranded there two weeks on and desperate to get home

Helen said: 'We had been planning for 18 months. It was booked round the same time as wedding and we planned it meticulously.'

But her husband went on: 'Now, all we want to do is come home but there is so much uncertainty and there is no guarantee that we will be able to even get on the flight.

'We are due to go via Hong Kong, but they are only saying citizens can enter the country, but we will take the chance as we don't want to be stuck in Australia for three months.

'We just hope we can transit through the airport and get home.

'It hasn't been the best way to start married life, but we have tried to make the best of it.'

The couple wed at the Woodhall Hotel and Spa in Wetherby, Yorkshire, in February.

But while they enjoyed the day with friends and family it was the honeymoon Down Under that they had been looking forward to.

The trip was to begin with tickets for the Download Music Festival in Melbourne where accountant Helen wanted to see her favourite band, My Chemical Romance.

The day before they left for Australia the concert was called off after the group refused to travel to attend the concert due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The couple, both 33, from Wetherby in Yorkshire, have now spent 4,500 on new flights to the UK which they are not sure they will be able to take as their route passes through Kong Kong. The couple wed at the Woodhall Hotel and Spa in Wetherby, Yorkshire, in February

Speaking to MailOnline, Matt said: 'This was supposed to be a once in a lifetime trip, but it has turned into hell'

The couple considered scrapping the honeymoon but were told by their travel insurance company they would not get a refund on their flights as their airline Etihad were still flying to Australia and there had been no Foreign Office advice not to travel

The couple considered scrapping the honeymoon but were told by their travel insurance company they would not get a refund on their flights as their airline Etihad were still flying to Australia and there had been no Foreign Office advice not to travel.

They arrived in Sydney on March 15 and the following day the country was put into partial lockdown with schools and public spaces shut down.

In an attempt to avoid contact they rented a camper van and drove to isolated parks and beaches far from Sydney.

'The van is cramped as it is - we went out to buy an airbed, blankets and pillows to make it as cosy and honeymoon as we could get it,' said Matt.

'Our trip was supposed to be out of a Hollywood movie but it's turned out to be ridiculous,'

'It really has been the honeymoon from hell.'

The couple spent four days in the van before switching to budget motels to make the best of their trip having been told their cruise on the Ruby Princess line was cancelled.

They had planned to visit Fiji and other islands spending over 1,400 on the excursions.

Helen, an accountant, said: 'We were excited about swimming with turtles and being in the most romantic and beautiful places in the world.'

They had planned to visit Fiji (above) and other islands spending over 1,400 on the excursions. Helen, an accountant, said: 'We were excited about swimming with turtles and being in the most romantic and beautiful places in the world'

The couple spent four days in the van before switching to budget motels to make the best of their trip having been told their cruise on the Ruby Princess line was cancelled

With many restaurants closed the couple have survived on sandwiches, pot noodles and take away kebabs eaten from a tiny table in the camper van

With Sydney in similar lockdown as the UK the couple decided to cut short the honeymoon

While in Sydney the couple visited Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains where they went on nature walks.

With many restaurants closed the couple have survived on sandwiches, pot noodles and take away kebabs eaten from a tiny table in the camper van.

With Sydney in similar lockdown as the UK the couple decided to cut short the honeymoon.

Adding to the misery for the pair was the uncertainty of when they can leave Australia after the Foreign Office said all British nationals should return home immediately.

They were told by Etihad Airlines that the earliest they can leave on their tickets is June as all their planes have been grounded.

The fed-up pair have managed to book a British Airways flight home via Hong Kong and paid 4,500 for the tickets.

'I don't want to think how much I am out of pocket. All we have done is spend out money.' said Matt. The couple will get a refund on the cruise and the 500 for tickets to the music festival.

Like an estimated 300,000 other British nationals they have been in contact with the Foreign Office to inquire about returning home and scheduled to leave at the weekend.

Matt, a comedian, said they have been given little help by the Foreign Office.

Adding to the misery for the pair was the uncertainty of when they can leave Australia after the Foreign Office said all British nationals should return home immediately. Pictured: Not quite Fiji, a bowling club in Nimbin

The fed-up pair have managed to book a British Airways flight home via Hong Kong and paid 4,500 for the tickets. 'I don't want to think how much I am out of pocket. All we have done is spend out money,' said Matt

Matt added: 'All the enjoyment has gone out of the honeymoon and we just want to come home'

'We've heard nothing. We tried to get through to the British Embassy and the Commonwealth Office, and when we managed to get through to the Embassy, they directed us back to the FCO - it kept going back and forth,' said Matt.

'All the enjoyment has gone out of the honeymoon and we just want to come home.

'Honeymoon's are supposed to be a happy time and I've told Helen that this is just a honeymoon part one of another honeymoon.

'We will have a good time where we can celebrate our marriage - just the two of us. It's probably not going to be this trip and it might not even be this year with the whole situation going on.

'But I have promised her a honeymoon. This was a trial and I think if we can survive this together, a real honeymoon should be good fun.'
President Reagan in 1981. (American Vantage Media)

To the editor: One important detail is missing from the article about similarities between the current coronavirus pandemic and the early years of the AIDS epidemic.

President Trump, however grudgingly, is at least acknowledging and addressing the crisis. But under President Reagan, the AIDS crisis was almost completely ignored, epitomized in the infamous response of Reagan's Press Secretary Larry Speakes to a reporter's question about why nothing was being done: "I don't have it, do you?"

Vincent Brook, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Cuba most certainly did quarantine HIV-positive people at the height of the AIDS epidemic, as this article notes. At the time, Cuba was faced with a dangerous disease that required the strongest possible measures to contain. It was not about "stigma."

Those early patients were isolated, cared for and instructed how to take care of themselves and not infect others. Later on, as more became known about HIV, the required period of quarantine was retained for the purpose of initial treatment and education. But once the responsible authorities felt confidence in the patients' ability to be released into the general public, they were sent back to their families and loved ones.

Cuba emerged as the country in the Caribbean and Latin America with the lowest per-capita rate of infection. Now, Cuba sends medical specialists to countries around the world that are facing similar public health catastrophes.

It might have flown in the face of cherished notions about civil liberties if our country had done the same, but there would have been many thousands fewer lives lost. I write as a gay senior who lived through that period and saw hundreds of my friends die.

Eric A. Gordon, Los Angeles
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lied to the country.

Thats not an easy thing to write about the most visible authority figure tasked with trying to inform and keep the nation calm during a worldwide pandemic.

But he did. "Right now its more important than ever that Canadians have access to the latest news and information," Trudeau said during his daily news conference on Wednesday.

"To ensure that journalists can continue to do this vital work, our government is announcing new measures to support them."

Then his government reannounced measures to support journalism that were first announced more than a year ago, which have been mismanaged and delayed and, to date, have provided zero dollars to news outlets such as the Winnipeg Free Press.

There was nothing new. No new support. Nothing to help journalists do the essential work the prime minister said they are doing. In fact, there was not even a promise to fix problems that have all but stalled the existing programs.

Lets be clear. Journalists may be doing essential work, but the COVID-19 restrictions now in place could kill the businesses behind news outlets in general, and newspapers specifically. A lot of our revenues depend on advertising, which has disappeared as businesses shutter and events are cancelled.

Some newspapers have closed already. A large group of community papers in Atlantic Canada suspended publication. A group of French daily newspapers in Quebec stopped publishing printed papers except on Saturdays.

Were not alone. We know many other businesses face the same threat. Were all in this together. We understand the federal government is buried under an avalanche of need right now  millions unemployed, businesses failing, a pandemic still looming. We did not ask to be singled out.

So why did Justin Trudeau stand in front of the nation and lie about helping us?

One thing we know for certain is that everyone needs information from trusted sources, and we are providing that. Our digital traffic is soaring. Governments are depending on news media to get out the message.

More importantly, everyone is depending on news media to get it right, to help them navigate a confusing tsunami of information about something that could threaten their health and their livelihoods.

So it looks good to say you are helping news media do their job.

After Trudeau spoke, the federal government announced it was appointing a "new independent advisory board on eligibility for journalism tax measures." This is a panel to help the Canada Revenue Agency determine which journalism organizations qualify for tax measures that were detailed in the March 2019 budget, and first announced in November 2018  16 months ago.

This program is worth $595 million over five years. Among other things, it is to provide refundable tax credits to pay for 25 per cent of the salaries of journalists working for qualified news outlets. To date, not a single dollar has been paid out to any news outlet, even though the program is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2019.

The program is rife with problems and delays. As currently written, the legislation disqualifies almost all newspaper companies in Canada from receiving tax credits, including the Winnipeg Free Press and its parent company, FP Newspapers.

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.

News Media Canada, the national association of newspapers that I chair, has repeatedly brought this to the attention of federal officials. They have promised changes; none has been forthcoming. All newspaper companies desperately need the cash now to stay open. But there is no word on when it will flow.

The government also announced it will be easier to apply for another, smaller aid program, known as the Canada Periodical Fund. This program has also been beset by delays and a lack of information, leaving publishers without funding they desperately rely on. Simplifying an application for the 2020-21 program will not get any money to them during the current COVID-19 crisis.

In short, as the prime minister gave a heartfelt thanks to journalists "for everything they do today and every day," his government failed to provide a single dollar of support for journalism. He lied.

I work with a dedicated team that is committed to providing news to this community in good times and bad. Many still come to our building on Mountain Avenue each day, knowing they have to be here to produce the print edition of the paper. Our carriers still show up in the wee hours so they can deliver to doors across the city. No one has run away to hide.

They do not deserve to be insulted by a prime minister who promises false hope.

Bob Cox is publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press and chairman of News Media Canada, which represents daily and community newspapers across Canada.
Meghan Markle is a modern representation of womanhood--she's outspoken and socially progressive.

As a celebrity and a royal family member, Meghan has been involved in different issues, one being how people call her a gold digger. But with all the issues that she encountered, none of these were proven.

One issue that has recently caught the attention of many people is that she is reportedly having a secret affair with Tom Cruise.

A report seems to have taken things a little too far when it made a dodgy report about Meghan Markle and her 'closeness' with Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. The report also follows that the actor wants Meghan to be part of his movie or wanted to team up with her.

READ NEXT: Meghan: Kate And The Royal Family Are "So Uptight"

It was not long before Tom Cruise finally broke his silence and immediately said that he hasn't reached out to Meghan about working with her on a project. He has been busy shooting the next entry of Mission: Impossiblefranchise.

So was it just a rumor?

Yes, and as we all should know by now, let us not trust everything we read on the internet. The article about Meghan Markle and Tom Cruise was 100 percent speculative and baseless. It gave a lot of people some very misleading information--that Meghan Markle and Tom Cruise were having an affair behind Prince Harry's back. And it turns out that the tabloid whipped up another false report about Cruise.

But, in other news on Tom Cruise

In other news, Cruise is allegedly upset about Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx having a child together. This issue is so cryptic that it begs the question about the tabloid's credibility at large.

ALSO READ: The Queen Allegedly Disrespected Meghan Markle, But There's More to the Story

Not all issues are real and proven. People make false reports not just to attract readers but also to give thrills to society. Celebrities can not please everyone, but they have to accept that there are people who are ready to support them, and some people are prepared to destroy and hate them.

Celebrities don't have to prove anything to society; do not have to get everyone's approval and support as long as they live with honesty, integrity, being respectful to other people, and lastly, a role model to the young ones.

More on Meghan Markle

Rachel Meghan Markle or known as Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, wife of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex is an American actress and a member of the British Royal Family. Meghan was born on the 4th of August 1981 and was raised in Los Angeles, California. She studied at Northwestern University, wherein during her studies, she began playing roles in television series and films.

READ MORE: Did Meghan Influence Prince Harry to Step Down as Senior Royal?

Meghan was first married to the actor and producer Trevor Engelson in 2011 and got divorced in 2013. In 2017, she announced her engagement to Prince Harry, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and moved to London. She stopped from acting, decided to close all her related social media accounts, and started to undertake public engagements as she is already part of the British Royal Family. She married Prince Harry in 2018 and became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In 2020, the married couple announced their intention to leave the British Royal Family and split their time between the UK and Canada.
At the top of 2020, Baby Roses US tour was basically sold out. Her 2017 EP, From Dusk Til Dawn had garnered R&Bs newest phenom a strong fan base, along with her invigorating performance on COLORS and her 2019 debut LP, To Myself is set to re-release this Friday (Mar. 27). For Rose Rose, her relationship with music has always been spiritual  which she credits for her success.

Music is embedded in me naturally. I dont do it for me; I do it for God because God has got me here, Rose says. Music is a divine gift that Ive been given. If all of my labels are to be removed, I still have this voice, this innate desire to create music, to sing and to tell a story. I can be all of those things and I can be none of those things, but Ill always have this gift.

Born Jasmine Rose Wilson, Baby Rose created her stage name to describe how she feels about herself  an evolving, young woman who is not afraid to be vulnerable and loud in that vulnerability. At first listen, many assume shes older. Yet, shes quick to explain that her look doesnt define her voice and while she loves vintage-sounding records, she also indulges in ratchet s**t.

The 25-year-old D.C. native was taught to embrace this duality since childhood. She grew up surrounded by a myriad of genres like jazz, gospel, classic R&B, and hip-hop thanks to her immediate family.

All of that together made a soundscape that I really fell in love with. Not necessarily who, but more of what. I really dont place that much influence on people alone, she tells Teen Vogue. Nina Simone is the only exception to that sentiment. [She] really just wrote for her. Her music hit different." Through this, she also discovered her blossoming talent. I always knew my voice was lower and raspier than other little girls. Ive always had my voice. Theres never not been a time when I [wasnt aware of] that. Discovering what I had to say and what I had to do with my voice came when I turned 18.

Story continues

Rose began singing with the piano at nine years old  self-taught by ear  and kept up her practice even when she moved from DC to Fayetteville. Throughout her formative years, she still sang and was diligent about practicing. I didnt have a social life, all throughout high school, all throughout middle school, she says. And I dont regret any of that. I was in the studio or doing talent shows. I had committed myself to that so early on.

Adding, For the better part of my life I had been teased about my voice and the way I carried it. But as I grew older, it became Oh, this is cute. Oh, little Alicia Keys. I knew I had this gift and I was going somewhere.

But when the time came to look into higher education, Rose decided to major in biochemical engineering with a joint scholarship to Spelman and Georgia Tech. I was really gifted at science and math, she shares. And the only way I got to do music was by having good grades. On move-in day, Rose found out that theyd given her scholarship away  because she had been in LA for The Voice (which she didnt end of winning)  and ended up at a community college in the city of Atlanta.

For Rose, her journey then became a culmination of breadcrumbs, as she lovingly coined them. Two years ago, she was a struggling college student working to alleviate her familys financial strains when her mother fell ill. A friend invited her to perform at a college showcase and with her moms blessing, she did that sh*t.

I was supposed to sing one song, but that lasted for 15 minutes because I felt so free. I felt like damn, even with everything seemingly falling apart around me, this is the thing that makes me feel alive and gives me hope. From that moment, it catalyzed, Rose says.

Fast-forward to just a week ago before the global pandemic and untimely quarantine, Rose was gearing to wrap up her first headlining tour, which also happened to be her fifth tour since last May. She opened for Ari Lennox and months later, then Snoh Aalegra, internationally and domestically. At the top of 2020, she closed out Xavier Omars tour before jetting off on her own. Not to mention shes also slated to perform at Afropunk Paris in July. For Rose, being an opener was a challenge she embraced. Its that confidence of coming to a crowd that may or may not be familiar with me, and then winning people over, she reminisces. As far as being a headliner goes, when youre there and you know that everybody there is there for you? That is a completely different vibe.

When introducing fans to her unique sound, she starts with her 2019 single, August 5th. The dynamic songbird explained, it kinda spells out my life and is one of my favorite records. The whole To Myself album is me kinda putting it all on the line and August 5th is the cherry on top, but everything I do is vulnerable or very prideful. Its on a spectrum, but its never fabricated.

To Myself was birthed post-breakup. She dubbed it a catalyst, but also its a stake that I put in the ground. Pushing against all of the things that I dont really see is a perpetual thing that Im surrendering to in this journey. Overall, the sonic value, production, writing, the way Im singing, me just really not giving a f**k is what To Myself is.

Rose also feels its imperative to foster relationships with her female industry-mates. Its absolutely wonderful to have amazing personal relationships. To be able to have that community and even for me, being able to bring Davionne on tour with me. We were both on [Revenge Of The Dreamers III] and now, were both Grammy-nominated. Snoh offered me advice for Tiny Desk, which really altered the way we rehearse and she didnt have to do that. Ari really opened up space for me to go on my first tour, which was a catalyst for touring, and festivals, she says.

Now, though, shes settling into her new normal of getting creative as f**k to offset any projected boredom. Despite domestic life being an underlying theme on To Myself, Rose stated, I kinda fell into that. That was never the plan. For her, it was more about comfortability, but she now has a more developed idea of how to manage this expectation in future relationships.

I dont have any desire at the present moment to slow down my momentum, but I love love. I grew up on love. I always place that highest on the totem pole of life. Having love, having connections  I think thats why I think this whole isolation thing is pretty f**king difficult, but it is what it is. As long as Im on this Earth, Im going to create, love fully, live in love, learn and grow.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
The Vatican is testing the dozens of priests who live in the popes residence amid fears of a potential flare-up.

Pope Francis has donated 30 respirators to hospitals in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the Vatican said on Thursday.

A statement from the office of the papal almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, did not say where they would be sent, or if any would go to countries beyond Italy.

In Italy, where the virus has killed more than 8,000 people, the epicentre of the outbreak is in the northern Lombardy region.

The death toll in Italy, whose capital, Rome, is home to Vatican City, is more than double that seen in any other country. There are more than 80,000 infections in Italy.





The Vatican is, meanwhile, conducting tests for coronavirus on the dozens of priests who live in the same residence as Pope Francis, while making contingency plans to move those diagnosed with the disease elsewhere, a source in the Holy See said on Thursday.

The moves come several days after a priest who lives in the Santa Marta residence and works in the Secretariat of State tested positive for the virus and was hospitalised in Italy.

The Vatican source was one of several officials who expressed concern about a possible flare-up in the residence where the pope has lived since his election in 2013.

The modern residence, which has 130 rooms and suites and a staff of about 30 people, is also home to dozens of priests who continue to work in key Vatican departments.

While the Vatican has enacted procedures to stem the spread of coronavirus inside the city-state, some officials say they may not be sufficient and think a total shutdown may be needed.

Santa Marta may be a bomb waiting to explode, said one of the officials, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter.

Francis has tested negative for coronavirus twice in recent weeks, according to Italian media reports. The Vatican has not commented on those reports.

The Church will continue without the Roman Curia working for a few weeks Vatican official

There are about 50 permanent residents in Santa Marta, which is run like a hotel and which stopped accepting bookings for temporary visitors earlier this month.

About half of the residents were tested on Wednesday and the other half were being tested on Thursday, a source said, adding that the plan was to move those who test positive to a Church-run hotel for pilgrims in Rome. Senior Vatican officials who live elsewhere inside the city-state are also being tested, another said.

The concern is that priests move between Santa Marta, their jobs in Vatican departments, and sometimes go into Rome.





I consider it a potentially serious public health issue, said one official.

Until recently, Francis took his meals in the common dining room but he has recently been eating in his suite, one official said.

Francis is 83 and part of one of his lungs was removed following an illness when he was a young man.

One source who enters the residence regularly said precautions have been taken such as encouraging social distancing and making hand sanitisers available.

Since March 6, the Vatican has issued at least five notices or decrees that mirror steps taken in Italy.

They include recommendations to communicate by phone even with people in the same office, alternating shifts and encouraging as much work from home as possible.

But most Vatican offices are still open, albeit with a skeleton staff, and some say they should be closed.

The church will continue without the Roman Curia working for a few weeks, one official said, using the name for the Vaticans central administration.

This policy to keep all the offices open is worrying. My department can be closed for months without any damage, another said.

Francis has cancelled public appearances and is conducting his general audiences via television and the internet. But he still receives about five Vatican officials a day, according to his official calendar.
Rajyogini Dadi Janki, the chief of Brahmakumaris Sansthan, the world's largest spiritual organisation run by women, passed away at the age of 104 after prolonged illness.

She breathed her last at 2 am on Friday at a hospital in Mount Abu. She was suffering from respiratory and stomach-related problems for the last two months, an official statement said.

Her last rites will be performed on Friday at a ground located in Shanti Van campus of Brahamkumaris headquarters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over her demise.

"Rajyogini Dadi Janki Ji, Chief of the Brahma Kumaris, served society with diligence. She toiled to bring a positive difference in the lives of others," he tweeted.

The prime minister said her efforts towards empowering women were noteworthy.

"My thoughts are with her countless followers in this sad hour. Om Shanti," he wrote.

Rajyogini Dadi Janki was born on January 1, 1916 in Hyderabad city located in Sindh province now in Pakistan. She had embraced the spiritual path at the age of 21.

In 1970s, she moved to western countries to establish Indian philosophy, Raj Yoga and human values.

She had set up 'Seva Kendras' in 140 countries around the world. The chief administrators at 8,000 of such centres are women.

She was appointed the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) by the government for her work in the field of maintaining cleanliness.

About 20 lakh people, including 46,000 women are associated with Brahamkumaris.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 19:42:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Video: Xinhua reporter Tan Yixiao briefs you about the facts and figures that the United States reported more than 82,000 confirmed #COVID-19 cases as of 6 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on March 26, becoming the country with most COVID-19 cases in the world. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

The nationwide tally has been growing by around 10,000 cases every day since last Saturday, and climbed from 70,000 to 80,000 in less than five hours on Thursday.



NEW YORK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States has overtaken China to become the country with the most COVID-19 cases worldwide by Thursday afternoon local time, according to Johns Hopkins University.

As of 11:30 p.m. (0330 GMT on Friday), a total of 85,653 cases were reported in the country, with 1,290 deaths, data from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at the university showed.

The nationwide tally has been growing by around 10,000 cases every day since last Saturday, and climbed from 70,000 to 80,000 in less than five hours on Thursday.

A person wearing a face mask walks in the street near Grand Central Station in New York, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Among all 50 states and Washington D.C., New York has become the epicenter of the country's outbreak, recording nearly 40,000 cases. Over 23,000 cases have been recorded in New York City (NYC), the largest city in the country with 8.6 million residents.

A high level of population density has accelerated the spread of COVID-19, according to experts and officials, who urged people to stay home and maintain social distancing while outside.

"We remain deeply concerned about New York City and the New York metro area," said Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, at a briefing on Tuesday.

A man wearing a respirator walks through Times Square in New York, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

She said anyone who has recently left this area should self-quarantine for 14 days "to ensure that the virus doesn't spread to others."

The New York state is scouting new sites for building temporary hospitals, besides four locations already confirmed, to serve as quarantine centers, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday.

The state aims to have a 1,000-plus patient overflow facility in all five boroughs of NYC as well as some downstate counties hit hard by COVID-19, including Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties, said Cuomo.

A person wearing a face mask walks through Grand Central Station in New York, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

The governor said earlier this week that the COVID-19 cases may peak in two to three weeks, and the state will need some 140,000 hospital beds by then. The state currently has some 53,000.

New York's Neighboring state, New Jersey, ranks the second in terms of COVID-19 caseload with over 6,800 cases as of Thursday night.

Governor Phil Murphy announced on Thursday that President Donald Trump has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for New Jersey, which will enhance a statewide response to COVID-19 by providing federal assistance.

Citizens walk dogs in Foster City, California, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

In California, more than 4,000 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus with 62 deaths. Medical workers are running out of face masks, especially N95 masks, as well as other personal protective devices and disinfection products. Some have appealed for donations from the public.

Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that California has distributed 24.5 million N95 masks and has placed orders for an additional 100 million to address the shortage of medical supplies.

Wang Mingli, organizer of a medical supplies donation campaign in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, told Xinhua that within two hours on Sunday 137 N95 masks and 2,207 one-time-use surgical masks were received from the local Chinese American community.

A woman wearing a face mask shops at a supermarket in Foster City, California, the United States, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

"We donated all the 137 N95 masks to Community Hospital Long Beach and sent one-time-use surgical masks to a local senior care center," Wang said.

Nationwide, U.S. companies have joined the efforts to tackle the N95 mask shortage.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced last week that his company has "been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19."

"We're donating millions of masks for health professionals in the U.S. and Europe," he tweeted.

Photo taken on March 26, 2020 shows an empty street in San Mateo, California, the United States. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, said his company has donated 720,000 masks in its emergency reserve and is "working on sourcing millions of more to donate."

Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO at Tesla, has reportedly pledged to distribute 250,000 N95 masks among hospitals. He said on Twitter last week that Tesla will donate more than 1,000 ventilators from China to hospitals in Los Angeles.

(Article by Xinhua Reporters Chang Yuan and Gao Shan) 
Every day when Juan Garcia starts his shift on the intensive care ward, the fear is overriding.

A doctor at the Hospital La Paz in Madrid, he is working on the front line in the battle against the coronavirus outbreak.

What scares this 39-year-old intensive care specialist is the profile of the patients coming down with the illness.

I feel fear, lots of fear. Firstly, for my family because the majority of patients we have in ICU are the same age as my parents. Most were healthy with no previous health problems, Garcia tells The Independent.

Secondly, I am scared for my own safety because we have also had patients who are aged between 30 and 40. It is a lottery and there is no way to know if you will become part of the 80 per cent of patients who have a slight form of the illness or the other percentage who are seriously ill.

Spain is grappling with an unprecedented healthcare crisis. On Friday, the number of people killed by coronavirus leapt by a record 769 in just 24 hours to 4,858, health authorities said. This is the highest rise in one day in the country since the start of the pandemic. The total number infected stands at 64,059.

Many health workers in Garcias hospital have come down with the virus  some are in self-isolation at home, while others have had to be admitted to intensive care.

Its a national crisis, with more than 9,400 health workers across the country testing positive for the virus, Spains health emergency chief confirmed on Friday.

Garcia says the hospital, like many others in Spain, is totally unprepared to cope with the scale of the outbreak.

At La Paz, there are 800 patients with coronavirus and another 85 in intensive care.

I feel exhausted, physically and emotionally. And frustrated to be working in these conditions, he explains.

The Spanish health system is not designed in terms of buildings, human resources and material to deal with so many patients in such short a time. We are working round the clock.

Dr Garcia should work eight-hour shifts but in reality the average day is at least ten.

I am okay when I am working because you are just so busy you do not have time to think. But it is hard when I come out and go home. I burst into tears the other day and cried all the way home Ester Gonzalez, auxiliary nurse

We stay longer to give other staff a hand. My life is going to the hospital and going home, he says.

Some doctors have had trouble sleeping because of the stress of the situation.

At the moment I am sleeping okay. I think the tiredness helps, says Garcia.

At the Hospital Puerta de Hierro, also in Madrid, Sara Alcantara admits that the sheer volume of patients arriving in the intensive unit forces her to make quick decisions, which perhaps she regrets later.

An intensive care specialist, Alcantara, 38, is part of a team treating the most ill patients.

I feel various things right now. One is frustration because the ill people dont stop coming and sometimes I have to make decisions quickly which leave a bad taste in your mouth, she tells The Independent.

Not knowing when the outbreak in Spain may start to peak is playing on her mind.

I feel uncertainty because we have no idea when the number of cases are going to stop rising, she says.

A health worker transfers a patient on a stretcher at the Severo Ochoa hospital in Leganes, Spain (AFP)

Dr Alcantara, who has also worked in the US and Britain, is outraged that the government has not enforced a total lockdown to try to contain the virus.

The Spanish government declared a state of emergency on 14 March, ordering the closure of non-essential shops and schools. People have been told to stay at home except in the case of buying food or medicine.

I think our government is so scared of the economic impact of this that they have not done everything that they should have done, she says.

It doesnt make sense that people are confined to their homes but then many carry on working. They are building new homes next to my house and the workers arrive at 7am. They are arriving in a normal bus. We should have stopped all activity apart from the absolutely essential services.

She warns that Britain has woken up to the scale of the epidemic too late.

We cannot understand why, having seen what has happened in Italy and here, they have not stopped all activity in the UK. I sincerely hope that things in Britain dont reach the proportions that they have here.

In some hospitals, managers have forbidden doctors from speaking out about the real situation.

However, Dr Carlos Riesco, a gynaecologist at Hospital Puerta de Hierro, decided to take to social media to voice his anger.

He was inspired by a live television address to the nation by King Felipe VI last week calling on Spaniards to unite around the same objective: to overcome this serious situation.

Dressed in his hospital gown and wearing a protective mask, Riesco posted a video in which he says: I have just come from one of the most difficult days in the hospital so far and I could not resist saying that [the kings speech] was so far removed from what is really happening. Just saying we will all get through this together is not good enough.

The video went viral with many other health workers agreeing with the doctors sentiments.

As in many hospitals, there are not enough masks or impermeable gowns, Riesco tells The Independent.

It means in the rest of the hospital we have to improvise in order to cover ourselves.

Images have emerged of doctors in Spain being forced to use plastic bags as protective gear amid critical shortages.

The emotional strain on staff is telling. Ester Gonzalez, an auxiliary nurse at the Hospital Carlos III in Madrid, says she broke down after finishing a shift.

I am okay when I am working because you are just so busy you do not have time to think. But it is hard when I come out and go home. I burst into tears the other day and cried all the way home, she says.
Aviation regulator DGCA has made it official.

Domestic flights, which were initially suspended till March 31, will now remain so till April 14, which is when the national lockdown also ends. The initial announcement was made on March 23, and flights were stopped from March 25.

The regulator, in a circular issued on March 27, said that the earlier suspension is being extended "till 2359 hrsIST on 14th April ,2020."

It added: "All domestic operators engaged in scheduled, non-scheduled and private aircraft operations in lndia shall ensure strict compliance of the order."

The communication laid all doubts to rest if the airlines will be allowed to restart operations from April 1, once the lockdown gets over. The doubts were raised despite communication from the home ministry saying all kinds of transportation, including air, will be suspended because of the lockdown.

Industry executives say that the latest communication will increase cries from industry players for financial help. They have already asked the government for help to pay employee salaries.

Aviation has been among the most hit because of the COVID-19 outbreak. A report by advisory firm CAPA India had said that the aviation industry could incur a loss of up to $3.6 billion in the first quarter of the next financial year. It had earlier said that half of the jobs in the industry could become redundant.
Study Shows Goldfish Might

Know More Than You Think
Joe Biden's campaign came to his defense Friday over sexual assault claims an ex-staffer has made this week.

'Women have the right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims,' Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said. 'We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.'

Tara Reade, who was among the women who came out last year with stories about Biden being too handsy, now says she was assaulted by the former U.S. senator in 1993 on Capitol Hill.

Reade, who currently supports Biden's rival, Bernie Sanders, told her story to journalist Katie Halper for her 'Katie Halper Show' podcast on Wednesday and has since been interviewed by Hill.TV and Vox.

Tara Reade, who worked for Joe Biden in 1993, accused him of sexual assault in a number of interviews - including on Hill.TV - this week. She had previously accused the ex-senator of touching her neck. In new interiews she accused him of putting his hand down her skirt

Vice President Joe Biden's campaign defended him against accusations made by a former aide, calling the accusations 'false' and providing a former executive assistant as a character witness

Biden's campaign pushed back vehemently on Friday, providing a character witness to DailyMail.com and other outlets: Marianne Baker, an executive assistant to Biden from 1982 to 2000.

'In all my years working for Senator Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period - not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone,' Baker said in a statement, provided by the campaign.

'I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade's accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager,' Baker continued.

'These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades,' Baker added.

Reade told Halper that the assault occurred after she was told to deliver a gym bag to the then-senator. Reade said she tracked down Biden on Capitol Hill and he remembered her name.

'And then we were alone. And it was the strangest thing. There was no, like, exchange really, he just had me up against the wall,' she said.

She said she was wearing a work skirt, but no pantyhose.

'He just had me up against the wall and the wall was cold,' she said. 'His hands were on me and underneath my clothes. He went down my skirt and then up inside it and he penetrated me with his fingers. He was kissing me at the same time,' she said.

She said that when she 'pulled back,' Biden 'looked annoyed.'

Reade said Biden said to her, 'Come on man, I heard you liked me.'

'He implied that I had done this,' she told the podcast host.

At first Reade didn't want to mention the other quote that got stuck in her head, but then she told Halper what it was.

'You're nothing to me,' she claimed the senator said to her. 'Nothing.'

Reade shared her interview with Halper on her now-locked Twitter account adding, 'Please stay in Bernie.'

Another tweet from that account warned the 'Biden campaign bots' that she would 'sue anyone who continues to slander me [or] call me a Russian agent. The charges of sexual harassment & worse against Biden are true I will have the information collected of your slander turned over to law enforcement.'

She then used the hashtag #BernieForPresident.

Biden defenders have accused Reade of being a Russian plant for her pro-Putin blog posts, suggesting she wants to tilt the 2020 election to President Trump.

In interviews she said she first supported Elizabeth Warren for president, then Sanders.

Reade's account differs greatly from what she told The Union last year when Biden's overly touchy behavior was rattling the presidential campaign he was launching, starting with an accusation from Nevada state Rep. Lucy Flores, who recalled the then-veep giving her a 'big slow kiss on the back of my head.'

Flores, wrote an op-ed for New York Magazine's The Cut, headlined: 'An Awkward Kiss Changed How I Saw Joe Biden.'

Flores prompted a flurry of other anecdotes from women about the 2020 presidential candidate violating their personal space.

Reade told The Union of her experience working for Biden when she was in her mid-20s.

'He used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck,' Reade said. 'I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that.'

She provided documentation to the Nevada County, California newspaper that showed she had been an aide from December 1992 to August 1993.

She said she was pushed out after nine months on the job after refusing to serve drinks at an event. Reade claimed Biden wanted her to waitress because he liked her legs and said she was sidelined after she refused.

She told the paper she felt objectified.

'It's pretty. Set it over there,' she said. 'Then when it's too bright, you throw it away.'

In past writings, Reade gave other reasons for leaving Washington, including that she wanted to pursue acting.

She also said she was against the U.S. government's anti-Russian stance in a 2018 blog post. 'I could not stand to watch the deception and xenophobia that came from my own American government,' she wrote. 'It is so sad and destructive to revile another culture or country for no reason but economic gain.'

In a blog post from 2009, she held up Biden as good example for authoring the Violence Against Women Act, as she wrote about her own experience with domestic abuse. In that post, she also said she left Washington because her boyfriend was working on a congressman's campaign based in the midwest.

When Reade was asked this week why she chose now to disclose her story she told Vox that she was 'too scared.'

'I just wasn't quite ready,' she added.

She made similar statements on Hill.TV.

The Intercept's Ryan Grim put the whole thing in motion when he reported Tuesday that Reade had approached the group Time's Up with her accusation against Biden, but they didn't want to take on a case involving a federal candidate because it could jeopardize the group's non-profit status.

In doing additional reporting Grim talked to Reade's friend and brother whom said she told them about the sexual assault by Biden in 1993.

'Woefully, I did not encourage her to follow up,' her brother told The Intercept, a publication that leans toward progressive candidates like Sanders. 'I wasn't one of her better advocates. I said let it go, move on, guys are idiots.'
Donald Trump rose to power with the determined assistance of a movement that denies science, bashes government and prioritized loyalty over professional expertise. In the current crisis, we are all reaping what that movement has sown.

At least since the 19th century, when the proslavery theologian Robert Lewis Dabney attacked the physical sciences as theories of unbelief, hostility to science has characterized the more extreme forms of religious nationalism in the United States. Today, the hard core of climate deniers is concentrated among people who identify as religiously conservative Republicans. And some leaders of the Christian nationalist movement, like those allied with the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, which has denounced environmental science as a Cult of the Green Dragon, cast environmentalism as an alternative  and false  theology.

This denial of science and critical thinking among religious ultraconservatives now haunts the American response to the coronavirus crisis. On March 15, Guillermo Maldonado, who calls himself an apostle and hosted Mr. Trump earlier this year at a campaign event at his Miami megachurch, urged his congregants to show up for worship services in person. Do you believe God would bring his people to his house to be contagious with the virus? Of course not, he said.

Rodney Howard-Browne of The River at Tampa Bay Church in Florida mocked people concerned about the disease as pansies and insisted he would only shutter the doors to his packed church when the rapture is taking place. In a sermon that was live-streamed on Facebook, Tony Spell, a pastor in Louisiana, said, Were also going to pass out anointed handkerchiefs to people who may have a fear, who may have a sickness and we believe that when those anointed handkerchiefs go, that healing virtue is going to go on them as well.
[March 27, 2020] Bank of Hawaii Corporation Announces Change of Location for 2020 Annual Shareholders Meeting

Bank of Hawaii Corporation (NYSE: BOH) today announced that its annual Shareholders Meeting scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2020, 8:30 a.m. (HST) at Bank of Hawaii's Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, will now be conducted via a virtual live webcast format only. There will be no in-person shareholder attendance. The change in venue is due to the emerging public health impact of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and to support the health and well-being of its employees and shareholders. Additional information regarding the Shareholders Meeting is available in supplemental proxy materials filed with the SEC (News - Alert): http://ir.boh.com/sec-filings/sec-filing/defa14a/0000046195-20-000032. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 28, 2020, can articipate in the virtual meeting via the internet at: https://east.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BOH2020 by entering the control number indicated on the shareholder's proxy card, voting instruction form or notice previously received.



Shareholders are urged to vote and submit their proxy in advance of the meeting whether or not they are planning to participate in the Annual Meeting at www.proxyvote.com by entering the control number indicated on the shareholder's proxy card, voting instruction form or notice. It is Bank of Hawaii's intent to return to in-person shareholder meetings once the COVID-19 crisis passes.

About Bank of Hawaii Bank of Hawaii Corporation is an independent regional financial services company serving businesses, consumers, and governments in Hawaii and the West Pacific. The Company's principal subsidiary, Bank of Hawaii, was founded in 1897. For more information about Bank of Hawaii Corporation, see the Company's website, www.boh.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005100/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
THE NEW NEW WORLD

Coronavirus Crisis Exposes Cracks in Chinas Facade of Unity

With anger rising over the response to the coronavirus outbreak, even some with ties to Chinas leaders have called for acknowledging divisions, not papering them over.



At Union Hospital in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak, the staff is going online to beg for medical supplies.

At Union Hospital in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak, the staff is going online to beg for medical supplies.Credit...Chris Buckley/The New York Times

Li Yuan

By Li Yuan

Published Jan. 28, 2020

Updated Jan. 31, 2020



From the outside, Chinas Communist Party appears powerful and effective. It has tightened its control over Chinese politics and culture, the economy and everyday life, projecting the image of a gradually unifying society.

The coronavirus outbreak has blown up that facade.

Staff members at prestigious Union Hospital in Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak, have joined others around China in begging online for medical supplies. Videos show patients in Wuhan beseeching medical staff for treatment. Residents of Wuhan and its province, Hubei, are being chased off planes and ousted from hotels and villages.

Online critics are comparing current leaders unfavorably with past ones, even though the older generation had its own tarnished record on responding to emergencies. Some people have urged local party officials to kill themselves.

As cracks show in Chinas veneer of stability, even some with ties to the party leadership are calling for those in power to shine light on divisions rather than papering them over. The crisis has shown that China remains riddled with vulnerabilities that no amount of censorship or strong-arming can hide.

The local governments tolerance level of different online voices is way too low, wrote Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times newspaper, a nationalist, party-controlled outlet that fiercely defends Beijing from its critics, in a social media post.

VIRAL IMPACT Chinas entrepreneurs, its biggest growth engine, are in peril.

Government agencies have weakened the checks-and-balances function of the Chinese news media, Mr. Hu wrote, citing the example of eight early whistle-blowers who were summoned for talks by the Wuhan police.

The coronavirus outbreak has already killed over 100 people and infected more than 4,000 in China, mostly in Wuhan and elsewhere in Hubei. For online critics of the governments responses, which at times have been slow or seemingly random, the crisis has prompted a rethinking of the grand trade-off with the party, in which the people have surrendered individual rights for the promise of stability and prosperity.

The current system looks so vibrant, yet its shattered completely by a governance crisis, one user wrote on the social media site Weibo.

We gave up our rights in exchange for protection, the user wrote. But what kind of protection is it? Where will our long-lasting political apathy lead us?

Westerners can be easily awed by how quickly and forcefully the Chinese government can mobilize resources and build infrastructure. Even some international public health experts have said they were impressed with the speed and scale of Chinas lockdown on more than a dozen cities, which has affected 56 million people. The Chinese propaganda machine has highlighted such abilities as two new Wuhan coronavirus hospitals are built from scratch, to be completed in days.



This single-minded pursuit of efficiency masks deep problems. Propaganda videos and flashy new buildings dont show the toll that this relentless drive can take on people, society or the environment.

Many Chinese people are willing to go along. Partly, the state has taught them to think that way. But many are satisfied with the status quo because they believe that the party has kept their interests in mind.

The epidemic now threatens to change some of that thinking.

Officials in Wuhan initially played down the threat and censored information as the disease spread throughout the country and even internationally. The city and the province then abruptly imposed a lockdown on travel, even though millions had already left for Chinas Lunar New Year holiday.

Sign up to receive our daily Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide with the latest developments and expert advice.

Sign Up

Local residents complained that restrictions later imposed on traffic made it difficult for people to get to work and seek medical assistance, perhaps hindering prevention efforts rather than helping them.

Wuhans medical system was so overwhelmed that videos of overworked medical workers having breakdowns and desperate patients pleading for help circulated widely online.

The situation was so dire that Zhang Ouya, a senior reporter at the state-run Hubei Daily, wrote that Hubei must immediately replace its commanders on his verified Weibo account. The post was soon deleted, but a screenshot circulated widely. In an official document leaked online, the newspaper apologized to Wuhan officials and promised that its staff would post only positive content.

For many people in China, the most unexpected revelation came when local hospitals ran out of supplies and had to ask for donations on social media, going around the Chinese bureaucracy. As the crisis expanded, even hospitals in Beijing and other provinces resorted to public appeals for face masks and protective medical gowns.

Ive always thought we have the most refined state-run system, which can pool and deploy resources at a moments notice, wrote a Weibo user called Meng Chang, a former journalist in Beijing. But the reality was disappointing, he wrote: Where is the omnipotent system?

National leaders, meanwhile, look out of touch. As the outbreak became a national crisis, the front page of the Peoples Daily, the Communist Partys mouthpiece, last week extolled the leadership but didn't mention Wuhan. Therere no people in the Peoples Daily, one of my WeChat connections, an economist, messaged me.

China Central Television, the state broadcaster, featured a banquet held by the leadership to celebrate the countrys successes. On Friday night, the eve of the Lunar New Year, CCTVs annual holiday broadcast worked in six minutes of praise for Wuhans medical workers between the skits and songs. Wuhans people went unmentioned.

I was very sad when watching the Spring Festival gala last night, a woman named Jiujiu told the podcast Gushi FM. Wuhan has come to this, yet the whole nation still seemed full of great joy.

Some within Chinas institutions appear to be trying to fix the problems.

While Weibo has censored many posts about the epidemic, it appears to be leaving loopholes for its users to vent. Wang Gaofei, Weibos chief executive, posted research by scientists at the University of Washington that showed a correlation between greater news coverage and a reduction in infections.

But in a country where history is often rewritten to serve the partys interests, the lessons of the past can be forgotten. Discussion of SARS, the outbreak that killed hundreds 17 years ago, has been muted. Even as many Chinese people quietly complain about current leaders, they wax nostalgic about the role that former President Hu Jintao played in the SARS epidemic, apparently forgetting that Beijing tried to cover up that outbreak for three months.

A video of a CCTV interview with Beijings mayor at the time, Wang Qishan, who is now Chinas vice president, was viewed over four million times in two hours before it was deleted. The comments were full of praises for his candid and confident answers and yearning for a strong leader like him.

Its not that this nation has a bad memory, wrote one person who pointed out the irony. Its because those in power dont like that you remember.

The police in various parts of China have fined or detained over 40 people in the past few days for spreading rumors, many of which claimed that there were confirmed cases of the virus locally, according to a tally by a WeChat account based on media reports.

Wang Heyan, an investigative reporter for the magazine Caixin who has written about corruption cases involving top Chinese leaders, lamented on her WeChat timeline that she and her colleagues couldnt get any medical workers to talk to them in Wuhan. Even after she promised them anonymity, Ms. Wang said, the workers feared reprisals.

If all medical workers arent willing to take a little risk to speak the truth and the media cant report the truth, in the end everyone, including the doctors, will be victims, she wrote.

A reporter from Beijing News also complained on social media that even though he was in the epicenter of the epidemic, he couldnt write a single word about what he had learned.

Many Chinese still have strong belief in the power of the central government. After Premier Li Keqiang visited Wuhan on Monday, a week after the epidemic became a full-blown crisis, a retiree told my colleague Chris Buckley, In China, if a leader visits, that shows that all the resources of the government can be mobilized.

Li Haipeng, a former journalist, predicted as early as last week that eventually the state would come to Wuhans rescue.

The state will be interpreted, proved and trusted as the only savior, he wrote on Weibo. All our stories are the same: They start with the failure of the state and end with its victory.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 03:52:57|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Locals buy basic commodities at a street market in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 27, 2020. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday announced a 21-day national lockdown starting from Monday as part of the measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

HARARE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday announced a 21-day national lockdown starting from Monday next week as part of the measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

In an address to the nation, the president said only businesses providing essential services will remain open, such as hospitals, food markets, power and water utilities as well as emergency and security services.

Members of the public will only be allowed limited movements to buy food and medication and other essential services, the president said.

Public transport operators will not be allowed to operate except for state-owned ZUPCO buses and those that transport public sector workers, which should observe strict public health and precautionary measures.

Funeral gatherings will be exempted from the lockdown but the number of mourners should not exceed 50, while visits by members of the public to hospitals remain limited.

Motorists will not be allowed to leave their vehicles in queues.

Mnangagwa said if necessary, the government will deploy members of the security forces to assist in the enforcement of the lockdown.

The country has so far recorded five confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one death.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday offered her MPLADs fund for the welfare of the people of Rae Bareli in fighting the coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter to the Rae Bareli district magistrate, Gandhi asked him to use the funds as per the requirement of the constituency.

Gandhi also called upon the district magistrate to ensure that no person in her Lok Sabha constituency remains without food during lockdown.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Civil Defence members carry a patient on a stretcher as they arrive at the Severo Ochoa hospital in Leganes, Spain, on March 26, 2020. (Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images)

Spain, Czech Republic Say Chinese Rapid CCP Virus Tests Often Fail

CCP virus rapid tests imported from China often fail to detect the virus accurately, according to medical professionals in Spain and Czech Republic. The tests failed in 70-80 percent of cases.

The CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, broke out in the central Chinese city of Wuhan around November 2019 and was allowed to spread across China and the world due to a coverup and mismanagement by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Some countries, including Czech and Spain, bought hundreds of thousands of tests from China that are supposed to show results in less than 30 minutes, as opposed to the several hours needed for the regular tests.

But healthcare professionals have complained that the tests are unreliable.

The rapid tests, manufactured by the Chinese company Bioeasy, based in Shenzhen, have a sensitivity of 30 percent, when it should be higher than 80 percent, reported Spanish list El Pais, referring to a source who participated in testing of the kits undertaken at several large Spanish hospitals.

The Chinese embassy in Spain commented to El Pais that Bioeasy hasnt been licensed by the Chinese regime to sell the tests and wasnt on the list of suppliers the Chinese trade ministry had given Spain.

Bioeasy didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Czech authorities ordered 300,000 of the rapid tests for some $2 million. At least 150,000 of the test kits have already arrived. They came from Shenzhen, though the authorities havent released the name of the supplier.

The tests returned a false positive or a false negative result in about 80 percent of the cases, Czech media reported, referring to regional health officials.

Unfortunately, the error rate was relatively high so were now waiting for results of further testing from the whole country, said Pavla Svrcinova, public health officer of the Ostrava region in the northeast of the small central European country.

The Czech National Healthcare Institute warned that the tests check for antibodies and thus cant detect the virus in the first 5-7 days of infection, when the patient is most infectious, but has not yet developed the antibodies.

Its not a diagnostic test, the institute concluded, according to the Czech news site Seznam Zpravy.

The government still intends to use the test as a supportive measure to screen people who already have had symptoms of the infection for several days or who are finishing their two-week quarantine.

The government wanted to use a third of the tests to quickly screen its law enforcement, military, customs officers, and firefighters. Its not clear whether the tests can still be useful for that purpose.

Czech has been one of the less affected nations with about 2,000 cases and nine dead as of March 27.

Spain, on the other hand, is one of the worst affected, with over 64,000 cases and nearly 5,000 dead.
Residents in a coronavirus hotspot have been caught blatantly ignoring social distancing orders to make the most of a perfect day in the sun.

Manly Beach, on Sydney's northern beaches, was flooded with hundreds of joggers, cyclists, surfers and sunbathers on Friday.

Despite clear instructions to remain at home as much as possible and avoid crowded areas to slow the spread of the virus, people were spotted clustered together.

Former Married at First Sight star and Manly resident Dean Wells also shared footage of the area flooded with visitors throughout the day.

'Literally thousands of people around,' he wrote in a post on Instagram.

The shocking footage comes as Australia's coronavirus cases skyrocket to 3,112, with 13 people killed and the economy brought to a shuddering halt.

Scroll down for video

Manly Beach was flooded with joggers, cyclists, surfers and sunbathers on Friday morning

Groups of women enjoyed their morning walk while others did push-ups in the busy area

The affluent beachside suburb is at the centre of one of the worst struck areas in New South Wales.

The northern beaches - which covers, Pittwater, Narrabeen, Frenchs Forest, Curl Curl and Manly - reported 68 cases on Thursday.

Three of those have required hospital treatment, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The northern beaches has the third highest number of cases in NSW, just behind central Sydney which had 69 cases and Waverley.

Waverley, which includes Bondi, Bronte and Queens Park in Sydney's eastern suburbs, leads all areas in New South Wales with 105 recorded cases of COVID-19.

Bondi Beach was locked down this week after thousands of sun seekers descended on the tourist hotspot over the weekend.

Sunbathers ignored 1.5metre social distancing guidelines on Friday and Saturday as they lay together on the sand and helped each other apply sunscreen.

Pictures of crowds soon emerged on Instagram showing a lack of concern for social distancing rules, with many of the young sun-worshippers even making jokes about the virus.

The government has been urging everyone to keep at least 1.5metres apart to slow the spread of the deadly virus.

Extreme measures have been brought in as the number of cases continues to rise, including a travel ban, as well as a ban on mass gatherings.

Despite the clear instructions to remain at home as much as possible and avoid crowded areas to slow the spread of the virus, many people were spotted clustered together

The government has been urging Australians to stay home as much as possible and avoid busy areas to slow the spread of the virus, however, Manly residents still flocked to the beach

Central Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and the city's northern beaches have been revealed as hotspots for the coronavirus in New South Wales. The virus has infected more than 1,200 people across the state

On Friday afternoon, Scott Morrison announced Australians arriving home from overseas will be forced to serve out their two week self-isolation in hotels policed by the military.

Mr Morrison said Australia is battling both a virus and economic crisis, describing the latter as 'devastating'. He announced the Federal government is working on a third stimulus package to help businesses 'hibernate' through a six month shutdown period.

Weddings have been limited to five people and funerals to just 10, with auction houses and open homes closed.

Former Married at First Sight star and Manly resident Dean Wells also shared footage of the area flooded with visitors throughout the day

Pubs and gyms have been forced to close, while cafes and restaurants have been restricted to offering a takeaway service only.

Many retailers have now made the decision to close stores as foot traffic continues to decline and people opt for online purchases instead.

Solomon Lew's Premier Investments, which owns General Pants, Smiggle, and Peter Alexander, shut all its Australian stores at 6pm on Thursday.

Around 9,000 of the company's staff around the world will be stood down without pay until at least April 22.

The company said it does not intend to pay rent on any of its stores. Around 70 per cent of its leases in Australia and New Zealand run out this year or are already expired.

The group's bosses will be working from home without pay.

Crowds are seen on Bondi Beach ahead of its closure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on March 21

The shocking footage comes as Australia's coronavirus cases skyrocket to 3,112, with 13 people killed and the economy brought to a shuddering halt

RAG Group, which owns Tarocash, YD and Connor, is closing 500 stores and standing down 3,000 workers from 5pm on Friday.

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

Meanwhile, Accent Group - which owns Athlete's Foot, Platypus and Hype - has announced it is closing 522 stores and standing down around 5,000 staff.

The company will close all stores from 5pm on Friday for four weeks.

During the stand down period, employees will continue to accrue entitlements and may access their annual and long service leave entitlements.

ALH pub group has stood down 8,000 workers and jeweller Michael Hill has told 2,500 people they no longer have a job.

Flight Centre has announced 3,800 job losses in Australia - and 6,000 globally - after the Prime Minister banned going overseas.

Thousands of Australians have already been left without work as a result of the changes.

Sydney's south east has the most confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 319 people in the area catching the deadly virus

Thousands of hospitality workers were out of work from Monday when the prime minister announced the new measures (pictured: People lining up outside Centrelink this week)

Centrelink offices have been flooded with desperate Aussies hoping to get the job seeker benefit.

The government has been working to soften the blow to the economy, pledging to support workers who lose their jobs.

Scott Morrison announced an extra $66billion worth of spending on Sunday, bringing the total survival package to $189billion - or 10 percent of Australia's GDP.

A series of bills was approved on Monday night, with two packages worth $17.6billion and $66billion at the heart of the Morrison government's response.

In separate legislation, the government set aside a further $40billion for urgent and unforeseen spending associated with the pandemic, likely to cause a recession.

Peter Alexander is among the stores that is having to close down due to the coronavirus

Smiggle is also owned by Solomon Lew's Premier Investments which announced the shut down

General Pants is closing all stores until at least April 22 due to the coronavirus fallout

Restaurants on Melbourne's popular Chapel Street have been forced to resort to takeaway services only, in light of the new restrictions

The government will no longer need legislation to make changes to welfare settings after passing an amendment to the package, giving the social services minister unprecedented powers.

The money is to help businesses survive the shutdown, and to help people buy food and pay their bills through an extended period when they might be unable to work due to quarantines and lockdowns.

It includes wage subsidies so businesses can keep staff on the payroll even when money is not coming in, and early superannuation access for people struggling to make ends meet. A number of welfare payments almost doubled.

Banks have also offered a six-month repayment holiday for mortgage holders.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 12:33 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dce52f 1 World COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,US-ASEAN,US-Embassy,US-Consulate,diplomatic-missions,pandemic Free

In view of the development of COVID-19 in Indonesia, the United States Department of State has ordered the departure of certain family members of its employees in the archipelago.

In a release posted on the US Embassy's website on Thursday, the embassy said dependents under the age 21 from the US Embassy in Jakarta, the US Mission to ASEAN, the US Consulate General Surabaya and the US Consulate Medan had been asked to leave the country.

The Department of State made this decision due to evidence of COVID-19 in Indonesia, current Indonesian medical capacity, and current availability of flights out of Indonesia, the release read.

Meanwhile, the embassy and Consulate Generals will remain open for mission-critical functions only. Services for US citizens remain available.

Under the Global Level 4 Health Advisory, US citizens in Indonesia should arrange for an immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an extended period.

Those who are seeking to depart Indonesia should make their own travel arrangements as soon as practicable, since commercial flights are still available, albeit, at significantly reduced levels, the release read.

We strongly encourage US citizens, whenever they travel abroad, to enroll their travel plans on www.travel.state.gov using the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), and to read the country information found on the site, the embassy said in the release on Thursday.

The embassy called on citizens to consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) website for the most up-to-date information and read the CDCs latest recommendations to know what they can do to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.

Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information. Check with your airlines or cruise lines regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions, it read.

Visit our embassy webpage for information on conditions in Indonesia. Visit the Department of Homeland Securitys website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States, it added.

Seek medical care right away if you believe you may have COVID-19 [or similar symptoms] or were exposed to someone who may have COVID-19 in the last six weeks.

The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in Indonesia have soared to 78 as the Health Ministry announced 20 more deaths on Thursday, the country's highest one day death toll increase.

Jakarta is the province with the highest number of deaths with 46, followed by West Java with 11 and Central Java with six.

Indonesia's death toll is the highest in Southeast Asia, followed by the Philippines with 45, and its mortality rate of 8.73 percent is among the highest in the world.

On Thursday, the Health Ministry's disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, announced 103 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to 893.
Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) has donated 20,000 to support Pieta House in the charitys work to highlight the psychological challenges of the fight against Covid-19.

said the Institute had made the donation on behalf of its community of 10,000 members and students to support mental health services in these unprecedented times.

Although ATIs Annual Charity Lunch scheduled for April 24 has been cancelled, its nominated charity, Pieta House will not be at a loss as ATI has committed 20,000 to help support people in distress.

Gillian Doherty, Chief Operations Officer with ATI stated that we as human beings are not always aware of our capacity for personal resilience and in these uncertain times, we may need additional support."

ATIs President and Grant Thornton Partner Sinead Donovan noted that support for Pieta House is more important now than ever as peoples psychological health comes into focus as a result of the restrictions on daily life.

The core theme of our Annual Charity Lunch was to have been wellness, with a particular emphasis on mental health, said Ms Donovan.

Pieta House, which has recently postponed its Annual Darkness Into Light walk, warmly welcomed the donation.

This is a particularly challenging time as we respond to the challenge of coronavirus, during which we will make our life-saving counselling support available by phone, said CEO Elaine Austin.

For those in difficulty, Pieta House can be contacted free at 1800 247 246 or by texting HELP to 51444.
(Alliance News) - European Metals Holdings Ltd on Friday said a Czech utility firm has agreed to invest in a lithium project in the country, though at a lower price than initially expected.

The company back in November said it signed a conditional agreement with CEZ Group for a potential partnership and signifiant investment in the Cinovec project.

Cinovec is a lithium/tin project located in the Krusne Hore mountains, which divide the Czech Republic from Germany. Should the agreement conclude as planned, CEZ will become a 51% shareholder in Geomet sro, European Metals' Czech subsidiary and rights holder for the Cinovec project. European Metals' holding will then reduce to 49%.

On Friday, European Metals said a final agreement with CEZ was reached.

Due to "current market conditions" the amount needed to attain the 51% stake was reduced to EUR29.1 million from the initially planned EUR34.1 million.

European Metals added: "The directors of the company believe that the revised terms provide sufficient funding for the next stage of the development of the project, setting it on sound footing to progress into production thereafter."

Cadence Minerals, which owns a 17% stake in European Metals, noted the announcement.

Shares in European Metals closed 22% lower at 11.48 pence each in London on Friday.

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: India has proposed setting up of a common electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share expertise and best practices to jointly combat the spread of coronavirus, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly pitched for a regional approach to deal with the pandemic.

India made the proposal at a video conference of senior health officials of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on Thursday.

The SAARC is a regional grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.



COVID-19 LIVE | Karnataka reports 3rd coronavirus death, India's 19th

At an India-initiated video conference of SAARC leaders on March 15, Modi suggested that health professionals of the member nations could come together to jointly fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"India proposed a shared electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share and exchange information, knowledge, expertise and best practices for jointly combating the coronavirus epidemic," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

It was informed that considerable work has already gone into the creation of the platform, which could also serve as a multipurpose vehicle to further discuss and conduct activities such as online training for emergency response personnel, the MEA said.

The Indian side proposed that till the electronic platform is fully operational, a network of experts representing the health services of all SAARC countries may set up on email/whatsapp to enable exchange of all relevant information on real time basis.

All the SAARC member nations are reeling under the coronavirus pandemic.

Globally, the pandemic has killed over 21,000 people and infected close to 5,00,000.



ALSO READ: RBI fires Friday bazooka: 3-month moratorium on all EMIs; lending rates slashed to 4.4%

"The enthusiastic and constructive participation by all SAARC member states demonstrated the shared commitment to work together to defeat the challenge posed by the coronavirus epidemic in the region," the MEA said.

The video conference, chaired by India's Director General of Health Services, deliberated on a wide range of issues relating to the pandemic.

The MEA termed the deliberations as extensive with purposeful.

The Indian side also made a comprehensive presentation on the country's response, covering the aspects of disease surveillance, contact tracing, travel restrictions and evacuation, risk assessment, clinical management of patients, treatment options and protocols and safety of healthcare providers.

All other SAARC countries also shared their own experiences of dealing with the COVID-19 challenge.

"All countries also highlighted their specific vulnerabilities, capacities, best practices, gaps in resources and logistics, private sector participation as well as levels of preparedness," the MEA said.

It said community engagement and participation was identified as an important element in any anti-COVID-19 strategy to augment the large scale emergency measures undertaken by the governments in the SAARC region.
More than 60 patients died amid failings at a hospital where a bitter feud between staff led to one professor being sent a dead animal in the post.

A review into deaths of heart surgery patients at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, found 'significant shortcomings'.

It was launched after a leaked report suggested poor relationships at the cardiac unit had contributed to mortality rates almost twice the national average.

A review into deaths of heart surgery patients at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, found 'significant shortcomings'

The Independent External Mortality Review examined the deaths of 202 patients who had heart surgery between 2013 and 2018.

It found the significant shortcomings in the care of 102 patients.

For 67 of them, these failings either probably, most likely, or definitely contributed to their deaths. Regulator the General Medical Council (GMC), is now being asked to consider whether action is required.

The damning review followed two earlier reports into the unit.

One found that the 'toxic' feud escalated to the point where Marjan Jahangiri, the first female professor of cardiac surgery in Europe, was sent an anonymous package containing a dead animal and a decapitated doll.

The falling out between the two rival camps at the cardiac unit left staff feeling a high death rate was inevitable, the report said.

Marjan Jahangiri, the first female professor of cardiac surgery in Europe, was sent an anonymous package containing a dead animal and a decapitated doll

Written by ex-NHS England deputy medical director Mike Bewick, it found the facility had a cardiac surgery death rate of 3.7 per cent  compared with a national average of 2 per cent.

It was quoted as saying: 'Some felt that there was a persistent toxic atmosphere and stated that there was a 'dark force' in the unit'.

It said the department was riven between two camps exhibiting 'tribal-like activity'.

Professor Jahangiri was not named in the report, although other surgeons were. She was later suspended before being reinstated following a High Court battle.

It came after she had expressed concern over the competence of her colleagues.

She said she was subjected to a campaign of bullying and harassment. Professor Jahangiri was made to carry her belongings from the hospital in three plastic bags in 2017 after being accused of trying to contact a witness in an internal probe.

St George's Hospital later apologised after reaching an out-ofcourt settlement with her. Yesterday, the trust apologised for 'serious failings in care'.

Its chief medical officer Dr Richard Jennings said: 'We have let these patients and their families down, for which I am deeply sorry.'

By March 2018 heart surgery mortality rates at St George's were back within the 'expected range' where they have remained since. Dr Jennings added: 'The heart surgery service at St George's is now safe.'
Ecclesia Hollywood, a nondenominational church, held its Sunday morning gathering on a YouTube livestream. (Screenshot)

On Sunday morning, Kerry Morrison shut the door of her home office, settled in at her desk and flipped open her laptop. It was prayer time in the age of the coronavirus.

Her nondenominational Christian church, Ecclesia Hollywood, has moved gatherings online amid calls for social distancing to slow the spread of the pandemic. As she sipped coffee and knitted a new scarf from the comfort of her Windsor Square home, her pastor welcomed the virtual faithful from the other side of the screen.

"For the first time maybe in modern history, the world is united in our shared experience of pain," Pastor Jon Ritner told his live-stream congregation of around 160 households. "But in the midst of all of that, I really believe the entire world is also united in a shared prayer."

As state and local officials ramp up restrictions on Californians' movements, many houses of worship are moving their services, classes and prayer groups online.

Ecclesia announced its decision to broadcast Sunday gatherings earlier this month. The shift to digital worship has touched multiple faith communities, forcing mosques, churches, synagogues and Buddhist temples, among others, to roll out contingency plans.

"We're trying to be flexible and adaptable and we'll stay in constant communication through the Ecclesia Facebook page," Ritner said in a Facebook video. "We also hope that that page becomes a place where our community can come together."

Morrison's fellow congregants did their best to re-create the familiar, comforting rituals of their regular gatherings. Several wrote about the makeshift elements they'd scrounged from the cupboard when it came time for Communion: banana bread and month-old Prosecco, an English muffin and coconut milk, or a saltine cracker and lemonade in place of a Communion wafer and wine.

"It seemed like one of the most intimate worship experiences I have been involved in," Morrison, 64, said. "We all sense that we are going through something that is globally profound."

Story continues

The shift comes at a time when multiple faiths would be preparing for key holidays  Easter, Ramadan and Passover all will be celebrated in April. President Trump said Tuesday that he wanted the nation to be "opened up and just raring to go" by mid-April, despite health experts' warnings that that timetable was premature.

"I would love to aim it right at Easter Sunday, so we're open for church service and services generally on Easter Sunday," he said in a Fox News interview.

Before the president's comments, faith leaders already were making plans to hold holidays at a safe distance.

Last week, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced the suspension of public Mass until at least March 29. Roman Catholics in the Southland have been encouraged to pray at home while the archdiocese provides a livestream of non-public Masses from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. But that presents its own challenges.

"What we're finding is we're starting to miss the physicality. There is something really beautiful about being in the presence of other people," said Kathleen Domingo, the archdiocese's senior director of the office of life, justice and peace.

Still, she said, many faithful are joining the streams and using them as a lifeline during what can be an otherwise lonely and isolating time.

"It is helpful to connect this way, even though it's always going to be second-best," she said.

Aside from online services, the diocese continues to send priests to pray for and anoint those who are nearing the end of their lives, Domingo added.

"They are some of the only people allowed into hospital settings right now," she said. "I appreciate our medical and civic leaders recognizing the importance of that."

At the Orange County Islamic Foundation, congregants first began social distancing by praying six feet apart. When warnings from officials grew more dire, the mosque suspended its in-person prayers entirely.

"It was hard because we love our worship, but not impossible," said Imam Tarik Ata.

Now, he said, people pray at home. But when it comes time for reflection or spiritual talks, they too have moved to social media such as Facebook and YouTube.

In lieu of online Friday prayers  which Ata said the mosque won't host because the ritual requires a certain number of worshipers to be physically present  he plans on streaming an evening spiritual reflection. That way, he said, he can continue to engage with the community.

"People are saying they feel spiritually stronger now. We were worried it would be the opposite," he said. "I think people, when they feel a sense of hardship, it is natural to seek a higher power. Not just our faith, but everyone."

Rabbi Sharon Brous has suspended all in-person gatherings at Ikar  which means the gist or the essence in Hebrew  in accordance with experts' recommendations.

Just before Shabbat one evening earlier this month, the rabbi spoke to her flock in a Facebook live video. For 16 years, she told them, they had come together as a community to celebrate Shabbat and find comfort and strength in the Jewish tradition. Now, she said, many communities are shuttering because they have been warned it was not safe.

So, instead of gathering face-to-face that night, she shared words from the Torah in front of her computer's camera. Brous summarized an article she'd read about the Alaskan earthquake of 1964, a 9.2 magnitude temblor that had whipped the city of Anchorage, triggering landslides that damaged much of the downtown area.

Researchers, she said, thought that they would come across the worst of humanity when they arrived. Instead, they found connectedness in the aftermath of a catastrophe.

She told her virtual audience that she hoped they could be like the Alaskans who found "resilience and levelheadedness and kindness and cooperation precisely in their moment of greatest vulnerability."

Viewers left comments as she spoke.

"Shabbat Shalom, everyone," one wrote. "Thank you so much for doing this."

In addition to providing more online resources for prayer and learning, Brous said Ikar also has created a list of 330 people in the community who are particularly vulnerable due to age, health problems, job instability or because they suffered a recent trauma that would make the current climate especially challenging.

"There's a buddy system," Brous said. "Everybody in the community should be in touch with someone else in the community."

When Ikar sent an announcement that the congregation would no longer be meeting in person, people wrote back in distress, she said.

"They said they collapsed to the ground in tears, knowing they wouldn't be able to meet, even though they knew it was the right thing," she recalled. "It was devastating to them. The ability to go to your church or synagogue or mosque in a hard time is really important to people."

The move to social media can alienate those who do not have easy access to the internet, she said, and older congregants who aren't familiar with technology could easily be left behind.

"One thing we are trying to do is address the digital divide as much as we can," she said. "We're doing Zoom training for boomers and those who are older in the community."

Another challenge? As a Jewish community, Brous said, "we don't use technology on Shabbat on Friday until three stars come out on Saturday night." That's why her recent Facebook post took place before the sun went down.

Community members, she said, have been grateful for Ikar's flexibility.

"I heard from one person who was divorced and lived alone and struggled with anxiety and depression and suicidality," Brous said. "She said she was concerned for her mental health."

The pair talked through what it meant to be a community, and how members could still find comfort in one another without being in the same room.

A few Facebook and Zoom gatherings later, Brous said, the woman felt safely held by her congregation.
More than half of the residents who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Washington state nursing home ravaged by the virus, showed no signs of being ill at the time.

The outbreak at the Life Care Center home in Kirkland, Washington has been linked to 35 deaths.

Now, an investigation by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has come to the chilling conclusion that screening and testing residents for COVID-19 only once they show symptoms, could mean missing more than half of those who have the virus, allowing it to spread unchecked.

The CDC has issued new guidelines to all long-term care facilities whose residents are at particular risk of death if infected.

Thirty-five people's deaths have been linked to the Life Care Center home in Kirkland, Washington after the facility had a coronavirus outbreak. Now, an investigation by the CDC found screening and testing for COVID-19 once symptoms are shown, could mean missing a majority of those infected. Pictured: A patient being transferred into the home on March 24

According to the new guidelines, all such care homes should take proactive steps to prevent COVID-19 spreading once any case is confirmed.

All residents should immediately be placed in isolation and all staff should wear personal protective equipment such as mask, gloves and gowns.

Seventy-six of the 82 residents in the Washington State nursing home  the first to be hit by the virus  were tested for COVID-19 in the devastating outbreak.

The first positive tests for COVID-19 came back on February 28, by which time two residents had already died.

A third of the centers staff either fell sick or stayed home in the days that followed.

According to the new guidelines, all such care homes should take proactive steps to prevent COVID-19 spreading once any case is confirmed. All residents should immediately be placed in isolation and all staff should wear personal protective equipment such as mask, gloves and gowns. Pictured: Medics clean their equipment after transporting a patient into Life Care Center of Kirkland

Images of friends and family of communicating with their loved ones through the windows of the stricken center flooded the news. And the home became the epicenter for the beginning of the US coronavirus outbreak.

The speed of the spread of the virus has now been underlined by the CDCs investigation.

The second positive result came on March 1 just two days after the first and by March 6 seven residents were symptomatic and testing positive for COVID-19.

On March 13, the CDC assessed the symptoms of 76 of the residents 82 residents. At the time 23, 30 per cent, tested positive but the majority  57 per cent  were showing no signs of illness or any symptoms.

It was only seven days later that 10 of the 13 residents who tested positive but showed no symptoms began to exhibit them.
Option of default off the table  Zelensky's spox

21:20, 27.03.20 2475

The president hopes that MPs at their upcoming extraordinary meeting will vote for the required legislative initiatives to support businesses, vulnerable segments of the population, as well as highly important reforms in the banking and agricultural sectors.
The COVID-19 crisis is attacking and killing people with the weakest immune systems. The same will be true for the impact of the pandemic on the Bay Areas counties and cities. It will kill those with the weakest fiscal immune systems.

From an economic perspective, the pandemic is unprecedented. The U.S. economy has ground to a halt and the stock market has lost several trillion dollars in a dramatically short period of time. That means that hundreds of thousands of businesses have collapsed and that millions of Americans have lost their jobs, soon their homes, their savings and their retirements, overnight. And much of that will not come back and cannot be replaced.

America has gone from the lowest unemployment rate in our lifetimes to the highest unemployment rate in our lifetimes in four to five weeks. Temporarily shuttered businesses, and even some significant tech and financial companies, have found that their balance sheets cannot survive this type of economic pressure.

A large portion of those businesses and jobs will never be replaced. The market crash represents the largest re-distribution of investment capital that we have ever seen and will probably ever see. The companies, funds, or other securities that saw their value crash as investors sold off their shares will not be the same investments that investors put their money into during the recovery. Any inertia that individual investors, investment funds, or pension funds had in shifting investments before the crash is gone.

Going forward, there will be a Darwinian competition for survival among companies looking for investment capital. That Darwinism will also appear at the state and local government levels as each county and city faces a clean slate of shuttered businesses and unemployed workers and the inevitable sharp decline in available tax revenue. There is no government solution to that. A significant portion of the tax base has quietly died and is not coming back.

The cities and counties that survive and prosper will be those that can attract entirely new private investment quickly and on an unprecedented scale. Local governments will need to be ruthless (the accurate word, but not a popular one in the Bay Area, except in the board rooms of the tech giants, banks and venture capital firms, which are the flywheel of our local economy ... or among local supermarket hoarders).

If local governments do not move immediately, they will not be able to sustain essential local services (police, fire, transportation, etc.), and will certainly not be able to cover pensions, long after the virus is gone.

The only vaccine is slashing budgets now. All extraneous projects, especially the virtue-signaling vanity projects that Bay Area governments pride themselves on, must be shut down immediately. Core services (again, police, fire, transportation, sanitation) must more focused and improved. Investors will ask, Is this community well run and safe? The beautiful locale of the Bay Area, which has created a traditional crutch to keep people and businesses in the area, will begin to falter under the intense investment microscope that is about to come.

The surviving/flourishing counties and cities will be those that cut budgets and cut taxes immediately and massively. When there are huge numbers of local company failures and rising unemployment, tax revenues will plummet. The temptation will be to raise taxes on those businesses and property owners who survive. That will only accelerate economic decline to the point that its not fixable. Local communities will become Venezuela with the caveat that local people and businesses have the option to migrate quickly to neighboring counties and states. The California exodus, which has been quietly choking the state, may become an economic hemorrhage.

A typical example is the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, which has moved in the past few days to prevent property owners from evicting tenants behind in their rent and have launched a $3 million San Mateo County Strong fund to distribute money to businesses and families in need. These policies sound reasonable, but they also squeeze, and likely bankrupt, many property owners who are highly leveraged and will lead to a large decline in tax revenue. The virtue-signaling slush fund will help few and waste money that will be desperately needed.

The only answer for San Mateo and other counties is to massively cut budgets and spending today, cut taxes to save the businesses that are left and save thousands of homeowners from bankruptcy (which will cause tax revenues to decline in any case).

Governments will only survive and stabilize if they do much less, not more. The sad fact is that few, if any, Bay Area counties and cities will understand or adopt these policies and the grinding and merciless mill of economics will descend upon the area with a vengeance far worse than the coronavirus.

Grady Means is an economist and writer (gradymeans.com), who has managed large global consulting businesses and served in the White House as assistant to Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. Follow him on Twitter: @gradymeans1
NEW HAVEN  The former Danbury Federal Correctional Institute prison guard convicted of sexually abusing a female inmate two years ago is now being sued by the victim in federal court.

The victim  identified as E.J. in court documents  filed the lawsuit March 16, in the U.S. District Court in New Haven against her abuser, Carlos Sanchez, several Danbury FCI employees and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The causes of action listed in the lawsuit are assault, battery, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, violation of due process rights, violation of the Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.

Prison officials could not be reached for comment.

Sanchez, 34, was charged in 2018 for sexually abusing E.J. on two occasions at Danbury FCI when he worked there as a correctional officer. He pleaded guilty to the felony charge of sexual abuse of an adult ward in custody and was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in 2019.

In her lawsuit, E.J. accuses Sanchez of using his position of power to prey upon [her] and other women, and claims that sexual abuse allegations against him had been raised with prison officials prior to him assaulting her in the summer of 2018.

She claims that no action was taken to separate [him] from the female inmate population or prevent him from having unsupervised contact with inmates. Instead, she claims, Sanchez was instead assigned to a unit housing especially vulnerable women, including herself.

In her lawsuit complaint, E.J. is accusing Danbury FCIs warden, D.K. Williams, and the U.S. Department of Justices Federal Bureau of Prisons  which operates the prison  of failing to take reasonable and necessary action to address reports of incidents of officer-on-inmate sexual abuse.

She is also accusing a lieutenant and several unnamed guards at the prison of retaliating against her for reporting and assisting in the prosecution of Sanchez.

Shortly after Sanchez pleaded guilty to assaulting her, the lieutenant and guards canceled E.J.s transfer to a halfway house and caused [her] to receive a disciplinary infraction, the lawsuit states.

E.J. claims that she was then held at the prison without a hearing for about 42 days as punishment.

Through the lawsuit, she is seeking redress for extreme physical and emotional harm she suffered as a result of the conduct of all defendants, as well as ongoing pain and suffering.

E.J. is being represented by New Haven-based attorney Paul F. Thomas. As of Thursday, there were no attorneys assigned to represent any of the defendants.
The names of the workers we interviewed have been changed to protect their identities. If you are a medical worker and want to speak out about the unfolding crisis, please contact the WSWS.

The number of confirmed coronavirus patients in New York, now the epicenter of the spread of the virus in the United States, continues to explode. As of Thursday, there were 37,258 people who had tested positive in New York state, over 21,000 of them in New York City. Over 5,000 have been hospitalized, a 40 percent increase in hospitalization over the past 24 hours. There are now 1,290 patients in ICU units. All 1,800 ICU spots in the city are expected to be filled by Friday. The death toll has risen to 385, with 100 dying between Wednesday and Thursday. About 53 percent of those with confirmed cases are between 18 and 49 years old.

At Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, a huge makeshift morgue has been set up with tents and refrigerated trucks. According to Politico,New York City morgues, capable of handling up to 4,500 bodies, are nearing capacity, and will likely be overwhelmed by next week. The state has asked FEMA for 85 refrigerated trailers to handle the overflow of dead.

Morgue at Bellevue Hospital. Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP.

Hospitals in New York, which constitute the largest network in the US, are already overwhelmed. Horrifying reports about skyrocketing numbers of patients and dead, critical shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ventilators and other equipment, and medical staff falling ill have emerged from virtually every hospital in the city. There are dozens of petitions online to solicit donations for desperately needed PPE for medical staff.

Only 1,000 additional beds are being constructed now at the Javits Center. A Navy ship with 1,000 additional hospital beds is scheduled to arrive in the city within a week. These makeshift initiatives fall far short of rapidly escalating needs. The city has just over 53,000 hospital beds and will need between 114,000 and 150,000 beds, including up to 37,000 ICU beds to cope with the crisis, which is still only in its early stages.

There is also a severe shortage of staff. One COVID-19 patient requires on average the medical attention of five to six professionals, including a respiratory therapist, a medical assistant, doctors and a social worker. New York University and Cornell University are graduating their seniors from medical schools before graduation day so they can immediately join the workforce. About 40,000 retired doctors, nurses and other medical staff have volunteered to return to work.

A substantial number of staff are already infected or are afraid to go to work because of the woefully inadequate equipment. Dozens of paramedics and firefighters have tested positive, and at least one 34-year-old paramedic is in critical condition. No numbers have been released for nurses and doctors. On Tuesday night, the first nurse, a 48-year-old worker at Mount Sinai West hospital, died from COVID-19, sending shockwaves through the medical community.

Kayla, a nurse in the opioid treatment program at the hospital spoke to the WSWS on Wednesday. She called the news about her colleagues death completely devastating and said that the hospital, which treats over 700 coronavirus patients, did not inform its staff about the number of infected medical workers. Nor was it possible for her to find out whether she was positive. Even as a hospital worker I dont have access to tests. If I had money I could easily get tested.

The city guidelines now oblige hospital staff to continue to work unless they are seriously ill. When they are sick and have no fever, they must not stay away from work longer than three days. If they have a fever, the time limit is seven days, well below the two- to four-week period that coronavirus patients have been reported to be infectious.

In his press conference on Thursday, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that the medical staff at Mount Sinai West have all the PPE they need. This is a blatant lie. Earlier this week, a photo circulated on social media showed nurses wearing trash bags because of the lack of protective gowns at the hospital.

Kayla, said, We are not prepared for a situation like this at all. The amount of masks are limited and the amount of hand soap and gloves is also limited. We are doing the best we can with the resources we have, but the overall hospital does not have enough masks and gloves to cover the medical staff, let alone separate departments. ... There is an overall mood of fear. We are all scared. I work with doctors, nurses, counselors and administration. We are scared. Not only for ourselves but for our patients.

According to city officials, Elmhurst hospital in Queens is now ground zero of the crisis in New York City. The hospital is one of only two public hospitals that serve a huge and ethnically diverse working class community. For over a week, there have been long lines with hundreds of people waiting to be tested, with sick people forced to return day after day without being seen. With only 545 beds, the hospital reportedly has hundreds of Coronavirus patients. In a dramatic appeal to the public, an ER doctor called the coronavirus surge at the hospital apocalyptic, stating: People are dying. We dont have the tools that we need in the medical department and the hospital to take care of them.

Another doctor from Elmhurst told Buzzfeed: Elmhurst is just getting destroyed. Its very, very gruesome. The hospital has a 15-bed intensive care unit that would normally cover respiratory patients or patients with any significant illness requiring intubation.  [Now] Its all COVID. Thats insane. There is not only a lack of PPE for staff, he pointed out, but also of beds, of chairs and of ventilators.

Its pretty common to see someone crying in the hallway. I saw that twice today. Something like 12 people died yesterday. These are bonkers numbers for a hospital, where youd usually have one or two a day. They [the nurses] dont even change in and out of PPE. They gear up one time, and thats it for the whole shift. They dont want to be exposed for a second, and lots of them are already calling out with fevers.

At New York Presbyterian, a large private hospital, doctors have begun to treat two patients with one ventilator machine, something unprecedented at the hospital. The director of Global Public Health at Presbyterian, Dr. Graig Spencer, stated, Last week, we were looking for the one or two coronavirus patients that might be in the ER. Now, its hard to find one or two patients that are not coronavirus. The increase is absolutely staggering.

Nurses at Mount Sinai West in garbage bags.

New York patients are also being treated in other states. A nurse at a small Connecticut hospital told the WSWS that her hospital was treating many New York patients. They had already reached full capacity with 32 patients in general care and 15 patients in the ICU. If we had only five more people who need vents, we would not have enough. The number of confirmed cases rose by 292 percent since Sunday in Connecticut, a steeper increase than in any other US state.

Medical workers and patients in New York City, which is home to Wall Street and has the highest number of resident billionaires and multi-millionaires in the country, are facing the deadly and criminal outcome of definite policies: decades of social cuts and a deliberate policy of malign neglect by the ruling class in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Eric, a social worker who works with psychiatric patients at Bellevue Hospital, told the WSWS that even before the crisis there was a shortage of cleaning personnel at the hospital. He and his co-workers had to clean their office spaces themselves when receiving patients. Only one hand sanitizer was installed in a common area as the outbreak of the coronavirus began, with the administration explicitly refusing to provide more.

It wasnt a matter of if, but when [a pandemic would occur]. The public health sector has been cut for decades. Theres such a cruelty about the situation right now  Were all competing for these resources. In public health thats the complete opposite of the approach you should take.

We have a mens shelter around two blocks from us. We get a lot of patients from there. ... We do have a lot of people who are undocumented....We have a lot of patients who are terrified: what does it mean if I do get ill? What if I lose my job, and this supposedly two trillion-dollar-bill has no effect for me? Theres a profound cruelty to this. [They are being treated] as if these are not real peoples lives.  I do agree that there needs to be a fundamental restructuring of how society functions and how resources are allocated. We cannot live in a society where we have such a vast disparity of wealth and resources that only a few people get whatever they need, while the rest is just SOL [Shit outta luck].
Why it matters: Technology has permeated into every aspect of human life, but lockdown measures could have immeasureable consequences on the companies that piece it together using complex global supply chains. That's why chipmakers are asking the government to come up with solutions to prevent their factories from grinding to a halt.

The coronavirus pandemic has already left its mark on almost every industry and is testing the limits of the medical systems in countries from Europe, and, given the current rate of newly confirmed cases of infection, the US.

Tech companies have also been hit by the crisis, and an industry association representing the largest US semiconductor companies is currently working with federal officials that have ordered lockdowns to convince them to allow their continued operation.

In its public letter, the Semiconductor Industry Association argues that chipmakers with local factories such as Micron and Intel are essential in producing the technology that helps fight the virus by powering computers and data centers that make it possible for millions of professionals to work from home and communicate with others. Not only that, but every piece of medical equipment, power grids, transportation systems, education, and pretty much every human activity nowadays makes use of technology on some level.

SIA president John Neuffer says Homeland Security should refine guidance sent to state officials to prevent any manufacturing disruptions. He notes that "ensuring the continuity of semiconductor and related supply chains is necessary to support the even greater range of services that will be digitized in the coming weeks and months."

There is a strong case to be made that cleanroom operations in the semiconductor industry are highly automated and take place in large areas where people are usually working at a distance from each other and filtration systems keep out airborne particulates that are 0.1 micrometer in size (for reference, Covid-19 is 0.125 micrometers).

Their work is also subject to strict protocols to prevent contaminants, from the moment they enter the facility through an airlock wearing full protective clothing and masks, and throughout their work day. This has been demonstrated by South Korea and China where semiconductor manufacturing has been operating successfully by following stricter safety protocols, which is why Samsung was able to deliver one million DDR4 DRAM modules using EUV lithography.
The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Assembly is putting in place measures to combat any potential outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the municipality.

As a first step the assembly has donated two veronica buckets with ancillary facilities each to the Atebubu market association and the two transport unions in Atebubu.

Making the presentations the municipal chief executive Hon. Edward Owusu asked the people to practice constant handwashing and maintain social distance.

He said the municipality is expecting a number of veronica buckets from the ministry of Local Government and Rural Development while the assembly will procure about 40 of them from its own resources to ensure that these facilities are available at vantage points throughout the municipality.

Hon. Edward Owusu urged individuals and organizations to complement the efforts of the government and the assembly by providing these facilities for the benefit of the public.

The MCE and his team later toured a number of institutions in Atebubu to ascertain for themselves measures put in place to safeguard the public as well as employees from contracting the disease. These included financial institutions, hotels, filling stations and players in the telecommunications industry.

It came out that while some have put in place adequate measures like the provision of handwashing facilities and sanitizers to prevent any potential contamination and spread of the disease, others had half-baked or no measures at all in place.

The MCE directed defaulting institutions to take immediate steps to rectify the situation failing which his outfit will move in to enforce compliance.

The assembly through various stakeholders is using radio to educate the populace on the disease while the Information Services Department has been put on a field campaign in a bid to create awareness of the pandemic.
She is leaving Ramsey Street after four years playing Elly Conway.

And on Friday, Neighbours star Jodi Gordon, 35, found her very special leaving present from the cast of the long-running soap.

She shared a sneak peek of the gift, a large signed picture frame, which she discovered in the green room.

'I've always been really good at finding my own presents!' On Friday, Jodi Gordon discovered her leaving gift from the Neighbours cast. Jodi will depart the soap opera after four years

'So I'm just here in the green room Bonnie and I looked down under your desk, what's this?' she asked in a video posted on Instagram, addressing her co-star and best friend Bonnie Anderson.

Jodi turned her camera to reveal the backside of a large white photo frame with a message written across it.

It read: 'To our dearest Jodi, you are magical and so loved. We will all miss you so much. Love from the Neighbours cast 2020.'

Special gift: turned her camera to reveal the backside of a large white photo frame with a message written across it. It read: 'To our dearest Jodi, you are magical and so loved. We will all miss you so much. Love from the Neighbours cast 2020'

Surprise: Jodi found the frame under her co-star and best friend Bonnie Anderson's desk in the green room

In the muffled background, Jodi was heard saying: 'I've always been really good at finding my own presents.'

'I love you so much, you're so beautiful, see you soon,' she added.

Jodi announced she would be leaving Neighbours to return to home to Sydney back in January.

'Farewell my Neighbours Family!' Jodi announced she would be leaving Neighbours to return to home to Sydney back in January (pictured with co-stars Rob Mills and April Rose Pengilly)

She said in a post on Instagram: 'Farewell my Neighbours Family!! Its been an incredible 4 years with you guys, everyone from crew to production, cleaners to chefs to cast... you make this show what it is and Im incredibly grateful to have been part of it for so long!'

'I remember a few years after I finished Home and Away I had a strong desire to be part of a show like that again, you gave me this opportunity with Neighbours...

'Now it's time for me to move on to the next adventure. More importantly in the interim it's time for me to move back to Sydney to be with my beautiful daughter, Aleeia.'

Thanks for the memories: Jodi (pictured with cast mates) continued in the post, 'Its been an incredible 4 years with you guys, everyone from crew to production, cleaners to chefs to cast... you make this show what it is'

At the time, Jodi told The Daily Telegraph that her decision to leave the show did not have anything to do with her taking time off last year due to exhaustion, insisting: 'It is completely unrelated.'

She said she was feeling 'better than ever' following her decision, adding that she just wanted a fresh opportunity.

The career move will see her move back to Sydney, which will allow her to spend more time with her daughter five-year-old daughter Aleeia, who lives with her father and Jodi's ex husband Braith Anasta.

'It'll be a huge change for me,' Jodi said. 'I'll get to do more school drop offs, all that kind of stuff, and just get back into auditioning again.'
The Union Home Ministry on Friday asked state governments to prevent a mass exodus of migrant agriculture labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector employees from their workplaces to hometowns amid a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus.

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry on Friday asked state governments to prevent a mass exodus of migrant agriculture labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector employees from their workplaces to hometowns amid a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus.

In an advisory to all states and Union territories, the home ministry said they should also make arrangements for uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to hotels, working women hostels so that they continue to live in existing facilities.

"The home ministry has issued an advisory to States/UTs to prevent the mass exodus of migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers, and unorganised sector workers, so as to prevent the spread of COVID19," an official spokesperson said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The states and UTs have also been advised to make these vulnerable groups aware of measures taken by the government, including the provision of free food grains and other essential items through PDS, and streamline the distribution system.

"This would help prevent the exodus of such people," the spokesperson said.

The home ministry has also advised the states and UTs to ensure that hotels, rented accommodations, hostels etc., continue to remain functional and delivery of essential items is streamlined, so that students, working women hostel inmates, etc., are allowed to continue in existing facilities observing precautions.

The coronavirus-enforced lockdown has triggered a mass exodus of migrant workers across the country.
As schools and businesses shutter indefinitely and the state heads into summer with the coronavirus already causing disruptions to daily life, local health officials are worried about a decline in blood donations.

Summer is typically a slower time for blood donations as people travel and take vacations. But now, the most reliable blood donors -- typically retirees age 55 and older -- are being told by authorities to stay home due to their higher susceptibility to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

And as high schools and colleges close indefinitely due to the pandemic, school blood drives, another large source of donations, are gone, too.

Weve seen at least a 40% decline in the number of blood drives that we typically would see. And they are canceling them now through June, which is not good, said Jennifer Bredahl, community ambassador director for Vitalant, the only blood supplier for most of North Dakotas hospitals.

Vitalant needs about 250 donations a day across the state to keep up with regional hospital demand. With many blood drives canceled, the burden falls to three fixed-site donation centers in Bismarck, Fargo and Minot to fill the need.

We need people to come out now and to consistently come out, Bredahl said.

The Fargo center so far has done a good job filling appointments for the next week and half, but the Bismarck center has immediate openings to donate blood.

Bredahl believes that due to the guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention urging people to limit gatherings, people arent sure if they can come out and donate. Blood collection centers are considered an essential service and are exempt from guidance not to have large groups, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Vitalant during normal times maintains hospital-level sanitation, but it has gone above and beyond the requirements by sanitizing the entire building regularly. Potential donors have their temperatures taken as soon as they walk through the door and are turned away if their temperature exceeds 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

We even offer if they come in and check in and they want to wait in their car, they can do that. Well call and text them to come in, Bredahl said. "Were taking all of the precautions to make sure its safe for the donor.

Howell Flowers, an assistant professor at Bismarck State College, was at Vitalant on Monday and donates on a regular basis.

"It only takes a little time out of my day, and I feel that is the least I can do to help out. I definitely feel it is important to especially donate now because of the recent blood shortages due to the COVID-19 outbreak," Flowers said.

Lately he's been donating platelets to help with cancer treatment.

Judy Maslowski, a Bismarck Realtor who previously had a 30-year career as a nurse, including a stint in the intensive care unit, had her temperature taken as soon as she entered Vitalant to donate on Monday. She said donating blood is "lifesaving" and "easy to do." She's been donating since her 20s, after a pregnant Mandan woman died following a car accident.

No evidence suggests that the coronavirus can be transferred through blood, and the virus doesnt pose any risk to blood donors by weakening their immune systems, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Recently, top health officials have pleaded with the public to donate blood.

Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Americas top doctor, said during a White House press briefing recently. We know many of you are home practicing the presidents guidelines for social distancing, but one thing we should all consider, especially our millennials and Gen Z, is donating blood.

Last week, the plea came locally from Dr. Michael LeBeau, the president of Sanford Bismarck. After stressing the importance of social distancing at Gov. Doug Burgums news conference on Saturday, he told North Dakotans to make an exception to donate blood.

Blood donations are down, and we do not want to run out of blood products at this time, LeBeau said. We may have to do them differently, but we have to make sure were ready and prepared when the time comes.

Blood collected doesnt go to coronavirus patients. Rather it goes to trauma and intensive care unit patients, and those with regular treatments such as cancer patients.

All blood types and components are needed, with a critical need for platelets and type O blood donations. Platelets have a short shelf life of only five days. Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days.

While all types are needed, type O-negative blood is the golden ticket for blood, Bredahl said. Type O-negative blood can go to anybody, and emergency room doctors initially give it to trauma patients when their blood type is not known.

Typically, donors give one pint of blood every two months. Bredahl encourages donors to come in four times a year to donate, as the mini-physical performed before each donation can catch underlying health problems before they become a problem.

Those interested in donating blood can call Vitalant at 877-258-4825 or go online at vitalant.org to make an appointment. Vitalant is at 517 S. 7th St. in Bismarck.

Biolife Plasma Services, which operates a center in Bismarck, also has seen a moderate decline in donation rates, according to a statement from the company. However, plasma collected at Biolife goes to companies that make critical therapies for patients with rare diseases and for other uses, not directly to local hospitals.

Biolife also has taken precautionary measures including extra cleaning processes, screening for fever in employees and donors, and moving donation beds apart.

While blood centers and hospitals are concerned about a drop-off in donations, Bredahl still sees loyal, older donors coming in, despite the risks posed by the coronavirus.

When I see people that are in the chairs that are 80-plus years old, I just, my heart goes out to them because theyre wanting to help, but yet Im wishing we could get younger donors to come out and the healthy donors that have a stronger immune system to get out and donate, she said.

Reach Bilal Suleiman at 701-250-8261 or Bilal.Suleiman@bismarcktribune.com

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/26/2020



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

stars Taylor Dunklin and Derek Sherman admit they have no idea why Zach Justice chose to recommit to Mindy Shiben on "Recommitment Day" given it seemed without a doubt he wanted out of his marriage.During the March 25 broadcast of : Unfiltered, a Season 10 clip aired of expert Pastor Calvin Roberson scolding Zach on "Recommitment Day" for having "sucked as a husband."Much to Pastor Cal's surprise, Zach insisted he wanted to stay married to Mindy and still had hope his marriage could pull through."Zach, with all due respect, I don't even believe you!" Pastor Cal shouted during the counseling session. "I'm calling B-S, man!"When reacting to the clip on Unfiltered, Taylor shared, "I mean, I don't understand Zach's reasoning for recommitting, like, he didn't offer a reason. He just says, 'Yeah, I didn't do this for the last five weeks -- but yeah, I can do it now!'""His decision doesn't seem genuine to me," added Taylor, who married Brandon Reid and also had a tumultuous relationship on the show.Unfiltered host Jamie Otis agreed it didn't make sense why Zach would choose to stay in his marriage to Mindy when he didn't seem attracted to or interested in his wife."Yeah, I don't understand why," Taylor agreed."Like, you don't seem to be into your wife, and you've clearly said you're not attracted to her," Jamie explained, referencing how Zach admitted multiple times during his honeymoon he lacked chemistry and a desire to be intimate with Mindy.Derek also joined the women on Unfiltered and offered his thoughts on why Zach might've chosen to stick it out with Mindy when he was clearly given an out from his failing marriage."Honestly, I don't know," Derek replied. "I've been trying to figure that out.""It seems like Zach has kind of dug himself a hole and he doesn't want to dig it any deeper," reasoned Derek, who married Katie Conrad on Season 10 of ."And so [Zach] thinks he's doing the right thing. But he's doing the exact opposite."Jamie then asked her guests whether they believed Zach truly had "hope" his marriage could turn out to be a success."I was just wondering what hope he had," Taylor said. "He said that, you know, they were able to have conversations.""Mature conversations," Jamie interjected with skepticism, before throwing her arms up in the air in confusion."Well, that's more than I'm having with Brandon, so maybe that's what he's talking about," Taylor joked, cracking everybody up around her."Alright, this is Unfiltered!" Jamie exclaimed with a laugh.Mindy and Zach chose to recommit to each other on "Recommitment Day" during last week's episode , but only under certain circumstances.Mindy demanded four things from Zach going forward if she would remain his wife: Honesty and transparency, spending more time together off camera, coming clean about his secrets, and Zach moving into her apartment.Although Zach agreed to all of the above, he chose to sleep in the guest room of Mindy's apartment when he finally slept over for the first time more than a month into marriage.In the latest episode of that aired on Wednesday night, Mindy ended her marriage to Zach once and for all after she caught him in a lie.Zach previously told Mindy a person at their wedding -- a friend of Mindy's ex-boyfriend -- had informed him that Mindy's ex wanted to pick her up from the airport after she honeymooned in Panama, but Mindy later discovered from her friend Shannie that Lindsay was likely the one who had snitched that information."I specifically asked you if the secret came from Lindsay," Mindy told Zach in the episode. "And today, I found out that you did lie to me."Mindy was already frustrated and felt disrespected by Zach and Lindsay's friendship that had blossomed behind her back, so this was the final straw for her."He's deliberately lying to me to protect Lindsay. I feel incredibly betrayed. Clearly he doesn't care about me or else he wouldn't have done that. I can't take that anymore," Mindy vented to the cameras.Mindy later told her husband, "I told myself I was only going to let myself be disappointed like that one more time and that's it, so I can't subject myself to that. I'm sorry to say but I don't want to be in this marriage anymore."10 also stars Meka Jones and Michael Watson as well as Jessica Studer and Austin Hurd Interested in more news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group
The well-intentioned move by grocery stores to set aside a special morning hour for seniors to shop has created an unintentional problem: customers have complained the hour has been popular enough to produce overcrowding.

To thwart spread of the coronavirus, shoppers have been encouraged to stay at least 6 feet away from others. Creating an hour for seniors to shop was intended to keep the more vulnerable population safe, but crowded stores make that space difficult to maintain, shoppers say.

"You can't do that in the store like it is," said Mike DeSieno of Columbia outside the Devine Street Bi-Lo on Friday. "There's a lot of people in there."

DeSieno came to stock up on essentials, not because it was senior hour at the store but because he feared that Saturday would be crowded. He failed to find eggs, but found the store had been restocked with a different sought-after item: toilet paper.

About 10 minutes before Bi-Lo supermarket on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard in Charleston opened at 8 a.m. Friday, Ken Baxley waited at the door to be the first one inside.

Im here for the senior shopping hour, and Im hoping to find some toilet tissue, the 66-year-old West Ashley resident said.

About 20 people waited in their cars for the store to open.

He was told as soon as he stepped inside, the toilet paper was sold out. He immediately left.

Grocery chains say they are trying to get customers to observe social distancing standards in their stores. Efforts include marking checkout lanes to create distance. Both Kroger and Publix say they will install clear plastic shields at checkout registers to cut down on the chance of transmission between employees and shoppers.

"We feel this will help ease customer concerns," said Felix Turner, regional spokesman for Kroger.

No immediate adjustments to the senior hours are planned at Publix, which offers them two days per week.

"We recognize that this was our first week with senior hours, and we will continue to make adjustments as we navigate the ever-changing landscape," Publix communications director Maria Brous said.

Starting Monday, Kroger will begin to open its pharmacies at 8 a.m. to give seniors time to use it before the opening time for all customers.

Some customers expect the stores will be freshly stocked first thing in the morning, but restocking takes place throughout the day as shipments arrive, according to both Publix and Kroger.

At Dollar General, which also has an early-morning senior shopping hour and is just a few blocks away from Bi-Lo on Old Towne Road in Charleston, no crowd was waiting to be served when the store opened at 8 a.m.

Inside, Barbara Guilfoyle was looking for toilet paper also. She didnt find any.

The only reason we have this problem is greed, she said. People need to stop hoarding. Its very distressing."

Warren L. Wise contributed to this report.
Modified On Apr 15, 2020 04:16 PM By Dhruv

The SCs order is not applicable in the Delhi/NCR region

Update: The coronavirus lockdown has been extended till May 3. Read more about it here. Also, FADA has asked the government to reduce GSTs on cars. You can read about it here.

The Coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the entire world has made the Supreme Court reconsider its decision on moving forward the BS6 deadline. Car dealers were previously offering huge discounts to clear their BS4 stock but that plan is now on hold due to the lockdown. Dealerships will be allowed to sell their unsold inventory of BS4 vehicles once the Coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

However, the SC has put in place a few conditions. Firstly, dealers will be able to sell BS4 vehicles only for a period of 10 days once the lockdown is lifted. BS4 vehicles that have already been sold but couldnt be registered due to the lockdown will also be registered in this period. Secondly, only 10 per cent of the unsold inventory can be sold in that period. And lastly, the deadline extension will not be applicable to the Delhi/NCR region.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Steps To Sanitize Your Car Against COVID-19

The SC had previously heard the same case in February 2020. The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) had then urged the countrys top-most judiciary body to extend the deadline by a month, as the slowdown in the automobile sector had led to an inventory pile-up of BS4 vehicles. The SC had then refused to extend the deadline. However, when FADA brought forward the same request on grounds of the Coronavirus lockdown, the SC did offer some relief. However, this conditional relief is a surprise when other sectors of the economy have been granted comprehensive relief measures.

The Supreme Courts decision to extend the deadline might bring temporary relief to carmakers and dealers, but it raises more questions than it answers. Firstly, why allow for only 10 per cent of the inventory to be sold in the grace period? Secondly, why does the extension not apply to the Delhi/NCR region? We are currently waiting for answers on these questions and will update this story once that happens.
Six more persons have tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, taking the number cases to 49, a top official said on Friday.

"Six fresh cases were found positive for coronavirus in the state on Friday," Principal Secretary Health Amit Mohan told reporters here.

"While four cases were found positive in Noida, two cases were found positive in Ghaziabad," Director Information Shishir told PTI.

So far, Agra has reported nine cases, three from Ghaziabad, 18 from Noida, eight cases from Lucknow, two each in Ghaziabad and Pilibhit and one each in Baghpat, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Moradabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Jaunpur and Shaml.

The state has so far recorded 49 cases, of which 14 have been cured and discharged from hospitals.

Those cured include seven from Agra, two from Ghaziabad and four from Noida and one from Lucknow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The grim milestone came as Donald Trump predicted the US would get back to work "pretty quickly".

The US now has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than any other country, with more than 85,500 positive tests.

According to the latest figures collated by Johns Hopkins University, the US has overtaken China (81,782 cases) and Italy (80,589).

But with almost 1,300 Covid-19-related fatalities, the US death toll lags behind China (3,291) and Italy (8,215).

The grim milestone came as President Donald Trump predicted the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly".

How did the White House react?

Asked about the latest figures at a White House briefing on Thursday afternoon, President Trump said it was "a tribute to the amount of testing that we're doing".

Vice-President Mike Pence said coronavirus tests were now available in all 50 states and more than 552,000 tests had been conducted nationwide.

Mr Trump also cast doubt on the figures coming out of Beijing, telling reporters: "You don't know what the numbers are in China."

Does the president still hope to ease restrictions?

Mr Trump has set a much-criticised goal of Easter Sunday, 12 April, for reopening the country. That plan seemed to gather impetus on Thursday as it emerged an unprecedented 3.3 million Americans have been laid off because of the virus.

At Thursday's briefing, he said: "They [the American people] have to go back to work, our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think it's going to happen pretty quickly.

"We may take sections of our country, we may take large sections of our country that aren't so seriously affected and we may do it that way."

He added: "A lot of people misinterpret when I say go back - they're going to be practising as much as you can social distancing, and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things we talked about."

He promised more details next week.

What could he be planning?

In a letter to state governors on Thursday, Mr Trump said his team plans to release federal social distancing guidelines that may advise some regions to loosen restrictions.

Mr Trump wrote of a "long battle ahead" and said "robust" testing protocols might allow some counties to lift their safeguards against the coronavirus.

He said the "new guidelines" would create low, medium and high risk zones that would allow the government to advise on "maintaining, increasing, or relaxing social distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in place".

On Thursday night, Mr Trump phoned in to Fox News host Sean Hannity's programme and said he believed Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska and parts of Texas could reopen earlier than other states.

The plan emerged as new research on Thursday estimated Covid-19-related deaths in the US could top 80,000 over the coming four months - even if people observe strict social distancing.

As many as 2,300 patients could be dying every day by April, according to the study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's School of Medicine.

What's the reaction?

The Republican president's get-back-to-work goal found unexpected support on Thursday from a prominent Democrat.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said statewide quarantine orders may not have been the best approach to coronavirus.

"Young people then quarantined with older people was probably not the best public health strategy," he told a press conference, "because the younger people could have been exposing the older people to an infection."

Mr Cuomo said a better way forward might be a "get-back-to-work strategy" in tandem with a public health strategy.

Public health experts on the White House task force have demurred when asked about reopening the country by Easter, suggesting the timeline should be "very flexible".

Can the president order everyone back to work?

No. On 16 March, he set a 15-day period to slow down the spread of Covid-19 by urging all Americans to drastically scale back their public interactions.

But those guidelines were voluntary and did not amount to a national order.

The US Constitution makes clear states have the power for maintaining public order and safety, which scholars say means it is the responsibility of governors to decide when virus-related restrictions get lifted.

Currently 21 US states have told residents to stay in their homes or ordered the closure of non-essential businesses in order to contain the pandemic.

What's happening elsewhere in the US?
New weekly claims for unemployment insurance, as reported by the US Department of Labor for the week ending March 21, give a glimpse of the social catastrophe that is developing for tens of millions of workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New filings for state unemployment benefits in the US surged to a record 3.28 million last week, seasonally adjusted. The total was the highest one-week number of new claims ever recorded, and more than four times the previous record of 695,000 initial claims in October 1982. The number for the previous week was just 282,000, so jobless claims increased by more than 1,000 percent from week to week.

The jump came as states imposed stay-at-home orders and cases of COVID-19 surged across the US, overwhelming hospitals. The number of coronavirus-related death total in the US is now over 1,100 and rising rapidly.

There is reason to believe that the number of new claims would have approached four million, but for the website of New York state, currently the center of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, crashing due to the crush of new applications. The state reported only 80,334 new claims, a vast underestimate. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio predicted that 500,000 city residents would lose their jobs due to the coronavirus, to say nothing of those in the suburbs and upstate.

Pennsylvania had the largest number of new unemployment claims actually recorded, 378,908, as the state closed schools and businesses due to the pandemic. According to reports, there have been a staggering 650,000 unemployment claims in the state in the last 11 days. By the end of this week that total is expected to reach 800,000. Governor Tom Wolf asked all non-life-sustaining businesses to close as the states confirmed COVID-19 cases surged past 1,600.

Pennsylvania was followed by Ohio with 187,784 claims, according to a state estimate. There were 867 reported coronavirus cases in Ohio by Thursday, with 223 people hospitalized and 91 in intensive care, with that number expected to soar. Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted said that the states unemployment website had recorded 1.7 million hits in the last five days.

California saw 186,809 new unemployment claims last week, up from an already elevated 57,606 claims the previous week. California now has over 3,000 reported cases coronavirus and that number is doubling every three to four days, with a mandatory stay-at-home order in place.

Michigan had 129,298 new jobless claims and Massachusetts had 147,995. Both states are under lockdown orders. Michigan had some 2,856 coronavirus cases through Thursday and its death toll has passed 60. Texas and New Jersey each had over 155,000 new jobless claims. COVID-19 numbers are surging in both states.

Washington state, another center of the pandemic, had 133,478 jobless claims. There are more than 2,500 COVID-19 cases in the state and nonessential businesses have been asked to cease operation. Boeing shut down its Seattle-based operations Wednesday for two weeks.

In Rhode Island, one in 15 workers, 6.4 percent of the workforce, sought benefits after the state banned all on-premise consumption at eating establishments and bars. In Nevada, nearly six percent of the states workforce filed claims as the states gaming industry was shut down for 30 days by order of Governor Steve Sisolak.

It should be stressed that all these numbers significantly understate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the US population. The surge in new unemployment claims has overwhelmed state unemployment offices, for the most part already significantly understaffed and underfunded due to cuts, meaning many claimants were unable to file. In many cases, phone lines were jammed and websites overloaded. Those unable to file will show up in future numbers.

Further, according to Labor Department procedures, those unemployment offices that fail to file their reports on time, perhaps because they are overloaded, are not counted at all in the official numbers. In addition, many millions more workers in the so-called gig economy are not eligible for regular state unemployment compensation because they are classified as self-employed. Students, undocumented immigrants, those who have worked less than six months in the year and those classified as seasonal also are not eligible.

Due to reactionary changes in state unemployment regulations, the proportion of workers eligible for benefits has steadily declined over the years. These changes have included drastic shortening of the period workers may claim benefits, onerous work search requirements and high earnings thresholds. As a result, considerably fewer than half of those presently unemployed receive unemployment benefits.

This is only the initial sign of a massive shock wave hitting the US economy and disrupting the lives of masses of people. Keith Hall, former director of the Congressional Budget Office and an advisor to George W. Bush, said, We have not seen this big of a free fall before, not even during the Depression. Its really like an instant great recession. He estimated that the official unemployment rate could hit the Great Depression level of 20 percent.

Another economist estimated that if one half the workers in restaurants and retail trade lost their jobs, unemployment could jump by 10 percent to 13 percent. That is well above the post-Depression high of 10.8 percent during the 1981-82 recession.

It is not known at this time how many jobs will be impacted. As a result of the 2008 economic crash, some 26 million jobs were eliminated. The present crisis could exceed that, and in a much shorter space of time.

Paul Goldsmith-Pinkham, an analyst with Yale, and Aaron Sojourner with the University of Minnesota, said that initial jobless claims for the current week could reach 4.7 million. They based their assessment on an analysis of internet search data.

With the crisis still in its initial stages, the profit-driven capitalist system has been utterly unable to respond in a systematic and rational manner to the challenge posed by the pandemic. After ignoring or minimizing the danger from months, the US government, like capitalist governments all over the world, has responded in an improvised and patchwork manner aimed above all at protecting the interests of the big corporations.

The temporary shutdown of nonessential businesses, made necessary by the failure to isolate and contain the spread of the virus early, portends untold suffering and hardship for wide sections of the population already surviving at bare subsistence levels. For millions of workers, the loss of even one weekly paycheck can mean the difference between economic survival and disaster.

Low-wage workers, who predominate in the sectors such as retail and restaurants hardest hit by the virus-related shutdowns, are also the least able to cope, often lacking health benefits and just keeping their heads above water.

Economists predict a wave of bankruptcies and foreclosures to follow in the wake of the massive job cuts. Many of the businesses closed due to the pandemic will likely never reopen. A huge decline in GDP is expected on a scale again not seen since the Great Depression.

The blundering and outright criminal character of the response of the US and other capitalist governments to this catastrophe poses sharply the need for the working class to intervene independently to defend its class interests and the interests of society as a whole. A rational and humane solution can only be found through the fight for an internationalist and socialist program.
State officials are asking retired health-care workers and anyone with medical training to help New Jerseys medical system battle the coronavirus that threatens to overwhelm it, with a surge in hospitalized patients expected by the middle of next month.

Im putting out a call for volunteers with qualified medical training and experience who wish to join our fight against coronavirus," Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday in Trenton at his daily coronavirus press briefing. This isnt just for New Jersey residents either. Were looking across our nation for help.

Brick-and-mortar hospitals are already busy with patients, and the state will need additional staffing to stand up the four temporary hospitals FEMA will set up around the state in the coming weeks, plus the closed Woodbury hospital that will reopen soon to offer additional hospital beds.

Retired nurses or doctors, medical and nursing students, EMTs, former members of our armed services medical corp. Any of the above, all of the above. If you have training, we need you," Murphy said.

The governor made the plea after announcing that New Jersey had its largest one-day increases in new deaths from COVID-19  the illness caused by the virus  with 27 new known deaths, for a total of at least 108 statewide. There were also at least 1,982 new known cases of the illness among the states 9 million residents, bringing the statewide total to least 8,825 known cases.

New Jersey is not the first state to call for help from those with medical training. New York and Washington state have asked retired health-care workers to come out of retirement, as has the United Kingdom.

Hospitals in North Jersey  especially Holy Name Medical Center in Bergen County, the hardest hit by the virus  are already running low on ventilators and the personal protective equipment staff need to keep themselves safe while treating positive patients.

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said New Jersey hospitals have about 2,000 intensive care beds and need to double that amount. They also expect to need another 2,300 ventilators.

Persichilli said Friday that the state will likely see an increasing demand in critical care beds by mid-April. A new analysis released by Rutgers University-Camden projected how soon hospitals would hit capacity depending on how much people adhere to social distancing requirements.

Persichilli said she believes New Jerseys hospitals can handle such a surge, but there may be a need for more ventilators. As of Friday, she said, the state needs about 2,300 ventilators  one for each of its 2,000 critical care beds, plus a reserve of 300.

Already, the state has authorized mobile intensive care paramedics to perform functions and duties to enhance and supplement medical staff in hospitals.

New Jerseys first of four pop-up field hospitals being built by the federal government will open next Friday at the Meadowlands in Secaucus, said Col. Patrick Callahan, the superintendent of the State Police.

State Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, R-Union, is a retired nurse and said she plans to start volunteering Saturday at Union Countys new testing site.

Im just like everyone else. I can see whats gonna happen," Munoz told NJ Advance Media on Friday. "Were gonna need more nurses as the nurses are gonna be taking care of these patients.

Anyone interested in volunteering can visit www.covid19.nj.gov/volunteer.

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

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
(Natural News) American health officials around the country are becoming increasingly concerned that its simply not going to be possible to contain the still-burgeoning Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and are warning that the explosion of cases in New York City is just the beginning.

As exclusively reported by The Hill, the outbreak that is stretching New York City hospitals to their max is just the first in a wave of local outbreaks to strike cities across the country in the coming weeks.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said her agency is already seeing cases in other cities begin to spike. And while currently the Big Apple is home to nearly half the coronavirus cases in the country, other locations and regions are seeing cases rise at alarming rates.

Were looking at our flu syndromic data, our respiratory illness that presents at emergency departments. Across the country theres a number of areas that are escalating, she told The Hill.

The numbers in New York are so large that they show up, but were looking at increases over time and were really seeing some in a number of places. It would be surprising to me, based on what Ive seen about how this virus spreads, if it were not going to increase in many other parts of the country, she added.

The nations top health agency has already sent some 1,500 epidemiologists, scientists and experts to some of the nations COVID-19 hotspots, including NYC and Seattle, the latter where the first U.S. cases of the virus were seen in January and February.

Now, Schuschat said, teams have also been dispatched to Louisiana, Wisconsin and Colorado, among other places  though she declined to name the cities specifically.

That said, New Orleans has seen a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in recent days after Louisiana reported its first case March 9. A week later, the state had recorded 100 cases, and between Sunday and Wednesday, the caseload doubled to about 1,800. (Related: New estimates from UW School of Medicine project 80,000 coronavirus deaths in the USA by July even with the lockdowns in place.)

Theres just dozens of places were watching

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) noted Tuesday that rate of increase for coronavirus cases in his state was similar to the rises in Italy and Spain, two of Europes hardest-hit countries. There, health systems have nearly collapsed under the weight of cases and now doctors are being forced to make extremely tough decisions about who does  and does not  get treated.

Colorado officials, meanwhile, reported almost 1,000 cases on Thursday, or double what had been confirmed on Sunday. In Wisconsin, health officials noted that the states caseload had risen from 385 on Sunday to 585 Thursday.

The Hill noted further:

Along with hard-hit New York, with some 30,000 confirmed cases, the epidemic is spreading more broadly. New Jersey has reported more than 4,400 cases. California, Michigan and Washington have all confirmed more than 2,000 cases, and Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania had all recorded more than 1,000 cases, according to state health laboratories compiled by The COVID Tracking Project, a group led by the journalist Alexis Madrigal.

Theres just dozens of places were watching, Schuchat told the news site. We really need to expect that the whole countrys at risk here, and we have to look across our health care system within each jurisdiction to have them be as strong as possible.

Meanwhile, President Trump suggested earlier this week he wants to the country to reopen by Easter Sunday, which is April 12. But that runs afoul of the advice he is getting from most of his top medical advisors, The Hill notes, who are warning him that doing so will expose far more Americans to new infections and thus dramatically raise the death toll.

Schuchat said ending social distancing practices, for example, would be disastrous.

Sources include:

TheHill.com

NaturalNews.com
Thousands of residents of the central Chinese province of Hubei gathered in angry protest on amid a physical melee between their police force and that of neighboring Jiangxi province at a checkpoint on a bridge between the two.



At least five officers from the Jiangxi side were injured during the clashes, while some individuals who had turned out to support Hubei police upended a police car and destroyed other equipment belonging to Jiangxi officers including walkie-talkies, according to a police report seen by RFA.



"There was a clash between two groups on the bridge across the Yangtze River leading to Jiujiang in Xiaochi township, Huangmei county, Hubei," a Hubei resident surnamed Li told RFA. "The fighting is still going on."



"A police car from Jiujiang was overturned and the riot police were sent in as backup."

He said the fight had broken out at around 8.00 a.m., and the face-off was still going on at 4.00 p.m. local time.



The clashes came as travel restrictions on Hubei and its capital Wuhan were lifted after more than two months after the emergence of the coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan late last year.



Jiangxi police on a checkpoint on the bridge had allowed a group of migrant workers stranded during the lockdown to pass, but had refused to allow Hubei residents through.



After angry disputes broke out, Jiangxi police sent in riot police to seal off the entrance to Jiujiang.



Video footage posted to YouTube showed thousands of people marching up the approach road to the bridge, shoulder to shoulder with uniformed police from Hubei, shouting "Go Hubei! Go Hubei!"



Discrimination against Hubei residents

One clip showed a local official addressing the crowds through a megaphone. It was unclear whether his message was well-received.



A local resident who gave only his surname He said the past few months have seen people from Hubei -- who can be identified by their birthplace on their national ID cards -- being denied entry to places across China, including accommodation in hotels and guesthouses.



Some five million people are believed to have left Wuhan shortly before the lockdown began in January, and many have complained of widespread mistreatment elsewhere in China.



"All the other provinces are discriminating against people from Hubei right now; stopping them from coming in," He said.



"Everyone has been cheering Wuhan and Hubei during the epidemic, but they are very discriminatory towards them when they try to travel to where they are, and demand that they be isolated."



Repeated calls to the Jiujiang municipal police department and the Huangmei county government rang unanswered during office hours on .



Travel restrictions were lifted on by the Hubei provincial epidemic control command center, although some precautions were to remain in place.



Threat of imported cases

China has closed its borders to foreign nationals, including those with valid visas and residence permits. Officials have been emphasizing the threat of imported cases in recent weeks, although many remain skeptical that the threat from the local epidemic has receded.



"The risk of sporadic cases and local outbreaks still exists," an op-ed article in the ruling Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper the People's Daily said on .



"In particular, the risk of imported cases caused by the rapid spread of the international epidemic continuously increases," it said.



"We should not take a casual attitude and drop our guard. We must not allow the continuously improving situation to be reversed. Otherwise, all our labor will be lost," the paper warned.



President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call on that he would have China's support in fighting the coronavirus, as the United States looks to become the next global hotspot.



Xi's offer of assistance came amid a long-running war of words between Beijing and Washington over the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Repeated comments by Trump referring to the pathogen as "the Chinese virus" have rankled Chinese authorities, who have launched a major propaganda campaign to change the narrative, suggesting that the virus didn't definitely originate in Wuhan.



Chinese health officials initially said they had traced the newly detected coronavirus to the now-shuttered Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, where the epidemic first emerged in December.



But the ruling Chinese Communist Party's propaganda machine has ordered officials to start questioning the narrative that the virus came from China.



Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted early this month that "patient zero" in the global pandemic may have come from the United States, drawing a sharp complaint from Washington.



Reported by Wong Siu-san and Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The couple attended their last official engagement in the UK earlier this month - Henry Nicholls/REUTERS

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have left Canada to set up a new permanent base in California, according to reports.

The couple left their rented home in Vancouver and took a private flight to the US before the border between the two countries closed last week, the Sun reported.

Harry, Meghan and baby Archie are now said to be living in lockdown close to Hollywood in accordance with the sunshine state's Covid-19 containment measures.

A source told the Sun: "Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good.

"The borders were closing and the flights were stopping. They had to get out."

The source added: "But this move was planned for some time. They realised Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area.

"They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based.

"Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria."

The couple do not officially step down as senior royals until the end of this month.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

News of the alleged move comes just hours after it was revealed that Meghan has - or at least her voice - returned to the small screen as narrator of a new Disney film about a family of elephants.

It will be available to stream on Disney+ from April 3.

To celebrate its release, Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund will support wildlife charity Elephants Without Borders, which works with both elephants and communities in Botswana.

It emerged earlier this week that Prince Charles has coronavirus.

Charles is now self-isolating at his Scottish home Birkhall, in Aberdeenshire, while his wife the Duchess of Cornwall is living separately from her husband in the property after she tested negative for Covid-19.

The Queen, 93, is staying at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, and the pair are in good health, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.

Read more: Dear Prince Harry - if you're going to parent among ultra-rich Californians, take my advice
Infodemic

Tracking the Spread

Dialing it back

(TNS)  For weeks Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, has been receiving fake news about COVID-19 from family members, acquaintances and anybody who has his cell phone number.Im just getting the most bizarre conspiracy theory misinformation that arrives in multiple modes of communication, Anchia said. Part of what I spend my day doing is just dispelling that.As COVID-19 spreads across the world, a new virus is brewing and spreading like wildfire. From miraculous cures, to paranoid conspiracies, misinformation about the coronavirus has been going viral at such a disturbing rate that data and health scientists have deemed it an infodemic.An infodemic is an overabundance of information  some accurate and some not  that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it, according to a Feb. 2 report from the World Health Organization.The organization, based in Geneva, has been working around the clock to track myths and rumours . Some of the myths it has busted include eating garlic, drinking chlorine and taking a hot bath to prevent infection of the new coronavirus.The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and FactCheck.org, a non-partisan, nonprofit based in the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, have also been curating Q&As to help combat the misinformation.Some of the viral posts offering false coronavirus tips on social media are wrongly attributed to Stanford University , according to the organization.The posts provide a series of tips about the virus, including instructions for people to hold their breath to gauge whether theyve been infected and falsely suggesting that water consumption can kill the virus.The posts in some cases cite Taiwan experts or Japanese doctors.Manlio De Domenico, a statistical physicist at the Infodemics Observatory and his team, have collected and analyzed about 100 million public messages on Twitter in an effort to measure the infodemic.The observatory is a digital platform that allows users to visualize the infodemic risk of each country in the world. The project was started by the Bruno Kessler Center in Information and Communication Technology, an Italian research center that studies artificial intelligence, according to its website.Between Jan. 22, when the city of Wuhan was locked down by Chinese authorities and March 14, around 275,000 Twitter accounts posted 1.7 million links to unreliable information about the virus, observatory data show.Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, Microsoft, LinkedIn and Reddit say theyre working with government health agencies to ensure people see accurate information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said theyve received more than 8,300 people who have called their 24-hour coronavirus hotline 817-248-6299. Most people have been asking where to get tested for COVID-19 but some have also called to verify health-related information they found online.Drinking lots of water does help to fight infections but to say its a cure for COVID-19 is false, Taneja said. People need to stay away from unverified posts on social media and look for credible sources such as large academic institutions or health departments.
Among the dozen passengers on bus number 473 on Thursday afternoon were Dharmendra Singha and Rakesh Kumar, the only ones who cannot legally travel on it during the lockdown.

The buses are allowed to transport only essential service providers. Singh and Kumar were causal labourers.

One of them is physically challenged. I couldnt ignore them, says Bablu Sharma, the marshal in the bus, rubbing his hands with sanitiser.

The labourers had changed multiple buses from Peeragarhi in west Delhi to Ashram Chowk before hopping into this bus that will drop them at Badarpur Border. From there, they plan to walk to their homes in Agra -- 200 km away.

Someone has told us that if we keep to the Mathura Road, well reach Agra, says Singh, his face masked with a gamcha (towel).

On Thursday, Hindustan Times boarded two Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. DTC buses are the only public transport allowed to ply, its strength cut by half during the lockdown period  only 2,600 buses are operating now.

Bus no. 473 (From New Friends Colony to Badarpur Border)

There are just five passengers inside at 1.30pm, all destined for Badarpur Border.

One among them is 60-year-old Jai Prakash, a private security guard, who is headed from his workplace in New Friends Colony to his home in Jasola village. On Tuesday night, I couldnt find a bus. I walked five kilometres, said Prakash.

Two rows behind, Bharat Singh, a peon with the health department in Vikas Bhawan, is hoping someone would offer him a lift to Ballabhgarh once he deboards. Otherwise I will have to walk 40 km, says Singh.

On Wednesday evening, he had walked for a kilometre into Haryana before giving up and returned to Badarpur Border to sleep at a friends home. But my son is ill and I need to get to my home today.

Outside Apollo Hospital, a policeman, a lab technician and a private security guard board the bus. Their faces are masked. The lab technician also has donned hand gloves. Driver Dinesh Kumar Sharma checks their ID cards.

Conductor Dildar and the marshal Bablu, stand near Sharma and question everyone who signals the bus to stop.

The conductors hand touches that of the passengers each time he takes money and issues a ticket. I sanitise my hands every 10 minutes. I hope my face mask will be useful each time I inadvertently try to touch my face, says Dildar.

Passengers keep to themselves, occupying seats away from each other.

Near the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), a little ahead of Badarpur Border, the driver is slow in responding to a man who had waved the bus to stop and stops some distance away. Rama Sah runs to catch the bus.

I have walked for 20 minutes to reach the bus stop. My bicycle is parked at the border and Ill pedal for five kilometres to reach home, says Sah, an employee with the NTPC heading to Faridabad.

Soon, the rickety bus reaches Badarpur. All the passengers had already de-boarded by then. The driver, conductor and marshal sanitise their hands while a sanitation worker begins spraying disinfectant inside the bus.

Bus No. 433 (Badarpur Border to New Delhi Railway Station)

Driver Ram Singh and conductor Prakash are the only ones in it as the bus begins its journey at 2.30pm.

The first to hop in is Payal Gupta who works at a dispensary in Molarband and is headed home in Srinivaspuri. She walks to sit in a corner and the conductor walks to hand over her ticket. I had to walk 30 minutes to reach the bus stop. Ill have to again walk 15 minutes to home, said Gupta.

The driver doesnt speak throughout the ride and the conductor looks occupied with his thoughts.

Carpenter Vinod Kumar Sharma hops in at the next stop. He doesnt have an ID card, but needed to get medicines for his daughter who suffers from liver ailments, he explains to the driver. Three buses refused to let me in before this, Sharma says.

A little before Okhla, a nursing inspector who didnt want to reveal his name boards the bus. He is wearing protective equipment over his face, hands, arms and head. His will be a short ride till the ESI Hospital in Okhla.

I live in Uttam Nagar, but have taken a room on rent nearby to be easily available at the hospital. Travelling in this lockdown has been difficult, he said.

At the ESI Hospital, more people hop in and the bus moves ahead only to come to a sudden stop a little ahead for a group of three women.

Two buses before this did not stop for us. We thought it will be a third day of walk to home (in Govindpuri), says nurse Rajni, trying to catch her breath.

Rajni has been kind enough to share her home with her colleague, Rekha Devi, whose own rented home is in Jaitpur. My house owner asked me not to move out till the situation normalised. He fears the building could be sealed. Rajni let me live with her so that my husband and children are not kicked out, says Devi.

The third woman, also a nurse, hops out of the bus at the next stop, before she was issued a ticket. That has mildly annoyed the driver and conductor.

When a truck driver with just his Aadhar to show as proof boards at the next stop, they refuse to go ahead till he alighted. I need to visit my family...I promise I wont board any more buses after this, the man pleads.

No brother, please leave. The police will penalise us for letting you in, the driver insists. The man drudgingly hops off.

The next passenger is Shubham Kumar, a young doctor employed at ESI Hospital in west Delhis Basai Darapur. This is the third bus he is hopping into to reach his rented home in Gautam Nagar near Jor Bagh.

Rarely does a doctor board a DTC bus, conductor Prakash looks amused.

I usually take lift from a senior doctor, but today he left earlier than usual. I dont own a vehicle the doctor quickly tells Prakash. The hospital is supposed to arrange cabs for us, but that has not happened yet.

When the next passenger hops in on the Safdarjung Road, the bus driver lets him in without question. The conductor does not issue a ticket either.

The man is in tattered clothing, he didnt seem to have bathed for days. I live in Bawana and sell pens at traffic junctions, says the man, Shankar Chaudhary, occupying a corner seat in the last row of the bus.

He had hopped into many buses to come to this part of Delhi to meet a friend who works for the Delhi Metro. He doesnt own a mobile phone and says has no money. I couldnt find his home, so I am returning to Bawana, says Chaudhary.

As the bus nears the New Delhi Railway Station, Chaudhary offers a smile to conductor Prakash and deboards.

Prakash reveals why he was lost in thought. He has no personal vehicle and may have to walk to his home in Jaitpur, five kilometres from the bus stop, when his duty ends at night. I dont know if the government will pay me for the fewer days of work during the lockdown, said Prakash who is a contractual worker.

What can I say, he adds with a wry smile.
A rocket was fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Friday night, setting off air raid sirens and sending thousands of residents into bomb shelters, Israel's military said.

It was the first such reported attack since a two-day cross border flareup between Israel and Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in late February.

"One rocket was just fired from #Gaza at Israeli civilians in southern #Israel," the army said on its official Twitter feed.

An army spokeswoman did not give any further details but Israeli media reported the projectile apparently fell on open ground.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The attack came as Israelis throughout the country were largely confined to their homes due to the coronavirus emergency.

Islamic Jihad, the second largest militant group in Gaza after dominant Islamist movement Hamas, fired more than 80 rockets and mortar rounds towards Israel after the army killed a militant who was allegedly planting a bomb on the border on February 23.

The Israeli army removed the militant's body with a bulldozer, and video footage of that process triggered widespread Palestinian anger.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First US Space Force Mission Launches High-Frequency Communications Satellite

Sputnik News

21:23 GMT 26.03.2020

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A souped-up Atlas V rocket on Thursday launched an Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite in the inaugural mission for the newly created US Space Force.

A UAL webcast from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida showed the Atlas V rocket - its first stage powered by a Russian made RD-180 with five strapped on boosters - soaring over the Atlantic shortly after the afternoon launch, trailed by clouds of frozen exhaust.

"We are proud to launch the first National Security Space mission for the US Space Force and look forward to delivering the final AEHF asset to support our nation's national defence and the warfighter community," ULA Vice President for Government and Commercial Programs Gary Wentz said in an earlier press release.

The AEHF system, developed by Lockheed Martin, provides vastly improved global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters, the release said.

The Atlas V 551 configuration rocket used in Thursday's launch is the most powerful version of the Atlas V fleet, producing more than two-and-a-half million pounds of thrust, it was added in the release.

The booster for the two-stage rocket was powered by the Russian "RD AMROSS RD-180 engine," with five AJ-60A solid-fuel rocket boosters made by Aerojet Rocketdyne providing added lift to escape Earth's gravity.

An Aerojet RL 10C-1 engine powered the rocket's upper stage.

While technically still part of the Air Force, the Space Force is set to join the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard as the sixth branch of the US armed forces.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Chinese billionaire has sent essential supplies to African countries and the US, and plans to help Latin America.

Russia has received more than a million face masks and 200,000 coronavirus testing kits as a gift from Jack Ma, becoming the latest country to welcome a donation from the Chinese billionaire businessman amid the global health crisis.

Calling Ma a real friend, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the cofounder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba had spoken by telephone to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and told him how touched he had been by Moscows own help for China.

The foundations of Alibaba and Ma said on Wednesday that they had sent medical equipment to Russia.

Mas gift had been delivered in a Russian air force plane that had flown from China.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he hoped Russia would defeat coronavirus in two to three months if it imposed tough measures, as authorities suspended international flights, ordered most shops in Moscow to shut and halted some church services.

Russia on Thursday reported 182 new coronavirus cases, its biggest one-day rise yet, bringing its official tally to 840.

One world, one fight! We will donate emergency supplies  2 million masks, 400K test kits, 104 ventilators  to 24 Latin American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Peru. We will ship long-distance, and we will hurry! WE ARE ONE!  Jack Ma (@JackMa) March 22, 2020

Ma has previously donated supplies to countries in Africa that are particularly vulnerable to the virus, via Ethiopia, and the United States.

He also plans to send essential equipment, such as masks, testing kits and ventilators to countries in Latin America.
By PTI

NOIDA: "Self-quarantining ourselves is a luxury homeless like us cannot afford," believes 68-year-old Rupa who has been living on the streets of Delhi-NCR for as long as she can remember.

Rupa, currently living near a Noida metro station, says she does not understand everything happening around her -- whether it is empty roads or closure of most shops -- but what she does realise is that there is a disease which has forced people to stay indoors.

"But self-quarantining ourselves is a luxury homeless like us cannot afford," she said.

Asked if she worries about being infected with the virus, Rupa casually replies that she has seen worse and for her it is nothing more than a flu.

"Getting food is a major concern for me not this (coronavirus)," she said.



COVID-19 LIVE | Karnataka reports 3rd coronavirus death, India's 19th

"I went to a shelter home but I got scared that I will catch some other disease there," said Rupa who refused to give details of the shelter home where she was taken.

At some distance, Ghanshyam, another homeless in his late 40s, explains how procuring food has been the biggest challenge for him in the past few days.

"My worry is not that of the disease but of getting food. All the hotels and restaurants from where I used to eat have been shut.I used to beg but now there is no one to give me alms too," he said.

India is under the biggest lockdown in its history with all 1.3 billion people asked to stay home for three weeks in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 17 lives and infected over 700 people around the country.

Ghanshyam said he has been surviving by eating food from the garbage since the lockdown was announced and is worried that if the situation persists this source too would deplete.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday directed officials to start community kitchens to provide food to the poor and migrant labourers amid the lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus but daily wager Ramesh has his doubts over its effective implementation.



ALSO READ | 101-year-old Italian man recovers from coronavirus, oldest person to be cured: Reports

"How do we reach these kitchens, if we walk we will be stopped and questioned by the police.How do we reach there?" asked Ramesh who used to work as a daily wage worker at a construction factory but lost his job ever since the lockdown and has been living on the streets since last then.

According to the 2011 census, India is home to 17 lakh homeless people who also happen to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of their exposure.

Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, said approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide live in homelessness and grossly inadequate housing, often in overcrowded conditions, lacking access to water and sanitation  making them particularly vulnerable to contracting the virus, as they are often suffering from multiple health issues.

She urged States to "take extraordinary measures" to secure the right to housing for all to protect against the pandemic.

"By ensuring access to secure housing with adequate sanitation, States will not only protect the lives of those who are homeless or living in informal settlements but will help protect the entire world's population by flattening the curve of coronavirus, the UN expert said.

The government and medical professionals have advised everyone to 'stay at home' and wash hands as much as possible.

"Washing our hands regularly is also something not easy for us.Where do we get the soaps from or even clean water," Ramesh asked.

"We have seen a lot in our lives, slept hungry on many nights but never we have witnessed such a situation. We are not sure what is coming next for us and what should we do to protect ourselves. All the steps advised whether it is quarantine or washing our hands is for rich people not for people like us who neither have roof over our heads nor food in our stomachs," he added.

Bharat Gopal, Senior Consultant Pulmonologist and Director National Chest Centre, said maintaining hygiene and social distancing is the key to fight this disease.

"However for those unfortunate homeless people where do they go. On top of it they are the fragile part of our population  the most vulnerable. Though the government is making efforts to provide food and shelter, awareness and the need for staying away from each other would be the key," Gopal told said.

"Areas to wash hands should be made available to these people too. The NGOs can teach them the correct technique and if these people also learn the hygiene  this enemy (coronavirus) would teach us the biggest lesson and actually save the whole population in future from so many other diseases," he added.
Coronavirus cases in two of the worst affected countries in the world, China and Italy, pointed toward a somewhat selective pattern of the spread of Covid-19.



The virus, in most cases, has targetted older people and has made things especially complicated for those who already have some medical issues such as breathing problems, diabetes, heart-related ailments and kidney problems.



Reuters

But there have been a few rare and rather miraculous cases of recovery in the elderly. Take for instance this 101-year-old man from Italy who beat the disease a week after being tested positive.



According to reports, the man named Mr P, born in 1919, was admitted to the Rimini hospital (Ospedale Infermi di Rimini) a week ago after testing positive for COVID-19.

Twitter

According to Gloria Lisi, Vice-Mayor of Rimini, "Everyone saw hope for the future of all of us in the recovery of a person more than 100 years old," Lisi said. "Every day we see the sad stories from these weeks that mechanically tell about a virus that rages and is especially aggressive on the elderly. But he survived. Mr P survived."

Lisi further said: "His family brought him home last night (Wednesday), leaving behind a lesson that even at the age of 101, the future is not set."

Reuters

The story of Mr P is a rare positive news item in a country that has been left with a total of 80,589 infected people and 8,215 lives lost.



In another case, a 103-year-old woman in Iran recovered after being infected with the novel coronavirus on March 18. The unnamed woman had been hospitalised in the central city of Semnan for about a week, IRNA news agency said.

But she was "discharged after making a complete recovery," Semnan University of Medical Sciences head Navid Danayi was quoted as saying by IRNA late Tuesday, March 17.

The woman was the second elderly patient in Iran to have survived the disease.
Its a cliche to say that Bengal/Bengalis are intricately linked to books and food, to addas and argumentsThe Argumentative Indian (Penguin) by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is partly a discourse on the latter. Cliches arise out of statistical truisms, from general trends that map society/community at large. So it isnt unsurprising that on my recent sojourn and journey to Kolkata and rural Bengal, I tended to notice these aspects more; or perhaps I was attracted to these spaces due to my own preferences; or simply because these were omniscient/omnipresent.

My first night in Kolkata had to end with a traditional Bengali thali at Aaheli  koraishutir luchi, bhaat, kaaju pulao, begoon bhaja, cholar dal, papod, jhingay posto, phoolkopir tarkari, bhapa maachh, ilish mach, golda chingri, maangsho, mishti doi, rajbhog. I was in food heaven, well beyond satiation. Fortunately, I didnt have to rely on Gelusil or Aqua Ptychotis  must-haves in a Bengali medicine cabinet (that includes Boroline cream, Jabakusum oil, Cuticura talc, and more).

Books were aplenty  whether at College Street kiosks, or in the dimly lit Bhowanipore Book Bureau near Gariahat (not counting big chains like Crossword or Starmark). I ended up with a huge stack of books many bought others gifted by authors I met at the Oxford Book Store launch of my new book: Sudeep Sen: Selected Interviews and Conversations (Classix); at the Kolkata premiere at Alliance Francaise du Bengale of my poetry-film, Silence (directed by Ramanjit Kaur); at a national seminar on Indian Writing in English at Lal Baba College near Belur Math;and at the launch of Modern English Poetry by Younger Indians (Sahitya Akademi) at the beautifully-appointed sanctuary Bodhi Tree run by Santasree and Devdan Chaudhuri: the latter, author of Anatomy of Life (Picador India), a very fine debut novel.

I also chanced upon books at the Akar Prakar art gallery, and at the library of the incredible new space Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC). The latter is an architectural delight with its classy restaurant Grace serving innovative fresh home-sourced fusion food of a very high order, carefully curated by chef Ritabrata Biswas. This vast building also has a dance studio, indoor amphitheatre, gift shop, creative laboratories and exhibition spaces.

Currently, Bose Krishnamacharis outstanding multimedia exhibition The Mirror Sees Best in the Dark is on show. The way Bose uses materials, perspectives and colour will make you recalibrate your perception of everyday objects. I particularly enjoyed his Braille-text-like installations: 10 Commandments in Silence, Scores from the Dark, and 9 Rasas and One Soft Cut. The way sound and light travel through various media and elements in nature are explored with great intelligence, poise and minimalism. Everyone should visit KCC (expertly directed by Reena Dewan), not just for Boses fabulous presentations and Jogen Chowdhurys masterful artworks, but also for the fine food and other exhibits housed within.

Some recent books that have grabbed my attention: Thirteen Kinds of Love by Soumya Bhattacharya (HarperCollins) is an exquisite gem of a book. He writes with the care of a fine craftsman. Set in a Mumbai apartment block, these are stories of love, lust, longing  pain, politics, pigeons  weaving tales of families going about their everyday lives. The hallmark of Bhattacharyas success is the way his narratives unfold through the spectrum of ordinariness and believable plots; through the different shapes of light, its slivers, filaments, cylinders, rectangles, squares; through its globs, points, and bars. By far, this is the best book of short stories Ive read this year.

The Hungryalists: The Poets Who Sparked a Revolution by Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury (Penguin) is a captivating read for anyone interested in poetry and lives of poets, and also those interested in the period of Indian history where the Hungry Generation group of barnstorming, anti-establishment poets, writers and artists in Bengal in the 1960s altered the literary terrain there and beyond (including Beat Generation poets like Allen Ginsberg). Using a judicious mix of non-fiction/fiction techniques, Chowdhury lays before us an extraordinary story of our time that has largely gone unmapped. This is an urgent and important book written with intelligence and lucidity.

This is Kunal Basu. Listen to him, pronounces Jeanette Winterson on the front cover of his new novel Sarojinis Mother (Penguin). Best known for his book of short stories, The Japanese Wife (the eponymous title story made into a moving, poetic, award-winning film by Aparna Sen)  this detective novel is Basus sixth in English. He has also written four novels in Bengali, apart from teaching at Oxford Universitys Said Business School. The attention to detail that Basu brings to his prose, content, characters and design are impeccable. Pinaki De again, has done an evocative job with the cover. There are couched autobiographical details that over-and-underlay aspects of this novel, including that of the protagonist, Sarojini. She is Saz, Sarojini Saz Campbell, who has come to India to search for her biological mother. Adopted and taken to England at an early age, she has a degree from Cambridge and a mathematicians brain adept at solving puzzles. Anyone who has read Kunal Basu before can crack the puzzles of his authorial biographical clues. Apart from his novelistic acumen, Basu handles dialogue very well, something many Indian novelists cannot do justice to. I would not only urge you read Sarojinis Mother, but all his earlier works  well worth the time and read.

Title: Menoka Has Hanged Herself. Author: Sharmistha Gooptu. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Pages: 352. Price: Rs.399.

I recommend four other recent books by Bengalis  Shantanu Guha Rays The Diamond Trail: How India Rose to Global Domination (HarperCollins); Bidisha Banerjees Superhuman River: Stories of the Ganga (Aleph); and those by a husband-wife pair of Boria Majumdar [Dreams of a Billion: India and the Olympic Games (HarperCollins) co-authored with Nalin Mehta] and Sharmistha Gooptus debut novel Menoka Has Hanged Herself (Simon & Schuster).

These four very different books are equally engaging for the stories they tell and how they choose to tell them. Guha Rays is a journalistic swift-paced style; Banerjees is a classical approach of studied non-fiction delineating the great rivers history and cultural anthropology; Gooptu captures the essence and tenor of 1930s silent film era with great flair and accuracy; while Majumdar/Mehta map out Indian sports: their highs, lows and historical arc where they have grown from strength to strength. Two other outstanding contemporary prose stylists I regularly read are Sandip Ray and Somak Ghoshal.

Rural Bengal

While in Kolkata, I also spent a fair bit of time in rural Bengal, in epar-Bangla. Id lived for five years in the early 2000s in opar-Bangla, where I wrote Postcards from Bangladesh (UPL), a literary coffee-table book. This time my travels were to the riverine areas of bucolic Bengal  Pujali, Budge Budge, Ulberia, Diamond Harbour, Sinhal Gunge, Raichak-on-the-Ganges, and others. I stumbled upon the cleanest crematorium Ive come ever across at Beltola Shoshaan Ghat; had endless daab (fresh coconut water) and roadside chaa-biscoot (tea-biscuit); leisurely watched fisherfolk, rice fields, brick kilns, cargo ships, Kali temples, Ramakrishna/Vivekananda portraits/statues on my river walks. Everywhere, I spotted witty political graffiti, anti-NRC-CAB banners, and huge megalomaniac signage: Banglar Gorbo Mamata/Bengals Pride Mamata. Along the way, I befriended two doe-eyed stray dogs that accompanied me studiously to savour the evenings' fresh air and sunsets.

The dusk breeze hummed the lyrics of an old river folk-song, O Padda Nodi Re  and echoed lines from Jibanananda Dass iconic poem Banalata Sen: Chool tar kobay kar ondhokar Bidhishar nisha/mukh tar Shrabastir karokarjoLike the dense ink-night of Bidhisha, her hair  black, deep black; / her face  like the delicate-weave of Shrabastis filigree-frieze (my translation). Wherever s/he is, the call of Bengal is never far away for a Bengali.

Sudeep Sens newest books are: Kaifi Azmi: Poems |Nazms: New & Selected Translations (Bloomsbury) and Modern English Poetry by Younger Indians (Sahitya Akademi).
NAIROBI, Kenya, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa will probably look different from what has been observed in other parts of the world, according to a new publication by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), titled Fighting COVID-19 in Africa Will Be Different.

The young average age of the population in Africa is likely to be a positive factor, given that COVID-19 seems to be exacting a higher toll on older patients around the world. However, constrained health systems in most African countries, combined with the prevalence of chronic conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, andespecially among childrenmalnutrition are likely to magnify the negative impact. In addition, measures such as social distancing may be challenging, particularly in areas that have high levels of poverty. As a result, deaths in Africa are likely to be concentrated among the malnourished, the sick, and the poor.

"COVID-19 poses a major threat to Africa," says Patrick Dupoux, a BCG managing director and senior partner. "All stakeholdersgovernments in Africa, global players and community leadersmust coordinate their efforts to prevent a worst-case scenario."

An Outbreak in Africa

Africa's relatively young population could help buffer the continent against the rates of severe cases and fatality observed elsewhere in the world. For example, as of February 11, over 80% percent of the deaths in China due to COVID-19 were among people 60 years old or older. In China, people in that age group account for 16% of the population, whereas in Africa they make up just 5% of the population.

But other factors will create challenges. For one thing, health systems in Africa struggle to meet current needslet alone manage the spike in demand that a pandemic brings. For example, the most recent data available indicates that Ethiopia and Niger each have just 0.3 hospital bed per 1,000 people, and Tunisia has 2.3, compared with an average of 5.6 beds per 1,000 people in Europe. In addition, significant numbers of adults in Africa have compromised immune systems, mostly owing to the high prevalence of HIV infection and HIV-tuberculosis co-infection, and many children suffer from malnutrition. Such factors could make those adults and children more susceptible to COVID-19.

"If the COVID-19 outbreak in Africa is not controlled, there will be far-reaching repercussions, including for the health of the people, the strength of the economy, and the cohesiveness of society," says Shalini Unnikrishnan, a BCG managing director and partner and a co-author of the report.

Coordinating the Response

All groups aiming to mount a response to the pandemic in Africa must learn from previous crises and align their efforts up front. Coordination needs to happen at three levels:

Governments in Africa are already working together, but they should redouble their efforts to cooperate by sharing data and capabilities and coordinating strategies. Regional unions and the African Union can be powerful drivers of such cooperation.

are already working together, but they should redouble their efforts to cooperate by sharing data and capabilities and coordinating strategies. Regional unions and the African Union can be powerful drivers of such cooperation. Global groups working to support the pandemic response in Africaincluding UN agencies, governments, donors, NGOs, and companiesneed to coordinate a cohesive response.

All players must bring community leaders into the process from the start in order to build trust and to ensure that people and communities understand and accept potentially challenging constraints.

Lack of such coordination would lead to squandered resources and would reduce the strategies' effectiveness.

A copy of the publication can be downloaded here.

To schedule an interview with one of the authors, please contact Miranda Stobbs on [email protected] or contact +44 7886713027/ +254 719860320

About Boston Consulting Group

Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we help clients with total transformationinspiring complex change, enabling organizations to grow, building competitive advantage, and driving bottom-line impact.

To succeed, organizations must blend digital and human capabilities. Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives to spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting along with technology and design, corporate and digital venturesand business purpose. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, generating results that allow our clients to thrive.

About BCG in Africa

Our presence in Africa includes five permanent offices, in Casablanca, Lagos, Luanda, Johannesburg, and Nairobi, and 7 research centres. BCG projects on the continent cover a large spectrum of industry sectors including Financial Institutions, Energy, Industrial Goods, Consumer Products, Health Care, Technology, and the Public Sector. Our mission is clear: to create positive economic, social, and environmental impact on the continent.

SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Related Links

http://www.bcg.com


Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 12:22 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dccbf8 1 National COVID-19,novel-coronavirus,coronavirus,doctor,nurses,medical-workers Free

The COVID-19 rapid response task force has said that Indonesia needs an additional 1,500 doctors and 2,500 nurses to treat COVID-19 patients amid the surge in cases across the archipelago.

Indonesia currently needs around 1,500 doctors, especially pulmonologists, anesthetists and general physicians, as well as 2,500 nurses, COVID-19 task force volunteer coordinator Andre Rahadian said at a press briefing on Thursday, as quoted by kompas.com.

In addition to more doctors and nurses, Andre said that hospitals urgently needed more laboratory staff, administrative staff and ambulance drivers.

Andre said that students in their final year of medical school would form the "second front line" in preventing the spread of COVID-1 by providing medical and [mental health] consultations through an online platform.

The COVID-19 task force is working in collaboration with various universities and NGOs. Anyone interested in volunteering may sign up through the task force's official website.

Earlier on Thursday, Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim called on medical school students across the country to join the task force's volunteer program.

Our country is currently at war against an invisible enemy that is moving fast and threatening human lives. Therefore, I ask all people to join the fight to defeat this enemy, Nadiem said on Thursday in Jakarta during a COVID-19 video conference with students.

Indonesia's nationwide figures at the time of publishing stood at 893 confirmed cases, with 103 new case and 78 deaths. The country recorded the highest number of deaths on March 26, with 20 people dying of the disease. (aly)
Dubai, March 27 : Authorities in Dubai taking steps to help stranded passengers, including 22 Indians, who were in transit at the airport here when their home countries suddenly stopped inbound flights due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was reported on Friday.

Dubai Airports has issued a statement informing that airlines and embassies were now working to send the passengers to their home countries, the Khaleej Times said in a report.

"Passengers who are stranded at Dubai International because of the cancellation of their onward flights are being assisted by Dubai Airports' staff by referring them to their airlines and embassies who are working to repatriate them to their home countries," the statement said.

The 22 Indian passengers were in transit at the Dubai Airport when New Delhi announced the decision to impose a ban on passenger flights. Some of them have been at the airport since March 18.

Furthermore, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also closed all its airports since Monday.

Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate in dubai said it is presently working with the UAE government to make arrangements for the passengers as New Delhi has still not given permission to repatriate them.

"We don't have permission for repatriation of stranded Indian passengers. We are looking at what arrangements can be made for the passengers, and what they can be provided with, in coordination with the UAE government," the Khaleej Times report quoted Vipul, the Consul General of India to Dubai, as saying.

Commenting on the conditions of the Indian passengers, Vipul said: "It is limited, but food is available. They are in a challenging situation right now, because their baggage was checked-in and they have no access to their belongings." The Indian passengers arrived from European destinations such as Lisbon, Budapest, Barcelona and at least 11 passengers arrived from Sydney.

"We are really missing our families. We just want to go home," said Deepak Gupta, an Indian passenger.

"We are surviving on meagre food. We don't have enough clothes to change or anything for decent survival," said Ankit Parek, an MBA student from Bengaluru.

"Nothing has happened so far. We are still stuck here. We are constantly in touch with the Indian Consulate. We have been asking them for masks, gloves and sanitisers. We are not asking for the Indian government to fly us out immediately. We are okay to endure this. But at least provide us with basic essentials to sleep, to change and have proper food".

Arunkumar Radhakrishnan, who flew from Sydney as his connecting flight to Cochin got cancelled, said: "We were really hoping that by now we would be out of the airport and back home. But nothing seems to be happening and we don't know what to do." Radhakrishnan said all stranded passengers have undergone medical examinations and we are awaiting results. "We are being told that we will be shifted to another hotel. We have also signed a declaration form that said 14 days of quarantine is required as we come from abroad."
Tuolumne County Government View Photo

Sonora, CA  Local health officials are addressing Flaring concerns over out of area visitors bringing coronavirus into the Mother Lode by providing guidelines.

As reported here, information regarding the first case of COVID-19 found in Tuolumne County was released early Wednesday. The patient was described as a 31-year-old female from Mono County who was staying at a second home in the Sonora area and after testing positive was quarantined at Adventist Health Sonora along with a companion who was experiencing symptoms but had not yet tested positive.

The discovery triggered a whole new set of state and county-required protocols from Tuolumne County Public Health for health care providers, employers, employees, and residents, viewable here. The finding led health officials to specifically reference the California Public Health Officers March 19 stay at home order, and additionally encourage visitors to be mindful and avoid travel into the county until it is lifted.

Public health officials are emphasizing to visitors from other counties that if travel into Tuolumne County is necessary, they should follow all current local and state guidelines; conduct self-monitoring activities, which include checking for symptoms twice daily if possible by taking your temperature and watch for fever or development of a cough and/or shortness of breath.

Visitors developing symptoms or needing to seek medical care should self-quarantine within lodging/residence and call your healthcare provider or the Adventist Health Advice Line at 844-542-8840 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or the after-hours hospital emergency department. A COVID-19 Information Line is active at 209-533-7440 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for questions or concerns.

Tourism, State Park Officials Weigh In

Visit Tuolumne County President-CEO Lisa Mayo tells Clarke Broadcasting that while her office is promoting tourism, its messaging is very much upbeat and future-focused.

We are just telling people not to come at this point in time, that their travel can wait, and as much as they want to be here and we want them here  it is not the time  and we cannot wait for that time to come when we can welcome everyone back.

Mayo adds that for residents and businesses, the website has new tools and content promoting timely local services and products available such as food for carryout and delivery and gift certificates that people interested in helping boost local businesses can purchase now to redeem later.

Fortunately, with regard to out of town visitors showing up in numbers, Central Valley California State Parks spokesperson Rhiannon Montgomery, who is stationed at Columbia Historic State Park, but also works with Railtown 1897 in Jamestown and Big Trees State Park in Arnold, shares there have not been any issues or problems as of yet.

What she is seeing at the parks are family and household members from local communities going out together and or with their dogs to walk outdoors as is currently allowed under the state mandate.

[Parks remaining open] is definitely NOT an encouragement [for out-of-area visitors] to take a road trip and have a gathering of any sort at the park, Montgomery maintains. That is not our intent whatsoever  I just want to help everyone understand what the department is offering for the public at this timethis is not the time for nonessential travel.
The father of Ghanaian Musician and former president of the Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGHA), Bice Osei Kuffour aka Obour, has died at the Ridge Hospital in Accra after reportedly catching the deadly coronavirus.



Obour In a statement released shortly after his fathers demise on Friday evening March 27, 2020, Obour said his father, Nana Osei Boansi Kuffuor passed away after doctors said he is likely to be a confirmed Covid-19.



The statement added, Nana returned from UK on 19th March after his yearly visit to the family. Upon his return he was fine but began coughing on Sunday 22nd.



We arranged for his blood sample to be tested and he tested positive for malaria.



We began treatment for malaria but his condition got worse. We arranged to bring him to Accra to be tested for Covid 19 at Ridge Hospital on Wednesday. They informed us that his report will be ready on Friday but we should keep him in quarantine which we did.



Below is Obours full statement



With sadness and a heavy heart I announce the death of Nana Osei Boansi Kuffour my biological father.



Nana returned from UK on 19th March after his yearly visit to the family. Upon his return he was fine but began coughing on Sunday 22nd.



We arranged for his blood sample to be tested and he tested positive for malaria.



We began treatment for malaria but his condition got worse. We arranged to bring him to Accra to be tested for Covid 19 at Ridge Hospital on Wednesday. They informed us that his report will be ready on Friday but we should keep him in quarantine which we did.



On Thursday night he had extreme difficulty with breathing so we called the Ambulance service and informed them of his condition. We told them the patient has tested for COVID 19 and awaiting his results so they should come along with appropriate apparel.



The ambulance team took him to Ridge Hospital around 11pm on Thursday March 26. We informed the health team at Ridge of his condition and also informed them he had earlier taken a test for Covid and awaiting results.



Late this afternoon , the Drs informed us that he is likely to be a confirmed Covid case and as such we should take steps to do a contact trace and quarantine ourselves. Sadly he passed on this evening.



These are the true facts about my fathers demise.

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/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
Kelsey Nixon had expected her fourth child to be born via hospital induction on March 28. But then COVID-19 started spreading in the U.S. and hospitals began tightening restrictions on who could enter labor and delivery wards. Suddenly, Nixon, who has a gestational surrogate, wasnt sure if she and her husband could witness the birth of their daughter. They didnt even know if their surrogate's husband could support her. Thats when they considered a home birth.

It seemed to bring more and more complications, Nixon, 35, of Boise, Idaho, said of pursuing a birth at the hospital.

Kelsey Nixon (right), her husband and her surrogate, Megan Blackhurst (left), had to make a lot of tough choices about where the baby would be delivered as hospitals change regulations because of COVID-19. (Courtesy Kelsey Nixon)

Nixon had delivered two babies in a hospital and had a third baby via gestational surrogate, also in a hospital. Their surrogate, Megan Blackhurst, 26, on the other hand, delivered her three children at home, but had agreed to a hospital birth for Nixon and her husband.

Never in a million years did we think we would jump into a home birth, Nixon said.

They researched home births to understand what they needed to know about it and felt comfortable. Blackhurst is healthy, young and low-risk, a good candidate for a successful home birth, Nixon explained.

We didnt come to this decision lightly, she said. We came to this stage given our very particular set of pregnancy circumstances. While this is not an ideal circumstance, we are in the best-case situation for home birth."

Nixon isnt alone. As more hospitals restrict visitors to slow the spread of COVID-19, more moms-to-be who expected to deliver in hospitals are thinking about home births.

Its making women really question wanting to be in a hospital setting, Lindsey Meehleis, a midwife at Orange County Midwifery, in California, told TODAY. We dont even know how to navigate this because (the increased interest) is just so overwhelming.

Health & Wellness

Home births in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

While Meehleis, is accepting new patients, home births are only recommended for women who are low-risk, which includes:

Story continues

Women without pre-existing conditions, such as Type 1 diabetes or hypertension

Women with previous uncomplicated births

Women having a single birth

Women without pregnancy-related conditions, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes

Lindsey Meehleis, a midwife in Orange County, said she's seen more people requesting home births because of COVID-19. It's also changed how she practices, as she takes even more sterilization precautions than usual, including wearing a mask. (Courtesy @lindseymeehleis)

Midwives also look for a certain temperament.

Part of the screening, if you will, is: Are you really comfortable with the idea that there isn't an epidural available? Are you really comfortable with the idea that you're going to do this work, Jennie Joseph, a midwife at Commonsense Childbirth, in Orlando, Florida, told TODAY.

Right now, Joseph is focused on providing telehealth care for her 170 current patients and isnt actively seeking new ones. New and ever-changing restrictions mean that her patients might be alone in the hospital or birth center as they deliver and shes encouraging them to plan for support through video technology.

Health & Wellness

I'm just really practical with my advice, take a couple of battery packs that are already charged, she explained.

She wants her patients to prepare for the possibility of delivering alone instead of panicking.

This is a distinct possibility. Lets get with the program here and think ahead, she said.

Another thing to consider for home birth? Cost. Meehleis says a home birth has a price tag anywhere $3,000 to $9,000, depending on the state, and most insurances don't cover it.

"The money stress is definitely a barrier," she said.

'Only my decision.'

Kaila Klimans second baby is due in June. When she had her daughter, Heidi, two years ago, she delivered in a hospital with a midwife. She labored in a pool and then delivered in a bed. She felt cared for and supported by her midwife. So she opted for that same midwife and hospital experience again.

Then her hospital changed their visitation policy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I would never want to do this alone without my husband or my doula, Kliman, 30, of Dana Point, California, told TODAY. That started to definitely change things.

Kaila Kliman transitioned her health care provider to a midwife who does home delivery because she did not want to deliver in a hospital without her husband, Taylor, and her doula. (Courtesy Taylor Kliman)

Kliman, who was training to become a doula prior to the outbreak, did not have an epidural during her first delivery and had not planned on one this time. A home birth felt like a natural transition in some ways. Kliman reached out to Meehleis and booked the midwifes last opening for June.

Both Kliman and Nixon stress that their choices arent right for everyone.

My decision to home birth is only my decision. There is a great fit for everybody. For the first birth, it was in the hospital for me, she said. This one, unfortunately is not.

Sasha Drexlers second baby is due May 12. As a dentist, she heard a lot about how COVID-19 caused shortages of personal protective equipment, which meant that obstetricians and gynecologists didnt have enough masks. She started to consider switching to a home birth.

Doctors just want to help people and yet theyre exposed on a daily basis, potentially, to this virus, the 31-year-old from Norwalk, Connecticut told TODAY.

While she absolutely never wanted a home birth, she researched them and talked with her OB-GYN. As of today, she is sticking to her original plan to deliver in a hospital. If there was a complication and she needed to be transferred, she's worried that she would be treated in an emergency department, where she suspects most patients with COVID-19 would seek care, too.

As a dentist, Sasha Drexler worried about delivering in the hospital with personal protective equipment in such short supply. She researched home birth and talked to ob/gyns and decided hospital delivery was right for the birth of her second child. (Courtesy Sasha Drexler)

Needing to pass through an overburdened emergency room that doesnt have the equipment it needs, she explained, Ultimately, I thought it would be better to be in the hospital.
I am a proud United States citizen.

I am a proud Albuquerque resident.

I am a proud native of India  born, raised and educated.

I am a proud retired physician  internal medicine and geriatrics  who, along with my physician wife  psychiatry  treated patients in the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Atlanta for decades.

And, I am a proud Hindu.

Hinduism is one of the six major, living religions in the world. According to their time of appearance, they are: Hinduism, Judaism, Zorastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion behind Christianity and Islam. It is, however, not a mainstream religion in many countries, including the United States. And that  along with many misconceptions  has prompted me to help spread some knowledge about both the religion and the culture.

India, of course, continues to be home to 94% of the worlds 1.1 billion Hindus. The United States includes 2.4 million Hindus. Albuquerques Hindu population, while considered small, consists of about 2,000 people, 500 or so families. A temple at the intersection of Zuni and Utah streets provides a welcoming gathering space for a vibrant and active population. And we look forward to having our first priest in the coming months.

A religion dating further back than 5000 BCE, Hinduism boasts having the oldest scriptures in the world. Like India, they are rooted in peace. India has never conducted a religious war; it is a most tolerant country.

Hindu is a word coined by Persian and other Western visitors who entered India through passes in the Himalayas and found a civilization settled around the river Sindhu. They called these people Hindus. Hinduism, a British term, was used to refer to the faith followed by the people of the Indian subcontinent. The long and popular use of the term has endured.

Perhaps the term Dharma rings familiar. In Hinduism, Dharma is a cosmic law underlying right behavior and social order. The Hindu faith is called Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal way of life. It also is called Vaidika Dharma, or religion of the Vedas. Vedas are the foundational scriptures of Hinduism  revered as eternal truths revealed by God to the great, ancient sages of India. One might compare the Vedas to the Bible of Christianity, the Torah of Judaism or the Koran of Muslimism.

Hinduism allows the widest freedom in matters of faith and worship. It respects all religions and all beliefs. It is way of life based on morals, ethics and social laws aimed at harmonious living  individually and within community. Through the years, scriptural philosophy of Hinduism has been studied by a wide variety of influential people. A sampling of recognizable individuals who were inspired by the Hindu philosophy includes Aldous Huxley, Alfred North Whitehead, Arthur Schopenhauer, Francois Voltaire, Will Durant, Arnold J. Toynbee, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman.

Though the above is admittedly a brief and limited overview, hopefully it provides a basic understanding of Hinduism, and perhaps whets the appetite to learn more of a somewhat complicated history. If chance brings you into contact with a Hindu  and, by the way, we have no distinct attire to identify us  please do strike up a conversation. Ask questions, share thoughts. We welcome that.

Knowledge breeds understanding, and understanding breeds tolerance, and tolerance breeds peace. And peace is the core of Hinduism.
GRIDLEY, Calif.  Safeway in Gridley confirmed with Action News Now that an associate at its store has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Safeway Director of Public and Government Affairs said the associate who tested positive has not worked since March 22.

As a precautionary measure, some additional members of the store team have gone home to self-quarantine at the direction of its Crisis Response Center.

RELATED: North State coronavirus cases

Safeway officials said the store in Gridley has been through multiple cycles of enhanced cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting.

The Safeway in Gridley remains open, and members said they will continue to follow an enhanced cleaning and disinfection process going forward.

Safeway Director of Public and Government Affairs said they have reminded all associates to follow the CDC guidelines on preventing the spread of coronavirus and to stay home when they are not feeling well.

For continuing coronavirus coverage, Click Here
And that may be only the first round of spending.

Everything about this is deeply concerning, said Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of one of the first Tea Party organizations, the Tea Party Patriots. There are going to be so many unintended consequences from the month of March 2020. It will be years before we sort out what just happened.

Yet, for Tea Party supporters like Ms. Martin, the situation is complicated. For years, they excoriated big government, helping to elect a new class of lawmakers determined to slash spending.

That is, until Mr. Trump took office.

Mr. Trumps incoming chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and his departing acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, both tied their congressional careers to the Tea Party movement. Now, Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. Meadows and other Tea Party politicians are top supporters of the administration  and of the record-breaking level of spending pushed by the White House, even before the coronavirus crisis.

All have been cautious not to use the B-word (bailout) or even the S-word (stimulus) when it comes to describing the economic stabilization package.

Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, a group that helped fund and organize Tea Party activists, drew a firm distinction between the 2008 bailout and todays package.

This is very different than in 2008-2009, which was an abject cronyistic bailout, said Mr. Phillips, who said he had discussed the package on town-hall-style events conducted via telephone with thousands of his groups supporters. The American public gets that this is a very different situation. It affects almost everyone.

That position may be hard to maintain if the money becomes, as critics fear, a slush fund for big corporations. Senate Democrats successfully maneuvered to include more oversight and transparency in the legislation, but how the Treasury Department handles the distribution of the funds will be closely watched, particularly as average Americans struggle to survive the crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed condolences over the death of former union minister Beni Prasad Verma and said his thoughts were with the family and supporters of the deceased leader.

"Anguished by the passing away of Beni Prasad Verma. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

Verma, 79, passed away in Lucknow on Friday. He was born on February 11, 1941, in Sirauli in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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

The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced millions of Southern California students home from school.

Still, Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to keep funding public schools so long as they use options like distance learning or online education to continue students' education from home.

But earlier this week, leaders of the state's largest school district admitted that, so far, results from this sudden pivot to online or distance instruction have been mixed.

"We estimate about one-half of our students are continuing to learn at the pace they had been at school," Los Angles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner said. "One-quarter are doing okay ... and one-quarter aren't getting the learning opportunity they should be."

Why? "A great big digital divide," Beutner said -- a divide that's always been there, but that the coronavirus shutdown has laid bare in a particularly stark way.

icon

DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS

Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines.

Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Support our free, independent journalism today. Donate now.THE REALITY ON THE GROUND

Edith Perez is one of thousands of parents who, so far, haven't been able to cross that divide.

On the afternoon of Friday, March 13, her fifth-grade son returned to her South Gate home with a packet full of homework. The following Sunday, her ninth-grade daughter's school called with the news: L.A. Unified school campuses would close because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, Perez and her daughter are stuck. Perez doesn't have a computer at home. Her daughter's assignments are all online. Perez's phone won't open the files.

Her daughter's friend does own a computer at home, but that means visiting her friend's house -- an option that makes Perez uncomfortable as social distancing rules tighten.

""I told her today, 'Don't come,'" Perez said. "'Just stay home.'"

At least her fifth-grade son's assignments came in pencil-and-paper form, she said -- but Perez said she hasn't received any further communication from his teacher since the shutdown to direct his studies. This could be because she hasn't registered her contact info with the school, but Perez doesn't know who to contact to fix that.

"I'm trying to be strong," Perez said. "I'm entertaining [them], cooking, cleaning. I'm trying to be positive all the time."

NO INTERNET, NO DEVICE

While Perez has internet access at home, an estimated one-quarter of LAUSD families do not. Like Perez, many families lack a device at home -- and before the shutdown, LAUSD officials estimated the district owned 330,000 laptops and tablets for about 472,000 students.

Beutner has launched a $100 million emergency plan that includes an agreement with Verizon to provide internet hotspots. The district will also buy more devices for students who need them. Some of those devices and hotspots may still not arrive for more than a week, Beutner said in an interview earlier this week.

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner announced on March 23 that school campuses will remain closed through May 1. (LAUSD website screenshot)

'SKILLS ARE GOING TO BE LOST'

Many teachers have embraced the challenge of the shift to distance learning, refreshing websites daily with new virtual lessons for their students.

"Teachers are working around the clock," said A.J. Lugo, a special education resource teacher at Canoga Park Elementary. "We are not just waking up and hanging out on our sofa ... We always rise to the occasion, so I want parents to be reassured that we are doing everything we can to ensure that their student is continuing to learn."

But some educators also worry that schools can only expect students to learn so much during the time lost to the pandemic.

"We just have to assume there are some skills that are going to be lost," said Charla Austin Harris, the founder of Learning By Design, a South L.A. charter school that's dealing with some of the same challenges as LAUSD on a far smaller scale.

Her question: "How are we going to pick this back up and support the child when school comes back in?"

"Even in the most resource-rich schools," Austin Harris said, "that are providing the most engagement -- this is new for everyone."

'THIS IS NOT A BREAK. YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP LEARNING'

Fifth-grade teacher Daisy Leon picked an auspicious time to embrace digital platforms.

Maybe three months ago, the Canoga Park Elementary School teacher began ramping up her use of Google Classroom, a website where teachers can post and grade assignments and communicate with students.

Why? "I'm always trying to perfect my craft," Leon said -- that, and she was tiring of homework assignments piled into disorganized stacks.

Two weeks ago -- instead of using pen, paper and a document projector -- Leon began using the online textbook in her classroom and displaying the screen of her iPad in front of the class.

Though Leon's no Luddite, she said the shift was overwhelming: "But forcing myself to use a platform for my whole class started get me to be a little more creative and say, 'How can I use the technology that they have to present this lesson?'"

So on Wednesday, March 11, she posted a "how-to" video so students could learn a concept while she was absent -- perfect preparation for online instruction.

The next day, students were told the school might close. By Friday, she was giving them marching orders:

"This is not a break," Leon told her students. "Starting on Monday, we're going to keep going. I'm going to keep teaching you. You're going to keep learning.

"And I told myself," Leon added, "I need to have something [online] on Monday -- something good, something they're going to know how to do."

Even if nobody logs on.

An art teacher works with a student in a digital arts classroom. (Carla Javier/LAist)

HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE LOGGING ON?

Since in-person classes were canceled, Leon has been cranking out content: recorded video math lessons, live math lessons with students over Zoom videoconferencing, interactive videos on EdPuzzle and NearPod.

But Leon said of her 28 students, only 14 or 15 are logging in regularly. In an interview earlier this week, she said six students are completely missing in action; they haven't logged in at all or responded to messages since LAUSD closed its campuses. (In other words, one-quarter of her class -- exactly in line with Beutner's estimate.)

Every kid at Leon's school is assigned an iPad, and during the shutdown, students took them home.

Canoga Park is a low-income school -- 92% of students at the school qualify for free or reduced-price meals -- so internet access at home might be an issue.

But one of Leon's students doubts that.

During one of her live lessons on Zoom, the student told her, "'I was on Fortnite and I see these three kids -- they're there playing all day long. I try to message them, they don't message back.'" Leon said. "Even my kids now are like, 'C'mon. You should log on' ... They want to see their friends!"

'THERE ARE REASONS BEYOND MY CONTROL'

Some teachers see exciting upside potential in this messy, large-scale experiment with distance learning.

"This gives us a little bit of a preview about what schools might look like certainly in the foreseeable future," said Erik Christensen, who teaches social studies at Granada Hills Charter High School.

Christensen, who makes extensive use of the Google Classroom suite in his classes, said he believes education hasn't seen nearly the leaps of innovation as in other sectors of industry or society. This could be a chance for teachers to try something forward-thinking.

Still, he recognizes that for many teachers, "It's a lot to wrap your head around, especially for teachers who may not be tech-savvy."

While @laschools are closed for the #coronavirus

Should teachers give grades?

Should teachers take attendance?

How much screen time should kids expect?#LAUSD has issued a memo setting some guidelines for #distancelearning. THREAD w/ some highlights: https://t.co/QYMaXHVCE9  Kyle Stokes (@kystokes) March 25, 2020

This week, LAUSD officials issued a memo to help teachers wrap their head around the task at hand.

The memo laid out a list of expectations for teachers. District officials answered questions like: how much time should students spend in front of a screen? How should kids get graded? Should attendance be taken?

The district wants teachers to hold virtual office hours three times a week and to report if any student goes more than five days without logging in.

In the meantime, if they don't log in, Leon said she's trying not to take it personally.

"I have to be okay with it," she said. "I have to say, there are reasons beyond my control."
New Delhi, March 27 : Amid migration of labourers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia urged them to stay back as food and accommodation were being arranged for them by the government.

While Kejriwal appealed to the migrants through a press conference, Sisodia met many of those who were walking home to different states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people belonging to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Bengal to return from the border.

Kejriwal said the Delhi government has arranged for food for 2,00,000 beneficiaries from Friday.

"Those who are leaving Delhi and going back to their home states, I want to appeal to them to come back because we are arranging for their food. Many social and religious organizations, along with the Delhi government, have come forward to help," said the CM.

Sisodia met a few people heading home to Rajasthan.

"I urged them to stay back in Delhi's night shelters. I also told them that food is being arranged there," Sisodia tweeted in Hindi, saying a number of families were being approached by the officials and the police.

India has been under lockdown for 21 days starting Tuesday midnight.

The lockdown has resulted in large-scale migration of daily wagers due to lack of employment.

From Saturday, the Delhi government said it would ensure food for 4 lakh people.
Industrials have soared this week.

The XLI industrial ETF, which tracks the S&P 500 sector, was lower Friday, but up 14% for the week. That is its largest weekly gain ever, eclipsing the last record set in 2008.

Boeing has been responsible for most of those advances on hopes it could receive billions of dollars in relief from Congress' stimulus bill. The aerospace company's shares are up 77% this week.

Nancy Tengler, chief investment officer at Laffer Tengler Investments, said she missed out on this leg of the Boeing rally after exiting the position, but stands by the decision.

"I don't own Boeing, I don't know if you want to chase it here, because there is no capital reallocation plan now. That was one of the reasons you owned that stock was for the dividend and share buybacks, but we'll see," Tengler said Thursday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." Boeing announced last week that it would suspend its dividend and cut CEO pay.

Todd Gordon, managing director at Ascent Wealth Partners, also recently cut down the firm's position in Boeing and reallocated to Lockheed Martin.

"We like LMT in the space. Obviously tensions are rising here, we've got tensions with China and Russia on the geopolitical front. So, we think that defense is going to be a good sector here. Going forward the reality is a little uncertain as to what's happening here," Gordon said during the same segment.

Tengler also sees better opportunities in different parts of the sector.

"We're overweighted in other segments and names like UTX, FedEx and UPS. So, they've done fairly well as well, in the last few days so we're pretty happy about that," she said.

Tengler also owns 3M and the firm recently added to its position.

As for the whole sector, Gordon said it's still too uncertain to buy across the board.

"We have supply chain concerns here in the industrials. From a technical point of view, XLI has held up well. Obviously, industrials is a very broad sector with a lot of subindustry groups that comprise it," Gordon said. "We're seeing better strength in the semis, in technology, I think health care is acting well. I think you can get yield elsewhere. I think the industrials is perhaps not the space you want to be here in the first few innings of this possible recovery here."

Disclosure: Ascent Wealth Partners holds LMT. Laffer Tengler Investments holds FDX, UPS, UTX and MMM.

Disclaimer
Over 16,000 confirmed cases were reported in a single day in the United States on Thursday as the total number of COVID-19 patients soared to 85,088, the highest for any country, according to data compiled by Worldometer.

IMAGE: Shoppers wear masks in the Costco parking lot, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Photograph: Stephen Yang/Reuters

The United States surpassed China (81,285) and Italy (80,589) in terms of number of people infected with the novel coronavirus.

According to Worldometers, the website that records confirmed cases of infection and deaths globally, the US by Thursday night had 85,088 individuals infected with coronavirus, of which 16,877 were added just in a single day.

A week ago, the number of confirmed cases were 8,000.

It has dangerously surged 10 times in the span of a week.

With at least 263 deaths, the US also reported most number of fatalities due to the contagion on a single day on Thursday.

At least 1,290 Americans have died due to coronavirus so far.

Over 2,000 coronavirus cases were reportedly in a serious condition.

The number of confirmed cases as well as the deaths due to COVID-19 are likely to increase substantially in the coming days.

In China, from where it all originated, 3,287 people have died due to coronavirus pandemic while Italy has recorded 8,215 such deaths.

US President Donald Trump attributed the spike in the confirmed cases of coronavirus to the large-scale testing of the deadly disease.

"I think it's a tribute to our testing," he said, adding "no one knows what the numbers are in China".

IMAGE: A rail passenger wearing a mask walks past a plastic-wrapped series of benches after Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a State of Emergency, inside Union Station in Washington DC. Photograph: Tom Brenner/Reuters

Vice President Mike Pence said it is important for hospitals and labs testing the samples to report back to the Centre for Disease Control and Federal Emergency Management Agency so that the government has full visibility to provide the President with the best counsel.

The Abbott Laboratory, he said, submitted to Food and Drug Administration a national request for approval of a point-of-care test.

This would be the kind of test where one could go to a doctor and get the test done and have the results in no more than 15 minutes.

According to Dr Deborah Brix, coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, 55 per cent of all new cases continue out of the New York -- New York Metro area.

This includes New Jersey as well, she said and expressed concern over the coronavirus spread.

"At the same time, 19 of the 50 states that had early cases, but have persistently low level of cases and at this point have less than 200 cases," she said.

In an in interview with CNN, Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert said it is difficult to tell where the pandemic will go and how long it will last in the US.

This is the relative percentage of asymptomatic infection -- and it "influences everything," he said.

It influences transmission, contact tracing, and the measures that the authorities need to take. That's why the most important thing to do now is to conduct widespread testing and collect more data, he asserted.

IMAGE: Hospital staff perform drive-thru tests for coronavirus disease in Indian Wells, California, US. Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

He called for ratcheting up the current level of contact tracing and testing. "We've got to do it better than we are now".

The prestigious Johns Hopkins University, which is also recording all cases of coronavirus, reported 83,836 cases in the United States, ahead of China and Italy.

Dr Brix said so far the US has done 5,50,000 tests.

"We are still running somewhere about 14 per cent overall. That means 86 per cent of the people with significant symptoms because remember you had to have a fever and symptoms to get tested at this point. So still 86 per cent are negative," she said.

These are really important facts for the American people, Dr Brix said.

She was critical of some of the modelling studies which had said that there would be 500,000 deaths in the UK and 2.2 million deaths in the US.

"They have adjusted that number in the UK to 20,000. Half a million to 20,000. We are looking into this in great detail to understand that adjustment," she said.

"When people start talking about 20 per cent of a population getting infected, it's very scary but we don't have data that matches that based on the experience," Dr Brix said.

She assured Americans that there is no shortage of essential medical supplies including ventilators and ICU beds.
With stores temporarily shut due to the coronavirus pandemic  and a slim-to-zero chance of opening in the near future  America's department stores are facing a cash crunch.

Department store chains have enough liquidity to make it about five to eight months, with their stores sitting dark, in this coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis released Friday by Cowen & Co. It says that is "better than feared" because the firm does not anticipate the temporary store closures will drag on for that long.

In making these assumptions, Cowen is measuring liquidity as cash plus revolvers, relative to key expenses such as rent, labor and promised dividend payments. Cowen said labor costs are about 10% of annual sales, while rent is about 3%, to give a sense of what some of these expenses look like.

J.C. Penney and Nordstrom fare a bit better and have enough cash to last eight months with their stores closed, Cowen said. Kohl's and Macy's have enough for five months, it said. Cowen made these forecasts assuming all of these retailers are bringing in $0 in revenue from their bricks-and-mortar stores.

Representatives from Penney, Macy's, Nordstrom and Kohl's did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

If store closures because of the coronavirus last longer than eight months, that is when "liquidity becomes a significant risk factor," Cowen said.

For now, though, nobody seems to have a sense of when retail in the U.S. might come roaring back to life.

Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette said to workers earlier this week in a memo, which was obtained by CNBC: "While we originally hoped to reopen our stores on April 1, that is now highly unlikely. We have no way of knowing how long our stores will remain closed, but we believe it will be at least several weeks before we have a clear line of sight."

"Having lost the majority of our sales with the store closures, we must take unusual measures to conserve cash throughout this crisis," he added.

Macy's, Kohl's, Nordstrom and Penney are all already taking drastic steps to slash costs  such as suspending share buybacks and halting dividend payments.

Nordstrom said on Wednesday that it would be extending its store closures through at least April 5. It said it would begin furloughing some corporate employees, beginning April 5, for six weeks. Nordstrom said it will be paying its store workers up until April 5, while they will receive their full benefits through the entire month of April.

"This is the most difficult decision we have made in our company's long history," CEO Erik Nordstrom said about the changes.

Macy's said its workers who are directors and above will be taking a pay cut, effective April 1 through the duration of the crisis. The retailer is also deferring bonuses and 401(k) matches.

"We may need to take additional actions that will directly impact our great colleagues," Gennette said in the memo sent earlier this week. "This would be our last resort. If we do require furloughs or layoffs, it will be in order to ensure the survival of our company."

Kohl's has fully drawn its $1 billion unsecured credit facility to increase its cash position and "preserve its financial flexibility," in the midst of so much uncertainty. Macy's has also drawn down its entire $1.5 billion under its credit facility.

Cowen further believes that department store chains are cutting current orders and shipments of goods, until late June or July, knowing the demand from consumers will not be there. Shoppers are not looking for dresses or new denim. Many consumers are being put out of work and are just trying to get enough groceries to get by.

"Meanwhile, vendors are likely canceling as many orders as possible, which will impair important back to school [and] fall deliveries," analyst Oliver Chen said.

Each of these retailers is also likely already in talks with its landlords, such as mall owners Simon Property Group and Macerich, about easing the burden of paying rent when stores are sitting empty. CNBC previously reported that these discussions between tenants and real estate owners were ongoing. Restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory, as one example, said this week that it will not be able to pay its April rent at its nearly 300 locations  many of which are in shopping malls alongside department stores.

The pressure is already starting to hit malls, too.

Macerich, which operates Tysons Corner Center in Tysons Corner, Virginia, said Friday that it recently borrowed $550 million on its revolving line of credit. It withdrew its 2020 earnings outlook. Earlier this month, it cut its dividend.

Macerich's stock has tumbled 77% this year, while Simon shares are down about 61% in 2020.

With all of the disruption to their businesses from COVID-19, department store chains, apparel retailers and footwear operators could see their operating incomes drop as much as 40% this year, according to an analysis by Moody's. Previously, Moody's was calling for a narrower, 5% drop for department stores.

Overall, Moody's is calling for the U.S. retail industry's operating income to drop 2% to 5% this year, with retail sales coming in flat to down 3%.

Right now, retailers' online businesses are "only absorbing a fraction of in-store sales" that are being lost, Moody's senior analyst Christina Boni told CNBC in an interview. "If these retailers were [trying to] turn their business around prior to this, it makes the mountain more difficult to climb."

Macy's, Penney and Kohl's shares have all fallen more than 65% this year. Nordstrom's stock is down more than 60%. All four department store stocks were trading down Friday, amid a broader sell-off.
Tehran Says Missing Former FBI Agent Left Iran 'Long Ago'

By RFE/RL March 26, 2020

Tehran says that Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent, left the country "long ago" and doesn't know where he is, rejecting a claim by his family saying he died in Iranian custody.

"Based on credible evidence, [Levinson] left Iran years ago for an unknown destination," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Musavi said in a statement on March 26.

He added that officials had done everything possible to find out what happened after Levinson left Iran but had found "no evidence of him being alive."

"Iran has always maintained that its officials have no knowledge of Mr. Levinson's whereabouts, and that he is not in Iranian custody. Those facts have not changed," added Alireza Miryousefi, a spokesman for the Iranian mission at the United Nations.

The Iranian comments come in response to a White House statement saying that the U.S. administration believed Bob Levinson may have passed away "some time ago."

"Iran must provide a complete accounting of what occurred with Bob Levinson before the United States can fully accept what happened in this case," White House national-security adviser Robert O'Brien said in a statement about the American, who disappeared in Iran 13 years ago, when he was 58.

Before that statement, Levinson's family posted on social media that it had received word about his likely fate from the U.S. government.

"We recently received information from U.S. officials that has led both them and us to conclude that our wonderful husband and father died while in Iranian custody," the Levinson family said in a statement.

"We don't know when or how he died, only that it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic," it added.

Following the family's announcement and before O'Brien's comments, President Donald Trump told reporters that "I won't accept that he's dead."

Levinson had been "sick for a long time" before he was detained, Trump said, adding that he felt "terribly" for the family but still had some hope that Levinson was alive.

"It's not looking great, but I won't accept that he'' dead. They haven't told us that he's dead, but a lot of people are thinking that that's the case," he said.

Levinson disappeared when he traveled to the Iranian resort of Kish Island in March 2007. He was working for the CIA as a contractor at the time.

The United States has repeatedly called on Iran to help locate Levinson and bring him home, but Iranian officials said they had no information about his fate.

However, when he disappeared, an Iranian government-linked media outlet broadcast a story saying he was "in the hands of Iranian security forces."

The Levinson family said he would be alive today "if not for the cruel, heartless actions of the Iranian regime."

"How those responsible in Iran could do this to a human being, while repeatedly lying to the world all this time, is incomprehensible to us. They kidnapped a foreign citizen and denied him any basic human rights, and his blood is on their hands," the statement added.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tehran-denies-knowledge -of-missing-former-fbi-agent-as-u-s- presses-for-answers/30510682.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






Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  President Rodrigo Duterte has always preferred appointing former military men to the government, and the country's battle against the coronavirus disease outbreak is no exception.

He recently named Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr., a former Armed Forces chief, as chief implementer of the government's national response against COVID-19.

In a phone interview on CNN Philippines' Balitaan on Friday, Galvez explained that his post is under that of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who heads the national task force against COVID-19. Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, also a former top soldier, is vice chairman.

Galvez said the national task force is the "operational arm" of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which is the policy-making body for COVID-19 response.

Galvez explained the supposed military approach in containing the spread of a viral disease, saying the major problem now lies with logistics  which he will address.

"Kasi nagkakaroon po ng malaking problema ang logistics function natin... Kulang ang PPE, kulang ang ventilator, kulang ang respirator, yun pong mga yung ay mga logistics functions," Galvez said.

[Translation: Because there is a big problem now with our logistics function... There's lack of PPE, ventilator, respirator, these are logistics functions.]

He said the government has procured 19,000 units of protective equipment from China  "from goggles down to shoe cover"  which will be transported via C-130 aircraft. This is in response to the inter-agency task force's recommendation for the stockpiling of personal protective equipment, he added.

Galvez said the goal is to "protect and preserve our frontliners."

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. on Thursday said at least nine doctors have succumbed to COVID-19, and that they were exposed to the virus due to the shortage of protective gear.

Meanwhile, Malacanang in a separate statement said "we need men and women trained in the art of warfare," like Galvez, Lorenzana, and Ano, since we are in a "state of war against an unseen enemy."

"They are not embroiled in bureaucratic rigmaroles. They abhor useless debates, they are silent workers, not voracious talkers. They act without fanfare. They get things done," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

He added that the police and military are needed to strictly enforce travel restrictions amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

"With high and senior ex-military men at the helm of the implementing organisations, the officers as well as the rank and file of the PNP and the AFP will necessarily follow the orders coming from them, issued by the Commander-in Chief, without question and with impartiality in the strict implementation of the protocols, guidelines and procedures established by the national government," Panelo added.

The Philippines now has 707 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of this number, 45 have died while 28 have recovered. The surge in cases prompted Duterte to approve the inter-agency task force's recommendation to place Luzon under enhanced community quarantine  deploying policemen and soldiers to restrict people's movement  to contain the spread of the virus.

Galvez said there is possibility for the enhanced community quarantine to be extended beyond the second week of April, but assured that the government "is in full control."
LIVE updates of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decisions

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 27 delivered the second biggest single stroke repo rate cut  75 basis points  in the central banks history, emphasising the devastation that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause across the broader economy.

Only four times before this has the repo  the rate at which banks borrow from the RBI  been slashed by a bigger margin  100 basis points.

Three of these cuts came in less than three months during October 2008 to January 2009 amid a piling rubble of the global financial crisis precipitated by the stunning collapse of Wall Street icon Lehman Brothers.

Between October 20, 2008, and January 5, 2009, then RBI Governor D Subbarao wielded the knife on the repo, slashing it by 350 basis points in four tranches  from 9 percent to 8 percent on October 20, 2008, from 8 percent to 7.5 percent November 3, 2008, from 7.5 percent to 6.5 percent on December 8, 2008, and from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent on January 5, 2009.

Before this, the repo rate was sliced such extremely only once  on March 31, 2004, from 7 percent to 6 percent, to lower borrowing costs and aid growth as the economy was entering a period of rapid expansion.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

This time, however, could be different. The 75 basis point cut (one basis point is one hundredth of a percentage point) has already pushed the benchmark policy rate to its lowest ever level of 4.4 percent.

This could well be just the beginning of a series of more cuts as the monetary authority pulls all stops to infuse liquidity, and confidence, in an economy battered by the worlds biggest lockdown.

Another round of rate cut will likely bring the repo rate closer to the cash reserve ratio (CRR)  the share of deposits that banks have to park with the central bank.

The RBI has also hacked the CRR by 100 basis points for a year to three percent, bringing it to its lowest level since 1962, the year when India fought a bitter mountain war with China.

Technically, the CRR is at its lowest level since the RBIs institution in 1935. The RBI adopted a broader definition for the CRR in 1962, standardising it as the proportion of banks total time and demand deposits, as compared to earlier when it was mix of different ratios for time (fixed) and demand (savings) deposits.

Such sharp cuts in the CRR has come very rarely in the RBIs 85 year history. On July 1, 1974 the CRR was cut by 200 basis points, from 7 percent to 5 percent, as the world, and the Indian, economy was nursing deep wounds from a global oil crisis.

The CRR kept on progressively increasing and remained in double digits, before the central bank slashed it by 100 basis points  from 13 percent to 12 percent  on July 6, 1996, barely 20 days before the full budget was presented after the Lok Sabha elections threw up a hung Parliament.

The next big cut in the CRR came on November 3, 2001, when the RBI sliced it by 175 basis points  from 7.5 percent to 5.75 percent  as the dot com bust and the Asian currency tailspins tidal wave swept through the banking system.

The biggest cut in CRR of 250 basis points  from 9 percent to 6.5 percent  came on November 3, 2008, as the RBI hurried to pump in liquidity in wake of the global banking crisis.

Now, however, the conditions are different, as also the intended outcomes. Unlike 2008, which was triggered by an internal debt bubble within the financial system that needed regulatory fixing, the current one has been brought upon by a global public health emergency.

One couldnt have imagined that in India, the repo will come so close to the CRR. A few more rounds of cuts, India may well be pushing close towards a theoretical possibility of zero percent policy rate regime. Dont rule that out. For no one is quite sure about the trail of destruction that the Coronavirus pandemic will leave across economies.
MBABANE  The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country has surged from five to eight.



The Ministry of Health had submitted 74 specimens for testing in South Africa and three of them came back positive while the rest were negative.

This was confirmed by Minister Lizzie Nkosi through a statement yesterday. Nkosi said the three individuals who tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 pandemic were all females who had a history of travel to South Africa.



Two of them, aged 24 and 43 have a history of travel to the Gauteng Province and they were both declared clinically stable while the third one, aged 24, has a history of travel to Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and she was also declared clinically stable.



Confirmed



The number has surged to eight after the country previously stood at five confirmed cases, with the initial patient said to have recovered.

Nkosi said contact-tracing was ongoing and treatment in isolation had been initiated on all the patients. The Ministry of Health wishes to emphasise the importance of cooperating with health advice especially on self-isolation. All those given this advice are expected to stay in their rooms, away from the rest of the family. Use a mask if you have flu and visitors should not be allowed into the patients room, until discharged, she said.

The minister added that all those given such advice should use dedicated linen and eating utensils for the patient and these items should be cleaned with soap and water after use and may be re-used instead of being discarded. The patients are also not expected to travel to social gatherings and public places. Meanwhile, in South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that there are n

ow more than 900 confirmed coronavirus cases. Just two days after announcing the full lockdown, on Wednesday March 25, the number stood at 709.

SA Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, said the exact number, as of yesterday, was 927, meaning that there had been an increase of 218 cases. Just like the case is with Eswatini, South Africa commenced their 21-day lockdown at midnight (last night) and all South Africans, except for essential services staff, are expected to remain indoors in their respective homes. The only difference with the lockdowns of the two States is that South Africa announced a full lockdown while Eswatini is on a partial lockdown.

Movement



A simple distinguishing factor is that in the neighbouring country, there is strictly no movement allowed, unless under certain circumstances except for personnel in essential services like health workers, police officers and specific food outlets employees; while in the kingdom, civil servants will be reporting for duty and other businesses outside of the essential services umbrella will be allowed to operate as long as they minimise working hours and adhere to the precautionary measures put in place.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) situation reports depict that there are 413 467 confirmed cases globally and the death toll stands at 18 433. Africa has 1 664 confirmed cases and 29 deaths.
Disorganized and delayed coronavirus testing for employees at the state veterans home in Lebanon left infected caregivers on the job for days while they closely monitored and attended to elderly residents.

While its impossible to know if the workers spread the virus to residents or staff, accounts from two nursing assistants indicate that strict testing criteria at the onset of the outbreak likely stymied early efforts to limit the disease at the nursing home.

The states early efforts to wrangle what is now a rapidly growing crisis have been hobbled by insufficient testing availability, which forced federal officials to severely limit who qualified for a test.

Katrina Vink and Rosemary Hilton are the first health care workers in Oregon to publicly confirm that they have coronavirus.

They said they tried to get tested the day after two residents became the first patients identified with COVID-19 at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home.

But the women told The Oregonian/OregonLive they were turned away from a testing site where they had been directed by the veterans home because they had only mild cold symptoms  though they also reported they had direct contact with two men sick with the virus.

They said that I was OK, Hilton said. It reassured me.

They worked about another week at the home as the cases grew to 14 among 151 residents  the most to test positive in any one place in Oregon. A staff member also tested positive during that time, but veterans home officials wont say if that person is a caregiver.

More recently, one of the first two coronavirus patients, a man in his 90s, died from the virus and one more resident has become infected and two others have symptoms, state officials say.

Three of the nursing homes four separate buildings have residents diagnosed with the disease, dashing initial hopes to contain the virus to just one of them.

The Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home in Lebanon, Oregon, where there is an outbreak of coronavirus. March 18, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

Vink and Hilton finally submitted swabs for analysis last week and said they received their positive test results over the phone two days later. Vink stopped working the day she got tested and Hilton stopped working the day she got her results.

Vink said she hopes people will understand how front-line workers have tried to help people stricken with the virus during the worldwide pandemic while facing risks themselves. She said she was worried about exposure like anyone would under the circumstances, but essentially felt fine.

You definitely have to have compassion to do this kind of work, she said. Otherwise its not for you.

Vink and other workers ramped up safeguards, donning extra gear to guard themselves and their elderly charges, but she said she was denied the basic precaution of a timely diagnosis.

COVID-19 symptoms vary, said Dr. John Townes, an Oregon Health & Science University infectious disease expert, and could include congestion and a light cough, the symptoms the nursing assistants had.

Those who live or work in congregate settings such as nursing homes ought to be tested, Townes said, speaking in general, not specifically of the veterans home cases.

A spokeswoman for Samaritan Health Services said the urgent care clinic, where Vink and Hilton were rebuffed, has always followed Oregon Health Authority criteria for who can get tested for the new coronavirus.

The states Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns the nursing home, said in a statement that managers have followed all the protocols and guidelines recommended by state and federal health officials to prevent the spread of the disease.

The steps include the use of personal protective equipment, emphasizing hand hygiene, matching dedicated care providers to COVID-19 patients wherever possible and limiting the numbers of staff who provide care to COVID-19 patients, the statement said.

Most of the homes residents are over 70 and have underlying health conditions  the two populations most at risk of catching the virus and having severe complications. About a third of them are over 90.

SOMEBODY ELSE COULDVE GOTTEN IT

Four other senior care homes in Oregon have confirmed COVID-19 cases. Three employees and five residents at the Regency Park assisted living and memory care center in Washington County have tested positive. An employee at The Springs at Clackamas Woods in Milwaukie, also an assisted living center, has tested positive, as has an employee at Maryville Memory Care in Beaverton. A resident at the state veterans home in The Dalles has also tested positive.

One other health care worker in Linn County is among more than 300 people with known coronavirus cases across Oregon. State officials have said the worker isnt associated with the veterans home.

Oregon health authorities are releasing little information about anyone infected with the virus so its not clear how many other health care workers may be among those with the disease. Most of what is known about them has been released by county officials, the private businesses where they work and now Vink and Hilton.

In Lebanon, most of the veterans homes roughly 225 employees have been tested, according to Veterans Affairs officials. But they have declined to say how many have results back or how many have tested positive other than the initial confirmation of one employee.

This decision has been made to protect the staffs private and legally protected health information, the agency said in a statement.

An email obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive indicates five veterans home employees have now tested positive, though it didnt indicate what their jobs are. The email, sent Wednesday to local officials by Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, also noted that six inpatient and 149 outpatient tests were pending, though it didnt specify if the tests were for the employees. Veterans Affairs wouldnt confirm the numbers.

Oregons corner of the pandemic officially began Feb. 28, when the states first patient tested positive  an employee at a Lake Oswego elementary school. The Oregon Health Authority announced it would test only people who had symptoms and traveled to an affected part of the world or who had contact with a known case, as well as people hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms who tested negative for the flu.

Hilton said the limits may have put other veterans home employees at risk.

Its kind of scary to think about it. Not knowing that whole entire time, she said. You had it and you didnt know, and somebody else couldve gotten it.

The nursing assistants experience reveals a system that failed to protect them and their patients, said the executive director of SEIU 503, a union representing many of Oregons nursing home workers but not those at the veterans home.

Its really problematic, said Melissa Unger. The reality is that these women did what they thought they should do.

The Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home in Lebanon, Oregon, where there is an outbreak of coronavirus. March 18, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

BEING COUGHED ALL OVER

Vink, 42, of Salem and Hilton, 43, of Albany work the overnight shift at the veterans home from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Vink doesnt usually work in Bravo 2, one of the homes 11 14-bed units spread across four buildings named Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. But one of the usual nursing assistants had called in sick, Vink said, so she was assigned to fill in.

Hilton said she was also working in Bravo 2 at the time.

It was March 5 and Oregon by then had three cases of coronavirus identified in Washington and Umatilla counties.

Because some of the veterans were visibly sick, Vink said she and other staff wore gloves and masks as a precaution against infectious disease, but they didnt have to wear the full gear yet because no coronavirus cases had been confirmed there.

For quite a while we were just being coughed all over, she said.

At least two of the sick residents in the unit got tested for coronavirus and health officials announced on March 11 that both men had the infection.

The announcement brought a flurry of concern and activity at the nursing home.

After learning of the diagnoses, the women didnt want to return to their own homes and expose their families. Instead, they stayed together for two nights in a room at the Best Western in Lebanon, which they said the veterans home arranged for them.

On March 12, they tried to get tested for coronavirus after they and other staff got a text message from the veterans home saying that anybody who wanted to submit samples could do so without charge at the Samaritan Urgent Care clinic near the nursing home.

A slew of staff got in line to get tested, Vink said, and she and Hilton waited 45 minutes in Vinks car for their turn. It was the first day that the clinic offered drive-through testing, the Samaritan Health Services spokeswoman said.

As soon as we found out it was free, everyone went there, Vink said.

Vink and Hilton told clinic staff that they worked with the sick residents at the veterans home and that they had stuffy noses and light coughs.

The workers asked the women if they had fevers. Vink and Hilton said they didnt.

But because they didnt have fevers or deep coughs, the women said, they were told they didnt qualify.

Another message from the veterans home came soon after, this one urging only employees with symptoms to try to get tested.

The urgent care is overwhelmed. We may lose due to abuse, read the message, signed by the veterans home administrator, Abe Andrade. I cant stress the importance of being good stewards with these resources.

Brian Hedrick, an RN, tests people for coronavirus at the drive thru testing site at Lebanon Samaritan Urgent Care Walk-In Clinic in Lebanon, Oregon. March 19, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

The women went back to work, and they soon moved into a three-bedroom apartment a short walk from the nursing home with several fellow nursing assistants. It also was provided by the veterans homes nonprofit management.

Hilton said while at work she brushed residents teeth, helped them out of day clothes and into night clothes and used cold cloths to treat one of the residents who was sick with coronavirus and had a fever.

Vink said she carried out her regular duties, including bringing residents water, changing their clothes and doing range-of-motion exercises with the residents.

The two nursing assistants werent allowed to go from one unit or building in the veterans home to another and they had to wear extensive protective gear before going into a sick patients room and discard most of it when coming out, unless their next stop was another sick patient  then they replaced only their gloves.

The full equipment consisted of a mask, face shield, gloves and gown.

ITS PRETTY SCARY

Vink got sick first.

By the end of her shift on March 17, she started to run a fever, she said. She went to the urgent care clinic as soon as it opened that morning, she said. This time, she got tested.

She went back to the apartment and has not been back to work since.

Her supervisor told Vink to go home to Salem but she said she would stay in Lebanon because she didnt want to infect her husband, who works at the Oregon State Hospital, and her four children.

Two days after she got tested, Vink said she got a call from Marion County health officials who told her that she had tested positive for COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority called next, she said, and asked what her symptoms were, who she may have exposed and what her routines had been.

The health authority officials also asked that Vink stay put at the apartment.

Hiltons symptoms, on the other hand, had stayed relatively mild, though she still had a cough and was congested.

Also on March 17, the Oregon Health Authority set up a tent outside the veterans home near the employee parking lot for staff to get tested. Hilton lined up but workers sent her instead to the urgent care clinic because she had symptoms. The clinic would be able to get the results back to her more quickly, she was told.

A tent erected by the Oregon National Guard sits behind the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home in Lebanon, Oregon, where there is an outbreak of coronavirus. March 18, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

Hilton headed to the clinic, then went to work later that evening and again the following day.

On March 19, Hilton got a call from Samaritan Urgent Care saying she tested positive for COVID-19. The person on the line told her to stay at the apartment, she said.

Hilton said her supervisor also told her to go back to her home, but she said she couldnt because she lives with her mother who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a nephew with cystic fibrosis.

Vink said they both have been told to remain at the apartment until the end of the month.

The women have been doing their best to keep away from the two other caregivers staying there.

Those nursing assistants also work at the veterans home and were tested last week at the on-site tent. One got a negative result Tuesday and subsequently went back to work. Another went back to work and has yet to get her results. Now both of them have gone to the urgent care clinic for tests because theyve developed COVID-19 symptoms, including a fever, cough, aches and congestion.

Vink and Hilton are staying in a back bedroom at the apartment for the most part. Before their roommates got sick, Vink said they had been cooking and serving meals so that Vink and Hilton didnt contaminate the food, dishes and kitchen. They all make liberal use of the disinfectant Virex, Vink said.

Hilton said her family has been dropping off clothes and veterans home staff brought board games and a DVD player along with some DVDs for the women. Shes having trouble concentrating, she said, but nonetheless has been making her way through The Best of Me, a romance novel by Nicholas Sparks.

The two said theyve suffered severe body aches that make it hard to sleep because the pain is at its worst when lying down.

Hilton said shes feeling better but remains very tired, and the combination of the virus with her asthma has made it hard to breathe.

Vink is now on the mend but said that at a particularly low point she felt that if I jumped off the balcony and hit my head, I would feel better.

Its pretty scary, you know? she said.

One person will get over it, but another could die.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

fzarkhin@oregonian.com

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
A quantum computer works based on qubits. By manipulating quantum states to realize specific logical operation, quantum computing can solve some important computing problems that cannot be effectively completed by classical computers, which may have a decisive role in future information technology and, thus, has attracted widespread attention worldwide. The fascinating prospect for quantum computing in application has inspired international high-tech companies, e.g. Google, IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and many start-ups, to invest heavily in related research. Meanwhile, the European Union has launched a 1 billion quantum flagship, and U.S., Britain, Germany, Japan, etc., have also made important strategic layouts in the field of quantum information science. The world has entered the times of so-called quantum supremacy. The main problem for classical quantum computing is the decoherence of qubits, and the derived low fidelity as increasing qubits number, which requires more qubits for error correction. Therefore, exploring fault-tolerant quantum computing, or equivalently, topological quantum computing that is insensitive to environmental noises, has become an important route towards large-scale quantum computing.

Majorana fermion is distinctive with antiparticle being itself, and has never been captured in particle physics. The 'counterpart' in condensed matter, Majorana quasiparticle, behaves as Majorana zero-energy bound state (ZEBS) or Majorana zero mode (MZM), in zero-dimension. MZM obeys non-Abelian statistics, and is immune to local perturbation with high fault tolerance, which has been intensively investigated as a potential building block for topological qubit. Based on resonant Andreev reflections, the typical signal of MZM in tunneling experiments is zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP). Theoretically, MZM is predicted to exist in the ends/topological defects (e.g. magnetic vortex) of strong Rashaba spin-orbit coupled nanowires, topological insulators, and spin-textured Fe atomic chains in proximity to s-wave superconductors. Based on these proposals, the ZEBSs consistent with theoretical expectations have been experimentally detected. Although the reported evidence for MZM is not fully accepted by all experts, the relevant experimental progress always attracts widespread attention from the international academic and industrial communities. However, the nano fabrication technology, the ultralow temperature, and the necessity of external magnetic fields required for MZM implementations make the possible application of MZM highly challenging. Recently, iron-based superconductor, bulk Fe(Te,Se), has been demonstrated with superconducting topological surface states, probably providing alternative directions for addressing the above issues. However, its relatively low superconducting transition temperature T c (~15 K) and the difficult-to-control character of magnetic vortices therein require optimized MZM physical settings in this direction to explore the possibility of MZM in high-temperature superconductors.

Recently, Wang Jian group at Peking University, in collaboration with Professor Wang Ziqiang at Boston College and Professor Hu Jiangping at Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, detected novel ZEBSs resembling the characteristics of MZMs in interstitial Fe adatoms deposited on the high-temperature superconducting thin films at two-dimensional limit.

By ultrahigh vacuum molecular beam epitaxy, Wang Jian group successfully prepared the macro-scale, single-layer-thick (thickness < 1 nm) high-temperature superconductors FeSe and FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 single crystal thin films on SrTiO 3 substrates, showing transition temperature T c of about 60 K. Previously, by using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, Wang Jian group has studied their superconducting pairing mechanisms [PRL 123, 036801 (2019); Nano Letters 19, 3464 (2019); Nano Letters 20, 2056 (2020)]. On this basis, Wang Jian group deposited Fe adatoms on the surface of single-layer FeSe and FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 films by molecular beam epitaxy (substrate temperature: ~143-155 K; adatom coverage: ~0.002-0.003 layer). In situ scanning tunneling microscopy observations show that the deposited Fe adatoms are located at the interstitial hollow site of four adjacent Te/Se atoms in the upper sub-layers of the films. Due to the ultralow adatom deposition density, the Fe adatoms exist as isolated individual adsorbed atoms without neighboring Fe adatom clusters nearby. Systematic experiment of in situ ultrahigh vacuum (~10-10 mbar) scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals that, for specific coupling strength between adatoms [amounting to ~13% (~15%)] and single-layer FeSe (FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 ), sharp ZBCPs can be observed on the Fe adatoms (Figure 1). The ZBCP is closely distributed near the adatom site with decay length of ~3 A, and unsplit when moving away from the adatom center. Temperature-dependent experiments show that the ZBCP disappears far below the superconducting transition temperature, which can preliminarily exclude the interpretations based on Kondo effect and conventional impurity scattering states (Figure 2A and Figure 2B). Further control experiments and analyses indicate that, the ZBCP: a) shows the full-width at half maximum strictly limited by temperature and instrumental broadenings, b) does not split in Fe adatom dimer, and c) obeys the Majorana scaling equation. All these characteristics resemble the phenomenological signatures of MZM (Figures 2C-2G). Basically, the Fe adatoms deposited on single-layer FeSe and FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 films share nearly the same spectroscopic results. The statistical results suggest that, compared with the case in single-layer FeSe, the Fe adatoms on single-layer FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 show higher ZEBS probability and stronger ZEBS signal.

Professor Wang Ziqiang and collaborators have theoretically proposed that, in the absence of an external magnetic field, the interstitial magnetic impurities in strong spin-orbit coupling s-wave superconductors can generate quantum anomalous vortices. In theory, if single-layer FeSe and FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 have strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling due to inversion symmetry breaking, and the magnetic moments of Fe atoms locally break the time-reversal symmetry, the quantum anomalous vortices can support MZMs. Some theories also predict the existence of topologically nontrivial phases in single-layer FeSe and FeTe 0 . 5 Se 0.5 . In a two-dimensional topological superconductor, the MZM can also arise in a quantum anomalous vortex nucleated at an Fe adatom. Therefore, the ZBCP observed in our experiment can be attributed to the emergence of quantum anomalous vortices at the Fe adatoms. A deeper and more detailed understanding would need further experimental and theoretical explorations. This work extends the superconducting materials for MZM explorations from three-dimension to two-dimension, and from low-temperature to T c > 40 K high-temperature superconductors. Additionally, no external magnetic field is needed for inducing the ZEBS, and the ZEBS can be manipulated in principle, and the 'surviving' temperature is also significantly increased, which provide possible solutions for the realization of applicable topological qubits in the future.

###

The work was published in Science Advances [Sci. Adv. 6: eaax7547 (2020)] on March 25, 2020. Professor Wang Jian at Peking University is the corresponding author, and Liu Chaofei and Chen Cheng at Peking University are the co-first authors. The theoretical collaborators are Professor Wang Ziqiang at Boston College and Professor Hu Jiangping at Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Natural Science Foundation, and the US Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences.
[March 27, 2020] Crowe LLP announces CEO succession plan

CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowe, a public accounting, consulting and technology firm with offices around the world, has announced the appointment of Mark Baer, 50, as its CEO-elect. He will assume the CEO role on April 1, 2021. Jim Powers continues to serve as CEO until March 31, 2021, completing his second term, the maximum in accordance with the firm's partnership agreement. For the past five years, Baer has served as the managing partner of the firm's Audit and Assurance Services, leading a team of more than 1,200 audit professionals. Baer has also served in several leadership roles within the firm, including as a member of Crowe's firmwide management committee, CEO advisory council and partner screening committee. He is a director of Crowe Cayman Ltd. and previously served as the Columbus, Ohio, office managing partner. As CEO, Baer will focus on Crowe's success as a great pace to work, the firm's digital transformation, including emerging services and solutions, as well as market expansion through key industry and geographic channels.



"My priorities leading Crowe's Audit and Assurance practice have been maintaining the highest standards of audit quality and managing rapidly evolving technology while creating rewarding career experiences for our people," said Baer. "I look forward to expanding that focus to the entire firm. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to serve Crowe's people and clients in the role of CEO." The Crowe board of directors, which governs the firm, chose the CEO-elect after an extensive vetting process.

"Mark was chosen to lead our firm for many reasons but primarily due to his visionary mindset with a focus on our digital transformation, his track record of successful leadership of our Audit and Assurance practice and his commitment to audit quality," said Dawnella Johnson, Crowe board chair. "He's a strong communicator and inspirational leader, with a concentration on building talent and teams. The board is confident that Mark is the right person to lead Crowe's brand promise of helping our clients and our people make smart decisions today that will lead to lasting value tomorrow." The firm's CEO succession plan includes a one-year transition period for Powers and Baer to work together. "Today our main focus is on the safety of our people and our communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding we must also plan for the firm's future," Johnson said. "The one-year CEO transition period allows us to focus on both our short-term and long-term plans." Baer has served public and private middle-market companies for nearly 30 years. He worked with a Big Four firm for 10 years before joining Crowe in 2001 and being elected partner in 2003. Baer serves as a member of the Center for Audit Quality advisory council and is a certified public accountant. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Manchester University, North Manchester, Indiana. About Crowe

Crowe LLP is a public accounting, consulting and technology firm with offices around the world. Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities. The firm and its subsidiaries also help clients make smart decisions that lead to lasting value with its tax, advisory and consulting services. Crowe is recognized by many organizations as one of the best places to work in the U.S. As an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world, Crowe serves clients worldwide. The network consists of more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 130 countries around the world. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crowe-llp-announces-ceo-succession-plan-301030976.html SOURCE Crowe LLP

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 02:36:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again demonstrated that mankind is a community with a shared future that shares weal and woe. Only with solidarity and cooperation can the international community prevail over our common enemy and safeguard the planet.

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday called for a resolute all-out global war against the COVID-19 outbreak as leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) convened an extraordinary summit to coordinate multilateral response to the pandemic.

"It is imperative for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response," Xi addressed the summit via video link in Beijing.

Calling major infectious disease the enemy of all, Xi said the international community must comprehensively step up international cooperation and foster greater synergy so that humanity as one could win the battle against the COVID-19.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

The summit came as the global death toll from the COVID-19, an illness caused by novel coronavirus, has climbed over 21,000 and the number of infections has surpassed 480,000 as of Thursday, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.

This is the first time for the leaders of the world's 20 major economies to hold a summit online since the mechanism, which used to only gather finance ministers and central bankers, was elevated to be the world's premier platform for international economic cooperation in 2008.

Stressing the outbreak is spreading worldwide and the situation is disturbing and unsettling, Xi called on countries to move swiftly to stem the spread of the virus.

He proposed that a G20 health ministers' meeting be convened as quick as possible to improve information sharing, strengthen cooperation on drugs, vaccines and epidemic control, and cut off cross-border infections.

Xi also proposed a G20 COVID-19 assistance initiative for better information sharing and policy and action coordination with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to share its good practices and provide assistance in its capacity to countries hit by the growing outbreak, he said.

The summit was chaired by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The kingdom, which holds the presidency of the G20 this year, said it organized the extraordinary meeting to advance global efforts to tackle the pandemic and its economic implications.

The leaders of G20 members were joined by their counterparts from some invited countries, including Spain, Jordan, Singapore and Switzerland, as well as the United Nations, the World Bank and other international organizations, and the chairing states of some regional organizations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

COLLECTIVE RESPONSE

During his address, Xi called on countries to make a collective response for control and treatment at the international level.

China has set up its online COVID-19 knowledge center that is open to all countries, said Xi.

He said it is imperative that countries pool their strengths and speed up research and development of drugs, vaccines and testing capabilities in the hope to achieve early breakthrough to the benefit of all.

China supports WHO in leading the global efforts to develop science-based and proper control and treatment and minimize cross-border spread, said Xi, calling on G20 members to enhance anti-epidemic information sharing with the support of WHO and to promote control and treatment protocols that are comprehensive, systematic and effective.

He called for a high-level meeting on international public health security to be convened in due course.

Leaders of other participating countries and organizations agreed that the fast-spreading outbreak not only severely threatened international public health security, but also cast a huge shadow over world economy, finance and politics.

Facing the common crisis for humanity, no country can keep itself away from the spread of the virus, leaders said, calling for solidarity and more swift and concerted efforts than ever.

"The summit has released a strong signal of unity and coordination among the G20 members," Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said Thursday night, adding that all sides voiced commitment to enhancing cooperation to jointly tackle the crisis.

The agreement made by G20 leaders to share information in a timely manner, guarantee medical supplies and provide assistance to developing countries, especially the least developing countries, explore joint prevention and control measures has rallied global efforts to fight the pandemic, Ma said.

MACRO-ECONOMIC POLICY COORDINATION

The outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe and forced hundreds of millions of people around the world into home isolation.

Countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession, said Xi.

He urged countries to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies, better coordinate financial regulation and jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

"What China will do in this regard is to increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market," said Xi, adding that China will continue to advance reform and opening-up and contribute to a stable world economy.

Xi called on all G20 members to restore confidence for global economic recovery by cutting tariffs, removing barriers, and facilitating the unfettered flow of trade.

Comprising 19 countries plus the European Union, the G20 members account for about two thirds of the entire human population and some 86 percent of the gross world product.

Leaders agreed to take effective fiscal and monetary policies, ensure global industrial and supply chains stable and strive to reduce the damages caused by the pandemic on world economy.

Ruan Zongze, executive vice president at the China Institute of International Studies, said Xi's remarks at the summit has infused confidence in the international community as the situation in China is moving steadily in a positive direction after a strenuous struggle with targeted measures.

On the other side, China's promise to provide countries with urgently-needed medical supplies, impose no limitation on export and safeguard the stability of industrial and supply chains will also inject vitality into the world economy, said Ruan. 




Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, left, and his wife, Aileen, gifted $5 million to help purchase Chromebooks that will allow Philadelphia School District students to learn during coronavirus school closures. Read more

Decades ago, Comcast Corp. founder Ralph Roberts had an idea. The internet was new and promising for educational uses, and he wanted to get computers into every classroom in the Philadelphia School District.

The donation never happened. District officials said they werent equipped to accept the technology and they had no curriculum in place, Roberts son Brian, now the Comcast CEO, said.

But the idea lingered.

So, when Aileen Roberts read that Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. had said the school system would need to purchase millions of dollars worth of technology to make large-scale learning during the pandemic possible for Philadelphias children, she told her husband about the need. Then, Brian, Aileen and their three adult children began talking about covering some of the cost.

On Thursday, the family gave $5 million to the Fund for the Philadelphia School District, the school systems charitable arm, to help pay for 50,000 Chromebooks for students in the Philadelphia School District.

 READ MORE: Read more: Philly schools spending $11M on computers to be used during coronavirus closures

It was just something that jumped out at us, Aileen Roberts said.

Theres nothing much better than helping kids get on with their education, particularly at this time, Brian Roberts said. Not being able to go to school was pretty stark.

Children in private schools and in better-resourced suburbs have made or are poised to make the transition to digital learning during the coronavirus outbreak because most of their families have computers and internet access at home, unlike the majority of Philadelphia students. District officials said only half of high school students and less than half of elementary school students have a computer at home.

 READ MORE: Read more: As coronavirus closes schools, wealthier districts send laptops home with students. What about poorer districts?

Early guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education said that if a district could not provide education for all of its students, it could not provide it for any. Some teachers offered optional work, and the district provided paper packets with enrichment activities, but no formal instruction could take place without the Chromebooks.

The school board Thursday night approved the allocation of $11 million to buy 50,000 Chromebooks from a company called Computer Dealers International; the Roberts gift will offset the amount that needs to come out of the districts operating fund. An additional 40,000 computers will come from district schools, repurposed for students home use during the COVID-19 closure.

Pennsylvania schools have been ordered closed at least through April 6; Hite has said the earliest students could return to classes is April 13, but the Chromebook purchase signals that the closure is likely to continue past that date.

Hite has said the computers will be ready for distribution by April 8 and that instruction will begin by April 17. District officials are seeking volunteers to distribute the machines, and say families will receive time slots to pick up the Chromebooks, which will be handed out observing social distancing guidelines.

Aileen and Brian Roberts, who had previously donated to the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, said they were glad to be part of the solution.

The fund is delighted to be the recipient of this most generous gift, Donna Frisby Greenwood, executive director of the fund, said in a statement. We will do our part to implement this much needed and appreciated gift.

Separate from the Roberts family gift, Comcast has offered families living in poverty two free months of internet service.
MARCH 27, 2020  UTSA is responding to the COVID-19 outbreak with a commitment to supporting the safety of the university community while enabling the academic progress of students. Here is your digest of university news and tips.







EXPRESSING PRIDE



President Taylor Eighmy sends a message of thanks to Roadrunners for stepping up and making this past weekUTSAs first of remote learning and telecommuting for worksuch a success:



COMMUNICATION

TRAVEL EXPENSE REMINDER: Faculty who used personal funds to book travel for research, academic or professional activities that have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19 can still be reimbursed from their UTSA funds. Complete an expense report with only the amounts that were paid, document cancellation for COVID19 reasons and include any relevant receipts. If the travel was booked using sponsored project funds, check with your Research Service Center or visit REDKEs COVID-19 Federal Guidance to ensure that reimbursement is allowable on the funds.

CONNECTING TEAMS: Microsoft Teams is an important way for you to stay connected with your UTSA peers, although its not currently available to students. Virtual training on Microsoft Teams is offered twice daily; view the training schedule. If you have other questions about Teams, contact Tech Cafe online, via email or by calling 210-458-5555.



HEALTH

Campus Recreation facilities are currently closed, butCampus Rec knows how important fitness and staying active are to your life and wants to provide resources to help you keep reaching your goals, even while at home. The new Stay Well with Campus Rec site is filled with tips, techniques, at-home workouts, outdoor adventures and much more. The site is being regularly updated with new content, so visit regularly.
BBVA USA

BBVA USA has announced steps it is taking to help small businesses and consumers to help aid in the financial fallout of the novel coronavirus.

The measures include a fixed-rate loan of up to $50,000 for small businesses with the first payment not due until 90 days after opening. The bank is also allowing consumers and small businesses to request refunds of overdraft fees and small businesses to request waivers of service charge fees on deposit accounts.
UNHCR protection staff speak with Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Manaus, Brazil, about WHO guidelines for preventing the spread of the new coronavirus and lessening the impact of COVID-19.  UNHCR/Paulo Lugoboni

Ann Burton, Chief of UNHCRs Public Health Section, outlines the dangers the new coronavirus poses to refugees and internally displaced people and describes how the agency is working to slow its spread, reduce its impact and save lives. Working from home in Geneva, she spoke with Jonathan Clayton of UNHCRs communications service.

Most of the worlds 25.9 million refugees are hosted in developing countries, where intensive care units often have fewer beds and fewer ventilators. How important is it to prevent outbreaks among refugee populations?

Its true that many refugees live in host countries with some of the weakest health systems in the world. An outbreak would put extraordinary strain on fragile local health-care services and likely result in avoidable suffering and death.

Preventing or delaying outbreaks, particularly among the most vulnerable, is the most important action we can take right now. Even if there was only a small number of acute COVID-19 cases, there would be limited access to the high level of care needed for the most severe cases.

Prevention is the best way to protect refugees and host communities.

Why is it important to ensure that refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless people and migrants have access to health facilities and services without facing discrimination?

COVID-19 clearly demonstrates that we are all connected  no matter where we live, no matter who we are. It knows no religion, no ethnicity, no borders. All people, especially the most vulnerable  including refugees, asylum-seekers and the stateless  must have access to health services.

The fact is, everyone benefits when these groups have access to health services. It is in everyones interest. It helps stop the virus spreading. That must always be our priority.

Inclusive and non-discriminatory policies are needed to combat COVID-19. If not, barriers to health care and discrimination create an environment where the ill are not treated, cases go undetected and the virus spreads.

The virus stirs deep fears and anxieties in individuals and societies. What are the public health consequences if people turn that fear against refugees and others on the margins?

Feeling fearful and anxious is a normal response, but we must avoid people channelling this fear and anxiety into xenophobia.

Above all, blaming refugees for a COVID-19 outbreak could result in refugees not feeling safe to seek health advice or even medical attention being refused to refugees. That would be in no-ones interest at all.

Collectively, we have never lived through a situation like this, borders closing and quarantining on a global scale. As it continues, we must take precautions to support our own mental health and that of those around us.

UNHCR has dealt with previous epidemics, including outbreaks of Ebola, cholera, zika and SARS. How is that experience and expertise being brought to bear in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic? And what lessons can we share with the world from our experience battling the spread of epidemics among refugee populations?

We have drawn many key lessons from the Ebola response and other outbreaks.

First, preparation, preparation, preparation! The importance of being ready cannot be overstated. And so, UNHCR has drawn up extensive preparedness plans and measures. These are integrated with national plans.

Secondly, we have tried and tested methods to deal with such outbreaks. We have identified outbreak response teams for each settlement and camp. We have referral systems for laboratory specimens and we are prepositioning laboratory supplies including swabs, specimen containers, surveillance systems.

We have also learned that multisectoral responses are key. A single coordinated response brings together water, sanitation and hygiene, camp coordination and management, education, shelter and site planning and community-based protection.

"Preventing or delaying outbreaks, particularly among the most vulnerable, is the most important action we can take right now."

Past epidemics have shown how vital it is to involve refugees themselves from Day One, both to address their concerns in outbreak response and to ensure that we take account of social and cultural sensitivities.

We know how important it is to ensure continuity of priority health services to ensure there is no increased mortality from other conditions.

Another crucial consideration is protection monitoring. This helps ensure that refugees and other persons of concern are not put at greater risk by measures which are not based on public health grounds as a result from misinformation, fear of foreigners or other stigmatizing attitudes.

Last but not least, inclusion of refugees in national responses is key. Communicable diseases can only be controlled with an integrated and inclusive approach. National health services often need support especially as refugees are hosted in isolated and remote parts of countries where health services are weaker.

Has UNHCR increased its medical stockpiles? How about things like training of health workers, public awareness activities, monitoring for symptoms?

We are stockpiling essential medicines and medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators. We are distributing soap for the general community, combined with hygiene promotion and hand sanitizer for health workers and other staff working in health facilities that UNHCR is supporting.

We have stepped up training of staff in early identification, notification, case management and contact tracing, data collection and analysis and interpretation.

UNHCRs Health Information System is assisting us to monitor the situation. It includes an early warning system to alert country operations in the event of a surge in acute respiratory illnesses.

Could you describe your role as head of UNHCRs public health section, and how you are currently working with front-line colleagues around the world on COVID-19?

We are working with UNHCRs public health teams, and regional and country level staff, to ensure readiness at country level. We are in regular contact with all staff to answer questions and take feedback. We hold weekly webinars to update on the COVID situation and provide new guidance and response to questions relating to UNHCR operations. We are also looking at how to support our operations in not only preparing for COVID 19 but also to ensure continuity of essential health services.

We are also supporting resource mobilization efforts and assisting countries to identify gaps and needs based on the overall COVID response strategy.

What concrete steps is UNHCR taking to deal with a possible outbreak in a refugee camp, or among the great many refugees who live outside of camps? What challenges are you encountering?

We have stockpiled supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE) for health staff, We are purchasing disinfectant, supplies to manage medical waste, laboratory supplies, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment for case management.

We have improved WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] conditions and prepared isolation facilities in select camps and settlements.

UNHCR country operations are closely involved in all COVID-19 coordination meetings to ensure refugees remain at the heart of response planning.

UNHCR and its partners are carrying out COVID-19 awareness campaigns in refugee and IDP camps in Iraq, using posters, leaflets and other activities with the help of community outreach volunteers.  UNHCR/Firas Al-Khateeb

We are training health-care workers in refugee sites on surveillance for COVID-19, case management and infection prevention and control.

We are monitoring restrictions on freedom of movement and access to asylum based on real or perceived fears of coronavirus transmission. UNHCR has been adapting information, education and communication materials to take into account the linguistic and cultural needs of refugees.

Right now, the biggest challenge is to ensure there are no barriers to refugees accessing national health systems. Another challenge, just like for most countries and organizations, is procuring PPE, medicines and supplies for treating acute COVID-19 cases.

How can donors and supporters help the efforts of UNHCR and its partners?

Support UNHCR now! There is not a day to lose. Support our COVID-19 preparedness and response plans. The more you support our health, WASH and protection activities through financial and in-kind contributions, the more we will be able to prevent or mitigate the direct impact of COVID-19.

Donors can help stop this pandemic. Also, by supporting UNHCR they can help reduce its secondary impacts  loss of livelihoods, disrupted learning and potential social instability.

Donate now
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  Patients who did not fully disclose their state of health or COVID-19 symptoms exposed doctors to the disease and led to several deaths, the Department of Health said Friday.

DOH Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire admitted that among the reasons behind the death of nine medical doctors is lack of information, as some did not know they were treating a person with the novel coronavirus.

"Some of them (doctors) died because their patients were not able to disclose their full information, thereby giving them that increased risk that's why they got infected and eventually died," Vergeire told CNN Philippines' The Source.

Among the frontliners who passed away during the COVID-19 war are Pampanga health chief Dr. Marcelo Jaochico, cardiologist and internist Raul Jara, young cardiologist Israel Bactol of the Philippine Heart Center, anesthesiologist Gregorio Macasaet III of Manila Doctors Hospital, and oncologist Rose Pulido of the San Juan de Dios Hospital.

The problem is not unique to the Philippines, the Health official said, as other countries have also seen frontline health workers succumb to the disease after getting infected by patients they were attending to.

One-fifth of the country's 45 deaths due to the coronavirus are doctors.

Vergeire added that some healthcare workers contract the disease as they lack protective gear, similar to what the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. said on Thursday.

Vergeire admitted that it's hard to secure supplies of personal protective equipment or PPE due to a global shortage as other countries scramble to get hold of these safety gear for their own frontliners. The DOH is in touch with the private sector for increased production as well as PPE donations, which are now being rationed to both public and private hospitals.

"We should have the PPE. Second would be we need to be very,very sure that we are implementing our infection prevention and control procedures," Vergeire added. "Once theres a breach in protocol for these control procedures for infection, there becomes that risk for our healthcare workers to be infected."

RELATED: Fashion designers step up to fill need for protective suits for COVID-19 frontliners

Meanwhile, the health official said that it would let other state agencies determine possible complaints or charges against Senator Koko Pimentel, who breached his self-quarantine protocol to attend two parties, visit a grocery store, and enter the Makati Medical Center before eventually testing positive for COVID-19.

"We have recommendatory powers, but sanctioning is the mandate of other agencies as well," Vergeie said, adding that enforcement of quarantine procedures is the job of other members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases.

A private lawyer has said that he will file charges against Pimentel for the ruckus. The senator has apologized to the hospital, but said that he really had to accompany his pregnant wife as she is about to give birth.
Hundreds of thousands of Britons respond to governments call for front-line volunteers to fight coronavirus spread.

The United Kingdoms Chancellor of the Exchequer has unveiled a plan aimed at supporting self-employed workers, following last weeks measures promising compensation for the retrenched and $300bn for struggling businesses.

With almost 12,000 people infected from COVID-19 in the UK, hundreds of thousands of volunteers have answered the governments call to help the National Health Service.

Al Jazeeras Jonah Hull reports from London.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

I have the opportunity to work with 1,600 church leaders at Church Answers on an ongoing basis. They are an incredible blessing to me. I mentor 30 of those leaders in one-on-one meetings.

Justin Gatlin is the pastor of Alvin Missionary Baptist Church in Alvin, Texas. He is one of the 30 men I mentor personally. He sent me an update on his churchs proactive work to address the pandemic. It is a great example of one leader tackling these challenging times with both faith and works.

His church has an average attendance of 200. They only had 115 the week before they canceled worship services. With one exception, I am including the totality of his email with his permission. The only area I did not include was the churchs financial contingency plans.

Hey Dr. Rainer,

I just wanted to touch base on the coronavirus response I am working through and looking for your feedback. We have currently canceled the next two weeks of services (we have two confirmed cases in our town of 27,000, and the county has only performed 15 tests, 8 of which are pending, so we are anticipating a lot more).

Our mayor has declared a state of emergency and banned gatherings of over 50, with a $2,000 fine. Our city secretary told me that we could meet as long as we stayed below 50% capacity (what they are recommending for restaurants), but I think for the time being it is a bad witness and unwise. We will reevaluate in April.

For worship: I am obviously doing live streams. A member of our church secured watchambc.com for me, which gives us something simple to run on our signs. We are simulcasting to Youtube and Facebook Live. For Sunday evening and Wednesday night, I am streaming it from my office.

I am trying to be creative and take advantage of the format. Next Sunday night, I will be interviewing a couple that just got back from a mission trip in Belize, and tonight I am doing an Ask Me Anything discussion.

For Sunday morning, we will still have the band (3 songs instead of 4) and a full sermon. Several of our small groups are going to be meeting via Zoom. Our kids director is helping me create handouts to align with the Sunday sermon that kids can work on at home (a word find based on keywords, drawing a picture about the main idea, etc).

For communication: I have deployed Flocknote and have been using a blend of texts, video, emails and posts on our website (alvinmbc.com/covid19) to keep people updated.

I asked for volunteers to make one phone call a day and have 26 people each calling one household. That lets every household get one call per week, and widows and the sickly twice a week.

They are visiting briefly, offering to pray over the phone and reporting any concrete needs or major prayer requests back to me to follow up. Our deacons are also each staying in touch with their normal care lists, and small group/Sunday school leaders are doing the same. I am hoping this maintains a tight community during the break and keeps me freed up to focus on the people who need focus.

For community service, our food pantry is active, and we are letting people pick-up food or we are offering to drop off food at their door. I am evaluating other options, but the school district and city are both restricting themselves pretty tightly to prevent the spread of the virus. I personally, like several of our members, am trying to help with online tutoring for the kids out of school.

What do you think? What am I missing?

PS: I am praying for you:

Heavenly Father, I am asking for your special protection and guidance for Dr. Rainer. His platform is so large that he has the potential to guide so many in their response to this virus. I pray for his health and that of his family at this time and for the health of those like Amy, Jana, and Kevin, who will support his work.

I pray that you will give him the words he needs to equip the equippers to lead our congregations through this, and take advantage of the unique opportunities of this moment, despite the unique challenges. I know that this virus is a scary sign of a broken world, but that death is dead and the victory is won. So I ask these things in the name of the risen Lord Jesus, Amen.

This article was originally published at the Thom S. Rainer blog here.
By Julie Isaacson

As a general pediatrician practicing for 15 years, I have come in close contact with thousands of children with contagious respiratory illnesses including Flu, Coxsackie, and the common cold. Throughout my career, I have never worn a face mask even during the most intense flu seasons.

For a child, seeing a pediatrician enter with a mask covering their face is alarming, and that mask is a barrier to a warm doctor-patient relationship. Instead, when I entered a sick childs exam room, I came in with the understanding that I am immune to some diseases through past vaccination and immune to other diseases through past illnesses.

I understood that if I did contract a respiratory illness, my immune system would probably be strong enough to eventually fight it off and that if I accidentally spread it to family, friends, co-workers or other patients, their immune systems would also be powerful enough to lead to a quick recovery.

This coronavirus has changed everything. As reports of community spread of coronavirus in Monmouth County came out two weeks ago, I decided that the best way to protect myself, my patients, my staff and my family was to start wearing a mask and to wash my hands vigorously between changing my gloves.

Our medical supply company informed us that the only masks available were two boxes of surgical masks, the light blue ones that tie around your head at the top and bottom. I know that these masks arent protective against coronavirus because they dont create a tight seal around the face and therefore can allow small viral particles to enter through the edges.

In spite of that knowledge, we obtained two boxes of tie-string surgical masks with the thought that if the masks could decrease the spread by even one case it was our responsibility as healthcare providers working with sick children to do everything we could to keep our patients as safe as possible and our staff healthy enough to continue working.

As the cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey continued to increase, one of our nurses whose husband works in construction donated a few spare N95 masks to the practice for examining children with suspected coronavirus. The N95 is a rated respirator mask where N stands for Not Resistant to Oil and 95 stands for 95% efficiency at blocking small particles.

There are different types of N95 masks, some rounded, some beak-like, and some with valves designed to let out hot air and make the masks more comfortable. I tried on the N95 mask with the utmost respect being careful to touch the mask only at the edges to avoid contaminating the inside section that touches the face or the front where the blocked viral particles would accumulate. I immediately felt the tightness around the entire mask perimeter and the tightness of the bands around my head.

When seated quietly, I found breathing to be easier than when I was seeing patients. In order to see multiple patients in a row wearing the N95 without feeling hot and lightheaded, I had to keep my breathing calm by speaking slower and not running around. Probably the most important thing I felt wearing the N95 mask was the sense of peace that comes with knowing that a cough, sneeze or a close conversation could potentially decrease the chance of spreading coronavirus.

As we speak, hospitals in New Jersey are begging for donations from corporations and individuals for more masks and gowns. 3M has doubled its global production of N95 masks for healthcare workers to 100 million per month. I hope for a time in the near future when production of N95 is so great that hospitals are stocked with them and that every civilian has access to two N95 masks per week and are required to wear them in public and in high-risk private interactions.

The most medically fragile would continue to shelter in place, but the majority could return to a safer level of social and economic activity. The panic and anxiety would decrease significantly and some sense of control would be restored. Each of us would be soldiers sent out to battle with the proper armor.

I ask our federal government to do everything in its power to rapidly increase the availability of N95 masks, first to medical professionals and then to the general public. N95 respirator masks are the greatest tool available to slow the spread of the virus while simultaneously allowing people to interact in a safer way.

Dr. Julie Isaacson graduated from Rutgers UMDNJ medical school and completed her residency in Pediatrics at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center. Her practice is in Holmdel.

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.
It has been well over two weeks since Nader (not his real name) was removed from his hometown of Luxor to a seclusion hospital where he has been quarantined since he tested positive for the Covid-19.



Nader was working on one of the cruise ships on the nile that experienced the first infections with the new coronavirus in Egypt last month. He had heard a little about the new virus in the media but never thought it would be something for him to worry about.



However, a few days down the road from the day he heard some of his colleagues murmuring concerns over their safety when 12 foreign tourists tested positive for Covid-19 upon their return home to Europe after a cruise on the boat he works on, Nader got worried. The virus was closer to home than he had expected.



The following day, he said, speaking from his hospital room by phone, medical teams were heading to Luxor to test workers on the boat and to take samples from other people, both tourists and Egyptians, in Luxor hotels and boats.



Nader was confident he had nothing to worry about. No symptoms whatsoever, he recalled.



However, he tested positive. The medical team then went to his house to test his family and to ask all family members to self-isolate while Nader was taken along with other workers to the airport where they boarded a plane that took them to the hospital where they have been quarantined.



This is the most horrible experience of my life  a total state of isolation. I have very little here to remind me that I live in this world, except perhaps when I talk to the doctors and nurses, Nader said.



He is not allowed to walk out of his room except to go to the bathroom. He can use the phone to call his family to a certain extent, but the network is horrible and there is no Internet.



Almost a week after being treated in isolation, another test showed that Naders recovery was incomplete. He has to test negative for the virus before he is allowed to leave. He had been hoping that the day he would test negative he would be able to leave. However, even testing negative is not enough. He has to fully recover.

Despite his impatience, Nader has no choice but to wait for full recovery. He is not sure when this will happen, and the medical team that is treating him is being reserved in offering estimates.They just say that they are doing the best they can and that every case is different. Some people have recovered and left, and others have come in since I have been here, a period of over three weeks now, he said.According to figures from the Ministry of Health on Sunday night, the total number of recorded cases of Covid-19 in Egypt has reached 366 as Al-Ahram Weekly went to print. Of these, 14 have passed away due to complications of the infection, 56 have recovered and left hospital and 74 have tested negative after having tested positive.The vast majority of those numbers are for Egyptians from about 13 governorates that either have a high rate of people working in European countries or are associated with the tourism industry like in Luxor and Hurghada. There have also been foreigners, mostly tourists, who have fallen ill while in Egypt.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic has paralysed the tourism industry in Egypt and across the world. Before the decision of the Egyptian authorities to suspend international flights starting last Thursday noon, Egyptian tourist companies were already seeing cancellations from several countries.According to sources in the industry, the first wave of cancellations seemed to be prompted by uncertainty about the state of infections in Egypt.With so many newspapers reporting on tourists that were tested positive for the coronavirus upon their return home from Egypt, people were getting sceptical about what was really happening here. We were getting questions about the reliability of government announcements that had not recorded any cases until the end of the second week of February, Maged, a tour operator, said.For Maged, the tone of the questions he was receiving was indicative of a sense of doubt that Egypt was being transparent enough in reporting on the virus.I did not know if anyone was hiding anything, but I knew that some of those who had tested positive when they went back to their countries had been in other places before coming to Egypt and had not necessarily gone home on direct flights but had had stop-overs in several airports, he said.I am not saying that they did not get the infection in Egypt or that it was they who brought the infection to Egypt. I am just saying that factually speaking it is impossible to say what happened when, Maged said.FOLLOWING WEEKS: A couple of weeks down the road, leading markets for tourism to Egypt began to experience high levels of infections with the new coronavirus.Maged, who works on the Italian market, said he cannot believe what is happening in Italy, statistically the second-worst infected country after China, the original epicentre of the Covid-19 virus.After Italy, there was France and then several other European countries.When this whole thing started, I was thinking it was just going to be in China and maybe few other neighbouring countries, but in no time the nightmare has been spreading all over the world and countries have been closing their airports one after the other. It is a real nightmare and worse than anything we have seen in the industry, Maged said.Maged has been in the business since the late 1980s. He recalls some hard moments, including a terrorist attack on a group of Japanese tourists in Luxor in the late 1990s, attacks on hotels in the Red Sea resorts in the early 2000s, the impact of the 25 January Revolution and subsequent political changes in Egypt and the crash of a Russian plane carrying tourists home from a Red Sea resort in the autumn of 2015.But there has never been anything worse than the present situation. It is so sad because tourism was just starting to pick up, and we were hoping that by the end of 2020 we would be able to record the same level of tourists that we recorded in 2009 and 2010, two of the best years for the industry. But now we have been hit very hard, Maged said.Cancellations have gone way beyond the Easter holidays.Uncertainty prevails. People cannot make plans the world over: it is not just about the situation in Egypt, Maged said. However, he added that it would be a nightmare worse than all nightmares if the situation started to stabilise in Europe and the US, which are now struggling very hard, but got worse in Egypt. This would mean that even if people could travel from Europe, they would not be coming here and we would be doomed for the rest of this year and maybe more, he commented.Like other workers in the tourism industry, Maged is critical of the reaction of the government to the challenge.We know that for us tourism is a big deal, and we know that we would never want to take any decisions that would negatively influence the flow of tourists, said Mina, a tour guide.I think the authorities were hoping that the thing would not be as bad for Egypt as elsewhere, as was the case with previous epidemics like SARS and Ebola, he added.Government officials working on the Covid-19 situation say they are racing against time. In press statements over the weekend, Minister of Health Hala Zayed said that the target for Egypt was to make sure that it kept the number of patients in the hundreds. This was not just about reducing the level of infections, but also about keeping track of the path of the infections, she said.Once we go beyond the line of patient 1,000, it will be very difficult for us to trace the path of the infections and thus be harder for us to keep containing the situation, Zayed said in a telephone interview with an evening talk-show aired on MBC Masr.Government and independent medical sources say that the authorities are reporting all cases that have been tested. The question, however, according to one independent medical source, is how much testing is being done and how many individuals get infected and recover without having to access medical services.Covid-19 is a new virus for which there is no clear profile. However, it has so far been established that in around seven cases out of 10, a patient who is in good health and has a good immune system can recover from the virus without being admitted to hospital.The Ministry of Health can only report cases that get tested through its facilities, which are the only testing services available.FIGHTING THE VIRUS: At first, testing for Covid-19 was only administered in Cairo. However, in following weeks, the Ministry of Health started to provide facilities in other government labs across the country.In theory this means that anyone who gets tested will be recorded if the test is positive. In press statements this week, Zayed said that Egypt had already bought over 30,000 testing kits and that it was waiting to receive triple that number.Financial allocations for the combat against Covid-19 have already been made, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli saying that President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has allocated LE100 million for the fight against the coronavirus.In televised remarks made on Sunday while marking Egyptian Womens Day, Al-Sisi said that the state stood ready with any necessary allocations for the combat against the Covid-19 virus. However, he also appealed to the public to help the state in the fight by staying at home.Al-Sisi is not the first official to emphasise the need for social distancing. Prime Minister Madbouli and Minister Zayed have also appealed to the public to stay at home if they do not need to go out to work or for some other compelling reason.On Tuesday, the state imposed a dusk to dawn curfew along with more restrictive measures in yet another attempt to contain the infection rate.The authorities have during the past ten days adopted a series of measures that are aimed to reduce large gatherings. In addition to the suspension of schools and universities, which extended for 14 more days, the authorities have ordered the reduction of the workforce and the suspension of international flights and ordered a curfew at 7pm.On Saturday, after much debate, the authorities also ordered the closure of mosques and churches, thus suspending all communal prayers.Before the curfew was announced on Tuesday, some people have opted to stay at home, but not all. In Imbaba, south of Giza, Hassan, a waiter at a cafe, said that for him it was business as usual. Speaking 24 hours after the introduction of the decree to close cafes at 7pm, Hassan said that his really small cafe worked quite a bit later.On Sunday, in Nasr City, Mahmoud said he had performed noon prayers at the small mosque on the ground floor of the apartment building opposite his house. Speaking around 24 hours after the official decree to close all mosques and churches, Mahmoud said that he had gone to see if the mosque was still open, and it was.I joined about five people who were there, and we prayed. If it is just a few people in a small mosque, more like a prayer room really, there is no harm. The problem is with big crowds, he argued.On Saturday and Sunday, the Ministry of the Interior was rounding up the owners and waiters of cafes that had not observed the new regulations. On Sunday, the Ministry of Endowments, awqaf, suspended the imams of two mosques for overlooking the closure decree.But beyond the violations, the country is still faced with the problems of people who have to stay at home. This applies to the clients of five-star cafes by gated residential communities who think that they are safe to socialise within the confinement of their upscale socio-economic areas and to the small vendors and daily workers who have no way of making an income if they stay at home.

The choices of the state are no less complicated than those of individuals.Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the state was hesitant to rock the boat of the tourism industry and it was even more hesitant to prompt public fury, especially in rural areas, by closing mosques and churches.According to the source, the official assessment is that the level of social distancing that has been observed during the past week falls short of what is necessary to help stop the spread of Covid-19.The government did not want to move too fast in a way that would be too disturbing to the lives of people, but it looks increasingly unlikely that this situation can be sustained for long, the source said.He added that there was no final date set for a total lockdown, which would include not just a full curfew on movement but also closing off the governorates if need be, but it might come next Saturday. He spoke before the announcement of the curfew on Tuesday afternoon.The date is being considered, but we are in a process of escalated restrictive decisions, he said.RESTRICTIONS: Dalia Samhouri, manager for emergency preparedness and international health regulations in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, said that any decision related to travel restrictions and the closure of borders, as well as the closure of schools and cancelling of mass gatherings, is purely a country decision and should be evidence-based following a thorough risk assessment.But she added that restrictive measures are not enough by themselves and must be accompanied by intensive efforts to scale up the health system to detect, diagnose, isolate and treat cases, as well as conduct extensive contact tracing to ensure suspected cases are also diagnosed before there is opportunity for further spread.In written answers to questions put by the Weekly, Samhouri said that a two-week lockdown is not a definitive answer when a country decides to go into lockdown. She added that this is based on their own risk assessment. The length of the lockdown may be modified or extended depending on the required measures that need to be taken to meet their objectives.These measures, she said, were generally taken with the goal to reduce the spread and transmission of the virus and give the government time to enhance its health system. But again, these lockdown measures cannot happen in isolation without additional scaling up of measures to find, isolate and treat patients before the virus spreads.According to Samhouri, countries that have limited health capacities need to think of priority strategies to implement prevention and response measures based on their existing capacities and situation in order to limit the transmission of the virus.Last week, the WHO said Africa needed to do more in terms of testing and quarantine to avoid a disaster in the making. This was how Ahmed, a doctor in a leading hospital in Cairo, expressed his worry over the situation.I guess that people confuse some of the things that have been said about Covid-19, Ahmed said. The statements of some officials that the new coronavirus could be like any other winter viral infection and that most cases could recover with mild medication had prompted a sense of recklessness on the part of some people, he said.I think the message has to be clear to people that while a Covid-19 infection can be treated without serious complications, it can also have some very serious complications. If we want people to change their attitudes, we need to put out the message in clearer terms, he said.Ahmed argued that government officials need to be a lot more direct in reminding people of the limitations of the health system in Egypt given the volume of the population.When people hear that there is a budget of LE100 million allocated for the problem, they may say everybody who gets ill will be treated, but this is not the case. We need this money to buy testing kits and other necessary equipment for hospitals and medical teams, he said.He added that the real question in a situation of high rates of infection related to the capacity of hospitals and the capacity of intensive care units in hospitals, bearing in mind that coronavirus patients are only treated in public hospitals that do not have large numbers of ventilators.We have all seen on TV that big industrial countries with generous health budgets like the US, France and Italy are having a hard time facing up to a challenging situation. We should all understand what this means for us, Ahmed said.

He added in an unequivocal tone that we should be doing more testing and enforcing more quarantines, but we should also be opting for a serious awareness campaign on TV and radio. I guess that for at least two to three weeks we will also have to have a lockdown.This week, the message on radio and TV has been that people should stay at home if they dont need to go out.Popular TV hosts have been offering their followers detailed accounts of the drama in China and Italy in order to argue for the need for people to stay at home. They have also spoken of the inevitability of a lockdown as the only way to prevent a high rate of infection in some countries.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Even with coronavirus raging through Europe and the Americas, Russias leadership has confidently rejected the prospect of an emergency at home.

Vladimir Putin certainly has reason enough to be sanguine about the situation. The number of confirmed cases has yet to accelerate out of control, and his government has acted decisively on a number of fronts from contact tracing to closing its borders.

But on Thursday night the Kremlin was being tested by reports that the coronavirus had made its way to the heart of government.

Quoting sources in the Kremlin, three local publications suggested as many as five members of staff may have tested positive: One or two employees of the presidential administration; one member of the presidential administrative directorate; and one member of the cabinet staff.

There was no indication that any of the staff had been in contact with the Russian president recently.

Security protocols around the head of state have been stepped up some time ago in response to the threat of the coronavirus. At the end of January, presidential security teams began to temperature screen anyone in breathing distance of the president. Two weeks ago, coronavirus blood tests became obligatory.

The news that the virus may be edging closer to Mr Putins offices stood in stark contrast to his own claim that Russia could be over the crisis within two to three months. A day after visiting the hospital dealing with most of Moscows coronavirus patients, the president confidently predicted his country would avoid the worst European scenarios.

My colleague tells me that we will deal with coronavirus within two to three months, Mr Putin told a group of entrepreneurs on Thursday. Thats not too bad given that some countries say their battle will go on for a very long time. I hope it may be even quicker.

On Thursday, Russia recorded a record rise in the number of positive coronavirus cases, up 182 to 840. The vast majority of those cases is concentrated in Moscow.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 14:57 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dd97fd 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,outbreak,donation,mayapada,tahir-foundation Free

Diversified conglomerate Mayapada Group and the Tahir Foundation have donated Rp 52 billion (US$3.2 million) to people living in several provinces to help their efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the recipients were residents of Jakarta, the donations for whom were handed over to Istiqlal Mosque, which received Rp 22 billion, as well as West Java, Central Java and East Java which each received about Rp 10 billion.

Apart from cash or shopping vouchers, Mayapada Group and Tahir Foundation also gave medical equipment such as face masks, infrared thermometers and hand sanitizers, as well as food and drinks from food company Orang Tua Group.

Read also: [UPDATED] Anti-COVID-19 initiatives: Helping Indonesia fight the outbreak

Some of the Rp 22 billion donation for Jakarta residents has been given to the Social Affairs Ministry on Tuesday in cash or vouchers amounting to Rp 2 billion. The donation has been handed over to Pak M. Syafii Nasution, the ministrys social protection for disaster victims director, Mayapada Group founder Dato Sri Tahir said in a statement on Friday.

He added that donations were also handed over to the Jakarta Archdiocese and the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI), which would disburse the assistance to their congregations.

This is our first wave of donations to help efforts in fighting COVID-19, Tahir said.

Indonesian health authorities have confirmed 893 COVID-19 positive cases as of Thursday, with 78 fatalities and 35 recoveries. Jakarta is the hardest province hit by the outbreak with 515 positive cases and 46 deaths. (kuk)
A vintage potato producer who saw her niche business flatline overnight has started a contactless drive-through spud shack.

Maria Flynn of Ballymakenny Farm was supplying many top restaurants and bars across the country with heritage potatoes when Covid-19 virtually closed the hospitality industry overnight.

Rather than being left with 15 acres of rotting potatoes, she decided to set up a drive-through spud shack on her farm, outside Drogheda, Co. Louth, which is receiving a huge response.

The six varieties of heritage potatoes including Violetta, Rag Emmalie, Pink Fir Apple and Mayan Gold - had been a huge hit with many top Irish chefs including JP McManus, John Coffee and Jeff Murphy.

"The business literally flatlined overnight so I decided to convert a shed and convert to a drive-through spud shack.

"I didn't expect that much interest from members of the public but I've been overwhelmed by the support I'm receiving. They're loving the potatoes and they are intent on helping local businesses as much as they can through this time.

"Most people opt for a mixed bag of potatoes so they can try out all the varieties.

I literally stand in the shed, gloved-up and they pull up in the car and talk to me through the window. I pack the potatoes in paper bags and then pop them in the boot for them.

"They never get out of the car and they either tap their card or call out their card number for payment so contact is not an issue.

"I'm delighted with the interest and so grateful for all the support but I think people are genuinely trying to help local businesses survive through this and when it's all over, I believe everyone will shop local first to get all back on their feet."

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
Australia's cyber security body has warned organised criminal networks are using the coronavirus outbreak to step up computer hacking efforts, with the networks of government departments and large companies at risk as more people work from home.

The increased threat comes as the Morrison government continues work on its long-awaited cyber security strategy, which will take into account the threats posed by COVID-19.

Cyber criminals are taking advantage of COVID-19.

Cyber experts said there had been a spike in coronavirus-related "phishing" emails and SMS messages embedded with malicious links or documents, which gave hackers control of a computer, phone or network when opened.

One email, titled "INSIGHTS ON CORONAVIRUS", purports to be from the Australian government. Others have subject lines like "Latest corona-virus updates" and "UNICEF COVID-19 TIPS APP". Fake Android phone applications that claim to offer information about the virus have also been created, allowing attackers to spy on Australians or encrypt their device and hold it for ransom.
Mike has been emailing me on and off all week. Mike Coupe is the CEO of Sainsbury's - but he and I are now on first name terms. "Dear Lindy" is how he starts his updates.

One of his missives pinged in late the other night and for a brief, golden moment I thought it might be news of a lottery win (I do it online).

But no. Mike wants to keep me abreast of Sainsbury's strategy re special hours for NHS staff, the elderly and the vulnerable.

You're going about it the wrong way round, Mike.

What you should have is a special hour, as inconvenient as possible, for the hoarders.

Give them a trolley and let them at it like Supermarket Sweep.

But then everything is about face right now.

Our world, as New York mayor Bill de Blasio said recently, has been turned upside down.

I doubt it will ever be the same again.

There are events in history which really do mark a turning point. 9/11 was one of them. Covid-19 is currently recalibrating our universe too.

In a matter of only a few weeks everything has changed, changed utterly.

You can see that even in something as inconsequential as TV advertising which, generally, is still not up to speed with social distancing reality.

Already it looks odd, all that hugging and close proximity interaction.

The commercials will be reflecting soon enough how commerce has been upended. Who knows how, or even if, the economy will recover?

Coronavirus has destroyed livelihoods. And also, of course, lives.

Watching this week two bereaved women, Brenda Doherty, the daughter of Ruth Burke, and Joan Fulton, the sister of Billy Allan, speak of their loss and their love for their precious mother and brother was so very moving.

All the more so because Joan and Brenda were speaking out for the benefit of the rest of us.

Generally when someone you love very much dies you're such a mess you can't even think straight.

But these two women - and others like them - put their own great grief aside temporarily to impress upon the rest of us the need for lockdown.

We're all in this together. Over and over again the same message is being drummed in and if there is any small solace right now it's that the vast majority of people recognise that and have responded magnificently.

The great irony is that social distancing has actually brought people together in the right way. We've left behind all the syrupy air-kissing and hugging and replaced it with a very real reaching out.

Thursday night's Clap for the Carers event gave us a chance to say some sort of small thank you to the foremost heroes of this calamity.

Despite being by nature an emotional gusher - I once cried at a Coca Cola ad - I didn't expect it to be quite as emotional as it was.

In our wee street all our great neighbours were out, clapping, cheering, whooping. In the background fireworks were going off.

So many people to be grateful to. As I clapped I was thinking of those like my lovely friends Janice, here in Belfast, Bridget, in Scotland, and over in Brighton, Conor and Beccy.

The shabby behaviour of the likes of the greedy hoarders my new friend Mike is trying to get a grip on doesn't counterbalance all the good out there.

The Health Minister calls for an army of a quarter of a million volunteers and within a few hours he's got twice that.

Look around your own neighbourhood and you'll see plenty of examples of kindness and caring. Decent people doing their wee bit.

Even our politicians here have stepped up to the plate, pulling together for all of us. Yes, maybe we should be asking why they didn't find it in themselves to do so previously.

For now though, respect.

I don't think it will be quite so easy to lapse back to the way we all were before, either.

We're fighting against something microscopic yet bigger than all of us.

And for now, in that battle, nothing divides us. Apart, of course, from the statutory two metres.

As our country battles on, Harrys missing in action

Pandemic or no, celebrity attention-seeking continues unabated. Sam Smith posting pictures of himself feigning a meltdown in lockdown. And, my favourite, Madonna offering coronavirus survival advice from her petal-strewn bath - taking Boris Johnson's wash-your-hands mantra to a more comprehensive level.

Needless to say, Harry and Meghan were also on the ball. Belatedly they posted on their Instagram page World Health Organisation advice on hand washing and social distancing which 99% of the population could already recite by heart.

This was garnished in typical Sussex style with lots of waffly "inspirational" messaging.

Meanwhile, we learn Prince Charles has got it. Coronavirus. Not the inspirational messaging.

And Harry and Meghan have now relocated (by private jet naturally) to California. There's some debate about whether Harry should have come back to see his da. Why would he? Presumably with Chas self-isolating (which I suspect is easier in Highgrove than in your average semi) he wouldn't be allowed near him.

But I think a bigger deal where Harry is concerned is that he is seen by the British public as Missing In Action at a time of national crisis - and at a time when the Royal Firm is depleted by reasons of age, scandal and Covid-19.

Harry's often compared to his ancestor Edward VIII who also married an American divorcee. A few years after Edward abdicated the Second World War broke out. The Royals soldiered on without him. Their popularity soared. He sank to irrelevance.

Having similarly taken an early bath from Royal duty, Harry may also be about to see his status go down the plug hole.

What happened when my son offered help

My son dropped in on an elderly lady this week to offer any help she might need amid the current emergency. She told him no thanks, she'd family visiting regularly. She also said that lots of others had checked on her to see if she was okay. He said she was very polite in turning down his offer of help. "Basically I think the wee woman's head's melted with young people offering assistance."

Wouldnt we all love an escape to a chateau?

Amid lockdown there's not a lot of diversion to be had at home. I've even been ironing. And daytime TV isn't great, is it? But I have become a bit addicted to Dick Strawbridge's wonderful Escape to the Chateau DIY.

The DIY-ing owners are real workhorses, one woman in particular who is single-handedly ripping out a bathroom. Hard graft aside, wouldn't we all love a chateau to escape to right now?
Cleophus Quealy Beer Co. in San Leandro has announced that it will close permanently at the end of April. The coronavirus shutdown was the immediate reason, said owner Dan Watson, though the business had been struggling before the Bay Areas shelter-in-place orders forced the closure of its tasting room.

The last six months had been a little bit difficult for us, said Watson. We heard the same thing for other breweries and bars in the Bay Area. Everybody had to tighten the belt a notch.

When this came along, he continued, it became pretty clear we couldnt make it through this.

Watson launched the brewery five years ago with business partner Peter Baker. They reached into their family trees for inspiration for the business name: Cleophus was the name of Watsons great-great-great grandfather, and Quealy is Bakers mothers maiden name. We took the two best names from our family and mashed them together, Watson explained.

Though Cleophus Quealy is tiny production-wise, producing just 400 barrels of beer per year, it developed a loyal following, especially for its barrel-aged sour beers. Those types of beers are also among the most time- and labor-intensive to produce. We make a slow, expensive product, Watson said. The companys considerable overhead made it difficult to reach a point of profitability, and we really havent grown as much as wed like to.

The brewery self-distributed its beers to bars and restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland, but beer sales at its San Leandro tasting room accounted for 75% of revenue. When the shelter-in-place order went into effect for Alameda County and other Bay Area counties on March 17, the tasting room was forced to close, along with the bars and restaurants that carry its beer.

Cleophus Quealy has seven employees, and all will be paid as if they were working their normal work schedules for two months, including their lost tips, healthcare and 401k contributions. We have always given people a living wage and made sure that they can afford to live in the Bay Area, Watson said. Its been an important principle for us to not succeed at the expense of our employees.

Until the end of April, the brewery will be selling off the remainder of its inventory in growlers and bottles. Anyone who wants to buy their final Cleophus Quealy beer can order online; you can get it shipped anywhere in California or do curbside pickup at the brewery.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Some of Cleophus Quealys challenges, Watson said, were specific to Cleophus Quealy  like its penchant for producing sour beers as opposed to popular, cheaper-to-make styles like hazy IPAs. But other challenges are common to the entire craft beer industry, which is facing slowing growth, consolidation of the wholesale tier and ever-increasing competition.

The fate of Cleophus Quealy is a bellwether of whats to come, Watson warned. Knowing how hard this hit us, Im positive there will be other breweries in this situation before too long, he said.

Theres some distinction in being the first, but Im certain we wont be the last.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob
FILE PHOTO: The sign outside a Ross store is seen in Broomfield, Colorado

Reuters

Ross Stores Inc. told suppliers it won't be placing new orders until at least mid-June.

"We've had pretty much 100% cancellation from all major retailers," one supplier told Reuters.

Other brands canceling orders include Macy's, Nordstrom, and TJ Maxx.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump hopes that the US could back open for business by mid-April.

However, retailers' behavior seems to suggest that it maybe later. Major clothing chains are halting orders for new supplies  one until at least mid-June.

In a March 26 letter to suppliers, the discount shop Ross Stores Inc. said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant it would not be purchasing any additional merchandise until June 18, at the earliest.

The letter, reviewed by Reuters, said it was "the first time in our history" that Ross would be "unable to deliver exceptional merchandise to our customers."

Other clothing stores, including Macy's, Nordstrom, and TJ Maxx, have also canceled orders, Paul Rotstein, president of Gold Medal International, a supplier, told Reuters.

"We've had pretty much 100% cancellation from all major retailers," he said. "I think we're looking at no income for at least 8 weeks."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Megan McKenna has written a song about the fight against coronavirus.

Taking to Instagram, the former TOWIE star and X Factor winner, 27, reworded the lyrics to her song 'This' to create new track FightCovid19, which she performed in an acapella style to her 2.4million followers in a video posted on Friday.

Her release of the track coincided with the UK's coronavirus death toll jumping by a third to 759 after officials announced 181 more victims of the killer infection, while health chiefs also confirmed almost 15,000 Britons have now caught the virus.

Powerful: Megan McKenna has written a song about the fight against coronavirus

Joining a legion of stars backing the fight against the deadly virus and those supporting the NHS, Megan chose to show gratitude through her music.

The lyrics to the song are: 'All you need to do is be brave, please stay at home and make sure you're safe. Protect the NHS and have faith...

'Whatever it is, don't take the risk. And wash your hands we can beat this. Follow my lead and then you will see friends and family. Let's be a team and fight Covid-19.'

In a caption alongside the video, she wrote: 'FightCovid19 Changing the lyrics to my song This felt right.... Please listen to every word, stay safe, stay home and share this message to as many people as you can. Love you guys so much'.

Belting out: Taking to Instagram, the former TOWIE star, 27, reworded the lyrics to her song 'This' to create new track FightCovid19, which she performed in an acapella style to her 2.4million followers in a video posted on Friday

That was then: Earlier this month, Megan returned from a trip to the US to record music and was spotted wearing a protective face mask in the fight against corona

Earlier this month, Megan returned from a trip to the US to record music and was spotted wearing a protective face mask in the fight against corona.

Just hours after Megan shared her powerful track, the virus arrived at the heart of power as Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they had tested positive for COVID-19.

The bombshell news threatened to send the government's response into chaos, with speculation rampant over which other senior figures could be infected.

Powerful: 'Whatever it is, don't take the risk. And wash your hands we can beat this. Follow my lead and then you will see friends and family. Let's be a team and fight Covid-19'

Shock: Just hours after Megan shared her powerful track, the virus arrived at the heart of power as Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they had tested positive for COVID-19

Government scientists have admitted there is likely to be 1,000 infected patients for every death recorded in Britain - suggesting the true toll is in the region of 600,000.

Number 10 has faced fierce criticism for its controversial policy to only test patients in hospital, meaning only a fraction of cases are being spotted and leaving the true scale of the UK's outbreak a mystery.

Statistics show the UK is still testing less than 10,000 people every day. In the last 24 hours just 8,911 were checked for the bug, and on Thursday it was 7,847.
While gun shops across the country are responding differently to the crisis, Gov. Charlie Baker says they are not essential and should not keep their brick-and-mortar stores open in Massachusetts.

Yet the Gun Parlor in Worcester decided to keep its doors open, although the governors executive order directs non-essential businesses to shift to remote work or close temporarily.

We will be open today 10am to 6pm, the store posted on Facebook Tuesday, the day when non-essential businesses were supposed to close their shops at noon. We are limiting the amount of people in the store at one time for the health and safety of our employees and customers. We look forward to helping you within a safe and clean environment.

Gov. Charlie Baker ordered non-essential businesses to close by noon Tuesday, prompting many companies to continue work remotely. The Gun Parlor posted on its Facebook page that the shop would remain open, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

An attendant at the Gun Parlor declined to comment on the shops operations when reached by phone, both before and after Gov. Baker clarified the states position. The attendant referred MassLive to its president, Justin Jonathan Gabriel, providing an email address. Gabriel did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The gun shop sells rifles, handguns, shotguns and ammo, as well as safes, holsters, targets and cleaning supplies, according to its website.

In 2019, The Gun Parlor agreed to pay $35,000 to the state for selling handguns that were not on the approved roster list, including Glock handguns that failed to meet state safety regulations. The Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office said at the time that it found multiple violations during the investigation into the business.

Other Massachusetts gun shops have heeded the restrictions imposed by the governor in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

GFA Arms Tec in Massachusetts announced on its Facebook page on Tuesday that it would close its store at noon and reopen on April 7, per the governors order.

As per Governor Bakers order, we will be closing the store tomorrow at 12 PM, and remain closed until April 7th. We... Posted by GfaArmsTec on Tuesday, 24 March 2020

The Saxonville Armory in Framingham closed at noon Tuesday, according to its website. The shop plans to continue taking appointments via email this week for ammo and firearms sales.

For businesses who assist essential businesses, including some manufacturers, the question about who can stay open becomes more nuanced.

Businesses who are not explicitly labeled essential but serve essential businesses have been directed to consult the states Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, the office Baker called the keeper of the keys" on the supply chain guidelines.

They do give people guidance on whether or not, in fact, somebody does fit with the supply chain associated with an essential provider. Sometimes they do, by the way, and sometimes they dont, Baker said, noting that he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito have heard positive feedback from businesses about the states advice.

Just remember, if youre not essential and you dont spend any time in your brick-and-mortar facility and you work from home, you still have the ability to operate, he said. So there are folks who are in non-essential businesses who are not working in the office, who are doing whatever they were doing before in the office online, and they are still working.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:

With coronavirus cases on the rise, Massachusetts faces a potentially severe shortage of hospital beds

Coronavirus shutdown doesnt close Springfield Smith & Wesson plant; gunmaker donates eye protection to Baystate Health

Coronavirus: UMass to adjust student room, board and parking fees after residence halls close amid COVID-19 outbreak
Like a rat who thought the big orange cat was preoccupied, Nicolas Maduro soon learned the hard the way that the cat was ready to spring.

According to BuzzFeed:

The Trump administration on Thursday charged Nicolas Maduro and 14 other high-ranking Venezuelan officials with narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, corruption, and other crimes, accusing them of using cocaine as a "weapon" to "flood the US." Two federal indictments unsealed Thursday allege that Maduro and former and current officials in his regime partnered with dissidents of FARC  a violent rebel group in Colombia  for 20 years to engage in drug trafficking, causing "tons of cocaine to enter and devastate American communities." The Department of Justice alleged that Maduro and other officials "expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation." "Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon," US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said Thursday. "As alleged, the defendants betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions to line their pockets with drug money."

Other than that doozie about "dissidents of FARC" to describe the world's most brutal narcoterrorists who tried for 55 years to overthrow the Colombian government, the BuzzFeed report conveys the sleaze and slime of the Maduro regime, which is basically just about drug-dealing these days. Whatever was left of the Venezuelan state in the wake of socialism is pretty well hollowed out. The oil's ruined. The talent has fled. The crops are destroyed. The property rights are gone. There's no toilet paper. It's just hell on earth, which in fact is the perfect playground for Maduro's buddies in FARC, same way the Taliban drug-dealers took over Afghanistan when that hellhole became a failed state, or those Kyat-chewing pirates called the shots in failed-state Somalia. It happens every time.

As for Nicolas Maduro, he's got a target on his back now  and, unlike the BuzzFeed reporter who can't even remember Colombia's famous 2008 FARC computer raid in Ecuador that first revealed the extent of the Venezuelan government's sponsorship of FARC (as well as lots of FARC-symp sucking up from U.S. congressmen, such as Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts)  Maduro remembers very well what happened to the late, unlamented Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega in 1990. He got to wear his uniform in his Florida hoosegow cell, where he spent the next several decades. Maduro now knows that day is coming for him  at a time and place of President Trump's choosing. Count on that rich drug-dealing clown to sleep with one eye open until it happens.

The move illustrates something important that's happening: that even as the heavy weight of office takes its toll on Trump as he focuses so extensively on the coronavirus crisis from China, and he appears to be down  he's actually using this time to rope-a-dope America's enemies into thinking he's too busy to pay any attention to them, too entangled with critical domestic matters  and then surprising them.

It coincides with the squeeze he's also put on Iran, throwing a heaping helping of new sanctions onto the barbie to sizzle for the mullahs.

The Washington Post also noticed this, with this item:

Over the past month, the Treasury has announced new sanctions designations related to Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela.

"The administration's tactic of choice toward adversaries is all pressure, all the time," said Suzanne DiMaggio, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment.

Message: These clowns are going to wish all goes swimmingly for America, given the consequences to them of America getting bogged down by the coronavirus. Trump doesn't let them go. And the coronavirus puts him in a bad mood, something that means fear and dread before the shock and awe.

Couldn't happen to a nicer socialist.

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of public domain images.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 16:47:59|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LUANDA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Thursday offered 15 million U.S. dollars to help Angola fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oliver Lambert, World Bank resident representative in the Angolan capital, told press that the fund would help authorities with such pandemic prevention measures as purchasing laboratory equipment and safety and hygiene materials.

Angolan authorities have canceled several cultural, political and recreational events as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The government has also ordered the closure of schools, higher education institutions and kindergartens from March 23.

On March 25, Angolan President Joao Lourenco declared a state of emergency.

The country has four COVID-19 cases so far.
Hiding in plain sight: A Landscape with Figures and the Ruins of Melrose Abbey by George Barret

Real treasures are often to be found at home, sometimes right under our noses. They are tucked away forgotten in our attics, in the backs of our dustiest cupboards, or in some cases, they are hiding in plain sight, looking right at us daily. The latter was the case in a recent Irish discovery, worth around 90,000.

In a house in the west of Ireland, a painting hung on a dining-room wall. It had been there for so long that to the owners saw it as just part of the furniture.

It was clearly old, and at 106 x 147cm it took up a sizeable chunk of wall space, but the owner had no notion of its value. The painting had belonged to his father.

Recently, the owner hoped that it might be worth something. He took a photograph and sent it off to Morgan O'Driscoll, auctioneer. Having seen the painting in situ, O'Driscoll sought an expert opinion.

Expand Close Sir Frederick William Burton's Faust and Marguerite / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sir Frederick William Burton's Faust and Marguerite

"I knew at once that it was an important 18th-century painting," he said. "And, given the subject matter, the name George Barret did come into my mind."

Barret (c1728-1784) was an Irish artist and a landscape painter of high renown. Could this be an unknown work?

The expert confirmed that this was indeed a work by George Barret Snr. Any residual doubts were cleared when the frame was removed to reveal the telling signature.

It was unusual for Barret to sign his work and, in this case, he had perhaps ominously added his name to the fictive lettering on a gravestone in the foreground of the painting.

"The placing of the signature next to the tomb, evoking the artist's own mortality, is in keeping with the reflections on transience which monastic ruins so readily provoke," writes William Laffan in the catalogue essay.

It's also possibly indicative of a sense of humour.

The painting, A Landscape with Figures and the Ruins of Melrose Abbey (est 60,000 to 90,000), is going under the hammer as part of Morgan O'Driscoll's online auction next month.

In the world of auctioneering, these are uncertain times, but work by Barret has frequently fetched six-figure sums. In 2017, his A Mountainous Wooded River Landscape with a Waterfall and Three Figures sold at Adam's for 200,000. "Our one is bigger," says O'Driscoll hopefully.

Barret was a Dubliner, a tailor's son born in the Liberties. Although first apprenticed to a maker of women's stays, he also studied drawing and displayed a supreme talent for making friends with those who could further his career. Then, as now, this was a useful attribute for an artist.

He became friendly with the philosopher Edmund Burke, who encouraged him to paint the landscape along the Dargle Valley in Co Wicklow. Barret was influenced by Burke's ideas on the Sublime, but also paid close attention to nature, and his work is more realistic than was common in his day.

The local landowner, Lord Powerscourt, became his patron and others followed, including the Connolly family of Castletown.

In 1763, Barret moved to England, where he continued to charm the aristocracy. According to Thomas Bodkin (1920), he became known as the greatest landscape painter in Ireland, England or Scotland.

But approval was not universal. His rival artist, Richard Wilson, compared Barret's foliage to "spinach and eggs".

He was also prolific to the extent that the quality of his work is uneven. "He must have painted an enormous number of pot-boilers," wrote Crookshank and Glin in The Painters of Ireland, c1660-1920 (1978).

The result, in 21st-century auction rooms, is that his prices have been uneven. Barret's paintings have regularly sold for more than 200,000 but also for less than 5,000. The current work, O'Driscoll feels, is one of the better ones.

Barret visited Melrose Abbey on the way to visit his client, the Duke of Buccleuch, near Edinburgh. The abbey was under the Duke's protection and features in the writing of Sir Walter Scott, who eventually supervised its restoration.

In The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805), Scott writes: "if thou would'st view fair Melrose alright, Go visit it by the pale moonlight"

Maybe the writer was inspired Barret's view of the abbey by moonlight. Or maybe visiting ruins by moonlight was a thing.

According to Laffan, a painting similar to the present work is still in the Duke's collection."

The auction also includes a watercolour, Faust and Marguerite, by Sir Frederick William Burton (1816-1900) - est 8,000 to 12,000. It is probably a preparatory sketch for one of two paintings that Burton produced to illustrate that story, one of which is in the National Gallery of Ireland.

The Irish & International Art auction conducted by Morgan O'Driscoll, which includes the rediscovered Barret, will take place online on Tuesday, April 14.

See morganodriscoll.com.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Emergency Nurses Association on Friday commended the signing into law of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, a comprehensive emergency stimulus package that includes billions of dollars to support emergency nurses and other front-line health care providers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill includes funding for several key needs which ENA has advocated for strongly on behalf of its members and all emergency nurses, including:

A substantial increase in funding to increase the availability of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies needed by emergency nurses to ensure their safety and their ability to deliver high-quality care for patients

Support of expanded testing across the country, including the development of alternative testing capabilities and assurance that those who need a test will receive one at no cost.

Additional support for hospitals and community health centers on the front lines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ENA highlighted these, and several other, provisions in a series of recent letters to House and Senate leaders and the House and Senate Appropriations committees, as well as a letter sent in conjunction with numerous other health care organizations, to show support for funding that would give health care providers adequate resources amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

In addition, 2020 ENA President-elect Ron Kraus called on lawmakers to take action when he recently spoke on behalf of emergency nurses and other health care workers during a White House meeting of nursing leaders on March 18, while more than 14,000 letters from emergency nurses have been delivered to Congressional offices in just the last week after ENA put out a call-to-action to its members.

"As emergency nurses, we are prepared to face the challenge of COVID-19 head-on, all we have been asking for is the personal protective equipment and other resources needed to do so as safely as possible," said ENA President Mike Hastings, MSN, RN, CEN. "The signing of the CARES Act will provide front-line health care workers with the personal protective equipment and improved testing capabilities on the front line so we can continue our important work combatting this pandemic."

About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With 45,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

ENA Media Contact:

Dan Campana

Senior Manager, Communications

847-460-4017

[email protected]

SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.ena.org


China and the United States should "unite to fight" the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the globe, said President Xi Jinping in a call with his US counterpart on Friday, according to state media.

The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi told President Donald Trump that China "wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US," said state broadcaster CCTV.

The two leaders appeared to strike a conciliatory tone after Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angered Beijing this month by repeatedly referring to "the Chinese virus" when discussing the COVID-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Earlier this month a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing also suggested in a tweet that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

Friday's call also took place as the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus cases -- the pathogen has now infected more than 82,400 people in the world's largest economy.

Xi said Sino-US relations were at a "critical juncture", CCTV said, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and "the only right choice." "I hope that the US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations, and both sides can work together to strengthen cooperation in fighting the epidemic," he said.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Farmers have been encouraged to seek support if they need it as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on people's finances and mental wellbeing.

As each day passes, new challenges are presented to the industry including Covid-19 and the impact of the measures to control its spread.

The disease follows weeks of challenges from flooding and volatile markets, to the growing veganism and anti-meat agendas.

The Tenant Farmers' Association (TFA), one organisation urging farmers to seek help if they need it, said these challenges can lead to compromised mental health.

This can then have significant implications not only to themselves but their family and business.

The group said it is vital that farmers, like other industries, are properly supported and know how to access help when they need it.

"Identifying stress, and looking after your mental health, is incredibly important for every single person, especially in these uncertain times," TFA adviser, Adriana Vaux said.

At a time in which farmers are already seeing a negative impact on their income, now more than ever farmers need support, especially those who farm land they do not own."

Miss Vaux added that self-isolation and social distancing is going to be a huge part of people's daily lives for some time to come.

"While many in the UK are facing restrictions on their freedom, for once farmers have a huge advantage over many.

"They have the space around their holding to get on, and to some degree, carry on, said Miss Vaux.

Rural-based charities such as Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI), the the Farming Community Network, the Addington Fund and the DPJ Foundation offer support for those farmers in need.
[March 27, 2020] Williams Foundation Pledges $1 Million for Coronavirus Response and Community Recovery

Williams (NYSE: WMB) announced today that The Williams Foundation has pledged $1 million to provide community support during this unprecedented time of financial volatility and global health concern. "Not only does the coronavirus pandemic continue to create disruption in our communities, but we are also closely monitoring the collapse in oil prices and the potential fallout this will have in those communities whose livelihood comes from this industry," said Alan Armstrong, Williams President and CEO. "At Williams, we are fortunate to have a strong, resilient business, and strong, healthy communities are critical to our operational success. Now, more than ever, it is important for us to be there for our communities in this time of significant need. We recognize how critical first responders, non-profit organizations and schools are to the longevity and overall well-being of a community, and we want to ensure their ability to meet needs not only today, but in the long-term as well." Grants for community support will focus primarily on emergency response, food insecurity, health and human services and K-12 distance learning solutions for public schools. The Foundation also will support Williams' employees in making an impact, matching contributions to amplify their efforts. The Williams Foundation has established an intake form for grant requests on its website and encourages 501(c)3 organizations, first responders and K-12 schools to apply online. Grant requests will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and funded based on need and impact within the communities that Williams operates. To submit a grant request, please visit www.williams.com/community/community-giving.



In addressing the coronavirus pandemic, Armstrong said, "Safeguarding our people and neighbors is fundamental to everything we do during these challenging times. As a critical natural gas infrastructure provider, Williams maintains robust plans and contingencies to ensure business and operational continuity. Our employees are critical to safely operating our business, and we continue to make immediate changes to business practices to stay aligned with federal and state guidelines related to coronavirus." Among the actions Williams has taken to date:

Implementing telecommuting for those who can perform their duties remotely

Tightening controlled access restrictions to Pipeline Control centers and operations locations to only those who are absolutely business critical

Implementing social distancing principles and practices in addition to intensifying our observance of CDC good hygiene practices

Increasing sanitation cleaning frequency and intensity at our pipeline control areas, offices and facilities

Initiating a self-reporting process for any employee COVID-19 issue that arises and offering paid leave to employees who have a critical need related to COVID-19 About Williams

Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp with operations across the natural gas value chain including gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide - including Transco, the nation's largest volume and fastest growing pipeline - and handles approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use. www.williams.com About The Williams Foundation

The Williams Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3, was established in 1974 to help guide the company's community investments. The Foundation is overseen by a thoughtful and engaged board that advises on charitable giving across the 24 states where the company operates critical natural gas infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, The Williams Foundation has contributed more than $100 million to local youth activities, STEM education, workforce readiness efforts, conservation programs, parks, disaster relief and other initiatives that make communities stronger. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005065/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
"The biggest crisis" in Formula 1 history could result in a mass exodus of teams.

That is the dire warning of Frederic Vasseur, boss of the Alfa Romeo team formerly known as Sauber.

"This is the biggest crisis - I can't remember a situation in which Formula 1 was facing a bigger challenge," he told Canal Plus.

"We have already had to postpone a third of the planned races, which has never happened before. The coronavirus is a hard blow for the teams and we must act."

Indeed, eight races have already been cancelled or postponed, Canada and France are in doubt, and the global pandemic is raging in each of the other F1 venues on the original 2020 calendar.

"Formula 1 was also heavily burdened by the financial crisis of 2008," Vasseur said.

"There were three or four car manufacturers who left Formula 1 at the time and it is not wrong to think that this could happen again.

"Because if further races fail, then at some point no more money will flow from the proceeds of the TV rights. We have to look for solutions now," he insisted.

"If we don't find an appropriate response, it will be very difficult in the coming months."

F1's floated share price has collapsed, and F1 business journalist Christian Sylt is writing in the Telegraph that JP Morgan is worried Liberty Media could "breach" the covenants of almost $3 billion in debt.

"Everyone must now be clear that we are in the same boat," Vasseur continued.

"We now have to stick together very urgently, which is something the big teams haven't always understood.

"Fortunately, I currently see the will to do the right things here. The teams quickly agreed that we should postpone the new regulations. Decisions that would have been controversial three months ago are logical today.

"That is the way to go," Vasseur added. "Otherwise the survival of some teams is at stake. It will only work if everyone pulls together, that's the naked truth."

(GMM)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 17:49 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de8261 1 World COVID-19,Malaysia-lockdown,citizen-protection,Muhyiddin-Yassin,restriction Free

Indonesian citizens living in Malaysia have raised concerns about food supplies following the countrys decision to extend the nationwide lockdown until mid-April because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The nationwide movement restrictions, aimed at stemming the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 coronavirus, has been extended from March 31 to April 14, as the number of confirmed cases of the disease grows, the Strait Times reported.

In a televised speech from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Wednesday that the government decided on the two-week extension of border closures and shutdowns for nonessential businesses as the number of new COVID-19 infections "is expected to continue for a while before new cases begin to reduce".

Many Indonesian citizens have remained calm and followed the order, said Agung Cahaya Sumirat, the head of social and cultural information department at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

However, some of them also expressed concern to us regarding the limited food supplies, he said in a text message to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The lockdown had also prompted members of the Indonesian community, in cooperation with the embassy, to organize for aid to be sent to the affected Indonesians in Malaysia.

Aside from that, masks and hand sanitizers were also rare, Titi added, saying that she was depending only on the supplies she brought from Indonesia.

Simandjuntak Yosep Parulian, a 46-year-old IT consultant based in Kuala Lumpur, said he felt grateful that all was well for him so far. However, he said some of his Indonesian friends who worked in informal sectors were not as lucky as him.

I can still work from home and still buy daily needs, although each house is only allowed to send one person to go out, Yosep said in a text message to the Post on Thursday.

Main roads are blocked, and the police would give you tickets if you bring more than one person to go out from your house.

He also raised concern about the situation in the days ahead as the last time he went out to buy groceries he recalled that several items like bread, eggs and vegetables were hard to find, in addition to the masks and hand sanitizer that remained scarce in markets.

Malaysia has reported 2,031 confirmed cases, the highest in Southeast Asia, with 24 fatalities as of Thursday.
Relief goods

MANILA, Philippines  Most residents in Luzon are struggling to make ends meet under the strict implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Mass transport, work, and schools have been suspended for weeks now.

Supplies in every household are gradually depleting, if not completely consumed; thus, some residents are calling for assistance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the local government units (LGUs).

In dire need of help, residents in Minuyan Proper in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan reached out to UNTV.

They claimed that ever since the start of the national governments ECQ, no relief assistance has reached their place.

DILG Bulacan Provincial Director Darwin David, in an interview with UNTV, vowed to look into the matter though he explained that the local government might have been prioritizing residents who needed help the most.

May mga barangay po o municipality na inuuna siguro ang mga indigent o lalo na po yung walang-wala [There are barangays or municipalities who prioritizes indigents or those who are very, very poor], David said.

Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano is encouraging the public to report local officials who are requiring voters ID from constituents in exchange for quarantine pass and food packages.

The DILG Chief stressed this is not the time for politicking but the chance for local officials to prove to their constituents that they are worthy of the position that the public has entrusted them.

Walang pulitika dito ngayon kaya hindi mo kailangan ang voters ID [No need for voters ID because this is not the time for politics], Ano said.

Kung sino ang barangay captain na iyan, sabihin ninyo sa akin at iimbestigahan natin [Report that barangay captain to us so we can investigate], the official warned. MNP (with details from Rosalie Coz)

The post DILG to probe barangays requiring voter ID for relief goods appeared first on UNTV News.
Nespresso coffee - which is advertised by movie star George Clooney - has admitted to buying beans from three farms in Guatemala where child labour is used.

The admission comes after specialists probed the coffee giant's suppliers in the region.

The coffee maker said a team of 10 investigators had found three 'confirmed cases of child labour' on the 374 farms they visited in the region.

'Firm action has been taken,' it added.

Pictured: Movie star George Clooney in new Nespresso coffee advert. The actor, who has reportedly earned 31million as the brand's ambassador, said he was saddened after youngsters were filmed working eight-hour days on plantations for less than 5

A youngster was filmed picking coffee beans in Guatemala as part of a Channel 4 dispatches investigation earlier this month

The three farms have been struck off from its list of suppliers, said Nespresso, which is one of the world's biggest buyers of coffee.

However, the farms will return to its payroll when they can 'prove that they have resolved the situation', Nespresso said.

A Dispatches documentary last month allegedly showed children as young as 11 working on six Nespresso-supplying farms in Guatemala.

The documentary crew filmed children picking coffee beans or hauling sacks at a total of six farms which supply the coffee giant.

The company's experts visited all Nespresso's suppliers in the Fraijanes region of Guatemala.

A Dispatches documentary last month allegedly showed children as young as 11 working on six Nespresso-supplying farms in Guatemala (pictured)

They found three farms with child labour, but others where children were 'legitimately' helping out.

In a statement, the company said: 'Given that the allegations related to a period of school vacation, the investigators were particularly careful to distinguish between cases where children were helping their parents legitimately, mitigating the safety risks of leaving children unattended at home, and cases of child labour which contravene local and international standards, for which Nespresso has a clear zero-tolerance approach.'

The coffee maker has now laid out a six-point short-term plan to crack down on labour abuses in Guatemala.

It will double its team of experts, hire social workers to help families with children, and introduce spot checks and unannounced farm visits.

Chief executive Guillaume Le Cunff said: 'Child protection is critical for us. We are working closely with our partners in Guatemala and around the world to raise awareness and educate farmers and suppliers on the risks of child labour, and ensure we do everything we can to minimise the possibility of this happening in the future. This issue is, and always will be, a priority for us.'

Last month, Clooney pledged 'work will be done' after an investigation uncovered child labour at farms linked to the Nespresso coffee he advertises.

They found three farms with child labour, but others where children were 'legitimately' helping out. Pictured: One of the Guatemalan farms uncovered by Dispatches

The actor, who has reportedly earned 31million as the brand's ambassador, said he was saddened after youngsters were filmed working eight-hour days on plantations for less than 5.

The probe by Channel 4's Dispatches showed them doing up to six-day weeks picking beans and shifting heavy loads to weighing areas in Guatemala.

Nespresso, known for its stylish coffee machines and capsules, does not publicly list its supplier farms.

But Dispatches said it found information about suppliers in Guatemala, the world's tenth largest coffee producer. Reporters claim they were given access to farms located in remote regions and saw children working at all of them.

George Clooney has pledged 'work will be done' after an investigation uncovered child labour at farms linked to the Nespresso coffee he advertises

The Swiss coffee brand has previously claimed its beans come from ethical sources.

Clooney, who joined Nespresso's Sustainability Advisory Board in 2013, said: 'I was surprised and saddened to see this story. Clearly this board and this company still have work to do. And that work will be done.'

He added: 'Having grown up working on a tobacco farm from the time I was 12 I'm uniquely aware of the complex issues regarding farming and child labour.'

Clooney, who worked on his grandparents' tobacco farm in Kentucky during summer holidays, said he hoped Dispatches reporter Anthony Barnett, who revealed the evidence, 'will continue to investigate these conditions and report accurately if they do not improve'.

'The check and balance of good corporate responsibility lies not just with the company itself but also independent journalists like Mr Barnett to hold everyone's promise to account,' Clooney said.

The actor, 58, has been Nespresso's brand ambassador since 2006 and insisted he was 'enormously proud' of its work

The actor, who has reportedly earned 31million as the brand's ambassador, said he was saddened after youngsters were filmed working eight-hour days on plantations for less than 5 (file photo, Tena, Cundinamarca, Colombia)

The actor, 58, has been Nespresso's brand ambassador since 2006 and insisted he was 'enormously proud' of its work. He said he joined the advisory board and groups including the Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade International and the Fair Labour Association.

He added: 'The goal then, as it remains to this day, is to improve the lives of farmers. Make their farms more profitable. More sustainable. I'm enormously proud of the success of their efforts. They've improved the lives and livelihoods of thousands of farms all around the world.'

Nespresso chief executive Guillaume Le Cunff insisted it had 'zero tolerance of child labour' and promised to investigate. He said: 'It is unacceptable. Where there are claims that our high standards are not met, we act immediately.

'In this case, we've launched a thorough investigation to find out which farms were filmed and whether they supply Nespresso. We will not resume purchases of coffee from farms in this area until the investigation is closed.'

The Swiss coffee brand has previously claimed its beans come from ethical sources (pictured: Nespresso Pixie, Electric Lime)

Dispatches said Nespresso declined to give an interview.

Since its formation in 2000, the company has hired more than 13,000 staff in 76 countries and launched more than 700 boutique stores.

It is not the first time the brand has been accused of forced labour. An investigation by Reuters in December found coffee produced by forced labour in Brazil was stamped slavery-free by certification schemes and sold at a premium to firms like Nespresso.

Dispatches is on Monday at 8pm on Channel 4.

A statement from Nespresso reads: 'Nespresso has zero tolerance of child labour. It is unacceptable. Where there are claims that our high standards are not met, we act immediately. In this case, we were informed by a UK media outlet that they had identified instances of child labor on six farms in a region of Guatemala.

'The media outlet refused to provide us with the details of the farms so that we could confirm whether they supplied Nespresso and immediately address these allegations. However, we have launched a thorough investigation and taken a number of actions.

'First and foremost, we have immediately stopped purchases of coffee from all farms in the region and we will not resume purchases until we are able to investigate and be assured that child labour is not being used.

'Through the investigation, any issues we uncover will be dealt with diligently and firm action will be taken.

'We will also double the number of agronomists that we have on the ground in the region and we will implement unannounced visits to check on compliance on social and labour issues.

'All of these actions are on top of our ongoing direct work with farmers and partners in the region and around the world.

'We work with Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International to reinforce good working practices and fair treatment of workers, including education on the risks of child labour.

'In fact, all of the farms in the cooperatives in this region of Guatemala are Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade certified.

'We invest heavily in this effort; in 2019, our 400 agronomists made over 170,000 farm visits and trainings across the world, including 60,000 detailed on farm sustainability assessments.

'This was backed up by more than 3,300 third party verification farm audits.

'We will continue to do all we can to stamp child labour out. It has no place in our supply chain.

'We are extremely concerned by the allegations made and take them very seriously. We are making significant efforts to address child labor and protect the children in the coffee farming communities we work with, and we will continue to do so.'
In 2016 Jichun Hu was appointed CEO of China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (HKG:658). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid.

View our latest analysis for China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group

How Does Jichun Hu's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

At the time of writing, our data says that China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. has a market cap of HK$6.4b, and reported total annual CEO compensation of CN2.5m for the year to December 2018. Notably, the salary of CN2.4m is the vast majority of the CEO compensation. We examined companies with market caps from CN2.8b to CN11b, and discovered that the median CEO total compensation of that group was CN3.4m.

Now let's take a look at the pay mix on an industry and company level to gain a better understanding of where China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group stands. On an industry level, roughly 84% of total compensation represents salary and 16% is other remuneration. China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group pays a high salary, concentrating more on this aspect of compensation in comparison to non-salary pay.

That means Jichun Hu receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. While this data point isn't particularly informative alone, it gains more meaning when considered with business performance. You can see, below, how CEO compensation at China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group has changed over time.

SEHK:658 CEO Compensation March 27th 2020

Is China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. Growing?

Over the last three years China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. has shrunk its earnings per share by an average of 42% per year (measured with a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 20% over the last year.

Story continues

Few shareholders would be pleased to read that earnings per share are lower over three years. While the revenue growth is good to see, it is outweighed by the fact that earnings per share are down, over three years. So given this relatively weak performance, shareholders would probably not want to see high compensation for the CEO. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings.

Has China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. Been A Good Investment?

Given the total loss of 53% over three years, many shareholders in China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group Co., Ltd. are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. This suggests it would be unwise for the company to pay the CEO too generously.

In Summary...

Remuneration for Jichun Hu is close enough to the median pay for a CEO of a similar sized company .

The company isn't growing EPS, and shareholder returns have been disappointing. Few would argue that it's wise for the company to pay any more, before returns improve. Shifting gears from CEO pay for a second, we've spotted 4 warning signs for China High Speed Transmission Equipment Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 14:12:31|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison announced that everyone who arrives in the country from Sunday onwards will be forced into quarantine for two weeks.

Amid growing concerns over arrivals not abiding by existing quarantine measures, Morrison on Friday afternoon said all passengers who arrive in the country will be subjected to mandatory quarantine in hotels.

The new strict measures will be coordinated by state and territory governments and enforced by the Australian Defence Force.

Morrison said approximately two thirds of Australia's confirmed cases of COVID-19 could be attributed to people who have recently returned from overseas.

States and territories will be quarantining all arrivals through airports in hotels and other accommodation facilities for the two weeks of their mandatory self-isolation before they are able to return to their home, he said.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Australia has surpassed 3,000, while the death toll has risen from eight to 13 in two days.

Morrison said he will announce a third stage of economic stimulus measures in the coming days, which would include a plan to "hibernate" businesses to help those being shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The previous two stages' stimulus package is worth a combined 83.6 billion Australian dollars (50.9 billion U.S. dollars).
It looks like Haitian International Holdings Limited (HKG:1882) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 4 days. This means that investors who purchase shares on or after the 31st of March will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 17th of April.

Haitian International Holdings's next dividend payment will be HK$0.19 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed HK$0.36 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Haitian International Holdings stock has a trailing yield of around 2.8% on the current share price of HK$14.14. 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! 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 Haitian International 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. Fortunately Haitian International Holdings's payout ratio is modest, at just 33% of profit. 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. Luckily it paid out just 24% of its free 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:1882 Historical Dividend Yield March 26th 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. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see Haitian International Holdings earnings per share are up 6.0% per annum over the last five years. Management have been reinvested more than half of the company's earnings within the business, and the company has been able to grow earnings with this retained capital. Organisations that reinvest heavily in themselves typically get stronger over time, which can bring attractive benefits such as stronger earnings and dividends.

Story continues

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Haitian International Holdings has delivered an average of 16% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past ten 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.

To Sum It Up

Should investors buy Haitian International Holdings for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share growth has been growing somewhat, and Haitian International 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. We would prefer to see earnings growing faster, but the best dividend stocks over the long term typically combine significant earnings per share growth with a low payout ratio, and Haitian International Holdings is halfway there. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

While it's tempting to invest in Haitian International Holdings for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. For example - Haitian International Holdings has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
'Much respect', tweets the US president after Beijing protests stigmatisation

US president Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at the White House on March 26, 2020, in Washington, DC. (AFP)

New Delhi: Just a couple of days after he upset Beijing by pointedly calling the coronavirus the Chinese virus, US president Donald Trump said Friday he had a very good conversation with Chinese president Xi Jinping and praised China, adding that both countries were working together amid much respect.

Trump made these remarks after a G-20 Extraordinary Virtual Summit in which leaders did not discuss the origins of the virus nor Chinas initial handling of the crisis when the epidemic first broke out in Wuhan.

The US is currently reeling under the coronavirus pandemic and there are fears it may become the new epicentre of the dreaded virus.

Just finished a very good conversation with president Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much and has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect! US president Trump tweeted.

China had on Wednesday lashed out at its critics and said it had neither created the (corona)virus nor intentionally transmitted it, adding that to call it the Chinese virus was absolutely wrong.

Beijing had also claimed there is no evidence that China is the source of the virus that caused the Covid-19 (coronavirus) although Wuhan city in China first reported the outbreak.

On the G-20 virtual summit on Thursday, which was held by video-conferencing, sources had earlier said that discussions between leaders were in a collaborative spirit and that there were no discussions on the origin of the crisis. Sources had also said the focus was on how to mitigate the crisis and that it was the best illustration of global cooperation.

It may be recalled that angered over US President Trumps initial use of the term Chinese virus, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had spoken to Indias external affairs minister S. Jaishankar ahead of the G-20 Summit to drum up support and had conveyed that China should not be stigmatised and that India should oppose such a narrow mindset.
SAGINAW, MI  Raquel Centellas is getting closer to the finish line in a competition that could make her the next cover girl of Inked Magazine.

Voters have propelled Centellas, the owner of Drunken Monkey Tattoo Shop in Saginaw, to the quarterfinals of the nationwide contest.

If Centellas wins, in addition to being on the cover of the national magazine, shell also win a grand prize of $25,000 and a trip to join celebrity photographer Christopher Kolk for an exclusive cover shoot.

Im pretty surprised, but it feels nice to have my community behind me, Centellas said of her success in the competition so far. Right now, this $25,000 could do a lot for us.

Like other tattoo shops in Michigan, Centellas said she has had to temporarily close her business due to an order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer designed to slow the spread of coronavirus.

This could be a chance to recoup and bring a little hope into Saginaw, Centellas said.

The business owner has said she wants to win the competition to represent a community of people who have tattoos and invest the $25,000 back into her business.

Centellas tattoos make up two half sleeves on her arms and legs, a full chest sternum piece and an armpit piece.

Centellas will find out soon if she advances to the semifinals.

To vote for Centellas, visit here.

Related news:

Saginaw tattoo shop owner competing to be Inked Magazine cover girl

Business that helps women grow their money wins Saginaw pitch competition
Its a girl! Carson Daly of the Today Show and The Voice and wife Siri welcomed their newest addition to the family on March 26. Calling in to the NBC morning news program, Daly gave some details on his infant daughters name and what it was like bringing a baby into the world amidst the coronavirus crisis.

Siri Pinter and Today Shows Carson Daly | David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Dalys Insta announcement

Joining siblings London Rose, 5 1/2, Etta Jones, 7 1/2, and Jackson James, 11, Goldie Patricia Daly was born at 4:08 p.m. weighing 8.2 pounds and measuring 20 inches long. In his Instagram announcement, Daly paid tribute to the countless members of the medical staff that are working tirelessly through the countrys pandemic.

The Daly family wants to send a special shout out to the incredibly brave & selfless medical staff at our hospital in New York and also the many courageous people on the front lines of this dreadful virus, he wrote, alongside a pic of himself and Siri in masks, with baby Goldie (whom they call Go Go) in her moms arms.

We thank God not only for the safe birth of our daughter, but for their tireless work attending to so many in need, Daly shared. It is a bittersweet event for us as we are extremely grateful, but also mindful of this unparalleled time in our history. We appreciate your well wishes and ask that you join us in praying for the many suffering around the world. God Bless you all.

Their pot of Goldie

In a video call on the Today Show, Daly updated his pals and co-anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker on the special event and explained why they chose the colorful moniker for their baby girl, which they thought of on St. Patricks Day.

We had a shortlist of names that we liked but nothing was sitting its neck out. And I thought about it and I said, You know, this is our fourth kid. She seems like a pot of gold at the end of our family rainbow, he revealed, as reported by People. I told Siri, What do you think about Goldie Patricia? And that was it. It was just one of those things, we knew.

Goldies middle name, Patricia, is in honor of Dalys mother, who passed away in September 2017 due to a heart attack. It would have been my moms birthday tomorrow, so that worked out to be quite nice, he added.

"I was looking at Irish names on St. Patrick's Day morning and I stumbled on Goldieand she seems like the pot of gold at the end of our family rainbow," says #CarsonDaly on naming baby Goldie. pic.twitter.com/nuwjUxxLij  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 27, 2020

Delivering amidst dire times

During Dalys call with his colleagues, he praised his wife for her courage and tenacity in having to deliver their child under such stressful and unprecedented times.

I wake up today just really, profoundly moved by two things on my mind, he said, according to Today.com. Number one is the strength of my wife. I mean, watching her over the last 48 hours  not to mention during this pregnancy  but being nine months pregnant at this time, you can imagine the extra anxiety that it brought.

With many expectant parents having to drastically change birthing plans and some moms having to face delivery alone due to the current pandemic, Daly was grateful he was able to be there when Goldie entered the world.

I dropped (Siri) off at the hospital, because the hospitals in and around New York, as you can imagine, have new guidelines, he shared. She went alone on Wednesday night. I could only join her for the birth, and then I had to leave again.

The experience made the father of four marvel at his wifes resilience and bravery. Her heroism  shes a superstar, shes a superhero. I wake up enamored by her.

Congratulations to the Daly family!
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.
Many of the patients being treated in the coronavirus hotspot of Lee County had a common last public setting, a hospital says. A sizable number of them were at church.

In a statement Thursday night, East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika repeated a request for churches to stop meeting in conventional fashion, a step that would help slow the spread of the deadly virus. The hospital said Lee County has spiked from 1 positive case on March 15 to 47 cases less than two weeks later.

Thats the third-most cases of any Alabama County behind much larger counties Jefferson (169 cases) and Shelby (53). [See the states latest numbers]

Related: Alabamas new coronavirus hot spot: Auburn area

The number of people hospitalized has more than doubled since Tuesday, surging from 7 to 15 by Thursday night while another 24 patients are hospitalized with suspected COVID-19 cases, the statement said. One patient hospitalized for the coronavirus has been discharged.

"While there are no absolute patterns among the 47 confirmed cases in Lee County, one nugget of information does stand out a little -- the last public setting for a sizable number of them was at church," the hospital statement said. "Not at one church, or churches in one town, but at church in general.

"While many churches have moved to online services onlyor cancelled church services altogether in the interimthere are reports that some still met as recently as last Sunday."

The hospital did not identify any specific church.

Such meetings are counter to the prescribed public health policy of groups of people coming together  summarized in the now-familiar phrase of "social distancing." The virus is easily transmitted between people and keeping a distance provides a buffer designed to slow the spread.

The hospital declared itself a hot spot Wednesday in having the third-most positive cases of any Alabama county despite having much smaller populations than the two counties. By population, Jefferson County (which has 169 cases) has 300 percent more people than Lee County and Shelby County (which has 53 cases) has 32 percent more people.

Close behind Lee County with 43 cases, Madison County has 126 percent more people.

An elimination of in-person church services might help stem the flow of positive cases, the hospital said.

We again are asking that church members please not gather until our region has been deemed safe for group activities, the hospital statement said. Please find alternate ways to worship and stay together as a church without congregating.

Another 18 positive cases from three surrounding areas that the hospital services pushes the Auburn-area total to 65.
Oversight officials and advocates say the health of inmates should be a priority in efforts to contain the coronavirus.

United States Attorney General William Barr on Thursday recommended the release of at-risk inmates to home confinement for the remainder of their sentences, signalling that calls to release prisoners to limit the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus are being heard at the federal level.

Barr said federal authorities should prioritise the release of at-risk inmates, including those with pre-existing conditions and the elderly, including the roughly 10,000 federal inmates over the age of 60, groups that preliminary data shows are more severely affected by the coronavirus.

While this is a positive step, it is just the first, according to Michael Mendoza, national director of #cut50, a bipartisan effort to cut crime and incarceration in the US.

I commend the attorney general, Mendoza told Al Jazeera. It will save lives. But more needs to be done.

Slow down the spread

Mendoza spent 22 years in prison for his involvement in a gang-related murder  being incarcerated in an adult prison at the age of 17  before being paroled in 2014 from a California prison.

Federal prisons, which house roughly 145,000 inmates, have security levels between one and five. Mendoza did time at prisons between the levels of two and five, and the health and hygiene of these locales was poor, he said.

When asked if the coronavirus could be stopped inside the prison system, Mendoza replied: No, but you can slow down the spread.

Mendoza lauded efforts made by officials in California and echoed across the US, such as the screening of staff for coronavirus symptoms before they enter prisons and free phone calls.

For people inside prisons, communication with loved ones is a significant help, Mendoza said.

As most prison and jail systems have cancelled visitations while the pandemic continues, simply knowing your family is ok  is a lot for someones emotional and mental wellbeing. Stress also compromises your immune system.

Still, requests for medical attention can take up to two weeks to be answered, which could be a death sentence for inmates whose immune systems are compromised, and basic hygienic items like soap are in short supply.

Mendoza hopes federal and state officials can continue to expand policies like free phone calls and providing accurate information through prison televisions, while addressing systemic issues like healthcare for incarcerated people.

Minor violations

The US has a complex system of prisons and jails, administered on the national, state and local levels. New York City has made headlines for its efforts to release incarcerated individuals on the local level as it assumes the role of the epicentre of the pandemics spread in the US.

Officials in New York City released 200 inmates from jails on Thursday, with another 175 planned for release, bringing the number of incarcerated in the city down to levels not seen since World War II.

None of us expected this crisis, but one thing that has come out of it is that our jail population has continued to decline, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Even as the citys jail population reaches historic lows, [c]ollectively we think the mayor should be doing more, said Dr Robert Cohen, a member of the New York City Board of Correction, a nine-person, nonjudicial oversight board that regulates, monitors and inspects the correctional facilities in the city.

At least 58 New York Department of Corrections (DOC) employees had tested positive for coronavirus along with 73 inmates in DOC facilities as of Thursday, the New York Post reported.

Releasing more inmates who have committed violations such as parole violations  and more closely considering who qualifies for at-risk groups  could help, Cohen told Al Jazeera.

The fewer people there are in jails and prisons  the slower the virus will spread in those populations, and the slower it will spread outside through staff who go home at night, Cohen added.

Those who have been released thus far are basically persons who have city sentences for minimal crimes, Cohen explained.

About 1,000 more prisoners at Rikers Island, one of the first facilities in the US to have a confirmed case of coronavirus among the inmate population, are behind bars for low-risk infractions such as parole violations, Cohen said.

Cohen, who worked on Rikers Island and has overseen medical care for prisoners in Florida, Ohio, New York State, Michigan, and Connecticut, warned that the health of inmates is different from that of the general population.

Local jails often house lower-risk people, including those who cant make bail in pretrial detention [Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo]

Regarding US Attorney General William Barrs comments on those over 60 years old, Cohen said incarcerated people over 50 are generally quite old.

By the age of 50, people on average have three or four continuing health risks and can be on up to seven medications, according to data, the doctor explained. Life is more difficult behind bars, and that takes a toll.

Cohen and Mendoza said that steps should be taken to release as many inmates as safely possible for communities.

But governments are not inclined to move quickly, Cohen continued, noting that New York Citys mayor cannot make the decisions on his own and must confer with governors and jail officials.

Still, urgency is important, he said.

The US is way into this thing. Every day for the next period, if it doesnt get better, its going to get worse. For prisons and jails, its important to act as soon as possible.
Several vehicles meant for



essential service and emergency use were intercepted in neighbouring Navi Mumbai carrying people leaving for their hometowns despite a ban on such travel under lockdown norms in place for the novel coronavirus outbreak, police said on Friday.

These vehicles were intercepted on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, an official said.

"A Kalamboli police team nabbed 10 vehicles going via Mumbai-Pune Expressway carrying almost 90 people, including women and children. In one case, a tempo with a 'milk service' board was found carrying 20-25 people to Pune. An ambulance and a fruit transport vehicle were also caught ferrying people," he said.

"We have taken action under IPC, the Epidemic Diseases Act and Motor Vehicles Act," Satish Gaikwad, Senior Inspector of Kalamboli police station said.

A tempo was also caught near Mulund checkpost ferrying people illegally, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"How will we vote? How will we register others to vote? How do we canvass [neighborhoods for a candidate]?" Jewett asks. "This could affect the outcome of November's presidential election and that election could affect the country for a very long time." Louisiana has emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot with one of the world's fastest growth rates for confirmed infections. Within a week, the state went from reporting fewer than 100 cases to nearly 1,400 on Tuesday. Even before Louisiana's exponential growth rates were recorded, on March 13, Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards ordered the state's April 4 primary election postponed until June 20. Ten other states and territories have since followed suit in delaying their primaries. Many Louisiana voters say they understand the need to protect public health, while some also note that their voice in the primary process effectively has been muzzled.

Lauren Jewett is a special education teacher in Louisiana, the first state to announce the postponement of its Democratic primary due to coronavirus. She is concerned issues could linger all the way to November's general election in which President Donald Trump will face the eventual Democratic nominee.

With much of America on partial lockdown, the coronavirus pandemic is altering nearly every aspect of people's daily lives. The pathogen is also having an immediate and possibly permanent impact on how the nation chooses its leaders.

 The Decision to Postpone



"Postponing the primaries was absolutely the right thing to do, given the circumstances," says voter Ernesto Noguera. "People's lives and health have to be the top priority." New Orleans voter Marielle Pichon adds, "My only frustration is that other states like Arizona, Florida and Illinois went forward with their elections. That feels irresponsible."

Tyler Brey, press secretary for Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, tells VOA that Louisiana officials weren't focused on what other states were doing. "We made our decision based solely on the safety of our state's voters," he explains, "and that includes our poll workers -- many of which are above the age of 65 and most in danger." Brey notes that Louisiana opted to postpone the primary before early voting had begun in the state, saying, "We weren't yet in the middle of an election, and we didnt want to halt one after it started."



State law includes a provision for the postponement of elections. The secretary of state can communicate an emergency to the governor, who, in turn, can issue an executive order to postpone. Brey says Ardoin, a Republican, began that process after examining other voting options, such as conducting an election via mail-in, or absentee ballots. "I don't think people realize all that goes into that process," Brey says. "There wasn't enough time to get ballots printed, to get the proper envelopes, to get them sent out to voters and to have them returned."



While the Republican Party's nomination of Trump for another term in office is a foregone conclusion, the Democratic presidential contest was, until recent weeks, wide open. Even now, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders remains in the race despite former Vice President Joe Biden's seemingly insurmountable lead in delegates to the Democratic National Convention in mid-July.

Postponing primaries not only erodes voters' impact on the nominating contest, it has the potential to hobble states' participation at the convention.



 Consequences



Current Democratic National Committee (DNC) rules dictate that all nominating contests must be completed by June 9 and that all delegate rosters must be submitted by June 20 -- nearly four weeks before the start of the Democratic National Convention in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.



DNC rules state that missing the deadlines could result in a state losing half of its votes on the convention floor. A spokesperson for the DNC says their Rules and Bylaws Committee is examining the rule in light of extraordinary circumstances brought about by COVID-19, but that no decision has been made on whether to suspend the stipulation.



The prospect of losing representation at the national convention after postponing the primary contest is disheartening to many Democratic voters in Louisiana, especially given that Trump is heavily favored to carry the state in November.

Voter Pichon says she feels that choosing the Democratic nominee is the only area in which she has a real voice in deciding who becomes president. "I don't feel like I have a say in November's election," she says, noting that America's electoral college system awards all delegates from a state to the candidate who wins that state's popular vote. "In the primary, though, margins matter. Every vote counts towards gaining delegates." Pichon adds, "Cutting our delegates in half due to a pandemic is disenfranchising."



 Working Toward Solutions



"We've heard quite a bit from voters who wonder why we don't have access to other voting methods like mail-in voting or an absentee ballot system," Brey says. "It's something we're definitely looking at now, but it's not something we'd have ready for June's primary."



Many voting rights organizations say they appreciate the challenges states face planning for elections during a pandemic. At the same time, they are pushing states to ensure democratic participation is not curtailed.



"State officials are making incredibly complicated decisions trying to prioritize public health while protecting democratic processes," says Caren Short, senior staff attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Center. "What has been made abundantly clear by this crisis is the importance of providing options for voters who cannot register in person or vote in person on election day at their polling place."

Short says measures should include online and same-day voter registration, expanded early voting to avoid large and crowded waits, expanded vote-by-mail and absentee ballot programs, the recruitment of poll-workers from less at-risk populations and curbside voting.

Late Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed an economic bill that provides $400 million to help states prepare for elections during the pandemic. A coalition of more than 150 local and national organizations led by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Humans Rights, believes much more is necessary, requesting $2 billion to make voting safer and easier for all.

"If our government officials fail to act, voters may have to choose between their health and their vote come November," Short says, "and no one should have to make that choice."


Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but...
The Sunyani East Municipal Security Council (MISEC)is undertaking rigid enforcement exercise in the Municipality to push residents to comply with the Presidential directives on the COVID-19.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed that all public gatherings such as religious activities, conferences, workshops and funerals be suspended for four weeks, a move to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.



The MISEC at a meeting on Wednesday said it had received information that some churches and drinking bars in the Municipality were defying the Presidential orders.



The Council said it would from Thursday, March 26, intensify monitoring to apprehend and prosecute offenders.



Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, disclosed when she interacted with Managers of radio stations and some selected Journalists at a meeting in Sunyani to rally the support of the media in controlling the spread of the COVID-19 in the Municipality.



She said the MISEC had formed a taskforce made up of personnel from the Police, Military, Fire and Immigration Services, which would go round the Municipality to enforce the ban.



Mad. Owusu-Banahene indicated that the Presidential directive was taken as a measure to protect the general public and in the supreme interest of the nation and therefore advised residents to comply or face the full rigours of the law.



She emphasised the vital role of the media in the fight against the COVID 19 spread, and appealed to practitioners to support the Assembly in that direction.



Dr. Paulina Appiah, the Sunyani Municipal Director of Health, appealed to the media and the general public to desist from stigmatizing and discriminating against people suspected or infected by the COVID-19.



She said public stigma had the potential to spread the COVID-19, because people who showed symptoms would hide and fail to report to health facilities for fear of stigmatization.



Dr. Appiah explained that if a person was self-quarantined, it did not mean that he or she had the disease, until tested and proved positive and called on the media to help educate and dispel the wrong perception the public had about the COVID-19.



She said the Ghana Health Service and the World Health Organisation were the reliable sources of information on the COVID-19, and advised the media to always endeavour to crosscheck their facts from the two organisations.



Mr. Benjamin Kyere, the Sunyani Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) indicated that the COVID-19 was a huge national health burden, and required concerted and decisive efforts to tackle.



He entreated the media to allocate airtime and sensitize their listeners, viewers and readers on the COVID-19 to avert its spread.



As part of your social responsibility, we are pleading with you to take the lead and champion the advocacy on the COVID-19 to curtail the spread of the disease, Mr. Kyere added.

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
Five members of a family, including three children, tested positive for COVID-19 in West Bengal on Friday, taking the number of such cases in the state to 15, a senior health official said.

Among the five are a nine-month-old baby, a six-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy, and two women aged 27 and 45, he said.

The 27-year-old woman had come in contact with a person from the UK who recently tested positive, the official added.

The woman is from Tehatta in West Bengal's Nadia district but now lives in Uttarakhand, he said.

"The person is studying in the UK and was kept in quarantine in New Delhi after he had returned from abroad. But he violated quarantine protocol and came to Tehatta to participate in a family function there. The woman came in contact with the person who tested positive for coronavirus and is now undergoing treatment in a hospital in Delhi," the official said.

The matter unfolded after the 27-year-old woman, mother of the nine-month-old baby, and the six-year-old girl visited a clinic in Tehatta with coronavirus-like symptoms.

The 45-year-old is the mother of the 11-year-old boy.

"Eight members of the family have been quarantined since March 23 at an isolation centre there in Nadia. Today, five among them tested positive for COVID-19," the health department official said.

The five are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nadia district and will be brought to Kolkata on Saturday in a specialised ambulance meant to carry COVID-19 patients, the official said.

The health department officials have identified 18 people in the neighbourhood of the family and put them in isolation.

"We will also conduct tests on them," he said.

The state health department on Friday conducted tests on 33 suspected people and the reports are awaited.

Of the 15 suffering from the disease in the state, one had died and an elderly patient is in a critical condition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Ron Kampeas

WASHINGTON (JTA)Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have much in common when it comes to policy and style.

They stand together in recommending tough action to contain Iran, and are comfortable dealing with autocracies (Saudi Arabia) and increasingly nationalist democracies (Hungary, India). Netanyahu has fervently embraced idioms identified with Trump, like fake news and deep state.

But when it comes to how they are both handling the coronavirus, its night and day.

Netanyahus public statements have been clear and packed with detail. Trumps press conferences have been wild rides, with the president often seeming like he and the government he leads are on different pages.

Its something we have tremendous control of, Trump said of the virus on Sunday. A few minutes later, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said, The worst is yet ahead for us.

Netanyahus government launched containment measures in the last week of February, put into place strict restrictions on public gatherings and shut down schools. The prime minister has been unstinting and even prescient in describing the dimensions of the crisis.

I say crisis but it must be understood that we are in the midst of a global pandemic, Netanyahu said in remarks March 4 after meeting with top emergency service officials. They do not call it this but this is the truth and it needs to be said. It could be that it is among the most dangerous of such pandemics in the past 100 years.

A week later, on March 11, the World Health Organization made its official determination: the virus is a pandemic.

Trump, who did not declare a national emergency until last Friday, has contradicted top U.S. officials and understated the dimensions of the threat. On March 4, as Netanyahu was calling the virus a pandemic, Trump was telling Sean Hannity on Fox News Channel, Now, and this is just my hunch, andbut based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this. Because a lot of people will have this and its very mild. Theyll get better very rapidly.

The president suggested people with the virus should continue working.

Netanyahu has warned Israelis to restrain their famous tendencies to express affection.

We love to embrace. We love to shake hands, he said last week. We love to kiss. No more.

At Netanyahus appearances, his top officials maintain a healthy social distance from one another.

In contrast, at the rollout last Friday of the national emergency declaration, Trump kept shaking hands with the captains of industry he had assembled and who were standing shoulder to shouldera no-no for anyone exposed to the virus, as Trump has been in his meetings with foreign dignitaries.

How did two peas break out of their cozy pod in such drastically divergent ways?

Trump has a bigger headache

I have many criticisms of Trumps handling before and during the crisis, but some of the elements are due to Israels size and location, said Daniel Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Israel during the Obama administration who has endorsed former Vice President Joe Bidens presidential run.

David Makovsky, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think tank with close ties to the Israeli and U.S. governments, pointed out that Israel has only one major port of entry, Ben Gurion International Airport. Additionally, Israel has long experience shutting out its neighborsits in a war zone.

To gain control of that airport is more manageablewe have airports and [open] borders all over, Makovsky said.

Another factor is the utility of Israels centralized bureaucracy in a crisis, as opposed to the devolved federal system in the United States, which relies more on local and state authorities for emergency services.

Netanyahu also leads a population that through decades of war has become accustomed to tradeoffs between civil liberties and security. A similar tension has been in play in the United States since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but Israelis are more habituated to making the sacrifice, Makovsky said.

This is not unprecedented for Israelis, he said. Theyre used to ceding to the state emergency powers.

The Deep State isnt always so bad

Netanyahu and Trump have both reviled what they depict as entrenched bureaucracies bent on frustrating their agendas and launching unmerited investigations.

Trump, a true outsider when he won the presidency, may genuinely fear the deep state he imagines, but Netanyahu, a longtime diplomat who has spent more years of his adulthood on the government payroll than off it, knows how to use the bureaucracy.

Netanyahu is experienced in the workings of government, he is strategic in understanding how to use resources, apply them across a policy and to communicate to the public, Shapiro said. You see in this case the experience, the knowledge and the appreciation of the mechanics of government he runs. Thats exactly the opposite of how Trump behaves. Trump has been dismissive of expertise in his government, he has sought to downplay the crisis when it needed strong coordinated leadership.

Its a cultural difference, too

Netanyahu has at least since his enlistment in the Israeli army been part of a national culture that mandates teamwork. Trump, who avoided the draft, has for his entire adult life been calling the shots as a boss in a society that lionizes individualism and private enterprise.

Netanyahu loves telling stories about his time with a top commando unit, with an emphasis on the camaraderie and team building he enjoyed. Trumps stories as president often involve the praise hes received from people who call him sir.

Netanyahus business training led to a career as a consultantwhich requires listening and recommendations. Trump expects to be listened to and has little time for counsel other than his own.

Netanyahu has fashioned a political brand around the pitch that he is the only leader who can keep Israel safe in a dangerous neighborhoodv a proposition that assumes threats will arrive. And in dealing with them, Netanyahu insists a disciplined communal response is needed.

I would like to express appreciation for the citizens of Israel for their exceptional conduct, which is helping us to slow the pace of the spreading, he said on Sunday at the outset of the weekly Cabinet meeting.

Trump on the other hand, promised to make America great again, insisting that American carnage would make way for beautifuland that the way to get there, as he famously put it on the night he was nominated in 2016, is I alone can do it.

Its two different systems, Shapiro said, one where people learn teamwork early on, crisis response early on, where people learn to be creative and think outside the box when faced with real-time challenges, sometimes with life and death consequences.
JERUSALEM (JTA)In late February, I flew to Long Island to help my 77-year-old mom following her knee replacement surgery.

I arrived in the United States with the remnants of a mild winter cold, a slight cough and runny nosenothing I was concerned about. I spent most of my time at my parents home, save the occasional outing and a shiva call at the home of a friend whose husband had just passed away.

On the flight home, I had a hard time sleeping, which is not unusual for me on a transatlantic flight. I returned to Israel with a headache, which I presumed was from the lack of sleep.

I wasnt mandated to quarantine once I returned to Israel, but I thought that was the best option since I wasnt feeling well.

Im glad I made that decision. The following morning, my cough was worse, and my husband suggested I get tested for the coronavirus, even though I didnt have a fever.

I am a speech therapist who works with children with special needs, and because I work with many children who have compromised immune systems, I decided to check it out. I called Magen David Adom, the Israeli ambulance service, and told them my symptoms and that Id just returned from abroad. They said a doctor would get back to me within a few hours.

After a few hours, a paramedic called to say that he would be there in seven minutes. I was instructed to be ready, have a work surface cleared and be sitting on the couch. The medics swabbed my throat and nostrils.

The following day, I received a call from a representative of the Ministry of Health to tell me I had tested positive.

This sequence of events might be surprising to my friends and family in the United States, where tests are not readily available. It was certainly shocking to me. I couldnt believe the results and kept repeating, What did you say?

They immediately wanted the details of my flights and where Id been since returning, but I was too shaken to answer. I handed the phone to my husband, Steve, and he gave them all the information they needed.

I was told I would be hospitalized at Hadassah Medical Organizations Ein Kerem campus in Jerusalem. A security guard phoned me and asked me to call as I approached the hospital so that someone could meet me and accompany me to the segregated facility.

I was the fourth coronavirus patient to arrive at Hadassah Hospital. I am sharing a room with two caregivers from a local facility for the elderly. I have now been here for seven days, and am among the first COVID-19 patients being transferred to the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv, which the army has converted to an isolation facility for patients.

The doctors and nurses here are caring, compassionate and professionalalthough its hard to get used to a team approaching you in full protective gear. Dr. Ran Nir-Paz, Hadassah Hospitals infectious disease expert, met with each of us and spoke to us through a sealed window about the virus and addressed our concerns.

Most communication with hospital staff is conducted via an intercom and a one-way camera the medical staff see us, but we dont see them. When the medical team makes its rounds, we are all notified to put on our masks before anyone enters. I also got to see one of my daughters, a doctoral student in pharmacology at Hadassah Hospital, through a small glass window in the door when she dropped off some supplies I needed. We waved and blew kisses to one another; it made my day.

In order to trace where and when I could have contracted and spread the coronavirus during my trip, I reviewed my visit to the United States with Dr. Nir-Paz. Its possible I was exposed to the virus or to someone asymptomatic in the shiva house while making a condolence call. But I dont think I will ever know for sure and at this point it doesnt matter.

I had developed a fever and am taking medication, but mostly Im disturbed by my sleep patterns. If I wake up at 2 or 3 a.m., I make contact with my family in New York.

Im worried about my parents, who were exposed to the coronavirus. My mother has a cough and was tested, but my 81-year-old fathers doctors said he didnt need to be tested because he isnt coughing.

My husband is in quarantine at our home in Israel. Our four adult children are not allowed to visit.

Its hard to know what to expect, as we are living through history in the making. Even the doctors dont have all the answers on how to treat this new disease. Its anxiety-provoking, but I know Im in a good place. With Gods help and continued difficult changes to all of our lives to slow the coronavirus spread, we will all get through this.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
A week ago, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister bragged his government would still deliver on a promised PST cut, and spoke confidently about its financial preparedness to withstand a pandemic.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A week ago, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister bragged his government would still deliver on a promised PST cut, and spoke confidently about its financial preparedness to withstand a pandemic.

Seven days later, the premier said the provincial sales tax would remain at its current level, a planned carbon tax would be deferred, and the province will need to borrow up to $5 billion to get through the next year.

The sudden reversal is indicative of the harsh economic consequences COVID-19 is having on governments of every level.

Pallister said Thursday the financial challenges "may be without precedent" in Manitoba.

"The gap between the revenues that were coming in and what's coming in now is enormous, and the need to borrow additional money is enormous," Pallister told a conference call with reporters.

He said the province's rainy day fund  budgeted earlier this month to climb to $872 million this year  could be wiped out in three months or less.

"I'd say, at the very best, we have about three months of cushion" before having to borrow to pay the bills.

Pallister revealed the potential magnitude of the economic hit while calling on Ottawa to establish an emergency credit agency to borrow money on the provinces' behalf.

The premier said such a move could save Manitoba at least a percentage point in interest costs because of the federal government's better credit rating. Pallister said he planned to raise his idea during a conference call with his fellow first ministers later Thursday.

He said Manitoba would likely have to borrow $10 billion this year  although around half that would be needed to renew existing credit arrangements.

"Our numbers right now tell us that we'll have approximately a $5-billion additional hit, on top of the renewed debt, that is coming our way this year," the premier said.

He said the planned one-point PST cut, which had been slated for July 1, would be postponed, not cancelled.

Pallister said he was not planning to defer the tax cut or the proposed provincial carbon levy "beyond, at the latest, next year."

The Progressive Conservative government was to have presented its budget March 11, but its release was delayed by more than a week because of Opposition NDP procedural delays in the legislature.

When Finance Minister Scott Fielding unveiled his financial blueprint March 19, it was accompanied by an 11-page addendum, adjusting economic growth forecasts and other financial predictions due to the potential impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The updated budget still forecast economic growth of 0.6 per cent for the fiscal year beginning April 1. It said the pandemic could hurt government revenues by anywhere from $110 million to $482 million. It said increased health-care costs  over and above what was budgeted  could rise by between $50 million and $200 million.

Now, it appears those projections are also out of date.

The postponement of the PST reduction could jeopardize some parts the City of Winnipegs budget.

Council recently approved a four-year final budget that devotes $3.3 million of expected savings from the tax cut to a few key investments. The money was earmarked to help ensure six city libraries keep their Sunday hours, Leisure Guide programs see fewer cuts, new emergency preparedness staff are hired, and new investments are available for public art.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman was not available for comment Thursday.

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.

In an email, a spokesperson from the mayors office said the change came without warning.

"The mayor learned of this in real-time via the premiers press conference and will be seeking clarity from the province and then engaging the public service regarding next steps," wrote spokesperson Jeremy Davis.

In addition to boosting its rainy day fund, the province also allocated extra money to an emergency expenditures contingency fund in its budget, bringing the total to $100 million.

Pallister said previously the government has also identified $500 million in planned expenditures that it can defer or redeploy if needed.

 with files from Joyanne Pursaga

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
The process to develop a vaccine typically takes a decade, but an untypical circumstance is calling for it to be done in a fraction of the time, the head of a French pharmaceutical giant told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday.

"Ordinarily it takes 10 years to invent a vaccine," said Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi, which is in the race with multiple companies to fashion a remedy to fend off COVID-19, the deadly disease caused by the new coronavirus.

"The main reason is because you've got to give it to a lot of healthy people on a massive scale," he said in a "Mad Money" interview.

With the world seeking solutions to slow the spread of the virus, Sanofi Pasteur, the company's vaccine division, is working to complete the development process in 12 to 18 months. The process includes the exploratory stage, pre-clinical stage, clinical development, regulatory review/approval, manufacturing and quality control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To do so, Sanofi is revisiting research it compiled for a pre-clinical severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, vaccine candidate that began during a prior coronavirus outbreak that began in late 2002 and largely disappeared in 2004, according to a press release. The virus causing the current pandemic is part of a family of coronaviruses.

The company has 60 scientists at work around the clock, Hudson said, investigating whether the old vaccine candidate can prevent COVID-19. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is collaborating with Sanofi to expedite the company's recombinant technology platform to shorten the process time frame.

"I'm confident that we'll get a vaccine. It may take a little while," said Hudson, who wants the science to guide the operation. "I can assure you, for one of the leading companies like ourselves, we're doing everything we can to be there as fast as we can."

The novel coronavirus, which was first discovered in China in December, has infected more than 585,000 people and been connected to more than 26,800 deaths. The United States on Thursday overtook China and Italy for the most recorded cases, nearing 100,000 as of Friday evening, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Sanofi has a two-pronged role in efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Outside of the vaccine development, the drugmaker launched a clinical trial program last week to treat severe COVID-19 symptoms with Kevzara, an FDA-approved arthritis therapy co-developed by American biotech giant Regeneron.

Regeneron is conducting the test trials in the United States, and Sanofi is handling tests abroad. Northwell Health, New York state's largest health-care provider, is serving as a trial site for Regeneron and for testing of another existing drug, from Gilead Sciences. President Donald Trump has also touted malaria drugs as potential remedies.

Officials hope the Kevzara study can confirm preliminary data of its efficacy found in China and other parts of the world.

"We hope that we'll bring some relief to the patients in a more severe setting. We don't know," Hudson said of the Kevzara trials. "We're working with the [World Health Organization], with Regeneron, with the European Medicines Agency, and making sure that the right trials are done but at the right speed, so that if there is a significant benefit we can get it to patients as fast as possible."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:17:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a symposium with journalist representatives in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 27, 2020. Sun, who is leading a central government group to oversee the epidemic control work in Hubei, called on journalists working on the frontline of the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to continue reporting Chinese stories well to boost confidence and unite the people. (Xinhua/Li He)

WUHAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan Friday called on journalists working on the frontline of the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to continue reporting Chinese stories well to boost confidence and unite the people.

Sun made the remarks at a symposium with journalist representatives who have been working in the once outbreak epicenter city of Wuhan in Hubei Province.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, extended regards and gratitude to frontline journalists on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and expressed hope for them to continue covering the COVID-19 response to create a mighty force that enables the people to tide over the hard times together.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, a total of 445 journalists have voluntarily come to Wuhan to work with their local counterparts. Together, they have made more than 500,000 reports and submitted more than 20,000 requests concerning public wellbeing to the authorities, according to the symposium.

Undeterred by the difficulties and risks, these journalists have been working on the ground in places such as hospitals and wards for severely ill patients, Sun said, noting that their reports have recorded touching anti-epidemic stories and reflected the difficulties and issues of public concern.

Commending the journalists' professional ethics and noble spirit, Sun lauded them as "epidemic fighters" and "heroes" and said they have greatly boosted the morale in people battling the virus on the front line.

Noting that the task of guarding against the spread of the virus is still arduous, Sun called on frontline journalists to make unremitting efforts to report on the major decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and issues concerning medical treatment, community efforts and business resumption.

Sun has been leading a central government group to oversee the epidemic control work in Hubei since the outbreak.
With April elections rapidly approaching in Wisconsin, local officials were issuing stark warnings about holding in-person voting amid the escalating coronavirus outbreak, saying the state was forcing voters to choose between their health and their constitutional right to vote.

For weeks, both the Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers remained unmoved, pledging to keep the polls open even as other states postponed elections. But on Friday, as the coronavirus cases in the state topped 700, Gov. Tony Evers reversed his position, instead requesting that absentee ballots be sent to every one of the states 3.3 million registered voters ahead of its April 7 presidential primary.

The sudden request to print and mail millions of ballots in less than two weeks, a task Republican leaders in the state immediately dismissed as impossible, is the latest example of how the pandemic is roiling democratic institutions as states across the country scramble to protect voters and poll workers.

More than a half-dozen states that were scheduled to hold presidential nominating contests in March and April have postponed them; Pennsylvania became the latest on Friday, pushing its April 28 primary to June 2. Wisconsin, if it holds firm on April 7, is poised to play a major role in the Democratic race, and perhaps a bigger one than before the changes.
[March 27, 2020] Flywheel and Imbio team up to help researchers fight COVID-19

MINNEAPOLIS, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Flywheel Exchange, a research data platform and Imbio, an AI-driven medical imaging company specializing in lung analysis, have teamed up to help global researchers accelerate understanding and treatment for COVID-19. The companies have independently developed technologies over the past 5 years and are growing rapidly in their respective markets. Given the unfolding pandemic, Flywheel, Imbio and their parent company, Invenshure, have decided to combine technologies to offer researchers powerful tools to aggregate and analyze COVID-19 related data. Flywheel has a worldwide footprint with academic centers and pharmaceutical companies on the front line of COVID-19 treatment development. "Our platform enables real time collaboration across multiple geographies and cross functional development between researchers, biologists, and clinicians. We hope to provide a centralized repository of data types to empower the rapid development of effective treatments," said Jim Olson, CEO of Flywheel. Imbio is a leading provider of FDA cleared and CE marked pulmonary image analysis tools. "Our machine learning and AI algorithms are being used to aid diagnosis and measure treatment response of chronic lung conditions similar to COVID-19," said David Hannes, CEO of Imbio. Imbio partners with pharmaceutical companies in the development of new drugs to treat lung conditions, with imaging biomarkers to support clinical trials and follow-on into clinical care. "We are delighted to join forces wit Flywheel to accelerate the understanding and development of COVID-19 specific treatments," said Hannes.



Beginning March 30, Flywheel's platform, including Imbio's lung analysis tools, will be made available free of charge to COVID-19 academic and clinical researchers. Full details of this offering will be announced shortly. "We are fortunate to have created two companies that can help the world community fight this pandemic. It represents our collective effort to make a creative contribution in our own way. We are working hard to combine the technologies and launch the enabled platform in the coming days," said Dan Cunagin, Co-CEO of Invenshure.

COVID-19 researchers interested in accessing or learning more about this platform should contact Can (John) Akgun: [email protected]. About Flywheel

Flywheel is a leading medical imaging informatics platform for researchers transforming the way research is conducted in academia, clinics and the pharma industry. By providing tools to automate scientific data management, scale analytic computing, and securely share data and algorithms, we're on a mission to unleash the medical imaging community's creative energy. For more information on our mission and products, visit www.flywheel.io. About Imbio

Imbio is a leader in fully-automated AI image analysis for chronic pulmonary conditions. Imbio's regulatory cleared solutions transform the way patients are discovered, diagnosed and treated, enabling physician productivity and more personalized care for patients. Visit www.imbio.com. About Invenshure

Invenshure is a venture catalyst company focused on the creation and development of healthcare and biotechnology companies - built around novel IP from top scientists and institutions. To learn more about Invenshure and our companies, visit www.Invenshure.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flywheel-and-imbio-team-up-to-help-researchers-fight-covid-19-301030722.html SOURCE Invenshure, LLC

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
New York City this week began releasing older inmates at low risk of reoffending as the coronavirus hit the notorious Rikers Island complex and nearby jails, infecting dozens.

New Jersey officials Tuesday revealed plans to release nearly 500 inmates serving sentences of a year or less for low-level crimes.

Pennsylvania prison officials in the Lehigh Valley and at the state level weren't immediately ready to follow suit, but have detailed to lehighvalleylive.com some of the steps being taken to prevent an outbreak from taking hold.

Its like an approaching tsunami. Once it hits, its too late, said James Pingeon, an attorney with Prisoners Legal Services of Massachusetts. I get that opening the doors of all the prisons is not realistic, but we should release as many that its safe to release in order to avoid a situation like the one at Rikers.

Here's a look at what's being done to protect inmates, corrections officers and other staff and their families in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections on Wednesday extended through April 10 the suspension of all inmate visitation.

The department initially suspended all visits and began enhanced screenings at all of its prisons on March 13. State prisons have implemented video visitation and are providing inmates with additional free phone calls and emails.

Neither state prison officials nor the county prisons in the Lehigh Valley have reported any confirmed cases of the COVID-19 illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

We are closely monitoring our entire system and individual facilities daily, state Corrections Secretary John E. Wetzel said in a statement. We are taking necessary steps to protect our employees and our inmates.

Our dedicated team of 16,000 men and women began working toward mitigating this virus impact on our system several months ago, and during these difficult times, these employees have continued to report to work to ensure public safety.

You can find the states full list of preventative measures at cor.pa.gov.

At the county level, The Morning Call reported officials in both Lehigh and Northampton counties were looking at bail modifications to release a limited number of suspects being held on charges. Those reported talks come as Berks County Jail released nearly five dozen non-violent inmates in an effort to prevent an outbreak, according to WFMZ-TV 69.

Asked to comment this week on calls to thin the local prison populations, Lehigh and Northampton county representatives instead pointed to efforts to keep the virus out of the cell walls.

In Lehigh County, those measures include the suspension effective March 13 of all non-essential visitors and volunteers. In addition, inmates have two free calls they can make and an additional two more free calls will be available to them shortly, county spokeswoman Laura Grammes said.

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley is among those calling for a closer look at efforts to reduce the population at the county jail, including releasing some suspects held in lieu of bail as they await trial, as well as medically frail inmates who are at high risk of serious complications from the coronavirus and older inmates approaching the end of their sentence.

As controller, Pinsley is the county's financial watchdog and tasked with shining a light on potential liabilities, his office said in a news release. He argues that prisons are highly contagious facilities, given the close proximity of prisoners and difficulties in practicing social distancing.

In Northampton County, corrections officials as of March 3 instructed staff to avoid close contact with sick people, to wash their hands frequently and avoid touching their face -- all measures the general public can take in preventing exposure to the coronavirus.

In addition, the county says, hand sanitizer stations are stationed throughout the prison; any employee showing signs of illness will be directed to check in with their personal physician and may be instructed to stay home if their health is suspect; and inmates are being encouraged to continue their daily hygiene routines as well as the mandatory laundry exchange of their linens.

In further changes since March 3, everyone entering Northampton County Prison has their temperature checked and anyone showing a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is barred from entry.

"Currently, the only people allowed to enter are attorneys, spiritual advisors and court-appointed personnel," county Deputy Administration Director Becky Bartlett said in an email Wednesday. And that's only if they aren't febrile, she noted.

All inmates who enter the prison are isolated before being transferred into general population, she added. This period has been extended from three days to up to 14 days. If they show signs of illness, the inmates are kept in quarantine until they recover.

Symptoms of a COVID-19 infection including fever, cough and shortness of breath are showing up anywhere from two to 14 days, according to health officials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov or covid19.nj.gov and the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Mother Dairy has doubled its supply of fruits and vegetables in the Delhi-NCR at over 300 tonnes per day to meet rise in demand amid the nationwide lockdown even as it faces some logistics challenges, a senior company official said on Friday.

"Before the lockdown, we used to supply 160-180 tonnes of fruits and vegetables per day in the Delhi-NCR through our Safal retail stores. Now, we are supplying more than 300 tonnes every day," said Pradipta Sahoo, business head of Safal.

On Friday, Mother Dairy supplied 320 tonnes, he said adding that the company could increase the capacity up to 400 tonnes per day.

He pointed that there are logistics challenges like shortage of labourers and transportation issues but the company is managing.

"We are sourcing fruits and vegatables from Delhi and neighbouring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand," Sahoo said.

Mother Dairy is procuring onion from Maharashtra and potatoes from Agra in UP.

In fruits, Sahoo said the company is facing difficulties in supply of pineapple from Kerala, sweet lime from Andhra Pradesh and fresh coconut from Kerala.

Mother Dairy has enough stock of apples which it has stored in cold chain facility.

The company has more than 300 Safal stores across the NCR.

Sahoo said the company is enforcing safe distancing at its stores to check spread of coronavirus. It is also taking other precautionary measures in the entire supply chain.

Mother Dairy is a leading milk supplier with sale of more than 30 lakh litres per day in the NCR.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Medical wokers hug each other outside the emergency rooms at Severo Ochoa Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in Leganes, Spain on March 26, 2020. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

Largest Single-Day Jump in CCP Virus Deaths in Spain as Number of Cured Nears 10,000

Spain recorded its single largest increase in deaths from the new CCP virus from China, but also said over 2,000 additional patients are fully recovered.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

With 769 new deaths, Spains death toll reached 4,858, according to Spains Ministry of Health. Spain has one of the highest mortality rates in the world from the new illness7.5 percentand its death toll sits behind only Italy, though Chinas is higher than officially reported.

The number of confirmed cases climbed above 64,000 and those in intensive care units increased nearly 500 to 4,165, the ministry said. Madrid hospitals are caring for some 1,200 in intensive care alone and some areas are facing a shortage of medical supplies.

But Spain also reported over 2,300 patients were cured over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recovered to 9,357.

Ambulance workers in full protective gear arrive with a patient at the Severo Ochoa Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in Leganes, Spain on March 26, 2020. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

Today we have more deaths than registered yesterday, but it is also true that in percentage terms, todays increase is roughly equivalent to that of the past three days, in which we seem to see a clear stabilization, health emergency chief Fernando Simon said at a press conference, Reuters reported.

He said that more than 9,400 health workers have tested positive for the virus, or about 15 percent of the infected in the country.

Simon urged people to take care of their personal hygiene and avoid contact with others to try to stem the spread of the new illness, in a video released by the ministry.

Spaniards are under lockdown, told to stay at home except for trips for necessary supplies and essential work. The lockdown was extended this week to April 12.

This combination of pictures created on March 26, 2020, shows healthcare workers who deal with the new coronavirus crisis in Spain, applauding in return as they are cheered on by people outside their hospitals in the cities of Burgos, Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, and Palma de Mallorca, on March 25 and 26, 2020. (Cesar Manso, Oscar Del Pozo, Jose Jordan, Pierre Philippe Marcou, Pau Berrena, Jaime Reina/AFP via Getty Images)

Even as it battles the virus inside the country, Spain has been working on repatriating nationals who are in other countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it flew 525 Spaniards who were in Ireland since the state of emergency was announced 12 days ago back to Spain, including a number of students.

Spain also repatriated nine children from Moscow, over 100 cruise ship passengers from Italy, and a number of tourists from Germany. Spaniards are still stuck in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India, among other nations.

Members of the Spanish army bring water bottles to Severo Ochoa Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak in Leganes, Spain on March 26, 2020. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

Sanchez Makes Demand

President Pedro Sanchez demanded the European Union provide financing in the medium and long-term for the COVID-19 crisis during the virtual European Council meeting on Thursday, the Spanish government said. Italy backed the move.

If we dont propose a unified response to resolve this economic crisis now that is powerful and effective, the impact will not only be greater, but its effects will last longer and we will be endangering the whole European project, Sanchez said in a statement.

He urged the union to avoid mistakes that sowed the seeds of disaffection and division in the European project and led to the rise of populism during the financial crisis in 2008.

Sanchez and either other European leaders sent a letter to Charles Michel, the president of the council, earlier in the week urging an alignment of policies across Europe to combat the pandemic. Specific policies called for included a common debt instrument issued by a European institution and a focus on ensuring fully functioning essential supply chains.
HIT: The Cayuga County Legislature this week agreed to grant the United Way of Cayuga County $10,000 to create a COVID-19 Community Task Force. The task force is meant to work with key stakeholders and the public at large to identify and prioritize community needs as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve." There was some discussion about putting off a vote on the idea until April, but we believe legislators made the right move in advancing this proposal. Cayuga County is going to get a certain amount of direction and advice from Washington and Albany, but hyper-local issues will need to be dealt with by local people, so the better organized everyone can be, the local response to the crisis can be dealt with more effectively.

MISS: State police are investigating a rash of car break-ins in the town of Skaneateles and other parts of Onondaga County. Police said that 16 larcenies occurred overnight March 20 and March 21 in vehicles on East Lake Road from Coon Hill Road in the town of Spafford to Rose Hill Road in the town of Skaneateles. An iPad, laptop, cash, credit cards, loose change, a bicycle and walkie-talkies were reported as stolen from unlocked cars parked in driveways.

HIT: Centro bus service has temporarily waived fares for all locations as the regional transportation provider implements social distancing practices. Regular buses and shopper buses for senior centers will continue with normal weekday and weekend routes, but passengers will be required to enter and exit through the rear doors. Passengers can enter through the front if they use a mobility device or need a bus kneel to board. We're glad to see that service will not be interrupted for people who depend on buses for shopping, health-care appointments and other necessary travel.

The Citizen editorial board includes publisher Michelle Bowers, executive editor Jeremy Boyer and managing editor Mike Dowd.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
A Texas man, ranting on social media about the congressional response to the coronavirus outbreak, has been charged with making death threats to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday.

Gavin Weslee Blake Perry, 27, of Wichita Falls, Texas, wrote on his personal Facebook page on Monday that Ms. Pelosi was part of a satanic cult and that she and other Democrats should be killed, the authorities said.

The posts were still online as of Thursday night.

Prosecutors said that Mr. Perry wrote, If youre a dem or apart of the establishment in the democrats side I view you as a criminal and a terrorist and I advise everyone to Go SOS and use live rounds.

The post, which used an abbreviation for shoot on sight, included a screenshot of what appeared to be two tweets by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. One, by Mr. Schumer himself, was critical of President Trumps handling of the health emergency.
A DUBLIN man has been accused of robbing a city centre hotel by threatening the receptionist with a broken bottle top before fleeing when staff confronted him.

Gary Simpson (32) is alleged to have had his face partially covered with a scarf when he carried out the alleged robbery.

Mr Simpson has protested his innocence, saying the suspect seen on CCTV was wearing a tracksuit that half of Dublin city wears.

Judge Miriam Walsh refused him bail at Dublin District Court and remanded him in custody.

Simpson, with an address at homeless accommodation at Old Cabra Road, is charged with robbery.

The prosecuting garda said he arrested the accused and brought him to Store Street Garda Station, where his reply to the charge after caution was "completely innocent".

The garda said he arrested the accused at Granby Row, Dublin 1 on suspicion of robbery at Jurys Hotel on Parnell Street on March 25.

Objecting to bail, he said it was alleged a lone male entered the hotel at 11pm that night with his face partially covered by a distinctive red and white scarf. He was also described as wearing a distinctive two-tone North Face tracksuit.

The man walked to the side of the desk and then behind it, where he approached the receptionist.

He took a broken glass bottle top from his pocket and threatened the alleged victim, telling her to open the tills, the garda continued.

She told him the tills were open and there was no cash in them. Other staff came over to assist her and the man walked behind the counter and took the womans iPhone, then attempted to leave. He was challenged by other staff, the phone was recovered and he fled, the garda said.

The panic alarm was activated. When gardai saw the accused at Granby Row, he was wearing a two-tone North Face tracksuit and had a distinctive red and white scarf tied around his face, covering part of it, the garda said.

Gardai viewed CCTV of the alleged robbery which was very good quality.

Applying for bail, defence solicitor Tracy Horan said it was not put to the accused in interview that the alleged offence involved a broken bottle top or that the alleged robber was wearing a scarf.

He maintained his innocence throughout his detention, she said.

Ms Horan said the garda referred to an individual wearing a tracksuit that half of north inner city Dublin wears.

The garda said certain elements of it were distinctive.

Mr Simpson repeatedly told the court: I am innocent. Pleading for bail, he said he would lose his accommodation and job if he was remanded in custody.

I did not do anything, he said. Yes, I have a tracksuit, half of Dublin city and surrounding areas are wearing that tracksuit.

I am looking you in the eye and telling you I had nothing to do with what happened, he told Judge Walsh. Nothing whatsoever.

The judge refused bail and remanded him in custody, to appear in Cloverhill District Court on March 31.
The 73-year-old West Australian who died from COVID-19 in hospital on Thursday was the father of a serving WA Police detective, Police Commissioner Chris Dawson has confirmed.

Ray Daniels was also a husband and a grandfather, his family said in a statement the Commissioner read aloud at a press conference on Friday.

Ray Daniels

We as a family are completely devastated ... he was a very fit, healthy and active man with no known underlying health issues, they wrote.

He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning. He died within 48 hours.
[March 27, 2020] Statement From Lockheed Martin Chairman, President And CEO Marillyn Hewson On COVID-19 Response

BETHESDA, Md., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At Lockheed Martin, we recognize that the rapid spread of COVID-19 and its wide-ranging impacts have caused severe disruption across society and tragic loss of life around the world. We also recognize that the global pandemic has created a need for urgent action by government, business, communities and citizens. In response to this crisis, our company will be guided by and operate with three clear priorities. First, we will continue to protect the health and safety of our men and women on the job and their families. Second, we will continue to perform and deliver for our customers because what they do for our national security, global communications, and infrastructure is critical to our nation and our allies. Third, we will do our part to use our know-how, resources, and leadership as a company to assist our communities and our country during this period of national crisis. In this regard, today I am announcing that Lockheed Martin will take the following steps as an initial contribution to the national COVID-19 relief and recovery effort: We will advace more than $50 million to small- and medium-sized business partners in our supply chain to ensure they have the financial means to continue to operate, sustain jobs, and support the economy.

to small- and medium-sized business partners in our supply chain to ensure they have the financial means to continue to operate, sustain jobs, and support the economy. We will donate $10 million to non-profit organizations involved in COVID-19 related relief and assistance, with emphasis on veterans and military families.

to non-profit organizations involved in COVID-19 related relief and assistance, with emphasis on veterans and military families. We have activated a $6.5 million employee disaster relief fund to assist Lockheed Martin employees and retirees impacted with COVID-19.



We will offer Lockheed Martin's engineering and technical capabilities to help solve the most pressing challenges faced by federal, state, and local officials.

We will donate the use of our corporate aircraft and vehicle fleet for COVID-19 relief logistical support and medical supply delivery.

We will donate the use of our facilities for crisis-related activities including critical medical supply storage, distribution, and COVID-19 testing, where needed and practical.

Finally, during this time of economic uncertainty, we will continue our planned recruiting and hiring. Given the requirement for social distancing, Lockheed Martin will deploy virtual technology and other techniques to sustain our hiring activity during this crisis period. Lockheed Martin understands that the shared effort to combat COVID-19 and recover from its effects will be a long-term one. We will continue to engage national, state, and local leaders to undertake additional measures as needed.

And, throughout this crisis, Lockheed Martin remains committed to continuing to deliver critical capabilities for our nation and our allies, supporting job creation and economic recovery, and helping those in need wherever we operate. Marillyn Hewson

Chairman, President and CEO

Lockheed Martin Corporation About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statement-from-lockheed-martin-chairman-president-and-ceo-marillyn-hewson-on-covid-19-response-301030950.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, March 27, 2020  Algerian authorities should drop all charges against journalist Khaled Drareni and release him from prison immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On March 25, a judge in Algiers charged Drareni, a correspondent for global press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and co-founder of the news website Casbah Tribune, with assembly without a permit and committing an attack on national unity, and ordered him held pending investigation, according to news reports and Algerian journalist and press freedom advocate Bouzid Ichalalene, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

The charges stemmed from Drarenis coverage on social media of the ongoing anti-government protests in Algeria, his brother said. Drareni has more than 140 thousand followers on Twitter, where he posts links to his work and posts reporting and commentary on Algerian politics.

Drareni was arrested on March 27 at his house in Algiers and was held in a police station for two nights, according to Ichalalene and news reports. On March 29, the Sidi MHamed criminal court in Algiers ordered Drarenis detention in el-Harach prison in Algiers, and on March 30 the court moved him to Kolea prison outside of the capital, according to news reports. Drarenis lawyers advised him to go into hiding after the court ordered his arrest on March 25 but he refused, according to Ichalalene.

Chekib Drareni, the journalists brother, told CPJ via messaging app that the judge did not specify how long he would be held.

At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of accurate reporting, Algerian authorities have instead opted to clamp down on the free flow of information, said CPJ Senior Middle East and North Africa Researcher Justin Shilad. Algerian authorities must release Khaled Drareni from this ludicrous prison sentence and drop all charges against him.

Police previously arrested Drareni on March 7 and held him for four days for allegedly joining an assembly without a permit, as CPJ documented at the time. Following his release, Drareni continued covering the anti-government protests, despite having been forced to sign a letter vowing not to do so, his brother said.

Drarenis detention order was handed down even though Algerias courts are closed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, his brother said. He told CPJ that neither Drareni nor his lawyer were present for the hearing.

The lawyer said that the court will not accept an appeal in the case at this time, Chekib Drareni said.

At the time of CPJs most recent global census, three journalists were imprisoned in Algeria in relation to their work.

EDITORS NOTE: The nature of Drarenis detention has been corrected in the second, fifth, and eighth paragraphs. Drarenis status and whereabouts at the time of his arrest have been corrected in the fourth paragraph.
America was already in the depths of a public health crisis when the coronavirus outbreak hit: one of social isolation and loneliness. Cigna's 2020 Loneliness Index notes that three in five Americans report a persistent sense of loneliness, a seven point jump from the previous 2018 study. Young people, ages 18 - 22 and men were most likely to report feelings of isolation with heavy social media users "significantly more likely to feel alone, isolated, left out and without companionship." Now, as broad swaths of America hunkers down for the foreseeable future to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic, our online social media usage is set to spike. But will our feelings of despondency and loneliness do so as well?

Social isolation can generally be defined as "the absence of social interactions, contacts, and relationships with family and friends, with neighbors on an individual level, and with 'society at large' on a broader level," as Robert L Berg stated in The Second Fifty Years. This isn't just some amped up offshoot of cabin fever, mind you, the psychological stress that social isolation causes can have extreme detrimental effects on a person's mental, emotional and even physical health.

Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, has co-authored a meta-analysis of recent studies and found that a lack of robust social connections can raise one's health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or misusing/abusing alcohol -- that's twice as much as obesity's impact would be.

"There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators," Holt-Lunstad told the American Psychological Association in 2019.

"Regardless of whether loneliness is increasing or remaining stable, we have lots of evidence that a significant portion of the population is affected by it," she continued. "Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need -- crucial to both well-being and survival."

In 2012, the Swiss Health Survey conducted a survey of more than 21,000 participants ages 15 and up. The study found that nearly a quarter of respondents could be considered either only "partially integrated" or "poorly integrated" into Swiss society. Regardless of their age, these people were more likely to suffer from poor health, musculoskeletal disorder, depression and engage in drug use. In short, the study found that "social isolation may be less prevalent at younger ages, but is then even more strongly associated with poor health conditions and behaviors than at older ages."

Even more worrisome, a 2019 study by the American Cancer Society, working with data from more than 580,000 Americans, discovered that social isolation increases the risk of mortality from every cause across every race. "Our research really shows that the magnitude of risk presented by social isolation is very similar in magnitude to that of obesity, smoking, lack of access to care and physical inactivity," Kassandra Alcaraz, a public health researcher with the ACA, told the APA last May.

This problem is nothing if not prevalent. A 2018 Pew Research Study of 6,000 American adults found that a whopping 28 percent of them felt dissatisfied with their lives and relationships with family and community, compared to just 7 percent of respondents who were. In fact, people don't even need to be physically isolated to feel a sense of loneliness, Dr. Lawrence Palinkas, a Professor of Social Policy and Health at the University of Southern California, explained to Engadget.

"For example, people who are living in assisted living or nursing homes with several other residents" are acutely susceptible to bouts of loneliness, he said. "They may interact with those residents daily yet still feel socially isolated because the nature of the interactions, and the contact it creates, may still be associated with a perception of isolation or separation from other people -- especially if the people who are physically close to them are not people who are psychologically close to them."

He also points out that people can be socially engaged while still being physically isolated, thanks to modern remote communication technologies like Zoom, Instagram Live or even telephones. "It boils down to whether people perceive themselves to be socially isolated or not," Palinkas said. "And that physical isolation may be a factor that weighs in on that decision but it's not the only factor, and sometimes it's not even a factor at all."

But tell that to the approximately 80,000 prisoners placed in solitary confinement every year. Used as either a punitive device (ie for breaking rules) or as a protective measure for vulnerable inmates (ie Harvey Weinstein), solitary confinement leaves people isolated in a nearly empty cell the size of a pickup truck bed for as many as 23 hours a day with minimal sensory stimulation and virtually zero physical contact. The impact on the psyche is devastating.

Take Robert King for example, who spent 29 years in solitary confinement. King spoke at a 2018 neuroscience conference about his experience and how it impacted his cognitive function. He described that, upon his release from prison, he had severe difficulty recognizing faces and had to retrain himself to understand what faces even were and how they worked. He also had difficulty navigating even simple routes through a city without assistance. Turns out that when your universe is a 6-foot by 9-foot room for nearly three decades, there's not much need to keep your navigation skills sharp -- or even much impetus to keep a firm grasp of reality.

"For some prisoners ... solitary confinement precipitates a descent into madness," Dr. Craig Haney, professor of psychology at University of California, Santa Cruz, told the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights in 2012. Prisoners may experience crushing bouts of anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and panic attacks. "The conditions of confinement are far too severe to serve any kind of penological purpose," he concluded.

The reason this happens is because prolonged social isolation physically changes the shape and function of your brain. The hippocampus, the region responsible for learning and memory not only shrinks in size in response to long-term isolation, it loses its plasticity and may eventually shut down altogether. At the same time the amygdala, which regulates your fear and anxiety response, goes into overdrive. And the longer the confinement lasts, the more pronounced these changes become -- even after the inmate's eventual release.

"I would watch guys come to prison totally sane, and in three years they don't live in the real world anymore," Anthony Graves, an exonerated former-inmate who spent a decade of his 18 years on death row under solitary conditions, told the APA in 2012. "I haven't had a good night's sleep since my release. I have mood swings that cause emotional breakdowns."

And while a recent study out of Europe suggests that projecting outdoor scenes onto cell walls as a means of providing the confined inmates a visual stimulus, "the biggest thing you can do is just limit time spent alone," Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina's School of Social Medicine, told Engadget. "They should limit it to 14 days or less" which is what the UN Council on Human Rights has called for.

Of course some people will both physically and socially isolate themselves on purpose. They're called astronauts. Whether they're prepping for a trip to the moon or just orbiting in the ISS, isolation is par for the course when it comes to space science. It's also something that NASA and other national space agencies have spent years studying.

"Even the astronauts will say this," Dr. Phyllis Johnson, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia, told Engadget. "They just would like to hug their wife or their child, just be able to touch and hold. It's just like they also want to smell the smells of Earth, [feel] what it's like to be on Earth because they don't have that up there."

But whether you're stuck 254 miles above the Earth or quarantined in your apartment, you've got plenty of options for fighting off the effects of social isolation. Johnson points to communities (figuratively) coming together in Spain and Italy during the lockdown to sing from their balconies as a positive sign. "You can feel a part of some of these kinds of rituals," she explained."And they don't require that you be next to each other."

Johnson also warns against becoming complacent during your time in isolation. "It's important not to think you're on holiday with no routines and no goals," Johnson noted. "That's what they do in the space station, they have routines and established time for things."

"Don't just sit and watch TV, maybe watch different kinds of shows from what you normally would," she continued. "Prepare different kinds of meals from what you normally would, learn a new skill!"

What's more, concerns that shutting people in their homes with their social media echo chambers could lead to an even more polarized society, Palinkas has actually seen the opposite since the pandemic started.

"Every day, my wife and I take our dog for a walk around the neighborhood. We see a lot of neighbors that we don't normally see or haven't seen much of prior to the pandemic, who now seem to be much more socially engaged -- in part because they perceive a need to interact, in part because they have been spending a lot of time by themselves" he said. "I think the realization that this is an experience that we are all having collectively, you know, we're all in it together."
The plan, which includes one-time payments to individuals, strengthened unemployment insurance, additional health-care funding and loans and grants to businesses to deter layoffs, got through the Senate unanimously on Wednesday night. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had described the bill "as mitigation" of the pandemic's destruction, predicting Congress will draft more plans to aid in "recovery."

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., tried to force a full yes or no vote on the measure, which could have pushed back its approval by hours. Irritated House members rushed back to Washington in cars and near-empty planes to head off his effort, and some eviscerated him for risking their safety. Trump called Massie a "third rate Grandstander" and said he should be booted out of the Republican Party .

The House earlier passed the stimulus package, believed to be the largest in U.S. history, by voice vote, which simply measures if more lawmakers shout for "aye" or "nay" on whether to support it. The chamber scrambled Friday to block an effort to delay its passage.

President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Friday, as Washington tries to blunt economic destruction from the pandemic ripping through the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump signs H.R. 748, the CARES Act in the Oval Office of the White House on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC.

"I signed the single biggest economic relief package in American history," Trump said in the Oval Office as his top economic advisors and Republican congressional leaders stood behind him shoulder to shoulder. "This will deliver urgently needed relief to our nation's families, workers and businesses, and that's what this is all about."

While it is unclear how quickly the government will dole out some of the money such as increased unemployment benefits and small business loans, the White House and congressional leaders have said some individuals will receive direct payments of up to $1,200 within three weeks.

Trump signed the bill into law a day after data showed unemployment claims skyrocketed to a record 3.3 million last week, as businesses across the country closed to slow the disease's spread. Hospitals, particularly in ravaged New York, have asked for more resources as they struggle to keep up with a rush of coronavirus patients.

The U.S. now has more than 92,000 coronavirus cases, the most in the world, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. At least 1,380 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to COVID-19.

The moments before the House vote Friday underscored the risks the outbreak poses and the unconventional tactics Congress has deployed to pass recent bills to combat the disease. As representatives were called into the chamber, some fresh off last-second trips back to Washington, leaders urged them to use "proper social distancing practices."

House leaders gathered a majority of members to block Massie from requesting a traditional recorded vote on the legislation. Representatives sat in the gallery usually reserved for the public to increase the distance among them.

Presiding over the chamber, Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md., moved to pass the legislation by voice vote. Massie then asked for a full tally of "yes" and "no" votes. House leaders wanted to avoid that outcome. It would have forced lawmakers to go to the floor, in groups of 30 to avoid crowding, for a vote that could have delayed passage by hours.

In making his motion, the libertarian Massie said he wanted to ensure "our republic doesn't die by unanimous consent in an empty chamber." He argued the House did not have a quorum, or majority of members, present. Brown determined that it did, and the bill passed overwhelmingly by voice vote.

In an interview with a Kentucky radio station Thursday, Massie signaled he would oppose the bill because of its effect on U.S. national debt, according to the Louisville-based Courier-Journal.

"Not a good deal," Massie tweeted later Thursday morning.

After the vote, the House adjourned until March 31. The Senate does not have another vote scheduled until April 20, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber could convene before then if it needs to take more action.

Pelosi gave extended remarks before the vote Friday as she waited for enough members to reach the floor. She joked, "the sooner you come, the shorter my remarks will be."

The California Democrat stressed that "this cannot be our final bill" to respond to the crisis. She has outlined priorities such as bigger direct payments, expanded eligibility for family and medical leave and more grant money for states.
AKRON, Ohio  Akron intends to appeal a judges appointment of a professor to review the citys compliance with a federally mandated sewer project after the city missed a deadline.

Akron Law Director Eve Belfance filed a notice of appeal Thursday. And in a news release Friday, Mayor Dan Horrigan said all projects under the agreement with the federal government have been completed or are ahead of schedule.

We continue  even during an unprecedented health crisisto move this project forward as quickly as possible, Horrigan said. At this time, the appointment of a costly expert is wholly unnecessary, and will provide no added value to the citizens of Akron in completing the work, or reducing the overall cost.

U.S. District Judge John Adams in January ordered the review be conducted by Craig Johnston, an environmental law professor in Portland, Oregon, who already has assisted in overseeing the consent decree signed by the city and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The move by Adams came after the city missed a deadline to finish a mile-long storage tunnel that would help keep sewage from overflowing into the Cuyahoga River after heavy storms.

Adams wrote that Johnston will not serve as a monitor, but will analyze the citys compliance with the agreement, or consent decree. Johnston is being paid $550 per hour, which is an increase from his previous rate of $450 per hour, set when he was first appointed to oversee the case in 2013.

Horrigan said the largest phase of the project, the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel, is nearing completion.
The number of deaths related to coronavirus in Alabama continues to grow.

Our deepest sympathies are with families and friends who lose loved ones during this outbreak. The Alabama Department of Public Health cannot disclose patient information due to HIPAA. ADPH conducts a complete investigation of any death reported in persons infected with COVID-19 before including this in our official data. If the death is determined to be COVID-19-related, our dashboard will show this, ADPH said in a statement.

What we know

Jackson County

Alabamas first coronavirus death was a Jackson County woman.

Tim Guffey, chairman of the Jackson County Commission, confirmed in a letter the woman was a part-time county employee. The employee worked in a department at the Jackson County Courthouse that did not require regular contact with the public, Guffey said.

The woman died Wednesday at a Chattanooga hospital. Her age was not released.

Lauderdale County

Albert Trousdale, a 78-year-old man from Elgin in Lauderdale County, died Tuesday morning, according to a Facebook page that tracked his illness.

We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support," Trousdales daughter-in-law, Nicole Trousdale, told The Times Daily. Weve had a tremendous amount of people who knew him contact us. Weve had friends and people who said theyd heard about this tell us they are praying for the whole family.

Lee County

Lee County coroner confirmed Saturday 5 people had died from coronavirus. Another died Sunday. All had been hospitalized at East Alabama Medical Center.

One of those who died was 51 years old and lived in Lee County. Another one of the victims was in his 80s. Additional details werent released.

Madison County

No information is known about this patient. We will update as available.

Mobile County

The Mobile County Health Department reported the death of a 66-year-old man from coronavirus.

The man under underlying health conditions and had recently traveled out of state.

In a Facebook post, Tina Patterson identified the man as her husband, Wayman Henry.
C ometh the hour, cometh the man from Tooting. Not in this case the guy with the bus driver dad who currently occupies City Hall but Pano from Pret whose dad drove a mini cab but who also attended Ernest Bevin Secondary in SW17 like our mayor.

Pano Christou, 42, has only been Pret a Mangers CEO since last October. Now hes the war leader of a billion pound a year business with 13,500 staff worldwide, all of whom are now self-isolated at home.

As he sits in his Coulsdon home war room communicating with his troops every two days, Christou could be forgiven for thinking someone up there doesnt like him (He was Prets UK head from 2016).

In the last three years hes had the slings and arrows of Brexit, the tragedy of a young woman dying on a BA aircraft due to an allergic reaction after eating one of their baguettes, and now Covid-19 which has shuttered all his restaurants since last weekend.

Brexit wasnt good news when 65% of your staff are EU nationals and 10% are from the rest of the world. Only a quarter are Brits.

The death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 had a profound effect on the organisation, hitting sales and necessitating a 20 million spend not only to ingredient-label everything but reorganising everything back behind the tills in the kitchen.

And now the virus. Prets a 21st-century Brit icon. When it shut its doors finally at the weekend it was like a part of our national fabric fading. Et tu, Pret? End of days, tweeted one commentator. Christou must think it can only be time before a plague of frogs falls on his head.

Over a video call hes surprisingly calm and thoughtful in conversation. Practical and pragmatic  Yes, you could say its been an interesting six months so far. At the moment one day just follows the other.

He wonders if they could follow rival Leon and become almost like a convenience store. We have excellent supply chains and logistics. I could help communities if food supply really became a challenge.

When they shut up shop a week ago he had 2 million worth of perishable food that he made sure was distributed to hospital canteens and charities. He hates wasting food.

Christou was brought up by parents whose families originally came from Cyprus and Naples. His mum and dad were bitterly disappointed when their son elected to go and work for McDonalds after A-levels rather than attend university  they would have liked me to become an accountant or a lawyer... but theyre proud now.

At 21 he applied to Pret having never stepped into a store and was turned down. He tried again and was successful. So what are the differences between the two? McDonalds is big, structured, process-driven, systematic. It has an amazing consistency of offer. Pret grew in a more entrepreneurial, organic way. We still try hard to maintain that. We try to give managers freedom to operate. And this crisis has seen them show initiative which is a vital part of managing.

Maintaining that quirkiness while benefiting from a hugely valuable consistency will be the next challenge when the virus passes.

On the morning we speak hes just come off the phone to his best man who runs a fish and chip shop on the Northcote Road near Clapham Junction. The friend was bewildered and Christou helped him out with some advice about HMG paying staff wages and the VAT return.

His parents opened up in the late 70s. But its terrifying for him and small businesses. He knows that if he does defer money he owes he could wind up paying it off for next 20 years. So, its right that Government is thinking about small rather than larger businesses.

Identifying him as a potential leader his bosses sent him to Harvard Business School in 2018. Initially, he felt elements of imposter syndrome until he realised he knew as much if not more than the theoreticians, as hed actually worked double shifts and got up at 5am to open his store.

I found that so much that Id picked up on the hoof over the years was verified in an academic manner. Maybe it professionalised someone whod been a bit rough around the edges. It boosted my confidence hugely so it was worth it. And the networking was priceless.

Christou adds: But if Im honest most answers to problems are there deep down in the business if you know it well enough and are able to look for them. I still believe in the flat structure weve got  at the top we can reach down easily and those in the shops can reach up with all their questions, thoughts and observations. Giving NHS staff 50% off and free drinks didnt come from me but from our people who work in Warren Street next to UCL hospital.

Pret is now owned by JAB, the private equity/family office part of the German Reimann clan who made their money through Reckitt Benckiser. They will have deep pockets and patience  indeed, when all this is over there will be rich pickings among the business wreckage for the canny. The conversations with Pret landlords have yet to yield anything in the way of rent holidays but most retailers are going to have to be cut some slack if they are to survive.

In the world of entry level hospitality a job at Pret wasnt a bad gig. No zero hours contracts and pay levels above minimum wage with weekly bonuses.

Last week Christou said immediately that he will pay his staff 100% of their salaries at least until the end of April. This may sound like virtue signalling but its worth considering if Wetherspoons pint-pullers think that way as they face their uncertain futures.

So to whom does a business leader turn in these situations? To be honest I havent yet had the time to stop and think  S***, whats going on? Youre in survival mode. You get on with it.

I talk to other business leaders in my sector. But at the end of the day I rely on my wife. She was at Pret for 16 years. She knows  shes a pragmatic doer.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:20:41|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it has approved 395.5 million U.S. dollars credit facility to help finance various reforms in Somalia.

The IMF said the three-year financing package will support the implementation of the authorities' National Development Plan and anchor reforms between the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) Decision and Completion Points.

Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, said Somalia has reached the HIPC Decision Point given the authorities' sustained commitment to reforming in a challenging political, security and climate environment.

"The authorities' strong policy commitment has helped strengthen public financial management and the financial sector, improve governance, and enhance macroeconomic stability," Georgieva said in a statement on Friday.

She said reforms will focus on continued strengthening of public finances to meet Somalia's development needs in a sustainable manner, deepening of central bank capacity, improvement of the business environment and governance, and enhancing statistics.

Reaching "Decision Point" means that Somalia's eligibility for debt relief is confirmed, and its relations with international financial institutions are fully normalized.

The economic program will support the authorities' implementation of their ambitious reform agenda and catalyze concessional donor financing.

"This will help the country implement its National Development Plan to build greater economic resilience, promote higher and more inclusive growth, and reduce poverty," IMF said.

Georgieva said the authorities' new three-year economic program is an ambitious and appropriate response to Somalia's macroeconomic challenges.

"Continued reform commitment, together with the necessary technical assistance, will be critical to achieving the program's objectives, as well as to secure higher and more inclusive growth," Georgieva said.

The lender said the authorities need to continue strengthening the cooperation between the federal government of Somalia and federal member states.

"The medium-term fiscal framework under the program appropriately balances the need to contain recurrent spending while channeling new resources toward Somalia's development plan," she added.

The IMF official said the central bank's efforts to strengthen its organizational capacity and enhance regulation and supervision will be critical for the robust and sustainable development of the financial sector.
Hungary's government will present its action plan to restart the economy after the new coronavirus sometime in the first or second week of April, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told public radio on Friday.

Orban said the economy will need to be restarted but for now it took a back seat to saving the lives of as many people as possible as Hungary faces a long uptick of the epidemic, which is expected to peak in June or July, he said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Trump says restaurant will be back  sort of. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

During a press conference Thursday, President Donald Trump finally took time to address the crisis facing the restaurant industry. Of restaurants, Trump says theyll all be back, even if by they he means different businesses with different owners. He would know, he explained, because I understand the restaurant business, which he calls a very tough business where you can lose a customer with one bad meal.

Trump on challenges facing restaurants: "I understand the restaurant business," which is "very delicate."



"You can serve 30 great meals to a person and a family...one bad meal, #31, and they never come back again. It's a very tough business," Trump says.  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 26, 2020

Trump claim on restaurants: "They'll all be back," though maybe not under the same ownership. (This is not what the industry is saying will happen after a long closure period.)  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 26, 2020

Independent operators have been begging for help, forming groups like the Independent Restaurant Coalition to advocate and lobby on the behalf of the industry. Trump essentially dismissed their concerns at a time when many in the industry are saying the coronavirus relief bill just isnt enough for independent restaurateurs. One aspect of the bill, the Keeping Workers Paid and Employed Act, was specifically intended to help small business, but last-minute changes opened the funding up to franchisees from big businesses that will now be able to take reportedly half of the funding. The IRC, ROAR NY, and New York Hospitality Coalition have started a social media campaign, #sizematters, to drum up opposition to this. Others have argued that this crisis is an opportunity to change the restaurant industry for the better. In an op-ed for the New York Times, Amanda Cohen argues, This shutdown has shown us that the only moral choice is for the industry to provide a better safety net for our workers.
Jaipur, March 27 : Curfew has been clamped in the walled city of Jaipur on Friday after two positive corona cases were traced from Ramganj, confirmed Additional Chief Secretary Home Rajeev Swaroop.

One Oman returned man tested positive for the virus on Thursday, while on Friday, his another friend who came in his contact also tested positive. So keeping the security of Jaipur residents in mind, we have imposed curfew in seven police stations areas, said Swaroop.

Every one is appealed to remain cautious and to visit a doctor if any kind of symptom comes in, he said further adding that people in the walled city need not panic as essential services shall be supplied to them in all circumstances, he added.

He also appealed people to stop inter state and intra state movement.

"Borders have been sealed and movement of labourers has been barred. I appeal that interstate and intra state movement should be stopped. Labours accommodation and food supply shall be arranged, he said further.

The Oman returned man was supposed to stay in isolation as suggested by health officials after his return, however, he continued meeting his family and friends and also visited Mosque for Namaz thereby posing danger for many people around.

With two new patients, total number of corona positive patients in Jaipur now stands at 10.
Amish children look out the window of a horse-drawn buggy on a rainy-day ride along Old Philadelphia Pike in Gordonville, Lancaster County, on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Read more

As a public service, The Inquirer is making this article and other critical public health and safety coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers.

People familiar with the Amish community in Pennsylvania say many are taking the coronavirus and subsequent business closures and calls for social distancing very seriously. But other Amish, just like some of their English counterparts, are not.

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke to about 30 Amish families [about coronavirus] and there was a great degree of skepticism about it, said Phil Lapp, a Mennonite who grew up among the Amish in Lancaster County and now gives tours there. Over the past couple of days, though, I would say a majority are adhering to the call to stay home, but 10% to 20% are extremely upset about the outside world impacting their livelihood.

While Lancaster County has 67 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and two deaths, Craig Lehman, a county commissioner, said Thursday he was unaware of any among the Amish.

On Friday afternoon, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf complicated life further for the Amish by adding Lancaster County to his list of stay-at-home counties.

Pennsylvania, according to AmishAmerica.com, leads the nation with 53 Amish settlements, and Lancaster County, where the Amish population is approximately 39,000, has the highest concentration. While attitudes about medicine and preventive care can differ even between individual families, they will seek it out in emergencies.

Last week, the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health at Pennsylvania State University sent out a letter discussing the coronavirus intended to reach Amish and Old Order Mennonite farmers, as well as a news release titled Plain Communities Can Protect Themselves Against COVID-19." Steve Nolt, an Elizabethtown College professor who has studied Amish society for decades, said the release would have been picked up by agricultural publications.

Please take this virus seriously. Your familys life may depend on it, the letter urged. Some think that this virus is a political ploy, but that is a misconception and people of all political parties are dying.

 READ MORE: Amish share meal with refugees, bridging gap between cultures

It quoted Holmes Morton, who founded the Clinic for Special Children in Strasburg in 1989 and now operates a similar center in Belleville, Mifflin County. He specializes in genetic disorders of Amish and Mennonite communities, including maple syrup urine disease, in which the body is unable to process certain protein amino acids. Nolt said that Morton is revered by the Amish and other Plain sects and that they would listen to his warnings.

A gathering of hundreds of people at a fund-raising dinner or benefit auction could easily become the source of an outbreak of COVID-19 in the [Amish and Mennonite] community, Morton said in the letter.

Two weeks ago, elected officials called for the cancellation of the popular Gordonville Mud Sale, one of many large spring auctions that take place in Plain communities. The event was not postponed.

The March 17 edition of the Fishwrapper, a newspaper popular among the Amish and Mennonites, featured an editorial stating that the coronavirus has people running scared. What is it they fear? They worry they will pick up the virus. They panic when they think how it could affect them if they contract it. They listen to news reports that vary in their presentation  one promoting it as something to be feared and the other as nothing to worry about.

Nolt said certain aspects of Amish life could put them at greater risk for catching and spreading the coronavirus. Amish church services are held on Sunday mornings inside homes, with sometimes as many as 175 people in one house, and can last three hours. The men usually gather outside beforehand, he said, and all of them shake hands.

Theres a different sense of personal space, he said.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus hasnt hit rural Pennsylvania hard yet, but its already causing problems

Theres also a higher likelihood that Amish homes have elderly family members living in them with their children. "Its very rare for older Amish folks to live in retirement or nursing homes, Nolt said.

Lehman said there have been outreach efforts by the county to talk to the Amish about the coronavirus.

The most recent update was that some of them are definitely getting the message. We got word that last week, church had been canceled up to two weeks, Lehman said. "Word was sent out to the Amish to reduce the size of weddings or postpone them, if possible.

That sentiment was also relayed in the letter Penn State sent out to the communities. Avoid auctions, weddings, fund-raising banquets, shaking hands, and even church for the time being, it warned.

Nolt said canceling church comes at a particularly bad time for the Amish. They share communion just twice a year, one in autumn, the other in spring. The spring communion is approaching soon.

Theres probably going to be even more resistance to canceling church because of it, he said.

The Mennonite World Review said on March 16 that Mennonite services would be held online throughout North America. Although most eschew technology, some Plain communities use computers.

On Thursday, Lapp, the tour operator, was helping deliver fabric masks that the Amish are making to the Lancaster Health Center. The masks are being sewn at Bird-in-Hand Fabric, and while not medical grade, they are better than nothing, he said. The Amish are reading newspapers and know whats happening, but "at the same time, theyre not wearing masks, theyre not social distancing themselves, and I do fear for their elderly. "
People maintain social distance as they stand in the queue to biy essentials in Chennai. PTI Photo

Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami to enforce strictly the three-week national lockdown declared to check the spread of coronavirus and ensure availability of essential commodities for the people, the state government said.

In a telephonic conversation, Modi said prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and social distancing should be rigidly enforced.

The Prime Minister sought to know from the Chief Minister about the coronavirus preventive measures undertaken by various government departments in the state, an official release said.

Palaniswami apprised Modi in detail about the steps being taken continuously by the state government against the contagion.

"Considering public good, the Prime Minister said the prohibitory orders under section 144 should be followed strictly and people should ensure social distancing," the release said.

He also said steps should be taken to ensure availability of essential commodities for the people.

"The Chief Minister replied that all these aspects are being fully implemented," the release added.

The state government which had initially announced the shutdown till March 31 on Thursday extended it till April 14 in sync with the national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister.
The coronavirus outbreak has struck at the heart of Britains government, with prime minister Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock testing positive while chief medical officer Chris Whitty self-isolates after experiencing symptoms.

Although all three said they were continuing to work, with only mild symptoms, the dramatic developments throw a question mark over the UKs leadership during the crisis.

At a Downing Street press conference, senior cabinet minister Michael Gove dodged the question of who would take over if Mr Johnson became incapacitated by a deterioration in his condition. No 10 has previously said that foreign secretary Dominic Raab is designated survivor to take the reins of power if Mr Johnson becomes unable to govern.

The UKs death toll hit 759 on Friday, with the largest daily increase so far of 181, as the virus continued to surge particularly in London.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said testing of frontline staff will be rolled out across the health service next week.

Mr Stevens said numbers of tests should have doubled by this time next week, with GPs, critical care nurses, and other staff in intensive care, emergency departments and ambulance services the first to receive them. He said it was urgently important to establish whether frontline staff have the illness to avoid unnecessary isolation.

In a message recorded shortly after he chaired the regular early-morning Covid-19 war cabinet by video link today, the prime minister said that he had been suffering from a temperature and a persistent cough and had been advised to take a test by Professor Whitty.

Mr Johnson said that he was self-isolating for seven days but would continue to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

It is understood that his partner Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, is not self-isolating with him in the flat they share above 11 Downing Street, but is staying elsewhere.

Mr Johnson is believed to be the first major world leader to test positive for the virus.

His diagnosis immediately raised concerns because he has recently been in contact with many of those at the forefront of the UKs response to the coronavirus outbreak, including Professor Whitty, Mr Hancock and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance.

Just hours later, Mr Hancock released his own message to say he too had tested positive, adding: Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home and self-isolating. Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS and save lives.

Shortly afterwards, Professor Whitty tweeted: After experiencing symptoms compatible with Covid-19 last night, in line with the guidance, I will be self-isolating at home for the next seven days.

I will be continuing to advise the government on the medical response to coronavirus, supported by my deputies.

The prime minister was last seen in public on Thursday evening at No 10, where he joined in the national Clap for Our Carers display of support for NHS workers. He was joined by chancellor Rishi Sunak, and the pair observed social distancing advice to keep at least two metres apart. Mr Sunak has not been tested for coronavirus.

Mr Johnson spoke at the regular 10 Downing Street press conference on Wednesday, but Thursdays conference was led instead by the chancellor, who announced a package of assistance for self-employed workers. Mr Gove appeared behind the lectern on Friday. Downing Street said that Mr Johnson will not be able to take part in the daily conferences while he is self-isolating.

Mr Johnson is known to have been in contact over recent weeks with the Prince of Wales, who has also tested positive for coronavirus. The pair met at a Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey on 9 March. Imperial College scientist Neil Ferguson was also diagnosed with coronavirus days after visiting 10 Downing Street.

His spokesperson said the prime minister had not seen the Queen face-to-face since 11 March, as their weekly audiences were conducted by telephone for the last two weeks.

It is not clear at this point how Mr Johnson contracted the illness, though it is known that other members of Downing Street staff had previously self-isolated because they were showing symptoms.

His official spokesperson said that he noticed symptoms on Thursday afternoon, was tested in 10 Downing Street and received the results at around midnight last night and immediately went into self-isolation.

The spokesperson declined to comment on where Ms Symonds was staying, but said that the medical advice in Mr Johnsons case was that he should self-isolate for seven days.

The seven-day guidance applies only to people living alone, while those sharing their homes with family members are told to self-isolate for 14 days, to give time to be sure whether others have caught the infection from them.

The prime minister of course follows all of the guidelines which have been issued by Public Health England in full, and his circumstance is such that he will be required to self-isolate for seven days, said the spokesperson.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

Daily Telegraph journalist Camilla Tominey, a friend of Carries, said Ms Symonds had moved into the couples four-bedroom home in Camberwell, south London, some days ago.

Ms Tominey told ITVs This Morning: Shes in Camberwell with Dilyn the dog so she will not have had any contact with the prime minister over the last few days.

Ms Symonds, whose baby is due in the early summer, is expected to sit out her partners self-isolation in Camberwell, where she will face an anxious wait to see whether she has herself caught the virus. Sufferers are believed to be contagious for several days before showing symptoms.

To allow Mr Johnson to continue working, the chancellors residence at 11 Downing Street has been turned over in its entirety to serve as the prime ministers workplace, with Mr Sunak working from his family home. Mr Johnson told colleagues at cabinet on Tuesday that wherever possible they should work from home, and most have been doing so.

Video conferencing facilities have been installed in the downstairs office and study being used by the prime minister in No 11 and doors joining the building with No 10 have been closed off.

All staff working with the prime minister are observing the advice to stay two metres away from him, and meals are being left outside his door for him to collect.

The weekly cabinet meeting took place by video call for the first time ever on Tuesday, with only Mr Johnson, Mr Hancock, Professor Whitty and cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill  the countrys most senior civil servant  attending in person.

Mr Johnsons spokesperson said stringent efforts were being made to ensure that the prime minister did not pass on the infection to colleagues.

Here in No 10, weve been observing the advice on social distancing, he said. You will have seen the images released of cabinet, where we have wherever possible used video-conferencing. You will have seen the prime minister ensuring he was a safe distance from colleagues when taking part in press conferences.

From the moment he had symptoms, he took steps to make sure he wasnt in close contact with anyone. He did really want to take part in clapping NHS staff, it was something he felt was important. But in taking part in that national moment, he ensured he didnt come into any form of close contact with anyone.

He stood outside No 10 at a very significant distance from the chancellor and he took part in the applause and then immediately after that he placed himself in self-isolation.

In his video message, Mr Johnson said: Hi folks. I want to bring you up to speed with something thats happening today, which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus  that is to say, a temperature and a persistent cough.

On the advice of the chief medical officer, I have taken a test that has come out positive, so I am working from home. I am self-isolating and thats entirely the right thing to do.

But be in no doubt I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team and lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

Mr Johnson added: I want to thank everybody involved, above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS.

But it is not just the NHS, it is our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff.

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak take part in the national Clap for Our Carers event on Thursday evening (PA)

It is an amazing national effort by public services, but also by every member of the British public who is volunteering  an incredible response, 600,000 people have volunteered to take a part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus.

I want to thank you, I want to thank everybody who is working to keep this country going through this epidemic.

And we will get through it and the way we are going to get through it is, of course, by applying the measures you will have heard so much about.

The more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this safely and the faster we will bounce back.

Thank you to everybody who is doing what Im doing  working from home to stop the spread of the virus from household to household.

Thats the way we are going to win. We are going to beat it and we are going to beat it together. Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
Amid coronavirus pandemic, Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova is taking the internet by storm after she wore color-coordinated face masks at different events. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised wearing a mask only in case of illness or looking after someone who may have COVID-19, the Slovakian President decided to wear a tailored mask to suit her attire.

On March 21, Caputova appointed a centre-right coalition government headed by Igor Matovic, leader of the Ordinary People (OLANO) party. During the ceremony, Caputova's face mask stood out among the other participants due to the fashionable twist to it.

Read: Man Builds Chain-reaction Machine In His Dining Room, Netizens Stunned

Earlier in another event, the 46-year-old Slovakian leader wore a blazer matching with the colour of her mask.

Read:

The photographs immediately went viral on the internet and netizens were impressed by the fashion sense of the President. Many came up with hilarious memes comparing her with famous television characters.

president of Slovakia showing up in her corona drip, hand-tailored matching fabric surgical masks..... impeccable pic.twitter.com/PgZB1YvuDs  valeska (@iatemuggles) March 21, 2020

Pandemic, but make it fashion  Aeon Flaming (@riwasaku) March 22, 2020

Corona is temporary, but drip is forever pic.twitter.com/kHDDez6qna  skinny legend? (@wale__awe) March 22, 2020

wait you onto something...Skarlet from mortal kombat to be exact pic.twitter.com/5b958uX8Y3  valeska (@iatemuggles) March 21, 2020

The idea of the thing, not the thing itself?



The folly of elites ... pic.twitter.com/TOLFL3tQPs  AC Fick (@acfick72) March 22, 2020

Masked Slovak Government Sworn In Amid Virus

Shortage of PPE

There has been a massive shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the coronavirus pandemic and countries are struggling to provide medical professional adequate safety gears to work at the frontline. Spain, one of the worst-hit countries, signed a contract with China worth 432 million euros to purchase 550 million masks, 5.5 million rapid test kits, 950 respirators and 11 million pairs of gloves.

Read: Farida Khanum Mesmerises Netizens With Instagram Live Gig With Vishal & Rekha Bhardwaj

Read: Singapore Unveils USD 33.17 Bn Economic Package To Tide Through Coronavirus Crisis
The family of a Florida woman who was tested for coronavirus on March 13 after contracting pneumonia in both lungs has revealed that she is still waiting for results 12 days after she first entered an intensive care unit.

Vickie Schafer, 61, is in a medically induced coma in Palm West hospital but staff are left unsure of how to treat her because they are still waiting to confirm whether she has coronavirus or not.

Frustrated healthcare workers even conducted a second test hoping that results from either one would soon be delivered.

The delay comes as coronavirus testing in Palm Beach County, home to President Trump's winter home Mar-a-Lago, is heavily criticized by residents as they lose out on pay and are fearful to leave their homes all because they cannot confirm their results.

Vickie Schafer, 61, is lying in a medically induced coma in Palms West hospital in Florida

Her family is concerned that Schafer, pictured left, has been awaiting her coronavirus test results for 12 days and may now be awoken from her coma to find herself alone

Not only can staff in Palm West hospital not treat Schafer but the delay means they are forced to continue wearing increased protection to ensure they do not pick up coronavirus from her, potentially needlessly taking up the limited supply if it turns out that Schafer developed pneumonia for some other reason.

And Schafer's sister who sat by her side when she was first admitted to hospital and who is now shiwing symptoms can now not get a test in a county which is significantly behind in testing for potential cases.

On Thursday, Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner confirmed that the federal government won't establish a drive-though coronavirus testing site in the area.

Schafer first fell ill on March 11 with what she thought was the flu.

She was given antibiotics for a bronchial infection and returned to her work as a bookkeeper.

She landed in the emergency room two days later where it was discovered that one part of her lungs was infected.

By March 15, both her lungs had submitted to the infection and she was put on a ventilator and placed in isolation where her family was not sure she was going to make it.

Twelves days later and she is still awaiting the results, as staff question whether to take her out of the coma so they can use her respirator elsewhere.

Palms West Hospital where staff are treating Schafer and considering waking her from a coma

Her daughter-in-law Crystal Lucas told the Palm Beach Post that the family is now worried about what will happen if they can't be by her side when she is woken up.

'What everybody is most upset about when she comes out of sedation, having been in a coma for two weeks, nobody will be there to hold her hand and tell her it's going to be OK,' said Lucas, who lives in Oregon.

'She is going to wake up to a nurse who looks like they're out of a pandemic movie and how traumatic that is going to be.

'My husband wanted to fly there and can't. The hospital is completely shut down to visitors,' Lucas continued.

'When Vickie was really touch and go in that first 24 hours and we thought she literally wouldn't make it, that was when my husband was most torn up.

'We still have no results from that test,' Lucas added while praising the staff working with her.

'We were told two days, then we were told seven to 10 days and now we are on day 12.

'I just want to tell people to not take shelter in place orders lightly. I think Vickie is solely alive because she was lucky enough to be on the front end of it. In two weeks, I don't know.'

People are still heading to beach in Palm Springs despite the growing coronavirus cases

Patrons dine at Avocado Grill on Datura Street in West Palm Beach Florida, where residents have hit out at the lack of coronavirus testing available as they struggle with symptoms

One of Palm Beach's popular restaurants, Buccan, voluntarily closed as the coronavirus hits

The lag in results also means that those who spent time closest to Schafer before her hospitalization are being left in limbo over their own best course of action.

As well as her co-workers who she spent those two days with her before hospitalization, her sister Gina Shelton is now ill at home and unable to get a test.

'It's extremely scary,' Shelton said.

'Especially not having the results of the test back. It's unbelievable. And not being able to go to the hospital to see her makes me feel extremely helpless.'

Schafer is far from the only case displaying both the lack of testing and test delays in Palm Beach County, which residents have slammed for inefficiency in protecting their health.

The Lane family in Boynton Beach may have been exposed to the high profile case of a man who flew back to Florida from New York and then tested positive.

The family attends Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton with the patient and father Marc Lane later came down with a cough and chills.

The family's doctor has said he will test them in the driveway of their home but he is not even able to find the tests to do so.

The family's 20-year-old son is among the vulnerable population leaving them feeling 'thrown under the bus in all this'.

Healthcare workers screen patients who will be tested for COVID-19 at the FoundCare drive-thru testing station in Palm Springs. Palm Beach County will not have a similar testing center

A test being conducted at the first and only drive-thru coronavirus testing station in Palm Springs. The federal government said they will not set one up in Palm Beach County

Wife Alexa is also now without pay as the lack of testing has meant she can not return to her job as a medical assistant at a private health care clinic without knowing whether or not she has been exposed.

'We are not independently wealthy or retired,' Lane said.

'We are both working trying to make it month-to-month raising kids. Having to miss two weeks of pay because we couldn't get tested to find out if it is safe to go back to work without risking exposing people, it's indescribable.'

In yet another case of test failure in the county, Wellington Realtor Ashley Ouellette has experienced a fever and has had to cancel meetings, worried that she could expose an 82-year-old grandmother, her 69-year-old husband, who has Parkinson's, and her 89-year-old father, who is visiting.

The 55-year-old was told she cannot get a test as her temperature was not high enough.

'I'm the person who cares for everyone,' she said.

'I just want to know I don't have it and be able to take care of these guys and keep it out of here.'

Of the seven largest counties in Florida, Palm Beach County lags way behind in testing, according to the Palm Beach Post as the state quickly becomes a hot spot for the coronavirus in the U.S.

Palm Beach has currently only tested only 81 people per 100,000 leaving it dead last in the ranking of the state's seven largest metropolitan areas.

That means that only 1,166 people out of the population of 1.4 million have been tested.

141 people have been found positive.

'Each day that passes is one that the virus is circulating, and we don't know how bad it is in Palm Beach County,' County Commissioner Mack Bernard said.

'I'm flabbergasted and baffled by the lack of testing in Palm Beach County.'

Continuing our look at #SocialDistancing impact on #COVID19 ... This week @NYGovCuomo took decisive action calling for New Yorkers to #StayHome We took a look at mobile device movement leaving NY this week and the data shows strict policy is needed! pic.twitter.com/N6pElCoZjC  Tectonix GEO (@TectonixGEO) March 26, 2020

On a national scale, about 100 people per every million have so far been tested in the United States.

In Florida, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services worked with the state to do mass testing under the CDC guidelines in Duval, Orange and Miami-Dade counties, picked because of their geographical size and because of the large venues they hold where tens of thousands of people could gather in none place.

Focus was also given to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando because they are hubs of international travel, while Palm Beach is not.

More than 92,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the US and at least 1,390 are known to have died from the infection.

Florida has been deemed a coronavirus hot spot in the U.S. with 2,484 cases and 29 deaths.
Thousands of bankers are set for a reprieve as European lenders reconsider their restructuring plans because of the widespread impact of the coronavirus.

HSBC Holdings Plc is putting on hold as many as 35,000 job cuts while Lloyds Banking Group Plc halted its plans to trim around 780 positions. Credit Suisse Group AG chief executive Officer Thomas Gottstein said that the Swiss bank wont announce any layoffs because of the virus, while Commerzbank AG and Societe Generale SA may slow the pace of cuts.

The Europeans arent alone. Morgan Stanley chief executive officer James Gorman also told employees on Thursday that the U.S. bank wont cut its workforce at all this year.

The need for steep cuts at European banks is more acute, where such measures are a major plank in their plans to restore lacklustre profitability or bolster shareholder payouts. At the same time, theyre now set to receive unprecedented help from governments and regulators, making it more politically sensitive to put people out of work.

Still, the change of heart isnt universal. UniCredit SpA is in active talks with worker representatives over its plan to cut 6,000 jobs in Italy and a deal may be in place next month, a union official said. The bank has said most reductions will come through attrition and early retirements.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc chief executive officer Alison Rose is sticking to her plans to slash the banks markets business, people with knowledge of the matter said. In February, the state-controlled lender said it will restructure NatWest Markets, without specifying how many jobs will go. The unit accounts for 4,500 of the groups 65,400 staff, according to 2018 filings.

Because of the extraordinary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to pause, for the time being, the vast majority of redundancies associated with this program where notices have not already been issued, HSBC chief executive officer Noel Quinn told staff in a memo on Thursday.

Banks are seeking to show that  contrary to the last financial crisis more than a decade ago  they are now in a position to help countries deal with the unprecedented impact of the virus and its economic impact through ensuring that credit keeps flowing. They are also receiving government aid on loan guarantees and waivers to tap into their capital buffers to help them weather the crisis.

At this uncertain time, we have made the decision to stop the structural changes that were due to take place for some of our teams, a Lloyds spokesperson said by email. Our focus is on supporting our customers and colleagues during this unprecedented time.

Deutsche Bank said Thursday its deciding whether it can join a government program that draws on taxpayers money to allow companies to put staff on shorter hours while maintaining most of their pay. For Germanys biggest lender, the job cuts are central to a massive restructuring that means getting out of several businesses entirely.

The challenge of negotiating with labour unions  an essential step in most German head count reduction programs  while most people are working from home could pose an operational challenge to the banks plans, Commerzbank chief financial officer Bettina Orlopp indicated on a conference last week.

Ms. Orlopp has indicated that job cuts may happen more slowly in the current circumstances, Stefan Wittmann, a union representative serving on Commerzbanks supervisory board, said by email. In our view, that would be the right thing to do.

The delayed job cuts put at risk the restructuring efforts under way at many banks at a time when stress in the financial system is rising. Moodys on Thursday downgraded the credit outlook for large swathes of Europes banking industry as it predicted rising loan-loss provisions coupled with a strong decline in revenue that will further erode the sectors profitability.

I dont think its in this kind of situation that were going to announce restructuring measures, Societe General CEO Frederic Oudea said at a conference last week. There is a question of decency.

Read more about:
House buyers and renters have been urged to postpone their imminent property moves during the nationwide lockdown, as the government effectively put the UKs home real estate market on hold.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick issued the plea on Thursday, adding that it was especially important to try and delay for those who are socially isolating or being shielded.

His comments come three days after Boris Johnson announced stringent new measures to tackle the outbreak of Covid-19, with all non-essential travel prohibited, mass gatherings banned and the vast majority of stores ordered to close.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has now said: Homebuyers and renters should, where possible, delay moving to a new house while measures are in place to fight coronavirus (Covid-19).

Our advice is that if you have already exchanged contracts and the property is currently occupied then all parties should work together to agree a delay or another way to resolve this matter.

Mr Jenrick even said those scheduled to move on Friday should rethink plans to bring in the removal vans.

To help sustain the real estate market, lenders have agreed to extend all mortgage offers for up to three months to make it easier for borrowers to shift their move date, with the government insisting there is no need to pull out of transactions.

Stephen Jones, chief executive of UK Finance, said: Current social distancing measures mean many house moves will need to be delayed.

Where people have already exchanged contracts for house purchases and set dates for completion this is likely to be particularly stressful.

To support these customers at this time, all mortgage lenders are working to find ways to enable customers who have exchanged contracts to extend their mortgage offer for up to three months to enable them to move at a later date.

While Robin Fieth, chief executive of the Building Societies Association (BSA), described the extension offer as a fair and reasonable step to take, not all lenders are taking part in the initiative.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

Both Virgin Money and Skipton Building Society have chosen to suspend mortgage applications for house purchases until after the pandemic has passed.

Under the governments latest measures, an exemption is made for critical home moves, in the event that a new date is unable to be agreed.

For those homeowners and tenants with property already on the market, the government warns: You can continue to advertise it as being for sale but you should not allow people in to view your property.

Recommended Local authorities told to house all people sleeping rough

There should not be any visitors into your home, and you should therefore not let people visit your property for viewings. Your agent may be able to conduct virtual viewings and you could speak to them about this possibility.

The buying and selling process can continue during this period but you should be aware that the process is likely to take longer than normal.

Interest in moving home has slumped amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to Zoopla, a property listings website. It has predicted that housing transactions will fall by up to 60 per cent over the next three months.

Meanwhile, Rightmove, which described the slowdown in the UK housing market as "significant, told the BBC: The number of property transactions failing to complete in recent days and likely changes in tenant behaviour following the announcement of the renters' protections by the government may put further pressure on estate and lettings agents.

Additional reporting by agencies
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Asip Hasani, Bambang Muryanto and Suherjoko (The Jakarta Post) Blitar, Yogyakarta and Semarang  Fri, March 27, 2020 09:48 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dc1428 1 National mudik,COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,coronavirus,East-Java,Central-Java,Yogyakarta Free

Authorities in Yogyakarta, Central Java and East Java are scrambling with plans to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease as workers from Greater Jakarta have started returning to their hometowns for early Idul Fitri mudik (exodus), as business had slowed due to the outbreak.

The Bantul administration in Yogyakarta province has issued a circular requiring all visitors and residents who enter the regency from other towns to undergo health checks at nearby health facilities and self-quarantine for two weeks.

"We have also asked village officials to observe visitors and residents who have traveled out of town," Bantul administration secretary Helmi Jamharis told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Sleman regency also took similar measures, with Regent Sri Purnomo going as far as designating mudik travelers under the category of people under surveillance (ODP), which is the governments classification for people who have recently traveled to infected regions or have come in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient but do not show any symptoms.

"We have cooperated with the village supervisory noncommissioned officers and the police's security and public order officers, as well as village officials to register all visitors to the regency," Sri said.

Of the countrys 893 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 78 fatalities reported as of Thursday afternoon, Yogyakarta recorded 16 positive cases in the province with two deaths.

Yogyakarta Deputy Mayor Heroe Purwadi has formed a task force to monitor people who had arrived in the city for mudik.

"All COVID-19 cases in Yogyakarta are imported so it's necessary to take preventive measures," Heroe said.

Heroe, however, said Yogyakarta had yet to see a significant increase in the number of people or vehicles entering the province in recent days.

Its neighboring province, Central Java, however, has reported thousands of mudik travelers arriving in the province, including in Jepara, which recorded 1,776 travelers, Purwokerto with 2,323 travelers and Wonogiri 2,625 travelers as of Tuesday.

A surge of passengers was also recorded at bus terminals in Cepu, Pemalang, Kebumen, Wonosobo and Cilacap.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has requested that local officials register those who had recently returned to cities and regencies in the province and temporarily close tourist destinations, beaches, city squares and other public places.

He had also prohibited religious gatherings and any form of social gathering, including weddings, to contain the transmission of the novel coronavirus, which has infected 40 people and killed in the province.

"I urge all regents and mayors in Central Java to register all mudik travelers, check their health and continuously monitor them," Ganjar said.

Meanwhile, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said mudik travelers returning to the province would be among those prioritized to undergo COVID-19 tests.

In East Java, 5,619 travelers were recorded to have entered the province via Juanda International Airport from January to March.

"We will receive around 10,000 rapid testing kits from the Health Ministry to be distributed to 29 regencies and nine cities in East Java. We will designate some of the test kits specifically for mudik travelers," Khofifah said on Wednesday.

As of Thursday afternoon, the province had recorded 59 cases of infection with three fatalities linked to COVID-19.

The Transportation Ministry is considering a plan to ban this years Idul Fitri mudik but has yet to reach a decision on the matter. (nal)
Usually, when postman Mohammed Tehseen takes parcels to the 1095 homes that he delivers to in Essendon North, about a quarter of the residents arent there.

If a resident isn't home, he drops the package back at the post office for them to pick up later. Yesterday I had 97 parcels and I delivered 96, said Mr Tehseen, a postie for seven years.

Postie Mohammed Tehseen on his Essendon North route on Friday. Credit:Justin McManus

He started on a bicycle, then moved to a motorbike. Now, he does his rounds on an electric delivery vehicle. Luckily for us, because the vehicles can carry a small mountain of parcels.

Australia Post last week noted a steady rise in parcels, and posties are expecting an exponential jump.
Falling oil and natural gas prices worldwide due to the spread of the coronavirus have pushed down local prices for industry

The government adopted a package of measures last week to support local industry and deal with the economic consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Among these was the reduction of natural gas prices for industry from $6 and $5.5 to $4.5 per million British thermal units (MBTU).

Manufacturers had been calling on the government to reduce gas prices for energy-intensive factories to $3 per MBTU to help alleviate their woes.

Prior to last weeks reductions, natural gas was being sold to cement factories, which suffer from heavy losses, at a price of $6 per MBTU, and at a price of $5.5 to steel, aluminum, copper and ceramics factories, which also suffer from financial problems due to losses.

These prices have been in effect since September 2019.

The prices are determined by the Energy Pricing Committee of the cabinet, which works to review energy prices submitted to factories periodically every six months based on the situation of the industries and global gas prices.

Alia Al-Mahdi, a professor of economics and head of the Egyptian Iron and Steel Association, believes last weeks reduction of gas prices is a good step, but it is not enough.

Natural gas for local industry should be priced at a maximum of $2.5 per MBTU, she said, adding that the average global and regional price of natural gas provided for industry was about $2.

Gas prices should be close to international and regional levels to encourage local manufacturers to increase production and alleviate their financial problems, Al-Mahdi said.

If natural gas prices are lowered to that level, the result would be evident in reducing production expenses, increasing production volume, and alleviating losses. Energy-intensive industries like steel, for example, are suffering great losses, she pointed out.

Reducing these losses to reach a break-even point was necessary, Al-Mahdi explained, and if there were profits, taxes could then be collected to benefit the economy.

Local steel factories were working at only about 55 per cent of their production capacities, she said, but this already covered local needs.

We have a large local market for steel, with production at about 7.5 million tons per year and consumption at around 6.5 million tons, she said, adding that Egypts production capacity was estimated to be around 14 million tons.

When production expenses are lowered, by reduced gas prices for instance, factories can then start producing more and the excess can go for export, she said.

We can even win new markets after the current disruption in international markets as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Al-Mahdi said. But we have to extend greater help to local manufacturers.

The high price of gas affects production costs, thus raising the prices of Egyptian exports in foreign markets compared to their counterparts abroad, said Mohamed Hanafi, director of the Chamber of Metallurgical Industries at the Federation of Egyptian Industries.

He said that domestic industry needed support, taking into consideration the problems it faces. The price of natural gas was the first and most important problem in all energy-intensive industries, according to Hanafi.

He pointed out that his chamber had repeatedly called on the Energy Pricing Committee to reconsider gas and electricity prices for factories and reduce the price of gas to $3, especially since many countries were already making gas available at lower rates such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Global oil and gas prices are falling fast, driven by the Covid-19 pandemic slowing down demand and a price war between oil producers.

Brent crude oil had gone down from about $65 per barrel before the crisis to below $30. European natural gas prices have reached $1.9 per MBTU due to the pandemic and a decline in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, whereas the average price in 2019 was about $2.57 per MBTU, down from $3.15 dollars in the last four years.

Egypt currently has a chance to increase its exports and to replace the goods of countries that are experiencing a crisis as a result of the outbreak of the coronavirus, especially the African countries, Hanafi said.

Among the expected results of reducing gas prices for industries, according to Hanafi, would be an increase in production capacity as factories have been operating at relatively low levels in order to maintain specific costs.

If gas were reduced to $3 or $3.5 per MBTU for ceramics and steel factories, for example, their production could increase from 50 to 70 per cent.

According to EFG Hermes Holding, Egypts supply of natural gas is currently abundant, and the prices for export are not attractive, making the decision to reduce gas prices locally logical.

Reducing energy prices for industrial use in Egypt is an important step in revitalising this sector to help sustain economic growth rates.

Egypts natural gas production exceeds seven billion cubic feet per day, and its domestic consumption is between 6.2 and 6.4 billion cubic feet per day.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


5.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

During his daily propaganda briefing at the White House on Thursday, Donald Trump bragged about the coronavirus mortality rate in the United States being way, way down, despite troubling new data.

The mortality rate is  in my opinion, its way, way down, Trump said. You know, its one thing to have it. Its another thing to die.

Trumps comments come as the number of American coronavirus deaths climbed past 1,200.

Video:

As the number of coronavirus infections and deaths climbs in the U.S., Trump says its his opinion that the mortality rate is way, way down. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/HGbn9U7Sg1  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 26, 2020

Trump said:

I think [the markets] think were doing a really good job in terms of running this whole situation having to do with the virus. I think they feel that  I think they feel the administration  myself and the administration are doing a good job. Were keeping very important people informed. Because it was a great fear. And a lot of good things are happening. The mortality rate is at a  in my opinion, youll have to speak to Deborah, Tony, all of the others. But in my opinion, its way, way down. And that takes a lot of fear out. You know, its one thing to have it. Its another thing to die.

The U.S. death toll curve has surpassed China

Despite the presidents sunny opinion about the coronavirus mortality rate in the United States, Americas death toll curve has passed what Chinas was at this point in their outbreak, according to John Burn-Murdoch of the Financial Times.

NEW: Thursday 26 March update of coronavirus mortality trajectories tracker  US death toll curve has passed Chinas at same stage 

 UK on same track as Italy

 Were stripping this chart down to highlight major countries Live version FREE TO READ: https://t.co/VcSZISFxzF pic.twitter.com/RTlqBBGRiw  John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) March 26, 2020

These statistics are troubling, to say the least, but they also show that the United States isnt even close to being out of the woods yet, despite the nonsense being peddled during daily coronavirus briefings.

The number of coronavirus infections continues to rise rapidly, with the United States now having the most confirmed cases in the world.

As the president rushes to reopen businesses and send Americans back to work, the data clearly indicates that the United States is still in the thick of this crisis.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter
On the same day that the US overtook China to report the most number of coronavirus cases in the world, actor Evangeline Lilly, who had made light of the pandemic last week, apologised for her comments. Lillys post received backlash, including from actors Sophie Turner and Maggie Grace.

On Thursday, the actor, known for the Hobbit films, the Marvel movies, and the television show Lost, took to Instagram to offer an apology. Hello everyone, she wrote, I am writing you from my home where I have been social distancing since Mar 18th  when social distancing was instituted in the small community where I am currently living.

She continued, At the time of my Mar 16th post, the directives from the authorities here were that we not congregate in groups of more than 250ppl and that we wash our hands regularly, which we were doing. Two days later, those directives changed and, despite my intense trepidation over the socioeconomic and political repercussions of this course of action. She said that she is doing what she can to flatten the curve.

She added, I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt apology for the insensitivity I showed in my previous post to the very real suffering and fear that has gripped the world through COVID19.

Also read: Maggie Grace slams Lost co-star Evangeline Lilly for taking kids outdoors: Have some compassion

Lilly in her original post had likened the virus, which has affected over 500000 people worldwide, to a respiratory flu, and had compared lockdown scenarios to Marshal Law. She had written that for her, freedom was more important, to which Sophie Turner had replied in an Instagram live video, I dont give a f**k about your freedom.

In a comment on the original post, her Lost co-star Maggie Grace had asked Lilly to show some compassion, and had wondered if Lilly knew how their Lost colleague Daniel Dae Kim, who has been diagnosed with the disease, was doing.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
An employee at a Longos supermarket in Woodbridge is one of the 135 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Ontario as the provinces death toll rose by three to 18.

The number of infections reported Friday increased almost 16 per cent to a total of 993  double the level at the start of this week. That includes the 18 deaths and 8 cases that have been cleared.

Two residents of the Pinecrest nursing home in Bobcaygeon, where there has been an outbreak of the new coronavirus, and a York Region woman in her 80s, were the latest fatalities.

Deaths continue to be mostly in the high-risk category, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions, said Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health.

There are now 60 Ontarians in hospital with COVID-19, with 32 of the 43 patients in intensive care on ventilators to assist with breathing. At least 30 health-care workers have been infected to date.

Nationally, there were 4,043 confirmed cases of the virus with 39 deaths, Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said in Ottawa.

Echoing repeated pleas from front-line doctors and nurses in Toronto and across the country, Njoo warned some hospitals are nearing imminent shortages of supplies including protective equipment for medical staff.

He said the federal public agency is working day and night to ensure doctors and nurses have what they need.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott insisted we are procuring all the necessary supplies each and every day, including 10,000 ventilators from auto parts suppliers who are shifting production as the province girds for a surge of patients with breathing difficulties.

The Longos employee marks the second positive test for the new coronavirus in two days at the company, which has also seen a driver at its Grocery Gateway service take ill.

Longos said it is working with public health authorities to alert fellow employees and keep customers informed.

In an abundance of caution, an email has gone out to any guests who received a delivery from this driver in the past 14 days, said Anthony Longo, head of the family-owned grocery chain.

Measures above and beyond our already elevated sanitation and cleaning protocols are in now in place and the store is helping public health investigators trace the employees known points of contact and recent shifts, he said.

Any employees who need to self-isolate will be asked to stay home and will continue to be compensated, Longo added. Health authorities continue to reinforce that the risk of grocery shopping remains low.

Williams urged shoppers to keep your distance from grocery workers and cashiers in particular to protect them from potential exposure to COVID-19 because they are deemed essential under the state of emergency.

Theyre the ones coming in day after day to make sure we can put food on our tables, said Premier Doug Ford.

He called them unsung heroes and praised grocers for stepping up cleaning protocols, installing Plexiglas shields for cashiers and providing protective gloves to staff.

Ontario health officials said the 48-year-old man who worked at a Real Canadian Superstore in Oshawa and died Thursday in hospital did not have underlying medical conditions.

Ontarios testing backlog was down almost 900 to 10,074 people awaiting results Friday as labs can now process about 3,500 samples a day, Williams said.

To protect themselves, Njoo urged Canadians to stay within their bubbles  a new concept he described as a two-metre circle people should maintain around themselves. It doesnt apply to anyone they live with.

Health experts expect the pandemic to last many, many months and it could involve a second wave of infections before orders to stay home and avoid others are lifted, Njoo added.

Whatever your situation is, stay in your bubble. And please, dont step outside of it, and dont burst anyone elses bubble.

With files from Alex Ballingall
Barbadian sensation Robyn Rihanna Fenty has been lauded by the Barbados Government for her contribution towards fighting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.





Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced tonight during the Appropriation Bill 2020, that Rihanna has donated BBD $1.4 million to Government towards the purchase of ventilators. The islands business sector has also united to offer assistance in the purchasing of medical supplies and equipment to combat COVID-19.





Government reported two more positive cases of COVID-19 earlier today, bringing the national total number of confirmed cases to six. All six cases are imported. Each patient who is being treated, has a travel history to the United States. Two out of the six cases are two visitors to Barbados. The others are Barbadians. Barbados first two cases were confirmed March 17.





Sagicor has donated two temperature scanners for the airport and seaport, and Courts Barbados, a subsidiary of Unicomer, donated beds for the quarantine facilities.

Mottley also announced the launch of the Barbados Adopt Our Families Programme, to which Massy Barbados has donated $250,000. The programme will assist vulnerable groups and cash-strapped families affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.





"We believe that a country that knows what it is to carry each other, cannot watch others suffer in this environment; separate from those who can afford to hire somebody to help around the house and to do other things that they cant because they are earning better than most.





Therefore, she made a call for those in a position financially to give, to do so.





"I am directly appealing to the people of this country, particularly those who are earning above $100,000 in Barbados and those companies who can afford it, to contribute to Barbados Adopt Our Families Programme that will be chaired by the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs ,and that will have other public servant representatives, not the political class, be able to manage that fund to ensure that we can reach as many Barbadians as possible. (Loop News)




Trinity Health of New England, the parent company of Mercy Hospital in Springfield, said it has tested 3,385 people for potential COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared. So far, 168 tests have come back positive, meaning those people have COVID-19 disease. Another 1,333 people tested negative, and 1,884 tests are still being analyzed.

Trinity Health of New England manages 11 medical facilities and other medical services in the greater Hartford/Springfield area, including Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Providence Behavior5al Health Hospital in Holyoke, the Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital in Springfield, Brightside for Families and Children in Holyoke and the Mercy Continuing Care Network.

Baystate Health facilities in Western Massachusetts have tested 1,066 people for COVID-19 and found a total of 109 individuals to have the virus, officials said Friday. Another 547 people tested negative.

The Springfield-based health provider in still awaiting test results for 409 others; and 1 case is indeterminate.

Baystate Health is not providing additional details on patients, such as age, gender or residence.

As of Thursday night, Massachusetts had recorded 2,417 confirmed cases of COVID-19, resulting in 25 deaths, according to the state DPH.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related content:
Florence Pugh has been keeping herself busy while in quarantine during the ongoing coronavirus crisis by documenting her cooking sessions.

The actress, 24, has shared a number of recipes to her Instagram and putting them onto her highlights section, delighting fans with her kitchen antics.

Showing off her culinary skills with dishes such as a butternut squash soup, and a marmalade sandwich for dessert, Florence was sure to delight and amaze.

Delightful: Florence Pugh delighted fans with her wholesome cooking sessions as she spends quarantine teaching her followers how to make dishes during coronavirus crisis

Of how she decides what to make, Florence said: 'Lots of my recipes are all to do with  well, they're not my recipes, I've copied them off someone, pretended they're mine

'I'm always trying to use as much of the stuff I have in my fridge as possible. Or I'm trying to reuse an old vegetable.'

'Or make sure that it gets the longest life possible. I think it's really important to use all the things that were originally going to be wasted.'

Skilled: Florence shared a number of recipes and also showed off an Italian sausage and a tomato sauce pasta dish for her 1.2 million followers

Yum! Showing off her culinary skills, Florence also made a butternut squash soup

Florence shared a number of recipes and also showed off an Italian sausage and a tomato sauce pasta dish for her 1.2 million followers.

Enjoying herself during the cooking session Florence talked with a wine in hand, and dressed to impress with a series of chic ensembles.

During one of her videos from the kitchen, the Little Women star also wore a stylish apron that had a honey-bee pattern across the front.

Little helper: Florence shared a picture of her kitchen, and her adorable pet pooch who kept her company during the cooking sessions

Healthy: Florence's dishes were packed with lots of vegetables

Looking good: During one of her videos from the kitchen, the Little Women star also wore a stylish apron that had a honey-bee pattern across the front

Back in December, Florence hit back at criticism of the 20-year age gap she has between her and boyfriend Zach Braff.

The actress met the 44-year-old actor when they worked on the short film In the Time It Takes to Get There together and they were first spotted out together in April.

After Zach commented with a princess emoji on one of Florence's Instagram pictures, one person wrote: 'you're 44 years old'.

Florence was not impressed with the person trying to shade their relationship and she wrote back 'And yet he got it'. This is the first time Florence or Zach have publicly acknowledged their relationship.

Showing off her skills: Florence scraped out the seeds as she prepared the butternut squash to be roasted for the soup
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday warned people against posting or sharing fake information on the COVID-19 pandemic, saying strong action would be taken



against those found guilty.

Banerjee, addressing a press meet at state secretariat Nabanna, said a fake post claiming a doctor treating coronavirus suspects has fallen ill was doing the rounds on social media, and investigating agencies are on the job trying to track the source of this "misinformation".

"This is totally false. Please don't play with fire. Our detective department, CID are working round the clock to track those behind such posts. We will take strong action after tracking them down," Banerjee said.

The chief minister also said the ones posting fake on social media are fuelling fear and panic "at this hour of crisis". "Please refrain from spreading rumours. Those found guilty will be penalised."



The CM said all international flights to Kolkata will continue to remain suspended till April 14.

She thanked all religious leaders in the state for taking steps to avert public gathering at places of worship and said, "We will hold a meeting on March 31 to review the situation."



Banerjee said essential services will be available during the lockdown - imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease - and marketplaces and grocery shops will remain open to cater to every day needs.

"Our task force is meeting three to four times a day to monitor the situation," she said.

Iterating that she has written to her counterparts in 18 states, requesting them to ensure workers from Bengal - stuck there due to the lockdown - be looked after, she said people from other states can approach her government if they face inconvenience, and "we will address their problems."



Banerjee asked officials to facilitate the opening of 27 night shelters for the homeless in the city.

The CM, who on Wednesday said those involved in home-delivery business should not be stopped by police, added "services have resumed...will pick up pace soon".

Asked about the unavailability of bread in grocery stores, she said, "We want bakeries to open, but how can you expect the workers to be on the job, given the present circumstances. If bread is unavailable, people will have to find an alternative."



Expressing her gratitude to those who have donated to the Bengal Emergency Relief Fund set up to combat the pandemic, the CM said donors will be given tax relief.

Later in the day, she distributed food grains among workers of unorganised sectors in Alipore area, in the presence of Kolkata Mayor and state minister Firhad Hakim.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gold price gained Rs 392 to Rs 43,675 per 10 gram in the Mumbai bullion market on a weak dollar. Major gold trading centres have been shut due to the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.

The rate of 10 gram 22-carat gold in Mumbai was Rs 40,006 plus 3 percent GST, while 24-carat 10 gram was Rs 43,675 plus GST. The 18-carat gold quoted at Rs 32,756 plus GST in the retail market.

Gold eased amidst continued profit booking after prices hit a two-week high in the last session due to hopes for further stimulus to curb the coronavirus' economic toll. But, the metal was headed for its best weekly gain in more than 11 years, said Navneet Damani, Vice President, Motilal Oswal.

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits surged to a record of over three million last week as strict measures to contain the virus brought the country to a sudden halt.

The broader trend on Comex could be $1,595-1,645 and on the domestic front, the prices could hover in the range of RS 42,800-43,700, said Damani.

The gold/silver ratio or the amount of silver needed to buy an ounce of gold stood at 104.98 to 1.

Silver prices gained Rs 790 to Rs 41,600 per kg from its closing on March 26.

The yellow metal has gained Rs 2,3401, or 5.66 percent for the week, while silver jumped Rs 4,460 or 12 percent in the same period.

In the futures market, the gold rate touched an intraday high of Rs 43,760 and an intraday low of Rs 42,800 on MCX. For the April series, the yellow metal touched a low of Rs 37,530 and a high of Rs 44,961.

Gold futures for delivery in April slipped Rs 243, or 0.56 percent on the MCX trading at Rs 43,299 per 10 gram in evening trade in a business turnover of 1,153 lots. Gold contracts for June delivery eased Rs 332, or 0.76 percent, at Rs 43,311 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 16,700 lots. The far month August contract was gained Rs 185, or 0.43 percent at Rs 43,460 in a business turnover of 1,577 lots.

The value of the April contract traded so far is Rs 1,310.29 crore and June contract saw the value of Rs 1,578.54 crore.

Similarly, Gold Mini contract for April was down by Rs 281, or 0.64 percent at Rs 43,350 in a business turnover of 3,591 lots.

Axis Securities advised its clients to buy April Gold at Rs 43,500 with a stop loss at Rs 43,350 and a target of Rs 43,700.

MCX Gold has intraday support at Rs 43,220-42,990 whereas resistance is placed at Rs 43,780-43,950 levels, according to Motilal Oswal.

The brokerage firm said spot gold has support at $1,592-1575 whereas resistance is at $1,638-1,655.

At 12:33 pm (GMT), spot gold was down $8.99 at $1,618.80 an ounce in London trading.
A new study has found that the capacity of a majority of wild species to adapt to environmental changes is threatened because of loss of habitat. The findings are crucial because scientists are trying to unravel how the SARS-CoV-2 may have jumped from bats (most likely reservoir of the virus according to latest research) to humans and several scientists have flagged the role of habitat loss behind zoonotic outbreaks.

The study, published in Nature journal on Wednesday, says that many wild species need to adapt to survive.

But because of loss of their niche habitat, their capacity to evolve is threatened. The global protected area networkforests or other ecosystems protected under law, dont cover the environmental or climatic conditions required by a majority of 19,937 vertebrate species assessed in the study.

For example, the representation of niche habitat in the protected areas globally is inadequate for 93.1% of amphibian; 89.5% of bird and 90.9% of terrestrial mammal species, the study has said. An ecological niche is the role a certain species plays in its environment.

The climatic conditions of that place determine how well the species can survive but their capacity to adapt diminishes when they are not connected with their niche.

Inger Anderson, executive director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) tweeted on Wednesday spelling out how pandemics and habitat loss are linked. Our priority is to prevent spread of Covid 19. In long term its important to tackle habitat, biodiversity loss. Never before have so many opportunities existed for pathogens to pass from animals to people.

The reason for such alarming habitat loss, the study says, is because international conservation policies have neglected considering niche habitats of species when setting targets for expansion of protected areas.

The authors from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Brisbane, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science in UK and Global Mammal Assessment Programme at the University of Rome, among others, have assessed the representation or coverage of various climatic niches of nearly 2000 species by protected areas globally by overlaying maps.

We found that existing protected areas are not adequate for conserving habitats that promote evolutionary processes. Later this year, signatories of the Convention on Biodiversity are meeting again to shape conservation policies for the coming decadeproviding a golden opportunity to improve protection of such habitats, Jeffrey Hanson, co-author of the study wrote, explaining the research paper in Nature. The study also flagged that immune response of many species are affected due to loss of habitat but did not link it with disease outbreaks.

The team identified priority areas for expanding the protected area network globally to include niches of species. These priority areas stretch over 33.8% of the earths land and inland water area compared to 17%, which is the present target under the Convention of Biological Diversity.

Some of the priority areas for conservation include the tropical Andeswhere steep environmental gradients and complex topographies have driven evolutionary processes; Cape floristic region and Madagascar; Himalayas, an evolutionary epicentre for bird species .

In a previous study on six different populations of the Giant Panda in China, variations in genes related to the immune system, unique to each population, were found. The destruction of habitat that supports any of these populations will result in the loss of those adaptive genes and, consequently, can be detrimental to the survival of the species, explained Kartik Sunagar, assistant professor at Evolutionary Venomics Lab, which is part of the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
An official of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday said that Japan Airlines evacuated around 170 Japanese nationals from here to Narita airport in Japan due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"In view of coronavirus outbreak, Japan Airlines evacuated around 170 Japanese nationals from Delhi airport to Narita airport in Japan today at 8:30 pm," the official told ANI.

All international passenger flight operations have been suspended till April 14 in the wake of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed by the Centre to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Thursday.

The Delhi airport operates 1,500 flight per day and has 194 parking stands, excluding the stands for general aviation aircraft. As part of normal operations, all parking stands, including remote stands, are used on a daily basis.

A total of 724 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Neeraj Pandey and Akshay Kumar were to work in a new film Crack, announced in 2016, which the director has held off for now. It was to be a franchise on special forces. In a new report in Mumbai Mirror, the director has refuted talks that the delay may be due to a fall-out between the two.

The two have worked together on content-driven films in the past. There has been talk of a reunion. Speaking about it, Neeraj said: There has been no fall-out with Akshay, so, why the question of a reunion? I am moving on with Chanakya (led by Ajay Devgn) and he is doing other films. Its a great responsibility for both of us and we have to wait for the right project.

After being announced in 2016, the psychological thriller Crack, there has been no news on it. Explaining about it, Neeraj said, Its on the back burner with no immediate plans of revival. I was not happy with the script, but if I manage to crack something good in the future, I might (revive it).

Neeraj, meanwhile, saw the release of his new web series Special Ops on Hotstar Special. He directed the series along with Shivam Nair. The eight-episode Hotstar Special spy action thriller series is based on the role of Indian intelligence in a series of real terror attacks that India has faced over the last 19 years, including the 26/11 attacks.

Also read: Shahid Kapoors 5 most honest confessions: From being a frustrated new father to his fights with wife Mira

Speaking about it, he told IANS, Shivam and I have directed parts of every episode but have shared credits between us -- where every alternate episode is credited. Every episode is like a mini-film and we have treated it with the same scale. Small trivia -- all the episodes are names of films I have grown up on and I deeply love, he added.

Akshay was to see the release of his next film, Sooryavanshi. However, due to the spread of coronavirus and cinema halls shutting down, the films release has indefinitely been postponed.

(With IANS inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Under-trial prisoners and those convicted and sentenced to up to seven years in jail, their combined figure stands at approximately 11,000, will be released on parole, initiatively for 45 days

Mumbai: Some 11,000 prisoners in Maharashtra, including those whose sentence period is less than seven years, will be released on parole for 45 days to reduce crowding and avoid spread of coronavirus in jails, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Thursday.

He made the announcement through an official tweet from his handle. The measure also covers under-trials, the minister said later.

"Some 11,000 prisoners or accused people whose sentence period is less than seven years, can be released on parole. I have already issued necessary orders to the prisons across the state," Deshmukh said.

"There are some 45 prisons in the state, where this decision will be implemented," said the home minister. These 45 prisons house about 60,000 inmates, he said.

"This is a red flag and potential flashpoint for rapid spread of COVID-19 as prisoners are living in congested space, stated an official communication issued by Deshmukh later.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Under-trial prisoners and those convicted and sentenced to up to seven years in jail, their combined figure stands at approximately 11,000, will be released on parole, initiatively for 45 days, Deshmukh said.

These prisoners will have to undergo a medical check-up and will be issued necessary passes to facilitate journey to their native places, he said.

At 130, Maharashtra tops in number of COVID-19 patients in the country.
The coronavirus has already caused so much destruction nationwidenot only among the many who have fallen ill, but also among those who are suffering from businesses closing and those who are struggling financially. While the news cycle has been filled with reports of fearful people panicking and hoarding necessities, countless stories have emerged of mutual love and careespecially between neighbors.

Would you like to reach out to your local community? If you're not sure how to, consider these recent news stories a perfect source of inspiration. Let these good deeds serve as a reminder that even during this period of social distancing, people have found a variety of creative ways to reach outor even just to lighten the mood of others during these dark times.

1. Do door-side drop-offs and check-ins

Like many others, Amy McDonald decided to help her elderly neighbors in Fishers, IN, by dropping off groceries for them. She knew that could help lower their levels of exposure to the coronavirus, but what she didnt realize was that she could in fact be saving someone's life.

As USA Today reports, McDonalds 89-year-old neighbor, Jo Trimble, was having strange, flulike symptoms when McDonald arrived at her home to drop off some provisions she'd asked for. Not wanting to leave her alone, McDonald stayed with her neighbor as they waited for paramedics.

It turned out that Trimble didnt have the flu, or the coronavirusshe was having a heart attack. Luckily, she was able to get to the hospital in time to have a life-saving surgery.

Its a good reminder that our neighbors may need someone to check in on them, whether for groceries, illness, or whatever reason.

2. Make the best of canceled events

During this epidemic, many people have had to postpone vacations, weddings, and other celebrations. But when one young New Yorker named Jordana Shmidman had to postpone her bat mitzvah, she decided to turn this unfortunate situation into an opportunity to help others.

According to Insider, the food for the event had already been prepared, but Shmidman and her family didnt want it to go to waste. So they asked the caterers to divide the food into boxes so they could deliver it to families in quarantine in the area.

This proves that while so many events have been postponed or canceled, thoughtfulness and kindness are definitely still on the schedule. And in the end, Shmidman still managed to share her special day with loved ones, livestreaming her bat mitzvah online.

3. Give an impromptu performance

In Italy, many amazing operatic performances have been canceled during the countrywide lockdown. That didn't stop one tenor, Maurizio Marchini, however, from stepping onto his balcony and serenading his neighbors with Puccini's "Nessun Dorma."

And he isn't the only one treating his neighbors to some tunes. One DJ in Palermo, Italy, lit up the night with some beats.

In Barcelona, Spain, a pianist on his balcony was joined by a nearby saxophonist for an ad hoc duet of "My Heart Will Go On." It might not be classic opera, but the healing powers of music apply to all kinds of tastes.

As Marchini explained to Fox News, "Music can lift spirits, and now there are many people who are suffering."

4. Write letters to your local nursing home

In an effort to combat the coronavirus, nursing homes across the nation are putting heavy restrictions on visits from family and friends. This may be saving residents from being infected, but it's leaving many seniors feeling isolated.

Meanwhile, with many public schools closed, kids are stuck at home, bored and with little to do. That's why one family with four young siblings in Westminster, MAMadilyn, 10, Olivia, 9, Cameron, 7 and Jack, 4decided to start writing letters and drawing pictures to nursing home residents across the state.

"The kids love to do anything arts and crafts, and thinking about how stressed everybody is, [we] thought, 'What can we do to make everybody happy? How can we help?'" their mother, Vanessa France, told Good Morning America.

My girls are being creative today! They made cards for the nursing home and senior apartments to let the elderly know we are thinking about them. Hope others do the same thing. Just put them in a plastic bag outside the building and they will deliver them for you. pic.twitter.com/FGGQZgicUV  sarah Halbesma (@Halbese) March 18, 2020

The idea has since spread far and wide, embraced by old and young alike. At a nursing home in Sterling Village, MA, Michele Morin explains, "Letters from the children will bring them joy and will hopefully comfort them during this difficult time. ... We will also be encouraging our residents to write the children back."

5. Become a virtual volunteer

When Kathy Green, a resident of Birmingham, AL, heard that a hospital was asking neighbors to help sew face masks, she decided to rally the troops. Green started a Facebook group to organize local residents who were up to the task of sewing and distributing their homemade masks to those who needed them.

"I felt like I thought there was going to be a need and that it was probably too big for me to manage through email, so I started a Facebook group," Green told Fox 8. The group soon grew to a community of 1,300 volunteers, proving that helping out can be as simple as finding a way to contribute from the comfort of your couch.

6. Create some inspiring window art
Gov. Andrew Cuomo insists New York needs up to 40,000 ventilators for the coronavirus pandemic, despite President Donald Trump saying he doesnt believe its true.

All the predictions say you could have an apex needing 140,000 beds and about 40,000 ventilators, Cuomo said Friday during a press briefing at Manhattans Javits Center. I dont have a crystal ball. Everybodys entitled to their own opinion, but I dont operate here on opinion. I operate on facts and on data and on numbers and on projections.

The New York Post reports the states predictions come from three sources: Weill Cornell Medicine, the CDC, and the consulting firm McKinsey and Company.

New York state now has 44,635 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Cuomo said Friday; 519 have died statewide from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. About 14.5 percent of cases require hospitalization and 3.5 percent are in intensive care units, Cuomo said.

The governor has repeatedly asked the federal government to help provide 30,000 ventilators for those ICUs as New York could see the peak of the pandemic in 2-3 weeks.

I hope some natural weather change happens overnight and kills the virus globally. Thats what I hope, but thats my hope, thats my emotions, thats my thoughts. The numbers say you may need 30,000, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said Wednesday that New York had 4,000 ventilators when the crisis began and has since bought another 7,000. Hes asked Trump to use the Defense Production Act to order more companies to produce ventilators, and expressed frustration earlier in the week when the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent 400 despite needing 26,000; the Trump administration has since pledged 4,000 ventilators.

Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News that he doesnt believe New York really needs more ventilators.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be, Trump said Thursday night. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Trump did not elaborate on the basis for his feeling" or provide any data.

On Friday, Trump shifted gears, telling General Motors that he needed the automaker to produce thousands of VENTILATORS, NOW!

In another tweet, Trump claimed there were thousand of Federal Government (delivered) Ventilators found in New York storage. N.Y. must distribute NOW! According to the Post, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, made similar claims about the Empire State not currently using available ventilators.

Somebody said one of the cable news shows, the ventilators that New York needed arent even being deployed  theyre in a stockpile, Cuomo responded Friday, without naming Trump or Birx.

Yes, theyre in a stockpile because thats where theyre supposed to be because we dont need them yet. We need them for the apex. The apex isnt here so were gathering them in the stockpile so when we need them they will be there, the governor explained. We dont need them today because were not at capacity today."

Cuomo said the apex is likely within 21 days, at which point New Yorks hospitals may be overwhelmed and faced with a shortage of life-saving medical equipment. Cuomo said not everyone will be saved, but he thanked healthcare workers and the states National Guard for helping transform the Javits Center into a hospital.

The rescue mission is to save lives, Cuomo said. I say, my friends, that we go out there today and we kick coronaviruss ass."

I hope NY doesnt ultimately need 30,000 ventilators.



But I don't operate on opinion and hope.



I operate on facts and data and science.



All the projections say we will need 30,000-40,000 ventilators.



So that is what we will strive to have.  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 27, 2020

Gov. Cuomo: Schools statewide will remain closed at least another 2 weeks due to coronavirus

New York State halts non-essential construction, which threatens work at Carrier Dome

Downstate NY feels coronavirus worst; it may have saved Upstate lives

Coronavirus in NY: Cuomo says quarantine may have backfired in some cases

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo: I dont want to be vice president
" " Entropy describes how disorder happens in a system as large as the universe or as small as a thermos full of coffee. Jose A. Bernat Bacete/Getty Images

You can't easily put the toothpaste back into the tube. You can't expect molecules of steam to spontaneously migrate back together to form a ball of water. If you release a bunch of corgi puppies into a field, it's very unlikely you're going to be able to get them all back together into a crate without doing a ton of work. These are the problems associated with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, also known as the Law of Entropy.

Advertisement

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is important to various scientific disciplines, from engineering to natural sciences to chemistry, physics and even economics. A thermodynamic system is a confined space, which doesn't let energy in or out of it.

The first law of thermodynamics has to do with the conservation of energy  you probably remember hearing before that the energy in a closed system remains constant ("energy can neither be created nor destroyed"), unless it's tampered with from the outside. However, the energy constantly changes forms  a fire can turn chemical energy from a plant into thermal and electromagnetic energy. A battery turns chemical energy into electrical energy. The world turns and energy becomes less organized.

"The second law of thermodynamics is called the entropy law," Marko Popovic, a postdoctoral researcher in Biothermodynamics in the School of Life Sciences at the Technical University of Munich, told us in an email. "It is one of the most important laws in nature."

Entropy is a measure of the disorder in a closed system. According to the second law, entropy in a system almost always increases over time  you can do work to create order in a system, but even the work that's put into reordering increases disorder as a byproduct  usually in the form of heat. Because the measure of entropy is based on probabilities, it is, of course, possible for the entropy to decrease in a system on occasion, but that's statistically very unlikely.

Advertisement

The Definition of Disorder

It's harder than you'd think to find a system that doesn't let energy out or in  our universe is as good an example of one as we have  but entropy describes how disorder happens in a system as large as the universe or as small as a thermos full of coffee.

However, entropy doesn't have to do with the type of disorder you think of when you lock a bunch of chimpanzees in a kitchen. It has more to do with how many possible permutations of mess can be made in that kitchen rather than how big a mess is possible. Of course, the entropy depends on a lot of factors: how many chimpanzees there are, how much stuff is being stored in the kitchen and how big the kitchen is. So, if you were to look at two kitchens  one very large and stocked to the gills but meticulously clean, and another that's smaller with less stuff in it, but pretty trashed out by chimps already  it's tempting to say the messier room has more entropy, but that's not necessarily the case. Entropy concerns itself more with how many different states are possible than how disordered it is at the moment; a system, therefore, has more entropy if there are more molecules and atoms in it, and if it's larger. And if there are more chimps.

Advertisement

Entropy is Confusing

Entropy might be the truest scientific concept that the fewest people actually understand. The concept of entropy can be very confusing  partly because there are actually different types. The Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann lamented the situation thusly: "Whoever uses the term 'entropy' in a discussion always wins since no one knows what entropy really is, so in a debate one always has the advantage."

"It is a little hard to define entropy," says Popovic. "Perhaps it is best defined as a non-negative thermodynamic property, which represents a part of energy of a system that cannot be converted into useful work. Thus, any addition of energy to a system implies that a part of the energy will be transformed into entropy, increasing the disorder in the system. Thus, entropy is a measure of disorder of a system."

But don't feel bad if you're confused: the definition can vary depending on which discipline is wielding it at the moment:

In the mid-19th century, a German physicist named Rudolph Clausius, one of the founders of the concept of thermodynamics, was working on a problem concerning efficiency in steam engines and invented the concept of entropy to help measure useless energy that cannot be converted into useful work. A couple decades later, Ludwig Boltzmann (entropy's other "founder") used the concept to explain the behavior of immense numbers of atoms: even though it is impossible to describe behavior of every particle in a glass of water, it is still possible to predict their collective behavior when they are heated using a formula for entropy.

"In the 1960s, the American physicist E.T. Jaynes, interpreted entropy as information that we miss to specify the motion of all particles in a system," says Popovic. "For example, one mole of gas consists of 6 x 1023 particles. Thus, for us, it is impossible to describe the motion of each particle, so instead we do the next best thing, by defining the gas not through the motion of each particle, but through the properties of all the particles combined: temperature, pressure, total energy. The information that we lose when we do this is referred to as entropy."

And the terrifying concept of "the heat death of the universe" wouldn't be possible without entropy. Because our universe most likely started out as a singularity  an infinitesimally small, ordered point of energy  that ballooned out, and continues expanding all the time, entropy is constantly growing in our universe because there's more space and therefore more potential states of disorder for the atoms here to adopt. Scientists have hypothesized that, long after you and I are gone, the universe will eventually reach some point of maximum disorder, at which point everything will be the same temperature, with no pockets of order (like stars and chimpanzees) to be found.

And if it happens, we'll have entropy to thank for it.

Now That's Interesting Twentieth century scientist Sir Arthur Eddington thought the concept of entropy was so important to science that he wrote in The Nature of the Physical World in 1928: "The law that entropy always increases holds, I think, the supreme position among the laws of Nature.... If your theory is found to be against the Second Law of Thermodynamics I can give you no hope; there is nothing for it to collapse in deepest humiliation."
New Orleans rushed to build a makeshift hospital in its convention centre Friday as troubling new outbreaks bubbled in the United States, deaths surged in Italy and Spain and the world warily trudged through the pandemic that has sickened more than a half-million people.

In a reminder no one is immune to the new coronavirus, it pierced even the highest echelons of global power as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first leader of a major country to test positive.

As the death toll continued to climb in France, health workers there received a huge show of gratitude  from the Eiffel Tower. Merci, French for Thank you, and Stay at home in English were emblazoned in lights at night on Paris world-famous landmark.

The escalation of cases worldwide came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a new rapid test from Abbott Laboratories, which the company says can detect the coronavirus in about 5 minutes. Medical device maker Abbott announced the emergency clearance of its cartridge-based test Friday night, saying the test delivers a negative result in 13 minutes when the virus is not detected.

While New York remained the worst hit city in the U.S., Americans braced for worsening conditions elsewhere, with worrisome infection numbers being reported in New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit.

We are not through this. Were not even halfway through this, said Joseph Kanter of the Louisiana Department of Health, which has recorded more than 2,700 cases, more than five times what it had a week ago. The United States became the first country to surpass 100,000 infections on Friday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

New Orleans sprawling Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, along the Mississippi River, was being converted into a massive hospital as officials prepared for thousands more patients than they could accommodate. The preparations immediately conjured images of another disaster, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when the convention centre became a squalid shelter of last resort in a city that has braved a string of storm hits, not to mention great fires and a yellow fever epidemic in centuries past.

As the new health crisis loomed, economic catastrophe had already arrived in the city, where many already live in poverty and the tourism industry has screeched to a halt.

Ive never been unemployed. But now, all of a sudden: Wop! said John Moore, the musician best known as Deacon John, who has no gigs to perform with much of the city shut down. It aint just me. Its everybody.

In New York, where there are more than 44,000 cases statewide, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 passed 6,000 on Friday, double what it had been three days earlier.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for 4,000 more temporary beds across New York City, where the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has already been converted into a hospital.

This is going to be weeks and weeks and weeks, Cuomo told members of the National Guard working at the Javits Center. This is going to be a long day, and its going to be a hard day, and its going to be an ugly day, and its going to be a sad day.

President Donald Trump, after earlier rejecting Cuomos pleas for tens of thousands more ventilators, and the governors calls to use the Korean War-era Defence Production Act, invoked the law Friday, ordering General Motors to begin manufacturing the breathing machines.

Trump signed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, after the House approved the sweeping measure by voice vote. Lawmakers in both parties lined up behind the law to send checks to millions of Americans, boost unemployment benefits, help businesses and toss a life preserver to an overwhelmed health care system.

More than 595,000 people have contracted the virus around the world and about 27,000 have died. While the U.S. now leads the world in reported infections, five countries exceed its roughly 1,700 deaths: Italy, Spain, China, Iran and France.

Dr. John Brooks of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans remained in the acceleration phase of the pandemic and that all corners of the country were at risk.

There is no geographic part of the United States that is spared from this, he said.

In a phone call Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Trump that China stands ready to provide support within its capacity, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the outbreak as a Chinese virus, struck a different tone Friday, tweeting after the call that China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!

In Europe, Italy recorded its single biggest 24-hour rise in deaths, with 969 more victims, to bring its total number of fatalities to 9,134. The country now has more than 86,000 cases, surpassing China to record the grim distinction of the second-most infections in the world, behind the U.S.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella called it a sad page in our history.

Italian epidemiologists warn that the countrys number of cases is likely much higher than reported  perhaps by five times  although two weeks into a nationwide lockdown the daily increase seems to be slowing, at least in northern Italy.

It is something devastating, said the Rev. Mario Carminati, whose church in the tiny Lombardy town of Seriate has been used to hold coffins of the dead before they are taken by military convoy for cremation.

Spain, with the worlds fourth-biggest number of cases, reported another 7,800 infections for a total of more than 64,000. The country said health workers accounted for about 15 per cent of its cases.

Deaths in Spain climbed past 4,900  the worlds second-highest total after Italy.

In Britain, Johnsons office said the prime minister was tested after showing mild symptoms for the coronavirus. He was self-isolating and continuing to lead Britains response to the pandemic.

Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus, Johnson said in a video message, adding that he had a temperature and persistent cough.

Several weeks ago, Johnson had pledged he would go on shaking hands with everybody.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has been at the forefront of the nations virus response, also was confirmed to be infected. Prince Charles previously said he tested positive.

Around the world, the pandemic threatened people living in places with little means to respond.

India launched a massive program to feed hungry day labourers after a lockdown of the countrys 1.3 billion people put them out of work. Irans military hurriedly finished a 2,000-bed field hospital to accommodate the worst outbreak in the Mideast. In Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Africa and elsewhere, the count of the infected passed 1,000 people and worries persisted that it would only get worse.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Johns Hopkins reported more than 130,000 people have recovered, about half in China.

Stocks skidded in Europe and on Wall Street, where major indexes closed down about 3%, giving up some of the gains the market had piled up over the previous three days.

The head of the International Monetary Fund said it was clear that the global economy has now entered a recession that could be as bad or worse than the 2009 downturn.

___

Sedensky reported from Philadelphia and Rising reported from Berlin. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Amid the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, mosques on Friday afternoon remained deserted following an appeal by state governments and also the Personal Law Board that people should stay away from congregational prayers.

The law board had tweeted on Thursday that Muslims are recommended to offer Zuhur at home instead of praying Jumah at mosques. DONT come out for congregational prayers.

Last Friday, several mosques saw people congregating for prayers despite health directives against crowding and appeals for maintaining social distance.

Every Friday, thousands of Muslims gathers to offer prayers. However, today the numbers could be counted on fingers. At most places, only five persons, comprising the imam, muezzin, and three mosque management people offered prayers.

In Kashmir, the grand mosque in downtown Srinagar, made an announcement and asked people not to visit the mosque. The announcement was made on loudspeakers on Thursday evening and all the gates were shut on Friday. Similarly, in the interiors across Jammu and Kashmir, all mosques remained shut.

Muezzins (those who call devotees to the mosque) have been advised to continue the five-time Azaan as mandated by Islam, but not allow any gathering inside the mosque building or the compound.

The historic Mecca Majid near Charminar in Hyderabad, which usually hosts thousands of people on Fridays, wore a deserted look. The Jamia Nizamia, a renowned Islamic University had issued an edict stating that despite high significance attached to Friday prayers, Islam also gives great importance to the preservation of human life. Islam urges Muslims not to become the cause of harm to anyone.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had also made an appeal to people not to come to mosques for Friday prayers but confine themselves to their respective houses to conduct prayers.

However, in a related development an offence was registered against a Muslim cleric and 27 others, for allegedly defying the Covid-19 lockdown, by offering prayers at a mosque in Madhya Pradeshs Bhopal city, police said on Friday.

The Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised prayers at 8 pm on Thursday, defying Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the nationwide lockdown, which has been put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.

(With inputs from states)
The data was released a day after Sri Lanka said that it will allow chartered flights from any country to land here and fly out their citizens stranded in the country on a holiday or for work purposes due to the coronavirus epidemic

Colombo: Over 2,000 Indian nationals are among the 16,900 foreign tourists stranded in Sri Lanka due to the lockdown imposed by the government after the coronavirus outbreak, official figures released said on Friday.

At 2,439, the Indians are the highest among the number of tourists stranded in the island nation followed by the Chinese at 2,167, data from the Sri Lanka Tourism and Development Authority said.

The data was released a day after Sri Lanka said that it will allow chartered flights from any country to land here and fly out their citizens stranded in the country on a holiday or for work purposes due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Sri Lanka shut its international airports for incoming flights since last week and the people were asked to skip foreign travel in view of the coronavirus threat.

A limited number of outbound flights do still operate. Sri Lanka has so far recorded 104 confirmed COVID-19 cases while another over 200 others are under observation.

Sri Lanka's first known COVID-19 was a female Chinese tourist. She was cured and departed early this month.

The first Sri Lankan national to be confirmed to carry the virus was a tour guide who worked with Italian tourists. He was cured and left hospital this week.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 1300 people have died in the US due to the disease.

The coronavirus outbreak has highly impacted tourism of Sri Lanka, a major source of revenue for the country.

This blow to the island nation's tourism comes after the Easter Sunday attacks last year that killed 258 people, including Indians.

In 2018 the island country attracted a record 2.2 million visitors, earning Sri Lanka about USD 4.4 bn. It was named as the world's top tourist destination in 2019 by the travel guide, Lonely Planet.
Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that China Oriental Group Company Limited (HKG:581) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for China Oriental Group

What Is China Oriental Group's Net Debt?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at June 2019 China Oriental Group had debt of CN3.98b, up from CN1.70b in one year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds CN11.5b in cash, so it actually has CN7.55b net cash.

SEHK:581 Historical Debt March 27th 2020

How Strong Is China Oriental Group's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, China Oriental Group had liabilities of CN12.6b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN1.03b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had CN11.5b in cash and CN2.85b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has CN731.1m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus suggests that China Oriental Group has a conservative balance sheet, and could probably eliminate its debt without much difficulty. Succinctly put, China Oriental Group boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Story continues

It is just as well that China Oriental Group's load is not too heavy, because its EBIT was down 43% over the last year. When it comes to paying off debt, falling earnings are no more useful than sugary sodas are for your health. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if China Oriental Group can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. While China Oriental Group has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. During the last three years, China Oriental Group produced sturdy free cash flow equating to 69% of its EBIT, about what we'd expect. This free cash flow puts the company in a good position to pay down debt, when appropriate.

Summing up

While it is always sensible to investigate a company's debt, in this case China Oriental Group has CN7.55b in net cash and a decent-looking balance sheet. And it impressed us with free cash flow of CN4.5b, being 69% of its EBIT. So we don't have any problem with China Oriental Group's use of debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 5 warning signs for China Oriental Group (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
On April 2018, over 700 Fair Districts PA supporters and allies packed the capitol rotunda in Harrisburg to ask our state legislature to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania by creating an independent citizens redistricting commission. Supported bills died two months later, first hijacked, and then buried by a mountain of amendments.

Since then, a growing community of determined volunteers have built momentum to change Pennsylvanias secretive, partisan redistricting processes. Volunteer speakers have shared maps and information with more than 31,000 people at almost 900 events. Hundreds of volunteers have collected over 100,000 petition signatures at polling places, festivals and online. Volunteers have promoted resolutions of support for an independent commission, yielding 380 resolutions from 22 county commissions and hundreds of municipalities in all parts of the state.

For the past two sessions, Fair Districts PA-supported legislation has enjoyed more cosponsors than any other bills, and FDPA volunteers have logged hundreds of visits with legislators, plus thousands of calls, emails and postcards.

We had planned to gather in Harrisburg on March 23 to ask, again, for fair districts and a fair redistricting process. We had 14 buses scheduled to arrive from all corners of the state and we expected an even larger turnout than we saw in 2018. As coronavirus concerns unfolded, that event was downsized, then canceled. Plans for a virtual rally were also set aside in light of the emerging crisis.

While rallies, informational events and other outreach activities have been put on hold, the underlying concern remains: Pennsylvania voters want fair districts. Its a simple concept and a reasonable request. Some of our volunteers have visited Harrisburg every decade since 1990, asking that our legislators respect constitutional requirements to draw compact, contiguous districts and limit divisions of counties, cities, townships and wards. In every decade since 1990, disregard for those constitutional requirements has resulted in litigation, with some cases going as far as the Supreme Court.

We understand the challenges facing our legislators during this difficult crisis and wish them well as they navigate the complexities ahead. We understand as well the challenges facing our electoral system: the concerns about social distancing, election machines, polling place staffing. And we understand the importance of a complete census count, difficult in the best of times, increasingly under threat in a time of great confusion.

In the days ahead, our Fair Districts PA team will be investing in every way we can in the common good of our commonwealth. Well be educating friends and neighbors about the census and sharing links to census, online voter registration and online applications for mail-in ballots.

We will also continue, as weve done for the past four years, encouraging attention to underlying systems, district maps, and legislative procedures. As we have since we started, well be leveraging the creativity, experience and energy of our many volunteers to keep our movement growing strong while waiting for an opportunity to ask, again, for a fair redistricting process.

Waiting another decade for fair maps or fair elections is not acceptable. Once the crisis has waned, the Pennsylvania legislature must move quickly to enact redistricting reform legislation before this session ends.

Carol Kuniholm, Fair Districts PA Chair
Bail is set at US$500,000.

Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district court has chosen a preventive measure for former Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara, who is charged with the murder of businessman Serhiy Starytsky.

The ex-minister was remanded in custody, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoUkraine's ex-minister of foreign affairs detained on suspicion of murder (Photos)

Bail is set at UAH 14.083 million, which is US$500,000.

"The court has ruled in favor of the motion to apply a preventive measure against Kozhara in the form of detention. The measure will be in effect until May 25. Kozhara's bail was set at 6,700 sums of the minimum wage for able-bodied people, which is UAH 14.0 83 million. The bail could be put up by the suspect himself and by another individual or legal entity," the ruling said.

According to the document, in case the bail has been posted, Kozhara will be released from custody, and he will have the following obligations: to visit a government official; not to leave the place where he is registered, lives or is located, otherwise he needs permission from the investigator, prosecutor, or a judge. What is more, he should inform the investigator, prosecutor, a judge about the change of place of residence and place of work. He should also surrender his travel passport or another document allowing him to leave Ukraine. He should refrain from communicating with victims and must be wearing an ankle monitor.

The ruling could be appealed to Kyiv's Court of Appeals within five days.

As UNIAN reported earlier, ex-head of the Inter TV channel, general director of the Atlantic Group holding Serhiy Starytsky was shot dead in the house of Kozhara and his wife, Maryna Kozerod, in the village of Chaiky outside Kyiv on February 21.

The incident was reported to the police by Kozerod. The preliminary theory was that the victim committed suicide while Kozhara and his wife were in other rooms of the house. Police at the scene seized a firearm, cartridges and a cartridge case.

Criminal proceedings were opened under Part 1 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code (intentional homicide) while "suicide" remained a major theory.

On February 22, the police reported that the criminal proceedings had been re-qualified from suicide to intentional homicide. On March 4, an investigative experiment took place as part of the case, but its conclusions are not to be disclosed being confidential while the pretrial investigation is under way.

On March 25, the ex-minister was detained by police.

The prosecutor demanded that the suspect be remanded in custody for 60 days.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - They cant get taxis or child care. Two were refused service at a gas station. Anothers trip to a pharmacy prompted a concerned call.

Staffers at a nursing home dubbed  ground zero  for West Virginias growing coronavirus caseload have been treated as pariahs for their close proximity to the infection cluster, officials said Friday.

Its heartbreaking for them, Carl Shrader, medical director for the Sundale nursing home, told The Associated Press in an interview. And theyre already in a fragile place from what theyre being asked to do.

Twenty-one residents and eight staffers at the Morgantown nursing home have tested positive for the virus since the first case was discovered Sunday. Monongalia County, where the facility is located, has the most cases in a state that reported at least 96 positive cases as of Friday night.

As a skeleton crew working 16-hour shifts fights to contain the virus, care for elderly residents and field phone calls from worried relatives unable to visit, fear in the community is making their lives, and the lives of family members, more difficult.

One staffer was told to get back when she tried to use a card to pay for items at a gas station. A babysitter told another employee, No, I dont want your child in my home because of virus concerns. When a third wearing a Sundale shirt entered a pharmacy, the store called the nursing home wanting to know how many other staffers had been there, Shrader said.

The families of Sundale staffers have become targets, too, with some bosses telling them to stay home because a spouse or relative works at the nursing home, according to Shrader. One employees husband was even pelted with Clorox wipes at his workplace.

When youre sitting across the table from them and you hear the stories and how its impacted their families and humiliated them, its heartbreaking, he said.

Shrader said the actions marred an otherwise generous outpouring of support from people who had pizza and Chick-fil-A delivered, and donated cleaning supplies, soda, water and snacks. The nursing home has also received safety gear and sterile gowns.

Its difficult enough to be tasked with these kinds of obligations, and its critically important that the moments theyre outside of the facility that they still feel that theyre part of their communities, he said.

Adding to the already tense situation, Sundale erroneously reported to health officials that a 76-year-old resident who was hospitalized with coronavirus had died, which would have been the states first virus fatality. The announcement was quickly retracted Friday. Shrader told the AP that the nursing home was alerted to the death in error when someone at the hospital who had the same last name as one of their residents died.

Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, has repeatedly warned that West Virginia, with its high rate of the elderly and people with existing health problems, is particularly at risk of virus deaths. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that West Virginia has the nations highest percentage of adults at risk of developing serious illnesses from the virus.

It is the horror story that we absolutely didnt want to have happen, at least from a nursing home standpoint because thats a place, you know, that our elderly are at for sure, Justice said of the Sundale cases Thursday.

Testing remains limited, meaning most people now spreading the highly contagious virus may not know they have been infected, and state health officials have admitted their count lags behind the actual total as results pour in from counties across the state.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks, and the overwhelming majority of people recover. But severe cases can need respirators to survive, and with infections spreading exponentially, hospitals across the country are either bracing for a coming wave of patients, or already struggling to keep up.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
Caught in the Saudi-Russian oil price war, Africas largest oil producer, Nigeria, has discounted deeply its crude and aims to pump as much as it can, trying to retain customers in the unprecedented demand plunge.

However, the price to pay in the oil price war may be too steep for Nigeria.

Right now, Nigerias only response is to discount its oil and to pump oil at maximum levels possible, the countrys petroleum, minister Timipre Sylva, told Bloomberg in an interview.

Africas largest producer also calls for Saudi Arabia and Russia to end the price war and welcomes U.S. appeals on OPECs leader Saudi Arabia to rethink its strategy of flooding the market with oil starting next week.

Earlier this month, Nigeria discounted its primary crude grades Qua Iboe and Bonny Light and will be selling them in April at a $3 per barrel discount to Dated Brent. Even at the steepest discount in decades, Nigeria may be unable to sell all its April cargoes, traders told Bloomberg this week, as oil demand plunges and other oil producers are also heavily discounting their crude.

Nigerias position in the oil price war is not very strong as most of its export earnings rely on crude oil sales.



Related: Not Even The $2 Trillion Stimulus Package Can Save Oil Markets

According to Fitch Ratings, Nigerias breakeven oil price  the oil price required to balance the government's budget, all else being equal  is $144 a barrel, the highest among major oil producers in the Middle East and Africa, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar.

The demand destruction and the low oil prices will hit many African oil producers, with Nigeria leading the pack with estimated revenue losses of US$15.4 billion at $30 oil this year, estimates from the Atlantic Councils Africa Center showed this week.

Oil accounts for just 10 percent of Nigerias gross domestic product (GDP), but it is responsible for 57 percent of government budget revenues.

Oil also accounts for 94 percent of exports and a similar percent of foreign

exchange earnings. Thus, government coffers will be hit harder than GDP, and as a result, public services in oil producers will be constrained, just as these countries scramble to shore up their health and education sectors in response to the virus, Luke Tyburski, project assistant with the Atlantic Councils Africa Center, wrote.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Spain's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 769 overnight to 4,858, but a senior health official said the daily increase in the number of deaths was stabilising.

Spain is correctly second to Italy in the number of deaths worldwide and the number of coronavirus deaths worldwide, and the number of people infected in the country rose overnight to 64, 059 from 56,188 on Thursday, as reported by Al Jazeera.

"Today we have more deaths than registered yesterday, but it is also true that in percentage terms, today's increase is roughly equivalent to that of the past three days, in which we seem to see a clear stabilisation," health emergency chief Fernando Simon told a news conference on Friday.

Patients continue to stream into Spanish hospitals, where staff face a shortage of protective gear such as masks.

More than 9,400 health workers have tested positive for the virus, Simon said. That is about 15 percent of those infected in Spain.

Spain extended a nationwide lockdown on Thursday by a further 15 days to April 12 and said it was fighting a "real war" over medical supplies to contain the death toll. It is turning to China, where the coronavirus originated, for many critical products.

Schools, bars, restaurants, and shops selling nonessential items have been shut since March 14 and most of the population is house-bound as Spain tries to stop the virus spreading.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump has expressed skepticism about demands from US governors for more ventilators to cope with the influx of patients suffering the symptoms of Covid-19, saying he simply does not believe they need the numbers theyre asking for.

Speaking to Fox Newss Sean Hannity, one of his longtime defenders, the president gave his view that the demands for equipment coming from hospitals across the country are excessive.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be. I dont believe you need 30,000 or 40,000 ventilators. You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes theyll have two ventilators. Now all of a sudden theyre asking can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Ventilator shortages are a recurring theme in the US coronavirus outbreak, with hospitals fighting to make sure a massive influx of Covid-19 patients needing ICU beds can be accommodated.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo has said his state needs 30,000 ventilators but is falling far short. The state, currently the epicentre of the outbreak, has announced it will allow two patients to share a single ventilator using an experimental technique called splitting.

Meanwhile, hospitals in New York City are batting to cope with the influx of patients needing intensive treatment; one hospital in Queens this week saw 13 deaths in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the White House has pulled back from a deal with General Motors and Ventec Life Systems to produce up to tens of thousands of new ventilators, citing the need to assess the deals cost-effectiveness.

After brushing aside the ventilator issue, Mr Trump on to repeat his optimistic assertion that the country could start to give up on social distancing sooner than public health experts have recommended.

So, look, its a very bad situation, we havent seen anything like it. But the end result is we gotta get back to work, and I think we can start by opening up certain parts of the country, you know, farm belt, certain parts of the Midwest, other places.

Mr Trump also used the Hannity interview to lay into governors whose behaviour and statements he dislikes. He dismissed Washington governor Jay Inslee as a failed presidential candidate while complaining that Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer isnt pulling her weight.

All she does is sit there and blame the federal government, he said. She doesnt get it done and we send her a lot. His insults were retweeted by an official Trump campaign account.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' office on Thursday announced a second case of COVID-19 in Sioux County.

The second Sioux County case was one of 34 additional cases the state reported Thursday. Monona County's first case, initially disclosed on Wednesday, was included on Thursday's list. The state's total has risen to 179 cases in 37 counties.

The new case in Sioux County is an older adult, between 61 and 80 years old. The person's gender is not known, nor is their condition.

Sioux County became the second county in Northwest Iowa to announce a COVID-19 case, on Sunday. The first case was also an older adult. Woodbury County was the first, reporting their first case Saturday and their second on Monday.

The other new cases were in Appanoose, Black Hawk, Cedar, Clayton, Des Moines, Jasper, Johnson, Linn, Mahaska, Monona, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Scott and Washington counties. Nine of the new cases were in older people, while four were elderly (over age 81), 16 were middle-age adults and five were adults.

One coronavirus-related death has been reported thus far in Iowa. Thirty-one individuals are hospitalized due to the virus, according to state public health department data. Another 15 hospitalizations were discharged and are recovering.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The coronavirus pandemic is a test of how philanthropists can use their wealth to fill an enormous gap in revenue for nonprofit groups.

There is an immediate need to fund nonprofit organizations that support people in health or economic distress because of the outbreak. But these groups are asking for money from the same people who have seen their investments yo-yo up and down over the past few weeks.

Few of these nonprofit groups have reserve funds to sustain them through a long period of uncertainty. To spur giving, the stimulus bill that President Trump signed on Friday increases the deductibility of cash gifts to 100 percent of someones income.

In this difficult time, I asked more than a dozen philanthropists, who have billions of dollars at their disposal and included Microsoft founders, tech and financial services entrepreneurs, and one former New York mayor, what they were doing differently. Their responses could serve as a guide for similar philanthropists, as well as inspire smaller donors who want to know the quickest ways to ensure their dollars have the biggest impact.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 02:09:57|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GENEVA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed half a million with more than 20,000 deaths, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, calling them "tragic numbers."

The situation dashboard by WHO showed a total of 509,164 coronavirus cases have been reported globally as of 10:00 CET Friday, as the virus spread to more than 200 countries and regions.

The global death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 23,335.

Noting that a COVID-19 vaccine is still at least 12 to 18 months away, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Tedros stressed an urgent need for therapeutics to treat patients and save lives.

Speaking of the "Solidarity Trial," a multi-country clinical study for potential treatments for COVID-19, Tedros said it is a historic trial that will dramatically cut the time needed to generate robust evidence about what drugs work.

Tedros announced that the first batch of patients in Norway and Spain will be shortly enrolled in the clinical study, which compares the safety and effectiveness of four different drugs or drug combinations against the epidemic.

"The more countries who join the trial, the faster we will have results," Tedros said, noting more than 45 countries and regions are contributing to the trial while more have expressed interest.

Tedros, meanwhile, called on individuals and countries to refrain from using therapeutics that have not been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19.

"As the pandemic evolves and more countries are affected, we are learning more and more lessons about what works and what doesn't," Tedros said.

He underlined the necessity to follow the evidence, saying that there are no short-cuts.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 15:11 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ddb3db 1 National COVID-19,social-distancing,physical-distancing,lockdown,quarantine,karantina-wilayah,Guru-Besar,Dewan-Guru-Besar,Professor,UI Free

Dozens of Indonesian medical professors have called for local lockdowns, saying that the governments policy of physical distancing is not effective.

The call comes after medical workers and scholars in the midst of the fight against COVID-19 have died, while others continued working in dire conditions.

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, the Medical Professors Council at the University of Indonesias (UI) School of Medicine said Indonesia had recorded the fifth-highest fatality rate in the world at around 8.7 percent with 790 cases and 58 fatalities as of Wednesday.

On Friday, the figures had climbed to 1,046 confirmed cases and 87 deaths.

More than 500 scholars in the world have stated that physical distancing is not enough to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, so what we need are further restrictions. Strict rules are needed to make sure people stay at home. [The government] should apply fines for individuals or companies that violate the rules, the councils chair, Siti Setiati, wrote.

Using Wednesdays figure and factoring in the global fatality rate of around 4.3 percent, however, the council suggested that the disease might have infected some 1,300 Indonesians, not 790.

Our health facilities are not ready. With Greater Jakarta and Surabaya [in East Java] becoming the epicenters of the infection, our health facilities are still having trouble in getting protective equipment, the statement went on.

Moreover, only a few hospitals have ventilators available, leading to a high mortality rate, the council wrote.

Studies show that Indonesia only has two intensive care unit (ICU) beds per 100,000 people. That is the lowest proportion in Asia, the statement continued. Imagine if the disease spread throughout Indonesia, not only would citizens be affected but medical workers on the front-lines would fall one by one as well, the council said in the statement.

The professors council has about 75 active members, all veteran doctors.

Last week, a professor from UIs School of Public Health, Bambang Sutrisna, an epidemiologist, and another pharmacology professor from Gadjah Mada University, Iwan Dwiprahasto, died of COVID-19.

The two professors were among 10 doctors who were members of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) to die from COVID-19 amid the fight against the disease, according to IDIs official Instagram account. Seven of them were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.

One of them, Toni Silitonga, died not of COVID-19 but he was busy helping prepare health facilities for COVID-19 in his last days, IDI said. On Friday, the IDI reported the deaths of two of its members but the association had yet to confirm the cause of death.

To prevent further disease transmission, the doctors advised that the government impose local lockdown measures by closing some areas or provinces where the COVID-19 spread had soared.

As of Friday, the disease had been reported in 28 provinces out of the 34 in the country. Provinces in Java have recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases, with Jakarta, West Java, Banten, East Java and Central Java making up 84 percent of total nationwide cases. Many cases outside Greater Jakarta had been imported after the patients visited Greater Jakarta.

The council took examples from other countries that had enforced lockdowns, such as China, which had restricted movement and social activities in Hubei provinces, ground zero of the disease.

Implementing lockdowns and strict social activity restrictions in Hubei province, China have shown to be effective in reducing cases by 37 percent more than other cities that do not implement this system, the statement wrote, adding that enforcing a lockdown in Hubei had severely reduced the transmission rate in the area.

The council also cited a study by the United Kingdoms University of Southampton, which shows that implementing isolation and early detection policies in China one week earlier would have cut the number of cases by 67 percent out of the 81,000 cases the country has recorded.

As authority to declare a lockdown falls in the hands of the central government, President Joko Jokowi Widodo has dismissed the possibility several times due to social and economic concerns. He instead advised people to stay home, reduce social activities in crowds and maintain a distance from others in social interactions. The council, however, believes that the current measures have been ineffective.

Locking down some areas, however, would affect informal workers that relied on a daily income the most. The council, however, said that money received from taxes could be allocated back to the people in the case of a lockdown.

The council took examples of Jakarta, where ensuring the livelihood of its 9.6 million residents for two weeks would cost around Rp 4 trillion compared to the countrys Rp 1.3 trillion tax income in November.

With such calculations, it seems possible to impose a local lockdown or quarantine of the area in order to prevent the further transmission of COVID-19. Returning some of the tax money from the people, for the people in the event of a pandemic like this is common sense,.

The council ends its statement by making a call for the government to exercise evidence-based decision-making. The government should involve experts, including those in the public communication field, it said. (mfp)
In the Christian-majority state of 1.1 million people, with its inadequate health infrastructure, a humongous community effort is underway to prevent the outbreak of the pandemic

Guwahati: On Wednesday morning, the small hill-state of Mizoram reported it's first Covid-19 case. A 50-year-old pastor who recently came back from Amsterdam had tested positive.

As the news broke, panic gripped some locals in Mission Vengthlang in Southern Aizawl, where the pastor lives with his family. In fact, to calm down tempers, members of the local task-force had to make public announcements reassuring the residents. Some of the members have been since keeping a close watch on the pastor's neighbours while other volunteers man the streets to ensure nobody breaks home quarantine or the lockdown and curfew order.

Another small group of volunteers have been busy distributing rice and other essentials to the needy in the neighbourhood. "We don't want anyone to starve," said L Thangmawia, the local Mizo National Front MLA who joined in as a volunteer with the local task force in Mission Vengthlang.

In the Christian-majority state of 1.1 million people, with its inadequate health infrastructure, a humongous community effort is underway to prevent the outbreak of the pandemic and to cope with the 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The powerful local community organisations like the Young Mizo Association (YMA) have stepped in with their members in this time of crisis.

According to L Lalengmawia, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Mizoram, there is a state-wide task force, headed by the chief secretary of the state, to tackle Covid-19. There are also district wise task forces headed by the district's deputy commissioner.

The community participation manifests in the local taskforce in every village and all localities in urban centres. The local council or village council chairperson heads these task forces, while the head of the local unit of the NGO, as community organisations like the YMA is commonly referred to in Mizoram, serves as its vice-chairman. The volunteers also comprise mostly of members from the NGOs.

"We have been holding several meetings. It was decided that unless we involve the community at large, our efforts would not be effective," Lalengmawia said.

Since 22 March, in the heart of capital Aizawl, Dr SR Zomunthara who heads the Dawrpui locality unit of the YMA has taken up the post of vice-chairman of the local task force.

Regional Director with the Indira Gandhi National Open University, Zomunthara, has been reaching out to non-Mizos in the locality to assure them that the task-force is there to help them with essentials should they run out of food. To meet the initial demand, the Dawrpui local task force has stocked up on five quintals of rice, two quintals of pulses and two bags of potatoes. "We will continue to stock up more as per the needs of the locality," said Zomunthara.

His colleagues, meanwhile, man the two barricades they have set up to check people who are stepping out since the lockdown started on 22 March.

"We tell them politely to go back. We also give them hand sanitiser, a pair of gloves and a mask," said Zomunthara. On the first day of the lockdown, the volunteers had to turn as many as 500 people back to their homes. The number waned and on Thursday when the curfew was in force, fewer people stepped out.

The local task force has received contributions amounting to Rs 1 lakh so far which has been used to buy essentials and the supply of sanitiser, gloves and masks. A portion of the money has also been used to hire a vehicle, a sprayer and a generator to spray disinfectant in the locality which houses many of Aizawls big commercial establishments.

Former chief minister Lalthanhawla explained how the compact Mizo society has responded in times of crises putting the community welfare over individual survival. "Even during the famine or the Mautam (in 1958-59), every village fought together. During the worst days of insurgency when there were curfews, the community shared whatever it had. That is how it survived together," the 82-year-old recounts. Indian governments inadequate response to Mautam, a famine caused by the flowering of the abundant bamboo growing wild that unleashed rodents upon food grains, spawned a bloody insurgency which ended with the Mizo Accord.

Often, when the Mizo society is in a difficult spot, it is the YMA which is the first responder. "It is because of our reach," said Lalmachhuana, the general secretary of the Central YMA, the apex body.

The organisation was formed in 1935 by the missionaries for the development of Mizos in line with Christian values.

In its more than eight decades-long existence, the organisation which now has more than 800 branches and over 4,00,000 members constituting around 40 percent of the state's population, exercises influence in all walks of Mizo social and political life. Any Mizo over the age of 14 can be a member of the organisation.

The organisation has 19 sub-committees to deal with different aspects. "It is like the government has different departments. For example, there is one for health and sanitation, for education, recreation, environment and forest, music, and disaster management," said Lalmachhuana, the General Secretary of the organisation.

When someone passes away, it is the local branch of the YMA which takes care of everything  from preparing the casket, to informing the relatives and friends and even visiting the family in the mourning period. "The deceased person's family does not have to do anything," said Lalmachhuana.

However, often the YMA is alleged to assume the role of a vigilante body when its volunteers' corner violators of prohibition, drug addicts, queer community and sex workers - essentially, anyone who defies their moral code. The volunteers are also often involved in checking of the inner line permit, to single out undocumented outsiders in the state. The organisation has also been at the forefront of demands of scrapping the existing autonomous council for the minority Chakmas in south Mizoram.

While it claims to be apolitical, YMA plays a major role in political life. Most recently, it was active in the anti-Citizenship Act protests where placards of "Hello China, Bye-Bye India" were common. During his last visit to Aizawl, Home Minister Amit Shah had met a delegation to discuss the concerns about the contentious law. The delegation included top leaders of the YMA.

In south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district which shares a border with both Myanmar and Bangladesh and is dominated by the Lai community, it is the Central Young Lai Association which is leading the community effort.

Apart from mounting a 24-hour vigil, it is also ensuring that every village is given just enough essential commodities to cater to its immediate needs."Our members are not allowing anyone to buy extra stock. They are also ensuring that the essentials reach every household," said J Sangahangpuia, president of the Central Young Lai Association.

Along with the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Forces, it is the community volunteers who are ensuring nobody from Myanmar and Bangladesh enters through the mostly open border and under a free movement regime which allows Myanmarese to come up to 16 kilometres inside Mizoram.

"Government cannot have a presence everywhere. It is because of the community effort that there is no movement on the border," said Vanlalruata, the president of the CYMA.

Sangahangpuia concurs. "This epidemic is very dangerous. If we are not involved, nobody can control the people"




Hope Uzodinma procures vehicles from Innoson motors

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state has procured more trucks for operation Search and Flush in the State, which will be launched in due course.

The brand new pickup trucks include: the IVM G12, built solely for military operations, and the IVM Carrier 44.

The pickup trucks will be used as patrol vehicles by the security operatives in the state. The two models are favourites amongst Nigerian security outfits, including the NPF, Army and the Air Force.

During his maiden broadcast in January 2020, Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, promised to flush out internet fraudsters, kidnappers and ritualists from the state.

The governor said:

In tandem, we shall launch Operation FOC, (Flush Out Criminals)  a combined security operations targeted at flashpoints and centres of high criminal activities; including hideouts; jungles; uncompleted buildings; forest; shrines; lakes and the creeks.

Uzodinma also called on community leaders, traditional rulers and leaders of town unions to assist the government in tackling insecurity.

Community leaders, traditional rulers and town union presidents, shall be held responsible for any security lapses within their domain.

Failure to report, concealing or benefiting directly or indirectly from proceeds of criminal activities, shall attract maximum punishment. he added

See more photos below:
The Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Directorate of Health on Wednesday, appealed to philanthropists, benevolent organisations, corporate and religious institutions to support the Directorate in its efforts to stem the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the three Regions.



Dr. Kofi Amo-Kodieh, a Deputy Director in-charge of Clinical Care who made the appeal, said the Directorate required more sanitizers, gloves, washing bowls, nose masks and Veronica buckets to be distributed among major hospital and health centres in the Regions.



He was interacting with the media in Sunyani, when Mackenzie Ghana Limited, manufacturers of sporting kits presented 1,000 re-usable nose masks worth GHC10,000.00 to support the Directorate in its efforts to control the spread of the COVID-19.



Dr. Amo-Kodieh explained that handwashing with soap under running water and use of sanitizers were the effective ways of protecting oneself from contracting the disease.



He said though the Directorate had stepped up measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 in the three Regions, the general public must also adhere strictly to experts advice.



Nana Dr. Owusu Boampong, the Director of Administration at the Directorate thanked the company for the support, and expressed the hope that other organisations would emulate that gesture.



He said the Regional Hospital in Sunyani and the Sunyani Municipal Hospital, had created holding rooms to contain suspected cases, saying the items would be supplied to the facilities.



Mr. Michael Asare Yeboah, the Managing Director of Mackenzie Ghana Limited, said the COVID-19 outbreak was a national health burden that required concerted efforts to tackle.

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
[March 26, 2020] CEMEX Continues Addressing Climate Change and Fostering Innovation

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CEMEX") (NYSE: CX) presented today its Integrated Report 2019: "Innovating for a Better World," which includes a complete analysis of CEMEX's strategic vision, operational performance, corporate governance, and value creation at a global level. The report highlights the company's new Climate Action strategy and its commitment to drive the industry's innovation by unlocking new value opportunities. "Our commitment to sustainability is one of the fundamental pillars of our business strategy because we know that it is essential to create lasting value. With the global move towards a 2030 Agenda, we recognize our responsibility to join the collective action to continue positively impacting the world," said Fernando A. Gonzalez, CEO of CEMEX. "To remain at the forefront of our industry's evolution, we are empowering innovation to pursue our vision of building a better future for all of our stakeholders." Among the main achievements presented in CEMEX Integrated Report 2019 are: CEMEX introduction of its new Climate Action strategy, outlining the company's vision to advance towards a carbon-neutral economy and to address society's increasing demands more efficiently, which includes a more ambitious strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions by 35% by 2030.

emissions by 35% by 2030. To complement this strategy with a longer-term vision, CEMEX also established an ambition to deliver net-zero CO 2 concrete by 2050. CEMEX believes concrete has a key role to play in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

concrete by 2050. CEMEX believes concrete has a key role to play in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. The company achieved an alternative fuels rate of 28%, its highest rate in the past five years. Moreover, 30% of its cement power consumption supplied from renewable energy. These milestones and other mitigation efforts enabled CEMEX to reduce its net CO 2 emissions per ton of cementitious product by 22%, compared to its 1990 baseline.

emissions per ton of cementitious product by 22%, compared to its 1990 baseline. CEMEX reached a low level of employee lost-time injuries (LTIs) for the sctor and made progress across most of its countries, with 96% of the company's operations achieving ZERO fatalities and LTIs.

Through its innovative Growing Platform of shared value programs, CEMEX continued to bring together communities and local authorities to tackle critical social issues, from housing and unemployment to access to basic services. To date, through the company's various responsible business initiatives, CEMEX has positively impacted more than 17.6 million people around the world, generating shared value and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to climate action, life on land, sustainable cities and communities, industry, innovation and infrastructure, and decent work and economic growth.



To learn more about CEMEX Integrated Report 2019, please visit:

http://www.cemex.com/IntegratedReport2019.

For more information on the company's Climate Action strategy, please visit:

www.cemex.com/climate-action. CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and reliable services. CEMEX has a rich history of improving the wellbeing of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com. Follow us on: facebook.com/cemex, twitter.com/cemex, instagram.com/cemex/, youtube.com/cemex This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. CEMEX intends these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. federal securities laws. In some cases, these statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may," "assume," "might," "should," "could," "continue," "would," "can," "consider," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "believe," "foresee," "predict," "potential." "target," "strategy," "intend" or other similar words. These forward-looking statements reflect CEMEX's current expectations and projections about future events based on CEMEX's knowledge of present facts and circumstances and assumptions about future events, as well as CEMEX's current plans based on such facts and circumstances. These statements necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from CEMEX's expectations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005736/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / Cub Energy Inc. ("Cub" or the "Company") (TSXV:KUB), a Ukraine-focused upstream oil and gas company, announced today its audited financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2019. All dollar amounts are expressed in United States Dollars unless otherwise noted. This update includes results from Kub-Gas LLC ("Kub-Gas"), which Cub has a 35% equity ownership interest, Tysagaz LLC ("Tysagaz"), Cub's 100% owned subsidiary and CNG LLC ("CNG"), which Cub has a 50% equity ownership interest.

Mikhail Afendikov, Chairman and CEO of Cub said: "We had a challenging end to 2019 with lower than expected natural gas prices that impacted our financial results, as well as a reduction in the long-term gas pricing assumptions in the independent reserves report. Despite the reduction in gas prices, the Company received $2.8 million in cash dividends from KUBGAS Holdings during the year ended December 31, 2019, and would have had net income of $0.3 million during 2019 excluding the one-time impairments and provisions."

Operational Highlights

Achieved average natural gas price of $5.36/Mcf and condensate price of $49.51/bbl during the year December 31, 2019 as compared to $7.94/Mcf and $70.47/bbl for 2018

Production averaged 784 boe/d (97% weighted to natural gas and the remaining to condensate) for the year December 31, 2019, as compared to 836 boe/d for 2018.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, Kub-Gas performed several recompletions that resulted in an increase in initial production followed by natural decline rates. There are approximately ten other wells with "behind pipe pays" that may be attractive recompletion opportunities. As the currently producing intervals deplete, the production team can recomplete these additional zones in the existing wells. Kub-Gas uses its own completion equipment and personnel.

Financial Highlights

The Company reported a net loss of $11.1 million or $0.04 per share during the year December 31, 2019 as compared to net income of $3.1 million or $0.01 per share during 2018. Excluding the one-time impairment and provision charges in 2019, the Company would have had net income of $0.3 million or $0.00 per share.

Netbacks of $15.88/boe or $2.65/Mcfe were achieved for the year December 31, 2019, as compared to netback of $29.33/Boe or $4.88/Mcfe for 2018.

The Company received $2.8 million in dividends during the year December 31, 2019, as compared to $5.7 million in dividends in 2018.

Reader Advisory

With the current cash resources, negative working capital, suspension of the RK field, uncertainty surrounding the successful installation of the NRU, fluctuating commodity prices, dividend uncertainty, currency fluctuations, reliance on a limited number of customers, and impact on carrying values, the Company may not have sufficient cash to continue the exploration and development activities. These matters raise significant doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern and meet its obligations as they become due.

(in thousands of US Dollars) Three Months

Ended December 31, 2019 Three Months

Ended December 31, 2018 Year

Ended December 31, 2019 Year

Ended December 31, 2018 Petroleum and natural gas revenue 59 74 247 142 Pro-rata petroleum and natural gas revenue(1) 1,468 4,385 9,404 14,864 Revenue from gas trading(2) 1,487 6,831 11,455 20,428 Net income (loss) (11,320 ) 570 (11,060 ) 3,078 Income (loss) per share - basic and diluted (0.04 ) 0.00 (0.04 ) 0.01 Funds generated from (used) in operations (1,345 ) 2,353 (995 ) 2,690 Capital expenditures(3) 77 2 86 221 Pro-rata capital expenditures(3) 819 222 2,092 1,682 Pro-rata netback ($/boe) 6.61 35.28 15.88 29.33 Pro-rata netback ($Mcfe) 1.10 5.88 2.65 4.88

December 31,

2019 December 31,

2018 Cash and cash equivalents 6,206 7,236



Notes:

1. Pro-rata petroleum and natural gas revenue is a non-IFRS measure that adds the Company's petroleum and natural gas revenue earned in the respective periods to the Company's 35% equity share of the KUB-Gas natural gas sales that the Company has an economic interest in.

2. During the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded $1,487,000 (2018 - $6,831,000) and $11,455,000 (2018 - $20,428,000) in revenue for gas trading and $1,342,000 (2018 - $6,276,000) and $10,632,000 (2018 - $19,150,000) for the cost of the sales for a net profit from gas trading of $145,000 (2018 - $555,000) and $823,000 (2018 - $1,278,000), respectively.

3. Capital expenditures includes the purchase of property, plant and equipment and the purchase of exploration and evaluation assets. Pro-rata capital expenditures are a non-IFRS measure that adds the Company's capital expenditures in the respective periods to the Company's 35% equity share of the KUB-Gas and 50% equity share of CNG Holdings capital expenditures that the Company has an economic interest in.

Supporting Documents

Cub's complete quarterly reporting package, including the unaudited interim financial statements and associated Management's Discussion and Analysis, have been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and has been posted on the Company's website at www.cubenergyinc.com.

About Cub Energy Inc.

Cub Energy Inc. (TSX-V: KUB) is an upstream oil and gas company, with a proven track record of exploration and production cost efficiency in Ukraine. The Company's strategy is to implement western technology and capital, combined with local expertise and ownership, to increase value in its undeveloped land base, creating and further building a portfolio of producing oil and gas assets within a high pricing environment.

For further information please contact us or visit our website: www.cubenergyinc.com

Mikhail Afendikov

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

(713) 677-0439

mikhail.afendikov@cubenergyinc.com

Patrick McGrath

Chief Financial Officer

(713) 577-1948

patrick.mcgrath@cubenergyinc.com

Oil and Gas Equivalents

A barrel of oil equivalent ("boe") or units of natural gas equivalents ("Mcfe") is calculated using the conversion factor of 6 Mcf (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas being equivalent to one barrel of oil. A boe conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 bbl (barrel) or a Mcfe conversion of 1bbl: 6 Mcf is, based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is not based on either energy content or current prices. While the boe ratio is useful for comparative measures, it does not accurately reflect individual product values and might be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. As well, given that the value ratio, based on the current price of crude oil to natural gas, is significantly different from the 6:1 energy equivalency ratio, using a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value. The disclosure in this press release is prepared in accordance with NI 51-101 standards.

Except for statements of historical 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. Cub believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable; however there can be no assurance those expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Ukraine, the Black Sea Region and globally; political unrest and security concerns in Ukraine including the recent introduction of Martial Law in the Company's operating regions,; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the prices of natural gas and foreign currency; governmental regulation of the natural gas industry, including environmental regulation; unanticipated operating events or performance which can reduce production or cause production to be shut in or delayed; failure to obtain industry partner and other fourth party consents and approvals, if and when required; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for natural gas; liabilities inherent in natural gas operations; competition for, among other things, capital, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped lands, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, drilling, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the natural gas industry; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

This cautionary statement expressly qualifies the forward-looking information contained in this news release. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Cub Energy Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582867/Cub-Energy-Announces-2019-Year-End-Results
Reports out of Connecticut are that a doctor with UConn Health has been charged by University of Connecticut campus police with intentionally coughing on co-workers.

The doctor, Cory Edgar, was charged with breach of the peace on Thursday, according to the Hartford Courant. He was issued a summons by police to appear in court.

He is accused of intentionally coughing on two other medical employees, and they believed he was purposely disregarding space and safety concerns involving the coronavirus pandemic.

A campus spokeswoman said the matter is under investigation.

Edgar is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn Health.

His arrest is the latest in a number of similar incidents from around the country where people have been accused of willfully ignoring social-distancing guidelines and maliciously coughing, spitting or even licking.

A man in Chicago who was stopped for drunken driving was charged this week with aggravated battery after he coughed on two police officers and shouted Now you have the Corona!

A Pennsylvania woman was arrested this week and charged with making terroristic threats after she coughed and spit on several items at a supermarket and shouted I have the virus and now youre all going to get sick. The store had to throw out more than $35,000 in food and groceries afterward.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI --Public health and hospital officials are waiting for the results of more than 150 submitted coronavirus tests from county residents and anticipating that whats happening in Detroit will make its way north," Health Officer John McKellar says.

Speaking at a news conference Friday, March 27, McKellar said he doesnt have complete countywide testing numbers because so many samples are now being processed outside a state laboratory but said 156 test results are still pending from the state alone.

Wayne County, including Detroit, had reported nearly one-half of the 2,856 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan as of Thursday, March 26.

Genesee County has tracked 383 tests sent to the state for testing as of Friday with 63 positive so far.

We are in regular communication with the hospitals, McKellar said. They are aggressively preparing for the surge.

McLaren-Flint hospital, Hurley Medical Center and Ascension Genesys have each reported they are coping with the coronavirus spread and suspected cases of the virus, and are accepting donations of items like gowns, disposable face masks and food for staff as more cases emerge.

McKellar said Friday that the four fatal cases of coronavirus in county have all been men with an average age in their 70s and said each case came from testing at county hospitals but declined to identify which.

McLaren-Flint spokeswoman Laurie Prochazka said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal Thursday, March 27, that the hospital has the equipment needed to protect staff as they care for patients with COVID-19.

Certainly, like health care organizations across the country, our corporate supply chain representatives have been working diligently on expanded access to supplies and (personal protective equipment), Prochazkas email says. This includes working directly with state and federal sources and working directly with non-health care product manufacturers to retool their processes to produce PPE materials ... With the rising number of COVID-19 patients, we are accepting donated supplies now to prepare for future needs to protect our staff and community."

McKellar asked county residents to assume others have contracted COVID-19 because the virus has become so widespread.

The numbers we have are not accurate now that there are many more labs processing" patient samples, the health officer said. It is a concern. The state is acting aggressively to bring the other laboratories in line with reporting to local health departments, (but) its a work in progress. There has been some improvement. It would be ideal if we could view every case as they are submitted so we can very quickly follow up on results.

County Board of Commissioners Chairman Martin Cousineau credited both the Health Department and the Sheriffs Office for work during the health emergency and said the rest of county government continues to operate with a skeleton crew in traditional offices, which are closed to the public.

Cousineau has urged residents who dont need to leave home to shelter in place and said residents who need assistance with travel, food or medicine should call 211 to connect with United Way of Genesee County or 1-810-257-3422 to connect with county emergency management.

Sheriff Chris Swanson, who has led emergency management efforts, asked residents not to ask for emergency help if they have other resources.

We dont want the system to be overwhelmed, he said.

Swanson is working with the Community Care Task Force, a group of community and faith-based leaders and has helped more than 1,300 people with critical daily needs here during the coronavirus pandemic.

2 more coronavirus deaths reported in Genesee County -- 4 total

Community task force formed in Genesee County to help residents during pandemic
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:13:16|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital has put into use an AI-based system in medical imaging, which has sped up COVID-19 diagnosis.

Dong Dawei, director of the hospital's radiology department, said the system could finish calculations of multiple imaging indices such as the area and density of lung infection, and make diagnoses within 10 seconds.

"The system offers a quantitative assessment of the focal areas, assisting clinicians in judging the condition of illness and assessing therapeutic effectiveness more quickly and accurately," Dong said.

All computed tomography (CT) images from one patient could be processed in seconds on the AI-assisted diagnosis system. At the same time, traditional imaging examination usually takes a much longer time, up to 15 minutes for every single case.

The "AI+CT" system could also make accurate follow-up comparisons on the lesions, providing data for doctors who would make further evaluations and formulate more targeted treatment plans, Dong added.

AI robots have been used in the hospital for multiple purposes, such as delivering daily necessities and disinfection, running eight to 10 hours for every full self-recharging.

Wang Hongyu, head of the information center at the hospital, said the timely use of these high-techs has effectively reduced the risk of cross-infection in the hospital and strongly supported epidemic prevention and control.

The hospital, located in the city's northern suburb, was designated for quarantining and treating SARS patients in 2003. Upon completion of a renovation, the hospital was put into use this month for the screening and treatment of imported mild and common confirmed COVID-19 cases, suspected cases and those who need to be tested.
MONTREAL - Cirque du Soleil says it hasnt made a decision on steps it will take to stay afloat after cancelling all of its shows and laying off almost all of its employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Company spokeswoman Caroline Couillard says the company is working with all of its partners, as well as with the federal and Quebec governments, to determine how to best support it and prepare for a return to activities as soon as the pandemic is brought under control.

The companys debt is estimated to be US$900 million.

Cirques main shareholder is TPG Capital, with a 60 per cent stake, compared with 20 per cent each for the Chinese firm Fosun Capital Group and the Quebec pension fund manager.

A week ago, the company announced the layoff of some 4,700 employees and the cancellation of its 44 shows around the world, including six in Las Vegas.

American credit rating agency Moodys last week lowered the companys credit rating and said there was a high risk of default by the end of the year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2020.
Nearly 300 people have been killed and more than 1,000 sickened so far by ingesting methanol across Iran after it was spread on social media as a remedy against the coronavirus.

It comes as fake remedies spread across social media in Iran, where people remain deeply suspicious of the government after it downplayed the crisis for days before it overwhelmed the country.

The virus is spreading and people are just dying off, and I think they are even less aware of the fact that there are other dangers around, said Knut Erik Hovda, a clinical toxicologist in Oslo who studies methanol poisoning and fears Irans outbreak could be even worse than reported.

When they keep drinking this, theres going to be more people poisoned.

More than 32,000 people have tested positive in Iran while over 2,300 people have died. As of now, there is no known cure for Covid-19.

In messages shared wildly, Iranian social media accounts in Farsi falsely suggested a British school teacher and others cured themselves of the disease with whiskey and honey, based on a tabloid news story from early February.
Demand created: Why no country wants to take on China on the coronavirus

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: Efforts to initiate a discussion at the United Nations Security Council over the outbreak of the coronavirus were nixed by China.

Along with China, both Russia and South Africa said that there was no need to discuss the issue as there was no direct link between the spread of the virus and threat to peace and security of the world.

China in fact shot it down while stating that there was no consensus within the UNSC, which is a mandatory requirement to take up any proposal. Sources explained that there is a reason why every country is quiet or shy to call out China on the outbreak of this virus.

US President Donald Trump who has termed COVID-19 as the Chinese virus several times in the past also displayed a changed stance. In his latest tweet, he said, " just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

At this juncture, China plays an extremely crucial fight against the virus. China has over the months built several medical capacities, which include suits, ventilators and equipment meant for the treatment of the virus. Given today's scenario, several countries would have no option but to import from China. Given this fact none want to discuss China's contribution to this as there is a great demand for the equipment that China has produced, which could contain the spread of the virus.

Moreover at the UNSC, the reason cited above by Russia and South Africa need not hold water. The UNSC has discussed the ebola outbreak and its impact several times. At the UNSC there were however no takers for the Estonian proposal which spoke about transparency over the outbreak of the deadly virus.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 11:57 [IST]
Columbia RecordsBob Dylan has released his first new original song in eight years, an almost-17-minute-long epic called "Murder Most Foul" that centers on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The mournful tune, which features Dylan accompanied by piano, violin and understated percussion, is available now as a digital download and via streaming services. You also can listen to it at Bob's official YouTube channel.

Regarding the tune, Dylan posted a message on his official website that reads, "Greetings to my fans and followers with gratitude for all your support and loyalty over the years. This is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting. Stay safe, stay observant, and may God be with you.

"Murder Most Foul" not only recounts the violent murder, but seems to delve into the effect the Kennedy assassination has had on the American psyche. Throughout the tune, Dylan also mentions various other cultural events of the 1960s, included the emergence of The Beatles, and the Woodstock and Altamont festivals.

In addition, Bob namechecks a variety of celebrities, musicians and songs, among them The Who, Marilyn Monroe, Wolfman Jack, The Eagles' Don Henley and Glenn Frey, The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young," Elvis Presley's "Mystery Train," Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and many others.

In other news, Dylan has postponed a planned tour of Japan that was slated to kick off April 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The folk-rock legend is still scheduled to launch a U.S. trek on June 4 in Bend, Oregon.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


No, that isn't a deepfake. In 1973, the stock market crashed and an Arab oil embargo resulted in a gas crisis. With that as the context, a (false) rumor of a toilet paper shortage emerged and spread like wildfire via news outlets before it was further fueled by Johnny Carson (who later apologized). It's a fascinating story of shortage psychology and panic buying. From Priceonomics:

In November of 1973, several news agencies reported a tissue shortage in Japan. Initially, the release went unnoticed and nobody seemed to put much stock in it  save for one Harold V. Froelich. Froelich, a 41-year-old Republican congressman, presided over a heavily-forested district in Wisconsin and had recently been receiving complaints from constituents about a reduced stream of pulp paper. On November 16th, he released his own press statement  "The Government Printing Office is facing a serious shortage of paper"  to little fanfare.





However, a few weeks later, Froelich uncovered a document that indicated the government's National Buying Center had fallen far short of securing bids to provide toilet paper for its troops and bureaucrats. On December 11, he issued another, more serious press release:

"The U.S. may face a serious shortage of toilet paper within a few monthswe hope we don't have to ration toilet tissuea toilet paper shortage is no laughing matter. It is a problem that will potentially touch every American."





In the climate of shortages, oil scares, and economic duress, Froelich's claim was absorbed without an iota of doubt, and the media ran wild with it. Wire services, radio hosts, and international correspondents all sensationalized the story; words like "may" and "potentially" were lost in translation, and the shortage was reported as a doomed truth. Television stations aired footage from the Scott Paper Company  one of the ten largest producers in the U.S.  of toilet paper rolls shooting off the production line.





The ground had been set for a consumer panic; all it needed was a spark to ignite it. When Johnny Carson cracked a joke about toilet paper on his television talk show, things got serious.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic it will be relaxing environmental rules asking businesses to determine for themselves if they can meet legal requirements on reporting air and water pollution.

The EPAs decision to stop enforcing key provisions of our environmental laws puts our air, water, and health at the mercy of polluters, said State Director for Environment Massachusetts Ben Hellerstein. "The whole framework of the Clean Air Act depends on monitoring and reporting, without which we have no idea what facilities are releasing into the air we breathe.

The EPAs Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Susan P. Bodine released a statement on Thursday that states that the agency will effectively be trusted to regulate themselves and will not be punished for failing to comply with reporting rules and other requirements.

In general, the EPA does not expect to seek penalties for violations of routine compliance monitoring, integrity testing, sampling, laboratory analysis, training, and reporting or certification obligations in situations where the EPA agrees that Covid-19 was the cause of the noncompliance and the entity provides supporting documentation to the EPA upon request, states the order.

The order has been applied retroactively beginning March 13, requests that companies "act responsibly" to avoid violations.

"EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "This temporary policy is designed to provide enforcement discretion under the current, extraordinary conditions while ensuring facility operations continue to protect human health and the environment."

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg accused President Donald J. Trump directly of using the COVID-19 pandemic to create loopholes to destroy the environment.

Hellerstein said that this decision could let the oil and gas industries operations off the hook for excessive pollution.

Such provisions constitute an open invitation to pollute, Hellerstein said.

American Petroleum Institute executives wrote to both President Trump and the Environmental Protection Agency on March 20, asking that they temporarily waive non-essential compliance obligations such as record-keeping, training and other non-safety requirements, according to the Hill.

As our nation struggles to contain the coronavirus, health is at the forefront of everyones mind, and the public cares even more deeply about the air we breathe and the water we drink," said Hellerstein. "If EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler will not rescind this policy immediately, we urge Congress to exercise its oversight authority to ensure the safety of our air and water.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Britains second-biggest airport is to close one of its two terminals for the whole of April  and restrict scheduled operations to just eight hours a day.

Gatwick airport will consolidate operations into the South Terminal from 1 April due to the collapse in air travel during the coronavirus crisis.

The single runway, which is normally the busiest in the world, will be in use for scheduled flights only between 2pm and 10pm each day  though it will remain open for emergency landings and diversions outside these hours.

Gatwick had previously said it would keep both terminals open.

The airports chief executive, Stewart Wingate, said: During these extraordinary times we need to take unprecedented measures to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff and passengers, while also shielding the business from the impact of coronavirus.

Recommended Qatar Airways is increasing flights while other airlines stop flying

We are taking these difficult decisions now, so that we are in a position to recover quickly and get back to generating jobs and economic benefits for the region and wider economy well into the future.

We will also be providing some opportunities so that any of our staff who have time during this period of reduced operations, that choose to, can help support people in our local communities.

The airport said the North Terminal will open only when airline traffic increases and government public health advice  including on social distancing  is relaxed.

Gatwick is the main airport for easyJet and the second-biggest base for British Airways. Norwegian is normally a significant operator too.

Passengers on not-yet-cancelled flights whose departures are rendered impossible due to this decision are advised to contact their airline.

Earlier this week London Southend airport said it would open only three afternoons each week, while London City airport has closed completely until May.
"Popular or not, you have to do whats right. ... Im not aspiring to my next political job. Im not putting my finger in the air and testing the political winds. I am focused on making sure I do everything I can to keep people in this city safe, Lightfoot told the Tribune in a wide-ranging interview. So that frees me up in a lot of instances to make what seem like really tough calls, maybe unpopular calls. But what Ive tried to do is be very clear and very, very transparent in the way that I communicate and communicate the sense of urgency that we all have to have in this moment.
A WOMAN who is accused of stabbing a man she allegedly met on Tinder has taken up bail, a court has heard.

Inita Romanovska, 33, who has an address at of Cahercalla, Kilrush Road, Ennis, has been charged with assaulting the man causing him harm during an incident at an apartment complex at Henry Street on March 11, last.

Ms Romanovska, who is originally from Latvia, is also charged with producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury on the same date at the same location.

Investigations are continuing and a file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the incident.

Limerick District Court has been told it will be alleged the complainant was attacked from behind and that Ms Romanovska lunged at his neck with a knife and attempted to stab him in the jugular.

He received three stab wounds -to his chest, right and upper left shoulder  during the alleged attack.

It is the State case that Ms Romanovska wore a disguise during the incident and that she took measures to prevent her from being apprehended.

Garda Stephen Aherne said the defendant and the complainant had been on a a number of dates but were not in a relationship.

However, Judge Marian OLeary was told the defendant denies this and that she repeatedly and vehemently denied that the person captured on CCTV was her.

During a contested bail hearing, earlier this month, solicitor Julieanne Kiely submitted some of the CCTV footage was so poor that there was a question mark over the colour of a persons skin not to mind whether they had blonde or black hair.

Much of it relates to a moving dot, said Ms Kiely.

During a procedural hearing this week, Judge OLeary was told the defendant had achieved bail and is no longer in custody.

Noting this, the judge agreed to adjourn the matter to the end of July for DPPs directions.

Ms Romanovska must obey a number of conditions as a condition of her bail.

In addition to being of good behaviour, she must sign on daily at Ennis garda station and obey a nightly curfew at her home address.

She has been ordered not to have any contact whatsoever with the alleged injured party and to surrender her passport.

Must Romanovska must also stay out of Limerick city  except for court appearances and appointments with her solicitor.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 17:38:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Migrants push a wheelbarrow loaded with recyclable items in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, March 27, 2020. Yemen's security authorities launched a campaign for deporting the illegal African migrants from the country's southern provinces, a government official told Xinhua on Friday. (Photo by Murad Abdo/Xinhua)

ADEN, Yemen, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's security authorities launched a campaign for deporting the illegal African migrants from the country's southern provinces, a government official told Xinhua on Friday.

The local government official, who asked to remain anonymous, said that "as a precautionary measure to curb potential coronavirus outbreak, the crackdown campaign began transporting the migrants out of the main cities."

"The security forces detained scores of migrants in the southeastern province of Shabwa and began arranging for deporting them," the official said.

He said that the deportation campaign will target thousands of illegal African migrants in other main cities of the war-torn Arab country.

The security checkpoints tightened their procedures and prevented the new batches of migrants from entering the southern provinces, he added.

Many Yemenis believe coronavirus could sneak into Yemen as thousands of illegal migrants and asylum-seekers continue flocking into the country through border crossings.

Yemen has been plagued in a civil war between the government forces and Houthi rebels since late 2014, which has killed tens of thousands of people.

The conflict has left many hospitals closed or ill-equipped and the country is struggling to establish coronavirus testing sites amid the global pandemic outbreak.
Despite the spread of the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus, Australian trade unions are working with employer organisations to keep workers on the job, and cut their wages and conditions, in order to safeguard corporate profits.

In one of the most dangerous examples, the construction unions in the state of Victoria last week formed a working party with building employer groups, such as the Master Builders Association, to press the state Labor government to exempt the sector from shutdown measures.

A joint statement on March 18 claimed that mitigating controls overseen by the unions and employers are being implemented across the sector, so special considerations be given to no blanket closures.

The working party said the construction industry environment is significantly different from others, with the ability to socially distance on sites and isolate groups and exposure to fresh air and light is very high for much of the time and on a large amount of the site.

The danger to building workers was quickly demonstrated this week when a worker on the $190 million New Student Precinct project at the University of Melbourne was diagnosed with COVID-19.

The truth is that close contact is unavoidable on work sites, especially on large projects that can have hundreds of workers on site at any one time, including contractors and sub-contractors who may move around different work locations, heightening their risk of exposure.

Moreover, multiple workers handle tools, equipment and building materials, creating the potential for the virus to spread. According to a study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, the coronavirus can survive on hard surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours.

Opposition is erupting among construction workers. Several workers have told the Melbourne Age that the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) is actively deleting posts on its Facebook page questioning the wisdom of continuing to allow construction sites to operate. There is clear evidence that social-distancing rules, of keeping at least 1.5 metres from others, are not being followed on work sites.

Speaking to the Australian Financial Review, CFMMEU national secretary Dave Noonan admitted: Social distancing on sites is a constant challenge. Im not going to pretend in every circumstance everyone is a statutory distance away from each other. But weve got to do our best and people in the main are doing our best.

The March 18 statement, entitled Collaborative Partnership Pathway for Construction Industry, insisted: [I]n these challenging times, in the spirit of cooperation, it is critical that all stakeholders work together to ensure the protection of both workers and the building and construction industry.

The record of the employers and the unions demonstrates that workers cannot trust them to ensure the protection of workers. For decades the unions have suppressed opposition by workers to the drive by construction companies to slash working conditions, increase the use of contract labour and undermine safety standards to meet deadlines, cut costs and maximise profits.

As a result, the construction sector is the third most dangerous industry by workplace fatalities. Nine construction workers have been killed so far this year. In 2019 there were 22 deaths and for the three years before the total was a staggering 110.

The union bureaucrats and the corporate elite have joined hands because they are well aware that many workers internationally are walking out and closing down workplaces in non-essential industries. This includes wildcat strikes in auto plants in the US, in defiance of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, and similar walkouts in Italy, Spain and Canada against union-management efforts to continue production despite unsafe conditions.

The working party even called for measures to protect companies that lay off workers. It proposed Victorian Building and Industry Disputes Panel guidelines to specify that employers can legitimately request workers use annual, personal leave and accrued RDOs (Rostered Days Off) if stood down and for workers to access redundancy and industry superannuation fund hardship payments.

Across all industries, the unions are determined to utilise the coronavirus crisis to prove that they are indispensable to big business and to entrench themselves even more firmly as a part of the official establishment. They are not workers organisations, but industrial police forces. Cbus, the joint CFMMEU-employers superannuation fund controls $56 billion of its members funds. It is one of the biggest investors in the building industry and has a direct interest in maintaining uninterrupted production.

In the mining industry, the CFMMEU has backed government plans to exempt fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers on remote sites from travel restrictions, overriding opposition by indigenous and other local communities that such mass transportations will bring COVID-19 into their regions.

To protect their own lives and those of the public, workers must take matters into their own hands. Rank-and-file committees must be established, completely independent of the unions, to organise the fight to close down all non-essential workplaces immediately. All laid-off or sacked workers must receive full pay, financed by the corporations and government resources.

All manufacturing must be redirected to the production of urgent necessities, including health care equipment, and the construction of healthcare facilities. The very best protective measures must be established across such workplaces, overseen by the workers themselves, with the advice of scientists and health care professionals.

Every effort must be made to reach out to workers internationally to coordinate a unified global response along these lines, raising the necessity for the complete reorganisation of society on a socialist basis. That is, the working class must take democratic control over the industries, place them under public ownership and organise production for human need, not private profit.

The CFMMEUs partnership with the construction and mining giants typifies the role of the unions in bolstering corporate profit at the expense of their own members.

In the latest example, the Australian Services Union struck a deal with employers to slash penalty rates and minimum shift rules for about one million white collar workers now working from home. The agreement extends the spread of working hours that do not attract penalty rates from 6am through to 11pm on Mondays to Fridays and 7am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. Minimum allowable shifts for casuals and part-timers will be two hours.

Earlier, the United Workers Union joined the hotel industry employers in a similar pact to reduce minimum hours and relax classifications rules.

These agreements are described as temporary, for the duration of the COVID-19 disaster, but they set precedents that the employers will exploit to restructure their operations permanently.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is leading this push, backing the multi-billion dollar government handouts to big business and trying to prevent resistance to mass layoffs.

When Qantas stood down 20,000 workers just days after the federal government handed the airline companies a $715 million assistance package, the ACTU went into damage control. It urged the government to give workers a seat at the tablethrough their unions in designing these corporate bailouts.

Even though Qantas had just spearheaded the ruthless corporate mass sackings that are now spreading throughout the economy, the ACTU stated: We support government providing stimulus and financial support to industry in order to protect local jobs.

That is, behind the fraudulent claim of defending jobs, the unions support handing over billions more dollars to the large corporations, which already have extracted massive profits over the past two decades alone by eliminating thousands of jobs and driving up the rate of exploitation of the working class.
Britain's embassies have been urged to source vital equipment for the NHS and ship it home as the EU rejected claims a missed email was to blame for the UK not taking part in the bloc's ventilator scheme.

The government is said to have instructed UK embassies across the world to see if they can source ventilators and protective equipment for the health service from their host countries and then export it to Britain.

The move, first reported by the Financial Times, is designed to plug holes in NHS supplies.

But the request is believed to have caused some disquiet among staff given the difficult balancing act of trying to find equipment to send home without causing offence to a host nation.

It came amid a row over why the UK failed to join a four-pronged Brussels' initiative to source and buy ventilators quickly and cheaply to aid the fight against coronavirus with the government blaming an email mix-up.

Number 10 had originally said the UK was not taking part because it was no longer a member of the bloc and was 'making our own efforts' but it later blamed its absence on an 'initial communication problem'.

It is thought computer problems meant the UK did not receive a critical email asking if it wanted to participate so Britain missed the deadline but will be able to take part in future rounds of procurement.

But the European Commission appeared to cast doubt on the UK's version of events, as a spokesman said: 'If the UK want to join in a future procurement scheme they are most welcome to join. They were also most welcome to join in the first four.'

Boris Johnson's spokesman initially said the UK had not joined an EU ventilators scheme because Britain is no longer a member of the bloc but it was later blamed on computer trouble

The EU is using its collective bargaining power to try to acquire ventilators cheaply and in rapid time.

The UK was eligible to take part because while it formally split from the bloc in January the two sides are now in a 'standstill' transition period lasting until the end of the year.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said yesterday morning that 'we are no longer members of the EU' when he was asked why the UK was not participating.

Pressed if the decision was related to Brexit ideology, the spokesman said: 'No, as I say, this is an area where we're making our own efforts.'

The comments prompted fury from pro-EU critics of the government as Lib Dem MP Layla Moran accusing Boris Johnson of putting 'Brexit over breathing'.

But Number 10 subsequently rowed back on its initial explanation as it emerged the actual reason for not joining the scheme was computer trouble.

A UK government spokesman said: 'Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint procurements in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

'As the Commission has confirmed, we are eligible to participate in joint procurements during the transition period, following our departure from the EU earlier this year.

'As those four initial procurement schemes had already gone out to tender we were unable to take part in these, but we will consider participating in future procurement schemes on the basis of public health requirements at the time.

'We are working round the clock with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the army to ensure the supply of PPE over the coming weeks and months and will give our NHS and the social care sector everything they need to tackle this outbreak.'

Business Secretary Alok Sharma today suggested it was not guaranteed that the UK would have joined the EU scheme had it not been for miscommunication.

He said: 'We would have had to look and see the precise details of that.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has described ventilators as the 'big thing' needed in the fight against the respiratory disease.

The NHS currently has 8,000 of the machines with 8,000 more already ordered from existing manufacturers.

The government is expecting a further 'call to arms' to UK manufacturers to make ventilators to result in thousands more being made available to the health service in the coming weeks and months.

Alok Sharma, pictured in Downing Street on March 17, said the government hopes ventilator prototypes will be 'coming forward in a matter of weeks' before then moving to large-scale production

Dyson is one of a number of companies working on a ventilator model and it hopes to deliver 10,000 to the NHS - assuming its prototype passes clinical testing.

Asked when the newly developed ventilators could be available, Mr Sharma said: 'We are working with consortia, we are working with individual organisations and we are at the stage where designs are being procured and, of course, we need to make sure that they meet the regulatory requirements.

'And, whether it's Dyson or any other company, they will need to meet those to be able to supply them.'

He added: 'What we want to see is prototypes to be coming forwards in a matter of weeks before we move on to large-scale production.'

The Business Secretary said that if the government and manufacturers are 'able to work at pace we will absolutely do that'.
The tidal wave of coronavirus closures swamping listed real estate trusts around the country has so far spared newly-listed large format operator HomeCo, instead boosting foot traffic in its repurposed Masters malls by 30 per cent.

In a rare piece of good news for the retail sector, HomeCo chief executive David Di Pilla said the group's malls  which include a high proportion of supermarkets and pharmacies  had seen a spike in foot traffic since the outbreak, spurred by shoppers looking for essential items.

HomeCo has seen a spike in foot traffic since the outbreak.

Across the portfolio, Mr Di Pilla estimates foot traffic was up 30 per cent on average to Monday this week, although since then foot traffic had softened to normal levels as the lock down hit.

"It appears that consumers are changing their shopping behaviour with shorter dwell times and higher conviction and targeted shopping visits," he said.
DALLAS, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second time, the Supreme Court of Texas has rejected an attempt by Steak 'n Shake (NYSE: BH) to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former employee who was allegedly sexually assaulted by her manager.

The ruling released Friday marks an important victory in efforts to hold businesses accountable for the actions of supervisors, said trial lawyer Matthew McCarley of Dallas-based Fears Nachawati, who represents the plaintiff. With Friday's action, Mr. McCarley said he is confident that Steak 'n Shake will have to answer to the claims in a jury trial.

"Steak 'n Shake has thrown up every legal hurdle it can to dodge accountability for the actions of its General Manager and its failure to provide a safe work environment for employees," Mr. McCarley said. "It's time for Steak 'n Shake to stop hiding behind legal technicalities and take responsibility to ensure workers feel safe on the job."

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by a woman identified as B.C. who claims her manager at a Frisco, Texas, Steak 'n Shake assaulted her during a late-night shift in 2011. She sued the San Antonio-based casual restaurant chain for sexual assault. In Friday's ruling, the Supreme Court rejected Steak 'n Shake's argument that certain evidence could be excluded from consideration because of an alleged untimely filing.

This is the second time that the Supreme Court of Texas has rejected an appeal from Steak 'n Shake in this case. In 2017, the court made an important and closely watched finding that workplace sexual assault lawsuits can be treated differently than sexual harassment claims and are not required to be guided by an administrative process under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act.

The case is B.C., Petitioner v. Steak 'n Shake Operations Inc., No. 17-1008. In addition to Mr. McCarley and the Fears Nachawati law firm, Dallas-based attorney Matthew J. Kita handled appellate arguments.

Dallas-based Fears | Nachawati Law Firm represents individuals, businesses and governmental entities in litigation, including sex abuse and sexual assault claims, business interruption claims arising from Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other natural disasters, serious personal injury and wrongful death, and mass torts arising from environmental damage and water contamination, as well as defective drug and medical device litigation. For more information, visit: https://www.fnlawfirm.com/.

Contact:

Robert Tharp

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Fears Nachawati Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.fnlawfirm.com


New Delhi [India], Mar 27 (ANI): Muslim clerics called on their followers asking them to offer the Juma namaz at home and desist from visiting mosques in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid on Friday made an appeal to not congregate and offer Juma namaz at home.

The call, it seems made an impact as roads leading up to Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid, that are often crowded, also wore a deserted look as most shops and restaurants in the area remained closed.

Jama Masjid of Delhi is counted among one of the most influential mosques across the country. While emphasising the need to observe social distancing as the only measure to combat coronavirus, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid even made a similar appeal to Ulemas and clerics of the country who yield influence over people to direct the community against congregation in the mosques.

Every Friday a crowd of at least 10,000 faithful gathers to offer prayers. However, today the numbers could be counted on fingers. Ten persons, comprising staff of mosque offered Juma namaz thereby setting an example for the rest of the mosques and the community.

On occasions such as Eid, Alvida which is last Friday of Ramzan this mosque hosts around 1 lakh people, informed Bukhari. And on a regular day for five-time prayer, the mosque has around 2,000 people.

"Allah is everywhere and even at your homes. Those who are insisting that Juma can only be offered in mosques, they are wrong. We don't want a situation like China and Italy in India. We need to follow directions given by the government," stated the Shahi Imam.

Maulana Arshad Madani, President, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind too made an appeal to the people to offer Juma namaz at home and avoid any large gatherings.

"In the light of government directives issued regarding coronavirus, I would like to advise that people must avoid gathering in mosques on Friday as well. Offer prayers at home only. He also said that today he himself is going to offer prayers at his home. Only Imam, muazzin and three persons should offer Juma prayer at mosques so that obligation can be fulfilled. It is our religious and social responsibility to protect ourselves and others from this harm, " reads a statement by Madani.

Earlier, All India Muslim Personal Law Board too made an appeal stating that Muslims are recommended offer Juhur at home instead of praying Juma at mosques. The board advised people to stay at home and avoid congregating.

While asking the community to avoid gatherings, Bukhari said, "Five people are sufficient to offer namaz in a mosque. These should be the people who are engaged to keep the mosque clean. No outsider should come to the mosque. Your prayers would be accepted even if you offer Juma from home."

The Imam took a stern view of the fact that many are misguiding the community in the name of religion. "Sharia is very flexible for dire circumstances," added Bukhari.

The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid also cautioned the community to not become prey to those misdirecting them to believe namaz will protect them from getting infected.

"Allah has asked us to not put lives in danger or commit suicide, congregating at this point of time is equivalent to putting not just ours but others in danger. And it should be avoided," added Bukhari.

Responding to a query about government and political parties attempt to provide food for daily wage earners and contacting social and religious organisations to help them in doing so, Bukhari said he would be glad to be of any assistance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Amid the coronavirus-related state of emergency, Armenian banks have made revisions in the loan terms of thousands of borrowers (individuals and companies), and the vast majority were granted principal and interest payment holiday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on social media.

Since March 20, Armenian banks have revised the loan terms of 96,838 citizens and 3,395 companies. In vast majority of revised cases the banks granted loan holidays, in some cases for several months, the PM said.

Pashinyan said the volume of the revised loans totals around 200 billion drams.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
Police have harassed and attacked journalists in Hyderabad and Delhi on alleged breaches of lockdown orders amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) and its India affiliates the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and the National Union of Journalists (India) condemn the police brutality and urge Indian authorities to allow journalists to work without any restrictions.

These police attacks have occurred despite clear instructions issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on March 23 requesting all states and union territories allow journalists to work freely during the lockdown, recognising the essential role journalists play in disseminating reliable information during a health crisis.

According to media reports, police from Safdarjung police station stopped and beat Navin Kumar, a journalist at Hindi news channel Aaj Tak on March 23. When Kumar showed his identity card, police snatched his car key, wallet and mobile phone, and then three police allegedly beat him inside the police vehicle.

In other incidents in Hyderabad, police abused Ravi Reddy, the Hyderabad bureau-chief with The Hindu and verbally abused Andhra Jyothy journalist Mendu Srinivas. And Mohammed Hussain, a reporter for the English news website Siasat, tweeted that he was beaten by police officials with a baton in Hyderabad on Monday night while returning home from his office. The Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ)has lodged a complaint against various attacks with Director General of Police (DGP).

NUJ(I) said: We strongly condemn these assaults on journalists and urge the central and state governments to ensure the safety of journalists when doing their job.

IJU said: IJU demands that the government of India give strict directions to police and security forces to respect freedom of press and help journalists who are covering the pandemic so that the society has access to unbiased and accurate information.

IFJ said, Since journalists provide essential news and information to public in this global pandemic, they must be exempt from ongoing restrictions. Police attacks on journalists for alleged breaches of the lockdown are of great concern.
Coronavirus: almost 5,000 dead in Spain, 769 in 24 hrs Some 10,000 healthcare workers affected - El Mundo

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 27 - The number of deaths of those testing positive for the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, was rising at the end of the week in Spain.



El Pais reported Friday that 769 had died within a 24-hour period and 4,858 thus far. Over 64,059 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country and 9,357 have recovered, the health ministry was quoted by national media outlets. ''Almost 10,000 healthcare personnel have tested positive'' in the country, El Mundo reported, noting that the latest figure was 9,444. (ANSAmed).




Honda will be stopping the automobile assembly lines at both of its completely built-up (CBU) car factories in Thailand.

Honda Automobile Thailand officially announced the suspension of CBU operations in its vehicle production plants in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Prachinburi provinces from March 27 until April 30. The announcement comes after the Thai government declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The automaker also cited declining market demand, as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on global economies, auto sales also received a beating in Thailand. February marked the ninth-straight month of decline in sales as banks also began tightening their belts on loans.
Press Release

March 26, 2020 Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Supplemental Dispatch from Crame No. 751 on Mass Testing 3/26/20 Ilan pa ba sa ating mga kababayan - mga health workers, frontliners, PUIs, PUMs, at mamamayang bulnerable, gaya ng mga matatanda at may malulubhang karamdaman - ang mamamatay na lamang bago pa matiyak na may COVID-19 sila at mabigyan ng karampatang gamutan? Kailan pa natin masisiguro ang kaligtasan ng lahat mula sa posibleng pagkakahawa sa mga hindi nagpapakita ng sintomas, ngunit nagdadala ng virus? Kailan pa ba natin balak kumilos, kapag madami na ang namatay? Day by day, we learn that the total no. of confirmed cases reportedly increase, yet we cannot be certain of the accuracy of these figures. Even DOH Secretary Duque admitted that they could be missing half of the actual totality of COVID-19 cases in the country. We know what we're fighting against but the enemy remains unseen. Don't hasten the Filipinos' deaths by refusing to test as many as you can as quickly as you can - just to downplay the situation. It's as if you are trying to conceal the real numbers - the question is why? To lessen the panic, or to feed your bruised ego? The administration already once downplayed the real situation when you refused to recommend the closing of our borders as a courtesy to China - and now they seem to be keeping the numbers at bay. We've already received donations of hundreds of thousands of testing kits from our neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region. What is taking us so long? Figuring out how to conduct mass testing for its citizens should be high on the government's priority list if we are to make it through this pandemic. If we know who are infected, who are not, and where they are, we can come up with more concrete plans instead of blanket measures such as instituting a nationwide lockdown and essentially granting an unwell and unstable chief executive special emergency powers he never needed in the first place. When we identify what we are dealing with, we can more adequately reallocate our already dwindling resources to where they are needed the most. The sooner we identify who are afflicted with this virus, the sooner we can isolate them and get them treated. Conversely, the more we wait the more resources we waste. The more resources we waste, the more people will be infected and inevitably die from this pandemic. Knowing the enemy is half the battle. Mass testing is our only hope to get the lay of the land, and get ahead of the spread of infection. I am urging the national government to encourage the local autonomy, resourcefulness and innovative strategies of the LGUs in combatting this virus. For instance, despite Marikina's molecular laboratory's readiness to operate and with locally-developed testing kits for coronavirus diagnoses, the DOH deferred approval, delaying the city government's plan to proceed with mass testing not only of their citizens but with their neighboring towns and cities. 'Wag sana nilang hadlangan ang angking kakayahan at kagalingan ng iilan sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan, bagkus, bigyan ang mga solusyong ito ng pantay na kahalagahan. We have to understand that the national and the local governments are looking at it from two different points of view. The national government ascertains the COVID-19 statistics in line with the WHO standards to be used not only as guides for treatment, but also as basis for policy. The local governments, on the other hand, need it as aid to help them carry out their mandate to implement the Enhanced Community Quarantine. They need some guidance as to which households and communities need to be isolated and/or sanitized in order to prevent further transmission of the virus. In this sense, testing need not be a choice between local and national government. The local government can do preliminary testing while the national government reserves the right to undertake final confirmatory tests. In doing so, the whole of government will be able to perform their duties in harmony. I strongly urge the DOH to strongly consider issuing temporary accreditation credentials and grant them limited testing capabilities. This will not only decongest other accredited laboratories to screen tests but will speed up the release of results and cover the bigger population waiting to get tested. The DOH can ill-afford any more delays and indecisiveness, not when hundreds, even thousands, of our countrymen are in need of testing. MASS TESTING NOW! Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?! (Access the handwritten version of Dispatch from Crame No. 751, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._751)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:54:50|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KATHMANDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Nepal confirmed the fourth case of COVID-19 infection in a 34-year-old male in the western part of the country, Ministry of Health and Population confirmed here on Friday.

During a regular online press briefing held Friday evening, the ministry confirmed that the person with positive report recently returned from Dubai of UAE.

"The patient is in stable condition, and is undergoing treatment in Dhangadi," Health Ministry officials confirmed.

The patient is undergoing treatment in Seti Provincial Hospital based in Dhangadi, one of the major cities in the far western region, which borders India.

"The patient had returned from Dubai just few days back. Since we have all the positive cases in the people who returned from abroad recently, it's very important for foreign returnees to stay in home-quarantine to prevent the spread of infection," Dr. Bikash Devkota, spokesperson at Health Ministry told Xinhua.

It has been reported that the patient was admitted to the hospital in March 24 after having a few symptoms like high fever and breathing problems. The identity of the person has not been revealed by the ministry, but said he is in stable condition.

According to the National Public Health Laboratory, the official COVID-19 testing lab in the country, Nepal has so far tested over 803 samples among which 799 were tested negative.

The government is planning to expand the lab facility in each seven provinces in the near future, according to the authorities.

The Nepali government has launched stringent measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic, including the week-long nationwide lockdown, closure of all border points, suspension of all international flights and closure of offices except the emergency ones.
President Trump's Virginia campaign headquarters will be shut down past Easter Sunday due to Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam deeming it a 'non-essential business.'

CBS News reported Thursday that it had confirmed that the Trump campaign's office - located across the river from Washington, D.C., in the Arlingon neighborhood of Rosslyn - would be closed through April, 24 under the governor's orders.

The president's campaign staff is currently working from home.

President Trump said earlier this week he'd like to see things go back to normal by Easter as the coronavirus continues to spread. Now his campaign office in Virginia will be closed until at least April 24, with the Virginia governor deemig it non-essential

The president's campaign headquarters was photographed in July 2019. The offices are located in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, located across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

The president paid his campaign offices a visit in February and took a photo with his whole team. Now campaign staff - like the staff of his Democratic rivals - works from home during the current period of social distancing due to the coronavirus crisis

The president was slower to call off campaign events than his Democratic opponents, who stopped holding rallies on March 10, the night of 'Super Tuesday 2.'

Both Joe Biden - the frontrunner - and Bernie Sanders were due to appear in Cleveland, Ohio, as Buckeye State voters were supposed to head to the polls the next week. Neither the rallies nor the primary happened, as Ohio was the only one of four states scheduled to vote on March 17 that delayed the presidential primary.

Meanwhile on March 10, the Trump campaign announced a new event - a 'Catholics for Trump' gathering with the president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

It took several days of the Democrats being off the trail before the president relented and told reporters he planned not to go to Florida for a campaign rally that had been scheduled. The Milwaukee event later got canned due to coronavirus concerns.

And on March 20 the Trump campaign confirmed to CBS News that all in-person fundraising would cease.

Campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said the campaign's 'unmatched data and digital operation make us uniquely equipped to sustain a digital fundraising operation.'

'While we are temporarily suspending in-person fundraising events, we will still be able to gather support from Americans who fully support President Trump, his accomplishments, and his leadership,' Murtaugh added.

The Republican National Committee announced it would stop in-person fundraisers the same day.

Earlier this week, Trump said he'd like to see Americans back to work - and in church - by Easter Sunday, though he's since backtracked from that estimate.
The health minister in a statement said the deaths occurred in Western Cape province, home of Cape Town

Suspects are lined up against a wall as a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) wearing gloves arrests them because they defied the lockdown order during an operation in the Johannesburg. AFP Photo

Johannesburg: South Africa on Friday reported its first two deaths from the novel coronavirus outbreak as the number of confirmed cases breached the 1,000 mark, the government said.

"This morning we wake South Africans up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19," the health ministry said in a statement.
Open source

In annexed Crimea, seven new cases of coronavirus infection spotted over the past 24 hours. All infected are the citizens of Crimea who returned from UAE as TASS reported citing Head of occupation administration of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov.

Seven new cases of coronavirus infection spotted in Crimea over the past 24 hours; all people came from travels abroad, he said.

According to his statement, all infected were traveling at cruise liners in UAE.

As of todays morning, seven cases of Covid-19 were officially confirmed in the peninsula. Totally, 1,500 people stay under medical control.

As we reported, more than a thousand people in Russian-occupied Crimea were taken to hospitals, diagnosed with pneumonia.

Over the past 24 hours, 62 people have been infected with coronavirus in Ukraine. As of now, there are 218 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19.
Up to 300,000 people could lose their jobs in just a matter of weeks as the coronavirus pushes Ireland into a deep recession, the Economic and Social Research Institute warned in a new report.

The ESRI report, published yesterday, said that by the end June, 18pc of the labour force could find themselves without a job thanks to business closures and lockdowns, a figure that would far exceed that experienced during the financial crisis.

The think-tank forecast that the economy would shrink by around 7pc this year and the Government would run a big budget deficit of 12.7bn, equivalent to 4.5pc of gross domestic product.

"The swiftness of the economic deterioration is unprecedented in modern times and in many respects exceeds that of the financial crisis," the report said.

Particularly at risk are workers in the wholesale and retail trade and the accommodation and food service sectors, which together employed more than 480,000 people in the first quarter of 2020.

The Government has so far allocated spending worth up to 6.7bn to combat the pandemic with a range of measures from wage support to company loans and forgiveness of charges.

The total package here is now equal to 1.9pc of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with a eurozone average of 2.2pc of GDP and close to double the level that the Government had initially proposed.

The ESRI report assumes the direct impacts from the pandemic start to ease in the second half of this year. If they don't, it warned that the impact would be substantially larger.

The evidence from elsewhere is suggesting the effects are already far greater than expected, with a record jump in US jobless data and a crash in consumer spending in France, the eurozone's second largest economy.

Business data for the bloc released earlier this week showed the eurozone economy was set for a 2pc decline quarter on quarter - a faster pace of contraction than during the crisis.

The eurozone has unlocked 2trn in budgetary and financial funding to fight the pandemic.

The global scale of the pandemic's impact was shown in the release of shocking unemployment numbers from the United States shortly after the ESRI released its report and which indicated the impact could be even worse than the one signalled by the Dublin-based think-tank.

More than three million Americans registered as jobless, a figure that is five times as large as the peak reached during the financial crisis.

Short-term estimates of where any economy is headed at any time are notoriously unreliable, and the coronavirus pandemic presents an immediate threat to the economy that has not been seen in the modern era, with statisticians forced to look back to the Spanish flu of 1918.

An analysis by Harvard's Robert Barro calculates that, based on the Spanish flu impact, the economy of a typical country could shrink by 6pc.

Consultancy firm Oxford Economics has ranked European countries in terms of their economic vulnerability to Covid-19 and Ireland comes out as the 13th most vulnerable of 31 countries, thanks in large part to the relatively high share of manufacturing in the economy and the relatively low number of acute hospital beds.

Ireland's economy is however anything but "typical".

Government revenues are highly exposed to corporation tax receipts, largely from US multinationals.

A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), also released yesterday, showed that by March 23, the top 5,000 global companies had revised their earnings lower by one-third.

The report also showed multinational companies are slashing investment and capital spending as a result of the pandemic.

The State has been a major recipient of foreign capital and investment and multinational companies employ in the region of 230,000 workers here, many in highly paid jobs.

Almost all of the economic out-performance of recent years that has propelled Ireland to the top of the European Union's growth league has been down to our stronger-than-expected export performance.

Just one pharmaceutical product accounted for 2.5bn in monthly exports last year, or close on 20pc of the State's monthly figure.

New figures from France's statistics office, INSEE, also portrayed a downturn that was far steeper than the estimates for Ireland that were published by ESRI. INSEE reported activity in France was now 35pc below normal levels, suggesting a much deeper recession than expected.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said in the Dail yesterday: "We have European neighbours and friends who are experiencing a loss of life that is truly comparable to what sometimes happens in wars".

The economic war may just be in only its early stages and business group Ibec has warned the State may need to spend 10pc of GDP to fight the crisis, a figure that would be equal to 34bn, based on 2019 economic output.
Personal Assistant to President Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, has confirmed reports that the President was tested for the novel Coronavirus and the test came out negative.

In a tweet she posted today, Lauretta said the President is also not on life support. She wrote
If we protect our elderly and people with chronic conditions well, I would expect these numbers to halve, he said. With each patient requiring between four and five days in hospital, this predicted rate of admissions would stretch but not break our intensive care capacity, which currency stands in excess of 1000 units and will continue to grow. The modelling is based on what Professor Blakely estimates to be the true numbers of infections in the state, which is about three times the number of confirmed cases, and indicates that the peak of the crisis may not arrive until late June. If the modelling is accurate, the pandemic will infect more than 2 million Victorians but, in stark contrast to what we have seen in Lombardy and are now seeing in New York, leave our hospital system intact.

If what you are getting from health service managers and clinicians is that they think the sky isnt falling in and they will cope, I agree, Professor Blakely said. Still, the state government continues to plan for and warn of a worst-case scenario. We are scaling up our health system to prepare for this global health crisis as quickly as we can and on a scale never before seen in our history, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said. We have been very clear that if we find ourselves in a worst-case scenario, the rate of infection will almost certainly outstrip our world-class health systems capacity. Thats why our message is clear: if you can stay at home, you must stay at home.

However, the coronavirus endgame - where the peak of the virus meets the limits of our health system - has changed significantly due to the public acceptance of this message and a two-month campaign within our hospitals to increase their COVID capacity. Western Health chief executive Russell Harrison said COVID preparations began in January as dire reports of the epidemic were first emerging in Wuhan. A small team of senior clinicians, nurses and managers were taken off regular duties to lead COVID planning. Clinical and administrative staff were split into A and B streams, one assigned to Sunshine Hospital and the other to Footscray Hospital, to prevent a single COVID infection from disrupting the operations of both hospitals. An acute respiratory clinic was established in a suite of nine outpatient rooms at Sunshine Hospital, separated by a road from the emergency department, so that suspected COVID cases could be tested without risk of cross-contamination. There are currently no COVID in-patients at either Sunshine or Footscray hospitals. When that changes, a staged response will begin rolling out, starting with those patients - between 2 per cent and five percent of total COVID cases - who require intensive care.

The plan scales out from a single patient in a negative pressure room to a whole ward, to two wards and three, four etc, Mr Harrison said. We have got plans to scale our ICU and surge it. At Sunshine Hospital there are two wards with a total of 56 beds empty and ready for COVID patients. When those beds are full, there are a further two newer wards with 64 beds, that will be readied and staffed to take patients. If the number of cases exceeds those beds, there is planning for the entire Sunshine campus to become a COVID-dedicated hospital, with all non-COVID cases shifted to Footscray. We have had the benefit of time, Mr Harrison said. There is a cause for modest optimism that this is working, the challenge is to keep that going. Mr McIsaac said the Royal Melbourne Hospitals standing capacity for 42 ICU patients had more than doubled through the repurposing of other hospital space, the provision of more equipment and an overwhelming response from nurses with intensive experience who were leaving research, management and general ward duties to work at the COVID coalface. He described the preparedness of government to provide whatever funds were needed as unprecedented and said the more important response had come from the public.
"We know we will be impacted like other states  some people will die  our effort is to limit that so we can accommodate those who need to go to the hospital."

Ricketts said the state is steadily ramping up its testing capacity, which now stands at about 1,000 tests a day.

With expanded testing, he noted, "we should see more cases."

Ricketts also announced an executive order that would waive some state licensing requirements for qualified health care providers to clear a path for them to practice in Nebraska if they are needed during the pandemic.

That would include people who are licensed in other states, who may need renewals or who may be retired from medical practice, Ricketts said, as well as some people who may need to meet initial license fee requirements.

Taking action now, the governor said, clears a path for them to "come and help us out" in the event that more health care professionals are needed to meet demand created by the virus in the future.

"Currently, we have plenty to handle the demand," Ricketts said. "We just need to look down the road (in case we) may need more."
As of Friday morning, 218 cases of COVID-19 coronavirus infection have been recorded in Ukraine, Deputy Health Minister and chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine Viktor Liashko said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

"There is also good news: four cases of recovery, one of them is a child. We are waiting for the fifth to be discharged from the hospital today," he said.

According to him, over the previous day, 62 cases of infection were recorded.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus and is in isolation.

This comes just a few days after Johnson launched a campaign on handwashing.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," Johnson said in a video statement broadcast on Twitter.

"I've developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That's to say - a temperature and a persistent cough." "So I am working from home. I'm self-isolating," he said. "Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus."

Soon after the news came about his test results, social media pointed out that in the campaign video, Johnson said he was still shaking hands.

At a press conference held at Downing Street earlier this month, the UK Prime Minister said, "I am shaking hands. I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were coronavirus patients and I was shaking hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands."

Boris Johnson boasting about shaking hands with coronavirus patients. You could not make it up. Britain is about to learn the hard way this is not the man to lead us in a crisis.pic.twitter.com/mgg8TL8zKh  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 3, 2020

Earlier this month, the UK Prime Minister had said that his strategy to tackle coronavirus focused mostly on one thing - herd immunity.

While the whole world was busy shutting down schools, colleges and other public places to contain the virus, the UK had one message - to stay calm under duress and to carry on with life as it is. The idea was to help people in Britain develop herd immunity.

For the unaware, when the body contracts a virus of any kind, it "remembers" the virus and that prevents the body from catching the disease again in the future. In what was then deemed as a controversial strategy, the government led by Johnson advised people above the age of seventy to stay indoors while everyone else was to continue to lead their lives as usual.

However, it was only when health experts said that such a strategy could claim the lives of more than 250,000 people did Johnson alter his strategy.

Johnson reversed his strategy only a few days ago when immunologists at London's Imperial College stated that if a situation similar to that of Italy arose in Britain, the country's health system would, in all probability, collapse. As news broke, social media was instantly abuzz with reactions.

So Boris Johnson has got the #coronavirus I wonder how... pic.twitter.com/xILnXeDQs2  Shuj' (@DrakesWriter1) March 27, 2020

Boris Johnson: Stay at home & make sure youre social distancing... Also Boris Johnson: I went to hospital & shook hands with all the Coronavirus patients... Boris Johnson now has Coronavirus. It is scary we have such a brain dead man as our Prime Minister.   (@ArsenalHQ20) March 27, 2020
A helicopter prepares to land near the Westerdam cruise ship in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Feb. 19, 2020. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty Images)

4 Dead on Florida-Bound Cruise Ship, 130 Sick Passengers Reported

Holland America said that four passengers on a cruise ship bound for Florida that has more than 130 sick passengers have died.

The cruise operator didnt say whether the deaths were related to the CCP virus outbreak.

Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on [cruise ship] Zaandam. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time, the cruise line said in a statement on its website.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

The ship was first allowed to disembark in Punta Arenas, Chile, but it was later denied, the operator wrote.

Holland America said 53 guests and 85 crew members reported flu-like symptoms, adding that 1,243 guests and 586 crew are on board. COVID-19 and influenza have similar symptoms.

An undisclosed number of patients were tested for the virus on Thursday. Two of them tested positive for COVID-19, the company said.

Out of an abundance of caution, on March 22 when Zaandam first saw a number of guests reporting to the medical center with influenza-like illness symptoms, we took immediate protective measures, including asking all guests to self-isolate in their staterooms and implementing all other appropriate precautions that have been developed in coordination with the CDC. All guests and crew received face masks yesterday and were provided with instructions on when and how to wear them, the company said.

The cruise liner said that it is working with Panamanian authorities on approval to travel the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Zaandam had departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 and was slated to head to San Antonio, Chile, on March 21.

But due to global health concerns, Holland America Line made the decision to suspend its global cruise operations for 30 days and end its current cruises in progress as quickly as possible so guests could return home, according to the company. No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile.

Last month, the Diamond Princess cruise ship was held off the coast of Japan for several weeks during the outbreak, prompting the U.S. State Department to evacuate hundreds of Americans who were on board.
Californias slow count of the March 3 primary ballots has been bad news for GOP congressional candidates, who have seen their margins slip as millions of late-arriving votes were tallied.

That trend is a continuing concern for Republican leaders, who are looking to take back the seven California congressional districts Democrats grabbed from the GOP in 2018.

While Republican candidates hold the lead in two of those districts, the Democratic incumbents closed the gap in both contests. And in the five races where the Democrats were on top on election night, theyve widened their leads in every case.

Obviously this is something we have to play catch-up on, said Cynthia Bryant, executive director of the California Republican Party. But we have a lot of tools to deploy in November.

For Democrats, that trend is a portent of success in the fall.

In 2018, many California Republicans running for the House prematurely declared victory only to find themselves at home when Congress started, Andy Orellana, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in an email. As the results have come in, the voters have shown that Californias freshmen Democrats are on path to victory in November.

That late vote is no small thing in California. On the day after the primary, there were more than 3.1 million uncounted ballots in the state, most of them mail ballots turned in at the polls on election day or postmarked by then and received by the following Friday. That represents nearly a third of the approximately 9.6 million votes cast.

In 2018, Republicans were on top on election night in four of the seven races that Democrats had targeted, only to lose every one of them when all the votes were counted. The last contest, where Fresno Democrat TJ Cox edged out GOP Rep. David Valadao, wasnt decided until a month after the election.

Theres not a lot Republicans can do to blunt the Democratic tilt of those late ballots, said Randall Avila, executive director of the Republican Party of Orange County.

Democrats tend to vote later, and Republicans like to vote earlier, he said. Since thats a bit of a natural cause, we just have to accept it.

In Orange County, home to four of the seven targeted congressional races, the early voting numbers tell the story.

The week before the primary, about 24,000 more Republican ballots had been received, Avila said. But a surge of Democratic ballots over the pre-election weekend slashed the GOP edge to just 34, a lead that vanished over the next two days.

The effect of that late rush of Democratic votes in Orange County shows up in the results. Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine picked up more than three percentage points after election night, moving from 48% to 51%. Rep. Harley Rouda of Laguna Beach was lifted to a double-digit lead over GOP Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel, and Rep. Mike Levin of San Juan Capistrano bumped his margin over Republican Brian Mayott from six percentage points on election night to 13 by Friday.

While Republican Young Kim of Fullerton kept her election night lead over Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros, she saw it cut by five percentage points, leaving her with a 48% to 47% lead.

Closer to the Bay Area, Democratic Rep. Josh Harder of Turlock (Stanislaus County) picked up nearly seven percentage points after election night, giving him a nine-point lead over Republican Ted Howze. In the Cox-Valadao rematch, the Democrat moved from 17 points down to 12.

All the races in the top-two primary amount to test runs for the November election. Despite the late Democratic gains, Republicans still like their chances in the fall.

We are confident voters will express their 2018 buyers remorse with their vote in November, said Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Still, that steady drip, drip, drip of Democratic gains during the days and weeks of Californias drawn-out vote count is a worry for both GOP candidates and party officials.

The answer, California Republicans say, is on the front end, bringing in enough early votes to take away much of the drama from the Democratic-friendly post-election tally.

We have to take advantage of (Republican voters) natural behavior, said Avila of the Orange County GOP. By bringing in even more early GOP votes, we make sure we build up that lead on election night.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



With a new president in office, Guatemala has the opportunity to reverse years of declining press freedom after the countrys journalists endured obstruction, legal harassment, orchestrated online attacks, and threats of violence. To win back trust, the administration will need to make a strong commitment to transparency and provide enough resources to combat impunity in attacks on the press. The country reaches this crossroads as the coronavirus pandemic raises the stakes for free-flowing information. A special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Published March 27, 2020

Trust deficit: Introduction

Early this year, when the administration of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales came to an end, many local journalists may have felt a sense of relief. During Morales four years in office, Guatemalan journalists endured obstruction, legal harassment, and orchestrated online attacks in addition to longstanding threats of violence, particularly outside major cities.

Now that Morales successor Alejandro Giammattei has assumed office, Guatemala has the opportunity to change the media environment for the better. Some journalists say that online harassment has slowed since presidential elections last year, and a few journalists expressed hope that the new president will forge a more constructive relationship with the press.

But CPJs interviews with Guatemalan journalists and experts show that conditions for press freedom in the country are fundamentally flawed. Without legal reforms, a genuine government commitment to transparency, and resources to combat impunity in attacks on the press, journalists will remain at risk, and information on topics like the coronavirus pandemic may not flow freely. Even if Giammattei does attempt to address these issues, he will be met with skepticism given journalists lack of trust in authorities.

I am not giving the new government any benefit of the doubt when it comes to press freedom, Jorge Santos, the general coordinator of the human rights organization Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala, said shortly after the January inauguration. Giammattei has already been a public official at other timeshis attitude toward the press is nothing new. I dont believe we will see any change.

The stakes are high for such a small country. Many news items in Guatemala have international implications including drug trafficking, corruption, migration, and the environment. Conditions in Guatemala, the most populous country in Central Americas Northern Triangle, are also a bellwether for the region. During the mandate of the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an independent body established in 2006 to combat corruption, both Honduras and El Salvador followed suit and set up anti-corruption bodies.

The popular commission helped usher in a decade defined by strong investigative journalism and progress in the fight against Guatemalas endemic corruption. Highlights included new digital outlets staffed by talented journalists, a genocide trial against former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, and a protest movement that toppled a president, with dozens of corrupt officials stripped of their posts and prosecuted.

Many reporters saw [the commission] as a means of support for their work, said Javier Estrada Tobar, senior reporter at Nomada, an independent digital investigative outlet that published critical articles about the Morales government. [It] provided important input for our work informing the population, then we used narratives to inform people about cases of corruption and impunity.

Morales, a former television comedian, had come to power in 2016 on a wave of anti-establishment protests and a promise to fight corruption. Once in office, he took a hostile stance against anyone who investigated him, banishing some of the international anti-corruption prosecutors from the country and discrediting and undermining journalists, or banning them from press conferences.

During his administration, Morales dedicated himself to destroying all of the progress of the last 30 years, said Dina Fernandez, a journalist and editorial board member of news outlet Soy502.

Guatemalan President-elect Alejandro Giammattei waves as he attends a news conference in Guatemala City on August 13, 2019. His administration is seen as more open than that of his predecessor but local journalists note a defensive attitude on some occasions. (Reuters/Jose Cabezas)

Giammattei, a former prisons director and four-time presidential candidate who finally won on a hardline platform of security reform and socially conservative values for the Vamos Party, declined to reinstate the U.N.-backed commission or seek regional support for a similar initiative. Instead, he has set up a presidential commission led by a former drug czar, which analysts say is unlikely to be as effective as the CICIG or have the same international legitimacy.

His administration has taken steps to distance itself from the confrontational approach of its predecessor, including granting broader access to press conferences and making officials more available for interviews.

Fernandez said she believed Giammattei was making a good-faith effort to open communication with the press, citing an August 2019 interview with CNN. [Giammattei] demonstrated an attitude substantially different from that of Jimmy Morales, she said, adding that she hopes the relationship applies to local media as well.

Carlos Sandoval, the press secretary for the Giammattei administration, said in October 2019 that the then-president-elect was committed to transparency and making information available to all citizens through a range of media outlets.

The goal is to make the government more transparent and facilitate communication, and [Giammattei] recognizes that the press plays a very important role in that, Sandoval said.

In its first major moment of crisis confronting the coronavirus pandemic, the new administration seems to be resisting the temptation to use the emergency as a pretext to restrict the press.

Since this began, both the president and vice president have been emphatic that members of the media can continue doing their work, Hector Coloj, a coordinator for the Guatemalan Association of Journalists, told CPJ. There are a few areas of concern, but we are not aware of any type of restriction [the government] has tried to implement to restrict information or cause any type of censorship.

Since Giammattei took office, a defensive attitude has emerged a few times: He called the news website Nomada specialists in discrediting at a press conference a few days after he was elected. In January, he gave a hostile response to Marvin Del Cid, a freelance journalist and director of free expression organization Articulo 35, who has published several pieces in the national daily Prensa Libre about the new administration, its contracts, and financial dealings with consultants. Giammattei told Del Cid during a press conference that he would like to know who was telling the journalist to investigate his administration.

Journalists said developments in Giammatteis first weeks in office included a proposed platform that would centralize press releases and allow the government to manage the flow of official information, and a motion to grant accreditation for journalists covering the presidency. While accreditation is standard in many countries, journalists said the practice had not been seen as necessary in Guatemala, which has relatively few national political correspondents.

Most of the Guatemala City reporters with whom CPJ spoke questioned why the administration was prioritizing these initiatives instead of more pressing issues. It isnt necessary when there is already a law on access to information that they arent complying with, Del Cid said. Theyre coming up with things to seem more transparent but its just more bureaucracy.

For example, Guatemalas cybercrimes laws are inadequate in the face of concerted online harassment campaigns, often by what are referred to as net centersorganizations of trolls for hire. Officials abuse other laws to enforce gag orders on news outlets, including at least two instances of female politicians using laws that protect victims of gender-based violence to try to silence news outlets.

Outside major cities, rural and indigenous journalists are at risk of discrimination and threats from criminal groups and corrupt officials. Failure to investigate cases of violence and threats, and an inability of state agencies to follow up on cases, are underscored by stalled efforts to establish a protection mechanism. Relatively few journalists are jailed long-term in GuatemalaCPJ research in the past 10 years records one jailed for their work in 2017 at the time of CPJs annual prison censusbut fatal violence is a risk. At least six journalists have been killed in relation to their work between 1992, when CPJ began keeping records, and 2019. A further 18 deaths are being investigated from the same time period to determine if their journalism was a motive. Years of impunity in violence against journalists and outdated notions of who is or is not a journalist have added to the problems.

Renewed government support for the newly expanded Prosecutors Office for Crimes Against Journalists, a unit that investigates attacks on the press, offers one small spot of hope for justice, but this alone is not enough to protect Guatemalas journalists.

The way forward that I see is through putting our efforts toward other spaces and alternative programs, said Quimy de Leon, director of the community-led news website and media outlet Prensa Comunitaria. Otherwise, well be waiting for the rest of our lives.

Despite a promise of transparency, the president is hard to get on the phone. Between November and January, Giammatteis representatives promised CPJ repeatedly that they would schedule an intervieweither in person or via phone. A spokesperson agreed to a short interview on January 10 but failed to answer queries seeking a time or information about how to arrange the interview. CPJ followed up with written questions the same day, which the representative promised to answer. As of early March, CPJ had not received a response to its requests.

The business of discrediting

Online harassment, like in many countries, is a major threat to journalists, but in Guatemala these attacks have greater force because of the popularity of net centers.

The term net center, an Intercept investigation found, refers to individuals or public relations firms that run campaigns to discredit or spread disinformation via false stories in the press or on social media; and that create networks of social media profiles to attack and disseminate misinformation, including via WhatsApp messages or by hacking accounts, impersonation, and doxing.

Journalists who spoke with CPJ in January said that net center activity appeared to have decreased since the election, but none of them believed the threat was gone.

The net centers are a little quieter now, but the infrastructure to attack journalists is still there, Antonio Barrios, editor-in-chief of Prensa Libre, said.

Their damaging nature became apparent in 2017, when Morales turned against the anti-corruption commission. In January of that year, the commission accused Morales son and his brother with fraud and charged his brother with money laundering, the Associated Press reported. From that point, Morales and his supporters in Congress repeatedly attempted to weaken the commission, including expelling its head Ivan Velasquez from the country, refusing to renew visas of other prosecutors, and criticizing and threatening journalists covering its findings.

A court in August absolved Morales son and brother in the corruption case, the AP reported.

CPJ was unable to reach a spokesperson for Morales for comment. A representative from the office of the President in October referred CPJ via email to the website of the Secretariat of Social Communications. The secretary did not respond to CPJs calls seeking comment.

A sign reading Rest in peace CICIG is seen during a protest against the U.N.-backed anti-corruption commission in Guatemala City in January 2019. Online harassment campaigns attempted to discredit journalists covering the commission. (AFP/Noe Perez)

As support for the commission waned, large-scale attempts to discredit, harass, and threaten the media ensued. Online campaigns sought to discredit journalists work, insinuate they were on the payroll of international actors, or described them as traitors trying to destabilize the country. Because of a lack of transparency over who a net center is working for, the abuse is hard to combat or counter.

A May 2019 report by the U.N.-backed commission described these operations as an attempt to flood social media with content to affect the framing of conversations online. The report included analysis of Twitter activity allegedly linked to net centers, which showed that at least eight journalists who reported regularly on anti-corruption efforts, along with lawyers, human rights defenders, and others were harassed online.

The main targets of the net centers are journalists who cover [politics and corruption], or those who give their opinions often, said Enrique Naveda, general coordinator and co-founder of independent digital media outlet Plaza Publica.

Luis Assardo, a journalist and researcher who has monitored online activity since the early part of the decade, said the organizations or groups often operate like mercenaries, following the instructions of a client or employereven working for multiple campaigns at the same timeand charging up to US$300,000 per month for tailored campaigns. These days, net centers are in the business of discrediting, he said.

As well as online harassment, journalists and human rights activists have had Twitter or email accounts hacked or communications intercepted, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. An August 2018 investigation by Nuestro Diario also found surveillance programs under three successive administrations since 2012 targeted journalists. In September 2016, Morales fired two high-ranking officials in the presidential security service, and cited the Attorney Generals investigation into their alleged involvement in an illegal spying program.

In a meeting at Nomadas Guatemala City office, which is housed behind several security checkpoints, staff told CPJ that the outlets website experienced months of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks designed to crash the site during 2017.

One attack came shortly after the outlet published audio clips of testimonies from survivors of a fire at a state-run childrens shelter in the capital in March 2017. The fire killed over 40 people, mostly young women and girls, and led to widespread criticism of the government for apparent inaction and negligence. Morales acknowledged state responsibility for the fire but insisted the government did not bear any criminal responsibility, according to reports.

Some of the online harassment aimed at the media includes rhetoric around leftist or guerrilla groups that plays on Guatemalas polarized landscape following its civil war.

Fernandez, of Soy502, described a campaign in 2018 in which memes shared on social media labelled four high-profile journalists, including Juan Luis Font, a former director of elPeriodico and co-founder of ContraPoder, and ConCriterio journalist Henry Bin, as pedophiles or terrorists. Fernandez said that some of the messages urged people to stop the journalists if they saw them in the street. The harassment followed Bins in-depth report on how the net centers functioned, including interviews with three managers.

Other triggers are elections. Fernandez was among more than a dozen journalists who noted an increase in digital harassment and threats during national elections in 2015 and 2019.

A 2019 electoral analysis by the Asociacion de Periodistas de Guatemala (APG) included two cyberattacks against news sites but did not specifically document net center attacks. Interestingly, the analysis noted a drop in physical violence compared with the 2015 election. Coloj, the APG coordinator, said the decline could be due to revised electoral laws and practices around elections reporting, or a result of self-censorship, with journalists in remote regions avoiding sensitive political topics. Luis Daniel Ordonez Hernandez, the acting director of the prosecutorial unit, also credited the drop in physical violence to journalists greater awareness of risks.

The anti-press rhetoric and harassment has affected how sources respond to journalists. People who were once co-operative now view the media with suspicion or refuse to talk to them. People yell at journalists, refuse to give them information, hang up on them when they call, elPeriodico editorial director Lucy Chay said.

Police and the media are seen outside the Guatemala City offices of the International Commission Against Impunity office (CICIG) in August 2018. The popular U.N.-backed commission helped usher in a decade defined by strong investigative journalism and progress in the fight against Guatemalas endemic corruption (Reuters/Luis Echeverria)

The media put so much pressure on all the corruption that was here, now obviously there are campaigns with the objective of discrediting the media, to undermine credibility at the popular level, so people dont trust the media, said Soy502 editorial director Mario Cordero Avila.

Some journalists said that the harassmentincidents cited to CPJ included attackers circulating photos of journalists relatives and children; accusations of pedophilia; and attempts to out a gay journalistled them to rethink their security. Ive never needed security cameras at my home before, said Soy502 editor Fernandez, adding that she recently had some installed.

While many newsrooms try to offer staff essential advice about digital security, most journalists and advocates who spoke with CPJ said they did not think the advice was sufficient. And while most newsrooms have some measure of physical security, such as metal detectors, visitor logs, guards seemingly standing watch outside every business in Guatemala City, outlets seem unprepared to apply a similar approach to digital security.

Most outlets havent thought about protection protocols, said net center researcher Assardo. They have no idea how to respond.

So far, social media companies have responded to trolling in Guatemala and globally largely by directing journalists to their tools to report and block accounts, and rolling out features that allow users to flag and report abusive users.

Among the difficulties facing countries recovering from conflict and civil war are interpreting the regional or local context of a threat. In Guatemala, where tens of thousands of civilians were killed during the civil war for being alleged sympathizers with leftist rebel groups, the use of rhetoric like terrorist to harass journalistssuch as Binmay not trigger Twitters general policy on harassment, but can easily make the victim of the harassment feel more vulnerable to physical attack.

Twitter is working to better identify threats, its head of public policy for Mexico and Latin America Hugo Rodriguez Nicolat said. In an email to CPJ, Rodriguez said that the platforms public policy team was building close connections with partners around the world to quickly escalate threats to journalists and human rights defenders. In Guatemala, the team has communicated with activists and non-governmental actors, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the American Bar Association, he said.

In response to questions about net-center attacks, Rodriguez said that platform manipulation is strictly against the Twitter rules. He added that Twitter takes aggressive enforcement action if we identify this behavior on our service and that cases of networks of accounts tied to state-backed information campaigns were added to the Twitter public archive.

CPJ did not receive a response to an emailed request for comment from Facebook on harassment and trolling on its platforms of Facebook and WhatsApp.

Journalists have found Guatemalas laws lacking in protection when it comes to digital attacks.

If someone doxes you, thats within the bounds of freedom of expression, Assardo said. Theres no legislation that incorporates these types of crimes.

The national police established a cybercrimes unit in 2015, but in a February 2018 interview with Guatemalan digital and radio outlet ConCriterio, the units then-director Diego Teos said that the legal code did not contain clear language that applied to online harassment.

But after lobbying by Nomada, Plaza Publica and nearly a dozen other outlets, Guatemalas attorney general opened an investigation in November 2017 into a net center-led campaign involving DDoS attacks on multiple outlets and attempted hacks of various sites and journalists social media profiles, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported. The office has not released any findings from the investigation.

Oscar Molina, the head of the police unit, did not fully respond to CPJs query on the results of the investigation. However, he said via messaging app that the unit investigated one of the 2017 attacks on Nomada and determined that it came from a botnet based outside of Guatemala, making it difficult to identify or prosecute those responsible. He said the agency recommended that Nomada take steps to improve its cybersecurity.

Molina told CPJ in October that the unit had investigated seven cases involving journalists: four involving defamation and three involving threats. He did not specify if any led to prosecutions.

However, most journalists are wary of relying on the authorities for redress or seeking legal reforms to tackle online harassment.

Assardo and some journalists and rights advocates said they were cautious about pushing for legal reform to try to tackle the harassment, pointing out that such laws can easily be abused to silence critics. Many said that laws to restrict social media behavior could as easily be turned against the press or used to restrict freedom of expression. Others, however, insisted that legal reforms would be a necessary part of a push toward greater press freedom.

CPJ has found that laws seeking to restrict social media content in the name of countering terrorism or hate speech can instead provide legal cover for government censorship or leave decisions about what is illegal content in the hands of privately owned companies that may be inclined to censor more content to avoid potential fines or protect certain interests.

Legal loopholes to censorship

Already, Guatemalas elite have tested how far the judicial system can be used against the press. Before the 2019 election, La Hora director Pedro Pablo Marroquin, said he had seen a noticeable change over the previous two administrations in the use of the criminal code to attack the press.

Defamation is still criminalized in Guatemala, but relatively few cases have been brought against journalistsand even fewer were successful, CPJ has found. The countrys press laws, while often inadequate, are not directly responsible for the bulk of harassment. Instead, laws that have nothing to do with freedom of expression are twisted to intimidate or censor journalists, and lawmakers occasionally introduce legislation that weakens or rolls back the few guarantees journalists have.

One of the most extreme abuses of legislation involves the Law Against Femicide and Other Forms of Violence Against Women.

Guatemala passed the law in 2008 to protect women against torture, murder, sexual violence, and other crimes. The country has the third highest rate of femicide (the killing of women and girls killed because of their gender) in Latin America, according to the Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since 2018 at least two politicians have attempted to gag the media using laws that prohibit mentioning alleged victims.

In April 2019, Sandra Torres, a former first lady and 2019 presidential candidate, filed a criminal complaint against six editors of the independent newspaper elPeriodico for damaging her dignity. The paper had reported on allegations that Torres violated campaign finance rules during the 2015 election, according to reports.

ElPeriodicos president Jose Ruben Zamora told CPJ that Torres lawyers relied on an article that requires the alleged perpetrator to refrain from mentioning the victim in publiceffectively seeking to stop the newspaper from reporting by claiming that it degraded Torres and damaged her dignity.

Torres announced on Twitter on May 13 that she was withdrawing the complaint, saying the gesture reaffirmed my commitment to press freedom. She was arrested in September on suspicion of violating campaign finance rules in a move that she described as a political witch hunt, the BBC reported. As of February 2020, Torres was under house arrest.

A spokesperson from Torres National Unity of Hope (UNE) party agreed via messaging app to speak with CPJ but did not respond to multiple follow-up messages between September and February.

Separately, in July 2018 then-Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel filed a complaint against Zamora for psychological violence and discrimination and sought to bar the journalist from writing about her, Zamora told CPJ the same month. In October 2019, elPeriodico staff told CPJ the outlets legal representation was seeking to have the case dismissed.

The national judiciary did not respond to an emailed request for comment from CPJ on the apparent abuse of laws to try to censor journalists.

Newspaper headlines announce the election of Guatemalas new president, Alejandro Giammattei, on August 12, 2019. A spokesperson for Giammattei says the administration is committed to transparency and making information available through a range of media outlets. (Reuters/Jose Cabezas)

In a less direct way, legislation posed as offering greater transparency has also created obstacles.

Hailed by local journalists and press freedom groups as a step toward transparency when it passed in 2008, the Law of Access to Public Information requires state agencies to maintain records, publish reports, and comply with requests for information about public expenditures, contracts, and other topics, but several journalists said it suffers from poor compliance and lax enforcement.

[The law] helps us access information that wasnt previously available, but it needs modifications, said Del Cid of Articulo 35.

Staff at elPeriodico said that in the past year several government agencies replaced public records that were previously available online with forms to request information. Reporter Isela Espinoza said that Guatecompras, a publicly accessible system through which government entities are required to register and document purchases or contracts, appears to have much less information than it did four years ago.

Fernandez, of Soy502, added that delays in officials responding to information requests and other bureaucratic processes have made it increasingly difficult to access information.

This pattern of stonewalling explains why journalists who cover politics and public projects are wary of Giammatteis proposal to create a centralized platform for publishing press releases and government agency updates.

Authorities said the platform will facilitate transparency and access to information and save journalists time; instead of calling a hospital administrator for comment, for example, the information will be available on the platform. However, reporters expressed doubts that such a platform would be useful or necessary, and a few said they believed it could get in the way of asking sources questions directly.

There is already a law that requires them to make information public, Prensa Libres Barrios said. [Government agencies] could just put that information on their home page. This is dangerous because they could control access to information.

The challenge in guaranteeing their legally protected right to access public information, many said, went beyond uncooperative government officials.

Its not just government authorities, but also civil society as a whole, that needs to understand the work that journalists do, that the right to access information benefits all of society, said Estrada of Nomada. Theres not an understanding that society is strengthened by journalism and a diversity of media.

Environmental issues a risky beat

The threat of legal action grows in smaller cities and rural areas where economic interests and organized crime hold sway and some local judges can be susceptible to bribes and pressure, reporters said. These regions are often home to hot-button topics like extractive industries, land or indigenous rights, gender equality, or drug trafficking.

All of the issues are present in the rural areas, said de Leon, whose outlet, Prensa Comunitaria, has reported on mining companies, forced displacement, and femicide. Right now, were very worried about the risks for community reporters in those [rural] regions.

Local journalists are taking on enormous monsters, said Luis Ovalle, of the APGs Observatory of Journalists, which monitors press freedom violations.

Fishermen work in Guatemalas Lake Izabal in 2002. Journalists covering issues in the region, including the impact of industrial pollution, face threats and legal action. (AP/Jaime Puebla)

Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America for those taking on environmental issues. Global Witness recorded a rise in killings of land and environmental defenders (from three in 2017 to 16 in 2018), making Guatemala the worlds deadliest country per capita, according to the international non-governmental organizations 2019 report on killings of individuals who tried to protect homes or communities against destructive industries. The report cited violent land grabs, expanded extractive projects, increased criminalization of Guatemalas indigenous peoples, minimal state presence, and above all, the states failure to investigate and prosecute cases as reasons for the spike.

The few journalists reporting on environmental and land rights defenders often face threats of violence or legal action. However, data is hard to come by. Government-run and independent bodies collect data, but the APG and others with whom CPJ spoke said research was limited because often reporters were too fearfulor skepticalto log incidents. An independent analysis by Centro Civitas in 2016 illustrated the pervasive issue of under reporting. The media freedom group documented 32 press freedom violations that were not reported to authorities the previous year.

Reporters covering environmental issues tend to fall into two groups. The first are either international or Guatemalan journalists working in large cities who have the backing of major publications. The foreign press have passport privilege, a powerful embassy to intervene if anything happens, and perhaps, most importantly, the ability to leave. The second group mostly comprises rural and indigenous reporters who cover the issues that affect the communities in which they live. These journalists have none of the protections afforded their foreign counterparts, and little chance that violence or threats against them will inspire the same mobilization or outrage.

APG coordinator Coloj, who is based in Guatemala City, said that in regions with only a few journalists, its not hard to track a reporter down. They know where you live, where your children go to school. It doesnt just affect your journalism, but your social life as well, he said.

Coloj added, In the capital there is greater freedom for investigation, but in the departments, its harder.

Santos, the general coordinator of the human rights organization Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala, identified several factors that expose reporters to greater risk including the presence of organized crime and drug trafficking groups, local authorities who undermine and restrict the press, and powerful groups such as mining companies that in many places have become the actors who determine what does and does not happen in their areas of influence.

Giammattei highlighted the importance of development for his administration. A four-year National Innovation and Development Plan presented during his campaign emphasizes the need for international investment. Giammattei voiced support for infrastructure and transit megaprojects including a railway linking the countrys Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

Journalists in rural regions said that such projects could exacerbate existing conflicts in those areas without addressing the root of the problems, and increase risks for those covering the projects.

Were worried about the safety of journalists in the territories, as the government has taken accelerated steps in the first few weeks to advance extractive projects, de Leon said. The worry is that this government is going to continue the implementation of extractive projects and megaprojects, and that will bring rising levels of human rights violations in those places.

De Leon and Andina Ayala, a researcher, anthropologist and contributor to Prensa Comunitaria, said they already see more threats and aggression against community reporters covering these issues and that threats tend to spike along with increased emphasis on megaprojects or mining concessions.

Some outlets try to mitigate the dangers to their journalists by pulling staff from restive regions or sending teams in for short periods of time.

Barrios, of Prensa Libre, said the newspaper often sends in reporting teams from Guatemala City, even when that means a 10-hour journey by car. He said that it has become hard to retain correspondents because of factors ranging from resources to fear: a network of more than 30 regional correspondents as of four years ago has dwindled to just a dozen. The lack of local reporters and knowledge has serious implications not just for the local markets, but for national coverage, he said.

Despite the pressures, for many the risks have become part of their daily routines. Journalists think that violence against them is something natural, Coloj said.

Clara Manosalbas, Nomadas deputy director, agreed: Im worried that journalists here just accept the levels of violence.

Impunity and an ineffective approach in investigating journalist attacks adds to the dangerous environment.

Between 1992 and 2019, partial justice has been achieved in only two of the four cases of murdered journalists. As of late 2019, CPJ was investigating an additional 18 killings to determine if journalism was a motive. But in a country with high levels of violent crime and where the presence of organized crime groups and a distrust of state institutions discourages some journalists from reporting threats, it can be hard to track cases or get a clear picture of the extent of the problems.

Guatemala has a specialized prosecutorial unit to investigate crimes against journalists, but critics say it is slow and ineffective. This, coupled with a fear of retaliation that deters people from coming forward with information, contributes to the difficulty in determining if journalism was a motive in killings.

The Prosecutors Office for Crimes against Journalists, which investigates fatal violence and other attacks on journalists, has secured 17 convictions, acting director Ordonez said at a press conference in December. However, as with many cases in Guatemala, the convictions often fail to identify the masterminds in addition to those who carried out the attacks.

One of the few cases that did yield results was the March 2015 killings of Prensa Libre reporter Danilo Lopez and radio journalist Federico Salazar in Mazatenango, the capital of the southwest Suchitepequez department. Lopez had worked as a Suchitepequez correspondent for Prensa Libre for more than a decade and often wrote about corruption and the misuse of public funds, according to his paper.

Following the publication of a collaborative reporting project by four independent outlets, the U.N. anti-corruption commission opened an investigation and the case was referred to the special prosecutors unit. In 2017, authorities convicted a gunman. The following January, they arrested Congressman Julio Juarez Ramirez. According to investigators with the commission, Juarez ordered the attack on Lopez because he was working on a story about corruption in the local government of Santo Tomas La Union, where Juarez was mayor at the time.

As of January 2020, the trial was ongoing. Juarez, who is in custody, has maintained his innocence, including in February 2017 interviews with the outlets Canal Antigua and Plaza Publica.

If the CICIG hadnt been here in the country, that case would never have been investigated, said Santos, of the Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala.

Still, the case is the exception rather than the norm. While rates of violence against journalists are not as high as in neighboring Mexico or Honduras, the Guatemalan press suffers the consequences of impunity.

Journalists from Prensa Comunitaria hold a sign reading Jailing journalists does not silence the truth. Reporters in Guatemalas remote regions are at higher risk of harassment, threats, or attacks. (Nelton Rivera/Prensa Comunitaria)

Widespread discrimination against indigenous communitiesand outdated notions of who is or is not a journalistalso shape the way reporters are treated by state institutions and their peers.

If youre not recognized as a journalist because youre not affiliated with a corporate media outlet, the attorney generals office wont take up your case, said de Leon. When some community reporters tried to submit complaints, she said, they became the subject of a criminal investigation for operating pirate radio stations. Because of this, indigenous reporters often avoid reporting attacks or threats from officials to avoid drawing more attention from authorities, she said.

Authorities regularly raid community radio stations for operating without a license, according to the indigenous peoples advocacy organization Cultural Survival. Authorities argue that these stations compete unfairly with licensed broadcasters. Groups including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have said that the community stations have little option. Non-profit stations are not eligible for licenses under current regulations. Broadcast licenses are auctioned at prices that are out of reach for many local community outlets, according to Freedom House and Cultural Survival.

These stations are key to sharing information with Guatemalas Maya and other indigenous communities. At least two stations were shuttered between 2016 and 2018, according to a report from the APGs Observatory of Journalists. While the number is small, it represents a significant loss in a country like Guatemala, where only a handful of about 100 community radio stations operate legally. During raids, radio workers can be detained and face criminal charges. Two female community radio reporters arrested during a raid on four stations in November 2018 were accused of theft, Prensa Comunitaria reported at the time.

Attempts in 2016 to pass a community media law that would provide legal access to the broadcast spectrum and comply with Guatemalas Constitutional protections for indigenous peoples right to media stalled before Congress could vote on it, according to reports.

Local journalists in the departments have the greatest need, and must be taken more seriously, APGs Coloj said. Yet, community media networks continue to be persecuted and shut down.

Ordonez, who has worked with the prosecutorial unit for more than three years, said he hopes that journalists, regardless of their outlets or credentials, know that they can file complaints. He emphasized that the unit only investigates crimes against journalists.

In response to comments that community reporters feared becoming the subjects of investigations when reporting crimes, Ordonez said that the unit is for all journalists. He added, Anyone who exercises freedom of expression is protected under national and international law.

Finding solutionsand trustfor Guatemalas journalists

If Guatemalas government is serious about press freedom it needs to ensure that attacks and threats are prosecuted, offer suitable protection to journalists, and implement a more effective system for offering assistance.

The government has made incremental steps to address some of these issues. The Attorney Generals office announced in December that it will expand and provide extra funding for the Unit for Crimes Against Journalists, which investigates murders, threats and attacks on media workers, as well as less severe press freedom violations.

Aside from the unit, which under the expansion will be renamed the Prosecutors Office for Crimes against Journalists, those under threat can seek help from the Human Rights Ombudsmans Office, which records complaints and can make recommendations to other state agencies. In addition, they can go to the Government Ministry, which can offer a police security detail; the Public Ministrys witness protection program, which manages safe houses; and a nonprofit for human rights defenders that provides security advice, legal support, and other assistance.

The front page of the newspaper elPeriodico de Guatemala that reads, in Spanish, Journalists killed hangs on a gate at the Presidential House during a protest in March 2015 over the killing of journalists Danilo Lopez and Federico Salazar. (AP/Moises Castillo)

Several journalists and press organizations said that the measures often dont account for the specific needs or risk profiles of reporters, and that responses are slow or inadequate.

Other proposals have failed to materialize, including a journalist protection mechanism that has been under discussion since Guatemala publicly agreed to its creation during the 2012 U.N. Universal Periodic Reviewa process that examines the human rights records of member states. Then-President Otto Perez Molina formally announced the launch of the mechanism in 2013, but more than six years and three presidents later, the project has yet to progress beyond paper.

In countries including Mexico and Colombia, CPJ has found protection mechanisms or law enforcement units that investigate attacks on the press contribute to a reduction in violence and strengthen investigations. Organizations and programs created by civil society and media outlets have also advanced safety for journalists in countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan. In a 2017 report, the media development organization International Media Support found that coordinated national structures that incorporated participation by the press, media support groups, and government agencies were improving conditions for journalists.

However, several journalists with whom CPJ met scoffed at the idea of relying on the government to protect them, either through law enforcement or an official mechanism. Imagine Jimmy or Sandra [Torres] creating a law to protect journalists, elPeriodico editorial director Chay said in May, as the half-dozen elPeriodico reporters gathered around the table shook their heads or shuddered.

The expansion of the Prosecutors Office for Crimes against Journalists is seen by many rights groups and journalists as a welcome and necessary step. However, from conversations with Guatemalan journalists it is clear that it will take more than an influx of cash to address criticisms including that the unit is slow to respond to cases, especially those involving community reporters, and ineffective in tackling impunity.

Local journalists and advocates said that for years the unit, which has offices in Guatemala City and the western city of Quetzaltenango, has been overwhelmed by cases, chronically understaffed, and under-resourced. Following heavily criticized cuts in July 2019, the unit downsized from nine staff to five, the APG reported.

The unit has gone through so many prosecutors in the last four years, its been a revolving door, Prensa Comunitaria photojournalist Nelton Rivera Gonzalez said. This makes it very difficult to establish any kind of continuity on cases.

With independence from the Human Rights Prosecutors Office, the expanded unit will have access to more funding, resources, and specialized staff, according to acting director Ordonez and Coloj. As of February, however, the new administration had not announced the budget.

In January, Ordonez said he hoped the new designation and funding would allow the unit to hire more staff, revisit older cases, expand outreach, and perhaps open another regional office.

These steps could help relieve a backlog of stalled investigations. When Ordonez spoke with CPJ in October, before the expansion, he said that the unit had 140 open cases, including 66 involving serious violence.

But to be truly effective, protection efforts will need to establish trust with the press.

Many journalists said they were wary of state-run protections and investigative mechanisms. Some said they feared a more comprehensive protection program could become a way for the state to spy on journalists, with assigned guards watching their every move and keeping track of meetings.

Putting protective measures in the hands of the police is just a means of control and surveillance, La Horas Marroquin said.

Instead of protecting us, they would watch us, said elPeriodico deputy director Julia Corado.

The nonprofit Unit for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is one way for those under threat to seek external assistance. Since 2000 it has helped human rights defenders in Guatemala and elsewhere in Central America to document and respond to threats. It also provides legal, security, and mental health support. But the organization has limited capacity to protect those on the ground.

As an NGO, we cant provide the kind of [comprehensive] protection that journalists are hoping for, Director Jorge Santos said. The issue is that there isnt a single government mechanism, and unfortunately the Public Ministry has been unable to offer an effective response, even in the most serious cases.

Another resource is the Human Rights Ombudsman, whose office monitors human rights violations in the country, records complaints, and is tasked with ensuring that Guatemala complies with human rights obligations. In December it announced the creation of a subsection to respond to complaints from human rights defenders, including journalists.

The main weakness of Guatemalas efforts, however, is a lack of national coordination.

A state entitythe Unit for the Analysis of Attacks against Human Rights Defendershad been tracking incidents. However organizations, including Amnesty, criticized its narrow definition and failure to offer appropriate protection. Then in 2018, the Morales administration stopped providing resources for it, Santos said.

Still, some insisted that a mechanismeven a flawed onewas a necessary step toward protecting the Guatemalan press.

Its fundamental to create and move forward with a protection plan for journalists, said Del Cid of Articulo 35, adding, Thats where weve failed.

Safety for Guatemalas journalists hinges on working with colleagues whose commitment to solidarity extends to keeping each other safe, and of having the financial resources to pay for private security measures, as some journalists in Guatemala City said they have recently begun to do.

Rivera, from Prensa Comunitaria, added that various free expression groups and community radio stations were developing protection protocols. However, these efforts were still in the minority and CPJ found little coordination across the industry.

Presidential spokesperson Sandoval did not comment specifically on any plans related to legal protections for journalists. When asked about the journalism protection mechanism promised since 2012, he said the administration would be open to discuss anything that benefits the Guatemalan people. He added, If its a way to support journalists so that theres a better chance they can work safely, to do good, investigative journalism, then we are definitely going to support it.

Coloj said that a draft plan was waiting for approval before implementation. But others questioned whether the new administration has any intention of improving conditions for journalists beyond making it easier to interview the president.

Nearly all the journalists and rights groups agree several changes must be made to improve press freedom and working conditions for the press. The only thing missing so far has been political will to see these plans through.

Were hoping for a change, said Nomadas Estrada. Guatemalan journalism cant keep waiting just for things to stay the same.

Recommendations

The Committee to Protect Journalists offers the following recommendations:

To President Alejandro Giammattei:

 Take swift, decisive action to follow through on the international commitment made to implement and fund an independent, representative journalist protection plan that includes prevention, protection and justice for crimes against journalists. The protection plan should establish a legal and regulatory framework that allows investigators and prosecutors to prosecute those responsible for crimes against journalists, even if they are members of state security forces or politicians; and ensure that individuals providing protection for journalists under threat have undergone appropriate, specialized training

 Ensure adequate funding and resources for the expanded Special Prosecutors Office for Crimes Against Journalists, with trained staff focusing exclusively on crimes against journalists. Protect the special prosecutors authority to conduct investigations into attacks on journalists, both physical and digital

 Ensure state agencies respond adequately to cases of threats or attacks against female and indigenous journalists, and provide specialized resources as needed

 Collect reliable, comprehensive information and data on threats and violence against journalists and press freedom violations, and make that information publicly available by reviving the Unit for the Analysis of Attacks against Human Rights Defenders and ensuring it is able to operate as a trustworthy, independent entity

 Ensure all news media are allowed access to all regions, and that security forces do not harass or impose restrictions on journalists working in those areas

 Direct state agencies to make public information readily available and accessible to reporters, in compliance with the Law of Access to Public Information, and to respond in a timely, transparent manner to freedom of information requests

 Ensure judges overseeing cases related to freedom of expression have adequate training in national and international norms

 Update electoral laws to restrict political parties, officials or candidates from contracting services from net centers that harass journalists

To the Attorney General:

 Prioritize investigations into journalist murders, including the 2015 killing of Prensa Libres Danilo Lopez and radio journalist Federico Salazar, and bring those responsible for ordering and carrying out these killings to justice

 Provide training to prosecutors assigned to crimes against press freedom. Ensure that this training addresses the unique problems facing journalists and highlights the vital role of a free press to democracy

To Guatemalas Congress:

 Reform Articles 159-166 of the Penal Code to remove crimes against honor (defamation, calumny and insult) from the Criminal Code

 Act quickly to establish the new anti-corruption commission promised by President Giammattei, to ensure continuity in the fight against corruption and impunity in Guatemala

 Pass the Community Media Law ensuring community radio stations have legal access to frequencies

To the Organization of American States and the United Nations:

 Continue to support anti-corruption and anti-impunity measures in Guatemala

 Hold the Guatemalan government accountable under Principle 9 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

To Media Organizations:

 Ensure a clear separation between editorial and commercial departments so that journalists are free to investigate and report without fear of influence from special or powerful interests

 Sign on to and implement the principles put forward by the ACOS Alliance (A Culture of Safety Alliance) and provide appropriate security and hostile environment training for staff and freelance journalists, support them in the event of threats or attacks, and hold police accountable for thorough investigations

To Facebook and Twitter:

 Prevent platforms from manipulation for targeted campaigns that harass journalists, especially during elections
BBC News Africa has launched daily one-minute video Coronavirus stories in Afrique, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin, and Yoruba.

Delivered by 6pm GMT each video will showcase the two top stories with one being a fact-check video. They will give valuable tips and also dispel disinformation about Covid -19.

The first videos include:

 What is the relationship between Coronavirus and Chloroquine

 Can facemasks protect you from Coronavirus

 How to open doors without your hands.

These bulletins will be made free to BBC partner radio stations around the world and will be available on World Service language websites.

With information changing on a daily basis the videos will offer the audience short curated educational content at a time when everyone is looking for news they can trust.

Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, Head of West Africa Languages, BBC World Service said:

All BBC languages in West Africa- Afrique, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin, and Yoruba are demonstrating our dedication to journalism that serves our audiences with Covid 19 in 60 seconds. Its a daily one-minute fact-checking video that busts the myths around Coronavirus and gives our audiences useful, educative information they can use as they continue to keep safe at a time like this. Covid-19 in 60 seconds is the best of BBC journalism that we believe our young audiences will find engaging captivation and useful in their daily lives.

Audiences can also follow the live map of cases across Africa with extensive coverage and updates across all of the BBC World Services 42 language services as the Coronavirus extends into more countries around the world.

BBC Minute

Launched in 2015, BBC Minute now broadcasts on xx stations in xx countries around the world. BBC Minute is also available to download via iTunes, Spotify, Tunein and via the BBC World Services website

BBC World Service has also launched youth news products with BBC Minute On- 60-second features that focus on a single subject and delve into the stories which matter most to young audiences. There will be two BBC Minute On available each day, elaborating on one particular news item or topic of interest - from the latest tech and business to science, fitness and the trends behind the headlines.
- The US State Department is looking to hire international medical staff to handle the increasing number of coronavirus cases

- This is after the United States took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections

- Particularly those working to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 were encouraged to a visa appointment

- The department also urged foreign medical professionals already in the U.S. to take necessary steps to extend their stay

The United States (US) Department of State has announced that it is looking to hire international medical staff to handle the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country.

The announcement made on Thursday, March 26, indicated particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19 were required.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 19-year-old Kakamega student tests positive for COVID-19

Medics particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19 were encouraged to visit the US embassy for a Visa appointment. Photo: DS

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Good heart: Generous man hands KSh 10k to jobless workers

A tweet shared by the Bureau of Consular Affairs.encouraged the medics to reach out to the nearest US embassy or consulate to request a visa appointment.

We encourage medical professionals seeking work in the Uon a work or exchange visitor visa (H or J), particularly those working on COVID19 issues," read the tweet.

"Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a visa appointment, the tweet read on.

Foreign medical professionals who are already in the US were asked to consult with their program sponsors and take the necessary steps to extend their stay in the country.

READ ALSO: Caring employer praised for gifting employees food hampers amid coronavirus crisis

"J-1 Alien Physicians (medical residents) may consult with their program sponsor, ECFMG, to extend their programs in the United States," it said.

"Generally, a J-1 program for a foreign medical resident can be extended one year at a time for up to seven years," it added.

The department further noted the expiration date on the US visa did not determine how long one could be in the United States.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Rwanda records 9 new coronavirus cases

America is now the epicentre of coronavirus after surpassing China and Italy with 85,991 confirmed cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The data by the university showed the US is followed by China with 81,782 cases and Italy with 80,589.

Over half the country's population is now under some form of lockdown as authorities nationwide seek to stem outbreaks.

READ ALSO: Heavily pregnant medics working to fight coronavirus hailed for their selflessness

Birmingham, Alabama, Charlotte and North Carolina have become the latest major US cities to order residents to stay indoors.

New York State alone accounted for more than 30,000 cases and close to 300 deaths, most occurring in New York City.

The worldwide total number of recorded cases since the disease was reported in December 2019 has surpassed 532,000, which includes over 24,000 deaths and more than 122,000 recoveries.

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
Distilleries in Portland and throughout Oregon have been essentially shut down by effects of the coronavirus, but many are turning to a counterintuitive but much-needed product that falls squarely within their ability to produce: hand sanitizer.

The distilleries are making sanitizer on two fronts: Offering it locally to residents in their communities, and supplying the medical and other professions whose workers have no choice but to remain on the job.

Tom Burkleaux is the owner of New Deal Distillery and president of Distillery Row, a trade group for craft distilleries in central Portland. He said the distilleries jumped at the opportunity when they were approached for help.

People are asking for this, theres just a need, he said. Nursing homes, delivery drivers. Theres a community need for this.

Its a pretty simple thing, Burkleaux said. We make booze, we make alcohol, and hand sanitizer is an alcohol-based product. We have the overhead and the licensing and the supply chain and the ability for some degree of packaging, so its natural for us to do this.

Burkleaux said the Federal Trade Administration and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau have recognized the need and given a lot of variance for us to do it and to do it safely. They recognize the need is real.

He said the distilleries have been working with the Oregon Health Authority and Moda Health to secure sanitizer for hospitals and other agencies. And its caught on throughout the state, such as in Bend, where a number of distilleries are doing the same.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

Email:

Lauren Wirtis, a spokeswoman with Oregons COVID-19 Joint Information Center, said Moda is coordinating the project and working with various agencies, including the OHA and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. She said the Food & Drug Administration has also been instrumental in expediting regulatory obstacles for the distilleries.

Bringing this production online will help OHA ship needed supply of hand sanitizer to high priority sites first, Wirtis told The Oregonian/OregonLive. This public-private partnership will undoubtedly help fill the states need of sanitizer for first responders, health facilities and the states most vulnerable people.

Jill Kuehler, founder and CEO of Northwest Portlands Freeland Spirits, said her distillery has been at it for about a week, ever since regular production halted.

We are producing sanitizer not only for individual customers but for state agencies, like all of TriMet and the city of Portland, including the Fire Department, Kuehler said. Were talking with health organizations and nonprofits. Were getting calls and emails every hour.

Theres such a massive shortage nationwide, added Kuehler, who credited Shine Distillery & Grill in North Portland for being the first local craft distillery to produce sanitizer. Nearly every distillery I know of in the state is doing what they can to produce it and help fill the gap.

Freeland is contracting with agencies and also donating whatever it can to the community, including nonprofits such as social service agencies, animal care groups or food banks.

The agency contracts have brought in at least some revenue for the distilleries, whose business came to a grinding halt when stay home and social distancing became the law of the land. Kuehler said Freeland laid off 80% of its staff, and four employees remain to produce the sanitizer.

Wirtis said the states emergency coordination center is receiving distillery-produced sanitizer from OLCC contract carriers then distributing it to the highest need and priority sites statewide. She said the agencies are working with the distilleries to secure raw materials and maintain market pricing for the contracts.

The Port of Portland police are appreciative recipients of some of the distilleries hand sanitizer, said spokeswoman Kama Simonds.

We were having a tough time as everyone was in the region getting supplies, Simonds said. Firefighters, police officers  these are some of the frontline folks, along with folks in the hospital.

A significant challenge for the distilleries has been finding enough big containers for the sanitizer they make. Simonds said the port is committed to returning containers to contributing distilleries such as Rose City Distilling and Straightaway Cocktails.

Its a great effort, Simonds said. We are in this together as a big regional community, and to know that we have local partners who are retooling their operations and thinking about the greater good, we applaud that.

-- Andre Meunier

Subscribe to Andres text service and get ongoing alerts about beer releases and news from the Portland and Oregon beer scene. And check out Andres beer reviews on Untappd, where hes andremeunier13, and follow him on Instagram, where hes @oregonianbeerguy.

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

More beer coverage:
Jamia Millia Islamia University assistant professor has taken to social media and tweeted that he has failed 15 of his non-Muslims students.

After the tweet there was public outrage on social media and as a result the professor is now suspended by the university.

TOI

Abrar Ahmad, an assistant professor at Jamia University had posted on Twitter on Wednesday that he has chosen to fail 15 non-Muslim students who didnt support the agitation against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The university has announced the suspension while ordering an inquiry beside it.



The Jamia University official page tweeted:

"Dr. Abrar Ahmad, Asst Professor of @jmiu_official tweeted in public domain as to failing 15 non-muslim students in an exam. This is a serious misconduct inciting communal disharmony under CCS CONDUCT RULES. The university suspends him pending inquiry. @DrRPNishank @HRDMinistry."

Dr. Abrar Ahmad, Asstt Professor of @jmiu_official tweeted in public domain as to failing 15 non-muslim students in an exam. This is a serious misconduct inciting communal disharmony under CCS CONDUCT RULES.The university suspends him pending inquiry.@DrRPNishank @HRDMinistry  Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University) (@jmiu_official) March 25, 2020





The Jamia Milia University was the one first to protest against the CAA, NRC and NPR respectively since December. After sometime the protest turned into a violent atmosphere and Delhi Police barged into the university premises and reportedly beat up students as well.



The protest has just now ended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
[March 27, 2020] Luxembourg preps for multi-spectrum 5G auction

Sydney, March 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Luxembourg outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Luxembourg-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Overall revenue from electronic communications services in Luxembourg has increased steadily during the last few years though there remains pressure from regulatory measures on areas such as interconnection tariffs and roaming charges, lower consumer use of fixed-line voice services and the prevalence of VoIP/VoBB over traditional PSTN lines. In combination with fixed-mobile substitution, strong growth in VoIP/VoBB services has meant that Luxembourg has one of the lowest fixed-line densities in Europe. In recent years the incumbent telco POST Telecom (formerly P&T Luxembourg) has concentrated on cloud and managed services, as well as on offering bundled packages. The company offers a 100Mb/s service nationally, while the footprint of its 1Gb/s service is making gains in line with the governments program to provide a 1Gb/s service to all citizens by the end of 2020, and to make Luxembourg the first fully fibred country in Europe. The company also offers broadband based on G.fast technology, primarily aimed at apartment buildings. Investment in infrastructure is geared towards fulfilling these ambitions, though the level of investment as a proportion of revenue has fallen in recent years, largely as a response to the completion of major projects. High mobile penetration has slowed subscriber growth in the mobile market since 2005, though a recent law requiring SIM card registration has not an adverse effect on the number of mobile subscribers despite network operators deactivating unregistered cards. Key developments: Regulator planning multi-spectrum auction for 5G use by mid-2020;

POST Telecom extends G.fast services;

POST Group reports 7% revenue growth in 2018, reflecting the strength of its broadband and TV offerings;

Telenet acquires the cableco Coditel from Altice for 400 million;

Report update includes the regulators market data to June 2019, State Statistics Office market data updates, telcos financial and operating data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report: POST Luxembourg, Cegecom, Tango, Telecom Luxembourg Table of Contents Key statistics

Regional Market Comparison Europe Telecom Maturity Index by tier Market Leaders Market Challengers Market Emergents TMI versus GDP Mobile and mobile broadband penetration Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview

Telecommunications market Market analysis

Regulatory environment Historical overview Legislation Regulatory authorities Fixed-line developments Interconnect Access Number Portability (NP) Carrier PreSelection Mobile network developments Spectrum regulations and spectrum auctions Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Roaming Bundling SIM card registration

Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G (LTE) 3G Other infrastructure developments Mobile data Short Message Service (SMS) Multimedia Messaging Service Mobile broadband Major mobile operators POST Telecom Tango Orange Luxembourg MVNOs Mobile content and applications m-payments

Fixed-line broadband market Market analysis Government support Broadband statistics Fixed-line broadband technologies Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks Other fixed broadband services Wireless Local Loop (WLL) WLAN/Wi-Fi/WiMAX Internet via satellite

Fixed network operators Introduction POST Telecom Data centres Cloud Cegecom Tango Telecom Luxembourg

Telecommunications infrastructure Overview of the national telecom network International infrastructure

Appendix  Historic data

Related reports

List of Tables Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Luxembourg  2020 (e)

Table 2  Development of fixed and mobile sector revenue  2009  2018

Table 3  Development of telecom revenue by service  2010  2018

Table 4  Decline in investmentas proportion of revenue by sector  2011  2018

Table 5  Decline in telecom investment by sector  2009  2018

Table 6  Development of telecom revenue by incumbent telcos and altnets  2009  2018

Table 7  Development of telecom ARPU by service  2006  2018

Table 8  Development of fixed-line interconnection revenue  2012  2018

Table 9  Development of interconnection traffic by type  2016  2018

Table 10  Increase in Local Loop Unbundling fees  2018  2020

Table 11  Increase in the number of unbundled lines  2009  2019

Table 12  Resale and bitstream lines  2017  2018

Table 13  Change in the number of annual fixed numbers ported  2009  2018

Table 14  Change in mobile termination revenue  2009  2018

Table 15  Decline in the number of annual mobile numbers ported  2006 - 2018

Table 16  Development of mobile roaming revenue  2009  2019

Table 17  Increase in roaming out traffic  2009  2019

Table 18  Growth in the number of mobile connections (incl. M2M) and penetration  2009  2018

Table 19  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 20  Development of mobile services revenue by type  2009  2018

Table 21  Growth in mobile traffic by sector  2009  2019

Table 22  Development of in mobile ARPU  2009  2018

Table 23  Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator  2007  2019

Table 24  Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers  2009  2019

Table 25  Change in the number of M2M connections  2010 - 2019

Table 26  Decline in SMS message traffic  2009  2019

Table 27  Change in MMS traffic  2011  2018

Table 28  Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 29  Growth in mobile data traffic  2009  2019

Table 30  POST Telecom mobile coverage by platform  2012  2019

Table 31  Change in the number of POST Telecoms mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Table 32  Development of Tangos revenue  2009  2019

Table 33  Change in the number of Tangos mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 34  Growth in the number of Orange Luxembourg/Belgium subscribers  2007  2019

Table 35  Development o Orange Luxembourg/Belgium revenue  2017  2019

Table 36  Growth in the number of fixed -broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Table 37  Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by speed  2010  2019

Table 38  Change in the proportion of broadband subscribers by data rate  2011  2019

Table 39  Proportion of premises having access to broadband by data rate  2014  2018

Table 40  Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform  2009  2019

Table 41  Annual broadband subscriber growth  2009  2019

Table 42  Change in the market share of broadband subscribers by operator  2006  2019

Table 43  Development of broadband coverage by fixed-line technology  2012  2018

Table 44  Growth in the number of superfast broadband lines by type  2010  2018

Table 45  Change in the number of standard and superfast broadband connections  2010  2018

Table 46  Development of broadband and super-fast broadband population penetration  2011  2018

Table 47  DOCSIS3.0 (FttLA) broadband accessible households  2012  2018

Table 48  Change in the number of cable broadband connections by type  2010  2018

Table 49  Change in the number of DSL and VDSL connections  2010  2018

Table 50  VDSL accessible households  2012  2018

Table 51  Growth in the number of FttP connections  2010  2019

Table 52  Growth in the number of fibre accessible households  2012  2018

Table 53  POST Telecom FttP connections  2010  2018

Table 54  Decline in fixed-line traffic by type  2009  2019

Table 55  Development of altnets fixed-lines and market share  2009  2018

Table 56  Development of POST Groups financial data  2008  2018

Table 57  Development of POST Groups capex  2013  2018

Table 58  Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010  2025

Table 59  Change in the number of PSTN/ISDN and VoBB lines in service  2011  2019

Table 60  VoBB lines in service by type  2017  2019

Table 61  Historic - Telecom revenue (fixed, mobile)  2003  2009

Table 62  Historic - Fixed-line traffic by type  2004  2009

Table 63  Historic - Telecom investment by sector  2004  2009

Table 64  Historic - Telecom revenue by incumbent telcos and altnets  2003  2009

Table 65  Historic - Unbundled lines  2004  2009

Table 66  Historic - Annual fixed numbers ported  2003  2009

Table 67  Historic - Mobile (SIM/M2M) connections and penetration  1999  2009

Table 68  Historic - Mobile services revenue  2004  2009

Table 69  Historic - Mobile traffic by sector  2005  2009

Table 70  Historic - Mobile ARPU  2005  2009

Table 71  Historic - Prepaid and contract subscribers  2005  2009

Table 72  Historic - SMS message traffic  2004  2009

Table 73  Historic - POST Telecom mobile subscribers  2004  2009

Table 74  Historic - Broadband market revenue  2003  2016

Table 75  Historic - Annual broadband subscriber growth  2004  2009

Table 76  Historic - Internet users and penetration rate  1995  2015

Table 77  Historic - Broadband subscribers by platform  2001  2009

Table 78  Historic - Broadband coverage by mobile technology  2012  2016

Table 79  Historic - POST Telecom DSL subscribers  2003  2013

Table 80  Historic - POST Telecom VDSL connections  2011 - 2015

Table 81  Historic - POST Telecom broadband coverage by platform  2012  2015

Table 82  Historic - Fixed-services revenue by type  2003  2015

Table 83  Historic - Altnet fixed-lines and market share  2004  2008

Table 84  Historic - POST Luxembourg telecom revenue  2003  2011

Table 85  Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity  1995; 1997; 1999  2009



Chart 1  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Leaders (top tier)

Chart 2  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Challengers (middle tier)

Chart 3  Europe Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Emergents (bottom tier)

Chart 4  Overall view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 5  Europe - mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 6  Scandinavia and Baltics: mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 7  Northern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 8  Southern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 9  Eastern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration

Chart 10  Scandinavia and Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 11  Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 12  Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 13  Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Chart 14  Development of fixed and mobile sector revenue  2009  2018

Chart 15  Development of telecom revenue by service  2010  2018

Chart 16  Decline in investment as proportion of revenue by sector  2011  2018

Chart 17  Decline in telecom investment by sector  2009  2018

Chart 18  Development of telecom revenue by incumbent telcos and altnets  2009  2018

Chart 19  Development of telecom ARPU by service  2006  2018

Chart 20  Development of fixed-line interconnection revenue  2012  2018

Chart 21  Increase in the number of unbundled lines  2009  2019

Chart 22  Change in the number of annual fixed numbers ported  2009  2018

Chart 23  Change in mobile termination revenue  2009  2018

Chart 24  Decline in the number of annual mobile numbers ported  2006 - 2018

Chart 25  Growth in the number of mobile connections (incl. M2M) and penetration  2009  2018

Chart 26  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 27  Development of mobile services revenue by type  2009  2018

Chart 28  Growth in mobile traffic by sector  2009  2019

Chart 29  Development of in mobile ARPU  2009  2018

Chart 30  Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator  2007  2019

Chart 31  Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 32  Change in the number of M2M subscriptions  2010 - 2019

Chart 33  Decline in SMS message traffic  2009  2019

Chart 34  Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 35  Growth in mobile data traffic  2009  2019

Chart 36  Change in the number of POST Telecoms mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 37  Development of Tangos revenue  2009  2019

Chart 38  Change in the number of Tangos mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Chart 39  Growth in the number of Orange Luxembourg/Belgium subscribers  2007  2019

Chart 40  Growth in the number of fixed -broadband subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Chart 41  Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by speed  2010  2019

Chart 42  Change in the proportion of broadband subscribers by data rate  2011  2019

Chart 43  Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform  2009  2019

Chart 44  Change in the market share of broadband subscribers by operator  2006  2019

Chart 45  Development of broadband coverage by fixed-line technology  2012  2018

Chart 46  Growth in the number of superfast broadband lines by type  2011  2018

Chart 47  Change in the number of standard and superfast broadband connections  2010  2018

Chart 48  Development of broadband and super-fast broadband population penetration  2011  2018

Chart 49  Change in the number of cable broadband connections by type  2010  2018

Chart 50  Change in the number of DSL and VDSL connections  2010  2018

Chart 51  Decline in fixed-line traffic by type  2009  2019

Chart 52  Development of altnets fixed-lines and market share  2009  2018

Chart 53  Development of POST Groups financial data  2008  2018

Chart 54  Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010  2025

Chart 55  Change in the number of PSTN/ISDN and VoBB lines in service  2011  2019 List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  Access and the local loop Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Luxembourg-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Pioneer Natural Resources and several independent oil companies are seeking a global settlement to reduce production with all states -- including OPEC and OPEC+ -- until the coronavirus has ended.

That was the message from Pioneer Chief Executive Office Scott Sheffield in an interview Thursday on CNBC.

Sheffield said independent producers have asked President Donald Trump to put significant pressure on the Saudis to stop this price war. Sheffield said there were 13 senators who called the Saudi ambassador last week and that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Sheffield also said the G20 and G7 have both put significant pressure to stop this price war.

If we don't, we're going to be importing 60 percent of our crude again from the Middle East, Sheffield said during the interview.

When asked about the rift between Saudi Arabia and Russia, two countries that have flooded the market with oil, Sheffield said Russia has been cheating since last December with the condensate relaxation at the recent OPEC meeting in December, and then at the recent OPEC+ meeting, Russia wouldnt cut.

They wanted to see what happened to demand. I don't blame them, Sheffield said. At the same time, as you know, US productions is up 8 million barrels a day. We've added 4 million barrels a day, since OPEC+ put together their agreement in (2016). I believe that one of them will blink. They both have about 500 billion of foreign reserves. Saudi is estimated to be dropping about 100 billion per year. Russia is somewhere in the 50 (billion) to 70 billion per year. So, they will definitely blink. I don't know if it'll be three months, six months or nine months, but something will happen.

Lastly, Sheffield talked about the damage that could be done to independent companies and possible political ramifications.

We really need Trump to do something or he's going to lose all the energy states in this election, Sheffield said.
This article contains information that is now out of date. Since publication, the Ontario government has removed cannabis stores from its list of essential services.

For many Canadians, a glass of beer or wine or a toke of cannabis is a welcome relief at the end of a stressful day  but are they essential services?

On Monday, the Government of Ontario released its list of essential workplaces that can continue to operate during the COVID-19 outbreak. The list included liquor stores, alcohol producers, wholesale stores that sell beer and wine to providers as well as cannabis stores and producers.

Its a move that is being praised by public health and substance-use disorder experts, who say it could help prevent social unrest from breaking out and even save lives.

A person who is in alcohol withdrawal can experience delirium, epilepsy and death, says Larry Grupp, an associate professor at the University of Toronto and an expert in the neurobiology of alcoholism.

If youre a real alcoholic, then youre going to have epilepsy, and (if) youre going into withdrawal because you dont have access to alcohol, you could die, Grupp said, noting that its a small section of the population who is that heavily addicted to alcohol.

I think theyre just trying to avoid anymore kind of social unrest on top of the (COVID-19) problems, he said, adding that he supports keeping liquor stores open.

Leslie Buckley, chief of addictions at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health, said she and her colleagues were monitoring the announcement closely and were worried liquor stores could be closed.

The concern was that people who are severely addicted to alcohol would experience negative health outcomes and may turn to more harmful forms of alcohol, such as rubbing alcohol or mouthwash.

That was definitely on our list of concerns  depending on which one theyre using, it can cause incredible harms, Buckley said. Sometimes I have people who drink gasoline.

She noted that the way alcoholism affects people varies widely from individual to individual. One person who has been drinking heavily for 40 years may experience an extremely intense withdrawal, whereas another person who drank the same quantity for the same length of time may not.

Managed alcohol programs, which provide an hourly dose of alcohol in a clinical setting to people who need it, are typically run out of homeless shelters or other social service agencies, Buckley said, and not something everyone can access or knows about.

Grupp and Buckley were less enthusiastic about cannabis stores remaining open. Neither of them opposed the move, but said while cannabis can be habit forming, no one is going to die because they cant access their cannabis.

But it wouldnt make sense for the government to allow access to one intoxicant and not the other, Grupp said.

You cant treat alcohol and cannabis differently anymore, so if LCBO is going to stay open, the cannabis stores are going to stay open, Grupp said.

Grupp cautioned against cannabis use for people who are under 25. Generally, he said he believes the drug is less predictable than alcohol in how it affects people.

In these stressful times people might be inclined to have a few drinks to relax, but Buckley recommends people still follow Canadas low-risk drinking guidelines. She is concerned the stress of the pandemic could cause people to use more than is healthy.

Im worried about stress and loneliness maybe being a trigger for people to use more substances. But on the other hand, for a lot of people, (COVID-19) could really be an opportunity to change, she said.

When theres life change, its a good time to change other behaviors.

Buckley acknowledged stress and loneliness can also trigger people who are in recovery. There are a number of online support groups, such as SMART Recovery, and Alcoholics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous both have an online presence, she said.
SHANGHAI, China, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 360 Finance, Inc. (QFIN) (360 Finance or the Company), a leading digital consumer finance platform, today announced that Mr. Wei Liu, a member of the board of directors (the Board), has been appointed as the vice chairman of the Board, effective immediately, Mr. Jiang Wu, the chief financial officer the Company, has joined the Companys Board as a director, effective immediately, and Ms. Fan Zhang has resigned from the Board due to personal reasons, effective from March 25, 2020.



Mr. Wei Liu has served as 360 Finance's director since September 2018. Mr. Liu has been serving as senior vice president of 360 group since 2018. Between 2015 and 2018, Mr. Liu served as chairman and CEO of Beijing Qibutianxia Technology Co., Ltd., an affiliate of 360 Group. During this period, he, together with our current management team, co-built and developed the Companys business. From 2014 to 2015, Mr. Liu worked with 360 Group as a vice president. Prior to joining 360 Group, Mr. Liu worked with Ping An Ventures, a venture capital fund under Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd., as the general manager from 2011 to 2014. From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Liu worked with the investment department of Shengda Group as an investment director. Prior to that, Mr. Liu worked with the investment department of Fosun Capital as an investment director. Mr. Liu received his bachelor's degree in international trade from Shanghai University of International Business and Economic in 2000.

Mr. Jiang Wu has served as 360 Finances chief financial officer since April 2018. Before joining the Company, Mr. Wu worked as the director of various departments of PRC National Equities Exchange and Quotations from January 2013, in charge of supervising the listing applications, listing companies and institutions providing listing services successively. Prior to that, Mr. Wu worked with corporate finance department at China Minsheng Bank (SHA:600016), in charge of cross-border structured finance products from April 2012. From July 2006 to March 2012, Mr. Wu worked at the investment banking department of Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited. From November 2003 to August 2004, Mr. Wu worked as a legal consultant at O'Melveny & Myers. Mr. Wu received his bachelor's degree and master's degree in international law from China Foreign Affairs University in 2001 and 2004, respectively, and his MPA degree from Columbia University in 2006. Mr. Wu has PRC Legal Professional Qualification.

Story continues

Mr. Hongyi Zhou, the chairman of the Board, commented, On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Ms. Fan Zhang for her services to 360 Finance. We wish her the best in her future endeavors. At the same time, we warmly welcome Mr. Wei Liu and Mr. Jiang Wu to their new positions. Mr. Liu and Mr. Wu are veteran members in business management. We have been working with each other seamlessly before this appointment. We believe that they will continue to play a positive role in the future development of 360 Finance and deliver long-term shareholder value.

About 360 Finance

360 Finance, Inc. (QFIN) (360 Finance or the Company) is a leading digital consumer finance platform and the finance partner of the 360 Group. The Company provides tailored online consumer finance products to prime, underserved borrowers funded primarily by its funding partners. The Companys proprietary technology platform enables a unique user experience supported by resolute risk management. When coupled with its partnership with 360 Group, the Companys technology translates to a meaningful borrower acquisition, borrower retention and funding advantage, supporting the rapid growth and scaling of its business.

Safe Harbor Statement

Any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as will, expects, anticipates, future, intends, plans, believes, estimates and similar statements. 360 Finance may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Forms 20-F and 6-K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about 360 Finances beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Further information regarding such risks and uncertainties is included in 360 Finances filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and 360 Finance does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

360 Finance

E-mail: ir@360jinrong.net

Christensen

In China

Mr. Christian Arnell

Phone: +86-10-5900-1548

E-mail: carnell@christensenir.com

In US

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: lbergkamp@christensenir.com
MONTREALThe woman in mask and medical gloves was happily slinging beers and Sauvignon Blancs to the trickle of travellers awaiting flights home to Canada from Londons Heathrow Airport.

The mask hid a brave face as the coronavirus contagion sends her industry into a tailspin.

The bartender confided that she first noticed a drop in travellers at the Air Canada lounge only on Monday of this week. On Tuesday, Europes busiest airport for passenger traffic was as quiet and calm as a museum.

On Wednesday, the woman said, the lounge was set to close, its employees to embark on a month-long vacation.

This, as Air Canada scales back its services and payroll, as governments call citizens home and the International Air Transportation Association projects a $113-billion (U.S.) loss in passenger revenues for 2020  a 20-per-cent drop.

In Peru, Morocco, Spain and other countries that have shut their airspace to commercial flights, Ottawa is negotiating exemptions to evacuate stranded citizens. Where commercial flights are still an option, the government is offering loans to cover the inflated ticket prices.

This week, my family of four was among the last-minute travellers returning to Canada to ride out the public-health storm, flying from Moscow to London to Toronto to Montreal. It was not an evacuation, nor did it require financial assistance, but it did offer a glimpse into the different national approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on the global aviation business.

The kids were thrilled about the prospect of a return to Montreal. But just days after emerging from a two-week quarantine in Moscow following a trip to France, there were groans and protests about having to spend another 14-days hidden away from the world.

We left the Russian capital on Tuesday morning from Sheremetyevo Airport, greeted aboard the plane by an Aeroflot team decked out in a uniform of masks and gloves. The two items of protective equipment were still a rarity in the capital of a massive country with a confirmed COVID-19 caseload  658 as of Wednesday  that is sharply rising.

Apart from the germs, the Aeroflot crew was sensitive to passengers photographing an empty plane in which each traveller had a row of their own with space to spare.

Our departure came just ahead of a decision to shut down Russian airspace as of March 27 in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. We wont be allowed to return home until May in even the best-case scenario.

The flight felt at once like one of the last available seats headed for home as well as a potentially grave risk. Planes, with their cramped quarters and stale air, are flying Petri dishes at the best of times. We purchased masks and hand sanitizer to ward off a virus that could be lurking on tray tables and armrests. But we werent questioned about our health, subjected to body-temperature scans or inspected for coughs or feverish sweats as we checked our bags and took our seats.

Beside me on the plane, a man with long, pink hair promptly stretched himself out across three empty seats and slept the entire flight as if oblivious to the gloom-and-doom headlines. An older gentleman behind him kept a mask strapped across his nose and mouth and doused his plastic gloves obsessively with disinfectant, prepared for the worst predictions to come true.

Four hours later we landed in London, where British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons initial laissez-faire approach to the outbreak has recently given way to more strenuous social-distancing dictates.

Perhaps that was why the British stiff upper lip was so nakedly on display for us and the few other travellers at Heathrow. Why bother with a mask when a good scrub of the hands is the only certain way to keep the viral intruders at bay? That was the reasoning of a UK border officer with so little to do that he escorted we wayward Canadian travellers toward our gate.

The Air Canada lounge had taken more stringent health-and-safety steps. The buffet service had been limited to croissants, bread, spreads and snacks  all either prepackaged or wrapped individually in plastic to avoid the chances of infection spreading on the handles of utensils or unprotected dishes.

When we boarded the Toronto-bound plane, we were first subject to safety instructions not on fastening seatbelts or inflating life vests, but to a reminder that in this time of emergency washing ones hands well and often could be the critical factor for everyones survival.

The transatlantic leg had also scaled back its services to a cold-but-tasty chicken salad and bottled waterrestrictions intended not to save the airline money but, according to the aircrew, to minimize contact between personnel and passengers heading home and into a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Thats where we are now  back in Canada, sealed up for two weeks. It is a familiar land I see from the window, but it feels as if weve landed on the moon compared to where weve been.

Its all quite strange: the gaping holes between customers in lineups; the airport restaurants hesitant to take on additional eaters; or the property rental manager welcoming us to our temporary home from halfway down the stairs.

The few people weve encountered seem to get nervous when you tread too closely, when you dont follow the rules as theyve been set out  to the letter.

Its strange and, also, oddly reassuring. As if our natural Canadian standoffishness might be the thing that brings us together to get through these difficult, dangerous times.

Read more about:
Solar cells convert light into energy, but they can be inefficient and vulnerable to the environment, degrading with, ironically, too much light or other factors, including moisture and low temperature. An international research team has developed a new type of solar cell that can both withstand environmental hazards and is 26.7% efficient in power conversion.

They published their results on March 26 in Science.

The researchers, led by Byungha Shin, a professor from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST, focused on developing a new class of light-absorbing material, called a wide bandgap perovskite. The material has a highly effective crystal structure that can process the power needs, but it can become problematic when exposed to environmental hazards, such as moisture. Researchers have made some progress increasing the efficiency of solar cells based on perovskite, but the material has greater potential than what was previously achieved.

To achieve better performance, Shin and his team built a double layer solar cell, called tandem, in which two or more light absorbers are stacked together to better utilize solar energy. To use perovskite in these tandem devices, the scientists modified the material's optical property, which allows it to absorb a wider range of solar energy. Without the adjustment, the material is not as useful in achieving high performing tandem solar cells. The modification of the optical property of perovskite, however, comes with a penalty -- the material becomes hugely vulnerable to the environment, in particular, to light.

To counteract the wide bandgap perovskite's delicate nature, the researchers engineered combinations of molecules composing a two-dimensional layer in the perovskite, stabilizing the solar cells.

"We developed a high-quality wide bandgap perovskite material and, in combination with silicon solar cells, achieved world-class perovskite-silicon tandem cells," Shin said.

The development was only possible due to the engineering method, in which the mixing ratio of the molecules building the two-dimensional layer are carefully controlled. In this case, the perovskite material not only improved efficiency of the resulting solar cell but also gained durability, retaining 80% of its initial power conversion capability even after 1,000 hours of continuous illumination. This is the first time such a high efficiency has been achieved with a wide bandgap perovskite single layer alone, according to Shin.

"Such high-efficiency wide bandgap perovskite is an essential technology for achieving ultra-high efficiency of perovskite-silicon tandem (double layer) solar cells," Shin said. "The results also show the importance of bandgap matching of upper and lower cells in these tandem solar cells."

The researchers, having stabilized the wide bandgap perovskite material, are now focused on developing even more efficient tandem solar cells that are expected to have more than 30% of power conversion efficiency, something that no one has achieved yet,

"Our ultimate goal is to develop ultra-high-efficiency tandem solar cells that contribute to the increase of shared solar energy among all energy sources," Shin said. "We want to contribute to making the planet healthier."

###

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy of Korea, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Other contributors include Daehan Kim, Jekyung Kim, Passarut Boonmongkolras, Seong Ryul Pae and Minkyu Kim, all of whom affiliated with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST. Other authors include Byron W. Larson, Sean P. Dunfield, Chuanxiao Xiao, Jinhui Tong, Fei Zhang, Joseph J. Berry, Kai Zhu and Dong Hoe Kim, all of who are affiliated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. Dunfield is also affiliated with the Materials Science and Engineering Program at the University of Colorado; Berry is also affiliated with the Department of Physics and the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder; and Kim is also affiliated with the Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Engineering at Sejong University. Hee Joon Jung and Vinayak Dravid of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University; Ik Jae Park, Su Geun Ji and Jin Young Kim of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University; and Seok Beom Kang of the Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Engineering of Sejong University also contributed.

-About KAIST

KAIST is the first and top science and technology university in Korea. KAIST was established in 1971 by the Korean government to educate scientists and engineers committed to industrialization and economic growth in Korea.

Since then, KAIST and its 64,739 graduates have been the gateway to advanced science and technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. KAIST has emerged as one of the most innovative universities with more than 10,000 students enrolled in five colleges and seven schools including 1,039 international students from 90 countries.

On the precipice of semi-centennial anniversary in 2021, KAIST continues to strive to make the world better through the pursuit in education, research, entrepreneurship, and globalization
According to UP additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Kumar Awasthi, the Facebook had proposed for a partnership with the state government offering the free use of its platform in the campaign against coronavirus. We have received a proposal from Facebook and the state information department will prepare an action plan in a day or two to use the social media platform in our campaign against ...

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
Advertisement

Beds are being put up inside London's ExCel centre as the Army helps transform it into a new 4,000 bed coronavirus field hospital.

Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients.

The exhibition centre, in East London, will become the NHS Nightingale Hospital, with 4,000 beds.

The facility should be up and running by Saturday, April 4.

It comes as work begins on plans to turn part of a Welsh rugby ground into a temporary hospital ward amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients. Pictured a lorry brings in beds for the new temporary hospital at the ExCel centre

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week that the ExCeL site in London would become a new temporary hospital due to the coronavirus outbreak

Military personnel move supplies at the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital - the NHS Nightingale hospital

The temporary hospital will have 4,000 beds and will comprise of two wards, each able to accommodate for 2,000 people

Health care officials hope the new 4,000 temporary hospital will help take the strain off existing hospitals which are dealing with an influx of new patients due to coronavirus

The beds have been brought in to the ExCel centre in London, with the help of the Army, in the hope the temporary hospital facility can be opened in time for April 4. Picture from Facebook

Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, will provide additional bed space for hundreds of people on the turf of its indoor training pitch, with the aim of being ready for an anticipated peak in demand in May.

The wooden foundations of the makeshift ward now cover the green turf of the pitch, normally used by the Scarlets rugby team, and will soon will be under the management of doctors and nurses from Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Both moves  which are similar to the creation of the 1,000-bed field hospital seen in Wuhan, China, earlier in the crisis  are aimed at treating coronavirus patients as regular hospitals come under greater pressure.

Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, will provide additional bed space for hundreds of people on the turf of its indoor training pitch

London is said to be one-and-a-half to two weeks ahead of the rest of the country in terms of virus cases, which is why the Army is focusing its efforts in the capital first. The NEC in Birmingham is among other sites in the rest of the country that are likely also become temporary hospitals in the coming weeks.

Health bosses are identifying staff to be rapidly deployed at the new 4,000-bed field hospital being set to manage a surge in seriously ill coronavirus patients, it has been reported.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week that the ExCeL site in London will become a temporary hospital equipped with two wards of 2,000 beds to cope with any patient surge in the capital.

It comes as the latest figures showed there were more than 11,600 cases of coronavirus in the UK and 578 deaths from the virus.

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported on Wednesday that leaders were "urgently" identifying staff who could be redeployed quickly at the new Nightingale Hospital

An email from a London trust chief executive to staff said the new hospital should take some pressure off London hospitals by absorbing demand

London is said to be one-and-a-half to two weeks ahead of the rest of the country in terms of virus cases, which is why the Army is focusing its efforts in the capital first

Health bosses are identifying staff to be rapidly deployed at the new 4,000-bed field hospital being set to manage a surge in seriously ill coronavirus patients, it has been reported

The required staff range from consultants, GPs, critical care nurses and pharmacists to non-clinical staff, such as porters and administrators

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported on Wednesday that leaders were "urgently" identifying staff who could be redeployed quickly at the new Nightingale Hospital.

An email from a London trust chief executive to staff, seen by the HSJ, said a response was needed within hours and accommodation could be provided if necessary.

It added: "Along with other NHS trusts, we have been asked to identify a range of our people to help staff the new Nightingale Hospital at the ExCeL centre in east London.

"This is a key element of the NHS national response to coronavirus and will provide the first major wave of 'surge' capacity.

"The urgency in identifying staff is to allow time for training to take place before opening to patients.

"We have asked divisional clinical leads to identify and approach staff who may be able to be redeployed quickly to the ExCeL and, in the interests of time, we are also asking staff directly to come forward to be considered for redeployment.

"Accommodation will be provided if required."

The email said the new hospital should take some pressure off London hospitals by absorbing demand, giving the trusts more time to increase their own capacity.

"I know that many of you are already going above and beyond in our own response to coronavirus, for which I am extremely grateful," it added.

"This approach is likely to mean we have a bit more time to get all of our own additional capacity up and running."

The required staff range from consultants, GPs, critical care nurses and pharmacists to non-clinical staff, such as porters and administrators, it added.
CAIRO - Libyan prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj said Thursday evening in a televised speech that while the entire world unites against the ''common enemy'', or COVID-19, General Khalifa Haftar considers the pandemic an ''ally'' in his attack on the capital, Tripoli.



Forces answering to Haftar have been attacking Tripoli since April 2019. ''This epidemic is the common enemy against which the world is uniting, except for the attacker,'' who sees it ''as an ally and not an enemy in the attack on Tripoli,'' he said. ''We are fighting two enemies on two fronts: COVID-19 and the terrorist militias that are attacking us,'' Sarraj said in the speech, which was shared on the Facebook page of the Libyan Government of National Accord .



Despite appeals by the UN, US, Italy and others in recent days for a humanitarian ceasefire to deal with the virus, very violent battles have continued for control of Tripoli and other western areas of Libya, with the two parties involved blaming the other. In his televised speech, Sarraj said that all sectors of the Libyan state were working against the pandemic and that he was confident Libyans would prove able to get past the crisis through compliance with the measures introduced. Libya reported its first confirmed case of a person testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and the International Rescue Committee warned that the pandemic could ''decimate'' the country.
27 March 2020

LSE Code: 3NGL

WISDOMTREE MULTI ASSET ISSUER PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY

(a public company incorporated with limited liability in Ireland)

WISDOMTREE NATURAL GAS 3X DAILY LEVERAGED SECURITIES

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE AFFECTED SECURITIES

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING OF THE ETP SECURITYHOLDERS

THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about what action you should take, you are recommended to consult your independent financial adviser. In case of queries, please contact Link Asset Services at enquiries@linkgroup.ie.

If you have sold or transferred all of your WisdomTree Natural Gas 3x Daily Leveraged Securities (the Affected Securities) of WisdomTree Multi Asset Issuer Public Limited Company (the Issuer), please send this document, together with the accompanying form of proxy, at once to the purchaser or transferee or stockbroker, banker or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was made, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee.

The Issuer wishes to announce that the Meeting of the holders of the Affected Securities (with ISIN IE00B8VC8061) scheduled for today at 11:00 a.m. (the Original Meeting) has been adjourned, in accordance with paragraph 20 of Schedule 7 of the Trust Deed, for lack of a quorum. The adjourned meeting will be reconvened on 11:00 a.m. on Friday 17 April 2020, being a date not more than 42 days after the Original Meeting, and will be held at the offices of Apex IFS Limited at 2nd Floor. Block 5, Irish Life Centre, Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1, D01P767, Ireland (the Adjourned Meeting).

The Adjourned Meeting is being held to consider certain amendments to documentation, made under the powers set out in clause 2 of schedule 7 of the master trust deed of the Affected Securities, required to effect a reduction in the principal amount of the Affected Securities from USD 0.002 to USD 0.0002. This follows the price of the Affected Securities falling below 500 per cent. of its current principal amount on Friday 28 February 2020, and is designed to maintain the normal trading and operations of the Affected Securities. Full details of the Proposal and Extraordinary Resolution are set out in the notice dated 4 March 2020.

Story continues

Holders of the Affected Securities will receive a form of proxy by post, allowing them to vote on the matters being considered at the Meeting by proxy. Under article 11.5 of the Issuers Articles of Association, no further notification is required for the Adjourned Meeting. Holders of the Affected Securities are therefore directed to the original notification posted to them on 4 March 2020, and also available on the website of the Issuer, at https://w ww.wisdomtree.eu/en-gb/resource-library/prospectus-and-regulatory-reports#tab-2A942D42-5AA1-4008-9080-3C2DADB050A7 .

Holders of the Affected Securities should note that a duly completed form of proxy deposited in respect of the Original Meeting will continue to be valid for the Adjourned Meeting unless previously revoked or suspended by a further form of proxy prior to the Meeting.

In light of the current social distancing measures associated with the spread of Covid-19, it is strongly recommended that holders of Affected Securities vote by proxy and should not attend the Adjourned Meeting in person.

In accordance with normal practice, The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c., as trustee, expresses no opinion as to the merits of the Proposal, the terms of which were not negotiated by it. It has however authorised it to be stated that, on the basis of the information contained in the original circular and in this document (which it advises holders of Affected Securities to read carefully) it has no objection to the form in which the Proposal and Notice of Meeting are presented to holders of Affected Securities for their consideration.

Holders of the Affected Securities will be notified of the outcome of the Adjourned Meeting shortly thereafter.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Armenia rose by 39 to 329 in the past 24 hours, health authorities reported on Friday morning.

Health Minister Arsen Torosian said later in the day that a 72-year-old person who died in hospital on Thursday remains the countrys sole fatality from the deadly virus.

Torosian said another elderly patient remains in critical condition. We also have one citizen who is in serious condition, he added in a live Facebook transmission. The lives of the other [infected persons] are not at risk right now. Many patients are asymptomatic.

The latter include a young woman and her two-month-old baby, the minister went on. The child has showed no symptoms [of the disease] while the mother had a fever for two days but is showing no symptoms now. They both are in hospital.

Torosian also reported that ten more people have been cured of the COVID-19 virus, raising to 28 the total number of such recoveries in Armenia.

According to Armenian government data, Yerevan accounts for around half of the infections. The vast majority of the other coronavirus cases were registered in the surrounding Armavir, Ararat and Kotayk provinces.

Health authorities have quarantined at least 3,000 people in the last two weeks. Officials say around 150 of them have been released from the two-week quarantine after repeatedly testing negative for the virus.

The Armenian government declared a state of emergency and closed all schools and universities on March 16 shortly after reporting the first coronavirus cases. Earlier this week, it also ordered the closure of most businesses and imposed stringent restrictions on peoples movement in an effort to slow the spread of the disease.

Armenians are only allowed out to buy food, receive medical care and briefly exercise. When leaving their homes they must carry IDs and filled-out forms explaining their reasons for not staying indoors. The Armenian police said that in the last three days they have fined more than 1,400 people for not complying with these restrictions.

The authorities have also suspended bus services between Yerevan and the rest of the country. Deputy Minister for Local Government Armen Simonian told reporters on Friday that public transport links among communities located within each of the ten provinces outside the Armenian capital will also be temporarily banned.

Armenias borders with Georgia and Iran were closed for travel earlier this month. People have since been able to enter and leave the country only by air. According to Simonian, only one Belarusian and four Russian airlines continued to fly to and from Yerevan on Friday.

This means that Armenia will be effectively cut off from the outside world after a Russian government ban on all commercial flights abroad comes into force early on Saturday.
A new feathered dinosaur that lived in New Mexico 67 million years ago is one of the last known surviving raptor species, according to a new publication in the journal Scientific Reports.

Dineobellator notohesperus adds to scientists' understanding of the paleo-biodiversity of the American Southwest, offering a clearer picture of what life was like in this region near the end of the reign of the dinosaurs.

Steven Jasinski, who recently completed his Ph.D. in Penn's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the School of Arts and Sciences, led the work to describe the new species, collaborating with doctoral advisor Peter Dodson of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Penn Arts and Sciences and as well as Robert Sullivan of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque.

In 2008, Sullivan found fossils of the new species in Cretaceous rocks of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. He, along with his field team of Jasinski and James Nikas, collected the specimen on U.S. federal land under a permit issued by the Bureau of Land Management. The entire specimen was recovered over four field seasons. Jasinski and his coauthors gave the species its official name, Dineobellator notohesperus, which means "Navajo warrior from the Southwest," in honor of the people who today live in the same region where this dinosaur once dwelled.

Dineobellator, as well as its Asian cousin Velociraptor, belong to a group of dinosaurs known as the dromaeosaurids. Members of this group are commonly referred to as "raptor" dinosaurs, thanks to movies such as "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World." But unlike the terrifying beasts depicted in film, Dineobellator stood only about 3.5 feet (about 1 meter) at the hip and was 6 to 7 feet (about 2 meters) long -- much smaller than its Hollywood counterparts.

Raptor dinosaurs are generally small, lightly built predators. Consequently, their remains are rare, particularly from the southwestern United States and Mexico. "While dromaeosaurids are better known from places like the northern United States, Canada, and Asia, little is known of the group farther south in North America," says Jasinski.

advertisement

While not all of the bones of this dinosaur were recovered, bones from the forearm have quill nobs -- small bumps on the surface where feathers would be anchored by ligaments -- an indication that Dineobellator bore feathers in life, similar to those inferred for Velociraptor.

Features of the animal's forelimbs, including enlarged areas of the claws, suggest this dinosaur could strongly flex its arms and hands. This ability may have been useful for holding on to prey -- using its hands for smaller animals such as birds and lizards, or perhaps its arms and feet for larger species such as other dinosaurs.

Its tail also possessed unique characteristics. While most raptors' tails were straight and stiffened with rod-like structures, Dineobellator's tail was rather flexible at its base, allowing the rest of the tail to remain stiff and act like a rudder.

"Think of what happens with a cat's tail as it is running," says Jasinski. "While the tail itself remains straight, it is also whipping around constantly as the animal is changing direction. A stiff tail that is highly mobile at its base allows for increased agility and changes in direction, and potentially aided Dineobellator in pursuing prey, especially in more open habitats."

This new dinosaur provides a clearer picture of the biology of North American dromaeosaurid dinosaurs, especially concerning the distribution of feathers among its members.

"As we find evidence of more members possessing feathers, we believe it is likely that all the dromaeosaurids had feathers," says Jasinski. The discovery also hints at some of the predatory habits of a group of iconic meat-eating dinosaurs that lived just before the extinction event that killed off all the dinosaurs that weren't birds.

Jasinski plans to continue his field research in New Mexico with the hope of finding more fossils.

"It was with a lot of searching and a bit of luck that this dinosaur was found weathering out of a small hillside," he says. "We do so much hiking and it is easy to overlook something or simply walk on the wrong side of a hill and miss something. We hope that the more we search, the better chance we have of finding more of Dineobellator or the other dinosaurs it lived alongside."
Posted by Jeremy on at 12:32 AM CST

You'd better be staying in on April 8th becausefeatures heavily in the second to last episode of LEGO Masters.The reality competition television series - hosted by Will Arnett and special guests R2-D2, C-3PO and BB-8 - will be all aboutas the remaining contestants slug it out through a series of challenges, including recreating the Battle of Hoth fromArnett is no stranger to the popularity of; he voiced Batman in, who seemingly abandoned Emmet and Wildfyre when he jumped aboard the Millennium Falcon. Series consultant and Certified LEGO Professional Nathan Sawaya's almost life-size Han Solo trapped in carbonite is still one of the brick artist's most famous sculptures.LEGO Mastersspecial airs on Wednesday, April 8th at 9/8c on Fox.
More than 1,000 Americans have now died from the illness the World Health Organization has dubbed Covid-19, and almost 75,000 have been infected.

Additionally, more than 3.3 million Americans have now been put out of work by the social distancing measures which medical experts have found to be the only reliable method of slowing the spread of the virus.

Those 75,000 coronavirus cases span all 50 states, and experts say the pandemic will soon overwhelm the nations healthcare system.

The strain on hospitals could lead to the sort of healthcare rationing and de facto death panels which Republicans claimed would be the inevitable result of the Obama administrations attempt to bring about universal coverage.

But Donald Trump isnt interested in any of that

In recent days, the presidents public appearances have taken the form of press briefings, delivered before a pared-down audience of reporters from select media outlets curated by the White House Correspondents Association.

These briefings, ostensibly meant to allow the Mike Pence-led Coronavirus Task Force to deliver updates, have instead been largely repurposed to allow Trump to air his grievances and engage in the sort of magical thinking which was on display earlier this week when he posted that the country could be back to normal by Easter.

When asked about a Wednesday morning tweet claiming that the lame stream media (rather than doctors and the nations governors) is the dominant force in trying to get [him] to keep our country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to [his] election success, Trump repeated his earlier baseless allegation.

He then claimed that certain people would like to see the social distancing measures which governors have initiated on the advice of medical professionals continue, allegedly in order to hurt the countrys economy because they think that would be very good as far as defeating [him] at the polls.

When it was pointed out to him that his own administrations medical experts were among the certain people who want social distancing measures to remain in place (but not for the reasons he alleged), Trump went on the attack rather than respond to the question.

I think its very clear  I think its very clear that there are people in your profession that write fake news, he said.

Although the Trump-era GOP has largely adopted its leaders hatred of legitimate journalists, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said his partys crusade against the press is a luxury it cant afford during a pandemic.

The press is how we truly unify, because of all the instruments of communication and institutions of credibility. The press is that last foundational rock that we stand on as a country, said Steele, who served as Marylands Lieutenant Governor from 2003 to 2007.

I get the feeling that a lot of conservatives have had over the years about their treatment in the press, but this is the one time, in my estimation, where we need to look past the mundane political, easy tropes that we can throw out and recognize that to get valuable, important, reliable information, were only going to get it from the press, he continued, adding that Trump should back off of the blame game, the name-calling and picking fights with the press and instead use them as the instrument of communication that the country needs right now to get out important facts and data as quickly as possible.

One ex-White House official explained that Trump needs to keep up his feud with the press to distract those among his political base in flyover states from his complete failure to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously.

He knows what hes saying sounds crazy to the average person. And he knows what hes saying is unfair to the press. Hes not stupid, the official said. But hes willing to do it because he recognizes that theres a group of people that are in the flyover states that are backing what hes saying and doing and they like it, the official continued, but cautioned that Trumps strategy of attacking the press rather than taking responsibility will only be effective while the coronavirus pandemic is not killing large numbers of people in so-called flyover country.

Right now, the flyover states arent dying  thats why hes at the 60 per cent approval. But when they start dying, thats going to be a big problem for him because he did miss it, he explained.

The official called Trumps failure to act on his advisors warnings the biggest intelligence failure in the history of the country.

Its worse than 9/11, its worse than Pearl Harbor. He had the information and he ignored it because he saw the measures they [his advisers] were recommending at the time [when] Singapore and South Korea got the virus and he didnt want to do that because it was going to hurt the economy. But by waiting he hurt the economy more and made more people from this disease.

 How Trump has responded to coronavirus

And it appears that Trumps blame-shifting strategy wont be limited to the press.

On Thursday, the White House released a letter from the president to the nations governors, in which Trump promised to release new guidelines for state and local policymakers to use in making decisions about maintaining, increasing, or relaxing social distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in place.

According to the letter, Trump plans to publish criteria to classify each of the 3,007 counties in the United States as high, medium, or low risk based on testing results.

Chris Lu, who served as a Deputy Labor Secretary under the Obama administration, predicted that such a plan would likely disincentivize testing and hurt efforts to slow the virus spread in so-called red states.

That would just be an odd thing to basically say that in certain counties, you dont have to social distance, but in certain counties you do. That strikes me as at odds with not only what most governors would say, but what public experts would say as well.

He also posited that the new criteria could be used to give Trump a way to blame heavily Democratic cities and densely populated blue states for the coming economic woes that could hurt his chances of being re-elected.

Hes clearly trying to deflect blame for what will likely be a severe recession, he said.

Steele, the former Maryland Lieutenant Governor, said he thought the plan was part of Trumps push to try to actualize an arbitrary deadline that he has himself admitted he likes.

There is no data-driven reason to believe that on April 12, this thing is over or that this virus has recessed to the point that governors will relax the prohibitions on congregations are congregating in large numbers, he added.

Every governor will make a decision, and as a former lieutenant governor, I can tell you that when we were facing a crisis, we welcomed federal help but we did not want federal interference because the President and the federal government are not on the same level as governor and his county executives and their mayors and so forth, who are having to deal with this in real time in real neighborhoods.

He cautioned Trump against making following the promised guidelines a condition for the sort of federal aid that governors have been asking for in recent days, noting that such an arrangement was the exact scenario which Democrats used to make the case for removing him during his impeachment trial.

I cannot believe anyone in the White House would be that slow and that unmindful of what the narrative was just two months ago, but if the idea is to set up a quid pro quo for federal disaster response... that will force the state to act in a way that is not in the interest of its people, thats going to be a recipe for disaster for this administration.
Sky News

Deep in the North Sea, 150 miles directly east of Aberdeen, lies an enormous and as yet undrilled gas field called Jackdaw. Its owner Shell has described the field as "critical" to its North Sea strategy. In October 2021 the government's environmental regulator for the offshore fossil fuel industry rejected Shell's plans to drill on as-yet unspecified environmental grounds.
[March 27, 2020] Tuition.io Applauds U.S. Congress for Passing Comprehensive Stimulus Bill, Making Student Loan Payments by Employers Tax Free

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuition.io today praised the U.S. Congress for passing the coronavirus stimulus bill which includes a tax break for student loan payments made by employers. As part of the bill, employers will be able to make tax-free payments towards their employees' student debt through the end of the year. "We applaud the government stimulus bill for including a provision on income tax exclusion for individuals who are receiving student loan repayment assistance from their employer," stated Scott Thompson CEO, Tuition.io. "Providing a tax subsidy for employer student loan repayment doesn't just benefit individual workers, it will help reduce a major drag on the overall economy as we recover from the COVID-19 shock. Even if only temporary, this groundbreaking legislation will enable companies large and small to help America's working people make it through this historical crisis." The burden of student loans has topped $1.6T, with the average individual holding nearly $30,000 of debt. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the effect on borrowers was profound with many putting off major life milestones such as saving for retirement or buying a house. In 2019, more than 11 million Americans were past due or in default on a student loan. The impact of COVID-19 on the economy has been swift and unprecedented, further stifling workers and employers who were already feeling the pressure of financial stress.



Tax relief for employer-sponsored student loan repayment was introduced by Representatives Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Scott Peters (D-CA) and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) as the Employer Participation in Repayment Act. The legislation had strong bipartisan support and applause from those in the industry looking to help their employees repay their student debt. About Tuition.io

Tuition.io is the leading benefits platform tackling employee student loan debt. Through its suite of education assistance benefits including student loan repayment, tuition assistance and a bevy of financial wellness tools, Tuition.io provides an impactful and meaningful solution for employers and employees. Tuition.io works with innovative companies across all industries including Carhartt, City of Memphis, Estee Lauder Companies, Hulu, Live Nation, Staples, Trilogy Health Services and more. For more information, visit www.tuition.io or follow us at @Tuition.io. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tuitionio-applauds-us-congress-for-passing-comprehensive-stimulus-bill-making-student-loan-payments-by-employers-tax-free-301031095.html SOURCE Tuition.io

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The Central Bank has warned insurance companies that the government's advice to close businesses to prevent the spread of Covid-19 should be treated as a direction.

It follows fears that thousands of pubs, restaurants and businesses who shut their doors to comply with the Government's request could have their insurance claims rejected because they closed voluntarily.

However, in a letter to the CEO's of insurance firms, the Central Bank said that while most insurance policies are clear, if there is a doubt about the meaning of a term, they must interpret the policy in favour of the consumer.

"Where a claim can be made because a business has closed as a result of a Government direction due to contagious or infectious disease, the Central Bank is of the view that that the recent Government advice to close a business in the context of COVID-19 should be treated as a direction," the Central Bank's Director-General for Financial Conduct Derville Rowland said.

"Firms must ensure that claims are appropriately assessed and where there is insurance cover in place that claims are accepted and paid promptly."

The Irish Examiner reported this week that the Restaurants Association of Ireland was considering legal action against insurance companies refusing to pay out on policies.

The Central Bank also said it wants the CEOs of each firm to take responsibility for the oversight of how their firm is managing determinations of whether claims are covered or not in the context of COVID-19.

"In particular, firms need to be sensitive to changes in consumers circumstances due to the public health measures taken to counter the spread of COVID-19, which have left many in a financially vulnerable situation. We expect firms to provide reasonable arrangements to support such customers in their dealings with firms at this difficult time.
3.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) said that the automakers want to help, but are getting no direct communication and management from Trump on producing medical equipment.

Trump tweeted:

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Rep. Dingell said on MSNBC:

So I have been talking to the auto industry every single day. I talk to the CEOs every single day theres clearly a lack of direct communication between the president and General Motors. They are trying to produce ventilators in their Kokomo, Indiana, plant. They are working with somebody who already produces it but not made the commitment. So I wish the president would do something to get them up.

Ford quickly looked at it, it was too difficult to get the ventilators produced quickly. So theyre now producing other PPE equipment and trying to find out exactly where it needs to go. Chrysler is making masks. All three companies  and as Mikie said, were all talking to other suppliers and manufacturers who want to do their part but we have to connect them.

Video:

According to Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Trump isn't even talking to the auto industry and helping them manage the production of PPE and equipment. pic.twitter.com/U4QlbLvpiD  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 27, 2020

Trump is refusing to invoke the Defense Production Act while lying to the American people about the amount of equipment that the private sector is going to be manufacturing and providing.

For every ventilator that Trump lies about that doesnt get produced, people could needlessly die. For every delay in the production of PPE, first responders and medical professionals will get sick.

Trumps lying and incompetence used to be a joke, but his falsehoods and ineptitude are getting people killed.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney and union leaders representing health care workers on Thursday called on the city to come up with a comprehensive plan to help protect hospital staff from contracting the novel coronavirus.

In light of at least five cases of health care workers contracting COVID-19 at Laguna Honda Memorial Hospital recently, the employees say their working conditions have become increasingly unsafe as they continue to combat a shortage of personal protective equipment, according to Haney.

"Every single day I've heard from frontline workers," Haney said. "They don't feel safe. They're not receiving the protective equipment they need. There isn't a comprehensive plan to ensure their safety at work, and on top of all that far too often they aren't being listened to."

"We cannot forget about our in-home support workers," he added. "Many members of our community who are sick, who are disabled, are being taken care of at home and we expect that that's only going to increase as the virus spreads."

On Tuesday, Haney introduced legislation, along with Supervisor Shamann Walton, urging both the Department of Public Health and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital to create a plan to protect workers.

Alameda Health System workers rallied at Highland Hospital in Oakland on Thursday to demand that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors take control of and manage the health system, alleging that it's been damaged by pervasive and ongoing mismanagement.

They said the problems at the health system, which oversees Highland, San Leandro Hospital, Alameda Hospital and other facilities, are being magnified while county health workers respond to the pressures of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

John Pearson, an emergency room nurse at Highland Hospital who's a chapter president of Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents 3,600 workers at the health system, said, "We're here today to let the public know that we have a crisis and this is not a crisis that just started with the coronavirus."

Pearson said, "We don't have the equipment, staffing and beds we need just to take care of the patients we already have now and when we get a surge of patients because of this huge global health crisis and pandemic we are in no way prepared for that surge of patients because we don't have the basic things we need."

Pearson said, "Masks are being rationed. Cleaning supplies are being diluted. We're being told to abandon and change processes and protocols that we have been trained to follow for years."

A sixth Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, sheriff's officials said Thursday.

The deputy is at home and sheriff's officials are investigating who else may have been exposed to the virus including staff and inmates.

The deputy was one of three deputies who was identified earlier as someone who may have been exposed to the virus.

Sheriff's officials reported Wednesday that a fifth deputy tested positive for the coronavirus.

Some non-violent Sonoma County inmates are being released to keep the COVID-19 coronavirus out of the county's two jail facilities.

Sonoma County Public Defender Kathleen Pozzi said about 200 non-violent offenders who were waiting for trials on misdemeanor offenses have been released by the county's superior court judges and they will return to court at a later date, Pozzi said.

None of the inmates or jail staff had tested positive for the virus as of Thursday, Pozzi said.

Pozzi said Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch released 25 prisoners who already were sentenced for non-violent offenses and had less than 60 days left to serve.

Ravitch also directed law enforcement officers to arrest, cite and release offenders charged with most misdemeanors unless they were charged with domestic violence, Pozzi said.

Parts of Alhambra High School in Martinez are being prepared to serve as an alternative care site to treat patients with "less complicated" medical needs as the county gears up for a surge of COVID-19 coronavirus cases over the coming weeks at the main county hospital in Martinez, according to a joint statement Thursday from Contra Costa Health Services and the Martinez Unified School District.

According to that statement, the county recently requested supplies from the federal government to help establish an alternative care site at Alhambra High, which is a few blocks south of the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, the county-run hospital. That proximity is important in the school site running efficiently. Health officials expect the shipment of beds, medical equipment and other supplies to arrive within the next few days.

County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano told the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that preparations are also being made to use part of the former Los Medanos Community Hospital building in Pittsburg as another alternative care site. Part of that building now houses the county-operated Pittsburg Health Center.

County health officials said details of how these alternate care sites will operate are still being worked out. They also said more sites are likely to be identified in coming days.

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
The Afghan government has finalised a 21-member team -- including five women -- who will negotiate with the Taliban in upcoming talks aimed at ending Afghanistan's 18-year-old conflict, officials said Friday.

The move is a crucial step in bringing the warring parties to the table and getting a floundering, US-led peace process back on track.

Under a deal signed by the US and the Taliban last month, the insurgents agreed to commit to starting talks with the Afghan government and discuss a possible ceasefire.

Up until now, the Taliban has refused to meet with the administration of President Ashraf Ghani, calling him an American stooge.

In return for starting talks and other commitments, the US and foreign partner forces will withdraw from Afghanistan over the next 14 months.

The negotiating team was supposed to be unveiled weeks ago, with the "intra-Afghan" talks with the Taliban meant to get underway March 10 in Oslo.

But Kabul has been gripped by a fresh political crisis, with Ghani's legitimacy being challenged by his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who has also proclaimed himself president.

The negotiating team will be led by former Afghan intelligence chief Masoom Stanekzai, who as a Pashtun shares a tribal identity with the Taliban.

While there was no immediate indication of whether Abdullah supports the team's composition, it includes Batur Dostum whose father Abdul Rashid Dostum -- a notorious former warlord -- is a staunch Abdullah ally.

In a statement, Afghanistan's peace ministry said Ghani "wishes the delegation success and calls on them to consider, at all stages of negotiations, the best interest of the country, the shared values of the Afghan people, and the principle stand of the country for a united Afghanistan".

Among the five women delegates is Habiba Sarabi, deputy leader of the government's High Peace Council. Sarabi is a Hazara, the predominantly Shi'ite ethnic group that the Taliban have repeatedly targeted.

Another woman delegate is Fawzia Koofi, an ethnic Tajik and a woman's rights activist who has been a vocal Taliban critic.

During their reign across much of Afghanistan from 1996-2001, the Taliban forced women to stay at home, banned female education and frequently executed women on flimsy allegations of adultery.

It is not clear when or where the "intra-Afghan" talks will start. Given the coronavirus pandemic, officials say there is a chance they could begin via videoconference.

On Wednesday, the government said it would meet directly with Taliban members to discuss a massive prisoner swap that would see the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 from the government side.

That exchange had also been agreed in the US-Taliban deal, even though Ghani is not a signatory.

The US has left Ghani little choice but to get on board with the deal, and this week Washington cut USD 1 billion in US aid amid continued bickering between Ghani and Abdullah, and has threatened deeper cuts if Kabul does not resolve its political infighting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Details added (first version published on 14:44)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 26

Trend:

The Operational Headquarters established at Azerbaijans State Committee on Work with the Diaspora continues to provide comprehensive support to Azerbaijani citizens living abroad and if necessary, ensures their evacuation amid coronavirus, Trend reports.

Azerbaijani citizens were evacuated from Warsaw, Poland on March 26, with the support of the State Committee and on the initiative of the chairman of the Council of Azerbaijani Youth in Poland, Farid Jafarli.

These citizens, living in various cities of Poland, have applied to the Council of Azerbaijanis in Poland for immediate return to Azerbaijan due to family and personal problems. For several days, these citizens were placed in the House of Azerbaijan in Warsaw. Taking into account the closure of borders, an alternative decision was made in connection with the return of fellow citizens to their homeland. Thus, they were transported from Warsaw to Minsk (Belarus) by bus, and from there by plane to Azerbaijan.

Farid Jafarli held talks with the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Poland, as well as with the border services of Poland and Belarus on this issue. Embassies issued documents confirming the Azerbaijani citizenship of compatriots. Most of them were provided with plane tickets, after which they were sent to Azerbaijan from the Minsk National Airport.

Currently, 19 Azerbaijani citizens evacuated from Poland have been placed in the Relax Hotel in the countrys Lerik district in accordance with the rules of the quarantine regime.
A video has emerged showing 90 tonnes of Australian medical supplies being exported to China just weeks before the coronavirus crisis reached pandemic levels.

The footage showed boxes of surgical masks being stacked up at Perth airport before being sent to Wuhan on February 8 - when there were 15 cases of coronavirus in Australia.

A Chinese-owned property company, Risland Australia, was responsible for shipping off thousands of supplies, news.com.au reported.

Pictured: Australian-based Chinese property company Risland shipped 90 tonnes worth of vital medical supplies to Wuhan from Perth on February 8

Risland made an online post last month that declared their support for Wuhan and showed workers inside a warehouse packed with thousands of boxes of protective clothing (pictured)

The video revealed stockpiles of white supply boxes stacked up alongside the check-in counters at the airport.

The hoarded supplies were piled almost at the shoulder height of passing travellers and were spread out on trollies and several metres across the floor.

Risland made an online post last month and said that '90 tonnes of selective medical supplies' were sent 'air transport direct from Sydney to Wuhan via corporate jet'.

A photo showed four workers inside a warehouse that was packed high with thousands of boxes of protective clothing and holding up a Chinese sign.

The post said that Risland: 'Undertake such a campaign to show our faiths to Wuhan people and our ultimate appreciation to those who work days and nights and fight against the virus at the front line'.

Chinese property giant Greenland shipped Australian medical supplies to Wuhan (pictured)

Greenland sent HR and management staff out to buy the medical supplies (pictured)

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

Other exporters have also sent supplies to Wuhan that are vitally needed by Australian citizens and health professionals.

Chinese property giant Greenland used Australian employees to purchase medical exports, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The company sent their HR and management staff out shopping for the medical supplies.

Greenland bought up three million surgical masks, 500,000 pairs of gloves and bulk supplies of sanitiser and antibacterial wipes in Australia and other countries where the company operates.

The goods were hoarded at Greenland's Sydney headquarters and were sent to China in January and February.

The office of the Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, was asked if he was aware of these bulk exports.

They referred to Scott Morrison's statement this week that said: 'Well be able to seize at the border those whove engaged in profiteering by bringing together and making large purposes of various supplies in Australia and seeking to export them overseas.'
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Several prominent personalities have commended the efforts of the State government to curtail spread of Coronavirus in the State. They have announced huge donations to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund (CMRF) as their contribution to the governments efforts.

Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Company Limited (MEIL) has announced a donation of Rs 5 crore to the CMs Relief Fund. MEIL MD PV Krishna Reddy handed over the cheque for Rs 5 crore to Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan.

The Chief Minister thanked Krishna Reddy for his kind gesture.

Among other prominent people who have declared donations is KI Varaprasada Reddy of Shanta Biotech. He met the Chief Minister and handed over a cheque of `1 crore and 116 rupees to the CMRF.

KNR Constructions owner Kamidi Narasimha Reddy also met the Chief Minister and handed over a cheque for Rs 1 crore to the CMRF. Laurus Labs CEO Dr Satyanarayana and Executive Director Chandrakanth Chereddy met the Chief Minister and announced distribution of hydroxchloroquin tablets on behalf of their company.

They also handed over a cheque for Rs 50 lakh. KCR thanked all the donors and said these contributions will encourage the administration to step up the relief works.

Hyderabad-based Meenakshi Group has announced Rs 1 crore to the CMRF. Company chairman KS Rao and Managing Director C Sivaji handed over the cheque to IT Minister KTR at Pragathi Bhavan on Thursday. GPK Exports and Imports owners Phani Kumar and Karnala Sailaja Reddy handed over 4 ,000 N95 masks for use by doctors to KTR.

Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) representatives gave a cheque for Rs one crore to KTR.
A member of Heavy Construction Laborers Local 60 disinfects a jackhammer before working on the Bronx River Parkway.

The construction industry is taking essential safety measures to protect workers and the public from the spread of the coronavirus. Operating under the designation as an essential business as modified today by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, crews are pressing forward with infrastructure renewal and environmental protection projects in the downstate New York region.

While certain projects have been slowed or delayed due to staffing shortages, contracting employers and organized labor leaders are hopeful key personnel and crews can continue to deliver on public projects. Contractors continue to push ahead to protect and upgrade water resources and the utility sectors. Electrical workers are climbing into bucket trucks and onto lift equipment to ensure telecommunication service is uninterrupted. Heavy-construction highway crews are working on interstate, state and local projects to maintain and improve mobility in the region.

Construction work is continuing and were taking every precaution to ensure everyone is safe, protected and productive, said John Cooney, Jr., executive director of the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley, Inc. Crews are showing up fit for duty and public agencies are planning to continue with bid lettings for projects, even as work-arounds to accommodate social distancing are ironed out.

Contractors are revising protocols to keep workers and the public safe and to mitigate coronavirus transmission. Cooney described the manner in which the industry is working as uber-attentive to changing conditions. We have safety protocols on projects and in jobsite trailers like Ive never witnessed in my 40 years of working in construction.

Philip Benza, managing partner at the Arben Group LLC in Pleasantville, N.Y., said the company is practicing vigilant enforcement and sends daily reminders of personal hygiene requirements. If the work requires the worker to be in a respirator, then we make sure the individual is fit tested for the respirator for the task at hand.

Construction activity continues in the downstate region, with bucket trucks, cranes and crews showing up on projects. The work is ongoing, said Jeff Loughlin, business manager of Operating Engineers 137 of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. But its very serious, and on construction sites everyone is mindful of best practices to mitigate risk. We are taking extensive precautions to protect our crews and their families.

At Argenio Brothers Inc., a major asphalt installer in New Windsor, N.Y., The supply chain has been slightly interrupted and our ability to get materials has been hampered, but were trying to push forward, said Principal Genaro Argenio.

Argenio said he has worked extensively with his professional advisers, OSHA and industry experts to ensure all the pronouncements required to inform and protect workers and the general public have been followed.

Argenio applauded Gov. Cuomo for making construction an essential work activity. Construction being exempt from stoppage is the right thing to do. Thats where the money starts, and the economy starts  at the ground level. Good infrastructure is essential to maintain our quality of life.

Link to high-res photos: https://cocommunications.box.com/s/wk7v4smpkv91gfqw0l8bvsi6sgqtgby3
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 38F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 38F. Winds light and variable.
Cardinals Raymond Burke, center left, and Roger M. Mahony, with briefcase, at the Vatican in March 2013, during the selection process for a new pope. (Filippo Monteforte / AFP / Getty Images)

President Trump was widely criticized this week after he said that Id love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter. The most important holiday on the Christian calendar, he added later, would be a beautiful time to have packed churches.

For some, the presidents suggestion about an Easter reopening was a subset of his seeming over-eagerness to revive the economy by easing social distancing and other restrictions introduced to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But there were also specifically Christian objections to Trumps vision of Americans assembling in churches and cathedrals in their Easter finery.

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a North Carolina pastor and activist, thundered: It is the height of hypocrisy for Trump to suggest that Easter is a time to defy public health recommendations and reopen America.

But forget Trump for a minute. There is a serious discussion among believing Christians about whether closing churches  as many denominations have done, including in Los Angeles  is consistent with the churchs mission. Its a debate that is taking place, with different theological emphases, among Protestants and Catholics.

Among Catholics, the debate over the closing of churches tracks a familiar fault line between defenders of Pope Francis liberalizing ways and the popes conservative critics. The Vatican has announced that Holy Week services there, including Easter Mass, will be conducted without public participation. Earlier this month, the Italian bishops' conference canceled all public Masses until April 3. (Easter falls this year on April 12.)

Cardinal Raymond Burke, a former archbishop of St. Louis and Vatican official who is a hero to conservative Catholics, expressed concern about the shutdown of churches and the inability of Catholics to gather for worship.

Even as we have found a way to provide for food and medicine and other necessities of life during a time of contagion, without irresponsibly risking the spread of the contagion, so, in a similar way, we can find a way to provide for the necessities of our spiritual life, Burke wrote on his blog.

Story continues

He added: We can provide more opportunities for the Holy Mass and devotions at which a number of faithful can participate without violating necessary precautions against the spread of contagion. Many of our churches and chapels are very large. They permit a group of the faithful to gather for prayer and worship without violating the requirements of social distance.

Burkes bottom line: In considering what is needed to live, we must not forget that our first consideration is our relationship with God.

A similar argument, though one not so steeped in Catholic theology, was offered in Foreign Policy magazine by Lyman Stone, a research fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. After reviewing a history of efforts by Christians to minister to victims of plague, Stone wrote:

We dont cancel church. The whole motivation of personal sacrifice to care for others, and other-regarding measures to reduce infection, presupposes the existence of a community in which were all stakeholders. Even as we take Communion from separate plates and cups to minimize risk, forgo hand-shaking or hugging, and sit at a distance from each other, we still commune.

Partly in response to Stone, the magazine Christianity Today published an editorial this week defending the suspension of church services. It said that even if we do practice stringent hygiene and social distancing, coming together as congregations in the face of this pandemic actually mars our witness. Rather than looking courageous and faithful, we come off looking callous and even foolish, not unlike the snake handlers who insisted on playing with poison as a proof of true faith.

Contrary to the caricature of Christianity subscribed to by some atheists, none of the participants in this debate seem to assume that divine intervention will immunize worshipers from infection so that precautions are unnecessary. Given that Jesus is recorded in the New Testament as healing the sick, that might seem incongruous. But if the church subscribed to a simplistic notion of divine intervention, there wouldnt be Catholic hospitals.
After a patient is swabbed, the specimen is then transported to NorthShores lab at its Evanston hospital. The actual test takes about four to six hours, but specimens arent necessarily tested as soon as they come in. NorthShore tries to wait until it has a certain number of specimens it can test as a batch, to use lab staff and resources efficiently, Kaul said.
What may be the first U.S. securities lawsuits alleging misdeeds related to coronavirus were filed this month  one against a cruise line and another against a pharmaceutical company that claimed to have developed a vaccine for COVID-19.

There are likely many more securities lawsuits to come, experts say. The pandemic promises to be another cost driver for directors & officers policies, a line that has already been under pressure by events-driven litigation prompted by calamities such as oil spills, cyber attacks, airplane crashes and wildfires, said Christine Williams, chief executive officer for the financial services group at Aon, a global brokerage and risk management firm.

Plaintiffs attorneys are going to be looking at this as an opportunity, Williams said. She added that even when the claims are specious, the cost of defending can become very high very quickly.

Williams said the D&O line has been in a challenging marketplace since 2018, with less capacity and insurers insisting on higher retentions. She said lawsuits swept into being by the #Me too movement demonstrated to insurers how claims more commonly associated with other lines, such as employment practices liability for sexual harassment allegations, can leak into D&O.

She said California wildfires and major oil spills have had a similar impact.

The trend is for premiums to continue to increase, Williams said. Also: Insurers are looking to scale back their limits. If it was $50 million this year, it will be $25 million.

Williams expects the coronavirus outbreak to be the latest event to drive a new rash of D&O claims.

Kevin M. LaCroix, executive rive president at RT ProExec, noted the securities lawsuits filed against Norwegian Cruise Lines and Inovio Pharmaceuticals in a blog post last week. LaCroix, who is an attorney, said they were the first securities lawsuits filed in response to the cornoavirus outbreak. Both suits were filed March 12.

The suit against the cruise line alleges Norwegian employed sales tactics of providing customers with unproven or blatantly false statements about COVID-19 to entice customers to purchase cruises.

The suit against Inovio takes aim at statements made by Chief Executive Officer J. Joseph Kim, who told Fox Business News that he had developed a vaccine for COVID-19 in a matter of about three hours once we had the DNA sequence from the virus. The suit says Kim made similar comments in a well-publicized meeting with President Donald Trump on March 2.

According to the complaint, Inovios stock soared from $4.28 to $19.36 after the Trump meeting, but dropped to $5.70 after Citron research on March 9 called for a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into Kims ludicrous and dangerous claims. Cirton, which does investment research, said Inovio had merely created a precursor for a vaccine, not the final product.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of all investors who had purchased Inovio shares from Feb. 14 to March 9, 2020. LaCroix said he found it interesting that the lawsuit does not allege Inovio wont someday develop a COVID-19 vaccine, only that it had not yet done so.

With a wave of D&O litigation Insurance on the horizon, insurance attorneys have been reviewing potential defenses. Several law firms have noted that many D&O policies have an exclusion for bodily injury claims, which means insurers may not be on the hook if the complaint alleges a policyholder caused harm by exposing the public to the virus.

But a policy exclusion goes only so far. There are plenty of other ways directors and officers can get into trouble.

Potential Pitfalls

A white paper by Aon points to some potential pitfalls:

Individuals are slandered due to their national origin in relation to COVID-19.

Mismanagement of the response to the pandemic results in a stock drop caused by corporate waste or failure to properly supervise.

An employees medical condition related to the virus is disclosed without permission.

Mary McCutcheon, a partner with the Farella Braun + Martel law firm in San Francisco, pointed to another peril in a March 19 blog post. She said officers and directors may be more vulnerable to insider trading claims as stock prices fall.

If companies do not survive the crisis, shareholders and creditors may pursue such claims in bankruptcy courts, with the directors and officers (and ultimately, their insurance) as the only remaining viable targets, McCutcheon wrote.

In an email to the Claims Journal, McCutcheon said plaintiffs lawyers may find it difficult to link damages caused by the pandemic to specific corporate or individual wrongdoing, which gives them an incentive to pursue claims to force settlements from litigation-adverse companies, directors and officers and their insurers.

Whether its a #Me too claim, a massive security breach or now COVID-19, plaintiffs lawyers will always seek to find new grounds for bringing securities claims, she said.

Downplaying the impact of the virus on an enterprises supply-chain may mark another way to litigation.

William Wagner, a partner with the national Taft law firm in Indianapolis, wrote in an article for the Indiana Business Journal March 15 that 60% of U.S. manufacturers have been impacted by COVID-19 in their production facilities and supply chains. He said executives may feel compelled to quell investor panic.

Wagner pointed to a class-action lawsuit against HD Supply Holdings Inc. to demonstrate the folly in that strategy. Stockholders alleged that the companys distribution centers were paralyzed after the company relocated its headquarters across country and laid off nearly all of its supply chain employees. Yet executives made statements such as the supply chain difficulties are behind us now and weve had  no surprises whatsoever.

Whistleblowers from the company said otherwise. Even though HD Supply said the statements were just puffery, the U.S. District Court in Atlanta found that the investors had sufficiently alleged that the companys CEO had made misleading statements. The court gave preliminary approval to a $50 million settlement on Feb. 21.

The takeaway for public company CEOs from the HD Supply case should be clearonly state what you know to be true, even if it leads to a drop in your stock price, Wagner wrote.

*This story ran previously in our sister publication Claims Journal.
As the new novel Coronavirus wrecks havoc across the world, it has led to shutdowns of various kinds: factories, shops, roads, flights, borders, and more.

In the middle of this, only grocery shops storing essentials and food, as well as medical shops and hospitals are remaining open in most countries to help people get their necessary supplies as the world battles this pandemic.

But turns out, some people just want to watch the world burn.

A supermarket in Pennsylvania in the United States, the country which has so far reported the highest number of infections in the world, had to throw out over $35,000, or 26 Lakh INR worth of goods, after a woman intentionally coughed on them.

The supermarket, which is a small grocery chain called Gerritys Supermarket, shared on a Facebook post how a woman visited an outlet in Hanover Township, and coughed on fresh produce, a small section of the bakery, meat case and grocery items. So basically, whatever she could set her eyes on.

The post mentioned that while the woman was probably doing it as a very twisted prank and they do not believe that she is infected, they will be taking every effort with the help of the community to make sure that she is tested for COVID-19.

"It is always a shame when food is wasted, in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply, it is even more disturbing," the post reads.

The post also mentions that the grocery store immediately contacted the police, threw out the produce and disinfected the aisles, to make sure they did not start a community spread from the store.

Another news outlet reports that the woman has now been arrested, and is facing four different charges.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
LANSDALE  With the number of coronavirus cases in Montgomery County continuing to grow, North Penn readers may be wondering whats happening in their local hospital.

We asked officials with Jefferson Health for an update at Abington-Lansdale Hospital, located off of Broad Street in Hatfield, and the hospital provided the following answers:

Whats the staff situation at the hospital? Is everything fully staffed as normal, or are employees working more or fewer hours, and why?

Christopher Notte, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Lansdale Hospital: Abington-Lansdale Hospital is being staffed according to the current needs of our community. Contingency planning is in place to manage patients should we need to increase our bed capacity or staffing as a result of COVID-19. As usual, clinical staff are available and ready to respond. Staff in administrative roles have been given the option to work from home.

Have operations changed, like elective procedures being cancelled? Has that freed up staff to handle other cases, if so why and how?

Notte: Abington-Jefferson Health began curtailing elective non-urgent surgical cases on Friday, March 13. Surgical cases which are urgent will continue to take place. Elective, medically necessary cases will be evaluated by the surgeon; there are circumstances where exceptions are appropriate such that delaying surgery would compromise the health of a patient. We are advising care providers to contact patients (and anyone planning to accompany the patient) the day before surgery so that theyre pre-screened for COVID-19 symptoms.

In addition, screening mammograms, Dexascans and lung CT screenings have also been canceled to March 31. Please note the mammograms and scans are for people who are being screened and have no symptoms of disease. We are not canceling diagnostic tests for people with symptoms of disease.

Staff members are then utilized where the need is the greatest in order to maintain safe care to our patients.

How much of the equipment everybody has been talking about  masks, ventilators, and respirators  does the hospital currently have? Have any donations come in from local residents, and is there anything the hospital might need?

Danielle Giovanniello, MSN, RN, Director, Nursing & Patient Care Services, Lansdale Hospital: As you know, Abington-Lansdale Hospital is aligned with Abington Hospital and is part of Jefferson Health. Collectively, we share personal protective equipment that is needed to manage care of the COVID-19 patient population.

We have received many generous offers for donations from the local community and are coordinating efforts to make sure those donations are routed to the areas where the need is greatest. At this time, we are accepting donations of:

N-95 Respirators

Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol

Surgical grade earloop facemasks or tieback face masks

Masks with face shields

Goggles (no openings on sides)

Starting on March 25, donations can be dropped off Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Abington Hospital, Levy Medical Plaza, 1235 Old York Road (off of Woodland Road), Abington.

An alternative way to support our organization is by making a gift to our COVID-19 Better Together Fund. We want to make sure our frontline caregivers are supported, as well as those for whom uncertainty has become a stressful reality. By contributing to this fund you will be able to help address the unexpected and immediate needs of our employees and their families. Your financial support will provide resources such as monetary support due to loss of hours, transportation, security, care, and more to our employees impacted by COVID-19. Please consider making a gift by clicking on the following link, Jefferson.edu/covidfunding.

Emergency calls: have you seen the numbers of accidents and other normal activity go down since the closures and distancing began over the past week-plus?

Giovanniello: Currently, the total patient census at Lansdale Hospital is lower than usual. We believe this is reflective of the communitys efforts to practice social distancing.

Is there anything else readers should know?

Giovanniello: In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Abington and Lansdale hospitals have implemented restrictive visitation policies in an effort to protect patients, staff and the community. Visitor restrictions are located on Abington-Jefferson Healths website under Patients and Guests. The link is also included here. We will keep the community informed as future changes may become necessary.

In a related development, Gwynedd Mercy University announced in a press release the donation of medical supplies to local hospitals, including Abington-Lansdale Jefferson Health, Einstein Medical Center, and Holy Redeemer Hospital.

Supplies were also donated to the Montgomery County Office of Public Safety, which will distribute their share of supplies where needed throughout the community.

Gwynedd Mercy University was in the fortunate position to be able to donate needed medical supplies to several of our healthcare affiliates, said the Universitys Health and Wellness Center director, Donna Ferguson, who helped facilitate the donation operation.

The supplies come from the Universitys Gwynedd Valley and Bensalem campuses, including donations from the nursing and health professions laboratories; GMercyUs Health and Wellness Center, and Plant Services. The donations included a variety of high-demand supplies, including N-95 masks, disposable gowns, disposable face masks, goggles, nitrile gloves, tyvek suits, and more.
Mumbai, March 27 : With sporting action coming to a halt across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many athletes have been forced to stay at home and away from sports. In these times, athletes are doing their bit -- be it donating to charities or urging people to stay at home during the ongoing crisis.

Former India kabaddi captain Ajay Thakur is still in action, albeit off the kabaddi mat. Thakur, who is a DSP with the Himachal Pradesh police, is on the frontlines patrolling localities in Bilaspur and urging citizens to stay at home.

The Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee shared posts of himself on duty on his Instagram account and fans were quick to appreciate his service.

In one post, Thakur asked people to stay at home to save lives.

In another post, Thakur wrote, "There is still time, please stay at home. Also, advise others to do the same and co-operate with the government. Only then, we'll be able to do this." U Mumba and Iran team captain Fazel Atrachali also posted a message on Instagram asking people to stay at home and stay safe to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.

U Mumba and Indian Kabaddi star Sandeep Narwal also took to Instagram and addressed the youngsters of the country. In a video, Narwal asked the youth of the country to resist the urge of stepping outside their houses to stop the spread of COVID-19 and urged them to practice yoga and other exercises at home itself.

Telugu Titans star Siddharth Desai spoke about the challenges faced by medical professionals in a video he posted on Instagram asking people to do their bit in flattening the curve of COVID-19 and reducing the pressure felt by medical professionals.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
LONGMEADOW  Police are asking for help to locate a former Bay Path University student who has been missing for at least two days.

Murina Alnasser, 28, was last seen leaving Motel 6 in Enfield likely on Tuesday.

Alnasser is considered endangered and has shut off her cell phone, police said.

Anyone who has seen her or has information about her whereabouts is asked to call the Longmeadow Police Department at 413-567-3311.
The Health Department thoroughly investigates each case, tracking down not only close contacts but any contact by finding out where the individual was when symptoms started as well as who they were with. Health Department staff has had extensive training in communicable disease investigation as well as ample resources provided by the state, she said.
A Toronto man has been charged with fraud for allegedly shipping packages of prohibited COVID-19 test kits across Canada and the United States, police said Friday.

Toronto polices financial crimes unit and the United States Department of Homeland Security launched a joint investigation this week after a parcel containing 25 individual prohibited COVID-19 testing kits was intercepted at the border between Canada and the United States.

According to police, further investigation with the Canada Posts security and investigation services revealed several parcels of prohibited COVID-19 tests sent from a Toronto address were shipped across Canada and into the United States.

On Thursday, officers from Toronto polices financial crimes unit executed a search warrant in the Cosburn Avenue and Pape Avenue area and arrested Jesse Wong, 43, of Toronto.

Wong is charged with fraud under $5000 and possession of a forgery device. He is scheduled to appear in College Park court May 28.

Its unclear if the COVID-19 tests worked or were bogus. Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray said the service is working with the United States Food and Drug Administration to determine the devices legitimacy.

For now, our charges are based on the allegation that no kits are permitted for sale to the public in Canada, Gray said.

Gray said Wong was allegedly selling the kits for $10, as well as masks for $20.

Toronto Police say the public must be extra vigilant when it comes to people selling products or services associated with COVID-19.

There are no legitimate home test kits available, Toronto police said in a statement Friday.

Toronto police ask anyone approached by someone who is misrepresenting themselves to sell goods or services should report it to police online.
Police across the country stepped up their vigil to ensure there was no violation of prohibitory orders on the third day of the national lockdown on Friday but faced thousands of migrant workers who were massed in Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and desperate to reach their homes.

Authorities were also working on ways to ease the hardships faced by migrant workers, who stare at loss of livelihood, trudging long distances back to their villages and also try fix the bottlenecks in movement of essential supplies.

The migrant workers gathered at Ghazipur were sent to the UP side of the border by police in batches and they appeared prepared to walk long distances in case no help was forthcoming to ferry them in public transport.

Around 40 migrant labourers working in Mumbai were also caught in Thane for allegedly trying to escape in a truck to Uttar Pradesh.

The 21-day coronavirus lockdown in force since Wednesday has triggered a mass exodus of migrant workers across the country since the last few days.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to some of the chief ministers and asked them to look into the issue of the mass exodus.

In an advisory, the Union Home Ministry asked state governments to prevent a mass exodus of migrant agriculture labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector employees from their workplaces to hometowns.

The advisory to all states and Union territories said they should also make arrangements for uninterrupted supply of essential commodities to hotels, working women hostels so that they continue to live in existing facilities.

"The home ministry has issued an advisory to States/UTs to prevent mass exodus of migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and unorganised sector workers, so as to prevent the spread of COVID19," an official spokesperson said.

The states and union territories have also been advised to make these vulnerable groups aware of measures taken by the government, including provision of free food grains and other essential items through PDS, and streamline the procedures.

"This would help prevent the exodus of such people," the spokesperson said.

SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar.

Amid reports of violation of prohibitory orders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to K Palaniswami and B S Yeddiruappa, chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively, urging them to enforce strictly the national lockdown and ensure availability of essential commodities for the people.

"Morning at 9:30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to me and said despite lockdown in Karnataka aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19, people are still coming out and commuting and instructed that proper bandobast has to be made. We have discussed regarding this," Yeddiruappa told reporters in Bengaluru.

Amid concerns over availability of essential supplies, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said it is regularly engaging with retailers and e-commerce companies to ensure that the supply chain of essential goods is not disrupted and various facilities continue to function smoothly.

Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India(COAI) also alleged that telecom operators are facing issues in maintaining networks as their employees on duty are being harassed and even beaten by police in some states.

The government has kept telecom services in the list of essential services in order to support work from home during the lockdown period.

Amid reports of movement of food delivery vehicles encountering problems from the police, a truck driver in Patna was shot at by police for allegedly refusing to pay bribe for his potato-laden truck to pass.

A senior police officer said three police constables were arrested and sent to jail.

People in several places threw the concept of social distancing to the wind by crowding at kirana stores and local markets.

Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government will close down markets in Guwahati to avoid overcrowding after people jostled to get essential items despite the advice of social distancing in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

Fancy Bazar, the main commercial hub of the Northeast, was chock-a-block with people knocking each other to buy food items, vegetables, meat and fish.

Tempos, trucks, private vehicles, rickshaws and hand-carts blocked the roads near the market, seeming to be just any other usual working day.

There were similar scenes in other markets in the city and other districts in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, a muslim cleric and 27 others were booked for defying lockdown restrictions and offering prayers at a mosque in Bhopal city. Police said the Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised a prayer at 8 pm on Thursday, violating orohibitory orders.

Earlier in Kerala, two Catholic priests were booked for breaching the restrictions by conducting mass in a Church.

And in an incident apparently linked to the lockdown, police said a 38-year-old daily wage labourer In Thrissur in Kerala committed 'suicide' allegedly frustrated over not getting liquor and after struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

Sanoj, a painting worker, was found hanging from a tree next to his house, a police officer said.

"In our preliminary investigation, his family told us that he was frustrated over the closing of liquor shops. He was showing withdrawal symptoms as he was not getting alcohol for last two days," the officer said.

In Uttarakhand, raids were conducted at sabzi mandis and provision shops by the food and supplies department to check illegal profiteering following complaints that traders were overpricing essential items at some places taking advantage of people's compulsions, state officials said in Dehradun.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France  Fri, March 27, 2020 06:01 657 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206db7dbf 2 Science & Tech Huawei,Google,Android,US-China,US-China-trade-war,smartphone,smartphone-app Free

Huawei drove into its post-Google era Thursday with a flagship smartphone that uses none of the Android maker's apps now that the Chinese group has been blacklisted by US authorities.

The new P40 might not be the first Google-free phone launched by Huawei, it is the first top-line phone meant to seduce early adopters and show off its technological prowess.

The United States has expressed concern that Huawei mobile phone network equipment could contain security loopholes that allow China to spy on global communications traffic, and while the company has denied the accusation, it has been effectively barred from working with US companies.

For smartphones, that means Huawei has had to forgo Google's Android operating system and the plethora of apps available to run on it.

Huawei, which was the world's second largest smartphone-maker last year behind Samsung with a 17 percent market share, now faces the challenge of creating an alternative that is sufficiently attractive to lure both app developers and consumers.

According to the presentation broadcast on YouTube, the P40 smartphones sold in France, Germany, and Italy will use a European search engine called Qwant instead of Google.

Huawei is progressively eliminating Google software from its phones after having shipped its first Google-free model last year, but it has not given a date when it expects to complete the switch.

The P40 will be available from April 7 at a price ranging from 799 to 1,399 euros (US$880-1,540), depending on the specifications.
THE ongoing campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Butiama and Serengeti districts has received a boost expected to record high mileage, thanks to USAID Tanzania for donating a vehicle to Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania (HGWT).

HGWT a non-profit making organisation that leads the FGM battle in the two districts.

We are very thankful to USAID Tanzania for providing us with a vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser. The vehicle will enable us to save many girls who are at risk, HGWT Director, Rhobi Samwelly told Daily News on Thursday.

She said USAID Tanzania had boosted the NGOs fight against FGM and other gender-based violence acts in the region.

Our anti-FGM education campaign will not only reach wider communities, but we will also be able to rescue girls who may be found themselves at risk of being subjected to FGM, said Ms Rhobi who is also the founder of the NGO.

The NGO has so far saved hundreds of girls from undergoing FGM in recent years. It operates two FGM rescue centres in Butiama and Mugumu in Serengeti District.

She appealed for more support from other stakeholders wishing to see the two districts becoming FGM-free.

UNFPA Tanzania is also another key partner that has been supporting the NGOs efforts to curb FGM in the districts.

Besides anti-FGM and other GBV acts, the local NGO has also started providing entrepreneurship skills training to economically empower women in Serengeti and Butiama districts.

So far we have trained 510 women as well providing 87 mobile phones to women, each mobile phone in every village, Ms Rhobi, who has dedicated her life to save girls from FGM in the region, said.

By so doing dependency among women will go down something which may also help to cut GBV acts in the districts.
Pope Francis granted plenary indulgences to those impacted by COVID-19 on Friday.

Standing in front of an empty St. Peters Basilica, Pope Francis held a special Urbi et Orbi, something usually reserved for Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.

The blessing goes to the severity of the coronavirus pandemic across the world.

In the rain, Pope Francis called for global participation to respond to the coronavirus pandemic with the universality of prayer."

The ceremony, which took place at 6 p.m. Rome time (noon, 1 p.m. ET), concluded with Francis granting plenary indulgences, which are spiritual pardons, to the infected, those in quarantine, as well as family members, health care workers and more.

We find ourselves afraid and lost, Francis said.

Pope Francis, during his meditation, entrusted all to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, per The Vatican News.

Dear brothers and sisters, from this place that tells of Peters rock-solid faith, I would like this evening to entrust all of you to the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, Health of the People and Star of the stormy Sea. From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may Gods blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: Do not be afraid (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us (cf. 1Pet 5:7).

Earlier Friday, The Vatican said Pope Francis will be celebrating Holy Week ceremonies in the confines of Vatican City, including a Good Friday Way of the Cross service on the steps of St. Peters Basilica instead of Romes Colosseum as customary.

Follow our COVID-19 live updates. Find all of our coronavirus stories. A free text-messaging service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cellphone. And ask questions. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. A new weekday newsletter is available. You can subscribe here. Also, download our mobile app where you can receive on-the-go notifications.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
A Somerset man was shot and killed by his partner Friday morning, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Police responded at around 8:30 a.m. for a reported shooting at a home in the 8000 block of 3rd St. in Somerset, southwest of San Antonio.

A man in his mid 30s was shot several times in his upper torso and head by a woman in her mid 50s, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar. The man was pronounced dead on scene.

The shooting occurred outside of the home in broad daylight.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

The woman was taken without incident by BCSO for questioning. Salazar expects her to face charges later Friday but would not speculate on the nature of the charges. Salazar said it was unclear if the couple was married.

The couples three children, the oldest of whom is 13 years old, were home during the shooting. The children are safe, Salazar said, and the local school district and Child Protective Services have been notified.

Somerset police asked BCSO for assistance and Bexar County deputies took over the case.

Salazar said deputies are investigating whether there was violence on either side of the relationship leading up to the shooting.

There are resources out there. If you are a victim of domestic violence and you need help to get yourself out of that situation, please give us a call, Salazar said. The last thing we want is to see it end like this. On either side.

Somerset resident Martha Gomez, eyeing the yellow police tape strung across the small citys road, said such shootings were rare in the area.

This doesnt happen. We have burglaries more now than we ever did before but its people that we dont even know that come from out of town. Something like this ...  Gomez trailed off.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 26, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 26, 2020 | 08:12 PM | PADUCAH

West Kentucky Community and Technical College has announced that remote instruction will continue through the end of the semester.



In a press release from the college, officials said that WKCTC is "committed to maintaining the health and safety of its students, faculty, and staff" and will continue to offer online/remote instruction through May 2. Final exams will still be taken during the regular final exam week of May 4 to May 10 and will also be delivered remotely.



Commencement has been postponed, but a new date will be announced in the coming weeks.



"WKCTC understands the concerns about postponing spring commencement but safety must be our top priority. These decisions are not made lightly but collaboratively with our KCTCS colleges, state and federal directives," said WKCTC President Dr. Anton Reece. "The WKCTC family appreciates the overwhelming flexibility, adaptability and support of our students, and we will celebrate their academic success in due time."



WKCTC employees will continue to work remotely through at least April 17 in accordance with Governor Beshear's recommendation. However, this date could change.



The other 15 colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) are also continuing with the same safety measures.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is set to chair a national teleconference between the Government and localities in the next few days to discuss measures to deal with impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A consumer shops at a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City

The information was revealed by Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung at a working session on March 26 of the PMs working group with agencies and business associations to learn about the difficulties facing firms amid the pandemic.

He said in the face of the complex developments of the situation, the Government and the PM have ordered drastic, concrete and concerted solutions be carried out to fight the disease.

As the COVID-19 outbreak has also influenced the economy, society, security, defence and people life, the leader has directed the implementation of measures to remove obstacles to production and business activities, ensure social security and sustain growth, Dung said.

The working group will record all opinions from businesses and propose solutions to the Government, the official said, adding there are opportunities amidst the challenges, and this is also a time for enterprises to restructure their operations and design long-term strategies./.VNA
I thought about what I had learned in medical school, about the long-term impacts of gun violence, not only on individuals but also on families and communities. About adverse childhood experiences, such as witnessing a murder or even hearing gunshots in your neighborhood. About the intersection between the gun violence epidemic and so many other issues of health-care justice such as access, race and gender. For example, nearly 52 percent of gun homicide victims are African American men, despite comprising just 7 percent of the U.S. population. Though we are taught in medical school about how to deal with the immediate aftermath of a gunshot wound, we learn almost nothing about how to heal the long-term impacts  the trauma to individual and family, or how to heal communities.
A Fidelity Bank staff who recently returned from a trip to the United Kingdom has tested positive for COVID-19 as confirmed in a statement released by the bank. Though the Fidelity Bank staff who tested positive for coronavirus has not been at the banks facility as he has been self-isolating since he returned to the country, he, however, brought some consignments for two of his colleagues which were delivered to them individually. The bank staff who received consignments from the coronavirus patient have been made to self-isolate and the office where they work has been temporarily closed. No customer was identified in the contact tracing that was carried out. A statement released by the banks divisional head for brand and communications, Charles Aigbe reads;

Post Views: 20
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room, Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Washington. AP



U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he has heard "so much" about South Korea since the coronavirus outbreak, as the country's handling of COVID-19 has been praised in American media and elsewhere.



During a daily White House press briefing on the coronavirus, Trump also said he has a great relationship with South Korean President Moon Jae-in but insisted the U.S. is doing a better job than South Korea by doing more coronavirus testing.



Trump has boasted since Tuesday that the U.S. has tested more people in eight days than South Korea did in eight weeks, but the claim was later proven to be incorrect and also diminished by the large difference in populations.



"I told you yesterday, eight days here because you heard so much about South Korea," Trump said. "The media kept talking, 'South Korea, South Korea.' We have a great relationship with President Moon of South Korea. But when I hear so much about South Korea  so, in eight days, in eight days, we do more testing than they did in eight weeks. And it's a very highly sophisticated test."



Trump has been accused of bungling his administration's initial response to the pandemic, such as by failing to provide enough test kits for the virus.



In a phone call with President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday, Trump asked for South Korea's assistance with medical equipment, according to Moon's office, Cheong Wa Dae.



Trump and the White House have made no mention of such a request.



Earlier Thursday, Moon and Trump participated in a virtual meeting of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies to discuss their response to the pandemic.



At the press briefing, Trump named each leader by name.



"President Moon of, as you know, a country that we spend a lot of time in, South Korea," he said. "We're working very hard on that." (Yonhap)


The Oregon Zoo has added a second beaver to its menagerie, welcoming Maple earlier this month to its facilities in the West Portland hills.

Maple, a 3-year-old North American beaver, joins Filbert in the zoos Cascade Stream and Pond habitat. The two have become fast friends.

Filbert and Maple are getting along really well, and its great for both of them to have a friend to play with, Julie Christie, senior keeper for the zoos North American animals, said in a statement.

Filbert was born in 2011 to parents Willow and Aspen. In 2015, blood samples from Filbert helped researchers at Oregon State University sequence the genome for his species, which also happens to be Oregons state animal.

After Filberts parents died last year, keepers at the zoo began taking him on adventure walks around the grounds, but having another beaver to share his enclosure with will allow him to continue to develop, Christie said.

Beavers are very social animals, so its wonderful to welcome a new member to the family, she said.

-- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Namira Samir (The Jakarta Post) London  Fri, March 27, 2020 13:50 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dd2895 3 Opinion economic-slowdown,informal-worker,COVID-19,COVID-19-lockdown,informal-sector Free

The informal economy is home to many high-risk jobs which attracts people neither for its salary nor security. It draws many with limited choices and resources. As the sector is home to over 60 percent of Indonesias workforce, with their struggle and courage, they should be hailed as economic heroes.

Yet many remain a shadow in official figures. And it is at the time like this, when a pandemic shakes up the globe, that we can truly see the consequence of ignoring the informal economy in our countrys statistics.

In developed countries with a small size of the informal economy, it is fairly easy to cope with employment issues during this pandemic. In Britain, the government agreed to pay 80 percent of wages of those not working due to the coronavirus crisis if their employer is unable to afford to pay them. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government is still emphasizing social/physical distancing, as it attempts to focus on both keeping the economy afloat and protecting the lives of its citizens.

The livelihood of the low-income workers appeared to be a main concern in deciding against mimicking Chinas nation-wide lockdown. What makes it even harder is the spatial distribution of the informal economy. The International Labor Organization in 2018 found that people living in rural areas worldwide were twice more likely to work in the informal economy as the urban populations.

Its still too early to make a correlation between geography and the risk of getting the coronavirus. However, healthcare facilities in rural areas are significantly lower than urban areas.

When the virus reaches rural areas and infects low-income people in the informal sector they will have far less chance to heal. The damage that the coronavirus continues to produce will eventually worsen conditions in the informal economy and Indonesia is ill-equipped to take care of this matter.

In the cities, while adequate healthcare facilities are just a stones throw away, the virus can spread easily due to dense areas and crowded public transportation. Whats more alarming is the increased area of overcrowded urban slums inhabited by most of the poor and informal workers.

The pandemic shows we cannot take the informal economy for granted. It is understandable for the state to invest in large-scale projects such as tourism that can increase the countrys economic growth with the benefits somehow reaching informal workers, whose sources of income crisscross with the tourism industry.

However, if it is possible to make the grand gestures of strengthening economic growth, why is it so hard to document the informal economy?

Data unavailability prevents informed policy. But as clear as it gets, data also allows for saving of lives. Whatever choice the Indonesian government makes is a double-edged sword for the informal workers. It can either ensure that their lives are protected or their jobs are secured, but there is no way that both things can be achieved.

Learning from this tragedy, the government can find ways to measure the economic activities, make them much better accounted for in the national statistics, and most importantly, design a sound social protection mechanism for the informal workers.

If the pandemic comes to pass, our first reaction is to be grateful.

But can such catastrophic impacts be avoided in the future? Its not about just trying to get back to normal. In the Indonesian case regarding the bulk of its economy, its about acknowledging some of the policy failures on the informal economy and ensure the problem will not be repeated.

This pandemic is a nightmare for all, but its especially hard for those of the undocumented economy. They face difficult choices that most of us will never encounter in our lives. So the least we could do is to purchase daily necessities from those small, unregistered shops close to our homes.

And when this is all over, hopefully we will see a rebirth of the informal economy. Not in terms of how they operate, but in changed perspectives of how the informal economy should be defined. It is an alternative, not a secondary economic sector. Most importantly, policymakers should finally start to work on redesigning the informal sector, starting with documenting the actors, their work and contribution.

***

PhD student at The London School of Economics and Political Science

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
A few weeks ago, Abbis Mahmouds restaurant empire was bustling, with stylish diners packing his collection of upscale cocktail bars and country saloons and upmarket gastro-pubs in Toronto and Ottawa, Canadas capital.

But as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic started to permeate everyday life, he started having some sleepless nights.

It was all weekend, I just couldnt sleep. I kept listening to the news and all the seniors who are going to be at home, if they need food, what are they going to do? Are they going to risk their lives? Mahmoud remembers. I couldnt imagine being in their shoes. It just really bothered me.

So Mahmoud took action. Taking $40,000 of his own money, on March 16, he purchased fooda lot of itat wholesale prices, and started Operation Ramzieh, named for his late mother. He then set up a clearinghouse at The Waverley on Elgin, one of his flagship restaurants in Ottawa, which he had voluntarily shuttered amid the crisis.

Putting out a call on his social media for volunteers, he says, people flooded in to help.

It just exploded, he says.

The Waverley in Ottawa has turned into a clearinghouse, where volunteers come together to assemble food for those who need it. (Rajeev Nath)

Working while using proper social distancing, these volunteers filled the posh space, now stacked up with crates and cans and pallets, packing boxes filled with essentials such as pasta, bread, milkand, of course, toilet paper.

Weve sent thousands of boxes, were opening in Toronto, and were getting calls from cities across the country.

While dramatic, Operation Ramzieh is just one example of caremongering, a grassroots movement thats gaining traction across Canada in these troubled times. Intended to be the opposite of scaremongering, volunteers simply want to ensure the safety and well-being of their neighbors. And its all been completely spontaneous, organized through concerned individuals on social media.

Already, in these early days of the crisis, examples are numerous. The first Facebook group, set up less than two weeks ago, quickly spawned others, and within 72 hours these, collectively, had more than 30,000 members, according to the BBC. And things have grown substantially since then. The groups now range from small neighborhood pods with a few dozen members, to larger mutual aid groups.

Flowing from a Facebook group there, a toll-free phone number was set up in a heavily populated region in the eastern suburbs of Toronto, and volunteers respond with food, or whatever else is needed.

In the blue-collar city of Hamilton, and Calgary, a big city on the prairies, and in numerous other villages, towns, and cities, the same thing is happening. On Quadra Island, a remote, rugged, beautiful place off the coast of British Columbia with just 3,000 residents, locals, again organized through Facebook, are making pharmacy runs, cooking hot meals, even giving away items from their own homes if theyre not available in stores. One group of women cooked up huge batches of borscht, a traditional Ukrainian soup, to distribute to anyone whos hungry.

Mahmoud, who says the project has already outgrown his restaurantthey moved to a community center, and are setting up shop in a conventfeels that its all a natural, human response to suffering and especially uncertainty.

Abbis Mahmoud. (Courtesy of DreamMind Group)

People are sitting at home, and theyre seeing all this bad news, and they want to do something, he explains, adding that other businesses have pitched in, toohotels and other restaurants have donated their perishables, stores have sent supplies, a flower shop even pitched in, so they could top each box with a nice, fresh bloom. And farmers have trucked their crops right to his door.

We had one farmer give us 1,500 pounds of potatoes. He couldve sold them, but he didnt. He gave them to us instead, he says.

The whole experience has already been transformative for Mahmoud, and his volunteers too. Rebecca Sheik, who normally works as a manager at The Waverley (and who is Mahmouds cousin) hasnt taken a day off since Operation Ramzieh started. Answering phones, shes on the front line, and says shes fielded many calls where people are dealing with deep, serious anxiety and distress.

Theyre worried about everything, everyone from single parents to the elderly, she says. You can hear it in their voice, theyre shaky.

Sheik even diverts calls to her personal cell phone in the evenings, and recently answered an urgent one at 12:02 a.m. It was from a widow, who lives with her daughter, both of them with health problems. Stuck inside, they had no food, and no family to bring anything to them. They talked for 45 minutes, she says, and the women got a box first thing in the morning, which was received with tears and profuse thanks.

Mahmoud adds that theyre reaching some of the most desperate and vulnerable, people living close to the edge who, in these extreme circumstances, risk falling off that cliff, including a single mother who called up, saying she had no baby food. She was suicidal. He personally went and bought some, and delivered it to her home.

Natib Khatib, a longtime friend of Mahmouds, is on the frontlines too, driving the boxes to peoples homes.

Their faces just light up, he says, noting that recipients are still taking proper precautionsand then some. Some wont open the door, so we leave it outsidethen we see them spraying the box with Lysol.

Mahmoud has heard stories from other drivers (and gathered from his personal deliveries), of people who blew kisses and sang songs to his volunteers, and of joy and gratefulness in tough times.

Sheik feels that there are bigger lessons here. That through providing for your neighbors, day to day, everyone is discovering deeper human truths.

During war, during tragedy, thats when the love really shows, and we know were all in this together, she says. Thats whats going to get us through thisrealizing that humanity, were all one.

Tim Johnson is a Toronto-based journalist, who frequently covers travel, education, and other topics. Hes been nominated for five National Magazine Awards and visited 145 countries on all seven continents.
The Punjab Police on Friday said it has scaled up relief operations across the curfew-locked state, distributing nearly 1.9 lakh food packets and setting up medical camps in various districts.

The police force has also facilitated the movement of about 3,000 trucks and lorries carrying essential items into the state across various inter-state border points in the past 24 hours, Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said. He said the police are working on introducing new kinds of passes, including an inter-state critical emergency transit pass, covering the states of Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. A total of 42,515 police personnel across ranks, along with volunteers, were on the ground on Friday to enforce curfew and maintain essential supplies as well as law and order, the DGP said in a statement. A total of 79 FIRs were registered and 104 persons arrested in the past 24 hours for violation of curfew and quarantine guidelines, he said. Gupta said a total of 1.9 lakh food packets were distributed on Friday, of which 1,34,815 lakh contained cooked food and 53,502 contained dry food. He said all-out efforts were being made to restore the supply chain of essential goods as well as all kinds of foods and perishable commodities "which had been disrupted due to the sudden nationwide lockdown order of the Union Government". The movement of goods vehicles across the inter-state border as well as within the state has been restored completely, he added. According to the statement, police are making efforts to enrol volunteers as "curfew police" officers to enforce the curfew, especially in areas where the police presence is thin on the ground. The DGP said efforts were also being made to involve ordinary rickshaw pullers to sell vegetables, milk, etc in small areas of operation. This would facilitate delivery of vegetables and provide livelihood to the rickshaw pullers, he said. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police said that apart from ensuring the strict enforcement of the lockdown, it is also providing essential items to daily wage earners who have been rendered jobless during the COVID-19 lockdown. Haryana's Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Navdeep Singh Virk said the daily wagers are being provided with food and other essential items. Police are also ensuring people follow social distancing in mandis across the state. Senior officers in the field are visiting these spots regularly, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The novel coronavirus has induced unprecedented volatility in the financial markets since the beginning of this year, prompting both small and large businesses to brood over their ability to keep going once the crisis is over. Investors also hesitated to put their money into stocks, unable to understand which direction the broader markets may trend in the weeks ahead.

However, one must remember in such trying times that the current situation is all but permanent. This temporary weakness induced by the novel coronavirus, like all things bad, shall pass. Keeping this in mind, let us delve deeper and consider a few stocks that are apt for investment despite the gloomy scenario.

Quarantine Measures Are Yielding Results

The deadly disease that originated in Wuhan, China, about three months ago affected more than 549,000 lives globally as of Mar 27. Fears over this highly infectious virus sent several countries on lockdown, hoping that less contact among people may slow the contagion.

This is because although top biotechnology companies, such as Moderna, Inc. MRNA and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. REGN are working fast toward an experimental vaccine, the results from the initial dosing of Modernas antidote will take at least two months to affirm, as Bloomberg reported. In such a scenario, shutting down cities, towns and localities is the safest bet for governments globally.

In fact, this quarantine actually yielded affirmative results in China and South Korea, per The New York Times. Both countries suffered extensively from the viral attack but life in these two South Asian countries is already limping back to normalcy, courtesy of some strict quarantine measures imposed earlier. Given that the United States and several other countries are also down the same path right now, one may expect the COVID-19 condition to be under control a few months from now.

Current Monetary and Fiscal Stimulus to Boost Markets

Enough monetary and fiscal measures have been induced in the economy to propel a turnaround in the financial markets. The countrys central bank did its share of monetary easing by cutting rates twice this year in close succession. Its latest rate cut on Mar 15, which put the benchmark rates to near-zero, is already yielding results in the arena of mortgage rates.

Story continues

The Feds current rates are in the 0-0.25% range, which lowers the borrowing costs for both individuals and businesses, hit hard by the pandemic. After all, as more consumers gain access to interest-free cash, the more they are likely to increase their spending and get the economy gather steam again.

The Senate on Mar 25 also approved an astounding $2-trillion stimulus package to rescue the economy from further damages in the coming months. In a historic voting ratio of 96-0, the legislation passed the proposed financial aid with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate. The bill is now headed to the House for a vote. President Donald Trump already indicated that he will signal the bill green.

The package reflects of the largest emergency support program in American history. Among the key elements of this initiative, a sum of $250 billion will be paid to individuals and families; $350 billion is allotted to small business loans; $250 billion is reserved for unemployment insurance benefits and an amount worth $500 billion is meant to be spent on loans to bail out the distressed businesses.

Stagnant Consumer Demand to Rise Ahead

Albeit activities like purchasing consumer discretionary products and visiting recreational centers halted altogether right now, these could witness a sharp resurgence once this temporary phase of quarantine comes to an end.

In such a scenario, investors looking for an entry point in the markets could consider investing in high-quality companies that have outperformed the broader markets consistently. It is only in recent weeks that these stocks showed a dip because of the downtrend gripping the Wall Street post the COVID-19 outbreak.

3 Stocks to Buy

We therefore narrowed down our recommendation to three stocks that have outperformed the broader S&P 500 in the past year. Not only are these three companies large-capitalization ones, but each of those holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Shares of Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN have gained 10.3% in the past year, clearly outperforming the broader S&P 500 indexs 7.5% decline. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amazons current-year earnings has moved 4.8% north in the past 60 days. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 18.9%. Amazon belongs to the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry.

Shares of Microsoft Corporation MSFT have gained 33.6% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Microsofts current-year earnings has moved 5.2% north in the past 60 days. The companysexpected earnings growth rate for the current year is 18.7%. Microsoft belongs to the Zacks Computer - Software industry.

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD have gained 89.6% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Advanced Micro Devices current-year earnings has moved 1.9% north in the past 60 days. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 71.9%. Advanced Micro Devices belongs to the Zacks Electronics - Semiconductors industry.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

Click to get this free report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research
When she was younger, Jaimee Perrett lived in Kaitkati with her family growing kiwifruit and avocados.

Now, she is a teacher and is currently over in Ghana, West Africa, building a school.

She first arrived in Ghana in 2014 to teach English to the school and stayed there for four months.

The school is run by a family who I now consider my own. It was the love I received from this family that continued to inspire me to make their dream come true.

It was obvious then that this school needed to be rebuilt because it was only ever built as a temporary structure. It has been costing the school so much money that the chance of them ever being able to afford a new one is impossible.

When I was here in January 2019, it was a friend of mine from Portugal, who suggested we do a fundraiser to raise enough to rebuild the school. After I said yes, I spent the rest of my trip in Ghana doing budgets instead of teaching. It was a lot of new learning for me.

Jaimee is now at the school for the fourth time, rebuilding it using all the money raised since March/April last year.

For now, it is just one school that Jaimee is helping build. She says the circumstances and close relationship with the family is the real drive behind what they are doing.

It is a whole lot of small projects that has grown into something much larger. We are now a registered charity as we hope to continue to support this school in the years to come.

Our long term goals are new desks, more toilets, educational resources and financial support to more families that struggle to find the financial means to send their children to school. Eventually, wed like to install solar panels because the power supply in the village is very irregular. A new school bus would be a dream come true too, then we would be able to bring children from smaller nearby villages to school.

The school has 300 students attending, and once finished there will be 12 classrooms. Jaimee says the new school building is a starting point.

Once they have a safe a secure learning environment they can focus more on the education. I am a teacher as well, so I understand the necessity of having a decent learning space. Right now, the children are learning in classrooms held together by pieces of wood and old tin roofs. If it is raining, you cant hear anything. If the rain is heavy, the classrooms can flood. And in the hot weather, the heat can be felt as if you are standing in direct sunlight.

Once the school is built, there will be capacity for more children to attend school. This school is all inclusive: all religions, children with disabilities, children with learning difficulties, and poor families are all welcome here. It really is a place the village needs.

The school is also an orphanage. Jaimee says the next steps will be to improve the sleeping and eating areas so that the family can accept even more children than there already is.

One thing Jaimee says she loves about Ghana is the culture.

It reminds me of Maori culture. Their idea of community and holistic living is very similar. All children are looked after by all parents. The kids here are amazing with poi and they love New Zealand music  especially Tiki Tane and Stan Walker. They know a lot about our native language and culture and they get excited when I give them translation in Maori.

The biggest difference is the heat. It is so constant! The food is different too  cooked outside on open fire. Most of the ingredients come directly from the farm and if not, then the local market.

The living conditions are similar to camping at home. Long drop toilets, bucket showers, bunk bed and outdoor cooking. I wouldnt want to any other way.

Just like New Zealand and the rest of the world, Ghana is also affected by COVID-19. As of Thursday, March 26 they had 68 cases of the virus with three people losing their lives.

Jaimee says Ghana was quick to announce a border closure just days after the first cases were announced.

We feel like the government has taken a very strong stand for protecting their people. We feel very safe and everyone is healthy and in good spirits. We were due to have more volunteers arrive over the next two months but with Ghana closing its borders and the decision not to risk the spread of the disease, most have decided to stay put.

So, the only negative affect here right now is the fact that the progress of the school will slow down a bit. Everyone still intends to get over here when and if they can, and the locals are doing their best to keep things moving too.

We just have to take care of ourselves and each other during this time  putting health first.

A give-a-little campaign is still running and people are encouraged to keep up to date with the project on Facebook and Instagram @GFSTetrem.
SHELTON  A Shelton company that normally provides medical-grade plastic devices has retrofitted its plant to produce face mask shields to help emergency workers fighting COVID-19.

Modern Plastics on Long Hill Cross Road is now turning out about 500,000 plastic face mask shields per day  and planning to increase that  and have been in contact with health care facilities throughout the country, according to Bing Carbone, a Shelton resident and president of the 75-year-old company.

The pandemic is unsettling for everyone, and Im no different, said Carbone. I think we are all having trouble sleeping at night and anxiety levels are high, but we are Americans and have been through so many things in our countrys history.

I think this country has truly come together during this pandemic crisis. American ingenuity is at work this very moment. We will solve this crisis, and we will be a better nation as a result  that, I am very confident of, Carbone said.

The plastic face mask shields are used by first responders, doctors, nurses, health care professionals and other industries where an added layer of protection is required.

We will be scaling up to more than 500,000 masks per day, and then upwards from there, said Carbone. We have been contacted by health care facilities from every state at this point. We are inundated, but we are fulfilling order requests. We have an incredible staff of dedicated employees that have been working non-stop.

The masks have become symbolic of the international treatment effort and need to be in the hands of the professionals working on the front lines as soon as possible, Carbone said.

If I was in that industry, I wouldnt dream of treating patients without one of these, added Carbone, and thats the very problem we are facing now. There is a massive shortage. Its terrifying, I can imagine, to not be wearing one of the face mask shields. This product is never going away. It will be the new norm.

Modern Plastics has been deemed an essential business by the federal government, Department of Defense and large strategic global medical device suppliers. The company normally supplies high performance and medical grade plastics for implant in the human body.

Carbone said manufacturing the face masks is difficult, and the company was forced to obtain materials from across the United States and in enormous quantities.

We had to set up assembly lines, which was a huge start-up cost. We had to hire people. We had to train people, and then we had to execute in terms of making a finished product, said Carbone. To date, I think we have well more than 1 million orders from a simple Facebook post I made on my personal page.

Carbone said he asked people to share his post, and the response, he said, has been overwhelming.

I could not be any prouder that we are helping to protect our citizens and certainly our very critical health care professionals, said Carbone. I think I have received a million thank-you notes as well, and I am so humbled. This is quite an experience for me.

Modern Plastics has also had an increased demand for another product: an acrylic sheet, which the company makes into buffet covers  sneeze guards  operating room protection barriers and other physical contact barriers.

Carbone has lived in Shelton for 28 years and has served on various boards and committees over the years.

"I absolutely love Shelton; in fact, I moved Modern Plastics from Bridgeport into a beautiful Bob Scinto building in 2010, said Carbone. I would do anything for this great city.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
33rd Chinese naval escort taskforce returns from Gulf of Aden

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Li Wei

2020-03-26 17:59:40



By Li Yinchuan

QINGDAO, Mar. 26 -- On the afternoon of March 25, the 33rd escort taskforce of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, consisting of the guided-missile destroyer Xining (Hull 117), the guided-missile frigate Weifang (Hull 550), and the comprehensive supply ship Kekexili Lake (Hull 968), returned to a military port in Qingdao after successfully completing its escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.

On August 29, 2019, the 33rd Chinese naval escort taskforce set sail for the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia to perform escort missions. The taskforce has consecutively worked for 210 days and escorted 24 batches of 41 ships from China and other countries, ensuring the safety of the escorted ships and the taskforce itself.

During the missions, the taskforce took part in the Multinational Maritime Exercise with Russia and South Africa, which enhanced the friendship and military cooperation between the three countries, demonstrating the determination of all parties to work together to address maritime threats and challenges and maintaining maritime security.

On its journey home, the taskforce also made visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh, and Thailand, fully demonstrating the good image of the PLA and helping strengthen and develop the friendly relations with relevant countries.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Mr. Bidens ability to connect with Ms. Honkalas age group  through his resume and more centrist tendencies, his talk of shared values and his perceived general election promise  helped him regain his footing in Nevada, surge to victory in South Carolina and catapult to his perch as the likely Democratic nominee. It was a rapid reversal of fortunes fueled by overwhelming support first from older black voters and, ultimately, from older voters more broadly, a key part of his larger coalition.

Now that age group is top of mind for many Americans as the nation confronts the staggering costs of the coronavirus crisis. Its a vulnerable population in terms of the outbreak  and has become the focus of the public conversation. Health officials are pleading for young people to stay home to protect their parents and grandparents, while in Texas, Dan Patrick, the Republican lieutenant governor, suggested that older people might be willing to take risks in order to protect the economy, sparking a national controversy.

But politically, the primary results this election season have highlighted the extraordinary, sustained power of older Americans: Exit polls, surveys and interviews with political strategists and demographers show that the concerns and preferences of these voters have played a critical role in defining the trajectory of the Democratic race so far, and are poised to do so in the general election as well.

In Florida, a state with a significant retiree population, Mr. Biden won the Democratic primary last week by nearly 40 percentage points, a reflection of both his momentum in the race and his strength with constituencies including more moderate Latino voters, African-Americans and college-educated white suburbanites. Among voters aged 65 and over, Mr. Bidens advantage was even starker: He was the choice of 70 percent of those voters, while 5 percent said the same of Mr. Sanders, according to a National Election Pool pre-election survey of Florida voters.

Older voters, after African-American voters, have been the single most important constituency for Joe Biden, said Celinda Lake, a veteran Democratic pollster and political strategist who works with the Biden team but spoke in her personal capacity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged radio jockeys to provide feedback on the difficulties and challenges faced by people due to the coronavirus outbreak to help the government resolve their problems swiftly.

Interacting with a group of radio jockeys via video, he also urged them to spread information about the views of experts and steps taken by the government to tackle the situation.

Underlining the importance of empathy, the prime minster said it is important to tell the stories of misbehaviour with doctors, health care workers and airline staff due to societal fears of them being infected by the virus so that such challenges are overcome.

Modi said the government has announced a number of measures to assist the poor and under-privileged in these difficult times.

It is important that information about these announcements reaches the intended beneficiaries swiftly and in a timely manner, he said.

The prime minister said as mass communicators, radio jockeys can play a proactive role in informing their listeners about the announcements, along with educating them about social distancing and the importance of self-quarantine.

He also stressed on the importance of educating the public about the dedication of police personnel who are working continuously to assist people.

The prime minister said people should cooperate with police, adding that while police should avoid use of strong arm tactics, it is also necessary to enforce discipline.

He observed that the public broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) has a particularly important role to play in stopping the flow of rumours.

Modi also requested the radio jockeys to also work towards checking the spread of rumours and appreciated their role in spreading awareness about COVID-19.

He said it is praiseworthy that even during a lockdown, they are discharging their responsibility and recording programmes from home.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Modi told them that through the reach of the programmes, radio jockeys (RJs) are like members of families of millions of Indian households.

"People not only hear but also follow them. RJs have a great responsibility not just to disseminate and disabuse superstitions but also motivate people," the statement said.

Apart from spreading information about the views of experts and steps taken by the government, he also requested the RJs to provide feedback about the difficulties and challenges faced by people so that the government can proactively resolve them.

Modi exhorted the RJs to disseminate positive stories and case studies, particularly of patients who have fully recovered from the disease.

He suggested that such stories can be aired throughout the country.

The prime minister also asked them to showcase and constantly celebrate the contributions of the local heroes, including police officers, doctors, nurses and ward boys at national-level.

In their response, the RJs called the prime minister as a part of the RJ fraternity since he has been hosting the monthly 'Mann ki Baat' programme on radio since 2014.

Pointing out the unprecedented response to the prime minister's call of 'Janta Curfew' and his innovative idea of thanking the frontline warriors, the RJs praised the leadership of Modi and said they would be happy to play the role of the voice of the nation in the battle against the pandemic, the statement said.

Modi urged the RJs to work towards ensuring a constructive and positive attitude in the society. He said that 'an attitude of togetherness combined with positivity is the key to facing the challenge posed by COVID-19'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Mark Peterson





Last week I looked at the number of invasions Korea has suffered, and I explained my point of view, that there were really very few invasions in spite of the popular opinion that Korea has been invaded numerous times. Today's entry (#4) in this series I call, "Peaceful and Stable Korea," looks at the fact that Korea has never invaded another country.



Some years ago, I had lunch with a director-general of one of the divisions at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I mentioned the fact that Korea had never invaded another country; something Korea should be proud of. But to my surprise, he bowed his head, and lowered his shoulders and said, "Yes, we were so weak that we never even invaded another country."



I thought it was a unique feature of Korean history, and a thing that few, if any, other country could claim. But he took it as a source of shame, of embarrassment. I told him, "Oh no, this is a thing to be proud of. Few countries can claim to have such a peaceful tradition." But he would have none of it. He insisted on being embarrassed and shamed by the fact.



Some people disagree. I had an American high school teacher on one of my "fact-finding seminar tours" of Korea come back at me a few days after I had told the group that Korea had never invaded another country. She found a passage in a text that said the Mongols were driven back from invading Japan in 1272 and again in 1284 by the kamikaze winds, the "winds of the gods" that protected Japan. It said the invading force was a combined Mongol and Korean force. I protested, pointing out that the Koreans had been taken over by the Mongols. And Mongols couldn't build or sail ships so they forced the Korean navy to do their dirty work for them. And that you can't call that a Korean invasion. But the teacher was adamant. She insisted that I was wrong because the book said it was a combined Mongol-Korean armada. So, you, too, can call that an invasion, if you want to. I don't.



You can also find the incident of King Sejong, early in his reign, ordering the Korean navy to sail against the island of Daemado, or Tsushima, in the waters of Japan, to put an end to Japanese piracy coming from that island. Okay, you can call that an invasion, maybe? I don't, because it was only an island that was part of Japan  not a country, itself. And the Korean armed forces did not take over the island or in any way conquer the people there  they just forced the leader of the island to stop sending pirates, and they opened ports for trade to disincentivize piracy. You can call that an invasion if you want to. I don't.



And you can argue that Korea invaded Vietnam in the 1970s. But here again, like the Mongols, it was not Korea's idea, it was not for their plans of conquest, and to a certain extent they were pushed into the plan by the US Army. If you are hungry to call that an invasion, go ahead. I don't.



Rather, I think the fact that Korea has not invaded another country is one more indicator of the peaceful nature of Korea, culturally and historically. It is number four, out of ten, in this series of articles. It is part of the picture of Korea as a civil, civilized, educated, cultured country that did not rely on war as a primary choice of conduct.



I recently found a quotation that backs me up. It is from Kim Ku, the famous anti-Japanese freedom fighter and rival to Syngman Rhee to be the first president of the Republic of Korea  until he was assassinated in his car driving through the Hyehwa-dong Rotary in 1949, allegedly by a henchman of Syngman Rhee.



Kim Ku said, "I want our country to be the most beautiful country in the world. I am sick of the invasions from other countries, so I do not want my country to invade others. Our buoyancy is enough to enrich our lives, and our strength is enough to stop others from invading. The only thing I want to have is the power of high culture. This is because the power of culture will make us happy and will give happiness to others."



If Kim Ku doesn't want to invade other countries, that's good enough for me, and for the majority of Koreans. It is not to be ashamed of. It is a rare attribute that few other countries in the world, if any, can claim. Peaceful Korea, man-se!





Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


US Announces Narcoterrorism Charges Against Venezuela's Maduro

By Masood Farivar March 26, 2020

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday announced narcoterrorism charges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other top officials, accusing them of collaborating with a leftist Colombian guerrilla group to traffic cocaine to the United States.

The charges are likely to heighten tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Relations deteriorated last year after the Trump administration recognized Maduro's electoral rival as the country's interim president and later imposed sweeping economic sanctions designed to remove Maduro from office.

In a sweeping indictment unsealed in New York, prosecutors accused Maduro of running a drug cartel in partnership with two Colombian guerrilla leaders and several top Venezuelan officials, including the speaker of Venezuela's national assembly; a former director of military intelligence; and a former general in the Venezuelan armed forces.

The four men face charges of participating in a narcoterrorism conspiracy, conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and two weapons-related charges.

In a separate indictment and criminal complaint, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine on board an aircraft registered in the United States, while Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Jose Moreno Perez was accused of money laundering in connection with receiving tens of millions of dollars and bribes to fix dozens of civil and criminal cases in Venezuela.

In all, 15 current and former Venezuelan officials, along with two leaders of the Colombian FARC group, were indicted.

The dramatic charges were announced by Attorney General William Barr and other senior law enforcement officials at a virtual press conference.

"Today's announcement is focused on rooting out the extensive corruption within the Venezuelan government  a system constructed and controlled to enrich those at the highest levels of the government," Barr said. "The United States will not allow these corrupt Venezuelan officials to use the U.S. banking system to move their illicit proceeds from South America nor further their criminal schemes."

On Twitter, Maduro accused the United States and Colombia of conspiring against Venezuela.

It is only the second time in recent decades that the Justice Department has indicted a sitting foreign head of state, though one not officially recognized. In 1988, the Justice Department indicted Manuel Noriega, then the military ruler of Panama, on drug trafficking charges. He was captured the following year during the U.S. invasion of Panama and subsequently spent 17 years in prison in the United States.

Barr said the United States expects "eventually to gain custody" of Maduro, Venezuela's president since 2013, and his associates, and will explore all options to arrest them. But Barr declined to say whether the United States would send in the military to capture them.

"Some of them do travel, and that may be an opportunity," Barr said. "Hopefully, the Venezuelan people will see what's going on and eventually gain control."

The State Department announced a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of Maduro. Awards of up to $10 million were also announced for four other officials wanted by the Justice Department.

In a statement, the department said the officials "violated the public trust by facilitating shipments of narcotics from Venezuela, including control over planes that leave from a Venezuelan air base."

FARC signed a peace deal with the Colombian government in 2016, ending more than 50 years of conflict. But a group of 2,500 FARC dissidents, backed by the Maduro regime, remains involved in trafficking cocaine from Colombia to the United States via Venezuela and Central America, officials said.

The indictment alleges that Maduro began cultivating FARC as early as 2006 when he was foreign minister and agreed to help the group in exchange for receiving $5 million. He later agreed to keep the Venezuelan border open to the group to facilitate its drug trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman of the Southern District of New York.

"The scope and magnitude of the drug trafficking alleged was made possible only because Maduro and others corrupted the institutions of Venezuela and provided political and military protection for the rampant narcoterrorism crimes described in our charges," Berman told reporters via video link.

"As alleged, Maduro and the other defendants expressly intended to flood the United States with cocaine in order to undermine the health and well-being of our nation," Berman said. "Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg waves to supporters as he announces the suspension of his campaign and his endorsement of Vice President Joe Biden on March 4. Read more

Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg had a foolproof formula.

The self-made billionaire would use his vast fortune to run for president and, if that didnt work, he would keep his campaign staff on the job until Novembers general election to support the Democratic nominee.

In politics, some promises are made to be broken.

Bloomberg, who dropped out of the race three weeks ago after spending more than $500 million, unceremoniously laid off 1,100 staffers last week.

So much for hero status. Bloombergs donation of $18 million to the Democratic National Committee did little to soften the blow, and now some of his consultants and field operatives are looking for payback.

A federal class action lawsuit filed Monday in New York is seeking pay through November, plus overtime compensation for hours already worked.

Gregg Shavitz, one of the lawyers who filed the suit, said he has a team of attorneys struggling to keep up with the calls and emails from angry ex-Bloomberg staffers. A lawsuit that started with one Florida woman now has clients from 12 states, he said.

A Bloomberg campaign spokesperson predicts many former staffers will find jobs with the DNC, thanks to that $18 million he donated.

This campaign paid its staff wages and benefits that were much more generous than any other campaign, the spokesperson said, noting the employees also received several weeks of severance and health care."

Shavitz thinks that attitude proves the point of the lawsuit.

The wages they were being paid showed total respect for the services they provided, he said. The mass termination just stripped any respect for the promise and the person all at once.

No former staffers from Pennsylvania or New Jersey have joined the suit so far. But hard feelings are certainly brewing around here.

One Pennsylvania staffer, who was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement, said the campaign assured staff a few weeks ago they would land with an independent expenditure committee set up to help Joe Biden, whom Bloomberg has now endorsed  or get first dibs on DNC jobs.

None of that happened, and the staffer estimates about 100 Pennsylvania-based employees got the ax last week in a conference call.

A woman basically read from a script and then disconnected the call  no follow-up  just, Youre done, he said.

There was one tech bonus: Staffers were allowed to keep their campaign laptops and cell phones if they paid fair market value taxes on them.

Bloomberg, on the day he dropped out, emailed employees to thank them, adding, I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead.... No one outworked our team, and I couldnt be prouder of everyone who was part of it.

Then, last Friday, employees got an email with a much different tone: Subject line: off-boarding. It instructed employees that March 20 would be their last day.

The promise was now broken.

The man has more money than God and the rules dont apply to him, the Pennsylvania staffer said.

Operation Save City Commissioner Omar Sabir a success

City Commissioner Omar Sabir had a good excuse for why his office was slow to send out a news release about the state legislatures passing a bill Wednesday to postpone the primary election from April 28 until June 2.

He was locked inside Fairmount Park.

Sabir had been making work calls while getting exercise in the form of a walk through the park  hes lost 100 pounds and counting, he said  when he saw the metal gates closing.

The problem: He was standing at the top of a hill, and it would take him several minutes to get to the bottom, where workers were chaining the gates.

I shouted and started yelling, Sabir said, but the workers didnt hear him. They locked the door and kept moving.

He called Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., who picked up on the first ring to perform some constituent service.

Jones, who posted to Facebook about the call Wednesday, said he called Kathryn Ott Lovell, the citys parks and recreation commissioner.

I couldnt bring myself to ask [Sabir] did you climb that fence???, Jones wrote. Lmao #gettingThoughThisTogether.

Sabir, laughing hard as he walked home, told Clout he didnt need to climb the fence. One of the workers arrived to free him at 4:57 p.m.

One minute later, his office sent out his news release.

Culture warrior calls for day of humiliation. Internet obliges.

State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, a Clinton County culture warrior who has drawn national attention for her strident deployment of religion in government proceedings, called this week in a House resolution for a state day of humiliation, fasting and prayer Monday due to the pandemic of 2020.

The internet, predictably, was not impressed. The freshman GOP legislators resolution was forwarded to the State Government Committee, where ranking Democrat Kevin Boyle of Philadelphia called it the stupidest resolution Ive ever seen a politician introduce.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, also a Democrat, agreed with Boyle, adding, If its not, itll do [until] the stupidest one gets here.

Borowicz, who did not respond to Clouts hails, cites a similar move by President Abraham Lincoln on April 30, 1863, while the Civil War raged. Indeed, Borowicz cribbed most of her resolutions language from a proclamation by Honest Abe.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! both documents say.
Jo Wood has confirmed that the cause of her brother Paul Kerslake's death was coronavirus.

The radio DJ revealed in a tweet shared on Thursday that her sibling had died from COVID-19, after being rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties.

Jo, 65, called for change, as she also shared a theory that coronavirus 'escaped from a lab' and branded the pandemic that has swept across the globe 'messed up'.

Tragic: Jo Wood has confirmed coronavirus was the cause of her brother Paul Kerslake's death

Her tweet read: ' So it was COVID that took my brothers life on Monday .. a deadly virus that escaped from a lab and its affected the whole world..

'This cant happen again its messed up !!! #banthiss**t #timeforchange.'

Fans rushed to send Jo their support, with many sending their condolences. One fan commented: 'Oh no! That is terrifying. So sorry for your heartbreaking loss, Jo - so wrong and unfair.'

Another said: 'Keep strong lovely lady its so sad x,' while a third posted: 'So very sorry for your loss sending love and hugs x.'

'This must change': The radio DJ, 65, tweeted the cause of Paul's death, while sharing a theory that COVID-19 'escaped from a lab'

'God I didnt realise it was your brother, Im so awfully sorry xx #rip,' shared another.

It's been reported that the source of COVID-19 originated from a wet market in Wuhan, China. According to The Telegraph, the animal source, although not yet confirmed, is thought to be bats.

Bats were not sold at the wet markets, but could have infected both live and dead animal stock being sold. Coronaviruses are known for jumping from animals to humans.

Paul passed away on Monday morning aged 61. A statement issued at the time of his death confirmed that he had been rushed to hospital after experiencing difficulties breathing.

Support: Fans rushed to send Jo their support following her tweet about Paul's death (pictured above), with many sending their condolences

Jo paid tribute to her 'funny and talented' brother as she shared a series of pictures of the two of them together on her Instagram page in tribute.

She posted an emotional message to artist Paul where she said she was 'heartbroken' and that Paul will 'always be in her heart'.

Jo wrote: 'This is my brother @Paulkarslakefa who died today...I love him so much I'll miss him so much a funny talented wonderful father husband and brother...

'Life won't be the same without him. RIP brother. I love you #brother #heartbroken #seeyouontheotherside #alwaysinmyheart.'

Statement: Paul passed away on Monday morning after he was rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties, a statement confirmed

Heartbroken: Jo posted an emotional message to Paul where she revealed she was 'heartbroken', before revealing that he will 'always be in her heart'

A statement on Paul's Instagram page described him as a 'fantastic husband, a wonderful father, an amazing family man and an excellent friend to all'.

The message read: 'It is with deep sorrow that we have to announce Paul's sad passing this morning. He was taken to hospital yesterday morning with breathing problems and at present we do not know the exact reason for his passing.

'The family asks for some peace and consideration and to respect and family's privacy at this very difficult and distressing time.

'The family have also asked that you try not to go to Paul's workshop as it is shut and in this current time it is dangerous to gather with the guidelines for self isolation.

She wrote: 'This is my brother @Paulkarslakefa who died today...I love him so much I'll miss him so much a funny talented wonderful father husband and brother...'

'It is however appreciated how much he was loved. He was a fantastic husband, a wonderful father, an amazing family man and an excellent friend to all. He is now at peace.'

In a poignant post just three days before his death, Paul urged his followers to 'stay safe' and 'look after each other' amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Sharing an image of one of his paintings, Paul penned: 'Let's think about the world at this time, the healing of Mother Nature.

'It's all about the Monet' one of my paintings on #plasticpollution #staysafe #safetyfirst #lookafteryourself #health #mothernature #ecofriendly #plasticfree #zerowaste #environment #climatechange #monet #painting #artwork #artist #awareness #creative #planet #love #follow #lifestyle #pretty #beautiful #views #flowers #prettypainting #pink #aesthetic.'

Jo is the eldest of her three siblings Paul, Vinnie and sister Lize.

The family grew up in Essex and were raised by parents Rachel and Michael Karslake, who worked as an Avon lady and architectural model maker respectively.

Paul studied at SEEVIC College and Southend College of Art and Technology before beginning to work with his father Michael.

Jo is the eldest of her three siblings Paul, Vinnie and sister Lize.

Tribute: A statement on Paul's Instagram page described him as a 'fantastic husband, a wonderful father, an amazing family man and an excellent friend to all

The family grew up in Essex and were raised by parents Rachel and Michael Karslake, who worked as an Avon lady and architectural model maker respectively.

Paul studied at SEEVIC College and Southend College of Art and Technology before beginning to work with his father Michael.

Paul spent four years in California, working for the LA Art Studios, CBS Television and Disney Studios, with whom he later collaborated on the EuroDisney project.

Throughout his career Paul has enjoyed several solo exhibitions and has been awarded accolades including the Evening Standard's Environment Award in April 1990.

The Karslake Centre, a centre for arts education, was opened at the Cornelius Vermuyden School and Arts College in September 2005.

Paul leaves behind his wife Sandra and their children.
Superintendent of schools for Tomball ISD Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora announced via a video update that the contract with Texas A&M for Tomball High School and Tomball Memorial Class of 2020 graduation has been canceled.

The new date, time and location for graduation will be announced at a later date.

We do plan to honor you and all of your 12 years of formal education in some way, Salazar-Zamora said. We do plan to honor you with a graduation in the future but unfortunately I cannot tell you when or where at this time.

Tomball High School was originally scheduled to celebrate graduation on 10:00 a.m., May 30, at Reed Arena on the campus of Texas A&M, followed by Tomball Memorial High School at 1:30 p.m.

I understand that this news comes with sadness, and I am so sorry for the fact that this pandemic event has changed your senior year in many ways, Salazar-Zamora said.

The Tomball ISD staff is working to see that students have all the information for graduation and next chapter in life. Salazar-Zamora also advises seniors to look for the correspondent that will be titled senior correspondents which will come out shortly.

I know there are opportunities still hopefully in the future where we can celebrate different things at different times, Salazar-Zamora said.

Tomball ISD announced last week that its school closures would be extended through April 10 as the number of coronavirus cases continues rising in greater Houston.

Related: Northwest Houston school districts continue curbside meal programs, begin remote learning

The school district launched Tomball ISD Remote Learning Plan, a virtual education website through which parents, students and staff can access academic resources for Week 1 of remote learning beginning Monday, March 23.

First-week assignments wont be graded as students acclimate to their new virtual learning environment, according to a March 20 community message from Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora.

As the weeks progress, the online learning will become easier to navigate and new methods and techniques will be added by the teachers to enhance the learning experience. Teachers will be communicating office hours in which they will be available online in the Google classroom to answer any student questions in real time, Salazar-Zamora states in the March 20 message.

To access the Tomball ISD Remote Learning Plan, visit sites.google.com/tomballschools.net/tomball-isd-remote-learning/home.

Free curbside meals will continue being offered to Tomball ISD students. Families can pick up meals from 8-11 a.m. on either Tuesday or Wednesday at the front entrance of Tomball High School. The district asks families to choose only one of the days and to have their students ID numbers available to provide when picking up meals.

Tomball ISD created Travel Self-Reporting surveys for staff and families, which the district asks people fill out online if they traveled outside of Texas during Spring Break.

Tomball ISD has a page dedicated to coronavirus-related updates that can be accessed through the districts website, www.tomballisd.net.
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX:ANZ) share price has dived 41% in the last thirty days. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 41% in that time.

Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

Check out our latest analysis for Australia and New Zealand Banking Group

How Does Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 6.97 that sentiment around Australia and New Zealand Banking Group isn't particularly high. The image below shows that Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has a lower P/E than the average (7.8) P/E for companies in the banks industry.

ASX:ANZ Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

This suggests that market participants think Australia and New Zealand Banking Group will underperform other companies in its industry. Since the market seems unimpressed with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

Story continues

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group shrunk earnings per share by 9.6% last year. But over the longer term (3 years), earnings per share have increased by 4.0%. And EPS is down 3.6% a year, over the last 5 years. So we might expect a relatively low P/E.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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).

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

How Does Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt is 36% of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's market cap. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.

The Verdict On Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's P/E Ratio

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has a P/E of 7.0. That's below the average in the AU market, which is 13.0. Since it only carries a modest debt load, it's likely the low expectations implied by the P/E ratio arise from the lack of recent earnings growth. Given Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's P/E ratio has declined from 11.7 to 7.0 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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 visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Australia and New Zealand Banking Group. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 19:32:21|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Policemen wearing face masks are seen inside a school that will be turned into a 100-bed COVID-19 quarantine facility in San Juan City, the Philippines on March 27, 2020. The Philippines reported that 96 more people tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 803. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines reported that 96 more people tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 803.

Health Undersecretary of the Philippines Maria Rosario Vergeire said 54 people have died from the highly contagious viral disease, while 31 patients have recovered.

Vergeire said the new cases include another Department of Health (DOH) official who tested positive for COVID-19 and had "mild symptoms" for coronavirus. She did not elaborate, except that the official was in "stable condition."

The patient is the second senior DOH official to catch the virus. Health Secretary Francisco Duque will undergo home quarantine after exposed to the first DOH official.

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday that he has decided to self-isolate after learning that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Felimon Santos Jr. tested positive for COVID-19.

Santos is the second AFP high-ranking officer to be infected with COVID-19. An AFP statement said Santos may have caught the virus from a naval officer who tested positive after making a trip to Jordan.

"He (Santos) donned the new rank of a senior AFP officer who was promoted. That officer, after a test later conducted, turned out to be positive for COVID-19," the AFP statement said.

Among those who tested positive for the disease are high-level officials including three senators and a number of members of the House of Representatives.

Some lawmakers and senior cabinet members of the administration have decided to self-isolate due to exposure to the virus.
BJP president JP Nadda on Friday asked all party workers to help out the migrants left stranded due to the ongoing lockdown as he spoke to over 40,000 party members and several MPs to review the organisation's drive to help the poor.

A statement said Nadda, who has been holding daily meetings with party leaders, dispatched 10 food packets for the poor as part of the BJP's announcement that its one crore workers will contribute food for a total of five crore needy people daily, the statement said.

The MPs with whom he spoke on Friday were from Delhi and Mumbai, two mega cities with huge migrant populations.

The BJP president said his party workers have been coordinating with the local administration to help those struggling to reach their homes and the poor in getting food.

There have been reports of a large number of migrants being left with little means to make a living after the lockdown, announced to combat the coronavirus pandemic, deprived them of their employment.

Many of them have been walking to their homes, hundreds of kilometers away, due to unavailability of public transport and the BJP said its local workers were coordinating with the administration to help them out.

In tackling the coronavirus crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a "true global leader" and shown the way to the world, Nadda said.

He spoke to the party workers and MPs through audio and video conferences and also asked each of them to take care of at least one family with senior citizens, the statement said.

The BJP president has been holding daily meetings with party leaders through audio and video conferences to oversee the party's efforts to help the poor, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CHICAGO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago on Wednesday sent a letter to Chinese living in the United States and Chinese students studying in the country, advising them to better protect themselves during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The consulate has been closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19, while maintaining communication with local governments, colleges and universities, as well as institutions, in an effort to promote the adoption of specific measures to ensure the safety and health of Chinese in the United States, including Chinese students, the letter said.

Citing a state of emergency declared and a "stay-at-home" order issued in a number of U.S. states, the consulate urged Chinese in the country to stay at home, stick with social distancing, wash hands frequently, wear masks when they go outside, and avoid long-distance travel, among other preventive measures.

Governments at various levels in the United States have been rolling out a series of measures to fight the virus. "As long as we deal with the outbreak rationally and take proper preventive measures, we will tide over the difficulties," the letter said.
Los Angeles, March 27 : Actress Jameela Jamil feels it is important to portray girls as heroes on screen, and says she would have benefited with such content while growing up.

The actress is glad that she is part of such a show -- Disney Junior animated series "Mira, Royal Detective". It is a mystery adventure show inspired by the cultures and customs of India.

"You can see a little Indian girl being the person who is the hero and the protagonist of the story. Also it's so important for young south Asian women to see a character where the hero is the girl," said Jameela, whose roots trace back to India.

"She is not just the accomplice or the problem, instead she is the one solving everything, being independent and strong-minded and I think that's something. I really would have benefited with similar content from when I was growing up," added the actress, who has voiced the character of Aunt Pushpa in the show.

Explaining how the show has the power to change perceptions of children from diverse cultures, she said: "I think it's really amazing for children from other cultures to see our culture. We have been exposed in a wonderful way to American and English content, hence, it's great to show our culture to the world." Set in the fictional land of Jalpur, it follows the life of Mira, a commoner who is appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen.

The series features an all-star cast of prominent South Asian actors including Jameela, Kal Penn, Freida Pinto, Hannah Simone, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aasif Mandvi and Aparna Nancherla amongst others. It introduced 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier as the voice of Mira. The show airs in India on Disney Channel India.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
KENT COUNTY, MI  Credit union workers and police denied setting up a man for a banking crime as he and his wife were accused in a high-profile sex case that was ultimately dropped.

Anuj Chopra, 45, of Hudsonville, contends that workers at Consumers Credit Union, based in Kalamazoo, targeted him after he and his wife, Leslie, were arrested in the sex case.

Chopra said that emails, blind-copied to his Gmail account, showed credit union workers setting him up with racially charged comments. He is a native of India but has been in the U.S. for 35 years.

He will be going to prison and we will get rid of one foreigner from our beautiful country, a worker allegedly emailed another.

Attorneys for the credit union and Grandville police, which investigated a bad check case that was dismissed, denied multiple allegations in Chopras lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

They asked that the lawsuit be dismissed with Chopra responsible for attorney fees and costs.

Danielle Mason Anderson, attorney for the credit union and two workers, said that the potentially damaging emails cited in the lawsuit do not exist.

She said her clients deny the allegations contained in  Plaintiffs Complaint for the reason that the emails do not exist. Therefore the allegation is untrue, she said.

Attorney Gus Morris, representing the city and a detective, said the investigator acted appropriately after looking into a complaint that Chopra cashed an insufficient funds check for $7,500. Kent County prosecutors dropped the charge after Chopra showed that his brother covered the check.

The credit union denied Chopras contention that a worker gave him time to repay the money.

The credit-union also denied the existence of an email contained in the lawsuit that said: I know we received a payment from Anuj to settle his account. Will ask detective if he wants us to return the check to his brother. That will show Anuj did not meet the deadline.

Anuj and Leslie Chopra were arrested after they were falsely blamed for sharing nude photos of a Hudsonville High School student in summer 2016, their attorney said.

Anuj Chopra was charged with human trafficking after he allegedly offered to pay two teen-age boys to take video of them having sex. He said it was a joke. His wife faced charges for sending a selfie in lingerie.

Attorney Damian Nunzio represented the couple in the criminal case, as well as the civil case. He said he discovered text messages from the alleged victim and witnesses in the sex case that cleared his clients. Ottawa County prosecutors in 2018 found significant exculpatory evidence  .

Chopra spent nearly a year in jail.

More on MLive:

Couple cleared in sex case, targeted after teens nude photos surface

Is your name really cleared? Sex charges dropped against Hudsonville couple

Parents to stand trial for enticing teens, defense cites mob mentality over nude photos
6.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

A majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump was too slow to act on the Covid-19 global pandemic. A new poll found that 58% of people thought his response was too slow.

The ABC/Washington Post poll showed 51% of Americans approve of Trumps handling of the Coronavirus, while 36% strongly approve. Less than half of respondents  45%  disapproved of his actions.

However, the poll also found that a clear majority of Americans dont think the President acted quickly enough, with 58% saying Trump was too slow to take action to address the problem.

Just 38% believed the President had acted with the right amount of speed, while 4% of respondents had no opinion on the timing of his actions.

Trump was criticized for his initial response to the global pandemic. He downplayed the severity of the virus and praised China for its transparency on the issue.

However, Trumps approval rating has remained steady throughout the crisis. Some polls have shown the President gaining in support because of his handling of the outbreak.

Trump has frequently pointed to his approval rating as evidence that hes doing a good job. There is no guarantee his positive numbers will remain steady, however.

On Thursday, President Trump disputed New York Governor Andrew Cuomos claim that his state will need 30 to 40 thousand ventilators. Trump has clashed with Cuomo throughout the crisis.

I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators, Trump told Fox News.

You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

The Presidents attitude toward governors struggling with the Coronavirus and his attempts to ease social distancing are likely to affect his approval rating.

Follow Darragh Roche on Twitter
Chinese president Xi Jinping has a new slogan: Zero  the goal of reducing to zero the number of cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, aka COVID-19. Reaching zero is crucial to achieving his broader goal of global leadership and domination. Xi must show the world that the totalitarian Chinese political system is vindicated by the defeat of the virus. The truth about COVID-19 inside China is the greatest obstacle to his ambition.

For years now, Beijing has tried to position China under the Communist Party as the champion and leader of a new, emerging, post-American global order. At the Davos conclave in 2017, Xi spoke of his governments determination to play a responsible role in defending and contributing to multilateral efforts to secure peace and reduce poverty. He was applauded for opposing protectionism. All states, he intoned, should view their own interests in a broader context and refrain from pursuing their own interests at the expense of others. China has assiduously asserted influence in global institutions, especially United Nations bodies, where Chinese nationals lead four of 15 specialized agencies. In his speech at the special summit of G20 leaders on March 26, Xi showed his determination to build his own image as a world leader.

For him to succeed in his long march through the international community, he needs to have a reputation for success at addressing challenges such as COVID-19. As two veteran China watchers, Kurt M. Campbell and Rush Doshi, pointed out in a recent article in Foreign Affairs, ones legitimacy as a global leader depends on domestic governance, the provision of global public goods, and the ability and willingness to muster and coordinate a global response to crises. To lead the world response to the pandemic, China must set an example for the rest of the world to follow.

The long-term plan hit a large speed bump with revelations about the regimes malfeasance in covering up COVID-19, and the Communist Partys efforts to turn the story around, making itself heroic, are well documented. But the plan could run aground if a second outbreak, which some experts warn is inevitable, occurs in China. In this situation, the regime is turning reflexively to traditional Communist tactics: propaganda and the control of information.

Story continues

Neutralizing Independent Media

China has expelled reporters for the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, sources it cannot control. The regime has clamped down increasingly on independent journalists as its domestic practices have become increasingly inhumane, especially with respect to its repression of religious minorities, including Uighur Muslims, who have been subjected to mass internment.

China ranks low in international measures of press freedom. Last year, in a survey of 180 countries with respect to media independence, media pluralism, and respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, Reporters Without Borders ranked China 177th. In Control, Halt, Delete: Reporting in China Under Threat of Expulsion, a new report from the Beijing-based Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC), foreign journalists document practices that Chinese authorities have employed that have severely affected their reporting.

Beijing has delayed and placed restrictions on visas for foreign journalists. While the standard length of a long-term journalist visa, J-1, is one year, many foreign correspondents who have reported critically about the Chinese regime have received curtailed visas. In 2018, five correspondents received curtailed visas. In 2019, at least a dozen received visas for six months or less. Truncated visas require frequent renewal, and Beijing has made that process more arduous not just for the journalists but for their families as well. This practice is called out in the FCCC report.

Three correspondents from Wall Street Journal were expelled on February 19 over an opinion piece critical of Beijings handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia, the headline read. In announcing the expulsions, a foreign-ministry spokesman called the article racist. It was the first time in more than two decades that journalists holding valid credentials had been ordered to leave China, although since 2013 others have been expelled in effect, through non-renewal of their visas.

Beijing has also established red lines for foreign correspondents. In particular, anything critical of Xi Jinping and his family is forbidden. Last year, Beijing declined to renew the credentials of another Wall Street Journal reporter, who had reported about investigations, in Australia, into the activities of one of Xis cousins, who was suspected of involvement in organized crime and money laundering. In the FCCC report, the bureau chief of an English-language news organization is quoted as saying that the Chinese foreign ministry had explicitly told them that they would face the anger of other arms of the government, and not just the foreign ministry, if they wrote the wrong pieces about Xi.

Criticism of the treatment of the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang has also drawn the ire of the authorities. In 2018, Megha Rajagopalan, the Beijing bureau chief for BuzzFeed News, was unable to renew her visa. During her six years in China, Rajagopalan had reported extensively on human-rights abuses, including the detention of Uighurs and others in Xinjiang province. The Committee to Protect Journalists considers the governments refusal to renew visas in such cases to be acts of retribution.

Last year, CNNs Beijing correspondent Matt Rivers reported extensively on how, during his trip to Xinjiang province, he had been subjected to repeated visa checks, harassment by local officials, attempts by the authorities to block his reporting, and physical trailing. The FCCC report adds that Chinese authorities, through intimidation and explicit warnings, regularly pressure people to avoid speaking to foreign media representatives. Journalists and their sources are monitored by facial recognition and other surveillance techniques.

Of course, China also extensively censors new media. A Harvard University study found that Chinese authorities block as many as 18,000 websites, including many standard, independent sources of international news. Among the terms censored on the Internet are human rights, oppression, and references to Tiananmen Square and the dissident and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo. The BBC, which had often reported critically on the Chinese government, is blocked in China. All books published in China are censored. The extent of censorship and control over the media by the CCP cannot be better described than by Xi Jinping himself, who in 2016 said, All the media must bear the Partys surname.

Breaking the Media Blockage

The Zero campaign depends on censorship and makes it a universal political obligation for Chinese citizens to collectively deny their own public-health crisis. That Chinas health statistics are manipulated for the Communist Partys political benefit is not news. Local officials, medical personnel, and, indeed, the entire society need to participate in the deception. It is the newest of a string of impossible tasks that the Communist Party has demanded of the Chinese people, reminiscent of Maos absurd productivity quotas, and of his often-lethal punishments for failure. As Roger Scruton observed, it takes infinite force to make people to do what is impossible.

The government, which claims that virtually no new COVID-19 cases have appeared recently in Wuhan, has begun to relax the lockdown in Hubei Province. But while the Chinese regime tries to control perceptions of events inside the country, widespread anger and intensified distrust at the governments moral and administrative failures is giving rise to a groundswell of citizen journalists attempting to break through the official propaganda machinery of CCTV, CGTN, Peoples Daily, and Global Times and to expose what is happening.

The evidence they present about COVID-19 contradicts official narratives. Stories on Chinese social media, censored or removed almost as soon as they appear, reveal how local governments cover up new cases and how hospitals are ordered to report new cases as normal flu or pneumonia.

The stories indicate that Hubei Province, far from moving toward normality, is being locked down again by people and police in the surrounding provinces who know the real situation in Hubei. One video showed a riot that occurred when Hubei police tried to open the border with Jiangxi  people and police in Jiangxi revolted because they would be exposed to Hubei. The government brags about mass recoveries from the virus, but independent media have reported that up to 14 percent of those have tested positive again. The regime appears to be cooking the books on epidemiological statistics, to be not counting cases in which tests indicate infection but people are asymptomatic. Censors almost immediately removed a photo from the Caixin website showing a truck delivering 2,500 urns filled with the ashes of cremated people. Censors removed as well as an accompanying report that a truck had made another such delivery the same day.

In the past, the Chinese Communist Partys restrictions on the free flow of information seemed to Americans and others in democratic countries to be a matter mainly concerning the freedom of the Chinese people, important as a matter of upholding the universal right to freedom of expression. But the regimes distortions of the truth are now more than abstract problems for the international community. They are threats to global public health  indeed, matters of life and death.

Jianli Yang is the founder and president of Citizen Power Initiatives for China. Aaron Rhodes is the human-rights editor of Dissident magazine and the president of the Forum for Religious Freedom Europe.

More from National Review
CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) today announced it will provide cash bonuses to employees at each of the company's production and distribution facilities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. At the company's more than 50 facilities, full-time employees in the U.S. will receive $500 and part-time employees will receive $250, with similar amounts provided to employees in Canada and Mexico. This bonus is in recognition of these team members' relentless efforts to make and deliver much-needed Conagra Brands food to millions of consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Throughout this unprecedented time, the hard work and dedication of our supply chain employees at all of our food production and distribution facilities has been truly inspiring," said Sean Connolly, president and chief executive officer at Conagra Brands. "I thank each team member for their extraordinary efforts to meet the needs of consumers, achieve outstanding customer service levels and keep our plants operating effectively and efficiently."

To further assist employees, the company is also continuing to pay anyone who needs to be away from work due to a COVID-19-related illness. These employees would be eligible to receive the recognition bonus, as well.

Throughout this time, Conagra Brands' facilities are continuing to operate with safety top-of-mind. The facilities are supplementing regular, rigorous plant maintenance and sanitation practices with additional processes to ensure the safety of employees and the food the company makes.

A full statement on the swift actions Conagra Brands is taking during the rapidly changing COVID-19 pandemic is available on the ConagraBrands.com News page.

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Marie Callender's, Banquet, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, Reddi-wip, and Vlasic, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.

For more information, please contact:

MEDIA: Dan Hare

312-549-5355

[email protected]

SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.conagrafoods.com


Nigeria's presidency has insisted that leader Muhammadu Buhari remains hard at work in a bid to quash rumours about his health after his chief of staff tested positive for coronavirus.

"The President tonight at the State House, at work," his office posted on Twitter Thursday, over an undated picture of Buhari looking at papers behind his desk.

His spokesmen also released a "special message" from the president to the nation outlining some $27 million (25 million euros) in emergency funds to bolster the fight against the pandemic.

"I urge all Nigerians to be mindful of those among us who seek to spread panic and misinformation, and sow confusion at this time," the president said in the statement.

The health of Buhari, 77, is a closely guarded secret in Nigeria.

The leader made several trips to London during his first four-year term for a condition that has never been disclosed.

Earlier this week it emerged that his powerful chief of staff Abba Kyari had contracted COVID-19 after travelling to Germany.

The presidency has not officially commented on Kyari's diagnosis, but it was confirmed by other sources after a raft of top officials announced they had taken tests for the disease.

The president has not been seen in public for several days, prompting some in Africa's most populous nation to ask questions.

Spokesmen for the president have dismissed speculation about his health or whereabouts as "fake, fake, fake" and the product of "diseased" minds.

But on Friday #Buharichallenge was trending on Twitter in the country as Nigerians poked fun at their tight-lipped authorities.

Buhari, a former military leader, has headed the country since 2015 and last year won another four-year term in power.

Nigeria has so far confirmed just 65 infections in the country of around 200 million.

Authorities have closed airports and borders and shut schools across the nation as part of a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
As of March 27, 526,000 people in the world are infected with Covid-19

In case if the authorities of all countries in the world do no assume aggressive measures, aiming for the fight against Covid-19 coronavirus, millions of people may die as the World Health Organization reported on Twitter citing its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"The Covid-19 pandemic is accelerating at an exponential rate. The first 100,000 cases took 67 days. The second 100,000 took 11 days. The third 100,000 took just 4 days. The fourth 100,000 just 2 days. Without aggressive action in all countries, millions could die", he said.

Besides, he noted that the world stays at war with the virus, which threatens to tear us apart  if we let it.

Earlier, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that request to people to stay home is the measure, which will stop the speed of coronavirus spread and will reduce the pressure on the healthcare system. However, only isolation will not stop the Covid-2019 pandemic.

As we reported, the number of people infected with Covid-19 in Germany increased up to 41,343 people; 219 of them died.
Airports are a way out  out of town, but for many people, out of poverty.

Those routes to a better life, however, are shutting down along with the flights. Thousands of workers at Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport and hundreds of their counterparts at Hobby Airport have had hours cut dramatically or lost jobs altogether.

I cant sleep at night  How are we going to buy groceries? said Anna Alvarez, for whom a job as a wheelchair attendant provided a lifeline after she and her children fled an abusive marriage some 20 years ago. Thats whats scary. Im the one whos going to have to figure out how to bail my family out.

The new coronavirus has completely upended the airline industry, now waiting for the bailout, passed by Congress Friday, to be delivered from Washington. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump suspended travel from Europe to slow the spread of COVID-19.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust

More than 68,400 U.S. cases have been reported to the CDC, and the virus has killed at least 994. As travelers cancel trips en masse to avoid exposure to the virus, airlines have cuts routes and staff.

The near-empty planes and canceled routes not only affect airline employees. The impact ripples through the rest of the airport as airline service companies that provide food vendors, wheelchair attendants and baggage handlers cut workers, too.

When airlines sneeze, airports catch a cold, said Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel industry research company. The challenge is they all depend on airlines operating, and they dont have business.

I cant pay for all this

United Airlines, which holds nearly 60 percent of the Houston market, said last week it would cut dozens of routes from Bush airport as part of a long list cost of cutting measures, including slashing payments to vendors and contractors such as Swissport. The result: layoffs of airport workers employed by those companies.

United had threatened that unless Congress provided sufficient government support by the end of March, the company would reduce payroll in line with the 60 percent schedule reduction planned for April. United employs nearly 14,000 in the Houston area.

The $2 trillion stimulus package passed by Congress Friday is slated to provide to $25 billion in direct lending for airlines and $3 billion for airline contractor companies; the financial assistance is intended for the exclusive use of employee wages and salaries.

To be eligible for assistance, companies must agree to not to furlough or lay off employees, reduce pay rates or buy back shares. Some, such as the company that employed Quintina Moore-Caraway, who worked at IAH loading and unloading baggage, have already made payroll reductions.

Im about to lose everything because of this virus, said Moore-Caraway, who supports a household of six with what was a $10-an-hour job. She was furloughed in mid-March by Swissport USA, an airline services company that provides operations such as offloading plane cargo at IAH.

Swissport, which is one of the largest airline services companies operating at IAH, confirmed it temporarily laid off at least 50 full-time employees at IAH earlier this month due to reduced flight volumes.

During this time, their benefits will not lapse, and we expect to bring them back to work as soon as our flight volumes resume, the company said. We are taking every measure so that Swissport can weather this difficult period to support the return to business of our industry.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Tracking the coronavirus in Texas

Moore-Caraway has worked at the airport for nearly a decade, offloading cargo from the planes and loading bags to the luggage service. Her hours were reduced before flights were grounded, cutting her earnings from nearly $300 a week to about $200. But even that would be better than what shes making now: nothing.

I cant pay for all this, said Moore-Caraway, 46, speaking of her upcoming bills. I have no help. If they do a bailout it should come to us.

The bailout is coming, but its unclear whether it will come to her. Moore-Caraway was previously unemployed and exhausted her state benefits last year, meaning she is ineligible to re-apply for unemployment benefits from the state until July. She may qualify for disaster unemployment benefits but has not yet been approved.

By the time help comes from Congress and shes able to get back to work, she worries it will be too little, too late. Rent and utilities come to about $850 a month, she said, and its due April 1.

We need to survive out here, Moore-Caraway said. Were the ones that keep this economy going.

First exposed, first furloughed

For food and airline service employees at Houstons airports, the health and financial implications of COVID-19 couldnt be more pronounced. Theyre the first to come into contact with travelers and cargo. They work with elderly at-risk populations.

Their jobs were the first to go when measures to control the spread of the virus wreaked havoc on the travel industry. Most of them live paycheck to paycheck.

They are struggling to take care of themselves and their families, said Elsa Caballero, president of SEIU Texas, a union that represents airport workers at IAH.

The union, in a statement, applauded the stimulus package that passed Friday, saying it will save thousands of jobs, and urged policymakers to do more to keep workers safe. SEIU points out that the bill does not include paid sick days for workers or free coronavirus testing.

Workers at Bush airport said that they were given some protections to prevent the spread of the virus, such as hand sanitizer, and occasionally, gloves.

But they do not have masks, and many are unable to adhere to social distance guidelines since their work requires them to be in close proximity with passengers, particularly those who assist passengers in wheelchairs. Caballero added that many of the airport workers dont have health insurance.

If they do get sick, she said, it could have very serious consequences, for their health and their financial stability.

The plunge in air traffic and subsequent furloughs were devastating blows to Alvarez, the wheelchair attendant, and her family, whose household is entirely dependent on the airport (she and two of her daughters work there). IAH was a ticket to a better life, providing them with steady, honest jobs.

Alvarezs two daughters, Rachel, 29, and Rebecca, 19, have all seen their weekly paychecks slashed by at least 85 percent. Alvarez worries they will soon all be out of work.

Her familys rent in Greenspoint, north of Houston, is $1,180 per month. She and her daughters will also need to find a way to pay the electricity and cell phone bills and buy groceries for themselves and Alvarez 7-year-old granddaughter.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Everything you need to know about unemployment benefits in Texas

In the meantime, the phone lines to get help from unemployment benefits are backed up. Jobs have dried up as local officials force public gatherings and non-essential businesses to shut down to slow the spread of the virus.

Its not the first time she has faced what feels like an impossible situation. As a young mother, Alvarez left an abusive marriage and raised five children on her own.

I put them through school, I paid for prom, I did everything for them, Alvarez said. I pulled myself out of the hole I was in, and now I am going to have to dig myself out again.

erin.douglas@chron.com

Twitter.com/erinmdouglas23
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The 4,000-plus military medical professionals that have rushed to aid the battle against the novel coronavirus in central China's city of Wuhan are sticking to their positions until "a full victory is achieved."

Ren Guoqiang, a Defense Ministry spokesman, made the remarks at a press conference Thursday.

The military medics who came to help Wuhan will remain committed to supporting local authorities in fighting coronavirus, treating patients and carrying out scientific research, Ren said.

China's military medical experts have wasted no time stepping up drug and vaccine research as well as virus source tracing to aid the country's anti-virus battle, the spokesman said.

On March 16, a recombinant novel coronavirus vaccine developed by a research team led by Chen Wei, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the institute of military medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences, passed a review by authorities and was greenlighted for clinical trials, he said.
Irish people trapped in Peru have been booked onto a flight out of the country.

In an email to the 135 or so Irish trapped in hostels around the country since martial law was introduced, they have been told they will be leaving at 4pm on Sunday.

Andrew Cotter, from Mitchelstown, Cork, said: I cannot put into words the relief. Also, the second best news of the day was they made us pancakes for breakfast.

Andrew Cotter, who has been trapped in Cusco, Peru, 21 hours from Lima

The 31-year-old and his 30-year-old girlfriend Marie Barry, from Conna, are among a group of around 35 Irish citizens trapped in the south eastern Peruvian city of Cusco.

It takes 21 hours by road to get from there to the capital.

They also include Catherine Scroope and Ruadhan Elliott, from Bantry, west Cork.

Dubliner Conor Haugh, 28, who is in Lima, said: Those of us lucky enough not to have been hit with stricter quarantine measures are due to fly out on Sunday at 4pm. Ill relax fully when Im on the plane, but this is the most concrete, positive news weve had since this began.

A fleet of buses will bring people in outlying towns and cities to the military base in Lima.

Some have been given a few hours notice to be ready to get on one of the busses that will take them to the airport.

Anyone who wants to get onto the flight has until 12pm Peru time to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Anyone who is in quarantine are likely to be left behind until arrangements can be made to repatriate them.

Paul Gleeson, Irelands ambassador to Chile has just told the Irish over there: We are pleased to have received confirmation that our evacuation flight from Lima will be on Sunday at 4pm.

We will send another message shortly on bus arrangements to bring you directly to the military airport in Lima.

For most of you, including those of you in Cusco and Arequipa, this will mean departing your accommodation tomorrow.

But for some of you who are in difficult-to-reach locations, it could mean departing as early as this evening.

He added: We will be partnering with the UK Embassy in Lima for some bus arrangements, so it is possible you may hear from the UK Embassy if it has been agreed that you will travel on one of their buses.

The PeruEvacuationFlight@dfa.ie mailbox will close to people who have not registered yet at 12pm Peruvian time today.

But he had bad news for some.

I am conscious that a very small number of you may not be able to travel with us on this flight due to quarantine restrictions in your accommodation or if your town is not reachable by bus, he said.

Id like to reassure those citizens that we will be continuing to work with EU and UK partners to identify solutions to bring you home as soon as circumstances allow.

At least one Irish citizen is among a group of 146 tourists who have been placed under quarantine for up to three months in their hostel by armed soldiers in Peru.

The complex has been shut down and is surrounded by armed police and soldiers.

This is because two guests tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week.

Their identity is not known but other Irish tourists in neighbouring hostels fear they may also get quarantined if any of their fellow residents test positive for the deadly virus.

Along with nine UK citizens, the Irish citizen is now locked inside the Pariwana Hostel in the south eastern Peruvian city Cusco.

And they have been warned they face ten years jail if they fail to comply with the quarantine.

They are now only allowed out of their room for one hour a day, and they must also wear a face mask at all times.
Malians to vote on Sunday in parliamentary election delayed several times since 2018.

Malians go to the polls on Sunday for the long-delayed parliamentary election despite a security crisis, the recent kidnapping of a leading opposition politician and the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts see the vote as a key step towards leading the West African state out of its spiral of violence and closer to a political solution to stop the bloodshed.

The parliamentary election has been delayed several times since 2018, mostly over security concerns. But Malis government says it will go ahead on Sunday, even as the novel coronavirus has added to the countrys chronic security problems.

Coronavirus outbreak

Mali announced measures, including a night-time curfew, to stop the spread of the coronavirus after the countrys first case was reported earlier this week.

The country now has confirmed four cases of the virus which has infected more than 542,000 people worldwide and killed at least 24,000 people, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

Unidentified gunmen also kidnapped leading opposition figure Soumaila Cisse on Wednesday in the volatile centre of the country, killing his bodyguard in the process.

In a televised address made before Cisse was reported missing, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the election would go ahead in scrupulous respect of protective measures, referring to the health crisis.

The government decided to continue with the election after consulting with the heads of political parties, who argued in favour of maintaining the scheduled date.

Candidates for the 147-seat National Assembly can campaign until Friday, although their efforts are hamstrung by an anti-coronavirus measure banning gatherings of more than 50 people.

Despite the measure and the political posters that dot the capital, Bamako, there has been little visible enthusiasm for the election in the city.





Mali has been struggling to contain an armed uprising that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has since engulfed central Mali and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Holding the election was a key recommendation from crisis talks in December, which aimed at exploring non-military solutions to the countrys worsening violence.

The hope is that a new crop of MPs will adopt reforms agreed in a peace deal brokered between the government in Bamako and several armed groups in Algiers in 2015.

Among other things, the pact provides for decentralising governance in Mali, one of the demands of some rebel groups. But implementing the deal has stalled for years.

Striking judges

The current MPs were elected in 2013, in a ballot won by Keitas Rally for Mali party. Another vote was meant to take place following Keitas re-election in 2018, but it was delayed several times because of a strike by judges and insecurity.

The situation is politically untenable, Ibrahim Maiga, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies think-tank in Bamako, said, adding that there would be little progress in implementing the Algiers pact without an election.

He explained that many perceive the parliament as no longer reflecting Malis current political situation.

There are questions about the feasibility of holding the vote on Sunday, as attacks by armed groups are a daily occurrence in many parts of the country.

Today, the situation is worse, Maiga said, adding that holding the election on Sunday was strikingly out of step with current security and health worries.

The second round of voting is due on April 19.

Maiga said he thought money was the reason behind sticking to the date.

This financial dimension is important  one can understand their reaction, he said, referring to the request from political parties to maintain the vote.
Nguyen Van Tung thought it was merely a sore throat before learning he was carrying the novel coronavirus, becoming Vietnams 18th Covid-19 patient.

Pursuing his education at Kyungpook National University in South Koreas Daegu City, the 27-year-old man had struggled to remain at ease since February, when the city became an epidemic epicenter.

He only ventured out to supermarkets to buy food and never left his mask at home. The rest of the time, he stayed home with his sister.

"When my throat got sore, I did not think it was Covid-19, assuming I had contracted the common flu," he recalled after being discharged from hospital on March 20.

Tung could not believe he was carrying the coronavirus since he rarely had contact with people while staying in Daegu, turning to lozenges to help ease the discomfort.

Tung (R) was discharged from Ninh Binh General Hospital on March 20, 2020. Photo courtesy of Ninh Binh General Hospital.

In the next few days, things got worse.

Though Tung learned more about how Covid-19 had killed thousands in China, he still could not understand how he got infected.

After many phone calls from his parents in Vietnam, he decided to return home without telling them about the symptoms he was experiencing.

"Streets in Daegu were quiet," he recalled, adding many locals did not wear masks even though the virus was engulfing the city.

Since the outbreak commenced, he has given up on his part-time job at a South Korean BBQ restaurant.

When his plane touched down at Van Don International Airport in northern Quang Ninh Province earlier this month, Tung was placed under quarantine at a military school in northern Ninh Binh Province after having his samples taken and tested.

"I was woken the next evening and taken to a room to supply epidemiological data," he remembered.

An ambulance took him to the infection department of Ninh Binh General Hospital while the ten other people in his room, including his sister, were moved to another quarantine zone.

A confused Tung subsequently became the nations 18th Covid-19 patient.

In South Korea, he had only come in contact with two friends, both testing negative back in Vietnam.

"I am young and healthy and believe I will beat the disease," he maintained, adding he totally trusted in doctors at the hospital.

On his first day, medical staff applied infusion therapy. After 2-3 days, his throat finally grew better.

"I did not know whether I had transmitted the virus to someone else," Tung told himself. Luckily, his sister and others who previously shared his room all tested negative.

In the 10 days at hospital, he spent time talking with his parents and friends and checking for news on Daegu. His phone became a tool connecting its owner with the outside world.

"It was lucky I only had a sore throat and no fever, so I was not too tired."

His first negative results came out one week after he was hospitalized. "I felt at ease and happy because I knew I would be discharged soon."

Tung eventually left Ninh Binh General Hospital on March 20 after three negative tests. He was taken to Thai Binh General Hospital in his hometown where he would be quarantined for several days.

"I just want to be reunited with my parents," he said.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Vietnam has gone up to 163. Of the total, 20 have recovered and been discharged, including Tung.
The federal stimulus bill expected to clear the U.S. House on Friday will provide $3.4 billion to New Jersey to help the state cope with the coronavirus.

The allocation comes from a $150 billion relief fund for states that is included the $2 trillion package, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive research group in Washington.

Were one of the hotspots in the country, Murphy told KYW-TV Channel 3 in Philadelphia on Thursday. "We need all the help we can get.

The amount is far short of the $100 billion that Gov. Phil Murphy and the governors of New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut said they needed among them to combat the coronavirus.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said more help could be coming.

Were still going to need to have more money for state and local governments, municipalities and the rest, Pelosi said Thursday.

The award was based on population. New Jersey is the 11th most populous state, and its $3.4 billion is 11th highest.

New Jersey on Thursday reported at least 6,876 known cases of the virus, including at least 81 known deaths. Only New York has more cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

The U.S. Senate passed the stimulus bill on Wednesday and sent to the House, which is trying to clear it Friday by voice vote and allow most lawmakers to remain home and not travel to Washington. President Donald Trump has said he will sign the legislation.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook.

Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Getty Images

Coronavirus fears have triggered volatility, a correction and ultimately a bear market in U.S. stocks in 2020. Many companies have suffered massive price drops, but a handful of stock picks have seen their prices hold up - and in some cases even soar. One such cluster includes pharmaceutical companies and other health care stocks that are in the race to develop COVID-19 coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics.

You can't overstate the stakes. As of March 11, there were 4.7 million officially recorded coronavirus cases worldwide, causing more than 316,000 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially broke out the "pandemic" designation, and governments across the world shut down mass gatherings of people to slow the spread.

The idea behind these moves? Buy time for pharmaceutical companies to come up with antivirals and vaccines.

Dozens of Big Pharma and small biotechnology companies alike are already involved in COVID-19 coronavirus treatment and vaccine development. But other health care stocks are rising to the challenge, too: Makers of diagnostic test kits, sanitizers and protective masks are all ramping up to meet unprecedented demand.

Here are 10 health and pharmaceutical companies playing a role in the fight to control the COVID-19 coronavirus, including several updates to reflect some treatments' progress. Each of these stocks has the potential for considerable gain, whether it's because they're developing a treatment or their products are in greater need amid the outbreak. To date, each stock has outperformed the S&P 500 since the bear market began in mid-February, with many posting healthy to downright gaudy gains.

Moderna

Getty Images

Market value: $24.8 billion

Performance since market peak: +252.5%

Moderna (MRNA, $66.69) is a major player in the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, and at the moment, it might be the most exciting name in the space.

Story continues

In late February, the biotechnology company began shipping batches of its development-stage COVID-19 vaccine for use in Phase 1 human trials to the National Institutes of Health. Moderna turned around this first vaccine batch in just 42 days, and it started recruiting human trial participants in March.

Early May 18, Moderna reported that its vaccine created COVID-19 antibodies in each of the 45 participants of a Phase 1 trial, and that it created "neutralizing" antibodies in at least eight participants. That news sent both MRNA shares and the broader market skyrocketing in premarket trading. Moderna now expects to conduct a Phase 3 trial in July.

In addition to its coronavirus vaccine candidate, Moderna has vaccines in development for zika virus, respiratory infections, Epstein-Barr, chikungunya and several types of cancer. In all, the company has 24 drug candidates in its pipeline, including 12 in clinical studies, and is partnered with AstraZeneca (AZN), Merck (MRK) and various U.S. government agencies. Moderna's vaccine for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), a leading cause of birth defects, is its most advanced product and is expected to enter Phase 3 clinical trials this year.

Moderna recently raised $500 million through a public offering and has access to more than $2 billion to invest in its research programs. The company is not yet profitable given a lack of marketed products. But the $490 million to $510 million it plans to spend on operations this year will be more than covered by cash on hand of $1.1 billion.

Gilead Sciences

Getty Images

Market value: $95.8 billion

Performance since market peak: +13.2%

Gilead Sciences (GILD, $73.70) hopes to beat the coronavirus with remdesivir, a drug initially developed to treat Ebola.

Earlier this year, the WHO said Gilead Sciences might have the only drug available with real efficacy. And The New England Journal of Medicine said remdesivir improved clinical outcomes for coronavirus patients treated in the U.S. Then at the start of May, after new promising data showed the drug reduced recovery time for some patients, the FDA authorized emergency use of remdesivir to treat COVID-19.

Gilead Sciences built its business around its hepatitis C franchise but has branched out in new areas including cancer. GILD is paying $4.9 billion to acquire Forty Seven, whose lead drug candidate magrolimab is one of the first in a new class of cancer drugs. Gilead Sciences also entered the oncology market in 2017 by acquiring Kite Pharma and its cellular-based cancer therapies.

Growth has stalled recently, and earnings per share actually declined 1% last year. But a successful COVID-19 antiviral could be a game changer. Meanwhile, Gilead Sciences has more than enough operating cash flow ($9.1 billion over the past 12 months) and cash ($24.3 billion at the end of Q1 2020) to fund further development and commercial launches.

Piper Sandler analyst Tyler Van Buren, who has the stock at a Buy-equivalent Overweight rating, recently wrote to clients that a physician involved in the SIMPLE and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases trials says remdesivir will become "the new standard of care" in COVID-19 treatment development.

SEE ALSO: 11 Best Stocks to Ride Out the Coronavirus Outbreak

Novavax

Getty Images

Market value: $2.5 billion

Performance since market peak: +448.8%

Novavax (NVAX, $43.63) surged in late February after the company updated its progress on developing a coronavirus vaccine. The pharma stock was assessing multiple vaccine candidates and expected to begin human testing in late spring.

Novavax further excited investors by announcing in early April that it was seeing early success in one of its candidates, NVX-CoV2373, and that human trials were expected to begin in mid-May; preliminary results are expected to be released in July.

Novavax's vaccines use a proprietary nanoparticle technology platform to generate antigens derived from the coronavirus protein, then add its novel Matrix-M adjuvant to the vaccine to enhance immune responses. The COVID-19 coronavirus is very similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, for which Novavax already had a vaccine candidate.

NVAX also is seeing success as it develops vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a leading cause of severe respiratory tract disease in infants and young children, and seasonal influenza. Specifically, its NanoFlu flu vaccine, which has the FDA's "fast track" designation, met all primary endpoints in a Phase 3 study, the company reported in March. Novavax's RSV vaccine will undergo additional Phase 3 studies, and the company is seeking a strategic partner to supply funding.

Unlike many larger pharmaceutical companies, Novavax is not currently profitable. It reported a $132.7 million net loss in 2019 thanks to heavy spending on research and development. That said, thanks to stock sales and other cash raises, the company had $244.7 million in cash and short-term investments at the end of Q1 2020. Alongside its earnings report, released in May, NVAX announced that the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) had awarded it an incremental $384 million in funding.

Oppenheimer analyst Kevin DeGeeter (Outperform) recently lifted his price target on shares from $19 to $38.50, calling NVAX stock a "first-tier" play among health and pharmaceutical companies fighting the coronavirus.

SEE ALSO: 20 Top Stocks to Invest In During a Recession

Inovio Pharmaceuticals

Getty Images

Market value: $2.1 billion

Performance since market peak: +252.5%

Inovio Pharmaceuticals (INO, $13.43) was one of the earliest to throw its hat into the ring, announcing in February that it had produced a COVID-19 vaccine for testing. In April, it began human clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.

Also in April, the company signed an agreement with Richter-Helm BioLogics to produce its candidate, INO-4800, at a large scale. Inovio hopes to make 1 million doses by year's end.

Inovio has the only vaccine candidate in Phase 2 clinical trials for Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), another species of the coronavirus. Its drug development program focuses on synthetic DNA products for treating cancer and infectious diseases.

Inovio has a rich research pipeline and multiple drug candidates in advanced trials. Analysts expect the company to publish results from two Phase 3 trials, four Phase 2 trials and three Phase 1 trials across this year and next. Its most advanced drug programs are in cervical dysplasia (a precursor to cervical cancer), brain tumors and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Inovio also is developing treatments for prostate cancer, hepatitis, Ebola, MERS, Zika, HIV and Lassa fever.

Like other early-stage pharmaceutical companies and biotech stocks, Inovio has to spend well beyond its means. The company spent $19.1 million on research during its most recent quarter but only generated $1.3 million in revenues. That said, Inovio has been raising cash of late, and managed to finish the quarter ended March 31 with $270 million in cash and cash equivalents versus $89.5 million in the prior quarter.

"We expect (Phase 2) INO-5401 data at ASCO to appear directionally encouraging (although we have our longer-term reservations here)," writes H.C. Wainwright analyst Raghuram Selvaraju (Buy), who says he still likes the risk-reward associated with Phase 3 data which should be announced around the end of 2020.

SEE ALSO: 20 Best Stocks to Buy Now for the Next Bull Market

AbbVie

Getty Images

Market value: $159.9 billion

Performance since market peak: -3.6%

AbbVie (ABBV, $90.71) is among companies looking for coronavirus drugs among their current stable of treatments. Chinese authorities are using an AbbVie HIV treatment to address coronavirus-related pneumonia. Kaletra (also known as Aluvia) contains antiviral components that block virus replication. Although not yet approved as a treatment for coronavirus, Kaletra has shown efficacy across multiple trial cases.

In a 2004 clinical study, Kaletra was proven effective as a treatment for the SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) version of coronavirus. AbbVie has donated $1.5 million worth of Kaletra to China for use as an experimental treatment option. If proven effective over large numbers of patients, Kaletra could become worth billions as a coronavirus therapeutic.

AbbVie's current focus is offsetting declining sales of its blockbuster drug Humira, which accounted for roughly half of the company's $32.3 billion in revenues last year. To that end, ABBV spent $63 billion last year to buy Allergan for its blockbuster products Botox and Restasis. Steady cash flow from Allergan products will help bolster AbbVie's balance sheet.

However, AbbVie gave up some of its potential when it announced in April that it wouldn't defend patent rights to Kaletra. In the event that Kaletra does prove effective against COVID-19, the move would allow competitors to create additional supply to satisfy demand ABBV alone can't meet.

But AbbVie also has potential for organic growth through cancer drugs Imbruvica and Venclexta, as well as immunology drugs Rinvoq and Skyrizi.

AbbVie is one of several pharmaceutical stocks among the Dividend Aristocrats - a group of 64 dividend stocks that have improved their dividends annually for at least a quarter century. Goldman Sachs has ABBV among its "Dividend All-Stars" - companies expected to boost dividends by at least 9% annually through 2021.

SEE ALSO: 13 Ways to Invest in Yourself

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Getty Images

Market value: $64.9 billion

Performance since market peak: +43.9%

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN, $576.72) has been attacking COVID-19 on numerous fronts, starting in February, when it expanded its agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop new antibody-based treatments for COVID-19.

Regeneron has been working alongside Sanofi (SNY) to test Kevzara, a rheumatoid arthritis treatment, to see if it can prevent COVID-19 patients' immune systems from attacking healthy cells. But the pair announced they would scale back late-stage trials after Phase 2 data showed disappointing results. Regeneron has been working on a separate project, however: a drug cocktail called REGN-COV2 that should begin clinical trials in June.

Regeneron is more than just coronavirus potential, of course. It has 22 drug product candidates in its pipeline, including five approved products being tested for additional indications. REGN has drug development programs underway in eye disease, allergic and inflammatory disease, cancer, cardiovascular, infectious and rare diseases.

Analysts expect Regeneron to enjoy increased demand for its macular degeneration drug Eylea due to safety concerns about a rival Novartis (NOV) product. Jefferies analyst Biren Amin and Evercore ISI analyst Joshua Schimmer upgraded their REGN rating to Buy based on expectations the company will gain massive share in the macular degeneration treatment market. With 2019 sales topping $4.6 billion, Eylea is already Regeneron's best-selling drug, but the company also produces sales of nearly $2 billion from dermatitis drug Dupixent, which it sells through a partnership with Sanofi.

Regeneron has been a model among pharmaceutical companies and biotech stocks, boasting average annual revenue growth of nearly 22% over the past five years. Its stock, however, has ebbed and flowed, gaining just 18% total in the same time frame.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Chinese Stocks You Can Buy

GlaxoSmithKline

Getty Images

Market value: $102.6 billion

Performance since market peak: -5.9%

Big Pharma play GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, $40.91) partnered with China-based Clover Biopharmaceuticals earlier this year to accelerate development of Clover's protein-based coronavirus vaccine candidate. Under the agreement, GSK provides Clover with its pandemic adjuvant technology, which will embed an adjuvant in the vaccine candidate for further clinical studies.

Since then, GSK announced a similar partnership with France's Sanofi. GSK will provide its pandemic adjuvant technology, while Sanofi will contribute its S-protein COVID-19 antigen. The aim is to begin clinical trials during the second half of this year; if successful, the vaccine would be available in the second half of 2021.

GlaxoSmithKline's pandemic adjuvant boosts immune system response, effectively creating stronger immunity against infections than the vaccine alone. Adding an adjuvant enables scientists to reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, which allows more vaccine doses manufactured and more patients treated.

GlaxoSmithKline also has been strengthening its oncology franchise with a new drug for bone marrow cancer that could produce $1.3 billion of sales, as well as other treatments for advanced forms of cancer that have significant revenue potential. Another potential blockbuster is the company's Shingrix vaccine for shingles. GlaxoSmithKline expects to bring additional production capacity on-line by 2024, and analysts estimate Shingrix sales will peak at $5.1 billion in 2027.

GlaxoSmithKline currently is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. However, to become more agile, GSK is splitting into two businesses: a pharma firm with drug pipelines in immunology, genetics and advanced technologies; and a consumer health care company that owns leading over-the-counter brands including Advil, Theraflu, Excedrin and Robitussin.

Just be careful, says Credit Suisse. "GSK are clearly working hard to transform the pharma business by improving the level of innovation, but the headwind of 50% of the current business continuing to decline at a mid-to-high single digit rate is a meaningful drag on the speed of transformation."

Co-Diagnostics

Getty Images

Market value: $468.4 million

Performance since market peak: +467.1%

Co-Diagnostics (CODX, $17.07) is a small-cap company specializing in products for diagnostics labs. And it has been one of the best "coronavirus stocks" of 2020, more than quadrupling thanks to its diagnostic test for spotting coronavirus-related illness. It was the first U.S. company to gain European Union approval for a coronavirus test kit, and its kits were granted emergency authorization by the FDA in April.

The advantages of its in-vitro test are a reduced risk of false positives and enhanced multiplexing, which allows scientists to identify multiple targets simultaneously and different mutations of the coronavirus.

In mid-May, the company reported Q1 results and provided a look into its second-quarter progress so far. CODX says it has recorded $18 million in COVID-19 test and equipment sales, and that it has fielded test orders from private and public entities in 50 countries, including the U.S., where 15 states have made requests.

"As of the mid-point in the second quarter we have significantly exceeded the second-quarter estimates of analysts covering the company, and we are pleased to announce that we are already solidly profitable for the second quarter based on results to date," CEO Dwight Egan said in a statement after its quarterly report.

Co-Diagnostics has emerged as one of the early winners in the coronavirus race, but investors should use caution. CODX shares have already jumped nearly 470% year-to-date, meaning much of the optimism could already be baked in.

Still, the company has improved its cash position, from $2.5 million from before the coronavirus outbreak to $17.3 million currently. And H.C. Wainwright analyst Yi Chen (Buy) recently raised his price target on CODX shares from $20 to $35 on bullishness over market demand for coronavirus testing. He now expects the company will earn $83.5 million in revenues this year, up from his previous projection of $37.1 million.

Steris

Getty Images

Market value: $12.8 billion

Performance since market peak: -10.1%

Steris (STE, $151.32), while still beating the S&P 500 through its bear turn, hasn't held up as well as most of these other stocks. Still, it might end up being a good coronavirus play in the coming months.

Steris supplies disinfectants, sterilizers and related services to health care facilities. The company has a strong revenue model in which 75% of its sales are recurring. Half of annual sales are from consumables and infection prevention equipment, 30% are from equipment maintenance services and 20% are from sales of equipment such as surgical tables and lights.

Steris became the worldwide leader in infection prevention and sterilization following its 2014 acquisition of U.K.-based Synergy Health. The deal combined Steris' established North American presence with Synergy's vast European footprint.

Global demand for disinfectants and sterilizers is on the rise as more than 100 countries battle the coronavirus. As the acknowledged leader in this space with unmatched scale and capabilities, Steris is well positioned to thrive.

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, this steady Eddie was rewarding shareholders with 15% five-year annual EPS growth. The company aims to deliver mid- to high-single-digit annual sales gains and double-digit adjusted EPS growth. Steris also boasts a solid balance sheet and cash flow, and it pays a dividend - albeit a modest one yielding less than 1%.

SEE ALSO: 10 Best Value Stocks for Gritting Out the Downturn

Kimberly-Clark

Getty Images

Market value: $47.2 billion

Performance since market peak: -3.6%

Kimberly-Clark (KMB, $138.64) is something of an outsider on this list - a consumer staples play rather than a pharmaceutical company or health care stock. However, one of its products is playing a key role on the front lines.

KMB is a leading manufacturer of N95 respirator masks, which experts say can help the spread of COVID-19. Unlike conventional masks, the N95 mask can filter out 95% of airborne particles, including bacteria and viruses. Millions of health care workers are relying on these masks to protect their health.

Demand for protective N95 respirator masks has surged, and months into this pandemic, manufacturers still are struggling to keep pace with demand. The Department of Health and Human Services said in late February that it had a stockpile of roughly 30 million N95 respirators, but says it will need 300 million as the risk of the coronavirus continues to rise.

In addition to N95 respirator masks, Kimberly-Clark produces Kleenex tissue and Scott toilet paper - products that have flown off the shelves as consumers stockpile everyday essential items. The company's top consumer brands (including Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, Tampax and Huggies) hold either No. 1 or No. 2 market share in 80 countries. Kimberly-Clark generates 52% of sales in North America and the rest overseas.

Kimberly-Clark announced Street-beating first-quarter revenues and earnings in April; while consumers are buying in droves, KMB expects its K-C Professional division to take a hit starting in the second quarter thanks to the abundance of work-from-home measures.

Consumer staples stocks like KMB have largely outperformed the market thanks to their defensive positioning and attractive dividends. Kimberly-Clark increased its dividend 4% in January, extending its streak of consecutive payout hikes to 48 years, and it offers a 3%-plus yield at current prices.

SEE ALSO: 25 Blue Chips With Brawny Balance Sheets

EDITOR'S PICKS



Copyright 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
OTTAWA - Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial-aid applications, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, March 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial-aid applications, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.

The federal government has announced the closure of 317 physical Service Canada centres to limit the spread of COVID-19.

"As part of the initiative of encouraging people to stay home and work from home, this is something that we realize we can and should be doing," Trudeau said during his daily briefing on the health crisis.

The government has made "significant efforts" over the last several years to make sure that all services available at Service Canada centres are also available online, he said.

A sign posted on the window of a Service Canada Centre notifies people that it is closed until further notice in Carleton Place, Ont., on Friday, March 27, 2020. The Canadian Government has closed all centres due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

"We want to make sure that Service Canada employees are continuing to work extremely hard to serve Canadians, to respond to their needs, and that's why things are going to be done online and through the phone."

The Liberals say the move, announced late Thursday night, should not affect most unemployed workers who seek employment-insurance benefits since the vast majority of applications are done online.

Trudeau added that special considerations will be given to "particularly vulnerable" people who have difficulty accessing those services.

The network of Service Canada centres, along with almost 250 more outreach centres, received about 8.4 million visits during the 12-month period between April 2018 and March 2019. The figure, noted in a recently posted evaluation of federal services, included over 1.9 million people walking in to use a self-service kiosk.

The demand on Service Canada has increased in recent days, with more than one million new applications for EI benefits arriving in just over a week as businesses close due to public-health concerns.

Approximately 1,000 workers were already redeployed to assist with EI applications. Any COVID-19-related applications that came in before the new emergency benefit was announced will be moved over to the new program, so people don't have to follow up with Service Canada.

Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said the closure decision followed concerns about an unsafe working environment for employees.

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've had incidences where employees of Service Canada saw their health and safety at risk," Duclos said Friday.

The union representing Service Canada employees supported the move to shut down physical centres.

"This measure will protect the public and its members from contracting COVID-19, and will not negatively impact the ability of vulnerable Canadians to receive the support they need at this critical time," Chris Aylward, Public Service Alliance of Canada national president, said in a statement.

People who cannot be accommodated online or over the phone will be given a specific appointment time and their file will be prepared in advance, the union said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2020.

With files from Jordan Press in Ottawa
Yet he is remarkably silent on recent negative developments, claiming that the city has wholly rediscovered and embraced its old cosmopolitan soul. This overlooks that the anti-immigration group Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the Occident (Pegida) was founded in Dresden in 2014 and that xenophobia and right-wing extremism are such entrenched problems that the city council declared a Nazi emergency in 2019.

While clearly a fan, McKay is not blind to Dresdens historical faults. He acknowledges that it was an early adopter of Nazism, that many of its famous industries had been converted to war production, and that much of that relied on slave labour. He thus refutes claims about the citys innocence and strategic non-importance.

So what does McKays new book offer? Perhaps more than previous works, it tells the story of Dresden: its history, destruction and resurrection, which provide a three-part structure. McKay expresses deep affection for this unusually innovative and creative city, utter horror at its devastation and great admiration for its recovery.

Much has already been written about Dresdens bombing. It stood at the centre of Kurt Vonneguts bestselling 1969 novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, which drew on his experiences as an American POW held in the city. Several histories have been published, from a 1963 book by the future Holocaust-denier David Irving through to Frederick Taylors 2004 study, which debunked Irvings and others exaggerations of the death toll and further misconceptions.

McKay wants readers to see the bombing "as much as possible through the eyes of those who were there, on the ground and in the air. A couple of chapters are devoted to the British and American bomber crews, for whom Dresden was just another target, albeit one more distant and thus more dangerous than most.

He highlights the fear the crewmen experienced due to their extraordinarily high casualty rate and gives a good sense of their individual roles and experiences in the air and between missions. British chief of Bomber Command Arthur Harris and Prime Minister Winston Churchill also feature, but readers wanting forensic analysis of British and American decision-making may be better served by Taylor.

The books real focus and strength lie in McKays deft interwoven narration of multiple experiences of eyewitnesses who were in Dresden before, during and after the bombing. Some individuals accounts have been published elsewhere, including those of Vonnegut, of the Jewish-German professor and diarist Victor Klemperer, and of young Latvian scientist Mischka Danos (historian Sheila Fitzpatricks future husband), who was planning a party on the night of the raid.

Others, including a British POW who was due to be executed the following day and numerous more or less ordinary Dresdeners, are less well known. With the exception of the largely absentee Nazi Gauleiter Martin Mutschmann and often featureless authorities, their experiences are told with real empathy and suspense.

The book will not entirely satisfy everyone. Reading of burnt bodies that could not be removed from basements being cremated with flamethrowers is not for the faint-hearted. Some readers may want more emphatic positions on key questions, such as whether the bombing constituted a war crime. Military history enthusiasts may want more technical and tactical detail. I wanted more on the bombings commemoration and on efforts at reconciliation as well as more critical discussion of McKays sources.
London: A British newspaper said Thursday its correspondent in Egypt was forced to leave the country after authorities revoked her credentials over a report on coronavirus infections there.

"Ruth Michaelson, who has lived in and reported from Egypt since 2014, was advised last week by western diplomats that the country's security services wanted her to leave immediately," The Guardian newspaper said.

Earlier this month, the journalist published an article citing Canadian epidemiologists who estimated Egypt's COVID-19 infections could have surpassed 19,000.

Egypt's health ministry has declared 495 coronavirus cases. Speculation has circulated on social media that the real figures are higher.

Egyptian authorities accused Michaelson of "intentional bad faith to harm Egyptian interests".

The Guardian said the authorities demanded a retraction or an official apology.

It said it offered to publish a written response from Egypt to the article or the epidemiologists' study but received no reply to that offer.

Michaelson left Egypt on March 20, according to the British daily.

New York-based watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) deplored Michaelson's "expulsion".

"Accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic... should not be stifled for political convenience," the CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, Sherif Mansour, said in a statement.

On Sunday, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his government had dealt with the novel coronavirus pandemic with "full transparency" and denied the true infection rate was being suppressed.

Egypt has increasingly targeted journalists in an ongoing crackdown against government dissidents since the 2013 military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

The country ranks 163rd out of 180 countries in the 2019 Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index.
CHICAGO  A second wave of coronavirus cases is charting a path far from coastal Washington State, California, New York and New Jersey, and threatening population centers in Americas middle. Emerging hot spots include smaller communities like Greenville, Miss., and Pine Bluff, Ark., and large cities like New Orleans, Milwaukee, Detroit and Chicago.

Local and state leaders find themselves struggling to deal with the deadly onslaught, urgently issuing guidance to residents and sounding the alarm over a dearth of equipment in local clinics and hospitals.

As the threat expands, the orders from state and local officials have sometimes been a chaotic, confusing patchwork. With mixed signals from the federal authorities in Washington, D.C., local leaders have wrestled with complicated medical and economic choices. Mayors and governors in Oklahoma, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Texas have clashed over which restrictions to impose on residents, dispensing contradictory instructions, even as their communities are being ravaged by the virus.
For the foreseeable future, the Yakima Herald-Republic will be publishing a weekly update on the Yakima Valley business community and the coronavirus pandemic in place of The Current column. Send updates and news tips to Mai Hoang at maihoang@yakimaherald.com or Twitter @maiphoang
The head of Australia's consumer watchdog Rod Sims has assured shoppers there are currently no signs of price gouging across supermarkets in response to the coronavirus, though noted it was something he was keeping a close eye on.

Mr Sims, who chairs the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald he was not seeing any price gouging evidence "at this stage".

ACCC boss Rod Sims has said he's seen no sign of price gouging across Australian supermarkets. Credit:AAP

Consumers have been raising concerns on social media about the price of some products across retailers, primarily fresh fruit and vegetables. Prices per kilogram for vegetables such as capsicums and broccoli have been reported as high as $16 per kilogram.

"We've had a lot of feedback that prices, particularly of fresh produce, have gone up," Mr Sims said.
Counting college students in the census every decade is already considered challenging by officials, but this year theres another hurdle: a global pandemic.

In the midst of census season, many students have left their homes on campuses across the country due to COVID-19, leaving census forms behind, with the possibility of no one returning again until the fall.

Particularly in La Crosse, where three higher-ed schools make up about a third of the citys population, census workers are now worried that a massive amount of its community wont be counted, which could be financially damaging to the city for the next 10 years.

Students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo and Western Technical College were all told to quickly leave campus during the last two weeks.

All three of the schools have postponed their graduations, and many students and staff likely wont return to campuses for the rest of spring semester.

This is one of the populations that is hardest to get to fill out the form to begin with, said Tim Acklin, who works in the La Crosse city planning department and is the coordinator for the Complete Count Committee.

The problem is, he said, if theres a house of four students, and all of them went home, their form with their number is sitting in their mailboxes.

In Wisconsin, census mailings went out to all addresses in mid-March  which is when the citys schools started sending their nearly 16,000 students home.

This just adds an additional monkey wrench into it, Acklin said about now trying to contact students who may have missed their mailing. Were trying to reach them and were trying to get through to them.

The Complete Count Committee in La Crosse has representatives from all three schools, and they are working to reach students through emailing lists. Theyre also reaching out to landlords and property managers to find contact information.

Around 4,500 of the college students in La Crosse live in residence halls, which means they were already counted at the beginning of the year through the cenuss group counting system. But the rest of them are harder to track down.

Were more concerned with those students who live off campus, Acklin said. All of the area thats west of West Avenue and north of Jackson Street and east of 7th Street  I mean, theres a large student population there.

We really dont have the numbers of how many of them went home, he added, Did they stay here? We dont know.

The census bureau does have backup plans for those who dont respond right away, but the pandemic is making those plans uncertain.

Census forms get mailed out initially in March, with a follow-up mailing later if there is no response. If there is still no response, a census worker will go to the address in-person to take the information.

Who knows when people are going to be going out and knocking on peoples doors, Acklin said of the uncertainty of when social distancing orders will be lifted.

But even when they do reach a student, another unprecedented issue pops up: What address should they put?

Luckily, the census bureau has general guidelines for students filling out the census, since it can already be a tricky form for them, many of them using their parents home as their permanent address.

Normally, students should list wherever they are living and sleeping at for most of the year, or on the date of April 1  a day the bureau uses as its threshold to help people determine how to count themselves  which is usually their school address.

But this year, when April 1 rolls around, many students will have packed up and left their student housing and apartments for an indefinite amount of time. So what address should they put?

Their school address, census officials still say.

This is one of those weird circumstances where this isnt where you would have been living, Acklin said, The students would have been here.

Another hurdle students will need to get through is finding their codes and cooperating with anyone they might live with.

Each census form is sent to every residence with a code that is unique to that address. But those codes might be sitting on a postcard in the mailbox for weeks to come.

Luckily, you can call the census bureau or go to its website and use your information to get the code so that you can fill out the online form  which is expected to only take people about 10 minutes to complete.

Students will also need to coordinate with any roommates they may live with and decide who will fill out a form for the total household. Each resident will still fill out individual forms as well.

La Crosse  with its latest population just skimming above 50,000  is dependent on counting its students accurately because of the funding it secures for the community.

Its still a very large percent of our overall population, Acklin said of the students. So even having a small amount of them not being counted could be drastic for a community thats trying to stay over 50,000.

This population threshold is what allows the city to apply for and receive funding from the state and federal government for things like roads, schools, free and reduced lunch, fire departments and grant programs dedicated to low income households.

So of the roughly 12,000 students who still need to be counted, a near majority is needed to ensure the city stays above 50,000 residents, assuming the rest of the community size has not changed, which bureau projections say it hasnt.

In the grand scheme of things, filling out the census is important for our community as a whole, Acklin said.

The city may qualify for a recount down the road, but officials are trying to look at the big picture for now.

If we have to, we will try to see if thats an option for us if it comes to that, Acklin said.

Currently, across the state about 32.9% of Wisconsinites have responded to the 2020 census, which is higher than most states and the national average of 26.2%. La Crosse County and the city of La Crosse also have high response rates so far, leading with other areas of the state.

April 1 is National Census Day, but residents have until Aug. 14 to complete the form and have themselves counted.

And while census officials can understand how this task might fall through the cracks for people in this time of uncertainty and uprooting, they hope they can all see the big picture, too.

Theres obviously a lot going on in the world right now, so its understandable that this isnt very high on your list, Acklin said. But it is important. Its going to shape how we are for the next 10 years.

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.
United Nations, March 27 : Asylum rights must be respected for Sikhs and Hindus who may be fleeing religious persecution in Afghanistan where a gurdwara was bombed this week killing at least 25 people, according to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Asked at his briefing on Thursday specifically if Sikhs and Hindus who are are under attack there should be given asylum in India, he said, "The asylum regime, the refugee regime must be respected the world over." The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has opposed the Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Act that seeks to help religious minorities fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh by providing expedited citizenship to Sikhs, Hindus and other non-Muslim minorities from those countries.

Earlier, Dujarric had issued a statement that Guterres condemned the attacks on the gurdwara.

"He expresses his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. The Secretary-General reiterates that attacks against civilians are unacceptable and those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable," Dujarric added.

The Islamic State terrorist organisation has stated that it carried out the attack on gurdwara in Kabul on Wednesday killing at least 25 people and injuring several people.

The hours-long attacked several hours.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)




Women have been serving the country for generations, sewing uniforms and nursing the wounded for years. Some have dedicated their lives flying fighter jets and fighting on the front line.

However, they have never been required to render their services by registering for the draft. Some advocates are hoping to change that.

The US military commission submitted a report to Congress concluding all women ages 18 to 25 should also be required to register for the draft should the country ever need to call Americans into active-duty service.

The national commission determined the county would best benefit by requiring both men and women to register for the Selective Service where only men currently register. The commission believes doubling the pool would improve military readiness. It will also help raise the quality of those who might serve.

Women have taken on a larger presence in the military for years, making up for almost 17 percent of active-duty troops. It is due to this that the commission concluded the inclusion of women "a necessary and fair step."

Women ages 18 to 25 would be asked to register with the Selective Service System should the Congress adopt the recommendation. Registrations will automatically happen when an individual applies for a driver's license or federal financial aid, removing the need to make a trip to the post office.

However, another law should be passed before any registrant would be conscripted due to the abolishment of the draft system in 1973.

The commission recommended that the United States keep a database for draft options. The drafting system will act as a last resort should there be a national security threat.

A recent ruling saw the US District Judge Gray Miller of the Southern District of Texas calling an all-male military draft as unconstitutional.

The issue has become more urgent in recent years. The movement followed Pentagon's 2015 announcement where they opened all combat jobs to women. This historic news saw women driving tanks, firing mortars, and leading infantry soldiers into combat.

More than 224,000 women joined the military since the Pentagon first opened its doors to the female gender.





Two generals openly advocated for the eligibility of women to register in the system in 2016. Gen. Robert B. Neller and Gen. Mark A. Milley said all Americans who were physically qualified should be allowed to register for the draft, a sentiment echoed by Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.

Reinstating the draft is largely unpopular, though it is seen as the last option. A poll conducted on February 29, 2019, shows the general population split about whether or not women should be allowed to register. More than half of all Americans are in favor of the idea.

Quinnipiac University also conducted a poll on February 7, 2013, where an overwhelming 75 percent supported the inclusion of women in combat. The study also showed more women opposed to making the changes.

The report will be the final stage in the decades-long debate about the drafting system and the inclusion of women in it.

Former Nevada congressman and the commission's chairman Joe Heck said he was confident the recommendation would reach the Senate and the House. "Where it goes from there is a matter of debate."

Check these out next:
A quarantine zone for Covid-19 patients in the Da Nang Hospital in Da Nang, central Vietnam, March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong.

Two British nationals and a Vietnamese woman at the Da Nang Hospital are free of the Covid-19 infection, hospital director Le Duc Nhan said Thursday.

"The three patients have recovered and are qualified to be discharged in accordance with the Ministry of Health's protocol," Nhan said, adding that all three have tested negative for the coronavirus three times in a row.

The two British citizens were on Vietnam Airlines VN54 flight flew from London and landed March 2 in Hanoi. At least 16 people on that flight have been confirmed to be infected with the Covid-19 virus, including a flight attendant.

The Brits were confirmed Covid-19 positive on March 8.

The other patient, a Vietnamese woman who works as a saleswoman in an electronics shop in Da Nang's Hai Chau District, has also recovered. She'd come into direct contact March 4 with the British men who came to the shop as customers, before being confirmed to be infected herself on March 10.

The patients were treated in accordance with procedures and regimen laid out by the Health Ministry. The hospital was disinfected to prevent cross-infection among medical workers, Nhan said.

Da Nang City has confirmed six Covid-19 cases so far. The three active cases left are an American man confirmed infected on March 18, a 24-year-old Vietnamese woman confirmed infected on March 23, and a 27-year-old Vietnamese woman confirmed infected on March 25. None of the three have any severe symptoms, Nhan said.

Vietnam has recorded 153 Covid-19 cases in total, of whom 17 have been discharged from hospitals. Among the active cases, 37, including the latest three recoveries, have tested negative between one and four times.

Many of the currently active cases are Vietnamese nationals returning from Europe and the U.S. and foreigners visiting from the same regions.

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 22,100 people globally after spreading to 198 countries and territories.
By Jessica Jaganathan

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices crashed below $3 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) reversing three weeks of gains, after Indian buyers cancelled or diverted cargoes as a lockdown caused gas demand to slump.

The average LNG price for May delivery into northeast Asia was estimated at about $2.80 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), down 70 cents, or 20% from the previous week, traders said.

Prices for cargoes delivered in April were estimated around $3.00/mmBtu, also down 70 cents from a week ago.

Indian LNG importers, including top buyer Petronet LNG, Gail (India) and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC), issued force majeure notices to suppliers this week as domestic demand and port operations were hit by a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, sources told Reuters.

India's GSPC also cancelled an import tender for 11 cargoes for deliveries in May to March, a company source said.

The force majeure in turn has caused a flood of supply in the spot market, depressing prices, traders said.

Qatargas has approached several buyers in Asia and Europe offering cargoes for loading or delivery in April, three sources familiar with the matter said. Two other traders said Qatar had offered about 10 cargoes, though this could not be confirmed.

Cheniere Energy also offered a cargo for early April loading from Sabine Pass, traders said.

Sakhalin Energy and Petronas were offering cargoes for delivery in May, they added.

Indonesia's Bontang plant may have sold an early-May loading cargo to a Chinese buyer, one source said, though this could not immediately be confirmed.

KUFPEC may have sold a cargo for first-half May loading from the Wheatstone plant to a portfolio company at $3 to $3.20 per mmBtu, the source added.

One the buy side, some requirements were seen from China and Colombia.

Thailand's PTT bought two cargoes for delivery in May from Qatargas at $3.05 to $3.15 per mmBtu through a buy tender, traders said.

Story continues

Providing some upside, Woodside Petroleum, which produces LNG at North West Shelf LNG, Pluto LNG and has a stake in Wheatstone LNG in Western Australia, said on Friday its trading team has "recently begun placing some spot production back into China as industrial output and demand restarts".

It added that it would defer major maintenance at the North West Shelf LNG plant in Western Australia as it was slashing spending.

(Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan, additional reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Editing by Robert Birsel)
A cadre of right-wing news sites pulled from the fringes in recent years through repeated mention by President Donald Trump is now taking aim at Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, who has given interviews in which he has tempered praise for the president with doubts about his pronouncements.

Although both men are seeking to tamp down the appearance of tension - "Great job," Trump commended the doctor during the White House's briefing on Tuesday - the president is increasingly chafing against medical consensus. He has found support from a chorus of conservative commentators who have cheered his promise to get the U.S. economy going again as well as his decision to tout possible coronavirus treatments not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"The president was right, and frankly Fauci was wrong," Lou Dobbs said Monday on his show on the Fox Business Network, referring to the use of experimental medicine.

Beyond prime-time television, however, the disregard for expert guidance being pushed by some conservative and libertarian voices goes further - aimed not simply at proving Fauci wrong but at painting him as an agent of the "deep state" that Trump has vowed to dismantle. The smear campaign taking root online, and laying the groundwork for Trump to cast aside the experts on his own coronavirus task force, relies centrally on the idea that there is no expertise that rises above partisanship, and that everyone has an agenda.

Fauci, an immunologist who graduated first in his class from Cornell's medical school, has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. Between 1983 and 2002, he was the 13th most-cited scientist among the 2.5 million to 3 million authors worldwide and across all disciplines publishing in scientific journals, according to the Institute for Scientific Information.

Peter Barry Chowka, whose Twitter bio boasts that he has been retweeted by the president, recently referred to Fauci, who has advised multiple presidents of both parties, as a "Deep-State Hillary Clinton-loving stooge." Trump has not brought these attacks to his own Twitter feed, but he has surfaced previous pieces by Chowka, including praise for Sean Hannity of Fox News.

And the false caricature of Fauci has been embraced in some of the most avowedly pro-Trump corners of the Internet - places that seem remote from mainstream discourse until they wind up in presidential tweets or in a monologue on Fox.

"Cross-pollination" between fringe sites and more credible conservative outlets occurs on news aggregators such as the Drudge Report, said Carl Cameron, who spent more than two decades as a reporter for Fox News before leaving in 2017.

"These attacks do seem to get attention from the hosts at Fox," he said.

Already the Pew Research Center has documented a remarkable divergence of views about the coronavirus outbreak based on news consumption. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans who turn to sources that cater to right-leaning audiences said that news outlets have greatly exaggerated the pandemic, while 42 percent of Republicans who don't follow such sources said the same.

The attempt to discredit Fauci draws on a resource for which Trump has professed his "love" - WikiLeaks. Among the emails hacked by Russian agents and released by the anti-secrecy organization in 2016 was a message Fauci sent in 2013 to one of Clinton's top aides, Cheryl Mills. He praised the secretary of state's "stamina and capability" during her testimony before the congressional committee investigating the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya.

At the end of last week, the right-wing website Gateway Pundit cited the email, saying it came as "no surprise" because the doctor was also encouraging states to adopt restrictive measures that were "crashing their economies" and playing down hopes for possible coronavirus treatments. Jim Hoft, the site's editor, published additional articles questioning Fauci's approach to past health emergencies and chiding him for his "disrespectful interview undermining President Trump."

In an email, Hoft said, "I don't have a problem with more information being shared about the doctor."

The same hacked email was the centerpiece of Chowka's piece, which appeared over the weekend on the conservative blog American Thinker.

"So Fauci's a typical, deeply embedded administrative state hack who can be expected to be obsequious to his political bosses like Mrs. Clinton," Chowka wrote, going on to accuse the infectious diseases expert of contradicting and undermining Trump.

The appearance of tension between the president and the doctor caused Fauci, in a radio interview on Tuesday, to say that "pitting one against the other is just not helpful." Trump also took steps to present a united front, saying their relationship has been "very good."

Followers of the American Thinker have not received the message. Chowka's piece has generated nearly 20,000 interactions on Facebook alone - more than the typical well-performing story in the mainstream media. It has gained particular traction in Facebook groups devoted to Fox News personalities, suggesting an overlapping audience, as well as in state-specific groups, such as Maine for Trump 2020 and New York for Trump. In a group for Massachusetts-based supporters of the president, one user wrote, "Never liked or trusted this person."

Separately, a meme has been spreading in pro-Trump groups that shows an image of Fauci with his arm around House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the question, "Look trustworthy to you?"

The attacks have spread to other right-wing sites, where Fauci stands accused of trying to turn the United States into "a police state like China in order to stop coronavirus."

Some of the most prominent conservative influencers, including Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch and Bill Mitchell of "YourVoice America," have been amplifying the conspiracy theories to their hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter. Both figures have been retweeted by the president, Fitton as many as 100 times.

Meanwhile, at least two congressional candidates have participated in the smear campaign. Also spreading specious claims about Fauci is a highly active account on Twitter that has been featured by the One America News Network (OANN), a right-wing channel favored by the president that gained a seat in the White House briefing room in 2017. The account, which uses the name Greg Rubini, distorted 2017 comments from Fauci warning that the Trump administration would confront challenges from infectious diseases to claim that the doctor "made" and "funded" the novel virus.

Last week, in spreading unsubstantiated claims about the origins of the virus, Chanel Rion, an OANN reporter and former political illustrator for "anti-left caucuses" who accused the news media of spreading "Chinese Communist Party narratives," cited "Greg Rubini, a citizen investigator and a monitored source amongst a certain set in the D.C. intelligence community."

The same account was involved in circulating the purported name of the whistleblower in the Ukraine scandal last fall.

The claims don't have buy-in from the Republican mainstream. But attempts to parry them have only illustrated their reach.

Over the weekend, Matt Whitlock, a senior adviser to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, wrote on Twitter, "Shouldn't need to be said, but I personally couldn't care less if Dr. Fauci said nice things to say about Hillary Clinton."

The "politicization of public health" means it very much does need to be said, according to Robert Faris, the research director at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

"Having Trump and Fauci on the same public stage at the same time is an untenable position for right-wing media," he said. "Something's got to give, and I don't know what it is."

The most reliable avenues these outlets have for mainstream exposure, Faris said, is to seed their talking points into Fox News coverage or to get the direct attention of White House aides.

"They're both plausible, though, thankfully, we don't seem to be there yet," he added.
John P. Sears, a Republican political strategist who worked for Richard M. Nixon and Ronald Reagan and was fired by both, died on Thursday in Miami. He was 79.

His son, James, confirmed the death. He said Mr. Sears had a heart attack.

Frequently referred to in the news media as a modern-day Machiavelli or Rasputin, Mr. Sears was only 28 in 1968 when he served as deputy director of field operations for Nixon and helped him secure the Republican presidential nomination. He then worked briefly as deputy counsel in the White House.

But he was perceived as overly ambitious and not deferential enough to the Nixon crowd; the administration even had his phone tapped. Within a year, he was fired.

The firing was actually a blessing: It removed Mr. Sears from the Watergate scandal, which led to Nixons resignation as president.
About Donbas conflict

On Monday, March 23, militants fired at a ZIL-131 truck of the Ukrainian military near the village of Shumy. The press center of the JFO headquarters reports on the page on Facebook. As a result of an anti-tank guided missile getting into the car, two Joint Forces military received injuries, the HQ reported.

The European Union insists on the importance of the unhindered access of the OSCE SMM to areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions uncontrolled by Ukraine as Spokesperson of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated. It is crucial that Russia and the armed formations that it backs allow the OSCE SMM, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and the ICRC freedom of movement across the contact line, the message said.

15 people were hospitalized with the suspicion for coronavirus in occupied areas of Donbas on March 24. Another 71 people are in quarantine. However, only half of the people were tested for Covid-19 as separatist mass media reported. Later, it appeared that 144 patients with the suspicion for pneumonia were spotted in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as East Human Rights group reported. The patients appealed to the medics from March 16 up to March 23 but it is impossible to talk about confirmed Covid-19 cases as there are no tests in the hospitals.

About coronavirus

At the beginning of the week, Ukrainian cargo plane arrived from China, carrying 250,000 tests for Covid-19. It was underlined that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect coronavirus will be delivered to all regions of the country.

On March 25, the Cabinet of Ministers has prolonged a lockdown across the country for 30 days. Besides, the government extended the emergency situation all over Ukraine. Later, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal underlined that Ukraine closes any passenger movement across the border, starting from March 27.

Meanwhile, almost 90 thousand people returned to Ukraine due to the coronavirus epidemic.

On March 27, Deputy Healthcare Minister of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko stated that the mobile units of medics will appear in Ukraine to collect analyses for Covid-19 at home.

Moreover, Google company allocated a $500,000 grant to Ukraines Healthcare Ministry for information campaign against panic amid coronavirus spread. These funds will help to put the sources of the Healthcare Ministry to top results of the search.

As of morning March 27, there are 218 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ukraine. The number of Kyiv citizens sick with Covid-19 increased up to 55 people. Meanwhile, a 39-year-old woman, a native of Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, ran away from Kyiv hospital. She had a positive test for coronavirus.

Besides, deputy chairman of the National Police of Ukraine, the head of the Kyiv police, Andriy Kryshchenko was found to have a coronavirus. However, no case of coronavirus spotted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

About annexed Crimea

This week it was reported that Russian Investigative Committee had opened criminal case against Crimean Tatar Mejlis Head. The Investigative Committee accuses Chubarov of the organization of mass unrest near the building of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

In addition, Putin prohibited Ukrainians from owning land in Russian-annexed Crimea. Ukraines MPs ask Cabinet of Ministers to react to ban for Ukrainians on right to own land in Crimea.

In regards to situation with coronavirus in Crimea, the number of people infected with covid-19 in Crimea increased up to seven people. However, over 1,000 people end up in Crimea's hospitals with pneumonia.

About IMF

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva discussed an increase in assistance to Ukraine during the coronavirus epidemic in a telephone conversation. "We have discussed the increase in the amount of Ukraine's support from the Fund in the face of major challenges to the economy, related to the global pandemic," Zelensky said.

Ukraine may receive increased funding of up to 10 billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will include 5.5 billion dollars under a three-year program and 4.5 billion dollars  as assistance in the fight against coronavirus. It was reported by EPravda with reference to the interlocutor at the National Bank of Ukraine

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the bill #3260, On amendment of the legislative acts of Ukraine on the improvement of some mechanisms of the regulation of banking business. The adoption of this bill is one of the key demands of the International Monetary Fund and Ukraine has not received the new credit program for $5.5 billion as this demand is not fulfilled.

The IMF notes significant progress in the negotiations on a new EFF program for Ukraine and stresses the adoption of legislation on the improvement of the regulatory structure in the banking sector, as well as on the land reform.

About sports

Oleksandr Gvozdyk spoke on his loss to Artur Beterbiev. It was the pressure of the Russian fighter that forced Gvozdyk to capitulate. However, the Ukrainian boxer is looking forward to the new challenges in the light-heavyweight division.

IOC postponed the 2020 Olympic Games due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The competition in Tokyo will be pushed back for a year.

The WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua believes that Dereck Chisora might be a tough test for Oleksandr Usyk. The Briton praised the toughness of his fellow compatriot.
Indices opened higher on strong buying in index stocks. At 9:18 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 939.52 points or 3.14% at 30,886.29. The Nifty 50 index was up 333.65 points or 3.86% at 8,975.10.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 3.48%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 2.74%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 670 shares rose and 90 shares fell. A total of 32 shares were unchanged.

Stocks in news:

NTPC rose 2.05%. NTPC said it signed a share-purchase agreement with the central government to acquire North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) for Rs 4,000 crore and THDC India (THDCIL) for Rs 7,500 crore. The acquisitions are subject to regulatory approvals.

Yes Bank jumped 9.94%. Yes Bank said its board has approved raising funds amounting to Rs 5,000 crore, in addition to Rs 10,000 crore cleared in January, through issuance of securities. The board of the bank has also been reconstituted.

ICICI Bank soared 7.06%. ICICI Bank entered into an agreement to invest in Auxilo Finserve (previously known as Stellenyak General Finance) by acquiring 9.9% stake, or 34.1 million equity shares for Rs 51.1 crore.

Aurobindo Pharma zoomed 7.69%. Aurobindo Pharma said with regard to the USFDA inspection of Unit VIII, API manufacturing facility at Gaddapotharam, Hyderabad, the company has received the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) with Voluntary Action Initiated (VAl) status from USFDA.

Finolex Industries rocketed 8.28%. Finolex Industries said it has suspended operations at all plants, offices and warehouses located at various locations until 14 April 2020 as per the Centre's order of a complete lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

United Spirits went up 2.26%. United Spirits said it has closed operations at all its offices and manufacturing units till 14 April 2020 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Global Markets:

Overseas, most Asian markets were trading higher on Friday as investors wagered policymakers will roll out additional stimulus measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic after US unemployment filings surged to a record.

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits surged to a record of more than 3 million last week as strict measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic ground the country to a sudden halt

In US, stocks roared higher on Thursday, closing up for the third day in a row despite a report from the Labor Department that showed unemployment claims soared to a record 3.28 million last week, as the coronavirus pandemic shut down businesses across the nation.

Investors took some comfort from the overnight passage of a historic $2 trillion economic stimulus bill by the Senate, putting it one step closer to being signed into law to mitigate the economic fallout from the outbreak.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, March 27 : Thalassemic children, who are the regular recipient of fresh blood, are facing its shortage with the blood donation drives getting cancelled across the country in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Indian Red Cross Society, a voluntary humanitarian organization, stated that donating blood at this time is safe.

"Our donor screening measures ensure the safety of all blood donors and it is safe to donate blood. We urge you to come forward and show your support." The organisation stated that due to the bar imposed on mass gatherings, scheduled blood donation camps were cancelled which led to an acute shortage of blood in banks.

"Thalassemic children, who are regular recipients of fresh blood at our blood bank, are the worst affected," Indian Red Cross Society stated.

It added that coronavirus presents no risk from donating blood. "According to the FDA, there have been no reported cases of Covid-19 transmitted by blood transfusion." The pandemic has effectively brought normal life to a halt.
After more than two months struggling to go up and down the many stairs at Community House on Broadway, Debbie Beebe has moved into new transitional housing where it is much easier to get around.

Beebe, 55, had been staying at the Longview homeless shelter since December, but nerve damage in her feet and legs made it painful and difficult to move through the three-story building.

Its a lot easier (to get around), she said of her new housing. Im thankful Im here in this nice place.

Beebe was one of 32 Community House residents who moved into the former Park Royal nursing home Monday. Core Health Extended Support Service opened the support center to provide temporary housing for the elderly, medically fragile or those with physical or mental disabilities.

The new program could also house some homeless people discharged from the hospital who would otherwise end up on the street or Longviews encampment, or those turned away from Community House when the shelter is full.

Core Health purchased the shuttered building at 910 16th Ave. in early December for $625,000. The 11,000-square foot building has 27 rooms across three wings and can house up to 75 people. Core spent $125,000 renovating the building, with more work left to go, said Frank Morrison, director of Core Health and Community House.

Morrison said he wanted to open the transitional housing to help the Community House residents who cant get around easily or have high medical needs.

Its close to PeaceHealth and Family Health Center, which makes it a good location to put homeless people that need longer-term care, he said. Its a physical and emotional care facility.

Morrison said he anticipates some future residents to come from St. John Medical Center, which is located across the street. Some homeless hospital patients are discharged but cant properly recover while living on the street, he said.

Prospective residents will be screened through Core Healths Social Support Center or coordinated entry to see if they are eligible for the housing, Morrison said.

Morrison said its rare that residents will come in with any sort of income, but those that do, typically from federal benefits, will be asked to pay 30% monthly to help cover their expenses and subsidize the operation. Core Healths revenue predominantly comes from patient Medicaid payments.

The housing program includes case management and mental health services. As they must at Community House, residents have to abstain from alcohol and illicit drugs, participate in weekly meetings and complete their own chores, Morrison said.

Residents will get two meals a day. Right now, staff brings residents their meals to eat in their rooms rather than together in the dining area because of the coronavirus outbreak, Morrison said.

The organization is also working to gather cleaning and hygiene items but supplies like hand sanitizer are difficult to find, he said.

It will take about 24 to 30 people to run the center when at full capacity. Morrison said Core Health has brought on about a dozen workers so far because the coronavirus outbreak has slowed the agencys efforts to bring in new residents.

Staff will help residents apply for Social Security or disability benefits and permanent housing. Some residents already receive federal benefits but lost their housing after falling behind on rent payments, Morrison said.

They make one mistake and theyre homeless, he said.

Residents can stay up to two years, compared to 90 days at Community House. Morrison said because of the different challenges these clients face, it typically takes them longer than other shelter residents to find permanent housing.

Morrison said because the program is focused on serving this specific population, it gives them a better chance of getting into permanent housing.

The new housing also allows staff to better serve Community House residents who have different needs, such as help searching for jobs, he said. It also helped open up space at the shelter, which served an average of 120 people per night in 2019.

Its exciting for our efforts and for the community, said Bruce Rosebrock, Core Health board president.

Love 12 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Indian lockdown disrupts Amazon, Flipkart deliveries: sources An employee of Amazon walks through a turnstile gate inside an Amazon Fulfillment Centre (BLR7) on the outskirts of Bengaluru

By Aditya Kalra and Sankalp Phartiyal

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's coronavirus lockdown is disrupting e-commerce companies including Amazon and Flipkart, despite government assurances it would not, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Differing state and district level regulations relating to the 21-day lockdown, which began on Wednesday, are hindering operations, the sources said on Friday, with e-commerce firms finding it difficult to get curfew passes for delivery staff.

The disruptions highlight the difficulties of ensuring the supply of essential goods to 1.3 billion people during the shutdown in India, which has so far reported 724 cases of coronavirus and 17 deaths.

Most of Amazon's 60 plus fulfilment centres in India are shut and the U.S. company is in talks with state authorities to try to reopen them, three of the sources said.

Industry executives say local authorities have not followed guidelines, stopping deliveries and warehouses from operating.

"It's worse than one can think," one source said, while a second added that only a "miniscule" number of Amazon warehouses were operating, citing this as a key reason for disruptions.

Even when operations do begin to return to normal, it will only be in major cities, the second source added.

Amazon said in a statement that its top priority was to deliver the products which customers need the most and it was seeking urgent help from federal government and local authorities with detailed on-the-ground operating procedures.

In New Delhi, Amazon's Pantry service was suspended and the delivery slot for essential goods, such as oil and soaps, was shown as being April 26.

"There are clear guidelines provided by Government to enable essential services, and so we are working with the relevant authorities to ensure we are able to operate," Amazon said on Twitter in response to questions from users in India.

Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with e-commerce executives on Thursday and said the government was "committed to ensuring that essential goods reach the people".

Story continues

Walmart-owned Flipkart has also been hit, with some grocery items which had been available earlier on Friday in New Delhi intermittently going out of stock.

A source familiar with the situation said Flipkart was facing challenges with last-mile delivery of goods once they leave its warehouse due to restrictions on movement.

Flipkart said in a statement it had resumed grocery operations and there was a significant spike in orders.

"We are enhancing capacity to meet the increase in customer requirements," it said, adding it had received support from local and federal authorities.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra and Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Euan Rocha, Kim Coghill, Mark Potter and Alexander Smith)
Since the countrywide lockdown was announced by PM Modi, an increasing number of cases of police brutality are being reported from around the country. In West Bengal, a man reportedly died after being beaten up by police when he went out to get some milk.

Now, a case of a man being beaten up in Kerala has come forward. Reportedly, the man was returning after dropping his wife to her work (she is a doctor) and was beaten up by an inspector from Sreekaryam station.

Representative Image/Reuters

The man was in his car when he was allegedly stopped by the inspector and beaten up. The man issued a complaint and a probe has been issued against the officer.

State Police Chief Loknath Behera meanwhile said that tough action will be taken against cops who are misusing power and misbehaving in public.

Representative Image/PTI

"The officers of the rank of inspectors and above are responsible for ensuring that such incidents are not happening in their limits," TNIE quoted him as saying.

Multiple videos of police brutality against delivery guys and migrant workers travelling on foot to get to their villages are surfacing on the internet.

And these are some pictures of brutality across cities like Mumbai and Delhi today. Delivery folks who were trying to deliver food and medicines.. clearly they dont understand on ground what are essential services.. @narendramodi @CMOMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/uYmLr9oXjb  Samidha Sharma (@samidhas) March 24, 2020

Many have shown concern over this behaviour by the police and asked authorities to take action and curb the situation.
SIOUX CITY -- Child care providers are grappling with new health guidelines, decreased attendance and children adjusting to a new routine in this era of the coronavirus.

Brenda Thelen, who runs a home-based day care in Sioux City, has seen her business cut by 60 percent. She normally watches children for five families. Now it's down to only two as some families choose to keep their children at home as they work from home. She now cares for two 2-year-olds and a 7-month-old.

"As the kids come into my day care I take their temperatures and do a lot of praying, let's put it that way. I know you can give the virus to someone even before you have symptoms," Thelen said.

On Sunday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds detailed suggested guidelines for child care facilities, including asking providers to conduct temperature screenings upon drop-off. Children with a temperature of 100.4 or higher should be sent home. Facilities should take precautionary cleaning measures like disinfecting all surfaces and toys and washing blankets daily, according to the state health department.

Thelen's charges are too young to notice any difference.

"They are aware that they can play with more toys and not have to fight with the other kids for the toys," she said.

Thelen is not taking on any new families out of concern for the health of the three children she currently cares for as well as the welfare of her own family.

At Apple Tree Preschool and Learning Tree's Indian Hills location in Sioux City, the number of children has slipped by 75 percent. The center is licensed to care for 100 children.

"We definitely have decreased numbers as more and more of my parents are working from home or are laid off and they are in that situation," said center director Diane Merchant. "We have got a policy in place that we are working hard to individualize the needs to help them not have to pay if they are not here. But then that also provides a daily challenge with how many children we are going to have and how much staff do we need."

Merchant urged any essential workers needing child care at this time to call the center.

"We can take it on a case-by-case basis and see how we can help. Of course we want to be available for those people who are doing those necessary jobs," she said.

Beginning Monday, the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA offered a very limited number of onsite child care openings for medical professionals only. Parents or guardians can contact the YMCA for more information. Building Blocks Preschool and Child Care with locations in Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff and Le Mars also have temporary openings for children of those essential workers, according to the center's website.

Like other facilities, Apple Tree is dealing with the new health guidelines.

Parent contact inside the center is limited. Children are no longer walked to their classrooms by mom or dad. Little hands are washed the second they arrive and before they go home.

Merchant said the children are also practicing social distancing.

"The children are playing a little bit away from each other. They are sitting a distance apart at snacks and lunch. We are limiting the number of children that are allowed to be in one room so we have less than 10, 10 or less in every classroom," Merchant explained.

"There is lots and lots of daily disinfecting and sanitizing."

One thing there isn't is conversations about the coronavirus.

"First of all, little children are listening even when we think they are not and we have to be so mindful of making sure we are not scaring them and making sure they feel very safe and very secure," Merchant said.

"They should have limited exposure to what's being said on TV and parents should be careful about what they are talking about. Our job here is to make them feel very safe. They have a different normal."

Kris Hoffmann, who lives near Merrill, Iowa, is living a new normal. She is one of Thelen's clients keeping her children at home.

She teaches math at Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City. Hoffmann has been off work since March 16 when schools were closed for four weeks. She and husband Jeff have two children, Levi, 5, and Kali, 3.

"It's an adjustment. Kali wakes up every morning and wants to know if she's going to Brenda's. That's the first thing out of her mouth. Both of them are out of their routine. So it's just a matter of keeping them busy."

Hoffmann keeps them engaged with activity pages and arts and crafts.

"We go outside any time we can to break up the day," she said. "It's kind of nice that the kids still have their freedom."

Levi has asked why he can't go to school or see his friends.

One day, as his mother started to explain, Levi said, "I can go when the sickness is gone?"

"It is going to be something that the kids will definitely remember," Hoffmann said.

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.
Ali Nuhu

The Nation reports that popular Kannywood movie star, Ali Nuhu, has denied the rumour making the rounds that he tested positive for coronavirus.

The actor was among the several Nollywood stars, who attended the 2019 African Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) event in Lagos two weeks ago.

He and four other Kannywood actors reportedly attended the ceremony on March 14.

The Nation reports that Lagos State Government had called for test to be conducted on those who attended the film award ceremony because a guest at the ceremony had the coronavirus.

Nuhu, who spoke on the Hausa Service of the BBC on Thursday, frowned at the way and manner the Lagos State Government publicly declared that all the attendees should submit for testing.

He argued there were guests at the Lagos Film Award ceremony from Kenya, South Africa and other countries but no alarm was raised over the pandemic.

Nuhu said it is almost two weeks now that they attended the event, stating he was free of the COVID-19, which does not require such long period to manifest.

Besides, he said, they were asked to self- isolate but no health official had visited them for any further action since then.

He said the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had said there was no need to conduct any test on them.

According to Nuhu: the centre for disease control discovered that the person suspected to have contracted the virus, is negative. They asked us to self-isolate, that they will come and conduct test on us. Till date, they have not come. They must have known that this issue is a hoax.

The NCDC officials have asked us to continue with our normal activities.They said if we feel any strange development in our body,we should let them know.
Professor Ronny Thomale holds a chair for theoretical condensed matter physics, the TP1, at the Julius-Maximilian University of Wurzburg. The discovery and theoretical description of new quantum states of matter is a prime objective of his research. Developing a theory for a new physical phenomenon which then inspires new experiments seeking after this effect is one of the biggest moments in a theoretical physicist's practice", so he says. In an ideal case, such an effect would even unlock unexpected technological potential.

All this has come together with a recent project which Thomale pursued together with the optical experimental group of Professor Alexander Szameit at the University of Rostock the results of which have now been published in the Science" magazine.

Spot landing in an optical fibre 10 kilometres of length

We have managed to realise an effect we call a light funnel'", Thomale explains. Through this new effect, light in an optical fibre 10 kilometres of length can be accumulated at one specific point of choice in the wire. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is the so-called non-Hermitian skin effect" to which Thomale contributed relevant theoretical work in 2019. Specifically, Thomale's work has enabled the understanding of the skin effect in the framework set by topological states of matter.

Topological matter has evolved into one of the most vibrant areas of research of contemporary physics. In Wurzburg, the field has been pioneered by semiconductor research by Gottfried Landwehr and Klaus von Klitzing (Nobel laureate 1985), which in the past decade was continued by Laurens W. Molenkamp.

Research on the topology of nature

The term topology originates from the old greek words for study" and place". Founded as a predominantly mathematical discipline, it has now broadly spread into physics, including optics. Together with other platforms of synthetic matter, they form the broader direction named topological metamaterials of which the researchers expect fundamental future technological innovation.

Here, physicists do not exclusively resort to materials and chemical compositions given by nature. Rather, they develop new synthetic crystals composed of tailored artificial degrees of freedom. With regard to the light funnel developed by Thomale and Szameit, the platform of choice is an optical fibre which conducts light along the fibre but at the same time allows for detailed spatially resolved manipulation.

Optical detectors with high sensitivity

The light accumulation achieved by the light funnel could be the basis for improving the sensitivity of optical detectors and thus enabling unprecedented optical applications", Thomale explains. According to Thomale, however, the light funnel is only the beginning. Already at this stage we are working on many new ideas in the realm of topological photonics and their potential technological application."

To Thomale's conviction, Wurzburg provides an excellent environment for pursuing this direction of research. This has recently manifested itself in the excellence cluster ct.qmat" which was jointly granted to the JMU Wurzburg and TU Dresden. A major pillar of research of ct.qmat" centres around synthetic topological matter, which is strongly supported by the research done at Thomale's chair TP1 in Wurzburg.

The research team in Rostock around Alexander Szameit is constitutively integrated into ct.qmat". For instance, Thomale and Szameit jointly supervise PhD students financially supported through ct.qmat". Already few months after its foundation, the synergies created by ct.qmat pay off, and demonstrate the stimulating impact of such excellence cluster on cutting edge research in Germany", Thomale concludes.

###
SolTech Energy Sweden AB (publ) (STO:SOLT) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 30% in the last month. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last year have been pleasing. After all, the share price is up a market-beating 13% in that time.

See our latest analysis for SolTech Energy Sweden

Given that SolTech Energy Sweden 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. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. 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.

SolTech Energy Sweden grew its revenue by 502% last year. That's a head and shoulders above most loss-making companies. While the share price gain of 13% over twelve months is pretty tasty, you might argue it doesn't fully reflect the strong revenue growth. So quite frankly it could be a good time to investigate SolTech Energy Sweden in some detail. Since we evolved from monkeys, we think in linear terms by nature. So if growth goes exponential, opportunity may exist for the enlightened.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

OM:SOLT Income Statement March 27th 2020

We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think SolTech Energy Sweden will earn in the future (free profit forecasts).

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between SolTech Energy Sweden's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. We note that SolTech Energy Sweden's TSR, at 18% is higher than its share price return of 13%. When you consider it hasn't been paying a dividend, this data suggests shareholders have benefitted from a spin-off, or had the opportunity to acquire attractively priced shares in a discounted capital raising.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

Pleasingly, SolTech Energy Sweden's total shareholder return last year was 18%. That's better than the annualized TSR of 6.9% over the last three years. The improving returns to shareholders suggests the stock is becoming more popular with time. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks, for example - SolTech Energy Sweden has 6 warning signs (and 2 which are significant) we think you should know about.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on SE exchanges.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
After isolating himself while the NCDC investigated, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on Friday made public his Coronavirus test result.

He tested negative to the deadly COVID-19 disease.

I just received my test result from NCDC and it is negative. Thanks to all for your concern. This, however, calls for continued vigilance on the part of everyone. Covid-19 is real and we cannot afford to be complacent. JKF, he tweeted.

The chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum also urged Nigerians to be vigilante against the spread of the disease.

Fayemi had on Wednesday gone into self isolation afer he came in contact with his counterpart from Bauchi, Governor Bala Mohammed and cos Abba Kyari already hosting the virus.

PV: 0
There are suspicions that some Nigerian politicians may be rigging the results of the coronavirus test conducted on them to read negative, hiding the authentic result which may be positive. Yet, these politicians spend public funds in secret on medications to eliminate the virus. This has, particularly, been suspected of most executives, from the presidency to state governors, whose results have been publicly declared negative but are still keeping themselves in self-isolation; and conducting further tests. There are concerns that if the result of any individual reads negative, it implies zero-infection of coronavirus, the individual is then free to live normal life and perform his duties.

Some governors have tweeted and celebrated that the result of their coronavirus test is negative, yet, they confined themselves to self-isolation.

In the Nigerian presidency, there is lingering controversy whether the president has been flown overseas for treatment after the State House had said the result of coronavirus test on him is negative while the Chief of Staff to the president result read positive.

However, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, on Friday declared he tested positive of coronavirus but in Nigeria, political leaders are feared to rig the result.

A renowned Comrade in Lagos articulated: Many on social media underestimates our politicians, writing they cant rig their COVID-19 test results, only time will tell.

This Nigerian stakeholder portrayed that while the politicians can hide the symptoms, the consequences of the virus does not hide in the long run.

A governor was said to have rejected the result of coronavirus test conducted on him which read positive, directing that fresh result be conducted. Citizens in the state were of the view that the governor may have forgotten to rig the result of the test, and has become vigilant on the result of the repeated test he has ordered.

National Daily investigation revealed that those who cannot rig the result of their coronavirus tests, may have gone into hiding.

Findings from National Daily investigations also showed that both those who rig the result of their coronavirus tests and those who went into hiding, have been taking secret medical treatments to clear the virus from their systems. Those who returned from overseas recently and went into hiding also take more precautionary measures beyond what the Nigerian government has directed. They have already seen the devastating consequences of coronavirus infection in their respective host countries before returning to Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday raised alarm that the federal government has 4,370 people of interest that are being traced. It was earlier indicated that some persons who returned to the country recently from Europe and America did not give their genuine contact details at the airport on arrival, thus, it has been difficult for the authorities to contact them for tracking.

The Information Minister had appealed: We urge those who have had contact with suspected cases to immediately report to the authorities. We urge Nigerians to support the authorities in this regard. We are on the verge of reaching the level of community spread.

We must stop this immediately or we will record exponential cases in the days ahead. There is no better way to say this.

It would appear that the actual coronavirus cases are under reported since the incident has not been properly tracked. This makes the risks of spread very high. Those who rely on self-help may not be as active as the government, particularly, state governments. Thus, the immune citizens at the moment, must as strictly as possible, restrict their movements. Some of those relying on secret therapy still fear the coronavirus infection may be out of control and cause epidemic outbreak in the country.

Meanwhile, investigations continue, and National Daily will bring you update in subsequent reports.

PV: 0
Dodridge Miller, Group President and CEO of Sagicor Financial Company Limited, described the donation as a demonstration of his Companys consistent support for communities in which it operates. (Photo Source: Internet Photo)

Sagicor Financial Company Limited announced today that it is committing US One Million Dollars (US$1M) to aid in the fight against COVID-19 in the Caribbean.





The Caribbeans leading insurance provider will use the US$1 Million to support containment and response efforts, and has already started dialogue with governments and health ministries in Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and the Director General of the OECS. The focus will be placed on enhancing early detection and providing equipment for the immediate care of those already infected.





In Barbados, the company is in discussions with authorities regarding a plan to purchase "walk-through scanners to be placed at the islands ports of entry, as well as specific high-traffic facilities. Plans are already at an advanced stage for the distribution of handheld scanners and other medical supplies across the Eastern Caribbean, while in Trinidad & Tobago, the team is working with the government to provide support including the supply of critical medical equipment. Sagicor Jamaica is currently coordinating efforts with other private sector organisations to finance the purchase of medical equipment, as well as online educational tools for primary school students who are out of school during this time.





Group President and CEO of Sagicor Financial Company Limited, Dodridge Miller, described the move as consistent with Sagicors history of support for the communities in which we operate. Miller stated, "We all need to support initiatives that will minimize risk and reduce the spread of this virus. It is not only the responsibility of governments to respond to this challenge, but also that of corporate citizens. We hope that this assistance can help to bolster the response of our governments as they seek to fight on our regions behalf and play our part in the global response.





Each market will liaise directly with governments and other agencies to determine what support is needed, and will handle distribution at the local level. (Source: Sagicor)




Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has described the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore as very grave, saying that his government will do whatever it takes to stabilise the country's economy even if nobody can tell what lies ahead.

Speaking to reporters after the government unveiled a supplementary budget of 48.4 billion Singapore dollars in Parliament on Thursday to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, Lee assured that he will do everything possible to stabilise the city state's economy, preserve jobs and help companies stay afloat.

"Whatever it takes to do that, we will do them," Lee said.

"We want to see people through this; we are under no illusions that this is the end of the story because nobody can tell what lies ahead," he added.

The city-state has reported 683 virus infections and two deaths, but has won praise for its approach and has so far avoided going into a total lockdown.

Lee gave a sense of the fast-changing situation, pointing out that his government had thought the measures contained in the Budget presented on February 18 would buy a few months of time for it to assess the situation and put together a second package.

But we did not expect within one month, the picture was totally changed, the health picture was totally changed, the economic picture was totally changed, conceded Lee.

"This is why the Government also completely changed its policy response and set aside a further 48.4 billion Singapore dollars to support businesses, workers and families, he said.

It was a Supplementary Budget nearly seven times the initial 6.4 billion Singapore dollars worth of measures in the February Budget to cushion the COVID-19 fallout.

The combined 55 billion Singapore dollar budget to combat the coronavirus is intended to see the country until the end of the year.

Lee added that Singaporeans must be psychologically prepared for things to worsen in the coming months.

In such a scenario, the government is prepared to tap on the reserves again, he said.

Singapore is drawing from national reserves to fund the supplementary budget announced on Thursday.

Lee noted that economies around the world have been drastically hit as the flow of goods and people reach a standstill.

As an open economy, Singapore is particularly hard hit, especially in industries such as aviation, tourism and hotels, he pointed out.

It is going to last quite a long time: it is not a V-shaped down dip, it is not a U-shaped dip, the Strait Times quoted Lee as saying.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far.

At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 1300 people have died in the US due to the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A school in greater Brisbane has streamed its virtual assembly, including two live musical performances, to a neighbouring aged-care home currently in lockdown because of the COVID-19 crisis.

It was the second time this week Bray Park State High had done a video hook-up with the residents at Anam Cara Aged Care Community, prompting tears from students and the principal.

Bray Park State High School students during their video conference with Anam Cara residents earlier this week.

Principal Peter Turner said the students used to visit the nursing home across the road weekly for cooking, knitting, singing, dancing and board games with the elderly residents.

However, due to the threat of novel coronavirus transmission, the aged-care facility has been locked down, meaning no more visits from the high school students for the foreseeable future.
Bosch's new diagnostic device.

Germany technology giant Bosch has developed a tool that can test for Covid-19 in under 2.5 hours.

Bosch said on Thursday (26 March) that the fully-automated diagnostic device can simultaneously diagnose 10 respiratory pathogens and has an accuracy level of over 95%. It works by taking a swab from the patients nose or throat, and then putting the cartridge, which contains all reagents for the test, into the device.

It can be administered on the spot in doctors practices and hospitals, without the need to send samples to labs, which would go a long way to easing the burdens on testing facilities. It also means a huge reduction in wait times for patients, allowing those who have contracted the virus to be isolated more quickly before they infect others.

Time is of the essence in the fight against coronavirus. Reliable, rapid diagnosis directly on site with no back and forth  that is the great advantage of our solution, Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner said in a statement.

The device was developed together with Northern Ireland-based Randox Laboratories in just six weeks. It should be available from April in Germany and then in other countries. Bosch said it meets World Health Organisation standards.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Why Germanys death toll is so low

As of Friday morning, Germany has had 47,278 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 281 deaths. Its death toll is dramatically lower than countries such as Spain and Italy, which have now reported 4,365 and 8,215 respectively. According to Christian Drosten, head of the virology department at at Berlins Charite hospital, the relatively low number of deaths is down to extensive testing and thus speedy detection of the virus.

Now, according to a government paper seen by Der Spiegel (link in German) and Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany will look to boost its testing capabilities even further to some 200,000 tests per day, even testing people who just suspect they have the virus, and all the contacts of people who have it. Right now, only people who show symptoms are tested.

Story continues

German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday evening that it is much to soon to think about relaxing the countrys strict lock-down rules, which have been in place for a week now. She asked Germans to be patient until the isolation measures began to show results.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
US President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law the historic USD 2 trillion rescue package to help the Americans and secure the country's economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 100,000 people across the nation.

"Help is on the way," Trump assured his countrymen as he signed the Bill in the Oval Office at the White House. The Senate and the House of Representatives earlier passed the Bill.

"We got hit by the invisible enemy and we got hit hard," he said, adding the economy would come roaring back. "I think we are going to have a tremendous rebound."



The legislation among other things gives USD 3,400 for most of the American families of four, and billions of dollars' worth of financial assistance to small and medium businesses, and big corporations like Boeing.

"This is a very important day. I've signed the single biggest economic relief package in the American history and, I must say, any other package by the way. It is twice as large as any relief every signed," the President said.

The magnitude of the package can be seen in the context that India, one of the top five economies of the world, is estimated at USD 3 trillion.

"I never signed anything with a T on it," Trump said.

"I want to thank Democrats and Republicans for coming together and putting America first," he said.

The first stimulus check is likely to be sent to the Americans in the first week of April.

More than half of the country's 330 million population is now confined in their homes, Major Disaster Declaration has been announced in over a dozen states and a national emergency has been declared.

A record three million people have applied for unemployment, the entire travel and tourism industry have come to a standstill, companies have stopped their operations and only essential services are running in the US.

The United States is now the hotspot of the coronavirus in the world, where according to Worldometer, over 100,000 confirmed cases of the contagion have been recorded, 1429 people have died and 2,463 people are in critical condition.

New York, which is the financial capital of the world, accounts for nearly half of the total cases and more than 500 people have died in the Big Apple alone.

Trump, the White House said, is signing bipartisan legislation to provide relief to American families and workers during the coronavirus outbreak.

Noting that the CARES Act provides much needed economic relief for American families and businesses who are hurting through no fault of their own, the White House said the legislation will provide assistance to America's heroic healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the outbreak.

USD 100 billion will go to healthcare providers, including hospitals on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic; and USD 27 billion will go to bolstering life-saving capabilities, including developing vaccines and the development, purchase, and distribution of critical supplies.

USD45 billion will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund, more than doubling the amount available to support the President's Emergency and Disaster Declarations to empower state, local, and tribal leaders to effectively respond.

According to the White House, the legislative package brings security to American families by providing them with economic assistance during the time of crisis. It provides tax free payments treated as a refundable tax credit to Americans, giving families the immediate financial support they need.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 19:18:56|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close





The catering and tourism industries, among the sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, are now gradually springing back to life as the epidemic recedes in China.



by Xinhua writers Xu Ruiqing, Zhang Chaoqun, Zhou Huimin

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A butterfly greets the newly bloomed flower. A honeybee is busy with its daily grind. The spring season has returned along with all its mystical beauty, so is people's life as the COVID-19 epidemic is leveling off in China.

Shops and eateries reopen and roads are bustling again after hundreds of millions of people nationwide embraced their life under isolation for weeks -- confined to their own four walls or neighborhoods.

"It was suffering to stay at home for such a long time. Now the spring is in the air and things are turning around," said a down-to-earth foodie Zhang, while gulping palatable dishes at a restaurant in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"Oh finally, my favorite hot pot," said a hot pot aficionado Chen who comes from afar to have a meal at a local restaurant after it reopened recently. "I hadn't had the delicate cate in the past weeks. Today I finally satisfied the craving."

The catering and tourism industries, which take up big shares in China's economic growth, are among the sectors hardest hit by the epidemic. They are now slowly springing back to life after eateries and cafes have begun opening their long-shuttered doors and scenic spots have reopened to tourists as the epidemic receded.

"Now the epidemic is under good control. People are getting back to their normal lives and embracing the best season of the year before it passes," said Ren Jingxuan, owner of a Korean-style barbeque restaurant in Chengdu.

People enjoy snacks at a night market in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, March 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

RESURGENT CATERING INDUSTRY



"Welcome, pizza night is back," said Simone Crespi while greeting his German guest by bumping elbows. "It would be a giant hug under normal circumstances."On March 17, Simone, one of the three owners of Italian restaurant Bucciano in Chengdu, promoted a pizza night on social media platform WeChat.

The restaurant saw its first wave of customers since the COVID-19 epidemic. Marco, the manager, took each of the customers' temperatures and sprayed alcohol on their hands.

Impacted by COVID-19, the Bucciano restaurant was closed from the Spring Festival to late February. As the epidemic wanes, the restaurant also started to receive about 15 online orders per day on delivery applications such as Meituan and on WeChat.

"The Chinese government is efficient in making the right decisions, and the Chinese people strictly follow the rules. Those efforts show great results," said Simone.

From his point of view, things are going back to normal. "Now we are operating at half capacity, but hopefully business will make a full recovery by the end of March," Simone said.

Cooks of a restaurant prepare food on the first day of its business resumption in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)

Scott Williams and Philipp Muckley are frequent visitors to the restaurant. This is the first time they have meals in a restaurant since the outbreak.



"Apart from some necessary protective measures, our life is not much different from before. I am very happy to meet my friends and enjoy delicious food again," said Williams, general manager of an executive apartment in Chengdu.

In Chengdu, one of the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy, its cuisine comes not only from elegant restaurants, but also roadside diners.

At mealtimes on weekdays, office workers flock into small streets and alleys where diners selling local signature dishes are scattered.

"Chengdu is alive again, with bowls full of spicy noodle soup and people having meals on the street side and road junctions," said 25-year-old Li, a white-collar in the city.

"Since March when people started resuming work, the restaurant business has gradually picked up. Now it has restored about 40 percent of its normal turnover," said Ji, owner of a rice noodle diner.

A hotpot restaurant in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Xie)

According to the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce, the food and beverage industry suffered a heavy loss due to the epidemic. About 93 percent of food and beverage enterprises were closed during the epidemic, and the revenue of the catering industry fell 79 percent in February compared with the same period last year.



On March 25, Sichuan downgraded its emergency response to the novel coronavirus outbreak from the second level to the third level. All public venues including eateries, cinemas, theaters, bars, museums and libraries are reopening in an orderly manner. About 86.5 percent of the 261,000 online and offline catering enterprises in the province have resumed business by March 23.

To further boost the consumption sector hit hard by the epidemic, as of March 25, 11 cities and prefectures in the province have rolled out a sew of supportive measures to encourage citizens to dine out and boost consumption.

Among those measures, restaurants facing the street are allowed to set up tables outside the restaurant without affecting traffic and pedestrians, in an effort to receive more customers.

"For small shops, the policy is very useful as we have to seat clients farther apart and only receive a limited number of customers at a time," said Xiong Jianmei, owner of a hot-pot and a noodle restaurant. "It also reduces people's worries after seeing more dining out."

Children have fun at the wetland park of Fenghuang Lake in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

"The once-bustling street is gradually coming back to life, so is our business and lives," said Xiong.



REVIVING TOURISM SECTOR

The domestic traveling industry contributes greatly to China's economic growth. However, the coronavirus epidemic put a brake on tourism during the peak travel period of the Chinese Spring Festival holiday.

A report published by the China Tourism Academy (CTA) predicted that the industry might see a 56-percent slump in the number of domestic tourists in the first quarter, with the total revenue of the domestic tourism market expected to slash by 20 percent in 2020.

But now, things are turning around with multiple indices showing a revival of confidence and willingness to travel.

The latest report conducted by China's largest online travel agency Trip.com Group showed that as of mid-March, more than 1,000 tourist sites had reopened to visitors across the country.

Hainan, an island province with abundant tourism resources in south China, reopened its major tourist sites starting from Feb. 21. In Sichuan, about 60 percent of its top-rating scenic spots have also reopened to tourists.

A group of 22 local residents set off for a road trip on March 21 in Haikou, capital of Hainan, marking the province's first group tour since the epidemic outbreak.

Tourists visit the scenic spot of Tianyahaijiao, or Ends of the Earth, in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

"It's safe to go out for a trip as the epidemic is under well control," said He Wen, who participated in the one-day tour to Tunchang county in central Hainan.



The trip organizers, two local travel agencies, checked the body temperature and health QR codes of each tourist, and handed out protective materials including masks and hand sanitizers before they boarded the bus, said Sun Xiangtao, deputy secretary of the Haikou Association of Travel Services.

In Sichuan, 20 tourists also departed for a one-day trip to an ancient town after the province restarted group tour services on March 18. "The epidemic has eased a lot and we came out for a relax," said 36-year-old Huang Lijuan from Chengdu.

According to a report released in early March by Trip.com Group, Sanya, a resort coastal city of Hainan, topped the list of preferred destinations across the country.

Wang Zixin, a tourist from Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, began a vacation in Sanya several days ago. "It's too boring to stay at home, so I come here for a trip with my family," said Wang, who had never been to Hainan before.

After visiting different tourist attractions and a duty-free shop, Wang said the trip was completely worth it. "The city did a very good job in the coronavirus prevention and control, which is reassuring," she said.

Tourists shop at a duty-free shopping mall in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

"The tourism industry is recovering with effective epidemic controls in Hainan, and more tourists are willing to travel," said Zheng Conghui, chairman of the Sanya Tourist Attractions Association.



In a bid to cushion the tourism sector against the outbreak, many regions in China have issued measures to support the tourism industry.

Hainan has launched a post-epidemic plan to revitalize its tourism industry, with measures ranging from strengthening financial support to stimulating tourism consumption and global promotion. Its provincial government will earmark at least 150 million yuan (about 21 million U.S. dollars) to support tourism companies.

"The market fundamentals supporting the operation of the tourism industry have not changed, and there is a great possibility that domestic tourism consumption will bottom out and rebound," said Dai Bin, president of the CTA.

(Video reporters: Yang Jin, Zhang Chaoqun, Xiao Yonghang, Yin Heng, Xu Bingjie, Li Mengxin; video editor: Yang Zhixiang)
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Dez-Ann Romain, a teacher and principal who set an example for her students by her vibrancy and perseverance, on Monday became the first employee of the New York City public schools known to have died from complications of the coronavirus, according to the citys Department of Education. She was 36.

Ms. Romain was principal of the Brooklyn Democracy Academy, an innovative high school with small classes in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. Designed by New Visions for Public Schools, a public-private partnership, the academy enrolls about 200 students 16 and older who foundered at more traditional schools.

She was born on July 6, 1983, in Palo Seco Village, a tiny coastal town in Trinidad and Tobago. Friends said she had emigrated to New York as a teenager.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has repeatedly pleaded with the federal government to send more help to New York, including 30,000 ventilators for when the coronavirus pandemic peaks in two to three weeks.

President Donald Trump says he doesnt really believe New York needs that many.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be, Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News Thursday night. I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

Trump did not elaborate on the basis for his feeling" or provide any data.

On Hannity, Trump says he doesn't believe NY Gov. Guomo actually needs the ventilators he's asking for.



TRUMP: "I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators." pic.twitter.com/tm6jXmPtdC  Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) March 27, 2020

The U.S. has more than 85,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Friday morning, more than any other country.

New York has become Americas epicenter with nearly half of all COVID-19 cases, straining the hospital system in New York City.

Cuomo said Wednesday that New York had 4,000 ventilators when the crisis began and has since bought another 7,000. Hes asked Trump to use the Defense Production Act to order more companies to produce ventilators, and expressed frustration earlier in the week when the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent just 400.

FEMA says, were sending 400 ventilators. Really? What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000? Cuomo said Tuesday. You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference against a backdrop of medical supplies at the Jacob Javits Center that will house a temporary hospital in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)AP

Other states have similarly struggled to obtain medical supplies, including masks, as coronavirus spreads and leads to more severe cases requiring hospitalization. The Trump administration has since said it would send New York 4,000 ventilators, which allow COVID-19 patients to breathe with incapacitated lungs.

Trump told Hannity that buying ventilators is like buying a car, calling it very expensive.

Politico reports Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said earlier Thursday that New York has enough ventilators to meet current needs.

There is still significant  over a thousand or two thousand ventilators that have not been utilized yet, she said. Please, for the reassurance of people around the world, to wake up this morning and look at people talking about creating DNR situations  do not resuscitate situations for patients  there is no situation in the United States right now that warrants that kind of discussion.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 18:03 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dea2d1 1 National physical-distancing,social-distancing,lockdown,karantina-wilayah,FKUI,Guru-Besar Free

The dean of the University of Indonesia's Medical School, Ari Fahri Syam, has suggested that all other efforts in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, such as disinfectant spraying and rapid testing, hinge on the reduced mobility of the population.

He reiterated the need for a lockdown to contain the outbreak. "There have been people, including former vice president Jusuf Kalla, who have suggested a lockdown. This is not a new idea. The key is, when a pandemic happens, we try to limit people's movements," he said.

"If these people consistently stay at home after the disinfection, then the effort will be effective. This will not be the case if they still go in and out of potentially infectious areas," Ari said on Friday, during an online press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday's press conference also addressed public concern about the effectiveness of the rapid mass testing currently taking place in selected areas in the country, particularly in the COVID-19 "red zones" like the capital Jakarta and its neighboring province of West Java.

Among those prioritized to get tested are health workers and people with contact history with coronavirus-infected persons, as previously instructed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Ari explained that some of the rapid test results might come back negative as the virus was still possibly in the "window period", or the time between infection and when lab tests can identify the infection.

"People having contact history with suspected COVID-19 cases or patients who have yet to test negative should still impose the two-week self-quarantine," he stressed.

It was essential to limit people's mobility during the rapidly escalating health crisis to flatten the infection curve, Ari added.

The country continuously reported dozens of new positive cases every day in the past week. On Friday, it reported 153 new cases, totaling 1,046 accumulative cases with 87 deaths.

Earlier, the Medical Professors Council at the medical school released a statement on Thursday for the government to order a lockdown, especially in areas where the spread had been fast like in Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java, because suggestions to engage in physical distancing were not effective enough to make people stay at home.

A panel of experts also recommended a lockdown in Jakarta to the President on March 16.
Got cabin fever? It's time to take a hike and breathe in some fresh air - with the proper social distancing in mind, that is.

Houston's parks and trails are still open during Harris County's "stay home, work safe" order, but residents are encouraged to keep a 6-foot distance away from each other in this era of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tucked away in neighborhoods around Houston are 10 of the most scenic walking trails that promise to give you a refreshing break into nature amid coronavirus fears.

>>>Click through the photos in the gallery above for 10 amazing walking trails in Houston...

Houstonians don't have to venture far to find their spot of beauty in the sprawl of the city. From the stretch of lush greenery along the White Oak Bayou Trail to the tree-lined Terry Hershey Hiking Trail near Memorial, there are dozens of breathtaking trails to be explored.

STAY POSITIVE: Here are 15 pieces of good news amid grim reports regarding COVID-19

Houston hiker and architect Laura Bard shared what she loved most about the walking trails around Houston.

"My favorite walk in Houston is just my Woodland Heights neighborhood where I see the Live Oak canopies across the street and the play of light on the sidewalk," Bard said.

Bard believes it's important to get a good walk or jog in and take a mental break during this stressful time of coronavirus. One of her favorite Houston walking trails is White Oak Bayou Trail near the Heights.

"It reminds me that youre alive," Bard said. "It's good to see other faces out there and remember that theyre going through the same thing you are."

CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES: Billions headed to Texas as largest stimulus package ever passes

Touted as the "Father of the National Parks," naturalist John Muir once said exploration in nature was crucial to a person's physical and mental health.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike," Muir said.

Remember if you bring your dog, many areas require leashes. The playgrounds and fitness equipment at Houston parks are off-limits as part of the order because COVID-19 can live on surfaces for at least 48 hours. Be friendly to others, but maintain your social distancing.

alison.medley@chron.com
A couple who were poised to move to their dream countryside home have been left paying two mortgages after their house sale collapsed amid the coronavirus crisis.

Kath and John Fallon live in a three-bedroom semi-detached end of terrace in Lincolnshire, which they were planning to sell to a young couple for 167,000 today.

They bought a two-bedroom house in a more rural area around eight miles away for 183,000 in September and have already paid 30,000 towards a complete overhaul of the property.

But after the Government urged buyers to halt all sales while the UK is on lockdown, the Fallons have been left in limbo - paying the mortgage on their new property - as well as their current one.

Quarry worker Kath, 45, told MailOnline: 'We've got two mortgages and no money to pay for them. Everything is tied up in the new house.

'It's my husband's last day at work today, as he's in construction. We're going to have to juggle our finances. If it goes on longer than a few months I don't know what we'll do.'

Kath and John Fallon (pictured) from Lincolnshire have been left paying two mortgages after they bought a new house last year but the sale of their current home fell through

Sale collapsed: Thecouple live in this three-bedroom semi-detached end of terrace in Lincolnshire, which they were planning to sell to a young couple for 167,000 today

Bought: They bought this two-bedroom house in a more rural area around eight miles away for 183,000 in September and have already paid 30,000 towards a complete overhaul of the property

The mother-of-one and her husband, 49, wanted to move from their current home to be in a more rural area for them and their three dogs.

They planned to exchange contracts on their existing property today, but they were told they would have a completion date of August 18 if they signed on the dotted line.

Mrs Fallon said: 'They suggested exchanging contracts today with a completion date of five months' time.

'It's unprecedented, so our solicitors told us not to go ahead, so we just said no.

Has your house sale fallen through because of the coronavirus crisis? Email lara.keay@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

'We're just in limbo now. We haven't heard anything from anyone. It's crazy.'

While the Fallons have already coughed up 30,000 for renovations, the work has ground to a halt amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The 45-year-old added: 'The only thing in the whole house is a bath. It's been painted and plastered but that's it. I could have a bath in it and go and sleep on a mattress on the floor.'

The family hoping to buy their current property still want to go ahead, but in such uncertain times, Mrs Fallon is unsure what to do.

She said: 'I've lived on an estate all my life and I just wanted to look out the window and have a nice view and somewhere for the dogs to play.

'We already had a house sale fall through last year and now coronavirus!'

Prospective buyers have been left furious after Halifax stopped giving out mortgages to new customers unless they have a 40 per cent deposit

Frustrated buyers nationwide have been left in limbo fearing the UK lockdown will still be in place by the time their mortgage offers expire.

But those looking to cash in on the COVID-19 economic crash have been left disappointed after the UK's biggest mortgage lender Halifax announced its intermediary brands, Scottish Widows and BM Solutions will no longer accept customers only willing to provide a deposit of less than 40 per cent.

Q&A: by Victoria Bischoff for the Daily Mail Why has the property market been frozen? Buyers and sellers have been urged to delay moving to protect the nations health amid the coronavirus crisis. Can I still move if I have exchanged contracts? The Government has not banned people from moving entirely. Its advice includes an exemption for critical home moves, in the event that a new date is unable to be agreed. You can also go ahead if the property you are purchasing is empty. Will I face a penalty for missing completion date? The Government is working to develop a standard legal process for moving completion dates. For now, speak to your solicitor and estate agent for advice. And my mortgage offer? Mortgage offers are usually valid for up to six months. If the offer expires before your house purchase completes you must start the process again. But banks have agreed to extend mortgage offers by up to three months for those who need to delay their completion date. Can I still go ahead if I havent exchanged? If you have not exchanged contracts, you should park the purchase for now. Contact the estate agent for advice. Can I try to sell my home? There should be no visitors to your home, making surveys, valuations and viewings near impossible. If you do sell your home, ensure the completion date is moveable and conditional upon social distancing rules in case you fall ill. What if I am buying a new-build property? Contact the developer. Building work may have been temporarily suspended and your house may not be finished on time, which would mean you may need to request a mortgage offer extension. What if someone else in the chain pulls out? If they pull out before exchanging contracts, the sale will just fall through without penalty and you will need to find other buyers. If you have exchanged, seek advice from all your solicitor. What about house prices? House prices are likely to fall. Savills predicted a ten per cent drop  but its speculation until the virus is controlled. Advertisement

Buyers who have already had an offer accepted have three months to honour it.

It is believed to the result of Halifax being flooded with requests for mortgage payment holidays after travel restrictions affected thousands.

While other lenders are yet to announce similar moves, they could soon be on the cards.

HSBC and Nationwide say they have 'no current plans' to change their lending operations.

In a statement, a Halifax spokesman said: 'We have temporarily withdrawn new mortgage and remortgage products with a loan to value ratio of over 60% across our intermediary brands  Halifax Intermediaries, Scottish Widows Bank and BM Solutions.

'Customers with existing mortgage offers have been granted an additional three months to complete their home purchase/remo at the agreed mortgage rate.'

The spokesman added they made the decision so they can 'focus on existing customers'.

Banks had lobbied ministers for a full freeze on the property market amid concerns over valuations and loans during the economic crisis.

NHS worker Izabella Woszek completed the purchase of a new 321,000 house in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, on Thursday.

But she and her partner cannot move in because she cannot get any furniture delivered, although they are now paying the mortgage.

Miss Woszek, 30, said: We dont have any furniture or anything as it is our first home together. We are lucky that we can live with my partners family, but it is disappointing that we cant be in our new home.

Lewis Jones, an electrical engineer from Newport, was told by the developers of his new-build home that they would not delay his completion date.

But the coronavirus crisis has left him unable to move. He now has to pay bills at his rented property and his new home.

He said: Im frustrated with the Government as they should put a stop to this. Rachel and Russell Pearson exchanged contracts on a 300,000 home in Hollywood, Worcestershire, last week.

But on Tuesday they were told they could not collect the keys as the estate agent was closed. The vendors daughter eventually dropped them off.

Mrs Pearson, 48, said the family feared losing their 45,000 deposit. It was a really scary week, she said.

The shutdown came as the Chancellor unveiled another astonishing bailout package, this time for self-employed workers.

The shutdown came as the Chancellor unveiled another astonishing bailout package, this time for self-employed workers. Rishi Sunak said they could apply for a grant worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits to help them stay afloat

Rishi Sunak said they could apply for a grant worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits to help them stay afloat.

But he hinted that taxes would have to rise to pay for the unprecedented bailouts for businesses and workers.

As the nation burst into applause in tribute to NHS workers fighting the virus:

The number of UK victims jumped by more than 100 in a day for the first time;

Police began using roadblocks and drones and were handed sweeping powers to punish breaches of the virus lockdown;

The Director of Public Prosecutions threatened anyone coughing deliberately at a key worker could face a sentence of as long as two years in prison;

The deputy chief medical officer suggested some social distancing measures could be needed for six months;

Boris Johnson's pledge to buy thousands of ventilators descended into farce as No10 was forced to admit it had not joined an EU scheme because the Government had allegedly not received an email;

Next closed its online operation amid a row over staff being made to work;

Health officials launched an urgent review into reports of doctors and nurses putting themselves at risk through a lack of protective clothing;

Volunteers for a new scheme to help the NHS surged toward 700,000;

Banks were forced into a humiliating retreat after ministers warned them not to exploit an emergency loan scheme set up to support struggling firms;

It emerged it would be weeks before rapid virus tests are available to identify whether someone can return to work;

Britain became the biggest contributor to the world's mission to find a coronavirus vaccine and save millions of lives;

The probation service abandoned faceto-face meetings with all but the most serious offenders;

Routine cancer screening and cervical smear tests could be halted;

Global cases surged past half a million, with the US increasingly badly affected;

Petrol prices dropped below 1 a litre for the first time in recent memory.

House sales could take until mid-2021 to get back to normal It could be the middle of next year before the number of homes being bought and sold is back to normal levels, experts have said. They said that people on the brink of making house purchases will be breathing a 'sigh of relief' now that lenders have agreed measures to help them put their moving plans on ice. But they also said that, while some pressure has been lifted from the market, the middle of 2021 could be around the time when transaction numbers recover to typical levels - as long as significant long-term economic damage can be avoided. Home-movers will be given the option to extend their mortgage offer for up to three months, enabling them to move at a later date, UK Finance, a trade association for lenders, announced on Thursday. The initiative will be open to customers affected by Covid-19 who have exchanged contracts. Some property professionals said the market will not grind to a complete halt - as transactions such as probate sales involving empty properties and purchases of homes that are already occupied as buy-to-let investments will continue. But some months this spring may see the volume of house sales plunging by as much as 80% compared with a year ago, it is predicted. Advertisement

A government spokesman said: 'Home buyers and renters should, as far as possible, delay moving home while emergency measures are in place to fight coronavirus.

'If moving is unavoidable for contractual reasons, people must follow advice on social distancing to minimise the spread of the virus. In line with the Government's advice, anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from the virus, should follow medical advice which will mean not moving house for the time being, if at all possible.

'All parties should prioritise agreeing amicable arrangements to change move dates for individuals in this group, or where someone in a chain is in this group.'

The Government said there was no need to pull out of transactions.

In earlier talks between lenders and ministers, banks said it had become impossible to survey properties and their call centres had been flooded by anxious homeowners asking for mortgage holidays.

Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent and a former chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said the Government shutdown of the property market was unheard of.

He added: 'It's going to put a lot of people's lives on hold. From our perspective, we just hope everyone presses the pause button rather than the stop button.'

The UK's largest lenders had earlier slashed access to mortgages in the biggest cull since the financial crisis.

There are warnings of a price crash and a plunge in sales of up to 60 per cent over the next three months.

Has your house sale fallen through because of the coronavirus crisis? Email lara.keay@mailonline.co.uk
COLUMBUS, OhioFor years, Ohios unemployment insurance fund has teetered on insolvency, with employers, labor unions, and state lawmakers unable to agree how to fix it.

But after years of economic growth, the states unemployment system has abruptly been hit by an unprecedented tidal wave of applicants for jobless benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic and the measures taken to curb its spread, including closing bars, restaurants, and other Ohio businesses deemed to be non-essential.

In one week, unemployment claims in Ohio skyrocketed from about 7,000 to almost 188,000  nearly quadrupling the previous record for weekly unemployment claims. Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers have moved to temporarily waive requirements that people receiving benefits must be seeking work and wait for a week before they can start receiving payments.

But ironically, the very size of the demands being put on Ohios unemployment insurance system removes the need  at least for now -- to permanently fix the system, experts and policymakers say.

Thats because the states system is designed so that in overwhelming times of need such as this, it falls back on the federal government to loan it as much money as the system needs. During the Great Recession in the late 2000s, Ohios system borrowed nearly $3.4 billion in federal money to pay jobless claims -- which it fully repaid in 2016 with $257.7 million in interest.

In addition, Congress appears set to pass a massive $2 trillion stimulus package that includes no-strings-attached federal money to temporarily expand and increase unemployment benefits, both in Ohio and around the country.

Every Ohioan whos making a claim for unemployment compensation will get their compensation, because if we do run out of money ...well have to go to the federal government to borrow money, said state Sen. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who has worked for years to fix the states unemployment insurance system.

"Thats not a good scenario, Schuring said about borrowing federal money, but weve done it before, and well have to do it again.

As of Thursday afternoon, Ohios unemployment insurance fund had a balance of $1,073,516,887, according to Bret Crow, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which administers the unemployment insurance fund.

Its unclear how long Ohios unemployment insurance money, which comes through payroll taxes paid by employers, will last before the state has to seek help from the feds. Theres no way to predict that, Crow said.

At the time the coronavirus crisis hit Ohio, the states unemployment insurance fund had only enough cash to pay benefits for six months if another economic crisis hit equal to the Great Recession in the late 2000s, according to Schuring.

A U.S. Department of Labor study released last month showed that Ohios unemployment solvency rate was tied for fifth-worst in the nation, behind only California, Massachusetts, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Any long-term fix to shore up the unemployment benefits account would almost certainly have to come from the state legislature. But Zach Schiller, research director at the progressive think tank Policy Matters Ohio, said given the historic strain on Ohios unemployment benefits system right now, it would take draconian measures for the state to keep the fund solvent without outside help.

I mean, even if they sat down right now and came up with some solvency proposal, they couldnt possibly balance the fund, Schiller said.

Finding the money to ensure the system is solvent can come from employers (by having them pay more in taxes), and/or from workers (from slashing benefits to having employees kick in money themselves).

Schuring agreed with Schiller that lawmakers, who havent tried to address the funds solvency for a couple of years, should wait until the coronavirus threat passes before taking another swing at fixing it.

When that day comes, Schuring said, hopefully this crisis will clear the way toward a long-term solution.

Sometimes it takes a crisis," he said. "This might be the very thing that will lead to the action we need.

Read more Ohio coronavirus coverage:

Gov. Mike DeWine postpones State of the State address amid coronavirus crisis

Ohio may have 6,000 to 8,000 new coronavirus cases a day during peak: Dr. Amy Acton

New Ohio treasurer program lends financial support to hospitals during coronavirus response

Ohio coronavirus deaths climb to 15, with 867 total infections: Gov. Mike DeWines Thursday, March 26 briefing

Most Ohio voters think coronavirus is real threat, but gender, partisan gaps surface, poll shows
- Conor McGregor has given one million euros to the Ireland government

- The money is to help gets equipment in the fight against coronavirus

- Republic of Ireland is among the hit country battling with the virus

- Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Mixed martial artist Conor Mcgregor has given out the sum of one million euros to buy protective equipment in hospitals treating people who have contracted coronavirus in Ireland.

The 31-year-old UFC star was reported to have communicated with Republic of Ireland's Minister for Finance where he made his intention known so as to help his people.

Minister Paschal Donohoe sent a letter to Conor Mcgregor urging him to tell his followers on social media to practice social distancing in fight to prevent spreading coronavirus.

READ ALSO: 5 devastating coronavirus news on Thursday, March 26, 2020

And while Conor Mcgregor was responding, he then decided to contribute to humanity in his country in efforts to save lives.

"Today I am purchasing myself one million euro worth of personal protective equipment to be deployed to all the fighting hospitals in the Leinster region. Our most affected region, to this date," McGregor said.

READ ALSO: 32 Ghanaians infected with coronavirus; 3 people dead

Conor McGregor also urged the leaders of his country to make sure that all the citizens abide by the complete lock-down measures in fighting the disease.

Coronavirus has caused so much trouble in the world since it was discovered in China before it spread around many countries in the world.

The crisis has also forced many Leagues to be suspended in many part of the world most especially in England, Spain, Italy and Germany.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh had reported how A top scientist named Francesco Le Foche claimed that the Champions League encounter between Atalanta and Valencia was the spreading point for the deadly coronavirus.

Although the pandemic came out in China, but for now, Italy and Spain are the worst affected nations in the world considering the number of sufferers and deaths.

Atalanta's home ground is in Bergamo, but the Champions League body refused to allow them use the venue for their games due to how small it is.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: New test developed by scientists takes 30 minutes to work; costs over GHC600

And they had to travel to San Siro with their fans which is the home of AC Milan to play their Champions League encounter against Spanish giants Valencia.

The tie took place on February 19 in which Atalanta won the tie 4-1 and since then, Italy and Spain have more than 70,000 people who have contracted the virus.

Valencia later went on to announce that that 35 percent of their squad have contracted coronavirus and they have been quarantined.

Only God can save Ghana from the Coronavirus outbreak - Pastor declares | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: LVMH, Zara, Rolls Royce and others provide medical equipment to fight coronavirus

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YEN.com.gh
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Fri, March 27, 2020 16:02 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ddd6f7 2 Business Malaysia,stimulus-package,economy,impact,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,health,novel-coronavirus Free

Malaysia announced a stimulus package worth 250 billion ringgit ($58.28 billion) on Friday, its second in a month, to help cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of confirmed infections in Malaysia has doubled this week to over 2,000, the highest in Southeast Asia, with 23 deaths. The government has extended curbs on travel and movement until April 14 in an attempt to contain its spread.

"We are a nation at war with invisible forces. The situation we are now facing is unprecedented in history," Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin Muhyiddin said in a televised address to announce the support package.

"This unprecedented situation of course requires unprecedented measures. So, my dear brothers and sisters, and the children of this beloved country... please bear with me and my friends in the cabinet and the government."

The new package largely includes one-off payments and discounts on utilities for people whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic, and to help small and medium-sized enterprises stay afloat and retain their staff.

The government will also set up a 50 billion ringgit loan scheme for larger companies, which will offer guarantees of up to 80% of the sum borrowed to shore up working capital in the corporate sector.

About 128 billion ringgit will be spent on public welfare measures, with 100 billion used to support businesses.

The package is in addition to a 20 billion ringgit stimulus plan announced last month.
Researchers at Griffith University in Brisbane have joined the race to create a vaccine for the coronavirus using a method that could see a vaccine rolled out in weeks once its approved.

Scientists at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD) are about to start mouse model trials of four vaccine candidates they have developed.

Professor Bernd Rehm, the principal research leader at GRIDD, said the technology used to develop the vaccine candidates used a synthetic version of the virus, which meant it could be replicated easily and quickly.

Professor Bernd Rehm from Griffith University says they have developed four vaccine candidates ready for animal testing

"We essentially have these microscopic factories assembling these virus-like particles presenting the virus components," Professor Rehm said.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at a briefing on the CCP virus pandemic in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington, on March 26, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump Says He Has Doubts About Chinas Official Virus Data

President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed his doubts about the number of COVID-19 cases being reported by the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) in its official data that is quoted around the world.

You dont know what the numbers are in China, the president said when asked by a reporter whether he was surprised that the United States has surpassed China in the number of cases of the CCP virus.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

A tracking map published by Johns Hopkins University currently shows that the United States has 83,507 confirmed cases, compared to China which has an official confirmed case total of 81,782.

Trump said that he thinks the increase in cases being reported in the United States is a tribute to the testingwere testing tremendous numbers of people  Were doing tremendous testing.

Im sure youre not able to tell what China is testing or not testing, Trump told the reporter. I think thats a little hard.

He said that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were scheduled to talk by phone on Thursday night.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on the CCP virus in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC on March 26, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

According to The Epoch Times investigations, Chinas actual number of cases and deaths from the CCP virus are likely to be more than 10 times higher than what is being reported.

A series of internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times show that the situation in the city of Wuhan, the ground zero of Chinas epidemic, is much worse than what has been officially reported. The documents include statistical data sheets on March 14 about diagnostic test results in Wuhan from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. In one example, the real number of new cases of infection in Wuhan is over 20 times more than the official numbers.

Read More 21 Million Fewer Cellphone Users in China May Suggest a High CCP Virus Death Toll

Authorities in Beijing also announced on March 19 that the number of Chinese cellphone users had dropped by 21 million over the past three months, without explaining the cause of the drop. The Epoch Times noted in a previous report that cellphones are an indispensable part of life in China and that deaths due to the CCP virus may have contributed some of to the closed accounts.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the United States as testing and access to it improves, and as testing centers work to clear a backlog of samples.

On Tuesday, White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said that the United States had now conducted more testing in the prior eight days than South Korea had in eight weeks. At the time, she said the United States was doing about 50,000 to 70,000 tests a day.

At the time, Birx said during a virtual town hall on Fox News that South Korea, which has a population of 51.4 million, tested about 290,000 people. The United States, she said, which has about 372 million residents, has done over 300,000 tests.

The American Enterprise Institute started a tracker of Americas testing capacity, which is projecting that the United States will conduct 100,000 or more COVID-19 tests per day by March 27.

The Coronavirus Task Force is urging all Americans to adhere to the 15 Days to Slow the Spread campaign to urgently reduce the spread of the virus. Trump said on Tuesday that his administration will assess recommendations surrounding business activity after the 15 days of recommended social distancing measures.
Amazon had a glitch that caused multiple military families living in Italy, Bahrain and Japan to be unable to order goods Wednesday, an Amazon spokeswoman said via email Thursday.

"We noticed an unfortunate glitch in our system on Wednesday that did not allow some items to be shipped to military addresses," she wrote. "We worked quickly to fix the issue, and thank our customers for their patience and understanding."

Since Monday, military families have reported that Amazon would not deliver certain items, including diapers, electronics and clothes, to their international APO, FPO and DPO addresses. While Norway appears to have stopped its mail to and from the U.S., Amazon said customers at APO, FPO and DPO addresses should now be able to purchase in-stock items again.

However, there might be a delay in customers receiving these items due to increased demand. And Amazon is prioritizing the delivery of household staples, sanitizers, baby formula and medical supplies.

Related: Military Families Overseas Say They Can't Order from Amazon

"To serve our customers while also helping to ensure the safety of our associates, we've changed our logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third-party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering items that are a higher priority for our customers," the Amazon spokeswoman wrote Friday. "This has resulted in some of our delivery promises being longer than usual."

To overcome this, the company is hiring more than 100,000 positions across the country, she added.

-- Dorothy Mills-Gregg can be reached at dorothy.mills-gregg@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DMillsGregg.

Read More: Marines Told to Cut High-Intensity Workouts During Virus Outbreak
Almost all blood banks in Kolkata have run out of stock as donation camps have not been held in two weeks following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Those looking for blood are being asked to get donors of the required group. However, getting donors has become a problem because of the lockdown.

The state health department has advised hospitals to keep planned operations on hold and attend to emergency cases, health department officials said.

Apart from those in big state-run hospitals, most blood banks in Kolkata are privately run. In the districts, private nursing homes procure blood from the state general hospitals.

All blood banks from where we procure blood have run dry. We have completely stopped planned surgeries. Blood is necessary for cardiac surgeries, cancer surgeries and even caesarean deliveries and these procedures cannot be delayed indefinitely. The government must organise blood donation camps in a restricted manner, said Dr Kalyan Kar, head of surgery at the Mukundapur unit of AMRI Hospital, one of the biggest private hospital chains in the state.

Under the present circumstances, it is not possible for the families of all patients to get donors, Dr Kar added.

We have no blood in stock. People looking for blood have to get donors. We are only testing their blood and drawing one unit as per rules. For people looking for several units, it is a huge problem, said a spokesperson of Ashok Blood Bank in Kolkata.

We have nothing left in stock. If this shortage persists, people will be in trouble, said a spokesperson at Life Care, blood bank in Kolkata that remains open for 24 hours.

The crisis started soon after donation camps stopped, said a spokesperson of Bhoruka Research Centre.

To conduct operations at my department we are drawing blood from donors, said Dr Arunava Sengupta, head of the ENT unit at SSKM Hospital, the biggest state-run multispecialty hospital in Bengal.

Responding to the crisis, some officers of the Kolkata Police donated blood on Wednesday.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
As Connecticut residents entered the weekend taking a fresh assessment of their income, available cash and financial obligations, many got an additional relief valve  retirement savings that they will be able to raid today, though at a potential cost to their future.

As part of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act compromise that emerged Wednesday from the U.S. Senate, workers will be able to access cash from their 401(k) retirement plans without the accustomed 10 percent penalty at amounts of up to $100,000, with taxes still applicable.

For any households with earners later in their careers who have been socking away steadily for retirement, it could represent a major source of immediate liquidity, with the Investment Company Institute estimating at $5.7 trillion the savings in 401(k) plans of American workers and retirees, as of last summer. The Internal Revenue Service reported nearly $4.4 billion in taxable distributions from individual retirement accounts held by Connecticut residents in 2017, averaging more than $20,000 each.

The CARES Act provision does not help many Americans who need assistance the most during the COVID-19 pandemic  those with little in the way of extra assets to their name and who have not been able to generate sufficient superfluous income to save for retirement.

But it could give a short-term boost to some younger workers who have made saving for retirement a priority and who have accumulated significant amounts in their 401(k) accounts, whether on their own dime or in some cases with matching contributions from their employers.

Fidelity Investments told CNBC last year that in its own client base, workers below age 30 averaged only about $12,000 in their 401(k) accounts, with the figure climbing to over $40,000 for thirtysomethings, and topping $100,000 for those in their 40s.

Particularly for workers early in their careers, a 401(k) raid may seem more palatable than other options to meet necessary expenses like racking up credit-card debt or attempting to secure a bank loan, given the extra runway in their careers to replenish those accounts.

But the future costs are significant, with an online calculator offered by Wells Fargo suggesting a $10,000 withdrawal by a worker 30 years out from retirement would come at a cost of more than $30,000 in future earnings at historically normal stock prices and appreciation over time, if not replenished.

The CARES Act does not include any immediate levers that could help workers with catch-up payments, whether with regard to their own 401(k) contributions, company matches, or other means.

Retirement account raids are not unusual in normal times. In its annual survey last year of more than 5,000 workers nationally, TransAmerica reported that about three in 10 workers have taken loans from their 401(k) plans.

And they become more common during extraordinary times, as the IRS noted after the 2008 financial panic in noting a 28 percent increase in those yanking money from individual retirement accounts over a 12-month stretch.

Only this month, Gov. Ned Lamont pledged to jump start a Connecticut effort to create a 401(k) option for small business owners to offer their employees, with the initiative having fizzled out last year for a lack of funding.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Two woman have been jailed in Plaquemines Parish on a charge of attempted first-degree murder in connection with a drug-related shooting, authorities said.

Shembreca Blalock, 31, of Crowley, La., and Takasha Blalock, 29, of Lake Charles, who are sisters, were arrested shortly after the March 18 shooting, which occurred in Empire, said Lt. Chaun Dominque, spokesman for the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office.

+3 Iguanas, hamsters, bearded dragon and snake stolen from New Orleans East pet shop: NOPD New Orleans police are on the lookout for a bearded dragon, some iguanas and other animals stolen from a pet store in New Orleans East early T

Deputies received a report of a shooting at a residence in the 33400 block of Highway 11. When they arrived, they found an unidentified man, 39, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, Domingue said.

The man was taken to University Medical Center in New Orleans where he was listed in stable condition.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Investigators determined the shooting occurred during a drug transaction and identified Shembreca and Takasha Blalock as suspects, Domingue said.

They were taken into custody by deputies during a traffic stop just after the shooting.

The sisters were booked with attempted first-degree murder and simple burglary, Domingue said. Takasha Blalock was also booked with drug possession after she was found with marijuana when arrested, according to authorities.

The women were being held Friday at the Plaquemines Parish Detention Center on $500,000 bonds.
A group of G20 nations on Thursday convened a virtual meeting to discuss the challenges posed by coronavirus pandemic and to forge a global coordinated response. The group injected over $5 trillion into the global economy to combat economic disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak. During the video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present.

In his address, PM Modi noted the alarming social and economic cost of the pandemic. He added that 90 per cent of the COVID-19 cases and 88 per cent of deaths were in G20 countries. The PM pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol to deal with the coronavirus epidemic. The PM called on the G-20 leaders to help usher in new globalisation, for the collective well-being of humankind. Modi added human beings rather than economic targets should be put at the centre of its vision for global prosperity and cooperation.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Positive cases near 700; deaths rise to 16

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin also agreed to contribute to the WHO-led COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on a voluntary basis.

The G20 grouping shares 80 per cent of world's GDP and 60 per cent of world population.

The bloc said it will continue to provide fiscal support to deal with the economic aspects of the crisis.

"Collective G20 action will amplify its impact, ensure coherence, and harness synergies. The magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth," the bloc said.

Besides, Saudi King Salman urged G20 leaders to boost funding for a vaccine for coronavirus.

The G20 said it will work to ensure the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products, and other goods and services across borders, and work to resolve disruptions to the global supply chains.

"Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary. We task our Trade Ministers to assess the impact of the pandemic on trade," it added.

"We reiterate our goal to realise a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open," the G20 said.

The G20 members are India, the United Kingdom, US, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, European Union (EU), Japan, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil.

PM Modi joined G20 virtual summit in which various world leaders discussed ways to fight coronavirus.

Also read: Coronavirus: Bhilwara district authorities take over 5 private hospitals, guest houses, resorts

Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: India extends ban on international flights till April 14
This books value is in knowing that even when the planet is hurtling toward global medical disaster, life still goes on, because there will still be a man like Woody Allen who takes a look around this feverish globe and says: Right now, today, is the time to publish my memoir, titled Apropos of Nothing, recounting the story of how I once charmingly invited a teenage Mariel Hemingway to go to Paris with me, and also I could barely figure out how to work the camera I used to take those famous nude photos of Soon-Yi.
London, March 27 : A UK charity is working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University in an effort to train dogs to sniff out the novel coronavirus within six weeks to provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis, a media report said on Friday.

The charity, Medical Detection Dogs, which already does pioneering work in cancer research and diabetes detection, believes that dogs can smell coronavirus, the Metro newspaper report said.

"Dogs searching for COVID-19 would be trained in the same way as those dogs the charity has already trained to detect diseases like cancer, Parkinson's and bacterial infections - by sniffing samples in the charity's training room and indicating when they have found it' the newspaper quted Medical Detection Dogs as saying in a statement.

"They (dogs) are also able to detect subtle changes in temperature of the skin, so could potentially tell if someone has a fever.

"Once trained, dogs could also be used to identify travellers entering the country infected with the virus or be deployed in other public spaces." Claire Guest, CEO and co-founder of the charity said: "In principle, we're sure that dogs could detect COVID-19. We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odour of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs.

"The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic and tell us whether they need to be tested. This would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed." "Our previous work demonstrated that dogs can detect odours from humans with a malaria infection with extremely high accuracy - above the World Health Organisation standards for a diagnostic. "We know that other respiratory diseases like COVID-19, change our body odour so there is a very high chance that dogs will be able to detect it," the Metro newspaper quoted Professor James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, as saying.

Professor Steve Lindsay at Durham University added: "If the research is successful, we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus. This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present epidemic under control." A total of 11,812 people in the UK have ben infected with the novel coronavirus while 580 others died.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chinese President Xi Jinping called to 'unite' during a telephonic conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump. The Chinese media provided a brief gist of the telephonic conversation between the two leaders.

Xi Jinping said that China and the US must 'unite to fight' Coronavirus in the call with Donald Trump, Chinese state media said. In contrast, the US President tweeted that he had a 'very good conversation' with his Chinese counterpart, hours after raising speculations on the number of cases shared by China.

Elaborating on the telephonic conversation, Trump claimed that China has developed a 'strong understanding' of the Coronavirus. Moreover, the US President notified that the two countries are 'working closely together' to deal with the global health crisis. With 85,594 cases of infection, the US has now overtaken the virus hotspots China and Italy, according to a tracker run by Johns Hopkins University.

READ| Bihar lawyer files case against China's Prez Xi Jinping for 'allowing Coronavirus spread'

He said, "Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!" [sic]

'Chinese virus' jibe

The phone-call may be perceived as a thaw between the US, China relationship, however, in the past, Trump had criticised the Chinese establishment of being 'very secretive' about Coronavirus. Trump told international media that the US and the world would have better prepared only if China had given an 'advance warning' about the health crisis.

In response, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan whisked a conspiracy, saying that the Coronavirus was 'brought to Wuhan by US army.'"It might be the US Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US ower us an explanation!" the Chinese government official tweeted on March 13.

A class-action suit has been filed in a district court in the United States seeking US$20 trillion from China for the creation and release, accidental or otherwise, of the virus known as COVID-19 by China and its agencies. The petition says that China created and released the COVID-19 virus as a biological weapon in violation of Chinas agreements under the international law.

READ| Trump shoots back instantly when asked about US overtaking China's Coronavirus count
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed grief over the demise of veteran Samajwadi Party leader Beni Prasad Verma.

"Anguished by the passing away of Shri Beni Prasad Verma. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi.

Verma, a former Union minister and Samajwadi Party founding member, died at a private hospital in Lucknow around 7 pm on Friday. He was 79.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

One glaring weakness of Gov. Gavin Newsoms shelter-in-place order is the shameful number of his constituents with no permanent shelter to take. Though justified by the life-and-death threat of the coronavirus pandemic, the order itself threatens to exacerbate Californias homelessness crisis by decimating employment and leaving even more residents unable to afford exorbitant housing costs.

To his credit and the likely relief of many homeowners, Newsom announced this week that four of the nations biggest banks  Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and U.S. Bank  had joined many smaller banks and credit unions in suspending foreclosures and waiving mortgage payments in California for 90 days, while Bank of America had agreed to a 30-day grace period. But that relief excludes nearly half the states residents, among them those most vulnerable to eviction and homelessness: renters.
Ellen Page, right, interviews an activist about the long-term effects of a dump in her neighborhood in the documentary "There's Something in the Water." (2 Weeks Notice)

Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page reveals a darker side of her home province in Theres Something in the Water, a documentary on environmental racism in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Page co-wrote, co-directed (with her Gaycation collaborator, Ian Daniel) and narrates. Based on social scientist Ingrid R. G. Waldrons book, the film looks at three largely nonwhite communities struggling with environmental disasters caused or threatened by industry or governmental neglect.

The main claims are plausible  severe cancer clusters surround a decades-old dump, massive fish die-offs are linked to factory runoff, an underground gas storage plan might destroy a waterway. However, the filmmakers fail to provide data. One activist refers to tests of wells, but we dont learn about the results apart from a passing reference to certain harmful bacteria. Were never told what runoff chemicals are causing problems or what their concentrations are.

The film gives a platform to women of color on the front lines of resistance to these disastrous environmental impacts. Some interviews can be emotional and disturbing, as when one activist enumerates those in a family portrait who have died of cancer, then drives through her neighborhood, listing those whove contracted cancer. But while several of these women must have facts and figures at the ready, we never hear or see them.

There are no onscreen graphics explaining the effects of chemicals or providing statistical data of the cancer clusters. In focusing on these determined activists, the film declines to interview scientists and doctors. Instead, it allows subjects to make unchallenged claims such as, One day, an ounce of water will cost more than an ounce of gold.

What results is an emotional appeal that highlights a grave problem but doesnt give the viewer the scientific, factual foundation to be completely convinced. The film also doesnt offer solutions.

One activist is shown talking over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; her group then criticizes the related legislation he supports, without detailing its problems. A legislative analyst or environmental lawyers input might have helped here. Cinematically, it feels slow and is not helped by the moody piano tinkling of its score.

Story continues

Theres Something also doesnt sufficiently support the very notion of environmental racism (as opposed to the victimization of any community without economic or political power, regardless of race or ethnicity). Perhaps its 73-minute running time is a detriment, as its focus on its subjects doesnt seem to allow room for the objective evidence that would have bolstered its case.

Stick around after the final narration for updates that move the stories forward.

-------------






Another challenge takes into place in Memorist when cult leader Park Di Gan is murdered in the middle of his ritual. No one was able to see how it transpired, since the worshipers closed their eyes. Dong Baek's team and Han Su Mi's detectives worked on the site to gather more evidence. Dong Baek discovered that the memories of the worshipers were erased. He searched the other room and discovered a painting of Angel Michael defeating the demon as he raised the sword.

At the headquarters, deputy chief Shin Woong called everyone for an urgent meeting. He demanded all detectives solve the case of cult leader Park Di Gan, since he is the center of attention. He asked superintendent Han Su Mi if it's possible to erase someone's memory as what the reports said. He wanted to know more updates as to what Dong Baek claimed.

Deputy Chief Shin Woong dismissed the meeting and asked Han Su Mi to stay. He handed Dong Baek's personal records to her. He instructed Han Su Mi's team to monitor Dong Baek's activities. Han Su Mi accepted the chief's instruction. As soon as she reached her research team they studied and dug more records of Dong Baek's profile.

In the crime site of the cult house, Dong Baek discovered that prior to the ritual, Park Di Gan received the painting. It was delivered to him. They further asked a young girl as she claimed she saw the delivery van. Dong Baek requested the girl to touch her and scan her memories. The girl agreed in exchange for selfie pictures from him. He was able to get the plate number of the van who delivered the painting.

Upon interrogation, the driver told them the house of the customer or sender of the painting. Dong Baek's team went to the place and recovered a female dead body. Few more paintings inside the house. The dead lady is the artist. She died of dehydration, and a bottle of methanol alcohol one of the causes of her death. Her feet were tied with a metal claw and she was forced to draw. On top of the artist's desk, numbers 16669-19 written in the newspaper. A few minutes later, Han Su Mi arrived in the area. They followed Dong Baek's car the whole time.

Dong Baek confirmed with Han Su Mi, he suspects a serial killer has the power to do such a crime. Han Su Mi instructed her team to research the profile of the dead body. Dong Baek offered to help her but Han Su Mi declined. She instructed her team to go home and she will see them all tomorrow. She felt tired and exhausted from the day's activity. Everyone left the place. Dong Baek and his team analyzed the numbers written on the paper.

The number 16669-19 is the newspaper release control number. On that issue, they found an article about a young girl who lost her family. The connection between the doctor and the artist gave more proof of the serial killer.

As she reached her house, Han Su Mi continued to work on the case. She analyzed the pictures she took from the crime scene. A conclusion from her mind led her to run and proceed to the crime site again.

Inside the artist's house, Han Su Mi moved one art piece that stands behind the wall. She found another entrance to the next room. The place was dark and she recovered 2 corpse covered with hard cement. Shaken and shocked, Han Su Mi said a prayer.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that he will be speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the evening to discuss the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 20,000 lives globally.

"I am speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping tonight, I believe, we will have a good conversation," Trump told reporters, during the daily White House coronavirus task force briefing.

Trump later added that they will discuss the novel coronavirus pandemic, saying that it will be fruitful call.

The United States President also stated said G20 leaders at their virtual meeting agreed that immediate data-sharing is vital in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"The United States is working with its partners around the to stop the spread of the coronavirus. We discussed how important it is for all of our nations to immediately share information and data and we have been doing this to a large extent," Trump said.Trump further said he may decide to reopen large regions in the United States that are not badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our country has to go back to work. We may take large sections of our country that are not so seriously affected and we may do it that way," Trump said.

The US president said his administration will consult with experts to discuss a timeline of reopening the country and will have more information to share on the situation by next week.

On Thursday, the United States overtook China to become the country with the largest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Commenting on it he said: "I do not believe China, no one knows what happens there. I like the country but no one knows what happens there."

There were 82,404 cases of COVID-19 in the United States versus China's 81,782, the John Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker revealed.

The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus worldwide has exceeded 4,62,684 over 20,834 deaths have died, according to the Health Organization (WHO)'s daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation report.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The younger man told police that he and his sister were walking his dog when they heard multiple shots from behind, police said. When police arrived, they found the postal worker lying on the sidewalk and bleeding from the face.
Although the world is going through tough times due to the coronavirus pandemic, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looking at the brighter side of things said that this has given him the opportunity to spend time with his kids.

"Well, I have three kids with a lot of energy! They are 10, seven and four so you can imagine! I am a very positive person and I try to take the moment to say 'Ok, what can we take from this? What's the lesson here and what's the opportunity for us?," the club's official website quoted Arteta as saying.

"For 17 years, I haven't had the opportunity to wake up with my kids and spend a lot of time, dedicate my time and listen to them. You know, do their homework with them and the same with my missus. So this is a great opportunity," he added.

Arteta who tested positive for the coronavirus said that he is now feeling 'completely recovered'.

"I am feeling completely recovered, it's true I started having some symptoms when we got the phone call from the club to let us know that we might be exposed to the virus because of the owner of Olympiacos and in that moment... I don't know, I felt something within me, that I had it," Arteta said.

The spread of coronavirus is continuing to wreak havoc all around the world and has forced the postponement of various competitions including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Due to COVID-19, the professional games in England have also been postponed until no earlier than 30 April.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Richard Reeves, a veteran political reporter, columnist and author who chronicled the nation's history and politics in graceful prose for more than half a century, bringing readers inside the White House during pivotal moments of modern presidencies, died March 25 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83.

The cause was cardiac arrest, said his son, Jeffrey Reeves. Reeves, a longtime faculty member at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, had also been battling cancer.

With his baritone voice and conversational writing style, Reeves was a personable, erudite guide to American politics, both in print and on television. He co-hosted the NBC magazine show "Sunday" in the 1970s, was chief correspondent for the PBS program "Frontline" and won honors including Peabody and Emmy awards, for documentaries on the Soviet war in Afghanistan and TV's impact on politics.

Reviewing his 1977 book "Convention," a colorful account of the previous year's Democratic National Convention in New York, cultural critic John Leonard called Reeves "one of our smartest political reporters and analysts, a man who fairly bristles with opinions, a porcupine among parrots and trained seals."

A former chief political correspondent for the New York Times, he wrote a twice-weekly column that appeared in more than 160 newspapers across the country; contributed to magazines including New York and Esquire; and wrote more than a dozen books, ranging from a 1997 account of his family's globe-trotting vacation ("Family Travels") to a 2007 biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ernest Rutherford ("A Force of Nature"), who conducted experiments at Reeves's alma mater.

Reeves studied engineering, not journalism, and was working for the manufacturer Ingersoll-Rand in New Jersey when he began a double life as a journalist. On a lark, he and a few friends started a newspaper, the Phillipsburg Free Press, with Reeves serving as the editor by night, investigating local politicians and presiding over the paper's headquarters - a converted movie theater big enough to house an old printing press.

He was soon covering local affairs for the Newark News, New Jersey state politics for the New York Herald Tribune and New York's City Hall for the Times, which also sent him to the Woodstock music festival in 1969 and later dispatched him to Washington.

Reeves "was a bit of a renaissance guy, with a deep sense of philosophy, literature and history," said Douglas Brinkley, a historian who has written on Ford and Reagan's presidencies. "He had a gumshoe reporter's drive mixed with an armchair-bound scholar's sense of deep reading. Not all people that write books are intellectuals, and Richard Reeves was one."

"Reeves wrote with narrative flair, which came out of a deep dive into great novels," Brinkley added. "He was one of those literary biographers who had journalistic scruples to get every fact right. Anything Richard Reeves ever wrote was eminently footnotable."

Reeves began writing books with "A Ford, Not a Lincoln" (1975), a deeply critical account of Gerald R. Ford's presidency. Like many Americans, Reeves had disagreed with Ford's decision to pardon his predecessor, Richard M. Nixon - an act of clemency that Ford said was essential to keeping the country moving forward.

"Since then, having lived through, say, O.J. Simpson and Monica Lewinsky, I realized that Ford was right," Reeves told NPR in 2006. He wrote a cover story for American Heritage titled "I'm Sorry, Mr. President," and said that Ford deserved more credit for his time in the White House, including for championing the Helsinki Accords, a far-reaching agreement between Western nations and the Soviet bloc.

"Ford wrote to me, called me and we communicated back and forth over the years," Reeves told NPR. "And he said in public, well, he thought I had always been fair. I'm not sure I was."

Most critics seemed to disagree with Reeves's self-assessment. He was widely praised for a trilogy of White House histories that aimed to show the presidency "as it looked from the center," using dialogue and narrative detail to document a few key hours, days or weeks in the Oval Office.

In addition to "President Kennedy: Profile of Power" (1993), he wrote "President Nixon: Alone in the White House" (2001) and "President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination" (2005). "Presidents are magic," Reeves told the Times in a 2011 interview about Kennedy's legacy. "They walk into a room, and the air changes, and this one, in our lifetimes, above all."

As part of his reporting process, he typically conducted hundreds of interviews and pored over thousands of pages of archival materials, including Nixon's legal-pad musings, which included affirmations such as "need to be good to do good" and "guts to stand alone."

Reeves was critical of President Bill Clinton, whose first term he chronicled in the 1996 book "Running in Place," and directed scathing commentary toward President George W. Bush, the target of an October 2004 column headlined, "To Begin With, the President Is a Fool."

He had voted for the Democratic presidential nominee, John F. Kerry, "because I have children and grandchildren, too, and I love my country too much to watch George W. Bush try to figure it out for four more years," he wrote.

"Biased? Of course. That's why I write this column: to share my bias. I am always amazed when I get letters, many of them, accusing me of being a 'liberal' or, a lot worse, an 'elitist.' Yes, I am. Hello!

"I also think that being president of the United States is an elite job," he continued. "Don't you? What are we talking about here?"

The older of two children, Richard Furman Reeves was born in Manhattan on Nov. 28, 1936, and raised in Jersey City. His father was a county judge, his mother a bank teller.

Reeves studied engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, where he wrote a column - "Have Pen, Will Write" - for the student newspaper. "Journalism is so attractive," he told the Boston Globe in 2001, "because it's the one field where you don't need any qualifications."

He joined the Times in 1966, remained at the paper for a decade and wrote his column from 1979 to 2014. "It makes me focus," he told the Globe. "If you're to write two columns a week, you've got to pay attention. I think there's a part of me that fears if I didn't pay attention that way, I would drop into history."

Reeves's books included "American Journey" (1982), in which he spent five years re-creating the travels of Alexis de Tocqueville; "Passage to Peshawar" (1984), about his journeys through Pakistan; and "Daring Young Men" (2010), a history of the Berlin airlift.

His latest, "Infamy" (2015), was a sweeping history of Japanese American internment during World War II, when some 120,000 people were forced into "war relocation camps." Reeves chronicled the role of politicians such as Earl Warren, the future U.S. Supreme Court justice, in backing the internment policy, in addition to anti-Japanese rhetoric inflamed by figures ranging from journalist Edward R. Murrow to artist Theodor Geisel, later known as Dr. Seuss.

Reeves's marriage to Carol Wiegand ended in divorce, and in 1979 he married Catherine O'Neill, who ran for the California State Senate as a Democrat and later co-founded the Women's Refugee Commission. She died in 2012.

In addition to his son, Jeffrey, of Los Angeles, survivors include another child from his first marriage, Cynthia Fyfe of Royal Palm Beach, Florida; a daughter from his second marriage, Fiona Reeves of Washington; two stepsons, Colin and Conor O'Neill, both of Los Angeles; a brother; and seven grandchildren.

Although Reeves spent much of his life covering politics, he said he was chastened by his wife's unsuccessful run for state senate in 1992. "From my new perspective, as candidate consort, the business of running has rubbery rules and a lot of desperate practitioners, more like addicts than professionals," he wrote in a Los Angeles Times essay.

The campaign trail offered a few unhappy lessons, he added. Among the most discouraging:

- " 'Buying a seat' is not a political charge, it's our political system."

- "Campaign strategy is simple: Create an opponent, who may or may not resemble people living or dead, and run against that creation."

- "Lying has become acceptable in America, even admired if done well."
Sky News

Sky News looks at Prince Andrew's options after his legal team failed to persuade a US judge to dismiss Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit accusing the Duke of York of sexually assaulting her when she was underage. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan has said Ms Giuffre, formerly Virginia Roberts, could pursue allegations that the royal abused her as a teenager and intentionally caused her emotional distress while the late financier Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking her. The Manhattan judge also said it was too early to assess Andrew's efforts to "cast doubt" on those claims, although the 61-year-old prince could do so at a trial.
Employees are being temperature-scanned as they enter the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Read more

TL;DR: With cases and deaths rising locally, hospitals are bracing for a surge in patients. Gov. Tom Wolfs stay-at-home order is spreading to more counties and Comcasts CEO donated $5 million so Philadelphia students could have laptops to learn remotely while schools are closed. In national news, President Donald Trump signed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, hoping to offset the economic fallout from the pandemic.

Make sure you check Inquirer.com/coronavirus for the latest news and please feel free to tell your family and friends to sign up.

Enjoy getting our journalism through email? You can also sign up for The Inquirer Morning Newsletter to get the latest news, features, investigations and more sent straight to your inbox each morning Sunday-Friday. Sign up here.

 Ellie Silverman (@esilverman11, health@inquirer.com)

What you need to know:

 There were more coronavirus deaths reported in Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties, and the United States became the first country to top 100,000 confirmed cases. As cases escalate locally, hospitals are bracing for a surge in patients.

 Gov. Tom Wolf expanded his stay-at-home order to another nine counties: Berks, Butler, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Pike, Wayne, Westmoreland, and York.

 Pennsylvanias primary election is moved to June 2, joining 11 other states and D.C. rescheduling primaries to that day because of the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump signed the $2.2 trillion rescue package aimed to help businesses and workers amid the economic fallout from the pandemic. Heres what you should know about the coronavirus stimulus checks.

 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the first leader of a major nation to contract it.

Local coronavirus cases

 As of Friday evening, there are more than 1,600 reported cases in the Philadelphia area. Track the spread here.

PHILADELPHIA: 637 confirmed cases (up from 162 on March 27)

SUBURBAN PA: 810 confirmed cases (up from 129 on March 27)

SOUTH JERSEY: 247 confirmed cases (up from 63 on March 27)

Philadelphia-area hospitals are preparing for the worst. Medical workers see what is happening in New York City, where a doctor at a hospital with 13 deaths in one day told the New York Times that the situation was apocalyptic. They predict we arent far behind, my colleagues Marie McCullough and Lisa Gartner report.

We anticipate we are no more than two weeks behind New York City, said P.J. Brennan, chief medical officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Cases are doubling every two to three days. ... You do the math.

By that math, Penns six hospitals could have at least 1,472 coronavirus patients within two weeks. And that wont even be the peak of the crisis, which Brennan said is projected to hit in late May or June.

In the meantime, hospitals are making do with scarce resources. Jefferson is working with fabric designers at its East Falls facility to make face masks and figure out how to re-sterilize used ones. Temple University will let the city use the Liacouras Center to expand hospital-bed capacity. Temples health system turned its 10-story building for neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery into a coronavirus hospital. There are tents set up outside of emergency departments so people with symptoms can be checked without exposing others.

Hospitals are struggling to find ways to keep its workers healthy, too. Penn checks employees temperatures at hospital entrances. Physicians and nurses feel like theyve been thrown into a war, said oncologist Ravi Parikh, a physician at the VA Medical Center in West Philadelphia.

But unlike traditional wars, he and two colleagues wrote in an op-ed for The Inquirer, these soldiers dont sleep in trenches; they return home each night. Each trip home requires a renewed commitment to containment  to isolate their families from the disease they have spent the day fighting.

All Pennsylvania schools are closed until at least April 6, and while children in private schools and in better-resourced suburbs may be better prepared for digital learning with internet access and computers, that isnt the case for all Philadelphia School District children.

Only half of high school students and less than half of elementary school students have a computer at home, district officials said. With this disparity, and without provisions for students with special needs and English-language learners, the district has not been requiring students to learn while at home. They needed laptops.

On Thursday night, the Philadelphia school board voted to allow for the purchase of 50,000 Chromebooks to make this distance learning possible during the coronavirus-related closures. It would cost $11 million.

When Brian Roberts, Comcasts CEO, learned that the school district would need to spend millions on computers, he wanted to help. He and his family gave $5 million to the Fund for the Philadelphia School District, the school systems charitable arm, to help pay for the Chromebooks, my colleague Kristen Graham reported.

Theres nothing much better than helping kids get on with their education, particularly at this time, Roberts said. Not being able to go to school was pretty stark."

Lets take a quick break

Terminally ill dogs come to this unusual hospice to live their best lives.

 Hes on a one-man mission to clean up trash and help save sea life.

 Bob Dylan dropped his first original song in 8 years. Its called Murder Most Foul.

Social distancing tip of the day: Listen to a podcast

Though researchers warn its too early to know what the coronavirus affect on podcast subscriber numbers has been, Italy has seen a 10% increase in listening, with spikes in shows about religion and spirituality.

Truth is, my colleague Amy S. Rosenberg writes, podcasters had already been our socially distant friends, broadcasting from their couches, or at least seeming to, directly to ours.

Have a social distancing tip or question to share? Let us know at health@inquirer.com and your input might be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.

What were paying attention to

Fred Milgrim, an emergency-medicine physician in New York City, writes in the Atlantic about his experience at a hospital in Queens: China warned Italy. Italy warned us. We didnt listen. Now the onus is on the rest of America to listen to New York.

The New Yorker explains how a coronavirus evolves from bats to human lungs.

Helen S. Eaton, the CEO of Settlement Music Schoolm, tells WHYY why arts education is crucial in times of crisis.

Its not all horrible

You dont have to pay your taxes right now. My colleague Erin Arvedlund writes about that and other ways you can conserve cash during the coronavirus pandemic. Her other suggestions for saving include negotiating debt payments, stopping auto-payments, and keeping cash on hand. Read more for more ways to save money and cut expenses.

Helpful resources

News about coronavirus is changing quickly. Go to inquirer.com/coronavirus to make sure you are seeing the newest information.
Marshall Morrisseau, one of two youths to join the Canadian delegation at the United Nations in Vienna, has returned home to Brandon with new tools related to substance use and trauma.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Brandon Bear Clan outreach worker Marshall Morrisseau particiaptes in the youth forum at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes 63rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs held March 2-4 in Vienna, Austria. (Submitted)

Marshall Morrisseau, one of two youths to join the Canadian delegation at the United Nations in Vienna, has returned home to Brandon with new tools related to substance use and trauma.

The outreach worker for the Brandon Bear Clan attended the UNs Office on Drugs and Crimes 63rd Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs held beginning March 2 in Vienna. While federal officials from a variety of departments attended the plenary sessions, Morrisseau attended three days of meetings with 39 youths from 32 countries.

"It was a really good opportunity to network with all these other youth from around the world and learn about their strategies and what theyre doing back in their communities to resolve this issue," Morrisseau said.

Ghada Fathi Waly, the executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, welcomed the young people and tasked them with developing a resolution to present to the main gathering on the third and final day.

"Around the world, 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders and need treatment. More than half a million people a year die from drug use disorders," Waly told the youth.

They would have three minutes to present a resolution to the main gathering.

"Everything is running by the minute there, you have to make every minute count," Morrisseau said.

Prior to the forum, each youth received documents about prevention and risk factors to review. The first day, a facilitator led them through that information and more. To develop the resolution, each youth had to come up with 25 ideas then, in a group, sort those into five themes. They then developed each theme into two sentences.

"It was a collective effort for everyone."

The UNs Office on Drugs and Crime first created the youth forum in 2013 with the aim of gathering young people who are "active in the field of drugs use prevention, health promotion  to allow them to exchange ideas, visions and different perspectives on how to better protect the health and well being of their peers and provide them with an opportunity to convey their joint message to the global level policymakers."

Asked if anything in particular stuck out after being exposed to ideas from around the world, Morrisseau said, "The language we use when we talk about substances."

"One thing we learned, they called it good and bad language. Basically, how they explained that is that when you do your resolution to the commission, you cant go up there and use language thats not acceptable," he said.

As an example, he said here in Canada, the word "empowering" is seen as a positive word.

"However, in some countries and states, if you were to say, We want to empower our youth, they might think that youre trying to start a revolution or a rebellion."

Morrisseau also learned that it might be harmful to say "a person uses substances" rather than "a person struggles with trauma" or "doesnt have the right coping mechanisms." Rather than characterizing the behaviour, the focus is the root cause of the behaviour.

"Another thing that was really emphasized was that drug prevention can be a lot of things, and youth need to be the target of preventing the use of substances," Morrisseau said.

"How you can do that is by building life skills and showing youth how to properly cope and have good self-care routines and to actually be able to communicate not only with some family and friends, but with themselves about how theyre doing and how theyre feeling."

Morrisseau recalled his own personal experience in school, that he was never taught to talk about his feelings, or how to seek help.

"We need to be teaching our youth how to properly take care of themselves mentally and emotionally," he said.

Morrisseau, who has been self-isolating since his return, said that inspired him to want to do more work of this nature with youth in the Brandon area. Hed like to fill a gap he experienced in high school.

"It was hard to come back and everythings being shut down."

Regarding his own contribution to the forum, Morrisseau said harm reduction is definitely an area where Canada leads.

"That philosophy is not necessarily accepted by a lot of countries. I had to be careful when I was introducing that concept. My professional work and personal experience around harm reduction contributed to that discussion," he said.

In a conversation about continuum of services and the law, and how the law affects people who use substances, a comparison was made with speeding. Someone asked the question: If the law says 50 kilometres an hour is the speed limit, yet a lot of people drive over the speed limit, should the law punish those individuals more harshly? A discussion followed on whether the law should be used to address substance use.

"Because in a lot of other countries, the law is used, capital punishment is used for those that use substances," Morrisseau said.

"My contribution to that, just as an example, was individuals choose to drive or to speed. Thats your choice. You dont wake up one day, decide to be a meth addict. Bringing those philosophies in other ways I think was probably my biggest contribution."

Morrisseau is grateful for all the help he received locally to get him to Vienna, including from Brandon Universitys political science and Native Studies departments by way of associate Prof. Kelly Saunders.

 mletourneau@brandonsun.com

 Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism.
GUEST OBSERVATION

Imagine you have just bought a home. You have moved in and, during a friendly chat with the neighbours, you find out the property had been the scene of a serious crime or used to manufacture methamphetamine.

How would you react? Is this something you would want to have known prior to the sale? If you had known, would this have affected you decision to buy the property? And was the real estate agent or vendor under any obligation to let you know?

In most cases, the answer is (somewhat surprisingly to buyers) no. However, amendments to Victorias Sale of Land Act 1962 have now broadened the matters that must be disclosed to buyers prior to a sale, including where a serious crime has occurred. Renters who find they have entered into a stigmatised property must resort to the consumer protection laws discussed below.

Why were the laws required?

The ancient doctrine of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) still impacts on real estate transactions. It means the buyer bears the responsibility of making their own enquiries about the property.

Property inspections are usually confined to the physical condition of the property. While it would be possible, at least theoretically, to arrange for a person to investigate its background, this can be a difficult process, especially if such information is concealed or hard to come by.

As a result, each state and territory has introduced laws that provide for some level of disclosure to the buyer during the conveyancing process. The extent of disclosure required and the nature of matters that must be disclosed varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Furthermore, section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law considers conduct as misleading or deceptive where a matter is not disclosed but, in the circumstances, there is a reasonable expectation it would be.

The problem is that while disclosure may be required in matters involving, for example, a structural fault or a road-widening proposal, such information is confined to physical issues affecting the property.

However, what happens when the matter involves not a physical defect but a psychological or stigmatising one, such as a murder, for example? Such information may be of considerable importance to potential buyers who, for personal or religious reasons, would find living in a property where such an event occurred intolerable. On a more mercenary note, the impact on resale value of the property could be significant.

The nature of stigmatised property

Concern about the effect of stigma on property is not a recent phenomenon. Courts in several jurisdictions, including Australia, have had to grapple with buyers who had discovered, after purchase, that the property had been the scene of a serious crime or criminal activity, a suicide had occurred, persons had been suffering from certain illnesses, or a sex offender lived nearby.

In one case a young man had murdered his parents and sister in their Sydney home. The property was later sold to a young couple. After discovering the tragic events that had occurred in the home, they sought to withdraw from the sale on religious grounds.

There was a significant amount of criticism of the real estate agent for not informing the buyers about what had occurred there. After considerable public pressure and an investigation by the NSW Office of Fair Trading, the contract was set aside.

On a more ethereal note, there have been a series of cases in the United States where buyers have sought, in some cases successfully, to have a sale rescinded because the house was (allegedly) haunted or the subject of paranormal activity.

Disclosure laws regarding stigma

The Victorian legislation clarifies obligations for estate agents and vendors regarding the disclosure of material facts.

In summary, an estate agent or vendor cannot knowingly conceal any material facts about a property when selling land. The legislation is supported by guidelines that clarify the nature of a material fact. This includes circumstances where, during the current or previous occupation, the property was the scene of a serious crime or an event that may create long-term potential risks to the health and safety of occupiers of the land.

Specific examples include extreme violence such as a homicide, the use of the property for the manufacture of substances such as methylamphetamine, or a defence or fire brigade training site involving the use of hazardous materials. Relevant factors can include the reaction of other potential buyers to the fact, including their willingness to buy in light of the revelation.

Significant penalties and even imprisonment await vendors and real estate agents who do not comply.

Will the laws work?

As with any new legislation, we will have to wait and see how this plays out. However, some preliminary comments can be made.

First, it will be interesting to see how the term knowingly is interpreted. Could an agent or vendor avoid the provisions if they merely suspect an issue but do not look further into it? The term wilful blindness comes to mind.

Second, a fact can be material in either a general or a specific sense. The general sense seems straightforward, as it refers to information most people would consider when deciding whether to buy a property.

However, how serious must a crime be to be material? What if the situation involves cultivation of marijuana rather than a more egregious substance?

More complex is where a material fact may be of importance to a specific buyer but not buyers generally. For example, in the case discussed above, the buyers religion made it impossible for them to live in a home where a violent murder had occurred. In this case, the onus seems to be on the prospective buyer to ask questions about matters of concern to them.

What now?

Although one suspects that buyers of an allegedly haunted house might not succeed under this legislation, the laws address a significant gap regarding disclosure of psychological considerations in the purchase of a property rather than the traditional physical ones.

Eileen Webb, Professor of Law and Ageing, School of Law, University of South Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Derry councillors have backed a proposal for the British and NI governments to upscale the manufacture of and ordering of ventilators and test kits amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A full meeting of Derry City & Strabane District Council took place online on Thursday for the first time in the local authority's history.

People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said: "We welcome the near unanimous support from Cllrs of all political persuasions to support People Before Profit's proposal to source thousands of life-saving ventilators, requisition Covid-19 test kit manufacturer Randox for the health service and to back essential workers taking action for PPE and the immediate implementation of public health guidelines in workplaces.

"It's critical the Council does everything in its power to put pressure on Westminster, the Stormont Executive, the Department of Health and employers to do everything possible to save lives.

"The number of ventilators available here and ordered is far too low to deal with the anticipated surge. Testing should be carried out on a widespread basis. Workers should be commended for taking and threatening to take direct action to ensure health guidelines are implemented.

"It's crucial the full Council sends the clear message that it stands with workers asserting their right to health safety and financial security.

"It's unfortunately already the case that the delayed inadequate response and lack of coordination from Boris Johnson, the Stormont Executive and the Dail may cost many more lives than necessary.

"The Derry and Strabane Council has shown more decisive leadership than Westminster and the Stormont Executive in response to the Covid-19 public health emergency and the economic crisis accompanying it.

"People Before Profit representatives North and South will continue to call for an integrated all-Ireland strategy that puts health and people first. Government resources across the island should be on war footing."

Full proposal to Derry and Strabane Council full meeting Thursday March 26 held via WebEx by People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin. Seconded by Independent Cllr Paul Gallagher. Amended by Sinn Fein Cllr Sandra Duffy to also include Westminster reads:

Council calls for Westminster and the Stormont Executive to immediately source thousands of Covid-19 life-saving ventilators.

Council calls for Westminster and the Stormont Executive to requisition Randox for the health service in order to provide hundreds of thousands of Covid-19 test kits. Randox was given 23 million in public funds and is now charging extortionate prices for test kits.

Councils calls on Westminster, the Stormont Executive, the Department of Heath and all employers providing essential services to provide PPE for all workers.

Council supports the 'Clap for Carers' action at 8pm tonight in support of frontline workers and stands in solidarity with all workers taking action to make sure government and public health agency guidelines are immediately implemented in their workplaces.

Council calls for Westminster, the Stormont Executive and all employers to make sure no workers acting to protect public health - themselves, their families, the broader community and the vulnerable - are punished financially.
Nearly half of Britons expected the coronavirus crisis to last at least six months - and some 73 per cent blame China for the global turmoil, a poll has found.

Research suggests the public is braced for a long haul to defeat the killer disease, which has now claimed hundreds of lives and brought UK plc grinding to a halt.

The finding contrasts with Boris Johnson's claim that the country can 'turn the tide' on the outbreak within 12 weeks.

Despite mounting fears over a huge hit to GDP and looming austerity, people's priorities still seem to be very much the public health implications. Some 73 per cent say that is what worries them most rather than the economy.

There is also evidence of a backlash against China, where the virus first emerged, and which has been repeatedly attacked by Donald Trump.

Nearly three-quarters of those questioned said Beijing was either 'significantly' of 'somewhat' to blame for the spiralling situation.

The findings emerged in polling carried out by Redfield and Wilton Strategies as part of research into global health and governance, and given to MailOnline.

Nearly half of Britons expected the coronavirus crisis to last at least six months - and some 73 per cent blame China for the global turmoil, a poll has found

Boris Johnson was seen as having handled the turmoil fairly well, with 54 per cent approving 'strongly' or 'somewhat' of his performance

The firm, which is a member of the respected British Polling Council, surveyed 1,500 British adults online just before the PM's dramatic speech earlier this week, which put the country into lockdown. The results were weighted to represent the wider population.

Just four per cent think the coronavirus issue will be resolved within weeks, with 13 per cent estimating two months, and 23 per cent saying three.

The bulk of those questioned - a quarter - expect the crisis to drag on six months, and 18 per cent believe it will last a year or more.

There was also widespread agreement that things are going to 'get worse' over the coming weeks, with 73 per cent making the prediction.

Even before the lockdown, a third of those surveyed were saying they were 'very worried' about the virus and a fifth were 'expecting the worst'.

Some 39 per cent said China was 'significantly to blame' for the crisis, with 34 per cent saying the country was 'somewhat to blame'.

Boris Johnson was seen as having handled the turmoil fairly well, with 54 per cent approving 'strongly' or 'somewhat' of his performance.

But nearly a fifth were ambivalent about the PM, and 24 per cent disapproved.

Half said the government had done enough to convey the scale of the threat to the public, but 36 per cent warned that the response had fostered 'complacent'.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced an unprecedented scheme of guarantees for the bulk of workers' income to avoid millions being plunged into poverty.

And more than half of those polled - 54 per cent - said they supported the principle of a Universal Basic Income being introduced after the crisis.

That would potentially mean everyone in the country being handed enough money to cover their basic living costs, regardless of their other income.
Dairies and cow-shed owners in West Bengal have said the sale of milk has fallen drastically after eateries, hotels and sweetmeat shops closed amid the 21-day complete lockdown because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The crisis has hit the dairy industry in the state despite the exemption given to the sale of milk and cattle feed.

One of the main reasons behind this crisis is that retail outlets are either closed because of the lockdown or operating only for limited hours, Bhaskar Nandy, the managing director of Bhagirathi Milk Cooperative Society in Murshidabad district, said.

According to data compiled by the National Dairy Development Board, West Bengal is among the top 10 milk-producing states. Uttar Pradesh tops the list.

The Jorasanko Milk Merchants Society in Kolkata sought the intervention of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. It said xxx and state-owned Mother Dairy can buy this milk at its own rate.

About 60% of the milk produced in Bengal is sold to the sweets industry. Due to the lockdown, this milk has to be disposed of. The rest has to be sold off at half the rate, Rajesh Sinha, president of the society, wrote in a letter to Mamata Banerjee.

Due to the non-availability of enough feed many businessmen are being compelled to sell their cattle to slaughterhouses, Sinha added.

Haradhan Ghosh, a cowshed owner at Ghoshpara in the Barasat area of North 24 Parganas district, unavailability of cattle feed has become an issue.

We are small traders. If we do not get cattle feed, the cows will die, Ghosh said.

West Bengal has reported that there are 10 Covid-19 patients in the state so far.
A ventilator is what stands between life and death as coronavirus tightens its grip over the world, with infections inching close to the 535,000-mark and death toll going past 24,000. India has, so far, reported 727 infections and 17 deaths.

As cases tick up in India, ventilators, which are in a short supply, are the biggest worry. If there is community spread, healthcare professionals will have to choose who gets life support and who does not.

To help the healthcare sector manage this potential crisis, 3D printing startups are looking at doubling or trebling capacity at hospitals in the quickest possible time.

Bengaluru-based 3D design startup Ethereal Machines is trying to design splitters that can split the airflow from one ventilator and support two patients. But creating such splitters is not easy.

Ideally, the airflow should be split 50/50 to support two patients but that is not the case always--one patient might have stiffer lungs than the other, in that case, airflow needs to be regulated 70/30 or 60/40, we are prototyping devices which can help such cases, said Kaushik Mudda, cofounder of Ethereal Machines.

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 startup is testing valves that can regulate the flow of air. They are 3D printing the components that can ensure air only flows in one direction and the patient gets fresh oxygen. For components, they are relying on multiple polylactic acid, multiple epoxy resin-based products and different polycarbonates.

Some other players are also trying three or four-way splitters. These designs are still being tested and will be used only after getting a nod from medical professionals.

Breathing trouble

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as the novel coronavirus has been named, causes respiratory distress and in severe cases, patients lungs lose their capacity to pump fresh oxygen into the bloodstream. A ventilator helps such patients breathe by artificially pumping oxygen through their windpipe.

Media reports put the number of ventilators in the country anywhere between 17,000 and 57,000, which is not enough to treat patients if the virus spreads as it has in Italy, Spain and the US.

This shortfall is the reason startups are looking to 3D print ventilators and also create products that can expand the existing capacity. Corporates like Mahindra and Mahindra have said they will manufacture ventilators to support the country in these tough times.

When the demand is huge and the timeline is short, traditional manufacturing is not enough. 3D printing enables quick and price-effective production and if the prototypes work well, mass production can follow.

Mudda has created a list of more than 80 companies across the country --from Pune to Kolkatawhich can take their designs and print the products and ship them to hospitals.

They are also creating face shields that can protect frontline healthcare professionals so that droplets from patients dont infect them.

We have created 20 face shields already and shipped to hospitals through our partners, we will try to create 100 more in the next couple of days, said Harsha Madalam, chief technology officer, Soch3D which is into 3D printing. We are also trying to design and manufacture sanitisation machines, which can UV treat gloves, masks, etc.

Soch3D is working with the 3D printing and designing ecosystem of the country that is trying to leverage technology in this hour of crisis.

Moneycontrol recently wrote how Agva Healthcare, which has created the worlds cheapest ventilator, is trying to ramp up production to meet the demand.

But with the country in lockdown, logistics is a major hurdle.

Like Agva, which is facing difficulty in sourcing components, Mudda of Ethereal Machines received orders for 1,000 visors from doctors in Kashmir but doesnt know how to send the consignment. He even sourced a supplier in Mumbai but sending the face shields to Kashmir is a logistical nightmare.

Will India 3D print its way out of this medical emergency? Will these prototypes be successful enough to be adopted across hospitals and their production scaled up? The answer lies in testing and more testing.
Oregon State Police shot and killed a man during an overnight altercation on Interstate 5 south of Salem.

The agency received a driving complaint just before midnight, found the car and pulled over its driver, according to Salem police. An altercation ensued, and troopers fired their weapons, police said.

The driver, 51-year-old William Patrick Floyd of Oregon City, died at the scene. No one else was in the car.

The involved troopers werent hurt.

Authorities have not elaborated on the nature of the altercation, said whether Floyd had a weapon or described the kind of driving prompted the initial complaint.

The involved troopers have been put on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice after law enforcement shootings. It wasnt immediately clear how many troopers were involved. They havent yet been publicly identified.

The shooting remains under investigation.

Southbound I-5 was closed in the area, but all lanes reopened by 8 a.m. Friday.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
RIYADH, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies on Thursday vowed to keep their markets open to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

"We reiterate our goal to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open," the leaders said in a joint statement released after Saudi Arabia convened an extraordinary summit by video-link.

As part of multilateral response to the pandemic, G20 leaders also committed to continue working together to facilitate international trade and coordinate responses in ways that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade, according to the statement.

"We task our trade ministers to assess the impact of of the pandemic on trade," the statement said.

According to the statement, G20 leaders vowed to do "whatever it takes" to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak and pledged to inject over 5 trillion U.S. dollars to boost the global economy.
Russia, the world's biggest wheat exporter, proposed limiting grain shipments to protect its own food security in the face of the spreading coronavirus pandemic.

The quota being considered is loose enough that grain shipments will likely keep flowing as normal. Still, the move shows that governments are focusing on feeding their own populations as the virus disrupts supply chains around the world.

"Given the current situation, the issue of food security is coming to the foreground," Russia's Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

The market largely shrugged off the news. Wheat futures were up 1% as of 12:10 p.m. in Chicago, paring some of their earlier advance.

Russia has a history of shaking up the wheat market by restricting exports through taxes, bans or informal limits. The country's domestic wheat prices have climbed in recent months as a weaker ruble made supplies more appealing to overseas buyers. Some food producers have asked the state to curb rising costs.

"They're doing their best to ensure domestic food security for Russia," said Matt Ammermann, a commodity risk manager at INTL FCStone.

Kazakhstan, Serbia and Vietnam have already banned exports for some products, such as flour or sunflower oil.

Russia's Agriculture Ministry wants to limit exports of some grains including wheat to 7 million tons in the three months through June. The quota would also affect rye, barley and corn, but Russia doesn't export much of those products at this time of year.

Capping wheat shipments at that amount would mean sales are still in line with most estimates for the full season. The measures still need to be approved by the Cabinet before they take effect.

"This is a comfortable level," said Dmitry Rylko, director general at the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies. If the government doesn't tighten curbs, "the industry will operate normally."

So far, a handful of nations have moved to secure food supplies. Kazakhstan, one of the biggest shippers of wheat flour, banned exports of the product, along with carrots, sugar and potatoes. Serbia has stopped shipments of some goods and Vietnam temporarily suspended new rice export contracts.
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) and the National Movement of Sex Workers in South Africa (Sisonke) are appealing to President Cyril Ramaphosa to include sex workers as an essential service during the coronavirus lockdown.



The move comes three days after President Ramaphosa announced a nationwide 21-day lockdown and ordered South Africans to stay at home during this period to combat the spread of the coronavirus.



Ramaphosa said "this is a decisive measure to save millions of South Africans from infection and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people".



But Sweat and Sisonke believe the 'drastic decision comes with many uncertainties for unskilled workers in the country, including sex workers."



"Sex work is work, and they too need help as their livelihood has been disrupted," the two organizations said in a statement.



"We also call on the president to take urgent steps and mandate the Department of Justice and Correctional Services to fast-track the sex work law-reform process and decriminalise sex work in order to address the evident exclusion of sex workers in accessing labour rights in times of need.



According to SWEAT and Sisonke, sex workers remain the most marginalised of all workers, whose work is "not recognised as work" in South Africa.



The organizations also lamented their loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak.



"Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, sex workers have been the first group of workers to be affected financially by the spread of the virus. According to a study we conducted in 2013, South Africa has about 158 000 sex workers  the majority being female sex workers who support up to seven dependants with the income they make through sex work."



"The president has said that there is a proposal for a special dispensation for companies that are in distress because of Covid-19. Through this proposal, employees will receive wage payment through the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme, which will enable companies to pay employees directly during this period and avoid retrenchment.



"However, we are questioning the inclusivity of the proposal. Will it include sex workers? Sex work is currently criminalised in South Africa and sex workers are considered criminals - not workers. And, as the hardest-hit group of workers by the global pandemic, they will most likely not qualify for the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme," according to the joint statement.



Lesego Tlhwale, a spokesperson from the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) also spoke in an interview with ENCA TV, where she pleaded with the government to make urgent provision for sex workers to be included in the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme because they are also losing income.



Watch the video 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
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- From sharing epidemic prevention and control experience to offering emergency medical aid, China has been actively promoting international cooperation in various fields to fight the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic with the rest of world.

The latest diagnosis and treatment plan, prevention and control plan and other technical documents have been compiled, translated and promptly shared with over 180 countries and more than 10 international and regional organizations, said Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference in Beijing.

He said that a meeting to share China's epidemic prevention and control experience was jointly held by the NHC and the WHO, which was attended by representatives from 77 countries and seven international organizations and was watched by over 100,000 people online.

China has also established an online knowledge center in the field of epidemic control and clinical treatment, as well as an expert database for international cooperation, Zeng said, adding that nearly 30 technical exchange meetings have been held with more than 100 countries and regions by video links.

In the meantime, China has also provided assistance to 89 countries and four international organizations.

Chinese medical workers and supplies have been sent to 28 Asian countries, 16 European countries, 26 African countries, nine countries in the Americas and 10 countries in the South Pacific, Deng Boqing, deputy head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said at the same press conference.

On the premise of fully ensuring domestic epidemic control, China has properly formulated its aid plan and offered assistance to other countries within its capability, Deng said.

Noting China is facing rising risks of imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease, Deng said China's assistance to other countries is conducive to the global fight against the virus and will consolidate its hard-won achievements in containing the spread.

Chinese researchers' contributions were also recognized by the global scientific and technological community.

For example, China shared the first completed genome sequence of the novel coronavirus on Jan. 11 and had built two platforms to share its scientific developments.

One of the platforms, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) database, has recorded more than 4 million downloads by users from 152 countries and regions as of Wednesday, according to Vice Minister of Science and Technology Xu Nanping.

Sharing scientific data and information is China's fundamental attitude to the COVID-19 control, said Xu.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Forging giant Bharat Forge will shut all global operations by March 27, less than a week after it announced an India-wide factory shutdown following the outbreak of coronavirus.

The complete lockdown will hit revenues of the Pune-based company, 40 percent of which depends on domestic and export components for trucks. A major chunk of revenues comes from the supply of components to Class 8 trucks in the US.

In a conference call with the analysts, the company's Chairman Baba Kalyani said: We had predicted a volume of 240,000 units in Class 8 trucks; as of now many truck plants are closed in the US. Our realistic expectation would (now be) 10-15 percent lower than that.

In Europe, as per Bharat Forges expectations, many of its customers are expected to resume operations by the middle of April. If Covid-19 had not happened then our European subsidiaries and all other subsidiaries would have got positive cash flows, added Kalyani.

Key customers in the industrial segment (non-auto) like Cummins, Caterpillar are still operational and Bharat Forge is ensuring supply to meet the demand of such customers. About 50 percent of Bharat Forges of non-auto revenue comes from oil and gas and rest comes from infrastructure. Of the total business, Oil and Gas is only 5-6 percent of revenue.

European subsidiaries likely to face a challenging period due to the impact of Covid-19 and focus on cost-reduction measures (target ~10-15% reduction) is expected to reap benefits in FY21/22. Overall, we like Bharat Forges strategy of revenue diversification, however, near term demand headwinds remain a concern, said a report from ICICI Securities.

While the top management ruled out any impulsive acquisition due to the risk to businesses and a prolonged slowdown following the outbreak, the company did say that cost-cutting measures will continue.

Covid 19 is a reset button for the quarter. If we have to look at the quarter, later on, it will look exactly like the quarter in 2008-09. We will again grow and come out stronger as we did back then, added Kalyani.

Company executives also said that March had seen impressive registration for trucks before the Centre ordered a lockdown. This had liquidated many of the Bharat Stage IV (BS4) inventory lying in the system.

The good news was that in the first 23 days of March we saw good registration in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle of 38,000 in India and we believe that the entire inventory of BS4 has been liquidated, said Amit Kalyani, Deputy Managing Director, Bharat Forge.

The company further informed that it has more than Rs 1,800 crore of cash and an undrawn credit limit of Rs 700 crore. It also does not any major capital expenditure plans in the coming year.
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Friday asked people to use Jal Gamcha, a traditional Bengali towel as an alternative to face-masks which are running short in the market.

Jal Gamcha or Gamcha is used as a bath towel in Tripura, West Bengal and Bihar.

Deb asked people to carry the Jal Gamcha on their shoulders at all times during the lockdown period.

We all have this Jal Gamcha in our homes. Please keep this on your shoulder at all times and use it to wrap your face. It will give you safety. It is not true that people will get infected with coronavirus if they dont wear masks. Masks are a must for the doctors, health and paramedical staff. Also, it is not possible to provide masks to 40 lakh people in the state, Deb said in a video message that was circulated by the Chief Ministers Office (CMO).

Deb also asked people to stay indoors and go out of homes only when required. Deb suggested some activities like, writing autobiographies, diaries or even a book to the people during the 21-days national lockdown period.

If we write something, we might get many potential writers after three weeks. So, I appeal to all the people ranging from children studying in Class 3 or 4 to postgraduate students and also to the professionals, to remember the nice moments from your lives that taught you something and to write the history of your own life, write diaries, he said.

After becoming chief minister, Biplab Deb penned down a book on the states last ruler Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in 2019.
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Soldier of the Armenian Armed Forces has been wounded by the Azerbaijani shooting in a military position located in the north-eastern direction of the Republic on March 27, Defense ministrys spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan told Armenpress.

Mrs. Stepanyan said the soldier was slightly injured and is in good condition.

The adversary stopped firing shots after the countermeasures taken by the Armenian side. At the moment the situation is calm, she said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. We'll use ROE to examine Danish Aerospace Company A/S (CPH:DAC), by way of a worked example.

Over the last twelve months Danish Aerospace has recorded a ROE of 5.4%. Another way to think of that is that for every DKK1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn DKK0.05.

Check out our latest analysis for Danish Aerospace

How Do You Calculate ROE?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

Or for Danish Aerospace:

5.4% = 1.0m  19m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.)

Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. Shareholders' equity can be calculated by subtracting the total liabilities of the company from the total assets of the company.

What Does ROE Mean?

ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the yearly profit. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies.

Does Danish Aerospace Have A Good Return On Equity?

By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As shown in the graphic below, Danish Aerospace has a lower ROE than the average (10%) in the Aerospace & Defense industry classification.

CPSE:DAC Past Revenue and Net Income March 27th 2020

That certainly isn't ideal. We prefer it when the ROE of a company is above the industry average, but it's not the be-all and end-all if it is lower. Nonetheless, it might be wise to check if insiders have been selling.

Story continues

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 issuing shares, retained earnings, 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 debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same.

Combining Danish Aerospace's Debt And Its 5.4% Return On Equity

Danish Aerospace is free of net debt, which is a positive for shareholders. Even though I don't think its ROE is that great, I think it's very respectable when you consider it has no debt. At the end of the day, when a company has zero debt, it is in a better position to take future growth opportunities.

But It's Just One Metric

Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. 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 ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So I think it may be worth checking this free this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
1. Yes. The downtown area needs a good draw. Some quality taverns would be a plus.

2. Yes. Too many storefronts are vacant. Bars could help to bring in needed revenue.

3. No. Putting a number of bars downtown is just asking for trouble. Dont change things.

4.No. Several churches have located downtown. Putting bars close by would be a bad fit.

5. Unsure. It would depend on how the law is written and what standards are enacted.

Vote

View Results
Lockdown: Indian Navy's IL38SD delivers 60,000 face masks to IMA Goa

New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) Indian Navys Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Ilyushin 38SD (IL-38) on Friday delivered a shipment of 60,000 face masks from Delhi to Goa, which was stuck here as trucks could not proceed further in the current situation of lockdown.

Indian Medical Association, Goa (IMA) had ordered the face masks to offset the shortfall but due to nationwide lockdown across the country, the trucks got stuck in Delhi.

The IMA President made a request to Indian Navy at Goa for facilitating transportation, an Indian Navy spokesperson said.
Four kidnapped aid workers from France and Iraq have been released two months after they were taken hostage in Baghdad. French President Emmanuel Macron announced their liberation Thursday and thanked Iraqi authorities for their cooperation with France to free them. He didn't provide details.

Their liberation was announced the day France started pulling out troops from Iraq as the French military is deployed to help fight the new virus.

The three French citizens and one Iraqi worked for aid group SOS Chretiens d'Orient, which helps persecuted Christians in the region. They all had past experience in crisis zones and were staying at a hotel that regularly hosts international guests when they went missing in January.

It was a time of heightened tensions in the region after a U.S. drone strike on Baghdad airport.
This becomes interesting as social media, especially twitter has been a battleground for different ideologies, with contestation rather than consensus being the norm.

On Friday morning, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav in a tweet, tagged Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala to seek help for some Bihar residents stranded in Haryana. Migrant labourers from Bihar were stuck in Karnal district of the state without food or water, and Yadav reached out to the BJP-led government seeking help for the workers.

Chautala responded within no time. He tweeted saying, "Due to lockdown all interstate transport is closed. DC Karnal will insure necessary arrangements and help will be provided."

Similarly, Yadav sought help from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for people belonging to Bihar, especially daily wage labourers, who were stranded at different locations due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In last one week, since the Janta Curfew and the nationwide lockdown that followed it, there has been appreciable consensus and cooperation among leaders of different parties for providing relief to those in the need of help in these tough times. This becomes interesting as social media, especially twitter has been a battleground for different ideologies, with contestation rather than consensus being the norm.

Thus, it is interesting to see how leaders who used to target each other, even on issues of national importance, are using twitter to seek support and help each other.

While this cooperation at an intra-party level is obvious, it is the extremely considerate, quick and positive response even among political opponents that is a welcome change.

Consider this: On 26 March, Tejaswi Yadav, through a tweet, informed Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh that around 250 daily wage labourers are struck in Mohali, Punjab, without any food and are surviving only on water. Within two hours, all possible reached the stranded laborers and Yadav thanked Singh for the prompt response.

On Thursday BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi posted a tweet tagging Tejasvi Surya who is a Member of Parliament for Bengaluru South that a man belonging to her constituency lives in a paying guest accommodation in Bengaluru South and is without any food because of the lockdown. Within three hours Surya ensuerd help reached him and responded to Lekhi. "Based on the information received by you, we have ensured proper help to Akshay Pujari. Thank you for this information."

The promptness of response is motivating more and more people who are stranded due to lockdown to seek help through Twitter and other social media platforms and leaders cutting across all political parties are using it to ensure quick help reaches those in need. #IndiaFightsCoranvirus has emerged as a greater umbrella where political differences are set aside as politicians unite to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Starting today, Ardshinbank, together with the SAS supermarket chain, will provide food for more than 870 pensioners aged 76 years and older. Also, Ardshinbank will provide financial assistance to more than 2,400 retirement age clients in all regions of the country.

Food delivery from SAS supermarket for pensioners in Yerevan is free of charge. Bank employees will also be involved in the process. The food package will include pasta, cereals, vegetable oil, canned vegetables, flour, sugar and other products. Financial assistance to pensioners in the regions will be transferred to pension cards.

In these not easy days for the country, our banks attention is focused on elderly people who are at high risk, especially in Yerevan. To save them from additional problems, the Bank decided at its own expense to provide our retired customers with the necessary food supplies, the delivery of which was undertaken by our partner. Pensioners of the appropriate age living in the regions of Armenia will receive financial assistance from the bank. We wish our compatriots good health and patience. We are confident that our people, which have experienced many difficulties, will also overcome this challenge. We hope that these days will pass quickly and life will return to normal, said Chairman of the Managament Board of Ardshinbank Artak Ananyan

***

Ardshinbank is regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia.
Photo credit: Jason Speakman

From Men's Health

That is the dumbest shit I have ever heard, what a load of fucking bullshit! The irate man was deep into an argument with writer and director Alex Garland, who doesnt normally pick fights. When Garland had this debate beforeand hed had this debate already dozens of times, though mostly with friendspeople responded reasonably. Theyd hear him out. Garland himself is a reasonable enough guy, a typically-reserved, careful conversationalist who has that English habit of qualifying statements with rather and sort of and, sometimes, rather sort of. It would be difficult to imagine Garland losing his cool.

Normally I'd just let it go, he tells me months later. But there was something about the way this guy reacted that, in truth, probably just irritated me. I was like a dog with a bone. And at that point, it sort of turned into a kind of chess match. He got angry. He got hurt. So I was like: fuck you.

Garland, known best perhaps by his recent sci-fi hits, Ex Machina and Annihilation, had been working through a new idea with friends and acquaintances and anyone whose brain he might pick. It was all shaping into a screenplay, Devs, an 8-part TV series about a team of mock Silicon-Valley programmers who creates a machine which, using quantum physics, can determine every event that has and will ever happen. How? Because the universe, according to Devs, is deterministic. Or as Garland puts it: Things dont happen in magical ways; chairs dont suddenly pop into existence.

I was just trying to figure out in my own head or in conversations with friends whereif free will existsdoes it reside? explains the director. And it just became harder and harder to find.

The suggestion also made some listeners more and more incensed. What seemed obvious to Garland, others found offensive. Or rather: fucking bullshit! Thats because determinism implies we never actually make choices. We are not free, but necessitated, impotent.

Story continues

Which brings Garland to the irate man.

He goes, 'How could you even say something as dumb as that?' remembers Garland. And then I'm like, 'well, heres how.'

Photo credit: Jason Speakman

Garland grew up in London. His father was a cartoonist. His mother a psychologist. Religion, Garland says, he absorbed by osmosis at school, where he would sing hymns to start each school day. In a sense, Devs began there.

When Garland was fifteen, his physics teacher gave a speech about the dangers of trick-or-treating, exclaiming, whatever you do, kids, you should not go out Halloween-ing, because that's when the devil will enter you, Garland recalls. I just remember sitting there thinking, this is insane. The event would mark a series of religious doubts, culminating in Garlands late teens when his girlfriend became ill. She worried God was punishing her for dating Garland, a non-Jew. So God's going to intervene in who you date, but it's not going to get involved in the Holocaust? Garland thought. That doesn't seem right. Garland chose apostasy. And after college, he escaped by traveling.

Garland went to live in the Philippines where he began writing a novel. The Beach was based on Garland's experience backpacking through Asia. It was ironic Kerouac, a snide tale of late adolescents using southeast Asia as a playground of self-discovery. The novel became such a sensation that Garland, then 26, was offered a publishers contract for two more. He was even given a sizable fee advance. But Garland didnt want it. He didnt care. He was interested in film and had already started writing a screenplay, a zombie movie, 28 Days Later.

Garland then wrote more. Sunshine. Never Let Me Go. The ultra-violent cult-hit, Dredd. Then, he made his directorial debut in 2014 with Ex Machina. His screenplay, about a programmer who performs an increasingly-trying Turing test on an AI machine, Ava, earned Garland an Oscar nomination and a devoted fanbase.

Photo credit: Universal Pictures International

Garland says all his films begin with an obsession, some concept that ruminates inside his head, which then takes him to the librarythen out to discuss with friends.

For me [Devs] began with the realization that determinism would be incredibly easy to disprove, Garland explains. All you'd need to do is show something that was completely spontaneous. But showing spontaneity proved challenging.

While actions like choosing a box of Cheerios feels spontaneous, its hard to say that this choice is uncaused. Our decision is likely influenced by many unconscious causesour previous meal, our cravings, a health report we saw on Facebook, an ad on TV. Our intuition is that our cereal decision could be otherwise. If we simulate this event an infinite number of times, it seems we wouldnt choose Cheerios every time. And if on just one occasion we dont, determinism is false. But the more one thinks about it, the harder it is to imagine this one occasion. Garlands determinism machine was born.

Devs, however, is less concerned with proving determinism than it is in showing viewers its consequences.

One of those consequences is no doubt religious.

Like the Bible, Devs opens with original sin. A programmer, Sergei, is invited to join the team working on the determinism machine. When Sergei realizes what the machine can do, he steals the code and runs. In the woods, he is confronted by Forest, the companys CEO and Garlands seeming stand-in for God (played poignantly by Nick Offerman). Just as in Genesis, the newly-enlightened Sergei is banished for his crime and then turned back to dusthere after being suffocated in a plastic bag and then burned, all of which Forest knew would take place. The killing highlights one of Garlands oldest religious holdups: how an all-knowing god can punish those he knows will sin. Also: why wouldnt he try and stop it?



Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

In school, Garland was told it was too complicated to understand. God moves in mysterious ways. But the response is it's not too complicated to understand, Garland explains. God either knows everything or he doesnt. Garlands answer through Forest: He knows everything, but he can change nothing. Sergei was always going to die. Garlands teacher was always going to make that speech. He would always break up with his girlfriend. Etc.

Garland realizes this sort of abstract storytelling can be hard on audiences. In a sense, he could have cashed in after The Beach or when Ex Machina won an Academy Award. He could have gone mainstream. But he balked both times. He wrote two more novels at his own pace and turned from laboratory AI to nightmarish acid trip with his follow-up, Annihilation. Garland jokes some viewers probably watch his films and go, what the hell?

The reason, Garland explains, is that his brand of cinema is ideas-driven and the messaging therein can, at times, be obscure. (He tells me the shoot-em-up Dredd is partly about the way liberals kind of love fascists.) But theres another quality that tends to alienate viewers.

One of the things that some people find very problematic in the stories I tell is what they feel as a kind of weird blankness, Garland explains. Garland first encountered this himself when he was 15, reading J.G Ballards Empire of the Sun. The protagonist is a kid, and he has weirdly blank responses to terrible things happening in front of him. And that was the book, more than any other book, where I thought, oh, wow, this was written for me.

Garland calls the blankness in his works disassociation. Its the feeling of hearing your own voice recorded or seeing yourself in a photo and realizing the image you had of yourselfalways through mirrorswas actually distorted, wrong. Garland felt certain of his own disassociation, that his account of himself was somehow incongruent with how others saw him. I find it weird, personally, that I try to be self-aware, but I'm just not, he says, very seriously. And I do things that are hiding something about my personality [to myself]. And everybody else thinks it's completely obvious. This thought, Garland says, literally keeps him up at night.



Photo credit: FX

These questions are fundamentally questions of identity, and Garlands work, starting with The Beach, has been a series of thought experiments driving identity into crisis: zombified London, Ava, an alien that steals human DNA, code that predicts, well, everything. Garland seeks out this dissociation, because in the blankness hes able to ask an essential question: what does it really mean for you to be YOU? (Or for Garland to be Garland?)

In Devs, that assumed answer is simply I am me because I can choose. I have control over what I do. The blankness likely comes when the characters, and the viewer, realizes they, in fact, cant and dont. Of course, many of Garlands characters never doubt their freedom. Even the ones who work on the determinism machine. They never use the machine to look into their future. Thats something I feel happens with lots of belief sets, Garland explains. They are deliberately not looking too hard at their own doubts. They are saying, dont question it.

Garland, of course, is of the opposite attitude; blankness is productive. And in the case of Devs, Garland actually thinks that giving oneself over to determinism can be liberating. If determinism is true, its consequences arent just those of lossloss of choice, loss of god. What fascinates Garland about the determinism machine is that it actually offers something: knowledge. It gives the participant full self-awareness. Youd sacrifice your belief in choice, sure. But what you gain is ammunition against dissociation: you learn why you chose what you chose, and so, in a sense, who you really are. Garland would take this apple in a heartbeat.

The dilemma at the heart of Devs is thus not about determinism so much as it is about knowledge. Given the power to learn the secrets of creation and yourselfgiven access to the determinism machinewould you peek?

It would be almost impossible to not look, Garland says. You'd end up feeling ashamed of yourself for not being brave enough. In a sense, we owe it to ourselves. No bullshit.

Seeing our choices for what they are, however, doesnt somehow diminish us. Perhaps impotence is the wrong word then. While Garlands films and novels pose and then challenge features of identity, they never feel mean-spirited or reductionist. Blank or disarming as they may be, theres a small celebration in the individual. That she cant quite be replicated without some alien uncanniness. That deprived of choice, he still manages to feel (and even act) free. In the end, it is really we who move in mysterious ways. Mysterious, however, only to ourselves.

You Might Also Like
Protect healthcare workers from dying from disease outbreaks while in the line of duty, urges Ifeanyi M. Nsofor. The continuing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a reminder that healthcare workers are in the line of fire when responding to infectious disease outbreaks and we must ensure that they are protected.

Li Wenliang sounded an alarm about a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-like viral infections while working at China's Wuhan Central Hospital as a physician but the authorities did not believe him. Instead, he was hounded by the police to stop "making false comments", and now he's dead from the same virus he was concerned about - the new Coronavirus.

As of yesterday (17 February), the virus which Wenliang so desperately wanted authorities to investigate had 58,182 cases and killed 1,696 people, according to the World Health Organization.

Healthcare workers under threat

Wenliang is not the only healthcare worker who has died while managing others infected by dangerous viruses and other germs. Already this year, both Usman Kalthum, a young medical doctor undergoing his internship training, and Habiba Musa, a consultant anaesthesiologist,died after attending to a patient with Lassa fever at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano, North-west Nigeria.

In 2018, Lini Puthussery, a 28-year-old nurse died after attending to a family of three who were infected with the Nipah virus in India's Southern state of Kerala. Also in 2018, Ahmed Victor Idowu, a young intern doctor died after attending to an infant who presented high fever at the Federal medical Centre in Kogi State, North-central Nigeria. He died of Lassa fever.

In 2014, Stella Adadevoh and four other health workers at First Consultant Medical Centre in Lagos, South-west Nigeria died after they helped the Liberian who came to Nigeria while infected with Ebola virus. Their sacrifice ensured Ebola did not spread further in Nigeria.

The world must be reminded that healthcare workers are usually the first ones to encounteran infected person, attend to them and provide care. During infectious disease outbreaks, the risks of infection and death are higher. We must protect healthcare workers.

Ways to protect healthcare workers

We must believe healthcare workers when they raise alarm about the likelihood of an infection. They are trained to display a high degree of suspicion when cases present at hospitals.

Most viral infections and hemorrhagic fevers have symptoms which resemble those of common illnesses. For instance, symptoms of the new COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, SARS, kidney failure and even death. Thus, healthcare workers are trained to always be on their guard and ensure they rule out such infections when they treat patients.

Going forward, governments and public health authorities must investigate the concerns raised by healthcare workers to ascertain the truth. If the Chinese government had responded positively to Wenliang concerns, he could still be alive today and China could have responded more efficiently to the new COVID-19.

Governments must also provide conducive working environments and equipment for healthcare workers. When there is an infectious disease outbreak, health workers need personal protective equipment such as face masks and gloves to provide care to patients. Healthcare workers also need soap and running water in hospitals to wash their hands. Unfortunately, 35 per cent of healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries lack water and soap for handwashing, according to the World Health Organization. This predisposes healthcare workers to being infected and could lead to their death.

In a 2018 survey on emigration of Nigerian doctors conducted by Nigeria Health Watch and NOI Polls, reasons for emigration include poor working environment and lack of proper infrastructure. Thus, recommendations to mitigate emigration by the doctors include provision of good working environment, upgrade of all hospitals and equipment for better service delivery.

Governments, donors and the private sector must invest in continuous professional development for healthcare workers. One way to achieve this is to ensure every donor-funded health program includes training for health workers to increase their capacity and bring them up to date on new information and new ways of providing care. Further, healthcare workers must also avail themselves of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)platforms such as Coursera to improve knowledge while on the job. Such MOOCs are the future of education and most courses are free.

Lastly, the public health advisory for the new COVID-19 sent out by national public health institutes stipulates that health workers must observe standard infection prevention and control measures and take travel history when attending to patients. Adhering to this advisory is now a matter of life and death for patients and healthcare workers.

Wenliang has joined the ranks of healthcare workers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. His death should not be in vain. We must protect all healthcare workers form suffering the same fate. No healthcare worker should die while saving lives.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters after a meeting on the massive economic rescue package that passed the Senate Wednesday. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

The negotiations over the roughly $2-trillion economic rescue package had gone on for more than three days  hour after hour of haggling to shape one of the largest government economic interventions in U.S. history.

Finally, as Tuesday night changed to Wednesday morning, two men stepped forward to tell reporters they had reached a deal  the secretary of the Treasury and the minority leader of the Senate.

The majority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, was relegated to role of announcing the deal a short time later on the Senate floor.

With his mastery of rules and tactics and control over his caucus, McConnell has developed a reputation as one of the Senate's most powerful majority leaders. But in the talks to shape the massive bailout bill, he was effectively sidelined for much of the final days as Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer of New York negotiated.

For McConnell, the events provided another lesson of the dangers of getting ahead of Trump.

During much of Trump's presidency, McConnell has let the president or the House take the lead on policy and focused on what he's made his top priority  reshaping the federal judiciary.

He embraced that approach after a couple of high-profile cases in which he got ahead of Trump and was stung, most notably in December 2018 when he led the Senate in approving a bill to fund government agencies only to have Trump reject it and precipitate a lengthy government shutdown.

By any account, McConnell's focus on judges has been successful, filling hundreds of judicial vacancies across the country.

When the coronavirus crisis began to worsen, McConnell initially stuck to that playbook, telling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to work a deal out with the administration. That led to an initial $8.3-billion spending package, which passed with little problem.

McConnell faced more problems when Pelosi and Mnuchin negotiated a second, larger bill in mid-March. Many Republican senators werent happy with that deal, which expanded paid sick leave for workers and pumped billions of dollars to states for food programs and unemployment benefits.

Story continues

Senate Republicans had to be cajoled into passing that bill, with the promise that they would lead on the next effort.

So, last week, when Congress began drafting a third bill, McConnell took a decisive lead; unveiling a $1-trillion proposal focused on key priorities supported by Republicans and the White House. Those included hundreds of millions of dollars in direct payments to workers, but left out many low-income Americans. When Democrats and some Republicans pushed back, he created four bipartisan task forces and tasked to them to work at "warp speed" to draft language.

By Saturday, when it was clear a deal wasn't emerging, McConnell cobbled together a version that combined parts of his original plan with what the task forces had agreed to. He tried to jam the bill through on Sunday by scheduling a procedural vote that he gambled Democrats would be forced to approve out of concern that if the bill appeared stalled, financial markets would crash on Monday morning.

"Now we're at the point in the discussion where people will shortly have to say yes or no, and I'm confident given the desire of the country to see an outcome, that we'll get to yes," he told reporters in a news conference Sunday.

He miscalculated. Pelosi had returned to Washington by Saturday night; Democrats were unsatisfied with the bill McConnell had put forward and began talking about introducing one of their own. And the administration, anxious for a deal, was already reaching out to Schumer.

McConnell said Democrats should simply accept his bill. "It would be best for the country if the House would take it up and pass it just like we did earlier this week when the House passed a bill that I had only marginal participation in because the country was desperate for results," McConnell said.

Schumer refused. Because McConnell's bill needed the support of 60 senators to move forward, Democrats were able to block it, doing so Sunday and again Monday when McConnell tried a second time to move forward.

A frustrated McConnell took to the Senate floor to urge the Democratic minority in the Senate to move.

When the Democratic House passed their 'phase two' bill, even though Senate Republicans would have written it very differently, we sped it through the Senate and passed it quickly without even amending it," he said. I literally told my own Republicans colleagues to 'gag and vote for it.'

"It is time for that good faith to be reciprocated. It is time for Democrats to stop playing politics and step up to the plate."

Schumers response was cutting: He would update McConnell and the Senate when he and Mnuchin reached an agreement.

"The negotiations continue no more than 30 feet away from the floor of the Senate in our offices where the real progress is taking place," he said. "Once we have an agreement that everyone can get behind, we are prepared to speed up the consideration of that agreement on the floor."

Pelosi piled on, with a spokesperson telling reporters that the speaker, unlike McConnell, knew better to call a vote without having the votes lined up.

McConnell remained part of the ensuing negotiations, aides say, with Mnuchin shuttling between Schumer's and McConnell's offices multiple times a day.

But as Senate Republicans publicly objected that the bill had moved too far toward Democratic priorities and urged Trump to oppose it, the president and Mnuchin brushed aside their concerns, publicly praising Schumer as a negotiating partner.

Before the Senate voted to pass the bill Wednesday evening, McConnell said history would determine if the changes Democrats got by the delay were worth it.

Democrats immediately crowed about their wins. Pelosi told reporters Thursday that she was proud of the bill that came out and that we did jiu-jitsu on it, that it went from a corporate-first proposal that the Republicans put forth in the Senate to a Democratic workers-first legislation.

Republicans dispute that, saying the final result isnt substantially different than what McConnell and Senate Republicans originally proposed.

That was an outright lie, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) told reporters.

The record suggests otherwise, however  all but two Senate Republicans voted on Wednesday to strip a key provision expanding unemployment benefits out of the bill, saying it would damage the economy. When that move failed, they unanimously voted to approve the bill.

On Thursday before the House took up the Senate bill, Pelosi said that she and the House would take the lead on a fourth package, though the Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate should work together on it.

"We really should be operating four corners, the four House and Senate Democrats and Republicans, as we go along to find as much common ground as we can," Pelosi said.
Half Acre, like most breweries in the city, is trying to chart new and unfamiliar business models, including curbside sales and beer delivery, both of which have been allowed since bars and restaurants were shut down in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus. It helps, but also doesnt make up for lost sales.
For the first time, a resident at San Franciscos huge city-run nursing home has tested positive for the new coronavirus  a troubling and potentially dangerous development at the facility known as Laguna Honda. Six staffers have already tested positive, and most of the 750 long-term residents are elderly with underlying health conditions.

In addition to the resident, four nurses and two porters have been infected with the highly contagious virus, according to the Department of Public Health, which operates Laguna Honda. It is not clear whether the staffers were infected inside the facility or outside.

The health department has been slow to release details about its plan to investigate and to respond to the problem, and city officials have told medical professionals not to speak with the media.

Laguna Honda has been on lockdown since Wednesday evening. About 150 staff members will be tested for the virus starting Thursday  a significant change from just a day before when officials said only staffers or residents who exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, would be tested.

Although we do not know that their co-workers contracted the virus at work, we want to do everything we can to protect the health of our staff and the vulnerable patients they serve, said Deirdre Hussey, a city spokeswoman who is leading communications for the hospital.

Over the last week, doctors and nurses who work at Laguna Honda have sounded the alarm, saying they lack critical gear and information to deal with any surge of COVID-19 cases at the facility. On Friday, before staffers started testing positive, frontline workers said they were short of N-95 respirators, regular surgical masks and basic cleaning supplies.

Still, on Wednesday, the officials maintained that there was enough protective gear -- but it was just moved from being readily available in the units, to being in a "centralized location" that staff members had to request through their managers.

All supplies, PPE and the like, have been centralized to ensure they are available to front-line staff when needed, Hussey said Wednesday. As a result, Laguna Honda, like many city departments, has centralized distribution. Laguna Honda is adequately supplied and PPE is available when staff makes a request."

Health officials circulated a draft version on Wednesday of new masking guidelines to manage the citys limited supply of protective equipment. At six different locations in the city healthcare system where patients are particularly vulnerable, all patients and visitors will be given and asked to wear an isolation (ear loop) mask, the document said.

Laguna Honda is not one of those locations. Instead, the nursing home is included in a longer list of facilities where staff must wear masks but not necessarily patients. The health department did not respond to questions about the draft masking guidelines.

The loved one of a frontline health worker at Laguna Honda said the facility isnt doing enough to protect staff and patients and questioned why the facility wasnt locked down on Monday, when the first staffers tested positive.

There's a severe lack of protective equipment for staff, said the person, who did not want their loved one retaliated against and asked to speak anonymously. They still have hundreds of staff working there every day, and they're not doing anything to protect them."

On Thursday, a resident at Laguna Honda echoed those concerns.

All of staff do not have the necessary PPE [personal protective equipment], the resident wrote to a Chronicle reporter in a private message. There is a shortage of supplies, I.e. surgical masks, shoe covers, face masks, hand sanitizer, and some other supplies.

The resident, who asked to be unnamed out of fear of retaliation, said that residents were not told until Wednesday that staff members tested positive, even though the city disclosed the first positive test results to the public on Monday.

Administration do not keep the residents informed. It was not mentioned that there were actual cases here until yesterday.... We have to find out the truth from either the SF Chronicle or tv news.

On Wednesday, 15 out of 750 residents had been tested for the virus. While all tested negative, the department said in a Wednesday press release that could change as the contact investigations and testing continue and the virus continues to spread in the Bay Area.

The infected staff members worked across two different units, which the hospital refers to as the South 4 and South 5 neighborhoods. Both units have a total of 120 residents, and were placed on quarantine this week.

Two staff members who tested positive were related to each other, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The infected patient, who was in South 5, had mild symptoms and is doing well, Hussey said. The patient has been placed in isolation and a contact investigation is underway, the department said.

Trisha Thadani and Jason Fagone are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @jfagone
Sanaa, March 27 : As countries across the world are fighting the coronavirus pandemic, Yemen's warring factions were still focusing on their military activities rather than preparing for a possible outbreak.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels were intensifying their efforts to spark new battles in different parts of the war-torn Arab country despite the UN's call for a ceasefire, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, hundreds of government troops with modern armoured vehicles arrived in the strategic city of Shuqrah on the Arabian Sea and began preparing for military offensives in the country's southern part.

In Shuqrah, the Yemeni government forces also began conducting military maneouvers attended by high-ranking commanders who arrived recently from the northeastern province of Marib.

An official of the Yemeni government forces told Xinhua on Thursday that the Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal signed between the Southern Transition Council (STC) and the government has completely ended.

"We are determined to come back to expel the STC's forces out from the state institutions in the southern provinces after the failure of Riyadh deal," the source said.

The rival parties didn't focus on the efforts on preventing a potential outbreak of the coronavirus in Yemen which is already facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

On Tuesday, the forces linked to Yemen's government clashed with the STC's security units tasked with securing the strategic southern city of Aden, causing panic among local residents.

An official of the Aden-based STC told Xinhua that Yemen's government did not want to combine the efforts to focus on fighting the coronavirus.

He said that Aidarous Zubaidi, president of the STC, called on all the political parties in Yemen to work together in order to jointly fight the coronavirus.

Zubaidi ordered the security units that are controlling Aden to shut down crowded markets as a precautionary measure and also direct an emergency committee to increase cooperation with the local health organizations.

"Most of the government officials are based in other countries and paid no attention to our calls aimed at combining the efforts and reducing the suffering of the Yemeni citizens," the source said.

He accused other factions of preparing for invading Aden with no regard to humanitarian risks that will affect the people living there.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate global ceasefire and ending the hostilities, to focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Iranian-backed Houthis continued pushing for more military offensives against several areas in the country's northeastern part.

During the past two days, the Houthis mobilized hundreds of young fighters and pushed for invading the oil-rich province of Marib just days after capturing the strategic neighboring province of al-Jawf.

Elsewhere in Yemen, the Houthis launched sporadic attacks against the southern province of Dhalea that's considered the main gate of the neighboring provinces such as Lahj and Aden.

Both health authorities in the government-controlled southern provinces and in the Houthi-controlled northern provinces have not reported any coronavirus cases so far.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
An employee at the Northampton County-owned Gracedale Nursing Home tested positive Friday for the coronavirus, county officials announced in a news release.

No resident of the Upper Nazareth Township facility has tested positive, according to the release.

"Gracedale is working with the PA Department of Health and following all recommended protocols," officials state in the release. "An isolation ward has been prepared should any of the residents begin to show signs of the virus.

"Residents and all employees at the nursing home are regularly monitored for signs and symptoms of COVID-19," the release continues, using the term for the illness caused by the virus.

"All staff and residents have their temperatures checked multiple times a day and every resident has their vital signs, including oxygen saturation, measured at least once a day," officials stated.

The county closed Gracedale to volunteers and visitors on March 11, following Pennsylvania's first two infections from the coronavirus pandemic announced March 6.

As of Friday, three weeks later, Pennsylvania had surged to 2,218 total coronavirus cases and 22 deaths, including five dead in the Lehigh Valley, according to the latest figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

County Executive Lamont McClure a week ago said more equipment such as face masks was desperately needed for workers at Gracedale.

This wave is coming. And we dont have enough personal protective equipment, McClure told Northampton County Council on March 19.

Fridays announcement follows word Tuesday from ManorCare Health Services of a positive test for COVID-19 at its 2600 Northampton St. care center in Palmer Township.

Last week, Lehigh County officials announced a Sodexo food service employee at the Allentown campus of the countys Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation center had tested positive for COVID-19.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov or covid19.nj.gov and the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Vedanta Ltd on Friday said its Chief Executive Officer Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan has resigned citing personal reasons.

The resignation will be effective April 5, Vedanta Ltd said in a BSE filing.

"The board of directors of the company in their meeting held on March 27, 2020, have...taken note of resignation of S Venkatakrishnan from the position of the whole-time director and CEO of the company w.e.f. close of business hours on April 5, 2020, on account of personal reasons," Vedanta Ltd said.

The company said Sunil Duggal, whole-time director and CEO of Hindustan Zinc Ltd, a subsidiary of Vedanta, will take additional charge as an interim CEO of Vedanta Ltd from April 6.

The company further announced appointment of Anil Agarwal as additional non-executive director designated as chairman of the company's board with effect from Saturday.

The board has also re-designated Navin Agarwal as executive vice-chairman of the company's board with effect from the close of business hours on Friday.

In a separate statement, Vedanta Ltd said Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan will step down as CEO and the company's director with effect from April 5, 2020, for personal reasons and will rejoin his family in South Africa.

It said the company has appointed Sunil Duggal as interim chief executive officer of the company.

He will report to chairman, the statement said.

On his appointment, Duggal in the statement said, "I am indebted to the company for this appointment. I am confident that at Vedanta, with its strong moorings, I will be able to steer the company through its trajectory of growth and contribute to the economic progress of our country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Macedonia officially joined NATO on Friday, becoming the 30th member of the alliance after resolving a long-running name row with Greece.

The US State Department said the Balkan republic had submitted its "instrument of accession" to the NATO treaty in Washington -- completing the final formal step in the membership process.

The move caps a successful week of diplomacy for North Macedonia, after EU governments agreed -- after several delays -- that they would start membership talks with Skopje.

"North Macedonia's accession to NATO today represents the culmination of many years of effort by the government and people of North Macedonia to join the North Atlantic Alliance," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

"North Macedonia's NATO membership will support greater integration, democratic reform, trade, security, and stability across the region."



NATO countries signed North Macedonia's accession protocol in February last year, after which all 29 national parliaments ratified the country's membership, ending with Spain.

The way to NATO and EU membership was opened by a deal struck with Greece in January last year to change the name of the former Yugoslav republic to the Republic of North Macedonia, ending ended one of the world's longest diplomatic disputes.

"North Macedonia is now part of the NATO family, a family of 30 nations and almost one billion people. A family based on the certainty that, no matter what challenges we face, we are all stronger and safer together," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.

Stoltenberg will preside at a ceremony at NATO HQ in Brussels on Monday at which the North Macedonian flag will be hoisted alongside those of the other 29 members.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the fate of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals awaits a Supreme Court verdict, immigrant advocates are imploring the court to consider the potential impact on a nation facing a health crisis, while 27,000 DACA recipients hold jobs in medical care.

Health care workers risking their lives to protect our communities shouldnt have to worry that they will be ripped from their jobs and deported, Todd Schulte, president of the advocacy group FWD.us, said Friday.

Out of the 700,000 migrants currently protected from deportation under DACA, 27,000 work in health care  nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, home health aides, and nearly 200 who are medical students or licensed physicians, said lawyers defending the program.

The U.S. is not prepared to fill the loss that would result if DACA recipients were excluded from the health care workforce, attorney Michael Wishnie said in a letter to the court.

President Barack Obama created DACA by executive order in 2012, granting two-year reprieves from deportation and work permits to undocumented immigrants who entered before age 16, have lived in the U.S. for five years, attended school or served in the military, and have no serious criminal records.

President Trump ordered the program abolished in 2017 and said Obama had no authority to establish it after legislative efforts failed in Congress. A federal appeals court disagreed, saying the president can set priorities for deportations and Trump had not given adequate reasons for his action, but the Supreme Court then granted review.

At a hearing in November, the courts conservative majority seemed to agree that Trump had broad authority over such matters, but Chief Justice John Roberts stopped short of endorsing the administrations argument that Obama had acted illegally.

In a tweet shortly before the hearing, Trump declared, without evidence, that some DACA recipients have become very tough, hardened criminals.

A ruling is due by the end of June. But one advocacy group, TheDream.US, urged the court on Friday to put the case on hold during the coronavirus outbreak and called for Congress and the administration to work on legislation extending DACA.

Also urging a delay was Itzel Hernandez, who came to the U.S. from Mexico with her mother when she was 10 and now works as an immigrant rights organizer for the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, in New Jersey.

The very lives of DACA recipients like me and their families rest on what the court decides, she said.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
World leaders on Thursday promised $5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed 21,000 people and shut down huge swathes of the globe.

From New York to Paris to New Delhi life has ground to standstill with some three billion people confined to their homes as governments scramble to halt the diseases deadly march across the world.

The death toll spiralled upward again in Europe, as fatalities in the United Stated shot past 1,000 and cases in Africa continued to multiply, and already-stretched healthcare systems readied for the worst.

Fears are mounting the virus could cause an even greater shock than the Great Depression, with the latest unemployment figures out of the US breaking records as businesses across the worlds biggest economy are pinched by the pandemic.-

Leaders from the G20 most industrialised nations held crisis talks by video link Thursday, pledging a united front to fight the outbreak  along with an enormous financial injection to prop up the economy.

The virus respects no borders, the leaders said in a statement.

We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic.

They also pledged robust support for developing nations, where it is feared coronavirus could next take hold after ravaging China and then Europe.

But the unity pledged by the G20 has been in short supply with China and the United States trading barbs over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The outbreak first emerged in China late last year but has spread relentlessly.

Globally, infections are nearing half a million worldwide.

Europe is now the hardest hit continent, clocking over 250,000 infections and more than 15,000 deaths.

 Five patients, one bed 

Hard-hit Italy and Spain are living through nightmarish scenarios feared around the globe: health services buckling under the strain of mounting caseloads.

Medical workers are now facing painstaking choices.

If Ive got five patients and only one bed, I have to choose who gets it, Sara Chinchilla, a pediatrician at a hospital near Madrid, told AFP.

People are dying who could be saved but theres no space in intensive care.

More than 4,000 have died in Spain and over 56,000 are infected.

Health care facilities in Britain could face a similar strain.

The National Health Service said Londons hospitals are facing a continuous tsunami of seriously ill COVID-19 patients, despite a lockdown imposed this week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the country could be just a few weeks behind Italys curve.

Countries are now facing the twin challenge of stemming infections and dealing with the sick while trying to tend to a global economy facing the most devastating recession in living memory.

In a sign of the economic impact, some 3.3 million people in the US filed unemployment claims last week  the highest number ever recorded.

Bars, shops, hotels and schools have shut across the country  in line with measures already rolled out across Europe  and around half the US population is under lockdown.

President Donald Trump, who is seeking reelection in November, said he would decide soon whether unaffected parts of the country can get back to work.

Im not going to do anything rash or hastily, he said, adding that he hoped for a recommendation by Easter.

 Priests at risk 

The global lockdown  which also hemmed in Indias huge population this week  tightened further on Thursday as Russia announced it was grounding all international flights, while Moscows mayor ordered the closure of cafes, shops and parks.

Tokyos millions of citizens have been told to stay home too, just days after the city was forced to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games for a year.

China meanwhile said it was barring entry to most foreigners, fearing that imported cases were undermining the successes it has claimed in bringing domestic transmissions way down.

And South Africa braced for a nationwide lockdown Thursday as its cases climbed to more than 900  about a third of Africas 2,975 cases.

The impact of the virus has stretched well beyond frontline health workers, with billions trapped in their homes and facing what experts say could be lasting psychological harm.

In virus-stricken Italy, clergy members have been among the worst affected. Out of Italys more than 7,500 deaths, 67 have been priests.

A priest is always close to the people. For good or bad, its his raison detre, said Monsignor Giulio Dellavite, secretary-general of the diocese of Bergamo, the hardest hit area in Italys north.

 Encouraging signs 

But offering a glimmer of hope, both Italy and Spain have seen lower daily rates of new infections this week.

The World Health Organization said there were encouraging signs after Italys latest numbers were released, but warned it was still too early to say whether the pandemic is peaking.

Even in China, there were signs of cautious optimism.

A two-month old lockdown has started to ease up in Hubei province, coronavirus ground zero.

But life was still far from normal: banners warn that playing cards together is suicide and guards yelled at crowds of people to separate.

The disease has also reached high profile figures, including Britains heir to the throne Prince Charles who tested positive.

And Pope Francis reportedly tested negative for coronavirus after a person in his residence was said to have contracted it.

SOURCE: AFP
Three French aid workers and an Iraqi colleague have been released in Iraq two months after they were kidnapped in Baghdad, the French government reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron on March 26 announced that the four had been freed. He thanked Iraqi officials for helping France to win their release, although he did not provide details.

It was not immediately clear which group had taken the four hostage or what had been done to get them released.

"The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy, and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," Macrons office said in a statement.

The four had worked for the SOS Chretiens d'Orient aid group, which helps persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

They had been staying at a hotel that regularly hosts international guests when they were abducted on January 20.

The announcement of the release comes a day after France said it was pulling its troops out of Iraq as its military was increasingly needed at home to help fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The troops are part of Operation Chammal, a French military mission in Iraq and Syria that is attempting to stem the expansion of the Islamic State (IS) militant group and other extremists in the region and to support the Western-backed Iraqi Army.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Scientists warned that the United States someday would become the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. That moment arrived Thursday.

In the United States, at least 81,321 people are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, including more than 1,000 deaths  more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by The New York Times.

With 330 million residents, the United States is the worlds third-most populous nation, meaning it provides a vast pool of people who can potentially get COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

And it is a sprawling, cacophonous democracy, where states set their own policies and President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages about the scale of the danger and how to fight it, ensuring there was no coherent, unified response to a grave public health threat.

Although the American medical system is unsurpassed and its public health system has a reputation as one of the finest in the world, a series of missteps and lost opportunities dogged the nations response.

Among them: a failure to take the pandemic seriously even as it engulfed China, a deeply flawed effort to provide broad testing for the virus that left the country blind to the extent of the crisis, and a dire shortage of masks and protective gear to protect doctors and nurses on the front lines, as well as ventilators to keep the critically ill alive.

Chinas leaders, stung by the SARS epidemic in 2003 and several bird flu scares since then, had a deeply flawed early response to the outbreak that began in the city of Wuhan, with local officials suppressing news of the outbreak.

But Chinas autocratic government acted with ferocious intensity after the belated start. Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan quickly began preparing for the worst.

The United States instead remained preoccupied with business as usual. Impeachment. Harvey Weinstein. Brexit and the Oscars.

Only a few virologists recognized the threat for what it was. The virus was not influenza, but it had the hallmarks of the Spanish flu: relatively low lethality, but relentlessly transmissible.

Cellphone videos leaking out of China showed what was happening as it spread in Wuhan: dead bodies on hospital floors, doctors crying in frustration, rows of unattended coffins outside the crematories.

What the cameras missed  in part because Beijing made Western journalists lives difficult by withholding visas and imposing quarantines  was the slow, relentless way Chinas public health system was hunting down the virus, case by case, cluster by cluster, city by city.

For now, at least, China i containing the coronavirus with draconian measures. But the pathogen had embarked on a Grand Tour of most countries on Earth, with devastating epidemics in Iran, Italy, France. More videos emerged of prostrate victims, exhausted nurses and lines of coffins.

The United States, which should have been ready, was not.

There was no Pentagon ready to fight the war on this pandemic, no wartime draft law. There was eventually a White House Coronavirus Task Force, but it has been led by politicians, not medical experts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is one of the great disease-detective agencies in the world, and its doctors have contributed mightily in skirmishes against Ebola, Zika and any number of other health threats.

But the agency retreated into silence, its director, Dr. Robert Redfield, almost invisible  humbled by a fiasco in the failure to produce basic diagnostic testing.

Now at least 160 million Americans have been ordered to stay home in states from California to New York. Schools are closed, often along with bars, restaurants and many other businesses. Hospitals are coping with soaring numbers of patients in New York City, even as supplies of essential protective gear and equipment dwindle.

Other hospitals, other communities fear what may be coming.

The world will be a different place when the pandemic is over. India may surpass the United States as the country with the most deaths. Like the United States, it, too, is a vast, democracy with deep internal divisions. But its population, 1.3 billion, is far larger, and its people are crowded even more tightly into megacities.

China could still stumble into a new round of contagion as its economy restarts, and be forced to do it all again.

In the meantime, with the virus loose in the streets while millions of Americans huddle indoors, when will it be safe to come out and go back to work?

The virus will tell us, said Dr. William Schaffner, a preventive medicine specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical School.

When a baseline of daily testing is established across the country, a drop in the percentage of positive tests will signal that the virus has found as many hosts as it can for the moment, and is beginning to recede.

When hospital admissions have hit a clear peak and begun to plateau, we can feel optimistic, Schaffner said. And when they begin to drop, we can begin to smile.

That moment may arrive this summer. But as soon as the first of Americans begin venturing cautiously out, we will have to start planning for the second wave.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
L awyers have demanded that courts return to full capacity after the coronavirus pandemic has passed, as it emerged the backlog of criminal cases had increased to more than 37,000 before the crisis began.

The Lord Chief Justice has halted all new jury trials in a bid to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus and while courts are using video and telephone hearings to maintain a limited operation, vast swathes of cases have been delayed.

Official figures released on Thursday showed a 13 per cent rise in the amount of work in the criminal justice system at the end of last year, before the system with thrown into chaos by the pandemic crisis.

Caroline Goodwin QC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, blamed government budget cuts for the mounting backlog under normal circumstances, and insisted major investment in justice is the only way to tackle the mountain of work.

The Ministry of Justice has been under fire for months over a policy of limiting court sitting days and not attempting to reduce the backlog, resulting in courtrooms sitting empty.

The days are over of vainly justifying idle courts and adjourning cases ad infinitum, said Ms Goodwin, calling for the courts to eventually return to full capacity.

Once the pandemic is contained and some semblance of normality returning, the MoJ needs a total reversal of policy, an end to penny-pinching and an opening up all the criminal courts to keep the entire criminal system from crumbling.

The MoJ figures from the last quarter of 2019 show the number of cases sent to the crown courts had risen by ten per cent, but there had been an eight per cent drop in cases finishing.

The backlog of work in the system rose from 33,113 at the end of 2018 to 37,434 at the close of last year.

Appearing before MPs this week, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland promised the courts would be returning with gusto when the pandemic is over.

He had said last month - before the crisis - that 4,700 sitting days would be added to crown courts for 2020-21, responding to a call by the Lord Chief Justice for a crackdown on delays to criminal trials.
Nearly 1.5 million N95 respirator masks are sitting in a U.S. government warehouse in Indiana and authorities have not shipped them because they are past their expiration date, despite Centers for Disease Control guidelines that have been issued for their safe use during the coronavirus outbreak, according to five people with knowledge of the stockpile.

Department of Homeland Security officials had a conference call Wednesday to figure out what to do with the masks, which are part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's emergency supplies. DHS officials decided to offer the respirators to the Transportation Security Administration, whose workforce has been clamoring for protective equipment, according to three of the people who described the plans on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

CBP has no plans to offer the masks to hard-hit hospitals, or hand them over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, three of the people said.

The N95 masks, which provide essential protection to medical personnel treating infected patients, are one of the items that have gone lacking in New York City hospitals and across the country in recent days as demand for equipment soars. Manufacturers have said the masks remain effective if stored properly, and the main risk with age is that the masks' elastic bands can weaken and prevent a proper seal against a user's face.

According to two of the people with knowledge of the CBP stockpile, the masks are stored in a warehouse in Indianapolis.

Nathan Peeters, a CBP spokesman, said the agency is aware the supplies are available and that it has been "working with our DHS partners to determine the best use for N95 respirators in CBP's emergency stockpile."

The agency has provided a 30-day supply of protective equipment to Border Patrol agents and CBP officers, including N95 respirators, Peeters said.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection's highest priority is to ensure the health, safety and security of our workforce and the American people," he said. According to Peeters, the agency is in the process of acquiring and distributing 1.5 million additional N95 masks and other protective gear that would be shipped in coming weeks.

It was unclear Thursday when the expired N95 masks in the Indiana warehouse would ship. FEMA did not respond to questions about the CBP stockpiles, and TSA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One administration official with knowledge of the plans said the decision was made to provide the masks to TSA because FEMA has been able to acquire a large number of new masks for distribution this week. President Trump said during a White House briefing Wednesday that FEMA has shipped or is in the process of shipping 9.4 million N95 respirators and 20 million surgical masks for hospitals.

"And we have others that we think are going to be delivered pretty quickly," Trump said.

The masks and other protective gear are in such short supply at some New York City hospitals that staff have been wearing plastic garbage bags and other improvised equipment as they hope to ward off infection while treating patients.

Health officials in Los Angeles county said its emergency supply of N95 masks is exhausted, encouraging doctors and nurses to consider reusing the disposable masks for multiple patients, a practice that is generally avoided because of the risk of spreading the virus among patients and hospital rooms.

The CDC issued new guidelines on Feb. 28 for the safe use of expired N95 masks, affirming that many models remain functional past their expiration date, provided they were properly stored. In normal circumstances, they would be discarded, but they still remain effective if the guidelines are followed.

"The respirators exceeding their manufacturer-designated shelf life are only being released due to the potential urgent demand caused by the covid-19 public health emergency," the agency said.

"In the face of this emergency, the U.S. government believes that the respirators beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life should provide greater respiratory protection than surgical masks (i.e., medical masks) alone, improvised mouth and nose covers (e.g., bandannas), or no protection at all," the CDC said.

A senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the masks, said the masks in CBP storage are in usable condition.

"The masks are fully capable," the official said. "We'd never put the lives of the men and women at DHS at risk."

Randolph "Tex" Alles, the acting undersecretary for management at DHS, has been tasked with figuring out how to distribute the CBP masks, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the plans who were not authorized to speak publicly. Alles did not respond to a request for comment.

The Washington Posts Carol Leonnig contributed to this report.
New measures for Covid-19 containment were introduced yesterday March 24, 2020.

Amongst these measures include new Covid-19 testing criteria , wherein patients must have a "fever and at least one sign of respiratory disease, for example cough, shortness of breath" according to the government.

Additionally, if you have been in contact with a high risk group such as healthcare workers, those with an underlying illness, prisoners, and those who have been subject to long term care, you will be tested.

This change comes as HSE staff and laboratories are overloaded with testing and are currently experiencing a backlog of approximately 20,000 people a day.

Those who have been waiting to be tested and have not received an appointment will now not be tested.

Testing algorithms will now be updated to reflect this new method.

Health care workers are waiting on more test kits to arrive due to the unprecedented volume of people getting tested for the virus. A shipment of tests are expected to arrive later this week from South Korea.

South Korea are manufacturing approximately 100,000 testing kits per day and has become the world supplier of Covid-19 testing kits.

The government also placed a substantial order for protective gear, including gowns, masks, shields and more.
As the number of Massachusetts residents in need of treatment for coronavirus-related illnesses rises, will there be enough hospital beds available?

Analysis of hospital data from across the nation by health system researchers at the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows some parts of the United States will have far too few hospital beds for the expected number of patients in coming months.

And Massachusetts is among the states with the largest expected shortage.

Comparing the number of hospital beds available in Massachusetts with the expected amount needed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the next six months, the state may need more than four times the amount typically available, according to the recent analysis by Harvard researchers.

Massachusetts is below only Connecticut in states needing more beds for the expected impact by COVID-19.

The number needed is due in large part to the higher than average age of the states population, who are among the most vulnerable to severe and potentially fatal symptoms of the virus.

Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

There are more than 5.4 million adults in Massachusetts, according to the most recent Census data available. Of those, more than a million residents are at least 65 years old.

The risk for severe disease, including hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit and death in COVID-19 cases increases with age and among people of all ages with underlying health conditions.

That model - considered a worst-case scenario - is if 60% of the state population is infected over the next six months and assumes a fifth of the population will require hospitalization, considering residents considered high risk due to age.

If steps taken to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the virus are effective, hospital resources will be significantly less strained.

A graph explains why officials are enacting social distancing measures.

Our goal is to give hospital leaders and policymakers a clear sense of when they will hit capacity, and strategic information on how to prepare for rising numbers of patients with COVID-19 needing care, says Ashish K. Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) and K.T. Li professor of global health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Crucially, we are providing this information at a local, hospital market specific level. National averages are not very helpful in this context. Its irrelevant to a person in Utah how many hospital beds are available in Boston, we wont be transferring large numbers of people to different hospitals. But specific, localized data provides a pathway to understanding what we need to do to get hospitals ready.

It is anticipated that 8% of adults will require hospital care due to coronavirus-related illness.

If the infection rate is spread over the next year - the moderate scenario - just over two times the number of hospital beds typically available in the Bay State will be needed.

In a best-case scenario, residents diagnosed with coronavirus over an 18-month period, Massachusetts hospitals would be at 138% capacity at standard hospital bed rates.

Recognizing this, public officials have taken significant steps to flatten the curve and make additional resources available to hospitals.

There are just under 14,000 hospital beds in Massachusetts, of which about 74% are occupied annually leaving 3,603 beds available, according to the most recent data available from the American Hospital Association and the American Hospital Directory. There are 1,555 beds in intensive care units, ones best equipped for the most severe cases of coronavirus. The majority of beds were filled - about 63% annually - according to the most recent data from the American Hospital Association and the American Hospital Directory.

By reducing the strain on health care facilities, thousands more hospital beds could be made available.

Medical centers across Massachusetts announced this month that non-urgent appointments and elective surgeries would be postponed to a later date, freeing up both beds and staff as well to reduce the potential of incidental infection of patients and staff.

Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, one of the top hospitals in the country, typically operates at or near capacity.

The hospital began decreasing the number of procedures that could safely be delayed about two weeks ago, Eileen Searle, clinical operations program manager for the hospitals Center for Disaster Medicine, told MassLive. As of Thursday, Mass. General had a significant number of beds available, she said, declining to share the specific number which changes daily.

Mass. General has an additional role in the crisis: identifying ways of treating the virus and sharing findings with other medical centers. During the ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015, health officials realized we werent as prepared as we needed to be, Searle said, speaking of health care across the country.

The Boston institution was designated one of 10 medical centers in the country to anchor treatment, care for and isolate patients with ebola. As we work through some of these challenges, we learn to adapt, Searle said, speaking of patient care and ways to keep staff safe. Some methods of care for staff have involved reaching out to the greater community, seeking donations of personal protection equipment. Were all really grateful for the support from the community, Searle said.

In Central Massachusetts, hospitals are starting to fill extra capacity made available from canceling non-urgent care and are looking outward for additional space.

We have been working very closely with post-acute care skilled nursing facilities and long term facilities to develop a plan to increase overall bed capacity. We have also worked with the city to develop a plan for a field hospital if necessary, UMass Memorial Senior Director of Media and Public Relations Tony Berry told MassLive. Hopefully will never get to this point but we need to be ready.

In the worst-case scenario presented by Harvard researchers - if 60% of residents contract COVID-19 in the next six months - there are not enough existing beds in the state to treat coronavirus-related illness. Even if all hospital beds were dedicated to treating coronavirus patients - an impossible task given the need for emergency and ongoing medical care - more beds would be needed than are currently available in the state.

As such, officials are identifying potential surge locations for hospital beds across the commonwealth. Need by region will be varied, with hospitals in urban communities expected to be more strained due to population size, and more surge locations are expected to be centered in Massachusetts largest cities.

As concerns of community spread of coronavirus grew this month, the state set up a COVID-19 Response Command Center to play point on responding to the health crisis, including expanding access to testing and planning for a medical surge.

Daily, the team communicates with hospitals to track bed capacity and monitor trends in hospitalization, Health and Human Services spokeswoman Brooke Karanovich told MassLive.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with the state to identify existing facilities that could be converted or retrofitted into structures like hospitals or shelters to support surge capacity. Such facilities may include colleges, recently closed hospitals or nursing facilities or large venues.

One such venue has already been identified as a promising site. The DCU Center in Worcester is expected to serve patients who test positive and need a safe place to recover but do not need hospital-level care, UMass Memorial spokesman Berry told MassLive.

This includes people who are homeless, but also may include some patients who need a lower level of care but cant get into a post-acute facility and some who have a home but cant return due to the risk of infecting a vulnerable household member," Berry said.

Opening the facility will be critical to freeing up as many beds as possible at Massachusetts hospitals to treat the most severe cases.

If coronavirus spread follows the moderate scenario posed by Harvard researchers and hospitals with the curve extended over the next year, an estimated 7,512 Massachusetts residents are expected to require hospitalization. If health centers continue to postpone non-urgent appointments and elective surgeries, hospitals overall likely wont be overwhelmed by the need for beds.

If the curve is flattened over 18 months - the best-case scenario - less than half the number of total hospital beds across the state would be needed.

The best-case scenario appears unlikely at this time.

The number of COVID-19 cases spiked this week with a rise in testing, from 382 on Monday to 2,417 on Thursday. The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Massachusetts increased to 25 on Thursday.

Statewide, there have been 23,621 people tested for the virus as of Thursday.

Massachusetts officials announced a series of increasingly restrictive measures this month, seeking to limit community spread of the virus.

Attempts to slow the spread

Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts two weeks ago, encouraging companies to allow their employees to work from home, encouraging residents to limit travel and gathering in large groups and lifting restrictions on public schools, allowing schools and students to be free from attendance requirements.

As schools across the commonwealth announced temporary closures, Baker announced last week all public schools will be suspended for three weeks, with districts turning to remote learning for about a million students in Massachusetts. The governor ordered all restaurants and bars shut down all on-site food and drink service. He ordered limits on all public gatherings, including sporting activities, concerts and faith gatherings.

I realize these measures are unprecedented, Baker said, but were asking our residents to take a deep breath and understand the rationale behind this guidance.

People were also asked to keep a 6-foot distance between themselves and others.

Baker on Monday announced that he is shutting down all non-essential operations to help curtail the spread of the virus. Gatherings are now limited to 10 people.

Coronavirus has significantly impacted states in the northeast, the hardest hit being New York.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference against a backdrop of medical supplies.John Minchillo | AP Photo

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an emergency order Monday mandating all hospitals in New York increase capacity by 50%. The state has 53,000 hospital beds and about 3,000 beds in intensive care units. New York health officials estimate they will need over 100,000 beds for coronavirus-related illness.

New York City has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, with 365 deaths and over 23,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday.

Temporary health care facilities are being established, including the Javits Center in New York City.

People who passed through or left New York City have been urged to place themselves in a 14-day quarantine.

Temporary hospital beds in the Jackman Long building on the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem on March 19, 2020. Dave Killen / Oregonian staffDave Killen

Related Content:
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

A $2 trillion financial aid package for Americans hurt by the coronavirus pandemic is on its way.

President Trump signed the legislation Friday after it was passed by the House. The Senate approved it late Wednesday.

Called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the 880-page law (PDF) contains several key measures to provide financial help to families, including direct cash payments of up to $1,200 to many individuals, enhanced unemployment benefits, suspension of student loan payments, and relaxed rules for tapping retirement savings.

This is a good down payment on helping individuals stay afloat for the next several weeks, says Nicole Kaeding, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C.

Still, given the severity of the economic downturnunemployment claims hit a record 3.3 million (PDF) last weeksome people feel more help is needed.

We still need comprehensive reforms to prevent Americans from facing unnecessary financial hardship during this emergency and to help them recover, says Anna Laitin, director of financial policy at Consumer Reports.

CRs recommended reforms (PDF) include waiving payment for debts, limiting fees and interest that can be charged, and barring negative information appearing on credit reports. CR Advocacy has launched a petition asking Congress to take action on these measures.

Congress is already discussing another coronavirus stimulus package, but more legislation is weeks away. Meanwhile, heres a look at the provisions of this law that will help consumers.

Direct Payments

The law gives a one-time direct payment (PDF) of up to $1,200 for individuals ($2,400 for couples) and $500 for each child 16 and younger. The maximum a family can receive is $7,500.

Eligibility will depend on income. Single people whose adjusted annual gross income is $75,000 or less will get the full $1,200. Those with adjusted gross incomes above $75,000 will get smaller amounts, with no payment to anyone making $99,000 or above.

Story continues

For married couples, the $2,400 benefit begins to phase out after $150,000 in combined annual income, with no payments to any couple making $198,000 or more.

The IRS will determine your eligibility based on your 2019 or 2018 tax return. If you havent filed in those years, the income will be based on your Social Security statement.

How quickly will you see that money? Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has said the first checks will arrive within three weeks. That timetable assumes that the IRS already has your bank account information, which must be provided for the direct deposit of any refund or payment. Almost 60 percent of filers received a refund via direct deposit last year, Kaeding says.

For those who have not provided the IRS with bank information, you will probably have to wait for a check. According to a study by the nonprofit Tax Foundation examining past federal payments during downturns, the lag between the programs enactment and distribution of payments ranged from six weeks to more than two months.

The IRS has not yet posted details about the direct payment program, but it has set up a page on its website that is expected to be updated soon.

Unemployment Benefits

Under the new law, the federal government will increase your state unemployment benefits by $600 per week for four months. Benefits will also be extended by an additional 13 weeks. Gig workers and freelancers, who previously were not able to claim unemployment, will also be covered (PDF).

Many states have already enhanced their jobless benefits. For example, 19 states (including California, New York, and Washington) have dropped the standard one-week waiting period before collecting benefits, according to research by the nonprofit National Employment Law Project.

To find out about the unemployment benefits in your state, including new policies related to COVID-19, you can go to CareerOneStop, which is sponsored by the Department of Labor.

Be aware that getting through to your local unemployment office can be challenging right now. But many states are adding hours and hiring additional staff. So be persistent.

Student Loans

The White House has previously announced help for many federal student loan borrowers. Under the CARES Act, that aid is now codified into law, says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Savingforcollege.com.

Borrowers will not have to make any payments for six months (through Sept. 30, 2020) on federal student loans, though that money will have to be paid later. Interest during the six-month period will be waived entirely.

Only certain federal student loans are eligiblethose owned by the Department of Education, which include direct loans and loans made under the Federal Family Education Loans Program that were transferred to the DOE. Perkins Loans, FFEL loans held by a bank or another financial institution, and private student loans are not eligible.

Involuntary collection of defaulted student loans, including wage garnishment and claiming of tax refunds, will also be suspended. You can find more information and assistance on student loans at The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit group.

Retirement Plans

The law loosens the limits on taking money out of your retirement plan in an emergency, similar to previous disaster relief measures.

For those affected by the coronavirus crisis, such as testing positive or financial hardship due to the pandemic, you can take out up to $100,000 in retirement savings without paying the 10 percent penalty if youre younger than 59.

The provision applies only to savings in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or an IRA. You will still owe tax on the money you pull out. The increased limit also applies to 401(k) loans.

Still, just because you can tap more of your savings, doesnt mean you should. You really should view pulling money out of your retirement plan as a last resort, says Ed Slott, a CPA and IRA expert in Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Editors Note: The article, first published March 26, has been updated to include the Houses approval of the bill, President Trump's signing it into law, and CRs calls for even more aid.





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.
Eight new cases were registered in the capital city on Friday alone.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko has informed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city has risen to 55.

"The number of patients infected with the coronavirus has increased. As of today, 55 people have their diagnosis confirmed," he said during an online briefing on March 27.

Read alsoKyiv Mayor Klitschko doesn't rule out subway shutdown extension

"Today, we've received eight more laboratory-confirmed cases from state-controlled Kyiv City Laboratory Center of Ukraine's Health Ministry," he added.

According to Klitschko, the new cases are four women aged 31 to 59 and four men aged 43 to 55.

Two patients were hospitalized to Kyiv's Oleksandrivska Clinical Hospital, two to Kyiv Clinical Hospital No. 4, and another two to the Interior Ministry's Central Hospital. Two more patients are being treated while in self-isolation at home.

Over 1,500 residents of Kyiv (the city's total population is nearing 3 million people) have already been checked for the coronavirus with the use of rapid test kits and laboratory tests, the mayor added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Health Ministry reported 218 confirmed COVID-19 cases and five deaths as of Friday morning. Four patients have already recovered.
Billion Dollar Brand Club

By Lawrence Igrassia

Holt. 256 pp. $30

---

How do you write a business book about a gold rush - as it's happening? Do you offer tips on where to buy pickaxes and how to read geologic maps? Do you recount the stories of the most wildly successful prospectors, in hopes that readers might (figuratively) emulate their (literally) groundbreaking habits and strategies later on? Or do you step back and write a broader cultural study, fingers crossed that you'll correctly distinguish the truly brilliant from the frauds and the hucksters, dismiss the fads, and pinpoint the craze's lasting influence on business and society - all by your publisher's deadline?

Lawrence Ingrassia gamely faces down the present-day equivalent of this challenge with "Billion Dollar Brand Club." His subject is the rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies - start-ups, often with playful names (Warby Parker, Glossier, Casper), that skip traditional retailers to market their own products and brands straight to shoppers, online. By now, if you haven't purchased a DTC product, you've certainly scrolled past their ads on Instagram and Facebook. They promise stylish, inexpensive versions of everyday products: eyeglasses, makeup, mattresses (offered by the above names, respectively) as well as electric toothbrushes, underwear, baby clothes - the list goes on. But you may not know their backstory. Over the past 10 years, there's been a mad dash by venture capitalists, MBAs, Ivy Leaguers and trust fund kids to start thousands of these brands. Collectively investors have poured some $5 billion into new brands making all manner of household items, which have subsequently swiped billions in sales from their more-established competitors. The phenomenon's crowning moment - so far, at least - came in 2016, when consumer-products giant Unilever paid $1 billion in cash to buy Dollar Shave Club, a subscription seller of discount safety razors that had been founded four years earlier by an improv comedian. There's gold in them thar sundries.

Ingrassia ventures into the hubbub, on the lookout for entrepreneurs like Dollar Shave Club's improv comedian, Michael Dubin, who are "emblematic of the capitalist zeitgeist of his era."He organizes the book as a series of self-contained narratives, each one focused on a different aspect of the DTC boom that he considers transformative: sourcing, financing, marketing, logistics. Fortunately he's a natural storyteller with a playful ear for language. Even the industry's drabbest corners - specialized logistics middlemen, for example - sound kind of fun: "There's Schlep, ShipCalm, ShipHawk, Shippo, Shipsi, Shipt, Shipwaves, Shipwire," Ingrassia writes, and continues: "Darkstore, Deliv, Dolly, and DoorDash; Cargobase, Cargohound, Cargomatic, Convoy, and Curbside."

The entrepreneurs' stories, despite Ingrassia's best efforts, tend to follow a common arc: The young would-be founders are minding their own business until an unexpected hassle or rip-off in their shopping lives derails everything (These glasses are too expensive! This mattress store is confusing!). Inevitably the heroes quit whatever they are doing (typically management consulting, business school or some other resume-builder) and dedicate their lives to solving the problem, naturally by offering a new product to a sizable target market.

The convenient economy may sound familiar if you hang around entrepreneurs. These days, founders hone their personal tall tales down to easily repeated bullet points they can shoot at investors, reporters, you name it. While researching the book, Ingrassia takes the incoming fire from the founders. To his credit, he also gathers novel perspectives from the supporting cast that helps shape these businesses: the zealous venture capitalists in San Francisco, the bemused manufacturers in Taiwan, the chagrined executives at the blue-chip consumer-products giant in Cincinnati who can't believe what hit them. Collectively, they populate the book like the residents of a bustling boom town, albeit one where many folks seem to have recently left a stint at Wharton.

But as the book hops from one part of the cottage industry to the next, skeptical readers begin to wonder: Is everything in direct-to-consumer-land as hunky-dory as its citizens would have Ingrassia believe? For instance, is anybody in this town actually making any money - or are they just raising and spending piles of it?

Early on, Ingrassia introduces us to DTC's de facto mayor: a chic, influential venture capitalist named Kirsten Green. Green, a founding partner of Forerunner Ventures, invested in Warby Parker in the same year it started, 2010, thereby spotting the boom before practically anyone. Her subsequent early bets on future unicorns (Dollar Shave Club, Glossier) cement her status as the industry's oracle and kingmaker.

"Like pilgrims heading to Mecca, the entrepreneurs trek to Forerunner's office just south of downtown San Francisco's Tenderloin district, passing or stepping over homeless people on the way," he writes. To the faithful, Green's blessing guarantees success. "I'm on board. I'm in," declares one executive, Liz Reifsnyder, upon hearing that the company trying to hire her, Ritual, has Green as an investor. Ingrassia dubs Green "one of the pied pipers of the direct-to-consumer brand world." She and her cohort happen to attract MBAs and risk-hungry investors instead of rats.

But has Ingrassia joined this entranced flock, too? He's plenty pedigreed himself, of course, with a career as a longtime senior editor at the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal. Green's charisma, meanwhile, sounds tough to resist: "Fashionable and photogenic, with a megawatt smile, [she] no doubt is the only venture capitalist ever named to both Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People list and Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List - in the same year," writes Ingrassia, the piper's music filling his ears.

Too often, Ingrassia relies on the venture capitalists' measures of success - big investment rounds, big valuations, big buyouts - rather than digging for generally accepted standards like profits or product quality. Those hard metrics are crucial in determining these companies' eventual legacy, especially now that more of these companies are beginning to lay off employees and partner with traditional retailers.

In other words, which feats of these enterprising founders will be remembered: their witty viral videos and savvy social media strategies - or the way they persuaded investors to hand them gobs of money, or wooed management consultants to join them for a fraction of their salaries, or inspired seen-it-all business reporters (this writer included) to gush about something as mundane as a safety razor? Hindsight will certainly render these illustrious members of the Billion Dollar Brand Club as brilliant marketers and salesmen. It may just turn out that their true marks weren't actually the consumers.

---

Helm is an editor at large at Fast Company and Inc. magazines.
South Africa has started a nationwide military-patrolled lockdown, joining other African countries which have imposed strict curfews and shutdowns in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Some 57 million people are restricted to their homes during South Africas three-week total lockdown which began on Friday.

During the shutdown, there will be no jogging, dog-walking or sale of alcohol across the country, which so far has the highest number of detected infections in sub-Saharan Africa at more than 1,000, with two deaths, announced early on Friday by the health ministry.

Kenya, Rwanda, Mali and Nigeria are among other African countries to impose restrictions to curb transmission of the coronavirus.

Although Africas toll is far lower than in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, health experts say the continent is especially vulnerable and the figures may be far short of the reality.

200326081739767

Donning a camouflage uniform complete with a cap, President Cyril Ramaphosa saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in the Soweto township outside economic hub Johannesburg.

I send you out to go and defend our people against coronavirus, Ramaphosa said.

This is unprecedented, not only in our democracy but also in the history of our country, that we will have a lockdown for 21 days to go out and wage war against an invisible enemy, coronavirus.

Opportunity to break transmissions

Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from Johannesburg, said that South Africans have largely embraced the lockdown.

South Africans have welcomed this lockdown. They do understand it is necessary, she said.

200321122928009

But I imagine that it will take a couple of days for many people to abide by the restrictions because there is a lot to get used to.

Mosa Moshabela, dean and head of the Nursing and Public Health School at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the lockdown is an opportunity to break transmissions, referring to a believed 14-day incubation period during which the infection can flare into symptoms.

With the additional week as a sort of buffer, we can assure that anyone who was infected before the lockdown will go through the symptoms and recover within those 21 days, he told Al Jazeera.

Earlier, panicky Johannesburg residents stocked up on food, alcohol and other supplies with some large supermarkets running out of eggs and the staple maize meal powder.

Thousands crammed into long-distance bus terminals to escape to the countryside to be with families, raising fears they would transmit the virus to the most vulnerable elderly people who normally live or retire in farms and villages.

South Africas Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula warned that if people are not complying, they [the military] may be forced to take extraordinary measures.

Violation of any of the regulations will carry a six-month jail sentence or a fine.

Two men have already been charged with attempted murder for defying a quarantine order after they tested positive for the coronavirus, exposing others to the infection.
ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment based on your own personal circumstances and consult with your own investment, financial, tax and legal advisers.

Company NMLS Identifier #2110672

Copyright  2021 Consumers Unified LLC. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.
Yves here. Those of you well schooled in MMT will no doubt react to the fact that this post expresses concerns about government debt and does not differentiate between debts of states and local governments, which are currency users, versus Federal debt, when the Federal government as a currency issuer could extinguish its debt at any time.

The way to think about this piece is that it proves, even using a more conventional analysis, that a large stimulus would work if directed to primarily to individuals, which is the opposite of how the bailouts are structured.

By Lance Taylor, Arnhold Professor of International Cooperation and Development, New School for Social Research. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website

This note presents broad brush illustrations from a simple accounting model of the impacts of the coronavirus epidemic on macroeconomic balance, with emphasis on fiscal interventions. The premise is that supporting effective demand is essential for sustaining economic activity. The covid-19 epidemic created mass unemployment by shutting activity down. The resulting income loss undoubtedly reduced household consumption which makes up two-thirds of GDP. The only way to restore consumption is for the government acting as the borrower of last resort to raise its deficit and transfer the proceeds to households. A numerical example presented below suggests that an increase of ten percentage points in the ratio of government net borrowing (spending on goods and services plus transfers to households minus tax revenues) to GDP would do the trick.

The stimulus legislation now before Congress does not go far enough. Its size  $2.2 trillion or ten percent of GDP  is the right order of magnitude but the breakdown of spending is biased away from households and toward business, viz., payments that may flow more or less directly to households  checks in the mail, more unemployment insurance, small business support, state and local government support, and less than $100 billion to food stamps and disaster relief  come to $1.2 trillion or 5.7% of GDP.

Big business support in the form of loans and a range of other payments amounts to $800 billion or 3.8% of GDP. No doubt, politics aside, some of this money will be usefully spent, but its contribution to aggregate demand will be slow and indirect.

Before getting into the details of demand management, a few background observations are needed.

One is that both government and business have substantial debt overhangs. The simulations suggest that an increase of about $3 trillion in the deficit of the government sector (close to the total built into the various packages now in place or being enacted) is needed to offset the macro shock that the epidemic creates. Outstanding Federal debt is $22 trillion. New issues of three trillion may be difficult for markets to absorb.

Even worse, the corporate sectors outstanding debt is $10 trillion, five times total profits before depreciation, interest, and taxes. Share buybacks, largely financed by borrowing and ranging in the upper hundreds of billions per year, have been an important driver of growth of debt. The production side of once dominant firms  think of General Electric and Boeing  has been hollowed out by financial engineering. Politics will continue to be influenced by pressures to solve financial problems for firms created by their past mistakes.

On the real side of the economy, over the last two or three decades the share of employment in sectors with low real wages, productivity, and profits increased by around twenty percent. The share of profits in national income grew at around 0.4% per year for five decades, mostly flowing through various channels to households in the top one percent of the size distribution of income. Households at the bottom of the distribution became especially vulnerable.

The major impact on economic activity will come from falling consumption of goods and services due to income losses caused by businesses shutting down. Starting from an initial income level, household saving or the difference between income and spending will shoot up with further multiplier effects on output. High profit activities such as real estate rental and leasing, finance, and information will be protected. Sectors with high employment and low wages and productivity such as retail, accommodation and food, and other services will be hard hit (education and health will be the main exception). To offset the impacts, fiscal demand creation by the government will be essential, with the required outlays depending on the size of the consumption drop and other shocks such as lower private investment and exports.

We begin with details about differences across sectors, and go on to the macroeconomic effects of the coronavirus epidemic on incomes and output.

Dual Economy

The shifts in the structure of production just mentioned created an American dual economy with prosperity at the top and near subsistence living at the bottom. Table 1 presents details for sixteen sectors, ordered from the higher to lower rows by decreasing estimates of payments per hour to labor (including supplements or contributions for pensions and insurance).

Real wages and productivity vary over wide ranges. The same is true of sectoral profits. Real estate takes the lions share, followed by manufacturing, finance, business services, and information. Profits are meager from retail on down the rows, while output and especially employment shares are relatively high. The three sectors mentioned above  retail, accommodation and food, and other services  provide around 46 million jobs, more than one-quarter of the 162 million total. Their labor payments amount to $263 billion, about one percent of GDP of $21 trillion. This number can be contrasted with $600 billion of profits in real estate. Incomes of low-wage workers do not matter

greatly in the grand macroeconomic scheme of things, but for them even a ten percent income loss would be devastating.

Table 1: Structure of production in 2016 Wages and output used to calculate wage rate per hour and productivity per hour are deflated by the GDP deflator (2019=100). Shares of real output are deflated based on each sectors own industry price index (2009=100).

Macroeconomic Balance

Before turning to the impacts of covid-19, it makes sense to review previous macroeconomic shocks such as the great recession and the smaller Trump tax reduction of 2018. A simple accounting scheme can be built around net borrowing (NB) levels of four institutional sectors  households (HH), corporate business, government at all levels, and the rest of the world.

For households and business, NB is equal to gross fixed capital formation plus changes in inventories (investment) minus saving. For government, it is current spending on goods and services plus investment minus the excess of tax receipts over fiscal transfers to households. Broadly speaking, foreign NB is the current account surplus or exports minus imports. It is negative for the USA. In the jargon, investment, government spending, and exports are demand injections. HH and business saving, taxes minus fiscal transfers, and imports are leakages. Overall macroeconomic balance requires that the sum of NB levels across sectors should equal zero (subject to a statistical discrepancy between estimates of spending and incomes in the national accounts). Table 2 summarizes data for selected years. The rates are calculated with respect to the relevant years real GDP.

Table 2: Net borrowing behavior in the USA for selected years (levels in trillions of dollars at prices of 2019, rates are relative to GDP)

Each years multiplier is the inverse of the sum of the four leakage rates. The multiplier times the sum of injections equals output.

In a further illustration, Figure 1 shows annual net borrowing rates in the form of a bar chart. High net borrowing by the government in response to the financial crisis stands out. Even more striking at the far right of the diagram is the fiscal response to the consumption loss due to the coronavirus as estimated in Table 3 below.

Figure 1: Annual sectoral net borrowing (in the past and estimated for 2020)

The diagram and table show that business retained earnings usually provide the main source of saving, with resources also coming from households and negative net borrowing by the rest of the world (positive net lending to the US economy). The government is the principal net borrower, as underlined by its role in recent macroeconomic events and especially now.

Recession and the Trump Tax Cut

The 2007-09 recession was precipitated by private sector retrenchment in wake of the financial crisis. Household consumption was flat, while private investment fell by 30%. Household saving and business retained earnings went up, meaning that the overall private saving rate rose from 19% to 22%. Output rose between 2007 and 2009. It would have dropped dramatically if the net government tax-minus-transfer rate had been stable. But in fact it fell from 15% to 6% due to automatic stabilizers and the Obama stimulus package of around 5% of GDP. The overall impact was that private net borrowing fell by 10.2% of output while government borrowing went up by 8.6%. Reduction of the external deficit by 1.7% made up the difference.

In sum, the recession was not a disaster because of fiscal realignment. Causality ran from a private sector shock to automatic and discretionary government responses. It went the other way for the more modest Trump tax cut. The tax-minus-transfer rate fell from 11.6% to 10.7%, or about $185 billion. Output did go up by 2.9%, but the increase would have been greater if there had been a strong business investment boom instead of only a $320 billion increase. Lower business taxes were in large part distributed via dividends and share buybacks to households at the top of the income ladder with high saving rates.

Both episodes show that changing government net borrowing plays a key role in macroeconomic adjustment. More government spending on goods and services (unimportant in 2007-09) will also have to help absorb the covid-19 shock

Coronavirus and Consumption

The biggest immediate impact of the epidemic is loss of economic activity as businesses shut down in a supply shock. Unless they reopen rapidly, both payments to labor and profits will fall. Household consumption makes up almost 70% of GDP and will drop accordingly.

As an illustration, we can consider a consumption decrease over 2020 of $1.5 trillion from a 2019 level of $14.6 trillion, or 10% (a high but not unreasonable estimate). That amounts to seven percent of GDP. Because they have low or negative saving rates, households hit by loss of low-wage jobs at the bottom of the Table 1 ladder would be major contributors.

For households, saving basically equals income minus spending for consumption, (mostly) residential investment, and taxes. A decrease in consumption translates into higher saving, or in Table 3 a jump of the HH saving rate from 0.086 to 0.156. More saving means less demand creation so that output falls from 21.06 to 18.34 trillion dollars.

Table 3: Possible effects of the coronavirus shock

In a quirk of national accounting, HH net borrowing falls from -0.045 to -0.108, or net lending to the rest of the economy rises to close to 11% of GDP. Presumably the higher lending would take the form of paying off debt. In practice, that will not happen. The proper policy response would be a decrease in the governments tax-minus-transfer rate from 0.101 to 0.031, taking the form of a $1.5 trillion transfer to households, which could hold consumption spending and output stable over the year. Government borrowing would rise by 7% of GDP, or from $1.56 to $3.03 trillion (compare the two rightmost bars of Figure 1). This hypothetical percentage increase exceeds the actual change between 2007 and 2009 recorded in Table 2.

In other words, the only way to maintain economic activity is for the government to borrow to transfer money to households to support consumption. Ideally, a few hundred billion could be targeted specifically at the poorly paid quarter of the work force in the sectors in the lower part of Table 1, along with poor households who dont receive labor income.

There are more potential complications. Table 2 shows that private investment fell by around 30% between 2007 and 2009. Lower capital formation along with stable profits drove up retained earnings so that business net borrowing fell. Broadly similar shifts could be expected during the epidemic. Exports could decrease as well. On the other hand, increased government spending on goods and services would raise aggregate demand. In the rightmost column of Table 3, a plausible outcome would be a visible recession, despite government borrowing of 17% of GDP, or $3.4 trillion.

Reality check

The initial impact of covid-19 has been to annihilate labor income through the loss of employment. The challenge is to create demand to offset lost wages and consumer spending. The calculations herein are illustrative at best, although government net borrowing in Table 3 is close to the total outlay of stimulus packages approved by Congress. But there are further complications.

` As noted at the outset, more than three trillion dollars of new government debt is a non-trivial increase over the $22 trillion outstanding. Advocates of Modern Monetary Theory suggest that the Federal Reserve could absorb the new issues, adding to the 15% of government paper that it already holds. In the USA such an experiment is yet to be run.

The Fed has offered to intervene massively to buy up corporate debt, which would also run up its balance sheet. Nevertheless, bailouts for business will remain in political competition with transfers to households in bottom tiers of the income distribution which really need the money. The Obama stimulus directed less than half its outlays toward households. There could be better targeting under present circumstances.

Table 1 suggests that profits in some sectors could be taxed to help offset transfers. Real estate, finance, and information jump to attention.

Timing matters. GDP over one year is the reference frame for Table 3. If, as is likely, job losses and demand decreases are not offset over a shorter period, the effects on economic activity could be devastating.

Finally, immediate direct action is needed to overcome supply shortfalls for vast amounts of new medical and caretaker services, not to mention production of personal protective gear for caregivers.

Support from INET and help from Ozlem Omer are gratefully acknowledged.
Japan will impose an entry ban on foreign travelers coming from 21 European countries and Iran as part of stronger measures to contain the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday.

Starting midnight Thursday, those who have been to any of the 21 countries including Italy and Germany within 14 days of arriving in Japan will be turned away.

Japan has already closed its doors to foreign travelers from parts of China and South Korea, which had initially been hardest hit by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Speaking at a meeting of the newly created national headquarters on the coronavirus response, Abe also said Japan will begin asking visitors and its nationals arriving from some countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa to self-quarantine for 14 days.

The request applies to arrivals from 11 countries including Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, as well as Israel and Qatar, who will also be asked to watch for symptoms such as high fever and coughing, and refrain from using public transportation. It will last from midnight Friday through the end of next month.

Similar steps are in place for the United States and Egypt.

Japan will also suspend visas that have already been issued to citizens of the countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, lionized as a defender of China by its tightly controlled state media, has recently taken to Twitter to promote the claim that the coronavirus didn't originate in China -- a move which analysts said is part of a broader overseas disinformation campaign being waged by Beijing.



Since joining the foreign ministry spokesperson team on Feb. 20 at the height of the coronavirus epidemic, Zhao has been a prolific user of the platform, where he has been churning out tweets that "tell the China story well," as required by President Xi Jinping.



For Zhao, that story includes repeating the idea that the coronavirus that first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan actually originated in the United States.



"When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals?," Zhao tweeted on . "It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!"



The tweet triggered a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Washington, which summoned Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai for a formal protest, although Twitter said the tweet hadn't violated its guidelines.



Zhao was apparently undeterred. On , he retweeted a thread from a young mother in New Mexico who said she personally felt as if the coronavirus had been in the U.S. for a while.



"This isnt a conspiracy tweet but I really think COVID-19 has been here in America for awhile," @mamaxbea wrote. "Do you guys remember how sick everyone was during the holidays/early January? And how everyone was saying they had the flu and the flu shot 'didnt work'?"



The user later muted the thread and said her tweet was nothing more than "shower thoughts" based on knowing a few people who had gotten sick.



According to an informal analysis by RFA, Zhao tweeted 485 times in the space of a month, and generally tweets between 7.00 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. Beijing time. Around half of his tweets are sent from an iPhone.



But only 20 percent of his tweets are original content generated by him.



Muhammad in Pakistan

Zhao also likes to retweet comments by fellow foreign ministry spokepersons; tweets from the overseas arm of China's state broadcasting stable, CGTN and state media like Xinhua news agency and the China Daily.



He also picks up and retweets overseas politicians and websites critical of the United States, as well as comments from ordinary people grumbling about Washington's handling of the crisis.



Zhao is no stranger to Twitter, which is blocked by internet censors in mainland China, according to Alessandra Cappelletti, whose first awareness of Zhao came when he tweeted from the Chinese embassy in Pakistan, and added the name Muhammad to his bio.

"He seems to be using this Muslim name to reach his Muslim audiences. What surprised me even more is that for the first time, Im seeing a Chinese diplomat so freely and sometimes provocatively on a Western social media platform, which was banned in China," she told RFA.

Cappelletti, who carried out research into Chinese foreign policy in Muslim countries in 2015 and has been following Zhao's Twitter career for several years, said he had likely called himself Mohammad to appeal more to his followers in the country where he was posted.

His years in Pakistan were likely where Zhao honed his social media skills, she said.

"He responds very quickly, and with a very personal style," Cappelletti told RFA. "It seems that he doesn't need to get permission [first]."



"Of course I'm assuming that he will follow the instructions of the central propaganda department, but he comes across on social media as a bright Chinese diplomat who speaks his mind freely."



"This is very different from the typical Chinese diplomat, who is all about restraint and a collective approach [to external communication]," she said.

'Tell the China story well'

China's overseas propaganda offensive can be traced back to August 2013, when President Xi addressed the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideology, calling on officials and state-run media to "tell the China story well, and make sure China's voice is heard."



China diplomatic service swung into action in 2014, setting up social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter for its diplomatic missions around the world.



Social media, while blocked for ordinary people back home, is now seen as a key plank in Xi's drive to reshape China's international image.



Li said Beijing's propaganda specialists have now become adept at targeting different audiences around the world.



"On Twitter, they post more political statements and discussion of Chinese policy and stance, which fits the profile of Twitter users," she said. "A lot of Zhao's Twitter followers are international relations experts and journalists."



"Facebook users prefer to read more miscellaneous, leisure-related items, so the Chinese embassy in Italy, for example, will often post about Chinese food, places of natural beauty, history or idioms," Li said.



China is no stranger to information warfare, having honed its techniques last year on the anti-extradition and pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong last year, as well as the election campaign on the democratic island of Taiwan.



Nick Monaco, research director of the Digital Intelligence Lab (DigIntel) at the U.S.-based Institute for the Future, said China's online activity is now at unprecedented levels.

"Theres many layers (spreading conspiracy theories). There are official accounts, and little pinks. They tweet, quote articles, and then expand the publicity through official media outlets such as China Daily and People's Daily. Were seeing a larger, more layers, and strategic disinformation campaign. "



Disinfomation and conspiracy theories

Monaco said much of its content is disinfomation and conspiracy theories, making the fields of politics and public health ripe for exploitation.



He said the coronavirus pandemic -- where those areas overlap -- is a perfect opportunity for China to perfect its disinformation strategies

"Health and politics are the two main areas of online disinformation. When these two areas overlap, it is a good opportunity to create a perfect disinformation storm.".



Wu Min Hsuan of Taiwan's Doublethink Lab said China is cleverly leveraging a weakness of open platforms in democratic societies: their vulnerability to erroneous information and the difficulty of correcting errors once they have spread.



"China is creating opinion while at the same time controlling the media and censoring any opinions that oppose [the Chinese Communist Party]," Wu said.



He said Chinese official voices -- citing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying as an example -- routinely block anyone on Twitter who opposes Beijing's viewpoint, including dissidents, journalists and lawmakers.



For Zhao Lijian at least, the strategy seems to be working.



Zhao's Twitter following has grown to more than half a million people in the past month or so, compared with 266,000 for Hua Chunying and just 88,000 for the official foreign ministry spokeperson account.



Reported by Jane Tang for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
By Bahk Eun-ji



The Korean and Hungarian governments, and SK Innovation are working together to bring some 150 Koreans stranded in Hungary back home on a chartered flight, according to the company officials, Friday.





SK Innovation's electric vehicle battery plant in Komarom, Hungary. /Courtesy of SK Innovation
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 20/3/2020 (663 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - This Wednesday, April 3, 2019, file photo shows a box filled with dollar bills, in New York. A growing number of businesses and individuals worldwide have stopped using banknotes in fear that physical currency, handled by tens of thousands of people over their useful life, could be a vector for the spreading coronavirus.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

NEW YORK - In a world suffering a pandemic, cash is no longer king.

A growing number of businesses and individuals worldwide have stopped using banknotes in fear that physical currency, handled by tens of thousands of people over their useful life, could be a vector for the spreading coronavirus.

Public officials and health experts have said that the risk of transferring the virus person-to-person through the use of banknotes is small. But that has not stopped businesses from refusing to accept currency and some countries from urging their citizens to stop using banknotes altogether.

Open Books, a non-profit bookstore in Chicago, sent an email to customers last week asking individuals not to use cash. A chain of diners in Washington State has also stopped accepting cash. And delivery services like Grubhub, Door Dash, and others have instituted "no contact" deliveries, and have either stopped offering cash as a payment option or are actively discouraging it.

Experts say cash does carry a risk of transmitting the virus, but the risk from cash so far is small compared with other transmission routes. A scientific paper published early in the outbreak found the virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The researchers, however, did not test whether it can live on banknote paper.

The presence of live virus particles on banknotes does not mean they are a health hazard, public health experts said. Virus particles are unlikely to return to the air, or aerosolize, once on a surface.

"Its not impossible that there might be traces of virus on dollar bills but if you wash your hands it should provide adequate protections, you shouldnt need anything else," said Julie Fischer, a professor at the Center for Global Health Science and Society at Georgetown University, on C-SPAN.

Other devices used to pay for items are just as likely to be vectors for disease transfer. Credit and debit cards are made of plastic and metal. ATMs are touched by hundreds of human hands a day. And there have been studies that show smartphones are heavily contaminated with bacteria because of their constant use.

Even the Federal Reserve has taken efforts to make sure the money supply is not contaminated. Banknotes that circulated in Europe and Asia are being quarantined for seven to 10 days as a "precautionary measure," according to a Federal Reserve spokesperson.

While businesses are discouraging cash usage, there have been reports of customers making large withdrawals from ATMs in several parts of the country. Some banks have had to order additional cash from the Fed or keep ATMs stocked at higher levels to allow larger customer withdrawals.

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.

Banknote avoidance is not just happening in the U.S. In South Korea, which has been more successful in stemming the outbreak, the countrys central bank took all banknotes out of circulation for two weeks or, in some cases, burned paper money.

The National Bank of Poland said Thursday on Twitter that "Polish banknotes are subjected to a quarantine" and are therefore safe to use in cash transactions. The bank did not respond to a request sent Friday for more details about how that works. But a business daily, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, described how commercial banks send the banknotes to the National Bank of Poland, which holds them two weeks and disinfects them at temperatures of at least 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit). After such operations, "clean" banknotes go back into circulation.

In Hungary, the central bank said that it is withdrawing billions of forints from circulation daily for two weeks, then "resting" them for a period of time that is believed to coincide with the virus survival time.

Iran is suffering the worst outbreak of the virus in the Middle East. Using cash there is common, but in recent weeks many people have avoided it and banks have announced that they will not accept cash from customers. Iranians often have multiple debit cards but cash is widely used in small-scale transactions, like buying bread in bakeries or leaving a tip. Many people have started even being careful in how they hand over debit cards, as contactless payment methods havent caught on there.

_____

Christopher Rugaber in Washington, D.C, and Nassar Karimi, in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. Vanessa Gera contributed to this report from Warsaw, Poland.
A mayor in Kentucky has come up with an unusually frank warning about the dangers of the coronavirus for his constituents.

Gabe Brown, mayor of Walton, posted in the Boone County Neighborhood Facebook group: "Listen up dipsh***s and sensible people.

"I might not have the best bedside [manner]. I might not put you at ease like the Governor does, but I don't care. You need to realise that this is a serious ordeal. In fact, it's a big f--cking deal. Stay at home."

"I didn't give you information to induce panic," the post continued. "I gave you information to stay informed."

The post also said that testing was limited and that "more cases are coming." It urged people to stay indoors away from others who could be at a higher risk.

On Thursday the New York Times reported that there were 198 cases and five deaths in the state. Cases have been rising over the past week, and one mayor urged his constituents to take the pandemic seriously in a strongly-worded Facebook post.

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has been sharing similar sentiments but in a more refined manner. He has a daily Covid-19 update for his constituents and, on Tuesday, responded to a "coronavirus party" in the state.

Anyone who goes to something like this may think theyre indestructible, but its someone elses loved one that they are going to hurt, Mr Beshear said. We are battling for the health and the lives of our parents and our grandparents. Dont be callous as to intentionally go to something and expose yourself to something that will hurt other people.

On Wednesday, he ordered all "non life-sustaining" businesses to close. The executive order also stated that the CDC and the Kentucky Department of Public Health practice social distancing, staying home when possible, and staying at least six feet away from others. The order then went into which businesses can remain open, including hardware stores, stores that "supply medical first responders and other healthcare workers," agricultural supply and equipment stories, and food and beverage manufacturers.

Mr Beshear has been praised for his daily updates and for ordering a state of emergency in early March, which helped local health institutions and schools plan for the pandemic.

As of Thursday, more than 510,000 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. More than 22,000 people have died. In the United States, more than 1,100 people have died, and more than 75,000 have been infected.

Later on Monday evening, in a separate Facebook post, Mr Brown apologised for his previous statements.

"I probably could've handled all of your comments with a little more tact and professionalism," he wrote. "Then again, some of you got told what you should've. Wash your hands you filthy animals."
Select the Somerset County Athlete of the Week for Jan. 3-7
But now it appears as though that policy is about to change.

The New York State Department of Health issued guidance on March 21 advising hospitals that they should allow at least one person in the delivery room, but some hospitals were ignoring that, Melissa DeRosa, the secretary to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, said on Saturday at a press conference.

On Friday the Department of Health updated the guidance to make it a directive, and we are going to reinforce that in an executive order, which will apply to both private and public hospitals, DeRosa said.

For labor and delivery, the department considers one support person essential to patient care throughout labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period, the Department of Health guidance said. This person can be the patients spouse, partner, sibling, doula or another person they choose.

Details about the two cases at Columbia were presented in a paper published online on Thursday in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM. According to the paper, the two women were the only ones admitted to the I.C.U. out of seven pregnant women at Columbia who were confirmed to have Covid-19.

Both of the women admitted to the I.C.U. were induced at 37 weeks and did not become symptomatic until after they delivered their babies, the paper said. They also had underlying health problems: One was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a pregnancy-related liver disorder, and the other with chronic hypertension.

The authors concluded that these case studies suggest a need for immediate changes in obstetric clinical practice, adding that it is reasonable to suspect that asymptomatic Covid-19 presentations are common and represent a substantial contribution to disease spread.

As New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, with nearly 39,000 cases in the state and more than 23,000 in New York City, area hospitals have become deluged with patients. From Wednesday morning to Thursday morning alone, 100 people died of the coronavirus in New York State, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said at a news briefing on Thursday.
Two persons have been picked up by the Techiman Divisional Police Command in the Bono East Region for allegedly producing and selling fake hand sanitizers.

The two, Daniel Opoku Ababio and his wife Dorothy Opoku, are expected to be put before the Techiman circuit court later today [Friday, March 27, 2020].

They were arrested by the police on Wednesday 25th March 2020 upon a tip-off.

The Crime Officer of the Techiman Divisional Police Command, DSP Kofi Sarkodie told Citi News investigation into the matter is underway.

Based on the information that we had, a team of police officers proceeded to the scene, that is the Kumasi-Techiman lorry station, found the guy and arrested him to the station with his wife, Opoku Ababio, and the wife Dorothy Opoku. We have to arraign them at the Techiman Circuit court otherwise we have to grant them bail to a reliable surety while we continue with our investigation, he said.

The demand for hand sanitizers has shot up in Ghana following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

As part of precautionary measures against the disease, experts have urged the public to commit to regular handwashing with soap under running water and also using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

This has shot up the demand for sanitizers with some private persons taken advantage to produce some locally for sale.

Health experts warn that such locally-produced ones may not be effective in the fight against COVID-19 as they may not have been made according to the expected standards.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has accredited some local companies to produce and sell hand sanitizers.

The companies such as Kasapreko Company Limited have suspended the production of alcoholic drinks and are now into the production of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Man 'tricked' into buying baby lotion instead of sanitizer

A stranded trader from Yeji was left fuming after realizing that he was tricked into buying baby lotion for GHS70 at Kumasi in the Ashanti Region instead of a hand sanitizer.

He came to the realization after interacting with a Citi News team which covered the disinfection exercise at the Adabraka Market on Monday, March 23, 2020.

After Citi News team gave him some drops of sanitizers to protect him from contacting COVID-19, the trader was furious over how he had been misled.

citinewsroom
The coronavirus outbreak has exposed rifts in the Australian federation reminiscent of the dark days of the Great Depression when WA voted to secede and NSW went rogue and defaulted on its debts.

In the past few weeks, states have closed their borders to each other, the federal government and NSW have brawled over the Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle, while Victoria has rejected the health strategies adopted by other states.

Loading

COVID-19 does not represent an existential risk to the federation. But the interconnected health and economic crises brought on by the virus have shown up its shortcomings. Fortunately, the trajectory of last week has been positive, suggesting that Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the premiers are learning to work with each other more effectively. Federation is manageable provided there is flexibility. The key lesson for all involved is it not necessary for all states to do exactly the same thing.

Much of the variation in local policies will reflect the different rates of infection in each state. With the highest rate of infection, NSW might have to adopt different strategies to WA, where case numbers are currently low. No harm is done to national unity if hairdressing salons are closed in Sydney but remain open in Perth.
TANZANIA Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)-Uyole Centre in Mbeya Region in collaboration with Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC) and other agribusiness stakeholders have organised agribusiness expo that aim at transforming subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.

The Director of TARI Uyole Centre, Dr Tulole Bucheyeki told the Daily News that the expo, which is scheduled for May 8 and 9th, this year at the center would provide one-stop production and marketing platform to farmers and create interaction and showcasing new technologies to farmers and other stakeholders.

According to Dr Bucheyeki, more than 14 exhibitors are expected to participate to the expo where over 3,000 stakeholders will benefit from the technologies showcase.

Initially, various technologies will be displaced that include farm preparation, layout, planting and crops management at the site.

He pointed out that in this season, about 17 companies already enrolled and are participating in preparations of the exhibition. He added that various technologies such as maize, sunflowers, soybeans, beans, pyrethrum, sorghum, Irish potatoes, wheat and horticultural crop will be presented.

Others will include conservation agriculture (CA), agricultural inputs and post-harvest handling and processing technologies.

In this expo, TARI-Uyole has prepared to demonstrate new maize varieties as TARI ZH6305 and TARI ZH615ST, which were released in the last year 2019. The varieties has a high tolerance to pest and diseases and high yielding capacity, and can produce 9-10 tonnes per hectares, Dr Bucheyeki noted.

Dr Bucheyeki explained that in this year exhibition is aimed to reach the majority of farmers and other stakeholders along the value chain.

At present more than 1,000 farmers has already visited and trained at the site. All stakeholders engaging in agriculture such as farmers, researchers, agro-dealers, seed companies, agro-processing companies and entrepreneurs are freely invited to participate.

Highlighting activities carried out by TARI, the TARI Director General (DG) Dr Godfrey Mkamilo said TARI has the mandate of conducting research, disseminating research results to stakeholders and linking various agricultural stakeholders in the value chain which is done by its 17 TARI centres.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Law enforcement agencies throughout Washtenaw County are still working out the details on how to enforce Gov. Gretchen Whitmers Stay Home, Stay Safe order issued to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Whitmers order, which took effect Tuesday, March 24, requires most businesses and organizations to send their employees home until April 13 to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The order includes exemptions for essential employees and jobs related to public safety, health care and other critical industries, their suppliers and other distributors.

Businesses that fail to comply with the governors executive order could face a misdemeanor charge, $500 fine and 90 days in jail for each violation.

The Attorney Generals Office initially sought tips on violators through its consumer hotline, but now urges workers who feel their employer is violating the governors order to contact local law enforcement, creating confusion among the law enforcement community.

Michigan closed non-essential businesses to stop the spread of coronavirus. Now, local police are left trying to enforce it

These are unprecedented times and my office is working with Gov. Whitmers office, local law enforcement agencies and other parties to ensure these executive orders are being followed, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. The orders are in place to protect the public health and welfare of Michigans residents, and consequences will result to those found to be in willful violation. By working together through this public health emergency and staying home, we can help slow the spread of COVID-19 across the state.

At this time, residents can call 911 and dispatchers will route the call to the appropriate local agency, which will then determine, based on the allegation, what police response will be, Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office Spokesman Derrick Jackson said.

Jackson added that the sheriffs office is still coordinating with law enforcement throughout Washtenaw County to develop a unified response to how to enforce the governors order.

We are working with the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office and Michigan Attorney Generals Office to establish the necessary process that we, as local law enforcement, will follow for enforcement of the Governors emergency order to Stay Home, Stay Safe. Pittsfield Township Police Chief Matthew Harshberger said. There is also a matter of interpretation and/or clarification of the exceptions/exemptions of the emergency order that we are trying to nail down, so we are working through things as quickly as possible.

Calhoun County Sheriff Matt Saxton, the incoming executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, said police are working to get up to speed on how the order should be enforced, but doesnt expect officers to make many arrests during the next three weeks.

Nessels office provided a bit a clarity on enforcement, advising police to first provide a copy of the executive order to the offender and remind them that a violation is a $500 fine and/or 90 days in jail.

Should the offender still violate the order a second or third time, the AG advises police to contact their local county prosecutors office.

This situation is fluid and rapidly changing, and we appreciate your patience, Nessel said. Were all in this together and we are counting on every resident to do everything they can to stay safe, stay healthy and stay home.

Nearly 100 people infected with coronavirus in Washtenaw County

As of March 26, there have been 92 confirmed reported cases of the virus in Washtenaw County with 22 individuals being hospitalized and three persons who have died, according to the Washtenaw County Health Department.

Ten infected individuals in Washtenaw County have recovered.

Throughout the state, there have been 2,856 confirmed reported cases and 60 deaths as of March 26.

Michigan coronavirus numbers now at 2,856 cases, doubling in three days

The Attorney Generals Consumer Protection team will continue to take reports of price-gouging and scams, Nessel said.

Complaints can be submitted through the offices website online or by calling the offices tip line at 877-765-8388.

Anyone seeking interpretation of an executive order should first review those orders and the Frequently Asked Questions listed on the states website devoted to COVID-19.

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan.

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.

Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, counter tops) and when you go into places like stores.
A line up of celebrities head to Istanbul in a brand new series of Pilgrimage on BBC Two.

Hot on the heels of the first two series that saw familiar faces embark on a journey of discovery, to Santiago and Rome, Pilgrimage returns to BBC Two for a third outing this spring.

Advertisements

Seven new famous faces will take to the open road, as they follow a completely different pilgrimage in Pilgrimage: The Road To Istanbul.

The well known personalities taking part include journalist Adrian Chiles, a converted Catholic; former politician Edwina Currie, a lapsed Jew; Olympian Fatima Whitbread, a practicing Christian and broadcaster Mim Shaikh and television presenter Amar Latif, both Muslims.

They're joined by two confirmed atheists, comedian Dom Joly and actor Pauline McLynn.

The start date for Pilgrimage has been confirmed for Friday, March 27 at 9PM on BBC Two. Episodes will air weekly.

The group will live as simple pilgrims following an ancient military route to the historic city of Istanbul, which has been transformed into a modern-day path of peace.

A teaser from the BBC reveals: "Formed just over ten years ago and designed to promote tolerance for all faiths and cultures, Pilgrimage: The Road To Istanbul will be a journey of discovery and adventure for our pilgrims.

Advertisements

"Donning backpacks and walking boots, theyll stay in basic hostels, sleep in shared dorms, and follow a largely untrodden route. Starting in Serbias capital city Belgrade, the pilgrims will travel through Bulgaria and the mountainous Balkans, before crossing the border into Turkey, with their goal of reaching Istanbul and the magnificent Suleymaniye Mosque."

The celebs will cover over 1,000 kilometres across two weeks.

In the first episode, the seven pilgrims arrive in Belgrade, Serbia, and find out for the first time who they will be sharing their pilgrim adventure with.

Leaving the city behind, the pilgrims head into the countryside and away from the hustle and bustle. Relying on the Sultans Trail app to help guide them across Europe, Adrian (a converted Catholic) and Mim (a practicing Muslim) are the first to plot their way, as they look for the fortified Manasija monastery, hidden in the hills.

Advertisements

As they progress through the Serbian countryside Amar, who has been blind since the age of 18, leads the pilgrims in the ancient tradition of scrumping.

Pilgrimage: The Road To Istanbul will air in three, hour-long episodes on BBC Two from Friday, March 27th.
Two hungry foxes have been captured on camera chomping on the carcass of an alpaca at a zoo in China after it was shut for weeks due to the coronavirus.

Hundreds of animals there were said to have starved to death after being left unattended during the lengthy closure.

The zoo's staff said the owner had struggled to look after the animals due to a lack of profit after closing the business for over two months.

Two foxes have been captured on camera chomping on the carcass of an alpaca as hundreds of animals stranded in a Chinese zoo 'starve to death' due to the coronavirus lockdown

Recent footage shows the arctic foxes devouring the dead alpaca inside a filthy cage at the indoor zoo in Changsha, Hunan Province of central China.

Over 200 animals - including rabbits, squirrels and guinea pigs - were reportedly trapped in the 'Animal Party Themed Park'.

Staff members said some of them died from hunger during the lockdown and their carcasses were left unattended in the closed zoo.

'One of the alpacas literally starved to death because there wasn't enough food stored for them,' a former zookeeper told Pear Video. 'Animals were starting to eat each other.'

The anonymous employee said her colleagues had to use their own money to feed the malnourished animals.

'A lot, a lot of them died. Some even died before the coronavirus,' she added.

It came after the owner struggled to look after the animals due to a lack of profit after closing the business for over two months, the staff told the local press on Tuesday. The picture shows the empty cages in the zoo amid the coronavirus outbreak

The zoo struggled with its business since it first opened in December last year, said a worker, known by his alias Li Ping.

He said the financial difficulty was heightened after the themed park shut due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The staff members discovered the dead animals when they recently returned to the closed zoo, hoping to find the owner who hadn't paid their salaries since January.

The staff members discovered the dead animals when they recently returned to the closed zoo, hoping to find the owner who hadn't paid their salaries since January. Visitors are seen taking selfies at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on Wednesday

The zoo manager, known by his surname Wu, claimed that the animals died because 'they weren't used to the local weather.'

He denied the lack of food for the animals and told the press that most of them were transferred to a local animal farm in early February.

Mr Wu said that the management would deal with the carcasses and remove any live animals still trapped in the zoo.

Zookeepers are pictured feeding two giraffes in Cumiana during Italy's coronavirus lockdown

The news comes as the novel coronavirus has infected over 531,000 people and the death toll has risen to 23,956.

US has overtaken China today with 81,782 confirmed cases, more than any other country in the world.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed today that he tested positive for the deadly disease, which has infected over 11,000 people in the UK and 578 deaths.
Campbell Soup Co (NYSE:CPB), Hingham Institution for Savings (NASDAQ:HIFS) and Worthington Industries Inc (NYSE:WOR) announced quarterly dividends on Wednesday, March 25. These three companies are loyal payers, as they have been paying dividends for decades.

Campbell Soup Co

The Camden, New Jersey-based manufacturer and marketer of food and beverage products in North America announced that on April 27 it will pay a quarterly dividend of 35 cents per common share, which is in line with the previous distribution, to shareholders of record April 9. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for April. 8.





Based on Wednesday's closing share price of $41.41, the quarterly dividend produces a forward dividend yield of 3.3% versus the industry median of 2.74% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.38% versus the industry median of 2.51%.

Campbell Soup has been paying quarterly dividends since July 1985 and increased them by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.33% over the past five years.

The packaged foods company funds the quarterly dividend payment with nearly $60 million available in cash on hand as of the most recent quarter, which ended on Jan. 25, 2020. Approximately $1.4 billion in trailing 12-month operating cash inflows helped the company to underpin the payment from Jan. 28, 2019 to Jan. 27, 2020.

Year to date, the stock price has dropped 16.2%. The 52-week range is $33.16 to $57.54 and the market capitalization stands at around $12.5 billion.

The Peter Lynch chart below shows that the stock is trading far above its earnings line, indicating that the current share price is high.

Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend a hold rating for shares of Campbell Soup Co with an average target price of $49.65 per share.

Story continues

Hingham Institution for Savings

The Hingham, Massachusetts-based regional bank announced that on April 15 it will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 42 cents per common share to shareholders of record as of April 6. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for April 3. The payment will represent a 2.4% hike from the previous quarterly cash dividend.

Based on Wednesday's closing share price of $129.89, the quarterly cash dividend produces a forward dividend yield of 1.18% versus the industry median of 4.55% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 1.21% versus the industry median of 4.44%.

Hingham Institution for Savings has been paying dividends since May 1989. The dividend has grown at a CAGR of 8.73% over the past five years.

The bank backs the quarterly dividend with cash balances that amounted to $9 million as of the most recent fiscal year, which ended on Dec. 30, 2019. Trailing 12-month cash inflows from operating activities of $33.2 million were also used to finance the payment of the quarterly dividend from Jan. 16, 2019 to Jan. 15, 2020.

Year to date, the stock price has lost 38.2%. The 52-week range is $129.89 to $216.82 and the market capitalization is approximately $277.54 million.

Based on the Peter Lynch chart, the stock is trading below its earnings line, suggesting that the current share price is still affordable.

Worthington Industries Inc

The Columbus, Ohio-based steel products company announced that on June 29, it will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 24 cents per common share, which is in line with the previous distribution. In order to benefit, shareholders must be on the books of the company not later than June 15. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for June 12.

Based on Wednesday's closing share price of $22.65, the quarterly dividend generates a forward dividend yield of 4.07% compared to the industry median of 4.56% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 4.19% versus the industry median of 4.42%.

Worthington Industries Inc has been paying quarterly dividends since 1968, the year that the company went public. The dividend increased at a CAGR of 7.33% over the past five years.

Financially, the steel company supports the payment of the quarterly dividend with cash on hand and operating cash inflows. There were funds of $72.3 million available in cash on hand on Nov. 29, 2019 (the end of the most recent quarter reported). The business generated cash inflows of $291.2 million over the last 12 months reported through Nov. 29, 2019.

The share price has fallen 46.3% so far this year. The 52-week range is $19.28 to $44.69 and the market capitalization is roughly $1.27 billion.

The Peter Lynch chart shows that the stock is trading near the earnings line, which indicates that the current share price is not expensive.

Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend a hold rating for shares of Worthington Industries Inc and have established an average target price of $40 per share.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any securities mentioned.

Read more here:







Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Advertisement

Doctors celebrated its 20th anniversary on Thursday and the popular BBC medical soap has given a collection of celebrities their acting break over the last two decades.

Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke, The Crown's Claire Foy and Killing Eve's Jodie Comer are just some of the names to have appeared on the programme since its launch on 26 March 2000.

Also making up the impressive star-studded credits over the years are Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne, Skins' Nicholas Hoult, Cilla's Sheridan Smith, Coronation Street's Kym Marsh, Call The Midwife's Helen George and Lucifer's Tom Ellis.

Star-studded cameos: Doctors celebrated its 20th anniversary on Thursday and the popular BBC medical soap has given a collection of celebrities their acting break over the last two decades (Phoebe Waller-Bridge, left, and Emilia Clarke, right, both pictured on Doctors in 2009)

Talking about the 20th anniversary, executive producer Mike Hobson, who has worked on the BBC medical soap since 2000, said: 'Doctors has the unique ability to do something that no other continuing drama can do and we are incredibly lucky to work with such talented guest cast who work alongside our regular cast members.

'We have become known for our famous faces with literally hundreds having graced our screens over the past 20 years and we look forward to welcoming many more in the future.'

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge starred in a 2009 episode of Doctors called Chef's Secret as Katie Burbridge before her global star status.

The star, 34, has since gone on to write and star in her own hit series Fleabag, which is based on her one-woman routine first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Phoebe has also created the hit assassin drama Killing Eve with Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh taking on the leading roles of Villanelle and Eve Polastri, respectively.

First role: Phoebe Waller-Bridge starred in a 2009 episode of Doctors called Chef's Secret as Katie Burbridge before her global star status

Superstar: The star, 34, has since gone on to write and star in her own hit series Fleabag, which is based on her one-woman routine first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (pictured in Doctors, left, and Fleabag, right)

The star was even called in to offer her expertise for the upcoming Bond film No Time To Die, which will be Daniel Craig's last time as 007.

Over the last year, Phoebe, scooped six trophies at the Emmy Awards and has since dominated award ceremonies across the globe with her incredible writing skills.

Only recently, the award-winning star signed a reported 15 million-a-year deal til 2022 with Amazon Studios and revealed she'll work on new projects with the Fleabag team.

Wow: Over the last year, Phoebe, scooped six trophies at the Emmy Awards and has since dominated award ceremonies across the globe with her incredible writing skills (pictured in September at the Emmys)

Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke's first ever acting role was in a 2009 episode of Doctors called Empty Nest as Saskia Mayer before her global 'Mother of Dragons' status.

First role: Emilia Clarke's first ever acting role was in a 2009 episode of Doctors called Empty Nest as Saskia Mayer before her global 'Mother of Dragons' status (pictured in Doctors, left, and earlier this year, right)

The actress, 33, has since become a leading Hollywood star thanks to her eight-year role as Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's fantasy novels.

Emilia has also starred in a number of movies, including Last Christmas, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Me Before You.

Leading name: The actress, 33, has since become a leading Hollywood star thanks to her eight-year role as Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's fantasy novels (pictured in show still alongside Jon Snow's Kit Harington)

Claire Foy

Claire Foy appeared in a 2008 episode of Doctors called The Party's Over as Chloe Webster eight years before her career took off as Queen Elizabeth II.

The actress, 35, went on to take the leading role in Netflix's The Crown in 2016 alongside Matt Smith, which chronicles the life of the royal family from 1940s to the present day.

So young! Claire Foy appeared in a 2008 episode of Doctors called The Party's Over as Chloe Webster eight years before her career took off as Queen Elizabeth II

Starting out: The actress, 35, went on to take the leading role in Netflix's The Crown in 2016 alongside Matt Smith, which chronicles the life of the royal family from 1940s to the present day (pictured in Doctors, left, and in 2016, right)

Claire became a global name thanks to her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in seasons one and two, earning her the Best Actress award at both the Golden Globes and Emmys.

The role has since been taken over by Oscar-winner Olivia Colman for the third season as it shows the royal family at a later stage of their lives in 1964.

Winner: Claire became a global name thanks to her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in seasons one and two, earning her the Best Actress award at both the Golden Globes and Emmys (pictured in 2017 show still)

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer starred in a 2012 episode of Doctors called Another Day, Another Dollar as Kelly Lowther before her global Villanelle status.

The Liverpudlian actress, 27, has since soared to A-list stardom thanks to her leading assassin role in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Killing Eve.

Talented: Jodie Comer starred in a 2012 episode of Doctors called Another Day, Another Dollar as Kelly Lowther before her global Villanelle status

Assassin: The Liverpudlian actress, 27, has since soared to A-list stardom thanks to her leading assassin role in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Killing Eve (pictured in Doctors, left, and in September, right)

Incredible: Jodie dominated the award ceremonies earlier this, winning Best Actress at both the Emmys and BAFTAs for her role in Killing Eve (pictured with co-star Sandra Oh in show still)

Jodie dominated the award ceremonies earlier this, winning Best Actress at both the Emmys and BAFTAs.

The star is now filming Hollywood movies The Last Duel and Free Guy, alongside Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Ryan Reynolds.

Jodie has appeared in several television shows over the years, including Holby City, Waterloo Road, Silent Witness, Casualty, My Mad Fat Diary, Doctor Foster and Thirteen.

Hollywood: The star is now filming Hollywood movies The Last Duel and Free Guy, alongside Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Ryan Reynolds (pictured after winning her Emmy in September)

Eddie Redmayne

Eddie Redmayne starred in a 2003 episode of Doctors called Crescendo as Rob Huntley before taking on the leading role in J. K. Rowling's movie franchise.

The Burberry model, 38, has since won an Oscar for his portrayal of late Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything.

Starting out: Eddie Redmayne starred in a 2003 episode of Doctors called Crescendo as Rob Huntley before taking on the leading role in J. K. Rowling's movie franchise

He's a winner: The Burberry model, 38, has since won an Oscar for his portrayal of late Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything (pictured in Doctors, left, and in October, right)

Magical: Eddie has the leading role of Newt Scamander in J. K. Rowling's franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring alongside Johnny Depp and Jude Law (pictured in film still)

Eddie has the leading role of Newt Scamander in J. K. Rowling's franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring alongside Johnny Depp and Jude Law.

The actor has also starred in critically-acclaimed films The Danish Girl, Les Miserables, The Aeronauts and The Other Boleyn Girl.

Talented: The actor has also starred in critically-acclaimed films The Danish Girl, Les Miserables, The Aeronauts and The Other Boleyn Girl (pictured in his Oscar-winning role The Theory of Everything in 2014)

Nicholas Hoult

Nicholas Hoult starred in a 2001 episode of Doctors called Unfinished Business as Conor Finch before his leading role in About A Boy alongside Hugh Grant and Rachel Weisz in 2002.

Stardom: Nicholas Hoult starred in a 2001 episode of Doctors called Unfinished Business as Conor Finch (pictured in 2002, left, and 2019, right)

The actor went on to bag a leading role on 2007 teenage drama series Skins as Tony Stonem, with his co-stars Luke Pasqualino and Dev Patel going on to find further fame.

Nicholas, the ex of Jennifer Lawrence, has since starred in Hollywood films Mission: Impossible, The Favourite, Tolkien, the X-Men series, Mad Max: Fury Road and Deadpool 2.

Leading man: Nicholas, the ex of Jennifer Lawrence, has since starred in Hollywood films Mission: Impossible, The Favourite, Tolkien, the X-Men series (pictured in film still, left), Mad Max: Fury Road and Deadpool 2

Sheridan Smith

Sheridan Smith appeared twice in Doctors, once in a 2000 episode called Late Action Hero as Claire and four years later in a 2004 episode called Gap Year as Jackie Leavis.

The currently pregnant actress, 38, has had a successful career since, bagging a regular role on Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps as Claire and starring as James Corden's on-screen sister Rudi on Gavin & Stacey.

Star: Sheridan Smith appeared twice in Doctors, once in a 2000 episode called Late Action Hero as Claire and four years later in a 2004 episode called Gap Year as Jackie Leavis (pictured this month)

Iconic: The currently pregnant actress, 38, has had a successful career since, bagging a regular role on Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps as Claire and starring as James Corden's on-screen sister Rudi on Gavin & Stacey (pictured)

Award-winner: Sheridan has also won a NTA and BAFTA for her roles in Mrs Biggs and Cilla (pictured in show still in 2014)

Sheridan has also won a NTA and BAFTA for her roles in Mrs Biggs and Cilla. The star has taken on hard-hitting roles in The C Word and The Moorside, based on based on the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews in 2008.

As well as a successful television career, Sheridan has won several gongs for her musical performances including two Laurence Olivier Awards for her roles in Legally Blonde and Flare Path.

Kym Marsh

Kym Marsh appeared in a 2005 episode of Doctors called Bad Chemistry as Ruth Parry four years after finding fame in 2001 band Hear'Say.

The actress, 43, went on to bag a regular role as lovable barmaid Michelle Connor on Coronation Street from 2006 until 2019.

Her road to acting: Kym Marsh appeared in a 2005 episode of Doctors called Bad Chemistry as Ruth Parry four years after finding fame in 2001 band Hear'Say

Iconic: The actress, 43, went on to bag a regular role as lovable barmaid Michelle Connor on Coronation Street from 2006 until 2019 (pictured in soap still in October)

Kym left her role of almost 14 years last year, announcing her exit in February 2019 - she admitted her daughter Emily Mae Cunliffe's new baby and her grandchild was one of the reasons for her exit.

She said: 'Another big factor in my decision to take a break from Corrie is the impending arrival of my grandson. Im looking forward to having more time to spend with him and Emilie after he's born this summer.'

Kym is reportedly set to make a return to screens in writer Kay Mellor's hit BBC anthology series The Syndicate.

Helen George

Helen George appeared in a 2011 episode of Doctors called A Life in the Day as Andrea Towers.

The cameo came just one year before the star, 35, bagged a leading role as Trixie Franklin in the popular drama Call the Midwife.

Starting out: Helen George appeared in a 2011 episode of Doctors called A Life in the Day as Andrea Towers

Amazing: The cameo came just one year before the star, 35, bagged a leading role as Trixie Franklin in the popular drama Call the Midwife (pictured in Doctors, left, and November, right)

Incredible: In 2015, Helen took part in Strictly Come Dancing where she finished in sixth place with Aljaz Skorjanec (pictured as her Call the Midwife character Trixie Franklin)

In 2015, Helen took part in Strictly Come Dancing where she finished in sixth place with Aljaz Skorjanec.

While in 2018 she made her first film debut in Nativity Rocks!, starring alongside Ruth Jones and Craig Revel Horwood.

Rachel Shenton

Rachel Shenton appeared twice in Doctors, once in a 2006 episode called Positively Blooming as Sadie Slade and a year later in a 2007 episode called Careers Day as Jade Hearn.

The actress, 32, went on bag a leading role on Hollyoaks as Mitzeee Minniver from 2010 to 2013.

Fan: Rachel Shenton appeared twice in Doctors, once in a 2006 episode called Positively Blooming as Sadie Slade and a year later in a 2007 episode called Careers Day as Jade Hearn

Soap star: The actress, 32, went on bag a leading role on Hollyoaks as Mitzeee Minniver from 2010 to 2013 (pictured in Doctors, left, and Hollyoaks, right)

While she earned global success thanks to her part in Switched at Birth as Lily Summers from 2014 to 2017, starring alongside High School Musical star Lucas Grabeel.

In 2018, Rachel won an Oscar for her 20-minute film, The Silent Child, which tells the story of a deaf girl born into a family who struggle to cope with the condition.

Wow: In 2018, Rachel won an Oscar for her 20-minute film, The Silent Child, which tells the story of a deaf girl born into a family who struggle to cope with the condition (pictured)

Tom Ellis

Tom Ellis appeared in a 2005 episode of Doctors called Slim Chance as Ricky Adams.

Role: Tom Ellis appeared in a 2005 episode of Doctors called Slim Chance as Ricky Adams, he has since moved to Los Angeles were he has found Hollywood fame as the main role in Netflix 's Lucifer (pictured)

Fun: The actor and ex-husband of Tamzin Outhwaite, 41, starred in Miranda as Gary Preston alongside creator and leading actress Miranda Hart (pictured)

The actor and ex-husband of Tamzin Outhwaite, 41, has since starred in Miranda as Gary Preston alongside creator and leading actress Miranda Hart.

Tom has since moved to Los Angeles were he has found Hollywood fame as the main role in Netflix's Lucifer, an American comedy series which revolves around the devil, it started in 2016.

Tracy Brabin

Labour shadow minister Tracy Brabin has starred on Doctors seven times over the years, once in 2000 as Lucy Carlton and she went on to return as different roles in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

The shadow culture secretary, 58, recently caused controversy after she wore an off-the-shoulder dress while speaking in the House of Commons.

Regular roles! Labour shadow minister Tracy Brabin has starred on Doctors seven times over the years, once in 2000 as Lucy Carlton and she went on to return as different roles in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 (pictured on show in 2009, left, and 2011, right)

One Twitter user shared a photograph of her wearing the controversial outfit and asked: 'Is this really appropriate attire for parliament?'

In a sharply worded response, Tracy replied: 'Sorry I don't have time to reply to all of you commenting on this but I can confirm I'm not....

'A s**g, hungover, a tart, about to breastfeed, a slapper, drunk, just been banged over a wheelie bin. Who knew people could get so emotional over a shoulder...'

Controversy: The shadow culture secretary, 58, recently caused controversy after she wore an off-the-shoulder dress while speaking in the House of Commons (pictured)

Iconic: Tracy played Tricia Armstrong on Coronation Street from 1994 until 1997 (pictured on soap in 1994 alongside Curly Watts' Kevin Kennedy)

Tracy played Tricia Armstrong on Coronation Street from 1994 until 1997, she also had roles in EastEnders as Roxy in 2001 and Emmerdale as Carole in 2014.

The shadow culture secretary replaced Jo Cox as Labour MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire, after she was murdered by far-right extremist Thomas Mair in 2016.

Stefanie Powers

Stefanie Powers starred in a collection of Doctors episodes in 2001 as Jane Powers.

Hollywood star: Stefanie Powers starred in a collection of Doctors episodes in 2001 as Jane Powers

Leading role: The Hollywood star, 77, is best known for her leading role as Jennifer Hart on the 80s sitcom Hart to Hart, alongside Robert Wagner. It ran from 1979 until 1984 (pictured in 1979 alongside Wagner)

Royal connections: Stefanie currently splits her time between the UK, Los Angeles and Kenya. She counts Prince Charles a close friend after meeting years ago through their mutual love of polo (pictured in November)

The Hollywood star, 77, is best known for her leading role as Jennifer Hart on the 80s sitcom Hart to Hart, alongside Robert Wagner. It ran from 1979 until 1984.

Stefanie currently splits her time between the UK, Los Angeles and Kenya. She counts Prince Charles a close friend after meeting years ago through their mutual love of polo.

Adam Thomas

Adam Thomas appeared on Doctors three separate times, once in 2002 as Declan, then in 2007 as Rohan Jameson and for a final time in 2009 as Ben Hamilton.

Three times! Adam Thomas appeared on Doctors three separate times, once in 2002 as Declan, then in 2007 as Rohan Jameson and for a final time in 2009 as Ben Hamilton

Soap star: The soap star, 31, bagged a leading role on Emmerdale as Adam Barton from 2009 to 2018 (pictured on the soap in 2017)

The soap star, 31, bagged a leading role on Emmerdale as Adam Barton from 2009 to 2018, while he appeared on the 2016 series of I'm A Celebrity, landing a short-lived presenter career on now axed spin-off Extra Camp in 2019.

Adam was also a main character on Waterloo Road as Donte Charles from 2006 to 2009.

Claire King

Claire King starred in a 2002 episode of Doctors called Into the Shadows as Jenny Hennessey.

TV legend: Claire King starred in a 2002 episode of Doctors called Into the Shadows as Jenny Hennessey (pictured in March)

Villain: The actress, 58, went on to bag the iconic role of villain Kim Tate on Emmerdale from 1989 to 1999, she made an explosive return in 2018 (pictured in 1995, left, and 2018, right)

The actress, 58, went on to bag the iconic role of villain Kim Tate on Emmerdale from 1989 to 1999, she made an explosive return in 2018.

Claire also starred on Coronation Street as Erica Holroyd from 2014 to 2017 and the legendary prison series Bad Girls as Karen Betts from 2000 to 2004.

Denise Welch

Denise Welch appeared on Doctors three separate times, once in 2004 as Jane Howard, then in 2015 as Judith Whitney and for a final time in 2016 as Denise Brown.

Regular appearance: Denise Welch appeared on Doctors three separate times, once in 2004 as Jane Howard, then in 2015 as Judith Whitney and for a final time in 2016 as Denise Brown (pictured in Doctors, left, and this month, right)

Cobbles: The Loose Women star, 61, is known for her role as Natalie on the Coronation Street cobbles from 1997 until 2000 (pictured on the soap)

The Loose Women star, 61, is known for her role as Natalie on the Coronation Street cobbles from 1997 until 2000.

Denise, whose son is The 1975 frontman Matthew Healy, later starred as Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road from 2006 until 2010.

Lisa Riley

Lisa Riley starred in Doctors twice, once in 2003 as Sandra Reynolds and again in 2012 as Laura Mowbray.

Twice: Lisa Riley starred in Doctors twice, once in 2003 as Sandra Reynolds and again in 2012 as Laura Mowbray (pictured in January 2019)

Household name: The actress, 43, became a household name thanks to her role as Mandy Dingle on Emmerdale from 1995 to 2001, she returned to the soap in 2019 (pictured in 1999, left, and 2018, right)

The actress, 43, became a household name thanks to her role as Mandy Dingle on Emmerdale from 1995 to 2001, she returned to the soap in 2019.

Lisa also had roles on hard-hitting 2017 drama Three Girls as Lorna Bowen and Fat Friends as Rebecca Patterson, which ran from 2002 to 2005.

Davood Ghadami

Davood Ghadami starred in Doctors twice, once in 2009 as Tariq Kalbasi and he then secured a more regular role as Aran Chandar from 2012 to 2013.

The actor, 37, is now a permanent feature on EastEnders as handsome Kush Kazemi, he landed the Albert Square gig in 2014.

Starting out: Davood Ghadami starred in Doctors twice, once in 2009 as Tariq Kalbasi and he then secured a more regular role as Aran Chandar from 2012 to 2013 (pictured in 2013 on the medical soap)

Roles: The actor, 37, is now a permanent feature on EastEnders as handsome Kush Kazemi, he landed the Albert Square gig in 2014 (pictured)

Davood has also appeared on Casualty as Ramin Tehrani from 2013 to 2014 and Doctor Who as Jim in 2011.

In 2017, he took part in Strictly Come Dancing where he was eliminated on week 11 with Nadiya Bychkova.

Eliminated: In 2017, he took part in Strictly Come Dancing where he was eliminated on week 11 with Nadiya Bychkova (pictured)

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage starred in Doctors in 2001 as Dr. Tom Steele in two different episode, Good Companions and Cat's Out of the Bag.

Starting out: Richard Armitage starred in Doctors in 2001 as Dr. Tom Steele in two different episode, Good Companions and Cat's Out of the Bag (pictured on show, left, and in January, right)

The Ocean's 8 star, 48, has since found stardom in the The Hobbit franchise as Thorin Oakenshield, he featured in 2012, 2013 and 2014 films An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies.

Richard has also had roles on the likes of Spooks as Lucas North, Netflix's The Stranger as Adam Price, Robin Hood as Guy of Gisborne, Cold Feet as Lee Preston and Hannibal as Francis Dolarhyde.

Fame: The Ocean's 8 star, 48, has since found stardom in the The Hobbit franchise as Thorin Oakenshield, he featured in 2012, 2013 and 2014 films An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies (pictured alongside Martin Freeman)

Other stars that have appeared on the medical show include The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Sandra Dickinson, 71, who appeared in 2015 as Jenny Jarvis, and EastEnders Tracy Ann Oberman, 53, who appeared on the show in 2004 and 2009.

While Hollyoaks stars Sarah Jayne Dunn, 38, starred as Adele Pearson on the show in 2017 and Ali Bastian, 38, had a regular role as Becky Clarke until November 2019.

Role: Other stars that have appeared on the medical show include The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Sandra Dickinson, 71, who appeared in 2015 as Jenny Jarvis (pictured on Doctors, left, and in 2009, right)

Soap star: EastEnders Tracy Ann Oberman, 53, appeared on the show in 2004 and 2009

Star: Hollyoaks stars Sarah Jayne Dunn, 38, starred as Adele Pearson on the show in 2017 (pictured)
Manitobans can see an epidemic on the horizon, and its coming closer. Like people in other countries, some here have apparently decided their best defence is to stock up on toilet paper, and the shelves of some stores have been stripped bare as a result. It doesnt actually help, but it may answer the need to feel that one is taking charge, getting ready, doing something.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

Manitobans can see an epidemic on the horizon, and its coming closer. Like people in other countries, some here have apparently decided their best defence is to stock up on toilet paper, and the shelves of some stores have been stripped bare as a result. It doesnt actually help, but it may answer the need to feel that one is taking charge, getting ready, doing something.

Premier Brian Pallister should channel that instinct into more constructive directions. His government should look down the road to the measures that may be needed in a few weeks and that we could be starting to deal with now.

Manitobans understand this kind of situation. Every few years the spring thaw produces a Red River flood that creeps slowly northward, spreads across the landscape and forces evacuation of low-lying ground around Winnipeg and Selkirk. We see it coming a long way off. When Grand Forks, N.D., gets swamped, we know what will happen here a week or 10 days later. We dont stock up on toilet paper  we start filling sandbags.

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.

The looming threat we see on the horizon this season is not a flood, but the viral disease COVID-19, first observed in China three months ago. The disease has now spread rapidly in Italy and Spain, where the number of severe cases has far outstripped the capacity of the hospitals. For purposes of understanding COVID-19, Italy is our Grand Forks, and we would do well to observe carefully the manner in which the virus has overwhelmed Italys health infrastructure.

The official strategy of Canada and its provinces at the moment is to "flatten the curve"  keep some people out of the danger of infection for the time being so that some are infected early on and others much later. If everybody gets sick at the same time, the hospitals dont have enough intensive care beds nor enough respirators nor enough doctors and nurses to treat the severely ill patients. If the infections can be spread more widely over time, the theory goes, the spike will not be so sharp and the hospitals can handle it.

Flattening the curve is to be accomplished by self-isolation for people arriving from overseas and people with symptoms who do not require hospital care. For the rest of us, we are to keep at least two metres apart from each other so that we are unlikely to catch the disease from the unrecognized virus carriers in our midst.

Italy and Spain tried to flatten the curve. Clearly, their efforts were not effective. The hospitals in those countries are overwhelmed so that they must deny care to some patients who need it  and watch them die. Canada and Manitoba might succeed where Italy and Spain failed, but we should not count on it.

Mr. Pallister and his government should identify a few locations that could be pressed into service as temporary COVID-19 hospitals. It should start renovating them and equipping them. It should survey nursing and medical students, recently retired doctors and nurses, and health professionals with overseas degrees to find out who might be available for a few weeks of emergency service in COVID-19 treatment centres. It should appoint the supervisors who would run such centres and prepare the training that would be required.

Some have suggested putting up tents if we suddenly need to expand the hospitals. We can do better than that. We have sufficient advance notice. We should use the available time to start building and staffing the COVID-19 facilities we may suddenly need.
Governments are belatedly starting to show unity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Group of Twenty (G20) leaders virtual summit produced the outline of an international response to the coronavirus disease. The joint communique called for expanding the mandate of the World Health Organization (WHO), coordinating work on vaccines and medical supplies, and agreeing on a global economic stimulus of $5 trillion.

Until now, a coherent multilateral response to the pandemic was missing. Most governments have been isolating rather than coordinating. Regional groups like the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations notably did not rise to the occasion. Even the WHO has been accused of modifying announcements at the behest of individual governments. The past few weeks of open hostility between the two superpowers, the United States (US) and China, has not helped matters. Geopolitics infected the recently held Group of Seven summit to the point it was unable to issue a joint statement. The United Nations Security Council has struggled to meet because of opposition by Beijing and Moscow. Under the circumstances, it is reassuring that the G20 leaders virtual summit was completely without friction, and no government felt the need to score points. The G20 announcements provided a sense of common purpose but stopped there. Few concrete numbers and virtually no national-level commitments came out of the meeting. But that all these governments have agreed to provide funding and legitimacy to specified programmes, most notably a number of the coronavirus-targeted vaccine programmes, is a major accomplishment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should recognise that he is in a unique position to help convert these intentions into reality. India was among the few countries invited to both the earlier virtual coronavirus conferences held by China and the US, reflecting New Delhis investments in relations with both governments. He has good standing with a number of world leaders. More meetings at the ministerial-level have been called for by the G20  and many more rounds of negotiations will follow over the coming months. New Delhi should make sure it is involved in creating the multilateral bonding that is still needed, for the benefit of the world and the nation.
OTTAWA - A reasonable person should foresee the risk of driving almost three times the speed limit towards a major city intersection, the Supreme Court of Canada says in upholding a man's conviction.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Supreme Court of Canada is shown in Ottawa on January 19, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - A reasonable person should foresee the risk of driving almost three times the speed limit towards a major city intersection, the Supreme Court of Canada says in upholding a man's conviction.

The 4-1 decision came Friday in the case of Ken Chung, whose silver Audi hit another car in Vancouver in November 2015, killing the driver.

Chung, who was driving at 140-kilometres-an-hour in a 50-kilometre-an-hour zone, was acquitted at trial of dangerous driving causing death.

Over the span of a block, Chung had moved in to the curbside lane, passed at least one car and accelerated quickly before entering the intersection. The trial judge found Chung was neither inattentive nor driving dangerously prior to this one-block span.

The judge ruled Chung's speeding was only momentary and therefore amounted to a lapse of judgment rather than a significant departure from the standard of a reasonably prudent driver.

British Columbia's appeal court overturned the decision and entered a conviction, prompting Chung to take his case to the Supreme Court.

In its decision Friday, the high court said the trial judge's fixation on the momentary nature of the speeding was an error of law.

In writing for the majority, Justice Sheilah Martin said Chung's actions were not comparable to momentary mistakes that might be made by any reasonable driver, such as a mistimed turn on to a highway or the sudden loss of awareness or control.

"A reasonable person would have foreseen the immediate risk of reaching a speed of almost three times the speed limit while accelerating towards a major city intersection," she wrote. "Mr. Chungs conduct in these circumstances is a marked departure from the norm."

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.

Driving is an inherently risky activity that is made all the more risky "the faster we drive, the harder we accelerate, and the more aggressively we navigate traffic," she said. "Although even careful driving can result in tragic consequences, some conduct is so dangerous that it deserves criminal sanctions."

However, Martin cautioned against adopting "hard and fast rules" on actions.

It is conceivable that in some cases even grossly excessive speed may not be a notable departure from the standard of care, she wrote.

"Only when there has been an active engagement with the full picture of what occurred can the trial judge determine whether the accused's conduct was a marked departure from the conduct of a reasonable and prudent driver."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2020.

Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter
Hospitals across the nation have undergone reorganisation in order to offer treatment to coronavirus patients, without endangering others.

RTL discussed the changes with staff from the CHL in Luxembourg City, the CHEM in Esch-sur-Alzette, and the CHdN in Ettelbruck.

Dr Serge Meyer, coordinator for the Emile Mayrisch Hospital Centre's crisis unit in Esch-sur-Alzette, said they were able to adapt fairly quickly using measures which were first put in place during the SARS crisis in the 2000s.

CHEM are accommodating between six and ten people a day, meaning they should reach between 60 and 70 patients by this weekend, according to Meyer's estimates.

In Ettelbruck, the Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHdN) has been quieter than expected, said medical director Dr Paul Wirtgen, but they are slowly experiencing an influx of Covid-19 patients. The CHdN followed the CHL in terms of applying measures.

The Luxembourg City hospital centre has trebled its intensive care facilities, according to director Romain Nati.

Patients are only being hospitalised with severe symptoms at present. Those with lung issues are being treated with oxygen, while more severe cases are put straight into intensive care. Nati emphasised this was only the case for a minority of patients and explained that many more were being discharged from hospital after their conditions improved.

Patients are considered to have recovered after 14 days, and showing no symptoms in 48 hours, with doctors believing them to no longer be contagious at this point. They are also considered to be immune at this stage.

The Emile Mayrisch Hospital Centre (CHEM) counted 40 coronavirus patients by Thursday morning, with more male patients than female. This has been noted in other countries as well.

The youngest patient is thought to be in their thirties.

Dr Meyer explained that the majority of patients belonged to elderly or vulnerable groups, with previously established health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.

Around 30 patients are being treated at the CHL, including two children. Nati said this was mainly preventative, as the signs of the virus were weaker in children.

A dozen patients are being treated for the virus at the hospital in Ettelbruck. Dr Wirtgen lauded the fact preparations had begun during the early stages of the pandemic, when the hospital began slowing down regular operation to the extent that the hospital was emptier than it had ever been.

The preparations have since paid off, as the influx of patients has increased over recent days.

Dr Wirtgen underlined that it was normal that the number of coronavirus cases has continued to rise in spite of the strict contact regulations. He explained the people testing positively would have contracted the virus a week ago, so the rate of confirmed cases would slow down in time, although it was impossible to predict when this would be.

However, representatives from all three hospitals agreed that they felt they were adequately prepared for the weeks to come.

Video report in Luxembougish.
Bartek Sadowski | Bloomberg | Getty Images

With daily life changing for many around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, a huge surge in internet traffic has led to worries over the resilience of the infrastructure that keeps things humming. As the COVID-19 disease spreads, authorities in many countries  from the U.K. to India  have implemented nationwide lockdowns, forcing people to work remotely while children are sent home from schools. In Britain, internet service providers have seen double-digit increases in broadband usage, with BT claiming traffic on its fixed network climbed as much as 60% compared to normal weekdays, while Vodafone says it's seen mobile data traffic increase by 50% in some markets. "This is an increase we would normally expect to see in a year," Chintan Patel, Cisco's chief technologist in the U.K., told CNBC. "We're now obviously seeing that in a matter of days and weeks." Operators say their networks are able to cope with the uptick in demand. Still, streaming services from Netflix to Disney+ have taken steps to reduce their bandwidth utilization and cut picture quality in an effort to prevent network congestion. Experts say that, whereas the busy period for streaming in households would normally last around four hours on a weekday evening, that's now risen to as much as 10 hours a day.

But, Patel said that network providers are "designed to cope with the peak" of web traffic. "It's just that the peak is at a longer time and longer duration now." "The internet is not just one thing," he told CNBC. "It's like a living breathing human with lots of different neurons and connection points working to keep it alive." "Even if you cut off one finger, the rest of the body will keep it alive."

Throttling streaming quality

Nevertheless, worries persist over the amount of strain placed on the web by data-intensive applications such as streaming content and video conferencing. Thierry Breton, the EU's commissioner for internal market and services, has urged streaming platforms to cut their video quality in order to prevent an overload. So far, he's managed to get the likes of Netflix, Google and Amazon to listen, while Sony also recently said it would start slowing down PlayStation game downloads in Europe to manage the level of traffic.

The internet is not just one thing. It's like a living breathing human with lots of different neurons and connection points working to keep it alive. Even if you cut off one finger, the rest of the body will keep it alive. Chintan Patel Chief Technologist, Cisco

Dan Bieler, principal analyst at Forrester, said it was important to take the former French finance minister "seriously," not least because of his background as the former chief of companies like France Telecom  now Orange  and Atos. "He has every right to be forceful in these situations," Bieler told CNBC. "We as a society all depend on this network infrastructure."

Uncertainty lies ahead

And though that infrastructure has enough capacity to deal with the coronavirus-triggered surge in demand for now, Dexter Thillien, a senior industry analyst at Fitch Solutions, warns there could be trouble ahead. The big uncertainty going forward, he says, is not knowing how long the pandemic  and the nationwide shutdowns it has caused  will last. If engineers are required to self-isolate, for instance, this may make it harder for telecommunications companies to maintain the copper and fiber cables and other equipment needed to deliver broadband. "With physical networks, you still need to do a certain amount of maintenance," Thillien told CNBC. "Whether or not this continues for longer time is the main uncertainty."

Net neutrality

Another potential issue further down the line could be around net neutrality, the belief that network providers shouldn't slow down certain web services or prioritize specific types of traffic.
Next Thursday night Revelations final episode will screen new allegations surrounding Cardinal George Pell.

*Cardinal Pell was convicted in 2018 of sexually abusing two choirboys in Melbourne Cathedral in the 1990s. The High Court is considering his application to appeal the verdict. He denies all claims of sexual abuse.

Revelation is an In Films production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia. Developed and financed with the assistance of Screen NSW. ABC Commercial holds worldwide distribution rights.

Update: On 7 April 2020 the High Court of Australia overturrned a conviction against Cardinal George Pell.

8:30pm Tuesday 31 March and Thursday 2 April on ABC.
Residents of tiny Lake Como in Monmouth County know at least one person in the 0.27-square-mile Shore town has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Woodbridge residents were told their sprawling township has at least 39 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with about a third of them in a local nursing home. Hard-hit Teaneck told residents it had 166 known cases. And Newark knew it had at least 123 people infected as of Thursday, with three neighborhoods identified as coronavirus hotspots.

How widespread is coronavirus in your neighborhood? For most New Jerseyans, its difficult to know.

Some municipalities and counties have been diligently updating residents daily on the number of coronavirus cases and deaths within their borders. Some smaller towns have released more detailed information, including where those with COVID-19 disease worked or went to school.

But other New Jersey residents have gotten little, if any, information about whether coronavirus has reached their neighborhoods  or how rapidly its spreading.

Health officials say New Jerseys complicated public health system  which is made of both the state health department and 94 local health departments overseeing 565 municipalities  makes it difficult to get consistent information out to all residents as cases have risen into the thousands.

Some counties, including Bergen, Hunterdon, Sussex, Ocean and Monmouth, have released updated coronavirus numbers by town. But other counties have left the reporting to local health boards and municipal governments.

Frustrated local health officers say they dont have a clear picture of exactly how coronavirus is spreading. If local health officials want to know if cases in their towns are tied to a particular event, supermarket or location in a neighboring municipality or another part of the state, there is no database or easy way to check.

I dont know whats going on in the next town over or across the river. In a real public health system, Id have access to that, George DiFerdinando, a member of Princetons Board of Health, said last week as cases began to balloon.

As of Thursday, New Jersey had at least 6,876 coronavirus cases with 81 deaths, state officials said. That is the second-highest total in the nation, behind only New York state.

Gov. Phil Murphy said the high numbers are partly due to the aggressive testing going on in New Jersey, with drive-thru testing sites and large numbers of tests being processed every day. There have been more than 20,000 tests given as of Thursday.

But the high number of tests means it can be difficult for local health officials to track where cases are popping up in their areas and find ways to communicate information to their communities.

Coronavirus is showing the cracks in New Jerseys public health communication system, said Christine Harris, president of New Jersey Local Boards of Health Association, a statewide organization representing the 94 local boards.

You never know where the flaws lie until you come upon an incident like this, Harris said. This just shows the flaws in communication.

Harris, who is also the president of the East Orange Board of Health, said her city had about 10 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday. The city has held several community forums on social media and local council members are active in reaching out to their neighborhoods to make sure everyone, especially seniors, are informed that coronavirus is spreading locally.

Local health officials are also trying to check on people who have been quarantined.

Please watch and share our recent update for "Grab N' Go" food locations throughout the City of East Orange. We are working with our community partners and the East Orange School District to ensure everyone who needs food has access to it. If you are a food pantry providing support to local residents, please contact Rene Muhammad, Director of Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs, at 973-789-1486. Thank you again for your patience, cooperation and support! #covid19 #shareandrepost Posted by Mayor Ted R. Green on Wednesday, March 25, 2020

But in other parts of the state, local health boards cover entire counties or a string of municipalities over a large geographic area. So, it is extremely challenging for a single health board to reach out to individual neighborhoods, Harris said.

It is also difficult to find a way to reach all residents with town-specific information when many people do not use social media and community newspapers have either stopped publishing or are having trouble making deliveries.

Harris suggested that after the coronavirus crisis is over, New Jersey lawmakers reconsider the rules that allowed health boards to be created in a somewhat chaotic way with some health officials overseeing entire counties while others oversee a single town.

Should this happen again, wed be much better prepared, Harris said.

On the state level, state health commissioner Judith Persichilli said the system New Jersey has been using to track and announce the spread of the coronavirus has not been perfect.

Each day at 2 p.m., Gov. Murphy convenes his daily press conference to announce approximately how many people have tested positive for COVID-19 disease in the past 24 hours and how many people have died.

But by then, many of New Jerseys counties, mayors, local health departments and school districts have already sent out emails or made their own announcements on social media about the number of positive cases theyve learned about in their areas.

If we could say, No stats go out until 3 oclock, we could all be saying the same thing, Persichilli said. However, people reveal it themselves. So, were dealing with a lot of the rumors.

Unlike other states, New Jersey is a home rule state  meaning there is no one central government agency overseeing the states entire public health system.

The state is gathering its daily totals on coronavirus cases from the state lab and a growing number of private labs processing tests. Then, the state is releasing county-wide totals. But it is not releasing town-by-town statistics.

On Thursday, New Jersey still had 1,478 positive coronavirus tests where state officials were still trying to determine where the patient resides.

In the early days of the virus, state officials in Trenton were spending much of their time chasing down rumors about cases in individual towns.

It was not unusual for me to get calls at 8 oclock in the morning that, I just heard we have a positive case and three kids in the school are positive  when we had no kids in the school positive, Persichilli said.

With coronaviruses now increasing exponentially, the state health department is getting less of those panicked calls about individual cases. But chasing down the rumors took time away from state officials in the early days as they should have been concentrating on preparing the state for the pandemic.

They came in fast and furious," Persichilli said of the calls. And the amount of time we spent trying to track all of that down to put everyone at ease was phenomenal.

While some residents are still asking to hear how many cases are in their towns, some argue coronavirus is so widespread in New Jersey now that local and state officials should stop trying to track the location of infected people and concentrate on preparing for a surge in cases expected to hit hospitals.

The state health department is struggling to get a full picture of what is happening in the state, officials said. As of earlier this week, more than 90 percent of labs were reporting their coronavirus numbers to the state. But a few labs, including small labs and one hospital network, were still not hooked up to the state reporting system, state officials said.

Town-by-town breakdowns are no longer necessary for the big picture given the limitations of what the state can do as the virus continues to spread, said Christopher Neuwirth, who heads the state health departments Public Health Infrastructure, Laboratories and Emergency Preparedness office.

Other states are facing the same problems of how to best track cases, including results coming from labs that may not be recording where a patient lives, he said.

A lot of testing sites are coming on-line every day, Neuwirth said. We know the testing is going to go through the roof and that just adds to the volume of what we have to do. Every state is wrangling with this.

As coronavirus cases surge, its unclear how much information the state will be able to process each day.

"Were capturing all the data we can, but its moving quickly, Neuwirth said.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Staff writers Avalon Zoppo and Matthew Stanmyre contributed to this report.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
People enjoy Central Park as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, in New York City on March 24, 2020. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Cheesecake Factory Says It Cant Pay April Rent Amid Pandemic

The Cheesecake Factory said it cant afford to pay rent for nearly 300 restaurants in April due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Cheesecake Factory chairman and CEO David Overton told landlords on March 18 that a severe decrease in restaurant traffic triggered a significant financial blow during the CCP virus outbreak. A number of locations around the country were forced to shut down totally, while only some can serve delivery and takeout.

Unfortunately, I must let you know that The Cheesecake Factory and its affiliated restaurant concepts will not make any of their rent payments for the month of April 2020, Overton said in the letter.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

Cheesecake Factory has not responded to a request for comment.

Please understand that we do not take this action or make this decision lightly, and while we hope to resume our rent payments as soon as reasonably possible, we simply cannot predict the extent or the duration of the current crisis. We are continuing to evaluate the implications of this situation on our business and we realize the impact this action will have on our landlords. We appreciate our landlords understanding given the exigency of the current situation, the letter said.

The firm said that it will continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and will closely monitor developments in all the communities we serve.

We hope to resume normal operations as soon as reasonably possible. We commit to keeping you informed in furtherance of our long-standing business relationships, the company wrote.
The Government has announced that all family prison visits will be suspended, in a bid to thwart an increase in coronavirus infections.

The moves come amid concern about clusters of the virus in areas or facilities and as the death rate continues to rise.

Department of Taoiseach assistant secretary general Elizabeth Canavan announced new measures, saying: The Irish Prison Service has made every effort to continue to run normal family visits for as long as possible.

"However, in the best interest of the health and safety of prison staff, prisoners and their families, from tomorrow, normal physical visits will no longer be possible.

Physical visits will be replaced with electronic visits via internet platforms i.e. videolink and video phones.

Electronic visits will negate the need for visitors to, for example, gather in the visitors centres at each prison and are in line with the recommendations announced this week by the Taoiseach.

Arrangements are being made for the introduction of visits by video link or camera phone early next week.

Prison service officials say the so-called electronic visits will negate the need for visitors to gather at prisons.

This is in line with the recommendations announced this week by the Taoiseach regarding the need to people to desist from gathering in groups of more than four people, it the service explained.

All professional visits remain unaffected.

In relation to court orders, Canavan pointed out that the President of the District Court had issued a statement saying domestic violence applications will continue to be given priority as well as information in relation to family law matters such as access, maintenance and guardianship.

Meanwhile, it was also announced that there will be delays in processing student education grants.

We had hoped that would start earlier this year, however that wont be possible due to the public health emergency. So SUSI will be processing grants in the normal timeframe this year beginning on April 23rd.

Ms Canavan also clarified queries around the use of caravan parks, saying people could self isolate there.

Following the statement around caravan parks at yesterdays briefing further questions have arisen around the use of caravans by their owners for self-isolating purposes.

"I want to just re-iterate that the aim of the restrictions is to limit tourist activity, not those who stay for long periods and feel the need to self-isolate.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, one of two Democratic billionaires who sought a bid for the White House this year but has since bowed out, is planning to pour a whopping $18 million into the Democratic National Committee's organizing efforts ahead of a highly-anticipated 2020 general election.

The transfer of Bloomberg's multi-million dollar investment to the national party, instead of into a parallel effort, will strengthen the DNC's "Battleground Build-Up" 2020 program across at least 12 battleground states, as part of their ongoing campaign to ready their general election infrastructure before the matchup with President Donald Trump.

"Our country is in crisis, and a change in presidential leadership is more important now than ever to protect our families, our communities and our economy," said DNC Chair Tom Perez in a statement. "With this transfer from the Bloomberg campaign, Mayor Bloomberg and his team are making good on their commitment to beating Donald Trump."

Earlier this month, Bloomberg suffered bruising losses on Super Tuesday, ultimately ending his presidential bid and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden, after spending more than half a billion dollars of his estimated $60 billion fortune in the first 100 days of his campaign.

MORE: Michael Bloomberg ends his presidential bid

Bloomberg and his aides initially signaled a plan that would keep offices and staff working in key states through the general election in November. But now, the longtime philanthropist, who vowed to support whomever the eventual Democratic nominee is and Democrats up and the ballot during the campaign, is scrapping his original plan by transferring those offices to the DNC's state parties and laying off remaining campaign staff. While it is unclear if the DNC will hire these staffers, they are extending staff insurance and benefits through April.

"While our campaign has ended, Mikes number one objective this year remains defeating Trump and helping Democrats win in November," a memo from the Bloomberg 2020 campaign reads. "There is no greater threat to our Democracy than the current occupant in the White House, and Mike launched his campaign with the fundamental goal of defeating him and energizing Democratic victories up and down the ballot. We therefore believe the best thing we can all do over the next eight months is to help the group that matters most in this fight: the Democratic National Committee."

Story continues

Bloomberg's announcement frustrated some of his former staffers who hoped to continue working for the deep-pocketed billionaire's post-campaign operation in the battleground states.

This is a Trump move, a former Bloomberg campaign staffer, whose paycheck and insurance runs out at the end of March, told ABC News about the news of the layoffs Friday.

The staffer said they were told theyd have work through November on the Bloomberg payroll when hired, and had heard senior staff repeat the commitments about working through November.

PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg attends his Super Tuesday night rally in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 3, 2020. (Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters)

The memo from the Bloomberg team notes that while they considered "creating our own independent entity" to bolster the Democratic nominee in a competitive race with Trump, they decided to divert their war chest to the DNC instead.

"This race is too important to have many competing groups with good intentions but that are not coordinated and united in strategy and execution," the memo says.

Bloomberg's contribution appears to rely on the campaign finance loophole allowing campaigns to transfer unlimited funds to party committees in an election year.

As an individual, Bloomberg is only allowed to contribute approximately $35,000 a year to the DNC. But he can transfer unlimited money to his own campaign, which in turn can transfer an unlimited amount of funding to the party.

Incredible. Candidates may transfer leftover campaign funds to the party, but I don't believe that loophole has ever been exploited in this way and to this degree. It guarantees that Bloomberg will retain enormous influence over the Democratic Party. https://t.co/HndTy2ynhZ  Brendan Fischer (@brendan_fischer) March 20, 2020

This isn't expected to be the only donation from Bloomberg to the committee. Bloomberg isn't ruling out future contributions to the DNC, other committees, or running advertisements against the president or in support of Democrats.

"The general election is just starting and there will be more to come," a Bloomberg aide told ABC News when asked about future contributions from the former mayor, who is worth an estimated $60 billion.

"The dynamics of the race have also fundamentally changed, and it is critically important that we all do everything we can to support our eventual nominee and scale the Democratic Partys general election effort," the Bloomberg memo says. "We hope this investment will dramatically expand the DNCs Battleground Build-Up 2020 efforts across battleground states, drawing in part from our own incredibly experienced and talented organizing staff."

The Biden campaign, which is currently leading in the delegate race in the two-man Democratic primary with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, applauded Bloomberg's move.

"We welcome the announcement of Mayor Bloomberg's extraordinary investment to ensure that happens," said Kate Bedingfield, Biden's Deputy campaign manager and communications director. "We need to compete with the war chest that Donald Trump, the RNC, and their right-wing allies have amassed, and this will go a long way in ensuring that we can fund the grassroots efforts in key battleground states that will be necessary to win this November."

PHOTO: Former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg addresses his staff and the media after announcing that he will be ending his campaign, March 4, 2020, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Bloomberg's massive investment comes after national Democrats launched the battleground program in January, and made two multi-million dollar installments into the effort, which aims to lay the groundwork for Democrats up and down the ballot, including for the eventual nominee across Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.

The investment from Bloomberg, which surpasses the DNC's total fundraising from the month of February, which stands at $12.8 million, will allow for the party to fund "more organizers across the country to elect the next president and help Democrats win up and down the ballot," Perez said.

"The DNC has made early, historic investments in our battleground and general election programs, and the additional organizers we're putting on the ground will significantly bolster those efforts and help make sure Donald Trump is a one-term president," he continued.

The DNC's fundraising total from February is only the second time that national Democrats have raked in more than $10 million in both January and February - and the first time without holding the White House -- and it comes after the committee has struggled to find its way out of debt so far this cycle. In its most recent filing that discloses its finances from January, the DNC had $6 million in debt, and has been lagging behind its GOP counterpart, the Republican National Committee, which holds a fundraising advantage since the RNC has joined forces with the president to raise money.

MORE: Bloomberg to donate $10 million to House Democrats targeted by GOP

But Bloomberg isn't only offering his campaign cash. His campaign will also transfer ownership of several of its former field offices to Democratic state parties, which will "accelerate the hiring pace for important positions in organizing, data, and operations across the battleground states," according to the DNC.

For his part, this is not Bloomberg's first donation to Democrats this cycle. Late last year, Bloomberg donated $10 million to the House Majority PAC to help defend vulnerable House Democrats during the impeachment of the president - a move that came as the party faced a slew of well-financed Republican attacks on their support of moving forward with impeaching Trump.

Bloomberg also has a long history of deep-pocketed donations to help back candidates and causes. On the trail he often points to the help he gave House Democrats in the 2018 midterms -- where he spent upwards of $110 million -- and 21 of the 24 candidates he supported won their races.

ABC News' Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.

Bloomberg to transfer $18 million to national Democrats' 2020 battleground efforts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
China, Russia and South Africa nixed Estonian efforts to initiate a discussion in the UN Security Council over the spread of Covid-19 with loss of lives threatening the peace and security of the world. China, from where the virus originated, is the President of the UNSC till March 31, after which Dominican Republic takes over.

According to diplomatic sources, while Russia and South Africa said that there was no direct link between the spread of virus and threat to peace and security of the world, China shot down the proposal saying that there was no consensus within the UNSC, a mandatory requirement to take up any proposal. Russia and South Africa are close trade partners of China with the latter being the stepping-stone to Beijings access into Africa.

Follow Live Updates on Coronavirus

While the Estonian proposal talked about transparency over the Covid-19 outbreak, there were hardly any takers for the proposal in the UNSC with all the permanent members being seriously afflicted by the rampaging virus.

Also Watch | G20 nations meet to discuss COVID-19 crisis: Key takeaways

It is quite evident that none of the P-5 want to come up with a solution that is binding on them such as opening up the borders, said a diplomat.

It is not that the UN Security Council, which focuses on threats of peace and security, hasnt discussed the impact of diseases. The UN Security Council has spoken about Ebola and its impact on more than one occasion since 2014. People familiar with the development said this had been possible because the United States had worded its proposal to underline that deaths due to the virus were exacerbating the conflict in west Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, and thus presenting a threat to global peace and security.

The fact is that no one wants to touch the UN as was evident in the G-20 meeting on Covid-19 on Thursday. While India wanted the century-old institution WHO (World Health Organisation) to be reformed, the rest wanted to strengthen the very institution that was shy in calling out China over the spread of virus. It is a cosy club, the UN, which does not accept any new members, said a retired UN diplomat.

It is being suggested that the real reason why almost every major country - Donald Trump has been an exception in this - is shy of calling out China is because Beijing has built excess medical capacities in the form of ventilators, HAZMAT suits, masks and other equipment required for treatment in the past three months.

All the countries are quiet over China as they may have to import the same equipment from them in case of a worst case scenario. Simply put, China first created the demand and now will supply it, said a China watcher.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
(Bloomberg) --

Gunmen abducted Soumaila Cisse, the leader of Malis main opposition party, and members of his campaign team days before parliamentary polls.

Cisse and his team were attacked as they campaigned for the vote on Sunday near the candidates hometown of Niafunke in the north of the country, his Union for the Republic and Democracy said in a statement Thursday.

A party official on Friday confirmed that Cisse and several members of his 11-person delegation had been kidnapped. Five of them were found and Cisses bodyguard had been killed, Gouagnon Coulibaly said by phone from Bamako, the capital.

Cisse, a former finance minister who has run for president three times, lost a run-off vote to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2018.

He and his team were expected near the town of Koumaira late Wednesday but never showed up, according to the statement. They were no longer reachable by phone.

Mali is struggling to contain a Islamist insurgency that started in the north in 2012 and has spread south and into neighboring countries. Groups affiliated with al-Qaeda are active in the area where Cisse and his staff disappeared. No group has so far taken responsibility for the kidnapping.

Malis government in a statement Thursday said it had taken all practical measures to find the missing politician.

(Updates with details on abduction from third paragraph.)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Kious Kelly, a nurse manager at a Manhattan hospital, texted his sister on March 18 with some devastating news: He had tested positive for the coronavirus and was on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. He told her he could text but not talk.

Im okay. Dont tell Mom and Dad. Theyll worry, he wrote to his sister, Marya Patrice Sherron.

That was his last message. Sherrons subsequent texts to him went unanswered. In less than a week, he was dead.

Kelly, a 48-year-old assistant nurse manager at Mount Sinai West, may have been the first New York City nurse to die from the virus.

His sister said he had asthma but was otherwise well.

His death could have been prevented, Sherron said on Facebook Wednesday. Later, she added: Im angry. He was healthy.

Colleagues at the hospital were angry, too. Some complained on social media channels that they did not have an adequate supply of protective clothing or masks.

A nurse who worked with Kelly said the hospital had offered nurses one plastic protective gown for an entire shift, although normal protocol required a change of gowns between interactions with infected patients. The nurse, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the staff member was not authorized to speak to the media, said Kelly had not used protective equipment, even though he regularly helped nurses on his team with hands-on care.

As recently as March 10, he helped a nurse take off her protective gear after working with a patient who tested positive for the virus, the nurse said.

Several Mount Sinai West staff members, contacted for this story, said they had been told by hospital administrators not to speak to journalists. Kellys death was first reported in the New York Post.

Gia Lisa Krahne, an outside consultant who provided alternative Ayurvedic care to a patient at Mount Sinai West, said she last saw Kelly at work the week of March 9, interacting with patients and hospital staff, wearing neither a mask nor protective gear.

Bevon Bloise, a registered nurse at Mount Sinai West, complained on Facebook that the hospital does not have sufficient personal protective equipment, or PPE. Im also very angry with the Mount Sinai Health System for not protecting him. We do not have enough PPE, we do not have the correct PPE, and we do not have the appropriate staffing to handle this pandemic. And I do not appreciate representatives of this health system saying otherwise on the news.

We lost a great fighter during this war, a co-worker named Diana Torres said on Facebook. She posted a photo of co-workers tying bandannas over their faces in an effort to protect themselves. NO THIS IS NOT PROPER PPE, she wrote.

On its Facebook page, Mount Sinai West said it was deeply saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our nursing staff, without naming Kelly.

In an email, a hospital spokeswoman, Lucia Lee, disputed the claim that the hospital had not furnished protective equipment to its staff. This crisis is straining the resources of all New York area hospitals, and while we do  and have had  enough protective equipment for our staff, we will all need more in the weeks ahead, Lee said in the statement.

The New York Post article included a photo of hospital staff wearing garbage bags over what appeared to be scrubs. Two nurses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being fired, said they were disposable scrubs made of permeable material, which is why nurses wrapped plastic garbage bags around them.

The photo, they said, was taken March 17, at a time when there were many coronavirus patients at the hospital and others who had yet to be tested but who presented symptoms of infection.

In the emailed statement, Lee added that the troubling photo circulating in the media specifically shows the nurses in proper P.P.E. underneath garbage bags.

She did not respond to a question asking why hospital staff wore garbage bags.

Kelly lived a few blocks away from the hospital and was described by colleagues as a dedicated, good-humored colleague.

He used to carry around a thick notepad holder that hides a box full of chocolates and candies so he can have it handy to give out to miserable/ grumbly nurses and doctors who are more likely than not hangry, Joanne Loo, a nurse at Mount Sinai West, posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

But nursing was not his first vocation. A native of Lansing, Michigan, Kelly moved to New York more than 20 years ago to pursue a career as a dancer, his sister said. He then went to nursing school and worked as a nurse at Mount Sinai West, before being promoted to the post of assistant manager in the telemetry department.

His family is now trying to bring his body back to Michigan.

We know we cant have a service anytime soon, but we want him home, Sherron said. He died alone. We want him home now.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby- NHIA CEO

27.03.2020 LISTEN

Dear Dr. Lydia Dsane-Selby, this my letter to you is to draw your attention to the current critical times globally so far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned and to ask you to make good the NHIAs indebtedness to the healthcare providers.

Dr. Dsane-Selby, the whole world is battling the infectious COVID-19 and even the rich countries are in difficult times. Ghana is currently bearing its brunt of the pandemic. These are therefore critical times for healthcare providers in Ghana especially the public health facilities that provide health services on credit to National Health Insurance (NHI) clients. Dr. Dsane-Selby, I know you are a Medical Doctor and you were once a frontline health worker so you understand the current critical situation more from the frontline health worker perspective within the context of woefully inadequate healthcare commodities.

Dr. Dsane-Selby, most of the public healthcare providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and about 75% of the patients these healthcare providers treat are valid NHIS membership cardholders. Again Dr. Dsane-Selby, all the public hospitals and polyclinics provide healthcare to NHI clients with monies from their Internally Generated Funds (IGFs).

Dr. Dsane-Selby, contrariwise to the arrangement of 90 day payment by the NHIA after claim submission by the service providers (the health facilities), your organization (the NHIA) had kept bills in arrears in huge sums. Usually, submitted claims from some hospitals are in arrears for months thereby depriving the hospitals with money to work with it. The NHIAs indebtedness to the public hospitals even compelled the Ghana Audit Service to query some public hospitals on the grounds that they failed to recover the debts from the NHIA.

NHIA CEO, with this COVID- 19 pandemic on our hands and mindful of the increased consumption of certain health commodities by the hospitals amidst price hikes, it is logically inferable that the hospitals are in dire need of cash to buy commodities. Dr. Dsane-Selby, I noted earlier that you are a qualified Medical Doctor and you were once a frontline clinical staff at the hospital level so you are better placed to understand the plight of a frontline physician who does not have the requisite resources to work with. If you do not understand the plight of frontline clinicians in this regard, then who else should?

Dr. Dsane-Selby, the primary purpose of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is to pay the healthcare providers promptly. As such, focusing on other areas of expenditure as we had seen in the media last year in terms of certain sponsorships of individuals tend to deplete the NHIF unnecessarily and deviates the Fund from its primary legal purpose.

Madam CEO, your colleague Medical Doctors under the auspices of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) issued a press release dated 21st February, 2020 and equally called on the government and the NHIA to ensure payment of monies owed by the NHIA to the healthcare providers. In the press release under reference, the GMA said,

It has noted with great concern the failure of the NHIA to pay health facilities (Public and Private Hospitals) for services rendered since March 2019. As a matter of urgency, government and the NHIA should pay all monies owed these health facilities with immediate effect.

Dr. Dsane-Selby, the GMA was of the considered opinion that your prompt payment of the submitted claims to the hospitals will not compel the managers of these hospitals to initiate cash and carry payment method for services covered under the NHIS. Your guess is right that the reverse will pose another problem for the nation so far as interrupted healthcare delivery is concerned.

Dr. Dsane-Selby, the foregoing depicts the reality on the ground so time to act swiftly to effect payments is now. If for nothing at all Dr. Dsane-Selby, remember your frontline days of clinical practice and listen to the crying voices of your colleagues under the auspices of the GMA. Till then, I hope this letter gets to you and that you will act swiftly on it. Pay the Hospitals now.

~Asante Sana ~

Philip Afeti Korto

Email: [email protected]
An attorney who represented victims of the Las Vegas shooting massacre has filed a federal lawsuit against China's government over the coronavirus outbreak.

Robert Eglet's lawsuit claims Chinese officials hid information about the disease and that U.S. small businesses should receive billions of dollars in damages.

The lawsuit was filed on Monday on behalf of five Las Vegas businesses, and alleges that the country is part of a 'totalitarian government system' that engaged in a cover-up after learning about COVID-19, allowing the situation to spiral out-of-control and hit the US.

Robert Eglet's (pictured) lawsuit claims Chinese officials hid information about the disease and that U.S. small businesses should receive billions of dollars in damages

The lawsuit was filed on Monday on behalf of five Las Vegas businesses. A message on a sign is placed in front of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, pictured

The legal documents argue that China's government should have shared more information about the virus but instead intimidated doctors, scientists, journalists and lawyers while allowing the COVID-19 respiratory illness to spread.

Eglet told reporters: 'They engaged in falsehoods, misinformation, cover-ups and destruction of evidence.'

His plaintiffs in the coronavirus case filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada are owners of a restaurant, a flower seller, two real estate businesses and a CPR training firm.

Eglet said the five are representative of tens of millions of other businesses that could become plaintiffs because they have also suffered economically whose damages could end up in the trillions of dollars.

China's government was reckless and negligent as the virus spread, the attorney said.

Before the lawsuit was announced on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang (pictured) said there is 'great anger and strong opposition from the Chinese people' on use of the terms 'Chinese virus' and 'Wuhan virus' to describe the coronavirus

Eglet (pictured) represented about 2,500 people last year in an $800 million settlement with Mandalay Bay casino-hotel owner MGM Resorts International stemming from the deadliest mass killing in modern American history  the October 2017 shooting that left 58 people dead and more than 850 injured at an open-air concert on the Las Vegas Strip

'If they had been transparent with the world this could have been stopped in Wuhan,' Eglet said, referring to the Chinese city identified as the original epicenter of the outbreak.

'The world could have come together and gotten the right scientists to Wuhan and stopped it right there.'

Before the lawsuit was announced on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said there is 'great anger and strong opposition from the Chinese people' on use of the terms 'Chinese virus' and 'Wuhan virus' to describe the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump is among those who have called it the 'Chinese virus' and defended that term.

Eglet represented about 2,500 people last year in an $800 million settlement with Mandalay Bay casino-hotel owner MGM Resorts International stemming from the deadliest mass killing in modern American history  the October 2017 shooting that left 58 people dead and more than 850 injured at an open-air concert on the Las Vegas Strip.

President Donald Trump is among those who have called it the 'Chinese virus' and defended that term

Cities including New Orleans, Miami and Chicago each have more than 1,500 cases - unlike China where no area outside Hubei ever reached that. A total of 12 states have already surpassed 1,500 cases each

Eglet also won hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements against pharmaceutical firms and healthcare companies after a Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak and is handling Nevada's largest lawsuits against drug manufacturers accused of fueling the nation's opioid addiction crisis.

The US was confirmed to have the most coronavirus cases of anywhere in the world on Thursday evening, with more than 86,000 infections - overtaking China with 81,000 and Italy with 80,000.

Italy still has the most deaths of anywhere in the world at more than 6,000, though disease analysts have warned the US death toll could top 80,000 even with social distancing measures in place.
Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was being readied for its first orbital flight test, an uncrewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Image Source: PK

Washington, March 27 : NASA's Orion spacecraft has come a step closer to integrating with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will take it to the Moon under the Artemis programme designed to land the first woman and the next man on lunar surface by 2024.

After engineers put the spacecraft through the rigors of environmental testing at NASA's Plum Brook Station in Ohio, it returned to the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 25, the US space agency said on Thursday.

At Kennedy, the spacecraft will undergo final processing and preparations prior to launching on an uncrewed flight test, Artemis I, the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to the Moon that will ultimately lead to the exploration of Mars.

Before it can be integrated with the SLS rocket, the Orion spacecraft -- comprised of the crew module and service module -- will go through a final round of testing and assembly.

Orion will then begin its ground processing journey.

Once integrated with SLS, a team of technicians and engineers will perform additional tests and checkouts to verify Orion and SLS operate as expected together, said NASA.

"The Artemis programme is the future of human space exploration, and to be a part of the design, assembly and testing of NASA's newest spacecraft is an incredible, once-in-a-career opportunity," Amy Marasia, spacecraft assembly operations lead in Orion production operations at Kennedy, said in a statement.

As the first integrated flight of SLS and Orion, Artemis I is critical to providing the foundation for human deep-space exploration.

"With Orion back at Kennedy, we're ready," said Scott Wilson, NASA Orion production operations manager.

"Ready to finalise the vehicle and send it to be integrated for its voyage to deep space, tackling the next era of human space exploration," Wilson said.
By Online Desk

RBI governor announced a massive 75 basis points cut in repo rates in an effort to counter the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. RBI chief's presser comes a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a Rs 1.7 trillion package aimed at providing relief to the poor and marginalized sections of society.

The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was originally scheduled to meet in the first week of April. But with the disruption unleashed by the National lockdown, the central bank called for an emergency meeting.

WATCH RBI GOVERNOR'S PRESSER LIVE HERE

Here are the important updates from the presser:

10: 05 AM: RBI Governor addresses media via livestream

10:08 AM: "The MPC decided to advance the meeting in view of COVID-19 outbreak," says Das

10:10 AM: "The MPC has decided to cut the repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 per cent," says RBI Governor

10:13 AM: Das said reverse repo-rate has been reduced by 90 basis points to 4.4 per cent

10:15 AM: Liquidity adjustment facility cut by 90 basis points to 4 per cent, says RBI Governor

10:20 AM: India has locked down economic activity and financial activity is under severe stress. Keeping finance flowing is the paramount objective of the RBI: Das

10:25 AM: RBI has taken several measures to inject substantial liquidity. The priority is to undertake strong and purposeful action to protect domestic economy: RBI Governor

10:26 AM: Outlook is highly uncertain and negative: RBI Governor

10:26 AM: "We are going through an extraordinary situation right now; war effort needs to be mounted against coronavirus using conventional, unconventional tools," says Das

10:27 AM: Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for all banks cut by 100 basis points to 3 per cent

10:27 AM: Time has now come for the Reserve Bank of India to launch an array of arsenals to mitigate the impact of coronavirus: Das

10:28 AM: RBI permits all lending institutions to allow 3-month moratorium on payment of installments on term loans.

10:30 AM: Banking system in India safe; deposits safe in private bank; public should not resort to panic withdrawal: Das

10:31 AM: All the measures taken by the top bank will result in total liquidity injection of Rs 3.74 lakh crore to system: RBI Governor

10:32 AM: Lending companies, banks are allowed to defer interest on working capital repayments by three months. Banks may also reassess working capital cycle and will not be treated as non-performing assets: RBI Governor

10:35 AM: RBI Governor concludes presser saying, "stay clean, stay safe and go digital."
Social and religious organisations have started feeding the needy and migrant workers trekking back home in the absence of public transport , and state governments opened community kitchens at shelter homes, enlisting the staff of the police to hand out packages of food in response to the coronavirus crisis and the distress it has sparked.

On the third day of the three-week lockdown, provisions of food appeared to have improved after civil right activists expressed concern that the poor and daily-wage earners were at the risk of going hungry if the state fails to come to their aid.

In most states, community kitchens have become operational and ground staff including the police deployed to distribute packets of food to the needy.

Our student police cadets and many organisations are helping us in this, said Keralas inspector general of police, P Vijayan. Kerala was among the first states to announce community kitchens and several organisations including the police is engaged in distributing food.

In Punjab, the gurudwaras have taken the lead in providing food to the poor and Punjab police personnel are engaged in distributing cooked meals to the poor. In the past two days, policemen have distributed 1.5 lakh food packets, said a Punjab police statement, adding that its personnel were also distributing milk and packets of dry rations.

Special chief secretary, revenue and rehabilitation, KBS Sidhu said the government had released 20 crore to provide food and converted all slums in the state into quarantine camps. This will enable us to provide free food and medicines to them from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), he said.

The homeless and migrant workers were the hardest hit by the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, with the latter forced to trek back home after public transport was suspended. According to 2011 Census, India had 1.7 million homeless, with the most number in Delhi, followed by Chennai and Mumbai. The census report also said that 54 million or nearly 5% people living in India migrated had from their place of birth for work.

The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered that funds provide under Panch Parmeshwar scheme used to provide food and accommodation to the needy. Food packets will be distributed at Rain baseras (night shelter homes) among the poor and helpless, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

The Bihar government on Thursday sanctioned 100 crore from the CMs Relief Fund to provide food and shelter for daily wage earners, including those from outside the state, who have been stranded in the state capital and other Bihar cities in the wake of countrywide lockdown.

In Kolkata, community kitchens are providing food to street dwellers and poor people living in the 27 night shelters run by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Women who run community kitchens under the Integrated Child Development Scheme in the districts are sending rice and pulses to the homes of children who are not being able to come to anganwadi centres to be fed meals.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned a package of 2,200 crore for the poor, which include three months advance subsidised rations to all the 9.4 million beneficiaries. The food supply department is delivering public distribution system foodgrains at the doorstep of each beneficiary across the state. In Rourkela and Berhampur, non-government organisations (NGOs) are cooking and distributing food to the needy.

The Chhattisgarh government is providing food packets to the homeless and the poor in all 28 districts with the help of the police. A few Gurudwaras are also serving food to the poor in the state capital, Raipur. Similar reports were received from Maharashtra.

In the north-eastern states, the police in Guwahati, Assam, distributed food to the poor in with the help of a local gurudwara and an NGO. In other districts, the police distributed food to the needy and homeless. Members of the Sikh community belonging to the Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha also distributed cooked food in Shillong, Meghalaya.

The Tripura government started providing free food twice a day through community kitchens in urban areas starting on Thursday.
By Marine Strauss and Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The peak of Belgium's coronavirus infections still lies ahead, the health ministry said on Thursday, adding much will depend on how strictly people follow lockdown measures. Belgium, a country of some 11.5 million people, has so far confirmed 6,235 coronavirus cases and reported 220 deaths due to the disease, which is now ravaging Europe after originating in China late last year

By Marine Strauss and Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The peak of Belgium's coronavirus infections still lies ahead, the health ministry said on Thursday, adding much will depend on how strictly people follow lockdown measures.

Belgium, a country of some 11.5 million people, has so far confirmed 6,235 coronavirus cases and reported 220 deaths due to the disease, which is now ravaging Europe after originating in China late last year.

The government will discuss on Friday whether to extend the lockdown, meant to curb the spread of the virus, beyond April 5.

"We can expect a peak at the beginning of April," said Steven van Gucht, head of viral diseases at the Belgian Institute of Health. "This is on the condition that we have all reduced our contacts by 50 percent."

Belgium added 1,298 new coronavirus cases on March 25, a spokesman for the Belgian health ministry said on Thursday, the biggest daily jump since the start of the pandemic.

"We can see that the epidemic is still in its ascending phase in Belgium," the spokesman, Emmanuel Andre, said.

"The projections that we can do today, assuming the whole population complies with all the measures requested, would bring us to a peak in the coming weeks."

Laurent Jadot, who helps run the intensive care unit at a hospital in the Belgian city of Liege, told Reuters he was bracing for a sizeable increase in the number of patients.

Many of those will likely be in intensive care for three-week periods, meaning pressure on beds and a demand for sedatives while patients are on respirators.

"Our biggest concern is for our stock of disposal (medical)products, sedatives and other medicines," Jadot said, saying that the hospital was ready to double the number of intensive care beds to 100. "A lot of these medicines are produced abroad and a lot of countries want them," he said, calling on the Belgian government to help.

While Belgium hopes to step up testing to 10,000 a day, the most recent rise in confirmed cases reflects in part its growing capacity, which currently stands at more than 2,000 tests daily.

"This upward trend is explained by the combination of increased virus circulation, a stricter definition of possible cases and the use of laboratory triage systems, which have given priority to the most urgent samples," the Belgian Institute of Health said in a daily report.

The Belgian government pledged 1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) of emergency aid for hospitals last week.

($1 = 0.9119 euros)

(Reporting by Marine Strauss and Robin Emmott; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
(Newser)  Cruise lines that kept their headquarters overseas to avoid paying American taxes won't be getting a bailout from American taxpayers. The Cruise Lines International Association industry group says that while the cruise industry has been hit extremely hard by the coronavirus pandemic, major operators will not qualify for any of the $500 billion for large employers included in the stimulus bill, the Washington Post reports. The bill states that to qualify for aid, companies must be "created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States" and have a majority of their employees based in the US. The world's four biggest cruise operators, all headquartered outside the US, have suspended sailings for at least a month. Most of the workers on their ships are from the Philippines, Indonesia, and India.

story continues below

The provision restricting aid to American companies was added late in negotiations, reports the Wall Street Journal. According to the Journal, Princess cruise ship owner Carnival Corp., incorporated in Panama, paid $71 million income tax on revenue of $20.83 billion last year. Royal Caribbean, incorporated in Liberia, paid $32.6 million on $10.95 billion. President Trump said Thursday that he wants to help the industry, but it is "very tough to make a loan to a company when theyre based in a different country." Cruise Lines International Association spokeswoman Anne Madison says the group didn't seek a bailout for large cruise operators. She says the stimulus package will help travel agents and other small to medium-size businesses that work with cruise companies. (Read more cruise lines stories.)
Alan Edwards, a 23-year-old financial analyst in St. Paul, Minn., made several visits to a nearby urgent care office. The staff there instructed him to return if his fever worsened or if he developed respiratory symptoms. After developing a cough and tightness in his chest one Saturday, he went to the emergency room, because the urgent care center was closed.

The Visit

Experiences varied. Some people were able to walk right into the waiting room, while others were told not to enter the premises without a health care worker in protective gear coming to retrieve them. One visit took just 10 minutes, but none took longer than about an hour. All patients had to review their symptoms several times with receptionists, nurses or doctors.

When Mrs. Quiros and her husband arrived at the walk-in clinic, they were met by a nurse who handed them masks and forms that asked three questions: whether they had had a fever over 100.4 in the last four days; if they had had a new rash, cough or cold-like symptoms that included runny, stuffy nose, sore throat or difficulty breathing in the last four days; and if they had been in close contact or traveled outside of the United States or Canada in the last 30 days or been exposed to someone with Covid-19. After checking in with a receptionist and making their co-payments ($30 for Mrs. Quiros and $50 for her husband), they were asked to return to their car to wait until an exam room was ready.

Rachel, who asked to be identified only by her first name, underwent a drive-through exam in Alaska. She had been told she first needed a referral from her primary care physician, but wasnt told where to send it or what it needed to say. After trying her darnedest but failing to get ahold of her doctor, she went to the drive-through site. The process was straightforward, she said, and took only about 10 minutes.

If you get out of your car, they will send you home, she wrote in a Facebook message.

The Test

Almost all of those who spoke with The Times said that they were first given a rapid flu test, whose results come back within 15 minutes or so. When those came back negative, the medical team proceeded to administer a Covid-19 test. (Though Mr. Edwards asked for a flu test, he was told the hospital had shut down flu testing to increase its capacity for Covid-19 tests.)
Leaving their political



differences behind, politicians of West Bengal have united in their fight against COVID-19 and have been donating generously in the state coffers to contain the disease.

The state which has been known for violent political atmosphere for decades, is now witnessing bonhomie among politicians who are standing by the people in distress irrespective of political beliefs.

Various political parties and leaders have donated generously to the State Emergency Relief Fund created by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently to combat the outbreak in the state.

Apart from the ruling Trinamool Congress MLAs and MPs, who have been donating from their local area development funds, people's representatives of the opposition CPI(M), Congress and BJP are contributing to the cause.

"This is not the time for political mudslinging. All of us are fighting against a common enemy against humanity. We should fight this battle together," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.

Several BJP MPs and MLAs have written to district magistrates of their respective districts asking them to release funds worth crores of rupees from their funds to set up required facilities and procure protective gear.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front has asked its MLAs to release funds worth Rs 10 lakh each from their funds.

"We have repeatedly said that whatever steps the state government takes following guidelines of the WHO and the ICMR, we would abide by it and help the government in every possible way. This is not the time for politics," CPI(M) leader in the state Assembly Sujan Chakraborty said.

CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said the state government is trying hard and the party stands by the government.

"She (the chief minister) is trying hard. Our best wishes are with her. We also stand by the government at this time of crisis. can take a backseat now, Mishra said.

Senior TMC minister Partha Chatterjee welcomed the steps taken by opposition parties.

The TMC leadership has asked district leaders to help everyone in distress without considering his or her political affiliations, Chatterjee said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Press Release

March 27, 2020 De Lima: Tap medical and nursing graduates, students to assist frontliners As the number of those infected by COVID-19 continues to spike, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima suggests that medical and nursing graduates and students be enlisted to assist healthcare professionals and reinforce undermanned medical facilities nationwide. De Lima, who chairs the Senate Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, noted that some hospitals have reportedly refused to accept prospective coronavirus patients not only due to lack of spaces but also of medical workers and staff. "The situation is getting worse. The number of available health workers to attend to the sick and dying COVID-19 patients, and the PUI and PUM cases, is dwindling as many medical frontliners have to undergo self-quarantine themselves, having been exposed to COVID-19 patients," she said. "[Let us] call on our nation's second line of defense - conscript the graduates of medical schools and nursing schools who will rise to the occasion," she added. De Lima pointed out that the Health Secretary has the authority under Republic Act 2382 to empower the medical graduates and students to practice, in a limited capacity, their dream profession during epidemics or national emergencies. When called upon to serve, De Lima continued, the government should guarantee that the medical and nursing graduates and students will be "equipped, compensated and safeguarded" as they risk their lives for the sake of others. As of March 26, nine physicians have succumbed due to complications caused by COVID-19. Medical institutions also claim that they are understaffed because many of their healthcare workers have to be quarantined due to exposure to infected patients. De Lima also stressed that there is an "urgent need to review the country's medical workforce capabilities" and fill the vacancies in the Department of Health (DOH), especially thousands of positions designated for health workers. "I remind Secretary Duque that per the 2020 National Expenditure Program, there remains 13,058 unfilled positions under the DOH. That is on top of the 26,035 contractual positions for health workers which DBM has authorized to support the implementation of the Human Resource for Health Deployment Program (HRHDP) of the DOH," she said. "Please don't give the applicants a run around anymore, give those positions to the qualified and competent to help save more lives. By utilizing this option which is already at the disposal of the DOH, our frontline will be manned and strengthened to hold the line until a vaccine or a cure is discovered," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol have been consistent in calling out the DOH to roll-out mass testing for COVID-19, especially after the health department claimed to have received hundreds of thousands of test kits from foreign donors. Official figures of the World Health Organization show that COVID-19, believed to have originated in Wuhan, China has killed 20,834 people and infected 462,684 around the world, as of March 26. To date, the Philippines has reported that 45 people have died due to COVID-19 and 707 others have been confirmed of being infected.
Three 'bog roll bandits' stole toilet paper and hand sanitiser in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The men stole the items, which have often been in short supply in supermarkets following the outbreak of Covid-19, during a burglary at a building site in Hatfield Peverel, Essex.

The stash, along with a laptop and a microwave, was found in a van just 30 minutes later.

Proud police officers revealed the find on Twitter, with the hashtag #ThatsHowWeRoll.

The three 'bog roll bandits' were arrested 30 minutes after the burglary at a building site in Hatfield Peverel, Essex. Police found a van with the stolen items inside

The stolen items included toilet paper and hand sanitiser, which have often been in short supply in supermarkets following the outbreak of coronavirus in the UK.

Now the men have been ordered to carry out unpaid work and pay fines and costs of 125 after admitting burglary.

Johnnie Scamp, Thomas Simonds, and James Scamp, all from Essex, were arrested within 30 minutes of a call to police following the break-in at the building site, which took place on Friday, March 20.

They appeared before magistrates in Chelmsford on Monday, March 23.

Johnnie Scamp, 29, of Aveley, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, while 41 year-old James Scamp, of Purfleet, and Simmonds, 37, of South Ockendon, were told to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work.

The trio have all also been told to pay fines and costs of 125.

Investigating officer Police Constable Brian Sargent said: Officers responded really quickly to reports of suspicious activity at the building sit and were able to detain these three men shortly after the offence had taken place.

This swift response just highlights that were still out around the county, protecting and serving Essex.

Our priorities havent changed: were still catching criminals and keeping you safe.
North Macedonia has officially become NATO's 30th member, the military alliance says.

North Macedonia became NATO's newest member with the presentation of its "instrument of accession" to the U.S. State Department in Washington D.C., NATO said in a statement from its headquarters in Brussels.

North Macedonia was granted a protocol on accession to NATO membership in February 2019 after a 2017 agreement with Greece that changed the former Yugoslav republic's name from Macedonia, resolving a decades-long dispute between Skopje and Athens.

Since then, all NATO-member parliaments have voted to ratify the country's membership, and Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski on March 20 signed the final accession document for the country's entry into the alliance.

"North Macedonia is now part of the NATO family, a family of 30 nations and almost 1 billion people. A family based on the certainty that, no matter what challenges we face, we are all stronger and safer together," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Pendarovski said his country could not appropriately mark the event given the current coronavirus pandemic.

"But this is a historic success that after three decades of independence finally confirms Macedonian security and guarantees our future," he said. "Congratulations to all of you! We deserve it!"

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the country's membership "will support greater integration, democratic reform, trade, security, and stability across the region.

It also reaffirms that NATO's door remains open "to those countries willing and able to make the reforms necessary to meet NATO's high standards, and to accept the responsibilities as well as benefits of membership," Pompeo added.

North Macedonia's flag is to be raised alongside those of the other 29 member states at NATO headquarters in Brussels and at two other commands simultaneously on March 30.

After resolving its name dispute with its neighbor, Greece has also agreed to drop objections to North Macedonia's eventual European Union membership.

The country came closer to joining the bloc on March 26 when EU leaders gave it the green light to begin membership talks.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: A 28-year-old man from Vijayawada in Krishna district tested positive on Thursday, taking the total COVID-19 cases in the State to eleven. The patient returned from Sweden to New Delhi and from there to Vijayawada on March 18.

According to the medical bulletin issued by the government, the youth travelled from Vijayawada airport to his residence in the city in a cab. On March 25, he developed symptoms of COVID-19 and went to Vijayawada GGH for a medical check-up. On Thursday evening, he tested positive.On Wednesday, two more positive cases were recorded in the State, one from Vijayawada and another from Guntur.

The 22-year-old man, who tested positive for coronavirus, belongs to Gayatri Nagar in Vijayawada. He returned to New Delhi from Washington DC, on March 20, by Air India flight AI 104. He was admitted to a hospital in Delhi after his screening at the airport. Later, he was discharged from the hospital on March 21.

He then took another Air India flight (AI 459) and reached Vijayawada on March 22. He travelled in his friends car from the airport to his home. On March 23, after developing symptoms, he visited Vijayawada GGH with his father. His samples tested positive on Wednesday.

The 52-year-old man from Mangaldas Nagar in Guntur tested positive for COVID-19 attended a religious meeting in Nizamuddin Mosque in Delhi on March 14 and stayed there for two-and-a-half days.

On March 18, he boarded Duranto Express and the next morning, he arrived in Vijayawada. He took a cab to go to Guntur on the same day. After falling ill, he visited a private hospital on March 21 and later admitted to the isolation ward in fever hospital on March 23. On March 25, he tested positive and shifted to Vijayawada GGH.

Meanwhile, 25 more people with COVID-19 symptoms were admitted to the Government General Hospitals in Kakinada, Ongole, and Guntur on Thursday. In Kakinada GGH alone, 11 people with COVID-19 symptoms were admitted on Thursday. Four of them were from P Gannavaram, who returned from Dubai. Two are males aged 2 and 28 and two are females aged 36 and 35. One is from Kakinada, who returned from Sweden while another is from Pedapuram who returned from Italy. One has returned from Rajasthan, one from Hyderabad, one from Delhi and one from Maharashtra. A 44-year old woman hailing from Kakinada was also admitted to the hospital with symptoms.

Five more COVID-19 suspect cases were admitted to RIMS-Ongole in Prakasam district. A-35-year-old man from Yenuguchettu area of Ongole was admitted to the hospital. He was suffering from cold and fever for the past two days. He came into contact with two foreigners during the marriage at Markapuram recently. One 60-year-old person from Chirala and another woman ( 60) from Chirala were also admitted with similar symptoms. Nine more suspect cases were admitted to Guntur GGH.

What CM said on States preparedness
Blast Rocks Funeral Services For Sikhs Killed In Kabul Attack

March 26, 2020

A small explosion has disrupted the funeral services for 25 members of Afghanistan's Sikh community who were killed earlier this week in an attack by an Islamic State gunman on their religious compound.

No one was hurt when the explosive device detonated near the crematorium where the ceremonies were taking place, the Interior Ministry said on March 26.

On March 25, a lone gunman stormed the temple in central Kabul before security forces killed him and released the 80 hostages he had taken.

The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack via the online Amaq news agency, which it uses to distribute statements.

Sikhs, a small religious minority in Afghanistan which numbers fewer than 300 families, have been targeted by Islamist militants before.

A suicide bombing targeting the Sikh community and claimed by IS killed more than a dozen people in 2018 in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.

Based on reporting by AP and Pajhwok Afghan News

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/blast-rocks- funeral-services-for-25-sikhs-killed-in-kabul- attack-no-injuries/30511069.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 Mark Leonard




MIAMI - A retired Venezuelan army general indicted alongside Nicolas Maduro has surrendered in Colombia and is being taken by Drug Enforcement Administration agents to New York for arraignment, four people familiar with the situation said Friday.

Cliver Alcala has been an outspoken critic of Maduro for years. But he was charged Thursday with allegedly running with Maduro, socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello and another retired army general a narcoterrorist conspiracy that U.S. prosecutors say sent 250 metric tons of cocaine a year to the U.S. and turned the Venezuelan state into a platform for violent cartels and Colombia rebels. The Justice Department had offered a $10 million reward for Alcalas arrest.

Alcala was being flown on a chartered plane to the U.S. from Barranquilla, Colombia, after waiving an extradition hearing and agreeing to collaborate with prosecutors, said the four people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss actions that had not yet been made public.

Alcala has been living in the coastal city since fleeing Venezuela in 2018 after the discovery of a conspiracy that he was secretly leading in hopes of ousting Maduro.

After being indicted Thursday, Alcala shocked many by claiming responsibility for a stockpile of U.S.-made assault weapons and military equipment seized on a highway in Colombia for what he said was a planned incursion into Venezuela to remove Maduro. Without offering evidence, he said he had a contract with opposition leader Juan Guaido and his American advisers to purchase the weapons.

We had everything ready, Alcala said in a video published on social media. But circumstances that have plagued us throughout this fight against the regime generated leaks from the very heart of the opposition, the part that wants to coexist with Maduro.

The confusing remarks from someone who was among Maduros loudest critics were seized on by Venezuelas socialist leader, who accused the DEA of being behind a plan by Alcala to assassinate him and other political leaders.

According to the indictment, Alcala in 2008, when he was a trusted aide to then President Hugo Chavez, was given additional duties to co-ordinate drug shipments with corrupt elements of the Venezuelan military and guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which the U.S. listed as a terrorist group.

The DEA referred requests for comment to the Justice Department. Nicole Navas, a Justice Department spokesperson, declined to comment.

Moments before his surrender, Alcala published a video on social media bidding farewell to his family.

I face the responsibilities for my actions with the truth, he said.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2020 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam....
With nowhere to go, stranded 19 Indian passengers at Dubai airport provided hotel rooms, food

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 27: Around 19 Indian nationals stranded at the Dubai airport for past six days have now been provided with hotel rooms inside the airport by the Authorities in Dubai.

The situation was grim as UAE, one of the busiest airports in the world, had stopped all the operations in view of coronavirus ourbreak which had killed more than 24,000 people globally.

The 22 Indian passengers were in transit at the Dubai Airport when New Delhi announced the decision to impose a ban on passenger flights. Some of them have been at the airport since March 18.

Stuck in the transit area of international terminal of the airport, Rajendran Nair took to Twitter to appeal to the ministry of external affairs for help.

"I am an Indian citizen and I am stuck here for the last 48 hours without any way to India due to the border closure," he tweeted. "I cannot travel to Russia as I live there because they have taken the same steps. I am basically stuck in no mans land without a place to stay in a common area where I could easily contract COVID 19."

Hello, I am Rajendran Nair and I am currently tweeting from the transit area of the Dubai International Airport. I am an Indian citizen and I am stuck here fo the last 48 hours without any way to return to India due to the border closure @MEAIndia @cgidubai @DrSJaishankar  Rajhu Nair (@RajhuNair) March 24, 2020

Speaking to OneIndia, Sajeev Purushothaman, BJP's Kerala NRI Cell spokesperson, had assured all the assistance.

He had also said that he would speak to VM Muraleedharan, Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, and ambassador and reslove the issue at the earlierst.

The Indian passengers had arrived from European destinations such as Lisbon, Budapest, Barcelona and at least 11 passengers arrived from Sydney.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

With many Indians stranded across the world, the MEA has established a functional helpline on COVID-19, which is available 24X7. It recommends that Indians stranded abroad should get in touch with the Indian mission and the COVID helpline.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held separate telephonic conversation with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the coronavirus pandemic.

In conversation with with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the two leaders exchanged information and views on the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation in their respective countries, as well as the steps being taken by their governments to deal with the situation.

"Both leaders emphasised the importance they attach to the strength and richness of the bilateral relationship. They agreed to maintain regular consultations between their officials in the present situation, particularly to ensure continuity of logistical supply lines," the MEA said.

The Crown Prince assured Modi about the welfare of the over 2 million Indians living in the UAE. The prime minister thanked the Crown Prince for his personal attention to the health and safety of Indian expatriates in the present situation.

"Prime Minister expressed his best wishes for the good health of the Crown Prince and the entire Royal Family as well as all Emirati citizens," the MEA said.
Four passengers have died aboard a cruise ship now anchored off the coast of Panama and two people aboard the ship have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the cruise line said Friday.

However, the Panamanian Maritime Authority declared that none of the passengers and crew members will be allowed to disembark.

Holland America Line said in a post on its Facebook page that more than 130 people aboard the Zaandam had reported flu-like symptoms while the Panamanian government reports 124 who are ill.

'Holland America Line can confirm that four older guests have passed away on Zaandam,' the statement said. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.'

Holland America Line's cruse ship Zaandam is anchored in Panama City and is reportedly carrying more than 100 sick passengers. At least four passengers died after they fell ill

At least four passengers died after falling ill aboard the Zaandam cruise ship, which is reportedly carrying at least 124 people who are sick and showing signs of the COVID-19 virus. The Panamanian government has refused to allow the ship to dock at its port

The Zaandam has 1,800 passengers aboard, including more than 100 who are reportedly sick

Dr. Pablo Gonzalez, a ranking official with Panama's Health Ministry, said that at least 124 people are sick and showing what they believe to be symptoms associated with COVID-19.

The Panamanian government said the four deceased passengers were all elderly.

The ship was receiving medical supplies and medical personnel from another Holland America ship, the Rotterdam and the company planned to begin transferring healthy passengers to that ship.

'Priority for the first guests to transfer will be given to those on Zaandam with inside staterooms and who are over 70,' the statement said.

There are 1,243 guests and 586 crew on board the Zaandam.

Passenger onboard Holland America Line's cruise vessel Zaandam, which is docked in Panamanian waters. At last four passengers have been declared dead after falling ill

The Zaandam cruise ship, top center, is reportedly carrying at least 124 passengers that could be showing signs of the coronavirus. At least four passengers fell ill and died on the vessel, which was not allowed to dock in Chile before making its way to Panama. The ship had been trying to get to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The Zaandam departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7. The ship was trying to get to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being denied permission to dock at its original destination of Chile a week ago.

The Rotterdam rendezvoused with the Zaandam on Thursday evening.

'It is only authorized to do ship-to-ship maneuvers. No one aboard is allowed to come ashore,' said Panama's Maritime Authority Administrator Noriel Arauz.

The Zaandam had planned to pass through the Panama Canal en route to Florida, but after being inspected by Panamanian authorities, the request to use the canal was denied, said canal Administrator Ricauter Vasquez.

Panamanian Navy Police navigate near the anchored Zaandam cruise ship. Holland America, the owner of the vessel, dispatched the Rotterdam ship, which transferred medical supplies and medical personnel

Aerial view of Holland America's cruise ship Zaandam as it entered the Panama City bay

Panama's Health Ministry said none of the passengers will be allowed to leave the ship

The Health Ministry 'did not give permission,' Vasquez told reporters Friday.

'The ship is in territorial waters but has to remain isolated.'

Holland America Line had announced March 17 that it was voluntarily suspending its cruise operations for 30 days 'due to the continued port closures and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19 and in an abundance of caution.'

At that point, the company said none of its passengers or crew had tested positive for the virus.

The Seattle-based cruise line is owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.
Sadly, the recent passing of Jack Welch, former head of GE, does not bring with it the successful conclusion of the pollution removal from the Hudson River in New York, nor the removal of pollution from the Housatonic River in Connecticut. Welch started with GE in 1960 and rose through the ranks, becoming chief in 1981.

Now, GE wasnt the only entity polluting the rivers, but it was probably the largest and was targeted by the EPA to provide cleanup of the river beds. For decades, ending in 1977, GE plants spewed PCBs into both the Hudson and Housatonic rivers, until use of PCBs in manufacturing was banned in 1979. While some river cleanup has been accomplished, it is not finished. The state of New York sued the Trump administration and the EPA for prematurely declaring the cleanup completed in 2019.
Alabama Medal of Honor recipient and war hero Bennie Adkins is hospitalized with coronavirus.

Adkins family told the Opelika-Auburn News the 86-year old is in critical condition at East Alabama Medical Center with a diagnoses of COVID-19.

Adkins son, Keith, said his father had recently traveled and came back ill and was admitted to the hospital in his hometown of Opelika. He was recovering but then took a turn for the worse and was readmitted.

"We're very appreciative of the prayers and support from people, frankly, from around the country. We're hopeful for the best, but realistic as well," Keith Adkins told the newspaper. "We're very grateful for the doctors and staff and everyone at EAMC for the job they're doing."

The Bennie Adkins Foundation asked for peoples prayers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit home. Bennie has been hospitalized and is critically ill with COVID-19 respiratory failure, the Foundation said in a Facebook post. We ask for your thoughts and prayers.

Adkins received the Medal of Honor in 2014, almost 50 years after his heroic actions in the jungles of Vietnam. He received the nations highest military honor for valor during 48-hours of close-combat fighting against enemy forces near Camp A Shau, Vietman on March 9-12, 1966. The Medal of Honor proclamation recognized Adkins for fighting with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades killing between 135 and 175 enemy soldiers while sustaining 18 different wounds.
KAGERA Regional Commissioner (RC), Brig Gen Marco Gaguti, has appealed to residents in the area to drink milk regularly and ensure they also give milk to their children to improve their health status.

People should change attitude and consume more milk. Focus should be on children, especially those aged below five years, who need milk to develop their brains, he insisted.

He also cautioned people against consuming milk from unknown sources, instead they should get it from authorised milk processing plants to avoid contracting diseases, including tuberculosis (TB).

He noted that a national survey revealed that Kagera Region was on top among 10 regions in Mainland Tanzania where malnutrition stood at 39 per cent children aged below five years.

Other regions include; Dodoma, Mwanza, Kigoma, Mbeya, Dar es Salaam, Geita, Tabora, Ruvuma and Lindi.

Parents, especially women, should be educated on the importance of early breastfeeding. There is an urgent need to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition. The first 1,000 days of a childs life are very crucial. The brain develops rapidly, laying the foundation for future cognitive and social ability, he said.

Mr Gaguti noted that while the national milk consumption on average stood at 47 litres per year, the regional milk intake average stood at only 16 litres per year, while the global average stood at 200 litres per year.

He noted that milk production in the region had increased from 43,915,266 litres during 2014/15 to 46,858,481 litres during 2015/216.

Between July and December last year milk production stood at 21,141,709 litres, attributing the trend to a prolonged dry spell experienced in the region. According to him, the region has about 21,438 dairy cattle.

Mr Gaguti elaborated further that Tanzania was implementing a plan to invest in milk consumption from the current 47 litres per person annually to 60 litres in 2018 and 100 litres by 2025.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommends a person to consume at least 200 litres of milk annually.
A five-month-old baby is among the latest confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia.

Western Australia recorded 24 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday night bringing the state's total to 255.

Of the 24 new cases, 11 are from cruise ship passengers including the Ruby Princess, Ovation of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Celebrity Solstice.

Details surrounding the state's second death were also revealed, including information the victim died within 48 hours of first showing symptoms.

A five-month-old baby is among the latest confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia (stock image)

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson revealed the identity of the second person to die from COVID-19 in WA as retiree Ray Daniels (left)

The second man to die from coronavirus in Western Australia was retiree Ray Daniels, who died in a Perth hospital on Friday after a cruise holiday.

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson described the family's devastation at losing Mr Daniels so quickly in a statement issued by the family on Friday.

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

'We as a family are completely devastated by the sudden death of our father, husband and grandfather. He was a very fit healthy, active man with no known underlying health issues,' Mr Dawson read.

'He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning. He died within 48 hours.'

'Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us. Everyone needs to take this virus seriously and follow the health advice that is given,' he said.

The 24 new cases in Western Australia include 11 males and 13 females, aged between five months and 82 years old.

Victims are primarily focused around metropolitan Perth, however four are based in regional areas including two in the Pilbara and the the Southwest and one from the Goldfields.

The Department is in the process of interviewing all additional new cases to determine their travel history and to identify their close contacts.

There are currently 13 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Perth metropolitan hospitals, with two in ICU, while 28 patients have recovered.

To date, 11,836 Western Australians have tested negative for COVID-19  1,591 of these are from regional WA.

To coincide with the spike in cases WA Premier Mark McGowan has announced extreme measures for passengers aboard two cruise ships docked off WA to prevent further transmission of coronavirus.

The head of the state is refusing to allow passengers off the Artania cruise ship docked at Fremantle, setting up a police guard so passengers don't slip through the gaps.

Seven passengers out of the 500 aboard the cruiser tested positive for COVID-19, however none of the passengers are Australians.

The effected passengers, plus another two suspected cases have already been removed from the ship and taken to hospital before they will be transferred into quarantine at Joondalup.

All remaining passengers will remain on board until chartered planes arrive to take them back to their home countries.

The head of the state is refusing to allow passengers off the Artania cruise ship docked at Fremantle, setting up a police guard so passengers don't slip through the gaps

WA Premier Mark McGowan outlined the state government's tough approach to the cruise ship situation during a press conference on Friday.

'I have been extremely clear: I do not want a Ruby Princess disaster to occur in our State,' Premier McGowan said.

'My priority has and will always be to protect our citizens and do what is necessary to get this ship to leave our waters as soon as possible.'

'This is an urgent situation, and we need to get this ship away from our state.'

The Artania is one of two cruise ships docked off Western Australia, the other is Vasco de Gama which has been stuck offshore for days.

900 passengers have been trapped in limbo aboard the cruise ship as state authorities denied the vessel's docking because of fears around the spread of COVID-19.

The ship will dock at Fremantle on Friday so authorities can arrange for the New Zealanders on board to be transferred back home on Saturday night.

All Australian passengers will be transferred to Rottnest Island, which has been set up as a purpose built quarantine site for COVID-19 patients.

Premier McGowan said it's the best outcome for everyone in the state.

'My number one priority is the health of Western Australians and I believe the best place for the passengers and their families at home, is for them to be on the island during their self-isolation period,' he said.

'This not only protects themselves, but it protects their families as well, who could possibly come into contact with them if they are on the mainland.'

The remaining passengers, including all other Australians, will either be transferred to Rottnest Island or another hotel facility in WA where they will be quarantined for 14 days before going to their home State, for a further 14-day self-isolation period.

The state government also announced new measures to control the spread of COVID-19 on Friday including regional travel restrictions in effect from midnight on Tuesday.

Police will have the power to issue fines of $50,000 for anyone who leaves the boundaries of their local area.

The state government also announced it was locking up gun shops and firearm dealerships under the emergency management act.

Cruise ship passengers will be transferred to Rottnest Island (pictured) or another hotel facility in WA where they will be quarantined for 14 days before going to their home State, for a further 14-day self-isolation period
Ridley Scott has branded Trump a nutcase for the way he is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

As America overtakes China as the country most affected by the global pandemic, the film director was asked about his views on how world leaders are handling the situation.

Particularly with this orange-headed fellow thats running us, hes a nutcase, isnt he? Scott told Variety.

Looking at the globalisation of the politicians that are running the world, half the time being run by idiots and the other time by despots, there are very few worthwhile ones, if you know what I mean, he continued. No one wants to go into politics. If anyone has half a brain they wouldnt want to go into politics anyway, right?

Since the outbreak, the US president has made numerous inaccurate remarks about the illness during press briefings.

In January, Trump said of the sickness: Its going to disappear  one day, its like a miracle, it will disappear.

Despite the rising death toll, he went on to rate his response to the outbreak as a 10, adding: I think weve done a great job.

Scott, who referred to himself as a war baby, also urged Boris Johnson to limit what you can buy each time British people go to the shops.

People are buying so much food and then the food is rotting, he added.

I mean, Jesus, Boris, get out your thinking cap, cause what were now talking on is an iPhone, a perfect coupon distributor to limit what you can buy. And that way, you have order. You must have order and calm.

The coronavirus crisis has caused cancellations and delays across Hollywood with Scotts new film The Last Duel, starring Ben Affleck, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer, among to projects to halt production.
Albert Uderzo, a co-creator of Asterix, one of Frances most revered and longest-running comic book series, died on Tuesday at his home in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris. He was 92. Bernard de Choisy, Uderzos son-in-law, told the Agence France-Presse that the cause was a heart attack. The series is joined perhaps only by Tintin and Mickey Mouse in the pantheon of comic book and cartoon characters with uninterrupted universal appeal. In 1966, Frances first space satellite was named Asterix. The series has been translated into more than 100 languages and ...
By Jonathan S. Tobin

(JNS)It seems like a devastating argument. If Israeli Jews are willing to accept life-saving treatment from Arab doctors, why wont they give their representatives in the Knesset a seat in the countrys government?

Thats the point The New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief David Halbfinger made last week both on Twitter and in an article that made the same point. Its been echoed elsewhere in features in the Israeli press.

But the premise is false. The idea that objections to giving anti-Zionist Arab parties a role in the government of Israel is racist is more than a cheap shot aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters. The attempt to use the coronavirus pandemic as a way of chipping away at the legitimacy of a Jewish state demonstrates that Israels critics consider the catastrophic spread of a deadly disease as merely just another opportunity to take pot shots at Zionism.

Its important to separate two arguments being made here. One is about the yearlong standoff between Netanyahu and his political opponents as the two sides continue to battle over who will lead the countrys next government, and whether the votes of Knesset members who support Israels enemies should be the deciding factor. The other is a more fundamental question about whether Israel can be both a state devoted to protecting the national rights of the Jewish people while granting equal rights to non-Jewish citizens.

Of course, Jews gratefully accept treatment from Arab doctors and nurses working in the countrys hospitals. Arabsboth those who are citizens of Israel and residents of the territoriesalso accept the care they got from the far larger number of Jewish doctors and nurses that work in the same medical facilities. It should also be pointed out that even the families of hostile Palestinian terror groups based in Gaza or the West Bank have been admitted to Israeli hospitals, where they are treated with the same scrupulous devotion that any Jew gets.

So when Dr. Ahmad Tibi, a physician who also serves as a Knesset member of the Joint Arab List, which won 15 seats in the Knesset earlier this month, claims that Jews who would accept his services as a doctor, but dont want him deciding who will be prime minister, are racists and hypocrites, he isnt being honest.

Israels founding fathers agreed that the Jewish state they were striving to create would offer equal rights to the countrys Arab inhabitants. That was the position of the two ideological opponents who led the factions from which Israels current political parties draw their origins. David Ben-Gurion, the countrys first prime minister and leader of the left-wing Labor Zionist movement, believed that Israel should be both a Jewish state and a democracy. The same was true of Zeev Jabotinsky, who created the movement from which todays Likud stemmed.

Jabotinsky even theorized that the government of the Jewish state should make room for those who represented the Arabs. He even went as far as to say that if the prime minister was Jewish, then the vice premier of the country should be an Arab.

That vision of equality, however, rested on the assumption that Arab citizens would accept that the countrys basic purpose was to be the national home of the Jewish people. The rights of the non-Jewish minority were to be protected. These leaders did not accept the idea that the Arab minority would be permitted to use democracy to try to eliminate the Jewish state.

Yet that is exactly what those who are branding as racist the objections voiced by Netanyahu and his supporters about the Joint Arab List being either an active or silent partner in the creation of a new Israeli government are essentially enabling.

The Joint List wont be able to legislate the Jewish state out of existence, even if it were an active part of a new government formed by Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz. Still, depending on their 15 votes to get power and keep it would give them a potential veto over any measure of Israeli self-defense against Palestinian terror movements that the members of the Joint List cheer on from the sidelines.

The four parties that make up the Joint List have different ideologies. One is avowedly Communist. One seeks to make Israel into an Islamist state along the lines advocated by Hamas. Another wants it to become a secular, Palestinian Arab-dominated state. The fourth doesnt want an independent Palestine, though wants it to be part of a Pan Arab state encompassing the entire region. All oppose the existence of Israel as a Jewish state within any borders.

Israels Arab citizens have every right to elect anyone they like to represent them. And those Knesset members should have the same rights as those who were chosen by the Zionist parties. But to say that keeping them out of the government denigrates and disenfranchises Arab citizens is to declare that the destruction of the Jewish state is a legitimate Arab aspiration. Indeed, the unwillingness of Israeli Arabs to give up on the failed century-long war against Zionism is the single greatest obstacle to ensuring an equitable society for all of Israels citizens.

Its hard to say if the end of the long tussle between Netanyahu and his foes is in sight. The animus towards the prime minister is such that it has caused some of those who share many of his beliefs to be willing to legitimize the Joint List in order to be rid of him.

Yet opposing the Joint List has nothing to do with denying equality to Arabslet alone denigrating the work of Arab medical personnel at a time of crisis. Those who say that it is racist to want to keep the Joint List out of government are, in effect, buying into the old anti-Semitic meme that Zionism is racism. That Netanyahus critics and those of Israel are using the coronavirus outbreak as an excuse to revive such a canard arent merely wrong. Theyre despicable.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.
A 17-year-old whose death was initially linked to the novel coronavirus despite not having any previously reported health conditions was denied treatment at a California medical facility over his lack of insurance, according to the mayor.

R Rex Parris, the mayor of Lancaster, California, confirmed the teens death in a video posted to YouTube on Wednesday, in which he warned residents to take the global pandemic seriously and practice self-isolation and social distancing measures.

The Friday before he died, he was healthy, the mayor said about the teenager. By Wednesday, he was dead.

The mayor said the teen didnt have insurance, so they did not treat him when he arrived at an urgent care facility in the area. The medical staff then told the child to go to a local public hospital.

En route to AV Hospital, he went into cardiac arrest, the mayor said. They were able to revive him and keep him alive for about six hours. But by the time he got there, it was too late.

The teens death comes amid a wave of reports about young victims suffering deadly symptoms from Covid-19, defying previous assumptions that the novel virus was only fatal for some older patients and people with severe underlying conditions.

Another teen in Louisiana was reported to have passed away this after contracting the coronavirus, as well as a 21-year-old woman in the UK who also had no underlying health issues.

However, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health later said the teens death was taken off a list of deaths associated with Covid-19 in the area. The department said the CDC would complete an investigation into the teens death. It remained unclear what symptoms he may have been experiencing prior to his death.

As health officials warned the countrys hospital system was already reaching capacity, the US confirmed at least 85,000 cases of the coronavirus by Friday. The death toll has meanwhile risen to nearly 1,300, with those figures likely to continue soaring in the coming days.

New York has seen the vast majority of confirmed cases, with nearly 40,000 in total as the state managed to distribute a significant amount of testing kits despite challenges the federal government had procuring test to send to states across the country.

Doctors and nurses on the front lines of the unfolding crisis previously told The Independent the virus was impacting young people the same way it was older patients in some cases.

One resident physician from Mount Sinai in New York City issued a stark warning during a Thursday interview.

Relatively young people  age 30 through 50  often male, with little to no known past medical history are getting sick from this virus, getting intubated, [and] dying, they said. The principles of social distancing are not solely for protecting your grandparents.

Another New York-area nurse said: What I really want the public to know is that the old and sick are not the only ones who are getting severely ill and dying from this virus. Both of my patients I took care of over the weekend were in their 30s. Both with no known past medical history.
Delhi Police on Friday issued an order approving smooth delivery of essential goods, including food, groceries and medicines, in the city during the coronavirus lockdown.

Several e-commerce firms and food delivering companies have been complaining that police was not allowing them to ply on roads since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown on Tuesday.

Commissioner of Police S N Shrivastava on Friday issued an order complying with the guidelines given by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The MHA has said while the country needs to be in a 'lockdown', supply and storage of essential goods, including health infrastructure and food, must be allowed.

The order has been forwarded to all senior officials and they will now follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) that was given by the MHA on Thursday.

On Wednesday, after a meeting with e-commerce companies, Delhi Police had said that it will allow delivery of food and groceries during the lockdown.

However on Thursday, the Delhi police commissioner released another order withdrawing the online firms to re-start their services. Though the order also stated that the police will revise the guidelines for the online companies.

Under the MHA's order, a ration shop dealing with groceries, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat, animal fodder, seeds and pesticides will be allowed to function.

It is also mentioned that home delivery of food, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment is also operational.

Delhi police has said it will follow these orders and won't restrict the movement of essential goods.

Since the manufacturing and transport of many of the essential goods take place in different cities, Delhi Police will also allow inter-city and inter-state transport of all goods.

According to the SOP, police must not shut warehouses where non-essential goods are also stored.

The retailers will have to give an undertaking saying they will only deal with essential goods and will also have to allow authorities to audit their records. The employees engaged in the supply chain of the goods must have ID proof along with e-pass, given by the government.

The companies have been directed to deploy minimum staff to deliver goods, conduct health check-ups of employees and provide them with protective gear.

According to the MHA order, the state government can also open a 24x7 control room to register complaints of employees and people facing issues with food supply.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A masseur who ran a Soho sex den has been jailed for six years on charges relating to the supply of drugs and possessing stun guns and false passports, police said.

Flavien Cortes, 38, was found to have supplied large amounts of drugs while offering bondage-themed sexual services to men from his Wardour Street apartment.

Police told Southwark Crown Court a search of the flat in January uncovered 40 bottles of gamma butyrolactone (GBL), several Tasers, a number of false passports and a variety of class A, B and C drugs - as well as 30,000 in cash.

Metropolitan Police undated handout photo of masseuse Flavien Cortes who ran a Soho sex den has been jailed for six years at Southwark Crown Court on charges relating to the supply of drugs and possessing stun guns and false passports, police said

A Metropolitan police handout photo shows a pile of methamphetamine taken from the Cortes' freezer at his Soho sex den

A police photograph shows a draw full of miscellaneous drugs at Cortes' sex den in Soho

Cortes pleaded guilty prior to sentencing via videolink from prison to 19 charges.

Fourteen charges related to possession and intent to supply class A, B and C drugs.

He was also charged with one count of possessing a disguised firearm, one count of possessing a prohibited firearm, one count of possessing criminal property, and two counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention.

Police told the court officers had found the two Taser-style firearms disguised as a cattle prod and a torch, as well as passports in different names.

Officers also discovered a room in the flat designed for sexual activity, with equipment used to record and share activity online.

Among the items seized from Cortes' Soho sex den was a taser (pictured). Cortes was caged for six years at Southwark Crown Court today on charges relating to the supply of drugs and possessing stun guns and false passports, police said

Pictured: Another torch-shaped taser found at Cortes' chemsex den in Soho, London

Among the items seized were several wads of cash like the one pictured above. Cortes, 38, was found to have supplied large amounts of drugs while offering bondage-themed sexual services to men from his Wardour Street apartment

Cortes was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

Police found a huge stash of class A drugs which were advertised to punters for use in the meth-fuelled orgies when they searched the property on 15 January.

Officers also uncovered two stun guns disguised as torches, a wad of cash and two passports belonging to other men.

The French national moved to the UK aged 18 and built a career in hospitality working for members club Balans Soho Society and as a manager at a London branch of the Hilton Hotel.

Cortes charged customers up to 1,500 for extra services while operating a massage parlour out of his Soho flat.

He amassed a pharmacy of class A drugs including cocaine, crystal meth, MDMA and popular chemsex drug GBL which he sold to punters.

Gregor McKinley, prosecuting, said officers were surveilling the premises when a client left with a packet of crystals and admitted he had bought them from Cortes.

Officers entered to find cameras connected to two iPads monitoring activity inside and outside the flat along with a desk strewn with drug paraphernalia.

The French national appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday via video-link from HMP Wandsworth and admitted 19 offences.

Flavien Cortes, 38, (pictured) made at least 30,000 from his 'life of hedonism' while working as a masseuse from his flat in Soho between 2018 and January this year

Mr McKinley said: 'At about 7.30pm the police who were keeping watch on defendant's address and saw a man leaving in possession of a small bag of white crystals.

'When he was stopped by officers he admitted straightforwardly that he'd been to that address earlier in the day that the crystals were crystal meth and that he'd bought them from Mr Cortes for 50.

'He said he'd been buying drugs from him since 2018.

'Police entered and searched the premises and large quantities of different kinds of drug were found.

'The weight of the crystal meth was just over 156g. The total amount of cocaine was about 60g.

'There was a desk in the middle of the flat and that's where the two tasers were found very close to where he was working and making other supplies of drugs.

'There was also a rudimentary security system in place there were cameras outside the address linked up to two iPads.

'There were also several consignments of vacuum packed money.

'These were notes and a quick estimation by the officers was about 30,000. Also found were the false documents and a number of credit and debit cards in different names.

'Cortes was arrested there and then.

'More controversially, the police found a clipboard which they say looks to them like a rota with names and times and it's the police suspicion that these are people who may be working for or with Mr Cortes.

Cortes was working from his flat in Soho's Richmond Mews (pictured) in central London

'They say they were undertaking cleaning and maintenance jobs for Mr Cortes rather than any form of drug dealing.

'Mr Cortes was arrested and interviewed the following day. He gave a no comment interview and indicated not guilty pleas at the magistrates' court.

'Given the sophistication of the operation the crown say the starting point should be at the upper end (of sentencing).'

Nick Corsellis, QC, defending, said the flat had been hooked up with CCTV for Cortes' own protection and the tasers were kept to ward off potential attacks from customers.

'He comes from France and has a conservative background, family, who when he told them aged 18 that he was gay was met with disapproval.

'It led to him starting his life again here in London. He was a committed member of the leisure industry starting off as a waiter, then a barman and indeed achieving the levels of responsibility to becoming a manager of the Hilton Hotel.

'Unfortunately in late 2016 he contracted pneumonia.

'This led to a six-month period of incapacitation, multiple admissions to hospital and intensive care which culminated in the loss of function in his right lung to a very significant degree and it is irrevocable there for his respiratory ability is very much reduced.

'When he was fit enough he was not able to return to his occupation as a waiter because he wasn't able to stand for long periods of time, carry a tray.

Cortes, a former Hilton Hotel manager was jailed on Tuesday for more than six years

'In order to change his work he took up a massage business. You will see a variety of tax returns relating to his business in 2017 and 2018 whereby his success as a masseur was in the region of 1,500 a time.

'What happened were his clientele were predominantly gay men and the massage business then evolved into the offer of sexual services.

'The particular evolution of that meant that as you will have seen from the photographs in this case that it ended up with Mr Cortes offering a service which was particularly extreme in terms of bondage and restraint and so on.

'The photographs rather tell it all with respect to what was in the flat. Part of that service was the provision of drugs to the clientele.

'This was to consenting adults who wished to partake in them together with the sexual services that Mr Cortes was offering.

'It's also a fact that as you will have appreciated that there was CCTV within the premises as well as outside. That's to protect himself.

'The rota was for cleaners. His occupation meant that others needed to assist him and the cleanliness was an important factor to how his sexual services business was running.

'This was a case where there was no delegation to other people or dealing on the street. His business was one to two people a day.

'There was no method of advertising - it was only on recommendation through word of mouth in a fairly extreme section of the gay community.'

Mr Corsellis said at one point Cortes had been earning so much that Metro bank refused to deposit his money as the deposits were deemed suspicious.

'The money that was found near his desk but also in the safe.

'His bank account was terminated because of the levels of cash he was depositing. The Metro bank decided he was not someone it wanted to be their customer. He had nowhere to deposit his cash.

'The cash that was seized gives an indication as to the level of his business, we accept, but also over the previous months or so.

'The second taser was in fact not operational. The tasers have never been used, they were there for his potential protection.

'May I ask that the court shows some leniency towards him given the rather exceptional circumstances of this case.'

Judge Alexander Milne told Cortes: 'You are in a position of perhaps more responsibility than a street dealer. This falls towards the top end of significant involvement.

'The total will be six years and eight months imprisonment.

'You are a man with little criminal activity in the past. Though you were vulnerable, to some degree that is a vulnerability of your own making.

'In relation to the 30,000 I order that to be forfeited and the drugs and tasers to be destroyed.'

Cortes, of Soho, admitted five counts of possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, five counts of possession of class B drugs with intent to supply, four counts of possession of class C drugs with intent to supply, two counts of possessing an identity document without proper intention, possession of a disguised firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of criminal property.

He was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister of Britain, on Friday announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. In a brief video released on Twitter, he shared the basics: Having developed mild symptoms  thats to say, a temperature and a persistent cough  he underwent testing and received the bad news. He will now be self-isolating until the illness has run its course.

Looking mostly healthy, if typically disheveled, Mr. Johnson stressed that he would continue to lead the national fightback from his home via teleconferencing. He urged the British public to abide by the three-week lockdown put into place on Monday. The more effectively people stick with social distancing, the faster the nation and its National Health Service will bounce back, he said, before closing with the plea, Stay at home, protect the N.H.S. and save lives.

It was a responsible, no-drama message. If only the prime minister had displayed such leadership sooner, he  and who knows how many others  might have been spared this illness.

Instead, Mr. Johnsons handling of the crisis has borne an unsettling resemblance to that of President Trump. He was slow to recognize the risks, taking a mid-February holiday with his pregnant fiancee at his country home. Even after the virus became impossible to ignore, he remained glib and dismissive, as his government dithered and failed to put together a coherent response.
A pet cat in China has reportedly survived after being left on her own in a flat for more than 40 days by her owner and his family, all of whom had to be hospitalised for coronavirus.

The British Shorthair, called Le Le, had fallen pregnant before the outbreak and delivered a litter of four kittens unattended as she spent weeks on end in the apartment alone in Wuhan, the former centre of the pandemic.

The two-year-old moggy got through the ordeal by eating from two bags of cat food, which her owner had opened before leaving for the hospital.

She was able to drink the water from a bowl, where his owner kept his pet fish and turtles.

Le Le (pictured before the outbreak) has survived after being left on her own for more than 40 days in a flat in Wuhan. All seven members of her owner's family contracted coronavirus

The two-year-old moggy, called Le Le, gave birth to four kittens when her owner was away

The cat's owner has shared the extraordinary story with Chinese video outlet Pear.

According to the man, who remains unidentified, his family were hit by the bug one after another at the end of January.

'All of us had to be hospitalised before the Chinese New Year (January 25),' he noted.

He said that Le Le had already been heavily pregnant when they fell ill, and her due date was around the Chinese New Year.

He said he decided not to hire a helper to come and look after Le Le because he was not sure if his flat had been contaminated by the virus.

'I had to find a solution myself,' he told reporters. 'I need to be responsible for [the pet].'

The cat's owner said when his wife returned home from the hospital, she was glad to find Le Le safe and sound. She was more glad to see four kittens running around the apartment

The man said before he went to the hospital for virus checks, he built a simple 'delivery pad' for Le Le 'in case I couldn't come back'.

He also opened two bags of cat food weighing 20 pounds in total to make sure Le Le would have enough to eat.

'I keep turtles and flowers on the balcony, and there is filtered water there safe for her to drink,' he added. 'She also knew how to use the cat toilet in our bathroom.'

Her owner said before he and his wife headed to the hospital, they shut the door of all room apart from the balcony and the bathroom to let Le Le move around, 'and after that, we have no idea what happened'.

Life in China is slowly resuming to normal after cities were shut down for weeks to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Part of the Great Wall re-opened to tourists this week (pictured)

Official will lift the travel restrictions on Wuhan on April 8 after putting the city on lock dowon in January. The picture shows workers disinfecting a subway station in Wuhan on Friday

When his wife was discharged from the hospital about 40 days later, she was glad to find Le Le safe and sound.

She was more glad to see four kittens running around the flat.

'I count myself very lucky. After all, I didn't take care of her [for so long],' the owner said. 'But when I saw the newborns, it was like I saw hope.'

Le Le had eaten the fish in the bowl, but the pet turtles survived.

The man said Le Le had lost about half of her weight when he returned home but vowed to look after the pet and her kittens the best he could now that he has recovered.
Jeremy Bixler, facilities director for Stride Community Health, checks the paperwork of a person before being directed to a drive-thru test site to check for the new coronavirus Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AccuWeather is extending its donation of free severe weather and local storm-warning services to hospitals, medical institutions and public health agencies to new states that face a potentially life-threatening severe weather outbreak into this weekend. Nearly 30 million people, including nurses, doctors and health specialists, are included in the risk area.

In states throughout the central U.S., a variety of weather factors including gusty winds, intense hail and the threat for tornadoes could strike some of the country's most coronavirus-devastated areas, including Kansas City, Missouri, St. Louis, and Chicago.

In a press release from March 23, AccuWeather pledged its support in the fight against COVID-19 by offering its severe weather warnings for free to healthcare agencies in order to reduce the risk workers face. The company said the service will provide a specialized version of AccuWeather's SkyGuard warning service, including advanced warnings for the threat of lightning, wind gusts, flash flooding and tornadoes impacting temporary outdoor hospital sites.

That advanced protection against severe threats may prove vital this weekend as forecasters say isolated tornadoes are possible and straight-line wind gusts could reach an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 70 mph.

"With all the chaos hospitals are experiencing right now in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, AccuWeather wants to put our skills and expertise to good use to lessen the burden on already overtaxed healthcare workers," said Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather for Business vice president. "Since we announced the program last week, we've had many sign-ups, and we are very pleased to be able to contribute in this way to help save lives and prevent injuries, but over and above the free monitoring, we advise hospitals to think now about safety and contingency plans, especially those in the path of predicted severe weather."

Story continues

According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, the fast-moving storms could lead to flash flooding. Along with winds strong enough to knock over trees or break off large limbs, there may be a heightened risk of power outages.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

Storms are expected to erupt from northeastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, central Missouri and central Illinois on Friday, AccuWeather Lead Storm-Warning Meteorologist Brian Knopick said. Those states have seen a combined 3,484 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

"The severe weather risk will not only continue on Saturday but could pose a significant threat to lives and property," Sosnowski said. "During Saturday, the severe weather threat may extend as far to the north as central Iowa and southern Wisconsin and as far to the south as northeastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana. Large metro areas of Chicago; St. Louis; Davenport, Iowa; and Little Rock, Arkansas; are among the areas at risk."

Outside of New York City and the Seattle metro area, Chicago has been one of the harder-hit cities in the country. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has taken extensive measures to enforce social distancing, such as closing the iconic lakefront and ordering many other commonly visited parks to close as well.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot attends a news conference where Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a shelter in place order to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Friday, March 20, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said on Friday that Chicago is among the places health experts are worried about becoming the nation's next hotspot.

"To help even more hospitals and medical facilities in the battle against COVID-19, AccuWeather is extending its offer to provide free severe weather monitoring services to the states of Illinois, Indiana and surrounding areas, which are expecting this latest round of severe weather," Porter said. "Last week, AccuWeather announced it would support hospitals, medical institutions and public health agencies fighting the pandemic in the hardest-hit states of California, Washington, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Medical facilities can register for the complimentary service at hospital.accuweather.com."

Triage tents set up outside of hospitals and health facilities have popped up in numerous states, allowing health specialist to increase screening procedures and help protect facilities from the surge of visitors.

In the press release, Jonathan Porter said it is vital for the company to do all it can to protect patients and the healthcare workers on the front lines.

"They are heroes, and they must be protected and kept safe, especially in this particularly vulnerable situation working in temporary structures, such as tents, that are susceptible to the elements," Porter said. "We are honored to be able to provide this warning service at no cost during this time of great need."

Latest coronavirus COVID-19 coverage from AccuWeather.com

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, its chairman & MD Ajay Singh said on Friday.

While domestic and international passenger flights have been banned till April 14 midnight, IndiGo and GoAir have also offered their aircraft and crew and staff members to the government for any mission required to contain the spread of coronavirus.

ALSO READ| Post IndiGo, GoAir offers its aircraft, crew to government for emergency services

"We have offered our aircraft and crew for any humanitarian mission that the government needs us to fly. We are already flying food, medicines and medical equipment for government every day (on our freighter aircraft)," Singh told PTI.

"We would like to alleviate the suffering of the migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, by flying some flights between Delhi/Mumbai and Patna," he added. India has imposed a 21-day lockdown, which came into force on Wednesday, to check the spread of the virus which has claimed 17 lives and infected over 700 people so far.
Covid-19, #ClimateEmergency and Lockdown

The coronavirus is an opportunity to end the war with nature.Its a moment to be humble and realise our finitude in a wondrous and infinite natural order.

Covid-19 has pushed an already weak and crisis-ridden global economy over the edge. Massive value has been erased from crashing stock market prices. Many commentators are talking about the return of economic conditions similar to the great financial crash of 2007-2009. The most powerful countries in the world from China to the US have ground to a halt.

This pathogen, possibly from delicate creatures like a pangolin or a bat, has engendered the worst global pandemic since the Spanish flu (1918-1920), which killed 100-million people. Death rates are going up globally. Right-wing nationalists in Europe and the USA have been confused as this virus has jumped racist border regimes, and infected all populations. Citizens are no longer concerned about their racist messages, but rather about how to survive.

Governments all across the world are seized with the challenge of protecting their populations, at least that is what it seems like given the people-centred rhetoric. The geo-politics of Covid-19, engulfing the entire globalised world in its rapid spread, is also a shot across the bow of carbon capitalism. Elite consumption of exotic animals, at high prices, in Wuhan, China unleashed the swift and lethal revenge of nature.

This does not mean that this is a Chinese virus as the racist Donald Trump has suggested. We are all susceptible and are trying to live through the fear, paralysis and risks brought by this pandemic. Overnight, jobs have disappeared, paycheques have shrunk, loved ones are in critical health situations fighting for their lives and hunger is knocking on the door of many. Healthcare systems, weakened and commodified through decades of marketisation, have or will be overwhelmed.

Yet the very same elites that caused the problem are not carrying the burden of the consequences of their actions. For climate justice politics, these injustices are not new. Elite use and consumption of fossil fuels is linked directly to extreme weather shocks such as heatwaves, droughts, floods and cyclones, for instance, which impact those most vulnerable the hardest. Yet there is no consequence for those responsible and the fossil fuel industry, carbon-addicted states, and the wealthy carbon-based consumers continue as though climate science does not exist.

Black Swan event, or worsening systemic crisis

In the business world, Covid-19 tends to be reduced to a black swan event. A sudden or unforeseen happening, with great consequence and rationalised after the fact. The idea was initially popularised by Nassim Nicholas Talebs five volumes on uncertainty including the famous Black Swan, which has been described as one of the most famous books since World War II. While in his work, the concept has a richer philosophical grounding, it has become part of everyday risk management discourse. Business risk analyses missed the likelihood of a Covid-19 pandemic and it certainly was not a concern. Its occurrence, however, cannot be explained as a black swan event.

From an ecological Marxist perspective, it has to do with the contradictory relationship between natural and social relations, has a historical genealogy within how eco-cidal capitalism works and can be causally attributed. Simply, for Covid 19, this means its a dangerous problem that is engendered by capitalisms persistent domination of nature.

It spread from a wet market involving organised crime syndicates, linked to shadowy global poaching, and smuggling networks that steal wild creatures from their habitats and place them on elite menus. Avaricious Chinese capitalism, with its appetite for resources and capturing markets, like the West, understands nature as a site of extracting value; nature must serve the juggernaut of accumulation.

South Africans are now familiar with the appetites and reach of this capitalism due to the annihilation of our rhino population merely for their horns. Wet markets also exist in other parts of South and East Asia, and have not been restricted, leaving open the possibilities of new waves of pandemics.

For many years, epidemiologists and environmentalists have been concerned about the public health consequences of such markets, given that animal to human transmission of deadly viruses is a known fact and has been implicated in avian flu (from birds), MERS (from camels) and ebola (monkeys), for instance. These animals are also traumatised and kept in unsafe conditions.

In Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has unleashed land grabs in the Amazon  one of the most bio-diverse habitats on planet Earth. Industrial farming, mining, logging and wild animal poaching are ending the natural protective barriers between human society and ecosystems, heightening the risks of pathogens spreading, but in this case also contributing to climate change, given the role the Amazon plays in a planetary ecosystem to sequester carbon.

Climate scientists have already warned humanity that further warming of the Arctic, for instance, will not only release deadly greenhouse gases such as methane, but also pathogens that have been frozen into ice sheets. Like Covid-19, the worsening climate crisis and its global shocks, are not black swan events, but dangerous systemic crisis tendencies produced by a hard-wired logic based on the duality of capitalism versus nature. Science has provided us with understandings and warnings, and yet the global capitalist system persists in driving us towards harm and destruction.

Carbon capitalism and imposed collective suicide

A world led by those who place profit above human and non-human life, is placing us all in jeopardy. We are not given a choice as the eco-cidal logic of global capitalism destroys the conditions that sustain life. Our planetary commons  biosphere, oceans, forests, land and water sources  are all being commodified and destroyed to make a few wealthy.

On a planetary scale, we are living through an imposed collective suicide. As neoliberalism becomes authoritarian and mutates into the second coming of fascism to defend the wealth of the few, it is revealing a simple fact: Its not learning lessons about the harm it is inflicting. Instead, it wants to defend at all costs a life-destroying system.

Karl Polanyi in the social science classic, the Great Transformation (1944), drew attention to such elite behaviour when the ship is sinking. In the late 19th century, based on marketisation through the gold standard, the world was driven into World War 1. Lessons were not learned and the world was again locked into gold standard marketisation in the 1920s, and this gave rise also to fascism and World War 2.

This time, we are all dealing with the failure of capitalisms conquest of nature through treating it as capital through financialisation. The science on biodiversity loss, climate and water, for instance, are all unequivocal that we are breaching limits and surpassing boundaries that endanger everything. At the same time, the raw and infinite power of nature is gathering pace. The present generation of young people understand the dangers of this very well. One of my former students, an extremely intelligent and sensitive young person, placed this public post on his Facebook page in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak:

Tonight, for the first time in a long time, I cried. I felt everything inside of me: the depth and immensity of my pain, my sorrow, my grief, my lament, my worry, my confusion, my longing, my despair  I felt it all and wept, wept for the sadness Ive kept hidden so long, wept for the loved ones I miss so dearly, wept for the suffering and uncertainty of the world, wept for reasons I dont even understand.

Many of us weep for the collective suicide we are living through. This is not about victimhood, but about understanding the depth of crisis and the urgency to overcome this universal challenge of our extinction. It is a conscious knowing rooted in deep wells of pain, anxiety and existential suffering growing in prevalence among the young because of the collective suicide being imposed by financialised carbon capitalism.

Greta Thunberg and many of the young climate activists in South Africa such as Raeesah Noor Mohamed, Nosintu Mcimeli, William Shoki, Awande Buthelezi, Jane Cherry and Courtney Morgan, to name a few, understand this. They carry their pain, their understanding of injustice as they protest.

But is the present resistance enough? The cry of 1 degree Celsius movements  Sunrise Movement, Extinction Rebellion, #FridaysForFuture and the Climate Justice Charter process in South Africa  are all coming up against power structures and ruling classes not willing to break with the imposed collective suicide of financialised eco-cidal carbon capitalism. Yet in the context of Covid-19, not only are global populations shocked, but it has rocked, assailed and unhinged the very same power structure standing in the way of addressing the climate crisis. Covid-19 is forcing, even reluctantly, ruling classes to try to act with concern for life.

Lockdown and the ANCs epidemiological neoliberalism

Covid-19 has thrown us into a state of exception. From a climate justice perspective, this is a dress rehearsal for a world that breaches 2 and 3 degrees Celsius in which climate shocks on a global scale imperil life-supporting socio-ecological systems such as food, water and health systems through unbearable temperatures. Waking up then is too late.

This is the underlying premise of climate justice activism, given that climate science is telling us what is arriving with business as usual or low mitigation trajectories. With the Covid-19 crisis, our governments seem to be suddenly realising markets and corporations are not more important than human life. Is this the case?

The disaster capitalism of Covid-19, as Naomi Klein reminds us, brings forth profit-making opportunities even from the suffering of the people. Trump is leading the way. His first crucial move was to build up fossil fuel reserves thus keeping oil prices bolstered, then he unleashed the privatised healthcare system and is now keeping pharmaceutical companies free to manipulate the prices of essential medical equipment instead of repurposing production through the Defense Production Act. However, this is not the end of the story and struggles inside US society will certainly determine if Trumps epidemiological neoliberalism will triumph or not.

In South Africa, we have been witness to a sea change from kleptocratic state and neoliberal austerity policies (including cutting billions of rands from health spending), announced by Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni, to cross-subsidise corrupted and failing parastatals, to the war on Covid-19.

The country is going into this government-declared war with a dualistic healthcare system, with the vast majority dependent on a public healthcare system gutted by corruption, mismanagement and austerity. This healthcare system, with these specific features, is what is going to be overwhelmed not just by Covid-19, but by over two decades of ANC misrule. The lockdown of South Africa has to be understood in this context.

Put more sharply, the warped rationalities of commodified healthcare for a few and failing healthcare for the many is clearly the frontline the government is trying to avoid in the countrys Covid-19 response. For most South Africans, in a state of shock and panic, this lockdown crash-landing of the economy on the wretched lives of a precarious working class and poor seems like the best response.

Of course, this shock therapy has been administered repeatedly since neoliberal strictures informed the first democratic budget in 1994 and the macro-economic shift of 1996, kleptocratic neoliberalism of the Jacob Zuma project and now the new epidemiological neoliberalism of the ANC. In this context, the so-called China success story of shutting down Wuhan peppers government-speak.

But the other epidemiological success story of South Korea is not referenced. South Korea did not lock down its economy, but put the emphasis on: (1) intervening fast through test kits produced (100,000 a day), on a mass scale domestically; (2) test early, often and safely (it has conducted over 300,000 tests), such that detection happens quickly; (3) contact tracing, isolation and surveillance, which has used smart apps, mass messaging and has prevented an overload on the healthcare system; and (4) enlist the publics help. While not perfect and easily replicable, its nonetheless an important alternative to lockdown.

South Africas lockdown has not been preceded by mass testing despite the two-month lead time the South African government had since the outbreak in China. Even as the country goes into lockdown, the costs of tests are prohibitive, there has been no clear communication about international partnerships to get testing going on a mass scale, there is no clear messaging on testing details and grassroots civil society has not been mobilised, despite its enthusiasm to rise to the challenge.

Instead, the lockdown has shifted the focus to managing economic chaos, mitigation measures and privatised charity through a solidarity fund. Deep anxiety, fear and insecurity is running through society. South Africa is going into the lockdown as one of the most unequal countries in the world.

The crisis of socio-ecological reproduction is deep as expressed through high levels of structural unemployment, intra-African income inequality, hunger and water inequalities (54% of South African households do not have access to clean water through a tap in their homes).

Lockdown means South Africas precarious working class and poor are now responsible for solving the Covid-19 problem because they carry the burden. Lockdown is meant to save their lives while worsening their already wretched life worlds. Hence the ANC government is off the hook with this cunning move of epidemiological neoliberalism while taking Covid-19 disaster capitalism to a new level.

Ending the war with nature

Covid-19 is an expression of contradictory natural relations. On the one hand, it is devouring the most vulnerable in our society and, on the other hand, it is prompting humanity to slow down collective climate suicide. Carbon emission data is certainly going to register deep drops since the onset of Covid-19, with airlines, shipping, cars and other carbon-emitting technologies brought to a halt.

Covid-19 has achieved what almost three decades of UN multilateral negotiations have failed to achieve. If governments can take the Covid-19 emergency seriously, they can take the climate crisis seriously. The UN climate meeting in Glasgow this year has to open with lessons learned from Covid-19 to address the global climate emergency. In this context, South Africa will have to tell its story to the global public. However, there is a lot the South African government should consider as this pandemic unfolds, including its war-on-Covid-19 approach.

South Africas government declared Covid-19 a disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act. It has unleashed an important coordination capacity in the state, preventative regulations, is disseminating information, has imposed a 21-day lockdown and introduced economic mitigation measures. The command structure is led by the president. The Disaster Management Act was not kicked into gear during the worst drought in South Africas history (2014-till now), which ravaged numerous communities, collapsed part of the globalised food system and pushed up food prices. Many communities still have acute water needs and are being challenged to maintain basic hygiene.

As Covid-19 transmission spreads, water-stressed communities are going to be hotspots as these are poor communities and very likely to also have many with compromised immune systems. If the drought was handled properly by the ANC government, water issues would not have been a problem now.

Moreover, if the ANC government did not get caught up in the tides of populism around the land question and listened to the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign, including taking seriously their Peoples Food Sovereignty Act handed over to Parliament, we would be sitting in the midst of Covid 19 with more communities, villages, towns and cities having localised agro-ecological food sovereignty pathways to cope with the current situation. Instead, we are living the drama of a war-centred crisis management approach.

The war approach to Covid-19 is limited in three respects and holds out dangers for how leadership is practiced now and what capacities we build in this defining moment. First, war works with a simple logic. Theres an enemy, militarise (build war-making capabilities), mobilise your society in the effort and deploy this to destroy the enemy. It is a reductionist way of thinking; it is not a systems view of the world.

Covid-19 is manifesting in our midst together with other systemic crises, such as economic crises and climate crises. Financialised capitalism has produced an unstable global economy and grotesque inequalities. It has not worked. The climate crisis is worsening with a lack of will to phase out fossil fuels and decarbonise.

We are facing a 1.5 degree celsius increase in planetary temperature most likely in the next five years, accompanied by intensifying climate shocks. These crises are interconnected, cascade into each other and push our socio-ecological orders towards collapse. A war mentality does not appreciate the interconnectedness of all of this.

Put differently, even if Covid-19 is addressed with war-like precision and the epidemiological curve flattens globally and in South Africa, we are not returning to a new normal. We are returning to a world in permanent crisis; a new abnormal. Hence, how we address Covid-19 and reconstruction after it, must lock in democratic systemic reforms that cushion us from more crises.

South Africa will need an eco-justice stimulus package to tackle the impacts of Covid-19, the economic crisis and worsening climate crisis. South Africas climate justice charter is a crucial point of departure in this regard.

Second, a war approach to Covid-19 is based on dangerous philosophical foundations. It continues the anthropocentric conquest of nature, central to capitalist thinking. Killing Covid-19 in this frame is about us being the dominant species. We demonstrate to the forces of nature our superiority. This is really a conceit which fails to understand that nature has been and will always be more powerful than us.

Moreover, we are extremely dependent on nature as a species to ensure our reproduction. With Covid-19, we are really trying to mitigate the revenge blow from nature. Its a moment to be humble and realise our finitude in a wondrous and infinite natural order. We are just one little part of a vast and delicate web of life. Ending Covid-19 should be about ending the war with nature. This includes ending wet markets for exotic animals, ending globalised industrial agriculture and rapidly phasing out fossil fuels.

Third, the war on Covid-19 keeps us bound up in an ethical knot and derives from deeply oppressive ways of thinking. Violence whether colonial, imperial, patriarchal, racist or eco-cidal is not what the world needs. Modern industrial scale violence that is calculated, instrumental in its reason and deadly is breeding a fast violence from nature. A violence we cannot match. Everyday violence of poverty and structural inequality has to be addressed as we come out of this pandemic moment.

Complex and holistic systems thinking, grounded in an ethics of care rather than war has to prevail. Put differently, if Covid 19 helps jettison the Thatcherite neoliberal subject  competitive, greedy and possessive individual  for a more humane state of being and solidarity-based society, it would have produced our strongest defense against a crisis-ridden world. It would have also affirmed an ethics of care for our natural relations that nurture us, feed us and enable us to have life.

Dr. Vishwas Satgar is an Associate Professor of International Relations, Wits. He edits the Democratic Marxism series, is the principal investigator for Emancipatory Futures Studies and has been an activist for four decades. He is the co-founder of the South African Food Sovereignty Campaign and the Climate Justice Charter process. This article was first published in the Daily Maverick.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 17:03 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de44b6 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,outbreak,pandemic,Achmad-Yurianto Free

Indonesian health authorities have confirmed 1,046 COVID-19 positive cases as of Friday, an increase of 153 from the previous count a day earlier.

The number of fatalities caused by the disease has also risen by nine cases to 87. Meanwhile, the number of people having recovered from COVID-19 has also increased to 46.

There was a significant addition of cases with 153 new cases. This illustrates that there are still transmissions of this disease within the community due to close contact with sources of the disease, said Achmad Yurianto, the governments spokesperson for COVID-19-related matters, during a press briefing on Friday.

Jakarta still has the majority of cases with 598 positives  an increase of 83. Other provinces with a significant number of cases include West Java with 98 cases, Banten (84), East Java (66) and Central Java (43).

South Sulawesi is now the hardest-hit region outside Java island with 29 positive cases.

While experts had called on the government to impose a lockdown on regions with a high infection rate to reduce the spread, Yurianto said, citizens should increase their awareness and comply with the government's appeal to stay at home and maintain physical distance in social interactions.

I am optimistic and really believe [we can overcome the virus] because we actually work together, which is our basic modality as a nation, Yurianto said.

The government is also continuing its efforts to trace people that have come into close contact with people who have contracted the disease, as well as launching rapid testing. (mfp)
No cause for panic, new media rules will benefit all: Javadekar

Will raise our climate ambitions but not under pressure: Javadekar

Now Ferraris and Lamborghinis can test in India: India gets Asias longest high speed track

Coronavirus outbreak: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar lends support to RBI's decision

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 27: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday said the Reserve Bank of India's measures to help businesses tide over the economic crisis in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak would boost economic activities.

The RBI has asked all lending institutions to allow a three-month moratorium on EMI payments in order to infuse liquidity into the system. It has also allowed banks to defer interest on working capital loans for the next three months.

Taking to Twitter, Javdekar said, ".@narendramodi government's historical decisions in succession. Three months moratorium on repayment of #EMI will help all home buyers, vehicle buyers and other customers. #IndiaFightsCorona #StayHomeStaySafe #RBIActs."

"Steps announced by #RBI will reduce interest burden on businesses/industries and will boost economic activities," the minister, who holds multiple portfolios including Information and Broadcasting," said in another tweet.

Banks safe, no need for panic withdrawal: RBI Governor

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said about Rs 3.74 lakh crore liquidity on aggregate basis will be infused into the financial system to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 13:07 [IST]
Trump had been under pressure for days to invoke the Defense Production Act to address shortages in medical equipment.

After resisting pressure to do so for days, United State President Donald Trump on Friday said he would be using the powers vested in him under the Defense Production Act to force General Motors to manufacture ventilators desperately needed by hospitals fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The act gives the president powers to steer domestic industrial production towards the manufacture of goods needed in a national security crisis.

Trump first invoked the act on March 18 but said he would not make use of the authority except in a worst-case scenario. At the time, he said he hoped there would be no need to use it and that companies were voluntarily providing the necessary supplies.

The White House had been in negotiations with General Motors and another company, Ventec Life Systems, on a deal to produce up to 80,000 of the ventilators that help move oxygen in and out of the lungs of patients who are unable to breathe on their own.

On Friday, however, Trump said on Twitter that the deal did not work out and singled out GM CEO Mary Barra for criticism. He said he would be invoking the act after all, and called on the company to reopen its mothballed plant in Lordstown, Ohio, or some other plant, AND START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!!

As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Trump had been under pressure for days from Democratic legislators and others who said invoking the act was critical to addressing the shortages in medical equipment hampering state and local efforts to get a grip on the pandemic.

The problem is that the private sector supply chain has broken down. It has just simply broken down, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said on a call with reporters on Thursday. It is a Lord of the Flies scenario today in which supply is not heading to areas of need, but is instead heading to places where the money is or where the political connections exist.

Murphy and another Democratic senator, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, have introduced a bill, the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act, which would require Trump to use his DPA powers to boost emergency production in the private sector.

It is time to federalise the national, critical medical supply chain, Murphy said on Thursday.
More than 620 Irish and British citizens have been stranded in Peru since midnight on March 16. This happened following a total and sudden closure of all borders and a strict, military-enforced curfew and quarantine.

We now find ourselves functionally confined to our hostels, hotels, and AirBnBs, anxiously awaiting uncertain rescue flights as the army roam the empty streets. Leaving the house for reasons other than seeking essential supplies is forbidden.

The days are long. Many of us stay up past midnight, reviewing that evenings updates from Peruvian news, preparing press statements for the following day, and tracking down other stranded tourists who have not yet found our online community.

We are up again from five or six in the morning to overlap our activity with media, politicians, and family back at home as much as possible. I dont think I would be able to sleep much longer than that, anyway.

I count myself lucky. Just three days before the announcement, I had little intention of changing my travel plans. I had just completed five weeks of voluntary work with a conservation organisation in Ecuador and was traveling through Peru on my way to neighbouring Bolivia.

Following the escalation of measures in my destination, I decided to cut my trip short and book a flight home from the Peruvian capital, Lima. Once the quarantine was announced, at 8pm on Sunday March 15, I was still hopeful. My flight out was due to leave on the Monday evening, just before the quarantine began. On Monday afternoon, the airline cancelled my flight.

Yet, still, I count myself lucky to have even made it as far as Lima. Other Irish find themselves scattered between isolated municipalities around the country. I am also lucky to have been able to secure comfortable short-term accommodation, with access to a kitchen and good WiFi to keep connected. Others are not so fortunate, and face confinement to hostel dorms and choosing meals from a quarantine menu.

Meanwhile, the situation here is getting more and more tense. New regulations are introduced daily, and transgressions are met with arrest or even violence.

Those of us stranded have united on social media. Everyone is drawing on their skills and contacts to try to get us home. We have written articles, arranged interviews, called politicians, circulated petitions, and asked friends and family to spread the word at home.

Perhaps more importantly, we offer each other support, community and solidarity.

Progress has been made, but there are still many logistical hurdles to overcome.

We tell each other that we are in this together. That we are not alone. That help will come, and that we will get home to our parents, partners and children. We hope that we are right.

We are living history. The challenges posed by Covid 19 are similar the world over but everybodys experience of this emergency will be different. In this special series, Lockdown Letters' gives our readers at home and across the globe an opportunity to share their stories about how the Coronavirus and the measures to tackle its spread are impacting their lives in these unprecedented times.

Please email your submission (400 words max.) to stories@independent.ie along with a photograph. We will publish as many letters as possible on Independent.ie and a selection in print every week.
WASHINGTON (JTA)Now that the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination in America is narrowing to a two-person race, the case for Joe Biden is even more compelling and urgent. I have known and worked with him since he entered the U.S. Senate more than 40 years ago, and then as vice president. From the start of this tortuous political contest, I never had any doubt that he deserves the overwhelming support of the American Jewish community.

Joe Biden has worked tirelessly with American Jewish organizations for tikkun olam, making our country and the world a better place and to combat growing anti-Semitism on the left and the right. As a senator, he was a champion for womens rights, leading the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment and for the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. He has been a strong supporter of civil rights for minorities, from the Voting Rights Act to marriage equality for LGBTQ individuals. He has been a leader against gun violence, twice successfully taking on the National Rifle Association.

As vice president, he was a key figure in the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which extended health care benefits to millions of need Americans, now seeking to expand it with a Medicare option, and in defending it against the far right and Donald Trump and from the far left led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, now his principal opponent for the nomination.

From the beginning of his public career, Biden has understood the unique threats facing Israel. His first foreign trip as senator was to Israel in 1973 shortly before the Yom Kippur War, where he met with Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. He was a fervent advocate for resupplying Israel with arms after the first devastating Arab attacks against Israel seriously weakened its defenses.

That early experience speaks volumes about why he told the recent AIPAC Policy Conference that he knows Israelis wake up every morning facing an existential threat from their neighborsa rain of rockets from Gaza just this past week, threats and missiles from Iran and HezbollahIsraelis live each day with tremendous courage. As vice president, he was a key supporter for Israels Iron Dome anti-missile and a key architect of the landmark $38 billion 10-year defense program for Israel, the highest ever reached.

The next president must be trusted by both the Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a two-state solution with the Palestinians, which Biden emphasized to AIPAC is the best way to assure a secure and peaceful future for a Jewish and democratic State of Israel. In negotiating with Israel during the Carter and Clinton Administrations, I learned it must have confidence that the president of the United States supports its interests. That is Joe Biden who told AIPAC, Palestinians need to eradicate incitement in the West Bank and end the rocket attacks from Gaza. And they need to accept, once and for all, the reality and the right of a secure, democratic and Jewish State of Israel in the Middle East.

Even though Bernie Sanders worked briefly on a kibbutz as a young man, he can hardly be a trusted negotiator after boycotting the AIPAC conference (which he has never attended) and accusing it of giving a platform for bigotry. In last Decembers Democratic debate he called the elected prime minister of Israel a racist. I have differences with Benjamin Netanyahu on his settlement policy, but such an epithet makes it impossible for Sanders to have any effective role in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. These outbursts reflect his past positions. He has said he would use U.S. military assistance as leverage to block new settlements, and would even shift some of this military aid to Hamas-controlled Gaza.

In 2001, Sanders was in the distinct minority of members of Congress to oppose a resolution blaming the Second Intifada on Palestinian terrorism. I know from my own negotiations with Yasir Arafat that this was wrong. When I met Arafat in Ramallah in July of 2000 to report on our progress reducing Palestinian unemployment, he asked me to tell President Bill Clinton not to invite him to a summit with then Prime Minister Ehud Barak because he was not prepared to make compromises envisioned by Clinton that would have given the Palestinians 95% of the West Bank with East Jerusalem as their capital. Arafat then incited the Intifada.

During the Gaza conflict in 2014, when Israel retaliated only after constant rocket attacks on southern Israel, Sanders declared that Israel had killed over 10,000 innocent people. This amounted to so many more casualties than even Hamas alleged that Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, criticized Sanders for his gross exaggeration.

Finally, and critically important at a time when the U.S. is deeply polarized, Joe Biden is a healer and a uniter. He stands for the best values of Judaism and our country, and he can reach out to independents and moderate Republicans. With Bernie Sanders we risk not only more division in our country through his appeal for a revolution on the left but also weaken the Democratic Partys move toward cohesive strength to keep control of the House of Representatives, win back control of the Senate, and defeat President Donald Trump.

Stuart E. Eizenstat is an American diplomat and attorney. He served as the United States Ambassador to the European Union from 1993 to 1996 and as the United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury from 1999 to 2001. For many years, and currently (as of 2018) he has served as a partner and Senior Counsel at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Covington & Burling and as a senior strategist at APCO Worldwide.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus after experiencing mild symptoms. Johnson said in a video Friday that he has a temperature and persistent cough. Downing Street says Johnson will self-isolate but remain in charge of the government and its response to the outbreak. I am working from home, Im self-isolating, and thats entirely the right thing to do, Johnson said. The U.K. now has more than 11,000 recorded cases of the virus and nearly 600 deaths.

Advertisement

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.



I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus.



Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri  Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Johnson is the highest-profile world leader to acknowledge contracting the virus and his infection shows the extent of the coronaviruss reach. German leader Angela Merkel went into self-quarantine earlier this week when a doctor she had recently interacted with tested positive for the virus. Brazils president, Jair Bolsonaro, says he took two tests that both came back negative after reports that a top aide had contracted the virus after a trip to Mar-a-Lago as well as rumors Bolsonaro had also contracted it.

In the U.K., Johnson has faced criticism for the countrys scattershot early response to the outbreak, particularly his governments controversial and questionable initial plan to allow the virus to circulate unchecked for an extended period of time, infecting millions of Britons, in an effort to generate a herd immunity. Johnson now joins that herd.
President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed his doubts about the number of COVID-19 cases being reported by the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) in its official data that is quoted around the world.

You dont know what the numbers are in China, the president said when asked by a reporter whether he was surprised that the United States has surpassed China in the number of cases of the CCP virus.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

A tracking map published by Johns Hopkins University currently shows that the United States has 83,507 confirmed cases, compared to China which has an official confirmed case total of 81,782.

Trump said that he thinks the increase in cases being reported in the United States is a tribute to the testingwere testing tremendous numbers of people  Were doing tremendous testing.

Im sure youre not able to tell what China is testing or not testing, Trump told the reporter. I think thats a little hard.

He said that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were scheduled to talk by phone on Thursday night.

According to The Epoch Times investigations, Chinas actual number of cases and deaths from the CCP virus are likely to be more than 10 times higher than what is being reported.

A series of internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times show that the situation in the city of Wuhan, the ground zero of Chinas epidemic, is much worse than what has been officially reported. The documents include statistical data sheets on March 14 about diagnostic test results in Wuhan from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. In one example, the real number of new cases of infection in Wuhan is over 20 times more than the official numbers.

Authorities in Beijing also announced on March 19 that the number of Chinese cellphone users had dropped by 21 million over the past three months, without explaining the cause of the drop. The Epoch Times noted in a previous report that cellphones are an indispensable part of life in China and that deaths due to the CCP virus may have contributed some of to the closed accounts.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the United States as testing and access to it improves, and as testing centers work to clear a backlog of samples.

On Tuesday, White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said that the United States had now conducted more testing in the prior eight days than South Korea had in eight weeks. At the time, she said the United States was doing about 50,000 to 70,000 tests a day.

At the time, Birx said during a virtual town hall on Fox News that South Korea, which has a population of 51.4 million, tested about 290,000 people. The United States, she said, which has about 372 million residents, has done over 300,000 tests.

The American Enterprise Institute started a tracker of Americas testing capacity, which is projecting that the United States will conduct 100,000 or more COVID-19 tests per day by March 27.

The Coronavirus Task Force is urging all Americans to adhere to the 15 Days to Slow the Spread campaign to urgently reduce the spread of the virus. Trump said on Tuesday that his administration will assess recommendations surrounding business activity after the 15 days of recommended social distancing measures.

From The Epoch Times
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said that food is being provided to people at 325 schools located across Delhi amid nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus.

"We have started distributing food in schools so that we can provide food to those people who are facing problem. The Chief Minister's message is that nobody should stay hungry. Currently, food is being distributed at 325 such centres and tomorrow it will increase to 560," Sisodia told media here.

He also took to Twitter and wrote, "Today, lunch was distributed to about two lakh Delhiites in 325 schools and at 225 night shelters in different areas of Delhi. Apart from this, many flying squads are also providing food in different areas."

Sisodia further stated that the administration is providing food to people in all the areas which fall under the jurisdiction of Delhi government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Nayara Figueiredo

SAO PAULO, March 26 (Reuters) - Measures taken to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in Argentina, which have hampered local logistics capabilities, may end up benefiting Brazil in soymeal export markets, said Caramuru Alimentos, one of Brazil's largest soy processors.

"Argentina placed transport restrictions much stricter than ours, and this can benefit our soymeal exports because we are direct competitors and they are the largest exporters in the world," Fabio Vieira Junior, Caramuru's commercial director, told Reuters on Thursday.

The coming weeks will be crucial to determining how the competition scenario will play out, Vieira Junior said. Caramuru claims to be the biggest soy processor in the country owned by Brazilians.

More than 70 municipalities throughout Argentina are enforcing anti-coronavirus measures by controlling the movement of farm produce through their jurisdictions, according to data provided by the CIARA-CEC export chamber, which represents global companies including Bunge and Louis Dreyfus.

At the same time, port workers in Argentina on Thursday asked the government to suspend port activities for 15 days nationwide.

Andre Nassar, president of Brazil's oilseeds crusher group Abiove, said in a statement it was unclear how Argentine exporters will contend with the lockdown.

Doubts also remain about how Europe will behave as an importer since it became the epicenter of the pandemic after China, where the coronavirus originated, he said.

Abiove's own soy and meal export projections remain unchanged even in the face of domestic quarantine measures potentially disrupting oilseeds processors and export logistics.

Cesar Borges, Caramuru vice-president, said domestic demand for livestock feed in the form of meal, as well as biodiesel producers' demand, should keep the soy derivatives market heated.

This, together with a weak currency and good prices in Chicago, is a boon for the company, Borges said.

Caramuru had revenues of 4 billion reais ($797 million) last year, and this year forecasts a rise to 4.5 billion reais, he said. ($1 = 5.0175 reais) (Reporting by Nayara Figueiredo Writing by Ana Mano Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
Fox Business Network has parted ways with primetime anchor Trish Regan days after she was removed from the airwaves for saying that the coronavirus outbreak was a scam invented as a way to impeach President Trump.

Fox Business has parted ways with Trish Regan  we thank her for her contributions to the network over the years and wish her continued success in her future endeavors, the network said in a statement.

We will continue our reduced live primetime schedule for the foreseeable future in an effort to allocate staff resources to continuous breaking news coverage on the Coronavirus crisis.

The network also released a statement on Regans behalf, saying: I have enjoyed my time at FOX and now intend to focus on my family during these troubled times.

I am grateful to my incredible team at FOX Business and for the many opportunities the network has provided me.

Trish Regan (seen above during her February 28 broadcast on the Fox Business Network from a studio in New York City) has 'parted ways' with the company, it was announced on Friday

During her March 9 broadcast, Regan accused Democrats and the media of fabricating a 'scam' in order to 'impeach' President Trump

Im looking forward to this next chapter in my career.

Regans departure is a stunning fall for a television personality who had a primetime nightly show on FBN for years.

FBN is the sister network of the Fox News Channel, the cable news powerhouse owned by Rupert Murdoch and run by his son, CEO Lachlan Murdoch.

On her March 9 broadcast, as news of the spread of the coronavirus in the United States began to dominate headlines, Regan, 47, used her monologue to rip into Democrats and the media.

She accused them of drumming up panic over the pandemic in order to criticize Trump and tank the economy so as to hurt his re-election chances.

As the graphic next to her on screen read CORONAVIRUS IMPEACHMENT SCAM, Regan hit out at the hate being leveled at the president from the left.

We reached a tipping point, Regan said during her monologue.

The chorus of hate being leveled at the president is nearing a crescendo as the Democrats blame him and only him for a virus that originated halfway around the world.

She continued: And sadly it seems they care very little for the destruction they are leaving in their wake.

Losses in the stock market, all this, unfortunately, part of the political casualties for them.

This is the time to be united Not to be encouraging hate.

FBN's sister channel, Fox News Channel, was criticized after some of its commentators and primetime hosts, including Sean Hannity (left) and Laura Ingraham (right), were accused of downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak

Regan added: We see the absolute opposite from the left tonight The hate is boiling over.

Many in the liberal media using coronavirus in an attempt to demonize and destroy the president.

After playing several clips of cable news pundits who criticized Trump for his administrations handling of the outbreak, Regan accused Democrats of whipping up mass hysteria.

I see. This is impeachment all over again They dont care who they hurt, she said.

Whether it be their need to create mass hysteria to encourage a market sell-off, unlike anything we have seen recently or to be to create mass hysteria to stop our economy dead in its tracks.

She then added: They told us how much they crave a recession as a way to get rid of Donald Trump.

This is impeachment all over again, complete with a whistleblower to complain about our health and human services committee, right.

Regans commentary, which came as more coronavirus cases were being reported and a greater number of Americans were dying, sparked outrage.

The sharp backlash prompted Fox Business to announce on March 13 that Trish Regan Primetime would be put on hiatus.

During what turned out to be her final broadcast on Fox Business on that Friday, Regan struck a much more somber tone.

'Our path forward right now is together, the left and the right united to fight this crisis,' Regan told viewers.

'Were all in this together, and we need to stay safe.'

At the time, the network justified its decision by citing the demands of the evolving pandemic crisis coverage.

Regans show and the program which follows it at 9pm Eastern time, Kennedy, were taken off the air.

On March 19, Kennedy, whose full name is Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, tweeted that she expects her show to return before you know it.

After Regans show was placed on hiatus, there was a noticeable shift in tone from the major personalities and hosts at Fox News Network, whose primetime lineup is solidly pro-Trump.

After Regan's show was put on hiatus, Fox News hosts began to take coronavirus more seriously. Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch (right) is seen with his son, Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch (left)

In late February and early March, as news of the spread of the coronavirus was limited to stories about the mounting toll abroad, Fox hosts, including Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, raised doubts about the motives of those calling for more stringent measures to stop its spread in this country.

On the same day that Regan went on her rant, Hannity told his audience that political opponents of Trump were using the coronavirus to bludgeon him with this new hoax.

Theyre scaring the living hell out of people and I see it again as like, Oh, lets bludgeon Trump with this new hoax, Hannity said at the time.

Days later, however, Hannity said: This program has always taken the coronavirus seriously and weve never called the virus a hoax.

Trump is known to listen carefully to what Fox News hosts and commentators say.

The president also accused Democrats of a 'hoax' in playing up the dangers of coronavirus, only to then shift to a more somber tone days later.

One Fox News primetime star who reportedly urged Trump to take coronavirus more seriously was Tucker Carlson.

On his March 9 broadcast, Carlson said: Our country is likely to experience a painful period we are powerless to stop.

None of this is justification to panic. You shouldnt panic.

In crisis, its more important than ever to be calm.

But staying calm is not the same as remaining complacent.

It does not mean assuring people that everything will be fine. We dont know that.

Instead, its better to tell the truth. That is always the surest sign of strength.

Carlson reportedly warned Trump about the seriousness of the pandemic during a face-to-face encounter at the presidents Mar-a-Lago club in early March.

During that weekend, Trump hosted Brazils president, Jair Bolsonaro, and his delegation, several of whose members ended up testing positive for coronavirus.

Bolsonaro has denied testing positive, but Brazilians have demanded he release the results publicly, something the president has refused to do.

Trump claims he, too, tested negative for the virus.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesia's police anti-terrorism squad shot and killed one suspect and arrested two others in a raid on the main island of Java, seizing weapons and chemicals allegedly used for bomb making, officials said Thursday.

The man fatally shot by police resisted arrest by wielding a long sword, said National Police spokesman Argo Yuwono.

The suspects were linked to a banned militant organization responsible for recent attacks on police, a local affiliate of the Islamic State group known as the Jama'ah Anshorut Daulah, Yuwono said.

The raid took place in Subah village of Batang district in Central Java province late Wednesday.

Yuwono said police seized two machetes, a sword, a bayonet blade and materials often used by militants to make bombs, and were interrogating the two suspects.

Indonesia has been battling militants since the 2002 bombings on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. Attacks aimed at foreigners have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, police and anti-terrorism forces, inspired by Islamic State group attacks abroad.

Indonesian police have been criticized for shooting suspects rather than trying to arrest them. Authorities say they are forced to defend themselves.

A rights group, the Islamic Study and Action Center, reported that police have killed at least 135 suspected militants between 2003 and 2016, and The Associated Press recorded at least 44 others have died during police raids since 2017.
The Canadian ruling elites policy of malign neglect in the face of the lethal coronavirus pandemic is exemplified by the failure of all levels of government to do anything to protect homeless people. Authorities in Vancouver, which has one of the largest homeless populations in all Canada, have failed to take even the most basic steps to protect the health and well-being of the homeless and other residents of the Downtown Eastside, Canadas most impoverished urban neighbourhood, many of whom are at high risk of contracting COVID-19.

About 3,000 homeless people live in Vancouver, with around 200 residing in the entrenched tent city at Oppenheimer Park. A further 7,000 sheltered residents are living without proper sanitation or ability to self-isolate, and increasingly are confronted with the cutback or suspension of services critical to their well-being. Many already struggle with serious physical health issues and untreated mental health difficulties and are at high-risk for lung disease. The Downtown Eastside is also one of Canadas hotspots for the opioid crisis.

Most sheltered residents live in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels where safe hygienic practices are difficult or impossible to follow. Janice Abbott, CEO of non-profit SRO operator Atira Womens Resource Society, told Macleans, Weve got people who live cheek to jowl with shared bathrooms in poorly ventilated buildings. Without being alarmist, its a matter of time [before the coronavirus starts spreading].

Hastings Street in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, Canada's poorest urban neighborhood.

Last week, a resident at a city-owned SRO told the Tyee that there were still no hand sanitizers in her buildings shared bathrooms or at the front door. She cautioned that if someone were to contract the coronavirus in the neighbourhood, it would spread like wildfire.

The congestion at the citys temporary shelters, already deplorable spaces due to decades of government cutbacks, is alarming. Even with the application of emergency health protocols, social distancing is difficult for people who are housed in crowded spaces and lining up in groups to use bathrooms and get food. When shelter mats are two feet away from each other how exactly are you going to do that?, poverty advocate Chrissy Brett told the Globe and Mail. Or when youre told the shelters are full and theres 100 people that are sitting in [a warming centre] at night trying to stay warm because theres nowhere else for them to go?

In the face of the pandemic, shelter services are being further scaled back and adjusted. The Union Gospel Mission, a local shelter provider, must now turn away clients if they show symptoms of coronavirus. In a statement to the media, a spokesperson for the Mission stated, Were forced [to deal] with the agonizing reality that if people come looking for help who have symptoms of COVID-19 we cant have them in our shelter, because one person could put at risk the other 71 people that are there.

Food banks in Vancouver servicing the Downtown Eastside are finding themselves in dire straits due to a sharp decrease in donations. In a press release on Tuesday, Cynthia Boulter, COO of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, issued an urgent call for donations to continue because food insecure people cannot afford to stockpile food.

In response to warnings from advocacy groups describing the Downtown Eastside as a ticking time bomb, Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart ordered the installation of eleven hand-washing stationsthis in a neighbourhood that is home to nearly 8,000 people.

Long after cases of coronavirus exploded throughout Europe and in the US state of Washingtonwhich is only an hours drive south of Vancouvercity officials reluctantly began to take protective measures, with orders for the closing of civic and community centres, local restaurants, and cafes. But nowhere near the same amount of energy or financial resources has been devoted to strengthening the citys already overwhelmed and underfunded public healthcare system. With tests heavily restricted, it is virtually impossible for homeless people with the virus to be identified before they turn up in a serious condition in hospital, by which time they will have infected many others.

After declaring a local state of emergency on March 19, the city has increasingly prioritized a law enforcement approach. Hefty fines of up to $50,000 are being imposed on anyone found violating social distancing and social isolation orders.

Enforced quarantine in SROs worsens the plight of the residents, who are pauperized and isolated, with family and friends now banned from entering those buildings. The quarantine rules also jeopardize the lives of drug users, who, without a safe supply of drugs or access to support workers while in isolation, could sustain a fatal withdrawal.

While quarantines are medically necessary to stop the spread of the disease, they must be implemented in a humane way that protects the rights, and cares for the well-being, of those affected, particularly the most vulnerable sections of society.

On March 19, the city shut down the popular bazaar-style Downtown Eastside Street Market, after banning crowds of over 50 people. The market, which provides washrooms, clean needles and the support of peer workers, is viewed by advocates as a key hub where volunteers can check in with vulnerable people and educate them about the risk of the virus.

The city has no intention of protecting the residents of the Downtown Eastside. While drawn-out plans continue to be discussed, each new day brings more confirmed coronavirus cases in BC. Despite over 250 confirmed cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, officials from the provincial NDP government continue to refuse to answer whether anyone on the Downtown Eastside has tested positive for the coronavirus. For its part, the federal Liberal government has focused its energies on funneling hundreds of billions of dollars into the coffers of the banks and major corporations, while offering a pittance to workers and Canadas dilapidated healthcare system.

Last Saturday, the province announced a moratorium on evictions due to non-payment of rent. However, this narrow measure only applies to properties managed by the province, which owns less than a third of the SRO stock in Vancouver. Tenants who face eviction this month because of a building renovation or their inability to pay rent are faced with a vacancy rate at near zero percent. This, coupled with fearful landlords reluctant to show available units, makes finding new housing virtually impossible.

The conditions of decrepit and scarce social housing in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood and across Vancouver are the result of decades of defunding of social housing and its sell-off to private speculators, who have been given free license to neglect SRO buildings to the point of them being uninhabitable. There are no plans to increase the social housing stock or relocate the vulnerable into permanent housing. This is in spite of the fact that thousands of high-price condos in Vancouver sit empty, having been purchased by property speculators to hold as assets.

In response to the growing calls for action by the public to protect Downtown Eastside residents, the city announced it would be looking into the use of community centres, temporary modular housing and other spaces to house people in order to keep them socially distanced, and to isolate potential cases if they arise.

Such wait-and-see pronouncements were precisely what compelled nearly 200 local doctors to sign an open letter to Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, urging for a community lockdown to prevent a catastrophic number of preventable deaths. It warned that BC is on the same trajectory as Italy, with the infection rate doubling every four days.
Newsfrom Japan

New York, March 26 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> and Honda Motor Co. <7267> separately said Thursday that they will extend the suspensions of plants in North America in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese automakers believe that further production adjustments are necessary as new vehicle sales in North America continue slumping due to restrictions on outings and other measures in place in the region as part of the efforts to contain the coronavirus.

Toyota will keep all plants in the United States, Canada and Mexico shut until April 17. The factories, which have been closed since Monday, were initially slated to go back online on April 6.

Honda will continue closing 10 U.S. and Canadian plants until April 6. Operations at the plants were originally planned to be suspended for eight days until Monday next week.

END

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday announced that all his party MLAs and MPs will contribute their one month's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to combat the spread of Covid-19.

"All Shivsena MPs and MLAs are giving their one month salary to the CM's relief fund. It's a small contribution to the fight against the coronavirus. We will surely win this war against Corona led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray," Raut said in a tweet.

The Shiv Sena leader had on March 23 said that his party MPs will not attend the Parliament amid the coronavirus scare.

Five more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the State, out of which three were reported from Sangli and one each from Kolhapur and Pune, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the State to 130.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier on Thursday reported 88 new Covid-19 cases, which is the highest in a single day, taking the total countrywide tally to 694.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Trend

In accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers to curb the coronavirus pandemic in Azerbaijan, the Justice Ministry continues the necessary preventive measures, as well as disinfection, Trend reports with reference to the ministry.

The penitentiary and medical services of the ministry have switched to an enhanced working regime.

Meetings with those convicted and accused, as well as the transfer of parcels to them are not allowed. The health status of employees, as well as prisoners, is under medical supervision, a medical examination is carried out daily, and their temperature is checked. They have no health problems.

The situation is regularly examined by monitoring groups consisting of employees of the ministry and civil society representatives.

At the same time, within the framework of the states humane policy, the Commission on parole and transfer to institutions with a softer regime of detention continued its activities on holidays. During the meetings of the Commission held online, the cases of prisoners were examined, conversations were held with them, and materials about persons meeting the requirements of the law were immediately sent to court.

In order to protect the rights of prisoners, the on-duty judges urgently examined these cases, as a result of which 200 convicts were released early.

This humane step of the state was greeted with joy and gratitude by both relatives and the prisoners themselves. The Ministry of Justice continues measures in this direction.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered his well-wishes to Boris Johnson after the UK Prime Minister announced he had coronavirus.

Mr Johnson confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19 in a video shared to social media on Friday night.

Mr Morrison was quick to send his thoughts to his British counterpart on behalf of the Australian public.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was quick to send his thoughts and prayers to his British counterpart Boris Johnson from the Australian public

'Take care Boris Johnson. from all of us over here in Oz. Thinking of you and all our UK friends as we work together to get through this,' Mr Morrison wrote.

Mr Johnson revealed he will continue to lead the government in the battle against coronavirus despite being struck down himself.

The Prime Minister said his mild symptoms prompted him to get checked, following the guidance of Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.

'Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this,' Prime Minister Johnson wrote.

'Take care Boris Johnson. from all of us over here in Oz. Thinking of you and all our UK friends as we work together to get through this,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote

Within hours of the announcement UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed he had also tested positive for the virus.

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

The bombshell announcements have sparked concerns other politicians and senior officials may have been infected as well.

The UK PM is the latest in a long line of the nation's political leaders to be struck down by the deadly virus.

U.K. Health Minister Nadine Dorries was the first UK politician to test positive for COVID-19.

The leader of Italy's governing Democratic Party Nicola Zingaretti tested positive while Canadian's leader Justin Trudeau's wife was also struck down.

In Australia, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton revealed he had contracted coronavirus after being admitted to hospital on Friday March 13.
Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about. When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. As with many other companies Micro-X Limited (ASX:MX1) makes use of debt. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for Micro-X

What Is Micro-X's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of December 2019 Micro-X had AU$7.54m of debt, an increase on AU$6.75m, over one year. However, its balance sheet shows it holds AU$12.4m in cash, so it actually has AU$4.83m net cash.

ASX:MX1 Historical Debt March 26th 2020

How Strong Is Micro-X's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that Micro-X had liabilities of AU$7.66m due within a year, and liabilities of AU$10.3m falling due after that. On the other hand, it had cash of AU$12.4m and AU$2.01m worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling AU$3.56m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Since publicly traded Micro-X shares are worth a total of AU$27.5m, it seems unlikely that this level of liabilities would be a major threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Micro-X boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Micro-X's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Story continues

In the last year Micro-X wasn't profitable at an EBIT level, but managed to grow its revenue by 2.8%, to AU$1.8m. We usually like to see faster growth from unprofitable companies, but each to their own.

So How Risky Is Micro-X?

Statistically speaking companies that lose money are riskier than those that make money. And the fact is that over the last twelve months Micro-X lost money at the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) line. Indeed, in that time it burnt through AU$9.9m of cash and made a loss of AU$7.6m. But at least it has AU$4.83m on the balance sheet to spend on growth, near-term. Summing up, we're a little skeptical of this one, as it seems fairly risky in the absence of free cashflow. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. To that end, you should be aware of the 5 warning signs we've spotted with Micro-X .

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
T here was no Friday feeling for investors today as the number of coronavirus cases in the US rose above those in China and Italy.

After three days of gains, the FTSE 100 fell 208.08 points at 5607.65 after cases around the globe hit 536,755, a 25% increase on the previous day.

One broker said: The good news ran out today. The US stimulus bill has gone through and the buying has petered out.

With listed companies holding back on reporting earnings, traders are turning to data for signs of where the global economy is heading. Later today the US will release consumer spending numbers, which like yesterdays jobs number is expected to show a significant downturn in economic activity.

On Londons premier index, oilers were the main fallers as Brent Crude prices fell by 2% after the International Energy Agency predicted demand for oil to drop by 20 million barrels a day over the course of the rest of the year. BP fell 22p at 314p and Shell lost 67p at 1347p.

ITV was another in the red as fears mounted over the broadcasters advertising revenues. The coronavirus has forced ITV to stop making new programming while all live sport has also been cancelled. Shares were down 3.4p at 68p.

Next surprised some shareholders as the retailer stopped taking online orders after closing its warehousing operations. The group said it took the "difficult decision" after listening to staff who "increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate". Last week, the retailer warned the pandemic will lead to a 1billion drop in sales this year.

Shares dropped 243p at 4268p. Other retailers are expected to follow and Asos was down 132p at 1159p, while Boohoo lost 15.5p at 200p.

Further down the league table and there were growing concerns for the future of John Menzies. The firm which operates baggage handling for airlines globally, said it was cutting more than 17,500 jobs globally and is working with the UK government for aid under its emergency loan scheme for large companies.

The company is also in talks with its lenders as it reviews all options to shore up liquidity. Giles Wilson, chief executive, said: Menzies has existed since 1833 and been listed since 1962 but never have we faced such difficult and unpredictable times. I now look to our Government to support our business. Shares lost 6p at 78p.
Baahubali actor Prabhas became the latest Telugu star to donate for the cause of combating against the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor on Thursday donated Rs 4 crore for the cause. Of this, Rs 3 crore is being given to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, while Rs 50 lakh each go to the Chief Minister Relief Funds of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Prabhas recently returned from Georgia, where he was shooting for his upcoming film, tentatively titled Prabhas 20, with Pooja Hegde. Both actors went into self-quarantine for 14 days upon return.

Earlier in the day, Telugu superstars Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi and Mahesh Babu had also donated to boost the fight against COVID-19. It was Pawan Kalyan who initiated the nobel gesture giving Rs 2 crore for the cause.

Soon, his nephew Ram Charan declared a charity of Rs 70 lakh while Ram Charan's father, the veteran superstar of Telugu cinema, Chiranjeevi, gave Rs 1 crore. Young superstar Mahesh Babu also gave a crore for the cause.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described British premier Boris Johnson as a "fighter" and hoped he recovers from coronavirus infection.

"Dear PM @BorisJohnson, you're a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well," Modi tweeted.

He said he prays for his good health and extends best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK.

Johnson said on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus after experiencing mild symptoms and is now self-isolating at 10 Downing Street in line with the medical advice.

"I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Officials are looking into setting up further field hospitals across the UK to tackle the Covid-19 coronavirus as work begins to establish a 4,000 capacity site in a London exhibition centre.

The NHS Nightingale hospital is being built into east Londons Excel conference centre, and is expected to provide 500 beds by the next week.

Now officials are looking at possible sites elsewhere in the country to bolster existing hospital services with the support of military planners.

The Army confirmed the SEC in Glasgow was being considered, while bosses at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham have said they stand ready to aid in the fight against the virus if called upon.

At the time the Nightingale site was announced, officials said plans will aim to provide emergency facilities for every region of the UK while deploying Ministry of Defence personnel from the Covid Support group with the goal of filling the gap from peacetime capability to virtually a wartime one.

The prime ministers official spokesman also indicated that other sites were being considered when asked about potential field hospitals in Birmingham and Manchester.

The current focus is on getting the ExCel centre up and running as the NHS Nightingale Hospital, he said.

But NHS England is actively preparing for a number of scenarios as the outbreak continues and is working with clinicians and teams of military planners around the country.

Scotlands chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, separately said numerous sites were being considered north of the border with the nation on the cusp of that rapid escalation.

It comes as more than 38,000 former healthcare professionals and soon-to-be qualified students step forward to join the fight against Covid-19 in the coming weeks.

According to the government a total of 15,266 former staff responded to a call to action from officials, with 5,117 doctors, 5,605 nurses and midwives and 3,686 pharmacists and other professionals pledging to return to the frontline of the health service

And next week, 5,750 final year medics and 17,000 final year nursing students in England will also be asked to consider starting placements with support from seasoned workers, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
Panaji, March 27 : While directing the Goa government to put in place an efficient system for home-delivery of essential goods and keep grocery stores open during the lock-down period, the Bombay High Court in Goa on Friday also said that state authorities must not be "over-influenced" by public pressure and that public interest should be guided by scientific and medical opinion.

In his order on Friday, Justice Mahesh Sonak, who was hearing a bunch of petitions related to streamlining of government efforts towards ensuring steady supply of essential goods to the people in view of the ongoing 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also called for flexibility in decision-making in efforts being taken by the authorities to keep the coronavirus spread at bay.

"A system for making home deliveries has to be put in place at the earliest. Even the directives of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Government of India propose encouragement to home deliveries. The state government and its agencies must be proactive in encouraging and facilitating home deliveries of essentials, so that, there is no need to visit grocery shops during the period of lockdown," Sonak said, adding that people were essentially "not interested in defying the curfew" while queuing in front of the grocery shops and pharmacies.

The order also directed the state government to set up a "robust system" for home deliveries of essentials and ensuring social distancing in public spaces.

"The decision to permit grocery shops to remain open, should not be construed as dilution of the earlier resolve to put a system of home deliveries of essentials in place, so that there is no necessity for people to access grocery shops personally and thereby dilute the lockout," Sonak said.

The order comes a day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had earlier imposed a complete lockdown of the state, including closure of grocery stores and shops selling essential goods, on Thursday said that he was reversing his opinion "under duress" following the criticism of his decision for a total lockdown.

Sawant on Thursday had also said that the government should not be held responsible for the spread of coronavirus on account of the re-opening of groceries.
The Sindh government's move to ban congregational prayer could not be implemented fully on Friday as people flocked to various mosques in Karachi and other districts to attend the prayers.

According to The Express Tribune, the station house officer (SHO) of Kharadar was appealing to the people in New Memon Masjid to return home as the mosque was closed.

"The government has made the decision for your safety. When Holy Kaaba is closed and the Saudi government is planning to cancel Hajj, why are you insisting to come inside and offer prayers. The mosque committee has also agreed to close its doors to the public So, please go and pray at your home. This is my request," said the police official.

The crowd outside the mosque got emotional and started chanting slogans, compelling the police to re-open the mosque.

The same situation was witnessed in Defence View Phase-2, where the police, using loudspeakers, were requesting the people to go back to their homes, but all in vain.

The same situation prevailed in Hyderabad where people gathered to offer prayers despite mosques being closed.

Pakistan has reported 1,291 cases, of which 440 are in Sindh, 419 in Punjab, 180 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 132 in Balochistan, 93 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)/Gilgit-Baltistan and 27 in Islamabad.

Twenty-one patients have recovered and the total nationwide death toll stands at nine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seema Verma, the administrator of the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and a member of the Coronavirus Task Force, speaks to the media on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, about using telemedicine to deal with the pandemic. Behind her Image Source: IANS News

New York, March 27 : Two renowned doctors on the White House coronavirus task force are headlining their guidance for Americans based primarily on three data sets: mortality data from Europe and data from the 8-10 week curves of China and South Korea which have moved off their infection peaks.

When Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci step up to the podium in the James Brady press briefing room nearly every evening at around 6 pm, an anxious nation tunes into what has now become must-see television.

Fueled by an endless supply of caffeine, data, pizza and donuts over long working hours in the windowless Situation Room, Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx deliver gut punches and insights on the COVID-19 pandemic straight to the American public, often in sharp contrast to the US president's rosy outlook.

As the US surges to the top of the global infection chart with more than 85,000 confirmed cases, more than 1,200 deaths and New York becomes the epicenter of the domestic outbreak, here are 15 highlights from the "data-led" Birx-Fauci powerhouse.

Severity in children is "less" Mortality data from Europe suggest that no child under 15 has succumbed to the virus in that geography. In China, there is the case of a lone 14 year old who died. Severity in children is less and this, Birx says, "should be reassuring to the moms and dads out there." Less than 1 per cent mortality in under-15 age group

Less than 1 percent of all the mortality is less than 50. So, 99 percent of all the mortality coming out of Europe, in general, is over 50, alongwith pre-existing conditions. Yet, nobody is immune, Birx has warned repeatedly and stressed the difference between physical and physiological age as a tipping point.

Maximum mortality in those with 3 pre-existing conditions The pre-existing condition still holds in Italy, with the majority of the mortality having "three or more" pre-existing conditions. Much of the learning for the White House task force is coming from South Korea, Italy and Spain data.

New York attack rate 1 in 1000 The New York metro area of New Jersey, New York City, and parts of Long Island have an attack rate close to 1 in a 1,000. This is 8-10 times what the other areas are seeing. Birx said that no country till date has shown an attack rate of more than one in 1000. "The only people who are over really one in 1000 cases are those that have very small populations, like Monaco. When your population is really tiny, one case can put you over one to 1000 or 2 to a 1000." 19 out of 50 states have only 200 cases

Nineteen out of 50 states which means nearly 40 percent of America is reporting "extraordinarily" low numbers of coronavirus infections and the New York area alone is turning up 55 per cent of all new cases. Also, 86 per cent of the tests done on people who present with fever and symptoms are coming back negative.

28 per cent of submitted specimens positive in New York In the New York area, 28 per cent of submitted specimens are positive from that area, where it's less than 8 percent in the rest of the country. Clearly the virus had been circulating there for a number of weeks to have this level of penetrance into the general community.

Why is the New York rate so high? Birx and Fauci say part of it is the density of population in New York and part of the reason is surface transmission from a robust and packed public transport system. It could also be because of people who came back after Christmas, from Asia, that didn't get caught up in border closures on either side.

How many tests have been done? By March 26, 552000 tests have been completed across the United States. By March 24, the US had done 370,000 tests and the lion's share of those - over 220,000 - in just eight days, which is what South Korea was reportedly able to do in eight weeks.

New York: More than 5 in 10 US cases, more than 3 in 10 US deaths About 55 percent of all cases and all new cases in the United States are coming out of New York metro area. This number has been dropping from the 60 per cent mark in this week itself. New York accounts for 31 percent of people in the US succumbing to COVID19.

Early signs that mitigation strategies working in New York Early signs emerged March 25 that social distancing norms implemented at scale are beginning to slow the hospitalisation rate in the highest cluster area in the US. Last Sunday, New York hospitalisations were doubling every two days, by Monday that rate slowed to every 3.4 days and by Wednesday, it came down to every 4.7 days.

Don't declare victory too soon It is not time to declare victory when the number of new cases begins to flatten out, cautions Fauci. It's just a sign that you are headed where you want to go. Mitigation strategies will flatten the spread, Fauci says with confidence. "The curve will flatten, and we will know when that happens." "Imported" cases when rules are relaxed

Citing new information coming in from Chinese counterparts, Fauci said that as China begins to relax restrictions, they have begun to report "imported" cases. "They wanted to warn us that when we get successful, make sure you very carefully examine how you're going to release the constraints on input", Fauci said, speaking to rising public concerns over recent comments by US president Trump that he would like to open up the economy as soon as possible.

Coronavirus could become seasonal Fauci cautions that coronavirus could very well become a "seasonal, cyclical" infection, based on the patterns it is exhibiting through its spread in the southern hemisphere. There, cases are appearing as winter sets in. If there is a "substantial" outbreak, then the world absolutely needs the vaccine by the time the cycle comes around the second time. Fauci has pegged a 12-18 month timeline for vaccine development.

No model that predicts large scale attack rate in US "There's no model right now and no ground reality where we can see that 60 to 70 percent of Americans are going to get infected in the next eight to 12 weeks. I just want to be clear about that", Birx said. "So when people start talking about 20 per cent of a population getting infected, it's very scary, but we don't have data that matches that based on the experience." Fauci confident about vaccine development

Fauci struck a cautiously upbeat tone saying he feels "confident" with all the knowledge now available on the virus."We will have some sort of therapy, that gives at least a partial if not a very good protection in preventing progression of disease", he said. Randomized control trials are how the US is planning to get the best drug as quickly and safely as possible to the people.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
(Photo : REUTERS/David W Cerny) A woman wearing a face mask walks near the Old Town Square as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Prague, Czech Republic, March 27, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Nacho Doce) A man wearing a protective face mask walks towards the supermarket, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Barcelona, Spain, March 27, 2020.

It's not unusual to see someone wearing a surgical mask in China before the coronavirus outbreak, as facial recognition is frequently used for surveillance systems. Now, a Chinese company is claiming it could now identify someone by facial recognition even if they are wearing surgical masks.



While China employs a number of the world's most sophisticated structures of electronic monitoring, the coronavirus has posed a particular hassle for surveillance in the hope of heading off the virus.

ALSO READ: FACE MASKS INCREASE RISK OF CORONAVIRUS! Surgeon General Warns of Unnecessary use of Face Masks

For thermal sensor monitoring?

According to Reuters, Hanwang Technology Ltd claims it was able to develop this facial recognition gadget by using thermal sensors.

Hanwang Vice President Huang Lei told Reuters the innovation can measure body temperature while identifying the person's name. The system would then process the result, say if it detects a temperature over 38 degrees.

The agency used a database of pix of 6 million unmasked faces and a smaller set of pics of masked faces to increase the software program. It's already been on the market since last month, and Huang claims it can detect 30 humans per second. He claims the software is 95 percent accurate when used on masked faces. Chinese police are already working with it.

Huang desires this era to be used across the world, and the company presently has around 200 customers in China with plans to get extra soon. The machine still does combat to pick out people while carrying masks and glasses, so it appears it can not recognize human beings efficiently over time.

ALSO READ: Thermometer Guns Used By Coronavirus Front Lines Are 'Notoriously Not Accurate;' Should We Be Scared?

Losing facial information

When it involves other surveillance equipment being used in the fight against the coronavirus, there have been a few complaints on social media about it. However, most people appear to be accepting other ways or maybe embracing it as a method to cope with the health emergency.

China's surveillance nation is hugely controversial, as it's been used to track and "subdue" thousands and thousands of Uighurs in the country, that's a Muslim minority in China that have reportedly been detained in indoctrination camps intended to force them to adopt what they view as an appropriate cultural value.

Many anti-surveillance activists have given ways to use face paint, hairstyles, and different methods for beating facial recognition software. The system struggles to identify humans with both a mask and sunglasses, Huang told CNBC.

He said all the critical facial records are lost in that situation, adding that recognition is challenging in that setup. It's no longer clear if those strategies would work with this new facial popularity system that's been evolved in China.

The agency has around 200 clients in Beijing using the technology, consisting of the police, and assume scores higher throughout 20 provinces to start installing it soon, Huang said.

As those systems come to be more sophisticated, they'll definitely emerge as tougher and more challenging to beat.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NTPC said it signed a share-purchase agreement with the central government to acquire North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) for Rs 4,000 crore and THDC India (THDCIL) for Rs 7,500 crore. The acquisitions are subject to regulatory approvals.

Yes Bank said its board has approved raising funds amounting to Rs 5,000 crore, in addition to Rs 10,000 crore cleared in January, through issuance of securities. The board of the bank has also been reconstituted.

ICICI Bank entered into an agreement to invest in Auxilo Finserve (previously known as Stellenyak General Finance) by acquiring 9.9% stake, or 34.1 million equity shares for Rs 51.1 crore.

Finolex Industries said it has suspended operations at all plants, offices and warehouses located at various locations until 14 April 2020 as per the Centre's order of a complete lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

United Spirits said it has closed operations at all its offices and manufacturing units till 14 April 2020 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Aurobindo Pharma said with regard to the USFDA inspection of Unit VIII, API manufacturing facility at Gaddapotharam, Hyderabad, the company has received the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) with Voluntary Action Initiated (VAl) status from USFDA.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan's approach to social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic might seem to other nations around the world like it is very social, and not so distant.

As communities from Milan to Melbourne find themselves compelled to hunker down in their homes, peeking through the curtains at a world they once roamed freely, coronavirus life in Japan has been much like it ever was, save for some extra hygienic precautions.

Major sporting events have been disrupted or are being played behind closed doors. Companies are asking workers to consider working from home. And the spring tradition of spending time under cherry blossom trees is now more strolling than sitting.

Until very recently, Japanese authorities had not felt the need to impose stricter measures in Tokyo, home to nearly 14 million people. Only on Wednesday, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike requested that citizens stay indoors over the weekend, citing "an important phase in preventing an explosive rise."
Cory Morse | MLive.com file photo

West Michigan counties ranked by percentage without health insurance

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads, access to health care has been an important issue.

Prior to the outbreak, MLives Julie Mack ranked Michigan counties based on the percentage of residents without health insurance. The data comes from an analysis of the latest Census estimates, which are a five-year average for 2014-18.

Related: Michigan counties ranked by percentage without health insurance

The percentage of residents without health insurance in West Michigan counties ranged from 4.2 to 10.1%.

In addition to a look at the numbers for all ages, more Census data is offered for the 19-to-64 age group, which is where uninsured residents are concentrated.

For example, of Michigan's 83 counties, Oscoda County continues to have the highest percentage of uninsured residents. Thirteen percent lack insurance, and among adults age 19 to 64 -- those too old for the MiChild program and too young for Medicare -- its 18%.

More than 99% of Michigan residents age 65 and older have insurance through Medicare, and more than 96% of Michigan children have coverage, thanks to Medicaid and MiChild.

The ranking of West Michigan counties begin with those with the lowest rates of uninsured residents.

Don't Edit

MLive File Photo

Ottawa County: 4.2%

The percentage of Ottawa County residents without health insurance went from 8.3% in 2009-13 to 4.2% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 12% to 6%;

Percent with private insurance went from 82% to 90%;

Percent with public insurance went from 9% to 11%.

Ottawa ranks fourth out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Mark Bugnaski | MLive.com file photo

Allegan County: 4.6%

The percentage of Allegan County residents without health insurance went from 10.9% in 2009-13 to 4.6% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 17% to 7%;

Percent with private insurance went from 73% to 85%;

Percent with public insurance went from 14% to 15%.

Allegan ranks fifth out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

MLive File Photo

Barry County: 4.6%

The percentage of Barry County residents without health insurance went from 10.2% in 2009-13 to 4.6% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 15% to 7%;

Percent with private insurance went from 75% to 85%;

Percent with public insurance went from 7% to 16%.

Barry ranks sixth out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Joel Bissell | MLive.com file photo

Muskegon County: 5.3%

The percentage of Muskegon County residents without health insurance went from 11% in 2009-13 to 5.3% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 17% to 7%;

Percent with private insurance went from 64% to 77%;

Percent with public insurance went from 23% to 28%.

Muskegon ranks 14th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Joel Bissell | MLive.com file photo

Kalamazoo County: 5.7%

The percentage of Kalamazoo County residents without health insurance went from 10.8% in 2009-13 to 5.7% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 15% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 73% to 84%;

Percent with public insurance went from 15% to 19%.

Kalamazoo ranks 22nd out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

J. Scott Park | MLive.com file photo

Calhoun County: 5.9%

The percentage of Calhoun County residents without health insurance went from 12.6% in 2009-13 to 5.9% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 19% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 65% to 77%;

Percent with public insurance went from 21% to 26%.

Calhoun ranks 28th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

MLive File Photo

Ionia County: 6.2%

The percentage of Ionia County residents without health insurance went from 10.5% in 2009-13 to 6.2% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 16% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 71% to 81%;

Percent with public insurance went from 18% to 21%.

Ionia ranks 33rd out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

MLive.com file photo

Newaygo County: 6.4%

The percentage of Newaygo County residents without health insurance went from 13.8% in 2009-13 to 6.4% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 21% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 63% to 74%;

Percent with public insurance went from 21% to 31%.

Newaygo ranked 39th out of 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Neil Blake | MLive.com file photo

Kent County: 6.5%

The percentage of Kent County residents without health insurance went from 10.6% in 2009-13 to 6.5% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 15% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 75% to 83%;

Percent with public insurance went from 13% to 17%.

Kent ranks 40th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Garret Ellison | MLive.com file photo

Mecosta County: 6.5%

The percentage of Mecosta County residents without health insurance went from 14% in 2009-13 to 6.5% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 19% to 9%;

Percent with private insurance went from 68% to 80%;

Percent with public insurance went from 16% to 24%.

Mecosta ranks 41st out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

MLive File Photo

Mason County: 6.8%

The percentage of Mason County residents without health insurance went from 13.6% in 2009-13 to 6.8% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 20% to 10%;

Percent with private insurance went from 66% to 78%;

Percent with public insurance went from 19% to 25%.

Mason ranks 44th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

J. Scott Park | MLive.com file photo

Lake County: 7.5%

The percentage of Calhoun County residents without health insurance went from 16.2% in 2009-13 to 7.5% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 26% to 10%;

Percent with private insurance went from 44% to 62%;

Percent with public insurance went from 35% to 43%

Lake County ranks 57th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Joel Bissell | MLive.com file photo

Berrien County: 7.8%

The percentage of Berrien County residents without health insurance went from 12.9% in 2009-13 to 7.8% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 20% to 11%;

Percent with private insurance went from 66% to 78%;

Percent with public insurance went from 18% to 23%.

Berrien ranked 60th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Nic Antaya | MLive.com file photo

Montcalm County: 6.5%

The percentage of Montcalm County residents without health insurance went from 13.7% in 2009-13 to 8.1% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 20% to 11%;

Percent with private insurance went from 65% to 76%;

Percent with public insurance went from 19% to 25%.

Montcalm ranks 65th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Kendall Warner | MLive.com file photo

Van Buren County: 8.4%

The percentage of Van Buren County residents without health insurance went from 14.8% in 2009-13 to 8.3% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 22% to 12%;

Percent with private insurance went from 64% to 76%;

Percent with public insurance went from 18% to 25%.

Van Buren ranks 71st out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Joel Bissell | MLive.com file photo

Oceana County: 9.9%

The percentage of Oceana County residents without health insurance went from 14.8% in 2009-13 to 9.9% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 23% to 15%;

Percent with private insurance went from 60% to 70%;

Percent with public insurance went from 21% to 28%.

Oceana ranks 77th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

Daytona Niles | MLive.com file photo

Osceola County: 10.1 percent

The percentage of Osceola County residents without health insurance went from 14.6% in 2009-13 to 10.1% in 2014-18. Among those age 19 to 64:

Percent uninsured went from 21% to 13%;

Percent with private insurance went from 60% to 69%;

Percent with public insurance went from 23% to 28%.

Osceola ranked 78th out of the 83 counties.

Don't Edit

MLive File Photo

More coverage of West Michigan's uninsured residents

MLive's Julie Mack recently reported that Census estimates that about 5.4% of Michigan residents -- or 535,000 people-- lacked health insurance in 2018. That compares to 12.4%, or 1.2 million, in 2010 and 10.9%, or 1,071521, in 2013, the year before the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, was fully implemented.

Related: 10 things to know about health insurance and ACA trends in Michigan.

Clinton County has the lowest percentage of uninsured residents in the state at 3.8 percent. Only three West Michigan counties ranked among the top 10 in the state for the lowest: Ottawa (4.2%), Allegan (4.6%) and Barry (4.6%).

Oscoda County has the highest percentage of uninsured residents of our 83 counties. The two West Michigan counties among the 10 highest are Oceola (10.1%, 78th) and Oceana (9.9 percent, 77th).

Other counties with the highest percentage of uninsured are:

73. Isabella County: 8.8%

74. Ontonagon County: 8.8%

75. Missaukee County: 8.9%

76. Kalkaska County: 9.5%

79. Sanilac County: 10.1%

80. Mackinac County: 10.6%

81. Branch County: 11.1%

82. Clare County: 11.4%
Travellers returning to Manitoba by road or air are now receiving official information about the need for them to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Travellers returning to Manitoba by road or air are now receiving official information about the need for them to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Highway checkpoints and signs in the province's two largest airports are part of the Manitoba government's latest efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Five checkpoints along the borders with Ontario and Saskatchewan were put up Friday afternoon, staffed by masked-and-gloved provincial employees, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler told reporters during a teleconference Friday.

Since March 23, public health officials have recommended anyone returning from an international or inter-provincial trip should immediately isolate themselves in their homes for 14 days. There is evidence the COVID-19 virus can spread before an infected person shows any symptoms.

The province has been given feedback some people weren't aware of those recommendations, Schuler said. "We just want to make sure that everyone gets access to this information so they don't say, 'I didn't know.'"

A flagperson at each checkpoint is expected to stop all traffic, speak to motorists from a distance, and hand them printed information about the virus. The checkpoints, set up under the Public Health Act, won't stop anyone from entering the province, and won't collect any personal information about travellers or vehicles.

Travellers will be asked not to exit their vehicles at the checkstop.

Closing Manitoba's borders is "not under discussion right now," Schuler said.

"We believe that if Manitobans continue to comply like they are, that this is the best way to go about it. This gets the information out. We are finding there is amazing uptake on the requests. If we find that there is a problem with that, then we will take on other measures."

All traffic, including long-haul truckers, will have to stop at the checkpoints, Schuler said.

"If you're on two wheels or 18 wheels, you're going to get one of these. So if you're on a bicycle, a motorcycle, you name it... you come through on a horse, we're going to hand you one of these and talk to you about: you must do a 14-day self-isolation."

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.

The checkpoints have been established at what provincial officials have deemed the busiest current border crossings, even with a "drastic" decline in traffic, Schuler said.

Along the Ontario border, there is a checkpoint at West Hawk Lake/Falcon Lake.

There are four locations along the Saskatchewan border: Trans-Canada Highway (west of Kirkella/Elkhorn/Virden); Provincial Trunk Highway 16 (west of Russell); PTH 5W (west of Roblin); and PTH 2 (west of Sinclair/Reston/Souris).

Signs warning returning travellers will also be posted at the Winnipeg and Brandon airports.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
(Newser)  An investigation at a Seattle-area nursing home concluded that symptoms aren't enough to identify who is infected once the coronavirus enters a long-term care facility. People without symptoms could have the virus, so it won't work to simply separate residents with symptoms from others. Investigators found that screening based on symptoms alone may be failing to identify half the people who are infected with COVID-19. A report released Friday focused on a nursing home in King County, Washington, that health officials thought might become vulnerable after an outbreak at a nearby facility, the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland.

story continues below

As theres a confirmed case, the report concluded, all health care workers should don masks and other protective garments, and residents should be isolated as much as possible. The report did not identify the nursing home. But it said that of 23 residents who tested positive, only 10 had symptoms on the day they were tested. The report was by state and local investigators, and scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. It was published online by a CDC publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
The brief rebound in oil prices was never going to last in the current environment, and as the global crude glut nears historic highs, prices are heading towards $20

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

(Click to enlarge)

Friday, March 27th, 2020

Markets rallied this week as the U.S. Congress appears poised to pass a $2 trillion stimulus plan. Jobless claims in the U.S. topped 3 million, with economists seeing unemployment nearing Great Depression levels in the coming months. Meanwhile, despite the rally for equities, oil prices did not hold up, with WTI back down close to $20 per barrel as the historic glut continues to worsen.

SPR plan scrapped. The U.S. Department of Energy withdrew its plan to buy 77 million barrels of oil for the strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) after funding for the plan was removed from the $2 trillion stimulus plan.

Investors pressure majors to cut dividends. The top five oil majors added $25 billion in debt last year, while hiking dividends. Now, on the ropes with oil in the mid-$20s, debt will accumulate much faster. More investors are calling for a cut to dividends. Long term, it is appropriate to cut the dividend. We are not in favor of raising debt to support the dividend, Jeffrey Germain, a director at Brandes Investment Partners, told Reuters.

Half Latin American oil uneconomic. Latin Americas flowing production is over 7 million barrels per day. At current prices, we estimate that half is non-economic, taking into account all costs, including transportation and taxes, Ruaraidh Montgomery from oil research firm Welligence, told Reuters. Related: Cesium - The Most Important Metal Youve Never Heard Of

European gas inventories at record high. As of March 1, storage for gas in Europe was 60 percent full, the highest ever recorded at the start of March.

Occidental cuts worker pay. Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) cut salaries for its U.S. workers by 30 percent.

Dakota Access loses court case. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe won a major victory in federal court this week, with a judge ordering a full environmental impact statement for the Dakota Access pipeline. The project owned by Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ET) has already been operational for three years. The decision could potentially lead to the shutdown of the pipeline.

Pompeo pressures MbS on oil price war. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by phone this week, asking for the Saudis to pull back from the price war. Pompeo urged Riyadh to rise to the occasion and reassure energy markets at a time of economic uncertainty.

Senators accuse Saudi Arabia of economic warfare. A group of Republican senators sent Sec. of State Mike Pompeo a letter, accusing Saudi Arabia of economic warfare because of Riyadhs decision to increase oil production. The letter said the U.S. could explore antitrust authority as well as revisit support for the war in Yemen, a clear threat to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia struggling to find buyers. Saudi Arabia is struggling to find buyers for extra oil as demand collapses. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A), Chinas Unipec, Finlands Neste, some Indian refiners and other U.S. refiners are taking less crude from Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters. Taken together, the inability to find buyers reduces the odds of Saudi Arabia ramping up production aggressively to over 12 mb/d.

Largest shut in of production in 35 years. In certain areas oil prices is trading in single digits. Bloomberg notes that Wyoming Sweet oil was trading at $1.75 per barrel this week, forcing some small producers to shut in. That could happen in many places around the world. We need to cut crude supply by 10 million barrels a day pretty quickly, Russel Hardy, the head of top independent oil trader Vitol Group, told Bloomberg. Oil prices will need to go lower, to bring the prices to a level that triggers a response. Related: What Happens If U.S. Shale Goes Bust?

20 mb/d surplus. New estimates from a series of oil market analysts put the drop in demand from the pandemic at about 20 mb/d, a figure that is dramatically larger than estimates from as recently as a week ago. Goldman put it at 18.7 mb/d. It is the largest decline in history by far, and one so large that a return of OPEC+ cuts would not address.

China struggles to restart amid global recession. The worst of Chinas pandemic is over, but the restart of factories in China is running into trouble as the rest of the world goes into lockdown and cancels purchases of a variety of Chinese goods. The unprecedented shutdown of normal economic activity across Europe, the U.S. and a growing number of emerging markets is certain to cause a dramatic contraction in Chinese exports, probably in the range of a 20-45% year-on-year drop in the second quarter, said Thomas Gatley, senior analyst at research firm Gavekal Dragonomics.

Plastics industry seeks roll back of bag bans. Producers of plastic are lobbying to reverse plastic bag bans across the United States, using the pandemic as a reason to allow more disposable plastic.

Oil storage filling up. The world is estimated to have between 0.9 and 1.8 billion barrels of oil storage capacity, with the industry using 71 percent currently. But crude qualities cannot be stored together, and there are other logistical bottlenecks preventing full use of all storage facilities. Traders told Reuters that storage in the U.S. could reach capacity by May or June. Canadian output could begin to fall in April as storage maxes out.

Canadian oil sands shut ins begin. Western Canada Select is trading at around $9 per barrel, forcing some shut-ins. Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU) said it would shut in one of its trains at its Fort Hills project.

Gasoline prices plunge. $1 gasoline is popping up in a growing number of regions in the U.S. Nationally, retail gasoline prices are set to average $1.49 per gallon by mid-April. You almost cant even give it away, Paul Bingham, head transportation economist at IHS Markit Ltd., told Bloomberg. The price elasticity has totally changed. Its full-on demand destruction.

Petrobras to cut spending by 30 percent. Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) said it would cut 2020 spending by 30 percent to $8.5 billion and lower its production by 100,000 bpd. That includes shutting in shallow water production of 23,000 bpd.

Iraq asks IOCs to cut spending by 30 percent. Iraq asked four international oil companies to lower their spending by 30 percent, a list that includes Eni (NYSE: E), ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Lukoil and BP (NYSE: BP). The request would ease a burden on Iraqi budgets.

By Josh Owens for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:32:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- One of Zambia's locally-owned airline on Friday suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proflight Zambia, the country's longest surviving scheduled airline, said it will cease international flights effective March 27, 2020 while domestic flights will not operate between April 1 and April 30. The airline plans to resume international and domestic flights from May 1 on a very limited schedule.

"We hope to resume normal operations by July 1 but we do not know yet whether this will be possible. When normal operations do resume it is likely to be with very reduced frequency especially on tourism routes," Chitalu Kaballika, the company's Corporate Director said in a release.

He however said the airline will continue to operate charter and cargo flights within Zambia and regionally for as long as borders remain open.

Minister of Tourism and Arts Ronald Chitotela said the tourism sector has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and seen an increased loss of some 6 million U.S. dollars, resulting in cancellation of tourist planned visits.
Vivarium (15)

Rating:

Verdict: Tense and original (on digital platforms including Sky Store and Curzon Home Cinema)

The Jesus Rolls

Rating:

Verdict: Misconceived spin-off (Amazon Prime)

A vivarium is a container in which animals or plants are raised, usually for observation purposes, although a greenhouse is also a type of vivarium.

There is another kind of green house at the centre of this beguilingly odd science-fiction chiller by Irish director Lorcan Finnegan.

Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg star as a wholesome couple called Gemma and Tom. A weird estate agent shows them round a green house, part of a new development called Yonder, of identical houses on identical streets.

When they drive away, they find that all roads lead back to the same house. They are trapped in Yonder, in a kind of glossy property brochure writ large.

Imogen Poots (right) and Jesse Eisenberg (left) star as a wholesome couple called Gemma and Tom

At first, Vivarium feels like a twisted satire on suburbia, exploring broadly the same territory as George Clooney's 2017 film Suburbicon. There are also echoes of Peter Weir's classic 1998 take on cultural voyeurism, The Truman Show.

When a baby arrives in a box, with the instruction that if they raise it they will be set free, it seems like a darkly comedic stab at prosaic aspirations. But gradually Vivarium sheds its comic pretences and nudges much closer to horror.

As the boy grows, he starts unnervingly mimicking Gemma and Tom, and unleashing deafening shrieks when he doesn't get his way. Yet Gemma can't shed her maternal impulses. 'You're a mystery and I'm going to solve you,' she tells the child, affectionately.

Tom isn't duped. He doesn't refer to the child as 'he', but 'it'. I was reminded of some friends, whose son Jack went on a French exchange visit, and were mildly alarmed when the French boy's mother emailed them, asking 'What does it eat for its breakfast?' In this case, of course, the issue isn't linguistic confusion but downright hostility.

For Tom, the boy is an unwelcome interloper. I wondered at this point whether the film might be saying something about the stress on a relationship that even yearned-for parenthood can exert?

I didn't entirely understand The Jesus Rolls either, but not in a good way. Pictured: Audrey Tautou and John Turturro in The Jesus Rolls

The truth is, I'm still not sure what its message is. Finnegan, and writer Garret Shanley, keep us guessing to the end. But it is slickly done, with cinematography that at times conspicuously evokes the surrealist paintings of Rene Magritte. As with Magritte, I liked Vivarium without quite understanding it.

I didn't entirely understand The Jesus Rolls either, but not in a good way. It's like sitting in on a joke that you're excluded from, which would be annoying enough in the cinema, but in your own home, after shelling out 5.99, feels downright offensive.

The film is written and directed by John Turturro, who also stars as the titular Jesus Quintana, the dissolute ten-pin bowling king he fleetingly played in the Coen brothers' majestic 1998 comedy The Big Lebowski. Maybe Jesus belonged in the wings, not centre stage, where the appeal of his roguish charm quickly shrivels and dies.

I loved Turturro's 2014 film Fading Gigolo, and his cast here also includes Susan Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Audrey Tautou and Jon Hamm, with Bobby Cannavale as Jesus's sidekick.

That's a quality line-up by any measure, but alas, my mighty expectations were soon dashed, as it became clear that The Jesus Rolls  a remake of the 1974 French road-trip comedy Going Places as well as a Lebowski spin-off  is a dud.

It begins with Jesus being met by his friend Petey (Cannavale) on his release from prison. They then hook up with the promiscuous Marie (a hammy Tautou), and the trio go on an orgy of car- stealing, house-breaking and, indeed, orgies.

The women in this film are little more than sex objects, for which Going Places also got nailed, but at least had the excuse of being made in France, half-way through the unenlightened 1970s. The Jesus Rolls has no excuse at all.

Brian Viner's top 100 films (part 1). But do you agree with him?

Everyone loves a list, movie fans more than most. I wish I had a pound  or perhaps, in this current crisis, a loo roll  for every time someone asked me to name my five favourite films, albeit mainly so they could then tell me theirs.

Over the coming weeks, I will list my 100 favourite English-language films in reverse order, in the hope that you might be inspired to see those you haven't watched for years, or maybe have never seen at all.

They are all available on streaming services, or to download, or to order online as DVDs. I'll list my top 20 foreign-language films separately.

Pictured: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman in the 1958 classic The Long Hot Summer

I hope, too, that my favourites will make you consider yours, and perhaps generate a bit of debate. Indignation, even, when you see what I've left out, or relegated to 77th when you think it should be in the top 1 0.

Write to me c/o The Daily Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or via email (filmclassics@dailymail.co.uk) or Twitter (@vinerbrian) if you agree with my choices, or better still, if you don't.

100 Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood's gripping revisionist Western, deservedly anointed Best Picture at the Oscars.

99 Cool Hand Luke (1967)

Paul Newman doing what he always did best, playing an anti-establishment hero.

98 Henry V (1944)

Laurence Olivier plays the hero of Agincourt, in a film considered so important as a wartime morale-booster that it was partly funded by the British government.

Pictured: Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell start in the 1940 film His Girl Friday

97 The Long Hot Summer (1958)

Newman again, at his most smoulderingly sexy, as suspected barn-burner Ben Quick. It was the first film he and Joanne Woodward made together, in the year they got married. Their sexual chemistry crackles like a firework.

96 The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)

Look out for a pre-fame Audrey Hepburn  and Valerie Singleton as a schoolgirl  but it's the sublime Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway who drive Charles Crichton's glorious Ealing Comedy.

95 All The President's Men (1976)

The ultimate political thriller, about Watergate, made only two or three years after the events it depicted.

94 Hell Or High Water (2016)

Chris Pine and Ben Foster are fantastic as a pair of bank-robbing brothers, though it's Jeff Bridges, as so often, who steals the show as a cranky old Texas Ranger on their tail.

93 Spartacus (1960)

Stanley Kubrick's epic tale, starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis, of Romans v revolting slaves.

92 Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Steven Spielberg's cracking war film has arguably the most intense opening 27 minutes of any film ever made.

91 His Girl Friday (1940)

A delightful screwball comedy with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Just about the perfect self-isolation movie.
BERLINGermanys low fatality rate among CCP virus patients stands out from the rest. Currently, only 0.54 percent of patients in Germany die, compared to Italys 10.09 percent. That means those infected in Germany are 20 times less likely to die compared to Italy.

On Friday, Italy had almost 1,000 deaths in one day, a record high, while Germany has had 304 fatalities in total. Italys total deaths stand at 9,134.

Some experts point to Germanys rigorous testing regimen as one explanation for the low fatality rate.

Germany has started very early to test many more patients than in other countries, for example, right from the very first case in early February. We then tested everybody who had contact with that person and put all these people in quarantine, said Dr. Reinhard Busse, professor of health care management at Berlin University of Technology.

With more testing, you get a more accurate picture, says Busse. That means, there are probably many more undetected cases in Italy.

If you only test people with symptoms, you miss all the people with mild courses of the disease, and then you have a worse picture of the true situation, said Busse.

On Thursday, Germanys Health Minister Jens Spahn said the country had conducted between 300,000 and 500,000 tests for the virus in the last week. On Friday, a German institute announced it plans to regular test 100,000 people in a large-scale test starting in April.

Another explanation for Germanys relatively low fatality rate may be found in the different social structures in Europe.

What we do find is in those countries where this is more prevalent, then you have these multi-generational homes, these are large families living together. There, you see higher case fatality rates, said Christian Bayer, professor of economics at University of Bonn.

Bayer and his colleague, Moritz Kuhn, in a study looked at how intergenerational ties in different countries correlate to the fatality rate among CCP virus patients.

In Italy, for example, its common for grandparents to look after their grandchildren and twice as many Italians live with their parents.

According to the study, differences in social interactions and social networks play a key role in explaining the cross-country differences in mortality during the early phase of the coronavirus outbreak. Bayer warns countries with similar social structures to Italy, like Poland, to be prepared.

As of Friday, Germany has 43,646 confirmed cases of virus infections and 304 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

NTD refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
SANTA FE  A sheriff in northern New Mexico has been accused of arriving drunk at a SWAT standoff and obstructing officers from performing their duties.

In a criminal complaint filed in Rio Arriba Magistrate Court, Espanola Police Chief Roger Jimenez alleged that Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan arrived to the scene of an active standoff on March 21 drunk and crossed the kill zone of the perimeter.

I immediately smelled a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the sheriffs breath and person, Jimenez wrote in the complaint.

At the time, police were attempting to arrest Phillip Chacon, a former Espanola city councilor suspected in a stabbing incident, who was barricaded inside a house surrounded by officers.

Sgt. Michelle Ortegas lapel camera footage captured Lujan crossing the perimeter and walking to the front door of the home where Chacon had barricaded himself.

In the footage, Lujan, wearing civilian clothes, tells officers at the scene he would be arresting Chacon and that they needed to leave the scene.

Im not asking you, Im telling you, he said to officers.

Lujan, Jimenez wrote, endangered other officers at the scene by distracting them from the standoff, which Jimenez thought might have been intentional, mentioning a previous allegation of Lujan assisting Chacon in fleeing the scene of a crime.

It is obvious by Sheriff Lujans actions he was attempting to do the same in this case, he wrote.

Lujan, who was charged with misdemeanor resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, did not return multiple requests for comment from the Journal on Friday.

Rio Arriba Magistrate Court Judges Joseph Madrid and Alexandra Naranjo have both recused themselves from the case.
Legendary action-film star Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling H-E-B's response to the coronavirus pandemic a "masterclass" in preparation.

"The Terminator" actor and former California governor has been vocal on social media about the need to stay home and ready to help slow the spread of the virus. In doing so, he's also shared glimpses of his home life, providing some levity with videos of his miniature pet horse and donkey. He's also trying to spread hope and promote stories of people stepping up to help their fellow man.

Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news with mySA.com:

He started a Twitter thread, asking people to send him stories of "heroes."

The story that seems to be the inspiration for the thread is H-E-B's response the crisis. On Thursday, he gave the San Antonio-based grocery chain an online round of applause after reading a Texas Monthly article in which H-E-B executives, employees and customers discussed how the stores have rolled out planned-out measures to ensure Texans have what they need while remaining safe during the pandemic.

Executives told Texas Monthly their team started discussing the virus with their Chinese counterparts in mid-January and then started adjusting their pandemic plan, which was first launched in 2005 and then revised over the years, to prepare for the sort of demand the company is seeing now.

The actor shared the story link with his nearly five million Twitter followers.

RELATED: 'Heart and hearth': San Antonians sparing goods to create sidewalk food pantries during pandemic

"I read this story in Texas Monthly today about H-E-B and it is a masterclass in preparation and being ready to support your community," he said.

Some changes H-E-B has made to protect employees and customers during the pandemic include implementing a product limit in early March, extending the company's sick leave policy for employees, temporarily changing its hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in order to restock the shelves. Employees, who the company calls partners, were given a $2 raise.

H-E-B replied to Schwarzenegger's Twitter praise.

"Thanks for the shout-out, Arnold! We're honored to serve Texas," the grocer's official Twitter account responded.

Days before highlighting H-E-B, Schwarzenegger told The Atlantic magazine that he is yearning for the days when he held a leadership position and could be on the ground, directing and helping frontline workers through a crisis.

"There are moments, and especially moments like this, where I feel like, oh that would be really great to be there right now," he said in the interview.

Back on Twitter, he shared another Arnold-ism to remind people of past disasters that have been handled with what he calls the "7 P's."

"This crisis is unprecedented, but we have gotten through disasters, from earthquakes and wildfires to hurricanes & tornadoes by using the 7 P's: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance and by working together," he said.

Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
Advertisement

A cruise ship has docked in Western Australia with at least seventy suspected cases of coronavirus on board, according to the vessel's captain.

German liner the Artania arrived in Fremantle on Friday evening, with 1,300 people on board, sparking fears its passengers could spread the killer virus after disembarking on Australia's shores.

The ship's arrival has forced the state Premier Mark McGowan to desperately ask the Federal Government for help, according to the West Australian.

Meanwhile, also in Fremantle, another cruise ship - the Vasco da Gama - pulled in to dock with hundreds of people crammed together on deck.

Guests flooded the Vasco Da Gama cruise ship's top deck and stood tightly packed to watch as Fremantle's shore line drew closer on Friday afternoon

The entire top level of the Vasco da Gama was covered with holidaymakers bumping shoulders as they prepare to spend 14 days in isolation

The ship was recalled from Singapore on March 13 when a passenger was wrongly suspected of having coronavirus, however, everyone on board is reported to be in good health

The Artania and Vasco Da Gama were pictured side-by-side in the Western Australian dock as they await to carry out orders imposed by the Western Australian government to curb the spread of coronavirus

Mr McGowan wants the infected Artania passengers to be taken to a defence force base or to Christmas Island, the West Australian reported.

Travellers on board the coronavirus-stricken Artania cruise ship were permitted to come ashore - but that was when it was thought they were only seven confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Nine people confirmed or suspected of being infected have disembarked and will be treated in Perth.

Mr McGowan said they had been taken to hospital for an initial assessment then would be quarantined at police academy accommodation.

'We were unable to secure a Commonwealth facility for this purpose,' he told reporters on Friday.

The healthy passengers and some crew will be flown to Germany on three planes at the weekend.

Two other people, who are critically ill but not with COVID-19, disembarked on Thursday.

Mr McGowan said one was taken by police boat while at sea but the WA health department expressed concerns for the second person so the ship was allowed to berth in Fremantle.

No Australians are on the vessel or on the cruise ship Magnifica, which is anchored off Fremantle but does not have any coronavirus cases.

The Magnifica will leave after reprovisioning.

Travellers appeared apathetic after spending 14 days at seas, disregarding the 1.5 metre social distancing restriction in place across Australia

One passenger on board the Vasco Da Gama cruise ship smiled as he waved to family and friends watching the vessel arrive from the shore

Almost every vantage point was filled on the ship with the exception of a handful of private balconies along the Vasco Da Gama's side

About 200 passengers onboard the Vasco Da Gama from WA will go into isolation on Rottnest Island for 14 days from Sunday, while about 600 other Australians will go to either Rottnest or another hotel to quarantine for two weeks, then return home for another isolation period.

Mr McGowan said New Zealand passengers will fly home on Saturday. Along with foreign nationals, passengers and crew from other states will remain on the ship until they can be flown home.

The Vasco da Gama left Fremantle on February 12 for an around the world trip but was called home while in Singapore earlier this month after a passenger was suspected, incorrectly, of having COVID-19.

After the trip was cancelled on March 13, all non-Australian and New Zealand nationals and residents were transferred to a sister ship, Columbus.

All Vasco da Gama passengers and crew have been reported to be in good health.

A crew member enjoyed a cigarette and conversation with passengers as the abandoned around-the-world holiday came to an end

Some passengers decided to steer clear of the crowd amid the pandemic and look on from their own cabin balconies

People watched from the shore as the gigantic cruise liner carrying 1500 passengers and crew made its way towards land

Mr McGowan also announced the closure of gun shops and firearm dealerships but farmers can still access ammunition for pest control.

Intrastate travel restrictions will take effect from midnight on Tuesday, with non-essential travel banned. Offenders could face fines up to $50,000.

'Do not travel around WA. Easter holiday plans cannot proceed. Stay within your region,' Mr McGowan said.

'We're trying to save your life.'

WA has recorded 24 new cases, including 11 from cruise ships and a five-month-old baby, taking the state's total to 255.

A healthcare worker from the Perth Children's Hospital emergency department has also tested positive.

One woman was forced into quarantine after she failed to self-isolate following contact with a confirmed case, although she has not been diagnosed with the virus.

The family of Ray Daniels, who was a fit and healthy 73-year-old man before he collapsed at home and died within 48 hours from coronavirus, said they were devastated.

Passengers and crew will remain on the ship until it is time for them to be either placed into quarantine or flown back to their home nation

Police officers were deployed to keep watch of the Vasco Da Gama cruise ship while it is berthed at the Fremantle Passenger Terminal

'Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us,' the family's statement said.

Meanwhile, the WA Police Union wants an expansion of laws that impose a mandatory six months imprisonment on anyone who assaults a public officer.

The union wants the law extended to people who threaten frontline workers with COVID-19 by deliberately spitting, sneezing or wiping bodily fluids on them.

WA opposition leader Liza Harvey has called for a six-month deferment of all household fees and charges.
Scott O. Hirsch has a valuable reminder for online industries: we are in an unprecedented time for American business and the ability to adapt to ecommerce is essential.

DELRAY BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / The COVID-19 virus is forcing countless industries to change their online sale strategies through innovation, regardless if they've embraced ecommerce in the past. Even businesses that were primarily online suddenly need to manage their scalability in ways they weren't prepared for.

However, it's also important to look at these times through the lens of history. As Hirsch knows from his work in launching many highly successful online ventures, digital brands need to be lean and highly adaptable based on consumer demand. Here are a few examples he's seen in his 30 years within the industry-

Early Bulletin Board Systems & Today's Social Media

Back in 1990, Scott Hirsch saw how hot new businesses almost instantly developed overnight- everything from contact lenses to Swiss Army knives found millions of new consumers. We're seeing something of the same realization today for businesses delivering food orders or selling suddenly-in-demand products...but you must be where customers can find you easily.

AOL Mail & Modern Email Marketing

When Hirsch created the first opt-in email programs in the mid-1990s, there were literally no rulebooks or analytics to provide guidance; everything was learned in-house through trial and error. Today, we're seeing the same innovations in the customer loyalty world with smart apps that build retention rates. The moral here is to be bold and take chances based on where your data and analytics lead you.

Dot.com Crashes & Coronavirus Scares

Back in the early 2000's, Hirsch saw massive exits from the digital realm after the dot.com crash, yet he felt it was time to double down by refining his internal processes to better meet the needs of consumers. That's how he built Navient into a $155M brand and Hirsch believes that there's an even bigger opportunity in today's digital marketplace. Companies that remain forward-thinking and find new ways to meet consumer needs online will become the next generation's Amazon and Facebook.

Hirsch's best advice on navigating these difficult times? Like he's done many times throughout his career, throw out the rulebook and innovate to streamline your supply chain to consumers.

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582826/Scott-O-Hirsch-on-the-Evolution-of-Business-in-a-COVID-19-World
Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lost her cool when asked about the shortage of bread in the market due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, and said that people should instead make handmade rotis as the Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lost her cool when asked about the shortage of bread in the market due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, and said that people should instead make handmade rotis as the Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee marks a street with chalk urging people to stringently follow social distancing on Day 2 of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed by the Narendra Modi government over the coronavirus pandemic; in K Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, March 27 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lost her cool when asked about the shortage of bread in the market due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, and said that people should instead make handmade rotis as there is "bound to be some sufferings during calamities".

"What can I do if there is shortage of bread? Have handmade rotis then," she replied, as she scolded the scribe who raised the issue.

"You were waiting to ask this question? Please don't ask such trivial questions. When I come here, I will only say what I want to convey. I won't reply to your queries," Banerjee said at a press meet held at the stat secretariat, Nabanna.

Banerjee said her government wants the bakeries to remain open, and would make efforts in that direction. "But one has to understand, how can those who live at far off places, come leaving behind their children? "You should spare some thought about their children also. Now if you go to mend your shoes, you may not find the cobbler. So what? The cobber is also a human being. When there is a calamity, there is bound to be some sufferings," she said.

Banerjee recalled that she had once written a poem on calamities, and stressed that one has to overcome fears about calamity and tackle it.

"Have you understood," she asked the scribe.

"We are not 'lat sahibs' (royals). We can also make handmade rotis, pudding and pulao with flattened rice," she said.

Banerjee then went advised people to drink lemon and warm water.

"It will keep you healthy. Your throat will be clear. Take curd, neem leaves, moringa. Eat light," she added.

As she wrapped up the press conference, the Chief Minister threw a question to a scribe. "So, what else do you want? Cake?" As the journalist gave a reply, Banerjee said: "I take four raw neem leaves daily".
MIDDLETOWN, R.I., March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, AdCare Rhode Island is taking additional steps to help its patients feel safe accessing treatment. The addiction treatment provider is now offering telehealth services for individuals participating in outpatient programs at its Greenville and South Kingstown locations. Instead of coming to the treatment center weekly for care, patients can meet virtually with a licensed counselor for therapy sessions. In the coming days, AdCare plans to expand its telehealth services to include group meetings and other levels of care.



We dont want anything to get in the way of our patients continuing on their path of recovery, said Jessica Elliott DeMello, Director of Outpatient Services for AdCare Rhode Island. These are challenging times for all of us, particularly those in recovery. We know that stress, anxiety and isolation are triggers for relapse. Telehealth allows us to serve our patients in the comfort of their homes and continue to provide them with the support they need in early recovery.

Over half of AdCare Rhode Islands patients are in an outpatient program. Since launching the telehealth service, the treatment provider has seen nearly a 100% show rate for appointments.

We must not forget we are also in the midst of an addiction crisis, said Fred Trapassi, AdCare Rhode Island CEO. People are also still dying every day from drug overdoses. We must continue to provide critical addiction treatment services. Lives are depending on it.

About AdCare RI

Experience matters. For nearly 45 years, AdCare has provided individuals and families with life-changing alcohol and drug treatment. In addition to AdCare Rhode Island, Inc., a residential treatment center with outpatient programs in Greenville and South Kingstown. AdCare operates AdCare Hospital, New Englands only level-4 SUD hospital centrally located in Worcester, Massachusetts, with outpatient programs throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In March of 2018, AdCare joined AAC (OTC: AACH), a national treatment provider operating facilities across the United States. To learn more, please visit americanaddictioncenters.org.

Joy Sutton

Director of Corporate Communications

Office: 615-727-8407

Cell: 615-587-7728

JSutton@ContactAAC.com
By Express News Service

BERHAMPUR: In a bid to ensure people stay indoors during the lockdown, the district administration of Ganjam on Thursday engaged self help groups (SHGs) for selling potato and onion in Silk City at their doorsteps.

Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said as many as 21 SHG members have been engaged to take the commodities to the neighbourhoods so that people procure them in their own locality. The women have been provided with protective gear like masks and gloves.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES

They carry hand sanitisers for regular hand rubs after handing over the essentials to the people. He said the facility will be extended to residents of all wards from Friday.

Since all Aahaar centres, except those on hospital premises have been closed, the district administration has decided to provide packed food to the needy on five vehicles.

All grocery shops, vegetable and medicine outlets have been asked to demarcate spots for people to ensure social distancing. Violators will be prosecuted as also people riding two wheelers, said the Collector.

Berhampur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Chakraborty Singh Rathore said spraying of insecticide has been started in the city and people urged to keep their premises clean.

He said sanitary staff have been asked to clean roads and drains across the city twice daily and collect garbage from doorsteps.

Berhampur SP Pinak Mishra said police will be more harsh against the violators of lockdown. Drone cameras will be used to detect repeat offenders and action taken.

Meanwhile over a dozen traders including eight within Aska and four within Gopalpur police limits were arrested for opening shops to sell non-essential items.
A former commander from the Free Syrian Army has been assassinated in Daraa, in another example of the continuing breakdown of security in the region writes Jesr.

A former commander in the Ansar al-Huda, Moutaz Kana (also known as Anul Iz), was killed, and another former commander and a fighter in the Free Syrian Army were wounded when they were shot at by unknown assailants in the al-Nakhla area between Daraa and Nassib.

The Horan Free Media website said that the targeted people had not joined any regime party after it took control of the governorate. The deceased Abu al-Ezz was a military leader in al-Bunyan al-Marsous during the Death Rather than Humiliation battle in Daraa.

In a related context, the unknown assailants killed a young man, Ahmed Owaida Abu Aoun, on Thursday, by shooting him. He was a former member of the Free Syrian Army who joined the regimes Fourth Division after making a settlement.

Daraa province witnesses assassinations almost daily, most of which are against members of the former rebel groups who joined regime forces, as well as civilians and former members of the opposition factions who did not join regime forces.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Officials in Camden County said Thursday a coronavirus testing site at Camden County College, which would have been the first long-term testing site in South Jersey, is still at least three or more weeks away from being open.

The delay is caused by the inability of officials to obtain testing kits for the virus that has caused a worldwide pandemic and killed 81 people in New Jersey.

The announcement about the county college site and an update on the fight against the disease here came during a virtual town hall that was streamed over the internet and on social media. U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st district, Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli and Anne Walters, the county health director, participated in the event.

Because of the situation in North Jersey, which is a lot more dire than ours, the kits are going up there, and we understand that, Cappelli said.

The county is now donating masks and personal protective equipment to local hospitals that do have testing kits, Cappelli said.

We cannot get our hands on these kits, the freeholder director said. We thought we had secured 125,000 of these masks on Monday and we get calls today that we have to travel to Chicago to pick up masks.

Cappelli also thanked county residents for staying home. He displayed several charts during his address and said the rate of infection appears to be leveling off.

New Jerseys designation as a major disaster area will allow a greater amount of relief money, Norcross said.

A FEMA test site has been promised to us, he said.

He also said he expects a FEMA field hospital may be set up at the Atlantic City Convention Center, but did not immediately provide a timetable for when.

Officials said there have been 84 confirmed cases of the virus in the county and one death. New Jerseys total known cases of the coronavirus increased to at least 6,876, including at least 81 known deaths, as officials announced another 2,492 new positive test results Thursday  by far the largest single-day increase since the outbreak.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Men jailed for committing sex offences and domestic abuse in Turkey could be released from prison under draft proposals suggested to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Campaigners warned the suggested measures would put womens lives at grave risk and they had already left women deeply frightened.

Politicians from Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party and the allied Nationalist Movement Party proposed a law to opposition party members on Tuesday which would allow around 100,000 of the countrys 300,000 prisoners to walk free.

A copy of the draft law, acquired by online publication Al-Monitor, revealed political prisoners and inmates convicted of terrorism and murder would not be released under the proposals.

The draft measures would mean inmates convicted of sexual assault, gender-based violence and drug trafficking who have served two-thirds of their sentences would be released but would be under probation.

Burcu Karakas, a prominent feminist journalist based in Istanbul, told The Independent the measures were set to be discussed in parliament next week.

Ms Karakas added: If this bill is passed in parliament, it will be a nightmare for many women in Turkey. Womens lives would be put at risk. I just talked to a woman who was physically abused by her ex-boyfriend. He attempted to kill her. She lost one of her eyes and has been through several operations. She is freaking out that he is going to be released from prison.

She said she is crying like crazy and having nightmares. If this bill passes, this guy is going to be released. He said to her when I leave prison, the first thing I am going to do is finish this business. There are thousands of cases like this.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

But the womens movement in Turkey is very strong and powerful. There has been a social media campaign against the prison measures. Women know how to raise their voice. I want to believe they are going to prevent this from happening.

The first known prisoner to contract coronavirus in Turkey was diagnosed in Sincan prison in Ankara, the countrys second-largest city, on Tuesday and has been taken to intensive care since then.

Suad Abu-Dayyeh, Middle East and North Africa Consultant at Equality Now, an NGO which promotes the rights of women and girls, said: The coronavirus pandemic is putting pressure on criminal justice systems around the world. It is extremely concerning that in Turkey, the response has been to put forward a draft law that would allow reduced punishments for sex offenders and convicts of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.

Police and womens rights organisations around the world are reporting sizeable increases in domestic abuse since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. This includes Turkey, where womens rights organisations are already receiving more calls to helplines. With quarantining lasting for weeks and potentially months, vulnerable women and children are facing an unprecedented situation in which they are in lockdown at home in stressful circumstances with offenders, placing them at greater risk of psychological, sexual, and physical abuse.

 Man describes battle with coronavirus to help raise awareness

This is accompanied by a reduction in support services, with womens rights organisations, health care providers, courts, and police unable to function as normal. At this difficult time, the Turkish government should be doing all it can to provide additional protection and support to those at risk of gender-based violence, not reducing the amount of prison time served by perpetrators so that they are released into the community where they are able to re-offend.

Ms Abu-Dayyeh called for Turkey to strike the right balance between safeguarding members of the public and the welfare of its prison population  adding that sex offenders, violent inmates, and domestic violence offenders should be barred from the inmates being considered for early release or reduced sentencing.

Coronavirus has killed 75 in Turkey so far, which has a total population of around 83 million, after cases skyrocketed in a fortnight to 3,629.
The dining room at Bolete is filled with takeout containers. So is The Crust Pizzeria and Restaurants. Griddle 145s is not  rather its completely empty, like a ghost town.

Its eerie, Griddle 145 owner Sherry Eisenhard said.

This is the case for establishments across the Lehigh Valley. The rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic has forced restaurant and bar owners to close their doors to the public, only offering takeout, curbside pick-up or delivery. While Gov. Tom Wolfs statewide shutdown is the safe thing to do for the sake of Pennsylvanians, its taking an unprecedented toll on the restaurant industry.

Every Lehigh Valley dining establishment is feeling the heat in some respect, but some are hurting harder than others. Even when the world felt like a normal place, The Crust did most of its business through takeout orders and deliveries, so the shift, while strange, has been a bit easier to swallow. On the other hand, Eisenhard said that even with a weekend that was slightly better than the previous week, Griddle 145 is only seeing about 10% of its usual sales. This is a nightmare situation we are in, she said.

Eisenhard is not alone in this nightmare, which has filled every day with a Groundhog Day-esque repetitiveness. Savvas Kiprislis, owner of the Keystone Pub & Grill in Bethlehem and Whitehall, said that hes down 60% to 80% of his usual business on a given day. Karen Widrick, one of the owners of Edge Restaurant in Bethlehem, said that the curbside to-go orders are only bringing in 20% of what theyre used to. The Edge team also had to hit pause on bringing their new venture, Surv, to Easton. Roma Ristorante, located in the Airport Shopping Center, pivoted to a pick-up system for a week straight, and never cleared 1% of its average sales, according to general manager Geno Grantham. Now, Roma is 100% closed. I dont know when or if were going to reopen," he said.

Like The Crust, there are still restaurants that are holding together. Owner Erin Shea said that Bolete has stayed busy, relatively speaking. She credits the restaurants wide group of supporters for that. And those supporters have been understanding in the strange shift being made. Every day, we learn something to take on to the next day, said Shea, who also runs Silvershell Counter and Kitchen and Mister Lees Noodles in the Easton Public Market with her husband, chef Lee Chizmar. Matt Reichards The Other Fish has actually been busier than usual, fortunately. Reichard also notes that his customer base is amazing," having grown strong over The Other Fishs nearly two decades in Bethlehem.

But even the restaurants seeing some success arent getting there without sacrifice. Thats come largely in the staffing numbers. Eisenhard said that Griddle 145s staff is now just her, her husband and a chef. Widrick said all of her employees are gone, including myself." The money Edge makes now is going towards bills, and whatever tips come in are going to her unemployed employees.

Kiprislis is down to a skeleton crew as well. Im basically open right now for my employees, he said. But Im only open for some of them. Reichard, despite The Other Fishs business, obviously cant have a full staff working at all times, and his waitstaff is taking the biggest hit, so hes rotated them in and out so that they can put in hours as well as make some tips.

Sheas sister lives in Seattle, and she also has some friends living around the world, so she had a bit of heads-up on what might be hitting the U.S. pretty soon. For about a month, she had been having conversations with staff at all three restaurants about having to lay many of them off and what they should do regarding filing for unemployment. It was just a matter of when. On Saturday, March 14, Bolete was open as usual and busy as usual, but Shea felt like the staff was at risk, even before Gov. Wolfs mandate. "What are we doing? she thought. The following Monday, they closed for pick-up only.

Beacons of light can be useful in a time like this. The Crust is one  General manager Karen Diazs staff has been sending over pizza deliveries to the Lehigh Valley Hospital every day, and on top of that, theyve opened the daily delivery to customers who want to purchase a pizza, sandwich or salad for a random hospital employee. The Crust then matches that donation, too.

Remaining optimistic is a challenge. Kiprislis said that restaurant industry members are some of the most resilient people he knows, and other owners have been working to keep spirits up. But the wave of uncertainty is growing to be too much.

Last week, Eisenhard could count the number of orders Griddle 145 took in a day on one hand. Even if things did get a bit better on the weekend, theyre not putting a dent in the overwhelming trepidation that Eisenhard and other restaurant and bar owners are feeling.

This is our livelihood, she said. We opened this place up eight years ago. We have three kids to feed, we have a mortgage and bills to pay. And all of a sudden, its like nothing.

If this goes on for months, somethings got to give, Kiprislis said. We may have to close down and see what happens from there.

But this has to end eventually, right?

I dont think anything will be the same, Shea said. Hopefully, some things for the better, about how we take care of each other as a community.

We deal with trials and tribulations in our work every day, Kiprislis said. We have to roll with the punches. This punch is a long, 12-round fight.

The local culinary industry is taking jabs left and right from the pandemic. If this is the end of the first round, these restaurants need the Lehigh Valley in their corner.

Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ConnorLagore. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Colton Underwood shares his story of how he contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19) and warns that it took a full eight days for him to feel any symptoms at all. Many fans harassed Underwood and his girlfriend, Cassie Randolph when they found out he was positive for the virus.

The couple was out at a movie and the beach before the positive test, so fans complained that they werent social distancing.

Cassie Randolph and Colton Underwood at the I Still Believe Premiere on March 11, 2020 | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Bachelor alum Underwood knows where he was infected with the coronavirus

I returned to LA after attending a weekend celebrity ski event in Beaver Creek, Colorado, which turned out to be a hotbed for infections, Underwood wrote in the journal he shared with Cosmopolitan. I felt great when I got back and dove into work and whatever else I had on my schedule.

Underwood returned from Beaver Creek on March 8, 2020. He did not feel any symptoms of the virus until March 17, 2020  a full eight days later.

By last weekend [March 13], Eagle County, home to Vail and Beaver Creek resorts, had as many coronavirus infections  24  as Denver County, despite having one-tenth of the population, according to NY. Times

The ski resort shut down one week after Underwood attended the ski event. There are now 147 cases in Eagle county, according to the state website. Underwood is confident that the resort is where he contracted the virus.

Bachelor Underwood went about his normal life after leaving the ski resort

I spent the week shooting my new social-series podcast Coffee With Colton, got ready to promote my book, and worked with Cassie on a potential new movie project, Underwood continued. The two of us also attended a private movie event for work on Wednesday, March 11.

As the news of the virus began to get worse, Underwood and Randolph decided to leave LA, California.

We thought it would be best to get out of our places in LA, Underwood wrote. We headed to Cassies familys home in Huntington Beach, where we could be surrounded by family.

Underwood defends his and Randolphs trip to the beach and then the hospital

The former bachelor began to feel symptoms of the coronavirus on March 17, 2020. He was able to find a doctor to get a test on March 18, 2020. He shared the news that he was positive with COVID-19 on March 20, 2020. Fans quickly began messaging Underwood and Randolph, complaining that they were not doing their part social distancing.

On Sunday, we decided to go for a swim, Underwood explained. I know what youre thinking, but its actually pretty easy to practice social distancing at the beach here in SoCal, so for those of you picturing the Florida beaches covered in spring breakersthink the opposite, especially at this time of year.

For the fans saying that the couple should not have been at the beach, Underwood notes that the beach was empty. While bodyboarding, Randolph was stung by a stingray. The doctor insisted she go to an emergency room.

We called ahead, wore masks and gloves, went through two different checkpoints, and ended up being the only people in the waiting room, Underwood continued. We didnt see a single other person besides the nurse checking us in and the doctor.

Underwood would like the world to know that they did their part to keep others from contracting the coronavirus. Luckily, he is finally feeling better  one week after receiving the positive test results.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 06:50:47|Editor: yhy

Video Player Close

A man rides a bicycle on National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, March 27, 2020. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States has topped 100,000, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States has topped 100,000, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

As of 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday (2200 GMT), there have been 100, 717 confirmed cases in the United States, with 1,544 deaths, an interactive map maintained by the CSSE showed.

In the United States, New York State has been hit the hardest, with 44,870 cases, followed by the states of New Jersey and California, respectively with 8,825 cases and 4,569 cases.

Globally, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has exceeded 590,000, with nearly 27,000 deaths. More than 130,000 have recovered from the disease, according to the CSSE.

The numbers were reported a day after the United States surpassed China and Italy to become the nation with the largest number of COVID-19 cases.

While the pandemic has disrupted the U.S. economy and people's lives, the country's doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff are dealing with a shortage of medical supplies, including personal protective equipment for themselves and ventilators for patients.

In a joint letter to the White House recently, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the American Nurses Association said that they "have concerns that increasingly there are dwindling supplies of N95 respirators, isolation gowns, isolation masks, surgical masks, eye protection, intensive care unit equipment and diagnostic testing supplies in areas that had the first community outbreaks and in many other areas of the country."

"Even with an infusion of supplies from the strategic stockpile and other federal resources, there will not be enough medical supplies, including ventilators, to respond to the projected COVID-19 outbreak," the associations said. "We have heard of health care providers reusing masks or resorting to makeshift alternatives for masks."

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he had ordered General Motors (GM) to produce ventilators under the Defense Production Act, a wartime law he recently invoked to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," Trump said in a statement.

GM will build ventilators at a factory in Kokomo, Indiana, in partnership with Ventec Life Systems, according to a press release.

"Depending on the needs of the federal government, Ventec and GM are poised to deliver the first ventilators next month and ramp up to a manufacturing capacity of more than 10,000 critical care ventilators per month with the infrastructure and capability to scale further," the release said.
China and the United States should unite to fight the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the globe, said President Xi Jinping in a call with his US counterpart on Friday, according to state media.

The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi told President Donald Trump that China wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US, said state broadcaster CCTV.

The two leaders appeared to strike a conciliatory tone after Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angered Beijing this month by repeatedly referring to the Chinese virus when discussing the COVID-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Earlier this month a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing also suggested in a tweet that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

Fridays call also took place as the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus cases -- the pathogen has now infected more than 82,400 people in the worlds largest economy.

Xi said Sino-US relations were at a critical juncture, CCTV said, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and the only right choice.

I hope that the US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations, and both sides can work together to strengthen cooperation in fighting the epidemic, he said.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added.
A man from Kerala was among the terrorists affiliated to Islamic State (IS) who allegedly attacked a Gurdwara in Kabul earlier this week in which 27 people were killed.

The IS has claimed that one of the suicide bombers was Abu Khalid al-Hindi.

According to sources, investigation agencies on Friday have identified him as 29-year-old Mohammed Sajid Kuthirummal of Padne in Kasargod. He was among the 14 persons, who left from Kerala to join IS in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

"IS had released the name Abu Khalid al-Hindi through its media agency soon after the attack. The photograph of him holding a rifle was also published by IS in their propaganda magazine Al Naba. From that, we have identified the person as Mohammed Sajid Kuthirummal. We are investigating the matter and in touch with the investigating agencies in Afghanistan for tracking his trail," sources told ANI.

The Investigation Agency (NIA) probe had earlier revealed that Mohammed Sajid was recruited by Abdul Rashid Abdulla of Chandera, who was killed in Afghanistan last year.

Sajid worked as a shop keeper in a gulf country and returned to Kerala. Based on a complaint by Sajid's father Mahamood, the FIR was registered at Chendara Police Station, Kasaragod in 2016 regarding Sajid joining IS and leaving for Afghanistan.

He was among the 14 member team that left from Kerala to join IS in Khorasan Province' in Nangarhar.

ANI had earlier reported that two of these members Ayesha alias Sonia Sebastian and Fathima alias Nimisha who were in IS had expressed their interest in returning to Kerala. Out of 14, seven including Sajid is dead.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asylum seekers incarcerated in punitive detention centres across the Australian mainland have issued a letter to Liberal-National Coalition Prime Minister Scott Morrison pleading for their release.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are anxious and scared, the letter states. They are being held in a potential death trap in which we have no option or means to protect ourselves.

Their living conditions make it impossible to self-isolate, the letter explains. We are sitting ducks for COVID-19 and extremely exposed to becoming severely ill, with the possibility of death.

Detention centres internationally are notorious for their inhuman conditions. Within Australia, more than 1,400 people are held in these immigration prisons and as many as 600 asylum seekers are still languishing in offshore facilities.

The reason the offshore number is unknown is that the government no longer gives any account of the detainees in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.

The first detention-related case of COVID-19 has been reported in Brisbane, at a hotel in Kangaroo Point that serves as a makeshift prison to house refugees seeking specialist medical treatment. The conditions are cramped and dirty, with bed bugs in the rooms.

On March 18, a security guard employed by Serco, the multinational company contracted by the government to oversee the imprisonment of refugees, tested positive. It is unclear if the guard was working at a separate detention centre at Brisbane airport, but he was last at Kangaroo Point on March 7.

In line with the criminal response by capitalist governments the world over, none of the detainees at Kangaroo Point have been tested for the virus. Even if just one person was infected, it would have spread throughout the detention hotel.

In Melbourne, a detainee was isolated and underwent medical tests after showing signs of COVID-19. He was held in isolation and his room was sterilised and cleaned by staff wearing protective clothing. At Sydneys Villawood Detention Centre, another detainee is being tested, after showing signs of the virus.

Dr Barri Phatarfod, co-founder of Doctors for Refugees, told the media: Keeping people unnecessarily locked up in close confinement at this time when the rest of the country is being urged to stay in their own four square metres is not only cruel, callous and highly discriminatory, it is potentially exacerbating a public health crisis.

After the news of the guard in Brisbane was released, a change.org petition was initiated by Human Rights for All, demanding that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton shut down the facilities and release the families into the community. After reaching 25,000 signatures the petition was increased to a goal of 35,000. It currently sits at more than 30,000 signatures.

Alison Battisson, the owner and director of Human Rights for All, a pro bono law firm dedicated to assisting asylum seekers, wrote that as someone familiar with how detention centres are run, I am incredibly worried for the health and safety of the people inside these centres, including my youngest client, 2 year old Isabella.

Battisson is calling for the release of these innocent people, before COVID-19 spreads through immigration detention centres. She added: There is a simple solution to this emerging and potentially life-threatening situation: send these people to homes in Australia.

On the small Pacific island of Nauru there are still around 200 asylum seekers who have been dumped there by the Australian government. Nauru is at extreme risk of a severe outbreak of the virus. It is an impoverished country with a population of just over 10,000.

Moreover, the country imports the vast majority of its food, as the transnational phosphate mining companies, overseen by the Australian and New Zealand governments, destroyed the natural environment of Nauru, making the majority of the island unfit for cultivation.

The crisis facing detainees is not just the product of the malign neglect of the Australian government in response to COVID-19. It has been created through decades of punitive and illegal treatment of refugees who fled to Australia from persecution in their countries of origin.

In 1992, the Keating Labor government introduced mandatory detention for all asylum seekers sailing to Australia by boat. This precedent was deepened under the Howard Liberal-National Coalition government. In 2001, it imposed the Pacific Solution which forced asylum seekers to former Australian coloniesNauru or Papua New Guineas Manus Island.

Then in 2012, the Gillard Labor Government reopened the offshore processing camps and vowed that no asylum seeker who arrived by boat would ever be allowed to settle in Australia. The current Coalition government continues that policy.

All refugees and other workers internationally must have the basic democratic right to live and work wherever they chose, regardless of nationality, religion or ethnicity. All the detainees must be released immediately and provided with the highest quality medical care.
The CEO of Texas Roadhouse is donating his salary until January of next year to pay front-line employees during the coronavirus outbreak, according to reports.

W. Kent Taylor is forgoing his salary and bonus from March 18 through Jan. 7, 2021, MarketWatch reported.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris pictured with Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Refrence Laboratory Photograph: Aidan Crawley/EPA-EFE POOL PIC

The death toll from the coronavirus has doubled in a single day, claiming 10 more lives, as the number of people being infected also rose by record levels.

In a worrying sign of the deepening impact of the virus, the fatalities announced yesterday involved older people in nursing homes and in hospital.

The fatalities push to 19 the number of people who have died from the virus here so far.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said another 255 people were diagnosed with the infection yesterday, bringing the total to 1,819.

The average age of the people who died was 79 and included three women and seven men.

Nine of the patients died in facilities in the east and one in the south.

Dr Holohan said he was particularly concerned about increasing levels of hospital intensive-care admissions, which were rising daily.

Some 370 patients with the virus have been hospitalised and 47 are in intensive care - up from 17 a week ago.

Read More

He said he was also concerned about clusters of infection in hospitals and nursing homes.

The rate of community transmission, where people are picking up the virus without knowing the source, has now climbed to 51pc.

The CMO is also expecting more deaths.

"If the number of cases increase, the number of deaths sadly will increase. It is still in relative terms a small number."

It is not unusual to see 1,000 deaths during a winter flu season by way of context, he added.

He said the health service was preparing for some of the serious impact of the virus seen in other countries but he was not "predicting" that was what would happen here.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved, he again appealed to the public to comply with emergency measures including social distancing to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. Dr Holohan said he was concerned about outbreaks in nursing homes because the residents were a vulnerable group.

HSE official Anne O'Connor said last night the rise in cases could peak in the second week in April.

Hospitals now have 2,000 ventilators to support patients in breathing difficulty, she told RTEs 'Prime Time'.

The total number of new cases may not be rising at the pace which was forecast 10 days ago but there are trends in patterns of clusters which give "genuine concern".

Earlier, a leading doctor warned struggling hospitals will be overpowered if the surge in the sickest patients becomes a tsunami.

Dr Catherine Motherway, an intensive-care specialist, said hospitals could cope with "a wave" of patients needing the highest level of care after contracting the virus.

But they would be overpowered if the rapid increase "turns into a tsunami", said the University Hospital Limerick doctor. In a direct appeal to the wider population, she said people had the power to slow the escalation in patients needing the highest level of care by following emergency measures including staying at home, maintaining physical distancing and hand-washing.

"Italy has had a difficulty and Wuhan has had a difficulty and now Spain.

"This is a virulent disease but without controlling the surge nobody need think a specific number of beds will fix it," warned Dr Motherway, president of the Intensive Care Society of Ireland,.

Extra critical care beds alone will not avert a crisis.

Meanwhile, the Dail last night suspended debates on emergency coronavirus measures to stand and applaud the healthworkers on the front line battling the coronavirus.

The HSE insisted it had spent weeks building up capacity for coronavirus patients needing the highest level of care. It has increased the number of critical care beds from around 225 to 500 and this will rise to 700.

Dr Colm Henry said contingency plans for every eventuality were being made.

The report from the European Centre for Disease Control warned based on the 220 intensive-care beds in place before the coronavirus hit Ireland hospital critical care capacity would be "overwhelmed" in the event of a large surge.
Laughter they say is the best medicine. At least to beat the blues resulting from the coronavirus lockdown.

Subtle and sharp, sarcastic and self-deprecating. And sometimes just downright rude. There are wife jokes, husband jokes, boss barbs, Modi jibes, weight gain worries and the inevitable China insults. Humour in all forms is the panacea it seems for people around the world who are united in their need to laugh or at least crack a smile in these troubled times.

As three billion people across the world stay indoors in a lockdown never before seen on this planet, some are sharpening their creativity and the rest are having fun with the jokes flooding in through memes, cartoons, videos, one-liners and others.And they are all going around the world in minutes, thanks to the ubiquitous social media, particularly WhatsApp.

No subject is out of bounds as people all over use wordplay, clever drawings and other witticisms to mirror a society, warts and all, going through its worst crisis in a century.

One pocket cartoon shows a bride flinging a garland at the groom on the other side of the fire. Given the threat of coronavirus, both are in masks and the priest is seated a distance away.

Another perhaps reflecting matrimony many years down the line has a woman, her brows knitted together as she wields a spoon over a wok, and her smiling husband slouched on the sofa watching Lock-down special on TV. "No, he is not helping at all. He just claps for me for a full 5 minutes a day," she complains.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged people to stand on the balconies of their houses for five minutes on Sunday, March 22, at 5 pm and clap as a sign of thanks for emergency and healthcare workers.

From memes featuring prominent politicians to hilarious work-from-home jokes, from bad puns to good cartoons, Indians and others have taken to Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook in a bid to tackle the stress from the spread of the virus, which has affected more than 530,000 people and claimed over 24,000 lives. In India, the disease has hit more than 720 people and killed 17.

"Ghar se taali bajane ko bola tha, dhol manjira leke raste pe kirtan karne ko kisne bola (I had asked you to clap in your homes, who asked you to go out and celebrate while playing musical instruments)," reads one meme.

And there is this cartoon that makes fun of the new 'work-from-home' trend with panic-stricken passengers on a plane. "This is your pilot speaking. I'm working from home today", reads the text.

The work/stay at home dogma takes a swipe at the couch potato too a split frame of a man fast asleep on the couch with a remote in his hand and the words 2019 Lazy Bast***', and the same pic below but this time with the label 2019 Responsible Adult'.

Many posts are quirky and slightly snide wordplays -- "Villagers in Punjab are still wondering who the hell is Soshail Distan Singh?", for instance, or "Xi Jinping's message to the world: No Ming Ling".

"Finally got the Hindi name of social distancing 'TAN DOORI"', reads a WhatsApp forward breaking up word for food cooked in a tandoor to tan' (body) and doori' (distance).

With India under an unprecedented 21-day lockdown to curtail the spread of the disease, a meme makes a reference to India's richest man, Reliance Industries' Mukesh Ambani, and his palatial 27-storey residence Antilla in south Mumbai.

"Lockdown ki wajah se aaj maine pehli baar apna pur ghar dekh liya (It is because of the lockdown that I got to see my whole house for the first time)".

A widely-shared meme on the lockdown features former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, released from detention in Srinagar earlier this week. It shows him with his hand on his forehead and a text saying, "When you spend 236 days in lockdown, and on the day you get out, the govt imposes 21-day national lockdown."



The meme later got approval by the National Conference leader himself, who re-tweeted it and wrote: "These are serious & scary times so a little humour doesn't hurt".

And then there is this one that says, My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant lately that when I pee it cleans the toilet.

There are also several posts trolling China either for allegedly spreading the virus to other countries or its peculiar eating habits.

"Ek toh pehle China ko Jain banao (Firstly, make Chinese residents follow Jainism)," tweeted one Karan Sitlani, referring to the vegetarianism of the Jain community.

Another Whatsapp forward takes a jibe at the Chinese products, "Coronavirus won't last long because it was made in China".

The novel coronavirus, which originated in the central Hubei province of China in December, according to two recent studies published in the journal Nature, may have originated from bats.

Videos are making their point too.

One doing the rounds has a wife telling her husband to call the house help because she hasn't come for three days. The man calls her only to be told that she is working from home and will tell him what needs to be cleaned in his home overturning the class dynamic while stressing that coronavirus affects everyone.

Another has a father trying to put his crying child to sleep. All it takes is his sternly calling out to corona' and the child is quickly silenced.

Sometimes it is just savage and dark. Like this one-liner, doing the social media rounds, which says, "We can meet in May if all stay put at home or shall meet in heaven".

Or this one, "Dear God, please reboot 2020. It has a virus".

And, of course, as in all kinds of humour, some jokes are sexist and racist too, using tired tropes.

Humour, sometimes good and sometimes tired, can be infectious too. And as the world waits for this crisis to end, people all over can say just bring the smiles on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In Shanghai, day-to-day life for many luxury retailers has started  slowly  returning to normal. After almost two months of stringent lockdowns enforced by Chinese authorities hoping to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, retailers and restaurants are cautiously reopening for business, alongside the first sunny rays of spring.

In Europe, however, where millions of citizens have been living under national shutdowns for more than a week, stores in famous retail destinations have bolted their doors. Grates and window shades have been drawn at flagship luxury stores on the Place Vendome in Paris and Via Montenapoleone in Milan.

In London, department stores like Harrods and Selfridges, and Bond Street boutiques like Burberry and Chopard, have cleared jewels and stock from plain sight. Little wonder, given that for the next three weeks at least not a single customer will be walking through the doors.
Authorities are asking for the publics help find a college student who has been missing from east Alabama since earlier this week.

Joani Love Bryant, a 20-year-old sophomore at Alabama A & M, was last seen Monday night. According to Anniston police, Bryant was last seen about 7 p.m. when she left her home in the 2000 block of Moore Avenue on foot.

Bryant has not had any contact with her family since then, and investigators say thats unusual for her.

Investigators on Friday said they dont yet know if foul play is involved. They were out Friday canvassing the area for her.

Bryant was last known to be wearing pink pajama pants and a grey Alabama A&M hoodie. She is 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs 130 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Anniston police or Investigator White at 256-226-5347.
One of the first definitive steps taken by General Ibrahim Babangida on displacing General Muhammadu Buhari in a palace coup and coming to power in Nigeria in August 1985 was to set up, four months later, a 17-member committee (two women and 15 men) to organize, conduct, collate and then report on a general national political debate. He called the committee the Political Bureau. The political debate was to be on the character, content and form of a future political dispensation expected to be the legal successor to both the Second Republic (1979-1983) and the military dictatorship that overthrew it at the close of 1983.

Although the Babangida military dictatorship was neither revolutionary nor Leftist it tried to maintain an ambiguous relationship with a number of known Leftists and liberal democrats. We may recall that a decade earlier, in 1975, General Murtala Mohammed did something similar. It was one of the Leftist friends of the Babangida dictatorship, a veteran, that informed a closed meeting of the Left more than three years later (April 1989), that he recommended me for membership of the Political Bureau. This shocking information resolved a three-year riddle for me!

My membership of the Political Bureau was turbulent, but productive and lasted for 12 months of the 15 months (January 1986-March 1987) the Bureau was in existence. This was essentially because I saw my involvement as class struggle. Apart from the general issues in democracy, the particular issues the Political Bureau engage included state and religion; state creation; and the roles in governance of special groups, including, in particular, traditional rulers, women and Labour.

The reader may recall or easily confirm that at the time of the national political debate Nigeria was a federation of 19 constituent states and a federal capital territory, Abuja. The territory then called Sokoto State (let us call it Old Sokoto State) was made up of the present Sokoto State and the present Kebbi and Zamfara States. It was from this Old Sokoto State that the Political Bureau received one of the most interesting memoranda on one of the most controversial issues in Nigerias democracy at the time: the place and role of Nigerias traditional rulers and traditional rulership. The memorandum was signed by Thirty-six Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State. The authors, through four of their representatives  all middle-aged and articulate  submitted the document to the Secretariat of the Political Bureau in Lagos. Thereafter they brought me a personal copy.

The memorandum of Thirty-six Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State was written in form of a protest. But it satisfied all the conditions the Bureau required in a memorandum. The opening paragraph explains the anger of the authors: We, the signatories of this letter, have, after being keen participants and observers of the activities of your Bureau in Sokoto State, decided to write you on our dissatisfaction with some people who have started to meddle in what the masses of the people have to say concerning how they should like this nation to be  socially, politically and economically  in the next political dispensation.

Going from the general to the particular and from the introductory to the substantive, the protest memorandum of Thirty-six Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State said: Those of them who went on calling some people names because they called for the scrapping or democratization of the traditional institution in Nigeria should know that Nigerians have come of age, that they know what is good for them. They should also know that the democratization of the institution will not disallow them from seeking election if at all they have the credentials that the masses of the people cherish. If it becomes inevitable for the traditional institution to prevail, let it be according to the wishes of the people, not on lineage basis. Finally, they threw a challenge: If anybody thinks that it is a tiny clique that is spearheading the call for the dissolution or democratization of traditional rulership institution in Nigeria, let there be a referendum to see who will be vindicated.

I did not regard this memorandum simply as one of the thousands of opinions received across the country on the issue of traditional rulers and their place in Nigerias republican democracy. I considered it a dominant representative memorandum  by which I mean that it expressed the position of an overwhelming proportion of the contributions the Political Bureau received on this particular subject. And the Bureau was faithful to this glaring fact. In its report at the end of the national political debate, the Political Bureau articulated five different positions from its summary and analysis of public contributions to the question. These were: the abolition of the traditional institution; the cooptation of the institution to participate in government; the democratization of the system to conform with the process of modern government; the maintenance of the status-quo; and the determination of their relevance and future by the people.

From this summary the Political Bureau made the following two middle - ground recommendations: Government should provide a legal definition for this group of leaders (traditional rulers) and keep a register of such leaders throughout the country; and the role of these category of leaders should be restricted to the local government areas within the communities where they have relevance. Even here, however, they should not be granted legislative, executive, or judicial functions.

Two formulations therefore emerged. The first was the five-point summary of the different positions submitted by Nigerians; and the second was the recommendations of the Political Bureau based on its internal debate on the summary of the popular debate. Although the recommendations were partly a reflection of the composition of the Bureau itself, the latters degree of freedom in this matter was limited since the Bureau was faithful in its summary of contributions. That faithfulness, I declare, was a product of class struggle within and outside the Bureau.

I declare that the Nigerian Left, struggling within and outside the Political Bureau, played a critical role both in the debate and in the process leading to the report whose highest point was the recommendation of socialism as successor social system for Nigeria. I also declare that, in particular, the Nigerian Left recorded a clear victory not only on the issue of traditional rulers and traditional rulership, but also on state and religion, state creation, the role of Labour, the role of Women, and state support for the Weak and Vulnerable, etc.

On the issue of state creation, for instance, the Bureau unanimously recommended the creation of only two additional states: the present Akwa Ibom and Katsina States  to bring the number of states at the time to 21. You may recall that this was done. I declare that the Nigerian Left can claim this as its victory. And there are several such achievements in the history of Leftist popular struggles in Nigeria. The Nigerian Left must learn to claim and write its victories. Beyond that, it should learn to build on such victories. That is the road of development as a respected, authoritative and independent political force.

Nothing I have said in this piece should be construed as support for any faction of Nigerias ruling class in any of the current internal struggles of the class. There is simply no basis for such support. That is, however, not to say that at certain conjunctures our position may not uphold a position held by a faction of the ruling class. But our premises will always indicate that we are different and that our destination is different.

All that I am saying here is that the Nigerian Left has a history of struggle which, together with a Peoples Manifesto, should constitute the foundations of its popular-democratic interventions. We should be intervening in political developments as serious and legitimate contestants for power or hegemony in Nigeria.

Madunagu, mathematician and journalist, writes from Calabar, Cross River State.
Around 40 migrant labourers



working in Mumbai were caught here on Friday morning for allegedly trying to escape to Uttar Pradesh in a truck amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown imposed for curbing the spread of coronavirus, police said.

The driver of the truck had told the police that he was carrying vegetables in the vehicle, an official said.

"The 40 migrant labourers work in Mumbai. Due to the coronavirus scare, they were trying to go to their native places in Uttar Pradesh in the truck. They had reached Nashik, where the police caught them and asked them to return to Mumbai in the same vehicle," inspector (crime) D Gawde of Kopri Police Station said.

"Scared of the action, the driver started driving back to Mumbai. When the truck reached Anand Nagar check-post in Thane, the police checked the vehicle and found the labourers travelling in it," he added.

When asked why they were going to UP, the labourers told the police that they were concerned about the spread of coronavirus in Mumbai and hence wanted to return to their native places, Gawde added.

They have been booked under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days from Tuesday midnight, asserting that it was necessary for a decisive battle against the coronavirus outbreak.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A WEEK into the implementation of the Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (Camp), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has released P5.5 million to help workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) who have been displaced by the imposition of a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

In a statement, DOLE-NCR Director Sarah Buena Mirasol said 1,074 workers in the formal sector have already benefited from the P5,000 cash grant from the government.

"Weve processed a total of P5,504,250 financial support and each of the Camp beneficiaries received their P5,000 assistance through money remittance scheme, said Mirasol.

The beneficiaries are among the 46,213 Camp applicants for financial assistance submitted by 973 private establishments in Metro Manila.

Mirasol appealed to the applicants to be patient as they are currently swamped with applications for Camp. The DOLE, like other government agencies, is operating with only a skeletal workforce.

"Due to the influx of applications received online, we are asking for patience and cooperation of the employers," said Mirasol.

Under Camp, a one-time financial assistance of P5,000 shall be provided in lump sum, non-conditional, regardless of the employment status to affected workers.

To avail of the assistance, employers must submit an accomplished Establishment Report of Covid Form and their company payroll for February or earlier, which is before the implementation of flexible working arrangements or temporary closure. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
Days after her husband was laid off as a restaurant manager, Rosanne Stoddard waited on hold for over two hours to talk to a Bank of America representative about the possibility of delaying payment on her $2,200 monthly mortgage.

While Stoddard says she's lucky to be working from her home in Connecticut with full pay during the coronavirus outbreak, her husband's job vanished once the restaurant where he worked was forced to close. "He's 53 years old and has no idea if, or when, he'll be able to find another job quickly in this field given the circumstances with COVID-19," Stoddard tells CNBC Make It.

Down to a single income, Stoddard was heartened to see news that her mortgage lender, Bank of America, was offering to defer mortgage payments for those affected by coronavirus, with payments added to the end of the loan term. Especially since money is tight this month. "We are still waiting on unemployment benefits to be approved," Stoddard says.

"If you have a cash flow interruption because of your employment, and you need to defer your payment for 30, 60, 90 days, call us up," Bank of America's CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC on Friday morning. So far, Moynihan says the bank has had 150,000 deferral requests come in from customers.

When Stoddard finally connected with a customer service rep, she was told Bank of America was only willing to suspend her mortgage payments for three months. After three months, Stoddard says she was told she would need to pay all suspended payments at once and that reworking her loan wasn't an option.

In effect, that means she'd owe the three months of deferred mortgage payments plus that month's mortgage payment, about $8,800 as early as June  far more than she was expecting or able to pay.

"I was hoping to defer for at least three months, but we certainly couldn't pay back the suspended payments after the end of three months. We thought the payments would be reworked to the end of the loan, but the rep I talked to was pretty blunt to say that was not an option," Stoffard says. "It was pretty disheartening to say the least."

Stoddard isn't the only Bank of America customer facing this issue. Several others reached out to CNBC Make It directly with similar experiences, reporting the bank's customer service reps told them that they would have to pay a lump sum of the deferred mortgage payments when the deferment period was up. Many other customers have flooded Bank of America's social media pages with complaints.

https://twitter.com/thisisslappy/status/1242190003406438400?s=20

https://twitter.com/AlexMich6111/status/1242149290769874945?s=20

For its part, Bank of America tells CNBC Make It that each client situation is unique, and it's handling requests on a case-by-case basis.

Bank of America has two different types of mortgage tracks and the relief scenarios vary for each. For clients with loans owned by the bank, Bank of America is offering a month-to-month payment deferral, and those postponed payments can be added to the end of the loan.

If customers with Bank of America-owned loans continue to face hardship after one month, they can call again and extend for another month, and so on. Bank of America says it will work with these customers on their particular situation.

But like most other lenders, Bank of America says it also services loans that are owned by outside investors, including Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance-backed loans.

For those loans, Bank of America says it will follow the investor guidelines, which currently allow three months of forbearance. At the end of three months, customers need to contact Bank of America again to discuss a loan modification. That may include adding the deferred payments to the end of the loan, but the bank could also determine at that point the customer needs to pay the full deferral amount.

To understand which program your loan might fall under, Bank of America is urging people to contact customer service directly. Moynihan did note on his CNBC appearance on Friday that "on the mortgage side, we have to wait for some regulations to come from the federal government, but the idea is to help [customers] with the cash flow issues...and let them get back on track on the other side."

Additionally, to help streamline the deferred payment request, Bank of America tells CNBC Make It that it is rolling out an online request form so customers can work through this process digitally. Credit card customers can already request to defer payments using an online form.

While Bank of America did highlight its relief efforts for bank-owned loans in its press releases and statements to the media, many customers did not see any mention of the different deferral process for loans serviced by the bank.

"The [customer service] rep definitely hadn't explained either of those scenarios, and I spoke to two different ones," Stoddard says. "It's still misleading to say the least."

Don't miss: Here's exactly what banks are offering to do to help Americans affected by coronavirus

Check out: The best credit cards of 2020 could earn you over $1,000 in 5 years


Karachi, March 27 : Pakistan's Sindh and Balochistan provinces have banned congregational prayers at mosques in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic, it was reported on Friday.

Of the 1,193 confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan, Sindh has reported the highest number at 421, while Balochistan has registered 131 infections, reports Dawn news.

On Thursday, the Sindh government announced suspension of congregational prayers at mosques, including Friday congregations, to maintain social distancing.

Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister Barrister Muratza Wahab said the government had made the decision after consultation with clerics of all schools of thought.

"Major decision by the Sindh government. To contain spread of coronavirus, people can no more offer prayers at mosques," he said in a tweet. "Only staff of mosques of maximum five people can offer prayers at mosques." The provincial Information Ministry said the ban on congregational prayers at mosques would remain in place till April 5.

In Quetta, a late-night notification issued by the Home and Tribal Affairs Department said the Balochistan government had banned Friday prayers across the province at mosques with immediate effect, Dawn news reported.

Mosques will remain open but only five people could perform the prayers, including the prayer leader and four others.

It further said that people would perform all prayers at their homes.

Pakistan has also reported nine coronavirus deaths as of Friday.
T he coronavirus crisis has forced many of us indoors as were urged to self-isolate to prevent the deadly Covid-19 from spreading.

As were now stuck on our sofas for the foreseeable future, a vast number of us have turned to Netflix to keep us entertained, with its huge catalogue of shows and films ideal for binge-watching.

However, with all our attentions turned to the TV, some have noticed the phrase Netflix limited series on some of the streaming services offering.

Heres exactly what this means - and our top recommendations for you to try out.

What is a Netflix limited series?

Netflix: Best anime series and films 1 /13 Netflix: Best anime series and films Spirited Away (2001) Buena Vista Howl's Moving Castle (2005) Flavours of Youth (2018) Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya (2019) My Neighbour Totoro (1988) Whisper of the Heart (1995) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2003) The Cat Returns (2005) Death Note (2006)

You may have watched a few Netflix limited series without noticing the label, but a limited series fundamentally means a mini-series of usually around 4-10 episodes, which will have the main meat of its storyline solved within that timeframe.

Thats not to say each limited series will only be one season long; some limited series will have multiple seasons, just the storylines will change or there may be a different cast of actors.

Six of the best limited series to stream right now

Maniac (eight episodes)

The psychological drama, from Bond director Cary Fukunaga, stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, who plays Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim respectively.

Annie (a woman with borderline personality disorder) and Owen (an heir with schizophrenic symptoms) are total strangers who find their lives interlinked after they connect during a pharamaceutical trial.

Its a dark and disturbing, and sometimes comic, look at mental health, family conflict and rampant technology.

Unbelievable (eight episodes)

The crime drama stars Kaitlyn, Toni Collette and Merritt Wever, and looks at the 2008-2011 Washington and Colorado serial rapes.

Marie (Denver) is a teenager who has been accused and charged for lying about rape, with detectives Grace Rasmussen (Collette) and Karen Duvall (Wever) looking to find the truth.

Unorthodox (4 episodes)

Esty decides to reject her community and start afresh in Germany / Netflix

Based on a true story, Unorthodox tells the story of a young woman who grew up in the Hasidic Jewish community named Esty.

After entering an arranged marriage, Esty then flees her life in Brooklyn, New York, to start a fresh life in Berlin, Germany.

Seven Seconds (eight episodes)

The tense drama looks at racism in America, after a white police Peter Jablonski officer hits and critically injures black teenager Brenton Butler while driving. When he realises what hes done, Peter calls other police officers to try and cover up the crime  with disastrous consequences.

American Crime Story (10 episodes)

A branch-off from the hugely popular American Horror story, American Crime Story is a dramatized look at infamous crimes from Americans history. The first series, The People vs OJ Simpson, looks at the circumstances and court case over the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson. The second series looks at the assassination of fashion designer, Gianni Versace, which is also available on Netflix.

With stellar turns from Sarah Paulson and Cuba Gooding Junior, American Crime Story is well worth your time.

1994 (Five episodes)
Elon Musk said Thursday that he will begin diverting resources from SpaceX and Tesla factories in order to build and sell respirators to hospitals in need as they continue to fight back the spreading coronavirus.

We will make ventilators if there is a shortage, Musk wrote on Twitter  and was immediately met with firm encouragement from actress Patricia Arquette, who responded, Ok, then start. Actress Bette Midler also weighed in, adding, start yesterday! There is a widely reported shortage.globally. And thank you!

Tesla makes cars with sophisticated HVAC systems. SpaceX makes spacecraft with life support systems. Ventilators are not difficult, but cannot be produced instantly, Musk noted.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded, declaring New York City could be Musks first respirator buyer if the billionaire manages to quickly mass manufacture them. De Blasio said he was reaching out to Musks team directly and added, our country is facing a drastic shortage and we need ventilators ASAP  we will need thousands in this city over the next few weeks. Were getting them as fast as we can but we could use your help!

Musks answer to de Blasio: We will connect with your team to understand potential needs.

SpaceX representatives did not immediately return TheWraps request for comment. It remains unclear how soon SpaceX and Tesla could begin producing medical-grade ventilators.

Tesla and SpaceX are not the only companies to consider using their manufacturing operations to make medical equipment. Auto makers General Motors and Ford told The Detroit News Wednesday they are in contact with government officials in the United States and United Kingdom and working to find a way to produce the ventilators. Ventilators are necessary to treat severe cases of the coronavirus, which makes it difficult for patients to breathe without aid.

We will make ventilators if there is a shortage

 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2020

Read original story Elon Musk Says SpaceX, Tesla Will Sell Respirators to Help Coronavirus Fight At TheWrap
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI  Two Central Michigan University students have tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19, the first confirmed cases directly related to the CMU community, President Bob Davies announced in a letter to students, staff and faculty.

After traveling to a different state for spring break, one returned to a campus residence hall  and has been on campus in the last 24 hours  and the other returned to a permanent residence in another city. The student on campus is now isolated in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will return to their permanent residence tomorrow, reads Davies letter dated Thursday, March 26.

"We wish both students a full and speedy recovery. CMU Health medical experts and other leaders on campus are working to investigate anyone who may have been in close contact with the student. To all of our students and employees currently on campus, particularly those living and working in the Towers community and Beddow Hall:

Please take extra care to practice exemplary personal hygiene and take personal accountability for protecting yourself and others

Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is unavailable.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and put distance between yourself and other people.

If you are experiencing signs or symptoms of respiratory illness consistent with COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with the virus, please do not come to or remain on campus. Contact your health care provider immediately. The CDC recommends that patients should not visit a health care center without first calling.

You may submit questions or concerns by email at coronavirus@cmich.edu ."

On March 11, while CMU was on spring break, university officials announced they were suspending in-person classes and moving to online instruction. At the time, CMU officials said they were suspending in-person classes through March 20 and most residence halls would be closed until March 22. Then on March 19, CMU officials announced they were canceling spring commencement, postponing May graduation ceremonies, canceling all summer study-abroad trips and extending online-only classes through the end of the semester. Residence halls would remain open for residents who have no alternative housing options, officials said.

Davies said extensive deep cleaning of areas of campus the first individual may have visited is underway. He also implored the campus community to protect the anonymity and respect the privacy of both individuals.

As has occurred in cities and on college campuses around the world, we expect to learn of more cases among the members of our campus and community. We will continue to work with local health officials to monitor new cases as they are identified and to contact individuals who may be impacted or affected by any new cases, Davies wrote. "We are committed to doing all we can to support these students and our community through this difficult time and to slowing the spread of the coronavirus and flattening the curve. Knowing that a person within our community has tested positive for COVID-19 may leave you feeling worried or anxious. If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out:

Students can call the CMU Counseling Center at 989-774-3381 to schedule an appointment or learn more about counseling resources.

Faculty and staff can contact the Employee Assistance Program

Anyone may submit a Care Report to CMU Cares to share concerns about the health or well-being of another student or employee."

Find the full letter and other CMU coronavirus updates here, plus CMU Health has an evolving list frequently asked questions here.

As of Thursday, Michigan counted 2,856 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 60 related deaths.

READ MORE:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

RELATED STORIES:

Michigan Tech, Central Michigan moving to online classes because of coronavirus

Gov. Whitmer to ensure Michigan seniors graduate despite coronavirus school closures

Whats open, whats closed under Gov. Whitmers coronavirus stay-at-home order

Coronavirus advice from MidMichigan Healths chief medical officer in Midland

Donate blood in mid-Michigan, but make an appointment first
The Trump administration plans to move forward with a dramatic reduction of humanitarian assistance to Yemen in response to restrictions imposed on aid by Iranian-linked Houthi rebels, US officials and relief workers have said.

US officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that has not been announced publicly, say the move, effective from Friday, is intended to prompt the rebels to lift measures in areas of Yemen they control that have made it difficult for aid groups to operate.

But aid officials warn that the cut could prove disastrous ahead of what many fear will be a crippling coronavirus outbreak in a country that is already the scene of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

There is no question. We are running out of money, Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, said in an email from Sanaa. Many of the operations which keep people alive will close next month if funding doesn't come very soon. Already health, protection and water programmes are being scaled back.

The Houthi rebels, who have controlled much of Yemen, are in the fifth year of a punishing conflict with a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

The US decision caps weeks of speculation about a possible cutoff for Yemen and behind-the-scenes efforts by UN officials, aid workers and diplomats to pressure the Houthis to loosen rules that have impaired aid delivery and, humanitarian officials say, made it impossible to ensure that assistance isn't diverted for military or other purposes.

While the Houthi government rolled back some of the measures - including a proposed 2 per cent tax on all aid - in response to an international outcry last month, other restrictions, including delays in granting travel permits, remain in place, aid groups say.

Now, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has made the difficult decision to cut assistance, with exceptions for certain lifesaving aid.

A USAID spokesperson said the reduction would occur in Houthi-controlled areas because the rebels had failed to demonstrate sufficient progress towards ending unacceptable interference in aid operations.

We continue to demand that all assistance be provided in accordance with humanitarian principles to ensure it is reaching those who need it most, he said.

The spokesperson said operations would be evaluated as the Covid-19 situation evolves. USAID did not specify what share of American aid would be cut. Last year, the United States provided more than $740m (606m) for humanitarian operations in Yemen, a fifth of all humanitarian funding for the country, aid officials said.

Everybody's ripped up about this. This goes against the grain of people's emotions, a US official said. While the stakes are very high and we definitely don't want to cut off lifesaving assistance, the pressure needs to continue until they fall in line.

Officials who have been in discussions with USAID say the exceptions are expected to permit only scant amounts of aid to continue, including inpatient treatment for malnutrition and medical care related to a major cholera outbreak.

If confirmed, that would mean much of the support to the country's battered health sector would end. Also affected would be assistance to camps where people displaced by fighting live in crowded conditions; support to water and sanitation networks; and education about health and hygiene, which is seen as particularly critical at this time.

Though no confirmed Covid-19 cases have been reported in Yemen, the country has limited testing capacity and a health system severely degraded by poverty and war.

The thing that's pretty amazing, not in a good way, is that as Covid has become a pandemic and humanitarian organisations brace for an urgent ramp-up to stop its spread, the suspension is proceeding like we're doing business as usual, said Scott Paul, humanitarian policy lead for Oxfam America. His organisation is calling for a delay of at least a month in implementing any aid reduction.

Aid officials say large US cuts could mean that more than 5 million people could go without emergency health service; millions could go without food. Already this week, the UN World Food Program said it would reduce food rations by half because of funding shortfalls and Houthi restrictions.

Recommended Western powers are protracting the war in Yemen for profit

In a letter to Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, and USAID Administrator Mark Green, four Democratic members of congress called the Houthi restrictions unacceptable but urged the administration to hold off on a large scale reduction in aid.

Given the US is among the largest humanitarian donors to Yemen, abruptly ceasing aid would exacerbate an already tragic humanitarian crisis, the members of congress, including the chair of the House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote.

A humanitarian official in Yemen said people already were starving. Families all across Yemen depend on the generosity of the American people to survive. Now they are being punished and now they will die, the official said.

Christine Cool, a project coordinator for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the World Health Organisation continued to do what it could to help Yemen prepare for a coronavirus outbreak, establishing hotlines, assisting hospitals establish isolation units and facilitating the delivery of supplies.

But the situation is extremely fragile. An introduction of Covid in Yemen would be catastrophic for the country, given the powder keg of exacerbating factors, she said.

The US official said the decision was not driven by the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign on Iran, which has included sanctions and measures to crack down on Iranian-backed proxy groups. While the Houthis are not thought to have as close ties to Iran as groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, officials say they have received some military support from Tehran.

Washington Post
Apple has launched a new COVID-19 app which is based on CDC guidance. It offers a set of screening tools and resources that aimed at helping people protect themselves from the outbreak. The COVID-19 tool is available in both app and website form.

Apple today released a new screening tool and set of resources to help people stay informed and take the proper steps to protect their health during the spread of COVID-19, based on the latest CDC guidance. The new COVID-19 website, and COVID-19 app available on the App Store, were created in partnership with the CDC,1 the Coronavirus Task Force and FEMA to make it easy for people across the country to get trusted information and guidance at a time when the US is feeling the heavy burden of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 app works by asking a set of questions in order to ascertain risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms. Once done they will receive a set of instructions that will help them monitor symptoms, self-isolate and practice Social Distancing. However, Apple puts up a disclaimer and says the new tool is designed for individuals and is not a replacement for instructions from health care providers.

The website has been jointly developed by CDC, FEMA, and The White House. Meanwhile, U.S. customers can also ask Siri, How do I know if I have coronavirus? Travelers using international airports will receive notifications on their iPhone and will be reminded of CDC guidelines. As far as data security is concerned, Apple assures that the app/website will not collect personal information whatsoever.

Our Take

We have seen quite a few self-reporting COVID-19 apps. While some of them are legit the others might end up being a scam. It is best we rely on tools developed by local health authorities, hospitals or companies like Apple.

 Download App /Website
In times of crisis, it is not uncommon to see governments step in and provide help to industry to keep big businesses from failing.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In times of crisis, it is not uncommon to see governments step in and provide help to industry to keep big businesses from failing.

As the chips fell in the 2008 financial crisis, the United States bailed out big banks; in Canada, the federal government backstopped the auto industry.

Hard decisions were made  and the federal Liberal minority government now faces similar choices amid the 2020 global economic slowdown and pandemic.

A lot of noise is being made about the potential of a bailout for one industry in particular: oil and gas.

"Albertans expect at least that kind of help for the industry that has done more than any other to create jobs, wealth and opportunity," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said March 11 in Calgary, before he flew to Ottawa for a meeting of the first ministers.

The ask has been made. Kenneys outlook for his western province is bleak, as oil prices have reached new lows since the novel coronavirus pandemic spread to North America, paired with a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The Globe and Mail last week reported a $15-billion federal aid package is in the works and could be announced in short order. The news has spurred many to stand in opposition.

"This would dig us deeper into a form of carbon lock-in and not into a different kind of economy," University of Alberta political science Prof. Laurie Adkin said.

Adkin is a lead author of an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, published this week  and signed by 265 fellow academics, experts and advocates  that decries any move toward backstopping the fossil fuel industry.

"We call for federal leadership to support an economic recovery plan that encompasses a green transition, not stop-gap measures, with income security for workers and a strong public sector," the letter reads.

Adkin said, at this juncture, Canadians and their elected officials should not ignore the damage fossil fuels have caused  not only with respect to climate change, but also the environmental cleanup costs with no one to foot the bill for remediation.

As an alternative to kick-start the economy, clean energy experts are hoping projects that had previously been put on hold could now be green-lit.

Electric vehicle infrastructure, solar farms, wind farms  there are many examples across the country that have been drawn up and are shovel-ready but need to be paid for, said Merran Smith, executive director of Clean Energy Canada (a program based at Simon Fraser University in B.C.).

"I think this is an opportunity to design a sustainable stimulus package, one that is investing in jobs but also supporting the clean energy technologies, and accelerating the path that we are on  that Canada has committed to," Merran said.

She also pointed to the possibility of the government backing energy-efficiency infrastructure projects, such as building retrofits, to conform with emission reduction targets.

Canada has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, and being a net zero emitter by 2050. It has fallen so far behind the feasibility of achieving the goals has been called into question.

On the other hand, Canada is the fourth-largest oil exporter in the world, according to Natural Resources Canada.

Those who are in favour of federal supports for the fossil fuel industry are quick to point out these resources are integral to the functioning of other big business, such plastics, shipping and airlines.

"Its an important source of income, not just to the people living in an oil-producing province like Alberta or Newfoundland, but also to Canada as a whole," said Jack Mintz, an Alberta economist and chairman of the provinces newly-minted Alberta Economic Recovery Council (which has among its members former prime minister Stephen Harper).

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.

Mintz said he doesnt understand why the federal government would pay for supports for workers who, if industry doesnt survive, would have no job to go back to.

Adkin, however, is tired of hearing the party line, saying the industry is only ever worried about job loss during hard times, but never when it is looking at trimming the fat to maximize earnings. "Its insulting to Canadians. Its as if we are, somehow, the servants of this industry."

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has said this week further announcements will be made about how the government plans to support not only the fossil fuel industry, but all the hospitality and airline industries  which have also been hit hard by the pandemic.

sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @SarahLawrynuik
A variety of sea animals can take up virus particles while filtering seawater for oxygen and food. Sponges are particularly efficient. That was written by marine ecologist Jennifer Welsh from NIOZ this week, in a publication in Nature Scientific Reports. This Monday, Welsh will defend her thesis at the Free University of Amsterdam, through an online connection.

"When a virus infects a cell," says Jennifer Welsh of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), "it uses its host to make new viruses. After those are released, they can, in turn, infect many more, new cells." However, Welsh discovered that the many virus particles in the sea -- over 150 million in a glass of sea water -- can also end up for, a large part, as the lunch of a diverse group of sea animals.

Filtering viruses

The Japanese oyster, for example, filters seawater to extract oxygen or food such as algae and bacteria. While doing this, it ingests virus particles. Welsh: "In our experiments, during which we did not offer the oysters any food and hence they only filtered the water for oxygen uptake, Japanese oysters removed 12 per cent of the virus particles from the water."

That number puts the oyster in the fourth place of all species that Welsh looked at in the NIOZ Virus Ecology Lab on Texel. "Of all non-host organisms that we tested, sponges, crabs and cockles made it to the podium. In our experiments, the sponges reduced the presence of viruses by up to 94 per cent within three hours. Another experiment showed that the uptake of viruses happens indeed very quickly and effectively, even if we offered new viruses to the water every 20 minutes, the sponges remained tremendously effective in removing viruses."

An entirely new factor in virus ecology

Until now, it was unknown that several species of sea animals can have such a significant influence on virus populations. "The influence of non-host organisms in the ambient environment, really is a factor that has been overlooked in virus ecology," Welsh says.

advertisement

However, Welsh does not assume that the results of her lab experiments will be so clear cut when applied to the natural habitat. "The situation there is much more complex, as many other animal species are present and influence one another. For example, if an oyster is filtering and a crab comes along, it closes its valve and stops filtering. In addition, there are factors such as tidal currents, temperature and UV light to consider. But also in nature, predation by non-host should definitely be taken into account."

Useful in aquaculture

Nevertheless, the new insights might in time be useful in aquaculture. In this sector, fish or shellfish that are meant for consumption, are kept in enclosures, such as sea cages or basins, whereby there is a direct connection to the sea. Aquaculture is becoming larger as a sustainable alternative to fishing at sea, but is much criticised, mostly by nature conservationists.

Welsh explains why: "In salt water farms, tremendous amounts of specimens of one single species live together in monoculture. If a contagious disease breaks out, the risks are high that the pathogen spreads to the wild populations living in the sea. With the addition of enough sponges, the danger of a virus outbreak would possibly be nipped in the bud. The results of this research show that this would be good follow up research project."

Online defence

On Monday 30 March, Jennifer Welsh will be the first NIOZ-researcher to defend her dissertation through the internet. "I will be defending my degree in the middle of a crisis caused by COVID-19, a corona virus that, by now, we all know and have been affected by. Due to the imposed restrictions, I will answer the questions of the committee online. Just my boyfriend, who happens to be one of my paranymfs, will be there with me. My apartment is very small, so I may end up defending my thesis on my bed with my laptop."
Professor Ronny Thomale holds a chair for theoretical condensed matter physics, the TP1, at the Julius-Maximilian University of Wurzburg. The discovery and theoretical description of new quantum states of matter is a prime objective of his research. "Developing a theory for a new physical phenomenon which then inspires new experiments seeking after this effect is one of the biggest moments in a theoretical physicist's practice," so he says. In an ideal case, such an effect would even unlock unexpected technological potential.

All this has come together with a recent project which Thomale pursued together with the optical experimental group of Professor Alexander Szameit at the University of Rostock the results of which have now been published in the "Science" magazine.

Spot landing in an optical fibre 10 kilometres of length

"We have managed to realise an effect we call a ,light funnel'," Thomale explains. Through this new effect, light in an optical fibre 10 kilometres of length can be accumulated at one specific point of choice in the wire. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is the so-called "non-Hermitian skin effect" to which Thomale contributed relevant theoretical work in 2019. Specifically, Thomale's work has enabled the understanding of the skin effect in the framework set by topological states of matter.

Topological matter has evolved into one of the most vibrant areas of research of contemporary physics. In Wurzburg, the field has been pioneered by semiconductor research by Gottfried Landwehr and Klaus von Klitzing (Nobel laureate 1985), which in the past decade was continued by Laurens W. Molenkamp.

Research on the topology of nature

The term topology originates from the old Greek words for "study" and "place." Founded as a predominantly mathematical discipline, it has now broadly spread into physics, including optics. Together with other platforms of synthetic matter, they form the broader direction named topological metamaterials of which the researchers expect fundamental future technological innovation.

Here, physicists do not exclusively resort to materials and chemical compositions given by nature. Rather, they develop new synthetic crystals composed of tailored artificial degrees of freedom. With regard to the light funnel developed by Thomale and Szameit, the platform of choice is an optical fibre which conducts light along the fibre but at the same time allows for detailed spatially resolved manipulation.

Optical detectors with high sensitivity

"The light accumulation achieved by the light funnel could be the basis for improving the sensitivity of optical detectors and thus enabling unprecedented optical applications," Thomale explains. According to Thomale, however, the light funnel is only the beginning. "Already at this stage we are working on many new ideas in the realm of topological photonics and their potential technological application."

To Thomale's conviction, Wurzburg provides an excellent environment for pursuing this direction of research. This has recently manifested itself in the excellence cluster "ct.qmat" which was jointly granted to the JMU Wurzburg and TU Dresden. A major pillar of research of "ct.qmat" centres around synthetic topological matter, which is strongly supported by the research done at Thomale's chair TP1 in Wurzburg.

The research team in Rostock around Alexander Szameit is constitutively integrated into "ct.qmat." For instance, Thomale and Szameit jointly supervise PhD students financially supported through "ct.qmat." "Already few months after its foundation, the synergies created by ct.qmat pay off, and demonstrate the stimulating impact of such excellence cluster on cutting edge research in Germany," Thomale concludes.
1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

The White House announced that the increasingly desperate and unstable Trump is now forcing GM to produce ventilators.

Trump said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Today, I signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform, and prioritize Federal contracts for ventilators. Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course. GM was wasting time. Todays action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

Trumps action is not stable leadership. It is a desperate president contradicting himself and veering from one position to another with no consistency.

The Trump flip-flop came on the same day that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that the White House had been directing vendors not to sell needed equipment to her state.

Even with the Defense Production Act, the 40,000 ventilators that Trump dreamed of arent going to happen.

America needs clear leadership, but instead, all Trump offers erratic decisionmaking and PR stunts.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
The FTSE 100 slipped back 5 per cent on Friday as investors took profit from the three day rally seen this week and closed off positions ahead of the weekend.

Britain's blue-chip index closed down 5.25 per cent or 305.40 points to 5,510.33.

Having had a good run over the last few days, optimism across the pond in the US is also ailing, with the Dow Jones down over 3 per cent as the UK markets shut up shop for the week.

The UK operator of Domino's Pizza has suspended dividend payments as it seeks to shore up finances during the coronavirus crisis, but extra demand for deliveries is so far more than outweighing the halt in in-store business.

Rightmove has said that it will cancel its proposed final dividend for 2019 and suspend its financial guidance, due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic bringing about a freeze of the housing market.

Meanwhile Redrow, one of Britain's largest housebuilders, said it was in talks with six banks to secure additional credit and had applied to take part in the Bank of England's scheme for financing support as it shuts sites due to Covid-19.

The chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed the UK government's measures to support the self-employed announced yesterday. Mike Cherry said the 'bold' actions 'will give much needed help to vast numbers of self-employed workers.'
These are unprecedented times for all of us. And frankly, were all trying to figure out how to deal with our new lives, even if we know it will only last for a while.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

These are unprecedented times for all of us. And frankly, were all trying to figure out how to deal with our new lives, even if we know it will only last for a while.

These strange days mean normalcy is not an option, for the safety of us all. Public health officials and political leaders in Canada have done an outstanding job thus far. Media members have been miracle workers, keeping the Canadian public well informed, even making content open-access. Thank goodness for them.

The not-so-graceful part of our collective journey to cope with this global threat has been the panic-buying weve seen everywhere. People have been impulsively, irrationally emptying shelves.

Were complicated beings, and its hard to judge anyone since were in uncharted waters. People manage anxiety and risks in their own way. As a society, we will go through cycles of emotions, compulsions and foolishness. Were in the worst of it, but it will end eventually.

With quarantines, cancellations, closures and social distancing, home is  more than ever  the safest place to be. One positive could be that everyone can spend more time in the kitchen, a place where fewer Canadians have spent time in recent years.

The evidence that suggests Canadians are spending less time in the kitchen is mounting, despite record cookbook sales. Canadians buy almost $100 million worth of cookbooks and food-related literature every year, but sales of tools and appliances used for cooking, such as spatulas, mixers and cooking bowls, have dropped steadily every year over the last five years. In 2019, sales for appliances and other items normally used in private kitchens dropped by two per cent.

The average Canadian can now watch more than 250 hours of cooking or food-related shows a week on television. A few networks are solely devoted to food. Still, cooking is just a fantasy for a growing number of Canadians.

Time has been unkind to kitchens. A recent survey by Dalhousie University shows that of people born before 1946, 95 per cent ate meals prepared by parents or a caregiver at home when growing up. That percentage dropped significantly over the years.

Millennials were not exposed to home-cooked meals as much, nor were generation Z members. About 64 per cent of millennials regularly ate home-cooked meals when growing up, compared to 55 per cent for gen Z. Compared to the older generation, those are whopping drops.

So younger generations have a different appreciation for the kitchen and how food is prepared and consumed at home. But the COVID-19 pandemic could make younger generations more familiar with the kitchen.

More time at home can benefit us all. In the same survey conducted by Dalhousie, 68.4 per cent of Canadians polled said they would like to spend more time preparing food at home. With the current public safety measures, theyll get their wish.

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.

Buying and reading a cookbook is like watching a good movie: we can project ourselves into the story, imagine we can do things we never thought possible, making us dream. Some modern cookbooks are masterpieces, works of art. But most cookbooks have been used as coffee table books or re-gifted, and thats a shame.

COVID-19 could change everything. As were forced to spend more time at home, and with provisions nestled in cupboards and freezers, the opportunity to revisit our kitchens daily has never been so good.

Equipped with unread cookbooks and underused kitchen tools, Canadians can now see some action in the kitchen. We will get through this by sticking together and listening to our competent public health officials.

In the meantime, lets dust off our cookbooks and get reacquainted with the one room that can truly be considered the heart of anyones home: the kitchen.

Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

Troy Media
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of billions of people around the world. For many parents with young children in the United States, shelter-in-place orders implemented in different areas over the past few weeks mean they now spend each day balancing work with taking care of their families. For child care providers, a vital but often under-appreciated part of the American economy, the crisis means dealing with economic uncertainty, but also adapting to serve new roles, including providing care for essential workers.

Child care startups, including home-based daycare networks, apps for finding child care, and benefits and business management software, are working hard to help families. For example, many are using their technology to connect essential workers with carers or provide emergency child care, helping providers navigate government aid programs and, in some cases, raising their own relief funds.

TechCrunch talked to nine U.S.-based child care startups--home daycare and preschool networks Wonderschool, NeighborSchools, WeeCare and MyVillage; Winnie, Komae and Helpr, all apps for arranging child care; and enterprise software companies Kinside and Kangarootime, to see how they are dealing with the impact of COVID-19.

Child care for essential workers

Many of the child care startups TechCrunch spoke to are now focused on helping people in jobs classified as essential during shelter-in-place orders, including healthcare, emergency responders and grocery store workers. Several of them are adapting their platforms or services to serve those families more quickly, while balancing their urgent need for care with COVID-19 safety precautions.

For example, Winnie, a platform for finding verified child care providers throughout the United States, is collecting and updating data in real time about which providers are temporarily closed and which ones have availability, says founder and CEO Sara Mauskopf. This week, Winnie launched a portal for parents to find emergency child care with immediate openings.

Story continues

Kasey Edwards, the founder and CEO of Helpr, an app that connects parents with screened babysitters, said it is working with families of essential workers to help them afford child care. Helprs "Out-of-network" feature allows families to add their own care providers to the platform and manage backup care subsidies from their employers.

Meanwhile, Komae, an app that enables groups of families to create babysitting cooperatives and swap care with one another, is offering free care credits and working with seven healthcare organizations to coordinate child care for their workers, said founder and CEO Erin Beck.

The babysitting circles on Komae are private, "which means families from one organization can insulate their caregiving strictly among themselves, getting the care they need without risking exposure to the community at large (like our grandparents or other traditional caregivers)," Beck said. The app currently recommends that users "buddy up" with just one or two other families for their care group.

In some places, small in-home care providers have been allowed to stay open, said Chris Bennett, the co-founder and CEO of Wonderschool, a network of home-based child care and preschools in states including California, New York and Texas.

"Repeatedly, we are seeing county officials allowing small in-home childcare operators to continue to operate, thus providing support for these critical workers under shelter in place orders," he said. "Our programs have now entered into a critical support role that larger preschools cannot support at this time."

Jessica Chang, the co-founder and CEO of WeeCare, another network of in-home child care providers, said the company is "adjusting its support each hour and taking into account the changing protocols in each county. In certain areas such as Northern California and New York City, our providers are changing how they support their community. Instead of caring for children who attend their daycare regularly, they are now caring for children of first responders and essential workers."

In Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker ordered all early child care centers closed starting on March 23. The only centers currently allowed to operate in the state are Exempt Emergency Child Care programs, intended for essential workers and opened by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).

As a result, Boston-based NeighborSchools, which partners with home child care providers, closed all its centers to comply with the order. Co-founder and CEO Brian Swartz said some of NeighborSchools provider partners are applying to provide emergency child care for medical professionals, first responders and vulnerable populations. The startup is currently helping providers figure out regulatory requirements and putting together guidance for using government aid. It is also communicating with the EECs leadership to offer full access to its platform.

"While we never envisioned this scenario, the tech weve built for our network is uniquely well suited to automatically match families to child care programs in real-time," said Swartz. "In child care scheduling, we need to account for each childs date of birth, the familys care schedule and the licensed capacity of each program within age range. Our team is ready to drop everything and make this happen if the EEC asks for our help."

On-demand services

Startups are also helping other parents find short-term or emergency child care. Some have launched online services, like digital playdates, to help families balance working from home and their family lives.

MyVillage, a network of home-based care providers in Colorado and Montana, is seeing "an influx of interest from families who are looking for temporary care and/or short-term placement due to large child care centers closing and school districts closing," said co-founder and CEO Erica Mackey. The company is currently working on a short-term placement solution for families in select MyVillage programs who need child care.

To help parents navigate the sudden collision of their work and home lives, Komae and Helpr both started offering online services. Helpr launched online music lessons and tutoring for families on its platform, while Komae is facilitating digital playdates. This means parents use the app to schedule video calls with their childrens friends.

"I never imagined my toddler could be so entertained by her friends on a computer screen, but they amazingly go an hour showing each other their toys and silly faces," said Beck. "That social connection, for all of us, is so essential."

Safety and support

Child washing hands

Safety compliance is always a priority for child care providers, but it is especially critical during this time. In addition to following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many companies have also enacted safeguards of their own. Some are also implementing financial support programs to help care providers who are forced to close because of illness.

For example, Beck published a letter on Komaes site on March 12, hours before Ohio became the first state to close schools, asking families on the app to immediately stop swapping child care.

"It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make as a founder, because as a parent myself, I was painfully aware of how desperate these families would be for both care and companionship," Beck said. "But adhering to social distance was not a given then like it is now; we had the responsibility as a leader of this vast community to be firm with what needed to be done."

Taking steps like helping parents who work with healthcare organizations find care and launching digital features has allowed Komae to maintain its community, she added. "We knew Komae had the tools to make that happen, so with social distance at our core, we adapted for insulating or digital caresharing."

As a safety precaution, WeeCare developed a feature to monitor caregivers for fevers, using a function already in its app that allows them to take photos and videos of children throughout the day and tag activities. The technology was adapted so providers can submit a video of themselves taking their temperature with a thermometer each morning. Once the video is verified by the WeeCare team, the provider receives a badge on their listing that says "Health Status: Fever-Free," with the date of the verified reading.

Chang says the feature "allows providers to take more proactive measures, as recommended by the CDC, to ensure the health and safety of our community."

Several companies are also providing financial programs to help their providers who are forced to shut down and ensure they dont feel compelled to work even when sick. For example, MyVillage raised additional funding to allow the 60-plus open programs in its network to continue earning their projected income into April. Mackey says that, so far, two anonymous funders have contributed.

"Many of our educators dont have the safety net needed to stop working, so we want to help them stay open so long as its safe," says Mackey. "If parents are exposed or infected and subject to quarantine, our relief funding provides a subsidy to cover 11 of the 14 days of the childs tuition until he or she can safely return to class."

Helpr launched a paid sick leave policy for babysitters on its platform after the first known cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. Sitters are also informed of any sickness in a home through a mandatory disclosure from the family in Helprs app when they book an appointment.

A few days after TechCrunch spoke to Wonderschool, Bennett announced that the company had been forced to lay off team members because of the crisis. Before the announcement, Bennett told TechCrunch that if a Wonderschool care program is forced to shut down because a child, parent or provider shows symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, the company will draw on its network to help its other families find another carer in their area. For financial support, Wonderschool is monitoring state and federal relief policies for businesses.

"These crisis funds will be key in ensuring that in-home providers who have shut down temporarily are available to parents again once people return to work," he said.

Enterprise software

For startups that build enterprise and management software related to child care, the pandemic creates a different set of challenges.

Genevieve Carbone of Kangarootime, business management software for child care providers, said that many of its customers have been relying on its messaging feature to keep families updated on rapidly changing regulations. Its software also enables "low contact," for example by allowing information to be passed to parents digitally instead of on paper handouts, in-app check-in and check-outs, and online payments.

"Were keeping a very close eye on the impact the virus will have on businesses further down the road and how we can better support our customers once the pandemic passes," said Carbone. "Improving billing for agencies/subsidies is something we have explored, assuming there may be an increase in families that will need government subsidies to cover their childcare."

Kinside, whose software helps employees manage family care benefits and find daycares, has seen a 60% decline in incoming parents because of shelter at home mandates and social distancing, said co-founder and CEO Shadiah Sigala. Thousands of daycares in its network have also shut down.

Even places that are not currently under shelter in place orders have seen a drop in parents searching for immediate care because they know "its likely only a matter of time before all states invoke similar measures," she added.

But Kinside is helping essential workers find childcare and has also recently begun working with human resources at hospitals and grocery chains on its platform to "offer white glove child care support to their employees."

After the pandemic

Daycare and school shutdowns have forced families to change their routines under extraordinary and difficult circumstances, and the situation is highlighting the value of caregivers to the economy and the well-being of families. At the same time, it also underscores how vulnerable many providers are, with few safety nets.

Mackey says that MyVillage was created to address structural problems in child care that have existed for a long time "It was tough to make it as a child care provider before this pandemic, and now its even harder. More than 40% of family home child care businesses nationally report that they couldnt make it two weeks without revenue from having children in care," she said, adding that MyVillage was created to help fix "Americas deeply broken child care market, which doesnt work well for educators, who earn on average $11.50 an hour, or for working parents, who pay more than public university tuition for child care in a majority of states."

Sigala said "the pandemic has exposed the essentiality of child care in the everyday working lives of Americans and the overall economy. More of our jobs may be fit to support work from home. But they are certainly not fit for work from home with kids."

After the pandemic is over, many parents may find it difficult to re-enroll their kids with the same care provider or need to find new options that are more financially manageable for them, she added. Kinside currently works with thousands of employers, as well as daycare centers that can add up to one million child care slots. The company plans to offer deep discounts or free access to Kinside to companies while they recover from the crisis.

"We predict company executives will return to running their companies with more empathy than ever," said Sigala. "They, too just experienced the complete lack of child care infrastructure (perhaps for the first time); a problem that many of their employees face on a daily basis. We are ready to engage with heads of HR and key executives with resources and consulting gratis."
Jordan's King Abdullah II participated in the G20 2020 Extraordinary Virtual Leader's Summit Thursday, according to a Royal Court statement. Meanwhile, the Jordanian government on Thursday imposed stricter penalties for anyone who violates the curfew which has been in force since Saturday to fight the new coronavirus.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said that financial fines will be imposed on people who violate the shopping timing between 10:00am (8:00GMT)-18:00pm (16:00GMT).

Fines will be between 100 Jordanian dollars (141 US dollars)- 500 Jordanian dollars (705 US dollars)

Stricter punishment will be imposed on people who repeat the violation of curfew, which can reach to one year in prison.

The government allowed on Wednesday people aged between 16-60-year-old to purchase their basic foodstuffs between 10:00am until 18:00pm.

Health Minister, Saad Jaber, said 40 new coronavirus cases were reported on Thursday, increasing the total number of infections to 212.

Two Jordanians recovered and no deaths were reported.
Theres nothing like a global pandemic to give globalism a bad name.

What we used to call populism could well become pandemicism when this COVID-19 crisis subsides. A nation in self-isolation today could become an isolationist nation tomorrow.

Fears about immigration, refugees and borders were already simmering in Canadian politics before a global pandemic put this country in lockdown.

Unlike most of the population, those fears have not gone into public retreat. The pandemic has created some ideal conditions for a surge in Canada-first thinking, if not outright suspicion about anything beyond this countrys borders.

The symbolism of that smaller-world thinking shows up on TV every morning  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, once a globe-trotting advocate of the liberal world order, now ventures no farther than the front step of his home in Ottawa.

Outrage has been swirling on social media about Canada sending money and virus-fighting equipment abroad. Up until last week, when Canada actually did close its borders to asylum-seekers, critics were howling that this countrys openness to refugees was the weak link in any chain of resistance to the COVID-19 virus.

A story this week about how Canada had sent personal protective equipment to China earlier this year had Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner pointing an accusing finger at the Global Affairs Minister Francois Philippe Champagne.

Did the minister calculate Canada's current stock of PPE (personal protective equipment) against the potential needs of Canadian health workers in a COVID pandemic prior to sending this abroad? Rempel Garner asked on Twitter. Will China reciprocate now that their case numbers have waned?

During the special Commons session this week in Parliament, deputy Conservative leader Leona Alleslev also asked what steps were being taken to make sure that Canadas virus-fighting supplies stayed in Canada.

Maxime Bernier, the Peoples Party of Canada leader who made an unapologetic pitch for populist votes in last years election, was also on Twitter on Friday, arguing that the globalist push for a world government isnt just some loony conspiracy theory. His proof was a story about how former British prime minister Gordon Brown was calling for global governance to fight the pandemic.

Openness to foreign trade and immigration is always tested in tough economic times and this pandemic is already a crushing blow to Canadas economy, with jobs and livelihoods disappearing overnight. Whenever the recovery does roll around, it will likely take some time for Canadians to come around to the idea that immigrants are needed to fill jobs here.

A recovery will also test Canadians renewed appetite for foreign adventure. One of the biggest antidotes to populism is travel. An illuminating study after the 2016 U.S. election showed that Donald Trumps support was highest in pockets of the United States with the fewest passport-holders.

That stands to reason: frequent travellers tend to see themselves as citizens of the world, rather than of any one country. But the whole idea of travel has taken a huge hit during this pandemic, with cruise ships and planes in particular being seen as contagion zones. Canadians now know the value of registering their forays abroad, especially if they get stranded and are relying on the government to rescue them. Chances are that when many Canadians are free to travel again, theyll be staying closer to home.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland openly acknowledged this week that Canadas outward vision had turned inward as the COVID-19 crisis deepens.

When we are facing real challenges to the health and safety of our own citizens, every country quite rightly needs to focus first and foremost on the health and safety of its own people, she said in reply to a question from the Stars Alex Ballingall.

We do that with no apology, in fact with real conviction.

But Freeland also insisted that the pandemic had also opened Canadians eyes to the connectedness of the world  the need for nations to act together.

Canada has been a country that from the inception of the rules-based, international order has been a leader in that order, she said. We are going to reflect on this global pandemic as yet another lesson for all of us that we do need that international, rules-based order.

Maybe. But the pandemic has also been an immersion course for many Canadians in how dangerous it is out there  not just outside the countrys borders, but beyond our front doors. Fear feeds populism and starves globalism  and a pandemic makes it much harder to advocate for widened, international horizons.

Susan Delacourt is a columnist covering national politics based in Ottawa. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt

Read more about:
Even if coronavirus cases go up to 100 per day in Delhi, arrangements are in place to tackle the situation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted on Friday and said the spread of COVID-19 is "quite under control" in the city.

IMAGE: Security personnel wearing masks stand guard at Chawri Bazar that wears a deserted look during the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

Addressing a digital press conference, Kejriwal informed that a five-member panel of doctors, headed by S K Sarin, had submitted its report, prescribing the standard operating procedure for dealing with a situation involving 100, 500 and up to 1,000 new coronavirus patients per day.

Sarin is the head of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

"We are removing shortcomings and making preparations to deal with a situation of up to 1,000 coronavirus cases per day," he said.

The national capital has so far reported 39 coronavirus cases out of which 29 contracted the infection during foreign travel and infected others on their return, Kejriwal said.

The chief minister said he hopes that the number of cases would come down in the coming days.

In another press conference on Friday evening, Kejriwal, who was flanked by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, said the spread of the novel coronavirus is "quite under control" in the national capital so far.

The Aam Aadmi Party government, however, is readying itself so that even if the number of infected cases increases sharply, the administration is prepared to respond, he said.

The chief minister assured people that medical staff were ready to tackle the situation even if the cases go up at a rate of 100 per day, and there was adequate medicines and testing kits.

After the press conference, Baijal tweeted, "Efforts to maintain social distancing at dispensing points to be stepped up."

"My advice to all DMs to keep up the efforts to maintain lockdown, social distancing & effectively coordinate for provision of food for the homeless & destitute. None should go hungry," he said.

Talking about arrangements to serve food to needy people, Kejriwal said food was being provided to nearly two lakh poor people in the city and the number will be doubled to four lakh from Saturday.

Besides 224 night-shelters, 325 government schools will also distribute food, including lunch and dinner, among the poor and homeless people, the chief minister said.

He added that the Delhi government will also take care of the people from other states living in Delhi, citing appeals by the chief ministers of several states, including Jharkhand and West Bengal.

"I have also instructed the MLAs to ensure that no one in their constituency suffers from hunger. They should collaborate with the society and provide food to all," Kejriwal said.

He urged people to maintain social distancing at centres that are providing food to beneficiaries.

According to the Union health ministry, 75 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country.
Calculate how much you would get from the $1,400 (or more) coronavirus checks

A third round of stimulus checks, part of the Biden administrations American Rescue Plan, has been signed into law.

Use the calculator below to see how large a check youll receive. If youve already filed your 2020 taxes, the check will most likely be based on that income. If you havent, it will be based on your 2019 taxes.

The $1.9 trillion bill looks a little different from the legislation originally approved by the House. Provisions for increasing the minimum wage to $15 were struck down by the Senate parliamentarian, and the income eligibility for stimulus payments was narrowed.

[Whats in the Senates $1.9 trillion covid bill: Checks, unemployment insurance and more]

Americans with income below a certain threshold  $75,000 for individuals, $112,500 for heads of household and $150,000 for couples filing jointly  will each receive $1,400 per person as a direct deposit or mailed check. Households will receive an additional $1,400 for each dependent claimed on their most recent tax filings.

Whats different this time

At $1,400 per individual, this will be the largest stimulus check yet for most Americans. The first round paid $1,200, and the second paid $600. Before the Georgia Senate runoff, Biden pushed for a $2,000 stimulus payment. His administration now considers the latest bill and the December checks to be part of the same round of stimulus, for a total of $2,000.

[Calculate how much you would get from the expanded child tax credit]

As with the last two payments, some Americans will get a partial check if their income is above the threshold. However, these amounts will phase out much faster than in the past two coronavirus relief bills. That means that some Americans who received money in the first two rounds of checks wont get anything this time.

Stimulus check phaseout for single tax filers

[Biden stimulus showers money on Americans, sharply cutting poverty in defining move of presidency]

The narrowed eligibility was a concession from Biden to moderate Democrats, whose votes were needed for passage of the bill in a closely divided Senate.

Dependents will get the same amount as adults. The first round gave just $500 per child dependent vs. $1,200 for adults, while the second round gave $600 checks to both. Dependents that are 17 or older are also included in this round of stimulus.

In addition to the stimulus checks, the massive economic package extends unemployment benefits into September, increases the child tax credit, and reserves billions for state and local aid, coronavirus testing and vaccinations, and other provisions such as rental aid and food assistance.

correction A previous version of this page miscalculated how stimulus checks for dependents would phase out.
Swedish children continued to pour through the gates into their schools and kindergartens yesterday as the country stood increasingly alone in Europe in its approach to tackling the coronavirus.

Shops and restaurants also remained open, with parks and recreational areas packed with groups enjoying the spring sunshine.

Despite a surge in Covid-19 patients and growing dissent among epidemiological experts, the Swedish government's medical experts are standing by their decision not to follow almost all other EU nations in organising economic and social lockdowns.

Anders Tegnell, Sweden's state epidemiologist, said the different approach reflected the independence traditionally enjoyed by government agencies, such as the Public Health Agency of Sweden, and the reluctance of politicians to override expert advice.

He conceded that if infection rates do start to soar and Sweden ends up like Italy or Spain, he would face criticism.

Recommendations

Much of life in Sweden remains unchanged. The government has banned only events with more than 500 participants, issuing a recommendation that those who visit pubs and restaurants should be seated at a table rather than mingling at a bar, and that people taking public transport should "think carefully" about whether it's necessary.

Those who fall ill with coronavirus-like symptoms need only wait two days after they feel well again before returning to work or school.

The advice has not changed despite a surge of cases in Stockholm in recent days that led the city's health chief Bjorn Eriksson to call for any help he could get handling the influx of coronavirus patients.

"The storm is here," Mr Eriksson said, announcing 18 patients had died in the region in the past 24 hours, doubling its death tally in a single day.

More than 2,000 eminent Swedish researchers and university professors have sent an open letter to the government calling for tougher measures.

For now it is too early to say how the pandemic will play out, with 66 deaths recorded up to Wednesday.

Sweden has 2,806 confirmed cases of infection, which at 281 cases per million people puts it below Denmark and Norway, and just ahead of the UK. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Amsterdam & Partners will receive a $4M flat fee to push for the removal of US sanctions on Venezuela. The US does not recognize the government of Venezuela.

A&P assumed the work of Foley & Lardner, which resigned the account last month after Florida Senator Rick Scott blasted it for representing the "brutal regime" of Nicolas Maduro.

F&L was in line for a $12.5M flat fee for devising a "narrative and strategy" to help Venezuela remove the sanctions.

The US on March 26 charged Maduro and his associates with narco-terrorism, alleging they have "deployed cocaine as a weapon" to undermine the US, according to attorney general Bill Barr.

The Trump administration is offering a $15K reward for the capture or conviction of Maduro.

In a TV address, Maduro blasted Trump as a "racist cowboy" who "manages international relations like a New York mafia extortion artist you once were as a real estate boss.

A&P's contract, which runs through December, is with Venezuela's attorney general Reinaldo Munoz Pedroza, who was not named in the US indictment.
U.S. increases support for Taiwan, China threatens to strike back U.S. President Trump leads daily coronavirus response briefing at the White House in Washington

By Ben Blanchard and Yew Lun Tian

TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has signed into law an act that requires increased U.S. support for Taiwan internationally, prompting a denunciation by China, which said it would strike back if the law was implemented.

China claims democratic and separately ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and regularly describes Taiwan as the most sensitive issue in its ties with the United States.

While the United States, like most countries, has no official relations with Taiwan, the Trump administration has ramped up backing for the island, with arms sales and laws to help Taiwan deal with pressure from China.

The Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act, signed by Trump into law on Thursday with strong bipartisan support, requires the U.S. State Department to report to Congress on steps taken to strengthen Taiwan's diplomatic relations.

It also requires the United States to "alter" engagement with nations that undermine Taiwan's security or prosperity.

Taiwan complains that China is poaching the dwindling number of countries that maintain formal ties with Taipei and has prevented it from participating in bodies like the World Health Organization.

China says Taiwan is merely one of its provinces, with no right to the trappings of a state.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen posted a picture on her Twitter page of Taiwan's flag fluttering next to the U.S. one under the words "Friends in freedom, partners in prosperity", to welcome Trump's signing of the law.

It was "a testament to Taiwan-U.S. friendship & mutual support as we work together to address global threats to human health & our shared democratic values", she wrote in English.

'RESOLUTE STRIKE'

China has stepped up its military drills around Taiwan in recent weeks despite the outbreak of the coronavirus, which emerged in a central Chinese province late last year and spread rapidly in China and beyond.

Story continues

Taiwan says China should focus more on fighting the disease than menacing it. China is already angry about U.S. accusations it poorly handled the coronavirus outbreak, and the new law adds to Sino-U.S. tension.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the U.S. act contravened international law, was a "crude" interference in China's internal affairs and obstructed other sovereign states from developing normal relations with China.

"We urge the United States to correct its mistakes, not implement the law, or obstruct the development of relations between other countries and China, otherwise it will inevitably encounter a resolute strike back by China," Geng said, without giving details.

One of the authors of the act, Senator Cory Gardner, said it was needed to respond to Chinese pressure on, and bullying of, Taiwan.

"This bipartisan legislation demands a whole-of-government approach to ramp up our support for Taiwan, and will send a strong message to nations that there will be consequences for supporting Chinese actions that undermine Taiwan," he said in a statement.

The United States has been particularly concerned about China hiving off Taiwan's allies in the Pacific and Latin America, areas of the world Washington traditionally considers its zone of influence.

Taiwan now only has diplomatic relations with 15 countries, almost all small and developing nations like Nauru, Belize and Honduras.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
NEW YORK (JTA)-A hand-drawn portrait of a young man in a French internment camp. A photo of a Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust by hiding in a monastery. A letter detailing efforts to improve life for Jews in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp.

These are just a few of the 250 artifacts that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has collected recently through a drive launched last month-around the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-to collect Holocaust-era artifacts from New Yorkers.

Most of the objects, including photographs, letters, documents, drawings and books, were donated by families of Holocaust survivors.

Fred Wasserman, the acquisitions curator for the museum's New York office, described collecting the materials as "a race against time," since the population of Holocaust survivors is aging and many have already died.

"It really is a matter of rescuing the evidence while we still can so that we can preserve this for future generations," he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The Washington, D.C.-based museum decided to focus on New York because the city and surrounding area is home to a large population of Holocaust survivors and their descendants. The artifacts will join the museum's vast collection and many will be digitized.

Here are nine standout artifacts collected through the project:

A hand-drawn portrait of a young man in an internment camp

After the German annexation of Austria in 1938, 19-year-old Annie Windschauer left Vienna and followed her boyfriend, Fred Marot, to France. Marot was interned at Camp Bourg-Lastic in the Puy de Dome region. There he met a talented inmate, Felix Kalischer, who drew his portrait, which Marot sent to his girlfriend. Marot and Windschauer, in the small photo, survived the war and both eventually moved to the United States.

A photo of three Polish young women wearing yellow stars

This photo shows, from right to left, 17-year-old Ruchla Brukner with her friend Mindla Stahl and Brukner's cousin Fajgla Blada in their hometown of Slawkow, Poland, in 1940. The three young women are wearing the yellow stars that Nazis forced Jews to wear. All three survived the war, with Brukner enduring two concentration camps together with her sister Esther.

A photo of the Judenrat in Slawkow, Poland

During World War II, Germany required every Jewish community under its rule to establish a local council. The Judenrat, as it was called, had to ensure that Nazi regulations were implemented and provided basic community services. This photo shows members of the Judenrat in Slawkow posing by a sign that reads "Hunger, cold and illness are our greatest enemies. Fight them successfully with the Jewish Winter Welfare."

A discharge pass for a Polish Jew held in a German POW camp

Pesach Sass was a Jewish soldier in the Polish army who was captured by the Germans and put in a POW camp. But Sass, who can be seen in the photo in his uniform sitting next to his younger brother Shaya, got sick and was granted a pass to return to his hometown of Skalat. He arrived there just as the town was hit by typhoid and contracted the disease. He eventually recovered and survived the war by hiding in the woods with other family members and then fleeing to Italy.

A German refugee's pass to settle in Rhodesia

The only place that agreed to take in Bernhard Rosenthal was the British colony of Rhodesia, which today is Zimbabwe. He left Germany to settle there in 1938 and his wife, Hedwig, and their two children followed soon after. In Rhodesia, Bernhard was considered an enemy alien and had to check in with authorities every two weeks.

A photo of a young Jewish girl who took shelter in a monastery

Morris and Maria Zimmerman decided to hide their young daughter with nuns at a monastery. The couple from Bratislava, which is now part of Slovakia, eventually was deported to Theresienstadt but survived. When they tried to reclaim Hannah after the war, the nuns initially were reluctant to return her but eventually did. The Zimmermans later moved to the U.S. with the help of a cousin in Detroit, who signed an affidavit of support for them, which is shown here in the background.

A letter from an American soldier detailing the conditions in Dachau

Seymour Reiss penned a 10-page letter to his wife, Ethel, detailing the horrific conditions in the Dachau concentration camp, which the Army sergeant had visited two months after its liberation in 1945.

"We then went to the kennels where they left the dogs," wrote Reiss, seen in the small photo. "The dogs were kept hungry + trained to attack these prisoners. I saw the pole + dummy where they would hang the dummy, dressed in the striped suits that the prisoners wore. They would put a raw steak between the legs of the dummy + the dogs would leap for it + tear into it savagely. Paul (the Jewish prisoner) told us that many a stubborn prisoner was tamed by this method."

A photo of a Jewish woman who perished in Treblinka

Joseph Helfgott, a Polish Jew, kept this photo of his wife, Dwora, with him as he went through the Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Ebensee concentration camps. He frequently rubbed it with his thumb, which accounts for why the photo is so worn. Though Helfgott survived, his wife and their daughter Chana did not.

A letter detvailing efforts to improve life for Jews in Bergen-Belsen

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Gift of Mark Grinberg

This letter, written in Yiddish circa 1941 by Holocaust survivors in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp, details their efforts to improve Jewish life there. They wrote that they had organized houses of worship, a special fund for brides, kosher kitchens and slaughterhouses.

The letter goes on to say that much more work is needed and implored the survivors to pitch in for the Jewish community.

It was donated by a niece of Philip Kahan, a U.S. soldier who had emigrated from Romania in the 1930s and lost most of his family in the Holocaust. It is not clear how Kahan got the letter, but he carried it in his wallet until the day he died.

Those who would like to share Holocaust-related artifacts can contact the museum at curator@ushmm.org or 202-488-2649.
The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is responsible for the recent terrorist attacks on the Gurdwara in Kabul, asserted that the assault on the Sikh temple was carried out by Abu Khalid al-Hindi. Security agencies suspect that he hails from Trikaripur town of Kasargod in district Kerala and his original identity is Mohammad Muhsin.

The journey began seven years ago when Muhsin was in Malaysia along with his father associated in a family business there. A few years ago, his father and bother returned to India but later Muhsin went to Saudi Arabia for employment. After that, he left for Dubai in United Arab Emirates (UAE) two years ago and went missing after coming in contact with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

As per the security agency, he travelled to Afghanistan and Syria to join the ISIS. Six months ago, he last contacted his mother from Afghanistan and indicated that he is active there. "ISKP was formed comprising of elements patronized by the Pakistan security establishment and was controlled from Pakistan," said an officer, deployed in the security establishment, to Zee News.

Officials tracking Kerala's ISIS module believe that the terrorist attack on Kabul's Gurdwara has been carried out with active support of Haqqani and Lashkar-e-Taiba from Pakistan. Haqqani network has the capability to launch such an attack inside the high-security zone of Kabul. "In the past, ISI involvement with such elements by setting them up in the terrorist organizations such as LeT, ISKP and Al Qaeda to act against various countries is well known, said another officer.

In 2019, Huzaifa al Balkistani a well known online Pakistani recruiter linked to ISKP was killed in Nangahar in Afghanistan along with nine associates. Huzaifa was a member of LeT handling its media departments, before joining ISKP. Huzaifa was operating from Afghanistan-Pakistan region and instigating ISIS sympathizers in India for terrorist attacks. At the behest of ISI, he was the mastermind behind the formation of ISIS affiliates group Wilayat al-Hind.

Pakistan is reportedly promoting ISKP and other groups as a check on the Taliban. "Taliban will deny so that they are projected as a responsible organisation in line with US-Taliban agreement. ISI will use the name of ISKP or unknown outfits to claim responsibility," an officer working with a central security establishment told Zee News. The nexus between ISI and other terrorist groups is well known.

Terrorists attacked the Gurdwara in the Shor bazaar area on March 25, when 150 people were at the worship, killing at least 27 people. They wanted to target Indian diplomats visiting Gurdwara at the time of the attack, according to reports.

Afghan security sources speaking to Afghan Media also stated that the Haqqani network, an ISI controlled group that is part of the Taliban, wanted to attack the Indian mission in Kabul but failed due to tight security. Since they were not able to attack the Indian mission, they attacked the Gurdwara instead. "This attack is a clear message to India and a signal to curtail Indian influence in Afghanistan in the near future," said another officer.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid later tweeted to clarify that the Taliban were not involved. Under the Taliban rule, all minorities including Sikh were asked to identify them by wearing yellow armbands.

Investigative agencies suspect that Abu Khalid-al-Hindi joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba a few months before the attack on Kabul. This is part of the ISIs strategy to put forth that Indian Muslims are working against the Indian government. ISI is also brainwashing Indian Muslims under a well-planned conspiracy to attack the Indian security forces or Indian bases to convey the message that Muslims in India are against the Indian government.
For Nepal, balancing India and China is challenging; expecting it to also balance America and Beijing would be walking a tightrope. For India, regaining space lost to China will be a long haul





by Ashok K Mehta





I go to Nepal twice a year. Once during Holi and the other on Tihar (Nepali bhai dooj) that comes after Dussehra. The normal format is: Fly to Kathmandu, spend two to three days there, then fly to Pokhara for a two-week trek and then revival. The pre-Holi Kathmandu weather this year was a spoilsport  cold, bleak and rainy  amid the Corona scare, though Nepal had registered just one case and that figure remains intact even today. Just this week, Nepal went into total lockdown till March 31. One-third of its population of 30 million people works abroad, mainly in the Middle East, South-east Asia and India. Their earnings account for nearly one-third of its gross domestic product (GDP) of $35 million.









Many Nepalese wear face masks throughout the year in Kathmandu and elsewhere due to garbage and pollution. Everything appeared normal at the Tribhuvan International Airport, including the temperature gun aimed at people. The country has for the moment cancelled its inaugural Sagarmatha Sambad, a three-day conference on climate change, which Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said would be postponed to October. He also said he was pleased with India-Nepal relations now that the Foreign Secretary-level Kalapani dialogue is about to start shortly and the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report appeared on the horizon.





My lecture at Nepals Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement on a holiday (Saturday, March 6) was well-received. It was preceded by a presentation on the Coronavirus and the world economy. The theme of my presentation was: India-Nepal Relations: Mind the Gap  Where China Fits in. The Kathmandu Post, the capitals leading English newspaper, was recently stung by a stern rebuke by the Chinese Embassy for reproducing a syndicated column on Coronavirus by a former US Ambassador, who was critical of China. While this intrusion was condemned by the Nepalese media, not a word was said by the Prime Minister KP Oli-led Government.





During the royal rule, the Chinese used to say that they do not interfere in the internal affairs of the host Government. This is now a thing of the past. That the Chinese assault on freedoms guaranteed by the Nepalese Constitution went officially unresponded was not surprising. Any similar affront by India would have attracted loud and collective protests by the media and the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which is inarguably pro-China. Clive Hamiltons Silent Invasion: Chinas Influence in Australia and Jonathan Manthorpes Claws of the Panda: Beijings Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada are books reflecting on Chinas global outreach and blatant intrusions.





Like in the rest of the world, politics is on long pause in Nepal. Reason: Olis health and the spread of Coronavirus. The main topic of discussion after Oli received his second kidney replacement is his political rejuvenation. Unless his health deteriorates, rendering him dysfunctional, he will continue to lead the country by remote control. Fortunately, the Coronavirus epidemic appears controlled for now and life goes on happily without fear or scare throughout Nepal.





I arrived in Pokhara a day before Holi on an Air Buddha flight, which took all of 25 minutes. The only BMW in Pokhara, belonging to Nepali Congress Buddhiman Gurung, drove me to Lameahal, 15 km east of Pokhara. Holi is celebrated on the 6,000 ft high newly-built Manithan temple at An Phu village, where the bhale (male chicken) or boka (male goat) are sacrificed till the brown hilltop turns red. The pujari (priest) has to first persuade bhale and boka to accept becoming the sacrificial offering before their beheading by the khukuri-wielding priest. Side by side, dry colours mix freely with local dance and drinks as tribal Gurungs bring out their best. From Lameahal, one has to cross the Seti river on a swing bridge, climbing about two hours to reach An Phu top, which makes for a healthy daily trek.





Meanwhile, with regime change in the Oli-led NCP unlikely till next elections in 2023, it is the latent power struggle between Oli and party president Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda that is making the gossip. Given Olis uncertain health, Prachanda has played his cards cleverly to ensure that sooner than later, the power hierarchy in Kathmandu could look like this: Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Nepal Prime Minister, Jhalanath Khanal, the President of Nepal, and Prachanda, the undisputed president of the party. The opposition Nepali Congress in Nepal, like Indian National Congress, is on a decline. Nepali Congress (NC), which was split into three factions  SB Deuba, RC Poudyal and KP Sitaulla  has two additional wings: The Koirala legacy and Ganesh Man Singh groups. Both NCP and NC will have their first and 14th general conventions in 2021.





While in NC, Deuba remains the top leader, other parties have opted for joint or collective leadership to avoid infighting. For example, the royalist Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, which merged recently, has three presidents. The Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) has a six-member presidium led by Mahanta Thakur. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has a triumvirate leadership  former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Upendra Yadav and Ashok Rai. The RJP and SP, who together rule number two province, are considering merger after unification talks. They have been pressing the Oli Government to amend the Constitution, incorporating pending issues of the Madhesis, janjatis and marginalised communities.





Two years on, the Opposition parties are complaining that the ruling NCP is besieged by scandals  gold, wide-bodied aircraft, NCell and a close aide of Oli, Banskota  and misgovernance but have no alternate vision plan to offer. While China will ensure the NCP stays united and the Government does not fall, India is loath to being seen as having favourites or indulging in regime change. The Government is seized with matters like the US-sponsored Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Indo-Pacific, which are seen as means of challenging Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and containing it. Die-hard communist members of NCP are unwilling to countenance this. For Nepal, balancing India and China is challenging enough; expecting it to also balance the US and China would be walking a tightrope.





For India, regaining space lost to China will be a long haul. In the meantime, it can invest in improving its declined image, damaged by the blockade of 2015, which gave rise to anti-Indianism and fillip to China. It has chosen a competent and promising Ambassador, Vinay Kwatra, for the job. On March 18, when I was at Pokhara airport bound for New Delhi, one of my Nepalese friends made this irresistible offer: Mehtaji, why dont you stay in Lameahal till the Coronavirus dries up? Back in Noida, I am confined to Ram Vihar instead of climbing to An Phu top and breathing a daily dose of crisp Himalayan air.





(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander IPKF South, Sri Lanka and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff.)
The cost of shipping goods into Nigerian ports is among the highest in the world, with the figure for Apapa port costing more than thrice of that to Tema, Ghana, according to new research by SBM Intelligence.

The organisation tracked shipments to three African ports between September and November 2019 and came up with the average cost of shipping goods in from the European Union, the terminal charges on containers while they are in those ports, and the average cost of local transportation from the port to selected warehouses within the port cities.

The three ports were Apapa, Nigeria; Tema, Ghana, and Durban, South Africa.

According to the research, the cost of shipment to Apapa is nearly five times that of Durban, South Africa.

The costs for the Apapa Port in Lagos are by far the highest, five times higher than in Durban, South Africa, and three times higher than in Tema, Ghana, said Tunde Ajileye, partner at SBM Intelligence.

While each of the component parts of this dataset, shipping charges, terminal charges and local transport, are highest for Lagos, it is local transport, 10 times the cost in Lagos than in both Durban and Tema, that really makes Lagos an expensive place to do business in.

Port charges

Nigeria has six seaports  Apapa and Tin Can in Lagos, Onne and Port Harcourt in Rivers, Warri in Delta, and Calabar in Cross River, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority.

For several years, the cost of doing shipping business in these ports, particularly the ones in Lagos, has ranked among the highest in the world.

Credit: SBM Intelligence

In May 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was acting president at the time, signed an executive order directing 24-hour operations at the Apapa ports and outlawing touting by official and unofficial persons at the ports. The order also barred agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from operating within the ports.

The order was aimed at improving the ease of doing business and reducing the high costs at the ports, but maritime experts say sundry charges and extortions by government agencies and law enforcement officers at the ports continue till today.

Kayode Farinto, a freight forwarder, said regulatory agencies such as the SON and NAFDAC have now become revenue-generating agencies.

The other one is the issue of the Nigeria Customs Service, said Mr Farinto, the managing director of Wealthy Honey Investment Limited.

A lot needs to be done about them because if you have a consignment, you cannot specifically say the exact amount you will pay as duty. Until you pay all these, you cannot take your containers from the port.

Even when it is out, there are other Customs interventions here and there; about six task forces holding consignments and its not as if they are adding value but clear extortion.

A PREMIUM TIMES check on some of the monies payable at the Lagos ports showed that numerous fees paid to sundry government agencies are non-receipted.

When a container is offloaded at the port, there is a Wharf Landing Fee of N1,000, if it is a 40-foot (N500 for 20-foot), payable to the Lagos State government and is receipted.

Depending on the contents, the appropriate government agency  NAFDAC, SON, etc  is paid a non-receipted, negotiable sum of about N50,000 for inspection. A similar non-receipted, negotiable fee is paid to the Customs. Failure to part with the money often results in the container being abandoned at the port due to non-examination.

Credit: SBM Intelligence

For an empty container to enter the port, the transporter parts with about N150,000, paid to a Joint Task Force that includes officials of the police, navy, truck owners association. It is also non-receipted.

Sometimes, after a container has been gated out from the port, Customs officials stationed outside impound the container for being undervalued and slam additional charges on it.

Naturally, the transporters transfer all the charges to the importers.

In the past, transporting a 40-foot container from the Apapa port to Ikeja, in Lagos, costs about N90,000. Today, it is N650,000 (N500,000 for a 20-foot container), a transporter told PREMIUM TIMES.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that transporting a 40-foot container from Apapa to Ijora (a four-kilometre distance) is N600,000; Apapa to Signal Barracks in Mile 2, (about eight kilometres) is N630,000; while Apapa to a location in the South-East is, at least, N1.1 million.

Advertisements



While the shipping and terminal charges in Apapa cost about twice that of Ghana, local transportation costs nearly ten times more in the former.

Mr Farinto attributed the astronomical local transportation cost to bad roads. Last month, he paid N1 million to transport a container from Apapa to Kano. The fee is currently not less than N1.2 million, according to him.

We have been talking about this issue for a very long time, clearing of consignment in Apapa is very expensive compared to other African countries, said Mr Farinto.

A few years ago, Nigerian importers protested the huge cost of doing business by withdrawing their services at the ports.

But even such extreme measures did little to assuage the problem, according to Stephen Ibe, an importer, who participated in the protest.

Instead of these operators to come to a round table on solutions, they will go behind us, lobby heads of the stakeholders, and at the end of the day, everything will be in futility, said Mr Ibe, the managing director of Stephens Global Services Limited.

The shipping companies and terminal operators are the ones perpetuating the crime of hike in doing business in the ports.

Way forward

Increase Uche, the national president of the National Association of Government-Approved Freight Forwarders, said they have been advocating for a reformed port system for decades.

As at 2000, we foresaw the ports system degenerate to this level, said Mr Uche.

We made a proposal to the government, after which we met the Oba of Badagry to allow government establish a deep sea port in Badagry and the man accepted.

So, we continued the advocacy but nothing came out of it. The only hope we have is government should ensure laws are promulgated, like the ports and harbour bill, and should give the Shippers Council more power of enforcement of policies.

The Nigerian Ports Authority is a federal government agency under the Ministry of Transport, that governs and operates the ports in Nigeria. Its spokesperson, Jatto Adams, said regulating shipping rates is out of the agencys purview since a visit to any port is derived from the serviceability and turn-around possibilities.

Also, freight is not under our control as it is a relationship between shipping lines and consignees.

It should equally be noted that NPA has very limited control over shipping regulations possibly due to reporting patterns of agencies operating in the maritime sector to diverse supervisory ministries.

Not until the activities of various players in the industry are integrated to operate a single window (one-stop-shop) that we could see reduction in the cost of shipment into Nigeria.

The Nigeria Shippers Council, another agency under the Ministry of Transport, is charged with the responsibility to protect cargo interests in Nigeria and act as the nations ports economic regulator.

Speaking on the high cost of doing business at the ports, Hassan Bello, the NSCs executive secretary, said shipping charges would be reduced by 35 per cent by the second quarter of 2020 as the agency is concluding negotiations with shipping companies.

After that, NSC will negotiate with terminal operators and government agencies, that would be in the third quarter and it would further reduce cost, he said.
The lack of federal leadership in addressing the pandemic is appalling. The federal response was not only late in beginning, it was wrong in emphasis. The lateness was not only due to the fact that the president fired the watchdogs (the National Security Council team charged with watching for pandemics) but he also did not, and does not, understand the true nature of the problem.

The government took too long to use private companies to develop the COVID-19 tests and relied on tests from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention, some of which were initially flawed in design and manufacturing. This significantly delayed our ability to see where the problem was.

Now we are becoming more and more involved with this terrible virus. Many parts of the country are seeing significant increases in the number of cases. Where is the leadership from the federal government in obtaining needed supplies and equipment for the various states that need these items?

Each state is competing against all the other states and FEMA for these needed items. This is not the way to do this. The federal government is supposed to take the lead here. The feds can buy the scarce items and provide them to the states that need them. They can mobilize industry. This is just common sense. Why does the president have such a problem understanding this?

We absolutely need a coordinated national pandemic team. Our current approach is absolute madness and will cost lives.

Walter W. Ward

Belvidere
OTTAWA  Nurses are still circling in and out of Manitoba reserves every two weeks even as a directive halts doctors visits to the communities to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Nurses are still circling in and out of Manitoba reserves every two weeks even as a directive halts doctors visits to the communities to contain the spread of COVID-19.

"We just feel abandoned. We feel like First Nations communities are always put last," said Sandra Cook, a nurse at Berens River First Nation, which sits 275 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Niki Ashton, MP of ChurchillKeewatinook Aski: We are seeing the rolling out of second-class health-care services to the communities who are most vulnerable to COVID-19."

The conflicting guidelines highlight the disparity in health services for First Nations, which make it hard to follow officials advice to self-isolate and limit travel.

Berens River is among a dozen reserves served by Ongomiizwin Health Services, a University of Manitoba group that co-ordinates health care with the federal and provincial governments.

In a March 19 letter, Ongomiizwin informed the community it was indefinitely cancelling visits by all doctors and specialists like pediatricians, and shifting to phone services.

"We will be moving to an offsite virtual-care model," reads the letter, which says it will send doctors to contain an outbreak if one occurs.

"We want to do everything we can to minimize the risk of introducing COVID-19 into the communities that we serve."

Head nurse Brenda Frogg said the decision was made without consulting the community. Three of her fellow nurses visit the community on two-week rotations, otherwise working elsewhere in Manitoba or in Regina.

"Were trying to keep ourselves safe," Frogg said. "We cant step back anymore and just allow this to happen."

Berens River is served by a road, making its 2,200 residents more exposed to outsiders than fly-in communities. Though it is not on the federal list of boil-water advisories, the community gets its drinking water from just one water truck. The 2016 census found a third of homes were overcrowded, and 54 per cent needed repairs.

Band councillor Glen Boulanger said he doesnt want to force nurses to stay put, but doesnt know how to avoid the risk of an outbreak.

"Our hands are tied," he said. "We are lucky our nurses love our community. They want to help."

Ongomiizwin, known for decades as NMU, did not respond to a request for comment.

Indigenous Services Canada, which oversees health care on reserve, said staff are monitoring First Nations pandemic preparedness in daily calls, and is trying to hire more nurses for reserves while assessing the need for paramedics.

"This is an ongoing discussion that is happening in real time," ISC Minister Marc Miller told the Free Press on Wednesday.

"Looking at what that capacity gap is, and how to fill it in the most expeditious manner, is part of that conversation."

Northern Manitoba MP Niki Ashton said Ottawa needs to ensure doctors are available, and should compel Ongomiizwin to consult with its communities before changing services.

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.

"We are seeing the rolling out of second-class health-care services to the communities who are most vulnerable to COVID-19," Ashton said.

"Communities are being told its not until a potential tragedy strikes that they will get the attention that any Canadian deserves."

Berens River declared a state of emergency Tuesday. Last Saturday, a protest convinced a bar outside the reserve to reluctantly shift to only allowing a beer vendor.

Officials have expressed concerns about Mounties being shifted around detachments; Manitoba RCMP were not able to respond by deadline.

This month, federal officials testified that the H1N1 swine flu spread into reserves in 2009 in part because so many patients have to visit cities for essential medical services. Manitobas northern reserves had an infection rate five times the national average.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The head of Premier Investments has accused Australia's landlords of "playing roulette" with the lives of shoppers, alleging Westfield owner Scentre took no action after Premier's staff were exposed to coronavirus-positive customers.

In a deepening of the longstanding stoush between the retailer's billionaire chairman Solomon Lew and landlords, chief executive Mark McInnes said the company had two incidents at Scentre's Carindale mall in Queensland where employees were exposed to the virus.

Premier Investments CEO Mark McInnes and chairman Solomon Lew have accused landlords of "playing roulette" with the lives of shoppers. Credit:Paul Jeffers

"We were made aware of these incidents by the affected customers themselves and the Queensland Health Department. We then notified Scentre, who to our knowledge took no steps to notify the other tenants, customers or the community of Carindale that positive COVID-19 cases had been shopping in the mall," Mr McInnes alleged.

"COVID-19 is a deadly virus and it is unacceptable for landlords to play roulette with the lives of retail employees and customers by not doing everything they can to protect them."
Rep. Cheri Bustos of Moline, who also heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said she backed the bill and that the bold legislative package will support workers who have lost their jobs, help feed children whose families face uncertain financial futures and build a stronger foundation for the farmers who feed the world as our nation weathers this storm.
President Trump issued an order Friday that seeks to force General Motors to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients under the Defense Production Act.

Trump said negotiations with General Motors had been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course.

Trump said GM was wasting time and said his actions will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

Experts say the U.S. is hundreds of thousands of breathing machines short of what it is likely to need to treat a rapidly rising number of COVID-19 patients.

Confirmed coronavirus infections top 100,000 in the U.S., with deaths at over 1,500, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.

NEW YORK

More beds sought as toll mounts

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state wants to build four more temporary hospitals in New York City within weeks, before coronavirus cases are projected to peak. The state is seeking authorization from the Trump administration to add 4,000 beds in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The hospitals would be constructed at a horse track, a city college, an expo center and a cruise ship terminal. The requested conversions are part of the states broader effort to quickly increase New Yorks hospital capacity from 53,000 beds to up to 140,000 beds. There are more than 6,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in New York, with almost 1,600 in intensive care. New York has logged a national high of 519 deaths and has more than 44,000 confirmed cases.

FLORIDA

Virus deaths are expected to double

Deaths from the new coronavirus are on track to double every four days in Florida, prompting pleas from public health officials for people to stay home to flatten the epidemics curve and avoid the surge of sick patients that are straining New York Citys hospitals. Twenty-nine people have died so far in Florida, according to the states official tally. The full extent of the pandemics toll in Florida cant be projected with certainty, but the virus probably will continue to be a threat for months as opposed to weeks, said Mary Jo Trepka, an epidemiologist at Florida International University.

TEXAS

Auctioneer sued over sale of masks

The state of Texas sued a Houston auctioneer on Thursday after halting an auction of 750,000 medical-grade and N95 face masks, alleging price gouging in the sale of the masks commonly used by health professionals who are on the front lines battling against the new coronavirus. The lawsuit filed Thursday by the Texas Attorney Generals Office alleges that a Tuesday auction by Auctions Unlimited had bidding on N95 respirator masks reaching as high as $180 for a package of 16 masks. Amazon sold a set of 100 for $4.21 in late January. The lawsuit seeks an injunction against the auctions and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. It was unclear how many bids were taken on the masks, but Auctions Unlimited owner Tim Worstell denied price gouging. Medical masks have become so scarce that manufacturers in other industries have begun making them, and some hospital systems have asked volunteers to make masks by hand.

HAWAII

Telescope activists leave their camp

Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Hawaii island have pulled out of their camp due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. The move came after more than eight months of nonviolent protests at the base of the Mauna Kea Access Road, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported this week. Construction of one of the worlds largest telescopes on Hawaiis tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, has been stalled by project opponents who say the telescope will desecrate land considered sacred by some Native Hawaiians. The large tents erected last year as a warehouse, kitchen and instructional area were removed and protest supporters were asked to leave, protest leader Andre Perez said Wednesday.

WEST VIRGINIA

Staffers find nervous public

Staffers at a nursing home dubbed ground zero for West Virginias growing coronavirus caseload have been treated as pariahs for their close proximity to the infection cluster, officials said Friday. They say they cant get taxis, child care or service at a gas station. Eight staffers and 21 residents at the Morgantown nursing home have tested positive for the virus since the first case was discovered Sunday.

Chronicle News Services
All travellers arriving in Australia from overseas will be escorted off flights by defence force personnel and whisked away to new quarantine hotels set up across capital cities.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the measures on Friday, more than a week after the Ruby Princess debacle that saw 3,000 cruise ship passengers disembark in Sydney without a single health check.

Since then, 162 of the ship's passengers have been confirmed to have COVID-19.

From midnight on Saturday, all arrivals at international airports will be made to stay at accommodation facilities for their two weeks mandatory self-isolation under the close watch of border force officials, before getting the all clear to return home.

It comes as the first arrivals - 288 passengers from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship - continue to reside inside the Swissotel in Sydneys CBD, after being quietly ferried in the hotel's back door at 4am on Thursday.

Australians arriving home from overseas (pictured) will be escorted off flights by defence force personnel and whisked away to new quarantine hotels set up across all capital cities

This traveller was taking no precautions as they arrived at Sydney International Airport early on Friday morning, wearing a protective suit, mask and goggles

A passenger walks from the MV Artania to be attended to waiting paramedics on the wharf at Fremantle, Western Australia, on Friday

Those who live in residential apartments on the top nine floors above the Swissotel received an email from building management on Thursday evening, outlining strict measures that are being taken to isolate them.

It is understood all hotels putting up travellers will undertake the same safety measures.

Swissotel's general manager said the passengers arrived at the 5-star hotel wearing masks, gloves and protective suits.

They were then moved through the 'back corridors' and into the biggest elevators in the hotel, so they could abide by social distancing.

As they were led to their rooms, a team of cleaners followed disinfecting all surfaces, the email stated.

Border force guards are understood to be watching each floor, with those in isolation warned they will be handed $1000 on-the-spot fines if they leave their hotel room.

In announcing the new isolation measures during his press conference on Friday, Mr Morrison said international arrivals would be quarantined in the city they touch down in and not allowed to catch a connecting flight to their home state.

'States and territories will be quarantining all arrivals through our airports in hotels and other accommodation facilities for the two weeks of their mandatory self-isolation before they are able to return to their home,' he said.

'If their home is in South Australia or in Perth or in Tasmania and they have arrived in Melbourne, they will be quarantining in Melbourne.

'If it's in Sydney, it will be if Sydney. If it's Brisbane, and so on.

'The ADF will be supporting those states and territories with compliance checks to ensure that people are at their residences, that they have so worn sworn they would be at, to ensure we get compliance with the self-isolation.'

It comes as the first arrivals - 288 passengers from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship - continue to reside inside the Swissotel in Sydneys CBD, under the watchful eye of police (pictured)

Australian travellers on the Norwegian Jewel cruise liner (pictured) are isolating in the hotel after arriving in Sydney from Hawaii, where they had been stranded, on a Qantas charter flight

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the latest strict measures during a press conference on Friday

Australia's borders were last week closed to foreigners, with only returning locals able to come into the country by plane (Pictured are returned travellers arriving at Sydney Airport on Friday)

There are more than 3,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, with a total of 13 deaths linked to the virus

New arrivals to Australia will also have their temperatures check at the airport, with anyone suspected of being sick taken to hospital for observation.

Five of the 293 Norweigan Jewel passengers who arrived in Sydney on a chartered Qantas flight were taken to hospital under suspicion of having COVID-19.

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

All five have since been released and taken to the Swissotel to join fellow travellers.

But permanent residents of the building are furious about the move, telling Daily Mail Australia they had no idea quarantined passengers would be housed there until they saw it in the news.

John Murphy, who owns an apartment in the high-rise building, left work early so he could find out what the situation was.

The 66-year-old is in the high-risk category of those affected by COVID-19 and said it was concerning that he was about to get in the same elevators used by passengers.

'It's just ridiculous, I can't believe it - I had no idea it was happening at all,' he said.

'We are going to be using the same lifts as these people... this would have to be one of the least suitable hotels in the city, there are 10 floors of permanent residences.

'I own an apartment up there and I didn't know anything about it until this morning.

John Murphy, who owns an apartment in the Swissotel building said it was 'just ridiculous' the hotel was being used as quarantine

An email sent by Swissotel management to concerned permanent residents of the apartment building said that all travellers had past a health check at the airport, before being driven to the hotel wearing gloves, masks and protective suits

'I've been told nothing about what measures are going to be taken to keep us apart so I have come home from work early to find out what the hell is going on.

'I'm not particularly concerned about myself, but I have friends who live above me who I am worried about.'

Australia's borders were last week closed to foreigners, with only returning locals able to come into the country by plane.

All cruise ships have been banned from docking in Australia, following the Ruby Princess scandal.

There are more than 3,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, with almost half of those in New South Wales alone.
Those who have no home, those who must sleep on the streets, those who have been dislodged of family life or those who are alone and lonely, have a very big problem with the deadly Coronavirus.





by Victor Cherubim





Stay at home for seven (7) days even if you are mildly sick or if you have a temperature

above 37.8 degrees, or a new continuous cough.













Do not go to a Walk-In centre, a GPs surgery, pharmacy or hospital.





You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you are staying at home.





Call the NHS 111 online Coronavirus service if you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home or your conditions get worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days





This is the Advice given by the Government in UK to one and all. But many have not taken it seriously and protested or have complained on Twitter and said it smacks of curtailing civil liberty.





Understandably staying at home can be a challenge especially for the elderly, for they are used to a set pattern of life, a routine as they grow old. But it can be just as much of a chore for people who look after and care for them too, who due to many restrictions, including travel or precaution, are prevented from attending to this needy assistance.





Even the young and able can find themselves overwhelmed by the lack of freedom of movement and cramped lifestyle at home 24/7.





Those who have no home, those who must sleep on the streets, those who have been dislodged of family life or those who are alone and lonely, have a very big problem with the deadly Coronavirus.





The Government of Britain has ordered the Police to evict all vagrants, and people who sleep on streets, to be removed and given immediate shelter and housed in appropriate accommodation to their needs. This is easily said than done, as the need of this vulnerable group of people is varied. Hygiene and prevailing medical conditions preclude easy settled lifestyle.





Working from home





With Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, a healthy 55 years old, and the Secretary of Health Matt Hancock testing positive for Coronavirus, as well as Britains Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty who is also self-isolating with COVID-19 symptoms, a brand new way of not only staying at home but working from home, not envisaged a month ago has been forcibly actioned. Thanks to videoconferencing they can continue some part of their duties.





Lungs with clouded areas of infection

Many now going to office dont even require heading out of their home. To some, it sounds like heaven, the work shy would do anything to take time off work. To most others, it is a difficult adjustment, as their usual routine has been disrupted, if not disarranged.





Besides, we all know that an Englishmans home is his castle. There is further the strong sentiment expressed of the hard-earned rights and liberties that the English have been accustomed to over decades, if not centuries. The coronavirus has uprooted custom and tradition. There is a hidden and unspoken clamour against this situation which is witnessed when people are forced to keep a social distance in queues whilst shopping.





A new code of restriction on civil liberties





Suddenly, Liberty, the Human and Civil Liberties UK Group has stated the Governments new Coronavirus Act hastily passed by Parliament this week without a division, a travesty, without doubt the biggest restriction on individual and collective freedoms in a generation. It complains what people may not realise which is, the extent of its powers and how long they can be in place as the law of the land. With the Law Courts not functioning as normal, this is an added curtailment.





They argue it gives authorities new powers to detain anyone they believe could be infected, or rather suspect of infection. It also removes vital safeguards in care standards, leaving many people who are already at risk, such as the disabled people at further risk, not only of poor care but also of potentially inhuman treatment due to severe restrictions imposed on Care Homes. No wonder, many in Care Homes up and down the country, have been the most vulnerable during this crisis.





A mother has bitterly mourned that the ICU bed occupied by her departed son was poste haste offered to another ill occupant at a London University Hospital, without sensitivity of her grief.





Added to this, the Duchess of Cornwall has warned of a greater risk of domestic abuse in the home due to the current lockdown.





There was also the case of Cabinet Secretary, Michael Gove who had to withdraw his statement not allowing access of children under the age of 18, to their separated or divorced parents.





Necessary safeguards at a time of crisis





With 558,905 global cases of coronavirus and 25,336 deaths globally, human sensitivities are hardly observed. While change is necessary and some of the measures outlined in the British law and observed stringently by many nations around the world, are imperative and sensible. There is little discretion between what is sensitive and what is sensible.





The Bunker Mentality





We all are transported to a bunker mentality, like the situation prevailing during World Wars. We may feel the situation today is overbearing and if left unchecked could create more problems than they expect to solve at present.





The breadth of any legislation in Britain is in some sense extreme. It runs to more than 300 pages including some spectacular restrictions, including powers to rearrange or cancel elections.





We in Sri Lanka, contrary to expectation, did exactly that and postponed our General Election with common sense, without any law. Our Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, convened a cross party group of Parliamentarians recently and took appropriate steps as necessary.





Of course, the British understandably have a long tradition of civil liberties, are able and want to plan decades ahead. They rightly want to save lives, so do we in Sri Lanka, but what our Buddhist way of life has given us is a breadth of vision instead of a bunker mentality.
The CEO behind the joint health-care venture between J.P. Morgan, Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway is calling for a national "shelter-in-place" order as deaths from the coronavirus continue to rise in the United States.

"Our death toll curve is now worse than when China was at the same stage," Haven CEO Dr. Atul Gawande said Friday in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "We have 12 states with more than 1,500 cases. China had one province," said Gawande, also a renowned surgeon, author and speaker.

Gawande said health officials are learning from Washington state, where the death toll there appears to be declining. "Shelter in place, which some states are doing," he said. "We don't have the others on board. We really need a national shelter in place."

The United States now has more COVID-19 cases than Italy and China, making the U.S. the largest outbreak in the world. The total number of cases in the U.S. reached 85,996 as of Friday morning, including 1,300 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

U.S. health officials are working to contain the outbreak. President Donald Trump has imposed bans on travel to much of Europe and Asia. Roughly half the nation is under some sort of quarantine for the foreseeable future. The U.S. outbreak is accelerating, with hot spots in California, Washington state and New York state, which has more than half of the U.S. cases.

On Tuesday, the White House advised anyone who lives in or travels through New York to self-isolate for two weeks and monitor their symptoms if they leave the area.

Gawande said Friday that the U.S. must prioritize health-care workers, some of whom are running out of masks and other needed medical supplies. In Boston, there are more than 100 health-care workers who have tested positive for the virus after picking it up in the community, he said.

"If you have masks, get them into your hospitals," he said, adding the next couple of weeks are "not going to be looking great."

Gawande was selected in June 2018 as CEO of the joint health-care venture between J.P. Morgan, Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway called Haven. CEOs Jamie Dimon, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett had announced earlier that year that they would form a new company aimed at lowering health-care costs for their employees.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday everyone living in the national capital will be taken care of by his government after his counterparts in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand raised concerns about migrants stranded in other states amid the countrywide lockdown.

Kejriwal mentioned West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Jharkhands Hemant Soren as he held a press conference to talk about his governments readiness and the new measures to be taken in the fight against coronavirus disease.

Mamata Banerjee had written to 18 chief ministers, including Kejriwal, urging them to provide basic shelter, food and medicine to migrant workers from her state.

I have been noticing messages on social media by Jharkhands chief minister Hemant Soren in the past few days and Mamata Didi as well asking us to take care of people from their state. Even those from Bihar and UP, he said.

I want to tell all of them that each and every person living inside Delhis boundaries will be taken care of. They are our responsibility and our people. They might belong to Jharkhand, Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, or any other place but they belong to Delhi now. They should not worry about them at all, Kejriwal said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader also gave the fresh number of people who have contracted Covid-19 disease, saying there were 36 cases until Thursday but that they have gone up to 39 on Friday.

Twenty-nine people, he said, had come back from other countries and 10 contracted the coronavirus infection from them indicating transmission at a local level.

The situation is under control as now. There are three to four cases reported on a daily basis and there were days when we did not have a single one. But compared to other countries, like the US and UK, the situation is better and we will be able to handle if it worsens, he said.

Kejriwal said his administration has made a SOPs on what needs to be done if the number of cases in the national capital goes beyond 100 cases in a day.

We are prepared to deal with 100 new cases of corona every day now and are preparing to deal with 500 to 1000 new cases every day if the situation escalates Hundreds of hospitals are being readied with ambulance, ventilators and medical staff, the chief minister said.

Kejriwal also talked about the night centres where the poor and destitute are being given food every day and said the facilities will be extended to cater to more such people.

We have made arrangements to provide lunch and dinner in 325 schools from today. Around 500 people will be provided with food in all these schools. So far we were providing food to 20,000 people daily and the number will now increase to around 2,00,000 from today, he said.

The number will be doubled from tomorrow and we will be providing food to 400,000 people daily. Were distributing the centres across Delhi so that people do not have to travel far, he said.

We will ensure no one sleeps hungry.

At the same time, he reiterated the need to maintain social distance at these centres and said if the rule is not followed the purpose of the 21-day lockdown to the stop spread of coronavirus will be defeated.

More than 700 people in India have contracted Covid-19, according to data released by the Union ministry of health on Friday, as the country entered the third day of the three-week nationwide lockdown to clamp the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The health ministry said 724 people have Covid-19 and out of which 66 patients have been cured of the respiratory illness, 17 have died and one person left the country before being diagnosed.
For linking up the community kitchens, an online form seeks details of people or organisations running community kitchens

Labourers walk to return to their native places, during the 21-day lockdown across the country to contain the Covid-19, in New Delhi. PTI photo

New Delhi: With thousands of poor, migrant workers, homeless and others getting effected due to the nationwide lockdown to combat the COVID-19, the BJP has initiated an effort to link community kitchens across the country, which can serve a minimum of 1,000 people every day during the lockdown. The ruling party also welcomed the COVID-19 relief package announced by the Narendra Modi government asserting that the government is resolved that nobody will be left hungry.

The central government and state governments have put in place measures to promote social distancing and had appealed people to stay at homes to curb the pandemic spread.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made an appeal to people to adopt atleast nine poor and needy families for the 21 days of complete lockdown that came into force from Wednesday.



The BJP has also told its state units that party workers will feed over five crore poor people across the country during the lockdown period. Atleast one crore party workers will be engaged in feeding atleast five crore people and will coordinate with party MLAs, MPs and office beaers of their respective state units.

BJP president JP Nadda will be personally monitoring both efforts initiated by the party. The party has also engaged the social media in its efforts by launching a campaign #LetsFeedThePoor to engage more and more people and organization in this effort.

For linking up the community kitchens, the party has floated an online form seeking details of people or organisations running community kitchens.

Also, Union ministers have been charge of states to monitor that no problems are faced by citizens during the lockdown and there is no dearth of essential commodities and also various measures to ease citizens are being implemented. A direction in this regard was issued by the PMO.

Lauding the relief package announced by the government, Mr Nadda said "On behalf of every BJP worker, I thank the prime minister for this relief to the poor, farmers, women, youths, senior citizens and the organised sector for such important decisions and this relief package.

Union home minister Amit Shah said the decision taken by the government will help every section of the poor, farmers, labourers, elderly, women and Divyangs, and reflects the sensitivity of the government.

BJP national general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the government under Mr Modi's leadership stands solidly with the poor and other segments of population and is committed to the country getting over the coronavirus pandemic.
Madison Democratic Sen. Fred Risser, the longest-serving lawmaker in the nation's history, is not running for re-election this year after serving more than six decades in the Wisconsin Legislature.

Risser announced his plans to retire Thursday, the same day that fellow Madison Democrat Rep. Chris Taylor, another fixture of local politics, said she wouldn't be seeking re-election to the chamber "or any other legislative seat in 2020."

First elected to the state Assembly in 1956, Risser is the last World War II veteran serving in the state Legislature, a job he's held under 13 different governors.

The fourth-generation lawmaker in his family, Risser's father, grandfather and great-grandfather all served in the Legislature, though Risser noted he was the only Democrat.

"The political parties keep changing their ideas, while our family has remained committed to progressive values," he said in a statement.

Capitol observers have long speculated about when the long-time lawmaker, who will be turning 93 in May, would leave state government behind, and many had thought Taylor would be his natural successor in the Senate.

Elected to the Assembly in an August 2011 special election, Taylor has served on the Legislature's powerful and highly visible budget panel, the Joint Finance Committee.

But she said in a statement Thursday that her work life "needs to shift to reprioritize my family."

"There is still much more I want to accomplish on the long march to a more just, equitable society," she continued. "I will continue to use all that I have learned throughout my career as an attorney, advocate and legislator to keep pressing towards that world.

With Taylor out, a number of other potential candidates have already emerged including Rep. Shelia Stubbs, whose Assembly seat is within Risser's 26th Senate District, former 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kelda Roys and former head of the liberal One Wisconsin Now Scot Ross.

And three Democratic candidates have already officially announced, before Risser's retirement, they'd be running for his seat: Nada Elmikashfi, who previously worked with NextGen America, Aisha Moe, a Capitol staffer, and William Henry Davis III, a write-in candidate for lieutenant governor last cycle.

Stubbs in an interview said she was "very interested" in the seat but would decide officially after talking it through with her family.

"I'm very excited by the idea of following up Sen. Risser's history-making service by making a little history myself as possibly the first African-American state senator for Dane County," she said.

Separately, Roys said she's "likely" going to launch a campaign for the district while Ross said in a statement he's considering a bid.

"Ill make a decision soon about running to represent the inspiring and fearless people of this State Senate district and as Ive always said, you cant win from the sidelines," he said.

The other lawmaker making up the 26th SD, Rep. Lisa Subeck, ruled out a bid, saying in a brief interview she is planning to seek re-election to the state Assembly.

"I think Im in the best position to represent my constituents the most effectively in the office that Im holding now," she added.

The district is considered an ideal one for Democratic lawmakers due to its strong blue support and the fact that elections for it are held opposite those of the state's constitutional offices. Therefore, a lawmaker could hold the seat and safely attempt a run for governor without having to first leave the seat.

Risser is the latest Democratic senator to announce his retirement from the chamber. Also in the Madison area, Sen. Mark Miller, of Monona, previously announced his intentions to leave the Legislature, and Madison Rep. Melissa Sargent has since launched a campaign to replace him.

Meanwhile, Green Bay Sen. Dave Hansen has also announced his plans to retire.

Republicans currently hold a 19-14 majority in the chamber. Half the chamber's seats are up for election this November, where members serve four-year terms.
[March 27, 2020] Wunder Mobility Acquires Leading Car Rental Technology Provider KEAZ

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wunder Mobility announced today that it has acquired the technology and talent of Australia-based car-sharing and rental technology provider, KEAZ . KEAZ's technology allows companies ranging from rental agencies, car dealerships and corporates to provide users with shared access to vehicles via a customized mobile application and powerful back-office management tool. Its global customer base spans Asia Pacific and North America with a roster of clients that includes Toyota, Lexus, Envoy and Merchants Fleet to name a few. "This is clearly a period of economic uncertainty in the mobility space and we're doing everything we can to invest in the future of our industry," said Wunder Mobility Co-Founder and President Sam Baker. "Our acquisition of KEAZ is in direct response to our customers' requests for more functionality in the area of rental operations in order to increase utilization rates of vehicles and lowering costs. With this acquisition, our customers will have expanded access t world-class technology that specifically works with the needs of rental operators and beyond."



As part of the deal, KEAZ team members, including founder and CTO Tim Bos, will be joining the Wunder Mobility team as it continues to invest in further development of the technology under the Wunder Rent brand. The KEAZ team members will remain in Australia. "Wunder Mobility has built an impressive team and technology offerings and we are very excited to be joining its ecosystem," said Bos. "There are many synergies between our companies and this transition will provide us with the opportunity to take the KEAZ technology to the next level, together."

Wunder Mobility is making a concerted effort to best serve its customers during a volatile time. Recently, Wunder's CEO published a blog post outlining the steps the company is taking to meet their business needs. The KEAZ announcement is one in a series of investments Wunder will be making in the coming months to stay on the cutting edge with their product offerings while supporting the mobility sector. About Wunder Mobility Wunder Mobility is Europe's fastest-growing mobility technology company, with a growing presence in North America. The company is providing turn-key solutions that enable companies and cities worldwide to provide clean, convenient, and accessible mobility. Over 60 partners in 70+ cities on six continents use the Wunder Mobility platform to launch and scale new mobility services, manage and finance fleets of shared vehicles, optimize daily operations and improve urban planning and traffic management. The company's headquarters and engineering offices are located in Germany, with a US office in Los Angeles. More information can be found at Wunder Mobility's website or on social media on Twitter at @WunderMobility. US Press Contact

InkHouse

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wunder-mobility-acquires-leading-car-rental-technology-provider-keaz-301030711.html SOURCE Wunder Mobility

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/27/2020 -- Caster Sugar Market Research Study  The exploration report comprised with market data derived from primary as well as secondary research techniques. The points covered in this study are primarily factors which are considered to be market driving forces. The aim is to get premium insights, quality data figures and information in relation to aspects such as market scope, market size, share, and segments including Types of Products and Services, Application / end use industry, SWOT Analysis and by various emerging by geographies. Some of the profiled players in standard version of this study are India Tree, Natural Sugars, Silver Spoon, Gem Pack Foods & CSR.



REQUEST to GET FREE Sample PDF of Global (United States, European Union and China) Caster Sugar Market Report NOW!



The Caster Sugar Market study incorporates valuable differentiating data regarding each of the market segments. These segments are studied further on various fronts including historical performance, market size contributions, % market share, expected rate of growth, and many more.



Key Businesses Segmentation or Breakdown covered in Caster Sugar Market Study is by Type [, Organic Caster Sugar & Regular Caster Sugar], by Application [Confectioneries, Bakeries, Syrups, Beverages & Others] and by Region [United States, China, European Union & Rest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)].



Business Strategies

Key strategies in theGlobal (United States, European Union and China) Caster Sugar Market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc discussed in this report. The worth of strategic analysis has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with undisputed market challenges. Type 1 of Caster Sugar market is expected to the dominate the overall market during the forecast period till 2026. The market will boost by application XX to improve operations efficiently and with minimum operational cost.



Rethink to Unleash Growth Pattern; Know More @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1787725-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-caster-sugar-market



What primary data figures are included in the Caster Sugar market report?

- Market size (Last few years, current and expected)

- Market share analysis as per different companies)

- Market (Demand forecast)

- Price Analysis

- Market Contributions (Size, Share as per regional boundaries)



What are the crucial aspects incorporated in the Global (United States, European Union and China) Caster Sugar Market Study?



- Industry Value Chain

- Consumption Data

- Market Size Expansion

- Key Economic Indicators



Who all can be benefitted out of this Global (United States, European Union and China) Caster Sugar Market Report?



- Market Investigators

- Teams, departments, and companies

- Competitive organizations

- Individual professionals

- Vendors, Buyers, Suppliers

- Others



Have any Query Regarding this Report? Contact us at: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1787725-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-caster-sugar-market



Caster Sugar Market  Geographical Segment

- North America (Canada, United States & Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, the United Kingdom, BeNeLux, France, Russia & Italy)

- Asia-Pacific (Japan, South Korea, China, India & Southeast Asia)

- South America (Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Etc.)

- Middle East & Africa (United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria & South Africa)



The Caster Sugar Market  Report Allows You to:



- Formulate Significant Competitor Information, Analysis, and Insights to Improve R&D Strategies of Caster Sugar Market

- Identify Emerging Players of Caster Sugar Market with Potentially Strong Product Portfolio and Create Effective Counter Strategies to

Gain Competitive Advantage

- Identify and Understand Important and Diverse Types of Caster Sugar Market Under Development

- Develop Caster Sugar Market Entry and Market Expansion Strategies

- Plan Mergers and Acquisitions Effectively by Identifying Major Players, CAGR, SWOT Analysis with The Most Promising Pipeline of Caster Sugar Market

- In-Depth Analysis of the Product's Current Stage of Development, Territory and Estimated Launch Date of Caster Sugar Market



Purchase Full Report Now



(*If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.)



About Author:

HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the "Accurate Forecast" in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their "Goals & Objectives".



Contact US :

Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)

HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited

Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ

New Jersey USA  08837

Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218

sales@htfmarketreport.com
New Delhi, March 27 : One of the four terrorists involved in the terror attack on Sikhs in Kabul was a 30-year-old shopkeeper who had fled along with 14 other youths from Kerala to join the Islamic State (ISIS) four years ago.

The Islamic State on Friday published a photo of Abu Khalid al-Hindi, a suicide attack fighter who was part of the four-member team that attacked a Sikh shrine in Kabul, killing at least 25 members of the minuscule minority community in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Top sources said that al-Hindi was Mohammed Sajid Kuthirulmmal, a shopkeeper from Padne area of Kasargod in Kerala who was wanted in a 2016 NIA case and had an Interpol red notice against him.

The case refers to a parent from Kasaragod, Kerala who lodged a police complaint in July 2016, stating that his 30-year-old son Abdul Rashid was missing along with his wife Ayisha (Sonia Sebastian) and child, for almost two months after they had gone to Mumbai.

Around the same time, 14 other cases of missing people including Sajid were registered by their parents and relatives in the police station of the same area. Preliminary investigation revealed that the missing persons had left India to join Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a banned pan-Islamist terrorist organisation.

During the investigation by Kerala Police, the role of 29-year-old Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid, a resident of Batla House, Okhla Jamia Nagar, New Delhi but originally from Sitamarhi district of Bihar, as a co-conspirator of Abdul Rashid was revealed. She was arrested on August 1, 2016, after she was intercepted at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi while attempting to exit India for Afghanistan, along with her child.

As per the Kerala police, Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid was actively aiding Abdul Rashid in his activities including raising funds to support ISIS. The case was handed over to the NIA after she was arrested.

The NIA investigation revealed that Abdul Rashid, Yasmeen and others from 2015 were involved in activities to further objectives of the ISIS in Kerala and other places of India. 15 people including Sajid had fled from Kerala, India to join the terror group in Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.

Though the NIA did not file a charge sheet against Sajid, but he was listed as an accused and absconder in the case.

Though the NATO and Afghan forces claim to have killed most ISIS members in Nangarhar, sources believe many may have escaped. Sources said Sajid clearly was one of those who escaped unscathed from Nangarhar.

The mobile communication between the absconders with their relatives, over internet-based social media platforms, recovered during the investigation, established that Sajid was staying at the same place as another ISIS recruit who had fled from Kerala and had joined the terror group along with Abdul Rashid.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has brought the world to a standstill, should serve as a wake-up call to Ghanaians to invest in the local economy.

Chairman of the Afigya-Kwabre South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, who stated this, said the outbreak of the disease, which had led to the closure of ports, borders and restrictions on the movement of people worldwide, should encourage all Ghanaians to invest and produce our own goods and services.

Speaking with Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, he said the global pandemic, which had also halted import and export of goods and services should remind us to take hold and invest in the local economy.

Odeneho Appiah said it was time wealthy Ghanaians made significant investments in the health sector by assisting to provide infrastructure and equipment in community and local health facilities to improve health care delivery in the country.

He said efficient and effective health care system was what was required in times like this, to take good care of the people.

Odeneho Appiah appealed to the private sector to take advantage of the government's one district, one factory policy to invest in local manufacturing of products in order to reduce the country's over-dependence on foreign imports.

Expanding and increasing local production to feed ourselves is what is needed now. This is what can sustain us as a country in times like this, he stated.

He said it was time Ghanaians took advantage of the pandemic to innovate and increase the manufacturing and production base, while people also appreciated and use what was produced in the country.

Odeneho Appiah also urged party executives to make good use of technology to organize meetings and discuss important issues affecting the Party.

Now that we are all indoors, we should make good use of technology to campaign, he stressed.

Odenoho Appiah further appealed to financial institutions and service providers to expand their e-platform services to enable people access their services through their mobile phones in this restrictive period.

---Daily Guide
US Brings Charges Against Venezuela's President Maduro, Offers $15 mln Reward For His Arrest

Sputnik News

15:02 GMT 26.03.2020(updated 15:52 GMT 26.03.2020)

The US offered a series of rewards for information on five top officials in the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, including $15 million for Maduro himself, based on charges of drug trafficking, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in a press release on Thursday.

"The Department of Justice is announcing the unsealing of a superseding indictment filed in the Southern District of New York against four defendants, including Nicolas Maduro as well as the current head of Venezuela's constituent assembly, the former director of military intelligence and former high-ranking general for their involvement in narco-terrorism," Barr said.

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman added that Maduro faces a minimum of 50 years in prison and a maximum life sentence for the charges.

Besides bringing criminal charges, the US State Department offered a series of rewards for information on five top officials in the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, including $15 million for Maduro himself.

"The Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information related to Nicolas Maduro Moros. The Department is also offering rewards of up to $10 million each for information related to four other Venezuelan officials," the release said.

According to US officials, Maduro was the leader of a cocaine trafficking group called "The Cartel of the Suns" that involved senior politicians and Venezuelan military and judiciary members.

The announcement comes hot on the heels after US Senator Marco Rubio announced the move in his Twitter.

Today, Nicolas Maduro will be indicted by the Justice Department and charged with narco-terrorism," Rubio said via Twitter.

At the same time, the first report of the upcoming charges was brought by CNN earlier on Thursday, saying that the United States was set to designate Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism and bring criminal charges against President Nicolas Maduro.

The designation and the charges are expected to be made later on Thursday, while US Attorney General William Barr is expected to make the announcement at a news conference.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






NWS Weather Alert NOTE: This information is provided by the National Weather Service. Forecast may differ from local information provided by our own 69News Meteorologists

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 13... The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert Thursday for The Lehigh Valley/Berks County area. A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children...people suffering from asthma... heart disease or other lung diseases...and the elderly. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors. For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles...visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us
Mumbai, March 27 : Owing to the outbreak of COVID-19, when social distancing is a mandatory practice, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has decided to utilise the nationwide lockdown period of 21 days in a productive manner by conducting online master classes, "I have decided to conduct these free masterclasses every alternate day till the time we are quarantined. My idea is to help people learn new skills and also to use their time creatively. Else the entire society will get into depression. Everyone has stories but they don't know how to tell these stories. My goal is to ensure that by April 15 at least a couple of housewives and 5-6 young people end up making short films sitting in their homes without spending a penny," Agnihotri said.

Earlier, the filmmaker had declared that intention to sell paintings to raise money for daily wage workers.

"There are a lot of people in the industry whose livelihood has been affected. I will sell these paintings for them," he had said.
London, March 27 : The UK's most famous tourist attractions, ranging from palaces and castles to galleries and zoos, have started virtual tours to millions of people who were currently under a lockdown in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a report on Thursday, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) said that millions of people were discovering the breadth, depth and diversity of Britain's visitor attractions through websites and digital galleries, science podcasts, virtual tours of the Houses of Parliament, web-cams of zoos and safari parks, as well as being able to take part in church and Cathedral services and also watching the opera and theatre, reports Xinhua news agency.

The UK, which is currently under a lockdown, has reported 11,658 confirmed coronavirus cases and 115 deaths.

ALVA Director Bernard Donoghue said: "In the last week or so there has been an explosion in the number of people, here in Britain and around the world, virtually visiting the UK's top visitor attractions." The Association said in the report that the British Museum, Natural History Museum, V&A, Science Museum and National Gallery have all seen a substantial increase in visitors to their websites.

The number of visitors to the British Museum's website has doubled in the past two and a half weeks, while visits to the National Gallery's virtual tour pages are up almost 800 per cent compared to last week, and 1,144 per cent up over last year.

The V&A's blog is up 147 per cent week on week, while the Science Museum has seen a threefold increase in views for its games section.

Britain's best-known cathedrals, from Durham to Canterbury were streaming church services.

Zoo cams have also become popular sites for virtual visitors.

Even William Shakespeare is proving to be a website hit more than 400 years after his death.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon is offering a video tour of the five Shakespeare family homes.

Visitors can travel even further back in time to the early days of the Roman occupation of Britain around 2,000 years ago, by paying a virtual visit to the Roman Baths in the City of Bath.

Emma Martin, senior curator at National Museum Liverpool's World Museum said: "Staying at home doesn't mean you miss out on visiting our museum. Thanks to public feedback on what people would like to see while our doors are temporarily closed, we've created a virtual tour of the World Cultures gallery with our friends at John Moores University." Science Director Roger Highfield from the Science Museum in London has even published an in-depth look at the science of the coronavirus, exploring what we know and don't know about the virus and examining its ongoing impact.

His work brings into sharp focus the biggest ever shutdown since World War II of Britain's famous tourist sites.
Effective social distancing can greatly reduce the near-term pressure on our hospitals. However, it does so by cutting the number of near-term infections, and thus slows the buildup of partial or complete immunity in the population. When the social-distancing period ends, there is likely to be a repeat explosion of cases among those who were not already infected. This is what the experts hope we achieve by social distancing, because it moves the peak in cases later, when we have been able to increase hospital capacity and, perhaps, will have learned more about how to treat the disease. Theres even a possibility of a vaccine.
The halt to economic activity has allowed nature to recover in many ways but there is no reason to celebrate. The challenge remains the same: delivering an economically prosperous Balearic region in a healthy and sustainable natural environment.

At the time of writing this article I received a whatsapp message showing a seal basking in the ria of San Sebastian in Northern Spain. An unusual sight which adds to other messages received over these past days of confinement showing wild boars occupying the centre of Barcelona, a brown bear visiting a small village in Asturias, wolves strolling down a main street in Galicia and wild goats (Ibex), quite different to the ones we are accustomed here, wandering through the main square in a small town of Albacete.

Closer to home there have been several reports of dolphins getting near the shore in Majorca, and clear and transparent waters in areas that are usually highly disturbed and murky. If this visibility prevails we will see communities of marine flora growing in new areas creating new habitats for other species, a reminder of how nature can recover when it is given a chance. Air and noise pollution has also decreased dramatically and are at a historical low.

Photo: ASOCIACION TURSIOPS

But what other changes are going on under the water? The forced 'time-out" and the exceptional circumstances provide an opportunity for a once in a lifetime experiment. Since the confinement started there is not been one single day that I wonder about what changes we will see in the marine and coastal environment once we are allowed to go and look. Will recreational fishermen come back home with a full bucket on their first day of fishing after the imposed moratorium, will divers notice fish behaving differently on their first dive and will coastal hikers notice unusual things, maybe more birds nests in places which were previously too dangerous to breed? I hope there are several research teams designing a few studies to find out.

Photo: Sebastia Torrens

For the moment being a professional fishermen are the only witnesses who can get a glimpse of what's going on at sea. Maybe they see more marine mammals or have noticed that the lack of boating activity has had a positive effect on their catch. We don't know yet, and whilst I'm very keen to ask them I'm also aware that like many other sectors they are going through hard times and working at half capacity due to reduced demand. A severe blow to a sector which is already in decline.

This is a reminder of the challenges and uncertainty that the confinement is creating for many economic sectors and people. In addition to the huge loss of lives, the Covid-19 pandemic is causing economic turmoil. A recent poll shows 50% of the Spanish population concerned about their jobs. The short-term biodiversity gains come at a huge cost. And this is no time to celebrate. A healthy natural environment does not require an economic crisis.

But as governments deal with the COVID crisis and start to prepare economic recovery interventions, we need to reflect on a couple of issues. Firstly, the vulnerability and precariousness of our economic system. This crisis has shown how reliant all countries and people are on each other. Even more so in an island. As a result, collaboration is essential.

Secondly the relationship between humans and nature. If we take care of nature, nature takes care of us. The more aware we are of the connection between the health of humans, wildlife and ecosystems the more likely we are to avoid future events like this. Restoring damaged ecosystems will benefit our society and our economy making it more resilient.

We know the world will look very different after the Covid-19 pandemic, but at the Marilles Foundation our roadmap remains the same: transforming the Balearic region into a world reference of marine conservation alongside an economically prosperous region with high levels of well being for all.
Amid the 21-day nationwide curfew, the Himachal government, on Friday, brought down the curfew relaxation from six hours per day to three hours, the State Public Relations Department quoted Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday.

According to the latest data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the state of Himachal Pradesh has so far reported three positive cases of COVID-19 and one death has been reported due to the deadly virus

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India to participate in WHO drug trials; cases rise to 724

PM Modi announces 21-day pan-India lockdown

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in India, PM Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the country starting at midnight on Tuesday. He said that 21 days were necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the pandemic. The 21-day curfew applies to all states, districts, and villages - irrespective of whether they are currently under curfew or not.

"From midnight across the country, there will be countrywide lockdown in India. Complete restriction of leaving out from the residence. All districts, villages will be locked down. This is curfew only -a stricter curfew than Janta curfew. We have to bear economic consequences because of this. But to save every Indian's life at this time is my and the government's responsibility," said PM Modi.

READ | COVID-19 lockdown: Kabaddi star Ajay Thakur patrols in Himachal, urges people to 'stay home'

Coronavirus crisis in India

As of date, over 724 positive cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) and at least 19 deaths have been reported to date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and a complete nationwide lockdown till April 14 has been imposed.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a relief package for the poor and the affected persons due to the deadly Coronavirus. According to the minister, the package is worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore, under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana. Meanwhile, India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar.

READ | Five-hr relaxations daily in curfew in Himachal: CM Jai Ram Thakur

READ | FIR against Coca Cola factory in Himachal Pradesh for violating lockdown order

(With ANI inputs)
Mr. Trump previewed the new set of federal guidelines in his letter as the death toll from the virus in the United States passed 1,000, and in hot spots like New York, 100 people had died because of the virus in one day. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Thursday that the worst days and weeks of the crisis were still ahead.

But Mr. Trump, in his letter, said the goal of the new rules was to look toward the day when Americans could resume their normal economic, social and religious lives.

Earlier in the week, he said he wanted to reopen the country for business by Easter, on April 12, despite widespread warnings from health officials that the worst effects of the virus were still weeks away and prematurely lifting social distancing guidelines would result in unnecessary deaths.

At the time, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a leading health expert on the administrations coronavirus task force, said the additional testing now available gave the administration some flexibility in different areas to do so.

People might get the misinterpretation youre just going to lift everything up, Dr. Fauci said, explaining Mr. Trumps impatience to jump-start the economy and tell Americans they could resume everyday life. Thats not going to happen, Dr. Fauci said. Its going to be looking at the data in regions of the country where there was not an obvious outbreak of the virus.

As a practical matter, however, Mr. Trump does not have the power to decide whether the country can reopen. He can issue federal guidelines, but the decision of whether to return to business as usual is up to each state.
A man who came in contact with a



coronavirus afflicted patient in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh tested positive for the infection on Friday, the state government said.

With this the total number of coronavirus cases in the state has risen to 12, the Medical and Health Department said in its latest bulletin.

The person came in contact with the coronavirus patient on March 17 and developed symptoms. He was kept in isolation four days later and on Friday his blood sample tested positive for the virus.

Visakhapatnam now has four coronavirus cases, the highest in the state, followed by three in Vijayawada. Guntur, Ongole, Nellore, Chittoor and Rajamahendravaram recorded one positive case each.

Meanwhile, health and police authorities are busy tracking the persons who came in contact with the coronavirus patient in Guntur.

The patient had taken part in a couple of prayer meetings upon his return from Nizamuddin Mosque in New Delhi.

Officials said they fear he might have communicated the disease to his contacts and accordingly started the tracking.

"We have identified about four persons who came in contact with the coronavirus patient and sending them for quarantine," health officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A number of big technology firms, including Facebook and Microsoft, will be assisting the White House to combat coronavirus. The Office of Science and Technology Policy organized a consortium along with the U.S. Department of Energy and IBM to bring together federal government, industry, and academic leaders who are volunteering free compute time and resources on their world-class machines.

READ: Coronavirus Relief Package Could Help Donald Trump, Jared Kushner Businesses

Big fight against Coronavirus

Today, President @realDonaldTrump announced a new partnership with major U.S. tech companies and universities to unleash the world's most powerful supercomputers for COVID-19 research, greatly accelerating scientific discovery for treatments and a vaccine.https://t.co/hev1jWC78Z  Michael Kratsios (@USCTO) March 22, 2020

Michael Kratsios, the White Houses chief technology officer said, "America is coming together to fight COVID-19, and that means unleashing the full capacity of our world-class supercomputers to rapidly advance scientific research for treatments and a vaccine. We thank the private sector and academic leaders who are joining the federal government as part of the Trump Administrations whole-of-America response."

This partnership also includes two Universities - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). MIT's Christopher Hill said, "Computing and AI have a major role to play in bringing Covid-19 under control. We want to do our part by making MITs two most powerful machines, Satori and TX-GAIA, available to researchers who are racing to understand the virus, model the outbreak, and accelerate drug discovery and design. This will be a team effort, and we hope our actions will inspire others to throw their computing power and brainpower at the virus.

READ: Trump Shoots Back Instantly When Asked About US Overtaking China's Coronavirus Count

The aim is to provide COVID-19 researchers worldwide with access to the worlds most powerful high-performance computing resources that can significantly advance the pace of scientific discovery in the fight to stop the virus.

READ: Use G20 Summit To Coordinate Global Response To COVID-19: Senators To Trump

The following firms and institutions will be a part of this - IBM, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MIT, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, National Science Foundation, and NASA.

READ: China Poses 'substantial Threat' To Americans' Health, Way Of Life: Pompeo
The United States today touted nearly $40 million in aid to the Middle East and North Africa as part of a $274 million emergency health and humanitarian assistance package to help afflicted countries deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The State Department disclosed that a substantial share of that funding  $15.5 million  will benefit Iraq to help prepare laboratories, implement a public-health emergency plan for points of entry, activate case-finding and event-based surveillance for influenza-like illnesses, and more.

Additionally, Morocco and Tunisia will each receive roughly $700,000 to prepare laboratories and surveil new infections while supporting technical experts for response and preparedness and bolstering risk communication.

Finally, the State Department announced nearly $17 million in humanitarian aid for Syria and another $6 million for Libya.

Why it matters: The United States currently has some 85,600 recorded coronavirus cases, the most of any country in the world. But the pandemic is also spreading throughout the Middle East, particularly in Iran. Iraq reported 382 coronavirus cases, while Morocco reported 275 and Tunisia another 197. There have only been five recorded cases in Syria and one in Libya, but public health experts fear that the wars afflicting both countries and the millions of displaced people could hasten the virus spread.

Whats next: Notably, the State Department did not allocate any emergency health funding for Yemen, another area experts fear could be hard hit by the coronavirus because of the civil war. The United States is cutting the vast majority of its aid to Yemen because the Houthi rebels have placed increasingly stringent restrictions on humanitarian assistance in areas under their control.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., also penned a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to provide emergency health aid to the West Bank and Gaza. There are more than 3,000 recorded coronavirus cases in Israel, roughly 82 cases in the West Bank and nine cases in Gaza, sparking fears of a rapid spread throughout the enclave.

Know more: Al-Monitor will keep you up to date on the latest COVID-19 developments throughout the region. Omar al-Jaffal has the story on Iraqs struggle to implement a coronavirus curfew, Simon Speakman Cordall takes a look at what North Africa is doing to prepare for the pandemic, Khaled al-Khateb details the devastating impact its set to have on Syria, and Bryant Harris explains why none of this aid is going to Yemen.
Three F/A-18E Super Hornets fly in formation over the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and their strike groups along with ships from the Republic of Korea Navy as they transit the Western Pacific on Nov. 12, 2017. (Aaron B. Hicks/U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters)

US Navy to Test All Sailors on Aircraft Carrier in Pacific as Coronavirus Cases Rises

WASHINGTONAll 5,000 personnel aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt will be tested for the CCP virus in Guam after the number of confirmed cases on the ship rose to about two dozen, U.S. Navy officials said on Thursday.

The infections aboard the carrier are one of the most vivid examples of the CCP viruss impact on the military and could test the Navys ability to forge ahead with operations.

We are in the process now of testing 100 percent of the crew of that ship to ensure that we are able to contain whatever spread might have occurred there, Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told a Pentagon news conference.

In all, eight sailors had tested positive for the CCP virus, up from three on Tuesday, Modly said.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Defense Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said later, however, that the number of infected sailors had increased to about two dozen and would likely rise further as more were tested for the highly contagious respiratory illness.

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday acknowledged in a statement that the number of confirmed cases continued to increase, but did not provide a number. He said the carrier had been in Guam on a port visit, during which time base access would be limited to the pier for the Theodore Roosevelts sailors.

No base or regional personnel will access the pier, Gilday said.

Gilday said naval medical facilities in Guam would allow him to more effectively test, isolate, and if necessary treat sailors, but stressed that none of the sailors were seriously ill.

We expect additional positive tests, and those Sailors who test positive will be transported to the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam for further evaluation and treatment as necessary, he said.

The nuclear-powered Theodore Roosevelt, a small city at sea, usually also includes naval aviators and Marines.

Earlier this month, the carrier visited the central Vietnamese city of Danang. Vietnam has only about 150 known cases of the illness that has infected more than 500,000 people worldwide.

As of Thursday, 280 U.S. service members around the world had tested positive for the coronavirus, including 104 from the Navy.

We are trending higher, Modly said, adding it was too early to say why that was the case.

While seeking to shield its own forces from the virus, the Navy is also moving to ease the strain on overwhelmed hospitals during the U.S. epidemic. It is sending a 1,000-bed hospital ship to New York City and another one to Los Angeles to treat non-coronavirus patients.

Pentagon officials have stressed that the U.S. ships are not set up for quarantining patients and say the close quarters makes it easy for viruses to spread.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
To be clear - The Foundry CEO Micah Andrews said he supports todays health order closing a host of businesses in Alabama to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

At the same time, though, he says the Bessemer-based drug recovery ministry will need more community support than ever to stay viable as an indirect result of the order, which closes all non-essential businesses.

The orders go into effect Saturday afternoon and will remain in place through Friday, April 17, at 5 p.m. Grocery stores, gas station and pharmacies will remain open, as will gun stores.

The Foundry, which will celebrate its 50th birthday next year, operates three thrift stores in Pelham, Cullman and Fairfield, as well as an auto sales lot in Bessemer, which would fall under the order.

The closures effect on charities and ministries is an unintended but understandable consequence of the measures government is employing to stop the coronavirus pandemic, affecting non-profits relying on more than donations to operate, as well as both large and small businesses frozen in their tracks by sheltering restrictions.

Kings Home Thrift Stores, for example, currently are also closed, with a notice on their website: " We will continue collecting donations through our pick up service and our drop off bins. Thank you for your continued prayers and monetary donations as we suffer more mounting losses."

The Foundry maintains a mens and womens recovery program in Bessemer, a transitional facility in Birmingham and Foundry Farm, and a mens recovery center in Cullman. There are about 188 men and women in those four locations currently involved in recovery programs, Andrews said.

About 66 percent of the ministrys operational funds and revenue come from its three thrift stores and car lot.

Its the main channel of how we provide long-term substance abuse recovery, Andrews said. So this will have an essential impact on our services.

Andrews said the ministrys services are still open, though those in the recovery programs continue to isolate in place.

Andrews said the ministry will look for some relief under the package passed by Congress this week, which includes about $370 billion in Small Business Administration loans. But in the meantime, The Foundry will try to get its message out on social media without being obnoxious," he joked.

It would not surprise me to see this extended beyond April 17, he said. In fact, thatll probably be a good thing. But its causing us to be creative in our messaging, making sure were at the forefront of peoples mind, especially those who have an affinity for substance abuse recovery. We will be relying really heavily on the generosity of our donors."
During a call from the Mecklenburg County Jail, Kimberlie Flemings shared a COVID-19 rumor being passed pod to pod by her fellow inmates.

Flemings said she has heard that, due to fears about an outbreak of the potentially lethal illness, some of them soon may be released on electronic monitoring to await trial or serve part of their jail time at home.

She doesnt know if its true. But at night, when she says she shivers in the air-conditioned cold of her cell and clinches from the pain racking her body, even a fleeting thought of freedom brings her comfort.

Ill take that, thank you God, Flemings told the Observer during a phone call this week.

Ill think about getting out of here and getting to my home. Getting to my doctor. Lying down with a blanket. Getting out of this cold.

Kimberlie Flemings, at right in pink shirt, celebrates an October baby shower for her approaching granddaughter with her family in Mount Holly.

When shes not thinking, the 56-year-old Mount Holly grandmother, who was convicted in 2018 of a series of financial crimes, says shes praying.

Im asking God not to let me die here, she said.

Flemings is one of estimated 1,500 inmates being detained Friday at North Carolinas largest county detention facility.

More than a third, Flemings among them, have been sent there by the federal courts to await upcoming hearings, trials or sentencing.

But Flemings stands apart. She may be the only inmate at the jail wearing a colostomy bag.

For almost a decade, according to court filings in her case, Flemings has suffered from acute Crohns Disease, a debilitating condition in which her auto-immune system attacks her intestinal track.

She essentially has no (normal) immune system, says Catherine Sevcenko, a lawyer with a Washington, D.C.-based legal advocacy group that has gotten involved in Flemings case.

Medical experts say Flemings condition makes her dangerously susceptible to contracting and succumbing to COVID-19, especially in the restricted confines of the jail.

It also puts her at the center of an urgent legal fight in North Carolina and beyond over whether keeping medically vulnerable inmates confined in the face of an approaching pandemic violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment while also placing the public at greater risk.

Story continues

Nationwide, multiple states have moved to decarcerate their jails and prisons as the threat of mass illness grows.

Local courts, with varying degrees of urgency, are struggling to adapt.

In Mecklenburg County, a consortium of judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys has culled through cases, searching for low-level offenders, the elderly or other vulnerable segments of the inmate population who can be released.

Chief District Judge Elizabeth Trosch also issued an order this week temporarily suspending arrests for failure to appear in court or pay fines, among other misdemeanor categories.

Combined, the steps appear to be making a difference. Despite the inward tide of daily arrests, the inmate population has dropped by about 150, or 10 percent, since March 9, according to the jail records.

Nonetheless, since March 9 the jail population has dropped by about 150.

The courts of the federal Western District of North Carolina say they are dealing with a steady stream of motions from attorneys asking that defendants or inmates  some with health problems, some without  be temporarily removed from custody until the pandemic recedes.

Everyone knows the storm is coming, Charlotte attorney Noell Tin, who represents a federal inmate in one of the cases, told the Observer.

The fear is that the jail will become an incubator that spreads coronavirus to inmates and beyond.

Through Thursday, about 10 cases seeking coronavirus relief have come before the local federal courts. All have been opposed by the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray of Charlotte and denied by the judges who heard them.

In Tins case, Dontay Armstrong of Charlotte, an inmate with chronic and serious health problems now in jail custody, has asked the courts to temporarily place him on house arrest.

In a court filing late Wednesday afternoon, Murrays office announced its opposition to Armstrongs temporary release, making it less likely that a judge will grant it.

In another example, defendant Bradley Beauchamp, who court documents say suffers from asthma and requires a breathing device to sleep, asked to be released from the medical unit at the county jail to await his sentencing at home.

Beauchamp, according to court records, was convicted of a series of nonviolent, financial crimes linked to the gang, United Blood Nation.

Whatever minor threat may be posed by release is outweighed by the emerging wave of death and injury predicted in the pandemic, his attorney, Rick Winiker, wrote in a motion last week.

On the same day of Winikers filing, presiding U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney of Charlotte denied it without comment. Winiker has appealed Whitneys ruling to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

As for Flemings, she began her 57-month sentence for bank and loan fraud on March 16 when she was booked into the Mecklenburg jail. The federal Bureau of Prisons has assigned her to a minimum-security facility in West Virginia to serve out her punishment. Because of the pandemic, its unclear when shell get there.

For now Flemings waits in the jail. She said Thursday that shes worried shes been handed a death sentence.

Case by case

As the numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Western North Carolina, federal judges in Charlotte and Asheville use Skype to meet with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys Office, federal public defenders and other court officials to discuss the pandemic-related motions and related issues that have arisen during the week.

They are considering these motions on a case-by-case basis, said Frank Johns, the federal clerk of court in Charlotte.

In federal court the charges are quite serious, and the courts are balancing the health needs of inmates against the general security of the public as they try to continue with the administration of justice to the best of our ability. These are unusual times for everybody, as we all know.

A spokeswoman for Murray said Thursday that although his prosecutors have opposed all coronavirus relief motions up to now, Murray has not enacted a blanket policy.

All motions filed have been reviewed, and will continue to be reviewed, on a case-by-case basis, the spokeswoman said. Ultimately, its up to a judge to decide.

Flemings was convicted in October 2018 for a series of financial crimes tied to her role in a three-year, $1 million fraudulent loan scheme with two male co-conspirators.

Prosecutors said Flemings and her partners submitted dozens of fraudulent car and personal loan applications in their own names and others, including a dead person and an elderly disabled veteran.

U.S. District Judge Bob Conrad placed her on house arrest as she awaited her sentencing, which was delayed for three months after Flemings underwent emergency Crohns-related surgery in November to remove her colon.

On Jan. 30, Flemings was sentenced to just under five years in prison, with Conrad noting her many acts of fraudulent conduct and the need to protect the public from future crimes. Flemings was placed back on house arrest and ordered to report to federal custody on March 16.

Three days before her report date, her new attorney, Jeremy Smith of Indian Trail, filed a motion to delay Flemings sentence for three months so she could start a new treatment for her Crohns Disease, which was not responding to her current medication, Smith said.

Smith also noted that Flemings and others with underlying serious medical conditions are much more likely to suffer complications or even death from COVID-19.

At the time of Smiths filing, there were no reported cases of the illness in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. As of Thursday, according to the prison website, there were six.

A day after the filing, Conrad rejected it. He noted the seriousness of Flemings crimes, and said she had adequate opportunity to seek medical treatment for a chronic problem with which she has suffered since 2011.

He added:  (H)er concerns about coronavirus do not warrant a delay.

Smith filed an immediate appeal to to the Fourth Circuit. Again, the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray opposed it  arguing that Flemings was a possible flight risk and safety threat, even though she had been on house arrest for years without incident and had been given the option of self-reporting to prison.

While the United States appreciates the dangers of COVID-19, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Ray concluded in her filing, those concerns did not permit the appeals court to grant Flemings temporary release.

Without comment, the three-judge panel considering the case agreed.

First to go

Catherine Sevcenko, senior counsel with the National Council for Incarcerated & Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, which assisted in Flemings appeal, said the fact that she and other inmates with health problems remain confined signifies that the courts are lagging behind the pandemic.

These motions are coming.  But as far as I know they are not being granted, she said. Particularly in the federal system we have not seen any movement of a broad understanding that the coronavirus is particularly dangerous in prisons.

She called for a mass release of vulnerable prison and jail inmates, as well as those accused of misdemeanors.

All of these people were sentenced to serve a number of years. None of them received a death sentence, Sevcenko said. In prisons, you cant clean. You cant disinfect. You cant socially isolate. People are going to die.

On Thursday, Flemings said she was still struggling to get the go-ahead from her doctor and the jail to get her medications. For now, she says, shes relying on an occasional dose for pain that she described as a 12 on a 1-to-10 scale.

Under the jails no-visitation order to guard against the spread of the virus, Flemings is cut off from her family. Her son, Darryl Flemings, also a Crohns sufferer, said he has made repeated calls in an effort to get his mother her medications and bring attention to her case.

If she is hurting, she wouldnt tell me, he said Thursday. Shes the strongest person I know.

Throughout the day in the jail, Flemings said, she hears inmates and guards coughing. A recent shortage of toilet paper (a shortage that the sheriffs office denies) made safely cleaning herself and her colostomy bag next to impossible, she said.

If someone brings something into this pod, everybody is going to get it, and Ill be the first to go, she said.

Meanwhile, Flemings said, she continues to pray.

I know God is listening. He knows, she said. I dont want to be strong anymore. When I need help, there is no one here to hold my hand.

Ames Alexander contributed.

Coronavirus cases

Click or touch the map to see cases in the North Carolina area. Pan the map to see cases elsewhere in the world. The data for the map is maintained by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University and automated by the Esri Living Atlas team. Data sources are WHO, US CDC, China NHC, ECDC, and DXY. Data is updated every hour. Note: Some cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship are grouped in Japan on this map and do not show up in the US.

Open
Newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Frimpong Alais Fella Makakafui and Medikal have fulfilled their promise to donate to the less privileged.

Some few days ago, the couple shared their intention to gift items to the less privileged as the Coronavirus lockdown has distorted some business, rendering some people helpless whilst also in need of some essential items to manage the health crisis.

Yesterday, the actress and her husband with their teams, hit the streets of Accra to share packages of toiletries, sanitizers among others to people. The generosity of the Ghanaian rapper and his wife also saw them donating some of the items to the Ghana police.

Sharing filmed highlights from their charity exercise, Medikal wrote We couldnt forget our Ghana Police and our brothers and sisters on the street! God be with us, stay safe guys #Covid19. Ghana has so far recorded confirmed 132 cases and 3 deaths.

Watch the donation below
The Kerala Government on Friday suspended Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra who had slipped out of home quarantine and left for his hometown in Uttar Pradesh without informing health officials and the district collector, the Kerala CMs office said.

Newly-married, the 2016 batch IAS officer and his wife had returned after their Singapore-Malaysia honeymoon trip last week and health authorities had advised them to remain in home quarantine for at least two weeks. His exit came to notice when health officials went to his official residence on Thursday to inquire about his condition.

His sudden exit amid rising Sars-CoV-2 virus cases in the state (total 140 cases) has triggered a big outrage in Kerala. His act also invited enough embarrassment for the government which is engaged in a gargantuan task of dealing with one lakh-odd people who are on home quarantine. Earlier, the police had registered a case against Mishra and informed their UP counterparts about it.

Later, UP police traced him to Sultanpur, his native town. He reportedly told them that since he was in isolation someone had advised him to leave for his hometown. He followed the advice and proceeded to Sultanpur. He is now in touch with the district magistrate and superintendent of police (SP) of Sultanpur. They are monitoring his health status and got his swab tested again. The report is awaited, an officer who spoke to him said. His family lives in Nirala Nagar in Sultanpur.

Mishras driver and his personal security guard have been put in isolation after his exit came to light. Kerala police said they will take action against them also for failing to report his trip to UP. His reportedly slipped out a day before the lockdown was announced.

Kollam district collector B Abdul Nassar told the media on Friday that he has given an explanation that when he was told to go into self-isolation; he presumed it was to go back to his residence in Kanpur.

This is a serious violation of protocol and I submitted a report to the government, Nassar said. State Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty, who hails from Kollam district, said this was a clear case of a lack of social commitment. Many ministers have sought strict action against him.

The police have registered a case against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), Section 269 (Negligent Act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and Section 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule), Kollam SP T Narayanan said.
The world could really use a good laugh right now but sadly, Netflix missed that train by a mile. The streaming giants latest desi stand-up special, Ladies Up, could have been a breath of fresh air in the gloomy, virus-infested times we live in. However, all it got from me was a sad little snort of indifference.

Ladies Up, as the title suggests, is a collection of four 15-minutes pieces by Comicstaan alumni Prashasti Singh, and Supriya Joshi, Queen of Comedy Niveditha Prakasam and the more veteran player among the lot, Kaneez Surkha. In their respective sets, they talk about casual sex, weird sex, kinky sex and, surprisingly, a few other things as well. While Prashasti is still talking about her PG-13 Tinder misadventures, Kaneez takes the discomfort up a notch with jokes about orgasms and childbirth, foreplay and breastfeeding, often in the same breath. While all sets were largely unimpressive, these two still had their moments.

Prashasti opens her set with an awkward proclamation about her age. I am 32, she says, expecting a reaction. But aside from a confused chuckle, no one seems to care. Maybe, by this time, she should have gotten a hint that people who comprise her audience dont consider 30 some sort of Rubicon, or to apply coronavirus related parlance -- a Lakshman rekha. Sure, the set gets meatier with more relatable stories about her mothers innocent Facebook posts but soon dives into boredom as she talks about the dating scene.

Towards the end, she recites an episode from a date that didnt go as planned. She brings her date home, he is sitting on her bed, clad in nothing but a yellow towel, making bedroom eyes at her. In that moment she realises that she doesnt want it anymore. She is confused about how to approach him and ask him to leave, a situation that reminded me so much of that popular The New Yorker short story, Catperson. The story and Prashastis set had real potential in that moment; it could have ended as something more than a shallow piece about dating in Mumbai. Prashasti even tries to land it on an empowering note, but the desired effect is never reached. The end doesnt fit in with what is essentially a trivial set and seems like a forced paste job rather than a puzzle piece falling into place.

Kaneezs set was more streamlined to her life as a divorcee and the desire to become a mother. She begins with stories about her life in Africa, her grandmothers unhappy marriage, her own dreaded wedding day, the perks of getting divorced, and searching for men to give her a baby. On the surface level, the anecdote did bring in the laughs but at the core, these were still quite sad situations. Kaneez did a passable job of mixing the two together. However, her jokes about imagining her dates as nursing babies were the most uncomfortable to sit through.

Supriya Joshi, too, tried to root her set in more serious discussions.She talks about wanting to kill herself when her boyfriend left her and how she gave up the idea for a more empowered one. But the execution seemed hollow and uninspired from the get go. She did score a couple of laughs for juvenile jokes about flavoured condoms and I am not willing to dole out points for those.

Also read: Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan were asked why they lived with parents. Here are their fierce replies

Niveditha Prakasam stayed with her girl-next-door persona with her set, which landed as an episode of Ted Talk. Niveditha delivered an essay on Tamil men, their obsession with white girls and the role of Tamil films in all of it. It all made for an interesting listen but failed to wriggle out even a single laugh from me.

Netflix had a good idea and good time to launch this tiny series. Sadly, we will have to find our much-needed daily dose of laughter elsewhere.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a screeching halt, leaving many of us to question the systems and powers that have allowed so much chaos and inequality to persist. Amid the confusion, only one thing seems certain  things will never be the same. At times like these, academics like political scientists and sociologists have their work cut out for them.

As part of CNN Philippines Lifes series of Q&As with different creatives, I got to speak with sociologist Nicole Curato about her work roughly a week before President Duterte announced the community quarantine on Metro Manila.

Curato is an Associate Professor at the Center for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra, and has authored the book Democracy in a Time of Misery: From Spectacular Tragedy to Deliberative Action, which she describes as the story of Typhoon Haiyan survivors in Tacloban who have transformed their suffering to political action that can demand better treatment from the state. The book, which took years of fieldwork in Taclobans poorest communities, is a tribute to their everyday attempts at making things better despite all the constraints.

She has also edited a collection of essays on President Rodrigo Dutertes early years called A Duterte Reader: Critical Essays On Rodrigo Duterte's Early Presidency, written op-eds in The New York Times, Al Jazeera, and The Interpreter, and hosted roundtable discussions on the rise of fake news in the Philippines and demystifying the millennial demographic for CNN Philippines.

Photo from OXFORD SCHOLARISHIP ONLINE

At the time of our correspondence, Curato and her team were working on reorganizing their fieldwork plans in the face of international travel bans imposed by Australian universities. When asked about some of the biggest challenges faced by those in her field, she says, We need academics now more than ever.

In this interview, we get to know more about Curato, including how her work is governed by a democratic ethos, the myths that academics like herself face and wish to debunk, and the importance of clarity and intellectual humility in academic research. The interview has been edited for clarity.

What do you think are the essential traits of a creative person, especially in your field?

I think creativity is relational. We get inspiration from the people we interact with and from the environment that shapes what we can and cannot do. Creativity is about artfully negotiating possibilities and constraints.

What is the philosophy that governs your work?

Because my academic work tries to understand how democracies can be more sensitive to the voices of people in the margins, I think it only makes sense for my work to be governed by a democratic ethos. When I work with my research team, I try to ask who is included and who is excluded from this project? Do I contribute to a meaningful public conversation? When I choose a project to work on, I ask: whose interests are promoted by this project? When the project involves mentoring junior scholars, I reflect whether there traces of tyranny in my behavior. In Canberra, I work in a research team that has a strict no divas policy, and that's been crucial to my socialization as an academic.

Tell us about your latest project.

The last book I published is Democracy in a Time of Misery: From Spectacular Tragedy to Deliberative Action (2019, Oxford University Press). It tells the story of how disaster survivors in Tacloban after Typhoon Haiyan transformed their suffering to political action that can demand better treatment from the state. I published an abridged version of the book in CNN Philippines Life. This book is special to me because it is a product of years of fieldwork among the poorest communities in Tacloban. This book is a tribute to their everyday attempts at making things better despite all the constraints. It's also a tribute to the excellent research team that worked with me in this project.

A couple of years ago, I started collaborating with colleagues at the Mindanao State University in Iligan to examine how internally displaced communities in Marawi express their grievances and take part in the micropolitics of recovery. I am also collaborating with colleagues in the Ateneo de Manila University on a project about the families left behind in the drug war. Both projects are ongoing, and the hope is to generate findings that allow us to understand how democratic practices can take root in the context of fear and anxiety.

You talked about wanting your work to be governed by a democratic ethos. How does that relate to the two ongoing projects you mentioned?

Let me give an example. My university imposed an international travel ban because of COVID-19 so I cannot conduct fieldwork back in Tacloban in March. I was inclined to cancel the entire event, but instead of making this call, my default style is to: (a) deliberate with my Philippines-based research team and understand their justifications (they want to go ahead), and (b) get the feedback of our research partners on whether the forum should go ahead. Our deliberations resulted in a consensus that we will go ahead, and exercise all health-related precautions when running a small deliberative forum. I found this process meaningful because I learned from the risk and ethical calculations of my research partners. I may be the project leader, and have more research experience than the team, but that does not mean I have the monopoly of insight about running a project. I also have confidence that my team can run the project without me, which is also important for democratic practice  that no one is infallible, no one is indispensable. Democratic deliberation does lead to smarter decisions.

Do you look back at your past work? Why or why not?

Yes, I do. Sometimes it makes me cringe, but that's part of learning how to make mistakes.

What inspires you?

Deadlines inspire me. Backlog makes me anxious. It makes me anxious because I understand publishing is a process with many moving parts. I don't want to be the cause of delay. Deadlines also mean projects get done. And getting things done is important to me. I think a deadline is the difference between having an idea and translating that idea to [something] useful for others. So there's more to deadline than stress!

Whose advice do you seek out when youre stuck in a bind?

One of the best parts of my job is I work with a supportive research team at the Center for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance in Canberra. We're a small but cohesive group so we know each other's styles and temperament. I don't take this for granted because I can always ask questions, no matter how silly or basic, and I can expect my colleagues to spend time with me working out my dilemma.

Do you have a mentor? Do you think it's important to have one?

I don't have a single mentor who systematically gives me advice on professional and personal matters, though I do have a lot of role models. My colleagues provide inspiration on how to run a research team, how to react when stressful situations unfold, and how to determine when it's time to take a break. I think what's good [about] working in teams is we see each other's character flaws, no one is put on a pedestal, and it is precisely because of our imperfections that we need to work together.

How important is social media in your work?

It's important to engage in public conversation, though I am conscious that trying to engage in public conversation can easily deteriorate to professional vanity. Before I post something, I try to think of whether my comment pushes the discussion forward, whether it amplifies a view that needs a fair hearing, or whether it holds people with power accountable. Otherwise, a tweet could have been a WhatsApp message. That said, I post a lot of pictures of gin-based cocktails too, because why not?

What skills do you wish you had?

Karaoke! It's my weakest spot when I do fieldwork. I add zero value to this activity once people start singing Josh Groban and Bituin Escalante tunes.

What myth about your field of work would you like to debunk?

That academics live in an ivory tower. Nothing could be further from the truth. We, too, experience exploitative labor conditions, precarious contracts, unrealistic performance indicators, and all sorts of pressure that strain our personal relationships and mental health. It's true, though, that academics have bad habits, like using intimidating language to establish authority or refusing to engage in topics that seem too mundane or low brow. However, I think this is changing given that knowledge is under attack today because of disinformation. Our field has no choice but to respond.

What do you think are the biggest challenges faced by people in your field today? How do you overcome them?

My biggest worry about academia today is underinvestment from the state. It's true for Australia; it's true for the Philippines, and except for a few countries, it's true all over the world. Academics are underpaid, overworked, and assessed based on a ridiculous set of metrics so universities rank well in global league tables. This is deeply problematic because it creates perverse incentives for academics to score points. For example, count the number of citations for ones journal article, instead of carefully thinking about how our work can uplift others. It's also bothersome that some of the biggest research projects are now led by industry. This means topics researchers end up working on are oriented towards profit, not for the public's general well-being. We need academics now more than ever. We need academics in the humanities to articulate a vision of a good society because what we have now is broken. We need scientists who can focus on not only resolving pandemics but coming up with cures for diseases associated with the poor. We cannot do this when academia is underfunded and knowledge is undervalued.

What are the values that are essential in each work that you create?

My work is driven by three values. The first is to provide clarity in a confusing time. As a sociologist, I am trained to understand what individuals experience in their everyday lives and connect these individual experiences to broader transformations in our society. By doing field research, analyzing data, and monitoring global trends, I hope I am able to tell a story about how our lives are connected whether we like it or not.

The second value is to bring esteem to communities that have been forgotten. My research focuses on disaster survivors, conflict-affected communities, and widows of the drug war. For me, my work only gains credibility when these communities tell me that they recognize themselves in my work, that it resonates, that they feel proud of what they have accomplished in a very difficult situation. Working with colleagues from the Mindanao State University Iligans Sociology Department was instrumental in making me realize the importance of this aspect of research.

And finally, intellectual humility. Academic research is never perfect. Our research findings are always partial. Our views are not superior by default just because we have PhDs. It's easy to develop an inflated sense of self-importance in the academe. When we receive invitations to speak in high profile panel discussions or score a media interview in a prestigious television program, it's easy to think that our views are superior because we're sought after. That's why I value fieldwork, immersing myself in communities, because this is a reality check, that none of what we consider prestigious in our field makes things better for people who are suffering. That's why intellectual humility is important, because it's a recognition that we produce knowledge not for our vanity, but to amplify the voices of those who need to be heard.
[The stream is slated to start at 12:00 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

World Health Organization officials are holding a press conference Friday to update the public on the coronavirus outbreak, which has now infected more than half a million people worldwide.

The virus has now infected more than 553,244 people worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, and killed at least 25,035 people. On Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. passed that of both China and Italy, becoming the largest outbreak in the world.

WHO officials warned Wednesday against squandering a narrowing window of opportunity for countries and their citizens to limit the final death toll of the outbreak by taking aggressive actions to slow the virus's spread.

"It's a dangerous virus. We had been saying to the world, the window of opportunity is narrowing and the time to act was actually more than a month ago, two months ago," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news briefing from the organization's Geneva headquarters.

On Monday, WHO officials warned that the global outbreak is picking up pace, as global infection passed 350,000 and deaths topped 15,000.

"The pandemic is accelerating," Tedros said Monday. "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach 100,000 cases, 11 days for second 100,000 cases, and just four days for the third 100,000 cases."

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.
With 28 persons testing positive for coronavirus in Maharashtra, 15 of them in Sangli alone, the number of COVID-19 patients in the state rose to 153 on Friday, a health department statement said.

An 85-year-old doctor, who was suspected to have contracted coronavirus, died at a private hospital in Mumbai.

While the statement of the hospital said his test reports from a privagte lab confirmed that he had coronavirus infection, the health department only said that report was awaited.

Two of his relatives had recently arrived from the UK, the statement added. The deceased was diabetic and had a pacemaker as well, it added.

On the other hand, so far 24 coronavirus patients have been discharged after full recovery in the state.

As many as 250 persons -- suspected or confirmed to have contracted the infection -- were hospitalized across the state on Friday.

The new patients in the state included 15 persons in Islampur in Sangli western Maharashtra's Sangli district. They had come in contact with a family which had returned from Saudi Arabia and some members of which had tested positive for the coronavirus.

In Nagpur, four persons who had come in contact with a patient who was diagnosed with COVID-19 tested positive.

Two persons tested positive each in Mumbai and Thane and one each in Palghar, Kolhapur, Gondia and Pune. Another patient who tested positive is from Gujarat, the health department said.

Of the total 153 patients, Mumbai has 51, Pimpri Chinchwad 13, Pune 18, Sangli 24, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan- Dombivali six each, Nagpur nine, Thane five, Yavatmal four, Ahmednagar three, Satara and Panvel two each, Ulhasnagar, Aurangabad, Ratnagiri, Vasai-Virar, Pune rural, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Kolhapur, Gondia one each and one person from Gujarat, the statement said.

Five coronavirus patients have died so far in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sweeping changes to the way the health service in Northern Ireland operates are to be rolled out in the coming days in preparation for a surge in Covid-19 cases.

The Department of Health's most senior civil servant, Richard Pengelly, said it is hoped that the radical overhaul of services will help staff cope with the difficult period ahead.

Health bosses have been tasked with putting in place measures to maximise resources, which include the closure of emergency departments (EDs), minor injury units, and day case procedure and outpatient units across Northern Ireland - with no guarantee that services will return after the pandemic.

The radical changes to services come as health service bosses prepare for the possibility that 20% of staff may be off work at any one time.

Health Minister Robin Swann has also warned that up to 15,000 people in Northern Ireland could die from coronavirus, meaning many more will need hospital treatment.

In a letter sent to the health trusts, Mr Pengelly said: "Our modelling suggests that at the peak of the outbreak in Northern Ireland, our existing hospital estate may not have sufficient capacity to provide critical care to the number of patients who will require it.

"We are therefore moving immediately to develop large regional, temporary respiratory hospitals. These will be a regional resource and will require a regional approach in terms of staff and access.

"More details of how these will work in practice will be shared when they are ready."

Only two trusts have so far published details of their surge plans, with the South Eastern Trust revealing the closure of the A&E unit at the Downe Hospital from this Monday.

The hospital's inpatient wards, acute mental health and psychiatry, and old-age patients will remain open, while the midwifery unit will continue to provide community services, although women will no longer be able to give birth there.

The GP out-of-hours service will also stay open, although this will remain under review given the pressure on family doctors across Northern Ireland.

The Southern Trust has also confirmed that the ED at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry will close from Saturday on a temporary basis as part of its overall surge strategy.

Read More

Interim director of acute hospitals Melanie McClements said: "To ensure the safety of staff and patients, we have taken the essential decision to run one ED, which will be at Craigavon Area Hospital. This means a temporary closure of Daisy Hill's ED, effective from 2pm on Saturday.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but these are exceptional circumstances.

"This move allows us to consolidate our emergency, intensive care and respiratory expertise all one site which will give us a much more robust service in the weeks ahead.

"If we don't work to make these changes now, we risk services on both sites collapsing as we expect staffing levels to be impacted in weeks to come.

"Daisy Hill Hospital ED is a key part of our service provision. This is a temporary measure to deal specifically with Covid-19.

"Please be assured that this service will reopen once the immediate situation improves. In the meantime, please stay at home, wash your hands, keep your distance."

Read More

On Wednesday night, former health minister Jim Wells revealed that he had been informed of plans to shut Daisy Hill's ED in response to the spread of the virus and raised concerns that the closure might become permanent.

"The people of Newry and Mourne will fear that once this crucial service leaves Daisy Hill, it will never return," he said.

"Similar temporary arrangements were implemented at Belfast City and Lagan Valley hospitals eight years ago and there has never been the slightest suggestion that the A&Es will ever return to either site.

"Normally such a major reduction in the service available at a hospital would be the subject of a lengthy public consultation, but the Southern Trust is aware that the sweeping powers given to Government to deal with the coronavirus means that this does not need to happen in this case.

"The trust also knows that public meetings and rallies to protest against the decision cannot be held in the present crisis."

While the Southern Trust has firmly stated that the closure of the ED at Daisy Hill Hospital is temporary, Mr Swann refused to give any reassurances when he was pressed on the matter at the Stormont health committee.

He said: "I don't know what the health service will look like in a week's time. I will be perfectly blunt with you on that, I don't know where we will be. Our surge plans are in place to do what we have to do.

"That's why we're down a number of procedures and elective surgeries that I would have never envisaged in my time as Health Minister, I would have to tell people they would not get.

"So, to give any sort of commitment now that we will return 100% to where we were two months ago, I can't give it and I won't give it because I can't stand over it."

Mr Swann also said he is aware of supply issues relating to PPE at care homes but he is working to address this.
The United States is leading the world in the number of coronavirus cases as of Friday with 85,707 people sick, according to tracking by NBC News  a toll that surpasses the caseload in China where the pandemic ignited in December.

The number of deaths has also risen to 1,268, with New York being the worst hit, accounting for 433 of those killed by COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases worldwide has soared to 533,416 and the death toll reaching 24,082 as of 4:15 am ET, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker.

Image: A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Center helps a person who was just tested for COVID-19 put an object in a biohazard bag, Thursday, March 26, 2020, in New York. (Mary Altaffer / AP)

President Donald Trump tweeted early Friday that hed spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the response to the virus. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the virus. We are working closely together, Trump said.

At an earlier briefing, Trump said the U.S. is working with the international community, sharing information and data, to fight the virus. He also touted the $2.2 trillion relief package, which Congress is set to vote on Friday, while announcing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is distributing millions of masks and other equipment to hospitals.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

But in New York, hospitals are already overwhelmed with waiting rooms packed with people who are contagious, shortages of beds being reported and doctors scrambling to get more ventilators.

The federal government was sending 2,000 ventilators to New York City, but 15,000 are needed, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said.

Trump cast doubt on the needs of hospitals while calling into Fox News on Thursday night.

"I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," the president told Sean Hannity. "You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes and they'll have two ventilators. Now all of sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"

Louisiana saw a 28 percent increase in confirmed cases Thursday from the previous day, Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a press briefing. The state has turned to the federal government and Virginia for support to help manage the surge of patients in hospitals.

Story continues

There simply are not enough health care resources, Edwards said. If the current pace of new cases continues, the state could reach capacity as early as April 2 for ventilators and April 7 for hospital beds.

New Orleans alone would need another 1,000 hospital beds by April 8 based on the most recent projections. The city has only received an additional 250 beds from the federal government, Edwards said.

He urged the public to adhere to lockdown measures to help "flatten the curve."

Image: Doctors treat COVID-19 patients in an intensive care unit at the third Covid 3 Hospital (Istituto clinico CasalPalocco) during the Coronavirus emergency on March 26, 2020, in Rome, Italy. (Antonio Masiello / Getty Images)

There is no reason why things that you see coming out of Italy wouldnt happen here in Louisiana if people dont engage seriously in these mitigation measures, he said. The good news is, we still have time to do it to make a tremendously positive difference in the outcome.

Meanwhile, the hardest-hit country in the world, Italy, continues to report the highest death toll with at least 8,215. Among the dead are 41 health professionals, the Italian federation of doctors said.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

With a nationwide lockdown continuing in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus, schools are now facing the prospect of remaining closed for the remainder of the school year and not reopening until September, Italys Education Minister Lucia Azzolina told the countrys Senate on Thursday.

In the United Kingdom, people across the country went out to their porches, windows and balconies at 8 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) Thursday to clap for health care workers in a gesture of gratitude and encouragement.

The total number of people with the virus is nearing 12,000 in the U.K., adding to fears the virus will overwhelm the countrys beloved universal health system.
By Express News Service

IDUKKI: It seems that the global pandemic has reached the circles of political elites in Kerala as a popular Congress party worker in Idukki who tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday had come into contact with several political persons, including a minister and five MLAs, during his tour across the state, it is learnt.



Idukki district health officials confirmed that the person had come in close contact with many famous persons across the state and had taken part in various events held in various parts of Idukki and in several districts.

As a result, the health officials had not completed his route map even after 8.30 pm on Thursday and the origin of the source was yet to be identified. Meanwhile, Idukki Collector H Dhineshan has given a direction to people who came into close contact with the person to stay in self-quarantine at homes.



As per the sources, the person had visited various locations in Kerala after March 10, including Palakkad, Sholayur, Marayur, Munnar, Aluva, Perumbavoor, Mavelikkara, Thiruvananthapuram and the state secretariat building.

Visited secretariat

On March 14, he visited the party office in Thodupuzha for attending a committee meeting. Later he also went to Thiruvananthapuram along with two residents of Adimali and had met MLAs there. The man accompanied by a senior Congress leader had also submitted a memorandum to the minister, who was at the secretariat.It is also learnt that the man, who is a state member of an organisation in the construction sector, had also visited Kasaragod as part of an agitation programme there. Later, he attended several other events in Idukki with other party workers and leaders.

The person had also attended the public prayer in a mosque in Cheruthony on March 13 and 22. However, as he developed symptoms of fever on March 13, he took medical assistance at the District Hospital in Cheruthony. As he confirmed to medical officials at the hospital that he had not come in contact with any persons who had arrived in the state from abroad or persons suspected with Covid-19 infection, he was sent back home after giving medicines.

However, as fever continued in the following days, he reported himself to the hospital again on March 23 and the officials instructed him to go under quarantine. As his samples tested positive on Thursday, he has been admitted in the isolation ward at the Thodupuzha District Hospital.

Preventive steps

The person has been admitted to the isolation ward at the Thodupuzha District Hospital after his samples tested positive on Thursday



Idukki Collector H Dhineshan has given a direction to people who came into close contact with the person to stay in self-quarantine at homes.
Putin calls for sanctions 'moratorium' amid pandemic

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 5:43 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the lifting of sanctions on various countries that are hindering the global fight against the new coronavirus.

"I am talking about the countries that are suffering the most from this pandemic. At the end of the day, it's a question of life and death, this is a purely humanitarian issue," the Russian leader said at a virtual meeting of G20 leaders Thursday.

"Ideally we should introduce a... joint moratorium on restrictions on essential goods as well as on financial transactions for their purchase," Putin noted, adding, "These matters should be freed of any politics."

Putin also said it was important to establish "green corridors free of trade wars and sanctions" that would ensure supplies of medication, food, equipment and technology.

The Russian president predicted that the current crisis would be tougher than the financial crisis of 2008-2009 and trade conflicts and sanctions would only exacerbate it.

"We undoubtedly cannot afford to act on the principle 'every man for himself'," he said.

He pointed out that countries needed to join forces in developing vaccines and drug treatments.

On Wednesday, diplomatic missions of Russia, China, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and warned about the negative impact of the sanctions on international efforts aimed at containing the deadly virus.

The letter described the pathogen as the "common enemy" of mankind, saying unilateral sanctions imposed by some countries were complicating the fight against the coronavirus.

The developments come as calls have been growing on the US to remove unilateral bans on Iran and some other countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The new coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, incrementally infecting some 185 countries across the world.

More than 471,600 people worldwide have been infected with the virus and over 21,000 have died, according to a running count by worldometers.info.

Iran has said unilateral US sanctions imposed on the country have seriously hampered its fight against the pandemic. The disease has so far killed 2,234 people and infected 29,406 others in Iran. A total of 10,457 people have also recovered.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






By IANS

KABUL: Based on a decree issued by President Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan government said that up to 10,000 prisoners will be released in the next 10 days in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus in jails across the country, it was reported.

On Thursday, Ahmad Rashid Totakhil, head of the general directorate of prisons, said that the prisoners who will released does not pse a threat to the society, TOLO News reported.

ALSO READ: Afghanistan, Maldives pledge funds for coronavirus

"The persons that we are releasing are not a big threat to society, they had committed small crimes," said Totakhil.

In a statement, Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz, said: "Because we do not have any vaccine or treatment for the virus, the only way is to implement health-recommended measures. The measures are very easy and can save the lives of millions."

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) added that the prsioners who pose a threat to national security will not be released.

"Another issue that is very important for people to know is that crimes against national and international security and terrorism are not included in the decree," TOLO News quoted Mohammad Farid Hamidi, head of the AGO, as saying.

Officials at the Ministry of Public Health said that six health employees have been infected by the virus in Herat and Kandahar provinces.

Based on the Ministry of Public Health figures, a total of 94 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus in Afghanistan, while four have died.


Healthcare workers in protective gear check the temperature of everyone who enters the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Ten people, including four foreigners, were confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus Friday, raising the countrys tally to 163.

Of the 10 patients, three had close contacts with an infected person at Buddha Bar in Ho Chi Minh City, and three others are related to "Patient 133", a 66-year-old woman from northern Lai Chau Province who tested positive for the Covid-19 virus after staying for three weeks for treating a heart condition at the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi.

Three having close contacts with an infected person at Buddha Bar include:

"Patient 157" is a 31-year-old British woman who resides in District 4, HCMC. She had contact with a Covid-19 patient at the Buddha Bar. She has showed no symptoms and is being monitored at Cu Chi Field Hospital in HCMC.

"Patient 158" and "Patient 159" are Brazilian men aged 45 and 33. They live in District 2, HCMC. Both of them had contact with the Covid-19 patient at the Buddha Bar on March 14. They have showed no symptoms and are being treated at HCMCs Tropical Disease Hospital.

Three cases related to "Patient 133" include:

"Patient 161" is an 88-year-old Vietnamese woman who lives in Van Lam District, northern Hung Yen Province. On March 17, she had a headache and fell into a coma. She was rushed to the province's Pho Noi Hospital where she was diagnosed with internal brain hemorrhage.

She was then moved to Bach Mai Hospital, where she was treated in the same room with "Patient 133" from March 17-22.

After nine days of treatment, her condition got better. On March 24, the Bach Mai Hospital took her samples and they tested positive a day later. The patient is now being treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi.

"Patient 162" is a 63-year-old Vietnamese woman who lives in Hanoi's Long Bien District. She is the daughter-in-law of "Patient 161". Her health is stable and she is asymptomatic despite her samples testing positive. She is also being treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

"Patient 163", a 43-year-old Vietnamese woman, is a granddaughter of "Patient 161" who lives in Hanois Long Bien District. She was a caretaker for her grandmother at the Bach Mai Hospital. She is being treated at Hanoi's Duc Giang Hospital. She is in good health and has shown no symptoms so far.

The remaining four patients are:

"Patient 154" is a 23-year-old Vietnamese woman who resides in northern Ha Long Town. A student in the U.K., she flew back to Vietnam, landing March 22 at the Can Tho Airport on Vietnam Airlines flight VN50, seat 12C, with "Patient 145" as a co-passenger.

On arrival, she reported having fever, cough, breathing difficulties and nausea. She was quarantined first at Can Thos Military School. On March 24, she had developed a fever again and was transferred to the Can Thos Lung Disease Hospital for further treatment.

"Patient 155" is a 21-year-old Vietnamese woman who lives in Hung Yen Provinces An Thi Town. She is student at the Huddersfield University in the U.K. On March 22, she also landed in Can Tho on Vietnam Airlines flight VN50, seat 2K.

She showed no symptoms and was quarantined at Bac Lieu Provinces Military School. Once her samples tested positive, she was transferred to the Bac Lieu General Hospital for monitoring, along with her roommate in the quarantine zone.

"Patient 156" is a 21-year-old Vietnamese man studying in the U.K. He resides in Ward 7, southern Tra Vinh Town. He landed March 23 in Can Tho on Vietnam Airlines flight VN50, seat 23G.

He showed no symptoms on arrival and was quarantined at the Bac Lieu Military School. After testing Covid-19 positive, he and one roommate at the quarantine zone were taken to the provincial General Hospital for monitoring.

"Patient 160" is a 30-year-old Vietnamese woman who lives in Loc Phat Ward, Bao Loc Town, Central Higlands Lam Dong Province. On March 20, she developed a cough and had some throat pain, but no fever.

A month earlier, shed been in Madrid, Spain and had contact with her sister who was infected with the Covid-19 virus. She flew from Madrid to Moscow Aeroflot flight SU2605 and from Moscow to HCMC on Aeroflot flight SU292. She was taken to the HCMC's Can Gio Hospital for treatment.

Hanoi is currently the city with most Covid-19 cases in Vietnam with 55, followed by HCMC with 44.

Also Friday, three Covid-19 patients were discharged from the Da Nang Hospital after testing negative three times in succession. Vietnam has so far discharged 20 of its 163 Covid-19 patients.

The Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 199 countries and territories so far, claiming over 24,000 lives.
Helium is the element of drift. It is the second-lightest element in the universe. It allows balloons, released from our hands, to ascend to the sun, whose Greek god, Helios, inspired its name.

On Wednesday morning in San Antonio, there was no sun, and if there were balloons floating through the air, they wouldnt have been seen, as the city awoke to its first day of shelter-in-place in a fog.

Not just a metaphorical fog induced by coronavirus and our inability to see clearly ahead, to make out the outlines of a day when well return to normalcy. But a fog thick enough to shroud the citys skyline and obscure people at a certain distance.

At a certain distance is how we now measure our lives, whether standing in line at the store, working from home or visiting the (few) places we can go when not at home.

At a certain distance is how we bide our time, while hoping the time is soon when the distance will be narrowed.

At a certain distance  social distancing  dictates our lives so our lives will be saved. That were becoming more afraid for our lives and the lives of others is as clear as the empty streets and sidewalks of downtown.

Im a native San Antonian who has lived near or in and worked downtown most of my life. On Wednesday, during the 8 p.m. hour, Alamo Plaza and downtown were darker and less vibrant than any time in my memory.

It was no more alive at 10 a.m. Thursday.

In his brilliant memoir, Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation, John Phillip Santos describes Houston Street as a long, dark avenue of ghosts.

Today, thats not just Houston Street. Its Broadway, Commerce, Losoya, Navarro, Travis, Alamo Plaza and Travis Park. But even the ghosts were absent.

Walking through these streets Thursday, I felt like a character in one of The Twilight Zone episodes  the only person or one of a scattered few who have survived the destruction of the world. The wind blew, and because motorized and human traffic was almost nonexistent, I could hear, as well as see, dry leaves scraping along the street, a Styrofoam cup tumbling down the sidewalk, plastic clinging to a parking meter and a piece of newspaper attach itself to a tree.

Most of the people Ive seen are the homeless who are sheltering in place where theyve been living: downtown streets.

COVID-19 reminds us that a pandemic  like any tragedy afflicting a community and a nation  magnifies existing inequities and suffering, making more visible the people we didnt see or ignored because they were at a certain distance from our view and our conscience.

Whether through homelessness (or being one rent payment away from homelessness), unstable and low-paying jobs, food insecurity, a lack of health insurance and sick paid leave, or the absence of computers and Wi-Fi for children now expected to learn online, weve allowed too many people to drift from our attention, moral concern and responsibility.

Among the many challenges, some unprecedented, that we now face because of COVID-19 is aggressively attacking and eliminating these inequities.

COVID-19 also magnifies the infection of loneliness. There are people  many, but not all, of them older  who were recluses before the virus came, and there are people whose only sense of community was found in the churches, synagogues, mosques, and senior and community centers now closed.

One of our greatest daily challenges during these times is remembering and keeping our eyes open for them, not letting them drift away, forgotten, as a prelude to their silent and unacknowledged deaths. We cant allow the necessity of being physically apart be the reason we dont stay in touch.

That doesnt only include strangers and casual acquaintances but also the people we know well and love.

Thursday morning, on my way to Central Market, I drove past the Catholic Worker House, where a long line of the poor and homeless waited to be served breakfast. The line I stood in at Central Market was shorter, faster moving and serenaded by saxophonist Joe Posada.

As I entered the store, Posada was playing Al Greens Lets Stay Together. When I exited, he was halfway through Hall & Oates One on One.

Because we now measure time at a certain distance with the hope of flattening the COVID-19 curve, our one-on-one interactions are spaced out, online and virtual.

But in, through and beyond this unprecedented time of separation, we must stay together. We need to stay together.

We hold on tight to the strings of helium balloons when were not ready to let them go. Lets hold on to each other so we dont drift apart.

Cary.Clack@express-news.net
NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan on the International Space Station shared this stunning image of Earth from space along with an inspirational message for a world gripped by the coronavirus pandemic. (Image credit: @AstroDrewMorgan/Twitter)

Astronauts at the International Space Station are sharing positivity and stunning images of our home planet from their temporary home in orbit as the world grapples with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Yesterday (March 26), NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan shared a hopeful sentiment from the International Space Station on Twitter . Alongside a stunning image of the Earth, with a piece of the space station in view, he wrote: "Even during our toughest times, we live on a beautiful planet. Stay strong planet Earth, we're in this together. #SpaceStation4all."

Related: Coronavirus impacts from space: Before-and-after satellite photos

Updates: The coronavirus pandemic impacts on space exploration

Even during our toughest times, we live on a beautiful planet. Stay strong planet Earth, we're in this together. #SpaceStation4all pic.twitter.com/KRslbfIO3zMarch 26, 2020 See more

But Morgan isn't the only astronaut using this unique vantage point to take awe-inspiring images that remind us back here on Earth of just how incredible our home really is.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, who is also on board the space station, has been snapping unbelievable images of our planet. When sharing these images, she's been using the hashtag #EarthStrong, which other astronauts have also adopted to share their unique perspectives and connect.

This image below, which Meir shared on March 25, shows Earth juxtaposed against the brilliant, star-filled night sky. "Is it day or is it night? #NoFilter here, while taking photos of the night sky a few weeks ago, the Moon was so bright it lit up the Earth below. Goodnight Earth, let there be light! #GoodnightFromSpace #EarthStrong," she wrote on Twitter .

Is it day or is it night? #NoFilter here, while taking photos of the night sky a few weeks ago, the Moon was so bright it lit up the Earth below. Goodnight Earth, let there be light! #GoodnightFromSpace #EarthStrong pic.twitter.com/ZD2PaUu0BOMarch 25, 2020 See more

A day earlier, on March 24, she shared an image of the United Kingdom, Ireland and part of Europe from space. The image, taken at night, shows all of the lights lit up in the towns and cities below.

"Pretty rare to see the #UK, #Ireland, and (a bit of) #Europe in a single shot without a cloud in the sky ... hopefully a sign of better times ahead for all. Goodnight to my family and friends across the pond! #GoodnightFromSpace #EarthStrong," Meir wrote , seemingly implying that she is seeing changes in how Earth looks as people around the world self-isolate and travel, using less fossil fuels. Earth-orbiting satellites have so far observed significant changes in nitrogen-dioxide emissions over places including Italy and China.

Pretty rare to see the #UK, #Ireland, and (a bit of) #Europe in a single shot without a cloud in the sky . . . hopefully a sign of better times ahead for all. Goodnight to my family and friends across the pond! #GoodnightFromSpace #EarthStrong pic.twitter.com/QaurAS6mcvMarch 24, 2020 See more

Meir shared another particularly stunning snapshot earlier that same day (March 24). She tweeted a swirling image of landforms in Algeria, which, from space, almost look like a painting. "Cause one day of Algerian #EarthArt is never enough ... so much going on down there, open for discussion to sage geologists! #EarthStrong #STEM," Meir shared .

'Cause one day of Algerian #EarthArt is never enough . . . so much going on down there, open for discussion to sage geologists! #EarthStrong #STEM pic.twitter.com/XLBeouaNXfMarch 24, 2020 See more

On March 23, Meir shared another striking, colorful image of Algeria that looks like it could either be a photo of Earth or a profound painting.

"Sending positive Monday vibes to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants. She still looks equally as stunning from up here on @Space_Station. Check out #Algeria, looking like a cross section of a quartz crystal. #EarthArt #EarthStrong," Meir said.

Sending positive Monday vibes to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants. She still looks equally as stunning from up here on @Space_Station. Check out #Algeria, looking like a cross section of a quartz crystal. #EarthArt #EarthStrong pic.twitter.com/5BevToVfwMMarch 23, 2020 See more

These are just a few of the breathtaking images that Meir and others have taken and continue to take and share of Earth from space. These photographs serve as a beautiful reminder that, while humans face incredible challenges here on Earth, our planet is a precious, fragile and magnificent thing.

Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @chelsea_gohd . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook .
Most people do recover from the coronavirus  more than 127,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, which keeps track of the virus and its spread.

Corianne Goldstein, a 32-year-old New Jersey woman who was hospitalized after contracting the virus, is on her way to joining them.

Goldstein, of Matawan, was released from Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel earlier this week and is at home continuing to recover.

Its nice to be back with my husband and my dogs, just really glad to have somebody who can be next to me for the rest of this journey, said Goldstein, a Rowan University graduate and marketing professional who let The Inquirer chronicle her experience with the virus earlier this month because she said she wanted younger people to recognize they could get it.

 READ MORE: These two women in their 30s have the coronavirus and want you to understand that younger people are getting it, too

About two weeks ago, Goldstein broke out in chills and fever, then started coughing and having difficulty breathing. She went to the emergency room on March 17, was diagnosed with double pneumonia, and tested positive for the virus. At one point, she was unable to talk, and communicated from her hospital room by text.

But in time, her symptoms started to ease. She was discharged Wednesday, just as the hospital became more crowded, she said.

Part of the thing that makes coronavirus, to me at least, so problematic is that youre alone for all of it, she said. You literally get whisked away from your family. You can talk to them, but you cant see them. If anything went wrong  I would have been alone.

Shes still tired and short of breath, she said, and doctors told her it could take from four to six weeks for her to fully recover. She said she was treated with Plaquenil, a drug used in the treatment of malaria and chronic rheumatoid arthritis, and antibiotics. There is no cure for the virus.

Her doctor, she said, told her she had some damage to her lungs that will have to be addressed later.

The virus might be gone, but the results of what it did to me are not, she said.

Also recovering is Elena Blanc, 31, a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., and also shared the story of her own sickness with The Inquirer. Her primary care doctor told her the illness was likely COVID-19, but because of test shortages and the fact that she doesnt have underlying conditions that would make her more susceptible to bad outcomes, she would not be tested unless her symptoms worsened. She was not hospitalized.

"My fever finally went away, and my breathing and cough are much better, Blanc, a full-time graduate student in the economics department at the New School for Social Research, said by email.
Demotech has affirmed 37 of the 46 Florida-based companies rated by the actuarial firm, as of March 26, according to information gathered from Demotechs website. That leaves fewer than 10 Florida insurers that are still awaiting a decision on their financial stability ratings (FSR) from the Ohio-based ratings agency.

Demotech said it is continuing to review both public and proprietary financial information and have discussions about business plans with the yet-to-be-affirmed insurers.

In mid-March, Demotech affirmed a slew of companies (see chart) and this week affirmed several others, including Capitol Preferred Insurance Co., Gulfstream P&C Insurance Co., and Security First Insurance Co.

The companies that are still in discussions and will either be affirmed or downgraded, as of March 26, include: Avatar Property & Casualty Insurance Co., Centauri Specialty Insurance Co., Cypress Property & Casualty, Omega Insurance Co., Safepoint Insurance Co., Tower Hill Select Insurance Co., and Tower Hill Signature Insurance Co.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved Tower Hill Select and Omega merging into Tower Hill Signature on March 25.

Demotech Actions

Demotech has downgraded a number of carriers. Another subset of the carriers that we review and rate have opted to be purchased so that investors can exit the Florida residential property insurance marketplace. A larger number have been affirmed based upon (or in spite of?) their year-end operating results. Another group continues to dialogue with us and share their thoughts on the marketplace, how their business model must adapt, etc., Demotech President and Founder Joseph Petrelli said in a statement to Insurance Journal on March 25.

Companies that have not had their ratings affirmed as of press time are not necessarily being downgraded, and delays in ratings affirmations should not be misconstrued, according to Demotech. Many companies have avoided ratings downgrades by being acquired (see chart), or injecting significant capital into their books, while others have been able to sustain their rating by providing Demotech proprietary or confidential information that is not in the public domain, the company said.

Florida Insurers Financial Stability Rating (FSR) American Coastal

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 American Integrity

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 American Platinum P&C

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 American Traditions

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Anchor P&C Insurance Co.

M  Downgraded 1/14/20; Ceased operations; Policies acquired by Homeowners Choice Avatar P&C

A; Last Affirmed 12/13/19; Awaiting Update (Previously announced merger w/Centauri canceled) Bankers Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Capitol Preferred Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/23/20 Castle Key Indemnity Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Castle Key Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Centauri Specialty Insurance

FSR Under Review 3/21/20 Cypress P&C

A; Affirmed 12/3/19; Awaiting Update Edison Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 FedNat Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 First Community Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 First Protective Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Florida Family Home

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Florida Family Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Florida Peninsula Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Frontline Insurance Unlimited

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Gulfstream P&C Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/23/20 Heritage P&C Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Homeowners Choice P&C

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Maison Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Monarch National Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Olympus Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Omega Insurance Co.

Being Acquired by Tower Hill Signature Insurance Peoples Trust Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Prepared Insurance

Being Acquired by Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp. Safe Harbor Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Safepoint Insurance Co.

A; Last Affirmed 12/4/19; Awaiting Update Security First Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Southern Oak Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Stillwater Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Stillwater P&C Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 St. Johns Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Tower Hill Preferred

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Tower Hill Prime

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Tower Hill Select

Being Acquired by Tower Hill Signature Insurance Tower Hill Signature

A; Last Affirmed 12/3/19; Awaiting Update TypTap

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 United P&C Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Universal Insurance Co. of North America

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Universal P&C Insurance

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 US Coastal P&C

A; Affirmed 3/18/20 Weston Insurance Co.

A; Affirmed 3/19/20 A = Unsurpassed A= Unsurpassed; A= Exceptional; S = Substantial; M = Moderate

In comments on its March 23 affirmation of Gulfstream P&C, Demotech Vice President Sharon M. Romano Petrelli said a delay in a rating affirmation should not be made into something bigger than it is. Gulfstreams company business model kept them at the A level, despite increases in reinsurance costs anticipated in 2020 and litigation trends in the state. The management team at Gulfstream has met or exceeded our financial metrics for the past several years, she said.

Joseph Petrelli added that while Demotech reviews public information on all the carriers it reviews and rates, it also reviews holding company and affiliated entity financials when necessary.

Gulfstream invited us to do so to better understand how they had positioned themselves to address the myriad issues facing the residential property insurance markets in Florida, Petrelli said. Given the breadth and scope of their capability to honor their commitment to policyholders, we needed additional time to digest their additional information.

For Security First, which was affirmed on March 24, Petrelli said succession planning, managing claim litigation in a difficult judicial environment, and astute reinsurance purchasing are three facets of the companys enterprise risk management program that support sustaining an FSR at the A level, despite the projected increases in reinsurance costs anticipated in the near future.

Demotech did not release a statement on the ratings affirmation of Capitol Preferred, which has a 36.5% rate increase request still under consideration by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. The companys CEO told regulators at a rate hearing in February that the company needed the increase because of reinsurance costs, assignment of benefits (AOB) abuse and first party lawsuits.

January Warning

These long-awaited ratings announcements follow Demotechs warning in January that it may downgrade as many as 18 of the 46 Florida domestic insurers it rates.

In a letter to Floridas Citizens Property Insurance President and CEO Barry Gilway that was obtained by Insurance Journal, Petrelli outlined several factors in the state that were placing insurer ratings in jeopardy, including abuse of assignment of benefits agreements and first party litigation.

The economics of the marketplace over the past several years have made it impossible for Demotech to sustain each of the Florida focused carriers that we review each quarter at a [FSR] of A, Exceptional, he said.

Petrelli said that after Demotech reviewed the third quarter 2019 financials of carriers, it requested year-end projections of operating results for nearly half of the 40-plus carriers it reviews and rates.

Having provided these carriers with ample time to implement revised business models, secure capital infusions, implement rate revisions, re-underwrite established books of business and utilize other enterprise risk management activities, it is apparent that few have returned to profitability, Petrelli wrote.

Since then, several Florida companies have made moves. Anchor P&C ceased its operations and sold its policies to Homeowners Choice Insurance. Prepared Insurance was acquired by Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp. This week, the state approved the merger of the two Tower Hill companies.

Demotech would not disclose the names of the insurers it is still reviewing, but Petrelli said he expects it will announce several downgrades at the end of March. Petrelli told Insurance Journal this week that Demotech is in the process of having thoughtful and focused discussions with the management of the insurers not yet affirmed.

If we are convinced that their action has addressed previous matters brought to their attention, and will facilitate their operational effectiveness in the ever-changing circumstances of the most difficult operating environment in the US, and provide them with the opportunity to make a reasonable profit, we sustain the Financial Stability Rating, he said.

He also noted that some downgrades from A FSR (Exceptional) to S (Substantial) are as much a reflection on the operating environment in Florida as they are on a carrier.

It is the marketplace more than carrier-specific metrics that is driving the need for downgrades. If these carriers were focused on any other jurisdiction, they would be sitting in the drivers seat, he said.

Petrelli added that carriers that have sustained their ratings to date have shown Demotech how they intend to fulfill their commitment to Floridians through their business model.

Related:

Topics Carriers Florida Reinsurance Property Property Casualty
DETROIT - A truck collided with a pedestrian bridge early Friday in Detroit, sending a portion of the span onto a freeway and blocking traffic along part of the heavily travelled thoroughfare, authorities said.

No one was injured in the collapse onto westbound Interstate 94, Lt. Mike Shaw, a Michigan State Police spokesman, said in an email.

The freeway in both directions was closed after the collapse, which was caused by a truck apparently carrying a large load hitting the bridge at some point after 5 a.m, said Diane Cross, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

We believe it was pulled down by a high load hit, probably a car-hauler, but Michigan State Police still have to determine the cause of that, she told The Associated Press.

Cross said the bridge would have to be demolished and that a company would be paid about $86,000 to remove the entire structure.

The portion of the bridge over I-94s eastbound lanes was still standing early Friday, but cleanup and demolition began later in the morning. Officials hope to reopen I-94 at that location Friday night, Cross said.

Before the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-at-home order reduced traffic, about 140,000 vehicles on average were using the highway daily. Highway traffic in the Detroit area is estimated to be down about 50% because of the pandemic, she said.

State police reported on Twitter that the agency was notified about 5:20 a.m. that part of the Townsend Pedestrian Bridge near Van Dyke Avenue had fallen.

In 2014, a pedestrian bridge over a different Detroit freeway was pulled down by a trash truck. The truck driver died and two other vehicles were struck by debris when that bridge fell onto the Southfield Freeway.
By PTI

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus after experiencing "mild symptoms", becoming the first world leader to announce the infection.

Minutes after Johnson's announcement, his health secretary Matt Hancock tweeted that he too was infected and was in self-isolation.

In a video message posted on Twitter, the 55-year-old Johnson said he will continue to lead the UK government's response to the deadly virus, which has claimed 578 lives in the country.

"Over the last 24 hours, I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus," he tweeted.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.



I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus.



Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri  Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

Hancock, who is a key member of Johnson's coronavirus "War Cabinet", said in a video message that he will be self-isolating until Thursday.

"Following medical advice, I was advised to test for coronavirus. I've tested positive," Hancock posted on Twitter.

Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus.



Ive tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and Im working from home & self-isolating.



Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij  Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 27, 2020

The 41-year-old minister said: "Fortunately for me, the symptoms so far have been very mild so I've been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response."

The two announcements sent shockwaves across the top rung of the UK government, with most senior ministers and civil servants in and out of 10 Downing Street as they work to curb the spread of the pandemic.

There are more than 11,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, and 578 people have died - a jump of 100 in a single day on Thursday.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has previously tested negative for the deadly virus after displaying cough symptoms, will be the next in command in case Johnson has to take some time off if he gets more ill.

The news comes just days after it was confirmed that Prince Charles had been diagnosed with COVID-19 but was displaying similarly mild symptoms.

Clarence House said the 71-year-old heir to the British throne was self-isolating in Scotland and remained in "good health" as he continued to work from home.

Earlier this week, the prime minister's spokesperson had confirmed that if Johnson was unwell and unable to work, Raab, as the First Secretary of State, was the selected minister to stand in.

" But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus," Johnson stressed in the video message posted on his Twitter account.

The other cause for concern within Downing Street quarters would be for Johnson's pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds, who is expecting the couple's child in a few months' time.

It is not known if she would move out of Downing Street to self-isolate separately because pregnant women generally are advised to follow social distancing more stringently, and minimise social contact for up to 12 weeks.

The UK prime minister tried to reassure the British public as he revealed that he had a temperature and a persistent cough as part of the mild symptoms of COVID-19 and stressed that he and the country will 'get through it' by applying the measures he had announced earlier this week.

He repeated his call for everyone to 'stay at home, protect the National Health Service, and save lives'.

Sounding optimistic and insisting that 'we will win', he used his message to also thank the NHS, which is at the frontline of the medical fight against the rapid spread of COVID-19, and said he had been moved by a national effort on Thursday night when people across the country stepped out of their homes to clap their hands in appreciation for the NHS.

"It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it's not just the NHS, it's our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP [Department for Work and Pensions] staff; I want to thank everybody who's working to keep our country going through this epidemic," he said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said that after experiencing mild symptoms on Thursday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

The test was carried out in No 10 Downing Street by National Health Service (NHS) staff and the result of the test was positive.

"In keeping with the guidance, the prime minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the mother of Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, remains in isolation in Windsor Castle and it has been confirmed that she last met Johnson for one of their regular meetings on March 11.

While it is unconfirmed if the 93-year-old monarch has been tested so far, her aides would be relieved at her exposure now over the 14-day mark, believed to be the incubation period of the virus.
This week we saw the Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited (HKG:392) share price climb by 12%. But over the last half decade, the stock has not performed well. In fact, the share price is down 55%, which falls well short of the return you could get by buying an index fund.

Check out our latest analysis for Beijing Enterprises Holdings

While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

While the share price declined over five years, Beijing Enterprises Holdings actually managed to increase EPS by an average of 9.6% per year. Given the share price reaction, one might suspect that EPS is not a good guide to the business performance during the period (perhaps due to a one-off loss or gain). Or possibly, the market was previously very optimistic, so the stock has disappointed, despite improving EPS.

Because of the sharp contrast between the EPS growth rate and the share price growth, we're inclined to look to other metrics to understand the changing market sentiment around the stock.

In contrast to the share price, revenue has actually increased by 6.6% a year in the five year period. A more detailed examination of the revenue and earnings may or may not explain why the share price languishes; there could be an opportunity.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:392 Income Statement March 27th 2020

Beijing Enterprises Holdings is a well known stock, with plenty of analyst coverage, suggesting some visibility into future growth. You can see what analysts are predicting for Beijing Enterprises Holdings in this interactive graph of future profit estimates.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of Beijing Enterprises Holdings, it has a TSR of -49% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 17% in the twelve months, Beijing Enterprises Holdings shareholders did even worse, losing 35% (even including dividends) . 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 13% 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 Beijing Enterprises Holdings better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Beijing Enterprises Holdings you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney has made a stark warning that the invisible enemy, coronavirus, is "just beginning" its spread throughout the country.

The grim prediction came as the outgoing Seanad debated and passed emergency laws to give effect to a 3.7bn wage and welfare package, protections for tenants and the hiring of medical and army staff.

Senators raised concerns about the lack of protective equipment for frontline health workers and the inability to police social distancing on building sites.

Sinn Fains Maire Devine also lashed out at US president, Donald Trump, after he suggested that the decades-old malaria drug chloroquine be used on coronavirus patients.

She said there is a need for accurate information "unlike that idiot across the Atlantic whose gung-ho attitude is promoting lethal medicine as a cure".

Ms Devine added: "A witch doctor is the last thing health science needs.

But it was the warning from Mr Coveney which stood out from the days proceedings: In truth, we know we must brace ourselves for much worse to come. This is not nearly over.

"As was outlined by the Chief Medical Officer, this invisible enemy is just beginning its spread through our country and people.

"We know from the experience of other countries and the mathematical predictions available that a great deal is still to come.

With votes or amendments forced by Opposition senators, many praised frontline health and retailer workers. The house also applauded them

Outgoing senator and former minister, Kevin Humphreys, said: I hope at the end of this, we realise they are the real risk-takers.

But with the 25th Seanad now dissolved and doubt existing about the full formation of the next Upper House without a new government to appoint 11 of its 60 members, the parliament can no longer pass emergency laws.

This was confirmed by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this week. Counting to elect 49 members of the 26th Seanad will begin on Monday.

[snippet1]987277[/snippet1]
What happened

Shares of German auto giant Volkswagen AG (OTC:VWAGY) were down on Friday after its CEO told a German television channel that the company is burning billions while its factories are idled and may soon have to cut jobs.

VW's Frankfurt-listed shares were down more than 7% in late trading on Friday. As of 12:00 p.m. EDT, VW's American depositary shares were down about 6.9% from Thursday's closing price.

So what

In a talk-show interview on German television channel ZDF, CEO Herbert Diess said that even with most of its factories idled, Volkswagen is still spending about 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) per week. The company might soon have to cut jobs if the coronavirus pandemic is not brought under control, he said.

Diess said that VW, which employs about 671,000 people around the world, isn't making any sales outside of China, where its factories are getting back up to speed as the threat of the virus fades. VW is looking at how it might reopen some of its factories elsewhere without endangering workers, he said.

Diess's remarks on ZDF were reported by Reuters.

VW announced production halts at all of its European factories on March 16. It has also closed its plants in the United States, Mexico, and other parts of the world.

Now what

As with most companies right now, it's impossible to predict what lies ahead. VW reported strong 2019 earnings on March 17 but declined to update its guidance to auto investors at that time. The company said that it will provide an updated outlook for 2020 later in the year.
Until a vaccine is ready, widespread testing is one of the key strategies employed to flatten the curve of pandemic.

Dakar, Senegal  Researchers this week began validation trials on a COVID-19 diagnostic test that can be done at home and produce results in as little as 10 minutes  all for $1.

The plan is to manufacture the tests in Senegal and the United Kingdom and, if the validation testing meets regulatory standards, they could be distributed across Africa as early as June.

Our focus is to provide tests to the African continent, Amadou Sall, director of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, told Al Jazeera.

Sall and his team of researchers in the Senegalese capital, who previously worked on vaccines for yellow fever and dengue, developed the prototype for the diagnostic test in partnership with Mologic, a British biotech company founded by the inventor of a widely used pregnancy test.

200326065117792

Once ready, the tests will be produced in the UK and at a new Dakar-based facility managed by DiaTropix, a subsidiary of the Pasteur Institute that focuses on infectious disease testing.

According to Sall, the Dakar site will have an initial capacity to produce up to four million tests annually. The developers are also in early-stage talks for local manufacturing sites to be set up in other parts of the continent.

When COVID-19 hit, we knew from the beginning that Africa would be disproportionally affected, Joe Fitchett, the medical director of Mologic told Al Jazeera. With a test like this, you can detect [the virus] very quickly on any part of the continent and then avoid transmission.

To detect as many people as possible, Fitchett says the test will be sold at cost-price  which is approximately $1  thanks to grant support from the UK government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The point is to keep it to the bottom, Fitchett said, adding they would work with suppliers to keep the price as low as possible.





Game-changer?

COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, has no vaccine or known treatment.

Until a vaccine is ready, widespread testing is seen as one of the most important strategies used to flatten the curve  slowing the spread of the contagion in an attempt to prevent already stretched healthcare systems from being overrun.

200319085112877

Earlier this month, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to build up their testing capacity to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, calling them to test, test, test.

The most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission. And to do that, you must test and isolate, he told reporters in Geneva. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded. And we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected.

With tests at advanced, centralised laboratories still costly and taking hours to complete, dozens of companies worldwide are working to develop rapid, easy-to-use kits and distribute them widely  but questions remain over their accuracy.

Price and availability, however, are not the only barriers to widespread use. By developing a test that can be done at home without any need for electricity, the researchers in Senegal say it can be of particular use in rural communities where power is limited, and laboratories are near inaccessible.

Their test can be done in two different ways  using saliva or blood. Those with an active infection would use a saliva swab to detect the new coronavirus, while those with a previously undetected case would use an at-home finger prick test to check for coronavirus antibodies.

There are currently more than 2,800 confirmed cases in 45 of the continents 54 countries. While that is still significantly lower than the current epicentre in Europe, some analysts fear Africa is on course to follow a similar trajectory.

Such a scenario would spell disaster in a continent that accounts for 1 percent of global health expenditure but carries 23 percent of the disease burden. Weaker health systems, poor sanitation and water shortages are just some of the additional challenges that would make it harder to fight the virus.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has significantly ramped up its prevention strategy in recent weeks, training labs in 43 countries, a swift increase from only two countries that were able to test for the disease in February. It has also been providing 1,000 test kits to any country with cases. Chinese billionaire Jack Ma donated an additional 1.1 million test kits. But that still is only a drop in the bucket compared with what will be needed.

In times like these, its difficult for African governments to purchase tests which are also cheaper and cost-effective, Prashant Yadav, a global supply chain analyst at the Center for Global Health, told Al Jazeera.

That is why he says the continent having a test of its own could be a game-changer. Youre giving people on the continent access to a new test which very other few groups have had access to, Yadav said.





Independent assessment critical

Prototypes for the diagnostic test are now being assessed by two laboratories in the UK; the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and St Georges University London. Additional tests have been sent for independent assessment at labs around the world, including Senegal, Spain, China, Malaysia and Brazil.

200323065933020

The development of the prototype comes less than three weeks after Mologic was awarded one million British pounds ($1.2m) from the UK government as part of a 46-million British pound ($56m) fund for international coronavirus prevention and research. That is lightning-fast for a diagnostic test, which typically takes years to develop.

Fitchett credited Mologics partnership with the Pasteur Institute in Dakar for speeding up the process.

At the same time, he emphasised the importance of following all proper validation procedures.

Independent assessment is so critical, which is why were working with top labs on every continent, Fitchett said. Its not in our interest to send something out thats no good.

Authorities have been cracking down on a rise in fake testing kits being distributed, often sold at a high markup, as people around the world search desperately to get tested amidst shortages.
The United States on Friday announced USD 174 million financial assistance to 64 countries including USD 2.9 million to India to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic.

This is in addition to the USD 100 million aid announced by the US in February.

The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of the global pandemic.

The US State Department said it is providing USD 2.9 million to help the Indian government prepare laboratory systems, activate case finding and event-based surveillance, and support technical experts for response and preparedness, and more.

"This builds upon the foundation of more than USD 1.4 billion in health assistance out of the more than USD 2.8 billion in US assistance for India over the last 20 years," the State Department said.

According to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick, the new assistance builds on the US' record of global health leadership.

"For decades, the United States has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in public health. The US has saved lives, protected people who are most vulnerable to disease, built health institutions, and promoted the stability of communities and nations," he told reporters.

In South Asia, the State Department is providing USD 1 million in health funding to help it strengthen monitoring and better prepare communities to identify potential outbreaks.

To bolster its national COVID-19 action plan, the United States has also redirected more than USD 1 million in existing funding for training of healthcare providers and other urgent needs.

It is providing USD 1.3 million to Sri Lanka, USD 1.8 million to Nepal, USD 3.4 million to Bangladesh and USD 5 million to Afghanistan to help them fight the pandemic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Google's support for the fight against COVID-19 includes more than advisories and a search hub. The internet firm is making a $800 million-plus investment in multiple areas to aid treatment, support businesses and keep the public informed. This includes direct financial backing and know-ow, including partnering with supplier Magid GlovE & Safety to produce 2-3 million face masks for the CDC Foundation in the "coming weeks." It'll also assist the government, manufacturers and distributors in producing ventilators.

The business assistance includes a $200 million fund for financial institutions and non-governmental organizations to help small businesses get funds. All small businesses with active accounts over the past year will have access to a pool of $340 million in Google Ads credits.

Google's remaining funds include $250 million in ad grants for the WHO and government agencies to provide vital information (a leap from $25 million in February) and $20 million Google Cloud credits for academics using remote computing power to study possible treatments and track data. On top of this, Google is raising its employees' annual donation matching limit from $7,500 to $10,000.

Google isn't alone among tech companies in contributing extensive resources to dealing with the pandemic. However, this is clearly a large contribution -- and one that might be necessary as infection rates surge in the US and prompt widespread store closures.
A Gloria Jeans franchisee gave up on Wednesday. "I just closed my store and walked out. I informed centre management and they appeared to be on board."

Others, struggling financially for years, plan to pull the plug as sales crashed up to 90 per cent in the past week. "There is no foot traffic in any of the shopping centres and no one wants to shop or buy a coffee now they are not allowed to sit down to have it. How can we pay rent and other bills?", another said.

The $180 billion franchise sector is in crisis as brands across the country including Gloria Jeans, Grilld and Sushi Sushi close stores and stand down thousands of staff or ask them to reduce their hours by 20 to 40 per cent as the COVID-19 pandemic decimates sales.

Michael Sherlock is the original founder of the Brumby's bakery chain and believes franchisors should give royalty relief to franchisees. Credit:Jason South

The sector directly employs more than 500,000 workers and tens of thousands of small businesses, many are located in shopping centres which remain open and therefore continue to charge rent.
More than two-thirds of Hungarians support the government bill submitted to parliament on coronavirus protection and extending the state of emergency, according to a survey by the Szazadveg Foundation.

Szazadveg conducted the survey after opposition parties voted against the bill earlier this week arguing that it fails to contain a time limit for maintaining the state of emergency. Szazadveg said that 81% heard about the oppositions veto.



Sixty-eight percent of respondents said parties should support the bill whereas 24% said that it would give the government excessive powers, it said. It found that 87% of right-wing voters and 58% of those in the centre support the bill.



Among left-wing voters, 49% said extending the state of emergency would give the government excessive powers, while 41% of them supported such a measure.



Szazadveg conducted the survey with a sample of 1,000 adults between March 23 and 25.



MTI Photo: Csaba Krizsan
Democracy looks different for the Napa County Board of Supervisors under the COVID-19 emergency.

Only a handful of chairs are scattered around the Board chamber so members of the public keep at least six feet apart. Two of the five supervisors  Brad Wagenknecht and Belia Ramos  have been telecommuting, their images displayed on a large screen.

Public comments still take place at these public meetings that are largely devoid of the public, but in a different way. Only a few people go to the microphone to address supervisors live.

Rather, people watching video-casts of the meeting are submitting comments by email. Clerk of the Board Jose Luis Valdez reads these comments aloud to the Board. Some people phone in comments.

This is democracy at a social distance.

Some might wonder why supervisors dont take a break until the world is back to normal. Board chairperson Diane Dillon addressed that matter at the start of the March 25 meeting.

We had thought about canceling it, but theres a lot of county business that needs to be done, Dillon told her live and virtual audience. Its essential that it occur.

Among other things, supervisors heard the latest about COVID-19 from Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Relucio. They heard a mid-year budget review, prompting supervisors to wonder how the COVID-19 shutdown will affect county finances.

They also declared the countys former Health and Human Services Agency campus on Old Sonoma Road as surplus property so the county can try to sell it. Was that essential business?

County Executive Officer Minh Tran gave the rationale for including the Old Sonoma Road sale on the agenda. The county wants the site to be used for housing in a county and state facing high housing prices and housing is essential.

Napa Countys long-distance democracy had blips at the first March 17 attempt. Supervisors heard an appeal over Bremer Family Winery. Attorney William McKinnon, participating from San Francisco on behalf of the appellants, had trouble getting attention in the Board room to say that he wanted to speak.

Ive never seen anything like this, he said at one point over the Zoom videoconferencing system being used by the county.

The March 25 attempt went more smoothly. The meeting kept moving along, rather than experiencing occasional pauses for technical issues.

Kellie Anderson, who often attends Board of Supervisors meetings, is sheltering-at-home in Angwin and watching the meetings on Zoom. She is submitting comments by email.

I think they are doing a great job, in terms of getting that Zoom program up, Anderson said.

But she doesnt want the county to tackle potentially controversial, non-emergency projects, such as winery expansions, until people feel they can once again attend without COVID-19 fears.

Its being in the room, its watching whos saying what, its being able to communicate with other folks in the room  youre denied that, Anderson said.

Also, some people who want to participate might not be tech-savvy enough to use such things as Zoom, she said.

The Napa City Council is also having to adapt to the COVID-19 emergency. Mayor Jill Techel said the council held a closed-session meeting on Tuesday. Council members now sit six feet from each other and staff to meet social distancing requirements.

The council has so far been attending in person, Techel said, adding the city is still looking at options for how council members might attend remotely.

The City Council is scheduled to hold its next meeting on March 31. Techel said the council will take care of things that need to be done during the emergency and noncontroversial items.

Local public meetings are governed by the states Brown Act. Gov. Gavin Newsom during the COVID-19 emergency has authorized local governments to allow expanded use of teleconferencing. He waived any requirements that public officials or members of the public must be physically present to participate.

Editors note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to all online readers. If youd like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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.
Google announced to have warned users of almost 40,000 alerts of state-sponsored phishing or malware attacks during 2019.

Google shared data on alerts related to state-sponsored attacks, the tech giant revealed that it issued almost 40,000 alerts of state-sponsored phishing or malware attacks to its users during 2019.

The number of alerts decreased by 25% when compared to 2018, possible reasons for this drop could be the increased efficiency of defense measures implemented by Google, but we cannot underestimate the risk of an increased level of sophistication of the attacks that allowed nation-state actors to fly under the radar.

We have a long-standing policy to send you a warning if we detect that your account is a target of government-backed phishing or malware attempts. In 2019, we sent almost 40,000 warnings, a nearly 25 percent drop from 2018. wrote Toni Gidwani, a Security Engineering Manager with Googles Threat Analysis Group (TAG).

One reason for this decline is that our new protections are workingattackers efforts have been slowed down and theyre more deliberate in their attempts, meaning attempts are happening less frequently as attackers adapt.

The implementation of more protective measures may have forced attackers to slow down their campaigns to avoid detection.

Google pointed out that users like members of political campaign teams, journalists, activists, dissidents, executives, industries such as finance or government are most exposed to the nation-state attacks, a trend confirmed during 2019. State-sponsored hackers repeatedly go after their targets, according to Google in 2019, one in five accounts that received a warning was targeted multiple times by attackers.

Weve yet to see people successfully phished if they participate in Googles Advanced Protection Program (APP), even if they are repeatedly targeted. APP provides the strongest protections available against phishing and account hijacking and is specifically designed for the highest -risk accounts. continues the post.

Nation-state attackers often exploit zero-day vulnerabilities in their campaigns, when Google experts detect an attack that takes advantage of this kind of flaws, they report the issue to the vendor and give them seven days to patch or produce an advisory or they release an advisory.

Google TAG reported the case of a single threat actor that employed five zero-day vulnerabilities in a relatively short time frame. The exploits were used in watering hole attacks and spear-phishing attacks. Most of the targets observed by Google were from North Korea or individuals who worked on North Korea-related issues.

The Google Advanced Protection Program (APP) aims at protecting anyone who is at risk of targeted online attacks, such as spear-phishing attampts.

Advanced Protection uses security keys to help protect your emails, documents, contacts, or other personal data. Even if a hacker has your password, they wont be able to get access to your account without your security key. reads the APP page.

A security key is a small physical device that helps prove that its you signing in to your phone, tablet, or computer. You can also use the built-in security key in an iPhone running iOS 10+ or an Android 7+ device. You need your security keys only when you sign in for the first time on a computer, browser, or device. After that, youll only be asked for your password.

The Threat Analyst Group announced that it will continue to identify bad actors and share relevant information about their TTPs with others in the industry.

Pierluigi Paganini
Gov. Tony Evers has ordered all bars and restaurants to close. All schools have been closed. All hair salons and barbershops have been closed. And all gatherings of over 10 people have been banned. That includes weddings, funerals and church services of more than 10 people. Then, this week, the governor issued a Safer at Home order, putting further restrictions on people and businesses until April 24.

Workers have been sent home and businesses closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

And yet, despite forcing thousands of businesses to close their doors and hundreds of thousands of people in Wisconsin to stop working, the governor remains insistent on going forward with the scheduled April 7 election.

That is preposterous.

The governor has sent out daily messages to the public, warning people to stay home.

In his message to the public released over the weekend, Evers said: First responders, nurses and so on are putting their lives and their hearts on the line to help us get through this. Now what we can do to help them is frankly stay home. Whatever we can do to stay at home will help those health care workers do the jobs that they need to do to help us get through this.
Detention of historian charged with student murder extended for six months

 RAPSI, Natalya Vaneyeva

17:26 27/03/2020

ST. PETERSBURG, March 27 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  The Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg on Friday extended detention of history professor Oleg Sokolov charged with killing his postgraduate student Anastasia Yeshchenko until September 23, the United press service of the citys courts reports.

Moreover, on Friday, the court scheduled an open hearing for the case consideration on merits for April 9.

Investigation into the defendant was completed, the indictment was approved. In addition to the murder, the historian stands charged with ammunition trafficking.

According to investigators, rescuers pulled the 63-year reader out of a local river early on November 9 and hospitalized. Womans severed hands and a nonlethal pistol were found in his backpack. Other parts of her body were found in his flat. The man was arrested when left the hospital the next day. He voluntary surrendered.

The victim was identified as the 24-year postgraduate student of the St. Petersburg State University and Sokolovs partner.

The professor pleaded guilty. He said that he gunned the woman and broke up her body.

Sokolov is a historian and ideologist of reconstruction of Napoleonic period battles. He has been conferred the Legion of Honor, the French national award instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte.




Ukraine's economy better prepared for crisis, its fall will be at level of other countries

Ukraine's economy is better prepared for the crisis and its decline will be at the level of other countries, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Dmytro Sologub has said.

"Even if we see a crisis situation, it will not be much worse than in other countries," Sologub said during an online press briefing in Kyiv.

He noted that following the global crisis of 2008-2009, the subsidence of the Ukrainian economy was much larger than that of neighboring countries. In 2009, Ukraine's GDP fell by 15%, while Poland showed positive growth dynamics, while the EU countries showed a decrease of 3%.

"Now, in cooperation with the IMF, we do not see such catastrophic scenarios when Ukraine will be much worse than others," Sologub added.

He specified that the NBU is working with the government to forecast the macroeconomic situation, although it is difficult to make forecasts in this situation.
Two Italian cities have adopted bold new measures as they struggle to keep up with growing demand for cremations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Both Milan and Bergamo  which sit in the northern Lombardy region plagued by the virus  have started doing things differently as they deal with their outbreaks.

Milan has temporarily banned non-residents from being cremated in the city, according to local media.

They will still be able to be buried in local cemeteries, Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported.

The mayor, Giuseppe Sala, has signed an order allowing the city to just cremate its own residents while demand outstrips capacity.

The new rule will reportedly come into force this weekend.

Meanwhile in Bergamo  where the most number of infections have been recorded  the army has been called in to transport bodies to other regions for cremation.

A convoy of military vehicles drove coffins out of the city last weekend, according to local paper LEco di Bergamo.

Giorgio Gori, the mayor, welcomed back around 100 urns to the city earlier this week that had been sent away to Bologna, Modena and other cities for cremation, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Authorities had asked for help in dealing with the rising number of dead in Bergamo after the local crematorium struggled to cope with increased demand.

Giacomo Angeloni, the local official for cemeteries, said earlier this month the crematorium was working around the clock and handling around 24 bodies a day  almost twice its normal maximum  and was unable to keep up.

There have been more than 7,400 confirmed coronavirus cases in Bergamo, according to official figures on Friday.

Meanwhile, nearly 7,000 people have been infected with Covid-19 in Milan to date.

Both are in Lombardy, the Italian region which has been the worst-hit by the virus.

The whole country has been in lockdown since 10 March as authorities work to combat the spread of Covid-19, with people only allowed to go outside if it is essential, for example to buy groceries or go to work.

More than 8,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in Italy  the highest number across anywhere in the world.

Additional reporting by Reuters
This article, How Kentucky became a surprising leader in flattening the curve on COVID-19, originally appeared on CNET.com.

As states in the US South and Midwest see their coronavirus infection rates grow, the rate remains notably low in a state with some of the worst health outcomes nationally. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has drawn bipartisan praise for navigating the outbreak in a calm and decisive manner, including declaring a state of emergency in early March that gave local officials time to help residents as well as school, health and other officials protect and plan against the global pandemic.

And his calm, fact-based daily news briefings, which have drawn comparisons to President Franklin Roosevelt's famous fireside chats, have earned Beshear a new status as a sex symbol on social media.

On Tuesday, Kentucky officials reported the state's fourth death due to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, bringing the state's total to 163. In comparison, neighboring Indiana had reported 365 confirmed cases and 12 deaths by Monday. Tennessee, which has 2.3 million more residents than Kentucky, had 517 confirmed cases and one death as of Sunday.

"We've seen states take very different approaches," Beshear, 42, said in a briefing on Sunday. "We have already done a whole lot of what other states are doing in one major -- and sometimes it seems scary -- order."

Asked this week whether his administration has seen positive results from its efforts, Beshear said it was still early. "We are in the midst of it, and I believe we are taking aggressive and important steps that are, and will, save people's lives. But it will be really hard to know exactly how we have done until we are further through it and have more data," he told reporters. "Our numbers aren't necessarily jumping as fast as some other ones are."

As of last week, state public health leaders reported that about 7% of COVID-19 tests conducted in Kentucky had come back positive. The state's junior senator, Rand Paul, also disclosed that he tested positive for the virus, becoming the first member of the Senate to receive such a diagnosis. As reported by local CBS affiliate WYMT, Kentucky is faring average among surrounding states, with a lower percentage than Indiana's 20% and Tennessee's 27% positive-test rate. Kentucky's 7% is, however, higher than rates in West Virginia and Missouri, which have fewer cases and have done less testing. It's also higher than the rate in Virginia, which has double the number of cases and substantially more tests completed.

Beshear's battle to "flatten the curve," or slow the spread of the coronavirus, has been charted in his daily press briefings, where he routinely appears with Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Steven Stack and American Sign Language interpreter Virginia Moore. Beshear's calm, methodical explanations of the state's efforts to combat the spread, always accompanied by repeated reassurances in the face of panic, have received praise across social media.

More telling is the praise the Democratic governor has received from conservative Republicans in the state.

Thank you @AndyBeshearKY for all you are doing and going to do to save Kentucky lives during this COVID-19 National Emergency #TeamKentucky pic.twitter.com/ZynVCixAB1  CM David James (@CouncilmanJames) March 19, 2020

Republican Robert Stivers, president of the Kentucky state Senate, said earlier this month that the Beshear administration's "consistent updates on the state of public health" have helped "efforts to ensure our public health groups are prepared for this situation."

Although both the Kentucky House and Senate had been considering measures to restrict executive branch power in the weeks prior to Beshear's COVID-19 response, Republican David Osborne, Kentucky's Speaker of the House, more recently pledged to aid Beshear's efforts. He told the Courier Journal newspaper that he thinks the governor has the "authority he needs to take action, but we are prepared to step in with additional support if necessary."

Other influential Republican voices have also chimed in with support, including former Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover, who tweeted that Beshear "has done a masterful job leading us in this unprecedented public health crisis. Proud of him (and for this state). I shudder to think what could have been."

Following a conversation with Beshear, US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called on US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a Tuesday release provided to CNET, asking Azar to back the governor's efforts to obtain supplies.

"I urge you to work with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear as his administration requests additional PPE and test kits from your department," McConnell said.

The strategy

By March 4, Kentucky's central lab in the capital city of Frankfort had the ability to run 1,000 tests. Though Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee waited until March 12 to declare a state of emergency, Beshear set Kentucky's wheels in motion sooner, declaring a state of emergency on March 6. Within days, Beshear issued an order to waive co-pays, deductibles and coronavirus testing fees for about 433,000 privately-insured Kentuckians.

For those without private health insurance, much of the groundwork was set by Beshear's father, former Gov. Steve Beshear, who served from 2007 to 2015. That work was reaffirmed by the younger Beshear on taking office in December. Unseating Republican incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin, the younger Beshear swiftly made good on his campaign promise to halt Bevin's widely unpopular efforts to revoke the state's expanded Medicaid coverage for about 480,000 residents.

The same Medicaid expansion, authorized by the Affordable Care Act, was enacted by the former Gov. Beshear. Kentucky covers about 1.3 million people through Medicaid. About 600,000 of them are children.

"I believe we are taking aggressive and important steps that are, and will, save people's lives." Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

The grandson of a preacher, the younger Beshear is open about his faith and quickly called on religious communities to cease weekly gatherings. By March 10, Beshear had cracked down on price gouging through an executive order and directed that all nursing homes and long-term care facilities, with narrow exceptions, be closed to visitors. Two days later, he asked public and private schools to begin shutting down, allowing flexibility to individual districts, which quickly implemented lunch-delivery programs for students. Then childcare centers were closed.

By March 14, the administration's new COVID-19 hotline was receiving 2,000 calls a day.

Without explicitly naming the directive an order to shelter in place, the Beshear administration announced the euphemistic "healthy at home" initiative on Sunday. Some 14 states have implemented similar orders. Beshear's initiative is the social-distancing policy capstone to what's been a nuanced, systematic shutdown of nonessential businesses and government services -- starting with bars and restaurants, and progressing until only grocery stores, auto mechanics, banks and medical facilities remain open. (In accordance with the bourbon-barreling state's unique food and beverage laws, liquor stores will also stay open.)

Amid the layered business closures, the governor's administration loosened the rules around unemployment insurance and established new unemployment phone lines and an application schedule following a surge. Driver's license and Real ID offices have also been closed.

The administration hasn't been alone in its actions. Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. shut down most of the state's courts until April 10, including eviction court. Though housing insecurity is expected to rise in the state, concurrent with household income drops amid job losses, by March 20 most evictions in the state had been halted.

Hospitals are setting up temporary coronavirus facilities or "cough clinics" in Hardin County and Harrison County, the location of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kentucky. As panicked shoppers empty store shelves, Kroger grocery stores in Kentucky and Southern Indiana are reserving the first operating hours exclusively for the use of residents considered at higher risk.

High stakes

For Kentuckians facing a pandemic, the stakes are higher than those in many other states. Kentucky routinely ranks among the worst for resident health outcomes, particularly in rates for smoking, cancer, black lung and cardiopulmonary disease. A Kaiser Family Foundation study said that up to 46% of Kentuckians would be considered high-risk if infected by COVID-19, making the state the sixth most vulnerable in the nation.

Kentucky has only barely recovered from a 2019 hepatitis A outbreak that killed over 50 people and sickened more than 4,400. The state's vulnerability to HIV outbreaks has made it a subject of federal focus. And by the most recent tally, Kentucky was No. 1 in the nation for fentanyl abuse, a finding consistent with the state's regular high-ranking appearances in opioid abuse studies across the nation.

Rural and Appalachian Kentucky remain at the heart of that vulnerability, with limited health care access and a string of recently shuttered hospitals. Just a week before the Beshear administration's sweeping COVID-19 response, the Kentucky General Assembly was weighing legislation aimed at stemming the closure of rural medical facilities after lawmakers discovered that of the state's 64 hospitals (in counties of fewer than 50,000) about 14%-15% of them are ready to default. In January alone, 1,000 area jobs in eastern Kentucky were lost when a hospital in Ashland closed.

Adding to the risk is the uncertainty over the exact capacity of both urban and rural hospitals, with Kentucky's Office of Rural Health recently requesting more information from the Kentucky Hospital Association. On Tuesday, Beshear said the state had about 18,000 hospital beds. A March ProPublica investigation into hospital capacity found that Louisville, the state's largest city, had 4,160 total hospital beds (510 in intensive care), with a 59% occupancy, potentially leaving only 1,700 beds open for incoming patients. Lexington, the state's second largest city, had 5,050 total beds (580 intensive care), leaving 2,070 beds potentially open at 59% occupancy.

Beshear has ordered all hospitals to suspend elective procedures, which could clear space for incoming COVID-19 cases as well as reduce viral spread. On Monday, Beshear told reporters his administration has considered creating "pop-up" facilities with the National Guard and has plans in place to convert hotels into hospitals, with additional beds, if needed.

On Tuesday, Beshear told reporters at a press briefing that the state had been outbid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in one attempt to buy medical personal protective equipment. Kentucky's struggles to obtain COVID-19 tests and medical equipment, and to implement testing statewide, reflect similar struggles faced by states elsewhere. In Kentucky's first reported case, the patient was twice denied testing. Similarly, a Lexington woman had to wait nine days before being tested.

"The test is not yet unlimited. We want the test to be unlimited," Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Steve Stack said during a press conference. "We have voiced our concerns and our needs to the federal government to work with the partners who have the resources to make it unlimited as fast as it can."

Since testing began, Kentucky has prioritized its limited number of test kits, per CDC guidelines, to the most vulnerable patients at highest risk. That means the number of cases in the state may be far higher than charted, with transmission rates much faster.

"We are now just seeing the escalation of this virus and to suggest that there is a short duration that we can almost promise people is not something that we should be doing," Beshear told reporters Tuesday.

"This will not last forever. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel, even though we don't know exactly how far it is away. But as long as we have the strength and the perseverance and the resiliency, we can defeat this coronavirus on the very first try. And that's what we've got to do to protect our people."

With a vaccine potentially as far away as next year, and federal government support for medical supplies still uncertain, Kentucky's governor faces an uphill battle. But it's one in which his state appears ready to rally behind him.

Correction, 8:04 a.m. PT: The governor of Tennessee was incorrectly identified. The governor is Bill Lee.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Amid the novel coronavirus- COVID-19 pandemic in India, the tribals in Telangana and Chhattisgarh borders have started wearing leaves as masks to protect themselves as they have no other alternative. They have also requested the government to provide them masks.

They are tribals , they dont come outside much, they dont mingle with people frequently except in weekly fairs. Outside contact is so less, but they have heard about the novel coronavirus through radios, TV and other ways. They are scared about it so they want to take good care about themselves . They are poor tribals across the Telangana and Chhattisgarh borders. The poor Tribals are also effected with corona scare in the remote corner areas. They have neither masks to wear nor sanitisers to wash hands. So, they wear tree leaves as protective masks of Coronavirus.

When the village head had held a meeting, the tribals arrived with leaves as masks. These tribals are protecting themselves from novel coronavirus as much as they can because they have no other alternative. Its actually a great idea when the population in urban areas, where the scare surrounding the novel coronavirus scare is worse, do not wear any protective gear. Even though they usually dont go out, they still wear masks to protect themselves from the deadly virus .

One tribal man told NewsX, The people of the village heard about novel coronavirus and they are shocked to know about it. They had no other solution. The tribal villages dont have masks so that they are using leaves as masks. We request the government to provide us masks. The maoist-affected tribal villages dont have basic facilities like nutritious food and water. However, they are abiding by the lockdown as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the respective Chief Ministers. They dont want to cross the borders, like the urban population in cities.

Also Read: Coronavirus India: RBI announces moratorium of 3 months on EMIs of term loans, number of cases now at 677, 17 deaths

Some say the tribals are far better than the educated urban population who roam freely even during a curfew. The tribals are taking measures to slow the spread of novel coronavirus. What about us? We should ask ourselves this question and behave in a civilised manner. Tribals are behaving good. One should see how the urban people were behaving during the crisis in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Hundreds of people were left stranded at various checkpoints on the Andhra Pradesh- Telangana borders on Wednesday night as authorities refused to let them enter into the state, in purview of the coronavirus lockdown. This exposed the communication gap and lack of coordination between the authorities of the two States. Due to closure of hostels in cities like Hyderabad, hundreds of people thronged at police stations to get permission to go to their homes. Some went to Telangana and Andhra borders to cross it.

Also Read: Kerala follows Andhra Pradesh, to set up volunteer network to battle coronavirus

As news came in that the student hostels and paying guest facilities were being re-opened in Hyderabad, most of the students chose to come back. They could not wait even for 12 hours and preferred to cross borders in groups . They argued with police and protested at Telangana and Andhra borders. Due to these activities, the possibility of spreading of coronavirus increases.

Also Read: COVID-19 Exclusive: Dr Mukul Chandra Kapoor talks about future of virus, measures to control epidemic

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
Since mid-January, President Donald Trump has spent a total of 12 hours speaking publicly about the novel coronavirus - amounting to more than 137,000 words, according to Factba.se, a data analysis firm. He has tweeted about the virus 138 times. And in the past week alone, the president has spoken for 287 minutes - more than 41/2 hours - during daily coronavirus news conferences.

Trump's on-air ubiquity is part of a deliberate White House strategy to place the president front and center as the pitchman and public relations impresario for the coronavirus response.

He is saturating cable news and Twitter, filling the airwaves and internet with words - often hopeful and optimistic talk that at times contradicts his public health experts, is not always rooted in scientific reality and can veer off topic.

But despite the criticism and alarm Trump's prescriptions have prompted, his poll numbers have ticked up and his dominance of the media landscape has made it more difficult for Democrats - including former Vice President Joe Biden, who leads the presidential field in delegates - to break through with their own message.

A recent Gallup poll showed Trump's approval rating back up to 49 percent, the highest rating of his presidency, from 44 percent earlier this month, with 60 percent of the public approving his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. A more recent Monmouth University poll found 50 percent saying Trump has done a good job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, while 45 percent said he has done a bad job.

In some ways, Trump - a former reality television host who craves the spotlight - has long wanted to be his own press secretary, communications director and chief strategist, believing that just about any crisis can be solved through compelling messaging and his own omnipresence.

Recently, he spoke enthusiastically to aides about reopening the White House briefing room, which has languished under current press secretary Stephanie Grisham, and taking to the lectern himself, said one person familiar with the president's comments, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid details.

The White House has pushed the daily news conference to early evening - a nod to the president's desire to appear in prime time - and over the past two weeks, those daily briefings have lasted an average of nearly 75 minutes each, according to Factba.se.

On Tuesday, in addition to speaking for nearly half of the 41 minute coronavirus news conference, Trump also participated in a virtual Fox News town hall with other virus task force members and conducted a separate Fox News interview. On Thursday, he was slated to appear on Fox News' "Hannity" in addition to the daily news conference.

"During these uncertain and ever-changing times, it is important that the American people are hearing directly from their president," Grisham said in an email. "We have also been ensuring that members of the task force are available to give updates and answer questions. Providing the public with as much information as possible right now is paramount."

When Trump's coronavirus events are not carried live, his allies have publicly complained. On Monday, White House spokesman Judd Deere took to Twitter to call CNN's and MSNBC's decisions not to air the daily briefing in its entirety "pretty disgraceful." On Thursday, Trump's son Eric also griped on Twitter about the media not always showing the full briefing: "This is truly sick in the time of national emergency," he wrote.

But Trump's turns behind the lectern and on television often result in the spread of misinformation, as well as suggestions - such as the president's stated wish to reopen the country by Easter - that undermine his own top public health advisers' positions.

On Wednesday, for instance, a day before the Labor Department announced that a record 3.3 million Americans had applied for unemployment benefits, Trump said he does not believe the economic impact of the coronavirus is "going to end up being such a rough patch." And amid a global pandemic that so far has sickened more than 82,000 Americans and left more than 1,000 dead, he also spoke about "certain states right now that have virtually no problem" and boasted that he and his team have done "one hell of a job."

"It's lucky that you have this group here, right now, for this problem, or you wouldn't even have a country left, OK?" Trump said.

In previous news conferences, he repeatedly pushed for the use of several drugs, including a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, to treat the virus, even though there is so far no scientific proof of their efficacy.

Anthony Fauci, an infectious-disease expert and member of the coronavirus task force, has tried to reconcile Trump's overly optimistic rhetoric with medical facts, arguing in briefings and interviews that the president is a well-intentioned leader seeking solace in unproven anecdotal evidence during a time of crisis.

"He's coming from it from a hope layperson standpoint," Fauci said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "I'm coming at it from a scientific standpoint."

Some medical experts argue that Trump's happy talk is, in fact, dangerous. Benjamin Sommers, a doctor who teaches at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said Trump's near constant media presence, combined with his muddled comments, is further confusing the virus response.

"What we really don't need and what isn't helpful is misinformation or half-formed scientific information being offered from the bully pulpit or fundamentally inconsistent statements day-to-day that leave people quite unclear what the government's doing and what we all ought to be doing as citizens," Sommers said.

Trump's political rivals, too, have tried to turn his constant chatter against him. A pro-Biden super PAC released a nationwide ad this week citing many of Trump's own words to depict him as unprepared and ill-suited to handle a national crisis. Several other groups have also run similar ads juxtaposing Trump's running commentary with the grim reality of the worsening coronavirus crisis.

One ad from the Democratic super PAC group Priorities USA - which highlights Trump's rosy comments about the pandemic while displaying a chart showing the rapidly growing number of coronavirus cases - has drawn particular ire from Trump's allies. The president's campaign has called on television stations to stop running the ad, calling it misleading.

Biden has bluntly called on Trump to speak less. "He should stop talking and start listening to the medical experts," Biden said on CNN on Tuesday.

But Trump's stream of words also poses a serious challenge for Democrats, blocking out their own messages and dusting Trump with a veneer of competence and action.

"You see all these positive images and positive statements for the president, and this president has never appeared to suffer when he's said things that are inaccurate," said Barbara Perry, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs. "It bolsters up the base, and it may just be that those who don't love him but just are crying out for leadership view that as leadership."

Biden, for his part, was initially quiet on the issue, holding calls each morning with a newly assembled group of economic and health advisers but having almost no public presence. Some in his campaign didn't necessarily think that was problematic, believing that Trump would damage himself, but over time Biden faded from relevance and top Democrats - and his own donors - began pleading with the former vice president to do more.

For the first time in decades, Biden finds himself in the midst of a major crisis without any role as an elected official. He also lacks the tapestry of the White House briefing room and instead has been left with a work-from-home setting where a television camera captures him in his basement, a bookshelf and lamp behind him.

"The new technologies are quite effective," Biden told reporters during a briefing Wednesday conducted through Zoom software. He noted that his speech Monday was not covered by the networks but said he was pleased when staff told him it got some 3.8 million views online.

Still, the potential nominee seems in search of a prominent platform, saying he was "chomping at the bit" and waxing nostalgic about his days in the Senate when he would have been "able to impact on some of these things."

"But I am where I am," Biden said. "I hope to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. And I hope I'm able to get my message across as we go forward."

Chris Jackson, the chairman pro tempore of the Lawrence County Commission in Tennessee and a Biden supporter, tweeted Wednesday imploring the media to give Biden similar coverage to Trump.

"The saturation of seeing Trump all day - most Americans don't pay attention to the minutiae of what he says, but all they see is that he's responding on television all day and think he's doing a good job," Jackson said.

For Trump allies, the president's omnipresence can feel reminiscent of the 2016 campaign, when Trump seemed to be everywhere all at once, be it onstage during rallies, on television or on Twitter.

"Putting the president front and center to address the country day after day is a no-brainer," said Cliff Sims, a former White House aide who also worked on the president's 2016 campaign. "The briefings present him as part national leader, part spokesperson, part master of ceremonies. It's a dynamic that plays to his strengths, and the polling data shows the American people are responding favorably to him taking charge in such a public way."

Still, there are historical warning signs for the White House - including the political downfall of presidents such as Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson after they lost credibility with much of the public. The Johnson administration's positive spin about the Vietnam War could not withstand the human toll that was being felt by growing numbers of Americans with slain or wounded relatives.

"The crisis came home, and sometimes your loved one came home in a coffin or maimed," Perry said. "People turned on that president because of the credibility gap."

Whether Trump will face a similar fate remains to be seen.

"We won't know, I guess, until November," she said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Scott Clement and Matt Viser contributed to this report.
The world is awash in crude oil, and is slowly running out of places to put it. Massive, round storage tanks in places like Trieste, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates are filling up. Over 80 huge tankers, each holding up to 80 million gallons, are anchored off Texas, Scotland and elsewhere, with no particular place to go. The world doesnt need all this oil. The coronavirus pandemic has strangled the worlds economies, silenced factories and grounded airlines, cutting the need for fuel. But Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest producer, is locked in a price war ...
A 60-year-old man, who had tested positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan's Bhilwara, has died due to co-morbid conditions related to heart and kidney, an official said on Friday, even as total positive cases in the state rose by seven to touch 50.

T



The man had no travel history abroad, but he had visited a private hospital at Bhilwara for his heart and kidney ailments, officials said, adding, some doctors and nursing staff of the facility had already tested positive for COVID-19.

"The patient died on Thursday night. Doctors have attributed the death to his comorbid conditions," Additional Chief Secretary (health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

His death takes the total number of COVID-19-related casualties in the state to two. However, officials have maintained that both the deaths were due to comorbid conditions.

The state reported seven fresh positive cases on Friday: two in Bhilwara (relatives of the man who died), two in Dungarpur (a father-son duo) and one each in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Churu, the officials said.

The fresh reports take the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 50, while 278 reports are still awaited, they said.

The Dungarpur father-son duo had travelled from Indore (MP) to their native place (Aaspur in Dungarpur) on a motorbike on March 25, the officials said, adding they were screened the next day.

After the fresh case in the walled city area of Jaipur, the administration clamped curfew in seven police station areas: Ramganj, Kotwali, Manak Chowk, Brahampuri, Nahargarh, Galta Gate and Subhash Chowk.

"Curfew has been as a precautionary measure after a 45-year-old man who returned from Oman was tested coronavirus positive, DCP North Dr Rajeev Pachar told PTI.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Leader of Opposition Gulabchand Kataria and BJP state president and MLA Satish Poonia in the presence of senior officials.

The chief minister said the government will ensure that the poor and needy do not sleep hungry due to the ongoing countrywide lockdown.

Medical and Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said, We have also urged all private hospitals in the state to be ready to provide health services in an emergency.

Comorbidity refers to one or more diseases or conditions that occur along with another condition in the person at the same time.

This is the second COVID-19 death in the state. Officials have said that both the deaths were due to comorbidity.

Earlier, an Italian tourist, who was cured of the virus, had later died of heart attack due to lungs and heart problem at a private hospital in the state capital.

The Bhilwara district administration has taken over five private hospitals to boost the isolation facilities for coronavirus patients.

"We have issued orders to take control of five hospitals along with their staff and equipment for COVID-19 related treatment. The Health Department teams have taken control," Bhilwara Collector Rajendra Bhatt said.

As per a Bhilwara district administration's report, 6,445 people have been ordered home-quarantined.

Apart from hospitals, hotel/resort/hostels have also been taken over, in which 1,511 quarantine beds and 12,900 beds in dormitory and halls have been arranged.

A 200-bed isolation ward in the Bhilwara district hospital, besides 35-bed isolation wards in private hospitals too have been set up.

A team of 1,500 health workers and 2,400 police personnel in Bhilwara is currently undertaking the largest screening exercise to trace cases.

They have surveyed over over 5.33 lakh people in 1.06 lakh households.

So far, 21 positive cases have been found in Bhilwara, followed by Jaipur (10), Jhunjhunu (6), Jodhpur (6), Pratapgarh (2), Dungarpur (2) Pali, Sikar and Churu (one each).

Three infected people in the state have recovered.

The state administration had initially imposed a curfew and sealed the borders in Bhilwara and Jhunjhunu districts. The entire state was brought under lockdown on March 22.

Massive screening and survey of suspected people is underway in the state, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Israeli ambulance system normally fields about 6,000 calls a day. Since the coronavirus crisis began, it has been averaging an astounding 100,000 calls a day.

In the southern town of Beersheba, a pair of emergency medical technicians were about 40 minutes into their shift on Tuesday afternoon when things suddenly grew quiet. No panic attacks, no elderly people running out of medicine, no kitchen accidents involving people stuck at home.

So they stepped out of the ambulance to pray.

Avraham Mintz, a Jewish man from Beersheba, wrapped himself in his prayer shawl and turned north towards Jerusalem.

Zoher Abu Jama, an Arabic man from nearby Rahat, unfolded his prayer rug and knelt facing south towards Mecca.

Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Show all 13 1 /13 Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Two girls wash their hands with water from recycled bottles at a rudimentary hand-washing station at La Montana School, Bolivia. Similar hand-washing stations are in use in all schools in areas where water has become scarce Unicef/Ashley Gilbertson VII Photo Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Using a Unicef-supported water point, a woman and her husband wash their child outside their home in the village of Abdoya in Djibouti. Abdoya is in a remote zone, with a desert-like climate, and is home to hundreds of families who live with only a few natural resources Unicef/Shehzad Noorani Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Despite major issues of water scarcity in Jordan, Mahmoud is able to wash his hands and face using a storage tank provided by Unicef. He lives in the Baqaa camp with his parents, brother and sister. The family are refugees from the Palestinian territories Unicef/Sebastian Rich Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Children in India are taken outside to wash their hands before they receive their mid-day meal. A healthcare worker ensures they are washing their hands correctly Unicef/Ashima Narain Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places A child in Malawi uses sanitiser and a tippy tap  a device for hand washing that is operated by a foot lever Unicef/Bennie Khanyizira Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places In the Domiz camp for Syrian refugees, in northern Iraq, a girl helps her brother to wash his hands with water from a tap. More than 30,000 refugees currently live in the camp Unicef/Salam Abdulmunem Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Children wash their hands at Escola Vila Verde in Timor Leste using a facility donated by Unicef Unicef/Helin Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places During a household visit in a Sudanese village, a community health worker demonstrates how to wash hands using soap and water Unicef/Shehzad Noorani - Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places A girl from the Warao community in Venezuela learns how to wash her hands correctly Unicef/Roberto Montico Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Pedrina Toj Sucup teaches her son, Sergio Romeo Toj Sucup, how to wash his hands in the community of Santa Ana Panquix, Guatemala Unicef/Willocq Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places During their break, schoolgirls at Snor Kley school in Cambodia apply the good practices of hand washing they have learned, using water from the school's water and sanitation facility Unicef/Bona Khoy Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places Access to basic sanitation has continued to improve in the Kamwenge district of Uganda Unicef/Zahara Abdul Hand-washing in the world's hardest-to-reach places In Indonesia, a group of children in primary school sing a song about hand washing and the importance of cleanliness Unicef/Shehzad Noorani

A colleague snapped and posted a picture, which appeared to strike a chord far and wide.

The two paramedics pray facing their respective holy places (Magen David Adom)

But the two men said their back-to-back worship was nothing new.

We try to pray together, instead of each one of us taking the time for himself, because we have a lot of situations were dealing with right now, Mr Mintz said. Five people have died of the virus in Israel so far and one in the occupied West Bank.

The whole world is battling this, Mr Abu Jama added. This is a disease that doesnt tell the difference between anybody, any religion, any gender. But you put that aside. We work together; we live together. This is our life.

Mr Abu Jama said he had his ageing mother in mind as he prayed: She is frail, and he has been keeping his distance from her even though they live under the same roof.

Mr Mintz said he had asked God to let me see the end, the good end. Because I know that its a good end. And I hope to be there.

The New York Times
When Ramayan began airing on Doordarshan (DD) on a cold January morning in 1987, few people, including its enthusiastic creator, producer-director Ramanand Sagar, could have foreseen the staggering phenomenon it was to become in the coming months. And soon after its 78 episodes concluded, came the next epic TV blockbuster: filmmaker BR Chopras Mahabharat, which launched in October 1988. Both shows had a Sunday morning slot, a time when the country came to a standstill.

Streets would empty out, shops would shut, telephones would be taken off the hook, appointments cancelled and people who had to work on Sundays would mysteriously disappear for the duration of the shows. Cinemas were known to cancel their morning shows. It was almost like a voluntary lockdown.

Now, the wheel has turned full circle. Once again, you can watch Ramayan and Mahabharat on DD. The streets outside will still be empty  though, its a different kind of lockdown, necessitated by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

When Ramayan and Mahabharat first aired, it was a pre-liberalised India. There was just one television channel: DD. But in the 1980s, a revolution was brewing in the corridors of Mandi House, home to the DD offices. Faced with the proliferation of VCRs and pirated videos, and also to make some money, DD decided to give out programming to independent players (mainly from the film industry) and rope in private sponsors and advertisers as well. Indias first home-grown soap, Hum Log, had already enjoyed a hugely popular run from 1984 to 1985, and was followed up by other hit shows, such as Buniyaad.

But Ramayan and Mahabharat were in another league altogether. Within months of its first telecast, Ramayan was earning more money for DD than any other show. Advertisers were desperate to get a coveted ad slot during the show. Eventually, the show was telecast in more than 50 countries and estimated to have a viewership of around 650 million. When Mahabharat was shown in the UK by the BBC, it attracted five million viewers in its afternoon slot.

In the case of Ramayan, Sagar essentially took on the mantle of a television-age narrator of the epic, following modestly in the footsteps of legendary narrators such as the great Tulsidas from the 16th century. He tapped into his audiences devotion to the epic and its intimacy with storytelling traditions such as the Ramlilas, enacted in every neighbourhood during Dussehra-Diwali.

TV critics of the time pointed to the slow pace of the serial and to its less-than-sophisticated special effects, but they missed the point. Sagar was not offering his viewers a TV serial, he was offering a devotional experience. Placed firmly in the calendar art style, borrowing from the Ramlila tradition and with a solid history of mythological films behind it, Sagars Ramayan brought the gods literally into peoples living rooms every Sunday morning. Newspapers and magazines of the time recorded numerous instances of viewers sanctifying their TV sets by lighting incense sticks and generally behaving as if they were going to get an actual darshan of Ram and Sita. There were public viewings, too, where large gatherings of people would congregate, and offer flowers and prasad.

The actors who played the lead roles were greeted with reverence by people when they appeared in public  once again underlying the fact that during Ramlila performances, actors are often seen as embodiments of the gods they are portraying.

With the Mahabharat, though, the appeal was less overtly religious and more to do with its sweeping, dramatic story and a cast of towering characters. The style was once again calendar art, but what lifted the show were its powerful dialogues, written by the accomplished Hindi novelist, poet and film writer Rahi Masoom Raza. When Razas name was announced, there was opposition from certain quarters  why was a Muslim man writing the dialogues for a Hindu epic? An affronted Raza, who came from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, and was a staunch upholder of Indias syncretic traditions, replied: I am a son of the Ganga. Who would know the civilisation and culture of India better than I? He introduced the concept of time as the narrator (Main samay hoon) and created words and phrases that are still in currency, such as pitashri and matashree.

The Ramayan casting was cleverly done, even when it came to characters other than Ram and Sita. For example, queen Kaikeyi was played by actress Padma Khanna who had often been the vamp in Hindi films, and Manthra by Lalita Pawar, who, too, had played scheming roles in her film career. Actor Dara Singh, known for his wrestling prowess and action films, was cast as Hanuman. The main stars, of course, went on to become national icons  mainly, the relatively unknown Arun Govil, who played Ram with his trademark smile.

Many of Mahabharats actors are still identified by their roles in the epic  such as Mukesh Khanna, who, with his declamatory style, played the grand old guardian of the Hastinapur throne, Bhishma.

When Ramayan finally ended on July 31, 1988, and Mahabharat on June 24, 1990, both epics acquired a new life. Cassettes, CDs and DVDs of the show sold continuously; today, you can buy both series in digital format.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Gargoyles Guarding S.A. For nearly a century, downtown has been home to several dozen of the most macabre characters to ever grace a Gothic cathedral or opening shot of a horror film.

The Gargoyles Guarding S.A. For nearly a century, downtown has been home to several dozen of the most macabre characters to ever grace a Gothic cathedral or opening shot of a horror film.

Even with all the coronavirus closures and stay-at-home restrictions, you still can enjoy San Antonios many architectural wonders while walking at a safe distance from others. And what better to appreciate in these troubled times than the citys many gargoyles, those stone-cold OGs of warding off evil?

For nearly a century, downtown San Antonio has been home to several dozen of the most macabre characters to ever grace a Gothic cathedral or opening shot of a horror film. Were talking dragonlike creatures that rear their ugly heads around the Tower Life Building, plus creepy puffy faces that line what used to be the Nix Medical Center and weird winged emblems around the Emily Morgan Hotel that look like the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz.

Youve got to get outside to get some exercise, so break up the monotony of your neighborhood walks with a trip downtown to peruse these creepy building additions. As long as youre keeping your distance from others, this is perfectly allowable under San Antonios stay-at-home rules.

One San Antonio man has visited these gargoyles so often, he considers them friends.

About the author Rene Guzman writes about various types of culture with character in San Antonio, from historic institutions and individuals to colorful collectors and conventions. The San Antonio native has written for the Express-News for more than 20 years. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguz

If youre out doing a bicycle ride or walking the dog  you can have little friends on the corners of the buildings and try to guess their stories and make up their stories, said Vince Michael, an architectural historian and executive director of the Conservation Society of San Antonio. To me, theres a little Jazz Age sensibility in having those wild caricature gargoyles.

As Michael did before the pandemic, the San Antonio native still makes his morning solo bike ride through downtown, where he often looks up to appreciate those more ghoulish urban fixtures. He noted the Nix, Tower Life and Emily Morgan buildings all were designed and built in the 1920s, so they favor that decades soaring Art Deco style with a touch of Gothic.

But the gargoyles are sort of an exception, Michael said. Those are just sort of moments of whimsy and fancy.

When a gargoyle is not a gargoyle

First, a little clarification: Most gargoyles arent really gargoyles.

Technically, a gargoyle is designed to drain water from a building to minimize rain damage. A gargoyle that doesnt drain water is a grotesque or chimera, though the terms have become interchangeable.

The term gargoyle comes from the French word gargouille, which in English means throat. Michael noted the word gargoyle is an example of onomatopoeia, much like zap or splash.

Its literally the sound of the water coming out, Michael said.

The words etymology, however, isnt all that wet. According to legend, a fire-breathing dragon called la gargouille once terrorized the French town of Rouen in the seventh century  that is, until St. Romanus subdued the foul beast with a crucifix and dragged it back to town to be burned at the stake.

When the creatures head and neck resisted the flames, Romanus had it mounted on the towns new church built in his name. Originally hung to scare off evil spirits, the monsters head doubled as a hideous waterspout that drained rainwater down off the roof and out the beasts mouth.

The first man-made gargoyles popped up around medieval churches in 13th century Europe, emblems for the evils outside and the sanctity within, though the Egyptians and ancient Greeks used similar lions head waterspouts on their structures.

Jane Martin, who teaches architectural history at San Antonio College and who runs the guided walking tour, Architours San Antonio, said San Antonios gargoylelike sculptures likely are made of decorative cast stone.

They havent deteriorated, Martin said. Thats why we know theyre not carved marble or stone. They have survived, just like the buildings have survived.

Tower Life Building, 310 S. St. Marys

The Tower Life originally opened June 1, 1929, as the Smith-Young Tower, an octagonal office building owned by brothers John H. Smith and F. Albert Smith with their attorney J.W. Young.

Martin noted San Antonio architects Atlee B. Ayres and his son Robert Ayres worked on the 31-story skyscraper, though it was the younger Ayres who came up with the design after graduating with his architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

When the Smith-Young first opened, it housed the citys first Sears & Roebuck department store on its first six floors and was so overwhelmed its opening night that some curiosity-seekers had to be turned away.

Rows of grotesque faces circle the lower exterior of the Tower Life Building in downtown San Antonio. Rows of grotesque faces circle the lower exterior of the Tower Life Building in downtown San Antonio. Photo: Rene Guzman Photo: Rene Guzman Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close San Antonio walking tour: Visit gargoyles at the Tower Life, Emily Morgan Hotel and Nix buildings 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

As for the historic landmarks more striking tenants, the buildings 23rd and 29th floors each feature a row of fanged gargoyles as well as hoary goblin heads and hooded faces that also ring the buildings lower level. Martin believes the Gothic revival of the 1920s likely inspired the young Ayres to add the grotesques.

Those Tower Life gargoyles havent necessarily seen it all. Contrary to urban myth, John Smith never leapt to his death off the building when the stock market crashed. Nor did the tower serve as a mooring mast for the Goodyear Blimp, though the building did once bear a 150-foot antenna in the 1950s for a television station that would later be known as KENS.

The Smith-Young had many different owners and names after it fell into receivership in the 1930s. H.B. Zachry bought the building in 1943, and the Zachrys renamed it the Tower Life Building in 1961.

Emily Morgan Hotel, 705 E. Houston

The 13-story structure near the Alamo originally was called the Medical Arts Building. It was completed in April 1926 to house a hospital and doctors offices.

Architect Ralph Cameron designed the V-shaped building with cast iron pieces and a copper roof, along with a corner tower that looks like a chateau. But a closer look at the buildings ornamentation reveals even more sculptural details, some of which look downright odd and even unsettling for the site of a hospital.

Martin noted some of the stone faces seen around the former Medical Arts Building appear to be in pain as if to represent various ailments for which people would come to the building to get treated. For instance, a hooked-nose face seen scowling from the upper level appears to suffer from Bells palsy.

Gargoyles of downtown San Antonio include those found on the Emily Morgan Hotel. The 13-story structure was originally opened in 1926 as the Medical Arts Building.

But perhaps the most striking patients of the old hospital building are the two gnarled figures that repeat under two ground-level window arches. According to hotel manager Kole Siefken, each windows robed duo represents common maladies, with one figure clutching its stomach and the other figure holding its head in one hand and its tongue in the other.

Above each of those arches looms a caduceus, the winged staff entwined with two snakes thats used as a symbol of medicine.

Then there are those other random Gothic details around the Emily Morgan exterior.

Rows of griffins and what look like monkey faces with wings line the building, each grouping framed by a stoic crowned face. And the hotels corner tower bears its own share of bizarre, simian-like faces sticking out their tongues.

The Medical Arts Building was converted into office space in 1976, then recognized by the National Register of Historic Places the following year. It opened to the public as the Emily Morgan Hotel in 1984 and underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2012.

Nix Medical Center, 414 Navarro

Developer Joseph M. Nix opened the Nix Professional Building in late 1930 to top his previous creation, the Medical Arts Building. Texas architect Henry T. Phelps designed the Nix as an Art Deco skyscraper, and it was billed as the first professional building with a complete hospital, doctors offices and parking under one roof, with more floors, hospital space and beds than the Medical Arts site.

But whereas the Medical Arts Buildings exterior included winged wonders and sculptures of the ill, the Nixs sole exterior characters are a quirky set of five faces that anchor the buildings third-level window ledges, repeating under the windows on three sides of the former hospital. Those faces include what looks like a bespectacled male, a pipe-chomping sailor and a not-so-merry soul with a swollen cheek.

According to a 1995 Express-News article, library volunteers at the Conservation Society of San Antonio said the faces represented great physicians of ancient Greece, such as Hippocrates, and the health care deities invoked in the Hippocratic Oath, which include Apollo and Panacea. However, the conservation society could not find the source for that information.

Martin believes the Nix face with the glasses represents a doctor, though shes uncertain about the others. She did note it was unusual for the Nix to sport such faces on the side that overlooks the San Antonio River since it was undeveloped at the time.

Last year, the Nix shut its doors after decades of service. An affiliate of the Weslaco-based InnJoy Hospitality bought the Nix building in December. The Nix reportedly could be reborn as a luxury hotel.







Clockwise from top: Architectural history instructor Jane Martin believes this face with glasses represents a doctor. But shes unsure about the other four faces on the former Nix Medical Center building. (Bob Owen | Express-News) ; A closer look at one of the five gargoylelike faces on the former Nix Medical Center building. (Bob Owen | Express-News) ; Those are just sort of moments of whimsy and fancy, architectural historian Vince Michael says of the gargoyles and other macabre characters decorating some of downtowns buildings, including the former Nix Medical Center building. (Bob Owen | Express-News) ; A closer look at one of the five gargoylelike faces on the former Nix Medical Center building. (Bob Owen | Express-News)

Several good reasons to look up

Michael noted that in the wake of the coronavirus, the gargoyles of downtown San Antonio practically outnumber any tourists or other foot traffic. But he stressed such quirky caricatures still beg to be discovered or rediscovered.

Its one of the reasons people should look up, Michael said. Its a good reminder that theres a lot of delight to be found in looking up from the sidewalk.

And when it comes to scaring off the bad stuff, now more than ever well look to any help we can get.

News researcher Misty Harris contributed to this story.

Design by Joy-Marie Scott

A version of this article will appear in print on Sunday, March 29, 2020. | Today's Paper

Subscribe

Real news. Real trust. Real community. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Today's Paper
Note: While most shelters have closed their doors to the public for the coming weeks many are still meeting prospective adopters through appointments. Please visit the shelter's website or call to get information on adoption or fostering an animal at this time.

Each week, MassLive showcases pets available for adoption at shelters at rescue organizations across Massachusetts. With the participation of the shelters listed below, many animals should be able to find a permanent home. Pets are adopted daily so please contact the shelter directly if you are interested in an animal.

Massachusetts Shelters:

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society

Address: 163 Montague Road, Leverett Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Telephone: (413) 548-9898

Address: 171 Union St., Springfield Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Telephone: (413) 781-4000

Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center Address: 627 Cottage St., Springfield Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; Thursday, noon-7 p.m. Telephone: (413) 781-1484

Westfield Homeless Cat Project Address: 1124 East Mountain Road, Westfield Hours: Adoption clinics, Thursday, 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Westfield Regional Animal Shelter Address: 178 Apremont Way, Westfield Hours: Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Telephone: (413) 564-3129

Franklin County Sheriff's Office Regional Dog Shelter and Adoption CenterAddress: 10 Sandy Lane, Turners Falls Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Telephone: (413) 676-9182

Polverari/Southwick Animal Control Facility Address: 11 Depot St., Southwick Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Telephone: (413) 569-5348, ext. 649

Berkshire Humane Society Address: 214 Barker Road, Pittsfield Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Telephone: (413) 447-7878

Animal Rescue League of Boston Address: 10 Chandler Street, Boston, MA 02116 Telephone: (617) 426-9170 Fax: (617) 426-3028

DAKIN HUMANE SOCIETY

There are still pets available for adoption in the Springfield Adoption Center only (Leverett is temporarily closed). People are asked to visit the Dakin webpage first to see what pets we have available, then call us if they are interested in one in particular to set an appointment. The staff will return the call within 48 hours to set an appointment for prospective adopters to come in and see the animal. That will help make the adoption process go more smoothly and prevent unproductive time spent by the lean on-site staff.

Lilly - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Lilly  Im deaf and Im in foster care

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 7 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Benarie- Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Benarie  Im in foster care, and I need to be adopted with Trixie

Breed: Flemish Giant

Age: 2 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Rhino - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Rhino  Im in foster care

Breed: Lionhead

Age: 6 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Trixie - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Trixie - Im in foster care, and I need to be adopted with Benarie

Breed: New Zealand

Age: 2 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Beanie - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Beanie  Spirit cat

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 9 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Snowflake - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Snowflake  Im in foster care

Breed: Budgie/Budgerigar

Age: 9 Months

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Snowball - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Snowball  A 2-Fur-1 Adoption with Fatboy

Breed: Domestic Longhair

Age: 8 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Fatboy - Animals are available at Dakin Humane Society by appointment only.

Fatboy  Im a 2-Fur-1 Adoption with Snowball

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 8 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Pumpkin - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Pumpkin  Spirit cat

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 3 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Peanut Butter- Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Peanut Butter 

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 7 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Scooty - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Scooty  Im in foster care

Breed: Rat

Age: 4 Months

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Po - Animals available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society. Some of these animals are being cared for at foster homes to alleviate the workload of employees at Dakin.

Po 

Breed: Guinea Pig

Age: 1 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Patty - Dakin Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Patty  Spirit cat

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Age: 7 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

Blue - Animals are available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society by appointment only.

Blue  Im in foster care

Breed: Terrier, American Pit Bull

Age: 8 Year

Gender: Male

Location: Springfield

Nena - Animals are available for adoption at Dakin Humane Society by appointment only.

Nena  Special medical needs  Im in foster care

Breed: Chihuahua, Long Coat

Age: 10 Year

Gender: Female

Location: Springfield

MSPCA ANIMAL CARE AND ADOPTION CENTERS

Animals are still available for adoption  you just need to make an appointment! Finding homes for our current population of shelter animals will be vital for our ability to provide temporary housing and increased surrender intake as a result of the outbreak.

Animals in need of immediate surrender will continue to be accepted by appointment . If the need to surrender your pet is not urgent, we ask that you wait to bring in your animal. This will allow us to ensure room for emergency cases and keep traffic low. Rest assured we are here to help if needed. Please visit our website at . If the need to surrender your pet is not urgent, we ask that you wait to bring in your animal. This will allow us to ensure room for emergency cases and keep traffic low. Rest assured we are here to help if needed. Please visit our website at mspca.org/surrender for more information.

Our Community Outreach teams will be reaching out to clients in our service areas to check in and make sure owners and pets have the resources they need.

Our adoption centers will make disaster preparedness supplies available to the public on an as-needed basis in the event of emergency. Supplies include dog crates, water bowls and pet food is available. Please call our adoption centers if you are in need of supplies.

Our adoption centers are determining plans for emergency temporary housing for pets whose owners are ill or hospitalized. Please call us to discuss your situation should you need help.

Damon - Animals are available for adoption through appointment only.

MSPCA - Cape Cod

Damon - Pit Bull Terrier, Male, 5 years old.

Max - Animals are available for adoption through appointment only.

MSPCA Nevins Farm

Max - Pit Bull Terrier, male, 1 year.

Deuce - Animals are available for adoption through appointment only.

MSPCA - Nevins Farm

Deuce - Pit Bull Terrier, Male, 2 years.

WORCESTER ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE

Animals can be adopted by appointment only. Call (508) 853-0030 or visit www.worcesterarl.org for more details.

Gladys- Worcester Animal Rescue League has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Gladys -

Female/Spayed

Mixed Breed, Medium (up to 44 lbs fully grown)/Mix

5 years 5 months

Maddie - Worcester Animal Rescue League has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Maddie -

Female/Spayed

Mixed Breed, Medium (up to 44 lbs fully grown)/Mix

11 months

Sasha- Worcester Animal Rescue League has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Sasha -

Female/Spayed

Mixed Breed, Large (over 44 lbs fully grown)/Mix

2 years, 10 months

Mookie- Worcester Animal Rescue League has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Mookie -

Male/Neutered

Mixed Breed, Large (over 44 lbs fully grown)/Mix

3 years, 5 months

Toro - Worcester Animal Rescue League has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Toro -

Male/Neutered

Terrier, American Pit Bull/Mix

2 years

Kat - Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Kat -

Female/Spayed

Domestic Shorthair/Mix

13 years 5 months

Ribbons - Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Ribbons -

Female/Spayed

Domestic Shorthair/Mix

1 year

BERKSHIRE HUMANE SOCIETY

Shelters will be closed to the public. The main shelter at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield will still be staffed at r our staff and volunteers and the animals in our care and to support national, state and local recommendations, we are scaling back our op

Adoptions and Surrenders will be by appointment only. You can still surrender a pet or come to see a pet you'd like to adopt at the main shelter, but you'll have to make an appointment to do so. Please call 413-447-7878 to set up a time. Adoptions will not be available through Purradise. If you do come to Pittsfield for an adoption or surrender, please know that BHS has taken extra precautions to keep you safe from the virus.

Cat Boarding will be available at main shelter. Although Purradise will be closed for feline boarding, BHS can board your cat at the main shelter. Please call 413-447-7878 extension 124.

Pet Food Bank and SafePet programs are still available. If you are a food bank recipient, please call 413-447-7878 to set up an appointment. The BHS If you are a food bank recipient, please call 413-447-7878 to set up an appointment. The BHS SafePet program is available for owners of pets through our Participating Partners.

Medical care to shelter animals, including spay and neuter surgeries will continue. BHS will keep the shelter animals healthy and adoptable by continuing to work with local veterinarians.

Low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for cats will still be available to the public . Please call 413-447-7878 extension 124.

Family Dog School is closed

Education Programs are on hold: All meetings of Humane Heroes and Defenders are cancelled until further notice as are tours and community programs.

Alfonso- Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Alfonso -

Breed: Bulldog, American/Pointer

Age: 5 years 6 months

Gender: Male

Molly - Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Molly -

Breed: Poodle, Standard

Age: 12

Gender: Female

Lucy- Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Lucy -

Breed: Poodle, Miniature/Retriever, Labrador

Age: 8 years

Gender: Female

Ozzy - Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Ozzy -

Breed: Mixed Breed, Medium

Age: 2 years

Gender: Male

Beau - Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Beau -

Breed: German Shepherd

Age: 2 years

Gender: Male

Maddie - Berkshire Humane Society has animals available for adoption by appointment only.

Maddie -

Breed: Terrier/Mix

Age: 5 years, 2 months

Gender: Female

Ollie - Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Ollie -

Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix

Age: 9 months

Gender: Male

Gutsy- Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Gutsy -

Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix

Age: 6 years, 2 months

Gender: Female

Furby- Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Furby -

Breed: Domestic Medium Hair/Mix

Age: 10 years, 5 months

Gender: Male

Saffron - Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Saffron -

Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix

Age: 3 years, 2 months

Gender: Female

Missy - Animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Missy -

Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix

Age: 6 years, 8 months

Gender: Female
A map of possible water beneath the surface of the Moon's South Pole, based on temperature data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

ESA is preparing a surface sampling payload that will prospect for lunar water among other resources. It is due to be flown to the Moon aboard Russia's Luna-27 lander in 2025.

Researcher Hannah Sargeant of the UK's Open University has made Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 Europe 2020 Innovation list for her work developing an improved method of extracting lunar water in support of the project.

Hannah remarked: "It's great to see that research into space resources is being recognised and valued in such a public forum... I'm honoured to be a part of this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 European cohort, but I would like to emphasize that there are many incredible researchers that I work with that are so deserving of a place on this list. The future of space science and technology is definitely in great hands!"

The overall payload is called Package for Resource Observation and in-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Commercial exploitation and Transportation, or PROSPECT. A drill called ProSEED will extract samples, expected to contain water ice and other chemicals that can become trapped at the extremely low temperatures expected; typically -150 C beneath the surface to lower than -200 C in some areas.

Samples taken by the drill will then be passed to the ProSPA chemical laboratory, being developed by an Open University team. These samples will then be heated to extract these cold-trapped volatiles and enable follow-up analysis.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Families of Afghan Sikhs killed in a terror attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul said that they are tired" of living in Afghanistan, urging the government to investigate the attacks on the minority community.

A heavily armed Islamic State suicide bomber stormed a prominent Gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, killing 25 Sikhs and injuring eight others.

On Thursday, another blast took place near a Sikh crematorium here, injuring a child and disrupting funeral services for the 25 members of the minority community killed in the Gurudwara attack.

The Sikh families cremated the remains of the victims on Thursday and urged the government to investigate the attacks.

Some Sikh citizens said they are tired of living in Afghanistan, the TOLO reported.

We want investigations, our 25 people have been killed, said Dip Singh, a relative of one victim who was killed.

In which book do you come to attack a mosque and attack a Dharamshala. In what religion does that happen? Andar Singh, a family member of a slain victim, was quoted as saying.

Wednesday's attack was one of the deadliest targeting the Sikh community in the strife-torn country. Eighty people, including women and children, were rescued from the Gurdwara.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, saying the attack on the religious sites shows the extreme weakness of the enemy, religious sites should not be vulnerable to attacks and violence.

Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan.

In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Friday, the Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees built on and approved a remote services plan that will be submitted to the governor's office amid state-ordered school building closures.

The board approved policies that allow the districts transportation funds to be used for other services while school buildings are closed. Board Chair Luke Muszkiewicz said the Montana Office of Public Instruction has guidelines on what can and cannot be paid for out of this fund.

Some of the funds will be used to provide access to education through internet and computers. The funds will also be used to provide food services, which will be among the primary duties of the school district's transportation contractor First Student.

Transportation Director Tom Cohn is currently working with Robert Worthy, director of food services, to provide additional delivery of school lunches to at-home students, according to Chief of Staff Barb Ridgeway. They have identified 300 sites so far.

According to school district Superintendent Tyler Ream, the district has used the past two weeks to prepare for providing additional remote services in a way that satisfies the expectations of the governors office. The district's plan was compiled into what the district is calling its Remote Services Action plan.

The plan lays out learning standards in addition to services the school will provide throughout the closure.

Ream said more than 2,000 Chromebooks have been checked out. The district is looking into ordering more T-Mobile hot spots to provide internet access to students who don't already have it.

According to Ream, the district is aware that learning from home is not the same as a classroom experience. There is a certain value to being in the classroom every day, he said.

Our educators are doing everything they can to build on this every day, Ream said.

For most students, the third quarter will end on time and the district doesnt have plans to extend the school year. However, special education students will have to make up some missed time in summer school.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4

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.
Kate Garraway has assured fans she is in 'perfect' health after voicing concerns she may have contracted coronavirus.

The Good Morning Britain presenter, 52, explained on Friday's live broadcast that she'd been to an eye hospital to have her eye checked over, following reports conjunctivitis is listed as a symptom of COVID-19.

Kate explained that her eye is not infected and that staff also tested her chest and temperature, as she had been concerned about coronavirus, following news Prince Charles had tested positive for it, just days after meeting with her.

Relieved: Kate Garraway revealed on Good Morning Britain on Friday that her eye is not infected and she is 'perfect' health following her coronavirus concerns

Revealing that she is suffering from a scratched cornea and not an eye infection, Kate explained to her co-host Ben Shephard: 'I went to an eye hospital yesterday, they checked my eyes out and it isn't actually an infection.

'I scratched the cornea of my eye. I don't know how I did it, I think it was from doing some very long shifts wearing my contact lenses in very dry studios. It's very sore and uncomfortable, but it's not infected, it's being treated.'

'They also took my temperature and checked my chest and I'm perfect,' she added.

'You've got a perfect chest,' Ben joked in response.

Kate revealed that she chose to have her eye checked out at a hospital, after experiencing soreness, as fans had shared their concerns that an infection, like conjunctivitis, had been reported as a symptom of coronavirus.

Concerns: The presenter had been especially concerned after meeting with Prince Charles days before he tested positive for COVID-19 (pictured on March 11 at the Prince's Trust Awards with Alexander Armstrong)

All clear: Kate explained she'd gone to an eye hospital after concerned fans revealed conjunctivitis was a symptom of coronavirus

'I'm perfect!' Kate revealed her chest and temperature had also been tested during her visit

She was especially concerned as news emerged of Prince Charles testing positive for coronavirus, days after meeting Kate and a host of celebrities at the Prince's Trust Awards held in London.

Kate had previously spoken about her meeting with the Prince on GMB and said the pair got 'relatively close' while greeting one another at the awards.

Discussing the royal's diagnosis, which was revealed by Clarence House on Wednesday, Kate said she has no symptoms but admitted the many people who have come into contact with Charles in recent weeks 'are going to be concerned.'

Sore: Kate had been experiencing soreness in one eye and thought it was best to get it checked out by a health professional

Ouch: Kate revealed that her eye is not infected, she has instead scratched her cornea causing it to be 'sore and uncomfortable'

Kate recalled her meeting with Charles, 71, to ITV's Royal Editor Chris Ship.

She said: 'I actually saw him on the 11th of March. It was the first day he'd stopped shaking hands, and we did the namaste greeting at the Prince's Trust.'

GMB played footage of the meeting between Kate and Charles, with Kate pointing out: 'We're relatively close there, as indeed were all the other people that were involved in that.

'I don't have any symptoms, so I'm not blaming him for anything at all, but people are going to be concerned. He's a man that meets a lot of people.'

Close contact: Kate pointed out that she and a number of celebrities would likely be concerned after coming into 'close' contact with the Prince at the event

Prince Charles is working at his desk 'as usual' it was reported Thursday, despite having coronavirus as his aides try to trace anyone who met him over the past fortnight to warn them they may have been exposed.

The Prince of Wales has a 'mild' form of the illness and is on the Balmoral estate with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who has tested negative and is without any symptoms of the virus, which has killed 465 and infected 9,500 more in the UK so far.

Charles' doctor believes that the royal may have been contagious from March 13 at the earliest - just 24 hours after he last saw his 93-year-old mother the Queen, who is in self-isolation at Windsor Castle with Prince Philip, 98.

On air: Kate recalled her meeting with Charles, 71, to ITV's Royal Editor Chris Ship during Thursday's broadcast of Good Morning Britain.

His team have been informing anyone who met or came close to him while he was contagious - and those people are expected to go into self-isolation if they haven't already, according to the Telegraph.

It came as NHS Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood defended the decision to test the royal couple, saying there were 'very good reasons' but she couldn't disclose them because of patient confidentiality.

But Clarence House refused to comment on the Prince of Wales' health after Dr Calderwood appeared to hint Charles and Camilla might have underlying medical conditions that made a coronavirus test necessary.

Namaste: 'I actually saw him on the 11th of March. It was the first day he'd stopped shaking hands, and we did the namaste greeting at the Prince's Trust,' Kate explained

Charles and Camilla are said to be 'upbeat' despite being watched carefully by the Royal household medical team at their Aberdeenshire home, Birkhall, where they will remain in self-isolation for at least another two weeks.

Clarence House has declined to give an update on the Prince of Wales' health status after announcing on Wednesday he had tested positive for coronavirus.

But a spokesman said the heir to the throne, who is at his Scottish home Birkhall, was working at his desk as usual. He added Charles had received hundreds of 'get well soon' wishes sent to Clarence House - a mixture of cards but mostly digital messages.
A YOUNG man who is accused of discharging a firearm at a pub in Limerick city centre is to stand trial before the circuit court.

Tony Collopy, 18, who has an address at St Itas Street, St Marys Park faces a number of charges relating to an incident which is alleged to have occurred on April 21, 2019  Easter Sunday.

He is charged, under the provisions of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, with recklessly discharging a firearm at the Launch Bar, John Street.

He is also charged under the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act with assaulting a male, causing him harm, at John Street on the same date.

The defendant was arrested and charged last summer and the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently directed that the matter should proceed on indictment.

Another person is also before the courts having been charged in relation to the incident.

During a procedural hearing this week, Sergeant Sean Murray told Limerick District Court the book of evidence has been completed and that the DPP consented to matter being sent forward trial before the Circuit Court.

Garda Anthony Harnett then gave evidence of formally serving a copy of the book of evidence on the defendant prior to the court hearing.

After issuing the statutory Alibi warning, Judge Marian OLeary formally adjourned the matter to the next sitting of Limerick Circuit Court.

Free legal aid was extended to include a solicitor and barrister and the matter is likely to be mentioned before the circuit court on April 20, next.

Mr Collopy was ordered to comply with a number of bail conditions conditions pending his next court appearance.

He must sign on at his local garda station daily and remain sober when in public.

He was also ordered not have any contact with his co-accused of the alleged injured party.
The vice president of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, Dr Gabrielle Colleran has called on the public to maintain social distancing measures in the fight to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Hospitals are not the front line, we are the last line, she told Newstalk Breakfast.

We will have to keep doing this in the weeks and months ahead.

"Huge efforts are being made by the HSE to create extra capacity in hospitals, but it would be easier for the health service if fewer people got sick and the way to avoid that was for the public to practice social distancing," explained Dr Colleran.

Hospitals are making a massive effort to divide patients into two streams  those with the virus and those without.

We dont want people staying at home if theyre feeling unwell.

Dr Colleran said she was concerned about people who might be experiencing a heart attack or a stroke, but were afraid to go to hospital.

We are keeping the two streams separate.

"The revised criteria for testing were helpful as it meant health care workers could be tested swiftly and once cleared they could return to work, she said, as had happened to her recently when she had a cough.

Were making progress, but we need the help of the public.

Our curve is still rising, so we need everyones help in flattening it.

Meanwhile, the medical director of the Irish Heart Foundation, cardiac consultant, Dr Angie Brown has repeated the call for people experiencing heart-attack or stroke symptoms to seek medical attention.

Dr Brown told RTE radios Morning Ireland that early intervention was vital in the treatment of heart attacks and strokes and that some people were leaving it too late because they were afraid to go to hospital.

"For the most part, it was right for people to avoid hospitals because of the coronavirus," she said.

"But if someone was having a heart attack they should go to casualty where they would be treated separately from patients with virus-related symptoms.

Our message is to go to hospital if you think youre having a heart attack or stroke.

We are telling everyone to take precautions if you are vulnerable take even more precautions.

It is important to keep calm and follow guidelines.

"At the moment there are a lot of empty hospital beds as the health service prepares for the surge," added Dr Brown.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the Dail was meeting to take "unprecedented actions to respond to an unprecedented emergency".

For the second week in a row, the caretaker Government asked TDs to back an extraordinary emergency law to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

The Dail met until late last night in reduced numbers to thrash out the details of the proposed legislation - the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid) Bill 2020.

Q: What's in the new law?

A: It provides strong new powers to temporarily ban evictions and freeze rents. The wide-ranging Bill also allows for the Government's planned wage subsidies and includes measures to make it easier for healthcare professionals to re-register and return to work. Another section of the law deals with mental health tribunals. The Bill also allows former soldiers to rejoin the Defence Forces at the same rank at which they left.

Q: What else did Mr Varadkar say about it?

A: Mr Varadkar said "desperate times do not call for desperate measures, rather they call for composure and radical responses". He argued such measures would provide hope and bring maximum benefit to those who need them most. "This legislation is designed to do exactly that," he said. Mr Varadkar acknowledged the Government previously objected to rent freezes as it would reduce supply but he said "these are extraordinary times" and it would be a temporary policy.

Q: So what will the law mean for renters?

A: Landlords won't be able to serve notices of termination during what the law describes as "the emergency period". This is defined as three months in the Bill. Rent increases are also prohibited for three months. This period can be extended by the Government depending on the threat posed by the coronavirus but any extensions must later be put to the Houses of the Oireachtas for approval.

Q: What about wages for at-risk employees?

A: With hundreds of thousands of jobs threatened, the Government has pledged to pay 70pc of an employee's wages up to 410 a week for businesses willing to meet the remainder of their staff's weekly payment. Under the legislation, the employer must be adversely affected by the virus crisis and have suffered at least a 25pc reduction in turnover or customer orders.

Q: And what about former health staff?

A: More than 60,000 people have responded to the HSE's 'Be on Call for Ireland' initiative. The legislation amends laws relating to doctors, nurses and pharmacist re-registering to make it easier to bring back former medical professionals. It includes a provision that no fee would be charged for re-registering. Fianna Fail suggested nurses or midwives living here who worked in the UK be able to register.

Solidarity-People Before Profit suggested asylum seekers living here who are trained doctors, nurses and pharmacists should be allowed to register to practice. The Government indicated it would not be changing the rules to allow these ideas to be implemented.

Q: Is there anything related to childcare in the Bill?

A: No, but Mr Varadkar did use his speech to suggest a separate freeze on all creche fees for three months may not be rolled back entirely once the coronavirus crisis is over.

Mr Varadkar said the Government's plan had always been to expand ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education), and to expand the National Childcare Scheme incrementally, thereby reducing the amount parents had to pay. "In some ways we've done that in one fell swoop," he said, adding the Dail may decide not to roll back the measure entirely.

Q: What did the Opposition have to say?

A: Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and others welcomed many aspects of the legislation while arguing there were areas where it could be improved and suggesting dozens of amendments.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said parliament has suspended nearly all of its normal oversight functions but it was the "right thing to do in the circumstances".

He said his party would support the passage of the Bill while suggesting ways it could be made better. Sinn Fein deputy leader Pearse Doherty said the legislation was just one part of "a series of things that need to be done to ensure our citizens' safety". But he criticised how some workplaces like building sites and factories remained open while others were shut, saying those workers weren't safe.

Q: What changes did the Opposition seek?

A: Fianna Fail wanted the Government to publish regulation for 'payment break' criteria for all mortgages including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme.

Sinn Fein put forward an amendment to ban evictions or rent increases in instances where the tenant is in an informal rent-a-room arrangement for the duration of the emergency and that was passed. It also said it wanted the Government's 350 Covid Payment for those who lost their jobs set at 100pc of the applicant's former net pay up to a maximum of 525 per week.

Some Independent TDs wanted an option to extend the proposed three-month rent freeze for a further five months.

Health Minister Simon Harris earlier told TDs that women looking to access abortion services will be able to consult remotely with their GPs after the Opposition pushed for the removal of the three-day waiting period for women to access medication to terminate their pregnancies.

A proposal to make deliberately coughing and spitting at others an offence was ruled out of order.

Q: What else did the Dail do yesterday?

A: The day began with a motion being tabled to remove planning barriers for building temporary medical facilities as part of the Covid-19 response.

The motion also means restaurants can switch to providing takeaways without requiring planning consent. This comes after the Government said restaurants that wanted to stay open should switch to takeaway.

Q; What's next for the emergency legislation?

A: The Seanad is sitting today to consider the legislation. The law must be passed by the Oireachtas today amid warnings that, in the absence of a new government being formed, new legislation must be approved before the new Seanad is elected next week.

Once passed the law will be signed by President Michael D Higgins.
DANBURY  Just hours before the memorial service for Willy Placencia, police announced two suspects had been arrested in the fatal stabbing of the 21-year-old skateboarder.

A 16-year-old boy from Danbury was arrested Thursday in connection with last weeks fatal stabbing at the Danbury City Center Skate Park.

The unidentified teen has been charged with first-degree manslaughter, first-degree conspiracy to commit manslaughter, first-degree assault, first- and second-degree conspiracy to commit assault, and breach of peace.

James Lema-Zaruma, 20, of Danbury, also was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal liability to commit assault on Wednesday and held on $10,000 bond. Court records show he pleaded guilty last year to a first-degree reckless endangerment charge stemming from a September 2018 incident in Danbury.

Two arrests have been made, but several more are anticipated within the near future, police said Friday. Witness interviews, multiple anonymous tips and the steadfast efforts of the involved investigators lead to the identity of several suspects involved in the homicide.

Placencia died at Danbury Hospital after being stabbed multiple times at the skate park on Patriot Drive the evening of March 18.

He is remembered by loved ones as a loving and supportive person with a passion for skateboarding.

Weve lost the most helpful, uplifting, hardworking, loyal, honest and loving human being Ive ever met in my life, said his girlfriend, Silainy Rodriguez, who is pregnant with Placencias first child.

Rodriguez said her boyfriend was always true to himself and his values and what he stood for.

He was a protective angel who held his ground firmly, and now he can finally fly, she said.

Rodriguez said Placencia had recently been released from jail and came home a changed person, determined to build a future for himself.

His determination grew, she said, when he found out he was going to be a father.

With a new outlook on life, Rodriguez said Placencia would tirelessly try to get his friends on a better path as well and insisted they leave the streets and pursue a future for themselves.

She said she believes the fight at the park stemmed from a bullying problem between two groups that started three years ago when Placencia was in jail.

He had no issues with anyone, said Rodriguez, who believes her boyfriend was targeted because one group associated him with the other.

He made it clear to all of the people involved [that] he was trying to turn his life around [and that] he was not part of the problem, she said. The party with which the issue happened associated him with guys they had problems with.

In addition to his girlfriend and unborn child, Placencia leaves behind his parents, four brothers and two sisters.

Placencias memorial service took place Friday afternoon at the Danbury Memorial Funeral Home. Only family members were allowed to attend the service in person, but others were able to watch via live stream on the funeral homes website.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Danbury Police Departments detective division at 203-797-4662, or the Anonymous TIPS Line at 203-790-8477.
(Photo : REUTERS/Sivaram V) A robot, developed by a start-up firm Asimov Robotics, holds a tray with face masks and sanitizer after the two robots were launched to spread awareness about the coronavirus, in Kochi, India, March 17, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Yves Herman) Jozef Gouwy, 93, looks at a robot made by ZoraBots for elderly people at home, so they can virtually communicate with their loved ones, amid the ban on visits against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, in Ostend, Belgium March 16, 2020. Picture taken March 16, 2020.

A hospital in Ireland is using robots to help free up nurses to spend time with patients as possible for the whole duration of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin will now have robots that rapidly work administrative and computer-based responsibilities that nurses generally do.

It is was hoping that by using giving nurses more available time, they could spend it in the face of critically sick patients battling COVID-19.

ALSO READ: Researchers Develop an Artificial Intelligence Tool to Help Doctors Make Decisions for Coronavirus Patients; Is it Time to Trust a Machine?

Machine to speed up the clunky process

Software developers at UiPath developed a gadget so one can speed up the regularly clunky processes in the healthcare system.

It is was hoping that by getting computers to do most of the mundane admin responsibilities, they can spend up to 50 percent more time with patients.

The tech will also 'speed up the technique of analyzing and writing COVID-19 test results to patients and organizations around the world.

Jincy Jerry, Assistant Director of Nursing, Infection Prevention, and Control, claimed that IPC nurses spend around 30 percent of their day with administrative obligations. Hence, he had been trying to make software robots part of their daily jobs.

Instead of being in front of computer systems, Jerry said noted that all frontline workers should be freed up as much as possible to spend time with patients.

"It will also take the strain off the hospital as it continues to process huge amounts of more routine patient data in addition to Covid-19 specific information," he told DailyMail.

Jerry said rapid prognosis and appropriate self-isolation --- apart from social distancing --- are crucial to stopping the unfold of COVID-19.

ALSO READ: Is This AI Taking A Toll on Coronavirus Pandemic? Scientists Claim This Supercomputer Found The "Most Effective Vaccine" Against COVID-19

He assured that the challenge the organization is embarking on will help mitigate the huge stress this outbreak is placing on healthcare organizations - not just in MMUH, but across Ireland.'

Healthcare workers to focus more on treating patients

Mark O'Connor, Public Sector Director Ireland at UiPath, added crucial frontline staff would be able to focus more on the great of care with a robot to help.

The pass from the medical institution comes as robot specialists say machines might be skilled to disinfect surfaces, take temperatures and collect swabs.

Adding new functionalities to robots could allow the 'dull, grimy and perilous jobs' to be automated.

In an article for a scientific journal, Howie Choset of the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and other signatories said robots were also used for a broad spectrum of cases during the Ebola Outbreak in 2015.

The team said any of those programs might serve to help reduce the risk of humans being directly exposed to the disease.

Without a sustainable approach to research, the researchers said history will repeat itself. Hence, robots might not be ready to face the next incident.

However, Choset and his team noted that funding for multidisciplinary research in partnership with agencies and industry to meet these use cases remains expensive, rare and directed to other applications.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
BRUSSELS, March 27 (Reuters) - Belgium's government has given mixed signals about whether it will place limits on the distance people can cycle, after neighbouring France told citizens not to travel more than a kilometre from home for exercise.

Belgium has already shut schools, cafes and gyms, and told people to stay home apart from trips to buy food or medicine, or for exercise at a distance from others. The measures expire on April 5, but are expected to be extended on Friday.

Cycling is a favourite pastime in Belgium, and the authorities are debating whether curbing it is necessary. Interior minister Pieter De Crem said the French limit, keeping people within 1 km (0.6 miles) of home, was tighter than needed, but a 70 km cycle ride would be going too far.

"Unfortunately you can't do that or you cannot do it anymore. And if clarification is needed on that, then it will come tomorrow after the national security council," he told Belgian broadcaster VRT on Thursday.

However, health minister Maggie De Block later contradicted him: "In fact, you can cycle as far as you want," she said. "I think going out for a walk or a bike ride is healthy for people."

Virologist Marc Van Ranst, speaking to VRT, said he did not think a limit on distance travelled during exercise was necessary. More important was making sure people who venture out stay the recommended distance apart.

"Does the number of kilometres you ride make a difference? I don't think so," he said.

As of Thursday, Belgium had 7,284 confirmed cases of coronavirus. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop Editing by Peter Graff)
Gabriella Charter School, which has a dance-focused program, shares space on an L.A. Unified campus. The teachers union wants to halt new charters and new campus-sharing arrangements, citing the coronavirus crisis. (Andrew Renneisen / For The Times)

Citing the coronavirus emergency, the L.A. teachers union on Thursday called for a moratorium on new charter school approvals and a halt to new campus-sharing arrangements with charters.

United Teachers Los Angeles has long wanted to slow or stop the growth of these privately operated public schools, but cast its current opposition in terms of the ongoing health crisis of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Union President Alex Caputo-Pearl, in a letter sent to Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner on Thursday, said it would be unfair to approve new charter schools without an opportunity for board members to hear from community members. Currently members of the public are unable to gather and it could be difficult for them to participate in scheduled board meetings, which probably would take place by video- or audio-conferencing.

All district campuses have been closed since March 13 and will not open until at least May 1. Typically the seven-member school board meets at least twice a month at district headquarters just west of downtown. It is not known when the board will resume its regular meetings. It was not clear Thursday night how many charter schools, if any, would have been scheduled for possible board approval in the next several months.

Also in the letter the union said it opposed any first-time agreements that would allow a charter to share space with a district-operated school. Charters have a right to space on district campuses under state law.

"Given the seriousness of this COVID-19 outbreak, the complexity of new public health standards to be implemented, and how quickly schools will have to adjust, there is simply not enough time for any new co-location or new charter approvals to be established in a healthy and safe way," Caputo-Pearl said.

A spokesman for the California Charter Schools Assn. called the union's position "shameful and offensive."

"UTLA leadership needs to get its priorities straight during this unprecedented health crisis, focus on all students, and apologize to the kids and families they have continuously targeted," said Luis Vizcaino, referring to charter school supporters. "We are better together, and we need leaders who unite, not divide, our community to meet this moment.

Story continues

In addition to Beutner, Caputo-Pearl sent the letter to school board members and state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

Halting new sharing arrangements could be difficult for charter operators who were already counting on using district space. Finding alternative locations could be costly if not impossible, especially during the current public health emergency.

Delaying the approval of new charters also could pose a problem for charter advocates. Starting July 1, local school boards will have more authority to reject new charter petitions.




Undocumented immigrants being held in proximity to one another in detention facilities across the country are at risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus at alarming rates, said San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who on Thursday joined thousands of attorneys, doctors and immigration advocates across the country Thursday in calling for the detainees release.

Advocates are pressuring Gov. Gavin Newsom to use his executive power to close detention centers across the state, calling the situation a humanitarian crisis bound to explode if action is not taken.

It is imperative, from a public health standpoint, that we quickly reduce the population of people who are in cages, Boudin said during a virtual news conference Thursday. It is impossible to have good hygiene, it is impossible to have social distancing, it is impossible to have a safe response to COVID-19, in the context of mass incarceration.

The progressive prosecutor, who was sworn in less than three months ago, said its easier to release people from immigration detention than jails and prisons because the overwhelming majority have not been accused of or prosecuted for crimes.

At worse, in most instances, they are people whose only real crime is that they came into the United States without permission, Boudin said. It is safe, its consistent with public safety, and its an exigency of the public health crisis that were in that people in immigration detention be released to their communities.

Vicky Waters, a spokeswoman for Newsom, said Thursday that the calls for the governor to take action were misguided, as the federal government has exclusive authority over immigration law.

But as we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 outbreak, we want everyone in the state to know that their health and welfare is our top priority, she said in a statement.

Boudin argued that Newsom has authority to ban immigration facilities operating in California under private contractors, and he added that the governor can prohibit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from turning over inmates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE officials did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The agency previously said it has comprehensive protocols in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to ensure detainees are not exposed to the virus, including personal protective equipment, or PPE.

Detainees who are at risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as those with a fever or other respiratory symptoms, are housed separately from the general population in medical housing or an airborne-infection isolation room, ICE officials said.

While our law enforcement officers and agents continue daily enforcement operations to make criminal and civil arrests, prioritizing individuals who threaten our national security and public safety, we remain committed to the health and safety of our employees and the general public, the agency says on its website.

More than 38,000 people were being detained in ICE facilities across the U.S. as of Saturday, according to the agency. ICE reported its first two cases of coronavirus at a facility in New Jersey this week.

Many physicians say an outbreak in detention centers would be catastrophic because of the large populations cramped into these facilities, often with insufficient access to medical care.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

We know if its in the camps, its going to cause a lot of sickness and a lot of deaths, said John Avalos, an organizer with the National Health Care Workers Union and a former San Francisco County supervisor.

In an open letter to ICE, more than 3,000 health care workers across the U.S., including several in the Bay Area, urged the agency to release immigrants while their legal cases are pending.

Detention facilities, they argued, are designed to maximize control of the incarcerated population, not to minimize disease transmission or efficiently deliver health care  factors that are compounded by often crowded and unsanitary conditions.

It is only a matter of time before we become aware of COVID-19 cases in an immigration detention system in which detainees live in close quarters, with subpar infection control measures in place, and whose population represents some of the most vulnerable, the letter said.

Thirteen immigrants detained at two California facilities  including a Northern California jail  filed a lawsuit this week in federal district court demanding to be released because the conditions could make them more vulnerable if they get infected with the coronavirus.

The immigrants are represented by multiple agencies, including the San Francisco public defenders office and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez
Why it matters: Few things have united people across the tech sector quite like Covid-19. Millions of dollars are going toward fighting the virus, including a combined $75 million from The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and The Gates Foundation, along with donations from game companies and big industry names.

In a Facebook post, CEO Zuckerberg wrote that he and wife Priscilla were committing $25 million to accelerate the development of treatments for Covid-19. The money comes from The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and will be given to the Covid-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, which coordinates efforts to find treatments for the illness. Up to $20 million will be provided initially, with $5 million available based on future needs.

The accelerator is already backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and Mastercard, who have committed up to $125 million in funding. Mastercards Impact Fund has promised up to $25 million, While the Gates Foundation and Wellcome have committed up to $50 million each.

Several game companies are also lending their financial support to the fight against Covid-19. We recently reported that Ndemic Creations, the company behind Plague Inc., which is getting a Save the World mode, had donated $250,000 to the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization's Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Gamesindustry.biz lists several other companies that have pledged money, including Esports betting site Luckbox, Russian mobile dev MyTona, and Witcher creator CD Projekt. Additionally, Tyler Ninja Blevins has donated $150,000, while Nintendo and Razer have donated masks.

One of the largest donations to come from a gaming company is the $1.5 million given by Riot Games and its co-founders. To help support Covid-19 relief efforts in California, Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill donated $500,000 each, while another $500,000 came from the League of Legends developer itself.
Call centers are under intense pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many agents are packed tight into small work areas. Social distancing is NOT an option.

In addition, many companies are not set up to allow contact center agents to work from home.

This creates real problems if one person reports positive for the virus. At that point, others could become fearful of going to work.

The company, however, needs to function. Many contact centers, in fact, provide critical services the world needs at this time of crisis.

Enter AI Voice Responder from Replicant.ai, a leading-edge provider of artificial intelligence-enabled voice technologies.

Last July the company got funded with $7 million. At that time, in addition to the new funding, Gadi Shamia, former Chief Operating Officer of cloud contact center leader, Talkdesk, joined Replicant as CEO. This after a four-year run helping to build Talkdesk from a seed-stage company to the first and only call center software unicorn. We recently covered the ambitious plans Talkdesk has for 2020.

Replicant.ais autonomous AI solution can be deployed within days to answer customer calls, prioritize them based on urgency, and respond to pressing questions so all customer calls are answered, making live agents free to address more complex issues. The AI Voice Responder provides a quick and cost-effective way for businesses to better manage fluctuating call center demand and maintain high levels of customer service even during a crisis.

Gadi Shamia, CEO of Replicant

Now more than ever, customers need fast responses and AI and automation can help, said Gadi Shamia, CEO of Replicant. With the launch of Voice Responder, weve provided the best of AI technology that can be deployed in days, demonstrating that voice AI provides significant cost savings and volume elasticity to call centers today that will benefit businesses long-term.



Voice Responder triages high call volumes and answers frequently asked questions, quickly resolving common support issues without live agents. It will classify calls based on topics and urgency, enabling businesses to prioritize and respond according to specific needs. The solution understands natural language and allows callers to converse as if theyre speaking with a live agent.



Voice Responder logs cases automatically in Salesforce and Zendesk so agents can prioritize follow-ups to resolve more complicated issues. Additionally, it can automate interactive outbound calls to update customers with the latest information, collect information, or reschedule appointments.



One early customer is using Voice Responder to help its customers with basic hardware issues for a commercial product, replacing its offshore call center that was impacted by Covid-19. The voice AI solution asks questions to identify the problem, provides relevant solutions via text, and creates a follow-up case if the issue is not resolved. By using Replicant as its first line of defense, agents can focus on the most urgent and complex cases first and are able to serve all their customers despite spikes in call volumes.

Gadi may have the best timing of any person in tech. Talkdesk was launched on cloud and microservices when entrenched contact center providers were stuck with a hodge-podge of solutions assembled via decades of M&A. They got the job done but were slow and inflexible as a result of the disparate puzzle pieces used.

Talkdesk had a big advantage as a result.

Likewise, Replicant.ai is perfectly timed to help companies get through this Coronavirus crisis. Amazing.

In addition, the solution fits in nicely with our definition of the future of work  where AI and live workers increase productivity, working collaboratively. This can also be referred to as the democratization of AI.



If you found this article interesting, we invite you to join us at the worlds only Future of Work Expo collocated with the ITEXPO #TechSuperShow, June 22-25, 2021 in Miami, Florida.

Join others with $25B+ in IT buying power who plan 2021 budgets! Including 3,500+ resellers!

A unique experience with a collocated SD-WAN Expo, AIOps Expo and MSP Expo

See all the companies that matter  here is our interview with chatbot and live receptionist company Smith.ai from the last event!
Concurs repetat pentru selectarea unei companii sociologice, care sa efectueze un studiu tematic "Barometrul opiniei publice in domeniul schimbarilor climatice"
President Donald Trump addresses the Venezuelan American community at Florida International University in Miami to speak out against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government and its socialist policies. (Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The United States should temporarily suspend the punishing sanctions it has placed on the leaders and economies of Iran and Venezuela and bolster humanitarian aid in order to help both countries deal with worsening outbreaks of the coronavirus, 11 Democratic senators argued in a letter to the Trump administration Thursday afternoon.

As these countries struggle to respond to their domestic health crises, U.S. sanctions are hindering the free flow of desperately needed medical and humanitarian supplies, the senators wrote in the letter, which was led by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

While the shortcomings of these national governments are largely due to their endemic corruption, mismanagement, and authoritarian behavior, broad-based U.S. sanctions have exacerbated the failing medical response, the letter said. The Iranian and Venezuelan regimes are American adversaries, but the good people of these nations are not our enemy.

The senators called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to temporarily suspend sanctions that may impede the delivery humanitarian assistance in Venezuela and Iran for 90 days and said the administration should clearly authorize the delivery of medical equipment like testing kits to the countries. The senators also said the administration should provide unconditional aid to Iran and Venezuela through a third-party country or organization.

The letter added to the increasing calls on President Donald Trump to ease the sanctions he has placed on Venezuela and Iran, the latter of which now has nearly 30,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,000 deaths linked to COVID-19. But the administration has refused to back down, saying this week it would not suspend or limit sanctions on Iran even in the midst of the crisis.

Trump has taken an even more aggressive approach toward Venezuela, where he has wielded sanctions as the primary tool in his yearslong battle to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro. On Thursday, the Trump administration announced that the Justice Department would indict Maduro and other top officials on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

Story continues

That announcement came as the South American nation is already in the midst of two major crises: an economic collapse that has devastated its currency and caused millions of Venezuelans to flee to other nations, and a political crisis during which the increasingly autocratic Maduro has faced internal and international efforts to dislodge him from power.

Since March 13, when Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced Venezuelas first two confirmed coronavirus cases, the number of infections has grown to more than 100. Maduro implemented a nationwide quarantine last week, but experts have warned that the pandemic could explode in Venezuela in the coming days, as the crisis-stricken economy and political system combine to exacerbate the global health crisis it now faces.

I think what were going to see in Venezuela is a transmission rate that is far higher than anywhere else in the hemisphere and a mortality rate thats significantly higher as well, said Geoff Ramsey, a Venezuela expert at the Washington Office for Latin America, a progressive think tank. The things that were worried about in the United States are just a blip on the radar compared to how serious this crisis is going to be for public health in Venezuela.

People line up to buy food and disinfectant, some wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of the new coronavirus in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 26, 2020. (Photo: AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Whether the Trump administration eases the sanctions or not, the United States has a moral obligation to help address the coronavirus outbreak in Venezuela, given that it has directly involved itself in the countrys affairs, said Fernando Cutz, who served as a Latin America adviser on the National Security Council under both Trump and former President Barack Obama.

What we need to do is create a real robust international aid package that is specific to COVID-19 and Venezuela, Cutz said. Thats a moral obligation because of the humanitarian crisis theyre going through, and because of our involvement in this crisis. We cant say [it has] nothing to do with us. We are directly involved in Venezuela.

Few places in the world are less prepared for a pandemic than Venezuela, which ranked 176th out of 195 countries and last among the 33 nations in Latin America in a 2019 measure of nations abilities to respond to a global health crisis.

The economic collapse that has occurred under Maduro has left the country short on medical supplies, food and even basic needs like soap. Running water is a luxury many poor and working-class Venezuelans cannot afford, and in many of the barrios around Caracas and other cities, social isolation is borderline impossible. The economic crisis has led to widespread malnutrition and declines in health quality, especially among poorer Venezuelans.

Venezuelan hospitals are easily the worst in Latin America, a region that already spends meager amounts on public health compared to most of the rest of the world, Ramsey said. The number of doctors, meanwhile, has been halved since 2015, as thousands of physicians have been among the estimated 4 million Venezuelans whove fled the country over the last four years. Those left behind are still professionally trained and capable, but they often lack access to even basic medicine.

The doctor can tell you what you have and what you need, but he doesnt have anything to give you, said Marianne Menjivar, the country director for Colombia and Venezuela at the International Rescue Committee.

Maduro has continued to crack down on dissent as the outbreak has worsened: Venezuelan special forces arrested a journalist this week whose reporting had suggested the government was ill-prepared for the pandemic, and there is at least some distrust among Venezuelans in the governments counting of cases, said Phil Gunson, a Venezuela expert at the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit that works in crisis-stricken countries.

Venezuelas problems predate the sanctions the United States first began to implement in 2015, when Obama put restrictions on members of the Maduro government.

The Iranian and Venezuelan regimes are American adversaries, but the good people of these nations are not our enemy. Democratic senators, led by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, in a letter to the Trump administration

Trump has ramped those sanctions up repeatedly to include dozens more officials; as part of his regime-change strategy, he has also expanded the sanctions to include a de facto embargo on Venezuelan oil and PDVSA, the state-owned oil company.

Food and medical supplies are exempt from the financial sanctions, a fact U.S. officials have reiterated over the last year to dispute arguments that the restrictions have primarily punished ordinary Venezuelans rather than members of the Maduro regime. But while Maduros own corruption and mismanagement may be the primary cause of Venezuelas woeful state in the face of a pandemic, the aggressive nature of the sanctions, experts say, has also driven many organizations who want to facilitate food and medical deliveries to avoid Venezuela altogether out of fear that even exempted activities could draw scrutiny from the United States.

The reality is theres widespread overcompliance with the financial sanctions that hampers the work of humanitarian organizations and restricts the ability of the government to be able to pay for badly needed medicine and medical goods, Ramsey said.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Nicolas Maduro speaks at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 12, 2020. The first cases of the coronavirus in Venezuela were confirmed the next day. (Photo: AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Cutz, the former NSC official, has been critical of Trumps sanctions-heavy approach in Venezuela but is skeptical that easing sanctions would have a dramatic impact on the countrys ability to stem the crisis.

Rather, he suspects Maduro and his allies inside would siphon off money meant for relief in order to shore up the governments meager cash reserves before sanctions were strengthened again.

If they had a different leader in place who would actually spend money on the people, that would be huge and that would be great, Cutz said. Given the patterns weve seen over the last decade-plus, Maduro would just spend the money on his cronies, on himself, on keeping himself in power, on saving for a rainy day when we tighten the belt again.

But even if the U.S. doesnt ease sanctions, Cutz said, it should issue clear guidance to humanitarian organizations that it will not target any group trying to deliver aid inside Venezuela. And the U.S. government should work to piece together an aid package itself, he argued, in order to help Venezuelans through the crisis.

The Trump administration has likely already poisoned the well on its own ability to deliver aid to Venezuela, thanks to its politicization of a supposed humanitarian mission last year. It is unlikely Maduro would accept any aid directly from the United States.

As Murphy and the group of Democrats suggested Thursday, the U.S. could get around that problem by coordinating aid delivery through international partners and nongovernmental organizations already working in Venezuela, including the United Nations, the Red Cross or the Catholic Church, Cutz said.

To simply reiterate the existing policy  which is essentially that anything that helps induce the collapse of the government here is a good thing  is extremely irresponsible. You will be responsible for instilling chaos. Phil Gunson, International Crisis Group analyst in Caracas, Venezuela

The United States could also help ease tensions between Maduro and the opposition, which is led by National Assembly President Juan Guaido  whom the U.S. and more than 50 other nations regard as Venezuelas legitimate leader.

The U.S. has broadly opposed any negotiations between Guaido and Maduro throughout the political crisis, but the two sides need to work together to implement a response ambitious enough to stem the spread of the virus.

Were at this weird moment where in order to properly address the crisis, both Maduro and the National Assembly are going to have to set aside their political aspirations in the name of addressing the health needs of the Venezuelan population, said Ramsey, of the Washington Office of Latin America.

Unfortunately, he continued, everything weve seen over the last week suggests that neither of the opposition nor the Maduro regime has much interest in reconciling with the other. Im expecting the political crisis to make the health crisis far worse.

The U.S. Senate has focused primarily on responding to the coronavirus outbreak at home, but discussions about how Congress may be able to help stem the crisis in other countries, including Iran and Venezuela, could intensify in the near future, a Senate aide told HuffPost this week. The group of Democratic senators also said in their letter that continuing the sanctions without providing aid would amount to a strategic error in the effort to reach political solutions in both Venezuela and Iran.

By allowing our sanctions to contribute to the exceptional pain and suffering brought about by the coronavirus outbreaks in both nations, we play into the anti-Americanism that is at the heart of both regimes hold on power, the senators wrote.

But the Trump administration seems wedded to its aggressive policy in Venezuela, with hard-liners seeing the coronavirus outbreak not as a threat to ordinary Venezuelans, but as an opportunity that could finally break Maduro.

That approach will be disastrous for Venezuela and for the Americas as a whole.

To simply reiterate the existing policy  which is essentially that anything that helps induce the collapse of the government here is a good thing  is extremely irresponsible, Gunson said from Caracas. If youre going to cause the collapse of government in the middle of a pandemic, then you will be responsible for instilling chaos.



A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus

Related...

The Man (And The Mission) Behind Trumps Clash With Venezuela

Iran State TV Warns 'Millions' In Country Could Die From Coronavirus

U.S. Indicts Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Aides

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The global number of coronavirus cases topped half a million on Thursday, Euronews reports.

Italy reported 6,153 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, pushing the global total over half a million, AP reported, citing a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Italy also announced 662 more deaths, bringing the country's death toll to 8,165 - the highest in the world.

France noted an aggravation of its situation, reporting 365 new deaths in one day, including a 16-year-old girl. The French death toll has reached a total of 1,696 deaths. The country, which has been under lockdown for a week, has 29,155 confirmed cases.

Spain extended its state of emergency for two more weeks to allow the government to extend stringent lockdown measures in a desperate attempt to contain the coronavirus.

Spain reported 655 new deaths in one day on Thursday bringing the death toll to 4,089. There are over 56,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the country.

Spain has surpassed China, where the pandemic began, in the overall number of COVID-19 deaths. Spain and Italy have the highest fatality rates in the global pandemic.

And on Thursday the UK announced 115 new deaths, taking its total to 578. The day before the country had confirmed the death of the deputy to the British ambassador to Hungary, Steven Dick, 37, of COVID-19.

Over 225,000 people have been fined in France for violating lockdown rules, the French Interior minister said on Thursday.

The Moody's credit rating agency said it is forecasting an economic recession for all G20 countries in 2020, while United Nations director-general Antonio Guterres said coronavirus "threatens the whole of humanity."

South Africa, which is on the eve of a three-week lockdown, announced on Thursday its coronavirus cases are nearing 1,000, the most cases in Africa.

India on Tuesday started implementing the world's biggest lockdown of 1.3 billion people, following the example of a number of countries, especially in Europe, which remains the global coronavirus hotspot.

Finland, which has 880 confirmed cases of coronavirus and has reported three deaths, announced on Wednesday the lockdown of the capital Helsinki and its region, starting Friday until 19 April.
ANN ARBOR, MI  University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel announced the appointment of three new university officials at Thursdays board of regents meeting.

Susan M. Collins was announced as the interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. She has been serving as acting provost since UM removed Martin Philbert as provost after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.

University of Michigan removes Martin Philbert as provost amid sexual misconduct allegations

Schlissel said Collins will serve in her new role until a new provost is named and installed. The university will begin a search process in the months ahead.

Rebecca Cunningham was named vice president for research for the UM Office of Research. She had been serving as interim vice president for research for 10 months, according to the appointment document. During that time, the document says she has managed and overseen the universitys response to several critical issues, including the recent coronavirus outbreak.

Research plays a critical role in addressing the most important issues that we as a society face, Cunningham said in a press release. From poverty and mobility to gun violence and the current coronavirus pandemic, faculty, staff and students across our three campuses have embraced this vision of serving the world through research and scholarship.

Cunningham received her bachelors degree from Fairfield University and a doctorate degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. She joined UM as a lecturer in 1999. Her research has focused on injury prevention, substance use prevention and public health. She currently directs the UM Injury Prevention Center, one of 10 injury control research centers in the U.S. funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address urgent injury issues through research, education and outreach.

Cunningham will serve in her new role from April 1 through March 31, 2025.

Taking over the role of vice president of student life is Martino Harmon, who currently serves as vice president for student affairs at Iowa State University. Before Iowa State, Harmon held positions at Cincinnati State Community College, Rhodes State College and Washtenaw Community College.

Harmon will fill the role of E. Royster Harper, who retired in January. Simone Himbeault Taylor is serving as interim vice president and will continue to do so until July 1 when Harmon takes over.

The University of Michigan is the nations top public institution and I am honored to have been selected by the Board of Regents to lead the division of student life, Harmon said in a press release. I look forward to getting to know and collaborate with the talented and knowledgeable staff and faculty to continue to enhance the UM student experience.

Harom holds a bachelors degree in marketing, a masters degree in human resource development and educational technology and a Ph.D. in higher education and administration, all from the University of Toledo.

Harmon will serve as vice president of student life from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2025.

MORE UM NEWS:

Heres how University of Michigan students are adjusting to online classes

University of Michigan pharmacy students helping Michigan Medicine make hand sanitizer during coronavirus outbreak

University of Michigan hires law firm to continue sexual misconduct investigation into late athletic doctor

PETA calls on University of Michigan to shut down animal labs as UM ramps down research activities
European stocks closed lower Friday as investors monitored the spread of coronavirus while policymakers scrambled to agree on a unified response.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed down 3.2%, with autos and travel and leisure stocks dropping more than 5.7% to lead losses as all sectors and major bourses slid into negative territory.

European Union leaders on Thursday failed to agree on how best to shore up economies hammered by the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 533,000 people worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday that he had tested positive for coronavirus, and vowed to self-isolate at home while continuing to "lead the national fightback against coronavirus."

EU policymakers have allowed themselves two more weeks to work out details, as death tolls in Italy, Spain and France, in particular, continue to surge.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has scrapped its cap on the quantity of bonds it can buy from any single euro zone nation, potentially paving the way for unlimited money-printing in a bid to mitigate the economic damage to the bloc.

Meanwhile, leaders of the G20 (Group of 20) major economies have vowed to pump over $5 trillion into the global economy in a coordinated effort to minimize job and income losses from business shutdowns around the world.

Shares in Asia Pacific were mixed Friday afternoon, with Australian stocks tumbling 5% while most major markets advanced, led by Japan.

Stateside, Dow futures are pointing to a negative open of more than 700 points on Wall Street, as investors digest the record 3.28 million unemployment claims filed last week amid the fallout from the pandemic.
USA.Life is the #1 New Social Network; Conservatives 'Delete Facebook and Twitter' to 'Speak Freely About Coronavirus, God and Politics' on USA.Life

Fast-Growing Conservative Alternative to Facebook



NEWS PROVIDED BY

USA.Life

March 27, 2020



SAN JOSE, Calif., March 27, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- USA.Life is the top ranked new social media, according to a study. CEO Steven Andrew announced, "USA.Life is the most popular overall and/or in the nation of social networks launched since 2018." Established just one year ago, USA.Life describes itself as "the answer to Facebook and Twitter censoring Christians, conservatives, and liberty." To sign up for a free account go to www.USA.Life.



"USA.Life offers conservatives hope, because Big Tech's censorship affects people's lives, national security, elections, relationships and the ability to share your opinion about coronavirus," Andrew said.



People, families and friends connect with those most important to them as this USA.Life overview video shows. Users, churches, and businesses share photos, updates, news, videos and messages, and join groups.



Here is what people say:

"Took the big step and Deleted my Facebook account...also invited all my friends to come over here." Ron Schunk



"I feel the peace here at USA.Life...Got to go around with tape over your mouth on Facebook or you might get jailed." Linda Eggleston



"No free speech on Facebook, Twitter...Thank God for USA.Life!" Barbara



"At least being pro-America and pro-God won't get me kicked out like Facebook." Bob Russell



"Finally Conservatives starting to do something to fight back." John Dough



"Thank you USA.Life for keeping America free!" Bill Jordanson

"Building USA.Life followers now benefits early adopters greatly as this conservative Facebook alternative grows," Andrew said.



USA.Life is a great fit for churches, pro-lifers, and President Trump supporters, as the study found. USA.Life is more popular overall and/or in the USA than TrumpTown/Mumblit, Parler, AllSocial, Spreely, Steemit, SocialCross, Jesus.social, FreeTalk.app/FreeTalk24 and many others. USA.Life hopes to be the top social network in the nation replacing Facebook. People from other countries join too.



Andrew set up a crowdfunding page to expand the project to help conservatives more.



"We don't have the billions of dollars that Facebook and Twitter have, so we need people who want freedom and privacy to contribute what they can," he said.



Supporters receive a special reward such as their name credited in the computer code, pro accounts and T-shirts. For larger donations, individuals and organizations can get their name on the founders wall.



About USA.Life

USA.Life is America's new social networkthe answer to Facebook and Twitter censoring Christians, conservatives and liberty. To connect with people, groups, churches and businesses, get a free account at www.USA.Life.



SOURCE USA.Life



CONTACT: Steven Andrew, 877-585-7729



Related Links



www.USA.Life


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Anyone accustomed to commuting into downtown Cleveland might find the aerial footage captured of Friday morning traffic, or lack thereof, unusual and a bit eerie.

With so many Northeast Ohio residents staying home as a result of Gov. Mike DeWines orders that shut down much of daily life, the highways are virtually empty during periods when theyre typically packed with commuters.

The governors order mandating the closure of non-essential businesses, the result of the rapid spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19, resulted in an explosion of unemployment claims in Ohio and across the county.

The aerial footage captured by cleveland.coms drone was taken around Interstate 90, the Shoreway and the Detroit-Superior Bridge.
Amy Vann knows what its like to not have nice things. Growing up in the Ohio River towns of Gallipolis, Ohio and Point Pleasant, West Virginia, she felt the teasing and mocking by school kids who had the new shoes and brand name clothes that her parents could not afford to buy for her and her sister. Now a mother herself, Vann founded and operates Give Like a Mother, a non-profit company that collects and distributes clothing and other items for free to underprivileged families.



Vann, an adjunct visiting faculty from the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Nursing who teaches students in a clinical setting at UC Medical Center and UC Health West Chester Hospital, got her certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) degree at the UC College of Nursing in December of 2009. After graduation, with a little more time on her hands, she started searching for a service project.

Ive always had a strong heart for children, and I always loved serving, says Vann. We have a very service-minded family, and we always love to give back and help others.

Vann began by looking for people to give baby clothing or equipment that she no longer had use for, since, after having a boy and a girl, she was done having babies. Using Facebook yard sale sites, she would meet people to sell them items from her family, and saw then how great the need was in the community.

Thats when I started looking for people who needed items and I would ask other moms that I knew or people in the community if they had anything to spare, Vann said. It was during what they call a journey at Crossroads Church where they challenged you to be brave in whatever God had planned for you that I started thinking about it and thought, this is what Im supposed to do.

Read the full story
Russian, Turkish Military Conduct Joint Patrolling in Syria  Defence Ministry

Sputnik News

21:09 GMT 26.03.2020(updated 21:13 GMT 26.03.2020)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian and Turkish troops have conducted joint patrolling in Syria's north, Oleg Zhuravlev, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for the Syrian Reconciliation, said.

"Another joint Russian-Turkish patrol took place along the Qamishli-Sheyrek-Javharia-Sheyrek-Qamishli route," Zhuravlev said, in addition to patrolling by the military police in the provinces of Aleppo and Hasakah.

The military official said air force had conducted surveillance as well.

According to Zhuravlev, Turkey has registered no instances of firing by illegal armed groups within the territory under its control, while Russia has registered two instances of firing  one in Aleppo and Hasakah each  by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organization (formerly known as the Nusra Front, banned in Russia).

Last October, Russia and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding that stipulated that units of Russian military police and Syrian border control be deployed on the Syrian edge of the area within which Turkey launched its Operation Peace Spring last fall.

Under the memorandum, the Russian, Turkish and Syrian forces were to conduct regular patrolling of the area to ensure the deal's implementation after the termination of active armed hostilities.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A conservative advocacy group is calling on Gov. Tom Wolf and state health officials to order Planned Parenthood to halt abortions in Pennsylvania amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pennsylvania Family Institute is asking Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to order the abortion provider to stop performing elective abortions and all other services during the public health crisis.

This is unacceptable, Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute said. Planned Parenthood is now 100 (percent) abortion - willing to put further strain on our health system and risk increasing the spread of this virus so they can still profit from their main service revenue stream of elective abortions.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has not mandated any changes or stoppages of services provided by Planned Parenthood, according to Nate Wardle, press secretary for the department.

Dayle Steinberg, chair of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates and President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said the organization continues to provide critical health care to women.

Abortion, she said, is an essential and time-sensitive medical procedure, and has been deemed so by medical experts like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that abortion care is essential, and must remain so during this public health crisis, Steinberg said. While Planned Parenthood health centers across Pennsylvania continue to provide critical care during this pandemic crisis and work with our partner health care providers, we know that abortion cannot wait. Unlike some medical procedures, delays or additional barriers to care can make it more difficult or even impossible for patients to have access to safe, legal abortion.

As the rate of coronavirus cases continue to increase across the country, several conservative states are moving to restrict access to abortion services, classifying the procedure as nonessential.

Officials in Texas, Mississippi and Ohio argue abortion is an elective procedure that should be halted so masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment can be directed to health care workers dealing with the pandemic crisis.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last week issued an executive order that imposes fines of up to $1,000 or 180 days in jail to providers that do not comply with the restrictions. All providers in Texas have stopped providing surgical and medical abortions as of this week.

Abortion rights advocates argue that the abortion procedure is essential and time-sensitive, and not something that can be postponed indefinitely.

In a statement on its website, the National Abortion Federation, writes that: Abortion care is a time-sensitive service that cannot be significantly deferred without profound consequences for women and their families. Abortion is provided for almost one in five pregnancies in the United States, as part of the continuum of pregnancy care. It is an essential health service.

An individual and family decide to end a pregnancy for a complex constellation of reasons that include the impact of pregnancy and birth on their health, ability to work, and strained economic circumstances, the federation said in its statement. "These are conditions that do not go awayand are likely heightenedin pandemic conditions. Denying or deferring abortion care places an immediate burden on patients, their families, and the health system, and can have profound and lasting consequences. Patients presenting for time-sensitive care, including abortion care, need timely access to treatment, even during this pandemic.

Senators Toomey and Casey break down the stimulus bill

Like other health care providers, Planned Parenthood has ratcheted up protocol to prevent the spread of infection. It is asking prospective patients to reschedule appointments if they have recently had a fever, cough, difficulty breathing or have been exposed to someone who may have coronavirus or has traveled to countries with outbreaks.

The Pennsylvania Family Institute further blasted the organization for its appeal for donations of hand sanitizer, home sewn masks, shoe covers and surgical hats.

Planned Parenthood has the nerve right now to ask for donations of masks, surgical hats and hand sanitizer - scarce resources needed by Pennsylvania hospitals treating patients with COVID-19 - so that they can be used to perform elective abortions, said Emily Kreps, a legal representative for the group.

The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is also calling on officials to order Planned Parenthood to halt all abortion services during the coronavirus pandemic.

While the people of Pennsylvania are making a heroic effort to save the lives of the most vulnerable, Planned Parenthood continues with business as usual, said Bonnie Finnerty, a spokeswoman for the group.

The debate over reproductive rights continues to emerge prominent in the Legislature as conservative lawmakers work to restrict those rights.

Pa. unemployment claims skyrocket to 540,000 since statewide coronavirus shutdown, shattering records

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



of Sonagachi in north Kolkata, Asia's largest red light area, are now staring at an uncertain future and possible starvation as the COVID-19 outbreak has thrown them out of business.

The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, an umbrella organisation of the state's sex workers having over 1,30,000 registered members, is in talks with the government seeking unorganised sector workers tag for them so that they can get free ration that the state has offered to the sector.

A senior minister said the state government is mulling to extend the benefits of free ration to the sex workers.

"For the last five days, we have been getting frantic calls from various parts of the state. Sex workers have been asking us to do something to save them from possible starvation. Most of the sex workers dont have money to buy food as they are completely out of business for the last 20-21 days since the scare over coronavirus started," said Mahasweta Mukherjee, an office-bearer of Durbar.

It is sad to see that sex workers of Sonagachi who played a key role in the fight against AIDS are now facing such a grim situation during this pandemic, said Mukherjee.

The Sonagachi Research and Training Institute (SRTI), an NGO, said Durbar has prepared a three-pronged strategy to help the sex workers.

"One, we requested Women and Social Welfare Minister Shashi Panja to ensure that the benefits provided by the state government to the unorganised sector are extended to sex workers. Secondly, we are in talks with landlords to waive the rent for this month. Thirdly, we are writing to various noted personalities and NGOs seeking help," SRTI managing director Samarjit Jana told PTI.

More than 30,000 sex workers of Sonagachi work from rented houses, where the rent varies from Rs 5000 to Rs 60000 per month.

"We have convinced some landlords not to collect rent for a month. But this can't continue for long. This could be only a temporary arrangement. We are not opposing the lockdown but right now the main problem is arranging relief as we can't move out of our homes," Jana said.

Mukherjee said the problem sex workers faced during demonetisation in 2016 is nothing in comparison to the one they are facing now.

When contacted, minister Panja said the state government is taking steps to help sex workers across the state.

Another senior minister said steps are on to extend all benefits that are being given to the unorganised sector people to sex workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There's every reason to believe the campaign is launched from beyond the country.

A group of Russian military arrived in Italy exactly at the moment an active campaign was launched across social networks, calling for the countrys withdrawal from the EU.

Such calls are being spun on Twitter with a relevant ITALEXIT hashtag by a swarm of accounts created this February-March. There is reason to believe that they originated beyond Italy, IGTDS think tank reports.

A vivid example is a recent disinformation campaign with the obvious participation of Russia, where Poland, and then both Poland and Ukraine, were accused of closing their airspace for Russian military cargo aircraft carrying aid and experts to Italy. However, a quick analysis of air corridors shows that the shortest route from the airbase outside Moscow to the Pratica di Mare airfield in Italy passes through Belarus, not through Ukraine, so the very mention of the latter in smear reports is purely due to its long-lasting conflict with Russia.

A significant part of the accounts involved in the distribution of Russian narratives also take part in promoting anti-migration messages and those in support of Matteo Salvini. It is likely that the campaign for Italy's withdrawal from the EU is organized and supported by the Lega Nord party and isn't affiliated with the Kremlin. However, the fact that some of the accounts participated in disinformation efforts against Poland and in support of Russia may indicate support and promotion of Lega Nords leader by Russia, and the agreements with the Italian far-right on mutual support and promotion of each other's interests.

Leftist moods traditionally prevail among the Italian population, due to the material and financial gap between the wealthy and poor, as well as regional gaps in well-being of households. Thus, anti-Brussels sentiments generally correspond to the ideological preferences of Italians. However, such moods are now on a sharp rise, while using some Russian-designed narratives. For example, in contrast to the heated debate on EU policies, Italy has been rather loyal to NATO, while all anti-NATO messages in the Italian segment of social networks were of Russian origin. The very emergence of such narrative is related to the Defender Europe 20 exercise and the arrival of the U.S. troops to take part, which indicates that its an externally-driven infowar operation that's underway in Italy.

Russian information resources, affiliated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service and military intelligence, are now jointly struggling to suppress the spread of shares and reposts of an article by Italy's La Stampa, where journalists state that some 80% of the cargo brought in from Russia is practically useless in tackling corona, the report reads.

"The main objective of the Russian information campaign is to mold public opinion toward believing that the EU countries are failing to provide assistance to Italy (reports on German assistance are being blocked or ignored), as well as positioning Russia as the only state actor thats providing aid to Italy. However, China will not be standing aside, watching such a campaign unfold as Bejing is also interested in strengthening its presence in Italy once the pandemic is over," writes the think tank.

Russias campaign is two-staged, the authors add: "At the second stage, the issue of lifting sanctions off of Russia is expected to be raised, as well as that of rapprochement with the Kremlin."

Read alsoRussia deploying coronavirus disinformation to sow panic in West, EU document says

Looking at the list of those who arrived in Italy as part of Russias military mission, its clear that the team includes individuals totally unrelated to medical staff, such as propaganda pundits and troops allegedly representing Russia's Special Operations Forces.

After landing in Pratica di Mare, a convoy of Russian military hardware drove 600 km to Bergamo. Landing Russian aircraft at Lombardy airfields wouldve saved time and financial resources, both for convoy diesel and aviation fuel for nine cargo planes. Thus, the transfer of the Russian group across the country seems to be a propaganda operation, to say the least, or even ultimately a military exercise to practice landing of a spearhead group with its further advance to the set location.

Among others on the Russian military mission is General Sergey Kikot, who in 2019 whitewashed Assad in The Hague, claiming the latter never used chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma.

The group also includes Lt. Col. Alexander Yumanov, Colonel Alexei Smirnov, Lt. Col. Gennady Eremin, and Lt. Col. Vyacheslav Kulish.

Said officers took part in the project involving the Ebola virus, carried out by Russian defense ministry's 48th Central Research Institute and Vector SE, the company that back in the Soviet times was engaged in developing biological weapons. Its worth noting that these officers were introduced to the Italian side as members of the Kirov-based Military Medical Academy, although in fact they are part of the 48th Central Research Institute.

Read alsoRussia, China exploiting coronavirus in geopolitical game

It is expected that the Russians main task is to collect biological material from Italian citizens infected with Covid-19, as well as to study the course of the disease and measures taken in Italy  to be applied in Russia.

Expert estimates say its highly likely that Russia will see an outbreak of coronavirus epidemic in line with the Italian scenario. The available data shows Russian authorities discuss the possibility of introducing a curfew in Moscow. At the same time, the city council says enforcing such quarantine would be impossible, citing poor infrastructure. Thus, Russians might as well be gathering information in Italy in order to develop a strategy to counter the virus once it gains pace across their country.
48 lenders have cut at least one fixed home loan rate in the past week since the RBA's emergency rate cut, according to financial comparison website RateCity.

ING, Australia's fifth largest lender, set to offer the country's lowest home loan rate at just 2.09 per cent, fixed for two years, available from March 26.

The company announced cuts to its fixed home loan rates by up to 50 per cent for owner-occupiers with the Orange Advantage package.

Around 80 per cent of fixed home loan rates are now below 3 per cent and more than two dozen lenders offering fixed rates under 2.5 per cent.



Sally Tindall, research director at RateCity.com.au, said the fixed rate space was hitting boiling point.

Lenders are putting all of their cards on the table as panicked borrowers seek out home loan security in a market that is changing daily, she said.

The move from ING comes after the major banks kicked off a rate war last week with Westpac, NAB and ANZ cutting rates to 2.19 per cent. The question is how low can they go?.

She noted that we are not far from seeing fixed rates below 2.0 per cent.

Like many banks, ING has chosen not to cut variable rates following Thursdays RBA announcement, but offered payment deferrals for up to 6 months for home loans, personal loans and credit cards.

This will support a lot of Australians in the coming months, particularly those who have been impacted financially as a result of the coronavirus, she said.
As Massachusetts schools and many daycares are closed until May 4, some parents have the luxury  albeit difficult task  of watching their children and working from home. But for grocery store clerks, first responders, doctors, nurses and many others, thats simply not an option.

On the morning of March 23, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all of the states non-essential businesses to close during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While this closure shut down a vast majority of businesses, there are still a number of businesses still operating.

So who are watching the children of these workers?

In-home babysitters and nannies are considered an essential business, according to a list last updated on Wednesday, March 25.

There are also more than 300 designated daycares open to watch children of parents who are essential workers. But priority is given to those who have no other option. People with alternative childcare, friends or family should not contact the emergency programs, as it has limited space.

Priority will be given to people including but not limited to health care workers, essential state workers, COVID-19 health workers, grocery store employees, emergency response personnel, law enforcement, transportation and infrastructure workers, sanitation workers, DCF-involved families and families living in shelters, the EEC said.

College Nannies, Sitters + Tutors (CNST), the largest employer of nannies, sitters and tutors in the U.S., has seen an increase in demand both nationally and in Massachusetts for babysitters and nannies.

This is really unprecedented. Its an overused word  but accurate nevertheless, said Delilah Atkinson of CNST.

Atkinson said the company supports families, especially those of essential workers, at all hours of the day and night. Currently, it is waiving enrollment fees for many of these employees, such as first responders, medical and healthcare professionals. CNST is also working to help set up and provide local healthcare facilities with in-hospital daycares.

But its not just for essential workers. CNST is working to support families whose job might require more attention and cant watch children, despite working from home.

Imagine parents trying to work from home with their children in the background, she said.

The company is also working to accommodate for families with new types of needs. Its tutor service now has virtual options and they are giving out tips for kids, such as teaching children how to wash their hands correctly using glitter.

To meet this need CNST is currently hiring for temporary, part- time and full-time positions.

We also welcome displaced workers from hospitality and other industries with caregiver experience to join our team and support our community, Atkinson said. By taking away the stress of losing an income, we are helping support our mission of building stronger families.

But not all nannies or nanny companies are seeing this increase.

Jennifer Cole owner of Bostons Best Babysitters has seen a significant number of cancellations.

Her company specifically focuses on babysitting for local events and travelers in and around Boston, specializing in babysitting at hotels. With the current restrictions and canceled events, her companies numbers have taken a serious hit.

Since we started this business in 1996, we have always had more jobs than we have had capable and qualified childcare providers, Cole said, adding the now, basically everything has come to a standstill for us.

Jeanne Abderhalden, from Becket, nannies an 18-month-old little boy. But now that his mom is working from home, shes out of the job.

A daycare owner for 10 years, Abderhalden turned to nannying and became a retail manager when her own children entered elementary school. She said the family has offered to help her during this time, but between her retail job still paying her and her partners full-time job, they are still financially stable.

But its been hard in other ways.

We FaceTime. He misses me, she said. It breaks my heart because he looks out the window and calls my name and its so sad because he doesnt understand.

She said the 18-month-old loves her, her family and their dog. But its impossible to explain the situation to a toddler. And she misses him just as much.

Hes literally an extension of our family, she said.

She said shes also been helping the mom worth through the unknown, as children often thrive off routine  something that has drastically changed over the recent weeks.

Shes also had to navigate transitions with her own children, two boys ages 11 and 7.

The biggest challenge is feeding them, she said laughing.

Its also been hard keeping up in school. Although, she has plenty of childcare experience, she said shes not an educator or an occupational therapist, something one of her sons needs.

He gets the extra stuff that I definitely cant get him at home, Abderhalden said. Im feeling a little lost.

But shes just doing her best, and advises other parents to do the same.

Cole said a lot of people would like to have a nanny come help watch their kids during the day while theyre working or to help with schoolwork, but its not always a realistic option for people.

Parents are working but now that everybody is at home, she said. Theyre not forced to have that nanny during the day.

Currently, Bostons Best Babysitters typically charges $100 for the first three hours, and then about $20 an hour after that. Although there are exceptions.

It might seem expensive to some  but its not your neighborhood teenage girl coming to babysit.

We are professionals. Were not babysitters, Cole said. Theyre educated women from age 21, all the way up to grandmother ages.

She said its a lot of retired or current teachers, but now theyre out of a job.

Cole said the company is working to accommodate the situation, taking jobs they dont normally have the time or staff to take on. They are willing to take on new families, elder care, pet sitting or more.

She just wants to help her employees  and others, like the concierge employees that are out of a job at the hotels she has relationships with.

Theyre asking me for jobs, she said. But I cant help our normal people.

Related Content:
On your tail: An artists impression by Sergey Krasovskiy of the recently discovered feathered dinosaur. Photo: Sergey Krasovskiy/PA Wire

A newly discovered feathered dinosaur which lived 67 million years ago is one of the last-known raptor species, researchers have found.

Paleontologists say the Dineobellator notohesperus, which lived in what is now New Mexico, was a "small, lightly built predator" with a tail function similar to that of a cat.

They said the findings, published in the journal 'Scientific Reports', offer a snapshot of life in the American south-west near the end of the reign of the dinosaurs.

Steven Jasinski, of the University of Pennsylvania, led the work to describe the discovery.

In 2008, Robert Sullivan, from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque, found fossils of the new species in rocks of the San Juan Basin in New Mexico.

Dineobellator, and its Asian cousin Velociraptor, belong to a group of dinosaurs known as the dromaeosaurids, commonly referred to as 'raptors' after movies such as 'Jurassic Park'.

Remains show the Dineobellator stood at about 3.5ft and was between 6ft and 7ft long, while bones from the forearm show quill knobs - small bumps where features would be anchored by ligaments - indicating the raptor had feathers.

Other features include large claws and a tail which was flexible at its base, allowing the rest of the tail to remain stiff. Mr Jasinski said: "A stiff tail that is highly mobile at its base allows for increased agility and changes in direction."

He said the more evidence they find of members possessing feathers, the more likely it is that all dromaeosaurids had them.
Amid the changes created by the novel coronavirus pandemic in communities it serves, Houston-based trash collection and disposal company Waste Management has adjusted its game plan and is functioning almost normally in an abnormal environment.

Were extremely busy, said Lisa Doughty, the companys public affairs director for its Texas/Oklahoma region. The waste collection service is an essential service, especially given that a lot of people are staying at home.

Waste Management has 11 locations in the greater Houston area, including offices in Pasadena and Alvin and also serves commercial and corporate interests in Bay Area.

On its website, the company said it was maintaining standard collection and disposal services. If circumstances change affecting services, the company said it will provide updates to customers and communities through alerts including texts and email.

Weve definitely seen an increase in our residential collection services, Doughty said. With restaurants closing or limiting their customers in the restaurant, that type service has reduced. But overall, if you were to look at our waste volumes at our landfills, I would say they are maintaining the same.

Call center now operating from remote laptops

Waste Management serves almost the Houston region with 1,900 employees. While many companies have announced reduced hours or layoffs during the coronavirus (also called COVID-19) pandemic, Waste Management has remained fully staffed, Doughty said.

Very early on our CEO, Jim Fish, announced that (Waste Management) would ensure that any employee impacted by COVID would have a 40-hour per week pay, she said.

At this point, there are no challenges there. Truthfully, one of the largest challenges for us were our call centers and dispatch centers where you would have 50 people working in cubicles side by side, Doughty said on Friday. Early on, Waste Management invested in technology, such as laptops, and we were able to move all our call center and dispatch center employees to their homes.

It took a while to get everyone set up and home and on the right VPN (Virtual Private Network) and dial-up systems, but Im happy to say that for the last two days weve been able to bring our residential call center lines back up.

Bullhorn instructions to drivers

We are practicing safe distancing, and as you can imagine, that is a challenge, Doughty said. You bring in 100 drivers that are getting ready to go out at 5 a.m., and you see them all spread out about 5-6 feet from each other, and were communicating with a bullhorn.

Technology has also helped with social distancing.

A lot of our business line has moved to residential collection with the side-arm trucks, which we call ASL (automated side loaders); so its not forcing us to have three employees in a truck cab, Doughty said.

The key is wearing the proper (personal protective equipment), Doughty said. We want to make sure our vendor/suppliers are keeping us stocked safely with gloves and hand sanitizers for our material recovery centers.

Were making sure our employees have their masks. To date, weve been successful from that perspective.

We operate Monday through Saturday in the call centers, Doughty said. but we have trucks rolling every day of the week. Hospitals need to be picked up daily, fire departments, and sometimes hotels, too. It depends on the line of business.

In an uncertain atmosphere, everyone wants to be debris-free.

We engaged early and took it very seriously, Doughty said. We started deploying every department to look at what the scenarios would be if we needed to be flexible. Were in times where no one ever dreamed we would be.

Weve elevated our employee communications, and were continuing to share info on COVID-19 to make sure people continue to adhere to the government mandates and social distancing. As long as we continue to communicate with each other  thats the key.

tdunnam@hcnonline.com
An employee walks into Barbar restaurant in Beirut, past its fleet of delivery scooters. (Nabih Bulos / For The Times)

It was always rush hour at Barbar. The restaurant sprawls over several buildings in Beiruts Hamra district, where you could glimpse white-clad workers at all hours slicing shawarma meat, frying up falafel or prepping smoothies with Carmen Miranda-like crowns of fruit.

Barbar never opened its doors because they were perpetually open. Now theyre closed. And a vital part of this city's life has been forced to confront a new reality.

Its perhaps a measure of the coronavirus threat that Barbar, famous for serving customers with no interruption for more than 40 years through some of Lebanons toughest times, including civil war and assassinations, must now turn customers away. Its part of a wider evisceration of Lebanons famed restaurant industry, which is facing losses estimated at more than $200 million a month nationwide, according to the countrys Syndicate of Restaurants, Cafes, Clubs and Patisseries.

Fears of the virus inundating Lebanons enfeebled medical sector pushed authorities here to enforce an almost total lockdown. Dine-in and take-out services for food establishments were ordered suspended, forcing more than 95% of restaurants to totally cease operations, says the head syndicate head Tony Ramy. Its likely that many will never reopen.

Barbar got its start as a Manousheh joint, baking Lebanon's version of flatbread pizza, which is commonly eaten for breakfast. (Nabih Bulos / For The Times)

But Barbar, in diminished ways, has found a way to survive. It still retains a delivery option in noncurfew hours, with its swarm of scruffy white scooters emblazoned with the restaurant's mascot, a pudgy, mustachoied chef in a toque carrying a platter.

Technically," says Ali Ghaziri, 38, who co-owns and operates Barbar with his brother, 39-year-old Shadi, "we still havent closed. But it's the first time we're not open 24/7.

But the lockdown meant it had to roll down its shutters.

Weve never had to do that; they were so dirty, Ghaziri says, chuckling.

We immediately repainted them.

Other adjustments in the face of the COVID-19 were more drastic.

We wanted to adhere to the health regulations, so we hired consultants and medical professionals, and followed the advice of the World Health Organization, Ghaziri says.

Story continues

The first order of business was downsizing: the six storefronts in the Hamra neighborhood and Barbars other branch were all shuttered. The different kitchens were transplanted into one centralized unit in the main location. Everyone  food preparation staff, deliverymen, managers  maintains a distance of at least six feet from one other, with a ready supply of gloves and masks always in use. And the restaurants staff operates at 25% strength.

We had to furlough many people, Ghaziri says with a hint of resignation. But we paid them their salaries and an advance on their future salary as well. Were also providing food for employees families if they need it.

Ghaziri walked through what is now the restaurants main kitchen. He pointed out the vertical spits laden with marinated chicken and meat for shawarma and the snack section, where a worker was constructing one of Barbars signature hot sandwiches. To the side was a vat of oil, flames at the ready for the moment an order for falafel came in.

A chef puts the finishing touches on a shawarma sandwich at Beirut's Barbar restaurant. (Nabih Bulos / For The Times)

All the items on Barbars vast menu are still available, including the elaborate daily specials, the grilled meat offerings and the brick-oven bakery, which serves up a variety of manousheh, a sort of Lebanese flatbread pizza.

Im worried people will think I have a fever from the oven, jokes Kamal, one of Barbars remaining bakers, as he slides in a plank loaded with neat circles of dough topped with cheese, meat and za'atar by the fire.

Kamal, one of Barbar's remaining bakers, slides flatbread into the brick oven while making manousheh, a kind of Lebanese pizza. (Nabih Bulos / For The Times)

So its still recognizably Barbar  but one devoid of the hundreds of patrons chowing down in the proletarian but practical dining room, or bleary-eyed party people blotting out the booze with a sidewalk shawarma on the go. Even the kitchen, normally abuzz with the esprit de corps of a high-stress but high-quality food establishment, seems subdued.

To understand the coronavirus as cataclysm for businesses here, you have to think back to what Barbar has already endured: how the Ghaziris father, 67-year-old Mohammad, gave up a life at sea to open up a modest manousheh joint in 1979, four years into Lebanons devastating civil war; how he piled sandbags in front of the restaurant as protection from errant mortar shells; how sectarian militiamen would fight Palestinian guerrillas down the street before both sides would take a lunch break at Barbar.

With the civil wars end, Barbar became famous, its name linked to the notion of what people these days call resilience, decades before the term got to be in vogue.

Other violent episodes followed: the assassination of the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005, the July 2006 war between the Shiite armed faction and political group Hezbollah and Israel, the fracas pitting rival parties in 2008, and the conflict raging in neighboring Syria since 2011.

More recent shudders, including a dollar crisis that began in September and months-long demonstrations that brought a million people  almost a quarter of Lebanons population  into the streets had seen the closure of some 785 establishments, according to the restaurant syndicates figures.

Throughout them all, Barbar remained. But the current crisis is different; the enemy more mercurial in its invisibility.

War is easier. You can deal with militias, Shadi says.

Yeah, we were friends with all the commanders, Ghaziri replies. You can't be friends with corona.

Sales, he says, had taken a 15%-20% hit between September and February.

"Since the closures, it's 85% lower."

Still, the Ghaziri brothers, who took over from their father five years ago, insist theyre going nowhere.

Our work is down, but its continuing. The Lebanese person adapts  we always find a way to do this, Ghaziri says before turning to an employee to ask about an order.

That may seem a hokey sentiment, but in a time of lockdown it was a lifeline for a hungry reporter one Thursday evening, when other delivery services had shut down for the night and the fridge seemed dangerously bare.

Could it be that Barbar was still delivering?

We're open, came Ghaziris reply. Dinner was served.
While the world partied some places prepared. Will their coronavirus gamble pay off?
Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 12 reported outside its natural niche, the cultured prostate cancer stem cells lost their tumor-inducing capability and stem cell marker expression after approximately 8 transfers at a 1:3 split ratio.

Oncotarget Volume 11, Issue 12 reported outside its natural niche, the cultured prostate cancer stem cells lost their tumor-inducing capability and stem cell marker expression after approximately 8 transfers at a 1:3 split ratio.

To characterize the iPS87 cell line, cells were stained with antibodies to various markers of stem cells including: ALDH7A1, LGR5, Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, Androgen Receptor, and Retinoid X Receptor.

This research thus characterizes the iPS87 cell line as a cancer-inducing, stem cell-like cell line, which can be used in the development of novel treatments for prostate cancer.

Dr. Daniel J. Donoghue from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center at the University of California San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA said, "The American Cancer Society advises that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men in America."

"The American Cancer Society advises that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men in America."



- Dr. Daniel J. Donoghue, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center at the University of California San Diego

These authors hypothesize that the disease is initiated, maintained, and progresses, as a disease of prostate cancer stem cells located in the outer/basal layer of the prostate glands.

Clinical treatment of prostatic adenocarcinoma mostly recognizes and targets the more differentiated cells which, although derived from the immortal cancer stem cells, may no longer be immortal themselves.

This approach may postpone disease progression, but recurrent/metastatic prostate cancer is nevertheless non-curable, due to failure to eliminate the underlying cancer stem cell population.

Patient needle-biopsy samples and prostatectomy tissue were examined for six stem cell-specific cell markers: CD44, CD133, Oct4, ALDH7A1, Nanog and LGR5, to verify the stem cell nature of the cancerous cells/tissues.

Figure 1: H&E stained sections from mice orthotopically injected with iPS87 cells. H&E stained sections were examined to identify tumor invasion. (A) Normal prostate; (B) non-invading tumor in prostate; (C) tumor invasion of prostate; (D) seminal vesicle tumor; (E) normal kidney; (F) tumor invasion of kidney; (G) normal lung; (H) lung tumor; (I) normal diaphragm (top) and tumor adjacent to diaphragm (bottom); (J) undifferentiated tumor mass with necrosis.

Antibody-stained prostate cancer tissue taken at the time of prostatectomy was indistinguishable from the images obtained from the same cancer tissue stained with H&E, suggesting that the prostate cancer cells at the time of prostatectomy are mostly composed of classes of stem cells.

The Donoghue Research Team concluded in their Oncotarget Research Paper, "with the positive staining of five documented stem cell markers, we conclude that the iPS87 cell line is indeed stem cell-like. The expression of the Androgen Receptor suggests that the iPS87 cells possess a stem cell progenitor- or a stem cell transit-amplifying genotype. This could potentially facilitate studies of the responsiveness of this potently tumorigenic cell to Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT)."

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.27524

Full text - http://www.oncotarget.com/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=27524&path%5B%5D=90169

Correspondence to - Daniel J. Donoghue - ddonoghue@ucsd.edu

Keywords - prostate cancer, stem cells, androgen independent, androgen deprivation therapy, castration resistant prostate cancer

About Oncotarget

Oncotarget is a weekly, peer-reviewed, open access biomedical journal covering research on all aspects of oncology.

To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit http://www.oncotarget.com or connect with:

SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/

Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/

Oncotarget is published by Impact Journals, LLC please visit http://www.ImpactJournals.com or connect with @ImpactJrnls

Media Contact

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

18009220957x105
The court document says Carthens denied to police that he shot anybody, but also told detectives that Brinkley was not an intended target. Police said in the affidavit they do not know if Brinkley was mistaken for someone else.
The US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, overtaking China and Italy, as the state of Louisiana witnessed a massive surge in infections and fatalities.

The US House later on Friday passed a $2 trillion economic relief package for shielding American families and businesses from financial havoc caused by the outbreak.

The coronavirus has infected more than 560,000 people worldwide, killing at least 25,400. The US now accounts for more than 15% of all the cases.

Total confirmed cases stood at 86,012 in the country on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Fatalities are much higher in Italy, Spain and China. But a study projects 81,000 Americans could perish in the outbreak, which, it added, was unlikely to subside before June. The study was published by experts from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

In China, the national health commission on Friday reported 55 new cases, including 54 it said were imported infections.

In the US, experts said cases will keep growing in the US, partly due to aggressive testing.

New York could see a peak in the demand for hospital capacity in three weeks and is planning to build eight temporary hospitals to meet the surge, governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Cuomo said 44,635 people have tested positive in New York, up by about 7,400 from Thursday, and that 519 New Yorkers have died from the virus, up from the previous days total of 385 deaths.

We are battling a deadly virus, Cuomo said. Its the worst news but its not unexpected news either.

The other American states hit hard by Covid-19 are Louisiana, California, Washington and New Jersey. Louisiana has emerged as a new worry, reporting a massive jump in cases - by 510 over Wednesday to a total of 2,300 - and by 83 deaths. Nearly half of them were reported in New Orleans.

The Canadian government, meanwhile, said it was strongly opposed to a US proposal to deploy troops along the international border as it could damage the traditional ties between the two countries.

The White House had pitched the idea in a bid to prevent illegal border crossings into the US amid the coronavirus crisis.
The home of Welsh rugby union is to be turned into the fourth emergency hospital to deal with an onslaught of coronavirus cases.

The Principality Stadium has been offered to NHS Wales as a makeshift field hospital to provide 2,000 extra beds should hospitals in the Cardiff area become overwhelmed.

It comes as the UK's coronavirus death toll jumped by a third to 759 after officials announced 181 more victims of the killer infection in the biggest daily rise yet.

Health chiefs also confirmed almost 15,000 Britons have now caught the virus.

The Principality Stadium is to be turned into the fourth emergency hospital to deal with an onslaught of coronavirus cases

Emergency vehicles were seen outside the ExCel centre in London which is being made into another temporary hospital

Clinicians from the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board are working with the managers of the iconic stadium and a range of specialist contractors to create the new facility.

As well as Cardiff, other field hospitals are also being set up across the UK.

London's ExCel Centre will be able to hold 4,000 patients, while the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and Manchester's Central Convention Centre will also be transformed.

Another Welsh rugby ground - Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire - will become a temporary hospital ward.

Len Richards, chief executive of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: 'It is difficult looking at the numbers to appreciate the size and the scale of the task ahead of us in the NHS.

'We have been using the past few weeks wisely in order to put structures and processes in place across our main hospital sites, University Hospital Wales and University Hospital Llandough.'

He added: 'I understand the concern that this will cause, not only in the community but among my staff too.

'We are planning on the basis of what we think we might need to ensure we are as ready as we can be.

'I sincerely hope we don't need to use all of the capacity but it is far better to have developed plans based upon the scientific evidence and modelling of the experts.

Michael Gove has admitted coronavirus infection rates are double every three days in the UK and two more emergency hospitals will be built to deal with the crisis

'The staffing levels and type of patients received at the hospital is part of our planning and is constantly being refined in line with the trajectory of the coronavirus.

'The facility will allow us to free up capacity at our other hospital sites so that we can continue to provide services to patients with other health conditions.'

Vaughan Gething, Welsh Government minister for health and social services, said: 'Health boards are working closely with Welsh Government to take all possible steps to prepare Wales for the coronavirus and that involves preparing for the worst-case scenario modelling.

'I have made 8 million in capital funding available to Cardiff and Vale to help with that planning for hospital and community beds.

'Cardiff and Vale, along with health boards across Wales, are working hard to get ready to look after and treat people who become sick and are looking at venues like the Principality Stadium to provide space for hospital and community beds in the coming weeks.'

The stadium is owned and operated by the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Cabinet minister announced a hospital was being built inside Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (shown)

Another would be assembled in and Manchester's Central Convention Centre (pictured) to cope with the onslaught of cases

Chief executive Martyn Phillips added: 'We have made the entire Principality Stadium available to be used based on NHS requirements, including hospitality areas and a variety of further rooms and facilities.

'It is a privilege to be able to offer our services, facilities and a significant number of operational staff, at their individual choice, to help at this time of national emergency and we have made advanced plans to transform relevant spaces into fully functional hospital environments.'

Meanwhile, the Bluestone national park resort in Pembrokeshire will become a recovery centre for coronavirus patients.

Dr Phil Kloer, medical director of the Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: 'We have followed the situation in Italy closely to learn where possible and to help our planning.

'Delivering these additional beds for patients will therefore be essential to help us manage patient flow over the coming weeks.'

Michael Gove yesterday revealed the two new the 'NHS Nightingale' hospitals that are being built inside Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and Manchester's Central Convention Centre to cope with the onslaught of cases.

Mr Gove - who was standing in for Boris Johnson at the Government's daily news briefing after the PM tested positive for the disease - said the stark figures highlighted the need for people to stay at home.

He told the Downing Street conference: 'The best scientific advice now is that the rate has been doubling every few days.

'These figures are a powerful reminder of the need for all of us to act. We need to slow the spread of the virus.

'This is a united national effort and the spirit of selflessness shown by so many is truly inspiring.'

Standing alongside Mr Gove was NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, who announced the two hospitals.

London's ExCel centre is already under construction to be transformed into a new 4,000 bed coronavirus field hospital.

Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital in the capital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients.

Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients. Pictured a lorry brings in beds for the new temporary hospital at the ExCel centre

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week that the ExCeL site in London would become a new temporary hospital due to the coronavirus outbreak

Military personnel move supplies at the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital - the NHS Nightingale hospital

HEALTH SECRETARY MATT HANCOCK AND BORIS CONFIRM THEY HAVE CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus arrived at the heart of power today as Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they are suffering from the disease. The bombshell news threatens to send the government's response into chaos, with speculation rampant over who else might be infected at the highest echelons of the state. The politicians are believed to have carried out a slew of face-to-face meetings over the past week. But Downing Street insists there is no need for other ministers or officials to get checked unless they start displaying symptoms. The drama kicked off this morning when Mr Johnson declared he had coronavirus. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty advised him to get a test after he developed a temperature and cough yesterday afternoon. The 55-year-old insisted he only has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference. The PM will stay in his flat in No11 - from where he chaired a meeting of the 'war Cabinet' this morning - and aides will leave meals and work outside the door. Within hours Mr Hancock then revealed he also has the virus. 'I've tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating,' he tweeted. Mr Hancock had been expected to appear at the daily government press briefing this evening, but Michael Gove is now likely to fill in. Despite the government's own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night or chief aide Dominic Cummings - are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street today carrying a rucksack. Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked. In a video, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test. ... NOW ENGLAND'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AND HEAD OF PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND TEST POSITIVE TOO England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Christ Whitty - who is leading the UK's fight against the outbreak - is also self-isolating at home after coming down with mild symptoms. Professor Whitty, who has been standing alongside the Prime Minister at his daily coronavirus news briefings, tweeted that he would be staying at home for the next seven days - just hours after Boris confirmed his diagnosis. Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, started to develop tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 at the weekend, a spokesperson for Public Health England said. He is continuing to lead the health body from the comfort of his own home Advertisement

The exhibition centre, in East London, will become the NHS Nightingale Hospital, with 4,000 beds.

The facility should be up and running by Saturday, April 4.

It comes as work begins on plans to turn part of another Welsh rugby ground into a temporary hospital ward.

Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, will provide additional bed space for hundreds of people on the turf of its indoor training pitch, with the aim of being ready for an anticipated peak in demand in May.

The wooden foundations of the makeshift ward now cover the green turf of the pitch, normally used by the Scarlets rugby team, and will soon will be under the management of doctors and nurses from Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Both moves  which are similar to the creation of the 1,000-bed field hospital seen in Wuhan, China, earlier in the crisis  are aimed at treating coronavirus patients as regular hospitals come under greater pressure.

Michael Gove used the press conference to promise to ramp up the UK's testing capacity - something the Government has been repeatedly slammed for.

Currently tests are only routinely given to people so ill they have to go into hospital, or those who are already on wards - even NHS staff don't get tested.

Only 8,000 tests are conducted each day. Mr Gove said the Government has brought together universities, businesses and research institutes in a 'new alliance' to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: 'Today I can announce that the Prime Minister has brought together businesses, research institutes and universities in a new alliance to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.

'This will be antigen testing - testing whether people currently have the disease - so that our health and social care workers can have security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative.

'These tests will be trialled for people on the frontline starting immediately, with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend - dramatically scaling up next week.'

It's unclear who will be providing the hundreds of antigen tests over the weekend.

The Government awarded Bedfordshire-based firm Mologic 1million to make the tests but they are still months away from being ready for mass use.

Sir Simon used the briefing to applaud the public for the Clap For Carers effort, saying it would have meant an 'enormous amount' to NHS staff to know the 'whole country is behind them'.

He said in the last two weeks 18,000 doctors and nurses have returned to practise registers after 'answering the calls to arms'.

'It was therefore very gratifying for our staff across the NHS to see this remarkable outpouring in the Clap For Carers last night,' he said.

'For many nurses coming home from a day at hospital or for other staff returning to start again for the night shift it would have meant an enormous amount to know that the whole country is behind them.'

He also said that across England there are now 33,000 hospital beds available to treat coronavirus patients.

Currently, there are 6,200 confirmed Covid-19 patients being treated in English hospitals and he said that number is 'only bound to rise in the coming days'.

Meanwhile the virus arrived at the heart of power yesterday as Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they had tested positive for COVID-19.

Coronavirus arrived at the heart of power as both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they are suffering from the disease

England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Christ Whitty - who is leading the UK's fight against the outbreak - is also self-isolating at home after coming down with mild symptoms

Beds set up inside London's ExCel Centre as the Army helps transform it in into a 4,000-bed coronavirus field hospital Beds are being put up inside London's ExCel centre as the Army helps transform it into a new 4,000 bed coronavirus field hospital. Military planners are working with Health Service officials to create the new hospital from scratch to accommodate rising numbers of patients. The exhibition centre, in East London, will become the NHS Nightingale Hospital, with 4,000 beds. The facility should be up and running by Saturday, April 4. It comes as work begins on plans to turn part of a Welsh rugby ground into a temporary hospital ward amid the coronavirus outbreak. Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, will provide additional bed space for hundreds of people on the turf of its indoor training pitch, with the aim of being ready for an anticipated peak in demand in May. The wooden foundations of the makeshift ward now cover the green turf of the pitch, normally used by the Scarlets rugby team, and will soon will be under the management of doctors and nurses from Hywel Dda University Health Board. Both moves  which are similar to the creation of the 1,000-bed field hospital seen in Wuhan, China, earlier in the crisis  are aimed at treating coronavirus patients as regular hospitals come under greater pressure. London is said to be one-and-a-half to two weeks ahead of the rest of the country in terms of virus cases, which is why the Army is focusing its efforts in the capital first. The NEC in Birmingham is among other sites in the rest of the country that are likely also become temporary hospitals in the coming weeks. Health bosses are identifying staff to be rapidly deployed at the new 4,000-bed field hospital being set to manage a surge in seriously ill coronavirus patients, it has been reported. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week that the ExCeL site in London will become a temporary hospital equipped with two wards of 2,000 beds to cope with any patient surge in the capital. It comes as the latest figures showed there were more than 11,600 cases of coronavirus in the UK and 578 deaths from the virus. Advertisement

England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Christ Whitty - who is leading the UK's fight against the outbreak - is also self-isolating at home after coming down with mild symptoms.

Professor Whitty, who has been standing alongside the Prime Minister at his daily coronavirus news briefings, tweeted that he would be staying at home for the next seven days - just hours after Boris confirmed his diagnosis.

The bombshell news threatens to send the government's response into chaos, with speculation rampant over which other senior figures could be infected.

Speculation is now rampant over who else might be infected at the highest echelons of the state. The politicians are believed to have carried out a slew of face-to-face meetings over the past week.

But Downing Street insists there is no need for other ministers or officials to get checked unless they start displaying symptoms.

The drama kicked off this morning when Mr Johnson declared he had coronavirus. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty advised him to get a test after he developed a temperature and cough yesterday afternoon.

The 55-year-old insisted he only has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference.

The PM will stay in his flat in No11 - from where he chaired a meeting of the 'war Cabinet' this morning - and aides will leave meals and work outside the door.

Within hours Mr Hancock then revealed he also has the virus. 'I've tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating,' he tweeted.

Mr Hancock had been expected to appear at the daily government press briefing this evening, but Michael Gove is

London is said to be one-and-a-half to two weeks ahead of the rest of the country in terms of virus cases, which is why the Army is focusing its efforts in the capital first. The NEC in Birmingham is among other sites in the rest of the country that are likely also become temporary hospitals in the coming weeks.

Health bosses are identifying staff to be rapidly deployed at the new 4,000-bed field hospital being set to manage a surge in seriously ill coronavirus patients, it has been reported.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier this week that the ExCeL site in London will become a temporary hospital equipped with two wards of 2,000 beds to cope with any patient surge in the capital.

It comes as the latest figures showed there were more than 11,600 cases of coronavirus in the UK and 578 deaths from the virus.

now likely to fill in.

Despite the government's own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night or chief aide Dominic Cummings - are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street yesterday carrying a rucksack.

Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked.

In a video, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating.

'That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'

Downing Street has previously said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will fill in if the PM is incapacitated, although there is little sign that he has stopped working.

A Downing Street spokesman said: 'After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

'The test was carried out in No10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

'In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

'He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus.'

The PM's spokesman said he would be carry out 'all of the same functions he was performing before' and 'the only difference is he will now have to do that via teleconferencing'.

Mr Johnson's diagnosis was confirmed around midnight last night.

Mr Hancock said in a video message recorded at his home that he would be self-isolating until next Thursday.

'Fortunately for me the symptoms so far have been very mild so I've been able to carry on with the work driving forward the UK response.

He also said a 'massive thank you to everybody in the NHS, working in social care and right across the board on the response'.

'I'll be continuing to do everything I can to get our carers the support that they need. And I'll be doing that from here but with no less gusto.'

'And then from next Thursday, once I'm out of self-isolation and I hope with no more symptoms, then I'll be able to get back stuck in and into the office where necessary.

'But the truth is that all of us can learn that working from home can be really, really effective.'

London is regarded as the engine of the outbreak in the UK, and many at Westminster have been struck down with symptoms.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first confirmed MP case, and has since recovered and returned to work.

Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week.

The declared UK death toll rose by 113 to 578 yesterday - the steepest increase yet.

Mr Johnson was outside No10 last night alonside Mr Sunak applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation.

His spokesman said he thought it was 'important' to take part in NHS clap, and he stayed a 'very significant distance from the Chancellor'.

He chaired a remote meeting of the coronavirus 'war cabinet' this morning.

Mr Johnson took PMQs in the Commons on Wednesday, which could raise fears other politicians have been infected, even though people have been well spaced out in the chamber.

Cabinet on Tuesday was also carried out over video conference.

However, senior officials including Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill were close to the PM in Downing Street for the meeting.
By James Davey

LONDON (Reuters) - Leading British fashion chain Next <NXT.L> has bowed to pressure from workers worried about their health and shut its online business, cutting off its remaining source of revenue during the coronavirus outbreak.

Rival British retailer Marks and Spencer <MKS.L> has taken a different tack, maintaining its online operations and citing government advice that people should use home delivery services to avoid going out if possible.

Next closed all its stores on Monday, a day before Britain went on lockdown, but had continued to run its online business, which accounts for around half of group revenue.

Next shares slumped on news it was shutting the online operations and were down 8.7% at 41.16 pounds at 1215 GMT.

"Next has listened very carefully to its colleagues working in warehousing and distribution operations to fulfill online orders. It is clear that many increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate," the company said.

"Next has therefore taken the difficult decision to temporarily close its online, warehousing and distribution operations," the company, whose Chief Executive Simon Wolfson represents the ruling Conservative party in the upper house of parliament, said.

A number of retailers are having to scale back or halt their online activities to try to safeguard their workers' health.

Amazon.com <AMZN.O> said last week it would stop shipping non-essential products to consumers in Italy and France, due to a spike in orders and the need to respect anti-coronavirus safety measures in the workplace.

BACK TO BASICS

Other fashion retailers in Europe are trying to keep their online businesses going, saying they are confident they can ensure social distancing.

Spain's Inditex <ITX.MC>, the company behind the Zara brand, has also said its online business remains in operation.

Pure online fashion retailer ASOS <ASOS.L>, which has a large fully automated warehouse in the northern English town of Barnsley, with on average 300 people per shift, is also still running.

Rival Boohoo <BOOH.L> said it is carrying on, utilizing its two distribution centers in Sheffield and Burnley, also in northern England.

Story continues

However, people's orders reflect the current crisis.

Items currently selling well include everyday basics such as socks, underwear, leggings and children's wear, an M&S spokeswoman said.

That echoes comments from Europe's biggest pure online fashion retailer Zalando <ZALG.DE> which said this week that demand for athleisure and gear for yoga and running has risen as people are forced to work  and exercise  at home.

With all of Britain's shops closed due to the virus, apart from food stores, pharmacies and corner shops, there has been a growing backlash against retailers who continue to sell online from trade unions and others on concerns about workers' health.

Next said last week it could sustain a hit from coronavirus of more than 1 billion pounds ($1.2 billion), or 25% of annual sales, without exceeding its debt and bank facilities.

Next said in a letter to staff late on Thursday that its warehouse and distribution staff will be paid their full contracted basic pay until April 11. They will then fall under the UK government-backed job retention scheme, announced last week, amounting to 80% of basic monthly pay.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru and James Davey and Keith Weir in London; additional reporting by Sonya Dowsett in Madrid; Editing by Kate Holton/ Mark Potter/Susan Fenton)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 03:40:07|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A screen at the United Nations headquarters in New York shows a virtual joint briefing by the UN principal organs to member states on COVID-19 response, on March 27, 2020. The Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, in his capacity as president of the Security Council for the month of March, attended a virtual joint briefing by the UN principal organs to member states on COVID-19 response. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, in his capacity as president of the Security Council for the month of March, attended a virtual joint briefing by the UN principal organs to member states on COVID-19 response.

COVID-19 is posing huge challenges to the operation of UN organs, including the Security Council, which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, said Zhang.

As president of the Security Council for March, China attaches great importance to the work of the council and has been working closely with other council members in addressing the challenges brought by the pandemic and discharging the council's responsibilities under the UN Charter, he said.

The council has adjusted its work plan in a timely manner so as to proactively prevent and control risks of the virus. As the outbreak worsened in New York City and in view of the relevant arrangements by UN Headquarters, the council postponed its meetings in the third week of March, and adjusted its meetings this week, with the use of new methods of discussions, said Zhang.

The council is actively exploring new working methods as the pandemic has made physical meetings at UN Headquarters more difficult, he said.

Council members, with the support of the technical department of the UN Secretariat, set up a video teleconference (VTC) system and the first VTC meeting was held on Tuesday, followed by another one on Thursday.

Council members are discussing a provisional procedure for the adoption of resolutions under current circumstances, said Zhang. Council members have reached consensus on several draft resolutions. The president believes that the council will take action soon on those draft resolutions, said Zhang.

The Security Council is working hard to carry out its duties by responding timely to hot-spot issues and, at the same time, to keep the transparency of its work, he said.

Due to the adjustment of working methods, there are more uncertainties about the work program of the council at this moment. Council members fully understand the importance of information access and transparency, he said.

In this context, council members have tried their best to provide press elements after VTC discussions. With the further improvement of methods, UN member states will have more information access to the work of the Security Council, he said.

Zhang emphasized that the council is in action and does not relax in its duties for even a moment. While addressing the challenges of the pandemic, council members will do whatever they can to fulfill the responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

President of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the Economic and Social Council Mona Juul, together with several senior officials of the UN Secretariat attended the joint briefing. UN member states participated and raised questions via the Internet.
Officials have registered cases against two NRIs in Krishna district for violating home quarantine rules.

Cases were filed by Mylavaram police station Sub-Inspector Edward Rap.

The defaulters identified as Iluri Rajasekhar Reddy and L Viswanath Reddy were caught flouting the quatrantine rules after the village secretary, who was on an inspection, failed to find them in their houses.

Both the men had returned to the country on March 14 from the US and were asked to stay indoors by the authorities as a precautinary measure amid the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Centre has enforced a complete nationwide lockdown so that citizens refrain from coming in contact with persons/surfaces infected with COVID-19 which was first reported in Wuhan, China, and soon spread across the globe.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the cases of infections are on a rise every day and as on March 27 at 8:00 am, there have been 633 confirmed cases in the country which includes 44 recoveries and 16 fatalities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
By Bernard Condon, David Rising And Nicole Winfield

NEW YORK (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, while the number of infections in the United States surged to the most in the world and Spain announced a record number of virus deaths overnight.

Johnsons office said the prime minister was tested after showing mild symptoms for the new coronavirus and is self-isolating and continuing to lead Britains response to the pandemic.

Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus, Johnson said in a video message, adding that he had a temperature and persistent cough.

Several weeks ago, Johnson had pledged he would go on shaking hands with everybody.

Johnson, 55, was the first leader of a major nation known to have contracted COVID-19; German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been in isolation since her doctor tested positive for the virus, but her first two tests have been negative.

Earlier this week Britains Prince Charles said he had tested positive.

Spains Health Ministry reported another 7,800 infections overnight for a total of 64,059. Deaths climbed by 769 to 4,858  the worlds second highest total after Italys 8,214 fatalities.

Its true that we have more deaths than what we saw yesterday, but its also true that the percentage increase today is similar to that of he past three days and it appears there is a stabilization, said Fernando Simon, the head of Spains health emergency coordination center.

In Washington, the House was set to pass the sprawling $2.2 trillion measure later Friday after an extraordinary 96-0 Senate vote. President Donald Trump marveled at the unanimity and is eager to sign the package into law.

The vote ran into complications, however, as a Republican lawmaker threatened to delay passage until most lawmakers return to Washington, which could make a Friday vote impossible.

The situation in countries with more fragile health care systems grew more dire with Russia, Indonesia and South Africa all passing the 1,000-infection mark. India launched a massive program to help feed hungry day laborers after a lockdown of the countrys 1.3 billion people put them out of work.

South Africa also announced its first two deaths from the virus as it began a three-week lockdown.

The U.S. now has 85,996 confirmed cases, and Italy was set to pass Chinas 81,782 infections later Friday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. The three countries account nearly half the worlds nearly 549,604 infections and more than half of the 24,863 reported virus deaths.

Analysts, however warned that all those infection figures could be low for reasons that varied in each nation.

China numbers cant be trusted because the government lies, American political scientist Ian Bremmer, president of the Euraisa Group think-tank, said Friday in a tweet. U.S. numbers cant be trusted because the government cant produce enough tests.

Italian epidemiologists warn that the countrys numbers are likely much higher than reported  perhaps five times as higher  although two weeks into a nationwide lockdown the daily increase seems to be slowing, at least in northern Italy.

Its a horrible sensation, not being able to breathe, said Fausto Russo, a 38-year-old fitness trainer who is one of 10,000 Italians whose infection has been cured. Imagine putting your head under water.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Johns Hopkins reported 127,531 people have recovered, about half in China.

New York state, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, reported 100 more deaths in one day, accounting for almost 30% of the 1,300 fatalities nationwide. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the number of deaths will increase soon as critically ill patients who have been on ventilators for days succumb.

That is a situation where people just deteriorate over time, Cuomo said.

The White Houses coronavirus response coordinator, Deborah Birx, said counties in the Midwest around Chicago and Detroit are seeing a rapid increase in cases.

On Thursday, Louisiana reported the number of known coronavirus cases in the state leapt 28% overnight, and New Orleans has begun gearing up for a possible overflow at hospitals, with plans to treat as many as 3,000 patients at the citys convention center if necessary.

Louisiana has surpassed 2,300 people known to be infected, with 86 residents dead from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus, according to the state health department. A 17-year-old from New Orleans was among the latest deaths, the first in the state of someone under 18, and Gov. John Bel Edwards said it shows everyone is at risk.

Washington, D.C., confirmed 36 new cases, raising its total to 267. The district is under a state of emergency, its major attractions like the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo closed and White House and Capitol tours cancelled. Police have blocked off streets, bridges and traffic circles to prevent crowds from coming to see Washingtons blooming cherry blossom trees.

Russian authorities ramped up testing this week after widespread criticism of insufficient screening.

The stay-home order for Indias 1.3 billion people threw out of work the backbone of the nations economy  rickshaw drivers, fruit peddlers, cleaners and others who buy food with their daily earnings. The government announced a $22 billion stimulus to deliver monthly rations to 800 million people.

Indias massive train system was also halted to stop the spread of the virus but that might not work. Jobless workers are now attempting to walk hundreds of miles to their home villages from Indias major cities.

In China, where the virus was first believed to have started, the National Health Commission on Friday reported 55 new cases, 54 of them imported infections. Once again, there were no new cases reported in Wuhan, the provincial capital where the coronavirus first emerged in December. China is barring most foreigners from entering.

In a phone call Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Trump that China understands the United States current predicament over the COVID-19 outbreak and stands ready to provide support within its capacity, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The pandemic appears to have peaked in China, even while the government remains on guard against imported cases. Beijing is sending medical teams and equipment abroad, especially to Europe. But it has strongly protested U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos repeated references to the outbreak as the Wuhan Flu, saying that promotes bias against China and Chinese Americans.

Shares skidded early Friday in Europe after a mixed day in Asia, where Tokyos Nikkei 225 jumped while Australias benchmark sank 5%.

U.S. futures also were lower after major Wall Street indexes jumped more than 6% overnight, bringing the S&P 500 up 17% since Monday ahead of the expected approval of the American coronavirus relief package.

___

Rising reported from Berlin and Winfield reported from Rome. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
There's room for about 2,500 people, a golf simulator and a three-storey cafe at BHP Group's Mulla Mulla mining camp, deep in WA's remote Pilbara region, one of the world's most important iron ore hubs.

The site and dozens more like it would be a perfect breeding ground for COVID-19. But sending employees to work from home isn't an option. For much of the year, it is their home; where they eat, sleep and work in close proximity for weeks at a time.

It's a potentially devastating risk that the biggest resources companies are juggling the world over, from oil rigs in the North Sea to copper mines in the Chilean desert. With much of the world's raw materials extracted in remote and inhospitable locations, they're scrambling to protect the well-being of their vast residential workforces while keeping the world supplied with critical commodities.

BHP's Mulla Mulla camp: Sites like this could be a perfect breeding ground for COVID-19. Credit:Trevor Collens

"We are not a business that can do all of our work remotely," said Mike Henry, chief executive officer of BHP, the world's top miner and a company that employs about 72,000 staff or contractors, "We are fully focused on action to reduce the risk of transmission."
DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI) - UPDATE: Samantha Balchunas was located safe in Lafayette and is back with her family.

Delphi police are asking for help finding a missing teen. Police report she may be with another teen missing from White County.

Samantha Balchunas was last seen Wednesday afternoon. Police report she was wearing a white hooded sweatshirt with butterflies on it, blue jeans with holes and a white/black checkered Vans shoes. Balchunas has dark brown hair and blue eyes.

According to Sgt. Colin Deckard with Delphi police, there is no information to believe she is in danger.

The White County Sheriff's Office said Balchunas could be with a 15-year-old they are also looking for. Nolan Lock was last seen at his Monticello home Wednesday. He was wearing blue jeans, a brown Carhart sweatshirt and cowboy boots, according to the sheriff's office.

Contact the Delphi Police Department at (765) 564-2345 with information.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (NOVAGOLD or the Company) (NYSE American, TSX: NG) is pleased to announce the nomination of Dr. Elaine Dorward-King to the Companys proposed Board of Directors to be presented for election at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 14, 2020. The Companys 2020 Management Information Circular, which contains information about all director nominees and other proposals being submitted to shareholders was filed today and is now available to the public.



Elaine Dorward-King is a 30-year career executive with a well-established track record of accomplishments in the fields of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, sustainability practices, and governance. Most recently, she served as an Executive Vice President of Newmont Corporation (Newmont), where she was responsible for development and implementation of corporate strategy and practice related to environmental protection, social responsibility, community relations, external affairs, government relations, and communications. Prior to her tenure at Newmont, Dr. Dorward-King worked for Rio Tinto, where she served as Managing Director of Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa and, before that, as Global Head of Health, Safety and Environment.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted that Elaine has agreed to join NOVAGOLD, if elected by the shareholders" said Dr. Thomas Kaplan, Chairman of the Board. "Her election will further strengthen the Companys ability to implement best practices in the areas of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, corporate governance and sustainable development. Once elected by the shareholders, we look forward to her active engagement in the leadership of NOVAGOLD as Donlin Gold continues to advance up the value-chain for the benefit of all of its stakeholders.

Dr. Dorward-King has authored numerous scientific papers, contributed to five environmental science textbooks and received numerous awards and honors for her work in advancing safety and environmental responsibility, including being named as one of the 100 Most Inspirational Women in Mining. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Project WET, a global non-profit organization focused on water awareness education and training. Since 2014, she has served as a Board member of Resources for the Future (RFF), a preeminent environmental economics think tank, providing impartial research and policy engagement to advance environmental, energy and natural resource decision making. Dr. Dorward-King is serving as a non-executive director on the Boards of Kenmare Resources (KMR.L), Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD), and Bond Resources (BJB.CN). Dr. Dorward-King graduated from Colorado State University with a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry and from Maryville College in Tennessee with a B.A. magna cum laude in chemistry, with emphasis in biology and mathematics.

Story continues

Management Information Circular filed with regulators

Additional information about Dr. Dorward-King, as well as the other director nominees and proposals submitted to shareholders for approval, can be found in NOVAGOLDs 2020 Management Information Circular and Annual Report to Accompany the Management Information Circular, which are available on the Companys website, www.novagold.com/investors/mic/ , on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov , and can be obtained at no charge these websites. The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Companys shareholders in connection with the Companys 2020 annual meeting of shareholders. The Company has filed its definitive proxy statement with the SEC in connection with any such solicitation of proxies from the Companys shareholders. SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ SUCH PROXY STATEMENT AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. The Companys proxy statement which has been filed as a DEF 14A contains information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, of the Companys directors and executive officers in the Companys securities. If the holdings of the Companys securities change from the amounts provided in the proxy statement, such changes will be set forth in SEC filings on Forms 3, 4, and 5, which can be found through the Companys website at www.novagold.com or through the SECs website at www.sec.gov.

About NOVAGOLD

NOVAGOLD is a well-financed precious metals company focused on the development of its 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska, one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated mineral resource categories, inclusive of proven and probable mineral reserves (541 million tonnes at an average grade of approximately 2.24 grams per tonne in the measured and indicated resource categories on a 100% basis),1 Donlin Gold is regarded to be one of the largest, highest-grade, and most prospective known open pit gold deposits in the world. According to the Second Updated Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Donlin Gold is expected to produce an average of more than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life on a 100% basis. The Donlin Gold project has substantial exploration potential beyond the designed footprint which currently covers 1.9 miles (3 km) of an approximately five-mile (8 km) long gold-bearing trend. Current activities at Donlin Gold are focused on state permitting, optimization work, community outreach and workforce development in preparation for the construction and operation of this project. With a strong balance sheet, NOVAGOLD is well-positioned to fund its share of permitting and optimization advancement efforts at the Donlin Gold project.

Scientific and Technical Information

Some scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to the Donlin Gold project is derived from the Donlin Creek Gold Project Alaska, USA NI 43-101 Technical Report on Second Updated Feasibility Study prepared by AMEC with an effective date of November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012 (the Second Updated Feasibility Study). Kirk Hanson, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining, North America, (AMEC, Reno), and Gordon Seibel, R.M. SME, Principal Geologist, (AMEC, Reno) are the Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report, each of whom are independent qualified persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

Clifford Krall, P.E., who is the Mine Engineering Manager for NOVAGOLD and a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved and verified the scientific and technical information related to the Donlin Gold project contained in this press release.

NOVAGOLD Contacts:

Melanie Hennessey

Vice President, Corporate Communications

Jason Mercier

Manager, Investor Relations

604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, potential, possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results will, may, could, would or should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on several opinions, estimates and assumptions that management of NOVAGOLD considered appropriate and reasonable as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding Dr. Dorward-Kings contributions to the Company; potential development and construction of Donlin Gold; perceived merit of properties; the advancement of optimization studies at Donlin Gold; potential opportunities to enhance or maximize the value of Donlin Gold; the timing and likelihood of permits; mineral reserve and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; and benefits of the Donlin Gold project and market prices for precious metals. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent NOVAGOLDs management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the need to obtain additional permits and governmental approvals; the timing and likelihood of permits; the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; the outbreak of the coronavirus global pandemic (COVID-19); uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for continued cooperation between NOVAGOLD and Barrick Gold Corp. for the continued exploration, development and eventual construction of the Donlin Gold property; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, natural disasters, climate change, disease pandemic, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, ore grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; whether a positive construction decision will be made regarding Donlin Gold; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in reports and documents filed by NOVAGOLD with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of NOVAGOLD on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

__________________________________



1 Donlin Gold data as per the Second Updated Feasibility Study (as defined herein). Donlin Gold measured resources of approximately 8 Mt grading 2.52 g/t and indicated resources of approximately 534 Mt grading 2.24 g/t, each on a 100% basis. Mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).
By PTI

MANILA: Hundreds of Indian students, stranded in the Philippines, can fly back to India when the temporary travel ban is lifted, the Indian embassy here said on Thursday, assuring all possible help to the distressed citizens.

On March 17, the Indian government banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect amid stepped up efforts against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES

"Embassy is in regular contact with students in Perpetual Help. Shops & essential stores in area open. Indian restaurants are ready to deliver. 16,000 Indian students in Philippines are advised- can travel to India when temporary ban is lifted. Emergency no. 09477836524," the embassy said in a tweet.

Amid rising cases of COVID-19, India last week banned the landing of all international commercial passenger flights from March 22 to 29 while asking the Civil Aviation ministry and Railways to suspend all concessional travel on flights and trains, except for students, patients and disabled people.

Over 40 people have died from the novel coronavirus disease in the Philippines and the country has recorded more than 700 infections, according to worldometer, a website that tacks the number of global deaths due to COVID-19.

The death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 21,293 with more than 471,518 cases reported in over 170 countries and territories, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Advertisement

Elmhurst Hospital in New York has received more than 40 ventilators and 56 medical workers after the center struggled to care for an influx of patients amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the Queens borough hospital is an 'epicenter within an epicenter' of the outbreak and is in desperate need of supplies.

He announced that Elmhurst Hospital would get emergency aid and that the city is aiming to provide 60,0000 patient beds by May.

'Elmhurst Hospital in Queens right now is the epicenter within the epicenter, dealing with an extraordinary surge of cases,' de Blasio said during a Thursday briefing.

'The folks at Elmhurst Hospital, the folks doing this noble work, need supplies, and Im committed to getting you supplies.'

Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York, received more than 40 ventilators and an additional 56 medical staff on Friday. Pictured: Armando Reyes holds his baby daughter Alana, one, alongside his wife wearing protective masks. Alana was in hospital for an unrelated seizure

Doctor and other medical staff at Elmhurst Hospital spend Friday morning testing concerned residents for Covid-19 as the outbreak causes an influx of patients and a shortage of important supplies, like ventilators and face masks, at the medical center

Politico reports that New York City sent additional ventilators to Elmhurst Hospital four times over the last 10 days.

de Blasio (pictured): 'Elmhurst Hospital in Queens right now is the epicenter within the epicenter, dealing with an extraordinary surge of cases. The folks at Elmhurst Hospital, the folks doing this noble work, need supplies, and Im committed to getting you supplies'

'This will be an ongoing commitment to make sure that that hospital and all our public hospitals have whatever they need at any given point in time,' de Blasio added.

This new comes after thirteen patients died within a 24 hour span at Elmhurst. Roughly 6420 people in Queens have tested positive for the coronavirus.

On Friday, reports revealed that the state's death toll soared to 519 after 134 people died in just one day.

There are now more than 44,000 cases of the virus in New York state including 25,398 in New York City. In the United states, cases are surpassed 92,000 cases and 1,300 deaths.

Photos from the hospital show medical staff assisting concerned residents in blue tents placed outside the facility. Anxious New Yorkers continue to arrive at Elmhurst Hospital to undergo coronavirus testing.

De Blasio said Friday that New Yorkers should be 'ready' for New York City to stay closed until May.

It was reported that Elmhurst Hospital, which has become overwhelmed by an influx of patients since the coronavirus pandemic surged through America, received additional ventilators by New York City four times over the last 10 days in an effort to accommodate people

Local residents have been lining up outside Elmhurst Hospital to undergo coronavirus testing, despite federal, state and city officials calling on citizens to practice social distancing by staying inside their homes. Officials say social distancing is at least six feet apart

He said: 'I think we need to be ready for that,' then went on to slam President Trump's Easter deadline to reopen the country as something that gave 'false hope' to the nation.

Pictured: a graphic showing coronavirus-related infection and deaths in the state of New York

de Blasio: 'It feels like there arent enough words to express how we feel about the heroes working at NYCHealthSystem and all our hospitals to save lives in this crisis. But the community just left a message across the street from Elmhurst Hospital with the two words we need'

De Blasio also warned that 'more than half' of New York City - which has a population of 8.6million - would become infected with the virus at any one time.

His prediction came as research from the University of Washington School of Medicine suggested as many as 81,000 would be killed by the virus in the US and that the pandemic will not be over until June.

He said the majority, 80 percent, would suffer flu like symptoms but that some would die.

'Here's the reality in NYC, people we have to be real honest about where this is going

'Unfortunately we think it's going to go through April and in to May. It's just a blunt reality.

'Over half of people in this city will ultimately be infected.

'Thank god for 80 percent, that will be very little impact in truth - it's like having cold or flu and you get through it in seven to 10 days.

'But for 20 percent of the people infected, it's going to be tough and for some of them, of course it's going to be fatal,' he said.

De Blasio shared a tweet on Friday thanking the New York City Health Care System and posted a photo of a 'thank you' sign erected by residents.

He wrote: 'It feels like there arent enough words to express how we feel about the heroes working at NYCHealthSystem and all our hospitals to save lives in this crisis. But the community just left a message across the street from Elmhurst Hospital with the two words we need:'

He also backed up claims made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that New York hospitals currently have enough protective gear for medical staff.

But doctors on the front line have lambasted this claim, saying they've been forced to re-use supplies, like face masks, and continually put themselves in danger of contracting the infection.

Many doctors have already fallen ill with Covid-19.

Early research said that medical staff is more likely to contract coronavirus than the average person and, unfortunately, could experience more severe symptoms.

In a letter to President Trump about the health crisis, City Council Members Francisco Moya and Carlina Rivera asked the federal government for more medical personnel and supplies.

'The conditions at Elmhurst and Queens Hospitals are grave,' they wrote.

'If you speak with any of the staff there, the desperation in their voices is unmistakable. Doctors describe scenes in apocalyptic terms. Patients are reportedly dying in the emergency room still waiting for a bed.

In New York state, March 26 saw the death toll rise wit 385 after 100 people died that day

A medical worker stands outside Elmhurst Hospital on Friday morning as the facility continues to work test residents and treat positive infections as best as possible

Doctors have pushed back at Gov. Andrew Cuomo's claims that New York health care workers currently have enough medical supplies. Pictured: A nurse carries a resupply of N95 masks as people wait in line, mostly wearing masks, while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center, New York

While interacting with concerned residents and infected patients, several doctors in New York state have fallen ill with coronavirus due to being in close proximity with the disease. Early reports said medical staff is more likely than the average person so contract coronavirus

'Residents line the block, standing inside barricades and in the rain waiting to get tested. '

Dr. Colleen Smith, of Elmhurst Hospital, told WLNY just how dire the situation at the medical center is.

'I want people to know that this is bad. People are dying. We dont have the tools that we need,' she said.

'Our concern is that we dont have the resources like masks and other protective equipment,' said Anthony Almojera, an employee with the EMS officers union.

'9/11 didnt have this many calls. Were doing it now everyday for the last two weeks the call volume has gone up and up,' he added.

Pictured: A single death was reported on March 14, but the numbers quickly surged past 100 as pandemic spread

According to Anthony Almojera, an employee with the EMS officers union, emergency workers are falling ill from the many coronavirus related call their answering, saying: 'Our concern is that we dont have the resources like masks and other protective equipment'

Local doctors are desperately trying to treat the many patients arriving each day, but Dr. Colleen Smith of Elmhurst Hospital said people are continuing to die because 'we dont have the tools that we need'

'From the perspective of being properly prepared, the training is there. The equipment is not.'

The new batch of ventilators came after Trump claimed Cuomo was exaggerating the New York state's medical needs in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

He said: 'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!'

'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.'

Trump also said Cuomo was 'complaining' too much. Cuomo hit back on Friday by saying he creates protocol based on facts, not opinions.

He said: 'I don't have a crystal ball. Everybody is entitled to an opinion, but I don't operate here on opinion.

The United States has amassed more than 92,000 coronavirus cases as of Friday, March 27, after cases appear to begin spiking around March 22

As the shortage in medical supplies continues for doctors, residents have also been dealt blows with needed items and this man (pictured) fashioned a suit to protect himself as people wait in line, mostly wearing masks, while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital

At least 13 people have died at Elmhurst Hospital Center in just one day as cases in New York state soar to 519 after 134 people died in a single day

'I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators.'

Cuomo also revealed a 1,000 bed field hospital in an effort to have enough beds for patients.

Of the spike in deaths, he said: 'We're seeing a significant increase in deaths because the length of time people are on the ventilator is increasing. We expect that to continue to increase.

'It's bad news, it's tragic news, the worst news. But it's not unexpected news,' he said.

They will go up in college campuses, hotels and exposition centers. Cuomo needs the president to sign off on the plan for him to be able to put it into action.

In a rallying speech to the National Guard troops who will build the sites, he said on Friday: 'This is a different beast, an invisible beast, an insidious beast.

'This is not going to be a short deployment where you go out for a few days work out and go home.

'You are living a moment in history. This is one of those moments that they're going to write about, talk about, this is a moment that forges character, forges people, changes people, make them stronger, weaker, this is a moment that will change character.

'In 10 years from now you'll be talking about today to your children from grandchildren and you will shed a tear because you will remember the lives lost and faces and names and you'll remember how hard we worked and that we still lost loved ones.

Gov Andrew Cuomo (pictured) hit back at Donald Trump's claims that he's exaggerating New York state's medical needs by saying: I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators

Cuomo also revealed a 1,000 bed field hospital (pictured) where beds will be placed to accommodate current and anticipated patients. Other similar field hospitals are expected to be erected in college campuses, hotels and exposition centers

Coronavirus hotspots across the United States includes Washington, California, Georgia and New York, the latter of which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country

'You will shed a tear and you should because it's sad but you will also be proud.

'That you showed up - when other people played it safe, you had the courage to show up and you had the skill and professionalism to make a difference and save lives.

'At the end of the day, nobody can ask any more of you. That is your duty. To do what you can when you can, you will have shown skill and talent. You'll be there with your mind and with your heart.

'You'll serve with honor and that will give you pride. I know that I am proud of you. Every time the national guard as been called out, they make every New Yorker proud.

'I say we go out there today a**,' he said.

Meanwhile Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top disease expert, was forced to again pour cold water on Trump's repeated suggestion that the US could be back open for business by April 12.

'I think what the President was trying to do, he was making an aspirational projection to give people some hope,' Facui - who was briefly banished from coronavirus press briefings after contradicting Trump - told CNN.

'But he's listening to us when we say that we've really got to reevaluate it in real time, and any decision we make has to be based on the data,' he added.

Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams appeared to back up these claims during a Good Morning America interview on Friday morning.

Reports say the U.S. now has the largest number of coronavirus infections, surpassing Italy and China to reach at least 86,038

He claims that some states may be battling coronavirus infections until Labor Day.

Adams said: 'Everyone's timeline is going to be different. Some places haven't hit their peak yet.

'We're trying to give people the testing data to make informed choices. It doesn't matter if it's Easter, Memorial Day or Labor Day.

'We know we want people to be thinking about what they can do now to get through as few deaths and hospitalizations as possible.'

While the US is behind China and South Korea by around seven weeks, he said the evidence in those two countries suggests the steps being taken now are working.

'We know it's working. We know that China and South Korea are reopening,' he said.

President Trump has suggested implementing stricter rules in some states and cities that are battling the virus while allowing others to relax their lockdown rules.

Dr. Adams said it could work if local governments cooperated.

'The way it works is through cooperation.

Health care workers calls for ventilators has pushed Trump to lash out at General Motors in a series of tweets Friday.

Trump ordered GM to re-open a 'stupidly' abandoned Ohio plant to start making ventilators as soon as possible.

'General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!' he wrote.

''As usual with this General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, very quickly. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke P' he added.
On the day that the United States surpassed China as the country with the most known cases of the coronavirus, with more than 85,000, Governor Cuomo shared another grim statistic: 100 patients died in one day in New York.

The states total number of coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 430  with 365 deaths in New York City as of yesterday evening. The number of people hospitalized for the virus in New York also jumped 40 percent yesterday, Mr. Cuomo said.

The news came in stark contrast to the optimistic briefing the governor gave on Wednesday, in which he pointed to the states slowing rate of hospitalizations.

New York State had nearly 39,000 confirmed cases as of yesterday morning, up more than 8,000 from Wednesday morning. As of yesterday evening, New York City had recorded more than 23,000 cases.
Amazon staff say they are struggling to access sick pay and fear colleagues are coming to work ill - as they paint a grim picture of coronavirus protections inside warehouses where 'everything has been touched by 1,000 hands.'

It comes after infections were reported at 11 of the company's sites across America - including its biggest fulfillment center in California - but most of them remained open for business.

Amazon has increased pay and offered sick leave to anyone who has tested positive for coronavirus, but critics accuse the $1trillion company and owner Jeff Bezos of failing to do enough - just weeks after he pocketed $3.4billion by selling stock.

There are fears that outbreaks at the company's fulfillment centers could help spread the virus, after a study revealed that the coronavirus can survive for up to 24 hours on cardboard - which Amazon uses for the majority of its packaging.

Workers at Amazon's warehouses have warned that workers are likely going in despite being ill because of problems accessing the company's new sick pay

One warehouse worker in her 20s from California, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke of hear fears in an interview with Medium.

She said: 'We have work gloves and hand sanitizer but nothing else to protect us from the coronavirus.

'Everything has been touched by 1,000 hands: Hands at the manufacturer, the distributor, the docks, the trucks; hands making up the pallets.

'Then I pick up each item and put it on my pod, and that pod goes to other sets of hands: the pickers, the packers, the shippers.

'We move fast, and we sweat when we work. The warehouse has no air circulation. One sneeze particle, and it's just caught inside. What if my whole department, my whole warehouse, gets sick?'

She said orders have sky-rocketed during the outbreak, as people who would typically shop at local stores turn to Amazon while isolating in their houses.

Owner Jeff Bezos - who cashed out $3.4bn in stock earlier this year - has been accused of not doing enough to help

While all non-essential orders are being side-lined, she said bulk orders of nappies, sanitising products and other items have hit record levels.

Explaining the toll on staff, she added: 'Even though they're exhausted, lots of people are going to keep working.

'I would assume someone who really needs the pay would probably come even if they're ill.'

In total, infections have been either confirmed or reported at 11 Amazon sites - including in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Connecticut.

But just two sites - one in Queens and the other in Shepherdsville - have been closed. The latter warehouse was only shut after staff protested.

Multiple workers told The Atlantic that they have been struggling to access sick pay that Amazon is now offering.

The company previously offered zero sick pay, but now says employees who have been diagnosed with the virus and those in quarantine will be paid for two weeks.

However, a lack of testing in most states means that people are struggling to get a confirmed diagnosis despite having tell-tale symptoms.

Others said that only those being ordered to quarantine by the company - as opposed to customs officials or their own doctors - are being paid.

Christian Zamarron, a warehouse worker from Chicago, said he was told to self-isolate by an official at O'Hare Airport last week after returning from Spain - one of Europe's hardest-hit countries.

This Amazon warehouse in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, on Wednesday was closed after three workers tested positive for the coronavirus

But, when it came to accessing sick leave pay, Zamarron was told he only qualified for unpaid leave. After being contacted by The Atlantic, Zamarron said he was paid.

Nicole Jackson, another Chicago worker, said she has been off work since March 9 after coming down with a cough, fever and shortness of breath - three of the most common symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coroanvirus.

But because she was unable to get a test to confirm the diagnosis, she was told she did not qualify for leave. She was also paid after the story was published.

Amazon is offering employees unlimited unpaid time off until the end of March without losing their jobs, but many workers say they cannot afford to go without a paycheck for that long.

An Amazon spokesperson said: 'We're continuing to monitor the situation in our facilities and corporate offices, and we are taking proactive measures to protect employees and associates who have been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed or becomes ill.

'All employees diagnosed with the illness or placed in quarantine will receive up to two weeks of additional time off, to ensure they can get healthy without worrying about lost pay. We are also offering all hourly employees unlimited unpaid time off through the end of April.'

Meanwhile Amazon's founder - world's richest man Jeff Bezos - made $3.4billion selling shares of the company in February, just before the market tanked as coronavirus infections soared.

The sale saved Bezos a staggering $317million, compared to him keeping the stock through to March 20.

It also meant the billionaire sold as much stock in that one week as he has in the last year, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The US now has the most coronavirus cases of anywhere in the world at more than 86,000

Infections have been following an exponential growth curve, meaning that cases have roughly doubled every three day

The sale accounted for around 3% of Bezos's total Amazon shares, and made up over a third of all stock exchange sales during this timeframe.

The United States now has the most coronavirus cases in the world with more than 86,000 confirmed infections after overtaking both China and Italy as the global pandemic continues to spread.

Italy was set to pass China's more than 81,000 infections later on Friday. The US, Italy and China now account for almost half of the world's 540,000 infections and more than half of the virus deaths.

With 1,200 deaths from the disease, the US is still some way behind hardest-hit Italy where almost 7,000 people have been killed.

Disease experts have warned the American death toll could eventually top 80,000 even if people adhere to social distancing. The World Health Organisation had predicted this week that the US was likely to overtake Europe as the new epicenter of the disease.

Meanwhile in the UK - where infection and death rates are continuing to spike - another Amazon worker described conditions at the company as a 'living hell'.

The anonymous employee described his fears over continuing to ship items to customers, who now remain in lockdown inside their homes, as the virus continues to claim more lives in the UK.

While the company has assured customers it will continue to deliver 'essential items' amid the crisis, the member of staff revealed that workers were still selling non-essential items, such as garden equipment, and putting staff like him at risk of catching the virus.

Describing how the company had put measures in place to keep staff safe, the employee explained these rules were being flouted and impossible to practice.

'By this point, these items have already come into contact with various workers, greatly increasing their risk of contamination.

'There has already been a large number of people sick, yet management refuses to close it down. The company has become a living hell to work for.'

The staff member went on to reveal that while the company had set up signs asking employees to clean their work stations, there were very few supplies available for workers to use in order to keep a hygienic environment.

An Amazon spokesman told MailOnline that they have now implemented a two metre social distancing programme instead of their previous one metre guideline and will be adding an additional 2 per hour pay for staff until the end of April.

Amazon says it has developed a range of measures to protect staff from the outbreak - including placing benches 6ft apart and separating out microwaves in communal areas.

In Darlington, also in the UK, a number of contract workers at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre were said to have fallen ill after complaints that social distancing guidelines were breached.

Five contract workers, who were finishing off the site on Symmetry Park, Darlington, County Durham, were reportedly sent home by management earlier this week.

On Wednesday (MAR 25), concerns over health and safety at the site were raised after a whistleblower alleged that contract workers were not social distancing or provided with safety equipment.

The worker, who did not wish to be identified, alleged that those contracted to finish the warehouse were not being allowed the 'two metre distance' designed to keep people from passing on infections.

On Wednesday, Amazon refuted claims of any wrong-doing and said it had 'reminded' the contractors of the government's official guidance when it came to protecting against coronavirus.
- Rising concerns of respiratory issues such as asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis are the major factors that are propelling the growth of global respiratory devices market

- The global respiratory devices market shall rise from US$ 17 Bn in 2017 to US$ 31 Bn by the end of 2026

ALBANY, New York, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by a plethora of factors the global respiratory devices market is expected to witness a substantial growth during the tenure of 2018 to 2026, says a recent study by Transparency Market Research. As per the report, the market is projected to exhibit a massive CAGR of 6.5% during the tenure and is anticipated to reach to the value of US$ 31.0 Bn by the end of the forecast period. According to the report, the growth of the market is also attributed to improving standards of healthcare sector in various developing regions of the globe. Owing to these benefits the global respiratory devices market shall witness a substantial growth during the tenure of 2018 to 2026.

Major Findings from the Global Respiratory Devices Market Study

To provide precise analysis of the market, the report classifies the global respiratory devices market into various segments. These insights allow the players to develop effective strategies to accelerate the growth of their business in global respiratory devices market. The segmentation of the market as per the study is mentioned below:

Therapeutic devices segment under product type category shall dominate the global respiratory devices market. This dominance is the result of growing number of cases with respiratory issues.

segment under product type category shall dominate the global respiratory devices market. This dominance is the result of growing number of cases with respiratory issues. The global respiratory devices market was valued at US$ 17 Bn in 2017 and shall reach to US$ 31 Bn by the end of the 2026.

Explore the latest study on global respiratory devices market under the title: Respiratory Devices Market (Product Type - Therapeutic Devices (Drug Delivery Devices, Mechanical Ventilators, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, Resuscitators, Humidifiers, Airway Clearance Devices, Oxygen Concentrators, Consumables and Disposables), Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices (Pulse Oximeters, Capnographs, Spirometers, Polysomnographs, Peak Flow Meters, Gas Analyzers); Application - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, and Pneumonia) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026 at

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/28073

Major Drivers Driving the Global Respiratory Devices Market

Recent Developments in Healthcare Sector to Boost the Growth

Recent legislative amendments for medical devices and technology services by various governments across the world are likely to boost the global respiratory devices market during the forecast period. For example, amendments in the Health Insurance Act 1973 of Australia for diagnostic imaging provided Medicare funding for diagnostic imaging services. This has had a positive impact since March 2008 in terms of better access to diagnostic imaging for patients across different categories. Moreover, new capital sensitivity provisions are likely to provide rebates on various diagnostic imaging services in the country. These developments are expected to boost the growth of global respiratory devices market from 2018 to 2026.

Download a PDF Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28073

Major Challenges that can Impede the Growth of Global Respiratory Devices Market

The report on global respiratory devices market by Transparency Market Research not just enlightens the readers with positive aspects of the market. It also helps them to cautiously monitor the challenges that might impede their personal growth. With the help of these insights, the players can deduce certain strategies that might help them withstand the impacts that these challenges might put in front of players of global respiratory devices market.

Global Respiratory Devices Market: Regional Analysis

North America is projected to have the largest share in the global respiratory devices market. This dominance of the region is the result of growing cases of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary tuberculosis in countries like U.S. and China. This is due to growing number of industries and rising pollution level in the country. Owing to these concerns, the demand for respiratory devices shall skyrocket in the country, this as a result shall propel the dominance of North America is global respiratory devices market from 2018 to 2026.

Competitive Analysis

The global respiratory devices market is highly competitive and largely fragmented. The nature of the market is attributed to the presence of several players that are actively altering the dynamics of the global respiratory devices market. Moreover, the dynamics of the market is majorly dominated by the emerging players of global respiratory devices market. However, this scenario of the market might pose a tough challenge for the new players that are willing to enter the global respiratory devices market.

To withstand this challenge, the new players are merging and collaborating with several players. These strategies are allowing the new players to acquire essential resources that can help them with sustainability in the global respiratory devices market. Moreover with these strategies, the new players can enter and get themselves established in the global respiratory devices market.

Inquire for a Sample Copy of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=28073

On the flip side, the established players are acquiring new businesses to enhance their production capacity and distribution channel. Owing to this strategy, the players can reach to new region and help their business generate more revenue.

The global respiratory devices market is segmented on the basis of:

Global Respiratory Devices Market, by Product Type

Therapeutic Devices

Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices

Global Respiratory Devices Market, by Therapeutic Devices

Drug Delivery Devices

Nebulizers



Inhalers

Mechanical Ventilators

Invasive



Non-Invasive

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Device



Disposables

Resuscitators

Reusable



Disposables

Humidifiers

Airway Clearance Devices

Oxygen Concentrators

Consumables & Disposables

Others

Global Respiratory Devices Market, by Diagnostic & Monitoring Devices

Pulse Oximeters

Capnographs

Spirometers

Polysomnographs

Peak Flow Meters

Gas Analyzers

Others

Global Respiratory Devices Market, by Application

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Asthma

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Cystic Fibrosis

Pneumonia

Global Respiratory Devices Market, by Region

North America

U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific (APAC)

China



Japan



India



Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Healthcare industry:

Drug Delivery Devices Market - The global drug delivery devices market is driven by rapid development in technology, increase in funding for drug research, changing lifestyles, rise in patient preference for drug delivery devices, and increase in government support for research & development. Moreover, a rise in the prevalence of diabetes, which leads to hyperglycemia, is expected to drive the drug delivery devices market.

Mechanical Ventilators Market - The last two decades have proven significant for expansion of global mechanical ventilators market. Some of the most notable factors of growth in the global mechanical ventilators market are growing demand for home care and portable ventilators. And, the reasons supporting the demand for these variants is the rapidly ageing population that needs such support often as they are susceptible to severe and chronic diseases. This demographic also see a good number of surgeries.

Smart Pulse Oximeters Market - Increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disorders such as congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, stroke, congenital heart diseases, and peripheral artery disease is expected to fuel the growth of smart pulse oximeters market during the forecast period.

Gain access to Market Ngage, an AI-powered, real-time business intelligence that goes beyond the archaic research solutions to solve the complex strategy challenges that organizations face today. With over 15,000+ global and country-wise reports across 50,000+ application areas, Market Ngage is your tool for research on-the-go. From tracking new investment avenues to keeping a track of your competitor's moves, Market Ngage provides you with all the essential information to up your strategic game. Power your business with Market Ngage's actionable insights and remove the guesswork in making colossal decisions.

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.

Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision."

Contact

Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

LOGO: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1085206/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg
Trump, Jinping hold phone call amid the outbreak

According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President said China was sharing information on coronavirus in an open, transparent, and responsible manner.

Chinas President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump held a phone call early on Friday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic.

The contact between the leaders came as the number of coronavirus cases in the US surged past Chinas tally, making it the worst-affected country in the world.

TRUMP HAD BEEN REFERRING TO THE DISEASE AS CHINESE VIRUS

In a tweet, Trump termed the phone conversation "very good", while conveying his respect for Chinas battle against coronavirus and claiming that the two sides are working closely together.

Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect! said the US president.

He said Beijing was also sharing its experience on prevention, containment, and treatment, and was providing support and assistance to all countries in need. Xi said China was committed to working with the international community to overcome the pandemic.

This was the first direct contact between the leaders of the worlds top two economies since an escalation of tensions over the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.

The war of words between American and Chinese officials picked up pace after a top Chinese diplomat suggested the US military may have been responsible for the global outbreak.
"Insider traitors! That name sure seems to fit for the U.S. senators who used information they received about the coming coronavirus pandemic to make big money by engaging in suspected insider stock trades.

Senators are entrusted with a basic responsibility -- to serve the people, not themselves! Its always disturbing that some betray this trust by serving special interests rather than the public good. But the blatant betrayal of Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, who may have used knowledge gained from special coronavirus briefings to prompt very profitable stock market decisions, goes way beyond that. Burr was actually downplaying the threat of the virus while making those self-serving moves. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California also unloaded stock before the market tanked, but at least she had not attended the briefings and didnt downplay the threat.

They all should be investigated. If found guilty, they should resign or be expelled from the Senate. The coronavirus epidemic is threatening our health and our economy. When elected officials respond to it with such betrayal, they undermine trust in our government, and allow this crisis to threaten our democracy, too. Their colleagues should uphold the trust weve placed in them and take measures against these "insider traitors.

Ursula Hays,

Strongsville
The Maharashtra government on Friday directed all officials to allow the sale of fishes and mangoes in the state with necessary precautions amid the three-week countrywide lockdown.

Special arrangements are being made for the transportation of mangoes and fishes.

Earlier, the Maharashtra Government discussed with the Ministry of Defence that if the need arises, defence infrastructure, such as buildings and hospitals, will be used by the state government for coronavirus-relief related works.

The loan waiver scheme was also halted as there was some biometric-related issue and it could not be solved as the government is busy in coronavirus-relief related works.

The Maharashtra Health Department on Friday informed that 12 more people have tested positive for coronavirus in the state. All the twelve people came in contact with previous coronavirus patients in the state.

Maharashtra is one of the worst-hit states in the country with 127 positive COVID-19 cases till now, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases in India rose to 724 on Friday, including 640 active COVID-19 cases in the country, as per the ministry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BERLIN (Reuters) - German growers of white asparagus, an expensive delicacy savoured by food lovers in spring, fear this year's harvest may go to waste as coronavirus lockdowns shut out seasonal pickers from Eastern Europe. Ernst-August Winkelmann, whose farm in Beelitz southwest of Berlin produces about 6,000 tons of asparagus each season, says he is short of 500 pickers and risks having no choice but to leave the finger-thick white spears to rot in the soil. Most of his seasonal workers come from Romania and Poland.

BERLIN (Reuters) - German growers of white asparagus, an expensive delicacy savoured by food lovers in spring, fear this year's harvest may go to waste as coronavirus lockdowns shut out seasonal pickers from Eastern Europe.

Ernst-August Winkelmann, whose farm in Beelitz southwest of Berlin produces about 6,000 tons of asparagus each season, says he is short of 500 pickers and risks having no choice but to leave the finger-thick white spears to rot in the soil.

Most of his seasonal workers come from Romania and Poland. The interior ministry on Wednesday said it was imposing an indefinite entry ban on fruit and vegetable pickers in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

"The decision is wrong on many levels," said Winkelmann. "We rely on those people for a living. We also have very high hygiene standards, we house our workers in separate facilities and they live on the farm. So the risk is low."

Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner acknowledged on Thursday that Germany won't be able to replace the almost 300,000 seasonal agricultural workers, most of whom come from eastern European countries.

"The staffing situation is very tight along the full length of the food supply chain," she told a news conference. "Supplies of labour from neighbouring countries have shrunk, sometimes very sharply, with slaughterhouses, meatpackers and dairies particularly seriously affected."

Highlighting the importance of asparagus in German culture, the mass-selling Bild newspaper raised the possibility of drafting soldiers to help with picking the vegetable, which is typically served drenched in butter or with Hollandaise sauce, schnitzel and potatoes.

Germans are famed for their love of white asparagus rather than the more common green variety. At Winkelmann's farm, 95% of the harvest if of the white variety.

"We've been getting calls from people saying they want to volunteer and come help us," said Winkelmann. "It is heartening but we need to train these people and time is pressing we need to start picking now."

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Nick Macfie)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Government may have jumped by the gun by announcing coronavirus home-testing kits for millions of Britons after admitting it was only a deal 'in principle'.

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he had ordered 3.5 million revolutionary 'antibody' tests that could be available to the public within days.

But in a major u-turn, Government sources now claim the agreement was 'only ever in principle' after experts said it could be weeks until the tests are ready for mass use.

Britain has been repeatedly slammed for its lacklustre approach to testing - it is currently still carrying out less than 10,000 a day, despite promises to ramp up the capacity to 25,000 a day.

Several different companies have been approached over contributing to the 3.5 million tests needed - including the makers of an HIV self screening kit and a 6 finger prick device that works like a pregnancy test. But none is yet ready to supply them.

Manufacturers said they were working around the clock to develop the devices, which can tell someone within 15 minutes whether they are immune to reinfection.

In a major blow for the Government, they said it will be three weeks at the earliest before tests are available.

The Government may have jumped by the gun by announcing coronavirus home-testing kits for millions of Britons after admitting it was only a deal 'in principle'. SureScreen Diagnostics' 6 finger prick test is currently being trialled by PHE

These blood tests work like a pregnancy test and a colour develops if the patient is positive within 15 minutes

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he had ordered 3.5 million revolutionary 'antibody' tests that could be available to the public within days

It is unclear how many firms have been contacted about making the 3.5 million tests, but one of the companies leading the race said it still had not received a concrete order.

SureScreen Diagnostics told MailOnline it expected to hear whether its 6 finger prick tests had passed PHE's rigorous validation process in the coming days.

The Derby-based company has sent hundreds of the test tests to a lab in Oxfordshire earlier this week but has yet to hear back.

Director David Campbell admitted he had not been given any indication about how many tests his firm would be asked to manufacture.

London-based firm BioSure claims to have developed an at-home finger prick test that takes a quarter of an hour. Pictured: The company's HIV self test, a best-seller in the UK

BioSure's COVID-19 test works using a finger pricker and a pen device (shown) that scans blood for antibodies of the virus

Speaking alongside Boris Johnson at a press conference in Downing Street this evening, Prof Whitty warned that the 'one thing worse than no test is a bad test'

WHY HASN'T THE UK SCALED UP ITS CORONAVIRUS TESTING, AND WHY HAVEN'T HOME-SCREENING KITS BEEN ORDERED YET? Aren't home-testing kits already available? Several British firms have made the home-testing kits, including Derby-based SureScreen. It claims to have shipped its 6 finger prick tests to Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. Mologic Ltd - which is based in Bedfordshire - has also produced an antibody test that takes just 10 minutes. But it says its diagnostic tool is still 'five or six months' away from being ready to be mass produced. A number of US firms have also developed rapid finger prick tests which are being fast-tracked for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. Why isn't the Government using them? Health chiefs are concerned the tests are not accurate enough to be rolled out yet. Professor Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer, said the 'one thing worse than no test is a bad test'. The SureScreen finger prick device is currently being trialled at a Public Health England laboratory in Oxfordshire, but it could take weeks before it is deemed reliable enough to be distributed. How much would they cost? SureScreen charges 6 for one of its tests. Mologic's kits cost less than 1 to make and the firm said it would sell the tests to the Government 'at cost', meaning without making any profit. Could the Government use home-testing kits one day? Professor Sharon Peacock, director of Public Health England's National Infection Service, told MPs the devices would be available 'within days'. Professor Peacock told the House of Commons Science and Health Committee that Britons would be able to pick them up in Boots or on Amazon. But England's CMO said it would be weeks before they were validated and deemed reliable enough for mass use. How many people can we test each day? The UK has repeatedly been slammed for its lacklustre approach to testing. Currently tests are only routinely given to people so ill they have to go into hospital, or those who are already on wards - even NHS staff don't get tested. Only 5,000 tests are conducted each day. This is because the crisis has escalated faster than the UK could manufacture tests. PHE says it has increased its capacity and will be testing 25,000 people within weeks. But didn't Boris Johnson say it would go up to 250,000? The Government wants to screen a quarter of a million people a day to get on top of the outbreak. But Boris Johnson has admitted the country will need to source tests from private companies to fulfill its ambition.

Advertisement

Director David Campbell admitted he had not been given any indication about how many tests his firm would be asked to manufacture.

He said the company had started scaling up its manufacturing process to make 500,000 a week in case the UK Government says it wants millions within weeks.

Brigette Bard, chief executive of BioSure UK Ltd  one of the companies in talks with PHE  said there had been a huge degree of 'miscommunication' over the industry's ability to rapidly create the tests.

She said: 'I would say it would be hugely optimistic to be able to get these tests out in three weeks. Three to six weeks is more likely.'

Bedfordshire-based Mologic Ltd said it had not been told to start mass-producing the tests either.

Labour health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth said: 'An antibody test would be a welcome and significant development but a lot of confusion has arisen.

'It's unclear how long it will take to get to the public and we don't know if a test has even been validated yet.'

It comes as statistics show less than 10,000 tests are being carried out a day in Britain.

In the last 24 hours just 8,911 people were screened for coronavirus, on Thursday it was 7,847.

The Government has ambitions to test 25,000 people a day by mid-April.

It eventually aims to test hundreds of thousands of people a day to finally get a grip on the spiralling crisis.

It follows a series of mixed messages coming out of the Government in the last week about the 3.5 million tests.

Professor Sharon Peacock, director of Public Health England's National Infection Service, told MPs on Wednesday the devices would be available to pick up in Boots or on Amazon 'within days'.

But Boots said that while it was keen to work with the Government, it had not yet heard about the plan to stock tests in its stores.

Worried Professor Peacock's comments would encourage Britons to turn up in droves to get their hands on the home screening kits, the beauty retailer had to issue a statement.

It said: 'We are keen to work with the Government to explore opportunities to support COVID-19 testing and to support the NHS in any way we can.

'However we do not have any type of COVID-19 tests in our stores. Customers should not make a trip to a Boots store or pharmacy for this purpose.'

Chris Whitty, the Government's Chief Medical Officer, then shot down Professor Peacock's claims on Thursday, saying it would be weeks before they were ready.

Speaking at the Prime Minister's daily coronavirus address to the nation, he said: 'I do not think this is something we will suddenly be ordering on the internet next week. The one thing that is worse than no test, is a bad test.'

Professor Whitty added the 'technology is quite close and it is being evaluated this week, but it is not there'.

He said NHS staff were likely to be prioritised for accessing the tests, so it will be some time before the general public got them.

The finger-prick tests will scour blood samples for antibodies, substances created by the immune system to train itself to fight off an infection.

Professor Yvonne Doyle, PHE medical director, echoed Whitty's comments, adding that it would be at least a 'couple of weeks' at least for such tests to pass through validation.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said the confusion 'was a nightmare' and said the Government had to work on providing a clear message.

He told MailOnline: 'Hopefully its a nightmare that has a light at the end of the tunnel, its a bit confusing at the moment.

'The only thing worse than no test is a bad test, and i think that's absolutely right.

'It'll take a couple of weeks - I don't know how long, I don't know whether it was the Chief Medical Officer or a PHE person that was correct. I hope it was PHE - then it'll be ready sooner -

'I think they need to work on providing a clear message.'

Here, MailOnline looks at the cutting-edge testing kits currently being rolled out in other counties and at private clinics in Britain:

FINGER PRICK TEST

Name: COVID-19 Rapid Test Cassette

Manufacturers: SureScreen Diagnostics

Diagnostic time: Ten minutes

The private firm, based in Derby, has created a test which can allegedly determine with 98 per cent certainty if a person is infected.

It involves taking a blood sample via finger prick and then putting it into a screening device.

The tests are currently under review at PHE labs in England so determine if they are reliable enough for mass use.

A decision will be made in weeks. They will first be given to frontline healthcare workers before the general public gets their hands on them.

SureScreen Diagnostics says a prick of blood from the fingertip is sufficient to determine with more than 98 per cent accuracy

The private firm says its test has been validated and is already being used in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman. Currently, official swap-based methods take between 24 and 48 hours for results to come back

Public Health England cautions members of the public against using such tests amid fears they are unreliable, saying there is 'little information on the accuracy of the tests'

Results are displayed in a similar fashion to those of an at-home pregnancy test within minutes and could potentially save delays in diagnosis.

SureScreen says its test has been validated and is already being used by private buyers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Kuwait and Oman.

Hundreds of thousands of tests have been conducted with the SureScreen kit so far. The company claims it has had over two million orders for next month.

Director David Campbell said: 'We've been working hard to produce a coronavirus test (COVID19) that can be used at the patient side, with capillary blood, easily taken from someone's fingertip and diagnose them within 10 minutes.

'There is a big problem with the diagnosis of the disease currently because the standard method of screening is to send samples to the laboratory, which takes a lot of time.

'Meanwhile, someone could be spreading the virus without knowing, or having the issue of self-isolation.'

FINGER PRINT TEST

Name: COVID-19 IgM IgG Rapid Test

Manufacturers: BioMedomics

Diagnostic time: 15 minutes

The blood test is not being used in the UK, despite health bodies in China, Italy and Japan diagnosing patients with it.

On March 5, BioMedomics claimed its 'quick and easy' test was ready and being used in South Korea, Japan, Italy, China and some countries in the Middle East.

After the sample of blood is collected, a technician injects it into the analysis device - which is about the size of an Apple TV or Roku remote - along with some buffer, and waits 15 minutes.

One line means negative, two lines in a spread-out configuration means the sample contains antibodies that the body starts making shortly after infection.

A blood sample is collected, inserted into the reader, a buffer is combined, and results come back within 15 minutes, the company claims

Two lines closer together mean the person is positive for the later-stage antibodies, and three lines mean the patient is positive for both types of antibodies.

A small study showed the test produced a correct response 80 per cent of the time.

PHE confirmed it was not using the advanced blood test because it was not accurate enough, and are hoping to develop their own. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also yet to approve it.

A former PHE strategist said he was 'not confident' the test could produce correct results and is therefore unlikely to be rolled out. However, the method was desirable.

FINGER PRICK TEST

Manufacturer: BioSure

Diagnostic time: 15 minutes

The London-based firm claims to have developed an at-home finger prick test that takes a quarter of an hour.

It works exactly like the firm's HIV self test, which requires the user to take a drop of blood using a safety lancet.

BioSure claims to have developed an at-home finger prick test that takes a quarter of an hour

It works exactly like the firm's HIV self test, which requires the user to take a drop of blood using a safety lancet before using its pen device to scan the sample for COVID-19 antibodies

Suspected patients then use BioSure's pen device which absorbs the blood and is entered into a cartridge which scans the sample for COVID-19 antibodies.

Sure's HIV Self Test has been shown to be at least 99.7 per cent accurate.

But the coronavirus test is currently under review at PHE labs to trial its effectiveness.

It is believed to be in the running to secure a contract from the Government to make hundreds of thousands of them.

NASAL SWAB

Name: TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit

Manufacturers: ThermoFisher

Diagnostic time: Four hours

The DIY test detects specific DNA given off by the coronavirus in the noses of infected patients.

Samples are then delivered to labs where they are analysed and results are produced within four hours.

The test was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration this week and 5million kits will be sent across America in the coming days.

It is hoped the UK will follow suit after representatives from ThermoFisher, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, were seen entering Downing Street last night carrying a box with the tests.

It is understood ministers were giving a demonstration of how the test works.

FACE MASK TESTS

Manufacturers: University of Leicester

Diagnostic time: 12 hours

How it works: Breath test inserted in a mask

Scientists have started a trial of the pioneering 2 gadget, which tests have already proven can detect tuberculosis, a deadly lung infection.

Scientists have started a trial of the pioneering 2 gadget (pictured), which tests have already proven can detect tuberculosis

The researchers at the University of Leicester and the University of Pretoria designed 3D printed strips of polyvinyl alcohol that are inserted into the mask (pictured)

The masks, which could cost pennies if manufactured on a wider scale, are fitted with strips that soak up droplets from the wearer's breath, which may be carrying traces of bacterial or viral infection.

The strips can be tested in labs with results coming back within hours. Current tests for coronavirus can take up to 48 hours.

University of Leicester researchers believe it will be at least two months before they can test the masks on actual COVID-19 patients.

But they are hopeful it will work because it is a respiratory disease, meaning it infects the lungs and can is present in the air people breathe out.

After 30 minutes, the strips can be tested in a laboratory (pictured)

First, the team have to test the gadgets on dozens of patients with other lung infections to prove they can pick up bugs other than tuberculosis, which they were designed for.

Patients with infections such as flu and bronchitis will have the results from their mask tests compared to those from throat swabs, which are known to be accurate.

Tests on tuberculosis patients, the only ones that have been done so far, show the masks can detect the killer disease almost 90 per cent of the time.

Leicester's Professor Mike Barer and colleagues are hopeful they will be successful because the coronavirus infects the lungs in a similar way to tuberculosis.

BREATH TEST

Manufacturers: Northumbria University, Newcastle

Diagnostic time: Almost instantly

A breath sampling device that could rapidly identify patients with coronavirus has been developed by British scientists.

The technology, developed by a team at Northumbria University in Newcastle, is still in development and needs further testing.

But experts believe it could change the way the virus is spotted around the world.

A breath test that helps rapidly identify patients with coronavirus has been developed by British scientists (file)

Dr Sterghios Moschos, right, said the test could be used to produce results in minutes

The Northumbria team's device collects breath samples which can then be tested separately for biological information  known as biomarkers.

These biomarkers, which include DNA, RNA, proteins and fat molecules can signal diseases of the lung and other parts of the body.

People simply breathe into the device, which collects a sample of the breath.

Dr Sterghios Moschos, associate professor at Northumbria University, said: 'Our ambition is to reduce the need for bloodletting for diagnosis in its broadest sense.'

The device is currently being trialled.

PRIVATE HARLEY STREET CLINIC

Manufacturers: Private Harley Street Clinic

Diagnostic time: Three days

How it works: Nose and throat swab

Price: 375

More than 2,000 people have ordered a 375 home testing kit from a Harley Street clinic in London after being turned down by the NHS, according to the Daily Telegraph.

In addition to individuals, some 60 firms including oil and telecoms companies, have bought them for their staff.

On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products

Dr Mark Ali, director of the Private Harley Street Clinic on London's world-renowned medical avenue, said his practice was offering a new kit for 375 each

The test is posted to the client's home or preferred address, where the client takes swabs from both the nostrils and throat.

The sample is then placed in the box provided and posted back as per the instructions.

Dr Mark Ali, director of the Private Harley Street Clinic on London's world-renowned medical avenue, said his practice was offering a new kit for 375 each.

On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products.

The practice says the test is 'performed by a world renown UKAS accredited British laboratory and the test results are 100 per cent accurate and do not require further tests to confirm any diagnoses.'

The website hastens to add, that though it oversees the entire process, patients should not attempt to pick up their kits from Harley Street.

'Please note under no circumstances can this test be done in our clinic or be collected from our clinic.' The website states.

'It is sent to your designated address by courier service within 48 hrs. Please refer to the details below and order through the link at the bottom of this page.'

Dr Ali told The Telegraph he has received countless requests from buyers.

'People are worried sick. They want to get some clarity back in their lives,' he told The Telegraph.

'We've got university students in England who want to go back to Nepal, but need to know if they have the disease so they can be let back into their own country.

'We've got a businessman who owns a construction company employing 60 people. He needs to know the state of play, or he risks letting down his customers. So every single person in that company is being tested.'

ANTIGEN TEST

Manufacturers: Mologic

Diagnostic time: Ten minutes

British firm Mologic is working on an antigen test after receiving 1million from the UK Government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was taken on a tour of the Bedford laboratory of Mologic earlier this month

The firm hopes it will take just 10 minutes to produce a result, like that of the antibody test.

Antigens are parts of a virus that trigger the immune system's response to fight the infection, and can show up in blood before antibodies are made.

SALIVA TEST

Manufacturer: myLAB Box

US-based firm myLAB Box is mass producing a home test that requires a saliva swab to be sent away to an overnight lab to be analysed

Diagnostic time: One day

US-based firm myLAB Box announced this week that it has opened pre-sales of its COVID-19 home test for health professionals, doctors surgeries and pharmacies.

They require suspected patients to self-collect a saliva swab sample. These samples are sent away to a CLIA-certified lab to be analysed overnight.

myLAB Box also said that free telephone consultations will be made available to those who test positive for the virus.

It is planning to process up to 20,000 tests per day once it is approved by the FDA. It is currently under review.

FINGER PRICK TEST

Manufacturer: Scanwell

Diagnostic time: 15 minutes

American startup Scanwell has produced a finger prick coronavirus test that takes just 15 minutes to complete at home.

It is posted to users via next-day delivery and is used alongside the Scanwell Health App.

American startup Scanwell has produced a finger prick coronavirus test that takes just 15 minutes to complete at home. It will work in conjunction with a health app (similar to its UTI test)

The test can be completed and uploaded through the app within 15 minutes, according to the company

The test is being fast-tracked for approval by the FDA but isn't expected to hit the US market for another six to eight weeks.

Scanwell is best known for its smartphone-based urinary tract infection screening platform.

NASAL/THROAT SWABS

Manufacturers: Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey

Diagnostic time: Half an hour

Researchers at Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey have developed a device to detect COVID-19 in 30 minutes using a smartphone application.

The batter-operated and hand-held costs 100. It works by taking nasal or throat swabs, which are put into the device.

Researchers at Brunel University London, Lancaster University and University of Surrey have developed a device to detect COVID-19 in 30 minutes using a smartphone application (file)

Then in 30 minutes, it can determine if someone has CoVID-19 using artificial intelligence.

The samples dont need to go to a laboratory and the same device can test six people at once at a cost of around 4 per person.

The science behind the device has been tested in the Philippines to check chickens for viral infections.

The team has adapted it to detect COVID-19 in humans and is talking with backers to get it urgently mass-produced.

Scientists behind the device say the current system is capable to perform diagnostics at any location with very minimal training.

The researchers believe that the device would be operated by ambulatory care professionals, nurses, and biomedical scientists.

It would also let people self-isolating test themselves and health care workers test patients to help slow the spread of the pandemic and ease the burden on the NHS.

The Xpert Xpress test was developed by the company Cepheid which plans to have it on sale in the US by the end of March

ORAL SWAB

Manufacturer: Cepheid

Diagnostic time: 45 minutes

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorised the first 'point-of-care' coronavirus test which can be used in hospitals and emergency rooms, delivering test results in 45 minutes.

The new test was developed by the company Cepheid which plans to have it on sale in the US by the end of March.

The test will importantly deliver results onsite in 45 minutes at the hospital or emergency room where it is taken, cutting out the time-consuming step of sending the test to a lab.

A swab is inserted into a screening device, known as GeneXpert Systems, which scours for COVID-19 genes and takes less than an hour to deliver a result.

There are 5,000 of these machines located around the U.S. and 23,000 around the world.

THROAT/NASAL SWAB

Manufacturer: Bosch

Diagnostic time: Two-and-a-half hours

The home appliances firm has created a test provides that gives results in less than two-and-a-half hours.

The sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient using a swab and placed inside a 'cartridge' and inserted into a device which scours for genes of the virus.

The home appliances firm has created a test provides that gives results in less than two-and-a-half hours. The sample is taken from the nose or throat of the patient using a swab and placed inside a 'cartridge' and inserted into a device which scours for genes of the virus

Vivalytic is said to be 'easy and intuitive' to operate, according to Bosch.

The system does not require any additionally trained personnel, so that even hospital or doctor's practice staff without special laboratory experience can operate the machines.

SALIVA/THROAT SWABS

Manufacturer: Everlywell

Diagnostic time: Up to one day

Users collect their own saliva, throat swabs or deep nasal swabs at home and send the samples to labs to be tested for the virus.

The US-firm, based in Austin, Texas, has sold around 30,000 COVID-19 at-home testing kits across the US to healthcare companies who have used them to test their medics on the front lines of the outbreak.

But the tests have not been approved by the FDA and the public being advised against using them. The agency says the accuracy of such home testing kits 'has yet to be clearly determined.'

Everlywell has sold around 30,000 COVID-19 at-home testing kits across the US to healthcare companies

CT SCANS

Who came up with the idea? Mount Sinai Health System, New York

Diagnostic time: 1 hour 30 minutes

How it works: Detects lung damage

Doctors from The Mount Sinai Health System in New York say CT scans may be faster than nasal and throat swabs at diagnosing coronavirus patients.

The team were the first in the US to analyze lung scans of patients in China with the highly contagious disease.

They said they were able to identify specific patterns in the lungs as markers of the virus, also known as COVID-19, as it developed over the course of about two weeks>

Patients who received scans zero to two days after symptoms first appeared had little to no evidence of lung disease in their results like this 19-year-old male who had a CT scan one day after symptoms first appeared

The team said the pattern in the lung of coronavirus patients are similar to scans of patients with SARS and very different from diseases such as bacterial pneumonia (pictured)

The researchers say these quicker diagnoses could help keep patients isolated in early stages of the disease, perhaps even before symptoms appear and when it may not show up on other scans such as chest X-rays.

'CT scans are an extremely powerful diagnostic tool, because you can seen the inner organs in a three-dimensional way,' lead author Dr Adam Bernheim, an assistant professor of diagnostic, molecular and interventional radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told DailyMail.com.

'And you can see the manifestation of many diseases.'

For the study, published in the journal Radiology, the team analyzed scans of 94 patients at four medical centers in four Chinese provinces.

The patients had been admitted between January 18 and February 2, and all had either recently traveled to Wuhan - the epicenter of an outbreak - or had come into contact with an infected person.

Radiologists reviewed the scan and took notes based on when symptoms first appeared and when the CT scan was performed.

Thirty-six patients received scans zero to two days after reporting symptoms and more than half showed no evidence of lung disease.

The team says this is important because it suggests that CT scans cannot reliably detect coronavirus in its very earliest stages.

Nasal and throat swabs test can identify patients even before patients become symptomatic, although some may still have the virus if they first test negative.

Its results, however, may take days to get back from the agency's labs.

But 33 patients who received scans three to five days after symptoms developed had patterns of 'ground glass opacities,' or haziness in the lungs.

'The lung abnormalities are very round in shape and affect the perimeter of the lung,' co-author Dr Michael Chung, an assistant professor of diagnostic, molecular and interventional radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told DailyMail.com.
We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. 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 Warehouse REIT plc (LON:WHR).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Warehouse REIT

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Warehouse REIT

Non-Executive Director Stephen Barrow made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK402k worth of shares at a price of UK1.03 each. That means that even when the share price was higher than UK0.90 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

In the last twelve months Warehouse REIT insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

AIM:WHR Recent Insider Trading March 27th 2020

Warehouse REIT is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Story continues

Insider Ownership of Warehouse REIT

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. It appears that Warehouse REIT insiders own 7.8% of the company, worth about UK17m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.

So What Do The Warehouse REIT Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Warehouse REIT shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders do have a stake in Warehouse REIT and their transactions don't cause us concern. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Warehouse REIT. To assist with this, we've discovered 5 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Warehouse REIT.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Brge Brende (The Jakarta Post) Cologny/Geneva  Fri, March 27, 2020 10:05 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dc468e 3 Opinion COVID-19,pandemic,risk,infectious-diseases,healthcare,World-Economic-Forum,economic-slowdown Free

We may not have been able to predict the exact details of the COVID-19 pandemic, but weve known for years that the risks of global pandemics have been increasing, with the potential for major disruptions across the global economy.

So why does it seem as if this crisis rose out of nowhere, and what can we do about being better prepared for risks in the future?

Individuals often identify risks that are readily perceptible  whether because of personal exposure, media coverage, or both  as the most threatening. Those risks not directly ahead tend to go unnoticed.

Data from the World Economic Forums Global Risks Perception Survey of approximately 1,000 stakeholders have shown this. In the past decade, infectious diseases ranked among the top five perceived risks only once, in 2015, in the direct aftermath of the Ebola epidemic, when it ranked as second highest, in terms of impact.

Even though the survey asks stakeholders to try to think through a 10-year lens, the following year, infectious disease no longer ranked among top risks. Instead, what our survey showed was that beginning in 2016, climate-related issues started to dominate the risks perception of our respondents. It is no coincidence that that year was the warmest on record.

It is human nature to feel most threatened by what feels closest. But a potential danger is that when a risk gets crowded out of our collective sightlines, it may go unaddressed, and we may be ill-prepared to address it when it does manifest.

What can we do?

To begin with, we should be aware of our blind spots. Even as there has rightly been a rise in concern about climate change in many countries in recent years, we should not fail to consider that other risks still linger. Similarly, as the worlds attention now shifts to the outbreak of CO VID -19, the global community cannot allow itself to stop fighting for more ambitious action on climate change, or for solutions to challenges around cybersecurity and international security, for that matter.

Already, in the face of the coronavirus pandemic we have seen important climate summits cancelled, such as the World Oceans Summit in Japan, and difficulty in rescheduling the Convention on Biological Diversity. While we do need to account for new dangers and do need to address the pandemic, it is important that we do not cease the important work of marshalling the global community in raising ambition on climate action.

At the same time, we should pursue measures that make collective blind spots less likely to occur. Here, a strong global multi-stakeholder framework  one in which governments, businesses, and international organizations work in concert  is fundamental. Since diverse actors have diverse perspectives and tend to have diverse touchpoints across societies.

Ensuring that a variety of actors across geographies and industries are continually communicating offers a greater possibility that risks that have moved off the direct sightlines of one party are still accounted for collectively.

But, lets be clear, it is impossible to foresee and be on constant guard for every potential risk around us.

Therefore, we should position ourselves to be ready to address risks that do materialize. Here, again, a multi-stakeholder framework is critical. One only has to look back to 2009 to see the importance that an atthe-ready multilateral framework had in moving the global economy toward recovery. The Group of 20, for instance, by being in a position to quickly bring governments together, was able to release the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth that helped stave off a global depression.

At a time when the coronavirus is dominating our attention, a strong multi-stakeholder approach  through international organizations and global initiatives  is crucial for building resiliency and preparing for upcoming economic, political, and social consequences. But perhaps as important, it is also crucial for ensuring we are in a resilient position regarding the risks not directly in front of us at this moment.

***

President of the World Economic Forum

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 17:58:42|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the African continent has reached 83 as confirmed positives cases surpassed 3,243 as of Friday, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) revealed on Friday.

The Africa CDC, specialized agency of the 55-member African Union (AU), in its latest situation update said the cases were spread across 46 African countries.

The continental disease control and prevention agency 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, in which Northern African countries have so far registered 1,249 positive COVID-19 cases as well as 60 deaths due to the pandemic.

The southern Africa region, which is the second highly affected in the continent, has also so far registered 972 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while the western African region has also registered 605 confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as 11 deaths.

The Africa CDC also disclosed that some 254 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent.

Amid the rapid spread of the virus across the African continent, figures from the Africa CDC also show that more than 400 new confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported across the continent since the center's recent report on Thursday.
Gov. Mark Gordon announced Friday that he was extending his orders closing businesses and schools through April 17. The announcement came 10 days before schools were scheduled to reopen and hours before the number of coronavirus patients in Wyoming hit 73.

Extending the existing orders by two weeks is necessary because it takes time for social distancing measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, said Dr. Alexia Harrist, the state health officer.

The best tool we have to reduce the potential burden on our healthcare system and save lives is for all of us to limit our contact with other people as much as possible, she said. Of course it is most important for people who are ill to stay home unless they need medical attention.

The move is the latest by Gordon to try to stem the tide of the novel coronavirus, which has washed across the state in recent days and now has a known presence in 13 Wyoming counties.

The order will keep school buildings, gyms, restaurants (for dine-in purposes), salons, tattoo parlors and most other businesses closed through at least mid-April, and gatherings of more than 10 people will remain prohibited. Gordons efforts have rolled out over the past two weeks, starting with a recommendation that schools not reopen and then rolling into wholesale closures.

I have extended these orders in consultation with Dr. Harrist, Gordon said. Because weve seen cases identified in additional counties and growth in the case numbers, its clear how important it is for us to take sustained action. I understand the ongoing strain that these measures are having on businesses, workers and Wyoming communities. But it is imperative that our citizens respond to this public health crisis by staying home whenever possible and practicing proper social distancing when they must go out. This is how we can save lives and protect peoples health.

Notably, the order is not a shelter-in-place demand. Gordons counterparts in Colorado, Montana and Idaho have issued orders to that effect in recent days. Gordon said earlier this week that he was doing (his) best to avoid ordering Wyomingites to remain in their homes, but such a declaration is becoming increasingly common across the United States.

The number of known COVID-19 cases statewide has spiked over the past week. On March 20, there were 22 confirmed cases. As of 5 p.m. Friday, there were at least 73. Seventeen patients have recovered, and more than 1,000 people have tested negative statewide for the disease.

Nationwide, there have been at least 100,000 cases as of Friday evening. More than 1,500 have died in the U.S.

On the school side, educators across Wyoming have been preparing for schools to remain shuttered. The school board here in Natrona County spent 90 minutes earlier this week talking about the virus and discussing how to move classes online.

After Gordon released his order, state Superintendent Jillian Balow sent her own statement issuing guidance to the states 48 school districts. Each district must have a plan ready to deliver education through the building closures; that plan must be in place by April 6 if the district is to keep receiving state funding.

In Natrona County, officials have issued a survey to gauge students access to technology and have said they may have some in-person classes for those who cant regularly use tech.

School doors may be closed to students, but Wyoming education is open for business, Balow wrote. The desire by teachers to connect with their students and provide learning opportunities has been inspiring. Teaching and learning while practicing social distancing is a new concept for many. Teachers, parents and students all need support in order for it to be successful.

As businesses remain closed, more than 2,300 people filed for unemployment benefits statewide last week, an increase of 350 percent according to an Associated Press report. Nationwide, claims were up more than 1,000 percent, with more than 3 million people filling for assistance.

Gordon has said his orders are enforceable. In Casper, for instance, police responded to at least two businesses earlier this week that were believed to be violating the mandates.

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.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed during a telephone conversation the fight against coronavirus and economic relations.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey expressed gratitude to Ukraine for its assistance in returning Turkish citizens home from foreign countries. In turn, Dmytro Kuleba thanked his counterpart for the similar assistance of Turkey to the citizens of Ukraine, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs.

"At this difficult time, we combine efforts with our Turkish friends to withstand the challenges of the pandemic, to protect our citizens and entrepreneurs," Dmytro Kuleba emphasized.

The foreign ministers paid special attention to finding a solution to the problem of freight transportation to and transit through Turkey.

ol
Wanting to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease caused by coronavirus, Ravalli County community members are stepping forward to do what they can to help.

The sewing members of the community are sewing facemasks as a way to serve and put their stash of fabric and quilting tools to work. People wanting to help can pick up supplies and drop off completed masks at Patchwork Quilts in Hamilton.

Hamilton Christian Academy administrator Stephanie Beck has placed a pattern on the HCA Facebook page and hopes people with supplies will sew masks for general use and for people going in and out of the hospital.

Beck said her heart responded to a call for facemasks that she saw on Facebook.

My friend who is a nurse posted, is there anyone who could sew some of these kinds of masks, we dont have what we need, Beck said.

Beck started researching and asked her brothers who are doctors and a local surgeon for their opinion.

We started finding scientific research done from past epidemics, they studied the efficacy of cloth masks against viruses, Beck said. There is pretty intense research out there and the found it to be 40 to 50% effective against large droplets.

Beck said that a couple of weeks ago people started manufacturing masks around the world and posted on social media and YouTube.

I started watching and reading mostly scientific journals because I wanted the guide  how do you make the best knowing it couldnt be a N95 mask but that maybe we could make a level 2 mask, Beck said.

She started doing sampling with what she had laying around including a bread bag twisty for the flexible piece in the nose and sewing a pocket as a place to add a filter.

I wanted simple patterns so even those of us who arent quilters could sew them, Beck said. We are making a variety of masks with the filter pocket and flexible nose piece. From my research it doesnt matter if the tucks are up, down, three or four, or box pleats. What matters is that it can fit around your face, be somewhat secure with multiple layers that people can still breathe through.

She is using 100% cotton and pipe cleaners or fine gage floral wire. She doesnt have fabric or supplies for everyone and also noted there is a shortage of quarter-inch flat elastic.

Beck has been contacted on Facebook from people wanting to buy them from her.

Im not going to sell them. Ill give them away, she said. Weve been getting them into peoples hands.

Beck said she has a sewer who is stranded from Alaska with no supplies but her sewing machine. She is sewing in her camper.

At this point not all of these will be needed, maybe manufacturers will get up to speed and deliver a million here, but I see the power of people wanting to do something positive and be productive, Beck said. Plus, were getting rid of some of our hoarding.

Beck said she wished her mother was here with her roomful of fabric.

She had a sewing machine repair shop in North Dakota and had so much material, Beck said. She would have been able to supply all of us for who knows how long with all the supplies we need. But thats what Im using, her fabric, elastic and thread.

Hamilton Christian Academy is on spring break and Beck has told her staff to use this time to rest.

This is my distraction. Ill have to puzzle out the details for school very soon, Beck said. This is my spring break. I told my teachers to use their spring breaks too. Well work out the details when we get back.

Beck states she is just practicing what she preaches.

As Head of School at Hamilton Christian Academy for 12 years, and a parent for 24 years she knows how to create expectations and opportunities for her children and students to go out into the community and help others.

Volunteerism is an integral part of healthy, American life and in times of difficulty, it is proven that helping others relieves some of detrimental effects of stress, Beck said.

Her students in high school at HCA are required to complete annual volunteer hours for graduation and do a senior project. Beck is recommending they sew facemasks to give back to the community.

We hope to get many masks out, were praying for every person as we make this and for something good to come out of all of this, Beck said. The goal of my life has been make a difference I like to help people, this is my purpose in life.

If youre a homemaker making masks drop them off at Patchwork Quilts.

Claudia Williams, owner, is making simple fabric mask kits with 100% cotton fabric that will be available on Friday, March 27, and take about 15 minutes to sew.

Anyone wanting a mask should call me, and leave a message at 406-363-5754, Williams said. Any organization that feels they can benefit from cloth masks can get them from me.

She has some seamstresses lined up to make masks for the fire department, the police department, Sapphire Lutheran Homes and anyone interested.

Williams said she is making mask kits of fabric with really tight weave, Batiks mostly.

They have a little pocket so they can cut hypoallergenic vacuum bags and put a little piece in, Williams said.

She said the point is to make them form fitting around the wearers face.

To pick up kits or return completed masks go to Patchwork Quilts, 1720 N. First Street, Ste. E, in Hamilton. The store has temporary hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed Saturday and Sunday. Contact Williams for the pattern and kits through the stores website patchworkquiltshamilton.com.

Williams is also making kits with squares of hospital-grade fabric for sewing masks for medical professionals, high-risk job professionals and community members in the high-risk category. Each kit has a hospital-approved pattern with directions, two strips of quarter inch elastic and two pre-cut pieces of hospital-grade fabric.

Flat quarter-inch elastic is in short supply and Williams said that if anyone has the right size elastic, donations are welcome at Patchwork Quilts.

Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Public Information Officer Amy James-Linton said the hospital appreciates the donations of facemasks, gloves, booties, other personal protection equipment and efforts from everyone wanting to do their part.

The best thing we can all do is implement social distancing, keep six- feet apart, keep groups under 10 and follow the CDC guidelines, James-Linton said. Our community and the people in it are beautiful. During this time simple acts of kindness really make a difference.

James-Linton said if you have signs and symptoms contact your primary care provider.

COVID-19 resources include cdc.gov: for signs and symptoms; dphhs.mt.gov: testing; DPHHS: 24/7 hotline: 406-444-0273 or the new hotline for Ravalli County Public Health: 406-375-6650.

Help flatten the curve so we can continue to control the spread of coronavirus, James-Linton said.

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.
Chandigarh, March 27 : Punjab Police on Friday scaled up its relief operations across the state through the distribution of nearly 1.9 lakh food packets and set up medical camps in various districts, while facilitating the movement of about 3000 trucks carrying essentials.

Even as the police continued to clear the 1600-odd applications received from individuals for the curfew pass, they were also working on introducing new kinds of passes like an inter-state critical emergency transit pass, covering the states of Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

A total of 42,515 police personnel across ranks, along with volunteers, were on the ground to enforce curfew and maintain essential supplies as well as law and order, a government statement said.

A total of 79 first information reports (FIRs) were registered and 104 people arrested in past 24 hours for curfew violations and violation of quarantine guidelines.

Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta said 112 police emergency number that has been transformed into Curfew Helpline had received 17,000 calls in 24 hours, of which 10,699 calls related to queries regarding Covid-19 and or other information.

Giving details of the e-pass facility, the DGP said for a large number of the 1,600 applications received, passes have been granted.

A few have been rejected while others are still under process, he added.

Community kitchens have now been set up in three slum areas of Ludhiana (rural) police district.

In Ludhiana (rural) district, food packets were distributed to around 1,600 people while cooked meals were served to around 12,000 people.
KABUL, March 27 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's government late on Thursday announced a 21-member team to negotiate with the Taliban in a tentative sign of progress for the United States-brokered peace deal.

The list announced by the country's State Ministry of Peace would be led by Masoom Stanekzai, a former National Directorate of Security chief, and included politicians, former officials and representatives of civil society. Five members of the team are women.

It was not immediately clear whether President Ashraf Ghani's political rival Abdullah Abdullah would endorse the team selected, which diplomats have said would be vital given his camp's strong influence in much of the country's North and West.

Following the selection of the government's negotiators, the next step should be to convene talks with the Taliban as part of a process aimed at ending America's longest war and bringing peace to Afghanistan.

Abdullah's spokesman did not immediately reply to request for comment.

The United States signed a troop withdrawal deal with the Taliban in February, but progress on moving to negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government has been delayed, in part by the political feud between Ghani and Abdullah with both men claiming to be Afghanistan's rightful leader following September's election.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to mediate between the two men to create an "inclusive" government during a day-long visit to Kabul on Monday, and announced a $1 billion cut in U.S. aid to Afghanistan, which he said could be reversed.

The government announced this week it would begin releasing Taliban prisoners at the end of March, edging closer to removing an obstacle to talks. The Taliban had demanded the unconditional release of 5,000 prisoners before starting talks with the government. Ghani countered with an offer to free 1,500 prisoners, and has since said he would release 100 at the end of March.

The arrangement was struck in a talks between Taliban and government officials held over Skype because of travel restrictions due to the global coronavirus pandemic. (Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
A claim by Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley that An Post jobs in Laois are under threat is not true according to and Government Minister Charlie Flanagan.

The Fine Gael TD for Laois Offaly dismissed claims that the work done in Portlaoise was being moved to Dublin.

I have been in contact with An Post this afternoon and they have confirmed that there is absolutely no truth in what has been alleged by Deputy Stanley.

"I am disappointed that Deputy Stanley, who raised this issue before and during the recent General Election, has again raised this matter despite repeated assurances from An Post that Portlaoise Mail Centre will not be closed.

"It is reckless of Deputy Stanley to raise this issue at a time of national emergency when the workers in Portlaoise Mail Centre are continuing to perform their duties and showing great courage given the sensitive nature of their work.

"Earlier this week I spoke with the Portlaoise Mail Centre Manager, Gareth Byrne. I thanked him for his work and asked him to convey my appreciation to the hardworking staff in Portlaoise Mail Centre, including the team of postmen and postwomen and their families, all of whom are making a most valuable contribution at this time of great challenge," he said.
It is not unimaginable that with so many couples locked down within the confines of their homes 24/7, that close physical proximity could result in increased sexual activity, giving rise to questions regarding how safe sex is during these troubled times. COVID-19 disease or infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus has gripped the world and has taken the form of a pandemic affecting 175 nations and territories across the globe.

Image Credit: PPstudio / Shutterstock

Recommendations and answers to frequently asked questions regarding sexual intercourse between those affected by the COVID-19 disease were provided to the Guardian by leading experts.

The experts are Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Dr. Carlos E Rodriguez-Diaz, professor at George Washington Universitys Milken Institute School of Public Health and Dr. Julia Marcus, infectious disease epidemiologist, and professor in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Is sexual intercourse OK during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Experts warn that if one of the partners is COVID-19 positive, sex should be avoided. Isolation of the infected person has been advised, and no contact with the uninfected family members and partners is recommended.

Sexual intercourse is not a taboo for uninfected partners locked down inside their homes add experts. In fact, sexual intercourse could help relieve some of the anxiety and stress and bring the couples closer to each other.

Dr. Carlos E. Rodriguez-Diaz, in a statement, said, There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted via sexual intercourse, either vaginal or anal. However, kissing is a prevalent practice during sex, and the virus can be transmitted via saliva. Therefore, the virus can be transmitted by kissing.

Can COVID-19 be transmitted from one person to another via sexual intercourse?

As of now, there has been no indication that COVID-19 can be transmitted from one person to another via sexual intercourse. The transmission is known to occur via respiratory droplets, say experts. It can also be transmitted if an uninfected person touches a surface that has been contaminated by respiratory droplets containing the virus. The experts advise that vaginal or anal intercourse does not spread the infection. Still, kissing is a common practice during sex, and the virus may be transmitted from the infected person to the partner via the saliva contaminated with the virus. Transmission via oral sex thus is also a possibility.

Professor Claudia Estcourt, an expert from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said, It is safe for people in a household which has been self-isolating for over 14 days to have sex. But remember that every time someone goes out of their household, that person has the potential to acquire the virus. You will need to keep resetting the 14-day clock if one of you is in contact with someone with coronavirus or develops symptoms.

Having sex with someone who has been in contact with a person with COVID-19 is also a no-no say, experts.

The health department from the United States has published a booklet outlining the answers to FAQs regarding sex during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines state, You are your safest sex partner. Masturbation will not spread COVID-19, especially if you wash your hands (and any sex toys) with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after sex. The experts behind the guidelines say that vaginal fluid or semen have not been tested yet, but SARS-CoV 2 virus has been found in feces. MERs and SARs belong to the same family of viruses, and those are also not transmitted sexually.

Can one use sex toys? How to make sure they do not transmit the infection?

The usual rules for using sex toys and keeping them clean apply. All sex toys must be cleaned using soap and water. This would help prevent several sexually transmitted infections.

Connecting with a new partner for sex - is it OK?

With the lockdowns in place in most countries across the world, people are stuck inside their homes and not able to meet up with new people for sex. This makes connecting with unknown potential sexual partners difficult. Right now, because of the physical distancing, experts speculate that there may be fewer people connecting for sex for the next few weeks. Other forms of connecting for sex, including sexting, explicit video calls, masturbation, and erotica, could still be practiced and enjoyed. Several experts have said that the present times could instead be ideal for getting to know potential partners through connecting via social media or via phone calls and maintaining physical distancing.

Consider taking a break from in-person dates. Video dates, sexting, or chat rooms may be options for you, state the NYC health guidelines.
Over the last 55 years, the Waffle House chain of restaurants has developed a trustworthy reputation for never closing. But much like the rest of the United States, the current COVID-19 outbreak has thrown decades of consistency into a month of disarray.

Known as the "Waffle House Index," the restaurant chain's prestige for staying open in all circumstances has become an informal metric used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the general public to help determine the effectiveness of a disaster. At green level, the restaurant offers full service and a full menu. At yellow level, a limited menu is offered with little food supplies or lack of power. At red level, restaurant closures abound due to severe damage. Or in these times, severe social distancing.

Njeri Boss, director of public relations for Waffle House Inc., explained the index to AccuWeather and not only said this was the most severe instance of a code red, but it's also the first time ever for a non-weather event. The term was coined by former FEMA Administer Craig Fugate in 2011 after the devastating Joplin tornado, during which two Waffle House locations never closed.

Signage is posted on the inside windown of a Waffle House restaurant, near Kennesaw State, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

"What it has meant for us is that during significant weather events, such as hurricanes, we've used a systematic approach of utilizing our available resources to help recovering communities get back to normal as quickly as possible," Boss told AccuWeather. "The index typically has been used to gauge the level of impact to the communities affected by natural disasters or storms and this is the first time it's actually being used in a non-weather-related event."

Njeri Boss, director of public relations for Waffle House Inc., said this is the first time the Waffle House Index is being used in a non-weather related event. (Waffle House)

By way of posts on the company's Facebook and Twitter pages, Waffle House has shared daily map updates on which locations around the country have been forced to close. The motivation behind those updates, Boss said, is to help people understand the sweeping impact the pandemic has wrought on the entire restaurant industry.

Story continues

As of March 26, 429 Waffle House locations were closed while another 1,563 restaurants were offering carryout orders.

Waffle House after Hurricane Katrina A sign is all that's left of this Waffle House on the beach in Gulfport, Miss., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005. Hurricane Katrina passed through the area causing extensive damage to the Gulf Coast last Monday morning. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

According to Boss, that immensity of closures is "unprecedented in the history of this company."

The Georgia-based restaurant chain has more than 2,100 locations across 25 states, mainly throughout the Southeast and mid-Atlantic. Among the states with the most locations are Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee. As of March 27, those states have seen 7,527 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

#WaffleHouseIndexRed We're still cooking and offering carryout at over 1,500 locations. Call us today! locations.wafflehouse.com/ Posted by Waffle House on Thursday, March 26, 2020

"To see something of this magnitude and try to explain it in terms of the human cost. We see the explanation of the human cost with regard to the virus and how it physically affects people through the infection," Boss said. "But there's also the human cost of the very individuals who have worked in the service industries such as the restaurant industry, the hotel industry, those who have been disproportionately affected and are looking for relief."

Signage is posted on the inside window of a Waffle House restaurant, near Kennesaw State, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

The culture among Waffle House locations to always be open and available for customers also extends to the relationship between the company and its employees. Boss said the human cost of so many hard-working individuals losing pay is a significant factor in keeping locations open.

"Waffle House has a very unique culture. It is a culture born of servant leadership, leading from the front and taking care of each other," Boss said. "The fewer customers that have been coming in as things have gotten more and more difficult in terms of how we operate our businesses has really impacted the number of hours that our hourly associates have been able to glean."

That cutback on customers has been the driving decision to close some locations while others have been the result of consolidation. Boss said the adjustments haven't been easy and applauded the hard work and flexibility of employees to work a variety of different shifts to keep the lights on.

Latest coronavirus COVID-19 coverage from AccuWeather.com

On Twitter, the hashtag #WaffleHouseIndexRed has circulated among thousands of users as a lighthearted indication that the situation has gotten serious.

Okay, America- @realDonaldTrump may not tell you, but we are at Defcon 2 when @WaffleHouse starts closing stores due to virus! God help us all! The end is near! https://t.co/6n6rj95xY9  Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) March 25, 2020

The messaging has accomplished its purpose of helping to provide context on how the current global situation impacts individuals in many different ways.

But Boss also wants to make one message clear: Waffle House isn't going anywhere.

"We're still here. We're still open and we believe that we'll weather this storm. We're going to come out on the other side and be able to open our restaurants and get our folks back to work," she said. "Every place where our restaurants are, they're a part of that community. So when one closes, that brings a reminder of the despair that may be creeping up on folks ... We just want to be able to offer a little bit of that normalcy."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will address the people of the capital at 12 pm regarding coronavirus and the lockdown imposed to contain it.

The address comes a day after Kejriwal along with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday said that all shops selling essential commodities in Delhi will be allowed to remain open round the clock to prevent crowding and rush by the people."Online service providers and e-retailers delivering essential services and goods to be allowed. All essential services shops can remain open 24 hours so that there is no rush of people," Baijal had said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Law Minister Kailash Gehlot on Friday took to Twitter and shared a picture where all DTC and cluster bus drivers, conductors and marshals can be seen wearing a mask as a preventive measure to contain coronavirus spread.

"All DTC and Cluster Bus Drivers, Conductors and Marshals have been provided with Mask and Hand Sanitisers. I am proud of you all. Doing a wonderful job in these difficult times by transporting people involved in essential services," he tweeted.Responding to this, Kejriwal wrote on Twitter: "Am so proud of all Delhiites who are providing essential services during the lockdown. Their safety is very important for us."

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia appealed to Delhiites to not hoard essential commodities in view of COVID-19 lockdown and said this is a time to serve humanity.

"Some people are seeing the COVID-19 lockdown as an opportunity to gain profit opportunity. Do not do this. This is the time to serve humanity," he tweeted in Hindi.

"Hoarding- It is the greed to earn more money. At such times, profiteering is considered a sin in our religion. It is a hoax with your own country," he further said.

36 patients have tested positive for COVID-19 in the capital so far, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Coronavirus response: 45 tons of supplies arrive in Bucharest

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

26 Mar. 2020

An Allied military plane loaded with 45 tons of medical supplies landed at Bucharest airport on Thursday morning (26 March 2020) from the Republic of Korea.

The C-17 Globemaster cargo plane carried over 100,000 protective suits and is part of the Strategic Airlift Capability, managed by NATO. The protective suits were purchased by the Romanian government to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NATO oversees two strategic airlift programmes. As part of the Strategic Airlift Capability or SAC, Allies jointly own and operate three C-17 Globemaster heavy cargo aircraft, sharing flying hours and costs. Allies also charter several Antonov transport aircraft under the Alliance's Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) program. These programmes routinely moved personnel and supplies from Europe to NATO bases in Afghanistan and Kosovo as well as humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti and Pakistan.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'timely package' of Rs 1.75 crore to frontline warriors, farmers and the poor to combat the unprecedented situation arising out of COVID-19 outbreak and said that his government is 'humanity personified'.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, the TDP chief hailed Modi for his clarion call for Janata Curfew on March 22, and said: "India, with its huge diversity and large population is on the edge of COVID-19 threat. However, we are confident that India under your able leadership would effectively retaliate the threat of corona virus by setting an example to the rest of the world."

"Rs 1,75,000 crore package to support various sections of the society is highly lauded. In this context, Rs 50 lakh insurance cover introduced for frontline warriors (doctors and other health workers fighting COVID-19) comes at a right time as tribute to their sacrifice," he said.

Naidu also praised the Centre for rendering financial package to farmers, ex-gratia to poor women and free gas cylinders to poor families. "Support to low wage earners in organised sector and senior citizens are right steps towards protecting them from the ill-effects of COVID-19 lock down. Efforts to ensure that no Indian goes to bed on empty stomach is a proof that your government is 'humanity personified'," he said.

"Distribution of pulses to ensure that everyone gets proper nourishment is visionary in its thought and action. Increase of wages under MNREGA, benefitting workers in organised sector through Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), granting additional credit to women self-help groups (SHGs) are timely and appropriate steps to build confidence among the poor and downtrodden of our society in ably fighting COVID-19," he added.

Naidu further called for the Prime Minister's attention to another sector that works as the backbone of the Indian economy - micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) - suggesting a financial package to stimulate the economy.

"It is pertinent, as you are aware, to provide a financial package to stimulate economy in this turbulent time. Under your able guidance and smart leadership, we are confident that very soon India will not only recover from the threat of COVID-19, but also would bounce back to its rightful place in the global economy," he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan will release at least 10,000 prisoners above the age of 55 in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan will release at least 10,000 prisoners above the age of 55 in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

"The president has issued a decree that several thousand prisoners will be released soon due to coronavirus," said an official in President Ashraf Ghani's office.

Those released will not include members of Islamist militant groups the Taliban or Islamic State.

(Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Hamid Shalizi, Writing by Rupam Jain, Editing by Mike Collett-White)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Dubai

Severe flooding caused by heavy rains in Yemens Aden killed two with predictions of continued rainfall on Thursday as the city begins testing for coronavirus infections.

Medical sources told local daily Aden Al-Ghad on Wednesday that a man and a woman were caught by the floods. They were pulled from the water and transported to hospital, but died before receiving treatment.

Aden had also encountered a power outage after the rainfall. Officials in the electricity corporation said the stations had stopped operating.

Meanwhile Yemeni weather expert Nabil Aboud said Aden is expected to witness further, heavier, rainfall on Thursday coming from the Arabian Sea.

Meanwhile, doctors warned the government to take quick action to resolve the issue of flooding as stagnant water could cause a large number of mosquitos that may carry infectious diseases.

Despite confirmation from local and international health officials that the war-torn country has not yet recorded a single case of the coronavirus, the UN official warned that the virus could overwhelm Yemens understaffed and poorly equipped health facilities.

Abd al-Nasser Abu Bakr, head of the department for combating infectious diseases at the WHO office in the Eastern Mediterranean, told CNN Arabic last week that he expected "an explosion in the number of coronavirus cases in Syria and Yemen."
Mary-Anne Bedard hasnt been sleeping much lately.

As the citys general manager of shelter, support and housing, Bedard has been heading the response to COVID-19 in Torontos emergency shelter system, where at least four people have tested positive as of Friday.

Adding to those sleepless nights: Modelling suggesting that on average there could be, in several weeks, as many as 800 to 1,200 people in the homeless population testing positive for COVID-19 at any given time.

Sometimes it feels a little bit like were holding back a tidal wave that we know is coming, said Bedard. But every hour that we are able to do that I think is an hour more that we get to plan.

In order to not overwhelm hospitals, public health experts say social distancing is key to flattening the curve  giving healthcare workers time to better manage cases over a longer period.

But imposing social distancing rules on an already-stretched shelter system is no easy task. And frontline workers and advocates say that decades of inaction on housing and inadequate shelter space are compounding the immediate public health crisis.

Preparing the response to COVID-19 for the homeless population is taking an effort that no city has ever tried to marshal before, said Dr. Andrew Bond, medical director of Inner City Health Associates (ICHA).

The city has partnered with ICHA  a group of 100 physicians with experience working in shelters and drop-ins across Toronto  and the nursing expertise at Inner City Family Health Team, which Bedard said has been critical.

ICHA is rapidly scaling up its ability to respond to the healthcare needs of the homeless population during the outbreak, to be funded by the province. That includes hiring as many as 100 nurses with the help of their associations from the thousands who have answered the call from retirement and elsewhere to help during the outbreak  a necessary measure for these facilities to operate, said Bond.

Adding to the risk for the homeless population is the prevalence of underlying heart and lung disease  and their limited access to the healthcare system, added Bond.

This is a really compounded phenomenon that is going to lead to disastrous outcomes very predictably, Bond said.

The city is trying two key ways to keep the outbreak from devastating the shelter population: Putting distance between people in the existing system by opening new shelters and creating sites to isolate those awaiting test results and with confirmed cases staffed by medical professionals.

In the last seven days, the city has opened eight new facilities to try to space out people in shelters to prevent further spread.

That created 350 spaces to help with distancing, with two more sites  a vacant rental building and a hotel  toured by staff this week for suitability.

Also opened was a medically supported isolation site for people being tested  the first of its kind in Canada.

That 40-bed isolation site in Scarborough, led by a team of nurses, houses people while they await test results. By midweek there were about 30 people staying there.

A tenth site will open soon. The 200-person capacity hotel is for people under investigation and for some who test positive for COVID-19 until a larger site can be opened. Those who test positive will be housed there in individual rooms, with private washrooms, food and cleaning service.

The city is already working on a second COVID-19 positive site that will likely be more of an open-concept setup to care for those suffering as a result of the virus.

The unprecedented setup has required taking sites like hotels that were never intended to be shelters, let alone care facilities, and outfitting them with the necessary supplies, as well as staffing them with shelter workers and medical professionals.

But the number of new sites to improve distancing only increases the traditional shelter system  with a capacity of just over 7,100  by a small margin (about a third of those spots are in motels, meant for family use, and allow for distancing already). When you consider drop-ins, where people sleep in even closer quarters on mats, chairs or the floor  wherever there is space  that increased space becomes even less significant.

Keeping people at the recommended two-metre distance remains the key challenge, Bond said.

One of the most important preventative measures theyre working on is identifying those most at-risk in the homeless population and helping to ensure proper social distancing and protective measures for them.

The tragedy of the situation is that it may not be possible to go fast enough, he said, adding: Theres nothing more I can do than feel that loss and pain in advance and then just work harder.

The city has had to meet additional challenges early on, including putting WheelTrans, fleet services and other resources in place so that a sick person is not walking, taking TTC or calling a cab to go between the testing and the isolation sites. Hospitals will be able to call and send a client, once tested, to the isolation site the same way.

The isolation site saw an uptick in people as test results lagged, Bedard said. And the number of people experiencing homelessness being tested also increased after provincial protocols for who was prioritized changed, she said.

The city and the medical teams are already preparing to use the new COVID-19 positive site as a mixed facility, with some awaiting results and some in recovery  separated from each other  to help with the flow of people being tested.

We are trying to minimize the ultimate impact as much as we can by being innovative and creative and pushing boundaries I think a little bit, Bedard said.

An example? Earlier this week, Bedard lay awake with another question  how would the city isolate people who have pets, for many a source of comfort and companionship? Shed go to work the next day trying to solve that issue, and others as they arose, on the fly.

But significant problems remain, at least in the short term, according to frontline workers.

Besides a lack of space, there isnt enough personal protective equipment for the agencies running shelters and drop-ins. Keeping vulnerable clients isolated until they can be transferred for testing has proven difficult, and confusion about how to send people to isolation and what to do if they return to the shelter may be putting others at risk.

Tommy Taylor, a frontline shelter support worker at the Fred Victor 24/7 Drop-in for Women, said Thursday he believes the situation is becoming dire.

There are too many people crowded together, there are too many systems that have fallen apart, theres not enough equipment, said Taylor. Its quite obvious that we werent prepared for this in the slightest and the reaction is just coming too slow.

Last Friday, Taylor said a woman in her 80s came in to the drop-in with a sore throat and cough, and reported that she was sore and felt she had a fever. But when she was told that she needed to go to an assessment centre, she refused  sparking a tense, 24-hour effort to keep the woman isolated and arrange for her to be tested for COVID-19.

After neither police nor paramedics were able to help, ultimately, the woman agreed to go to the hospital, was tested and the results came back negative. Taylor said they were lucky this time, but he doubts they will be next time.

Liam Michaud, a harm reduction coordinator at the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre whose team works in respites and shelters in the downtown west area, said theyre seeing shelters that are incredibly under-resourced and overcrowded while the challenges they face are not reaching the city officials who can help.

He described totally negligent conditions, including that people are still sleeping less than a few feet apart from one another.

One person described it as he feels like theyre sitting ducks, Michaud said.

Diana McNally, training and engagement coordinator for the Toronto Drop-In Network, said drop-ins are scrambling: trying desperately to get personal protective equipment, dealing with long lineups outside of the few drop-in centres that are still open  10 of the citys 59  and accommodating people seeking somewhere to use the washroom, do laundry or just be indoors.

She said, wherever possible, health professionals such as nurses need to be on hand at the drop-ins to help with COVID-19 assessments  a screening protocol in place to keep people who may be sick from entering a shelter.

But she said the protocol does not work for folks with high-level mental health and substance-use barriers.

Advocates point to the decades of inaction on creating housing to end homelessness that has put people at risk before  and again now.

Theyve had decades to fix this, said Zoe Dodd, a long-time harm reduction worker. This disaster is created and manufactured by the city.

Torontos shelter system is responsible for much of the GTAs homeless and is chronically short on space. At least 8,000 people are homeless at any given time in the city. Even in warmer months, shelters and drop-ins are at or near capacity with people being turned away.

Though council voted to have staff aim for 90 per cent occupancy in the shelter system to prevent overcrowding in 2013, that standard has never been met.

Dodd said the new isolation and COVID-19 positive sites are needed and medical teams welcome, but opening hotels and other places to allow for proper distancing is crucial to prevent further spread of the virus, she said, along with mass testing in shelters.

Hopefully, what all of this is showing people is that we cant live like this, Dodd said. We shouldnt have people in shelters. We shouldnt be warehousing people. People should have homes.

Bedard agrees.

The only solution to homelessness is housing, she said.

Coun. Joe Cressy, who chairs the citys board of health, said they look for opportunities to create permanent housing solutions post-outbreak  including purchasing sites instead of borrowing or leasing them, if possible.

This outbreak has magnified the crisis, said Cressy. Our responsibility, if were smart, is not simply to protect the health and well-being of our homeless population during the COVID-19 outbreak but to transform those short-term measures into permanent solutions for after-the-fact.

In the meantime, the city has been actively preparing for hundreds of patients in the homeless population, which officials hope will not come all at once.

We absolutely acknowledge more is needed, which is why I sleep very few hours a day, said Bedard. Despite that, what staff have been able to do so far in a short amount of time, she said, is a phenomenal accomplishment.

I wish it was as easy as, you know, just opening the doors to a building and telling people that they can go inside. There are really critical logistics that have to be put in place  staffing, cleaning, food.

Despite the fears, ICHAs Bond remains positive. He is encouraged by the work he sees the city, his colleagues and community providers doing as they go flat out to prevent deaths in this narrow window that they have.

Its going better than I thought it could, he said.
President Donald Trump has granted a federal disaster declaration in Louisiana and ordered assistance to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by COVID-19.

Louisianas governor asked the White House to declare a major disaster in his state to free up more direct federal aid to cope with the surging coronavirus outbreak, warning that the New Orleans area could run out of hospital beds by early April. The the declaration dates back to Jan. 20.

Gov. John Bel Edwards request to President Donald Trump comes as the number of people in Louisiana confirmed to have COVID-19 surged to nearly 1,400, only two weeks after the states first positive test. Forty-six Louisiana residents have died from the disease, according to the state health department.

Edwards issued a statewide stay at home order for most of Louisianas 4.6 million residents that began Monday evening.

The response to the spread of COVID-19 has overwhelmed the capabilities of state and local resources, the Democratic governor said in his letter to the Trump administration. I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of state and local governments.

Trump has granted federal disaster declarations for California, Washington and New York, according to the Louisiana governors office. Edwards said Louisiana has the third-highest rate of confirmed virus cases per capita.

Although the president talked Tuesday about easing restrictions that have hammered the national economy, Edwards suggested such conversations were too soon for Louisiana.

Until we see the curve flattening and we can see daylight at the end of this tunnel, its hard for me to pick a date on the calendar and say, By this date, we believe were going to be out on the other side,' the governor said. He added: Until we tackle the medical challenges in front of us, it is very difficult for me to see the economy coming back.

As businesses shuttered, unemployment claims have skyrocketed. Louisiana Labor Secretary Ava Dejoie said 71,000 people filed new unemployment applications last week, compared with the usual 1,400 or 1,500 people per week.

Edwards said with the current rate of increasing virus-related hospitalizations, the New Orleans region  which is the epicenter of the states outbreak  is estimated to run out of hospital capacity to treat patients on April 4.

To supplement the diminishing hospital space, the state is working to contract with hotels to provide additional hospital beds and converted three state parks into isolation sites that can receive quarantined patients who cant go home, Edwards said. Louisiana also has purchased trailers to house virus patients. Edwards asked the Trump administration to set up a military field hospital in the state.

This coronavirus causes only minor flu-like symptoms in most people, who recover in a matter of weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death in higher numbers among the elderly and people with underlying health problems.

Beyond space constraints, medical workers are having trouble replenishing supplies.

Physicians and health care workers are discussing ways to reuse personal protective equipment, which weve never had to do before, said Dr. Richard Oberhelman, an infectious disease specialist with the Tulane School of Health in New Orleans. Thats certainly a point of concern as is the fact that were still on the upward slope of the curve.

The governor requested federal reimbursement for state and local agencies emergency response work and other types of disaster assistance, as FEMA typically provides after a damaging flood or hurricane. He said government agencies in Louisiana already have spent $66 million on virus response efforts.

Edwards has ordered nonessential businesses to close and restaurants limited to takeout and delivery, banned gatherings over 10 people and called on residents to voluntarily stay at home unless they need to carry out essential tasks such as getting food or medicine. First responders and workers in grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors offices and other critical operations are exempt from the directive, which remains in effect through at least April 12.

Local leaders are reporting promising compliance with the restrictions, Edwards said. But he cautioned: I know that there are still individuals out there who maybe havent taken this seriously yet. I implore them to do so. Were running out of time.

AP reporter Kevin McGill contributed to this report from New Orleans.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Louisiana








Web Toolbar by Wibiya

Today, I heard that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to move troops up near the Canadian border during this global coronavirus pandemic.

Supposedly, the reason is out of concern of people illegally entering the United States from Canada, resulting in the further spread of the coronavirus.

But we all know that President Trump should have more than enough to deal with regarding this domestic situation.

The United States ha salready become dubiously recognized as evolving into the new global epicentre for the coronavirus.

Therefore, such a pretext to move American troops up to Canada must be absolute hogwash, and you can bet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau knows this too.

So, what do you think the real reason is then?

Prime Minister Trudeau wouldn't be able to diplomatically express such concerns... but....

It wasnt many months ago that Donald Trump wanted to buy Greenland. Remember that one?

Having been rebuffed by the Government of Denmark, it looks like Mr. Trump is now turning his sights to Canada and seeking to use a global pandemic as a pretext for annexation designs.

Historians will remember that the last time the United States moved its troops to the Canadian border, they invaded Canada, leading to the War of 1812.

If Mr. Trump puts troops alongside the Canadian border, shouldn't a self-respecting sovereign country like Canada also put our own troops there, along with NATO allies like the United Kingdom, if necessary, in order to secure our borders from U.S. troops wandering into Canada?

Let's keep our borders demilitarized as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said.

Let's continue to keep Canada sovereign and free to any imagination in Mr. Trump's head of using this crisis to seize control of Canada under the pretext of "national security."

Rest assured, if Trump moves American troops near the Canadian border, they will keep moving closer and closer to the Canadian border until they are in our lap unless we Canadians learn the lessons of history and resist such an apparentlydistrustingmove!

Aren't Canada and the U.S. now supposed to be friends and allies?

Indeed, moving troops near or at another country's border should never be regarded by that other country as a friendly move.
1. Public Health Messages Heard and Being Heeded

Available survey data confirm that public health messaging associated with the COVID-19 virus is getting through. Americans are paying attention, and the public is generally taking the actions recommended by authorities.

Gallup data show that 93% of Americans are following the COVID-19 crisis very or somewhat closely, including 66% who are following it very closely. The level of close attention being paid to the virus is second highest on the list of 230 news stories Gallup has tested since 1991, behind only 9/11.

As I previously discussed, other polls show similarly high levels of attention being paid, including the fact that 99% of Americans (in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey) said they had read, seen or heard about the virus.

New data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (PDF Download) test Americans' knowledge of virus-related issues and show a high level of understanding. Most people can accurately answer questions about the availability of a vaccine, how people get the virus, how to avoid getting the virus, symptoms of the virus and who has the highest risk.

A Monmouth poll (PDF Download) underscores the degree to which the virus has captured the public's consciousness. Some 57% of respondents now name the virus when Americans are asked to identify the biggest concern facing their family right now, and many of the other concerns named are related to the potential impact of the virus -- including job security and unemployment, paying everyday bills, the economy and healthcare costs.

New survey data also confirm that Americans -- in many cases nearly all Americans -- are heeding public health advice.

Gallup's tracking of Americans' social distancing practices shows the public has quickly ramped up their adherence to government recommendations. The result is that about nine in 10 Americans now say they have avoided crowds and are avoiding traveling by airplane, bus, subway or train (of course, a lot of people didn't do these things before the virus either). Two thirds or more have avoided small gatherings, avoided going to public places and canceled travel plans and about six in 10 have stocked up on food or supplies.

All of these are up from just a week ago, and the dynamic upward curve in reports of engaging in these activities over just a week or so in Gallup's tracking underscores how quickly the authorities' recommendations are being heeded. Gallup's most recent data (tracked through March 22) also show significantly higher levels of avoidance activities than Kaiser Family Foundation found just a week ago.

2. No Panic

Given that public health messaging about the virus is evidently getting through to the average American, a key question becomes just how the public is processing that information and what conclusions they reach about it.

So far, concern and worry about the virus are in what I would call a mid-level range. Our latest Gallup update shows that 24% of Americans are very worried that they or someone in their family will be exposed to the coronavirus, with another 39% somewhat worried. Notably, this didn't change much between Gallup's two March readings, and despite the exponential increase of U.S. cases since last month, is up only modestly from February.

Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation survey are quite similar, showing about six in 10 Americans are very or somewhat worried that they or someone in their family will get sick because of the virus. Mirroring Gallup's trend, just 27% are very worried, up only five percentage points from Kaiser Family Foundation's February study.

A question included in the Monmouth survey shows 70% of Americans are very or somewhat concerned that they, or someone in their family, will become seriously ill from the coronavirus outbreak -- with 38% very concerned (no trend).

The key numbers here may be the percentage of Americans who classify themselves as "very" worried or "very" concerned across surveys. Those numbers, as we have seen, are in the 24% to 38% range, well below majority level.

Along these same lines, reports suggest that the majority of Americans have not seen their lives upended by the virus crisis. Gallup's survey shows that 30% say their life has been affected or disrupted a great deal, with another 36% a fair amount. This is a fairly low bar, of course, since being "affected" could be in quite mild ways. Kaiser data from a bit earlier in March asked more directly how much Americans' lives have "been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak" and found a relatively low 16% saying "a lot," with another 24% saying "some."

Looking ahead, 36% of Americans say the situation will begin to improve within a few weeks, while a majority, 51%, say it will be a few months before it begins to improve.

3. Americans Look First to State Government and Medical Professionals.

The most recent Gallup data -- and data from other organizations -- confirm the emerging consensus that hospitals, state governments and government health agencies have the highest levels of the people's trust. The news media are at the bottom of most lists.

It's important to reiterate that state and local governments have historically been more positively evaluated by Americans than federal governments. Everything else being equal, then, we would expect that states will be more trusted than the feds. That has certainly been the case so far.

Clearly, the public remains relatively skeptical of the news media. Gallup's latest survey shows that only 44% approve of the way the media are handling the situation, the lowest rating of the nine people and entities tested. Monmouth asked about "the media reporting about the outbreak" and found 45% saying they were doing a good job.

Americans' views of President Donald Trump are significantly less favorable than their views of state officials and health agencies, but the 60% who approve of Trump's handling of the situation is in clear majority territory (Monmouth finds 50% saying Trump is doing a good job). Congress' efforts to pass a legislative stimulus package at the time of the most recent Gallup update may explain why evaluations of that body are relatively positive, with a 59% approval rating for its handling of the situation, on par with Trump.

What about Trump's image overall? Our latest Gallup update shows Trump's job approval rating returning to the 49% level we measured in January and February. Trump's approval is up modestly among independents and Democrats (and, as my colleague Jeff Jones says in his analysis, this is "highly unusual for Trump").

The latest Monmouth poll (PDF Download) has Trump's overall approval up by two points, now by a small margin at the highest in Trump's history in that poll.

Satisfaction with way things are going shows a mild uptick in the Monmouth poll, which fits with a modest rally effect scenario.

4. The Election Is on Hold

It's way too early to know what effect this crisis will have on the 2020 presidential election. Much will depend on the trajectory of Americans' perceptions of Trump. Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is essentially out of the news as the COVID-19 crisis rolls on. A glance at Biden's official presidential website shows little focus on the virus, other than one box linked to his plan for handing it.

There's not a lot of new polling on the election. The latest Monmouth poll included a head-to-head match-up between Biden and Trump, and finds Biden with a small lead, in line with previous polling. The Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that Biden gets about as much trust as Trump for handing the crisis, maybe a little more if those with no opinion of Biden's performance are factored out.

Given that Americans have a great deal of trust in state government to handle the crisis, this would, in theory, be a good time for a governor (or big city mayor) to be running for president.

Indeed, the Democratic Party, at one point or the other, had a number of governors, former governors, mayors and former mayors running for their party's nomination -- Washington's Jay Inslee, Montana's Steve Bullock, Colorado's John Hickenlooper, New York City's Bill de Blasio and Mike Bloomberg, and Boston's Deval Patrick. Plus, former Massachusetts governor William Weld was contesting Trump for the GOP nomination for a while. New York governor Andrew Cuomo is getting a large amount of visibility, and there is inevitable speculation that he could jump into the race for the Democratic nomination (although if he follows his father's footsteps, he will decline to run).

5. Americans Still Evaluate the Situation Through a Partisan Lens

In my last update, I hypothesized that the substantial partisan gap in attitudes about the COVID-19 virus could narrow. So far, however, I see no significant sign of a diminished polarization.

Our most recent Gallup data on worry about virus exposure show a 27-point gap -- 48% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are very or somewhat worried, compared with 75% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. This is essentially the same size gap we saw in Gallup data earlier in March.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to approve of U.S. hospitals, government health agencies and Congress, and, of course, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Democrats are more positive about the news media, and the two partisan groups are equal in their (very positive) approval of their state governments.

Kaiser Family Foundation's latest poll shows a continuing partisan gap, and their conclusion is worth noting: "Across many questions, the poll finds significant partisan differences, with Democrats generally more worried about the health and economic consequences and more likely to take specific actions in response."

There may be underlying geographic reasons for the partisan gap in addition to the positioning cues given off by Trump and other Republican leaders; coastal blue states are harder hit than red states.

6. Personal Health Versus Economic Health Is the Looming Tradeoff

Crises and events like this one often follow a predictable pattern: Initial public acceptance and then increased questioning and pushback. We are beginning to see the second phase now, as questions arise about the dramatic "horizontal" strategy of putting everyone on lockdown.

Like much else in life, this can come down to a tradeoff -- in this instance, between an emphasis on slowing down the spread of the virus at all costs versus an emphasis on maintaining employment and a viable economy.

Gallup data from earlier this month showed that Americans' confidence in the economy was beginning to slide. Gallup's newer data show an overwhelming 87% of Americans say it is somewhat or very likely that the virus will cause an economic recession in the United States, including 52% who say it's very likely. Concern about the virus significantly harming one's personal financial situation is not as widespread, but 35% say this scenario is very likely, with another 32% saying it's somewhat likely.

The tradeoff between attempting to stop the virus at any cost and recognizing that the economy (and people's livelihoods) must go on at the same time is extremely challenging. Data showing Americans are vitally concerned about both sides of this equation underscore the need for informed and rational public leadership to juggle the emphasis given to these two critical national priorities.
woman drinking cup of coffee

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Some people exposed to the novel coronavirus have reported losing their sense of smell and taste.

Anecdotal evidence has suggested that this may be a subtle symptom of COVID-19, although it's not entirely clear why. Most people are likely to regain their senses once they've recovered.

If you do lose the ability to smell and taste, try experimenting with different odors and flavors to discover what you still respond to, or incorporate a variety of textures or spiciness to keep food interesting.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread a strange new symptom has stood out to experts  COVID-19 appears to cause some patients to lose their sense of smell and taste.

There's still a lot we don't know about how that works, according to Dr. Rachel Kaye, assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

"We haven't fleshed out exactly why this happens, we need to study it a lot more and ensure that there's hard scientific evidence," she told Insider.

Kaye and other experts have theorized that the virus can cause inflammation and swelling in the nasal cavities, which could inhibit your ability to smell or taste. It may also damage sensory receptors or nerves, which could explain why some people with COVID-19 report having no sense of smell or taste at all.

It could be an early or subtle symptom of infection and may indicate you could spread the virus. If it happens to you, consult your doctor (remotely), and consider if you may have other symptoms or have been exposed. Once you've self-isolated, there are ways to cope and still enjoy some sensory experiences.

You may still be able to experience certain scents or flavors

Anecdotes suggest that loss of smell or taste tends to afflict people with less severe symptoms of COVID-19, although that hasn't been confirmed, Kaye said. It can still be unpleasant.

Story continues

You may not lose all sensation. The effects vary widely from person to person and it's worth experimenting to see what you might still be able to enjoy. Kaye recommended trying scented oils or perfumes, and different flavor profiles like sweet, salty, bitter, or sour.

"Tinker with different tastes and spices to see what you can register," she said. "Most of the time, everything is knocked out, unfortunately. But if you can, start adding more of the things you do register to your meals or routine so you can still have those experiences."

And coffee drinkers, rejoice  one common flavor that tends to stick around is coffee, Kaye said, although it's not clear exactly why.

Spices

Anadolu Agency / GettyImages

If you can't taste anything at all, other characteristics of food can still be enjoyable, most notably texture.

"Different textures can help you continue enjoy eating," Kaye said. She recommends foods with a bit of crunch  consider carrots, chips, or nuts. Or, try something with an "explosive" mouthfeel, such as a blackberry, that exudes juice, seeds, or other interesting elements when you bite into it.

Similarly, if you enjoy spicy food, that may provide some respite. However, this can vary person to person, so it may require some testing to see what works for you. Try sampling things like cayenne, habanero, or Thai food.

"Hot pepper can be on a case by case basis," Kaye said. "We haven't defined whether it's impacting sense of smell or taste independently."

Most people will likely regain their senses as they recover

Finally, it's important to remember that for most people, loss of smell and taste from COVID-19 (or any other respiratory illness) is likely to be a temporary condition. In rare cases, some people might permanently lose their sense of smell or taste, or only partially recover.

"Most of the time for other viruses, it does go away. You'd assume that if it's related to nasal congestion, after that resolves, this would resolve," Kaye said. "There's no reason not to believe it works the same way as other viruses and conditions"

Over time, as more evidence of this symptom accumulates, medical experts will also begin to better understand how exactly it works, and eventually offer more insight into what might help.

"This is all happening in real time," Kaye said. "We're trying to mobilize to ensure scientifically that there is well-designed evidence that this is occurring. Then the next question is how that happens."

Read the original article on Insider
Indore: March 27, 2020: Indore a city in the State of Madhya Pradesh of India is earning applauds for its earnest and successful endeavors to become the cleanest city of the country. The City has been awarded with the crown of the Cleanest City of India this year too; for fourth time in a row. Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, is also known for excellent education facilities it 
While trying to encourage constituents on Twitter to leave big tips for their local restaurants during the coronavirus lockdown, Raleigh, North Carolina Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin revealed someone at her house was using more than just food and good company to calm their nerves.

In a post she made on 14 March, Ms Baldwin shared a photo of herself and a group of people ordering a substantial amount of takeout food from a local eatery.

She exhorts her followers to tip well - her group tipped 35 per cent - to support local restaurants.

Alongside the photo of the group was a picutre showing all of the food they ordered - and what appears to be a cannabis vape pen.

Naturally, Twitter users were quick to remind the mayor the accessory was in the photo.

Though many were simply dunking on the mayor, other users suggested she was being hypocritical, citing the states restrictive marijuana laws and demanding that people who've been locked up for possession be released.

Its important to note that there is no evidence that the pen is Ms Baldwins.

According to data gathered by a group called Working Narratives, the Raleigh Police Department made 3,154 marijuana-related arrests between 31 January, 2017 and 7 July, 2019.

To be fair to Ms Baldwin, she has been critical of the state of marijuana enforcement in the city.

The other thing is, you get kids busted for a little bit of marijuana, where were sending people to jail for something that is legal in other parts of the country. Is that really how we should be policing? Are there ways that we can help kids, help young people, instead of just busting them? she said during an interview with Indy Weekly. What are we doing to facilitate conversation in the community between the police? We have a great police department. At the same time, I know that theres opportunity for improvement.

When asked during the interview if shed ask the police not to arrest people for possession, she said shed need feedback from the police chief and do so in a way that wasnt illegal.

Ms Baldwin has not deleted the tweet, and has not commented on the pen.
The Savannah Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Salaga South Constituency, Adam Salifu Braimah has organized Quranic recitation in Salaga to pray against the spread of the Novel Corona Virus.

Muslim Umas from Salaga gathered at the central mosque to pray to Allah for his mercies against the spread of the novel virus on the Nation Ghana and the world at large.

This is in line with the President's directive that all religious factions should fast and pray for Ghana to overcome the wind of the pandemic.

Ghana started recording cases of the Novel Corona Virus a week ago and has since recorded 132 positive cases with four deaths.

Government as a measure to contain the spread issued directives on personal hygiene and social distancing.

On Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Christians across the country fasted and prayed to God for his favours against the spread.

The National Chief Imam in a communique tasked all Muslims to adhere to the President's call to fast and pray.

The Savannah Regional Minister assured residents of Salaga and the region of his preparedness to do everything possible to ensure no one contracts the virus in the region.

He urged Muslims to continue to observe their daily prayers in their houses and avoid crowded places.

He is optimistic Allah in his infinite mercies prevents the spread of the virus.
Vietnams tally of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections has reached 153 after five new cases were added on Thursday, one of which was linked to Buddha Bar in Ho Chi Minh City.

Among the five new patients, three had had close contact with previous patients while the other two arrived in Vietnam from other countries, according to the Ministry of Health.

The countrys 149th patient, a 40-year-old Hanoi man, worked in Hessen, Germany. He returned to Vietnam with his 68-year-old mother via Van Don International Airport in northern Quang Ninh Province on March 23.

He stayed in the same room with his mother and two other people at a quarantine camp following his arrival.

His test result came back positive for COVID-19 on March 25, while the other 207 passengers on the same flight tested negative.

The patient, his mother, and the two roommates have been transferred to a hospital in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province for care and monitoring.

Patient No. 150, a 55-year-old Vietnamese man, and his wife boarded a flight from the United States to Ho Chi Minh City on March 13 that also included transit time in Taiwan. They then went to their home in District 1.

He met four people at his house party on March 14 and went to an eatery selling bun dau mam tom (vermicelli served with fried tofu and shrimp paste) on Han Thuyen Street in District 1 on March 15.

He attended a company meeting with 24 other people on March 16 and a party at Hoa Vien Tri Ky Restaurant in Phu Nhuan District the same day.

On March 18, he met his friends in Nha Be District before going to the Family Medical Practice clinic in District 1 for a health check and was later transferred to a COVID-19 hospital in Can Gio District.

He developed coughing and a fever on March 23 and was tested for COVID-19 on the same day. His result later came back positive.

Patient No. 151 is a 45-year-old Brazilian woman who lives in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City and works at Gia Dinh Shoes Company.

She and a co-worker, who had been confirmed as Vietnams patient No. 124, were often taken to work together by a chauffeur.

On March 23, she was brought to a quarantine area in Cu Chi District and underwent a COVID-19 test that came back positive.

The chauffeur is also quarantined at the facility.

The 152nd patient, a 27-year-old Vietnamese woman, lives in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City with her young brother who is a waiter at Buddha Bar&Grill in District 2.

The brother had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is the countrys patient No. 127.

A 43-year-old British pilot, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, went to the bar on March 14.

From March 10 to 18, patient No. 152 had contact with four colleagues, some business partners, her parents, two of her friends, and a deliveryman.

On March 20, she stopped going to work, was placed under home quarantine, and had her health monitored by a ward-level medical center.

She was brought to a quarantine camp in Can Gio District on March 23 and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 25.

Her company has temporarily shut down.

Patient No. 153, a 60-year-old Da Nang woman, previously visited relatives in Australia and returned to Vietnam on March 21.

She was quarantined at the dormitory of the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City after her arrival.

She shared a room with patient No. 143 and two other people.

After patient No. 143 was confirmed on March 23, she and her two roommates were transferred to a makeshift hospital in Cu Chi District for isolation and tests.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected nearly 533,000 and killed more than 24,000 globally as of Friday, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has confirmed 153 COVID-19 cases, with 20 having already been discharged from the hospital, including three cases  a Vietnamese and two British nationals  released in Da Nang on Friday morning.

No deaths related to the disease have been recorded in the country.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Canadian Family Rides Out COVID-19 Outbreak on Tropical Island

TORONTOA Canadian family on a round-the-world trip plans to ride out the CCP virus pandemic on a remote tropical island in the South Pacific despite the risk of dengue fever.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Emmanuel Samoglou, his wife Nicole Adoranti and their two-year-old daughter are staying in a small home in idyllic Rarotonga, part of the Cook Islands.

It makes more sense to stay here, said Samoglou, 41. We want to stay away from airports and we feel in a small way this country has been very grateful and opened its hearts and arms to us and if we can help here, were going to help.

The islands, with about 13,000 residents, have no confirmed cases of COVID-19, but the government has raised its emergency levels and is operating under the assumption the virus is circulating there. Three people were recently tested, but two came back negative while the third test has yet to come back.

The couple have lived abroad for years, including the last five in the United Arab Emirates, before having their daughter. They wanted to spend more time with their little girl and saved up before beginning their journey last June.

They visited family in Italy, Greece, South Korea, and Thailand. Then they visited Bali and New Zealand before landing in Rarotonga in mid-February, Samoglou said.

He worked in Cook Islands as a reporter in 2013 and 2014, so they have friends there, but the country is now practising social distancing like much of the world.

Weve got the beach to ourselves, but its rainy season, so were inside much of the time, he said.

Before the novel coronavirus began sweeping across the globe and killing thousands, the familys main worry on Rarotonga was mosquito-borne dengue fever, which is circulating on the island. Unlike Canada, he said, the only run on supplies appears to be mosquito coils.

There is plenty of toilet paper, Samoglou said with a laugh.

The family thought about returning to Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put the call out last week for Canadians abroad to come home. But the Cook Islands began shutting down its flights last week in an effort to keep the virus at bay.

Now the only flights are to and from New Zealand, which has closed its borders to outsidersalthough Samoglou said New Zealand would allow his family to transit if they wanted to leave.

We actively considered going back to Canada but what kind of situation would that be? he said. Wed be in quarantine for two weeks, and fearful wed infect family or vice versa. Although were alone here, we made the decision that it just might be better to stay.

They also worry about the health-care system, which could not handle a large outbreak. The country plans to send anyone testing positive to COVID-19 to New Zealand should they need treatment.

Otherwise, the family plans to hit the beach when the sun shines as their daughter learns to swim. Food is also plentiful.

Theres bananas and papayas that are growing in our backyard, he said. And it takes me a long time, but I can husk a coconut.

The surrounding waters also provide a bounty of fish from tuna to mahi-mahi to marlin, he said.

Theres tension with the virus at our doorstep, but theres really this nice mentality here of working together and trying to do our best to deal with the situation, Samoglou said. We gotta do what we gotta do to stay healthy and to stay positive.
WASHINGTONWith rare bipartisanship and speed, Washington is about to deliver massive, unprecedented legislation to speed help to people and businesses as the CCP virus pandemic takes a devastating toll on the U.S. economy and health care system.

The House is set to pass the sprawling $2.2 trillion measure on Friday morning after an extraordinary 96-0 Senate vote late Wednesday. President Donald Trump marveled at the unanimity Thursday and is eager to sign the package into law.

The relief can hardly come soon enough. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Thursday the economy may well be in recession already, and the government reported a shocking 3.3 million burst of weekly jobless claims, more than four times the previous record. The U.S. death toll has surpassed 1,200 from the virus.

The legislation will pour $1,200 direct payments to individuals and a flood of subsidized loans, grants, and tax breaks to businesses facing extinction in an economic shutdown caused as Americans self-isolate by the tens of millions.

But key elements are untested, such as grants to small businesses to keep workers on payroll and complex lending programs to larger businesses. Millions of rebate payments will go to people who have retained their jobs.

Policymakers worry that bureaucracies like the Small Business Administration may become overwhelmed, and conservatives fear that a new, generous unemployment benefit will dissuade jobless people from returning to the workforce. A new $500 billion subsidized lending program for larger businesses is unproven as well.

First the measure must clear Congress. Leaders in both parties had hoped to pass the measure with a sparsely attended voice voteremarkable for a bill of such magnitudeso scattered lawmakers dont have to risk exposure by traveling back to Washington.

But now it is feared iconoclastic Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), an opponent of the bill, may seek to force a roll call vote. Democratic leaders summoned members back to Washington, at least those who are able and willing to return.

Fridays House session will also be unprecedented. Originally scheduled as a non-working pro forma meeting, the session will be extended to a debate on the billall conducted under social distancing rules to minimize the risk of transmitting the virus.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), one of the Houses conservative leaders, said he wasnt aware of anyone planning to block a voice vote Friday but planned to talk more with colleagues before the vote.

If thats the method used to get this to the American people, to get this passed, then I think lots of members are probably OK with that, Jordan said Thursday as he drove back to Washington. I know the plan is for it to be a voice vote, and thats what the leadership has said theyre for, and I think thats fine.

Wednesday nights unanimous Senate vote on the bill was especially strikinga united front that followed days of sometimes tumultuous negotiations and partisan eruptions. Democrats twice voted to block the bill to seek further add-ons and changes.

The power of the argument that we hadthat you need a strong government to solve these problems, both health and economiccarried the day, Chuck Schumer told The Associated Press on Thursday. Had we not stood up on those two votes it wouldnt have happened.

Underscoring the efforts sheer magnitude, the bill finances a response with a price tag that equals half the size of the entire $4 trillion-plus annual federal budget. The $2.2 trillion estimate is the White Houses best guess of the spending it contains.

The rescue bill would provide one-time direct payments to Americans of $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year and $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.

Unemployment insurance would be made far more generous, with $600 per week tacked onto regular state jobless payments through the end of July. States and local governments would receive $150 billion in supplemental funding to help them provide basic and emergency services during the crisis.

We call them checks in the mail, but most of them will be direct deposits, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday. It will be within three weeks. Were determined to get money in peoples pocket immediately.

The legislation also establishes a $454 billion program for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries in hopes of leveraging up to $4.5 trillion in lending to distressed businesses, states, and municipalities. All would be up to the Treasury Departments discretion, though businesses controlled by Trump or immediate family members and by members of Congress would be ineligible.

There was also $150 billion devoted to the health care system, including $100 billion for grants to hospitals and other health care providers buckling under the strain of COVID-19 caseloads.

Republicans successfully pressed for an employee retention tax credit thats estimated to provide $50 billion to companies that retain employees on payroll and cover 50 percent of workers paychecks up to $10,000. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax. A huge tax break for interest costs and operating losses limited by the 2017 tax overhaul was restored at a $200 billion cost in a boon for the real estate sector.

An additional $45 billion would fund additional relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for local response efforts and community services.

Most people who contract the CCP virus have 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 or death.

NTD News refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

By Andrew Taylor
New Delhi, March 27 : While the festivals have arrived, this time they feel colourless without celebrations and joy as the entire national capital is locked down due to outbreak of deadly coronavirus.

All religious places including temples and mosques have been closed as the city is under lockdown.

Speaking to IANS, Subrotto Kumar Chakraborty, priest at Saket's Mahamaya Temple said, "This time of crisis is to introspect within ourselves to find a solution to this pandemic. I appeal to the public to stay inside their homes and pray." Regarding the rituals at the temple, he said, "The temple is open twice in the day, once in the morning for pooja and aarti and once in the evening for Sandhya Aarti." There are at least 640 active COVID-19 cases in India at present, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday, taking the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 724.

Besides 640 active cases, the country has reported 17 casualties so far while 66 persons have recovered.

The disease has impacted at least 677 Indian nationals and 47 foreign nationals and has so far spread to 27 states and UTs. A total of 103 districts have been affected by the highly contagious virus.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

President Trump, who is doing everything he can to fight the coronavirus, called for a Day of Prayer recently. He proclaimed, We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.

But David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor, tweeted: Dont let this administration address COVID-19 like our national gun violence. [Expletive] a National day of prayer, we need immediate comprehensive action.

U. S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, famous for her declaration to impeach the [expletive] even retweeted Hoggs message. Dr. William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, notes: Tlaib, as a U.S. Representative, should be censured for her obscene assault on people of faith.

Meanwhile, an honest survey of American history shows that Trump is much closer to Americas true history by calling for days of prayer than are Hogg and Tlaib.

David Barton, a walking encyclopedia on the spiritual heritage of America, once told me, "Between 1633 and 1812, there were over 1700 prayer proclamations issued in the colonies, where the governor would call the state to an annual day of prayer and fasting, annual day of prayer of and thanksgiving."

Bill Federers book, Americas God and Country, documents such historic practices.

For example, on May 31, 1775, one American colonist, Samuel Langdon, spoke before the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, calling on them to pray because of the ongoing crisis with Great Britain.

He lamented, We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglectedthe glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions.

Who was this Langdon? Some backwoods rube? No. This was the president of Harvard, where Hogg attends school now.

During the American War for Independence, on at least fifteen separate occasions, Congress called for national days of prayer, humiliation, and fasting. These were not namby-pamby, To Whom It May Concern-type prayers.

Here are two examples of Days of Prayer called by the Continental Congress  which, by the way, opened in prayer on its first day ever (in 1774), and Congress has opened in prayer ever since.

Example One: On June 12, 1775, the Continental Congress called for a day of public humiliation, fasting and prayer; that we may, with united hearts and voices, unfeignedly confess and deplore our many sins; and offer up our joint supplications to the all-wise, omnipotent, and merciful Disposer of all events; humbly beseeching him to forgive our iniquities, to remove our present calamities, to avert those desolating judgments, with which we are threatened.And it is recommended to Christians, of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and to abstain from servile labour and recreations on said day.

At the end of the day, God answered the spirit of the prayer  that the crisis would be resolved. They could assemble physically in those days. With the coronavirus, at best we can assemble virtually for the moment. Yet thank God for these modern tools in our internet age.

Example Two: On March 16, 1776, the Continental Congress proclaimed another day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer: that that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood.

They continued to pray, recognizing that more suffering may yet come, as they worked toward their noble goal: But if, continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent, on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the continental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success.

This is quite an astounding prayer for an upstart, fledgling new nation, which for all practical purposes lacked a national army and navy.

But ultimately God answered their prayers  so much so that George Washington said that one would be worse than an infidel to not recognize the Lords help in our becoming an independent nation.

Earlier I quoted Harvard President Samuel Langdon in his 1775 speech, asking for Gods help. In that same speech, he made this petition one that seems appropriate in our day, in our fight against the coronavirus: May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble....We will rejoice in His salvation. Well, maybe not all of us.
Just like the entire world, the Malayalam film industry members are also practicing social distancing these days, to prevent COVID 19. Meanwhile, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jayasurya, and Narain, the lead actors of the 2006-released blockbuster Classmates had a reunion over a video call recently, to the much excitement of the fans.

The Classmates actors recently had a long chat over a video call and shared the screenshot of the same on their official social media pages. 'Classmates. Older and (hopefully) wiser! ', wrote Prithviraj on his post. The adherent fans of the movie are going gaga of the actors' screenshots, that have already taken social media by storm.



Along with the fans, several renowned Malayalam celebrities including Tovino Thomas, Kalidas Jayaram, Arun Kurian, and so on expressed their excitement over the reunion of Classmates cast in social media. The fans and social media followers are now expressing their desire to watch the foursome together on the silver screen again, on the comment sections of their posts.

Classmates, which was directed by the senior filmmaker Lal Jose and written by James Albert, had emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all-time, and the biggest success of 2006. The movie which has been considered as one of the finest campus films of Malayalam which earned the trendsetter status among the audiences. The movie had completed 150 days of theatrical run at all the major releasing centers in Kerala.

Prithviraj Sukumaran appeared in the role of Sukumaran, a student leader in the movie, while Indrajith Sukumaran played his best friend and college casanova Pious. Narain essayed the role of talented singer Murali, while Jayasurya played Sukumaran's arch-rival Satheeshan Kanjikkuzhi. Classmates had featured Kavya Madhavan and Radhika as the female leads.

Currently, Indrajith, Jayasurya, and Narain are practicing social distancing at their respective residences, Prithviraj is currently busy with the shooting of his ambitious project Aadujeevitham in Jordan.
The United States' caseload of coronavirus infections surged to the most in the world and its capital reported more infections, as Italy shut most of its industry and masses of Indian day laborers received food rations after a lockdown put them out of work.

Increases in the number of cases have been expected as testing becomes more available. The U.S. passed China with more than 85,000 cases, and Italy also exceeded 80,000, the three countries together accounting for almost half of the world's infections from the new virus.

Most of China's patients have recovered, while places where the virus arrived later are now dealing with overwhelmed hospitals and supply shortages and are rushing to convert public spaces for treating the sick.

Washington, D.C., confirmed 36 new cases Thursday, raising its total to 267. The district is under a state of emergency, its major attractions like the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo closed and White House and Capitol tours cancelled. Police have blocked off streets, bridges and traffic circles to prevent crowds coming to see Washingtons blooming cherry blossom trees.

The stay-home order for India's 1.3 billion people threw out of work the backbone of the nations economy  rickshaw drivers, fruit peddlers, cleaners and others who buy food from whatever they can earn in a day. The government announced a $22 billion stimulus to deliver monthly rations to 800 million people.

In some parts of India, people got rice rations or bank deposits from local authorities, and aid groups were working to expand their reach. The nation's vital and massive train system was also halted, and jobless workers are now attempting to walk hundreds of miles to their home villages from India's major cities.

Deaths from COVID-19 have surpassed 24,000, more than a third of them in Italy, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. The U.S. had about 1,300 deaths, almost a quarter of them in New York City, where hospitals are overwhelmed.

In China, where the virus was first believed to have jumped from wild animals to humans, the National Health Commission on Friday reported 55 new cases, including 54 it said were imported infections in recent arrivals from overseas. Once again, there were no new cases reported in Wuhan, the provincial capital where the coronavirus emerged in December. China is barring most foreigners from entering as it tries to curb imported cases.

The economic damage of the pandemic was growing. Italy shut down most of its industry, and a record-shattering 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in a single week.

Companies in Europe are laying off workers at the fastest pace since 2009, according to surveys of business managers. And the U.S. is bleeding jobs as well: The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week was nearly five times the old record, set in 1982.

Dann Dykas, 37, of Portland, Oregon, was laid off from his job helping design and set up displays for trade shows.

Everything is so surreal," he said. "I can't even get an interview for another job, and we now have to worry more about being careful and taking care of ourselves.

Wall Street rallied for the third straight day after an unprecedented $2.2 trillion economic rescue package to help businesses, hospitals and ordinary Americans pull through the crisis won passage in the Senate. The rescue plan, which is expected to be voted on in the House on Friday, would dispense checks of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child.

Elsewhere around the world, South Africa, with the most industrialized economy in Africa, began a three-week lockdown Friday. The country is already in recession, with an unemployment rate of 29%.

And Britain unveiled another relief effort, this time aimed at the gig economy, many of whose workers are facing financial ruin. The government will give the self-employed grants equal to 80% of their average profits, up to 2,500 pounds ($2,975) per month.

The outbreak has put huge pressure on foreign students, especially those at universities in North America and Europe.

Zoey Wang recently returned home to the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu after her in-person classes and exams at the University of Toronto in Canada were cancelled. Her parents' desire to have her home and the possibility of high medical costs if she became sick persuaded her to make the arduous return trip, she said.

Some on Chinese social media have attacked returning students for bringing "poison" into the country after its months-long fight to contain the virus, but Wang said that was unfair.

"It's not like everyone is deliberately returning because they were infected," Wang said. "People should remember that when the outbreak happened in China, international students were sending masks and other items."

Wang flew from Toronto to Taipei, Taiwan, then from Taipei to Chengdu. The Chengdu leg was packed; everyone wore masks, most people donned goggles and gloves, and a few were garbed in full-body protective suits.

When she arrived in Chengdu, she was required to take a COVID-19 test and stay in a hotel for two nights until her results came back negative. Only then was she allowed to return to her own home for quarantine. Every day, a government neighborhood committee worker comes to take her temperature.
Prague [Czech Republic], Mar 28 (ANI): After Spain, the Czech Republic has reported that the majority of coronavirus test kits provided by China are faulty.



Up to 80 per cent of the 150,000 portable, quick coronavirus test kits China delivered to the Czech Republic earlier this month were faulty, National Review reported citing local Czech news site Expats.cz.

The test can produce a result in 10- 15 minutes but are really less accurate than other tests.

Because of the high error rate, the country will continue to rely on conventional laboratory tests, of which they perform about 900 a day.

The country's Health Ministry paid USD 546,000 for 100,000 of the test kits, while the Interior Ministry paid for the other 50,000.

This comes after Spanish health authorities have warned that the rapid coronavirus tests that the country purchased from China are faulty. They are not consistently detecting positive cases, thereby showing an accuracy level below 30 per cent, making them unusable.

In view of the incredibly high error rate of the kits, Spain-- one of the worst-hit by Covid-19, with deaths surpassing over 4,800-- has announced that it is sending back the first batch of Covid-19 testing kits that it received from China.

As per WHO over 542,378 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide and over 24,368 people have lost their lives to the infectious coronavirus which first. (ANI)


New Delhi, March 27 : There is no evidence to suggest that countries with malaria are at lower risk of getting new coronavirus cases, nor has it been proved that people living in these countries have developed any 'herd immunity' against the disease, health experts have stressed.

One theory doing the rounds on some media platforms is that coronavirus cases and fatality rates have been relatively lower in Asian and African countries that have higher malaria burden.

Moreover, some anti-malarial compounds have shown promise in fighting COVID-19 in experiments, leading some people to say that people in countries with malaria might have 'herd immunity' against COVID-19.

By analysing COVID-19 cases reported by countries across the world as well as the incidence of malaria cases as of 2017, a former NASA scientist wrote in his personal blog last week that the results suggested that "those countries with malaria have virtually no COVID-19 cases, and those countries with many COVID-19 cases have little to no malaria".

The findings were based on the total number of COVID-19 cases as of March 17, 2020 as tallied by the WHO, Roy Spencer wrote in the blog published at www.drroyspencer.com.

Doctors in India, however, said that the country is no less vulnerable to COVID-19 because the malaria burden is high in the country.

"This is not true at all. India is a prime example as it is a malaria endemic country. It is just that our entry into this pandemic is slightly late. Additionally we have only tested 25,000 samples till date," Rajesh Gupta, Additional Director, Pulmonology and Critical Care, Fortis Hospital Noida, told IANS.

India has so far reported over 700 coronavirus positive cases.

"In the next month or so, the cases will peak. Now in the coming months, we will begin testing a lot and then we will find out the extent of the infection spread. Ultimately, COVID-19 will be dealt with herd immunity only. But no, there is no evidence that people in malaria-infected countries have already developed herd immunity," Gupta elaborated.

The WHO has urged countries to ensure the continuity of malaria services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Do not scale back your planned malaria prevention, diagnostic and treatment activities. If someone living in a place with malaria develops a fever, he or she should seek diagnosis and care as soon as possible," Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ensuring access to core malaria prevention measures is an important strategy for reducing the strain on health systems; these include vector control measures, such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, as well as chemoprevention for pregnant women and young children (intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy, intermittent preventive treatment in infants and seasonal malaria chemoprevention), the WHO said.

Additional special measures could ease the burden on health systems in the context of COVID-19, such as presumptive malaria treatment and mass drug administration, it added.

In the WHO African region, a cumulative total of 1,716 confirmed cases have been reported across 38 countries in the region as of March 25.

"Whether population in counties where malaria is endemic has some herd immunity due to usage of chloroquine in their communities is a million dollar question. It requires detailed scientific population studies to arrive at such a conclusion," said R.K. Singhal, Principal Consultant & Director and Coordinator of Medical & Allied Services, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi.

The doctors also cautioned against use and hoarding of anti-malarial drugs for preventing coronavirus by the general population.

"Several countries in Asia and Africa are indeed malaria prone but it cannot be said, in the absence of adequate empirical evidence or trials, that anti-malaria drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine can treat Covid-19," said Charu Goel Sachdeva, Head of Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospitals Dwarka, New Delhi.

"In these countries also cases of Covid-19 are rising and they are also adopting quarantine, social distancing, and lockdowns measures," she said, adding that more studies and trials are needed to conclude that anti-malarial drugs can help in treating this infection.

"Some trials were done in France, but it is still inconclusive and we need a very large number population for trial," Sachdeva added.

Experts have warned that these anti-malarial drugs have several side effects and can lead to cardiac arrest, irritation and other problems.

"The general public should avoid taking it as a precautionary medicine as that would lead to a shortage of this drug for those who require it the most. The best we can do is maintain social distancing, wash our hands frequently as there is no vaccine and drug for COVID-19 yet," Sachdeva told IANS.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ANN ARBOR, MI  A psychosocial rehabilitation center that uses social interaction as the focus of its programming laid off all but one of its employees Wednesday after in-person meetings were canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak, the organization announced.

Fresh Start Clubhouse on South State Street, which provides social services for individuals with mental illnesses, was not able to bill Medicaid for most of its services provided remotely, and therefore lost a major source of funding, Director Summer Berman said Friday. The programs parent organization Touchstone Services kept Berman as the only staff member left to work with 110 members.

Medicaid requires the psychosocial rehabilitation services be provided in person and often in groups for a certain length of time, Berman said Friday. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services changed some requirements to accommodate physical distance during the coronavirus pandemic, but Berman said the adjustments didnt go far enough for the clubhouse to maintain a basic revenue stream.

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

MDHHS has made some exceptions for work done over the phone or videoconference, but these exceptions do not come close to making up for the change in services weve had to make, she wrote in a Wednesday letter to the community. With no significant income, we cannot afford to pay our staff.

On Tuesday, Berman was the leader of six full-time and one part-time staff members. By the end of Wednesdays business day, she was the only staffer left to continue services with the members, who are referred through Washtenaw County Community Mental Health.

The staff switched programming to remote and virtual efforts through phone and video meetings three times per day, created new resources for its members and focused more on case management. Berman said even the groups van driver adjusted to the pandemic by delivering supplies, meals and providing social connections to members.

They have all bent over backwards to ensure our members were never left alone during this stressful time, Berman wrote. They have been a stabilizing force for our members during this uncertainty and global anxiety and I am grateful to each of them for never giving up, despite their own stress due to this pandemic and the drastic and sudden changes in their own lives as a result.

MDHHS spokesman Bob Wheaton said state and federal departments have relaxed standards for behavioral health services to account for virtual interactions and established reimbursement should be at the same rate as if it was face-to-face. But Berman maintained Friday that because the clubhouses work has shifted to a virtual model similar to case management, instead of establishing member leaders that work with the staff, there is not enough to bill.

Berman said Fresh Start averages nearly 490 billable units, or 15-minute increments of service, per day. She said even if the six staffers made 8 hours worth of one-on-one calls, it would only average about 190 units per day. Before the layoffs, staff members were spending their days delivering meals, doing reserach and preparing new activities that could be used in the new virtual setup. That work wouldnt be billed, she said.

The issue could directly impact public health. Social isolation for people with severe mental illnesses could cause them to be hospitalized, taking away from hospital capacity during the coronavirus pandemic, Berman said.

It is a ghost town. Downtown Ann Arbor desolate amid coronavirus outbreak

Berman said she and other clubhouse directors in the state will appeal to the Department of Health and Human Services, their main funding source, to ask for emergency relief. The funds could rehire staff to continue services.

Additionally, donations to the clubhouse are accepted online. Berman said those funds will be used to provide members with phone and computer access if needed.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS AND MLIVE:

Rock Paper Scissors selling quarantine kits online amid coronavirus outbreak

Ypsilanti gift shop The Eyrie closes after 8 years in Depot Town

Nearly 100 people infected with coronavirus in Washtenaw County
A Bengaluru based doctor claims to have developed an effective treatment for coronavirus which could be ready for trials by this weekend, a news agency reported.

The treatment involves retriggering of the immune system which gets compromised after a person is infected by Sars-Cov-2 virus, said the doctor. He clarified that the medicine which was under preparation was not a vaccine.

We have built a concoction of cytokines which can be injected to reactivate immune system in Covid-19 patients. Were in a very initial stage & hope to be ready with its first set by this weekend, ANI quoted oncologist Vishal Rao as saying.

Rao added that an application had been made to the government for an expedited review of the possible treatment.

The development comes on a day when the health ministry announced participation in a WHO-led trial of a medicine along with other steps to deal with the health emergency on a war footing.

The Bengaluru Cancer specialist said human body cells release interferon chemical to kill viruses which cant be released when someone is infected with Sars-Cov-2 which weakens the immune system. He added that that interferon was also effective against coronavirus.

We got hold of some preprint suggesting that interferon is effective in Covid-19, Rao was quoted as saying.

He further described how the medicine containing interferon could be prepared for treating the infected.

When we withdraw blood for regular check-ups, we get buffy coat which can be used to take out cells and form interferon. These two chemicals and some other cytokines, in a specific concoction, could be potentially very useful in treating Covid-19 patients, Rao told ANI.

According to a research, published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, several approaches to treat Covid-19 were being developed, including blocking the virus from entering human cells, disrupting its replication, suppressing the human immune response and vaccines, said another agency report.

The study says Sars-Cov-2 is easily transmissible due to the spike proteins on its surface which bind efficiently to the molecule angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the surfaces of human cells.

As of now, the researchers say, the most promising antiviral for fighting Sars-Cov-2 is Remdesivir, which blocks its replication as seen in laboratories. However, they said more data on its effectiveness is needed.

The scientists also noted that Tilarone, an antiviral, may also be effective against Sar-Cov-2. This medicine is used in some Russian Federation countries against multiple viruses, including acute respiratory viral infection, influenza, and hepatitis, it added.

Several countries are conducting researches to develop an effective vaccine and treatment for coronavirus disease at the moment.

The Union health ministry on Friday said the government was procuring ventilators in huge numbers to prepare for a rapid escalation in the number of positive cases requiring treatment.

We have given an order to a PSU to provide 10,000 ventilators. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also been requested to purchase 30,000 additional ventilators in the next 1-2 months, Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of the Union health ministry said.
The Ghaziabad district administration on Friday gave permission for retailers to deliver essential items to homes amid the nationwide lockdown and emphasised on social distancing norms to be followed by delivery persons.

The delivery persons would not be checked by police if they carry the passes that are issued by their companies, it said.

Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told PTI that Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Big Bazaar, 24 Seven, Blue Dart, DTDC, Swiggy, Grofers, Big Basket, Milkbasket, Medlife, Pharm Easy, More Retail Limited. Easyday, Spencer's, Reliance Fresh, Foodpanda, Needs Super Mart, 1MG and Dr Lal PathLabs have been allowed to carry out door to door service. The decision has been taken in compliance with the state and Union government orders, he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani said extra police personnel were deployed at mosques to ensure there were no large gatherings for Friday prayers. Many people offered prayers inside their homes.

"Police received only 51 calls today for help and complaints of gathering in the parks, black marketing, while yesterday police had received 584 phone calls from the whole district," the SSP said.

Two teachers of a madrassa were arrested for conducting exams in Kachchi Sarai Mohalla of Muradnagar town of the district amid the lockdown. Around 20 children were present during the examination while 135 students are enrolled in the madrasa.

The arrested teachers have been identified as Imran and Madan. They have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Naithani said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr Gerard Lyons is a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange and co-authored this op-ed and Policy Exchanges new report, Limiting the Economic Impact of the Covid-19 Virus, with Dr Graham Gudgin, Warwick Lightfoot, and Jan Zeber.

Rising unemployment threatens a hard brake to the economy and justifies the Chancellor keeping his foot to the floor on the economic policy accelerator.

Unconventional economic policies have been unveiled across the globe in recent weeks, as countries have tried to limit the economic fall-out from the coronavirus. The UK has been among the countries at the forefront of this response, with the Chancellor unveiling a series of major boosts, examined today in a Policy Exchange report, Limiting the Economic Impact of the Covid-19 Virus.

The nature of the shock to the economy  and the subsequent lock-down  means that large swathes of the labour force will see no work and thus receive no direct income during the time of this crisis. Policy Exchanges economic assessment suggests as many as one in six UK workers are in sectors most exposed to the shutdown and by the collapse in economic demand here and globally. Hence action had to be taken to limit the potential rise in unemployment.

The issue of the self-employed was the most pressing economic problem that had to be addressed ahead of the latest measures. There are five million self-employed, of which 3.5 million are full-time, and 865,00 are in the three most-exposed sectors of distribution, accommodation and catering, and transport.

One recognised strength of the UK economy has been its flexible labour market. This has contributed to the health of the labour market in recent years, with record numbers in work. However, even in good economic times there were challenges, as over two in five workers are in what are termed (perhaps inappropriately) low-skilled jobs that are also low-waged, and have relatively low productivity.

The Governments welcome response ahead of the crisis has been to reduce taxes for this group, but the need to address low productivity remains. An additional challenge about this type of labour market is now evident in this crisis, with the danger that jobs could be shed quickly.

On Thursday, Rishi Sunak unveiled his fourth round of policy measures. He announced what he called a coherent, coordinated, and comprehensive scheme for the self-employed. The biggest challenge with the latest measures is the delay, as the measures unveiled will take a couple of months to implement, and the strain that this may place on those self-employed who do not have access to income during this time.

Some self-employed people may have to turn to Universal Credit (UC), in which case it becomes an issue as to whether the system has the capacity to cope with those forced to claim. This may require even more resources. Since the UC administration system is facing unprecedented demand, its capacity will need to be greatly increased quickly. Given the scale and urgency of the situation, another way to reduce the need for administrative capacity is to strip back conditions and checks associated with disbursing the payments.

In addition to speed, another issue is the amounts being offered. An option to close this gap may be to use the existing administrative infrastructure to institute a temporary and targeted Coronavirus Bridging Payment (CBP) on top of the UC entitlement, to which any self-employed person of a specific but easily identifiable definition (for example anyone who filed a self-assessment and is not on the PAYE system) would be entitled to.

For others, who for whatever reason are not able to, or unwilling to, turn to the benefit system there may be the need to rely upon greater understanding from their banks in the near-term, in order to cope.

The Government has constructed a coherent and imaginative set of measures that address the employment challenges thrown up by the crisis. It needs to keep the details under review, with a view to tweaking and changing them if necessary, to ensure that individuals and businesses can access them. It needs to identify any complexities and delays that hinder them from working as effective relief measures.

One lesson from previous measures unveiled in recent weeks is that the devil is in the detail. For instance, the generous loans in the Chancellors second round of measures proved to be inaccessible to non-investment-grade firms, and that criteria needs to be eased.

Also, despite the generosity of last weeks Job Protection Scheme, it appears that some employers have already laid off staff. Our report recommends that the 80 per cent support level under the scheme be raised to 100 per cent so that no employers have an incentive to lay people off. Since the scheme has been back-dated to March 1, there is a case for the Government to urge employers to take back those already laid off  at the Governments expense.

Likewise, it may be that the requirements underpinning measures for the self-employed leads to a small cohort who are not covered and who may need help. If this eventuality were to arise, then it would not be a surprise to see the Chancellor unveil further measures to fill any gaps. To his credit, he has been responsive to the ongoing situation.

While these shorter-term challenges that may arise from the delay in access to funds from the latest measures cannot be overlooked, they need to be seen within the context of a very positive approach. The costs may be high, but the steps taken are necessary and the higher the cost, the more the system is working to cope with the supply and demand side shock.

There will also be a longer-term cost of possible tax changes for the self-employed, but for now these are not the issue. Instead, the key thing is to recognise that the UK faces an imminent recession, and the Chancellor is trying to ensure as much of the economy survives it in hibernation, able to recover later this year.
Orleans Parish has the highest per-capita death rate for the coronavirus among all American counties to date, a new analysis by The Times-Picayune | The Advocate shows.

More disturbingly, perhaps, its not even a close call. The county with the No. 2 rate  Richmond County, N.Y., better known as Staten Island  has a rate half that of New Orleans.

Louisiana coronavirus cases increase to 2,305; Orleans, Jefferson cases account for 63% The number of known coronavirus cases in Louisiana increased to 2,305 on Thursday, up 510 cases from Wednesday and now on a pace to double eve

Jefferson Parish, meanwhile, had the sixth-highest per-capita death rate among American counties.

By Thursday, 46 New Orleanians had died from the virus, or a little more than 1 out of every 10,000 city residents. In Jefferson Parish, which has recorded 12 deaths, the rate was about 1 for every 36,000 residents.

Viewed another way, New Orleans has recorded more deaths than Manhattan  generally seen as Americas epicenter of the pandemic  with a population less than a quarter as large.

The advocacy organization Together Louisiana has been sounding the alarm about New Orleans' death rates for several days. Epidemiologists and other experts called the numbers very worrisome, but said it was too early to understand precisely what they prove. They offered several theories, none of them particularly encouraging.

One possibility: The virus has been around longer and thus spread much more widely within the city and its environs than was initially understood. Theres a growing consensus that the virus was on the move by Mardi Gras, which landed on Feb. 25, though the city would not record its first known case until 13 days later.

Deaths lag known infections as an indicator of coronavirus spread, so a surprising number of deaths here could simply indicate an earlier arrival and a broader spread.

However, experts also noted the first death attributed to COVID-19 did not occur until March 14. That doesnt undercut the idea that the virus was present by Mardi Gras, but it doesnt necessarily suggest it was here for long before then. Its also possible that some pre-March 14 deaths that were attributable to COVID-19 were simply tallied as deaths from pneumonia.

I think we have a huge number of undiagnosed people, said Susanne Straif-Bourgeois, a professor at LSU Health Sciences School of Public Health and an expert on pandemics. Our model shows it started around Mardi Gras and spread. And we only tested people sick enough to be hospitalized, which means most people were not diagnosed because they might have mild signs and symptoms or be asymptomatic, and be contributing to the transmission.

One factor that is almost certainly a contributor: New Orleanians, on balance, are less healthy than other Americans, with high rates of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and other health conditions that can make one more apt to die from coronavirus.

The Data Center on Thursday published a report comparing the rates at which New Orleanians suffer from some of these conditions to those in some of the other communities hardest hit by the coronavirus so far. Some of the differences are stark: For instance, 13% of New Orleanians are diabetic, compared to 6% of those in King County, Washington, which includes Seattle and which was the nations first hotspot for the virus. Likewise, 39% of New Orleanians have high blood pressure, compared to 28% of New Yorkers.

Travelers from New Orleans to Texas are ordered to quarantine there, Texas governor says New Orleans residents are starting to get the cold shoulder from officials in neighboring states due to the city's surge in known cases of the

The disease is much more apt to be lethal when it infects those with underlying health conditions, or the elderly.

The deaths are something that may be a potential kind of bellwether for the underlying health of our health system, said Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at Tulane who studies infectious diseases and public health. Diabetes, hypertension, immunosuppression  weve got a lot of these conditions in our community.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

In interviews, several observers have pointed out that the number of deaths recorded in American communities so far, while extremely worrisome, was small enough to be affected by statistical anomalies  such as the grim toll coronavirus has already exacted at Lambeth House, the senior complex in Uptown. There, 12 people have died so far, and more are infected. The complex accounts for about one-fourth of the deaths in New Orleans.

Other communities, of course, also have senior complexes, and some of them have had similar, and even more alarming, clusters. The 35 deaths recorded at the Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, account for more than a third of the deaths to date in King County.

Even so, if none of the deaths at Lambeth House had happened, New Orleans would still have the highest per-capita death rate of any county by a wide margin.

LCMC Health gets much-needed shipment of N95 masks, protective gear, more for New Orleans hospitals Several hospitals in the New Orleans area received shipments of new personal protective gear and medical supplies Thursday to aid in the treat

Theres a mix of opinions about whether looking at deaths from coronavirus on a per capita basis is a useful way to view them. Many epidemiologists prefer to compare deaths to known cases of the virus, for instance. Orleans Parish ranks second among all counties on that measure, behind King County, which has had 100 deaths out of just 1,359 known cases.

But the problem with comparing deaths to known cases is that the number of known cases is extremely variable depending on the robustness of a given communitys coronavirus testing.

"Clearly the testing is an issue," said Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at Harvard University and director of Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics. Using deaths per capita helps avoid that issue and focus on the size of the epidemic rather than the testing.

The clearest example of this is Westchester County, New York, which has the nations highest known infection rate. With almost 5,000 known cases, about 0.5% of Westchester residents have been diagnosed with the virus. Yet only one person in that community has died so far.

While some view deaths as the clearest metric, other experts noted that even that hard and fast statistic could be subject to a bit of interpretation. The question isn't whether a patient died, but rather if coronavirus was the thing that killed them.

In Louisiana, every case counted as a coronavirus death requires a positive test for the virus, state health officials said. But coronavirus doesnt have to be the proven cause of death. Its possible other states count differently, experts said.

Disasters often prompt debates about which deaths should be attributed to the catastrophe, as New Orleanians well know. The list of lives lost to Hurricane Katrina generally includes those killed by the storms winds and waters, but not the stressors that it created, which were blamed for dozens if not hundreds of deaths. The same was true of Hurricane Maria, which decimated Puerto Rico in 2017, and whose death toll has been the subject of furious debate.

We should consider that maybe the testing of fatal cases has been more effective there (in Louisiana) than in other places, Lipsitch said. I think a lot of deaths [attributable to coronavirus] have been undetected.
Given the impact of the coronavirus around the world, North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski said, we cannot rejoice and mark the event as it should [be marked]. . . . But this is a historic success that, after three decades of independence, finally confirms Macedonian security and guarantees our future. Congratulations to all of you! We deserve it!
"You do not," Dequenne said. "The only reason law enforcement is going to be involved with you is if you are violating traffic law."

In cases where police see more than 10 people congregating or otherwise breaking the rules, Dequenne said, police are going to be using restraint:

"There's no curfew. Police enforcement will be voluntary cooperation," he said. "They are going to talk and educate. Only in the most extreme circumstances are they going to city anyone."

The city and county rules don't exempt funerals from the 10-person limit. The city and county orders expire on April 16.

Local officials are examining the state order to see how it jibes with their own regulations.

Some Forsyth County towns have passed their own orders, while others have adopted the Forsyth County one, or will be under the state rules on Monday. Clemmons, Lewisville, Kernersville, Walkertown and Tobaccoville are all under orders that went into effect Friday.

Jon Lopez of Winston-Salem said Friday afternoon he would comply with the citys stay-at-home order.
By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union, China and 14 other World Trade Organization members agreed on Friday on a temporary mechanism to resolve trade disputes after U.S. action rendered the WTO incapable of acting as the arbiter of global trade.

Washington froze the WTO's Appellate Body, which acts as a supreme court for international trade, by blocking appointments for over two years. Two of the body's remaining three members came to the end of their terms in December, leaving it unable to issue rulings.

A WTO "panel" of trade experts will still make initial findings. However, it is no longer possible to appeal against a ruling at the Geneva-based body.

Under the temporary fix, a pool of 10 arbitrators will be set up in the next three months. Three of them will hear any given appeal.

The European Commission said the WTO members involved had

agreed to preserve the WTO's two-step dispute system until the

WTO's own Appellate Body became operational again.

"This is a stop-gap measure to reflect the temporary paralysis of the WTO's appeal function for trade disputes," said EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, adding that restoring the appeal function of the WTO was a priority.

The EU had previously teamed up with Norway and Canada to form a separate appeals body that could resolve disputes.

The other countries that signed up on Friday are Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and Uruguay.

Hogan said other countries were welcome to join.

However, South Korea and Panama, who indicated willingness in January to work towards a deal, are not part of the coalition.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Larry King)
PITTSBURGH  Stefen Wisniewskis homecoming is also about starting.

Throughout his career, the 32-year-old Central Catholic and Penn State alum had entertained the idea of playing for the Steelers. But for most of his career, Pittsburghs interior line jobs have been filled by two Pro Bowlers in Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, and long-established veteran Ramon Foster.

As much as Wisniewski wanted to play in front of family and friends every week, it was Fosters retirement that made his move back to Pittsburgh truly viable.

Definitely both of those things," Wisniewski said on a conference call Friday. "Ive been a starter most of my career, so I wanted to go somewhere Id have a good shot to compete to be a starter. And obviously when Ramon retired I knew that would be an open job, and that was exciting.

But its definitely more exciting because its not just any starting job.

Wisniewski has a very clean shot at the starting left guard spot. His greatest competition, barring an interior offensive line draft pick, would be from Matt Feiler, who spent all but one game of last season starting at right tackle. Feiler began his time with the Steelers working primarily as a guard on the practice squad and did play left guard against the Los Angeles Rams last season.

His moving back inside would likely depend on Chukwuma Okorafor or Zach Banner showing serious improvement at right tackle. All business practicality side, though, the situation is hardly lost on Wisniewski.

Its a starting job for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where I grew up and getting to play for my hometown team with all my family and friends at every game, he said. "But thats always something Id hoped could happen some day. the fact that all the stars kind of lined up here, I was super excited, jumped on that opportunity really quickly.

"I did have a few other options, but its tough to turn down your hometown team, let alone when you got a great opportunity like I have.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
The British Embassy in Madrid issued information and advice for British travellers in Spain, when the order for all hotels and short-term accommodation to close by 26 March was announced.

Ambassador Hugh Elliott recorded a video which was posted on social media, saying the Spanish authorities had clearly said that nobody would be left without accommodation but that British visitors should arrange their return travel to the UK as soon as possible.

He explained that the Embassy was liaising with the Spanish government and the airlines to try to facilitate this, and that updates would be issued.

The Embassy website also advised that people should be flexible about their destination airport in the UK.
The coronavirus or COVID-19 has brought life to a near standstill in almost every part of the The virus, which has originated in central China's Hubei Province has claimed more than 20,000 lives so far and continues to adversely affect more than 150 countries globally.

However, the impact could be lowered had China been more transparent about the virus outbreak in the beginning.

The first case of COVID-19 was reported from Hubei's Wuhan city in December last year and has affected half a million people till now. With 10,000 deaths in Europe alone, it has now become an epicentre of the deadly virus.

An article in American magazine 'National Review' highlights how China withheld information that proved detrimental against the COVID-19 fight. The coronavirus that jumps from an animal species to a human being probably began at the Chinese 'wet market.'

Here is a detailed timeline of China's coronavirus coverup.

On December 1, the symptom onset date of the first patient identified. Five days after illness onset, his 53-year-old wife who had no known history of exposure to the market also presented with pneumonia and was hospitalized in the isolation ward.

It wasn't until the second week of December, the Wuhan doctors were finding cases that indicated the virus was spreading from one human to another.

On December 25, Chinese medical staff in two hospitals in Wuhan were found to be suspected of contracting viral pneumonia and were quarantined. Later, hospitals in the Wuhan witnessed an "exponential" increase in the number of cases in late December that cannot be linked back to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

Whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang warned a group of other doctors about a possible outbreak of an illness that resembled "severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)". He urged them to take protective measures against infection.

On December 31, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission declared that their investigation has not found "any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection."

China contacted the Health Organization (WHO) three weeks after doctors first started noticing the cases.

At the beginning of January, summons issued to Li Wenliang by the Wuhan Public Security Bureau accusing the doctor of "spreading rumours."

On January 3, Dr Li signed a statement at a police station acknowledging his "misdemeanor" and promising not to commit further "unlawful acts." China's National Health Commission ordered institutions not to publish any information related to the unknown disease.

On the same day, the Hubei Provincial Health Commission ordered to stop testing samples from Wuhan related to the new disease and destroyed all existing samples.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission released another statement, reiterating that preliminary investigations have shown "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infections."

59 people in the central city of Wuhan have been sickened by a "pneumonia-like illness", as per a report by The New York Times published on January 6. On the same day, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level 1 travel watch. It advised travellers to Wuhan to avoid contact with 'living or dead animals, animal markets, and sick people.'

On January 8, Chinese medical authorities claim to have identified the virus, reiterating that it still found "no clear evidence of human-to-human transfer".

On January 11, the Wuhan City Health Commission released Q & A sheet emphasizing that most of the unexplained viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan have a history of exposure to the South China seafood market and "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found."

Dr Li Wenliang was hospitalized on January 12. He started coughing and developed a fever after unknowingly treating a patient with the coronavirus. Later, Wenliang's condition deteriorated so badly that he was admitted to the intensive care unit and was given oxygen support.

On January 13, the first case of novel coronavirus was reported outside China involving a 61-year-old Chinese woman in Thailand, who had visited Wuhan.

However, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health said the woman had not visited the Wuhan seafood market and had come down with a fever on January 5. The woman had visited a different, smaller market in Wuhan, in which live and freshly slaughtered animals were sold.

On January 14, the Health Organization in its report stated: "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China."

On January 15, Japan reported its first case of coronavirus and its Health Ministry said the patient had not visited any seafood markets in China.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in a statement said that the possibility of "limited human-to-human transmission" cannot be ruled out.

Despite the fact that Wuhan doctors knew that the virus is "contagious", city authorities allow 40,000 families to gather and share home-cooked food in a Lunar New Year banquet, as per the article in National Review.

On January 19, the Chinese National Health Commission declared the virus "still preventable and controllable".

A day later, the head of China's national health commission team investigating the outbreak, confirmed that two cases of infection in China's Guangdong province had been caused by "human-to-human transmission and medical staff had been infected".

On January 21, the CDC announced the first case of the coronavirus in the US. The patient had returned from China six days ago.

On January 22, a WHO delegation conducted a field visit to Wuhan and concluded, "deployment of the new test kit nationally suggests that human-to-human transmission is taking place in Wuhan."

Nearly two months after the first case of the virus was reported, Chinese authorities announced their 'first steps for a quarantine of Wuhan.' By this time, a significant number of Chinese citizens have traveled abroad as "asymptomatic, oblivious carriers".

Dr Wenliang tested positive for coronavirus on February 1 and died six days later.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It isnt just major retailers and health-care giants hiring in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Moving companies, food makers and others say they need additional help, too.

With more than three million people filing for unemployment benefits last week  a record  plenty of Americans are now looking for work. Economists say most of the job opportunities at the moment involve getting food, medicine and other essential supplies to people.

Amazon.com Inc. has said it plans to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the U.S. to keep up with surging demand, while Walmart Inc. will hire 150,000 people to work in its stores and fulfilment centres.

As more people cook at home, Blue Apron Holdings Inc. says it wants to fill 300 roles at the companys fulfilment centres in Linden, N.J., and Richmond, Calif., to meet a rise in demand for its pre-apportioned meal kits.

The company hopes to hire people displaced by the restaurant or food-service industry, said Linda Findley Kozlowski, Blue Aprons chief executive.

Pet-food suppliers and cleaning products manufacturers are hiring logistics and distribution staffers because of the outbreak, said Adam Roston, chief executive of Bluecrew, an on-demand staffing platform owned by IAC. Its lots of places that are not necessarily on the tops of consumers minds.

GE Healthcare, meanwhile, said the company would hire additional manufacturing employees as it ramps up ventilator production, even as General Electric Co.s jet-engine business will layoff about 10% of its workforce. GE didnt immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the laid off employees could be redeployed in new GE jobs.

On the job site Indeed.com, the company has seen an increase in job postings for some roles, such as medical technicians and retail stockers, but overall job postings are slowing, said Jed Kolko, chief economist at the site. The new jobs to aid with the pandemic likely wont be enough to make up for all those lost. The trend in job postings is down, he said.

Many companies have paused hiring entirely until its clear how long the outbreak lasts. Theres more room for uncertainty about how severe this slowdown will be, Mr. Kolko said.

Those companies with open jobs say they are seeing a steep spike in interest.

At Bellhops, a moving company that operates in 65 cities, applications have risen 60% week-over-week, chief executive Luke Marklin said. The company is hiring thousands of movers and drivers across the country, because people are moving or relocating amid the outbreak, Mr. Marklin said.

Were not seeing any dip in demand for moving services, he said.

Some companies, such as Walmart and Target Corp., have raised wages or offered bonuses to front-line workers, and others are offering additional sick-leave benefits to compensate staffers, should they become ill.

Sheetz, a convenience chain with 600 stores across the mid-Atlantic, said it would temporarily raise the wages of its 17,000 hourly workers by $3 an hour. The company is hiring, and wants to fill 1,300 open jobs, primarily staffers to work or manage its stores, a spokeswoman said. Pay now ranges from $10 (U.S.) to $18 an hour.

Read more about:
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  Marikina City is back to square one for the plan to set up its own COVID-19 testing center, with the Department of Health also turning down the use of the laboratory in the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center.

DOH Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday that space constraints also led authorities to thumb down the use of the DOH-run hospital along Sumulong Highway to test swab samples for the novel coronavirus.

"Upon inspection, the existing laboratory of Amang Rodriguez Medical Center was not big enough. It did not have adequate space for us to house the RT-PCR machine. Thats why in the recommendation, we said the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center cannot this time house the PCR," Vergeire told CNN Philippines' The Source.

The RT-PCR, short for real time polymerase chain reaction machine, is being used to process specimen from patients to see if a person has COVID-19.

In a later briefing, Vergeire clarified that they are not against the local government setting up its own testing laboratory.

"Hindi po tayo tumututol sa pagtayo ng sariling laboratoryo ng Marikina. Sa katunayan po ito ay ating hangad, at layunin ng kagawaran na makapagbukas ng mas marami pang laboratoryo para magtest ng COVID-19, she said in a media briefing.

[Translation: We are not against Marikina setting up its own laboratory. The truth is we encourage it and it is the agencys goal to open even more laboratories that can test for COVID-19.]

She added that the DOH is even in talks with some donors who are interested in funding the facility.

Inaayos na lang po namin ang mga detalye ng pakikipagtulungan na ito, added Vergeire.

[Translation: We are just fixing up this agreement.]

On Thursday, the Health Department rejected the city's pitch to set up a COVID-19 testing center at the Marikina City Health Office as it failed to meet space and biosafety standards. Vergeire explained that these "deficiencies" triggered the rejection, which could be reversed if Marikina can find a vacated and spacious area to set up the laboratory.

However, Vergeire clarified that DOH and Marikina City should not be pitted against each other as "competitors." The DOH-run Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa conducts the most number of coronavirus tests in a day, while select government-run institutions have also been tapped to test samples in other parts of the country.

"This process is very risky, we are carrying a live virus when we do this... We like to be assured that there would be no breaches in protocol when we do this so that we dont risk the health of our healthcare workers handling the specimen and of course, the community where they reside," she added.

READ: Local governments must coordinate with Health Dept. before buying COVID-19 test kits

Among the issues raised against the city's proposed testing center is its location. Vergeire said running the laboratory on the sixth floor of a public building raises safety issues, as it was not enough to dedicate one elevator or stairway for laboratory personnel.

"People are now saying that we are asking for them to build another building, we are not saying that. Were just recommending if they can find another office with adequate space and appropriate for this," the Health official added.

Vergeire said DOH laboratories have processed 2,147 tests out of 4,070 specimens collected as of Thursday.

There are now 803 COVID-19 cases in the country, which has led to 54 deaths. Some of them died before even knowing they had the disease. Meanwhile, 31 people have recovered.
The author is co-owner of Rice Dairy LLC, a dairy brokerage firm in Chicago Ill.

In 1997, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, now simply known as the CME Group, officially became the marketplace for participants in the dairy industry to manage price risk. What began as a Class III futures market grew to include Class IV as well as five dairy products (cheese, block cheese, nonfat dry milk, butter, and whey).

Today, each of these markets possess a healthy futures market as well as a vibrant options market. From this foundation, other programs have been developed over time to assist dairy market participants, specifically dairymen and dairy women, to manage price risk. We will touch on those other offerings a little later.

Market opportunity

I have been a part of these dairy derivative markets from the very beginning, and I have witnessed some pretty dramatic moves that included the rallies of 2004 and 2008 along with the deep dip and hardships for dairymen of 2009. More recently was the rally of 2014, which saw Class III markets hit an all-time high above $24 per hundredweight (cwt.) in September.

The classic one-two punch would follow. The EU saw the sunset of its long-standing quota program, which invited record milk production growth and the consequent record stockpiles of skim milk powder. By early 2016, that same Class III market would register a price of $13 per cwt.; an $11 per cwt. decline from the $24 high.

Enter modern day where a larger EU milkshed has been matched by growing world demand. Add to that the uncertainty of trade wars, tighter global environmental standards, and a drought in Oceania, and you have all the makings of even more drama. But it is drama that helped lead us to $20 per cwt. Class III milk in late 2019.

More price swings

What we all know is that the dairy market (just like every other market) has volatility. That volatility is not going away. The more globally involved we become (which is good for U.S. dairy farmers), the more swings we will continue to see.

I led this article with the volatility of past moves to highlight the conversation of future risk management. While volatility continues to grow, so has the means by which dairymen can manage that risk. In the last five years, the evolution of these tools postures them well for the future.

In the pits

From the beginning until about the mid-2000s, the hedging instrument of choice was futures, specifically in Class III. I remember being in the trading pits at the CME in 2005. Orders were listed on white boards or yes boards.

This wasnt too far away from the old pictures you would see at the exchanges showing exchange employees posting customers bids and offers with wooden numeric placards. That was how the industry knew the price levels at which they could manage risk.

In those days, participants were predominantly commercial customers hedging in a relatively illiquid market. Generally speaking, dairymen had no interest in using the marketplace unless they were in a Class III region and, more specifically, in futures, since many didnt investigate or understand the options market.

From the mid-2000s to around 2014, explosive growth entered into the dairy markets. Daily volumes and open interest  a measurement of new positions established in a futures or options contract, which translates into more hedging activity  were setting year over year records. What was impressive about the growth is that participants were utilizing more than just the Class III futures contracts. The other dairy products were being utilized and options had become a very strong vehicle that were not only being used by commercial hedgers but dairymen as well.

Before 2009, many of the conversations with dairymen centered around the reasons to avoid managing risk. Why would I manage risk? What does butter, nonfat, and cheese have to do with my milk price? Im not in a federal order state, so I cant manage risk. What you guys do is gambling! That last statement still comes up every now and then.

The questions changed

Following the unfortunate downturn in the 2009 marketplace, many dairymen were looking for ways to avoid another year like the one they were in and were willing to start educating themselves on how to manage risk. The conversations and reasons went from Why I shouldnt to questions like; What did cheese do today on the exchange? Are we seeing exports picking up to Mexico? How is New Zealands weather? Should I use futures or options at these price points?

The general mindset made an amazing turnaround. Dairymen across the nation made a serious commitment to managing risk. It became a staple of their daily business practices in the same way they use a nutritionist to produce the highest yield of top-quality milk.

This takes us from 2014 to present day. The tools on the exchange are and continue to be the preferred venue for many to use when managing risk. But just like anything else in life that is evolving and becoming more sophisticated, sometimes its just not enough.

Co-ops and processors have done well by the dairy industry to provide new platforms that assist dairymen with managing risk. Some come in the form of forward contracts (off exchange bilateral contracts) that act in many respects like hedging on the exchange, though in some cases are more customized to the dairymans true risk. In other cases, over-the-counter participants are managing risk with major banks or other agriculture institutions. Regardless, the toolbox has gotten bigger.

In all of this, dairymen have all the wherewithal of a large commercial institution when managing risk. In fact, one might argue they have even greater access to risk management solutions. New government programs (such as Dairy Margin Coverage) are available in the recent farm bill.

Old efforts to offer insurance-like coverage have evolved into perhaps the largest government sponsored risk management rollout to dairymen in all of their history. In October 2018, the Dairy Revenue Protection program, better known as DRP, came on the scene and has taken the industry by storm. When milk was reclassified from livestock to a crop, the creation of DRP became possible. This new crop insurance product provides financial protection against loss just like any other line of crop revenue insurance. Approximately 30 billion pounds of milk were covered with DRP in 2019 and the amount in 2020 could be even greater.

The practice of risk management has grown and evolved for dairymen since the CME rolled out futures and options in 1997. From highly liquid futures and options markets, to multiple forward and over-the-counter venues to insurance programs, dairymen have access to a wealth of tools to help them manage volatility and price risk in the years to come.
Theyve prepared for an earthquake. Theyve prepared for a terrorist attack striking the Golden Gate Bridge. Theyve helped their city weather plane crashes and mass shootings.

But San Francisco officials havent prepared for something quite like this  a virus that could kill thousands of people and crush the health care system and economy while its at it.

It sounds like a bad horror flick, but its all too real.

This whole thing is moving faster than anything thats ever happened to us before, Supervisor Aaron Peskin said in an interview Tuesday night after he staffed the emergency operations hub at Moscone Center with hundreds of other city workers. Our emergency response was never built for this, and now weve got to adjust it hour by hour and day by day.

Ive never, in 20 years, been to a training about a pandemic, continued the supervisor, who served on the board from 2001 to 2009 and again starting in 2015. Nobodys ever been to a rodeo like this before.

Thats the truth. San Franciscans could be excused for doubting their notoriously slow, deliberative leaders could rise to the massive coronavirus challenge in any kind of quick, decisive way. But, mostly, they have  and our city continues to be better positioned to weather this misery than any other city in the country. For instance, New York City has seen coronavirus cases skyrocket in recent days, and hospitals there are overwhelmed  a surge that hasnt happened in San Francisco. Yet, anyway.

In large part, thats because Mayor London Breeds declaration of an emergency Feb. 25 allowed city government to toss much of its red tape and mind-numbingly dumb rules and actually get things done.

Thats really the kind of thing this directive has given us  the ability to spring into action fast, Breed said in an interview. We need supplies now. We need nurses now. We dont have time to wait.

Before this crisis, it took nine months, on average, to hire a single city employee. That timeline has long infuriated department heads who need nurses, case managers and bus drivers immediately. But as of Monday, the city had hired 82 new nurses in the previous two weeks.

The city has long been short on hospital beds, particularly for those suffering psychiatric emergencies, but took years to add a few dozen here and a few dozen there. This week, Breed announced she asked the state and federal government for 5,000 more hospital beds.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Opening 130 beds in a Navigation Center on the Embarcadero in December took 10 months  featuring angry community meetings and a nasty lawsuit. Six hundred homeless people will move into Moscone Center with medical care for drug addiction, mental health issues and physical health issues any day now. Planning took mere weeks, and nobody seems to care if grumpy neighbors dont like it.

It took six months last year to turn a parking lot into, well, a parking lot  for homeless people living in 30 cars and RVs. This month, Breed quickly secured 30 recreational vehicles to serve as isolation housing for people with the coronavirus who dont need to be hospitalized.

And the list goes on. Basically, city officials have turned from slow joggers who rarely seem to reach the finish line into sprinters who dont know where the finish line is but keep charging ahead nonetheless.

That soul that everyones talked about us losing? We havent lost it, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. We just havent been acting like ourselves lately. During an emergency, we remember who we are.

At the urging of Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the citys Department of Public Health, City Hall took fast action far earlier than other American cities. Hed been tracking the early coronavirus cases in China back in December and pushed for the January creation of an emergency operations center at the Department of Emergency Managements headquarters on Turk Street.

It was so important for us in San Francisco to get ahead of this, to get ahead of the curve before there even was a curve in San Francisco, Colfax said in an interview. If you look at our responsiveness in the last number of weeks, I can reassure you we will be as responsive in the future.

On March 5, the city announced its first two cases of the coronavirus. When I talked to Colfax last week, there were 51 cases in San Francisco. On Thursday, there were 223.

As the crisis grew  and people had to sit 6 feet apart  the Turk Street facility became too small, so hundreds of workers are now stationed at the emergency hub inside the spacious Moscone Center. Twenty-six departments have workers based there, and the Board of Supervisors is sending one of its 11 members and a couple of aides there each week to get answers to questions from their fellow supervisors and constituents.

City staff have stopped asking each other, How are you? because, in truth, the answer is never good. Many are working 15-hour days, with no days off. Theyre so tired and emotionally drained, they cry easily.

I dont know how were still standing, said Mary Ellen Carroll, the director of the Department of Emergency Services, who is running the show at the Moscone Center.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

She said staff are encouraged to take self-care measures such as regular stretching, staying hydrated and eating well. Colfax recently told the group that when he feels overwhelmed, he moves to a different room and counts to 10.

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.

Carroll said she gets up at 5 a.m. and runs in the empty streets in the dark.

One thing that is helpful is that we try to remember that it will be over, she said. Theres no question in my mind that as we look back, we are going to be so proud of what we did.

It hasnt been perfect, of course.

Peskin said he asked landlords to donate hand sanitizer and other hygiene items to give to single-room-occupancy hotels that need them. He was told hed have to file paperwork to the Ethics Commission disclosing the items as gifts  I mean, come on  so he just delivered the supplies on his own.

And Ivy Lee, a legislative aide for Supervisor Norman Yee who is also staffing the emergency center this week, said the city has learned that some SROs dont even have sinks in their bathrooms for handwashing.

Homeless shelters have been given mixed messages from the city about the importance of social distancing  and lack such basic supplies as thermometers. Testing patients at Laguna Honda for the virus has been slow despite six staffers testing positive.

Still, even the toughest City Hall critics are impressed with the response so far.

The whole paradigm is shifting with regards to homelessness, said Jennifer Friedenbach, director of the Coalition on Homelessness. The virus has driven it home for a lot of people, why its so important that we solve this humanitarian catastrophe. If we can hold that energy, we can go really far.

While nobody could be asked to work at this pace permanently, hopefully the energy and can-do attitude will last long after the virus has passed so the city can address its myriad other emergencies: homelessness, drugs, mental health issues, property crime, traffic deaths and lack of affordable housing, to name just a few.

Im looking forward to the time when we can go back to simply worrying about all that.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
If youre feeling helpless in this situation and not doing something with your time and energy is eating you up, here's how you can help your community.

As of today, there are over half a million confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus globally and 724 in India. Its spreading fast and spreading wide - and all you can (and should) do is stay at home. But if youre feeling incredibly helpless in this situation and not doing something with your time and energy is eating you up, then dont worry - there are many ways you can help your community in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Donate what you can

If you can afford to, please consider donating a small amount to help fight this pandemic. On an international level, there is WHOs COVID-19 solidarity response fund which is open to all and will help with research, developing vaccines and patient care. On a country level, many organisations have set up funds to support the ones who are the worst hit by the pandemic, including one by Zomato that helps feed families affected by the lockdown and another by SAFA Society thats helping provide ration and other supplies to daily wage workers.

If donating isnt within your means, even just not cutting the pay of your daily help for these 21 days is enough.

2. Help your neighbours

For some families, this crisis is worse than for others. For example, the elderly in your colonies may be scared of going out to grab their daily essentials  with good reason  and may not be tech-savvy enough to order them online. If its in your capacity, volunteer to help out wherever you can - by offering to order someones groceries with your own and leaving them at their doorstep or by calling a doctor for someone who needs medical advice. Do only what you feel comfortable with and maintain social distance at all times.

3. Feed the strays

Due to the lockdown, most people are staying indoors and not going to their offices. Many stray cats and dogs may be going without their regular supply of food because of this. Even though WHO has said that dogs cant get the novel coronavirus, you can maintain social distance with them as a precaution. Just leave something out if you notice any strays in your area. You can even just leave out some seeds or grains in your balcony for the birds.

4. Dont hoard on essential items

Since the lockdown was announced, some stores have seen an overwhelming demand for food and medicines. Many stores have no fresh fruits or vegetables left and seeing this is in the news sometimes can invoke panic even in people who were calm before. Try and stay calm - dont give in to the urge to panic buy everything you see. Only take what you need and leave the rest for others.

5. Support local businesses

Even though the lockdown is necessary to control the spread of the disease and save lives, many local businesses are suffering greatly because of it. If you can, please support a few that you can. Even just buying an online gift card if you dont need anything yet will help. If you cant show your support financially, just help by spreading the word about your favourite local businesses and the services they offer and send in a kind word of encouragement.

6. Spread awareness, debunk myths

Every day there is a new myth about things that can prevent or cure COVID-19. One day they say drinking tea is the key and the next, theyre saying youre safe if you put mustard oil in your nostrils. Find out what you can from official sources, and help educate people who may be misinformed. Also, share the sources  like the World Health Organization's website  so they too can check for correct information about preventing the disease.

7. Check-in with family

Our usually busy lifestyles dont allow us to interact all that much with our extended families. Many of them may be living alone which could be taking a toll on their mental health and others may have underlying diseases or be very old, which puts them at a higher risk during this pandemic. Check-in with these relatives and even friends from time to time - ensure that theyre eating and sleeping well, and are keeping their mind occupied.

8. Offer free services

If you have a skill that can be helpful in these times and you can share online with people, please consider doing so for free. From offering live yoga sessions so people can stay physically and mentally fit to sharing stand-up videos for when people need some cheering up - any little bit can be helpful. If youre a teacher, you could even offer to tutor kids online and if youre an artist, maybe you can take on a teaching role for a short while.

9. Stay healthy, stay home

Most important of all - stay at home as much as possible so you and others can stay healthy. You might feel caged but its really the easiest role of all - imagine the risk medical professionals are taking at this point. And while youre at it, be a little forgiving too. Everyone is dealing with a lot and they all have a different coping mechanism. So try not complaining about someone posting too many selfies or your neighbour playing music you dont like - if it makes them feel better for a short while, just let it go.

For more tips, read our article on How to protect yourself against COVID-19 infection.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, Indias first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.
WE ALL feel like we know Dr Tony Holohan after these past few terrible weeks.

The department of healths chief medical officer has been the figurehead of the countrys response to the global coronavirus pandemic.

His calm demeanour and excellent communication skills on TV have impressed the nation.

But it is no real surprise as he comes from very good stock. Dr Holohan is a Ryan Luke from Cappamore. That name carries weight in farming, shows, breeding and community circles.

When contacted by the Limerick Leader, Paddy Ryan Luke confirmed that Dr Holohan is his nephew.

He is the son of my sister, Bridget. She married Liam who is a retired garda from Kilkenny. He was a sergeant in Henry Street before he retired and they moved to Kilkenny.

They used to live in Castletroy and then Annacotty, said Mr Ryan Luke.

The young Dr Holohan was a frequent visitor to his mothers homeplace in Cappamore.

When he was a young lad they lived only in the road so they were here quite a lot. He enjoyed coming out to the farm. You could say he is a country lad at heart.

When he lived in Limerick he always came to the Cappamore Show as it is very much part of the social calendar, said Mr Ryan Luke, who has been secretary of the Cappamore Show for an incredible 61 years.

Regarding Dr Holohans outstanding leadership at this terrible time, Mr Ryan Luke said it isnt for any of his relatives to put a halo on his head.

Its his job, thats the way he looks at it. When he got the position it was a prestigious appointment but I dont envy him at the moment, said Mr Ryan Luke.

The last time he met Dr Holohan was a couple of months ago at a family celebration.

He is still Tony Holohan. There are no airs or graces about him.

He is a very level-headed man. He is a very easy-going, relaxed individual and enjoys the craic, said Mr Ryan Luke.

The Cappamore man says all we can do is be positive during this coronavirus crisis and follow his nephews advice.

We are in it for the long haul. It is going to have major repercussions for the Irish and global economy.

If you sit down and think it over it is frightening. You are better off not to think about it - you are better off just plodding along, said Mr Ryan Luke.

Wise words. As the saying goes - you cant bate breeding.
Bigblu Broadband plc's (LON:BBB): Bigblu Broadband plc provides satellite, and wireless broadband telecommunications and related products and services in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and internationally. The UK40m market-cap companys loss lessens since it announced a -UK13.3m bottom-line in the full financial year, compared to the latest trailing-twelve-month loss of -UK8.4m, as it approaches breakeven. The most pressing concern for investors is BBBs path to profitability  when will it breakeven? Below I will provide a high-level summary of the industry analysts expectations for BBB.

See our latest analysis for Bigblu Broadband

BBB is bordering on breakeven, according to Telecom analysts. They anticipate the company to incur a final loss in 2019, before generating positive profits of UK2.8m in 2020. So, BBB is predicted to breakeven approximately a couple of months from now! How fast will BBB have to grow each year in order to reach the breakeven point by 2020? Working backwards from analyst estimates, it turns out that they expect the company to grow 102% year-on-year, on average, which signals high confidence from analysts. Should the business grow at a slower rate, it will become profitable at a later date than expected.

AIM:BBB Past and Future Earnings March 27th 2020

Underlying developments driving BBBs growth isnt the focus of this broad overview, but, keep in mind that typically a high growth rate is not out of the ordinary, particularly when a company is in a period of investment.

Before I wrap up, theres one issue worth mentioning. BBB currently has a debt-to-equity ratio of over 2x. Generally, the rule of thumb is debt shouldnt exceed 40% of your equity, and BBB has considerably exceeded this. A higher level of debt requires more stringent capital management which increases the risk in investing in the loss-making company.

Next Steps:

There are key fundamentals of BBB which are not covered in this article, but I must stress again that this is merely a basic overview. For a more comprehensive look at BBB, take a look at BBBs company page on Simply Wall St. Ive also put together a list of pertinent aspects you should further examine:

Valuation: What is BBB worth today? Has the future growth potential already been factored into the price? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether BBB is currently mispriced by the market. Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business  take a look at who sits on Bigblu Broadbands board and the CEOs back ground. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
FDU School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences In light of the pandemic, expanding pharmacists authority to refill prescriptions for chronically ill patients without a physicians authorization could relieve some of the stress on the healthcare system and help ensure patients have access to necessary medications, said Dr. Kalabalik-Hoganson.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the United States, its effects are being seen in the concerns and confusion of many Americans over issues related to the virus. The School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University recently surveyed adults nationwide about their worries over the availability of prescription drugs; their attitudes toward the role pharmacists could play in providing care and potential treatments; their knowledge of how the virus spreads, and what can be done to mitigate the chances of infection; and their assessment of the threat COVID-19 poses. Findings suggest the following:



Almost half of all Americans are worried that the coronavirus will make it harder for them to get their prescription drugs, and, as a result, many are increasing their refill to a 90-day supply, as well as visiting their doctors and pharmacists for assistance. Some are taking steps that could potentially endanger their health by taking medications less often than prescribed in order to stretch out their available supply.

Although the vast majority of Americans know that the virus can be transmitted by coughing, some Americans believe in sources of transmission that are simply false, including mosquitos and exposure to cold weather.

The message of social distancing as a way to minimize ones risk of becoming infected is getting through, but some Americans falsely believe that taking hot baths and using alcohol/vodka on ones body will minimize the risk of being infected with the coronavirus.

Even though COVID-19 is a new virus, a majority of Americans would not hesitate to receive a vaccine should it become available most Americans would feel confident relying on their pharmacist for testing and treatment if their doctor was unavailable which could help relieve some of the strain on other healthcare providers.

Prescription drugs and Care Providers

As the president touts the promising nature of certain prescription drugs for treating the virus, concerns are mounting that Americans will begin to experience difficulty in getting their currently prescribed medications. The supply chain worries many, with 41% somewhat or very worried that their drugs will become more difficult to get as a result of COVID-19. Republicans (62%) and seniors (63%) are the least worried about prescription drug supplies.

There are reasons for concern over drug shortages since China, the largest producer and exporter of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and India, a major producer of generic drugs, have both been severely impacted by COVID-19, said Julie Kalabalik-Hoganson, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, Fairleigh Dickenson University School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is carefully monitoring the drug supply chain, potential drug shortages will depend on the duration of the pandemic and how quickly pharmaceutical manufacturers can recover and get back to full production.

Those who are worried are taking various steps to ensure they have enough medication on hand in the coming weeks and months including, increasing their refills to a 90-day supply (53%), seeing their doctor (43%) or pharmacist (38%) for assistance, taking their medications less frequently in order to make them last longer (19%), and switching medications (8%).

In light of the pandemic, expanding pharmacists authority to refill prescriptions for chronically ill patients without a physicians authorization could relieve some of the stress on the healthcare system and help ensure patients have access to necessary medications, said Dr. Kalabalik-Hoganson. Additionally, authorizing pharmacists to perform coronavirus testing could help expand patient access to tests, reduce the spread of disease, reduce visits to overflowing emergency rooms and doctors offices, and improve patient outcomes. Since 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, point-of-care testing by pharmacists at temporary areas set up outside of drugstores will expand patient access to tests and getting them results more quickly.

The survey confirms Americans willingness to have pharmacists provide care when physicians are not accessible. More than eight-in-ten would turn to their pharmacist for coronavirus testing (84%) and treatment (85%), with over half saying they are very likely to do so if their doctor is unavailable.

It also affirms Americans interest in utilizing a COVID-19 vaccine, with 84 percent who say they would be likely to get inoculated if a vaccine became available. A sizable partisan difference separates Americans on this issue with fewer than half of Republicans (45%) as compared with 63 percent of Democrats who are very likely to do so.

How does it spread? What keeps you safe?

Information on how the coronavirus is transmitted has been widely disseminated; however, some Americans are still misinformed. While almost everyone (93%) correctly identifies coughing as a source of transmission, 17% believe exposure to cold weather puts them at risk for the virus and 13 percent say they can get COVID-19 from mosquitos  both of which are inaccurate. These disproven beliefs are more common among millennials and non-whites.

The message that social distancing is critical for stemming the spread of COVID-19 has definitely been heard. Ninety-six percent of all adults say distancing oneself from others is key to risk mitigation. Significantly fewer, but still around a quarter of all adults, also believe in disproven theories: 29 percent believe using hand dryers is effective, 27 percent believe spraying alcohol on ones body works, 24 percent say taking hot baths is helpful, and six percent believe in the use of vodka as a spray disinfectant to ward off the virus.

While there has been a great deal of good information relayed to the public about COVID-19 facts, it is evident that many myths about the virus exist, continued Dr. Kalabalik-Hoganson. During a time of information overload, the public needs accurate sources of information in order to take appropriate measures to protect themselves and others.

Threats vs. Hype

Finally, despite the claims by some that the virus is more an artifact of media hype rather than a real threat to the nations health, a clear majority reject this belief. Sixty-nine percent believe the virus is a genuine threat, with a quarter (26%) who distrust media accounts of the pandemic. Self-identified Republicans are the least likely to believe the virus is a threat (59%) and the most likely (35%) to distrust media accounts as compared with democrats and independents.

This is a rapidly changing story, and the landscape has already changed from when the interviews for this survey concluded a few days ago. Still, its notable that one-in-four are suspicious of what theyre hearing about the virus, said Krista Jenkins, professor of politics and government and director of the FDU Poll. Trust in leaders and institutions like the media is key to getting through a nationwide threat like COVID-19. Unfortunately, the American public goes into this with an already deep well of distrust for political leaders and institutions,

Americans also give President Trump a middling grade on whether his leadership has been helpful or harmful during the crisis. When asked on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning harmful and 10 meaning helpful, the average score was 5.9. Those with a HS degree or less (6.7) and Republicans (8.2) offer the highest appraisals, with Democrats (3.7) grading him the worst.

Methodology and tables can be found here:
A British tourist stranded in Fiji said he fears for his children aged three and eight months after the Pacific islands main international airport was shut due to coronavirus.

Photographer Thomas Lovelock, 40, claims they are being forgotten by the UK Government and are concerned because of poor medical facilities and fears of food shortages.

He and partner Jane Singleton, also 40, travelled to Fiji 10 days ago with son Louie and younger daughter Amelie.

They were visiting friends and family in Australia and New Zealand, but their flight home was cancelled.
A Quiet Place

We, like millions of movie fans, were devastated by the news that A Quiet Place Part II is being postponed from March 18 until further notice. Luckily, the original dropped onto Netflix over the weekend, and theres no better time to enjoy a cathartic scare and rewatch the horror hit of 2018. Director John Krasinsky achieved something remarkable with the first film, managing to produce a horror which isnt overly gory and doesnt rely on cheap jump scares to keep audiences interested. The central premise  make a sound and you die  is as simple as it is effective, and Emily Blunt delivers one of the strongest performances of her career as family matriarch Evelyn Abbott. Even when the future of the industry is in doubt, its a comfort to return to modern classics like this one  even if it does make us jump out our skin. HF Available on Netflix

Jonny Cournoyer
We dont need to be scurrying around trying to piece together or locate or generate the (personal protective equipment) that is at the core of care, said Patricia Meade, a registered nurse at Amita Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Were still expected to do our job and do it professionally and as adequately as we can, but we cannot do that if we do not have the equipment we need.
Like most foods, meat is best when it's served fresh. And while no one wants to be wasteful, no one should risk getting sick from tainted or spoiled meat. When that beef, pork or poultry is ground up, however, it can sometimes be difficult to tell if it's actually gone bad.

Since best by, sell by and use by dates can be pretty confusing, culinary professionals recommend that home cooks perform their own assessment of any meat products before cooking them.

The first test? Take a look. In general, ground meat should be a varied shade of red or pink. Slight discoloration is natural, but the product package itself may also indicate spoilage.

Related: The Barefoot Contessa took to Instagram to share tips on how best to put your freezer to work right now.

From a visual perspective, if you have a piece of meat that's in a bag or vacuum-sealed pouch (and) if it has blown up like a balloon, it's going to be really rotten, so much so, you should not even open the bag, butcher James Peisker, co-founder of Porter Road, told TODAY Food.

If ground meat passes the visual test, the next step is to touch it. If the meat is sticky or super slimy, throw it away. Wet and juicy is OK, but you never want your meat to be slimy to the touch, advised Peisker.

After passing the look and touch tests, then it's time to use your nose. Different meat has different smells," said Peisker but, generally, rotten meat actually smells slightly sweet. Like other products that have spoiled, ground meat will be especially pungent. Like fresh fish, fresh meat shouldn't really be smelly at all.

Here are some top tips for how to assess the freshness of specific types of meat.

How to tell if ground beef is bad

Meat (Getty Images)

"All beef, including ground beef, is a deep purple until it hits oxygen," Peisker told TODAY. "If it's a deep purple, it was cut and then taken away from oxygen instantly. As the meat hits oxygen, it blooms to a bright red."

Story continues

Beef actually has the longest shelf life of most ground meats and, assuming it wasn't purchased past its use by date and is freshly ground, should stay fresh in the fridge for five to seven days.

The meat should always have a nice sheen to it and not [be] gray. The grind should be a coarse grind where you can see the meat, Josh Capon, executive chef and partner at Lure Fishbar and Bowery Meat Company, said.

When raw beef starts to turn brown or gray (even if it's just a small portion of the package), it's time to perform the smell and touch tests right away. Graying is a natural process that occurs as beef continues to oxidize, but if there is any sticky residue or it smells funky, toss it. If you're still within that five day window and the beef is only a little gray on the outside, but otherwise seems fine, it's OK to consume it. However, if the meat is showing signs of gray or brown discoloration throughout, it's time to say goodbye.

It's also important to keep in mind that ground meat can still go rotten in the freezer. Large ice crystals (on ground beef) indicate it could be bad, and it could make you sick, said Peisker. "Also with frozen meat, if there is discoloration, be careful, it's always better to air on the side of safety."

How to tell if turkey ground turkey is bad

Meat (Getty Images)

"Ground poultry is the most difficult to see (if it's fresh) visually. It could go bad before it even browns, so that's why you need to eat it immediately," said Peisker. Ground turkey and chicken usually last just two to three days in the fridge.

Freshly ground turkey or chicken will have a light pink hue and virtually no smell. Like raw beef, raw poultry may get slightly gray or brown as it ages but the contrast may not be as obvious, so it's important to sniff it and thoroughly look for any slick or slimy residue before you use it any recipe.

How to tell if ground pork and sausage is bad

Meat (Getty Images)

Ground pork will stay fresh up to five days but around day three, you should definitely check the package.

"With grocery store ground pork, it will start to turn brown, but it doesn't have the oxidation like beef does," Peisker said. "Ground pork is often considered the 'other white meat' but ... if you get it from a reputable, high-quality purveyor, it will automatically look darker than what you would see in the grocery store."

When it comes to fresh sausages like bratwurst (which may have dairy in them), they will go bad pretty quickly.

"Anything in a natural casing will also go bad faster," said Peisker, adding that "anything that has a starch in it (potato, rice) will go bad faster, because bacteria loves starches and turns them into sugars  which will increase the growth of bacteria, good and bad."

How long sausage lasts will vary by the type of meat in it, but most sausages will last two to three days in the fridge, and about a month in the freezer.

Related: Is it safe to eat canned food after its "best by" date? Here's everything you need to know about canned foods.

Of course, with various spices and additives like onions or garlic, fresh sausage can be pretty pungent right off the bat. Chef Justin Burdett of Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, told TODAY that "pre-wrapped meats have an odor to them immediately after being opened that will go away after the meat is allowed to breathe a little. However, if the meat still smells after some time out of the packaging, it's likely gone bad."

Sausages also vary in color but like any other ground meat product, once they start to turn a different color, it's likely time to toss it. Touching the sausage, said Burdett, is probably the best way to assess whether it's fresh: "If the ground sausage feels sticky or has a gummy texture, it's past its time and shouldn't be used."

How to tell if cooked ground meat is bad

Grilling hot dogs and hamburgers (Shutterstock)

Meal prepping is becoming more and more popular, but if you're cooking up a big batch of ground meat, be prepared to use it up pretty quickly. Cooked ground (meat), if it's really fresh and not filled with stabilizers and preservatives, it will only last a day or two. But again, utilize the tests above  for anything pre-cooked in a store, use your senses to guide you to a decision, said Peisker.

When you're cooking ground meat, it's important to keep internal cooking temperatures in mind. For ground beef or pork, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends cooking it to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. For ground poultry, it's 165 degrees.

All tainted meat, whether it's beef, pork, chicken or veal, gets a slimy residue on it when it has gone bad  even in highly processed proteins like bacon and deli meats. Ever open a pack of hot dogs and find a sticky, slimy translucent goo that stretches as you pull your hot dogs apart? Vincent Olivieri, chef de cuisine at Fairway Market and Fairway Cafe and Steakhouse, asked. Anything with that sticky, unattractive slime should definitely be tossed out, even if it is filled with preservatives.

The golden rule: When it doubt, throw it out!

Trust all of your available senses, the experts said, but lean on smell as it is probably the best indicator of spoilage or freshness. Said Olivieri, Your nose is the most powerful tool when it comes to scoping out bad meat. If its got a funk its probably ready to go in the trash."
San Francisco, March 27 : Google has announced to resume key releases for Chrome and Chrome operating system (OS) after pausing those owing to the "adjusted work schedules" during the new coronavirus pandemic.

Google Chrome release team said that it continues to closely monitor that Chrome and Chrome OS are stable, secure, and work reliably.

"M83 will be released three weeks earlier than previously planned and will include all M82 work as we cancelled the M82 release (all channels)," the Google team said in a statement on Thursday.

"Our Canary, Dev and Beta channels have or will resume this week, with M83 moving to Dev, and M81 continuing in Beta".

Google Chrome release team said that its stable channel will resume release next week with security and critical fixes in M80, followed by the "release of M81 the week of April 7, and M83 in mid-May".

"We'll keep everyone informed of any changes on our schedule on our release blog and will share additional details on the schedule in the Chromium Developers group, as needed," said the company.

With most employees now working from home, Microsoft had also announced to pause the releases of new major versions of the Edge browser including version 81, citing the ongoing "global circumstances" surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.

Microsoft said it does not want to put an extra strain on system administrators and other IT staff personnel by releasing a new Edge version at this particular time.
A father-of-three arrested for transporting four shotguns and a revolver in a car in west Dublin has been further remanded in custody pending the possibility of more serious charges.

Security man Eugene Farrell (40) was refused bail last week after he was charged over the weapons seizure on St Patrick's Day. Mr Farrell, of Moorefield Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, is accused of three counts of possession of stolen property, but the court heard more serious charges are likely to be brought.

He faced his second hearing when he appeared via video-link before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court yesterday.

Judge Blake noted directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions were required.

Spoke

Garda Sergeant Stephen Nalty told Judge Blake that it was a recent matter and there will be a "comprehensive file".

Further more serious charges were contemplated, he added.

Judge Blake remanded Mr Farrell in continuing custody to appear again on April 9.

The accused spoke briefly to greet Judge Blake and to say thanks when his case was adjourned.

At his first hearing on March 20, he was denied bail following objections by Garda Michael Brislane who alleged the three shotguns were stolen in house burglaries.

He said they included a Harrington taken in Maynooth, Co Kildare, on October 4, 2018; a Beretta in Swords, Co Dublin, on September 19, 2018; and a Mossberg shotgun taken at Dunboyne, Co Meath, on September 6, 2019.

During a bail hearing, Garda Brislane alleged he was on patrol in the Ardmore Estate in Tallaght at 9.45pm on March 17 when he noticed a grey Peugeot 407 acting suspiciously.

After it was pursued he saw two men running from the vehicle, he said. Garda Brislane ran to the door and arrested the accused, the driver. He said a gearbag in the boot contained four shotguns and a revolver.

Defence solicitor Matthew Kenny had said his client's son was in prison and faced threats of assault over a drug debt. His client had made an error out of misplaced loyalty to his son and thought he was transporting drugs not guns.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock speaks during his campaign for president on Oct. 5, 2019. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Montana Governor Orders Residents to Stay at Home as State Announces First COVID-19 Death

The governor of Montana ordered residents to stay at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the state reported its first death from the new illness.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Gov. Steve Bullocks directive (pdf) requires Montana residents to stay at home with exceptions for essential trips getting necessary supplies like groceries, engaging in outdoor activity like hiking, and caring for others, such as a family member.

In consultation with public health experts, health care providers, and emergency management professionals, I have determined that to protect public health and human safety, it is essential, to the maximum extent possible, individuals stay at home or at their place of residence, Bullock said in a statement.

Theres no doubt that COVID-19 is causing a lot of hardship. Its also causing incredible hardships for our frontline doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff across the country.

All gatherings that are non-essential outside a home or place of residence are prohibited, regardless of size, if individuals cant follow the social distancing measure of staying at least six feet away from other people. Businesses that remain open also must follow that social distancing guideline.

The directive, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 28 and goes through April 10, also mandates the closure of all businesses deemed nonessential. Essential businesses include stores selling groceries and medicine, businesses involved in the production of food and beverages, and media outlets.

Transmission electron micrograph of the CCP virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, isolated from a patient. Photo published March 10, 2020. (NIAID)

The closure of schools was also extended through April 10.

The new rules are enforceable by the Attorney General, DPHHS, a county attorney, or other local authorities under the direction of a county attorney, according to the directive.

Shortly after the directive was issued, Bullock confirmed the first death from COVID-19 in the state.

Im heartbroken to learn of Montanas first death due to COVID-19. Especially during these times, Montana truly is one big small townthis news hits us hard, but were in this together. My family and I send our love and support to the family, friends, and community of our fellow Montanan, Bullock said in a statement.

No identifying information about the person was released.

Montana has 90 confirmed cases of the virus, with seven of those hospitalized.

Bullock, a former Democratic presidential contender, is running for a U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.).
27.03.2020 LISTEN

Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has appealed to security personnel at the country's borders to strive harder and implement the President's directive to the letter to ensure that the spread of the Coronavirus is curtailed.

He said the entire global community was overwhelmed by the infection rate and spread of the disease and that the surest way for Ghana to win the fight against the spread was for all to join hands and fight with genuine commitment.

Dr Salih made the appeal when he visited security personnel at the border posts at Hamile in the Lambusie District of the Upper West Region to interact and see how prepared and committed the personnel were in terms of preventing people from neighbouring Burkina Faso entering the country.

The Minister who led a team of the Upper West Regional Security Council (REGSEC) visited and interacted with the military personnel, the health officials, Immigration and the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), where he assured them of government's preparedness to support them carry out their duties diligently.

He said REGSEC was satisfied with the mechanisms put in place by the security personnel and the health officials at the border post and advised them not to relent or relax in their duties, by ensuring that the Region did not record any case of the virus.

He said it was important for the security personnel not to allow any incident that they might encountered demoralize them to relax in their duties saying, Government on its part is doing all it can to ensure your safety and welfare in this trying time.

Dr Salih said government would make sure that the efforts of all in the coronavirus fight including the security personnel were recognized and appealed for total commitment in fighting the virus.

The Minister also commiserated with an immigration officer who was allegedly shot at one of the unapproved routes in Hamile during patrols and assured that government would offer the appropriate compensation to personnel who suffered such casualties during the line of duty.

He appealed to the personnel to take advantage of the patrols to educate and sensitize the public on the dangers and preventive measures of the pandemic.

Heads of the units the Minister visited gave the assurance that they would work diligently to implement the President's directive to the letter and expressed gratitude to government for attending to their needs.

---GNA
A woman wearing a mask walks in Paris. (Getty Images)

Scientists have warned draconian measures to combat the coronavirus should be eased gradually to avoid a second peak in the outbreak.

A team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) used a mathematical model to simulate the impact of relaxing or extending school and workplace closures in the Chinese city Wuhan, where the new strain emerged.

Results suggest lifting these measures in March may cause a second wave of cases to come to light in late August.

Maintaining restrictions until the beginning of April, however, would likely delay a second peak until October, buying the health service more time.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

Live: Follow all the latest updates from the UK and around the world

Fact-checker: The number of COVID-19 cases in your local area

Explained: Symptoms, latest advice and how it compares to the flu

The city needs to be really careful to avoid prematurely lifting physical distancing measures, because that could lead to an earlier secondary peak in cases, said lead author Dr Kiesha Prem.

But if they relax the restrictions gradually, this is likely to both delay and flatten the peak.

While the exact timings will vary between countries, the scientists believe the principal of their findings will apply everywhere.

Medical staff move a patient from a specialist high-speed train to an ambulance during a transfer of coronavirus patients from Strasbourg to Angers, western France. (Getty Images)

The coronavirus is thought to have emerged at a seafood and live animal market in the Chinese city Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, at the end of last year.

Unprecedented measures were taken to control the outbreak, with strict travel restrictions being enforced in the city on 23 January.

This was extended to the rest of Hubei on 26 January.

The province, aside from Wuhan, has since lifted its travel restrictions. Wuhan will partially ease the measure on 8 April.

Travel aside, authorities closed schools, extended the Chinese New Year celebrations to keep adults from their workplace and promoted social distancing.

The coronavirus has spread well beyond China, with cases being confirmed in 175 countries across every inhabited continent.

Story continues

Since the outbreak was identified, more than 492,600 patients have been reported, of whom over 119,900 have recovered, according to John Hopkins University.

Cases in China have been plateauing since the end of February, with Europe now the epicentre of the pandemic.

The UK has had more than 9,600 confirmed cases, of whom 465 have died.

Globally, the death toll has exceeded 22,100.

Healthcare workers applaud in return as they are cheered on by local police outside the University Hospital in Coruna, north-west Spain. (Getty Images)

Crucial for policymakers everywhere

The LSHTM scientists based their model on information showing how often people of different ages mix in varying locations.

Numerous assumptions had to be made, including how long the average patient is infectious for and the coronavirus basic reproduction number.

This is the number of people a patient statistically goes onto infect.

For example, a number of three means every patient is expected to pass the virus to three others.

The coronavirus basic reproduction number has been debated, with Professor David Heymann, also from the LSHTM, previously telling Yahoo UK it changes daily as new information comes in.

When it comes to how long a patient is infectious for, scientists from John Hopkins University looked at 181 people who tested positive 4 January and 24 February.

They found most developed the tell-tale flu-like symptoms within five days, while nearly all (97.5%) endured fever, cough and breathlessness within 11.5 days.

Experts claimed this supported a 14-day quarantine.

After taking these assumptions into account, results of the LSHTM research suggest staggering the relaxation of Wuhans interventions until the beginning of April would reduce the number of infections by more than 92% by mid-2020.

By the end of the year, infections would be expected to be down 24%, the scientists wrote in The Lancet Public Health.

Our results won't look exactly the same in another country, because the population structure and the way people mix will be different, said study author Dr Yang Liu.

But we think one thing probably applies everywhere: physical distancing measures are very useful, and we need to carefully adjust their lifting to avoid subsequent waves of infection when workers and school children return to their normal routine.

If those waves come too quickly, that could overwhelm health systems.

Dr Tim Colbourn, from University College London, called the research crucial for policymakers everywhere.

Writing in a linked editorial, he added: It indicates the effects of extending or relaxing physical distancing control measures on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.

Given many countries with mounting epidemics now potentially face the first phase of lockdown, safe ways out of the situation must be identified.

New country-specific models should incorporate testing, contract tracing and localised quarantine of suspected cases as the main alternative intervention strategy to distancing lockdown measures, either at the start of the epidemic, if it is very small.

Or after the relaxation of lockdown conditions, if lockdown had to be imposed to prevent healthcare system overload in an already mounting epidemic.

A couple with a bunch of flowers walk in Warsaw. (Getty Images)

The world is holding its breath waiting to see what happens

Dr James Gill, from Warwick Medical School, praised the research, saying: The implications of this are profound.

Maintaining restrictions until April appears to have a significant effect on flattening the curve and has the potential to delay any second peak, benefits which the model shows are significantly lost if restrictions are abruptly lifted, rather than reduced in a staggered manner.

The proposals put forward here align with current practices and support the continuation of the quarantine efforts to reduce the case load burden on health infrastructures.

Given the current levels of assumptions already in use for government public health responses, it is gratifying to see a reasoned model which may be able to further guide policymakers.

Prof Tom Solomon, from the University of Liverpool, added we will only know if lifting restrictions triggers a second outbreak after the event.

The world is holding its breath waiting to see what happens when Wuhan eases the physical distancing measures that it imposed some months ago, he said.

Will easing restrictions lead to a second wave of coronavirus?

The measures clearly brought the outbreak under control, but will easing them lead to a second wave of [the coronavirus]?

This modelling paper suggests rather than easing the measures in March in Wuhan, they should be held in place til April to give the health systems more time to recover and prepare for a likely second wave.

There are so many uncertainties, however, I suspect the only way we will know for sure is to see what happens when the measures are eased.

Prof Solomon suggests authorities in Wuhan very slightly ease the measures for three weeks, perhaps by allowing people to spend more time outdoors, but without social contact.

We would then be able to see the impact on infection rates and lock down again if needed, he said.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday approved a disbursement of 120.9 million U.S. dollars to address Kyrgyzstan's COVID-19 outbreak, its first offer of emergency financial assistance since the pandemic started.

The IMF allocated 80.6 million dollars under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) and 40.3 million dollars under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) to meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of COVID-19, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

This is the first IMF emergency loan under the RFI/RCF worldwide since the outbreak of the pandemic, the statement said.

"We all understand that the outbreak weakened the macro and microeconomic prospects of Kyrgyzstan and showed a gap in the balance of payments, which is estimated at about 400 million dollars," Baktygul Zheenbaeva, Kyrgyzstan's finance minister, said at a government briefing on Friday.

She noted that the loan is on favorable terms, and will go towards supporting the country's budget.According to the IMF statement, the emergency support will help provide a backstop, increase buffers, and shore up confidence during this time of uncertainty.

It will also help catalyze donor support and preserve fiscal space for essential COVID-19-related health expenditure.

To date, 58 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been registered in Kyrgyzstan, according to the country's ministry of health.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Artificial intelligence will be increasingly used on labels on food and other products in the future to make them interactive, and regulations should be reformed now so they take account of new innovations, a study warns.

Thanks to the increased use of smartphones, smart-watches and other interconnected products, labelling on foods and other goods may become more personalised and thus more helpful, addressing consumer concerns, such as nut allergies.

Facial recognition technology can be used by shops and manufacturers to collect data on the specific needs of consumers, as well as to prompt shop staff to offer assistance or enable features such as large print on labels, if necessary.

The study says AI technology could play a significant role in making labelling more comprehensive and personalised, but regulators across Europe must ensure the technology is also used for public good and to help consumers. Changes are especially needed because AI is currently mainly being used to collect data about customers, or to help manufacturing or distribution.

The changes should include the introduction of more specific rules about the design and content of consumer product labels in order to prevent producers from manipulating consumers' product and safety expectations by using AI.

The EU Product Liability Directive is being reviewed and it is hoped the research, published in the European Journal of Risk Regulation, can contribute to this work.

advertisement

Dr Joasia Luzak, from the University of Exeter Law School, who carried out the research, said: "Modern technologies mean consumers can have more personal and comprehensive product labelling. The pace at which AI is being used means it would be wise to rethink the whole framework of the Product Liability Directive or to design a separate set of rules for products using modern technology. There is a danger this technology will only be used for the benefit of companies, not consumers."

The technology could benefit consumers as, for example, they could store the information on their allergies on a smartwatch, which information would then be picked up by interconnected, store devices. As a result, ingredients to which consumers are allergic could be highlighted on the labels of products when consumers near them. Companies often say it is not their responsibility when a fault occurs to the product after it leaves the manufacturing process and is put into circulation. However, if they continue to monitor the product through AI after the product is put on the market, or if they retain the right to adjust information on the labels, the study says this justification should no longer apply.

The research says more extensive AI product labelling, providing consumers with a greater list of warnings about product risks, should not be an excuse for manufacturers to avoid taking action or pass responsibility when a product becomes unsafe or malfunctions.

Dr Luzak said: "Consumers will likely pay more attention to personalised labelling. The use of modern technologies to personalise product labelling could be in the interests of both producers and consumers.

"Producers could gain more insights into their supply chain and more control over their products, as well as reaching more consumers with their product information. Consumers should be able to rely on better product information and to form more realistic expectations regarding consumer products.

"The increased tracking and monitoring of products should raise the level of product safety, which always reduces the instances of product liability."

The study says the definition of a "defective product" in the Product Liability Directive should be based on an objective assessment of product safety. This could be the product's adherence to safety standards and experts', rather than the public at large, safety expectations.
A software engineer has been arrested for giving a "call" to the people to sneeze in the open and spread coronavirus, police said on Friday.

The person identified as Mujeeb Mohammad had made this call in a Facebook post.

"Let's join hands, go out and sneeze with open mouth in public. Spread the virus," he wrote.

"The person who put this post saying people should go out and sneeze and spread the virus has been detained. His name is Mujeeb. He works in a software company," Bengaluru Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Infosys tweeted: "We are deeply concerned with an inappropriate post being attributed to an Infosys employee. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to responsible social-sharing.

The company also said, "Our preliminary enquiry, and discussions with our employees suggest that this could be a case of a mistaken identity."



"However, given the seriousness with which we take such matters, we are investigating this further and will also assist with any independent investigation. The company would take appropriate action based on its investigation," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:58:48|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

KINSHASA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)'s capital city Kinshasa on Thursday evening announced an order for its over 11 million residents to stay at home for three weeks with certain intervals in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the decree by Governor Gentiny Ngobila of Kinshasa, administratively equivalent to a province, the movement restrictions to be effective on Saturday allows intervals on designated days.

"I decree an intermittent total confinement of 3 weeks which will take effect from Saturday March 28, 2020 and will continue on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday March 31," Ngobila said in a televised announcement.

He said Kinshasans will be allowed to go outdoors on April 1-2, for shopping and walk before resuming confinement within 4 days for a total containment, the periods of which are with the exemptions for health care and other essential services.

The decision was made after 54 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the capital city, where the majority of the infections are now locally transmitted, and where the country's first case was reported on March 10.

President Felix Tshisekedi on Tuesday declared a state of emergency across the central African country, and announced measures including the closure of all borders to non-essential traffic and a ban on all trips between Kinshasa and the country's 25 provinces.

Three deaths from COVID-19 had been reported as of Tuesday in the country.
The State of Michigan is working with utility companies to ensure protections are in place for customers as efforts to help slow the spread of the coronavirus impact families and businesses across the state.

Major utilities including the states two largest, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, have enacted moratoriums on service disconnections, and are extending flexible payment plans, for low-income customers, seniors and those impacted by illness or job losses related to the pandemic. Gov. Gretchen Whitmers Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order directs Michiganders to stay in their homes except for approved reasons such as critical infrastructure jobs or performing tasks necessary for health and safety, at least through April 13, 2020.

Michiganders are tough, and we will get through this emergency by helping one another, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. We are fortunate that utilities across Michigan have stepped up with proactive policies to assist those in need during this crisis.

During these unprecedented times with a variety of concerns, worrying about utility bills should not be one of them, Attorney General Dana Nessel said. As Chief Consumer Advocate for this state, I am heartened to hear Michigan utilities voluntarily stepping up to help their customers.

Robert Gordon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said maintaining electric and heating service is critical in the battle to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Michiganders need to stay home, and many are dealing with lost income, Gordon said. We must do everything we can to keep people safe at home while we work to reduce the impact of the coronavirus, and we appreciate our partners at energy utilities throughout the state who are stepping up to pause service disconnections and provide flexibility to customers in need.

Utilities, including those regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission as well as municipal and cooperative owned utilities, have instituted policies to help protect vulnerable customers during this crisis, ranging from suspended disconnections and assistance to reconnect service to payment assistance.

Funds also are available through partnering organizations to help eligible customers who are behind on their utility bills. In an effort to serve Michigan families struggling with energy costs related to COVID-19 as effectively as possible, the Department of Health and Human Services will take a number of actions to streamline the application process for its primary energy assistance program, State Emergency Relief.

We encourage anyone who anticipates difficulty paying their energy bills not to wait, and to reach out to their utility company as soon as they can to work out payment options, said Sally Talberg, chairman of the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates investor-owned energy companies in Michigan. Each utility may vary, but whether you a have medical or financial need, payment protections and assistance are available.

Michiganders who use propane for home heating also are eligible for income-based assistance programs. Customers with heating costs that they are unable to pay should first contact their energy supplier and explain their situation before they run out of fuel.

Home energy assistance

Be Proactive - Contact your utility company as soon as you know you will be unable to pay your bill on time.

Call 2-1-1 or click on www.mi211.org to learn about agencies in your county that may assist with your energy bill.

State Emergency Relief (SER) may help low-income households pay part of their heating or electric bills, assist in keeping utilities in service, or have service restored. The program is available year-round. Call your local Department of Health and Human Services office for information or apply on MI Bridges. Households must apply for SER assistance prior to receiving any Michigan Energy Assistance Program services.

The Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) works with households to provide supplemental bill payment assistance and self-sufficiency services to low-income residents statewide. At the time of SER application, applicants will be able to choose a MEAP provider to work with. A list of organizations that deliver MEAP services can be found on the MPSCs website. MEAP grantees are all community partners with MDHHS and can help applicants to navigate the MDHHS application process.

Connect with an MDHHS community partner to help work through the process of applying for assistance.

Home Heating Credit qualified persons may receive a credit to help pay winter heating bills. Apply for a Home Heating Credit if you are low-income or receive public assistance or unemployment compensation. Eligible customers must meet guidelines based on household income, exemptions and heating costs. You must apply by Sept. 30 each year. The application form (MI-1040CR-7) can be requested from the Michigan Department of Treasury at 517-636-4486, or visit website at www.michigan.gov/treasury.

Gov. Whitmers executive order also directed all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. For business customers, utility companies may be able to offer flexible payment terms or suggestions to manage utility bills under these extraordinary circumstances.

Safety tips

Under Gov. Whitmers stay-home order, utility workers are considered essential as they work to keep Michigans energy infrastructure safe and reliable. Their health is critical to maintaining energy service.

Please practice social distancing and do not approach workers if you see them outside. If a utility worker comes to your home on a service call, please maintain a minimum of six feet of distance from them.

If you experience a power outage or an emergency such as a wire down, contact your utility as you normally would.

New utility service hookups and construction of new utility service lines may be delayed as utilities prioritize work and protect employees and the public; contact your utility to see if your schedule may be impacted.

Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath.

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19, is to:

If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

Avoid contact with people who are sick.

If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.

Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at www.Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and www.CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Utility contact information

For specific information about bill assistance or flexible payment plans, contact your utility directly.

Investor-owned utilities

Consumers Energy Co. 800-477-5050, www.consumersenergy.com

DTE Energy Co. 800-477-4747, www.dteenergy.com

Municipal utilities

Bay City 989-894-8350, www.baycitymi.org

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
(Reuters) - Harley-Davidson Inc on Thursday withdrew its financial forecasts as the coronavirus outbreak hurts its supply chain, and warned further disruptions could dent its ability to supply and sell motorcycles.

Harley said last week it would shut majority of the production at its facilities in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, starting March 18 through March 29, after an employee tested positive for the virus at its Wisconsin facility.

(Reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
Liz Schofield listened as the phone rang once, then twice, before a woman picked up.

Im calling to get in touch with you about your test results, said Schofield, a Main Line Health critical care nurse, pausing to let her words sink in. Im sorry to tell you that you have tested positive for coronavirus.

Schofield had already been on the phone for nearly two hours Wednesday morning. Every call, about 20 by 11 a.m., had been to inform people that they were infected. One of them told Schofield he had an immune-compromised wife and was worried she would die if he spread the virus to her. During a call with a man who is 37  the same age as Schofield  she could hear young children in the background.

Its hard, Schofield said of working on Main Lines weeks-old COVID Communications team at the corporate offices in Radnor. I just hope they get better.

Across the United States, hospitals have been dealing with a disease disaster made worse by the federal governments failure to act in the early weeks, when better containment might have been possible. Now, with U.S. case numbers exploding, testing is still a bottleneck, and there is a dire shortage of everything from low-tech face masks to high-tech ventilators. In New York City, a doctor at a hospital with 13 deaths in one day told the New York Times just days ago that the situation was apocalyptic.

 READ MORE: Coronavirus math shows the importance of social distancing

Philadelphia-area hospitals are now preparing for the surge. Thats a medical term referring not just to the deluge of patients but also to how hospitals plan to do the near-impossible: provide adequate care without adequate resources.

We anticipate we are no more than two weeks behind New York City, P.J. Brennan, chief medical officer of the massive University of Pennsylvania Health System, said Thursday. Cases are doubling every two to three days. We had 46 confirmed cases last night. You do the math.

The math suggests that in two weeks, April 9, Penns six hospitals, including the flagship in West Philadelphia, could have at least 1,472 coronavirus patients. And the peak of the crisis, Brennan said, is projected to be in late May or June.

 READ MORE: These maps and graphics show how the coronavirus is spreading across our region

Hospitals are hoping that the states stay-at-home orders and social distancing will blunt the tsunami of sickness, keeping the daily number of cases at a relatively manageable level. But 1 in 20 people who get infected need hospitalization, worldwide data suggest.

The extent of the surge and how long it will last is hard to predict, said Bruce Meyer, president of Jefferson Health System. There are many variables. What is the length of hospital stay? What is the home-care ability? And we dont know how to factor in potential new treatments.

One mask. Make it last.

Effective therapies, if they come, will not come soon, so hospitals large and small are repurposing, reconfiguring, and reinventing their operations.

Jefferson is working with fabric designers at its East Falls facility  the former Philadelphia Textile Institute  to make face masks and find ways to re-sterilize used ones.

 READ MORE: The factory that makes the Phillies uniforms reopened to make free masks and gowns to fight coronavirus

Temple University has agreed to let the city use the Liacouras Center as needed to expand Philadelphias hospital-bed capacity. Temples health system, meanwhile, turned its entire Boyer Pavilion  a 10-story building normally dedicated to neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery  into a coronavirus hospital.

It has a parking garage and separate everything, so we can separate confirmed coronavirus cases, said Michael Young, president of Temples system.

Temple and many other hospitals have set up tents outside their emergency departments so people with respiratory symptoms can be evaluated without exposing other patients. Virtua Health System, the largest in South Jersey, has also turned the auditorium of its Camden hospital into such a triage center.

Penns pull-out-the-stops strategies include converting space in the former Graduate Hospital, which is now a rehabilitation center, and racing to set up a 118-bed intensive care unit on the first two floors of the still-under-construction, $1.5 billion Pavilion patient tower.

 READ MORE: Nurses are using their own time off from work to be in isolation after coronavirus contact

Perhaps the biggest struggle for hospitals is keeping their most precious resource  workers  healthy.

Penn, for example, now checks employees temperatures at hospital entrances. If they seem fine, they get a surgical mask to wear throughout their shift; the mask is stored in a bag and reused daily unless it gets ripped or visibly dirty. In normal times, not all employees would don masks, and even those providing patient care would not wear masks at all times.

The personal risks are relentless. Many physicians and nurses feel as if theyve been thrown into a war, said oncologist Ravi Parikh, a physician at the VA Medical Center in West Philadelphia.

But unlike traditional wars, he and two colleagues wrote in an op-ed for The Inquirer, these soldiers dont sleep in trenches; they return home each night. Each trip home requires a renewed commitment to containment  to isolate their families from the disease they have spent the day fighting.

 READ MORE: Drexel University working to fill critical need for COVID-19 masks and respirators

Hospitals are literally begging for the provisions they need for that fight. At Einstein Healthcare Network, operator of a major safety-net hospital in North Philadelphia, key departments have switched to foraging and fabricating protective equipment.

The fund-raising office has transformed overnight to lead the charge in managing and securing PPE donations for our frontline employees, said Einstein spokesperson Damien Woods. Our facilities management team turned their office into a makeshift factory to build homemade face shields. Hospitals have changed incredibly over the past few weeks.

Testing still takes too long

Amid the stress and turmoil, many hospital officials are reluctant to be candid about their plans. Asked about their surge preparations, numerous systems  including Camden-based Cooper University Health Care, the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Philadelphia, and Trinity Health, which operates Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Darby  responded with only vague answers, or said nothing.

In contrast, Main Line on Wednesday allowed an Inquirer reporter and photographer to speak with doctors at Lankenau Medical Center, one of its four acute-care suburban hospitals, and to tour the command center at the corporate offices.

Besides fielding questions from clinicians and employees, the command center calls patients with test results. Schofield and six other nurses worked the phones Wednesday at tables arranged in a U-shape around a whiteboard. First, they called patients getting bad news, so they could begin staying away from family members as soon as possible.

We want you to quarantine yourself for 14 days, Schofield told a woman who was experiencing mild symptoms. It sounds like youll be OK, but please see a doctor if you start to notice shortness of breath."

Hospitals are planning for scenarios health professionals hope never to confront, from deciding which critically ill patients get to use scarce ventilators, to where corpses can be humanely stored if the morgues are overrun.

The mood has been anxious, said Matthew Gietl, assistant nursing manager at Lankenau Medical Center, a 341-bed hospital in Lower Merion Township. The anxiety just kind of hangs around, with everyone waiting for that surge to come in.

At Lankenau and its other hospitals, Main Line has erected drive-up tents where people can get swabbed for the virus while in their cars. Of the 2,000 people who have given specimens, almost a quarter had tested positive for the virus, while an additional 1,000 people were awaiting their results as of Wednesday.

The hospital system has access to 201 ventilators, with dozens on order, said Jack Lynch, Main Lines chief executive and president. The systems intensive care capacity could grow from 131 beds to 250 by converting other spaces, such as the pre-operative and post-op areas.

Volunteers and medical students have been sent home to minimize the risk of spread, but the students may be asked back if needed.

 READ MORE: Its Match Day: Newest crop of medical students to begin their residencies in the age of the coronavirus

Officials are concerned about burning through their supply of protective equipment but say a recent donation of 8,000 masks has kept them going  for now. The biggest need I have right now is rapid testing, said Mark Ingerman, the systems chief of infectious diseases.

Main Line could do 45-minute molecular testing  if the federal government would send the chemical reagents vital to the process. So, like other facilities, it must send samples away and wait up to five days for results.

During that delay, hospital workers and patients must presume patients could be contagious, and precious supplies must be used in their care

The quicker we get those tests back, the better, Ingerman said.

As for worst-case scenarios, Main Line is awaiting state guidance on how to prioritize patients if ventilators must be rationed. And it plans to bring in refrigerated trucks if the morgues are full.

I dont know where they would park them, Lynch said, but whatever wed do, wed handle the deceased with great respect and great care.

Staff writer Wendy Ruderman contributed to this article.
Oil declined for a fifth straight week amid a one-two punch from collapsing demand due to the coronavirus crisis and ballooning supply from producers vying for market share.

Futures in New York slumped 4.8% on Friday and are poised for the biggest quarterly drop on record as weak demand and an onslaught of supply roil markets. Refineries across the globe are curbing consumption as fuel use declines with people staying home. Meanwhile, major trader Trafigura Group expects as much as 1 billion barrels to be sent into storage tanks.

More oil is headed into stockpiles as the Russia-Saudi war for market share that exacerbated crudes crash this month shows no sign of abating. The kingdom held firm on Friday, saying it hasnt had any contacts with Moscow about output cuts or on enlarging the OPEC+ alliance of producers. Russia also doubled down, with Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin saying oil at $25 a barrel is unpleasant, but not a catastrophe for Moscow.

Theres no doubt this is the swiftest and largest shock to oil since it was discovered in the 1800s, said Leo Mariani, equity research analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets. For demand, we are looking at multi-standard deviation demand destruction. Theres no good playbook for investors on how to handle this.

U.S. crude has tumbled about 65% so far this quarter. The crash has crippled domestic producers who are forced to cut production for the first time in 35 years. The International Energy Agency this week warned that global demand was in free fall amid coronavirus lockdowns.

STATE HELP: Texas regulators approve fund to help strapped Texans pay for electricity

Demand destruction exacerbates the shock of a massive amount of barrels hitting the market, said Peter McGinn, market strategist at RJ OBrien & Associates LLC in Chicago. OPEC needs to get back to the negotiation table and hammer out an agreement.

Theres no doubt this is the swiftest and largest shock to oil since it was discovered in the 1800s, said Leo Mariani, equity research analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets. For demand, we are looking at multi-standard deviation demand destruction. Theres no good playbook for investors on how to handle this.

Meanwhile, Iraq -- OPECs second-biggest producer -- will allow national oil companies to boost their output and export without imposing any ceiling. Algeria has asked for an emergency OPEC board meeting to discuss the cuts. It comes as one of the worlds largest supertanker owners said that ships are being filled with crude at a record pace, as land storage rapidly diminishes.

The signs of storage starting to fill are growing, too. Inland tanks for heating oil in Germany are now full, while Pakistan banned oil imports on Thursday because its stockpiles are now sufficiently built up.

Well all be writing about this time for the next 30 years, said Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Standard Chartered. Anybody who does barrel counting or has a supply demand model cannot close the huge surplus without a lot of supply being forced off.
A large majority of Americans disagree with President Trump that the nations battle against the coronavirus is winding down and that normal economic activity should resume sooner rather than later, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll  and that divide appears to be eroding public trust in Trumps leadership during the pandemic.

As the virus continues to spread exponentially  the U.S. now leads the world in cases, with more than 85,000  the poll found that 59 percent of Americans think that Easter, which falls on April 12, is too soon to open the country up for business, even though the president has repeatedly said he hopes to do just that. Just 20 percent said Easter would be about right.

By the same token, only 21 percent of Americans think that the cure  in this case, the sort of shelter-in-place orders now in force in New York and California  is worse than the disease. A full 79 percent agree with public health experts who say that such restrictions are the only way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Asked how long they expected the coronavirus to be a serious problem for them and their communities, a plurality (38 percent) said more than three months, the longest timeline among the five options.

And 58 percent of Americans believed that ignoring the virus and returning to normal life would lead to many deaths, compared with 32 percent who predicted that only a few would die.

As a result, most Americans who say they have heard from Trump during the crisis believe he is doing only a fair or poor job on a variety of leadership metrics, including unifying the country (56 percent fair or poor); organizing the governments response (53 percent fair or poor); communicating with the public (51 percent fair or poor); listening to scientists (54 percent fair or poor); relating to problems faced by average Americans (55 percent fair or poor); and taking bold actions (52 percent fair or poor).

Asked whether they approve or disapprove of the way Trump has handled the coronavirus overall, 49 percent said they disapproved and 43 percent said they approved. Sixty percent said the Trump administration was not adequately prepared to deal with the pandemic, versus only 25 percent who said the opposite  a net 14-point shift against the president since the last Yahoo News/YouGov poll two weeks ago.

Story continues

In contrast, 60 percent of Americans rated their state and local governments handling of the coronavirus as either excellent or good.

The survey wasnt all bad news for Trump: His approval rating for handling the coronavirus ticked up 2 points over the past two weeks, and the share of Americans who are satisfied his administration is doing everything it can to stop the virus rose 3 points, from 37 percent to 40 percent. Other polls have found pluralities of Americans approving of Trump's coronavirus response, and his average job-approval rating has improved amid the crisis.

The poll made it clear that the country has become much more worried about the coronavirus over the past two weeks. Back then, only 37 percent of Americans were paying very close attention to the virus; now that number is 50 percent. Previously, only 29 percent said there had been coronavirus cases in their community; now that number is 60 percent. The share of Americans who believe its either somewhat or very likely they will become infected rose 15 points, from 25 percent to 40 percent. Two weeks ago, a plurality of Americans (44 percent) said the threat of the coronavirus had been exaggerated; today, that number has fallen by half (to 22 percent), while a full 62 percent now say the threat is not exaggerated.

Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Getty Images

Personal behavior has changed rapidly. Since March 12, the number of Americans who have stopped shaking hands has risen from 28 percent to 61 percent. The number who have stockpiled food or other supplies has risen from 15 percent to 31 percent. The number who have avoided crowded public places has risen from 37 percent to 70 percent. In addition, 57 percent of Americans have stopped eating at restaurants, 67 percent have stopped leaving the house except for essential needs and 63 percent are staying 6 feet away from other people in public places.

The economic impact of these upheavals has been widespread. Ten percent of respondents said they have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus, and 18 percent said their hours and income have been reduced. Fifteen percent said a family member had lost their job. Thirty-two percent said theyd lost money in the stock market or their retirement funds. Fifty-seven percent of Americans now say the economy is getting worse  up 20 points over the past two weeks.

The political impact of the crisis is unclear. Sixty-one percent of Americans said they had heard from Trump during the last week; only 48 percent said the same about likely Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Meanwhile, 61 percent of those who had heard from Biden rated his performance as either fair or poor. Even so, Biden led Trump by 6 points  42 percent to 36 percent  on the question of who Americans would trust more to handle the coronavirus. (Biden led his Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, by an even wider margin, 45 percent to 31 percent. Among Democrats, Biden led Sanders 50 percent to 29 percent on the same question.) Asked who they would vote for in November, 46 percent of respondents said Biden and 40 percent said Trump.

Politically, the $2 trillion congressional aid package appears to be very popular. Americans favor its passage by a 74 percent to 7 percent margin, and all of its provisions  save for $500 billion in loans for corporations  polled well over 50 percent.

Still, its possible that the public hasnt fully come to grips with the toll that the coronavirus may take on the country. Twenty-six percent of Americans still said they are not very worried or not worried at all about the pandemic. Twenty-two percent said most of their peers are overreacting. And 24 percent predicted that fewer than 1,000 people would die in the United States because of the virus  a threshold the U.S. crossed this week.

This Yahoo! News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,579 U.S. adult residents interviewed online between March 25-26, 2020. Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. residents based upon their age, gender, race, education and voter registration. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as the 2016 presidential vote, registration status and news interest. The weights were trimmed to have a range of 0.1 to 5. The coefficient of variation of the final weights was 0.8.The margin of error (MOE) for estimates based on the full sample was 3.1 percent. The sample estimate should differ from its expected value by less than the margin of error in 95 percent of all samples. It does not reflect nonsampling errors, including potential selection bias in panel participation or in response to a particular survey.

This story has augmented reality! Tap the video above to see how it looks and download the Yahoo News app to launch the full experience. Augmented reality is currently available to iPhone users (iPhone 8 and later) with the latest version of iOS.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
The remarkable tale of an RAF airman who survived two days adrift in the North Sea can today be revealed after his bravery medals emerged for sale.

Flight Sergeant Gareth Jones, otherwise known as 'Jones the Gun', was on board a Halifax bomber that had to ditch in the sea after being shot up during a raid on Cologne in June 1943.

During the crash landing Sgt Jones' flying suit caught fire but he was able to put it out on entering the water.

Sgt Jones and the crew spent 48 hours clinging to wreckage.

Their fate looked bleak until a passing Royal Navy submarine spotted them and came to their rescue.

Sgt Jones' log book entry for the incident simply reads: 'Operations Cologne - suit on fire, ditched in North Sea, adrift in North Sea for 2 days, rescued by ASR No 362.'

Flight Sergeant Gareth Jones (pictured) was on board a Halifax bomber that had to ditch in the sea after being shot up during a raid on Cologne in June 1943

Sgt Jones' medal group consists of the Distinguished Flying Medal; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence & War Medals; Bomber Command Medal; European Confederation of Former Combatants Medal

Sgt Jones' prestigious Distinguished Flying Medal (pictured), awarded for his impressive wartime exploits, is being sold together with the rest of his campaigns at auctioneer Lockdales, of Suffolk

Just six weeks before, the same crew had another lucky escape when the shot-up aircraft overshot the landing area at RAF Riccall, North Yorks, and was badly damaged when it crashed into a ditch.

Sgt Jones, an air gunner from Bridgend, South Wales, took part in 25 European sorties with 51 Squadron of Bomber Command and was wounded several times.

He bounced back from his injuries and later transferred to 159 Squadron in the Far East.

He became a thorn in the side of the Japanese, killing scores of enemy combatants during the conflict in bombing raids in 1944-45.

One logbook entry reveals he was wounded in the stomach during a raid on a large concentration of Japanese troops at Mergui.

In another action, flying in a Liberator aircraft, he destroyed two enemy aircraft in a duel in the skies.

Sgt Jones documented his exploits in a logbook (pictured). One logbook entry reveals he was wounded in the stomach during a raid on a large concentration of Japanese troops at Mergui

Sgt Jones' medal collection is expected to fetch 1,300 when it goes under the hammer at auctioneer Lockdales, of Suffolk on Saturday

A letter shows how Sgt Jones was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Medal as a result of his heroic actions

F/Sgt Jones' prestigious Distinguished Flying Medal, awarded for his impressive wartime exploits, is being sold together with the rest of his campaigns at auctioneer Lockdales, of Suffolk.

The group is expected to fetch 1,300.

A Lockdales spokesperson said: 'During his 25 sorties over Europe Gareth Jones was wounded several times in action, deaths of fellow crew members noted

'After his plane ditched in the North Sea survived for two days in the water clinging to wreckage.'

F/Sgt Jones was discharged from the RAF in 1951 and joined the Territorial Army.

His medal group consists of the Distinguished Flying Medal; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence & War Medals; Bomber Command Medal; European Confederation of Former Combatants Medal.

The sale takes place on Saturday.

Sgt Jones became a thorn in the side of the Japanese, killing scores of enemy combatants during the conflict in bombing raids in 1944-45 (pictured, one of his medals)
DETROIT - President Donald Trump issued an order Friday that seeks to force General Motors to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients under the Defence Production Act.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FiLE - In this March 26, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room, in Washington. Trump attacked General Motors Friday, March 27, alleging that the company promised to build thousands more breathing machines than it can deliver for coronavirus patients. The attack on Twitter was another step in an escalating feud involving the president, GM, several governors and medical experts over the severity of the coronavirus crisis and just how many ventilators will be needed to handle it.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

DETROIT - President Donald Trump issued an order Friday that seeks to force General Motors to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients under the Defence Production Act.

Trump said negotiations with General Motors had been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course.

Trump, who had previously been reluctant to use the act to force businesses to contribute to the coronavirus fight, said GM was wasting time and that his actions will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

GM is among the farthest along of U.S. companies trying to repurpose factories to build ventilators. It is working with Ventec Life Systems, a small Seattle-area ventilator maker, to increase the company's production and GM will use its auto electronics plant in Kokomo, Indiana to make the machines.

Experts say that no matter how many ventilators companies can crank out, it may not be enough to cover the entire need, and it may not come in time to help areas now being hit hard with critical virus cases.

U.S. hospitals now have about 65,000 ventilators fully capable of treating severe coronavirus patients. They could cobble together about 170,000, including some simpler versions that won't work in all cases, said Dr. Lewis Rubinson, chief medical officer at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey and lead author of a 2010 medical journal article on the matter.

Some 960,000 people in the U.S. will need to be on ventilators at one point or another during the crisis, according to an estimate made in February by Dr. James Lawler, an associate professor and infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Rubinson said its unlikely the U.S. would need that many ventilators at the same time, estimating it will need more like 300,000 fairly quickly. If social distancing works, people will get sick at different times, allowing hospitals to use ventilators on multiple patients.

President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room, Friday, March 27, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

In the most severe cases, the coronavirus damages healthy tissue in the lungs, making it hard for them to deliver oxygen to the blood. Pneumonia can develop, along with a more severe and potentially deadly condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can damage other organs.

GM said Friday it could build 10,000 ventilators per month starting in April with potential to make even more.

After Trump invoked the act, GM said in a statement that it has been working around the clock for more than a week with Ventec and parts suppliers to build more ventilators. The company said its commitment to build Ventecs ventilators has never wavered.

Trump said from the Oval Office Friday afternoon that the government thought it had a deal for 40,000 ventilators but GM cut the number to 6,000 and talked about a higher price than previously discussed.

We didn't want to play games with them," he said later that evening during his daily briefing, adding that GM now agrees with him and he may be able to end the enforcement of the act.

Trump also said wasn't happy with GM for closing its factory in Lordstown, Ohio. I didn't go into it with a very favourable view, he said.

Peter Navarro, White House trade adviser, said officials worked with more than 10 companies to get ventilators, including Ford and General Electric, and nearly all have been co-operative. But the government had problems with GM and Ventec, he said. We cannot afford to lose a single day, he said.

GM asserts that it is offering resources to Ventec at cost. Ventec, not GM, is talking with the government, and the only changes Ventec has made have been at the government's request, said Chris Brooks, the company's chief strategy officer. GM would merely be a contract manufacturer for Ventec, he said.

Ventec ventilators, which are portable and can handle intensive care patients, cost about $18,000 each, Brooks said. That's much cheaper than the more sophisticated ventilators used by hospitals that can cost up to $50,000, he said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has made multiple requests since Sunday for estimates of how many ventilators it can build at what price, and has not settled on any numbers, according to Brooks. That could slow Ventec's efforts to ramp up production because it doesn't know how many breathing machines it must build, he said.

Trump invoked the Defence Production Act soon after a series of tweets earlier Friday attacking GM and CEO Mary Barra. The president also cajoled Ford to build ventilators fast. Ford responded that it's pulling out all the stops.

It was a dramatic shift in tone from the night before, when the president told Fox News that pleas by hospitals for more ventilators are exaggerated.

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be, he said.

I dont believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump continued. "You know, youre going to major hospitals sometimes, they'll have two ventilators. And now, all of a sudden, they're saying, can we order 30,000 ventilators?

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.

When Trump was asked during Friday's briefing why he invoked the act if the ventilators won't be needed, he said he thought there is a good chance there'll be enough and that if there ends up being a surplus, the ventilators could be sent to other countries.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been pleading for 30,000 more ventilators to handle an expected surge in critical virus patients during the next three weeks.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, said her state is facing a critical need for ventilators. Michigan has gone from three coronavirus deaths a week ago to a total of 92 on Friday.

I think we need to let the scientists and the doctors tell us what we need and not people without medical degrees or the background, she said.

__

Kevin Freking in Washington and David Koenig in Dallas contributed to this story.
Better Call Saul is the prequel to Vince Gilligan and Peter Goulds smashing success Breaking Bad. As such, weve seen many familiar faces and places in Better Call Saul that originated from Breaking Bad. Fans have picked up on the more obvious references found in both series, but more recently, subtler location easter eggs have been revealed. That includes Kim Wexlers (Rhea Seehorn) client, Mesa Verde Bank and Trust.

With the idea that Mesa Verde could be disguised as Mesa Credit Union, fans are wondering what other Better Call Saul locations the show creators hid throughout Breaking Bad.

These are a few other locations from Better Call Saul that can be spotted in Breaking Bad.

Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan | Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Mesa Verde becomes Mesa Credit Union

In the pilot of Breaking Bad, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) frantically drove to his credit union to withdraw money so that Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) could buy the R.V. that will become their mobile meth lab. Walter pulled into the parking lot of Mesa Credit Union  a bank many fans are speculating was once Mesa Verde.

While Mesa isnt an unusual name for a business in New Mexico, fans still think the two are connected in some way. It wouldnt be that far fetched for show creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould to have made that detail work  after all, theyve created a whole new story out of details from Breaking Bad!

Loyolas Family Restaurant

Another location that is seen in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is Loyolas Family Restaurant. When Jimmy is first starting to gather clients, he meets Betsy and Craig Kettleman at Loyolas. There, the thieving treasurer who embezzled $1.6 million bribed Jimmy to help him cover it up.

Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) is another Better Call Saul/Breaking Bad character that frequents Loyolas. He often dines alone, but Mike is seen with Hector Salamanca and Jimmy at different points throughout Better Call Saul.

In Breaking Bad, Loyolas remains Mikes go-to meeting place. He and Jesse share lunch there after they recover stolen cartel drugs. Later, Mike meets Lydia at the restaurant to discuss the death of Gus Fring.

Diehard fans have visited the actual restaurant, which has become an Albuquerque landmark since being featured in both series.

Juan Tabo Boulevard

Gilligan is a sucker for subtly, which means there were a few other locations in Better Call Saul that Breaking Bad fans may have missed their first time around. Jimmys office in Better Call Saul is located at 160 Juan Tabo Boulevard  the address of an actual nail salon, by the way!

In Breaking Bad, the ill-fated chemist Gale Boetticher lives on the same street at 6353 Juan Tabo Boulevard. Gale is seen briefly in Better Call Saul when Gus visits his chemistry lab at the University of New Mexico to have methamphetamine samples tested by the brilliant chemist.

Casa Tranquila

Early on in Better Call Saul, Jimmy works hard to prove himself as a lawyer and grow his elder law business. Many of his clients reside in senior living facilities. On the hunt for new clients, Jimmy visits Casa Tranquila, the home of Hector Salamanca and eventual place-of-death for Gus Fring.

Better Call Saul has highlighted the most minute of details in the past and fans have caught on. The granular details, like these locations and the anagrammatic episode names, are what fans have come to expect from Gilligan and his partner-in-crime Gould.

With only one more season of Better Call Saul left, fans are eager to see if Walter White and his partner Jesse Pinkman make an appearance before the show concludes.

Related: Better Call Saul: The Many Reasons Jimmy McGill Trashed Howard Hamlins Car
Technavio has been monitoring the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market and it is poised to grow by USD 1.67 billion during 2019-2023. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005422/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will decelerate during the forecast period. Alphabet, Amazon.com, IBM, Microsoft, and SAS Institute are some of the major market participants. The need for data integration solutions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Need for data integration solutions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market is segmented as below:

Application Predictive risk management Consumer experience management Sales marketing



Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30157

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market report covers the following areas:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Size

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Trends

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies growing demand for smart homes as one of the prime reasons driving the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market growth during the next few years.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market, including some of the vendors such as Alphabet, Amazon.com, IBM, Microsoft, and SAS Institute. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Predictive risk management Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Consumer experience management Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Sales and marketing Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY SOLUTION

Market segmentation by solution

PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 12: MARKET TRENDS

PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Alphabet

Amazon.com

IBM

Microsoft

SAS Institute

PART 15: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005422/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/
While teenagers are celebrating birthdays over Zoom with one another, children are chatting with friends over online games and young adults are ordering food via delivery apps, some older people are intimidated by such technology. According to a 2017 Pew Research study, three-quarters of those older than 65 said they needed someone else to set up their electronic devices. A third also said they were only a little or not at all confident in their ability to use electronics and to navigate the web.
Tucson mutual aid groups and neighbors have organized on their own during the coronavirus pandemic to help support others. Here are three examples of the ways Tucsonans are taking care of each other.
T he newly-established US Space Force has launched its first national security satellite, despite running with a less staff because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A rocket carrying the communications satellite lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida, on Thursday.

Nothing stops the space launch mission, the 45th Space Wing tweeted from the launch site.

The $1 billion satellite is the sixth and final one in the US military's Advanced Extremely High Frequency series.

Upgraded from the older Milstar satellites, the constellation has provided secure communication from 22,000 miles above the Earth for nearly a decade.

A powerful Atlas V rocket hoisted the 6,168 kilogram satellite. The new Space Force seal adorned the United Launch Alliance rocket.

The one billion US dollars satellite is the sixth and final one in the US military's Advanced Extremely High Frequency series / AP

However, with the viewing area closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, fewer people than usual watched the lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Bruno said non-essential personnel were banned from the launch control room to reduce the size of the crowd.

Cant quite get 6ft everywhere. Surfaces will be cleaned between people, etc, tweeted Mr Bruno, who monitored the launch from company headquarters in Denver. He normally travels to the launch site.

The Space Force officially became a new branch of the US military in December, and has been described by President Donald Trump as "separate but equal" to the Air Force.
Highlights Zomato, Swiggy acing several hurdles across cities while trying to deliver food

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal in a series of tweets said that they are working with the local authorities to let them work

Swiggy also stated that closure of restaurants has also disrupted their services in many cities.

The coronavirus has come down heavily on people all across the world. With several countries going into lockdowns to stop the virus from spreading further, people are struggling to source some very basic things. In India, a 21-day lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Modi on March 25 and since then many food and grocery delivery companies are grappling to deliver the products despite being classified as essential services.

When the lockdown was announced, it was stated that restaurants will remain open for takeaway services but the food delivery apps Zomato and Swiggy found themselves in a soup when many restaurants went non-functional and the delivery boys were harassed by local goons and authorities for continuing their services during a lockdown.

"Our delivery partners are facing several hurdles across cities while trying to deliver food which has been classified as an essential service. We are communicating with the relevant authorities and hoping these issues are sorted soon, a Zomato spokesperson was quoted as saying by IANS.

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal in a series of tweets said that they are working with the local authorities to let them work. He revealed that Delhi, Maharashtra, and Karnataka were quick to issue orders to local authorities to let the e-commerce operate to deliver the essential services but another major problem is the unavailability of cloud kitchens. The next immediate problem to solve is restaurant and cloud kitchen availability. We need to ensure that kitchens stay open during these times so that we can help with food delivery as much as possible, he wrote.

The other food-delivery giant Swiggy also stated that closure of restaurants has also disrupted their services in many cities.

Many people who live in different cities, all by themselves, rely on Zomato, Swiggy for their meals but with the food-delivery services going kaput, it will barely leave them with any choices to source their basic meals.

Earlier, the online supermarket apps Grofers, BigBasket and Flipkart had temporarily shut their services as they were finding it hard to deliver stuff amid the lockdown. Their delivery boys were beaten up by goons and law enforcement authorities despite the services being termed as essential. They later resumed their services after proper assurances from the government.
LONG BEACH, Calif.  Over the four years Ive worked at a Walmart, a handful of days stand out as extremely stressful, even dangerous. But right now, we retail associates are putting our health and safety at risk as people stock up for weeks (perhaps months) of isolation.

Its been a lot like Black Friday at my store. The frenzy, with customers hoarding items or acting out when they cant find something, is incredibly stressful. Security officers hold customers back as we restock empty shelves. And as we walk through the ransacked aisles to buy dinner for our own families at the end of our shifts, theres not much left, even though Walmart is limiting customers purchases of items like milk and eggs.

If there were still lots of items on the shelves, I couldnt afford to stockpile a months supply of toilet paper and frozen food on just about $13 an hour anyway. Under normal circumstances, I barely have enough to put food on the table for me and my father, whom I care for.

I need to work. Im young and healthy, but Im worried I will catch the coronavirus and infect my father, some elderly customers or even my co-workers. Im stuck in this impossible situation because Walmarts punitive paid leave policy fails to protect me, my family, my co-workers or our customers  particularly now.
Child-sized body bags have been sent out in mass to remote indigenous communities to prepares for a worst-case pandemic scenario.

The first ten children's body bags were recently sent out to an indigenous community in the Northern Territory with more believed to be sent to other areas.

Army assistance has also been promised to some indigenous communities if the coronavirus pandemic infiltrates their isolated area, according to The West Australian.

Bodies from morgues in remote communities in the Kimberley area, in northern Western Australia, have also been cleared out and sent to Broome to allow space for potential victims.

Child-sized body bags have been sent out to remote indigenous communities as Australia prepares for a worst-case pandemic scenario (stock image of Australian outback)

It comes as federal and state governments implement strict border controls to stop the coronavirus creeping into indigenous communities and causing catastrophic damage.

Similar to existing border controls on state lines in South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, people will now not be allowed into indigenous communities unless they are providing essential services.

Indigenous people returning to their communities from outside areas would also be quarantined for 14 days.

It comes as federal and state governments implement strict border controls to stop the coronavirus creeping into indigenous communities and causing catastrophic damage (stock image)

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt (pictured) said the latest measures were necessary to handle cultural sensitivities if the virus spread to indigenous communities

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said on Thursday the measures were necessary to save the lives of indigenous people and to better manage the situation if the worst became reality.

'We are looking at the issue of funerals and what that means and the level of contact particularly given cultural obligations,' Mr Wyatt said.

'We're also looking at the availability of morgues. We're into that degree of detail because it is absolutely important.'

Australia's total coronavirus cases past 3,050 on Friday after the numbers increased exponentially in NSW and Victoria.

The regional Hunter New England Health District has 70 people who have returned positive test results (stock image of Tamworth, NSW)

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were at least 1,405 COVID-19 cases in the country's worst-hit state with some examples even spreading into the country.

The regional Hunter New England Health District - which spans more than 130,000km along the east coast from Newcastle to the NSW/Queensland border - has 70 people who have returned positive test results.

Confirmed cases have also been popping up in the Murrumbidgee region in the state's south, including Wagga Wagga, Griffith and Albury, with ten infections.
B ob Dylan has released his first new music since 2012  a 17-minute song about the assassination of John F Kennedy.

The Nobel Prize-winning artist, 78, shared the track called Murder Most Foul with a short message to fans on Friday morning.

Greetings to my fans and followers for all your support and loyalty across the years, Dylan wrote on his official Twitter account. This is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting.

Stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you. Bob Dylan.

It is not clear just how recently Dylan wrote the track, although many are suggesting that from the sound of his voice, it is a relatively recent recording.

The sprawling, piano-led song starts by recalling the infamous day in November 1963, on which the US president was shot dead while riding in a car through Dallas.

The day they killed him, someone said to me, son, the age of the antichrist has just only begun, Dylan sings. The soul of a nations been torn away, and its beginning to go into a slow decay/ Its 36 hours past judgement day.

Bob Dylan - In pictures 1 /13 Bob Dylan - In pictures Dylan smiles during a meeting with the British press on 28 April 1965 H. Thompson/Evening Standard On the same trip to London AP Performing in Paris on July 4, 1978 AFP/Getty Images On stage in Basel, Switzerland in 1981 EPA Back in Basel in 1984, at the St Jakob-Park stadium EPA Live Aid: At the John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia in 1985 AFP/Getty Images Winning Album of the Year at the 40th Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York in February 1998 AFP/Getty Images Performing at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles in May 2004 Reuters Singing in Los Angeles in January 2012 AP US President Barack Obama presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House in Washington in May 2012 AFP/Getty Images

He goes on to reference other major events and figures of the 60s, from the Beatles to Woodstock.

It remains to be seen whether this new song will form part of a new album, or if it is just a standalone release.
A Fort Bend County woman with the new coronavirus died Wednesday, becoming the third person with the illness to pass away in the Houston region.

Officials announced her death Friday, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Houston area continued to climb. Seventy-one new cases were announced in Harris and surrounding counties, bringing the total case count in the region to 484.

Waller County confirmed its first case, so every county surrounding Houston now has at least one resident who tested positive for COVID-19.

Among those sick are now eight Harris County Sheriffs deputies and four Houston Police officers. One officer has been hospitalized.

Someone within Texas Childrens Hospital was also confirmed to be sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

In Fort Bend County, the woman who died was in her 70s and had preexisting medical conditions, according to the countys health department.

She was briefly hospitalized before her death, a county news release said. Officials received her positive test result for COVID-19 on Friday.

Her doctors believe the coronavirus contributed to her death.

This is a tragic and sad outcome for this family and our community, said Jacquelyn Minter, director of the countys health department, in a prepared statement.

Her death is the first linked to the illness in suburban Fort Bend County. The deaths of a man in Harris County and a woman in Houston have also been linked to COVID-19.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences confirmed Friday that COVID-19 was the Houston womans primary cause of death.

Texas first COVID-19-related fatality was Eddie F. Roberts, a 97-year-old Bay City resident who died March 15.

emily.foxhall@chron.com
Authorities in east Alabama are searching for a four-year-old girl who was last seen walking her dog on Wednesday afternoon.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said Evelyn Vadie Sides was last seen near the Loachapoka community, a rural area in the county, at about 2.45pm.

Jones said the girl was in the care of a longtime family friend while walking Evelyn's hound dog in a heavily wooded backyard in the 5000 block of Lee Road 66.

Where is Evelyn? Authorities in Alabama are searching for Evelyn Vadie Sides, 4, who went missing near Auburn while walking her dog on Wednesday afternoon

Multiple agencies are searching the remote wooded area that also includes the Saugahatchee Creek (pictured)

Officials are using drones, K-9 dogs, horseback riders and dozens of volunteers to try and locate the missing toddler

The friend reported that she turned around for a moment, and when she looked back the toddler had vanished.

Foul play is not suspected in the disappearance, Jones said. Multiple agencies are searching the remote, sparsely populated and wooded area that also includes the Saugahatchee Creek.

Jones said they are using air and ground searches, including a state helicopter, drones, K-9 dogs, horseback riders and dozens of volunteers scouring the area on foot, to try to locate the girl, reported WSFA.

'They are searching very thoroughly,' Lee County Sheriffs Office spokesman Andrew Peacock told al.com. 'We will continue to search until we find her.'

An Alabama state helicopter is seen flying overhead searching for Evelyn in Lee County

Sides has red hair and a red mark on her nose, stands at about 3 feet tall and weighs 40lbs. She was last seen wearing a blue dress with green flowers

Sides has red hair and a red mark on her nose, stands at about 3 feet tall and weighs 40lbs. She was last seen wearing a blue dress with green flowers.

She was with one of the family dogs, a reddish-brown hound dog, at the time she disappeared. Jones said they have not not located the pet.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued an Amber Alert for the missing girl on Wednesday, which remained active on Friday.

Anyone with information on Evelyn's whereabouts is being asked to call the Lee County Sheriffs Office at 334-737-7131.
Vast swathes of West Bengal wore a deserted look on Friday as people preferred to stay indoors on the third day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday evening announced a three-week lockdown in the country, as part of the central government's measures to fight against the pandemic.

Private and public vehicle operators largely stayed off the roads, while business establishments, barring those dealing with essential commodities, remained shut.

Only a few people were seen shoving each at market places, even as many adhered to the social distancing rules while buying items at groceries.

Several shops selling essentials hung posters which said No social distancing, No goods.

Major railway stations, bus terminals and thoroughfares were eerily silent, with only police vehicles and those associated with emergency services seen passing by.

Civic workers were seen sanitising parks and bus stands in parts of the state capital.

Vendors did not deliver newspapers in most parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, despite repeated pleas by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Police personnel were seen using megaphones, urging people to remain indoors, and refrain from hoarding items, as the government has ensured steady supply of food grains, LPG and other essential commodities.

More than 2,000 people have been arrested in the state this week for violating the lockdown order.

West Bengal has reported ten Covid-19 cases so far. One of them, a 57-year-old man, died at a private hospital earlier this week.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Paramedics move a patient into the hospital during the outbreak of the CCP virus in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 25, 2020. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Virus Outbreaks Will Surge Next Week in 3 US Cities: Surgeon General

Several cities are expected to see an increase in CCP virus cases and deaths next week, warned Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

Hot spots such as Detroit, Chicago, and New Orleans can expect a surge in patients, he told CBS News on Friday. Currently, the hardest-hit metropolitan area in the United States is New York City, which has registered thousands of cases and several hundred deaths.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.

But these cities will have a worse week next week than what they had this week, Adams said.

The virus and the local community are going to determine the timeline. Its not going to be us from Washington, D.C. People need to follow their data, they need to make the right decisions based on what their data is telling them, Adams added.

As the virus spreads through the country, different locales and regions in the country will experience differences in cases and deaths, Adams noted.

Vice President Mike Pence, accompanied by (L-R) acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, in Washington on Feb. 27, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

Everyones curve is going to be different, Adams said. New York is going to look different than Boise, Idaho, or Jackson, Mississippi, or New Orleans.

I think in some places definitely were going to need a lot more, Adams said on ABCs Good Morning America. Some places havent hit their peak yet, and what were looking to do in the next week or two is really give people the testing data that they need to make informed choices.

Also in the CBS News interview, the surgeon general noted that the United States has significantly increased its CCP virus testing capabilities, calling the development good news.

Were approaching a million tests. Were trying to give people the data so that they can make informed decisions about where they are on their timeline and what they should be doing, he said. According to researchers from Johns Hopkins University, more than 85,000 cases of the virus have been reported in the United States.

Vice President Mike Pence said during a Thursday update that more than 552,000 CCP virus tests have been conducted across the country so far. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has suggested that states could reduce restrictions by Easter, which is on April 12.

But Adams cautioned that it might not be until Labor Day in September until the pandemic subsides.

Some places, it doesnt matter if its Easter or if its Memorial Day, or if its Labor Daywe know that we want people to be thinking about what they can do now so that we can quickly get through this with as few deaths and as few hospitalizations as possible, he told ABC.
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has announced that Alessandro Carriglio (pictured) has been appointed as strategy officer of underwriting portfolio management of the Americas, Financial Lines, North America. Carriglio will be based in New York and will report to Paul Schiavone, regional head of financial lines for North America and regional head of corporate long-tail lines and ART. Gustavo Galrao will take Carriglios former role as regional head of financial lines for South America.

Carriglio has an extensive background in the financial lines business at AGCS, most recently as deputy regional head of MLC financial lines, North America, and regional head of financial lines, South America. Prior to that, he was deputy global head of MLC as part of the CUO office in Munich. He has also served as a financial lines MLC manager for Allianz in Milan, Italy.
In the city of Wuhan in central Chinas Hubei province, pneumonia patients who have been cured and discharged from the hospitals are being asked to stay at special recovery centers for 14 days so that they can receive relevant professional post-treatment care.

A medical worker examines a patient in a recovery center in Wuhan. (Photo/Peoples Daily)

By now, Wuhan has built 354 recovery centers, receiving a total of over 15,000 such pneumonia patients.

The recovery center at the Hubei University was made temporarily from part of the dormitories and buildings in the university and will accommodate more than 1,300 people after it is completed.

The center is equipped with over 400 staff members. Moreover, TCM medical workers and psychological doctors who help ensure the physical and mental health of the patients as well as logistics support providers that are cleaning the facilities and delivering meals so that the patients can feel comfortable.

The recovery center provides meals for patients at a standard of 150 yuan per person per day so that the patients could get enough nutrition, said Chen Jing, deputy director of the recovery center.

Pneumonia patients who have been discharged may still suffer from trauma related to their respiratory system and digestive system infections. Therefore, this makes it important to manage their health after the basic treatment, said Guo Liping, deputy director of the department for disease control and prevention at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, adding that the special centers can efficiently provide professional health management services.

In addition to all of this, these patients can receive psychological assistance at the recovery centers, which will help them better return to normal life after the quarantine, according to Guo.
FLINT, MI -- Kevelin Jones, 72, of Flint, was a man of the people, his son recalls.

Jones died of COVID-19 Thursday, March 26 at Ascension Genesys Hospital, a week after he was admitted and a day after he tested positive for the virus.

He was one of the first people in Genesee County to die from the novel coronavirus sweeping the globe.

None of his family members were able to see Kevelin Jones after he was admitted, said Ren Jones, 29.

Even his wife was not allowed in.

Now, Ren Jones said all he wants to do is hug his mom.

So many people want to come see her and they cant, he said.

Kevelin Jones needed a kidney and a liver transplant in 2008 after he became very ill when he returned home from a mission trip to Jamaica, Ren Jones said. The transplants increased the effects of the virus.

The last time Ren Jones saw his father was March 8 at his nephews birthday celebration at Applebees. He was on his way back from meeting with a group of pastors in Detroit.

Thats where the family believes Kevelin Jones may have caught the virus. One of his fathers friends who went to the meeting in Detroit died Wednesday. Two others died Thursday, Ren Jones said.

Ren Jones called his father a jokester. The last day he saw his father, Kevelin Jones joked with him, calling him no good.

He loved our family so much," Ren Jones said.

Kevelin B. Jones Jr., another son, said his fathers last request was for him to preach to the congregation while he was in the hospital.

He said I love you and I appreciate you, said Kevelin B. Jones Jr. That was the last conversation that I had with him. My dad did a lot for the people of Flint, especially with his church."

Kevelin Jones was especially involved in his church, Bountiful Love Ministries Church of God In Christ, where he started as the administrative assistant in 1997, Ren Jones remembered.

He loved this church and gave everything he was and is, to ensure that the doors of this church stayed open for this community, for the family and so individuals would have a place to come and worship God freely," said son Nic South, 45.

He was always ready to lend a hand to his congregation and even let people live in his house during the Flint water crisis, according to daughter-in-law Tabitha Marsh, 41.

You could call at three in the morning, four in the morning and hed answer the phone, Ren Jones said.

When Ren Jones, the youngest of nine siblings, was growing up, he said his father worked tirelessly to build a life for his family. They started in a four-bedroom home in Flint. He remembered his father working an overnight job selling trucks loaded with steel to afford a larger house in Flint Township.

It was a beautiful house I got to grow up in," Ren Jones said. "We had a huge yard with a big hill in the back.

His father taught his children and grandchildren to love everyone, Ren Jones said. He had an open door at all times. Friends were always welcome.

After hearing about Kevelin Jones death, Ren Jones childhood friends called to check in.

He was a father to all of them, Ren Jones said. He was the kind of guy who would let them walk into his house unannounced, walk right to the refrigerator and go sit down and watch TV and it was fine. That was my dad. He was a jokester too. He was the funniest man I met in my life.

MLive multimedia intern Sarahbeth Maney contributed to this report.
"So, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee yesterday recommended to governments that the single most important thing we can do is completely stop the capacity for any returning traveller transmitting the virus." Professor Murphy said Australia had so far been very good at complying with social distancing orders, which has seen traffic and city movements across Sydney and Melbourne fall by 80 per cent. Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds up a coronavirus Isolation Declaration Card. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "But we can't have anyone breaking the rules, being stupid, being cavalier, and not taking this seriously," he said. "You have seen what's happened in countries around the world, where big community outbreaks have taken off." The new quarantine measures are a step up from the current isolation declaration card, which requires travellers to state where they are going to isolate and with contact details. The declaration is enforceable by law with "strong penalties for those who don't comply".

"The number of arrivals now are at a level which the states and territories believe means they are able to practically implement these [hotel] types of arrangements," he said. He said coronavirus had "not been a secret" over the last few months and Australians who chose to return home previously did so under more convenient arrangements. "Now it's getting tougher and stricter." Mr Morrison said states may soon move on their own to enforce tougher restrictions on Australians.

The next escalation, known as stage three, would see non-essential businesses shut down and schools closed. Loading "The states and territories do have different experiences with the outbreaks in their various locations. And we will continue to work on what other possible restrictions might be necessary," Mr Morrison said. He said once a lockdown on non-essential services was implemented it was likely to last for six months. Mr Morrison accused experts advocating for a full lockdown of disregarding the impact on casual workers and vulnerable industries.

"I sometimes noted that those who often are pushing for greater restrictions, they will keep their job," said Mr Morrison. "I am not going to be so cavalier about it. I will make sure I fight for every job I can because I know that that job means something very important to that person and their family." Loading Third stimulus 'hibernation' package Mr Morrison said a third stimulus package will be revealed in the next few days in a move to "hibernate" Australian businesses to help them weather the lockdown. This is in addition to a $17.6 billion package on March 12 and a $66 billion boost revealed last week.
WASHINGTON  A $2.2 trillion bill passed by Congress today to ease the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic includes millions of dollars set aside for local governments and institutions in Central New York.

Most of the $115 billion in federal aid earmarked for New York will be distributed through the state government, including aid to cities and counties with a population of fewer than 500,000 people.

But other federal aid will go directly to Central New York. Heres a brief look at how that aid will be distributed in the region:

Emergency grants to cities and counties

Central New York cities and counties will receive millions of dollars in the form of emergency Community Development Block Grants.

The money can be used to pay for expenses in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Those include retrofitting buildings for medical or quarantine use, and to deliver food and other essential supplies to senior citizens and others vulnerable to coronavirus.

The federal aid can be used to support community non-profits performing essential services during the pandemic and to train displaced workers.

Here are the minimum grants local cities and counties will receive, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.

Syracuse: $2,978,896

Utica: $1,510,841

Onondaga County: $1,384,126

Rome: $612,447

Auburn: $523,696

Money for cash-strapped airports

Syracuse Hancock International Airport will receive a minimum of $10 million in federal aid to help offset its losses during the coronavirus pandemic, Schumer said.

Smaller airports will receive aid as well, including a minimum of $1.8 million for Ithacas airport and $1.3 million for Binghamtons airport.

Airports need the money to help pay operating expenses as passenger traffic has declined almost 90 percent nationwide because of coronavirus.

Airlines, which pay landing fees and passenger facility fees to airports, have cut more than 50 percent of their scheduled flights.

Jennifer Sweetland, a spokeswoman for the Syracuse airport, said officials expect a drastic decline in revenue at the airport. She said officials wont know the full cost until airlines submit passenger traffic information at the end of the month.

Overall, the relief package includes $58 billion for the aviation industry, including $32 billion for U.S. airlines to continue paying wages and benefits for their employees. An additional $25 billion will be available to airlines as loans and government guarantees.

Federal aid for mass transit

The Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Centro bus service, will receive about $21.5 million that the bill sets aside for mass transit in the region, Schumer said.

Centro operates bus service in Syracuse, Oswego, Auburn, Rome and Utica.

Centro began offering free bus rides Tuesday to everyone throughout its system. The free rides include Call-A-Bus services.

Centro has experienced a 55 percent decline in ridership caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the company said. But Centro has not cut back its service in order to give passengers room to safely distance themselves from others while traveling.

The interior spaces at Centros hubs in Syracuse and Utica have been closed during the pandemic.

Separately, the New York Department of Transportation will receive $64 million in federal aid for rural transit that will be allocated to agencies across Upstate New York as needed.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Busted! County exec calls out Radisson tailgaters violating social distancing order (pic)

Ask Syracuse.com: Will I get a check if I dont file a tax return? What if Im on disability?

Coronavirus: Onondaga County schools might stay closed until late April

Whats in federal coronavirus relief bill for New York?

Do you know of a business thats providing products or services to help combat the new coronavirus? We want to hear from you. Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
A proposal to station troops at the US-Canada border would damage relations between the two countries, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

Mr Trudeau was speaking after the Trump administration was reported to be considering the move to match deployments along its border with Mexico.

The Wall Street Journal has since reported the idea has been dropped.

Mr Trudeau said his government had been in discussions with the White House seeking to persuade the US not to go through with the idea.

It makes no military sense. It makes no economic sense. It makes no sense at any level other than Donald Trump's political levelBruce Heyman, former US ambassador to Canada

Canada and the United States have the longest un-militarised border in the world and it is very much in both of our interests for it to remain that way, he said.

Mr Trump said: We have a lot of things coming in from Canada, we have trade, some illegal trade, that we dont like.

According to a US official, the Department of Homeland Security did make a formal request to the Pentagon for military forces to provide additional security along the northern border, between entry points.

The official said the request was made a few days ago and the Defence Department had done some initial planning but there was no final decision on whether or not to approve the request.

As our next Ambassador to the US, @KirstenHillmanA will build on the strong relationship between our two countries. And at a time when all countries must work together to fight COVID-19, this could not be more important. Get the details on her appointment: https://t.co/tssP8esaUL pic.twitter.com/XExO3QYZhj  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 26, 2020

Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government had told the Trump administration there was no justification for troops.

Very few people cross the border into the US from Canada illegally and Canada has universal health care and widespread testing for the virus.

She said: What we have said is, We really do not believe at all that there would be a public health justification for you to take this action,

And we have said, We really dont think this is the right way to treat a trusted friend and military ally.'

Bruce Heyman, a former US ambassador to Canada, said it would be a serious misuse of resources and a dangerous and inappropriate use of American troops.

It makes no military sense. It makes no economic sense. It makes no sense at any level other than Donald Trumps political level, he added.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has lamented that many Nigerians are not supporting the Federal Government in the fight against Coronavirus pandemic.

According to Mohammed, rather than show appropriate cooperation, many Nigerians are just busy engaging in meaningless criticisms.

The minister stated this during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, while giving an update on the measures being taken by the government to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. He said:

Let me say, without mincing words, that we are not getting the kind of cooperation that this moment deserves from Nigerians. Many are busy engaging in meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe. Some Nigerians who flew into the country from overseas filled wrong addresses and phone numbers in their forms, making it difficult to trace them when the need arises. Some Nigerians defied orders to stay away from large gatherings while some religious leaders willfully flouted the directives to ensure social distancing. The government is doing its best but we need the citizens to do their best too. We have now gone past the stage of persuasion. Its time for strong enforcement.

This is coming after Femi Adesina revealved why President Muhammadu Buhari has not personally addressed Nigerians on the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The United States has advised medical professionals with approved immigration petition to contact its embassies or consulates for possible visa appointments, indicating preference for those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The announcement, published on the Department of States website Thursday night, also stated that medical experts looking to move to the U.S. or visit on an exchange programme should waste no time in reaching out for visa.

We encourage medical professionals with an approved U.S. non-immigrant or immigrant visa petition (I-129, I-140, or similar) or a certificate of eligibility in an approved exchange visitor program (DS-2019), particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19, to review the website of their nearest embassy or consulate for procedures to request a visa appointment, the State Department said in an updated announcement Friday evening.

The announcement previously read as follows: We encourage medical professionals seeking to work in the United States on a work or exchange visitor, the statement said, particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19, to reach out to the nearest embassy or consulate to request a visa appointment.)

The announcement underscores the steep challenge assailing the Trump administration in its effort to arrest the spread of a virus that has killed more than 1,000 Americans and left nearly 90,000 infected in recent weeks.

The directive did not discriminate against any country, marking a sharp break away from the countrys antagonistic approach towards immigration.

Only a few weeks ago, the Trump administration adopted a controversial policy that tightened requirements for professionals seeking to move into the country.

Nigeria was amongst the list of countries whose citizens were affected by the policy, which did not give exception to medicine or other professions.

But as the coronavirus cases continue to build across U.S. cities, the government appears to be seeing a new reality. Earlier this week, America surpassed China and Italy to become the country with the highest number of COVID-19 infections, affecting more than 85,000 as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.

President Donald Trump has faced criticism for his handling of the pandemic, with doctors and local administrators complaining of lack of vital medical equipment, especially protective kits and ventilators.

Mr Trump has pushed back against the criticism, saying he should be praised for ramping up testing amongst the population. He also said the countrys strategic medical equipment stockpile had not been exhausted, and that manufacturers have been asked to ramp up production.

Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect State Departments additional clarification that its announcement was for only those with approved immigration petition or certificate of eligibility in an exchange programme.
For the first time, state media published pandemic figures. Measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country will continue for a long time." So far, North Korea has not reported any case of coronavirus infection.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  North Korean health authorities this morning lifted quarantine on people who showed no coronavirus symptoms, but around 2,280 North Koreans and two foreigners remain confined, state media reported. This is the first time North Korea provides data about the pandemic.

"One additional foreigner was released from quarantine, leaving two foreigners quarantined as of now," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the countrys official news agency, announced.

Earlier state media had reported that all but three foreigners had been released out of the reported 380 foreigners under quarantine; they are now back to their normal activities.

Previously, KCNA had disclosed figures only by region, but had not mentioned the total accumulated number of people quarantined due to the coronavirus and later released.

According to the agency, the measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country will continue for the long term". For this reason, state or regional epidemic prevention facilities must remain alert.

"The national anti-virus emergency system in our country is being strengthened even further as the COVID-19 virus is spreading rapidly to nearly all countries and regions in the world," the KCNA noted.

North Korea has not yet reported any case of COVID-19 virus infection, but has called for nationwide efforts to prevent the virus from breaking out on its territory. To this end, the authorities have intensified border controls and tightened the quarantine process.

Still, concerns persist that North Korea may be vulnerable as it shares a long and porous border with China. Experts point out that the country lacks the medical equipment and diagnostic tools needed to deal with infected patients.

Recently, South Korean media reported that the virus has already killed nearly 200 soldiers in the North.
Are you upset with the social distancing that we all must practice because of the coronavirus pandemic, while countries like South Korea have no need to do so? Why is that you ask? Well, unlike the Trump Administration, their leaders recognized this crisis early on and made provisions to test hundreds of thousands of people. This enabled them to determine who had to be quarantined and who could safely continue to work to keep their economy running.

It was not inevitable that the U.S. had to shut down its economy. It is because the Trump Administration's efforts to obtain tests were, and still are, totally inadequate. As a result, our government has almost no idea where the virus is or where it's going, so all Americans will continue to suffer through unnecessary job loss, social distancing and likely a severe economic recession because of federal government ineptitude.

Early in his administration Trump fired all the emergency preparedness experts in the White House and did not replace them. Amazingly, and right on national TV, he blatantly lied about having done so. So, despite his numerous denials, the reason our economy is in the toilet can be laid directly at the feet of President Donald J. Trump. And the reason he is still in office can be laid at the feet of his Republican enablers in the U.S. Senate who did not remove him from office when they had the chance to do so.

Are you being hurt by this economy? Are you angry about how ineptly the coronavirus pandemic has been handled? Then my suggestion, as a former life-long Republican, is to vote for Democratic candidates all up and down the ballot in November.

Bob Balhiser

Helena

Love 17 Funny 23 Wow 3 Sad 1 Angry 12
By Daniel McConnell and Joel Slattery

Drastic restrictions on public movements requiring everyone to remain at home are to take effect from 12 midnight tonight for a period for two weeks.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced a near-total lockdown on Friday night that in a bid to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Mr Varadkar announced that from midnight tonight, for a two-week period - everybody must stay at home in all circumstances, except in exceptional circumstances such as work and to get essential goods

He said that all public and private gatherings outside of a single household will be prohibited and all non-essential health services will be postponed. He also ordered that 'Cocooning' will be introduced for those over 70 years of age.

Mr Varadkar said that all public transport and passenger travel will be restricted to workers only or people providing essential services, and no travel outside 2km from people's own homes.

The measures were introduced just hours after the death total in the country hit 22 - with 2,121 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

All travel to offshore islands will be restricted to residents of those islands, he said and he appealed to everyone to make these sacrifices not out of self-interest, but out of love for one another.

He urges people to show support for healthcare staff by staying at home

Speaking at the same press conference, Health Minister Simon Harris says tonight they are asking people to stand with health workers.

He said our personal worlds must now shrink again, and that in the face of such a crisis where personal responsibility can make all the difference, people must be able to do more to do so.

The exceptions to this are: To go to, or home from, work

To get food

To get medicine

For "vital" family reasons

For "brief" physical exercise - within 2km of your home

For farming activities involved in the production of food

"Our country is rising to the challenge - we will prevail," Mr Varadkar said.

The number of those in intensive care units has doubled since Monday, Mr Varadkar outlined.

The Taoiseach also offered his condolences to the families of those whose deaths were announced today. He announced one of the three who died was a healthcare worker.

Health Minister Simon Harris called on the public to stand with health workers.
By PTI

BHOPAL: An offence was registered against a Muslim cleric and 27 others, for allegedly defying the COVID-19 lockdown, by offering prayers at a mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal city, police said on Friday.



COVID-19 LIVE | Andamans, Telangana reports fresh cases as India tally crosses 700

The Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised a prayer at 8 pm on Thursday, defying section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the nationwide lockdown, which is put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.

An FIR was registered against the Imam and 27 others under sections 188 (disobeying a government order), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Talaiya police spokesman Babu Singh said.
He lives an extreme lifestyle featuring death-defying climbing trips and tech-free desert retreats.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Jared Leto was drawn to the larger-than-life Joe Exotic, the subject of the new Tiger King docuseries on Netflix.

The 48-year-old actor and rocker paid tribute to the zoo owner and felon by dressing up as him in Instagram Stories posts on Thursday, while fellow fan Cardi B complained that she lost the plot after stopping to have sex.

Gaudy: Jared Leto, 48, dressed up as the spitting image of Joe Exotic from the new Netflix crime docuseries Tiger King in his Instagram Stories from Thursday

Jared shared his posts without any comment, though he included a stuffed lion to make it clear whom he was impersonating.

He posted in a reflective gold shirt with purple floral print accent, a wide-brimmed straw hat and red track pants.

The 30 Seconds to Mars frontman's 10.4 million followers already knew he was intrigued by the show after he advertised a virtual viewing party on Instagram earlier on Thursday.

'Wow. Mind blown again - end of episode one. Masterful direction and great job to all involved with the production!!!' he gushed afterward.

Spot on: The actor and rocker wore a sparkling gold shirt with purple floral accents, a straw hat and red track pants, along with a stuffed lion to complete the look

Sharing the love: Jared was so into the documentary that he put on a virtual viewing party with his fans

Though he was a fan of the seven-part documentary, Jared also clarified his stance on exotic cats.

'For the record no one should keep these animals in cages like this. Not ok. We need to protect exotic / endangered animals and their wild habitats,' he tweeted, while also tagging the World Wildlife Foundation.

Tiger King followers the bizarre life of Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, who operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma.

Cat guy: Jared was mimicking Joe Maldonado-Passage, a.k.a. Joe Exotic, a large cat breeder who ran a zoo in Oklahoma

Shocking turn: Maldonado-Passage ran astray of the law after hiring someone to murder the big cat rescuer Carole Baskin. He was convicted in January and sentenced to 22 years

Joe Exotic was unmissable with his dyed-blond mullet and gaudy clothing as he bred and raised large cats at his zoo.

But his passion for exotic animals fell astray of the law, and Maldonado-Passage became entangled in a feud with the animal rights activist Carole Baskin, who ran a big tiger sanctuary.

He was arrested in late 2018 and convicted the following year of attempting to hire someone to murder Baskin, as well as multiple animal cruelty and Endangered Species Act violations.

He was sentence in January to 22 years in federal prison.

Distracted viewing: Cardi was also interested in the show, though she lost the thread after stopping for some intimate time with her husband Offset

Cooped up: She watched the show to pass time while self-isolating. The day before she mock cried in a video because she had to stay in and eat cereal instead of going out for sushi

Cardi B also seemed to be a fan of the series, though she had a bit of trouble concentrating.

'What ya think bout TigerKing?' she tweeted Thursday night.

'I'm on the second episode and I'm a little lost cause I started f***ing.'

Cardi was trying to occupy herself while self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, she shared a video of herself mock crying because she was forced to stay in and eat cereal instead of going out for sushi like she wanted.
Oregon possibly acted on social distancing quickly enough to avoid becoming the next Italy  or New York  as long as Oregonians actually stay home.

New modeling released Thursday by the Oregon Health Authority shows the states hospital system appears capable of handling the coronavirus cases that are expected in the next month. But thats just a planning estimate and assumes that nine out of 10 Oregonians stay home.

We know that is going to be very hard to achieve in the short-term and probably hasnt been achieved, said Dean Sidelinger, Oregons state epidemiologist, and will be very difficult to achieve in the long term.

We know that the only way to get that curve to be flat or go down is aggressive action that people listen to.

If followed strictly, Gov. Kate Browns March 23 stay-home order appears to be strong enough to not just slow the growth of coronavirus cases in Oregon but to reduce the number of infections, estimates from the Institute for Disease Modeling show.

The Bellevue-based research center is part of the Global Good Fund, a collaboration that involves Bill and Melinda Gates. As of Monday, it estimated that Oregon had about four times more cases than have been diagnosed.

By May 8, the institute projects, only a small number of inpatient beds will be needed in Oregon hospitals, driven by cases coming into the state from elsewhere.

Hospitals across the state have launched a massive campaign to prepare for the rapidly spreading global pandemic. Oregon built a 250-bed field hospital at the state fairgrounds to expand capacity. Sidelinger said despite the models projections, the preparation was still essential, in part because the modeled demand assumes that Oregonians follow the states orders -- and hospitals need to be ready for a surge if they dont.

If Brown had taken no action at all and allowed the novel coronavirus to spread freely, estimates have shown, Oregon hospitals would have seen a surge of as many as 1,000 COVID-19 patients needing beds by mid-April.

While school closures and other initial restrictions helped reduce that number, estimates show that Oregons number of cases would continue to grow  just more slowly.

To date, at least 90 Oregonians have been hospitalized with the coronavirus, out of 318 cases statewide. And at least 11 Oregonians have died.

The estimates show that Oregon is poised to successfully buy time to allow for an increase in testing capacity and other measures needed to fight the virus. But how long it needs to buy time isnt clear.

We emphasize the urgent need for enormously increased testing capacity, the Institute for Disease Modelings staff wrote in a report summarizing its Oregon forecast. It will not be possible to relax social distancing measures and avoid an epidemic rebound without significantly increased testing.

Testing has lagged in Oregon and the nation. Some Oregonians have waited nearly two weeks to get test results. Though testing has begun slowly expanding in Oregon, it is still so limited that the state discourages doctors from testing people who are asymptomatic, or have only mild symptoms.

If Oregon lifted social distancing measures right now, the institute estimates the state would see 15,000 coronavirus cases by May 8  and as many as 26,000. Hospitals would need 850 regular beds and 250 intensive care beds.

Brown has canceled school through April 28 and has said she expects social distancing measures to be in place for an indefinite period.

Sidelinger said it was too soon to say when Oregon may be able to end its unprecedented statewide shutdown. This is a long-term issue to keep social distancing in place, he said.

 Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657; @robwdavis

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
"It was like being inside a sci-fi movie. It was crazy."

Tom Flavin, Executive Chef at the Limerick Strand Hotel, is describing one of the most unusual meals he's ever served - a stir-fry delivered to University Hospital Limerick staff in an underground car park.

"It was a simple stir-fry of everything that was left in the fridge," he recalls. "We even had office staff down helping to label, putting it into containers, making sure everyone was gowned up and had gloves on."

Normally, meals from Flavin's kitchen make their way to restaurant tables with peachy views over the River Shannon. These ones were driven to medical staff on the frontline of an escalating coronavirus crisis.

One of the ICU nurses greeting Tom was his wife, Mary Flavin.

"Mary had being working 16-hour shifts for five or six days on the trot," he says. "She came home absolutely starving one night at a quarter past eleven. I was like, why are you not eating?"

Expand Close Tom Flavin (right) with his wife Mary and other staff at University Hospital Limerick. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Tom Flavin (right) with his wife Mary and other staff at University Hospital Limerick.

That prompted his idea to cook for her colleagues. As Covid-19 spread, The Limerick Strand Hotel was one of thousands of tourism and hospitality businesses closing to the public. There was food left in the kitchen.

Cut to that sci-fi scene in the car park.

"I was so choked up and emotional," Flavin recalls. "To see the nurses, all gowned up, and there was me in my uniform... Jesus, I really didn't want to meet them in this scenario. I was like... just take it and go!"

The gesture provided "a much-needed lift to our spirits", recalls ICU Consultant, Dr John O'Dea, whose team had been busy increasing their surge capacity at the hospital when the meals arrived.

The food didn't just fill stomachs, he says. It bought valuable time and showed much-needed community support.

'I am living alone for the foreseeable future...'

A few days later, in the Mater Hospital, Consultant in Emergency Medicine Dr Fran O'Keefe swung by to collect one of 50 hot meals delivered to his Emergency Department (ED) by Dublin's Saba Restaurant.

O'Keefe, another doctor on an increasingly frenetic frontline, had recently relocated his wife and two young children to Cork, where she is from.

Expand Close Paul Cadden of Saba Restaurant (left) delivers meals to the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Photo: Dr Cian McDermott / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Paul Cadden of Saba Restaurant (left) delivers meals to the Mater Hospital, Dublin. Photo: Dr Cian McDermott

"I am living alone for the foreseeable future," he says. "I get home from a shift absolutely exhausted... for me, being able to have something good, nutritious, tasty and easy to take home was a huge thing."

"It makes a massive difference. It's a huge morale booster."

Saba and The Limerick Strand Hotel are not alone. In fact, as Covid-19 spreads with stunning velocity, compassionate deliveries like these are being made by businesses all over the island.

Those businesses are also in the fight of their lives.

Coronavirus is first and foremost a public health crisis, but it is wreaking economic havoc too. According to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), up to 150,000 jobs may already have been lost in its sector alone.

One of those jobs belonged to Kevin Nugent.

"We closed operations on March 16," says the owner of Galway's Tribe Hospitality Group. "We let 94 people go, including myself."

Tribe has several outlets in the city, including Mr Waffle and Ground & Co. From these, with the help of donations through a GoFundMe page, Nugent and several volunteers now find themselves preparing up to 150 free lunches a day for University College Hospital Galway (UCHG).

"We have a roster done up," he says.

"We have one chef and one other volunteer like myself going in, preparing the food. Yesterday's lunch was a burrito-style box; today's was a wrap and side salad. Tomorrow's is a roast dinner."

'There's no charge for this. I just felt it was the right thing to do...'

Expand Close A helping hand: Volunteers social distance before delivering hot meals to people in need during Covid-19 pandemic at the Ashdown Park Hotel in Gorey. Co Wexford. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A helping hand: Volunteers social distance before delivering hot meals to people in need during Covid-19 pandemic at the Ashdown Park Hotel in Gorey. Co Wexford.

Nor is it just healthcare workers being looked after.

In Gorey, Co Wexford, the spread of coronavirus forced sister hotels the Ashdown Park and Amber Springs to close on March 18. But their farm is still growing. Their suppliers still need business.

The hotels decided to act, retaining a small staff and teaming up with Naomh Eanna GAA, Gorey Rugby Club, Garda Sgt. Evelyn Reddan and other volunteers to deliver up to 100 meals a day to older and isolated community members.

"We had a lady get in touch yesterday who is a single mum looking after her daughter," says Paul Finnegan, General Manager of the Ashdown Park Hotel. "Her father is elderly and living in Gorey town. She didn't want to be visiting him in the current situation, so now he's on the list."

The hotels have pooled resources to prepare meals in the Ashdown Park kitchen, where volunteers come to collect from a table at 6pm, setting off on delivery rounds with sanitised cars, masks and gloves.

"A proportion of our guests would be over 55 or 65," Finnegan says. "They've been coming to us week in and week out for the last 20 years. Our view is that if we can do something to help, we have the farm, we have the produce and we have the chefs."

All over Ireland, hotels and restaurants have taken similar steps.

In Blacklion, Co Cavan, Neven Maguire has been cooking meals like beef bourguignon, brown bread and chicken broth for vulnerable members of his community, and sending snacks to Sligo University Hospital.

"There's no charge for this," he says. "I just felt it was the right thing to do... we all know they're going though a tough time in the hospital, and it's only going to get more challenging."

Expand Close Neven Maguire and volunteers with some of the meals they prepared for vulnerable community members around Blacklion, Co Cavan. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Neven Maguire and volunteers with some of the meals they prepared for vulnerable community members around Blacklion, Co Cavan.

Meal by meal, momentum is growing.

On March 15, Dublin-based software business-owner Cian O'Flaherty saw a photo tweeted from Dublin's Mater Hospital (pictured top), showing healthcare workers gratefully receiving donated meals.

The 'Feed the Heroes' GoFundMe page he was inspired to set up has now gathered close to 400,000 in less than two weeks, facilitating the delivery of over 10,000 meals to frontline staff nationwide.

"I think we could probably do 30,000 meals a day at the peak of this, were we supported to that extent," O'Flaherty says.

Deliveries are not just going to healthcare workers, he adds - but also to lesser-heralded heroes like lab workers and the National Ambulance Service.

"For example, contact tracing teams are not as visible," he says. "They're out in office blocks... but they're there, self-sacrificing and incredibly committed."

Expand Close Staff at The Coombe in Dublin receive a delivery from East Road Cafe, facilitated by the FeedTheHeroes.com. Photo: Twitter / @feedtheheroes1 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Staff at The Coombe in Dublin receive a delivery from East Road Cafe, facilitated by the FeedTheHeroes.com. Photo: Twitter / @feedtheheroes1

'I've never had to close a hotel...'

Other tourism businesses have offered free hotel nights for healthcare workers, or responded to calls for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), delivering masks, gloves, gowns and, surreally: hotel shower caps.

"I just thought, you know, we don't have customers, so we don't need shower caps," says Paul Gallagher, Manager of Buswells Hotel in Dublin - another business closed by Covid-19 this month.

After calling around several hotels in the city, he arranged to dispatched thousands of caps by taxi to Beaumont Hospital.

Buswells is empty and bookings have gone off a cliff, but Gallagher is philosophical about the pandemic, he says.

"I'm 56. We've seen Foot & Mouth, 9/11, ash clouds. This is totally different. I've never closed a hotel... I think like everything in life, we will get through this. We will be different after it, but we will get through it."

Others are less philosophical.

Groups like ITIC and the Irish Hotels Federation have welcomed government supports to protect employees and small business, but say they go nowhere near far enough for a tourism industry on the brink.

And the coronavirus surge is just starting.

Back in Limerick, Tom Flavin is now home-schooling the kids as Mary continues to work double shifts. He's still feeding heroes, sending in care packages of banana bread, brownies and meals to the hospital with his wife.

"It's mind-boggling to think what it's going to be like in two to three weeks time."

Sign up for our free travel newsletter!

Love travel? Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our free travel newsletter. 'Travel Insider' is written and curated by our award-winning Travel Editor, Pol O Conghaile.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that the spread of the new coronavirus is "quite under control" in the national capital so far but his government is readying itself so that even if the number of infected cases increases sharply, the administration is prepared to respond.

In a joint digital media address with Lt Governor Anil Baijal, he said Delhi has reported 39 coronavirus cases out of which 29 contracted the infection during foreign travel and infected others on their return.

"The situation is quite under control so far but we can't sit idle. WE have to make preparations to tackle the situation if the numbers go up," Kejriwal said, assuring people that medical staff, medicines and testing kits were ready to tackle the situation even if the cases go up at a rate of 100 per day.

The chief minister also appealed to migrant workers to not leave Delhi in the wake of the 21-day lockdown across the country and said his government has sufficient food storage in the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has proposed setting up of a common electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share expertise and best practices in jointly combatting the coronavirus pandemic.

India made the proposal at a video-conference of senior health officials of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries on Thursday.

The SAARC is a regional grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

At an India-initiated video-conference of SAARC leaders on March 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that health professionals of the member nations could come together to jointly fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"India proposed a shared electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share and exchange information, knowledge, expertise and best practices for jointly combatting the coronavirus epidemic," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

It was informed that considerable work had already gone into the creation of the platform, which could also serve as a multipurpose vehicle to further discuss and conduct activities such as online training for emergency response personnel, the MEA said.

The Indian side proposed that till the electronic platform is fully operational, a network of experts representing the health services of all SAARC countries may be set up on email or WhatsApp to enable exchange of all relevant information on a real-time basis.
The U.S. Capitol Building as seen ahead of a vote on the coronavirus (COVID-19) relief bill on Capitol Hill in Washington

By Susan Cornwell, David Morgan and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives are determined to pass a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Friday, or at the very latest on Saturday, hoping to provide the quickest help possible as deaths mount and the economy reels.

On a call with fellow Democrats on Thursday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged House members not to do anything to delay the unprecedented economic aid package that the U.S. Senate backed unanimously on Wednesday night, lawmakers and aides said.

Representative Madeleine Dean said the message on the two-hour call was "Let's get this done tomorrow if we possibly can. If not, at the very latest Saturday."

Dean said she would drive to Washington from her Pennsylvania district for the debate, due to start at 9 a.m. (1300 GMT). "It was so obvious from everyone's conversation on the call, we know what we have to do. We have to get relief to the American people now," Dean said.

The Senate bill - which would be the largest fiscal relief measure ever passed by the U.S. Congress - will rush direct payments to Americans within three weeks if the Democratic-controlled House backs it and Republican President Donald Trump signs it into law.

"The House of Representatives must now pass this bill, hopefully without delay. I think it's got tremendous support," Trump said at a daily coronavirus briefing.

The $2.2 trillion measure includes $500 billion to help hard-hit industries and a comparable amount for payments of up to $3,000 to millions of families.

The legislation will also provide $350 billion for small-business loans, $250 billion for expanded unemployment aid and at least $100 billion for hospitals and related health systems.

The Republican-led Senate approved it 96-0 late on Wednesday. The unanimous vote, a rare departure from bitter partisanship in Washington, underscored how seriously members of Congress are taking the global pandemic as Americans suffer and the medical system reels.

DEATHS MOUNT, HEALTH SYSTEM REELS

Story continues

Pelosi told a weekly news conference she expected the bill would have strong support from House Democrats and Republicans.

The United States surpassed China and Italy on Thursday as the country with the most coronavirus cases, according to a Reuters tally. The number of U.S. cases passed 82,000, and the death toll reached almost 1,200.

The crisis has dealt a crushing blow to the economy, with thousands of businesses closing or cutting back. The Labor Department reported that the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits surged to 3.28 million, the highest level ever.

Pelosi said there was no question more money would be needed to fight the coronavirus. She said House committees would be working on the next phase in the near term, even if the full chamber is not in session.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy also backs the relief plan. But he wants it to be allowed to work before deciding on more legislation.

"This will be probably the largest bill anybody in Congress has ever voted for," he told reporters. McCarthy predicted the measure would pass on Friday morning.

The massive coronavirus relief bill follows two others that became law this month. The money at stake amounts to nearly half of the total $4.7 trillion the federal government spends annually.

Pelosi said House leaders were planning to fast-track the rescue plan by passing it via a voice vote on Friday. She had said that if there were calls for a roll-call vote, lawmakers might be able to vote by proxy, as not all would be able to be in Washington.

The Capitol has laid out special procedures because of the coronavirus - including barring members from sitting beside one another - to minimize the threat of infection, both to members and staff.

There could be opposition. Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he opposed the bill, and was uncomfortable with the idea of allowing it to pass on a voice vote, rather than recording how each House member voted.

"I'm having a real hard time with this," Massie, an outspoken fiscal conservative, said on 55KRC talk radio in Cincinnati.

The House has 430 members, most of whom have been out of Washington since March 14.

It would be difficult for all of them to return, given that two have tested positive for the respiratory disease, a handful are in self-quarantine, and several states have issued stay-at-home orders. There are five vacant House seats.

(Reporting by David Morgan, Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Lisa Lambert; Writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
This March 25, 2020 photo shows a local market in Laos where patrons and workers wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Face mask shortages in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are leading to price increases, causing many to reuse their disposable masks, make their own masks at home, or use materials like baby wipes to cover their faces.

People in the Southeast Asian countries are petitioning their governments to rectify the shortages and to address other problems in the medical equipment supply chain.

Sources told RFAs Lao Service that mask scarcity is becoming a problem in many different parts of the country, driving the price up as much as tenfold when they are available.

I have been going to the hospital to buy [masks] but they are running short too, a resident of the capital Vientiane told RFA Friday.

Ive seen some for sale on the street, but I dont know if they are of good quality. The price is getting really high here. Usually we could buy five masks for 5,000 kip (U.S. $0.50), but now one mask costs that much, the resident said.

In the ancient former capital city of Luang Prabang, masks are even more expensive.

A whole box of masks doesnt cost 20,000 kip ($2) anymore here. It costs 200,000 ($20), a resident of the city told RFA.

Another Luang Prabang resident told RFA that the high prices have led many people to recycle used masks.

I dont buy masks anymore. I just wash the used ones and reuse them again, and I also add a napkin as an extra layer to it, making it thicker, said the man.

The issue has citizens calling on their government to control prices and eliminate price gouging. The government has fixed mask prices at 25,000 kip ($2.50) per box of 25, and has punished some people caught breaking the rules, but sellers by and large are ignoring the government order.

Some people are just taking advantage of the crisis by raising prices, while others are buying lots of masks and reselling them at higher prices. The authorities should enforce the rules, a villager who requested anonymity told RFA.

Another villager told RFA, When our country has infected cases, sellers are price gouging, but buyers have no choice but to pay. We cant demand anything. The authorities have been around to stop them from raising the price, but they havent been effective.

Health Minister Bounthong Sihavong announced last week that two million face masks would be imported from neighboring countries soon. According to the plan, 1.5 million of them will be given to health workers while the rest will be sold to public.

Also in Laos, authorities are worried that thousands of unemployed migrant workers returning from Thailand wont comply with a 14-day quarantine order, and will return to their homes, potentially spreading the coronavirus far and wide.

Business owners have also asked the government to extend their mandated pricing to utilities, given that many businesses are in the red as customers stay home.

Iron fist measures in Cambodia

Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen warned Wednesday that the government would use its iron fist to permanently shut down businesses that inappropriately increase the price of facemasks.

We all know it is hard to buy masks right now. I am looking into possible legal actions [against businesses that price gouge], he said to local media.

We will confiscate all the overpriced masks. If you dont drop prices the government will use our iron fist. We will not only confiscate [the masks] and stop your business, but we will also ban you from doing business for [the rest of your] lives.

Despite the warning, Phnom Penh has issued no public regulation addressing the issue.

The prime minister also asked government officials from his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) and the Cambodian parliament to purchase masks and krama (Cambodias traditional scarf) for distribution to the people.

The spokesman for the ministry of commerce told local media that his ministry is looking into imposing measures to regulate the prices of masks and hand sanitizer. These would include requiring sellers to display prices prominently.

Neither Hun Sen nor the countrys health minister were willing to disclose the amount of masks, hand sanitizer and other protective equipment Cambodia has stockpiled.

Despite all the talk about keeping prices down, the situation on the ground remains the same.

Its hard for [even vendors] to buy masks, Nib Soeurng told RFAs Khmer Service Thursday.

The Phnom Penh street vendor said that at $1.50 per mask, prices remain too high and the government has not intervened. She added that most vendors simply cannot afford to buy the masks, and that some even fell for an online scam where masks were promised at low prices but never delivered.

She said that she has been using mask alternatives like wearing a hat and covering her face with cloth.

Chheng Viceth, a garbage collector in the same city, told RFA that the sanitation company he works for did not supply him with a single mask, giving him only a pair of gloves and some soap.

Some homeowners are kind enough that they gave me some, he said.

The head of a civil society organization was critical of the governments failure to keep prices down.

In other countries, their governments spend lots of money to help the people, said Kao Poeun, the secretary general of the Informal Economic Association.

If the government wants to help, they should import more masks and sell them cheaply, he said, adding that the measure would cause private sellers to reduce their prices in turn.

As a part of Chinas move to provide aid to countries stricken with COVID-19, recently dubbed mask diplomacy, a Chinese medical team donated to Cambodia a package of medical and protective equipment that included 58,000 surgical masks, 55,000 medical masks and 5,000 N95 masks among other protective gear, local media reported.

The package comes several weeks after Cambodia itself had donated 300,000 masks to China on March 2, at a time when there was not a single confirmed case of the virus in Cambodia.

Vietnam has also pledged to provide $100,000 in medical equipment to both Cambodia and Laos as well as offering to send medical experts, Vietnam Express reported.

Illegal mask exports in Vietnam

Experts in Vietnam told RFA that the country faces a shortage of face masks, revealing that hundreds of thousands of masks have been sold abroad for higher prices.

The shortage is compounded by the fact that since COVID-19 became a global problem, the supply chain for the materials necessary to manufacture masks has been disrupted.

Most of the materials are imported from China, but other suppliers are in the EU, Malaysia and Indonesia, which are all dealing with their own outbreaks.

Many provinces and province-level cities in the country are calling for the health ministry to step in to rectify the problem as scarcity drives prices higher and higher.

A nurse in Ho Chih Minh City told RFAs Vietnamese Service Wednesday that the local market has been sold out of 3M face masks for some time, adding that only poor-quality face masks can be found for 150,000 dong ($6.42) per box.

I do not buy those, though, she said.

I only use fabric face masks at the hospital. These can be washed and re-used, she said.

Nguyen Lai, a resident of Nha Trang, told RFA the shortage has encouraged people to sew their own masks.

Health officials warn that fabric masks do not offer the same level of protection as manufactured ones.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, president of the Vietnam Medical Association, told RFA that fabric masks can only be used by healthy people with no COVID-19 symptoms, and medical face masks must be used in all health facilities.

Dr. To Quang Dinh, the former vice chairman of the Otolaryngology Association in Danang, told RFA a four-layer fabric face mask might protect against most viruses but it should not be used around COVID-19 patients; it should be used only by people outside of hospitals.

He estimated that the shortage was only temporary.

I think in the next 10 days, Vietnam will produce 3 million face masks and the number of COVID-19 patients will remain below 1,000 cases, he said.

Vietnam has to date reported 163 confirmed cases with 20 recoveries.

Domestic companies in Vietnam are expected to produce 30 million face masks by the first half of April, according to a plan instituted by the Trade and Industry Ministry.

In neighboring Myanmar, people are dealing with their own mask shortages by using baby wipes as substitutes. The shortage has extended to medical professionals and masks either cannot be found in the local market or are only available at exorbitant prices.

Reported by RFAs Lao, Khmer, and Vietnamese Services and Nandar Chann for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Max Avary, Sovannarith Keo, Huy Le, and Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The skies have been mostly gray since the virus raised its head. Here in the upper Midwest, we are used to this rhythm; we know something better is coming. We stay home, and we work from home.

The phrase "the exception proves the rule" is generally misunderstood; it means the exception tests the rule. "Prove" is meant in a mathematical sense. At this mention of equation, the Iron Curtain in my brain descends, and my conscious self walks away from the matter. It whistles some vague tune as it goes fishing for the afternoon.

In a perverse manner, I suspect that Americans are oddly enjoying this shut-in experience. That old Yankee Doodle spirit emerges, and we thumb our noses at authority. We show the ruddy bastids that we can stay in and work better than anyone in the world.

That's why, when allowed to, America always wins the war.

Work is what good Americans do; injecting a load is what bad Americans on the streets of San Francisco do. Good Americans shop a little and errand a little, then go home and work a little more. When engaged in conversation with a neighbor, we keep a warm but safe distance.

Working Americans are warm and fairly safe; Trump's plan is working, too.

Journalists don't fight battles; they just look askance from afar. And the journalists know that if they say, "Jump, Skippy!," Skippy will jump. Skippy has been trained to jump. Journalists never get any real work done anyway; they just quote one another from last night's Washington cocktail party and then fill up space with more quotes from a Twitter page followed by a screen grab of that same Twitter page. Cut-and-paste journalism with a side of stale hot sauce. It all winds up looking and reading like a second-semester kindergarten project with ads.

Politicians don't fight battles anymore; in fact, a case could be made that the Founders were a once-in-a-millennium blind lucky shot, and we will never see their likes again. In today's politics, short-order cooks abound. Skillful thinkers never consider running for prom king of the Ninth District because their self-confidence doesn't need to compensate for less than average mental acuity paired with extravagant self-esteem.

Just listen to Bernie Sanders for the quarter-minute you can stand to. That is not an intellect based upon kennen and wissen; rather, it is a philosophy conceived under a dirty blanket in the rain and muck of a Woodstock hash high.

But working Americans will work around it all. We've seen bleak midwinters before, and we know that the summer sun will peek through and soon dominate.

Congratulations to working America. You are the only estate "proving" worth a damn in this moment of difficulty.

The first, second, and fourth estates are just not up to the job.
Mumbai: While there is no scientific evidence yet to prove the coronavirus was first transmitted from a bat to a person who might have consumed the animal, actor Emraan Hashmi made such a case in his latest tweet with mock conviction.

"And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT," tweeted @emraan hashmi, venting ire on someone in the faraway Chinese city of Wuhan who might have consumed an infected bat to contract COVID-19, and then pass it on to others, thereby planting the seed of the ongoing global pandemic.

And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT ...  Emraan Hashmi (@emraanhashmi) March 26, 2020

At the last count, over half a million coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 22,000 deaths. In India so far, there have 16 deaths reported and the number of cases that have tested positive has risen to 694. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a 21-day national lockdown to stem the spread of the virus.
Singapore has some very tough laws. Now, faced with the coronavirus pandemic, the city-state has updated its powerful infectious diseases law.

A lot has been emphasised on social distancing to contain the spread of COVID-19, and Singapore is ensuring its citizens abide by the strict rule put in place. It is necessary to have a one metre distance when standing in a queue.

Reuters

The failure to do so can land a person in prison under some of the toughest punishments seen worldwide to implement social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.



The city-state's strict approach and extensive surveillance during a two-month long virus battle has allowed it to largely avoid curtailing daily life until a surge of cases in the last week.

AP

But confusion over some of the new measures has seen some call for a clearer stance such as total lockdowns like those seen in Britain, France and Italy.



The updates to Singapore's powerful infectious diseases law which came into effect on Friday have been accompanied by other measures such as shutting bars and limiting gatherings to up to 10 people outside work and school.

AP

The updates state that anyone who intentionally sits less than 1 metre away from another person in a public place or on a fixed seat demarcated as not to be occupied, or who stands in a queue less than a metre away from another, will be guilty of an offence.



The rules, in place until April 30, can be applied to individuals and businesses and offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 ($6,990), jailed for up to six months, or both.




Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The vehicle failed to pull over immediately, driving at about 25 miles per hour until reaching a Mobil gas station where the vehicle pulled in and stopped.

Platt made contact with the male driver and female passenger, identified as Baley Hedum. After explaining the reason for the stop, he asked why it took so long for the driver to pull over, to which Hedum answered she was trying to give the driver directions.

As he was speaking to the occupants, Platt noticed an odor of marijuana. The driver stated he did not have marijuana or anything illegal in the vehicle. Platt searched the driver and Hedum and found nothing of evidentiary value.

Platt asked Hedum if she owned anything in the vehicle, including the purse that he saw by her feet inside the vehicle, to which she replied the purse was not hers. Hedum stated it belonged to a buddy of hers, and when asked if her identification was in the purse Hedum stated nothing of hers was inside the purse. She also stated nothing she owned was in the vehicle.
The indiatimes.com privacy policy has been updated to align with the new data regulations in European Union. Please review and accept these changes below to continue using the website. We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website.
(CNN) -- Heroes come in all shapes and sizes -- this one just happens to have four legs and a furry coat.

Wynn, a service dog in training, is bringing joy and comfort to the medical staff on the front lines of the coronovirus fight in Denver.

The one-year-old yellow Labrador serves up cuddles to health care workers who need a much needed mental break from the emergency room at Rose Medical Center.

Wynn is no stranger to the medical staff, as she's being trained by Susan Ryan, an emergency physician at the hospital.

Ryan shared an image of the two of them on Sunday. In it, the doctor is seen wearing a face shield and a mask while sitting on the floor of the hospital petting Wynn.

"I saw Wynn coming back in from being walked outside," Ryan told CNN. "I just slumped down on the floor and said 'can I just have a minute with her'?'"

Ryan said she had just finished with a patient and washed up before getting some quality time with Wynn.

"Seeing stuff and hearing stuff that you can't unsee has an impact on you," Ryan said. "That's where the dogs come in. When you are in the presence of the dog and petting them you are taking a moment to ground yourself at that present time."

Wynn is currently being trained to become an assistance dog for Canine Companions for Independence, a non-profit that provides assistance dogs free of charge to adults, children and veterans with disabilities, according to its website.

Ryan has been training Wynn since she was eight weeks old. She frequently takes the pup to the hospital for visits.

"It's been the brightest part of our day," Ryan said.

Now, Wynn is set up in the social workers office and on-call for staffers who need some puppy love to relieve stress. In the room, lights are dimmed and meditation music plays to provide the best place for medical staff to take a little mental break before returning to their jobs.

Don't worry, everyone that comes in contact with Wynn thoroughly washes their hands before touching her

Ryan suggests to help emergency room doctors, people should make sure they practice social distancing, wash their hands and take care of themselves.

"This will decrease the surge that will hit us," Ryan said. " We took an oath. We will stand up and show up."

She also said that she was very moved by seeing the videos shared on social media of people sharing their support for medical staff.

#Solidarityat8 is a social media movement that asks people to go on their balconies or open their windows at 8 p.m. to cheer, clap or just make some noise to honor the people who continue to work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

"We are all in this together," she said. "We can be connected by kindness, love and four paws."

For some virtual puppy love, Canine Companions for Independence has a live stream of a puppy camera daily that features some of their newest additions.

Wynn will be under Ryan's care till she is about 18 to 22 months old, and then she'll move on to a professional training program at one of the organization's training centers.

Correction: The headline for this article has been corrected to clarify that the dog is a service dog in training.

This story was first published on CNN.com "A service dog in training brings comfort to ER doctors on the frontlines"
By Jeffrey Dastin

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Friday said it would sell its stake in AnyVision, an Israeli facial recognition startup, and said it no longer would make minority investments in companies that sell the controversial technology.

The decision marks a policy change for the Redmond, Washington-based software maker, which has aimed to shape how the technology industry approaches facial recognition. Microsoft has laid out principles to guide its own development of the technology, saying it should perform without bias and must not impinge on democratic freedoms.

Civil liberties groups have said police use of facial recognition could lead to unfair, arbitrary arrests and limit freedom of expression.

Microsoft came under scrutiny last summer for participating in a $74 million funding round for AnyVision, which critics said contradicted the company's principles.

AnyVision, based outside Tel Aviv, came under scrutiny following media reports that its technology was used to surveil Palestinians who lived in the occupied West Bank. Microsoft later hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and a team from Covington & Burling to investigate the claims.

The law firm found that AnyVision's technology was in use at checkpoints in border crossings between Israel and the West Bank - as the startup had said - but that it had not fueled a mass surveillance program there, according to a copy of the audit's findings posted on the website of M12, Microsoft's venture fund.

Even so, Microsoft said that as a result of the probe it decided to exit the business of investing in facial recognition startups altogether.

"For Microsoft, the audit process reinforced the challenges of being a minority investor in a company that sells sensitive technology, since such investments do not generally allow for the level of oversight or control that Microsoft exercises over the use of its own technology," Microsoft and AnyVision said in a joint statement posted on M12's website.

Story continues

Microsoft did not have a timeline to share for when the divestment will occur and who will buy its stake, a spokesman said. It was not immediately clear if other M12 investments were impacted by the policy change.

AnyVision did not immediately comment.

While Microsoft has turned down some facial recognition sales on human rights grounds, such as declining a deal for the capital city of a country that nonprofit Freedom House said was not free, it continues to develop the software for other commercial and public sector uses.

Microsoft said there was no change to its internal work on facial recognition.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio and Leslie Adler)
TDT | Manama

The Bahrainouna National Plan to Promote the Spirit of Belonging to the Nation and Reinforce the Values of Nationalism celebrated its first anniversary yesterday.

It was launched last year by Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa in the presence of other ministers, senior officials and high-ranking citizens. There are 105 programmes and initiatives within the plan targeting several stakeholders, and there is a huge focus on youth.

Among them are student awareness programmes, summer camps, programmes against violence and addiction, campaigns to appreciate and promote Bahraini products, and Youth City 2030, to name just a few. The initiatives have specific goals and objectives, targeting all segments of citizens. The plan started out as an idea and it transitioned into an initiative. It was an enlightened royal thought in which His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa dedicated to considering the reinforcement of loyalty and national belonging as the foundations of the comprehensive reform project.

In this context, Bahrainouna was launched and it took solid steps through a framework to build a stronger and more cohesive nation. During the launch, the Interior Minister expressed its noble meaning and the national goals that the plan works to achieve. More than 100 initiatives that are committed to its goals were determined in the early stages in January of 2018 until it was approved by the Cabinet and the formation of the ministerial follow-up and implementation committee A committee of specialists and experts was then formed to set an indicative document as a general framework for the work of all authorities in the public and private sectors, NGOs and the media to reinforce national values. The plan received positive responses and the appreciation of the community.

Its goals focus on the protection of genuine values of the people of Bahrain that promotes the spirit of brotherhood, solidarity between citizens, and national spirit to develop efforts to protect the security and stability of the nation. An executive office for the follow-up committee of the initiatives was then formed with representation from authorities concerned and community figures. Those initiatives are either an enforcement of previously launched projects and initiatives, were launched as part of the plan, or were developed during coordination meetings of the executive office and several organisations.
Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Heng Swee Keat on March 26 announced the governments supplementary budget worth 48.4 billion SGD (33.7 billion USD) to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting out the grim economic outlook worldwide, Heng Swee Keat says the global economy is now facing both supply and demand shocks. (Photo: GOV.SG)

The second stimulus package, called "Resilience Budget", would raise Singapores COVID-19 support package to nearly 55 billion SGD (38.4 billion USD), or 11 percent of its GDP.

The package will focuses on three areas: saving jobs, supporting workers and protecting livelihoods; helping enterprises overcome immediate challenges; and strengthening economic and social resilience.

The Singaporean government said it would draw up to 17 billion SGD from its reserves to fund the part of the package.

There will be more support for self-employed workers, help for fresh graduates and the unemployed to find jobs and more benefits for the unemployed.

Adult Singaporeans, who were to get a 100-300 SGD cash payout, will now get up to 900 SGD.

Industries that have been badly hit by the COVID-19 crisis, in particular aviation and tourism, will also get more support./. VNA
The Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Hafiz Bin Salih has revealed to the media that a 42-year-old Ghanaian who visited UK and Spain and returned to Ghana through Egypt has been confirmed positive of coronavirus after the victim joined a public transport from Accra to Wa.

The Minister made the revelation at a press conference held this afternoon at the conference of the RCC in collaboration with the Regional Health Director, Dr. Osei Kufour Afreh.

According to the Health Director, the patient started showing signs 8 days ago and a test conducted turns positive about two hours ago.

The Minister, however, called on the people of the region not panic about the situation as it is an imported case and the health officials are on top of the case.

Checks by Upperwestmedia Team proves the Victim traveled in an O.A bus alongside 41 others from Accra to Wa.
The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (OMDH) has called on the UN Secretary General and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to urgently intervene to protect the Sahrawis sequestered in the polisario- controlled Tindouf camps against the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter sent lately to the UN Chief and UNHCR, the Moroccan Human rights watchdog voiced deep concern over the situation of the inhabitants of the Tindouf camps and urged the two top UN officials to provide these Sahrawis with the necessary medical care.

The human rights organization also called for the immediate international protection of these Sahrawis who have been left by the polisario leadership to fend for themselves in very difficult conditions.

Meanwhile, the rulers of Algeria, the host country, seem much more concerned by the collapse of oil prices than by the deteriorating situation of thousands of Sahrawis who have been forced into compulsory confinement for a long time and are suffering from a sharp drop in international humanitarian aid because of its embezzlement by Polisario leaders.

In Algeria, the deadly Coronavirus continues to spread rapidly. It has so far sickened 367 people and killed 25. In the Tindouf camps, the sequestered Sahrawis have no medicines or hospitals. They are, therefore, seriously exposed to the risk of infection by the coronavirus pandemic, while the authorities of the host country remain apathetic.
MEDFORD, Ore.  Just one day after pleading guilty to rape charges in Josephine County court, a Cave Junction man pleaded guilty for a separate rape case in Jackson County on Friday.

According to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office, 45-year-old Kristopher Patton first came under investigation in July of 2019 from Oregon State Police and the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force.

That month a victim came forward in Josephine County, telling a family member that Patton had sexually abused her the night before. The admission prompted another family member to come forward, who told police that she also had been abused by Patton.

"Although not blood-related, the victims considered Patton to be a family member," the DA's Office said.

An investigation by OSP detectives found three other victims with similar accusations. They also had considered Patton to be a family member, and had spent year with him while growing up, the DA's Office said.

All three of the new victims said that the abuse had lasted over a matter of years. At least one said that Patton had given her alcohol before he forcibly raped her, according to the DA's Office.

Another victim had tried to tell family members, "but she was dismissed and told not to lie."

"Patton would threaten to hurt the victim's family members if they told, and would often buy them gifts or treats after abusing them," the DA's Office said.

During the investigation, the High Tech Crimes Task Force unearthed a number of digital images of child exploitation.

On Friday, Patton pleaded guilty to two counts of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the Fire Degree and one count of Rape in the First Degree in Jackson County Circuit Court. The day before, he pleaded guilty to one count of Rape in the First Degree, Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, and two counts of Sex Abuse in the First Degree in the Josephine County Circuit Court.

Patton was sentenced to 30 years in prison with lifetime post-prison supervision, a lifetime sex offender registration. He will not earn time off for good behavior or be eligible for early release programs due to the nature of his crimes.

The DA's Office said that Patton has been in the Josephine County Jail since September 5, and he wll receive credit for time served in jail.
S ingapore has threatened those who get closer than one metre apart where avoidable with six months in prison and fines of 5,700.

As the coronavirus crisis worsens across the world, the nation's ministry of health said people must ensure they are at least one metre away from each other where "interactions are non-transient" or they may face the sanctions.

It also said the same punishments could be given to anyone joining a gathering of more than 10 people, outside of school or work.

While those who are given a "stay home notice" will also face the ramifications, of the fine, jail, or both, if they leave their homes within five days of receiving one without good reason.

Six months is the maximum jail term while 10,000 Singapore dollars, around 5,700, is the top end fine.

According to Singapore's ministry of health the nation currently has 422 people there infected with coronavirus while 172 people to test positive have been discharged.

Two people diagnosed with the virus there have died.
There was growing alarm this week at the high death rate in old people's homes in different parts of the country, but especially in Madrid.

In some cases, stories were emerging of the bodies of dead residents being left in their beds without telling relatives. Staff were going sick or leaving to avoid catching coronavirus.

Army emergency medical teams visited 41 care homes across the country before prosecutors on Monday received a formal request from the Ministry of Defence for an investigation into why the death rate was so high. The level of care inside some of the private and public homes visited was being openly questioned, but army officials stressed that the incidents were not generalised across all centres.

The government said this week that a care home should tell the regional health authorities immediately if they could not cope with a situation.

On Wednesday official statistics said that 50 people had died in care homes for the elderly in the last 24 hours. One home in Madrid, Santisima Virgen y San Celedonio, said it had so far had 24 residents die with coronavirus as well as a nun from the charity that ran it.

Meanwhile, one small private residence outside Madrid (that so far has nobody infected with coronavirus) pleaded with health officials not to send residents for the two spare spaces it has without testing the newcomers first.
The Australian government is set to announce a third economic package that will put businesses into 'hibernation' until the coronavirus crisis is over.

As business owners shut their doors and lay off staff across the country in the wake of drastic COVID-19 restrictions, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Governments were thrashing out the details of measures to save businesses from going under during the crisis.

The package will follow two stimulus packages which will pump more than $83 billion into the economy over the next few months.

During a press conference following a national cabinet meeting on Friday, Mr Morrison hinted the measures will see rent relief for commercial and residential tenants, waivers on council rates and land tax and support for landlords.

Tax and utility bill relief are reportedly both measures under discussion by the national cabinet.

The Australian Government are seeking to hibernate businesses so they can bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: 'We are closed' sign at a hotel in Fremantle

Restaurants and cafes are only allowed to serve takeaway food and drinks in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, while personal service businesses, such as beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlors have been forced to close. Pictured: A sign outside Melbourne Zoo

Mr Morrison said he did not want businesses to be saddled by debt, rental payments and other liabilities over the course of the next six months.

'We want these businesses to effectively go into a hibernation, which means on the other side, the employees come back, the opportunities come back, the economy comes back,' he said.

'This will underpin our strategy as we go to the third tranche of our economic plan, and that will include support by states and territories on managing the very difficult issue of commercial tenancies and also dealing ultimately with residential tenancies as well.'

Banks, lenders and landlords may be required to waive overheads including rents and mortgage repayments for the next six months due to pandemic

Strict public health measures have crippled businesses, which have been forced to close to encourage social distancing and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the spectre of mass unemployment looms for workers, forced out of a job because of no fault of their own.

Under the current measures, restaurants and cafes are only allowed to serve takeaway food and drinks , while personal service businesses, such as beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlors have been forced to close.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is hopeful the National Cabinet can strike a deal to take pressure off businesses being forced to pay rent for their workplaces, even if they have shut down.

Senator Cormann said many businesses are facing the 'perfect storm' of a drop-off in revenue coupled with continuing fixed costs.

'One of the big fixed costs is obviously rental obligations,' he told Sky News.

Australia's biggest banks are letting home loan borrowers and small business customers defer their payments for up to six months due to the coronavirus crisis (stock image)

Labor has called for a freeze on all rental evictions during Australia's coronavirus shutdown.

There are concerns if people are kicked onto the street it will not only impact the lives of families but make containment of the virus much more difficult.

Australia's biggest banks are letting home loan borrowers and small business customers defer their payments for up to six months due to the coronavirus crisis.

Last Friday, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ and NAB all said they would extend a program by the Australian Banking Association to defer loans to small businesses to include their home loan customers.

'These are unprecedented times, and we will continue to take decisive actions to support households and the small business community,' CBA chief executive Matt Comyn said.

Almost half of Australia's businesses have already felt the effects of the coronavirus and four out of five expect to be hit in coming months.

The confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Australia soared past 3,000 on Friday

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

The Australian Bureau of Statistics research was released on Thursday as staff were retrenched at Virgin Australia, Flight Centre and Premier Investments, which owns retailer Smiggle and a range of clothing stores.

The ABS collected data from 3000 business in mid-March, pre-dating the first phase of the Morrison government's social distancing measures.

The most prevalent impact was felt in the accommodation and food services sector where over three-quarters of businesses have been affected, while just shy of 100 per cent anticipated impacts in coming months.

'The pandemic is causing havoc across all industries,' National Australia Bank economist Kaixin Owyong said in a note to clients.
Around 60 workers have refused to start their shifts at a food processing plant in Co Tyrone over safety concerns around coronavirus.

Unite the union said the workers at Linden Foods in Dungannon are demanding talks with management over infection control measures, claiming a total absence of social distancing measures on boning line, in canteen and at entry and exit points.

Unite regional officer Brian Hewitt said the union will do whatever it takes to support our members fight for adequate coronavirus infection controls.

There have been ongoing issues between management and workers at Linden Foods in Dungannon over the issue of the absence of social distancing for workers on the boning line, in the canteen, changing areas and at entry and exit points, he said.

The companys management has provided no additional wash facilities and failed to stagger breaks.

Workers have been reporting to Unite that those exhibiting symptoms are still allowed to work, as are those with family members who are self-isolating as result of being in the high-risk health category.

Both inside and outside the company, Unite has been raising health and safety concerns over the last weeks and unfortunately these have been ignored by management.

In desperation and fear for their health and well-being, this morning approximately 60 workers refused to enter the workplace and sought assurances from management that two metres spacing would be adopted throughout.

Earlier this week there were walk-outs at poultry firm Moy Park in Portadown and the ABP food group in Lurgan over similar concerns.

Linden Foods has been contacted for a response.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
DES MOINES -- Iowa businesses deemed non-essential will remain closed through April 7, an extension of one week announced Thursday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Reynolds originally ordered restaurants and bars to halt on-site consumption of food and beverages through the end of March as a means to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. She announced the one-week extension during her daily briefing on the states response to the pandemic on Thursday at the State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Dodge in Johnston.

The March 16 order allows restaurants and bars to serve customers through drive-thru lanes, carryout and delivery only.

On Sunday, Reynolds ordered all of the state's hair salons, barber shops, medical spas, massage therapists, tattoo shops and swimming pools to close also until March 31.

Thursday, Reynolds added to the closure list additional retail stores, including book stores; clothing and shoe stores; jewelry, luggage, cosmetics, perfume, and beauty supply stores; florists; and furniture and home furnishing stores. Many of those stores have already closed voluntarily to protect their employees or because they have too little business.

These additional steps, along with those weve already taken, are equivalent to the goals of many of the shelter-in-place orders (instituted in other states), Reynolds said. I understand that these decisions will continue to impact the lives and livelihoods of Iowans. But the more we do now to mitigate the spread of the virus, the sooner that we will get through this so that life and business can get back to normal.

Reynolds also ordered the suspension of all non-essential or elective surgeries, any medical procedures that can be delayed without undue risk to the patient, and all elective dental procedures, including routine hygienic, cosmetic or orthodontic procedures, excepting only emergency dental procedures.

Last week, metro Sioux City hospitals and surgical centers MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's, Dunes Surgical Hospital, and Pierce Street Same Day Surgery announced a voluntary indefinite postponement of elective surgeries and procedures.

Reynolds also ordered health care facilities and nursing homes to engage in advanced health screenings for staff.

In order to encourage the use of telehealth, Reynolds also ordered insurance companies to reimburse health care providers for telehealth services at the same rate as in-person services.

These actions will help us preserve the personal protective equipment (used by health care workers) as well as our health care workforce, Reynolds said.

Thirty-four new cases of the novel coronavirus in Iowa were confirmed Thursday by the state. That brings Iowas total to 179 confirmed cases in 37 counties. Just one coronavirus-related death has been reported thus far.

Thirty-one individuals are hospitalized due to the virus, according to state public health department data. Another 15 individuals hospitalized for the virus were discharged and are recovering.

Reynolds said she extended the closures in part because not enough time has passed to give state public health officials sufficient data to determine whether current orders are proving effective in slowing the virus spread. She said with her original order nearly set to expire next week, she extended the closures Thursday to allow businesses to plan accordingly.

As we work through this week and next we'll start to get some of the information, and then well continue to re-evaluate and see how we can move forward, Reynolds said. Every day I need Iowans and businesses to know that were re-evaluating those metrics and seeing what they look like and talking about what we need to do next. And that went into the decisions that we made (Thursday).
This article originally appeared on the Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch

PEEKSKILL, NY The new coronavirus outbreak in New York and across the nation is having vast impacts in Westchester County, including the closure of schools, most businesses and houses of worship. Restaurants have had to limit business to take-out and delivery.

The number of cases of the illness caused by the virus, known as COVID-19, continue to rise and additional measures continue to be announced.

As of Friday morning, there were 7,187 positive cases of coronavirus in Westchester County.





Westchester Numbers

Total number of hospitalized (cumulative) - 91

Total of residents currently in hospital - 73

Total hospitalized in Westchester County - 67

Deaths - 10

More than 44,635 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in New York as of Friday morning, and 8,526 people have been hospitalized.

New York State has been put on PAUSE: all non-essential workers are directed to work from home and everyone has been required to maintain a 6-foot distance from others in public. Non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are canceled. Sick individuals should not leave their home unless to receive medical care and only after a telehealth visit to determine if leaving the home is in the best interest of their health.



Here are the latest local updates:

SCHOOLS

All schools in New York will remain closed through at least April 15 in response to the new coronavirus outbreak, state officials said.

SEE: NY Schools To Close 2 More Weeks; Peak Cases Expected In 21 Days

All 2020 NYSSMA solo festivals and major ensemble festivals are cancelled.

Peekskill

In Peekskill, breakfast and lunch "grab and go" bags will be served Monday - Friday to any Peekskill student to bring home. As of March 30, pick-up locations will be combined to include only the Oakside and Peekskill High School sites. Distribution will take place in these two school building parking lots. Families can visit either site. You will be asked to share the names of all of your school-aged children. Oakside Elementary: 10 a.m. -12:00 p.m. High School: 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. During the scheduled Spring Recess, meals will be available Monday, April 6 thru Thursday, April 9 ONLY. There will be NO meal service on Friday, April 10.

Story continues

Click here for Peekskill's online learning resources.

Hendrick-Hudson

Lakeland

Lakeland Schools will observe the scheduled Spring Recess April 6 - 13. The recess will be a time for teachers and staff to take some time for their families, and they will not be required to send assignments during those days.

The food distribution program continues and the Children's Center program for health care workers and first responders will continue except for April 9 and 10, which are official school holidays. Also, Feeding Westchester will provide pre-packaged food for those who need it, starting at 3 p.m. April 1 at George Washington Elementary School. Patrons should stay in their cars, and food will be brought to you. If walking to the site, please maintain the social distancing of at least six feet.



BUSINESSES



A webinar on eCommerce and how to complete the Small Business Administration's disaster loan application will be held at 11 a.m. March 31. Link: https://www.facebook.com/hvgat... Host: Deb Milone, President, Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce.



AGENCIES

Hudson Valley Honor Flights Postponed Due To New Coronavirus

GOVERNMENT

Cortlandt

All Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board meetings, as well as council and committee meetings are cancelled until the end of March.

The Cortlandt Supervisor and Town Board will hold a work shop  conference call at 2 p.m. March 30. The purpose of the conference call is to discuss the Coronavirus response. If you would like to join the call please contact the Supervisors Office at (914) 734-1002 for the conference call information.



Peekskill

While essential staff are still at work in City of Peekskill buildings, the doors of City Hall and other City buildings are closed to public visitors to limit exposure. In general, services are available by phone, online and by mail. The same applies to other City offices and buildings (Recreation, Central Fire House). including details on program suspensions, upcoming meetings, department contacts and more.




She made the remarks at the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on March 26th, while answering reporters queries regarding Vietnams response to Chinese medias information about Chinas launch of two research stations on Fiery Cross and Subi Reefs of Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)



She reiterated that Vietnam has sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence testifying its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagos in line with international law.

Therefore, all activities on those islands must have Vietnams permission, the spokesperson stressed.

Regarding Taiwan (China)s live-fire drill around Ba Binh (Itu Aba) island in Truong Sa, Hang described the exercise as an action that has seriously violated Vietnams territorial sovereignty over the archipelago, threatened peace, stability, safety and security of navigation, caused tensions and complicated the situation in the East Sea.

Vietnam absolutely opposes and requests Taiwan not to repeat such violation in the future, she said./.
Talking on the recent Kabul Gurudwara terror attack, US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus on Thursday said that there is no room for any religious terrorism and the US are trying to work towards peaceful resolutions in Afghanistan.

"There's just no room for this type of religious discrimination and terrorism. This is why I think what we are trying to work towards peaceful resolutions in Afghanistan. We don't know that ISIS claimed responsibility to attack," Ortagus told ANI.

"We will continue to work around the to beat ISIS about where they may exist, these are horrible ideologies or murderous ideologies. We condemn this and will work to kill and defeat ISIS anywhere they," she added.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Micheal Pompeo had condemned the Kabul Gurudwara terror attack which claimed the lives of 27 civilians and wounded eight others.

"I want to address the ISIS-K claimed attack in Afghanistan. The United States condemns the horrific ISIS-K claimed the attack on a Sikh temple and community centre in Kabul this morning which took the lives of more than two dozen innocent people. The Afghan people deserve a future free from ISIS-K and other terrorist activity," said Pompeo.

Over the issue of the Afghan peace process, he added: "Despite the country's political challenges, the ongoing Afghan peace process remains the primary opportunity for Afghans to come together to negotiate a political settlement and build a unified front against the menace of ISIS-K. We encourage all Afghans to embrace this opportunity."

Earlier on Wednesday, Afghan interior ministry reported an attack on the Sikh religious site in Kabul, which included suicide bombers. All 4 terrorists involved in the attack were killed by Afghan security forces.

India also expressed its condolences to the Sikh community of Afghanistan. MEA said: "We convey our sincerest condolences to the immediate family members of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the affected families of the Hindu and Sikh community of Afghanistan."

The statement further said, "Such cowardly attacks on the places of religious worship of the minority community, especially at this time of COVID 19 pandemic, is reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators and their backers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lisa Ling returned to The View on Friday and stirred up a discussion with her thoughts on who the United States should be asking for help managing the coronavirus outbreak.

Ling slammed those who have publicly blamed China and instead called for a partnership.

We could sit here and blame China until were blue in the face, but how is that going to help us right now? asked Ling.

She continued, If anything, we should be asking China for help. They have reported no new cases of coronavirus. We should be saying, OK, how can you help us now because we are now the epicenter of the world.

Ling has been openly critical of President Trumps response to the outbreak on Twitter and his decision to call COVID-19 the China Virus.

Im a time of global pandemic, we need to work with the world, not against it. pic.twitter.com/BY9HNkXTwt  lisaling (@lisaling) March 20, 2020

Viewers of the episode took to Twitter with their thoughts on Lings suggestion of asking China for help, and not everyone agreed that it was a good idea:

@lisaling are u nuts ? Ask China ? Do u seriously think they are being honest about no New cases ? Come on don't b naive  Keisha (@Keisha80519844) March 27, 2020

@lisaling its funny watching you say how can the USA not call China for help during this pandemic? Are you that blind? That country has screwed over the USA for decades. Wake up and stop trying to spread an agenda.  Keith Tuthill Jr (@Yotut2010) March 27, 2020

But others applauded Ling for her calls for cooperation between the two countries:

Story continues

Thank you @lisaling for saying the truth. Trump knew and did nothing. Quit blaming China, he needs to place the blame on himself #TheView  Michelle #DemocratSavage (@MichelleSawye) March 27, 2020

We can blame China from now to kingdom come, but China is not responsible for The People of the US!

Trump is responsible for taking care of The People and he has not! This is his own mess!  Lila (@_1Lila_Blue) March 27, 2020

Watch Meghan McCain open up about her pregnancy after miscarriage:

For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC and WHOs resource guides.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.
Burglars have stolen five guns used in a number of James Bond films including Die Another Day and Live And Let Die worth more than 100,000.

The iconic Walther PPK handgun used in Roger Moore's final outing as Bond in A View To A Kill, and Beretta Cheetah and Tomcat pistols from Pierce Brosnan's Die Another Day were stolen at an Aldersbrook Avenue property in Enfield, London.

A Revolver Smith and Weston 44 Magnum featured in Live And Let Die, as well as a Llama 22 calibre handgun from Pierce Brosnan's last outing as 007.

Police described the intruders as three white males with Eastern European accents who drove away in a silver vehicle on Monday night.

It is believed the suspects forced entry, where they stole the five deactivated weapons, estimated to be worth more than 100,000.

The Met Police described the stolen firearms as 'very distinctive and bespoke', and 'will almost certainly be recognised by the public'.

Burglars have stolen five guns used in a number of James Bond films including Die Another Day and Live And Let Die worth over 100,000 (pictured, Roger Moore in A View To A Kill)

Walther PPK pistol used in A View To A Kill, starring Roger Moore as 007. Bond is assigned with stopping Max Zorin from exterminating his Silicon Valley competitors

Roger Moore with Jane Seymour in 1973's Live And Let Die, Moore's first outing as Bond. 007 is investigating the deaths of British agents when he is led to a Caribbean drug lord

Detective Inspector Paul Ridley of North Area CID said: 'Many of these items are irreplaceable. For example, the Magnum is the only one in the world ever made in which the whole gun is finished in chrome.

'It has a six and a half inch barrel and wood grips.

'The Walther PPK was the last gun used by Roger Moore in A View to a Kill.

'The owner is very upset that his address has been violated and he truly hopes to be re-united with these highly collectable items.

'I would urge any members of the public that may have witnessed the burglars arriving and leaving, or who know where the firearms are, or may have been offered these stolen items for sale, to come forward to my investigation team as a priority.'

The stolen guns:

One Beretta 'Cheetah' auto pistol, serial number H02641Y;

One Walther PPK, serial number 146872;

One Revolver Smith and Weston 44 Magnum, serial number N60304;

One Beretta 'Tomcat' auto pistol, serial number DAA264306;

One Llama 22 cal. Serial number 271915.

Anyone with information is urged to contact North Area CID via 101, or by tweeting @MetCC quoting CAD 5890/23MAR20.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Beretta Cheetah pistol used in Die Another Day. 007, played by Pierce Brosnan, is tasked with locating a mole in British intelligence who betrayed him to North Korea and a diamond baron

Halle Berry in 2002's Die Another Day, wielding a Beretta Cheetah (left)and Tomcat (right)

Beretta Tomcat pistol used in Die Another Day, Pierce Brosnan's final outing as Bond

Moore is illustrated as 007 next to Grace Jones in 1985's A View To A Kill

Llama 22 pistol used in Brosnan's fourth and final outing as Bond, Die Another Day, which also stars Halle Berry, Judi Dench as M, and John Cleese as Q
CHANGSHA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- In front of a phone camera, Chen Canping spoke with confidence and eloquence about black tea, a specialty in Anhua County, central China's Hunan Province, yet he is no salesman, but a local government official.

Chen, like many primary-level officials across China, has forayed into the country's booming livestreaming shopping industry recently, as a way to promote sales of local products that had taken a hit from the novel coronavirus outbreak.

On March 15 alone, over 100 top county or city officials had joined livestreaming sessions to promote thousands of local agricultural products on Taobao, one of China's major e-commerce platforms, according to the company.

The eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi has also organized government officials and internet celebrities across almost 100 counties throughout the province to help sell agricultural products via livestreaming.

Their uncommon appearances on the livestreaming sites proved eye-catching.

Wang Shuai, deputy head of Shanghe county in the eastern province of Shandong, attracted over 180,000 views online in two livestreaming sessions promoting local cherry tomatoes on his personal Taobao account.

Chen, deputy head of Anhua County, opened a short-video account to help local tea farmers and tea enterprises expand their sales channels.

Anhua is an impoverished county located in a mountainous area in Hunan and is known for the local black tea. Over 360,000 people in the county with a population of over 1 million are involved in tea-related businesses.

Spring Festival used to be a peak season for tea sales, with revenues usually reaching over tens of millions of dollars. This year, entity stores saw sales plummet during the period.

Chen started his account on the short video platform Douyin on March 1. At the busiest time, he did three livestreaming sessions in one day, each lasting around two hours.

Chen studied many trendy expressions and skills to attract fans from online influencers and analyzed data and traffic behind the livestreaming sessions.

"I don't want to be restrained by my label as a 'county chief,'" Chen said. "I am willing to do Gangnam-style dance moves as well as sing local folk songs to get the sales up."

Under his initiative, local tea companies launched a live-streaming marketing project on March 12. Over 50 broadcasts have been made, gaining 10 million views. The orders from livestreaming reached over 25 million yuan (around 3.5 million U.S. dollars).

"Online sales are much needed during the tough time," said Gong Yicheng, who owns a local tea company. "Livestreaming marketing, which we never thought of before, has now been basically adopted by all the local companies."

Apart from guiding local companies to livestreaming sites, some government officials also believe that their presence gives customers a sense of trust.

"We promoted the products on behalf of the government so that the public would believe the quality of the products," said Shen Zhongchun, deputy head of Poyang County, in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, who received 2.56 million likes in one live broadcast.
The railways on Friday said the Delhi Police had suspended a GRP constable for trying to ferry migrant workers to their hometowns in an empty train on March 26.

RPF DG Arun Kumar said the Government Railway Police (GRP) constable had taken money from the migrant workers, saying he would help them get to their hometowns by train.

CCTV footage at the New Delhi railway station showed that the constable, initially identified as an inspector of the GRP, facilitated around 45 people to get aboard an empty rake of the Magadh Express on Thursday, the railways said.

"They assembled at the GRP chauki, near metro gate number 1 at the New Delhi railway station. Then they moved to platform number 16 through an opening for construction work. When the RPF personnel saw this, additional force was called and all of them were de-boarded from the train and ousted from the station. The train is still at the station," Northern Railway Spokesperson Deepak Kumar said.

Sources said across the railway network, around 600 empty rakes were stranded away from their home bases and the local railway authorities had come under pressure to allow migrant workers to travel to their homes on these rakes.

In an order, the railways has stopped the movement of all empty rakes.

"The CCTV footage showed that he (the GRP constable) took money from the contractor to facilitate the workers to board the train, but was spotted by RPF personnel, who immediately deboarded them," Kumar told PTI.

Sources said the inspector took Rs 500 each from the desperate workers and shoved them into the rakes, which were not going anywhere.

"Head Constable Satish Rathi of the GRP thana in New Delhi has been suspended by the DCP, Railways and sent to the GRP Lines on March 27. Involvement of the SHO, GRP and any RPF personnel is being looked into," Kumar said.

The workers were promised to be taken to Allahabad, where the train was supposed to be returning along with some operating crew and onboard staff, the sources added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  The government has evacuated 13 Filipino students from three countries amid the inbound travel restrictions imposed by Philippine authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera III.

Among them were five students of Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University and interns in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, five Aklan State University students who are also interns in Hokkaido, Japan and three University of the Philippines Los Banos faculty members earning their post-doctoral degrees in the United Kingdom, de Vera said in a statement Thursday.

Under the current travel restrictions, Filipinos coming from abroad shall be allowed entry subject to quarantine procedures.

De Vera said all the students are undergoing quarantine in their respective homes.

The Department of Foreign Affairs will be notified in case any one of the evacuees will develop COVID-19 symptoms, he added.
HYDERABAD, India, March 26, 2020 (Morning Star News)  Police in Nepal arrested a Christian pastor this week, accusing him of giving false information about COVID-19 by saying Christian prayer could bring healing from the disease, sources said.

Pastor Keshab Acharya, 32, was taken into custody on Monday (March 23) from his home in Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh Province, after a video appeared on social media of him rebuking the novel coronavirus as he preached to his church, according to his wife, Junu Acharya.

Pastor Acharya received a phone call from a man requesting prayer for his sick wife at about 8 p.m., she said.

The person wanted to come to our home for prayer, and my husband agreed, provided him the address and asked him to come over so we can pray for his wife, Junu Acharya told Morning Star News.

While they waited, the couples 2-year-old son wanted to dance with them to a Christian song, Junu Acharya said.

We were dancing joyfully when there was a knock on the door, she said. Three male police officers and a female police officer were at the door. They told us that they were also Christian and needed prayers, and that they had called Pastor Acharya and came for prayer.

After coming inside, the officers surrounded the pastor and told them they were arresting him, she said. They said he was being charged based on a video circulating in social media in which he prays against and rebukes the novel coronavirus.

My husband said, If there was any charge against me, you could have let me know directly, and I would have come to the police station all by myself, because our 2-year-old son and I were panicked, Junu Acharya said. I immediately called two of the brothers from our church who can drive and followed the polices vehicle. I was afraid that he would be beaten up by police or would be taken to somewhere else. I wanted to ensure that they were taking him to the police station.

The Nepal police website states that Kaski police officers arrested Pastor Acharya for misleading the public by posting false information on social media about the novel coronavirus. Police cited a video showing Pastor Acharya calling the coronavirus an evil spirit and rebuking it in the name of Christ. He is also seen speaking in tongues as the congregation repeats after him.

On the day he was arrested, the couple had gone to a church members home around noon to pray for them, his wife said. While they were away, a ministry staff member received a call from a female urgently requesting healing prayer for her and two other women. The three women came to the church site, and the staff members prayed for them in the absence of the pastor and his wife, Junu Acharya said.

The women kept asking for the pastor, and staff members told them they would be available later in the day, she said.

We suspect they must have come to check on us, and subsequently police came after 8 p.m. on the same day, Junu Acharya said. It sounds strange, because even the women had repeated the same words as that of the officers who came later in the evening that we are Christians and we need prayers for our health, and we want Pastor Acharya to pray for us.

Pastor Acharya has been using YouTube to teach and preach since 2015, his wife said.

We had received many hateful comments, she said. There were days when we would wake up to calls from Nepali-speaking Hindus from Australia, Europe and the U.S. abusing him in extremely vulgar language. They had even threatened us that we would be killed brutally.

The pastor never appeared to be bothered by the comments and did not respond angrily, she said.

When I was vexed by their comments and messages, he told me that we are doing the Lords work, and we are bound to face opposition, but that we should not let these things disappoint us and serve the Lord joyously; we are called to serve Him, and we shall do it, Junu Acharya said. That was his only motive.

Pleas for Justice

Pastor Mukunda Sharma, executive secretary of the Nepal Christian Society, said he had urged District Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Karki to act fairly and not implicate Pastor Acharya in any criminal charges.

I told Mr. Kargi that the police cannot prosecute the pastor for exercising his faith, and that it is a gross violation of human rights, and he had assured me that the pastor was taken into custody only for an enquiry, Sharma told Morning Star News.

Later Kargi informed Pastor Sharma that he had presented Pastor Acharya before a judge, who sent him for remand for the seven days.

It seems Kargi had sought permission from the court to investigate the matter, Pastor Sharma said.

He said he has been unable to visit the jailed pastor as Nepal government officials announced a lockdown until Tuesday (March 31) to contain the spread of Covid-19.

I have been sending pleas to authorities for a travel-pass to reach Pokhara, Pastor Sharma told Morning Star News.

Karki told the Himalayan Times that Pastor Acharya was in police custody and that preparations were underway to take action against him. Police reportedly said the pastor could be sent to prison for six months.

The Himalayan Times made reference to Pastor Acharya preaching in a squatters area, but the police report cites only his comments on social media.

C.B. Gahatraj, president of the Federation of National Christians in Nepal (FNCN), told Morning Star News that the arrest of the Nepali Christian leader is unacceptable and against Nepals constitution.

The entire world is under attack by the Covid-19, and during this time people from across all religions are praying for it to stop, Gahatraj told Morning Star News. By this act, religious harmony is in danger during a time when people are already in chaos.

Nothing in the video indicates any violation of law, he said.

It is clear that it was a sermon preached by Pastor Acharya within his respective congregation, and our federation asserts that this practice of praying is not in conflict with the laws of Nepal, Gahatraj said.

In a loose translation of his talk provided by Morning Star News sources, Pastor Acharya says in the video, Hey, corona  you go and die. May all your deeds be destroyed by the power of the Lord Jesus. I rebuke you, corona, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. By the power of the ruler of this Creation, I rebuke youBy the power in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, corona, go away and die.

Secularism is institutionalized in the preamble of the new constitution, Gahatraj said.

Nepals constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and all citizens have the right to profess, practice and protect their faith, Pastor Sharma added. He appealed to the Nepal government to respect basic religious freedom as described in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

I make a request to the body of Christ worldwide to pray for him, the Nepal government and the Christian community in Nepal, Pastor Sharma said.

Junu Acharya said the arrest has been especially difficult during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Im back home caring for our 6-month-old son [along with the 2-year-old son], and my husband is imprisoned at district jail, she said. I have stepped back from speaking to anyone outside the faith because I am afraid that they might misinterpret my words and put him in more trouble by booking him under serious charges.

On Sept. 22, 2017, four Christians in Nepal were released after being sentenced to five years in prison for praying for a mentally troubled woman. A high court annulled the convictions of Lali Pun, Bimkali Budha, Suk Lal Pariyar and Ganga Pariyar, who had been charged with witchcraft in Salyan District Court on May 19, 2016 for praying for the woman.

Besides the prison sentences, the Christians had been told to pay a fine of 50,000 Nepalese rupees (US$475), an overwhelming sum in Nepal. A fifth Christian, Rupa Thapa, was arrested with them but was declared not guilty and released in 2016.

While the new constitution passed in September 2015 establishes Nepal as a secular and democratic republic, its definition of secular appears to protect Hinduism and allows others only to worship in their own faiths. Article 26 forbids anyone to convert a person of one religion to another religion, or disturb the religion of other people.

Advocacy groups have detected increased enforcement and other anti-Christian efforts as officials seek to placate Hindus incensed that the new constitution did not re-establish a more prominent place for Hinduism.

A landlocked country between the giants of India and China, Nepal is said to be more than 75 percent Hindu and 16 percent Buddhist. Christians are estimated to make up nearly 3 percent of Nepals population, and Muslims 4.4 percent.

Nepal is ranked 32nd on Christian support organization Open Doors 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

Article originally published by Morning Star News. Used with permission.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Derek Brumby
The coronavirus pandemic has killed 25,066 people, with Europe accounting for most of the deaths and Italy the country with the most fatalities.

Europe is by far the worst-hit continent with 17,314 deaths, more than two thirds of the global toll. The country's with the highest deaths are Italy with 9,134, followed by Spain with 4,858 and China with 3,292.

At least 547,034 coronavirus cases have been registered around the world since December after it spread from a wet market in Wuhan, China.

Italy posted by far its highest daily increase in deaths on Friday, with another 919 recorded in the last 24 hours. Prior to today's figure the largest daily toll had been 793 deaths on March 21.

Meanwhile the vicious disease has picked up its rampant pace in Spain, which also today posted its one-day record, with 769 dying in the last 24 hours. Before this Spain's highest daily toll was recorded on Wednesday with 738 deaths.

Italian army soldiers wearing protective suits transport coffins onto military trucks from the Bergamo area to the cemetery of Cinisello Balsamo, near Milan on Friday

Father Marcos Rad officiates the funeral as municipal workers wearing protective gear lower the coffin of a victim of coronavirus at El Salvador cemetery in Vitoria, Spain, today

It comes as experts warned Italy's epidemic could peak in the next few days, as its hoped that lockdown measures imposed on March 9 may finally bring a downturn in daily numbers.

'I want to be clear on one point. We have not peaked yet,' the national health institute's head Silvio Brusaferro said.

'There are signs of a slowdown, which makes us believe that we are close, we could peak in the next few days.'

Countries hit especially hard, like Italy and Spain, are imploring their partners to do more, particularly on the economic front, and to do it now.

'The consequences of COVID-19 should be faced not in the coming months but tomorrow morning,' Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said after a summit of EU leaders late Thursday, according to Italian media.

'We are facing the worst crisis of our generation. The future of the European project is at stake. We have to choose between a coordinated and supportive EU and individualism,' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted Friday.

'We call for a common response to this emergency. Let's ensure a fair recovery.'

Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus after showing mild symptoms.

Downing Street says Johnson is self-isolating and continuing to lead the country's response to COVID-19.

Johnson, 55, was the first leader of a major nation known to have contracted COVID-19; German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been in isolation since her doctor tested positive for the virus, but her first two tests have been negative.

Earlier this week Britain's Prince Charles said he had tested positive.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has been at the forefront of nation's response to the outbreak, also was confirmed to have the virus. Britain has 11,658 confirmed cases of the virus, and 578 people have died.

Spain's Health Ministry reported another 7,800 infections overnight for a total of 64,059. Deaths climbed by 769 to 4,858 - the world's second highest total after Italy's 8,214 fatalities.

Spain says 9,444 health workers have contracted the coronavirus. That's nearly 15% of the total number of cases.

'It's true that we have more deaths than what we saw yesterday, but it's also true that the percentage increase today is similar to that of he past three days and it appears there is a stabilization,' said Fernando Simon, the head of Spain's health emergency coordination center.

Johnson, 55, was the first leader of a major nation known to have contracted COVID-19

Members of Emergency Military Unit disinfect Marvi Park's geriatric in Barcelona,

In Washington, the House began debate on a $2.2 trillion package to ease the pandemic's devastating toll on the U.S. economy and health care system.

The chamber had appeared set to pass the measure after an extraordinary 96-0 Senate passage, but the vote ran into complications. A Republican lawmaker threatened to delay passage until most lawmakers return to Washington.

The situation in countries with more fragile health care systems worsened with Russia, Indonesia and South Africa all passing the 1,000-infection mark. India launched a massive program to help feed hungry day laborers after a lockdown of the country's 1.3 billion people put them out of work.

South Africa also announced its first two deaths from the virus as it began a three-week lockdown.

Yesterday two patients from Italy's battered city of Bergamo, Lombardy, were flown in an Italian Hercules military plane to an airport in Dresden (pictured) to receive medical treatment from German experts

A patient suffering from coronavirus is admitted to the Helios hospital in Leipzig, where medics are treating patients flown in from Italy

The U.S. now has 85,996 confirmed cases, and Italy was set to pass China's 81,782 infections later Friday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. The three countries account nearly half the world's more than 550,000 infections and more than half of the roughly 25,000 reported virus deaths.

Analysts warned that all those infection figures could be low for reasons that varied in each nation.

'China numbers can't be trusted because the government lies,' American political scientist Ian Bremmer, president of the Euraisa Group think-tank, said in a tweet. 'U.S. numbers can't be trusted because the government can't produce enough tests.'

Italian epidemiologists warn that the country's numbers are likely much higher than reported - perhaps by five times - although two weeks into a nationwide lockdown the daily increase seems to be slowing, at least in northern Italy.

'It's a horrible sensation, not being able to breathe,' said Fausto Russo, a 38-year-old fitness trainer who is one of 10,000 Italians whose infection has been cured. 'Imagine putting your head under water.'

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Russian specialists preparing for a departure to Italy at the Chkalovsky military airport outside Moscow

Municipal workers wearing protective gear carry the coffin of a victim of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at El Salvador cemetery in Vitoria, Spain on Friday

Johns Hopkins reported more than 127,000 people have recovered, about half in China.

New York state, the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, reported 100 more deaths in one day, accounting for almost 30% of the 1,300 fatalities nationwide. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the number of deaths will increase soon as critically ill patients who have been on ventilators for days succumb.

'That is a situation where people just deteriorate over time,' Cuomo said.

The White House's coronavirus response coordinator, Deborah Birx, said counties in the Midwest around Chicago and Detroit are seeing a rapid increase in cases.

On Thursday, Louisiana reported the number of coronavirus cases in the state leapt 28% overnight, and New Orleans is gearing up for a possible overflow at hospitals, with plans to treat as many as 3,000 patients at the city's convention center if necessary.

Louisiana has surpassed 2,300 people known to be infected, with 86 residents dead from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus, according to the state health department. A 17-year-old from New Orleans was among the latest deaths, the first in the state of someone under 18, and Gov. John Bel Edwards said it shows 'everyone is at risk.'

Medical wokers hug eachother outside the emergency rooms at Severo Ochoa Hospital

Spain is now the second-worst affected country in the world with coronavirus behind only Italy, after overtaking China's death toll on Wednesday

Washington, D.C., confirmed 36 new cases, raising its total to 267. The district is under a state of emergency, its major attractions like the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo closed and White House and Capitol tours canceled. Police have blocked streets and bridges to prevent crowds from coming to see Washington's blooming cherry blossom trees.

Russian authorities ramped up testing this week after widespread criticism of insufficient screening.

The stay-home order for India's 1.3 billion people threw out of work the backbone of the nation's economy. The government announced a $22 billion stimulus to deliver monthly rations to 800 million people.

India's massive train system was also halted, but jobless workers are now trying to walk hundreds of miles to their home villages from India's major cities.

In China, where the virus was first believed to have started, the National Health Commission on Friday reported 55 new cases, 54 of them imported infections. Once again, there were no new cases reported in Wuhan, the provincial capital where the coronavirus first emerged in December. China is barring most foreigners from entering.

A man with an umbrella walks on the floor of the Badshahi mosque to attend Friday prayer despite the lockdown after Pakistan shut all markets and public places and discouraged large gatherings amid an outbreak of coronavirus disease

A woman waves a flag as United States Navy USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) hospital ship arrives at the port of Los Angeles amid the coronavirus pandemic

Arial view of an almost empty street during countrywide lockdown for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Dhaka, Bangladesh

In a phone call Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Trump that China 'understands the United States' current predicament over the COVID-19 outbreak and stands ready to provide support within its capacity,' the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the outbreak as a 'Chinese virus,' struck a different tone, tweeting after the call that 'China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!'

The pandemic appears to have peaked in China, even while the government remains on guard against imported cases. Beijing is sending medical teams and equipment abroad, especially to Europe. But it has strongly protested U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's repeated references to the outbreak as the 'Wuhan Flu,' saying that promotes bias against China and Chinese Americans.

Shares skidded early Friday in Europe after a mixed day in Asia, where Tokyo's Nikkei 225 jumped while Australia's benchmark sank 5%. On Wall Street, major indexes were down about 3% in early trading, giving up some of the gains the market had piled up over the previous three days.
SPRINGFIELD  As we head into the spring months, the risk of severe thunderstorms typically increases across the state of Illinois, including the risk for tornadoes.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recommended social distancing parameters, people who rely on public sheltering from tornadoes could be faced with the difficult choice of sheltering from the tornado in a community shelter or refraining from going to the shelter in order to limit potential exposure to COVID-19.

At this time, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service are recommending that your first priority should be to protect yourself from a potential tornado. However, the decision to open a community shelter will ultimately be at the discretion of local officials. Before you make the decision to go to a community shelter, you should first check with local officials to ensure they will be open. This should be done ahead of any thunderstorm, well before any warnings are issued. If you rely on community shelters, now is a good time to explore other options that might keep you safe from a tornado while also limiting your potential exposure to COVID-19.

The National Weather Service and state and local emergency management officials strongly encourage people to have a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) All Hazards Weather Radio with battery backup. These radios can be programmed to receive alerts for specified counties to keep you and your family apprised of impending weather and post-event information for all types of hazards including natural (earthquakes), environmental (chemical spills) and public safety hazards (AMBER alerts). When an alert is issued for the programmed area, the device will sound a warning alarm tone followed by the essential information.

In addition to NOAA weather radios, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) can provide life-saving information about impending storms and emergencies. These alerts can be sent to your mobile device without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. Not only are these critical tools to surviving overnight storms, but they can be extremely beneficial for those who travel.

For more information regarding tornado and severe storm safety, as well as Illinois COVID-19 updates, please visit ready.illinois.gov
Mike Sloat / Mike Sloat

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department temporarily closed Mustang Island State Park near Corpus Christi after it was notified that an employee might have COVID-19. The employee, however, is waiting for test results, TPWD said.

The employee works in the park's office and regularly interacts with visitors, TPWD said in a Facebook post on Friday. The employees last worked at the park on March 18.
By Trend

Another provocation of Armenian Armed Forces has been suppressed, Azerbaijans State Border Service told Trend.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Mendes donation to hospitals in Portugal to fight coronavirus is worth 1million.

The Juventus forward has combined with his super agent to help hospitals in Porto and Lisbon cope with the global pandemic.

Three intensive care units will be funded with the money to aid those suffering from covid-19.

Two wards in Santa Maria hospital in Lisbon and one in Santo Antonio in Porto will be fully equipped.

The wards in Lisbon will include ten beds and ventilators, while the Porto establishment will come with 15 beds and ventilators.

The chairman of the Santa Maria board of director confirmed the donation, while Santo Antonio hospital also revealed the contribution from the pair.

Daniel Ferro, president of Santa Maria, detailed the sheer scale of the investment and how it can help combat the virus in Portugal.

We were contacted by Jorge Mendes, who volunteered with Cristiano Ronaldo to finance two intensive care units for critical patients suffering from COVID-19, said Ferro.

Jorge Mendes poses with Cristiano Ronaldo and his family (Getty)

There are fans, monitors, infusion pumps, beds ... all the equipment that constitutes an intensive care unit equipped to provide care to a COVID-19 patient.

Mendes, 54, has moved quickly to impact Portugals battle to contain covid-19, donating 1,000 masks and 200,000 protective gowns last week to the Sao Joao hospital in Porto.

Eight ventilators have also been ordered and will now be distributed across the country.
President Ram Nath Kovind Friday asked Governors and Lt Governors of states and union territories to mobilise voluntary and religious organisations to aid the effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

in a video-conference with the Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of states and UTs, the President and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who also attended the conference, asked them to find ways to complement the efforts of the central and state governments in meeting the challenges arising from the outbreak of COVID-19.

President Kovind and Vice President Naidu expressed hope that the Indian society's inherent strength of sharing and caring and the government's measures would mitigate the sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the workers of the unorganised sector and the destitute, it said.

The President began the conference by exhorting to the collective strength of the society and urged Governors, LGs and Administrators to mobilise volunteers of Indian Red Cross Society, voluntary and religious organisations to contain the menace at the earliest, the statement said.

The President urged everyone to hold regular stock-taking with their state governments and make contributions in a way that the battle again the coronavirus could be won.

He also said the best practices can be emulated in other parts of the country, the statement said.

In the video-conference, the Delhi Lt Governor 14 Governors -- from the worst hit areas -- were shortlisted to share their experiences.

The video-conference was conducted by the Vice President and it brought out the best mitigation practices initiated by various state, it said.

The discussions related to the status of COVID-19 in the states, the role of the Red Cross and that of civil society/voluntary organisations in aiding the efforts of the governments, especially with the lockdown and other emerging challenges, it daded



The video-conference began with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari outlining measures initiated in his state.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan lauded the role of the government, voluntary organisations, medical professionals, paramedics and the police for their coordinated effort to persuade people to maintain social distancing.

He recited a couplet. Yun hi basabab na fira karo, kisi shaam ghar bhi raha karo (which broadly translates to don't roam around without any purpose, stay at your home') to emphasise on social distancing.

The statement further said 1,800 retired doctors and MBBS students Kerala have enlisted with the state government to volunteer with their services if a need arises.

375 Psychologists are also roped in to give advice to those who find quarantine as difficult phase in their lives. This is considered to be an innovative move in Kerala worth emulating for other states, it said.

Kerala (129 cases) and Maharashtra (127) have reported maximum number of COVID-19 positive cases.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala extolled the collective strength of the society to fight the menace. Akshay Patra, a social organisation, is also actively involved in distributing food packets all over the state, it said.

Satyadeo Narayan Arya, the Haryana Governor, said the state was fully prepared to meet all challenges.

Delhi LG Anil Baijal said the city government and all other agencies were working in perfect coordination to enforce the lockdown and while also mitigating people's problems. He also pointed out that he was meeting his CM every day to take stock of the situation.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Dev Brat said that quarantine facilities in the state were being augmented. Social awareness programmes have been initiated to motivate people to follow guidelines, it said.

Governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan said the state is extensively using social media to spread awareness.

Soundararajan also informed that Raj Bhavan has taken steps to provide food to about 800 needy families living nearby.

Vice President Naidu suggested her to take help of artistes, film stars, writers and intellectuals to raise the level of awareness.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said universities in his state are ready to offer its services and space.

Himachal Governor Bandaru Dattatraya said special efforts are being made to ensure awareness in district with tribal population, the statement said.

Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan talked about the state's proximity to international border that makes it vulnerable to spread of the disease. He praised the state government's effort to contain the virus.

The Red Cross in the State has also been using its volunteers to spread awareness and its ambulances are available for use by District authorities, Chauhan said.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit informed that construction workers re being provided Rice, Dal etc. All rice ration card holders under PDS will be given Rs 1,000, he said.

Amma canteens are being used to provide subsidised food, the statement said.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon praised quick response of the state administration and said measures are taken to ensure food is made available to daily-wagers, Tandon said.

Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh V P Singh Badnore informed that Red Cross was helping supply food packets in Chandigarh.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, informed that a fund has been created to enable people to make donations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is putting its strategic plan on hold to focus all its efforts on business recovery during the coronavirus pandemic.

BRAC has been collecting survey data from business owners about the economic impact of business disruption due to the coronavirus and has collected 247 responses so far that reflect the need for a focus on guiding businesses through the recovery. There's a $2 trillion federal aid package to wade through that's on track to target in part troubled businesses and laid-off workers.

Adam Knapp, BRAC's president and chief executive officer, said the most important thing about the package is it provides funding to companies that have lost all or a significant amount of their business. The bailout package also includes $350 billion of soft loans for small businesses through the Small Business Administration.

As of March 24, about 38% of respondents to BRAC's survey said they are not familiar with U.S. Small Business Administration recovery loan assistance programs, while 43% are not familiar with disaster unemployment benefits.

Baton Rouge Area Chamber hosting seminar to help restaurants transition to take-out only The Baton Rouge Area Chamber will host a free webinar at 11 a.m. Wednesday for restaurants that are transitioning from dine-in to takeout-only

About 62% of businesses surveyed said they expected both first-quarter and second-quarter revenue or sales to drop significantly as a result of coronavirus restrictions and the economic slowdown.

Instead of businesses having to go to the SBA to get 7(a) loans, which now provide up to $10 million in funding, they will be able to go to local banks for the money in a streamlined process to get cash in just a few days, Knapp said. And businesses that have already applied for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan will be eligible to get additional funding.

Businesses can apply for a loan and the portion that deals with payroll expenses is forgivable, he said. That alleviates the fears of businesses who are wary of taking on additional debt, but want to help employees.

Another benefit is that $10 billion has been set aside for the SBA to make $10,000 emergency grants to cover operating costs for companies.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Baton Rouge businesses adjusting to coronavirus, getting tax delay relief and new program to help restaurants, servers A survey of local businesses being conducted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber shows that about half of companies have adjusted operating hours 

Businesses with independent contractors, such as hair salons and other parts of the so-called gig economy, are also addressed in the forgivable loan portion.

Sixth coronavirus death reported in East Baton Rouge, coroner says A sixth person has died in East Baton Rouge Parish from the novel coronavirus, according to the coroner's office.

The increase and extension of unemployment benefits; direct payments of $1,200 for individuals and $3,400 for families of four below certain income thresholds; plus support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, and to cover utility bills, are among the measures aimed at staving off a deep slump in consumer spending as the unemployment lines grow.

BRAC will be holding webinars for businesses, found at brac.org, and has started a displaced worker database in an effort to be a matchmaker between companies looking to hire and those who are furloughed temporarily or laid off. It has reached out to its 1,500 members to offer resources and advice.

Separately, the Louisiana Economic Development department has set up a hotline at (833) 457-0531 to help businesses figure out what's contained in the federal aid package.

BRAC's upcoming business webinars are:
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the first major governmental leader known to have contracted the disease.

Johnson, 55, said in a video posted to Twitter that he has developed "a temperature and a persistent cough," and that he would self-isolate at home.

Johnson TWEET

"But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fight back against coronavirus," Johnson said.

Johnson was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday on the advice of England's chief medical officer after experiencing "mild symptoms," a spokesman for No. 10 Downing Street said in a statement.

"The test was carried out in No 10 by [National Health Service] staff and the result of the test was positive," the spokesman said. "In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street."

Later Friday morning, U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he also tested positive for the virus. Hancock said in a video that his symptoms are "very mild" and that he will self-quarantine until Thursday of next week.

Hancock TWEET

Johnson's diagnosis offers one of the most potent examples yet of how the deadly and highly transmissible coronavirus has permeated life around the world at every level of society.

Two days earlier, the British royal household announced that Prince Charles, heir to the throne, tested positive for the disease. The 71-year-old Prince of Wales began displaying mild symptoms last weekend.

The coronavirus has hit home for other world leaders, as well.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday decided to quarantine herself after being exposed to a doctor who tested positive for the virus.

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tested positive for the virus two weeks ago. The prime minister said he would isolate himself as a precaution. On Wednesday, he said his wife was feeling much better, according to Vancouver all-news radio station 1130 News. He also said he and his children remained free of COVID-19 but didn't say whether he was ending his self-isolation.

President Donald Trump and other top members of his administration, such as Vice President Mike Pence, have said they tested negative for the coronavirus. But the devastating economic impact of the draconian efforts being imposed to try to contain the spread of the disease has taken a toll on Trump's business empire: Trump Organization properties, including the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, have shuttered their doors in the peak of their seasons.

The White House also announced last week that the next meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven nations, scheduled for June, will be held via video conference rather than an in-person gathering at Camp David as was originally intended.

The virus, which is believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has quickly spread to more than 150 countries.

More than 533,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, including at least 24,082 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) reiterated on Friday, March 27, that drivers of vehicles delivering food are not required to present documents other than their IDs at quarantine checkpoints.

Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy director for operations and commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) CV Shield, said they have received reports that local authorities in Pami, Laguna were blocking food delivery trucks whose drivers could not present quarantine passes issued by the town.

He said such scenario may also be happening in other parts of the country.

"Merong food pass, commodity pass, work pass, pati mga emergency pass na hindi naman kailangan kasi ang basic talaga ID lang para malaman natin kung sila ay authorized," Eleazar said.

"If individual LGUs will work on their own instead of as a team, we are doomed to fail on this, Dapat maliwanagan ang lahat, lokal na pamahalaan pati na siyempre barangay, uulit-ulitin natin ang cargo 'wag harangan," he added.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which oversees the PNP, earlier said local government authorities should abide by the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon.

Under the guidelines on the enhanced community quarantine, movement of cargoes especially food and other necessities should remain unhampered.

The quarantine, which will last until April 14, mandates all the more than 53 million residents of Luzon to stay at home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Only one person per household is allowed to venture out for a supply run.

Public transport is suspended and food is regulated.

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has killed 45 people in the Philippines. A total of 707 cases of infection have been confirmed. Twenty-eight people have recovered as of March 26, 2020. (SunStar Philippines)
New Delhi, March 27 : As the coronavirus scare buffets the country, a desi technique has gone viral, claiming that if one can hold one's breath for a minute, the person could be free of coronavirus. How true is it? Experts debunk it and call it highly misleading.

Speaking to IANS, Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman of Chest & Robotic Surgery at Gangaram and founder trustee of Lung Care Foundation, said holding your breath has nothing to do with coronavirus.

"If you can hold your breath for one minute, it just means that your lungs are absolutely normal, but it has nothing to do with coronavirus," said Kumar.

"Suppose somebody is a smoker and his lungs are badly damaged already and he is able to hold his breath only for 20 seconds. Does that mean that he has coronavirus? The answer is no," he said.

On the other hand, 85 per cent of people have milder ailments in coronavirus cases. Those 85 per cent of people will have no effect on lungs, depending on their lung capacity.

"For example, a young sportsperson will definitely be able to hold breath for one minute. But that doesn't mean that he does not have corona. Only 15 percent of people who have severe disease with lung involvement will have problems. So this cannot be used as a test at all for novel coronavirus. It is a wrong information," said Kumar.

"It (holding breath) is not a true diagnosis or treatment. The reason is, even if you are normal, you can have a virus replicating inside your body. That means that virus is there, but symptoms are not showing. If symptoms are not there, then you can hold your breath as long as any person can. So while the virus is still there and you do not feel any kind of limitation in daily activities, still you can be spreading it to other more vulnerable population," Dr. Dhruv Choudhary, HoD, Pulmonary Critical Care Department, PGIMS, Rohtak, told IANS.

"So there is no clinical way to tell if after being exposed to a patient of COVID19, you are not infected. At least not till 14 days of exposure," said Dr Choudhary.

"The origin of this rumour can be based on the fact that it is advised, if a COVID19 patient needs to be intubated i.e. put on ventilator, the doctor is advised to hold his breath for one minute which is the usual time required for the procedure. This reduces the chances of inhalation of virus and hence the infection," he said.

"However, this theory is only logical but untested." There are at least 157 private and government labs approved by the apex medical research body ICMR in the country to conduct tests of novel coronavirus. The person who has to be tested, must fit in the criteria for getting tested, prescribed by the ICMR.

Both the doctors as well as other experts says people who have been to coronavirus-affected countries must share their travel history and remain quarantined and follow each and every guideline put out by the government. People must remain indoors and follow personal hygiene and cough etiquette, and should follow social distancing, they say.

(Sfoorti Mishra can be contacted at sfoorti.m@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Press Release

March 26, 2020 Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Further Dispatch from Crame No. 752 on the Recruitment of Additional Health Workers 3/26/20 This serves as a supplemental dispatch to that which I issued yesterday on the proposed enlisting of nursing students. We are faced with a monster we have to vanquish with our very limited resources. Our medical workforce is starting to dwindle against our favor - unfortunately so, at the very early stages of our fight against this enemy we cannot see. The DOH has admitted this predicament, and even asked for volunteers who may step in during this period of great uncertainty. But before we start enlisting them, I remind Secretary Duque that per the 2020 National Expenditure Program, there remains 13,058 unfilled positions under the DOH. That is on top of the 26,035 contractual positions for health workers which DBM has authorized to support the implementation of the Human Resource for Health Deployment Program (HRHDP) of the DOH. Please don't give the applicants a run around anymore, give those positions to the qualified and competent to help save more lives. By utilizing this option which is already at the disposal of the DOH, our frontline will be manned and strengthened to hold the line until a vaccine or a cure is discovered. Then we may call on our nation's second line of defense - we conscript the graduates of medical schools and nursing schools who will rise to the occasion. The Department is already vested under Article III, Section 12 of "The Medical Act of 1959" to empower these graduates and students to practice, though in a limited capacity, their dream profession and be heroic at the time our country needs them most. In hiring and call out these brave souls the frontlines, the DOH must ensure that they are equipped, compensated and safeguarded. Let us protect them who will risk their lives to protect and save the lives of our people. The lives of millions are in the hands of the DOH whose mandate is to protect and save lives. The challenge may be daunting, the enemy might be too formidable, but together, and with tireless efforts and God's grace, the war against COVID-19 will be won. (Access the handwritten version of Dispatch from Crame No. 752, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._752)
BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday said he appreciates World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' efforts to advance the global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a reply letter to Ghebreyesus, Xi said China will continue to provide support for the international community in combating the coronavirus disease.

Under Ghebreyesus' leadership, the WHO has been actively advancing global cooperation against the contagious illness and gained wide recognition from the international community, Xi noted.

China, he added, will continue to firmly support Ghebreyesus and the WHO playing an active and leading role in the global fight.

China has always supported the global COVID-19 containment efforts with concrete actions, and has offered assistance to international organizations, including the WHO, as well as more than 80 countries, Xi said.

He added that China will continue to provide as much assistance as its capacity allows for the international struggle against the pandemic.

In his letter to Xi on March 17, Ghebreyesus noted that under Xi's outstanding leadership, China made incredible efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Thanks to the Chinese government's firm determination and the Chinese people's diligence and dedication, he said, the COVID-19 epidemic met with a comprehensive and rapid response in China, which has fully demonstrated to the international community that with clear focus and concentrated efforts, the epidemic's trajectory can be changed.

Ghebreyesus also expressed deep gratitude to the Chinese government for providing financial support for the WHO and the global battle against the outbreak, saying that this act of kindness embodies the spirit of global solidarity and mutual assistance, and is crucial to containing the epidemic as soon as possible.

In his reply letter, Xi highly appreciated Ghebreyesus and the WHO for their close cooperation with China in the COVID-19 fight.

Now in China the situation of epidemic prevention and control is continuously improving, the trend of an accelerated restoration of normal production and life is being consolidated and expanded, and positive results have been achieved in coordinating and promoting epidemic control and economic and social development, he said.

China, Xi said, will accurately grasp the interim changes in epidemic containment and the economic situation both at home and abroad, and adjust the focus of work and response measures accordingly, so as to ensure the victory of the people's war against the epidemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again proved that mankind is a community with a shared future that shares weal and woe, he stressed, adding that the international community should stick together through thick and thin and help each other.

China stands ready to join hands with the WHO and other countries to contribute to safeguarding global public health security, Xi said.
CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Artificial Lift Market by Type (ESP, PCP, Rod Lift, Gas Lift, and Others); Mechanism (Pump Assisted (Positive Displacement, Dynamic Displacement), Gas Assisted); Well Type (Horizontal, Vertical); Application(Onshore, Offshore); Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Artificial Lift Market is projected to reach USD 10.3 billion by 2025 from an estimated USD 8.0 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period. Continuous shale development and the growing investments in the upstream oil and gas sector is driving the demand for Artificial Lift Market. Moreover, the rising number of mature fields in Europe and the Middle East, along with new offshore oilfield discoveries, is creating an opportunity for the Artificial Lift Market.

The ESP segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.

The ESP segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing segment of the Artificial Lift Market, by type, from 2020 to 2025. ESPs are multistage dynamic displacement centrifugal pumps. Such pumps are typically used when well depths range from 1,000 to 5,000 ft. It is the most effective artificial lift method for more than 1,000 bpd volume. It is effective in wells with low bottomhole pressure, low gas/oil ratio, low bubble point, high water cut, or low API gravity fluids. Such pumps are usually used for offshore applications because of their ability to handle high-volume wells. Hence, the rise in offshore E&P activities is expected to drive the ESP segment during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Artificial Lift Market"

102 - Tables

59 - Figures

164 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=879

The horizontal market of well type segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the global Artificial Lift Market during the forecast period.

The horizontal segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to significant discoveries of shale reserves and increasing hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells. Hence, creating opportunity for the Artificial Lift Market. Horizontal drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing have unlocked vast quantities of natural gas in shale reservoirs. Operators are using appropriate systems and equipment that will limit well blow-downs and lift systems to unload the wells without releasing methane continuously-thereby increasing the need for artificial lift systems that are effective in horizontal wells.

The offshore application segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the global Artificial Lift Market during the forecast period.

The offshore segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to increasing new ultra-deep water offshore discoveries, and the rising rate of shallow water oilfields reaching maturity. Artificial lift methods such as hydraulic pumping, gas lift, ESP, and PCP are most prominently used in offshore oil wells. The Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea have the highest number of maturing shallow oilfields. Thus, such maturing shallow fields have created demand opportunities for artificial lift methods in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea regions.

Speak to Analyst:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=879

The pump assisted mechanism segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the global Artificial Lift Market during the forecast period.

Pump assisted segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period, owing to high adoption rate ESPs and rod lift pumps. The pumps are used to increase the bottom hole pressure of tubing string to lift a sufficient amount of fluid to the surface. Artificial lift methods with pump assisted systems have an operating depth ranging from 100 ft TVD to 17,000 ft TVD and average working volume ranging from 5 BPD to 30,000 BPD. For this mechanism, the operating temperature ranges from 100F to 500F. This growing demand for pump assisted systems is driven owing to multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells.

North America is expected to be the most significant and third fastest-growing region of the Artificial Lift Market during the forecast period.

In this report, the Artificial Lift Market has been analyzed for five regions, namely, North America, South & Central America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. According to the IEA, the US is determined to become the net exporter of energy by 2020 and to fulfill this objective, the oil production is being increased across the nation. Moreover, the US is the top explorer and producer of shale oil and gas. The old & depleting oil & gas fields in the Permian Basin and Bakken Ford require artificial lift operations to enhance the productivity of the wells. Thus, North America dominated the Artificial Lift Market in 2019, and expected to do so during the forecast period.

Request for Sample Pages of the Report:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=879

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Artificial Lift Market.

Some of the key players are Schlumberger (US), Halliburton (US), Borets International (Russia), Weatherford (Switzerland), and Baker Hughes Company (US). The leading players are adopting various strategies to increase their share in the Artificial Lift Market. Partnerships, collaborations, alliances, and joint venture; new product launches; and contract & agreements have been a widely adopted strategy by the major players in the Artificial Lift Market.

Browse Related Reports:

Coiled Tubing Market by Fleet (Operator, Region), Service (Well Intervention (Well Completion & Mechanical Operations, Well Cleaning & Pumping Operations), Drilling Service), Application (Onshore, Offshore), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024

Well Intervention Market by Service (Logging & Bottomhole Survey, Tubing/Packer Failure & Repair, Stimulation, Artificial Lift), Type (Light, Medium, Heavy) Application (Onshore, Offshore) Well (Horizontal, Vertical) Region - Global Forecast to 2024

Well Casing & Cementing Market by Type (Casing, Cementing), Service (Casing pipe, equipment & services, Cementing equipment & services), Operation (Primary, Remedial), Application (Onshore, Offshore), Well, and Region - Global Forecast to 2024

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Sanjay Gupta

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/artificial-lift-systems-market.asp

Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/artificial-lift-systems.asp

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg
It applies to anyone who has been asked to stop working but remains on the payroll  otherwise known as a "furloughed worker". Companies will pay those workers 80 per cent of their standard wage, and that will then be reimbursed by the government. The payments are capped at 2500 ($5000) per month, per employee, and will be backdated to March 1. Loading Sunak went further this Thursday, unveiling a second program to extend even more generous support to up to 3.8 million self-employed workers like cleaners, plumbers, electricians, accountants, musicians, hairdressers and taxi drivers. Anyone who makes a profit of up to 50,000 a year and can prove they have been affected by the economic downturn will be eligible for direct cash grants worth 80 per cent of their average monthly trading profit over the past three years, again capped at 2500 per month. The grant will give just as much to those who have seen only a small fall in profits as to those who have lost all of their income. Institute for Fiscal Studies economists Stuart Adam and Helen Miller summed it up this way: "Some people, including those whose profits fall by less than 80 per cent as a result of the coronavirus and those whose profits were falling, will be better off than they would have been without coronavirus."

To prevent a flood of people registering as self-employed to claim the grants, only those who are already in self-employment and lodged a tax return in 2019 will eligible, meaning someone who recently started their own business will be left out. The twin schemes are more generous than what governments have offered in nearly all other European countries. The question is whether Britain's very broad strategy is better than the more surgical approach of other countries like Australia. Central London is close to empty as the effects of a government-ordered lockdown are felt. Credit:AP Matthew Lesh, the head of research at the London-based free-market Adam Smith Institute, backs Sunak and Downing Street despite the unprecedented state intervention in the economy: "I think most conservatives or classical liberals or libertarians can understand quite well that there is a role for government during emergencies like wars and pandemics," he said. "This is exactly when you want the government to step in." The biggest flaw with Britain's approach is the time it will take to get the money flowing. The furloughed worker scheme will not be operational until late April because a brand-new system has to be built to process the payments. To make ends meet in the meantime, Sunak is urging businesses to dip into their cash reserves, take advantage of the government's deferral of tax payments until 2021, or access low-interest government loans.

Treasury will contact self-employed Brits directly, point them to an online form and pay the grant directly into their bank account. But work on setting up that digital infrastructure will also take months and those payments probably won't arrive until June. Loading Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg cites this time gap as a reason why the Morrison government didn't follow the UK model and instead chose to deliver payments to businesses through the existing tax system. Professor Chris Rowley of the University of Oxford's Kellogg College describes Sunak's plan is "visionary and bold" but says the fine print is key. "The scheme was dreamt up from scratch in just a couple of days in a great show of conceptual skills [but] the mechanics are unlikely to be operational until late April. So, companies, managers and leaders do actually need to think, be creative, take some responsibility and hold their nerve."

Some employers haven't been convinced to sign up and hundreds of thousands of workers appear to have already been sacked. Nearly 500,000 people applied for Britain's so-called universal credit payment in nine days - more than 10 times the usual number. The payment to working-age Britons was introduced in 2013 by merging six major benefits including income support, child tax credits, housing assistance and employment support. Long lines outside Centrelink offices in Australia made international news but the same scenes have not been repeated in the UK. People applying for universal credit normally have to attend a meeting at a job centre but that requirement has been dropped amid the outbreak and applicants now have to call a number to make a phone appointment. However people have to wait for hours for help and the payments take weeks to arrive. Consultancy firm Capital Economics thinks the furloughed workers scheme will end up costing tens of billions, but spare hundreds of thousands from joining the unemployment queue. Capital is forecasting Britain's unemployment rate to rise from about 4 per cent to 6 per cent due to the crisis but says unemployment would have probably hit 8 per cent if not for Sunak's interventions.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research believes the Euro zone GDP will contract 9 per cent year-on-year in the second and third quarters, leading to an overall reduction in 2020 of 6 per cent. Consultancy firm Capital Economics thinks the furloughed workers scheme will end up costing tens of billions, but spare hundreds of thousands from joining the unemployment queue. The centre's deputy chairman, Douglas McWilliams, says Britain and the wider world are facing the worst crisis since the Great Depression and warns wage subsidies will need to be backed up by more government support as lockdowns ease. "I'm a fan of [the scheme], I think it will certainly help do the job but I suspect we may need even a little bit more once the shops and things start reopening to kickstart the recovery," McWilliams says. "It may be some sort of tax holiday or something like that. We have to assume that people are going to be a bit nervous about purchasing big-ticket items when their finances have been damaged a fair bit and when they're not entirely certain about their job prospects."
National Australia Bank has admitted to charging fees for financial advice when it was not permitted to, and to making false or misleading representations to customers, as it filed its defence to a regulatory lawsuit.

However, the bank admitted to a relatively small fraction of the breaches that were alleged by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which launched the action against the bank in December. NAB also denied ASIC's allegation of unconscionable conduct.

NAB apologised to customers for not meeting their expectations and for breaching the law. Credit:Sam Mooy

In a case that could attract a hefty fine for the major bank, the watchdog last year accused NAB of more than 12,000 breaches of the law for charging customers "fees for no service," part of an industry-wide scandal that was exposed at the banking royal commission. ASIC alleged the conduct took place between late 2013 and February last year.

In NAB's defence, filed with the Federal Court on Friday, the bank admitted it had breached financial services laws by either failing to issue fee disclosure statements to some clients, or excluding key information that was required.
The European Central Bank has asked banks not to pay dividends to shareholders or buy back their own shares until at least October, including in respect of last years profits.

Here, the State as the biggest shareholder in the sector especially through a 71pc stake in AIB, will lose out.

AIB has proposed to pay a 217m dividend this year which now looks certain to be scrapped.

But the ECB wants banks to focused resources on funding for households, small businesses and corporations.

To boost banks capacity to absorb losses and support lending to households, small businesses and corporates during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, they should not pay dividends for the financial years 2019 and 2020 until at least 1 October 2020. Banks should also refrain from share buy-backs aimed at remunerating shareholders.

Banks have been asked to scrap any votes on dividends from the agendas for their upcoming annual general meetings (AGM).
By AFP

BRASILIA: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro decreed Thursday that places of worship are "essential services" that must be exempted from coronavirus confinement orders, the far-right leader's latest jab at aggressive containment measures.

The decree, published in the government diary, adds "religious activities of any kind" to the list of exempted services, alongside supermarkets and pharmacies. It adds that such activities must be carried out "in accordance with health ministry guidelines."

Bolsonaro, who was elected in 2018 with the backing of Brazil's burgeoning evangelical Christian community, has clashed with local authorities who have closed schools and businesses in places such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in a bid to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES

The president, who has called the reaction to the pandemic "overblown," says such measures are unnecessary and will wreck Latin America's biggest economy.

Most places of worship in Brazil have already suspended services because of the outbreak, often broadcasting them online instead.

However, some prominent religious leaders have refused.

Asked if the coronavirus in Brazil could reach the same level of infection as in the United States, Bolsonaro said he didn't "believe it will reach that point."

ALSO READ | 'Why close schools': Brazil's Bolsonaro calls for an end to quarantine amid COVID-19 pandemic

Brazilians, he said, "don't catch anything. You see a guy jumping over sewer water there, he goes out, he falls in and nothing happens to him."

"Moreover I believe that many people are already infected (with the coronavirus) in Brazil, weeks or months ago -- they already have antibodies that help it to not proliferate," Bolsonaro said, speaking to reporters outside the presidential residence in Brasilia.

Last week, the influential evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia, a Bolsonaro ally, called confinement measures "a tactic by Satan."

"My friends, do not worry about coronavirus. It is just another tactic by Satan. Satan works with fear," he said. Malafaia changed course Friday and suspended his churches' services.

But he insisted that was because of official restrictions on public transportation, and said the doors would remain open for worshippers.
Editors note: This article was first published on March 27, 2020. To view the latest figures related to the coronavirus, visit this page.

Granada, Spain  Every night in Spain since the coronavirus state of alert was decreed on March 14, citizens take a moment to applaud the countrys beleaguered medical workers.

But this hopeful image does little to dim the pain of the pandemic; Spains daily death toll reached a harrowing new high of 769 on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities to almost 5,000.

Fresh cases of coronavirus-related infections did drop, from a record total on Thursday of 8,578 to 7,871 on Friday.

But both numbers are far worse than a week ago, when new cases stood at 2,833.

Another unnerving fact is that compared with Italy, where eight percent of health workers are affected, in Spain by Friday that tally stood at 16.5 percent.

What has caused such a rapid spread of coronavirus in Spain?

Multiple factors

The most high-profile reason touted by the media in Spain is the public health services uneven and reportedly depleted resources for tackling this, or indeed any, kind of virus-related pandemic.

Academics in Spain partly confirm this as one possible reason, but underline multiple other factors.

As recently as Wednesday, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Europe pointed out that the impact of COVID-19 depended on a countrys level of preparation and its ability to implement rapid countermeasures, Silvia Carlos Chilleron, a professor in the department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Navarra, told Al Jazeera.

If the increase in cases has been fast, as it has been in Spain, and the human and material resources to fight it are not guaranteed, then the impact is more serious. That probably causes a greater number of deaths among the most vulnerable sectors of society, particularly when medical professionals are among those affected.

Also on Wednesday, Spains State Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM) lodged a case with the countrys Supreme Court, asking the health ministry to provide sufficient protective equipment as soon as possible.

CESM alleged in their case, which was rejected, that the ministry had so far failed to provide professional health workers with sufficient protection to carry out their work in a manner that reduces the risk of catching coronavirus.

People are generally respecting the lockdown and trying not to come into hospitals for minor illnesses and thats helping reduce the risk of contagion, one hospital doctor in southern Spain, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals, told Al Jazeera.

But there is a lack of sanitary material in the hospitals for this kind of crisis, which multiplies the possibilities of health staff getting contagious infections, and thats going to be a huge factor.





Underlying reasons for the coronavirus spread before the state of alert could have been the low level of perception among the population at large that coronavirus represented a risk, Jose Hernandez, a researcher and assistant professor of sociology at the University of Cordoba, whose specialties include social health policies, told Al Jazeera.

At that point and until relatively recently, there wasnt enough information on what coronavirus was, he said.

Spanish population distribution may also have an effect, observed Alberto Mataran, a professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Granada.

200318091505922

Theres a huge density of people in cities like Madrid or on the Mediterranean coast in particular, and a lot of blocks of flats in cities outlying suburbs.

Add in a lot of communal spaces, a very affectionate kind of social behaviour compared to some countries  we always shake hands, or hug, or kiss each other, when we meet, for example  and the opportunities for propagation surely could increase, too.

As for the much-cited dearth of resources, Hernandez argued it explains the relatively rapid saturation of the health services.

Also, Spain has a large elderly population, who are very vulnerable, and retirement homes do not, generally, have massive medical resources.

On top of that, the fact that Spains hospitals and medical services are run by different autonomous regions creates some very important underlying inequalities.

Ambulance workers in full protective gear arrive with a patient at the Severo Ochoa Hospital during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Leganes, Spain [Susana Vera/Reuters]

Hernandez added that while regional governments can demand assistance from Madrid, this does raise the risk of poorly judged medical strategy decisions in the central government.

In 2014, medical staff in Madrid protested against the lack of effective protective equipment and safety precautions amid the Ebola epidemic.

We could see that the public health system had some big gaps in the early detection of infections. And these are structural weaknesses, he said.

Fast-track testing

Meanwhile, the government had to defend its decision to allow demonstrations in Spain on International Womens Day on March 8, something that professor Silvia Carlos Chilleron flagged as a possible factor.

The greater the number of contacts, the greater the probability of contagion, particularly when its a new infection against which we have no immunity, she said.

She also pointed to the unusually mild spring and the higher levels of socialisation  people sitting outside in bars and so on  as another possibility, while warning that studies have yet to resolve whether a rise in temperature and higher humidity may act as a brake on the viruss propagation.

Over the past few days, the national conversation has focused on testing  a dearth of verifiable, rapid methods to establish the true extent of the spread of coronavirus.

The governments much-vaunted purchase of millions of fast-track tests from China and elsewhere partly backfired this week when it was discovered that the initial batch of 9,000 had very limited reliability.

200326165545387

Although the Spanish government insists the problem will be resolved with further purchases of more reliable tests, most have yet to arrive.

Carlos Chilleron said polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, which takes between four and six hours to produce results and is being used by 20,000 people a day in Spain, was the most reliable method.

According to the Live Science website, PCR tests work by detecting specific genetic material within the virus. Depending on the type of PCR on hand, healthcare workers might swab the back of the throat; take a saliva sample; collect a liquid sample from the lower respiratory tract; or secure a stool sample.

Quicker tests that take a fraction of the time are less precise and as a result, and we dont have the same kind of security from them that a person is not affected, said Carlos Chilleron.

She recommends social distancing and hygiene as the best precautions in the absence of testing.

In Spain, as the death toll rises, there are currently rumours that lockdown measures will be tightened further.

Rumours are also circulating that should a peak not be reached soon and cases start to fall, lockdown measures will be toughened up even further.

As the full scale of the pandemic has yet to emerge, knowing what measures are needed is looking increasingly hard to judge.
The Austrian authorities will not impose sanctions on Ukrainians whose stay in the country may be exceeded due to quarantine.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba reached such an agreement with Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg during a telephone conversation.

The ministers agreed that the Austrian authorities will take measures to release the Ukrainian citizens from the fines imposed because of their exceeded stay in Austria due to quarantine, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs.

Dmytro Kuleba noted Vienna's active assistance in creating transit conditions for Ukrainian citizens returning by land transport through Austrian territory.

In turn, Alexander Schallenberg thanked for the assistance of Ukraine in the process of returning the Austrian citizens from Ukraine by flights operated by Ukrainian airlines.

As reported, Ukraine and a number of European countries imposed bans or restrictions on rail, air and bus passenger transportation and closed borders due to coronavirus pandemic.

As reported, Ukraine already has 218 laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases, including five deaths.

ol
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Members of the UN Security Council have expressed concern over the massive escalation of hostilities in Libya, worrying over the potential impact of the emerging Coronavirus in the country which registered its first confirmed case
TAMIU has released a statement regarding the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester taking place through their virtual classes:

"As youre well aware, our world today is much changed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Texas A&M International University has moved to its Virtual Classroom with students logging in beginning this Monday, March 30 to complete the remaining four weeks of this semester.

TAMIUs higher education mission moves forward as an essential service authorized by the Governor of Texas. While offices are operating remotely and with reduced staffing, the Universitys essential services to students, faculty and staff continue.

The campus is, however, closed to the general public. For students, faculty, staff or others having legitimate reasons to be on campus, it is always advised that offices be contacted in advance. Some will have essential staffing only, and others may be closed.

Our services remain available to you, but are also impacted by remote operation. To that end, please know that we will still try to do our very best to assist you in any way possible. To better coordinate our service to you, we urge you to use our dedicated email, prmis@tamiu.edu to share your needs. You can also DM us on our social media channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/txamiu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/txamiu/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/txamiu

In this way, we can better marshal our resources to assist you as rapidly as possible.

Our dedicated COVID-19 website is updated daily and will house all news and information relevant to our continuing response to the pandemic.

In closing, we want to thank you for your partnership and we know that you too are struggling to keep family and friends safe while honoring your profession. We truly believe that our path forward can only be secured if we work together.

Please be safe and well. We look forward to the day when we can all be together again."
Ranchi, March 27 : An "undeclared ceasefire" between Maoist rebels and security forces seems to be in place in Jharkhand in the wake of coronavirus spread, police sources said on Friday.

The Maoists have gone underground after the coronavirus outbreak, sources said, adding the state police has not noticed any movement of the rebels in the last five days.

"There has been negligible movement of Maoists in the state in the last one week. Security forces are regularly tracking their movement," a police source told IANS.

Jharkhand has been in lockdown ever since Prime Minister declared 'Janata curfew' across the country a few days ago.

The "negligible movement" of Maoists closely follows killing of 17 security personnel in neighbouring Chhattisgarh last week.

"Maoists might have gone underground, but they can strike anytime. We are on alert considering the Chhattisgarh incident. The security forces involved in anti-Maoist operations have not been diverted for law and order situation. The local police is enforcing the lockdown in the state," said the police source.

Maoist rebels are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand.

Sources, however, also attribute the "negligible movement" of the rebels to the fact that since all development works, especially mining, have come to a halt following the lockdown, the rebels who extort money, too, have fallen silent.

Jharkhand has so far not reported any positive CVOID 19 case.

As per the latest data released by the health department a total of 137 samples of suspected patients had been sent for testing out of which 117 have so far tested negative while results of the rest are awaited.

On Thursday a total of 27 samples were collected, including 3 each from Bokaro and Dhanbad, 2 from Hazaribagh, one from Millitary Hospital Namkum, 4 from East Singhbhum, 7 from Ranchi, 1 from Saraikela and 2 from West Singhbhum.

The Jharkhand health department has put up 557-bed isolation ward for coronavirus patients. Out of these 96 are in Medical Colleges, 200 are in Sadar Hospital and another 261 in private hospitals. The state has also prepared 1,469-bed quarantine centres.

The lockdown is being implemented strictly in the state, though people throng vegetable shops early in the day. A state-level coordination centre has been set up at Information and Public Relation Department (IPRD) to track corona- related complaints.

More than 100 labourers have been reportedly "trapped" in Delhi and other parts of the state. Chief Minister Hemant Soren has approached his Delhi and Chhattisgarh counterparts for the safe return of these people.
Revellers have been caught partying on a Brisbane balcony and others spotted hanging in groups outside a restaurant as officials demand people stay at home to combat coronavirus.

Queenslanders have been told they'll be slapped with tighter lockdowns if people continue to flout social distancing rules.

Revellers were reportedly partying at Highgate Hill despite Queensland social distancing measures and a ban on gatherings amid the virus scare. Credit:iStock

Photos of at least 13 people partying at a Highgate Hill home in Brisbane on Thursday night were posted online on Friday and at least 18 people were seen grouped outside a Gold Coast eatery.

Police have also knocked on the door of an apartment in Newstead after two recently arrived from Colombia and refused to isolate themselves.
In a novel combined study, researchers offer insights gained from "ambulatory" blood pressure monitoring, which is conducted while people go about their daily activities, including during sleep.

This type of monitoring can provide more information than blood pressure measurements taken only in clinics.

High blood pressure has a range of effects on the body that can influence both physical and mental The study was published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

In an analysis of 561 African Americans with and without chronic kidney disease who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, Paul Muntner, MD, Stanford Mwasongwe, MPH (the University of Alabama at Birmingham), and their colleagues found that having kidney disease was associated with uncontrolled blood pressure measured in the clinic and outside of the clinic.

Also, among participants with kidney disease, uncontrolled ambulatory blood pressure was associated with a higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, a marker of cardiovascular disease.

"Getting an accurate estimate of blood pressure is important for people with kidney disease given the association of blood pressure with cardiovascular disease and kidney disease progression in this population," said Dr Muntner. "The current study showed that a high proportion of people with kidney disease have high blood pressure when measured outside of the doctor's office."

In another study that followed 1,502 adults with chronic kidney disease for 4 years, Lama Ghazi, MD (University of Minnesota) and her colleagues found that ambulatory blood pressure patterns were not linked with cognitive impairment or frailty.

"However, among participants older than 60 years, those who demonstrated at least a 20% drop in average systolic blood pressure from day to night--called extreme dippers--had a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment," said Dr Ghazi. Also, participants with masked hypertension (normal clinic-measured blood pressure but elevated ambulatory blood pressure) had worse physical functioning than participants with hypertension controlled with medication.

Dr Ghazi noted that future research should assess links between ambulatory blood pressure and physical and cognitive function over a longer follow-up period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 2020 census questionnaires were delivered to most households between March 12 and March 20.

Once we receive the questionnaires, we can respond online, by phone or by mail. When we respond to the census questions, our answers are completely anonymous and will only be used by the Census Bureau to produce broad tabulations. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect our answers and to keep them completely and strictly confidential.

We all need to respond to the 2020 census because it pays to be counted. The more people counted in a state, the more seats the state will receive in the U.S. House of Representatives. And the more people counted in a state, the more federal money the state will receive each year.

The Census Bureau is required to count everyone residing in every state, not only the legal residents. The number of House seats a state receives determines the size of its delegation to the Electoral College. Also, the amount of federal dollars a state receives is based on the total number of people living in the state. So politically and economically, it is advantageous for states to have all their residents counted in the decennial census.

Lets look at how the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are assigned.

Each of the 50 states automatically receives one seat, irrespective of the size of its population. The District of Columbia is not included in the apportionment and thus does not receive voting representation in the House. The remaining 385 seats are then distributed on the basis of their decennial census population counts, plus the number of people from the states living overseas who are members of the military or federal employees. The 385 seats are allocated using the method of equal proportions, which has been used to apportion Congress since 1940. The more people in the population, the more seats a state will receive.

States also receive federal funds on the basis of the numbers of their residents. How much money is distributed each year to the states? According to congressional mandates, more than 300 federal spending programs use data from the decennial census to determine how much money is distributed to the states and their counties, cities and households. Every year the federal government allocates more than $1.5 trillion to the states and their components based on their populations. Texas alone receives $101.6 billion every year. The more people counted in a states census enumeration, the more federal money the state receives each year.

For each of the 50 states, I have projected to 2020 their apportionment populations, i.e., their resident populations plus their overseas populations. I then used the method of equal proportions to determine how many seats each of the 50 states will receive. If my projections are correct, seven states will gain House seats in 2020. Texas will be the big winner, gaining three new seats over the 36 it received in 2010; Florida will gain two; and Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon will each gain one. And 10 states will lose House seats  Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

Texas is projected to receive its 39th and last seat almost at the end of the apportionment process. The 39th seat that I have projected to be awarded to Texas is the 433rd seat to be assigned; remember, only 435 seats are assigned. But Texas is precariously close to not receiving its 39th seat. If the size of the 2020 apportionment population of Texas is just a little less than what I have projected it to be, around 0.7 percent less, or just over 210,000 people, then Texas will end up losing one of the three seats I project it will gain in the 2020 apportionment.

How much federal funding will Texas lose each year if its population in 2020 is around 210,000 less than what it is projected to be? The answer: more than $711 million, and the number of dollars lost will go up if the size of the 2020 population of Texas is less.

Everyone residing in Texas needs to be counted in the 2020 census. Texas will lose politically and economically if everyone is not counted. Fill out your 2020 census questionnaire.

It pays to be counted and included in the 2020 decennial census.

Dudley Poston is a retired professor of demography and sociology from Texas A&M University in College Station. He and his wife, Patricia, live in San Antonio.
Srinagar, March 27 : The Jammu and Kashmir Bank, which has the largest number of branches in J&K and Ladakh union territories, has decided to fully implement the RBI guidelines seeking a three-month long moratorium on term loans.

R. K. Chhibber, Chairman of the Bank has called the RBI guideline as a major relief to bank's borrowers during the tough times the country is presently passing through because of COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the RBI guidelines repayment of all the term loans will be extended by three months. The RBI directive also permits house finance companies and other financial institutions to extend this facility to their borrowers.

The traders in Jammu and Srinagar welcomed the decision terming it as the 'need of the hour'.
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, has appealed for a cease-fire in all of the world's war zones, so countries can focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Civilian populations in conflict-ravaged areas face the "highest risk of suffering devastating losses" from the virus, he said. Refugees and internally displaced people are "doubly vulnerable."

Guterres is right, of course: It is terrifying to think of the disease sweeping across, say, Syria, where years of fighting have devastated medical facilities - hospitals are a favorite target of the forces of the dictator Bashar Assad, and his Russian and Iranian patrons - and left millions displaced.

Sadly, however, Guterres' appeal may not have much if any impact on that case, or for that matter, in many others. But keep your eyes on Yemen, where his intervention could open a window for a settlement of its so far intractable conflict.

Worldwide, relief agencies are bracing for an outbreak in refugee camps, and Guterres is seeking $2 billion for an international humanitarian response. The U.N. refugee agency estimates that the number of people fleeing conflict exceeds 70 million, the highest level since World War II.

Alas, that number is no more likely to go down now than it was before the epidemic. If anything, some belligerents will use the coronavirus crisis to try and seize the advantage over others. To stick with the example of the Syrian conflict, the Assad regime, having acknowledged the country's first coronavirus case, could well push still more waves of refugees into Turkey, where the virus has already begun to take a toll.

But if Guterres were to concentrate on Yemen, he might have better luck. There, the belligerents might - just might - be sufficiently exhausted from years of fighting, to the point where he could bring enough pressure on the warring parties and their sponsors to halt the hostilities long enough for a humanitarian intervention to work.

It is now five years since a coalition of Arab countries launched a bombing campaign in Yemen, the opening salvo in a war that has turned one of the world's poorest nations into a humanitarian catastrophe. The coalition is led by Saudi Arabia, and its target is a rebel group, known as the Houthis, backed by money, training and arms from Iran.

According to the UNCHR's latest report on Yemen, 24 million people, or 80% of the population, are "in need," and more than 3.65 million are displaced. Unlike displaced Syrians, only a small proportion of Yemeni refugees have been able to leave the country; it is hemmed in by the sea on two sides, and its longest land border is with Saudi Arabia.

Yemen's heath system was poor before the war began; now, it is barely functional. Add to that widespread malnutrition and water scarcity in much of the country, and you have the perfect setting for an epidemic. Indeed, the country has already endured one - the world's largest cholera outbreak, in 2018, affected more than a million people, 25% of them children. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says nearly 3,800 Yemenis have died from the disease.

As yet, Yemen has no "official" cases of coronavirus, but that means very little. The country is too poorly administered - whether by the Houthis from Sanaa or the internationally-recognized government in the south - for any reliable estimates. Ominously, the Houthis are preemptively blaming their enemies, and especially the United Arab Emirates. Worse yet, Houthi media outlets are parroting the line of their Iranian patrons that the coronavirus is an American biological weapon. On the other hand, the rebel government has taken the precaution of suspending schools and international flights.

Even so, relief agencies working in the country reckon that the spread of the epidemic is only a matter of time. Given their experience in dealing with the cholera crisis, they know the challenges coronavirus will bring. Gutteres himself has said he has "great confidence in our ability to adapt," but that sounds very much like whistling past the graveyard.

The secretary-general would better serve his relief staff, and Yemenis, if he spent the next few days pressing the protagonists of the war to put down their weapons and instead prepare for the crisis to come. This would require trips to Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Tehran.

To expect the Iranians, Saudis and Emiratis to do the right thing out of sympathy for the Yemenis would be too much. After all, they were not greatly moved by the cholera outbreak. But Guterres will likely find the leadership of the Arab coalition sympathetic for other reasons. Over the past year, the Saudis and Emiratis have shown a growing desire to exit their expensive, embarrassing Yemeni quagmire. The rebels, too, may welcome a break: Last fall, the Houthis and Saudis both signaled interest in a cease-fire. The UAE began to draw down its troop presence.

The Iranian position is more complicated. Compared with, say, its sponsorship of the Syrian civil war, keeping the Houthis and Saudis at each other's throats costs the regime in Tehran very little. But given the scale of the epidemic in Iran, where the death toll has already crossed 2,000, the Islamic Republic might consider a pause in its more malign activities abroad; in propaganda terms, the regime could spin this as evidence of good faith and responsible membership of the international community.

Admittedly, this is asking for quite a lot. But it is a more achievable goal than a global cease-fire.

- - -

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Bobby Ghosh is a columnist and member of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.
More than 18,000 Ukrainians have crossed the country's borders since Thursday in a rush to return home from abroad before Ukraine closes them on Friday.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in televised remarks on Thursday that the country's borders will be entirely closed by the end of Friday, and the closure will include Ukrainian citizens abroad, in an attempt to combat the new coronavirus.

More than 6,500 arrived at border crossings with EU countries on foot, according to Ukraine's border service on Friday.

Travellers formed long queues at Ukraine's border with Poland, where at least 1.5 million Ukrainians work.

Border guards at all crossings were checking everyone's temperature as part of the coronavirus screening.

Ukraine has recorded 218 cases of the new virus and five deaths. Four people have recovered, health officials said Friday.

Earlier this month Ukraine shut down its borders for foreign nationals and declared the state of emergency all across the country in an attempt to curb the outbreak.

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.
Dr. Jessica Kiss' twin girls cry most mornings when she goes to work. They're 9, old enough to know she could catch the coronavirus from her patients and get so sick she could die.

Kiss shares that fear, and worries at least as much about bringing the virus home to her family  especially since she depends on a mask more than a week old to protect her.

"I have four small children. I'm always thinking of them," said the 37-year-old California family physician, who has one daughter with asthma. "But there really is no choice. I took an oath as a doctor to do the right thing."

Kiss' concerns are mirrored by dozens of physician parents from around the nation in an impassioned letter to Congress begging that the remainder of the relevant personal protective equipment be released from the Strategic National Stockpile, a federal cache of medical supplies, for those on the front lines. They join a growing chorus of American health care workers who say they're battling the virus with far too little armor as shortages force them to reuse personal protective equipment, known as PPE, or rely on homemade substitutes. Sometimes they must even go without protection altogether.

"We are physically bringing home bacteria and viruses," said Dr. Hala Sabry, an emergency medicine physician outside Los Angeles who founded the Physician Moms Group on Facebook, which has more than 70,000 members. "We need PPE, and we need it now. We actually needed it yesterday."

The danger is clear. A March 21 editorial in The Lancet said 3,300 health care workers were infected with the COVID-19 virus in China as of early March. At least 22 died by the end of February.

The virus has also stricken health care workers in the United States. On March 14, the American College of Emergency Physicians announced that two members  one in Washington state and another in New Jersey  were in critical condition with COVID-19.

At the private practice outside Los Angeles where Kiss works, three patients have had confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Tests are pending on 10 others, she said, and they suspect at least 50 more potential cases based on symptoms.

Ideally, Kiss said, she'd use a fresh, tight-fitting N95 respirator mask each time she examined a patient. But she has had just one mask since March 16, when she got a box of five for her practice from a physician friend. Someone left a box of them on the friend's porch, she said.

When she encounters a patient with symptoms resembling COVID-19, Kiss said, she wears a face shield over her mask, wiping it down with medical-grade wipes between treating patients.

As soon as she gets home from work, she said, she jumps straight into the shower and then launders her scrubs. She knows it could be devastating if she infects her family, even though children generally experience milder symptoms than adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, her daughter's asthma may put the girl at greater risk of a severe form of the disease.

Dr. Niran Al-Agba of Bremerton, Washington, said she worries "every single day" about bringing the COVID-19 virus home to her family.

"I've been hugging them a lot," the 45-year-old pediatrician said in a phone interview, as she cuddled one of her four children on her lap. "It's the hardest part of what we're doing. I could lose my husband. I could lose myself. I could lose my children."

Al-Agba said she first realized she'd need N95 masks and gowns after hearing about a COVID-19 death about 30 miles away in Kirkland last month. She asked her distributor to order them, but they were sold out. In early March, she found one N95 mask among painting gear in a storage facility. She figured she could reuse the mask if she sprayed it down with a little isopropyl alcohol and also protected herself with gloves, goggles and a jacket instead of a gown. So that's what she did, visiting symptomatic patients in their cars to reduce the risk of spreading the virus in her office and the need for more protective equipment for other staffers.

Recently, she began getting donations of such equipment. Someone left two boxes of N95s on her doorstep. Three retired dentists dropped off supplies. Patients brought her dozens of homemade masks. Al-Agba plans to make these supplies last, so she's continuing to examine patients in cars.

In the March 19 letter to Congress, about 50 other physicians described similar experiences and fears for their families, with their names excluded to protect them from possible retaliation from employers. Several described having few or no masks or gowns. Two said their health centers stopped testing for COVID-19 because there is not enough protective gear to keep workers safe. One described buying N95 masks from the Home Depot to distribute to colleagues; another spoke of buying safety glasses from a local construction site.

"Healthcare workers around the country continue to risk exposure  some requiring quarantine and others falling ill," said the letter. "With emergency rooms and hospitals running at and even over capacity, and as the crisis expands, so does the risk to our healthcare workers. And with a shortage of PPE, that risk is even greater."

Besides asking the government to release the entire stockpile of masks and other protective equipment  some of which has already been sent to states  the doctors requested it be replenished with newly manufactured equipment that is steered to health care workers before retail stores.

They called on the U.S. Government Accountability Office to investigate the distribution of stockpile supplies and recommended ways to ensure they are distributed as efficiently as possible. They said the current system, which requires requests from local, state and territorial authorities, "may create delays that could cause significant harm to the health and welfare of the general public."

At this point, Sabry said, the federal government should not be keeping any part of the stockpile for a rainy day.

"It's pouring in the United States right now," she said. "What are they waiting for? How bad does it have to get?"
I also see thousands of men and women who believe that sensibly separating from others in the name of public containment doesnt prohibit selflessly serving others with personal compassion. I see men and women reaching out to that family of four, that elderly man, that anxious woman, that quarantined couple with their baby, that single mom with her kids, and that middle-aged man in the hospital. I see exhausted nurses, doctors, medical researchers, government officials and grocery store employees who are working long days and sleepless nights for the good of people they dont even know. I see people who realize that social distancing from each other doesnt mean we stop caring for each other in wise ways.
National Map of Covid-19 Related Bills

Responding to a declaration of a statewide public health emergency by the governor, Louisianas state Legislature has introduced HCR 23 , which calls for suspending provisions of law that establish deadlines in legal proceedings. The postponement would apply to any state or municipal criminal, juvenile, wildlife, or traffic matter within the state, and be cancelled or shortened under direction of the Louisiana Supreme Court.New Jerseys A3846 , which had passed both houses as of March 19, would create a Temporary Lost Wage Unemployment Program. The bill calls for the appropriation of $20 million to be split evenly to allow workers to file claims for wages lost due to COVID-19 and to assist employers that pay wages to workers that have been ordered to quarantine by a licensed health-care practitioner. It also establishes fines for false claims.Accompanied by a petition from the New England Police Benevolent Association, Massachusetts Senate bill SD2865 would establish the presumption that any coronavirus illness experienced by first responders, and any resulting hospitalization, quarantine or self-quarantine, should be considered to be work-related. Any time spent in recovery or quarantine would be counted as duty time. This would apply to all involved in emergency response, including dispatchers, police, firefighters and correction officers as well as EMTs, nurses and paramedics.Another New Jersey bill, A3844 , would require insurers to cover claims for business interruption caused by the coronavirus to companies with less than 100 employees that had such coverage in place on or before March 9, 2020. Insurers would be allowed to apply to the Commissioner for Banking and Insurance for reimbursement through funds collected from companies other than providers of life and health insurance.At the federal level, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden have proposed legislation that will enable the November election to be conducted without disruption caused by the pandemic at that time. A rule change proposed by the executive director of the North Carolina Board of Elections, and approved on a temporary basis by the states Codifier of Rules, adds disease epidemic to the list of disasters resulting from natural causes that would allow modifying the schedule or operations of the November 2020 election. Watch for more legislation addressing election security and integrity.
Highlights The man came from Delhi on March 9 to Bhubaneswar and suffered from cough and cold Officials said several teams have been deployed start contact tracing of the third patient More than 400 people have been arrested in Odisha for violating the Covid-19 guidelines

A 60-year-old man, who had returned to Bhubaneswar from Delhi, has tested positive for Covid-19, making him the third person to have contracted the coronavirus disease in Odisha.

Sources in the state government said the man, a high-ranking official in a private company, had travelled to Delhi and Haryana with his wife and daughter and returned to Bhubaneswar on March 10.

Following his return, he consulted a doctor in a private hospital, Kar Clinic, in Bhubaneswar.

However, the fever did not subside and he attended the outpatient department and later the in-patient department of the clinic on March 21.

When the cold and cough did not subside, he was referred to the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, a government hospital with isolation wards for Covid-19 patients, on March 24. His swab samples were sent for test on March 26 to the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in Bhubaneswar and the results came positive.

Based on the contact history of the third positive case, the state health department urged people not to visit Kar Clinic.

It asked the management of Kar Clinic to take all possible measures to isolate the doctors, nurses and all who had attended the patient and come in his contact. Officials said several teams have been deployed start contact tracing of the third patient as there are fears that he may have infected a lot of people in the last 11 days.

In spite of repeated advisory, some private health care facilities are not complying with the COVID 19 regulations, the health department tweeted urging them to act responsibly and follow the regulations while treating patients with flu-like symptoms.

It added that non-compliance of the regulations would be viewed seriously.

What has added to the woes of the officials is that he is among the 84,000 people who have back to Odisha from other states this month but the government has not kept any record. The government has also not done any random test on any of these people except thermal screening.

So far, 189 samples have been tested in RMRCs laboratory and All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS0, Bhubaneswar lab and of which 186 turned out to be negative. On Thursday, 25 samples were tested.

This comes seven days after a 19-year-old Bhubaneswar resident, studying in the UK, tested positive for Covid-19.

The son of AIIMS Bhubaneswar superintendent, who had returned from Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 19. He arrived in Bhubaneswar by air on March 18 by IndiGo flight a few hours after he landed at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport.

At the Biju Patnaik International Airport, the thermal screening did not find anything amiss and he was allowed to leave. He complained he had a problem in breathing and was taken to AIIMS Bhubaneswar on March 19 morning. The report of his swab sample tested positive. He is recovering.

The Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS Bhubaneswar has complained against the superintendent, who is also the nodal officer of Covid-19 at AIIMS, kept them in the dark about his sons international travel history.

A human rights activist later lodged a case against the superintendent before the National Human Rights Commission alleging that he showed negligence. The AIIMS doctors also alleged that the hospital is lacking in personal protection equipment (protective gears) in Covid-19 clinic and casualty.

On March 15, a 33-year-old computer engineer tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from Italy. He came in contact with 129 people in Delhi, where he arrived on March 6 afternoon and showed no symptoms of Covid-19 at the airport, and Bhubaneswar.

The man is recovering but the government has not been able to contact all the 129 people he came in contact with during his travel.

The state government has taken a slew of measures to fight the spread and treatment of Covid-19. Hundreds have been booked for violating the lockdown regulations across the state.

The Odisha government signed MoUs with two private hospitals in Bhubaneswar on Thursday for a 950-bed isolation bed facility and 60 ICU beds for Covid-19 patients.

Odisha police arrested the chairperson of Dharmagarh Panchayat Samiti in Kalahandi district for organising a community feast for his house warming ceremony in violation of the Covid-19 guidelines that prohibit a gathering of more than seven people at a place.

So far, more than 400-odd cases have been lodged for violating Covid 19 guidelines.
Shares in clothing retailer Next tumbled by over 10% after it bowed to pressure from workers worried about their health and shut its online business, cutting off its remaining source of revenue during the coronavirus outbreak.

Rival British retailer Marks and Spencer has taken a different tack, maintaining its online operations and citing UK government advice that people should use home delivery services to avoid going out if possible.

Next had closed all its stores on Monday, a day before Britain went on lockdown, but continued to run its online business.

Next has listened very carefully to its colleagues working in warehousing and distribution operations to fulfil online orders. It is clear that many increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate, the company said.

Next has, therefore, taken the difficult decision to temporarily close its online, warehousing and distribution operations, it said.

Next generates around half of its revenue from its online business.

A number of retailers are having to scale back or halt their online activities to try to safeguard their workers health.

Amazon.com said last week it would stop shipping non-essential products to consumers in Italy and France, due to a spike in orders and the need to respect anti-coronavirus safety measures in the workplace.

Other fashion retailers in Europe are trying to keep their online business going.

Spains Inditex, the company behind the Zara brand, has also said its online business remains in operation.

Online retailer ASOS, which has a large fully automated warehouse in the northern English town of Barnsley, with on average 300 people per shift, is also still running.

- Reuters
Lucknow, March 27 : With five new cases of Coronavirus, the tally in Uttar Pradesh has gone up to 43.

The daughter and two other contacts of the Noida-based Coronavirus positive couple have also tested positive for the infection in Lucknow. The reports came in on Thursday night.

The Covid-19 infection was also confirmed in a Dubai-returned man from Baghpat district besides a person in Agra.

State surveillance officer Dr Vikasendu Agarwal said, "The number of patients, who have recovered from the infection, is 14. Three patients from Noida, who were undergoing treatment at different hospitals, have been discharged." About the cases in Noida, Agarwal said, "All the three cases are linked to the couple based in Noida who tested positive earlier this week. The list includes their daughter as well who has been totally asymptomatic so far." Giving details about a Coronavirus patient in Baghpat district, chief medical officer Dr R K Tandon said, "The 32-year-old youth is stable. We have quarantined his family and have sent their samples for testing."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Manhattan NYC (Photo : Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay )

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay



Advertisement

KEY POINTS

New York City's confirmed COVID-19 cases has skyrocketed 5,700% in a single week

The city's confirmed case count stood at only 62 on March 12

It stood at 3,615 on Thursday

Densely populated New York City -- the world's financial capital -- is struggling to get a handle on the COVID-19 rampaging through its 8.2 million residents packed into an area of only 1.2 million square kilometers.



If NYC were a country, it would be the 10th most COVID-19 infected country in the world with 3,615 confirmed cases. It would be sandwiched in between number nine Switzerland (4,164 cases) and number 11 United Kingdom (2,716 cases).



Mayor Bill de Blasio has his hands full, and is apparently at wit's end, coping with the ever worsening crisis. Last week, de Blasio said he doesn't want New York City to implement an Italy-style shutdown out of fear doing so will severely damage the city's economy in 2021.



"I don't think we want to end up like Italy unless we are absolutely sure there is no other choice," he said on March 12 when the city's tally of COVID-19 cases rose from 53 to 62 overnight.







But he might now have to "do an Italy" given the crisis is peaking way too fast. From 62 on March 12, the total number of confirmed cases in the city skyrocketed more than 5,700% to 3,615 exactly one week later.



On Thursday, de Blasio declared the city is only two to three weeks away from running out of medical supplies, a testament to the rapid spread that rendered meaningless the city's extensive preparation to meet this medical emergency.



To stave off this Armageddon, de Blasio wants to immediately acquire 3 million N95 respirators, 50 million surgical masks, 15,000 ventilators and 25 million each of personal protective equipment, surgical gowns, coveralls, gloves and face masks. These massive numbers are not forthcoming from the United States Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), which contains some $7 to $8 billion worth of emergency supplies stored in secret warehouses located throughout the United States.



SNS is the country's national repository of antibiotics, vaccines, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, and other critical medical supplies. SNS ensures the right medicines and supplies get to those that need them most during an emergency, such as the fast-expanding COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, SNS is stretched to its breaking point, naving to contend with simultaneous and massive requests from 50 states, not to mention cities and towns.



"I said very clearly that for the month of March, we have the supplies that we need, the city has very strong reserves of the kind of supplies that I talked about ... It is going into April that I'm worried about," said de Blasio.



"I don't have the perfect day for you, we're assessing all the time but it is a day, two weeks from now or three weeks from now where we must, by then, have had a very substantial resupply. So I think the simple way to think about it, is that the federal government has, essentially, two weeks to get us major resupply or the people of New York City are going to be in much greater danger."


krblokhin/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Federal law enforcement is warning of an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans as the coronavirus crisis continues to grow, according to a new FBI analysis obtained by ABC News.



"The FBI assesses hate crime incidents against Asian Americans likely will surge across the United States, due to the spread of coronavirus disease  endangering Asian American communities," according to the intelligence report, which was compiled by the FBIs Houston office and distributed to local law enforcement agencies across the country. "The FBI makes this assessment based on the assumption that a portion of the US public will associate COVID-19 with China and Asian American populations."



The contagion that has left much of the nation in near-lockdown and caused thousands of deaths globally began late last year in the region of Wuhan in eastern China. Since then, many Americans, including President Donald Trump and other political leaders and media commentators, have adopted the practice of calling the ailment the "China virus" or some other variant that makes reference to China or Wuhan, rather than "coronavirus" or "COVID-19," the terms used by federal health officials and in the FBI analysis. The rhetoric, critics say, has fueled ill will and has led some people to act out against Asian Americans.



Trump has defended his language, explaining that its simply a way of reminding people from where the virus emanated. He has also denied the term is racist or that the term maligns people of Asian heritage.



"It did come from China," Trump said at a White House briefing Tuesday. "It is a very accurate term."



Two days later the president said, "We have to protect our Asian Americans," echoing a tweet from earlier in the week in which he said the coronavirus was "NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form." At a White House briefing Thursday the president could not point to any specific measures he was taking to protect the Asian American community.



The FBI report made no reference to Trump or any other official.



The analysis noted there has already been a surge in reports of hate crimes and lists a series of incidents from Los Angeles to New York to Texas.



The document detailed a March 14 incident in Midland, Texas, in which "three Asian American family members, including a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, were stabbed  The suspect indicated that he stabbed the family because he thought the family was Chinese, and infecting people with the coronavirus."



FBI spokesperson Lauren Hagee said she could not comment on the document but stressed, "we do want to assure the public the FBI remains committed to ensuring national security and pursuing violations of federal law."



Statistics show that the Asian population in the U.S. grew by 72% between 2000 and 2015, making it the fastest-growing ethnic group in the country, according to the Pew Research Center.



Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, told ABC News the intelligence document "is an indication of how serious the problem is. We need to stop dismissing this. Its easy to dismiss racism when it doesnt impact you."



Orton said he and his colleagues expect a continue uptick in incidents and he stressed how the matter is not minor.

"This is peoples safety and its affecting their lives," he said.



"Maybe it is Chinas fault or the [Chinese] governments fault," Orton said of the spread of the virus throughout and then out of China. "There will be a time and place for that conversation. But right now were in the thick of this and we have to be mindful of the language were using."



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland  Gestur Palmason has spent the past few weeks running down leads and profiling suspects, but those whom the veteran police detective is chasing arent criminals, they are coronavirus carriers.

The 40-year-old with a shaved head is part of a team of contact tracers operating at Icelands National Crisis Coordination Center, the high-pressure heart of this small countrys singular strategy to combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Every second somebody is getting infected, so obviously we want as few people infected as we possibly can, he told NBC News. As quickly as we can, we have to reach everyone that might have been in contact with someone whos positive, and try to stop them before they get in contact with more people.

Image: Gestur Palmason (NBC News)

Together with dozens of other top detectives, Palmason has been racing to locate individuals who have been in close physical proximity to known carriers of the virus  often just minutes after the original carriers receive a positive diagnosis. The people he helps identify are almost immediately placed in a two-week quarantine to prevent further transmission.

Across this remote and rugged island nation of a little more than 364,000, as of Friday morning there were almost 10,000 men, women and children  equivalent to 9 million Americans  under this form of state-enforced lock and key.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

These contact-tracing and quarantine measures are only part of what make Iceland unique in its response to the pandemic. It is also testing widely and proactively in a way that few other countries are able to do, allowing emergency workers to make informed decisions that they hope will minimize the impact of the coronavirus. Plus, its civil servants and scientists are leading the coronavirus response, while the countrys politicians take a back seat.

Search and separate

Rapid diagnosis is essential to the efficacy of chief inspector Palmasons work. And earlier this week it was his turn to be tested, on the fourth floor of a glass office building in the Icelandic capital.

Story continues

Medical staff in full personal protective equipment swabbed the back of his throat and deep inside his nostrils, before he returned to his temporarily assigned workspace, where distinct shift patterns separate his team from other co-workers to avoid cross-contamination. He later said he had tested negative.

Last week, up to 1,800 people were tested in a single day; Iceland has tested a far greater proportion of its population than anywhere else on earth, including South Korea  another country touted for its effective response to the pandemic.

But what makes Iceland unique is that test samples are not only taken from high risk individuals who have exhibited symptoms, came into contact with known carriers, or returned from countries such as China and Italy, they are also offered to thousands of ordinary members of its general population, who are nonsymptomatic.

The data derived from this widespread testing show that while almost a fifth of those from the high risk population prove positive for COVID-19, roughly 1 percent of the general population also carry the virus asymptomatically  without showing or experiencing obvious signs of sickness.

Identifying these invisible and unwitting carriers early has helped to break chains of transmission in Iceland. But it could also provide scientists in many other countries with crucial information about the pathology of the virus.

Image: Deserted streets in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Willem Marx / NBC News)

A combination of contact-tracing and genetic sequencing of each individual sample generates data about the virus transmission path that researchers can then analyze, to better understand the role of asymptomatic carriers, the point at which such carriers are at their most infectious, and the overall transmission rates from this theoretically low-risk population.

Unlikely media star

Ordinary Icelanders praise the actions and demeanor of the man responsible for the testing, Icelands chief epidemiologist, Thorolfur Gudnason, who has become an unlikely media star thanks to his daily televised updates. A pediatrician who specialises in infectious diseases, he says his country has spent years readying for just such a pandemic.

We have been writing up response plans anticipating this event coming, he said in an interview. We have been preparing different partners in the society for this to happen, and so it's relatively easy for us to activate the plan. A recent poll found that more than 90 percent of the residents surveyed overwhelmingly supported the countrys current approach.

But the implacable nature of the virus may soon test this support. The countrys first positive diagnosis was in late February, when an Icelander brought the virus home with him from a vacation in northern Italy. The island nations remote geography and low population density may have helped protect its population slightly since then, but this week authorities recorded the first death of an Icelandic resident, a grim milestone.

Officials involved in coordinating efforts to counter the pandemic insist that centuries of physical hardship have cemented a strong esprit de corps in communities here, inuring Icelanders to adversity.

Science

When the going gets tough, we are used to stick together, says Vidir Reynisson, chief superintendent of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, who is the overall commander of the national response effort. When we have something that unites us, we stick together, even if it's in a difficult situation.

And even as the aggressive testing uncovers a rising number of confirmed cases, the chief epidemiologist Gudnason says many of those new cases are being identified among those already in quarantine.

We will probably have more widespread disease because we are testing so many. So that will affect our prediction modeling, he explains, but knowing how the virus might transmit and expand is crucial for health care decision-makers. That will affect how we anticipate how many patients we will have to admit to the hospitals and how many patients we will have to admit to the intensive care units.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

The countrys health director, Dr. Alma Moeller, says the epidemic will likely peak in mid-April, and under the worst-case scenario based on current models it may require up to 20 intensive care beds with ventilators to treat patients at any one time. Right now, the entire country has only 13 or 14 spots, she says, and so her focus is on increasing that capacity and expanding her staffing numbers.

Image: Closed shops in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Willem Marx / NBC News)

Telling stories through science

And beyond these implications for Icelands domestic health service, another aspect of the efforts here could prove useful to scientists and policymakers around the world. A Reykjavik-based biotech firm, deCODE, has led the testing drive among the nonsymptomatic population, but has also volunteered use of its advanced laboratories and scientific team to genetically sequence every single sample of the virus.

The companys founder and CEO, Kari Stefansson, says this has expanded the worlds knowledge of the virus by highlighting differences between the various strains that arrived in Iceland, from separate case clusters in Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom and the United States.

I am blessed enough to be able to participate in the response to this crisis, and not to have to sit on the sidelines feeling useless, Stefansson said. A sharp-tongued scientist with a dry sense of humor, his company has been at the forefront of genetic sequencing and research for more than a decade.

All my life Ive been wanting to tell stories through my science, he says.

Now, with his team sequencing the molecular structure of each virus sample, hes helping to tell the story of the worst pandemic in a century. They have identified what he calls the virus unique barcode, and the way it has transformed over time and across different geographies.

These mutations, in addition to providing us with a barcode, they may be giving us an indication of how the virus is changing, he says, "and potentially become more virulent  that is, more infectious, or deadlier.

The former Harvard University neuroscience professor says one better case scenario is that this coronavirus mutates instead into a seasonal phenomenon, like the influenza. He intends to publish some of his teams findings shortly, for counterparts around the world to learn more about the virus, while Iceland continues its own efforts to follow the World Health Organizations suggested strategy of test, test, test.

Im not going to be proud until this is over, Moeller, the health director, a former intensive care specialist, says. There is no best way to do this. But we are using science and the best evidence there is  every moment.
A man accused of taking 40,000 from a friend's bedroom claims it was already stolen money, a court heard today.

Stephen Sweeny is charged with carrying out the cash burglary last month at the woman's home in Newcastle, Co Down.

The 46-year-old was granted bail to care for his elderly parents during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sweeny, of Burren Meadow in Newcastle, allegedly carried out the raid on February 16.

Belfast Magistrates' Court heard he has admitted the theft of the money, but denies it was a burglary.

He was said to have been a regular visitor to the woman's home at Donard Park, lifting the cash from the bedroom while she was out.

The money has never been recovered.

District Judge Mark Hamill asked why 40,000 was in the house in the first place.

Defence barrister Paul Burns replied: "The defendant told police it was already stolen money."

Seeking bail for his client to live with his mother and father in Belfast, he said Sweeny was worried about how they will cope in the Covid-19 crisis.

"If things were to turn particularly bad he may not have contact with one or both parents again," counsel added.

With no violence in the alleged offence, Judge Hamill agreed to Sweeny's release from custody.

He banned the accused from entering Newcastle or contacting the alleged victim.
By Trend

The current situation in the fight against coronavirus in Azerbaijan is good compared to other countries, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov said.

Asadov made the remark at the meeting of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers held on March 26.

The prime minister noted that the requirements of the special quarantine regime and sanitary-epidemiological standards should be strictly observed in full and control over the implementation of the regime should be strengthened.

The most important instruction for the heads of all city and district executive authorities is that the quarantine conditions must be met regardless of age and job status, and everyone must follow this, despite any privileges. The requirements of the Headquarters must be fully implemented. In accordance with the law, all necessary measures will be taken.

The meeting participants discussed issues related to the special quarantine regime and the situation with observing the requirements of the regime by the citizens.

In order to prevent coronavirus infection spread in the country and possible consequences caused as a result of the infection, Azerbaijan announced a special quarantine regime from 00:00 (GMT+4) March 24 through April 20. The special quarantine regime envisages restriction of entry and exit to/from Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron, except for special-purpose vehicles, banning those above the age of 65 from leaving home, gathering in groups of more than 10 people in public places, including on the streets, boulevards, parks, etc.

Passengers are advised to give preference to ground modes of transport. Citizens are advised to keep a distance of two meters when contacting each other and call 103 or the hotline 1542 in the case of detecting coronavirus symptoms.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Back in October of 2018, as AVN.com reported at the time, India began implementing a nationwide ban on porn sites, with ISPs blocking 827 sites after a court ordered the ban. But now that the coronavirus pandemic has upended daily life in the worlds second most populous country, it appears that the online porn ban is being quietly lifted.

India so far has escaped the most damaging impact of the pandemic, with 722 cases and 16 deaths reported in the nation of 1.3 billion. The low numbers, however, could simply reflect a lack of reliable testing for the virus in India.

But according to a New York Times report, Indias high population density combined with a shaky health care system make the country particularly vulnerable to a disastrous outbreak of the disease.

In an effort to slow the coronavirus pandemic in its tracks, on Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (pictured above) issued a stay at home order for the entire country, closing all but essential businessesa move that is likely to have dire consequences for the already poverty-stricken nation.

To make the 21-day lockdown more bearable for Indias population, an advocacy group known as Youth Quick Foundation has asked Modi to lift the internet porn ban. And according to some reports, just two days into the massive shutdown, some sites are already back online.

While PornHub remained inaccessible at its .com online address, the site PornHub.org was accessible within India as of Wednesday, according to an International Business Times report, which noted that several other porn sites were also reachable.

The IB Times report also noted that there was no official confirmation that the porn ban had been lifted, even partially. But not only were some sites accessible, they were offering users free access to premium paid content during the 21-day lockdown.

Indian porn fans were already getting around the porn ban using VPNs, which disguise an internet address to appear as the user is located outside of India, and similar techniques.

In fact, even before the nationwide lockdown went into effect, many Indians remained inside anyway, to avoid contracting the virus. The tube site xHamster reported a 20 percent spike in visitors form India through the first three weeks of March, compared to the previous month.

Photo by PMO India / Wikimedia Commons
Rajiv Gauba says there is a gap in the number of passengers who should have been monitored and the actual number which may seriously jeopardise efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, reports R Rajagopalan.

IMAGE: Fliers at Kolkata airport before the flights ban across India. Kindly note that the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Utpal Sarkar/ANI Photo

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gaubha in a strongly worded communication has told state governments to step up the surveillance of international passengers who reached India before the government banned commercial flights from abroad from landing in the country.

Gauba, the country's senior-most bureaucrat, said there was a gap in the number of passengers who should have been monitored and the actual number.

'This may seriously jeopardise our efforts to contain the spread of covid-19, given that many amongst the people who have tested positive for covid-19 so far in India have a history of international travel,' the Cabinet secretary said in a letter to all chief secretaries on Thursday.

Gauba's letter, accessed by this correspondent, did not indicate the total number of passengers who were under surveillance. But it underlined that the home ministry's Bureau of Immigration had 'shared details of more than 15 lakh incoming international passengers with the states/UTs for monitoring for covid-19'.

'It is important that they are put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic,' Gauba's letter says.

This is not the first time that the Centre has reminded the states about the need to keep a close watch on Indians and foreigners with a travel history. The health ministry has sent repeated messages to states to step up efforts. It escalated the problem to the top bureaucrat after a lukewarm response from the states.

'I understand that the ministry of health has repeatedly emphasised this and requested the states and UTs to take immediate steps in this regard. I would therefore like to request to ensure that concerted and sustained action is taken urgently to put such passengers under surveillance immediately as per the MOHFW (ministry of health and family welfare) guidelines,' says Gauba's letter.

State government officials, however, contend that the Bureau of Immigration list that was sent to them often did not have complete and accurate information about the passengers.

In Bihar's Muzaffarpur and Saran districts, for instance, the authorities have been able to locate only 385 of the 500 people mentioned in the Centre's list.

"In some cases, people had mentioned their international contact numbers, which had made it difficult for us to track them... However, through our anganwadi sevikas and teachers, we have now been able to track more than 250 out of 300-odd 'missing cases' in our district, and only 30-odd now remain to be located," says Saran District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen.
The implementation of President Trump's Middle East peace plan is one of the main stumbling blocks in negotiations for an emergency government between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival, Benny Gantz.

Why it matters: The government would be tasked primarily with handling the coronavirus crisis. In negotiations, though, Netanyahu has raised his intention to annex areas Trump's plan envisions as part of Israel. Gantz is opposed to unilateral annexations, his aides tell me.

Between the lines: While Gantz publicly supported the Trump plan, he would prefer to first try to relaunch peace talks with the Palestinians, who bitterly oppose Trump's plan.

Gantz is also concerned the deal could jeopardize Israel's peace deal with Jordan, which also opposes annexations.

He has demanded that the emergency government maintain the status quo for at least six months, after which they can revisit the issue and try to find a path forward.

What to watch: This issue is unlikely to prevent a deal between Netanyahu and Gantz, but it could lead to a coalition crisis down the road.

Netanyahu envisions annexation of the Jordan Valley and West Bank settlements as his main legacy after more than a decade as prime minister.

Where things stand: Trump called Netanyahu on Thursday to congratulate him on the impending formation of his new government. Trump has yet to call Gantz, who under the deal will replace Netanyahu as prime minister in 18 months.
[March 27, 2020] Nine Maryland Community Colleges Launch A Gateway For Employers To Post Jobs To Reach Their Students And Alumni, For Free

NEW YORK, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland employers seeking job-ready talent now have a FREE resource to post jobs: the Maryland Community Colleges Jobs Consortium website, powered by College Central Network, Inc. (CCN). The CollegeCentral.com/mdccjobs website makes it both FREE and easy for all employerslarge and small, public and privateto register just once and then post an unlimited number of jobs to Maryland's community college students and alumni! This is an extraordinarily useful resource for employers hiring in today's climate, even with temporarily closed or restricted campuses, and students having to return home. Employers posting jobs today can simultaneously reach tens of thousands of job seekers from nine community and technical colleges, including Anne Arundel Community College, Baltimore City Community College, Cecil College, College of Southern Maryland, Frederick Community College, Hagerstown Community College, Prince George's Community College, The Community College of Baltimore County, and Wor-Wic Community College. According to Joy Miller, CCN's Career Services Central National Sales Manager, "?The reason the Consortium is launching at this time is two-fold: First, we want everything in place before the pandemic ends, and ready for employers needing to hire and ramp up quickly to reopen their businesses. "Second, hiring is already expanding in some essential service sectors that need workers now. Community college job seekers are already positioned to jump in and help their state's workforce immediately." Miller further explained, "The country is dealing with unprecedented circumstances. Food and convenience stores have increased their hiring. Manufacturing plants and distribution centers have increased hiring. Delivery services have job openings for truck and delivery drivers, as well as warehouse workers. Fast food businesses relying on being open are looking for full-time and part-time workers in a variety of roles, as many restaurants and quick-service chains have shifted to takeout, delivery, drive-thru, and pick-up only. Internet and telecommunication companies are hiring, as reliable online connectivity is essential during this crisis. Businesses supporting telecommunications are also hiring. Certain manufacturers now need a greater labor force to produce more ventilators as breathing machines are critical to saving lives of patients with severe coronavirus cases. Plus, othercompanies are being reconfigured to manufacture other materials hospitals need and that are in short supply."



"The Maryland Community Colleges Jobs Consortium provides employers with direct access to our state's job-ready talent!" said Alicia Jackson-Warren, Program Director of Career Development and Internships, at Prince George's Community College. "The Consortium is simple in concept: Maryland employers need more workers and the Consortium's member colleges are training students to meet our state's workforce needs. It connects opportunities for skilled students with employers and simplifies the in-state hiring process," Jackson-Warren continued.

According to David Jones, Director of Advising, Career and Transfer Services, College of Southern Maryland, "The Consortium makes it simple for employers to post jobs for free and, with a single post, reach all nine colleges' students!" Jones added, "Not only do employers register just once to post an unlimited number of jobs, they can decide, on a posting-by-posting basis, to include all Maryland member community colleges or only specific schools." ?Each year, nearly 500,000 Marylanders attend Maryland's Community Colleges.* As ?Bonnie Saunders, ?Coordinator, Internship and Job Services, Hagerstown Community College, shared, "The Consortium reaches across Maryland and it benefits all enrolled students at member colleges. We're so pleased that these services are free to our students, alumni, and employers." Anne Scholl-Fiedler, ?Coordinator of Career Services, ?Frederick Community College, stated, "The rollout of the Consortium is timely and effective. It will provide our employers with greater ease in reaching talent at our respective colleges across Maryland. Students and alumni will have access to a far greater number of employers and opportunities." CCN's Career Services Central is the exclusive online career office management platform for career centers at all schools participating in the Consortium. Joy Miller sums it up, "Community colleges can have a greater impact on the state's economy by removing as many barriers as possible, simplifying the process and allowing employers to easily recruit the state's home-grown entry-level talent. The Maryland Community Colleges Jobs Consortium website does exactly that. "CCN makes job posting free for all employers. It centralizes the task, so recruiters post just once to reach all Maryland Consortium members' community college talent. These graduates have the skills. They are ready and eager to move directly into the local workforce. And they are who today's employers are looking for." * "Fast Facts," MACC, accessed March 24, 2020, https://mdacc.org/fast-facts. About College Central Network Founded in 1997, College Central Network (CCN) has over 22 years of experience connecting employers with qualified emerging talent candidates. More than one million employers have registered to utilize the Network to post jobs and recruit students and alumni for entry-level jobs. To learn more, visit CollegeCentral.com. About Career Services Central Career Services Central (CSC) is CCN's intuitive and affordable career office management platform that works on any device and is trusted by hundreds of institutions and organizations across the U.S. Thousands of career professionals use CSC daily to manage the entire career process for students, alumni, and community residents attending CSC-powered institutions, including appointments, career advice and job searching, resumes, career portfolios, experiential learning, on-campus recruiting, career events, and job fairs. To learn more, visit: CareerServicesCentral.com. CONTACT:

Barbara Anderson

800-442-3614

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nine-maryland-community-colleges-launch-a-gateway-for-employers-to-post-jobs-to-reach-their-students-and-alumni-for-free-301030979.html SOURCE College Central Network

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
As New Jersey ends its first week under Gov. Phil Murphys stay at home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, non-essential businesses in the state staying open or requiring employees to physically report to work will face consequences, the governor vowed Friday.

Officials havent disclosed how many businesses have been reported for defying Murphys executive order, but a spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Management said the agency has been handling a large number of complaints.

The complaints are distributed to county prosecutors and local authorities, who inspect the businesses to ensure the report is valid, Col. Pat Callahan, the superintendent of the State Police, said Friday.

The state is still investigating complaints against businesses and hasnt decided which charges will be issued yet, Callahan said. He said no charges against businesses have been filed yet.

But Murphy emphasized that there will be punishment to those who violate his orders.

Im not sure what the action will be in each case, but there will be actions if folks dont comply, the governor said in Trenton during his daily coronavirus press briefing.

New Jersey entered a near-lockdown mode Saturday after Murphy signed an executive order mandating nearly all 9 million residents to stay at home and declaring non-essential retail businesses be closed indefinitely.

Essential businesses that remain open include grocery stores, food banks, pharmacies, gas stations, auto mechanics, convenience stores, banks, hardware stores, laundromats, office supply shops, pet stores, stores that sell supplies for young children and mail and delivering shops. Liquor stores have also been deemed essential.

Jersey City Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut said on Twitter hes issued three summonses to businesses for not cooperating with state guidelines, and seven non-essential businesses were closed Friday, including a gym and hair salon.

In #JerseyCity we are getting compliance and cooperation with city & state Coronavirus-related restrictions through education & understanding. With over a 150 related calls for service, we've only issued 3 summonses (2%) to businesses 1/2  pic.twitter.com/1mqQIci5Wd  Jake Hudnut (@JakeHudnut) March 27, 2020

Its tough for businesses but these restrictions keep us all safe and healthy. Many businesses have followed along and we thank them, he tweeted.

Thousands of calls overwhelmed a phone number set up for workers to alert authorities about employers defying the executive order Murphy signed Saturday. An online form was later set up to deal with the volume.

State officials announced more than 1,900 new known cases of coronavirus and 27 new known deaths in New Jersey on Friday, bringing the statewide total to at least 8,825 known cases, including 108 deaths, as the state continues to combat the fast-moving virus.

New Jersey, which has about 9 million residents, ranks second in the United States in total coronavirus cases, after the neighboring state of New York.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
AKRON, Ohio  A man is being held in the Summit County jail after being accused of stabbing another man in the back early Thursday morning in the South Akron neighborhood.

According to Akron police, the 43-year-old victim says he was walking home on the 1300 block of Marcy Avenue at about 1:40 a.m. when he was confronted by the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Patrick Setser. The two men got into an altercation and the victim says he was stabbed in the back by an unknown object.

Officers arrested Setser without incident in the area of Cole Avenue and Bellows Street. He has been charged with felonious assault, according to jail records.

The victim was treated at Akron City Hospital.

More crime-related stories on cleveland.com:

No charges for Akron teacher accused of arranging to meet with people posing as 15-year-old boy

Bogus coronavirus cures and phony stimulus phishing: FBI warns of wave of scams amid the pandemic
On a 500-acre campus in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Middle East scholar Raymond Ibrahim was finally allowed to give his speech before a packed, mostly civilian audience at the U.S. Army War College's Heritage and Education Center. Based on his book, Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War Between Islam and the West, Ibrahim covered the 7th-century origins of Islam, its conflict with Christianity during the hundreds of years that followed, and revisionist attempts to deny Islam's history of violent warfare and supremacism.

Ibrahim, a Judith Friedman Rosen Writing Fellow with the Middle East Forum, was on the receiving end of such an attempt in June 2019, when the Council on American-Islamic Relations and other Islamists convinced the U.S. Army War College to disinvite Ibrahim from his original appearance, fallaciously accusing the son of Egyptian immigrants of being a "bigot" and "white nationalist."

However, Ibrahim wasn't alone. In its press release, CAIR ridiculed the War College as "an academic institution run on taxpayer funds" that was "poised to exacerbate longstanding problems such as racism and human rights violations that exist within the US military."

Ibrahim explained that CAIR is "well aware how important it is to dominate the historic narrative." He pointed to his reliance on primary source material and actual quotes from jihadist and Islamists to support his view that there is "a continuity between past and present; Muslim religious leaders and jihadists see Christianity as both antithetical to the Islamic world and inherently ripe for conquest or conversion."

It took a letter signed by ten congressmen to Army War College commandant Major General John S. Kem, as well as a National Association of Scholars letter to President Trump that included 5,000 signatories, to convince Army leaders to reinstate Ibrahim's invitation.

When CAIR learned that Ibrahim was set to return to the Carlisle campus, it responded by once again suggesting that the Army War College suffers from an "internal problem with white supremacists and white nationalists within its ranks," while claiming that Ibrahim's talk would "instigate hatred against Muslims."

Undeterred by his Islamist critics, Ibrahim began his presentation by saying that "since 9/11," it has "become popular" for media and academia to whitewash the Koran's objectionable passages. "They say Mohammad may have done bad things, but so did King David and Abraham," he said. The difference, Ibrahim noted, is that the Torah acknowledges the wayward path of these leaders and advises against following them, unlike the Koran.

For argument's sake, Ibrahim offered to "put aside what the Koran says" and "see what Islamists have done." Beginning with the Islamic conquests of the Middle East and North Africa, Ibrahim argued that Islamists' consistent goal has been Western submission to Islamic supremacy. This region, which is identified today as Muslim-majority, was home to more Christians than Europe in the 7th century. What remained after the Arab Muslim invasion became "the West." Ibrahim quoted historian Franco Cardini, who wrote, "Repeated Muslim aggression against Europe in the 7th and 8th centuries and again in the 14th and 18th centuries was a violent midwife to Europe."

Ibrahim referred to the late historian of Islam Bernard Lewis, who said, "We forget that for a thousand years since the advent of Islam from the 7th century to the siege of Vienna in 1683 Christian Europe was under constant threat from Islam, the double threat of conquest and conversion violently wrested from Christendom." Ibrahim noted that modern historians often fail to acknowledge this simple truth.

He argued that Mohammad's guidance to spread Islam was the motivation behind the Islamic conquests. The only way peace could be achieved was through acceptance of Islam by conversion, enslavement, or paying the jizya  an enormous annual tribute that the caliphate levied on non-Muslims.

Short of these options, a non-believer's only recourse was to fight to the death. Ibrahim quoted what Islamist conqueror Khalid bin Walid said to a Byzantine general before the Battle of Yarmuk in 636 C.E.: "We Arabs are in the habit of drinking blood and we are told the Romans are the sweetest of its kind. Where you love life, we love death."

Unlike modern historians who identify the various inter-civilizational wars of this age as ethnic and nationalistic, Ibrahim emphasized that the primary sources clearly show that these ongoing battles were manifestations of jihad, inspired by Koranic scripture. He called this tendency "a historic fact that modern day historians censor."

Ibrahim showed that modern jihadists "belonging to groups such as ISIS are well-versed in Islamic historic military jurisprudence" and the Koran and point to historical precedents to justify their violence and brutality.

At the fall of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II motivated his jihadists with the same instructions invoked by modern-day ISIS: "Recall the promise of our Prophet regarding fallen warriors in the Koran; the man who falls in combat will be transported bodily to Paradise [and] will dine with Mohammed in the presence of women."

Next, Ibrahim recounted the American experience with the Islamic Barbary pirates in 1785 and 1786 that attacked U.S. merchant ships and enslaved American sailors. In an effort to ransom the slaves, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams entered negotiations with Abdul Rahman, Tripoli's ambassador to Britain. The American diplomats futilely explained that they "had done them no injury" and "consider all mankind our friends."

Abdul answered that "it was founded on the laws of their Prophet, written in the Koran that all nations not acknowledging their authority were sinners, that it is their religious right and duty to make slaves of non-believers, and all Muslims slain in battle were sure to go to paradise." America's conflict with Islam did not begin on 9/11. Rather, it dates back to the time of America's Founders.

To underscore this message, Ibrahim cited Theodore Roosevelt's 1916 book, Fear God and Take Your Part, where the former president pointed out, "If the peoples of Europe in the 7th and 8th centuries, and on up to and including the 17th century, had not possessed a military equality with, and gradually a growing superiority over the Mohammedans who invaded Europe, Europe would at this moment be Mohammedan and the Christian religion would be exterminated."

The great English statesman Winston Churchill also criticized Islam for institutionalizing slavery. "The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman is the absolute property  either as a child, a wife, or a concubine  must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men."

Ibrahim rhetorically asked, if the violent history of Islam is so well documented, "so ironclad," then "why don't we know about it?" Older historians who studied Islam unprejudiced by political correctness reached conclusions that no longer comport with what the public is told. Conversely, modern historians get away with academic malpractice by reducing previous Islamic studies scholarship to outdated myths.

This is all part and parcel of what Ibrahim referred to as "propaganda as a form of jihad," misinformation of which academics and groups such as CAIR are the most vociferous defenders.

Meanwhile, CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator in the nation's largest terrorism finance trial and an accused Hamas-supporter, engaged in "propaganda jihad "by working to suppress Ibrahim's historical review, a practice consistent with Islamist suppression of different religious beliefs.

In the end, Ibrahim gave Army service members and the community a coherent and fact-driven presentation of Islamic history that everyone in America should hear, one that dispels the many false, politically correct notions about the nature of Islam. It lays bare the inconvenient truth that Islamic ideology is what motivates Muslim jihadists to perpetrate acts of terrorism against non-believers, both domestically and abroad.

Leonard Getz, CPA is the Philadelphia Counter-Islamist Grid research fellow of Middle East Forum and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the American Thinker, The Algemeiner, PJMedia, The Clarion, The Daily Wire, Lifestyles Magazine, Nostalgia Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Bulletin, the Jewish Exponent, and the Lock Haven Express. He is the author of the book From Broadway to the Bowery.
President Trump continues to flaunt his and Jared Kushners indifference to New York victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Trump intentionally minimized the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic again. On Sean Hannity FOX News. American voters will no doubt see a clip from this interview included in the anti-Trump barrage to come on Social Media and TV in the lead up into the November election.

Perhaps not understanding that 50% of those who get sick will require a ventilator. President Trump's refusal to send 30,000 ventilators from the national stockpile may cost tens of thousands of lives. New York Governor Cuomo continues to beg for the large number needed to counter the daily rate of growth in demand.

Trump continues to prove that he can get away with anything in broad daylight, even condemning tens of thousands of New Yorkers to death. During an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday said

I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than theyre going to be.

I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and theyll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden theyre saying, Can we order 30,000 ventilators?

This isnt the first time this President has shown a propensity of denying deaths arguably his incompetence and inexperience has caused. He and his Administration denies that as many as 5,000 death was caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, devastating the island and plunging all of its 3.4 million residents into a desperate humanitarian crisis.

New York has become the new epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, and our country itself now has the most cases in the world.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said earlier on Thursday there may be shortages in New York City and other parts of the state

that have lots of ventilators and other areas of New York state that dont have any infections right now.

There is still significant  over a thousand or two thousand ventilators that have not been utilized yet.

Please, for the reassurance of people around the world, to wake up this morning and look at people talking about creating DNR situations  do not resuscitate situations for patients  there is no situation in the United States right now that warrants that kind of discussion.

Governor Cuomo is insisting he needs an additional 30,000 ventilators in place as New York continues to accelerate and is building field hospitals with thousands of beds that expect the peak of the crisis in several days. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has sent only 400, according to Cuomo prompted the Trump administration later to say it arranged 4,000 from the federal stockpile to be sent to New York.

A health crisis is capable of overwhelming New York City, and the state as the Governors patience with President Trump grew visibly thin during a Tuesday news conference, in which heatedly demanded Trump Administration meet the needs of the crisis.

Cuomo said in a poetic moment dares the President to be the arbitrator of death.

The president says its a war.

Well, then, act like its a war!

You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.




















By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Mar 27, 2020 - 09:50 | Feature, Olympics, All

Every Sunday morning, a decades-old market in Japan's northeastern prefecture of Miyagi is crowded with local residents and tourists making their way down narrow aisles and checking a variety of fresh seafood.

The bustling market in the Yuriage district in Natori has become part of the small port city's scenery -- but it was once unthinkable.

(Local residents and tourists stroll around Yuriage Port Morning Market in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, on Feb. 23, 2020.)

"I had almost given up my business, and didn't believe that we could rebuild our market," said Koichi Sakurai, who runs a seafood retailer at the market, looking back on the days when the city was devastated by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

"So it's incredible for me that we've come so far," said the 65-year-old, who, along with other people in his community, was looking forward to the Olympic torch relay passing through the district in June.

"Both natural disasters and something like the outbreak of the new coronavirus are unpredictable. But we have had experience of recovering from where everything was lost, after having struggled so much in one of the disaster-stricken areas," he said after the International Olympic Committee decided to postpone the Tokyo Summer Games by about one year.

With the delay due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Japan leg of the torch relay, which had been scheduled to start on March 26, was also put on hold, two days before its kick-off.

"I'm certain it will be a success next year if we show the same kind of spirit we showed following the disaster," he said.

(Koichi Sakurai puts slices of salmon on trays at his shop in Yuriage Port Morning Market on Feb. 23, 2020.)

In the Yuriage district, where more than 700 out of 7,000 residents lost their lives in the quake and tsunami, the reconstruction of stores and houses has been making steady progress and the population has been picking up recently after years of outflow.

Following the decision last year that the route for the Olympic torch relay would go through the district on June 22, local people were hoping the event would be a golden opportunity for them to express their gratitude to the world for helping with the region's reconstruction and prevent the memory of the catastrophe from fading away.

"We are looking at the postponement positively also in the context of our wish to convey our appreciation," said Sakurai.

Located in the eastern part of Natori and facing the Pacific, the district is known for its fishing industry and seafood such as high-quality ark shell.

Following the tsunami, over half of the residents of Yuriage moved to other places including Miyagi's prefectural capital of Sendai, located just 10 kilometers north and which has a population of more than 1 million.

The buildings of the market, which has been held on Sundays for about half a century, were rebuilt two years after the tsunami. About 50 shops stand side by side, though there are some vacant lots outside the market.

Taking over his father's business around 25 years ago, Sakurai has also served as the leader of the market's cooperative union for over 10 years.

Sakurai sells about 150 kg of red salmon every week. "Those who want to eat salmon surely come to my store and buy it, and they never fail to become regular customers," he said.

Four days after the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami, however, only the cement foundations of the market's facilities were visible, as was the case with nearly all buildings in the district.

(Photo shows newly-built houses on raised ground after the area was inundated by the March 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster in Yuriage district in Natori on Feb. 23, 2020.)

Sakurai's family members were luckily all safe, but his home and an adjacent seafood processing plant were swept away by the tsunami.

Of the 48 store operators at that time, four died or went missing, but about 40 were able to assemble a month after the disaster.

"We have nothing to sell any longer, so let's give up our business, let's put an end to everything by allocating the (union's) money to everyone," Sakurai said at the meeting.

About 10 agreed, but the rest of shop owners disagreed, saying they wanted to continue their businesses at the same place.

Their spirit of commitment moved Sakurai, and he decided to work with them in getting the market up and running again, initially selling their products in places such as a parking lot that a shopping center in Natori rented to them for free.

In the fall of 2012 Sakurai heard from the city that a local company had introduced Yuriage to Canada's central and local governments, as well as its private sector, as a possible destination for donations.

Yoichi Sugiura, 61, a director of Sendai-based housing maker Selco Home Inc., explained that at first the Canadian side asked the company what kind of assistance it could offer in the wake of the tsunami, "because we have been handling Canada-made houses and routinely interacting with the Canadian government and firms."

Sugiura said the firm's president had a personal relationship with the then-mayor of Natori, and that they had known that the market was in need of financial support.

(Photo shows a road under construction and vacant lots near Yuriage Port Morning Market on Feb. 21, 2020.)

"We thought that we could encourage Yuriage people by resuming the market as soon as possible, so we had no doubts about linking Canada and the district," Sugiura said.

Making full use of donations worth 1.5 million Canadian dollars ($1 million), three of the six current market buildings were completed in May 2013 and the rest in December the same year funded by subsidies from the Japanese government.

The renewed market has been attracting more visitors than before the disaster, with the number increasing about 50 percent, although it has been declining over the past few weeks, apparently due to concern over the spread of the coronavirus, according to the union.

Sayuri Tanno, a 47-year-old local resident said she and her husband come to the market once or twice a month to buy fish and other foodstuff.

"Before the tsunami, the market was a bit messy, but after the renewal, the buildings are nicer, tidier and more comfortable," she said.

Sakurai said several barbecues were recently set up on the premises so that visitors can grill and eat their purchases, and the revamp has turned the market into "a place to enjoy not only shopping but also eating," and succeeded in drawing more people, especially those with small children.

"It was essential for us to rebuild the market buildings in the same place as before, and support from people across Japan and other countries like Canada made a dream come true," Sakurai said. "If we didn't, nobody would want to come to Yuriage."

In fact, Yuriage's population is on the rise, reaching nearly 3,000, after it bottomed out at about 2,000 in 2016. Among them are newcomers, drawn by its proximity to Sendai and its low land prices.

But many former residents did not immediately return to Yuriage, partly because it took about three years for the city government to determine where to construct new residential areas for residents who lost their homes.

The issue had divided the locals, with some claiming inland areas were more suitable in case there was another tsunami.

In October 2014, the city finally started raising the ground level by 5 meters and putting up seawalls so new houses could be built. But many former residents had already left.

Satoko Ishizuka, 71, who moved to an inland area about 3 km southwest of Yuriage with her husband in 2015, said she is satisfied with the couple's choice.

"I love Yuriage, but here is more convenient because it's closer to a supermarket and a train station," she said.

(Yuko Tanno visits a monument in memory of local students who lost their lives in the March 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster, including her son Kota, in Yuriage district in Natori on Feb. 22, 2020.)

On the other hand, Yuko Tanno, 51, who lost her 13-year-old son Kota in the tsunami, moved into a brand new house built two years ago on the raised ground, close to where her former home was located.

"If the city's decision to build houses in Yuriage had been taken much earlier, more people would have come back," Tanno said. "It took up too much time."

Tanno's husband and daughter had argued that they should move elsewhere, but Tanno held firm.

"I thought that if Kota's soul is still in Yuriage, it would be better to live in a place where he can come back whenever he wants. The choice of moving to another safer place would have made me feel guilty."

On the first anniversary of the disaster, Tanno and five other parents of local junior high school students who lost their lives in the tsunami erected a memorial monument at the school.

The city integrated the district's elementary school with the junior high school and opened it two years ago, and the monument was relocated to the new site.

Before the postponement, the Olympic torch relay section in Natori was slated to start from the market and finish at the unified school.

"We want the world to see how much we managed to revive, and want foreign tourists to use the Tokyo Games as an opportunity to go a little further into the countryside like here," Sakurai said.

( Sakurai talks with a customer at his shop in Yuriage Port Morning Market on Feb. 23, 2020.)

Meanwhile, Tanno has mixed emotions about the Japanese government billing the Tokyo Olympics, initially due to begin July 24, as a "Reconstruction Olympics."

"Indeed, we've got a chance to give thanks to people across the world (by hosting the torch relay), but some still live in temporary dwellings, and some are still missing," Tanno said.

Tanno also lamented that some newcomers in Yuriage do not know "fully comprehend what happened here nine years ago."

"I'd like everyone to learn that the devastated areas have been revived, but that's not all. I would be glad if they think of why our district and our houses are so tidy and neat, and why the relay runs through our district," Tanno said.
The global oil market could return to balance in at least one year, all things being equal as-is, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said at a forum in Russia on Friday.

When the first signs of rebalancing appear, we will see a recovery in oil prices, Sorokin said, noting that any timeline on rebalancing would depend on how long major economies remain in lockdown.

At $30-35 oil, U.S. oil production could drop by around 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), the deputy energy minister said.

Sorokin discussed at length Russias reasons not to support deeper cuts at the OPEC+ meeting at the beginning of this month, which led to Saudi Arabia promising a flood of extra oil supply to the market.

Russias position was that the coronavirus outbreak was already hitting oil demand in February and was increasing the uncertainty about how far and how severe the pandemic would spread outside China, Sorokin said, as quoted by Russias Interfax news agency.

Therefore, OPECs proposal for cuts of between 600,000 bpd to 1.5 million bpd would have been a drop in the ocean in a market where oil demand is plunging, according to the Russian official. Considering that oil demand is now already down by 15 million bpd, and could reach 20 million bpd in the coming weeks, influencing the market with the cuts proposed by Saudi Arabia-led OPEC would have been impossible, Sorokin said.

According to Russia, the fair price of oil currently would be $45-55 a barrel. Such a price range would discourage costly projects and, at the same time, allow demand to grow, Sorokin said.

Even if OPEC+ had approved a 1.5-million-bpd cut early this month, the price of oil now would have been up to $7 a barrel higher, the official noted. The coronavirus effect wiped around $25 a barrel from oil prices, he said.

As of April 1, when the OPEC+ pact expires, Russian oil firms will look at the economic feasibility when deciding whether to increase production, Sorokin said, and added, in a hint aimed at former partner Saudi Arabia, Increased production or sweeping statements, attempts to influence the market were never our goal.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Does anyone ever read the introductory paragraph preceding a listicle like this? I sure don't. I always skip straight to the numbered list. So without further ado, here are the 5 types of villains making the pandemic worse for everyone else:

1. DENIERS

People who are hostile to science, evangelical Christians, sociopaths, members of Trump's loyalty cult, social media toilet lickers, and those whose investment portfolios are under threat.

Credo: "Coronavirus is George Soros / Bill Gates / libtard-concocted fake news designed to hurt God Emperor Trump."

Exemplars:

Bloviator / racist hatemonger Rush Limbaugh: "The coronavirus is the common cold, folks."

Disgraced failed senate candidate Roy Moore: "Businesses are closed, our economy is destroyed and churches are closed by tyrants who pander fear in the place of faith in God and our U S Constitution"

Unfairly photo-shopped Jerry Falwell Jr: "Shame on the media for trying to fan [coronavirus] up and destroy the American economy. They're willing to destroy the economy just to hurt Trump."

Former Ms. Nevada State 2019 Katie Williams: "I just went to a crowded Red Robin and I'm 30. It was delicious, and I took my sweet time eating my meal. Because this is America. And I'll do what I want."

Attorney Scott A. McMillan: "The fundamental problem is whether we are going to tank the entire economy to save 2.5% of the population which is (1) generally expensive to maintain, and (2) not productive."

2. HOARDERS

People who buy up vast amounts of toilet paper, particle masks, disinfectant wipes, and food, either out of fear or to seize an opportunity to profit through price gouging.

Credo: "If I don't take it all, someone else will."

Exemplars:

3. Star-Bellied Sneetches

People who are rich, famous, and or powerful enough to skip the line for testing and treatment.

Credo: "Only the little people wait in line."

Exemplars:

Prince Charles, "who left London for the Balmoral estate only hours before the government instructed everyone else not to flee to the country"

Patients of Dr. David Nazarian, who he describes as "influential people, A-list celebrities, and CEOs"

Harvey Weinstein, who is "doing fine" after he was tested positive for coronavirus in prison

4. Profiteers

Officials who use insider information to enrich themselves while lying to the public about the true nature of the pandemic. Fraudsters who sell nostrums and other purported cures.

Credo: To the public: "We have everything under control." To their broker: "Sell"

Exemplars:

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C), who "dumped ~$1.5m in stock before crash, while reassuring public that coronavirus was no big deal."

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), who sold stock before the crash and "bought between $100,000 and $250,000 in shares of Citrix, a company whose software facilitates remote work."

Convicted fraudster Jim Bakker, who received a cease-and-desist order from the New York Attorney general for claiming that a concoction he was selling called Silver Solution cure coronavirus illnesses.

Industries and interest groups that will profit heavily from the $2 trillion federal stimulus package.

5. Pranksters/Sickos

People who terrorize and infect others for the likes and lulz.

Credo: "I have the virus and now you are all going to get sick," usually later followed by, "it was simply a joke."

Exemplars:

Potok Philippe, a 28-year-old self-styled social media influencer who was charged with mischief after he allegedly told fellow plane passengers, "Can I get everybody's attention please. I just came back from Hunan province, the capital of the coronavirus. I'm not feeling too well. Thank you."

Margaret Cirko, who allegedly walked into a Pennsylvania grocery store and coughed on $35,000 of produce, meat, and other fresh food, forcing the store to throw it out.

George Falcone who was "was charged with making a terroristic threat after he intentionally coughed near a supermarket employee and told her he had the coronavirus."

Cody Lee Pfister, who was "arrested this week after he allegedly made a video of himself licking items at a Walmart in an attempt to mock the coronavirus."

Sportsball player Rudy Gobert, who intentionally touched reporters' microphones after an interview, and later tested positive for coronavirus

Image: By J.J. at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 27, 2020 / Experion Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "Experion") (TSXV:EXP)(OTCQB:EXPFF)(FRANKFURT:MB31) is providing an update on the status of the filing of its annual financial statements and accompanying management's discussion and analysis, and related CEO and CFO certifications for the financial year ended November 30, 2019 (collectively "Annual Filings").

On March 18, 2020, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced that they will provide issuers with a 45-day filing extension for filings required on or before June 1, 2020 to allow issuers the time needed to focus on the many other business and financial reporting implications of COVID-19. Experion will rely on this exemption with respect to the Annual Filings in accordance with BC Instrument 51-515, Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements.

The Company is continuing to work diligently and expeditiously with its auditors to file the Annual Filings on or around April 24, 2020 and by no later than May 14, 2020. In the interim, management and other insiders of the Company are subject to a trading black-out policy that reflects the principles in section 9 of National Policy 11-207, Failure to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions.

The Company confirms that since the filing of its interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended August 31, 2019, there have been no material business developments other than those disclosed through news releases.

About Experion Holdings Ltd.

Experion Holdings Ltd. is the parent company of Experion Biotechnologies Inc., a Health Canada licensed cultivator and processor of Cannabis, based in Mission, BC.

Experion Holdings Ltd. is invested in a portfolio of products to address a wide spectrum of consumer needs' including Adult-use, Wellness and Therapeutic, and Medical products.

Experion trades on the TSX Venture Exchange as a Tier 1 issuer under the symbol "EXP" on the OTCQB Venture under the symbol "EXPFF" and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "MB31"

For further information, please visit the Company's website www.experionwellness.com or contact Investor Relations, Email: IR@experionwellness.com

Disclosure

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Forward looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, forecast, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities; recent market volatility; the Company's ability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; the risks identified in the Filing Statement, and other risks and factors that the Company is unaware of at this time. The reader is referred to the Filing Statement dated September 25, 2017 and/or the most recent annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Company page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies ofthe TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Experion Holdings Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/582837/Experion-Annual-Filings-Update
In late February, countless Christians pledged to give up vices like alcohol, chocolate and Netflix for the duration of Lent.

What they didn't know was that in the coming weeks, they'd also be giving up social gatherings, concerts, televised sports, eating in restaurants and virtually every other aspect of ordinary life.

As the novel coronavirus has given new meaning to a season of self-sacrifice, some faith leaders are granting worshipers a pass from traditional Lenten rituals. On Thursday, Bishop James Checchio, whose diocese in New Jersey includes about 600,000 Catholics, announced that he was waiving the requirement to abstain from eating meat on Fridays. Both the food shortages in grocery stores and the fact that people were already sacrificing so much had factored into his decision, he wrote, adding that meat was still off-limits for Good Friday.

Catholic dioceses from Brooklyn to Pittsburgh to Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, have issued similar decrees over the past week. In Louisiana, Bishop Shelton Fabre wrote that the coronavirus "has placed most, if not all, of our faithful in a situation wherein obtaining food, including meal alternatives from meat, the rising cost of fish and other forms of seafood, and even the challenge of being able to obtain groceries without endangering their health, make it clearly difficult for them to fulfill this practice."

Those who choose to eat meat on the remaining Fridays of Lent should do works of charity and piety instead, he suggested.

The unusual dispensations underscored how the global pandemic has upended religious traditions. As Lent has progressed, churches have rapidly gone from pondering more sanitary ways to give Communion to closing their doors altogether. In late February, many clergy worried about administering ashes to worshipers' foreheads, but opted to vigorously sanitize their hands instead of forgoing the custom entirely, The Washington Post's Sarah Pulliam Bailey reported. A mere two weeks later, most had canceled services and Mass.

"Had not planned on giving quite this much for Lent," read a sign posted outside a church in Providence, Rhode Island last week.

Others have made variations on the same joke - "When they told us to give up something for lent I didn't know we had to give up everything," read one Thursday tweet - or admitted to giving up on their Lenten vows entirely. Humor aside, though, many religious leaders say that the directives imposed by public health officials are actually fitting for a season of suffering and abstention.

Giving up in-person church services in favor of worshiping at home is "like the ultimate Lent," the Rev. Chris Arnold, the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, said to Episcopal News Service. "What greater fast is there than a fast from the Eucharist?"

Some see a parallel between the isolation of quarantine and Jesus's 40 days alone in the wilderness. Sheltering in place can be "our opportunity to be in the desert like Jesus, with time away in solitary prayer," Father Paul Keller of St. Paul Catholic Newman Center in Fresno, Calif., told Catholic News Service. That kind of self-denial and reflection "couldn't be more Lenten," he added.

Church leaders have noted that fasting for Lent can also be a way of saving food for a future time of need, and called on their congregants to perform acts of charity by helping out vulnerable neighbors. And those who suddenly have a lot of time on their hands can take the opportunity to study spiritual texts.

"At minimum, we now have extra time to spend in prayer each day," wrote Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. "We may never again have a Lenten season that affords us so much time to give to the Lord."

But it's looking quite likely that Lent will end before the global pandemic does. Easter, which is a little over two weeks away, could be devoid of egg hunts, large family gatherings and packed church services this year.

"I think, if anything, there's an opportunity in this," the Rev. Scott Gunn, an Episcopal priest in Cincinnati, told Episcopal News Service. "When you pare away all of the trappings and also all of the traditions and customs, maybe we're going to have no choice but to focus on what's really important about the celebration of Holy Week."
Beijing takes action to curb surge of infected people arriving from new hotspots overseas, as local cases dwindle.

China will ban entry to all foreigners, including non-nationals with valid visas and residence permits, from midnight on Friday in a move to curb the numbers of imported coronavirus cases.

The other measures announced by the foreign ministry include reducing the number of international flights and limiting the capacity on board to 75 percent.

The ministry added that entry of foreign nationals with visas issued after the announcement will not be prevented.

Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected, a ministry statement said on Thursday. Foreign nationals coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.

In recent weeks, Chinas tally of cases has reduced dramatically, with only a handful of domestic patients each day.

However, there has been a surge of infected people arriving from new hotspots overseas. This pushed Beijing to take action to halt a second wave of infections in China, where the virus was reported to have first emerged.

Majority of cases imported

On Friday, mainland China reported its first local coronavirus case in three days and 54 new imported cases.

The 55 new cases detected on Thursday were down from 67 a day earlier, the countrys National Health Commission said on Friday, taking the tally of infections to 81,340. More than 65,000 of those have recovered, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

Chinas death toll stood at 3,292 as of Thursday, up by five from a day earlier.

200324073029647

After first appearing in Chinas Wuhan last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 175 countries and territories.

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 530,000 while the death toll is higher than 24,000, with some 126,000 patients having recovered.

The US, Italy, China, Iran and Spain are among the countries hardest hit.
Though mainly associated with Japan, cherry blossom season is a widely anticipated event in cities around the world, a sign that spring has arrived, an opportunity for people to get out and enjoy nature's unrivaled beauty.

Right now, no city is more deserving of that message of hope and renewal than Wuhan, which has been under lockdown since January 24 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Wuhan's cherry blossom trees are in full bloom right now.

One of the best places to enjoy them is Wuhan University, which is normally filled with cherry blossom admirers. This season, however, has been anything but normal. It's nearly empty due to the ongoing lockdown, creating scenes of ethereal beauty.

Li Hao, a teacher living on the campus during the lockdown, captured stunning drone footage of the light pink blossoms, which can be viewed in the above video.

"I believe that any disaster or challenge will eventually come to an end," Li tells CNN.

"Just like these cherry flowers, sooner or later, they will always blossom. That's what I believe, as long as we don't give up our pursuit of a beautiful life, as long as we continue our effort to make it happen."

According to Chinese state media, over 1,000 cherry trees are scattered across the university campus. Some of the oldest were gifted to the city by Japan in the 1970s, when China and Japan established diplomatic relations.

Lockdown due to lift April 8

Wuhan, with a population of some 11 million people, was the first Chinese city to be sealed off from the world as the virus began to spread. All flights, trains and buses were canceled and highway entrances blocked.

Two months later, the worst of the pandemic appears to have passed in mainland China and officials have announced they will lift the lockdown on April 8.

In the meantime, locals can take in the blossoms online. The university has set up numerous cameras around the campus, offering various views of the cherry blossoms in bloom on several Chinese apps including Taobao and WeChat.
Gandhinagar, March 27 : Thousands of people were being transported to places across and outside Gujarat against the backdrop of a 21-day national lockdown with states have sealed their borders.

The state administration itself was helping in the transportation.

After the entry of COVID-19 in the state, which has seen up to 44 positive cases and three deaths till Thursday in Gujarat, the national lockdown since Tuesday night was intended to curb the spread of the virus. As a result, restrictions were imposed on transportation.

Large numbers of people, primarily the migrant labourers from the neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (MP), were moving across the state as they did not find any transport.

The state government began helping them by providing state transport buses. Those from Rajasthan were provided buses by the Gujarat government.

"We facilitated these workers and labourers to send them back to Rajasthan in many buses," Dilip Thakor, the Labour and Employment Minister, Gujarat government told IANS.

On Thursday, nine buses full of another batch of such labourers were packed off to Rajasthan, helped by the police authorities. The Vadaj police station, Naranpura police station and other police stations in Ahmedabad arranged bus transportation for around 550 to 600 passengers from Vaishnodevi Circle in Ahmedabad.

The passengers were checked up through thermal scanners and thereafter allowed to board the buses, heading for Rajasthan.

Similarly at many other places in Gujarat, the administration was seen helping people move across in government or private vehicles.

Asked whether this violated the lockdown, Jayanti Ravi, principal secretary, Health and family welfare Department, Gujarat told IANS, "Look the transportation is not our subject, we only look after the health aspects in the state."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and 31 upstream oil and gas industry companies on Friday announced a $30 million (N11.4 billion) intervention fund to combat coronavirus in Nigeria.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, who announced this in Abuja, said the Fund is in response to a national emergency.

Mr Kyari said the fund is an industry-wide collaborative intervention to combat the pandemic and its impact on Nigeria.

He said the intervention, which aligns with the ongoing federal government effort to support the countrys national healthcare delivery facilities to cope with the onslaught of the virus, involves partners under the umbrella of Upstream Oil & Gas Industry Intervention Initiative on COVID-19.

Under the arrangement, the NNPC chief said the fund would be deployed to meet three important emergencies.

They include provision of medical consumables, deployment of logistics and in-patient support systems and delivery of medical infrastructure.

READ ALSO:

He said the support initiative would be delivered in phases starting from Friday.

To address the increasing demand for medical services, we are immediately providing medical consumables covering testing kits, medical protective, suits, and ambulances to the highly impacted areas across the federation.

This will be followed in the next few days with the deployment of ventilators, beds and temporary intensive care facilities across the six geographical zones of the federation, Mr Kyari said.

Some of the companies involved in the intervention include Niger Delta Petroleum Resource Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Pillar Oil Limited, Platform Petroleum Limited, and Seplat Petroleum Development Company.

The others include Shoreline Natural Resources, SunTrust Oil. Company, Vertex Energy Limited, Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited and Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited.

The NNPC GMD said the corporation will soon unveil a similar intervention between it and its downstream partners.

The NNPC is also involved in another private sector initiative spearheaded by the Bankers Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with banks chief executives and Dangote Foundation to mobilise N120 billion for a similar purpose.
Is Peace Possible? Many Key Issues Missing From U.S.-Taliban Deal For Afghanistan

By Frud Bezhan March 26, 2020

The United States has publicly hailed its agreement with the Taliban as a "historic opportunity" to end the nearly 19-year war in Afghanistan.

But several crucial issues are either vague or entirely absent from the accord, prompting fears that the deal will not achieve a lasting peace in the country, which has been consumed by conflict for more than 40 years.

The deal signed on February 29 would allow U.S. President Donald Trump to fulfill his campaign pledge to stop "endless wars" and bring home thousands of U.S. troops during an election year.

But some experts have warned Washington made too many concessions to the Taliban without getting much in return. Many say the U.S.-negotiated agreement also undermines the Western-backed government in Kabul, which was not a party to the deal.

The agreement lays out a timetable for the full withdrawal of U.S. forces -- currently numbering around 12,000 -- out of Afghanistan by July 2021.

The pullout is dependent on the Taliban fulfilling its pledge to prevent terrorist groups from launching attacks against the United States and its allies.

The Taliban is also committed under the deal to hold direct negotiations with the Kabul government over a power-sharing arrangement. But it has thus far refused to do so.

No Explicit Taliban Renunciation Of Al-Qaeda

The deal falls short of a core U.S. demand: the Taliban publicly cutting its ties with the Al-Qaeda terrorist group.

The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and ousted the Taliban after it refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leaders who were behind the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people.

But the agreement only states that the Taliban "will not allow any of its members, other individuals, or groups, including [Al-Qaeda], to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies."

It also says the Taliban must "send a clear message" to Al-Qaeda that they "have no place in Afghanistan," not to "cooperate" with them, to "prevent them from recruiting, training, and fundraising," and to "not provide visas, passports, travel permits, or other legal documents" allowing them to enter Afghanistan.

But the deal does not include an explicit Taliban commitment to break off ties with Al-Qaeda.

"Unlike the U.S., the Taliban wasn't in a rush to get a deal, and it could easily say no to demands it didn't like," Michael Kugelman, South Asia associate at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, tells RFE/RL. "For the U.S., which badly needed a deal, getting the Taliban to agree to deny space to Al-Qaeda, without actually compelling the Taliban to sever ties with Al-Qaeda, was likely the best outcome it could get."

Al-Qaeda is a largely diminished force, with only several hundred fighters in Afghanistan, but remains a crucial part of the Taliban insurgency. The two groups have been longtime partners and are co-dependent, according to experts.

"In many Taliban units, it is often difficult to distinguish Taliban commanders from Al-Qaeda ones," wrote Javid Ahmad, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Husain Haqqani, director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute. "The two groups enjoy multiple layers of top-down linkages," they wrote in The Washington Post. "The alliance is further tightened by intermarriages, and Al-Qaeda members often serve as religious mentors and instructors to the Taliban fighters."

General Kenneth McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command, said the Taliban had yet to show they are willing to take on Al-Qaeda. "That's something they're going to have to demonstrate that has not yet been demonstrated," McKenzie said on March 10.

U.S. Pullout Not Contingent On Peace

The United States has not tied its military pullout to the success of intra-Afghan peace talks over a permanent cease-fire and a power-sharing arrangement.

Instead, the withdrawal depends on the Taliban meeting its commitment to fight terrorism and the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

U.S. officials have said the 14-month timetable for the withdrawal is "aspirational." U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the pullout was "conditions-based."

"If progress on the political front between the Taliban and the current Afghan government continues, then the United States and its partners will further reduce our presence toward a goal of zero in 2021," he wrote in The Washington Post on February 29. "If progress stalls, then our drawdown likely will be suspended as well."

But this point does not appear in the U.S.-Taliban agreement. According to the deal, the United States can withdraw even if the war between the Afghan government and the Taliban continues.

Considering the sensitivity of the issues and the chronic divisions among the Afghan political elite, many predict intra-Afghan negotiations to be complex and protracted, possibly taking years.

The talks were expected to start on March 10 but have been delayed due to disputes over the release of Taliban prisoners and the formation of Kabul's negotiating team.

Ashley Jackson, a research associate at the Overseas Development Institute, a London-based think tank, says the U.S.-Taliban deal has the potential to be either the beginning of the end of the war in Afghanistan, or merely just the end of the U.S. military role in the war.

That depends, she says, on the process moving forward and intra-Afghan talks finally starting. "If not, and U.S. troops withdraw anyway as the agreement suggests they will, then it is little more than a withdrawal deal," Jackson says. "But it could also force all of the Afghan parties to get serious about talking to one another and support that process."

Nine former U.S. ambassadors and special envoys in Afghanistan penned a joint statement in September, warning that Afghanistan could collapse in a "total civil war" if the United States withdrew its forces before a "real" peace deal involving the Kabul government is reached with the Taliban.

No Mechanism to Verify Compliance

There is nothing in the agreement about how the United States will monitor and verify if the Taliban is sticking to its commitments, though the mechanism for verifying compliance may have been included in two classified annexes.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there were two "military implementation documents" that were classified to "protect our soldiers." The documents are only available to members of the U.S. Congress.

The documents reportedly include military steps that should be taken over the next 18 months, what kind of attacks are banned by both sides, and how the United States will share information about its troop locations with the Taliban to prevent attacks during the withdrawal.

U.S. lawmakers who have reviewed the documents said there were insufficient mechanisms to verify if the Taliban is abiding by the deal and have accused the Trump administration of hiding details of the agreement from the public.

"If it's true that the secret annexes provide information on how the Taliban's obligations to the agreement will be monitored, it could be that the Trump administration fears the monitoring regime, if made public, would be perceived as too vague or weak and hence could provoke harsh criticism of the agreement," Kugelman of the Wilson Center says. "So long as the annexes remain secret, there will be fodder for conspiracy theories and concerns about transparency that will only heighten suspicions about the agreement and its intentions."

Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Foreign Relations Committee, has reviewed the documents. He said the "security guarantees are so vague as to be effectively void. It's not clear how we will track whether they are indeed renouncing terrorist groups."

Even Liz Cheney (Republican-Wyoming), a Trump ally, said the deal failed to provide mechanisms to verify that the Taliban was keeping its promises. "My concerns still remain," she said, after studying the classified annexes.

No Reduction Of Violence

A weeklong reduction of violence preceded the signing of the U.S.-Taliban deal, with a significant drop in militant attacks.

But days later, the Taliban ordered its fighters to resume operations against Afghan forces, although not against foreign troops. The militants have since carried out scores of deadly attacks.

The warring sides are locked in a dispute about allowable levels of violence and attacks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that Taliban attacks "violate" the U.S.-Taliban deal. The U.S. military has said it expects the violence to remain low and that violence escalation goes against the "spirit of the deal."

But the Taliban has said a reduction in violence was only a temporary confidence-building measure. And most importantly, the text of the U.S.-Taliban deal makes no mention of a Taliban commitment to reduce violence.

Jackson says the Taliban would not gain anything by reducing violence, the militant's main source of leverage. "The Taliban may at some point agree to intra-Afghan talks and a more sustainable violence reduction in exchange for a legitimate stake in a national government," she says. "But until then I fully expect them to continue waging war."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/many-key- issues-missing-from-u-s--taliban-deal- for-afghanistan/30509592.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






PACE rapporteurs for Azerbaijan Sunna Evarsdottir (Iceland), Roger Gale (UK) and Stefan Schennach (Austria) responded to reports that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in his speech to mark the Nowruz holiday, had proposed the isolation of the countrys political opposition as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

I am astonished and appalled by the Azerbaijani governments shameful exploitation of the coronavirus pandemic to launch yet another crack-down on the countrys beleaguered political opposition, said Sir Roger Gale. It beggars belief that any head of state would abuse a public health emergency in order to tighten his grip on power.

The language used by President Aliyev to describe his countrys legitimate political opposition as a traitorous fifth column is profoundly undemocratic, said Mr Schennach. It is precisely in times of public emergency that political pluralism and responsibly exercised freedom of expression are most important, so as to allow open debate on policy and the free flow of information amongst the public.

In response to the reported arrest and detention for hooliganism of leading opposition politician Tofig Yagublu, Ms Evarsdottir said that everything I have heard so far suggests that the case against Mr Yagublu has been fabricated and he has once again been made a political prisoner. It looks very much as though the Azerbaijani government is launching yet another round of concerted political repression. This would not bode well for the countrys future standing in the Council of Europe.
Neil Ferguson was head of the Imperial College London epidemiology study that predicted that, if Britain continued with its experiment of locking up vulnerable people and letting others develop herd immunity, more than 500,000 people would die in Britain. In the same study, Ferguson and his team said that if America applied Britain's initial limited-quarantine model, there would be more than 2.2 million American deaths. His research caused both countries to start imposing extreme social distancing and quarantine measures.

Ferguson and his Imperial College London team have put out a new study, this one severely downgrading the earlier prediction. This time, Ferguson and his team believe that British deaths will not exceed 20,000 and could be lower. The report also indicates that the majority of victims  the aged and sick  are (sadly) likely to die within a year, regardless of the coronavirus. The study's authors also think the virus's bell curve will play itself out over 23 weeks rather than 18 months.

People instantly began to lambaste Ferguson for changing his predictions so dramatically. Most assumed that he had gotten his prediction wrong the first time and was correcting. However, in a series of tweets, Ferguson explained that the downgraded mortality rate, from 500,000 deaths to around 20,000, is based upon the United Kingdom's newly imposed social distancing and other health initiatives.

1/4 - I think it would be helpful if I cleared up some confusion that has emerged in recent days. Some have interpreted my evidence to a UK parliamentary committee as indicating we have substantially revised our assessments of the potential mortality impact of COVID-19.  neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 26, 2020

2/4 -This is not the case. Indeed, if anything, our latest estimates suggest that the virus is slightly more transmissible than we previously thought. Our lethality estimates remain unchanged.  neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 26, 2020

3/4 - My evidence to Parliament referred to the deaths we assess might occur in the UK in the presence of the very intensive social distancing and other public health interventions now in place.  neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 26, 2020

4/4 - Without those controls, our assessment remains that the UK would see the scale of deaths reported in our study (namely, up to approximately 500 thousand).  neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 26, 2020

Ferguson's revised prediction is consistent with the Scott Adams theory, which I mentioned a couple of weeks ago:

Some time ago, during a podcast, Scott Adams stated a theory about panics that I hope I'm not about to bungle. His theory, as I understood it, is that modern panics bring cures. In the old days, people panicked, and that was all that they could do. They did not understand germ theory; they did not know about viruses; and they could not create vaccines, treat symptoms, or come up with cures. Panic was both the beginning and the end when it came to dealing with terrible things. In the modern era, though, Adams noted that when we see a crisis coming, we are able to address it. The Y2K panic is a clear example of our modern reactive abilities. People raised the alarm, people got worried, and people figured out how to fix things. We also got a handle on H1N1, although it killed a lot of people first (not that the media cared, because it didn't involve Trump). No matter how much the Democrats complain, Trump did the most important thing he could when he blocked flights from China in January and started pushing the bureaucratic monster that is the federal government to work on the virus: he bought us time  time in which to sequence genomes, invent vaccines, work on treatments, and change American behavior.

Steve McCann adds:

To date, this study has yet to be peer-reviewed, and its lead author, Neil Ferguson, has refused to share the algorithms or methodology used in the models. But he was quite willing to fan the flames of panic when he said the potential impacts of the coronavirus were comparable to the devastating 1918 influenza outbreak (which killed between 50 and 75 million worldwide). Further, it would "kind of overwhelm health system capacity in any developed country, including the United States" unless measures they recommended to reduce the spread of the virus were taken.

As a side note, it should be highlighted that this same institution, the Imperial College (a bastion of leftism), has, over the years, also predicted innumerable catastrophic global warming scenarios that have proven to be false and misleading.

It should also be noted that based on current data, which include how many may have contracted the virus and are unaware or have no symptoms, the actual mortality rate is likely to be around or less than 0.5%, not the 9% Mr. Ferguson's group projected.

Meanwhile, this nation is plunging itself into a potential depression and societal unrest based on ridiculously faulty computer models and projections. It is time for the nation's media and medical elites to admit their errors and concentrate on getting the United States back to work and be extremely judicious in accepting future prognostications that are not thoroughly peer-reviewed.

Additionally, this same reliance on inadvertent or deliberately flawed computer models permeates the climate change or green movement. If the Imperial College scientists can be so devastatingly wrong about something in real time, how can anyone believe what so-called climate experts say will happen in 25, 50, or 100 years?
WATERLOO  Two Waterloo firefighters are being recognized for rescuing one of their own when he became caught during a restaurant fire earlier this month.

Lt. Tony McGrane fell part way through a hole in the floor of The Wishbone, trapping him as flames began to rage in the basement below.

I was able to catch myself and hang by the edge of the hole at chest level, McGrane said.

In the smoke-filled dining area, Lt. Josh Heller and Firefighter Ben Weber rushed over to help.

I grabbed a hold of him and tried to pull him up. I was not able to get him to move, Lt. Josh Heller wrote in his account of the blaze. When we first got to Lt. McGrane there was a small amount of fire coming up through the hole in the floor. As we worked to free him, the fire intensified and he eventually was completely engulfed in fire.

Heller called out a mayday over the radio as they struggled to lift McGrane.

When I heard the mayday call over the radio my stomach instantly churned, said Fire Chief Pat Treloar, who was heading to the scene.

Adding to the urgency was the fact the hose McGrane had been using was also trapped in the hole, so the firefighters didnt have anything to beat back the growing flames.

Weber eventually got hold of McGranes pant leg, and the grip was enough allow the two to help McGrane crawl out of the hole.

McGrane exited the building, and Weber and Heller found themselves pinned against a bench and the hole, but they were able to make their way out.

After a quick medical evaluation, McGrane was able to resume fighting the fire.

Last week, Heller and Weber were issued the fire departments certificates of merit for their actions in the Wishbone fire.

I couldnt be prouder of how they reacted to their fellow firefighter in true distress. I truly believe they saved Lt. McGranes life, Treloar said

The award is for conduct involving exemplary courage and danger to a firefighters safety in order to prevent serious injury or loss of life.

Heller joined Waterloo Fire Rescue in July 2004, and Weber has been with the department since September 2018.

Rescuing fellow firefighters when things go bad during a blaze is part of regular training for the department, and Treloar said the Wishbone fire shows the importance of practice.

We will continue to train and drill on mayday operations because we know this will not be last mayday situation we encounter, Treloar said.

Fire officials have ruled that the cause of the March 5 Wishbone fire was incendiary, a designation that means it was set. Treloar declined to comment further on the cause but said they are working with Waterloo police in the investigation.

Love 4 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.
Representative image

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

In an effort to provide quick access to vaccines and drugs to treat COVID-19, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has announced several measures including expediting reviews and approvals for drugs and vaccines already approved in other countries. The Indian drug regulator will also grant speedy permissions for clinical trials, waiver of data requirement for animal studies and approval of manufacturing licenses within seven days.

The drug regulator said, in case of emergency, it is granting import license without registration certificate subject to approval of the government.

At least three Indian vaccine Serum Institute of India, Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech are developing vaccine for COVID-19, other drug companies like Cipla are working on developing antiviral drugs that are considered to work against COVID-19. Many public research laboratories and pharma companies are developing vaccines, antibody therapies and repurposing existing drugs for COVID-19.

Coronavirus India LIVE updates

"Any firm or research institute having protocol for repurposing of existing drugs/vaccines for treatment of COVID-19 will also be given priority for review and approval," VG Somani, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) said in a notification.

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

Applications for clinical trial permission and application to import or manufacture drug or vaccine for sales and distribution would be processed on priority through expedited review and accelerated approval, the notification said.

"Any firm having a drug or vaccine already approved for COVID-19 in any other country can directly approach DCGI for expedited review and accelerated approval," DCGI said.

Data requirement for animal toxicity study, clinical study, stability study etc. may be abbreviated, deferred or waived on case to case basis depending upon the type of vaccine, nature of drug, plant from which the drug is extracted and its experience in case of phyto-pharmaceuticals, the notification added.

Application to manufacture or import drugs or vaccines for test, analysis or clinical trial may be processed within seven days.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Canada, Thursday, March 26, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

The federal government is hiking its wage subsidy for small and medium-sized businesses to 75 per cent, a move aimed at helping businesses deal with the severe economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the increased payroll subsidy  something that business leaders have been calling for for days  as well several additional measures to support small businesses on Friday.

With these new measures, our hope is that employers who are being pushed towards laying off people because of COVID-19 will think again, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

For those of you whove already had to lay off workers, we hope you will consider rehiring them given this payroll support.

Under Ottawas original $82 billion support package that was unveiled last week, small businesses could receive a 10 per cent wage subsidy for 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer.

While the subsidy rate has increased, it is unclear whether the cap will change, or how long the subsidy will apply for. Trudeau said the government will have more details to come on the small business measures hopefully by Monday.

The 75 per cent subsidy will be retroactive, and apply as of Sunday March 15.

Many businesses and industry groups had criticized the governments initial 10 per cent subsidy, saying it fell significantly short of providing assistance to small businesses that are struggling across the country.

Dan Kelly, the chief executive of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said Friday that the payroll subsidy increase will save jobs.

Ive already heard from some small businesses who report they will rehire laid off workers to keep them on payroll, Kelly said on Twitter.

This is significant.

However, Kelly noted that many questions remain regarding the subsidy changes, including ones that pertain to what type of businesses qualify, and whether there is a cap per employee and per employer.

Story continues

The government also announced that it will launch a Canada Emergency Business Account, which will allow banks to offer $40,000 loans that are guaranteed by the government to qualifying businesses. The loan will be interest-free for the first year and, if certain conditions are met, $10,000 of that loan will be forgivable.

Trudeau also said the government will provide an additional $12.5 billion to Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank to help SMEs with operational cash flow requirements. GST and HST payments, as well as duties and taxes owed on imports, will be deferred until June.

This is the equivalent of giving $30 billion in interest-free loans to businesses, Trudeau said.

Charles Fallon, president of LIDD Supply Management Consultants in Montreal, said the increased subsidy will be extremely helpful for businesses that were considering laying off employees, as the 10 per cent subsidy was inadequate.

The key will be to execute this action swiftly and avoid the issues currently faced by the unemployed in accessing the EI program, Fallon said.

If they can achieve that, it will be significantly helpful. If they cannot execute swiftly, i.e. next week, then this will be more headline than help.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:41:30|Editor: mingmei

Video Player Close

Medical supplies donated by China and its companies are unloaded from an airplane in Belgrade, Serbia, March 26, 2020. A large shipment of medical equipment for fighting COVID-19, with the help of the United Nations and the European Union (EU), arrived here from China on Thursday. The shipment brought clinical and portable ventilators, masks, suits and testing kits, part of which are donated by China and its companies, said Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who went to airport to welcome the critical shipment. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

BELGRADE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A large shipment of medical equipment for fighting COVID-19, with the help of the United Nations and the European Union (EU), arrived here from China on Thursday.

The shipment brought clinical and portable ventilators, masks, suits and testing kits, part of which are donated by China and its companies, said Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who went to airport to welcome the critical shipment.

She called the flight "a beautiful example of how the world can unite in difficult times, for Serbia and globally."

"The world, and especially Europe, are going through the most difficult times since the end of the World War II and solidarity and togetherness are the most important, so that we could beat this fierce virus COVID-19," she said.

Brnabic said the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the EU have helped facilitate the flight from Tianjin, China.

Chinese companies donated equipment worth several million euros, she said.

"Today's event indeed shows very well the solidarity of humankind. You can see that Serbia, China, EU and UN -- we are all working together, doing our best and fighting together against the COVID-19 virus," said Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo.

A major donation from HBIS, a major Chinese steelmaker which employs more than 5,000 people in its Serbian branch, includes 100,000 N95 masks, 30,000 medical face shields, 25,000 COVID-19 test kits and other protective equipment.

"We hope that our friends will overcome these difficulties as soon as possible," said Song Sihai, director of HBIS Serbia.

So far 452 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Serbia with seven deaths.
President Ram Nath Kovind along with Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday held video-conference with Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of various states and union territories to find ways to complement efforts of central and state governments in meeting the challenges arising from the outbreak of COVID-19.

In his opening remarks, the President referred to the collective strength of society and urged Governors, LGs and Administrators to mobilise volunteers of Indian Red Cross society, voluntary and religious organisations to contain the menace at the earliest.

Kovind and Naidu expressed hope that Indian society's inherent strength of "sharing and caring" and government's measures would mitigate sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the workers of the unorganised sectors and the destitute.

In the video-conference, 14 Governors and Delhi Lt Governor shared experiences in their territories as the witnessed more cases of coronavirus.

The video conference was conducted by the Vice President and it brought out the best practices initiated by the various state while enforcing the lockdown in the country.

The video conference began with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari outlining measures initiated by the state administration to combat the pandemic. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan lauded the role of government, voluntary organisations, medical professionals, paramedics and the police for acting in a coordinated manner to persuade people to maintain social distancing in Kerala.

He recited a couplet and said, "yun hi basabab na fira karo, kisi shaam ghar bhi raha karo" ("Don't roam around without any purpose, stay at your home") to emphasise the significance of social distancing.

MBBS students and 1800 retired doctors in the state have enlisted with the state government to volunteer with their services if a need arises. Three hundred and seventy-five psychologists have also been roped in to give advice to those who find quarantine as a difficult phase in their lives.

An official release said that the move by Kerala was considered innovative and worth emulating by other states.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala called for collective strength of the society to fight the menace. The release said that almost 8000 Red Cross Society volunteers in the state were working to spread awareness about the disease. Akshay Patra, a social organisation, is also actively involved in distributing food packets all over the state.

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narayan Arya said that the state was fully prepared to meet all challenges.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal said that Delhi government and all other agencies were working in perfect coordination to enforce the lockdown and yet mitigate people's problems.

Baijal noted that he and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were meeting every day to take stock of the situation. At the district level, DCs and DCPs were coordinating moves to facilitate relief work and educate people about social distancing.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Dev Vrat said that quarantine facilities in the state were being augmented. Social awakening programmes have been initiated through media to motivate people to follow guidelines. He said Gujarat's cooperative spirit was in evidence in concerted efforts by government, social and religious organisations, private sector, voluntary and cultural organisations to pool their resources to meet the challenge.

Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the state was extensively using social media to spread awareness. She said Raj Bhavan has also taken steps to provide food to about 800 needy families living near its campus.

M Venkaiah Naidu suggested to the Telangana Governor to take help of artistes, film stars, writers and intellectuals to raise the level of awareness among people about the seriousness of the global pandemic.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said that university campuses in the state were ready to be used for measures to contain coronavirus in case of need. He said Red Cross has been doing "an excellent job" within their resources to educate people about the deleterious impact of the disease.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru Dattatraya said that the Red Cross society has been working round-the-clock to help people in the state. Special efforts are being made to ensure awareness in districts with a tribal population.

Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan referred to Bihar's proximity to the international border that makes the state vulnerable to the spread of the disease.

He praised the manner in which the Bihar Government has been acting to contain the coronavirus. The Red Cross in the state has also been using its volunteers to spread awareness and its ambulances were available for use by the district authorities.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit informed that measures were in place to look after construction workers and they were being provided food.

He said all rice ration-card holders under PDS will be given Rs 1000 in cash. Amma canteens are being used to provide subsidised food. Naidu advised the Governor to take help of film artists, private sectors and religious leaders.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon said the state has taken measures to ensure that food is made available to daily-wagers.

Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh VP Singh Badnore informed that Red Cross has been helping to supply food packets in Chandigarh and necessary steps were being taken by Punjab government.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra informed that a fund has been created to enable people to make donations and various institutions were making their efforts to deal with the challenge.

President Kovind urged everyone to hold regular stock-taking with the state government and contribute in a way that the battle against coronavirus could be taken to a logical end.

He also said that based on these experiences, the best practices can be emulated in other parts of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Midland County recorded two more positive tests for coronavirus Friday bringing the total number to eight, according to Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer.

It is now more important than ever for our community to do what they can to limit the spread of disease," Yanoski said. "The personal hygiene (hand washing) and social distancing measure that everyone can take are our most powerful tools."

Gladwin and Bay counties reported no positive cases and Isabella had one new case, according to a state report released at about 3 p.m. Friday. There were 801 new cases and 32 deaths in the Friday report, compared to 564 new cases and 17 deaths reported Thursday.

Overall, Michigan has 3,657 positive coronavirus cases, with the majority of them in the Detroit area. Since the pandemic reached Michigan, 92 people have died statewide.

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.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for our community to be diligent in their community mitigation efforts," Yanoski said. "We know that COVID-19 is in our community, and our residents can make a huge impact on slowing the spread of disease by following the recommended precautions."

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 Mid Michigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989- 633-1350 or Mid Michigan 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 send an e-mail to: 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.
Over 100 people, including the



dean, doctors and health staff of a medical college and hospital here, have been quarantined after the dean's wife tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

The woman, 55, had tested positive on Thursday, they said.

The medical college and hospital is run by the Gujarat Medical and Education Research Society (GMERS) of the state government.

"The college dean's wife, who tested positive for coronavirus yesterday, works as a pathologist at some other hospital and may have got infected during her work," Deputy Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Om Prakash, said.

"There are two other possibilities. On March 15, some of her relatives from Mumbai had visited the family. That could have led to the infection. We also learnt that her daughter-in-law had returned from Singapore and Thailand last month," he said.

She was hospitalised after her test reports confirmed her infection, Prakash added.

However, her husband is healthy and has not shown any specific symptoms of coronavirus infection so far, the official, who handles the health operations of the civic body, said.

"The college dean is healthy and has been quarantined. As a precautionary measure, we have also quarantined over 100 people, who had come in contact with the couple, including their relatives, doctors and members of the college staff," Prakash said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has thanked all the 'incredible' health workers for their efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"Myself, the staff and all the players of LFC would like to take this opportunity to deliver a message to say thank you to all the incredible people who work in the health services, all the health workers out there," Klopp said in a video posted on Liverpool's Twitter handle.

"It's unbelievable what you are doing and on behalf of all of us from LFC, I would like to say thank you - or, how we would say in Germany, Vielen dank," he added.

The video also featured various players from the club including Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson, Alisson Becker, and Virgil van Dijk.

The spread of coronavirus is continuing to wreak havoc all around the world and has forced the postponement of various competitions including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Due to COVID-19, the professional games in England have also been postponed until no earlier than 30 April.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Just over a decade ago, hundreds of people started to become ill with flu-like symptoms in Manitoba's Island Lake region.

It was 2009, and H1N1 influenza had begun to spread. It would take a devastating toll on remote First Nations in the area, including St. Theresa Point.

The First Nation was hit hard. Hundreds became ill and some were admitted to hospital in Winnipeg, about 460 kilometres to the south, in critical condition. Babies became sick. One woman who was pregnant had a miscarriage after getting the virus.

Eleven people in Manitoba died from H1N1. At least three of those deaths were on the Garden Hill First Nation, where a fourth death was also suspected to be connected to the virus.

Today, in nearby St. Theresa Point  where homes are crowded and there is a lack of access to running water  leaders are worried about COVID-19.

"Of course we're concerned. What's going to happen if there's an outbreak in our community?" St. Theresa Point Chief Marie Wood said.

While frequent hand-washing is one of the key recommendations during the outbreak, about half of the 4,500 people living on the reserve don't have easy access to clean water to do so, Wood said.

Submitted by Rasmey Albert

When the community's leadership started telling residents over the radio to wash their hands for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday, they started getting calls from concerned band members, she said.

Some residents have access to tap water, but others rely on holding tanks with limited supplies.

"We just try to calm them down and tell them just put the water in the basin and wash your hands with soap, and maybe that will help."

She worries that anyone in the community who contracts the coronavirus wouldn't be able to quarantine easily, and could rapidly spread it.

"We're being told that all you need to do is self-isolate and if there's somebody that has symptoms, sniffles or temperature or coughing, they have to self-isolate," she said.

Story continues

"It's very hard to do that with overcrowding in our community. We have people that have 20 people in one three-bedroom house."

CBC

St. Theresa Point is trying to get ahead of the coronavirus pandemic, and not see a repeat of 2009. Health Canada has already sent a three-bedroom house to the reserve, which will be used to isolate and test people who are ill, Wood said.

There are new rules that will limit wakes for people who die in the community to family members, and attendance at funerals will be limited to 50 people.

Hand sanitizer is being sent to the community and the First Nation has closed off most access to the reserve. As of midnight Wednesday, only essential workers and people bringing supplies will be allowed in.

Wood said her community has been asking for a hospital to better serve residents in the Island Lake area, but instead will have to rely on the nursing station, which is staffed on weekdays by two fly-in doctors.

"They'll be overwhelmed if there's an outbreak."

States of emergency

Indigenous Services Canada said that as of March 20, 62 Manitoba First Nations had declared local states of emergency. Many have set up roadblocks to keep visitors out, including Norway House Cree Nation, which is requiring anyone who has left the territory and returned to go into self-isolation.

Norway House Chief Larson Anderson also fears the rapid spread of COVID-19 due to overcrowding, and is calling on the federal government to provide better homes in his community.

CBC

"If the pandemic hits and the houses are overcrowded and [in] bad conditions, then we don't know what the impact is going to be, but it's not going to be pretty," he said.

"If it doesn't hit us and we do get houses anyway, we're going to have a healthier society."

About half of homes in Norway House are often left without water for one to 10 days, because of overcrowding and tanks that quickly run dry, Anderson said.

_______________________________________________________________________

Latest local news:

_______________________________________________________________________

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas is urging all First Nations people to take COVID-19 seriously.

"I want to commend the leadership, but some of the feedback is that the urgency of the issue and matters is not being listened to or adhered to," he said.

"We need to get that message out to all of our community members that they all individually need to play a role as well, to help all of us  curb the spread of this COVID virus."

Back in St. Theresa Point, Wood is getting ready for the arrival of hand sanitizer and explaining the importance of social distancing to people in her First Nation.

"We want to protect the community at large."
Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use.

This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it.
MTA worker, 36-year-old Garrett Goble was killed while several other people were injured early Friday when a subway train caught fire

A New York City subway train driver is being hailed a hero after he managed to save 9 passengers from blaze that ignited inside one of the trains cars, before losing his own life.

MTA worker, 36-year-old Garrett Goble was killed while several other people were injured early Friday.

'Our conductor acted heroically to move passengers to the platform out of danger, and deserves our deepest thanks and support for his bravery,' TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said in a statement.

'We are investigating it as a criminal matter,' Deputy Chief Brian McGee said, adding that no arrests have been made.

Fires were reported at three other stations nearby at the same time, police said.

The fire ended up killing the driver who was helping passengers to safety.

His death came the day day after two of his fellow New York City Transit employees fell victim to the coronavirus.

Bus driver Oliver Cyrus, 61, and train conductor Peter Petrassi, 49, were killed by the virus.

'As all of you know, this has already been a devastating week for New York City Transit,' said Sarah Feinberg, interim president of the agency that runs the city's buses and subways. 'And this is another horrific moment for our family.'

'Our hearts and prayer are with our family, with our workforce and with the family and loved ones of our family member who passed away.'

The wreckage of the subway train is pictured after it caught fire early on Friday morning

The subway train had just pulled into the 110th Street station in Harlem, near Central Park at around 3am on Friday morning when a transit worker saw smoke and fire in one of the cars.

Clouds of dark smoke billowed out of subway grates on the street outside the station.

'As it reached 110th Street here, an employee that was on the train reported to the motorman that there was heavy smoke and fire coming from the second car  that would be the second car in the front of the train,' he said.

'The train stopped and many people got off because there was a large, large fire on that train.'

The fire ended up killing the driver who was helping passengers to safety. Pictures, smoke billowing out onto the street

Clouds of dark smoke billowed out of subway grates on the street outside the station

Firefighters rushed to the scene in Harlem when the fire broke out just after 3am

The driver and another transit employee successfully evacuated passengers from the train, Feinberg said. The driver's body was found on the tracks.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name was not immediately released.

Fires were also reported at around the same time at three nearby stations - 86th Street, 96th Street and 116th Street, McGee said.

'The most important thing that I need is for witnesses to come forward,' he said, urging New Yorkers to call a police tip line.

NYPD Deputy Chief Brian McGee, left, and Sarah Feinberg, interim president of the MTA, right

Statements were made on Friday morning from the MTA and the NY Fire Department

'We have the best detectives in the world investigating this but what I really need you to do is to get that message out there that we need people to call that tips hotline to give some sort of solace to the family of the deceased,' McGee added.

Nine other people were injured, a lower number than some earlier reports had indicated, Feinberg said. 'Early numbers are wrong and well have to see how it plays out,' she said.

The crew managed to evacuate the passengers from the train and another train that was directly behind it. They were ushered out through a tunnel and emergency exit.

Five firefighters were also hurt during the blaze.

Bus driver Oliver Cyrus, 61, left and train conductor Peter Petrassi, 49, were killed by the virus

In his statement, Utano said: 'This is a terrible tragedy for this young Train Operator, his family, and for the entire transit workforce. A young man serving the public during a national crisis was killed at just 36 years of age.

'For this to happen, after we lost two of our union brothers to the Coronavirus, is hard to comprehend.  This incident once again points out many life-threatening dangers that await transit workers across the city when they go to their jobs every day, 24 hours a day. This is a sad day for our entire City. We're devastated.

'These may be the darkest days that TWU Local 100 has gone through. We've been through some tough times together. We've had more than our share of tragedies. This is different. We can't grieve together. We can't mourn together, at least not physically, as we have done in the past,' Utano said.

Fire fighters rushed to the scene in the middle of the night. Five fire firefighters were injured

'But we remain a family. We are united by our history and our public service. We are members of TWU Local 100  that mighty, mighty union. Call each other. Console each other. Help each other any way that you can. We can weather any storm. Stay strong.'

Eric Loegel, the Local 100 vice president representing train operators and conductors, told the New York Post said: 'This is an unspeakable tragedy. I'm in stunned disbelief.

'The train operator was my age and had about the same number of years on the job. It's a nightmare. My deepest condolences to his family and friends during this extremely sad time. The train conductor is a real hero. Safely evacuating people from the burning train he did an incredible job and deserves our honor and praise.'
EAST HAMPTON  The scheduled opening of the new town hall building has been delayed, due to a combination of factors, the town manager said this week.

Town officials initially hoped the building would be ready by April 1. Then they hoped it would ready by Easter weekend, April 12.

Now, however, officials are pushing back the opening by a month, Town Manager David E. Cox told the Town Council this week.

The new target date for when the building will open to the public now is at noon May 11, Cox said.

A combination of factors is causing the delay, Cox said. Among those are the numerous punch-list items that can occur on any project, he said, as well as delays that can be attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.

Some vendors and suppliers working on the project have either had to shut down or there is a limited availability for some of the items needed for the new building, he said.

Still other delays, he said, are the routine things that happen during any building or renovation project.

A number of weeks were built into the original schedule as buffers, Cox said Wednesday. Were using some of those buffers now.

Even when the building is complete and staff has moved in, there still will be some items that will need to be addressed, Cox said, such as various technical equipment.

Cox also said it will be especially important to get the clerks office up and running as soon as possible, as its the repository for all the towns vital statistic and land records.

It is difficult to get around in some offices now, Cox said, as the various department heads prepare for the impending move. In the officer of Director of Finance Jeffrey M. Jylkka, for example, roughly half of the files have been packed.

An even once work is completed, the planned grand opening will have to be delayed until such time when it will be appropriate for large groups, Cox said. At present, Gov. Ned Lamont has asked residents to avoid groups of more than 5 people.

There will a slight interruption in governmental functions during the changeover from the present building to the new one, Cox acknowledged.

Under the present schedule, Town Hall will close to the public at noon May 7, Cox said.

Town employees will be responsible for clearing their desk of all their personal items, and the town has hired a professional hauler, Manchester Moving, to move the furniture to the new location, Cox said.

The new 34,000-square-foot building is located inside the Edgewater Hills mixed-use development, roughly a mile east of the present Town Hall. The building will house police headquarters and the Board of Education in addition to the town offices.

The cost of the new building is $18.9 million.

jmill@middletownpress.com
France on Friday extended its coronavirus lockdown for another two weeks as the premier warned of "difficult days" to come following a surge in cases that is beginning to put the French health system under pressure.

After 365 people died and more than 2,300 people were hospitalised in France in a single day, the military sent a plane Friday to evacuate six patients from the hard-hit east of the country where hospitals are overstretched.

"We find ourselves in a crisis that will last, in a health situation that will not improve any time soon," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.

"The situation will be difficult in the days to come," he added, as he announced the extension of the stay-at-home order by another two weeks to April 15.

The premier warned the country must "remain extremely mobilised" in the fight against the epidemic that has so far officially claimed 1,696 lives in France.

The toll is only for people who were hospitalised, not those who died at home or in old age facilities, which are badly affected by the outbreak.

Among the recent deaths was that of a 16-year-old girl, France's youngest coronavirus victim to date.

The country has some 14,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 548 placed in intensive care just Thursday. Over 3,300 are in a critical condition.

Having started in the country's east, the epidemic is now spreading in the northernmost Hautes-de-France, the wider Paris region and other areas with "an extremely high surge that puts the entire healthcare system, the entire hospital system, under enormous pressure," Philippe said after a cabinet meeting held by videoconference.

The premier said the initial two-week home confinement of all residents except for essential employees, will now last until at least April 15. It was to have ended next Tuesday.

"Obviously this period will be extended again if conditions require it," said Philippe.

The extension also applies to widespread business closures seen as necessary to brake the propagation of the virus.

On Thursday, the government used a high-speed TGV train to evacuate 20 patients from the Alsace region bordering Germany and Switzerland to help relieve overstretched facilities there.

Another 48 patients will be evacuated from the east over the weekend.

The Ile-de-France region around Paris is increasingly under strain, with 1,300 of its 1,500 intensive care beds reserved for coronavirus patients already occupied.

"We are filling the space to the maximum to accommodate as many intensive care patients as possible," said Bruno Riou, medical director at the AP-HP hospital group that serves the Paris region.

"We have not yet reached the peak of the epidemic, we will have to find solutions," he told France Inter, suggesting evacuations may be needed to bring patients from Paris to hospitals in less-affected regions.

French police have issued more than 225,000 fines for violations of the lockdown rules so far, Police Minister Christophe Castaner said Thursday.

Philippe said Friday that lockdown measures were generally well respected, but those in violation "will be severely punished as this concerns the health of all of us and, especially, the most fragile." Starting Friday, the



Eiffel Tower will pay a daily homage with a special light show spelling "Merci" to France's healthcare workers, and reminding the rest of the population to "Stay at Home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The DAA has secured the green light to adjust plans for its 320m new runway for Dublin Airport.

Last year, the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) stalled plans by DAA to amend the plan when lodging an appeal with An Bord Pleanala against a decision by Fingal County Council to grant planning permission for the proposal.

Contractors for DAA began construction work last year on the runway and work is well advanced on the project, which the DAA claims will drive some 2.2bn of economic activity.

In appeal documentation lodged with the appeals board, director of safety and technical with IALPA, Capt John Goss, argued that the DAA planning application was "contrary to proper industry runway design".

IALPA also claimed that Fingal County Council failed to consider proper runway design and the long-term capacity and sustainability of the northern runway in making the decision to grant permission.

However, in its decision, the appeals board has found that the "proposed physical amendments to the permitted development would be acceptable in terms of proper planning and sustainable development".

The appeals board also found that "the proposed development would not give rise to any unacceptable impacts on the amenities of the surrounding area or on traffic safety and convenience, and would not present an unacceptable risk to water quality".

A spokesman for DAA said yesterday: "DAA is pleased with An Bord Pleanala's decision in relation to objection from IALPA."

He stated: "The new north runway will be a key element in helping to facilitate Ireland's economic recovery in the wake of the global Covid-19 crisis."

The DAA response lodged with the appeals board to the IALPA appeal stated that the appeal does not raise any planning grounds and should be dismissed.

The DAA stated that the proposed amendments are required in order to comply with new standards introduced in 2017.

The group also stated that the full details of the planning application were shared with the relevant department within the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), which raised no issues in relation to safety.

The DAA previously pointed out that none of Dublin Airport's airlines, which collectively employ the vast majority of IALPA's members, "raised any safety or operational concerns in relation to the planned amendments to the north runway".

Construction work is due to be completed in the first quarter of 2021, to be followed by a period of testing and commissioning expected to last about nine months.

Dublin Airport confirmed this week that passenger numbers are down by up to 60pc in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Most flights at the airport have been catering for people returning home, including travellers from continental Europe.

Irish holidaymakers who were on holiday in Spain, or the Balearic or Canary Islands, had been advised to travel home by midnight last night.
Makeshift intensive care units (ICUs) built to cope with an influx of Covid-19 patients lack crucial rooms for doctors and nurses to remove protective equipment and prevent potential outbreaks among hospital staff, sources told The Independent.

At the Stony Brook University Hospital in New York, two medical staff members confirmed ICUs built in response to the global coronavirus pandemic did not have anterooms, which are small, separate rooms within isolation areas used to remove personal protective equipment (PPE).

We actually remove most of our PPE while still in patient rooms, one nurse who works at the hospital said on Thursday: That kind of freaks me out.

Several doctors and nurses who have revealed seemingly unsafe working conditions and severe shortages of life-saving supplies at hospitals throughout New York have requested anonymity, fearing repercussions for sharing these issues with the public. The Independent is respecting these requests.

It seems like every morning I show up for work, I find out that we have already filled up our current Covid ICU and that weve created a new one, the nurse said, noting the first 20-bed ICU specifically for Covid patients was built just last week. Since then, we have created 3 more ICUs dedicated to covid positive patients and we're expecting to make more.

They added: I hate to say it, but we are pretty much just winging it at this point. We've pulled nurses and doctors from all over the hospital to staff the ICUs and it's incredibly hectic up there  The other day we had orthopedic resident putting in orders on covid patients. These doctors don't deal with patients with respiratory illnesses. They fix bones. It's wild.

A resident physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York meanwhile revealed doctors are being made to wear N95 masks for days at a time as face shield and other forms of protective eyewear are also becoming scarce.

I think its near-impossible to predict how this is going to play out but were continuing to see exponential growth, the doctor told The Independent, adding: Many of the hospitals are at or approaching capacity.

The medical staff at Stony Brook believe theyre going to get sick at some point, its just a matter of time, according to the nurse who works at the hospital.

That's how I feel. I've been in and out of those Covid isolation rooms so many times that I've just accepted that I'll eventually get the virus, they added. I just hope I can work a while before that happens.

Another nurse at the same hospital also shared those concerns, saying: I wouldnt say Im worried, since its just kind of expected that well get sick. Im more worried about what happens if too many of us [medical staff] get coronavirus.

Multiple medical professionals working on the front lines of the outbreak in New York  the state with more confirmed cases than anywhere in the country  have already contracted the novel virus, as state officials warn the local hospital system is nearing full capacity.

Kious Jordan Kelly, nursing manager at Mount sinai West, passed away on Tuesday after contracting Covid-19. He was 48.

The hospital confirmed his death in a statement, saying the facility was taking every precaution possible to protect everyone amid the outbreak.

Meanwhile. hospitals throughout New York and across the country have begun building out new ICUs to deal with the expected rise in nationwide Covid-19 cases. It remains unclear for now whether those ICUs will feature the anterooms hospital staff say are necessary to keep them safe during the pandemic.

One of the nurses at Stony Brook said they were about to begin using anaesthesia machines in place of ventilators as they continue to grapple with a severe shortage, noting: I don't believe many people even know how to operate those machines besides anaesthesiologists.

I want young people to know that they're not immune to the coronavirus, they added. Not all young people are safe. People of all ages are susceptible to this horrible virus and are dying from it. People need to take this seriously.
Open source

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Alliance will consider the possibility of providing additional support to Ukraine as part of the Integrated Assistance Package. The press service of the Foreign Ministry reports, quoting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as he had a telephone conversation with Stoltenberg on March 27.

It is noted that Kuleba understood the decision of the partners to postpone meetings of the North Atlantic Council of NATO with the participation of Ukraine and Georgia to a later date, given the difficult epidemiological situation in Europe and the world.

"The policy of the new government of Ukraine regarding NATO remains absolutely unchanged," Kuleba said.

Among the key short-term priorities of bilateral cooperation, he noted granting Ukraine the status of a participant in the NATO Enhanced Capabilities Program as an additional tool for deepening military cooperation; the resumption of high-level Ukraine-NATO Commission meetings and the updating of the NATO Integrated Assistance Package for Ukraine.

As we reported before, Ukraine's armed forces do not need to be fully adapted to NATO standards, but it is important for the Armed Forces to interact with the Alliance's forces.
In this edition of the Corporate Buzz podcast, Moneycontrol's Keerthana Tiwari and Corporate Bureau Chief Prince Thomas discuss how the corporate world has been coping during the coronavirus pandemic in the past week (March 23-27).

Thomas talks about how the RBI rate cut and the economic measures announced by the government this week would impact India Inc.

He also described how various companies extended their helping hand to the country and how things will change for Corporate India after the pandemic ends.
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

By Cathy Park Hong

One World. 204 pp. $27

---

When Cathy Park Hong talks about the "minor feelings" that lend her new book its title, she's talking about the angst of being a nonwhite person in the United States: the dissonance between lived experience and the American promise of boot straps, elbow grease and an ever-more-perfect union. Major feelings are triumphal, she explains, but minor feelings accumulate and persist - sour, contrary and without resolution.

But it'd be natural to assume that "minor" has a different connotation - that it describes states of being that are nagging but trivial, a side plot to a central drama. After all, the essays collected in "Minor Feelings" primarily discuss Asian Americans, a racial group often seen as detached from our central national narrative. Hong never explicitly owns up to this second possible meaning of "minor" when defining her terms. And yet a sense that Asian Americans, with their "vague purgatorial status," don't - or somehow can't - claim relevance to public life haunts her book. As she puts it: "Asians lack presence. Asians take up apologetic space. We don't even have enough presence to be considered real minorities."

Until recently, Hong, a poet and critic who teaches at Sarah Lawrence College, seemed an unlikely candidate for this project. She is a writer averse to claiming the broad sweep of the word "we." In graduate school, she writes, "Any autobiographical reveal, especially if it was racial or sexual, was a sign of weakness."Hong learned to view her identity as a liability. But watching Richard Pryor's comedy changed everything. His monologues jolted her out of a depressive funk and inspired her to try stand-up - and to finally draw on her life for her material. Now Hong looks to break out of her ingrained habit of writing for a white audience, though she acknowledges, wryly,that "writing for myself would still mean I'm writing to a part of me that wants to please white people."

Despite that hang-up, "Minor Feelings" could serve as a Cliff Notes to Asian American existence for anyone new to the subject (white or otherwise). Hong briskly brings everyone up to speed. She lays out a historical summary, hitting the usual highlights: the Transcontinental Railroad, the Chinese Exclusion Act, anti-Muslim hate crimes. She explains that Asian Americans are not monolithic but a "tenuous alliance" of many nationalities, with the highest income disparity of any racial group in the country. She narrates "how the whole model minority quackery began":After the United States lifted its 1965 immigration ban, it granted visas to Asians only if they were highly educated professionals.

Alongside this dutiful exposition, Hong provides episodes from her upbringing in Los Angeles - first in working-class Koreatown, then in the affluent, white Westside. Her tone is astringent, stripping the memories of any ennobling tragedy or nostalgic fuzz. The anger can't be prettily plated. There's the time a crowd of white kids reacted to her grandmother's greeting with taunts and a kick to her rear; later on, the many times a white person replied to her mother's English with "a fright mask of strained tolerance." Recalling these incidents, Hong identifies a sharply specific minor feeling: the rage that doesn't quite swell into righteousness but never totally dissipates.

Despite its subtitle, "An Asian American Reckoning," the book takes up much of its word count discussing others. "I feel compelled to write nearby other racial experiences," Hong allows: To "seal off my imagined world so it's only people of my likeness" would be to give in to the limits of a "segregated imagination." That makes sense; race doesn't exist in a vacuum. Eventually, though, this tactic seems avoidant. For example, the chapter on American childhood offers a wandering pop-culture analysis, comparing the insistent innocence of Wes Anderson's films and "The Catcher in the Rye" with the assumed waywardness of Topsy, the enslaved girl in "Uncle Tom's Cabin." After these discussions of white power and anti-blackness, her analysis stalls out. While Hong does add her own youth to the mix - her summers in Seoul and her "tense and petless" home life - she doesn't extrapolate from that personal experience to theorize more generally, or ambitiously, about the Asian experience.

The book's strongest entries have a driving energy, fueled by fierce personal inquiry. "Portrait of an Artist" investigates the legacy of poet Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, while "An Education" narrates Hong's formative college friendship with two other Asian women, both aspiring artists. Both essays grapple with how to render a subject without turning it into a symbol. Hong proposes that the answer is rigorous silence: When being explicit risks betrayal, and details verge on "lurid, gratuitous," strategic omissions can be more expressive than words. These essays suggest that we take a different approach to "Minor Feelings" as a whole - that we might be better off trying to read it like poetry. Hong herself says she took to lyric verse because it was "a forgiving medium for anyone who's had a strained relationship with English." Poetry left a blank space for pain, rather than packaging it for consumption.

But prose has other imperatives: It requires that writers be more direct, more earnest, in their arguments. It's not exactly surprising when Hong ends up embracing a "we" that she once avoided, reminding us that activists coined "Asian American" in 1968 as a political aspiration, to declare unity among themselves. It is surprising, though, when this triumphal note leads her to proclaim: "We were always here." That's the kind of line that fits in well at a rally or on a poster. It's the kind of line you could imagine Hong ruthlessly dissecting if she encountered it in a poem or a student paper. Where is "here"? Can we really say "always"? And where does that get us? In a book that's otherwise relentlessly self-interrogating, that confidence sounds canned.

Hong's "we" turns out to be expansive. It includes "the formerly colonized; survivors, such as Native Americans, whose ancestors have already lived through end times; migrants and refugees living through end-times currently" - a "global majority" committed to fighting white supremacy and colonialism. That solidarity might be admirable, but it also provides cover for some limits in her thinking. Can Asian Americans claim a more specific "we"? Can we find meaning in our racial identity? Or can we only draw meaning by subsuming ourselves in nonwhiteness, or by turning to our individual family histories and countries of origin? The book stops shy of saying so. Here, its silence feels stifling.

It's not enough, Hong insists, for her writing to make Asian Americans "more human, and a little more relevant to American culture." Instead, "Minor Feelings" makes Asian Americans more useful and a little more relevant to some global struggle. There are worse things than thinking of yourself instrumentally, as part of a bigger cause - but if there's something richer, more capacious, or simply (BEGIN ITAL)more(END ITAL), this book doesn't point the way.
Claim: UK lockdown for 6 months

Rating: False

What is the rumour about?

Rumour says that the UK will be in lockdown for about 6 months due to the rising Coronavirus cases in the country

Who is sharing the rumour?

People who are confused about the latest speech that the UK officials gave are probably the ones spreading the rumour. Some news agency was also spreading inaccurate news without proper verification.

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did WHO Confirm Coronavirus Is Airborne And Can Be Transmitted Through Air?

Facebook forwards like these are responsible for creating confusion

Image courtesy: Facebook

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did Nostradamus Predict The Coronavirus Outbreak In The 16th Century?

Google trends analysis of "UK lockdown for 6 months" rumour

Take a look at the Google trends after a number of people misunderstood the 6-month lockdown news in the UK. The spike in the number of people who want to know the truth about the news came on March 27 early morning IST.

Image courtesy: Google Trends

Related Queries people searched

Image courtesy: Google Trends

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did An Italian Doctor Couple Die Of Coronavirus?

Republic World did a fact check on the UK lockdown rumour

The statement is false according to the fact check performed by the Republic World team as the UK officials have clearly talked only about the possibility of a 6-month lockdown.

according to the fact check performed by the Republic World team as the UK officials have clearly talked only about the of a 6-month lockdown. The current lockdown in the UK is only for about three weeks and would be concluded on April 13 until further notice.

and would be concluded on April 13 until further notice. The lockdown was imposed after the advisories called for action to battle Italy-like situation that the UK might face if strict actions aren't taken.

The UK lockdown has been started since Monday evening, at the very point when UK PM said in an interview all the instructions the people need to follow during this lockdown.

The three-week lockdown is said to be the most stringent restrictions imposed in the UK after World War II.

PM Boris Johnson shared the rules that the UK citizens need to follow during the current three-week lockdown

PM Boris Johnson mentioned the following rules that need to be followed.

Only people with essential work would be allowed to walk on the streets. However, a group of more than 2 people is not allowed. The police would be dispersing any crowd that they observe on the streets.

All the non-essential functions are closed within this lockdown period including weddings and baptisms; however, funerals are exempted from it.

People not following the rules would face a fine of 30 Euros which may even rise up to 1000 Euros in case of repeated offences.

Shopping for basic needs should be done at long intervals. Not regularly.

People can do one form of exercise every day like walk, run, cycle either alone or with family members or in a park if people religiously practice social distancing

People can even travel to and fro from work if it is absolutely necessary and only when the work can't be done at home.

Image courtesy: Boris Johnson Twitter

PM also hugely focused on the fact about why people need to stay at home. This self-quarantine measure will ensure that the NHS is not exhausted and everybody gets access to proper care.

The UK has reported up to 6650+ coronavirus cases as of now, out of which 335 people have died.

This announcement by PM is the result of the latest data that suggested that the UK is just two weeks behind the level of crisis that Italy faced.

Deputy Chief medical officer Jenny Harries explains the possibility of a 6-month lockdown

Image courtesy: A still from the interview of Deputy Chief medical officer Jenny Harries

Deputy Chief medical officer Jenny Harries revealed in an interview recently that Britain could face a lockdown of about 6 months to avoid the second wave of cases that are predicted to come.

face a lockdown of about 6 months to avoid the second wave of cases that are predicted to come. Adding to that, she said that certain restrictions could even remain till September. She mentioned that if everything goes well, then the number of cases is expected to diminish by Easter.

She also said that the duration of the lockdown could be decreased or increased depending on the curve that the epidemiology observes in the UK.

But currently, there is no doubt that the measures would be in place for three weeks until April 13, after which the situation would be again reviewed.

Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? Do you have facts about a rumour? Share your pictures or videos with Republic World on contact@republicworld.com

ALSO READ| Fact Check: Did 'My Secret Terrius' Episode 10 On Netflix Predict Coronavirus Outbreak?
Though his childhood ambition was to become a vet, to fulfil this aim would have meant leaving Adelaide to live in Melbourne or Perth to attend university, he said, and this was simply not financially feasible. He decided that if he couldnt be a vet then he would leave school and get a job, Jackson said, and for most people who were not going on to university, this meant working for a bank.

After finishing an interview and heading home, while waiting at the bus stop, I noticed an intimidating glass door with gold signwriting, he said. I thought to myself nothing ventured nothing gained so I walked in jobless and walked out with a job. When I got home, mum asked how did it go, and I said, I got a job in an office, not realising it was for an insurance company.

This mantra of nothing ventured, nothing gained has worked out exceedingly well for Jackson who said he has always loved working in the sector and that he believes what he does for a living is his purpose in life.

I get to meet a lot of people and have a cup of coffee and a laugh and I get paid, he said. Can you believe that? There should be a law against it!

Examining what he identifies as the most essential values held by great brokers, Jackson said he thinks the most important requirement is that of honesty and that, in reality, this is the only thing that really matters. Being honest with your client is essential, he said, but brokers must also be honest with themselves because sometimes they have to walk away from a client when they simply are not adding value to their financial security.

That being said, he noted, there is no use having an honest person who has no working knowledge of an insurance policy and it is absolutely and unconditionally essential to know how to apply that knowledge when designing a program. His job, Jackson said, is to identify the risks and then find the correct cover to meet those risks, but especially when submitting a claim.

As an industry we exist because of risk, he said, and I dont want to be part of the risk by sitting across a table giving poor advice to an unsuspecting client.

Having been in the insurance sector his entire adult life, Jackson has significant insight into the key challenges facing the broking community of Australia at this time and he believes the most pressing is how the sector can present itself as an attractive profession to younger people, and the challenge surrounding staff training.

As an industry, the broking sector has not invested enough resources into promoting the profession, he said, or into emphasising the capacity of these jobs to allow employees to work anywhere in the world. Jackson also believes that it is a failing of the industry that it is made far too easy for individuals to receive a qualification in an attempt by businesses to just fill their open positions, and he highlighted people portraying themselves as qualified and practising insurance brokers after only a few months in the industry.

We need to get serious about our industry and the next generation, he said, or else we will have desks at supermarkets and all that will matter is price.

Jackson believes that the only fundamental change to the role of insurance brokers in recent years has been the increasing demands placed on brokers to have a greater understanding of contract laws and changes to the business landscape. Relationship building is still as essential as ever, and he noted his role as an advocate for his clients.

This philosophy should never be compromised when dealing with a client or an insurer, he said, but brokers should remember that this does not mean that they are anybodys servant. He personally develops very open and honest relationships with his clients, Jackson said, and part of this is making it very clear to them that he is an insurance broker and that they should get on with what they do best, and allow him to get on with what he does best  being their personal insurance broker.

Its so important for brokers to develop their own personal brand and the values that differentiate them from the rest of the crowd, he said, but they must also remember that nobody can be everything to everybody.

Between his own nomination for broker of the year and the nomination of account broker at Guardian Insurance Brokers, Lauren Reeves for Young Gun of the Year  Independent, the future looks bright for Evan Jackson and his personal ambitions for the years ahead consist of training the young professionals in his office and talking to the next generation of staff as well as more coffees and more laughs.
The government has issued a warning over the spread of disinformation on coronavirus as conspiracy theorists, extremists and fraudsters exploit the pandemic.

Fake medical advice and dangerous cures are being shared widely on social networks, alongside fake videos being used to target racial and religious minorities.

The digital secretary, Oliver Dowden, said the government was monitoring the extent and impact of misinformation.

We must remain absolutely vigilant to inaccurate stories about coronavirus being spread online, he added.

I urge the industry to play their part too and act fast to stem the spread of misinformation on coronavirus on their platforms. But we can also all take action now by following these guidelines to tackle fake news in our everyday online lives.

New guidance issued to the public on Friday urges them not to block and report social media accounts sharing misinformation, and privately message friends and family members who have been taken in.

The Dont Spread the Virus campaign advises people not to share or comment on falsehoods, to avoid spreading them further.

The advice was drawn up by the Centre for Countering Digital (CCDH), a not-for-profit organisation, which urged people to share official medical advice produced by the NHS and government instead.

CEO Imran Ahmed said: Social media is currently awash with conspiracy theories, fake news, and incorrect medical advice about coronavirus and Covid-19.

Some of it is produced by extremists seeking to undermine faith in government and experts, some by grifters seeking to sell false cures and some are just sadly misinformed and think theyre doing the right thing by spreading the wrong advice.

Government-backed advice issued over coronavirus-related misinformation being spread onlince (CCDH)

Recent examples include a Twitter video claiming to show Muslim worshippers in London violating the lockdown with a group prayer.

It was viewed thousands of times and shared by far-right figures including Tommy Robinson, before being exposed as a fake post using unrelated footage from before the coronavirus outbreak.

Many extremist groups have attempted to capitalise on coronavirus, with several attempting to blame ethnic, religious and national groups for the outbreak.

White nationalists have been sharing fake videos claiming to show black people stealing food or rioting.

Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers have been denying the severity or even the existence of coronavirus, calling for people to ignore medical advice and spreading their own fake cures.

Officials fear the posts will stop people from complying with social distancing measures, put peoples health at risk and fuel hate crime, following a spike in attacks on people of Chinese appearance at the start of the outbreak.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, told The Independent: The internet is an invaluable resource for passing on this information, so it is more important than ever that we only share clear and accurate information.

Social media companies must take responsibility for limiting the spread of inaccurate information, but we all have a part to play if we are to ensure public safety, protect our amazing NHS and ultimately help save lives.

A parliamentary committee on online harms and disinformation launched an inquiry into coronavirus misinformation on Thursday.

It will hold hearings with social media companies to demand answers on what is being done to tackle deliberate attempts to present false narratives.

Committee chair Julian Knight MP said: The deliberate spreading of false information about Covid-19 could have serious consequences.

Much of this is happening on social media through private channels, putting the onus on friends and family to identify whether the information they are seeing is misleading.

There have been some shocking examples in recent weeks  tech giants who allow this to proliferate on their platforms are morally responsible for tackling disinformation and should face penalties if they dont.

It comes after warnings from police over phishing emails being sent out by scammers to corrupt computers and steal peoples details.

Many reported scams are designed to look like official communications from the government, NHS or World Health Organisation, and trick people into clicking on malicious links.

People are advised not to click on links or attachments before verifying that the sender is genuine.
A Baloch leader has claimed that the Pakistani military establishment is using the surging cases of coronavirus infections to expand its occupation in Balochistan.

"We believe that the Pakistan Army would use the COVID-19 outbreak to expand its occupation and stranglehold over Balochistan while continuing its atrocities and genocide of the Baloch," Allah Nizar Baloch, the leader of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), was quoted as saying by Sangar Publication, a mouthpiece of the movement.

The BLF leader said that the disaster of quarantine center in Taftan (Pakistan-Iran border town) which is run by Pakistan Army "is a clear example".

The Taftan camp -- criticised by those held there as lacking proper medical and social isolation facilities -- has been at the centre of Pakistan's outbreak of cases.

At least 57 per cent of all people who have tested positive for coronavirus in Pakistan passed through the camp at some stage, according to government data cited by Al Jazeera.

More than 400 people remain quarantined at Taftan camp, according to the provincial government's data. All of them remain in one single room with very few medical check ups that further escalates the rate of infections.

"The Army is deliberately spreading the virus in Balochistan by keeping around 100 infected patients of coronavirus together with the 4,000 non-infected people on the pretext of so-called quarantine. Now, this disease is continuously being spread throughout Balochistan in order to annihilate the already oppressed people of Balochistan," Nizar said.

As the tally of COVID-19-related infections has surpassed five lakhs, local authorities in the region have started urging people to stay at homes in order to avoid getting infected by the virus. The situation would become uncontrollable once the disease spreads across Balochistan if the warning is not taken seriously.

"In case if this disease spreads across Balochistan, it would be uncontrollable. Balochistan, which lacks basic amenities of life including healthcare and the people of Balochistan, who in this modern age, are already dying from curable diseases like malaria, would be affected irrecoverably," Nizar said.

"For the last seventy years, the occupying forces have plundered the resources of rich Balochistan by selling them for a pittance. In return, the indigenous sons and daughters get atrocity, poverty and humiliation from Pakistan," he added.

Divulging further upon the condition of health amenities in the region, the BLF leader stated that there are only four ventilators in the entire Balochistan which is the basic requirement to treat patients infected by the killer bug.

In Balochistan, only Sheik Zayad Hospital has the facility of isolation rooms which are not more than a dozen. Amid such a situation, self-imposed precautions are the only way to avoid contraction for the oppressed people, he stressed.

"The majority of our population dwells in villages and hillsides and their lives mostly depend on agriculture and livestock. Amid the growing cases of coronavirus, they should either opt to stay at home or try to limit their movements and do not expect and wait for help from the state of Pakistan," Nizar noted.

"I appeal to the Baloch people that they should understand the machinations of Pakistan and prefer to stay in their homes and rely on preventive measures," the BLF leader further stated.

Balochistan has so far reported 131 cases, as per data compiled by Geo News.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Deatrice Edie, who lives in Miami, already juggles three fast-food jobs, at McDonalds, Wendys, and Papa Johns.

With the abrupt closure of Florida schools to slow the coronavirus pandemic, shes also expected to shoulder another job: making sure her 16-year-old son, Jahiem Jackson, keeps up with his 10th grade coursework, now being delivered online.

Jahiem, like most teenagers, has other ideas, Edie said.

Hes a typical teenager. Hes going to get out, hes going to run around with his friends, she said. The minute I hit the door to go to work, hes doing something else. Its hard, because Im not there.

Edie knows her son is falling behind, but she doesnt have much choice but to work, especially as her jobs have already started to cut her hours. As a shift leader at McDonalds, her main job, she makes $9.18 an hour.

Its just a mess, period, she said.

The school closures gave parents and schools little time to prepare for a massive shift in their lives. Parents became teachers, many while attempting to continue their regular jobs. K-12 education, built on face-to-face interaction, started a bumpy transition to providing learning remotely. And the most vulnerable students are facing social as well as academic losses.

The abrupt change is exposing inequities of all kinds: There are parents who are able to work from home and parents who dont have that option. Some districts have rolled out robust e-learning plans , and other systems are still thinking through how to support students who dont have regular access to computers and the internet. Some children can easily adapt to elearning and others, because of their special needs, cant seamlessly transition to computer-based instruction.

Its a tough adjustment for all. School work has sometimes taken a back seat.

Becca Rosselli, a licensed practical nurse in Lockport, N.Y. outside Buffalo, is a single parent. Her 6-year-old daughter, a kindergartner, is living with Rossellis mother temporarily while Roselli works. Rossellis mother is immune-compromised, and the family decided it would be safer for Rosselli not to visit because her job may put her at heightened risk of catching the coronavirus.

Rosselli said that prior to this, she had never spent more than a day away from her child. Now it has been a week.

Ella is excelling in school, Rosselli said, so she isnt worried about her academic progress. But there has been an emotional toll. Shes taken to making video calls to her daughter at night, rather than distract and upset her during the day.

This has definitely been one of the hardest decisions Ive ever had to make, Rosselli said. But this is not only protecting my mom but its also protecting [Ella] too.

In his two years working at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Va., Malcolm Jones had turned Room 123 into a sanctuary for vulnerable students.

As a site coordinator for the organization Communities in Schools , Jones was at school from morning until evening, supporting nearly 100 teenagers struggling with poverty, family upheaval, and other obstacles to learning.

The coronavirus pandemic upended that work.

Now, hes at home with his wife and five children, ages 1 to 12, juggling work schedules and access to the computer and the phone.

But as chaotic as his home life has suddenly become, hes acutely aware how much harder this is for his students. Some students are juggling uncertainty, hunger, and family responsibilities.

These students were distracted from their world by coming to this building that was outside of the community where they faced all these barriers, Jones said. Now, theyre stuck at home in that chaos. Who can really expect some of these students to do that [academic work packet] when theyre at home starving or theyre at home taking care of their siblings?

Inequities Emerge

Sometimes, the inequities show up with the same schools and families. Jane Rothbaler, a single parent whose twin 7-year-old sons are in different 2nd grade classes in the Del Mar Union district in Californias San Diego County, has received a full slate of activities for son Declan. That includes a daily 90-minute English/ language arts block, 60 minutes of math, and 30 minutes of reading. The teacher for her other son, Tate, has yet to send out activities.

But the presumption that she has at least 2  hours to oversee school work already has her throwing up her hands.

My job has not slowed down at all, and thats fair; I dont begrudge them that. Im getting paid, said Rothbaler, a lawyer. But that leaves her little time to supervise lessons. She contemplated just letting her kids repeat 2nd grade if they fall too far behind but felt guilty about even considering that option, when other families in her community seem to be able to make it work.

Rothbaler ultimately decided to risk outside contact and hired a former preschool teacher, recently laid off, to come to her house for four hours a day and oversee schoolwork at a cost of $400 a week.

Students With Disabilities

Laurena Baum also has twin sons, 14-year-old 9th graders, enrolled in a San Diego County districtVista Unified. During normal times, one son, Hunter, is in general education classes; Logan is educated in a self-contained classroom, uses a special device to communicate, and has a one-to-one aide.

For Hunter, teachers were able to switch to an online environment easily. Hes getting assignments in all his classes. He can upload his work or take photos as proof of completion.

The teacher in the self-contained classroom has regularly contacted parents, Baum said, and has provided resources to use at home, such as audiobooks and links to learning websites. But theres little way the academic program Logan was receiving in school can happen at home.

Im grateful for what Im getting for Hunter, she said, but I do feel like Im not getting the same thing for Logan. But yet, I dont fault his teacher, because I dont know what else he could do.

School districts responded to the shutdowns in different ways: Some were able to revamp platforms already in use to push out lesson plans to families, with a few even offering real-time lessons for students.

Others, citing concerns with not being able to provide equal access to students who lack devices or internet access, students with disabilities, and English-language learners, provided some educational resources but said they would all be optional.

Planning for a Long Haul

I know there are equity concerns, and thats whats driving some of this caution, said Robin Lake, the director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Her organization has been tracking the online-learning plans for schools. Of the nearly 50 districts analyzed so far, about half havent provided any guided curriculum to students. Theyre sharing links and leaving lesson delivery to parents. Others were on break when the closures were announced.

We have to figure out how to take an approach that will work for all kids and we have to figure it out quickly. This is a national emergency: We need to figure out ways to solve problems, not stand scared.

Now that its becoming clear that the closures will last for several weeks or even longer, school districts are working fast to adapt. Los Angeles Unified, the nations second-largest district after New York City, recently announced a partnership with Verizon to get internet access to all students. It also plans to make an emergency investment of $100 million in computers, internet connectivity, and training for students, teachers, and families.

In contrast, for the 650-student Mehnomen district in northwestern Minnesota, weekly packets on paper will serve as the bulk of instructional materials, said Superintendent Jason Melby. Anything online will be purely supplemental, since many of the districts students dont have regular computer access.

Our kids struggle without a routine, Melby said. Putting this distance-learning plan in place will hopefully provide some routine and stability for these kids.

But as schools get their online education up and running, they should also think about how to support children who are experiencing the trauma of this disconnection, said Siobhan Davenport, the executive director of Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, which provides support to girls in middle and high school in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland.

The organization has been fielding calls from girls and families who need the basicsfood, diapers, formula, paper products. Some of the girls are now caring for not just younger siblings but also other relatives, because child-care options have evaporated. Others have lost their jobs because of business closures.

In addition to academic programs, she wants her students to be able to interact online with school counselors, social workers, or psychologists, she said, some access where students can engage on discussion, how theyre feeling for the day.

There may be a positive outcome in all the upheaval, said Monica Goldson, the chief executive officer of Prince Georges County schools, in Maryland. The district is surveying families on whether they can connect to the internet and if they have computer access. Many in the community relied on free internet provided by sources such as libraries, but those are closed now.

Prince Georges will soon have an emergency meeting to discuss purchasing computers and devices to allow families to connect to the internet. Remote learning is scheduled to start in early April, Goldson said.

She is buoyed by the communitys desire to get students back to learning.

My drive is the look on the kids faces, said Goldson, who dropped in on a videoconference a district teacher held with some of her students. They are eager to learn. The kids are ready to go back to school.  This has caused us to look at teachers differently, in a better light. And hopefully, it will cause our children to look at learning in a better light.
The economic crash now upon us is not the result of a discrete institutional malfunction; to the contrary, it is happening because so many individuals and firms are doing the right thing for public health. Still, the coronavirus crisis has exposed structural vulnerabilities across government and the private sector, from an unconscionably unwieldy patchwork of unemployment insurance systems to, yes, the lack of health coverage unlinked to employment. Wisely, lawmakers chose not to try to solve those chronic problems in the heat of this moment. After the crisis abates, all of them, and more, will need to be addressed, while shoring up the long-term financial stability of governments  state, local and federal. Then, too, Americans will need a spirit that emphasizes results over recriminations, having learned from this still-unfinished ordeal that, whether in times of comfort or catastrophe, we are all in this together.
Almost half of the total 31 Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh are from the states business city of Indore, which has emerged as the coronavirus hotspot in the state. Jabalpur is the second most infected city with 8 positive cases followed by capital Bhopal with 3 cases. Two deaths have been reported, one each from Indore and Ujjain, said state officials.

In just three days, the number of covid-19 positive cases in Indore has gone up to 15, whereas none of the other districts in the state have reported more than two cases so far, except Jabalpur and Bhopal.

The Indore number, however, includes two patients from Ujjain, who were hospitalised in the city according to the information provided by the health department.

Indore is the most populated city of Madhya Pradesh with about two million people, as per the 2011 census.

Former vice-chancellor of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore, Dr Bharat Chhaparwal said, Indore being the financial capital of Madhya Pradesh, a large number of people come for jobs here from outside. The city is densely populated. Hence, the number of coronavirus affected people is bound to increase further.

He said the curfew restrictions coupled with people living in isolation will definitely help in curbing the rise in the number of infections but the situation at present was alarming.

Dr Ulhas Mahajan, a medical practitioner who retired from the health department, said, The number of coronavirus affected patients increased alarmingly in the past few days. It appears to be an outcome of Rangpanchami celebrations and also people not maintaining social distancing in several areas of the city. People are still not serious about the restrictions. For instance, on the day of Janata curfew, a good number of people moved out on the street to hold a celebration. Until we comply with the restrictions, the situation will only worsen in the days to come.

Commissioner, Indore division, Akash Tripathi, said, As of now our entire focus is on how to contain the spread of the disease by ensuring that people comply with all the restrictions necessary to contain the disease. Thats why lockdown restrictions have been followed by curfew restrictions and during relaxation hours, too, we have imposed certain restrictions on people to check the gathering of people at any particular place.

In Jabalpur, the first few cases of coronavirus patients were reported on March 20. Of the four patients, three belong to a jewellers family, who had returned from Dubai, while the fourth had returned from Germany. Later, four employees of the jeweler also turned positive.

Among the other coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh, two are from Shivpuri and one each from Khandwa and Gwalior.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A prolific smuggler of endangered bird species dubbed the 'Pablo Escobar of eggs' has avoided extradition to Brazil on human-rights grounds.

Jeffrey Lendrum, 58, is wanted by Brazilian authorities after being convicted of trying to traffic four peregrine falcon eggs to South Africa.

He was arrested in October 2015 trying to board a flight from Sao Paulo to Johannesburg while carrying the fragile cargo in a bag.

In 2016, Lendrum was sentenced to four years and six months in Brazilian jail for storing and transporting four eggs of an endangered species without proper authorisation. However, he skipped bail and promptly fled the country.

Jeffrey Lendrum is wanted in Brazil after being convicted of trying to traffic four peregrine falcon eggs to South Africa

Lendrum was handed a sentence of three years and one month in the UK in January 2019, after he was caught carrying endangered eggs in a body sling at Heathrow Airport.

But in an astonishing turn last week, a judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered that his case should be discharged on human-rights grounds.

Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot concluded that Lendrum's 'extradition to Brazil would be incompatible with his European Convention rights'.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that Judge Arbuthnot 'found that the conditions in which he would be held in prison would amount to inhuman or degrading treatment and breach his rights under Article Three'.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office confirmed Lendrum had been discharged by the courts, adding that the Government of Brazil had 14 days from the date of discharge to seek leave to appeal.

In 2010, Lendrum was jailed at Warwick Crown Court for 30 months after trying to export peregrine falcon eggs from Birmingham Airport to Dubai.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has previously estimated there are 1,500 pairs of the falcons in the UK, according to its website.

Peregrine falcon chicks which hatched from eggs discovered strapped to Lendrum's chest

District Judge Emma Arbuthnot (right) last week ordered that Lendrum's case be discharged, arguing his extradition to Brazil would breach his rights under the European Convention

Lendrum had previously attempted to smuggle protected bird eggs in socks in August 2010
Adopting a blind 10-year-old rescue dog called Fred a week ago has given marketing manager Sonya King love in a time of coronavirus.

Ms King took the Maltese cross home last Saturday, the first day that she settled in for what could be a long period of working from home. Within days her isolation buddies, Fred and a mature "indoor bunny" named Bella, were cuddling on the couch while she watched TV.

Sonya King with her isolation buddies, Fred and Bella. Credit:James Brickwood

"I am in love with him already," Ms King said of Fred.

Since the government began urging the public to work from home, organisations such as the RSPCA and Monika's Doggie Rescue in Ingleside have been inundated with requests from people wanting to adopt or foster a companion animal.
People queue in the departure hall of Terminal 7 at JFK airport in New York City on March 15, 2020. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

White House Officials Reiterate Call for People Leaving New York to Self-Isolate for 2 Weeks

People who leave or have left the New York City metro area should self-isolate for two weeks to avoid infecting family and friends with the CCP virus, White House officials reiterated late Thursday.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

New York has the highest number of cases in the country and continues reporting thousands of new patients each day. Five of the top 10 counties in terms of cases are in the New York City metro area, Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, told reporters in Washington.

Any resident of the greater New York City area who has traveled elsewhere in the United States: please check your temperature, mind your health, and self-isolate for 14 days, Pence said.

We dont want anyoneand no one would want toinadvertently carry the coronavirus to a community or to a family member.

Flanked by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci (L) and White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx, Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a briefing on the CCP virus pandemic, in the press briefing room of the White House in Washington on March 25, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Officials on the task force, including Dr. Deborah Birx, urged on Tuesday people who leave the New York metro area to self-quarantine for 14 days from the time they left. But New York officials dismissed the guidance twice in recent days.

I would not follow that, New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker told reporters in Albany on Wednesday. A day later, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told people to listen to what Zucker said.

Birx, the task force coordinator, sounded a warning while trying to highlight why the group was asking for the self-isolation.

Its very important to me personally because my grandmother, for 88 years, lived with the fact that she was the one, at age 11, who brought home flu to her mother, named Leahfor which I am namedwhen her mother had just delivered. And her mother succumbed to the great 1918 flu. She never forgot that she was the child that was in school that innocently brought that flu home, she told reporters on Wednesday.

People who bring the virus with them and infect someone with a preexisting condition will have to live with that knowledge for the rest of their lives, Birx said.

This is not a theoretic; this is a reality. You can see the number of deaths that are occurring. We all have a role in preventing them, she added.

Workers build a makeshift morgue outside of Bellevue Hospital due to the CCP virus outbreak in New York City on March 26, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

No domestic travel restrictions are currently in place but some states have implemented mandatory quarantines for people flying in from other states, including Florida for New Yorkers, Hawaii for people from all other states and countries, and Texas for Louisiana residents.

Asked about the measure, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters Thursday: I cannot say thats inappropriate.

I would hope that what Governor Abbott is doing in Texas will reinforce my message here in Louisiana about the need to stay at home, he said. Because that, principally, is what quarantining is.

Many governors have signed stay-at-home orders requiring residents to remain in their residences except for so-called essential trips for food, medicine, or essential work. None appear to have placed restrictions on residents leaving their states.

Responding to a reporter noting that nothing appears to prevent someone from an area with numerous cases traveling to other areas, Birx on Thursday called on people to be highly responsible.

I think the American people can understand that: they can understand where the virus is and where it isnt and make sure theyre taking appropriate precautions as theyre moving in and out of spaces, she said.
Laura Benson retired from nursing in 2018, but this week she reported for work again in New Rochelle, New York, where the first cluster of COVID-19 cases occurred a few short weeks ago.

"Nurses are used to giving of themselves," she said. "If there's not enough people, you just do it."

With more than 39,000 confirmed cases, New York is now the epicenter in the U.S. of the novel coronavirus outbreak, accounting for almost half of the more than 85,500 cases nationwide as of late Thursday evening. Anticipating a severe shortage of medical personnel to treat the influx of sick patients, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other officials put out a call for retired doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to dust off their scrubs and return to work. By Thursday, 52,000 people had responded.

Officials in other states, including California, Colorado and Illinois, have issued similar pleas for retired medical professionals to step forward.

In New York's Westchester County, which includes New Rochelle and other towns north of New York City, County Executive George Latimer said about 90 retired nurses and a handful of doctors responded after he posted a message on the county's Facebook page about a week ago seeking help.

There's no definite plan for deploying the medical volunteers, Latimer said. They may be needed to replace personnel sidelined by the coronavirus or to help staff the Westchester County Center being repurposed as a temporary hospital.

Benson, 60, is working for the county health department. A nurse practitioner with a specialty in oncology, she spent 20 years at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center in the Bronx. She eventually retired from a job at a medical device company, where she worked with patients who have brain tumors. She also teaches nursing students at a community college.

Nurses are used to giving of themselves. If there's not enough people, you just do it. Laura Benson

On her first day as a retiree volunteer, Benson phoned patients who had recently been tested for the novel coronavirus to talk them through the guidelines they should follow to protect themselves and others.

If there's a need, she said, she is "absolutely" willing to work directly with patients who have COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

"I think about the person laying in that bed," she said. "I'd want someone to take care of them."

Benson is not particularly worried about the virus, having worked through the AIDS crisis, treating patients before people understood what that disease was. "You follow the guidelines and protect yourself," she explained.

The best role for many retired medical professionals may be to fill in behind the scenes, said experts, freeing up younger colleagues to focus on direct patient care.

One reason for this: age.

"My only concern is that many of these retired folks fall into high-risk groups" more likely to be seriously affected by COVID-19, said Dr. Arthur Fougner, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York, a professional group for physicians.

Another concern is whether retirees are up-to-date in their medical knowledge.

"If they're out for more than two to three years, you have to worry about them being current," said Dr. Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges, which represents the academic medical community.

In addition, health care providers' state licenses may have lapsed if they've been retired for more than a few years. Renewing them can be time-consuming.

Still, "if someone still has their licensing and is willing to come back, we should grab that," Orlowski said.

Michele Pedicone is one such professional. The respiratory care therapist left her job in Seattle last year to head up clinical education at SUNY Upstate Medical University's respiratory therapy education department in Syracuse, New York. With her classes now mostly happening online and student clinical placements on hold, she has time to step back into clinical care. She contacted two nearby hospitals to see if they could use her services and expects to work three or four days a week.

"I honestly don't know what they're paying me; the money isn't an issue," said Pedicone, 54. "It's the right thing to do."

Respiratory therapists, critical care physicians and nurses trained in operating ventilators that help hospitalized patients breathe are among the specialists expected to be in severely short supply as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in New York and elsewhere, according to an analysis by the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Expanding the supply of intensive care workers will be key to managing the coronavirus pandemic, said Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, at a briefing this week on health care workforce issues sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund.

I honestly don't know what they're paying me, the money isn't an issue. It's the right thing to do. Michele Pedicone

One option policymakers have discussed is that states could allow, for example, medical professionals who retired in the past five years with licenses in good standing to get an automatic three- or six-month license without having to do a lot of paperwork, Jha said.

In the meantime, health care systems are developing their own strategies. Northwell Health owns and operates 19 hospitals in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island. This week, the health system has more than 700 patients with COVID-19, compared with just 40 patients last week, according to Terry Lynam, a senior vice president at the health system.

Northwell has been planning how to beef up staff since January, said Judy Howard, vice president of talent acquisition at the health system who oversees hiring, except for physician leadership. They developed a list of 200 retired nurses whom they've been contacting to gauge their interest in returning to paid work in some capacity. So far, 28 have signed on, Howard said.

At this time, they're asking retired nurses to work at the health system's call center and share responsibilities for training new nurse employees. Some are working in direct patient care. Another possibility is for retired nurses to staff facilities that Northwell has put in place to care for staff members' children during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Whether someone really wants to work four hours a week or would like to work 10 hours a week, we'll work with them to meet their needs," Howard said.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, a freshman Democrat from Houston, is self-quarantining and awaiting results of a coronavirus test after experiencing flu-like symptoms, including a 101-degree fever.

Fletcher took a COVID-19 test on Thursday and plans to continue to work from home until she receives the results. But the announcement of her self-quarantine comes a day before the U.S. House of Representatives returns to D.C. to vote on a $2 trillion stimulus package that passed the Senate on Wednesday night.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Representing Texas Seventh Congressional District and making sure our community has the resources it needs to combat coronavirus together is my highest priority, Fletcher said in a statement. I will continue to work from home, as I have been, advocating for the needs of our community and working to solve problems with my colleagues in Congress and our partners here at home.

Fletcher is the latest House member to say she is self-quarantining, and at least two representatives have tested positive for coronavirus so far.

The House is set to vote on Friday morning on a massive package aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus and stemming its economic damage. The package includes $1,200 stipends for American taxpayers earning less than $75,000, a boost to unemployment benefits, forgivable loans for small businesses and billions to bail out bigger corporations.

House leaders hope to pass the bill swiftly on a voice vote, which wouldnt require every member to return to D.C. But U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has voiced objections to the bill and to the idea of voting without a full quorum present, threatening to push the vote into the weekend.

Fletcher isnt the first Texas lawmaker to self-quarantine. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz quarantined for more than a week earlier this month after coming in contact with two people who had tested positive.
Again, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has spoken from his isolation after his diagnosis with coronavirus.

The governor assured the people of the state that he was very sound and in good spirits despite testing positive to the virus.

This is contained in a good will message signed by Mukhtar Gidado, Senior Special Assistant to the governor, on Friday in Bauchi.

Mr Mohammed was diagnosed with the virus on Tuesday following a test he requested.

In the message, the governor was quoted as regretting that his condition would not allow him to serve his dear people at this critical time of need, stressing, however, that the challenges were surmountable by Gods grace.

Mohammad also thanked well-wishers for their concern, care, prayers as well as their love, encouragement and good wishes.

He said: By Gods grace; we shall have the courage, strength and faith to overcome all the tribulations.

READ ALSO:

God is the Greatest! He is sufficient and merciful; may these tests be the utmost expiation of our sins, limitations and inadequacies.

Insha Allah; we shall overcome with humility. I wish all the people of Bauchi and Nigeria, Allahs bountiful blessings, prosperity and protection from the scourge of sickness, insecurity and poverty.

Thank God, I am still leading the fight against our numerous challenges from isolation, he said.

(NAN)
WASHINGTON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- An already deep team has added top talent at Capitol Counsel today, who announced that top tax policy experts Patrick J. "Pat" Raffaniello and Timothy Hanford will join as partners. Raffaniello and Hanford come to Capitol Counsel from Raffaniello & Associates where the two have represented clients with issues before Congress and the federal government for over 25 years.

"Pat and Tim bring decades of experience to our bipartisan tax policy team. They will be a valuable addition to Capitol Counsel as Congress wrestles with serious tax policy issues on the horizon," said John D. Raffaelli, Capitol Counsel Founder.

Raffaniello and Hanford each bring more than three decades of experience working for Congress and serving corporations, trade associations, and other business enterprises.

Raffaniello, a former Principal at PricewaterhouseCoopers, has served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Bill Brewster; as Director of Federal Affairs for the National Rifle Association; and a Partner at the law firm of Collier, Shannon & Rill. He also had experience in state government affairs for Unocal Oil Corporation; and as Executive Director to the Southwest Energy Council.

"In light of divided government, joining Capitol Counsel allows our clients to tap into the deep substantive expertise of its extraordinary team of professionals. Their long-standing professional and personal relationships with both the Republican and Democratic decision-makers will provide our clients with the ability to bridge the partisan divide to achieve their legislative and regulatory objectives," said Raffaniello."

Hanford served as Tax Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, for 14 years, advising Chairman Bill Archer and Republican Members of the Committee. Hanford helped shape major pieces of legislation, including the Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2, the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, and the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998.

"Tax policy will be at the heart of some very big decisions over the coming months and years. We plan to be at the center of the debate," said Hanford.

Mr. Raffaniello holds a Juris Doctorate from The Washington College of Law; a Bachelor of Arts from The American University, College of Public Affairs; and an Associate of Arts from The State University of New York. He served in the United States Army Military Police Corps from 1975 through 1978.

Mr. Hanford holds a Juris Doctorate cum laude from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Sciences in Mathematics from Stanford University.

About Capitol Counsel

Capitol Counsel is a full service, bipartisan and bicameral advocacy firm recognized for its expertise in tax, health care, financial services, energy, commerce and trade. For more information on Capitol Counsel, please visit our website at www.capitolcounsel.com or contact John D. Raffaelli at (202) 861-3200.

SOURCE Capitol Counsel

Related Links

http://www.capitolcounsel.com


Donald Trump said he delayed a call with the Chinese president to appear on the television show with the "highest ratings": Getty Images

Donald Trump postponed a planned phone call with Chinese president Xi Jinping on Thursday night so he could be interviewed by Fox News host Sean Hannity.

The president was due to discuss the ongoing coronavirus pandemic with his Chinese counterpart at 9pm, but said he delayed the call to appear on the popular Fox News programme.

That came on the same day that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US reached 80,000 on Thursday  surpassing the number reported in China.

Mr Hannity thanked Mr Trump for calling in, saying: Apparently, I heard you were in the press conference, you had a 9pm call with president Xi of China. Let me start there, how did that go?

In response, the president said: Well, because of you I made it at 10.30pm.

He added: That just shows when you have the number one rated show on television I better change things around. No, right after this call Ill be talking to him.

Hours earlier, Mr Trump told reporters at Thursdays White House press briefing that he would be discussing coronavirus with the Chinese president.

Im speaking to president Xi tonight. Well have a good conversation Im sure, said Mr Trump.

That came as the president said the rising number of coronavirus cases in the US was a tribute to our testing, and that China tells you numbers.

Trump, who has referred to Covid-19 as Chinese virus and Wuhan virus in recent weeks, has previously praised Xi Jinping for his handling of the pandemic.

He tweeted late Thursday night that he had a very good conversation with President Xi, and that the pair had discussed coronavirus in great detail.

He added: China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!
Ralph Lauren show. Photo: Getty

Luxury fashion house Ralph Lauren (RL) to make face masks and medical gowns in a bid to help support the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The groups charity arm, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, said in a statement that it will start making 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation medical gowns in the US and that it will also be donating $10m (8.2m) towards helping the global battle against the spread of Covid-19.

We recognise that this is an unprecedented, multifaceted crisis which demands different responses for different needs in different places. That is why we are funding multiple activities to support our teams, our partners and our communities around the world, said Patrice Louvet, president and chief executive officer.

As we move through this challenging time, we are focused on continuing to be the beacon of optimism and unity that Ralph Lauren and our brands have always been.

The US now has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than any other country in the world.

Data from Johns Hopkins University said the US has now overtaken China and Italy with more than 85,500 positive tests. In comparison, China has 81,782 cases and Italy has 80,589. The US death toll related to Covid-19 has now reached almost 1,300.

Read more: FTSE 100 opens lower as US Covid-19 cases overtake China

US president Donald Trump predicted the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly although US jobless claims have skyrocketed.

Chart: Yahoo Finance

Ralph Lauren is the latest in a long line of fashion houses that are using their money and resources to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Luxury goods giant LVMH Moet Hennessy (MC.PA) said last month that it has prepared its perfume and cosmetics production sites to manufacture hand sanitiser.

The French multinational corporation, which is famous for its Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Christian Dior brands, said that the hydroalcoholic gel will be delivered for free to French authorities and the largest hospital system in Europe  the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris.

Story continues

Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves from the spread of the virus, the company said in a statement.

LVMH will continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary, in connection with the French health authorities.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
Iraq at "Decision Point"

There is something austere these days in the US approach to Iraq. The diplomatic pleasantries and talk of "strategic partnership" are crowded out by matter-of-fact demarches and warnings. And theres no mystery why. Iran has made Iraq a battlefield. Iranian backed militias in Iraq have killed Americans, twice, in December and again this month. American forces have been injured by Iranian or Iranian proxy attacks. Also in December, Iran-backed militias organized crowds to attack the US Embassy in Baghdad, and Iraqi security forces were initially nowhere to be found.

The Iraqi government is at a decision point, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said last week.

US policy toward Iraq is now a variation of "us or them," with "them" being Iran. The future of the US-Iraq relationship depends on Iraqs choices. There can be no claims to Switzerland-like neutrality. The Trump administration has so far shown unusual restraint and empathy with Iraqs plight. It knows Iraq cant change its border with Iran, and an all-out conflict is in noone's interest. But when Americans are killed and US embassies are under siege, there is an inevitable reckoning.

US shift to military deterrence

Both Washington and Baghdad want the US-Iraq security relationship to continue. Even those Iraqi politicians who may take a nationalist tone and hedge publicly, in private often value the partnership.

In 2014, the brutal Islamic State (IS) caliphate ruled large swaths of Iraqi territory. Last year, the Trump administration announced the territorial defeat of the IS caliphate in Iraq and Syria. As we wrote in January, this success of both the Obama and Trump administrations often doesnt get the credit it deserves.

Iran, in contrast, exploited the IS crisis to advance its own sectarian agenda, embedding itself even more deeply in Iraqs security and other institutions, compromising Iraqi sovereignty.

The need to defeat IS brought US forces back to Iraq; recall the US had left in 2010. While the United States, Iraq and partner nations agree on the need to stay engaged against IS, there is no guarantee of the perpetuity of the US-Iraq security partnership beyond the counter-IS mission. In that context, the relocation and consolidation of US military personnel and equipment and the transfer of control of some bases to Iraqi security forces should come as no surprise.

The US use of force in Iraq against Iran and its proxies has been calibrated to deter, not to escalate. The recent cycle did not start with the US killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds (IRGC) Force Cmdr. Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone and missile strike in Iraq on Jan. 3. Those who seek to blame the Trump administration on that score often forget or glide over the Iranian-backed attacks that killed an American on Dec. 27 and the protest at the US Embassy on Dec. 31.

Following the March 12 militia attack on Iraqs Camp Taji military base, which killed two Americans, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told Iraqs caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi that Iraq must defend US and coalition personnel and the groups responsible for the attacks must be held accountable. If not, the United States would continue to take matters into its own hands, meaning striking back militarily.

Iraqi President Barham Salih referred to the attacks on Taji as terrorism, adding later that US retaliatory strikes represented a grave and systemic weakening of the state's ability and reputation and risked plunging Iraq into chaos and violence.

Avoiding state collapse

In a prescient interview, just days before the mass demonstrations began in Iraq on Oct. 1, Salih told Al-Monitor that providing job opportunities for Iraqi youth was an urgent priority. In his speech to the UN General Assembly, he labeled corruption as the political economy of conflict."

Salih has sought to move toward a program of reform, managing the expectations of protesters within the constraints of Iraqi politics.

And this already nearly impossible task just got harder, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the drop in oil prices.

Omar Al-Jaffal reports on the governments challenges in enforcing its policies to mitigate spread of the coronavirus, now at 458 cases and rising fast, with 40 deaths as of March 27. The United States is providing $670,000 to help Iraq battle the virus, Bryant Harris reports.

Mustafa Saadoun explains the looming budget crisis as the draft 2020 budget, which is pending before parliament, is $135 billion with a $40 billion deficit, based on a selling price of $56 per barrel of oil. However, oil prices are now close to half that.

The Iraqi states fragility, and potential failure, cannot be ruled out.

Getting rid of the bad blood

In the movie "The Godfather," mafia captain Peter Clemenza explains at one point that from time to time, "things gotta happen  to get rid of the bad blood.

In Iraq, that bad blood is Iranian-backed militias and corruprion. A sovereign Iraq cant have its territory used by Iran to attack Americans or as an ammo dump or highway to buck up Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Hezbollah.

And the long game of Iraqi reform cant be disentangled from the malign and corrupt influence of Iran. Iraqs protesters get it. Their message has been for an end to corruption and Iranian influence. Demonstrators have attacked the offices of pro-Iran parties and militias, Ali Mamouri reports. More than 600 protesters have been killed and thousands injured by Iraqi security forces and pro-Iran armed groups since demonstrations started in October 2019.

The challenge of the protest movement has transformed Iraqs political field, write Iraq experts Toby Dodge and Renad Mansour, making the ruling sectarian elite, backed by Iran, even more dependent upon violence and corruption.

Iran, of course, is not giving up Iraq without a fight, as we explained here in November. Iraq is considered the most vital of Irans national security priorities. Tehran and its proxies are willing to tolerate a high degree of violence on Iraqi soil and rule amidst the ruins if it were to come to that.

The Trump administration, for its part, is also not giving up on Iraq and, as mentioned above, is not unsympathetic to its challenges. But Washington is looking to Iraq to make some tough choices. The Trump administration this week extended sanctions waivers for Iraq for its electricity needs (Iran has had a stranglehold on Iraqs electricity sector), while sanctioning 20 individuals and groups that are linked to the IRGC and other Iran-backed terrorists and armed groups in Iraq, including those involved in Iraqs electricity sector.

One benchmark will be whether Prime Minster designate Adnan al-Zurfi, reportedly opposed by Irans allies in Iraq, can form a government by April 17. If so, said Schenker, A government that prioritizes Iraq and heeds the legitimate demands made by Iraqis for a sovereign and corrupt-free nation will receive US and international support.
ALTON  The man charged in the shooting of a 19-year-old during an argument on Salu Street in Alton this February has been arrested.

Anthony L. Greer, 51, is accused of shooting the teen in the foot with a .40-caliber handgun in the incident.

He is also accused of possessing a handgun after being convicted of failure to register as a sex offender in a 2012 case.

Alton Police Chief Jason Jake Simmons said on Thursday that Greer was apprehended this week by federal officials in Springfield, Illinois.

Simmons said Greer did not face additional charges, but federal marshals assisted Alton police in taking Greer into custody once local detectives zeroed in on his likely location.

Bail was originally set at $200,000 regarding the initial charges, but a judge on Thursday had not yet kept that amount following his time, apparently, on the lamb.

Police and medical crews were called to a home in the 2500 block of Salu Street in Alton in mid-February for a victim of a gunshot wound. Simmons said then that the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute over property at the house.

Simmons said the victim was shot in the foot, and his injuries were not life threatening. He was taking to an Alton area hospital by ambulance.

It is because of the outstanding work of our front-line officers that this case has been charged. Alton Officers work tirelessly to ensure every victim in our community gets the best chance at justice. I am proud to work with such dedicated, and professional men and women, said Alton Police Deputy Chief Marcos Pulido in a press release.

The shooting is a Class X felony punishable by a prison term of six to 30 years. The weapons charged is punishable by a prison term of five to 10 years.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  The entire team guarding President Rodrigo Duterte in the Malacanang complex in Manila City will still undergo quarantine as precautionary measure against COVID-19, the Presidential Security Group said Friday.

PSG Commander Col. Jesus Durante III earlier told CNN Philippines the quarantine order will be imposed from March 28 until April 10 on all PSG personnel and their family living in the compound. The order comes after several government officials and lawmakers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"Nobody goes in, nobody goes out for all PSG personnel dito sa Malacanang Complex, together with their dependents living in the complex," he said.

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine later announced that it has made an error in encoding the result of one of the lawmakers. The facility clarified that ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Yap tested negative for COVID-19, retracting its earlier pronouncement.

However, despite this development, Durante said the PSG will still take the precautionary measure. Durante added that they will also push through with their investigation on Yap, who failed to fully disclose his health condition when he attended a meeting in Malacanang on Saturday.

He said during quarantine, the PSG personnel will continue to carry out their duties in the compound where Duterte resides whenever he is in Manila.

Durante said there will still be a security team monitoring Duterte, assuring the personnel assigned are those who already tested negative for COVID-19. He added that precautionary health measures, such as physical distancing, are still in place.

He said Duterte is currently residing in Malacanang and observing the same quarantine rules imposed on all residents in Luzon. The President continues to work through video teleconferencing and phone calls, he added,

"He's not going around, tuloy pa rin ang trabaho niya. But we haven't been accepting visitors for him, parang self quarantine na rin 'yan. He's just staying here, abiding by the lockdown in the National Capital Region," the PSG Chief said.

CNN Philippines correspondent Triciah Terada contributed to this report.
Friday, March 27th, 2020 (10:06 am) - Score 2,980

Cityfibre have this morning confirmed that theyve completed their 200m purchase of FibreNation from UK ISP TalkTalk, which increases the operators roll-out ambition for 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband technology from 5 million to nearly 8 million premises, supported by an investment project of up to 4bn.

The full fibre builder originally started their national FTTH deployment in late 2018 (here)  supported by UK ISP partner Vodafone and substantial investment from Goldman Sachs  with a plan to spend 2.5bn on extending their gigabit-capable network to reach at least 1 million premises across 12 cities and towns by the end of 2021 (c.500m Phase One), then 5 million premises in 37 cities and towns by the end of 2025 (c.20% of the current UK broadband market).

Separately TalkTalks FibreNation (FN) project had long aspired to cover 3 million UK premises, but they struggled to secure enough investment (c.1.5bn) and had thus begun with a much more limited deployment. So far FN has covered c.54,000 premises in York and they were working to reach 61,000 in Dewsbury (here), 50,000 in Harrogate (here), 6,000 in Batley (here), 100,000 in Bolton and various other locations.

The now combined project means that Cityfibre could potentially build out full fibre to reach 100+ cities and towns (i.e. covering 30% of the United Kingdoms broadband market). As we understand it the initial roll-out plan still expects to reach 1 million premises by the end of 2021, while the next target of 8 million would then be substantially completed by the end of 2025 (i.e. full completion to hit 8 million may take a bit longer).

NOTE: Above dates were set before COVID-19, which is likely to cause some delays. Above dates were set before COVID-19, which is likely to cause some delays. See here for Cityfibres most recent progress update.

Greg Mesch, CEO of CityFibre, said: In the face of the rapid spread of the Coronavirus and its unprecedented impact on the UKs society and economy, we believe that the need for world-class digital infrastructure has never been greater. Completing our acquisition of FibreNation marks an acceleration in our ability to deploy the critical future-proof digital infrastructure our country needs. By significantly expanding our rollout ambition to up to 8 million premises, CityFibre is helping to answer the call for a full fibre Britain. With TalkTalk now joining our networks to offer full fibre services to their residential and business customers, we look forward to working with our new FibreNation colleagues to maximise the benefit of our rollouts.

Tristia Harrison, CEO of TalkTalk, said: Now more than ever, reliable and affordable connectivity should be available to every single home in Britain, and this agreement shows that a full fibre future can be delivered through competition and investment by many players. CityFibres ambitions to take forward our hard work with FibreNation over the last five years, should take us a step closer to that fully connected Britain. The sale of FibreNation to CityFibre, in combination with a competitive wholesale agreement, enables us to continue our strategy to accelerate TalkTalks fibre growth for our residential and business customers, thereby delivering a superior customer experience at an affordable price.

The TalkTalk Group will now begin a process of systems integration as part of its long-term commitments across Cityfibres existing and future network roll-out (i.e. they are now a wholesale customer of Cityfibre), ensuring its customers can still benefit from the faster network as it grows. New FTTH packages are also expected to follow in the near future (at present there is no change to those already taking TTs service in York). In theory the combined plans could help to create up to 7,000 construction jobs outside London.

Technically speaking Sky Broadband still appears to be a wholesale partner under the FibreNation part of this network, although they dont seem to have been actively selling related products to new customers in York for awhile (feedback suggests their sales teams are largely oblivious to it now). Nevertheless we anticipate that Cityfibre will seek to open negotiations with a view to extending Skys involvement to their wider network.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 22 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on March 27.

The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.





The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Mardi Gras would have been cancelled if Donald Trump had warned New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell about a possible coronavirus pandemic.

But as the state of Louisiana recorded the fastest growth rate of new coronavirus cases on Thursday, Mayor Cantrell told CNN that there had been no warning from the federal government to delay Mardi Gras festivities in February.

New Orleans now appears to be at the centre of a pandemic in Louisiana, recording 997 of the states 2,300 cases of the coronavirus on Thursday afternoon.

Leaders on the ground, we rely on the facts to make decisions for the people that we serve., said Ms Cantrell.

Claiming that there were no red flags in February about Mardi Gras, she added: In hindsight, if we were given clear direction, we would not have had Mardi Gras, and I would have been the leader to cancel it.

The New Orleans carnival was held from January 6 to February 25 this year, and typically sees as much as 1.4m visitors from around the world.

Although warnings that the coronavirus would spread in the US came as early as two weeks before Mardi Gras celebrations were planned, New Orleans Mayor confirmed to CNN that her actions were backed up by the response of our national leader, appearing to refer to president Trump.

I think it all boils down to Mardi Gras, said Dr. F. Brobson Lutz Jr. to the New York Times. The greatest free party in the world was a perfect incubator at the perfect time.

Meanwhile, Dr. Johnson Denson told NBC News that he "diagnosed the second case, the first critically ill patient, here last weekend"

The doctor added: "I think it came during Mardi Gras, given the timing of it. Someone brought it here and then it starts spreading slowly,"

On Tuesday, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the state - two days after issuing a stay-at-home order for all residents.
 Flash

British Prime Minister's Office said on Friday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Johnson, who showed mild symptoms, is self-isolating in Downing Street.

"He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus," the spokesperson said.

"After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," the spokesperson noted.

In a video in his latest Twitter entry, Johnson also broke the news, saying that he "will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus."

"Be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus," he reassured.

"I want to thank everybody involved and, of course, our amazing NHS (National Health Service) staff," he said, adding "Together we will beat this."

There have been more than 11,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Britain, and over 570 people have died.

The prime minister was last seen on Thursday night when he clapped outside 10 Downing Street as part of a nationwide gesture to thank NHS staff.

The latest development came days after the Prince of Wales was tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The 71-year-old remains in good health, according to authorities.


Hotels should make empty rooms available for women and children experiencing domestic abuse during the coronavirus lockdown, campaigners have said.

Charities have warned of a possible epidemic of abuse as social distancing measures mean women will be more vulnerable to abuse and less able to escape it.

Southall Black Sisters, a not-for-profit company campaigning on gender-related violence, and the cross-party organisation Compassion in Politics have written to hotel chains urging them to open their doors to abuse victims.

They fear women and children will be forced to stay in abusive households due to a lack of refuge beds, and the stress caused by the unprecedented crisis may lead to others being abused for the first time.

The letter reads: You can prevent such experiences from happening to more women and children  or at the very least, limit the scale of the problem.

You can make a difference to some of the most vulnerable women who otherwise have no-one to turn to for security, comfort and support.

While the rooms of your hotel are unoccupied, will you offer a hotel in a publicly undisclosed space, free of charge, to women fleeing a domestic abuser so that they are safe and secure?

Specialist womens support services would need to have an ongoing role in supporting women and children in any such hotel bed scheme to ensure it was safe, the letter warns.

It was backed by the domestic abuse and victims commissioners, Labour MPs Jess Phillips and Carolyn Harris, and several charities, including Womens Aid.

Southall Black Sisters said evidence from China, where the Covid-19 outbreak originated, suggested rates of domestic abuse increased threefold.

A woman who recently contacted the organisation said the stringent social distancing measures would be difficult and very stressful for her family.

Ive reached a point like today when my hands are shaking during an argument and I cant stop it! I need your help and your experience to make this self-isolation bearable for me and my son, she said.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

Birmingham Yardley MP Ms Phillips said: We must work together at this moment of crisis. The coming weeks or months of lockdown and self-isolation leave those in abusive relationships in grave danger.

Hotels have an opportunity to throw a lifeline to vulnerable women and children, to offer a place of safety, at a time when they need it the most.

Hotels in London have made rooms available to rough sleepers in a bid to protect them from the spread of coronavirus.

Some 300 rooms were offered to the homeless in an initial trial last weekend.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Photo credit: Cyrus McCrimmon - Getty Images

From Delish

A South Carolina restaurant has been accused by customers of reselling frozen pizza from Costco and passing it off as homemade, according to a report in The Post and Courier.

According to the paper, Chip Grimalda, chef and owner of wine bar and restaurant Coquin in Charleston, was seen going from the store to an apartment nearby, then going out on a delivery run "with corrugated cardboard boxes that read, 'Fresh Pizza, Oven Baked.'" A reporter then found four-packs of Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizza with Breadcrumb Crusts, which are sold at Costco (not shown in the photo above) in the trash cans near the apartments.

Related Video: This Pizza Box Is Made Out Of An Actual Pizza

When confronted, Grimalda denied that it was frozen pizza.

I dont know what youre talking about. Its definitely not Costco, and thats all I have to say," he said, according to the report. He then said there were a "lot of Airbnbs in the neighborhood." Delish reached out to Coquin for additional comment but did not immediately hear back.

Like many restaurants, Coquin, which opened in October of last year, has transitioned to delivery or pick-up only in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. The restaurant began selling pizzas last weekend, which it describes as "gourmet Roman-style thin crust pizza, with house made marinara sauce and whole milk mozzarella.

The pizzas are being sold for $18 for cheese and $20 for meat or vegetable toppings. This particular Kirkland pizza retails at Costco for around $10 for a four-pack, so if the report is true, this would mean the pizzas are being marked up about 700 percent.

You Might Also Like
Leslie was tearful. Jason, the more pragmatic of the two, was upset she was being so dramatic. But he agreed to call the doctor, who sent him to get a chest X-ray. Staff at Frederick Memorial Hospital said his oxygen was so low he needed a ventilator. Leslie last spoke to Jason by phone that night. She now says she wishes she had closed with a joke, or anything to make him feel better.
Enemy forces continued using proscribed weapons, namely 82mm and 120mm mortars.

Russia-led forces mounted five attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on Thursday, March 26.

"The enemy shelled our positions, using 120mm and 82mm mortars, which are prohibited under the Minsk agreements, as well as grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns, and rifles," the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Headquarters said in a morning update on Facebook on March 27.

Read alsoFourteen soldiers wounded in Donbas delivered by medevac plane to Odesa

Hot spots were the villages of Pavlopil, Talakivka, Slavne, Luhanske, and the town of Avdiyivka.

"Using available weapons, members of the Joint Forces gave a tough response," it said.

From 00:00 to 07:00 Kyiv time on March 27, enemy troops were observing the ceasefire.

No Ukrainian army casualties were reported over the period under review.

There were no COVID-19 confirmed cases among Ukraine's military personnel, the JFO HQ said.
T wo inmates at maximum-security HMP Belmarsh have been charged with the murder of a fellow prisoner.

Steven Hilden and Terry Jocham, both 28, are accused of beating to death 36-year-old Sundeep Ghuman, their cell mate, at the south London prison last month.

Mr Ghuman, from Bexley, was found with head injuries by prison guards at around 8pm on February 18 after a suspected assault.

He was rushed to hospital but died the following day.

Hilden and Jocham, who were both prisoners at Belmarsh, were charged last week with the murder, Met Police announced on Friday.

They are both due to appear at Bromley magistrates court this morning.
The masses must diligently comply with the nationwide lockdown to decelerate the spread of coronavirus as the country runs the risk of getting into the community transmission stage of the contagious disease if people violate quarantine norms, many health experts have warned.

Doctors at the country's leading hospital groups also cautioned that the lockdown would only "slow down the multiplication of the virus" and in this period India must bolster its health infrastructure including COVID-19 testing facilities to meet greater challenges later.

Dr Arvind Kumar, lung surgeon at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) here, explained why "the only way" to slow down the virus' transmission is to follow the lockdown diligently.

"Thousands have come back from foreign countries recently and many of them are yet to be traced. Many are not going for screening and many home quarantined are also roaming. Then, the poor are migrating from one place to another so there is a risk of carrying infection. Can the government put security guards outside the houses of all these people? It's a 1.3 billion-strong nation," he said.

Insisting that the demography and geography of India is very different from other coronavirus-affected countries like the US, Italy or South Korea, Dr Kumar said there is "fear" in the medical fraternity that if the lockdown norms continue to be violated by people, the infection could spread in the community beyond known contacts.

"I would say the the first four steps should be to isolate, isolate, isolate and then test, detect, treat and follow-up, if the case worsens. The need of the hour is rigid social distancing, and people must understand its seriousness," the lung surgeon said.

Dr Vivek Nangia, Director of Pulmonology department at Fortis hospital here, echoed Kumar's opinion and said, "This pandemic is worse than a war situation'.

"As in a war, people must follow the order of the 'General', the government in this case, and stay home and not venture out unless it is an emergency. We are still in stage 2 of transmission as the government has said, and this lockdown can be very effective in slowing down the cases," he said.

Dr Nangia added that if people follow the lockdown "religiously", the effect will show after two weeks or so.

He said the 21-day lockdown has been implemented to "push the epidemic curve" down so that India has time to make other medical interventions before the situation goes out of control.

"We are into stage-2 of COVID-19 transmission and this lockdown period will give the government, other health authorities and various stakeholders time to boost our preparedness to combat this outbreak effectively and get more testing kits and other facilities," said Dr Kumar, Chairman, Centre for Chest Surgery at SGRH.

Dr Rajesh Chawla, pulmonologist at Apollo Hospital here said the lockdown should be obeyed and all government and WHO health guidelines have to be followed if India wants to effectively fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 17 in the country and the number of coronavirus cases has climbed to 724, the Health Ministry said on Friday morning.

The Health Ministry on Thursday said there has been no solid evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in India yet and the infection appears to be relatively stabilising considering the rate at which it is increasing.

At the same time, it said the latest figure of positive cases does not establish a clear trend and the government is in no way relaxed about anything at this point.

Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, head of the Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases department at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had said, "Going by one or two cases, we cannot say there has been community transmission. Also, why should we hide if there has been a community transmission?"



Dr Kumar, also founder trustee of Lung Care Foundation, cautioned that "one infected person can spread the contagion to three more persons, which then increases in a geometric progression".

"So, you can imagine the threat India is facing if people violate lockdown and roam around, especially the affected ones. It will be so difficult to trace contacts then," he added.

Kumar also warned that sometimes a COVID-19-positive person may not have fever but regular flu symptoms with breathlessness, and it is important for such people to be self-isolated.

Lav Agarwal, joint secretary in the health ministry on Thursday said he is hopeful of containing the spread of the coronavirus by social distancing policy, conducting proper contact tracing of positive cases and by ensuring that all those in home quarantine are monitored.

Adding a note of caution, Agarwal said the community transmission phase of the disease will begin if the community and the government do not work collectively and follow the set guidelines of social distancing, home quarantine and treatment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WUHAN, Jan. 31, 2020 (Xinhua) -- A member of a military medical team treats a patient diagnosed with novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pneumonia in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Xie Huahong/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: PK

New Delhi, March 27 : As India wages a war against the deadly coronavirus pandemic, an Indian-born entrepreneur, Shamsheer Vayalil, has come forward to offer his support towards setting up a hospital exclusively for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The UAE-based Indian doctor offered to support government efforts by offering a 500-bed multispecialty hospital, Medeor, in Manesar to combat the dreaded virus.

His VPS Healthcare in the UAE has offered and dedicated its 500-bed hospital in Manesar for the exclusive treatment of Covid-19 patients for free.

The hospital has facilities like state-of-the-art critical care and pulmonology department, isolation rooms, ventilators and other emergency services.

The hospital also has formed a dedicated taskforce comprising specialist doctors, nurses and other medical staff to combat the pandemic and take care for the affected patients.

"To help support the efforts of the Government of India, we would like to offer our Medeor Hospital located in Manesar for the treatment of Covid-19 patients," wrote Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare, in his letter to the Health Ministry.

After clearance of the necessary approval and inspection, the hospital will follow the guidelines and protocol as per government hospitals to provide all the necessary care for coronavirus patients.

"In a country like India which has the second largest population in the world, private sector collaboration is extremely important to put a quick cap on the contagious disease from spreading. Seamless integration of the private sector with government efforts will not only combat Covid-19, but will also place India on the global map to fight communicable diseases," Vayalil said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  A doctor and health reform advocate on Friday raised the need for the Philippines to conduct mass testing for novel coronavirus to avoid the "collapse" of the country's healthcare system.

Tony Leachon, an internist at the Manila Doctors Hospital, told CNN Philippines this is necessary to isolate patients and prevent healthcare workers from being exposed to the highly-contagious viral disease.

"If there are mass testings, then we can isolate them and do not expose these patients na symptomatic PUIs or even the COVID cases in the emergency room. So ang problem pagka the health care workers are exposed, immediately five or ten people who are exposed to the patients will be quarantined and this will reduce the number of workforce that will actually see the patients," he said.

[Translation: If there are mass testings then we can isolate them and they do not reach the emergency rooms. When five or ten workers are exposed to the patients, they have to undergo quarantine. This will reduce the number of healthcare workers who can take care of patients.]

Out of the 45 COVID-19 deaths in the country, at least nine are doctors who were exposed to patients who tested positive. Hundreds of medical staff have also been placed under quarantine.

Leachon underscored the importance of mass testing, noting that the numbers presented by health officials do not reflect the real health situation because only selected people are tested for COVID-19 due to limited test kits. He added most test results are being release when the patient has died.

The Department of Health is only allowing testing of those with severe symptoms, members of the vulnerable sector showing mild symptoms, and Philippine government officials.

Leachon said it is important to be able to have data and demographics of persons under investigation, confirmed cases, and the amount of medical supplies and available protective gear. He said this will help frontliners respond properly to the COVID-19 crisis.

The doctor warned the healthcare system may crumble if the current situation of limited tests and delayed results persists.

"We need all of these things because I think the primary concern of the people right now, 20 percent or 23 percent of the healthcare workers, based on the report of the Department of Health, are dying. So, we might be depleting our healthcare workforce and we will not be able to heal the sick. If this will happen, there will be a collapse of the health care system and that will be very very disturbing," he said.

Mass testing for COVID-19 means prioritizing testing frontline workers and members of communities where there are confirmed cases. It also rejects VIP treatment for officials who are not showing flu-like symptoms. As of Thursday, laboratories have conducted 2,147 tests, excluding specimens that have yet to be processed.

Health spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire has repeatedly said the country is not ready to conduct mass testing despite the arrival of thousands more test kits. A COVID-19 patient will need at least two tests during the course of their treatment.

Leachon said that despite the recent designation of several hospitals as testing laboratories and referral centers, their capabilities are not yet fully ready.

"Kaka-establish pa lang natin ng COVID hospitals (COVID hospitals have just been established) like PGH, Lung Center, and one in Bulacan, and other areas, but we don't have the manpower to have the laboratory, the set-up, or the guidance," he said.

Leachon said the country has a slow and weak system right now that is "just responding to the situation."

"We have just established our COVID hospitals... So, the epidemic is right now here with us and yet we dont have COVID hospitals, and the other test kits, and other laboratories," he added.

Vergeire countered Leachon, saying there is no way to possibly prepare for a pandemic.

"We are trying to prepare. We cannot say we are prepared, and we can do everything. We are trying to ready ourselves for the eventuality where surge of cases would happen," she told CNN Philippines on Friday.

She said the number of cases is expected to rise in the coming days as more laboratories expand their testing capacity.

"We are now stabilizing the process in our laboratories," she added.

The country has recorded a total of 707 coronavirus disease cases in the country.
The Navy has begun offering 6- to 12-month extensions to sailors planning to retire or leave the service, in an effort to ease the impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic and avoid having them enter a job market that is in free fall, service officials said.

"The Navy is accepting applications from officers and enlisted personnel who desire to delay their separation or retirement" in an effort "to mitigate the effects of COVID-19," the Navy said in a March 20 administrative notice signed by Vice Adm. John Nowell, the chief of personnel.

"All service members interested in extending are invited to apply, but priority for approval will be given to those service members filling sea duty and critical billets," the notice states, adding that requests must go through detailers, or career advisers, and be received by July 1.

Requests will be approved on a case-by-case basis, the Navy said.

Related: Skyrocketing Unemployment in Lockdown Likely Means Hardship for Veterans

The service's offer of extensions comes as the economy staggers under the COVID-19 pandemic's impact and signs of a cratering job market begin to emerge.

The concerns over a sharp escalation in unemployment rates were borne out Thursday in the weekly report on unemployment claims from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which showed that claims increased tenfold from the week before to a record 3.28 million.

Earlier Thursday, American Legion officials said they were pressing the Defense Department to consider service extensions to allow personnel to wait out the predicted recession and enter the job market at a more opportune time.

Ariel DeJesus, the Legion's assistant employment director, said he is encouraged by what he heard about the Navy and urged all the services to follow suit and offer extensions.

The Navy notice said that sailors who are leaving the service for failing physical fitness tests could get a chance to reenlist by seeking an extension.

Service members who are separating for failing the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) could get an extension of their End of Obligated Service (EAOS) date, take the test again in the fall and "potentially regain reenlistment eligibility," the Navy said.

The service also said that enlisted sailors with an approved separation or retirement date who are eligible for Sea Duty Incentive Pay (SDIP) would continue to receive the incentive if their extension requests are approved.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Read more: These Are the Special Military Pay and Allowances for Coronavirus
Nigeria's presidency has insisted that leader Muhammadu Buhari remains hard at work in a bid to quash rumours about his health after his chief of staff tested positive for coronavirus.

"The President tonight at the State House, at work," his office posted on Twitter Thursday, over an undated picture of Buhari looking at papers behind his desk.

His spokesmen also released a "special message" from the president to the nation outlining some $27 million (25 million euros) in emergency funds to bolster the fight against the pandemic.

"I urge all Nigerians to be mindful of those among us who seek to spread panic and misinformation, and sow confusion at this time," the president said in the statement.

The health of Buhari, 77, is a closely guarded secret in Nigeria.

The leader made several trips to London during his first four-year term for a condition that has never been disclosed.

Earlier this week it emerged that his powerful chief of staff Abba Kyari had contracted COVID-19 after travelling to Germany.

The presidency has not officially commented on Kyari's diagnosis, but it was confirmed by other sources after a raft of top officials announced they had taken tests for the disease.

The president has not been seen in public for several days, prompting some in Africa's most populous nation to ask questions.

Spokesmen for the president have dismissed speculation about his health or whereabouts as "fake, fake, fake" and the product of "diseased" minds.

But on Friday #Buharichallenge was trending on Twitter in the country as Nigerians poked fun at their tight-lipped authorities.

Buhari, a former military leader, has headed the country since 2015 and last year won another four-year term in power.

Nigeria has so far confirmed just 65 infections in the country of around 200 million.

Authorities have closed airports and borders and shut schools across the nation as part of a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi, March 27 : Amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain coronavirus outbreak, the Supreme Court on Friday conducted a hearing through video-conferencing and issued a notice to the Centre on a plea for immediate evacuation of around 850 Indian Shia pilgrims from the city of Qom, the Iranian epicentre of Corona outbreak.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant issued notice to Centre on the evacuation of pilgrims from Iran, which is among the worst hit by Covid-19, with a death toll of over 2,000. According to the petitioner, these pilgrims, hailing mainly from poor financial backgrounds, were scheduled to return to India weeks back.

The matter will come up for further hearing on March 30.

The apex court order came on a petition filed by Mustafa M.H. whose three relatives are stranded in Iran. Senior advocate Sanjay Hedge, arguing the matter on behalf of Mustafa through video conferencing, contended before the court that pilgrims are stranded in Iran without any health/medical facilities and food supplies.

He added most of pilgrims have ran out of funds and are dependent upon the philanthropy of the locals.

"Besides, they have been accommodated in hotel rooms in groups of 4-5. It is extremely important to note that the situation of spread of corona is extremely critical in Iran. In fact, there may be as many as 250 people within the group of pilgrims who could be positive for corona. In such a situation, accommodating persons together is a serious health hazard and could lead to disastrous consequences," said the petition.

The petition contended that if urgent help is not provided to these pilgrims, there are bound to be serious health hazards, which have started to become fatal and has resulted in the death of 2 pilgrims already.

The petition said: "The petitioner (Mustafa) is constrained to move this court in extreme exigency under Article 32 of the Constitution of India praying inter alia for issuance of an appropriate writ, order or direction including writ of mandamus for immediate evacuation of the citizens of India who are stranded in Iran, in view of the situation arising out of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The plea sought direction from the top court that pilgrims are evacuated immediately from Iran, and till such time the Centre should make arrangements to provide adequate health and medical support. "The Centre be directed to ensure that the passengers are quarantined in a manner prescribed by the WHO," said the petition filed through advocate Ashish Virmani.
The Uttarakhand government on Friday ordered the opening of shops selling essentials in the state for six hours instead of three to stop overcrowding in market places and ensure better compliance with the norms of social distancing in its fight against the coronavirus.

Shops selling essential articles are to remain open from 7 am to 1 pm now instead of just three hours till 10 am, officials said.

Opening shops for just three hours in the morning was leading to overcrowding at market places, they said.

Vegetables, fruits and milk will remain available all day and vegetable vending carts can go from door to door, the officials said.

An official advisory asked authorities to ensure uninterrupted supply of essentials to people and allow vehicular movement on roads for the purpose.

The transportation of harvested agricultural produce, milk and dairy products, eggs, meat, fertilisers, pesticides and animal feeds which have been categorised as essential items remained unhindered, the officials said.

However, movement of four-wheelers for unessential purposes is totally banned across the state. Movement of two-wheelers is allowed.

As a result thinner crowds were seen at vegetable markets and outside provision outlets. People lined up in queues inside the 'Lakshman Rekha' circles waiting patiently for their turn to buy vegetables in Pauri, Shrinagar, Almora, Uttarkashi, Haridwar and Dehradun.

The administration has also made arrangements for home delivery of food and groceries among senior citizens, the poor and the helpless.

In Pithoragarh, people who have returned from their workplaces in big cities or foreign countries are being located by the district administration in order to counsel them on the coronavirus.

"We have asked our patwaris, Asha workers, gram pradhans and other village level workers to furnish information on those returning home from outside the state and asked medical workers to counsel them on how to take preventive steps to stop the spread of the virus," Pithoragarh district magistrate V K Jogdnande said.

He said a number of workers returning from their workplaces have reached their homes in remote villages silently on foot after they could not find vehicles in the wake of the lockdown.

"As most of these workers work in hotels, restaurants and in transport business in big cities, the possibility of their being infected cannot be ruled out," Jogdnande said.

Over 100 workers from Nepal waiting to come to India at a bridge linking the two countries at Dharchula have been sent back to their country after taking the consent of the Nepalese authorities, SDM, Dharchula, A K Shukla said.

Raids were conducted at sabzi mandis and provision shops by the food and supplies department to check illegal profiteering following complaints that traders were overpricing essential items at some places taking advantage of people's compulsions, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China reported more than 50 imported cases of the coronavirus on Friday, hours after announcing a ban on foreigners entering the country. In recent weeks China's tally of infections has dwindled dramatically, with only a handful of domestic patients each day. But just as the country appears to be bringing the outbreak under control, nations around the globe are battling to control soaring numbers of infections in new hotspots. There were another 55 new infections in China on Friday, the National Health Commission said, with one local infection and 54 imported cases from overseas. Beijing has been racing to control the number of infections being brought into the country -- mostly Chinese nationals returning home from overseas, including large numbers of students abroad. On Thursday Beijing announced dramatic measures to curb arrivals into the country, including reducing the number of international flights, limiting the capacity on board to 75 percent, and imposing a ban on foreigners entering China. Non-nationals living in China with valid visas and resident permits will be blocked from returning to the country after midnight on Friday night, the foreign ministry said. The ministry said it was a "temporary measure that China is compelled to take in light of the outbreak situation." Diplomats and the crew of international airlines and vessels will still be permitted to enter. Flights in and out of China will also be capped at just one route a week to each country, including for international airlines. The tally of cases brought into China from abroad climbed to 595 on Friday, health officials said. A series of strict measures had already been put in place to try and stem the wave of infections coming in. All Beijing-bound international flights have been diverted to other urban centres, where passengers will first be screened for the virus. Many Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai have also imposed a compulsory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals from abroad. There were nearly 1,100 return international passenger flights scheduled to come to China this week. There were another five deaths on Friday, according to the National Health Commission -- all in the province of Hubei where the virus first emerged late last year. In total 81,340 people have been infected in China, and the outbreak has claimed 3,292 lives. - Clashes - Hubei lifted travel restrictions this week after two months in lockdown, but fears remain of a rebound in cases elsewhere in the country, even though only healthy people are allowed to leave the province. Traffic police in Jiangxi reportedly blocked people trying to enter the province from neighbouring Hubei on Friday. Videos posted on China's Twitter-like platform Weibo purportedly showed scores of people clashing with police on a bridge connecting the provinces. Other footage showed people trying to overturn a vehicle. A medical worker gestures as people seeking treatment wait in a queue to be screened at a fever clinic at the Huanggang Zhongxin Hospital in Hubei province Beijing has been racing to control the number of infections being brought into the country -- mostly Chinese nationals returning home from overseas
Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

Police arrested three men in connection with the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old man in the Mission District last week, officials said.

San Francisco police identified the following suspects: Alameda resident Oscar Ticas, 19, and San Francisco residents Rodrigo Tellez and Bryan Moreno, both 20.
Moscow court extends detention of lawyer charged with $15 mln embezzlement

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

12:54 27/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 27 (RAPSI)  Moscows Meshchansky District Court extended detention of Sergey Yuryev, the president of Moscow's bar association Mezhregion charged with embezzling 1 billion rubles (over $15 million) from the State Air Traffic Management Corporation (ATM) until April 17, RAPSI was told Friday in the Federal Chamber of Lawyers.

Members of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers Council and heads of several regional bar associations have repeatedly stood bond for Yuryev. He is an honest and reputable attorney, the Chambers statement reads. One of the lawyers bail bondsmen was Chair of the Federal Chamber of Lawyer Yury Pilipenko.

They proposed a 1-million-ruble bail for Yuryev, but their motion was rejected.

Investigators claim that in 2008, the State ATM Corporation signed a contract for legal services with one of the bar associations. The bar chairman working connections in the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) submitted a conclusion with a write-up value of legal services for the completion of tender documentation. The signed agreement has been repeatedly prolonged in violation of the established procedure.

The contract overpricing resulted in unjust receipt of more than 1 billion rubles by the bar association from 2008 to 2018, investigators claim.

A Rosaviatsiya employee involved in the case has been arrested and detained as well.




Authorities in Georgia are asking the public for help in locating a missing 18-month-old child.

Georgia State Patrol said the girlidentified as Remy Jaaziah Daniels in a Facebook postwent missing in her Coweta County home on Thursday.

Remy is described as a black female, 2 feet tall, and weighing about 30 pounds with brown eyes and black, curly brown hair.

The baby girl was last seen wearing a white Minnie Mouse T-shirt, according to the post.

Investigators said Remy was last seen with a man identified as Jeremy Joseph Daniels. The 31-years-old was described as a black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighing about 152 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Jeremy has an active warrant for his arrest on charges of making terrorist threats in Coweta County, FOX5 reported.

He was last seen driving a gold 2005 Chevy Impala with Georgia tag RMR9873, the outlet reported. Officials said it is possible he abducted the girl and is traveling together with her.

The Coweta County Sheriffs Office is asking anyone with information on the childs whereabouts to call the department at (770)-253-1502.

Coweta County is located in the west-central portion of Georgia.
Karnataka Congress on Friday said all its legislators and Members of Parliament will be contributing a minimum of Rs 1 lakh to the KPCC fund set up towards fighting COVID-19, and has also constituted a taskforce to monitor and make suggestions aimed at containing the spread of virus.

The principal opposition party in the state also demanded that the government immediately call for an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence, in its fight against coronavirus spread.

"There are many party legislators, leaders and workers who are doctors. We have leaders who have worked as Health Ministers in the past. So with all of them we have decided to form a task force," KPCC President D K Shivakumar said.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, he said, "the task force will look into the initiatives of the central and state government, whether the administration is working efficiently in addressing the needs of people, and what role party workers have to play in the current situation, and will inform the party regarding it."



The taskforce will be headed by former Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar and party working president Saleem Ahmed will be its convenor, he said adding that the KPCC will also open a helpline for COVID-19.

Senior KPCC leaders had met on Thursday evening to take stock of the situation due to COVID-19 spread and lockdown in the state.

Alleging that RSS and BJP was "forcefully" collecting donations and food materials claiming to support poor affected by lockdown, Shivakumar said the Congress will not involve in such things and will rather give suggestions to the government on what needs to be done more.

He said the party has decided that all legislators (both MLAs and MLCs) and MPs will contribute at least Rs one lakh each towards relief fund of KPCC.

Also if anyone from block, taluk or district level want to contribute voluntarily can send in their contribution to KPCC, he said, adding that "Once the amount is collected the taskforce and KPCC leadership will discuss and decide on whats needs to be done and how to utilise it."



The Congress condemned police highhandedness in implementing the lockdown, Shivakumar said and added "it was inhuman and demanded for action against errant police personnel.""Lathicharge on civilians has to be stopped immediately," he added.

He said the state government has failed to take the opposition into confidence, adding at least now call and discuss with the opposition regarding tackling the situation, else the party would be forced to take up the matter with the Governor soon.

"The government lacks a clear plan of action regarding how to tackle the situation," he alleged.

The Congress leader also urged the government to help farmers by finding a way for them to sell their perishable commodities.

Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 21- day national lockdown and also the measures announced by the Finance Minister and RBI, Siddaramaiah suggested that the government purchase perishables from farmers and enhance the amount that has been promised to farmers and poor.

He also demanded that the government should supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all healthcare workers, and asked to increase testing labs and ensure there are enough ventilators in the state to deal with the situation.

He also urged that an all-party meeting should be called and opposition should be taken into confidence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LONDON  For weeks, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain was a defiant holdout among Western leaders in refusing to lock down his country against the spread of the coronavirus. On Friday, he became the first of those leaders known to have contracted the disease.

Mr. Johnsons diagnosis, confirmed in a test on Thursday, threatened to throw an already rattled British government into turmoil. Fears of a wider contagion grew, as two other senior officials disclosed that they, too, were infected.

And with the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, saying this week that he had fallen ill with the virus, Britain faced the alarming prospect of having to confront its greatest crisis since World War II with several of its leading figures in quarantine.

Mr. Johnson, 55, insisted he would not relinquish his duties. In a remarkable two-minute video posted on Twitter, he used his own case as a sort of teachable moment for the country, appealing to people to work from home and comply with the more drastic social distancing measures he put in place Monday.
In Adam Real-Last-Name-Unknown, the twenty-third chapter of Anthony Bourdains seminal Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain writes that Adam could throw a little flour and water together and make magic happen. Described as a security risk, a disgrace, a megalomaniac madman, Adam is the best bread baker Bourdainwho was then a chef in NYCknows. Famously, Adam sometimes didnt show up to work to feed his starter, and, without giving too much away, this results in an epic mess. But Bourdain ultimately forgives Adam, because good bread is always worth the trouble.

With uncertainty at an all-time high, mandatory social-distancing in place across great swaths of the U.S., and restaurants closed in 26 states, baking bread at home, for an increasing number of communities, is no longer just a hobby, but a necessity. And while bread, an age-old staple food, can be put together with a little shelf-stable dry yeast, a growing number of bakers are craving the rituals and rhythms of sourdough.

I'm relatively new to sourdough, says Pooja Makhijani, a home baker and author of Labor of Loaf. Though Makhijani has been baking bread for years, she only started her first sourdough starter in November of 2019. Its just flour and water and two weeks of time, in my case, she says. Starter isnt as fussy as I was led to believe. Its actually quite robust and resilient.

Perhaps a metaphor for ourselves in times of crisis, starters are how bread was born some 10,000 years ago. Called a levain in French, a starter is a combination of (ideally stone-ground) flour and (ideally non-chlorinated) water. (It can contain other ingredients, but usually does not contain any commercial yeast.) Left alone at room temperature, the wild yeasts that were on the husks of the grains before they were milled come alive next to lactic acid bacteria. These microorganisms eat the sugars in the flour, releasing ethanol and carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

Story continues

This process doesnt happen immediately or overnight. It takes time for a starter to strengthen enoughto contain enough yeastto bake with. Baking with an immature starter will result in dense bread, or even bread that does not rise at all. Like a sapling, a starter needs care and attention in the early stages. To strengthen the healthy microbes, the combination of flour and water must be fed for up to a weeksome say twobefore its yeasty enough for bread baking.

Bread Dough Rising in a Banneton Photo by Shutterstock

Once its established, the process is cyclical: The wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria will feed on the sugars in the flour. Theyll create lots of bubbles in the starterwhich is how bakers know its healthyand grow until they run out of fresh food. At the end of this cycle, which can be altered by the baker to last anywhere from 8 to 36 hours, the starter needs to be refreshed, or fed with additional flour and water to sustain its new, happy microbial population.

Most recipes for sourdough starter instruct bakers to throw out half of the starter mixture at least once during the initial process. This is true even in recipes from bakers who loath waste, like Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. The primary reason home recipes for starter call for some of it to be discarded is because as the starter is fed (refreshed) with flour and water to keep it alive and active, it continues to grow and expand to a far greater quantity than is practical, especially for home baking, Beranbaum writes.

Every time I send excess active starter down the drain, I feel a pang of regret.

After the initial start-up period, a regularly refreshed starter can be used to make bread. Some of it gets mixed with additional flour and water, plus salt and perhaps other ingredients (like whole grains, oil, olives, dried fruit, nuts, or spices), kneaded into a dough, left to rise, and then baked into a lofty loaf. Using some of the starter to bake bread with is the same as discarding it, for the purposes of keeping a starter alive and well. A baker always reserves a portion of their starter for the next batch of bread.

We keep our starter in 80-gallon tubs, says Carissa Waechter of Carissas the Bakery in East Hampton, New York. We use most of it up throughout the day, for hundreds of loaves. When the tub is low, we mix in equal parts flour and water and leave it outside for an hour to get the process activated, following a method learned from John de Cuevas, the late scientist who gave us his starter. Then we roll the bins into the fridge overnight. By the next morning, the good microbes have done their job in those big bins, growing into new batches of robust starter.

But, if youre not running a massive bakery operation, and only need a loaf or two to get through the weekor, dont feel like baking daily or even weeklydo you really need to keep feeding and throwing out some of your starter every day?

2 weeks. 10 days. 28 days. 3 months. Almost a year. Thats how long some bakershome hobbyists and professionalssay their bread starter survived without any attention. In other words: If you have a sourdough starter that you only use occasionally to bake bread, you simply dont need to feed it every day.

For home bread bakers who don't have to make identical bread every day, the dirty little secret is that you can use a mature starter that's not at its absolute peak and the bread will still work, says Niko Triantafillou, an avid home baker whose full-time job is at Citigroup. Triantafillou started baking his own bread about five years ago for fun, and because, at least for him, naturally leavened breads taste better and are easier on the digestive system.

Waechter agrees, noting that at her bakery, on odd days off and two-week holiday breaks, the starter waits patiently in the walk-in cooler. A day or two before shes ready to start baking again, the starter gets another feeding, which seems to wake it up from its long rest.

In Los Angeles, pastry chef and baker Rose Lawrence keeps a sourdough starter for a wide variety of baked goods, whether for her nomadic kitchen Red Bread or her work at the restaurant Rossoblu. Two feedings and it bounces back, she says. One to wake it up, and the second to get it ready to raise bread. I compare this to someone hungover, since the starter produces hooch, or excess alcohol thats a byproduct of the fermentation process. The first meal is to make you feel human, the second actually makes you feel really yourself.

Francisco Migoya, co-author of Modernist Bread, accepts that this system works, but suggests that what is happening is not what most people think: When you keep a starter in the fridge and starve it, surrounded by cold temperatures, its going to die, as any living thing does, Migoya says. So you try and bring it back by feeding it water and flour and then in a few days its back to life, but what you really did was start a new starter. The stuff in the fridge was incidental to the process. Migoya acknowledges that others may disagree with this assessment, but notes that yeast and bacteria are living things, and all living things die. Yeast is not immortal.

Sourdough Photo by Matt Duckor, Food Styling by Laura Wolfgang

And, even if you avoid the daily or weekly discards and refreshes, you still have to refresh your starter to bring it back to life enough that you can bake bread with it. But theres good news: You can use that discard in other ways.

Theres no need for any waste in bread making, especially if youre willing to cook and bake other things, says Tara Jensen, the baker behind Smoke Signals, a sourdough baking school in Asheville, North Carolina, and author of A Bakers Year. Jensen often lets her starter go weeks without feeding it, and uses any discard in pancakes, waffles, cookies, or scones.

Dayna Evans, a home baker and journalist based in Paris, mixes discard with a little salt and a little cheese and fries it into a pancake for lunch. Brett Cooper, executive chef of Sightglass Coffee in Los Angeles, uses his discard in pancakes and crackers. At BonTemps in LA, bakery sous chef Neidy Venegas uses discard in a batter for sourdough fried chicken that the restaurant serves to staff for family meal.

Discard is not strong enough to add loft to baked goods, so anything you put it in will have additional leavening, usually baking soda or baking powder, if its needed, Jensen explains. But even a weak starter adds incredible flavor to all sorts of baked goods.

We have the lactic acid bacteria to thank for some of this flavor, since its still at work, tenderizing wheat proteins in pastry dough, and adding a slight tang to scones, muffins, cakes, brownies, and cookies. In her book, Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, baker Emilie Raffa adapted a lime-ricotta cookie to include excess mature starter that might otherwise go to waste. It helps produce a cookie that she describes as delightfully soft, almost cake-like.

Sourdough Key Lime Ricotta Cookies

Emilie Raffa

To use some one- or two-day old starter discard, follow a recipe for sourdough pancakes or waffles. But keep in mind that the older the discard, the worse it will be at actually leavening anything.

Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Waffles

Emilie Raffa

To use up discard older than two days, go rogue, using some starter to replace an equal weight or volume of flour and liquid in recipes for standard baked goods like crackers, shortbread cookies, or anything with additional leavening like baking soda or baking powder.

With cookies, you can leave the dough in the fridge for three or four days, and it takes on more and more flavor, Jensen says. Start small, but keep in mind that a starter is just flour and waterall of the other ingredients remain the same, and will act the same. In bread baking, as in life, experimentation is half the fun. Flour, water, yeast, bacteriathese things are all predictable. I like to joke that the most unpredictable element of sourdough starter is the human, Jensen says, with a laugh.

Originally Appeared on Epicurious
The United States has overtaken China and Italy with most confirmed cases of coronavirus as over 85,500 Americans have tested positive for the virus.

State-by-state figures published late on Thursday showed confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US had overtaken the 81,782 cases reported by China and 80,589 reported in Italy. The biggest outbreaks were confirmed in New York, New Jersey and California.

The US has recorded 1,300 coronavirus deaths, behind China with 3,291 and Italy with 8,215.

When asked about the recently confirmed cases of coronavirus at a White House briefing on Thursday afternoon, President Trump said it was a tribute to the amount of testing that were doing.

Trump said: Number one, you dont know what the numbers are in China. We are testing tremendous numbers of people.

Vice-President Mike Pence also disclosed coronavirus tests were now available in all 50 states and more than 552,000 tests had been conducted nationwide.

The US President had set a much-criticised goal of Easter Sunday April 12, for reopening the country. This is coming after it was reported that over 3.3 million Americans lost their jobs because of coronavirus.

READ ALSO  Donald Trump Tested For Coronavirus; See Result

Trump said: They [the American people] have to go back to work, our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think its going to happen pretty quickly.

We may take sections of our country, we may take large sections of our country that arent so seriously affected and we may do it that way.

A lot of people misinterpret when I say go back  theyre going to be practising as much as you can social distancing, and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things we talked about.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 16:23 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de0a75 1 Business Indonesia,venture-capital-firm,ranking,Southeast-Asia,Malaysia,Singapore,BRI-Ventures Free

Indonesia retained its position as the second-largest venture capital market in Southeast Asia as Malaysia remained in third position and Singapore continued to lead the rankings.

A recent report by Deal Street Asia showed that Indonesia-based venture capital companies (VCs) raised a total of US$582 million last year, a 79 percent increase from $325 million in 2018.

Meanwhile, Singapore-based VCs were still leading with around $2 billion in funds raised, 58 percent of the total $3.6 billion in fresh funding in the region last year. Meanwhile, Malaysian VCs were in third position with $484 million, more than five times the $90 million raised in the previous year.

Indonesia can absolutely surpass Singapores funding, Venture Capital and Startup Indonesia Association (Amvesindo) chairman Jefri Rudyanto Sirait told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. He added, however, that the start-up investment ecosystem in Indonesia was not as favorable as in Singapore.

He went on to say that Singapore had a stronger investment ecosystem with better legal clarity and ease of establishing a VC, which made the city-state more attractive for investors.

Jefri added that Indonesia had the potential to become the fourth-biggest economy in the world given its large population. The country also ranked fifth in global start-up rankings with around 2,100 start-ups, just behind the United States, India, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Indonesia has a bigger market than Singapore, the challenge is making that market attractive for all stakeholders, he said.

Even though Singapore still leads the ranking, its funding share in the region has dropped 77 percent since 2018 as other SEA markets expanded.

Thailands share, for example, more than doubled to 7 percent in 2019 from 3 percent in the previous year led by KASIKORN Vision (KVision), the investment arm of lender KASIKORNBANK, which announced a $245 million fund allocation.

Meanwhile VCs in Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam also started to invest in SE Asian start-ups last year.

Deal Street Asia predicted that Indonesia would retain its place as the second-largest market in 2020 as local VCs have announced ambitious plans. BRI ventures, for example, has set a target of raising $250 million funding while MDI Ventures plans to launch a new fund of up to $500 million.

The report also showed that Indonesia-based VC East Ventures was the most active in investing in start-ups. According to its cofounder and managing partner Wilson Cuaca, East Ventures has invested in around 300 start-ups globally, with around 170 in Indonesia.

I cannot say how much East Ventures' target funding is or how many start-ups were going to invest in because we dont know what entrepreneurs are going to make, he said over the phone on Thursday. What we do see is potential and we have always invested in the people behind the idea.

Willson said that the VC had prepared $75 million in fund VI for seed funding, and another $250 million in a growth fund, totaling $325 million last year. This sum is less than the around $375 million prepared in 2018, according to the report.

When asked about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on East Ventures' plan, he said that the VC would halt investments in new start-ups while helping their portfolio companies with capital efficiency.

All of our portfolio companies revenue is down along with the economy, so we are not going to be aggressive in new investments, he said, adding that East Ventures would also start crowdfunding for the development of coronavirus test-kits by one of its portfolio companies, Nusantics.

Meanwhile, Jefri said that the pandemic could become an opportunity for start-ups to stress test their business and to create a mitigation plan if similar situations were to occur in the future.

He went on to say that some start-ups such as those in e-commerce, food delivery and telemedicine services might even see an increase in their client base and revenue since people are staying indoors to avoid the coronavirus infection.

However, some start-ups such as those in travel and hotel aggregation were seeing drastic changes that required them to make efficiency savings, even going as far as reducing staff wages by up to 80 percent, Jefri said.

I think all start-ups must still seek transactions and try to maintain or grow their business even if its slow to ensure that the economy still functions, he added.
As the Coronavirus Outbreak forces people to stay home, here are a few tools that you can use to watch movies with your friends online. With India going into lockdown for three weeks, more and more people are using the internet

As India starts getting used to the 21-day lockdown due to the Coronavirus, more people are using the internet and consuming content way more than usual. As companies rush to prevent any major issues with internet service, a large portion of the population is now online and working from home. And, because of social distancing and isolation, people are turning to the internet for some kind of solace. Well, worry not as were going to help you with that. We at Digit thought long and hard about what you could do with your friends online, apart from gaming, of course, and we thought that you guys might like to maybe catch a movie together with your friends. So, with that in mind, weve compiled a list of software that you and your friends can use to watch a film together, online. Here we go.

Just a note, streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video can be watched simultaneously by synching up the streams and using third-party apps. But, were here to give you the best tools that you can use to watch a movie online with your friends.

TwoSeven:

This versatile tool is compatible with Prime Video, HBO, Vimeo and even Youtube. Installed through Firefox and Chrome extensions, the program offers text chatting and video calling features as well. You may need to pay a little to access all the full features but the free version isnt all bad either. You can download the software here.

Netflix Party:

Native to Netflix, Netflix Party is a little limited in its feature set but can be installed on the Chrome extension. Its easy to use and set up and you have access to all of Netflixs content for your viewing pleasure. Its also free to download on the Chrome Web Store. You can synchronise video playback and use a chat box to talk to whoever youre watching a film with. Netflix Party does not support video chat though. You can download the tool here.

Metastream:

The first thing you need to know about Metastream is that it's free! But, the software is still in the developmental stage so its not as functional as you may expect, but it does the job.It is compatible with Netflix, Youtube and even Twitch. You can download the tool through the Firefox and Chrome extensions. Check out Metastream here.

So, what are you guys waiting for? Call a pal and start watching your favourite films together online.
CHICAGO

March 26, 2020

Albert Rizzo

Stephanie Goldina

/PRNewswire/ -- As the global impact of COVID-19 increases, the scientific community continues to evaluate the clinical impact and healthcare needs of patients with lung disease, who are at increased risk for serious complications with COVID-19. The American Lung Association is supporting the health of those 36.6 million Americans living with a lung disease with science-based resources and support."COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that can cause a pneumonia-like lung infection, with a range of symptoms from mild or absent for some to life-threatening for others," said American Lung Association Chief Medical Officer, M.D. "Everyone's health is at risk from COVID-19, and those living with a lung disease or who are immunocompromised may be more vulnerable to the impacts of the virus."According to Rizzo, it's essential that those with a chronic lung disease like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stay on their maintenance medications and alert their healthcare provider of any changes in their health or symptoms. For all lung disease patients, including those with lung cancer who may be immunocompromised, patients should take precautions to avoid contact with the virus, including social distancing, thorough handwashing avoiding touching their face, nose, mouth and eyes and certainly avoiding contact with those who may have been infected or are showing symptoms."Changes in behavior, such as social distancing and practicing public health guidance, will be key to all of us staying healthy and out of the hospital," Rizzo said. "The healthcare system and hospitals are already stressed with admissions as a result of the pandemic. It's important for those with lung disease to use their best practices in managing their disease, including for example COPD, which is already a high-risk disease for readmissions to the hospital."Rizzo also added that everyone should be careful, as even otherwise healthy adults are finding themselves hospitalized due to the virus. In fact, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data finds that nearly 40% of those hospitalized are between age 20 and 54.As a respiratory disease, COVID-19 advances through the windpipe into the lungs where it can cause respiratory problems such as bronchitis and pneumonia. In severe cases, patients can develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that, in addition to oxygen, will require them to be placed on a ventilator. If too much of the lung is damaged and not enough oxygen is supplied to the rest of the body, respiratory failure could lead to multi-organ failure and death. The recovery rate and consequences from a severe COVID-19 illness will vary from person to person and there may be long-term damage to the lungs.When asked what more can be done, Rizzo suggested slowing the spread of the disease in communities and efforts to quit smoking and vaping."Cigarette smoking and vaping are linked to lung inflammation and lowered immune function in the lung's airways both of which can increase likelihood of complications if exposed to COVID-19. Therefore, long-terms smokers and e-cigarette users may have a higher risk of developing chronic lung conditions associated with severe cases," Rizzo said.The American Lung Association stands ready to help people beat their nicotine addiction with proven methods to quit, learn more at Lung.org/quit-smoking or call the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA.Learn more about COVID-19 atand call or email your questions to our experts at theFor journalists seeking to schedule an interview with an expert about COVID-19, lung disease and lung health, contactat the American Lung Association at 312-801-7629 or Media@Lung.org.The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

American Lung Association  55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150  Chicago, IL 606011331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 1425 North  Washington, D.C. 200041-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org



CONTACT: Stephanie Goldina | American Lung Association P: 312-801-7629E: Media@Lung.org









View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/covid-19-what-those-with-lung-disease-should-know-301029426.html



SOURCE American Lung Association




A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, carrying the Arabsat 6A communications satellite, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 11, 2019.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Friday picked SpaceX as the first supplier to bring cargo to the agency's Gateway station in orbit around the moon, a big contract win for Elon Musk's space company.

SpaceX said it will use a new variation of its cargo spacecraft, called Dragon XL, to carry "more than 5 metric tons of cargo to Gateway in lunar orbit." The company will lift the spacecraft using its Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful rocket in the world.

"Returning to the Moon and supporting future space exploration requires affordable delivery of significant amounts of cargo," SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement.

SpaceX has been launching cargo to the International Space Station under a similar NASA contract since 2012, using its Cargo Dragon spacecraft. Additionally, SpaceX has launched its Falcon Heavy rocket three times. A Falcon Heavy rocket goes for between $90 million and $150 million per launch depending on the circumstances.

NASA expects to award $7 billion worth of supply contracts under the Gateway program. Those will span multiple missions to Gateway, lasting between 6 months and a year each.
South Africa recorded its first death from coronavirus on Friday as its infection tally breached the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown took effect. The news came as World Health Organisation director for Africa warned of a "dramatic evolution" of the disease which has, according to AFP tally, killed 94 out of nearly 3,500 infected people across the world's poorest continent. South Africa, which has the highest number of confirmed cases at 1,170, recorded its first death on Friday. Earlier Health Minister Zweli Mkhize had reported two deaths, but late on Friday he revised the toll to one. The second patient had died on admission. "The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19 and therefore a test was conducted," and came back negative, Mkhize said in a statement. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered South Africa's 57 million people to stay at home for 21 days, joining countries across the globe in imposing strict measures to halt the spread of the disease. But many people especially from the poor neighbourhoods, defied the order after it came into effect at midnight Thursday, lining up outside food stores or at bus terminals. The streets of Alexandra, a Johannesburg township, were buzzing with people and traffic as if it was a normal, busy Friday afternoon. Earlier on Friday, police appeared overwhelmed in downtown Johannesburg, where hundreds of shoppers tried to force their way into a supermarket. "The lockdown is a good thing for the country, even though I feel that a lot of people are taking it for granted, saying this virus is not for us... which is bad because by the time we wake up this thing will have spread enormously in the country," said bank employee Dumisani July, 39, wearing a mask and black latex gloves. The patient who died in the Western Cape province was a woman aged 48. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism, the minister said. The tally of infections in Africa's biggest industrialised economy could reach 1,500 "within a few days", Ramaphosa has warned. - 'Dramatic evolution' - Although Africa's toll is far lower than in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, experts say the world's poorest continent is especially vulnerable, given its poor sanitation, weak healthcare systems, overcrowding and conflicts. WHO Africa boss Matshidiso Moeti said there have been about 300 new cases per day in recent days, and called for "intensified action by African countries". "The situation is very worrying, with a dramatic evolution: an increase geographically in the number of countries and also an increase in the number of infections," Moeti told France24 channel. During South Africa's military-enforced shutdown, jogging, dog-walking and the sale of alcohol are banned. Violation of any of the regulations will carry a six-month jail sentence or a fine. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country's pointman on the pandemic said the first case of coronavirus detected outside Kinshasa -- is in the restive eastern province of Ituri, which was also touched by a now-waning epidemic of Ebola. The DRC has 54 cases, four of them fatalities, said crisis coordinator Jean-Jacques Muyembe. The DRC's sprawling capital, Kinshasa, was meant to go into lockdown on Saturday for four days, but local officials delayed the measure after the announcement caused a spike in the price of basic goods and worries about unrest. - Two shot in Uganda - In East Africa, Ugandan police said two men were in hospital after being shot for violating transport restrictions imposed to curb the virus. Police stopped the two on a motorbike near Kampala but "they attacked one of the officers, he fired the warning shot in the air but they charged at him and he shot one of them in the leg and another in the stomach," Uganda metropolitan police spokesman, Patrick Onyango told AFP. President Yoweri Museveni has not ordered a shutdown, but urged people to stay home. Kenya and Rwanda in the region have also imposed restrictions. In the Sahel, Burkina Faso, which last week recorded sub-Saharan Africa's first death, announced that eight towns, including the capital Ouagadougou, would be quarantined for two weeks from Friday. In Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou ordered a curfew from 7 pm to 6 am for the capital Niamey. He also mandated a "graceful reduction of sentences" for 1,540 prisoners, "for humanitarian reasons and to relieve the congestion of our prisons". In Mali, the government has imposed some anti-coronavirus measures, including a night-time curfew, but said a long-delayed parliamentary election would go ahead on Sunday. The impoverished state has scheduled the elections as a means to win back public confidence in its political system as it battles a raging jihadist revolt. Zimbabwe's president Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday announced a 21-day "total lockdown" starting on Monday. The public health system in Zimbabwe, which has so far recorded five positive cases, has been in a state of near-collapse for years. Doctors and nurses this week went on strike over lack of coronavirus protective gear. South Africa-based risk analysis firm, NKC African Economics warned that tough restrictions on mobility will be difficult to enforce in Africa. "Most African countries will not be able to effectively implement the severe restrictions on movement that we have seen globally," it said. "The impracticality of implementing widespread self-quarantine in shantytowns or informal settlements means that this will not be an option." burs-sn/har
Personal trainers and flight attendants could be re-trained as hospital orderlies and administrative staff as health departments scramble to fill thousands of roles ahead of an expected surge of COVID-19 patients.

Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association chief executive Alison Verhoeven said many workers stood down by airlines and gyms due to travel bans and social distancing shutdowns had basic first aid training and could be upskilled and re-deployed in the health sector.

Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association chief executive Alison Verhoeven said many workers stood down by airlines and gyms had basic first aid training and could be upskilled and re-deployed in the health sector.

"There's creative ways of thinking about employment and I hope that's on the agenda," Ms Verhoeven told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. "There are a lot of people in health service delivery who aren't clinicians but who are absolutely critical to keeping hospitals safe and continuing to run."

Hospital orderlies assist with patient care by ensuring wards are tidy, lifting and turning patients and transporting them in wheelchairs or on beds, as well as providing direct care.
By Julia Payne LONDON (Reuters) - Brent oil futures may be trading at $27 per barrel but oil producers are selling their crude in the physical market at lower prices not seen since the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

By Julia Payne

LONDON (Reuters) - Brent oil futures may be trading at $27 per barrel but oil producers are selling their crude in the physical market at lower prices not seen since the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

Most are offloading their oil for below $20 a barrel as the coronavirus pandemic savages demand and global supply rises amid a battle between Saudi Arabia and Russia for market share, according to traders, state oil firms, major refiners and prices quoted in physical markets.

While some crude grades typically sell at a discount to Brent, the market environment is making that gap even wider and other grades that usually cost more than the European benchmark are now cheaper for the most time ever.

The discounting is leaving revenue per barrel at a fraction of the prices factored into many 2020 budgets, which is likely to put even more pressure on government finances in some oil producing countries.

In extreme cases, once discounts and other costs have been applied, the value of some producers' oil is close to $10 a barrel while Venezuela's Merey crude sold for as little as $8 last week, according to Refinitiv data and traders.

While all types of crude have been hit, so-called light and medium sweet grades are the least in demand, meaning the outlook is bleaker for countries such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Nigeria, according to traders in oil from those countries.

Light grades with low density and sulphur are mostly used to make naphtha, gasoline and jet fuel, refined products that are both out of favour because of the economic fallout from the pandemic and also hard to store for long.

While Moscow and Riyadh remain locked in their battle, physical oil traders say a glut might push prices even lower as more countries lock down and trade slows.

This week, Russia got as little as $18 per barrel for its benchmark export grade medium sour Urals while Saudi Arabia was selling its Arab Light in Europe for $16, according to Reuters calculations based on official Saudi prices and Urals deals.

Canada's key Western Canada Select grade was worth $15 a barrel on March 16, the last day of its monthly trading cycle, and will now probably sell closer to $10 if its last discount of $13.6 to the U.S. WTI benchmark is applied.

Traders said the pressure on prices and the desire on the part of sellers to offload crude quickly was evident in the way deals were being struck at the moment.

"Normally, we used to discuss cargoes at bid versus offer spreads of around 10 to 20 cents for several weeks before we closed a deal," one trader at a major refining firm said.

"Now, we have bid versus offer spreads of $2 to 3 a barrel and they're done immediately."

DOWNWARD CORRECTIONS

Just last week, analysts and leading traders predicted global oil demand would drop by 10 million barrels per day, or 10% in the next months. A week later, top trading house Vitol said it expected a 20% loss over the next few weeks.

Indian refiners are cutting back on output while European plants are considering closures. Chinese demand is recovering but it's the only bright spot as the United States, which consumes a fifth of the world's fuel, is locking down.

In a sign of the demise of sweet grades, Azeri Light is being priced at about 50 cents below dated Brent, the first time it has ever fallen below the European benchmark. Forties, a North Sea light sour oil, has fallen to $1.65 a barrel below dated Brent, its lowest since 2008.

Gasoline and jet fuel do not store as long as other products due to their high quality, seasonality and additives. Diesel, fuel oil and crude oil, meanwhile, can sit in tanks for years.

"You can't store winter gasoline with the summer version and now is the time when you have to switch. You can't really hold gasoline in tank for longer than six months," said a European crude and products trader.

"Sour grades are more economic right now for refiners but that is only temporary as we will end up with a flood of diesel and fuel oil," he said.

Nigeria, which is the biggest oil producer in Africa and relies on crude for 90% of its foreign exchange earnings, is struggling to sell its mainly light, sweet oil to refiners - despite record price cuts.

Algeria's light, sweet Saharan Blend and Kazakhstan's light, sour grade CPC Blend, meanwhile, are trading at eight-year lows with discounts of $2 and $4 to the price of Brent respectively.

Traders said cargoes of crude for delivery in April had not been hit too badly because many of the deals were struck before the oil market rout, but now prices would only go lower still.

"April was sold quite ahead of time as refiners plan several months in advance but May will not be good. All the grades will need more downward corrections," one trader said.

(Reporting by Julia Payne; Additional reporting by Olga Yagova in Moscow and Shu Zhang in Singapore; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and David Clarke)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Infrastructure company Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has come forward to support the Government's efforts in fight against the coronavirus pandemic by making donations worth Rs 5 crore each to Chief Minister's Relief Fund in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

He has also made contributions to Karnataka State and Odisha as well.

MEIL Managing Director PV Krishna Reddy met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday at his camp office in Tadepalli, Amaravati. He donated Rs 5 crore to CM Relief Fund. He handed over a cheque to YS Jagan.

On Thursday, Krishna Reddy met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekahr Rao in Hyderabad and handed over a cheque of Rs 5 crores to KCR.

MEIL Karnataka Region Operations Head Sudhir Mohan handed over a cheque of Rs 2 crore to Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa.

Meanwhile, MEIL Vice President Rangarajan handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. The company has announced that it will contribute donations to some more States too.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
English Swedish

The shareholders of Serstech AB (publ) are called to the Annual General Meeting on Monday 27 April 2020 at 3 pm at the company's office, Aldermansgatan 13 in Lund.

Registration

Shareholders wishing to attend the meeting must (a) be included in the register of shareholders held by Euroclear Sweden AB as of Tuesday 21 April 2020, and (b) notify the company of their intention to attend by Thursday 23 April 2020.

Shareholders whose shares have been registered by a nominee must have their shares reregistered by the nominee in the shareholder's own name in order to be entitled to attend the AGM. Such registration, which may be temporary, must be executedby Tuesday 21 April 2020.

Notification of participation in the AGM can be made in writing to Serstech AB (publ), FAO: Thomas Pileby, Aldermansgatan 13, 227 64 Lund, by e-mail to tp@serstech.com or by phone 0702-072643. The notification must state the name, personal or organizational number, address and telephone number, number of shares and, where applicable, the number of representatives(maximum two) who will be attending the meeting.

For shareholders represented by proxy, authorization must be sent together with the registration. Authorization must be in writing, dated and signed. The original authorization must be brought to the AGM. Representatives of legal entities and corporate bodiesmust also provide a copy of the registration certificates or equivalent authorization documents that show the competent authorized signatories. Authorization forms are available at www.serstech.com and can also be obtained from the company.

Proposed agenda

1. Opening of the meeting

2. Election of Chairman of the meeting

3. Establishment and approval of the voting list

4. Approval of agenda

5. Election of one or two adjustors

6. Examination of whether the meeting has been properly convened

7. Presentation of the annual report and auditor's report

8. Resolutions concerning

(a) adoption of income statement and balance sheet

(b) dispositions relating to income and the adopted balance sheet

(c) discharge from liability for the CEO and members of the Board

9. Determination of the number of directors and auditors

10. Determination of fees for Board members and auditors

11. Election of Board members and auditors

12. Closing of the Meeting

Dispositions relating to income (item 8b)

The Board of Directors and CEO propose that no dividend be paid and that the company's accumulated funds be carried forward.

Board, etc (items 2 and 9 - 11)

The nomination committee (valberedning@serstech.com), which consists of Peter Hojerback (chairman), Emanuel Ericksson and Joakim Soderstrom, proposes as follows:

Board of Directors, etc: Proposals for decisions regarding the Board of Directors etc. will be presented at the AGM at the latest.

Number of auditors and deputy auditors: One auditor without deputies.

Auditor's fee: In accordance with approved invoice within the scope of the quotation.

Auditor: will be presented at the latest in conjunction with the AGM.

__________________

The annual report and complete supporting documents will be made available at the company and on the company's website, www.serstech.com, at least three weeks before the meeting and will be sent by mail to shareholders who so request and state their postal address. Copies will also be distributed at the meeting.

Shareholders are reminded of their right to request information in accordance with Chapter 7, Section 32 of the Swedish Companies Act.

Use of personal data

For information on how your personal data is used, please refer to the privacy policy which can be found on the Euroclear website at www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Integritetspolicy-bolagsstammorsvenska.pdf. Serstech AB (publ) has company registration number 556713-9893 and its registered office is in Lund.

Lund March 2020

The Board of Directors of Serstech AB (publ)

For further information, please contact:

Stefan Sandor,

CEO, Serstech AB

Phone: +46 739 606067

Email: ss@serstech.com

Thomas Pileby,

Chairman of the Board, Serstech AB

Phone: +46 702 072643

Email: tp@serstech.com

Company website: www.serstech.com

This is information that Serstech AB (publ.) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above at 08:45 CET on March 27, 2020.

Certified advisor to Serstech is Vastra Hamnen Corporate Finance AB, phone: 040-20 02 50, e-mail: ca@vhcorp.se

About Serstech

Serstech delivers solutions for chemical identification and has customers across the world, mainly in the safety and security industry. Typical customers are customs, police authorities, security organizations and first responders. The solutions and technology are however not limited to security applications and potentially any industry using chemicals of some kind could be addressed by Serstechs solution.

Serstech is traded at Nasdaq First North Growth Market and more information about the company can be found at www.serstech.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Firefighters rescued a woman Friday morning from a burning Syracuse home.

A neighbor called 911 at 6:05 a.m. to report a fire at a Hensberry Road home. The neighbor told dispatchers an elderly woman lived in the home, according to police scanner dispatches.

The Syracuse Fire Department rushed to the citys Strathmore neighborhood and found a heavy fire engulfing part of 120 Hensberry Road, said Capt. David Ellis. Firefighters found a woman near the front door inside the burning home, he said, and carried her outside.

American Medical Response transported the woman to Upstate University Hospital. Her condition is not available, Ellis said.

One firefighter was also taken to the hospital for an evaluation.

Firefighters put out the fire, Ellis said, and found no one else inside the home. The cause of the fire -- which gutted the back of the residence -- is under investigation.

In addition to firefighters and American Medical Response, the Syracuse Police Department, National Grid and the American Red Cross responded to the fire.

Have a tip, a story idea or a comment? You can reach me at shouse@syracuse.com.
The two leaders spoke on the phone. Washington and Beijing already share experiences and information to fight the COVID-19. Until recently, the US blamed the Chinese for the epidemic. For Chinas ambassador to the United States, only a madman" can claim that the coronavirus was produced in a US military laboratory. Xi calls for the removal of tariff barriers. US-Chinese confrontation continues in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies)  China and the United States should join forces against the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump. The latter said, in a tweet, that he was willing to work with China.

The two leaders stressed that the health authorities of their respective countries are in constant contact, and are sharing information and experiences about the fight against the disease.

Until recently, the US administration blamed China for causing the coronavirus to spread, by covering up the truth about the early phase of the epidemic, a charge shared by other countries, and by many people in China as well.

Until a few days ago, Trump and members of his cabinet referred to the coronavirus as the Chinese virus, which sparked harsh reactions from China.

For Xi, the virus knows no boundaries and ethnicity, and it is our common enemy. The international community can only defeat it through working together.

According to several observers, China is playing the victim in order to deflect criticism over its handling of the epidemic.

On 12 March, a Chinese government spokesman on tweeter claimed that US athletes brought the COVID-19 virus to the 2019 Military World Games, held in October in Wuhan.

Following the fallout from accusations and counteraccusations, Chinas ambassador in Washington, Cui Tiankai, was the first to try to break the ice and extend an olive branch to the United States.

Last Sunday, in an interview with Axios, Chinas point man in Washington said that "only a madman" can claim that the coronavirus was produced in a military laboratory in the United States.

Tensions over the coronavirus come on top of already strained bilateral relations. Two years ago, the Trump administration launched a trade war against the Asian giant, with huge repercussions worldwide.

Washington wants equal treatment for US companies in China, respect for intellectual property, and an end to state subsidies to Chinese companies.

During yesterday's virtual G20 summit, in a not-so-veiled attack on Trump's trade policies, Xi asked his colleagues to remove tariff barriers in order to stimulate trade at such a critical phase.

Amid all this, Washington and Beijing continue to face off in the high seas off the coasts of China.

On Wednesday, a US warship passed through the Taiwan Strait. A few days ago, a US destroyer launched missiles during an exercise in the Philippine Sea.

In the past two months, the US Navy warships have sailed across the South China Sea, which China claims. When they do, US warships are shadowed by Chinese Navy vessels, a situation that increases the chance of incidents.
CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Automotive Shielding Market by Shielding (Heat, EMI), Heat Application (Engine, Turbocharger, Battery Management, Fuel Tank), EMI Application (ACC, ECU, LDW, BSD, AEB, FCW, DMS), Material Type, Vehicle (PC, LCV, HCV), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Automotive Shielding Market is projected to grow from USD 20.2 billion in 2020 to USD 24.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 4.1%. The market is driven by factors such as the rising demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, growing safety concerns, and the high adoption rate of advanced electrical and electronic components in vehicles. In addition, increasing focus on driving comfort and in-cabin experience would fuel the demand for heat and EMI shielding during the forecast period.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Automotive Shielding Market"

120 - Tables

50 - Figures

150 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=221737808

The engine control module is expected to be the largest segment among EMI applications in the Automotive Shielding Market

Engine control module, which is also known as Electronic Control Unit (ECU), is a term used for any embedded system that controls one or more electrical systems/subsystems in a vehicle. Modern-day vehicles can have more than 50 ECUs. The ECU gathers data from sensors installed in a vehicle. It uses this data to enhance the working of various operations such as the timing of fuel injection, spark timing, stability control, and in-vehicle telematics.

The EMI shielding market for ECM is expected to increase due to the increased use of ECMs in a vehicle. The number of ECMs in a vehicle has increased due to factors such as rising demand for advanced electrical & electronic components, emission regulations, and safety & security concerns. In addition, the growing demand for high performance engines in the luxury vehicle segment is expected to increase the need for EMI shielding for ECM. ECM is responsible for air-fuel mixture, ignition timing, and valve timing. High performance engines require advanced ECM to deliver the desired performance.

Exhaust system segment is expected to lead among heat applications in the automotive shielding market

The exhaust system heat shield retains heat in the exhaust system of the vehicle and acts as a thermal barrier for exhaust components. Exhaust system heat shields are used in the muffler, exhaust manifolds, catalytic convertor, and exhaust downpipe. These heat shields can reduce 70% of the heat radiating from the exhaust system.

Most of the vehicles are now equipped with exhaust system heat shields to reduce the amount of heat radiated by the exhaust system and protect the other body parts. Increasing stringency of fuel economy standards in the EU, Japan, and China has led OEMs to focus on vehicle lightweighting and aerodynamics. In December 2018, the European Commission presented a bill to set fuel economy standards. It aimed to reduce the average CO2 emission of passenger cars and vans by 15% in 2025 and 37.5% in 2030. For light commercial vehicles, the authority targeted to cut down emissions by 15% in 2025 and 31% in 2030.

Request FREE Sample Report:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=221737808

Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market by 2025

China, India, and Japan account for the largest shares of the Automotive Shielding Market in Asia Pacific. The growth of the market in Asia Pacific can be attributed to the high vehicle production and increased use of advanced electronics in Japan, South Korea, India, and China. The governments of these countries have recognized the growth potential of the automotive industry and have consequently taken different initiatives to encourage major OEMs to enter their domestic markets. This has led to an increase in vehicle production volumes over the years, which caters not only to domestic demand but also overseas demand.

Major players like Dana and Lydall are investing and increasing their footprint in the Asia Pacific market. For instance, in 2018, Dana inaugurated a plant that would manufacture thermal management products for conventional and new-energy vehicles in Yancheng, China. The rising penetration of such companies in Asia Pacific will drive the overall market.

The Automotive Shielding Market is dominated by global players such as Tenneco Inc (US), Laird (UK), Henkel (Germany), Dana Incorporated (US), Morgan Advanced Materials (UK), 3M (US), Parker Hannifin (Chomerics) (US), and KGS KITAGAWA INDUSTRIES CO (Japan).

Browse Related Reports:

Automotive Heat Shield Market by Application (Engine, Exhaust, Under Bonnet, Under Chassis, Turbocharger), Product (Single Shell, Double Shell, Sandwich), Function (Acoustic, Non-Acoustic), Material, Vehicle, and Region - Global Forecast to 2027

Thermal System Market for Automotive By Application (Front & Rear AC, Engine & Transmission, Seat, Steering, Battery, Motor, Power Electronics, Waste Heat Recovery), Technology, Electric & ICE Components, Vehicle Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2027

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Sanjay Gupta

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/automotive-shielding-market.asp

Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/automotive-shielding.asp

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg
As COVID-19 spreads throughout the U.S., Americans have turned to grocery delivery services to avoid going out and potentially exposing themselves to the virus. But the workers who make those deliveries happen say they're feeling none of that same security.

Shoppers for the grocery delivery service Instacart will stop accepting orders starting Monday to demand better protections amid the pandemic. They're seeking additional "hazard pay" for every delivery, paid protections such as hand sanitizer and gloves, and expanded sick leave, and won't return to work until their demands are met, Vice first reported.

"It's so scary to be in a grocery store right now, and so scary to be around swarm and mobs of people," veteran Instacart shopper and strike organizer Vanessa Bain told The Washington Post. But "while Instacart's corporate employees are working from home, Instacart's [gig workers] are working on the frontlines in the capacity of first responders," Bain told Vice. Instacart joins strikers across the nation, including Amazon workers in Queens and sanitation worker in Philadelphia, who are complaining of unsafe conditions amid the new coronavirus spread.

"The health and safety of our entire community  shoppers, customers, and employees  is our first priority," a spokesperson for Instacart told Vice. The company offered new features and benefits to workers in a Friday blog post, including adding 30 more days to its 14-day sick leave for those quarantined or sick from COVID-19, but only for those who've tested positive for the disease. None of the new benefits met strikers' demands.

More stories from theweek.com

Joe Biden is the worst imaginable challenger to Trump right now

Once coronavirus infects a human body, what happens next?

John Oliver explains why 'the coronavirus is not The Hunger Games,' despite Trump's best efforts


The United States is rapidly becoming the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases in the country rocketed past both those in Italy and China. The US now has the largest number of officially recorded cases of COVID-19, 85,594, and the largest number of new cases in a 24-hour period, more than 17,000. The death toll in the United States is now 1,300.

The number of coronavirus cases in America has multiplied 10 times over in only a week. The exponentially increasing caseload is also reflected worldwide, where there are more than 532,000 cases, double the level of six days ago. Deaths are also skyrocketing, now at 24,000 worldwide.

As the US becomes the epicenter of the world pandemic, so New York City has become the epicenter within the country, with nearly 400 deaths, 5,237 hospitalized, and 1,290 in intensive care. These numbers currently double every three days. Mayor Bill de Blasio has released plans to build emergency facilities of more than 1,000 beds in each of its five boroughs, which even now would account for less than one weeks worth of new cases in the city. The arrival of the US Navy hospital ship USS Comfort to the area next week will absorb less than one days worth of new hospitalizations.

Similar efforts in other states, such as Louisianas plan to temporarily place 1,100 beds in a convention center, are similarly at risk of being rapidly overwhelmed. And such plans recall the nightmarish experience at the same convention center during Hurricane Katrina.

Kirkland Fire and Rescue ambulance workers load a patient into an ambulance, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

All sectors of workers are affected. A Mt. Sinai nurse, Bevon Bloise, posted on Facebook, We do not have enough PPE [Personal Protective Equipment], we do not have the correct PPE, and we do not have the appropriate staffing to handle this pandemic.

The first death among New York City MTA conductors was reported, 49-year-old Peter Petrassi. The MTA is still not providing employees with necessary protective gear. Workers in other urban transit systems are also demanding masks and gear.

The record number of unemployment claims is another indication of the economic burden that is being placed on the working class. There were 155,000 claims in New Jersey alone, 16 times the previous week, and 3.3 million in the country as a whole, the highest number of weekly jobless claims in history.

In contrast, Wall Street and the big banks have already been given or promised trillions of dollars in liquidity to weather the economic storm the pandemic has triggered, and Congress is currently debating a further stimulus package to prop up the major corporations.

Fifteen states now have more than 1,000 cases, with California numbers climbing by 30 percent to 3,910, Washington by 24 percent to 3,207, Michigan by 25 percent to 2,856, Illinois by 36 percent to 2,538, etc. New hot spots are emerging, including major US cities Chicago and Detroit, which are poised to follow the example of the New York metropolitan area.

The response of the Trump administration was to suggest that the virus was somehow limited to the hardest-hit urban centers like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, and that large sections of the country are relatively unscathed. At Thursdays press briefing, White House Coronavirus Task Force Response Coordinator Deborah Birx declared proudly that 19 out of the 50 states still had fewer than 200 cases each, claiming this represented 40 percent of the country where infection rates were extraordinarily low numbers.

She did not list them, but the 19 states with the lowest coronavirus tolls are mostly small in terms of population (including the 16 smallest) and relatively remote from global commerce. (The states are Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.) They may comprise 40 percent of the states, but only 13 percent of the population. To cite such statistics as progress, let alone success, is to deliberately disarm the American public in the face of a rapidly mounting threat.

In a further distortion, she stated that in no country to date have we seen an attack rate of over one in 1,000, leaving out the key word, yet. She was clearly seeking to suggest that no more than one in 1,000 Americans was likely to contract COVID-19, or about 330,000 peoplea figure that could well be surpassed within a week.

Dr. Birx went on to denounce as unwarranted the reported discussions within hospitals as to how to allocateand deallocatecritical ventilators when faced, as some hospitals already are, with an overflow of cases. She said it was improper to make the implication, when they need a hospital bed, its not going to be there. Some hospitals are in fact already at capacity, including two major Detroit-area hospitals, while hospitals in New York City are completely overwhelmed.

What Trump and his sycophantic aides claim as success is actually criminal malpractice. The infection could have been stopped in its tracks if proper testing, contact tracing and isolation measures had been taken from the very beginning of the crisis. Instead, the Trump administration ignored warnings from the World Health Organization in January and allowed the virus to spread essentially unchecked for several weeks.

Even now, coronavirus testing is still restricted to those exhibiting symptoms, despite the fact that COVID-19 is often contagious even when a patient is asymptomatic, one of the many reasons it is so dangerous.

For his part, Trump continued to insist, against overwhelming evidence of popular demands to shut down workplaces to minimize the contagion, that American workers dont want to sit around, and therefore, we have to go back [to work], which will ostensibly happen after Easter weekend. One of the indications that this will in fact become policy is that car manufacturers Ford and Honda have announced that they will reopen their North American plants on April 6 and 7, respectively, to be followed by Toyota on April 20. Safety measures for workers have been promised, the details to be revealedlater.

The Trump administration is also planning to deploy 1,000 US troops to the over 5,000-mile-long Canadian border for the first time in modern history, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security memo. This will include the installation of remote sensors, to stop illegal migrants and their potential to spread infectious disease. Trump further justified this scheme in an afternoon press briefing by claiming that we have illegal trade that we dont like, referring to alleged dumping of Chinese steel through crossborder Canadian trade.

The militarization of the US-Canadian border and the increased militarization of the US-Mexican border further speaks to the irrational and reactionary response of the Trump administration to the coronavirus pandemic. In yesterdays remarks to the G20, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted, This is a global crisis that demands a global response. 

No country can solve this crisis alone. Were all in this together, and we will only get out of it together. That means a paradigm shift in global solidarityin sharing experiences, expertise and resources, and in working together to keep supply lines open, and supporting nations who need our support.

While Dr. Tedros words may be sincere, they fall on deaf ears. When facing a crisis which demands that the metaphorical and physical walls between nations come down, Trump and his counterparts are busy erecting even greater barriers to international collaboration. They are much more interested in the three straight days of gains on the stock market, which has risen 20 percent since Monday. The potentially millions of lives that will be lost if workers are ordered back to work are merely the cost of doing business.
(Newser)  If you're looking for new music to listen to this weekend, as well as a walk down memory lane, Bob Dylan just hooked you up with an "absolutely mind-blowing" 17-minute song about JFK's assassination and ... much more. "This is an unreleased song we recorded a while back that you might find interesting," reads a message on Dylan's Twitter account posted early Friday. "Stay safe, stay observant and may God be with you." Rolling Stone calls the tune a "dizzying, utterly extraordinary" song that kicks off with a recounting of that day in 1963 when the president was gunned down but that soon "expands into an impressionistic, elegiac, increasingly apocalyptic journey through what feels like the entire Sixties ... and then perhaps all of 20th century America, especially its music."

story continues below

Some of the people, events, and other pop-culture references Dylan touches on in the song: the Beatles, The Who's Tommy, Woodstock, Wolfman Jack, Buster Keaton, the Altamont counterculture rock concert, Houdini, and Nightmare on Elm Street, among others. Per Variety, which notes Dylan has long been interested in the topic of Kennedy's assassination, the longest song he released before this was 1997's "Highlands," which ran 16 minutes and 31 seconds; "Murder Most Foul" clocks in at 16 minutes, 57 seconds. It's also not clear what "we recorded a while back" means, though some fans are speculating that, based on what Rolling Stone calls Dylan's "delicate vocal delivery," it may have been a more recent production. (Read more Bob Dylan stories.)
German researchers plan to regularly test over 100,000 people to see if they have overcome infection with COVID-19 to track its spread, an institute behind the plan confirmed Friday.

A spokeswoman for Brunswick's Helmholtz Institute for Infectious Disease Research confirmed a report in weekly Der Spiegel that large-scale testing for coronavirus antibodies could start in April if researchers are given the green light.

"You could give immune people something similar to a vaccination certificate that could allow them exceptions from limits on their activities," Helmholtz Institute epidemiologist Gerard Krause, who is tipped to lead the study, told Der Spiegel.

German schools, non-essential shops and restaurants are now closed and public gatherings of more than two people banned.

Krause would work institutions on the front line of Germany's response to the virus, including disease control authority the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and Berlin's Charite hospital.

By Friday, the RKI reported over 42,000 confirmed coronavirus infections in Europe's most populous nation, and 253 deaths.

"Results from the study will make it easier to decide when schools could be reopened and large events permitted," Der Spiegel wrote.

The first results are expected in late April.

But even if the study is approved, initial readings might not be completely reliable.

Tests currently available can show false positives for coronavirus antibodies, as 90 per cent of adults already have immunity against common, harmless viruses from the same family.

"Researchers hope a more precise testing process will be available in two to three months," Spiegel reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A coronavirus surge is already hitting London  where more than half of Englands infected patients are being treated.

The NHS is scrambling to avert the worst-case scenario, described as armageddon, when the virus reaches its expected peak in seven to 10 days.

Its hoped that the newly assembled temporary hospital at east Londons ExCel centre will be able to bear the brunt of the surge, with NHS leaders ruling out shipping patients elsewhere in the country, so that Covid-19 can be better contained.

The capital is at the epicentre of the UK epidemic  with Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, warning of a tsunami of cases. But analysis seen by The Independent shows the majority of London patients are in the outer suburbs.

The analysis, by company Edge Health, shows there is a doughnut-type shape of cases forming around central London hospitals where the population is younger than in the outer boroughs.

NHS England on Thursday confirmed there were 2,000 Covid-19 patients in London hospitals, out of a total of 4,300 in hospital across the whole of England. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Social Care said there were now 11,658 cases and 578 confirmed deaths.

Doctors working in hospitals across the capital told The Independent differing accounts of what was happening in their units, with some already at risk of being overstretched while others are putting together their final plans for when the surge hits them.

There are around 800 intensive care beds in London with a surge capacity of up to 3,000 beds, but bosses at NHS England believe they will need up to seven times more, which is why the ExCel centre, dubbed the NHS Nightingale, is so crucial.

The Independent has also learned tonight that NHS bosses are in advanced discussions to create up to five field hospitals across England, in addition to the ExCel centre.

The military was understood to be at Birminghams NEC conference centre today as part of plans to create a hospital there, as well as at the Manchester Central conference venue.

A senior NHS England source said some London hospitals were under huge pressure while others were still able to cope.

They added: All the modelling suggests that unless the ExCel opens on top of surge [beds] in trusts then in seven to 10 days we would be looking at armageddon across London.

They said there would be no regional mutual assistance for London as everyone needs to consume their own smoke  its feared that transporting patients would spread the disease.

They said Downing Street had taken special interest in the preparations across the city, but they added most big cities will need an ExCel-type field hospital as the virus spreads.

Edge Health told The Independent the peak for the city would hit in the coming weeks.

UK intensive care units are preparing for a surge (Edge Health)

George Batchelor, director and co-founder of Edge Health said: The peak in London based on our modelling will be around 5 April, with the numbers in hospital peaking around 8 April and critical care around 15 April. It will get worse before it gets better.

He said areas with older populations around the centre of London appeared to be the worst hit, explaining: Its within the doughnut around London, the Hillingdon, Croydon areas where there are district general hospitals that are also less well equipped than hospitals in central London.

London, and even outer London, are younger than other areas in England, which is a worry as the virus spreads to other parts of the UK.

He added: We are tracking Italy almost exactly but it does depend really on how well the NHS is going to cope. It had some advanced warning compared with Italy, which was really caught out.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Hopson of NHS Providers said the capital had seen an explosion in demand in recent days but hospitals had been able to increase their capacity between five and seven-fold.

However, he warned that hospital bosses were describing a continuous tsunami in seriously ill patients.

Northwick Park Hospital in northwest London reported a critical incident last week, and earlier this week reported 21 deaths of patients with coronavirus in a single day.

At the Royal London hospital, in Whitechapel, bosses have sought to create 200 extra intensive care beds. But on Wednesday, the hospital ran out of capacity and used beds in operating theatre recovery areas.

At St Georges Hospital in south London, doctors reported an increasing number of intensive care admissions with one patient an hour being admitted on Wednesday, although this slowed overnight. One source said many of the patients were younger than 70 and many younger than that, although most had underlying issues such as obesity.

They said the hospital still had spare beds on Thursday and escalation plans were ready.

A doctor at St Marys Hospital in Paddington said the hospital was busy but still had intensive care capacity. They said there was an expectation the situation would worsen in coming days.
We try to have some fun, Harvey said. At Lincoln Heights, one of the things we say is that we are there to work and learn, but we also have fun, between the staff and the students. You try to find the fun in it.

The morning announcement video is also featuring moments from the schools specialists, such as the music teacher, the librarian, school counselor and the P.E. teacher, to give them some face time with students as well. Harvey said he has had some fun with those as well, doing his best Arnold Schwarzenegger Im going to pump you up, impression to introduce the P.E. teacher. and a jingle to introduce a tech tip.

You have to have those funny moments, slip in some things that gets some giggles from the kids, he said. With his own daughter, a second grader at Lincoln Heights, viewing the video each day, he probably has an idea of if the video high jinks hit the right spot.

I joked during a Zoom meeting with the music staff today that if this doesnt work out, maybe I can go into video production full time, he said, laughing.
The nations theatres have promised to return as they remained closed on World Theatre Day.

The teams behind venues in London and across the UK, including Mamma Mia! and Wicked, marked the annual celebration by sharing messages online.

Theatres, live music spaces and galleries remain closed amid the coronavirus pandemic, although many are broadcasting new and classic performances into peoples homes.

On World Theatre Day we are missing all of our fabulous fans. We cant wait to see you all again in our beloved home, the Novello Theatre, London #MammaMiaMusical #MammaMiaLondon #WorldTheatreDay pic.twitter.com/6S116k9QOL  MAMMA MIA! (@MammaMiaMusical) March 27, 2020

The team behind the London production of Mamma Mia! at the Novello theatre said they were missing their fabulous fans and could not wait to reopen.

A message on Twitter said: On World Theatre Day we are missing all of our fabulous fans. We cant wait to see you all again in our beloved home, the Novello Theatre, London.

This #WorldTheatreDay let's have a celebration the Wicked way and share your most wonderful memories from Oz! 



Whether your first trip to the Emerald City or your Wicked-versary of how many times you've joined us, we'd love to hear from you.  pic.twitter.com/HxbZkNqC8C  Wicked UK (@WickedUK) March 27, 2020

Wicked at the Apollo Victoria theatre asked fans to share memories of their first trip to the Emerald City.

The shows official Twitter account said: This #WorldTheatreDay lets have a celebration the Wicked way and share your most wonderful memories from Oz!

Whether your first trip to the Emerald City or your Wicked-versary of how many times youve joined us, wed love to hear from you.

Video of the Day

On #WorldTheatreDay, we're reminded that the stories that inspire us in the smallest of moments can connect us in the most life changing of ways. We celebrate our global Come From Away community Soon, we will all be back on The Rock around the world!https://t.co/nOG34vktRr  Come From Away (@wecomefromaway) March 27, 2020

The Olivier Award-winning musical Come From Away, which was playing at the Phoenix theatre, promised to return.

A message on Twitter said: On #WorldTheatreDay, were reminded that the stories that inspire us in the smallest of moments can connect us in the most life changing of ways.

We celebrate our global Come From Away community. Soon, we will all be back on The Rock around the world!

Its been a tough few weeks but it's Friday, it's #WorldTheatreDay and it is our duty to bring you some dance!



So tonight YOUR home is our theatre  pic.twitter.com/5mbOLV6i3E  Sadler's Wells (@Sadlers_Wells) March 27, 2020

London dance theatre Sadlers Wells highlighted its online programme of events.

The venue is streaming performances and workshops online, starting with Balletboyz Deluxe on Friday evening.

A message on its Twitter said: Its been a tough few weeks but its Friday, its #WorldTheatreDay and it is our duty to bring you some dance! So tonight YOUR home is our theatre.

Today is #WorldTheatreDay! 



Do you remember when The Prince of Wales, President of @TheRSC, joined Dame Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir @IanMcKellen and other theatre stars on stage to celebrate Shakespeares 400th anniversary? pic.twitter.com/sKy89gvGxp  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 27, 2020

Clarence House shared a short video of the Prince of Wales, president of the Royal Shakespeare Company, meeting a cast of famous faces from the acting world.

A caption said: Today is #WorldTheatreDay! Do you remember when The Prince of Wales, President of @TheRSC, joined Dame Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir @IanMcKellen and other theatre stars on stage to celebrate Shakespeares 400th anniversary?

The British Film Institute also shared a video of Sir Ian, this time rehearsing for Shakespeares Richard II at the Newcastle Theatre Royal in 1968.
Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings has tested negative for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

The former president voluntarily took the test earlier this week.

His office made this known in a press release on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Former President Rawlings has in the past few days voluntarily tested for the virus and received a negative result, the release said.

His office also announced that they will be closing down due to the outbreak due to the pandemic. It said the move was to curb the spread of the disease.

The closure of the office is due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic and aimed at protecting both staff and visitors alike, the release said.

While declaring his support for the measures taken by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana, Rawlings urged the public to adhere to the various precautionary measures.

Isolation is key to protecting ourselves from the COVID-19 virus and it is in support of measures taken by the government to stem the spread of the virus, Rawlings said.

Ghana's case count

As at 0600GMT on Friday, March 27, 2020, Ghana's COVID-19 case count was 132 cases.

Out of the number, 78 were people under mandatory quarantine while, 54 were of people in the general national population. Three of those in the general national population have however died.

One person within the general national population has also recovered.

This leaves the total number of active cases at 128.

Find the full press release below

People in Ghana are now talking about a lockdown. Majority of people who will be affected by decisions of that nature are the working people of our country. The ordinary people of Ghana. They are the ones who will be affected and it is important for us to take into account the circumstances and conditions. When we lock down Accra, what are the consequences? A responsible government is required to look at all the implications before decisions are made. And that is the exercise we are currently engaged in and I am hoping that much sooner than later we will come to an agreement on what those measures are and the Ghanaian people will be informed, the President said.

citinewsroom
One of the most iconic shows, Ramayana, is all set to make a comeback on Indian television, Minister for Information & Broadcast Prakash Javdekar announced on Friday.

Earlier in the week, Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekar had announced that he was in talks with right holders to bring back highly loved shows of the 80s--Ramanand Sagars Ramayana and B R Chopras Mahabharata back on DD National as the country withdraws into a 21-day lockdown. Taking to Twitter, the Union Minister announced that the epic series would be re-telecast on DD National channel, starting from March 28 and will feature one episode in the morning between 9 am to 10 pm and in the evening between 9 pm to 10 pm.

READ | MS Dhoni Joins COVID-19 Battle, Makes Monetary Donation To Daily Wage Laborers In Pune

Ramayana to make a comeback

Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting retelecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow, Saturday March 28 in DD National, One episode in morning 9 am to 10 am, another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm.@narendramodi

@PIBIndia@DDNational  Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 27, 2020

Union I&B minister @PrakashJavdekar:



Happy to announce that on public demand, we are starting the re-telecast of 'Ramayana' from tomorrow (Saturday, March 28) on @DDNational



- One episode in the morning 9 am to 10 am

- Another in the evening 9 pm to 10 pm pic.twitter.com/LKdHIdXVce  DD News (@DDNewslive) March 27, 2020

READ | Amid Lockdown, UP Govt Lends A Hand Of Help To Migrant Workers Travelling Home On Foot

The country which is currently shut in a three-week-long lockdown owing to the Coronavirus pandemic has been asking the government to bring the Mahabharata and Ramayana back on small screens. The Prasar Bharti CEO replied to one such tweet of a man who had even tagged Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar asking him to arrange a repeat telecast of the two iconic shows on Doordarshan, where they had originally aired.

READ | Maharashtra's First Coronavirus Patients Recover After Quarantine; Welcomed By Neighbours

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, asper the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

READ | Health Workers In Rajasthan Sing A Song To Keep Spirit High Amid Fight Against Coronavirus
DeWitt, N.Y.  They have a morning huddle every day at Little Jaws Big Smiles.

The staff of 11 at the pediatric dentistry office gathers with the two dentists and they go through the patients for the day: What cases might be tricky? Who will need a little more TLC?

But the morning huddle in the cheery yellow staff room March 16 was different. Thats when dentist Tansy Schoonmaker and her partner, Cosmina Nolan, told their 11 employees that they would soon be out of work.

The pediatric dentistry office in DeWitt usually has a practice so brisk its tough to fit in all the patients. But now the office is shut for everything but emergencies during the coronavirus pandemic. Because dental procedures have among the highest risk for spread of the virus, which travels in droplets of spit, all the dentists can do is pull teeth, Schoonmaker said.

During that March 16 meeting, Schoonmaker told the employees it seemed like theyd be able to reopen in a few weeks. But the more she read, the clearer it became that dental offices will be among the last to be up and running again. She thinks it could be June or later.

She finally sent her staff an email, urging them to file for unemployment or find other jobs if they need them.

I cant have you thinking its April 6. Its not two weeks, not three weeks. Theres no end in sight, she wrote.

That broke me, Schoommaker said. Telling people to go find another job because I cant provide for them.

Her business, her life and theirs all turned upside down in an instant.

It is a story told and retold in so many businesses and homes. The characters and losses are different; the situation is universal. New unemployment filings across the nation hit 3.28 million this week, a record.

Schoonmaker understands why all of this is necessary. She agrees with it. Everyone should stay home.

Like so many, shes now her kids teacher. She taught her daughters, who are 7 and 8, about how the coronavirus spreads. One daughter drew it in blue.

I was not meant to be a teacher. I was definitely not meant to be their teacher, she says, laughing a little.

While Schoonmaker was on a call trying to convince a state lawmaker to change emergency guidelines so dentists could save a tooth instead of pulling it, she was also trying to figure out how to get one of her kids onto a Zoom call for gym class.

Dentist Tansy Schoonmaker is home-schooling her kids, like everyone else, now that her dental office is closed because of coronavirus.

Her husband, a software engineer for a Syracuse firm, is also working from home. Hes tucked away in a quiet corner of the basement so the kids dont end up crying about math on his conference calls.

Schoonmaker saw part of this coming. In January, she realized the virus would make masks and gloves hard to come by, so the office upped its orders. But she didnt predict how the virus would shut everything down.

She didnt predict that shed be on the phone in March, trying to figure out what to do with her business loan when no money is coming in.

The lender is giving her three months off with no interest, she said. So far, shes not had luck getting the same arrangement with her landlord. While she and her partner paid to renovate the building, they do not own it.

But its about more than the business of all this. Its about the kids and their teeth in the practice built by two mom dentists.

Grownups can skip a cleaning or put off taking care of a cavity for a bit and be OK. But decay works fast in smaller mouths. That keeps Schoonmaker awake.

A child who has a cavity that doesnt get treated now likely will need a root canal or an extraction in four to six months. For Schoonmaker, hugging the kids and joking with them is as much a part of her job as the drilling. And if she gets a call from a parent now whose child is having a serious problem, she has only one option: pull it. Otherwise she faces a fine.

Its heartbreaking to put a gap in a childs smile, knowing that you could have saved that tooth with a root canal or a cap. Shes had to do it twice already. She gets the reason behind the rule, but still, its crushing.

Schoonmaker is worried about her staff. She calls them her team. Most of them are moms, too.

Dr. Tansy Schoonmaker and her partner had to lay off their staff at Little Jaws Big Smiles because of the coronavirus restrictions.

Two of the team who went out on unemployment are pregnant. One staffers husband was recently diagnosed with cancer and required major surgery, so he, too, is out of work.

At least one is having landlord trouble because shell be late on rent. Schoonmaker was planning to call the landlord to back off. (The state has said no one can be evicted now.)

As of Wednesday, none of her team had been able to get through to file for unemployment benefits.

Samantha Fitzgerald took the dental assistant job with Schoonmaker three months ago. She had been working as a waitress but left to get a steady paycheck and have weekends off with her 3-year-old son.

Fitzgerald recently divorced. Her ex-husband lost his job last week, too, she said. Hes a bartender.

Shes called the state unemployment office more than 50 times. Shes tried countless times to get through online. First, she used her phone. When that didnt work, she went to a friends house to use a computer.

She thought she got through to a person Thursday. But it was just a recording. Too many people were calling. She should try back another time.

Soon, her rent will be due. She has to buy food for herself and her son.

Fitzgerald has money for this month, but nothing after that: Im pretty terrified.

Schoonmaker has told her workers, again, not to wait for her if they need jobs and can find them.

She knows there will be enough money to turn the lights back on and start up again.

But how she and her partner will rebuild this staff of moms who love the kids who come through the doors is hard to see.

Schoonmaker remembers how it was when they started. It was one patient the first week. The next week they had three.

Well get there again, she says, looking at the empty dental chair. Because we are good and we are kind.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Am I essential? 100s across NY grapple with question  and ask us  amid coronavirus pandemic Did I infect my students? Teacher worries after 8 days with no coronavirus test results

At The Chef & The Cook in Baldwinsville, coronavirus closure is now permanent

Coronavirus stimulus payouts: When will I get my check? How much money?

Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about people and public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246

Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.
ROME  Doctors and nurses in Italys overwhelmed northern hospitals have welcomed a slight stabilizing in the number of coronavirus infections but fear the virus is still silently spreading in the countrys south 2 weeks into the Wests most extreme nationwide shutdown.

As the dead in Italy keep piling up, virologists warn that the actual number of cases could be more than five times as high as the official count, which reached just shy of 86,500 on Friday. That means infections will still climb even with Italians ordered to stay home for all but essential activity.

Italy, one of the hot spots in the global pandemic, has by far the most virus deaths of any nation in the world, a grim tally that reached 9,134 as of Friday. Italy also surpassed China in its number of confirmed cases and has more than any nation besides the United States, which outpaced China in total cases on Thursday.

It is something devastating, said the Rev. Mario Carminati, who has turned over a church in the tiny Lombard town of Seriate to host coffins before they are taken by military convoy to be cremated.

Despite the toll, officials have also expressed cautious optimism that the exponential spread of the virus is starting to slow in the hard-hit north, thanks to two weeks of military-enforced stay-at-home orders. For several days this week, new infections and deaths showed signs of slowing down, and emergency rooms werent seeing the tsunami of sick that characterized the first weeks of the pandemic following Italys first positive test Feb. 20.

The numbers are still high, but for a few days now the numbers have stopped rising, thank God, said Dr. Luca Lorini, head of intensive care at the Pope John XXIII hospital in Bergamo, one of the hardest hit of Italys public hospitals.

He marvels that he is still standing and wonders if maybe he was infected early on with slight symptoms and developed immunity. Nationwide, at least 50 doctors have died and 6,414 medical personnel have tested positive.

Nicole Winfield, Colleen Barry and Trisha Thomas are Associated Press writers.
By Andy Bruce and Estelle Shirbon

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government will pay grants to self-employed people who have lost their livelihoods because of the coronavirus lockdown, further extending an unprecedented package of measures to prevent the economy from collapsing.

Finance minister Rishi Sunak, who had previously announced the state would pay part of the wages of employees to dissuade their firms from laying them off, had come under pressure to offer a similar lifeline to Britain's 5 million self-employed workers.

Governments around the world are scrambling to avert economic catastrophe, underlined on Thursday by shock figures from the United States showing that more than 3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week.

Sunak said Britain's government would pay those self-employed people who have been adversely affected by the coronavirus a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits over the last three years, up to 2,500 pounds ($3,000) a month.

"To all of those who are self employed, who are rightly anxious and worried about the next few months: you haven't been forgotten, we will not leave you behind and we are all in this together," Sunak said at a news conference in Downing Street.

But he added that self-employed workers will have to last out until mid-June for the scheme to kick in and they must also wait to be contacted by tax authorities.

The scheme will be open to those with trading profits of up to 50,000 pounds, for at least three months.

A Treasury official said up to 3.8 million workers will be covered and two think-tanks, the Resolution Foundation and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, estimated Thursday's measures will cost the government some 10 billion pounds.

The cap of 2,500 pounds per month is the same as that for employees in the package of measures announced previously. Together, the schemes for employees and the self-employed will protect around 80% of British workers, Sunak said.

"What we have done will, I believe, stand as one of the most significant economic interventions at any point in the history of the British state and by any government anywhere in the world," he said.

Story continues

About 15% of Britain's workers are self-employed, a bigger share of the workforce than in any other Group of Seven rich nations apart from Italy.

CHALLENGING TIMES AHEAD

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed welcomed Sunak's plans.

"It is now critical that the government delivers this practical support to people on the ground as soon as possible," BCC director general Adam Marshall said.

Opposition Labour Party spokesman John McDonnell said he welcomed the new measures but worried that self-employed workers would need help sooner than mid-June.

Working in tandem, the government and the Bank of England have been announcing enormous packages of measures to try and cushion the impact of the epidemic - the scale of which was underlined by new figures showing the UK death toll had risen by over 100 to 578.

The central bank carried out two emergency rate cuts earlier this month and vastly expanded its bond purchase programme. It said on Thursday it was ready to further ramp up its bond-buying programme if necessary.

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft and Alistair Smout; editing by Stephen Addison)
Since he was traveling by gigantic boat and not by car, hed been en route since Monday.

Im sitting in my cabin right now, he said.

Captain Rotruck is the commanding officer of the Mercy, the 1,000-bed U.S. Navy hospital ship heading to the Port of L.A. to alleviate pressure on the regions health care systems caused by an anticipated surge in coronavirus patients.

Officials have said the medical staff aboard the ship will treat Angelenos with conditions not related to Covid-19, like heart attacks, or who have been in car crashes.

Though the task may sound grim, for many of the roughly 1,000 sailors aboard, including a full-time crew of 61 who maintain the vessel, its a new kind of mission, Captain Rotruck said.

I see a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, he said. Its very unusual for us to be able to do something this directly for the American people.

Typically, he said, the ship goes out every couple years to provide care or to help build medical capacity in other countries, like the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

This time, the mission is hitting much closer to home, not just because its on American soil, but because many of the crew are based in San Diego.
[March 27, 2020]

Plex Systems Boasts 11 Consecutive Years of Double-Digit Revenue Growth

TROY, Mich., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plex Systems, which delivers the first smart manufacturing platform, today announced it achieved its 11th consecutive year of double-digit revenue growth in 2019. Plex business unit DemandCaster, the leader in cloud software for agile, end-to-end supply chain planning, also achieved a 53% jump in ARR last year. Nearly 700 manufacturers in 29 countries now use Plex solutions to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their businessfrom the shop floor to the top floorto drive business transformation. In the last year, Plex cloud solutions have achieved an industry leading 96% renewal rate and 99.99% up-time.

"The MPI Corporation transformation team identifies and implements digital strategies, technologies, and projects that help the company expand employee engagement, reduce risk, and increase competitive advantage in the market," said Bob Bierwagen, vice president of digital strategy at MPI Corporation. "Our Plex Industrial IoT pilot is a significant differentiator for MPI, and is helping drive measurable value by reducing unplanned downtime and maintenance costs by up to 25%."

Plex Supports Leading Manufacturers

Customers that selected Plex in 2019 include category leaders in the aerospace, automotive, fabricated metals, food and beverage, industrial machinery, and plastics and rubber industries:

EIS Wire and Cable Company, located in Massachusetts , specializes in manufacturing a wide range of custom design and standard construction products, from single conductor hook-up wire to complex multi-conductor composite cables.

, specializes in manufacturing a wide range of custom design and standard construction products, from single conductor hook-up wire to complex multi-conductor composite cables. Vulcan , Inc., is at the forefront of the traffic control industry. The company manufactures aluminum coil, aluminum blanks and sheet, traffic signs, utility signs and markers and custom metal stampings in their five facilities in Alabama .

, Inc., is at the forefront of the traffic control industry. The company manufactures aluminum coil, aluminum blanks and sheet, traffic signs, utility signs and markers and custom metal stampings in their five facilities in . Taylor Power Systems, headquartered in Mississippi , designs, engineers, manufactures, and services generators for the oil and gas, industrial, commercial, business, health care, telecommunications, municipalities, agricultural, and any standby or prime power needs.

, designs, engineers, manufactures, and services generators for the oil and gas, industrial, commercial, business, health care, telecommunications, municipalities, agricultural, and any standby or prime power needs. LeoStella is a state-of-the-art satelite design and manufacturing company transforming constellation construction by building smallsats cost-effectively and at scale.







Plex Industrial IoT gives manufacturers insights into machine performance, quality, productivity, and avoid unplanned downtime. Industrial IoT connects machines, processes, and systems and collects and contextualizes information in real-time to drive better decision-making at all business levels.

Plex Manufacturing Execution Suite (Plex MES) offers flexibility to manufacturers who are looking to gain shop floor control and visibility by using Plex's best-of-breed manufacturing operations capabilities. Plex MES is a right-sized solution ideal for companies that are committed to an enterprise business system while looking to optimize their operations.

Gartner recognized Plex Systems as a Challenger in the 2019 Magic Quadrant for Manufacturing Execution Systems. 1 For this report, Gartner evaluates vendors on their Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. Plex is positioned furthest for Completeness of Vision in the Challengers quadrant and has improved its position on the Ability to Execute axis compared to the previous year.

Plex Adds Offices, Grows Leadership Team Globally

Plex Has an Award-Winning Culture

Plex earned its 7 th inclusion in the National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list, which recognized Plex for its commitment to better business, enriching the lives of its team members, and helping build strong communities.

inclusion in the National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list, which recognized Plex for its commitment to better business, enriching the lives of its team members, and helping build strong communities. For the 11th consecutive year, Plex was included in the Metropolitan Detroit's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list, based on direct employee surveys.

1Source: Gartner, "Magic Quadrant for Manufacturing Execution Systems," Rick Franzosa, 29 October 2019

Gartner Disclaimers

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Plex Systems

Plex Systems, Inc. delivers the first smart manufacturing platform that empowers the world's leading innovators to make awesome products. Plex gives process and discrete manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their businessfrom the shop floor to the top floor to drive business transformation. Built in the cloud, the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes MES, ERP, supply chain management, Industrial IoT, and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility in an ever-changing market. Learn more at www.plex.com.

2020 Plex Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Plex Manufacturing Cloud and the Plex logo are registered trademarks of Plex Systems, Inc.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plex-systems-boasts-11-consecutive-years-of-double-digit-revenue-growth-301030651.html

SOURCE Plex Systems
Secretary General consults with foreign ministers about COVID-19 and upcoming meeting

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

26 Mar. 2020

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a series of calls with foreign ministers from NATO and partner countries on 24-26 March 2020 as part of his regular political consultations.

Mr. Stoltenberg also spoke with European Union High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell.

They discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures being taken to stop the spread of the virus and mitigate its effects. Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that the pandemic is a test for everyone, and that NATO Allies stand in solidarity and continue to work together in responding to the crisis.

Mr. Stoltenberg also updated ministers on plans for the meeting via secure teleconference of NATO Foreign Ministers on 2 April.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Upcoming Seven drama RFDS is the latest to suspend production during the coronavirus crisis.

The series is described as a gripping new action-drama on a grand scale, based in Australias red heart, where the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart stopping emergencies they attend.

Filming was due to take place around Broken Hill.

An Endemol Shine spokesperson said, Due to the ever changing situation of COVID-19, it has been decided to temporarily suspend pre-production of RFDS (working title). We will continue to assess the situation to determine when production can recommence.

We remain committed to working with the incredible Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Broken Hill community and look forward to telling their stories.

The cast includes Justine Clarke (Tangle, Rake, The Time Of Our Lives), Rob Collins (The Wrong Girl, Glitch, Cleverman) and Stephen Peacocke (Home and Away, Wanted, Five Bedrooms).
David Zweig, a University of Toronto management expert, apologizes for the delay in answering an interview request this week.

Im going on a video call in about five minutes, Zweig explains.

Its the new normal, the homebound academic adds.

If anything can be said to be normal in these fraught times  adrift on a wave of virus  its that millions of people have taken to working, learning and buying from home with aplomb.

For many, that domesticated toil, education and commerce may long outlive COVID-19, however tenacious it proves to be, Zweig says.

This basically ripped a Band-Aid off for trying all these different methods of working, he says.

Working remotely, not having to commute. Weve learned that we can adapt. And some people might not want to go back to how it was before.

Zweig, a professor of organizational behaviour and human resources at the schools Scarborough campus, predicts that a hybrid approach to working will emerge from the viral disruptions, with some people toiling occasionally, often or entirely from home.

While many organizations will doubtless see a return to pre-COVID-19 arrangements, others  especially those businesses where technology easily allows it  will become largely or partially off-site enterprises.

I dont think everyone is going to be like, Hey, I want to go back to driving an hour each way to work when I know I can work perfectly well from home,  he says.

Im an extrovert, Im going crazy not having social interactions, but for others this is ideal.

Thus phrases like hotelling, where office desks and equipment are scheduled and shared, and hot-desking, where one desk is shared through shifts, are now becoming more common in the workplace lexicon, Zweig says.

And such newfangled arrangements have the obvious advantage of saving companies money on equipment and office space.

The costs of the dispersals, however, are just as obvious, Zweig says.

For one thing, its going to be very hard to build a sense of culture with people if they are all working remotely, particularly people working in teams, he says.

And to try to  socialize people into the way that the organization does things, thats gong to be really tough.

While more and less extroverted people would take to the home office with differing inclinations, most everyone would need some mental bolstering, he says.

Im trying to take my own advice in telling people to take breaks and make sure that they take some time to clear their heads and step away from work, Zweig says.

I also advise people to create your own workspace wherever you can  so that everyone in your home knows that once youre in your workspace they need to try to not interrupt, and for you to know that once youre in it, its time to go to work.

Its not just work, however, that will take on a greater homespun aspect because of the pandemic, Zweig says.

Eduction and commerce will also be pixelated to a greater extent.

Thats especially true with home shopping, which, already ascendant, is soaring even higher during the current crisis, says Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade.

We certainly would agree that the movement to a digital economy is going to be accelerated through this situation, De Silva says.

Amazon, food by phone  all of these folks are ramping up right now just to deal with demand, and I do believe it is going to set the stage for us to move up to a higher level of e-consumption, she says.

For his part, Zweig has fallen in love with the idea of online grocery shopping in particular.

I cant wait to go out to a restaurant, I cant wait to get out of my house and go for a coffee, he says. But for many of us, the question is, Why would we ever go to a grocery store again? 

De Silva believes that this online-ordering uptick will far surpass and outlast the work-from-home exodus caused by the pandemic.

Im not sure how long the work-from-home environment will continue to be as prevalent, its more the consumption side of things we would see going digital.

Indeed, De Silvas own staff is housebound now and chomping at the bit to get back to the office, she says.

Theres a little bit of stir craziness going on where people just want to get back together into a place where they can collaborate directly, De Silva says.

I think there are still roles that will need to be fulfilled in a workplace, but certainly on the consumption side of things we would see this being much more of a shift to digital e-commerce.

As for education, which is being conducted online across Ontario by post-secondary schools, the far-flung form is less than ideal, Zweig says.

Were doing the best we can with the online tools available to us, Zweig says, adding that hes constantly nonplussed by the silences that greet his online jokes these days.

But will it replace in-person, in-class delivery? I dont think so.

While the cost savings online education reaps may prompt universities and colleges to create hybrid options, most students would be loath to miss out on the social and learning benefits a milling campus brings.

Elizabeth Hall, executive director of the Ontario Bar Association, is working from home with her lawyer husband and two young children, both of whom just received their first FaceTime piano lesson this week.

By a fortunate coincidence, Hall says the association had dedicated this year to innovation, in particular to the spread of technology that would make working from home more seamless.

And it has worked incredibly well so far, Hall says of her office, whose staff are all working remotely.

Hall has little doubt the pandemic will speed the spread of technology through the profession, and says the association is working with government and the courts to make remote work more possible.

For example, it helped build a virtual hearing capacity in the courts that Hall hopes will continue after the pandemic breaks.

This necessity is the mother of invention and the mother of the purchase of invention, Hall says of the pandemic.

But Hall admits that she misses interaction with her colleagues.

In terms of whether its appealing permanently, I would say that going down the hall, as they say, to talk to a colleague is a lot harder virtually, she says.

Weve been on Zoom meetings, weve been dropping in on each other on Zoom, so its been fun in a way, but it isnt quite as appealing as face-to-face contact, and it isnt quite as easy as face-to-face contact when youre in the office next to someone.

For those workers who are currently deemed essential and for whom home work is not an option, Zweig says employers must offer as much support as they can muster.

Im sure every time someone steps into (their store) they might be thinking to themselves, Is this the one?  he says. And I imagine that is incredible stressful  so employers have to be incredibly supportive.

In the end, however, Zweig says work and the economy will return full force.

Of course well come back, were resilient, he says.

We may come back to a slightly different situation then when we started, but thats OK.
There is no money coming in. Photo: MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze/MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Weve removed our paywall from essential coronavirus news stories. Become a subscriber to support our journalists. Subscribe now.

On day eight of the theater shutdown, I spoke to an unnamed managing director at a New York theater whose panic was beginning to consume her. She was furious and terrified and bewildered  how was theater going to survive? Why didnt people understand the existential threat? Even the fast-growing community efforts and GoFundMe campaigns and digital arts initiatives didnt offer her any comfort  if anything, they heightened her anxiety. The best of those is, say, raising $30,000, she said. The need for these workers is so much much greater than that! They need an agency with more power to step in and address the needs they have, and theater institutions, who are themselves in free fall, are not necessarily able to do that. There needs to be serious government advocacy! I dont know who that advocate is, and the peers that Im talking to now dont know who that is.

On day fifteen, we know. Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has long been a central resource for its member theaters (around 500 nationally) and individual members (10,000, give or take). It offers conferences, webinars, research and data collection, networking, the magazine American Theatre, and, crucially, advocacy. We have an advocacy team of one! laughs executive director Teresa Eyring, referring to Laurie Baskin, the director of TCGs Research, Policy & Collective Action department. But with a lot of support from the staff and the board, Eyring says, Baskin is working tirelessly to make sure that on the federal level, someone is supporting our arts ecology. What that actually means is being part of a complicated web of co-advocacy mechanisms, like the Performing Arts Alliance (PAA), a megagroup of trade organizations. (It also means conference calls of staggering length.)

Regardless of membership, in the current crisis, TCGs constituency is now  all of American performance. Its not that TCG and the PAA are the only ones fighting for theatermakers. A powerful multipronged effort to get relief bills to include arts sector workers has come from unions like SAG/AFTRA, IATSE, and Actors Equity, while issues particular to playwrights are being funneled through the Dramatists Guild, since multiunion agreements dont cover them. But when I spoke to resident theater organizers, many agreed that when it comes to speaking for their concerns, TCG is at the point of the spear.

The actor and playwright Nikkole Salter is a board member of TCG and sits on the council of the Dramatists Guild. If it were a normal March, Salter says TCG would be gearing up for Arts Advocacy Day, when arts lobbyists descend on the Hill to argue for everything from the protection of wireless microphones from interference to improving the artists visa process. Thats the work theyve always done, says Salter, and now that whole department has ramped up. A lot of what I learned about advocating with my senators in New Jersey is that they need evidence of care  in other words, written notices and letters. Even if the senator personally can see the merit of the request, what they have to do is rally that support, that physical evidence, when they take to their legislative body. So TCG is pushing people to use their voice, use the forms, sign onto the Action Alerts. That becomes a kind of currency as they fight for our request.

There has been a huge effort to communicate the specific harms and vulnerabilities in the arts, and news about the government response is mixed. After conducting a fieldwide survey, Americans for the Arts estimated the immediate damage caused by the coronavirus and presented the result to Congress: $4 billion. It wasnt the amount that would make every wound whole, but it was ambitious and it would stanch the bleeding. Of course, you never get exactly what you ask for in negotiations like these, and several of the advocates I spoke with didnt expect to here. But in the current $2 trillion relief package, the only performing-arts-specific allocations come in at $150 million  $75 million to be disbursed by the National Endowment for the Arts, the other half by the National Endowment for the Humanities. (A further $25 million goes just to the Kennedy Center.) Although $150 million isnt chump change, its only 3.75 percent of the original ask. You could film a season of Westworld with that money; you will obviously not be able to restart an entire sector.

A government relations consultant for cultural organizations, who asked to remain anonymous to protect future efforts, described the bill as totally insufficient, a drop in the bucket. (Germany is giving its arts sector $52 billion, for a fun comparison.) There will reportedly be yet another relief package, which does offer hope, though theres ample evidence that Republicans in the Senate dont feel that the arts are a critical need. Look at a recent tweet by Nikki Haley, for instance. She lists the meager quantities going to arts groups and asks How many more people could have been helped with this money? That betrays a deep ignorance of what constitutes relief, since a healthy arts industry hires human beings in the same way a healthy airline does. But if the rumblings are true, there might be yet more aid on the way  some language has apparently already been drafted, and we should look for something at the end of this week.

Still, even the current bill, as it stands, has provisions that Baskin greets with something like optimism. For instance, when it comes to unemployment insurance, those thousands of emails and petitions actually succeeded. Salter points out that, in New York specifically, the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits have often been ill-suited to the way a theater artist works: in spurts, in and out of the state, and for multiple employers. The relief bill has made it so that freelancers, gig-economy workers, and contract workers will be covered, and the federal government will add $600 per week to each states payout. That battle to enfranchise gig workers in the social net has been a long one, and its worth celebrating its (temporary) victory. Median rent for a one-bedroom in Brooklyn is $2,950, though, so theres still more work to be done. Salter suggests turning your activist energies to state and local politicians. Those are state sessions of the assembly where many of those unemployment insurance decisions are made, Salter says. Local things happen faster. The federal concessions take a minute to pass, but if the state decides to expand it, by next week people can apply  and the following week they can have a check.

The allowances in the current bill for loans through the Small Business Administration also look promising. Both nonprofits and for-profits that have fewer than 500 employees can get loans, and if those monies are used for payroll, then up to $100,000 will be forgiven outright. For the small places trying to keep from furloughing employees, thats wonderful news, though its a puzzle how it will apply to the big ones. If a 500-employee office spent it on payroll, for instance, wouldnt that mean giving each worker just $200? Its also not money that can be used to get that little business back on its feet. How, the government consultant asks, will we pull people back into civic life after stay-at-home orders expire? In New York, at least, the consultant muses, the giant corporations with their comparatively light tax burdens may need to step into the gap.

Baskin notes that the allotments to the NEA, NEH, Smithsonian, and so on are getting attention, but we dont need to look only to them for relief  there are multiple avenues in a $2 trillion package, its not solely in terms of grants from the NEA. Another win that arts advocates had been pushing for since 2017, for instance, is the ability to write off charitable deductions even if you dont itemize your taxes, which, for the small donor, will be a big deal. I dont want to paint too rosy a picture, Baskin says. The package doesnt solve the problem. Theres a lot of hurt out there; theaters have had to cancel seasons, cancel galas, furlough their workers. I dont want to minimize whats going on. All I am trying to suggest is that its not just the $75 million. There are other opportunities beyond that. For more information, and a provision-by-provision breakdown of the bill, itll be posted on TCGs Advocacy News tab in the next few days.

Activism can be a mighty shield against helplessness and fear. In a recent memo to an embattled staff, a doctor in the thick of fighting the coronavirus referred to the rapture of action, and I know many quarantined people who are desperate to taste it. Certainly the advocates that Ive spoken to have more vigor in their voices than most. Eyring and Baskin refer repeatedly and warmly to the collective nature of their efforts on behalf of the field, and Salter, who has watched job after premiere after opportunity fall into the COVID-19 void, has been taking strength from her long life in organizing too. I understand the network and the ecology of the theater because of this work, Salter says. And seeing how it intersects with government structures has given me perspective, given me hope. I think its because I know just how many people are working to provide the net to catch us.

In a moment when everything breaks down, theres also a possibility to build something new. Eyring points out that there is an opportunity now for leaders at the institutional level to rethink how theyre doing things  what their seasons look like, how the arts delivered, what their partnerships are, both with other organizations and the community. The not-for-profit model is riddled with its own hierarchies and assumptions, and it could use an overhaul. Corinna Schulenburg, TCGs director of communications, chimes in from a personal perspective. As an artist who had a show canceled, as a mother whos now working as a half-time kindergarten teacher, as a trans woman whose medical care is now considered elective  Ive thought a lot about this moment, she says. I feel this too is a moment of transition, and just as the other one was marked by grief and loss but ultimately led to liberation and joy, we can move into this national transition with some intentionality. We can find joy.

One of the things were talking about internally, says Schulenburg, has been the way in which the scale of this catastrophe  a wholesale shutting down of the field  is only really comparable is the Great Depression. Were looking at 20 percent or higher unemployment! So what lessons can we find in the Federal Theater Project? Under the New Deal, the governments super-spending effort that put America back to work in the 30s, the Federal Theater Project only accounted for 0.5 percent of the Works Progress Administration spending, which, if you applied that to the current bailout, would come to $10 billion. Schulenburg has dreams for that money. And oh, oh, oh  a new New Deal is a heady thought. Were still surrounded by the structures the WPA gave us, including dams, bridges, airports, roads  and, yes, our regional theater system. Maybe a new one could bring it back.
Photo: The Canadian Press A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects a car to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in downtown Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region and authorities have advised people to stay at home but have not imposed the kinds of lockdowns seen elsewhere. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

The head of the United Nations told leaders of the worlds 20 major industrialized nations during an emergency virtual summit Thursday that "we are at war with a virus  and not winning it despite dramatic measures by countries to seal their borders, shutter businesses and enforce home isolation for well over a quarter of the world's population.

The unusual video call in lieu of a physical gathering comes as governments around the world stress the importance of social distancing to curb the spread of the highly infectious virus, which has prompted closures, curfews and lockdowns globally.

The Group of 20 nations, criticized for not taking cohesive action against the virus or its economic impact, vowed to work together and said they are collectively injecting more than $4.8 trillion into the global economy to counteract the social and financial impacts of the pandemic.

In a final statement after the meeting, the G20 said they were committed to strengthening the World Health Organizations mandate. They said global action, solidarity and international co-operation were needed more than ever, but made no specific commitments.

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities," the group said. The virus respects no borders."

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged G20 leaders to adopt a war-time plan to tackle the pandemic.

It took the world three months to reach 100,000 confirmed cases of infection, he said. The next 100,000 happened in just 12 days. The third took four days. The fourth, just one and a half.

This is exponential growth and only the tip of the iceberg, Guterres said, adding that countries must be able to combine systematic testing, tracing, quarantining and treatment, as well as co-ordinate an exit strategy to keep it suppressed until a vaccine becomes available.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said later that the secretary-general thought the meeting was an important step in the right direction, but theres still a long way to go for truly concerted and effective global leadership in response to this pandemic and its impact.

The WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told the G20 leaders: We are at war with a virus that threatens to tear us apart  if we let it.

He urged leaders to fight without excuses, without regrets, thanking countries that have already taken steps to fight the pandemic and urging them to do more. He also encouraged leaders to unite, saying no country can fight COVID-19 alone.

Saudi Arabia, which is presiding over the G20 this year, opened the meeting with an urgent appeal by King Salman for the world's most powerful nations to finance the research and development of a vaccine for the virus.

This human crisis requires a global response. The world counts on us to come together and co-operate in order to face this challenge," the Saudi monarch said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced during the call that the UK was providing additional funding to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is supporting the development of vaccines, bringing its contribution to 250 million pounds ($302 million).

The meeting was not open to the media, and governments and organizations distributed the participants' comments after it concluded.

In the video call, world leaders like India's Narendra Modi, Japan's Shinzo Abe and Canada's Justin Trudeau, whose wife has contracted the virus, could be seen in little boxes on a screen seated at desks in photos shared on Twitter by European Council President Charles Michel.

President Donald Trump was shown seated at the end of a long conference table in Washington with other American officials in photos shared on social media by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

"We talked about the problem. And hopefully it won't be a problem for too much longer," Trump said about the call. "The United States is working with our friends and partners around the world to stop the spread of the virus.

"We discussed how vitally important it is for all of our nations to immediately share information and data. And we've been doing that to a large extent, but we'll do it even more. Tremendous spirit among all of those countries at 20 countries. ... A tremendous spirit to get this over with."

The meeting also included Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was taking part in the summit from her apartment in Berlin where she is in quarantine after a doctor who gave her a pneumonia vaccine had tested positive for the virus. Two tests on Merkel have come back negative, but she'll still need more tests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested setting up a special fund under the IMF that would offer interest-free loans, and he emphasized the need to create green corridors for free movement of supplies and technologies intended to deal with the pandemic. He also proposed a moratorium on sanctions with regard to essential goods.

Putin noted "it's a matter of life and death," emphasizing the need to get rid of political rubbish.

He did not name any specific country but appeared to refer to U.S. sanctions on Iran, which has been badly hit by the outbreak. Russia has also faced waves of Western sanctions over its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, whose country has been hardest-hit in Europe by COVID-19, said the G20 must use all fiscal and monetary policy tools to safeguard economies, and national responses must be co-ordinated, enhancing their effectiveness.
WASHINGTON  When it comes to large corporations that dont provide paid sick leave for workers, Sen. Kamala Harris is ready to resort to public shaming.

Harris, D-Calif., sent a letter Thursday to the CEOs of 36 large corporations  including McDonalds, Walmart, Kroger and Burger King  demanding they put public health ahead of profits and provide two weeks of paid sick leave and 10 weeks of family and medical leave for all workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary leadership, Harris wrote in the letter, which was co-signed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. We implore you to use your unique position as a leader in the business community to protect our workers and protect our nation.

Harris singled out corporations with more than 500 employees, which are exempt from new legislation requiring companies to provide paid sick leave to people affected by the pandemic. President Trump signed the bill March 18. Democrats tried unsuccessfully to extend the mandate to the largest companies.

Harris also took to Twitter to call the companies out by name, saying its unacceptable they aren't providing adequate paid leave for all their workers right now.

Kroger said it has begun granting two weeks paid leave to coronavirus-affected employees at its stores, which include Ralphs and Food 4 Less.

Walmart says it also has a new emergency leave policy, providing at least two weeks of paid leave for employees who contract the virus or are quarantined.

McDonalds and Burger King did not respond to requests for comment.

About a quarter of U.S. workers dont receive paid sick days, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Harris said that poses a public-safety issue during a pandemic because many workers without sick days are low-wage earners, such as waiters, cooks and housekeepers, who interact with many people on the job.

This is not only a pay equity issue, Harris told The Chronicle. It is not only about workers rights, it is literally about the fact that if you want to be safe, then advocate for paid sick leave for all workers.

The exemption for large businesses means the bill doesnt cover about 53% of workers, census data indicate.

In addition to McDonalds, Burger King, Walmart and Kroger, Harris and Gillibrand sent their letter to Subway, Pizza Hut, Target, Marriott, Wendys, Taco Bell, Dollar General, Applebees, Dunkin Donuts, Sonic, Publix, Chick-fil-A, Holiday Inn, Dominos, Walgreens, Cracker Barrel, CVS, KFC, JC Penny, IHOP, Panera, Meijer, Dollar Tree, Lowes, Wegmans, Jimmy Johns, Old Navy, Kmart, UPS, Gap, Sams Club and the Cheesecake Factory.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said Thursday that Democrats would seek to expand eligibility for paid family and medical leave in another relief bill after Congress approves a $2 trillion package that is nearing final passage.

Chronicle staff writer J.D. Morris contributed to this report.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
Mumbai, March 27 : Around 100,000-plus citizens of North Eastern states and Tibetans living, studying or working in Maharashtra are on the verge of panic over the 21-day lockdown as they could encounter a probable 'life-and-death' situation.

Mumbai and Pune, the two main cities which are also worst-hit by COVID-19, also happen to be the major hubs of NE folk, with nearly two-thirds of them being women.

Hailing from Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, besides Sikkim and a sprinkling of Tibetans, they are mostly engaged in the hospitality, beauty and grooming, and communication industries.

"The real problems are starting for us now. Most live in rented accommodations and work largely as daily wage earners. By March-end, or early April, the rents will be due or rentals up for renewals. But we have no money for this," rued Leo Tharmi Raikhan of Manipur and spokesperson for the Tangkhul Welfare Association (TWA) Mumbai.

Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party leader Krishna Hegde, who is helping the large number of NE people in the western suburbs, said they face a genuine crisis.

"With no jobs and income due to the lockdown, they may be facing starvation. The rentals is an issue even for Mumbaikars, and more so with the North East people in the present circumstances," Hegde told IANS.

TWA Vice-President Thotmahai Raingam said that most NE brethren look forward to a long break in summer to go back to their families, but all such plans are ruined now due to the lockdown of flights and trains till April 14.

"We try to go for Christmas with our families, but since it is also a big celebration in Maharashtra, most don't get leave, so they compensate with the summer break. Now things appear uncertain and we may be only able to go back in Summer 2021," Raingam told IANS.

Both Raikhan and Raingam explain that the NE communities mostly send their children to study in good colleges or universities in Maharashtra, and the others seek employment opportunities which are limited back home.

"As per estimate, of the 100,000-plus, nearly 25 percent are students and the rest are working people. Now, both are stranded badly without source of income, no savings as they plough back their earnings to support families in their home states," Raingam explained.

According to Raikhan, more than 95 percent working in Mumbai-Thane-Pune are in the unorganized sector and depend on daily wages, with the rest in salaried jobs.

"With no wages since the past one week or so, and no salaries expected this month, how do we survive. This is the burning question for us now. We appeal to the concerned government and district authorities to understand our plight and help us immediately before we are thrown to the streets," said Rangam.

Besides, there have been stray incidents of abuse and racial discrimination against the NE folk with some uncharitably calling them 'corona carriers', but these were nipped in the bud, as in the recent case concerning a TISS student of North-East.

Hegde appealed to Mumbai landlords and landladies that in view of the extraordinary circumstances, they should allow some concessions like deferment of rentals, or paying in instalments, etc, to their NE tenants on humanitarian grounds.

Either students or employed in hotels, restaurants, saloons, spas, malls, shopping plazas, salons, or call centres, they are based largely in western suburbs of Mumbai, Mira Road-Bhayander-Kalyan in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and small numbers in other cities.

Though belonging to culturally different states, they enjoy a strong bond among themselves and regularly fraternize through a variety of associations like TWA, Naga Students Union, Mizoram Association, Assam Association, and other local community groups.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)
President Vladimir Zelensky said on Thursday that the state border will be shut down for all Ukrainians who will fail to return home by the end of March 27, Trend reports citing TASS.

"By the end of Friday, March 27, the state border will be closed and all passenger transportation will be stopped," the president said speaking on television.

The president reiterated that two weeks ago he urged Ukrainian nationals to immediately return home. According to him, most of them did it on their own, while more than 80,000 Ukrainians were repatriated on planes, trains and buses.

"Today, we have no more time left for waiting. We are facing a difficult choice between the nationals who are still abroad and the safety of 40 million citizens in the country. Our duty, as the state, is to take care about every Ukrainian national," Zelensky stressed.

He said that diplomatic missions abroad would take care of those failing to get back home within the next two days. "Nobody will forget about any Ukrainian national staying abroad. We will be gradually returning you from abroad, but with due regard for the epidemiological situation at the site where you stay, as well as the possibility to provide all necessary means and readiness of the medical system for your compulsory isolation," the president pledged.

Meanwhile, a train is expected to depart from Kiev to Moscow on March 27 to repatriate Russians who want to return home, while on the way back it bring home Ukrainian nationals staying in Russia.

The World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic. As of now, over 480,000 people have been infected around the world and about 22,000 have died.
The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Centre to explain steps taken by it to evacuate around 580 Indian medical students who are stranded in Bangladesh due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh, in a hearing conducted through video conferencing, issued notices to the ministries of external affairs and home affairs, and sought their responses to a plea seeking safe return of Indians stuck in Bangladesh.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on March 30.

The ministries were represented through the central government's standing counsel Jasmeet Singh.

Petitioner advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal sought direction to the authorities to forthwith take steps for safe and secure return of Indian citizens who are stuck in Bangladesh.

He said most of the students are residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

The plea has also sought direction to the authorities to appoint nodal officers in the Indian embassies and make contact number and email of these nodal officers public so that the Indians who are stranded abroad can contact them and seek help in the time of the global health emergency.

The plea further said that the MEA be directed to formulate guidelines for a time-bound action by the nodal officers so that Indians can feel safe during this time.

The lawyer said he has been receiving numerous calls from the Indian students who are studying in Bangladesh and stuck in their hostels and do not have masks and sanitisers.

The students told the lawyers that their mess is closed and they are left with a few snacks which may last only for a week and there are no facilities by which they can prevent them from getting infected.

"As there is complete lockdown now so we would not even get any supplies. You have also closed doors for us. Please help us to reach back home. Even if we die, we would like to die in front of our parents," a student wrote in an email sent to Bansal. PTI SKV



http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you.

http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over the coming weeks, the nation's best and brightest would gather twice a day with the latest research, views and opinions in an attempt to form a consensus approach and bring it to the attention of the country's decision makers and political leaders. Loading Murphy, his deputy Paul Kelly, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Alex Caroly, the head of policy in the Prime Minister's office, make up the inner circle of Morrison's frontline team forming the response to the current crisis. Caroly has a history in health policy and formerly worked in Hunt's office. Kelly has helped share Murphy's public workload as he has been pushed to the limit with his responsibilities in the top role. One senior government figure says Morrison has "put his full and absolute trust" in this team when it comes to his response to the unfolding health crisis. "He hasn't taken one decision against expert health advice and while clearly he is worried about the effects his decisions have on the economy and the lives and livelihoods of Australians, he has never once compromised on the health front."

While Murphy has been the public face of the battle against COVID-19, he is informed daily by his colleagues on the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC). Supporting him are deputy chief medical officers who are leading experts in epidemiology, respiratory and infectious diseases, and primary and intensive care. Dr Jenny Firman, the principal medical adviser at the Department of Veterans Affairs and a former Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force Reserve, has also been seconded to support Murphy. This week, Dr Nick Coatsworth, a Canberra-based respiratory and infectious diseases clinician who trained and prepared AusMAT clinicians during the Ebola outbreak, was appointed as another deputy to Murphy. The "robust" meetings of chief health officers from all jurisdictions and a group of specially invited experts last up to two hours. There are a wide range of views, but those in the meeting say Murphy brings the group to a consensus more often than not. Some, like Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, seek more conservative measures. Sutton this week took to social media to register his view the state should move harder and faster than the rest of the nation. Others have disagreed.

Those in the room say Murphy promotes the airing of a wide range of views and opinions and quickly turns that around to brief Morrison, the federal cabinet and the new national cabinet, made up of the PM and all state and territory leaders. Some in the group will privately concede the public communication of their decisions could have been clearer along the way, but insist both Morrison and Murphy should be "cut some slack" in "truly unprecedented times". At his Melbourne home in late December, Professor Allen Cheng, an infectious diseases physician, first learned of the novel coronavirus sweeping China's Hubei province through a series of emailed clippings through his various professional networks. A professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at Monash University and director of the Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology unit at Alfred Health, Cheng is among the most respected in his field in Australia. By early January, his social media feed had gone from warnings of the smoke-filled air to sharing the first informed medical reports about the virus out of China. "Huge news - a novel CoV reported to cause the Wuhan cluster," he tweeted on January 9.

A few weeks later, Murphy invited Cheng to lend his voice to the team of leading medical experts helping guide the federal and state government in the early days of the virus. Loading "He may not have a background in infectious diseases  chief medical officers don't necessarily need to be an expert in every area  but what is important is they take advice from people who are," Cheng says of Murphy. "I'm not giving away state secrets  there is robust discussion and people have different opinions. It's a difficult time  I think he has been trying to take a very sensible and balanced line." Cheng is just one of many of the leading Australian medical experts who form part of a COVID-19 Working Group that provides advice daily to the AHPPC. Between them they work 24 hours a day, joining teleconferences in the middle of the night with Chinese or Italian medics to bring the most up-to-date information to their panel's attention. While some medical commentators have been openly critical of the decisions to keep schools open or not implement a "go hard, go fast" policy soon enough, Shitij Kapur, dean of medicine at the University of Melbourne, this week praised the government for seeking a range of expert opinions. He said advice on "very complex, unprecedented circumstances" was not black and white, which was why the group he chaired had canvassed a diversity of views on how to escalate social distancing measures.

Professor Jodie McVernon, director of epidemiology at the Doherty Institute, is a pandemic modeller who also forms part of the expert committee. "We are not coming to these questions naively or without prior thought. [We are] coming with tools we've prepared earlier," she told the National Press Club this month. "We always knew, we knew on the 3rd of February, that there [would] come a point when it would be inevitable that our capacity could not completely put out every spark." We are not coming to these questions naively or without prior thought. Professor Jodie McVernon The working group is led by Dr Sonya Bennett, whose day job is executive director of communicable diseases at Queensland Health. She began her medical research career in the Royal Australian Navy before pursuing a career in public health. In June last year, she became chair of the Communicable Disease Network of Australia, a group that used to meet for an hour or so each fortnight to discuss the latest issues in their field. Now she, like her colleagues, is sleep deprived and working on the adrenaline of a one-in-a-century global health pandemic. "This situation is like nothing we have seen before, there is no doubt about that," Dr Bennett says. "I think Australians can be proud, and reassured about the way we have responded. It is fast moving and we are learning new things about the virus everyday.
While health care workers have been running short of protective equipment as they fight the coronavirus, more than 41 million medical gloves produced for a New Jersey-based company have been held in warehouses under federal government order since last September.

Until now.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agreed to release the gloves imported by Ansell Ltd., whose American headquarters are located in Iselin. The gloves had been stored at facilities in Baltimore and Oakland, California, while the agency looked at whether they had been made with slave labor in Malaysia.

The charges turned out to be baseless, and Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., intervened at the companys request and started calling federal officials to get the gloves shipped out.

He was able to pry them loose.

At this critical juncture, when supplies of personal protective equipment are scarce and medical professionals need to be safeguarded from the coronavirus, we needed to act quickly and work with federal officials," said Smith, who has led efforts in Congress to fight human trafficking and slavery worldwide.

It took dozens of calls to numerous different federal officials, he said. "But it was just too important to give up on.

Ansells chief commercial officer for the Americas, Renae Leary, credited Smith with getting the gloves released from the warehouses and to the companys customers.

During this pandemic, the lack of personal protective equipment for front-line medical workers is putting their lives and the lives of patients at risk," Leary said.

Smith said the gloves were being shipped immediately.

And some of them were heading for New Jersey, which now has more coronavirus victims than any other state but New York, he said.

New Jersey has received around 223,000 of the 2.9 million gloves it has asked the federal government to provide.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook.

Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
The VN Index has decreased by 156 points, or 17.7 percent, since the beginning of March.

The newly released report of VietinBank Securities (CTS) shows that there are three important factors which can change the face of the stock market.





First, Covid-19. CTS believes that the market will bottom out in late April and May 2020 in the summer heat, when the epidemic reaches its peak. The market will become more active when there are signs of epidemic control and some countries are removed by WHO from the list of infected areas.



CTS said the financial sector bears a bigger impact from Covid-19 than SARS because of the effects on production and business. The shares of the companies infields related to public utilities such as electricity, water, textbook and essential goods have been chosen.



Second, the oil price. CTS predicted that the oil price will bottom out in June 2020 before it comes back to the $45 per barrel threshold and then will go flat for a long time.

Thermopower shares will benefit when the input gas price decreases dramatically, while the output product price will not decrease significantly. It has a positive view about basic consumer stocks in the context of the epidemic.

Learning the lessons from the sharp oil price falls in 2016, CTS says the finance, technology, industrial production and materials are influenced by oil price fluctuations, but they will recover more strongly when the oil market escapes the bottom.



The securities company gave strong recommendations for the shares of financial and technology firms, believing that the recoveries will be bigger than the decreases.



It also believes that thermopower shares will benefit when the input gas price decreases dramatically, while the output product price will not decrease significantly. It has a positive view about basic consumer stocks in the context of the epidemic.



Third, transactions by foreign investors. Not only Vietnam, but many other regional stock markets are witnessing the departure of foreign investors. The pandemic has had negative impact on the global economy which prompted the action of selling stocks.



A question has been raised following the continued stock price decreases whether Vietnams securities have become too cheap.



According to CTS, Vietnams securities are not cheap. The P/B index is 1.9, the highest level in Southeast Asia and is just lower than India and the US.



Meanwhile, the P/E index is 12.5, which is among the lowest in the region. However, the noteworthy thing is that Vietnams stock market is still listed as a frontier market.



Therefore, the company thinks the foreign capital can not come back in the time to come because securities are still not cheap enough, while the economic outlook is not good.



Commenting about foreign investors net sale, they attribute this to the fear of recession. Investors tend to withdraw capital from stocks, which are riskier, to invest in bonds which are safer.

Le Ha

Securities service fees cut does help, but more drastic measures in need: experts The finance ministrys recent cut and exemption of some securities service fees won't urgently help soothe investor nerves over the spread of the COVID-19 and more strong measures are needed to support businesses, analysts have said.
[March 27, 2020] Morneau Shepell to provide digital mental health support to Manitobans in response to COVID-19 pandemic

Therapist-guided digital program will facilitate access to professional support for Manitobans experiencing anxiety symptoms related to the pandemic TORONTO, March 27, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell announced today that it has been selected by the Government of Manitoba to provide its internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) program to Manitobans aged 16 and over, as part of its investment in mental health to address anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Morneau Shepell's AbilitiCBT program addresses anxiety symptoms related to the uniquely challenging aspects of pandemics: uncertainty, isolation, caring for family and community members, information overload and stress management. The program is guided by professional therapists who are trained to support and ask precise questions to guide people through the program's modules in the context of a pandemic. "During this time, people's mental health and well-being is strained due to the many necessary changes to our lives, high anxiety and an increased risk of isolation given physical distancing practices. It's more important now than ever to focus on mental health and overall well-being," said tephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer. "We are pleased to partner with the Government of Manitoba to offer mental health support to Manitobans, and encourage all those who need help to seek support."



The program will be offered as a complement to the crisis support currently provided by a number of mental health organizations funded by the Manitoba government. With the requirements to self-isolate and practice physical distancing, AbilitiCBTTM will allow the Manitoba government to provide meaningful support to people while they must remain at home. Morneau Shepell is the leading provider of well-being and mental health services in Canada, with the largest network of therapists across the country experienced in dealing with the psychological impact of various traumatic events, such as SARS, natural disasters, acts of terrorism or aggression.

"The combination of online modules and ongoing guidance and support from a therapist is what drives the clinical efficacy of the program," said Nigel Branker, president, health and productivity solutions. "People complete the modules at their own pace, while the therapist monitors progress, and regularly checks in along the way. This structured approach can help create a sense of normalcy in these otherwise uncertain times." About Morneau Shepell

Morneau Shepell is the leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee well-being through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial well-being of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com. SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Mumbai, March 27 : The much-awaited repo rate cut was not enough to enthuse the stock markets on Friday as the BSE Sensex ended 131 points lower.

It was a largely volatile trade session as the 30-stock Sensex gained as much as 1,179 points earlier in the day.

The Nifty50 on the National Stock Echange, however, ended marginally higher than its previous close recovering from the day's low.

Analysts were of the view that the concerns raised by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das over the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the global and Indian economy weighed on the investor sentiments.

Das noted that that there is high probability of parts of the global economy slipping into a recession.

"Expectations of a shallow recovery in 2020 from 2019's decade low in global growth have been dashed," he said, adding, "the outlook is now heavily contingent upon the intensity, spread and duration of the pandemic. There is a rising probability that large parts of the global economy will slip into recession".

In a much-anticipated move, the Monetary Policy Committee of the RBI on Friday decided to reduce repo rate by 75 bps to 4.4 per cent. The apex bank also took several other measure to ensure liquidity flow.

Analysts were of the opinion that the market had factored in the rate cut and the other measures.

The BSE Sensex closed 29,815.59, lower by 131.18 or 0.44 per cent from the previous close of 29,946.77.

It had opened at 30,747.81 and touched an intra-day high of 31,126.03 and a low of 29,346.99 points.

The Nifty50 settled at 8,660.25, higher by 18.80 points or 0.22 per cent from its previous close.

Foreign institutional investors during the bought stocks worth Rs 355.78 crore and the domestic institutional investors bought stocks worth Rs 1,703.72 crore.

Among the Sensex stocks, Axis Bank gained the most, by 4.98 per cent, followed by ITC (up 3.63 per cent) and NTPC (3.17 per cent), while Bajaj Finance (down 8.87 per cent), Hero MotoCorp (down 8.04 per cent) and Bharti Airtel (6.09 per cent) lost the most.
Everyone paying attention knows full well by now that electromechanical ventilators are the most critically needed and longest lead-time items required for saving the most vulnerable COVID-19-infected patients  the ones who develop secondary pneumonia and would otherwise literally drown in their own fluids if not for this artificial breathing technology.

According to BBC News on Thursday, "the NHS [British National Health Service] has just over 8,000 ventilators" and is seeking help from the vacuum cleaner company Dyson to rapidly manufacture more. So far, so good, and we all wish Sir James Dyson's company Godspeed. At the same time, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo likens ventilators to "missiles in World War II." The related news article reports, "There are about 160,000 ventilators in existing hospital treatment rooms across the United States and the Centers for Disease Control have a Strategic National Stockpile of 12,700 ventilators and the Pentagon announced this week that they can contribute 2,000 more military-style ventilators to the total, which would bring the number to just under 175,000 ventilator-equipped beds in America."

Eight thousand ventilators are presently available in the U.K. versus 175,000 in the U.S.

Looking back and forth across the Atlantic, these numbers are interesting and, upon inspection, tell a cautionary tale regarding nationalized versus privately managed health care. If we compare the populations of the U.K. and the U.S., we find that the U.K. has 65 million people, whereas the U.S. is home to 330 million people. Therefore, in the U.K., each resident must potentially share each ventilator with 8,125 of his compatriots. In the U.S., each resident must compete with only 1,886 of his neighbors if he winds up in the ICU. The ratio of population between the two countries calculates to 5.07 times more people in the U.S. than the U.K., but the ratio of ventilators is tipped in favor of 21.9 times more ventilators in the U.S. than in the U.K. U.S. residents are therefore 4.3 times more likely to have a ventilator available when one is required than our U.K. cousins. In the U.S., this situation stemmed not from central planning, but instead from market forces. For the U.K., with the benefit of the NHS's top-down planned wisdom, the opposite is true.

The "universal health care" nirvana that Biden, Sanders, and progressives long for with envy doesn't look so good when the chips are down. It might be poorly timed phraseology to caution, "Don't hold your breath"; nevertheless, don't hold your breath waiting for MSNBC, CNN, or any of the left-wing alphabet media to point out this glaring and life-threatening disconnect between the promise and the reality of centrally planned health care. We already know that the Democrat candidates never will, as they instead continue to blame President Trump for every date and detail that is slightly off while traitorously refusing to report the real story.
The limited supply of ventilators is one of the chief concerns facing hospitals as they prepare for more COVID-19 cases. In Italy, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients in respiratory failure, doctors have had to make difficult life-or-death decisions about who gets a ventilator and who does not.

In the U.S., emergency plans developed by states for a shortage of ventilators include using positive airway pressure machines  like those used to treat sleep apnea  to help hospitalized people with less severe breathing issues.

While that measure could stretch the supply of ventilators and save lives, it has a major drawback. Officials and scientists have known for years that when used with a face mask such alternative devices can possibly increase the spread of infectious disease by aerosolizing the virus, whether used in the hospital or at home.

Indeed, that very scenario may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 within a Washington state nursing home that became ground zero in the United States early on. First responders called to the Life Care Center of Kirkland starting Feb. 24 initially used continuous positive airway pressure machines, often known as CPAPs, to treat residents before it was known the patients were infected with the COVID-19 virus.

"It's best practice for us for people with respiratory illnesses," said Jim Whitney, medical services administrator for the Redmond Fire Department, whose crews responded to the nursing home's 911 calls. "We had no idea that we potentially had COVID patients there."

It was only later that King County public health officials advised Redmond Fire and other first responders in the region not to use those machines for patients suspected of having COVID-19 illness. Whitney said responders were using the machines with specialized filters, which can reduce the amount of virus released. But county public health authorities recommend that first responders avoid using CPAP altogether. Redmond Fire has now discontinued the use of CPAPs for COVID-19 patients.

"It's truly out of an abundance of caution for our people and for the community that we put it on the back shelf, unless we can confirm it was the best use for our patient," Whitney said.

The misstep represents a classic example of how the health care system is playing catch-up in its effort to deal with the rapidly escalating pandemic, and how critical information about combating the novel coronavirus can be slow to reach those on the front lines.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists issued guidance on Feb. 23 discouraging CPAP use in COVID-19 patients  advice largely informed by experience with the SARS epidemic in 2003. Studies dating to 2003 suggest such devices can pump viruses into the air, potentially increasing the spread of a contagious disease.

During the SARS outbreak in Toronto, half of all SARS cases, including three deaths, occurred among health care workers. Some of the greatest risk arose when doctors and nurses were exposed to aerosolized virus through the use of positive airway pressure machines or other respiratory therapy devices.

The experiences from the Life Care Center of Kirkland now have doctors rethinking their strategies when faced with ventilator shortages and their advice to first responders about using CPAP machines in the field.

"In general, we're just telling them not to use it," said Dr. Comilla Sasson, an associate clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Because we are concerned about community spread, and we have to assume that anybody with respiratory distress is a COVID patient."

And doctors even suggest those who use the devices at home should take precautions to prevent infecting others.

How CPAPs spread the coronavirus

Ventilators are machines that push air into and out of the lungs through tubes inserted down patients' airways when they have trouble breathing on their own. The machines allow health care providers to fine-tune the volume of air supplied, the rate of breathing, the amount of oxygen and the pressure as needed.

Both hospital and home versions of positive airway pressure machines are much simpler devices that use high pressure to push air into the airway, generally through a face mask. CPAPs provide a continuous flow of air at a constant pressure. More advanced bilevel versions, called BiPAPs, which can be used at home or in health care facilities, push the air in, but then lower the pressure to allow the air to be exhaled.

"You can actually function certain BiPAP machines to run like ventilators," said Dr. James Finigan, a pulmonology and critical care specialist at National Jewish Health in Denver.

The key issue, Finigan said, is how the device connects to the patient. Ventilators require a breathing tube and operate as closed systems with a filter that traps any pathogens. Face masks generally used on CPAPs or BiPAPs allow air to escape, pumping the virus into the surroundings and potentially infecting other patients, caregivers or anyone nearby.

Positive airway pressure machines are often the first step in the standard algorithm for hospital or emergency personnel when treating people with certain breathing problems. Finigan said that, in patients with standard respiratory failure, doctors might first see if patients can get by on high-flow nasal oxygen or on BiPAP machines to avoid intubation and sedation.

"If your hope is that maybe this might be a temporizing measure that might hold them from hours to a couple of days, you'll try to use the mask," Finigan said. "There are some situations where somebody is breathing OK but is just having trouble getting enough oxygen. Theoretically, a CPAP might be enough to get them enough oxygen. But, again, doing it with a mask is more likely to generate an aerosol and create an infectious problem."

Dr. Jeff Sippel, a critical care specialist at UCHealth, based in Aurora, Colorado, said BiPAPs could be used for COVID-19 in a closed system without a mask if patients are first fitted with a breathing tube.

"The hardware actually fits," he said.

The jury-rigged devices could then be used for less severe COVID-19 patients, as well as for other patients who might not be first in line for a ventilator. More severe cases would still require full mechanical breathing like that provided by a ventilator, and it's unlikely that BiPAP could fully make up for the undersupply of ventilators in a full-blown pandemic.

Some doctors have suggested that governors should put out a call for people with spare BiPAP machines in their homes to donate them to hospitals. But Sippel said hospitals have other steps they would take first.

Doctors are investigating whether they can connect multiple patients' breathing tubes to a single ventilator. At UCHealth, for example, the hospitals have close to 700 ventilators, Sippel said, and could potentially use roughly a fifth to ventilate two people at the same time.

This week, the Food and Drug Administration provided guidance that allows hospitals to modify respiratory devices, including ventilators, CPAPs and BiPAPs, during the public health emergency, as long as they take steps to prevent aerosolization of the virus.

What about CPAPs for home use?

Dr. Christopher Winter, a sleep medicine specialist in Charlottesville, Virginia, said people who rely on CPAP machines for sleep apnea can continue to use them as long as they have no symptoms of COVID-19. But they should speak to their physicians if they develop upper-respiratory symptoms, to help determine if they should continue.

Winter is working on a guide with  and for  other clinicians to help them decide when patients infected with the COVID-19 virus should keep using their CPAP machines.

"When does the balance of shooting it all through your house outweigh the negatives to the individual by not using it?" Winter asked.

Anybody who uses a CPAP machine at home, he said, may want to sleep in a separate room from loved ones to avoid infecting them. Thats true even if the person with apnea doesnt have any COVID-19 symptoms. And if patients are advised by their doctors to stop using their machines, Winter said, they should also avoid driving, because they may be sleep-deprived.

In most parts of the U.S., the need for extra breathing devices in health care facilities is not yet critical. But hospitals are bracing for a surge in patients who will need respiratory support.

"This is getting real now," said Dr. Matthew Wynia, an internist and bioethicist who has been working on UCHealth's COVID-19 plans. "We are about to be slammed."
A leading Australian fund manager has warned the federal government's response to the coronavirus outbreak risks permanent economic damage.

Andrew Parsons, the chief investment officer at Resolution Capital, which has nearly $10 billion in funds under management, has slammed the Australian government over its response to the coronavirus saying it lacked a 'war-time' style response plan.

Andrew Parsons in London a few years ago. His fund holds shares in international airports and real investment trusts around the world. Credit:Fairfax Media

"Its no laughing matter but last time we had a sub-prime crisis, this time we have a sub-prime minister crisis," Mr Parsons, who is known for not softening his blow, said in an email to a select group of journalists.

"By closing the economy over an extended, inconsistent and uncertain period you have adversely impacted if not devastated the lives of so many Australians beyond the impact of virus itself."
The Phoenix Hill Sports Park in the capital of Southwest Chinas Sichuan province hosted the 2021 Chinese FA Cup final as its inaugural event Sunday. Covering an area of 128,000 square meters, the park consists of two world-class sports venues, a retail and hotel complex, and a public plaza. It will be one of the venues of the 31st Summer World University Games

Jan 12, 2022 05:45 PM
Former Nollywood actress Victoria Inyama has challenged the NCDC to show evidence of those they claim have been cured of coronavirus.

The NCDC on Thursday released a statement that 6 persons have recovered from the disease.

Read Also: Victoria Inyama Knocks Emeka Rollas Over Elisha Abbos Appointment

Reacting to the reports, Inyama asked why the people who have been cured are yet to be made known to anyone.

She shared a video on her page writing;

FG TO RELEASE N6.5BN FOR CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY INTERVENTION!!! FROM @channelstelevision 6 of our COVID-19 inpatients have RECOVERED and will be discharged soon!! From @lindaikejiblogofficial  Bravo!! I only ask as a wheres the evidence?? Like my post .. The doctor speaksthe patients speaks. The hospital ICU is shown..

Tonight at 8PMWe, the British people will stand outside our houses & clap for the NHS to say THANK YOU.. Nigerians would love to see the evidence of this PROGRESS!!!

I would love to say thank you to those Doctors & Nurses too, and maybe see where these patients are being NURSED!!!!

TRANSPARENCY IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE!!!!!

@deeka002 @openspeaker_1 

Culled from @BBC One South East..

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NRrS1gvFx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
General view of the south City of Londons Skyline on March 16, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The budget airline EasyJet has asked pilots and cabin crew to agree to changes in their terms and conditions, as part of its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Among the proposed changes are a freeze on planned pay rises and a requirement to take three months of unpaid leave.

The airline isnt the only one to bring in stringent measures because of the coronavirus pandemic. Virgin Atlantic has asked its crew to accept taking eight weeks of unpaid leave over the next four months - and British Airways has warned it will be cutting jobs.

Other companies have also asked their staff to take unpaid leave too, including the retailer New Look. The company has offered its workforce the option of unpaid voluntary leave, voluntary reduced hours or the chance to use their holiday allowance for the foreseeable future.

Read more: How to ask your boss if you can work from home to stay safe

So what does it mean to be offered unpaid leave - and what are your rights?

What is unpaid leave?

Your employer can ask you to stay at home, cut your hours, or take unpaid leave if there is not enough work for you.

If youve been continuously employed for one month, not refused work and not been laid off because of industrial action, youre entitled to statutory lay-off pay.

Theres no limit on how long you can be laid off or have your hours reduced for but you could apply for redundancy if you receive less than half a weeks pay for four weeks in a row or six weeks out of work in a 13-week period.

Slater and Gordon employment lawyer Rubel Bashir explains: If you are an employee, there is an obligation on the employer to offer you hours of work and an obligation on the employee to accept the work. If work hours are not available then the employer would be obliged to pay you.

Read more: How to negotiate severance pay successfully

Sometimes an employer may seek to lay off staff for a period of time. In order to do so, there should be a clause in the employment contract. If there is no such clause, the employer cannot do this without the employees agreement. However they may instead seek other steps, such as making employees redundant.

Story continues

The pay a person is entitled to when laid off is minimal, although this is guaranteed. The maximum is 29 per day for five days in a three month period.

Anyone facing this situation should check their employment contract to see if there are provisions which allow the employer to do this, Bashir says. Even if there is not a person should consider whether this is the best short term solution as work may pick up, he adds.

The UK government has also introduced the coronavirus Employee Retention Scheme which allows employers to put staff on temporary leave or furlough. The employer can claim back up to 80 per cent of the wages from the HMRC. An employee could also ask their employer to top up the difference, but they are not obliged to do so.

What are furloughed employees?

Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all employers in the UK will be able to access support to continue paying part of employees salaries who would otherwise have been made redundant during the ongoing health crisis.

Furloughed workers are those whose employers cannot cover staff costs due to coronavirus. Therefore, they have been asked to stop working but they have not been made redundant.

These employers are now able to access support to continue paying part of their employees wages to avoid having to make redundancies.

To access the scheme, employers need to designate affected employees as furloughed workers and notify employees of this change.

To qualify for this scheme, you should not undertake work for your employer while you are furloughed, gov.uk states.

HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of 2,500 per month.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday donated their one month's salary to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to strengthen the efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The vice president's secretariat tweeted about his decision. "The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today contributed a month's salary to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to strengthen the government's efforts to combat COVID-19 outbreak," it said. The vice president gets over Rs 4 lakh per month as salary. The law minister also donated his one month's salary to battle the coronavirus pandemic. "Have decided to donate my one month's salary to the Prime Minister's relief fund in the fight against coronaVirus. We shall overcome," Prasad tweeted. A cabinet minister gets nearly Rs 2 lakh per month as salary. Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had donated his month's salary for the fund.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep around the world, with more than half-a-million cases of the disease and close to 24,000 deaths worldwide along with the economic devastation caused by lockdowns and business closings meant to control spread of the virus, sex workers are pleading with their governments to include them in the economic relief packages that most countries will provide.

AVN.com has reported earlier on sex workers in Bolivia and Bangladesh who are struggling after their governments shut down legalized brothels to help curb the pandemic.

Now, sex workers in South Africa have launched an appeal to that countrys president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to guarantee that their profession is included in the Temporary Employer and Employee Relief Scheme which will prop up businesses and pay the wages of workers forced to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.

South Africa, a country of 59 million, has reported 927 cases of coronavirus infection as of Thursdaybut so far, at least, no South African had been reported to die of the disease.

But unlike in Bolivia, Bangladesh, Germany and other counties, sex work remains illegal in Siuth Africa, leading the countrys Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce, and the National Movement of Sex Workers to appeal to the government for inclusion in the TEERP.

Will it include sex workers? Sex work is currently criminalized in South Africa and sex workers are considered criminalsnot workers, a statement issued by the groups said. As the hardest-hit group of workers by the global pandemic, they will most likely not qualify for the Temporary Employer and Employee Relief Scheme.

Since the coronavirus outbreak hit South Africa, the groups say, sex workers have seen a drastic drop in business, pushing them farther to the margins of society, and forcing them to be exposed to increased risky sexual behavior and violence.

Sex workers in Indiawhich imposed a lockdown on its entire population of 1.3 billion starting Tuesdayissued a similar appeal on Thursday, as the LGBTQ rights group Jimme Foundation launched an effort to raise funds for Mumbai sex workers who have been left without income by the shutdown.

Mumbai was largely shut down prior to Tuesdays nationwide order.

"As a part of a community that has faced social ostracism, the onus is on us that we stand up with others who also are at the receiving end of prejudice," the Jimme Foundation said in a statement quoted by Reutersnoting that large numbers of sex workers in the Indian city of 18 million inhabitants are single mothers who struggle to feed their children on a weekly basis.

"Sex workers survive on daily income from customers," rights advocate Bani Das told Reuters. "They don't have masks, hand sanitizers, even sanitary pads. They are in a miserable state."

Photo by John Walker / Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
The coronavirus is pounding state governments with a financial one-two punch, costing them millions to try to contain the disease just as businesses are shutting down and tax revenue is collapsing. The sharp drop in revenue could jeopardize some states ability to provide basic services.

States ranging from tiny Rhode Island to California, with the worlds fifth-largest economy, have warned that many programs are likely to face cuts or even elimination.

I am gravely concerned about our ability to deliver basic services over the next six months to a year given the drop in revenues, and thats why I am encouraging the Legislature to be extremely fiscally prudent, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, said about building the budget for the coming fiscal year.

Many states are blowing through the multi-billion dollar rainy day funds they built up after the end of the Great Recession. Without that cushion, government finance experts say, states would have been in much worse shape.

Virginia expects to take a hit of up to $2 billion. The result: Lawmakers may rescind the 2% annual raises just promised to teachers.

Christine Melendez, a high school Spanish teacher in Chesterfield County, said losing the raises would be a slap in the face to teachers who have endured years of stagnant pay. Like teachers across the country, they are improvising online lesson plans after schools were shuttered.

Melendez predicted there would be fierce pushback if teacher pay is not improved.

We can only take so much, she said.

States will get help from the $2.2 trillion stimulus passed by Congress this week and signed Friday by President Donald Trump. State, local and Native American tribal governments are in line for $150 billion in direct aid to combat the virus and could get more through other parts of the legislation.

How far that will go is unclear as the outbreak grows more severe in many states and shutdown measures are all but certain to be extended.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, ripped the GOP-led Senates version of the coronavirus package as terrible for New York and said, based on preliminary reports, that it would send the state some $4 billion in direct aid. A Tax Foundation estimate shows the state government in line for nearly twice that much.

New York, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus fight in the U.S., could see revenue drop by $15 billion, or about 8%, in the coming fiscal year, budget officials said. Another $12 billion that was expected to arrive soon will be delayed for months because the state, like others, is extending the tax filing deadline from April to July.

The response to this virus has probably already cost us $1 billion. It will probably cost several billion dollars when were done, Cuomo said. Im telling you, these numbers dont work.

The gloomy financial outlook is a sudden and stark turnaround after years in which a strong economy sent streams of cash into state coffers. Governors and lawmakers across the country had plans for that money: teacher raises, pre-K expansions, Medicaid for immigrants who are in the country illegally.

Those wish lists are now looking more like pipe dreams.

California has a $20 billion reserve but also relies heavily on capital gains, which swell the budget when the stock market is soaring. Gov. Gavin Newsom this week warned agency heads that a drop in economic activity would put their ambitions for new or expanded programs on hold.

In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine announced freezes on state-government hiring and new contract services. He also told cabinet members to look for immediate budget cuts of up to 20%.

Only a month ago, Minnesota officials said the surplus for the fiscal year that goes through June would be $1.5 billion  $200 million more than previously expected. Now Gov. Tim Walz says most of the surplus would be set aside to deal with uncertainties brought by the virus.

New Jersey announced this week that it would keep $920 million it had planned to spend between now and June to ensure cash flow. Thats more than 2% of the states current spending plan, but officials are warning that the budget impact could be deeper than that.

In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee is now basing his budget plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 on having an economy with no growth. Previously, he anticipated a growth rate of 3%.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the outbreak is projected to cause a drop of $353 million in state revenue through June. That represents about 6% of the states general fund budget.

The U.S. has at least 100,000 confirmed infections of the new coronavirus, the most of any country. Across the globe, the virus has claimed at least 26,000 lives. Health authorities have said most people experience 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 be fatal; younger adults also have succumbed to the disease.

Governors across the country have warned that the number of cases in their states is expected to spike in the coming weeks. While their shelter-in-place or shutdown orders have varied, schools and a wide array of businesses remain closed, dramatically reducing consumer spending and, in turn, government tax revenue.

Some states are being hit especially hard, including those that rely on tourism.

The Nevada Resort Association says taxes on tourism have paid for about 38% of the states general fund budget in recent years. The governor there has frozen state hiring and limited government purchases.

Rhode Island loses about $1 million in state revenue for each day its two casinos are closed. Gov. Gina Raimondo is warning that the virus widening economic fallout could lead to government layoffs in a state that already was facing a $200 million shortfall. Rhode Island lawmakers also approved borrowing up to $300 million to help the state cover its bills.

Furloughs and layoffs are things you want to avoid at all costs, Raimondo said. They were considered in the last recession, but it all depends on how quick we get the economy back on track and how robust the federal government response is.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Associated Press writers Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Philip Marcelo in Boston; Michelle Price in Las Vegas; Alan Suderman in Richmond, Virginia; Marina Villeneuve in Albany, New York; and Andrew Welsh Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

__

Follow Mulvihill at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill
After being rendered jobless post the nationwide lockdown, several autorickshaw drivers in Kalyan, Maharashtra, appeal to the prime minister and state authorities to consider them among daily wage labourers and include them in the relief package.

Rediff.com's Divya Nair reports.



After the lockdown, her mother, seated beside her, is concerned how the family will manage expenses and medicines with no income. Photograph: Divya Nair/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Daughter of an autorickshaw driver, Jhanvi Patil, 14, is visually and mentally challenged since birth.After the lockdown, her mother, seated beside her, is concerned how the family will manage expenses and medicines with no income.

Four years ago, when Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi announced on national television that all Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would be invalid, it had caused huge inconvenience to several sections of the society.

Some time in 2017, E R Bhaan Raghunath Patil, who worked as a security guard at a housing society in Mumbra, a suburb in Thane district, had to resign his job because the apartment complex where he had worked for 27 years kept delaying his salary citing demonetisation.

Patil, who was 47 and did not have a formal education, could not afford to sit at home.

"I took a loan and put whatever savings I had to buy a rickshaw. After driving around for 12 to 14 hours, I would make Rs 500 a day out of which Rs 150 would be spent on fuel and maintenance," says the 51 year old from Kalyan whose eldest daughter Jhanvi, 14, is visually and mentally challenged since birth.

Since March 15, 2020, Patil is jobless and the family is struggling to keep up with daily expenses.

"My daughter doesn't have an Adhaar card, because for biometric, you need a retina scan and fingerprint ID, both of which are not possible to be recorded in Jhanvi's case. Without an Aadhar card, she cannot avail any facilities or services offered by the government," says Patil.

"She gets anxiety attacks and her medicines cost Rs 1,000 and above every fortnight. We used to send her to a special facility in Wada where she was taken care of for a monthly cost of Rs 5,000. But with the virus scare, they have sent her home and she is not comfortable here," says Jhanvi's mother, a homemaker.

"I have to pay rent and hafta for the rickshaw. My younger son's school fee is Rs 400 per month. If I am not allowed to ride a rickshaw, where do I get the money from?" asks the worried father.

Patil shares his many concerns in the video below:

Like Patil, as many as 25 families who live in Hirani chawl, Kumbhar chawl and Guma Patil chawls in Kalyan East are worried about how the lockdown, especially the next 21 days will affect the health and futures of their kids and families.

According to Bapu Chatur, vice-president, Rickshaw Drivers Owners Association, Kalyan East, the state government should try and include rickshaw drivers under the daily wage category and consider waiving off taxes on loans and announce relief on food and essentials so that no one starves and dies due to lack of jobs and incomes.

Watch him address the problems faced by families of rickshaw drivers in the video below:

Sanjay Tukaram Pande, 47, above, has been riding a rickshaw for 22 years now. He has two sons -- the eldest is in first year of college pursuing a bachelor of financial markets degree, while the youngest is in Class 11.

"Ever since news of the virus was out, we have not been able to move out of our homes. One of our friends was beaten up badly by the constables and he is in the hospital. You can imagine how the family must be coping with these extra expenses," says Pande.

"First, they robbed us of our daily income. Then they stopped us from stepping out. How do they expect us to survive? We have loans to pay and expenses to meet. We are answerable to our families. They are dependent on us for food and basis needs."

"If the government doesn't do anything, we'll have no other option but to commit suicide. We may or may not die of corona. But we will die of hunger first."

Watch Pande appeal to the prime minister in the video below:
A total of 759 people who tested positive for coronavirus have now died in the UK, according to health officials, marking a 181 rise in deaths from Thursdays figures.

The Department of Health and Social Care also announced that 14,579 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, an increase of 2,921 confirmed cases.

Among these latest figures, a further eight people have died in Scotland, bringing the countrys total to 33, the first minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday.

She added that the number of confirmed infections had risen from 894 to 1,059.

Public Health Wales said six more people had died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the countrys total to 34, while Northern Irish authorities confirmed three additional deaths over the past 24 hours, bringing the regions number to 13.

This comes as both prime minister Boris Johnson and health minister Matt Hancock announced they had been infected with the virus.

Both politicians said their symptoms were mild and that they would be continuing to work from home while self-isolating.

Mr Johnson is believed to be the first major world leader to test positive for the virus. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has been designated to take up the reins of power if the prime minister is incapacitated, but Mr Johnsons spokesman said that had not so far been necessary and he was getting on with the job.

With the number of deaths and cases in the UK continuing to rise, more than 750,000 people have come forward to volunteer their help in the fight against Covid-19.

The call to action came from Mr Hancock, who issued a request for members of the public to donate their time to help the 1.5 million vulnerable people who are being forced to self-isolate for 12 weeks.

Downing Street has meanwhile insisted it is doing all we can to secure more ventilators for critically ill patients, as the PM continues talks with industry officials on producing more medical equipment for the NHS.

The government has ordered 8,000 additional ventilators to boost the current stock of 8,000 already available to the health service.

Officials said thousands more would be available in the coming weeks, with the peak of the virus expected to hit within the next fortnight.

There is a real cross-government effort going on to get these ventilators online as soon as possible, an official spokesman for Mr Johnson said on Friday. The PM spoke with industry again last night. We are doing all we can to make progress.
We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Wilmar International Limited (SGX:F34).

What Is Insider Selling?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

View our latest analysis for Wilmar International

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Wilmar International

In fact, the recent purchase by Co-Founder Khoon Kuok was not their only acquisition of Wilmar International shares this year. Earlier in the year, they paid S$4.05 per share in a S$1.6m purchase. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of S$3.18. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock when an insider has bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. Khoon Kuok was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

Khoon Kuok bought a total of 543.10k shares over the year at an average price of S$3.80. 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!

Story continues

SGX:F34 Recent Insider Trading March 27th 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.

Wilmar International Insiders Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significantly more insider buying, than insider selling, at Wilmar International. Co-Founder Khoon Kuok spent S$2.1m on stock. But Independent Director Kah-Chye Tay sold shares worth S$432k. We think insiders may be optimistic about the future, since insiders have been net buyers of shares.

Does Wilmar International Boast High Insider Ownership?

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Wilmar International insiders own about S$1.2b worth of shares (which is 6.0% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

So What Do The Wilmar International Insider Transactions Indicate?

It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Wilmar International insiders are well aligned, and quite possibly think the share price is too low. Nice! So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Wilmar International (including 1 which doesn't sit too well with us).

Of course Wilmar International may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday called for a "more nuanced and compassionate approach" to deal with the coronavirus crisis, saying the lockdown will devastate the county's poor and weak.

He posted a video on Twitter of some children who have not eaten for days due to a nationwide lockdown, and said it is still not late to deal with the crisis.

"The lockdown will devastate our poor and weak. It will deliver a heavy blow to the India we love. India isn't black and white. Our decisions have to be carefully thought through.

"A more nuanced and compassionate approach is required to deal with this crisis. It's still not too late," he tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Organised milk producers of West Bengal on Friday said they are facing no disruption in supplies because of the lockdown, but individual cattle owners find themselves in distress situation because of suspension of train services.

Some of the big organised players like Mother Dairy (Delhi), Keventer Agro and the state animal resources department are maintaining their supply levels as before, various sources said



"We are trying to maintain the production and supply at earlier levels and there is no disruption as such. Rather, we are aiming at raising production volumes but are constrained due to lack of manpower," Animal Resources Department minister Swapan Debnath told PTI



The state government supplies milk from its Haringhata and Belgachia central dairies where average daily production is between 10,000 to 15,000 litres per day in each of the two facilities.

The biggest supplier of milk of the state government is Mother Dairy Kolkata where the daily production and supply stands at around 1.70 lakh litres per day, he said.

Mayank Jalan, CMD of Keventer Agro, one of the largest pouch milk suppliers in the state, is also of the same opinion.

"There is no problem with milk collection from the farmers' cooperatives and cooperation from the state government is exemplary," Jalan said.

"If we see any problem cropping up, we get it resolved by taking it to the authorities concerned," he said.

He said Keventer supplies around 2.5 lakh litres per day under the brand Metro dairy and there is no impact whatsoever due to the lockdown.

Largest milk supplier in Kolkata, Amul, initially faced some disruptions due to the coronavirus outbreak and supplies had come down marginally on a daily basis.

"Before the coronavirus outbreak, Amul used to supply around 8.5 lakh litres per day in Kolkata," an official of the company said.

However, there had been some disruptions in supplies after the outbreak and supplies had come down to around 7.70 lakh litres per day. "But things are again being gradually restored at the earlier levels," he said.

Mother Dairy Delhi, which markets its Dailicious brand in the city, is also not facing any disruption in supplies, a source said.

ITC, a relatively new entrant in the pouch milk market, said "It will ensure continued supply in Kolkata and Bihar despite all challenges."



Those who are facing problems because of the prevailing situation are individual cattle owners whose livelihoods depend on selling milk mostly to sweet shops. They generally take milk to the shops by suburban trains.

With train services suspended due to the lockdown, the cattle owners are facing serious hardships and huge monetary losses.

Tilak Yadav used to take an early morning train from Baruipur in South 24 Pargans district to get down at Garia in the southern fringes of Kolkata to sell his stock. He usually earned between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 daily before the virus outbreak.

But now, the situation has changed for him and his family who have migrated from Bihar.

"It seems we will die of hunger and not of coronavirus, Yadav told PTI.

Triloki Chowdhury, who also hails from Bihar, said the main crisis is procuring cattle feed.

"There is a deep crisis in the availability of cattle feed and we have to buy them at very high prices," he said.

He used to sell around 60 litres per day but with the crisis in cattle feed supply, this has come down.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The pictures have popped up on social media since social distancing became a necessity to battle the spread of the coronavirus.

Groups of neighborhood dads or moms spread out in a circle, drinking beer or wine in the street. A gaggle of teenagers sitting atop their parked cars, hanging out apart from each other. A pair of fishermen standing more than six feet apart in a shallow river.

Those precautions are all in the name of preventing the spread of the respiratory virus within New Jersey and the United States. But to practice true social distancing, those gatherings shouldnt happen at all, according to one health expert.

Dr. Maria Ciminelli, the president of the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians and director of the CentraState Family Medicine Residency Program, said guidelines for people to remain six feet apart are meant only for those essential trips outside the home. Any extended, unnecessary contact with people, even six feet apart, violates the spirit of the precautions.

If youre going to practice intense social distancing, it really means avoiding or limiting contact with people outside of your family, and really staying home most of the time, unless you really need to go out, Ciminelli said. But any prolonged kind of engagement outside is really still not social distancing, having that prolonged contact with people that are not in your family."

Ciminelli said the six-feet rule is for when people need to leave their homes for essential reasons, such as running to the store for groceries, or going on a run or walk for the good of physical and mental health.

Maintaining a safe distance from other people while outside the home is essential, but the effect is lost when meeting up with non-family members for a longer period of time.

Having the six feet distance is certainly whats necessary, but doing that in a prolonged setting is not intense social distancing, she said. And right now, we kind of need to do that. We see the numbers of infection still continue to grow, and well probably continue to see that for some time, especially now that were getting more testing done.

Cases of the coronavirus in New Jersey have continued to spike, jumping to 8,825 on Friday after Gov. Phil Murphy announced 1,982 new positive tests. Ciminelli hasnt been surprised by the continued climb of cases, even with social distancing practices put in place. But people still need to continue the practice to help that growth hit its peak.

Usually it takes a few weeks of good social distancing to really start seeing the term youre hearing everywhere, the flattening of the curve, she said. To start seeing the decrease and not more exponential growth of infected numbers.

Get updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, by subscribing to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter, signing up for text message alerts, or visiting nj.com/coronavirus.

More coverage

Track the spread of coronavirus in each county of New Jersey through this map.

Coronavirus is scary: We want to hear and tell your inspiring stories. Check out #TogetherNJ for more stories about people showing love in big and small ways.

NJ is Open* is helping essential New Jersey businesses connect with their customers. Learn more at nj.com/open.

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds leave the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 at Westminster Abbey, London, on 9 March. (Getty Images)

Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Following his own enforcements, the prime minister must now isolate at 10 Downing Street for seven days.

His pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds, said to be due in mid-2020, was reportedly working in her PR job from their shared home.

A Downing Street spokesperson suggested the couple are not living together at present.

Johnson has enforced draconian measures that require all Britons to stay indoors as much as possible, stressing this is particularly important for pregnant women, who may be at greater risk of complications from this previously-unknown strain.

If just one member of a household tests positive for the virus  or develops its tell-tale fever or cough  they must stay indoors entirely for seven days, while their live-in relatives must do so for two weeks.

Johnson and Symonds attend the Six Nations international rugby union match between England and Wales in Twickenham, London, on 7 March. (Getty Images)

Asked whether Symonds is living in the flat above 11 Downing Street with Johnson, his official spokesman said: The prime minister of course follows all of the guidelines which have been issued by Public Health England in full.

His circumstance is such that he will be required to self-isolate for seven days.

Latest coronavirus news, updates and advice

Live: Follow all the latest updates from the UK and around the world

Fact-checker: The number of COVID-19 cases in your local area

Explained: Symptoms, latest advice and how it compares to the flu

Dr Michael Head from the University of Southampton said: It is public knowledge the prime ministers partner is pregnant, and so a confirmed [coronavirus] infection does give some concern around the health of mother and baby.

It is reassuring that so far there have been few noted complications during pregnancy of infection with [the coronavirus].

However, this is an emerging evidence base, so the health services will be cautious with the welfare of all expectant mothers and any associated risks.

Professor Ravi Gupta from the University of Cambridge added: Data to date suggest no adverse outcomes where infection occurs in third trimester, as would be likely in the case of [the] PMs partner.

Story continues

There have been occasional cases of babies being infected just after birth but it is unclear if the infection arose in utero or after birth.

Coronavirus: how to live with a patient

For now, guidelines do not vary if one member of a quarantined household is pregnant.

Officials have urged suspected or confirmed patients to sleep in their own room and bed, if possible.

People who live in a home with multiple bathrooms should set one aside to be used just by the coronavirus sufferer.

Ten Downing Street is said to have more than 100 rooms. It is unclear how many of these are bed or bathrooms.

Officials have also urged patients not to share dishes, drinking glasses, cutlery, towels or bedding with other members of their household.

Suspected or confirmed patients have also been told to stay away from pets and other animals.

Johnson and Symonds share a Jack Russell cross called Dilyn.

Dogs are not thought to be carriers of the coronavirus, however, there is still relatively little scientists know about the strain.

Johnson and Symonds arrive at 10 Downing Street on 13 December 2019, the morning after the general election. (Reuters)

Coronavirus: can pregnant women pass the infection to their unborn child?

While no one can rule it out, it is thought to be highly unlikely the coronavirus spreads intrauterine.

Scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai looked at 33 pregnant women who were confirmed to be carrying the virus.

Three of the women gave birth to babies who presented with early onset infection around two days later.

Given that all the infected babies were first shown to be positive at two days, I suspect they were infected after being brought into the world rather than in the womb, said Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia.

This does not change the current consensus that transmission in the womb is unlikely.

Tests of the womens amniotic fluid, umbilical-cord blood and breast milk all came back clear.

It seems more likely the three infants were infected very soon after delivery, possibly from the mothers fingers, said Professor Andrew Whitelaw from the University of Bristol.

The circulating coronavirus is one of seven strains of a class of viruses that are known to infect humans.

Others include the common cold and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which killed 774 people during its 2002/3 outbreak.

Transmission from mother to baby of coronavirus has not previously been observed, said Professor Andrew Shennan from Kings College London.

Studies have shown coronavirus has not passed to amniotic fluid, foetal cord blood, placentas or the genital tract of infected mothers.

Scientists from Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan, China, found six babies born to women with the coronavirus did not catch the infection, but did have immune-fighting proteins against it in their bloodstream.

One expert stressed, however, there is no evidence these proteins went on to prevent the coronavirus infecting the newborns.

The coronavirus, colds and flu share some symptoms. (Yahoo UK)

Coronavirus: what is the advice for pregnant women?

Pregnant women have been urged to be particularly careful not to catch the coronavirus, however, this may be a case of being on the safe side.

Infections and pregnancy are not a good combination in general and that is why we have taken the very precautionary measure while we try and find out more, said Professor Chris Whitty, the UKs chief medical adviser.

Nevertheless, pregnant women did not make up the 1.5 million vulnerable Britons who have been told to stay in their home for three months. These include severe asthmatics and blood-cancer patients.

According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) pregnant women do not appear to be more likely to be severely unwell than other healthy adults if they develop the coronavirus.

Virtually unheard of just three months ago, experts are learning more about the virus every day.

What we do know is that pregnancy in a small proportion of women can alter how your body handles severe viral infections, according to the RCOG.

What has driven the decisions made by officials to place pregnant women in the vulnerable category is caution.

The Royal College of Midwives has urged expectant mothers to attend scheduled hospital appointments, calling them essential to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women and their babies.

For those showing symptoms and in isolation, the RCOG recommends letting your midwife or antenatal clinic know in advance so they can make arrangements.

Some women not showing symptoms report being asked to attend these appointments alone.

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus is thought to have emerged at a seafood and live animal market in the Chinese city Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, at the end of last year.

Since the outbreak was identified, over 549,600 cases have been confirmed across more than 170 countries on every inhabited continent, according to John Hopkins University.

More than 127,500 patients are reported to have recovered.

Cases have been plateauing in China since the end of February, with the US and Europe now considered the worst-hit areas.

The UK has had more than 11,800 confirmed cases and 578 deaths.

Globally, the death toll has exceeded 24,800.

The coronavirus mainly spreads face-to-face via infected droplets coughed or sneezed out by a patient.

There is also evidence it can be transmitted in faeces and urine and survive on surfaces.

Symptoms tend to be flu-like, including fever, cough and slight breathlessness.

Early research suggests four out of five cases are mild.

Pneumonia can come about if the infection spreads to the air sacs in the lungs, causing them to become inflamed and filled with fluid or pus.

The lungs then struggle to draw in air, resulting in reduced oxygen in the bloodstream and a build-up of carbon dioxide.

The coronavirus has no set treatment, with most patients naturally fighting off the infection.

Those requiring hospitalisation are offered supportive care, like ventilation, while their immune system gets to work.

Officials urge people ward off the infection by washing their hands regularly and maintaining social distancing.
Brussels has dismissed a claim by Boris Johnsons government that a communications mix-up stopped the UK participating in an emergency EU scheme to help procure vital medical equipment and ventilators to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes after No 10 initially said it did not join efforts because the UK was no longer a member state  prompting outrage the government was putting Brexit over breathing as cases of covid-19 continue to climb.

We are no longer members of the EU, the prime ministers official spokesperson told reporters early on Thursday. We are doing our own work on ventilators and we have had a very strong response from business. We have sourced ventilators from the private sector and international manufacturers.

After mounting criticism, the spokesperson later sought to clarify the reason, claiming the UK had missed the procurement deadline due to a communication problem which meant the country was not invited to apply in time.

But speaking on Friday, a spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed Britain is able to participate in any joint procurement during the 11-month Brexit transition period.

Rubbishing the administrative error claim, they went on: The member states needs for personal protective equipment have been discussed several times in the meetings of the health security committee where the UK participated.

At these meetings, the commission stressed its readiness to further support countries with the procurement of medical countermeasures if needed, so member states and the UK had the opportunity to signal their interest to participate in any joint procurements.

Downing Street has since said the government is interested in taking part in future European-led procurement efforts to attain more ventilators.

The procurement programme, initiated by the commission, uses the bulk buying power of the single market to get priority for ventilators and protective equipment  which doctors have warned are in short supply in the UK. The first tranche of orders, which will go to 25 of the 27 member states, covers masks type 2 and 3, gloves, goggles, face shields, surgical masks and overalls.

On Friday, Downing Street insisted it is doing all we can to secure more ventilators, as Mr Johnson, who has tested positive for the virus, continued talks with industry officials on producing more for the NHS.

No 10 added that 8,000 additional ventilators had been ordered by the government to boost the stock of 8,000 currently available to the health service. Officials said that thousands more will be available in the coming weeks, with the peak of the virus expected to hit within the next fortnight.

But a UK businessman said the government had lost out on thousands of potentially life saving ventilators from Direct Access  a firm that contacted the Department for Health with the offer of 5,000 new ventilators a week ago. The company said the supplies were bought up by other customers before health chiefs had made a decision.

Steven Misfud, the owner of Direct Access, told the Nantwich News the government had apologised to him for being to slow to respond due to a significant amount of offers received by the government.
We understand the restrictions on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But like you, we dream of travelling again, and are publishing these stories with future trips in mind.

Coffee has been grown in Costa Rica since the early 19th century. When the country declared independence from Spain in 1821, the municipal government gave away free coffee seeds to encourage production. Records show that there were around 17,000 coffee trees in Costa Rica at that point. In 1825 the government continued its promotion of coffee by exempting it from certain taxes and, in 1831, the government decreed that if anyone grew coffee on fallow land for five years, they could claim ownership of the land.

Costa Rica is the most developed and is considered the safest, of the Central American countries. This makes it a very popular tourist destination, especially with North Americans. Tourism has not only displaced coffee as the countrys primary source of income but ecotourism is particularly popular here and it is possible to visit and take tours of many coffee farms in the country. Typically those offering tours are the larger farms, with less focus on absolute quality, but it is nonetheless interesting to have the opportunity to see how coffee farming works up close.

Before you go, here is a bit about the history. For nearly fifty years, between 1846 and 1890, coffee was the sole export of the country. Coffee revenues provided the money to build roads linking the interior to the Atlantic Ocean as well as building the San Juan de Dios Hospital, the first post office and the first government printing office. Coffee had an impact on culture too; the National Theater is a product of the early coffee economy as are the first libraries and the Santo Tomas University.

The coffee industry continued to grow until it began to reach the geographical limits of available land. The population was still spreading from San Jose to the rest of the country, and farmers were looking for new land upon which to grow crops. However, not all of the land in the country was suitable for growing coffee, something that still checks the growth of the industry.

Costa Rican coffee has a long-standing reputation for quality and fetches a premium price in the commodity marketplace. What it lacked, as the specialty coffee market developed, was much in the way of regionally identifiable coffees. Typically, coffees exported from Costa Rica around the turn of the millennium were sold by brands created by the large mills. These brands obscured exactly where the coffee had been grown and the unique qualities that it possessed because of the soils or the climate of the region in which it was grown.

In the mid to late 2000s, however, there was a dramatic increase in micro mills. Farmers were investing in small-scale post-harvest equipment of their own and doing more of the processing themselves. This meant they were able to increase control over their coffee and the diversity of styles and coffees from all regions of Costa Rica dramatically increased. This makes Costa Rican coffees exciting to explore, as it is now easier than ever to taste several different coffees from a particular area side by side, and begin to see the effect geography can have on taste.
Newly ensconced in La-la land, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have an American playmate for their ten-month-old son, Archie.

I can reveal that Meghan's best friend Misha Nonoo has had a baby. The New York-based fashion designer, 35, has given birth to her first child, a son named Leo.

'Our lives have been forever changed,' says Misha, who is married to oil entrepreneur Mikey Hess, 33.

I can reveal that Meghan's best friend Misha Nonoo has had a baby. The New York-based fashion designer, 35, has given birth to her first child, a son named Leo

Meghan Markle and Misha Nonoo attend the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios in November 2015

'We love [him] more than we ever thought possible and cannot wait to share every adventure with [him].'

Misha, who reportedly played matchmaker to the royal couple, was previously married to Prince Harry's friend Alex Gilkes.

She wed Mikey in a ceremony in Rome last year attended by Harry and Meghan. The Duchess gave a speech at the reception.

'Our lives have been forever changed,' says Misha, who is married to oil entrepreneur Mikey Hess, 33

Self-isolation has brought together Sherlock star Amanda Abbington and her boyfriend, the actor Jonjo O'Neill.

The 46-year-old, who split from The Office star Martin Freeman in 2016, has moved O'Neill, 41, into her Hertfordshire home.

'We're enjoying drinking red wine and bingeing on TV series,' she says. 'I'm nearly a married woman.'

It doesn't sound like they're watching the Slough-based sitcom that made Freeman's name, though.

'I think the American Office is better that the British one,' Amanda says. 'I can say that and I did just say that. I know almost every line from it.'

BBC star Andrew Marr, who survived a major stroke and later a malignant tumour on his kidney, is determined to keep turning up for work.

'I'm being careful because I'm sure Broadcasting House has coronavirus,' he tells me. 'We're carrying on broadcasting, but taking super precautions and keeping our distance.

'I'm not touching door handles or lift buttons or anything like that.

Marr, 60, adds: 'When this is all over, I'm looking forward to going to the pub  it's going to be very sweet when I can enjoy a pint.'

We'll all raise a glass to that.
A Minnesota man with ties to Mason City was arrested in Seattle last week and will be returned to that state face possible rape charges.
By Ben Klayman DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co announced plans on Thursday to shore up its finances amid the coronavirus pandemic, aiming to generate more cash by resuming production next month of its most profitable vehicles while saving money through further cost cuts. To generate cash, the No.

By Ben Klayman

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co announced plans on Thursday to shore up its finances amid the coronavirus pandemic, aiming to generate more cash by resuming production next month of its most profitable vehicles while saving money through further cost cuts.

To generate cash, the No. 2 U.S. automaker was poised to restart production at some plants in North America as early as April 6, bringing back such profitable vehicles as its top-selling F-150 full-sized pickup, the Transit commercial van and SUVs.

Meanwhile, to further conserve cash - a day after Standard & Poor's downgraded the Dearborn, Michigan-based company's debt to "junk" status and warned more downgrades could be necessary - Ford also announced belt-tightening moves, including temporarily cutting the salaries of top executives.

"The actions we're taking now are wide-ranging and substantial," Chief Executive Jim Hackett told employees in an email early on Thursday. "We hope they will be enough to give Ford the financial flexibility to ride out the economic and business effects of the coronavirus."

The coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 21,000 people globally, has forced the shutdown of auto plants around the world.

The outbreak has put pressure on companies, including Ford, which previously drew down credit lines to build its cash position and suspended its dividend.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a $2 trillion economic rescue package to help unemployed workers and companies, including the auto industry, hit hard by the outbreak.

President Donald Trump, concerned about the economic repercussions of an extended shutdown, has said he wants America to get back to business by Easter, or April 12.

GENERATING CASH

To get more cash coming in, Ford said Thursday it would restart key plants, while introducing additional safety measures to protect returning workers from the coronavirus. It said it would detail the additional measures later.

Ford also took additional moves to conserve cash, announcing its top 300 executives would defer 20% to 50% of salaries for at least five months starting May 1, with the executive chairman deferring his entire salary. Hackett will defer half his salary.

Hackett said Ford's goal was to avoid layoffs during the crisis, but warned that could change if the impact of the outbreak is more severe than anticipated.

Other actions Ford is taking to conserve cash include deferring salary increases more broadly, suspending overtime for salaried employees and freezing hiring in non-critical areas, Hackett said.

However, Ford employees will continue to get healthcare coverage and those exposed to the virus and placed in quarantine will get paid time off, he added.

General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) previously said they would shut their North American operations through March 30 and then reassess after that.

FCA on Thursday extended its shutdown through April 13, while its parts distribution centers will continue to operate with paid volunteers. Mexico's status is subject to a separate announcement. GM said it doesn't have firm restart dates at this time.

United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble said Thursday the union viewed announcements like Ford's with concern, and any decision to restart production should be based on data and each state's position with regards to the coronavirus outbreak.

"The only guideline in a boardroom should be management asking themselves, 'Would I send my family - my own son or daughter - into that plant and be 100% certain they are safe?'" he said in a statement.

The UAW has said three union members who worked at FCA plants have died due to the coronavirus.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an order on Monday barring non-essential businesses from operating until April 13.

Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd on Thursday said it would resume work at its U.S. and Canadian plants on April 7.

Meanwhile, Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said it will extend a shutdown of its North American plants for two weeks, through April 17.

Ford plans to begin production on one shift at its Hermosillo, Mexico, assembly plant, where it builds the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans.

It will restart production on April 14 at its Dearborn plant that builds the F-150 and a Kentucky plant that makes the Super Duty version of the pickup as well as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. Other assembly and parts plants will restart then as well.

Ford shares were up nearly 1% in midday trading.

(Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Bernadette Baum)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
After Platcow contacted the department, two officers picked up a yellow jump suit that has an integrated facemask with a hood and gloves. The second suit remains at the Platcow home, but it is available to police if they are interested, he said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. The government of Argentina made a decision to close the countrys borders to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), TASS news agency reports.

Apply the restriction on ports, airports, land borders, Argentinas residents and Argentineans living abroad. These restrictions will remain into force until March 31, the governments decree said.

The close borders do not relate to the external trade.

The first case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Argentina on March 3. According to the latest data, the number of confirmed cases has reached 589. 12 death cases have been reported so far. On March 20 Argentina declared a mandatory quarantine.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. Cases of coronavirus have been reported in over 195 countries. Number of confirmed cases globally is more than 532,000. Over 24,000 people have died, 124,000 patients have recovered.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
Sitaram Adivasi, BJP MLA from



Vijaypur in Madhya Pradesh, isolated himself at home on Friday after having coronavirus-like symptoms, a health official said here.

"The MLA complained of cough, cold, fever and breathing problem. He was travelling for quite a long time. His samples were collected and will be sent on Saturday morning to Gwalior for testing," said Dr R B Goyal, Sheopur district civil surgeon.

Adivasi was asked to stay in the district hospital's isolation ward, but he insisted on returning home and assured that he would isolate himself and would not leave house or meet anyone, the doctor said.

The MLA was in Gurgaon, Sehore and Bhopal in the last few days with other party MLAs as the political crisis leading to the fall of the Congress government unfolded.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Robin Emmott and Andrew Osborn

BRUSSELS/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military planeloads of aid to Italy to combat the spread of coronavirus have exposed the European Union's failure to provide swift help to a member in crisis and handed President Vladimir Putin a publicity coup at home and abroad.

Italy has been thankful for the Russian decontamination units and army medical staff sent over the past four days, contrasting it with a piecemeal response by EU states.

But senior EU and NATO diplomats and officials see the assistance less as generosity and more as a geopolitical move asserting Russian power and extending influence.

"The Italians made a general request for assistance and the Russians are sending military doctors and military equipment by military planes," a senior EU diplomat said.

"That sends a signal."

Russian gas imports help fuel Italy's power plants and Rome has long called for a relaxation of EU sanctions imposed on Moscow over Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. The penalties have been repeatedly renewed while Moscow backed separatists elsewhere in Ukraine.

Rome denies the aid signals a merging of geopolitical interests.

"There are no new geopolitical scenarios to trace, there is a country that needs help and other countries that are helping us," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio was quoted as saying by Italy's Il Corriere della Sera newspaper on Thursday.

"It is not a question of a Cold War, it is a question of reality, or realpolitik, you call it what you like."

'FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE'

Russia has flown at least 15 flights to Italy using military transport planes with truck-based disinfection units. Eight medical brigades and another 100 personnel include some of its most advanced nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops.

"France has given us 2 million masks, Germany has sent us a few dozen ventilators. (Prime Minister Guiseppe) Conte requested and obtained some planes from Russia that brought 180 doctors, nurses, ventilators and masks," Italy's government commissioner for the coronavirus emergency, Domenico Arcuri, told RAI on Sunday.

Story continues

Russia's government and its delegation to NATO have published multiple videos of trucks on their way to Bergamo, the epicenter of Italy's coronavirus crisis, on their Twitter accounts while Russian state media showed Italy's foreign minister personally welcoming the first Russian plane.

Labeled "From Russia with Love", planes and trucks bore giant stickers showing heart-shaped Russian and Italian flags next to one another.

By contrast, NATO airlifts of urgent medical supplies to European allies have not grabbed public attention. The European Union has faced delays obtaining face masks and other protective gear while EU governments have closed borders to one another.

NATO militaries are active flying sick patients to hospitals, delivering beds and repatriating citizens, although NATO has not deployed its own biological protection units.

"This is a big success story for Putin. I think the Italians have fallen into a trap," said a senior NATO diplomat, although he noted that Italy was now receiving more support directly from the alliance. Spain has also requested direct NATO help.

Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Moscow Carnegie Center, noted China and Cuba were also sending medical aid to Italy. "For countries that would like to see the existing world order revised in their favor, the pandemic is an opportunity," he said.

SANCTIONS RELIEF

The EU and NATO have long accused the Kremlin of using a mix of soft power, covert action and computer hackers to try to destabilize the West by exploiting divisions in society.

Last week, an EU internal document seen by Reuters accused Russian media of deploying a "significant disinformation campaign" against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus. Moscow denied any such plan.

While not mentioning Russia by name, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in his blog this week that the EU needed to be more aware of "a struggle for influence through spinning and the politics of generosity".

Russia is subject to European Union sanctions on its banking, financial and energy sectors and all 27 governments must agree to renew them every six months.

When asked if Russia expected Italy to return the favor by trying to get EU sanctions lifted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the notion as absurd.

"We're not talking about any conditions or calculations or hopes here," he said on Monday. "Italy is really in need of much more wide scale help and what Russia does is manageable."

(Additional reporting by Luke Baker in London Giselda Vagnoni in Rome; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
By Express News Service

We had reported recently that Prithviraj is currently in Jordans Wadi Rum to film the remaining portions of Aadujeevitham.

After a smooth shoot initially with authorisation from the Jordan authorities, the crew encountered a small roadblock when the coronavirus situation escalated there, following which restrictions were imposed, leaving the crew stranded in a camp called Al-Sultan and concerned for essential supplies.

Prithviraj

The situation has now been resolved after the intervention of the external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar.

Director Blessy, who is shooting the film with 57 other crew members, had informed MP Anto Antony about the situation through a mail which was then forwarded to the minister.

The latest update is that the team has received the clearance from the Jordanian embassy to proceed with the shoot and that arrangements are being made to get them the necessary food and supplies.

Blessy has said the team will likely shoot in the region till April 10.

We are moving forward with a positive note, Blessy wrote in his mail. We have spoken to Mr John Sebastian from the embassy in Jordan addressing him the current situation.

The local line production team has done their best to ensure all commodities for our camp at present as all markets and grocery shops are open.

"The major concern now is about the return back to India with the full crew after the 10th of April.
GUEST OBSERVATION

As the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies, were seeing mass isolation in virus epicentres, with about 500 million people in China under varying degrees of quarantine, and all of Italy in lockdown.

In Australia, self-isolation is being advised for those who have been in close contact with a confirmed coronavirus case, or have travelled from a country with a large number of cases.

People under isolation, which is different from social distancing, must avoid public places, gatherings and visitors, and wear a surgical mask if leaving their home. For many, this means being confined at home except for essential trips for supplies and appointments.

But what are the psychological impacts, and consequent social impacts, of this? Reports from China suggest isolation has led to neglect of vulnerable people, babies being abandoned, and increased domestic violence, fear and anxiety.

Cabin fever creeps in

In a recent review of literature, published in the Lancet in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, authors reported that being required to isolate often resulted in symptoms of traumatic stress, confusion and anger. These effects are worse among people who are isolated for a long time, fearful of infection, have limited supplies, receive inadequate information, or are experiencing financial loss or stigma.

Many in isolation experience a sense of cabin fever. This often involves feeling dissatisfied, restless, irritable and bored when confined.

For people who are feeling well, being isolated may initially provide a novel respite from daily responsibilities. However, this can quickly become stressful and anxiety-provoking.

As COVID-19 spreads in Australia, we can expect to see more people requiring isolation.

Abuse of alcohol, and others

Images from Wuhan, China, are providing a snapshot of the social disharmony that can emerge from forced isolation.

One retired police officer, Wan Fei, allegedly told Sixth Tone domestic violence reports had nearly doubled since Chinas cities went into lockdown. He claimed as of late February, the police station in Jingzhous Jianli County had received 162 reports of domestic violence for that month, more than triple the number reported in February last year.

One of this articles authors (Patrick), has had correspondence with colleagues in Hubei, who have also reported increased household tension among isolated families. Anecdotally, idle time has led to more alcohol consumption, and domestic and family violence has become more prevalent.

Simultaneously, many Chinese social services, including community centres and social work agencies, closed when quarantine restrictions were imposed. Many social workers and helping professions have since started offering services online.

Past research suggests stress during times of disaster leads to increased rates of domestic violence. In interviews with 30 women following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, more than half reported experiencing violence after the disaster. Of these women, most had not experienced any form of violence prior to the disaster.

Stress can also place people, particularly those who are disadvantaged, at risk of mental illness and addictions.

What can Australia expect?

As the crisis deepens in Australia, we may have to face similar challenges. One viral video of aggressive shoppers, seemingly fighting over toilet paper, has already highlighted the psychosocial impacts of the coronavirus.

Attention to personal and community hygiene may exacerbate peoples existing anxieties, potentially heightening phobias and clinical conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, and fuelling racist behaviour.

People approaching retirement may become unsure of their prospects for safety and prosperity. And casual employees may face sudden income insecurity. Workplace closures, like those seen in Australia during the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak, could also adversely affect household functioning and finances.

Emotionally, people may experience stress due to the uncertainty of where the virus may spread, and the welfare of family members.

What we can do

Individually, we can all take action to avoid or reduce the potential emotional, psychological and social impacts of COVID-19. Workplace contingency management plans should factor in psychological support for staff, allowing employees to work from home if possible.

Access to accurate and realistic information about the pandemic could help avoid fearmongering and hysteria. Our fears, doubts, frustrations and disappointments will likely be shared by others, so we should relay reputable information to family, friends and colleagues.

Online sites such as Skype and Facebook can help us stay connected. Many are using these tools to make light of an otherwise difficult situation, including people in China tuning into online dance raves via TikTok.

What our leaders can do

Politically, we need to invest in social support services such as online counselling and telephone support lines. These could assist isolated people and help build community cohesion and resilience. Recently in China, and during the 2014-2016 spread of Ebola in Senegal, psychological support hotlines were established for such purposes.

Australias federal government has begun to evaluate and respond to financial costs borne by households. As the crisis unfolds, there will a need to compensate people for income losses associated with isolation.

When quarantine is necessary, it should be for the minimal amount of time and no longer than 14 days, given the likelihood that symptoms will show in this time. People quarantined should be provided with clear information about why they are being isolated and what they should do moving forward.

All of us, regardless of national borders or political worldviews, are facing the incursion of COVID-19. Instead of allowing the virus to bring out the worst in us, lets try to build a sense of solidarity across our communities.

Learning from experiences in other countries, and similar past events, could help alleviate potential negative psychological and social impacts.

Jennifer Boddy, Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School (Learning and Teaching), Griffith University; Amy Young, Associate Lecturer, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University, and Patrick O'Leary, Professor of Social Work, Griffith University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 16:51:53|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

HANOI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Health on Friday announced that three more COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospital after recovery, bringing the total cured novel coronavirus patients in the country to 20.

The patients, two British tourists and a Vietnamese female who reportedly had contact with them, will take self-quarantine at home for 14 days afterward, according to the ministry.

As of Friday noon, Vietnam had reported 153 confirmed COVID-19 cases and no death from the disease. There are 1,729 suspected cases quarantined and over 57,000 others in quarantine for medical observation in the country, according to the ministry.
The Bauchi State ministry of health on Friday announced that 47 out of the 70 persons whose blood samples were taken for tests for suspected coronavirus infection have tested negative.

The commissioner for health in Bauchi, Aliyu Maigoro, who announced this at a press briefing in his office, said 21 more results sent to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are being expected.

Mr Maigoro noted that the 70 cases include the first and second index cases which are the state governor, Bala Mohammed, who recently tested positive, and an unnamed 62 years old man.

Yesterday we retrieved additional results of the samples taken and 47 of them were returned negative. A total of 68 samples were taken since the first index case was reported positive. We are now awaiting 21 samples.

The health commissioner said the governor has been responding to treatment without any symptom manifesting.

He added that the second index too who was taken into the isolation centre was also asymptomatic except for some minor body pains.

He said a team of medical experts is attending to the two index cases.

He said the ministry of health has embarked on intensive contact tracing for both index cases.

We are almost done with the contact tracing of the first index case, while that of the second index case is still ongoing, he said.

The commissioner did not give the total number of contacts that have been traced so far.

Challenges

The commissioner lamented that more blood samples of the traced contacts would have been taken but the ministry could not do so because the state lacks the sample containers.

We could not take the blood samples of the traced contacts because we lack transportation media which is critical to the process of blood samples taking.

So far, we have exhausted the ones given to us by the NCDC. So we are still waiting for more sample containers to take the blood samples of the traced contacts.

He said due to lack of sample containers, the traced contacts have been given thermometers with which they could use to constantly check their body temperatures pending until the government gets more sample containers.

So far, we are awaiting promised donations from seven agencies who have promised to assist us in that regard. But for now, the Bauchi State Government has not received any assistance in that regard, except those gotten from the NCDC.

He said the entire Government House Bauchi, as well as the residences of the two index cases, have been fumigated.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)-Several changes have taken place due to the coronavirus and when the primary election takes place is one of them. Since the governor pushed primary election day back to June 2nd voters now have until May 4th to register to vote. Along with that voters now have until May 21st to fill out an application to vote absentee.

Tippecanoe county clerk Julie Roush says she expects voter turnout to be lower. Not only due to election day taking place later but also due to the fact that several people won't want to vote in person.

I think there will be a lower turn out just because this time is very unprecedented, said Roush. You also have to look at that the Purdue students are no longer here that was a large number of people that normally would vote in this election for president."

Roush says they are seeing a large influx of absentee ballots. She said they likely wont have a tally the night of elections since they don't have a way to quickly count paper ballots. The governor has given election offices 10 days after elections are over to gather the results. Roush wants to remind voters that they are not accepting absentee ballots for the November election. If they are sent in they will be returned to the voter.
WASHINGTON On Thursday afternoon, Donald Trump Jr. lashed out at people allegedly si- ding with China on the coronavirus. "Anyone praising China's 'leadership' in responding [to] the virus should be scorned for being the authoritarian/communist propagandist that they are," Trump Jr. tweeted.

By that logic, Trump Jr. might as well have called his father a communist propagandist.

Just 12 hours later, President Donald Trump tweeted praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying after a phone call with him that Chinese leaders had "developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together." Trump added "Much respect!"

Trump has also more directly praised Xi's leadership on the coronavirus - and done so frequently - over the course of the outbreak.

On Jan. 24, he tweeted: "China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency."

He said Feb. 7 that Xi was "strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus." He said the same day he wasn't concerned about the Chinese covering up the spread of the virus.

On Feb. 26, he said Xi was "working very hard, I have to say. He's working very, very hard."

On March 4, he said Xi was "working very, very hard in China" and suggested that Xi was getting the situation under control.

Of late, Trump has offered a somewhat tougher line on China, repeatedly pointing out that the virus originated there and for a time calling it the "Chinese virus" before abandoning that controversial phrase in recent days. But Trump has also been given a series of opportunities to tee off on Xi and China, and he has declined to go after it with anything amounting to the vigor of his son and other allies.

At Thursday's news briefing, for example, Trump rejected the accusation from an official in the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the virus originated in the United States, but he also downplayed the person's stature in the Chinese government.

"It wasn't [Xi]," Trump volunteered. "Somebody at a lower level - mid-level - we found out, pretty much."

Trump has also continued to stop short of directly accusing China of a coverup or of manipulating its data, as his allies have, and has instead merely suggested that it's an open question as to whether the numbers can be trusted.

"You don't know what the numbers are in China," Trump added Thursday. "China tells you numbers, and - I'm speaking to President Xi tonight, I believe - and we'll have a good conversation, I'm sure. But you just don't know, you know, what are the numbers."

When a pro-Trump reporter at a briefing last week teed one up for Trump to bash the media for allegedly siding with Chinese propaganda, Trump took the opportunity to rail against the media - but didn't at all address China's role in spreading misinformation.

"Well, I think they do" side with China, Trump said. "I mean - I mean, they are siding with - they are siding with China. They are doing things that they shouldn't be doing." Then he watered down the significance of it, saying, "They're siding with many others; China's the least of it."

About the closest Trump has come to going hard after China was in Saturday's news conference, in which he accused China of being "secretive." But even there, he took care to not over-criticize and sprinkled in praise for Xi:

"I have great respect for China. I like China. I think the people of China are incredible. I have a tremendous relationship with President Xi. I wish they could have told us earlier about what was going on inside. We didn't know about it until it started coming out publicly, but I wish they could have told us earlier about it because we could have come up with a solution.

"... China was very secretive, OK? Very, very secretive. And that's unfortunate. With that, I have great respect for that country. I have great respect for the leader of that country and like him. He's a friend of mine. But I wish they were able to - I wish they would have told us earlier, Steve, that they were having a problem. Because they were having a big problem and they knew it, and I wish they could have given us an advanced warning."

"That's unfortunate" isn't exactly a broadside.

Trump has also retweeted his son accusing the World Health Organization of spreading "False Chinese Government Propaganda."

But then Trump was asked to put that in his own words at Wednesday's briefing, and he passed. He again offered a more mealy-mouthed version of what his supporters are saying, by attributing it to other people and suggesting that it was an open question rather than the indisputable truth.

"I think that a lot of people feel that it's been very unfair - it's very much sided with China, and a lot of people are not happy about it," Trump said. "At the same time, Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and myself and other people - there are people on there that we like and we know. A lot of, I think, your friends are on there. A lot of good people. A lot of good professionals. I don't know."

Trump then urged Fauci to weigh in: "It'd be interesting to hear if you'd like to talk about the World - WHO. But the fact is that I have heard for years that that is very much biased toward China, so I don't know."

Even after his call with Xi late Thursday, the White House gave no indication that he had gotten tough with China for its handling of the coronavirus. Instead, it just said that "both leaders reiterated their commitment to cooperate to protect lives and livelihoods. The two leaders agreed to work together to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and restore global health and prosperity."

And even Trump's use of "Chinese virus" - which he has now abandoned despite his supporters going big on it - seemed more calculated at arguing that this wasn't his own fault rather than that the Chinese did something wrong.

There may be a bit of a good-cop, bad-cop thing going on here, to the extent that this reflects anything amounting a strategy. While Trump's supporters rail against China and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offers very tough comments, Trump has been careful to mind his relationship with the president he's currently engaged in a trade war with.

But at the very least, there is some real dissonance in just how much blame China deserves. If the administration and Trump's supporters really want to get tough on China, what better way than to have the president himself truly get tough in his rhetoric and force some accountability from Beijing? Trump hasn't even come close to taking a firm stand on that.

And when people like his son accuse others and the media of siding with China even as Trump himself is saying nice things about Xi, it truly rings hollow.
An international collaboration led by veterinary scientists at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT), Japan, has found that size of a dog heart affects both vortex flow and pressure difference in the heart, which both are promising as an index of diastolic function. Their findings mean that size correction of vorticity and pressure difference allows us to use these indexes in the field of pediatric and veterinary medicine.

Their findings were published in Scientific Reports on January 24th, 2020.

The heart works through 2 steps, contraction (medical term: systole, systolic) and expansion (medical term: diastole, diastolic), to circulate blood to the whole body. Diagnosis of its systolic dysfunction is relatively simple by using echocardiographic examination. In contrast, its diastolic function is far complex despite the fact that patient numbers of the systolic dysfunction are about the same as those of the diastolic dysfunction. "We have to measure the diastolic function precisely by a catheter inserted in the heart," said Ryou Tanaka, Professor in the Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, TUAT, and corresponding author of the paper. "So, we need to develop a noninvasive technique for measuring the diastolic function, which should be simple and reliable."

The heart expands using energy and acquires blood by creating a negative pressure in the heart. Blood entering the heart in response to the pressure difference creates a vortex in the left chamber. Currently, a method called Vector flow mapping (VFM) using echocardiography allows us to visualize and quantify the vortex flow in the heart. Their previous study found that the vortex flow in the left lower chamber (called the left ventricle) was stronger if the pressure was more different. Hence, both the vortex flow and the pressure difference in the left lower chamber when the heart expands could be markers for the diastolic function. It is noted that if the diastolic function becomes weaker, blood congestion tends to lead symptoms of heart failure such as shortness of breath.

"We started wondering wether or not the diastolic function of children hearts, which is much smaller than adults' hearts, could be evaluated by these 2 indexes, that is, the vorticity and the pressure difference," said Katsuhiro Matsuura, D.V.M., Ph.D, the first author of the paper and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Veterinary Surgery of TUAT. "We then hypothesized that an additional index must be required when the heat sizes are so different. To test this hypothesis, we chose "adult dogs" instead of observing hearts of healthy children and adults," adds Matsuura. It is because the function of the heart itself changes during the growth. Dogs are very different in body size within the same species and the body weight of adult dogs is very different, for example, from 1 kg to 80 kg.

"We examined flow dynamics in the heart of 58 healthy adult dogs (1.3 to 42.3 kg in weight) by VFM. We then found that the heart size is positively correlated with the pressure difference and inversely correlated with the vortex flow," Matsuura explained. "Our findings indicate that to non-invasively diagnose cardiac function using indexes of flow dynamics the heart size should be taken into account. Now that we can extend this non-invasive method to human pediatrics and veterinary medicine, and our next step is to study fluid dynamics in diseased cases," according to Tanaka.

###

This work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI Grant Number JP16K08047.

About Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT):

TUAT is a distinguished university in Japan dedicated to science and technology. TUAT focuses on agriculture and engineering that form the foundation of industry, and promotes education and research fields that incorporate them. Boasting a history of over 140 years since our founding in 1874, TUAT continues to boldly take on new challenges and steadily promote fields. With high ethics, TUAT fulfills social responsibility in the capacity of transmitting science and technology information towards the construction of a sustainable society where both human beings and nature can thrive in a symbiotic relationship. For more information, please visit http://www.tuat.ac.jp/en/.

Original publication:

Matsuura K, Sato K, Shimada K, Goya S, Uemura A, Iso T, Yazaki K, Yilmaz Z, Takahashi K, Tanaka R. Changes in left ventricular blood flow during diastole due to differences in chamber size in healthy dogs. Sci Rep 10, 1106 (2020).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-57180-6

Contact:

Ryou Tanaka, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Professor,

Department of Veterinary Surgery, Animal Medical Center,

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Email: ryo@vet.ne.jp
Was the new coronavirus engineered in the lab? There's conspiracy theory that is doing the rounds. But that can't be trusted unless there are facts to prove it. But, what are researchers saying?

According to the latest research by American Chemical Society, pangolins could be the missing link for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between humans and bats. Most experts have stated that bats are a natural reservoir of SARS-CoV-2.



But shall bats be blamed for the pandemic?

Adding to this discussion, Emraan Hashmi blamed people who eat bat for coronavirus outbreak.

For the unversed, there is no scientific evidence that can prove that the coronavirus was first transmitted from a bat to a person who might have consumed the animal.

And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT, he tweeted.



He assumed that it's all happening because people have been eating bats.



And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT ...  Emraan Hashmi (@emraanhashmi) March 26, 2020

Zoologists, on the other hand, have stated that because humans are causing destruction to the natural habitats of animals, several new viruses which were once locked away in nature have come forth. So, in a way, human activities are to be blamed. At the same time, they have not been able to prove as to where the virus originated.



Unsplash

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas had also blamed China for the break outs of contagions.



"China is to blame because the culture where people eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that, these viruses are transmitted from the animal to the people and that's why China has been the source of a lot of these viruses like SARS, like MERS, the swine flu and now the coronavirus. I think they have a fundamental problem and I don't object to geographically identifying where it is coming from," he was quoted as saying.



"If people didnt eat that type of meat, wet markets would not exist," he added.



Meanwhile, Emraan Hashmi had previously slammed those who took to streets to play drums at 5pm on Sunday.



With the current outbreak hope everyone is safe and tucked away in their homes. Please travel or venture out only if you really need to. How we discipline ourselves will dictate how well we can control this pandemic. There will be enough time to dance on the streets.. Take care.  Emraan Hashmi (@emraanhashmi) March 23, 2020

With the current outbreak hope everyone is safe and tucked away in their homes. Please travel or venture out only if you really need to. How we discipline ourselves will dictate how well we can control this pandemic. There will be enough time to dance on the streets.. Take care," he wrote on Twitter.


Thiruvananthapuram/Lucknow, March 27 : A junior IAS officer, Anupam Mishra, who was recommended self-isolation in the wake of his recent foreign travel, avoided his quarantine and was later traced to his home in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur city. He has been suspended from service.

Kollam District Collector B. Abdul Nassar on Friday morning submitted his report to the government and Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran recommended action to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Later Vijayan, who is head of all civil service officials, suspended Mishra from service.

Mishra, a 2016 batch IAS officer, recently came to Kollam to take up the charge of Sub Collector. He informed his superior that he had been abroad and was asked to go for self-isolation at his official residence in Kollam, about 70 km from the state capital.

Nassar told the media on Friday that Mishra in his explanation has said that when he was told to go into self-isolation, he presumed it meant going to his residence in Sultanpur.

"This is a violation of protocol. I will submit the report of his act to the state government, who is authorised to take further action," said Nassar.

State Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty, who hails from Kollam district, said this is a clear case of a lack of social commitment.

According to reports, Mishra got married recently and had returned from Singapore/Malaysia. On Thursday, the officials found out that he was not present in his official residence at Kollam. He was traced with the help of police to UP's Sitapur.

He left Kerala a day before the lockdown was announced, sources added.

Mishra is in touch with the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Sultanpur. They are monitoring his health status and got his swab tested again. The report is awaited, sources said.

Two different set of charges will be slapped against the officer -- one for escaping from isolation and the other for violating departmental rules, as he left his home station without informing his superior, government sources said in Thiruvananthapuram.
Long before the coronavirus pandemic, Leon Valley has been in turmoil, with residents petitioning to recall two City Council members in May.

Now, with a dramatic Bexar County response to COVID-19 in full bloom, the suburb near the South Texas Medical Center is delaying its recall vote six months to coincide with the Nov. 3 general election.

The City Council decided late Wednesday to postpone a vote on the recall, two contested council races and revision to the suburbs three-year-old home rule charter. The council also adopted an updated public health emergency ordinance to correspond with the countys new Stay Home, Work Safe Order.

The recall effort targets City Councilors Donna Charles and Monica Alcocer, who both voted to remove Benny Martinez from the council at the end of an arduous forfeiture hearing that spanned eight nights last summer.

Meanwhile, the city is transitioning its staff leadership, with Police Chief Joe Salvaggio set to assume the role of interim city manager May 1. City Manager Kelly Kuenstler, who has held the position for five years, submitted a Jan. 29 resignation letter, saying she wanted to seek opportunities elsewhere.

On ExpressNews.com: Leon Valley taps police chief as interim manager

More Information See More Collapse

During a lengthy meeting held via teleconference Wednesday, the council debated whether to delay the election. They also discussed how to enforce social-distancing standards at businesses, especially drugstores, convenience stores and dollar stores that have broadened their merchandise and marketing to appeal to people needing grocery staples amid the pandemic.

Councilor Will Bradshaw, one of three council members attending the meeting by phone, opposed postponing the election and took Salvaggio to task over complaints from business owners that police had threatened to shut them down.

We have the means to contain this where people could vote and be spaced out, he said. I dont see a need to postpone the election to November.

But Councilor Mike Hodde, appointed by the council last year to replace Martinez, supported the delay, saying residents are in fear of the coronavirus.

It would be great if it could be held in May. This was not my plan. I dont think its anybodys plan. Its turning things topsy-turvy, Hodde said.

The council voted 4-1 for the delay, with Bradshaw dissenting.

Bradshaw also was concerned that Salvaggios proposal to assign specific definitions to the types of stores in Leon Valley would lead to overzealous enforcement  something he said has already become an issue. Leon Valley police twice cited and shut down the San Antonio Aquarium on Saturday  once for having more than 10 guests and employees, and later for having at least 15 people in a room for a birthday party.

Bradshaw said the city needs to be more judicious about regulating retail stores that are allowed to operate under a new county emergency order that took effect late Tuesday and runs through April 9. He said Salvaggio has been conflating limits on mass gatherings with restrictions on businesses allowed to stay open.

This is what I was afraid of happening, where were going around and threateningThese store managers I talked to were scared. Leon Valley police said theyre going to come and shut them down for allowing more than 10 people inside, Bradshaw said.

Salvaggio countered that his officers are trying to enforce laws and health guidelines, which have changed quickly in recent days, to protect lives. He said he is personally talking to store managers to ensure they are keeping people at the proper physical distance.

On ExpressNews.com: Leon Valley city manager will resign

Theres nobody threatening anybody, Salvaggio said. Do we want to give them citations? Absolutely not. Do they need to enforce it? Absolutely. Thats a responsibility on their part.

Complicating the issue are limits that have been placed on mass gatherings. A previous March 18 Bexar County order encouraged gatherings of no more than 10 people. Gov. Greg Abbotts order, which runs through April 3, bars social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.

Leon Valley resident Dorothy Humphrey called in during the meeting, worried about shoppers taking smartphone photos, unaware of spatial relationships to others around them.

Ive had children running up toward me who dont know this six-foot rule, Humphrey said. I would like to have the enforcement of the 10-person rule, simply because Im a senior citizen. Id just like that extra safety. If thats not going to be available, if you just want to max out everything like that, I probably wont be shopping in Leon Valley.

But Josh Stevens, who is running for council against Councilor Catherine Rodriguez, asked the city in comments submitted by email not to over-govern the places that are providing essential commodities to the 11,500 people living here.

Leon Valleys emergency ordinance, set to take effect at 7 p.m. Friday and run through April 17, was unanimously approved after a three-hour discussion. It will define businesses generally in line with the latest county order, but will include a six-foot rule for exempted businesses, with a 10-person limit on gatherings as a separate provision, officials said.

Mayor Chris Riley said shes very worried about the pandemic.

This is a very serious illness. It is highly contagious. We need to take it seriously, Riley said.

She praised the countys efforts to keep the 26 suburban mayors updated in conference calls, and recalled a comment Tuesday by Seth Mitchell, COVID-19 special assistant to Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff: What were experiencing is a plane crash, but the plane has not crashed yet.

On ExpressNews.com: Leon Valley councilwomen to respond to recall petitions

Its just going to get worse before it gets better. So lets work together, Riley said. If something doesnt kill you outright, its going to make you stronger.

Riley said she also is fielding ideas on how Leon Valley could observe the 68th anniversary of its incorporation on March 31 in a way to bring the citizens together.

On March 31, 1952, Leon Valley, named for mountain lions that once roamed along low-lying creeks, was incorporated as a municipality by Bexar County residents seeking to avoid being annexed by San Antonio.

Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
TORONTO - The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has updated its list of known COVID-19-related scams. The CAFC, which works with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Competition Bureau and Ontario Provincial Police, is urging Canadians to be vigilant as fraudsters look to exploit the crisis.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has updated its list of known COVID-19-related scams. The CAFC, which works with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Competition Bureau and Ontario Provincial Police, is urging Canadians to be vigilant as fraudsters look to exploit the crisis.

Here is the CAFC's latest list of tricks that have been detected, as of March 18:

 Cleaning or heating companies offering duct cleaning services or filters to protect from COVID-19 offering "special" air filters.

 Local and provincial hydro/electrical power companies threatening to disconnect power for non-payment.

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the World Health Organization (WHO) offering fake lists for sale of COVID-19 infected people in your neighbourhood

 Public Health Agency of Canada giving false results saying you have been tested positive for COVID-19 tricking you into confirming your health card and credit card numbers for a prescription

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.

 Red Cross and other known charities offering free medical products (e.g. masks) for a donation.

 Government departments sending out coronavirus-themed phishing emails tricking you into opening malicious attachments tricking you to reveal sensitive personal and financial details

 Financial advisers pressuring people to invest in hot new stocks related to the disease offering financial aid and/or loans to help you get through the shut downs.

 Door-to-door sales people selling household decontamination services.

 Private companies offering fake COVID-19 tests for sale.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2020.
UW Trustees Elect Marsh as Board Chairman

Jeff Marsh, from Torrington, will assume the office of chairman of the UW Board of Trustees in May.

Torrington businessman Jeff Marsh was elected Thursday as chairman of the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees, effective in May.

Marsh, who served as the boards vice president for the past two years, will take the gavel from Dave True, of Casper.

Marsh first was appointed as a trustee by Gov. Matt Mead in 2011. In addition to serving as vice president of the board for the past two years, he was the boards secretary in 2014-17 and treasurer in 2012-14.

Also Thursday, John McKinley, of Cheyenne, was elected vice president; Kermit Brown, of Laramie, was elected treasurer; and Michelle Sullivan, of Sheridan, was elected secretary.

Appointed by the governor with consent of the Wyoming State Senate, the UW Board of Trustees consists of 12 members appointed to six-year, staggered terms. As the institutions governing body, the trustees have a broad range of responsibilities, including major policy and budgetary matters affecting the university.
Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday will distribute free dry ration to the poor in the wake of the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Authorities further said that chemist shops will remain open during the entire period of the lockdown while supply of milk and groceries will be carried out during stipulated timings.

"Free dry ration will be distributed among poor in district, starting with municipalities today. All chemist shops to open from today. The supply of milk to be allowed only between 8-11 am and four groceries shall open on March 27 between 10 am-4 pm," said DC, Reasi, while speaking to media here.

This development comes just a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package for the daily wage earners, women workers and migrant workers.

Addressing the media on Thursday, the Union Finance Minister had said that PM Garib Kalyan relief package will be distributed as cash transfers and food security. "The government does not want anyone to remain hungry," she said.

"We have come with a package that will immediately help those affected directly, those migrants workers, urban and rural poor. We are looking both at cash transfers as well as food security measures," Sitharaman added.

The Centre has enforced a complete nationwide lockdown so that citizens refrain from coming in contact with persons/surfaces infected with COVID-19 which was first reported in Wuhan, China, and soon spread across the globe.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the cases of infections are on a rise every day and as on March 27 at 8:00 am, there have been 633 confirmed cases in the country which includes 44 recoveries and 16 fatalities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city of Prague and the Red Cross are cooperating to make more protective masks available to the public as a measure to help contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Volunteers who make masks at home can bring the finished product to a collection point where they are then given material to make more.

Before being placed in airtight packaging for distribtion, the masks are sterilized at a local hospital.

Red Cross coordinator, Dominik Bolog, said the masks go to the elderly, the ill, hospitals or "whoever else needs them."

On the other side of the city, Caritas - a Catholic emergency relief agency - is building an area where the homeless can go during the pandemic. It will have tents, showers, food and bathrooms.

The Czech Republic has 2, 062 people infected with the coronavirus, nine people have died.

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 14:12:52|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

MANILA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has canceled its biggest annual joint military exercise dubbed as "Balikatan" with the United States this year due to the threat posed by COVID-19, a high-ranking Philippine military official said on Friday.

Rear Admiral Adelius Bordado, the co-exercise director of Balikatan 2020, said that Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Felimon Santos has recommended the cancellation of Balikatan exercise 2020 scheduled for May 4-15 in the Philippines.

"We are in an extraordinary situation. Many will be put at risk if we push through with the exercise," Bordado told reporters, adding that up to 10,000 troops are expected to participate in the exercise this year.

Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Philippines and the United States and involves participation from Australia.

On March 4, Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, the AFP spokesperson, said around 6,500 U.S. forces and 4,300 Filipino troops are expected to participate in this year's iteration of Balikatan. The number is almost double than last year's Balikatan participants of 3,500 American and 4,000 Filipino troops.

Balikatan, a Tagalog phrase for shoulder-to-shoulder, is the most comprehensive among several annual or regular U.S.-Philippines joint military exercises that aims to develop Philippine combat readiness and U.S.- AFP interoperability.

The Philippines now has 707 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 45 deaths.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- GrowNYC, the entity that coordinates the farmers markets, said that both the St. George and Staten Island Mall Greenmarkets are open this Saturday.

At the St. George market there are two absences in the lineup -- Jersey Farm and Rabbits Run Farm. Otherwise the North Shore oepration will be open Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the top of Hyatt Street and St. Marks Place. Producers include: American Pride Seafood; Francescas Bakery and Stoney Mountain Ranch from Schuylkill County, Pa.

On Saturday the Mall Greenmarket will be open at Ring Road, from 9 a.m. to 1 pm., with the Orchards of Concklin of Rockland County, N.Y.

***** CLICK HERE FOR MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE *****

Visitors are asked to maintain six-feet distance from each other. There are modifications at the markets, as per GrowNYC, such as no sampling of products until further notice. Customers may not touch the produce or goods. Instead product must be handed over to the shopper.

Hand sanitizer will be offered at the market managers stations. Staff handling credit and debit cards or processing SNAP transactions must wear protective gloves. Sick staffers are mandated to stay home. And the market management will provide reminders to farmers about proper food handling.

In addition to following general public health guidelines, GrowNYC encourages patrons to wash all produce before using and to keep reusable produce bags washed and clean.

Stoney Mountain Ranch will attend the St. George Greenmarket on Saturday, March 28, 2020. Here is Stanley, a regular farmer at the market which is located behind the St. George Theatre. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

MORE IN FOOD:

ShopRites new policies in a coronavirus world

Pamelas Food Service Diary, Friday March 27, 2020

Cake Chef bakes for a world without parties

Partys cancelled: Does this mean the deposit is, too?

Health Department suspends restaurant inspections, and thats A-OK with a lot of restaurateurs

Pastavino will reopen, some good restaurant news

Restaurant Voices: The G.O.A.T. owner tinkers with a new menu for his reopening

Grocery workers included in essential employee considerations

Coronavirus: Charges filed against alleged price gouger

Pamelas Food Service Diaries: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Can I get coronavirus from groceries?

Staten Islands smaller markets fill shopper needs with few shortages

Staten Island Restaurant Owners: Whats worrying them the most

Aim for a new normal in family meals: Kids cooking dinner

Restaurant Voices: Time with Danny Mills
An expert wedding planner has revealed how couples should go about postponing or cancelling their weddings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, 31, from London, who is the founder of luxury wedding planning company, La Fete, has answered some of the most popular questions asked by engaged couples in recent weeks.

These include how best to communicate to guests about changes to the big day, and what to do if your wedding is planned for Summer in a destination affected by the virus.

It comes after Boris Johnson said any family reunions, weddings, baptisms and other social events must be cancelled as the country battles to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, 31, from London, who is the founder of luxury wedding planning company, La Fete, has revealed how to go about postponing or cancelling weddings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured, stock image

SHOULD YOU CANCEL OR POSTPONE YOUR WEDDING DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK?

'I would always recommend postponing and not cancelling. This decision should be made between the both partners and whoever is funding the wedding.'

'Right now, there might not be a date that you feel comfortable postponing to, due to the uncertainty around the virus, and thats okay. But if you want to ensure that your suppliers can keep their companies afloat during this difficult time, dont cancel.'

'Speak to them openly about your concerns and negotiate a middle ground, such as keeping your already-made payments as credit with them to use for your wedding, once a date has been set. Were all in this together at the end of the day!'

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO COMMUNICATE CHANGES TO GUESTS?

'Your venue will of course dictate when your wedding will be rescheduled (due to their future availability). Once the venue has informed you that you will have to reschedule your wedding to another date, then begin to tell all of your vendors the same. I would then advise to immediately tell your guests.'

'You dont have to have a definitive new date in mind, but it would be helpful if you shared a few tentative date options to your guests so they are looped in to the current situation and can prepare as much as they can for it - especially if your guests are flying in for the occasion.'

'With the majority of people in this quarantine state, everyone has time. Time to plan, time to schedule, etc.'

HOW DO WEDDING PLANNERS DEAL WITH A WEDDING DURING THIS TIME?

The wedding planner (pictured) has revealed the best way to communicate to guests about the postponement of a wedding is via group email

'First things first, try and remain calm. I know its hard, but panicking wont help you. If youre in the process of planning a wedding in the coming months, I cant stress enough how important it is to hit the pause button.'

'If you keep planning as though nothing is happening, you will only stress yourself out more and risk losing large amounts of money as the big day approaches.'

'Create a set list of all the things you need to tackle and keep your communication channels open with all your suppliers.'

'I know that it will be heartbreaking to delay your wedding plans, but just remember that everything is on hold right now and youre not alone.

'Dont hesitate to contact me if you need any tailored advice right now, Im here to help.

WHO SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST POINT OF CALL IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO POSTPONE OR CANCEL A WEDDING?

'If you are planning your wedding yourself, speak to your partner and close family first and vent your frustrations.'

'Once that stage has passed and you want to tackle the postponement, speak to your venue and caterer: as key suppliers, they will be able to provide the most assistance and guide you along the way.'

'See what you can negotiate with them financially and date-wise and always remember: they will do their best to accommodate you as they want to keep your business once we resume normal life.

And again, I cant stress enough how cancelling events will force businesses to let go of staff or close down completely, so please, please postpone instead.

HOW DO YOU REACH OUT TO SUPPLIERS?

'I would always advise having things by email, so that you have a written trace to refer back to. Their phone lines will be off the hook right now, so if you want to call - especially if your wedding is just around the corner - get ready to wait to speak to someone.'

THE IMPORTANCE OF WEDDING INSURANCE Wedding insurance should, in my opinion, be included in any budget. However, in the wake of COVID-19, dependent on the provider, there is no coverage standard set out. It seems as though if your venue closes and is unable to host your wedding or if a close relative were forced to self-isolate or passed away (of the virus or something else), then you would be entitled to compensation. Air travel, accommodation and personal choice to cancel do not seem to be covered. This is also why it is vital for your budget and your suppliers that you postpone and keep any payments made as vouchers or credit to be used in the future. Please do check the terms and conditions of your insurance provider though and dont hesitate to discuss with them further as policies can and do vary from what I have mentioned here. Advertisement

'Once you have had a phone conversation, and if you havent already sent an email, send one as a recap and save copies in a dedicated file, so that you can keep track of all discussions.

HOW DO WEDDING PLANNERS OR SUPPLIERS DEAL WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS?

'This time is difficult for everyone and people are being affected in so many ways, in various capacities.

'Its important for parties on both sides to be understanding and know that this is a situation that is out of everyones control.'

'Much of the anger comes from not knowing, which is why its extremely important to keep customers up to date as much as possible regarding the situation.'

'We also need to remember to be compassionate with the frustrated bride or groom at this time.'

'A wedding is undoubtedly one of the most important and memorable days of a persons life, so acknowledging this with the couple will go a long way.'

'This virus wont last forever and you want to help your customers during this tough time and be there for them when their wedding is rescheduled.

WHAT IF YOUR WEDDING IS PLANNED FOR THE SUMMER IN AREAS AFFECTED BY THE VIRUS?

'This especially affects wedding hotspots such as Italy and Spain, and based on the current situation, it seems safer to postpone for now.'

'Its obviously your personal decision and risk to take, but even just based on the current border blocks and travel restrictions, its wiser to put things on hold.'

'Even if you can still travel to your wedding destination now, nothing guarantees that that will still be the case in even a few days from now.'

'Theres also the risk of getting stuck somewhere and unable to return home. Remember to exercise good judgement and social responsibility when you can.

'If your wedding is planned in Italy or France, my advice would be to postpone for no less than a year from your original wedding date.

'Hopefully the issue will resolve quicker, but you need to have some breathing room to get back on track with planning and allow your suppliers to deal with the backlog of events.

As frustrating as this may be, you need to do your best to be patient and focus on the positives.

The wedding planner advised speaking to the venue and caterer as your first point of call. Pictured, stock image

SHOULD YOU HAVE A PLAN B AND FIND A NEW WEDDING DESTINATION?

Things are so up in the air right now that I wouldnt recommend committing fully to a new destination.

IF YOU WANT A SPRING 2021 WEDDING, SHOULD YOU BOOK NOW OR WAIT? I would advise waiting and playing it by ear. Carry on with your research, Pinterest boards and shortlisting of suppliers, but dont commit to anything financially just yet. See how everything plays out over the next couple of months, and be considerate of the backlog of weddings and date changes that venues will have to deal with once life resumes its normal course. Advertisement

If you did, you might also risk feeling like it wasnt really the wedding destination you originally dreamed of, so be patient and your dream will come around, I promise!

HOW SHOULD YOU INFORM YOUR GUESTS IF YOU PLAN TO CANCEL YOUR WEDDING?

'Usually a group email is the most effective way to inform your guests of any postponement, cancellation or change.

'For any people who you feel email wouldnt work, send them a text or call them to let them know.

WHAT DO BRIDES DO IN THE INTERIM AFTER THEIR WEDDINGS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED?

'Many brides are going through awful feelings of having their wedding day taken away from them.'

'My best suggestion for brides is to focus their energy on planning a new wedding. It can be the exact same as your originally planned one, or it can be completely different.'

'Whats important is not to dwell on the past, especially with everything being so negative at the moment. Just make sure when youre thinking of your wedding, you're thinking long term and what the implications are.

'At the end of the day, this wedding will be the one day you will look back on and remember for the rest of your life.'

'That being said, whenever your future wedding date may be, make sure the final outcome is everything you imagined it would be - do not settle!'
After the Supreme Court directives to ease the strength of overcrowded jails, over 5,000 prisoners may be released from UP prisons on parole following coronavirus fear among them, said senior prison officials.

At least 63 of the 72 jails across Uttar Pradesh are overcrowded, one of them by as much as 498% of the capacity, according to the data available on the website of the UP Prison Administration and Reform Services. The state has three special prisons, five central and two sub-jails, besides 62 district jails.

Director General (DG) of UP Prison Administration and Reform Services, Anand Kumar on Friday said a prison department committee was screening the list of prisoners in every jail as per the directives of Supreme Court. He said the committee was listing the prisoners lodged in jails for crime with less than seven years of jail term, after which they were likely to be released phase wise on parole. The final decision on the exact number of prisoners to be released is yet to be taken, he added.

Another senior prison official said at least 5,000 prisoners lodged for crime with less than seven years of jail term would be released in the first phase after making them fill personal bonds. He said this figure could swell as the committee would consider providing paroles to more inmates on the basis of seriousness of the offence committed by them as well as age and health.

He said the court had directed to consider providing parole of up to six weeks to inmates lodged in jails across the country for crime with less than seven years of jail term, following coronavirus fear.

According to the data shown at UP Prison Department and Reform Services website, the total capacity of the UP jails is 60,305 but around 10,0744 inmates are lodged in them. On an average, the extent of overcrowding in jails across the state is over 170%, according to the same data. The data suggested that only nine jails were not overcrowded.

The 11 most overcrowded jails of the state are the district jails of Moradabad, Jaunpur, Lalitpur, Saharanpur, Mathura, Jhansi, Varanasi, Badaun, Bhadohis Gyanpur jail, Shahjahanpur and Aligarh.
The Berejiklian government is warning young people that unless they curb their socialising they will spread the coronavirus, as backpacker hostels were still hosting parties on Friday night despite tough new restrictions.

More than one third of NSWs 1405 coronavirus cases are people aged in their 20s and 30s, prompting concerns other young people with mild or no symptoms could be unwittingly spreading the virus.

Police leave the Bondi Beach Backpackers after breaking up a public indoor gathering on Friday night. Credit:Cole Bennetts

NSW Police Minister David Elliott described the decision by hostels to hold parties as "one of the most irresponsible things I have ever come across" and warned police would have no hesitation handing out fines of up to $5000.

If these people think they can gather for a barbecue at a backpackers in Bondi on a Friday night, they will face the full force of the law, Mr Elliott said.
Mumbai, March 27 : In the highest incidence so far, Maharashtra's COVID-19 positive cases count shot up by 31 in the past 24 hours to stand at 156 now, health officials said here on Friday.

The overnight number of COVID-19 positive cases mounted from 125 to 135 with 10 new cases in the morning followed by 12 more detected positive from a single family in Sangli and zoomed to 156 by evening with 9 new cases in Mumbai and one in Navi Mumbai.

Besides Sangli, the others include four from Nagpur and one from Gondiya, Kolhapur and Pune.

In Mumbai, nine persons including 3 women, tested positive, including a woman who had travel history to the US and reportedly infected three others. All the four including a male are admitted to Bhabha Hospital in Kurla suburb.

The other five males include one with travel history to USA, three to UAE and one close contact, taking the total new cases to nine.

An infant has reportedly been infected in Navi Mumbai, details of which are awaited.

In Mumbai, a senior doctor reportedly succumbed to COVID-19, but the state and city health authorities refused to comment on grounds that the victim's test reports are awaited.

Earlier today, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that so far 19 persons have fully recovered and have been discharged from hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and other places.

"There are many more cases on way to recovery. We have also tested over 4,200 persons. The strategy is three 'Ts' - tracing, testing and treatment' of the patients," Tope said.

He said the state is facing a shortage of blood for the treatment of the patients so people should come forward and donate blood, but by maintaining the social distancing norms.

Tope pointed out that since all flights coming to Maharashtra and other parts of India, besides inter-state travel closed due to the state and national lockdown, now the focus is on locally acquired infections.

"From the new COVID-19 suspects or cases, we are concentrating on those with social contact like families, neighbours, relatives and friends. This emphasizes the need to maintain 'social distancing' and people must strictly follow it, even when they go out to buy essentials or ration shops," Tope said.

The state's death toll has risen to 5, including two women, both 65, who passed away on March 24 and March 26, and three males earlier last week.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harrys bombshell decision to leave their royal duties and live out of the spotlight with their son Archie likely resulted in some familial tension but, according to one source, things are in a better space now. With their final engagements behind them and their official exit date on Mar. 31, it seems that some of the strain between the couple and the royal family has eased.

Prince William, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall | Phil Harris  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan announced their exit plan

It came as a surprise when Prince Harry and Meghan first announced their plan to step back from their royal duties to escape the constant media scrutiny. Queen Elizabeth signed off on their drastic decision, however, meeting with Prince Harry, Prince William, and Prince Charles to hammer out the details.

The Sussexes had to give up their HRH titles and any public funding for the opportunity to live a less stressful life, but the queen supported their decision.

She noted in a statement at the time her understanding of their plan. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family. I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life, the queen shared.

'As brothers you have good days, you have bad days'



Prince Harry says the 'majority of stuff' written about his relationship with his brother William is 'created out of nothing' and adds: 'I love him dearly' #HarryAndMeghan https://t.co/GWs5KfuovM pic.twitter.com/bW7GVALZR6  ITV News (@itvnews) October 20, 2019

Things were reportedly tense

After Prince Harry confirmed in a 2019 interview that the reports of him and Prince William feuding were true, it was believed that the Sussexes exit did nothing to improve their relationship.

At the time, Prince Harry explained, Part of this role and part of this job and this family being under the pressure that its under inevitably, you know, stuff happens.

He added: But, look, were brothers. Well always be brothers. Were certainly on different paths at the moment but I will always be there for him and, as I know, he will always be there for me.

When the Sussexes and the Cambridges were together for Prince Harry and Meghans final royal engagement, attending the Commonwealth Day service in March, the tension was evident in their limited interaction and body language.

It wasnt the warm reunion that we were all hoping for, body language expert Judi James told The Mirror. The tension in Harrys body language especially was palpable.

She further analyzed the greetings between the four, sharing, Harry and Meghan looked a lot more genuinely cheerful, and Harry especially, threw a really affectionate smile at Kate.

James added, As they took their seats Harry threw Kate an open-mouthed smile and hello of what looked like genuine pleasure and Meghan raised her brows and smiled in an equally friendly ritual.

She continued, But when it was William, you could see Harry was slightly more rigid and his lips were closed.

A source claims that things are better now

While this tension may have peaked as Prince Harry and Meghan were preparing to make their exit, now that they are in Canada and out of the spotlight, its believed that their relationship with the royal family is improving.

Things are in a better space now between the couple and the royal family, a source told ET. While of course there have been tensions, the family is getting through it.

The insider added, It was a difficult decision for Harry and Meghan. They love their family, but given the relentless onslaught by the media, they did what they thought was right for their family and son.

William was unhappy that things werent handled privately, according to the source.
An elderly man has died of novel coronavirus at the Ridge Hospital in Accra bringing the number of COVID-19-related deaths in Ghana to 4.



The deceased was taken to the facility on Thursday showing symptoms of the virus.



His son, a popular Ghanaian musician, however, failed to immediately disclose the travel history of the deceased following the admission of his father who had recently returned from a trip to the United States.



This delayed the attention he should have been given. He was, however, admitted to the resuscitation centre but he died before the results of a COVID-19 test which he tested positive for was ready.



The body of the deceased is still at a temporary morgue at the emergency centre of the Ridge Hospital.



Meanwhile, the deceased is said to have come into contact with some health workers who may not have known of his infection earlier.



About 15 of the health workers who were on duty at the time are expected to be taken through self-isolation while contact tracing begins.



Hospital authorities are also preparing to disinfect the emergency centre.



The authorities are said to be waiting for the National COVID-19 Response Team to take the necessary steps before getting the body moved.



Ghana has so far recorded 138 COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths with two recoveries.



The Ghana Health Services website has confirmed the deaths adding that all four had underlying chronic medical conditions.

Source: Joy News









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
Last week we brought you the voices of baristas and cafe owners from around the world as they discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their lives and their businesses. We also put a call out to you, the readers, to hear your thoughts and to see how the crisis has impacted you (thus far. This is a day-to-day moving target we are all trying to navigate together).

And respond you did. With nearly 200 surveys answered representing 18 countries across five continents, the global response weve seen truly underpins the gravity of this worldwide situation. The answers to our 10 question survey have expressed frustration, hope, anxiety, solidarity, and just about everything in between. Weve compiled the responses along with select quotes from individuals around the globe, which we bring you to now.

Were all in this together, yall. Stay safe and be kind.

How would you rate the COVID-19 response in your state, city, or local community?

The vast majority of folks, a little over two-thirds of all surveyed, believe the response has been fair to good, with the number who believe the reaction has been poor thus far over doubling those who believe it has been great.

Poor: The death toll in Washington and the confirmed cases are very high and the city hasnt been ordered to shut down yet.  Kate (Seattle, Washington)

Fair: Too little, too late. Nobody is taking guidelines seriously. More drastic measures should be taken nationwide.  Louisa (Houston, Texas)

Good: In Poland, we are advised not to leave our houses. All gastronomy and malls are closed, however, you can serve food take-away. Schools are closed until Easter.  Jan (Bielsko-Biaa, Poland)

Great: I live in California, who put strict regulations in place before anywhere in the US  Stephanie (East Bay, California)

Have you or do you expect to lose your job or means of employment due to COVID-19?

It goes without saying that there is a lot of uncertainty right now, and these results bear that out. Theres an almost even split between they Yeses, Nos, and Maybes. Luckily, the No category holds a slight advantage.

Yes: I am the director of education at a 25 person company. The company is now the owner and the director of operations due to financial constraints.  Ian (Lima, Peru)

No: I am a small business owner and have had to cut my expenses to next to nothing in order to weather the storm. Unfortunately, this also means laying off valuable team members. Doing so gives us a chance to sustain and have a company for our beloved employees to return to.  Michelle (McAllen, Texas)

Maybe: Our cafe can last these 2 weeks at reduced hours & sales but not much longer than 2 weeks.  Andrew (Mountain View, California)

Do you plan to travel domestically or internationally for coffee conferences at any point in 2020?

An overwhelming majority of respondents have no intention of traveling for the remainder of 2020, with 25% still holding out hope that it will become more feasible in the future. Only 12 folks expect to make a coffee conference this year.

Yes: Life has to go on at some point.  Anonymous (Boston, Massachusetts)

No: I qualified to compete at Expo, but canceled my flights three weeks ago. Everything should be canceled.  Sarah (Dallas, Texas)

Too soon to tell: At this stage, most of the coffee events or competitions are postponed to at least the second half of the year. If the concern of the virus is gone, I would definitely reconsider taking part in those events. But it seems too early to tell.  GFHK (Hong Kong)

If you work in or own a coffee shop, have you adapted to COVID-19 by changing business practices?

Of the cafes still open as of taking the survey, a total of 82% have taken some measures due to COVID-19, be they offering to-go only or more regularly cleaning or going cashless. Still, 17 respondents state that their cafes have made no changes. Almost a third of the cafes have closed.

Yes: We adapted enhanced sanitation measures as well as a one-way policy, where drinks and other items go out to the customer and dont come back.  Jordan (Portland, Oregon)

No: The company that I was working for basically did the minimum that was legally required: removed seating, stopped serving coffee in to stay cup or travel mugs. I felt that they should have been doing more to enforce social distancing, although the shop did seem to get slower this past week, there were still many times when there was a line in the shop and things started to get crowded.  S. (New York City)

We have now closed: All staff laid off. They are better off with unemployment than what we can do for them right now. Sales were down 85% pre-business restriction. There was not enough money coming in to cover payroll, let alone rent, and COG.  Andrew (New York City)

If youve lost your job in coffee due to COVID-19, do you think youll come back to coffee once more opportunities become available?

What the specialty coffee industry looks like after COVID-19and who will remain a part of itis unclear. Nearly half of all those respondents who lost their jobs are planning to return to the coffee industry. The rest, though, arent quite so sure.

Yes: Coffee, and those that serve it, are my passion. As long as there is spro to sip and people to enjoy it with I will continue to make coffee my chosen career.  Juniper (Portland, Oregon)

No: After 15 years, I have soured on the coffee world (retail in particular), so I was already looking for other opportunities before I was laid off due to COVID-19.  Josh (Chicago, Illinois)

Maybe: My employer has told me that I have a secure job with them when conditions become favorable again. At this point in time I am not sure when that will be, and there is too much unknown to decide what to do next.  E. (Minnesota)

I have no idea right now: I have no clue. I feel completely adrift, which is weirdly freeing but also scary. I am prepared to enter a different industry if needed but after years of specialty coffee work I hate to give up.  SW (Charleston, South Carolina)

What organizations, publications, or facets of the coffee industry have you looked to for leadership in the past month?

There are a lot of groups in the industry doing their damnedest to keep pressing onward, some for advice on how to proceed and others for small moments of distraction.

Weve been looking to our peers in the local coffee scene to see what other shops were doing to navigate this crisis adopting policies that make sense in regards to our particular space.  Craig (Austin, Texas)

Sprudge, Colleen Anunu, and Peter Giuliano. But mostly Ive been inspired by the steps many coffee cooperatives (particularly across Latin America) have been taking to lead on social distancing while ensuring food security for their members (see this PSA from APROCASSI in Peru or ASOPEP in Colombia delivering food to their members who cant travel to town for the market.  Anonymous (Somerville, Massachusetts)

Through social media learning what other shops like myself are doing to survive. Connecting personally with close friends and business contacts on how to accommodate drastic up to an 80-90% decreases in revenue practically overnight.  Buck (New York City)

James Hoffmann keeping us entertained with home brewing videos.  Luke (Taipei, Taiwan)

Lets pretend there was no COVID-19 and money was no object: where would you like to be sipping on a nice espresso right about now?

Because wed all like to be just about anywhere else right now, we wanted to end on something more positive. Almost have wanted to be back in their beloved neighborhood cafe, but many wrote in some rather fine places we wouldnt mind sipping on a filter brew. Here are some of our favorites.

Finca El Fenix in Colombia, in my favorite hammock.  Brooke (United Kingdom)

A recently discovered shop in the Southwest, with my fiance in our rented camper van.  Harrison (Bloomington, Indiana)

A holiday trip and Expo to Melbourne.  Alif (Singapore)

An apple orchard surrounded by vineyards playing tag with my family.  Erich (Bay Area, California)

At my fav surf beach in Australia drinking from my Nordic wooden cup.  Hannah (Europe)
Danielle Englund was pulling double duty.

She had a needle in her arm, and her phone to her ear.

Even in the middle of giving blood, Englund, a senior volunteer engagement specialist at the American Red Cross, was coordinating some extra hands for the critical need blood drive being held Thursday at the Lynchburg Public Library.

With more than 7,000 blood drives canceled across the country, and hundreds of thousands of units lost in the process, Red Cross employees were scrambling to fill the need nationwide.

Englund said this was the first time she had given blood in a while, responding, like so many others, to the emergency appeal put out for blood donors and volunteers by the Red Cross.

For me to sit at home and not help, when I could, it just didnt make sense. When you work for the Red Cross I feel like you have a responsibility to really embrace the mission even more so than the community, Englund said. Its part of my job. I should give if I can.

Snacking on a bag of pretzels after her donation, Englund took a quick break before heading out to her car to grab her laptop and make more calls.

Around her, in the meeting room of the main branch of the Lynchburg Public Library, donors sat in widely scattered folding chairs and had their temperatures taken at the door to ensure they were not running a fever.

Donation tables were wiped down after every use, along with the plastic chairs, the snack table and registration station.

In a room that normally would have accommodated numerous donors, just six donation tables were staggered at least six feet apart.

Laura Dooley, senior account executive at Red Cross, said even with extra precautions and sparsely filled rooms, spirits were high and donors and volunteers were optimistic.

All of the appointment slots were filled for the librarys two day critical need drive. More than 100 people had registered to donate, and despite its closure, the librarys main branch on Memorial Avenue had volunteered to host.

The shortage, caused by mass cancellations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, is going to affect the Red Cross for many months, said Dooley.

Despite this, Melanie Mitchell, district manager at Red Cross, said things are getting better day by day as the message of emergency need spreads.

Cullen Seavers was waiting to give blood Thursday, and said he was motivated by the shortage. As soon as he heard, he found the nearest drive and registered to donate.

It dont cost nothing but your time, said another donor, Julie Cyrus. And it helps so many people.

Susannah Haskins, a library employee, said she made the first appointment she could. Sipping on a juice box, she said with so many drives shut down across the city, it felt great to be able to help.

Mitchell said the immense fallout of the pandemic took them by surprise.

I think that none of us could have anticipated what COVID- 19 has become, and how it has impacted our ability to collect blood, Mitchell said. This is the time where we [usually] ramp up for the summer, and now we are just ramping up for today. We cant even hardly look at tomorrow, or a week from now, because we dont know what its going to look like.

But with more blood drives coming to the area, and the community stepping up, Dooley said it always is possible to find a positive spin. With an amazing response from donors, and community spaces hosting drives, the Red Cross would begin to restock its inventory.

As long as we continue to have partnerships like this  places willing to open up their doors, well continue to start recouping a little bit of the hundreds of thousands of units that we lost nationwide, Mitchell said.

Amazement Square is hosting a blood drive April 2 in downtown Lynchburg.

Dooley encouraged people to register online at redcrossblood.org, where more area blood drives will be announced in the coming weeks.

Sarah Honosky covers Appomattox and Campbell counties at The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5556.

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.
Late on Tuesday evening, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and announced a 21-day lockdown to combat coronavirus transmission. "Social distancing applies to everyone, including your prime minister. Social distancing is the only option to combat coronavirus," PM Modi said.

In Delhi, Nipun Malhotra knew he didn't have much choice. "I'm completely dependent on my care-taker. He has to pick me up physically. I don't have the choice of social distancing," said Malhotra, CEO of the Nipman Foundation, an organisation that works with persons with disabilities.

Nipun's caregiver doesn't live in his house. So, every day he has to commute to get to his house.

Amid the lockdown, it hasn't been particularly easy for citizens to commute. While the PM had announced that essential services will be available, online grocery delivery services like Big Basket, Grofers and Amazon have been forced to cancel many orders over the past few days due to shortage of supply and on account of the police misinterpreting the lockdown as a total curfew. The online grocery retailers said the police were not allowing delivery agents to fulfil orders in many localities.

"The police, however, have been helpful in letting my caregivers come," said Malhotra. "This is one of the moments when the police has risen to the duty, contacted me and given my caretakers a curfew pass."

Malhotra pointed out that the problem of contact is not limited to just persons with disabilities. "Even the elderly need care," he said. He said that anyone who needs a caregiver does not have the option of social distancing. And therefore, there's always the chance of being infected.

A lot of the problem lies in India's treatment of the differently-abled, and there's not enough data. The World Health organization says that 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability, but Indian census data barely registers it. "So the onus is on us, to reach out to the DCPs and request for help," explains Malhotra. "But that's a battle to be fought later," he said. "Right now, Coronavirus is enough."

Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 in two installments over the next three months for persons with disabilities.

"It's not easy for people who are not employed with big organizations or corporations to be surviving this lockdown," explains Virali Modi, who is a motivational sspeaker, disability rights activist, and freelance model. "Because you don't know where your next source of income to pay for the rent, the food, the caregivers will even come from."

Modi has had a curfew pass issued for her driver after she asked for help on Twitter, and police immediately responded. "It's very nice to see that police and officials are looking out for us," she adds.

But for her, her primary problem isn't the requirement to go outside and buy things, it's the daily tasks. "I live alone and my caretaker would do the little things which other people overlook. I'm in a wheelchair. A lot of things are not possible to do without help," she explained.
Our worlds are so upside-down and backwards right now that Wired claims Surveillance Could Save Lives Amid a Public Health Crisis, and privacy activist Maciej Cegowski flat-out stated We Need A Massive Surveillance Program.

These normally privacy-forward sources are saying this in response to the pandemic, obviously. But it's also because companies that track, target, identify and surveil individuals are pitching their technologies to ID and trace the infected  in shady backroom discussions with the White House.

The pandemic has us all in vulnerable positions, and some tech companies are just ethics-free enough to step in and take advantage of entire populations being held hostage by COVID-19. They see us as profitable, captive data generators while their PR departments act like they did something virtuous for the greater good. Like Zoom.

For reasons us privacy nerds can't comprehend, many people rushed to adopt and use Zoom for in-home teleconferencing once all the sheltering-in-place started. Zoom happens to be a privacy nightmare with a terrible security track record  so bad that in late 2019, EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) made an official complaint to the FTC alleging "unfair and deceptive practices." According to EPIC, "Zoom intentionally designed its web conferencing service to bypass browser security settings and remotely enable a user's web camera without the knowledge or consent of the user."

That's not all: Zoom collects "your physical address, phone number, your job title, credit and debit card information, your Facebook account, your IP address, your OS and device details, and more" ... and traffics that data with whomever it's doing business with (it's unclear where or how Zoom sntaches that info, except to say it's "when you use or otherwise interact with our Products").

If only sleazy data dealers used their talents for good, right?

Story continues

Look: former privacy pitchers, I get why you're now catching for Big Brother. This is an emergency. But looking at what's working (or not) in other countries, we will fail at containment unless we make sure pandemic response tracing tools don't blur into the fulfillment of ICE and police wishlists.

There are serious epidemiologists talking about actual efforts to leverage tech for contact tracing but techbros solutionizing about location tracking need to stop. https://t.co/QuDZyz8FNs  Blake You're on Mute (@blakereid) March 24, 2020

If you're sitting at home (you better be) arguing this is a matter of privacy versus safety, you've just shown us that privacy and surveillance abuses are merely abstract concepts for you. This is not a black or white issue; staying at home is, washing your hands is, and behaving like you're infected for the safety of others is. We have failed to contain coronavirus, to stop its spread, and to prepare for the worst. Those failures have nothing to do with a lack of invasive surveillance, and cannot be cured by finally closing the information-sharing loop between Big Tech and Stephen Miller.

Elizabeth M. Renieris, a Fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society explained in When privacy meets pandemic how it's critical that core international human rights principles on privacy are baked into coronavirus-related tech.

"What happens if we trace people with no ability to help them," Renieris wrote. "What if it just doesn't work in some contexts? We especially have to ask these questions where some experimental methods of contact tracing are being entrusted to large for-profit tech companies." Ms. Renieris adds:

While no one seriously questions the need for interventions that can protect public health and safety, the framing of many privacy-related concerns skips a fundamental step in the analysis  namely, asking when an interference with fundamental rights is justified. This analysis is grounded in core principles of international human rights law  not something particularly within Facebook or Google's expertise. If the privacy community skips this critical step, we have already lost the battle to protect our fundamental rights.

Do it wrong and people avoid getting tested, you wind up with unknown infected populations, and you create a marriage of surveillance and policing that cannot be walked back  you fail to contain the virus and democracy is DOA. Do it right and you have an informed and voluntary population, policing is separate from public health and medicine, there are safeguards in place to prevent inevitable abuses, and you stem the tide of infections.

Pandemic surveillance: Privacy's tipping point

1207638473

Yes, other governments around the world are using surveillance tools to stem COVID-19's spread. The main countries using technology to track and throttle the spread of the virus are China, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.

As you may know, China and Israel have gone full draconian. Israel has decided to leverage novel coronavirus in order to "lean in" on that whole police state thing. "Last week the Israeli government issued emergency orders granting the Shin Bet security service the authority to track its citizens," reported Haaertz, "allowing digital monitoring of coronavirus patients' cellphones, using means that were not disclosed."

The country's security service is "using the technology at its disposal to track the routes that patients have taken outside their homes and to determine whom they have gotten close to ... [and] tracking details of all calls made by coronavirus patients." But at least Israel is supposed to have an expiration date on keeping citizen data. Unlike China.

After unsuccessfully concealing the severity of its COVID-19 outbreak for two months, China rolled out the advanced tracking tech it used to round up more than a million Uyghur Muslims (now in concentration camps) and uses that tech to enforce an isolation policy. It includes phone tracking, facial recognition, and requiring hundreds of millions of citizens in lockdown to download an app. The app places people into three stoplight categories (green is free to move about; red is 14-day quarantine).

China, of course, said this was successful in stopping the pandemic, which has since resurfaced in the country, challenging that claim.

This shows the location data of phones that were on a Florida beach during Spring Break. It then shows where those phones traveled.



First thing you should note is the importance of social distancing. The second is how much data your phone gives off. pic.twitter.com/iokUX3qjeB  Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) March 26, 2020

The countries with the best balance of privacy and virus tracing are containing it, namely South Korea and Taiwan. In fact, most of the countries showing success with coronavirus tracing have unique, current legislation specific to pandemics with provisions on data collection. The laws in Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan meet the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. These countries are thinking about what will happen in the days after we all survive the novel coronavirus, and acknowledge that it's a terrible idea to unbraid privacy from healthcare.

In South Korea and Taiwan, two countries who've done well to push back against the virus without the draconian tech-surveillance measures of China and Israel, legislation around data collection includes oversight and transparency for its citizens. "For example," Haaretz wrote regarding South Korea's approach, "citizens were provided with an explanation of what information was collected, for what purpose and when it would be erased."

That's how South Korea's officials addressed the problem of people avoiding tests over privacy concerns. Jung Eun-kyeong, the director of South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told press, "We will balance the value of protecting individual human rights and privacy and the value of upholding public interest in preventing mass infections."

Singapore's COVID-19 mortality rate is arguably the lowest  and though the country isn't high in the freedom and democracy index, its success in using tech to fight the virus may be linked to its conditions around data privacy. "Privacy legislation in Singapore was most recently revised in 2014 and entails that the processing of data about individuals requires their consent," press reported. "Downloading the application was voluntary, it did not monitor people's whereabouts, and the information collected was not provided to the government."

In a way, it's no surprise that entrepreneurs, greedy corporations, and dark-intentioned authorities are seeing COVID-19 as an opportunistic land grab for money, control, and power. It's sickening.

The most shady data harvesting companies, who are secretly gathering location data from smartphones and apps without the users' knowledge, are covidwashing their products and exploiting the disaster. https://t.co/uw1HbZSsKr  Wolfie Christl (@WolfieChristl) March 25, 2020

What is surprising, however, is how some seem to have learned from the mistakes of the greedy. Singapore -- again, no steward of democractic freedoms -- clearly gets that if you treat your people's privacy and data the same way Facebook does (or China, or Zoom for that matter), your problems are going to breed problems like tribbles.

The notion of repurposing tools that data harvesting companies use to track, snatch, and profit from our personal data without our explicit consent is some pretty ballsy -- or naive, or grossly privileged -- wishful thinking. These data collection tools were not built to save lives in emergencies: they were purpose-built for exploitation and abuse.

The only way to repurpose them safely and effectively is to treat them like they're radioactive: we must proceed with the certainty that all virus tracking and tracing tech will be abused. To not do so will be catastrophic.

Images: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images (Checkpoint)
" " Why do people still believe in the mythical hairy beast that hides in the woods? Nisian Hughes/Getty Images

Every culture around the globe creates mythical tales. And a lot of them involve scary creatures: Scotland's Loch Ness Monster, for instance or the Himalayans' Yeti, or Abominable Snowman. It's part of our human DNA.

But why is that? "We tell ourselves stories because we (humans) are storytelling animals," said Shira Chess, assistant mass media professor at the University of Georgia in a Washington Post article. "And, to that end, horror stories take on a specific significance and importance because they function metaphorically  the horror stories that are the best are often metaphors for other issues that affect our lives on both cultural and personal levels."

Advertisement

America is no exception to the horror story genre. There is a rich trove of tales thanks to Native American folklore coupled with that of ensuing immigrants. Many of the stories were created long ago, when presumably a lack of education, mass communication and critical thinking made such fables easier to believe. However, a surprising number have fairly recent origins, and don't seem to be going away. One on our list even began in the Internet Age. How many of these 10 monsters have you heard of  and do you believe in?
People wearing facemasks walk at the Olympic park in Beijing on March 24, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

TODAYS NEWS RECAP: Social Distancing Guidelines, Beijing Censorship

White House Working on Guidelines for States on Social Distancing Measures

The White House is working to soon publish guidelines to help state and local officials make decisions on either relaxing, maintaining, or increasing social distancing and other mitigation measures designed to Read More

Beijing Censors Photo of Wuhan Locals Lining Up at Funeral Home

Chinese netizens are angry after internet censors deleted a picture circulating on social media of people lining up to pick up their family members ashes from a funeral home in Read More

China to Temporarily Ban Entry by Some Foreigners Over CCP Virus Concerns

The Chinese regime announced March 26 that it will temporarily bar entry to most foreign nationals in an effort to curb the spread of Read More

Lack of Effective Protective Gear Could Be Catastrophic, Says Nurse

A nurse anxiously awaits her COVID-19 test results. Its been almost a week since she was tested, and the wait is toughshe cant work, her daughter is also Read More

Commentary: Have They No Shame? American Communists Exploit CCP Virus to Propagandize for Their Chinese Masters

Several of this countrys many communist parties are loyal to the Chinese regime rather than to the United States of America. Consequently, its not surprising that some American communists Read More
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has lashed out at Republicans because the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill does not include direct payments to taxpayers without a Social Security number, including people living in the U.S. illegally.

'To clarify, $1200 checks are ONLY going to some w/social sec numbers, NOT immigrants w/ tax IDs (ITINs),' the freshman Democrat from New York wrote in a tweet on Thursday.

'Thanks to GOP, these checks will be cut off the backs of *taxpaying immigrants,* who get nothing. Many are essential workers who pay more taxes than Amazon,' she continued.

The Internal Revenue Service issues ITINs to taxpayers who are ineligible for a Social Security number, mostly - though not exclusively - because they are present in the country illegally.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has lashed out at Republicans because the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill does not include direct payments to illegal immigrants

U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, and those with an immigrant work visa are all eligible for Social Security numbers for tax purposes.

However, unauthorized immigrants can and do file taxes, leaving immigrant advocates outraged that they will not receive cash payments under the stimulus bill.

'We must put meaningful resources into the pockets of those hardest hit by the coronavirus. Immigrant families must be included!' tweeted Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a New York Democrat.

'Any stimulus package passed that doesnt support immigrants isnt doing its job as a stimulus package,' added Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat.

It's unclear whether Ocasio-Cortez or any of her Democrat colleagues plan to obstruct passage of the bill if their demands are not met.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to hold a vote on Friday, but will be forced to use a procedural loophole because the chamber is not in session, and members are currently scattered in their home districts.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell oversaw the passage of the bill in the Senate, but it must now pass in the House where progressive members are outraged

Pelosi plans to hold a voice vote, asking for yeas and nays from anyone present in the chamber, and recording whichever she determines is louder.

However, the voice vote could be derailed if any member objects that there isn't a quorum.

Across the nation, millions who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and mandatory business shutdowns will be watching the House vote as they wait for a lifeline.

For those with a Social Security number, everyone earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income - the income on your tax return - will receive a $1,200 payment under the stimulus bill if it passes the House.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more, and phases out for those who earn more than $99,000.

For married couples, both adults receive $1,200, with the phase-out starting at $150,000 of income and falling to zero for couples who earn $198,000.

Each child will also get $500. For heads of household with one child, the benefit starts to decline at $112,500 in annual income and falls to zero at $146,500.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to hold a voice vote on the stimulus bill on Friday, but any representative could derail the vote by objecting that a quorum isn't present

The U.S. Treasury will direct deposit the money in your bank if they have that information from this year's tax return or last year's.

For everyone else, they will mail a check. If you didn't file a tax return for either 2018 or 2019, your check could be delayed. The government can use your Social Security benefit statement as well.

The stimulus bill also includes a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home, and extends unemployment benefits for laid off workers.

The bill's huge cash infusion for hospitals expecting a flood of COVID-19 patients totals an estimated $130 billion. Another $45 billion would fund additional relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for local response efforts and community services.

One of the most contentious issues concerned $500 billion for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, which Ocasio-Cortez called 'corporate welfare'.

'What Trump + Senate GOP have done is hold hospitals, working people, and the vulnerable hostage so they could get in $500 billion (that will be leveraged into $4T) in corporate welfare,' she tweeted.

'Without the Wall St giveaway, GOP refuses to fund hospitals & unemployment. Its inhumane.'
A mindfulness app has partnered with the NHS to provide all healthcare professionals with a free subscription to its mental health tools during the coronavirus pandemic.

Headspace  a mediation and mindfulness app  has announced that it will offer resources to the UKs 1.2 million healthcare providers and employees who are facing increasing stress due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The app was launched in 2010 and aims to reduce stress, increase resilience and reduce burnout, according to the companys founders.

Co-founder and CEO Rich Pierson said it was vital that NHS frontline staff were given the help and support they need during this unprecedented global health crisis.

He added: Covid-19 has put our health professionals at the NHS under enormous pressure and they are undoubtedly experiencing mounting stress and anxiety as the situation rapidly evolves.

As a Brit myself, I know first-hand the incredible work our NHS does, which is why the Headspace team is working to do all we can to support those on the front lines.

As of Thursday, any NHS employee can get a free subscription to Headspace Plus by visiting www.headspace.com/nhs and can enroll using their NHS email.

All subscribers will get free access to over 1,200 hours of meditation and mindfulness content until 31 December 2020.

Additionally, internal NHS Wellbeing Leads will have access to Headspace for Works specially-curated workplace toolkit and content hub.

This includes tools and resources designed to inspire and support NHS employees in caring for their mental health.

The program coincides with the roll-out of NHS Chief People Officer, Prerana Issars, People Plan, which is a long-term initiative designed to support those in the NHS, signalling mental health as a significant area of focus.

Headspace and the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are currently conducting the largest workplace wellness study into the effects of Headspace on NHS staff wellbeing.

Healthcare professional burnout has been identified as a major issue to address due to its adverse impacts for both healthcare professionals and patients.
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds around the globe, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick caught heat this week for suggesting senior citizens would be willing to sacrifice their lives in exchange for preserving the American economy.

Meantime, Gov. Greg Abbott slapped restrictions on people traveling to Texas from the New York area and New Orleans. Join the conversation featuring Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace.
Cars wait in line at the city's coronavirus testing site next to Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia on Friday, March 20, 2020. The site, which opened Friday afternoon, is the first city-run drive-through location where people can be swabbed to determine if they have the coronavirus. At the time of opening, it was only for people with symptoms who are over 50 and healthcare workers with symptoms. Read more

Every day, the Pennsylvania Department of Health releases data about coronavirus cases in counties across the state.

Experts at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster have begun turning that data into a series of graphics that show trends over time.

Were just adding a little context that the raw numbers do not necessarily show, said Berwood Yost, director of the colleges Center for Opinion Research. It was a way of informing ourselves how this epidemic is progressing in the state.

 READ MORE: Johns Hopkins coronavirus dashboard offers a real-time window on a global pandemic

Johns Hopkins University in January began tracking coronavirus cases worldwide on a website that attracts 1.2 billion requests per day, defined as the number of times visitors have accessed the underlying data while visiting the dashboard. The site drills down by country and by province or state.

Yost said he likes the Johns Hopkins site, but wanted to give Pennsylvanians an even more detailed picture of whats happening in their area.

Called the Pennsylvania Coronavirus Tracker (www.fandm.edu/opinionresearch/covid-19), it shows the number of cases in each of the counties, noting the growth in some counties, including those in the Philadelphia area. It also illustrates the rise in number of confirmed cases statewide as well as the number of negative tests.

Yost and his team of three other staff members each day download the state Health Department data, which is released at noon. (Counties also put out numbers, and reporting times may differ between the state and counties.) The college updates its site within a couple of hours after noon, he said.

 READ MORE: At Pa.s coronavirus epicenter, Montgomery Countys Val Arkoosh offers facts and calms fears

Yost said he began preparing the site the day the first Pennsylvania case was announced, and his team launched it on Wednesday. They hope to look at trends over time, including how the states most populous areas fare compared with more rural areas.

Were trying to help people understand the story, Yost said.
This moment that demands a united America disrupts many peoples focus on identity uber alles. Like any rogue act of nature, this pandemic ignores our self-sequestering by political, ethnic, cultural or intellectual tribe. During the recent decades that would tolerate such luxury, many among us let pride turn to righteousness, and righteousness to grievance against Those Others. From our fortresses weve signaled our own moral virtue  and sought to impose it on others. They are, after all the enemy. We cannot rest until they submit.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Union Health ministry has said drugs should be delivered to the homes of CGHS beneficiaries aged 60 and above and also those having co-morbid conditions like diabetes or undergoing immuno-suppressant treatments so that they dont have to visit the wellness centres.

In its order, the ministry said medicines may be issued for three months at a time (in case of chronic diseases) through an authorised representative.

Elderly beneficiaries aged 60 or above, beneficiaries undergoing immuno-suppressant treatment like organ transplant, chemotherapy etc, uncontrolled diabetes/decompensated cardiac status or any other illness compelling stay at home would be able to avail the facility, it said.

The Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and other Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) staff shall be sensitised to ensure strict compliance with these directions, the order said.

In a separate order,the ministry askedthe additional directors, CGHS to ensure optimum utilisation of manpower at their disposal in view of their shortage at the wellness centre because of the deployment of CGHS medical officers at airports and other locations for surveillance.

"All leaves for the staff except on medical grounds, accompanied by medical certificate from a government doctor shall be cancelled," it read.

The ministry also asked them to advise CGHS beneficiaries to utilise online appointment system so that waiting is minimised and there is no overcrowding.

Further, in an office memorandum, the health ministry stated that CGHS beneficiaries getting medicines for chronic diseases may purchase them based on the prescription held till April 30 irrespective of non-availability of certificate from CGHS or otherwise.

"The idea behind the measures is that CGHS beneficiaries need not visit CGHS wellness centres to collect medicines till April 30," the office memorandum stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Youve seen what weve done here in Chicago with the schools, with the order we issued yesterday which is unending until further notice. I think realistically, were looking at something thats going to stretch deep into April again, subject to change in modeling and so forth, Lightfoot said. The governors team are very able, theyre looking at very similar data to what we are, and Im sure thats a conversation thats probably under active discussion.
Researchers at Group-IB observed new financially motivated attacks in Western Europe traced to Russian-speaking threat actors.

Group-IB, a Singapore-based cybersecurity company that specializes in preventing cyberattacks , has detected successful attacks in Western Europe carried out in late January 2020 traced to Russian-speaking threat actors.

At least two companies operating in pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors have been affected. Group-IB has immediately contacted the victims upon discovery. The tools used in the attacks were traced to Silence and TA505  Russian-speaking financially-motivated groups.

According to industry researchers, TA505 is known to have carried out attacks on banks, medical institutions retailers and other businesses in the past. At the same time, banks and financial organizations have long been the only targets of Silence. If the latter are the ones to blame, this marks the first time the gang has launched the attacks against pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies and may indicate a significant shift in their modus operandi.

The malware samples used in the European attacks showed up on VirusTotal on February 2 and have been classified as Silence.ProxyBot (MD5: ce04972114bbd5844aa2f63d83cdd333) and 2 upgraded versions of Silence.MainModule (363df0b3c8b7b390573d3a9f09953feb & 800060b75675493f2df6d9e0f81474fd). During the analysis of these samples Group-IB Threat Hunting Intelligence team has identified at least two affected companies from Belgium and Germany.

The victims have been notified by Group-IB and provided with all the information to stop the incidents. In addition to the victims, Group-IB experts have managed to establish the CnCs used during the attacks 195.123.246 [ . ] 126 and 37.120.145 [ . ] 253.

The former has been active since late January 2020. Further analysis of cybercriminals infrastructure revealed two other executables had likely been deployed during the European campaign: an LPE exploit for CVE-2019-1405 and CVE-2019-1322 (comahawk.exe) and a Meterpreter stager TinyMet. Its important to note that TinyMet was compressed using a packer developed by TA505  a longtime friend of Silence in the business.

The alleged connection between Silence and TA505 was described in Group-IBs recent report Silence 2.0: Going Global for the first time. FlawedAmmyy , a RAT that provides full access to infected machines, is reported to have been used in some of TA505 recent attacks.

Group-IB researchers carried out comparative analysis of Silence . Downloader and FlawedAmmyy . Downloader which revealed that these programs were likely developed by the same person  a Russian speaker who is active on underground forums. In late 2019, Group-IBs DFIR specialists were called in to address Silences attack in Europe which was also carried out with the help of TA505: the latter likely provided access to the compromised banks network to the Silence gang. The latest Group-IBs findings confirm the connection between the two threat actors.

While the extent of the damage caused is yet unknown, the choice of the targets, that are unorthodox for Silence, gives some basis to believe that this was either a ransomware attack or these companies were compromised as part of a complex supply-chain attack. comments Rustam Mirkasymov, Head of Dynamic Malware Analysis department at Group-IB.

Having analyzed the toolset used in the campaign we can assume with moderate confidence that Silence was behind the attacks. There is always a possibility that Silences tools could have been sold to another threat actor or borrowed by TA505, for example. Slight modifications of Silence . ProxyBot and Silence . MainModule can be explained by the gangs attempts to avoid detection as a result of being in the spotlight of security researchers for some time now.

According to Group-IBs Silence 2.0: Going Global report, issued in August, Silence significantly expanded their geography and increased the frequency of their attacks. The total confirmed amount of funds stolen by Silence has increased fivefold since the publication of Group -IBs original report on Silence, and is now estimated at USD 4.2 million. Group-IBs Threat Intelligence team established that Silence has made a number of changes to its TTPs and enhanced its arsenal. Given that the gang represents a growing threat, both of Group -IBs reports on Silence  (Silence: Moving into the darkside  and its sequel, Silence 2.0: Going Global)  have been made publicly available to help cybersecurity specialists with proper attribution and prevention of new incidents.

About the author Group-IB:

Group-IB is a leading provider of solutions aimed at detection and prevention of cyberattacks, online fraud, and IP protection. Group-IB is a partner of INTERPOL, Europol, and has been recommended by the OSCE as a cybersecurity solutions provider. Group-IB is a member of the World Economic Forum.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Russian-speaking hackers, cybercrime)
The incredible and unrelenting work of healthcare professionals on the frontline in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 has been applauded by one such local worker today.

Speaking to the Democrat, the local nurse, who wished to remain anonymous in order not to draw attention away from the huge, combined team effort, explained how everyone is doing a "phenomenal job", especially those thrown-in at the "deepest of deep ends".

She said: "We have so many retired healthcare professionals dusting off the uniforms and ready to tackle this head-on. The student nurses out there, who have just been thrown into the deepest of deep ends, the porters in the hospitals, lab staff, the receptionists... it is a massive team effort."

But even though the local healthcare worker is under extreme pressure herself, she had time to thank the other essential services in the country that are working for the greater good right now.

"We can't forget our retail staff, delivery drivers and those who are working to ensure our economy is stable once this has passed. Please offer them our utmost thanks for all their hard work through these frightening times."

However, the health care hero retained her biggest praise for the people of Ireland, who she urges to continue listening to the advice and following the guidelines.

"They are the most important of all and they are the ones who can help the most. It is comparable to guerilla warfare. This invisible enemy is attacking us without us even knowing it. The attack has happened before we are aware of it.

"Don't underestimate the importance of social distancing, no matter how hard it may seem. Practice good handwashing, stay indoors as much as possible.

"If you need to go out, do so on a needs-must only. Do not touch your face until you have washed your hands thoroughly and please please, please do this to protect each other and our loved ones! Stay safe."
Problems: Then and Now

A Cyberproblem

Where We're Headed: Two Perspectives

Before the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) took over as the single biggest threat to the 2020 presidential election, the security of state voting infrastructure was chief among the concerns held by many elected officials.Since 2016, foreign interference in American elections has been a critical concern, and direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting systems  or paperless voting machines  are increasingly viewed as a critical target that foreign adversaries might exploit.Touchscreen and electronic, the machines were once considered the most efficient, credible means to tabulate elections, but over the years many facets of them  in particular their lack of an auditable paper trail  have led experts to warn against their adoption. Hackers could gain entry, change votes and sway elections, cyberprofessionals fear.Here's a look at how DREs became such a prominent fixture of U.S. voting infrastructure, and why they have since seen a precipitous decline in use as states ditch them for old-fashioned paper.The reason governments originally turned to paperless voting machines was, ironically, the same one that is now causing them to replace them: election interference, said Charles Stewart, director of the MIT Election Lab , which studies the history and evolution of voting systems and administration.The predecessor of the DRE, the mechanical lever machine, was borne out of a need by governments to restrain the rampant illegal activity surrounding U.S. elections during the 1800s, Stewart said. During this period, it wasnt uncommon for bands of hired thugs to kidnap or murder poll workers as they trekked between polling places and municipal courthouses, and fraud  like ballot theft and box stuffing  occurred frequently.That's why lever machines, which were paperless and automated, and  with a weight of some 875 pounds  could not be easily carried away or manipulated, were built to be corruption proof, said Stewart: The reason counties did it that way is because of the fraud and violence that was rampant around polling places, especially around cities during the 19th century, he said.Lever machines became the mainstay of elections and maintained that status for much of the 20th century. This stayed true until around 2000, when technological shifts, lobbying from interest groups, and the scandal over the U.S. presidential results in Florida helped catalyze a large-scale shift to electronic forms of voting.The constitutional crisis in Florida, where older forms of voting were faulted, spurred the subsequent passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002, which represented a big push by the federal government to modernize state voting systems. HAVA banned the use of punch-cards and mechanical lever machines in federal elections, while providing millions of dollars to counties to replace them with upgraded systems.Like the lever machines of the 19th century, the DREs of the early 2000s were viewed as a fraud mitigation mechanism, and their sales to states spiked in the ensuing years. Meanwhile, similarly automated technology, like optical scanners, took over most of the rest of national voting infrastructure.As a result, between 1980 and the mid-2000s, the U.S. saw a massive shift from almost all of its counties using mechanical lever machines, paper ballots and punch cards, to a majority using optical scanners and DREs. By 2012, people bid farewell to the lever machine officially , and by the 2016 presidential election, DREs "dominated" large parts of the eastern and southern U.S., according to the MIT Lab.The love affair with these new machines was short lived, however.Almost immediately after their widespread adoption, there was a severe backlash against DREs by many in the computer science field.One of those early critics was Rebecca Mercuri, a computer scientist, who is known for her "Mercuri Method," being an early proponent of auditable paper trails for totally electronic voting equipment. Speaking with, Mercuri said that concerns over DREs by people like herself went back all the way to the '90s when governments were still just beginning to introduce them.These criticisms mostly fell on deaf ears, she said.Since then, Mercuri's concerns have been reiterated by many national security professionals and researchers. During U.S. Senate hearings regarding the 2016 hacking of the U.S. presidential election , computer science expert J. Alex Halderman said both DREs and optical scans could be exploited by foreign actors. Halderman said he and many of his peers had easily hacked into DREs over the years and knew techniques that could sway elections."I know America's voting machines are vulnerable because my colleagues and I have hacked them repeatedly as part of a decade of research studying the technology that operates elections and learning how to make it stronger," Halderman said, in his testimony. "We've created attacks that can spread from machine to machine, like a computer virus, and silently change election outcomes. We've studied touchscreen and optical scan systems, and in every single case we found ways for attackers to sabotage machines and to steal votes. These capabilities are certainly within reach for America's enemies."However, Stewart, like a lot of academics, is less than impressed with concerns about large-scale, coordinated interference.Whenever I hear these scenarios it always sounds like really interesting science fiction, he said, explaining that hackers trying to intrude at such a large scale would need "not only a lot of local knowledge about individual elections but would require a degree of physical access to a large number of machines of the sort that is highly unlikely."The argument against these hypotheticals takes into account the deeply decentralized nature of U.S. election administration, in which the nation's many individual counties are responsible for conducting local votes, making a coordinated "hacking" a huge challenge.Voting systems now seem to be trending towards a combination of automation and traditional paper.The trends are tending to go towards the ideal, said Stewart. So I can imagine that in 2024 we would no longer be seeing paperless DREs...You need paper in order to conduct post-election audits. A number of states are moving in that direction. Colorado was a real pioneer, and other states will be moving that way.Hybrid digital-paper solutions, DREs with a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), are becoming the norm for the communities that insist on using such machines. They are still touchscreen but print out ballots that verify a voter's selection. Georgia, for instance, just spent $107 million to purchase such devices.Only six states now have communities that deploy DREs without a VVPAT, while a majority deploy a combination of paper ballots and DREs with VVPATs.Mercuri, meanwhile, isn't so inspired by these machines, and favors a simple return to paper.What I believe is that we need to have well-designed, ergonomic paper ballots, she said. You want to design them in such a way that youre not making stray marks or mistakes or anything like that, and that its very clear what you have to do. These systems would be significantly more affordable for most localities, Mercuri remarked, as studies have shown that hand-marked paper ballot systems generally cost about half the price of more advanced systems In addition, there are a number of common-sense steps that could be implemented that would improve transparency and lessen the opportunity for fraud, she said.Ballot counting is one such area. Risk-limiting audits (RLA) are a growing trend , one Mercuri doesn't look favorably upon, either. With RLAs, a statistical sample of ballots are counted in an effort to validate the entire election. Mercuri says this doesn't go far enough, and that it wouldn't be difficult for the U.S. to publicly count all ballots by hand, as is done in numerous other countries.Instead of relying on closed-door counts involving precinct officials, public showings could be used, where the results are projected live onto a large, public screen. Counters could be drafted for this task in much the same way that people are picked for jury duty, she said.You can do this whole thing in a couple of hours at the precinct right after the election. It should be open to the public ... people should be able to see whats going on," she said. "That is how Canada does their elections, thats how the U.K. does it. Its been going on for years.Government TechnologyGoverning
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27 2020

Personal involvement: University students pose for a photograph on the sidelines of joining the 1 million tumblers initiative to reduce single-use plastic waste on Sunrise Beach in Denpasar, Bali, recently.(JP/Zul Trio Anggono)

The worlds social, political and economic problems  including environmental destruction, social conflicts and economic injustice  continue to escalate as we enter the third decade of the 21st century.Among students in Indonesia who belong to Generation Z  people born between 1997 and 2012  the interest in staying abreast of global issues and the desire to take action to tackle them start young.

A new global perspectives survey report released by Cambridge International, which studied the views of over 11,000 students around the world aged 13 to 19 on global issues, how they learn about them and how the awareness might impact future career choices revealed that 97 percent of students in Indonesia agree that it is important to learn about global issues.

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
Wuhan resumed some public transit on Wednesday, and in two weeks, the citys lockdown will be partially lifted. But can life really return to normal for Wuhan residents?

A viral post on Chinese social media shows crowds lining up outside a funeral home in Wuhan to pick up ashes of those who died during the virus outbreak.

Several young Chinese living overseas are breaking their silence, calling for the Chinese Communist Party to be held responsible for mishandling the pandemic.

10 million have lost their jobs due to the CCP virus. More than 3 million Americans have filed for unemployment and the Senate unanimously passed a $2-trillion stimulus package to offer relief to those impacted by the CCP virus.

Chinese state media has been quoting an Italian expert who suggested the virus came from Italy. Now the Italian expert is pointing out the virus came from China.

NTD refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more first-hand news from China

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter
President Moon Jae-in speaks with other leaders of major industrialized and developing economies during the Group of 20 special teleconference summit, at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



Korea is gaining international attention amid the global health crisis, becoming an example of success in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.



The latest case showing the nation's elevated status was acknowledged during the G20 summit, held through an unprecedented 100-minute special video conference on Thursday night, following President Moon Jae-in's proposal for the special meeting on cooperation in the global fight against the virus.



In the conference, Moon stressed the need to exempt "essential figures" from entry bans that many countries have implemented to curb the spread of the deadly virus, and the call has been reflected in the joint statement of the G20 leaders.



Korea has received rave reviews from around the globe for its handling of the novel virus by managing to lower the number of new infections while preserving its healthcare system.



"We commit to continue working together to facilitate international trade and coordinate responses in ways that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade," the statement read.



"Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. We task our trade ministers to assess the impact of the pandemic on trade."



Since earlier this month, Moon has called for an exemption of travel restrictions for businesspeople if they have health certificates issued by their governments, as a large number of countries have shut their doors to visitors to prevent spread of COVID-19. The Korean government has been in talks with countries to allow businessmen from Korea to enter.



"It is vital that countries maintain the flow of essential economic exchanges," Moon said during the virtual meeting. "To that end, to the extent that we do not undermine any one country's efforts at disease control, I propose that we seek ways to allow for the travel of essential persons such as scientists, medical professionals, and business leaders."



With many countries adopting draconian restrictions, Korea has stuck with "special entry procedures" at airports.



"In accordance with the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation, we minimized restriction on cross-border movements of people and goods while undertaking measures to maximize the impact of quarantine through special entry procedures," Moon said.



"Korea remains committed to continuously improving and refining quarantine measures and seeks to share our successful response model with the international community."



He also introduced to the global leaders the nation's successful methods employed in its fight against the coronavirus such as a drive-through testing site, an information technology-enabled self-quarantine app and a self-diagnosis app.



"With regard to the international community's endeavors to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, engage in development cooperation for health services and ramp up the capacity of developing countries to combat epidemics, Korea will be there every step of the way," the President said.



Korea's elevated status in terms of public healthcare was evidenced by U.S. President Donald Trump's remark, Thursday, that he has heard so much about Korea since the coronavirus outbreak, as the country's handling of COVID-19 has been praised in American media and elsewhere.



In addition, Korea's virus test kits are gaining recognition, with 47 countries seeking to import the diagnostic tools, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Theres a Mobile Street in downtown Florence. Theres also a Mobile Street in the first verse of Jason Isbells song Only Children. An Alabama native and four-time Grammy winner, Isbell formerly resided in the Muscle Shoals area, which includes Florence.

"Only Children" is a mountain-mist acoustic tune. The opening lyrics: "Walking around at night, fighting my appetite. Every kid in cutoffs could be you. Remember when we used to meet, bottom of Mobile Street, do what the broken people do." Isbell, who now has several years of sobriety and resides in the Nashville area, lived a harder lifestyle during his Shoals period. It's highly possible the Mobile Street in "Only Children" is the Florence one.

But not so fast. This is a Mobile Street in the city of Mobile too, and in Fairhope and in Fort Morgan. And also, Atlanta, New Orleans and surely other cities, particularly in The South.

Isbells Only Children lyrics also reference such disparate imagery as hydrocodone, coffee, a demo tape, backpack and ripping off Bob Dylan. The song is the third song to drop in advance of the Americana/rock musicians seventh studio LP, Reunions, out May 15. (A YouTube clip of Only Children is below.)

The "Only Children" track's production and arrangement echo vintage Crosby, Stills & Nash, which is logical given the company Isbell keeps. David Crosby himself contributed backing vocals to "What've I Done To Help," the previous song Isbell, who operated his own label, Southeastern Records, released in advance of "Reunions." Crosby and Isbell have also shared concert bills together.

In addition to Isbell circular acoustic guitar figures and natural vocals, Only Children boasts cooing keyboards. A lyrical electric guitar solo calls to mind those by Mark Knopfler. A female backing vocal, likely Americana artist Amanda Shires, shadows Isbells lead. Isbell and Shires are married.

Isbells longtime backing band, The 400 Unit, features Sheffield native Jimbo Hart on bass and Tuscumbias Chad Gamble on drums. The group also boasts violinist/backing vocalist Amanda Shires, guitarist Sadler Vaden and keyboardist Derry deBorja. (Isbell and Shires are also married.) Isbells last two albums, 2017s The Nashville Sound and 2015s Something More Than Free, have each won two Grammy Awards. In February, Isbell gave fans their first peak at Reunions with the alt-rock song Be Afraid." Fans can preorder the album at orcd.co/reunions.

MORE ON MUSIC

25 must-hear live albums from the last 25 years

20 grunge-era songs to know by 80s rock/metal acts

Is Bamas mascot on this classic Aerosmith album cover?

Motley Crue guitarists debut solo album features Alabama singer

Close encounters of the Van Halen kind
"The night Cyril Ramaphosa became a wartime president" is how a leading columnist for South Africa's News24 website described the South African leader's decision to impose a nationwide lockdown to defeat coronavirus.



The three-week lockdown, which started just after midnight, is unprecedented.



It is the first time since South Africa became a democracy in 1994 that a president had stripped away the most basic freedoms of citizens - to walk, to shop, to socialise and to congregate for prayer without hindrance.



"The law is that you stay at home. The exception is for survival: food [and] health, with security forces making sure that the law is enforced," government minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said.



The government has even banned the sale of alcohol and cigarettes, as well as jogging or walking dogs, during the lockdown - warning that offenders risked being prosecuted, and either fined or jailed.



This goes further than anything that the apartheid regime threw at the country's population during its almost five-decade-long oppressive rule.



But the hard-won freedoms that South Africans attained after defeating apartheid have been lost a mere 25 years later as they - like many other nations in the world - cede their rights to governments to fight what UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called an "invisible enemy".



Governments elsewhere in the region have not imposed such stringent measures.



'Viruses know no boundary'

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a national disaster, promising to marshal the government's limited resources to fight the virus.



But two weeks ago, the country's Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, thought her nation's borders were impenetrable, claiming that the virus was the enemy of powerful Western states - not a poor African nation under US sanctions for its human rights record.



"Coronavirus is the work of God punishing countries that imposed sanctions on us. They are now keeping indoors. Their economies are screaming just like they did to ours. Trump should know that he is not God," she said at a rally of the ruling Zanu-PF party on 14 March. The minister ignored the fact that the virus was first detected in China where it has killed more than 2,000.



Her hubris was short-lived: the virus has hit Zimbabwe, claiming as its first victim, 30-year-old broadcaster and filmmaker, Zororo Makamba earlier this week.



"Pandemics of this kind have a scientific explanation and knows no boundary, and like any other natural phenomenon cannot be blamed on anyone," President Mnangagwa said, effectively rebuking his defence minister for trying to politicize the global health crisis.



He banned all gatherings, shut schools and set aside three hospitals as quarantine centres as part of what are now familiar measures introduced in other parts of the world to prevent the spread of the virus.



With its economy in ruins and the government struggling to pay its bills, Zimbabwe is in no position to cope with a major outbreak, as many of its health centres do not have basic equipment, medicine, staff or a regular electricity supply.

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
A US diplomat has accused China of turning Covid-19 into a global threat, criticising Beijing's lack of transparency. The remarks add to growing tensions between China and the US following mutual accusations regarding the origin of the virus.

It is bad enough when conspiracy-theory cranks spread dangerous misinformation around the world, writes US ambassador to the UK Robert Wood Johnson in The Times. It is far worse, and more dangerous, when malign misinformation is spread by a government's officials.

It is bad enough when conspiracy-theory cranks spread dangerous misinformation around the world, writes US ambassador to the UK Robert Wood Johnson in The Times. It is far worse, and more dangerous, when malign misinformation is spread by a government's officials.

The "malign misinformation" refers to recent allegations by Chinese diplomats that the Covid-19 virus did not originate in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, but that it was brought to China by a team of US athletes who had come to participate in the 2019 Military World Games that took place between 18 and 27 October in Wuhan.

On 27 February, Zhong Nashan, a prize-winning epidemiologist who became famous for discovering the Sars coronavirus in 2003, remarked that though the Covid-19 was first discovered in China, it does not mean that it originated in China.

World Military Games

Days later, Zhao Lijian, an official spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted that it might be US army which brought the epidemic to Wuhan.

Zhao suggested that US athletes might have brought the virus with them to Wuhan when they participated in the military games in October. The first Covid-19 cases were registered in Wuhan around 17 November. The US owe us an explanation, added Zhao.

The message was quickly taken up by various Chinese ambassadors, who seem to have discovered Twitter as a channel to propagate Beijing's official point of view. For example, the Chinese ambassador to South Africa echoed the official line.

The Chinese message also boasted about the success of Beijing's national response to the epidemic and its implications for the world: China's endeavor in combating the epidemic has bought time for international preparedness, the Chinese foreign ministry suggested this week, while Chinese media have highlighted Beijing's efforts to assist dozens of countries by supplying medical equipment and personnel.

Racist

According to the Americans, it is too little, too late. First they tried to suppress the news, Ambassador Johnson wrote, adding that Beijing had then selectively shared critical information while stonewalling international health authorities.

Had China done the right things at the right time, more of its own population, and the rest of the world, might have been spared the most serious impact of this disease, the ambassador wrote.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Beijing should have acted more quickly to warn the world after the outbreak of the disease there, labelling Covid-19 a Chinese virus. Beijing responded by lambasting the American leader as racist.
If youre feeling under the weather and worried that you have COVID-19, you can now ask Alexa to assess your risk level and answer questions about the ongoing pandemic.

Just ask, Alexa, what do I do if I think I have COVID-19, or Alexa, what is my risk of getting coronavirus, and Alexa will ask you a series of questions that can help determine whether its likely youve been exposed to the virus.

I gave it a quick try myself, and (following a quick preamble that Alexas advice is not a substitute for professional medical attention and that it shouldnt be used for children under two years old) Alexa started quizzing me, asking questions such as Do you feel sick? (no), Do you live with someone who has or is believed to have COVID-19? (no), and In the last 14 days, have you had close contact within about six feet with someone who has or is believed to have COVID-19? (dont think so).

Once the questions were over, Alexa said that according to CDC guidelines, its unlikely you have the virus, and then offered some tips on how to avoid exposure (wash your hands, stop touching your face, cover coughs and sneezes with tissue, disinfecting frequently touched items, and so on).

Amazon notes that for now, you must be in the U.S. or Japan to ask Alexa whether you may have been exposed to COVID-19. While Alexa users in the U.S. will get information, tips and guidance from the CDC, users in Japan will hear recommendations from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

If youre in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, or the U.S., you can also ask Alexa to sing a song for 20 seconds while you wash your hands, similar to Google Assistants new ability to play a hand-washing tune (although Assistants song is 40 seconds rather than just 20).

Finally, you can now ask Alexa specific questions about COVID-19 (Alexa, what are the symptoms of coronavirus?), or ask Alexa on your Echo Show or Fire TV to show you official videos from the CDC.
BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States will protect Chinese nationals on its soil, including Chinese students, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday Beijing time.

Trump said he has publicly made clear on social media that the American people respect and love the Chinese people very much and that Chinese students are of great significance to the U.S. educational business.
Workers are in a desperate rush to dredge New York's Pier 90 as the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, which is prepared to assist overwhelmed medical staff, is scheduled to dock Saturday.

President Donald Trump authorized USNS Comfort, and similar hospital ship USNS Mercy, to be dispatched to the country's outbreak epicenters to ease the tension at local medical centers.

The U.S. hospital ships are meant to for non-coronavirus patients needing health care, as infected patients swarm local hospitals.

USNS Comfort houses more than 1,000 beds that is expected to free up space in packed hospitals.

Marine workers have been forced to dredge part of New York's Pier 90 as USNS Comfort (pictured), a hospital ship, prepares to dock on Saturday

Reports say USNS Comfort is expected to arrive at Manhattan Cruise Terminals Berth 4's in Pier 90 after Trump announced its departure

Marine Link reports that dredging contractor Donjon Marine Co., Inc was contacted last week about completing dredging at Manhattan Cruise Terminals Berth 4 last week.

The company began making preparations at least 10 days ahead of schedule, as well as transporting crew members and supplies from their New Jersey headquarters to the city.

The company also had to hasten needed authorizations and approvals from several officials at different levels.

Thomas Witte, Executive Vice President and Director of Dredging, said: 'We needed expedited permits and authorizations from the federal government, state of New York, and the city in order to place dredge material in certain locations.

'We were able to receive them  in less than 12 hours from being requested to issuance.'

Witte admitted that he's never seen permit approvals happen so quickly, but '9/11 was close.'

Pictured: a graphic showing coronavirus-related infection and deaths in the state of New York

He shifted credit for the quick maneuvers to Jodi McDonald, Deputy Chief of Operations, Readiness, and Regulatory Functions Division, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Thomas Creamer, Chief of Operations.

William P. Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of the Dredging Contractors of America, said the company's quick response was indicative of the dredging industry's commitment to service.

'When America says jump, we dont ask why. We ask how high. That is what the U.S. dredging industry does  day in and day out,' he said.

Trump announced yesterday that he planned to see off the USNS Comfort from it's departure at the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia, Saturday.

Supplies are being loaded onto the deck of the USNS Comfort in Norfolk, Virginia on Tuesday as the ship is readied to deploy to New York City to offload non-COVID-19 patients from the city's hospitals

'I think I'm going to go out and, I'll kiss it goodbye, I'll go to - it's in Virginia as you know, and I will go and we'll be waving together, because I suspect the media will be following,' Trump told reporters at the White House briefing.

Several moments after the president made the comments, the White House announced that he was serious and would travel to the Norfolk Naval Station on Saturday to 'bid bon voyage to the hospital ship,' a release to the press said.

The trip will mark the first time since the president has left Washington since March 9, when he hopped over to the suburbs of Orlando, Florida from his Palm Beach estate Mar-a-Lago to raise funds for his re-election campaign and then headed back to the White House.

President Trump announced Thursday that he would go 'kiss' the USNS Comfort goodbye on Saturday, as the White House confirmed he would travel to Norfolk, Virginia to watch the hospital ship set sail to New York City

The USNS Comfort will treat non-coronavirus patients and is expected to help local hospitals with the influx of patients

A subsequent trip scheduled for that week - to Las Vegas for fundraising and a Republican Jewish Coalition speech - was canned due to coronavirus concerns.

Trump has been in D.C. ever since.

The president initially announced that hospital ships Comfort and Mercy would be used during the pandemic on March 18.

At the time Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said that Comfort could take two weeks to deploy because maintenance was being finished up.

Trump said in the briefing room that the Comfort was way ahead of schedule.

'So it's going to be leaving on Saturday instead of three weeks from now,' the president said.

The ship will depart four days ahead of schedule, according to the Pentagon's two-week initial estimate.

The USNS Mercy, a second hospital ship, is sailing to Los Angeles and arrived Friday.

The USNS Mercy (pictured) has been dispatched to Los Angeles, California, to help medical staff and doctors

On Friday, reports revealed that the state's death toll soared to 519 after 134 people died in just one day.

There are now more than 44,000 cases of the virus in New York state including 25,398 in New York City. In the United states, cases are surpassed 92,000 cases and 1,300 deaths.

De Blasio said Friday that New Yorkers should be 'ready' for New York City to stay closed until May.

He said: 'I think we need to be ready for that,' then went on to slam President Trump's Easter deadline to reopen the country as something that gave 'false hope' to the nation.

Pictured: A single death was reported on March 14, but the numbers quickly surged past 100 as pandemic spread

De Blasio also warned that 'more than half' of New York City - which has a population of 8.6million - would become infected with the virus at any one time.

His prediction came as research from the University of Washington School of Medicine suggested as many as 81,000 would be killed by the virus in the US and that the pandemic will not be over until June.

He said the majority, 80 percent, would suffer flu like symptoms but that some would die.

There are around 92,000 coronavirus infection in the United States and more than 1,300 deaths thus far

'Here's the reality in NYC, people we have to be real honest about where this is going

'Unfortunately we think it's going to go through April and in to May. It's just a blunt reality.

'Over half of people in this city will ultimately be infected.

'Thank god for 80 percent, that will be very little impact in truth - it's like having cold or flu and you get through it in seven to 10 days.

'But for 20 percent of the people infected, it's going to be tough and for some of them, of course it's going to be fatal,' he said.

The hospital ships can help medical staff who've become swamped by patients within the last few week.

At least 13 people died in a 24 hour span at Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, New York.

Additionally, doctors have fallen ill with coronavirus due to close proximity.

Early research said that medical staff is more likely to contract coronavirus than the average person and, unfortunately, could experience more severe symptoms.

The hospital ships come as after Trump claimed Gov. Andrew Cuomo was exaggerating the New York state's medical needs in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

He said: 'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!'

'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.'

The United States has amassed more than 92,000 coronavirus cases as of Friday, March 27, after cases appear to begin spiking around March 22

Coronavirus hotspots across the United States includes Washington, California, Georgia and New York, the latter of which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country

Trump also said Cuomo was 'complaining' too much. Cuomo hit back on Friday by saying he creates protocol based on facts, not opinions.

He said: 'I don't have a crystal ball. Everybody is entitled to an opinion, but I don't operate here on opinion.

'I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators.'

Cuomo also revealed a 1,000 bed field hospital in an effort to have enough beds for patients.

Of the spike in deaths, he said: 'We're seeing a significant increase in deaths because the length of time people are on the ventilator is increasing. We expect that to continue to increase.

Gov Andrew Cuomo (pictured) hit back at Donald Trump's claims that he's exaggerating New York state's medical needs by saying: I operate on facts and data and numbers and projections... all of them say you could have an apex needing about 40,000 ventilators

'It's bad news, it's tragic news, the worst news. But it's not unexpected news,' he said.

They will go up in college campuses, hotels and exposition centers. Cuomo needs the president to sign off on the plan for him to be able to put it into action.

Meanwhile Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top disease expert, was forced to again pour cold water on Trump's repeated suggestion that the US could be back open for business by April 12.

'I think what the President was trying to do, he was making an aspirational projection to give people some hope,' Facui - who was briefly banished from coronavirus press briefings after contradicting Trump - told CNN.

'But he's listening to us when we say that we've really got to reevaluate it in real time, and any decision we make has to be based on the data,' he added.

Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams appeared to back up these claims during a Good Morning America interview on Friday morning.

He claims that some states may be battling coronavirus infections until Labor Day.

Adams said: 'Everyone's timeline is going to be different. Some places haven't hit their peak yet.

'We're trying to give people the testing data to make informed choices. It doesn't matter if it's Easter, Memorial Day or Labor Day.

'We know we want people to be thinking about what they can do now to get through as few deaths and hospitalizations as possible.'

While the US is behind China and South Korea by around seven weeks, he said the evidence in those two countries suggests the steps being taken now are working.

'We know it's working. We know that China and South Korea are reopening,' he said.
James Clarke is also charged with breach of the peace

A father and son have been accused of assaulting two gardai by spitting on them amid public fears over the spread of Covid-19.

Paul Clarke (49) and his son James Clarke (27) allegedly spat at the gardai as they carried out a routine drug search in Dublin city centre yesterday morning.

The incident was recorded by a crowd of onlookers and the footage has already been posted on Facebook, the alleged victims told Dublin District Court.

Judge Miriam Walsh refused both accused bail and remanded them in custody.

The accused, both of Clonard Road, Crumlin, are charged with assaulting Gardai Kate Mulligan and Kevin Carthy.

Fear

James Clarke is also charged with garda obstruction and breach of the peace.

The offences are alleged to have happened at O'Donovan Rossa Bridge, Dublin 8. Objecting to bail in Paul Clarke's case, Gda Mulligan said: "In light of Covid-19, there is already fear in the population."

To spit at the gardai "in this climate more so than ever, it's dangerous", she said.

Defence barrister Sarah Connolly said Paul Clarke was on disability allowance and had medical difficulties.

Gda Carthy said he was dealing with a "simple drug search" with another person when the two co-accused became involved and it "got out of hand".

"They started spitting at us. There were official batons used and pepper spray was used," the garda said. "I was spat at at least twice."

Ms Connolly said Paul Clarke denied spitting at the gardai, but accepted tensions were heightened.

"Everybody's lives have totally changed and there's a new order in place at the moment," Judge Walsh said.

"In relation to Covid-19, spitting on anybody, let alone the gardai trying to carry out their duty, is a very serious offence," Gda Carthy said, objecting to bail for James Clarke.

James Clarke was on disability allowance for severe epilepsy.

Both gardai said they would not be satisfied with bail conditions, such as a requirement to sign on at a garda station.

Paul Clarke wore a blue surgical mask during the hearing.

Judge Walsh remanded both accused in custody, to appear at Cloverhill District Court on March 30.
A former United Kingdom prime minister is asking world leaders to consider creating a temporary global government to help manage the coronavirus pandemic.

Gordon Brown, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010, said he hopes world leaders, health experts and other international leaders can work together on a response to the pandemic, The Guardian reports.

This is not something that can be dealt with in one country, he said. There has to be a coordinated global response.

Saudi Arabia has since hosted a virtual meeting of the G20 group of developed and developing countries. Brown, however, said the meeting should also include the U.N. security council.

In the meeting, G20 leaders promised to do whatever it takes to combat the economic and social damage from the coronavirus pandemic.

Brown was a central part in dealing with the 2008 global recession. Brown approved a bank rescue package for the U.K. and other economic measures to help with the recession.

That was an economic problem that had economic causes and had an economic solution.

This is first and foremost a medical emergency and there has to be joint action to deal with that, he said of the pandemic. But the more you intervene to deal with the medical emergency, the more you put economies at risk.

Brown said a coordinated global effort would be able to develop a vaccine and to organize production, purchasing and profiteering.

We need some sort of working executive, Brown said. If I were doing it again, I would make the G20 a broader organization because in the current circumstances you need to listen to the countries that are most affected, the countries that are making a difference and countries where there is the potential for a massive number of people to be affected - such as those in Africa.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Jeff J. Mitchell/Staff

Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, March 27, 2020 16:42 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206de13ee 1 World COVID-19,Indonesia,South-Korea,Indonesian-Embassy,Seoul,Daegu,advance-team,coronavirus,virus-corona Free

Mission accomplished.

The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul decided to shut down an advance post at the city of Daegu, South Korea, on Thursday in view of a lower risk of coronavirus spread in the country.

The post was established to help Indonesian citizens who were trapped in the city, which had become the main hot spot for COVID-19 cases in South Korea.

The core mission of the advance post has been accomplished and Daegu is recovering, said Indonesian Ambassador to South Korea Umar Hadi in a statement on Thursday.

Since March 13, Daegus rate of COVID-19 cases has been slowing, and is even lower than the number of those who have recovered. The scarcity of medical supplies such as masks has been solved by a number of new policies implemented by the South Korean government, especially those related to production and distribution.

Peoples lives in Daegu and the surrounding area are returning to normal, the embassy said.

Read also: South Korea sees more virus patients released than new infections

Indonesian citizens in the city are in a safe condition. Students have started to return to class  although still through online platforms  and they have had extra attention from their universities.

The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, with the help of the Indonesian Student Association in South Korea [Perpika], is in constant communication with the students through phone calls or WhatsApp messages, Umar said.

Our [Indonesian] migrant workers continue to work as usual and they are receiving enough attention from their companies. The embassy engages with them through our partners, Indonesian religious communities, NGOs and Indonesian communities.

The advance post was established on Feb. 27 to give special care and protection to more than 1,400 Indonesians residing in Daegu and the surrounding area. This measure was taken as an emergency response when Daegu was declared the epicenter of the surge of COVID-19 cases in South Korea  with around 70 percent of confirmed cases in the country coming from the city  and later designated a special care zone by the government.

The advance post, consisting of two advance teams, was located some 50 kilometers from the city center and functioned as a coordinating post between the embassy and the local authorities.

The second team, led by assistant defense attache Maj. Khoirul Hadi Prayitno, with the help of embassy staffers Rizqi Adri, Komang Harry and Miftahul Iman had been on duty since March 12 and had returned to Seoul for a 14-day self-quarantine.

The first team, led by defense attache Col. Imam Subekti, with the help of embassy staffers Riza Hera, Puji Basuki, Heru Wibowo, Khoirul Anam and Bagus Satrya had completed their self-quarantine earlier and have resumed their duty at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul.

Read also: South Korea drive-in cinemas enjoy sales boom over virus fears

South Korea is deemed to have successfully flattened the curve of new infections across the country, including in Daegu, according to Umar.

Despite the success, the South Korean government remains consistent in urging its citizens to practice physical distancing over fear of another wave of infections from imported cases, with a possible spread in Seoul and Gyeonggi province.

The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul calls on the Indonesian citizens in South Korea to remain calm, stay vigilant, obey the calls from local authorities and reach the embassy immediately upon needing help, Umar said.
The United States says it has no secret plan to push land swaps between Kosovo and Serbia, rejecting speculation by some Kosovar officials that such a move was in the works.

The State Department issued the statement on March 26, days after the government of Prime Minister Albin Kurti collapsed amid a dispute over coronavirus measures, as well as the continuing impasse between Pristina and Belgrade.

We want to make clear there is no secret plan for land swaps between Kosovo and Serbia, as some have speculated, the State Department said in a statement. "Special Presidential Envoy Richard Grenell has never seen nor discussed such a plan."

European Union-mediated negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade broke down in 2018 over reports of a proposed land swap and after Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian imports in November.

Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, declared independence in 2008 in a move rejected by Belgrade.

Both Kosovo and Serbia aspire to join the EU, which has made the normalization of relations a precondition.

Complicating any solution to the dispute has been continued political instability in the country, heightened by the fall of Kurtis government after just four months in power.

The U.S. statement, which was signed by Grenell, Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett, and Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer, said Washington remains committed to working with any government formed through the constitutional process.

In this time of uncertainty, we urge Kosovos leaders to follow Kosovos constitution and the rule of law, the statement said.

In normal circumstances, a snap election could be held, but that is unlikely amid the battle to stem the spread of the COVID-19 illness.

For now, according to the countrys constitution, Kurti is staying as caretaker prime minister until his leftist-nationalist Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party puts forward a candidate for premier as required in the next 15 days.

But the toppling of the government leaves the small Western-backed nation without strong leadership as it struggles to stem the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. statement linked the battle against the virus with the tariffs, urging their removal.

We believe the tariffs are harming the people of Kosovo by hindering regional cooperation against COVID-19  including by delaying the entry into Kosovo of needed supplies  and hindering economic growth, it said.

Authorities have confirmed more than 71 coronavirus infections and at least one death, that of an 82-year-old man with underlying health issues.
National Guard troops listen as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks to the press at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, on March 27, 2020.

The number of deaths in New York state related to the coronavirus pandemic has topped 500, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday.

Cuomo revealed that the number of COVID-19-linked fatalities jumped dramatically overnight by 134, bringing the current death toll statewide to 519.

COVID-19 cases are "still doubling, and that's still bad news," he said in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is setting up temporary a hospital.

"The rate of increase is slowing. But the number of cases are still going up."

New York state, which is the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, confirmed 7,377 new cases overnight, bringing the total in the state to 44,635.

More than half of those cases, 25,300, are in New York City.

Cuomo also Friday extended school closures across the state by two weeks to April 15 as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.

"When you look at the number of cases that's still increasing, it only makes sense to keep the schools closed," he said.

"We want to see the rate slowing and then we want to see the number of cases going down or flattening," he said.

The governor, referring to medical workers, said, "This is a rescue mission that you're on."

"In 10 years from now, you'll be talking about today with your children or your grandchildren and you will shed a tear because you will remember the lives lost and you'll remember their faces, you'll remember their names," Cuomo said.

He called on hospitals across the state to double their capacity to deal with the virus outbreak.

The state currently has 53,000 hospital beds, but will need 140,000 of them for coronavirus patients over the next three weeks when the outbreak is expected to peak in New York, he said.

"We're asking hospitals to try to increase capacity 100% ... We're looking at converting dorms. We're looking at converting hotels," he said.
Several hospital staff have been infected and dozens of medical workers tested after it was revealed that two cancer patients at The Alfred hospital's oncology ward, who later died, had been infected with COVID-19.

The hospital confirmed late Friday night that the COVID-19 diagnoses were not determined until after the men's condition worsened.

Since the deaths on Wednesday night, two other patients at the hospital have tested positive to COVID-19 as well as three haematology and oncology ward staff.

More than 80 staff have been tested for the virus. It is unclear how many patients have also been tested.
SouthDoc, the out-of-hours GP service, has been criticised for announcing a raft of temporary layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SIPTU has criticised the service for bypassing the union, and TDs have called for a public clarification on the decision to lay off skilled medical service staff during an unprecedented public health crisis.

It is understood the decision will affect up to 40 administrative staff.

The decision comes less that two weeks after SouthDoc closed several local clinics as part of what it called a "consolidated model" of service delivery as the virus outbreak was beginning.

Its services are still operating from clinics off Cork's Kinsale Rd roundabout, in Bandon, Mallow, Midleton and Castletownbere, and in Kerry from it clinics Killarney, Tralee, Dingle and Caherciveen.

In a letter to staff, seen by the Irish Examiner, SouthDoc said the layoffs are required to "protect the operational viability" of the service.

"Having fully examined and reviewed all matters including our operational requirements we do not anticipate there is any alternative productive work currently available for certain staff members," it said.

The layoffs will be temporary but the duration of the layoffs is uncertain given the "unprecedented times", it said.

It said it will evaluate the circumstances regularly and will recall staff to centres when the need arises.

It also told affected employees to submit a claim for Covid-19 payment as soon as possible.

We appreciate and recognise this is difficult for staff and we have done or utmost to minimise any disruption to staff regrettably the current arrangements are necessary and unavoidable," it said.

But trade union, SIPTU, has written to SouthDoc expressing concern that the layoffs were not discussed with union reps.

The union also pointed out that while SouthDoc is a fully-funded section 39 organisation aligned to HSE terms and conditions of employment, it has not applied to its staff the set of HSE arrangements agreed nationally to address the impact of Covid-19 on jobs.

"It is our understanding that HSE funding is not being reduced or curtailed during this period and it should be possible to retain staff earnings," SIPTU said.

"We are asking as there is no reduction in HSE funding why our members being laid off without pay and we expect the status quo to remain until an agreed alternative proposal is presented to the union."

Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould called on SouthDoc to guarantee that the closed centres will reopen when the pandemic is declared over.

"I am also calling for guarantees that the affected staff will be re-hired with the same terms and conditions. I just hope that people aren't using the pandemic to streamline operations," he said.

Socialist TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry, criticised the timing and nature of the announcement.

"When the nation was out on their doorsteps last night applauding health workers, SouthDoc workers were being laid off without pay," he said.

"SouthDoc bypassed the union, they bypassed national agreements and the workers' suspicion that scores are being settled here after the recent strike seem credible.

"We need all hands on deck in our health service and if SouthDoc is to be consolidated then redeployment would seem a better option than layoffs for these workers."

Labour TD for Cork East, Sean Sherlock, called on the SouthDoc board to issue a public clarification.

There was certainly an understanding that staff would be redeployed to other centres during this public health emergency," he said.

"The closure of a number of centres was also understood by staff to mean that it was on the basis of ensuring the safety and health of staff.

"It was not understood that qualified health administrative staff would be laid off.

It has been conveyed to me by those staff with the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, that this is a precursor to permanent layoffs. This has to be clarified by SouthDoc."

He also questioned why any staff member with the skills of those in SouthDoc would be laid off in the middle of a health crisis.

Southdoc was unavailable for comment.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
By John Whitesides and Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. election officials looking to construct a safe voting system in a worsening coronavirus pandemic are confronting a grim reality: there may not be enough time, money or political will to make it happen by the November election.

The possibility the pandemic could last into the fall, or flare again as millions of voters are set to choose the nation's next president, has state and local officials scrambling for alternatives to help keep voters safe.

The most-discussed proposals are to make mail-in voting available to all eligible voters nationwide, and to expand early in-person voting to limit the crowds on Election Day.

But election officials say those changes will be costly and complex in a country where traditional voting remains ingrained. About six of every 10 ballots were cast in person on Election Day in 2016, Census data shows.

Democrats fell far short in their effort to include at least $2 billion to help virus-proof the November elections as part of a $2.2-trillion coronavirus stimulus bill that was passed by the U.S. House on Friday. The package devotes $400 million to bolster vote by mail and early voting, expand facilities and hire more poll workers.

"Congress failed to include sufficient, urgently needed funds in the stimulus to help states run elections in a time of pandemic," said Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law. "This could wreak havoc in November."

Republicans opposed to spending big on balloting changes viewed it as an attempt by Democrats to impose a one-size-fits-all solution on states. Democrats said the price tag reflected the enormity of the task of safeguarding the vote during a pandemic.

Benjamin Hovland, chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which provides resources and information to election officials nationwide, said the change requires planning - and time is running out.

Story continues

"You can't just flip a switch and vote by mail, this is a very involved process," Hovland said. "A lot of what is possible in November will be determined now."

Some officials in both parties still worry they could lose out in a nationwide vote-by-mail system.

Democrats fear it could disenfranchise minorities and low-income voters who tend to move more frequently or lack reliable access to mail service. Republicans cite concerns about voter fraud, and they worry that older voters confused by a new voting system and rural residents with slow mail delivery could be left out.

Fears about the outbreak, which has now infected more than 85,000 Americans and killed over 1,200, have started to affect Americans intentions to vote. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken March 18-24, 63% of adults questioned said they were "completely certain" to vote in November. But that figure dropped to 56% when the respondents were asked to project their behavior if coronavirus were still a factor on Election Day.

"If nothing changes by November, there will be a lot of voters who are disenfranchised," said Sylvia Albert, voting and elections director for good-government watchdog Common Cause.

The health crisis has already upended the Democratic race to pick a challenger to face incumbent Republican President Donald Trump.

Three states scheduled to proceed with their April 4 Democratic nominating contests - Wyoming, Hawaii and Alaska - have scrapped in-person voting entirely and will only permit voting by mail. Ohio and at least eight other states pushed their primaries back to May or June.

Postponement looks unlikely for the November presidential election, which is set by law and would require action by Congress to move.

"The election is going to happen in November, so we have to put the procedures in place now to make sure it happens safely and fairly," said Jonathan Diaz, legal counsel for voting rights at the Washington-based Campaign Legal Center.

'MASSIVE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN'

Introducing a vote-by-mail system in new locales will require election officials to pay for new paper ballots and thick security envelopes, and to buy expensive new machines to sort and tabulate them.

But one of the biggest challenges will be familiarizing people with a new way of voting in a very short time, said Tina Barton, the city clerk and chief elections official in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

"It's going to take a massive education campaign not only to train all your clerks on a new process but also to educate voters," Barton said.

The Brennan Center estimated the cost of ensuring vote-by-mail was available for all voters could be up to $1.4 billion, with postage alone costing $600 million.

Hovland of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission said he has gotten so many questions from election administrators about making the transition that he recorded a video conference with local officials in Washington, California and Utah who supervise mail-in ballot systems so they could share their tips with others.

Currently, every state allows some voters to cast ballots sent through the mail. Five states - Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington - conduct elections entirely by mail.

But rules differ from state to state. Some states provide postage-paid envelopes. Others do not. Most allow no-excuse absentee voting. Others require a specific reason for not showing up at the polls, such as an illness or travel.

Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill said the state's Constitution allows absentee voting only in limited circumstances; a pandemic is not one of them.

Merrill has urged Connecticut's Democratic Governor Ned Lamont to issue an executive order permitting those worried about going to the polls during the outbreak to obtain absentee ballots. He hasn't announced a decision.

"We're stuck," Merrill said. "We have unique problems, and I think it would be extremely difficult to get this implemented by the fall."

'NON-PARTISAN' PROBLEM

The proposed changes to the nation's voting system ahead of November's election have triggered partisan suspicions among both Democrats and Republicans.

In Pennsylvania, a key presidential battleground, a local Democratic Party official said he worried widespread use of mail-in balloting might lower participation among low- to moderate-income Democrats who are more transient.

"Theres no doubt, here at least, that it would favor Republicans, who are more affluent and more stable in their lives," said Ed Hozza, Democratic chairman in Pennsylvania's Lehigh County.

Voting rights advocates in Arizona, which Democrats have targeted as a potential swing state, worry voting by mail could disenfranchise Native Americans who live on reservations inside the state's boundaries.

People who live on tribal lands often lack a traditional street address. Just one-quarter of Native Americans in Arizona have a postal service address, and many speakers of non-written tribal languages rely on assistance from translators at in-person polling locations, said Alex Gulotta, the Arizona state director of All Voting is Local, a voter protection group.

"The solution cant be simplistic  it needs to have some complexity to meet the needs of constituent groups that would be harmed by all-mail voting," he said.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, has urged Arizona lawmakers to authorize "all-mail" elections this year, a method the state normally uses only in small jurisdictional elections.

Republicans, too, have concerns mail-in balloting might depress turnout among one of their most reliable voting blocs: rural Americans. Mail service is spotty in some far-flung parts of the country, making it potentially harder for rural-dwellers to participate.

Republican leaders traditionally have resisted more lenient rules on casting ballots. Many cite the potential for voter fraud, a concern that election experts say is not supported by evidence. Still, some Republicans have moved to loosen the restrictions on voting by mail in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, a Republican, said his office would increase the use of absentee ballots for the state's May 12 primary. And in Georgia, every active voter will be mailed an absentee ballot request form for the May 19 primary to encourage voting amid the pandemic, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said recently.

The danger the virus poses to voters of all stripes has increased pressure on officials to take action, said Trevor Potter, a Republican former chairman of the Federal Election Commission and president of the Campaign Legal Center.

"This is a non-partisan, non-discriminatory problem that faces both sides," Potter said.

(Additional reporting by Julia Harte in Washington; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Marla Dickerson)
The programme was created in 1961, reaching Slovakia after the Velvet Revolution.

Slovak student Maria Siskova spent her summer 2019 by the ocean in North Carolina. (Source: Maria Siskova)

Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled

A glossary of words is also published online.

Whether or not hopeful Slovak students will be able to work and travel in the USA this year remains uncertain due to the coronavirus.

US President Donald Trump suspended the entry of all EU citizens to the USA on March 11, and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has paused international exchange programmes for 60 days. It plans to review its decision every 30 days thereafter.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

There are currently no changes to the Summer Work and Travel programme due to COVID-19, the US Embassy in Bratislava said.

This is because the programme, in which 2,300 students participated in 2019, is not part of ECA-funded initiatives.

Popular places

Slovak students can work in the USA from May 15 to September 15. Most work in hotel resorts, national parks, camps, and amusement parks.

Read also

Read also Slovak student in Alaska: I was fishing for salmon next to a grizzly Read more

Every student must have a job before they leave for the USA, Michal Baran of CCUSA Slovakia & Austria said. Other agencies confirmed.

Marcela Rebrova of CKM 2000 Travel said Virginia Beach, Ocean City, Myrtle Beach, and Santa Cruz are popular spots among beach-loving students. Nature lovers prefer Utah, Idaho and Nevada. The agency offers about 3,500 vacancies in 11 American regions.

To ensure the safety and welfare of participants, they are not sent, for instance, to central parts of Chicago or NYC.

The sooner, the cheaper

There are few conditions for students to meet: everyone has to be a university student no older than 29 years and speak English. Slovak students can apply through a Slovak agency such as CCUSA, Campleaders Slovakia, or CKM, which help students obtain the Work & Travel J-1 visa and provide further assistance.

It all cost me about 1,200 to 1,500, Slovak student Patricia Prasovska said. Everything depends on when you sign a contract, but also on the ticket and insurance.

In addition, the price depends on whether students seek jobs themselves or an agency does it for them. Agencies agreed the sooner students apply, the cheaper it is.

The Spectator College is a programme designed to support the study and teaching of English in Slovakia, as well as to inspire interest in important public issues among young people.
Its a positive step in the law to include now a consideration for the well-being of the animal, he said. Most pet owners think of their dogs as being something more than a piece of property. They think of them as a member of their family.
We're working together to protect Main Street Americans during COVID-19 because together we can take on anything.

As if the health, economic and psychological threats haunting main street Americans today werent enough, add a new enemy  consumer fraud and scams.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has dedicated a portion of its consumer-facing website as an in-depth consumer tool on phishing, cybersecurity and personal identity safety. This site is a direct result of NAIFAs selection to assist the interagency crisis action task force through FEMAs National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. NAIFA is providing the site, as well as the resource of its financial professional members, to legislators and their constituents.

The website is financialsecurity.org/scams, and it provides coronavirus-related cybersecurity links from the SEC, Homeland Security, the FTC and FEMA. It also lists general cybersecurity resources, but most important are links to lists of current scams and information on reporting wrongdoing. It (the site) provides individuals and businesses with information to avoid scams, tips on who to contact regarding health claims/questions, as well as how to find licensed, knowledgeable, ethical professionals in their area to assist with financial planning questions, said NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux.

Beyond its work with the task force, NAIFA government relations staff is personally reaching out to a range of government officials on the issue. I can only imagine the number of calls and questions legislators and public officials are fielding about COVID-19 and financial assistance right now, said NAIFA Senior VP of Government Relations Diane Boyle. This is a difficult time, and hopefully NAIFA can help provide reliable information to constituents and reduce fear. With members in every Congressional District, NAIFA is uniquely situated to help with situational intelligence and deliver credible resources, she said.

Boyle said NAIFA is pleased to see word of the resource hit social media from coast to coast. New York Assembly member Harry B. Bronson shared it as a resource to his constituents on Twitter @HarryBBronson. The outbreak of COVID-19 in our community has challenged many of our families financially. To protect you and your family from scams and access credible counseling, please visit the @NAIFA security webpage at: security.naifa.org/covid-19. And from California, Assemblyman Bill Brough wrote on Facebook The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has provided a site for individuals and businesses with information to avoid scams, tips on who to contact regarding health claims/questions, as well as how to find licensed, knowledgeable, ethical professionals to assist with financial security planning. Follow the link to access NAIFAs consumer site.

Mayeux says the site and other efforts are a natural extension of what the group has been doing for 130 years. We are powering up resources around this crisis, because our members, who all subscribe to a code of ethics, have the answers to critical questions right now, whether its cybersecurity or business interruption. Were working together to protect main street Americans, Mayeux said.
The Space Force can't afford to shelter in place.

On Thursday (March 26), a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launched the sixth and final Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-6) military communications satellite to Earth orbit, acing the first-ever mission for the U.S. Space Force.

The Atlas V was cleared to fly even though many activities around the nation and the world  including other rocket launches  have been grounded by the coronavirus pandemic . The launch was approved because the $1.4 billion AEHF-6 satellite is essential to national security, U.S. military officials said.

Video: Watch the Space Force launch the AEHF-6 satellite

Updates: The coronavirus pandemic impacts on space exploration

"Even in the face of a global pandemic, like the current COVID-19 crisis, we must continue to perform mission-essential tasks," Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, said in an interview with United Launch Alliance representatives that aired during the AEHF-6 launch webcast.

(COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus. As of Friday, March 27, COVID-19 had killed more than 25,000 people worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .)

AEHF-6 "is designated mission-essential, and it's because the AEHF constellation supports the president of the United States, other national leaders and the joint forces with critical strategic communications around the planet," Thompson said. "And this particular launch extends that capability out into the timeframe beyond 2030."

But Thompson also stressed that COVID-19 was very much on the minds of the AEHF-6 launch team, which took "every precaution to ensure our workforce is safe."

.@SpaceForceCSO addresses the force on the spread of #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/aM9R6ApgXcMarch 27, 2020 See more

The six-satellite AEHF constellation circles Earth in geostationary orbit, about 22,200 miles (35,700 kilometers) above the planet. From that lofty perch, the spacecraft provide secure, jam-proof communications between government officials and warfighters on the ground.

Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the $15 billion AEHF network, which is a follow-on to the U.S. Air Force's Milstar communications constellation. The other five AEHF satellites launched in August 2010, May 2012, September 2013, October 2018 and August 2019. The spacecraft have a design lifetime of 14 years.

The AEHF satellites aren't the only space assets that have been deemed critical to U.S. national security. A variety of satellites meet that description, and the Space Force is committed to keeping all of them up and running despite the coronavirus outbreak, said Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations for the new military branch, which was officially established in December 2019. (The Space Force, by the way, resides within the U.S. Air Force, much as the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.)

"I'm especially proud of our military professionals who continue to ensure that the vital space systems remain operational in support of our nation," Raymond said in a video tweeted out by the Space Force on Friday. "Thanks to their professionalism and dedication to duty, critical capabilities such as the Global Positioning System and satellite communications are available 24/7 to enable civil authorities and safeguard our national defense."

Thursday's launch provided some rare action for space fans in these strange lockdown days. The next high-profile liftoff firmly on the docket is the April 9 launch of three new International Space Station crewmembers, who will ride to orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The coronavirus pandemic has delayed a number of other planned missions, resulting in a schedule littered with "TBDs."

Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook .
(JNS)Israels Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that a passenger jet will be sent to Peru to begin evacuating Israelis that were stranded in the South American country when it shut its borders in an effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Peruvian authorities would provide a police escort as the first planeload of Israelis were brought home by El Al free of charge. The operation was being conducted under the principle of mutual responsibility under which the State of Israel operates in a time of national emergency, he said.

Most of the stranded Israelis are young, post-army tourists, many of whom had canceled trips to the Far East to avoid the coronavirus outbreak, which originated there.

However, when Peru was hit with the virus, borders were closed within just 24 hours, leaving travelers unable to make arrangements in time to return to Israel. On Sunday night, Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra declared a state of emergency, placing military and law enforcement in the streets and forbidding people to leave their homes except to buy groceries or medications.

Limited flights from popular Israeli backpacking spot Cusco to the international airport in Lima were snapped up quickly, with the last tickets being sold for prices far exceeding most backpackers budgets, according to Haaretz.

In addition, many of the flights back to Israel were through countries with high rates of coronavirus infection.

The Israelis that were unable to make it out of the country were placed in lockdown in youth hostels or rented apartments. An offer on Monday by Israeli search and rescue firm Magnus was rejected by the travelers, according to Haaretz, due to notification by the organization that it would not take responsibility for their safety, despite evacuation plans including a 20-hour overnight bus trip from Cusco to Lima on a mountain road nicknamed the Death Route.

Parents of the hundreds of young travelers bombarded the Foreign Ministry with requests for help, leading Katz to begin an official evacuation effort.

Financial arrangements for the second plane are still in progress.
Israel is deploying armed troops to help enforce a partial lockdown as its number of novel coronavirus cases surged past 3,000 this week.

About 500 IDF troops will join police in patrolling, isolating and securing areas in Israel, said the Israel Defense Forces in a statement Friday.

Under emergency regulations that took effect Wednesday, Israelis are barred from venturing more than 100 meters from their homes with some exceptions, such as buying groceries, seeking medical care or going to an approved job. Police have the authority to dole out fines to lockdown violators of 500 Israeli shekels ($139) and jail time for up to six months.

As of Friday morning, the country had confirmed 3,035 cases of the virus and 12 deaths, according to the Health Ministry. About 45 IDF soldiers have been infected and more than 4,000 are in quarantine, the IDF said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Wednesday his government would impose a full nationwide lockdown unless there was an immediate improvement in the number of cases.

I am already telling you, he said, that if we do not see an immediate improvement in the trend, there will be no alternative but to impose a complete lockdown.

Other coronavirus measures announced this week include a ban on takeout food at restaurants and requiring business owners to check the temperature of any customer before allowing them entry. A prohibition on gatherings in houses of worship prompted the countrys chief rabbis to order the closure of all synagogues on Wednesday, a first in the history of the state of Israel.

In signaling his move toward an emergency unity deal with Netanyahu, retired army chief Benny Gantz cited the need for compromise in the wake of the pandemic.

This is the time for responsible, committed, patriotic leadership. Lets join hands and get Israel out of this crisis, Gantz told the Knesset Thursday.
New Delhi: FMCG major ITC on Friday announced setting up of a Rs 150-crore coronavirus contingency fund for vulnerable sections of society.

Apart from setting up of the fund, the company said it will collaborate with authorities to provide assistance to district health and rural healthcare eco-system that reaches out to the weakest sections of society.

"Over the past few weeks several initiatives have been implemented in response to the crisis. We are now happy to announce that ITC is setting up a contingency fund of Rs 150 crore to address and manage the challenges arising out of this adversity," the company said in a statement.

This fund will be utilised primarily to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods, it added.

The resources under this fund will be channelised towards the protection and well-being of the ground forces who are doing commendable work to reach medicines, groceries, other essential goods for people across the country during the lockdown, "by providing protective personal gear and hygiene products to such frontline warriors," it said.

Stating that many of the vulnerable sections reside in rural India, the company also said it has geared its value-chain to lend support to the government in its efforts to fight this threat to the people of India.

ITC is committed to support the government's efforts and play its part in fighting this pandemic with compassion and resilience, it added.
Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina criticized the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, saying that the bill was too generous to large companies.

"It's the $500 billion of corporate bailout that I object to. I think it is not taxpayer money well spent, and I don't think the companies have earned it, and they have vast resources at their disposal through some of the backstops and extraordinary measures that the Federal Reserve has taken," Fiorina said Friday on CNBC's "Closing Bell."

The House of Representatives approved the $2 trillion bill on Friday, and Trump signed it later that afternoon. The bill includes a loan program for small businesses, payments to hospitals and an expansion of unemployment benefits.

Fiorina said she liked portions of the bill but took issue with roughly a quarter of the money being earmarked for major corporations.

"$500 billion in corporate bailouts I think could be far better used. I think we could do more for small businesses, for example. I think we could prepare for the mental health crisis that's going to ensue. I think we could be preparing for domestic violence and child abuse cases that are going to skyrocket," Fiorina said. "Corporate bailouts in general don't work particularly well."

Fiorina said large companies should have done a better job preparing for a major shock, criticizing Boeing and airlines in particular.

"The cause of the economic slowdown is no one's fault, absolutely right. I'm just trying to make the point that it is a company's responsibility to prepare for bad times in good times. That is part of a CEO's job," Fiorina said.

Big businesses have ways to continue operating and paying workers, such as credit lines and bankruptcy laws, that small businesses can't take advantage of, Fiorina said.

"Of course we need to try to save jobs, but the truth is the small businesses in total have more jobs at stake than these big companies do," Fiorina said.

Fiorina, now the chairman of Carly Fiorina Enterprises, ran for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 against Trump.

She also said on Friday that she was uncomfortable with the government taking equity stakes in companies, saying it was "starting down the path of nationalization."
As for the way the scandal was portrayed? This was very much a TV version, typical in depicting the dance world in impossibly broad strokes. There were so many sordid twists that it was more farcical than shocking, making it seem that the original incident needed to be pumped up in order to be truly horrifying.

The plot went something like this: Male dancers make secret videos of their sexual conquests; a male choreographer says he can keep the videos offline as long as the women have sex with him (which sounds more like rape); and, finally, an artistic director promises to make that nightmare go away as long as the dancer in question  elevated to the rank prima ballerina somewhere along the way  agrees to be auctioned off to the highest-paying bidder, I mean donor, expecting more than just dinner on a big gala night.

A dancer, in other words, has never been more of an object.

The blandly emotive choreography, seen in brief flashes is not worthy of an apprentice, much less a prima ballerina. (The dancers dont even wear point shoes.) Its all very B-movie: The sex scenes take place in Studio X  so nicknamed by the dancers  where a barre replaces a bed, as if it were a thing for a ballet dancer to want to have sex and stretch her hamstring at the same time.

Delia, the young dancer whose video has gone viral  shes the one who brings in the police  ultimately quits the profession. She cant imagine being onstage with everyone in the audience leering at me on the internet.
The company behind USIT, and The English Studio language schools in Dublin and London, has applied to have a provisional liquidator appointed to the businesses.

USIT is a brand long associated with students here, many of whom got their first taste of the United States as young adults through J1 work visas secured via its outlets.

Elaine Russell, the chief executive of USIT, said she and her team are truly devastated at the impact the closure will have on customers.

USIT employs 76 people between its head office in Dublin and regional offices in Cork, Galway and Limerick.

USIT and the language schools are owned by the Kinlay Group, which said staff at USIT had been informed today of the difficult decision to have liquidators appointed.

The Kinlay Group bought the business out of examinership in 2002  the year after the 9/11 terror attacks.

USIT had previously been controlled by the late Gordon Colleary, who had built the business into the worlds second largest student travel group. He was also the chairman of the Sunday Tribune newspaper at one stage and was a co-founded of Magill magazine.

Kinlay said Kieran Wallace and Andrew OLeary are being appointed liquidators of USIT and the English Studio language schools, and that its hoped they will secure the best outcome for creditors.

The company said that as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and having explored all other possible alternatives, it was left with no option but to appoint the liquidators to the two businesses.

A third business owned by Kinlay Group, Teach & Travel Group, which is based in Leeds, which provides online TEFL training, continues to trade normally and is unaffected by this decision, it noted.

The outcome for customers who have booked with USIT is uncertain but management will provide as much support as possible to help customers assess their options, Kinlay Group said in a statement.

The English Studio, which employs 31 people in Ireland, closed its doors two weeks ago in compliance with Covid-19 measures for the education sector.

It has also reached a position where it was no longer possible to trade as a result of the Covid-19 impacts, leaving the Kinlay Group no option but to apply to the court for the appointment of the liquidators, the company said.

Only a short few weeks ago, both USIT and the English School were trading successfully and we had exciting plans for the future, but the tsunami of effects related to the Covid-19 pandemic have left us with no business whatsoever and no possibility of overcoming these challenges, said Kinlay chairman David Andrews.

He added: My fellow directors and I greatly regret having to take this step, but unfortunately, it was the only possible option at this time. We are committed to working closely with the liquidator now in order to get the best possible outcome for employees and customers.
The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a USD 2 trillion coronavirus (COVID-19) rescue package, which will head to President Donald Trump for signature.

The economic aid package, which passed by voice vote, will provide funding for companies, local governments, and cash for ordinary Americans. The bill comes a day after the United States surpassed China as the leader in confirmed coronavirus cases.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARE) bill includes $850 billion in aid to companies impacted by the pandemic and $1.15 trillion to fund state and city programs, employment insurance plans and money for Americans.

Congress recently passed two other coronavirus emergency relief bills totaling $113 billion.

The Johns Hopkins University real-time tracker of reported cases around the revealed the United States has 92,932 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,380 deaths from the disease as of Friday afternoon. China currently has 81,897 confirmed cases, as the country with the largest number of reported novel coronavirus infections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake was to be hanged for murdering eight members of the Tamil minority in 2000.

Sri Lankas president on Thursday pardoned and released an army officer sentenced to death for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the islands bloody ethnic war.

Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake was to be hanged for the December 2000 killing in a case held up by previous Sri Lankan governments as an example of rare accountability over abuses during the conflict.

A court convicted him of murdering eight members of the Tamil minority, including a five-year-old and three teenagers after a 13-year trial.

They were killed as they returned to their bombed homes to salvage what was left of their belongings and their bodies were found buried in a cesspit near an army camp at Mirusuvil on the Jaffna peninsula.

The Supreme Court unanimously rejected the officers appeal and upheld the death penalty last year.

But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has now instructed the Ministry of Justice to release Sergeant Ratnayake from prison, a spokeswoman for his office said.

The case is widely cited as a rare instance of accountability, amid lingering concerns over impunity for war-crimes committed during Sri Lanka's three-decade civil war. https://t.co/44hwnrv9Bp  Amnesty International South Asia (@amnestysasia) March 27, 2020

Human Rights watchdog Amnesty International condemned the pardoning and said it was reprehensible to use the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to release those convicted of heinous crimes.

After many long years, the victims of the Mirusuvil massacre  finally got a semblance of justice in 2015. It is despicable to have that justice reversed through an arbitrary executive decision, Amnestys regional director Biraj Patnaik said in a statement.

Rajapaksa, a retired army officer, came to power in November promising to free military personnel jailed for a string of offences during the previous administration.

He and his brother Mahinda, now serving as prime minister, are adored by the islands Sinhala majority for spearheading the defeat of separatist Tamil rebels to end the countrys 37-year Tamil separatist war in 2009.

The armed forces were internationally condemned for atrocities committed during the conflict, but Sri Lankan soldiers have seldom been tried in civilian courts.

Government troops are alleged to have killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final stages of the war  an allegation the Rajapaksas have denied.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lankas main political party for the minority community, condemned what it said was an opportunistic decision to release Ratnayake.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:26:18|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday approved the launch of a feasibility study for the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline to export natural gas from Russia's Western Siberia to China.

Russian gas giant Gazprom has conducted preliminary technical and economic analysis of the project, which is expected to deliver up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas to China via Mongolia each year, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said at a meeting with Putin.

In December, the Power of Siberia-1, or the Russian section of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, began operation. It is scheduled to provide China with 5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas in 2020.

The amount is expected to increase to 38 billion cubic meters annually from 2024, under a 30-year contract worth 400 billion U.S. dollars signed between the China National Petroleum Corp and Gazprom in May 2014.
The nationwide lockdown in India has uprooted the lives of many who are battling it to find a way back to their respective hometowns. Very recently, Riteish Deshmukh shared a video of some Indians coming out of a milk truck.

Deshmukh was shocked by the visual and he took to Twitter to ask whether this is a way of people being smuggled in India.

People on Twitter chose to school celebrities on how with restriction of every kind of vehicle, people have no other option to return to their homes.

Whats going on!!!!! People are being smuggled within India???? pic.twitter.com/MRPXB3TlJL  Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) March 26, 2020

Jay Bhanushali tagged the Twitter handles of police forces in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Kolkata and even tagged the Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Maharashtra and urged them to stop the practice.

Requesting all the police department to pls check this video how they are smuggling people from one place to another in Milk Van's @MumbaiPolice @Uppolice @DelhiPolice @gurgaonpolice @KolkataPolice @CMOGuj @CMOMaharashtra pls tag your city police and RT so that this stops soon pic.twitter.com/weHXaL2iVQ  Jay Bhanushaali (JB) (@jaybhanushali0) March 26, 2020





Here's how people chose to give everyone a fact-check on the situation.

Jb raste me marne k liye chod diya hai to kuch to krenge hi log sir..  Tayyab10170 (@tayyab10170) March 26, 2020

Exactly

Na Ghar ja pa rahe hai na koi thikana sarkar ne diya hai

Majboori me Mazdoor or kya kare  ziyad h khan (@zhkhan420) March 26, 2020





Gareebi sir how can u understand that ?  Lukmaan / /  (@Lukmaan528) March 26, 2020

Ghar me baith Kar tweet karne koe badi baat nhi once put yourself in this situation when a you get trapped in other City with no food no money and no security with family what you will going to do ?? People are traveling 300s of km by foot to their homes!!!!!!!!! To survive.  Aman sharma (@Amanraj1947) March 26, 2020
When New York City officials ordered schools, bars and restaurants to close last week to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Tatiana Herrera lost not one, but two jobs.

Herrera, a millennial who lives in Brooklyn, was laid off from her gig as a bartender when the Pencil Factory Bar closed its doors. Simultaneously, her part-time role as a substitute teacher at a charter school in upper Manhattan also disappeared when schools closed.

Multiple jobs have been a way of life for Herrera since she graduated from college five years ago. "You have the main thing you want to do, but then there's always the side hustle, sometimes you need a second hustle or a third," Herrera tells CNBC Make It. Earlier this year, Herrera was juggling four jobs, including one as a registered real estate agent. While she's still technically employed as a real estate agent, in-person open houses are a thing of the past for now.

"I'll be honest, I don't really know what will happen next month if I don't get another job," Herrera says.

It's a concern facing millions of Americans as cities around the U.S. suspend business. Nearly six in 10 Americans say their income has been negatively impacted by coronavirus, according to TransUnion's poll of over 3,000 U.S. adults fielded earlier this week. Of those affected, about 45% of millennials (ages 24 to 39) surveyed say they've had their work hours cut, while nearly one in five say they've been laid off.

"Whether it's their health, financial well-being or changes in day-to-day living, the lives of tens of millions of people in the U.S. and abroad have been dramatically changed," says Amy Thomann, head of consumer credit education at TransUnion.

TransUnion's poll, while just a snapshot of how Americans are being impacted, shows 70% of Americans are concerned about paying their bills and making good on loans. For Herrera, the biggest worry is rent.

Herrera splits her $2,000 monthly rent with a roommate, but both are currently out of work  leaving Herrera on the hook to pay the full amount for the 2-bedroom apartment since the lease is in her name. "I reached out to my landlord and he was nice enough to say he'd consider an extension, which is helpful," Herrera says. But it's not a long-term solution.

New York has instituted an eviction ban that's in place until at least June 20. While that means she won't be kicked out of her apartment right away, Herrera still wants to be a good tenant. "I really want to stay here and my lease would technically be up in May, so now what if my landlord doesn't want to renew my lease?" she worries.

Despite the uncertainty, Herrera remains optimistic. At least for the moment, she has a roof over her head, she's healthy and she has food. Herrera used the last of her tips from the bar to stock up on groceries. "I went into recession mode and bought a ton of cans and things that are going to last me," she says.

She's spending her days applying for jobs, including looking to see if there are any medical or hospital jobs "where they need people right now," she says. Herrera is hopeful she'll land at least a part-time job and be given the rent extension. If that happens, "I'll be able to catch up with everything," she says. "There are probably people who are way worse off than I am," she adds.

Don't miss: 76% of Americans worry coronavirus will trigger a recessionhere are steps to take if you're already being impacted

Check out: The best credit cards of 2020 could earn you over $1,000 in 5 years
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 20:15:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

File photo taken on Dec. 13, 2019 shows British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaking outside 10 Downing Street in London, Britain. British Prime Minister's Office said on Friday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

LONDON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister's Office said on Friday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

A Downing Street spokesperson said Johnson, who showed mild symptoms, is self-isolating in Downing Street.

"He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus," the spokesperson said.

"After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty," the spokesperson noted.

In a video in his latest Twitter entry, Johnson also broke the news, saying that he "will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus."

"Be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus," he reassured.

"I want to thank everybody involved and, of course, our amazing NHS (National Health Service) staff," he said, adding "Together we will beat this."

There have been more than 11,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Britain, and over 570 people have died.

The prime minister was last seen on Thursday night when he clapped outside 10 Downing Street as part of a nationwide gesture to thank NHS staff.

The latest development came days after the Prince of Wales was tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The 71-year-old remains in good health, according to authorities.
Editors note: With so much news coming out of Lansing, the Pioneer seeks to keep readers updated with a roundup of executive orders and news releases from the state regarding the coronavirus.

Application process now live for Michigan small business relief program

LANSING  Michigans small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 virus may now apply for grants and loans through the Michigan Small Business Relief Program, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today.

The program will provide up to $20 million in grants and loans to provide economic assistance to Michigans small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 virus, and in turn help support workers and their families facing economic uncertainty during the outbreak.

Key information to know about the application process includes:

 There is one application, regardless of whether a business is applying for a grant or a loan. A business may receive a grant or a loan, but not both.

 Businesses who do not receive grants may still be considered for loans.

 The grants will be administrated by 15 regional economic development organizations throughout the state.

 All applications or recommendations for Michigan Small Business Relief Program loans will be referred from the partner EDOs to the MEDC for evaluation and disbursement.

Information on how to apply, as well as eligibility criteria, is available at michiganbusiness.org/covid19.

State leaders outline protections, assistance for energy utility customers

LANSING  The State of Michigan is working with utility companies to ensure protections are in place for customers as efforts to help slow the spread of the coronavirus impact families and businesses across the state.

Major utilities, including the states two largest, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, have enacted moratoriums on service disconnections, and are extending flexible payment plans, for low-income customers, seniors and those impacted by illness or job losses related to the pandemic.

During these unprecedented times with a variety of concerns, worrying about utility bills should not be one of them, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

Michiganders who use propane for home heating also are eligible for income-based assistance programs. Customers with heating costs that they are unable to pay should first contact their energy supplier and explain their situation before they run out of fuel.

Michigan making IT improvements to meet demand for online services

LANSING  The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget continues to make improvements to the secure login application that provides access to many state online services, MILogin, to adjust for the rapid increase in demand for online services.

Adding capacity to the system, managing the number of concurrent sessions, and continuous improvements to the infrastructure will improve the ability for residents to complete transactions during this time of unprecedented need.

The state has never experienced an emergency of this magnitude that simultaneously increases the need for services while lessening the ability for personal connections, Chief Information Officer and Acting DTMB Director Brom Stibitz said. We are asking for patience in the face of this unprecedented crisis.

MILogin is the single-sign-in portal to access critical state services that have seen a sharp increase in transactions  25,000 vs. 5,000 per hour  during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan residents have turned to online options in compliance to Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay home and stay safe order.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/MILogin.

MDOT removing additional seasonal weight restrictions

NORTHERN L.P.  Beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will lift additional seasonal weight restrictions on some state roads in the Lower Peninsula.

Seasonal weight restrictions will continue to be imposed and enforced on all state trunkline highways north of a line on M-66 from the US-31 intersection in the city of Charlevoix south to the intersection of M-32 in the city of East Jordan, then east on M-32 to the intersection of US-23 in the city of Alpena.

All state trunklines north of this line, including the entire Upper Peninsula, will have seasonal weight restrictions imposed and enforced. State routes typically carry M, I, or US designations.

On March 16, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-12, temporarily lifting seasonal weight and other delivery-related restrictions for vehicles on state and local roads carrying essential supplies to mitigate the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The executive order extends until 11:59 p.m. April 13.

This spring weight restriction update does not alter the direction given in the governor's order. Permits will still be required for loads exceeding the normal legal limits. For more information and updates, call 800-787-8960 or at Michigan.gov/Truckers.

RELATED NEWS

Latest from Lansing: A roundup of state news releases for March 26
Nurses and other health care staff who took part in strike action in December and January have had three days wages deducted from their pay despite promises it would be reinstated.

The BBC has reported that concerned nurses contacted them to highlight the issue after deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said they would be reimbursed as a sign of gratitude for their hard work during the coronavirus outbreak.

Nurses had expressed shock at the money being deducted when they are involved in fighting the worst public health crisis of modern times.

It is understood that the problem may be an issue to do with the cut off date for payroll and the Executive is still fully committed to reimbursing the nurses in their next wage packet.

Speaking last week Ms O'Neill said that the reason nurses and other health staff were forced to take strike action in the first place was to build a better health service for everyone.

She said that she hoped reimbursing the money "sends out a clear message in terms of our recognition of those workers who work on our behalf".

The health workers strike was the first of its kind in the UK and took place due to concerns over safe staffing levels and a desire for pay parity with staff in other areas of the UK.

Northern Ireland's health staff have been widely praised for their work in helping to control the coronavirus outbreak.

At 8pm on Thursday evening families gathered on their doorsteps to applaud NHS staff for their efforts.

A number of measures have been introduced to help staff during the pandemic, including free parking and reduced public transport fares.

The Department of Health declined to comment on the matter.
By Katharine Houreld

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Nurses in Kenya's capital and at least two towns have launched protests or refused to treat suspected coronavirus patients because the government has not given them enough protective gear or training, a medical union chief said.

Only a fraction of Kenya's estimated 100,000 healthcare workers had received any instruction in how to protect themselves, Seth Panyako, the secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, told Reuters.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said he would check into the reports of the training and protective gear shortages.

Kenya had reported 28 cases of the coronavirus and one death as of Friday. The virus has so far been multiplying across Africa more slowly than in Asia or Europe - but the World Health Organization has warned the continent's window to curb the infection is narrowing every day.

Nurses in the western Kenyan town of Kakamega and the coastal town of Kilifi ran away when patients with coronavirus symptoms came to their hospitals over the past two weeks, Panyako said on Thursday.

Nurses at Nairobi's Mbagathi County Hospital went on a go-slow protest last week in protest at a lack of protective gear and training. They feared catching the disease and infecting their families, Panyako said.

"The government is not taking it seriously when health workers run away," he said.

"My clear message to the government ... give them the protective equipment they need."

Panyako, whose union represents 30,000 health workers, said he had only heard of 1,200 staff getting training in how to protect themselves.

A host of initiatives have sprung up to fill the gaps.

Kenyan start-up Rescue.co, whose Flare app functions as the Uber for private ambulances in Kenya, last week began offering training and protective equipment for the 600 nurses and paramedics using its network.

One paramedic on a course told Reuters he had previously refused to attend a suspected coronavirus patient because he did not have training.

Story continues

"The team was scared so we didn't go," he said, declining to give his name.

Caitlin Dolkart, who co-founded rescue.co, said her company had applied for government permission for trained paramedics to carry out coronavirus tests in patients' homes.

"They are on the frontlines of responding to patients," she said. "They have to be protected."

(Editing by Andrew Heavens)
State and territory governments across Australia have defied Prime Minister Scott Morrisons demand that schools remain open as usual, and instead announced partial closures through pupil-free days.

Chaos and confusion are widespread. The Victorian and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) governments first announced that they would move to limit the number of children going to school by having this week pupil-free ahead of the two-week Easter holiday. Exceptions were made, however, for those parents and caregivers who could not mind their children at home. Attendance has varied between schools, ranging from zero to dozens of students.

In New South Wales (NSW), Australias most populous state and the worst affected by COVID-19, Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced Monday that schools would remain open but parents should not send their children if that was possible. Very low numbers of students reportedly attended Sydney schools this week, though in parts of regional NSW, nearly 60 percent attendance rates were reported.

In the last two days, the governments of Queensland, Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania, and the Northern Territory have issued similar announcements. In WA and SA pupil-free days will not begin to April 3, meaning teachers will continue to work under unsafe conditions for the next week. Some state governments have announced that the second term of the academic year will resume with on-line classes.

In every area, there is no consistent communication or practice. Several state governments have declared that schools will remain available for essential workersdefining this as health, other emergency, and grocery store workerswhile Morrison earlier declared that everyone with a job was an essential worker.

Private schools are being left to make their own decisions. Due to privatisation measures promoted by successive Labor and Liberal governments over decades, Australia has one of the highest rates of non-public school attendance among the advanced capitalist countries. Forty percent of high school students now attend private schools.

The Catholic system has followed the lead of the public system with pupil-free days, while many wealthy independent schools closed their doors two weeks ago.

The private schools will demand even more public funding as a result of the crisis. The Association of Independent Schools in NSW told the Australian Financial Review this week that COVID-19 coming on top of the bushfires has hit parents ability to pay [tuition fees].

Nearly 100,000 teachers and support staff work in private schools. Their jobs will be threatened if significant numbers of students shift back into the already overloaded public school system.

The state and territory government half-measures in the schools follow growing demands by epidemiologists and medical professionals for a suspension of the education system, as part of a wider lockdown to contain the coronavirus.

Professor Raina MacIntyre, head of the University of New South Wales Biosecurity Program and a member of the federal governments coronavirus expert advisory panel, told 2GB Radio: I think its risky to be keeping schools open. I dont understand why there was so much reluctance to close the schools.

MacIntyre explained that at least 80 percent of people had to remain in their homes in order for a lockdown to have any impact on the epidemic curve, and if you dont, its just going to keep increasing. She added that its pretty much unachievable with keeping schools open.

Morrisons insistence that schools remain open reflected economic, not health, considerations. The prime minister is willing to risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in order to protect the ability of the corporations to extract profits from the workforce.

The entire political establishment has nothing but callous contempt for the wellbeing of the working class. This finds sharp expression in the situation confronting teachers and school staff. After weeks of being told to carry on as normal, working in schools lacking basic sanitation supplies and in overcrowded classrooms in which it was impossible to maintain the social distancing measures being applied everywhere else, many teachers and other school workers are still being asked to report to work.

Workloads have been ramped up with preparations for on-line learning. Many teachers are being asked to spend considerable time outside regular working hours learning new technologies and uploading planning documents and other resources.

The rushed shift to on-line learning has potentially wide-ranging consequences that teachers have been given no time to consider and discuss.

Edu-businesses are poised to reap enormous profits. Their services are for the most part very pedagogically narrow, often featuring worksheet and flashcard-type activities, and multiple choice quizzes.

The on-line learning technologies have not been developed on the basis of progressive pedagogies, promoting inquiry learning that builds on childrens knowledge and engagement in the world, together with authentic literacy and numeracy experiences. What is being pushed, instead, follows the regressive and authoritarian forms of teaching that have been promoted alongside NAPLAN standardised testing.

Many working-class children will struggle to access the new internet-based resources. David Spriggs of not-for-profit social enterprise group Infoxchange told ABC News that there are more than 2.5 million Australian who do not have a home connection to the internet. And beyond that there is a much bigger group who dont have the digital skills to interact effectively online, he added.

There are already discussions in some independent schools that online learning will require less staff. Classes could be combined and teachers would be required to take on extra online classes of colleagues who are absent.

The Australian Education Union and other state teacher unions have done nothing to protect the safety of their members.

In defiance of growing teachers demands for a rapid closure of schools, the unions have refused to call for the suspension of the school term. The AEU bureaucracy instead collaborated with Morrison in keeping the schools open, maintaining that the only issues it wanted to negotiate was supplies of toilet paper and cleaning materials, as well as working from home options for school staff that were elderly, pregnant or immune compromised.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe met with Morrison on Wednesday. The prime minister afterwards heaped praise on the unions. We are working with the national education union, he explained. We will be having further discussions with them to work through these issues. I thank them for their cooperation today and the very good spirit that they and many other unions around the country are working together with us.

Ordinary teachers have responded with fury to the unions collaboration with the government.

The Committee for Public Education issued a statement on March 18 demanding the closure of the schools and the formation of Action Committees of school staff, developing the widest democratic discussion on the necessary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of education workers and students.

The CFPE reiterates this call, following the partial suspension of school provisions, recognising that the defence of teachers interests, and of the public education system as a whole, requires the development of new forms of organisation, independent of the unions.

We urge teachers and education workers to contact us:

Email cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CFPE_Australia
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 22:22:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) --- Sixty-one years after the landmark democratic reform which abolished the backward and barbarous serfdom in 1959, Tibet Autonomous Region is embracing another milestone in development -- a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

Saturday marks Serfs' Emancipation Day, which was set up in 2009 by the regional legislature to mark the historic reform which liberated 1 million miserable serfs from heavy exploitation and oppression by privileged government officials, nobles, and upper-ranking lamas in monasteries. These privileged groups, or called three major estate-holders, possessed almost all means of production and held the power of life and death over serfs in old Tibet.

The epochal democratic transformation led by the central government after an armed rebellion by reactionaries from the upper class in the government of old Tibet, ushered in a new era of brightness, development and continuously improved welfare of people of different ethnic groups living in the plateau region.

Over the past 61 years, since people became masters of the new society, the region has achieved miraculous development in various fields. Such enormous progress would be unimaginable and impossible under theocratic feudal serfdom and can only be achieved under the socialist system and the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

In 2018, Tibet's GDP was 147.76 billion yuan, about 192 times the 1959 figure of 174 million yuan, calculated at comparable prices. Last year, the region's GDP exceeded 160 billion yuan (22.72 billion U.S. dollars).

Today's Tibet is in its best period of development. In 2019, the region lifted the remaining 150,000 people out of poverty and took the last 19 counties off the poverty list, a landmark feat for the region as it is striving for a moderately prosperous society in all respects along with the rest of the country this year. Consumer products such as TVs, fridges, computers and mobile phones are common among residents.

The region provides free 15-year education. Highways reach all counties. With railways and airports, it is so convenient for local people to travel outside and tourists to visit the region. Before 1959, the region had no such infrastructure or services. The region has developed its unique industries such as processing of farm and livestock products, Tibetan medicine, tourism and logistics.

Along with the region's unprecedented leap of progress, people's human rights to subsistence, development and health, among others, have been respected, protected and promoted. Normal religious activities are respected and held. All the monks and nuns registered in the autonomous region have been included in the social security net. With the greatly improved medical services and living standards, the average life expectancy of the people in Tibet has risen to 70.6 from 35.5 before 1959.

Through the people's congresses at various levels, the people in Tibet exercise their right to participation in the administration of state and local affairs. Currently, deputies from the Tibetan and other ethnic groups account for 92.18 percent of the total of deputies to the people's congresses at all levels in Tibet.

Furthermore, Tibetan language and culture have got better protection and development, thanks to bilingual teaching, hefty investment and modern technology. Making ecological conservation a priority, the region has invested 11.7 billion yuan over the past decade under an ecology safety barrier construction project.

The dark serfdom history of Tibet is forever gone. With 2020 a milestone for Tibet and the motherland, Tibet shall have an even brighter future with greater prosperity through the efforts of people of different ethnic groups in the region as well as support stemming from the socialist country's institutional strength.
Jewish Academy of Orlando (JAO) transitioned to remote learning on Wednesday, March 18, missing only one day of school as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. After much faculty preparation and lesson-planning, JAO students will now begin a blended-learning plan.

"We are very fortunate to have the dedication of our talented faculty and resources to adapt to these unprecedented times," stated Alan Rusonik, head of school.

Blended learning is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods. Students will be able to participate in all aspects of the school's curriculum.

Each morning begins with an adaptation of the normally student-produced WJAO daily news, followed by class meetings. Not only do the students gather with their general studies classes (English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science), they meet with their math, Hebrew/Judaics, and specials classes, including PE, art, music, counseling/guidance and Library).

Michael Hughes, director of Technology and Innovation stated, "It was important for our community to deliver a schedule that would offer flexibility to our families and allow for the continuity of our educational program. We developed a curriculum and at-home materials that utilize Google Meet and other easy to use technologies to support our teacher, students and parents."

No school, no problem. The parents are thrilled.

"I am so grateful for the opportunity my daughter has at JAO. Even without being at school she is able to interact with her teachers and stay in touch with her classmates," said Natalie Weinman, JAO parent. "It is amazing how the faculty was able to work together to continue to provide an excellent academic experience without missing a beat."

Rusonik added, "Unfortunately, we are living in extraordinary times, which requires extraordinary measures. While the changes will not replace the classroom experience with our talented faculty, we are grateful to be able to transition into this new delivery of our educational program."

Jewish Academy of Orlando serves central Florida students of all faiths from transitional kindergarten through fifth grade. The school delivers a whole-child education fostering academic excellence and character education rooted in Jewish values. Jewish Academy of Orlando is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools.

To learn more about Jewish Academy of Orlando, please visit: jewishacademyorlando.org or follow the school on Facebook facebook.com/JewishAcademyOrlando.
FOX-29 morning anchor Ernie Zuniga took to Facebook last Friday to share details about an encounter he had at H-E-B with a shopper angry with the media's coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the post, Zuniga said the man shoved his index finger in his face while cursing at him and then told him to tell his "'media friends' to stop scaring everyone."

Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news with mySA.com:

"For the record, I'm not trying to scare anyone when I go on TV and neither are my colleagues," Zuniga wrote in the post.

"Even longtime TV news personalities like myself have never seen anything like this and they certainly didn't teach me how to broadcast during a worldwide pandemic in journalism school," the post continued.

"The H-E-B guy freaked me out enough to where I just walked out of the store and bought nothing," Zuniga said in an interview with mySA. "Needless to say, it also rattled my wife Tami when she found out."



MORE SAN ANTONIO TV NEWS: 'It's like disbelief': KSAT-12 meteorologist in self-quarantine during coronavirus pandemic



Later in that day of the incident, Zuniga went on Facebook live to thank viewers for their kind words regarding the encounter.

He also took the opportunity to show compassion for the man who confronted him. The stay-at-home orders and the temporary closings of businesses have led to many people losing their jobs.

"For starters, I hold no ill will against that guy," Zuniga said during the Facebook live. "I want to make that clear. I do not know him. I know what I do for a living opens myself up to criticisms. After thinking about it and kind of reflecting on it, I have just come to the conclusion that I don't know him and I don't know his situation. But more than likely he has a family, he has job or maybe had a job or a situation and you just don't know how someone can be impacted by the events of the day and what's happened."



MORE SAN ANTONIO TV NEWS: San Antonio TV anchors transform their homes into studios amid coronavirus pandemic

This wasn't Zuniga's first encounter with an angry viewer in public. He said he had previously been confronted at Walmart by a man who had been harassing him for years.

"Ive always prided myself in being approachable and friendly with viewers," Zuniga said. "I love the people of San Antonio. I guess the stress of the days events has taken a toll on some people."

After the scary run-ins, others have shown support to Zuniga and his family.

His daughter's teacher showed up unannounced with a book and a note of positivity. A neighbor reached out offering toilet paper and a friend offered groceries they weren't going to use.

"Those kind of gestures are the little things that mean so much," Zuniga said.



Candice.Garcia@express-news.net | Twitter @_candicegarcia





MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:












South Africa recorded its first death from coronavirus on Friday as its infection tally breached the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown took effect. The news came as World Health Organisation director for Africa warned of a "dramatic evolution" of the disease which has, according to AFP tally, killed 94 out of nearly 3,500 infected people across the world's poorest continent. South Africa, which has the highest number of confirmed cases at 1,170, recorded its first death on Friday. Earlier Health Minister Zweli Mkhize had reported two deaths, but late on Friday he revised the toll to one. The second patient had died on admission. "The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19 and therefore a test was conducted," and came back negative, Mkhize said in a statement. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered South Africa's 57 million people to stay at home for 21 days, joining countries across the globe in imposing strict measures to halt the spread of the disease. But many people especially from the poor neighbourhoods, defied the order after it came into effect at midnight Thursday, lining up outside food stores or at bus terminals. The streets of Alexandra, a Johannesburg township, were buzzing with people and traffic as if it was a normal, busy Friday afternoon. Earlier on Friday, police appeared overwhelmed in downtown Johannesburg, where hundreds of shoppers tried to force their way into a supermarket. "The lockdown is a good thing for the country, even though I feel that a lot of people are taking it for granted, saying this virus is not for us... which is bad because by the time we wake up this thing will have spread enormously in the country," said bank employee Dumisani July, 39, wearing a mask and black latex gloves. The patient who died in the Western Cape province was a woman aged 48. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism, the minister said. The tally of infections in Africa's biggest industrialised economy could reach 1,500 "within a few days", Ramaphosa has warned. - 'Dramatic evolution' - Although Africa's toll is far lower than in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, experts say the world's poorest continent is especially vulnerable, given its poor sanitation, weak healthcare systems, overcrowding and conflicts. WHO Africa boss Matshidiso Moeti said there have been about 300 new cases per day in recent days, and called for "intensified action by African countries". "The situation is very worrying, with a dramatic evolution: an increase geographically in the number of countries and also an increase in the number of infections," Moeti told France24 channel. During South Africa's military-enforced shutdown, jogging, dog-walking and the sale of alcohol are banned. Violation of any of the regulations will carry a six-month jail sentence or a fine. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country's pointman on the pandemic said the first case of coronavirus detected outside Kinshasa -- is in the restive eastern province of Ituri, which was also touched by a now-waning epidemic of Ebola. The DRC has 54 cases, four of them fatalities, said crisis coordinator Jean-Jacques Muyembe. The DRC's sprawling capital, Kinshasa, was meant to go into lockdown on Saturday for four days, but local officials delayed the measure after the announcement caused a spike in the price of basic goods and worries about unrest. - Two shot in Uganda - In East Africa, Ugandan police said two men were in hospital after being shot for violating transport restrictions imposed to curb the virus. Police stopped the two on a motorbike near Kampala but "they attacked one of the officers, he fired the warning shot in the air but they charged at him and he shot one of them in the leg and another in the stomach," Uganda metropolitan police spokesman, Patrick Onyango told AFP. President Yoweri Museveni has not ordered a shutdown, but urged people to stay home. Kenya and Rwanda in the region have also imposed restrictions. In the Sahel, Burkina Faso, which last week recorded sub-Saharan Africa's first death, announced that eight towns, including the capital Ouagadougou, would be quarantined for two weeks from Friday. In Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou ordered a curfew from 7 pm to 6 am for the capital Niamey. He also mandated a "graceful reduction of sentences" for 1,540 prisoners, "for humanitarian reasons and to relieve the congestion of our prisons". In Mali, the government has imposed some anti-coronavirus measures, including a night-time curfew, but said a long-delayed parliamentary election would go ahead on Sunday. The impoverished state has scheduled the elections as a means to win back public confidence in its political system as it battles a raging jihadist revolt. Zimbabwe's president Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday announced a 21-day "total lockdown" starting on Monday. The public health system in Zimbabwe, which has so far recorded five positive cases, has been in a state of near-collapse for years. Doctors and nurses this week went on strike over lack of coronavirus protective gear. South Africa-based risk analysis firm, NKC African Economics warned that tough restrictions on mobility will be difficult to enforce in Africa. "Most African countries will not be able to effectively implement the severe restrictions on movement that we have seen globally," it said. "The impracticality of implementing widespread self-quarantine in shantytowns or informal settlements means that this will not be an option." burs-sn/har South African troops are enforcing a 21-day lockdown against the virus South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in Soweto township Ebola deaths: North Kivu in eastern DR Congo has been the epicentre of a nearly 20-month outbreak of haemorrhagic fever Millions of flowers are being dumped in Kenya -- the market for cut blooms in Europe and the Middle East has been wrecked by the pandemic
UMass President Marty Meehan and chancellors of the UMass campuses in Amherst, Boston Dartmouth, and Lowell said Friday that students will receive individual adjustments on room, board and parking fees following the closure of residences halls in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The financial impact of this crisis is causing real hardship for many of our students and their families. We hope that this adjustment of housing, dining and parking fees will help alleviate some of the stress they are enduring, read a statement from Meehan, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, UMass Boston Chancellor Katherine Newman, UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert Johnson and UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney.

The Amherst, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses housed more than 20,000 students in university-owned residence halls. UMass Boston is adjusting dining and parking costs as well as working with the private owner of its 1,070-bed on-campus residence halls to address housing cost adjustments for its students, the statement sad.

The challenges that lie ahead for the university, its students, faculty and staff will be complex and difficult, the statement continued. "We are confident that by staying focused on our mission our students will emerge as strong, innovative, highly skilled contributors to society.

Campuses plan to notify students of their individual cost adjustments by April 17. Those adjustments will be applied to student university accounts. Then, students will receive their net balance by direct deposit or check, according to the statement.

The planned adjustments will decrease university revenues by about $70 million in the current fiscal year, the statement said.

The UMass system closed residence halls several weeks ago as cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, started to spread. As of Friday morning, UMass Amherst has 577 students approved to stay in campus housing.

As of Thursday afternoon, 25 Massachusetts residents have died from illness related to COVID-19 and at least 2,417 residents have tested positive for the respiratory illness, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Related Content:
People trying to enter Andhra Pradesh from Telangana were stopped at Pulluru toll gate in Jogulamba Gadwal here amid nationwide lockdown.

Andhra Pradesh police did not allow the vehicles towards Kurnool. People alleged that they were not allowed even they have No Objection Certificates (NOC).

On the other hand, Telangana police did not allow students from Nandyal who want to go towards Telangana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi said that it is vital to break the chain of the disease and experts have said that at least 21 days are needed for it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
That threatened to upend a plan by House leaders to hold a voice vote on the package, sparing most lawmakers a potentially dangerous trip back to Washington as public health officials have advised people to shelter in place and avoid large gatherings. Instead, the leaders in both parties had to summon dozens of members back to the capital  piling into cars or securing seats on near-empty red-eye flights  so that enough of them would be present in the House chamber to block Mr. Massies request.

Mr. Trump took to Twitter to berate the Kentucky Republican, calling him a third rate Grandstander, and Mr. Kerry replied that Mr. Massie must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. That drew an appreciative retweet from the president, who said he was Very impressed with the Democrats sense of humor.

Mr. Massies own colleagues in both parties were even more scathing. Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said on Twitter that his colleague would have blood on his hands if lawmakers became infected.

Despite the widespread disdain for Mr. Massie, his late objection  like one raised by Senate Republicans in the hours before the measure unanimously passed that chamber on Wednesday  pointed to some lingering ideological divides over the governments role in confronting a crisis. The political backlash that followed the 2008 bailout of Wall Street and the enormous stimulus program that followed in 2009 hung over the discussions, and members of Congress are keenly aware that voters are closely watching their actions.

They dont want a recorded vote, Mr. Massie told reporters of congressional leaders. They dont want to be on record on making the biggest mistake in history.

In under four weeks, lawmakers have produced three substantial proposals to confront the coronavirus, agreeing to emergency government help, expansions of the social safety net and financial bailouts that would have seemed unthinkable only a few weeks ago. Mr. Trump has signed all of them.

Now that the largest of those is law, attention will turn to its effect on a battered economy, where 3.3 million filed for unemployment last week, entire industries are in peril and many experts say a package of its size can provide a few months of ballast  if that  before more help is needed. The administration now must scramble to find ways of enforcing the vast new programs, including an array of benefits for Americans and aid to nearly every industry  as well as strict oversight measures to make sure bailed-out companies do not use the help to enrich themselves at the expense of their workers.
A restaurant owner said he would rather go to jail than pay a 70 fine he was given while loading food into his car for people self-isolating amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Tim Roberts, who owns Number 29 Bar and Restaurant in Burnham Market, Norfolk, is 'absolutely furious' after being given the ticket outside his venue by a traffic warden.

He insisted he would go to court to fight the fine, which he was given while his car was parked on a single yellow line.

He told the Eastern Daily Press: 'I don't care about the money, it's the principle of it.

'I won't be paying it - I'll go to court and if the court order me to pay it I'll go to prison, I don't care.'

Tim Roberts, owner of Number 29 Bar and Restaurant in Burnham Market, with the parking ticket he got for stopping outside his premises to load food for people self-isolating

Mr Roberts said he told the inspector that he was loading up to do deliveries for people self-isolating.

But the traffic warden allegedly told him 'that's not my problem' before giving him the ticket and walking away, Mr Roberts claimed.

Mr Roberts's fine comes after police were issued with powers to fine people who are caught outside their homes for non-essential reasons.

People have been ordered to only leave their homes to buy food, take exercise or to travel to and from work if this is absolutely necessary.

They are not supposed to meet friends or relatives they don't live with and gatherings bigger than two people can be broken up.

Tim Roberts pictured outside his premises where he was fined for trying to load food for people self-isolating during the coronavirus lockdown. The council has upheld the fine

Police have already been accused of being heavy-handed with the new powers.

Derbyshire Police were met with a furious backlash after using drones to target members of the public who were walking in the Peak District.

And in London, a police officer fined a bakery owner 80 for criminal damage after she put chalk lines outside her shop to keep her customers safe from coronavirus.

An officer told the flabbergasted woman that she had graffitied the pavement and if police failed to punish crimes like these there would be 'anarchy', adding: 'I can't help the law. We're also fining people for congregating - is that wrong too?'.

The extraordinary incident took place outside the Grodzinski bakery in Edgware, north-west London, this morning, when police spotted the owner using a can of non-permanant spray chalk to maintain social distancing of two metres outside the store.

The woman, who gives her name as Gemma, confronts the officer and says: 'This is not graffiti, it's chalk, it washes off.

'So you would rather all my customers don't stand two metres apart? I'm doing it for people's safety - to stop the spread of coronavirus', to which the officer replies: 'It doesn't matter. It's criminal damage'.

The officer then tells her she needs to wash it off or she 'will be committing another offence'.

She then says to protect her customers she will happily 'get another ticket, and another ticket and another ticket. I don't care'.

A witness who filmed the incident then says: 'People are dying and this is what you care about, this is ridiculous, this is horrendous' and the officer replies: 'The law doesn't stop unfortunately.

'It's still a criminal offence. The law is the law and it doesn't change because of what is happening. There would be anarchy in the world'.

He adds that if the chalk was on her property it would not be an offence, but drawing on the pavement is against the law, saying: 'It doesn't matter if it is removable'.
- Hundreds of people received an unexpected boost thanks to a random stranger's generosity

- Peter Darmos handed out over KSh 10,000 notes to each of the people who had lost their jobs

- The man drove to his bank and withdrew over KSh 1 million in cash

- The good Samaritan then distributed it to everyone in the queue and called on other Australians to do the same

Hundreds of people who had queued outside a Centrelink office in Melbourne, Australia received an unexpected boost thanks to a generous mans random act of kindness.

The man identified as Peter Darmos handed out $100 (KSh 10,000) in cash to the dozens of jobless workers waiting outside the office.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 19-year-old Kakamega student tests positive for COVID-19

Hundreds of people had queued outside a Centrelink office in Melbourne when they received an unexpected boost. Photo: Daily Mail

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Caring employer praised for gifting employees food hampers amid coronavirus crisis

Darmos who was queuing outside the office said he saw the scenes on the news and knew he had to do something to help.

It made me sick to the stomach. These people need instant pain relief. They can not wait for tomorrow or the day after," he said.

"Their Centrelink payments are not ready until next week. They need to put food in the table tonight,"the good Samaritan added.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Rwanda records 9 new coronavirus cases

The generous man then distributed the notes to each person inside and outside the office until there were no more to hand out. Photo: Getty Images.

Source: Getty Images

The 62-year-old from Balwyn North is reported to have driven to his bank where he queued up for an hour before withdrawing the maximum amount of $10,000 (KSh 1.1 million)

He then distributed the notes to each person inside and outside the office until there were no more to hand out.

My heart just goes out to these people who are really suffering. The gratitude, the tears in people's eyes, it was unbelievable," Darmos said.

READ ALSO: Heavily pregnant medics working to fight coronavirus hailed for their selflessness

Darmos, a businessman who emigrated from Greece as a child, urged other wealthy Australians to donate to workers in industries that have been crippled. Photo: Daily Mail.

Source: UGC

"I had to do that because these people need instant relief. They can not wait for tomorrow or the day after," he added.

The generous man further noted he could not stand to see his kids fed while others starved, comparing it a tragedy of profound proportion.

Darmos, a businessman who emigrated from Greece as a child, urged other wealthy Australians to donate to workers in industries that have been crippled by the coronavirus pandemic.

'We can all hit the offices across the country in 30 seconds today and hand out a lettuce leaf to each person in need so they can put some food on the table for their families," he said.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The very beginning of the movie is the bombing of this house, said Wayne Hickory, an orthodontist who has owned the house since 1997. They filmed some of it out here. And they re-created some of the inside of the house in Hollywood, the main stairway and everything.  If you go to the FBI website, the history of the FBI, the house is there, too.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Exports of chemical products from Turkey to Georgia increased by 16.49 percent in January through February 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, amounting to $47.496 million, Turkeys Trade Ministry told Trend.



Exports of chemical products from Turkey to Georgia increased by 36.58 percent in February 2020, compared to February 2019, amounting to $26.914 million.

Turkey's export of chemical products to world markets increased by one percent in January through February 2020, compared to the same period of last year, amounting to $3.2 billion.



Turkey's chemical exports account for 10.9 percent of the country's total exports in January-February this year.



Turkey exported $1.5 billion worth of chemical products to world markets in February 2020, which is 7.8 percent less than in the same month of 2019.



Turkey's chemical exports in February 2020 accounted for 10.3 percent of the country's total exports.

Over the past 12 months (February 2019-February 2020), Turkey exported chemical products worth $20.620 billion.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
MOUNT STERLING  Dot Foods co-founder Dorothy Agnes Tracy died Friday at age 91.

A company representative said she died at 12:05 a.m. at home of natural causes.

Mom has always been the foundation and guiding light for our family and business, said John Tracy, Dot Foods executive chairman and the seventh child of Robert and Dorothy Tracy. Right to the end, she was a living example to everyone she touched of humility, kindness, faith and family first values.

Dorothy Tracy was literally the Dot in Dot Foods. She and her husband, Robert Tracy, founded the company in 1960. Originally named Associated Dairy Products, the company adopted the name Dot Associated Dairy Products Co. in honor of Dorothy Tracy in 1966 before being renamed Dot Foods in 1981. Dorothy Tracy played an integral part in the companys early success by helping with bookkeeping, secretarial and delivery duties while raising the familys 12 children.

Today, the $8.1 billion company is the largest food industry redistributor in North America and is owned and operated by the Tracy family. Dot Foods employs 6,400 people in 16 locations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including 2,800 people at its Mount Sterling corporate headquarters.

Mom has meant so much to our family and our employees over the years, said Joe Tracy, Dot Foods chief executive officer and 11th child of Robert and Dorothy Tracy. She played such a crucial role in defining who we all are and have become.

Dorothy Tracy was born Jan. 21, 1929, in Taylorville to Lawrence and Marie Curtin. She grew up on their farm in Blue Mound, attended Stonington Community High School and graduated from the Sacred Heart Academy in Springfield. In 1949, she received a bachelors degree in education from the University of Illinois.

While at the university, she met Robert Francis Tracy, an agriculture student from Jerseyville. They were married June 9, 1949, and lived in Champaign. The Tracys moved to Mount Sterling in 1952, where Robert Tracy worked in sales for Prairie Farms before founding Associated Dairy Products.

Dorothy Tracy was active in the Holy Family Catholic Church, where she often played the organ. She was a member of the National T.T.T. Society chapter, served on the Brown County school board and played bridge in several clubs. She volunteered and supported many charities and is known for her role in helping build the Mount Sterling Community Center YMCA, which opened in 2004. Construction of the facility was paid for by Robert and Dorothy Tracy, the Tracy Family Foundation and Dot Foods.

There will be a private burial. A memorial service is planned for a later date. Memorials may be made to Holy Family Catholic Church, St. Mary School or Mount Sterling Community Center YMCA. Hendricker Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.
The investors in China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings Limited's (HKG:3669) will be rubbing their hands together with glee today, after the share price leapt 27% to HK$6.73 in the week following its full-year results. Revenues of CN63b were in line with forecasts, although statutory earnings per share (EPS) came in below expectations at CN0.80, missing estimates by 2.2%. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings after the latest results.

See our latest analysis for China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings

SEHK:3669 Past and Future Earnings March 27th 2020

After the latest results, the 18 analysts covering China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings are now predicting revenues of CN67.0b in 2020. If met, this would reflect a satisfactory 6.9% improvement in sales compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to step up 12% to CN0.90. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of CN67.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN0.99 in 2020. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the minor downgrade to their earnings per share numbers for next year.

It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target fell 5.0% to CN9.02, with the analysts clearly linking lower forecast earnings to the performance of the stock price. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings analyst has a price target of CN15.46 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at CN6.10. 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. With this in mind, we wouldn't rely too heavily the consensus price target, as it is just an average and analysts clearly have some deeply divergent views on the business.

Story continues

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings's revenue growth is expected to slow, with forecast 6.9% increase next year well below the historical 14%p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 11% per year. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, the wider industry is also expected to grow faster than China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings.

The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. Fortunately, the analysts also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, suggesting sales are tracking in line with expectations - although our data does suggest that China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings's revenues are expected to perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target fell measurably, with the analysts seemingly not reassured by the latest results, leading to a lower estimate of China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings's future valuation.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have forecasts for China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings going out to 2022, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Plus, you should also learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with China Yongda Automobiles Services Holdings .

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
While most of us will have to settle for self-isolation in our own home or apartment, the rich are hunkering down in state-of-the-art bunkers and fleeing to private islands to escape the coronavirus.

Rising S Company, which manufactures bunkers and bomb shelters, has seen business increase fourfold when compared to the same period last year, according to CEO Clyde Scott.

While the business is based in the U.S., Scott said he had been receiving calls from all over the world, including countries he had never had enquiries from before, like Croatia. He said the average of cost of the models that clients were currently looking at was $150,000.

Since the outbreak at the end of last year, more than 533,000 people around the world have been infected with the highly-contagious coronavirus, while at least 24,000 people have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Larry Hall, owner of another U.S.-based bunker maker, Survival Condo, said he had also seen a spike in enquiries due to the outbreak, as many said the coronavirus had made buying a unit more of a priority.

"We usually have to do some level of sales effort to get people to come here for a tour and now the clients seem to have an urgency to their interest," he told CNBC via email.

Hall mentioned one client who bought a bunker without having physically visited the unit. And though enquiries are coming from the Middle East, U.K., Japan and France, his sales to date have been to American clients working in a range of professions, including doctors and engineers.

The unit prices range from around $500,000 to $2.4 million and include facilities like an indoor pool, gym and even a rock climbing wall.
A woman wearing a face mask, amid concerns over the spread of the CCP virus, walks past the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in downtown Moscow on March 26, 2020. (ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia Halts All International Flights as CCP Virus Cases Rise to Over 1,000

Russia fully suspended all international flights on March 27 as more than 1,000 cases of the CCP virus were confirmed throughout the nation.

The suspension does not apply to cargo, postal, sanitary, and humanitarian shipments, according to a spokesperson for the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency cited by TASS. Airlines will only perform flights to bring Russians back home.

Russia has gradually tightened restrictions on international flights since February. China and South Korea were first on the list and the suspensions later expanded to Spain, Italy, Germany, and France. The suspension expanded to 95 countries on March 23.

Aeroflot, Russias flagship carrier, evacuated 52,000 people back to Russia since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Russias major airlines have also suspended flights out of the country.

The number of CCP virus cases in Russia grew by 196 to 1,036 cases in 24 hours, the nations pandemic monitoring center reported on March 27. The center announced the third death from the virus on Friday.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Of the 196 cases, 157 were confirmed in Moscow. The capitals mayor ordered all restaurants, bars, shops, and parks closed for a week starting on March 28, CNN reported.

The restrictions introduced today are unprecedented in the modern history of Moscow and will create many inconveniences for the everyday life of every person, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Thursday. But believe me, they are absolutely necessary in order to slow the spread of coronavirus infection and reduce the number of cases.

Russian President Vladimir Putin steered clear of ordering an outright lockdown to address the outbreak and left it to local officials to enact mitigation measures. The Russian president asked Russians to stay at home for a week, except for those who work in stores, pharmacies, and banks.

Dont think I wont be hurt. Anyone could be hurt, and whats going on now in many countries in Western Europe and across the ocean could be our near future, Putin said. Believe me, the safest thing you can do now is to stay home. Its necessary to take care of yourselves and your relatives, show discipline and responsibility.

Russias comparatively low number of cases given its size and shared border with China raised questions and doubts about the veracity of official statistics. Moscow Mayor Sobyanin told Putin on Tuesday that the low number could reflect insufficient screening rather than the actual scale of the outbreak and said the situation was serious.

Kremlin critics have accused the authorities of manipulating coronavirus statistics to ram the constitutional vote through at any costallegations that the government has rejected.

Citing the coronavirus, Putin on Wednesday postponed a nationwide vote on proposed constitutional amendments that include a change potentially allowing him to stay in office until 2036. Putin didnt set a new date for the plebiscite, which was originally scheduled for April 22, saying that it would depend on how the pandemic develops in Russia. The country reported its first two deaths from the virus on Wednesday.

Russian authorities so far have refrained from sweeping lockdowns and closures of businesses, but they will likely change course as the outbreak spreads.

The Russian military on Wednesday launched massive drills to train for deployment across the vast country to help the infected and quarantined areas.

Putin didnt say if the CCP virus outbreak could prompt the Kremlin to scale down or cancel the May 9 celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Allies victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has planned a massive parade in Red Square to mark the nations most important holiday to be attended by foreign leaders, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a decision on whether to go ahead with the parade will be made later, depending on how the coronavirus situation develops.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
According to a health department official, a 38-year- old man from Munger district who died at AIIMS, Patna, last week before his test results confirmed that he was suffering from COVID-19, was first admitted to the private hospital situated in Khemnichak locality of the city which has since been sealed. The district administration ordered all doctors, nurses and other staff of the facility to be quarantined.

Patna: A 20-year-old man, who worked as a ward boy at a private hospital where he came into contact with a COVID-19 patient, has tested positive, taking the total number of such cases reported from Bihar to seven, the health department said on Friday.

According to a health department official, a 38-year- old man from Munger district who died at AIIMS, Patna, last week before his test results confirmed that he was suffering from COVID-19, was first admitted to the private hospital situated in Khemnichak locality of the city which has since been sealed.

The district administration ordered all doctors, nurses and other staff of the facility to be quarantined.

Samples of 13 people working at the private hospital were sent for testing and the result of one that of the ward boy hailing from Jaganpura area in the city was found positive.

Efforts were on to trace the other staff of the private hospital who would be quarantined as a precautionary measure and their samples will be sent for testing, the official said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Notably, Bihar had reported zero coronavirus positive cases until Sunday when the deceased patient from Munger who had returned from Qatar where he worked as a welder and a woman resident of the city who is admitted to AIIMS, Patna, tested positive.

There has been a spike in the number of cases since then with seven persons testing positive in less than a week. On Thursday, two persons a woman in her 40s and a 12-year- old boy who lived in a house adjacent to that of the deceased patient in Munger had tested positive.

They have been sent to a hospital in Bhagalpur for treatment. Samples of more than 50 people living in the vicinity, however, tested negative.

Besides, two men in their 20s, both residents of different localities of Patna, one had returned from Scotland and the other from Gujarat, have tested positive and are undergoing treatment at NMCH.

Till Thursday, 469 samples from across the state had been sent for testing out of which 415 reported negative and three were rejected. Reports of the remaining were awaited.

In the state capital, about 2000 people who returned from abroad or other parts of the country before the nationwide lockdown came into force have been put in home quarantine as a precautionary measure.
No matter what a city or county stay-at-home order might say, local governments cant shut down gun stores or otherwise restrict sales or transfers, according to an opinion issued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday.

States of disaster give local governments limited authority to regulate the use of firearms, Paxton wrote in the nonbinding legal opinion, but that does not apply to transfer, possession, ownership or sales.

Under our laws, every Texan retains their right to purchase and possess firearms, Paxton said in a statement.

For subscribers: Interactive maps, charts show spread of coronavirus in Texas

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, had on Tuesday requested the opinion after he saw that many Texas cities and counties did not include a carve-out for gun stores as they ordered nonessential businesses to close temporarily. Burrows was not immediately available for comment Friday.

During these times, people want to make sure they have access to that for the right of self-defense, protection, hunting, things of that nature, Burrows said this week.

Arthur Kuo, the owner of Super Armory, a gun shop in Houstons Chinatown, stayed open this week as he struggled to get answers from Harris County about whether his business was considered essential. Kuo said he was glad to hear about Paxtons opinion Friday. He said the store is limiting its hours to just a few on only two or three days a week to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

I have no idea why local governments want to do that in the first place, Kuo said. Thats violating peoples rights.

Some gun violence prevention activists, such as Gyl Switzer, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, say they dont see why gun stores should be exempt from stay-at-home orders. Switzer said she worries now about the potential for more suicides and domestic violence as well as accidents from first-time gun owners who may be unable to get the training and education they need during a shutdown.

Its just very unfortunate the result of his opinion, Switzer said. Therell be more guns flooding into Texas, and thats bad news for suicide prevention, where people are isolated and stressed and maybe out of work. More than 60 percent of firearm deaths in Texas are suicides.

Mike Cox, legislative director of the Texas State Rifle Association, applauded the opinion Friday and thanked Burrows and Paxton for protecting Texans Second Amendment rights.

Were pretty happy with this ruling, Cox said. The Constitution either protects us or it doesnt. You just cant throw it aside for convenience.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said on a Lubbock talk show Wednesday that he believes that gun stores are essential right now because people need to be able to protect themselves during a potential breakdown of society.

Having a weapon, Im an NRA longtime member and a proud gun owner, I think its very important for personal safety, Patrick said. And for anyone to say thats not an essential, I really dont understand.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 20:06:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) makes social distancing and working from home the new normal, leaders of the Group of 20, home to almost two-thirds of the world's population and about 86 percent of the gross world product, convened Thursday for a virtual summit that sent a clear message: We are in the same boat.

The G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 was the first of its kind in the history of G20, and also the first major multilateral event attended by President Xi Jinping since the outbreak of the COVID-19.

Speaking to his colleagues via video link from Beijing, Xi put forward four proposals to cope with a situation that is "disturbing and unsettling," calling for an all-out global war against the COVID-19 outbreak and enhancing international macro-economic policy coordination to prevent a recession.

"At such a moment, it is imperative for the international community to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response," Xi said. "We must comprehensively step up international cooperation and foster greater synergy so that humanity as one could win the battle against such a major infectious disease."

In a demonstration of the need for greater global coordination and solidarity, the G20 members were joined by leaders from invited countries including hard-hit Spain as well as multiple international organizations including the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

While previous G20 summits often discussed high-stake topics like economic recession and boosting development policy, Thursday's emergency meeting came at a time when the world is grappling with a dicey pandemic and concerns are mounting over the "black swan" event that could derail the global economy.

As China's epidemic prevention and control are continuously improving, and the trend of an accelerated restoration of normal production and life is being consolidated and expanded, his remarks at the G20 summit are timely and of critical importance for countries now fighting at the front lines of a battle to stem the pandemic and forestalling a recession.

UNITED WE STAND

The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide topped 462,684, with 20,834 deaths as of 10 a.m. Central European Time, Thursday, according to the data kept by the WHO. The economic toll is also climbing as more businesses and trade come to a grinding halt amid massive lockdowns.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is endangering countries rich and poor, large and small, strong and weak alike," said Wei Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former vice minister of Commerce. "We are now at a critical juncture of fighting the pandemic and stabilizing the global economy, and the international community expects the G20 to play a leading role."

The significance and urgency of Thursday's meeting hark back to scenarios in the depth of the global financial crisis in 2008 when meetings of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors were raised to the level of heads of state and government for better crisis coordination. What's different is that grave challenges facing the world today have led to warnings of a downturn even worse than in 2008.

"This pandemic will inevitably have an enormous impact on the economy," WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said in a video clip posted on the website of the organization. "Recent projections predict an economic downturn and job losses that are worse than the global financial crisis a dozen years ago."

To prevent the world economy from falling into recession, Xi said countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact as the outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe.

"We need to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies to keep our exchange rates basically stable. We need to better coordinate financial regulation to keep global financial markets stable. We need to jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable," he told the summit in a speech titled "Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak."

Xi's remarks on fighting as one echoed. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said: "We project a contraction of global output in 2020, and recovery in 2021. How deep the contraction and how fast the recovery depends on the speed of containment of the pandemic and on how strong and coordinated our monetary and fiscal policy actions are."

"We will get through this crisis together. Together we will lay the ground for a faster and stronger recovery," she said in a statement released after the conference call.

The important lesson in international solidarity is often forgotten when things are going fine, William Jones, Washington bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"The experience with the COVID-19 will hopefully lead to more collaborative efforts between countries and strengthen the notion of a community with a shared destiny," he said.

As China is a key driver of global economic growth, its economic performance bears great significance on the outlook of global recovery. In a strong morale and practical boost, Xi reaffirmed China would actively contribute to the global war against COVID-19 and a stable world economy.

"Guided by the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to share its good practices, conduct joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and provide assistance where it can to countries hit by the growing outbreak," Xi said.

Xi said China will contribute to a stable world economy by continuing to advance reform and opening-up, widen market access, improve the business environment and expand imports and outbound investment, and called on all G20 members to take collective actions -- cutting tariffs, removing barriers, and facilitating the unfettered flow of trade.

The country is beefing up wider opening-up to foreign investment. Revision of the negative list on foreign investment is underway as part of the plan to improve business environment and expand the catalog of industries where foreign investment is encouraged.

New editions of the list will probably be released in May, expanding market access of the tertiary sector, such as health care, aged service, finance, transportation, logistics, tourism, education and training and value-added services of telecommunications, said Zhang Fei with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Noting that a global solution is needed to address the global challenge brought about by the pandemic, Azevedo said cross-border trade and investment flows have a role to play in efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and will be vital for fostering a stronger recovery once the medical emergency subsides.

"No country is self-sufficient, no matter how powerful or advanced it may be. Trade is what allows for the efficient production and supply of basic goods and services, medical supplies and equipment, food and energy that we all need," he said.
WHEN you think of Indigenous engagement in the natural resource economy, you usually think of opportunities in the oil and gas industry or in mining. However, First Nations are increasingly getting involved in commercial forestry.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 23/3/2020 (660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

WHEN you think of Indigenous engagement in the natural resource economy, you usually think of opportunities in the oil and gas industry or in mining. However, First Nations are increasingly getting involved in commercial forestry.

Certain provinces, including Manitoba, have a sizable forest industry that plays a substantial role in the economy.

In March 2019, the province signed a two-year forestry management option licence with four First Nations on the east side of Lake Winnipeg to examine the possibility of setting up Indigenous-led commercial forestry operations. The agreement involves Black River First Nation, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Hollow Water First Nation and Sagkeeng First Nation.

Due to Canadas unique forest tenure system, governments can play a big role in allowing First Nations to take advantage of these opportunities, all without any direct subsidies or interference in the free market. Ottawa can encourage the provinces such as Manitoba to adopt policies encouraging Indigenous access to the forests.

With the right policy mix and increased access to capital, more Indigenous access to the forest economy could greatly enhance Indigenous economic independence. In fact, there are some First Nations in B.C. whose forest business revenues exceed their federal transfers.

Provincial governments could expand the amount of forest tenure available to Indigenous communities so First Nations can take better advantage of the high-wage forest economy. Governments can help First Nations take advantage of business opportunities in the forest sector by expanding access to capital.

As countries with substantial forests go, Canada has a large percentage of its forests under public ownership. The Canadian Forest Service says that about 94 per cent of Canadas 402 million hectares of forest land are publicly owned  77 per cent provincially and 16 per cent federally. Most of the timber cut on these lands is harvested by private-sector companies that hold Crown forest tenures. Although only six per cent of the countrys forests are privately held, they contribute significantly to the wood products sector. In Manitoba, most of the forest is provincially held Crown land. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island hold their lands largely in private tenure.

First Nations are uniquely situated to take advantage of these opportunities. After all, the Forest Products Association of Canada says 80 per cent of Indigenous communities are in wooded areas.

According to Statistics Canada, the average income for members of First Nations involved in the forest sector is about 15 per cent higher than the median for all economic sectors.

The National Aboriginal Forestry Association estimates that 1,200 to 1,400 Indigenous-owned companies are involved in the forestry sector. Many of these firms carry out contracts for companies in the sector, but Indigenous communities themselves are becoming much more assertive in the sector.

For example, in January of last year, 13 First Nations in Saskatchewan came together to form an alliance and leverage their financial resources. According to the Prince Albert Herald, together the 13 communities represent over half of the allocated active wood supply in Saskatchewan. This alliance will create business opportunities and good jobs for these communities.

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.

The National Aboriginal Forestry Association has said that Indigenous-held tenure now makes up more than 10.5 per cent of Canadas total wood supply, whereas in the 1980s, it was only about 0.05 per cent.

Indigenous communities, and indeed all forest-dependent communities across Canada, are living in a new economic reality. Between 2000 and the present, there has been a change in the demand for forest products in the global marketplace.

The demand for paper products  particularly newsprint  has declined and demand for lumber has increased. Fifty-eight of Canadas 141 pulp and paper mills have closed since 2000. At the end of January, a paper mill near Pictou, N.S., closed, creating huge ripples throughout the regional economy.

Indigenous communities  given their proximity to wooded areas  are uniquely situated to take advantage of commercial opportunities in the forest economy. The federal and the provincial governments need to work with First Nations to ensure they have fair access to forest tenure and opportunities for partnerships. The alternative is continued poverty and dependence on government programs, which is in no ones interests.

Joseph Quesnel is a research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

 Troy Media
A 25-year-old coronavirus positive Dombivli resident attended his brother's wedding on March 19. Around 1,000 guests attended the wedding. His test reports came on Wednesday. The youngster traveled to Turkey with his friends and returned home on March 15. He went onto attend his brother's wedding in Dombivli four days after his arrival.

The youth started showing symptoms of coronavirus like cough and fever at the wedding, following which he went to a nearby hospital. The patient and three members of his family are undergoing treatment at Kasturba Hospital, according to a Times of India report.

Officials at the Kasturba Hospital shared his reports with the Kalyan-Dombivli Miunicipal Corporation. The KDMC sanitised the entire locality and started conducting medical checkups of every resident.

They have also started tracking all the attendees at the wedding as well as the 21 friends who accompanied the youngster to Turkey for coronavirus testing. The local administration has examined approximately 5,300 people for coronavirus symptoms till Thursday evening.

Till date, around 6 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus in the Kalyan-Dombivli area. While two patients have been discharged, four are still being treated. Of the six people who tested positive for coronavirus in the area, three had contracted the deadly virus after coming in contact with people who had international travel history. Maharashtra government has banned gathering of more than 50 people at one place, including weddings to mitigate COVID-19 spread.

Also read: Coronavirus update: Ward boy of private hospital tests positive in Patna

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: 17 patients dead; positive cases rise to 724
Edinburgh-based aviation services firm John Menzies has announced it is axing 17,500 jobs globally as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The outbreak has had a catastrophic impact on the airline, travel and hospitality sector and for companies like John Menzies, which provides ground handling, fuelling and cargo handling services for airlines all around the world.

In a dismal trading update, John Menzies said it had been forced to cut over half its global workforce in a bid to cut costs and secure its future.

The company, which employs over 32,000 staff across 200 airports, warned that the impact of the virus on its business had 'increased significantly' in a short period of time, with the number of flights it handled down 60 per cent in the last two weeks.

Job cuts: Edinburgh-based aviation services firm John Menzies has announced it is axing 17,500 jobs globally

Chief Executive Giles Wilson, said: 'John Menzies Plc has existed since 1833 and been listed since 1962, but never have we faced such difficult and unpredictable times.'

John Menzies said it was waiting for the refinement of the eligibility criteria for the UK Government's 'COVID Corporate Financing Facility', for which it does not currently qualify.

While affected staff will receive the 80 per cent salary aid on offer from the British government, a company spokesman said that in terms of accessing emergency credit, the group was too big to be classified as a small to medium-sized business, but too small to have the credit rating necessary for the CCFF.

Britain's state aid programmes for the coronavirus shutdown carry conditions related to the company's contribution to the UK, rather than global, economy, and demand that firms were already on solid financial footing before 1 March.

John Menzies, which operates in 34 different countries, said global job cuts were 'being supported in some countries by governmental schemes and we hope that in the fullness of time a high number of these employees can return to the business.'

With the group's directors locked in crunch talks with its lenders, the company said it would continue to 'review all options with regards to the Group's overall liquidity needs.'

Dismal: John Menzies said the impact of the virus had 'increased significantly' in recent weeks

Before today, John Menzies had already gone to considerable lengths to stay viable during the crisis, having deferred its investment plans, halted dividend payouts for shareholders, cutting costs and reducing the salaries and fees of its top brass by 20 per cent.

Boss Mr Wilson said today: 'Our industry has been one of the most affected by COVID-19 and we are doing everything we can to reduce costs whilst looking after the needs of our employees.

'I now look to our Government to support our business and for them to provide the support required to help the UK aviation sector to navigate this crisis.

'For the aviation supply chain to function it requires a strong inter-reliant chain of airlines, airports and service providers.

'Without these three components of the supply chain, working together, the sector will not function. Handlers such as Menzies are therefore essential to the recovery and future success of the UK and global aviation industry.'

As a result of the turmoil, the company has, unsurprisingly, scrapped all its financial forecasts for the year. The company's share price has been hit hard in the last few weeks and just before 11am was down 5.47 per cent or 4.60p to 79.40p.

John Menzies was founded in 1833 when John Menzies opened a bookshop on Edinburgh's Princes Street.

This store started selling The Scotsman newspaper over the counter and Menzies became famous in the UK for retailing and wholesaling.

It was a major British high street name until the late 1990s, when it reinvented itself as a global provider of fuelling and cargo handling for airlines.

Operating in 34 countries for over 500 customers, the company was already struggling last year with weakness in Europe, lower cargo volumes and the fallout from the global grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX jets.

History: John Menzies was founded in 1833 when John Menzies opened a bookshop on Edinburgh's Princes Street

One City expert, Russ Mould at AJ Bell, told This is Money: 'Statements from the major passenger airlines about capacity cuts have already given a good indication of the difficulties that face John Menzies so today's update contains few surprises.

'What is of interest is the speed with which management is addressing the challenges that face the 187-year-old firm and the painful choices they are having to make to see it through the crisis.

'Widespread redundancies, cuts in capital investment and the dividend and reduced pay for senior management have all been brought into play and in a week when the stock market has been trying to persuade itself that the worst may be over, or least in the price, this may be a timely reality check.'

Amid the pandemic, the airline and travel sector, and all related companies like John Menzies providing support to the industry, have been under huge financial strain, with many grounding swathes of flights as a global shutdown takes hold.
President Trump has hit a net positive approval rating for the first time in aA Washington Post-ABC News poll, amid a general rise in approval for the president during the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

Trumps overall approval rating stands at 48 percent to a 46 percent disapproval, according to the poll. The same survey conducted in February recorded 43 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval.

Republican respondents approved of Trumps performance by 86 percent, Independents by 49 percent, and Democrats by 17 percent. The presidents net positive approval rating may be due to heightened support among Democrats, just 4 percent of whom approved of Trump in the same survey in February.

Trumps handling of the coronavirus outbreak was also viewed positively, with 51 percent of respondents approving to 45 percent disapproving. However, respondents criticized Trumps early response to the pandemic, with 58 percent saying the president was too slow to take action against the coronavirus and 38 percent saying he acted with the right amount of speed.

President Trumps job approval is up in several other polls as well, with an average 47 percent approval to 49 percent disapproval according to RealClearPolitics.

The Trump administration initially struggled to cope with the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Stocks nosedived in mid-March as various states, including New York, announced closures of various non-essential businesses, while Trump faced criticism from congressional Republicans and White House officials for downplaying the outbreak.

Since then, Trump has thrown his weight behind a massive $2 trillion economic aid package making its way through Congress. Stocks have surged this week in expectation of economic aid.

More from National Review
The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says the Attorney Generals defence of the National Identification Authority (NIA) in court is only in fulfilment of Ghanas laws.

According to him, if any state institution is sued, it is the duty of the Attorney General to defend such agency.

By our law, when you sue the Republic or an agency of the Republic, you are procedurally required to attach or lead with the Attorney General. The Attorney Generals representation is only a procedural representation and not a substantive representation, the Information Minister said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday.

The NIA has been sued by two citizens, Kevow Mark-Oliver and Emmanuel Akumatey Okrah over the Ghana Card registration exercise which was being held in the Eastern Region.

The two succeeded in securing an interlocutory injunction preventing the NIA from going ahead with the exercise.

The Attorney General in its defence made a strong case for the National Identification Authority to be allowed to carry on with the Ghana Card registration despite a directive by President Nana Akufo-Addo limiting public gatherings.

Those who opposed the Ghana card registration exercise cited the coronavirus disease which has so far infected 136 people and the Presidents directive.

The Attorney General insisted in her defence that the Presidents directive does not include the NIA.

High Court dismisses application to stop Ghana Card registration in Eastern Region

Meanwhile, the High Court in Accra has dismissed the injunction application seeking to stop the National Identification Authority from continuing with the registration exercise in the Eastern Region.

According to the court, the NIA's decision to go ahead with the registration is not against the President's directive suspending all public gatherings.

The Judge, Justice Anthony Oppong explained that the directive did not stop operations of businesses but rather asked operators to observe certain protocols including social distancing.

Force EC, NIA to comply with social distancing directive  NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) had earlier written to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to immediately ensure that the National Identification Authority and the Electoral Commission (EC) adhere to the social distancing directives given by the government.

The party, in the letter, expressed disappointment in Nana Akufo-Addo for allowing the NIA to continue with the Ghana card registration exercise and flagrantly disregarding the directive against public gatherings.

His [President Akufo-Addo's] stance as evidenced by the Attorney General's appeal is a betrayal of public trust, because the NIA, being a public institution that reports directly to President should not be encouraged to act with such levels of impunity in flagrant disregard of the President's own lawfully instituted public health directive to deal with a National Emergency of this magnitude, the letter said.

---citinewsroom
(Bloomberg) -- WeDoctor, one of Chinas biggest online health-care startups, has selected JPMorgan Chase & Co., Credit Suisse Group AG and CMB International to lead a Hong Kong initial public offering, people familiar with the deal said.

The startup could become one of the largest technology companies to brave volatile public markets in 2020. WeDoctor envisions raising at least $500 million and as much as $1 billion, one of the people said, asking to remain anonymous discussing a private deal. The details could change given that deliberations are ongoing, the people said. More banks may be invited to join the deal in future, one person said.

WeDoctor, backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd., joins a growing contingent of tech giants hoping to revolutionize a traditional health-care industry after the coronavirus pandemic underscored its shortcomings. The company is on the prowl for expansion capital and last month laid the foundation for a public debut by hiring finance overseer John Cai, formerly chief executive for AIA Group Ltd.s operations in markets including China, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The startup, whose business spans insurance policies and medical supplies to online appointment-booking and clinics, was last valued at around $5.5 billion. Its said to be targeting a float in late 2020 or 2021.

WeDoctor, JPMorgan and Credit Suisse representatives declined to comment. A CMB representative didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. IFR first reported on the selection.

Read more: Coronavirus Shows Scale of Task to Fix Chinas Flawed Healthcare

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought inadequacies in the countrys medical care system into stark relief, exposing an over-reliance on big hospitals in major cities and flaws in how the state responds to emergencies, even with a mechanism built after the SARS outbreak in 2003. The startup has said it launched an online platform dedicated to treating coronavirus cases on Jan. 23 and has helped facilitate 1.4 million consultations with doctors in the month since it began.

Story continues

Longer term, startups like WeDoctor could play a pivotal role in a nationwide effort to wrench its ailing healthcare sector into the modern age. Beijing envisions a 16 trillion yuan ($2.3 trillion) healthcare industry by 2030 and, in a blueprint laid out in 2016 called Healthy China 2030, vowed to improve public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities to match those of developed countries.

Read more: A $6 Billion China Startup Wants to Be the Amazon of Health Care

Founded by artificial intelligence maven Jerry Liao Jieyuan in 2010, WeDoctor aims to compete with both fellow startups and major corporations such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in the burgeoning field of online healthcare.

It needs capital to expand. It has yet to decide whether to include its cloud business -- where sensitive patient information and government data reside -- in the envisioned Hong Kong public offering, people familiar with the matter have said.

WeDoctor counts China Development Bank Capital, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. and AIA as backers. The company said in a statement it connects 360,000 doctors with some 210 million registered users.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina is expected to receive billions of dollars in federal assistance to combat the novel coronavirus after Congress approved a massive funding bill Friday, providing a boost to state-led efforts as cases continue to pile up.

Almost $2 billion will likely go to the Palmetto State from the latest federal package, according to an analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

Each state will get at least $1.25 billion from the bill, with additional spending proportional to population. Exactly how much of that money will be spent will largely be up to state and local leaders.

Additionally, all residents making under $75,000 a year will receive a check for at least $1,200, said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., during a news conference Friday at the South Carolina Emergency Operations Center.

"This money is coming," Graham said. "Its going to take a couple of weeks, but it will be coming."

Specific recipients of earlier congressional packages have only recently been determined, an indication of the time it can take to distribute the funds.

For example, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, touted this week that more than $500,000 of an earlier congressional funding bill on March 6 would go to community health care centers in his district, including about $77,000 for Fetter Health Care Network in Charleston.

The federal aid comes as state lawmakers are bracing for the likelihood of having to rewrite much of South Carolina's proposed budget given the emergence of the virus.

The S.C. House approved its version of the spending billl earlier this month, but the Senate had yet to even begin its work by the time lawmakers were sent home earlier this month to avoid spreading the infectious disease. Lawmakers returned briefly to give $45 million in emergency funding to the state's health department.

Top legislators, including House Speaker Jay Lucas, expect the virus will send budget writers back to the drawing board whenever they are able to return to work.

"From the time we passed the budget to now, I think South Carolina and the whole United States faces an entirely different world," said Lucas, R-Darlington.

The impact of the virus could give lawmakers a host of new reasons to spend the $1.8 billion additional funds in state coffers before the virus hit this year, but they said those deliberations won't begin in earnest until they are able to return to Columbia and know the full extent of the problem.

House budget Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said they quickly began receiving requests for relief packages, particularly small businesses and laid-off employees.

"We just need to be careful about making commitments this early in the process until the federal government completes their work on the bailout package and until we know how severe and long-lasting this is going to be," Smith said.
[March 27, 2020] LA Hotels Offer 10,000 Rooms as Temporary Shelter for Those in Need

More than 115 hotels throughout Los Angeles County have volunteered their hotels to the County Public Health Department, providing access to more than 10,000 rooms as temporary shelter to support the COVID-19 response, the Hotel Association of Los Angeles announced today. The unprecedented response by the Los Angeles hotel industry represents approximately 15 percent of all Los Angeles hotel rooms, which are available to protect and isolate population segments vulnerable to the coronavirus outbreak. "Our hotel community response is just one more example of the extraordinary men and women behind the hotel business,'' said Heather Rozman, Executive Director of the Hotel Association of Los Angeles (HALA). "Hospitality is a people business and in a time like this, we're going to step up and take care of people, it's what we do best." HALA and member hotels have been working with Mayr Garcetti, City Councilmembers, County Supervisors and, importantly, County officials to determine how hotel rooms can best be deployed. Assuring the health of individuals who may occupy hotel rooms is a complicated process that is being addressed by public health officials and a multitude of state and local government leaders.



Priorities and processes continue to evolve for who would be housed in the hotels and how an individual's health would be monitored while sheltering in a hotel, depending on the specific population served and the ever-changing health needs to keep Angeleno's healthy and safe. "Our hotel rooms are available now and we know our public officials are working hard to assure the well-being of all Angeleno's and individuals who may need temporary shelter,'' Rozman added. "Unprecedented challenges require unprecedented action, and our hope is that by opening up thousands of hotel rooms, we can reduce the spread of this virus at a time Los Angeles needs hospitality the most."

About the Hotel Association of Los Angeles The Hotel Association of Los Angeles has advocated for the Los Angeles lodging industry for more than 70 years through legislative support, coalition building, lobbying and public advocacy. Its members represent a cross-section of the lodging industry, including owners, managers, suppliers and vendors. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005423/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
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.
London Breed, San Francisco's current Democrat mayor, is the archetypical leftist politician. She has spent her entire life as a student, working for a non-profit organization dependent on tax-deductible funding and government largesse, or working in government. Her biography does not give any indication that she's ever held a job in the private sector. Breed's background is relevant because it explains her shock at having to function independently from the federal government while partnering with the private sector.

San Francisco, in common with other densely populated urban areas, is grappling with a high coronavirus caseload. The city has been under lockdown conditions since March 16, with people told that the lockdown will continue until April 7. As of Thursday, San Francisco had 223 coronavirus cases and 2 deaths.

For a city with almost 900,000 people, 223 cases seems like a relatively small number  but then again, we're not the ones having to deal with a surge in existing cases while worrying about an influx of patients who may yet overwhelm San Francisco's health care system. From Breed's point of view, she has a serious catastrophe on her hands.

In keeping with her Democrat bona fides, Breed is extremely hostile to President Trump's leadership decisions and statements about the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, she was on a local San Francisco television statement, scolding people for continuing to socialize with each other. She also had harsh words for Donald Trump's hope that he would be able to move the country back to normal by Easter:

"My response is, 'Why are we still listening to the president?'" she replied. "We've demonstrated we have to jump in and make this work without government support. ... The federal government just isn't moving fast enough." [snip] "The fact is we knew this was going to be a problem a long time ago," she continued. "This is when real leadership from the federal government should have happened, to prepare for this, to make sure hospitals all over this country have what they need. The fact that it's difficult to get things from other countries because of various federal issues is ridiculous, especially when we need these things the most ... . We're trying to make sure we have what we need."

On Thursday, Breed reiterated her message about Easter being an unreasonable deadline for a return to normalcy and about the federal government's ineffectiveness. She also added that it was the private sector that was coming through for her (emphasis added):

"I think sadly what the president is asking for is ridiculous," she said. "We have people who are dying, we have people who cannot even be tested, we have folks who are infecting people who don't even understand they are walking around with the virus as we speak. And we're already talking about reopening places where we need to make sure cases never make it to in the first place. The whole point of why we're shutting major cities down and we're asking people to do something we've never asked them to do before has everything to do with public health. If we continue business as usual and put a deadline on things without listening to public health experts ... I don't know what we're going to be doing. It will be even worse." [snip] "We have had to basically go around the federal government in getting our own materials from other countries to have the PPE everyone is talking about," she said. "This is something the federal government should be leading on, and you have cities partnering with the private sector so we can protect our nurses and doctors and people on the front lines."

London Breed has just learned something important, although she seems not to understand the lesson and, therefore, will be unable to apply it to her life and her ideology. The federal government is a vast, lumbering behemoth that is incapable of reacting quickly. When the government has shown speed in response to the coronavirus, it's because Trump has slashed the red tape that binds it.

What can react quickly is the private sector. When American ingenuity is freed from entangling federal regulations, businesses large and small can turn on a dime. Suddenly, they're no longer manufacturing cars, or pillows, or alcoholic beverages. Instead, they're making ventilators, masks, and disinfectants.

For Breed, having to rely on the private sector, which she views as a strange, foreign entity, constitutes a failure. However, from the constitutional, American point of view, we're witnessing a massive success when the federal government, rather than becoming a tyrant, primarily provides guidance that allows Americans to respond with lightning reflexes to urgent needs.
While Kenya is obviously miles off from Chinas capacity to combat the Covid-19 o pandemic, self-quarantining in the East African country is still a joke compared to the Asian nation.

Since the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Kenya, there have been a number of instances where people who jetted into the country declined to observe quarantine procedures. This even prompted Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe to slam Kenyans for being undisciplined in a presser on Tuesday.

We are suffering from cases of indiscipline; Kenyans are exhibiting a very indisciplined behavior, and this is going to cost us, he stated.

There have also been some mishaps in the handling of passengers arriving at the JKIA as the government grappled with providing quarantine facilities.

Compared to China, Kenya can indeed take some valuable lessons on the quarantine procedure to contain the spread of Covid-19.

A Kenyan who lives in China spoke to the Star and shed some light on the efficacy of the Quarantine procedure in the Asian nation.

Arrival At Airport

I came back to China from Lagos last Sunday. I went through Hong Kong first for two weeks. So upon arrival at the Shenzhen Bay Port which is the only open land port between Hong Kong and China at the moment, they took my temperature, Mary Suzanne told the publication via video call.

Further up the line, youre divided into groups of 10. Here they take your temperature and ask questions on your travel history, she added.

Depending on if you came from a high-risk or low-risk country you can then proceed to the immigration (low) and straight to the hospital (high).

During this period the officials checking your temperature and travel history are all wearing hazmat suits.

So I was in the low-risk category and my temperature was okay. I went through immigration and took a cab to my place, she recounted.

Arrival At Apartment

Upon arrival at her apartment gate, she found a makeshift structure where again authorities take your temperature and give you a questionnaire to fill in regarding your travel history.

Then you scan a QR code affiliated to your mobile phone service provider like in the case of Safaricom and Airtel back home, Suzanne is quoted as saying.

The scanning helps the authorities to track ones movement.

After that they made me buy a thermometer to take my temperature every day and let them know in case it goes over 37 degrees, she said.

After that she was instructed not to leave her apartment for 14 days and that in case she needs any help she can contact the officials.

So the following day a cop comes to my house and asks about my travel history and takes my temperature. He proceeds to ask for airplane tickets (used) to back up my travel history story. I didnt have them because I threw them away so I had to provide screenshots of flight reservation emails, she said.

Then, he asks me to sign a quarantine commitment letter. If I didnt go through with the 14 days quarantine then I would be persecuted.

Door Locked From Outside

After all that, they put tape on her door to alert her neighbours that she is on self-quarantine. Her door is locked from outside and she is not allowed to leave until the 14 days are over.

So now if I need food or any other stuff I have to order it online. Then the delivery guys bring it to my apartment gate where the security guard brings it up to my apartment with mask and gloves on, she says.

If I need garbage thrown out I have to contact the apartment management and they pick it up.

Suzanne is nearing the end of her quarantine and noted that she likes the quarantine procedure.

I cant leave until the 14 days are over and I test negative. Its been 10 days now, Im waiting to see what happens next, she said.

Actually, I like it this way. Its the only way they can curb this thing. Its always better to be safe than sorry. This way you know you are safe.
The generation that grew up in a democratic Taiwan are determined to promote and defend the islands freedoms.

Taipei, Taiwan  Independent theatre producer Lin Chihyu, 29, originally planned to travel to Vietnam with her maternal grandfather to attend a friends wedding ceremony before Taiwan held general elections in January.

But five days before the poll she changed her mind and decided not to book her flight.

If theres no Taiwan, I feel it will be very hard to have another place in Asia that has this degree of freedom, said Lin, who voted for incumbent Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the capital Taipei.

Only Taiwan that allows you to be that free for saying [what you want to say].

A democratic political system with a high degree of freedom has fostered a generation of young people increasingly proud of their Taiwanese roots, creating a generational shift that is likely to become an increasing issue in the islands future politics.

It is fascinating how Taiwanese who were born even 10 years apart can have such different life experiences, said Margaret Lewis, an expert on Taiwanese politics and a law professor at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.





People my age remember martial law and were old enough to vote in the first direct presidential election [in 1996]. People 10 years younger might have vague memories of authoritarian times, but they came of age in a free and democratic Taiwan, 44-year-old Lewis added.

In a survey on changes in Taiwanese and Chinese identity among people on the island, National Chengchi Universitys Election Study Center found that as of June 2019 about 57 percent of people identified as Taiwanese, while 37 percent said they were both Taiwanese and Chinese. Only 4 percent said they were Chinese while the rest chose not to answer.

Meanwhile, a survey from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy found 82 percent of respondents aged between 20 and 29 were willing to defend Taiwan if China uses force against Taiwan for unification.

The Republic of China (ROC) was originally established in 1912 in mainland China. After being defeated by the communists in the civil war in 1949, however, its nationalist leaders relocated to Taiwan, where they set themselves up in power.

The victorious communist, meanwhile, set up the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and considers Taiwan part of its territory. It has not ruled out the use of force to incorporate it with the mainland.

Not China

Another young person who backed Tsai was Cathy Chan, a 23-year-old masters student at the National Taiwan University, who went home to Taoyuan in northern Taiwan so she could vote.

When studying in Japan, many people thought that Taiwan was China, Chan told Al Jazeera, explaining some of the frustration she feels at others lack of knowledge about her homeland.

I want to confidently tell everyone that I am from Taiwan. And Taiwan is a beautiful democratic, free country.

Timothy S Rich, an associate professor of political science at the Western Kentucky University (WKU), who has studied Taiwanese electoral politics and public opinion, said younger Taiwanese were far less likely to see themselves as Chinese other than in a broad acknowledgement of cultural similarities.

They see Taiwan as a sovereign state separate from China, he added.

Johnny Chiang, centre, was elected the leader of the pro-China KMT earlier this month, He is the youngest person to ever hold the position as the party faces a generational shift thats changing the face of politics [Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA]

Austin Wang, an assistant professor at the department of political science at the University of Nevada, told Al Jazeera that a growing sense of unique identity has become one of the most significant trends in Taiwan in the last 30 years.

He said while the older generations still see themselves as part Chinese, and unification an opportunity to resolve Chinas so-called century of humiliation  the term used in China to describe the period from the middle of the 19th century when it was dominated by Japan, Russia and European powers  young people have different ideas.

For the young generation who only identifies themselves as Taiwanese, they mostly see the case of Hong Kong [protests] as the example [of Chinese rule], said Wang, who has studied Taiwanese politics and political psychology, adding the youth are mostly against Chinas unification.





Even though the former KMT authoritarian regime tried to persuade Taiwanese people to be Chinese, the de facto separation had made Taiwanese and Chinese people different in many aspects, he added, referring to the then-ruling Kuomintang party that imposed martial law on the island from 1949 to 1987.

That authoritarian system had a significant effect on Taiwans older generation, many of whom remain reluctant to speak freely.

Chen Yi Chun, 29, who works in a bookshop, said her mother told her every day not to write careless posts on politics on her Facebook.

Once we this generation were born, we had this freedom right away, so theres no way for us to understand what they were scared of, Chen said. Taiwans unification with China would be a very scary thing, she added.

Rich of the WKU noted that young people were also less likely to have emotional attachments to China and would find it easier to assert their Taiwanese identity.

Future policies

The shift has left the KMT, with older leaders and a platform seen as supportive of unification, on the back foot.

Whereas in the not so distant past, the party could position itself as the party of political and economic stability, it now often looks out of touch with Taiwanese society, Rich told Al Jazeera.

This month the party appointed a new leader.

Johnny Chiang, 48, is the youngest person ever to hold the post, but even as the party faces the reality of Taiwans generational shift, its traditionalists remain reluctant to change.

Chiang will also need to tread carefully with China.

If China perceives Chiang as seeking to adjust the fundamental tenets by which the KMT conducts cross-strait relations, in jettisoning the 1992 Consensus, it may seek to sabotage him, Brian Hioe, an expert on Taiwanese politics and founding editor of New Bloom, a Taiwan-focused cultural and political magazine, told Al Jazeera, referring to the so-called agreement with Beijing that there is only one China but with each side having its own interpretation of what China is.

While concerns about high property prices  an apartment in Taipei is typically 14.5 times higher than the median annual household income  and the economy might prove fertile ground for the KMT, many young people remain behind the reform-minded Tsai.

Issues that may have been difficult to pursue earlier, from refugee laws to free trade agreements, are likely on the table, WKUs Rich said.

I also expect that more broadly Tsai and the DPP will be more assertive on responding to China, he added.

For people, like Chen, that would be a welcome development.

I believe that Taiwan will become a better country, Chen said. As a citizen, I will use my lifes strength to make Taiwan an existence that is sufficient to prove that democracy and freedom are the least lethal, but most effective, weapons against hegemony.
Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Heidi Grau has stated that the project of the Consultative Council as part of the Trilateral Contact Group was discussed in the Normandy Format.

The Political Working Group discussed aspects related to the special status of CADR and CALR [certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions], as foreseen by the Minsk Agreements. The participants also took note of the fact that the project of the Consultative Council was discussed in the Normandy Format, reads the press statement of Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau after the regular meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on 26 March 2020.

As noted, the Security Working Group discussions focused on identification of additional disengagement areas of forces and hardware. However, further efforts are still required to address this issue.

While discussing mine action the Working Group participants shared the common view regarding its essential necessity, underlining in particular the importance of mine clearance of civilian facilities and their surroundings.

The Humanitarian Working Group considered the issues regarding opening of the new entry-exit crossing points on the line of contact in the Luhansk region. Preparations for the next exchange of detainees were also discussed, the statement reads.

As noted, the Economic Working Group concentrated on the issues of water supplies across the line of contact in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The issue of pension payments was also considered.

I call on the sides to the conflict to respond to UN Secretary-Generals A. Guterres appeal for a global ceasefire in connection with the coronavirus outbreak to stop all military hostilities and impose a cessation of fire, Ambassador Heidi Grau emphasized.

The regular meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group and its Working Groups were held through video conferencing from 24 to 26 March due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and related restrictions imposed by both Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

ol
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 14:49:40|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Leading health professionals and officials from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries held a video conference late Thursday evening to carry forward collaboration in the joint fight against COVID-19 at the ground level, said an official statement issued on Friday.

The SAARC member countries include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

A wide range of issues relating to COVID-19 were discussed extensively with active and purposeful participation of all sides.

India proposed to set up a shared "Electronic Platform" for all SAARC nations to share and exchange information, knowledge, expertise and best practices for jointly combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "Electronic Platform" could also serve as a multipurpose vehicle to further discuss and conduct activities such as online training for emergency response personnel, knowledge partnerships, sharing of expertise in disease surveillance, including the corresponding software, and joint research for new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for epidemic diseases, said the official statement.

A considerable work is said to be already going into the creation of the Electronic Platform, said the official statement.

The video conference was held as per the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Video Conference of SAARC Leaders on March 15, that health professionals of all SAARC member states could hold a video conference to exchange views and ideas on jointly fighting the pandemic.

The video conference was chaired by the director general of Health Services of India.

India made a comprehensive presentation on its response to COVID-19 covering the aspects of disease surveillance, contact tracing, travel restrictions and evacuation, risk assessment, diagnostics, isolation and quarantine methods and facilities, clinical management of patients, treatment options and protocols and safety of healthcare providers.

All other SAARC countries too shared their own experiences of dealing with the COVID-19 challenge in their respective settings.

All the participating countries highlighted their specific vulnerabilities, capacities, best practices, gaps in resources and logistics, private sector participation as well as levels of preparedness.

Community engagement and participation was identified as an important element in any anti-COVID-19 strategy to augment the large scale emergency measures undertaken by the governments in the SAARC region.
P rime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, but who will take over if he comes too unwell to carry out his duties?

A Downing Street spokeswoman confirmed he developed mild symptoms yesterday, which prompted him to be tested on the advice of Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.

Mr Johnson said he was able to continue to lead the UK's response to the crisis but a well-established plan is in place if he does become to ill.

A number of politicians took to Twitter to wish the Prime Minister a full recovery.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

When did Boris Johnson test positive for coronavirus?

Mr Johnson announced the diagnosis on Twitter today.

He said: "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus.

"Together, we will beat this."

He added: "We're going to beat it and we're going to beat it together. Stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."

Boris Johnson confirmed he had tested positive for coronavirus in a video posted to Twitter

The Downing Street spokeswoman said: The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

He is continuing to lead the governments response to coronavirus.

Mr Johnson also took the opportunity to thank key workers including NHS and care staff for their "amazing national effort" during the outbreak.

"We will get through it and the way we're going to get through it is of course by applying the measures you've heard so much about," he said.

"The more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we'll bounce back."

Who will take over his duties if the Prime Minister becomes too sick?

In the event that Boris Johnson becomes too sick to carry out his duties, Dominic Raab will step in / REUTERS

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will stand in as prime minister if Boris Johnson becomes too unwell.

As the UK coronavirus outbreak continues to grow, the Prime Minister's spokesman confirmed that the Mr Raab would step in if necessary if Mr Johnson fell ill.

Listen to today's episode of The Leader podcast:

Loading....

If Mr Raab was also ill, the Prime Minister has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers, the spokesman added.
The Donald Trump administration is preparing to cut most humanitarian aid to Yemen, the Washington Post reported today, amid progress on a potential cease-fire between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels. The Trump administration provided more than $700 million in humanitarian assistance for Yemen last year but is shutting off the spigot in a bid to pressure the Houthis to undo their onerous new aid restrictions.

The move comes after the Saudi-led coalition and Yemens internationally recognized government backed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres call for a cease-fire in the war-torn country earlier this week in order to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Key rebel leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi welcomed the coalitions announcement on Twitter with the caveat that they would wait to see it applied practically. Still, the Saudi-led coalition said today that it shot down Houthi drones over the kingdom while the Houthis said they intercepted coalition aircraft flying over Yemens Marib province.

Why it matters: The Trump administrations move to suspend $73 million out of $85 million in aid throughout Houthi-controlled territory could hamper support for much of Yemens health sector as it stares down the coronavirus threat. But the United States hopes the drastic measure will force the Houthis to relax their restrictions on aid. While the Houthis have temporarily backed off on threats to impose a 2% aid tax, they are still restricting humanitarian NGO activity throughout northern Yemen.

Seven key House Democrats  including Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel of New York and Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith of Washington  came out against the draconian cuts in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgoing USAID Administrator Mark Green on Thursday.

One of the letters signatories, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, joined presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in issuing a bullish statement on the cease-fire while stressing the importance of preserving the humanitarian aid streams.

The only way forward now is by pairing diplomatic support for a political settlement with coordinated efforts to use this cease-fire to get humanitarian assistance to millions of Yemenis on the brink of starvation, they said.

Whats next: US aid for Yemen comprised one-fifth of all humanitarian assistance for the war-torn country last year. It remains to be seen how the United Nations will fill that gap as Yemen faces an imminent coronavirus outbreak absent an agreement between Washington and the Houthis.

Know more: For more details on the Houthi aid restrictions and Democratic opposition to the Trump administrations Yemen aid cuts, read congressional correspondent Bryant Harris report on the House letter from Thursday. And be sure to read Naseh Shakers on-the-ground reporting on how Yemen is preparing for a coronavirus outbreak.
One of the original Montford Point Marines, Gilmon Brooks, attends a meeting at the American Legion Post 21 in West Philly in 2012. (file) Read more

How did a trunk that once belonged to a decorated Montford Point Marine from New Jersey who fought at Iwo Jima end up in Connecticut? The mystery has the family of Gilmon D. Brooks scratching their heads.

Ellanora Lerner, 17, of New London, Conn., knows little about the trunk except that an aunt, Susan Schade, purchased it at an estate sale in Connecticut and gave it to her about a year ago.

Schade recalls obtaining it for a few dollars in the 1980s to hold clothes. There was nothing inside, she said Friday.

Lerner said she had been storing papers in the trunk in her bedroom. She was going to discard it, but after researching Brooks background, she decided to track down his family. Now she wants to return it to them.

I thought it was a cool piece of history, said Lerner, a high school senior.

Brooks made history as a member of the Montford Point Marines, the all-black unit that integrated the Marine Corps after President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the armed forces in 1941 to recruit African Americans. He served in three wars and received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

A piece of gear that belonged to him is significant, said Joseph Geeter III, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Montford Point Marines Association. Brooks was an active member of the chapter until his death in 2017 at age 91.

In October 1943, Brooks joined the growing ranks of African Americans who helped break the color barrier in the Marines. He trained at the segregated Montford Point Camp in North Carolina, where about 20,000 blacks received basic training under poor living conditions between 1942 and 1949.

 READ MORE: A Philly WWII veteran just got an honorable discharge from the Army, 75 years after being kicked out because he was black

According to a handwritten label on the trunk, Brooks shipped it from Europe, where he was serving in the Army, to his home in Fort Monmouth, N.J., a common practice for soldiers returning from abroad.

Brooks served six years in the Marines before joining the Army in 1949 and seeing combat duty in the Korean War. He retired in 1962 as a chief warrant officer but returned for a civilian assignment in Vietnam in 1973 with the Department of the Navy.

Geeter believes Brooks may have shipped the trunk in 1953 when he returned home after the Korean War. The trunk resembles Army-issued gear, he said.

What happened to the trunk after that is unknown. Brooks grandson Zach, 27, a doctoral student in Africology at Temple University, said he was quite familiar with his grandfathers military career but unaware of the trunks existence.

Its interesting that the suitcase lasted for as long as it did and no one threw it out, Zach Brooks said. It will bring further attention to my grandfather and his legacy.

 READ MORE: I didnt want him to be buried alone'  More than 1,000 people attend funeral for Vietnam veteran

On Feb. 23, 1945, when six Marines raised the American flag atop 550-foot Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, many thought the war was over. Brooks and his unit went ashore to deliver ammunition several days after the first wave of Marines stormed the tiny volcanic Pacific island. Brooks was struck with shrapnel and evacuated to a hospital ship in Hawaii. When the vicious fighting ended, more than 6,000 Americans were dead and 20,000 had been wounded during the five-week battle.

In 2012, Brooks was among a contingent of nearly 400 surviving members of the Montford Point Marines who attended a ceremony in Washington, D.C. where the unit was collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal under a law signed by President Barack Obama. Each Marine received a bronze replica. The nations highest civilian honor, the medal was presented for their courage and determination that went unrecognized for decades.

If this had been my relative, I would want that piece of history, said Lerner. As long as they want it, I would love for them to have it.

Zach Brooks said the family would like to add the trunk to his grandfathers collection of military memorabilia and will make arrangements to get it from Lerner. The family may consider donating it to Temple Universitys Charles Blockson Afro-American Collection, he said.

The trunk is significant because of who it belonged to, said Geeter. He was an American hero.
COLUMBUS, OhioIn the latest cancellation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine and legislative leaders announced Thursday night that the governor is indefinitely postponing his State of the State address, scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

We have taken steps to ensure that the business of our state is carried out in a safe and careful manner to protect our many public servants, their families, and anyone with whom they come into contact, said DeWine, Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof, and Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder in a joint statement. In keeping with those ongoing goals, we will not bring together the governor, the lieutenant governor, the governors cabinet, and the entire General Assembly in the same place at the same time for the State of the State address until a later date, after the state of emergency has concluded.

DeWine, a Greene County Republican, scheduled the annual speech, during which the governor outlines his policy priorities and goals before state lawmakers and other public officials, a bit later this year than recent State of the State addresses. At the time, the governor was expected to spend much of the speech working to convince lawmakers to pass his package of gun reforms, as well as addressing drug-addiction and mental-health issues.

But that was before the coronavirus outbreak led DeWine in the past couple weeks to ban many mass gatherings, issue a stay-at-home" order for most Ohioans, close non-essential businesses, and regularly encourage social distancing to slow the spread of coronavirus, which as of Thursday afternoon has infected 867 Ohioans, 15 of whom have died.

However, since the virus hit Ohio, DeWine has held daily public briefings to offer the latest updates on the virus and steps his administration is taking to keep it in check.

The governor is constitutionally required to communicate the condition of the state to the General Assembly at least once every two-year session. DeWine delivered a State of the State to the current session of the legislature last year.

The joint statement by DeWine, Obhof, and Householder noted that the legislature on Wednesday unanimously passed a coronavirus relief package containing a number of measures requested by DeWine -- though it also extended voting in Ohios primary election only until April 28, rather than June 2 as the governor sought.

We will continue to work together throughout this crisis to serve the best interests of every Ohioan, the three leaders stated. We are in this together, and we will make it through this together.

Read more Ohio coronavirus coverage:

Ohio may have 6,000 to 8,000 new coronavirus cases a day during peak: Dr. Amy Acton

New Ohio treasurer program lends financial support to hospitals during coronavirus response

Ohio coronavirus deaths climb to 15, with 867 total infections: Gov. Mike DeWines Thursday, March 26 briefing

Most Ohio voters think coronavirus is real threat, but gender, partisan gaps surface, poll shows

Heres a recap of whats in Ohio lawmakers sweeping coronavirus relief package
The EPA has suspended the enforcement of environmental laws that punish polluters during the coronavirus outbreak.

The federal agency announced the temporary policy, which has no end date, in a memo on Thursday. The policy has been in place since 13 March but was announced retroactively.

A letter was sent from Susan Parker Bodine, an EPA assistant administrator, to all private sector and government partners.

It reads in part: In general, the EPA does not expect to seek penalties for violations of routine compliance monitoring, integrity testing, sampling, laboratory analysis, training, and reporting or certification obligations in situations where the EPA agrees that COVID-19 was the cause of the noncompliance and the entity provides supporting documentation to the EPA upon request.

After this policy is no longer in effect, the EPA expects full compliance going forward, the agency stated but added that it does not plan to ask facilities to catch-up on missed monitoring or reporting.

The EPA will assess the continued need for and scope of this temporary policy on a regular basis and will update it if the EPA determines modifications are necessary. In order to provide fair and sufficient notice to the public, the EPA will post a notification here, at least seven days prior to terminating this temporary policy,' an EPA spokesperson told The Independent.

Natural Resources Defense Council tweeted: This is an open licence to pollute. The administration should be giving its all toward making our country healthier right now. Instead it is taking advantage of an unprecedented public health crisis to do favours for polluters that threaten public health.

Cynthia Giles, associate administrator of EPA enforcement under Barack Obama, said in a statement to The Hill: This EPA statement is essentially a nationwide waiver of environmental rules for the indefinite future. It tells companies across the country that they will not face enforcement even if they emit unlawful air and water pollution in violation of environmental laws, so long as they claim that those failures are in some way caused by the virus pandemic. And it allows them an out on monitoring too, so we may never know how bad the violating pollution was.

The EPA said the pandemic had resulted in a shortage of workers and it was adhering to the widespread recommendations of social distancing and restricting travel.

The decision means that industries, including oil refineries and chemical plants, that are subject to the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts will not have the same oversight during the pandemic.

Last week, the American Petroleum Institute asked Donald Trump for help suspending certain regulatory requirements on the oil and gas industry to ensure steady fuel supplies during the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reported.

EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognises challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement.

Public water systems have a heightened responsibility to maintain standards, the EPA said, because unsafe drinking water can lead to serious illnesses and access to clean water for drinking and handwashing is critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EPA added that the policy does not relieves any entity from their responsibility of preventing, reporting or taking action on accidental releases of oil, hazardous substances, hazardous chemicals, hazardous waste, and other pollutant.

The policy also does not apply to Superfund sites and other hazardous waste clean-ups under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
New Delhi, March 27 : Welcoming the 75 basis points repo rate cut by RBI, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman A. Sakthivel on Friday said that more financial relief needs to be provided to the apparel export industry to tide of the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

"We welcome the 75 basis points cut in repo rate by the RBI, considering the impact of Covid-19 related lockdowns on economic activities," he said, adding that he hoped that repo rate cut to 4.4 per cent would translate into lower lending rates for both retail and corporate credit in order to encourage consumption and investment.

"However, to help the apparel export industry and its workforce of 12.9 million tide over these difficult times, more needs to be done," Sakthivel said.

He noted that there should be no penalty on advance forex booking and postponement of EMIs by six months to start with.

The government should advise the banks to delay declaring company's accounts as NPAs for one year due to the economic fallout, he added.

"This industry needs immediate relief in terms of faster clearance of banking and packing credit, late realization of export bills and raising of advance limit to 25 per cent without any collateral to ease working capital constraints," Sakhtivel said.
In fact, it is good now that we have such a programme when we are also trying to implement social distancing, which can also be extended to prisons as much as we can stretch while at the same time trying to balance the interests of justice, she said.
Los Angeles and New York City are getting additional help in battling the coronavirus crisis.

On Friday morning, the United States Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy arrived in Los Angeles to assist with relief efforts.

Its sister ship, the USNS Comfort, is expected to leave Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday to head to New York City. President Donald Trump said he plans to see the ship off. Im going to go out and Ill kiss it goodbye, he said at a White House press conference.

The Comfort should be seeing New York-area patients by early April, according to NBC.

New York is the epicenter of the virus, with nearly half of all confirmed cases in the country and about a third of the deaths, according to available data on Friday. The virus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19, has killed more than 1,000 people in the U.S., which overtook China this week as the epicenter of the outbreak worldwide.

Joe Skipper/Getty

RELATED: First Coronavirus-Related Death Reported in New York: Virus Has Spread Much More Than We Know

According to CNN, the ships will not be used for coronavirus-related patients, but will instead treat trauma patients relocated from local hospitals that are inundated with coronavirus needs.

Each ship has 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, digital radiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a CAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants, according to the Navy.

RELATED: 50 Confirmed Coronavirus Cases In New York Can Be Linked to One Attorney, Officials Say

There are now at least 85,381 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, the most worldwide. At least 1,271 people in the U.S. have died from coronavirus-related illness, according to the New York Times.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 27, 2020 - 12:25 | Arts, All, Japan

The Japanese government on Friday decided to restore the gutted Shuri Castle in Okinawa by 2026 after embarking on full-fledged reconstruction in 2022.

The government aims to enhance fire-prevention measures by installing sprinklers, missing at the castle previously, and automatic fire-detector alarms. Structural systems will also be improved to allow fires to be extinguished at an early stage.

The main buildings of the castle, a symbol of the southern island prefecture and located at a World Heritage site, were destroyed in a fire on Oct. 31. The blaze is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault.

The fire devastated six wooden buildings occupying over 4,000 square meters on a hill overlooking the prefectural capital, Naha.

"Shuri Castle is an important building that can be said to be the pride of the people of Okinawa. We will restore Shuri Castle with responsibility," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

While small-scale reconstruction work began on Feb. 10, including removing debris, the government will draw up the design in fiscal 2020 through next March, according to the schedule.

The government will work closely with the Okinawa prefectural government to restore the castle.

"This is a step forward for reconstruction. The contents (of the plan) firmly reflect the thoughts of local people," the prefecture's governor, Denny Tamaki, said in a comment.

"We will continue to cooperate with the government, and work diligently to promote tourism by showing the progress of reconstruction," it said. "We will also formalize a management system that prevents such incidents from occurring again."

Wood to reconstruct the burned-down Seiden main building will mainly come from domestic Cupressaceae, a type of cypress tree, as the original native wood species is likely to be difficult to obtain.

Shuri Castle was the center of politics, foreign affairs and culture in the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 until Okinawa was annexed by Japan in 1879. It has burned down several times, including during World War II, but opened as a national park in 1992 with the Seiden main hall and some other buildings restored.

The basic reconstruction plan formulated last December is modeled after the previous restoration plan with strengthened fire prevention measures. The restored Seiden will be modelled on the structure built in 1712, which was designated as a national treasure in 1925 before burning down during the war.
Schools will be effectively shut down after Easter but the national cabinet has seized on a temporary reprieve of coronavirus transmission in Australia and held back on implementing an immediate wider lockdown.

In a shift in strategy that will instead see the military patrol hotels in Melbourne and Sydney filled with thousands of Australians returning, the government will try to eliminate the threat of infections from locals coming home to escape the coronavirus crisis overseas.

Chief medical officers told Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders in a four-hour meeting on Friday that Australia was in a "unique position", with the majority of cases coming from returned travellers and limited evidence of significant community transmission.

"The single most important thing we can do is completely stop the capacity for any returning traveller transmitting the virus," said Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy.
Advertisement

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti marked the arrival of a US Navy hospital ship on Friday, describing the vessel as 'mercy on water'.

Gov. Newsom, speaking at a joint press conference after touring the vessel with Garcetti, said the USNS Mercy will play a key role as California braces for a surge in COVID-19 infections that could require 50,000 hospital beds statewide in the next six to 10 weeks.

Los Angeles is 'on track within a week to be aligned with where New York City currently is,' he said, referring to America's most populous city which has almost half of US's 100,000-plus coronavirus cases.

The latest figures show there are 4,840 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state and 98 people have died. There are 1,465 cases in Los Angeles and 26 deaths.

Garcetti said: 'So this ship is truly mercy on the water... and the expression of who we are as Americans and as people at this moment.'

California Governor Gavin Newsom (pictured center next to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti) speaks in front of the hospital ship USNS Mercy after it arrived into the Port of Los Angeles on Friday

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti marked the arrival of a US Navy hospital ship on Friday. Crew members are seen on the ship

Three young girls are pictured waving towards the water as the 894ft converted supertanker moored at the Port of Los Angeles' cruise terminal shortly after 8.30am local time on Friday morning

The USNS Mercy arrived at the Port of Los Angeles Friday morning after a five-day journey from the San Diego port

The 894ft converted supertanker moored at the Port of Los Angeles' cruise terminal shortly after 8.30am local time on Friday morning.

A fleet of four tugs and two Coastguard helicopters were dispatched to escort her into port after she appeared off the coast near Long Beach just after 7.30am.

Mercy also received a fanfare welcome from a local Baywatch boat as she turned into the channel leading into the port.

The ship will provide an overflow facility for LA County hospitals and will treat urgent care patients, although not COVID-19 victims.

Mercy took five days to complete the 139-mile voyage from Naval Base San Diego to Port of LA  a journey that usually takes just nine hours.

The ship had made a heavily publicized departure on Monday, only to spend the first 24 hours at sea just nine miles away from its base.

The ship will help free up hospital beds on the mainland as an overflow facility for urgent care patients

A man on a bike holds up a U.S. flag as the hospital ship USNS Mercy arrives at the Port of Los Angeles

Mercy received a fanfare welcome from a local Baywatch boat and onlookers watched as the ship arrived shortly after 8.30am

President Donald Trump was among those to retweet a post by the Navy which read: 'Steaming to Assist! #USNSMercy departs Naval Base San Diego in support of the nation's #COVID19 response efforts'.

Naval sources told DailyMail.com that the extra-long voyage was due to ballasting and in order to give the 800-strong team of medics onboard a chance to get to know each other.

Because the crew will only treat non Covid-19 patients, a Navy source said no one would be allowed on board other than patients in a bid to keep the space coronavirus-free.

The Navy said: 'While in Los Angeles, the ship will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals, and will provide a full spectrum of medical care to include urgent and critical care for adults.

Hospital beds are pictured as they are set up aboard the Mercy for the expected non-coronavirus patients

More than 800 medical professionals are on board the former super oil tanker to provide medical and surgical services for non-coronavirus patients

The ship will provide relief to mainland hospitals which are nearing capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic

A world-wide map shows the severity of the coronavirus outbreak. Health officials have warned the equipment shortage is a crisis as the outbreak spreads

Mercy took five days to complete the 139-mile voyage from Naval Base San Diego to Port of Los Angeles

'This will allow local health professionals to focus on treating Covid-19 patients and for shore-based hospitals to use their Intensive Care Units and ventilators for those patients.

'Mercy is a seagoing medical treatment facility that currently has Navy medical and support staff embarked from 22 commands, as well as over 70 civil service mariners.

'Mercy's primary mission is to provide an afloat, mobile, acute surgical medical facility to the U.S. military that is flexible, capable, and uniquely adaptable to support expeditionary warfare.

'Mercy's secondary mission is to provide full hospital services to support U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.'

Mercy, one of the US Navy's two Mercy-class hospital ships, began life as an oil tanker in 1976 but was converted and entered service as a hospital ship in 1984.

Since then, she has provided support in wars and disasters around the world, including the 1991 Gulf War and during the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2005.

Mercy's arrival has been welcomed by local politicians, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declaring himself 'honored' by the ship's presence

LA County currently has 1,229 confirmed cases of coronavirus and has seen 29 people perish from the viral illness so far

Sailors move a hospital bed along a hallway aboard the Mercy as the hospital ship readies for noncoronavirus patients

Hospital worker Katelynn Kavanagh, from Temecula, Calif., is pictured sanitizing medical equipment aboard the Mercy before its arrival in Los Angeles

Her deployment to Los Angeles to help victims of the coronavirus crisis was announced by President Trump last week.

Over the weekend, the Navy released photos showing Mercy's preparations for her voyage north, with supplies including crates of Canada Dry ginger ale and Red Bull seen being loaded.

The ship had originally been due to travel to Washington state but its destination was changed to Los Angeles after the situation there was deemed worse by officials.

Her sister ship, the USNS Comfort, is due to sail from her home base in Norfolk, Virginia, to provide support to hospitals in New York on Saturday and will be waved off by President Trump.
The Government has reiterated the call on political parties to put politics on hold and come together to deal with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has hit Ghana.



It said given the effect and impact of the infection, it would be unfortunate for political parties to turn the issue into the regular political banter.



Speaking at a sensitisation workshop for political parties on the COVID-19 in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the challenges that the spread of the disease posed were not things that had to be dealt with by a partisan group, and stressed the need for a concerted national effort to handle them.



This is a national battle. The common enemy that we are fighting is the COVID-19 and not among ourselves as politicians or interest groups that may exist, he said.



Parties interact



The sensitisation and engagement workshop was to allow the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to educate the political parties on the COVID-19 to help them to properly inform their members and the public.



There was also an interactive session which was held in camera.



The political parties present at the event were the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).



Dont misinform



Mr Nkrumah stressed the need for political parties to desist from using their platforms to misinform their members and the public about the pandemic.





He explained that with their large following, political parties could derail the fight against the COVID-19 if they failed to put across the right information.



Political parties have very large following who sometimes believe their political leaders more than the experts. Unfortunately, some of the key actors who push out misinformation are politicians, he added.



War against common enemy



In his address, a deputy Minister of Health, Mr Alex Abban, intimated that the COVID-19 was an invisible enemy which had overwhelmed even the most sophisticated countries, for which reason there was the need for unity to deal with the pandemic.



This is a war and everybody, including political parties, must go into their armoury and face this enemy. If we start internal bickering and behave as if it is business as usual, we will be overtaken by events, he said.



He said misinformation on the COVID-19 pandemic was as dangerous as the pandemic itself.



Political capital



Mr Abban said it was not the time for political parties to make political capital out of the situation; rather, they should put on the cap of Ghana and get ready to fight the COVID-19.



He appealed to political parties not to engage in the blame game but rather support the government to deal with the pandemic.



We need ideas to solve the problem, but those ideas must not be shaped in partisanship. We should get together as Ghanaians and deal with this pandemic. After dealing with this pandemic, the political parties can go back to partisan politics, he added.



First recovery case in Ghana



Despite the confirmation of more cases of COVID-19 in Ghana, there was a piece of good news as the first case of recovery was reported yesterday.



On its website that gives regular updates on the situation, the GHS said the number of cases had increased to 132 with one recovery, one in critical condition and three deaths. Hundred and twenty-seven cases are responding very well to treatment



Of the total confirmed cases 54, including the deaths recorded, are from the regular surveillance systems.



The remaining 78 confirmed cases are among 1,030 returnees who travelled to other countries and are under mandatory quarantine in Ghana.



"All other 51 cases are well; 14 are being managed at home and the rest are responding well to treatment on admission in isolation. They are awaiting their test results and will be discharged when the results are negative," it added.



"In respect of contact tracing, 970 contacts have been identified and are being tracked. Out of these, 204 have completed the 14-day mandatory follow up, it added.



Globally, the novel COVID-19 has so far infected more than 510,646 people in 198 countries with 365,322 active cases with 122,245 people have recovered. It has claimed 23,079 lives.

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




President Buhari

President Buhari has ordered the release of a N10 billion grant to the Lagos state government to battle the rising Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

In a statement released yesterday, the President said as part of efforts to fight the ravaging COVID-19, N5 billion has also been released to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC to equip, expand and provide personnel to its facilities and laboratories across the country.

President Buhari says he has also ordered the immediate closure of International Airports and Land Borders for four weeks in the first instance to enable the government to put up the appropriate policies, processes and infrastructure to cope with suspected and confirmed cases at home, without risking a compounding of the situation with more imported cases.

Read The Statement Below;

Over the last few days I have received extensive briefings on the state of the nation as it relates to the Covid-19 pandemic, from the relevant Federal Government agencies as well as the Lagos State Government.

Accordingly, I approved the following:

The immediate release of a 10 billion Naira grant to Lagos State, which remains the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria. This grant will enable Lagos State increase its capacity to control and contain the outbreak, while also supporting other States with capacity building.

The immediate release of a 5 billion Naira special intervention fund to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to equip, expand and provide personnel to its facilities and laboratories across the country.

The Nigerian Air Force is already making its fleet available to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, to enable a better coordinated and more effective response across the country.

To protect our homeland from external exposure, I directed the immediate closure of our International Airports and Land Borders for four weeks in the first instance, to enable us put up the appropriate policies, processes and infrastructure to cope with suspected and confirmed cases at home, without risking a compounding of the situation with more imported cases.

The inconvenience caused by these flight and travel restrictions to our fellow citizens abroad who want to return home is regrettable, but it is necessary for the greater good, and I thank you all for your understanding and cooperation.

I have also directed that only cargo vessels that have been at sea for more than 14 days be allowed to dock in our ports, after the crew have been tested and confirmed disease-free by the Port Health Authorities. This 14-day restriction however does not apply to vessels carrying oil and gas products as by their nature, there is minimal human contact.

We have also suspended the movement of commuter trains to limit the spread of the virus to other parts of the country.

I have directed the NCDC to draft all its recent retirees back into service to beef up our manpower as we respond to the pandemic.

Furthermore, all NCDC staff and experts who are away on training or international assignments are to return immediately. Already the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) are conducting an evacuation mission to bring back some of our specialists in Central Africa, to enable them support the national response.

I commend the monetary policy authorities for their financial intervention to support our entrepreneurs and companies as we go through this difficult time. We are also looking at fiscal measures to minimise the negative impact of this pandemic on the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

As you are aware we have begun the process of reviewing the federal budget. We shall communicate our fiscal interventions once the budget review process is concluded.

In the meantime, I have directed the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, to work with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, to ensure that all production of essential items such as food, medical and pharmaceutical products continues unhindered.

We are engaging our international friends and partners to share knowledge and to seek their support in our response to the pandemic. We are grateful for the show of support thus far,we have already started receiving goods and supplies intended to help us scale up our efforts.

Let me specially thank and commend all of the hard and heroic work being done by our medical personnel, the NCDC, Port Health Authorities, Security Agencies, State Governments, and all ad-hoc staff and volunteers.

I urge all Nigerians to be mindful of those among us who seek to spread panic and misinformation, and sow confusion at this time. We must all pay attention only to the relevant government agencies working day and night to make accurate and useful information available to the public.

I will also ask all of us to strictly obey all public health guidelines and instructions issued by the Federal and State health authorities, regarding personal hygiene and social distancing. These guidelines will be updated from time to time as new information and treatments are obtained.

In the meantime, I want to assure all Nigerians, that the Federal Government remains committed to protecting all Nigerians. We seek your full support and cooperation as we go through this very difficult time. Together we will triumph over this pandemic.
A shoe lover 'addicted' to buying Adidas trainers has no plans to stop - despite spending more than 30,000 on his obsession.

James Penty says his collection is his pride and joy and he even blew off a romantic Valentine's dinner at the last minute to fly to get his hands on a pair of trainers.

The 33-year-old has queued for up to 23 hours at a time and once drove more than 200 miles to get his hands on a vintage pair.

His addiction began back in 2005 when he bought a pair of rare city series trainers.

James Penty from Sheffield has spent more than 30,000 on Adidas trainers since 2005

His addiction began in 2005 and has amassed a staggering haul of more than 400 trainers

Collectable trainers are known to shoot up in price in the years after they are produced

Petty has insured his collection though to make sure they are protected in case of damage

Penty collects new and vintage trainers and has even flown to Ireland to pick up a pair

Since then the care worker has amassed a staggering haul of more than 400 pairs of trainers - and he doesn't even wear half of them.

As with most collectors, he keeps around 60 per cent of his collection in the box and does not wear them out and about to ensure they stay in mint condition.

Collectable trainers rocket in price in the months and years after their release due to their limited availability.

Penty, who lives by the motto 'always judge a man by his footwear', has even insured his collection with a specialist firm to protect against fire or damage.

He said: 'I just love the brand and I love the history of Adidas.

'I love learning about the old pairs and the banter with fellow collectors when we're queuing up for a pair.

'It's a lifestyle choice and I'm obsessed with them.

'I first bought them from the shops just to wear, but then I started to get into the rare and vintage pairs and started collecting them.'

Penty, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, has driven as far as Southampton to queue up for a limited edition pair.

This Ardwick pair is very rare with only 500 made and is his most expensive pair at 800

This limited edition Stockholm SNS pair is his most prized possession with only 390 made

The Athen (left) and Wien trainers are part of his mass array of vintage trainers he has bought

His obsession has caused friction in relationships, with ex-girlfriends often commenting that if he would choose the trainers over them if forced.

And one poor girlfriend even missed out on a romantic Valentine's Day meal because a store in Ireland was having an exclusive sale on.

He said: 'Five years ago I got a really good deal of Adidas Glasgows in their twinned cities range that were going on sale in Dublin.

'I had a Valentine's Day meal planned, but I cancelled it at the last minute to fly to Ireland with my dad to buy the trainers.

'She had been with me for five years, so she knew what I was like, she was fine with it.'

Penty said he buys between six and eight pairs a month and scours online sites for rare classics.

His limited Ardwick edition one of only 500 pairs made, are the most expensive he has, which cost 800 - and they aren't even his favourite.

His most prized possession is a pair of limited edition Stockholm SNS, of which only 390 pairs were made.

This pair was designed to commemorate the 1972 Olympic Games which were held in Munich

The 33-year-old has become friends with other collectors also fascinated by Adidas shoes

He added: 'Often Size? will have an exclusive sale of a limited edition run and announce it a few days before.

'I always make sure I'm there.'

Among his collection is a limited edition pair of Liam Gallagher trainers and a pair that were made to commemorate the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

He added: 'I had a pair of Adidas Kicks as a kid, but it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I fell in love with the original trainers.

'I bought my first pair of 2003 Dublins and I was hooked.

'I looked into and researched the history of the company and the different shoes they brought out and why.

'For me it's more than just wearing a pair of trainers.

'It's the story behind the shoe and the thrill of having something rare that only a very select few people have.'

Penty and his dad queued for 19 hours to get four pairs of limited edition Liverpool trainers

Penty ensures that a lot of his collection remain in mint condition by keeping them in their box

Penty, a care support worker, always takes his dad Alan on jaunts to buy trainers from stores across the UK and Ireland.

And he has made friends in fellow collectors who share his obsession with the classic shoes.

Earlier this month, Penty and his dad queued for 19 hours so they could their hands on a pair of limited edition Liverpool trainers in the company's city series.

They queued through the night for the trainers, released as part of Size?'s 20th anniversary celebrations, which saw just 2,020 pair go on sale across Europe.

Penty added: 'I'd already been to Liverpool to get some from the Size? there and these are the 20th anniversary edition so they are quite rare.

'I've got four pairs of them now.'
Although he called the case unfortunate, a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a midstate woman who was arrested by state police and jailed in Dauphin County Prison for three days by mistake.

The errors that resulted in Melissa Lee Rothermel being arrested in front of her 10-year-old daughter during a traffic stop, and then unjustly incarcerated simply didnt create harm of a constitutional dimension, U.S. Middle District Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner concluded.

Conners ruling doesnt necessarily end the Millersburg womans case against the county and the state police. She could appeal his dismissal of her civil rights suit to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.

Rothermels arrest stemmed from a cacophony of errors.

She was nabbed on a warrant in February 2015 after a trooper pulled her over on Interstate 81 because he thought he saw an expired registration sticker on the license plate of her car. The trooper then did a records check and told Rothermel there was a warrant for her arrest.

The problem was that warrant was for the arrest of someone else with a similar name, a convicted thief named Melissa ANN Rotharmel. Still, the information on the warrant, issued for a failure to attend a court proceeding, matched Melissa Lee Rothermels birth date and Social Security and drivers license numbers, Conner noted in his opinion. So did the height and eye color description, although the weight description was off by about 100 pounds.

The police didnt believe Melissa Lee Rothermel when she insisted they had the wrong woman. Neither did the prison staff. That, she said, is why she was stuck in jail for 48 hours before the snafu was discovered and she was released. Her husband secured her freedom with the help of a then-state senator.

Conner noted the errors on the arrest warrant dated back to six years before Rothermels unjustified arrest. Another trooper had somehow incorrectly included Melissa Lee Rothermels identifying information in a criminal complaint filed against Melissa Ann Rotharmel, the judge wrote.

Rothermel filed suit against the police and the county in 2016. She claimed, among other things, that the shoddy record-keeping that led to her false imprisonment and the failure of officials to double-check to ensure they had the right person violated her civil rights.

In 2018, Conner rejected the first attempt by the county and the police to have the cse dismissed.

In his new order, however, the judge found there was probable cause for the police to arrest Rothermel even though the warrant was inaccurate. The arresting troopers couldnt have known about the errors and were acting in accord with their duties, he concluded.

So were the prison officials, despite Rothermels attempts to convince them she was wrongly jailed, Conner found.

Rothermel presented no evidence that her bizarre case was anything but an isolated incident rather than an example of a pattern chronic errors of false arrests and imprisonment committed by the police or prison officials, Conner found.

We are not unsympathetic to the unfortunate circumstances that befell Melissa Lee in February 2015, and we do not doubt her testimony that her mistaken arrest and detention, and the repercussions of those events, have wreaked havoc on her personal and professional life, the judge wrote. But our decision in this case cannot be guided by sympathies.
First responders and health care workers are on the frontline of essential workers helping their communities stay safe and healthy. Businesses across the city are doing their part in providing a variety of freebies and discounts for them during the coronavirus epidemic.

Starbucks recently announced that it will provide free coffee to those working in hospitals among other medical professionals.
Forward-looking: Drones that are able to detect people infected with the coronavirus sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but it's about to happen in Australia, and could arrive in other countries looking to stop the virus spread.

Drone maker Draganfly has been working on technology that uses specialized onboard thermal sensors and a smart computer vision system to monitor temperature, heart and respiratory rates from a distance. It can also detect people sneezing and coughing in large crowds or places where groups of people work or congregate.

Yesterday, Draganfly announced that it had been selected as the exclusive global systems integrator for The Vital Intelligence Project, a health and respiratory monitoring platform. Working in conjunction with the Australian Department of Defense and the University of South Australia, Draganflys pandemic drones will be deployed to monitor and detect people with infectious and respiratory conditions (i.e., Covid-19), thereby helping to stop the spread. The company has been given an initial budget of $1.5 million for the project.

The University and Defence supported my teams efforts to develop automation for use in epidemics and disasters. We had imagined the technology being used in a future relief expedition to some far-away place. Now, shockingly, we see a need for its use in our everyday lives immediately. Draganflys industrial know-how is quickly helping us ensure our research can save lives, said Dr. Javaan Chahl, Defence Science and Technology Chair at the University of South Australia.

Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly, said the drones could from a distance detect fever, which is much different than just temperature. The system works at up to 60 meters, meaning the drones dont have to get too close to detect illness.

Its unclear when or exactly where the drones will be deployed, but Chell said: Getting the tech into areas where the most amount of detection is currently required is the priority.

We recently reported that Spanish authorities were using speaker-equipped drones to scold people breaking the countrys quarantine rules.
(Reuters) - Key financial and economic measures announced by Canada to support the economy.

- Bank of Canada cut key benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 0.25% on March 27, its lowest in a decade.

- The central bank also said it would begin purchases of C$5 billion per week of Government of Canada securities in the secondary market.

- Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp on March 26 bolstered the insured mortgage purchase program to C$150 billion ($107 billion) from previously announced C$50 billion.

- The Canadian parliament on Wednesday approved C$52 billion financial package.

- Delays student loan repayment to six months.

- Provides a taxable C$2,000 a month benefit for up to fourth months to workers affected by the outbreak. The benefit is also available to Canadian workers affected by the current situation whether or not they are eligible for employment insurance.

- Provides additional help to low and modest income individuals and families with a special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax credit, estimated to cost about C$5.5 billion.

- Provides eligible small employers a temporary wage subsidy for a period of three months.

- Provides additional assistance to families with children by temporarily boosting Canada Child Benefit payments, delivering almost C$2 billion in extra support.

- The government also has offered C$10 billion in credit support to businesses.

- The Bank of Canada on March 20 announced a coordinated action with some other central banks to further enhance liquidity via the standing U.S. dollar liquidity swap line arrangements.

- Extends the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and allows all taxpayers to defer, until after Aug. 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020.

- Allows all businesses to defer, until after Aug. 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020.

- Further expands Export Development Canadas ability to provide support to domestic businesses.

- Provides flexibility on the Canada account limit, to allow the government to provide additional support to Canadian businesses, when deemed to be in the national interest, to deal with exceptional circumstances.

- Augments credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector through Farm Credit Canada.

- Provides one-time funding of C$500 million to provinces through the Canada Health Transfer for their critical healthcare system needs.

- Increases the credit available to small, medium, and large Canadian businesses.
After being devastated by nine years of war and chaos, Syria now faces the possiblity of yet another life-threatening phenomenon brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors and aid workers stated on Monday, that the country's current situation with their hospitals ravaged in the aftermath of war and people living in flocks in crowded camps which is likely to accelerate the spread of infection.

On Sunday, the government of Syria officially announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case after several unconfirmed reports that claimed that the virus has already invaded the country but it was being covered up. The allegations were then denied by an official who rolled out their tight measures as the diseases already swarmed their neighboring countries.

Aid groups say Syria is nowhere near ready for an epidemic

In northwest Syria, which is currently under the control of rebels, no cases have been confirmed yet but there are already several patients who have exhibited possible symptoms of the diseases for weeks. According to the World Health Organization, there are already 300 test kits that will be arriving in Syria within the week.

Norwegian Refugee Council policy and advocacy adviser Rachel Sider stated that Syria's health infrastructure and basic services have almost been obliterated over the course of the war, which makes the citizens who have already suffered a lot much more vulnerable to the spread of the virus.

She also stressed that it is very obvious that the country is nowhere near prepared for an outbreak and it might not be able to handle another devastating blow.

On Monday, despite public transport being banned, flights suspended and schools shut down, pedestrians wearing masks still crowded the streets of Damascus.

Read also: Nine Doctors Fall Amid the COVID-19 Battle in the Philippines

The head of a local Damascus-based NGO said there was limited capacity to determine cases, with only one main lab testing for the virus so far. Some cases were being treated in military hospitals, the person added, asking to remain anonymous.

According to the head of a Non-Government Organization based in Damascus, they also have limited capacity to determine cases since they only have one main lab which has the capability to test for the virus. Thus, some cases are only being treated in military hospitals.

Syria has National Plans to Tackle Virus

However, Damascus Hospital head Samer Khodr stated that all private and public hospitals across the country were already briefed on how to tackle the virus and that they had a national plan in place which will help them combat the virus that caused the worldwide pandemic.

The army command has even announced last Saturday to minimize public gatherings and that they have already prepped military hospitals in preparation for a possible epidemic.

According to residents, however, prices of disinfectants and masks have already skyrocketed in the country's capital and that panic buying has already gripped shoppers in previous days.

Sources say Syria in Covering-up cases

A diplomat also speculated that with the country only declaring one positive case, it is very likely that the virus is already widespread more than it is known due to the scarcity in testing capacity and lack of transparency.

However, the Syrian government remained firm on their statements and denied any allegations of covering-up cases despite its close ties with Iran, the country that received the virus' worst hit in the middle east.

Related article: Trump Asks for South Korea's Help to Tackle Coronavirus

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
- Capemay Properties Limited, developers of The Signature apartments, has donated to the Korle-Bu and 37 Military Hospitals

- The donation stop help the two hospitals to fight the Coronavirus disease outbreak in Ghana

- Items presented include face masks, Gloves, sanitizers, water, among others

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana

Capemay Properties Limited has supported the Korle-Bu Teaching and 37 Military Hospitals to fight the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a huge demonstration of its good corporate citizenship during the COVID-19 which has already claimed three lives in Ghana, the real estate company has made kind donations to the hospitals.

Presenting the donations simultaneously, Mrs Eunice Adjei Bonsu, the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) indicated the need for support to be given to the government and health institutions to deal with the disease.

The Coronavirus pandemic is a global crisis but we must fight it locally and hence the need to support government and health institutions providing care for the patients, she said.

The items which were presented to both hospital administrations included 2000 packs of Awake Purified Drinking water, 2,400 individual face masks, 15,000 individual gloves, 2,400 bottles of hand sanitizers, 1,200 bottles of rubbing alcohol and boxes of Dettol and hand washing soap.

Also presented to the doctors and nurses at the frontline of the pandemic in both hospitals for their personal use to show appreciation and support them in these difficult times were 1000 packs of Awake Purified Drinking water, 1,200 individual face masks, 1,200 bottles of hand sanitizer, 600 bottles of rubbing alcohol 4,000 individual gloves, 600 packs of soft drinks and a total of 50 packs of toilet roll.

According to the CEO, the health and well-being of the Doctors and other medical personnels is vital at this crucial moment and we will not let them down, she added.

Mrs also urged the general public to follow the health and safety protocols as recommended by the Ministry of Health and the Government of Ghana.

Reacting to the unexpected donation, doctors and nurses expressed deep gratitude for the thoughtful gesture.

For those who do not know, Capemay Properties Limited is a full-service real estate company and developers of The Signature apartment, a 201-unit luxurious apartment located at Tetteh Quarshie opposite the Accra Mall. which is set to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.

Other Capemay properties include Amenfi Plaza and Nicholas plaza both multi-purpose office complex on the Spintex Road and Tema Industrial Area respectively.

Only God can save Ghana from the Coronavirus outbreak - Pastor declares | #Yencomgh:

Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition?

Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page

Source: YEN.com.gh
Mechelen, Belgium; 27 March 2020, 21.15 CET; regulated information - Galapagos NVand can also be downloaded as PDF. Our annual 2019 Form 20-F filing with the SEC is also available at www.sec.gov/edgar.

Furthermore, Galapagos has the honor to invite its shareholders, holders of subscription rights, directors, and statutory auditor to its annual (ordinary) and extraordinary shareholders' meetings that will be held on Tuesday 28 April 2020 at 2:00 p.m. (CET) at the Company's registered office. The items on the agenda of the ordinary and extraordinary shareholders' meetings include, amongst other items, the appointment of Dr. Elisabeth Svanberg as an independent director, the amendment of the Company's corporate purpose, and the amendment of the articles of association to implement several provisions of the new Belgian Companies Code.

Elisabeth Svanberg received her MD and PhD from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and is a board certified general surgeon and associate professor of surgery. She joined Serono International in 2000, initially in the field of metabolism and subsequently held roles of increasing responsibilities before joining Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in the United States in 2007. At BMS, Elisabeth served as development leader for a first in class novel diabetes medicine and subsequently as Head of Medical Affairs for the Intercontinental region. In 2014, Elisabeth joined Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a Johnson & Johnson Company) as Vice President, Head of the Established Products group, managing a portfolio of 90 products used by an estimated 150 million patients globally. Since 2016, Elisabeth serves as Chief Development Officer at Ixaltis SA, a specialty pharmaceutical company developing proprietary therapeutics to treat genitourinary (GU) disorders with unmet medical need. Elisabeth serves as a non-executive director on the board of PledPharma (since 2017) and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI, since 2018).

In order to be admitted to the shareholders' meetings, the holders of securities issued by the Company must comply with article 7:134 of the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations and article 29 of the Company's articles of association, and fulfill the formalities described in the convening notice. The convening notice and other documents pertaining to the shareholders' meetings, including the biography of Dr. Svanberg, can be consulted on our website, www.glpg.com/shareholders-meetings.

In observance of the coronavirus, which we encourage you to monitor for the most recent information.

About Galapagos

Galapagos.



Contact

Investors:

Elizabeth Goodwin

VP Investor Relations

+1 781 460 1784



Sofie Van Gijsel

Director Investor Relations

+32 485 19 14 15

ir@glpg.com

Media:

Carmen Vroonen

Senior Director Communications & Public Affairs

+32 473 824 874

Evelyn Fox

Director Communications

+31 6 53 591 999

communications@glpg.com



Forward-looking statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. Galapagos expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this document, unless specifically required by law or regulation.

Disclaimer

The contents of our website, including the annual report for the financial year 2019, and any other website that may be accessed from our website, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.





































































































Attachment
Popular American TV host Carson Daly and his wife Siri have announced the birth of their fourth child.

The 46-year-old host, who already shares son Jackson James and two daughters -- Etta Jones and London Rose-- with Siri, shared the in a post on Instagram on Thursday.

"Carson and Siri Daly along with proud siblings Jackson James, Etta Jones and London Rose are beyond thrilled to announce the arrival of Goldie Patricia Daly!" he wrote alongside a photo of the newborn.

"She was born at 4:08pm (ET) coming in at 8.2 lbs., and 20 inches long. Go Go and mom are doing great," he added.

Daly also gave a shout out to all the medical staff who are currently leading the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

"We thank God not only for the safe birth of our daughter, but for their tireless work attending to so many in need. It is a bittersweet event for us as we are extremely grateful, but also mindful of this unparalleled time in our history," he said.

"We appreciate your well wishes and ask that you join us in praying for the many suffering around the world. God Bless you all," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vavilala urges people to use disinfectant wipes to clean surfaces, and if wipes are not available, diluted bleach.

Clothes should be washed daily with soap and water, but if you are unable to wash clothes daily, they should be placed in a laundry bag and tied and left in a separate bathroom used by the person with symptoms, she said.

A bleach solution can be prepared by mixing 1/3 cup of bleach per one gallon of water or four teaspoons bleach per quart of water.

What would you say to people who still believe this is a hoax or believe public health experts have blown the COVID-19 outbreak out of proportion?

The spread of the COVID-19 virus must be taken seriously by all members of the community due to its aggressive nature and severe medical consequences. It is vital that each and every one of us follow the advice of health care professionals, health departments and medical institutions. Even if someone only experiences mild symptoms, they may infect high-risk individuals, such as the elderly or immunocompromised persons, whose conditions could become fatal, she said.
I am so impressed with how prepared they were, Danelle Matlack said of her childrens Catholic school in Schwenksville, Pa., outside Philadelphia. On top of online lessons, games and specials such as music and Spanish, the school has encouraged students to dress up with a different theme each day: crazy hair day on Tuesday, pajama day on Friday and, on Wednesday, dress like an older person in honor of those most at risk.
Staff at a medical centre in New Jersey were overwhelmed with emotion when a mystery man made a kind gesture to show how grateful he was for their efforts to save his wife.

The unidentified man stood outside the ER of Morristown Medical Center holding up a sign that read Thank you all in emergency for saving my wifes life. I love you all.

In a photograph the man can be seen pressing the sign to the window, showing his gratitude while observing social distancing measures put in place by the governor to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus.

We dont know who the man is, we dont know who his wife is. The nurses happened to be there and took his picture. Whats beautiful is, thats all we know, Karen Zatorski, Senior public relations manager at Morristown Medical Center told The Daily Record.

The photo that one of the nurse, Allison Swendsen, took of the thoughtful gesture has gone viral after Shay Vander Vliet, the sister in law of one of the nurses at the hospital posted it on her Facebook page.

My sister-in-law, Paige Van Der Vliet, is a nurse in the emergency department at Morristown Medical Center, she wrote. She sent me this picture the other day and I feel like it needs to be seen as much as possible!

And thank you, Paige, and ALL of the nurses and doctors, for your hard work and dedication, especially during this scary time.

The man in the photo has not been identified, nor is it confirmed whether his wife has been hospitalised for coronavirus or some other ailment.

This picture brought us all to tears. Its amazing to see not only the ER staff but all the floors coming together during this challenging time. We couldnt do this without nurses, techs, residents, doctors, secretaries, registrars, housekeeping, Paige Vander Vliet told The Daily Record

Medical workers across the country and the world have been working long hours in the fight against the virus, which now has over 500,000 confirmed cases worldwide as of Friday, according to The World Health Organisation.

New Jersey reported more than 6,800 cases of Covid-19 in the state as of Thursday, according to The Hill.

Its just been an incredible response from [the ER] team downstairs. There has been such strength, determination and grace. Im so glad they snapped this picture, Mr Zatorski added.
A man shot multiple times in an east Birmingham alley has died from his injuries.

The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the victim as Khalia Sturdivant. He was 33 and leaves behind a young daughter.

The shooting happened about 1:15 p.m. Thursday. Lt. Franklin Majors said an East Precinct officer was initially dispatched to the area on a burglary call. While he was responding to that, police got a report of a person shot and citizens started to wave the officer over to their location.

Sturdivant was found unresponsive between two buildings in the 7800 block of First Avenue North. He was taken to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center where he was pronounced dead at 3:11 p.m.

Sgt. Rod Mauldin said there is limited information to release in the investigation and no motive has yet been established. The suspect had fled the scene by the time police arrived.

Friends say Sturdivant was always smiling and would give anyone the shirt off his back.

Sturdivant is Birminghams 24th homicide this year and the first in 15 days. Of those 24 homicides, four have been ruled justifiable and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 38 confirmed homicides, including the 24 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Capemay Properties Limited has demonstrated a huge act of Corporate Citizenship during this unfortunate and unprecedented outbreak of the Coronavirus also known as Covid-19 in Ghana.



Presenting donations to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital simultaneously, Mrs. Eunice Adjei Bonsu, the Chief Executive Officer of Capemay Properties said The Coronavirus Pandemic is a global crisis but we must fight it locally and hence the need to support Government and Health Institutions providing care for the patients.



The Items which were presented to both Hospital administrations included 2000 packs of Awake Purified Drinking water, 2,400 individual face masks, 15,000 individual gloves, 2,400 bottles of hand sanitizers, 1,200 bottles of rubbing alcohol and boxes of Dettol and hand washing soap.



Also presented to the doctors and nurses at the frontline of the pandemic in both hospitals for their personal use to show appreciation and support them in these difficult times were 1000 packs of Awake Purified Drinking water, 1,200 individual face masks, 1,200 bottles of hand sanitizer, 600 bottles of rubbing alcohol 4,000 individual gloves, 600 packs of soft drinks and a total of 50 packs of toilet roll.



According to Mrs. Bonsu, the health and well-being of the Doctors and other medical Personnels is vital at this crucial moment and we will not let them down, she added.



The unexpected donation provided a major shot in the arm for the health workers with the growing toll of patients hospitalized with Coronavirus in the country and both hospitals administration and representatives of the doctors and nurses expressed deep gratitude for the thoughtful gesture.



She urged the general public to follow the health and safety protocols advised by the Ministry of Health and the Government of Ghana.



 Avoid Hand Shaking and Hugging.



 Wash your hands frequently with soap under running water.



 Practice Social Distancing.



 Dont touch your face, eyes, mouth nor nose with unwashed hands.



If you are coughing, feeling feverish or having difficulty in breathing report to the nearest Hospital. Follow the Hygienic and Safety precautions and Stay Alive and Health.



Capemay Properties Limited is a full-service real estate company and developers of The Signature apartment; 201-unit luxurious apartments located at Tetteh Quarshie opposite the Accra mall. The signature is scheduled for completion in first quarter 2021. Past developments by Capemay properties include Amenfi Plaza and Nicholas plaza both multi- purpose office complex on the Spintex Road and Tema Industrial Area respectively.



For more information on Capemay properties Limited visit ; https://www.capemaypropertiesgh.com/



https://signaturegh.com/









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 first images from India of the coronavirus causing the Covid-19 disease have been caught by scientists in Pune, using transmission electron microscope imaging. They were published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research.

The images of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that Causes Covid-19, are from the throat swab of the first laboratory-confirmed case in India on January 30, 2020. The woman, among three students studying medicine in Wuhan, was diagnosed with Covid-19 after returning home.

Click here for complete coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Covid-19 has infected at least 540,000 people and killed close to 25,000 since the first cluster of cases were detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

The images of the virus from the Covid-19 cases from Kerala show that the Sars-Cov-2 virus closely resembles the Mers-Cov virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus in 2012, and the 2002 Sars-CoV virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus.

Coronavirus have a crown-like appearance and these spikes on the surface give this virus family its name, as corona means crown in Latin. They have evolved to recognise a variety of receptors, including protein receptors and sugar receptors, and enter cells by first recognising a host-cell-surface receptor for viral attachment, and then fusing viral and host membranes for entry, said Dr Nirmal K Ganguly, former director general, Indian Council of Medical Research.

Click here for the latest updates of the coronavirus outbreak

These images are critical to study mutations in clinical samples and help identify the genetic origin and evolution of the virus, which will help is understand how the virus moved from animals to infect humans, how people-to-people transmission started, and whether it is still mutating, which will inform work on the development drugs and vaccines, said Dr Ganguly.

Gene sequencing of the samples from Kerala done at NIV Pune found the virus was a 99.98% match with the virus in Chinas Wuhan.

One particular virus particle was very well preserved, showing features very typical of coronaviruses. This particle was 75 nm in size and showed patchy stain pooling on the surface and a distinct envelope projection ending in round peplomeric (glycoprotein spike on the viral surface). These bind only to certain receptors on the host cell, said Dr Atanu Basu, deputy director and head of electron microscopy and pathology at NIV Pune, which published the imaging.

To get the image, his group used centrifugation to remove the debris from a 500 l sample from the throat swab of the Kerala Covid-19 case confirmed using the highly sensitive, by real-time, polymerase chain reaction.

The supernatant (clear liquid) was removed, filed at a final concentration of 1% glutaraldehyde, and adsorbed on to a carbon-coated 200 mesh copper grid. Negative staining was done with sodium phosphotungstic acid, according to the study.

The grid was then examined under 100kV accelerating voltage in a transmission electron microscope and the image was captured using a low-dose mode by a side-mounted camera.

Seven negative-stained virus particles that looked like coronavirus-like particles were imaged in the fields scanned. These included the round shape of the virus with an average size of 70-80 nm and a cobbled surface structure having envelope projections that averaged 152 nm in size, said Dr Basu.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Queen remains in good health and last saw Boris Johnson 16 days ago, royal aides said today after the Prime Minister tested positive for coronavirus.

The 93-year-old monarch, whose son Prince Charles also has the infection, is said to be 'following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare'.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on March 11 and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare.'

Boris Johnson (left, at 10 Downing Street in London) and the Queen (right, at Windsor Castle) speak together on the phone during their weekly audience, on Wednesday

After the audience on March 11, their following meeting held on March 18 was conducted via telephone - as have their subsequent conversations.

Photographs released earlier this week showed Mr Johnson and the Queen speaking on the phone from 10 Downing Street and Windsor Castle respectively.

Prince Charles has been working at his desk 'as usual' despite testing positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. He is said to be suffering from only 'mild' symptoms.

He and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, who has tested positive, are living separately at Birkhall, their Scottish mansion, in self isolation.

The Prince became the highest profile coronavirus case in the country earlier this week, after Clarence House said he had tested positive for the virus.

The Queen welcomes Boris Johnson to Buckingham Palace in July last year after his election

Royal aides said he has received hundreds of get well soon messages since his diagnosis was released, a mixture of cards and digital messages.

It is understood that his doctors believe that it is unlikely to escalate into a more serious case.

Buckingham Palace have declined to comment on whether the Queen has been tested as the prince met her privately less than two weeks previously, on March 12.

Yesterday, the Queen thanked frontline NHS workers in a tribute posted on the Royal Family's Instagram page.

The Queen and Prince Charles, who tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, leave after the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London on Commonwealth Day on March 9

She said: 'We are enormously thankful for the expertise and commitment of our scientists, medical practitioners and emergency and public services.'

The Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn, also clapped after Edward paid tribute to workers.

He said: 'So from all of us just a huge thank you to so many of you working on the frontline - you're really appreciated keep up the fantastic work.'

The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and their staff all separately joined in with a round of applause at Birkhall in Scotland.
With the coronavirus outbreak, vaccine researcher Peter Hotezs gift for explaining science to the general public has made him a familiar bow-tied presence on the national news.

His lab is developing a COVID-19 vaccine . An M.D. and Ph.D., hes a professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and co-director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development.

Since early March  before community spread was discovered in Houston  hes talked with us about the virus, the effect it could have on the U.S. and Houston, and about his own life in these strange times.

This week, from his home office, he discussed what COVID-19s explosive growth in New Orleans might mean for Houston; his own highs and lows; and his labs continuing struggle to pay for research on a coronavirus vaccine.

Youve been worried about New Orleans. Judging from the numbers we're seeing coming out of Louisiana, its possible that their hospital system could melt down. What are you thinking?

I'm thinking that things have not gone well in New York. We're seeing hospital systems being overrun. We're hearing stories of 500 or more coded patients coming into Columbia, Presbyterian, New York Hospital, the big flagship teaching hospitals, daily. And we're hearing Gov. Andrew Cuomo telling us that they just cannot manage the surge. There are too many ICU patients for them to manage. This is the nightmare scenario that we all worried about.

Then you have the healthcare workers getting sick, so they're getting taken off the workforce. Many of them are my former medical students, so I'm very upset and very worried about what's going on in New York.

Now the question is, is New York a one-off thing, or do we now expect this to pop up in other cities? This week, we started seeing a big sharp uptick in Louisiana, and when I look at the map, most of the cases are in New Orleans or New Orleans and their suburbs. So I'm concerned that New Orleans may be one of the next dominoes to fall.

We also heard from the mayor of Atlanta that their ICUs are filling up. So I'm wondering if the epidemic is taking a Southern twist or a Southern turn.

Are there other problems with cities like New Orleans that could make things worse  like poverty?

Ive spent my life working on interventions  vaccines  for poverty-related diseases. There is a depth and breadth of poverty on the Gulf Coast that I'd never seen before I moved from Connecticut to Houston. The people are wonderful, but it is heartbreaking to see the severity of poverty here.

The question is, is that the population that's getting affected by COVID-19? Now, why would I think that? One of the reasons New York is getting hit so hard is because of extreme population density. And what you see among the poor, in places like New Orleans and Atlanta, is they also live in areas of extreme population density, so practicing social distancing is problematic.

I'm worried that that in the South, COVID-19 is taking a different turn or twist, that it's predominantly affecting underrepresented minorities, especially African-Americans living in extreme poverty.

Do I have evidence for that? No, I mean, all I have to go on are the observations I've just been making, together with some of the news reports I'm seeing. But I think this is something that we need to get our arms around very quickly.

How do you do that? Well, it would be nice if we could get the locations of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code, because we have detailed demographics of the economic levels by ZIP code.

We've heard that COVID-19 is more deadly when it's combined with underlying conditions. Is that a lot more likely with people who are living in poverty?

Absolutely. And especially African Americans living in poverty. We know that they suffer from higher rates of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes  all the known risk factors for COVID-19. So I worry this is a toxic mix. I think this is going to be an important new dimension to look at.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus spread in Houston could burn out by mid-May under stay-at-home order

What sorts of effects do you think an outbreak in New Orleans would have on Houston?

Since Katrina hit in New Orleans, the cities have been linked to the hip. We root for each other: If the Texans aren't advancing to the Super Bowl, I'm rooting for the Saints. If you've ever taken that Megabus between New Orleans and Houston, you know that everybody's got family in the other place.

That affection and love between the two cities is great, but it also means that if you have all those individuals leaving New Orleans coming to Houston, there's the potential to spread COVID-19 into our community. Thats one reason why we've implemented pretty severe social distancing measures. That may help us a lot.

We've been hearing a lot about the shortage of equipment such as ventilators. If there are outbreaks simultaneously in multiple cities, does that mean that we can't move those ventilators around?

Until these last few weeks, I never even gave thought to the fact that ventilators could move around. This is a new idea. Its being discussed with New York City right now: The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo says he needs 30,000 ventilators, and he's only getting 400. So would other cities be willing to share? We may have look at some type of rationing.

The other thing that I'm worried about is, if it's building up in New Orleans and building up in Atlanta, is Houston the next shoe to drop or the next domino to fall? I don't know. I think there's a real possibility.

We're blessed with the greatest medical center in the world: Texas Medical Center, where I work. The leaders of the TMC have been meeting on a regular basis, having those discussions daily.

But I'm not seeing any data or information on what the plan is in terms of surge capacity, or at what point do we have to build new infrastructure, building a tent city or some type or something along those lines, or bringing in the Army Corps of Engineers?

Hopefully, we'll never get to that point. We dont know.

But we've been pretty aggressive with social distancing. Is that having an impact? That's question one.

Question two: We know coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses often have a seasonal nature to them. So now the weather's warmed up. It's more humid. Might we get a reprieve? Maybe we dodge that bullet because of the warmer weather. We dont know that for certain, but it will be interesting to see in the coming weeks what happens.

We've been hearing a lot about the difficulties of density in New York. Houston and Atlanta are both more sprawling cities. Can we expect lower rates of spread?

Yeah, that's a huge question. I think it's not a coincidence that this disease is in New York and San Francisco and Seattle. These are very dense cities, and in Houston, we don't have that. Maybe that's going to work to our advantage.

You mentioned that you know people on the front lines in New York. What sorts of stories are you hearing?

I'm getting emails and texts from colleagues and friends. They're worried.

I've been going on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC and debunking this narrative that COVID-19 is only a disease of the old and infirm. That's not the case. The CDC has come out with important data in their morbidity and mortality weekly reports finding that about a third of the hospitalized patients are under the age of 44. That means young people are getting severely affected.

Young physicians, especially residents, who are often in their late 20s or early 30s, are at risk for this infection. And the fact that they don't have adequate protection means that a number of them are going to get sick.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus or not, these new doctors are matched and ready to work

We know some of them are going to get seriously ill. Ive been getting quite emotional about this point because I love to mentor medical students at Baylor College of Medicine. I remember match day last year -- getting hugs because someone is going to Bellevue or New York Hospital or Columbia or Mount Sinai and was really excited.

Now, Im upset about what they're facing.

We've talked before about what recommendations you would give everyday Houstonians at this point in the outbreak, so what are you thinking now? What should we be doing? How should we be living our lives?

I was strongly advocating for shutting down the rodeo and, and doing the social distancing measures. I think these are good decisions made by our city leaders. I think they did the right thing, and they did it in with sufficient time, so I think so it'll make a big impact.

But quality of life is not at its best now for all of us. Its been especially hard for my special-needs daughter, Rachel, who works at Goodwill for two hours a day. She builds her whole life around that. She gets there an hour early, she talks to people, then she walks home. She's befriended all of the merchants in Montrose. She talks to the person at the frozen yogurt place and the person in the Subway. Now that whole world, her whole social network, has been taken away from from her.

Are you talking from your home right now?

Yes. Im not going into the lab as much because we're trying to restrict people going in and out.

Our scientists are working on the on the COVID-19 vaccine. They are at it day and night. So we have a team that's there, with special permission because of the unique nature of the project.

Normally I travel a lot. I do a lot of public engagement, getting people to care about neglected diseases, and that's all stopped. It's good to be spending more time with Ann and Rachel. That's actually been a bit of a silver lining.

But there's a lot of emotional stress because my lab is trying to get this vaccine out. So Im on teleconferences nonstop to move this forward  not only for the science and all of the regulatory hurdles and manufacturing and things like that, but also we don't have the money to do this.

I have highs and lows. Our group is making a vaccine that's urgently needed  that's incredibly satisfying. And I've been blessed to have the opportunity and privilege to talk to the country. I've been on almost every day on Fox News, MSNBC or CNN, and some days on all three networks. Not many people can do that because everything is so politically charged. So being able to speak to the country about science has been incredibly satisfying.

Feeling that responsibility both to talk to the nation and to make vaccines has been draining. My wife is seeing the strain on my face. And I'm seeing it in how I'm conducting my teleconferences. I'm far more emotional than I usually am. I have a reputation for being calming and even-handed, and I've seen flashes of anger that I didn't think I had in me. This epidemic has taught me that I have a limbic system.

Could we back up a bit? With all the federal money flowing into fighting COVID-19, you still dont have the money your lab needs to work on its vaccine?

We've gotten some. We've got some bridge funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. And we've been invited to submit proposals to the other agencies, so we're doing that, but those wheels are not turning quickly.

Fortunately, one of the great things about being in Texas is that he philanthropic environment here is extraordinary. You know Texans. There's an attitude in Texas that we shouldn't rely on the federal government, that we're going to take care of it ourselves  and that's actually true. We were on our own during Ebola in 2014, and with Zika in 2016.

And unfortunately, we're pretty much on our own again, I think. But maybe well get through it because we're Texans.

lisa.gray@chron.com

@LisaGray_HouTX
From March 24 to 26, acting Chief of the Military Police of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, Colonel Alexander Aghajanyan paid visits to a number of military units of the armed forces, as reported the news service of the Ministry of Defense.

During the visits, the acting chief of the Military Police particularly focused on military discipline in the armed forces, interpersonal relations and increase of the level of legal awareness of servicemen.

Colonel Aghajanyan also visited the territorial divisions of the Military Police where he held consultations and assigned to take measures against criminal subculture.
Assam witnessed a breach of lockdown due to coronavirus as people came out of their homes to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish across the state after district administrations allowed shops to open on Friday

Assam witnessed a breach of the national lockdown as people came out of their homes to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish after district administrations allowed shops to open on Friday.

Since 8 am market places across the state were flooded with buyers and sellers despite a nationwide lockdown forcing district administrations to withdraw its previous order and close shops again.

On 24 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed over 25,000 and infected over 5.6 lakhs globally.

We were surprised to see that market places, which were closed till tomorrow, were crowded since morning, defying the norms of social distancing that are to be followed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Instead, people were seen jostling with each other to buy fish, meat, and vegetables, says Utpal Kumar Das, a lawyer in Guwahati.

Similar scenes were seen in market places in other districts of Assam, posing a grave threat to public health. This happened at a time when reports have emerged that a large number of people in the state may have hidden their recent travel history in a bid to avoid compulsory quarantine.

As per a press statement issued by the Assam chapter of the National Health Mission, though no person in the state has been tested positive of the coronavirus till now, there are 599 persons who have a record of directly coming in touch with COVID-19 patients.

On the other hand, there are 37,397 persons who have travelled to Assam from COVID-19 affected nations and are currently under quarantine.

Paresh Malakar, a publisher in Guwahati has expressed his fear in a Facebook post where he expressed apprehension that many might not have declared their recent travel history.

Stating an example he said that many who have travelled from different parts of India to Assam are living in flats in Guwahati without getting noticed. "It is the duty of the family members of the persons who have travelled to Assam from different regions to declare (themselves) and keep them quarantined. If they themselves do not do that, should their neighbours too remain silent? We have informed the authorities and the authorities have already served notice in the name of such persons (who have recent travel history) in our apartment," he added.

Perhaps it was because of this fear that reports of shoppers crowding the marketplace since 8 am on Friday was met with a shrill response in the social media.

It is a callous order to open fish, meat, and vegetable markets. How will the government ensure that the crowds have not become a carrier of the disease? Said Namita Barua, a resident of Guwahati.

Interestingly, the consumers who came out and jostled in the crowd also had their own reason to do so.

Shantanu Deka, who carried home loads of fish and meat after the markets opened told Firstpost he had to step out to purchase meat and fish as his children were not willing to have vegetables.

Children in my home do not like to have vegetables in every meal. In fact, they are not used to it. Since meat and fish shops were closed for the last two days, the food was getting monotonous for them. So I had to go out," he said.

Biswajit Pegu, the Deputy Commissioner of the Kamrup (Metro), the district which covers a major part of the Guwahati city said that all the district administrations in the state faced the same problem.

Finally, we had to pass orders to close down the fish, meat, vegetable shops by 11 am. The earlier order was issued keeping in mind the need of the people to collect the necessary items, he said.
San Antonio's River Walk, often dubbed the Venice of Texas, is similar to the famous Italian city's canals in another way  both are clear while residents and tourists self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic.

Twitter user @rdrunner, or Ulises, whose normal jogging trail is along the San Antonio River was stopped in his tracks by what he saw during his run Wednesday. The water, which is usually murky and the butt of jokes from people like Mark Cuban, was clear on San Antonio's first day under the "Stay Home, Work Safe" order.

Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news with mySA.com:

The photos he took, near Rita's on the River, show the water is so clear that rocks can be seen on the riverbed. Ulises' tweet has been racking up attention by the thousands. Some are playing an online game of "I spy," pointing out objects like spiders, crabs and beads likely left over from Mardi Gras events in February. Others jokesters added an image of Spurs legend Tim Duncan with a beluga whale onto the photo.

People have also marveled at photos of the Venice Canals, which have been described as "crystal clear" since locals were asked to stay indoors.

RELATED: Photos capture an 'eerie' but 'beautiful' downtown San Antonio during coronavirus pandemic

The environmental sciences staff for the San Antonio River Authority says the clarity can be attributed to the suspension of river barge traffic, which stirs up sediment. Go Rio Cruises, which is the exclusive barge operator on the river, suspended tours on March 19 in accordance with Mayor Ron Nirenberg's health declaration. Bars and restaurants have also been mandated to shut up shop in an effort to mitigate the virus.

The river authority said the "lack of patrons at restaurants feeding ducks, and reduced availability of food sources that attract birds, which can contribute waste in the river," is also helping the transparency.

Ulises also noticed the water was clear in the King William and Mission Reach areas, which are not part of the barge tour routes.

In addition to the reduced foot and barge traffic, the environmental team for the river authority said weather can also play a factor.

Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
An offence was registered against



a Muslim cleric and 27 others, for allegedly defying the COVID-19 lockdown, by offering prayers at a mosque in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal city, police said on Friday.

The Imam of Zainab Masjid in Islampura and others organised a prayer at 8 pm on Thursday, defying section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the nationwide lockdown, which is put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.

An FIR was registered against the Imam and 27 others under sections 188 (disobeying a government order), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Talaiya police spokesman Babu Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Simon Harris says he will have no issue with shutting down businesses and construction sites.

The Minister for Health says that construction sites, factories and other businesses will be visited by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in the coming days, and have the power to immediately close premises if they are found not to be in compliance with government-directed physical distancing and hygiene practices in the fight against Coronavirus.

The number of people who have died having contracted Covid-19 in Ireland has more than doubled to 19, after ten new deaths were confirmed last night.

Major concerns have been flagged about large construction sites across the country with over 1,000 workers working in cramped conditions and without running water.

"Basically, we've given these businesses 48 hours from yesterday to comply," Minister Harris said.

"All construction sites have been told they have 48 hours to make sure, and we will be using agencies of the state to inspect sites.

"I know that in addition to your personal health, it defeats the purpose of the efforts we're making if you're coming home from work and spreading the virus to your family.

"We need construction to continue in many cases, there are hotels and hospitals we may need in the future, but public health comes first here.

"If you can't heed the rules, whether you're a factory or business, you shouldn't be operating.

" We passed legislation last week, and we'll have more legislation passed today and if it requires me to use those powers of enforcement to close down premises, I won't be found wanting in that regard."

Mr Harris added that people should not be focusing on those entering the country as a high risk of spreading the disease over our family and neighbours.

"You're most likely to pick up the virus in your own home and from your own family," Mr Harris added.

"If you decide to continue to leave your home unnecessarily, you're risking spreading this virus.

"If you're leaving your house today to make an unnecessary visit, you're a greater risk of spreading that virus than people coming into this country, you're risking people's lives.

"I need you to stay at home unless you absolutely have to leave, anytime we leave our home we risk spreading the germs that are this virus.

"Every evening we're seeing more and more cases of community transmission, accounting for 51% of cases, travel is just 21% of cases, that will keep coming down, as fewer and fewer are travelling globally.

"I don't mean to be narky, this isn't about someone coming from abroad and sneezing, anyone of us could have it now and we wouldn't know about it, we need to think like we have the virus."

The Minister added his is concerned about the rate of growth of the virus in Ireland and says we still appear to be behind the curve.

"When we were producing our prediction model of 15,000 confirmed cases by the end of the month, that was 33% growth, we've seen an average of 20-something percent.

"We will soon have a lot more people tested and a lot more results will come through, we're expecting that the number will continue to rise and rise and rise in the future."

There are over 40 patients in ICUs across the country with the virus, and the government's focus will now be on reducing the number of patients who end up in intensive care.

The national health emergency team will meet this morning to discuss the issue.

"People are getting very sick and I'm concerned about the prevalence in nursing homes and the like, this is a small country, and the rate of infection is not evenly spread," Mr Harris added.

"56% of cases are in Dublin, and the next county is Cork is at 11%, meaning 67% of cases are between two cities, and we'll be looking at what measures we can we take to slow down spread in different parts of the country."

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
IRGC cmdr: US aid claim, just a deception

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 26, IRNA -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) described Thursday the US officials' aid claim as nothing but lie and fraud.

"If the American nation needs help, we're ready to do so, but we don't need their help," Major General Hossein Salami told reporters on the sidelines of the nationwide IRGC drills focusing on biological defense.

Those claims are made while the US officials are not even able to protect the American citizens, Salami said, adding that the US has always been Iran's enemy.

On the IRGC capabilities to help fight coronavirus, the commander said the forces can launch a field hospital in a day, then to close it rapidly.

The IRGC can control the polluted areas by coronavirus through using mobile medical units, Salami added, stressing that IRGC has expressed readiness to help medical centers to counter coronavirus pandemic since its outbreak in Iran in late February.

About the IRGC maneuver, the commander said he believes that the biological wars are even beyond the chemical wars.

Fight against coronavirus provided the ground for practically testing what the IRGC had made ready for the health and treatment fields, he noted.

Biological defense operations continue till the deadly virus leaves the country, he stressed.

The deadly coronavirus radiating from Wuhan, China, in December 2019 has affected thousands of people across the world, while over 21,000 have been killed.

About 29,406 people in Iran are infected with the coronavirus, while the virus has killed 2,234 Iranians.

1483**1424

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






4.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Rachel Maddow tore into the Trump administration on Thursday for refusing to use the full power of the federal government to get life-saving medical gear to the places that need it most right now.

During her program, the MSNBC host pointed out how leaders in both parties are pleading for help from the White House, but this administration is unwilling to step up.

We need the power of the federal government to be brought to bear to assure critical supplies  because it doesnt just happen naturally in the market in the context of a pandemic, Maddow said. But for whatever reason, this particular administration  just cannot do it. Or will not do it.

Video:

Rachel Maddow says the Trump administration is standing in the way of life-saving medical equipment getting to the places that need it most. #ctl #p2 #maddow pic.twitter.com/LpJxlIuOPL  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 27, 2020

Maddow said:

It may be that we just got unlucky with having the wrong president at the wrong time. It may be that a better president, a better-run federal government, could do this thing that we need right now  bringing the power of the federal government to bear to assure critical supplies of life-saving medical equipment, gowns and masks and other protective equipment to keep doctors and nurses alive, ventilators and other complex medical equipment to keep sick patients alive, testing kits and lab capacity to process those kits so we can get our hands around the size of this epidemic and trace the contacts of infected people, find out whos infectious and who must be isolated so they stop making the epidemic even bigger. We need all of those things, right? We need the power of the federal government to be brought to bear to assure critical supplies along with those things, because it doesnt just happen naturally in the market in the context of a pandemic. But for whatever reason, this particular administration, the federal government under this particular leadership just cannot do it. Or will not do it. And so you see Governor Baker there, Republican governor of Massachusetts, you see Governor Cuomo in New York, you see Governor Pritzker in Illinois, you see Sen. Murphy in Connecticut lamenting and pleading for change over the fact that it really is every state for themselves. Literally, the states are competing with one another and competing with the federal government for masks and for hand sanitizer and for all the rest, which is driving up the prices, its leaving some supplies stockpiled even now, some supplies stockpiled waiting for better bids and its leaving doctors and nurses in the most hard-hit hospitals already using the same masks day after day, shift after shift, patient after patient, and this is only the first hospital influx. This is only the initial hospital influx. And already, the hardest-hit hospitals are out of protective equipment for doctors and nurses.

The wrong president at the wrong time

Donald Trump is exactly the wrong president at the wrong time, as Rachel Maddow said on Thursday. Not only does he lack the competence to be an effective leader, but he is simply incapable of setting aside politics or ego  even in times of crisis.

That was clear from the very beginning as he downplayed the crisis only until it started to impact the economy. The economy, of course, is the only decent campaign talking point he had to his name.

Just this week, Trump basically told blue state governors that hes willing to lend them a helping hand during this outbreak  but only if they say nice things about him.

As the number of reported infections continues to rise rapidly and American hospitals begin to feel the squeeze, Donald Trumps refusal to act will almost certainly lead to a greater loss of a life.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter
Cllr Holly Whitbread is the Housing and Property Services Portfolio Holder on Epping Forest District Council. She is also the Deputy Chairman Political of Conservative Young Women.

We are living through an unprecedented period. In a matter of days, the way we live our lives has completely changed at the hands of coronavirus. As the situation continues to evolve, we are not entirely sure what the coming days, weeks, and months will bring. The consequences of this global pandemic are far-reaching, affecting almost every aspect of day to day life.

Local authorities are on the front line, working to assist our communities through this difficult time. Whilst also ensuring some aspects of ordinary council business continue, particularly statutory services, from bin collections to housing. Whilst, larger councils have responsibility over adult social care, which will face an extremely challenging period and is vital at this time. Inevitably, unforeseen consequences of this surreal situation will arise. Local leaders must be reactive and innovative in addressing this challenge. Authorities have to look ahead to plan for all possible eventualities.

In Epping Forest, where I am a district councillor, our primary response has been to help to provide support and advice to residents and businesses. As a council we have now established a COVID-19 Hotline and a Frequently Asked Questions page with a team dedicated to answering questions or signposting people to where more information is available. This service is about helping to address the knock-on effects of the Coronavirus, from how to receive assistance whilst in self-isolation, particularly around deliveries of food or medicine, to addressing difficulties paying rents, council tax, or business rates.

The team at Epping Forest District Council have been brilliant. They have been flexible and willing to go the extra mile at this time of emergency. Luckily we have been able to utilise new technologies to enable staff to work remotely whilst operating this hotline, protecting themselves as far as possible, whilst supporting residents in the district. We envisage that this service will be a useful information point, particularly for those who contract the virus and are confined at home or people who wish to help those in isolation. Whilst we cannot provide health advice, we can point people in the right direction and assist within the framework of the council. As an organisation, we are mindful that new challenges will arise. Councillors and officers are in constant contact and will work to ensure we provide as much support and assistance as possible in the circumstances.

On the ground in our people-facing facilities, such as sheltered housing, temporary accommodation, and leisure centres, we have to step up additional precautions. On the most basic level, we have put up public health notices, significantly increased our cleaning and disinfection processes, and written to all residents in our accommodation about the steps they should take to protect themselves and their families. Whilst, in our sheltered accommodation, which is populated by more vulnerable residents, we have minimised face to face contact, swapping daily visits for phone calls, and prevented unnecessary gatherings in communal spaces.

Partnership working is at the centre of the localised response. As a district council, we are collaborating with our colleagues at Essex County Council, Parish Councils, charities, organisations, and businesses. We are lucky to already have a strong network of community partnerships. Together we can provide the best possible response. Supporting one another where we can to deliver a better service and avoiding duplication.

On a county wide level, Essex Coronavirus Action is a collaboration between Essex County Council, The Essex Public Health Team, and local Facebook group administrators. This social media page specifically exists to assist the most vulnerable residents who may need help if they are self-isolating, through putting them and their carers or families in touch with individuals or agencies who can assist. This action group is also providing advice to ensure people do not participate in activities which may put them at risk. It is also trying to counter any misinformation and provide residents with the facts.

In my community, Whatsapp groups have emerged with people offering to run errands; a local news outlet has collated a bank of volunteers. Local food stores are accommodating those with the most need. People are also mindful of supporting independent restaurants by using and promoting newly formed take away services. Whilst local charities and organisations such as the foodbank are, thus far, receiving a great deal of support. Furthermore, people are acutely aware of the mental health implications of self-isolation and reaching out to neighbours, family, and friends in the appropriate ways.

On a note of positivity, this dreadful scenario has seen people come together (albeit metaphorically speaking  as we all social distance). People have adopted a wartime spirit, which has shown the very best of Britain, and indeed human nature!

As time develops and the situation unravels, local authorities must continue to be responsive. It is clear that councils have an important role in coordinating and mobilising the locality they cover. I have been impressed and encouraged by the strong reaction so far in Epping Forest and the wider Essex area. At this difficult time, everyone is stepping up and we must continue at a local level to play our part in the national battle.
A Serbian court has sentenced a man to three years in jail for flouting self-isolation orders.

The state Serbian TV says the first such sentence in the Balkan country was handed out during a video linked court session in an eastern Serbian town.

The TV says there are 112 people in detention in Serbia for ignoring the orders to stay at home and are awaiting trials. Some 50,000 people are under lockdown, most of them Serbs who have returned to the country from abroad after the March 15 introduction of the nationwide state of emergency.

Serbia, which has recorded 435 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, has introduced some of the most restrictive measures in Europe. They include a 12-hour police enforced curfew and a 24-hour ban for leaving their homes for those older than 65.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


03/27/2020

Photo (c) Kaikoro - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University: (Previous numbers in parentheses)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 92,932 (69,684)

Total U.S. deaths: 1,380 (1,049)

Total global cases: 566,269 (495,086)

Total global deaths: 25,423 (22,295)

House passes stimulus bill

The U.S. House of Representatives has given final approval to the coronavirus (COVID-19) aid package, which passed the Senate yesterday on a unanimous 96-0 vote. The measure passed on a voice vote after a single lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), threatened to hold up the measure because of his opposition to it.

The measure, providing direct aid to consumers and businesses, now goes to President Trump to be signed into law. You can see how much money you are likely to receive here.

U.S. now has more coronavirus cases than China

A large increase in reported cases in the last 24 hours has pushed the United States past China as the country with the most people contracting the coronavirus. China still has more deaths from the pandemic with nearly 3,300. The U.S. has reported 1,380.

China has seen its case numbers level off in the last two weeks at around 82,000. By this afternoon, U.S. cases had reached 92,932, and doctors warn that those numbers will rise before the illnesses peak.

But an analysis of the data shows the rapid increase in cases is far from evenly distributed. New York City and surrounding areas remain the hardest-hit region of the country, with serious cases now threatening to overwhelm hospitals. Many other states that lack large cities have reported smaller numbers.

FDA moves to increase the number of available ventilators

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) today to allow for the deployment of more ventilators and other medical equipment on an emergency basis.

The agency says the move will help increase the supply of ventilators, ventilator tubing connectors, and ventilator accessories, which are necessary to treat patients with the most serious symptoms of the coronavirus.

British PM tests positive

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus, the first head of state to do so. The 55-year old prime minister has been in isolation but is still working since the diagnosis.

Johnsons symptoms are reportedly mild.

Bad week coming

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams is warning that major cities, including Detroit, Chicago, and New Orleans, are expected to have a bad time in the week ahead. Interviewed on CBS this morning Adams says those particular cities have seen recent spikes in the illness.

The virus and the local community are going to determine the timeline, he said. Its not going to be us from Washington, D.C.

Adams said officials should follow their data and make the right decisions based on what their data is telling them.

Stimulus scam

The ink isnt even dry on the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill -- in fact it hasnt even been signed into law -- and scammers are already using it to steal consumers personal information.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today issued an urgent consumer alert, warning that scammers are sending emails from websites appearing to be official demanding that they provide PayPal, bank account, or other financial information to receive the $1,200 federal stimulus payment immediately.

Nessel says these fake phishing scams will likely ask for a persons bank account information and promise $1,000 or more will be deposited directly into his or her bank account.

Around the nation
Press Release

March 27, 2020 Dispatch from Crame No. 754:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on the Martial Law tactics employed during the Enhanced Community Quarantine 3/27/20 The Human Rights Watch has expressed their concern on Section 6 (f) of the recently enacted "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act." This section seeks to penalize "individuals or groups creating, perpetuating, or spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 crisis on social media and other platforms, such as information having no valid or beneficial effect on the population, and are clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear, or confusion..." Knowing the vindictiveness of this regime, this provision can be abused by authorities to suit their political agenda and curtail freedoms of expression and opinion of those who call out government's inanities and languid response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Days after DILG Usec. Martin Dino said that human rights and writ of habeas corpus are suspended during a state of emergency, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia threatened to go after anyone who voices negative comments on social media on the government's response to COVID-19. She reportedly made a rapper swear in public to never criticize the government again. The Cebu government will also file a case against him. Bukod dito, sa ibang lugar, may mga dinakip at inilagay pa sa kulungan ng aso at ibinilad sa araw dahil sa paglabag sa curfew. Huwag natin gawing solusyon ang pananakot at dahas. We must treat this crisis more as a public health concern than a peace and order issue. What we need now is full transparency from the government, not a measure to suppress rights and freedom of speech. We must learn from what happened to Dr. Li Wenliang who issued the warning about the new virus yet the Chinese authorities subjected him to questioning and threats before he died from COVID-19. Virus ang kalaban natin, hindi ang kapwa Pilipino. Takot na ang mga tao, huwag na nating takutin pa. Bukod sa virus, nangangamba rin ang maraming Pilipino sa gutom at lalong paghihirap ng kanilang pamilya. Sagipin, at huwag gipitin, ang kapwa Pilipino. ### (Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 754, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._754)
U.S. President Donald Trump explained why the United States now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world.

News that America had surpassed virus hotspots China and Italy with 82,404 cases of infection, according to a tracker run by Johns Hopkins University, broke as the president was holding a press conference at the White House.

His instinctive response was to question other countries statistics. Its a tribute to the amount of testing that were doing. Were doing tremendous testing," Trump stressed.

"Im sure youre not able to tell what China is testing or not testing," he added.
The world is heading for a shortage of rubber gloves, compounded by measures to contain the deadly coronavirus in a country that dominates production: Malaysia.

The countrys glove-making trade association  whose members make 3 out of every 5 pairs of rubber gloves worldwide  is warning of a global chronic shortage of the critical medical gear after factories were forced to cut staffing during an expansive lockdown. Top Glove Corp. Bhd, the worlds largest producer, said demand from the US, Europe and other nations outstrips capacity and orders are being fulfilled as much as four months late.

Malaysia has restricted movement across the country and ordered many businesses to shut while requiring others to keep as many workers home as possible to curb the spread of the pathogen. Most glovemakers have received an exemption to staff their factories at just 50 per cent, with some of the companies planning to meet with a top trade ministry official on Thursday to seek approval to operate with a full workforce, according to the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association.

Governments across the world are desperately trying to acquire and stockpile critical medical supplies such as masks, ventilators and gowns as frontline doctors and nurses face shortages. Thats forcing many of the biggest makers to run factories around the clock to meet demand. Malaysias glovemakers, however, are having to curb output as the country fights a second wave of coronavirus infections.

One glove manufacturer is seeing orders for as many as 2.6 billion gloves every week  double its capacity (Getty) (Getty Images)

Todays demand is abnormal. Hospitals are running out of gloves, said Denis Low, president of the glovemakers association, said on Thursday. We are not able to supply the quantity that we want. Its not our choice.

Low said association members will meet Azmin Ali, the senior minister for trade and industry, to request the additional exemption. Malaysias industry supplies about 67 per cent of the global demand for as much as 345 billion units annually, he said. It is also being asked to meet local need first, before the rest of the world.

Even at full capacity, Malaysias producers wont be able to meet the current global needs. Top Glove is seeing orders for as many as 2.6 billion gloves weekly - double its full capacity. The company, which supplies a little more than a quarter of the worlds gloves, recently received an exemption to fully staff its production lines.,

We are running 24 hours, two shifts on the production floor, said Lim Wee Chai, Top Gloves executive chairman. Theres a definite shortage already.

The Washington Post
Washington

The FBI won't give up on "finding out what happened" to former agent Robert Levinson, who the U.S. government believes died in the custody of the Iranians, according to an email FBI Director Chris Wray sent to the FBI workforce on Thursday.

The email, obtained by The Associated Press, was sent a day after Levinson's family revealed the U.S. government had concluded that Levinson was dead. U.S. officials have not specified the nature or circumstances of Levinson's death, except to say they believe it happened some time ago.

Wray writes in the email that he met with the Levinson family and "explained that the most credible evidence we have collected over the past 13 years points to the likelihood that Bob died in captivity."

"It pained me to deliver that news, but I believe that we owed Bob's family a thorough and candid presentation of the information that we've collected," Wray wrote.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The email comes as Trump administration officials are calling on Iran to provide a complete accounting of Levinson's abduction and his captivity.

Levinson disappeared in 2007, when he was scheduled to meet a source on the Iranian island of Kish. For years, U.S. officials would say only that Levinson was working independently on a private investigation. But a 2013 Associated Press investigation revealed Levinson was sent on a mission by CIA analysts who had no authority to run such an operation.
A nurse died from coronavirus after working nonstop for weeks at a hospital where staffers frustrated with dwindling supplies posed in gowns made of trash bags.

An emergency room doctor fears he had the virus long before getting too sick to work. Another nurse worries the lone mask she's issued each day won't be enough to protect her from an unending tide of hacking, feverish patients.

At New York City-area hospitals on the front lines of the biggest coronavirus outbreak in the nation, workers are increasingly concerned about the ravages of the illness in their own ranks, and that the lack of testing and protective gear is making it not a matter of if they get it, but when.

'Our emergency room was like a petri dish,' said Benny Mathew, a nurse at Montefiore Medical Center who got word Thursday that he had COVID-19 and is now worried he may infect his wife and two daughters.

'I'm angry. We could have secured enough personal protective equipment months ago. It was happening in China since December,' he said. 'But we thought it was never going to happen here.'

Some hospitals are now so overrun with dying patients that they've brought in refrigerated trucks to handle the bodies.

At Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, 13 people succumbed to the virus in one day. City ambulances have seen a surge in calls, responding to nearly 5,800 on Thursday alone.

Several doctors, nurses and paramedics told The Associated Press of deteriorating working conditions in emergency rooms and ICUs that make caretakers even more vulnerable.

Sick patients are placed in beds packed end-to-end. Limited supplies of face masks, gowns and shields have them wearing the same protective equipment all day. A lack of available ventilators could soon put doctors and nurses in the agonizing position of prioritizing who gets them and who does not.

And perhaps most troubling, changes in official guidance that allow health care workers exposed to coronavirus to continue working, as long as they themselves are not showing symptoms.

Some health care workers say they're being told they can keep working even if they've tested positive for the disease, known as COVID-19, as long as they're asymptomatic.

'We just have to hope we don't get infected,' said William da Silva, a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital in suburban Westchester. 'People are going back to work with COVID-19, and they're going to infect the patients and each other.'

Da Silva is certain he's been infected, but he said he's been getting the run around from officials all week as he seeks to get tested. Self-quarantined with his pregnant wife and toddler, he's so disillusioned by how he's been treated that he may not go back.

'I've put them all at risk,' Da Silva said of his family. 'I don't think I want to go back to that environment after this because apparently we don't matter. I can't continue working in hospitals after this.'

While the city has meticulously tracked the toll of its outbreak - reporting 21,873 infections, 281 deaths and at least 3,900 hospitalized as of Thursday - officials say they do not have numbers on how many health care workers are sick or dying.

Hospital operator Northwell Health said 155 of its 72,000 employees have tested positive for coronavirus. The New York State Nurses Association said at least 67 nurses had been infected.

The union for the city's EMS workers said more than 50 had tested positive and more than 400 are showing symptoms. One of them, paramedic Christell Cadet, is in critical condition in a Brooklyn ICU.

It's been a common theme as the virus has spread around the world.

In China, where the outbreak started, over 3,000 medical workers are believed to have been among the more than 80,000 people infected.

Health care workers account for about one-tenth of the more than 74,000 infections in Italy, and roughly one-eighth of the 47,600 cases in Spain.

In New York City, at least one health care worker has been killed by coronavirus.

Mount Sinai West emergency room nurse Kious Kelly, 36, died Tuesday after a 10-day bout with the disease. He worked at the same hospital where three nurses, frustrated at the scarcity of supplies, posted pictures of themselves on social media wearing makeshift garbage bag protective gowns, an image splashed on Thursday's New York Post cover with the headline: 'TREATED LIKE TRASH.'

A nurse who worked with Kelly for eight years fell ill at the same time. Emailing the AP from her sick bed, she said Kelly had worked as a supervisor for weeks without a break since the coronavirus started taking hold in New York.

She shared her thoughts on condition of anonymity because she said hospital policy threatens employees with termination for speaking to the media.

'He was helping nurses on the floor, pushing beds, transferring patients,' said the nurse. 'A couple weeks before his death we were talking about his future plans and he was telling me that he would go back to school. I am devastated about his death and cannot stop crying.'

In a statement Thursday, Mount Sinai Health System denied that the nurses depicted in trash bags were actually using them as protective gear since the real gear could be seen beneath the bags. 'This crisis is straining the resources of all New York area hospitals and while we do - and have had - enough protective equipment for our staff, we will all need more in the weeks ahead,' it said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknowledges the ranks of health care workers are thinning while also claiming 'no hospital, no nurse, no doctor can say legitimately, `I don't have protective equipment.''

Medical specialists from other areas have been redeployed to emergency rooms and ICUs, and a volunteer force of 40,000 retired doctors, nurses, therapists and technicians will soon answer the call for reinforcements.

Montefiore emergency room nurse Judy Sheridan said personal protective equipment are 'clearly not being made available in any meaningful way to front line caregivers' and reusing masks will only make them susceptible to contamination.

'This is like telling a person, `Here are three piece of toilet paper - make that last for a week!' said Sheridan, who is also president of the State Nurses Association.

Barbara Rosen, a registered nurse in New Jersey for more than four decades and a vice president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union, said members are 'scared to death.'

'You're being torn between going out and doing your duty, what you were born to do, which is to take care of sick patients, and getting sick yourself and bringing it home to your family,' she said.

While coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people, older people and those with existing health problems could have a more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Rosen said her union has also heard from nurses using garbage bags to protect their clothing and receiving expired masks that could have decomposed elastic bands, compromising safety. She called the lack of resources 'unheard of in the medical profession. It's like going into a three-alarm fire with a water pistol.'

Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed Thursday to get health care workers the supplies they need: 'One way or another, we're going to get them to you every day,' he said, adding that the city has enough supplies for this week, at least.

In another effort to bolster the ranks of health care workers, the state is taking up an offer from New York University's medical school to allow students who completed their final year of training to become doctors immediately and help in the city's hospitals.

For Evan Gerber, among about 60 NYU fourth-year medical students who have accepted the battlefield promotion, the furor over personal protective equipment is indeed weighing on his mind.

'Of course I'm a little bit nervous to jump into this ... anybody would be,' said the 26-year-old from the Phoenix area. 'It's definitely one of the risks that you take when you enter medicine. One of the big things that's driving fear here is the unknown.'
The new Phenom 300E is the most enhanced version of the Phenom 300 series, which was the most delivered business jet series in the 2010s. With its modern, clean-sheet design, best-in-class performance, exceptional comfort and excellent utility, the new Phenom 300E sets the standard for the light jet category.

The new Phenom 300E achieved its certification goals with an intracontinental range of 2,010 nautical miles (or 3,723 km, considering NBAA IFR reserves with 5 passengers), a high-speed cruise of 464 ktas, a maximum payload of 2,636 lb (1,196 kg), a takeoff distance of only 3,209 ft (978 m) and an unfactored landing distance of 2,212 ft (674 m). In addition, the new Phenom 300E received both avionics upgrades and enhancements that lowered cabin noise levels.

"The triple-certification by ANAC, EASA and the FAA reaffirms the position of the Phenom 300 series as the best light jet ever made, offering the ultimate experience in business aviation," said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. "Phenom 300E owners can be assured of the jets performance, with our ongoing commitment to unparalleled technology, safety and comfort."

The enhanced Phenom 300E will be available for delivery starting in the second quarter. The aircraft offers more speed and is now capable of reaching Mach 0.80. It also received an avionics upgrade to include a runway overrun awareness and alerting system (ROAAS), predictive windshear, Emergency Descent Mode, PERF, TOLD, and FAA Datacom, among others. Embraer is the first and only OEM in business aviation to develop and certify a runway overrun awareness and alerting system (ROAAS).

In the cockpit, pilot and co-pilot seat tracking has been increased almost 40%, providing additional legroom. The cockpit enables single-pilot operation and offers the advanced Prodigy Touch Flight Deck, based on the acclaimed Garmin 3000 avionics suite. The avionics enhance situational awareness with clear information about speed, altitude, fuel, engine performance and other flight parameters. Aditionally, the Phenom 300E offers 4G connectivity via Gogo AVANCE L5.

Passengers can enjoy the best cabin altitude in the category (6,600 ft at FL450) along with a generously-sized baggage compartment. Along with Embraers iconic airstair and oversized windows, the 17-ft-2-in-long Oval Lite cabin features new enhancements that reduce cabin noise, plus the already significant head room and aisle space for truly exceptional in-flight comfort. First created for the Praetor 600, the optional Bossa Nova Edition interior  which won best interior design at the 2019 International Yacht & Aviation Awards  is now available in the Phenom 300E. The forward-thinking cabin design also includes a cutting-edge backbone of technology with adjustable lighting, touchscreen monitors and patented flush gaspers. Multiple zones of personalization and the nice HD by Lufthansa Technik, an advanced cabin control system that offers portable device integration and wireless audio/video streaming, further add to the sophisticated interior. The highly-convenient features that the jet carries down from a segment above include single-point refueling, an externally serviced lavatory and an airstair.
Hundreds, maybe thousands of workers may have lost their jobs already on account of the Covid-19 crisis and the ongoing 21-day lockdown to combat its spread, but if the government manages to pass a law currently in the works, it could, in the future, provide such workers with much-needed social security and financial benefits.

The Centres Industrial Relations Code bill has specified compensation on retrenchments and prohibits establishments that employ at least 100 people from laying off workers without permission from the government.

A parliamentary panels upcoming report has widened the safety net. The standing committee on labour, headed by BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab, suggested that unorganized sector workers, comprising 95% of Indias 458 million workforce, should also come under the act. This is aimed to help agricultural workers, private security guards, even domestic help provided by an agency.

CK Saji Narayanan, president of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh welcomed the moved and said there is a need for government intervention. Ease of doing business should not be ease of dismissing (workers) or shutting down. There has to be a system in place to see that wages are being paid, he added.

Narayanan said that the bill leaves out specific worker groups such as domestic help. The government must ensure these groups are also offered social security and are protected by laws.

The bill states that if a worker enrolled in an industrial establishment is laid-off after a year of service, whether continuously or intermittently, he shall be paid by the employer for all days during which he is so laid-off, except for weekly holidays.

The bill also specifies compensation amounts.

Another provision says that no worker shall be laid off by his employer except with the prior permission of the appropriate Government or such authority as specified by that Government.

Only if the work is stopped due to shortage of power, natural calamity, and in the case of a mine, such layoff is due to fire, flood, excess of inflammable gas or explosion the worker will not be entitled to any compensation, the bill says.

The standing committee will submit its report in the next session of Parliament. The panel has expressed its firm view that the unorganized sector needs a specific mention in the code and also recommended the applicability of different provisions of the code including the redressal mechanisms for the daily wage earners. The panel believes that exclusion of the unorganized sector in the Industrial Relations Code will not do justice to the vast sector.

The panel may also ask the government to take a cue from the recommendation of National Commission of Enterprises and make separate provisions for agricultural workers.

Himanshu, Associate professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning,, Jawaharlal Nehru University said the move to allow retrenchment only after securing permission from the government will work on the ground only when the government makes provisions for establishments to be able to meet the financial burden.

For this to truly work, the government must ensure that it takes care of the wage bill of these establishments for at least three months (in a crisis). If there is no support these business will be at a disadvantage, he said.

He also recommended expanding scope of the law to include establishments that have fewer than 100 employees.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
What happened

Shares of the three Detroit automakers were trading down on Friday morning, as auto investors turned pessimistic after Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and General Motors (NYSE:GM) announced cost cuts.

Here's where these companies' stocks were trading as of 10:30 a.m. EDT:

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NYSE:FCAU)

Ford, down 3.7%.

GM, down 7.1%.

So what

Last week, FCA, Ford, and GM all shut down their factories in North America to reduce inventories and help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. With very little revenue coming in for the time being, all three are now focusing on bolstering their cash hoards and cutting spending -- and their stocks are falling as auto investors come to terms with the implications.

Here's where things stood with each on Friday morning.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

FCA said on Thursday that it had agreed to a new 3.5-billion-euro ($3.8 billion) line of credit with two banks, for "general corporate purposes and for working capital needs." The new credit line is in addition to FCA's existing credit facilities, worth about 7.7 billion euros. Those existing facilities include a 1.5-billion-euro line of credit that the company has begun to draw down, FCA said.

FCA is in the midst of merger talks with French automaker Peugeot (OTC:PUGOY); Peugeot parent PSA Group confirmed on Thursday that those talks are proceeding as planned despite the coronavirus pandemic. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.

Ford Motor Company

CEO Jim Hackett told Ford employees on Thursday that a wave of cost cuts is coming -- but those cuts will not include job reductions. Hackett said that Ford's top 300 executives will defer 20% to 50% of their salaries for at least five months, beginning on May 1. While Ford will freeze hiring and defer merit-based salary increases for the time being, Hackett said, the company's goal is to get through the crisis without eliminating jobs.

Separately, Ford said that it's aiming to restart production at a few North American factories in April. The factories in question make pickups, commercial vehicles, and Ford's Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans.

General Motors

CEO Mary Barra told GM employees on Thursday that nearly all of the company's salaried employees will have 20% of their compensation deferred, beginning on April 1. Executives will defer 25%, and members of GM's senior management team will have 30% deferred.

The deferred amounts will be paid back in a lump sum by March 15 of next year, Barra said.

Salaried employees who can't work from home, mostly engineers and manufacturing experts, will receive 75% of their pay plus benefits in lieu of being laid off. That includes about 6,500 people in the United States.

GM is also cutting back many of its future-product development programs. But it has told suppliers that its upcoming full-size SUV launches, its electric-vehicle programs, and the self-driving Cruise Origin taxi will remain on schedule.

Now what

There's still a lot we don't know, and (in all likelihood) a lot that the companies themselves have yet to sort out. All three companies will report first-quarter sales next week, and first-quarter earnings in late April or early May. We'll know much more about the state of their operations and their expectations for the next few months after those reports.
The coronavirus outbreak has led to a 900 percent uptick in hate speech toward China and Chinese people on Twitter, according to a report by a tech startup. "People are spending more and more time on social networks, communication apps, chat rooms and gaming services, and the problems endemic to these platforms -- hate, abuse, toxicity and bullying -- have become accentuated," the Israel-based company L1ght said in its report. "According to our data, much of this hate and abuse is being directed towards China and its population, as well as individuals of Asian origin in other parts of the world," added the startup that uses artificial intelligence to detect harmful content in social networks. It said although there are some uplifting stories being shared online as people confined because of the pandemic first detected in China turn to the Internet, there is also plenty of hate being shared. "Toxic tweets are using explicit language to accuse Asians of carrying the coronavirus and blaming people of Asian origin as a collective for spreading the virus," the study found. It said that a lot of people are using racist hashtags such as #Kungflu, #chinesevirus and #communistvirus as they tweet about the pandemic. Internet traffic to prominent hate sites has also increased 200 percent, the report said, as have posts against Asians. It said that certain media outlets have also encouraged backlash against Asians, pointing to a video on Sky news Australia titled "China willfully inflicted coronavirus upon the world." "The video now has over 5k comments, the majority of them toxic and hateful," the report said. The findings come as numerous US rights groups, activists and politicians have sounded the alarm about a surge in the number of racist incidents directed at Asian Americans. Critics say US President Donald Trump's repeated references to the COVID-19 virus as the "Chinese virus," has also resulted in xenophobia.
St. Petersburg ombudsman helps tourists stranded in Bulgaria return home

 flickr.com/Lukas Plewnia

15:12 27/03/2020

ST. PETERSBURG, March 27 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  St. Petersburg residents unable to leave Bulgaria because of the travel restrictions introduced due to the coronavirus infection outbreak have returned home, the office of the city rights commissioner Alexander Shishlov informs RAPSI.

Eight city residents turned to the ombudsman via e-mail stating they were stranded in a Bulgarian town and could not get to the international airport in the countrys capital Sofia; as they were informed, they could leave only if accompanied by Russian diplomats, the message read.

However, the diplomatic mission did not provide the tourists any information on the time and procedure of their return travel until the ombudsman interfered in the matter, a representative of Shishlov's Office said.

The issue was solved with the assistance of the Crisis Management Center of Russias Foreign Ministry and the Sofia airport services.
Family members pray recently outside AristaCare at Meadow Springs in Plymouth Meeting. Nursing homes have been advised to greatly restrict visitation to prevent spread of the coronavirus. Read more

Sidney Greenberger runs a New Jersey-based company that operates eight nursing homes in Pennsylvania and six in New Jersey.

His buildings are filled with those most likely to die if infected with the coronavirus  the elderly and those with lots of chronic health problems. He finds the prospect terrifying and says the virus could make nursing homes a death trap for his residents.

Im scared sless, and thats the honest truth," he said.

Greenberger has plenty of company among those whose job is to protect frail seniors and disabled people who live in facilities. As the coronavirus surge builds, their fears have the potential to create logjams in hospitals that rely on nursing homes and rehab centers to take patients who are no longer sick enough to require hospital care but are not yet ready to go home.

Ashley Ritter, an expert on nursing home care at Penn Nursing, said that she has heard that some nursing homes are refusing to accept any patients, regardless of their diagnosis, from hospitals unless theyve tested negative for the coronavirus. Yet as the need for hospital beds becomes more urgent, test kits are still scarce. Nursing homes have restricted visitors and are screening employees for symptoms, but patients who arrive from hospitals could also bring the virus inside.

You inject risk for both the workforce and the residents who live in facilities, Ritter said.

The vulnerability of nursing home patients was made clear when the virus caused dozens of deaths in nursing homes in Washington state. It already has been found in nursing homes in this area. Laurel Brook Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, a nursing home in Mount Laurel, reported Wednesday that three of its patients had died of the disease. Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia said on Thursday that one of its patients, a 73-year-old woman, had died.

David Grabowski, a professor in the department of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, said most nursing homes now only want patients they know are COVID-19 free. He thinks all new patients bound for nursing homes should test negative first. But, he said, even if nursing homes were willing to take patients who could be infectious, the country is not ready for what hes calling the second surge  the wave of COVID-19 patients who are well enough to leave space-strapped hospitals but are not virus-free. Most nursing homes dont have the capacity to do that safely, he said.

Grabowski, who wrote about the issue this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, expects growing tension between hospitals and nursing homes. He said states need to retrofit dormitories and hotels to serve as nursing-home-like facilities.

He and Ritter agreed that most nursing homes are not designed to isolate infectious patients. Most do not have a negative pressure room, Ritter said. Some will have the option to geographically isolate. Fewer will have staffing to dedicate to completely separate care teams."

Greenberger, who is not requiring testing for new patients who have not had COVID-19 and have no symptoms, knows that he may be asked to help hospitals as the number of COVID-19 patients explodes. We see a problem with the number of hospital beds that are around, and we know that were going to be called upon to lighten some of the load, he said. He may be able to create 15- to 20-bed wings for coronavirus patients in some homes, but hopes he doesnt have to.

For now, he, like Genesis HealthCare, is not accepting patients who test positive and is insisting that any new admissions who have had the disease test negative for two days in a row.

Several area health systems did not respond to questions about discharge planning. One that did, Main Line Health, said it was not having trouble finding nursing homes for patients leaving the hospital but knows it may need to adjust our discharge strategy. Damien Woods, a spokesperson for Einstein Healthcare Network, said some nursing homes require negative tests for people who have had COVID-19 symptoms, leading to manageable delays while awaiting test results.

Officials at hospital associations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania said they were not aware of significant problems in discharging patients to nursing homes.

The American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes and other senior facilities, released guidance to its members recommending that hospitalized patients who test positive for the coronavirus should be sent only to nursing homes that already are managing residents with the disease.

While people can spread the coronavirus before they have symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has told nursing homes they can safely accept patients who have no symptoms and who do not seem to have been exposed. The American Health Care Association concurs.

Greenberger said his homes keep such patients under close watch. In areas like Montgomery County, where the virus is circulating, new patients are sequestered from other residents for two weeks.

The Society for Post-Acute and Long-term Care Medicine recently issued a resolution saying that nursing homes should not be forced to accept patients who might still be infectious. It called for specialized centers of excellence to care for coronavirus patients who have left the hospital and suggested creating alternative care settings.

The organization, which represents medical professionals who work in long-term-care settings, on Thursday criticized a New York State Department of Health advisory on hospital discharges that told nursing homes they must accept medically stable COVID-19 patients leaving hospitals and are not allowed to require testing. In a statement, the group said that rule could have "dire, indeed fatal, consequences for frail individuals in the nursing homes and could lead to more hospital admissions.

David A. Nace, clinical chief of geriatrics at the University of Pittsburgh and president-elect of the society, doesnt think that all incoming nursing home patients, including those with no symptoms or history, need to be tested for the coronavirus. Thats just not reasonable or possible or scientifically sound, he said. We dont have enough tests to do that.

He said placing patients has required more negotiation than usual recently. Weve managed to get everybody accepted so far, he said. I have to say it is taking days of work sometimes to get that done.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) - The Bukidnon provincial government on Friday lifted the ban on the sale and delivery by local producers and traders of rice outside the province.

Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri issued Executive Order No. 18-A which supersedes the recent order prohibiting rice producers to supply rice grains outside the province in order to meet the 100,000 bags of rice needed throughout the lockdown period due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Located in northern Mindanao, Bukidnon is one of the countrys top rice producers.

The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, assured that the country has enough rice supply for the next four months.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that rice stock is expected to reach 2.661 million metric tons, or equivalent to 75 days, by the end of the first quarter.

With harvest already coming in, along with the steady arrival of imported rice, we expect no shortage of the staple during the duration of the enhanced community quarantine and beyond, he said in a recent statement.
The latest:

Alaska issues stay-at-home order and closes non-essential businesses

Alaska is the latest U.S. state to order residents to stay at home unless absolutely necessary due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Limited outdoor activities are allowed as long as social distancing of 6 feet is maintained.

In a pair of new mandates announced Friday evening, state Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum said Alaskans are also ordered to avoid travel between communities.

Travel to many rural areas of Alaska is only practical by plane, but Crum said aviation companies will not be required to ensure that their customers are traveling for essential reasons.

The prohibition on unnecessary travel goes into effect Saturday at 8 a.m. local time, while the new rule on staying at home goes into effect at 5 p.m. Crum says the mandates will be reconsidered no later than April 11.



Trump signs $2.2 trillion relief bill into law



President Donald Trump on Friday signed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package just hours after it passed a voice vote in the House of Representatives.

The far-reaching legislation stands as the largest emergency aid package in U.S. history. It injects a massive financial boost into a struggling economy with provisions aimed at helping American workers, small businesses and industries grappling with the economic disruption.

Key elements of the package include sending checks directly to individuals and families, an expansion of unemployment benefits, money for hard-hit hospitals and health care providers, financial assistance for small businesses and $500 billion in loans for distressed companies.

The money would likely be deposited directly into individuals' bank accounts -- as long as they've already authorized the IRS to send their tax refund that way over the past two years.

If not, the IRS would send out checks in the mail.

For those that haven't filed a 2019 or 2018 tax return, the IRS would rely on information on file at the Social Security Administration, which keeps records on all Americans who have paid payroll taxes.

The House of Representatives gave near-unanimous approval the historic legislation designed to prevent the economy from collapsing and rush resources to overburdened health care providers and struggling families during the deepening coronavirus outbreak.

Fridays House session followed an extraordinary 96-0 Senate vote late Wednesday.

Trumps signing of the package came as the U.S. surpassed China and Italy  two countries hit hard by the coronavirus  for the most reported cases in the world. Several health officials and experts say it's still the beginning.

"We are in for a bumpy ride for the next 12 to 18 months," said Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute. "If we are aggressive now about stopping things, shutting down, building up a test regime, we can then open up again .... and most places can go back to work."

"But only when we are ready. And we are nowhere near ready now," he said.

When Trump said he hopes to have Americans back at work by Easter, he was making an "aspirational projection," said Anthony Fauci, one of the country's top health officials.

"He's listening to us when we say we really got to reevaluate it, in real time, and any decision we make has to be based on the data," Fauci said.

The areas officials are worried about

New coronavirus hot spots are emerging in the Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans areas  and health officials there are pleading for medical resources to meet the surges.

W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZDJjbXZicTdzeHgzM2ouY2xvdWRmcm9udC5uZXQvZW1haWwvcHJvZF9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1c19pZnJhbWVfYXJ0aWNsZS5odG1sIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQxNCIgc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7Ym9yZGVyOm5vbmU7b3ZlcmZsb3c6aGlkZGVuIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9Im5vIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dUcmFuc3BhcmVuY3k9InRydWUiXVsvaWZyYW1lXQ==

Michigan's roughly 3,000 cases are nearly a tenfold increase from March 19, and officials there say the federal government needs to prioritize states like theirs that face case surges, rather than having governors compete for supplies.

Doctors and nurses in the Detroit area are "using one mask for their entire shift," Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the Michigan health department's chief medical executive, told CNN Friday.

"I've heard of (them) putting their mask in a paper bag ... and taking it out when they think they have a patent who has coronavirus," Khaldun said.

"We don't have enough masks; we don't have enough gowns; and we need more from the federal government and others."

In Michigan, cases jumped from 350 to nearly 3,000 in a week.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said this week she sent Trump a request for a major disaster declaration and was hopeful the President would grant it in full "and within a matter of days, so we can provide more services to Michiganders who need them."

The declaration would allow the state to provide rental assistance and temporary housing to people in the state, counseling and therapy for residents and the ability to quickly set up field hospitals or other facilities to treat coronavirus patients.

PGlmcmFtZSBpZD0iaHR2LWNvdmlkLW1hcCIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL2NvdmlkLTE5LWFzc2V0cy5odHZ0b29scy51cy9pbmRleC5odG1sIiBzY3JvbGw9Im5vIiBzdHlsZT0iYm9yZGVyOm5vbmU7Ij48L2lmcmFtZT4=

Outbreaks in New York, which has just under half the country's cases, and California, Washington and New Jersey have captured the nation's attention for weeks. Health officials there have long been clamoring for more equipment.

But officials warn the newer hot spots will soon look like the earlier ones.

"Hot spots like Detroit, like Chicago, like New Orleans ... will have a worse week next week than what they had this week," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told "CBS This Morning" on Friday.

For days, New York led the country with the highest number of cases, after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered a partial lockdown and doubled down on testing.

At least 519 people have died from coronavirus across New York state, Cuomo said. That's up from 385 reported deaths.

"That is going to continue to go up, and that is the worst news that I could possibly tell the people of the state of New York," Cuomo said.

New York Bellevue Hospital Center created a makeshift morgue using tents and refrigerated trucks. At Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, 13 patients died from coronavirus within 24 hours.

Health officials said California, with more than 3,000 cases, isn't far behind from seeing a surge in cases similar to New York's. And with positive tests rapidly increasing across the country, experts worry other states may follow.

Earlier this week, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said cases in his state were growing faster than anywhere in the world.

Health experts said they were monitoring "clusters" in six nursing homes and in New Orleans. One official said hospitals were already facing shortages of ventilators and protective equipment.

"This is going to be the disaster that defines our generation," said Collin Arnold, director of the city's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Related video: What does a ventilator do, and how does it help people with coronavirus?

Jefferson and Orleans parishes, which make up most of metro New Orleans, ranked among the top seven counties nationwide in deaths per 100,000 residents for areas reporting 100 cases or more. And at least 3,000 were expected to be tested Thursday.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, said 40% of the country has "extraordinary low rates" of coronavirus. About 19 states have fewer than 200 cases, she said.

But she said counties including Wayne County, Michigan, and Cook County, Illinois, are showing a "more rapid increase" in cases.

Meanwhile, Cook County, Illinois, is in the process of "acquiring additional refrigerated warehouse space" as a precaution for what could come next, Cook County spokesperson Natalia Derevyanny said.

"Our hope is that we're doing all this planning but that we wind up not needing the plans we've put into place," said Derevyanny.

Illinois numbers jumped from close to 600 last week to 2,538 Friday.

British prime minister tests positive for coronavirus

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, the leader said on Friday.

On his Twitter account, Johnson said he had developed mild symptoms and was self-isolating.

"Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this," Johnson wrote.

In a video, Johnson said he was experiencing a temperature and a persistent cough, which are key symptoms of the virus, and that he took a test on the advice of the country's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty.

"I've taken a test. That has come out positive," he said, adding that he was working from home and self-isolating. "And that's entirely the right thing to do."

Doctors, nurses on the front lines

Responding to the rising numbers, some hospitals say they've reached a breaking point  both because of overworked staff and few medical supplies left.

A Long Island hospital nurse said patients were streaming in with "non-stop coughing, sweaty, fevers" and with "fear in their eyes."

"I haven't slept because my mind won't shut off. I cried in the bathroom on my break, as I peeled off the PPE from my sweaty self, mask indentations on my face. I cried the entire ride home," the nurse, who CNN is not naming, wrote in a social media post.

Related video: California hospital makes delivery room changes amid coronavirus outbreak

In one New York City hospital, an assistant nurse manager who suffered from asthma died less than a week after testing positive for the virus.

Kious Jordan Kelly was a "beloved member" of the nursing staff at Mt. Sinai Hospital, the hospital said.

The coronavirus crisis has "turned our front line professionals into true American heroes," Mt. Sinai said in a statement Tuesday. "Today, we lost another hero  a compassionate colleague, friend and selfless caregiver."

To combat a desperate need for more hands on deck in hospitals across the country, medical schools are considering early graduation for their senior medical students to become doctors, according to Dr. Alison Whelan, the chief medical education officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

On Tuesday, New York University became the first medical school in the country to offer this option. Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in New Jersey also sent an email to its senior medical students on Thursday gauging interest and offering early graduation.

To support hospitals, Vice President Mike Pence said the federal government has already shipped out millions of protective equipment and 6,000 ventilators from the national stockpile.

But the U.S. Surgeon General says those supplies will not resolve the crisis.

"We will not supply our way out of this problem," he said Thursday.

"A lot of the capacity that folks are looking for is already out there. It's sitting on shelves in surgery centers. It's sitting in hospitals. It's just misaligned," Adams said. "I really want you all to think about how you can help us fix that misalignment."

Summer may not be the end

And while some look to the summer hopeful that better weather will help alleviate the problem, Fauci says warmer days may not mean the end of the virus.

"We are hoping, though it may not happen, that we will see that impact of warmer weather on bringing the infection rate down, but you can't guarantee it," he said Thursday.

"Because this is a brand new virus, and it may not act like some of the other respiratory viruses in which often you do see a diminution, as the weather gets warmer, there's no guarantee that we're going to see that right now," Fauci said.

He has said that as far as the timeline of the virus outbreak in the U.S., it's important to remain flexible.

But, he says, the key to nearing an end with the battle against the virus is contact tracing  where researchers track down everyone an infected person might have been in contact with.

"We've got to do it better than we are now. Not that we're at fault, that no one's made any mistakes, but they've got to elevate it to the point where, when you have someone in society who is infected, you've got to not only identify them, but you've got to be able to isolate them very quickly, not five days later, after they wound up potentially infecting individuals."

"That's what's called strict containment and that's what we've got to do," Fauci said.

W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZDJjbXZicTdzeHgzM2ouY2xvdWRmcm9udC5uZXQvZW1haWwvcHJvZF9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1c19pZnJhbWVfYXJ0aWNsZS5odG1sIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQxNCIgc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7Ym9yZGVyOm5vbmU7b3ZlcmZsb3c6aGlkZGVuIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9Im5vIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dUcmFuc3BhcmVuY3k9InRydWUiXVsvaWZyYW1lXQ==
Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung has called on the community of digital technology firms to be more creative and provide more services on online platforms.

Hung, at an event held recently, said Covid-19 has posed a big challenge as many activities have become stagnant. However, challenges are always associated with opportunities, he said. Following are some of his remarks.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung



Covid-19 is spread by contact. Digital technology is contactless. Covid-19 helps people rethink many things. It is a breaking point in development and a lot of values and habits will change. Therefore, the biggest opportunity now is to accelerate digital transformation, create digital technology applications and bring all production and business activities to the digital environment.



People in the future will have to face more crises like this, so they have to learn how to increase the resistance capability, become creative, and quickly adapt and recover.

Digital transformation can lead to quick response, quick adaptation and quick innovation. The state, enterprises and the society need to make heavier investments in digital technology.

Digital transformation can lead to quick response, quick adaptation and quick innovation. The state, enterprises and the society need to make heavier investments in digital technology.



Building institutional regime, providing public services online



The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has submitted the national digital transformation plan. The plan will be activated nationwide after the Prime Minister signs for promulgation.



In an effort to accelerate digital transformation, the government and state management agencies will make decisions on policies which are still under consideration, including non-cash payment and mobile money, online learning recognition and certificate granting.



Vietnam will prohibit the import of old 2G technology, accelerate the production of low-cost smartphones, develop digital government and make investments to ensure cyber security.



Just in the last month, the number of applications for public service increased by twofold, or the number of one month is equal to 20 years.



MIC has issued legal documents requesting ministries and local authorities to be ready to receive online applications and ensure 30 percent of fourth-level public services by the end of 2020.



The economy at home trend



Covid-19 is a new launching pad for the economy at home to come to life.



There is now opportunity for digital education to show its preeminence. Lectures can be given online and with advanced technologies, such as virtual reality, which helps lectures become more vivid.



In the healthcare sector, the advantages of remote medical examination have been shown. This eases the burden on hospitals and mitigates the risks of cross infections.



Covid-19 has caused a crisis. As the number of redundant workers is believed to increase, Vietnam needs to think of a digital platform which helps workers improve skills anf rejoin the labor market.

Binh Minh

Recruitment in tech sector grows with digital transformation A survey on salary by Robert Walters said that recruitment in Vietnam posted growth last year.
One of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic is that 24,410 foreigners have not returned to the country to work, according to data from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. These include 18,999 Chinese, 2,826 South Koreans, and 2,585 citizens from other countries and territories, including experts, skilled workers and managers.

A recent survey by the ministry found 34 cities and provinces now want to bring back more than 9,000 foreigners, mostly Chinese and South Koreans.

Of those 9,000, almost 2,000 are needed for key national projects and projects implemented by multinational corporations involving the application of new technologies, like Hanois first metro line Cat Linh-Ha Dong, the Soc Son waste-to-power plant in Hanoi, an LG Display project in the northern city of Hai Phong, two Samsung projects in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, and the Vinh Tan 1 thermal power plant in the south central province of Binh Thuan.

Though Vietnam has suspended entry for all foreigners for the moment, the directive issued by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc says that for those entering the country for diplomatic purposes or other special matters such as business managers, experts and high-skilled workers, the ministries of Public Security, National Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Health will take a decision on issuing them with visas.

So far, over 1,100, including some 1,000 South Koreans and the rest, Chinese, have been cleared to enter Vietnam.

China, where the Covid-19 outbreak originated, has reportedly brought the situation under control, while South Koreas daily infection rate has kept falling of late. South Korea once had the highest number of cases after China.

Vietnam has confirmed 148 infections so far, 132 of them added since March 6, until which date it had gone without any new infection for 22 straight days. Of the total, 17 have recovered and been discharged; and of the 131 active patients, 26 have tested negative between once and three times.

The Covid-19 pandemic has so far claimed over 21,300 deaths worldwide as it spread to 198 countries and territories.

Europe is now the epicenter of the pandemic. Infection and deaths have kept soaring in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, and many countries have imposed lockdowns and closed borders. The U.S. has seen its case counts escalating, too.
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp.s agreement to acquire 5G software maker Affirmed Networks Inc. valued the company at about $1.35 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Microsoft announced the deal on Thursday without disclosing financial details.

Microsoft already serves telecom customers and struck an agreement with AT&T Inc. last year with the aim of moving more the carriers network to its platform. Microsoft has been building its cloud computing operations through acquisitions. In 2018, it bought privately held GitHub for $7.5 billion.

Affirmed Networks also held talks with Samsung Electronics before its deal with Microsoft came together, one of the people said.

Pete Wootton, a spokesman for Microsoft, declined to comment on the price. A representative for Affirmed Networks also declined to comment. Samsung didnt respond to a request for comment.

Microsoft shares fell 4.1% Friday to close at $149.70.

The introduction of 5G is just starting, with test projects by carriers such as AT&T generally limited to select big cities. Nationwide U.S. coverage may take years. But tech giants and telecom industry incumbents have been angling for a slice of the market for edge computing and going after big corporate customers. The White House has made 5G a linchpin of its tech policy, particularly as it tries to suppress the global expansion of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co.

The networking industry is transitioning away from expensive fixed purpose machines that take care of specific parts of the job of managing the flow of data to software that resides in remote data centers. The aim is to make the things cheaper and more flexible.

Affirmed Networks helps build virtual networks for telecom customers using 5G technology. It was founded in 2010 and had raised about $240 million in funding, according to Pitchbook Data. It raised financing just last month at a $1.35 billion valuation, people familiar with the matter said.

Story continues

Affirmed Networks said on Thursday that it was replacing its chief executive officer with one of its founders, Anand Krishnamurthy.

Affirmed Networks, based in Acton, Massachusetts, is backed by investors including Qualcomm Ventures and Centerview Capital Technology Management, the venture arm of investment bank Centerview Partners, as well as by Lightspeed Management, CRV and Bessemer Venture Partners,

(Updates with line on Samsungs interest in fourth paragraph, adds share price in sixth paragraph)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Technology advancements are taking over the world and they are changing our lives with every passing second. As smartphones have enabled us to gather any information with a single tap, people are becoming more tech-savvy. This has resulted in an increase in technology-related job roles from the past few years. Indian talent has been highly regarded across markets and executives are able to bring some traits to the table that are in huge demand even for global roles.

As per reports, the computer software and hardware sector in India attracted cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows worth US$ 39.47 billion till mid-2019. Evidently, spending on information technology in India has increased significantly. Indians ITs core competencies and strengths attract huge investments from foreign countries. So, there has never been a better time to be a part of the IT sector in India.

Professionals looking to hone their skills in leading technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Blockchain would get promising opportunities in todays job market. One of the best ways to demonstrate your skills in any domain is to pursue industry-recognized certifications. For instance, professionals interested in the field of quality management can pursue Lean Six Sigma certifications by taking up Six Sigma Green Belt Course.

So, for a successful career in IT, it is but natural to think about the most profitable jobs. Here you will find the list of highest-paying jobs in the tech field (according to an Indeed report).

Lets dive in!

Data warehouse architect

Professionals working as data warehouse architects are responsible for architecting and developing technical solutions for a data warehouse that best support an organization. Candidates should at least have 7 to 10 years of experience in the related field to achieve this position. Data warehouse architects can earn up to 25 lakhs if they are proficient in the field.

Senior Technical Lead

Professionals in the IT world need a lot of experience to reach the role of a Senior technical lead. Professionals at this level design and build software products, and guide a team to solve the technical issues related to software development, product release, engineering tasks, and more. They ensure that the team is following work processes and best practices so that the operations are streamlined. They may also involve in troubleshooting programs and hiring employees for their team. Senior tech leads in India enjoy high salary packages starting from 12 lakhs.

Analytics manager

The major responsibility of an analytics manager is to develop tools and strategies for effective data analysis and reporting. They often work closely with the leads of product, sales, and marketing teams to make high-quality data-driven decisions. Their top skills include advanced data modeling, predictive modeling techniques, data analysis, working with business intelligence tools, and more. Analytics managers can earn up to 24 lakhs by gaining relevant skills and demonstrating them.

Technical project manager

Technical project managers remain in high demand across all countries. They have a knack for planning, scheduling, and managing IT projects. Possessing excellent organization, leadership, and communication skills, technical project managers are capable of completing projects as per specifications within the allotted time frame and budget. There are many renowned certifications that a technical manager can pursue to boost their career. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the gold standard in the field of project management and helps professionals command higher salaries.

Lead developer

If coding has always been your passion, then the role of a lead developer will suit you the best. Lead developers generally have a solid background in application programming along with years of experience working as a technical team leader. Their typical responsibilities involve directing the development team in designing, developing, coding, testing, and debugging the applications. Mentoring junior programmers in the team and planning their skill development also forms a part of their duties. Their average salary in India is around 15 lakhs; however, they are capable of earning even more.

Which Role Should You Choose?

We are currently living in the digital world which has boosted your chances of achieving a technology-related job role. While higher salary is but one reason to pursue a particular job role, one can find great job opportunities in other fields also. Digital marketing, blockchain technology, cloud computing, cyber security, and quality assurance are some of the other fields having promising career prospects. Whatever field you choose, gain the required skills and get a job. After you gain some industry experience, it is always better to achieve relevant certifications and enhance your skills in that area. This way, you would increase your credibility and stay ahead in this dynamic world of information technology.
"During this time of crisis, PMR Gives Back is doing everything in its power to help those affected by COVID-19. - Cory Swain, PMR Gives Back CEO, and managing partner of Premier Mortgage Resources.

PMR Gives Back the charitable arm of Premier Mortgage Resources, LLC, has launched an outreach campaign to help those who are struggling in the Boise area as a result of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

PMR Gives Back is implementing the campaign across the region to help those who have lost their job, and children who are now out of school and lacking in resources. To do so, PMR Gives Back is organizing donation drives at the Premier Mortgage Resources Meridian headquarters, and its Twin Falls branch, benefiting the Idaho Foodbank. The drive will launch as soon as the stay-at-home order from the Governor is lifted. In addition to helping the Idaho Foodbank, we are gathering donated reading materials and STEM packages to distribute to families and children lacking in educational resources at home.

PMR Gives Back also has set a goal of raising $10,000 on its community donation page: PMRLoans.com/GiveBack. PMR Gives Back is matching incoming donations, dollar for dollar up to $10,000, to feed as many families as possible during this crisis.

While we have always been a partner within our communities, giving back to those in need with charities is near and dear to our hearts. At this time in our region and nations history we wanted to take those efforts to the next level, said Cory Swain, PMR Gives Back CEO, and managing partner of Premier Mortgage Resources. That is why during this time of crisis, PMR Gives Back is doing everything in its power to help those affected by COVID-19.

PMR Gives Back has partnered with the Idaho Foodbank and local school districts in the Boise Metropolitan area to help generate and deliver donations to families in need.

Christopher Bruce, (NMLS 1435739) a loan officer with Premier Mortgage Resources, is an advocate for local schools and is currently running for the Idaho State Legislature, District 22. Bruce is organizing STEM packages and book donations for students, which are being distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis to families in need at local schools.

Never before have parents been asked to suddenly be full-time caregivers, educators and to work from home all at once. Some parents arent lucky enough to have kept their job. We need to step up and help give them resources to keep up with their childs education during this time, Bruce said.

It is the mission of PMR Gives Back to help the underserved and at-risk populations across the Treasure Valley area and other communities in which we are involved.

There are so many ways you can get involved and help right now. We will all get through this together by being resilient, kind and generous. Please join us and the rest of the PMR family by joining the PMR Gives Back campaign or helping in any other way in your community you see available, Swain said.

For more information about the PMR Gives Back campaign, click here.

About Premier Mortgage Resources

Premier Mortgage Resources (PMR) has been helping customers achieve the dream of homeownership since 1991. With 31 licensed locations west of the Mississippi and staffed by over 120 loan officers, the company offers a full menu of mortgage products and is delegated to underwrite conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and several state bond programs. PMR has branches across seven states (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Minnesota and Montana). For more information, visit pmrloans.com.

About PMR Gives Back

PMR Gives Back is the charitable arm of Premier Mortgage Resources, LLC, that focuses on supporting the Treasure Valley area and other communities in which it is involved. PMR Gives Back works diligently to provide support and deliver resources to underserved and at-risk populations across the Boise region. Its efforts include partnering with community-based organizations to fundraise and volunteer. For more information, visit http://www.pmrloans.com/giveback/.
US Officials Increasingly Vocal About Beijings Disinformation Push

U.S. government officials and spokespersons are becoming more vocal in addressing an aggressive disinformation push by the Chinese communist regimein some cases responding directly to Beijing officials and debunking their propaganda in real time.

Social media platforms such as Twitter are major tools being utilized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as part of its global campaign to manipulate the narrative surrounding the pandemic. A considerable number of Chinese diplomats are actively pushing state-sanctioned narratives on these platforms and U.S. officials are ramping up their response.

Morgan Ortagus, a State Department spokesperson, has called out Beijings disinformation and responded directly to CCP officials. Federal agencies in the United States, meanwhile, are also ramping up efforts on this front by setting up new websites that separate fact from fiction.

In a March 26 Twitter post Ortagus said that Propaganda outlets that report to the Chinese Communist Party are foreign agents, not journalists. Even General Secretary Xi says they must speak for the Party.' Ortagus was responding to a post by Hua Chunying, a Chinese foreign Ministry Spokesperson, and Director General in the Department of Information.

Chinese officials and state-run media have pushed conspiracy theories targeting the United States, with state-run Xinhua News also promoting the hashtags Trumpandemic and TrumpVirus on its news posts on social media.

Ortagus has responded to and debunked posts by Chunying in multiple occasions. In a separate post, Chunying claimed China has treated the CCP virus as a highly pathogenic virus according to law. Chunying also called out the World Health Organization stating that Beijing identified the pathogen in record short time and shared genetic sequence with the world.

Nonsense. You call it highly pathogenic now, but last month your officials blocked a WHO report from calling #COVID19 a dangerous pathogen  #CovidCoverup #ChinaTransparencyNow, Ortagus wrote in a March 22 response.

Fact check: The Chinese government didnt share the genetic sequence until after a professor in Shanghai did so on his own, she continued. The next day, your government shut down his lab for rectification. #CovidCoverup #ChinaTransparencyNow.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mishandling of the epidemic, which started in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has boosted efforts to address the Chinese regimes disinformation on his official Twitter account as well. In a short March 20 video message posted on his Twitter, Pompeo called out the CCP and other countries attempting to sow discord.

Disinformation is coming from random actors around the world but often too coming from places like the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, he said. Those are nations that want to undermine what were doing here our democracy our freedom, the way we are responding to this risk  they want to undermine our activities.

Internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times have highlighted how the regime bungled its data tracking and censored discussions of the outbreak, fueling the spread of the disease.

Although the narratives pushed by the CCP can change quickly, the goals are the same: to defect responsibility over their botched handling of the CCP virus and to portray an image that they have successfully contained the outbreak.

The National Security Council is also responding to the disinformation, writing on its Twitter on March 15: Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown.

Brendan Carr, a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) told The Epoch Times previously that it is always appropriate to push back on communist propaganda and said he himself responds to and debunks conspiracies pushed by CCP officials.

I think taking a few seconds out of our day to do that while we focus on the fight that we have at hand, in terms of getting the pandemic under control in the United StatesI think that that is the right move, Carr said.
In times when the covid-19 outbreak is putting the entire populations under threat, and social distancing has become the norm, it does make sense to avoid transacting in cash, reports Bindisha Sarang.

Photograph: Shannon Stapleton

Money changes hand frequently, and cash even more so.

But in times when the covid-19 outbreak is putting the entire populations under threat, and social distancing has become the norm, it does make sense to avoid transacting in cash.

Some countries have already quarantined cash, while others like South Korea, have burnt, or high-heat laundered their notes.

The World Health Organisation has advised switching to contactless payments too.

No wonder, the Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, too, urged customers to go digital on Monday.

Says Vikas Saraogi, vice president, acceptance development, Mastercard: "Given the current situation, contactless cards could provide conscious consumers with a new option to pay."

Adds Mandar Agashe, managing director and founder of Sarvatra Technologies: "Considering the current situation, contactless payments could be the way ahead, and payment modes like UPI, IMPS, RTGS, mobile wallet and net banking could contribute effectively in reducing human interactions."

Unified Payments Interface

It offers instant money transfer without the bank details.

Instead of bank account number and IFSC code, the virtual payment address (VPA) is used to pay through UPI.

If you choose this mode, which is the most popular payment option in India, keep a few things in mind.

UPI has a feature where you or a merchant can send the user a request to collect money.

You don't need to authorise a transaction if money is being transferred to your account.

However, due to this simplicity, a common type of fraud is when a fraudster convinces you to share the PIN, and money gets debited.

Says Agashe: "You should never share your PIN. If you share it, it's like sharing the key to a lock."

Net banking

Due to the virus, RBI has now made NEFT, IMPS, and UPI available round the clock to facilitate fund transfers, purchase of goods/services, payment of bills, etc.

Says Rajesh Mirjankar, MD and CEO, InfrasoftTech: "Phishing is the most common type of fraud for wallets and all online transactions. Regardless of what the context of the conversation in an email is, the client should never provide login credentials or other details on an email or should not click any links within an SMS or email."

At times, due to heavy traffic or technical glitches like server down, funds cannot be transferred.

The user needs IFSC code, account number and other details to be submitted. Check these details thoroughly.

Mobile wallets

These gained popularity post demonetisation in 2016.

Right from Paytm to PhonePe and Mobikwik, to name a few.

Bala Parthasarathy, CEO and co-founder, MoneyTap says: "The advantage of mobile wallets is that it allows you to go cardless. It doesn't require any card number, CVV, Pin or mobile number.

"It is independent of such information and can't be manipulated or hacked. Cashback or discount rewards are available."

However, a necessary precaution while using wallets, Mirjankar says, is that mobile users should not click on any images or links from unknown sources on SMS or any messaging app.

Also, it's best to download only popular apps and mobile wallets.

Adds Mirjankar: "Do not install and use any remote screen mirroring tool (such as AnyDesk). These tools are indeed convenient for genuine use-cases such as remote technical support, but if a trickster gets access to your device remotely, he can wipe out the account."

Cards

Tap and pay, or what's commonly known as wifi card by shopkeepers, is a contactless card.

You don't even need to punch in a PIN in the point-of-sale machine, and payments of Rs 2,000 can happen without a PIN.

As far as regular cards go, ensure you take customary precautions when doing online or offline transactions.

Irrespective of the types of digital payment, Sanjay Katkar, joint managing director and chief technology officer, Quick Heal Technologies, says: "Buy and install good antivirus software. Yes, pay for it! It won't cost you more than a dinner in a fancy restaurant."

Diversify

Many top private sector banks have suffered technical difficulties.

So, relying on just one bank isn't a good idea.

Have two or three options. Use e-wallet for smaller payments, UPI for home deliveries, contactless cards or net banking for larger payments and QR code at a shop.

Finally, just because it's safer not to handle cash doesn't mean you don't keep some handy.

Ketan Doshi, managing director, Paypoint India, says: "There's no question there's merit in going contactless at the moment. But, there's another side to this story. In panic situations, shopkeepers and other vendors will seek cash."

In situations of cash shortage at ATMs, make use of micro ATMs installed in grocery shops or mom and pop stores that allow payments using Aadhaar.
The U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested a man on a murder charge Wednesday in the shooting death of a 28-year-old man who was found in the parking lot of a South Waco apartment complex late last year.

Leonard Brown, 20, of Waco, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge in the Dec. 29 shooting death of Eric Lavelle Williams. Waco police Officer Garen Bynum confirmed Thursday that Brown is charged with murder in Williams death.

Police previously reported Williams and two men may have been involved in an argument before Williams was shot. Brown was the only man in custody Thursday charged in Williams death.

Police received a report of gunfire shortly before noon on Dec. 29 at the Costa Esmeralda Apartments, 1516 Gurley Lane. Williams was found lying in the parking lot suffering from at least one gunshot wound, police said.
Taipei metro staff in the MRT station monitor the temperatures of passengers with a thermal scanner in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 16, 2020. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Taiwan Is the Geopolitical Winner in the Coronavirus Crisis

Commentary

By demonstrating the advantages of being a stable, well-governed and democratic nation, Taiwan has emerged as a geopolitical winner during the coronavirus crisis.

Geopolitical Futures in a new report titled, A Good Year for Taiwan, outlines how the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) efforts to win Taiwan without going to war is failing. Compared to the CCPs authoritarian governance model of managing a crisis, Taiwan demonstrated that transparency, free flow of information, and voluntary participation in a civil society are more advantageous.

Twelve months ago, mainland China expected President Tsai Ing-wens pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to be trounced by Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu and his pro-Beijing Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwans January elections.

Under the motto of Taiwan safe, people rich, the KMT held a 20-point lead in the polls last summer with promises to deepen the cross-strait 1992 Consensus by sacrificing sovereignty in favor of economic rewards from greater mainland engagement.

But a series of high-profile scandals that exposed the deep CCP ties with Taiwanese businesses and media outlets, coupled with last years Hong Kong protests and brutal CCP crackdowns, caused a reversal of KMT support. President Tsai won a re-election landslide with 57.1 percent of the vote and her DPP party retained its national legislature majority in Jan. 11 elections.

In the final days before the election, mainland China was covertly dealing with exponential growth of a new and highly infectious coronavirus. But rather than share detailed information with its own citizens and the global community, China first called it a pneumonia of unclear cause, even though researchers had mapped the new coronavirus genome by Jan. 2. In the most egregious action, the CCP and Wuhan Health Commission insisted that there were no new cases from Jan. 11-17.

Foreign Policy magazine blamed China for the coronavirus, which was caused in part by incompetent, malicious, and corrupt politicians. The Dispatch reporter Danielle Pletka argued that Chinese leader Xi Jinpings prime concern was not lives at risk, or containment of the virus, but rather the nations and his reputation, place in the global supply chain and his grip on power.

Taiwan, located just only 81 miles away from mainland China and receives 2.7 million mainland visitors a year, would seem most vulnerable to a devastating outbreak of what has come to be called CCP virus. But Taiwan has only recorded 252 coronavirus infections and just two deaths as of March 26, since the pandemic first began four months ago in central China.

Rather than following the CCPs playbook of spreading disinformation to hide the origin and scale of the infection that allowed it to morph into a global pandemic, the Taiwan government contained the outbreak by acting swiftly and decisively. As soon as China announced it was dealing with a mysterious surge of pneumonia cases, Taipei started screening inbound passengers from the Wuhan, then banned arrivals within a month.

The government banned exports of critical medical supplies, rationed face masks to avoid hoarding, and mobilized the manufacturing sector to produce 10 million face masks a day. The democratically-elected government then initiated civic education to encourage adoption of public health best practices and increase personal hygiene.

Mandatory quarantines were quickly instituted for arrivals from coronavirus hot-spots and digital surveillance was activated to track suspected patients, rather than disrupting daily life and sowing panic, closing schools, and shuttering businesses. As a result, Taiwan kept a clear picture of the outbreak, maintained adequate resources to manage it, and generated widespread public support for its actions, according to Geopolitical Futures.

With popular support for President Tsai and her ruling DPP partys management of the CCP virus crisis surging, the KMT was forced to question its pro-Beijing slant. On March 7, the KMT elected the relatively youthful 48-year-old legislator Johnny Chiang who has indicated he is prepared to scrap the so-called 1992 Consensus with the mainland.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Chriss Street is an expert in macroeconomics, technology, and national security. He has served as CEO of several companies and is an active writer with more than 1,500 publications. He also regularly provides strategy lectures to graduate students at top Southern California universities.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
One night, Jack Hyles sat three of his four children down  the eldest was away at college  and told them he had to leave the home because of the way your mom is acting, Murphrey recalled. He also told them he couldnt raise them anymore, but that he would open Baptists schools to raise them, Murphrey said.
SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, its CMD Ajay Singh said on Friday.

While domestic and international passenger flights have been banned till April 14 midnight, IndiGo and GoAir have also offered their aircraft and crew and staff members to the government for any mission required to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"We have offered our aircraft and crew for any humanitarian mission that the government needs us to fly. We are already flying food, medicines and medical equipment for government every day (on our freighter aircraft)," Singh told PTI.

"We would like to alleviate the suffering of the migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, by flying some flights between Delhi/Mumbai and Patna," he added.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown, which came into force on Wednesday, to check the spread of the virus which has claimed 17 lives and infected over 700 people so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
During the 2008 financial crisis, Rahm Emanuel, then chief of staff to President-elect Barack Obama, famously said, You never want a serious crisis to go to waste, and what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.

With reduced demand from the coronavirus and a geopolitical battle between two oil heavyweights in Russia and Saudi Arabia, there is no doubt we are faced with an unprecedented set of challenges. Leadership in the oil industry is right to worry about the immediate impacts of dramatically lower prices, but they should also resist the temptation to abandon free-market principles in pursuit of unpalatable solutions as a cure-all to whats otherwise known as a commodity downturn.

One such proposal, proposed by a handful of producers, is to urge the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate Saudi Arabia and Russia for engaging in anti-competitive behavior by dumping too much oil onto the market and then imposing tariffs on imported oil.

Over the past few years, the U.S. has produced record amounts of crude oil to the great benefit of our economy. As President Trump often says, hydraulic fracturing has made the U.S. a global energy superpower. The president is right, and it was the free market that allowed the industry to flourish.

In recent years, the key federal regulatory decisions that strengthened the oil and gas industry were those that reduced trading barriers, including the authorization of liquefied natural gas exports and the lifting of the crude oil export ban. The industry got stronger when the federal government got out of the way.

But imagine if other countries responded to those measures by enacting a tariff on U.S. crude oil. It would have significantly restricted domestic production and have a devastating impact on our economy. While some think a tariff on Saudi crude would stabilize prices, tariffs would simply prop-up a select group of producers who are well-connected to government decision-makers, all at the expense of more efficient operations elsewhere. The ensuing uncertainty would ultimately hurt American consumers in the form of higher prices.

Unfortunately, some in Congress are embracing the plan, stating, It is essential that the American government respond with decisive action. While support for this plan may look good in a press release, it will do nothing to help save jobs in the short term.

Heres why. Even if OPEC and Russia responded to tariffs by cutting production, the decline in worldwide oil demand due to the coronavirus would make shale oil in some basins unprofitable, including many operations here in Texas. If Russia and Saudi Arabia cut production, the pain that these tariffs were intended to alleviate would still occur, but it would come with the added cost of handing more power to the federal government.

Another proposal calls for the Railroad Commission of Texas to impose an OPEC-style production cut on local producers in order to boost the price of oil. The companies that would suffer the most are the family-owned businesses that have been operating in West Texas for generations. One energy economist exposed the motivation behind this proposal when he stated, "It's got to be some predators looking to just slam some people into bankruptcy in a heartbeat. None of that would make a difference in the overall market."

Lets also look beyond the present to see how these tariffs and production controls could hurt the industry. Future administrations or state governments who are hostile to oil and gas would have a powerful weapon to achieve their own goals, like further restricting operations in the name of climate change. Government officials already bend regulations to fit their agenda with novel interpretations of the law. Tariffs and controlling the means of production wouldnt even require creativity to further harm the industry. In many ways, if these kinds of policies were in place, the shale revolution many never even have started in the first place.

Everyone in the oil business knows there are ups and downs, and booms and busts. But after every downturn, the oil and gas industry always emerges stronger than before. That is, so long as industry continues to be guided by the principles of the free market and not the whims of government bureaucrats.

If we allow the current crisis to shift our belief system, we will all eventually pay the price. Instead of competing to be the best businesses, companies will compete for the most government favors. Instead of keeping the overreaching government at an arms length, both federal and state governments will be encouraged to take more and more control over our lives and the businesses that local families have worked so hard to create.

The Permian Basin was made great because of scrappy and hard-working West Texans who turned opportunity into reality, not because of who happened to occupy the White House. Lets keep it that way.

Thomas J. Pyle is the president of the American Energy Alliance and was a member of President Donald Trumps Transition Team.
New Delhi, March 27 : For the first time in its history the Supreme Court Friday began conducting hearings through video conferencing after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a three-week nationwide lockdown to contain the outbreak of coronavirus.

The apex court decided to go virtual, as a measure to discourage overcrowding by lawyers and litigants on its premises, especially in the backdrop of rising coronavirus cases in the country. Three benches held proceedings today. Justice D Y Chandrachud sat at 11 am to hear 11 urgent matters. The second bench comprising Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice Aniruddha Bose, sat at 1 pm to hear seven urgent matters. Finally, the last bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta began hearing at 3 pm, only two matters are listed before this bench.

The judges heard the cases from their residential offices, while the lawyers' argued from their chamber at their residence through video conferencing. The apex court had given a link to the lawyers' to access the video conferencing facility, and assured that urgent matters will be taken up. The Supreme Court is a place where lawyers and litigants from across the country visit, and following social distancing was a difficult task.

Initially, the Supreme Court decided to limit its functioning by reducing the regular benches from 15 to 5. It was an initiative to reduce the number of people and prevent overcrowding of people on the court complex, but after the alarming rise in coronavirus positive cases the top court decided to go completely virtual.

The apex court in a circular said since the prevailing situation demands that persons be discouraged from undertaking any kind of journey/travel, Supreme Court Registry is taking all steps necessary to conduct the hearings through remote video conferencing (VC) links. "Hence AORs/Parties-in-persons are advised to refrain from exercising the option of participating in the hearing through VC link facility available at the SC premises for the present, as that would entail unnecessary and avoidable travel through public spaces", added the circular.

The apex court authorities said the AOR are requested not to share VC link with anybody. "Sharing of link will deactivate the original link shared with AOR on his e-mail. Only one link well be activated for VC", said the court.

The circular said that for all matters involving extreme urgency, the AOR/Party-in-person is first required to file the petition/misc. application, preferably through the e-filing mode available on the SC website.

"Thereafter, and upon completion of all formalities as per rules governing such petition/miscellaneous application, the AOR/Party-in-person is permitted to file separately the signed and verified application containing a synopsis of extreme urgency not exceeding one page, at mention.sc@sci.nic.in, as per procedure detailed in para. 3 of the said Circular dated March 23," said the circular.
Oregon health officials pledged swift action this month as coronavirus spread inside a Linn County nursing home.

Not only would all employees and workers at the state veterans home be tested, top officials declared, but this was precisely the sort of crisis warranting use of some of Oregons scarce test kits and lab capacity.

Less than two weeks later, coronavirus hit an assisted living center in Washington County. One woman is now dead and four other residents and three employees have been sickened with COVID-19.

The states response? It wont offer widespread testing there.

Those vastly different decisions by the Oregon Health Authority underscore a bleak new reality as the agencys thinking evolves on how to best slow the spread of coronavirus amid a national shortage of testing supplies and the desire to preserve tests for a growing caseload of sick Oregonians.

State officials who authorized extensive testing for the veterans home in Lebanon now say they do not have the lab capacity to process an influx of tests from residents or employees of Regency Park near Beaverton. They also have declined to tap a private lab, Quest Diagnostics, for help despite having an agreement with the company for testing.

Thats left the centers owners scrambling to find tests on their own, a full week after the first case was identified.

Regency Park this week secured a very, very limited number of test kits from a benefactor, said Tom Stanley, a founder of Cascade Living Group, which owns and operates Regency Park.

Stanley declined to disclose how many but said he and others are now trying to determine who will be screened with those limited supplies.

Regency Park is licensed to care for 118 residents in assisted living and 49 residents with dementia, although Stanley said its not at full capacity.

I want to get as many tests as I can get, he said. And I want to use them responsibly.

Stanley initially turned to Washington County after the outbreak began and asked the countys health department to test all Regency Park residents and employees.

Washington County officials say they do not have their own tests or access to a private lab and passed the request to the Oregon Health Authority.

We have elevated this to Oregon Health Authority, who indicated they currently do not have the resources to assist with this request, Wendy Gordon, a Washington County spokeswoman, said in a statement.

The state, in other words, said no.

Officials for the Oregon Health Authority said circumstances have dramatically changed since they authorized testing in Lebanon.

This is the right decision for where we are now, with over 300 positive cases statewide, said Lillian Shirley, the public health director for Oregon.

Shirley declined to say how the health authority would respond if it receives universal testing requests at other nursing homes or assisted living facilities. So far, officials have reported known cases at three other senior care facilities  one in Milwaukie, one in Beaverton and one at the states veterans home in The Dalles  and have been monitoring about three dozen care facilities across the state.

It depends upon the circumstances and it depends upon the risk that were seeing, Shirley said, noting that Oregon has about 600 care facilities and every one of them is probably at some threat for an outbreak.

We would have to use our best judgment, she said.

The Edward C. Allworth VeteransO Home in Lebanon, Oregon, where there is an outbreak of coronavirus. March 18, 2020. Beth Nakamura/Staff

EXACTLY WHAT WERE DOING AT THE VETERANS HOME

When state officials authorized testing in Lebanon two weeks ago, Oregons grasp on the coronavirus pandemic was in its infancy.

Two elderly men at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home tested positive March 11, taking the known cases in Oregon to 21. Commercial labs had barely begun testing and the Oregon State Public Health Lab was essentially the only lab able to analyze samples statewide, with 307 Oregonians screened at the time.

The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns the Lebanon nursing home, asked the state health authority to test everyone. Fearing the type of full-scale tragedy playing out near Seattle  where 65 people associated with a nursing home had been hospitalized and 26 had died at that point  the health authority authorized aggressive testing.

That meant collecting samples from 151 residents and about 225 employees.

Even though Oregons official guidance generally called for testing only symptomatic people who had been in close contact with a known COVID-19 patient, among other limited criteria, no one publicly batted an eye at the states decision to authorize blanket testing.

The decision came just days after Oregon nearly ran out of the testing supplies it initially received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reinforcements arrived just in time, allowing Oregons public lab to process tests for up to 4,800 people.

But the health authority declined to expand its testing eligibility at the state lab. In fact, state officials boasted they were tightly rationing supplies specifically for cases like the Lebanon outbreak.

The reason were not expanding the criteria at the state lab actually is to preserve the capability to do exactly what were doing at the veterans home, Patrick Allen, the Oregon Health Authority director, said during a press conference March 12.

We want to have that capacity to be able to do those critical kinds of incidents, he added, and be able to go in and provide a surge capacity to be able to accomplish that testing.

But even that promise of broad testing in Lebanon turned out to be overstated.

Within a week, all residents had been tested and 14 infections had been identified, making it Oregons largest known outbreak at a single location. One of those veterans eventually died.

For workers, its been a different story.

Veterans Affairs officials have said most employees have now been tested but wont provide the actual number or disclose how many have been infected.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that number could be five employees. At least two employees who tested positive said they were initially denied testing they requested, even though they reported having mild cold symptoms and said they were treating patients known to have COVID-19.

Those employees returned to the nursing home and continued working for about a week, until their symptoms worsened and they were cleared for testing.

The Oregon Health Authority is now downplaying its role in the Lebanon testing effort.

Officials say that while they offered testing, the state public health lab analyzed only some tests among the roughly 375 residents and staff, with many tests sent to commercial labs. State officials say they generally tried to process tests for symptomatic people but acknowledged some were likely asymptomatic.

Robb Cowie, an Oregon Health Authority spokesman, declined to provide a tally of how many residents had tests evaluated at the state lab.

Cowie said the health authority will not release that figure because state law protects the confidentiality of public health investigations. The same law also gives the agency discretion to release statistical compilations and reports that dont identify individual cases or sources of information.

The health authority, already under pressure from the media and Gov. Kate Brown to be more transparent, regularly releases the total number of people who have been tested: 5,649 at commercial labs and 1,620 at its own lab, through Thursday.

Disclosing a more narrow count of tests processed by the state from the Lebanon nursing home isnt required, Cowie argued, and could run afoul of the law.

Regency Park Assisted Living and Memory Care on March 23, 2020. Three residents and two employees of the facility have tested positive for COVID-19. Dave Killen / StaffThe Oregonian

VERY DIFFERENT TESTING ENVIRONMENT

As for Regency Park, state officials now say the public health lab is too busy to handle a flood of tests from a single location, possibly from people who may not even have symptoms.

Thats especially true as the state lab processes tests from a growing number of hospitalized Oregonians and other high-risk populations, said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state health officer and epidemiologist.

For Lebanon, that facility was a state-run facility, it was earlier on in the outbreak, and the Oregon State Public Health Lab was able to get that volume of specimens over several days to do the testing, he said.

This is a very different testing environment than we had even a week and half ago with Lebanon, he added, noting the growing availability of commercial testing.

Oregons advice to health care professionals discourages testing people who do not have symptoms or have only mild symptoms. That essentially mirrors federal guidance that lists people with mild symptoms as the lowest priority and asymptomatic people a non-priority.

Although Sidelinger said he hadnt personally been involved in discussions with Washington Countys health department, he said state officials have been told Regency Park found a testing solution as of Thursday.

State health officials are now working to ensure Regency Park can legally begin collecting test samples on site from residents or staff, since it doesnt currently have its own medical director.

They have the testing materials, and the staffing, and the labs identified to do the testing, and should be carrying it out, Sidelinger said. The state supports their approach.

But Stanley, who is overseeing Regency Parks response, said hed still like more tests.

All I can say is, wed love to have more people tested so we can have more information, he said.

Regency Park learned about its first COVID-19 case on March 19. An employee had gotten sick during a shift six days earlier and hadnt returned to work.

The facility announced March 21 that two residents had tested positive. Soon, a 90-year-old resident, Marcia Haug, had died and total cases tied to the center had grown to eight.

Stanley said residents in the two-story complex have been isolating in their apartments since the outbreak began, although walks in the halls are permitted with social distancing.

Employees deliver food daily to more than 100 residents, he said, and the facility is receiving a deep cleaning. Most residents are in their 80s, he said, and Regency Park is taking every precaution to keep people safe.

Washington County health officials told Stanley only symptomatic residents could get tested if sent to a hospital, he said. Stanley passed along that information to residents and their families in an online message, writing that It is simply not possible at the current time to test every resident and staff member.

Stanley reflected on the situation this week with understanding.

I dont want to be pejorative to Washington County. Theyve done what they can for us, he said of county officials passing his testing request to the state.

But theyre under limitations, as well.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Napa County Public Health reported Friday night Napa County's ninth cases of COVID-19 -- a St. Helena resident who is under isolation and quarantine orders.

The patient has a direct relationship with a previously confirmed case. Isolation and quarantine orders have been served and Napa County Public Health is conducting its investigation.

On Thursday night, the county announced an eighth confirmed case. This individual had close contact with a Southern California confirmed case, the county reported Thursday night.

Napa County had been the last Bay Area county to report a confirmed coronavirus case until Sunday when the first two were reported. A third was disclosed on Tuesday, then three on Wednesday. On Thursday, the county reported a seventh case, a resident of Calistoga, then an eighth in the evening.

This increase in confirmed cases coincides with the county ramping up testing.

Of the nine cases, four are City of Napa residents, with three from St. Helena, and one each from American Canyon and Calistoga, officials said. Seven of the eight individuals were reported to be in isolation and not requiring hospitalization, while the American Canyon resident is hospitalized out of county.

Health workers try to identify close contacts of each patient, the county said.

As of Friday morning, California had more than 4,000 confirmed cases, the U.S. more than 86,000, agencies report.

Editors note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to all online readers. If youd like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/.

You can reach Howard Yune at 707-256-2214 or hyune@napanews.com

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
U S President Donald Trump has signed an historic $2.2 trillion (1.78 trillion) coronavirus rescue package into law.

It came after the US Congress passed what has become the biggest economic relief bill in US history.

Strong majorities of both Democrats and Republicans on Friday voted in favour of the sweeping measure.

It aims to support the US economy and health care system left flailing by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

The package will ship payments of up to $1,200 (970) to millions of Americans, bolster unemployment benefits, offer loans, and grants and tax breaks to businesses.

It will also send billions more to states, local governments and the nation's all but overwhelmed health care system.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is flanked by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer as she displays the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid bill / REUTERS

Meanwhile, a surge in infections took the US total over 100,000 - the highest in the world - amid warnings that the pandemic is accelerating in cities like New York, Chicago and Detroit.

The worldwide total has topped 570,000, and the death toll has climbed to more than 25,000, while more than 127,000 have recovered.

President Donald Trump speaks during a bill signing ceremony for H.R. 748, the CARES Act in the Oval Office of the White House / Getty Images

"The American people deserve a government-wide, visionary, evidence-based response to address these threats to their lives and their livelihood. And they need it now," said House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Passage of came after Democratic and Republican leaders banded together and outmanoeuvred maverick Republican Thomas Massie, who tried delaying the bill.

Mr Trump tweeted that Mr Massie is "a third rate Grandstander" and said he should be drummed out of the party. "He is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!"

Friday's House session followed an extraordinary 96-0 Senate vote late on Wednesday.

The passing of the bill came after Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said the economy "may well be in recession" already, and the government reported a 3.3 million burst of weekly jobless claims, more than four times the previous record.

The US death toll from the virus rose to 1,300.

It is unlikely to be the end of the federal response.
Since March 7 with the announcement of two presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Montgomery County, county commissioners led by Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh have been at the forefront of slowing the pandemic progression in Pennsylvania.

Arkoosh has led the communication effort for the county, providing daily press briefings and detailing the spread of the virus through this suburban county of 800,000 people.

Within a few days of the first cases reported, it became obvious that Montgomery County was experiencing the spread of the disease at a faster rate than other places in Pennsylvania. By March 20, on the day a county-run testing site opened in Ambler, the total was 68 cases were reported compared to 16 in Bucks, 17 in Chester and 23 in Delaware counties.

On Saturday, March 21, an Abington man died, becoming the first COVID-19 fatality in the county, the fourth death in the state at that time. On Wednesday, March 25, the countys total number of cases was 159.

The spread of the disease and related developments have spiraled rapidly in Montgomery County. Schools were ordered closed here ahead of the state order. Similar directives closing businesses and telling people to stay home were ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf first for Montgomery and surrounding counties and extended to other counties during the past week.

The county has been at the regional epicenter of this crisis, and thus, its leaders have been in the spotlight.

Arkoosh has every day stepped up to the podium at the county Emergency Communications Center at Eagleville to face members of the press and the public watching a video feed on Facebook Live. She introduces the leadership team that is also present for each briefing: Commissioners Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. and Joseph C. Gale; Dr. Alvin Wang, regional EMS medical director; and Dr. Brenda Weis, administrator of the Office of Public Health.

In the three weeks since these briefings began, Arkoosh and county officials have exhibited calm, measured leadership through a developing crisis. Day in and day out, Arkoosh, who reminds people she is both a medical doctor and a mom, urges county residents to stay at home, wash their hands often and take care of themselves.

She has provided clear and concise information, answered pointed questions with straightforward answers, and repeatedly minded county residents that looking out for each other and demonstrating goodness is the way forward, no matter how frightening the escalation of cases appears.

On Wednesday, Arkoosh said there have been some reports of racial profiling of Asian residents of the county, using the opportunity to remind people that prejudicial behavior will not be tolerated. We will beat this virus by working together as a community, not by falsely blaming any individual or group. By sticking together, six-feet apart, we are Montco strong, she said at the daily briefing, referencing the six-feet apart standard to prevent disease spread.

As a medical doctor, Arkoosh understands the science of this spread, and as part of a local community, she knows not to overwhelm people.

To emphasize the importance of social distancing and mitigation, the commissioners shared a graphic that showed that without social distancing, one person with COVID-19 is estimated to infect 2.5 people. So over a 30-day period, that one person with no social distancing measures could potentially infect 406 people, Arkoosh said. If we can reduce that exposure by 50 percent, so now that one person infects 1.25 people, by 30 days there have only been a total of 15 people infected.  You can see what a dramatic difference it can make right here in our community if we all just stay home, unless absolutely necessary.

The coronavirus crisis is unprecedented in our lifetimes, and Montgomery Countys unfortunate spot at the center of it in this region can be daunting.

It is at times like this when intelligent, empathetic leadership is most needed. Trust in the accuracy of information being shared and transparency in its delivery is critical to public compliance with the steps needed to slow the spread of this disease.

Arkoosh and the commissioners have risen to that task.
In a speech on Monday, prime minister Pedro Sanchez implied that it would be irrational for Brussels to refuse his requests for aid in dealing with the economic impact of Covid-19. The Socialist leader has a point: what does the EU think it's for if not to help its member states when they're in dire straits?

Outside help, especially in dealing with costly crises, is often necessary for economies as fragile as Spain's. The Spanish government leaned on the EU in 2012, for example, when it received a huge bailout to save the country's stricken banking sector. Now, when the stakes are much higher, Spain should also expect and receive financial assistance from Brussels.

In a reference to the aid package given to Western Europe by the US after World War II, named after US Secretary of State George Marshall, Sanchez has requested that Brussels implement a "major Marshall Plan".

Combined with an emergency package of 200 billion to be provided by his Socialist government, this would give Spain a decent chance of withstanding the pandemic's economic impact, which is likely to be significant. This week, the Bank of Spain said that the rapid spread of the virus, coupled with the lockdown imposed to try to halt it, has already "drastically" altered GDP growth forecasts for 2020.

Given the urgency of the economic and sanitary situations, especially after a week in which Spain's fatality rate surpassed China's, progress needs to speed up. A meeting among the eurozone's finance ministers on Tuesday yielded broad agreement that aid should be provided to badly hit countries such as Spain and Italy, perhaps in the form of allowing them to borrow up to 2% of their GDP from the European Stability Mechanism.

Issues concerning repayment aside, the main problem here is that sums need to be tailored to differing economies, as indeed they were in the Marshall Plan (in which the UK was the largest single recipient of aid between 1948 and 1951). Y

et in the current crisis, perhaps there is less differentiation to factor in than usual - certainly less than there is when devising annual deficit-reduction targets, a challenge that the EU ineffectively addresses by setting the same goal for each country. Although a more nuanced approach is required when working out aid packages for countries struggling with Covid-19, the big problems - employment, productivity, healthcare - are likely to be the same across the bloc.

Hopefully, an action plan will emerge from a meeting of EU leaders due to be held on the day of writing (Thursday). If we're at war with this fast-moving, destructive virus, to use Sanchez's preferred metaphor, the EU can't be neutral bystander, nor can it be sluggish in launching its counter-attack.
LEONARDTOWN, Md.

(March 27, 2020)St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) and St. Mary's County Health Department (SMCHD) are coordinating efforts to launch a COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group. A thorough understanding of the rapidly evolving science of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is critical to the public health and medical management of the pandemic. The advisory group engages scientists from SMCM and the community to analyze emerging COVID-19 research and review its implications on local decision-making.Biologists, physicians, statisticians, and other scientists will monitor virus behavior and evolution, viral infectivity and transmission, clinical diagnostics and treatments, and innovative public health strategies."During these unusual times, it is imperative that we look to our nation's esteemed scientists for answers and guidance as we work to stem the global spread of COVID-19, and understand the ever-evolving impact of this pandemic. I have confidence in the talented scientists here at St. Mary's College of Maryland and in St. Mary's County, and know that together the task force can contribute significantly to these efforts," said St. Mary's College President Tuajuanda C. Jordan."Keeping abreast of the science of COVID-19 is so important to public health and medical decision-making." said Dr. Meena Brewster, Health Officer for St. Mary's County. "We welcome the expertise of SMCM faculty and community scientists as we identify new strategies to address this pandemic locally."Scientific experts in the community who are interested in assisting with the COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Group should email covid19science@smcm.eduWe're tracking all official Southern Maryland COVID-19 information releases at
Amid the ongoing global Coronavirus pandemic, Israel, on Thursday, thanked it's loyal friend India for evacuating Israeli nationals during the pan-India lockdown. Israel's Ambassador to India, Ron Malka, thanked the Indian government for safely evacuating Israelis.

"Today, we are evacuating 317 Israelis. On another flight tomorrow, 200 more Israelis will be evacuated. The Indian government has helped us a lot. I want to thank them," he stated while interacting with a news agency.

"Israel took dramatic measures from the beginning when this crisis started. The situation there is under control," the envoy added.

A crew member onboard the flight to Israel stated that all the necessary precautions are being taken to ensure the safety and health of the passengers. "We are not going to interact with passengers. We are just going to take them safely," he said.

Earlier in the day, news agency ANI had reported that Air India will evacuate over 300 Israeli nationals from New Delhi to Tel Aviv on Friday, amid the coronavirus outbreak situation which has claimed over 18,000 lives globally. Boeing 777 AI-139 planes have been deployed for the evacuation operation.

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Finance Minister announces Rs.1.7 lakh crore relief package

India sees a rise in COVID-19 cases

According to the latest figure available on Thursday, India has so far reported 694 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, 14 people have so far died due to the deadly virus.

READ | Israeli Defence Ministry launches voice-based mobile app to help detect COVID-19 symptoms

PM Modi announces 21-day pan-India lockdown

Amid the rising Coronavirus cases in India, PM Modi on Tuesday, announced a 21-day lockdown throughout India starting at midnight on Tuesday. He said that 21 days were necessary for breaking the transmission cycle of the pandemic. The 21-day curfew applies to all states, districts, and villages - irrespective of whether they are currently under curfew or not.

"From midnight, across the country, there will be countrywide lockdown in India. There will be a complete restriction of leaving out from the residence. All districts, villages will be locked down. This is curfew only -a stricter curfew than Janta curfew. We have to bear economic consequences because of this. But to save every Indian's life at this time is my and the government's responsibility," said PM Modi.

READ | Israeli government warns of fatalities as virus numbers rise

READ | Video: Israeli man walks his dog via drone amid coronavirus crisis

(With inputs from ANI)
- Additional reporting by PA

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has tested positive for the Coronavirus, Covid-19.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of Englands Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

He is continuing to lead the governments response to coronavirus.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus.



I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus.



Together we will beat this. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/9Te6aFP0Ri  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 27, 2020

In a video on his Twitter account, the Prime Minister confirmed the announcement.

Mr Johnson said he had developed a temperature and a persistent cough.

He added: Im working from home and self-isolating and thats entirely the right thing to do.

But, be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

I want to thank everybody involved and, of course, our amazing NHS staff.

A number of politicians took to Twitter to wish the Prime Minister a full recovery.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott tweeted: I dont wish anyone ill.

"I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery. I hope everyone in coming days gets the care and medical attention they need.

I don't wish anyone ill.

I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery.

I hope everyone in coming days gets the care and medical attention they need https://t.co/anDWB3m1xe  Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) March 27, 2020

World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted: Please take good care PM @BorisJohnson. I wish you an easy recovery. Thank you for calling on your nation to follow @NHSuks guidance. Your leadership and commitment to beating the #coronavirus are key to saving lives in.

Please take good care PM @BorisJohnson. I wish you an easy recovery. Thank you for calling on your nation to follow @NHSuks guidance. Your leadership and commitment to beating the #coronavirus are key to saving lives in . Together! https://t.co/CvWfIULD2D  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 27, 2020

It is thought Boris Johnson last saw the Queen on March 11 when the monarch held her weekly audience with the Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace.

Their following meeting, held on March 18, was conducted via telephone as have their subsequent conversations.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed the Queen last saw Mr Johnson just over two weeks ago.

He said: Her Majesty the Queen remains in good health. The Queen last saw the Prime Minister on the 11th March and is following all the appropriate advice with regards to her welfare."

The spokesman said Mr Johnson was self-isolating in his flat above Number 11 Downing Street.

Number 11 in its entirety will serve as the Prime Ministers office and his home  he lives above Number 11 in the flat.

The doors between Number 10 and Number 11 have been closed off to all other staff who work in the building.

The PM will work from the office and the study in Number 11, which has been kindly vacated by the Chancellor.

Full video conferencing facilities have been installed in those downstairs rooms in Number 11.

All Number 10 staff will observe Public Health England guidelines on contact with the PM and will of course remain two metres apart from him at all times if they were to have any contact.

Cabinet Ministers may need to self

Asked whether the chief medical officer and senior ministers have been tested, the spokesman said: In Number 10 we have been observing the advice on social distancing

We have wherever possible been using video conferencing.

He added: We have been taking steps and following the same advice which we have given to the public.

Asked whether Rishi Sunak, Michael Gove and Matt Hancock had been tested, the spokesman said: Im not aware of any further testing.

The position is that if people were to start to display symptoms then the advice would be that they needed to self-isolate.

More to follow.
Vietnam requests China to respect its sovereignty and take no actions that escalate tensions and complicate the situation, affecting peace and stability in the East Sea and the region,

as well as efforts of countries in negotiations of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang

Hang made the remarks at the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on March 26, while answering reporters queries regarding Vietnams response to Chinese medias information about Chinas launch of two research stations on Fiery Cross and Subi Reefs of Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

She reiterated that Vietnam has sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence testifying its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagos in line with international law.

Therefore, all activities on those islands must have Vietnams permission, the spokesperson stressed.

Regarding Taiwan (China)s live-fire drill around Ba Binh (Itu Aba) island in Truong Sa, Hang described the exercise as an action that has seriously violated Vietnams territorial sovereignty over the archipelago, threatened peace, stability, safety and security of navigation, caused tensions and complicated the situation in the East Sea.

Vietnam absolutely opposes and requests Taiwan not to repeat such violation in the future, she said./.VNA
Discount pharmacies have boarded up their shopfronts and will ban customers from entering stores following a series of heated exchanges and panic buying during the coronavirus pandemic.

Superpharmacy, which has stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, will also take the temperature of staff before each shift to ensure they don't spread COVID-19.

All of its employees will also have to wear face masks and gloves.

Scroll down for video

Discount pharmacies have boarded up their shopfronts and will ban customers from entering stores following a series of heated exchanges and panic buying during the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured is Superpharmacy's Hornsby store in Sydney's north on March 27

Superpharmacy, which has stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will also take the temperature of staff before each shift to ensure they don't spread COVID-19

With demand at unprecedented levels, the chemist chain has hired 95 people during the past three weeks to work in its Sydney warehouse and process online orders.

Its national staff count has surged by a third from 165 to 220 since authorities in China announced a coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan in January.

The company's Hornsby store, in Sydney's north, has boarded up the front door so customers will now have to place their prescriptions through a small window and collect them from another service counter opening in the wall.

Superpharmacy general manager Christian Todd said the public would no longer be allowed inside the stores and banknote transactions would be banned.

'Customers will present at the window to have their order taken and runners inside will collect the order,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'We already have put in place an EFTPOS-only policy.

'As I am sure you are aware previous studies have shown cash to have more bacteria on it than a toilet door handle.'

As Superpharmacy's Hornsby store was being boarded up on Wednesday night, Daily Mail Australia witnessed a customer at a nearby Chemist Warehouse get abusive with staff when she was told there would no longer be refunds.

Mr Todd said his own customers had reacted aggressively to the cash ban.

The company's Hornsby store, in Sydney's north, has boarded up the shopfront so customers will now have to place their prescriptions through a small window (pictured) and collect them from another service counter opening in the wall

'This EFTPOS-only policy has angered quite a lot of customers and we have had some heated incidents at this site and our other sites around the country for people who prefer to deal in cash,' he said.

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

Mr Todd said panic buyers had disregarded new rules requiring 1.5 metres between people, forcing it to close off the store to the public.

'What we have witnessed by some customers is a panicked disregard for the elderly, often barging past them in the race for the box of Panadol or bottle of Vitamin C,' he said.

'Hopefully the customers will adhere to the social distance guidelines outside the windows but not all do and we have witnessed some heated interactions between customers.'

Staff will also be required to have their temperature taken at the start of every shift.

'If their temp is too high they are required to go home,' he said.

'All staff wear masks and gloves.

Superpharmacy general manager Christian Todd said the public would no longer be allowed inside the stores and banknote transactions would be banned. Pictured is the Hornsby store on March 25

'We are instituting extensive hygiene measures. Our staff all have their temperature taken with a touchless thermometer when they turn up for work.'

Superpharmacy has also set up a special home delivery service for the elderly.

'Pharmacies like doctors surgeries or hospitals can be full of the acutely unwell and/or people with underlying chronic health conditions that compromise the immune system,' Mr Todd said.

'For that reason we are contacting all of our customers who are the most at risk with COVID-19.

'Giving them a specific phone number to order thorugh and setting up special delivery runs so that they do not have to leave their homes.'

Superpharmacy's website was taken down earlier this week and went live on Friday as a relaunched site.

Superpharmacy has also set up a special home delivery service for the elderly
Workers are seen unloading supplies from a truck wearing protective equipment to be loaded onto the MSC Magnifica berthed at the Fremantle Passenger Terminal in Fremantle, Australia, on March 24, 2020. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

China-Backed Firm Shipped Out Australias Medical Supplies in Bulk Amid CCP Virus Outbreak: Report

A Chinese state-backed property developer in Sydney reportedly stockpiled essential medical supplies from Australia and other countries where the company operates, and shipped them back to China.

The Greenland Group, which manages property developments worldwide with the backing of the Chinese government, hoarded 3 million face masks, hand sanitizer, half a million pairs of gloves, 700,000 hazmat suits, thermometers, and other medical items that have been in short supply in the country, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

A whistleblower from the property giant told the news outlet fellow employees in Australia, Canada, Turkey and elsewhere were told to cease normal work, and instead source essential medical supplies in bulk to be stored at its Sydney headquarters, for shipment to China throughout January and February.

Basically all employees, the majority of whom are Chinese, were asked to source whatever medical supplies they could, the Greenland Group insider said. There were numerous requests from the HR manager and even our direct reporting line [which] prioritized the assisting of the company in gathering these supplies over other work activities.

The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the claims, however the companywhich was founded in Shanghai in 1992told the Herald in a statement it had shipped supplies from Sydney to China.

The property giant said it felt compelled to assist in efforts to help battle the outbreak of the CCP virus.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

As such, Greenland Group initiated a drive for medical supplies, and provided accommodation services for front-line medical staff in China via the companys hotel group, the statement read.

Greenland Australia supported Greenland Groups initiative by arranging for medical supplies to be dispatched to China. Again, it should be noted that this proactive response occurred in late January and early February, at a time when the worldwide spread of the virus, and all response efforts, were focused on China.

The Herald reported that a second Sydney-based Chinese property company, Risland Australia, shipped 80 tons of medical supplies to China in late February. Supplies included 100,000 protective coveralls and 900,000 pairs of medical gloves.

Meanwhile, Australia is struggling with a shortage of medical supplies as COVID-19 cases surged to at least 3,143 on Friday with 13 deaths.

In response to the claims, the Australian Medical Association on Thursday warned that the nation must protect its medical supplies and equipment.

As CCP virus cases continue to rise in the country, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday tightened enforcement on self-isolation for thousands of citizens returning from overseas, saying arrivals in all states and territories would be quarantined in hotels.

The Australian Defence Force would also be deployed to help enforce the self-isolation rules, Morrison said.
YouTube CPAC

UPDATE 10 a.m.

What happened: Federal government unveils new supports for small businesses, including significant boost to wage subsidy

Why it matters: The government says measures will be more effective at keeping workers on the payroll

Ottawas previously announced wage subsidy for small businesses is getting a massive boost from 10% to 75%.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged Friday (March 27) the government needed to do much more to help small businesses keep workers on the payroll.

Were helping companies keep people on the payroll so workers are supported and the economy is positioned to recover from this, he said during his daily briefing outside his home in Ottawa.

Critics had taken aim at the previous 10% subsidy, noting it paled in comparison to parallel subsidies in European nations, and would not be nearly enough to support workers and small businesses as the economy grinds to a halt amid the pandemic.

Changes to the subsidy will be backdated to March 15.

Trudeau also announced a Canada Emergency Business Account, allowing banks to offer $40,000 loans guaranteed by government to eligible businesses that will come interest-free for the first year.

Under certain conditions, $10,000 of the loan will be forgivable.

Export Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada will be receiving $12.5 billion in additional funding to help SMBs with cashflow, the prime minister said.

Trudeau also revealed government would defer GST and HST payments as well as duties and taxes owed on imports until June.

This is the equivalent of giving $30 billion in interest-free loans to businesses, he said.

More details, such as the number of businesses and workers that could benefit from the new measures, will be forthcoming hopefully by Monday, Trudeau said.

The announcements from the prime minister come hours after the Bank of Canada unexpectedly cut its overnight rate to 0.25%  the lowest level in a decade.

Tyler Orton, Business in Vancouver

UPDATE 8:53 a.m.

Trudeau says the government needs to hammer out the details around how supports for small businesses will be implemented, which he hopes to provide by Monday.

Trudeau says these are exceptional times and that the government needs to step up and support Canadians at a time when the economy is nearly at a halt.

Asked about paying for the measures, the prime minister says the government's economic foundations were strong before the pandemic and he expressed confidence the economy will bounce back after COVID passes.

-with files from the Canadian Press

UPDATE 8:25 a.m.

Prime Minister Trudeau announces modifications to previously announce financial measures, including suspension of the GST and HST and upping the amount of money offered to Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses impacted by job losses to 75 per cent, backdated to March 15, 2020.

The federal government is launching a special account for small businesses, offering interest-free loans and billions more in assistance on cash-flow.

Trudeau says helping Canadians will also help the Canadian economy and put Canada in a better position to recover once the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

ORIGINAL 7:53 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to address the nation this morning at 8:15 a.m. Pacific time in what has become a daily occurrence from Ottawa.

Canada has been gradually raising its isolation requests since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China's Hubei province in January, starting with arrivals from Hubei in early February, extending it to Iran and Italy in early March, and then to every arrival on March 15. Until now it was a request. Now it is an order.
WASHINGTON  After providing nearly $26 billion in aid to farmers over the past few years to offset losses from President Trumps trade war with China, the administration now has another giant new pot of money to pass out to them with little or no oversight, courtesy of the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package.

The legislation, given final passage by the House on Friday and quickly signed into law by Mr. Trump, allocates as much as $23.5 billion in assistance for farmers and gives broad leeway to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to direct it where he sees fit.

The money was inserted into the bill by senators from farm states after an intense lobbying push by major corporate farming groups. Parts of the industry are suffering immediate hits from the coronavirus outbreak, such as corn growers who have seen prices for ethanol plummet and mom-and-pop suppliers of farm markets that have closed in many cities.

But unlike industries such as airlines, hotels and automakers, which have largely or completely shut down, most farms are still operating. And sales of some products in the industry have surged as worried consumers stock up, generating shortages of meat, chicken, eggs and flour.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:54:05|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

WINDHOEK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to have contracted by 1.1 percent in 2019 from a moderately positive growth rate on 0.7 percent in 2018, central bank's annual report released Friday shows.

According to the report, the dismal performance in 2019 was mainly ascribed to the declines in the output of the mining, agriculture, electricity and water, retail trade and public sectors.

"The domestic economy is expected to have contracted in 2019 mainly due to slower activity in the primary industry and some sectors in the secondary and tertiary industries," the report said.

The report states that the stock of international reserves declined in nominal terms but remained above adequate levels recording 4.1 months of import cover at the end of December 2019.
(L-R) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer hold a meeting to discuss a potential economic bill in response to the coronavirus, COVID-19, in Washington, DC, on March 20, 2019. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

Small businesses facing payroll tax payments will get some relief from Congress  the option of deferring payment to Uncle Sam until next year. In particular, the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill will permit small businesses to defer their share of Social Security payroll taxes in 2020. Payroll taxes are shared by workers and their employers, so that each pays 6.2% toward Social Security and 1.45% toward Medicare. Sole proprietorships would also qualify. The relief package passed on Friday afternoon. Firms that defer their Social Security payroll taxes will have until the end of 2021 to pay the first half of the deferred levies. The remaining tax liability will be due by Dec. 31, 2022.

This is just one of many provisions aimed at small businesses in the bill. Lawmakers also included a loan program that will allow companies to borrow up to $10 million to help pay employees and cover other expenses  and an employee retention credit to incentivize firms to keep workers. But while tax deferral provides immediate relief to companies this year, experts are concerned that those levies could pile up and strain firms' balance sheets, especially if a recession is ahead. "The concern, especially with small businesses, is that you can pile up an awful lot of tax debt in nine months," said Pete Isberg, vice president of ADP, a payroll company in Roseland, N.J. "It gets to be a significant amount if you're a mid-sized or a small business," he said. "You generate a perception of an insurmountable debt for some folks if they're not careful."

Freeing up liquidity

Thomas Barwick



At first blush, deferring payment on 6.2% of wages may not sound like much, yet it adds up over time. A small business that pays an employee $1,000 in weekly wages could save $2,418 over the remainder of the year, said Stephen Dombroski, senior payroll tax compliance manager at Paychex in Rochester, N.Y. "The intention is to allow the employer to have access to those funds to be able to pay employees and people on staff," he said. Employers are still on the hook for paying the 1.45% of wages that goes toward funding Medicare.

Is it right for you?

Jetta Productions Inc
The Indiana Department of Education issued new guidance this week encouraging local schools to consider re-opening their doors to serve the children of first responders and health care workers during this period of extended social distancing, and Holcomb signed a new executive order Thursday waiving time and sibling home child care requirements to increase services for school-age children.

In Lake County, Lake Area United Way plans to help eligible, low-income health care workers fund child care through partnerships with The Foundations of East Chicago and NiSource Charitable Foundation.

Health care employees living in East Chicago, Gary or Hammond and working for Methodist Hospitals, Franciscan Hospitals or hospitals in the Community Healthcare System are encouraged to reach out to their local human resources department for more information.

"We are only beginning to feel the effects of COVID-19," Lake Area United Way CEO Lisa Daugherty said in the news release. "There is already a substantial increase in demand for child care, food and rent. People are concerned about keeping their jobs and paying their bills."
Actor Mark Blum attends the Roundabout Theater 2005 Spring Gala at Chelsea Piers, in New York City, on April 11, 2005. (Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

Desperately Seeking Susan Star Mark Blum Dies From CCP Virus Complications

Actor Mark Blum, who starred in Desperately Seeking Susan, Crocodile Dundee, and the Netflix series You, died on March 25 from CCP virus complications, his wife confirmed.

My husband passed away yesterday, March 25, from complications from the coronavirus. He died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, said his wife Janet Zarish in an email to Fox News.

Blum was 69.

He most recently acted on the HBO series Succession, Amazons Mozart in the Jungle, and the Netflix series You in supporting roles and was a regular player with the off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons in New York.

Playwrights Horizons and SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon confirmed Blums death on Thursday and paid tribute to him.

It is with such deep sorrow that Im writing to share the news that our friend and former board member Mark Blum has passed away as a result of complications from the coronavirus, Damon tweeted.

Mark was a dedicated Screen Actors Guild and SAG-AFTRA board member serving from 2007-2013, a passionate champion for a merger, and a tireless advocate for members. Those of us lucky enough to have known him will treasure our memories of a gifted actor, a master teacher, a loyal friend, and a beautiful human.

Playwrights Horizons tweeted: With love and heavy hearts, Playwrights Horizons pays tribute to Mark Blum, a dear longtime friend and a consummate artist who passed this week. Thank you, Mark, for all you brought to our theater, and to theaters and audiences across the world. We will miss you.

A New Jersey native, Blum started acting on stage in the 1970s and received an Obie Award for his performance in the Playwrights Horizons production of Albert Innauratos Gus and Al.

Rosanna Arquette, who played Blums wife in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan told TheWrap: Im sad about this. He was really very kind, was always supportive and funny, a gentleman and a great actor who loved the work. Im so sad for his family and all the people who love him. This is a tragedy on so many levels. Rest in peace and power Mark Blum.

Madonna also paid tribute to Blum on her Instagram: I want to acknowledge the passing of a remarkable human, fellow actor, and friend Mark Blum, who succumbed to coronavirus. This is really tragic and my heart goes out to him, his family, and his loved ones. I remember him as funny warm, loving, and professional when we made Desperately Seeking Susan in 1985!

She added: Another reminder that this virus is no joke, nothing to be casual about or pretend wont affect us in some way. We need to stay gratefulbe hopefulhelp each other and follow the quarantine rules!

According to WTSP, the CCP virus has sickened Broadway veterans including Gavin Creel, Aaron Tveit, and Laura Bell Bundy and composer David Bryan.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit costumer Josh Wallwork also died this week from CCP virus complications at age 45.

NTD News refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

From NTD News
Kollam: An IAS officer in Kerala has 'skipped' home quarantine after his return from Singapore nearly ten days ago and seems to have left for Bengaluru to be with his brother, prompting the state government to seek an explanation from him, a top district official said on Friday.

Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra had returned to the state on March 19 from Singapore and was advised to remain under home quarantine, as per the protocol for overseas returnees in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak, district collector B Abdul Nasser said.

The bureaucrat from Uttar Pradesh was on leave after his marriage and had taken permission to travel to Malaysia and Singapore.

"On his return I advised him to remain under home quarantine. Seems like he left to be with his family at Bengaluru," Nasser told reporters.

He said the state government has sought an explanation in this regard.

"We have asked him to provide his current address and travel details to Bengaluru. On his return to Kerala from the foreign trip, he had undergone, medical examination and did not show symptoms. His close family and personal staff, including the gunman, are under observation," the collector said.

He, however, did not share any detail about other family members of the officer and whether they too had been put under home quarantine.

Local media reports said people in Mishra's neighbourhood informed officials after noticing no movement in his home for quite some time.

Incidentally, Kollam, is the only district in the state, which has not reported any positive case of COVID-19 so far.
Decenas de tractores fumigan comercios y calles rurales para combatir la pandemia que ha cobrado miles de vidas en Espana. Alrededor del 25% de la poblacion en los campos de Espana tienen mas de 65 anos.

More than 700 dead in a single day.

Fermin Menendez repeated the figure over and over again, as if to convince himself that it was real. He found it hard to believe that the coronavirus crisis had reached such numbers in Spain.

"Let's get rid of the bug," Menendez, 40, one of a group of farmers in Spain who volunteer to drive their tractors loaded with disinfectant through villages and towns to help fight the virus, said this week.

People with backpacks loaded with liquid disinfectant are sent where tractors cannot reach. All are country people, and none are paid for their work. The disinfections began March 15, after officials announced a state of alert that placed 47.1 million people in Spain in confinement.

Spanish officials said as of Friday the coronavirus had killed more than 4,850 people in the nation and infected more than 64,100. Officials had said Wednesday that 738 new deaths recorded that day had pushed Spain past China, where the coronavirus began, in total deaths.

Wearing masks, gloves and white suits, the farmers prepare themselves and take their own precautions to avoid falling victim to the coronavirus. The image of these Spanish peasants is almost identical to the scenes that, just a few weeks ago, were broadcast from China with people spraying the subway cars, shops and streets.

In Spain, the countryside faces unique challenges in the face of the pandemic. Rural communities are the oldest in the country, where nearly 30 out of every 100 inhabitants residing in the 5,872 rural municipalities are over the age of 65.

"There is a totally inverted population pyramid. There are many more elderly people than young people, and life expectancy is among the highest in the world. That in itself has its own repercussions," says Emilio Garcia, mayor of Parres, one of the 78 councils in Asturias, the region where Menendez and the other volunteers in his group operate.

Asturias, in northern Spain, had recorded at least 29 deaths and more than 900 people infected as of Friday. It is the region with the highest percentage of people 65 and over in Spain, according to the Department of Population of the Spanish National Research Council.

Story continues

In addition to his duties as mayor, Garcia has made many phone calls to the elderly.

"The fear is great; all these people feel in the front line. We try to take care of them as much as possible, but the anxiety, fear and questions increase," said Garcia, who implemented the Count on Me program to assist the elderly with basic tasks.

The silence that seems to invade everything is broken when Menendez and his companions arrive to fumigate the streets. The thunderous sound of tractors and the bleach that falls on the sidewalks, the banks, the shops, is received by the neighbors as a shower of hope in these villages.

On Menendez's radio, a Roy Orbison song plays: Anything you want, you got it. Anything you need, you got it. Anything at all, you got it. Baby...

The tune cheers up his soul, but not as much as the applause of the neighbors who are grateful for the disinfection work.

Lucia Velasco, who founded Ganaderas Asturianas, an organization that started as a WhatsApp group and is now an association with more than 130 female farmers, said some issues related to the business of farming have been set aside for now.

"Now our main concern is to get out of this nightmare," Velasco said.

Throughout Spain, hundreds of farmers and tractors are fighting against COVID-19. The Emergency Military Unit has trained farmers of the province of Leon on how to use their tractors for massive disinfection work in the villages, thus unloading the enormous work of the soldiers of this specialized army unit onto the farmers. In Extremadura, farmers from Merida have volunteered to disinfect the streets of the city.

Menendez his colleagues on Wednesday sprayed about 10,000 liters of disinfectant  water with 2% bleach. With the work of disinfecting the streets, a new crisis has emerged: a severe lack of bleach.

The neighbors have faced the shortage in a supportive manner. One, two, three liters, the residents of the villages reach out to the farmers with what they have in their homes and donate it so that they can continue their work.

Because of the pandemic, the days are exhausting in hospitals, in nursing homes, but also in the countryside. The volunteers' days are extended to more than five hours disinfecting communities, and after that almost everyone returns to their daily tasks: milking their cows and preparing food for the cattle.

The fatigue is already too much. Almost at midnight one day, Menendez turned off his tractor. In a couple of days, he would return to the villages to disinfect again.
Eventually, when we all come out of our caves, I want to to hang the blankets like banners, said Ms. Lou. The works of art will become a record of our days and time and a kind of monument to this extraordinary moment.

Her gallery, Lehmann Maupin, with locations in New York, Hong Kong and Seoul, is committed to making the results accessible digitally and exploring ways to exhibit the blankets together, according to Rachel Lehmann, the gallery co-founder. Ms. Lous work, which sells there typically in the range of $100,000 to $500,000, has in recent years been acquired by institutions, including the Albright-Knox in Buffalo, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Mo., and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Its clear to me why shes the first artist on our roster to jump into a community project because she has been doing it successfully in South Africa for 15 years now, Ms. Lehmann said, referring to the collective the artist founded in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. There, she works with several dozen women from townships on large-scale beaded installations, including one called Continuous Mile, a coiled cylinder of rope measuring a mile in length and sewn with more than 4.5 million black beads.
Recognizing outstanding staff All Hands on Deck is a new series profiling staff members working tirelessly behind the scenes to help Emory continue its academic and health care missions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Know someone we should consider? Email suggestions to l.douglasbrown@emory.edu.

Working around the clock under unprecedented circumstances, university and health care staff members are keeping Emorys vital enterprise running and providing support whenever and wherever needed.

They are helping students and faculty transition to remote learning, staffing COVID-19 information lines, conducting Zoom counseling sessions, creating graphics about the proper way to use personal protective gear, directing snarled hospital traffic, providing free restaurant meals to front-line medical teams, and so much more.

While essential employees are still working on campus and in Emorys many health care settings in Atlanta and across the state, other staff members are sheltering in place at home, working remotely to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. Some are doing their given jobs; others are volunteering to help colleagues who are overwhelmed.

Here are just a few of their stories as Emory launches a new weekly series profiling staff members across the university who are going above and beyond during this challenging time.

Supporting transitioning students

It was the empty vending machines in the residence halls that got to Dana Tottenham. On March 11, students received an email that spring break was extended by one week until March 22. Students were told that residential learning would be suspended for the remainder of the semester while the university remained open and transitioned to remote learning.

It was all hands on deck to support the team, says Tottenham, senior associate director of global internships for Emory College, who volunteered to help her friends and colleagues Sherry Ebrahimi, director of conference services and housing administration, and Elaine Turner, senior director of housing operations, as they got Emory students moved out of the residence halls. We had 11 days to make this transition a reality.

Turner has been on the front lines managing the creation of almost every form students had to fill out.

She got the housing exemption form up and running in about 10 hours as well as the What to do with my stuff form that led to the process of packing and storing students things if they didnt come back to campus or needed to leave without packing, says Scott Rausch, senior director of residence life. She has been leading the teams of folks that have been going building to building packing, shipping and storing students belongings. And she has been managing the facilities upkeep.

Ebrahimi answered more than 1,000 inquiries that came into the housing email inbox, assuaging fears and helping students solve problems. She was the primary driver in determining who would stay on campus and where they would be assigned.

This has been particularly tricky as information has changed several times due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Sherry has worked to communicate these changes, even when the news hasnt always been positive, says Rausch. She has rallied volunteers, spoken to countless students and parents and worked to make sure her staff were safe. Just plain awesome.

Some students had nowhere to go, so they requested for Emory to house them temporarily, and the team had to move them out of their existing rooms and consolidate them all into one residential building  but space them out per CDC guidelines. Some are international students who, with the borders now closed, cannot get back home.

Building supervisor staff, complex directors, and the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life coordinators assisted students in moving and are providing care for students who needed to remain. They moved 4,000 students out and relocated the other 400 in just over a week, Rausch notes.

Our team is stronger than ever because we have risen to the occasion to complete this Herculean task, says Ebrahimi. Personally, it is my love and commitment to our students that keep me here late every night and early every morning. Anything we can do to take stress off of our students during these unprecedented times is a pleasure.

Remote support sessions

The fear is real but so is the courage, says Gordon Tuttle, a psychologist with Emory Faculty Staff Assistance Program. Staff working in health care directly with COVID-19 patients are, of course, experiencing personal fear for themselves and their families, Tuttle says. But they are also showing extreme resilience and bravery. It is as inspiring as it is heavy. There are acts of true heroism.

The Emory Faculty Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences are coordinating to offer remote group stress debriefing and support sessions. Also, Spiritual Health staff at Emory Healthcare are providing support in person for those who request it.

Requests for group support have increased, says FSAP clinical social worker Robin Huskey, manager of education and outreach. Several departments have called for support and stress management sessions.

"We invite employees to share how theyre doing, whats been challenging and what is working well to shift the focus more to resilience," Huskey explains. "For example, employees share strategies of how they are navigating remote work with children at home. Facilitators offer tips and encourage creative ideas for team connection during this time of physical distancing.

I think the additional challenge in interacting with patients and each other is a pressure not to show fear or vulnerability, Tuttle says. FSAP counselors have been using HIPAA compliant Zoom sessions to counsel groups across campus and beyond, from health care providers to IT staff.

Staff members across Emory are sharing feelings of disorientation from sheltering in place at home, with decreasing ways to destress, says Tuttle, as everyone transitions to a new normal.

Contact FSAP at efsap@emory.edu to arrange group sessions or call 404-727-WELL (9355) for free individual counseling, which can be done remotely by phone or video conferencing. The Department of Psychiatry is offering free 30-minute consultations to individuals from Emory University or Emory Healthcare (sign up here).

A site for medical teams using personal protective gear

As Michael Konomos, visual medical education team leader for the School of Medicine, well knows, a picture can often be worth a thousand words, especially when trying to keep health care workers and, in turn, their patients, safe.

Everything is ultimately for the patient, no matter who we are teaching, he says. Thats why I love what we do.

Emorys Visual Medical Education team and Library and Information Technology Services (LITS) assisted the School of Medicine and Emorys Serious Communicable Diseases Program in the creation of a set of graphics and videos that instruct medical personnel on the conservation and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The site can be found at med.emory.edu/PPE.

Emory is part of the National Emerging Special Pathogen Training and Education Center (NETEC). The NETEC Resource Repository was created and is maintained by LITS, and provides free access to a database of up-to-date education and training resources, including webinars, online courses, research articles and printable posters to help train and prepare U.S. health care facilities for emerging threats.

It was a true team effort, says Konomos, who led the VME efforts and video and flyer production: Sonia Bell led the Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU) efforts, and nurse leaders from SCDU were all in the discussions about protocols and would approve the work or offer corrections before it went out. Steve Bransford from Emory Center for Digital Scholarship shot almost all of the video, VMEs Satyen Tripathi and Bona Kim did flyer production and video editing, and health care providers allowed us to film them doing the training.

Views of the resource repository have recently increased from 100 to more than 3,000 per day.

Institutions around the country and in the military are using the site regularly, and checking back in when we have updates, says Konomos. Veterans Affairs requested the build files to modify for their purposes. Grady did the same, since they have PPE. Weve had 8,000-plus views in the last week. People are viewing the pages from as far away as Brazil, Mexico and Canada.

Konomos says he hopes that, above all else, our friends who are at the greatest risk there know that they are supported and cared about by people in all kinds of roles, working day and night to help support them.

Stay safe out there

Emorys police force has been called on to support Emorys hospitals, clinics and campuses during this time of crisis. One such officer, Sgt. Sean Williams, serves the Midtown campus where he supervises a team of officers.

Last Friday, says Emory Police Chief Rus Drew, EPD assisted with vehicle and pedestrian traffic to support the installation of triage tents in front of Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM). The triage tents, which have now been installed at all of Emorys hospitals, are part of the new COVID screening protocol to protect patients and visitors.

Sgt. Williams moved quickly to mobilize a team of our officers and Atlanta police to support the trucks making the delivery and workers during the installation, says Drew. All along, he was communicating with EUHM staff to prevent hospital operations from being impacted.

Williams is a 14-year veteran of the Emory Police Department and consistently provides a smile and positive engagement in his interactions, says Drew.

EPD has 61 police officers serving Atlanta, Oxford and Midtown campuses.

Feeding health care teams

Emory speech pathologist Dena Cohen, who works at Emory University Hospital, was talking with her family about ways to help when they hit upon creating an online platform to link people who want to donate restaurant meals to local hospital workers.

Over the course of one weekend, the Meal Bridge was up and running. And with her mom and dad both working full-time, Cohens 16-year-old daughter, Grey, a sophomore at Druid Hills High School, has taken over operations.

In its first three days, the Meal Bridge has provided enough meals to serve about 60 hospital workers at Emory University Hospital.

The idea came from Greys uncle, Shawn Janko, who asked Cohen whether he could send pizzas to a shift at the hospital. Grey thought the idea could become something bigger.

Through her contacts at Emory Hospital, Cohen identified the units and shifts most in need of donated meals. What started with my brother wanting to buy pizza for my fellow Emory staff took flight with my daughter Greys simple and compassionate idea, Cohen says. Im proud of her and amazed by the kindness of our Atlanta community. It has become a needed bright spot during this difficult time for our family, friends and Emory Hospital.

Its truly a family effort: Cohens husband designed the site, and her other daughter, 14-year-old Sidney, is in charge of social media. Grey created the system for connecting would-be donors with restaurants and hospital workers.

Donors log onto the Meal Bridges website and click a button that sends them to the sign-up page, where they can choose a time slot and a number of people to feed by ordering from a list of approved restaurants. Emory Hospitals head chef must approve each restaurant, ensuring they follow CDC safety procedures. The Meal Bridges first arranged delivery happened on Monday night, providing meals for the hospitals 20-person ICU staff.
A secretive cache of medical supplies to save Americans from deadly disasters for years lacked the funding to prepare for a pandemic as widespread as the coronavirus, former managers of the stockpile told USA TODAY.

Overseen by a cadre of scientists, disease specialists and others at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Strategic National Stockpile houses roughly $8 billion in inventory for rapid deployment to anywhere in the nation in under 12 hours.

But its inadequate supply of ventilators, respiratory masks and other personal protective equipment will leave critical shortages for U.S. hospitals scrambling to respond to the mounting coronavirus pandemic.

New York state requested 30,000 ventilators, and New York City alone asked for 15,000 of them, as well as for 3 million N95 masks. California has requested 10,000 ventilators and 20 million N95 masks.

The stockpile had just 16,600 of the breathing machines and an estimated 12 million N95 masks at the start of the pandemic  not enough for those two states, much less the rest of the country.

Year after year, former managers say, they were forced to choose between spending its annual budget  which for the past six year has averaged $595 million  on various threats like anthrax or flu or botulism. But could never properly prepare for the kind of mass event now sickening tens of thousands and killing hundreds.

The shortage of masks and other supplies for the coronavirus response reflects a federal failure to prepare for medical emergencies, said Andrew Sole, managing member of a company with stakes in a producer of an antiviral medication to combat smallpox. Sole is upset the stockpile didnt acquire more of the medication he believes is needed.

If COVID-19 tells us anything, it tells us we are firmly unprepared for any biological outbreak, intentional or otherwise, Sole wrote in an email. The governments belief that it can simply order up more drug(s) in a potential outbreak has been proven as pure folly in that it took them weeks to order, produce and deliver millions of N95 masks.

Story continues

Health and Human Services officials didnt respond to requests for comment late Thursday.

Brian Burkett, a machinist with Bullen Ultrasonics in Eaton, Ohio, works on making a tool used in support of ultrasonic machining on March 25. Bullen provides a key component for the pressure sensors found in ventilators.

Priorities for stockpile spending shift based on the perceptions of current threats and their urgency, said Deborah Levy, chair of epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, who oversaw the stockpile as acting division director under the CDC in 2013-2014.

The further a public health event like SARS or the H1N1 flu pandemic recedes into history, the less money goes to responding to such threats, Levy said.

Spending decisions are made by a group of experts at the Health and Human Services Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise that include Homeland Security, the CDC and the Department of Defense.

There is never enough money there for everything, Levy said. You need to decide what the threat is, what the cost is, what can be negotiated with companies.

The problem is twofold, said Greg Burel, director of the stockpile for more than a decade before retiring in January. The stockpile has limited funds, and it must use them to buy costly treatments that arent mass-manufactured because the afflictions are so rare.

For example, its botulism antidotes have a short shelf life and limited use. Even though such outbreaks may happen only once in a generation  such as a 2015 botulism poisoning that sickened more than two dozen people and killed one in Ohio  if the stockpile doesnt purchase them, they wont get produced.

If we stop buying it, its not going to be made, Burel said. And if it stopped being made, you cant get it made again instantaneously if you need it.

The stockpiles budget reached a high of $596 million in 2010, then dropped year after year until reaching a low of $477 million in 2013. Much of the funding was restored the following year, but the budget stayed flat at about $575 million through 2018  the same year it was transferred from the CDC to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

The 2020 budget appropriation was $705 million.

But the repository was never designed to meet every need, Levy and Burel said. It was meant to serve as a backup plan for state and local health officials to weather sporadic crises  and, in particular, terrorist attacks, including biological, chemical, or radiation.

We have found ourselves in a perfect storm today in that we saw an immediate cut-off of product that was coming from outside the United States, Burel said, referring to the critically needed personal protective equipment, including N95 masks.

Secondly, the next thing that happened is, there were immediate surge requirements where people tried to stock up on this product as we started to hear about coronavirus and cases started to appear in advance. So that was putting additional pressure on the limited supply that is being made in the United States.

U.S. manufacturers began getting hit with big orders from Asia in mid-January, said Dan Glucksman, public affairs director for the International Safety Equipment Association. Because they had little inventory in warehouses, they quickly began hiring and ramping up production with triple shifts.

Companies are putting out product as fast as they can and he has not heard of any materials shortages, he said. I think the crunch theyre under is maintaining a three-shift force while also making sure the workers themselves dont get coronavirus.

Tammy Cail, a quality inspector with Bullen Ultrasonics in Eaton, Ohio, does a visual inspection of a glass wafer that will be used the production of a pressure sensor on March 25. Finished sensors are then used in ventilators which are in high demand as the corona virus spreads.

At Bullen Ultrasonics, a family-owned company in Eaton, Ohio, that produces glass wafers for pressure sensors used in ventilators, workers are rushing to try to make them in two weeks when it usually takes eight.

The U.S. government has come to our customers and said, We need you to ramp up production. Anything you have well take, company president Tim Beatty said.

The company anticipated a ventilator shortage might be looming a few months ago, he said, and was able to stock up on the supplies it needed beforehand.

But the International Safety Equipment Association began warning stockpile managers of a mask shortage in 2009, Glucksman said. When hed ask about it year after year, he said: The answer was, Were studying this. Were evaluating that. And, of course, we now know they never did.

The stockpile received special funds to purchase N95 respirator masks before the 2009 flu pandemic. It distributed 85 million of them, according to Shirley Mabry, logistics branch chief at the Division of Strategic National Stockpile, in a 2015 presentation.

But, afterward, it never fully replenished its supply.

Once we used it, Burel said, the money was not there to rebuy it.

Contributing: Dennis Wagner, USA TODAY, and Katie Wedell, Erin Mansfield and Doug Caruso, USA TODAY NETWORK

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US never spent enough on emergency stockpile, former managers say
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event Friday, Feb. 14, 2020, in Henderson, Nev.

Associated Press/John Locher

Former Vice President Joe Biden released tweeted a new video on Thursday that juxtaposed Trump's words about the coronavirus threat with the increasing number of U.S. cases.

It previews a possible line of attack that Democrats would wield against Trump during the general election.

In the video, Trump is seen saying "We have it totally under control" in a January 22 interview on CNBC, as superimposed text shows the first U.S. reported case of the coronavirus.

Other clips juxtapose his remarks over the next several weeks as the total number of U.S. cases climbs.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has released a video slamming Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus crisis by placing the president's comments about the outbreak alongside the rising tally of U.S. cases.

Though the Democratic primary remains frozen in place due to several states pushing their primaries until early June, Biden currently leads the national delegate count over Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the only other candidate remaining.

The video previews a possible attack that Democrats, and Biden, if he's the nominee, would wield against Trump during the general election. It opens with President Trump's nationwide-televised address on March 11, where he spoke to the country about the "unprecedented" steps the administration had taken to combat the virus.

The video then asks "How did we get here?" before launching into a series of interviews that Trump gave since the outbreak first began in January.

"We have it totally under control," Trump says in a January 22 interview on CNBC, while superimposed text shows the first U.S. reported case of the coronavirus.

"It's going to disappear," Trump is heard saying in a February 27 clip from a White House meeting with African-American leaders": "One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear." Text shows the number of reported U.S. cases jumping to 60.

Story continues

Towards the end of the video, the ad replays a moment from a March 20 press briefing, where Trump called NBC News' Peter Alexander a "terrible reporter" after he asked the president, "What would you say to Americans who are watching you right now, who are scared?" Biden's add flashes a tally of over 18,000 total cases.

"Real crises demand real leadership," the video concludes.

Biden has held his own virtual speeches, beamed out from his home in Delaware, where he has pitched himself as the candidate best prepared to handle the current national crisis. He also appeared on major cable news networks this week and criticized the president's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Biden's new video mirrors a similar ad by Priorities USA Action, a Democratic political action committee, which superimposes Trump's words over a graph that shows reported U.S. coronavirus cases increasing.

The Trump campaign called for the ad to be taken down in a cease-and-desist letter to television networks, claiming it was "patently false, misleading, and deceptive" because it appeared to stitch together two soundbites that made it sound like Trump was calling coronavirus a hoax at a February 28 rally in North Carolina.

Trump's rally remarks actually claimed that the Democrats were were politicizing the rally, in the manner that he claims they politicized impeachment.

"Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. You know that, right?" Trump said. "Coronavirus. They're politicizing it ... They tried the impeachment hoax ... and this is their new hoax."

A March 3 ad tweeted by Biden included an edit, which the Washington Post FactChecker called misleading and awarded four Pinocchios, which are considered "whoppers" for their inaccuracies.

Biden's latest ad does not make the same error, instead putting together the two audio clips, "Now the Democrats are politicizing..." and "this is their new hoax."

Read the original article on Business Insider
New York: In several hours on Tuesday, Dr Ashley Bray performed chest compressions at Elmhurst Hospital Centre on a woman in her 80s, a man in his 60s and a 38-year-old who reminded the doctor of her fiance.

All had tested positive for the coronavirus and had gone into cardiac arrest. All eventually died.

A person wearing a protective mask walks outside the Elmhurst Hospital Centre in the Queens borough of New York. Credit:Bloomberg

Elmhurst, a 545-bed public hospital in Queens, has begun transferring patients not suffering from coronavirus to other facilities as it moves toward becoming a facility dedicated entirely to the outbreak.

Doctors and nurses have struggled to make do with a few dozen ventilators. Calls over a loudspeaker of "Team 700," the code for when a patient is on the verge of death, come several times a shift. Some have died inside the emergency room while waiting for a bed.
Amid reports of migrant workers walking down to their villages due to a lockdown in the country to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Congress president Sonia Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help them reach their homes.





In a letter to Modi, Gandhi said lakhs of migrant workers are being forced to walk hundreds of miles as there is no public transport available.

"Several others are struck in guest houses or hotels and have run out of money to pay their costs. This lockdown is beginning to have a detrimental effect on such fellow citizens," she said.

"It is my earnest appeal that a national advisory be issued to assist those who are trapped in transit. I am taking the liberty to suggest two such measures -- one time state transport services be made available to those who are walking to their home towns or villages and district collectors to extend all possible assistance to those who can no longer afford to stay in lodges or guest houses," Gandhi said.

The Congress chief said citizens are making tremendous efforts for a better tomorrow, "therefore we must make all efforts to ensure that the purpose of the lockdown is not defeated by making the most vulnerable bear its cost."

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also urged the government to help migrants reach their villages and towns.

In a video message, she said she was pained at seeing them walk for many kilometres in their bid to reach their homes and be with their families.

"I am pained at seeing thousands of migrant labourers walk down towards Uttar Pradesh from the Delhi border. They are poor people and is it not our duty to help them," she asked.

"When so many people were stranded abroad, we sent aircraft to get them back. Everyone wants to stay with their families during such times of crisis. We must help them and I urge the government to help them. We all political parties must unite in helping such people in distress. UP Congress has formed a highway task force to help such people," Priyanka Gandhi said in her video message.

She also tweeted, "A tragic situation has arisen on the border of Delhi, with thousands of people leaving for their homes on foot. No means, no food."

"Corona's terror, unemployment and fear of hunger are pushing their feet home towards their villages. I pray to the government, please help them," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel said, "We are concerned about migrant workers walking on empty highways. The Central Govt must issue a directive to enable one time train/bus service so these people can reach home. If we can evacuate Indians stranded in foreign soil why not assist those stranded on domestic soil?"

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted, "Appeal to Central Govt - Deploy Special Buses for stranded labourers and those walking home."If Air India can be used to bring Indians trapped abroad, then the government should also do something for the labourers trying to reach their homes on foot in the country," he said.

Shergill said the government must support poor people in distress as it was their duty to do so.
In the midst of the Democrats campaign to deny Brett Kavanaugh confirmation to the Supreme Court, Lawfares editor in chief, Benjamin Wittes, took to the pages of The Atlantic to argue that traditional concepts of due process were not applicable under the circumstances. Justice, he wrote, was merely an optical consideration, and in this case, Kavanaugh himself bears the burden of proof.

This upending of liberal ideals had nothing to do with the veracity of Christine Blasey Fords accusations  opaque, decades old, and unprovable  and everything to do with the accused party, upon whom, Wittes noted, we were about to bestow . . . an immense honor that comes with great power.

We dont know if, in 1993, presidential hopeful Joe Biden sexually assaulted a woman named Tara Reade by pressing her up against a wall and digitally penetrating her without her consent. But under Wittess standard, it shouldnt matter. Indeed, that we do not know is all that we need to know. No person in America is accorded a more immense honor or more great power than the president. Surely, as with Kavanaugh, the existence of the accusation is disqualifying?

Apparently not, for ideals of justice seem to be quite malleable these days. Journalistic norms, too. The same media that relayed every unsubstantiated and tawdry rumor during the Kavanaugh confirmation, and that happily transmitted the Michael Avenattiproduced gang-rape smear, is treating Reades story quite differently. Why, we might ask, isnt Reade receiving the same coverage as E. Jean Carroll, a woman who accused Donald Trump of assaulting her in 1995 or 1996 at a Bergdorf Goodman store in Manhattan? Virtually every major news organization let Carroll tell her story. Reade has been trying to tell hers for decades. Believe women?

Indeed, to understand how to proceed, the media has only to take the advice of Biden, who two years ago argued that society had an obligation to presume that women who come forward with allegations of sexual assault should be believed irrespective of how flimsy that accusations may be:

Story continues

For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, youve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what shes talking about is real, whether or not she forgets facts, whether or not its been made worse or better over time.

Democrats should also be following this advice. Back in 2018, you will remember hearing the party arguing incessantly that due process was only a legal right, and that it was inoperative in Kavanaughs case because a Supreme Court hearing was nothing more than a job interview. Well, so is the presidency. A presidential election is just a job interview with the American voter. There are plenty of other candidates, no doubt, willing to take Bidens place in the race. In fact, one major candidate is still in the race. (Granted, Bernie Sanders once wrote a creepy essay describing the sensuality of rape, but lets set that aside for now.)

During the Kavanaugh hearings, Jeffrey Toobin, CNNs chief legal analyst, noted that 40 percent of the Republican appointees to the Supreme Court have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct. Using this standard, if Biden wins in November, we will be able to say that two of the last three Democrats in office have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct.

Like many others, however, Toobin wants to have it both ways. Simultaneously, he argues that any genuine due process was impossible  and, by the believe all women standard, even undesirable  yet also describes Blasey Ford as credible. But if the integrity of the accuser and the plausibility of her claims matter in determining the credibility of her allegations  and I certainly believe they should  then we are in a due-process debate. And we can really only determine the credibility of an accuser who offers vague accusations if we question them.

Embarrassingly for Biden, he has argued that such questioning is per se inappropriate:

What should happen is the woman should be given the benefit of the doubt and not be, you know, abused again by the system. I hope that they understand what courage it takes for someone to come forward and relive what they believe happened to them and let them state it, but treat her with respect.

If this is what should happen, why dont Democrats practice it  and why doesnt Biden himself step aside in order to live by the standards he championed only two years ago?

We know why.

More from National Review
KALAMAZOO, MI -- A national shortage of protective gear for healthcare workers has ignited a coalition of local residents to sew masks for front line workers.

An estimated 500 masks were being laundered for distribution on Thursday, March 26, said Matt Johnson, county health department operations coordinator.

The county put a call out over the weekend for anyone who has sewing ability to help create and donate face masks that would be distributed to the community partners that work with high-risk individuals.

After only a few days, the county has already received several hundred face masks with camouflage, University of Michigan and Michigan State patterns.

The volunteer effort is an example of a bright spot in the pandemic, Sheriff Richard Fuller said. The Emergency Operations Center has been fielding calls from residents wanting to help, he said.

Thats a really good thing, its very appreciated," he said. "And its working really well.

Sheriff deputy Laura Misner dropped off a bag filled with 30 masks she sewed.

Misner makes quilts as a hobby and reached out to other quilters to help out. Misner volunteered to transport masks from others to the county drop-off point.

Its unique times we live in, she said.

Masks can be dropped off in clear, plastic bags by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff trailer in the parking lot of the 311 E. Alcott St. county health department building.

Were doing everything we can to utilize any chance the public can help us utilize these in places that have a need for the personal protection equipment, Fuller said. But not as high of a need as say the hospitals or our first responders.

It will be up to individual hospital and healthcare facility policies to determine where and by whom the face masks are used, Johnson said.

At Bronson Healthcare hospitals, donated hand-sewn masks will provide protection to staff who are not working in isolation rooms, and help conserve the isolation-specific PPE for those patient care situations which require it, Bronson Communication Specialist Jessy Wilson said.

Hospitals like Ascension Borgess and Spectrum Health have also asked for supplies like N-95 respirator masks, gowns and goggles.

Since schools are closed, boxes of unused hand sanitizers, wipes and gloves were donated by Schoolcraft Community School District and Kalamazoo Valley Community College to the health department as well.

The number of coronavirus cases doubled in Kalamazoo County on Thursday. It was confirmed that one of those cases was a Kalamazoo Public Safety Officer who was exposed while off-duty. Statewide, coronavirus cases have doubled in three days totaling 2,856 as on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said gear is so scarce during spread of COVID-19 that medical staff are reusing face masks. She encouraged the public to donate much-needed supplies.

Despite the national and statewide frenzy to get supplies to front line workers amid the health crisis, county health officer Jim Rutherford said supply levels in Kalamazoo are not desperate.

The county has received supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile which have been implemented into county health and local hospital supplies.

I think weve got a pretty good handle as to whats available and whats readily available in terms of our caches, he said. I feel that weve made a lot of progress as it relates to personal protective equipment in terms of knowing what our inventory is, disseminating whats coming from the fifth district and local public health.

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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

MORE MICHIGAN CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE HERE.

Below is a county-by-county map of Michigan tracking confirmed COVID-19 cases, followed by a map of possible exposure sites and a chart based on the states daily reports. The maps will be updated as more reports are released.

If you are reading this story on mobile and cant see the map, click here to view it on the web.

Reported coronavirus cases:

Reported exposure sites:

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

More coronavirus coverage on MLive:

Thursday, March 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

First case of coronavirus confirmed in Cass County

Separated by glass, Kalamazoo couple celebrates 48 years of marriage

Great outdoors helps those around Kalamazoo cope with coronavirus stress, relieve anxiety

Mann+Hummel in Portage lays off 377 workers during coronavirus shutdown
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the sale of BS-IV vehicles for 10 more days across the country, except in Delhi-NCR, after the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic is lifted, providing a major relief to automobile dealers who had sought more time to clear the inventory.

The court said it is permitting the sale of 10 per cent of the vehicles to make up for the six days lost due to lockdown since March 25. It had set the deadline to phase out Bharat Stage-IV vehicles by March 31.

On Friday, it told the manufacturers they should have been ready by now as the deadline was fixed a long time ago, but extended the deadline after hearing a plea by Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA), which had sought more time to clear the inventory as the lockdown was unexpected.

BS emission norms are standards instituted by the government to regulate output of air pollutants from motor vehicles.

India has decided to switch to the world's cleanest petrol and diesel from April 1 as it leapfrogs straight to Euro-VI emission compliant fuels from Euro-IV grades now a feat achieved in just three years and not seen in any of the large economies around the globe.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta, which heard the FADA plea via a video-link, said, "This is not something new which has occurred, it would be further injurious and further burden on human health to be caused by pollution of BS-IV vehicles, when BS-VI vehicles are supposed to be produced by the manufacturers well in advance considering the deadline of March 31, 2020."



The bench told FADA that there shall be no violation of its order.

"Sales to be done within ten days of the lifting of the lockdown operating in the concerned cities and not beyond it and on an affidavit number of vehicles sold shall be stated by the applicant/Federation of Automobile Dealers Association and only those vehicles shall be permitted to be registered about which affidavit is filed, the bench said.

The top court made it clear that there is no question of further extension even if some of the vehicles remained unsold after the extended 10 days.

"Particulars shall be given on an affidavit with engine and chassis numbers by the applicant/Federation of Automobile Dealers Association of the sale of vehicles before the registration is made, within seven days of the sale, the bench said.

While Additional Solicitor General ANS Nadkarni, appeared for the Centre from Goa, senior advocate K V Vishwanathan appearing for FADA from his office here.

The court noted the submission of Vishwanathan that there are 7 lakh two-wheelers, 15,000 passenger vehicles and 12,000 unsold vehicles throughout India with different dealers.

He said 1.5 lakh two-wheelers, 2,250 passenger cars and 2,000 commercial vehicles have been sold but not registered yet due to the lockdown and other reasons.

Nadkarni said people might have faced hardship in registering their vehicles due to the lockdown and therefore time till end of April or May, be provided.

The court ordered that sold vehicles be registered by April 30 and FADA should furnish affidavits with details of the buyers and registration of the vehicles through e-mail, within seven days from today.

It disposed the two applications filed by FADA and Honda India seeking modification of the court's order of October 24, 2018, by which it had fixed the March 31, 2020, deadline for sale and registration of BS-IV vehicles.

On February 14, the court rejected the plea filed by an association of automobile dealers seeking extension of the March 31 deadline by one month.

The court in October 2018 said no BS-IV vehicle would be sold or registered in India from April 1, 2020. In 2016, the Centre announced that India would skip the BS-V norms and adopt BS-VI by 2020.

The court has said any extension in introducing new emission norms would adversely impact the health of citizens as the pollution has reached an "alarming and critical" level.

It has said the health of citizens has to take precedence over the "greed" of a few automobile manufacturers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The first 867 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio are now spread across 60 of the states 88 counties, with 15 deaths, the Ohio Department of Health reported Thursday.

This map is updated daily: see this link for the latest Ohio coronavirus maps.

The number of confirmed cases grew 23% from 704 the day before, the lowest percentage increase since confirmed cases reached double digits. The case total the previous six days increased 25%, 28%, 26%, 42%, 46% and 42%.

However, Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, has repeatedly cautioned that the totals are understated because our testing is so, so limited. Acton said Thursday that at least 17,316 tests have been conducted.

There have been two deaths each in Cuyahoga, Franklin, Lucas, Miami and Stark counties, and one each in Columbiana, Erie, Gallia, Mahoning and Trumbull, the state said.

Here is the day-to-day percent increase in confirmed Ohio coronavirus cases from March 10 through Thursday.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

The state reported 223 hospitalizations, with 91 in intensive care units. This was up from 182 hospitalizations, including 75 in ICU, on Wednesday.

The statewide total of confirmed cases was 564 on Tuesday, 442 on Monday, 351 on Sunday, 247 on Saturday, 169 on Friday and 119 last Thursday. The first three case were confirmed on March 9.

This graphic shows the daily increase in Ohio coronavirus cases from the first three on March 9 to 867 on Thursday, March 26.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

New to the list on Thursday were Athens, Jefferson, Muskingum, Shelby and Wyandot counties with one case each.

The day-by-day growth in confirmed Ohio coronavirus cases from March 13 through Thursday, March 26.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

However, some numbers may change from day to day. The health department has said in some cases in which tests were conducted not in the county where the person lives, initial data has been misreported.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. See other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral.

Read related coverage

17 things to do in Cleveland while staying socially isolated

16 Ohio prison inmates tested for coronavirus, no positive results so far

President Trump writes to governors about county-by-county coronavirus risk system
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate, no one is exempt from the strict new rules put in place to prevent further infection - and that includes members of the British Royal Family.

With several country houses to choose from (and acres of land) it's considerably easier for the Queen and her family to observe the strict new social distancing rules.

But where are they all staying? From the Queen to Harry and Meghan, here's where Royal Family members are spending the isolation period.

The Queen and Prince Phillip: Windsor Castle

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth / Getty Images

The Queen has put all royal duties on hold for the time being and the couple has relocated to Windsor Castle, where they typically spend their Easter break. It is likely they will stay there for weeks longer than they usually do.

The Queen, 93 and Prince Phillip 98, are most at risk of Covid-19 due to their ages - NHS guidelines stress that those over 70 are most at risk from the disease.

Windsor Castle is the Queen's preferred weekend home and boasts a long history with the British monarchy (over 900 years to be precise). I

Getty Images

A much-loved refuge for the Royal Family, the castle survived a devastating fire in 1992.

It is also believed to be the largest inhabited castle in Europe, with 1,000 rooms across 13 acres of land.

Prince Charles and Camilla

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall / REUTERS

Prince Charles and Camilla generally divide their time between their London residence of Clarence House and Highgrove in Gloucestershire.

Getty Images

However, it has now been confirmed that the couple left London for Scotland and are residing at the Queen's summer residence, Balmoral Castle. A statement from Clarence House on Wednesday confirmed Charles had tested positive for coronavirus though his symptoms were "mild" and he remains "in good health." His wife Camilla does not have the virus.

Charles stays at his residence of Birkhall Cottage on the Balmoral estate. The house was inherited from his grandmother, The Queen Mother.

William and Kate

Prince William and Kate Middleton / Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

With Princess Charlotte and Prince George's London day school closed until further notice due to the Covid-19 outbreak (though they were due to break up for the Easter holidays), William and Kate have moved to their large Georgian country residence of Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they frequently spend weekends and holidays.

Kate was recently spotted pushing a supermarket trolley around Sainsbury's supermarket in King's Lynn, close to the house.

Anmer Hall

Anmer Hall was a wedding gift from the Queen and is close to Sandringham Estate, where the Queen and family typically spend Christmas.

The house was redecorated to the tune of a reported 1.5 million after the couple married in 2011. This included a new roof, kitchen, conservatory and a number of trees planted around the property to protect the couple's privacy.

Harry and Meghan

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle / Getty Images

After stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family, Harry, Meghan and baby Archie relocated to Vancouver Island, Canada.

They were thought to be residing in a mansion called Mille Fleurs (the name of a pattern of leaves or flowers used in a tapestry), located in North Saanich.

The residence of Prince Harry and and his wife Meghan seen from a boat on in British Columbia / AFP via Getty Images

The spacious mansion enjoys waterfront views overlooking the pretty Saanich Inlet as well as a 2000 square foot guesthouse.

However, new reports in The Sun suggest the couple has moved to Los Angeles - where Meghan's mother Doria Ragland lives - taking a private jet flight to California before Canada's lockdown rules came into place.

Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good" a source told the paper as "the borders were closing and flights were stopping."

A Los Angeles home / Unsplash Sterling Davis

The source added that they "have a big support network out there."

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi / Getty Images

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's 29th May wedding plans look increasingly unclear.



Buckingham Palace confirmed the wedding reception has been cancelled and that the couple are "reviewing plans" for the ceremony.

Getty Images

Princess Beatrice reportedly lives in an apartment in St James' Palace, one of the royal residences in London, though with limited outdoor space they might have moved to Beatrice's parents' home, Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank / Getty Images

The couple normally lives at Ivy Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace, which briefly appeared in a video collaboration between Eugenie's cousin Prince Harry and Ed Sheeran.

But it's now thought that Princess Eugenie is isolating with her parents at Royal Lodge after she was pictured with her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York holding a delivery of sweet treats for NHS workers.

(Kensington Palace)

It is not known whether or not her husband Jack is there too.

Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall

Getty Images

Zara and Mike Tindall were initially reluctant to change their plans when coronavirus began to spread in Europe, confirming they would not be isolating at the end of February after a ski trip to Northern Italy.

However, the couple and their daughters Mia and Lena are now following government guidance and isolating in their family home in the grounds of Zara's mother's Gatcombe Park Estate in Gloucestershire.

Getty Images

The 700-acre estate between the villages of Minchinhampton and Avening has been the home of Princess Anne since the Queen bought it for her and her former husband, Zara's father Captain Mark Phillips, in 1976. She lives in the main, Grade II listed house.

Princess Anne / AFP via Getty Images

Mike and Zara have lived in a house on the estate since 2013.

Retired England rugby player Mike recently recommended his top isolation movies on Joe's House of Rugby, which include Back To The Future and Lucky Number Slevin. 

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson and their daughter Princess Beatrice / Getty Images

Prince Andrew's official residence is Royal Lodge in Windsor, which was gifted to him by the Queen in 2004.

Though they divorced in 1996, Andrew and his ex-wife remain close (she defended him on Twitter following his disastrous BBC interview about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein) and she normally divides her time between Andrew's home and a flat in London. With the nation on lockdown and access to green spaces limited she is likely to be isolating with him at Royal Lodge.

The Lodge is the former home of Andrew's grandmother, the Queen Mother, where she lived for over 70 years.

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex

PA

Following his marriage to Sophie Wessex in 1998, Prince Edward and his wife moved into Bagshot Park in Surrey.

David Hartley/Shutterstock

It is assumed this is where the family is residing during the isolation period, as Prince Edward and his daughter Lady Louise Windsor were reportedly spotted riding horses in Windsor Great Park over the weekend.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Muthi Achadiat Kautsar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 28 2020

Takeout and delivery encouraged: Restaurants look for alternatives to dining out as the F&B industry gears up to ensure business stays afloat amid the COVID-19 outbreak. (Courtesy of MDA Group)

As more people are staying home over fears of COVID-19 transmission, internet users are likely to see more social media posts announcing temporary closures of restaurants that promoted takeaway and delivery services a few days before.

The Jakarta Post recently wrote that among a number of F&B outlets that have temporarily shut down is the Ismaya Group, which operates more than 60 restaurants and cafes under 20 brands.

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
EDMONTONAs Alberta braces for what some say is the coming storm of the coronavirus pandemic, its health minister is facing calls for his resignation amid allegations of threatening and inappropriate behaviour.

A wave of criticism slammed Health Minister Tyler Shandro on Friday, but he doubled down on his actions in a statement put out late in the afternoon, and didnt apologize for the way he acted  because, said the minister, he had to defend my wife.

As any husband would do, I responded passionately.

At the centre of the controversy is a visit the minister paid to a doctors home last weekend during which Shandro is alleged to have berated the physician about a social media post he had made. Adding fuel to the fire is a separate matter  an email in which the minister threatened to involve government protective services in defence of his wife.

The story was first reported by CBC News, and, on Friday, Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley called on Shandro to resign.

We are in the middle of the most pressing public health emergency, perhaps in history, Notley told reporters.

We need focused and steady leadership that is preoccupied solely with our response to the coronavirus pandemic and the health of Albertans, said Notley. Instead, the health minister is going to the home of private citizens at night and publicly threatening them.

He must resign.

The health minister has been under fire recently for what some perceive as a conflict of interest due to the fact that he and his wife, Andrea Shandro, are part owners of a company called Vital Partners, which deals in health insurance.

While critics have called for an investigation, Shandro last week posted online a letter from Albertas ethics commissioner, Marguerite Trussler, informing the Speaker of the legislature that the ministers shares of the company are held in a blind trust and that hes compliant with conflict-of-interest laws.

The minister has also been embroiled in a fight with physicians over compensation, privatization of health care and contract issues  even as the coronavirus pandemic has taken hold of the province.

Last Saturday, that confrontation came to a boiling point at the front door of Calgary physician Dr. Mukarram Zaidis home, who told the Star that Shandro and his wife, who live in the same neighbourhood as Zaidi, came to his house and yelled at him for a post he had made to social media with a critical meme.

His children had been playing outside, Zaidi said, and came to tell him that the pair wanted to see him, so he went out to see Shandro and his wife.

I stopped midway in my driveway and, maintaining social distance, and he was yelling and crying that people are giving them death threats, You cant do this, now people know where we live, we have to move now.

Zaidi said he agreed to remove the post in order to resolve the situation in a civilized manner.

I turned, walked into my house, the last thing I heard was, You cant do this, Mukarram, and I just came inside the house, I deleted the post, he said.

Zaidi says he wishes no ill-will toward the couple and that hes forgiven them.

He and the minister have known each other for several years, Zaidi said. He emphasized that he wanted to keep the matter private and that media had begun contacting him, not the other way around.

Janice Fraser also had a run-in with the minister last week, albeit not physically.

Fraser told the Star she sent an email to the company, Vital Partners, via its website to outline some of her concerns about the perceived conflict of interest and was extremely shocked when she received a reply from Shandro himself last Friday, using his government email.

Sending threatening emails to my wife is completely inappropriate and must stop, reads Shandros email, which was provided to the Star.

If you want to believe lies about her on social media, thats up to you. But you can send your threatening emails to this office and this office only.

Email her again and it will be referred to protective services.

Frasers original message has not been reviewed by the Star, as it was sent through the website. But according to Fraser, she said three things in her initial note to Vital Partners: that she believed there was a conflict of interest; that shed held Shandro in high regard up until this year; and that Albertans will not forget this.

There was no threat, insisted Fraser, who added shes worked for MLAs in office before and understands what a threat is, and that shes done work for all political parties in Alberta except the UCP and the former Wildrose Party.

I was very shocked and felt very afraid for my own personal safety, she said of the ministers reply.

In an email that then appears to have been accidentally sent to Fraser, Chad Hallman, a government staffer, asks Shandro who Fraser is and whether her email is One of the emails Andrea sent this morning?

Minister, please dont respond to these or send these emails personally  I will send these out if you would prefer on your behalf, Hallmans email says. Its a lot easier for me to fall on a sword than you.

Be careful. They want to rile you up and entrap you into saying something impulsive.

Fraser said shes considering taking the matter a step further and going to the police.

His behaviour shows ... he has no distance and he has no balance in response, she said. As a minister, to the people of Alberta, he has shown that hes incompetent and incapable.

Shandro didnt resign, nor did he apologize for his actions; instead, he said he was sorry that this episode has become a distraction during the coronavirus pandemic.

Of course the attacks on someone I love and the mother of my children upset me deeply, he said.

I am determined to continue tirelessly performing my role during this pandemic, and pledge to not get distracted by social media attacks during this extremely serious time.

Read more about:
A young family has been forced to pay $30,000 to fly home from Peru after they became stranded amid the coroanvirus pandemic.

Alex Wallace and Geneva Meldrum, from Sydney's affluent northern beaches, travelled to South America on March 14 with Ms Meldrum's parents for a wedding.

But the day after they arrived in Cieneguilla, an hour outside of Peru's capital Lima, they were told Peru would be shutting its borders.

Despite waiting for hours for last minute tickets home the family of six were turned away after airlines sold out.

Alex Wallace and Geneva Meldrum, from Sydney's affluent northern beaches, travelled to South America on March 14 with Ms Meldrum's parents for a wedding

'The next morning we were very anxious. We contacted our travel agent because we didn't know what was going on. My mother went to the Latam (airline) office in Lima, but it was locked and no one was there,' Ms Meldrum.

The desperate mother-of-two called the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who advised her that some flights were still leaving the country in order repatriate people who were stuck abroad.

They spoke to travel agency Chimu Adventures who were able to sell them six tickets at $5,000 each.

It is believed the family are due to leave Peru on Sunday after they suffered a series of setbacks.

'Our first date for departure was March 24th, then that was moved to March 27th which is now delayed again with no set date. So we are waiting. It's scary,' Ms Meldrum said.

The day after they arrived in Cieneguilla, an hour outside of Peru's capital Lima, the family were told Peru would be shutting its borders

The family is now booked on a flight and will be making their way back to Australia on Sunday

While the family said they are desperate to get home after struggling to find food.

Shopping has proved difficult due to daily lockdowns from 8pm to 5am and the family are unable to use taxis because they are not permanent residents.

'I'm most concerned about my kids getting sick here. We don't have a car and don't have a driver who can drive us. We have no nappies for my two year old, so it's really hard and stressful,' Ms Meldrum said.
They are definitely going to be the talk of Potomac after all this.

The new season five trailer for The Real Housewives Of Potomac promises plenty of drama, fights, and even a stripper controversy.

Right away the trailer starts off with a bang, as Karen Huger seemingly reflects on the alleged dinner party confrontation between Monique Samuels and Candiace Dillard.

The new season five trailer for The Real Housewives Of Potomac promises plenty of drama, fights, and even a stripper scandal

'I never thought as black women we would be right here, but we are,' she tells Monique Samuels. 'It's not something you can brush under the rug, but you've got to address this!'

Gizelle Bryant adds, 'We've been able to hold ourselves above the stereotype, and in five minutes, she took it away.'

Next, viewers are given a glimpse of what appeared to be the altercation between Monique and Candiace. The purported confrontation resulted in the pair taking real-life legal action against each other.

Meanwhile, Ashley Darby's relationship with her husband Michael seems to be taking a turn for the worse.

Trouble: Right away the trailer starts off with a bang, as Karen Huger reflects on the current circumstances

A step back: Gizelle Bryant adds, 'We've been able to hold ourselves above the stereotype, and in five minutes, she took it away'

Drama: Viewers are given glimpses of the alleged dinner party confrontation

It's not there: 'I don't have the sex drive that I used to have,' Ashley Darby confesses to her husband Michael

'I don't have the sex drive that I used to have,' she confesses to him. Michael nods understandably.

But things only get worse after Michael's crazy night out comes to light.

Candiace receives a text message informing her of the alleged antics.

'He was in a room with several strippers,' Candiace reads aloud. 'What!?' she adds, as a photo of Michael appears on her phone.

Controversy: 'He was in a room with several strippers,' Candiace reads aloud. 'What!?' she adds, as a photo of Michael appears on her phone

A text message read, 'Chile he was asking who he can take to a hotel nearby.'

Over dinner, Michael appears to come clean.

'We ended up going back to a hotel,' he says. Ashley exhales.

Meanwhile, Karen and her husband Ray are also experiencing marital problems.

Betrayed: Ashley reacts as her husband comes clean to the crazy night

Yes or no? 'Are you in love with me?' Karen asks her husband, point-blank

'Are you in love with me?' Karen asks her husband, point-blank.

'Over time, things change,' he replies.

'I'm done,' she replies calmly, picking up her shoes and walking upstairs.

Later, she reflects on their struggles with girlfriends.

Painful response: 'Over time, things change,' he replies

She's done: Karen picks up her high heels and walks up the stairs after her husband's response

Heartache: 'We've been together for 25 years, and I should have left in a (expletive) heartbeat,' she says

'We've been together for 25 years, and I should have left in a (expletive) heartbeat,' she says.

Aside from all the drama, there is also a new Housewife on the block.

Viewers are introduced to Dr. Wendy Osefo, a sophisticated professor who isn't afraid of telling it like it is.

The next season of The Real Housewives Of Potomac will premiere May 3 on Bravo at 8PM PT/ET.


TV Series

Schitts Creek

Netflix The Rose family of the popular Schitts Creek series. The sixth and final series has just aired in the US. Credit: Didnt you once take the wrong baby home from preschool?, David Rose reproaches his fashion-crazed mother, Moira, during a family squabble over her parenting skills. Alexis looked Chinese as an infant! Moira whines defensively, referring to Davids sister. How many times must I defend myself? Moira Rose, played by Canadian comedian Catherine OHara, has to be my favourite character in Schitts Creek, a classic fish-out-of-water sitcom about the formerly wealthy Rose family, forced to move to Schitts Creek, a tiny hick town they once bought as a joke, after their father Johnny loses the family fortune.

You know you have a hit when the characters catchphrases become T-shirts (Ew, David!), GIFs on social media (My bebes!) and YouTube compilations (Moira Rose: Worlds Schittiest Mom). Time for a confession: I only discovered Schitts Creek, which is a Canadian production, late last year (the sixth and final series aired in January) but now its my go-to show on Netflix. Loading I was hooked by episode three in the first season: in particular, the scene where the hillbilly mayor, Roland Schitt, defends the towns old Welcome sign, a painting of a pre-war gent tossing his hat in the air while appearing to hump a woman in crinolines. The interaction between Johnny Rose and Roland is a masterpiece of sight-and-gag comedy. Written by Eugene Levy and his son Daniel, who play father and son in the show, its part of a wave of sitcoms (The Good Place, Grace and Frankie, Fleabag) riding high on the streaming revolution.
In preparation, Kobylski said he was asking teachers to get certified in Google Classrooms next week. The free certification requires a 12-hour program to help teachers get acquainted with the program and utilize it to its fullest capabilities. The platform would be used for elementary and intermediate students. High school students would use Edgenuity.

Once the district gets approval, Kobylski said they could have online courses ready in four or five days.

Even with state approval, theres an accessibility problem. Davenport is 1:1, which means theres at least one device  in Davenports case, Chromebooks  per student, but having a device doesnt guarantee internet access. Thats not just a Davenport issue, Kobylski said. Thats an Iowa issue. Thats a national issue.

To get a sense of the scope of students who need help with access, Davenport sent out a phone blast Friday afternoon to gauge which households need help, either with Chromebooks or internet. Kobylski said they also planned to print out paper packets with instructions for parents to pick up at the same sites offering free lunches for kids. Thats a really low-end solution, he said. Were trying to find some more creative solutions.
A pet cat has been infected with the novel coronavirus in Belgium after being contaminated by its owner, Belgian health authorities said Friday.

Cases of contamination of pets are rare and authorities ruled out any risk of contamination to humans from home animals.

The reports follows similar cases in Hong Kong where two dogs tested positive for COVID-19 during a screening campaign carried out on 17 dogs and eight cats living in contact with people carrying the virus.

In Belgium, the discovery was made by researchers at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Liege.

This is "an isolated case" which can occur after "close contact between animals and infected humans", said Doctor Emmanuel Andre, a government agency spokesman on the pandemic.

The virus can be transmitted from humans to animals but "there is no reason to think that animals can be vectors of the epidemic in our society", he said.

In Hong Kong, "the dogs showed no symptoms", while in Belgium "the cat was suffering from transitory respiratory and digestive problems", said the Belgian food safety agency AFSCA in a statement.

"So far, there is no evidence that a domestic animal can transmit the virus to humans or other pets", the public authority said.

As a precautionary measure, it is "strongly recommended" to apply standard rules of hygiene when dealing with pets: "avoid close contact with pets... wash your hands after handling any animal, do not let the animal lick your face."



The aim is to prevent the transmission of the virus to the animal and to prevent the animal itself from becoming a carrier of the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After reporting Manitoba's largest same-day surge in coronavirus cases and a troubling backlog in lab testing Wednesday, the chief provincial health officer had better news to share on Thursday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After reporting Manitoba's largest same-day surge in coronavirus cases and a troubling backlog in lab testing Wednesday, the chief provincial health officer had better news to share on Thursday.

Dr. Brent Roussin reported just one new COVID-19 case  a man in his 20s who lives in Winnipeg, and appears to have a link to a previously announced positive case bringing the province's COVID-19 case count to 36.

Roussin also announced the largest single-day increase in test results  734  after being limited to performing 200 to 250 tests a day because of a global shortage of the reagent used in testing. The Cadham Provincial Lab, which is now able to make its own reagent, has performed more than 5,606 tests so far. Roussin would not say how many samples remain backlogged but promised "there will not be a backlog by end of week."

With the lab able to make its own testing material and increase its capacity, testing for COVID-19 will now be expanded, Roussin said. As a result, it's expected health-care workers will discover many more positive cases, but Roussin would not commit to any new measures such as extending school closures or further restricting the size of public gatherings.

"We'll be moving forward with that in the near future," he said of reducing crowd size limits in Manitoba, currently set at 50. Roussin is pacing the restrictions he imposes, knowing they will be in place for an extended period of time, and has said several times that as soon as there is evidence of sustained community transmission, they'd be put in place. He said he's not getting any pushback from the province about tightening restrictions.

Dr. Brent Roussin said the lab is able to make its own testing material now, which will increase its capacity. (John Woods / The Canadian Press files)

"There's a lot of things to consider when you make changes like this," said Roussin. The same goes for extending school closures past April 10, which appears likely. "In a couple of weeks this is not going to be over," he said. "We're looking at what steps we're going to take We're trying to get a better picture of when we can make announcements."

The only new measures the provincial health officer announced Thursday concerned testing.

"We are expanding our testing criteria to include the groups of people at risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 and are showing respiratory symptoms," Roussin said. "These would include all symptomatic health-care providers, individuals who live or work in remote or isolated communities, including First Nations and people who live or work in a group setting," including correctional facilities, shelters, long-term care and residential care facilities and work camps, he said.

Testing for COVID-19 is the only way to track the spread of the disease, and so far the most at-risk have been prioritized: long-term care residents, ICU patients, those who've been in contact with a positive case, and international travellers returning with respiratory symptoms.

The Dynacare lab company will be help regional health authorities to contact those with negative test results. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

"Testing is important but what's most important is the overall strategy," he said. Tracing the contacts of those who've tested positive and implementing physical-distancing measures like closing schools and limiting public gatherings to 50 are going to have a major effect on reducing the spread of infection, said Roussin. "Testing won't get us out of this."

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.

Those who've been waiting several days in self-isolation for negative test results won't have to wait much longer, Shared Health chief nursing officer Lanette Siragusa said. Starting Friday, the private Dynacare lab company will be helping regional health authorities to contact those with negative test results.

"It certainly will be faster than it has in the past," said Siragusa.

Siragusa also addressed concerns about the rationing of masks at health-care facilities. The provincial government is safeguarding several months' worth of personal protective equipment, she said. They're not rationing but "managing inventory" after reports of theft and hoarding before Manitoba had its first COVID-19 case, she said.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen introduced an online form Wednesday for companies to register to provide goods and services needed to respond to COVID-19  including masks and hand sanitizer.

"We're not out of supplies, we're doing this out of an abundance of caution," he said Wednesday. The plan is to make it quicker and easier to procure supplies and services as infection rates rise, he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
The departments leaders rejected the staffs finding. An unpublished draft of the E.P.A.s upcoming soot rule, viewed by The New York Times, proposes leaving the current standard in place. The E.P.A. administrator, Andrew R. Wheeler, placed little weight on quantitative estimates of the mortality risk associated with fine soot pollution, the draft says.

A final version of the report, published in January to preview the still-unpublished rule, does say the rule as it stands contributes to 45,000 deaths annually, but it also says only that tightening it would reduce health risks, not deaths.

An E.P.A. spokeswoman, Corry Schiermeyer, said the numbers inserted into the draft report should not be given much weight. Draft documents of any kind are preliminary by their very nature, with the content subject to change based on internal reviews, scientific peer review, interagency review, and public notice and comment, she said.

But lawyers say the data in the September draft may have proven useful for environmental lawyers.

This document represents the best science and scientific judgment that these particles are deadly at the current level, so judges will give great weight to that science, said John Walke, a lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Mr. Walke said that he learned from E.P.A. employees that the scientists had made sure those numbers were published in the document. People were stunned that this document was even allowed to come out, he added.

Many federal employees who work on health, science and environmental policy, who spoke anonymously for this story, described using facts in the fight to keep their previous work alive.

Margo Oge, who resigned from the E.P.A. in 2012 after 32 years at the agency, most recently as the head of its office of vehicle emissions policy, said she has advised former colleagues who cannot leave their jobs, hold your nose and do your best. There may be opportunities where you can impact some of the data that will be used in these rulemakings.
TEL AVIV : Amid the coronavirus pandemic, An Air India special flight carrying 314 Israelis back to their country landed safely here on Thursday evening with many passengers carrying Indian and Israeli flags while deplaning.

The Israeli embassy had put up a request with the Ministry of External Affairs, which, in turn, asked Air India to operate such a flight.

The national carrier had earlier organised rescue flights for Indians stuck in China, Italy, Iran and Madrid.

According to a senior official of the airline, the Boeing 777 aircraft had departed from Delhi around 4 pm.

Israel's Ambassador in New Delhi, Ron Malka, came to the airport to see off the passengers and thanked Air India for the selfless service.

"I thank and appreciate the @airindiain flight staff who are responsibly and selflessly ensuring that Israelis get home safe. Dhanyavad from the bottom of our (heart in emoji)", Malka tweeted before the flight took off from India.

Air India's country manager in Tel Aviv, Pankaj Tiwari, praised the entire team of "Ground Staff, Engineering personnel, Catering Staff and the Crew of the flight who in such difficult circumstances rose to the occasion keeping aside their personal interests to make this flight a reality".

"Whenever such call of service is made, Air India will always be in the forefront and do their best to safely unite the passengers to their families", Tiwari told PTI.

India is on lockdown from March 25 to April 15 to curb the spread of the virus. Consequently, domestic and international flights have been suspended too. However, cargo flights, special flights conducted with the approval of aviation regulator DGCA, offshore helicopter operations and medical evacuation flight operations have been exempted from the flight ban imposed in India.

Air India used a Boeing 777 jet instead of the regular dreamliner that operates on this route, in view of more than 300 passengers. The jet went back empty without any passengers as it had come on a "rescue" mission.

Israel's national carrier, El Al, had earlier organised two flights from Mumbai to bring back several hundred Israelis.

There was a festive spirit among returning passengers both at the airport in Delhi while boarding and at the Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv after deplaning.

Israel is under total lockdown with people not allowed to even walk beyond 100 metres from their homes and have been generally advised to go out only to stock up food.

The returning passengers went through check ups at the airport and would be in self quarantine or special supervision depending on their condition.

The number of people infected by Coronavirus in Israel went up to 2666, with 8 casualties so far, official sources said.

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
Piers Morgan has urged 'tone deaf' comedian Seann Walsh to 'shut the f*** up' as he continues to blame his fling with Strictly's Katya Jones for 'ruining his career'.

Seann's new interview, in the Times's Arts section, was released as it emerged that more than 24,000 people have now died from coronavirus worldwide and the UK remains in lockdown.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, Piers, 54, said: 'Imagine being so tone-deaf that you think THIS is the moment to go public with your Strictly Come Dancing hell?

'Shut the f*** up!' Piers Morgan slammed 'tone deaf' Seann Walsh for continuing to blame his fling with Strictly's Katya Jones for 'ruining his career' amid coronavirus pandemic (pictured October 2018)

Not impressed: Piers shared these words after seeing Seann's latest ill-timed interview

'Jeez, some celebrities right now need to just post a supportive message to the NHS, tell everyone to stay inside & shut the f*** up.'

Seann, 34, and Katya, 30, were pictured kissing on a night out back in October 2018 after they were partnered up on the BBC dance show.

At the time, Katya was married to fellow dancer, Neil Jones, 37, who supported her at the time, but they have since split.

Quite right, too! Piers was staggered by the insensitive timing of the article

Seann was in a five-year relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries, 32, who later accused the funnyman of gaslighting her.

The comedian made light of the fling while on stage on his tour but continues to blame his drunken night out for ruining his career.

He told The Times: 'I was just miserable. I was getting standing ovations, but I thought, I cannot continue like this.

'This is a cliche, but no matter how well the gig is going a comedian always spots that face that is not laughing right.

Can't believe it: He shared the cover image from the piece on his social media

'The problem for me is, I see that face not laughing and I go, "Oh God. They dont like me because of the things theyve read about me".'

In July last year, Seann's ex Rebecca revealed she felt 'vindicated' when she discovered she was 'gaslit' by the comedian during the kiss scandal.

The writer confessed she felt 'too loud' and was 'incapable of making decisions' towards the end of her five-year relationship, but has since worked 'bloody hard' to rediscover her 'uniqueness' and self-worth.

Chemistry: Katya and Seann were partnered up together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018

In her statement, she also revealed she had suspicions about her boyfriend cheating for at least three weeks, but claimed when she brought it up he called her a 'psycho' and accused her of being 'nuts'.

During her bitter break-up with Seann, Rebecca accused the star of 'inappropriate and hurtful' behaviour, and claimed despite speaking to the media, he had not apologised to her personally and neither had his dance partner Katya.

The pair later appeared on It Takes Two to apologise for their actions.

Breaking up relationships: At the time of the fling, Katya was married to fellow professional dancer Neil Jones- pictured together in August - they have since split

Bad behaviour: Seann also split from his girlfriend of five-years Rebecca Humphries (picturred in May 2015), who accused him of gaslighting her
As the nation grapples with the deadly coronavirus pandemic, a statement released by the Foreign National Residents of AIIMS says that the doctors from other countries who are working in the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) are not receiving their salaries as they serve the country amid the pandemic.

"The long-pending issue of foreign national not getting their salary needs to be resolved as soon as possible as these foreign national doctors doing their specialization and superspecialization are providing health services to the country same as the Indian nationals but are not getting their salaries and other health care facilities. They are serving our country in this COVID-19 pandemic selflessly. The government has to start giving them salaries," said Dr. Adarsh Pratap Singh, President, Official Association of Resident Doctors (RDA), AIIMS, New Delhi.

READ | PM Modi Leads The COVID-19 Fight At G20 Virtual Summit, Statement Accessed

Taking to Twitter, the association insisted that the foreign doctors should get their salaries and health care benefits similar to those of the Indian doctors.

All doctors serving our country in this COVID-19 pandemic irrespective of their nationality's should get the salary and all health care facilities similar to indian doctors.

Jai Hind@MoHFW_INDIA @MEAIndia @PMOIndia @narendramodi @drharshvardhan#IndiaFightsCOVID19  RDAAIIMS (@AIIMSRDA) March 26, 2020

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Finance Minister Announces Rs.1.7 Lakh Crore Relief Package

Statement by the Foreign National Residents of AIIMS

READ | COVID19: Amit Shah Announces Rs 500 For 20 Cr Women, Free Gas For 3 Months Under Package

The statement by the Foreign National Residents of AIIMS revealed that more than 70 foreign doctors who hail from Nepal and Sri Lanka have not been paid even despite concrete directives from the PMO and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pointing out the discrimination

Due to the lack of monetary resources, these foreign doctors are relying on the money that is been sent by their families from their home country. These doctors are facing the worst situation as both India and Nepal are under lockdown, they might run out of money.

As a last resort, the doctors have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the issue and help them in the time of crisis.

READ | 'Thank You For Reaching Out To The Poor': Kamal Haasan Hails FM Sitharaman's Relief Plan

(Representative Image, source - PTI)
Battling the coronavirus at home, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for an all-out global war against the pandemic and proposed tariff cuts and removal of trade barriers to prevent the global economy slipping into recession.

Speaking at the unprecedented virtual G20 Summit on COVID-19, Xi said the world needs to be resolute in fighting an all-out global war against coronavirus which has created an unprecedented health crisis.

"This is a virus that respects no borders. The outbreak we are battling is our common enemy. All must work together to build a strongest global network of control and treatment that the world has ever seen," Xi said through videoconference.

Xi's statement came amid growing international criticism of China's reported failure to be fully transparent in reporting the COVID-19 outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last year.

Xi said the community of nations must move swiftly to stem the spread of the virus and China will be more than ready to share its good practices, conduct joint research and development of drugs and vaccines, and provide assistance where it can to countries hit by the pandemic.

He said China has set up its online COVID-19 knowledge centre that is open to all countries.

About the pandemic's impact on global economy, Xi asked G20 members to cut tariffs, remove barriers and facilitate the unfettered flow of trade.

He called on all G20 members to take collective actions, send a strong signal and restore confidence for global economic recovery.

Leaders of the G20 major economies held the online summit in a bid to fend off a coronavirus-triggered recession, after criticism the group has been slow to address the crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other G20 leaders joined the emergency summit chaired by Saudi Arabia's King Salman. The talks come as the global death toll from COVID-19 soared to more than 21,000 and over three billion people were locked down in their homes, triggering a massive financial shock worldwide.

Xi urged enhanced international macro-economic policy coordination to prevent the world economy from falling into recession.

Noting that the outbreak has disrupted production and demand across the globe, Xi said countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counter the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession.

He called on countries to implement strong and effective fiscal and monetary policies, better coordinate financial regulation and jointly keep the global industrial and supply chains stable.

He said China will contribute to a stable world economy by continuing to advance reform and opening-up, widen market access, improve the business environment and expand imports and outbound investment.

China will increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market, he said, referring to global concerns over the disruption of global supply chain after China went into lockdown mode in January to deal with the virus outbreak.

China did not report any new local coronavirus infections for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, but the number of imported COVID-19 cases rose sharply to 67 after the deadly virus was brought under control in its epicentre Wuhan, health officials said on Thursday.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Thursday, 67 new confirmed cases were recorded, up from 47 a day earlier, all of which were imported.

On Wednesday, six deaths were reported from Hubei province taking the death toll in China to 3,287 people and total number of cases to 81,285.

Also read: Coronavirus: Dalmia Bharat suspends cement production across plants

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Total cases increase to 724; GoAir signs up for emergency services
OTTAWA - The federal government is rolling out $27 billion in new spending and $55 billion in credit to help families and businesses get past the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reduced consumer spending, interrupted work life and caused financial pain.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 19/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Minister of Finance Bill Morneau speaks during a press conference on economic support for Canadians impacted by COVID-19, at West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The federal government is rolling out $27 billion in new spending and $55 billion in credit to help families and businesses.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - The federal government is rolling out $27 billion in new spending and $55 billion in credit to help families and businesses get past the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reduced consumer spending, interrupted work life and caused financial pain.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that he planned to have a long talk with the clerk of the Privy Council, the federal government's top civil servant, about how to get the announced measures helping Canadians quickly. The departments involved have started shifting resources to better manage the increased pressure they will face, but only a few details of how to access the programs are available so far.

Here are the major measures targeted at individuals, and what's been released about how to use them.

GST credit and Canada Child Benefit top-up

The government is going to provide a one-time special payment through the GST credit to low-income families that will average about $400 for singles and $600 for couples. Similarly, the government is proposing to provide, on average, about $550 in additional May payments. Benefits are tied to income through an individual's or family's annual tax return.

The Canada Revenue Agency encourages anyone who is eligible for either program to not delay filing their taxes for too long, despite the government's plan to extend the deadline for filing. The value of benefits is based on income, with payments adjusted in July when the benefit year begins.

Employment insurance sickness benefits

The Liberals already waived the one-week waiting period before benefits can be paid out for people unable to work because of illness. The update this week waives the requirement to provide the government with a medical certificate. The application is available online through the Employment and Social Development website.

Pausing student-loan repayment

Once approved by Parliament, payments would be paused from March 30 until Sept. 30, with no accrual of interest. The government hasn't made public further details of how this will work.

Emergency care benefit

This is for parents who can't work because schools or daycares are closed and for people taking care of sick family members, who don't qualify for EI benefits. The benefit will pay out up to a maximum $900, every two weeks, for up to 15 weeks. The online application through the Canada Revenue Agency won't be available until April. The government has only said that the application will require people to declare that they meet eligibility requirements, and then declare anew every two weeks.

Emergency Support Benefit

Like the care benefit, this will pay out benefits for 14 weeks to unemployed workers who don't qualify for employment insurance benefits, either because they are self-employed or because they don't have enough accumulated working hours in the previous 52 weeks. The payments would be comparable to what is provided through EI, which is 55 per cent of average weekly earnings up to a maximum amount that this year is $573 per week. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said Wednesday that more details of how to apply for the benefit, which will be administered by the CRA, would "come in the near future."

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.

Changes in tax filing

The filing deadlines for individuals, but not trusts, is moved to June 1. For trusts with a taxation year ending on Dec. 31, 2019, the filing due date is now May 1. And if you owe taxes as an individual or business, you can defer payments until September. As well, the CRA will recognize electronic signatures to reduce administrative burden and lessen the need for taxpayers and preparers to meet in person.

Help for businesses

The government is providing $10 billion in loans through the Business Credit Availability Program. Companies whose applications are accepted, by Export Development Canada or the Business Development Bank of Canada, can receive working capital loans of up to $2 million with flexible terms and reduced rates, and the option for some existing loan recipients to postpone payments for up to six months.

As with some other measures, the details are still coming. But here are two: Businesses thinking about applying need to go to their own financial institutions first before being referred to BDC, and eligible businesses had to be financially viable before the outbreak hit the economy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2020.
Neighbours ceased filming on Friday night, just days after the cast had returned to set.

The Australian soap had planned to film until its scheduled production break in early April, but COVID-19 restrictions pushed the finishing time forward by one week.

The first temporary shutdown was announced last Wednesday, which also happened to be the Australian soap's 35-year anniversary.

Break: Neighbours ceased filming on Friday night, just days after the cast had returned to set. The Australian soap had planned to film until its scheduled production break in early April, but COVID-19 restrictions pushed the finishing time forward by one week. Pictured: The cast

The ensemble cast had only returned to the set in Nunawading, Melbourne on Monday, after an employee who had come into contact with a COVID-19 patient tested negative.

Production has now shut down yet again on Friday night, with plans to resume in mid-April.

'To allow us to refine the Neighbours production model in light of the current Government restrictions in place, Fremantle has decided to start its planned Easter break one week earlier than scheduled,' a spokesperson told TV Tonight.

Around in circles: The first temporary shutdown was announced last Wednesday, which also happened to be the Australian soap's 35-year anniversary. Pictured: Stars Jackie Woodburne and Ryan Moloney

Halted: The ensemble cast had only returned to the set in Nunawading, Melbourne on Monday, after an employee who had come into contact with a COVID-19 patient tested negative. Pictured (L to R) actors Jane Allsop, Ben Turland, Tim Robards and April Rose Pengilly

They went on: 'The series will break for two weeks from the end of shoot this evening. The health, safety and well-being of our cast and crew and all involved on the series is our priority. Production is planned to resume April 14 with no interruption to on-air delivery.'

Before the early holiday, producers had been attempting to take precautions to reduce the spread of the deadly virus, including dividing up the crew and allocating work areas to enable social distancing.

Actress Madeleine West, who plays Dee Bliss, revealed preventative measures were being enforced on set.

'We are feeling the coronavirus pinch': Actress Madeleine West, who plays Dee Bliss and also directs episodes, revealed that preventative measures were being enforced on set

'Even out here in the iconic lot, we are now feeling the coronavirus pinch as our studio goes into lockdown.

'We were notified via a stern email on Monday that kissing and hugging, the hallmarks of a great soap, have been outlawed in favour of handshakes. Yesterday saw contact further reduced to elbow taps,' she wrote in her column for 9Honey.

Madeleine added that makeup artists were wearing hazmat suits and face masks to avoid direct contact with the actors.

As of Friday night, there are 3180 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia and 13 deaths.
Though he always paid his $505 rent on time, his landlords said in an email to The New York Times that he was a hoarder who allowed his unit to devolve into unsanitary conditions. They needed to evict him for his health and safety and that of his neighbors. He got 60 days notice and a months free rent. The court approved the eviction in early February, weeks before anyone realized how the coronavirus would grip the country.

Since then, eviction court proceedings have been suspended statewide in 27 states, and numerous local jurisdictions have acted to do so on their own, according to a list compiled by Emily A. Benfer, a visiting law professor at Columbia Law School. But only 13 states have banned the enforcement of evictions statewide, addressing an important loophole.

Six days after the presiding judge in Jackson County issued an order that suspended most court proceedings, a court deputy showed up at an older womans home on March 18 to evict her. It turned out that while the judges order prevented pending cases from proceeding, it did not stop cases that already had been decided.

Ms. Raghuveer, the director of K.C. Tenants, spoke by phone with the deputy enforcing the eviction, and he told her, The judge has signed off on the eviction, and we need to proceed with it, according to a recording of the conversation provided by Ms. Raghuveer.
The coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, is isolated from a patient in the U.S. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesRocky Mountain Laboratories)

The muscled, spray-tanned and self-described Genius Entrepreneur cupped a white pill in his palm, then told his 2.4 million followers on Instagram: If I walk in the Staples Center and everyone is testing coronavirus-positive, OK, I cant contract it.

Keith Lawrence Middlebrook didnt just tell his Instagram followers hed invented both a pill that inoculated him from the coronavirus and a serum to cure those whod contracted it. He pitched the bogus medicine to a man he believed to be an investor, trying to drum up $300,000 with the promise of a $30-million return, a federal agent wrote in an affidavit.

Middlebrook, 53, was arrested Wednesday night and charged with attempted wire fraud.

Theres a particular opportunistic cruelty in seeking to profit based on the fear and helplessness of others, Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles office, said in a statement.

Earlier this month, an informant who had furnished the FBI with information in an earlier case against Middlebrook contacted an agent in San Diego: Middlebrook was soliciting funding for a coronavirus vaccine, he told the agent, and he was promising the informant finders fees for investor referrals.

Madison MacDonald, an FBI agent in Los Angeles, reviewed texts Middlebrook sent the informant. Investors who come in at ground level say $1m will parachute with $200m to $300m, one message said, MacDonald wrote in an affidavit.

Another was a picture of Earvin Magic Johnson, MacDonald wrote, accompanied with the words, We got MAGIC JOHNSON coming aboard!!!! Call me!!

The FBI contacted Christina Francis, president of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Francis spoke with the former Lakers star and reported back, the affidavit said: Johnson has no involvement with Middlebrook or his businesses and had never met, spoken to or seen this individual.

Last week, Middlebrook had taken to his public Instagram account to declare that after studying cell tissue and chemical biology for many years, he had created a cure for COVID-19.

Story continues

This is the cure right here, going into mass production, he said, displaying a syringe. This is going to save and change the world. Yes, I have a meeting set up with President Donald Trump.

The video has been viewed 633,000 times. No cure or vaccine exists for the novel coronavirus.

The next day, an FBI agent posing as an investor spoke with Middlebrook on a recorded line. For a $300,000 investment, Middlebrook guaranteed him a $30-million return, secured by a $10 billion offer from an unnamed buyer in Dubai, according to MacDonalds affidavit.

The day after their call, the purported investor followed up. Middlebrook said hed secured seven more investors since they last talked, each of whom had pledged an average of $750,000 to $1 million, the affidavit said. The investor and his mother could get the prevention pills once he'd wired a $9,999 deposit, Middlebrook said, according to the affidavit.

In a video posted to Instagram, Middlebrook said the pills had so thoroughly inoculated him from the coronavirus that "if someone tests coronavirus-positive, Ill give them a hug, sit down and have a conversation with them, and take them to dinner. The video has been viewed more than 1 million times.

When Middlebrook went to El Segundo on Wednesday night to meet the purported investor and deliver the pills, he was arrested. He is expected to appear in federal court in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. It couldnt be determined Wednesday night whether he had an attorney.

During these difficult days, scams like this are using blatant lies to prey upon our fears and weaknesses, Nicola Hanna, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement. While this may be the first federal criminal case in the nation stemming from the pandemic, it certainly will not be the last.
Korea is seeing a sharp increase in coronavirus infections among arrivals from the U.S. and Europe. On Tuesday, 2,241 people arrived from Europe and 2,265 from the U.S., mostly Korean expats fleeing the lockdown there.

Starting Friday, any American visitors with telltale symptoms are being tested for coronavirus, but those without symptoms are simply told to quarantine themselves for two weeks. The same goes for visitors from Europe, while Koreans arriving from overseas without symptoms are asked to quarantine themselves for up to three days until they can be tested.

Some 3,000 to 4,000 people without symptoms are expected to enter Korea every day and be placed in self-quarantine.

Rates of infection are now higher in Europe and the U.S. than in China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the pandemic. The government banned visitors from the province on Feb. 2 but has not banned travelers from the U.S. and Europe.

When the government banned visitors from Hubei, the rate of infections there was 15.1 per 100,000 people. At present, the rate of infection in Europe is 29.5 per 100,000 and in the U.S. 15.8.

Quarantine and entry limitations so far have been based on country-by-country and regional rates of coronavirus infection, but officials here said Thursday, "We do not determine entry bans or quarantine measures based on a single statistical figure."


A new study in The Economic Journal, published by Oxford University Press, suggests that migrating extremists can shape political developments in their destination regions for generations. Regions in Austria that witnessed an influx of Nazis fleeing the Soviets after WWII are significantly more right-leaning than other parts of the country. There were no such regional differences in far-right values before World War Two.

There is a long history of ideological radicals who have moved abroad to spread their political views: From the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin over the revolutionary Che Guevara to Jihadist fighters returning to their home countries from the Islamic State. Governments fear that these immigrants bring political turmoil and often react with travel bans or harsh surveillance. Beyond anecdotal evidence, however, researchers have not yet identified effects of migrating extremists on the spread of actual political beliefs.

The researchers use the Allied occupation of Austria after World War Two as a natural experiment. In the summer of 1945, occupation zones in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria were unexpectedly reallocated between the United States and the Soviets. US-liberated regions north of the Danube River were reassigned to the Soviets, while the southern bank remained under US control. People started to flee to the US zone in large numbers immediately. Primarily Nazi elites fearing Soviet punishment migrated to the south bank of the Danube River. The zoning along the Danube River divided an otherwise historically, economically and culturally homogeneous region into two areas - one with a high density and another one with comparably low density of Nazi elite members.

Austria's long tradition of far-right populism allows the authors to trace the effects of migrated Nazi elites since the late 1940s until today. The results indicate a substantial and persistent increase in extreme right-wing attitudes in the destinations of migrating extremists. Even seventy years after the Nazi influx, vote shares for far-right parties are still much higher in places where Nazi elites settled.

The authors provide two main explanations for the long-term persistence of far-right values: local institutions and family ties. Migrated Nazis founded and penetrated local party branches at their destination. Those institutions multiplied their impact. The researchers found that migrating Nazis leverage far-right votes by at least a factor of 1.3 up to a factor of 2.5. Another explanation for persistence is intergenerational transmission. The authors collected pre-war phone book entries and show that names of far-right politicians today still reflect long-gone migration of Nazi elites after the war. All results hold when including controls for socio-economic and time invariant geographic characteristics.

It appears that political preferences are transmitted from generation to generation. Even after three or four generations, attitudes and beliefs of Nazi migrant families and communities continue to differ. Descendants of migrating extremists together with local party institutions are continuously spreading their beliefs to residents through active engagement in local politics.

"We were surprised to learn that imported extremism can survive for generations and does not fade away," said the paper's lead author Felix Roesel. "The good news is that liberal and democratic values spread in a very similar manner. This is what new research has shown. Populism is not more contagious than other political ideas."

###

Direct correspondence to:

Felix Roesel

ifo Institute, Dresden Branch

Einsteinstrasse 3

01187 Dresden, GERMANY

roesel@ifo.de

To request a copy of the study, please contact:

Daniel Luzer

daniel.luzer@oup.com

Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournals
BRIDGEPORT  City firefighters quickly extinguished flames in a commercial dwelling on Bay Street late Friday afternoon.

Units responded for a report of a possible structure fire at 155 Bay St. shortly before 5:45 p.m.

Firefighters were told it was a fire at a warehouse that had chlorine inside. Units said all workers were out of the building upon arrival.

First arriving units reported seeing smoke from the dwelling and one firefighter requested the fire marshal to respond.

At 5:48 p.m., firefighters on scene confirmed a working fire in the back of the structure with all hands working to extinguish the flames.

Just a few minutes before 6 p.m., units on scene relayed the recall for units, but said all on scene would remain on scene.

Around 6:10 p.m., officials confirmed that the flames were out and that fire companies would return to service soon after checking for potential hotspots.
Glasgow [Scotland], Mar 27 (ANI): In the wake of the recent barbaric attack on the minority Sikh community in Afghanistan by Islamic State terrorists, a Scottish human rights activist has opined that there can be no peace until religious terrorism is totally defeated and annihilated.



Condemning the terror attack on the gurdawara, Amjad Ayub Mirza said, "My heart goes out to those who have lost their family members in the incident which has claimed more than dozens of lives and caused massive damage to the temple itself."

On Wednesday, armed gunmen killed 25 civilians in an attack on the 400-year old gurudwara, located in the Shor Bazar of the Afghan capital. The incident, since then, has left the Sikh community in desolation.

The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for the attack, but many experts believe that Pakistan's spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) propagated the incident to oppose Ashraf Ghani, who was re-elected as the President of Afghanistan last month.

"Everone should form an alliance to defeat Islamic religious terrorism. Zero tolerance for hate speech by Imams in mosques during congregations should be imposed all over the world," Mirza told ANI.

The Taliban has signed a peace deal with the United States, last month that would see all American troops leave the country.

Speaking about the peace deal Mirza said, "The deal between Taliban and America is a farce. A peace deal does not include broad peace between Taliban and other faith living in the land, or between the Taliban and the Afghan government."

The activist further recalled a similar incident of terror attack in the war-torn country when a convoy of Sikhs and Hindus was attacked by an Islamic State suicide bomber while on their way to meet Ghani in Jalalabad city in June 2018. The attack had left 19 people dead.

In recent years, large number of Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan have sought asylum in India. (ANI)


Three British Airways flights have been chartered to bring home hundreds of British tourists stranded in Peru.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced that it has organised the flights from South America to London.

The first flight will depart from Lima on Sunday.

Domestic flights from Cusco and Arequipa to Lima have also been chartered to transfer UK nationals to the repatriation flights.

A British Airways flight organised by the FCO brought 172 British people and their dependants back to the UK from Peru on Thursday.

Seats on this flight were prioritised for people more at risk from the effects of coronavirus, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

British nationals travelling overseas are strongly advised to return to the UK now. Advice on how to return to the UK is being regularly updated. Visit the country travel advice page for more information.  https://t.co/SWXzorIwgO pic.twitter.com/5OUyF7jiEI  FCO travel advice (@FCOtravel) March 25, 2020

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: The Foreign Office has chartered three more flights for British travellers in Peru  as well as domestic flights to help those in Cusco.

We continue to work around the clock to help British travellers struggling to get back to the UK and thank the Peruvian government for all their support in making this happen.

Perus commercial transport network has been shut down, meaning regular flights cannot operate and tens of thousands of foreign visitors are stranded.

The FCO said it is in contact with British travellers so they are aware of the flights it has chartered.

British travellers stranded around the world face a race against time to get on flights as airlines ground fleets and countries introduce travel bans.

The FCO has advised UK nationals to return home as soon as possible.
LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he has tested positive for coronavirus, making him one of the first world leaders to become a patient himself during the global pandemic.

"Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus. I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus," Johnson revealed via tweet.

Just a few hours later, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock also alerted the public that he had tested positive for the virus. "Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating," Hancock announced.

Later on Friday, Britain's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, who has served as the public face for the science community, reported that he, too, is suffering from symptoms compartible with COVID-19 and self-isolating. He did not say if he was tested.

The news that three leaders of Britain's fight against the virus have been taken ill came as shock - a clear signal that, as scientists have predicted, many more will be stricken in coming days.

The prime minister's spokesman said Johnson suffered from a cough and fever on Thursday morning, was tested in the afternoon and received the results before midnight.

Johnson shared a video message in which he once again urged Britons to "stay at home" to stop the spread of the virus. He signed off, saying: "We are going to beat it and we are going to beat it together."

Johnson was last seen in public applauding health-care workers on Thursday evening from the door of 10 Downing Street as a part of a national celebration of the front-line nurses and doctors.

The 55-year-old Johnson, who enjoys bicycle rides and ambling jogs, as well as French wine and English sausage, does not suffer from any known underlying health conditions that would make him especially vulnerable to complications.

If Johnson became too sick to work, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would likely take the reins. If Raab were to be infected, the leadership could pass to another government minister further down the line.

After initial hesitation to embrace the strict measures pursued elsewhere in Europe to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the prime minister recently changed course and has pursued what he has described as "drastic measures" to save lives and keep the National Health Service from being overwhelmed.

Britain is now on a kind of soft lockdown, with citizens urged to work from home, remain indoors and venture out only to buy food and medicine or exercise once a day. All pubs, restaurants, gyms, and most shops have shuttered. Police are issuing warnings to those who disobey the measures by gathering in groups larger than family size.

Earlier in the epidemic, the prime minister wanted to Britain to move methodically - and too slowly, say critics - to confront the contragion. On March 3, just a few days after a visit to Kettering hospital, Johnson told a press conference, "I was at a hospital the other night where there were a few coronavirus patients. I shook hands with everybody you will be pleased to know and I continue to shake hands." His spokesman later clarified he shook hands with staff, not patients.

Until this week, Johnson was attending royal functions, delivering speeches at the House of Commons, chairing cabinet meetings and presiding at press conferences. The prominent British epidemioligist, Neil Ferguson of Imperial College, who also tested positve recently for coronavirus, pointed out that Westminister was likely a hotbed for germs.

Johnson this week finally began to hold his meetings via video conference, perched at a table alone and looking at a large TV screen filled with the talking heads of his ministers and scientific and medical advisers. He participated, as did other leaders in the G-20 summit via video link. The prime minister last appeared at the government's daily news conference two days ago.

On his doctor's recommendation, Johnson will withdraw into his chambers for seven days and will forgo all public appearances and in-person group meetings.

"He's self-isolating in his flat," said his official spokesman.

His fiancee, Carrie Symonds, 31, who is pregnant and due to deliver in early summer, lives with the prime minster at the official residence. But the Telegraph newspaper reported she's "now isolating alone away from No. 10 with the couple's dog, Dilyn."

Johnson lives at 11 Downing Street and works at 10 Downing Street. He will have his food left at the door to his apartment, his aides said.

Like the White House, Johnson's home is his office - and 10 and 11 Downing are usually busy hives, with ministers, aides, journalists and visitors coming and going, and squeezing past each other in the narrow hallways.

The British leader is the first leader of the G-20 group of nations to test positive for the virus. Two others - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - have entered self-quarantine over concerns that they may have been exposed to the virus.

The prime minister and the queen typically meet face-to-face once a week. But Buckingham Palace said Queen Elizabeth II last saw the prime minister on March 11 and "remains in good health," local news outlets reported.

The 93-year-old queen has been staying at Windsor Castle, west of London. Her son and heir, Prince Charles has tested positive for the virus and is in quarantine in Scotland.

- - -

The Washington Post's Jennifer Hassan contributed to this report.
Over 900 people have died from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours in Italy, the biggest daily leap since the coronavirus pandemic began late December in China.

The total death toll in Italy stood at 9,154 after 969 deaths were reported on Friday, CNN reports. This is the darkest day yet in a country that has been in a complete lockdown for almost two weeks.

The disturbing death toll came after coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed the threshold of half a million, data from worldometers.info showed.

The global death toll has also climbed past 25,000 after Spain, the 4th worst-hit nation recorded almost 800 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Experts believe the death toll might even be twice the current figure as many people die without being tested.

Countries have continued to report inadequate testing kits for potential patients of Covid-19, a strain of coronavirus which has continued to defy science.

With nearly a 100,000 infections, the U.S which has become the country mostly ravaged by the disease, surpassing China were the virus is believed to have emanated from. This has marked a new milestone in the fight against the global pandemic

Italy also became the second country to overtake China in the number of infections, reaching 86,498 cases.

Why so grim in Italy?

The rapid spread of the deadly disease in Italy is largely blamed on its large population of elderly people, who are particularly susceptible to serious complications from the virus. Italy has the worlds second-oldest population, and the vast majority of its dead  87 per cent  were over 70.

Health authorities also cited other reasons such as the countrys overwhelmed health care systems and the delayed imposition of complete lockdown measures.

Italian authorities have imposed tighter restrictions on people and businesses with countries such as China and Cuba sending personnel and equipment to help stem the tide of the deadly virus in the European country.
By Trend

Operational Headquarters under Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers held a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov on March 26, Trend reports.

The meeting participants discussed issues related to the special quarantine regime and the situation with observing the requirements of the regime.

Prime Minister Asadov noted that everyone should unconditionally fulfill the requirements of the special quarantine regime and sanitary-epidemiological norms. He also emphasized the necessity of tightening the control over the implementation of the special regime requirements. During the period of the special quarantine regime, 746 people were were brought to administrative and one to criminal responsibility.

City and district executive powers have been instructed to control the implementation of the special quarantine regime.

Moreover, the meeting participants discussed the issues related to the evacuation of foreign citizens, the situation in quarantine zones, as well as the treatment of patients and adopted relevant decisions.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Abu Dhabi crown prince on the Coronavirus Pandemic, India thanked the UAE authorities for accommodating the 19 Indian nationals who were stuck at Dubai airport for past several days.

The Indian mission in Dubai tweeted, They got stranded due to various restrictions to deal with Covid-19 pandemic. Hotel rooms have been given to them inside the airport. Our Consulate had been in constant touch with the Indian nationals and UAE and Indian authorities. We had also provided some financial help to enable our stranded passengers to buy food. The situation was tough due to the pandemic situation.

During their conversation last evening, Abu Dhabi crown prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan had assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the welfare of the over two million Indians living in UAE and contributing to its economy. PM Modi thanked the Crown Prince for his personal attention to the health and safety of Indian expatriates in the present situation.

A statement issued late on Thursday night by the MEA said, The two leaders exchanged information and views on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the situation in their respective countries, as well as the steps being taken by their Governments. They agreed that the next few weeks would be crucial to control the spread of the virus, and required concerted and coordinated efforts by all countries. In this context, they appreciated the organisation of a Virtual Summit among G20 Leaders earlier in the day, to discuss the pandemic.

Both leaders emphasised the importance they attach to the strength and richness of the bilateral relationship. They agreed to maintain regular consultations between their officials in the present situation, particularly to ensure continuity of logistical supply lines.
By Kang Hyun-kyung





"Coupang is better than the government."



I found this comment from a reader while reading an online news article on Sunday about President Moon Jae-in's "self-promotional" narrative on why South Korea, unlike other countries like the United States, Britain and Australia, has no panic buying despite the coronavirus pandemic.



Coupang is a popular online shopping mall and could be likened to Korea's version of Amazon because of its wide selection of products and overnight delivery.



To help our readers understand why the internet user praised Coupang, I would like to share a little bit more about the news story. According to the article, in an undisclosed conversation last week, President Moon told his aides that he personally appreciated that the Korean public chose not to stockpile household supplies amid the coronavirus pandemic.



Moon reportedly said Korean consumers don't hoard household products, such as toilet paper and other emergency supplies, because they trust their government and its pandemic response. The government is supposed to help citizens feel safe, he went on to say.



An unnamed presidential staffer chipped in and proudly told reporters that panic buying occurs when the public doesn't trust their government. President Moon's and his loyal deputy's "narcissistic" comments came as, according to Cheong Wa Dae, several foreign media outlets, including the BBC, praised South Korea for its effective post-virus outbreak responses.



Cynicism and derision dominated readers' reactions to the Korean news article.



Curious about the reports, I looked up international media outlets' recent coverage of South Korea's COVID-19 responses. A recent BBC report praised some Asian countries, including Taiwan and Singapore, for their calm and effective virus fight efforts in the early stage and it mentioned positively South Korea for its capability to conduct large-scale testing. But it was difficult to find international media news articles about the absence of panic buying in Korea, except one that was reported based on an Australian's first-hand experience of supermarkets in Korea.



I do agree with President Moon, and his deputy who provided the backstory for his boss's remarks to reporters to help them understand the context; that the role of government is important to assure the public not to be panicked in the event of a public health crisis like the one we are now going through.



But I'm not convinced by President Moon's remarks that the "absence of panic buying" in Korea after the novel coronavirus outbreak is because Koreans trust the government.



Contrary to his argument, there is panic buying in Korea. Every day, we see people in long lines near pharmacies to purchase face masks. Doctors have warned of possible virus infection occurring as people gather and wait for several hours to buy masks.



The "mask crisis" is Korea's equivalent of panic buying.



Shelves are still packed with products because shoppers shun supermarkets or physical grocery stores for fear of virus infection. They order household supplies online. The flurry of consumers online shopping in the wake of the virus outbreak has made Coupang workers busier and work longer hours. Hence, the lauding of Coupang workers as heroes who helped relieve concerned Korean consumers.



Like other Koreans, these delivery workers are, or may be more susceptible to virus infection, partly because of the nature of their work. A recent scientific research found that the virus can live on a surface for hours and this means that delivery workers are exposed to the virus as they handle a large number of boxes every day.



It would have been nice if President Moon had mentioned about these workers' health risks and tried to find if there are ways to help them stay safe, rather than self-promotion of his government for the role that it didn't actually play.



I sometimes feel that President Moon needs a staff member or a team assigned to scrutinize every word his wordsmith prepared before his actual speeches, to check if each expression is appropriate and in line with the message they intend to convey.



I think President Moon and his deputies will be better off if they bear one thing in mind in their preparation of the presidential speech: is his audience on the same page with the president?



Being heard matters.


[March 27, 2020] Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 | Need for Data Integration Solutions to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market and it is poised to grow by USD 1.67 billion during 2019-2023. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005422/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will decelerate during the forecast period. Alphabet, Amazon.com, IBM, Microsoft, and SAS (News - Alert) Institute are some of the major market participants. The need for data integration solutions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Need for data integration solutions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 : Segmentation Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market is segmented as below: Application Predictive risk management Consumer experience management Sales & marketing

Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30157 Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 : Sope



Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market report covers the following areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Size

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Trends

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market Industry Analysis This study identifies growing demand for smart homes as one of the prime reasons driving the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market growth during the next few years.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 : Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market, including some of the vendors such as Alphabet, Amazon.com, IBM (News - Alert), Microsoft, and SAS Institute. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Media Market 2019-2023 : Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media market vendors Table Of Contents : PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Predictive risk management - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Consumer experience management - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Sales and marketing - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY SOLUTION Market segmentation by solution PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

Americas - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC - Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers

Market challenges PART 12: MARKET TRENDS PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Alphabet

Amazon.com (News - Alert)

IBM

Microsoft

SAS Institute PART 15: APPENDIX Research methodology

List of abbreviations PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005422/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
43 people fall ill at Pentecostal church after revival, 10 test positive for coronavirus

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Several members of an Illinois Pentecostal church are either at the hospital or in home quarantine after at least 43 congregants fell ill following a revival service two Sundays ago, and at least 10 of them have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

In a Facebook post Wednesday night, Layna LoCascio, wife of pastor Anthony LoCascio who leads The Life Church of Glenview, said at least 43 of the approximately 80 people who attended a March 15 service at their church have fallen ill and everyone who has been tested for the new coronavirus has come back positive for the virus which has already killed more than 1,470 and infected more than 97,000 people nationwide.

We have 43 infected (at minimum) from our church or connected to our church from our last service on March 15th. They all havent tested but whoever gets a test done ends up being positive, and we all have the same symptoms. Its just not easy. Its especially not easy when youre a leader and a pastor of a precious church and we all got infected together, she wrote.

Church leaders said the meeting was held days before the governors stay-at-home order. However, it was after officials called for large public events to be scaled down to 1,000 people and for private ones to have a maximum 250 in attendance, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Pastor LoCascio told the Daily Herald that he had contemplated canceling the service initially but because the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the area was low he decided against it, particularly because they had a guest speaker coming and had been promoting the event for a while.

"We had a guest speaker. We were promoting it," he said. "We made the announcement, 'If you're sick, stay home.' We didn't know [this would happen]. No one knew."

The decision not to cancel has led to a lot of pain for many, including pastor LoCascio, the guest evangelist, Eli Hernandez, as well as a member of the church who's battling cancer.

One of the main pillars in our church, who has cancer, is in the hospital with pneumonia and a blood infection and pancreatic cancer and Covid19. He is not doing good. Hes in ICU and on a ventilator. My husband is tore up about it! SO torn up! Hes been so sick as well, Layna LoCascio wrote.

Its been 11 days straight of fever and sickness. He still has fever, and now a cough but hes able to walk and talk and eat at least. (It had gotten so bad he asked me to check on his life insurance, poor thing.) Without the prayers of precious people all over the nation praying, we might wouldve had a different scenario, she said, pleading for continued prayers.

Layna LoCascio said that she, her husband, as well as the visiting evangelist had just attended a ministers conference in the Chicago metropolitan area, where the coronavirus cases have been exploding, just days before the revival service on March 15 and they might have been infected there.

If it was just our family, it would be so much easier to deal with but when its effected so so many in our church, its just so hard.  Little did we all know (leaders from our church and my husband and I and Bro Hernandez & his family), little did we know that we were probably infected with Covid19, she said.

They were looking forward to the special service because it was their last gathering before the lockdown went into effect, she said.

We had invited so many guests & members. We all knew it was the last service before the lockdown. So many beautiful things happened! People filled with the Holy Spirit and we even had miracles. He even preached about faith! (Bro Hernandez.) But now...now he is at the hospital with pneumonia and under sedation, not doing good. What can I say? Do I give up my faith? Do I look straight into the eyes of what appears to be the most dreaded situation that could ever come of this? she asked.

My very own sweet precious mother (and probably father too) ended up getting infected and now Momma is home with a bad cough and in bed. I could sit and FRET and WORRY (and believe me, Ive done my fair share of that), and I could just let my spirit within me DIE, ORRRR I could just make the choice to say, I KNOW MY GOD!!!! And my God says I will be WITH YOU!!!

She continued: "My God is MORE than enough to supply all of my needs, all of OUR needs! Even if He is as SILENT as can be right now, I KNOW Ive heard His voice before and I KNOW I will hear His voice AFTER!!! He told US!!! HE TOLD US WERE GOING TO THE OTHER SIDE!!!! I dont care how hard the storm seems in this sea of Galilee. He has PROMISED my church dynamic end time revival! He has PROMISED us that we would be a healing place! I will not BOW! I will NOT BOW to FEAR!

Layna LoCascio also posted a video on the churchs Facebook page explaining that she has been treating her husband with garlic.

The World Health Organization says that while garlic is a health food and might have "some antimicrobial properties." There has been "no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus."
Doctors and nurses in New York who have been overwhelmed by novel coronavirus patients could have some relief in the coming days as the Navy works to fast-track plans to move a hospital ship there.

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said Thursday that the hospital ship Comfort, which has been undergoing maintenance in Norfolk, Virginia, could leave for New York on Friday or Saturday.

"Hopefully, she'll be there in New York by the early part of next week -- Monday, Tuesday," Modly told reporters from the Pentagon.

Governors on both coasts have pleaded with President Donald Trump to dispatch the Navy's hospital ships and other military medical assets to areas hard hit by COVID-19.

Related: Here's How a Navy Hospital Ship Will Help Fight the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Navy's West Coast-based hospital ship, the Mercy, is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles this week. It departed San Diego on Monday, but the crew needed to complete some training and certification before beginning a unique mission in their own country.

The Comfort was not scheduled to arrive in New York until April 3. Modly said the service worked to accelerate that plan and wrap up some maintenance projects on the ship.

If it doesn't have any issues in transit, he said, the Comfort should be in place about four days earlier than planned.

Navy leaders have stressed that its hospital ships won't be used to treat coronavirus patients. Instead, they'll be able to take patients from nearby hospitals who require surgery or other care.

The Mercy's crew hasn't been given an end date for their mission on the West Coast. Capt. Dan Cobian, the mission commander, said the crew is prepared to stay in LA "until the need is complete or until it doesn't make sense anymore."

That's likely to be the case on the Comfort as well.

New York has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the U.S., with more than 37,000 as of Thursday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said making sure the state's hospital system doesn't crash during the crisis is his No. 1 priority.

"The deployment of the USNS Comfort to New York is an extraordinary but necessary step to help ensure our state has the capacity to handle an influx of patients with COVID-19 and continue our efforts to contain the virus," Cuomo said.

The Comfort has 1,000 hospital beds and a dozen operating rooms onboard. It will be sent to New York harbor.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read More: Navy Testing All 5,000 Sailors on the Carrier Roosevelt as COVID-19 Cases Spike
New Delhi, March 27 : In an unprecedented interaction over the emerging COVID-19 crisis in India, President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday suggested all the Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the country to make all out efforts to supplement medical relief and food distribution in their respective states and territories. In a three- hour long video conference, the President said that Medical Universities, Red Cross Society, NGOs working in the field of relief and medical care should be roped in for their vital contribution in this hour of crisis.

At least 15 Governors, including Lt. Governors provided valuable suggestions to the President on various key issues. Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammed Khan said that 18,000 doctors of various private institutions, including the ones who have retired are working with the state government to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

Laying emphasis on social distancing to keep away the dreaded infection, Arif Mohammed Khan , known for his study on Urdu and Arabic culture, recited a couplet quoting Bashir Badra, "Yun hee besabab na fira karo, Koi sham ghar me raha karo." Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon informed the President that except Indore the situation in one of the biggest Hindi heartland states is normal." Indore has some problems...but the government is taking all measures to normalise the situation," Tandon said, according to official sources.

Maharashtra which has the highest number of COVID-19 positive cases was heard on top priority. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari was of the view that social distancing has been adhered in the urban areas. However, in the rural pockets efforts are being made through administrative machinery and voluntary organisation to educate and ensure that village population stays away from getting too close.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal also spoke for quite some time and informed that he along with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are holding meetings on a daily basis with top bureaucrats, including District Collectors, and police officials including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCPs) to closely monitor the situation in the national capital. The LG assured that medical and provision stores are being allowed to function in a 24x7 mode so that there is no shortage of food and grocery items.

The Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu who was live on the conference from his residence suggested that help of artists, film stars and leading persons from the private sectors should be sought for an awareness campaign on social distancing and also in contribution of relief work during the countrywide lockdown which continues through next two weeks. Naidu was of the view that in Maharashtra and several southern states there is no dearth of artists and film stars who had always stood by the country in such grim situations.

The three- hour long meeting with a break of half an hour, also decided that 8,000 medically trained volunteers of Red Cross society of India will help state health officials in challenging task of taking care of the infected persons.

The president Ram Nath Kovind appreciated the efforts of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues and all Chief Ministers of the country who are working round the clock to tackle the menace of the COVID-19.

The President also suggested that the golden rule of social distancing must be followed to prevent the transmission of the virus in the community. Besides steps should be taken to ensure a regular supply of food chain across the country.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Opposition leader cites the coronavirus epidemic as the reason for his decision to pursue a unity government.

Israel appeared headed for a unity government on Friday after opposition leader Benny Gantz moved towards an agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, disappointing voters who had hoped to bring down the right-wing leader.

Gantz was elected parliamentary speaker on Thursday with support from Netanyahus Likud and allied parties, angering many of his own partners over the possibility he could form an alliance with a leader who is under criminal indictment.

Gantz, a former military chief, cited the coronavirus epidemic as the reason for his decision. Israel, with 3,000 cases of the disease and 10 deaths, is under partial lockdown.

The shock move splintered Gantzs centrist Blue and White coalition of three parties just 13 months after it came into existence as a grouping of Netanyahu opponents intent on bringing down Israels longest-serving prime minister.

It also drew an angry response from some among the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who turned out to support Gantzs coalition in three elections in the past year. Some commentators accused the former general of caving into Netanyahu.

It makes me feel terrible. Its exactly what I did not want to happen, to see Gantz actually partner with Netanyahu, said Tami Golan, 46, who voted for Gantz in all three elections.

I understand the coronavirus makes for a special situation, but I cant help but feel disappointed  we might not be done with Netanyahu, Golan said.

Gantz, 60, expressed regret on Friday that his decision had split his centrist alliance, but said dragging the country towards a fourth election would distract from fighting the coronavirus and aiding the economy.

[We] will make every effort to establish a national emergency government. We will take care of the health crisis. We will lift the country out of economic trauma, Gantz said in a statement.

I am at peace because I did what my nation needs, he added. This is the time for leaders to choose what is right and put the lingering issues and personal scores aside.

At least one member of Gantzs own Israel Resilience Party came out against him on Friday  a lawmaker from Israels Arab Druze minority.

A leader does not betray his principles and his electorate  I will not sit one day under the corrupt [premier], Gadeer Mreeh wrote on Twitter.

But with Netanyahus coalition of right-wing parties needing only three more seats to reach a majority in the 120-member parliament, the early defection from Gantzs 15-strong faction was unlikely to put a dent in moves towards a unity government.

United States President Donald Trump called his close ally Netanyahu on Friday to congratulate him on the fact that he would form a government under his premiership, Netanyahu said on his Arabic-language Twitter account.

Rotation deal possible

During the campaign for the March 2 election, Gantz had ruled out serving with Netanyahu, citing the prime ministers looming trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Netanyahu denies the charges.

But Gantz has lacked enough support on the centre and left to form a coalition after being asked by President Reuven Rivlin to try to form a government following the election.

Netanyahu, 70, had proposed a unity government to tackle the coronavirus, promising to step down as prime minister within an agreed period, with Gantz then taking over.

Gantzs move on Thursday opened up the possibility of such a rotation deal, but there has been no formal announcement that such an agreement had been reached.
Hira Health Montecito

With over 2,200 confirmed cases in the state of California and 41 confirmed deaths, from the COVID-19 pandemic, California is quickly becoming one of the epicenters of the outbreak. As of Monday, state officials were issuing urgent warnings about the need for more hospital beds, and equipment as medical facilities begin to reach their capacity. During this crisis, Hira Health, a Los Angeles based Substance Abuse Treatment Center is leading the industry in combating the spread of the virus in its facilities, while helping other facilities do the same.

Dr. Abe Malkin, Medical Director at Hira Health, featured on NBC, Fox News says, The biggest consensus is that it all comes down to testing, as early and as often as we are able. Taking the proactive approach to get tests on hand to get clients tested right away when there is a concern prospectively. CEO of Hira Health, Nicholas Mathews, has taken an aggressive position in ensuring its clients and their families that the 6 Hira Health properties across the state are continuing to receive clients, while providing sanitary conditions. Mathews states, We are a licensed healthcare facility and the services we provide are necessary. Our current and future clients rely on programs like us to continue to do what we do best. The reality is that addiction and alcoholism doesnt take any breaks and neither do we. The COVID-19 pandemic is a tragedy that is overwhelming the healthcare system across the United States. Healthcare officials in California alone, say there is a need for over 50,000 hospital beds for the sick and infected.

As COVID-19 pandemic persists, there is also the silent pandemic of opioid abuse in America, which on average takes the lives of 130 people a day. Hira Health has repeatedly expressed its commitment to making its homes safe for clients who are suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, while setting the industry standard in combatting the spread of COVID-19 in treatment facilities.

Hira Health has been closely monitoring the CDC protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility has implemented the following health procedures to ensure the safety of all clients and staff, while insisting that other facilities follow the same protocol.



All unnecessary visitors and non-client care staff have been postponed from coming into the facility, unless deemed absolutely necessary

Staff has been trained on infection control protocol such as proper hand washing and prevention methods to prepare for potential issues if the virus is to spread

All common areas of the facility undergo a routine disinfection (this includes the kitchen, door knobs, surface areas, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.)

Hira Health Staff performs 30 minutes rounds to ensure clients safety, as well as monitor any potential flu-like symptoms

Disinfection stations, including hand sanitizer stations, have been set up around the facility

Hand sanitizer, gloves and face masks are available for client use at any time

All new clients are required to have a medical examination, which includes a temperature reading upon admission

Clients receive scheduled meetings with the medical director via Telehealth

Hira Health is a Behavioral Health facility, focused on Substance Abuse and Dual Diagnosis treatment with 6 locations stretching across Central to Southern California. Hira Health offers their clients a wide variety of Holistic and Evidence-based treatment and exclusive programming to alleviate anxiety, stress and a relief from a life of addiction. For more information visit http://www.hirahealth.com or call (800) 785-2757.
The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi said China "wishes to continue sharing all information with the US"

Beijing: China and the United States should "unite to fight" the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the globe, said President Xi Jinping in a call with his US counterpart on Friday, according to state media.

The two countries have clashed in recent weeks over the virus, but Xi told President Donald Trump that China "wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US," said state broadcaster CCTV.

The two leaders appeared to strike a conciliatory tone after Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo angered Beijing this month by repeatedly referring to "the Chinese virus" when discussing the COVID-19 outbreak first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Earlier this month a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing also suggested in a tweet that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

Friday's call also took place as the US overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus cases -- the pathogen has now infected more than 82,400 people in the world's largest economy.

Xi said Sino-US relations were at a "critical juncture", CCTV said, adding that cooperation was mutually beneficial and "the only right choice."

"I hope that the US will take substantive actions to improve Sino-US relations, and both sides can work together to strengthen cooperation in fighting the epidemic," he said.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added.
The use of spit and bite guards has been introduced by the PSNI amid reports of people who claim they have coronavirus intentionally coughing over officers. (PA)

Police working in custody suites in Northern Ireland are set to receive spit and bite guards for protection from coronavirus.

The guards, made of mesh and plastic, are placed over the head of a person who is threatening to spit or bite officers.

The representative body for officers, the Police Federation, earlier called for the equipment to be introduced amid reports of constables being intentionally coughed at by people who said they had coronavirus.

The #PFNI says the failure to immediately introduce spit and bite guards to protect officers is inexcusable and calls on the @NIPolicingBoard to end the dithering. @PoliceServiceNI @ChiefConPSNI https://t.co/w7TxDnvFQe  Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) March 27, 2020

Chairman Mark Lindsay urged the issuing of the spit and bite guards to allow officers to carry out their job safely and professionally.

However Amnesty International has cautioned against their introduction, adding if deployed they must be used with extreme caution.

On Friday afternoon the Northern Ireland Policing Board said Chief Constable Simon Byrne had advised the board that an operational decision had been taken to introduce this equipment into custody suites.

In a statement, the board said it had supported this call.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd told the PA news agency that the spit and bite guards will be introduced into custody suites over the coming days.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said spit and bite guards will be introduced for use in custody suites in the coming days. (PA)

They will be introduced into that space, the wider introduction of them is a matter between the Chief Constable and Policing Board, I know those conversations are ongoing, he said.

Earlier this week, a man was released on bail at Belfast Magistrates Court after being accused of intentionally coughing at police officers after telling them he had coronavirus. The man denies the charges against him.

ACC Todd said there has been several incidents of officers getting coughed on or spat at.

Coughing and spitting over people is reprehensible at the best of times, it is completely reprehensible at the current time, and anyone who does it can expect to be arrested and brought before the courts, ACC Todd said.

Amnestys Northern Ireland programme director Patrick Corrigan said: We would advise against the use of spit guards in the context of coronavirus until specific guidance has been developed on the risks and effectiveness for police officers and members of the public. If they are ultimately deployed, they must be used with extreme caution.

Any illness which can impair breathing, such as Covid-19, means there are additional health risks to any use of force which could itself further restrict breathing. We know from experience elsewhere that spit hoods can restrict breathing.

Putting a spit hood on someone will almost certainly involve additional risk of personal contact and possible struggle, potentially making it more rather than less likely that an officer could be infected.

Justice Minister @naomi_long needs to urgently act over the alarming lack of safety measures within police stations.



These buildings are used by so many different people who need to be kept safe.



This is vital to protect people & ensure the credibility of the justice system. pic.twitter.com/jEfY29MKcR  John Finucane MP (@johnfinucane) March 27, 2020

ACC Todd also responded to criticism of measures in custody suites raised by North Belfast MP John Finucane, who claimed staff, prisoners and lawyers are being placed at risk.

We have been aware of concerns from solicitors coming into custody suites to deal with people who have been arrested by police and we are working with them and their representative bodies to see how we do that, he said, adding video link and telephone conference technology was being used to reduce personal contact where possible, ACC Todd said.

He said if people with coronavirus are arrested they are taken to a specific Covid-19 section within the custody suite where all the staff are fully protected as are the officers arresting.

The general population in custody is at no more risk than the general population anyway, and therefore were protecting our officers and staff in those situations where they are most likely to be exposed by people with the Covid-19 virus, he added.
New Delhi, March 27 : A total of 157 laboratories are gearing up to conduct testing for COVID-19. This includes both government and private labs, the official website of the ICMR showed on Friday.

Of the 157 labs, 121 are government laboratories approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research for conducting tests for the deadly novel coronavirus. However, only 109 are currently operational while 12 laboratories are in the process of being operationalised. In addition to this there are 35 private labs across the country for conducting these tests. These are in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand.

The World Health Organisation has stressed upon testing during the novel coronavirus outbreak across the world. The Indian government claims raising the capacity of testing for COVID-19 on a regular basis.

Earlier, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Joint Secretary, Health, Lav Agarwal had said: "There are 29 private laboratory chains, accredited by the Indian Council of Medical Research for conducting tests for novel coronavirus. These labs have 16,000 collection centres across the country, where at least 12,000 tests can be conducted per day." Agarwal said the private labs will have to follow ICMR norms while testing for COVID-19. However, people who need to be tested have to fit in the criteria prescribed by the ICMR. According to the ICMR, the criteria includes symptoms that include fever, sore throat, runny nose, dyspnea, etc or individuals returned from affected countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Iran, Italy, close contact with confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 infection, all individuals evacuated and quarantined from Wuhan, China and Diamond Princess ship, Japan and other coronavirus affected countries.

"The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune functions as the resource centre for the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) network and is responsible for providing technical training for performing molecular and serological assays for virological diagnosis. NIV, Pune also performs the important task of standardizing assay procedures for the network as well as quality control and quality assurance activities," said the ICMR.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
LOS ANGELES  Santa Anita canceled live racing Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic after instructions from the Los Angeles County Health Department.

The track in Arcadia, California, was preparing to stage eight races when the cancellation was announced about 30 minutes before the first race. Its not immediately known when racing will be allowed to resume.

Were in talks with the health department to see what we can do to continue racing, Aidan Butler, acting executive director of California racing operations for The Stronach Group, told The Associated Press by phone.

The Stronach Group owns Santa Anita, where the deaths of horses over the last year have caused controversy and led to sweeping reforms involving medication and safety.

The Santa Anita Derby scheduled for April 4 has been postponed. The race is the West Coasts major prep for the Kentucky Derby, which itself has been pushed back from May 2 to Sept. 5.

The California Horse Racing Board told the track it must operate under the sanction of local health authorities. Gov. Gavin Newsom had already issued a statewide stay-at-home order, resulting in businesses shutting down or dramatically scaling back to protect against the spread of the virus.

Santa Anita said there are no known cases of COVID-19 at the track, where 750 stable workers live and work to take care of over 1,700 horses on the grounds.

We will continue to work with authorities to familiarize them with the protocols which have been put in place to protect the health and safety of those who work with the horses and the horses themselves, the track said in a statement.

The track has been closed to the public, with only essential personnel allowed, since March 12.

The stoppage of live racing doesnt affect training hours, which will continue, Butler said.

Allowing us to train without racing doesnt make a lot of sense, he told AP, but were working with the health department to make sure everyone is comfortable with our protocols.

Acknowledging that health department officials are busy coping with the pandemic, Butler said, I commend the health department for giving racing time. They really seem to care about the impact of whats going on (at the track).

Butler urged the racing board Thursday to allow the sport to continue, as it has at both Stronach-owned Gulfstream in Florida and Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as Tampa Bay Downs in Florida, Oaklawn in Arkansas and Remington in Oklahoma.

We are very different from almost every other industry. Horses need exercise, Butler told the board during its monthly meeting held via conference call. The second we stop racing, the whole ecosystem becomes in jeopardy.

The issue of continuing live racing during the pandemic wasnt on the agenda, but the question was raised by board member Wendy Mitchell. Several animal rights activists condemned the board for allowing live racing to go on during a public comment period on the call.

Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director for the board, said continuing to race certainly isnt a medical necessity for horses.

It is a health consideration that they train, he said. These are very fit, healthy, very good feeling athletes, and you just cant keep them in a stall. You have to get them out and train them.

The number of coronavirus cases in California is increasing as more testing is done. A tally by Johns Hopkins University counted over 4,200 confirmed cases and over 80 deaths. 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.

Santa Anita joins Aqueduct in New York and TSG-owned Laurel in Maryland in canceling live racing. Keeneland in Kentucky already canceled its upcoming spring meet.

The virus-related cancellations and postponements have wreaked havoc with the schedule of prep races that qualify horses for the Kentucky Derby.

Among the preps canceled were the Sunland Derby in New Mexico, the UAE Derby overseas, and the Blue Grass and Lexington stakes. The Wood Memorial has been postponed, while the Arkansas Derby was pushed back to May 2.

The Louisiana Derby was run in New Orleans last weekend, and the Florida Derby will be run Saturday at Gulfstream without fans and horse owners in attendance.

Santa Anitas winter-spring meet is scheduled to end June 21.

We look forward to the return of live racing at Santa Anita as soon as approval is received from local regulators, the track said.
The Indian Railways has made functional two 24 hour helplines -- 138 and 139 -- to answer inquiries, provide assistance and also take suggestions during the 21-day lockdown due to COVID-19.

"As part of its efforts to contain the impact of COVID-19 infection, Indian Railways has made functional two 24-hr helplines - 138 & 139 - to answer inquiries, provide assistance and to disseminate relevant information to railway customers and others during the 21-day all-India lockout. Suggestions would also be accepted," the Ministry of Railways said in a release on Friday.

"The idea of using the number 138 is to use, in addition to the call-centre based agent and IVRS services provided through 139, the wide reach of Indian Railways to service the large number of its patrons across the country. It is also clear that a large number of non-Railway related queries, especially pertaining to COVID-19, might come from persons well versed only in the local language. The information sought would also be local and regional."

The Indian Railways has opened a Railway Board Control Cell to ensure seamless flow of information and suggestions between railway administration and general public. This Control Office would work round the clock and shall be manned by a Director level officer.

"It would monitor calls received on the centralised railway helpline 139 and the decentralised railway helpline 138, in addition to monitoring trends on social media, especially Twitter, to communicate and alleviate any difficulties faced by Railway customers and others by taking timely action. Further complaints, suggestions or queries can also be mailed to railmadad@rb.railnet.gov.in," the statement said.

While 139 will continue to work centrally as presently, 138 is a helpline which will take the caller directly to the local Railway Division so as to provide him or her the updated local and regional information. Both 138 and 139, as well as social media cell, would be manned round-the-clock to answer inquiries, provide assistance (wherever possible) and to disseminate relevant information to Railway customers and others.

"Suggestions would also be accepted. Helpline personnel would have updated information, inter alia, on issues like refund, state/district/Railway medical facilities and updated local/regional/ helpline numbers for COVID-19 detection and aid," the release further said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[March 27, 2020] Luxco Announces Donation to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's COVID-19 Response Fund

Luxco, which owns and produces Everclear Grain Alcohol, announces a donation of $100,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) COVID-19 Response Fund. The Fund focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations working directly to respond to the communities most vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. "Recently we have seen an increase in demand for Everclear Grain Alcohol in response to the COVID-19 pandemic," says Donn Lux, Chief Executive Officer of Luxco. "During this time of need, we want to do the right thing and give back to our community by working with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy." The donation from Luxco will be directed to the United States and to locations most impacted by COVID-19. "We are grateful to Luxco for their generous support," said Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. "Our Fund is already providing critical resources for people and organizations on the frontlines of the crisis. Luxco's donation will help us continue this important work." Since its founding in 2010, CDP has raised funds, developed and granted resources, and engaged the philanthropic community in strategic approaches to build effectiveness in disaster response and medium- to long-term recovery. About Luxco A leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of bverage alcohol products, Luxco's mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Founded in St. Louis in 1958, Luxco remains locally owned and operated by the Lux family. Lux Row Distillers brings the family's legacy to the heart of Bourbon Country in Bardstown, Kentucky and is now the home of Luxco's bourbon portfolio, including Rebel Yell, Blood Oath, David Nicholson, Daviess County and Ezra Brooks. Luxco has also built a new distillery in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico - Destiladora Gonzalez Luxco - where the company's 100 percent agave tequilas, El Mayor and Exotico, will be produced. Luxco's innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan's Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit www.luxco.com.



About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) The Center for Disaster Philanthropy's mission is to leverage the power of philanthropy to mobilize a full range of resources that strengthen the ability of communities to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. CDP is currently managing six domestic and international Disaster Funds on behalf of corporations, foundations and individuals through targeted, holistic and localized grantmaking. For more information, visit: http://disasterphilanthropy.org, call (202) 464-2018 or tweet us @funds4disaster.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005558/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Tehran, March 27 : Iran has reported 2,389 more cases of COVID-19 infection, as the total number reached 29,406. The country reported 157 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising its death toll from the virus to 2,234. So far a total of 10,457 patients have recovered since the first cases were detected on February 19.

On Thursday, Iran announced the implementation of a social distancing plan for one week starting Friday. The plan includes further restrictions of the inter-city travels, the closure of public places like parks, swimming pools and entertaining centres, a ban on gatherings, and reducing work hours of civil servants. Xinhua reported.

The Central Bank of Iran has approved loans worth $5 billion to be provided to the businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Press TV reported.

Turkey on Thursday reported 16 new deaths from COVID-19, as the death toll reached 75. Meanwhile, 1,196 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of infections to 3,629. This has made Turkey the second hardest-hit country in the Middle East.

In Israel, a total of 324 people tested positive for the COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,693, of whom eight have died and 70 have recovered.

Israel halted on Thursday all train services, while keeping bus lines on a limited scale for transporting essential workers. Taxis are allowed to take only one passenger per ride.

Israel's leading airline El Al announced a halt of all flights from Friday until April 4, due to a sharp drop in demand for regular flights, concern for passenger health and air crews, and the necessity to reduce expenses.

Morocco confirmed 50 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 275. So far, 10 of the infected have died and eight have recovered.

Jordan reported 40 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, which has been the biggest single-day hike so far, raising the total number of infections to 212.

Iraq confirmed 36 new cases, bringing the total number of the infected to 382. Seven more of the infected died, raising the death toll to 36. A total of 105 patients have recovered.

Lebanon reported 35 new COVID-19 cases, as the total number of infections soared to 368, of whom six have died. The government decided to extend the nationwide lockdown for two additional weeks until April 12 in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

Kuwait reported 13 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 208. A total of 49 patients have recovered and 159 are receiving treatment including seven still under intensive care.

Palestine announced 15 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number to 86, including 77 in the West Bank and nine in the Gaza Strip. All the new cases came from the village of Beddo to the northwest of Jerusalem.

In Oman, 10 new cases of coronavirus infection were detected, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 109. So far, 23 patients have recovered.

Hosting an unprecedented virtual G20 summit, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud called upon the G20 countries to take responsibility for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his opening remarks, the king said that the G20 countries should be responsible for financing researches on therapeutics and vaccine against the coronavirus, which has severely impacted the global economy and markets.

He also emphasized the responsibility of the G20 to extend helping hand to developing countries and the least developed countries, to enable them to build their capacities and improve their infrastructure to overcome this crisis.

Addressing the same summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged all countries to exert immediate joint efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Noting that the pandemic has demonstrated the importance of cooperation and reconciliation spirit within the G20, he said no country has the luxury of implementing protectionist and unilateral policies.

In a statement issued after the summit, the G20 announced the injection of over $5 trillion into the global economy to cushion the impact of the novel coronavirus.

"The steps to support our economies also include protecting workers, businesses, especially micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the sectors mostly affected," it said.

The move came as part of the efforts to counter the social, economic and financial impact of the pandemic, it added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Memorial Park is moderately walkable, is quite bikeable and has good transit options, according to Walk Score's rating system.

So what does the low-end pricing on a rental in Memorial Park look like these days  and what might you get for your money?

We took a look at local listings in Memorial Park via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this Houston neighborhood.

Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

1659 Dart St.

This one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo, situated at 1659 Dart St., is listed for $1,001/month.

The condo comes with hardwood flooring and a dishwasher. The building features a swimming pool and an elevator. For those with furry friends in tow, this rental is pet-friendly. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

(See the complete listing here.)

505 Jackson Hill St.

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo at 505 Jackson Hill St., which is going for $1,100/month.

When it comes to building amenities, expect garage parking and a swimming pool. The condo also comes with a walk-in closet and a dishwasher. Good news for animal lovers: This property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

(See the full listing here.)

401 S. Heights Blvd.

Then there's this condo with one bedroom and one bathroom at 401 S. Heights Blvd., listed at $1,100/month.

In the unit, expect to find hardwood flooring and a dishwasher. Pet owners, take heed: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The building features garage parking and a swimming pool. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

(See the listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, read on for five marketing tips for real estate agents to showcase local market expertise.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
AlphaOne Capital's Dan Niles' fund is positive in 2020. Watch where he sees stocks headed from here

Published Fri, Mar 27 2020 9:59 AM EDT
Much of Barbara Baynton's professed life story was an invention. By contrast, Baynton published little and late. She owes her belated fame to Bush Studies, published in London in 1902, when she was in her 40s. Turner and Baynton first met in the 1890s, when they both had stories accepted by the Sydney Bulletin, but their careers went in quite different directions. Bayntons Bush Studies was dropped into the slush pile of many London publishers before Edward Garnett, a devoted reader of Russian literature, saw genius in its grim and angry pages. It wasnt a popular success. Australian pride in the idea of mateship was demolished. It was a furious contradiction of Henry Lawsons bush tradition. When the womens movement discovered Baynton in the 1980s, readers were baffled by the details then known about her life. How could this twice-divorced, titled grande dame have written with such authority, and such bitterness, about the privations of bush women? The mystery of Bayntons early life was unravelled in 1980, when two Queensland scholars, Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, took the trouble to search public documents. Certificates of birth, marriage and death revealed that the rich, imperious Baynton was born Barbara Lawrence, the seventh child of a bush carpenter in Scone, New South Wales. Much of her own account of herself was an invention. She changed her fathers identity, her mothers name, and her own age. Even her grandchildren believed her romantic stories.

The prosaic truth was one of struggle and privation. She worked as a governess and married her employer's eldest son. That sounds like a happy ending but Alexander Frater was a shiftless wastrel who left her destitute with their three small children. She was humiliated by his affair with her 19-year- old niece, whom he later married. 'Baynty was such fun, we loved her even when she was impossible.' Isla Chomley Marsh Penniless, she left her children in her mothers care, and went to Sydney to look for work. She took the then-unusual step of suing for divorce and was successful. The day after it was made absolute, styling herself a widow, she married a wealthy Sydney doctor, Thomas Baynton, for whom she had worked as a housekeeper. She was then 33. Thomas, a childless widower, was a 70-year-old collector of fine furniture. He must also have been a good teacher. Under his guidance, Baynton transformed her manners and vowels and became a shrewd judge of furniture and jewellery. She also began to write. The rage she had felt as a deserted wife and mother was released in the strange, bitter stories in Bush Studies. Thomas Baynton died in 1904, leaving all his money to his wife, with absolute freedom to do as she pleased with it. Restless and lonely, Baynton established herself in a magnificent house in London, but kept some Sydney friends whom she saw on her frequent visits home. One of these was Ethel Turner. I first heard about Bayntons London years in 1983 when I was writing a biography of Martin Boyd, the expatriate Australian novelist. I was in Perth, interviewing Boyds cousin, Isla Chomley Marsh, about his wartime years in London, where he had spent periods of leave from the Royal Flying Corps with the Chomley family. Our talk of Boyd soon wandered into other memories of 1916 and later years, when Baynton was another regular guest at the Chomleys house.

Baynty was such fun, we loved her even when she was impossible, Marsh said. She used to telephone and ask what we were having for dinner and then invite herself. Baynton joined in everything, card games and word games. Baynty took a great fancy to Marty. Although I had come to talk about Boyd, I couldnt resist hearing more about Baynton. Marsh had been looking at her old diaries in preparation for my visit and she began to read aloud from them. But it was a hot afternoon; Marsh was then in her 90s, and she became too tired to continue. I stood up to leave, but she urged me to wait. Just a little rest and I will be back, she said, disappearing to her bedroom. Ethel Turner's papers and writing materials on show during an exhibition on her life. Credit:Fairfax Media In her absence, I looked longingly at the stack of diaries on the table. It was a big temptation to keep reading. But I thought of the publishing scoundrel in Henry James The Aspern Papers, caught in the act and disgraced. I made some notes and waited. Eventually, Marsh came back; we had some tea and she returned to her memories. She recalled the postwar years and Bayntons brief marriage, aged 63, to an eccentric peer, Lord Headley. What a disaster that had been! Boyd had been caught up in the divorce and when Headley threatened to name him as co-respondent, Boyd, then in his 20s, had to be smuggled out of London to avoid being called into court.

Of course, it was ridiculous, Marsh said. But Boyd had been so angry that he wrote a novel under a pseudonym with Baynton as the central character. Everyone read it, and there was no mistaking Baynton, with her jewels and her grand house, her dinner parties, her drinking and her witty conversation. Marty was sorry later and he wrote another novel about Baynty that was more sympathetic, Marsh said. Boyd never knew what Bayntons early life had been but he guessed at a profound sorrow from which her social climbing had been no more than a distraction. Marsh recalled a voyage to Australia, with Baynton as her chaperone. She was very difficult  we clashed a lot. Baynton gave advice from her own experience: Every woman should marry three times. Once for money, once for position, once for love. But make sure to get them in the right order. I didnt. With Marshs testimony in mind, I thought about the contradictions of Bayntons life. When I found that her name recurred in Ethel Turners papers, I was puzzled. How to account for a very affectionate letter from Turner to Baynton in the mid-1920s? Looking more closely, I found the key. The two women had worked together for the Ashfield Infants Home and both were passionately opposed to the common practice of removing newborn babies from unmarried mothers. Baynton, the deserted wife, and Turner, child of a single mother, were fiercely protective of the Ashfield babies and others in Sydney hospitals. That passion, I thought, revealed the real Barbara Baynton and made her comradeship with Ethel Turner entirely convincing.
The Balearic Government has chartered a Russian cargo plane to bring medical supplies from China.

The first flight from Shanghai will arrive at Son Sant Joan airport on Monday, March 30 with 17 tons of sanitary instruments, respirators, COVID-19 rapid tests and Personal Protective Equipment, which are the disposable gowns used by doctors, nurses and other Health Personnel in Hospitals and Health Centres when they're caring for those affected by coronavirus.

There will also be a number of FPP-2 and FPP-3 masks, which are urgently needed by Health Professionals to avoid contagion.

The Ministry of Health has been heavily criticised in recent days as photos surfaced of volunteers making masks and gowns because there were not enough to go round.

Flights

Three more flights are scheduled to fly from China to the Balearic Islands as the demand for sanitary instruments grows.

The Regional Government has used all available contacts to secure these charter flights from China as quickly as possible and bring over the medical equipment that is desperately needed.

The cost of the operation has not been calculated as yet but it will depend how many flights are required and the Government will confirm the price in the coming days.

Complaints from the Balearic health unions, SATSE and Simebal, were a key factor in persuading the President of the Government, Francina Armengol, to authorise emergency flights from China.

On Sunday she said she was aware of the complaints about lack of supplies for health professionals:

I understand it and we are aware of it and every day we ask the Ministry of Health to send us all the necessary material, but I cannot say when it will be resolved.

It will take 10-12 hours for the 20 ton, Tupolev TU-134 plane to fly 9,928 kilometres from Shanghai to Palma at a speed of 850 kilometres an hour and a height of 11,000 metres.

These cargo planes are used by the Russian Army to transport materials, are highly manoeuvrable and equipped with Soviet Aviadvigatel PS-90A turbofan engines.
Preston Combined Court also ruled they could face a jail sentence for contempt of court for breaching conditions

Housing association Mosscare St Vincent's took him to court over the incident

Britain's first 'coronavirus injunction' has been imposed after an unruly tenant on a Manchester housing estate was throwing noisy parties with 20 guests during the lockdown.

The housing association, Mosscare St Vincent's, went to court on Friday to get the legal order preventing further disruption after receiving complaints from worried neighbours.

The tenant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, lives on an estate in Manchester and was flouting social distancing guidance of keeping two metres apart and avoiding large gatherings of family and friends.

Britain's first 'coronavirus injunction' has been imposed at Preston Combined Court after an unruly tenant on a Manchester housing estate was throwing noisy parties with 20 guests during the lockdown

The tenant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, lives on an estate in Manchester and was flouting social distancing guidance of keeping two metres apart and avoiding large gatherings (stock photo of Manchester)

The parties, involving around 20 guests, were causing distress and harassment for neighbours who were trying to keep safe during the Covid-19 outbreak, lawyers said.

The injunction, secured at Preston Combined Court, now prohibits any visitors to the tenant's property during the lockdown, save for their children, until the Government lifts current guidance about social and physical distancing.

Matt Jones, director of customers at Mosscare St Vincent's, said: 'Residents must realise that the restrictions put in place by the Government are to minimise the spread of the virus and must be adhered to.

West Midlands Police had to step in to disperse a large group of people having a barbecue in the Foleshill area of Coventry

'We will continue to take appropriate action to ensure that residents living in our communities are kept safe during this time of unprecedented risk.'

If the tenant breaks the injunction then they can be brought to court and face a possible jail sentence for contempt of court.

Amy Stirton, associate solicitor at Forbes Solicitors, who worked with the housing association to get the injunction, said: 'As a team, we are very well equipped to continue taking urgent steps to protect our clients' residents and ensure that reckless behaviour is addressed in the most serious way by the Courts.

'The Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides an array of tools that can be utilised by landlords during this national emergency and this case demonstrates that whilst the court is now compelled to suspend proceedings relating to possession cases, it is still prepared to take steps to ensure that members of the public are protected.'

Police have already reported having to break up house parties and gatherings, including dispersing 20 people, including children, at a barbecue near lock-up garages in Coventry.

Officers tipped the grill over and sent them home.
A sweeping debt freeze will be used to shield Australians from an economic slump under federal plans to allow companies to "hibernate" during the coronavirus crisis with help from banks and big business.

Tenants will be given emergency help when they lose jobs as a result of forced shutdowns, while small employers will also gain assistance with leases, taxes and bills they cannot pay.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds up a Coronavirus Isolation Declaration Card as he also revealed plans to "hibernate" Australian businesses. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Banks are being asked to defer more loan repayments for household and business customers in financial distress, going beyond existing relief for mortgages on owner-occupied and investment mortgages.

But the government is under pressure to do more on its own, with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calling for an 80 per cent wage subsidy as the best way to help individuals and support the economy.
The Atiwa West District of the Eastern region has received some hand sanitizers, liquid soaps and veronica buckets from Osafric Ventures and Osafric Mining and Construction Company as part of efforts to deal with the spread and prevention of the Novel Coronavirus.

The items were received by the Hon. Isaac Asamoah, District Chief Executive of Atiwa West District

According to Osafric, it was critical to support the country to deal with the spread and prevention of the COVID-19 since the world at this stage is at a cross-road in the fight against the pandemic.

Mr. Oscar Adu Sarfo, Founder of Osafric Ventures and Osafric Mining and Construction, underscored the need to put checks and sanitization in place for people to always stick to the handwashing rules.

Mr. Oscar Adu Sarfo said it formed part of the company's CSR by helping in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

"Osafric is also asking other individuals, companies, and organizations to also to support the fight against the COVID-19," the Osafric Boss appealed

About Osafric Ventures Company

OSAFRIC Ventures is a well-established freight forwarding company founded by Mr. Oscar and Mr. Francis Sarfo. They both have more than ten (10) years of experience in the transport and freight industry. Through their expertise, they have been able to bring the operations of the business to profitability within its first year of operation.

From its humble beginning in the year 2013, the company started out with a home base office located in Tema, community four (4). Today, OSAFRIC is a well-recognized freight forwarding company in Ghana, registered under the Companies Code of Ghana (1964), Act 79. The company currently deals in clearing and forwarding, warehousing, import and export, consolidation, haulage, and general merchant.

OSAFRIC is a registered company in Ghana, a member of FIATA, Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG) as well as Customs House Agent with Ghana Ports and Harbor Operating licenses.

Mission

OSAFRIC seeks to offer excellence by providing world-class freight forwarding and global transportation solutions and logistics services. We aim to satisfy clients by linking up international freight handling organizations to meet their expectations.

Vision

Our vision is to become a recognized leader in Africas freight forwarding industry and the world at large by providing the best in class, high-quality freight forwarding service.
A worker rebuilds a cellular tower with 5G equipment for the Verizon network in Orem, Utah, on Nov. 26, 2019. The new 5G networks that are coming soon, will be 10x faster than the old 4G networks. (George Frey/Getty Images)

Facing Down Chinas Technology Challenge

Commentary

Today, we increasingly face a situation not much different from what we faced when the now-defunct Soviet Union went on a massive military buildup.

The Soviets stole technology just as China is doing, but they were stopped by restrictions on their own people and by U.S. export controls that denied them access to what they wanted. While the Soviets tried cyberespionage in the 1980s, there was far less information in computer network pipelines.

China has a huge technology infrastructure in place today and might well find a way to beat us in war in the not-too-distant future.

The United States objective should be to regain the lead in technology, protect that technology from Chinese avarice, and convince China that their military programs will not be capable of overcoming American power.

It would be nice to be able to say that the United States is prepared and organized to handle the challenge. It isnt. While we spend more than any country in the world on arms and military technology, we continue to lose ground because it is the Chinese who are prepared and organized to exploit myriad opportunities to grab everything we have. The U.S. defense budget supports China as much as it supports our defense needs.

Some will say that China isnt a threat, that it is a good trading partner, and that we should make deals with the Chinese behemoth. But what kind of deals? Acquiesce in the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong, or allow China to take over Taiwan, a functioning and impressive democratic country, by force? Allow China to control all the waterways and airspace around allies including Japan and Korea? Agree that the United States will pull its air, naval and land forces back to Hawaii or even to the American mainland?

Vulnerability

Americas military, its command and control components, and virtually every desktop computer and computer network from the Pentagon on out to every soldier, sailor, and airman, and every researcher working on sensitive defense projects, uses a Chinese computer, or Chinese networking elements, even products that have American names but Chinese guts. And it isnt just computers: China already controls global production of cellphones and will soon have in place 5G networks among our allies, giving them unprecedented access to information and the know-how to neutralize their adversaries.

Just ask the Brits, who hear about the Chinese 5G networks all the time.

In the past, the Pentagon tried to protect itself by understanding the technology it needed to control and protect. Understanding those elements was made possible by the Military Critical Technology List, a compendium of the most important technologies put together by leading experts, mainly volunteers from defense companies, and by DOD scientists and engineers.

The list, known as the MCTL, formed the knowledge backbone, but was systematically destroyed mainly during the Obama administration, where funds to do the work (only around $5 million a year) were severely reduced (to around $1.5 million) and DOD workers were told not to keep the list up to date.

In 2019, Congress quietly killed the entire MCTL program. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis set up a sort of alternative program called the Protecting Critical Technology Task Force, but it has not made much progress and was never intended to replace the MCTL. It relies on inputs from field generals and admirals to propose technology that needs protecting. This is not a bad idea, but most of the fielded stuff can be assumed already to be on Chinas short list, or already stolen.

What to Do

So we need to do these things:

1. Replace all computers and networks in the critical infrastructure with U.S.-made, secure computers and networks that are end-to-end encrypted with layers of information protected on a need-to-know basis. The cost of a secure computing program, including replacing all the Chinese equipment that now litters the critical infrastructure, probably falls into the $3 billion to $5 billion range. However, some of that cost will be offset by creating a new home industry, new jobs, and purchases by nongovernment critical infrastructure components.

A secure computer system is a first line of defense against Chinas cyberstealing. The idea that we can patch up the disastrous computer infrastructure we currently have has soaked up tens of billions of dollars and hasnt worked. There is no empirical evidence that any of the cybersecurity measures we have in place have protected anything. The cost of dumping the whole lot and setting up a safe system is doable and will work. Why not do it?

2. Develop a New Critical Technology List with special rules and regulations to protect intellectual property. Today there are no clear-cut rules, and the way the Defense Department goes about security hasnt worked. Again, the methods are largely outdated, the use of classification as a protection scheme hasnt worked very well, and spies and malcontents have had free reign to take what they wanted.

Thats why we have a Wikileaks, a Chelsea Manning, and an Edward Snowden. Intellectual property isnt properly safeguarded, and even where the DOD has contractual arrangements that supposedly give it some exclusivity over what it buys. The system has plenty of loopholes and there is no organized guidance for any DOD component on how to handle intellectual property. As a result, industry benefits from trillions of Defense dollars and the American people end up with no direct return on their investment.

3. Build an automated Security Oversight and Management System (SOMS) that is designed to enforce need to know, compartmentalization, and all other measures not just for classified documents and data, but for all technology information that is under the responsibility of the Defense Department. A proper SOMS would use artificial intelligence to search for anomalies and correct them before they spiral out of control.

4. If credit card companies can detect theft by watching consumer spending profiles, and do so with increasing effectiveness, lets get them and their forensics to help build the SOMS.

5. Fix a long lingering unsatisfactory problem with universities and research centers that like to take as many government dollars as they can so long as they can do whatever they want with the R&D that results. The scandal of professors sharing DOD and other government-funded research with their Chinese counterparts needs to be stopped. Professors with government contracts who travel to China need to declare they intend to do so, and the government should cut off research grants if there isnt cooperation.

Inviting Chinese scientists to work on projects that are Defense Department-funded also must stop. Some of the most important sectors such as quantum computing and encryption, nanotechnology, augmented reality, hypersonics, exotic materials, smart autonomous systems, and robotics are just some of the topics that need better protection where possible. Therefore, the governmentuniversity relationship needs to be reformed and focused on protecting vital research and development programs.

6. Invite allied and friendly countries to support common defense efforts and programs but insist that our allies and friends put in place effective measures to protect information, designs, and products that are on the New Critical Technologies List.

Today, the only controls in place cover U.S. classified programs that are shared abroad. In its place would be a comprehensive new technology security program that goes well beyond current efforts. To achieve this goal, the United States should propose bilateral agreements with strong oversight. A key benefit is that under this program the United States would guarantee a real two-way street for technology sharing and defense systems procurement.

Finally, put the Defense Department and CIA in charge of all critical technology exports instead of State or Commerce. Today our broken-down export control system for munitions is run out of the State Department, and dual-use technology is handled (if that is the right word) by the Commerce Department. That may be OK for the export of diaper wipes or screwdrivers, but it isnt OK when it comes to the export of technology vital to national security. Exports should be controlled under the New Critical Technology List by the Pentagon, with intelligence from the CIA on what our adversaries are up to and how to block them.

To make the new system work, we must educate the American people about the urgency of these measures. No program can ever work unless it has public support. This is especially true because previous administrations and the Congress have spent more than 25 years working to destroy export controls and globalize Americas defense programs.

Its time to undo all that damage, but the public has to understand what is at stake. The Trump administration needs to launch a nationwide educational effort using all available media to tell the story.

When the public demands change, it will usually happen. Without public support, our risk is very high.

Stephen Bryen is regarded as a thought leader on technology security policy, twice awarded the Defense Departments highest civilian honor: the Distinguished Public Service Medal. His most recent book is Technology Security and National Power: Winners and Losers.

Michael Ledeen is a freedom scholar at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He has served as a consultant to the National Security Council and the departments of State and Defense, and as a special adviser to the Secretary of State. He is the author of 35 books, most recently Field of Fight: How to Win the War Against Radical Islam and its Allies, co-authored with retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Theres going to be a new police chief in town.

At its monthly meeting on March 26  which took place via videoconference in accordance with Harris Countys stay-at-home order to combat the spread of the coronavirus  the Huffman ISD Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Huffman ISD Police Department, starting in the 2020-2021 school year.

Superintendent Benny Soileau said creating a police department is something that the district has been looking into for a couple years.

We put the safety of our students first and foremost, Soileau said. And we feel like this will give us the opportunity to take our security measures to the next level.

Currently, the district contracts with the Harris County Sheriffs Department to get school resource officers that split their time 70/30 with the district and the sheriffs department and report directly to the sheriffs department. Now, the district will have officers that are 100% dedicated to Huffman ISD.

In addition to the creation of the Huffman ISD Police Department, the board also approved the hiring of a full time Chief of Police.

In addition to the Chief of Police  for whom the district needed board approval before beginning the interview process  the district plans to hire another officer immediately and a third officer in the near future.

Soileau said that, besides for some one-time start-up costs, the annual expenditures for security should be extremely similar under the police department as it was under the current system of school resource officers.

He also doesnt think the students will notice a difference. The officers will still be available and visible at the campuses.

elliott.lapin@hearst.com
After more than a year of bitter political dispute and maneuvering, Israel is about to have a coalition government. It took three elections and an unprecedented public-health crisis to get the country to this point.

Benny Gantz, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces and the leader of the opposition Blue and White Party, was faced with a choice this week. He could join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or he could stick to the commitment hed made to his supporters to bring Bibi down. As the country dealt with the coronavirus pandemic, Gantzs continued refusal to join a coalition would likely have plunged it into the agony of a fourth election in less than two years. He chose to throw in with Netanyahu.

The price of that decision, which Gantz described as a patriotic duty at a time of national distress, was the destruction of the Blue and White. The year-old political alliance had presented the most potent challenge to Netanyahus grip on power in more than a decade, propelling Gantz to the brink of becoming his successor.

In the new coalition, Gantz will reportedly serve as foreign minister, with Netanyahu continuing as prime minister. The agreement calls for him to switch places with Netanyahu after 18 months, ending the latters run as the countrys longest-serving prime minister. But this will not be a broad unity coalition with Netanyahus Likud and its right-wing and religious-party allies; rather, Gantz will take only part of his faction into the new government.

Gantz took his decision in the midst of a tense and complicated squabble. The Knesset that was elected earlier this month struggled to organize itself in the absence of a governing majority for either Netanyahu or Gantz. Netanyahu and his bloc had 58 seats in the 120-seat parliament, leaving him three short of the votes he needed to continue in power. Gantz had the endorsement of 61 members, but that included the 15 seats held by the Arab Joint List, an alliance of four parties comprising Islamists, Palestinian nationalists, and Communists. A number of Knesset members from the Blue and White refused to serve in a government that depended on the votes of an alliance with the declared intent of ending Israels status as a Jewish state. Thus Gantz, too, lacked the votes to create a government.

Story continues

A similar impasse after the two previous elections, held in April and September 2019, had led to the March 2 general election. On both sides of the political divide, there were some who were prepared to take their chances a fourth time in order to get a decisive result. But fate in the form of the coronavirus pandemic intervened.

Netanyahu, as the head of a caretaker government, embraced the crisis as only an experienced policymaker and wartime leader could. Some of his leftist critics decried the emergency measures he ordered to contain the coronavirus contagion, charging him with exploiting the crisis to bolster his political standing and to distract the country from the fact that he is still facing trial on three corruption charges. Indeed, some regarded his decision to close the courts, one result of which was to postpone the start of his trial, as an assault on democracy. But polls show that most Israelis believe he is once again demonstrating his competence in dealing with an emergency.

The incumbent prime minister knew that, though his opponent couldnt form a government, Gantz did have the votes to effectively prevent Netanyahu from remaining in power. The critical factor was the position of Speaker of the Knesset, which has been held by a Netanyahu loyalist. A coalition of the Blue and White, smaller leftist parties, and the Joint List could have elected a new Speaker, and the Knesset could then have passed a law banning anyone under indictment from serving as prime minister. To members of the opposition, this was Gantzs golden opportunity to take Netanyahu down. Indeed, the Blue and White  a diverse alliance including former members of the once-dominant Labor Party, a right-wing faction led by former general and Likud defense minister Moshe Yaalon, the left-leaning Yesh Atid Party, and Gantzs own centrist faction  was united by only one common purpose: pushing Netanyahu out the door.

Though Gantz entered politics as a much-needed fresh face a year ago, after three bruising election campaigns he is now widely seen as lacking the energy and political skills that Netanyahu possesses. Moreover, Gantz had campaigned on a promise not to form a government that would be dependent on the anti-Zionists of the Joint List, and his flirtation with that alliance in the weeks since the last election had soured voters on the Blue and White. Going to a fourth election was therefore a big risk for the party, with polls suggesting not a big or even a narrow win but in fact a decisive defeat. The electorate leans right to begin with, on top of which it was most likely to want a familiar steady hand to lead the country through the pandemic crisis. Thus Gantz came to the conclusion that joining the prime minister was the only reasonable choice.

But if he thought he could bring all of his party with him into Netanyahus cabinet, he was dead wrong. Leaders of the factions within the opposition regarded Gantzs decision as a betrayal, not only of them personally but of the million Israelis who voted for them. Much of Israels left-leaning mainstream media, especially columnists in Haaretz, the newspaper that dubs itself Israels version of the New York Times, echoed this sentiment, lambasting Gantz for his cowardice and for just being too exhausted to carry on the fight.

So what becomes of the Blue and White? Some factions will stay in the opposition, and since they will have more Knesset seats than Gantzs own faction, they will likely retain the Blue and White label. But in effect, this split spells the end of the party that had presented the most formidable challenge that Netanyahu has faced since 2009. Moreover, given that the factions disagree on most policy questions, the ability of the party, or whats left of it, to serve as an effective opposition is questionable.

The exact terms of Gantzs deal with Netanyahu have yet to be formalized. Gantz signaled his deal with the prime minister by having himself elected Speaker of the Knesset with Likud support  presumably only until the final bargain is sealed. In doing so, he prevented the Blue and White from wielding any remaining leverage to block the coalition. The arrangement hinges on a rotation of the office of prime minister after 18 months and on allowing Gantzs allies to lead the ministries of defense and justice. Having one of Gantzs allies in the latter post will ensure that, once the national coronavirus lockdown has been lifted and the courts reopened, Netanyahus trial will go forward.

As things stand, it appears that Netanyahus rule will end either with a conviction or with the prime ministers scheduled handing over of the office to Gantz  whichever comes first. Still, many in the Likud as well as Blue and White believe that if Netanyahu is acquitted, he will find a way to renege on his deal with Gantz. Indeed, it may be that Gantz suspects the same thing.

Gantz has gone from the savior of Israels left-wing opposition to its bete noire. But he understood that the political stalemate could not go on: It was preventing the country from passing a budget that was needed, most urgently, to provide relief to citizens in the face of the pandemic and to shore up the economy. Dragging out the stalemate was neither rational policy nor good politics. Deciding to end it may have cost Gantz a political future, since its unlikely he will be able to reassemble another formidable coalition. Whether or not he really does become prime minister in September 2021, Gantz decided that destroying his party was not too high a price to pay for saving his country from further chaos in the midst of a pandemic.

More from National Review
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:46:37|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Five militants and two pro-government militiamen have been confirmed dead as clashes broke out in Khan Abad district of the northern Kunduz province on Friday, a local security official Mohammad Gul said.

According to the official, the armed insurgents attacked a security checkpoint in Qala-e-Kohan area of the restive district early morning and the pro-government militiamen returned fire killing five insurgents on the spot, forcing them to flee.

Two pro-government militiamen were also killed in the gun battle lasted for two hours, according to the official.

Three more militants and two militiamen sustained wound, Gul further said.

Taliban outfit has yet to make comment.
Earth Hour 2018 today: Nations keep up with tradition to show care for the planet

Earth Hour 2021: Turn off your lights at 8.30 pm for 60 min today to save the planet, Here's what you can do

Earth Hour 2020: When is it? Does Earth Hour make a difference?

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 27: Earth Hour Day 2020 will be celebrated on March 28, 2020. The annual Earth Hour event that has become a centrepiece of many corporates' green communications efforts will take place at 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time.

Earth Hour is a global moving started by the World Wide Fund for Nature or the WWF in March 2007. The movement first took place in Sydney, Australia and now, thirteen years down the line has spread to almost 180 countries around the world.

At 8:30 pm local time, it encourages people, businesses as well as communities to turn off the non- essential lights for an hour.

During the Earth Hour, nearly 2.2 million people turn off their lights as a sign of solidarity, globally. This hour showcases the need to take action on the pressing issue of global climate change.

Does Earth Hour make a difference?

Earth Hour promotes awareness about environmental issues on a public platform. When millions of people switch off their non-essential electrical appliances for a time period, it reduces the stress on the demand for the resource, thus lessening the pressure on the planet. Other than which it makes environmentally-aware citizens who understand the need to reduce the carbon footprint and pass on the information to future generations.

Who invented Earth Hour?

The idea was initiated by Earth Hour Co-Found Andy Ridley which eventually led to a partnership between WWF-Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media to address the issue of climate change.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 17:48 [IST]
Democratic primary front-runner Joe Biden defended Gov. Gretchen Whitmers work to address the coronavirus pandemic after she sparred with President Donald Trump about who is responsible for providing overwhelmed hospitals with vital medical supplies.

In a statement to MLive, Biden said Whitmer has been a tenacious fighter for Michigan while facing a dangerous abdication of leadership from Donald Trump during this pandemic." Biden, who posted a decisive victory in Michigans March primary on the same day the states first coronavirus cases were discovered, tapped Whitmer to serve as a national co-chair for his campaign.

Donald Trump could learn a thing or two from Governor Whitmer  speed matters, details matter, and people matter, Biden said in a statement. Shes secured more than 10 million N95 masks, more than 4 million gloves, thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer, and critical equipment for health care providers.

"But thats not enough  states like Michigan need more help from this administration. They cant go it alone, and they need help now."

The former vice president released the statement after Trump criticized Whitmer during a Fox News interview Thursday, the latest in a series of barbs thrown after the Democratic governor accused him of not doing enough to provide resources to Michigan. Republicans, meanwhile, have also criticized Whitmer for being slow to seek a disaster declaration.

Weve had a big problem with the young -- a woman governor -- you know who Im talking about, from Michigan, Trump said.

Speaking with Sean Hannity by phone Thursday, Trump said governors shouldnt solely rely on the federal government to supply personal protective gear that has become scarce as hospitals deal with an exponentially increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

Your governor of Michigan, I mean, shes not stepping up, Trump said. I dont know if she knows whats going on, but all she does is sit there and blame the federal government, she doesnt get it done."

Whitmer repeatedly called on Trump in press conferences and interviews to address a shortage of coronavirus tests, protective masks, gowns and other protective equipment. She said shipments from the Strategic National Stockpile only covers a fraction of what is needed to address the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

During a Friday radio interview with WWJ Newsradio, she said Michigan has had a difficult time obtaining important medical gear.

What Ive gotten back is that vendors with whom weve procured contracts -- Theyre being told not to send stuff to Michigan, Whitmer said. Its really concerning, I reached out to the White House last night and asked for a phone call with the president, ironically at the time this stuff was going on.

Biden said the president should be more focused on providing ventilators, masks and other equipment rather than delivering cheap shots on Fox News.

Donald Trump said hes a wartime president, and nows the time for him to act like it  if Donald Trump stands with Michigan, its time for him to wake up and deliver," Biden said.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

READ MORE ON MLIVE:

Michigan hospitals weigh which patients could get ventilators in coronavirus policy

Whitmer says Michigan schools very unlikely to reopen this year under coronavirus pandemic

GM will defer 20 percent of pay for salaried workers worldwide in response to coronavirus

Friday, March 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Upper Peninsula reports first death attributed to coronavirus
Mega star Amitabh Bachchan has shared a video in which he cites Chinese experts to claim that coronavirus spreads through flies but the Health Ministry says the virus does not transmit through flies.

In his tweet numbered 3481, Bachchan wrote, "A study in @TheLancet shows that coronavirus lingers on human excreta much longer than in respiratory samples. Come India, we are going to fight this! Use your toilet."

Read: Amitabh Bachchan Slammed for Tweeting Fake WhatsApp Forward on Coronavirus Despite PIB Fact-check

In a video along with the tweet, the 77-year-old actor said, "Today, I want to discuss something really important with you. Our country is fighting coronavirus and you have to play an important role in this fight. Do you know that in a recent study, experts in China have found that coronavirus can survive in human excreta for many weeks."

"Even if somebody recovers from the disease, the virus can survive in his excreta. If a fly sits on that excreta and then sits on vegetables and fruits or eatable, this disease can spread further," Bachchan said imploring his 40.7 million followers to be the part of a public movement to fight against the disease and open defecation.

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretory Ministry of Health, however, dismissed the notion, saying, "I have not seen the tweet but this is an infectious disease and does not spread through flies."

It is the second time that Bachchan, who has been raising awareness about the virus, has attracted criticism for sharing information that many on social media say is unverified and creates confusion and unnecessary fear.

Earlier, during the Janata curfew announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on last Sunday, Bachchan had tweeted an opinion that vibrations from clapping, blowing conch shells would reduce or destroy coronavirus potency as it was 'amavasya', the darkest day of the month, leading to a lot of criticism from social media users.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Reality TV might temporarily halt production due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), but the Duggars are still finding ways to maintain a presence. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are famous for having 19 children and raising them in a strict Christian household. But its Jill Duggar whos getting the attention now.

It seems Jill had a falling out with her family  at least, thats according to her outspoken husband, Derick Dillard. Now, Jill, Derick, and their two kids, Samuel and Israel, no longer take part in holidays, events, and gatherings at the Duggar family home.

That doesnt mean Jills disappearing, though. She posted about having date night during the coronavirus outbreak  and she mentioned a bit about attending couples therapy. Heres what she said and what her followers think.

Derick Dillard called Jill Duggar an abuse victim on Instagram

Jill Duggar Dillard and husband Derick Dillard during their visit to Extra at their New York studios | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

Derick has spoken out against the Duggars in the past. During the 2019 holiday season, one of his Instagram followers asked whether he and Jill would be attending any of the gatherings hosted by Jim Bob and Michelle  and Derick unloaded about Jills relationship with her family and where they stand with TLC.

Derick mentioned that he and Jill arent allowed at the Duggar home if Jim Bob isnt present. Jill even had to ask JB permission to go over to the house to help her sister when she was in labor because her sister wanted her help, but Jill couldnt provide the assistance until we got it cleared with JB, he noted.

Not only that, but Derick even called Jill an abuse victim. We know Jill was involved in the Josh Duggar sex scandal from 2015. And this may be what he was referring to here.

 Its not going to look good for TLC when its exposed that they pressured an abuse victim to continue filming when we tried to quit, just so they could continue with Jill & Jessa: Counting On after 19K&C, Derick added.

Jill mentioned couples therapy on a blog post about coronavirus

Jill hasnt said much about her family situation. But she has shared what shes doing for her date nights with Derick now that shes practicing social isolation. On her Dillard Family blog, she shared how shes using this time to get closer to her husband  though she noted its more difficult than anticipated.

While we are grateful for the extra bonding time as a little family during this social distancing thing with the coronavirus looming, we have also found it challenging to get uninterrupted quality time for our marriage relationship, Jill wrote. Combine that with spending more of our time at home and stress levels being higher than normal, we find ourselves having to be more intentional in a lot of ways.

Jill noted intentionality is key here, as its easy to get lost in the stress of the day-to-day. She suggested trying a marriage questionnaire or personality test with your significant other. And she also noted that keeping up with couples therapy sessions was a good idea.

Her followers have thoughts about her therapy comment

Since Jill mentioned couples therapy, were wondering if this means she and Derick partake.

In her blog post, she recommends asking your couples therapist to continue your sessions online during the shelter-in-place, one Reddit user noted. Considering she stresses seeing a licensed therapist every time she mentions therapy, Im sure this ones legit, but Im not sure theirs would be THAT kind of couples therapist. The user also commended others utilizing therapy solo or with their partner. Good job. Healing and growing is some of the hardest work youll ever do, they added.

Wow they are seeing a therapist? If there were issues I am glad they are instead of Jill just putting up with everything, another Reddit user wrote.

Jill recommends therapy in her blog a lot! So does Derick, another wrote. They havent said one way or another, but I think theyve tried it.

Were not sure if Jill will elaborate on her therapy comment, but were happy shes making this recommendation, as it can certainly help while practicing social isolation.

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, ARMENPRESS. Chaired by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, consultations on the measures for eliminating the consequences of coronavirus continue, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Particularly, the measures aimed at mitigating the existing situation for separate groups were discussed, the tools for assistance and mechanisms. The ideas raised during the previous meeting were summed up. A number of proposals for expanding the scope of beneficiaries of the social assistance package adopted by the Government yesterday were also discussed.

The PM referred to the issues raised by citizens during telephone conversations with him and noted that the people who have become unemployed as a result of coronavirus need urgent social assistance and this should be the priority target.

The PM tasked the representatives of the relevant state bodies to continue works for improving the proposals and submit for a discussion on Sunday a program on expanding the scope of social assistance beneficiaries.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Chinese Property Tycoon's Letter Seen as 'Internal Strife' by Chinese President

2020-03-26 -- Property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang is under investigation by the ruling Chinese Communist Party after he apparently penned an article highly critical of President Xi Jinping.

A source in Beijing told RFA that Ren is under investigation by the municipal branch of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), which has far-reaching powers to detain ruling party members pending investigations.

Ren, 69, could be stripped of his Communist Party membership after writing an open letter about Xi's responses to the coronavirus epidemic, the Sino-U.S. trade war and the Taiwan elections.

The source said investigators are handling the letter -- in fact a long and highly critical article -- as an instance of "internal strife" within the ruling party.

Xi was reportedly furious at the article, saying Ren was "incorrigible," the source said.

He then designated Ren's letter as an "act of defiance against me," and sent in a team of prosecutors to set up shop in Ren's Hua Yuan Property Co, the source said.

An employee who answered the phone at Hua Yuan Property declined to comment when contacted by RFA.

"I don't know anything about this," the employee said. "My department doesn't deal with such things."

A second source said Ren had been indiscreet lately in his criticisms of Xi, but that his views are shared by many among the Communist Party's financial and political elite.

'Clown'

The source also said that Ren has expressed similar views to those in the letter, including calling the president a "clown."

"Ren Zhiqiang has been going round telling lots of people that [Xi] is a clown," the source said.

"As for the letter, Ren's points were very reasonable, and all [Xi] can do now is find some kind of financial pretext to charge him with," the source said. "But Ren isn't greedy for money; he's a princeling and he is very well-connected."

"So [Xi] has to consider whether the princelings represent the greater threat," the source said.

A Germany-based current affairs commentator surnamed Fan said Ren's detention could herald a huge split in the highest echelons of the Chinese Communist Party.

"This tells us that there is already a huge backlash against Xi Jinping among certain interest groups within the Chinese Communist Party, and they have been bringing about divisions behind the scenes," Fan said.

"People like Ren Zhiqiang have already realized that Xi Jinping is accelerating the demise of the Chinese Communist Party," he said. "This is as far as you can take this model of governance."

"Xi Jinping actions remind one of the Emperor Chongzhen trying to salvage the Ming Dynasty; nothing good can possibly come of this for him," Fan said.

Princeling faction unhappy?

Beijing historian Zhang Lifan also said there are rumors in the capital of a high-level power struggle, as the coronavirus epidemic was widely seen as throwing the legitimacy of Communist Party rule into question.

"Ren Zhiqiang's ideas may represent the views of a considerable number of officials within the system, as well as those of the princeling faction," Zhang said, referring to the wealthy and powerful offspring of elite Communist Party revolutionaries.

"If [Xi] really wants to go after Ren, he needs a pretext ... a lot of people are watching this now."

The letter attributed to Ren doesn't mention Xi by name, but criticizes his policies, including the president's insistence that the media are part of the same family as the ruling party, and must always represent its interests.

"When the media have the same name as the party, it's the people who are left out," the letter, titled says. "The coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan has shown us just how true that is."

The article, titled "The lives of the people are ruined by the virus and a seriously sick system," doesn't mention President Xi, but it takes aim at decisions made under his direct command, nonetheless, including the decision to go ahead with a mass Lunar New Year banquet for thousands of people that resulted in a huge cluster of COVID-19 cases in the weeks that followed.

"The emperor is holding up a piece of cloth, trying to cover up the fact that he is wearing no clothes at all, although his ambition to be a strong leader is naked enough," the article quipped.

"No criticism of the mass assembly of 170,000 people has emerged, and the truth has never been uncovered, nor the cause of the outbreak discovered," the article said.

Ren has been targeted by the CCDI before, for criticizing President Xi Jinping's insistence that the media serve only the Communist Party's agenda.

Xi has ordered China's media to follow the party line, focus on "positive reporting", and "speak the party's will and protect the party's authority and unity."

Ren was berated by state media in 2016 for causing chaos and for failing to stand up for the party, and for "pursuing Western constitutionalism."

Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Sing Man for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long 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 March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

In response to statewide school closures, beginning Monday, March 30, Vegas PBS will provide 12 hours of curriculum-based programming over the air for pre-K through 12th grade students. The programs will broadcast on Channel 10.1 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, 24-hours-a-day childrens programming is available on VEGAS PBS KIDS Channel 10.3. A copy of the modified programming schedule at vegaspbs.org/learn. The schedule lists the programs title, subject matter and a color-coded guide noting the appropriate grade levels.

This expanded educational broadcast schedule will include morning programming for children in Pre-K through 3rd grade featuring beloved PBS KIDS characters and shows such as Arthur, Daniel Tigers Neighborhood and Sesame Street. Afternoons will provide 4-8th grade content and 9-12thgrade content based in the sciences, social studies, history and more.

Schools report that over a third of local children do not have home access to internet service. Even more report fewer devices than children in the home. Educational television was the core value of our founders over 50 years ago, said Tom Axtell, general manager of Vegas PBS, and it remains so today. Free, over the air television is only universally accessible technology that can reach all children during this national health crisis. With our expanded lineup of curriculum-based programming for all age groups, Vegas PBS will deliver educational programs to every household in our community during school closures.

PBS is the most-trusted educational media brand in the country, and as a member station, Vegas PBS has produced and acquired resources amplifying that trusted content to provide parents, caregivers and teachers with the tools they need to educate inside and outside the classroom. In light of state-wide school closures in response to the coronavirus pandemic, this trusted content plays an important role in keeping Southern Nevadas children engaged and learning while at home.

We are proud to partner with the Nevada Department of Education and Clark County School District to provide our communitys students stimulating, educational programming during school closures, said Dr. Niki Bates, director of Educational Media Services at Vegas PBS. This new programming schedule combined with even more extensive online offerings for parents, caregivers and teachers available at classroomcast.org will provide a wide breadth of options to keep students actively engaged in their education while at home.

Vegas PBS is carried on 20 transmitters or translators serving viewers in Clark, Lincoln, Nye and White Pine counties in Nevada. For all of Vegas PBS educational resources for parents, caregivers and teachers, visit vegaspbs.org/learn.
Governor Roy Cooper, D-NC address the crowd during the Rally for Respect outside the North Carolina Legislative Building on May 16, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a stay-at-home order Friday and closed the state's nonessential businesses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The order goes into effect 5:00 pm Monday, but Cooper urged residents to begin staying at home immediately.

"It's what we have to do to save lives," he said at a press briefing Friday.

Residents will still be able to leave for essential reasons, including to get food or medicine, according to Cooper. People will also be able to leave their homes for outdoor exercise or to help others.

North Carolina has 763 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three deaths from the virus, according to data compiled by the state's Department of Health and Human Services.
The awareness on coronavirus forced a parent to refuse entry to their two sons in the home until they get examined for the deadly Covid-19 virus.

The two sons had come from Haryana.

Arpit Pandey, son of Jayprakash, a resident of Mangla Vihar under Chakeri police station, and his cousin Harsh, worked in a factory in Haryana. After the closure of the factory during lockdown the two managed to reach Agra by a truck.

Abhishek, brother of Arpit, went to Agra and escorted them to Kanpur.

As they reached their home in Chakeri, Jayprakash did not allow them entry into the house and asked them to go for coronavirus check.

All the three rushed to a government hospital on the motorcycle.

With the help from police, they managed reach Kanshi Ram Trauma Hospital. In the check-up, doctors did not find any of the symptoms of the deadly disease in them but since they had cough and cold the doctors referred them to the LLR Hospital.

Chief medical superintendent Dr Subodh Singh said the travel history of youths had been traced. They did not go any other place except Haryana. They had no other symptoms except of common cold.

As precautionary measure, they were admitted to Corona Isolation Ward but were discharged in the evening. They have been asked to remain in isolation for a week, said the CMO.
N etflix's Unorthodox tells the harrowing story of a nineteen-year-old woman named Esty Shapiro, who flees her life in Williamsburg, New York - and the Hasidic Jewish community in which she grew up in.

Based on Deborah Feldman's 2012 memoir, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection Of My Hasidic Roots, the four-part drama is a moving tale of how Esty (played by Shira Haas) escapes from her husband and family to Berlin, Germany, in the hopes of starting a fresh life.

As the narrative progresses, we discover that Esty is not only trying to reject her strict, radicalised upbringing, but is also coming to terms with the fact she is pregnant.

Arriving in Berlin, Esty meets a group of talented musicians by chance and listens in on their rehearsals. As a musician, Esty is moved to tears by the performance and becomes determined to pursue her passion, after giving up the piano when she married her husband, Yanky (Amit Rahav).

Netflix's Unorthodox - In pictures 1 /13 Netflix's Unorthodox - In pictures Unorthodox-6 In the Hasidic Jewish community, women must cover their hair once they are married Netflix Unorthodox-8 Esty weds Yanky in an arranged marriage Netflix Unorthodox-9 The young woman is unsure about the marriage Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-1 Esty also feels pressure from her in-laws and the Hasidic Jewish community Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-3 The young woman faces difficulties in the marriage from the offset Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-2 She suffers from a condition called vaginismus, which makes it incredibly painful to have sex Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-4 Esty then flees Brooklyn and escapes to Berlin Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-3 Her husband Yanky is determined to trace his wife Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-5 Esty rediscovers her love of music Anika Molnar/Netflix Unorthodox-7 And makes new friends, who introduce her to new experiences Anika Molnar/Netflix

She's then exposed to new experiences, including drinking, clubbing and dinner parties, before finally deciding that she will apply for the conservatory her newfound friends attend.

Explore the inspirational true story that Unorthodox is based on...

Who is Deborah Feldman?

Deborah's upbringing

Unorthodox is based on the memoirs of Deborah Feldman / Getty

Now 33, Deborah Feldman was born on August 17, 1986, and grew up in the Hasidic Satmar sect in Brooklyn, New York.

The Yiddish-speaking group was formed by a Rabbi from Satmar, Hungary, after the Second World War and describing her experience, Deborah previously told DW News that "every rule that they designed was an extreme interpretation of a Jewish law."

She also spoke of the strict rules around clothing to the New York Post, saying: "When I was 11, they changed the clothing rules. You used to be able to wear a long-sleeve, high-neck T-shirt.

"Now you can only wear high-neck blouses, with woven fabrics, because their theory is that woven fabrics dont cling."

Her mother left the group and had little contact with her growing up, while Deborah's mentally ill father couldn't raise her alone.

Instead, Deborah was raised by her grandmother, or bubbe, before she married her husband, Eli, aged 17.

For a time, Deborah was studying literature at Sarah Lawrence, which was highly unusual for women in her community.

Deborah's marriage to her husband Eli

In real life, Deborah married her husband Eli aged 17 / Netflix

As depicted in the Netflix show, Deborah recalled to the New York Post how she had "warned" her husband-to-be: "I have my opinions, you might not be able to handle that."

"But he was famous for getting along with everyone," she continued. "So he said, 'No, I can handle you.'

"He wasnt ready to handle me at all! After we got married, and I had my books in the house, he didnt mention them. He tolerated them. But he would tell his mother everything."

The pair became husband and wife when Deborah was just seventeen years old. Their marriage was arranged after they had met only twice beforehand, for a total of 30 minutes.

Deborah then moved out of her grandmother's house, into Eli's home.

A troubled marriage

In her memoir, Deborah speaks about how she and her husband did not consummate their marriage for a year.

She suffered with vaginismus, a condition that makes it incredibly painful to have sex, and said she faced enormous pressure from her husband and her community.

In an interview with ABC News, Feldman described the experience as "the most humiliating year of my life."

"[The in-laws and family elders] were talking about it day after day. I was too terrified to leave the house. I couldn't keep a bite of food down."

"I was whittling down to nothing and there was no end in sight," she said. "I lost my spirit."

At the age of 19, Deborah gave birth to a baby boy.

From Brooklyn to Berlin

In the Netflix show, Esty goes clubbing with her newfound friends and discovers entirely new experiences / Netflix

This is where the Netflix series diverges from the real story slightly, as in the show, Esty flees Brooklyn before giving birth to her child, and she also seeks the help of her piano teacher and mother to escape.

In real life, Deborah had already given birth to her son, and fled New York with the help of her college tutors.

Feldman eventually escaped with her son in 2014, moving to Berlin. She soon picked up the German language and began a new life for herself.
(Newser)  With the number of coronavirus cases in New Orleans multiplying rapidly, concern has been building that the city will become the next place to be overwhelmed by the pandemic. A Tulane Medical Center physician said Thursday that question has been answered, Fox News reports. "As far as fears it could be the next epicenter: I think that, unfortunately, I kind of think we are there," Dr. Joshua Denton said. New Orleans now has 997 cases; only 13 states have more. Of those patients, 676 are in hospitals and 83 have died, per WDSU. Louisiana has a total of 2,305 cases. One study found that in the two weeks after the state's first case was confirmed, per the New York Times, the disease's growth rate in Louisiana was the fastest in the world.

story continues below

The first confirmed cases in New Orleans were among people who hadn't been out of town. The city's health director said doctors realized quickly that the cases "were not directly linked to each other"they were dealing with community spread. Medical experts think they know at least one reason. "I think it all boils down to Mardi Gras," said Dr. F. Brobson Lutz Jr., a former city health director. "The greatest free party in the world was a perfect incubator at the perfect time." Crowds were in New Orleans for weeks for the celebration, which ended Feb. 25. Having endured a long list of disasters, and fearing another inadequate federal responseas in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrinaresidents fear this could be worse, partly because New Orleans wouldn't be the only place suffering. "This hurricanes coming for everybody," a community organizer said. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
OTTAWA - Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial-aid applications, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, March 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Service Canada employees can and should be working from home, despite the growing demand generated by financial-aid applications, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.

The federal government has announced the closure of 317 physical Service Canada centres to limit the spread of COVID-19.

"As part of the initiative of encouraging people to stay home and work from home, this is something that we realize we can and should be doing," Trudeau said during his daily briefing on the health crisis.

The government has made "significant efforts" over the last several years to make sure that all services available at Service Canada centres are also available online, he said.

A sign posted on the window of a Service Canada Centre notifies people that it is closed until further notice in Carleton Place, Ont., on Friday, March 27, 2020. The Canadian Government has closed all centres due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

"We want to make sure that Service Canada employees are continuing to work extremely hard to serve Canadians, to respond to their needs, and that's why things are going to be done online and through the phone."

The Liberals say the move, announced late Thursday night, should not affect most unemployed workers who seek employment-insurance benefits since the vast majority of applications are done online.

Trudeau added that special considerations will be given to "particularly vulnerable" people who have difficulty accessing those services.

The network of Service Canada centres, along with almost 250 more outreach centres, received about 8.4 million visits during the 12-month period between April 2018 and March 2019. The figure, noted in a recently posted evaluation of federal services, included over 1.9 million people walking in to use a self-service kiosk.

The demand on Service Canada has increased in recent days, with more than one million new applications for EI benefits arriving in just over a week as businesses close due to public-health concerns.

Approximately 1,000 workers were already redeployed to assist with EI applications. Any COVID-19-related applications that came in before the new emergency benefit was announced will be moved over to the new program, so people don't have to follow up with Service Canada.

Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said the closure decision followed concerns about an unsafe working environment for employees.

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.

"We've had incidences where employees of Service Canada saw their health and safety at risk," Duclos said Friday.

The union representing Service Canada employees supported the move to shut down physical centres.

"This measure will protect the public and its members from contracting COVID-19, and will not negatively impact the ability of vulnerable Canadians to receive the support they need at this critical time," Chris Aylward, Public Service Alliance of Canada national president, said in a statement.

People who cannot be accommodated online or over the phone will be given a specific appointment time and their file will be prepared in advance, the union said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2020.

With files from Jordan Press in Ottawa
The UN Security Council, under the presidency of China this month, has not yet scheduled any meeting to discuss the rapidly-escalating coronavirus crisis even as the number of COVID-19 cases across the world crossed 530,000 and over 24,000 people have died due to the disease.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far. At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 13,00 people have died in the US due to the disease.

So far, there are 78 confirmed coronavirus cases among UN staff worldwide.

China's presidency of the 15-nation Council will end on March 31 and no meeting is scheduled on the programme of work of the Security Council for March to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the rapidly deteriorating situation and the outbreak's dire health, security and economic consequences on nations.

A UN diplomat told PTI that "the silence of the Council on an issue impacting human security in such a profound manner reflects that it is obviously not fit for purpose for the challenges of our times."



The Security Council held a video-conference Thursday chaired by China's Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun and discussed the work of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

A statement issued by the Chinese Mission to UN after the meeting said that Council members "also expressed concern at the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya and called on the parties to de-escalate the fighting urgently, to immediately cease hostilities and to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid throughout the country." There was the only reference to the COVID-19 crisis in the entire statement.

The Dominican Republic will assume the Council Presidency for April.

A US State Department official said the Security Council had a unique and important role to play in combating the global coronavirus pandemic that poses major risks to international peace and security.

Earlier this month, as he took over the presidency of the Council, Zhang was asked whether China planned to discuss the coronavirus emergency.

He responded that there was no need to panic over the coronavirus epidemic and Beijing dId not plan to discuss the situation in the Council during its presidency, asserting that the world was not far from the defeat of COVID-19 "with the coming of spring.

With regard to the Security Council, at this moment, is the general feeling of Members States, while we watch closely the situation, especially the new development, we do not need to go panicky about that epidemic, Zhang had said.

He added that the issue of coronavirus fell within the concept of global public health while the Security Council's primary responsibility was dealing with the geo-political security and peace matters.

President of the 74th session of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande will brief the 193 UN Member States Friday "on the challenges posed by COVID-19 to the work of the Organisation and the activities of its principal organs."



He will be joined by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, United Nations Economic and Social Council President Mona Juul and Zhang.

An NBC report said that talks among Security Council nations over a joint declaration or resolution on coronavirus remain in stalemate over Washington's insistence that such a resolution should explicitly state that the virus originated in Wuhan, China, as well as exactly when it started there.

Beijing's diplomats are enraged at this and even want to put their own language into the statement praising China's efforts to contain the virus, the NBC report said.

A French diplomatic source told PTI that there are different attempts to have a UN text but there is nothing precise for the moment.

The State Department official said that all Security Council members must recognise the threat that China's mishandling of the outbreak poses to international peace and security.

The official said China had been more interested in saving face than saving lives. The official added that the World Health Organization and Chinese officials themselves had acknowledged that the outbreak began in Hubei Province, and Chinese authorities were the first to learn about it.

As such, they had a special responsibility to be fully transparent about the virus's spread but instead they suppressed information and punished doctors and journalists who raised the alarm, the official said.

The official said while Washington cannot predict how Beijing or Moscow will vote on a UN Security Council resolution, history will take note of countries who fail to take action in a transparent and objective manner for the good of the world for parochial political interests.

This is not the time to bicker but time to rise up to this unprecedented challenge, the official said.

The official said the US would support a resolution that underscores the need for sustained and concerted international action to slow the spread of COVID-19.

China's Mission to the UN tweeted Thursday that COVID19 "is a common enemy of all of us. China is also a victim. China has successfully contained the spreading of the pandemic and is doing its utmost in helping other countries. We will never accept stigma, discrimination or politicization on this issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Press Release

March 26, 2020 Villanueva reiterates SUCs call for raw materials, support to manufacture face shields, disinfectants for frontline workers Senator Joel Villanueva has reiterated the call of state universities and colleges (SUC) who have issued separate appeals for the public to provide them with necessary raw materials and other forms of support to manufacture sorely needed equipment by frontline healthcare workers treating patients such as face shields. Villanueva cited the various efforts of SUCs who have volunteered to use their equipment such as 3D printers to produce face shields for frontline healthcare workers. "We join in the appeal of our academic community which has been responding to the national emergency brought by COVID-19 in their own way," said the lawmaker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education. "Our higher education institutions are located strategically allowing them to provide support and assistance to their respective home provinces." Different campuses of the University of the Philippines have pitched in as well, starting with its National Institute of Health which developed the COVID-19 test kit. The kit is undergoing accreditation by the Food and Drug Administration. The Philippine Genome Center-Mindanao has proposed the construction of a diagnostic facility to complement the existing capacity of Southern Philippine Medical Center in testing for patient samples. UP Diliman's College of Engineering and UP Cebu also began using their 3D printers to produce face shields. Meanwhile, Samar State University (SSU) in Catbalogan City volunteers its quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction machine to the Department of Health which would help expand its capacity to process samples of patients suspected of contracting COVID-19. "If similar equipment is readily available in our universities and colleges across the country, we encourage university administrators to consider lending it so that we can immediately expand our government's capability to test patients," Villanueva said. Villanueva also credited the different initiatives of SUCs such as Batangas State University, Cebu Technological University and Capiz State University for producing face shields for frontline workers using their respective 3D printers. Universities producing face shields have appealed to the public for donation of raw materials and other kinds of support to allow them to continue their operations. Other SUCs such as Central Luzon State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, SSU, and Tarlac State University produced batches of alcohols and disinfectants which they donated to public medical facilities and their respective local government units which oversee the enforcement of quarantine in their areas. "The efforts of our academic community will go a long way as we pool our collective effort to beat the virus," Villanueva said.
Congress is on the verge of approving a massive funding bill that would steer an unprecedented amount of cash to the nation's hospitals that are or soon will be struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the bottom-line number for that aid is close to $200 billion, it remains to be seen how fast the federal Treasury will move the money and whether it will get to where it is most needed.

"It provides what we asked for," said Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents for-profit facilities. "Are all the resources here the right ones? We'll find out."

The Senate, after nearly a week of negotiations among Republicans, Democrats and the White House passed the bill Wednesday night. It is scheduled for a vote in the House on Friday.

About $100 billion of the funding is intended to, as the bill puts it, "reimburse  eligible health care providers for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus."

Hospitals are experiencing something unique in this pandemic. Not only are they being forced in many cases to turn away their usual sources of revenue, like joint replacements and other elective procedures, but they are also experiencing a surge in very sick COVID-19 patients likely to consume large amounts of hospital resources for a long time.

That $100 billion will be administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' assistant secretary for preparedness and response. The position was created by a 2006 law passed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina intended to centralize authority over public health emergencies. Among other things, the office oversees the Strategic National Stockpile, which stores drugs and other medical equipment to be used in emergencies.

But already people spot potential trouble spots in this bill. That so-called preparedness office "does not have the capacity to run such a massive provider payment program," wrote Kim Monk, a health policy consultant with Capital Alpha Partners, in a note to clients and reporters. "It will be a major challenge to distribute the funds in an equitable manner and also fast enough to help hospitals and other providers financially devastated by the pandemic, primarily due to the deferral of lucrative elective procedures."

Christopher Holt of the conservative American Action Forum wrote in his summary of the bill: "Unfortunately, there isn't much detail in the legislative text regarding this $100 billion or how it will be disbursed."

That ambiguity hasn't stopped hospitals from already jockeying to make sure they get their share.

"The money needs to not run out before you get to the big places," said Dr. Atul Grover of the Association of American Medical Colleges, which represents teaching hospitals. While the federal funds might be the difference between staying open and having to close for some smaller, rural facilities, he said, the large, urban hospitals have a "larger magnitude of losses and concentration of patients."

But while urban hospitals are caring for the bulk of patients, the need for financial help in rural areas is even more dire, said Maggie Elehwany of the National Rural Health Association. "A lot of these facilities were already vulnerable," she said, adding that half of all rural hospitals "are already operating at a loss."

Elehwany said that while rural hospitals are grateful for the help coming their way, the organization is unhappy that a specific amount was not set aside for rural health care. "They just don't have the cash on hand to deal with this," she said, particularly after having to close down outpatient and elective services.

The legislation is surprisingly vague on exactly how the money will be distributed, although most of those who have been working to shape it assume that HHS Secretary Alex Azar will likely have a major role to play. Typically a pot of money that large would come with strict formula requirements.

The bill includes several other provisions aimed at helping hospitals.

For example, under the legislation, hospitals would be given an immediate 20% bonus for costs associated with treating patients with COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The federal government is also canceling a 2% across-the-board cut in Medicare reimbursements that was set up in an earlier budget bill and putting off some payment reductions planned for hospitals that treat large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients.

It also includes money to help hospitals buy protective gear for doctors, nurses and other personnel working with coronavirus patients.

And most hospitals would be able to collect a no-interest-for-a-year loan equal to a previous six months of Medicare funding they received. Hospitals in rural and other underserved areas would be eligible for 125% of that amount in advance.

But even that could be problematic, according to the National Rural Health Association's Elehwany. "How are hospitals that are already operating at a loss going to be able to pay that back?" she said. Some of the facilities she's been in contact with "only have cash on hand for the next couple of days" and are having difficulty obtaining needed supplies and keeping staff.

Kahn of the for-profit hospital group, who has been involved in nearly every major piece of health legislation for the past three decades, noted that "this is an unprecedented program by anybody's definition. There's never been a fund this large that was designed to be handed out in grants, particularly a fund with the expectation of all involved that it will be distributed very rapidly. But the crisis is upon us."

HealthBent, a regular feature of Kaiser Health News, offers insight and analysis of policies and politics from KHN's chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, who has covered health care for more than 30 years.
Opinion Article

27 March 2020

For hotels in Europe, we've hit rock bottom, but that means the only way is up, right? The STR EMEA update webinar, hosted earlier today by Robin Rossmann, Managing Director of STR's international business, gave us great insight into the situation Europe-wide, but with some glimmer of hope.

"Things are definitely reaching the bottom in Europe following the vast number of forced closures," Rossman said. "We are headed into uncharted territory."

With many countries on Europe now on government mandated lockdown, and a large number of hotels now closed, all we can do is look to Asia - where recovery is slowly taking shape.

STR data for occupancy % change versus prior year, as at week ending 21 March 2020, showed that mainland China is no longer the biggest decline at -72%. Japan has not yet seen significant declines and is at -68%. And Singapore has never really seen declines of much more than 50%. At the top end of the list was Czech Republic and Italy, both at -96%, and Greece at -94%.

Showing just how the global market is one in flux and hard to predict, at the start of the year Florida Keys was the highest occupancy markets, but last week the best performing market was Wuhan. "Not that surprising considering the medical support having to be accommodated," Rossman explained.

Comparing downturns

If we're at the bottom how does the current situation compare to previous downturns? And what could we forecast lies ahead?

"Already in China and Europe the declines are greater than 2008/9. The question then is 'How long will it remain at that level?'," said Rossman. Looking at China as an example - hotel occupancy plummeted down to 10% until new cases of Covid-19 started drying up at the beginning of March, then occupancies doubled to 20%. So, what does that mean for hotels in Europe and the rest of the world? Rossman said once new cases of the virus stop increasing and flatline, then we may start to see growth.

Occupancy for China as a whole is 20% with some domestic markets tending to do better than international markets at this stage. This is unsurprising given the international lock down.

"Along with the recovery in occupancy, we have seen an increase in hotels opening up. Hotels have been closed for two months on average. Now, 87% of hotels on average are now re-opened, but it varies depending on market," Rossman explained.

The European situation

Hotels in China closed for an average of two months. Hotels in Europe are just going into lockdown, so we have at least two months before we can follow China into recovery mode.

Aoife Roche, Director - Account Management, Europe, gave webinar attendees a snapshot view of what is happing across the continent. What started with Italy seeing 80% declines in occupancy has now moved to a number of countries in a similar domain - with 80-90% declines in occupancy week on week. RevPAR is severely down, hitting 90% declines across all major cities.

Italy was running at 30% occupancy at the beginning of March but is now effectively at 0%. France and Spain has followed suit. "This week, Germany and the UK really started to see the impact - into that 30% occupancy threshold. We've seen a really stark decline for the UK in particular," Roche explained.

Occupancies in the UK for 16-22 March dropped by -80% for London, -80% for Dublin and -75% for Edinburgh.

According to Roche, forward business on the books has also collapsed. "Last week we were still looking 20-30% business on the books, but now looking at 5-20%. There's been a high decline as cancellations come through and hotels close," she remarked.

Looking forward 90 days, there is still some OTB business but it is expected we will start to see those numbers change as hotels close. Hotels at Heathrow were the only ones to see positive pick up.

It was a similar story in the Benelux countries, where occupancies saw major drops following the announcement of the EU parliament cancelling all events. Samantha Mardkhah, Business Development Manager, Europe, explained how OTB business was also depleted. "For the next 14 days, normal would be 50-60% occupancy, but we are now seeing a confirmed occupancy of Netherlands 14% and Brussels at 6%," she said.

Recovery scenarios

Robin Rossmann closed the webinar with a ray of hope as he talked through recovery scenarios. He pointed to the fact that SARS was very much a quick recovery, within three months, with the recovery starting a month before WHO gave the all clear.

"The recovery will depend on what countries ease travel restrictions and a lot of that will be domestic to begin with," he pointed out.

Talking of the key summer business period in Europe, he likened it to "being on a movie set with no script and no end in sight".

But he remained confident that there will be an opportunity for people to travel again by the time we get to the summer.

"Lead times are likely to be much shorter, and a lot will depend on when airlift comes back. But we have to assume and plan that we will be open," he said.

In terms of long term recovery scenarios - Rossman said it all depends on the impact of this crisis on the wider economy. Most economists are forecasting some type of recession, the depth of that is unknown.

"If it is like or worse than 2008 then from an occupancy level that was a 1.5 year period of decline in occupancy, 67% to 61% in Europe - not that significant. But we are likely to see higher declines in occupancy this time around," he said.

And then there's the changes this could have on long-term consumer behaviour. A recent STR survey of international travellers has seen a decline in travel intent.

STR asked leisure travellers from 1-5 March about their intentions to travel internationally. 53% said their intentions remained the same. Conducting the same survey 16-25 March, that response had dropped to 35%.

However, Rossman urged hoteliers on the webinar to still plan for significant demand for the summer months as people will have been pent up and will looking for ways to travel beyond their house. "Demand will be there and likely first from the domestic market," he said.

Tune in to the next STR webinar update here.
Darren Jolly claims he hasn't been in contact with his two daughters 'for months' after splitting from his wife, Deanne, in September.

The 38-year-old former Block star claimed in an Instagram post on February 20 it had been 'months' since he'd last spoken to his children, Scarlett and Lily.

'To my daughters, I miss you like crazy and just want to hold you,' he wrote.

Sad split: Darren Jolly claims he hasn't been in contact with his two daughters 'for months' after splitting from his wife, Deanne, in September. Pictured together on The Block

Darren and Deanne announced their split in September after 15 years of marriage.

They were popular contestants on Channel Nine's renovation series The Block, appearing twice in 2014 and 2015, and winning the latter season.

In a statement to the Herald Sun last year, Deanne confirmed the pair's acrimonious split and claimed Darren had been the one who instigated it.

Missing his girls: The 38-year-old former Block star claimed in an Instagram post on February 20 it had been 'months' since he'd last spoken to his children, Scarlett and Lily (pictured)

'This is a very difficult time for me and my girls. We have been blindsided and left devastated by Darren's action. But I'm focusing on my two daughters, who are my number one priority,' she said at the time.

In another Instagram post, which he shared earlier this month, Darren hinted he was going through a difficult time.

He shared a quote that read: 'The truth always comes out in the end no matter how hard you try to hide it or stop it. Lies are just a temporary delay to the inevitable.'

'To my daughters, I miss you like crazy and just want to hold you,' he wrote. Pictured with Lily

In a post on Instagram in November, Darren claimed he had fallen into a 'dark hole' following his marriage breakdown.

'To everyone who helped put me in that hole, go f**k yourself,' he added.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Darren and Deanne Jolly for comment.
Coronavirus crisis: Allied planes carrying supplies arrive in Slovakia, head to Romania

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

25 Mar. 2020

Last updated: 26 Mar. 2020 11:29



A planeload of medical supplies, including masks, has arrived in Slovakia on Wednesday (25 March 2020) to help with the coronavirus crisis.

The Antonov AN-124 plane landed around 14.30 local time at Bratislava airport with 48 tons of medical material. The cargo aircraft is part of the Strategic Airlift International Solution or SALIS programme, which is managed by NATO. The supplies, included facemasks, surgical gloves and protective suits arrived from Tianjin in China.

A further 45 tons of medical equipment, including 100,000 protective suits, are set to arrive in Bucharest on Thursday (26 March 2020) from the Republic of Korea. The equipment has been procured by the Romanian government as part of the efforts to combat the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The supplies will be delivered with a C-17 Globemaster aircraft which is part of the Strategic Airlift Capability.

NATO oversees two strategic airlift programmes. As part of the Strategic Airlift Capability or SAC, Allies jointly own and operate three C-17 Globemaster heavy cargo aircraft, sharing flying hours and costs. Allies also charter several Antonov transport aircraft under the Alliance's Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) program. These programmes routinely moved personnel and supplies from Europe to NATO bases in Afghanistan and Kosovo as well as humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti and Pakistan.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Advertisement

The coronavirus pandemic could kill more than 81,000 Americans over the next four months and may not subside until June, a new analysis suggests.

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine predict that the number of US deaths could vary widely, ranging from as low as around 38,000 to as high as around 162,000.

The number of hospitalized patients is expected to peak nationally by the second week of April, though the peak may come later in some states.

Some people could continue to die of the virus as late as July, although deaths should be below epidemic levels of 10 per day by June at the latest, according to the analysis.

However, the team says that this is only if people follow local and federal guidelines and stay indoors.

As of Thursday, 1,300 people had died in the US as a result of the virus .Researchers say the coronavirus pandemic could kill 81,000 Americans over the next four months.

The US has now overtaken Italy with a higher number of new coronavirus cases per day

The number of new cases per day in the US is also now much higher than China ever admitted

For the analysis, the team analyzed data from the local and federal government, hospital and other sources.

Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said the variance in deaths is due in part to disparate rates of the spread of the virus in different regions.

For example, the virus had spread quite rapidly in New York City but has been slow in several Midwest and Mountain states.

The duration of the virus means there may be a need for social distancing measures for longer than initially expected, Dr Murray, who led the study said.

However, he added that the country may eventually be able relax restrictions if it can more effectively test and quarantine the sick.

The analysis also highlights the strain that will be placed on hospitals.

At the epidemic's peak, sick patients could exceed the number of available hospital beds by 64,000 and could require the use of around 20,000 ventilators.

Ventilators are already running short in hard-hit places like New York City. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that New York State needs 30,000.

The virus is spreading more slowly in California, which could mean that peak cases there will come later in April and social distancing measures will need to be extended in the state for longer, Murray said.

Louisiana and Georgia are predicted to see high rates of contagion and could see a particularly high burden on their local healthcare systems, he added.

The analysis assumes close adherence to infection prevention measures imposed by federal, state and local governments.

'The trajectory of the pandemic will change - and dramatically for the worse - if people ease up on social distancing or relax with other precautions,' Dr Murray said in a statement.

The analysis comes as confirmed coronavirus cases in the US continue to mount, with the World Health Organization saying the country has the potential to become the world's new epicenter of the virus.

Globally, the virus has infected more than half a million people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Surgeon General says some states will still be battling coronavirus by LABOR DAY and that it'll travel through the country in yet another rejection of Trump's 'Easter' deadline

Dr. Jerome Adams spoke on Friday morning on Good Morning America

He said that crisis has not reached its peak in many parts of the country

Different states and cities have different timelines, he said

Some may still have to be doing testing in September but 'it doesn't matter', Adams said

The president earlier this week suggested reopening the country by April 12

Since then, Dr. Anthony Fauci has said it was designed to give people 'hope' but is not accurate

Advertisement

The Surgeon General warned on Friday that some states would still be battling coronavirus by Labor Day as he became the latest expert to discredit President Trump's Easter deadline to stamp out the virus.

Dr. Jerome Adams spoke during an appearance on Good Morning America where he said the reality is that while some states will overcome the pandemic first, it will travel throughout the country gradually.

The situation will not be over by April 12 - Easter - and some communities may still be battling it in September, he said.

'Everyone's timeline is going to be different. Some places haven't hit their peak yet.

'We're trying to give people the testing data to make informed choices. It doesn't matter if it's Easter, Memorial Day or Labor Day.

'We know we want people to be thinking about what they can do now to get through as few deaths and hospitalizations as possible,' he said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday morning that the city may be closed until the end of May.

A study by the University of Washington School of Medicine found also said the pandemic in the US would last until June, and that it may kill as many as 81,000 by then - even taking social distancing into account.

Scroll down for video

Dr. Jerome Adams spoke during an appearance on Good Morning America where he said the reality is that while some states will overcome the pandemic first

While the US is behind China and South Korea by around seven weeks, he said the evidence in those two countries suggests the steps being taken now are working.

'We know it's working. We know that China and South Korea are reopening,' he said.

President Trump has suggested implementing stricter rules in some states and cities that are battling the virus while allowing others to relax their lockdown rules.

Dr. Adams said it could work if local governments cooperated.

'The way it works is through cooperation.

'The authority lies at the state level. Nineteen of the 50 states in the country have been testing and documented persistently low spread.

'We want to make sure those places know what the situation is. So that if they're in a high risk area, they're taking appropriate precautions.

De Blasio says New Yorkers should be 'ready' for the city to stay closed until the end of MAY and predicts 'more than half' of the 8.6million population will become infected with coronavirus

De Blasio appeared on Good Morning America on Friday to gave an update on the virus impact in New York City

He said people should be 'ready' for New York to stay closed throughout May

The mayor predicts that half of the city's 8.6m population will become infected

He says that the help needs to keep coming from Trump and the federal government

New York City has more than 23,000 cases of the virus and 365 people have died

In 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday, 177 people died in its hospitals

The peak of the virus has not yet come; there is now a race against time to make sure hospitals have enough ventilators before it arrives

His prediction came as research from the University of Washington School of Medicine suggested as many as 81,000 would be killed by the virus in the US and that the pandemic will not be over until June

Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that people 'need to be ready' for New York staying in lockdown until the end of May as he gave the grave prediction that at least half of the city would become infected by coronavirus.

Speaking on Good Morning America as the US topped the world's COVID-19 hotspots with 86,000 infections, de Blasio was asked if the city would stay shuttered 'through May'.

He answered: 'I think we need to be ready for that,' then went on to slam President Trump's Easter deadline to reopen the country as something that gave 'false hope' to the nation.

De Blasio also warned that 'more than half' of New York City - which has a population of 8.6million - would become infected with the virus at any one time.

His prediction came as research from the University of Washington School of Medicine suggested as many as 81,000 would be killed by the virus in the US and that the pandemic will not be over until June.

Scroll down for video

Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that the city should be 'ready' to stay closed until the end of May

He said the majority, 80 percent, would suffer flu like symptoms but that some would die.

'Here's the reality in NYC, people we have to be real honest about where this is going.

'Unfortunately we think it's going to go through April and in to May. It's just a blunt reality.

'Over half of people in this city will ultimately be infected.

'Thank god for 80 percent, that will be very little impact in truth - it's like having cold or flu and you get through it in seven to 10 days.

'But for 20 percent of the people infected, it's going to be tough and for some of them, of course it's going to be fatal,' he said.
(Natural News) When a large number of people living in Wuhan China mysteriously started to fall ill with respiratory symptoms late in 2019, the Chinese government quickly began to suppress information surrounding the outbreak. This has been confirmed by multiple Chinese reports and doctors who feared for their life if they talked about the outbreak. The Chinese communist government did not want doctors or reporters to talk about why symptoms were not being differentiated from other common infections, why people were hastily rounded up and improperly treated by the government. More detailed information about underlying health conditions and comorbidity would have been useful for understanding the crisis, including information on hasty medical errors, co-infections, and drug failure. Transparency and accurate data would help explain why people are dying.

Lack of transparency and misunderstanding of infection led to worldwide crisis, panic

US President Donald Trump has recently changed his tone toward China, blasting the Chinese government for lack of transparency from the very beginning. At a White house news conference, the President said, It could have been stopped right where it came from, China.

Should China have been more transparent about COVID-19 many months ago?

Due to the lack of transparency from China, Trump did the single best thing he could to protect the American people: ban travel from China. By then, it might have been too late, as a new strain of respiratory illness started to spread into the United States and around the world, causing panic about all respiratory symptoms and fear that this strain would have more deadly consequences.

Should the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have taken a more precise, balanced approach to addressing risk factors? Should the government agencies have attempted to understand immune suppression and comorbidity of those at highest risk before advising governments to lock down entire economies  which has only caused more panic, financial instability, stressful circumstances, and more immune suppression? Lock-down decisions were made without proper testing, without proper understanding of the illnesses circulating in the U.S. From the onset, the tried-and-true, gold standard science that the CDC has relied on was giving out false positives in controls, throwing into question the validity of the tests and the entire surveillance of COVID-19.

Dr. Deborah Birx, part of the Presidents coronavirus task force, said that only 4 percent of the tests in South Korea detected viral RNA for COVID-19. That means 96 percent of the tests were positive for different respiratory viruses  as she admitted on air. Most people who are showing respiratory symptoms do not have coronavirus, she reassured.

Italy reports that 99 percent of the deaths there were due to underlying health conditions, co-infections and compounding chronic disease factors. Populations today are not prepared to face viral infection due to mal-nourishment and immune-deficiency that has tragically become a part of our lives through over dependence on immune suppressant drugs and nutrient-void foods.

These problems at the highest levels of government illicit more questions about the lack of understanding of infectious disease.

More questions surround the COVID-19 worldwide crisis

Why arent health authorities letting the public know why some people are more susceptible to this respiratory virus? A deficiency of mannose binding lectins (MBLs), an innate immune surveillance protein system in the body, could help predict who is at greatest risk to any type of respiratory infection. MBLs are an effective lung surface defense system that can detect and bind to the surface of microbes and activate the complement system in an antibody. Why havent authorities also asked for the widespread manufacture and utilization of nutraceuticals, that activate the innate immune system, to help save lives, regardless of the infections name?

Why arent health authorities addressing the underlying immune-deficiencies and comorbidities that factor into the death rate of this pandemic? A Department of Defense study shows that the trivalent influenza vaccine causes viral interference, making vaccinated people more susceptible to coronaviruses specifically. Everyone vaccinated with the flu vaccine could more readily test positive and become infected by coronaviruses. Other studies show that flu vaccination increases hospitalizations for flu-like illnesses three fold  a factor that isnt being considered as populations are readily affected by various infections.

Governments around the world have issued lockdowns over fears of asymptomatic carriers, yet Chinese studies now show that a large percentage of these cases are false positives. It turns out that virus transmission requires more than just detection of viral RNA. Viruses need to gain entry into cells. In order to multiply and be a real threat to people, viruses have to exploit several facets of the immune system before they automatically cleave to lung cells and cause transmission through coughing and aerosols from the throat and nose. There are several factors within the human immune system that influence infection rate, transmission, complication and death, but were all taught to be afraid of one another no matter what, to live separated indefinitely, and to believe that we are all powerless in determining the resilience of our immune systems.

Sources include:

CNBC.com

NPR.org

Bloomberg.com

TechnologyReview.com

ScienceDirect.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
Startups across the nation and around the world are looking for ways to relieve shortages of much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitizers used to halt the spread of COVID-19.

While some of the largest privately held technology companies, like SpaceX and Tesla, have shifted to manufacturing ventilators, smaller companies are also trying to pitch in and relieve scarcity locally.

Supplies have been difficult to come by in some of the areas hardest hit by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and the shortfalls have been made worse by a lack of coordination from the federal government. In some instances local governments have been bidding for supplies against each other and the federal government to acquire needed personal protective equipment.

On Sunday, New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo* pleaded with local governments to not engage in a bidding war. In fact, Kentucky was outbid by the federal government for personal protective equipment.

"FEMA came out and bought it all out from under us," Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told a local newspaper. "It is a challenge that the federal government says, 'States, you need to go and find your supply chain,' and then the federal government ends up buying from that supply chain."

Against this backdrop local startups and maker spaces are stepping up to do what they can to fill the gap.

Alcohol brands are turning their attention to making hand sanitizer to distribute in communities experiencing shortages. 3D-printing companies are working on new ways to manufacture personal protective equipment and swabs for COVID-19 testing. And one fast fashion retail startup is teaching its tailors and seamstresses how to make cloth masks for consumer protection.

AirCo, a New York-based startup that developed a process to use captured carbon dioxide to make liquor, shifted its efforts to making hand sanitizer for donations in communities in New York City.

Now, new alcohol brands Bev and Endless West are joining the manufacturing push.

Story continues

Endless West announced this morning that it would shift production away from its distillery to begin making hand sanitizers. The World Health Organization approved their sanitizers, which the company will produce in its warehouse in San Francisco.

The two-ounce bottles will be donated to local restaurants and bars that remain open for delivery, so that employees can use them and distribute them to customers. Bulk quantities will be distributed to healthcare organizations and facilities that need them.

Endless West also put out a call for other companies to provide supplies to hospitals and health organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We felt it was imperative to do our part and dedicate what resources we have to assist with shortages in the healthcare and food & beverage industries who keep the engine running and provide such important functions in this time of immense need throughout the community, said Alec Lee, CEO of Endless West, in a statement.

Los Angeles-based Bev is no different.

"As an alcoholic beverage company, Bev is very lucky in that we are licensed to purchase ethanol directly from our suppliers, who are doing their part by discounting the product to anyone licensed to purchase it," said Bev chief executive, Alix Peabody. "Community underscores everything we do here at Bev, and as such, we will be producing hand sanitizer and distributing it free of charge to the homeless and elderly communities here in Venice, populations who largely have insufficient access to healthcare and essential goods like sanitizer."

Hand sanitizer is one sorely needed item in short supply, but there are others -- including face masks, surgical masks, face shields, swabs and ventilator equipment that other startups are now switching gears to produce.

(Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

In Canada, INKSmith, a startup that was making design and tech tools accessible for kids, has now moved to making face shields and is hiring up to 100 new employees to meet demand.

I think in the short term, were going to scale up to meet the needs of the province soon. After that, were going to meet the demands of Canada, INKSmith CEO Jeremy Hedges told the Canadian news outlet Global News.

3D-printing companies like Massachusetts-based Markforged and Formlabs are both making personal protective equipment like face shields, as well as nasal swabs to use for COVID-19 testing.

Markforged is pushing ahead with a number of efforts to focus some of the benefits of 3D printing on the immediate problem of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers most exposed to COVID-19.

"We have about 20 people working on this pretty much as much as they can," said Markforged chief executive, Gregory Mark. "We break it up into three different programs. The first stage is prototyping validation and getting first pass to doctors. The second is clinical trials and the third is production. We are in clinical trials with two. One is the nasal swab and two is the face shield."

The ability to spin up manufacturing more quickly than traditional production lines using 3D printing means that both companies are in some ways better positioned to address a thousandfold increase in demand for supplies that no one anticipated.

"3D printing is the fastest way to make anything in the world up to a certain number of days, weeks, months or years," says Mark. "As soon as we get the green light from hospitals, 10,000 printers around the world can be printing face shields and nose swabs."

Formlabs, which already has a robust business supplying custom-printed surgical-grade healthcare products, is pushing to bring its swabs to market quickly.

"Not only can we help in the development of the swabs, but we can manufacture them ourselves," says Formlabs chief product officer, David Lakatos.

Swabs for testing are in short supply in part because there are only a few manufacturers in the world who made them -- and one of those primary manufacturers is in Italy, which means supplies and staff are in short supply. "There's a shortage of them and nobody was expecting that we would need to test millions of people in short order," says Lakatos.

Formlabs is also working on another piece of personal protective equipment -- looking at converting snorkeling masks into respirators and face masks. "Our goal is to make one that is reusable," says Lakatos. "A patient can use it as a respirator and you can put it in an autoclave and reuse it."

In Brooklyn, Voodoo Manufacturing has repurposed its 5,000-square-foot facility to mass-produce personal protective equipment. The company has set up a website, CombatingCovid.com, where organizations in need of supplies can place orders. Voodoo aims to print at least 2,500 protective face shields weekly and can scale to larger production volumes based on demand, the company said.

STAMFORD, CT - MARCH 23: Nurse Hannah Sutherland, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) awaits new patients at a drive-thru coronavirus testing station at Cummings Park on March 23, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. Availability of protective clothing for medical workers has become a major issue as COVID-19 cases surge throughout the United States. The Stamford site is run by Murphy Medical Associates. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Finally, Resonance, a startup launched by the founder of FirstMark Capital, Lawrence Lenihan, is using its factory in the Dominican Republic to make face masks for consumers on the island and beyond.

"To contribute to the Dominican health efforts, Resonance is acting to utilize their resources to manufacture safety masks for distribution to local hospitals, nursing homes, and other high-risk facilities as quickly as possible. They have provided user-friendly instructions and material and will pay their sewers who can to make these masks from the security of their homes," a spokesperson for the company wrote in an email. "Resonance is currently working to share this downloadable platform and simple instructions to their website, so anyone in the world can contribute to their own local communities."

All of these efforts -- and countless others too numerous to mention -- point to the ways small companies are hoping to do something to help their communities stay safe and healthy in the midst of this global outbreak.

But many of these extreme measures may not have been necessary had governments around the world actively coordinated their response and engaged in better preparation before the situation became so dire.

There are a litany of errors that governments made -- and are still making -- in their efforts to respond to the pandemic, even as the private sector steps in and steps up to address them.

*This article has been updated to indicate that Andrew Cuomo made the plea to the Trump Administration. Not Mario Cuomo who was New York's governor from 1983 to 1994.
TORRINGTON  The states Chief Court Administrator, Patrick L. Carroll III, announced Thursday that the judicial branch is temporarily closing three courthouses  including the Litchfield Judicial District court in Torrington.

COVID-19 continues to challenge the operations of the Connecticut Judicial Branch as we seek to protect the safety and health of the public and our employees and judges, Carroll said in a statement. At the same time, we must meet our constitutional obligations. To achieve this balance, we have undertaken several steps to, until further notice, prioritize the cases to be handled and to limit the handling of these cases to only one courthouse in each Judicial District.

The other courthouses to be closed are GA 19, 20 Park St., Rockville, and GA 11, 120 School St., Danielson. All are temporarily closed until further notice, effective at the close of business on Friday.

Starting March 30, cases from Litchfield will transfer to the Waterbury GA #4 courthouse. Cases from Rockville will transfer to the Hartford GA #14 courthouse; and cases from Danielson will transfer to the New London Judicial District courthouse, Carroll said.

We chose these three courthouses based on caseload data that we have collected since ordering this month that only Priority 1 Business Functions be handled in state courts, Carroll said. All three locations show lower numbers of public traffic than busier court locations, and the larger locations have the ability to absorb the additional caseload.

The judicial district closed the Danbury courthouse Wedneday, and its cases have also been transferred to Waterbury.

Effective immediately and until further notice, entrances to courthouses that remain open is being limited to those individuals who are filing or having a hearing for a temporary restraining order, civil protection order or an ex parte motion for custody; or those involved in a criminal arraignment or other criminal proceeding, Carroll said.

Starting March 31 and weekly, Tuesday-Friday, the remaining open courthouses and two juvenile courts in Hartford and Bridgeport are open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with staff leaving for the day at 2 p.m. Monday hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson and I fully recognize the disruption that these further steps will create, Carroll said. However, the COVID-19 crisis is unlike any other crisis the Branch has weathered in my 24 years as a judge. Drastic steps must be taken to prevent drastic consequences, and we believe that such actions will help mitigate, rather than accelerate, this pandemic.

This information is posted on the judicial branch website, www.jud.ct.gov/
Mary Ellen and Daniel Petruccelli, of Springfield, are anxiously awaiting transfer off a cruise ship on which four passengers have died after they were turned away from multiple South American ports amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The MS Zaandam and its more than 1,200 passengers and 500 crew members are among the global fallout created by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The couple, 69 and 71, respectively, are awaiting to transfer to another ship after clearing medical hurdles. They are reportedly among 305 Americans onboard.

It is unclear whether any of those American citizens were among those who succumbed to the virus that has infected 586,455 globally and claimed the lives of 26,889, according to the latest statistics.

We are relieved to be leaving the ship. As the number of sick people increased our chances of being infected increased as well. Our temperature was taken, then we were given medical clearance. In addition, we have no mobility issues that require extra help, said Mary Ellen Petruccelli, a retired Springfield school principal.

Once the healthy ones are on board the Rotterdam, she added, referring to the transfer ship. What happens next? Not a clue ... My guess is that well go back into isolation, just in case people are carrying the virus but are asymptomatic."

U.S. government officials and those from other nations have been in negotiations with the Panamanian government to navigate through the Panama Canal and onto other ports. But, that passage has been further complicated by the deaths of the passengers.

U.S. Richard E. Neal, D-Mass., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and his staff have been working with U.S. State Department officials to assure American citizens safe passage home.

The health and safety of the Petrucellis and the hundreds of Americans on board the Zandaam remains a top priority of Chairman Neal. We are in direct contact with the State Department on a daily basis in an effort to bring these citizens home in the most expeditious way possible," said William Tranghese, Neals chief of staff.

"Medical personnel are currently attending to passengers. Negotiations between the United States government and countries in the region are exploring every possible humanitarian option to offload these passengers. But clearly, time is of the essence, Tranghese said.

The Petruccellis have been confined to the Holland America cruise ship since March 14, when they disembarked on the famed Isla Magdalena, near Punta Arenas, Chile, to mingle with penguins. They set sail earlier in March, aware, but cautiously optimistic the cornonavirus pandemic would not gain speed.

However, by mid-March, they were denied access to scheduled destinations and the captain pointed the ship north after refueling and receiving refreshed supplies.

Passengers have been confined to their staterooms since March 22, the couple said during an interview, after the captain announced more than 100 passengers and crew had fallen ill with flu-like symptoms. The MS Rotterdam delivered medical supplies, including test kits, early Wednesday morning, the Petrucellis said.

The couple has had meals, drinks, clean towels and other supplies delivered to them with a quick knock at the door since then. Mary Ellen Petruccelli said she and her husband, a retired Eversource employee, boarded the ship with Lysol wipes and plans to dine at a private table, though they typically enjoy dining on cruises with new friends from other countries.

When we went on the trip, we made a conscious choice to keep our distance, which is usually not our way, because its so interesting to meet people from other places," she said, also expressing grief for the passengers who did not survive the trip.

This is so sad for their families. A wonderful trip turns into a tragedy, she said.

The Petruccellis set sail just days before the U.S. State Department warned Americans not to travel on cruise ships and many cruise lines suspended trips.

Related content:
MENLO PARK, Calif.  As colleges across California shuttered their campuses and sent most students home last week, one campus in the Bay Area is requiring its students to return  amid a pandemic  and clean out their dorm rooms.

On March 18, Evette Castillo Clark, St. Marys College dean of students, emailed parents and students that the Moraga campus was closing and students needed return and get their dorm rooms cleaned out by April 14.

The day before, six Bay Area counties, including Contra Costa, where the college is located, announced a shelter-in-place order in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus. Health officials want people to maintain distance from everyone but their immediate families.

We realize that most students are away from campus now and are concerned about the shelter-in-place order established for Contra Costa County and surrounding Bay Area counties, wrote the dean. We want to clarify that the order explicitly allows essential travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning.

Please plan to move out at your earliest opportunity, she wrote.

Some parents are livid.

This is so reckless, said Karen Lane, who lives in Littleton, Colorado. Her daughter, Madison, returned home the day the six counties announced the shelter-in-place. Shes reluctant to send her daughter back to campus.

The whole point [of the order] is to keep us from being mobile. Does anybody really need their comforter or coffee mug that badly? she said.

St. Marys College, a mission-style campus nestled in the rolling hills of the East Bay, follows a Lasallian Catholic educational philosophy. Roughly 3,600 students attend the liberal arts school, which claims notable alumni such as the actor Brian Doyle-Murray and Carolina Marquez, host of Cali Mornings, Cali 93.9 Los Angeles.

Incredulous and concerned about the colleges order, Lane wrote to Clark expressing her alarm at the idea of sending her daughter to the Bay Area on an airplane while theres a growing global pandemic.

On March 24, the schools medical director, Rachel Snowden, responded to Lane by email. She explained that the college was not only in constant communication with county health officials about their plans, but that other Bay Area colleges, such as Stanford University and Santa Clara University, were following similar procedures.

She suggested Lane connect with local students or families to assist with moving items out of Madisons dorm room, if Lane wasnt comfortable sending her daughter back to clean.

This might be a helpful option for your family to consider, wrote Snowden.

A county health spokesman told the Los Angeles Times he hadnt heard about the situation until he was contacted by the newspaper on Tuesday. Officials from Stanford and Santa Clara University said their universities were not requiring students to return to campus to clean their rooms in the near-term.

We have told undergraduate students they should not return to campus at this time due to the ongoing shelter-in-place order, said Ernest Miranda, a spokesman for Stanford.

Robin Reynolds, the associate vice president for auxiliary services at Santa Clara University, said her university has told students to return between May 1 and May 8 to clean out their dorm rooms.

However, we know the situation is fluid, so that may change, she said.

A spokesman for St. Marys said the request was in line with two travel exemptions in Contra Costa Countys shelter-in-place: one that allows for essential travel and another for distance learning.

Saint Marys College of California is acting to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19, and working hard to adapt to changing circumstances in response to the impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, wrote Michael McAlpin, the colleges director of media relations, in an email.

Asked if St Marys request violated the order, Fischer, the Contra Costa County spokesman, declined to provide an opinion.

We cant be in a position to adjudicate best practices, whether or not, in a particular case, it is good for certain students to follow, or not follow, the instructions, he said.

As to what will happen to Madisons belongings if she doesnt return, St. Marys spokesman declined to comment.

But for Lane, its pretty clear: Whats a thousand dollars worth of items when the choice comes down to my daughters health, and that of others?



Susanne Rust of the Los Angeles Times wrote this story.

2020 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
[March 27, 2020] Sproutly Executes its 3rd and 4th Provincial Supply Agreements with Manitoba and Saskatchewan

Sproutly Canada, Inc. (CSE: SPR) (OTCQB: SRUTF) (FSE: 38G) ("Sproutly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Toronto Herbal Remedies ("THR") has entered into a cannabis supply agreement with the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan (together, the "Supply Agreements") through the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, respectively, as at March 27, 2020.. Manitoba and Saskatchewan will be the 3rd and 4th provinces in Canada to carry Sproutly's CALIBER branded indoor-grown dried flower products ("CALIBER"), following Alberta and New Brunswick in late 2019. Pursuant to the Supply Agreements, CALIBER will launch in Manitoba and Saskatchewan initially with its 3.5 gram flower offerings for each one of CALIBER's unique strains, Berry White and Lemon Zkittle (2018 Highlife Cup Overall and Best Sativa winner which will be called Lemon Z). CALIBER's launch in Manitoba and Saskatchewan will be supported with regional marketing efforts in accordance with Health Canada regulations. "We are pleased to announce Manitoba and Saskatchewan as our newest partners to carry our CALIBER branded products. With a combined 70 physical retail locations across the two provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan will continue push the momentum for the Company's ongoing and ambitious product launch plan," said Keith Dolo, CEO & Director of Sproutly. "As we mentioned from the start, our small-batch dried flower is only the very beginning of our CALIBER brand portfolio. We have a number of innovative developments in our consumable and edible products pipeline ("Cannabis 2.0") derived from our proprietary extraction technology APP Technology that we are expect to introduce to our partners in the near future." Sproutly's CALIBER Cannabis 2.0 products are expected launch later in the year. APP Technology is a proprietary technology that extracts whole-plant BioNatural Oils (BNO) and water soluble Infuz 2 O. About Sproutly Canada, Inc. Sproutly's core mission is to become the leading supplier to the cannabis beverage and edibles market. The Company's Toronto-based facility, licensed under the Cannabis Act, was built to cultivate pharmaceutical grade cannabis to supply a technological breakhrough in producing and formulating the first natural, truly water-soluble cannabis solution. Our water-soluble ingredients and our bio-natural oils will deliver our unique brands to international markets that are clamouring for well-defined commercial products. Sproutly's business focus is to execute on partnerships with local and globally established consumer brands to leverage their existing customer bases, further expand brand loyalty, assist with marketing, and support distribution networks to deliver this scientific breakthrough with speed and efficiency worldwide.



For more information on Sproutly, please visit: www.sproutly.ca. Forward-Looking Statements

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or believes regarding future events of management of Sproutly. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, timing relating to the Company's ability to launch and supply its CALIBER branded products in Manitoba and Saskatchewan; and the Company's development and launch of its Cannabis 2.0 products. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the Company's inability to launch or supply its CALIBER branded products in Manitoba and Saskatchewan; the Company's inability to develop and launch its Cannabis 2.0 products; potential negative consumer, investor or public perception of the Company's 'CALIBER' branded products in Manitoba or Saskatchewan; changes in consumer preferences and product trends; and political, legal and regulatory uncertainty relating to cannabis products generally. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will launch its CALIBER branded products in Manitoba and Saskatchewan; that the Company's 'CALIBER' branded products will be positively received by consumers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan; and that the Company will continue to develop and launch its Cannabis 2.0 products. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005085/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
With no trains to take them to their village in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, a band of banjaras (gypsies) are living in the open in north Bengals Siliguri town.

There are women and children in the 23-member group that has taken shelter in the playground of Bani Mandir Railway School. One of the women is pregnant and there are some old people as well.

After spending a few months in the state, selling handicrafts and tribal jewellery to make a living, the banjaras had gone to Panitanki near the Indo-Nepal border when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the lockdown to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. The banjaras rushed to New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri stations on the night of March 24. By then, all trains and inter-state buses had been cancelled.

As we wandered, some policemen caught us. They told us not to move around, Vishal Kumar, a youth in the group said.

Hunu Prasad, the oldest man in the group said, We somehow managed to reach the school and have been living here since then.

The school ground is around 500 metres from Siliguri station.

The banjaras somehow managed to get food for two days. On Thursday, some local people gave them rice and vegetables. The group is using toilets in the playground.

Sumant Sahay, sub divisional officer of Siliguri, said, Some NGOs are helping these people. The government is ready to provide help. However it is not possible for us to take them to their village in Uttar Pradesh.

In a similar incident, around 170 labourers from Bihars Bhagalpur are stranded outside the railway station at Katwa in East Burdwan district since movement of trains stopped.

Acting on the decision of the state government, the state railway police made an attempt to send back these people in trucks but the vehicles were stopped at the Jharkhand border and sent back, Bikash Dutta, officer-in-charge, Katwa police station said.

There are many women in this group which is now dependent on supplies provided by the state administration. Please do something to reunite us with our families. We cannot live here forever, Meena Devi, a labourer said.

No passengers are stranded at any railway stations, including Howrah and Sealdah, under the Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER) in West Bengal.

Till Thursday, around 150 passengers who arrived before lockdown were stranded at the Howrah station premises. But the state government had arranged buses to help them their reach their destinations. They were mostly Guwahati-bound passengers. The RPF was taking care of their food till that time, Nikhil Chakraborty, spokesperson of ER said.

No passengers are stranded in any station under the SER in West Bengal, SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said.

Subhanan Chanda, chief public relation officer of the North East Frontier Railway said, There are no stranded passengers in railway stations because the state transport departments had taken good initiatives and sent all passengers who arrived by trains to their destinations.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ranjeetha Pakiam (Bloomberg)  Fri, March 27, 2020 11:42 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dcb1fd 2 Business #gold,precious-metal,global-trade,equities,fiscal-stimulus,economy,coronavirus,impact Free

Gold headed for the biggest weekly advance since 2008, rallying along with risk assets including equities, as investors weighed up the impact of massive monetary and fiscal stimulus for virus-hit economies and disruptions in the physical bullion market that have roiled trading.

The store of wealth is in demand as the outbreak spreads and investors seek havens from the damage, which has led to the flood of support from central banks and governments. The rush for bullion has come when supply channels are being strangled, with some refineries shutting down and flights halted. Thats limiting sellers capacity to meet commitments to deliver the metal.

The disruptions led to uncertainty if there was enough gold available in New York to deliver against contracts on the Comex, exploding the spread between futures and spot prices in London. But peak tightness may have eased as investors roll April contracts to June, which saw open interest jump to 345,689 futures, from 151,828 on March 9, according to initial data compiled by Bloomberg.

Headlines have popularized the worries about the ability to buy and deliver physical gold and spreads have blown out, RBC Capital Markets said in a note. These concerns are, in many ways, justified, but more so if we begin to see more complete shutdowns throughout the supply chain.

Key players in the global market are working together to facilitate physical delivery, albeit while many dealers of bars and coins are reportedly out of stock, the RBC analysts said. While these concerns are likely adding to exaggerated price moves, gold-positive conditions are not over, they said.

Spot gold was 0.2% lower at $1,627.88 an ounce at 10:58 a.m. in Singapore, headed for a weekly gain of 8.6%. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 3.4% this week.

The spread between London and New York prices has narrowed considerably. The disparity was about $22 an ounce on Friday, compared with more than $60 earlier in the week.

Other main precious metals also jumped this week: silver rose 16%, platinum climbed 21%, and palladium surged 41%. Supply concerns are growing for the two platinum group metals as mines shut down in South Africa during a lockdown.
Chennai, March 27 : The total number of coronavirus positive cases in Tamil Nadu have gone up to 38 with nine new cases being reported in the state on Friday, health officials said.

The National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu (NHM-TN) tweeted nine new positive cases of Covid-19 were reported in the state.

While six of the new cases were contacts of those who had tested positive for coronavirus earlier, the remaining are new cases, it said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday wrote a letter to Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank urging him to issue instructions to educational institutions with residential facilities to facilitate regular communication between students and their families in view of the existing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

He also requested the HRD Ministry to ensure uninterrupted supply of basic necessities, especially in residential schools like Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Gandhi, who is MP from Wayanad, said a significant number of students staying in hostels and other residential facilities of schools and institutions of higher have been unable to go home due to the lockdown.

A 21-day lockdown was enforced from Tuesday midnight to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Congress leader said he had received several requests from parents to ensure the well-being of their children staying in residential facilities.

He said 20 students from Wayanad are studying in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Nainital as part of the migration programme between linked JNVs in different linguistic regions.

Gandhi said he had spoken to the school principal and was reassured that all measures for their well-being were being taken.

"I request the Ministry to issue instructions to educational institutions with residential facilities to facilitate regular communication between students and their families. I would also like to request the Ministry to ensure uninterrupted supply of basic necessities, especially in residential schools like JNVs," he said.

The Congress said adequate precautionary measures should be adopted and institutions must ensure proper access to medical facilities.

"I hope that the Ministry will extend all possible assistance to students and their families who are unable to be together during this public health crisis," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LUCKNOW: With seven fresh coronavirus cases reported on Friday, the maximum in a day, the total number cases went up to 50 in UP.

During the day, four fresh cases were reported from Noida, one from Agra and two from Ghaziabad, said officials.

So far, Noida has reported 18 cases.

Of those admitted to hospitals after testing positive in Noida, 10 are staff of a fire extinguisher factory. We are also trying to trace an auditor who visited the factory and returned to UK, said Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, state surveillance officer in UP Health department.

The Agra woman, who tested positive on Friday, had returned to Agra from London on March 17, said district magistrate of Agra, Prabhu N Singh.

In all, 14 patients in state have been declared as recovered. Now, 36 are under treatment in different hospitals, including seven at KGMU in Lucknow. From Friday testing of samples was started in BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur also.

Principal secretary (health) Amit Mohan Prasad said eight labs are functional for testing work while another will start in Jhansi soon. Prayagraj and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow will be the next.

All 75 districts will have level one Covid hospital at one of the selected PHCs.

Coronavirus cases have been reported from Agra (10), Ghaziabad (5), Noida (18), Lucknow (8), Lakhimpur Kheri (1), Pilibhit (2), Kanpur (1), Moradabad (1), Shamli (1), Jaunpur (1), Baghpat (1), and Varanasi (1). Till now, 14 patients have been declared as recovered in Agra (7), Lucknow (1), Ghaziabad (2) and Noida (4).

Uttar Pradesh

50 cases

Agra (10), Ghaziabad (5), Noida (18), Lucknow (8), Lakhimpur Kheri (1), Pilibhit (2), Kanpur (1), Moradabad (1), Shamli (1), Jaunpur (1), Baghpat (1), and Varanasi (1).

46092 travelers identified from affected countries in the state

45540 Passengers from foreign countries residing in UP

826 symptomatic travelers identified in UP till date

137 travelers hospitalised so far

2114 samples tested

1993 samples found negative

26369 travellers screened at airports

1547277 travelers screened at border check posts (these are all travellers and not suspects)

2192 villages on Nepal border where sensitization meetings have been held
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish on Friday announced the county would establish a stabilization fund of at least $3 million to buoy small businesses affected by the coronavirus.

The county will contribute $500,000, which will be matched 3-to-1 by the nonprofit Economic and Community Development Institute. Other community partners also will contribute, Budish said. So far, $3 million has been committed to the fund.

Small businesses, primarily those based in neighborhoods and communities, will be able to apply for loans and grants to "help them get through the coming months, Budish said. Money will be available beginning April 3.

Budish said the fund will align with federal resources for small businesses. Not all small businesses will be eligible for federal aid.

The Budish administration has yet to say which businesses would be eligible.
LifeWay creates online Sunday school alternative for kids as churches respond to coronavirus

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Southern Baptist Conventions publishing arm, Lifeway Christian Resources, is offering a free, in-home childrens Bible study program available to churches of all kinds that have postponed their services due to the coronavirus outbreak.

As many churches across the United States have suspended live events and moved worship services online to help containing the outbreak of COVID-19, LifeWay responded to the need for the continuation of children's ministry by creating a temporary free resource called LifeWay Kids at Home.

The Digital Pass experience offers parents and their children a Sunday school-like alternative that will provide weekly media-driven kids Bible study at home.

LifeWay Kids at Home includes a conversation guide, a series of videos that focus on the Bible story, life application and missions.

The provided content is taken from current-cycle material in LifeWays Bible Studies for Life: Kids broadly graded curriculum for 1-6th graders, the announcement from LifeWay reads. Churches using this curriculum will be able to remain on their teaching schedule. However, the LifeWay Kids at Home Digital Pass experience is available to any church, of any denomination, anywhere in the world.

Each Thursday night, new sessions will be updated with fresh content.

Churches will be able to access LifeWay Kids at Home anytime over the next 12 weeks through the end of the Spring quarter, according to the announcement.

LifeWay Kids Director of Operations Chuck Peters told Baptist Press that the new program is a response to many pastors who asked LifeWay in recent weeks how other churches are responding in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Although LifeWay Kids was initially available to churches that are already a part of LifeWays three brands of student curriculums, LifeWay is opening LifeWay Kids at Home to anyone who desires to use it.

Peters said the outbreak has presented an opportunity to serve the Church with no strings attached."

"We quickly became aware there is a broader need of churches we don't currently serve," Peters was quoted as saying. "This short-term temporary study is an opportunity for us to serve the church by serving families."

In order to access the new at-home kids program, families will need to go to LifeWays website and register through redemption code VZMD4SSQ38.

"This is our heartbeat  to serve the church and equip parents to minister to their kids," Peters told Baptist Press. "The coronavirus presents many challenges, but every obstacle is an opportunity. We have the privilege of aiding parents and caregivers  people who may have never done so  to conduct a Bible study in their home. We get to help facilitate that at no cost, no-obligation and no strings attached for these churches and families. It's why we're here: We're a ministry first."
By Express News Service

MADURAI/ERODE/NAGERCOIL: The swab test of eight Thailand nationals returned negative on Thursday, leaving officials none the wiser as to how the 54-year-old deceased man from Anna Nagar contracted the virus. Earlier, it was believed that the Thai nationals had transmitted the virus. A day after the death of the 54-year-old COVID-19 positive man, the Health Department traced the eight Thai nationals, along with two locals near Malaipatti in Alanganallur. The Thai nationals and the two locals have been quarantined at an undisclosed facility near Thoppur.

Collector TG Vinay said that the test results of all ten people have returned negative for COVID-19. The deceased patient, being the first case in the State with no travel history, was presumed to have contracted the virus from the Thai nationals. We have traced around 200 contacts of the deceased. They are under home quarantine, and are being constantly monitored by our interdepartmental team, he said. Initially, a four-member team of Thai preachers had reached Delhi in January; they had been visiting several mosques in north India. Later, four more preachers joined them; they were received by the deceased person at Madurai Railway Station on March 12. The two locals assisted them with translation and itinerary.

Third positive case in Erode

A 66-year-old man, who was in contact with the Thai natives, tested positive 19 at Perundurai IRT Medical College. The Deputy Director of Health Services said that the patient is being monitored at the isolation ward in the IRT Government Medical College and is stable. His family is under home quarantine and the officials deployed in the area have been monitoring them and they have not developed any symptoms so far, she added.

Dead man tests negative

The swab and blood tests of a 40-year-old Kuwait returnee who died at the COVID-19 isolation ward in the government Kanniyakumari medical college and hospital returned negative.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set up Team 11 to monitor the situation in various sectors amid coronavirus and the subsequent nationwide lockdown.

The various teams are led by 20 IAS and five IPS officers.

The leaders of these teams will report directly to the chief minister, apart from holding regular meetings.

The teams will oversee working in medical, health, revenue, labour, agriculture, industry, law and order, animal husbandry, rural development, relief work, jail, industrial development etc.

"This is to ensure that all sectors are covered during the prevailing crisis and remedial steps are taken without delay in cases that require immediate attention," a government spokesman said.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been working through e-office from home amid the coronavirus lockdown imposed as a precaution to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Besides the movement of files and notings online, review meetings are also taking place through video conferencing.

"RK Singh, Minister for New and Renewable Energy, also took review meetings with all officers yesterday and today in which it was decided that MNRE will issue uniform combined guidelines for procurement of Renewable Energy (solar, wind, hybrid) including storage to facilitate investment in the sector and will continue to bring new bids so that investors can plan their investment," the MNRE said in an official statement on Friday.

During these meetings, it was also decided that SECI and NTPC should immediately sign MoU with the Rajasthan government for setting up two RE park of 5,000 MW capacity each. This arrangement would mark first phase of 25,000 MW Ultra Mega RE Park proposed in Jaisalmer.

Further, contours for setting up 25,000 MW RE park in Khavada in Gujarat were also finalised in consultation with the Ministry of Defence and Gujarat government. Various options for capitalisation of IREDA were also discussed.

"MNRE also issued guidelines for complete solarisation of sun town, Modhera in Gujarat. Government of India has launched a scheme with an objective to take forward the Prime Minister's vision of solarisation of sun-temple town of Modhera in District - Mehsana, Gujarat," the release said.

"The scheme envisages setting up of the renewable energy installations like 6 MW solar PV power plant, 15 MWh Battery storage, rooftop solar PV systems, smart meters and solar EV charging stations in Modhera, with an investment of around Rs 65 crore, with upto 50 per cent central financial assistance (maximum Rs 32.50 crore) from Government of India through Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and balance 50 per cent coming from Gujarat government," it added.

The scheme will fulfill the domestic and agricultural electricity needs of all the households of Modhera with solar energy, thereby setting up a pilot demonstration project for a village/ town running completely on solar energy.

"The government has already initiated tendering for the proposed installations through Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL) and aims to complete this project this year itself by December 2020. Implementation of this project will be done by Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL)", the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

Trend:

About 400 Azerbaijani citizens have been brought back to the country recently, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev made the remark at a meeting of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Trend reports.

He noted that 200-400 more Azerbaijani citizens are planned to be brought back to the country in the coming weeks in accordance with the established schedule.

Operational Headquarters under Azerbaijans Cabinet of Ministers held a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov on March 26.

The meeting participants discussed issues related to the special quarantine regime and the situation with observing the requirements of the regime.

The participants also discussed the issues related to the evacuation of foreign citizens, the situation in quarantine zones, as well as the treatment of patients and adopted relevant decisions.
While many have been extending a lot helping hands to the country's frontliners, Shell Philippines remains unabated to provide more provide for them. With that, Shell Philippines has secured donations of N95 face masks as part of the personal protection equipment (PPE) of health workers in the Department of Health and the Philippine General Hospital. Aside from that, they have also provided their own bottled water, Select Water, to 7 hospitals during these time while their Shell retailers are giving food packs, biscuits and water for medical workers, police force and military personnel and logistics drivers.

Shell covid

"We learned of the dilemma of our frontliners, our everyday heroes, struggling to have their basic mask as part of their PPEs, we voluntarily donated 5,000 pieces of Masks for UP PGH and DOH. We just hope that somehow it will help them in their everyday hero works in their respective assignments. We salute all our health workers, the frontliners fighting against Covid-19," Cesar Abaricia of Shell Philippines external relations said, with hopes of giving more should they source more of it.

Shell Covid

Aside from these, Pilipinas Shell partnered with Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation in COVID-19 response. Further, the oil firm has donated relief goods for indigent families of Municipality of Pasacao, Camarines Sur. The initiative was part of the company's Project Shelter in response to the pandemic.

Shell Covid

For their employees, Shell gave them flexible working arrangements, financial assistance such as access to emergency loans, 24/7 Tele-Medicine medical service to minimize staff exposure to hospitals and clinics, virtual counseling services as well as temporary accommodation and transportation support needed for business continuity.

Also read:
AND WE'RE BACK!!!

KC Works To Manage COVID-19

Big and small businesses affected by COVID-19 KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Metro businesses, both big and small, are feeling the impact of COVID-19. Those struggles could impact government tax revenues as well. There were no customers at the Mission Fresh Fashion store on Johnson Drive Tuesday, a business run by Becky Hanf and her husband for 22 years.

Downtown Hotel Checks Out

Crossroads Hotel lays off 151 workers in Kansas City after closing because of pandemic The trendy Crossroads Hotel in Kansas City has laid off 151 workers after suspending services because of the coronavirus pandemic. The hotel, managed by Aparium Hospitality Services LTD, recently notified Missouri regulators that it began laying off workers March 17.

In Defense of Kansas City

Army Corps of Engineers asks construction companies to equip buildings for COVID-19 patients KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking ahead in the COVID-19 fight to find places to house patients. The Department of Defense sent out an "informational/marketing" request to see if any Kansas or Missouri construction companies have the capabilities and qualifications to configure preexisting buildings for patient care.

Downtown Hype Machine Still Up & Running Amid Coronavirus

Downtown KC leaders respond to COVID-19 challenges P&L District aims to inspire with 'positive vibes only' The Kansas City Power & Light District introduced the "We've Got This, KC!" campaign this morning. It is designed to inspire us during these challenging times. "During this unprecedented time, we wanted to take a moment to tell you that YOU are great.

Kansas City Test Cases

Local company ramps up COVID-19 test kit production for hospitals, health care workers OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- A small biotech company, based in Kansas City, is making a major contribution to local hospitals and health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic. MAWD Pathology Group is redirecting its resources to ramp up the production of testing kits for COVID-19.

Kansas City Immigration Crackdown During Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic forces exchange student in Independence to return to Italy The COVID-19 outbreak will force an exchange student in Independence to head home to Italy.Senior Alessia Iacomo was supposed to spend a year in Independence. "It's weird. It feels weird cause it wasn't supposed to end like this," said Alessia Iacomo.After seven months in the United States, Iacomo said she has a second family and dozens of more friends."I didn't get to say goodbye to anybody.

Pool Pause For Now

Great Wolf Lodge closes all waterparks, resorts through May 19 by: Nexstar Media Wire Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Great Wolf Lodge announced on Thursday it will close all of its resorts through May 19. The company cited "unprecedented phase of responses to the COVID-19 outbreak" and government and health officials "calling for social distancing, restrictions on group gatherings and shelter-in-place directives."

Working Around COVID-19

Here's what working from home looks like in KC [PHOTOS] - Kansas City Business Journal The Kansas City area's stay-at-home order has many residents working from home for the first time. Whether old pros or newbies, today's remote workers have a home work space that is unique to them, ranging from laptops on dining tables to multiscreen computer setups to a board perched on two bar stools.

Passing On Travel Crackdown

Real ID enforcement deadline pushed back 1 year due to coronavirus pandemic The deadline to obtain a REAL ID, federally mandated identification that will be needed for passengers to board aircraft, will be extended until October 2021- a year past the current deadline, according to Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. "The federal state and local response to the spread of #coronavirus here in the US necessitates a delay [...]

Show-Me Lesson In Waiting

With Local Elections Delayed By COVID-19, Missouri Schools' Plans To Upgrade Buildings Put On Hold Missouri has postponed April municipal elections until June, a decision that could have a long-term impact on metro school districts asking voters to approve bonds for construction projects. North Kansas City Schools, the state's third largest school district, needs to replace two elementary schools, build an early childhood center and add on to Staley High School.

Kansas Guv Talks Jobs

Gov. Laura Kelly talks about state's unemployment rate during COVID-19 outbreak Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly talks about the state's skyrocketing unemployment. She said the state is working on ramping up the process to file for unemployment.The Kansas unemployment claims jumped seven times their average.

Unions Put Guv Parson On Notice Amid Coronavirus

Health care workers union sends demands to Gov. Parson KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - KCTV5 News has learned that employees with Truman Medical Center have tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, the union that represents many of those employees are making demands of Missouri's governor. Right now, the hospital is only saying "some" of their 8,000 employees have tested positive.

Guide To New School Rules

Head of Kansas Virtual Academy offers advice for local families learning digital schooling OLATHE, Kan. - Most students and teachers are now about one week into virtual schooling, with all schools in Kansas and Missouri shut down because of the coronavirus. "Let's go racing. Hold your horses people," an animated character bellowed from a Chromebook in the Lee's Summit home of kindergartner Beckett Griffin.

Show-Me Some People Packing On More Pounds Amid COVID-19 Stay At Home Order

MoDOT raises weight limits for trucks hauling essential supplies to 100,000 pounds ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- As the COVID-19 outbreak continues and many communities in Missouri are under stay-at-home orders, MoDOT is loosening shipping restrictions on state roads to allow for an easier flow of goods. MoDOT announced Tuesday it would issue temporary permits allowing haulers to transport up to 100,000 pounds on any Missouri highway, including interstates.

Enjoy Kanas Outdors Alone

Kansas wildlife officials to keep state parks, fishing lakes open during COVID-19 outbreak The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said it has developed a plan to keep Kansas' 28 state parks, 63 state fishing lakes and more than 100 wildlife areas open to the public during the COVID-19 crisis.

Urban Core Help Database

Northeast Free Meal Resource Guide Want Northeast News articles sent straight to your inbox each week? Subscribe below!Enter your email address and click on the ...

Locals To The Rescue During Coronavirus Pandemic

Everyday heroes making difference during COVID-19 outbreak in Kansas City We continue to see stories of everyday heroes in Kansas City, people doing what they can to make a difference.With social distancing, many of us are unable to visit our loved ones in nursing homes or assisted-living communities.

Another Local Head Check

Coronavirus anxiety: Watch these mental health warning signs, Kansas City experts say While you're protecting your physical self from the coronavirus, don't neglect your emotional self - or that of your loved ones. That's the fervent advice of local mental health professionals, who are urging everyone to take special care to attend to their mental health needs during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Politicos Talk Coronavirus

Lawmakers Respond to COVID-19 Across Metro The impact of Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is sweeping the nation, and has made its way close to home, as it was discovered that Grandview's own Representative Joe Runions has been in the hospital after testing positive for the virus. Runions, who serves Missouri's District 37, is the first state elected official to be hospitalized with COVID-19.

Kansas City Silly Merch Debuts For COVID-19 Outbreak

IN THIS TOGETHER: Charlie Hustle selling COVID-19-themed shirts to benefit Harvesters Iconic Kansas City clothing brand Charlie Hustle has created a new series of shirts to help benefit a charity in need.The company announced its "Hustle of Harvesters" Thursday on social media.As part of the company's "Look good, do good" collection, they've rolled out three new shirts.

Right now weto start the day, inform our blog community and possibly inspire some of you d-bags to stop hanging out in big groups and learn more about the worsening pandemic . . .Developing . . .
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on



Friday said his party MLAs and members of Parliament (MPs) will donate their month's salary to the Chief Minister's relief fund for measures to tackle the situation arising out of the coronavirus outbreak.

Raut, executive editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' and Rajya Sabha member, tweeted that all MPs and legislators will contribute their month's salary towards the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"We will definitely win this war under the leadership of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray," Raut said.

NCP had announced on Thursday that its MPs and legislators will contribute their month's salary towards the cause.

Similarly, Governor B S Koshyari had also decided to donate his month's salary towards the measures being taken.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All eight persons who came in contact with Ludhianas first Covid positive case (Patient 1) have tested negative.

Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga has, however, said that tests for all the people who came in contact with the 54-year-old woman will be conducted. He said those who were kept in isolation have been sent back home, while the test of others who are under self-isolation are being conducted and they have now been kept under observation.

Sources said the Covid positive woman, who is a resident of Gurdev Nagar, came in direct contact with nearly 80 persons, including doctors, paramedical staff, some NRIs at her boutique, and foreign travellers who may have been carriers. The woman has no travel history and is one of the first cases of community transmission in the country.

The health authorities on Thursday had quarantined two drivers and an acquaintance of the patient. The trio have tested negative. Moreover, Patient 1s husband, son and three doctors of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) have also tested negative for the virus.

In the meantime, principal of DMCH Dr Sandeep Puri rubbished social media reports of him being critically ill. In a video message, Dr Puri said he had opted for self-isolation out of a moral obligation, after he learnt that the woman he was treating was Covid positive.

In the meantime, the condition of Patient 1 is said to be stable.
NEW HAVEN  Yale University said no.

But the University of New Haven said yes.

An angry Mayor Justin Elicker said he asked Yale University President Peter Salovey whether police officers and firefighters who are asymptomatic, but who have a family member exposed to COVID-19, or who are not symptomatic, but have been exposed to the virus, or are waiting for test results, if they could use a dormitory at the university.

The answer was no.

He said he then called UNH President Steve Kaplan, who in the first 5 minutes of the conversation, said yes. We will make this happen. This is important for the community.

The discussion on this started at the virtual press conference Elicker held to update the city on COVID-19, a session where he announced a second resident, this time a man in his late 40s, had died as a result of the coronavirus as the number of persons infected in the city had almost doubled from 30 to 52.

He made another strong appeal for residents to practice social distancing to hold down the number of infections as the city appears to be entering the beginning of a surge of cases, something Yale New Haven Hospital physicians made clear in a separate press conference they had earlier in the day. He also thanked the 235 people voluteering to be part of a city Medical Reserve Corp, one day after the plea was published

On the issue of the dorm rooms, Elicker said UNH has rolled out the red carpet for us. They have worked to quickly get students belongings out of the dorms and they are working with us to address other logistical and liability hurdles. We are quite close to finalizing an agreement with them so that our police officers and firefighters can begin moving into the space in the coming days.

He said he was very grateful to Kaplan.

Elicker only brought up the arrangement when asked a question on his response to Yale contributing $1 million to a fund being raised in parallel with the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven and the United Way to assist the city in its needs during this pandemic crisis. Yale asked that others join in to bring its total to $5 million, as it matches donations $1 for $1.

Elicker said he had not requested that money, just the dorm space.

My response is this: if your house is burning down and you asked a neighbor if your kids could stay at your house and your neighbor said no, but here is a check so you could stay at the Econo Lodge across town, what would that tell you about your neighbor?

It is in these times of crisis when people are exposed for their true selves. Everyone needs to do their part at this very difficult time and writing a check does not exempt you from that fact, Elicker said.

Karen Peart, spokeswoman for Yale, issued a long statement in response to the mayors criticism, explaining that the students rooms wont be ready for new occupants for weeks.

Our student rooms still contain their belongings, but we have teams planning the feasibility of packing and storing all the student belongings so that the rooms could be utilized, she said.

We are pursuing schemes that involve professional movers and packers, and using temporary storage. The process will take weeks, as all of the residence hall rooms on campus are filled with student belongings. As soon as we have been able to clear any space, we have informed the mayor that we will let him know, Peart said.

We all wish the situation on our campus were different, but because our students had already gone home for spring recess when we implemented our social distancing restrictions, the rooms arent ready for others to live in them. Peart said.

She added that the $5 million fund is not connected in any way to the fact that we are not able to provide use of the residential colleges at this time.

Elicker said Salovey called two weeks ago when the COVID-19 crisis was ramping up, and offered whatever support Yale could give. He said he asked Yale late last week about the dorm space.

The mayor said the dormitory request was to provide a place where firefighters and police officers with symptoms could self-isolate so they didnt have to go home and potentially infect their family or be infected by another family member.

The healthy members could continue to go to work, while those with symptoms would not expose others on the force or in the firehouses, if they had a place to stay.

Elicker said the city faced some of these circumstances in the last few days where there were two firefighters who were exposed to the virus and tested negative, while several others are waiting for test results. They are basically in a holding pattern right now, the mayor said.

He estimated the city needs rooms for between 100 and 150 individuals and UNH has been very collaborative on that.

The mayor said he considered asking Yale if the city could use some dorm space to house homeless individuals, as New Haven is trying to reduce the numbers in shelters that are too crowded to allow for social distancing. He said he had not made that request to Yale.

We are having very productive conversations with other universities in the region, he said on the issue of housing the homeless.

Peart enumerated the ways Yale University is helping the city in response to the spread of COVID-19.

She said the university took bold actions to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 ... for our campus and the broader communities of which we are a part.

She said it will start distributing the funds raised in the Yale Community for New Haven Fund as soon as possible and University Properties has suspended March and April base rent payments for more than 100 businesses in university-owned buildings. Peart also said University Properties was also connecting the merchants with the Small Business Association and inform them of government financial relief programs, The university is also promoting a gift card-buying initiative to support downtown shops.

Peart said Yale Hospitality is continuing to donate food to the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen and is committed to providing food for the organizations that help the homeless, while boosting food purchases from local vendors.

She wrote that Yale is maintaining the salaries of the 6,000 New Haven residents who work at the university and is donating personal protective equipment to local hospitals; also it supports research on COVID-19 and shares that with the city. She said the Yale School of Public Health, faculty and student volunteers are performing contact tracing to help mitigate the spread of the virus, while acting as consultants to the city in addressing food insecurity, seniors housing and homelessness and helps with online tutoring for K-12 students.

She said more than 300 Yale School of Nursing faculty, students, and staff have volunteered to provide support during a possible surge of cases and the school is developing a text-message based survey to track healthcare workers exposed or diagnosed with the virus.

Peart said Yale School of Medicine researchers are studying how the novel coronavirus infects cells, how the immune system responds, and ways of disrupting that process, while its Clinical Virology Laboratory developed testing for COVID-19 in-house.

The university also established a field hospital in Payne Whitney Gymnasiums Lanman Center as an extension of the Yale Health Center to treat members of the university community who might become ill, reducing the number who would need to use the hospital.

We recognize that the pandemic is evolving rapidly, and we will continue to consult with public health and medical experts and local and federal officials as we adapt our response plans and strategies. Our priorities will remain centered on the well-being of our campus and home communities, Peart said.

Elicker said they are looking for more sites for homeless individuals who may contract COVID-19 in addition to the isolation shelter they are establishing at Hill Regional Career High School. He said there are conversations on that with other entities, whom he would not name.

The city has already decompressed the shelters, to an extent, by sending 84 individuals to hotel rooms, some paid for by the state, some by the city. The state is looking to do more of that.

The second tier of homeless is individuals who may be symptomatic of COVID-19 but have not yet been tested. Elicker said it was important for the city to self-isolate those individuals as they should not be interacting with other people.

He said there were a few examples of this already, where one or two in a group shelter, tested positive for COVID-19. He said the remaining people should be tested and separated from those who were already infected. Elicker said the city needs places where the homeless can self-isolate, while their tests are processed.

Yale College Undergraduate Admissions announced Thursday it offered admission to 2,304 students.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577.
US President Donald Trump on Friday spoke with the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the British leader tested positive for the deadly novel coronavirus and wished him speedy recovery.

Johnson in a video message on Friday said that he has tested positive for coronavirus after experiencing "mild symptoms", becoming the first world leader to announce the infection.

In the message posted on Twitter, the 55-year-old Johnson said he will continue to lead the UK government's response to the deadly virus, which has claimed 578 lives in the country.

"Today, @realDonaldTrump spoke with Prime Minister @BorisJohnson of the United Kingdom. The President thanked the Prime Minister for his close friendship and wished him a speedy recovery," Judd Deere, Special Assistant to Trump and White House Deputy Press Secretary, tweeted.

The two leaders also discussed global efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic and boost the global economy.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Johnson agreed to collaborate closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and boost the global economy," Deere said.

"The two leaders also expressed optimism that the United States and the United Kingdom would emerge stronger than ever," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre informed the Delhi High Court Friday that it will ensure safety and well being of 115 Indian students stranded at Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan as they cannot be brought back to India in view of restrictions imposed due to coronavirus.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh which conducted the proceedings through video conferencing, noted with an "immense sense of relief" that none of the Indian students stuck there is reported to have been infected by coronavirus.

The court was hearing a plea by the mother of one of the students who are enrolled for higher studies, including MBBS at Semey Medical University in Kazakhstan and are stranded at the Almaty Airport without food, water, transportation and medical aid for last few days.

The court was informed by central government's standing counsel Jasmeet Singh, appearing for the Ministry of External Affairs, that the 115 Indian students stranded at the airport have been provided with food, lodging and medical assistance in terms of the directions issued by the court on March 25.

He also told the court that in view of the complete lockdown, ordered by the Kazakhstan Government, it is not possible at this point of time to transport the Indian students back to their hostel accommodation at Semey Medical University there.

Singh further said that in view of the current complete embargo imposed on air travel into India by the Centre, the Indian students also cannot be flown back at this juncture.

He said however that the MEA will continue to ensure and secure the welfare, well-being and safety of all the Indian students and provide them with the basic amenities till the situation improves.

The court was also informed that Martin Cyriac Clemenese, Second Secretary and Officer-in-Charge of Representative Office of India at Almaty, has been appointed as the nodal officer for all Indian students in Kazakhstan and his contact details and particulars have been uploaded on the official websites of the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan and the MEA.

Advocate Fozia Rahman, representing petitioner Sehla Saira, said she does not press for any other relief at this stage.

The court, while partly allowing and disposing of the plea, said: "Needless to state that, the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, may in their discretion, consider the evacuation of Indian students from Kazakhstan, if it is imperative in the latter's interests so to do, at any stage considered appropriate by them."



Rahman said that a direction be given in the larger public interest and to the effect that the government should prepare and finalise a plan for evacuation of stranded students/citizens - globally - taking into account views of medical experts as also the ground realities prevailing in each country/region.

The court had on March 25 directed the MEA to ensure the welfare and safety of all the Indian students stranded at the airport in Kazakhstan.

It had directed the Centre to appoint a nodal officer to expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide these students will all basic amenities and humanitarian assistance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Skoda Auto, a Czech car maker wholly owned by the Volkswagen Group, is a lesser-known maker of sedans and SUVs, among other vehicle types. Nevertheless, those aware of the brand know that the company builds reliable cars that offer exception value for money, thanks in large part to their vehicles sharing platforms and parts with many VW models. Modern all-wheel drives have been a staple at Skoda since the introduction of the Octavia Combi 44 in 1999 and the systems have enjoyed a widespread approval ever since. Now, Skoda looks to convert even more fans with the launch of the fifth generation of their 44 drive technology. Based on an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch thatworks fully automatically, highly efficiently and extremely economically, Skodas 4x4 system comes into its own, especially on wet or snow-covered roads. The variable power distribution between the front and rear axles increases driving safety and driving performance in every season and on any terrain.

skoda Electronically_controlled_multi_plate_clutch

Aside from mud, gravel and snow, the Skoda 4x4 system also works exceptionally well on dry asphalt. Primarily a front drive under normal driving condition, the systems hydraulic multi-plate clutch automatically transfers a percentage of the drive torque to the rear wheels within fractions of a second so that propulsion is maintained once loss of traction is detected. This means that the power always goes where it is needed without the driver needing to step in, Skoda explains.

KODIAQ_

From the 1999 market launch of Skodas first all-wheel-drive model  the Octavia Combi 44  to the end of 2019, Skoda delivered more than one million vehicles with 44 drive. In 2019 alone, Skoda Auto produced more than 157,000 44 vehicles in the Octavia , Superb, Karoq and Kodiaq series. Around 60 percentof all customers opt for the 44 variant of the Kodiaq, a higher percentage than any other Skoda model. Given the Filipinos affinity for 4x4 SUVs, its a definitely headscratcher why Volkswagen has not yet brought SKODA to the country after all these years. Despite VWs strong presence here, VW is yet to follow suit with the likes of lesser-known brands like SsangYong or Maxus. Even so, this doesnt mean that the Philippines has a shortage of high quality SUVs, with the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Montero Sport counting themselves among the categorys top sellers.

Story continues

Also Read:
For the past two weeks, daily life has been interrupted.

Steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 in New Mexico have resulted in many routine events being canceled  for the time being.

Last week, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered movie theaters and malls to shut down to help flatten the curve.

With changes occurring daily, this weeks Venue gives some ideas to bide the time at home.

With city and state museums closed, take a look at MurosABQ.com, where more than 100 murals across Albuquerque are on view.

The interactive site provides a photo, address and a little biography about the artist. Many of the murals have a message of positivity and determination. Just what we need in these times.

The site has experienced a surge of interest in the past few months because of a collaboration with the city of Albuquerque, as well as a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and is the brainchild of Albuquerque resident Sandy Hill. The story is on Page 8.

On Page 3, youll find a review of the New Mexico-filmed Stargirl, which is streaming on Disney+.

Production took place in Albuquerque and Truth or Consquences, and it stars Americas Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere. Youll notice a lot of New Mexico scenery in the background.

Stargirl is based on the award-winning book by Jerry Spinelli, a story of discovery  of high school, music, the importance of connection, and what it means to love and be loved.

Also streaming on Hulu is Little Fires Everywhere, which stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. The series is based on the book by Celeste Ng. A review appears on Page 6.

On Page 10, theres an interview with Julio Macias, who stars in Netflixs On My Block. The series third season is now streaming.

Musicians are also connecting with fans by putting on performances on Instagram and Facebook.

In this issue, we talk with Alex Maryol, Side Montero and Prism Bitch about their new music and their efforts to reach fans.

Its an uncertain time, and I appreciate your sticking with Venue and the Albuquerque Journal to keep you up to date with the changing landscape.

Respectfully,

Adrian Gomez

Venue editor

PS: GUILD CINEMA OFFERS MOVIES TO STREAM FROM HOME

Although the Guild Cinema is closed through April 11 to comply with restrictions imposed because of COVID-19, there is an option to stream movies from home.

According to Keif Henley, owner of the Guild, the option offers a safe home viewing option for high-quality art house films.

Visit guildcinema.com to see what movies are available.

A portion of the online streaming fee goes directly to the Guild Cinema.

Henley says its a great way to continue to support independent film and Albuquerques independent theater.
James Madigan is a beef farmer to his core. The award-winning Kilkenny man is not remotely tempted by the lure of dairy lucre. He is well aware that he could make a lot of money in dairy, but beef is in his soul.

"If I got a tenner for every time someone asked me was I interested in going into dairy, I would never have to milk a cow to make money," he jokes.

James Madigan with his wife Anne Marie and children Hannah, Kate and Jim. Photo John D Kelly

"If I was starting now and the quotas were gone, I would still go with the sucklers. Beef is my gear, that is what I know. It is not all about money at the end of the day and I am doing well out of what I have."

He certainly is. Shortlisted in the 2019 Zurich Farm Insurance/Farming Independent Farmer of the Year awards, James' focus on efficiency enabled him to oversee a 25pc increase in the gross output on his 86-hectare farm between 2015 and 2019, from 121,842 to 152,874.

James, who was nominated in the Beef Farmer of the Year category last year, farms at Derrynahinch in the hurling stronghold of Ballyhale. Married to Anne Marie and father of three young children, he has a herd of 100 suckler cows.

Born and raised on a farm near his current holding, James worked with his father, Tommy, for a number of years before establishing his own enterprise 12 years ago. Since then he has reseeded land, built accommodation for 250 cattle and put in roadways.

He worked off-farm in a local meat factory up until 2016 but now works just one day off-farm a week as a livestock agent.

Autumn

James, named Kilkenny Young Farmer of the Year in 2010, calves 50 cows in autumn and 50 in spring.

"The autumn herd calves in nine weeks; breeding finishes on Christmas Eve and scanning takes place in February," he says.

Expand Close More Chalolais calves. Photo John D Kelly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp More Chalolais calves. Photo John D Kelly

"The spring herd receives the bull at the start of March and is taken away during mid-June. If you are not in calf, you have no business around here."

With a focus on functionality, milk and fertility, the main cow type on the farm is Limousin, Simmental and Charolais cross cows.

"The autumn herd is 50pc dairy to account for the milk needed from the mothers.

"Then the spring- calving herd is 25pc dairy to match the grass growth," James explains.

He works to maximise animal live-weight gain from grazed grass to reduce production costs and maintains a tight calving pattern to keep his calving interval at 359 days (the national average is 401 days according to HerdPlus).

Replacements are home-bred and sourced from a local dairy farmer. The farm prides itself in the use of two top-quality Charolais stock bulls, and an Angus bull was introduced to the farm in 2018 as a maternal sire.

Expand Close Appealing: grazing land on James Madigan's farm / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Appealing: grazing land on James Madigan's farm

Expand Close James Madigan with his wife Anne Marie and children Hannah, Kate and Jim. Photo John D Kelly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp James Madigan with his wife Anne Marie and children Hannah, Kate and Jim. Photo John D Kelly

The Madigan farm showcases an efficient grass-based calf-to-beef production system. With 112 acres of grass to work with once a forestry area is discounted, James has the farm divided into paddocks, with electric wires surrounding each field.

"I do a 3-5 day paddock rotational system and I roughly have three acres in each paddock," he says.

"Keeping production costs at a minimum is vital in any farming system and it is even more relevant when trying to make money from beef animals.

"Having your stocking rate matching the amount of grass that you can grow is the main priority farmers should focus on.

"Your breeding weights and your weaning weights need to be a key target also."

With silage, James doesn't cut the same grass every year.

"The first fine week in May, we are out doing our first cut and we do three cuts in total in some places - we go for six or seven bales per acre," he says.

"We do the second cut of silage at the start of June usually."

Reseeding at a rate of 10pc every year with AberGain and AberChoice, James believes that anything with Aber is rocket fuel.

"In the height of your growing season, you are turning around every 15 days. It is serious stuff to grow," he says.

For James, keeping input costs at a minimum is crucial. The best of his bulls are finished at 14 months and weigh approximately 500kg coming off the cow.

Carcass weights

"Autumn-born bulls are getting 8kg of 14pc protein nut a day and first-cut silage of 76pc DMD is given ad lib. This knocks a euro a day off the feed bill per head. At 14 months, these will go to the factory. This year that is on April Fool's day.

"Last year was very worrying, it was hard to get bulls killed. This year though, it is a situation of ring today and kill tomorrow.

"The bulls going to slaughter this April are putting on a kilo of carcass a day at least - that's 3.70 a day and your feed cost a day is about 2 or 2.20, so you still have a few quid for yourself."

In 2019, young bulls left the farm with a carcass weight of 414kg, a grading of U=2= and reached a factory price of 1,535.

During the same period, heifers were coming in with a maximum carcass weight of 341kg and a grading of R+3=, and reached a factory price of 1,233.

"When an animal hits 500kg on this farm, their days are numbered, whether it's a heifer or a bull," James concludes.





BETTER Beef programme pays dividends for Madigans

Expand Close More Chalolais calves. Photo John D Kelly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp More Chalolais calves. Photo John D Kelly

The aim of the Teagasc BETTER beef farmer programme was to develop a road map for profitable beef production through improving technical efficiency on farms, writes Una Sinnott.

And there's no doubt that the initiative produced the required results with James Madigan, who took part in the second phase, which ended in 2016.

The Kilkenny man's gross output rose by 25pc from 121,842 in 2015 to 152,874 in 2019.

In 2012, he set himself the aim of achieving a gross margin of 1,000/ha by 2016 and he reached this goal through intensive management, grass utilisation and increasing the output of beef.

In 2019, he had a gross margin of 1,169/ha.

During the BETTER programme, James measured his grass constantly and felt this had a huge impact on the improvement of grass management on the farm.

"Higher prices alone will not address the serious profitability issues in beef production from the suckler herd, and the BETTER programme highlighted this by focusing on improving not only the farm gate price, but also production costs and optimising beef output," he says.





'This place is a magical setting for any tourist'

Expand Close Appealing: grazing land on James Madigan's farm / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Appealing: grazing land on James Madigan's farm

Surrounded by drystone walls and tall trees, James Madigan and his wife Anne Marie see huge potential for agri-tourism on their quality-assured beef farm.

"With Mount Juliet Estate, Gowran Park and the Kilkenny motorway all just minutes away, converting some old out-buildings into farm-stay accommodation could be ideal for families and couples," says James.

Whistles

"The Kilkenny to Dublin train service whistles past every hour, making it a magical setting for any tourist."

The outhouses have electricity and sealed roofs, and further development is due to begin on one house, with the hope of adding windows and a heating system this year.

Covid-19 is playing havoc with the tourism industry, but the Madigans' plans are long-term, and they are confident their farm will have a wide appeal.

"We have our own woodland area and if developed more, this could be created into a nice country walking route around the farm, says James.

He reckons his beef rearing enterprise would complement any tourism venture.

"That's climate-friendly beef if you ask me," he says.

"It would showcase Irish beef in a positive limelight, highlight the family farm set-up of many Irish farms and promote the wonderful county of Kilkenny to tourists."
ANSAmed - Weekly diary from March 29 to April 5

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 27 - The following are the main events scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area between March 29 and April 5: MONDAY, MARCH 30 NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED TUESDAY, MARCH 31 NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 BRUSSELS - 11 AM press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg prior to a foreign ministers' video conference. GENEVA - 2 PM WHO press conference on the coronavirus pandemic.



VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis to hold a behind-doors general audience live on video. BRUSSELS - video conference between European Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans and Fatih Barol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). THURSDAY, APRIL 2 ALGIERS - 1st anniversary of the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.



BRUSSELS - NATO foreign ministers video conference. BRUSSELS - video conference between European Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans and Bertrand Piccard, who started Solar Impulse.



FRIDAY, APRIL 3 NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED SATURDAY, APRIL 4 TRIPOLI - first anniversary of the launch of an offensive by Khalifa Haftar on the Libyan capital. SUNDAY, APRIL 5 NO MAJOR EVENTS SCHEDULED.



(ANSAmed).




The government is doing everything to ramp up the production of medical ventilators in the country, amid reports of a shortage of this critical equipment in the battle against Covid-19, a senior official said on Friday.

We have given an order to a PSU to provide 10,000 ventilators. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also been requested to purchase 30,000 additional ventilators in 1-2 months, Lav Aggarwal, a joint secretary with the Union health ministry, said during a press conference.

BEL is under the defence ministry.

The government is doing all to make the availability of ventilators in the country, Aggarwal said.

Indias number of Covid-19 patients jumped to 724 on Friday, Aggarwal said.

Till now, 724 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed and the total deaths stand at 17. In the last 24 hours, 75 new positive cases and four deaths have been reported, Aggarwal said.

Experts have said the estimated 40,000 working ventilators in the country said will be inadequate in case there is a surge in Covid-19 infections that, in approximately 5% of the cases, sends patients to intensive care units (ICU) with acute breathing problems.

The coronavirus attacks peoples lungs, in some cases compromising their ability to breathe as they develop pneumonia. Ventilators, which deliver air to the lungs through a tube placed in the windpipe, are crucial to keeping these patients alive.

India has banned exports of ventilators, cancelled elective surgeries to keep ICU beds on standby, and imposed a 21-day national lockdown to socially isolate people.

The government, Mint reported, has lifted controls on producing ventilators and plans to ask all interested manufacturing companies, including automakers, to start producing ventilators.

Companies require a license to make items listed as essential medical equipment under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Medical Device Rules. This rule has, however, been waived off considering the medical urgency but only if the manufacturer partners a licensed firm.

The Centre had on Tuesday reached out to five automakersTata Motors Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (M&M), Hyundai Motor India Ltd, Honda Cars India Ltd and Maruti Suzuki India Ltdto explore the possibility of making ventilators at their plants.

It also urged the automakers to partner with nine companies who currently make ventilators in India and Tata Motors and M&M have already begun talks with some of them, Mint reported.
Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune

Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield said Thursday that the current price downturn reminds him of 1986 and opposition to a settlement with the Saudis from companies like ExxonMobil threaten the future existence of independent companies.

Speaking to CNBC, Sheffield said it will take a long time to balance the market and that Exxon is an example of the oil industry heavyweights that want to see all the independents go bankrupt and then pick up the scraps.
SHANGHAI, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Noah Holdings Singapore Pte Ltd ("Noah Singapore"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Noah Holdings Limited ("Noah" or the "Company") (NYSE: NOAH), has been granted the Capital Markets Services ("CMS") licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore ("MAS").

With the CMS licence, Noah Singapore can a) deal in capital markets products that are securities and units in a collective investment scheme, and b) provide custodial services. It also allows us to provide financial advisory on a) capital markets products that are securities, units in a collective investment scheme and life policies, and b) arranging of contracts of insurance in respect of life policies, other than contracts of reinsurance.

"Singapore plays a strategic role in Noah's overall expansion in servicing our clients' overall wealth management needs. With the issuance of the CMS licence, Noah will continue to draw on our strengths to serve Noah's high net worth clients with an expanded suite of investment and wealth management solutions in Singapore," said Noah Singapore CEO, Mr. Tao Thomas Wu.

International business markets expansion is of importance

According to 2019 fourth-quarter annual report results released by Noah, Noah has a cumulative allocation scale of RMB686.7 billion and a total of 293,760 high-net-worth clients. The group is actively expanding its global footprint and has established a strong presence with offices in Hong Kong, Jersey, New York, Silicon Valley, Vancouver, Melbourne, and now Singapore. Noah manages businesses in diversified products such as private equity investments, real estate fund investments, open market investments, family wealth and discretionary businesses.

The net income of Noah's overseas businesses increased by 25.4% to nearly RMB1 billion in 2019, which accounts for 22.9% of the Group's total revenue in 2018 to 27.9%.

Noah's overseas businesses have contributed significantly, resulting in continuous advancement of Noah's internationalisation strategy. The comprehensive range of services such as insurance brokerage, family trusts, other asset management and investor education have improved steadily leading to a more cohesive approach to better serve clients, bringing synergy with traditional financial services structure.

According to the Global Financial Centre Index 2019, Singapore is ranked as the 4th most competitive financial centre and has become a strategic link for global investors to access fast-growing and developed markets of the Asia-Pacific region as well as Europe and US.

Noah Singapore, established in 2018, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Noah Group. Noah Singapore is dedicated to providing Chinese high net worth individuals, families and enterprises with a holistic and comprehensive range of global asset allocation, wealth management and other bespoke financial services. Noah Singapore plays an important role of the group's internationalisation strategy.

Singapore Capital Markets Services licence deepens global compliance and operations overseas

The issuance of the CMS licence to Noah Singapore has further expanded and enhanced Noah's overseas footprint.

Prior to this, Noah Hong Kong was approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission on January 4, 2012 for Type 1 (securities trading), Type 4 (advising on securities) and Type 9 (providing asset management) licences. In 2016, Ark Trust (Jersey) Co., Ltd. obtained the Jersey Trust Licence. In 2017, Noah America officially obtained the California Insurance Licence.

Relying on the exemption of the financial licence issued by the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission in Australia, Noah has also obtained the authority to carry out financial services in Australia. In 2019, Noah Canada successively obtained three licences: Investment Fund Manager (IFM), Exempted Market Dealer (EMD) and Portfolio Management (PM).

These licences have laid the foundation for compliance of Noah's overseas businesses and also improved Noah's internationalisation expansion steadily.

Mr. Tao Thomas Wu is Chief Executive Officer of Noah Singapore and is also Deputy Group President of Noah Holdings Limited. Mr Wu has nearly three decades of experiences in financial services. He served as Chief Financial Officer of Noah from 2010 to 2013. Prior to re-joining Noah, Mr Wu was Asia Pacific chief strategy officer of Bank Julius Baer. Mr. Wu has also held key executive positions with J.P. Morgan, Alliance Bernstein, and Moody's Investors Services in New York, Singapore, and San Francisco.

SOURCE Noah Holdings Limited

Related Links

www.noahwm.com


Two patients at a Plainsboro nursing home died from complications of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, adding to a growing list of long-term care facilities in New Jersey that have seen fatalities from the illness.

Four other patients at Atrium Post Acute Care of Princeton, in Plainsboro, tested positive for the virus as well, the facility told NJ Advance Media in a statement.

Our hearts go out to the families of the two patients we lost as a result of it and we pray for a positive outcome for the other four patients, the nursing home said in a statement.

Seniors and those with underlying conditions are most adversely affected by the coronavirus, health officials say. The illness has killed 81 New Jersey residents so far, while at least 6,876 have tested positive for the virus.

Atrium has barred visitors from coming into the facility, stopped activities like communal dining and implemented social distancing techniques among staff and residents to protect its patients. Only disposable products are used for dining as well, the nursing home said.

Staffers temperatures are also taken every four hours, or twice per shift.

We are proud of our dedicated associates who still come in daily to care for our seniors, Atrium said in a statement.

Atrium said its working closely with the state Department of Health and will implement precautions that are recommended.

The state ordered a Woodbridge nursing home that saw 11 patients die from COVID-19 to shut down and its residents were moved elsewhere this week. Four people linked to a nursing home in Montclair have died after testing positive for the virus, too.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico.
The sailing club in Port d'Andratx says it refused to allow a catamaran to enter the harbour on Tuesday because of the coronavirus restrictions.

The 12 metre long craft came in from Greece and will stay anchored in Cala Egos until those responsible for the port receive authorisation from the Government Delegation to let it dock in the port.

The Guardia Civil says the owner is a German national who lives in Majorca and has a boat rental company.

He told Officers that he left Greece on March 5 and has a buoy in Port d'Andratx.
The "European Mobile Threat Defense Market, Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The study provides an overview of the Mobile Threat Defense market in Europe and forecasts its development until 2023. It highlights major market drivers and restraints that are likely to affect the demand for mobile security solutions.

In addition to identifying major industry trends that will have a lasting impact on MTD product development and marketing, the study discusses features that will be definitional for tomorrow's competitive mobile security solutions. European Smartphone and Tablet Cybersecurity Solution Market, Forecast to 2023 provides essential insights to cybersecurity vendors, chief information security officers (CISOs), as well as business executives interested in mobile security.

Research Highlights

The European Mobile Threat Defense market is predicted to reach $759.8 million in revenue by 2023. The increasing media attention to mobile security issues, BYOD adoption along with the GDPR and PSD2 regulations are some of the key factors that will drive the demand for MTD solutions in the near future.

The variation in the degree of security consciousness is positively correlated with the market demand for Mobile Threat Defense solutions. Businesses in Germany, France and the United Kingdom are adopting mobile security solutions at a rate higher than in the rest of Europe.

While integration of Mobile Threat Defense solutions with UEM products is still gaining traction, partnerships with leading EMM and MDM providers have already become an industry standard.

The research recognizes that integration of Mobile Threat Defense solutions with Endpoint Detection and Response systems is an emerging industry trend. Enterprises increasingly demonstrate the desire to use a single solution for a proactive defense of all their endpoints.

In light of this, the combination of EDR and UEM capabilities into Endpoint Security Monitoring and Management (ESMM) systems is likely to become a megatrend that will have a lasting impact on mobile security products' development and marketing.

While malware still appears to be a considerable threat for both Android and iOS platforms, mobile phishing has become of the major security challenges that users of Apple devices are facing today.

Key Issues Addressed

What should CISOs and enterprise executives keep in mind when considering Mobile Threat Defense solutions?

What are the regional differences in the European mobile security market?

How is the market going to evolve in the near future?

What are the key trends on the smartphone and tablet security market in Europe today?

What are the drivers and restraints that the market is facing?

What are the market shares of the leading mobile security vendors?



Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

Key Findings

Market Engineering Measurements

CEO's Perspective

2. Market Overview

Market Definitions

Key Questions this Study will Answer

Market Distribution Channels

Market Distribution Channels Discussion

3. Drivers and Restraints Total MTD Market

Market Drivers

Drivers Explained

Market Restraints

Restraints Explained

4. Forecasts and Trends Total MTD Market

Forecast Assumptions

Revenue Forecast

Revenue Forecast Discussion

Pricing Trends and Forecast

Pricing Trends and Forecast Discussion

Percent Revenue Forecast by Region

Percent Revenue Forecast Discussion by Region

Demand Analysis

Demand Analysis Discussion

5. Market Share and Competitive Analysis Total MTD Market

Market Share

Competitive Environment

Competitive Factors and Assessment

6. Growth Opportunities and Companies to Action

Growth Opportunity 1 EDR Integration

Growth Opportunity 2 UEM Integration

Growth Opportunity 3 ESMM Integration

Growth Opportunity 4 Expansion into Southern and Eastern Europe

Growth Opportunity 5 Deep Learning

Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth

7. DACH Region Analysis

The DACH Region

Revenue Forecast

Revenue Forecast Discussion

Pricing Trends and Forecast

Pricing Trends and Forecast Discussion

Demand Analysis

Demand Analysis Discussion

8. Mega Trends and Industry Convergence Implications

Impact of Cybersecurity Industry Mega Trends on the MTD Market

Mega Trend Impact on the MTD Market

Mega Trends Explained

9. Insights for CISOs

Insights for CISOs Why is a Mobile Security Solution Necessary for Your Organization?

Insights for CISOs Mobile Endpoints Have a Different Threat Landscape

Insights for CISOs Solutions Architecture

10. The Last Word

The Last Word Predictions

Legal Disclaimer

11. Appendix

Market Engineering Measurements

Market Engineering Methodology

Partial List of Companies Interviewed

Additional Sources of Information on Mobile Threat Defense

Learn More Next Steps

List of Exhibits



Companies Mentioned

Android

Apple



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xl3qhr

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005315/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Los Angeles businesses have struggled with coronavirus closures. (Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles City Council meeting schedule has been chaotic, at best. Last week Council President Nury Martinez canceled all meetings for the rest of the month amid concerns over how to congregate safely. Then she uncanceled Fridays meeting in an attempt to push through a slew of proposals  some vetted, some not  to address the coronavirus emergency.

We get it. These are difficult times and city leaders are facing tremendous pressure to respond to the crisis.

But in the rush to act on some much-needed emergency measures, such as an eviction moratorium, the City Council is barely considering the implications of other, more far-reaching proposals. Take, for example, a proposed law that would essentially dictate how businesses operating in the city rehire employees after the crisis is over.

The so-called Covid-19 Right of Recall ordinance would apply to employers in the city of L.A. that generated more than $5 million in business in 2019  and which lay workers off due to the pandemic and its fallout. Under the ordinance, when they are ready to start hiring again, they must first offer, in writing, the jobs to their laid-off employees, giving priority to those with the most seniority. The employees would have 10 days to decide whether to accept. The law would expire in March 2022.

The original proposal went further, prohibiting employers from laying off workers without cause, and requiring that any layoffs be conducted based on seniority. The current proposal is scaled back but its still a significant new government intrusion into businesses operations, and it will create strict, time-consuming and potentially burdensome new rules on businesses at a time when many will be struggling to survive.

Rules on seniority in layoffs and rehiring are common in union contracts. However, those contracts are negotiated and agreed upon by the employer and the employees  not dictated by the government. The city's role should be to develop policies and programs that support a robust economic environment in which many jobs are created and opportunities are plentiful, not necessarily to ensure that each individual laid-off employee can get his or her old job back.

The federal governments $2.2-trillion coronavirus economic relief bill offers a better way to help workers and their bosses. The bill includes forgivable loans for small businesses that keep workers on the job or rehire those who get laid off.

In many cases, companies will want to rehire their old employees. Its often much easier and cheaper to hire back experienced workers, rather than train new ones. The city has an interest in employers getting back to business as quickly and easily as possible. Its best to help them do it rather than impose burdensome rules and regulations for how to do it.
CALGARYThe owner of a Calgary Subway shop under fire for offering free medical masks with the purchase of a sandwich says the promotion was a desperate attempt to keep his store afloat as coronavirus takes a major toll on small businesses.

Sam, who declined to give his last name, apologized and said hed taken down the promotion. He said sales at his store at a mall in west Calgary have dropped by 80 per cent.

We suffer so much, so much. I havent fired people; Ive tried to get sales. It doesnt mean were making money, he said when reached by phone.

But at a time when medical personnel around the world are increasingly desperate for protective equipment as more and more cases of COVID-19 push health-care systems to the brink, the move has been sharply criticized online.

Several people posted a picture to Twitter of an outdoor sign used by the store to advertise its promotion.

Free Medical Mask to protect you and your kids, it reads, next to a stock image of someone wearing a medical-looking gown and cap. Buy any 2 regular Sandwiches and get 1 FREE Mask.

Among them was Jill Hawker-Spiers, who tweeted late Thursday: This is disgusting. Take this sign down and close your doors.

Westbrook Mall, where the store is located, tweeted that it had reached out to the franchise owner and removed all signage from the property.

Sam argued that hes not competing with medical supply chains, because he bought the masks from an importer friend, and therefore, he said, hes not taking them away from doctors.

He also pointed out its almost impossible for the average person to buy a mask at this point, so this was a way for someone to get one, while also supporting his business.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses says owners confidence has plummeted to an all-time low in the wake of coronavirus, and a recent survey found almost 40 per cent of owners said they were doing poorly.

Calgary businesses, meanwhile, are facing the double whammy of coronavirus and oil prices. Sam maintains he was just trying to stay in business.

They just think were greedy, he said. They think we make a lot of money easily, quickly, which is not right. We're just struggling.

Subway's corporate office called the signage and the promotion regrettable.

This was an unsanctioned and completely inappropriate promotion undertaken by a franchise owner," said Cristina Wells, country director for Subway Canada. This was addressed with the franchisee immediately upon becoming aware and the sign has since been taken down.

Subway Canada in no way condones this regrettable incident, and sincerely apologizes for the insensitivity in the message."

Medical experts, meanwhile, have argued that masks may not stop the average person from getting coronavirus, and may, in fact, just provide a false sense of security.

Read more about:
The COVID-19 crisis has put European solidarity to a rigorous test. Geopolitical competitors such as China and now Russia are scoring public relations points by dispatching medical supplies and crews to coronavirus-stricken Italy, Ahval News writes in the article Can Turkey benefit from continued EU enlargement?

On Tuesday, the General Affairs Council resolved to open membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania which means that enlargement has not been put on hold and the EU remains eager to assert its influence over its periphery. Few would deny that the EUs decision is overdue. North Macedonia is a case in point. The post-Yugoslav republic was deemed eligible to start accession talks as early as 2009. Yet its bid ran into stiff opposition from Greece over the long-standing naming issue. Though Athens and Skopje reached a settlement with the Prespa Agreement in the summer of 2018, new obstacles emerged.

President Emmanuel Macron of France said non, demanding the overhaul of the accession process  obliging Brussels to revisit already closed negotiations chapters. The goal is to lock-in domestic reform and avoid the sort of backsliding seen in Hungary or Poland. Frances views are shared by others. Netherlands and Denmark, for instance, have been particularly sceptical about Albanias willingness to tackle organised crime and high-level corruption. Skopje and Tirana received the green light only thanks to the European Commission working out a new negotiation methodology, complying with Macrons conditions. North Macedonia and Albanias saga, lasting more than a year and a half, suggest that enlargement will proceed at a slow pace.

Post-Brexit, the EUs priority is internal consolidation rather than expansion. Macron has been pushing for a common budget for the eurozone. Now he is using the COVID-19 challenge to renew his call for eurobonds to be issued jointly by all states that have adopted the common currency.

The EU is unlikely to accept new members before 2027 when its new multi-annual financial framework will kick in. And if it opens its gates, the best placed candidate seems to be tiny Montenegro. Unlike neighbouring Serbia, which has been negotiating its entry since 2014, Montenegro is not burdened by a sovereignty dispute such as the one related to Kosovos status. North Macedonia will be lucky to make it in by the end of the decade or early in the 2030s. Albania will likely have to wait even further while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo will remain at the very end of the queue.

What does that mean for Turkey? Its membership talks are, for all intents and purposes, long dormant. Yet the gradual integration of the western Balkans spells opportunities. With the deepening of the eurozone, slow-motion expansion makes a political reality of European concentric circles. The former Yugoslav republics will line up on the outer rim of the EU. Britain, once it finalises its trade and cooperation deal with the EU, will also gravitate around Brussels orbit  the Brexiteers mantras notwithstanding. There is a good chance Turkey will fall within a category in-between the accession-bound western Balkans and semi-detached Britain.

The customs union binds the Turkish economy to that of the EU. With time it could be upgraded, step by step, to include services. It is not inconceivable that Turkey may obtain privileged access to the EUs single market much like Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein.

That would be coupled with enhanced sectoral cooperation in areas such as justice and home affairs, migration and asylum (already in place thanks to the ad hoc refugee deal from 2016), or energy. Though membership is off the cards, and is likely to remain so given the upsurge of nativist populism across Europe, there are other forms of closer association that will accrue benefits to both Turkey and the EU.

There is a huge but however. It takes two to tango. To profit from European integration a la carte, Turkey should modify its course. EU leaders wont accommodate Ankaras demand for updating the customs union for instance, unless there is a degree of political liberalisation in the country. It is true that the EU has long squandered its leverage over Turkeys domestic affairs. Yet conditionality remains one of the few foreign policy instruments it has at its disposal. The golden era of enlargement is far in the past. But its legacy lives on.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:42:16|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Officials in Washington D.C. announced Friday that the U.S. capital city will cut the number of precincts accepting in-person voting in the upcoming presidential primaries, in an effort to curb the further spread of coronavirus.

The Washington Post reported that officials said at a news conference that the city will slash the number of precincts for in-person voting to 20, and expand early voting to run from May 22 through June 2 - the planned voting date.

Voters can request mail-in ballots online, over the phone or by visiting the election board office, according to the officials. "No voter will ever be turned away," said Michael Bennett, chairman of the D.C. Board of Elections.

Washington D.C. now has 267 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. capital has ordered closure of all nonessential businesses to slow the spread of the disease.

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced at Friday's news conference that George Valentine, deputy director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel, died of the disease in the morning, making him the fourth fatality in the district.

"My prayers right now are with his family, his entire team, and of course, we will be supporting them through this very difficult time," she said.

The rapidly exacerbating outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has seen the United States now leading the world in confirmed cases, registering 92,932 as of press time, according to Johns Hopkins University. Death toll rose to 1,380.

The public health crisis has disrupted elections in several states, forcing them to postpone primaries. States that have adjusted their original schedules include Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio.
Leaders of various opposition parties have criticised the Union governments move for allotting 20,000 crore for the Central Vista redeveloped project and notifying the land use change amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has suggested that the Centre must supplement 15,000 crore out of the amount earmarked for the project and use it for dealing with Covid-19 pandemic.

As an MP, I appeal to the Prime Minister to divert 20,000 crore earmarked for new Parliament building & Central Vista to supplement the 15,000 crore allotted to fight Covid19, which is merely 20 crore per district. Grand spending on buildings at this time of crisis is a postponable luxury, Tharoor tweeted.

The Centre had last week notified the land use change of over 86-acre area in Lutyens Delhi that currently houses some of Indias landmark buildings like the Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North Block and South Block, among others, to expedite completion of the 20,000-crore Central Vista redevelopment project.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said, Question to Modi ji -- why are we spending only 15,000 cr to fight Covid-19 but you just approved  20,000 cr for unnecessary Central Vista Project? Dangerous misallocation of resources and misplaced priorities.

CPI (M) chief Sitaram Yechury criticised the Centres timing on issuing the land use change notification. Modi government priorities are cruel. When all resources must be mopped up to meet this Covid-19 challenge a Gazette notification is issued for the Rs 20,000 crore Central Vista project. Shame, Yechury tweeted.

The land use change was notified on March 20, even as a petition challenging the project is pending in the Supreme Court.

The apex court, earlier this month, transferred all writ petitions filed before the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Vista project to itself.

HT had reported earlier that Centres application seeking environmental clearance for construction of a Parliament complex has been deferred by the Union ministry of environment, and the proposal is likely to be reconsidered after pending court cases are resolved.
Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, has charged traditional and local government authorities to protect the aged in society as the country worked towards containing the coronavirus disease.



He said the aged remained the most vulnerable since the outbreak of the pandemic and charged duty bearers to plan for their safety and well-being.



"It must not be business as usual. Let's be each other's keeper. Let's show love. We've done enough politics. It's time we come together and be each other's keeper," Togbe Afede who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs said.



He said this when he donated sanitizers and GH100,000.00 to two hospitals in Ho for the Coronavirus fight.



The hospitals are; Ho Teaching Hospital-GH60,000.00 and Ho Municipal Hospital-GH40,000.00.



Togbe Afede also gave over 2,200 hand sanitizers to the two Hospitals and communities in the Asogli State.



He said the gesture was to support the facilities and communities to fight the pandemic, urging traditional authorities to champion environmental cleanliness and ensured that their subjects obeyed health protocols from the World Health Organization and directives from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



Togbe Afede cautioned against abandoning the elderly to their fate and asked that caregivers and duty bearers ensured that they went for regular medical checkups and given prompt attention at health facilities.



He commended the hospitals for their efforts so far in combating the disease and urged them to remain focused.



Dr. John Tampouri, Chief Executive of the Ho Teaching Hospital, said the Volta Region was lucky not to have recorded any case yet and described the gesture as timely.



He said the Hospital could not sustain the expenditure of GH240.00 daily on tissue paper for hand washing at the facility and called for more support.



Dr. Lawrence Kumi, Medical Superintendent, Ho Municipal Hospital, expressed gratitude to Togbe Afede and assured that the support would be put to good use.

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
Ongoing encroachment by China in the disputed South China Sea has prompted the U.S. Navy to the live-fire missiles to show it is not afraid to take on China. Americans are also not afraid of the so called new systems of the People's Liberation Army.

The firing drill was done on the eastern ocean of the Philippines on Thursday. Conducting the launch onboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry, which launched a medium-range Standard Missile-2.

Along with the USS Barry came the guided cruiser USS Shiloh that fired the SM-2 as part of the firing drill. The Seventh Navy has been limited to patrol in contested areas. This is the first live firing the U.S. has done in recent time.

Demonstration of Washington's resolve has shaken the People's Liberation Army. Beijing based military specialist Zhou Chenming noted that these firing drills are not usual. It was seen as a warning to the PLA.

The US Navy is worried about Chinese missiles, which China could use as a trump card in a military conflict between the two parties in the region. The Seventh Fleet wants to warn Beijing that it can intercept missiles from China, Zhou said, according to Business Insider.

Another Chinese military analyst, Li Jie, is convinced that the missile launch was a warning to China and a bit to Russia.

Li Jie added the Seventh Fleet is telling China they can lob missiles to counter the PLA's claims of advanced missiles.

The Peoples Liberation Army is crowing over their newest weapons to counter America's advance weaponry. One of the bigger threats to U.S. ships is the carrier-killer DF-21D, also the anti-ship missile DF-26, it is long-ranged with 4,000 Km range, in striking distance of the US Naval base in Guam.

Also read: COVID-19 Nurse Shares Story of Sacrifices, Survival After Testing Positive

Both DF-21 and DF-26 are the weapons the Chinese rely on to counter American might in the ocean theatre of combat.

Sources like the Pentagon point out that either one of the missiles could have been tested in June when PLA Rocket Force conducted tests in the disputed South China Sea where the areas occupied are not legally theirs, because they purloined it.

The U.S. combats ships are state of the art with the latest Aegis combat system two years ago. This combat system can defend naval bases like Guam, and U.S. warships for the Chinese missiles.

According to Collin Koh Swee Lean, a research fellow with the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies' Maritime Security Programme in Singapore, the PLA is still far behind but the U.S. is after more upgrades and tests to wallop their opponents.

Koh added," Given the shift in defence focus to the Indo-Pacific and with the PLA threat in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if the US Navy conducted more such live-fire exercises to validate the fleet's capabilities against the evolving PLA missile strength." The conflict of the Philippine Seas will be a major battlefield for a China-U.S. armed conflict.

The American missile launch is relevant as the US forms alliances with Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Asian allies, to stop China's ambitions in the South China Sea.

Related article: Debris From Chinese Rocket Crashed into Southwest China

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Religious leaders of key and large gatherings in Lagos State yesterday agreed to put on hold all religious gathering regardless of the numbers of congregants pending further directive from the State Government.

The Christian leaders under the auspices of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN comprise of the Anglican Communion, Methodist, House on the Rock Church, African Church of Nigeria among others, met with the leadership of State Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday, to review the earlier restriction order on social gathering.

Addressing the representatives of CAN at the brief meeting held at Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofi Elegushi, was convened to intimate the spiritual fathers of the latest development regarding the new numbers of persons allowed to gather at any point in time, saying that the state government had further reduced the number from 50 persons to 25 persons.



The CAN Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola described the present administration in the State as a God-fearing, saying that the government had resolved to a round table discussion with the various church leaders rather than just issuing out directive.

Apostle Bamgbola stated that the church is bond to comply with the position of government in the best interest of every one and in consonance with Biblical provisions.

Also in Benue, the Christian Association of Nigeria has directed all churches in Benue state to shut down.

A statement signed by the Benue State Chairman Rev .Akpen Leva stated that the order to shut down churches in the state was in line with directives from the National Body of CAN as part of effort to stop spread of COVID 19.

CAN directives also affect weddings and other church ceremonies.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Arrangements were in place to deal with the situation if the number of coronavirus cases went up to even 100 per day in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday.

He also informed that a five-member panel of doctors, headed by Dr SK Sareen, had submitted its report, prescribing the standard operating procedure for dealing with the situation involving 100, 500 and up to 1,000 new coronavirus patients per day.

"We are removing the shortcomings and making preparations to deal with a situation of up to 1,000 coronavirus cases per day. I, however, hope that the number of cases will come down in the coming days," Kejriwal told a press conference here.

He asserted that his government was fully prepared to tackle the situation if the number of coronavirus cases increased.

The chief minister said so far, 39 COVID-19 cases were reported in the national capital.

He said food was being provided to nearly two lakh poor people in the city and the number will be doubled to four lakh from Saturday.

Besides 224 night-shelters, 325 government schools will also distribute food, including lunch and dinner, among the poor and homeless people, Kejriwal said.

He added that the Delhi government will also take care of the people from other states living in Delhi, citing appeals by the chief ministers of several states, including Jharkhand and West Bengal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KALAMAZOO, MI  Local police agencies are taking calls from people alleging others are violating the governors stay-home order, and local officials are asking people to use restraint when deciding whether to call in a complaint.

On March 24, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned all non-essential travel and ordered the closure of most businesses to slow the coronavirus exponential spread across the state. Whitmer said access to critical services like health care, food, medicine, gas and banks will remain available, but acknowledged the vast impact her order will have on daily life in Michigan.

On March 26, the Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office announced it has established a phone line and email service for citizens to file complaints regarding the governors order.

People can also report complaints to police dispatchers, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas said. But Thomas encourages people to only report egregious violations.

This is the lowest priority for law enforcement at the time," Thomas said of enforcing the governors order. Were all working modified schedules with modified staffing. So calls for service take priority over interpreting the executive order.

Related: How Michigans coronavirus stay-at-home order compares to other states

KDPS has implemented a contingency plan as part of the citys communicable disease plan, which shifts resources in the department, and moves officers from three shifts to two, allowing for more staffing flexibility.

The staff changes were made in conjunction with the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kalamazoo County this week. As of Thursday, March 26, there are 10 total cases in Kalamazoo County.

The agency announced Thursday afternoon that a KDPS officer is among the positive cases. A Kalamazoo County sheriffs deputy is also among the confirmed cases locally.

Thomas said her department will investigate complaints of alleged violations of the stay-home order if time allows.

The department is more focused on large group gatherings than it is on checking whether a business is essential or not, she said. The department has received a small number of reports of groups since the order took effect, Thomas said.

Dont call dispatch unless you need the police, really, at this time, they have a limited resource and staffing, Thomas said, and they all need to prioritize life safety issues.

If everyone can just self monitor themselves and their family and keep everyone safe, it will help us all out," she said. We understand everyones frustration as they do the correct thing, and they see others who maybe arent so vigilant. That is frustrating, but we ask that he at this time you just concern yourself with your family, what theyre doing. And unless its pretty egregious lets try to keep those dispatch lines open for calls that have to come in and we have to respond to immediately.

Meanwhile, the Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office created a call line and dedicated email for complaints related to the governors order.

The sheriffs department advises people to call 269-385-6101 for any concerns or violations, referencing the governors order.

Lines will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. If lines become overwhelmed at any point, callers will be able to leave a voicemail and will be re-contacted by the sheriffs office later. Citizens can also email complaints to staysafe@kalcounty.com.

Sheriff Richard Fuller said his office prefers if people stick to reporting egregious violations, but said calls are expected to be abundant no matter what message the sheriffs office puts out.

Weve shut down no businesses," Fuller said. We have not been making traffic stops to check peoples travel. But theres lots of stories of both those things. Its just not true.

Deputies are making traffic stops for speeding, running red lights, and other violations, but not to check if someone is essential in regards to the governors order, he said.

Nobodys out there making traffic stops, asking for papers to show that theyre essential or anything like that, Fuller said.

Sheriff Richard Fuller walks nearby a trailer at Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department 311 E. Alcott Street, in Kalamazoo, where people are invited to drop off personal protective equipment like masks during normal business hours.

The department asks people to continue to call 269-488-8911 for general non-emergency calls not regarding COVID-19 or the Stay Safe, Stay Home order. Residents should continue to call 911 for any emergencies.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we continue to respond and serve Kalamazoo County, the sheriffs office said in a news release.

Thomas further clarified how Kalamazoo police officers would provide enforcement related to the governors order.

KDPS officers are not going to pull people over asking where theyre coming from going to, can we see your letter? Were also trying to limit our contact with the public, Thomas said. Now, that does not mean were not doing traffic enforcement. So if theres egregious traffic issues, people out there running red lights, and things that are life safety issues, our officers will pull you over. But theyre not going to be focusing on whether that person shouldnt be out.

Both the sheriffs office and KDPS will handle some calls over the phone. Fuller said calls such as certain property thefts and others that can be taken over the phone will be handled that way. In many cases, deputies can make contact by phone to inquire about the call before deciding if a face-to-face meeting in needed.

Related: Kalamazoo has plan to keep water running, police responding during coronavirus outbreak

Despite the changes, police are still responding to serious calls that require an officer or deputy.

Everybody has to understand that if there is a serious crime a crime of violence somebody that is out, dealing drugs, driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and theyre caught, they go to jail, Fuller said.

The Portage Department of Public Safety also posted a message about how they are handling similar issues in their community.

We ask that you DO NOT utilize 911 for lodging any of these complaints," the department said. We simply cannot tie up our 911 lines and dispatchers with non-emergency complaints. If you witness something that you feel NEEDS to be reported, you can contact our dispatch non-emergency line at (269) 488-8911. The basics of your complaint will be logged and these will be administratively reviewed throughout the week.

Fuller said people with personal protective equipment such as masks can drop them off at the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department at 311 E. Alcott Street, in Kalamazoo, during normal business hours. The sheriffs office will get the masks to places where they are needed, the sheriff said.

Read more:

Kalamazoo Public Safety officer tests positive for coronavirus

Thursday, March 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

First Michigan lawmaker tests positive for coronavirus

Man who deliberately coughed on store employee charged with terrorist threat
A Spanish soldier stands next to beds set up at a temporary hospital for vulnerable people at the Fira Barcelona Montjuic centre in Barcelona on March 25, 2020.

PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

The US, China, and Italy (in that order) have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world.

But comparing the number of cases per million residents tells a different story about which countries are hardest hit by the pandemic.

Switzerland has the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita  1,340 cases per million people followed by Spain and Italy.

The number of US coronavirus cases per capita is far lower: about 210 people are infected per million Americans.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US, China, and Italy (in that order) have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world. But an analysis of coronavirus cases per capita  the number of cases per million residents  in various countries reveals a different story.

Switzerland, not China, tops the list of COVID-19 cases per capita, with 1,340 cases per million people. It's followed by Spain, then Italy.

covid 19 cases per capita table

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

The US, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world  more than 83,000  is low on the cases per capita list. Only 210 people in the US had been infected per million Americans as of Thursday morning. The US's case total continues to climb quickly, however, and a country's number of cases per capita changes constantly as new cases get reported. That, in turn, depends on how many people get tested.

Nearly 530,000 people in 175 countries have gotten the new coronavirus since December.

This data may illustrate why Italy has been overwhelmed by its outbreak

Italy has the highest number of deaths from the new coronavirus  more than 8,200. On March 21, Italy reported 793 new COVID-19 deaths  the greatest single-day death-toll jump of any country since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in December. (Even at the height of China's epidemic, its highest single-day death toll was 150, on February 23.)

Story continues

Medical personnel transport a COVID-19 patient to an ICU tent in Cremona, near Milan, Italy on March 20, 2020.

Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images

The fact that Italy's cases per capita infection rate is so high may explain why its healthcare system has been so overwhelmed, lacking beds, medical resources, and staff for the stream of patients.

Italian doctors have reportedly considered prioritizing younger, healthier patients who have a higher survival rate.

Andy Kiersz contributed reporting for this story.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The management of Daily Excelsior newspaper has announced that it will donate Rs one lakh to the relief fund set up by Jammu and Kashmir administration to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

An appeal for donations to the relief fund was made on Friday by Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu.

Daily Excelsior Editor-in-Chief Kamal Rohmetra and Executive Editor Neeraj Rohmetra announced that it will contribute Rs one lakh towards the relief fund of Jammu and Kashmir government, a statement said.

Staff of Daily Excelsior and Excelsior Printers Private Limited have also announced contribution of one-day salary towards the relief fund.

The newspaper will prominently publish names of all those people who have donated towards the fund in its edition.

The people can send a photocopy of receipt of the donations sent to the government for publication of their names in the newspaper.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA photo of the eruption of Klyuchevsky volcano on 30 September, 1994, the volcano's largest explosion in 40 years. The large

Background:

Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka's highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. Kliuchevskoi rises above a saddle NE of sharp-peaked Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred at Kliuchevskoi during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 m and 3600 m elevation. The morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.

---

Source: Klyuchevsky information by the GVP (Smithsonian Institution)
EAST HAMPTON  Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is in need of donations of shavings, horse feed, hay bales and other supplies for the rescue horses.

The weekly cost to care for the 16 horses on-site is more than $1,1200 on feed and hay alone, said Stacey Golub, DVM, and Founder of Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue.

Three fundraisers had to be canceled due to coronavirus restrictions and we have temporarily stopped tours of the farm, she said, leading to budget concerns. We will struggle due to the COVID-19 virus and are asking for the communitys help, she said. We believe in miracles and our horses are counting on the humans who care for them to keep them safe.

Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue operates solely on the generosity of others. The organization is 100 percent funded by donations from individuals and sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. Support comes in all shapes and sizes from places near and far, but it all contributes to a singular cause: saving the lives of draft horses that were bound for slaughter, that are victims of starvation, neglect or abuse or surrendered from owners who are unable to provide for their needs, Golub said in a statement.

The rescue has 19 equines in their care and needs donations. Any monetary amount and/or hay, grain, shavings, tack, equipment or related items would be greatly appreciated. To make a donation of hay, grain, shavings, tack or equipment, email ctdraftrescue@aol.com. To make a monetary donation, send a check made payable to Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, PO Box 273, East Hampton, CT 06424 or make a donation online at www.ctdraftrescue.com To learn more about CDHR and the horses, visit the website.

Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue (CDHR), Inc. is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of draft horses that were bound for slaughter, victims of starvation, neglect or abuse or whose owner's are unable to provide for their needs. Since its founding in 2011, CDHR has rescued more than 90 horses and has more than 80 volunteers.

Optical practice offers free services

OLD SAYBROOK  The following is a message from Cartier Optical, 266 Main St., Old Saybrook: We know Covid-19 has been hard on everyone and has disrupted all of our lives. Many people dont have access to their normal optical services. In light of this, we are providing free screw replacements, nose pads, and in-house repairs to anyone, regardless of where you bought your glasses. We are allowing one person in the store at a time and are accepting appointments. All medical workers will have first priority for appointments and repairs. You can also mail your glasses to the store. Please include name, number, and what is wrong with the glasses. We will do the repair and ship your glasses back free of charge. Remember to be kind to one another and stay safe. Call 860-388-0205.

AAUW presents student talk on thesis

CLINTON  Victoria Martinez, Yale graduate student and recipient of the American Association of University Women Career Development Grant, is scheduled to discuss her thesis project at 7 p.m., April 15, at the Shoreline Branch of AAUW meeting at Clinton Congregational Church, 5 Church St., Clinton. The public is welcome.

Martinez is pursuing a master of arts degree in Painting/Social Practice and will address her innovative project of transforming abandoned social spaces, such as stores and churches, into cultural spaces which elicit calm. She has already developed a Traveling Minds multicultural community program for high school students.

AAUW is one of the leading supporters of womens graduate education. Since 1888 it has awarded more than $115 million in fellowships and grants to more than 13,000 recipients from 145 countries. The Shoreline Branch also supports scholarships for local women. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through scholarship, advocacy, education, and research. It values a diverse membership.

For more information, call Vicki Littell at 203 245 2121. Be sure to call ahead before attending.

Artists wanted for monthly shows

STONY CREEK  The Friends of The Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library seeks Connecticut artists to exhibit monthly from September through August. Drop off 3 pieces representative of work, ready to hang, 4-7 p.m. April 17. Pick up is from 1-4 p.m. April 19.

Wall hanging art is accepted. Entry fee is $25. Proceeds benefit the Friends of WWML. For information, call 203-488-8702

Estuary council joins March for Meals

OLD SAYBROOK - The Estuary Council of Seniors is participating in the 18th annual March for Meals, a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and senior neighbors who rely on the service to remain healthy and independent at home. To help raise funds and awareness for this essential program, the Estuary Council participates in a Buy A Wheel campaign that allows people to donate a dollar at select of their local restaurants and stores.

The Estuary Council of Seniors provided more than 80,000 meals through the Meals on Wheels program and congregate lunch program last year. The Meals on Wheels program alone accounts for a large percentage of that. There are more than 330 seniors living in the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook that depend on this vital service.

The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. Since 2002, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country have joined forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the support needed to fill the gap between the seniors served and those still in need.

For more information on how to volunteer, contribute or speak out for the seniors in your community this March, visit www.ecsenior.org.
1 of 10

45 Major highlights of Peoples contribution to help fight coronavirus



Total Coronavirus COVID-19 positive cases have crossed the 720-mark as the death toll touched 17 on Friday. However, the Central government has assured people that positive cases figure is "relatively stable" in the country. More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus. Experts have asked people to stay at home, to not venture out on roads unless it;s absolutely necessary and to not believe in rumours, and don;t panic. In the United States, more than 82,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the metropolis of Wuhan. Here are the list of Peoples contribution to help fight coronavirus.



1). With an aim to help mitigate the needs of poor people, the central government has announced Rs 1.70 lakh crore financial package. The central government has stated that as many as 17 states have begun to transform hospitals into dedicated Coronavirus treatment facilities.



2). Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das today announced a cut in the repo rate by 75 basis points and that in reverse repo rate by 90 basis points to help the economy tide over the coronavirus distress. Das also announced that banks and NBFCs can allow a 3-month moratorium on loans.



3). Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar has pledged to donate his one month salary to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to fight Covid-19.



4). Cabinet Secretary informed all states that 15 lakh international travellers arrived in India between January 18 and March 23. There is a need for monitoring all of them.



5). The Reserve Bank of India on March 27 announced a raft of measures that will infuse an additional Rs 3.7 lakh crore into the banking system to boost the economy but the decisions failed to cheer capital markets.



6). The night shelters run by the Delhi government have been proving food and accommodation to hundreds of daily wage labourers who have been left stranded in the city following the nationwide lockdown.



7). Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi has donated Rs 51 Crore to Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Read More...


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:19:19|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The presence of Chinese medical experts in Cambodia has given the country more confidence in the fight against COVID-19, Cambodian health officials have said.

The seven-member team of Chinese doctors landed in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Monday to help combat the epidemic, as the Southeast Asian country has seen a spike in new confirmed cases in recent weeks.

The team came over with tons of medical supplies including gloves, medical masks, N95 protective masks, work hats, boot covers, anti-penetration gowns, medical protective clothing, medical face shields, infrared temperature sensors, and medical protective goggles.

Last week, China also donated 2,016 fast test kits for COVID-19 to the kingdom.

"The arrival of Chinese medical experts will give us more confidence," Health Ministry secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine told reporters.

She said it was a good opportunity to learn from the Chinese experts on how to prevent the virus and to treat patients because they have a lot of experience.

Health Ministry's Communicable Disease Control Department director Ly Sovann said their presence has been broadly welcomed by the Cambodian people and that this has further deepened people-to-people bonds between the two Asian countries.

"The assistance is timely when we are in difficult time," he told reporters. "This clearly shows close solidarity between the leaders of the two countries as well as between the peoples of the two countries."

He added that Cambodian health officials are expected to learn from the Chinese doctors on how to discover new cases, to treat those who have contact with patients, and to work on laboratory.

Ngy Meng, director of the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, said the Chinese medical team visited the hospital on Tuesday to see the hospital's preparations for the COVID-19 patients.

"They came to see the way we accommodate and treat patients," he told Xinhua on Thursday. "Since China has seen success in containing the virus spread and in healing the patients, we hope to learn from them on how to manage the hospital for the COVID-19 patients and on how to treat the patients effectively."

"For medical supplies, we are very much in need of fast test kits, ventilators, and protective suits," Meng said.

Sok Sambo, a Cambodian translator for the visiting Chinese medical experts, said on Thursday that the Chinese doctors specialize in the fields of infectious disease prevention, pulmonary and critical care medicine.

He said since their arrival, the Chinese doctors have visited several health facilities for COVID-19 patients.

"When they met with Cambodian health officials, they always share with them their experience in preventing and containing the virus spread, and in treating the patients," he told Xinhua. "I believe that with their assistance, Cambodia will be able to contain the virus soon and to heal the patients more effectively."

Cambodia had recorded a total of 98 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, said a health ministry press statement on Thursday night, adding that 11 of them had recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
By PTI

PUNE: Five COVID-19 patients - two from Pune and three from neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad - have been discharged from the civic-run hospitals following their recovery, officials said on Friday.

Two patients admitted to Naidu Hospital in Pune were discharged late Thursday night after their repeat samples tested negative for the infection, Dr Ramchandra Hankare, chief health officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) said.

He said that total 20 coronavirus positive cases have been recorded in Pune city so far. "Of these 20, seven people have tested negative after the completion of 14 days of isolation and they have been discharged from the hospital," he said.

Of the remaining 13 patients, nine are undergoing treatment at Naidu Hospital and four in different private hospitals. "Out of the 13 patients, two are critical," he added.

A health department official of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said that three patients, who tested negative two times after their 14 days of isolation period, were discharged from the hospital on Friday.

Pimpri-Chinchwad has so far recorded 12 coronavirus positive cases, the official said, adding that no new case was detected in the last seven days.
With frontline healthcare workers clamouring for more facemasks, gloves and other protective gear, one Montreal company says reusables can help fill the gap amid looming shortages of disposable supplies.

Because it takes the same amount of time to get a disposable gown and a reusable one manufactured and delivered to hospitals, reusables can go much further in treating the expected surge in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks and months.

Since theres not enough to go around  every reusable one you get here, its the equivalent of 75 to 100 of the disposable ones, said Jeff Courey, president and CEO of George Courey Inc (GCI), a Montreal-based company that specializes in producing reusable isolation gowns, surgical gowns and scrubs.

In the past few days, reports have proliferated of doctors and nurses being asked to ration personal protective equipment, a message that clashes with reassurances from political leaders that there will be enough to meet demand.

Were getting more masks. We have 12 million gloves on order, coming in. If theyre short, were going to make sure that we fulfill the requirements, said Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday.

The shortage of PPE in parts of the U.S. has become so extreme that researchers at Duke University have developed a method to sterilize and re-use disposable masks. The Centers for Disease Control updated its guidelines last week to recommend healthcare professionals use bandanas to cover their faces if nothing else is available. Meanwhile, several American hospitals have issued call outs for volunteers to sew surgical masks at home.

Courey says unlike the homemade equipment Americans are being forced to resort to the certified reusable PPE his company makes is as safe and effective as disposable PPE.

I can appreciate that everyone wants to help reduce this shortage as quickly as possible. But it also makes me very, very nervous, he said.

Theres a specific fabric that you need to make proper PPE that will actually protect the person. Its not like you can just go and take, you know, whatever piece of poly cotton fabric and make an isolation gown.

The isolation gowns that we make use a specialized fabric that is tested and inspected to make sure that it actually does what its supposed to do, which is protect the user, said Courey.

In the last 10 days, GCI has sold more than 300,000 gowns  almost as many as it has in the last eight years. The emergency stockpile of between 75,000 and 100,000 gowns was sold out within a few days.

While people might instinctively feel that disposable PPE is safer, Courey says its important to understand supply chains to appreciate how safety and quality can differ.

The vast majority of disposable PPE is made in China and southeast Asia, where it must be manufactured, packaged, shipped and warehoused before being delivered to the end user.

There are so many opportunities for that gown to be potentially contaminated, said Courey. Our gowns are inspected, checked and sterilized locally after every single use.

Instead of being thrown out after each patient encounter, reusable PPE can be washed, sterilized and reused 75 to 100 times.

We sell them usually to institutional healthcare laundries  huge companies with multi-million dollar pieces of equipment. (The gown) goes right through and comes out on the other side of the laundry with very minimal human contact. Its sterilized, packaged and ready to be sent back to the hospital, he said.

Theyre very, very safe.

Beyond their practicality in times of pandemic, reusable gowns are also better for the bottom line (they have a lower lifecycle cost than disposables) and theyre better for the environment.

I shudder to think at how many disposable isolation gowns are going to be in landfills once the COVID-19 crisis is behind us, he said.

All that single-use plastic that hospitals and health care workers are desperate for today contributes to the degradation of our environment and the warming of the planet.

Lets not solve the crisis of today, which is COVID-19, by adding to the crisis of tomorrow, which is climate change, said Courey.
Manila, March 27 : The Philippines has cancelled its biggest annual joint military exercise with the US this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a high-ranking official said on Friday.

Rear Admiral Adelius Bordado, the co-exercise director of the exercise dubbed as 'Balikatan 2020', said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Felimon Santos has recommended the cancellation scheduled for May 4-15, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We are in an extraordinary situation. Many will be put at risk if we push through with the exercise," Bordado told reporters, adding that up to 10,000 troops are expected to participate in the exercise this year.

Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Philippines and the US and involves participation from Australia.

On March 4, Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, the AFP spokesperson, said around 6,500 US forces and 4,300 Filipino troops were expected to participate in this year's iteration of Balikatan.

The number is almost double than last year's Balikatan participants of 3,500 American and 4,000 Filipino troops.

Balikatan, a Tagalog phrase for shoulder-to-shoulder, is the most comprehensive among several annual or regular US-Philippines joint military exercises that aims to develop Philippine combat readiness and US- AFP inter-operability.

The Philippines now has 707 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 45 deaths.
O ne way of dampening the coronavirus blues? Put on your Sunday clothes.

This is the message from Instagrams man in silver platform sandals and extra eyeshadow, Marc Jacobs, who is spearheading a feel-good fashion movement from his New York apartment that celebrates the joy he finds in simply getting dressed. Forget chic loungewear in a palette of grey. Jacobs brand of isolation outfits is less staying in, more going out-out.

At least Im dressed for spreading some cheer and goodwill, the fashion designer wrote on one Instagram selfie, in which he is wearing a cinched double-breasted blazer, a pearl necklace and a pair of buttercup yellow knee-high heels. When youre up against a wall, give it your all, reads another of him wearing chunky red platforms, yellow socks and a printed dress coat - an outfit deserving of the front row, not the front room.

Nevertheless, his dressing up to stay in mantra has struck a chord with his 1.4m followers on Instagram and inspired many others to follow suite. Copycats include Alexa Chung wearing a Polly Pocket-style necklace and bright hairclips; Bella Hadid in pearls; Timothee Chalamet in fuchsia pink trousers; plus plenty appearances of Molly Goddards Villanelle frothy pink frock. The worlds best dressed actor, Billy Porter, posted to his followers: Its still important to look fabulous get dressed and put on a lip, divas. Quite.

Last week the zeitgeistty fashion blog Man Repeller launched the hashtag #goingnowherebutf***itimgettingdressed, which has since amassed more than 1,000 posts of followers in fabulous outfits - think puffy dresses, feather trimmed silk two-sets, lime green mules - and counting. The websites founder and millennial fashion Pied Piper Leandra Medines own isolation selfies contain piles of chain necklaces, tie dye socks and a Chanel boucle jacket.

Likewise, Rachel Syme, a writer for The New Yorker, is posting her house-bound outfits of metallic blazers, pussybow blouses and Gucci belts under the hashtag #distancebutmakeitfashion, with the message to her followers: Please take something amazing out from the back of your closet that you never wear and prepare to put it on. Syme says: The world is bonkers right now and Im dressing to match.

For the fashion writer and blogger Susie Lau, isolation doesnt mean a change in dress code, so its billowing shirts by niche brand Chopova Lowena, knitted flares and Louis Vuitton trainers as usual. Dressing up with nowhere to go was always my motto, so in essence being on lockdown hasnt really changed that, she says. Im a firm believer in fashion as escapism. My clothes genuinely bring joy to me. If Im seeing friends on Houseparty or Zoom Ill get dressed up just because it makes me feel good.

The fashion PR Daisy Hoppen agrees: Personally, clothes have been my companions in many ways these past few weeks. I started off in jeans but have migrated to clothes that feel special, comfortable and make me smile. To celebrate her birthday last week, Hoppen donned a gold lame Vampires Wife dress and organised a virtual pub quiz with her friends. It really brought some cheer to my day, she says.

The Shrimps designer Hannah Weiland has been wearing whimsical wrap dresses from her label and is another believer in the power of clothes. Getting dressed in a way that makes you feel good can be a form of self-care, she says. Fashion can be escapism and it can make your everyday reality a little bit brighter. She should know: Weilands designs are the definition of feel-good, and include sweet pearl handbags, dresses embroidered with line-drawn faces and faux fur coats printed with dogs and horses. Sound trivial? According to Dawnn Karen, fashion psychologist and author of Dress Your Best Life, Marc Jacobs has long been on to something. Colours and prints have an effect on how we are perceived and how we feel, she told BBCs Womans Hour. Its great to be in your pyjamas for three days in a row, but after a while it becomes quite depressing, especially as we cant leave our homes. Her advice? If you cant go out on a date with your loved one, dress up in your home and have a date at home. Wear different outfits throughout the day to break up the monotony and melancholy state.
Sanders and his fervently loyal supporters hope to influence policy and pursue the slim chance of a resurgence.

With the United States presidential election lurching through uncharted waters, one question keeps popping up: why is Bernie Sanders even bothering anymore?

Most of the upcoming primaries have been postponed. His Democratic rival Joe Biden has an almost insurmountable lead in the delegate count. The campaigns have all been sidelined, restricted to online fundraisers and virtual news conferences, with national media focused almost exclusively on the coronavirus pandemic.

Why carry on, the pundits keep asking?

To which Sanders and the fervently loyal supporters of his democratic socialist revolution reply that they will soldier on  to influence policy and pursue the slim chance of a resurgence.

But John Hudak, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, says Sanders would be hard-pressed to overtake his Delaware rival from the left flank.

Sanderss significant underperformance thus far in the primaries, combined with his poor poll numbers against Biden, makes it nearly impossible for him to catch up to and beat Biden, Hudak said.

The Sanders campaign faces three strategic options: to proceed full-speed ahead; running just to rack up delegates but not criticise Biden; or dropping out entirely.

By staying in the race  continuing to advance his brand from the [virtual] campaign trail, as Hudak describes it  Sanders remains better-positioned to shape the Democratic Party platform when, and if, the party gathers at its July convention in Milwaukee.

In sharp contrast to the more moderate Biden, Sanders wants far-reaching reforms to provide universal healthcare, guaranteed housing, free college tuition and a Green New Deal for the climate. And staying in the race despite the odds, his believers say, is the best way to keep those issues front-and-centre in the campaign.

Bernie Sanderss supporters cheering during a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona [File: Ross D Franklin/AP Photo]

Campaigns in the age of COVID-19

To be sure, the calculus has shifted for all 2020 contenders  including President Donald Trump. None can proceed with traditional campaigning, whether it be the mass rallies both Trump and Sanders crave or the retail politicking favoured by Biden.

Sanders insists he can still make a difference.

People are beginning to rethink the nature of American society and the role that government plays in our lives, he said in an interview that aired on National Public Radio Friday morning. There is growing sentiment in this country that people now understand it is incomprehensible not to guarantee healthcare to all.

When asked directly whether he would continue his campaign indefinitely, however, he was ambiguous.

We are assessing the situation we are in, he said. Were focusing on the healthcare and economic crisis facing the country.

Unable to hold fundraisers due to state orders and the need for elderly candidates  Biden is 77 years old and Sanders is 78  to self-quarantine to ensure their own health, online appeals are the only avenue to boost support.

Sanderss supporters are hoping to find ways to redirect the coronavirus attention towards their flagship cause  specifically, healthcare.

None of us are immune unless we have single payer #MedicareForAll, Amy Vilela, the Nevada co-chair for the Sanders campaign, tweeted on Thursday.

None of us are immune unless we have single payer #MedicareForAll. I agonize over the thought of families feeling helpless, as we did, watching their loved ones get sick. Politics IS personal. We must demand more from our leaders & tax #BernieIsOurFDR #Bernie2020 https://t.co/adq4ekd9lA  Amy Vilela (@amy4thepeople) March 26, 2020

He could build momentum

Supporters of Sanders saw an opening in Bidens conspicuous absence from the public spotlight in the days following the March 17 win in three major primaries. Aatif Rashid, a Los Angeles-based volunteer for the Vermont senator, said the US needs a strong progressive voice now more than ever.

He told Al Jazeera that exit polls show a majority of Democratic voters support Sanderss vision for healthcare in every state thats voted so far.

Rashid also said he believes there is a small chance that Bernie could recover and retake the lead in delegates.

As more and more people hear Bernies message and see him fighting for things like the unemployment provision in the stimulus bill, they might be persuaded to switch from Biden to him, he added.

About half the states still need to vote and Bernie needs to win a little over 55 percent of the remaining delegates, Rashid said. So if the narrative shifts and people start to realise Bernies ideas are actually what will save America from this crisis, he could build momentum.





Linger until then

During an online coronavirus forum this week, Sanders argued that current policy failures highlight how his solutions could better serve the country. I dont intend to become very political tonight, said Sanders. [But] we have a president of the United States who downplayed this.

Earlier this week, the Sanders campaign told the Democratic officials that the candidate would be willing to debate Biden in April if a showdown were scheduled, a notion that the latter quickly brushed aside.

Weve had enough debates, Biden said. I think we should get on with this.

However, with voting lines the ideal place for infected people to share germs, primaries may not restart until at least May, suggested Hudak.

[Sanders] has a base of voters who deeply believe in him and will continue to watch him perform online for as long as he wants the show to run, Hudak said.

Ultimately, the floor vote at the Democratic National Convention will be the hard stop for the campaign, he added, referencing the July party gathering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has to make a choice about whether he wants to linger until then or suspend his campaign.
GUILDERLAND  In a development that opponents of the project say was carried out with astonishing speed, work crews hired by Crossgates Mall owner Pyramid Management on Thursday removed most of the trees on the site of a planned Costco store and gas station.

The work came to an abrupt halt Thursday afternoon when Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber sent the local Pyramid affiliate, Releaseco LLC, a cease and desist order. Because the site is being reviewed under New Yorks State Environmental Quality Review or SEQR program, it wasnt supposed to be disturbed until the review is completed.

It was a big wooded lot that is no longer a big wooded lot, said Steve Wickham, a local opponent of the development. It was almost entirely clear cut.

Pyramid officials did not respond to an email on Friday. A phone message at their Syracuse headquarters noted that the staff are working remotely.

The cutting, which observers said was done with chain saws and bulldozer-sized tree removal machines.

The lot wasnt supposed to be disturbed while under SEQR review. But a notice announcing the tree cutting on Guilderlands planning office website explained that state and federal wildlife law largely prevents cutting trees between April 1 and Oct. 31 in areas where Northern long-eared bats are present.

The bats hibernate in caves during winter, but emerge in spring and take up residence in this area, among other spots. Tree cutting would disturb them.

During this period of time, NLEB are active and are within the forested landscape, reads part of the notice by Guilderland.

The cutting sparked a bit of drama when Wickham mounted and sat on a piece of equipment, refusing to move.

Police were called and he was put in a patrol car. He avoided arrest when town Councilwoman Laurel Bohl arrived, however. Bohl is also an opponent of the project.

The actual cease-and-desist order may have been prompted at around the same time when James Bacon, a lawyer for the nearby RedKap Mobil gas station, emailed town officials telling them he believed the cutting was in violation of SEQR rules.

Were in the middle of the comment period, Bacon said, adding that working on a site under review like that was unprecedented.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

He pointed out that getting a legal injunction to halt the work would have been extra-hard given that the courts are mostly closed due to the coronavirus epidemic.

More for you Capital Region's first Costco proposed for entrance to Crossgates

Response times for the courts and towns are obviously going to be lagging because of the virus, Bacon said.

And Lynne Jackson, a volunteer with the Save the Pine Bush opposition group, said they didnt learn that the cutting was taking place until relatively late in the morning when they saw the notice that had gone up on the Guilderland town planning department website. Her group says that area belongs to the unique Pine Bush ecosystem which is protected in part by the Pine Bush Preserve. The Costco site and mall, however, are not in the preserve.

I think that Crossgates is taking advantage of the situation that the world is in right now because of coronavirus, she said.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
Three members of a meat theft gang who terrorised farmers by slaughtering flocks of sheep in their fields have been given 'deterrent' jail sentences.

Northampton Crown Court heard how the three Romanian men, who lived at the same address in Birmingham, took part in a four-month spree of 'brutal and gruesome' sheep killings in Northamptonshire - including the slaughter of nine sheep who were being kept as pets.

Following one of the offences, the court was told how two children aged eight and two, who were accompanied by their mother, stumbled across the remains of a lamb hung on a fence, leaving them screaming in distress.

Robert Iordan, 23, Florin Nutu, 36, and Viorel Manu, 39, were linked to a four-month spree of 'brutal and gruesome' offences, killing sheep worth 10,000 across Northamptonshire

Robert Iordan, aged 23, and Florin Nutu, aged 36, were both jailed for four years and four months on Friday by Judge Adrienne Lucking QC, who described the inhumane killing of sheep worth around 10,000 as gruesome and distressing.

Judge Lucking also sentenced Viorel Manu to a custodial sentence of two years and 11 months after hearing that the 39-year-old father-of-nine was involved in only one albeit serious offence.

All three men, previously of Dunsink Road, Aston, Birmingham, appeared in court via a prison videolink, while barristers in the case presented their submissions by a telephone link set up due to the coronavirus crisis.

Opening the case against the men, who admitted conspiracy to steal at previous hearings, prosecutor Adam Pearson told the court there were concerns that stolen meat from sheep recently given medication was unfit for human consumption.

Dunsink Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham, where the three men previously resided

Mr Pearson said Iordan and Nutu were arrested when police stopped their van on the A14 in October after sheep were killed near Welford, Northamptonshire.

Manu was arrested later after fleeing the vehicle, in which police found carcasses, tools, butcher's knives and a skinning pump.

The court was told one owner of several sheep was in hospital when family members were forced to tell her that her 'rescue' pets had been killed, while several farmers had had their businesses badly affected.

In a community impact statement read to the court by Mr Pearson, the National Farmers' Union's (NFU) county adviser for Northamptonshire, Harriet Ranson, said farmers had not only lost their animals 'in a brutal and gruesome' manner, but had also had to deal with clearing up carcasses, prompting concern for their mental health.

The NFU official stated: 'In several cases there were repeat victims which resulted in them losing a majority of their flock.

Northampton Crown Court, where Iordan and Nutu were handed four years four months in jail and Manu two years 11 months, appearing via video link due to the coronavirus epidemic

'At least one farmer's children were unfortunate enough to find remains. The farming community were also greatly concerned for the people who might be sold this meat.

'They were also worried about disturbing (the gang) in the act as they were carrying sharp knives.

'Farmers tell me they hope this case sets a precedent which will have a deterrent effect so they do not have to relive these distressing events in the future.'

Passing sentence, Judge Lucking said: 'A dedicated police operation was necessary to bring this organised offending to an end.

'The sheep were stolen from seven different owners. Not all of the sheep were farm livestock, some were in fact pets.

'On one occasion two very young children were completely traumatised finding their sheep slaughtered and butchered such that they were screaming at the sight.

'There must be an element of deterrence. The general public are dependent upon farmers to produce meat for food.

'Those who farm livestock often work on small margins and simply don't have the manpower to guard their livestock day and night.'

Prior to sentence, one of the men's defence barristers urged the judge to pass as short a sentence as possible in light of the 'uncertain times in respect of coronavirus'.
Pupils will still get results based on 'a combination of prior achievements, internal assessments, predicted grades, analysis and modelling of existing data trends'

Exams body CCEA has said it is "rapidly working up plans" for grading students in Northern Ireland who won't be sitting examinations this year.

Last week, Education Minister said A-Level and GCSE exams in Northern Ireland will not go ahead this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, pupils will still get results based on "a combination of prior achievements, internal assessments, predicted grades, analysis and modelling of existing data trends".

Many students have complained that this is unfair, as they concentrate their efforts on final exams.

A CCEA spokesperson said: "Students understandably want reassurance, and teachers urgently need to know what to do, and when. Detailed information about the process and timetable will follow once we have advised the Department of Education. This will include the steps we would like teachers to follow.

"We will outline, shortly after this, the process that we will follow to make sure grades are fair across schools and colleges, as well as any proposals for appeals."

Further updates will continue to be available via www.ccea.org.uk
Three police constables were arrested here and sent to jail after they allegedly shot at and injured a truck driver when he refused to pay bribe for his potato-laden truck to pass, a senior officer said.

The incident came at a time when the central and state governments have assured people there will be no shortage of essential commodities during the lockdown following the outbreak of COVID 19.

Sonu Sao, a resident of Patlapur village of the district, sustained a bullet injury on his thigh and was taken to a hospital by local people, who caught the constables and informed senior police officers, he said.

The constables, who were posted at Danapur Sub- Divisional court, had stopped Saos vehicle, which was about to cross a pontoon bridge on its way to north Bihar, and allegedly sought money from him on Wednesday evening.

Local people, who where at the spot, surrounded the three constables, following which one of them opened fire in the air to scare them off.

A bullet hit the truck driver, who was then taken to Danapur referral hospital.

Doctors there, however, referred him to Patna Medical College and Hospital.

"An FIR has been lodged in the case and all three constables arrested and sent to jail on Thursday. They will be dismissed from service very soon," Inspector General, Central Range, Patna, Sanjay Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Myanmar Army Seizes Drugs, Detains Leaders in Raid on KIA Offshoot Group

2020-03-26 -- The Myanmar Army raided the headquarters of an offshoot of the rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Shan state on Thursday, seizing illegal drugs, interrogating leaders, and confiscating about 1,000 weapons, an officer in the militia told RFA's Myanmar Service.

When soldiers from Myanmar's 99th Light Infantry Battalion invaded the Kaungkha militia headquarters in Lwekham village, they ordered the militiamen to surrender their guns, he said.

The registered armed group has 850 soldiers and more than 2,000 reservists not registered with the Myanmar government, as well as liaison offices in five townships in northern Shan state.

"They have taken control of the Kaungkha headquarters and restricted people's entry," said the militia officer, who declined to give his name for fear of retribution.

"They confiscated all the weapons and detained some of the leaders," he said.

Though government soldiers are holding some of the leaders of the militia's 10 groups in the town of Lashio, they have released others, he added.

"Some were summoned by name while some were asked to attend a meeting on March 24 and then were detained," he said. "Some groups may have been related to the drug cases in the area."

The Kaungkha militia, also known as the Kachin Defense Army (KDA), is an offshoot of the rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA) that signed a cease-fire with government army in 1991. The militia has been known for its involvement in drug trafficking and the production of methamphetamine tablets.

Leaders and members of the militia who hail from Yeinmaw and Hophyat villages and a leader from Lwelkham village, where large amounts of illegal drugs were found, are now being accused of being involving in drug manufacturing and failing to inform authorities.

The Myanmar Army discovered illegal narcotics and other materials and equipment valued at 267 billion kyats (US$187 million) during an 11-day period in late February and early March in Lwekham and Kaungkha villages, which were under the control of the Kaungkha militia, the online journal The Irrawaddy reported.

The officer also said that KDA vice chairman Zaw Ten is still at the militia's headquarters, but secretary Dee Khun, and other leaders, including Zhum Khon, are being interrogated at the Myanmar military's North Eastern Command headquarters in Lashio.

The weapons confiscated from the militia are used for the group's own protection and not for an insurgency against the state, he said, adding that Myanmar forces should rightly take action against illegal drug activity in the region, but not to go so far as to disarm the entire militia.

Related to drug cases

Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier Gen Zaw Min Tun told RFA that he was not aware of a raid on the Kaungkha militia and the interrogation of its leaders, but that government soldiers are taking action against armed groups that have failed to inform authorities about drug-trafficking activities.

"I haven't heard about it," he said about the raid. "They must have somehow related it to the drug cases in the region because drug traffickers cannot do their jobs without going through local armed groups."

Drug manufacturers, users, and those who fail to notify authorities about illegal drug activities can be prosecuted under Myanmar's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, he said.

"So they could be found guilty under the law," Zaw Min Tun said. "As for us, we will act according to the law."

The Myanmar Army did not confirm whether the militia is under its control, as are other such groups that operate in Myanmar.

Kutkai township residents said Myanmar soldiers have blocked roads in and out of Kaungkha village and are monitoring vehicles.

Villagers said the troops are now stationed on a prayer hill, a sacred place for local ethnic Kachin Christians.

"They are staying there temporarily for now," said a resident who requested anonymity out of fear for his safety. "They haven't built any permanent structures."

"But many local civilians visit the site for religious services," he said. "They [soldiers] claimed that they are taking care of security, but we don't secure with them since everyone is afraid of the solders."

Northern Shan state, which borders China, is a hotbed for flagrant drug activity, with the narcotics of choice being heroin and methamphetamine, an extremely addictive stimulant in the form of a white, bitter-tasting crystalline powder commonly sold as "yaba" tablets.

The rebel Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Kokang ethnic armed group are active in the area controlled by Kaungkha militia, though there have not engaged in clashes with the militia.

Residents predict that armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the two ethnic armies could flare up if local militias, which help keep the peace, are eliminated.

Reported by Kan Thar for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Copyright  1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






TWO nurses are currently in the air after managing to get out of Australia to be On Call for Ireland.

Anita Jones worked in University Hospital Limerick as agency before she went to Melbourne 10 months ago.

Anita and her cousin Rebecca were due to fly out on Wednesday morning but it was cancelled as all flights via Abu Dhabi were stopped. The two nurses had cut short their time Down Under to be On Call for Ireland.

Anitas mother, from Dromcollogher, and all her family in Kanturk were very worried. Lots of candles were lit in the homestead. They told their story to the Limerick Leader https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/529375/former-university-hospital-limerick-nurse-who-wants-to-be-on-call-for-ireland-can-t-get-home.html

However, on Thursday, Anita was trawling through Skyscanner and found a flight from Melbourne to Vancouver to London to Cork. It will take almost 30 hours of flying to get home.

"It cost us an extortionate $3000AUD each but to me itll be worth it if I can get home. All going well we will be home Saturday night, said Anita.

The flight time from Melbourne to Vancouver is 17 hours, a further 10 hours to London and then a hop back home to Cork.

It just shows the length our healthcare workers will go to to be on the frontline at their countrys time of need.
The United States government has about 1.5 million N95 respirator masks stored inside an Indiananapolis warehouse that are past their expiration date, but it has no plans to offer them to hospitals in desperate need of them.

The masks are part of an emergency stockpile kept by the US Customs and Border Protection.

Instead of offering the masks to hospitals, which are in desperate need of personal protective equipment due to the influx of patients with coronavirus, CBP instead decided to offer them to the Transportation Security Administration.

Sources familiar with a conference call held on Wednesday by CBP officials told The Washington Post that the agency had no plans to offer them to medical officials or to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The US government has an emergency stockpile of 1.5 million N95 respirator masks that are badly needed in hospitals, but will instead be given to airport security agents, according to a report on Thursday

The CBP, TSA, and FEMA are all run by the Department of Homeland Security, the government agency created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

TSA agents at airports have also been begging for more personal protective equipment to safeguard them against people potentially carrying the virus and entering the country from abroad.

Since the outbreak began, international flights have been largely grounded.

Despite the masks being past their expiration, the Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines saying that the respirators were safe to use.

In times of increased demand and decreased supply, consideration can be given to use the N95s listed above past their manufacturer-designated shelf life when responding to COVID-19, the CDC said.

In the face of this emergency, the US government believes that the respirators beyond their manufacturer-designated shelf life should provide greater respiratory protection than surgical masks (i.e., medical masks) alone, improvised mouth and nose covers (e.g., bandannas), or no protection at all.

Manufacturers have said that masks that have remained unused past their expiration dates can still be effective if properly stored.

Older masks do run the risk of falling off since the elastic band tends to weaken over time.

A senior administration official told the Post that the masks in storage are usable.

The masks are fully capable, the official said.

Wed never put the lives of the men and women at DHS at risk.

In New York City, Los Angeles, and other areas hard-hit by the coronavirus, there is an urgent need for respirators and other protective equipment for medical personnel treating coronavirus patients.

A CBP spokesperson told the Post that the agency was aware of the stockpile and that it was working with our DHS partners to determine the best use for N95 respirators in CBPs emergency stockpile.

A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Center COVID-19 testing team calls in the next patient in line on Thursday in Brooklyn

CBP spokesperson Nathan Peeters said that it has provided a 30-day supply of N95 respirators and other protective equipment to Border Patrol officers and other personnel.

US Customs and Border Protections highest priority is to ensure the health, safety and security of our workforce and the American people, he said.

Peeters said that the agency plans to ship the 1.5 million N95 masks in the coming weeks.

TSA confirmed to the Post that it has received an offer of N95 masks.

TSA remains committed to the health and safety of our workforce and is now authorizing the use of eye protection and N95 respirators for employees, said TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.

Employees have had the option to wear surgical masks since the beginning of the pandemic, and use of TSA standard nitrile gloves continues to be mandatory when screening an individual or their property, which adds an additional layer of protection.

'People are dying and we can't look after them': ER doctor risks her job to film coronavirus victims inside an overstretched NYC hospital

An emergency room doctor on the front lines of New York City's coronavirus outbreak has offered a harrowing look inside Elmhurst Hospital Center, where 13 people died in the span of 24 hours this week.

Footage recorded by Dr Colleen Smith on Tuesday shows rows upon rows of beds filled with critical COVID-19 patients hooked up to ventilators.

Scenes from outside the 545-bed public hospital in Queens show hundreds of people lined up waiting to get treated and tested, with the queues growing longer each day.

Smith said she and her colleagues are facing a dangerous shortage of supplies as they treat up to 400 coronavirus patients on a daily basis

Smith filmed a row of only five ventilators that were not in use at the time, saying: 'Unless people die, I expect we'll be back to needing to beg for ventilators again in another day or two'

Smith says she and her colleagues are facing a constant shortage of supplies as they treat up to 400 coronavirus patients on a daily basis, double the rate on a typical day before the pandemic.

'Leaders in various offices from the president to the head of health and hospitals saying things like we're going to be fine, everything's fine,' she said in the video shared with the New York Times and ABC News.

'From our perspective everything is not fine. I don't have the support that I need and even just the materials I need physically to take care of my patients.'

'The frustrating thing about all of this is it really feels like it's too little too late,' Smith said as she walked down a hallway in the hospital. 'We knew, we knew it was coming.'

'It's America. We're supposed to be a first-world country,' she added.

Smith made the comments on Tuesday, as the number of cases in New York City hovered around 14,000, with more than 130 deaths.

By Thursday morning, the case count jumped to 21,393 and nearly 200 deaths.

'Today is kinda getting worse and worse, we had to get a refrigerated truck to store the bodies of patients who are dying,' Smith said.

'We are right now scrambling to get a few additional ventilators or even C-PAP machines, if we could get C-PAP machines we could free up ventilators for patients who need them.'

People are seen lined up in front of Elmhurst Thursday as they wait to get tested for COVID-19

A medic is seen carting a patient into the Intensive Care Unit at Elmhurst on Saturday

Smith filmed a row of only five ventilators that were not in use at the time, saying: 'Unless people die, I expect we'll be back to needing to beg for ventilators again in another day or two.'

The hospital received another shipment of ventilators a few hours later, which Smith said was the third emergency re-supply in the past week.

The head of the NYC public hospital system has denied that Elmhurst has ever come close to running out of ventilators.

In a statement to the Times, the system said: 'Elmhurst is at the center of this crisis, and its the number one priority of our public hospital system right now.

'The front line staff are going above and beyond in this crisis, and we continue surging supplies and personnel to this critical facility to keep pace with the crisis.'

FEMA has also promised to ship more equipment to Elmhurst, but Smith said she isn't optimistic that the agency will follow through as many of its previous promises have fallen through.

The shortage of equipment is also taking a toll on hospital staff, who don't have what they need to protect themselves from infected patients.

'The anxiety of this situation is really overwhelming. All of the doctors, its hard for us to get tested, even if we want to, even if we have symptoms,' Smith said, noting that ten residents, 'many, many nurses', and 'a few' attending physicians have already fallen ill.

'We're exposed over and over again, we don't have the protective equipment we should have.

'I put on one N95 mask in the morning, I need to have that N95 mask on for every patient I see, I don't take it off all day.

'The anxiety of this situation is really overwhelming. All of the doctors, its hard for us to get tested, even if we want to, even if we have symptoms,' Smith said

'The N95 mask I wore today is also the N95 mask I wore on Friday. We're always worried that we'll run out of N95 masks.

Smith said the hospital is adapting as fast as it can and has set up a tent outside to test mildly sick patients - but that hasn't alleviated the pressure.

'At first we were trying to isolate people with cough and fever and be more careful around them, but we weren't necessarily being extra careful around other patients,' she said.

'And then we started to realize that patients who were coming in with no fever but abdominal pain actually had findings on their X-rays and chest CTs that were consistent with this coronavirus, COVID-19.

'So someone in a car accident gets brought in, we get a CT scan of them, and their lungs look like they have coronavirus.

'We're seeing a lot of patients who probably had COVID but we didn't realize.'

She said she's also seen a shift in the state of patients checking into the hospital, as well as the demographics.

'What's scary now is we're getting patients that are much sicker,' she said.

EMTs in protective masks bring a person into the emergency room at Elmhurst on Thursday

The hospital set up a temporary tent outside to test people who have mild symptoms

'Many of the young people who are getting sick don't smoke, they're healthy, they have no co-morbidities.

'They're just young, regular people between the ages of 30 and 50 who you would not expect to get this sick.'

Smith said she was speaking out because she grew tired of hearing leaders like President Donald Trump downplay the situation.

'So many people are saying its going to be okay, everything's fine, we have what we need,' she said.

'If this goes on for a month, or two, or three, or five, like it did in China, and we're already this strained, we don't have what we need.'

'I don't really care if I get in trouble for speaking to the media,' she added.

'I want people to know that this is bad, people are dying, we don't have the tools that we need to take care of them. It's really hard.'

An Elmhurst spokesperson released a statement on Wednesday confirming that 13 patients at the hospital had died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.

'Staff are doing everything in our power to save every person who contracts Covid-19,' the statement said, asserting that the death toll was consistent with the number of Intensive Care Unit patients being treated there.

Elmhurst is at the center of the crisis in New York state, the statement said.

As of Thursday afternoon, 37,258 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 385 have died in the hard-hit state, which accounts for more than half of the 73,939 cases across the US and 1,074 of the nation's deaths.
A cowboy hat is left inside an empty ballroom at the Conservative national convention in Halifax on Aug. 25, 2018. The Conservative party suspended its leadership race March 26, 2020 in the face of the ongoing crisis caused by COVID19. (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)

Conservatives Suspend Partys Leadership Race in Face of COVID-19 Crisis

OTTAWA  The Conservative party is suspending its leadership race in the face of the ongoing crisis caused by COVID19.

The June 27 election date has been shelved, with the leadership organizing committee citing the disruption caused by the pandemic.

The committee, known as LEOC, made the decision during a lengthy meeting Thursday night that came after days of pressure for them to act.

With all nonessential businesses now closed in Ontario and Quebec including our HQ, LEOC now finds that it is no longer possible to meet the deadlines necessary to process memberships and donations, or print, process and count ballots in time for a June 27 announcement, the party said in a statement on Twitter.

No new date was selected. The party said they will reevaluate the situation on May 1.

In the meantime, debates scheduled for April have been cancelled, and the April 17 deadline to signup new members has been pushed back to May 15.

The statement did not address whether candidates will still be allowed to officially campaign or hold events between now and the May 1 decision date.

The decision comes one day after the final deadline for candidates to qualify. They had to raise $300,000, submit 3,000 signatures, as well as a lengthy application.

Four candidates had met that threshold and are on the ballot: Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis, former cabinet minister Peter MacKay, former cabinet minister and current MP Erin OToole, and current MP Derek Sloan.

But three others failed to qualify, all citing in recent weeks major challenges fundraising and getting supporters when traditional meetandgreets were rendered impossible by social distancing protocols.

Marilyn Gladu, Rudy Husny and Rick Peterson had all also said it was simply inappropriate to be asking people for money, or trying to talk politics, in the midst of a major national crisis.

That the party only made the decision after the March 25 deadline prompted immediate blowback.

You have completely disgraced our party. Shame on you all, said Georganne Burke, who had been running Gladus bid.

Any leader elected via this process will have the stench of your rotten process on him or her.

OToole and Sloan had also demanded the race be postponed, as had several highprofile Consevatives both publicly, and in backchannels with the party.

MacKay, however, had been arguing for the deadline to be pushed up, citing the need for the Opposition Conservatives to have a new leader sooner rather than later.

Hed mounted an aggressive social media campaign Thursday suggesting democracy itself was at stake if the race was delayed.

Lewis had argued the deadlines as set should be respected, saying that the new leader ought to be able to show they could lead in a crisis.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

REUTERS/Tom Brenner

The Senate passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill to help support the country's economy during the coronavirus pandemic, with the House of Representatives set to vote on the bill Friday morning.

The bill would involve the government sending most Americans a personal check to help prop up households amid the economic disruption.

Business Insider created a chart to show how much money Americans would receive from the relief package based on their income.

A person who reported an income of $75,000 or less on their taxes would receive $1,200, with declining amounts for Americans earning more than that.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The novel coronavirus has had a major impact on the US economy, from businesses having to temporarily close to many Americans across several industries being laid off.

To help with the economic strain from the outbreak, the Senate on Wednesday night passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill, with the House of Representatives set to vote on the bill on Friday morning.

The coronavirus-relief package would give most Americans a personal check based on the adjusted gross income they reported on their 2019 taxes, or their 2018 taxes if they have not filed this year's taxes yet.

The following chart shows how much taxpayers would receive from the stimulus package based on filing status and income. A person who made $75,000 or less would receive a check of $1,200, while a couple who filed jointly and made $150,000 or less would receive $2,400. The size of the checks decreases by $0.05 for each dollar earned above those cutoffs, with single filers earning more than $99,000 and married couples earning more than $198,000 getting nothing.

coronavirus stimulus checks by income v2

Andy Kiersz/Business Insider

Read the original article on Business Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 10:17:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China:

-- Chinese health authority said Friday it received reports of 55 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, of which 54 were imported.

A new domestic case was reported in Zhejiang Province, the National Health Commission said.

-- Wuhan continued to report no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The health commission of Hubei, of which Wuhan is the capital, said Friday the province also registered zero increase in new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. Five new deaths were recorded, four of which were in Wuhan.

-- Profits of China's major industrial firms dropped 38.3 percent year on year in the first two months of 2020, as the outbreak deals a huge blow to industrial production, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Friday.

-- Sharing scientific data and information is China's fundamental attitude to the COVID-19 control, said Xu Nanping, Vice Minister of Science and Technology.

Xu said China shared the first completed genome sequence of the novel coronavirus on Jan. 11, providing basic information for virus research, drug screening and vaccine development.

China also built two platforms to share its scientific proceedings, namely a novel coronavirus data sharing and analysis platform under the National Microbiology Data Center and the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) database under the China National Center for Bioinformation.

-- China's civil aviation regulator issued a circular Thursday to further cut international flights as part of efforts to stem the inflow of COVID-19 cases.

All domestic airlines were allowed to operate only one flight to each country per week, while foreign aviation companies should keep only one air route to China and there should be no more than one flight every week for each of the air route to China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said in a circular that will be effective from March 29.

-- South China's Guangdong Province has demanded all arrivals from overseas to undergo concentrated quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT) starting from 6:00 a.m. Friday in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

-- The 4,000-plus military medical professionals that have rushed to aid the battle against the novel coronavirus in central China's city of Wuhan are sticking to their positions until "a full victory is achieved."

-- Wuhan will suspend group Tomb-sweeping Day activities to prevent mass gatherings and reduce cross-infection of the novel coronavirus.

All funeral homes, cemeteries and columbaria across the city will not allow gathering activities such as collective public offerings, vigil and tomb-sweeping activities earlier than April 30, according to a circular issued by the city's COVID-19 control headquarters Thursday.

-- Commercial flights will resume operations in Wuhan starting on April 8, excluding international flights and those between Wuhan and Beijing, Wang Benju, with the provincial department of transportation, told a press conference on Wednesday.

-- China has provided assistance to 89 countries and four international organizations to fight against the novel coronavirus, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

By Sadraddin Agjayev - Trend:

In accordance with recommendations of the World Health Organization for combating coronavirus infection, the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as the Ministry of Health and Azerbaijan's Management Union of Medical Territorial Units, ART Group Logistic MMC, like the entire sector in Azerbaijan, does its best to comply with all standards, which were originally prescribed, Head of ART Group Logistic MMC Asif Abbaszade told Trend.

"The work is conducted remotely, we try to contact all colleagues at a distance and we observe this condition to prevent the spread of infection," he said.

The ART Group Logistic company has experience in the entire freight transportation sector. To this date, the volume of orders from our customers has decreased due to the worldwide instability. Presently, many exporter and importer countries are facing certain difficulties, Abbaszade noted.

Recently our partners said that the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia imposed a temporary ban for a period of 10 days on the export of all cereals until special instructions from the working group of the State Council of Russia on the prevention of bringing-in and spread of coronavirus infection. We, in turn, try to keep in touch with all our partners, our TIR cars do not experience difficulties with crossing the border," he said.

Compared with 2019, the percentage scale for cargo transportation has slightly decreased due to worldwide instability.

"Our company holds strong, and will continue to work, actively participating in the countrys economic processes. We hope that the situation will stabilize and normalize not only in our region, but also throughout the world," Abbaszade added.

Follow the author on Twitter: agdzhaev
Ben Mills, co-owner of premium Sydney-based fitness centre Shelter (pictured)

The Australian government forced all gyms to close this week after outlining the dangers of sharing an enclosed space with a group of people during the coronavirus pandemic.

For Ben Mills, co-owner of premium Sydney-based fitness centre Shelter, that meant closing the doors of his beloved workout space on Monday, much to the sadness of his clients.

But the 29-year-old, who firmly agrees with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's decision to shutter his business in Double Bay, wasn't resting on his laurels, instead hiring a truck and hand delivering 25 spin bikes to the community.

'I put up a status on social media asking if anyone wanted a bike - and that it was first come, first served - and got plenty of replies,' Mr Mills told FEMAIL.

'I haven't charged anyone rental. I'm not looking to capitalise on this unprecedented event. There are 190 people still on the bike waiting list so I'm trying to loan more.'

Mr Mills and Shelter's general manager Jordan Coulter loaded the bikes onto the van, ensuring they reached their destinations quickly.

These bike owners will be able to connect to a live-stream if they book in for their regular spin class on the Shelter website, with the videos filmed with professional lighting and equipment in the gym itself.

'I've had digital in the back of my mind for awhile now but we just put it into overdrive given the issue was time sensitive,' he said.

Mr Mills and Shelter's general manager Jordan Coulter (pictured left) loaded the bikes onto the van, ensuring they reached their destinations quickly

These bike owners will be able to connect to a live-stream if they book in for their regular spin class on the Shelter website, with the videos filmed with professional lighting and equipment in the gym itself

'I wanted it to be premium and high quality. I went all out and invested a lot of money. It's more like a film production with lights and 4K cameras.'

'Shelter At Home' will work on having a 'ride' class, sculpt and Pilates, strength and conditioning and yoga, with prices as low as $8 to $10 per class.

All other gym memberships were suspended as soon as Shelter closed and will continue to be until the government changes the restrictions.

'Every day we aren't open that affects my team and their livelihoods so I'm glad the live-streaming system will mean they can still work,' Mr Mills said.

'Every day we aren't open that affects my team and their livelihoods so I'm glad the live-streaming system will mean they can still work,' Mr Mills said

All other gym memberships were suspended as soon as Shelter closed and will continue to be until the government changes the restrictions (the juice area pictured)

'It's also so important for people to continue exercising for their mental health, as well as for the physical benefits. That's really close to my heart.'

For healthcare workers around the world Mr Mills is looking to give them access to the at-home exercise routines for free, as a small thank you for the hard work they are doing to keep our nations safe.

'It's the least I can do for people working shifts back to back. I've heard some fairly intense stories, with specialists coming out of retirement to help and midwives on wards preparing for the worst,' he said.

'So far the response has been epic. I hope in the next 48 hours it's a fully functioning pay-as-you-go system,' Mr Mills said (inside of Shelter locker rooms pictured)

'So far the response has been epic. I hope in the next 48 hours it's a fully-functioning pay-as-you-go system.'

While there is no telling how long the coronavirus will continue to ravage Australia - and the fitness industry itself - Mr Mills said he will be listening closely to our leaders on what they can and can't do.

In the meantime he's encouraging those who are fit and able to incorporate daily exercise into their regime, so they don't feel so isolated at home.
More than 700,000 Britons are facing a wait of up to a week to find out whether they can become an NHS volunteer in the fight against coronavirus.

Sources told MailOnline the response to the appeal launched on Tuesday had been 'amazing', but organisers had a huge backlog of identity checks to get through.

Hopefuls are receiving an email from the Royal Voluntary Service saying: 'Thank you for your enquiry to volunteer for NHS Volunteer Responders. Due to high volume of enquiries we may take between two and seven days to check your identification.

The message being sent out to people in Britain signing up to the NHS volunteering scheme

'Please also be aware that we are not planning to start any volunteering until after March 31. Thank you for your patience and once again thank you for your support.'

Once a volunteer is approved, they will have vulnerable people referred to them by doctors, nurses and those working in local councils and other professionals.

From transport to delivering food: The four types of volunteer There will be four types of NHS volunteers under the new scheme: Community Response volunteer: This role involves collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their home. Patient Transport volunteer: This role supports the NHS by providing transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, and ensuring that they are settled safely back in to their home. NHS Transport volunteer: This role involves transporting equipment, supplies and/or medication between NHS services and sites, it may also involve assisting pharmacies with medication delivery. Check-in and Chat volunteer: This role provides short-term telephone support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation. Advertisement

Volunteers will then be given a login to the GoodSAM Responder app, and by switching this to 'on duty' they will see live local volunteer tasks to pick from.

They may be asked to show the active task they are responding to if asked, and will be allowed to provide care under new rules announced on Monday.

Among those waiting for more details was Jacob Miller, who tweeted: 'Hello, I've registered as a volunteer and have installed the app, logged in and set to 'Report on duty'. What now?

'Do I just wait for an alert or should I be doing something else? It asks for a 'Resource code' but I left it blank not having or knowing of one.'

Another, Terry Parrott, tweeted: 'I volunteered two days ago, still waiting to be contacted apart from an email saying it's not starting until next week!'

And a third said: 'I have volunteered. Waiting for the mysterious email that has yet to arrive to complete the registration!'

Organisers said patient transport drivers will require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and will get extra guidance to do the role safely.

These volunteers will provide transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, and ensure that they are settled safely back in to their home.

Another type of volunteer is a community responder who will Collect and deliver shopping, medication or other essential supplies for those self-isolating.

A third is the NHS transport volunteer who will move equipment, supplies and medication between NHS services and sites - and help pharmacies with delivery.

There will also be 'check-in and chat' volunteers given support by telephone to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation.

The Government target currently stands at 750,000 after the overwhelming public response saw the initial 250,000 target smashed within just 24 hours.

Anyone who is over 18, fit, healthy and non-symptomatic can offer their time to the scheme

Downing Street confirmed today that 702,000 volunteers have so far signed up to deliver food and medicines, and perform other supportive tasks, for the 1.4million vulnerable people isolated at home due to coronavirus.

A source with knowledge of the scheme told MailOnline today: 'The response has been amazing - at least double what we targeted.

'There is a backlog to get through, checking people's identity, they are who they say they are. We're not just kind of nodding people through.

'So they're just doing that and we expect the first people will be picking up calls from next week, so it's literally days rather than weeks. They just need a bit of time to do all the necessary checks.'

Speaking on Wednesday, NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis (pictured) said the Health Service is 'truly amazed' at how many people have signed up to volunteer

The NHS and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have already thanked those who have offered to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

The mass sign-up follows Health Secretary Matt Hancock's request for people to help those isolating for 12 weeks in an attempt to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Johnson - who has tested positive for coronavirus himself - has said the volunteers would be 'absolutely crucial' in fighting the infection, which has killed 759 people in Britain so far.

Speaking on Wednesday, NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: 'We are truly amazed by the number of people who want to come and help us in the war against coronavirus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured speaking to the nation on Monday) - who has tested positive for the viruys himself - said the volunteers would be 'absolutely crucial' in fighting it

'I would like to thank every last one of you who are offering your time  you will without a doubt help us to save lives.

'Our NHS needs you  whether it's by volunteering or simply staying at home  you are helping your families, communities and protecting our NHS.'

Anyone who is over the age of 18, fit, healthy and non-symptomatic can offer their time to the scheme.

Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: 'On Tuesday evening, Royal Voluntary Service readied itself to launch the biggest call out for volunteers in England since the Second World War.

'Less than 24 hours later, we had hit our target of 250,000 sign-ups and today that number is at over 700,000. We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the response and cannot thank the public enough. As history shows, it is often in times of crisis that we pull together and become our best selves.

'Our team is now working flat out with colleagues in NHS England to process the many thousands of applications we've received, so we can get volunteers up and running as soon as possible and matched with patients that they can begin to support.'
US President Donald Trump has wished Boris Johnson a 'speedy recovery' after the Prime Minister tested positive for coronavirus.

Mr Johnson, 55, took to social media this morning to deliver the news to the nation, confirming he had been experiencing symptoms of the illness and was prompted to take a test.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the PM spoke with Mr Trump on the phone after the shock diagnoses, which highlighted the extent of the rapid spread of the potentially fatal bug.

US President Donald Trump (left) has wished Boris Johnson (right) a 'speedy recovery' after the Prime Minister tested positive for coronavirus

A statement read: 'Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with US President Donald Trump today.

'The President wished the Prime Minister a speedy recovery from coronavirus.

'They agreed to work together closely, along with the G7, the G20, and other international partners, to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.'

In the message released today, Mr Johnson insisted that he only has 'mild symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference.

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn was among those who sent regards to the Prime Minister via social media today, with the likes of Caroline Lucas, Michel Barnier, Lord Sugar and Gary Lineker following suit.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu immediately made a personal address to Johnson, writing: Dear Boris Johnson, on behalf of the people of Israel I wish you a full and speedy recovery. Your friend, Benjamin Netanyahu'

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, echoed the sentiment and included a heartfelt word for HRH Prince Charles, who has also tested positive for the virus.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with, both HRH Prince Charles and PM Boris Johnson who have tested positive for #COVID19,' wrote Rajapaksa.

'We wish and pray for a speedy recovery for them both.'

Despite the government's own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who was with the PM on Thursday night, or chief aide Dominic Cummings - are thought to be going into isolation.

Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street on Friday carrying a rucksack.

Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked.

In the video in which he broke the news to the public, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating.

'That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'
Oh, I am heartily tired of hearing about what Lee is going to do. Some of you always seem to think he is suddenly going to turn a double somersault, and land in our rear and on both of our flanks at the same time. Go back to your command, and try to think what we are going to do ourselves, instead of what Lee is going to do.

Ulysses S. Grant (April 27, 1822July 23, 1885), commanding general of the Union Army and former U.S. president, as quoted by General Horace Porter in Campaigning with Grant.

I have only two out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold.

Clifton B. Cates (August 31, 1893June 4, 1970), Marine Corps general and 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1948 to 1951, avowed during the vicious fighting at Belleau Wood.
While hotels were getting ready to follow orders and shut down by Thursday this week, the government also announced by decree that a handful across the country will be staying open.

The main purpose of the 371 hotel-openings on the government's list is for key workers, such as from health and emergency services, who cannot get home. However tourists stranded, waiting for a flight or having to cross Spain by road before heading to France, are also able to use them.

This policy was also echoed by the British Embassy and a list of the hotels was published on its BritsinSpain Facebook page.

British Ambassador, Hugh Elliott, said, "This is a very difficult time for British nationals who find themselves currently unable to get back to the UK and we welcome this announcement by the Spanish authorities that some hotels and short-stay accommodation will remain open during the state of emergency."

The list is subject to update, and at the time of press there were ten in Malaga province, including the Costa del Sol.

However hoteliers' representatives were unhappy that the government announced the list without full consultation. They say some of the hotels are already closed with the staff laid off and will have to be reopened again.

Also this week, the British Embassy, through its Facebook page and other social media, started to keep those wanting to return to the UK informed of the few flights available, while also urging people to keep checking with airlines. It also provided a template of an official letter to show if stopped by police on a road or ferry journey back to Britain.
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile and Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham have continued the suspension of public Mass in Alabama through April 18 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which means no Easter Sunday Mass on April 12.

The suspension of public worship services and most church activities in the Catholic churches of the Archdiocese of Mobile is extended through April 18, 2020," Rodi said in a statement released today. "Public Easter services will not be celebrated in our Catholic churches.

Baker, pastoral administrator of the Diocese of Birmingham, also issued a suspension through April 18 in north and central Alabama. Baker and Rodi issued a suspension of public Mass on March 17 and todays order extends that.

This is a most painful decision," Rodi said. Not only is Easter a time of celebration, even more importantly, the Resurrection of Our Lord is at the core of our Christian faith. However, this action is taken in the interest of the common good of our communities and is in accord with the advice of civil authorities.

The Archdiocese of Mobile consists of the Catholic churches and ministries in the 28 counties of the southern half of Alabama, with about 85,000 Catholics. The Diocese of Birmingham covers 39 counties in north and central Alabama, with about 104,000 Catholics.
In February 2020 Australia was told that an unnamed foreign country had established an enormous intelligence operation there, and that foreign intelligence activities in Australia had reached levels surpassing anything seen during the 1947-1991 Cold War. These revelations had some weight because they were delivered by Mike Burgess, the new head of ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organization), which is similar to the American FBI or British MI5. The new ASIO chief was somewhat different than his predecessors in that his entire career was intelligence related. Before taking the ASIO job he spent 20 years with ASD (Australian Signals Directorate), which is similar to the American NSA. He actually retired from ASD in 1995 after 18 years and spent 22 years in non-government jobs, mostly involving cyber-security. Then in 2017, he returned to government work as head of ASD for two years. Appointing Burgess to head ASIO (for a seven year term) was somewhat controversial because previous chiefs were deliberately chosen from among non-intel backgrounds. That meant career military, diplomatic and other government veterans. Before Burgess ASIO had been run by a retired army general with a background in special operations.

What seemed to make Burgess the ideal candidate this time around was his long experience with Five Eyes, the post-World War II intel cooperation group consisting of the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Five Eyes Intel agencies shared an unprecedented amount of intelligence on foreign threats during the Cold War. The main threat was Russia (Soviet Union) and its allies, especially the Warsaw Pact and China. After the Soviet Union, and most other communist governments collapsed between 1989 and 1991, the Five Eyes gradually shifted its primary attention to China, Islamic terrorism and cyber-security. Burgess had a lot of experience dealing with all three threats and his work with Five Eyes gave him a broader perspective. His recent disclosure that Australia was subject to enormous foreign intelligence activity and efforts to manipulate Australian public opinion government decisions was based on his extensive knowledge of all these foreign activities.

The Five Eyes nations do not always agree on how to interpret and react to foreign intel activities in their own countries or those of the other four. Then there is the agreement to maintain secrecy about Five Eyes efforts, if only because a lot of these intelligence collecting operations were successful in part because opponents, from the Cold War to the present, often did not know how many of their secret operations were not so secret. Australia was a unique case because of the economic growth of China since the 1980s was a key element in the decades of sustained economic growth Australia has enjoyed. Australia was a major source of raw materials and other goods for China. In return, China expected respect, which often meant muting criticism of less savory Chinese activities. That led to the current revelations by Burgess of unprecedented intel and manipulation by a foreign power that he did not name but was clearly China. Australia, or at least Australian media, has been less reticent about naming names and countries responsible. While some of that was just headline mongering to pay the bills, a lot of these news stories had a basis in truth. Burgess was apparently seeking permission to go public with some of what Australian intel and law enforcement already knew without the bothersome requirement of being discreet about identifying the country behind a lot of it.

An example of how this works occurred two months after Burgess took over ASIO. In November 2019 an Australian resident from China named Liqiang Wang, known locally as William Wang came forward and claimed to be a Chinese intelligence officer who wanted to defect and obtain asylum. This was a first for China, which has thousands of such intel professionals operating in Western nations overseeing rapidly expanding Chinese espionage operations. China has lost some of these operatives in the past and ASIO soon concluded that Wang was involved with these Chinese operations but at a much lower level than he claimed. Wang is still in Australia and apparently being protected from threats that are unpublicized. China wants Wang returned to China, as a common criminal. This is an approach China takes for any Chinese citizen they want removed from the public eye.

Wang brought with him some knowledge of Chinese intel and influence operations in Australia and elsewhere in the region. The problem was verifying enough of it to support what cannot be verified. Many items that Wang brought up, and were made public, were not exactly top secret but did annoy the right people in China and other East Asian countries where China also has major espionage and influence operations.

Like many Cold War era defectors from the Soviet Union, Wang will always be at risk of prosecution or assassination by China. Defectors or simply detractors like this can do major damage to foreign intelligence operations. Wang provided revealing, but not really unknown, details about Chinese intel operations inside Australia. This included aggressive efforts to control public opinion and protect Chinese interests. Before Wang came forward, Australia had detected Chinese efforts to use economic clout, combined with clandestine media and public opinion manipulation to keep Australia compliant and cooperative with whatever China wanted, even if some of these goals were not in Australiss best interests. Wang offered similar information about Chinese clandestine operations in neighboring nations as well as the current crisis in Hong Kong. Again it appears that Wangs disclosures were merely the insights of a low-level operative who could better connect many of the pieces that foreigners had a hard time doing.

Of more immediate interest was details of how China planned to interfere with national elections in Australia and Taiwan. Wang named some names and revealed how Chinese controlled companies acted as recruiters of Australians who might be inclined to adopt pro-Chinese attitudes or a less anti-Chinese outlook. Much of this had long been suspected by some Australian officials but without evidence, those suspicions were never a real threat to Chinese intel operations. It is now believed that ASD and ASIO did have a lot of evidence, but lacked permission to act on it. Wang described how Chinese Cyber War operations (hacking and Internet media influencers) worked in Australia and Burgess had a lot of experience trying to cope with that. Wang also provided details of how this worked in Hong Kong where those subversive operations played a major role in triggering the current popular demonstrations. Wang was thought to be providing details that could lead to indictments and prosecutions of Australians who were actively working for China. Wang insisted that these operations have over the years used the same playbook that is applied throughout the world, especially in the United States and Europe. One thing is for certain, all this has proved devastating for Chinese clandestine operations. Wang himself sounds too good to be true but the new ASIO chief came forward with the confirmation of several Wang accusations against China.

Chinese espionage efforts are increasingly being detected in many Western countries. In the last few years, the United States has been indicting, prosecuting and convicting a growing number of Chinese-born men (and a few women) conspiring to commit, or who had already carried out, economic espionage in the United States. Some of these suspects are naturalized American citizens but a growing number are Chinese citizens here on legitimate visas. This is the sort of thing Wang claims has been going on in Australia.

By 2012 most American officials had come to openly admit that a whole lot of American military and commercial technical data has been stolen via Chinese Internet (and more conventional) espionage efforts as described by Wang. Details of exactly all the evidence of this are unclear, but apparently, it was pretty convincing for many American politicians and senior officials who had previously been skeptical. The Chinese efforts have resulted in most major American weapons systems having tech details obtained by the Chinese, in addition to a lot of non-defense or dual-use technology. Its not just the United States that is being hit but most nations with anything worth stealing. Many of these nations are noticing that China is the source of most of this espionage and few are content to remain silent any longer.

Its no secret that Chinese intelligence collecting efforts since the late 1990s have been spectacularly successful. As the rest of the world comes to realize the extent of this success, there is a growing desire for retaliation. What form that payback takes remains to be seen. At the moment more scrutiny is making it more difficult for the Chinese to operate but is not stopping them.
A LIMERICK man who is living in the heart of Madrid has described the scenes in the city as like something from a sci-fi novel.

Popular poet John Liddy from Rathbane has lived in the Spanish capital for 35 years with wife Pilar.

Spain is the second worst country in Europe in terms of numbers of people contracting Covid-19.

The nation is into its second week of a lockdown now, with movement of its citizens severely restricted.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader from his home, Mr Liddy said he was hoping to come back to Shannonside to give talks on his poetry  he had three local schools lined up including Ardscoil Ris.

Obviously, with outward travel from Spain almost impossible, and schools in Ireland closed until April 19, that will most likely not happen.

We are really confined, he said, We are not going out except for food and pharmacy items. Nothing else is open. The streets are empty. It reminds me of the stuff I used to read as a child  novels and science fiction stuff, he said.

As a poet, John admits its a solitary life, so spending days in confine does not represent a huge problem for him, saying: Im used to hours and hours working away at my poems.

But what I miss are the simple things. That little routine of getting up in the morning, going down to have my coffee, reading the paper and talking to neighbours, picking up messages here and there, he said.

An Italian living in Limerick, Dr Christian Moretti, is contacting his friends and family through video calls every day.

He is from the Apulia region, which lies on the heel of Italy.

Its heartbreaking. Every day I keep getting texts and conversations on Facetime, and it just shows the situation is getting worse. I dont think we properly grasp it here how bad it is there. Theres a friend of mine who has been literally locked up for weeks. Its like a war zone, he said.

Something that is not recognised, Dr Moretti said, is the psychological toll of the amount of deaths there are in Italy as a result of coronavirus. Fatalities stood at 6,820 on Tuesday night.

Its taking a huge toll on people. To be surrounded by death, its difficult. When there are so many people dead, its tragic, he said.

Lucia Brunetti is originally from the Italian city of Campobasso, but now lives in Johnsgate village.

Normally she works in Cork, but shes working from home at present.

Its difficult to understand. Things are evolving very quickly. Its hard to understand whats happening. I am in contact with my family, my parents and my brother. One of my sisters works in a pub, one works in McDonalds, and they both ar e not working, she said.

Stefania Bardi, who is originally from the Italian island of Sardinia, was hoping to return home for her mothers 70th birthday, but cannot do so now.

She is critical of the Italian government for not implementing the lockdown sooner, as many people working in different parts of the country would have returned home to Sardinia, potentially carrying the virus.

Its very difficult to be watching it from afar. I havent been back since December. My desire would be to go there for my mothers 70th birthday. I dont think I will be able to now, she said.

Stefania was also critical of people appearing to flout public health advice here in Ireland and go outdoors.

With all the efforts we are making in Italy [to control the virus] I just wish people would go back home, she said.

Lucia feels people here don't fully appreciate the outbreak.

It was the same thing when it started in Italy. You see people going to the beach, thinking its nothing. But there are consequences. I dont think people fully realise it, she added.

And Dr Moretti said: People think they live in a parallel universe where Covid-19 is something which is only going to happen to elderly people. But it can hit absolutely anybody. There are many people my age and some younger than me affected.
Punjab's first coronavirus patient, who returned from Italy and undergoing treatment in a government hospital, has tested negative and will be discharged on Friday, said Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

"Happy to share that our first case of COVID admitted to Government Medical College Amritsar has successfully recovered & tested negative," the Chief Minister tweeted.

"The patient will be discharged today. It's a great moment for us. I am sure we will win this War Against #Covid19," he added.

The state on March 9 tested the first positive case for the coronavirus.

The man returned to Amritsar from Milan via Delhi on March 4 along with his two family members.

The patient belongs to Hoshiarpur town and has been hospitalised Government Medical College in Amritsar along with his son.

A total of 33 patients in Punjab tested positive till Thursday with one death last week of Baldev Singh, 70, who had a travel history to Germany via Italy.

A trail of coronavirus community spread to 22 people related to Baldev Singh of S.B.S. Nagar district from where 18 people tested positive, all belonging to his family.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee distributes food to the needy free of cost on Day 3 of the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed by the Narendra Modi government over the coronavirus pandemic, in Kolkata on March 27, 2020. (Photo: IAN Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, March 27 : The West Bengal government removed seven-eight police personnel from duty for committing excesses on the people during the ongoing lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Friday.

"We had received 12 complaints of police excesses. We have closed seven-eight police personnel, so as to ensure no atrocities are committed on people," Banerjee told the media at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Banerjee instructed the police that while they have to be firm so that there is no outbreak of the disease, and see to it that everybody abides by the law, they also have to be humane whenever people are in danger.

"Everybody, right from the district magistrates to the police superintendents as also the officials in cities like Kolkata, is being requested to handle the situation humanely. At one end you have to ensure people obey the lockdown, so that the infection does not spread. Simultaneously, if anybody has a problem, we have to look at it humanely," she said.

Banerjee said the police should not stop people from going to buy essentials or rations. "If somebody is going to a medicine shop, police need to see to it that they get the medicines," she said.

She said the police also needs to take a humane approach towards those in the frontline of the battle against COVID 19 -- doctors, nurses, health workers, conservancy staff, women self-help group members, Accredited Social Health Activists (Asha).

Banerjee said while the people must not crowd, at the same time "none should misuse his or her power".

"Essentials, home delivery people must be allowed to work," she said.
The United States has called on medical professional around the world to apply for visa due to the increasing number of coronavirus cases.

This is coming following the surge in cases the US, that has seen US become the country with most cases in the world.

Also Read: Former Ogun State Commissioner Tests Positive For Coronavirus (Video)

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs, via its Twitter account, advised health personnel to contact their nearest Embassy for visa appointment.

There are nearly 90,000 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S.

The figure supersedes that of China, where the virus originated, as well as Italy, the worst hit country in Europe.

See the tweet below:
SALEM, Ohio  Less than a month after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources postponed a proposal to change coyote trapping and hunting rules, an Ohio state legislator has introduced a bill in response to criticism of the proposal.

The new bill would specify there are no limitation on seasons for hunting or trapping and no permits required to take coyotes. State Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) introduced it, March 16.

Proposal

The ODNRs proposal came in response to a rule review that revealed a conflict in the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. The revised code defines coyotes as a fur-bearing animal, which means that people need a fur takers permit to hunt or trap them.

The administrative code, however, provides an exemption for coyotes. The proposal would have essentially removed that exemption, limiting the trapping season for coyotes and requiring fur taker permits for coyote hunters and trappers, to match the revised code.

New bill

The bill Jones introduced would make changes to the revised code. A fur taker permit would not be necessary for trapping and hunting coyotes. It would also add that coyotes can be taken year-round.

Jones proposed the bill after hearing concerns from residents in his district  which includes Carroll, Harrison and Noble counties, and parts of Washington and Belmont counties  about the ODNRs proposal.

Agriculture

Farmers and agricultural groups, including the Ohio Farm Bureau, were concerned the ODNRs proposal could cause issues for livestock farmers.

Roger High, the Ohio Farm Bureaus director of livestock, noted in February that hunting coyotes can be difficult, so trapping is important for farmers who need to keep their coyote population under control. The Ohio Farm Bureau told Farm and Dairy, March 26, it is aware of Jones bill and appreciates the attention to the issue.

The coyote is a predatory animal on livestock, Jones told Farm and Dairy, March 25. He added that while he appreciates wildlife, he does not believe that coyotes are useful animals, and thinks it is important to keep coyote populations down.

Jones was an agricultural education teacher and FFA adviser for 23 years and comes from a farming family background.

Jones is anticipating push-back, both from animal enthusiasts and from trappers in Ohio, who worry some coyote trappers may be inadvertently catching other animals besides coyotes.

He noted that getting the bill passed will take support from other representatives in other parts of the state and encouraged Ohio residents to call their state representatives if they feel strongly about the bill.

Jones introduced the bill to try to help farmers.

With prices being low already  the last thing we need to be worried about is farmers losing livestock due to an animal because someone wanted to sell a fur taker permit, he said.

Permit costs

In addition to farmers concerns about the safety of their livestock, some citizens complained about the additional costs getting a fur taker permit would have involved.

Its expensive to hunt, Jones said. Were just making it harder on people that are hunting  by charging more fees.

Jones noted that coyotes are one of the highest-selling hides on the market right now, and people dont currently have to pay for a fur taker permit. Fur taker permits cost $8 for youth and $15 for adults.

At the Ohio State Trappers Associations auctions in January, February and March this year, coyote pelts were the second-highest selling item.
FCW is covering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the federal workforce. This page will be updated frequently with new coverage. NOTE: CDC and OPM maintain up-to-date information for the latest on the outbreak and guidance on individual and agency response.

As one agency tussles with employees on reopening, experts told Congress that telework and hybrid approaches will likely be a reality for months to come. (June 25)

Aspects of the federal government's economic response to the coronavirus pandemic were marred by outdated state technology software and a crushing volume of beneficiaries that overwhelmed many systems, according to a new report from the watchdog Government Accountability Office. (June 25)

Steve Kelman reports on New Zealand's all-hands approach to contain the coronavirus (June 24)

New regulations will allow workers designated essential during the coronavirus outbreak to have their unused leave restored. (June 19)

The Pandemic Response Accountability Council will look at IT challenges, safety measures and funding oversight. (June 19)

The remote work challenges under the COVID-19 pandemic mean that once "nice-to-have" technologies are now mission critical, leaders said. (June 18)

The centralized database could provide sharper insight into coronavirus patients' needs. (June 17)

Pending bills would boost information sharing efforts, pay subsidies to affected states and individuals and move the Secret Service back to the Department of Treasury. (June 17)

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed workers who are used to top-secret networks home. But as intel agencies begin bringing more personnel back, they'll have to contend with lingering anxieties. (June 17)

Veterans Affairs, State, Agriculture and other federal agencies are ramping up operations and bringing more workers into the office. (June 16)

As the Department of Homeland Security considers the process of resuming normal operations, unions representing agency employees are calling on agency leadership to ensure that personnel have adequate resources to protect against exposure to COVID-19. (June 16)

The Government Ops chairman also wants the Pentagon's watchdog to probe a civilian federal worker's death from COVID-19. (June 15)

Months after IRS began doling out stimulus checks, tens of millions of Americans have yet to receive their share. Experts are calling for better tech and expanded access to the banking system. (June 12)

The AFL-CIO had sought to force OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard that would have addressed infectious disease in the workplace. (June 12)

The IT systems needed to carry out the 2020 Census still face numerous testing challenges and unaddressed critical cybersecurity flaws, according to a new oversight report. (June 11)

Ellen Lord, the Defense Departments chief buyer, told Congress that defense companies coronavirus relief claims could cost upwards of $10 billion. (June 10)

Ninety days after the COVID-19 emergency declaration, a Senate panel examined how U.S. responders are managing procurement and delivery of needed supplies. (June 9)

A former union official says crisis management teams have historically been deployed for crowd control, protecting federal buildings. (June 8)

However positive signs in the May jobs report could sideline federal legislation to extend aid to local governments. (June 5)

The push comes, the New Hampshire Democrat explained, because of technology weaknesses exposed in the federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (June 4)

As Capitol Region local governments are starting to phase in their own reopening plans, the Office of Personnel Management put out a detailed guide for returning its own employees to the office. (June 2)

At GSA, plans to fully shift legacy acquisition systems are being stalled to help contractors and agencies keep current. (May 29)

The spy agency's deputy director said its new cyber directorate is focused on protecting vaccine research from hackers and supporting activities that help get Americans back to work. (May 28)

The congressional watchdog plans to examine agency lessons learned from the rapid rollout of telework tools as part of pandemic response. (May 27)

The Defense Department is planning to shift from pandemic footing to more normal operations, and is using White House issued criteria on declines in reported symptoms, declines in new cases and hospital access to determine when restrictions will be lifted. (May 26)

The Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services says it is pressing on with investigations into agency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (May 26)

The Maryland National Guard is doing its part to help hospitals and local government detect and deflect malicious online activity during the pandemic. (May 22)

Counties and municipalities put faith in SMART, HEROES legislation to offset economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. (May 21)

The backlog of initial claims for benefits is rising in recent weeks, after holding steady amid the 100% telework posture of the Veterans Benefits Administration. (May 20)

Network infrastructure is a key to unlocking remote work in the new COVID environment, say agency CIOs. (May 19)

New research from Proofpoint has identified numerous phishing email campaigns over the past two months, some of which impersonated and spoofed websites from federal agencies, international governments and public health organizations involved in COVID-19 relief. (May 18)

The Senate has no plans to take up the bill and White House said it would veto what it called an "partisan and ideological wishlist". (May 15)

The rules change, which must be adopted in person by the full House, would also open the door to remote voting once secure technologies are identified. (May 14)

The Defense Departments chief for industrial policy, Jennifer Santos, who has been leading the organizations production strategy for supplies needed to fight COVID-19, has been removed from her post. (May 14)

The unexpected stress-testing that has come with COVID-19 responses can bring clarity to IT modernization thinking and practices. (May 14)

Software-defined networking is a major part of telecommunications resiliency during pandemic, said carriers on a presidential telecommunications advisory committee. (May 13)

The Navy's network operations, like most federal agencies, scrambled to shift to completely remote workforce, but the experience has also shifted workers' network expectations. (May 12)

Agencies are working to simultaneously modernize and share data to ensure continuity of business. (May 12)

Letting new parents take time off would alleviate coronavirus-related concerns, members stated in a May 8 letter to leadership. (May 11)

Social distancing requirements have delayed the public hearing needed for a rule change to enforce new cybersecurity standards for contractors. (May 11)

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging House leaders to include funding for states to modernize their technology infrastructure with an eye to a cloud-first approach, shared services that deliver functionality to cities and towns and some oversight of state technology plans as a condition of receiving funding. (May 11)

A bill from Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) would make sure that feds won't forfeit unused annual leave. (May 8)

Keeping telework capabilities could make it easier for DOD to hire AI scientists. (May 7)

At least 10 distinct phishing campaigns were identified between January and April, targeting governments and organizations desperate to buy Personal Protective Equipment. (May 7)

More money is needed to tackle the problem, especially as states deal with an unprecedented economic crisis caused by the pandemic. It's unclear whether Congress will foot the bill. (May 5)

The Pentagon is eyeing a phased reopen and possibly more coronavirus stimulus funds to help offset costs to restock medical supplies and equipment used to fight the pandemic, the defense secretary said. (May 4)

The memo notes that CISA will begin issuing reports to agencies highlighting DNS traffic anomalies and could issue a follow up directive as new protections come online. (May 1)

Survivor benefits and health insurance premiums are expected to be covered in future legislation. (April 30)

The federal government's response to COVID-19 is setting the pace for its agencies' IT futures, said some top managers. (April 30)

Agency inspectors general told Congress that the $2.2 trillion in spending to speed recovery and heal economic damage caused by the pandemic would be subject to quick oversight. (April 29)

The executive order declaring meat processing plants as critical infrastructure means that federal food inspectors must visit plants that had been closed by their owners for safety reasons. (April 29)

Democratic lawmakers are seeking aid to help state and local governments retain workers and avoid layoffs in the next relief bill aimed at alleviating the economic toll that the coronavirus pandemic has had upon the U.S. economy. (April 28)

Steve Kelman offers another story about hero civil servants. (April 28)

The tax agency is putting distancing measures into place and requiring employees to wear face coverings on the job. (April 27)

The Trump administration's response to keep the federal government operational during the COVID-19 pandemic was hindered by early decisions to roll back telework programs, according to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the chairman of the Government Operations subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee. (April 24)

Despite a glitch that made headlines, the Small Business Administration had planned in advance to build tech tools to support legislative mandates for emergency business loans. (April 24)

The federal government's largest union is demanding some concessions in exchange for agreeing to President Donald Trump's new plans to gradually send federal employees back to their places of work. (April 23)

Gen. John Hyten, vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said testing the entire force, including National Guard and Reserves, would take until summertime. (April 23)

Furtive exchanges, police interdiction, international charter flights: our acquisition reporter takes a look at the market for personal protective equipment. (April 22)

The Department of Justice said some of the domains represented themselves as U.S. government agencies or public health organizations. (April 22)

Senators push for USDS, 18F to ramp help to states struggling with legacy tech. (April 22)

Downplaying security concerns, Rep. Steny Hoyer said conducting House business through video teleconference software was his "clear preference" to ensure continuity of Congress during the COVID-19 crisis. (April 21)

Steve Kelman reports on early efforts to leverage technology for better contact tracing. (April 21)

In a new document, the federal government explains plans to align a reopening of all federal agency functions and a return to in-person work with national guidelines promulgated by the White House and health officials on bringing back a state of normalcy when a decline in the COVID-19 pandemic occurs. (April 20)

For decades, PIV and CAC cards have been the primary tools for agencies and contractors to verify the identity of employees and contractors. The COVID-19 outbreak could change that. (April 20)

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented CIOs at all levels of government with unprecedented challenges to respond to the critical needs of the country. (April 20)

As more patients and staffers contract coronavirus infections, employees are seeking more personal protective equipment, collaboration with management and hazard pay. (April 18)

The White House instructs federal agencies to leverage relief for contractors in the CARES Act where appropriate. (April 17)

The first audits for the Defense Department's unified cybersecurity standard for vendors may be delayed up to a month. (April 16)

Navy Acquisition Chief James Geurts said acquisition activities have sped up in response to the coronavirus crisis and helped the service pinpoint weak spots in the supply chain. (April 16)

The forced social experiment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is compelling the federal government to adapt culturally and technologically at a rapid pace. (April 16)

Five leading technology trade groups called on lawmakers to support "meaningful" federal, state and local IT modernization in COVID stimulus legislation. (April 16)

The request for new funding comes as state and local governments face an spike in ransomware attacks. (April 15)

Government oversight experts and advocacy groups say Senate leaders should withhold cooperation until vacancies are filled. (April 15)

Government employees who are considered essential frontline workers could receive extra pay during the coronavirus pandemic, according to new guidance from the Office of Personnel Management. (April 15)

Steve Kelman spotlights another example of how non-traditional acquisition models can encourage innovation. (April 15)

A new emphasis on telework at the Defense Department in response to the COVID-19 pandemic could change work culture at the Pentagon, officials said. (April 14)

Childcare cost subsidies, weather and safety leave, telework allowances are among priorities for Democrats in planned CARES-2 legislative package. (April 14)

The General Services Administration made an exception to Federal Acquisition Regulations to accelerate payments to its small business prime contractors and subcontractors. (April 14)

Feds with dependent care responsibilities that stretch them to the breaking point have a stopgap once leave options are exhausted, but many agencies are reluctant to put it in play. (April 13)

DOD to issue $133 million in production contracts for N95 masks under the Defense Production Act. (April 13)

As IRS and the Small Business Administration tap digital-only financial firms to assist in relief funding, concerns are emerging about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and fraud. (April 13)

Ellen Lord, DOD's acquisition head, issued new guidance for prototype contracts issued through other transaction authorities. (April 10)

The top tech official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement is instructing employees to avoid installing Zoom for video conferencing and use instead Skype, MS Teams and WebEx. (April 10)

New policy allows agencies to ask for waiver of 25% incentive and retention caps in COVID-19 response. (April 9)

While the Speaker of the House said there are constitutional and security concerns with letting members vote virtually, she has moved to loosen other rules around in-person legislating. (April 9)

The Federal Aviation Administration put out an email blast to employees at field offices and airport facilities on April 8 looking for medical supplies to share out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. (April 9)

The coronavirus pandemic illustrates how far the federal government and states has to go to support an agile, 21st century public sector workforce. (April 9)

New guidance allows teleworking feds to connect and access agency and cloud resources from their homes while staying in compliance with the Trusted Internet Connection program. (April 8)

The Department of Veterans Affairs is delaying the rollout of its $16 billion health record modernization project so that the health system serving 9 million veterans can focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. (April 8)

The guidance will expire at the end of the year and will address capabilities such as email, networking, DNS, intrusion detection and data protection. (April 7)

The American Federation of Government Employees filed complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration about alleged violations of safety standards. (April 7)

Army training and recruiting leaders said the service has been gradually digitizing recruiting and training, but has now shifted online amid the COVID-19 outbreak. (April 7)

Feds are included in the proposed premium pay increase that would float $13 dollars per hour into the paychecks of frontline workers. (April 7)

What will working in DOD look like on the other side of the COVID-19 curve? (April 7)

In a recent interview, AFGE National President Everett Kelley said that some agencies have directed managers to exclude unions from key decisions involving employee safety. (April 6)

As remote collaboration become the default, federal agencies are advising employees and users that video teleconferencing software, phone meetings and other tools are at increased risk. (April 6)

The new restrictions come as federal agencies and industry grapple with how best to collaborate on projects under quarantines and social distancing guidelines designed to limit in-person gatherings. (April 3)

National labs look to 3D printing to ease COVID medical supply chain squeeze, but reports show need remains stark. (April 2)

Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner and Texas Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry hope to protect national security by bolstering the industrial base. (April 2)

The IRS, which is operating under an evacuation order that mandates telework for all eligible employees, released new guidance outlining its flexible work schedule policy. (April 2)

With COVID-19 support response prioritized, the General Services Administration puts a hold on its e-commerce portal proof of concept contract. (April 1)

The Defense Department issued memos and permission letters for personnel working in the Washington, D.C. region as local and state governments' stay-at-home orders go into effect. (April 1).

Govini, a data and analytics fir3m, projected where the pandemic could impact Defense Department operations as cases increase and hospital beds become scarce. (April 1)

The rollout of a commercial electronic health record system to Defense Department hospitals on pause to support response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (March 31)

Agency stresses flexible work schedules, reserved on evacuation pay and administrative leave. (March 31)

New teleworkers can unintentionally open up videoconferences to unwanted intruders, warns the FBI. (March 31)

Companies that haven't considered federal markets are coming around to it, thanks to increased telework mandates, according to experts. (March 31)

The national union alleges that "thousands of feds" likely exposed to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 while on the job. (March 30)

Defense contractors would get some relief for personnel costs under the Senate-passed $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus and relief bill but worries over increased production costs remain. (March 27)

The order would mandate telework for all eligible employees regardless of their prior arrangements. (March 27)

The planned Surge Response Program is designed to consolidate pandemic response opportunities for current federal employees. (March 27)

The $2 trillion pandemic rescue bill does not include a rollback of three years of Trump administration federal workforce policy included in a bill formulated by House Democrats. (March 26)

With fingerprinting services not always available, agencies are going to have to take some calculated risks with new employees. (March 26)

The money will be administered by the Election Assistance Commission, but some experts and lawmakers say it's not nearly enough. (March 26)

The Defense Department is concerned that foreign investment will take advantage of small businesses experiencing severe financial consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic. (March 25)

OMB's expanded easy-acquisition procedures will be useful tool as pandemic response continues, said a trade group executive. (March 25)

The Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act offered by House Democrats expands telework, grants hazard pay to certain front line workers and would overturn a number of Trump administration workforce policies. (March 24)

The Pentagon is asking for "maximum telework flexibilities" extended to DOD service members and civilian employees also be made available to contractors when possible. (March 24)

Customers including DOD and FEMA are pressing NASA's acquisition vehicle for faster quotes to support COVID-19 response. (March 24)

Swearing-in for feds along with certain document submission can be done remotely, advises the Office of Personnel Management. (March 24)

Steve Kelman argues that Americans need to understand the essential contributions civil servants make to our society's mix. (March 23)

The legislative branch may soon follow much of the corporate world and institute telework for its core functions, but there are serious questions about whether it has the legal and technological infrastructure in place to make it practicable for very long. (March 23)

Attorney General William Barr asked states to ensure that mission-critical personnel can perform official duties despite local lockdowns. (March 23)

The Department of Labor's compliance program office temporarily waived some contractor affirmative action requirements to speed up COVID-19 response. (March 23)

Agencies are being asked by the White House to look into the existing toolbox for ways to manage collaboration and access internally and service delivery to citizens as government withdraws from public view during the coronavirus pandemic. (March 22)

New, temporary appointment authority for Schedule A hires is in effect until March 2021 or public emergency is declared over. (March 22)

The Defense Department is extremely efficient at planning and logistics, but the uncertainty surrounding how long and how widespread COVID-19 will be raises concerns on how parts, people, and acquisition will be affected. (March 20)

As its employees move to telework, the Energy Department relaxes contractor parking rules at its D.C. headquarters. (March 20)

A few agencies have advised their contractors on how to proceed in the current uncertain environment, but lawmakers and trade groups want clear guidance and legislation amid the worsening pandemic. (March 19)

Only mission-critical employees are required to report to agency facilities, the administrator -- who is himself quarantined after COVID-19 exposure -- told staff March 19. (March 19)

Deputy Director for Management Margaret Weichert said OMB has been leading federal agencies in how to respond to employee questions operating status, telework and taking weather and safety leave. (March 19)

The Trump administration wants hundreds of millions of dollars in extra funding to clean and secure federal buildings from exposure to coronavirus. (March 19)

A March 18 executive order positions President Trump to invoke enhanced contracting powers granted under the Defense Production Act. (March 18)

The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is requiring employees to telework while frontline agencies are sharing assessments for lowering risk of exposure for employees who cannot telework. (March 18)

Teleworking should be seen as an essential protection for mission-critical work, lawmakers say. (March 18)

The Defense Department wants prototype solutions to combat the novel coronavirus disease and other emerging bio-threats, according to a March 15 request to industry. (March 18)

Former DHS officials and unions worry whether existing security measures will help protect federal employees from the growing coronavirus pandemic. (March 17)

As virtual meetings and other online interactions become a reality for many federal agencies and businesses, so too do cybersecurity threats. (March 17)

The sudden expansion of federal telework in response to the coronavirus pandemic is teaching agencies how to move ahead with remote workers. (March 17)

Federal agencies are being asked to realign non-mission critical activities and minimize face-to-face interactions with the general public to reduce coronavirus transmission. (March 17)

Special acquisition powers in a 1950 law could help the government obtain needed medical equipment in the coronavirus response. (March 16)

As coronavirus measures tighten, many agencies are looking to offer workplace flexibilities for all employees regardless of previous eligibility. (March 16)

The Defense Department's networks have been stressed since expanding telework to minimize coronavirus at defense agencies. (March 16)

It's unclear whether emergency measures to stem coronavirus' spread will affect DOD's roll out of its unified cybersecurity standard, but mitigation efforts will likely rely on teleconferencing for training. (March 16)

A Sunday evening memo ahead of a potentially chaotic commute urges agency heads to pivot to telework as much as possible. (March 15)

The Defense Department expanded its travel ban with new restrictions on domestic travel civilian and military personnel. (March 14)

Federal employees are recommended against domestic travel to conduct agency business, except for trips deemed mission-critical. (March 14)

Not every agency will be ready to flip the switch from F2F to WFH, according to experts and former officials. (March 13)

As concerns over the coronavirus outbreak drives more agencies towards expanding employee telework, federal acquisition contracts can help ease some of the pain. (March 11)

Officials said more money would improve the agency's detection and tracking capabilities for emerging diseases. (March 10)

The Securities and Exchange Commission said it was encouraging headquarters employees to telework as a cautionary measure. (March 10)

Office of Personnel Management Director Dale Cabaniss urged agency heads over the weekend to "ensure that written telework agreements are in place for as many employees as possible," and encouraged agencies to extend ad hoc telework agreements to all telework eligible employees. (March 8)

Civilian employees at the Defense Department are urged to telework, teleconference and use leave when necessary while other agencies are formulating their own workforce policy responses. (March 9)

Contracting work could require some creative thinking for agencies and contractors in the event facilities are affected by the spread of coronavirus. (March 9)

A group of Senate Democrats urged the Office of Personnel Management to assure federal employees and contractors that they won't face any discipline or adverse employment actions for following official guidance on when to stay home from work. (March 6)

A governmentwide federal contract vehicle joined large commercial suppliers in voicing concern over COVID-19's impact on IT supply chains. (Feb. 28)
A worker picks Giant Tecolote Ranunculus at the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch in Carlsbad, Calif., on April 26, 2007. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

US Flower Industry Suffers Due to Pandemic

SANTA CLARA, Calif.With essentials like food, toilet paper, and sanitizing products being prioritized due to the CCP virus, other industries have taken a toll. One of these is the floral industry.

Throughout the United States, flower businesses are supplied through small farms or family-owned businesses. The majority of U.S. flower production is in California.

The flower supply chain includes planting, growing, harvesting, transporting, and selling. After the outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, stores closed and demand for flowers decreased. However, flower farms are still growing.

According to Dave Pruitt, CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission, the American flower industry is down 80 percent.

In terms of what were able to ship out from my growers, their orders are reduced to 20 percent or less of what would be normal this time of year, Pruitt told The Epoch Times.

Paul Furman, who has a family-owned business called California Pajarosa Floral in Santa Cruz County, told The Epoch Times: Our business is struggling, as we rely on events and weddings as a staple of our business. All school proms, weddings, and large events have been canceled for the foreseeable future.

Officially, flowers are categorized under agriculture, which is included in the list of essential businesses that can still operate. However, with the shelter in place policy and social distancing becoming the norm during the pandemic, there are fewer people working on getting the flowers from greenhouses to consumers. Those who make deliveries are prioritizing necessities.

According to Pruitt, the industry is working hard to keep its distribution channels open, and farmers are still farming, because Easter and Mothers Day are coming up.

We have to continue to cut our flowers and take care of them to keep them alive, as well as heat our greenhouses so our plants do not go dormant. The high expense of operating along with little or no return makes it very difficult for a flower farm to operate viably under these conditions for any extended period of time, said Furman.

He said they had to cut labor down to a minimum to be able to keep their operation alive.

Pruitt hopes that people will still buy flowers and will ask for them when they do not see them in the usual retail stores, to show that there is still a demand for them.

As of now, stores like Costco, Trader Joes, and Albertsons still have flowers for sale.

What Happens to the Surplus

Flowers are perishable, so they cannot wait for the quarantine to end and then be shipped out fresh. Those that were already cut and ready to be shipped might not make it to their new homes.

With the sudden surplus, some growers have had to donate them or throw them away.

Farai Madziva, vice president of Kitayama Brothers Inc., said they plant most of the crops 16 weeks in advance, so theres nothing they can do about the flowers already planted.

The flowers that were already cut, that were sitting in the coolers, those for sure are all going to waste. Theres nothing that we can do about it, Madziva told The Epoch Times.

He said theyve tried to donate flowers, but it is difficult getting transportation.

They are also finding it hard to decide whether or not to keep planting new ones for the crop in June, since it is difficult to predict what the market will be like then.

According to Madziva, if sales for flowers increase around Mothers Day, they will not go to waste.

This is probably the best time to have flowers in your home, said Madziva.

In Southern California, the 50-acre Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch has also had a hard time deciding whether to cut its flowers down.

We have donated a handful of the flowers but cannot continue to manage the flower crop. This was a very difficult decision, but with the lack of flower sales (shipping, purchasing, etc. has slowed immensely) and visitors, we sadly cannot continue. Once the flowers are cut back, we will harvest the bulbs and begin the process again, Flower Fields general manager Fred Clarke told The Epoch Times in an email interview.

The Flower Fields is usually open to the public for viewing, but it is closed until further notice as people practice social distancing.

The farm is planning to host a series of virtual tours next week. Topics to be discussed include their butterfly program, how the Sweet Pea Maze grows, and the history of poinsettias.

I am optimistic that better times are ahead, and hope that the future holds a greater value on our local community and how it pertains to a direct influence on our lives, said Furman.

We keep food moving because we need food for our bodies. We keep flowers moving because flowers feed our souls, said Pruitt. Its such an important part for everybodys daily life in terms of your physical health, wellness, spiritual wellness, happiness, [relieving] stressall those types of things are what flowers bring to us. Thats why theyve always been such an important part of our life.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
An Indian Navy aircraft on Friday



ferried a consignment of 60,000 masks to Goa from Delhi as the ongoing lockdown to contain coronavirus pandemic made it difficult for trucks to make the journey, an official said.

The masks had been ordered by the Goa chapter of the Indian Medical Association.

As of Friday, the coastal state has three confirmed COVID-19 patients.

"A shipment of 60,000 face masks ordered by Indian Medical Association to offset the shortfall in Goa was stuck at Delhi as trucks could not proceed further," said a Central government spokesperson.

After a request was made to Navy by the IMA, an Ilyushin 38SD (IL-38), a Long Range Maritime Reconnaisence Aircraft of the Navy, flew to Delhi on Friday and returned with the masks, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The coronavirus pandemic continues to cause chaos across the UK and around the world.

Heres your morning briefing of everything you may have missed overnight about the fight against Covid-19.

People across the UK have joined in a mass round of applause from their doorsteps to thank NHS staff working through the coronavirus crisis.

The national Clap for our Carers event was coordinated to show appreciation to healthcare workers risking their own lives in treating those infected.

Similar events have been held in Europe, with citizens on lockdown in France and Italy standing on their balconies to applauding medical staff.

Business groups and trade unions have welcomed new financial support for self-employed workers unveiled by the chancellor on Thursday.

However, some said the funds  which may not be delivered until June  would come to late for many hairdressers, childminders, freelancers and taxi drivers whose incomes have collapses as a result of the coronavirus.

In a much-anticipated move, Rishi Sunak announced that the self-employed would receive grants worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits up to 2,500 a month, matching the government support given to employees on PAYE.

An additional 115 people have died in the UK over a 24 hour period after contracting the Covid-19 coronavirus, bringing the overall total in the country to 578, the Department of Health has announced.

The department added that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 11,658 on Thursday, up by more than 2,000 from the 9,529 instances reported the previous day.

The latest deaths were people between the ages of 32 and 102, healthcare officials confirmed. All but two, who were aged 71 and 86, had underlying health conditions.

A coronavirus surge is already hitting London  where more than half of Englands infected patients are being treated.

The NHS is scrambling to avert the worst-case scenario, described as armageddon, when the virus reaches its expected peak in seven to 10 days.

It is hoped that the newly assembled temporary hospital at east Londons ExCel centre will be able to bear the brunt of the surge, with NHS leaders ruling out shipping patients elsewhere in the country, so that Covid-19 can be better contained.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reaches more than 82,000, including nearly 1,200 deaths, the US now has more cases than any other country.

The latest global health data collected by Johns Hopkins University shows the US eclipsing hard-hit countries Italy and China as the nation struggles with a consistent response after delayed efforts to take the mounting Covid-19 crisis seriously.

On Thursday, Margaret Harris with the World Health Organization warned that the US was likely to become the worlds viral epicentre as the number of cases escalated in several states, including New York, which spiked to more than 33,000 cases.

Downing Street has blamed an administrative error for the UKs failure to sign up to an emergency EU scheme to help procure vital medical equipment to fight coronavirus.

After an outcry about the refusal to take part in the programme, a government spokesperson claimed that initial communication problems meant the UK was confused about whether it could take part.

The claim from No 10 comes despite EU officials being clear in public from early on that the UK could be involved, with a spokesperson stating on 19 March that Britain was eligible to participate because it was in the Brexit transition period and is thus being treated like a member state.

Critics accused Boris Johnson of taking an ideological stand against participating in the EU scheme, a charge which No 10 denies.

The British public could use their daily exercise session permitted during the coronavirus lockdown as an opportunity to get super fit, the deputy chief medical officer for England has suggested.

Appearing at a Downing Street press conference, Dr Jenny Harries also insisted the UK must not take our foot off the pedal as social distancing measures were beginning to have an impact on the spread of Covid-19.

Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon AFP/Getty Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome Reuters

Couples with time on their hands during the coronavirus lockdown should consider using contraception, Scotlands chief medical officer says.

The need for maternity services cannot be paused, and people should ask themselves whether the time was right to have a baby, Catherine Calderwood said.

Pregnant women are more likely to become severely ill with flu when they are pregnant, according to the New Scientist, partly because pregnancy suppresses the immune system, and because in the later stages, the foetus can squash organs, including the lungs.

Alcohol is an unhelpful coping strategy for the possible stress and isolation of coronavirus lockdown, a World Health Organisation (WHO) expert has warned.

The UN agency acknowledged that many turn to drugs and alcohol in times of crisis, as a new survey suggested the pandemic has caused nearly two thirds of adults in the UK to feel anxious or worried.

But using substances to cope can make things worse, cautioned Dr Aiysha Malik, a technical officer at WHO Europes mental health and substance abuse department.

It is also vital that drug and alcohol services remain accessible throughout lockdown, Dr Malik said, as those with substance use disorders may face a higher risk of relapse.

Doctors and nurses on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City have revealed unthinkable working conditions to The Independent while the state grapples with a severe shortage of life-saving medical supplies.

As the city finds itself at the core of an unfolding nationwide crisis, with more confirmed Covid-19 cases than anywhere else in the country, hospital staff and medical volunteers in New York are resorting to sewing their own makeshift face masks while fearing they will soon contract the novel virus due to a lack of proper protocol.

My colleagues and I are re-using N95 masks for days at a time, which was unthinkable before, A resident physician at Mount Sinai Hospital said on Thursday. Look, were doing things that at any other time would be considered unsafe practice and that we would be called out for. But theres simply no other option given the volume that were dealing with. We were not prepared for this.

Joe Biden has released a new campaign video, attacking Donald Trumps response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Democratic attack ad, paid for by Joe Biden for President, tracks Mr Trumps response to the pandemic from the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in the the US on 22 January to 22 March, two months later.

The video shows Mr Trump claiming to have the outbreak under control in January, saying its going to disappear, one day its like a miracle it will disappear.

It then skips to 28 February, where Mr Trump is still downplaying the outbreak, telling reporters that now the Democrats are politicising, and this is their new hoax.

As the number of cases start to rise, the president responds to a question asking him how hed rate his response to the outbreak, saying: Id rate it a 10. I think weve done a great job.

Crime has plummeted in some of Americas biggest cities, after millions were ordered to stay at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Without crowded public spaces, transport use and open businesses, criminals have almost nowhere to commit offences. That comes as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US exceeded 55,000.

New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have all recorded a drop in crime since measures to deal with the outbreak were introduced.

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

All 5,000 US Navy sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier will be tested for coronavirus after 23 members of the crew tested positive for the virus.

The San Diego-based ship will be quarantined in Guam while the sailors are tested for the virus.

McClatchy DC reported that the ship was on deployment in the Pacific and had just completed a visit to Da Nang, Vietnam, on 9 March. The first infected sailors were identified 15 days later.

Millions of Americans across the country face an additional hardship in their efforts to protect themselves from the coronavirus  lack of access to running water.

A 2016 survey of utility companies published by Food & Water Watch revealed that as many as 15 million people, or five per cent of households, could be without running water in any year.

With the first line of defence against the coronavirus pandemic being hand washing, people are struggling to maintain basic levels of hygiene to avoid getting ill, often relying on bottled water.

Even with coronavirus raging through Europe and the Americas, Russias leadership has confidently rejected the prospect of an emergency at home.

Vladimir Putin certainly has reason enough to be sanguine about the situation. The number of confirmed cases has yet to accelerate out of control, and his government has acted decisively on a number of fronts from contact tracing to closing its borders.

But on Thursday night the Kremlin was being tested by reports that the coronavirus had made its way to the heart of government.
Kellyanne Conway on Thursday blamed Bill de Blasio for the spread of coronavirus in New York City after the Mayor told people 'to go out on the town' in tweet earlier this month.

The White House adviser told Fox News she was 'not playing politics' but added: 'You have a mayor saying, "Look at me, I'm on the subway, go out on the town".

'He told people through a tweet on March 2, "Go live your lives and go out on the town," and then recommended what show everybody go see.'

Conway was referring to a March 2 tweet from de Blasio in which he made movie recommendations.

He wrote: 'Since I'm encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, I thought I would offer some suggestions.'

Nearly 22,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus in NYC and the death toll stood at 281 by Thursday afternoon. The city is now the epicenter of the U.S outbreak.

Kellyanne Conway on Wednesday blamed Bill de Blasio for the spread of coronavirus in New York City after the Mayor told people 'to go out on the town' in tweet earlier this month

Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday his goal of reopening the city's schools by April 20

Conway was referring to a March 2 tweet from de Blasio in which he made movie recommendations. He wrote: 'Since I'm encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, I thought I would offer some suggestions'

Speaking Wednesday Conway said. 'So it's very unfortunate that we now have the spread in the whole New York metro area, which as you all know includes many parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania. I personally know people who commute from Pennsylvania into New York for work  into New York City for work.

'That obviously includes heavily the commuting counties in and around New York City, which didn't go into lockdown until almost a week ago, unfortunately.'

White House officials said Tuesday that anyone who has recently been to New York should self quarantine for 14 days.

Dr Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House task force, warned that people leaving the hardest hit area of the United States might not be sick, but could have been exposed to the virus.

A medical worker directs a patient to enter a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center

She said: 'Everybody who was in New York should be self-quarantining for the next 14 days to ensure that the virus doesn't spread to others, no matter where they have gone, whether it's Florida, North Carolina, or out to far, far reaches of Long Island.'

Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday his goal of reopening the city's schools by April 20, despite the dramatically escalating coronavirus outbreak which saw 100 deaths in the state in one day.

De Blasio predicted that the city is to see the worst of the pandemic in April and May but still hopes to see students return to class before the crisis eases up.

On Thursday afternoon, the mayor visited Brooklyn Navy Yard where 120,000 face masks are expected to be made by local business in the coming days to ease the growing strain on the healthcare system severely lacking in supplies.

He teased an announcement that desperately needed ventilators will be soon be produced locally.

As of Thursday morning, there are 21,873 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the five boroughs, according the the Health Department.

Of those, 11,967 people, or 55 percent, are younger than 50 years old but the majority of those who have died have been older.

An FDNY medical worker wears personal protective equipment outside a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York City on Wednesday

Nobody under 18 has died of COVID-19 in New York City and 96 percent of deaths have had an underlying illness.

Health officials believe the cases confirmed in New York City is still just a fraction of the number truly infected in the city as hospitals and health care structures begin to buckle under the weight of patients, the high number of deaths, and the extreme lack of ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE).

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered a somber update on Thursday morning as the number of deaths in the state was revealed to be 100 in the past 24 hours alone.

'That's what comes first: the rate of increase in the number of cases,' he said.

'That's what we are looking for.'
Earlier in March, Trend Micro published research on a watering-hole campaign targeting users in Southeast Asia with powerful spyware called LightSpy. Following that research, Kaspersky's Global Research and Analysis Team shared some important additional details on this attack targeting mobile users through links on various forums and communications channels.

In their research, published on Securelist.com, Kaspersky provides an analysis of:

- The surveillance framework's deployment timeline starting from January 2020 - Previously unknown samples of the LightSpy Android implants- Traces of implants targeting Windows, Mac and Linux based computers along with Linux-based routers- New indicators of compromise and some other details about the attack

What is known about the LightSpy attacks?

Actors behind the campaign distribute links to malicious websites mimicking the original ones that are likely to be frequented by potential victims. Once a target visits the weaponized website, a custom exploit chain tries to execute a shellcode, which leads to the deployment of the full original malware on the victim's phone.

Landing page of watering hole site

The malware is successfully targeting iPhones running versions of iOS up to version 12.2. Users running the latest version of iOS, 13.4, should be safe from these exploits. Users of Android OS-based devices are also in the crosshairs - researchers found several versions of the implant that target this platform. In addition, Kaspersky researchers identified some indicators of the existence of malware targeting Mac, Linux and Windows-based computers, along with Linux-based routers.

The research also discovered the malware is being spread through forum posts and replies, as well as popular communications platforms by posting links to the deployed landing pages. Once the website has been visited, the malware jailbreaks the victim's device, giving the attackers the ability to record calls and audio, read certain messengers and more.

The information currently available does not make it possible to attribute the operation to any known advanced persistence threat actor (APT), which is why Kaspersky has temporarily dubbed the attackers "TwoSail Junk".

"We tracked this particular framework and infrastructure beginning in January this year. It is an interesting example of an agile approach to developing and deploying surveillance framework in Southeast Asia. This innovative strategy is something we have seen before from SpringDragon, and LightSpy's targeting geolocation falls within the previous regional targeting of the SpringDragon/LotusBlossom/Billbug APT, as does the infrastructure and "evora" backdoor use. Although the campaign peaked in February - that is when we saw the highest growth of links leading to the malicious site - it is still active and we continue monitoring it," comments Alexey Firsh, a security researcher at Kaspersky's Global Research and Analysis Team.

To avoid falling victim to waterholing and other targeted attacks such as this, Kaspersky recommends the following:

Try to avoid suspicious links promising exclusive content, especially if they are shared on social media. Refer to official sources for trustworthy and legitimate information.

Check the website's authenticity. Do not visit websites until you are sure that they are legitimate and start with 'https'. Confirm that the website is genuine, by double-checking the format of the URL or the spelling of the company name, reading reviews about it and checking the domain's registration data.

Choose a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Security Cloud for effective personal protection against known and unknown threats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Add CoolSocial badge. Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Wpdailyhoroscopes.com scored 52 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 5 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

wpdailyhoroscopes.com is very popular in Facebook. Furthermore its facebook page has 11 likes.

Add a widget like this on your site: click here

The total number of people who shared the wpdailyhoroscopes homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the wpdailyhoroscopes homepage on Twitter + the total number of wpdailyhoroscopes followers (if wpdailyhoroscopes has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the wpdailyhoroscopes homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if wpdailyhoroscopes has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the wpdailyhoroscopes homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the wpdailyhoroscopes homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE WordPress Daily Horoscope plugin DESCRIPTION WordPress Daily Horoscope plugin. Display daily horoscopes on your Wordpress website. We also offer other free WordPress astrology plugins. KEYWORDS wordpress daily horoscopes plugin, wordpress astrology plugins, wordpress daily horoscope OTHER KEYWORDS



The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.22 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.22 OpenSSL/0.9.8e-fips-rhel5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 (PHP/5.2.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of wpdailyhoroscopes.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for wpdailyhoroscopes.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/pages/Daily-Horoscopes-online/505715902790496 DESCRIPTION Daily Horoscopes for your website. Go to http://www.wpdailyhoroscopes.com/ LIKES 11 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 2 PAGE TYPE Product/service TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
The photo Fred Dowling says is of his grandmother, Annie Lewis. Credit:Justin McManus The Bangerang campaign is in part underpinned by Dowlings claim to be a descendant of Mary Jane Milawa, an Aboriginal woman of historical significance who lived in Wangaratta at the time of white settlement. By claiming Milawa as an apical ancestor on behalf of the Bangerang, Dowling strengthens his peoples claim to be recognised as the traditional owners of Wangaratta. The ancestral links which connect todays Indigenous population to traditional culture, language groups and country are the map by which Victoria will be divided into a series of treaties with its First Nations people. Nowhere is this process more fractious than across the states bitterly divided north-east, where the failed Yorta Yorta native title claim has left a generation of unresolved territorial and tribal feuds. The case against Fred Dowling, contained in a 115-page dossier, is detailed and deeply political. He is accused of falsely claiming to be Aboriginal, of fabricating his links to the Bangerang and stealing the identity of Mary Jane Milawa, a woman who died in Wangaratta in 1888. His accusers, Dhudhuroa Waywurru Aboriginal Corporation chair Garry Murray and representatives from the Waywurru, Dhudhuroa and Ngurai Illum Wurrung groups, are in conflict with Bangerang over claims to ancestors and country.

The case is also personal. Megan Carter first came across Fred Dowling when she was researching her own family history and Aboriginal heritage. She is a descendant of Big Queen Mary, a sister of Mary Jane Milawa who was married to the chieftain of the Waywurru people, King Brangy. The Waywurru say Wangaratta falls within their traditional lands. Megan Carter, a relative of Mary Jane Milawa. Credit:Rhett Wyman Dowling says Milawa was the sister of his maternal great-grandmother, a woman he calls Luana. This history is set in stone in Wangaratta, where Dowling and his family paid for a plaque and headstone commemorating Milawa as a Bangerang woman. Carter has examined Dowlings connection to Milawa and believes it is fake. She says Dowling has stolen her ancestor.

The crux of the dispute is Freddie Dowling was married to an Aboriginal woman and he decided that he would claim to be Aboriginal, she says. He found Mary Jane Milawa, seemingly the last woman of her tribe, and adopted her as his own under fraudulent pretences. "A coveted ancestor": Mary Jane Milawa, who died in 1888. Fred Dowling says he is the great-grandson of Milawa's sister. Others say there is no evidence such a sister existed. Mary Jane Milawa is a coveted ancestor to have. Yorta Yorta failed with that native title claim, Bangerang want a second crack and shes the key to Wangaratta and those territories. With this advent of 'woke' culture, where people want to support Indigenous people and Indigenous communities and know about what country they are living on, he has been able to tap into that at Wangaratta." It is a dispute that has nothing to do with skin colour. Dowling is fair-skinned, as are Carter and some of his other accusers. Professor Wendy Brabham, an Aboriginal educator who traces her heritage to the Wamba Wamba, Wergaia, Nyeri Nyeri and Dhudhoroa, says the problem is the lack of rigour attached to researching the genealogies that make up the clans or family groups of traditional owners. You cant play around with the politics of identity and confirmation of identity. It is not fair to our ancestors or future generations. It is up to Freddie Dowling now to prove it, Brabham says.

Loading This is where it becomes difficult. Dowlings parents and ancestors are dead. So too are the elders who vouched for him as a Bangerang man when, in the shadow of the contentious Yorta Yorta claim, he emerged as an influential and popular cultural figure and storyteller in the campaign for Bangerang recognition. Dowling says he has never profited from his Aboriginal heritage and The Age has seen no evidence he has. He moved to Wangaratta in the 1970s with his then wife, an Aboriginal woman. His five sons are unquestionably Aboriginal through their mother. His cultural influence can be found in Wangarattas schools, where Dowling was for many years a regular guest speaker, and in his self-published books about Bangerang history and stories. He is a director of the Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation. Support for him runs deep within Wangarattas civic institutions and historical societies. I know what I know, he says. I know who my ancestors were." On the day The Age visits Fred Dowling, friends and family come to support him. Ian Davidson, the vice-president of Wangaratta Land Care and Sustainability Inc, says he cant think of anyone who has done more than Uncle Freddie to promote Indigenous culture and understanding in the Wangaratta district.

Davidson despairs that the push towards reconciliation is fracturing along ancestral lines. This sort of stuff is so destructive and hurtful, he says. Instead of being an inclusive process where all of us can be part of supporting what goes on, it is about picking winners. At the end of the day he is a leader, certainly in a Wangaratta sense. To me, this is really a witch hunt; its an effort to discredit him and the standing of Bangerang. Rodney Dowling, one of Freds sons, is angry that his fathers cultural heritage - and by extension his own - is being challenged. Darren Atkinson, a Bangerang man who serves with Dowling on the board of the Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation, says Fred Dowling has been at the forefront of his peoples struggle to be recognised on country which, under an agreement with the Victorian government struck after the failed native title claim, has already been allocated to the Yorta Yorta. It would be a shame to see him go out after all the years of fighting hard, Atkinson says. Itd be a shame to have it happen to a beautiful old man who has got a lot of dear knowledge and a lot of dear stories of connection. Rodney Dowling (left) with his father Fred and portraits of Fred's grandmother Annie Lewis and Mary Jane Milawa. Credit:Justin McManus

The relationship between the Bangerang and the Yorta Yorta typifies the First Nations tensions that plague northern Victoria. Bangerang, also written as Pangerang and more recently as Bpangerang, is a term synonymous with Yorta Yorta when referring to traditional country, culture and language. It is, principally, a 28-year fight over a name. Loading The feud between those who identify with Yorta Yorta and those who prefer the term Bangerang began when the architects of the native title claim opted to call it the Yorta Yorta claim without reference to the Bangerang. The Yorta Yorta claim, one of the first to be lodged after the Mabo decision, was rejected by Federal Court Justice Howard Olney in 1998. Since then, the Yorta Yorta have been formally recognised by the Victorian government as the traditional owners of 50,000 hectares of Crown land which the Bangerang claim as their own. The Yorta Yorta have also been accepted by the government as a Registered Aboriginal Party, a status which gives them control over issues relating to cultural heritage on their traditional lands. The Bangerang have twice had RAP applications rejected. It was during the failed Yorta Yorta claim that serious doubts about Fred Dowlings connections to the Bangerang and Mary Jane Milawa were first raised.

In 1996, Dowling provided a statement to Wayne Atkinson, a Yorta Yorta elder, for the purposes of the native title claim. Dowling claimed he grew up in Wangaratta with his mother and learned about country from his fathers mother, Annie Milawa (Lewis). He further claimed that his great-grandmother was Luana, a word meaning "water lily", and that Luana was the sister of Mary Jane Milawa. Dowling told Atkinson that Annie Milawa was buried at the Cummeragunja mission and that his father Francis showed him how to hunt and taught him Pangerang language. Dowlings purported ancestry was reviewed by Helen Harris, a professional genealogist and historian called as an expert witness by the Victorian government during the Yorta Yorta claim. She told the Federal Court: I have been unable to find any documentary proof of the existence of anyone named Luana. I believe that whether Luana existed or not is irrelevant at this stage, because the claimant Fred Dowling has shown no possible connection to either her or Mary Jane Milawa. Dowling tells The Age that Luanas English name was Rose Anna. He says Luana grew up at Wahgunyah, on the banks of the Murray, and travelled as a young woman by paddle steamer to Adelaide. It was there she met and married an Englishman, Edmund Lewis, Dowling says. Annie Lewis was their daughter. The public records included in the complaint against Dowling before the First Peoples Assembly suggest a very different family history. The marriage certificate of Edmund Lewis and Rosannah Large shows they were wed in Greenwich District in the English county of Kent in 1853. The South Australian Government Gazette records that the following year, Edmund and "Rosamond" Lewis arrived in Port Adelaide aboard the sailing ship Pestonjee Bomanjee to start a new life in the colonies.

The 1853 marriage certificate of Edmund Lewis and Rosannah Large from the English county of Kent. A South Australian birth certificate transcript shows that Annie Lewis, the daughter of Edmund Lewis and "Rose Anna" Large, was born in Adelaide in 1861. Public records show she first married in Adelaide, moved to Melbourne and then broke up with her husband, a white man named Thomas Overton Haywood. At the time, they were living in a house in Collingwood, three doors up from a local musician named James Dowling. James Dowling moved in with Annie Lewis. They had a son named Francis - Fred Dowling's father. The public records do not indicate Annie Lewis and James Dowling ever lived in Wangaratta or on the traditional lands of the Bangerang, including the Warby Ranges. They lived in Abbotsford until James died. After Annie remarried a second time, she remained in inner-city Melbourne, at a Collingwood address. Annie Lewis is buried in Cheltenham, not Cummeragunja, as Dowling previously claimed. I dont know why I said that, Dowling tells The Age. I must have got mixed up between Cummeragunja and Cheltenham. The picture of the woman Fred Dowling says is Annie Lewis is a cropped version of an original photograph held by the Corowa Federation Museum in southern NSW. The original is a picture of six Indigenous people. The museum has no information about the identity of anyone in the photograph or how it came into their possession. In a 1973 book about the history of Corowa published by the local shire council, the image was reproduced with the caption "Aborigines of Lake Moodemere". Lake Moodemere is near Wahgunyah, just across the border. When all this is put to Fred Dowling, he is more confused than angry. He accepts the records show his great-grandparents were white but insists his grandmother was Aboriginal. He cant see how Luana, his link to Mary Jane Milawa, now fits into his family tree, but insists that she must. Those two that came on the boat, I accept that. But somehow she came into it. I dont know how. Maybe somebody jumped the fence.
The management of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, through its Twitter handle @LOSairport, announced on Thursday that there would be a special repatriation flight and that the aircraft would come in from Cotonou, Benin Republic, for the purpose of evacuating some foreign nationals from the country.

The move became necessary following the corona-virus epidemic which is currently ravaging nations.

Read Also: Nigerians Remind T.B Joshua Of His Prophesy That Coronavirus Will Disappear By March 27

According to reports, the operation got special consideration from the ministry of aviation as the nation is currently under lockdown.

See tweet below:

https://twitter.com/LOSairport/status/1243164612650024961?s=20
Open source

In Sumy region, where a pensioner died from coronavirus, four more cases of infection were discovered, as the Sumy Regional State Administration reports.

Two cases of coronavirus were found in Konotop district. The people who came into contact with the deceased woman got sick with a coronavirus; they are on self-isolation.

Two more cases were confirmed in the regional center. One person was hospitalized, another one is on self-isolation. All patients are in a stable condition.

In the Zhytomyr region, another woman was found to have coronavirus. She was in contact with the deceased 71-year-old pensioner. Thus, five cases of coronavirus have already been reported in the region.

New cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There, two residents of the regional center and one from Nikopol got infected. The patients returned from Spain, France and the UAE. Thus, there are already six confirmed cases of coronavirus in the region.

The press service of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration added that one resident of the regional center was cured of coronavirus. The man fell ill with his wife, but her test so far has been negative.

The couple returned from France, they immediately isolated themselves and turned to doctors. The man is already preparing for the discharge, but his wife still remains at a hospital.

As we reported earlier, an extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada will be held on Monday, they will pass a law on the sale of land.
BAY CITY, MI  A woman recently went to a Bay City hospital with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. A doctor there diagnosed her with the virus, but did not collect a sample from her to test for the virus.

Why?

According to McLaren Bay Region, collection kits are in short supply and the woman did not meet the necessary criteria for testing. As with many hospitals throughout the state, McLaren in Bay City is not gathering samples for COVID-19 testing on an outpatient basis.

The state has been very concerned about the fact that they can only do 250 tests per day, said Dr. Norman Chapin, chief medical officer at McLaren Bay Region. When this whole pandemic began, there was a huge shortfall of collection kits.

Hospitals in Michigan have been instructed by state officials to reserve collections swabs and kits for those patients who are both suffering from coronavirus symptoms and have a severity level requiring hospital admittance, Chapin said.

Chapin answered some questions by MLive/The Bay City Times after 22-year-old Bay City resident Alexis M. Lopez said she went to McLaren Bay Region suffering from coronavirus-symptoms but did not submit samples for testing. Lopez said a doctor assessed her, said she likely had coronavirus, and sent her home with a packet of information and recommended she self-quarantine for 14 days.

Lopez later visited Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw and submitted to blood samples and nose swab, she said. She learned on Monday, March 23, she had tested positive for coronavirus, making her the second person in Bay County to do so, she said.

McLaren is working increase its stock of collection kits, Chapin said.

At the time patients have been presenting, weve been adhering to state guidelines and weve been working feverishly to expand our (collection kit) inventory, Chapin continued. Weve been reaching out to suppliers and trying to obtain more of collection kits so that we would be in position to partner with the state when their ability to do more tests  comes online and can start doing testing.

Samples are now being tested at both state and private laboratories.

Guidelines from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, as forwarded to MLive by Bay County Health Department Director Joel Strasz, state the following:

Given the shortage of specimen collection and laboratory testing resources for COVID-19 in the nation and revised guidance from the U.S. Public Health Service, MDHHS is revising the prioritization criteria for the collection and testing of specimens for COVID-19 testing. At this time, Priority Groups One and Two in the PHS Guidance ( https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html ) are eligible for testing by health care providers in Michigan:

1. Ensuring optimal care options for all hospitalized patients, lessen the risk of healthcare associated infections, and maintain the integrity of the U.S. healthcare system. This includes:

 Hospitalized patients

 Healthcare facility workers with symptoms

2. Ensuring that those at highest risk of complication of infection are rapidly identified and appropriately triaged. This includes:

 Patients in long-term care facilities with symptoms

 Patients over age 65 years with symptoms

 Patients with underlying conditions with symptoms

 First responders with symptoms

The MDHHS further recommended health care providers first attempt to rule out other contagions through available tests before testing for coronavirus.

Covenant HealthCare spokeswoman Kristin Knoll declined to comment on why Lopez would have been given the test at Covenant. On its website, Covenant states that with limited testing kits across the nation, providers will use their judgment of a patients symptoms, contact history and risk factors to evaluate a patient.

Those who visit McLaren Bay Region with coronavirus-like symptoms are assessed by medical professionals.

We make sure their symptoms do not warrant admission to the hospital and provide them with instructions about sheltering at home and give them instructions about warning signs and what to watch for if the virus or condition progresses, Chapin said. We are looking forward to the time when we can partner with the state to implement outpatient testing and were working on plans as to how we would do that. At this point in time, we are not at point where were doing that; we hope to be there relatively soon.

Magen Samyn, McLaren Bay Regions vice president of marketing and business development, said the hospital still has some collection supplies and will use them on patients who meet the criteria for coronavirus testing.

McLaren Bay Region has been working closely with the Bay County Health Department on this issue as well. The Health Department advises those who have coronavirus-like symptoms to call their doctor, who will determine if testing is necessary and will advise the caller how to proceed.

Unfortunately, there are not enough tests nationally or in Michigan for every person to be tested, states the Health Department on its website. But were working with officials to address that shortage so that people who are exhibiting symptoms can be tested.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, there have been 2,856 positive coronavirus cases throughout Michigan, four of which are from Bay County, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Sixty deaths have been linked to the contagion.

Related:

www.mlive.com/coronavirus

Hospitals need more supplies to process COVID-19 tests, get results

Bay City woman with coronavirus: Save yourself and save others health as well'

Bay County adds coronavirus test numbers to its website, reports fourth case

Act as if you have the coronavirus, urges doctor who tested positive

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus
LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, while the number of infections in the United States surged to the most in the world and Spain announced a record number of virus deaths overnight.

Johnson's office said the prime minister was tested after showing mild symptoms for the new coronavirus and is self-isolating and continuing to lead Britain's response to the pandemic.

Be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead the national fightback against coronavirus," Johnson said in a video message, adding that he had a temperature and persistent cough.

Several weeks ago, Johnson had pledged he would "go on shaking hands with everybody.

Johnson, 55, was the first leader of a major nation known to have contracted COVID-19; German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been in isolation since her doctor tested positive for the virus, but her first two tests have been negative.

Earlier this week Britains Prince Charles said he had tested positive.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has been at the forefront of nations response to the outbreak, also was confirmed to have tested positive for the virus. Britain has 11,658 confirmed cases of the virus, and 578 people have died.
Shocking new photos show 13 crew members from two Costa cruise ships being treated by medics after they were brought to shore by lifeboat in Miami on Thursday suffering symptoms of coronavirus.

The crew members, who were on board the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica, were all in need of 'life-critical care' due to respiratory problems.

Doctors and nurses were seen the temperatures of several of the cruise ship employees, who were all clad in hazmat suits.

The sickly crew members were then taken to hospital via ambulance for further treatment, and to be tested for COVID-19.

There are an 1,926 crew members who remain on board the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica, which are both anchored off the coast of Miami.

There were initially hopes that the boats would be allowed to dock in the city, but a company spokesman told DailyMail.com Friday that they have not been granted permission to do so.

Instead, the crew will remain on board the boats until charters can be organized to repatriate them to their home countries. A majority of the crew are reported to be from Europe and Asia.

All passengers on board both ships were able to disembark the boats in the Caribbean earlier this month, as crew remained on board.

Shocking new photos show 13 crew members from two Costa cruise ships being treated by medics after they were brought to shore by lifeboat in Miami on Thursday suffering symptoms of coronavirus

Doctors and nurses were seen the temperatures of several of the cruise ship employees, who were all clad in hazmat suits

The sickly crew members were then taken to hospital via ambulance for further treatment, and to be tested for COVID-19

There are 1,926 crew members who remain on board the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica, which are both anchored off the coast of Miami. They have not been allowed to dock in the city. The Costa

The Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica both set off on 7 and 14 night Caribbean cruises earlier this month, according to the Miami Herald.

However, the journeys were interrupted March 13, when parent company Carnival Corporations announced it would suspend operations for 30 days amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

All passengers and a small number of crew were able to disembark the boats back in Guadeloupe and nearby Martinique.

Three passengers and three crew members from the Costa Favolosa who left the vessel subsequently tested positive to COVID-19

One passenger and one crew member from the Costa Magica also tested positive for the highly contagious virus.

In the 13 days since passengers disembarked, the ships have been traveling around the Caribbean in search of a place to port - until the United States intervened.

One of the sickly crew is seen sitting in a wheelchair while he is checked by health experts

The crew members wore hazmat suits and were inspected by medics once they arrived on dry land, and several ambulances were on standby to escort them to hospital

Medics weren't taking any changes, donning gowns and protective masks and gloves as they brought crew members to shore

Startling footage filmed Thursday afternoon saw more than a dozen crew from the the Costa Favolosa and the Costa Magica jump into lifeboats in order to reach mainland United States

The two cruise ships had been blocked from entering ports in the Caribbean

Miami's Jackson Health Systems told CBS that they will work with Baptist Health to treat sick crew members

In a statement the US Coast Guard, told The Miami Herald: 'The Coast Guard is monitoring the situation of both underway passenger vessels and is working with federal, state, and local port partners as coordination efforts are made to assist any mariners and crew that need higher medical care.'

Miami's Jackson Health Systems told CBS that they will work with Baptist Health to treat sick crew members.

'While we are all committed to preserving resources for our own residents, an international community like Miami would never turn our backs on people aboard ships at our shores,' they stated.

'A team from Jackson's emergency department worked with the US Coast Guard and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to receive these symptomatic patients at the Coast Guard station, and they will be hospitalized at our three systems until they can safely return home'.

One passenger and one crew member from the Costa Magica (pictured) tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. The boat is pictured off the coast of Miami Thursday

Several cruise ships have seen COVID-19 outbreaks in recent weeks, with experts claiming that the close confines of thousands of people make the vessels a perfect breeding ground for the highly contagious virus.

Earlier this month, at least 103 passengers from the Grand Princess cruise also tested positive for COVID-19.

Last month, more than 700 people on board cruise ship Diamond Princess also contracted the disease. Eight of those people died in relation to the virus.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Theres a Code Blue, after Code Blue, after Code Blue every night, said an ER nurse at Staten Island University Hospitals Princes Bay campus, referencing the hospital terminology for cardiac arrest.

My co-workers are all leaving work and were crying, said the nurse, who requested anonymity for this story. Its definitely hard in every which way  physically, mentally.

In interviews with five Staten Island nurses, all of who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, concerns over a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), an influx of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients and the stress of increasingly difficult work shifts are apparent effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the boroughs health care workers.

LACK OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Two nurses from Staten Island University Hospitals (SIUH) Ocean Breeze campus  one who works in maternity and another in the ER  said that a lack of protective equipment is leaving some nurses worried for their health.

Having the proper equipment  thats key in preventing the spread, the maternity nurse said.

Both nurses said the hospital, while not disallowing nurses to exchange their N95 masks periodically, is recommending that health care workers use their masks for a week straight  storing them in bags at the hospital in-between shifts.

To save it in a bag for a week is just deplorable and just unacceptable, the maternity nurse said.

While acknowledging a nationwide shortage of the masks and intermittent shipments of PPE, the ER nurse said that her already-stressful shifts are being made even more difficult by the concern over becoming sick because of a lack of new masks.

I feel like Im thinking about this day and night, she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that a respirator must maintain its fit and function for safe extended use," adding that, Although extended use and reuse of respirators have the potential benefit of conserving limited supplies of disposable N95 respirators, concerns about these practices have been raised.

Workers in other industries routinely use N95 respirators for several hours uninterrupted," the guidance says. "Experience in these settings indicates that respirators can function within their design specifications for 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use.

At Staten Island University Hospitals Princes Bay campus, the situation regarding PPE is nearly identical.

An ER nurse at the site said the hospital is rationing PPE when possible, but added that the hospital did provide pretty nice face shields for nurses.

However, the nurse said the problem is still the N95 masks," adding that the Princes Bay hospital is also recommending nurses use the masks for a week before changing them. She has been using hers so much that the bands are getting stretched out, she said.

Christian Preston, a spokesman for SIUH, said the hospital system has adequate supplies of PPE and gets deliveries daily, but warned, we need to pay close attention to our stores to prepare for a surge.

All staff currently caring for the patient are following CDC guidelines and Northwells existing clinical protocols for maintaining airborne and contact precautions, including wearing all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), Preston said.

A labor and delivery nurse at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) in West Brighton said that there are no N95 masks available on her floor, adding that those masks are being used specifically for those in the closest contact with confirmed patients.

If we need it, we have to call the nursing office and they have to scramble to find us some, the nurse said, adding that other supplies are also in short-order  including bleach wipes, sanitizer and other disinfectants.

Its truly a nightmare, she said.

Dr. Daniel J. Messina, president and chief executive officer of RUMC, said: We recognize the essentiality of the role our medical staff, nurses and professionals play in helping the entire healthcare industry navigate this crisis together. Our hospital is thoroughly committed to protecting our staff first and foremost. We are following the protocols developed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to ensure our doctors, nurses and ancillary staff are fully protected and can care for our patients in complete safety and with peace of mind."

We are carefully managing our PPE supplies so that we can care for our current patients and also be prepared for any patient surge that may be coming, Messina continued in a written statement. We have received tremendous support since the beginning from corporations, local organizations and individuals on Staten Island and outside the borough who have provided us with surgical masks, N95 masks and other supplies to protect our staff and patients.

"We have also received similar support and assistance from our elected officials, New York State Department of Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Greater New York Hospital Association. All of this support reflects the unbelievable camaraderie of our Staten Island neighbors and the unity Richmond University Medical Center shares with all of New York City.

OFF-ISLAND HOSPITALS

Outside of Staten Island, other hospitals are also beginning to feel the sting of a supply shortage.

One nurse  a Staten Islander who works in a Brooklyn hospital  said, Our stocks arent necessarily low as far as I know, referencing PPE, but we are doing the rationing so that they wont get low before a replenishment arrives."

That means that weve been using surgical masks and reusing them unless we are seeing a patient who is 100% certainly exposed or a COVID patient suspected, the nurse said. The goggles we have are reusable, not disposable, he added, adding that gloves and gowns seem to be in decent supply at the Brooklyn hospital.

However, with the concerns around PPE spreading to hospitals across the city and state, the nurse said the worry of becoming a transmitter of the virus is an enormous mental strain, an enormous emotional strain.

But we dont have a choice, he said. We have to show up.

53 Fighting the coronavirus: NYC on pause

AS CASES RISE, OPEN BEDS DWINDLE

Nurses at Staten Islands three hospitals are concerned that the rate of current hospitalizations could lead to a worst-case scenario where facilities become completely filled in the coming weeks.

As of Thursday, there were 189 confirmed coronavirus patients hospitalized in the boroughs two hospital systems, along with 28 fatalities. Staten Island University Hospitals system has seen 17 deaths, and four have died at Richmond University Medical Center, according to hospital spokesmen.

Jillian OHara, the SIUH spokeswoman, said 113 individuals were then-hospitalized at the systems campus in Ocean Breeze, with an additional 31 hospitalized in Princes Bay. Alex Lutz, a spokesman for RUMC, said that 45 individuals were hospitalized at the West Brighton hospital, including eight in the Intensive Care Unit, as of Tuesday.

Staffs at RUMC and SIUH are aiming to maximize their capacity well ahead of the potential surge in hospitalizations, the Advance/SILive.com previously reported. We are planning for the worst-case scenario, Lutz said.

All state hospitals, including Staten Islands two systems, are working to increase their bed capacity by 50%, as mandated by the governor. He said Monday that, ideally, hospitals would increase bed capacity by as much as 100%.

However, a nurse at Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay said the hospital is already pretty much filled up.

Beds are becoming partly available because patients are dying, she said.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

At SIUHs Ocean Breeze campus, nurses said were pretty good capacity-wise at this point, but cautioned that its changing though every day.

We go from one day say theres 25 positives; a day later, two days later youre doubling that," one nurse said.

Preston said that SIUH has received additional ventilators, with more on the way.

"As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the region, Northwell Health has been able to increase the number of ventilators it has in its network by 50%, he said.

Both nurses at SIUHs Ocean Breeze campus said they are unsure why the hospital system never set up medical tents it received in order to triage patients.

The Advance/SILive.com reported that SIUH is exploring the possibility of using medical tents to assess patients arriving to the hospital with possible viral illnesses and the coronavirus, those tents have not yet been placed.

Honestly in my opinion I think they missed the boat on it, said one SIUH Ocean Breeze nurse. What helps with the tent is you can triage patients in that tent and only send the ones that need to be admitted into the building itself."

These concerns also extend to other hospital workers at the campus who believe that a triage tent could be integral in limiting exposure to non-coronavirus patients inside the building.

If we get to the point of a full capacity in the hospital and we have no place to put anybody, I would hope they could have a tent that you can put other patients in, the maternity nurse at SIUH said. Hopefully its not going to come to that.

We were told that were okay, that theyre prepared, she said. We just hope and just live by faith in what theyre saying.

Dr. Brahim Adrolic, the executive director of SIUH, said the hospital system never planned on treating seriously ill people in the medical tents, but rather looked at them is an option to utilize if a significant numbers of people with more mild conditions needed to be treated.

Adrolic, in an interview with the Advance/SILive.com, said that borough residents did a good job at staying home and the Ocean Breeze drive-through testing site opened, which contributed to the medical tents not being deployed on SIUH campuses.

The tent is still possible if we get to a point where theres a lot of people who we just need to get a test on or just need to see quickly, but you cant take care of a really sick COVID-positive patient in a tent, you just cant, at least in this kind of tent," he said.

BATTLEFIELD TRIAGE

The Staten Island nurse who works in Brooklyn said the coronavirus pandemic is unveiling deficiencies in the citys healthcare system.

This scenario has never really been properly discussed," he said.

With most hospitals already working at 90% to 100% capacity on a daily basis without a pandemic, "the idea of coming up with preparation to face it is an enormous challenge.

Youre looking at a hospital system across the board that was already stressed to capacity regularly, the nurse said. There is no doubt going to be an overcrowding issue ... as well as ventilators.

If it gets as bad as some of the more extreme predictions have been saying it might get, youre talking at battlefield triage," the nurse said, which describes the war-time effort of selecting patients to treat based on the likelihood of their survival.

Its a mindset that I think a lot of civilian medical providers have never had to think about or put themselves into, and I dont know how well theyll be able to do that because of the fact that its a very, very different mindset," he said.

IM EXHAUSTED

Less than one month after New York City received its first confirmed coronavirus case, the city has become the epicenter of the pandemic  with Staten Island holding the highest rate of positive cases per 100,000 residents, the Advance/SILive.com reported.

And while nurses say that March has become increasingly more difficult, the weeks ahead are shaping up to be more daunting, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the virus is spreading faster than expected in the state.

We are trying to keep it together for our patients ... They are scared, we have to put on a brave face, a RUMC maternity nurse said.

Im exhausted, an SIUH ER nurse commented. Were getting a lot of food  which is nice  donated from different stores, but we dont even have time to eat because its just been so busy.

Because of her exposure, the ER nurse said she is definitely worried about transferring the virus to her child, and said she also has not been visiting her parents out of their safety.

You go home and you just want to stay home, the nurse said. Its exhausting ... but this is what you signed up for.

-- Reporter Sydney Kashiwagi

***

Be the first to know: Sign up for our newsletters; and get breaking news and top stories pushed to your phone with the SILive.com mobile app.

RELATED COVERAGE:

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

How the coronavirus hit Staten Island: A timeline of the pandemic in our borough

Governor seeks to limit coronavirus impact on hospitals
New Delhi: The country is witnessing a complete lockdown due to the threat of coronavirus COVID-19, but there are many warriors who are still performing their duties. Although the government has put a ban on both domestic and international flights in the country, several rescue aircraft are still coming from abroad.

Sanitation workers can be seen at Delhi's airport providing 24-hour hygienic security to those landing through rescue flights. These sanitation fighters are engaged in their work without being tired.

Their contribution to cleaning the airport continues day and night. As soon as passengers pass through a place, it is immediately cleaned so that the airport is protected from any type of virus.

In this day and night cleaning exercise, 80 sweepers are extending their contribution to Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Through these pictures, you will be able to see inside the IGI Airport to understand the kind of dedication these sanitation warriors are putting in to wage a war against the deadly virus.

These pictures also inform you that barring these fighters, there are other Corona warriors present at places like baggage belt, immigration counter, departure and arrival gateway to help citizens away from the effect of the COVID-19.

Notably, the government is working hard to bring back Indian citizens trapped abroad. Between March 14 and March 26, the government has rescued as many as 3,361 Indian and foreign passengers.

The foreign nationals have been sent to their country by special aircraft, while 10 rescue aircraft have arrived here with Indian citizens since March 22.
In Italy, more than 5,000 health care workers  doctors, nurses, technicians, and paramedics  have become infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus since it first emerged in the country in February, with 41 dying.

Most were infected while working in the northern regions of Italy, the areas hit hardest by the coronavirus when it first started spreading. In those early days, health care workers did not have enough protective equipment. "It's as if a storm hit us," Roberto Stellini, a doctor in Brescia, told The Guardian. "The problem is that when this storm hit us we were unprepared, perhaps ignoring what might have been the consequences. Some of the dead were doctors who died at the beginning of the emergency, when we knew nothing about this storm. I knew some of them. Now we are more prepared and we continue to fight."

As of Thursday night, there are 80,500 confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy. Doctors say their mental health is suffering, and they are struggling with their working conditions. A doctor in Lombardy named Anna told The Guardian she is "working in a context I never imagined as a doctor. But when you see COVID-19 patients, above all when you see how they die, in complete solitude, then you forget about your own fatigue. Each doctor also has a personal situation of their own. For example, I have not seen my children for five weeks."

A study recently published in the Lancet showed that in Hubei, China, where the COVID-19 outbreak began, 70 percent of health workers are experiencing extreme stress, 50 percent reported feeling depressed, 44 percent have anxiety, and 34 percent have insomnia. Psychologists believe Italian health care workers will likely face the same issues at the same levels.

More stories from theweek.com

Why Minnesota's coronavirus response is different

Biden could reportedly soon embrace 'key planks' of more progressive agenda

New Oxford study suggests millions of people may have already built up coronavirus immunity


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:07:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to correct its wrongful practice, not to implement the so-called "2019 Taipei Act" and not thwart other nations' pursuit of normal relations with China, otherwise China will answer with resolute countermeasures, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Friday.

Geng made the remarks at a press briefing after U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act Thursday.

The so-called "2019 Taipei Act" has seriously violated the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques as well as basic norms governing international relations, blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs, said Geng, adding that China is strongly deplored and firmly opposed to this practice.

More than 180 nations have established diplomatic relations with China, said Geng, adding that the United States has established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle 41 years ago.

He said the Act blocks other sovereign states from developing normal state-to-state relations with China, which is the logic of flagrant hegemonism.

The Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as China's core interests. The determination and resolution of the Chinese government and people to safeguard their core interests are as firm as a rock, Geng said. Enditem
Healthcare workers in New York City are being told to keep returning to work, even if they have tested positive for the coronavirus, as the city's hospitals battle against the worst outbreak in the United States with 23,112 infections and 365 deaths as of early Friday morning.

Changes in official guidance allow workers who have been exposed to the virus to continue with their shifts if they are not showing symptoms, leaving many fearful that they are increasing the spread, bringing it home to their families, or are going to fall ill themselves.

The guidance is in breach of the advice given the the general public that self-isolation is essential, even if a person if not showing symptoms, as an asymptomatic carrier may still cause damage by infecting others.

It comes the same week that a Manhattan-based emergency room nurse died from coronavirus after working for weeks without break in the crisis response.

A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Center testing team looks out at the line at their COVID-19 testing site on Thursday. Healthcare workers are under strain as the outbreak worsens

Elmhurst Hospital in Queens where 13 patients died of coronavirus in one day this week

Kamini Doobay, an Emergency Medicine Resident physician at NYU Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital, where workers are saying they have never experienced anything like this

Benny Mathew, a nurse at Montefiore Medical Center, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is now worried he may infect his wife and two daughters, hitting out at the lack of equipment

'We just have to hope we don't get infected,' said William da Silva, a nurse at St. Vincent's Hospital in suburban Westchester.

'People are going back to work with COVID-19, and theyre going to infect the patients and each other.'

Da Silva is certain he's been infected, but he said he's been getting the run around from officials all week as he seeks to get tested. Self-quarantined with his pregnant wife and toddler, he's so disillusioned by how hes been treated that he may not go back.

New York State deaths are now at 457

'I've put them all at risk,' Da Silva said of his family. 'I don't think I want to go back to that environment after this because apparently we don't matter. I can't continue working in hospitals after this.'

While the city has meticulously tracked the toll of its outbreak, officials say they do not have numbers on how many health care workers are sick or dying.

Hospital operator Northwell Health said 155 of its 72,000 employees have tested positive for coronavirus.

The New York State Nurses Association said at least 67 nurses had been infected.

The union for the city's EMS workers said more than 50 had tested positive and more than 400 are showing symptoms. One of them, paramedic Christell Cadet, is in critical condition in a Brooklyn ICU.

An FDNY medical worker wears personal protective equipment outside a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center on Wednesday as the infection rate in New York is accelerating

A medical worker directs a patient to enter a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center on Wednesday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo sounded his most dire warning yet that the state could be as close as two weeks away from a crisis that sees 40,000 people in intensive care

A medical worker uses her phone while wearing a surgical mask outside Mt. Sinai West

An FDNY medical worker wears personal protective equipment outside a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center on Wednesday as the crisis begins to overwhelm hospitals

As of Tuesday, at least one health care worker has been killed by coronavirus.

Mount Sinai West emergency room nurse Kious Kelly, 48, died after a ten-day bout with the disease.

He worked at the same hospital where three nurses, frustrated at the scarcity of supplies, posted pictures of themselves on social media wearing makeshift garbage bag protective gowns, an image splashed on Thursday's New York Post cover with the headline: 'TREATED LIKE TRASH.'

A nurse who worked with Kelly for eight years fell ill at the same time.

Emailing the AP from her sick bed, she said Kelly had worked as a supervisor for weeks without a break since the coronavirus started taking hold in New York.

She shared her thoughts on condition of anonymity because she said hospital policy threatens employees with termination for speaking to the media.

'He was helping nurses on the floor, pushing beds, transferring patients,' said the nurse.

'A couple weeks before his death we were talking about his future plans and he was telling me that he would go back to school. I am devastated about his death and cannot stop crying.'

This undated photo shows Kious Kelly. Kelly, an Emergency Room nurse at the Mount Sinai West Hospital in New York, died Tuesday after a bout with the new coronavirus

A shocking photo posted to Facebook shows three nurses at Mount Sinai West wearing black garbage bags as makeshift protective gowns as they protest against the lack of equipment

In a statement Thursday, Mount Sinai Health System denied that the nurses depicted in trash bags were actually using them as protective gear since the real gear could be seen beneath the bags.

'This crisis is straining the resources of all New York area hospitals and while we do - and have had - enough protective equipment for our staff, we will all need more in the weeks ahead,' it said.

At New York City-area hospitals on the front lines of the biggest coronavirus outbreak in the nation, workers are increasingly concerned about the ravages of the illness in their own ranks, and that the lack of testing and protective gear is making it not a matter of if they get it, but when.

'Our emergency room was like a petri dish,' said Benny Mathew, a nurse at Montefiore Medical Center who got word Thursday that he had COVID-19 and is now worried he may infect his wife and two daughters.

'I'm angry. We could have secured enough personal protective equipment months ago. It was happening in China since December,' he said.

'But we thought it was never going to happen here.'

Some hospitals have had so many dying patients that the city brought in refrigerated truck trailers for bodies as a precaution.

At Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, 13 people succumbed to the virus in one day.

City ambulances have seen a surge in calls, responding to nearly 5,800 on Thursday alone.

Several doctors, nurses and paramedics told The Associated Press of deteriorating working conditions in emergency rooms and ICUs that make caretakers even more vulnerable.

Sick patients are placed in beds packed end-to-end. Limited supplies of face masks, gowns and shields have them wearing the same protective equipment all day.

A lack of available ventilators could soon put doctors and nurses in the agonizing position of prioritizing who gets them and who does not.

Armed military personnel and NYC Medical Examiner's Office set up white tents and refrigeration trucks for a makeshift morgue outside Bellevue hospital Wednesday

A woman and child prepare to step into a line to enter a COVID-19 testing site at Elmhurst Hospital Center on Wednesday in New York. New York has enacted strict rules to keep residents inside as much as possible other than for essential needs such as food and medicine

On Wednesday, patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York

It's been a common theme as the virus has spread around the world.

In China, where the outbreak started, over 3,000 medical workers are believed to have been among the more than 80,000 people infected. Health care workers account for about one-tenth of the more than 74,000 infections in Italy, and roughly one-eighth of the 47,600 cases in Spain.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknowledges the ranks of health care workers are thinning while also claiming 'no hospital, no nurse, no doctor can say legitimately, `I dont have protective equipment'.

Medical specialists from other areas have been redeployed to emergency rooms and ICUs, and a volunteer force of 40,000 retired doctors, nurses, therapists and technicians will soon answer the call for reinforcements.

Montefiore emergency room nurse Judy Sheridan said personal protective equipment are 'clearly not being made available in any meaningful way to front line caregivers' and reusing masks will only make them susceptible to contamination.

'This is like telling a person, "Here are three piece of toilet paper,make that last for a week!"' said Sheridan, who is also president of the State Nurses Association.

Barbara Rosen, a registered nurse in New Jersey for more than four decades and a vice president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union, said members are 'scared to death'.

'You're being torn between going out and doing your duty, what you were born to do, which is to take care of sick patients, and getting sick yourself and bringing it home to your family,' she said.

While coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people, older people and those with existing health problems could have a more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Rosen said her union has also heard from nurses using garbage bags to protect their clothing and receiving expired masks that could have decomposed elastic bands, compromising safety.

She called the lack of resources 'unheard of in the medical profession. Its like going into a three-alarm fire with a water pistol'.

Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed Thursday to get health care workers the supplies they need.

'One way or another, we're going to get them to you every day,' he said, adding that the city has enough supplies for this week, at least.

In another effort to bolster the ranks of health care workers, the state is taking up an offer from New York University's medical school to allow students who completed their final year of training to become doctors immediately and help in the citys hospitals.

For Evan Gerber, among about 60 NYU fourth-year medical students who have accepted the battlefield promotion, the furor over personal protective equipment is indeed weighing on his mind.

'Of course Im a little bit nervous to jump into this ... anybody would be,' said the 26-year-old from the Phoenix area. 'Its definitely one of the risks that you take when you enter medicine. One of the big things thats driving fear here is the unknown.'
Thousands of people across the UK have been birdwatching through a webcam showing peregrine falcons nesting at Salisbury Cathedral.

Viewing figures for a live stream showing the pair in their nesting box at the base of the spire have skyrocketed in recent weeks.

The unringed female laid her first egg on Mothering Sunday, with a second arriving on Wednesday and a third early on Friday.

Latest #eggciting news from our Cathedral tower - a third peregrine egg was laid in the early hours of the morning.



Watch our live stream here: https://t.co/sL0a3TfW0e pic.twitter.com/hBEDwOJ6Sx  Salisbury Cathedral (@SalisburyCath) March 27, 2020

Phil Sheldrake, a species recovery officer with the RSPB, said there had been a 16-fold increase in views to the webcam page.

In February to March 2019, a total of 831 people viewed the webcam, but this has risen to a staggering 13,692 over the same period this year.

It is drawing people in, Mr Sheldrake said.

In difficult times, nature is just there, carrying on. The webcam gives us a window into the private lives of a bird we might only get the briefest glimpse of usually.

Peregrines are a bird that just captivates peoples imagination, they are the fastest animals on the planet, they are stunning to look at and are built for speed.

They are a very charismatic species.

The egg laid on Sunday is the earliest first egg since peregrines returned to Salisbury Cathedral in 2014.

Watch the moment from last night when the unringed #peregrine nesting on our tower laid her second egg  #eggciting https://t.co/sL0a3TfW0e pic.twitter.com/NpcwyEmauh  Salisbury Cathedral (@SalisburyCath) March 25, 2020

There are records of the birds nesting at the cathedral between 1864 and 1953, before a long period of absence caused by persecution and the use of certain pesticides.

It is estimated that the population has now recovered to about 1,500 pairs across the UK.

In 2014, a mated pair successfully produced four fledgling chicks in a nestbox at the Wiltshire cathedral.

Since then, peregrines have hatched and fledged from the tower each year apart from 2018.

In their natural environment, they are a bird of the mountains and coastal cliffs, Mr Sheldrake said.

Salisbury Cathedral to a peregrine will look like a mountain.

There are not many nesting sites in the area  the cathedral is like a five-star hotel for them.

They are fiercely territorial and bond for life, but if they lose a partner, they find a new one.

In 2017, a peregrine falcon named Sally at the cathedral featured on the BBCs Springwatch.

A peregrine falcon chick (Ben Birchall/PA)

Sally, fitted with a GPS tracker and ringed, was forced out of her nesting box after a new female arrived in 2018.

Data from her tracker showed she remained close to Salisbury, within 15 miles, until November 3 last year.

Since then, we dont know what has happened  did she die, did the tag fall, or has it stopped working? Mr Sheldrake said.

Sally was estimated to be aged seven in 2017 and the average lifespan is about 10 years, so it is quite likely that she is no longer here.

As the years roll on, we learn more and gain these insights.

This year more people are finding an interest as they are in isolation.

Those watching the webcam may spot a new egg being laid in the coming days, as there are usually up to four eggs in a clutch.

The mated pair at Salisbury Cathedral will not begin incubating the clutch until the final egg is laid.

Incubation lasts between 29 to 32 days, with the pair sharing incubating and hunting, and chicks should begin to arrive in early May.
By Easton Sanders Mar. 26, 2020 | 07:24 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY





With more people staying home because of the pandemic, there is less revenue for many businesses, including Barkley Regional Airport. They're seeing less travelers as more people hunker down to avoid COVID-19.







West Kentucky Star spoke with the Marketing Director for Barkley Regional Airport, Eddie Grant, about the effect the virus has had on their business.







Grant says the pandemic has definitely impacted the number of passengers they're used to seeing.







"The flights are still operating as scheduled, but admittedly there are fewer passengers on them than we would like to see compared to what we would normally have this time of year," he said.







This has had an impact on the airport's revenue.





"We have fewer passengers flying and one of our biggest sources of revenue is when people park in our parking lot. We don't get any direct revenue from tickets," said Grant.







The airport has had to be more mindful of where they're spending money as a result.







"We're really tightening our belts like everybody else is having to do." Grant said, "We're fortunate to be able to still operate and still get people who need to travel. But beyond that, we're just doing what we have to do to get by like everybody else."







Even with the impact the pandemic has had, Grant says things are still operating as always.







"We still have a fire department and we still have a police department. A lot of the stuff we do is federally mandated for us to have." He said, "We're just operating with business as usual because that's what we have to do for the industry that we're in."





Grant says they are a vital link to Chicago and the rest of the world, and doesn't expect that to change.







He encourages everyone to support the local businesses throughout the crisis.







"These are your friends and neighbors that work out here, for the airline, the rental car agencies, and those of us that work for the airport." Grant continued, "We just encourage people to support the community, stay safe, follow the guidelines like everybody else, and hopefully we'll be back to flying sooner rather than later."

Barkley Regional Airport is seeing less traffic as more people implement social distancing.
Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was set to hold onto power after his chief rival, Benny Gantz, reversed himself on Thursday and signalled he would be open to serving in a Netanyahu-led government.

Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist Blue and White party: "It all sounds like political pressure." Credit:AP

Gantz, a former Israeli army chief who had vowed to bring Netanyahu's long rule to an end and fought him to a draw in three elections, said he was changing course to help bring the country together to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

"These are unusual times, and they call for unusual decisions," Gantz said in a speech to parliament early Thursday evening.

"This is not the time for infighting and mudslinging," he said. "This is not the time for controversy and divisions. This is the time for responsible, committed, patriotic leadership. Let's join hands and get Israel out of this crisis."
[March 27, 2020] Change of CEO - Computime is Unfolding a New Chapter

HONG KONG, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors (the "Board") of Computime Group Limited ("Computime" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries the "Group", stock code: 320.HK) announces that Mr. AUYANG Pak Hong Bernard ("Mr. Bernard AUYANG"), a Non-executive Director of the Company, has been re-designated as an Executive Director and the Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Dr. OWYANG King with effect from 1st April 2020. This announcement represents the Group's ongoing and thoughtful planning in management organization, which ensures a smooth transition for Computime as the Company continues to deliver specialized and innovated solutions in the electronics manufacturing and Internet of Things service space. Dr. OWYANG King will remain as an Executive Director as a result of the transition, and will allow the Company to continue to benefit from his expertise in research and development. Mr. Bernard AUYANG, aged 52, has over 28 years of experience in general management and the corporate industry. He was in his latest position as an Executive Director and the Chief Executive Officer with the Company between October 2006, the time of successful listing, and October 2009, later deciding to pursue other ventures. After, he has been the Chairman of Vida Nova Ventures, a Hong Kong based investment firm, since 2009, and the Chief Executive Officer of Altis Zenus Group, a brand and technology company focusing on innovative communication and outdoor products sinc 2016. Mr. Bernard AUYANG was also a recipient of the Young Industrialist Awards of Hong Kong in 1999, and was named the Hong Kong Young Industrial Ambassador in 2002. He remains as part of several prestigious academic bodies including the court member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and a member of the committee of Overseers of Wu Yee Sun College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.



"I am very proud of the accomplishments made by Computime, and leading it as its Chief Executive Officer has been an honour and privilege," said Dr. OWYANG King. "Bernard is a highly-dedicated and talented leader, with a wealth of experience in the consumer electronics sector regarding branding and product enhancement. I am very confident that the Company is in good hands and I look forward to working with him closely in my new position as Bernard leads Computime to even greater heights." Mr. Bernard AUYANG said, "I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been selected as the next Chief Executive Officer of Computime and I look forward to working closely with Dr. King, the Board, and the Company's truly-exceptional staff to continue on bringing Computime to the global stage. I hope my expertise would help in identifying the latest market trends and tapping into new geographical markets through our growing and diversifying product portfolio, eventually delivering sustainable values to our shareholders. I am grateful for Dr. King's contributions to the Company and I have no doubt that he will continue to leverage his expertise in technology and product development as part of the Group's mission to deliver quality manufacturing and design solutions to our customers."

After the re-designation, Mr. Bernard AUYANG would be responsible for corporate strategy planning, business development, corporate decision making, and general management of the Group. Meanwhile, Dr. OWYANG King will continue to dedicate his resources and time, focusing on the research and development of future technologies. The Group and the Board would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Bernard AUYANG on board, and to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. OWYANG King for his valuable efforts and contributions to the Group during his tenure of service as the Chief Executive Officer. About Computime Group Limited Computime Group Limited is a specialist in design, manufacturing and Internet of Things solutions in the electronics manufacturing services space, offering customized, turnkey design and manufacturing solutions to its established and diversified list of clients. Through bespoke IP and sophisticated research and development capabilities, the Group has also launched its own line of proprietary products under the brand SALUS in the European and North American markets. SOURCE Computime Group Limited

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Save the Beer. Thats the rallying cry for microbreweries in the Czech Republic, the home of the worlds most avid beer drinkers.

While the shutdown of society to staunch the spread of the coronavirus in the central European country has led to shortages of some items such as protective face masks and toilet paper, beer drinkers are being urged to up their game. At last count, about 1.9 million litres of craft beer is sitting in vats across the country, at risk of spoiling.

After the government ordered pubs and restaurants to close during a nationwide quarantine, beermakers took to the internet with a campaign to boost online orders as regular deliveries plunged.

Fresh, non-pasteurized, unfiltered beer is in danger, the campaign organizers from the Kytin Brewery, located 40 kilometres southwest of the capital Prague, say on the website. Come and save the beer with us  by drinking it. Do you know a more pleasant way of helping somebody?

The Czech Republic, which has more than 2,000 cases of coronavirus, is still less affected than neighbouring Austria and Germany, after the government clamped down early with some of the regions strictest social-distancing measures. It closed borders, shut schools and non-essential food stores and requires people to wear face masks outside their homes.

Unlike mass-market breweries that make internationally known brands such as Pilsner Urquell and Budvar, microbreweries depend on local restaurants and pubs for sales of their specialty brews that have a short shelf life.

Its not the first time microbreweries have worked together to push for a fresh alternative to mass-produced Czech beer. Last year, Cvikov brewery, which has joined the Save the Beer initiative, rounded up a group of craft beer makers for an ad campaign targeting the Brexit-bound U.K.

Kytins Save the Beer website lists the breweries, locations for safe pickup at a brewery window and includes clickable ordering buttons.

With the onset of the coronavirus crisis, we dont want to sit in a corner and leave microbreweries in the lurch, the website says.
London, March 27 : Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who has "completely recovered" from COVID-19, believes people should be "emotionally more open" after the coronavirus pandemic.

Arteta, 38, tested positive for the virus on March 12 but has since recovered after self-isolating.

"We are in a world here where everything is social media, everything is a WhatsApp text," Arteta was quoted as saying by BBC Sports.

"But how important is touching each other, feeling each other and hugging each other? "I miss that with a lot of the people I love.

"We have to be emotionally more open. We have to tell each other what we are feeling," he added.

"We cannot just in two or three months' time - if we are able to get over this quickly - forget about this, because it's so important." He reported feeling unwell after it was confirmed Evangelos Marinakis -- the owner of Greek side Olympiakos, who played Arsenal in the Europa League in February -- had coronavirus on March 10.

Arteta said his main concern was his three children after his wife and their nanny contracted the virus.

"In terms of symptoms, it was a normal virus for me. I had three or four days which were a little bit difficult, with a bit of a temperature and a dry cough, and some discomfort in my chest. That was it. The difficulty is that I have people at home, three kids as well and I was worried. My missus has been through it and our nanny's been through it.

"I am feeling completely recovered (now)...," he told the club website.

"We are living in a unique situation, so I think all of us are trying to react to the situation that is coming on a daily basis and trying our best to overcome the situation.

The Spaniard urged people across the world to stay indoors and follow the guidelines put in place by the authorities in order to slow down the process of virus transmission.

"...And please to everybody, we are a little bit behind other countries, for example Spain, where I know the situation they are living at the moment, and while we are having the opportunity a little bit to minimise the risk, I encourage everybody please to be responsible and stay at home as much as possible. That is all we can do from our position, we don't have the ability to help others in other circumstances, so please at least stay at home and do what is required." "We have to slow the process down and the virus down, so please stay at home," he added.
Refat Chubarov, Chair of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, believes that the degree is aimed at speeding up colonization of Crimea and stresses that there must be swift reaction from Ukraines leaders

President of Russia Vladimir Putin TASS

Six years after illegally invading and annexing Crimea, Russia is to prohibit Ukrainians from owning their own land. Russian President Vladimir Putins decree, dated 20 March 2020, prevents those he calls foreigners from owning land in most parts of the occupied peninsula. This effectively strips Crimean Tatars and other Ukrainians who have not taken Russian citizenship of their land rights.

The decree makes amendments to a list of coastal territories which foreign nationals, stateless persons and foreign legal entities cannot have land rights to. The list includes most parts of occupied Crimea, except for three regions without access to the Black Sea

Anton Korynevych, President Volodymyr Zelenskys Representative on Crimea, condemned the move, pointing out that Russia is in breach of the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians which expressly prohibits the destruction or expropriation of property by occupying powers. Russia is forcing Ukrainians who have not taken Russian citizenship to either do so, or to sell their own property within a year.

Such policy, he says, has for a long time now resulted in human rights violations and war crimes. He points out that the Prosecutor of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has, together with the Regional Centre for Human Rights already notified the International Criminal Court in the Hague about war crimes such as the mass destruction and expropriation of property owned by the state or by individuals.

Refat Chubarov, Chair of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, believes that the degree is aimed at speeding up colonization of Crimea and stresses that there must be swift reaction from Ukraines leaders. He says that Russia is creating a supposed legal mechanism which it will claim creates conditions for bringing Russians to settle in Crimea. Russia does not have the resources to set up all these Russians, so he sees the decree as an attempt to create a market of cheap, free land. He is convinced that the danger of expropriation exists even for those Ukrainians who were forced to take Russian citizenship after annexation. This includes most people with children since Russia made it effectively impossible to keep employment, register children in schools and medical clinics, etc. without its citizenship. They can at any moment be declared citizens of Ukraine and stripped of their land, he warns.

Boris Babin, a former Presidents Representative on Crimea, also fears that the decree could lead to land being confiscated.

It has long been clear that Russia is trying to strengthen its illegal occupation of Crimea by changing the demographic makeup of the peninsula. This is a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute to the International Criminal Court and in violation also of the Fourth Geneva Convention. According to Korynevych, Russia may have resettled as many as 140 thousand Russians since its invasion. Russia is, at the same time, using gravely repressive measures against Crimean Tatars and other Ukrainians as a way of forcing many to leave Crimea or face arrest and likely imprisonment.

Read the full story here.
President Michael D Higgins has said the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity for the world and society to do things better in the future.

The world can't drift into some notion that we can recover what we had and that that would be sufficient.

Speaking on Newstalks Pat Kenny show, President Higgins expressed his deepest sympathies on behalf of the Irish people to the families of those who have died.

Irish people have been responding wonderfully to the coronavirus crisis, he said. I think it is a very hard time - harder than usual because of how the expression of grief is curtailed by the arrangements that have to be there in the interests of peoples health and safety.

I think were coming now to perhaps the biggest part of the test. Can we in fact continue and strengthen the efforts we have been making? Thats, I think, very, very important."

Take Care



A poem by Michael D. Higgins: https://t.co/Forp9znu6p  President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) March 25, 2020

The President welcomed Thursday nights nationwide applause for healthcare workers, and said that frontline staff are taking personal risk in the interest of our collective welfare and health and safety.

The importance of those who do the basic jobs that enable society to function - the people who are driving supplies, the people who produce food, the people who arrange for it to go on the shelves the people who do all of the things that maybe we have taken for granted, he said.

President Higgins added that the US response so far has seen 'corporate benefits exceed the ordinary families'. He also said that the European Central Bank had wobbled at first, and that releasing an enormous amount of credit without having some idea of where it is going to lodge is an insufficient instrument.

President Higgins said that while times are difficult at present, it provides an opportunity to re-evaluate the way things were before the current emergency.

When we come out of this we will not be going back to the insecurity of where we have before.

We have learned lessons in relation to healthcare and equality in relation to what is necessary in terms of income and the necessities of life. There will be a wonderful opportunity to do things better.

This crisis will pass - but remember there will be other viruses. We cant let ourselves be in the same vulnerable position again. There are opportunities for looking at the whole architecture of global finance and European finance.

The President said the current situation provides an opportunity to accept collective responsibility in responding to climate change and sustainability, as well as taking responsibility for global poverty. He encouraged people to now examine instincts we may have suppressed where individualism may have driven out a sense of the collective.

Whats going to emerge globally is the unanswerable case there is now, of having universal basic services, a floor of basic services that will be there to protect us in the future, but also from which we can depart to be able to enable people to have a sufficiency of what they need.

This is what happened after the wars, after the Great Recession in 1929. We need the best of thinking, and we may have to lay aside a lot of the assumptions and critically examine them to be able to take advantages out of this.

We cant drift into some notion that we can recover what we had and that that would be sufficient - that game is over.

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
Spanish health authorities have warned that the rapid coronavirus tests that the country purchased from China are faulty. They are not consistently detecting positive cases, thereby showing an accuracy level below 30 per cent, making them unusable.

In view of the incredibly high error rate of the kits, Spain-- one of the worst hit by Covid-19, with deaths surpassing over 4,000-- has announced that it is sending back the first batch of Covid-19 testing kits that it received from China.

The Chinese Embassy in Spain was quick to respond, explaining that the batch of faulty kits was not part of the 423-million Euro deal that the two countries recently signed, which includes 5.5 million testing kits. The Embassy said, the kits had come from an unlicensed provider.

"They do not detect the positive cases as expected," a source working at a Spanish microbiology lab told El Pais, a Madrid-based Spanish daily.

One of the microbiologists who has analysed the Chinese test assured, "With that value it does not make sense to use these tests."

The experts who have evaluated these detection kits are of the view that they will have to continue using the current test, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) that detects the RNA of the virus in an exudate sample nasopharyngeal (a stick is inserted through the nose or through the mouth to collect it).

The PCR method is a laborious technique, which requires specific equipment (the reactions take place in machines called thermocyclists in real time) and up to four hours until the result is obtained

The Carlos III Health Institute, under the Spanish Ministry of Health, has already been reported regarding the problem.

That company, Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology, was not on the list of certified providers that China offered to Spain and has not even been licensed to sell its products by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration, the embassy said.

Spain had ordered 340,000 kits from the company.

In a similar case, the Czech Republic has also found nearly 80 per cent Chinese test kits to deliver false results.

Beijing had designed these types of test kits to deliver quicker results but they have proven to less accurate than other ways of testing.

Czech health ministry reportedly paid about USD 568,000 for 100,000 of the kits while the country's interior ministry paid for the rest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A compensation scheme for survivors of historical abuse must be launched as scheduled next week despite the coronavirus lockdown, a campaigner has said.

Jon McCourt, of the group Survivors North West, said a virtual launch could deliver progress for victims without compromising safety with a public gathering.

Victims have already endured long delays in their campaign for recognition and compensation.

Paying compensation to those who suffered harm when they were in homes run by the church and state was among recommendations from the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) public inquiry in 2016.

It examined allegations of physical, emotional and sexual harm of children in residential institutions between 1922 and 1995.

But the collapse of Stormont in January 2017 delayed that process.

In December, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, said the application for abuse payments for those victims and survivors of historical abuse would open this month.

Mr McCourt said that yet another delay - even one that cannot be helped - would be a blow to victims.

"The milestone date for the launch of the redress process was March 31, that was given to us by David Sterling long before this particular crisis," he said.

"Everything right now is up in the air, but even though everything is up in the air I am very, very aware that some see this as another delay - which it is, but this one is not a manufactured delay.

"It was supposed to be a public launch. Last week the word was it wouldn't be a public launch but didn't say there wasn't going to be a launch.

"One way or another, the launch should go ahead, the opening of this redress should take place on March 31."

Mr McCourt acknowledged that further steps following the launch such as lawyers taking statements and access to documents will be delayed due to the coronavirus crisis, and also revealed that the building where the redress board is based is closed for a deep clean.

But he emphasised that symbolically it is important to the victims the scheme is opened.

"Everything has conspired against us but let the launch date be March 31," he said.

"Even if the president of the board says as far as he is concerned the official date for opening this will be March 31, the process is opened, and when we can we will get on with it."

A Stormont committee heard yesterday that coronavirus is creating "huge challenges" for the process.

Civil servant Mark Browne warned: "The virus is moving quicker than the law is at this point."

Stormont Executive Office officials Mr Browne and Gareth Johnston gave evidence to a scrutiny committee of the devolved Assembly about rules surrounding the redress scheme.

They said restrictions linked to Covid-19 were changing and tightening day-by-day.
Donald Trump took a veiled jab at New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, beloved by the far left, calling her a little grandstander over her threats to delay passage of a coronavirus economic aid package.

The president also again acknowledged how much his goal of opening the country, or parts of it, by 12 April is a reflection of his focus on the coronavirus death count.

Its one thing to have it, the president said. Its another thing to die.

According to multiple non-governmental entities tracking virus data, the United States does have a much lower rate of death, about three per 1m of population. Italy and Spain, for instance, have much higher mortality rates. The United States now has the most confirmed cases as Vice President Mike Pence said 552,000 people here have been tested, though Mr Trump and health experts say the true numbers of those infected inside China will never be known.

Though Mr Trump is focused on getting the country back to work and his re-election campaign back in gear, Deborah Birx, a State Department doctor on his virus task force, issued a warning.

We are concerned about certain counties where officials see the disease spreading, she said, including: Wayne County in Michigan and Cook County in Illinois.

Anthony Fauci, Mr Trumps top infectious disease expert, said he is confident treatment drugs specifically for the virus are coming  but he did not give a time frame.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, known colloquially as AOC, has complained that she is concerned the bipartisan measure, which cleared the Senate on a 96-0 vote, is too friendly to large corporations. She wants more provisions to help workers and those who have lost their jobs due to the super bug outbreak.

The presidents jab ignored Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who also has suggested his concerns about the bills beefed-up unemployment aid going too far. He has suggested he might force a roll call vote, meaning as many of the over 400 House members would have to get back to Washington.

If either Ms Ocasio-Cortez or Mr Massie force that roll call vote, they would be putting the health of their colleagues in jeopardy  especially the chambers oldest members, who are in the age range most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Mr Trump again said we have to get back to work, saying the people of the United States are not suited to sit around.

Earlier in the day, the White House released outlines of a plan to assess counties one-by-one, ranking them into three risk categories. The president told reporters during his daily virus briefing that his team will release more information about that plan next week.

For the second consecutive evening, the president chose to come to the James S. Brady Briefing Room in the White House with no major announcement. Instead, he mentioned things his administration already has done or announced, and repeated his desire to get much of the country up and running as soon as possible.



As the US Navy hospital ship Comfort prepares to sail from a base in Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday for New York City to help with the virus outbreak in the city that has become the countrys epicenter, the president said he will go to bid bon voyage to the military treatment vessel.
Boris Johnson's pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds is in self-isolation today and has posted a picture on Instagram of herself cuddling the couple's dog Dilyn as it emerged the Prime Minister has coronavirus.

Ms Symonds, 32, who is around six months pregnant with the baby due in the early summer, has left Mr Johnson in Downing Street and has not seen her 55-year-old partner for the 'last few days'.

In a new Instagram post from the couple's 1.3million South London home Carrie looked happy and healthy as she snuggled with Dilyn and said: 'Self-isolating isn't so bad with this one'.

She now faces an anxious wait to see if she has been exposed to coronavirus because Mr Johnson could have been contagious for up to a fortnight before he developed symptoms yesterday.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman today refused to comment on Carrie's whereabouts, health or whether she has been tested too.

But Telegraph commentator Camilla Tominey, a friend of Carrie's, told ITV's This Morning: 'She's in Camberwell with Dilyn the dog so she will not have any contact with the prime minister over the last few days'.

It came 24 hours after the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) changed its coronavirus guidance to say viral infections can 'occasionally be related to more severe symptoms and this will be the same for Covid-19', adding: 'Women above 28 weeks' gestation should be particularly attentive to social distancing and minimising contact with others.'

Carrie Symonds is self isolating with Dilyn after the PM got coronavirus and told Instagram followers:'Self-isolating isn't so bad with this one'

Pregnant Carrie Symonds is in self-isolation after her fiance Boris Johnson fell ill with coronavirus (pictured together on March 9 at Westminster Abbey)

Are pregnant women more vulnerable to coronavirus? There is no evidence that pregnant women become more severely unwell if they develop coronavirus than the general population. It is expected the large majority of pregnant women will experience only mild or moderate symptoms because more severe symptoms such as pneumonia appear to be more common in older people, those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions. There are no reported deaths of pregnant women from coronavirus at the moment. If you are pregnant you are more vulnerable to getting infections than a woman who is not pregnant, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. If you have an underlying condition, such as asthma or diabetes, you may be more unwell if you have coronavirus because is poses a higher risk to those with underlying health conditions. In terms of risk to the baby, there is no evidence right now to suggest an increased risk of miscarriage or transmission to the unborn baby via the womb or breast milk. Some babies born to women with symptoms of coronavirus in China have been born prematurely. It is unclear whether coronavirus caused this or the doctors made the decision for the baby to be born early because the woman was unwell. Guidance updated on Thursday from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says viral infections can 'occasionally be related to more severe symptoms and this will be the same for Covid-19'. It says that, while the risks are small overall, health professionals should look out for more severe symptoms of Covid-19 in pregnant women who test positive, such as pneumonia and a lack of oxygen. But the RCOG said the current expert opinion is that unborn babies are unlikely to be exposed to Covid-19 during pregnancy. There is also no data at the moment suggesting an increased risk of miscarriage for pregnant women. The RCOG reiterates Government advice that pregnant women 'should pay particular attention to avoiding contact with people who are known to have Covid-19 or those who exhibit possible symptoms'. It adds: 'Women above 28 weeks' gestation should be particularly attentive to social distancing and minimising contact with others.' Advertisement

But the RCOG said the current expert opinion is that unborn babies are unlikely to be exposed to Covid-19 during pregnancy - and there is no data at the moment suggesting an increased risk of miscarriage for pregnant women.

Carrie and Boris bought their Victorian four-bedroom home in Camberwell, south London for 1.3million last July, when he became Prime Minister.

Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said: 'It is public knowledge that the Prime Minister's partner is pregnant, and so a confirmed Covid-19 infection does give some concern around the health of mother and baby.

'It is reassuring that so far there have been few noted complications during pregnancy of infection with Covid-19.

'However, this is an emerging evidence base, so the health services will be cautious with the welfare of all expectant mothers and any associated risks.'

Downing Street today only hinted that the PM's pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds is not living with Mr Johnson in Downing Street at present.

Asked whether Ms Symonds is also living in their flat above Number 11, the PM's official spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister of course follows all of the guidelines which have been issued by Public Health England in full.

'His circumstance is such that he will be required to self-isolate for seven days.'

The spokesman said meals and work would be left at the door of the Prime Minister's flat.

Earlier this month Mr Johnson and England's chief medical doctor Professor Chris Whitty announced pregnant women should follow the same advice as the over-70s and people with underlying conditions by self-isolating at home for 12 weeks at least.

The Prime Minister, 55, was tested for coronavirus in Number 10 after experiencing mild symptoms on Thursday.

In a video on his Twitter account, Mr Johnson said he had developed a temperature and a persistent cough.

He added: 'I'm working from home and self-isolating and that's entirely the right thing to do.

'But, be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

'I want to thank everybody involved and, of course, our amazing NHS staff.'

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the PM was tested on the personal advice of England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty.

She added: 'The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive.

'In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street.

'He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus.'

The couple, pictured on election night in December, adopted a rescue puppy named Dilyn, who is with Carrie as she spends at least another week away from Boris

This four-bedroom, three-storey red brick Victorian terraced house in south London (above) is the 1.3m love nest bought Boris Johnson and his PR exec partner Carrie Symonds last July

The couple's new home - in a trendy part of south London overlooking a park - features two receptions rooms (pictured), four double bedrooms and two bathrooms and ground floor toilet

Earlier in the week it was announced that the Prince of Wales was also suffering 'mild symptoms' of the disease.

The PM announced measures to protect pregnant women earlier this month. Among his recommendations were for particularly vulnerable people to stay indoors for 12 weeks.

The 'period of shielding' has been implemented at a time where there will be maximum protection, coinciding with the peak of the disease.

He said: 'In a few days time, by this coming weekend it will be necessary to go further and to ensure that those with the most serious health conditions are largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks.

'Again, the reason for doing this in the next few days rather than earlier or later is that this is going to be very disruptive for people who have such conditions.

'This advice about avoiding all social contact is particularly important for people over 70, for pregnant women and for those with some health conditions.'

England's chief medical doctor Professor Chris Whitty said extending the advice to pregnant women was a precaution.

He said: 'The group of people who we would want to take this advice particularly seriously are older people above 70, people who in adult life would normally be advised to have the flu vaccination, so these are people with chronic diseases such as chronic heart disease or chronic kidney disease, and also - as a precautionary measure because we are early in our understanding and we want to be sure - women who are pregnant.

'Those are the groups we want to take particular care to minimise their social contact which of course will have very significant risks for them.'
The stance of Ukraine, which has friendly ties with the European Union, is in tune with the demands of the bloc's leading farm association.

Ukraine, the world's major exporter of grain and vegetable oils, does not intend to impose restrictions on food exports, Deputy Economy Minister Taras Vysotskiy said.

The spread of the novel coronavirus has made some nations look at imposing restrictions. Neighboring Russia is considering limiting sunseed sales, Agriculture.com reported citing Reuters.

"At this moment, no restrictions on food exports are planned," Vysotskiy said.

The stance of Ukraine, which has friendly ties with the European Union, is in tune with the demands of the bloc's leading farm association, which has told EU countries to keep its single market open if it wants to guarantee food supplies for its consumers.

Read alsoUkraine may boost buckwheat, peas harvest in 2020  experts

Ukraine has increased its grain exports by more than 20% to around 45 million tonnes for the 2019/20 July-June season. It plans to export a record 52-55 million tonnes of grain this season, Vysotskiy told Reuters earlier this month.

The national research institute the IAE said this month that Ukraine's grain harvest was likely to fall by 10.3% from 2019 levels to 67.4 million tonnes from a record 75 million tonnes in 2019.
James McClean has apologised unreservedly for the offence caused by a controversial image he posted on Instagram.

He has also been fined two weeks wages by Stoke City and agreed to delete his Instagram account following the post which provoked online criticism.

In a statement, Stoke said: McClean has been fined two weeks wages by the club and has also agreed to delete his Instagram account.

The player has expressed contrition and recognises that the post was ill-advised and offensive.

McClean said:

I never wanted to cause any offence but I now realise that I did so and for that I apologise unreservedly

I have spoken to the club and will be deleting my Instagram account.

The statement concluded by saying that the club and the player would be making no further comment on the matter.

McClean has been a target of abuse over his refusal to wear a poppy on his shirt for Remembrance Sunday since moving to England to join Sunderland in 2011.

McClean, who is from Derry, objects to wearing the poppy because the symbol commemorates military personnel who have died in war  and not just soldiers who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
REDMOND, Wash., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EchoNous is proud to announce FDA approval of its KOSMOS Platform, which consists of a distinctive 8oz. ultrasound-based tool combined with deep learning for clinical assessment of the heart, lungs and abdomen. It is the first tool in medicine to apply the mathematical framework of machine learning to mimic the human learning and decision-making process.

The first AI-assisted handheld ultrasound tool to increase diagnostic confidence at the bedside

"It was 11 years ago that Dr. Rod Hochman, then-CEO of Swedish Hospital Seattle, urged me to one day create a point-of-care ultrasound tool that actually teaches users how to use it. Today, the FDA approval of KOSMOS marks the beginning of our delivery on that dream. The KOSMOS platform is enabled by the arrival of useful deep learning tools and the unique ultrasound miniaturization skills we possess at EchoNous," said Kevin Goodwin, CEO and co-founder of EchoNous, Inc.

The KOSMOS AI platform is aimed at making KOSMOS easy to learn, while greatly improving confidence curves in point-of-care ultrasound for providers of all experience levels. The device is not only ideal for novice users but still serves super users who demand high-quality imaging to enable clinical decision-making immediately at the point of care.

"KOSMOS, in the hands of a clinician at the bedside, can move their diagnostic needle into the confident zone. I'm a POCUS advocate, daily user, and educator. I know that physicians, including myself, are often not quite confident enough after their POCUS exam to avoid the need to confirm what they are seeing with a formal test such as a CT or echocardiogram. KOSMOS' image quality and AI-confirmation will give us greater accuracy and confidence at the bedside, reducing the need for additional testing and delays," said Dr. David Tierney, Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency and IMBUS Program, Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

The KOSMOS platform enables deep learning by using high-grade image quality, which is essential to train deep learning algorithms, because high-quality data ensures accurate results. KOSMOS also reveals its AI calculations in a transparent manner to clinicians while executing clinical tasks, such as AI-calculated ejection fraction.

"For AI techniques to be useful in POCUS, a data-rich image is required to avoid classic 'garbage-in, garbage-out' problems. For deep learning to be of actual value to medicine, we have, since the beginning, carefully listened to numerous leading clinicians as to how they want AI techniques delivered with ultrasound," said Niko Pagoulatos, Ph.D., and co-founder of EchoNous.

FDA approval for KOSMOS has come at a vital moment as the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic. EchoNous thanks the FDA for its timely approval. "There is a palpable need for additional bedside diagnostic capability for identifying pneumonia and monitoring patient progress when septic or in septic shock with COVID-19. As such, in this great time of need by our country and the world, the approval couldn't have been more timely for the healthcare community," said Dr. Michael Blaivas, MD, MBA, FACEP, FAIUM, and Chief Medical Officer at EchoNous.

KOSMOS is particularly suited for the moment because its handheld probe and proprietary tablet can move quickly and easily through busy hospital wards. Its durable design makes it simple to disinfect. Its hospital-grade materials can withstand frequent disinfection with harsh cleaning chemicals, making KOSMOS not only an excellent imager of the torso but also a time-efficient tool in overwhelmed emergency rooms and ICUs that are desperate to shrink the infection footprint quickly.

Following several months of clinical evaluations, KOSMOS has been routinely described by physicians as an "exciting new kind of medical tool." KOSMOS includes an 8oz ultrasound imaging tool with embedded and synchronized ECG and digital auscultation, and a 23oz tablet, the Kosmos Bridge. The Bridge has been built to withstand hospital-grade disinfection procedures and heavy use in hospital and clinical settings. All AI computation functions run in the Bridge itself, eliminating the need for cloud-connectivity during use and protecting patient and hospital data as well as ensuring there are no drops in service during scanning. The Bridge is also designed to seamlessly connect data to the health system IT environment without the need for internet connectivity.

Currently, the KOSMOS AI platform can calculate systolic heart function measurement (Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction), which has been clinically tested vs. expert measurements, yielding excellent results in precision and consistency.

In a parallel, we will soon file the world's first-ever trio of algorithms that will enable users to have their image quality graded, their technique guided, and the heart anatomy labeled by machine learning algorithms.

The KOSMOS platform has been rigorously evaluated in acute care clinical settings, specifically on over 300 patients, while also being tested by hundreds of physicians and imaging experts across the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan in live clinical demonstrations.

EchoNous has validated that KOSMOS is the world's first AI-assisted handheld tool to move the needle into increased diagnostic confidence at the bedside, with capabilities proven to be equivalent to larger cart-based machines  all for under US $10,000.

Near-term steps for KOSMOS include the release of continuous and pulsed wave doppler (Spring 2020). The KOSMOS platform also has a full suite of clinical deep learning applications planned for its 12-24-month roadmap.

About EchoNous: EchoNous's vision since inception has been to create an unprecedented diagnostic tool in the handheld format that is low-cost and capable of delivering high clinical value through the meaningful application of artificial intelligence. We will continue to apply deep learning tools to clinical challenges in everyday healthcare.

www.echonous.com

www.kosmosplatform.com

Media Contact:

Anais Concepcion

[email protected]

(425) 420-0517

Related Images

kosmos-platform-ai-healthcare-tool.jpg

KOSMOS Platform: AI Healthcare Tool and Platform for Patient Assessments

The first AI-assisted handheld ultrasound tool to increase diagnostic confidence at the bedside

SOURCE EchoNous Inc.

Related Links

http://www.echonous.com


An influential US organisation representing Indian-American doctors has launched a fundraising campaign to donate masks and other personal protective equipment to health care providers, who are facing acute shortage of these essential items in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to production and distribution delays in China, where most of the personal protective equipment (PPE) is manufactured, healthcare facilities are experiencing shortages of much needed masks and PPE, said American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organisation in the US.

The AAP said on Thursday that it had launched a fundraising campaign to support their fellow professionals, providing them with masks that are so vital to prevent them from contracting the deadly virus.

As we are not prepared well, our frontline soldiers (physicians) are working under suboptimal conditions with severe shortage of GS masks and other protective gear. As a result, some of the foot soldiers (front line physicians) have succumbed to this deadly virus, said AAPI president Suresh Reddy.

A task force has been constituted to identify the hospitals and sending the supply of masks and PPE directly, a statement said.

COVID-19 is playing havoc on the streets and isolating family members at home. The results are catastrophic, Reddy said.

We don't have vaccines or anti-viral agents to effectively treat the patients with this strange disease. In the next four weeks, we will have a lot more Americans helplessly dying due to this virus. Now even young people in their 20s are dying from this viral disease. This is a global war on this rakshas' virus, Reddy said.

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu complimented AAPI for taking the lead in connecting hundreds of doctors across the United States to support and share experiences in this time of crisis.

Globally, a total of 24,057 people have died due to the novel coronavirus with Italy standing at the top with 8,215 deaths, followed by Spain (4,365) and China (3,169), the varsity figures stated.

America leads with 85,653 COVID-19 cases, followed by China with 81,782 and Italy with 80,589 infections, the data showed.

At least 1,290 Americans have died due to coronavirus so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A polling place worker adjusts gloves as she tends to a reception table during the Florida primary election at the First United Methodist Church, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Jupiter, Fla. As Florida officials try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the state's voters headed to the polls to cast ballots in the Democratic presidential primary. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Read more

June 2 is shaping up to be the Super Tuesday of postponed primaries. Pennsylvania will join 11 states and the District of Columbia in voting that day, after rescheduling its primary due to the coronavirus.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday signed a bill moving the primary back five weeks to let people register to vote by mail, for polling locations to shift, and to give election officials time to prepare for an election in unprecedented circumstances.

The law authorizes county election officials to close and consolidate polling places without the usual court approval. (Officials had asked for that flexibility, as they have lost polling places and poll workers to coronavirus concerns.) Election officials will also be able to begin processing absentee ballots earlier, instead of having to wait until the polls close at 8 p.m., which could have meant elections would take days to call.

With Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and D.C. also voting June 2, its been dubbed the Acela Primary, in a nod to the popular Amtrak service through Northeastern states.

While the moves are unlikely to derail former Vice President Joe Biden from winning the Democratic nomination, it does mean hell need more time to clinch it. Meanwhile, the delay could hurt candidates running for the state legislature who have limited campaign resources they now need to stretch. For election officials, its a welcome extension to prepare for an election that keeps voters and poll workers safe.

A longer runway toward a presidential nominee

June 2 is now second only to Super Tuesday in the number of delegates up for grabs in one day. With few delegate-heavy primaries before June 2 (Wisconsin votes April 7), it also seems likely Sen. Bernie Sanders will stick around, as hes indicated, despite his narrow path to victory.

Sanders said he would attend an April debate if the DNC schedules one, though Biden signaled he wouldnt. I think weve had enough debates. I think we should get on with this, Biden told reporters Wednesday.

For Biden, a shifted primary schedule gives him more time to focus on the pandemic and to build a digital operation that has already shifted to virtual fund-raisers, briefings with reporters, and television appearances, broadcast from a studio in Bidens Wilmington basement.

Sanders campaign said it has the money to campaign in Pennsylvania through June 2. And while virtual events can reach people across states, Pennsylvania director Brooke Adams said the campaign is still focused on virtual organizing at the neighborhood level.

Down-ballot challengers have a steeper climb

Candidates running to be their partys nominees in congressional and state races tend to have smaller budgets, which now need to last longer.

It changes things significantly, said Cathy Spahr, a Democratic candidate for an open state House seat in Delaware County. Theres a momentum that goes with the race to the primary and it kind of slows that momentum down. Plus, you then have to cut through the noise of the fear  because people are afraid and rightfully so.

Now that a date has been set, Spahr said, she can at least decide when to send out mailers or conduct polls. Shed looked into booking a printer but didnt want to risk putting the wrong date on fliers.

One advantage for incumbents at the state level and the U.S. House of Representatives is the ability to mail constituents communications related to COVID-19 in the days leading up to the election. The U.S. House previously had a strict rule prohibiting mass mailings from members in the 90 days before an election. The chamber eased those restrictions for coronavirus-related communications only. Pennsylvanias state House passed a resolution Tuesday loosening its 60-day restriction for online communication related to the virus.

Andy Meehan, a Republican running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Bucks), sees that as an unfair advantage. Even if the mailers arent about the campaign, theyre reaching constituents on the key issue and are signed by a member of Congress up for reelection, Meehan said.

Its just another one of these kind of baked-in-the-cake type of things that benefit incumbents, Meehan said.

Still, Meehan said he thinks the primary delay actually benefits his lesser-known candidacy.

This gives me more time to reach people and theyll be better informed as opposed to getting out of their bunker on April 15.  Theyre getting their lives back together not thinking about who to vote for.

Voter turnout may increase with more time to adjust

So far the coronavirus has affected turnout only in the Illinois, Arizona, and Florida primaries; results were mixed. Illinois reported a steep drop while Arizona and Florida, due in large part to early voting and use of mail-in ballots, reported increases. Moving Pennsylvanias primary gives all voters more time to sign up to vote by mail. (Previously, Pennsylvanians needed an excuse to vote absentee.)

The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. the Tuesday before the election, online or via mail. Voters can return the ballot until 8 p.m. on election day. Voter registration closes 15 days before the election.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Committee told supporters in an email Friday that it would launch a campaign this weekend to get people to register to vote by mail.

Whereas vote by mail once was thought to benefit lower-income voters who tend to support Democrats, its also something older voters, a large portion of the GOP base, might take advantage of given the virus impact on the elderly.

Theres no downside for engagement with vote by mail, said Christopher Borick, a professor of political science at Muhlenberg College.

With more time, Borick said, the hope is also that Pennsylvanians feel safer venturing to the physical polls, increasing turnout.

Election will run more smoothly, officials say

Election officials in Southeastern Pennsylvania had been pleading with legislators to delay the primary. The extra five weeks means they can stockpile supplies to run polling places safely, such as gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer.

It also means time to get paper and envelopes to meet the demand for mail-in ballots or for the possibility of an all-mail election, said Philadelphia Deputy City Commissioner Nick Custodio.

Staff who were preparing for April 28 can return to nonessential status for a few weeks, staying home and practicing social distancing.

It allows for a possibility that life could to return to normal," Custodio said. "Our regular poll workers will feel comfortable working and we can reschedule their training. Polling places will open back up for business and will allow us in on Primary Day.

Staff writer Jonathan Lai contributed to this article.
From Israel to South Korea to China, governments around the world are using technology to track the coronavirus outbreak as they race to stem its spread. But how long will it last and is this an infringement of privacy, rights groups have asked. In China, government-installed CCTV cameras point at the apartment door of those under a 14-day quarantine to ensure they don't leave. Drones tell people to wear their masks. Digital barcodes on mobile apps highlight the health status of individuals. These are just some of the ways the world's second-largest economy has mobilized its surveillance apparatus to help contain the outbreak of the coronavirus. Private individuals who live in China have either provided photographic evidence, or told CNBC in interviews, of the CCTV equipment being installed in front of their homes to enforce quarantines. Those individuals did not wish to be identified by name for this article. While some of China's measures appear extreme, nations around the world have taken the decision to boost their surveillance of individuals in a bid to help them fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rights organizations argue that with monitoring capabilities ramping up, it may be hard for governments to scale back down. On top of that, experts are worried that surveillance tools like a person's location data may not even be effective and that there may be no timeline on when governments will stop collecting that kind of information. "Coronavirus is pushing us over the edge and ... perhaps institutionalizing these systems and in addition, making general public to become more accepting of these more intrusive measure," Maya Wang, a senior researcher on China at Human Rights Watch, told CNBC.

What are countries doing?

The technologies employed by governments around the world are aimed at identifying where infected people are and monitoring quarantines. Countries and cities around the world have been locked down, a move that looks to encourage "social distancing" and reduce the transmission between people. In Singapore, the government rolled out an app called TraceTogether. It uses Bluetooth signals between cellphones to see if potential carriers of the coronavirus have been in close contact with other people. Over in Hong Kong, some residents were made to wear a wristband which linked to a smartphone app and could alert authorities if a person left their place of quarantine. In South Korea, the government used records such as credit card transactions, smartphone location data and CCTV video as well as conversations with people, to create a system where confirmed cases were tracked. The result was a map that could tell people whether they had gone near a coronavirus carrier. On Thursday, the South Korean government launched an enhanced tool that it says can help track patients even more closely in near real time, in order to see where the disease was moving. Meanwhile, Israel's security agency Shin Bet is using citizens' cell phone location data to track where they've been so they can enforce quarantine controls and monitor the movements of those infected. Controversially, the data has been collected over the past few years and intended to for counterterrorism purposes, the New York Times reported. The newspaper said this data trove and the collection of it had not been previously reported.

We have absolutely no reason to believe that the government agencies that are eager to expand their power in response to COVID-19 will be willing to see those authorities lapse once the virus is eradicated. Albert Fox Cahn Executive director, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project

Some parts of India were stamping the hands of people arriving at airports telling them how long they had to be quarantined, Reuters reported. Reservation data from airlines and trains were being monitored to make sure those people didn't travel, the report added. In the south Indian state of Kerala, authorities have been using a mixture of telephone call records, surveillance camera footage and phone location data to track down people who may have been in contact with coronavirus patients. In the U.S., the government is talking to Facebook, Google and other tech companies about the possibility of using location and movement data from Americans' smartphones to combat coronavirus.

Do they work?

World leaders have described the coronavirus pandemic as an extraordinary time, and French President Emmanuel Macron declaring that the country is at "war" against the disease. As such, governments are taking unusual steps to combat the outbreak including the use of surveillance tools. One of the most common tools being employed around the world has been the gathering of location data using smartphones and data from mobile networks.

... governments should not be granted these powers unless they can show the public how these powers would actually help, in a significant manner, to contain COVID-19. Electronic Frontier Foundation

But one of the big problems, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit digital privacy advocacy group, is that collection of certain data like phone location, hasn't been proven to be effective in tracking the spread of the virus. "Because new government dragnet location surveillance powers are such a menace to our digital rights, governments should not be granted these powers unless they can show the public how these powers would actually help, in a significant manner, to contain COVID-19," the EFF said in a blog post earlier this week. The organization argued that even the Global Positioning System, or GPS, on smartphones are only accurate to a 16-foot radius, according to official U.S. government information. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the virus can spread between people who are in close contact with one another, which the body estimates is within 6 feet. "These and other technologies like Bluetooth can be combined for better accuracy, but there's no guarantee that a given phone can be located with six-foot precision at a given time," the EFF said.

When will they stop?

How long will data collection go on and when will it be deleted, if ever? These are two key questions that privacy advocates are asking. They have highlighted the potential for heightened surveillance to go on  even after the coronavirus outbreak is under control. Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, a nonprofit advocacy group, raised this concern in an interview with CNBC and pointed to the USA Patriot Act which was signed into law after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The legislation gives federal government broad surveillance powers to aid their counterterrorism efforts. But the law, which was initially due to expire in 2005, was renewed and earlier this month, got another short-term renewal until later this year. "We have absolutely no reason to believe that the government agencies that are eager to expand their power in response to COVID-19 will be willing to see those authorities lapse once the virus is eradicated," Cahn told CNBC.

People wearing masks walk past a temperature screening area at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport on March 22, 2020 in Singapore. Singapore is one nation that has launched an app to help track the spread of the coronavirus. Ore Huiying | Getty Images

For their part, some governments have laid out clearly what data they are collecting and the time limit on how long they will hold the information, though not all have put specific dates forward. Singapore said its TraceTogether app does not record location data or access the phone user's contact list. Data logs are stored on phones in encrypted form, according to the government. South Korea said its information collection efforts will end when the coronavirus outbreak is over and that all personal data will be deleted.

Some of the surveillance tools to battle COVID-19 currently being used involve sharing some of the data collected with other government agencies, such as law enforcement. Cahn suggested that any solution that is being used now should have a "complete ban" on doing that. Academics have offered alternatives to such tools being pushed by governments.
In yet another massive 24-hour surge, state officials Friday announced 1,982 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 27 new known deaths in New Jersey, boosting the statewide total to at least 8,825 known cases, including 108 deaths.

Thats the largest one-day total of new deaths the state has reported since the outbreak of the fast-moving virus began.

We mourn with these families and indeed with our entire state every precious life that has been lost, Gov. Phil Murphy said at the Trenton War Memorial during his daily coronavirus press briefing. We cant bring them back. That is as stark a reality as we have to face.

Murphy also said he expects the states battle to slow the virus spread to continue though through next month and beyond.

"I dont see any scenario where this doesnt bleed meaningfully into May, he said.

New Jersey, which has about 9 million residents, ranks second in the United States in total coronavirus cases, after the neighboring state of New York.

Officials say they expect the number of positive cases to keep rising as testing expands in New Jersey. But that, they say, should give them more information on how to fight COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said the peak of infections may be three weeks away. The actual number of cases is likely even higher than the numbers announced Friday, because theres been a lag in test results as long as seven days, officials said.

That also means Murphys most dramatic social-distancing restrictions on residents  including ordering them to stay at home and mandating non-essential businesses be closed  are not being factored into the states current reported numbers.

Friday was also the first time the number of new cases in New Jersey was smaller than the day before. The state reported 2,492 new cases Thursday.

Laboratories in New Jersey  both state-run and commercial  have have administered at least 28,043 coronavirus tests since the outbreak started, producing 8,296 positive tests, Persichilli said. Thats a positive rate of 33.4%.

Persichilli said she may have numbers by Monday on how many New Jerseyans with the virus have recovered.

You have to make an assumption that absent the deaths, everyone else is recovering or on the road to recovery, Persichilli said.

She noted that 1,080 residents who have tested positive were hospitalized as of late this week, though 1,872 more cases are under investigation.

There are 55 nursing homes out of the 375 nursing homes in the state where at least one positive case has been found, she said.

At Fridays briefing, Murphy lashed out at people who are getting tested without showing symptoms.

Murphy said it is useless and unnecessary to test people who are asymptomatic, saying it would not provide us with the critical data we need to get out in front and stay out in front."

We need to know were testing the right people and not wasting tests," he added.

The latest county-by-county breakdown of cases, according to the state tracking website, shows:

Bergen County: 1,505 positive cases

Essex County: 826 positive cases

Middlesex County: 640 positive cases

Monmouth County: 634 positive cases

Hudson County: 594 positive cases

Union County: 519 positive cases

Ocean County: 484 positive cases

Passaic County: 484 positive cases

Morris County: 391 positive cases

Somerset County: 222 positive cases

Mercer County: 131 positive cases

Camden County: 95 positive cases

Burlington County : 88 positive cases

Sussex County: 65 positive cases

Hunterdon County: 52 positive cases

Gloucester County: 40 positive cases

Warren County: 38 positive cases

Atlantic County: 14 positive cases

Cumberland County: 9 positive cases

Cape May County: 7 positive cases

Salem County: 3 positive cases

Officials also announced Friday that the state-run testing sites at Bergen Community College in Paramus and PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel will go to a new schedule starting Saturday.

On Saturday, both sites will only test health-care workers and first-responders. After that, the sites will run on alternating days for people across the state showing symptoms.

On Sunday, only the Paramus center will be open. On Monday, only the Holmdel center will be open. They each will administer 500 tests a day.

On Thursday, Persichilli said New Jersey will create a bioethics panel to evaluate what would happen if the demand for ventilators needed to help critically ill coronavirus patients exceeds the supply.

She said Friday officials are expecting a surge in hospitalized patients by mid-April. But, Persichilli said, she expects the states hospitals to be able to handle the surge, though more ventilators may be needed.

The best tool to flatten the curve of cases and not overload hospitals, she said, remains to be practice social distancing, or limiting human interaction.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for the state Thursday, making it eligible for special federal funding for expanded unemployment insurance, child care, and supplemental nutrition and assistance programs. Residents also stand to benefit from a $2 trillion federal stimulus package that Congress is set to approve.

The virus has infects more than 595,000 people and killed more than 29,000 across the world, while more than 131,000 are known to have recovered, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Jeremy Corbyn today claimed the coronavirus crisis had validated his general election spending plans and showed he was 'absolutely right' to advocate boosting investment.

The Labour leader, who will step down on April 4, said he had been widely 'denounced' for the amount of money he wanted to spend on the UK's public services.

But he said the spread of the deadly disease would result in a 'change in our politics' and a shift towards his hard-Left political position.

And in a clear hint Mr Corbyn believes voters got it wrong at the ballot box in December he said 'our society and our politics will never be the same again, because we have suddenly realised as a society and a community, we need everybody'.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell echoed the same sentiment as he claimed: 'The values of our society I think are changing.'

The comments are likely to spark furious accusations of playing politics from Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell's opponents given the unprecedented nature of the current global outbreak.

However, the spread of the disease and the importance of public services in fighting it is likely to mean the likes of doctors, nurses, teachers and police officers will be viewed by voters as 'untouchable' at future elections.

That could dramatically alter the way in which political parties fight for votes and where they promise investment.

Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC the coronavirus crisis had proved he was 'absolutely right' about the need to spend more on public services

Mr Corbyn led his party to its worst set of general election results since the 1930s last year having also been defeated at the ballot box in 2017 and he immediately announced his intention to step aside.

Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long Bailey and Lisa Nandy are currently battling for the right to take over from him next month but the leadership contest has been totally overshadowed by recent events.

Labour made increased spending on public services one of its main messages during the election campaign as Mr Corbyn faced repeated questions about how he would pay for his costly plans.

The left will now see the decision by the government to turn on the spending taps as a massive victory and as proof that cash can be found for such measures when it is needed.

Mr Corbyn, who conducted his final PMQs as leader of the opposition this week, told the BBC that coronavirus had proved him 'absolutely right'.

'I did everything I possibly could to win both elections and to say to the people of this country the only way our society can come together is if we are prepared to invest,' he said.

'I was denounced as somebody that wanted to spend more money than we could possibly afford in order to right the social wrongs of this country.

'I didn't think that it would take only three months for me to be proved absolutely right by the amount of money the government is now prepared to put in, and parliament has just voted through, to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

A warning from history for Boris Johnson The coronavirus crisis will define Boris Johnson's premiership. But even if he manages to successfully lead the UK out of the current situation the Tories will be wary of what it could mean for their future electoral chances. They can look to history for evidence that leaders who tackle times of crisis can be swiftly forgotten by voters. For example, Sir Winston Churchill led the UK to victory during the Second World War only to be booted out of power at the 1945 general election. The Labour government which succeeded him then used the so-called Beveridge Report, published in 1942, as the basis on which to build the welfare state and to help get the nation back on its feet. The current crisis has put into sharp focus the importance of funding critical public services and that is an issue on which Labour has traditionally wanted to fight elections against the Conservatives, believing voters trust them more than their opponents. The Tories may therefore be nervous about what could happen at the ballot box in the coming years. Advertisement

'So this is a change in our politics which the coronavirus crisis has actually meant.

'In every country in the world there is suddenly a realisation that we are only as healthy as the safety of our neighbour.'

The government has announced massive bailouts worth tens of billions of pounds for big and small businesses as well as the self-employed to try to stop the economy from collapsing.

Mr Corbyn said the devastation and disruption caused by the disease had forced his political opponents to change their thinking.

He said: 'They've now suddenly realised that they have to spend money to invest in the state, as we have always said as a party, and they have come around to a lot of that position.'

He added: 'I think our society and our politics will never be the same again, because we have suddenly realised as a society and a community, we need everybody - and everybody has a contribution to make.'

Mr McDonnell was asked this morning if the massive spending announced by the government did represent a 'fundamental change' in public opinion or if people are supportive of the measures simply because of the crisis.

John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor pictured in the House of Commons on Tuesday, said today he believed 'the values of our society I think are changing'

The shadow chancellor said: 'I think it opens up a very honest debate now among what sort of society do we want, what sort of public investment and role of government and others and our different agencies and different organisations, what role they should play.

'As I say, I think everyone is learning the lesson that actually you have to invest in a certain level of public services in particular to enable those to have the resilience.'

Mr McDonnell said the current crisis illustrated that the NHS and other services needed more money.

He said: 'Last night I was in tears in the street with my neighbours clapping for the NHS workers.

'I remember in Parliament when a large number of MPs voted a couple of years ago not to give those NHS workers the pay rise they deserve. Let's hope we have learnt the lesson.

'Carers, we were clapping carers last night and now carers at home are paid 66 a week, let's increase carer's allowance. The values of our society I think are changing.'
What is the difference between a private company and a public one? A public company has its shares traded on a stock exchange. This means that shareholders-people both inside and outside the company-own a tiny bit of the company via their shares, or equities.

With private companies, there are no shareholders. The only people who own the company are actually a part of the company, itself. Both types of companies have their advantages and disadvantages.

Wondering who is working hard behind closed doors? Here are the ten largest private companies now present in the US, as listed by Forbes.com.

10. Cargill $113.5 B

Editorial credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Founded back in 1865, Cargill covers everything from animal nutrition to meat processing, beauty care, edible oil commodities trading and transportation services. It started out as a grain storage company at the end of the American Civil War and has been in the family for over 140 years.

9. Koch Industries $110 B

Editorial credit: 360b / Shutterstock.com

Based in Wichita, Kansas, Koch Industries began its life in 1940. It is presently owned by Fred. C Koch, and has its hands in a wide variety of industries including biofuels, forest and consumer products, ranching, investments, information systems, and commodity trading.

8. Albertsons $60.5 B

Editorial credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Albertsons is a highly successful grocery store chain headquartered in Boise, Idaho. Stores operating under its banner include Acme, Albertsons, Safeway, Shaws, and Super Save, to name a few.

7. Deloitte $46.2 B

Editorial credit: InFootage.com / Shutterstock.com

When it is tax time, it is Deloitte time. This company offers audit, advisory, tax and consulting services throughout more than twenty industries. It has been around since 1845, and is based in the UK.

6. PricewaterhouseCoopers $42.4 B

Editorial credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com

Pricewaterhouse also focuses on business services and supplies. Companies needing tax and consulting services turn to them globally.

5. Mars $37 B

Editorial credit: Ekaterina_Minaeva / Shutterstock.com

Based in Virginia, Mars is one of the largest food companies in the entire world. It found its origins in 1911, in Tacoma, Washington. M&Ms, Skittles, and Snickers are some of the brand names connected to this now-massive operation.

4. Ernst & Young $36.4 B

Editorial credit: Sergey Kohl / Shutterstock.com

There is clearly money to be made in dealing with other peoples finances. Ernst & Young also provides audit and tax services to companies worldwide. They also cover technology and security risk services and human capital services over the globe, among other things.

3. Publix Super Markets $36.1 B

Editorial credit: Felix Mizioznikov / Shutterstock.com

Headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, Publix has its trademark as the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the US. It operates retail food markets in the southern US in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee.

2. Reyes Holdings $30 B

Editorial credit: Postmodern Studio / Shutterstock.com

Reyes is a major supplier of food and beverage retailers worldwide. Among other products and services, it presently supplies over 71,000 accounts across the US with beer and is a bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products.

1. Pilot Flying J $29 B

Editorial credit: James R. Martin / Shutterstock.com

Somewhat surprisingly, this is the only company on the list that deals in convenience stores and gas stations. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company was formed in 2010 when Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J merged to create a new company.
[March 27, 2020] The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge Now Virtual

MONTREAL, March 27, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - As hair salons are closing for at least three weeks, Leucan invites the population to take part virtually in the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge, presented by Proxim, by organizing a shaving at home benefitting the Association. Confined, connected and united for children with cancer

"Indoor and outdoor gatherings are forbidden, but it's possible to stay connected and united with children who have cancer. Leucan invites the population to register to take part in the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge and to share their experience on social media through photos or live videos, in the virtual company of their loved ones", said Lysanne Groulx, provincial director, annual campaigns and communications at Leucan. A group of 21 people in Monteregie took part yesterday in the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge simultaneously in the comfort of their own homes in support of Julien Tremblay, 8 years old, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on February 28. Together, the group raised close to $35,000 for Leucan. A video of their virtual collective shave is available on the Leucan Shaved Head Challenge's Facebook page.



Pediatric cancer never takes a break

Even though many companies have had to pause their activities to stop the spread of COVID-19, Leucan's mission isn't on hold. In Quebec, nearly one family a day receives a pediatric cancer diagnosis or relapse. If the confinement measures last one month, that means close to 30 families will get the terrible news. It is possible to take part in the Challenge by clicking here.

Leucan wishes to highlight the generosity of Proxim, the presenting sponsor of the event for a 5th year; Mia for creating the Earrings of Hope for a 6th year and donating the sales proceeds to the Association; and Subway for providing meals to volunteers at our shaving sites. About the Challenge

The Leucan Shaved Head Challenge is a major fundraising campaign that engages the community in a solidarity wave to provide families of cancer-stricken children with the services they need. It is also a gesture of support for children having to cope with a change in their appearance in the form of hair loss, a side-effect of chemotherapy. About Leucan

For more than 40 years, Leucan has been supporting cancer-stricken children and their families from the day of diagnosis through every stage of the disease and its side-effects. As a loyal ally of hundreds of families and thousands of members across Quebec, the Association provides specific and personalized services delivered by a qualified team with a cutting edge expertise. Leucan also funds clinical research and the Leucan Information Centre. With its nine offices, Leucan is present throughout Quebec. About Proxim

Proxim was founded through the major grouping of independent pharmacists-owners. With more than 300 drugstores across Quebec, the pharmacists-owners affiliated with Proxim are leading health professionals in their respective communities. Their priority is to provide their patients with specialized and tailored care and support to promote better health. SOURCE Leucan

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Under the watchful eye of Beijings energy hawks, Chinas oil and gas majors have splurged for more than a decade, first on deals abroad and then drilling at home. Yet with crude prices at less than half where they were at the start of the year and demand battered by a coronavirus epidemic, theyre preparing to cut back.

Cnooc Ltd. signaled Wednesday it might reduce its 2020 capital expenditure budget, which was set at as much as $13 billion, the highest since 2014. PetroChina Ltd., the countrys largest oil producer with a market value of $117 billion, suggested Thursday that it would do the same. Given the delicate politics involved, its a welcome hint of rational frugality.

Energy security has always been a top concern for Chinas leadership. Overseas deals peaked at $28 billion in 2012, the year Cnooc bid for Canadas Nexen. Local production growth has been less exuberant, and China has been importing ever more. As trade tensions with Washington rose in 2018, President Xi Jinping urged the countrys state-owned titans to drill. That set off a frenzy from deepwater fields in the South China Sea to shale gas in Sichuan, where China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., known as Sinopec, has led.

Performing national service is fine when oil is at $60 a barrel, even if the improvements are unimpressive compared to the capital spent. Its a different matter when West Texas Intermediate is just coming off an 18-year low of less than $20. Thats a price at which no one can make money  not even Cnooc, with an all-in production cost of less than $30 per barrel of oil equivalent. Cnoocs adventures in U.S. onshore and Canadian oil sands look terrible; its buccaneering domestic ventures are little better.

Overseas, oil majors from Chevron Corp. to Saudi Aramco are cutting spending to preserve capital. Dividends are precarious. Logic dictates that Chinas producers, even with healthier balance sheets, will follow the same pattern. The question is whether they can put financial logic ahead of political necessity.

Story continues

So far, the message is cautious: Cnooc executives pointed out that 2020 spending targets were drawn up when oil was at $65, so adjustments would be made. It gave no specifics. PetroChina, meanwhile, didnt disclose precise targets for the year. Thats no accident, given a volatile market. After a string of personnel changes, there are new bosses across the industry. Political priorities havent been set in stone, given the delay in the annual National Peoples Congress meeting. Still, the official message has been clear: Life is returning to normal after a devastating shutdown. Announcing a drastic spending cut, or anything that might hint at job losses or a weak economy, simply isnt on the cards. PetroChina employed 476,000 at the end of 2018.

That doesnt mean that there wont be mild cuts followed by steeper ones later in the year, a pattern seen before.

How steep? Unlike during the last price crunch, in 2014 and 2015, the forward curve suggests prices will remain low, with little prospect for a quick solution to the Russia-Saudi spat that has worsened a global supply glut. Demand, meanwhile, is in the doldrums. Chinas economy, and therefore its own appetite for oil and gas, is recovering only slowly, and the rest of the world is ailing as more lockdowns, factory closures and travel restrictions are imposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Analysts at UBS Group AG forecast Cnoocs capex could come down 25% over the next two years, a cut that could be far deeper if oil averages closer to $30 this year. Overall, they project Chinese state-owned oil producers could cut spending by over a third, dragging production down 8% to 9%.

Exploration budgets may be trimmed, though domestic production  where job preservation remains key  will mostly be spared. That leaves refining and other downstream activities, plus projects abroad, to bear the brunt.

Low energy prices arent all bad for China, which imports more than 70% of the crude it consumes. Even liberalization of the domestic gas market becomes easier when prices are low enough for consumers to cope with change, Michal Meidan of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies points out. Cheaper oil could eventually stimulate demand. For now, a little less drilling all round.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Clara Ferreira Marques is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering commodities and environmental, social and governance issues. Previously, she was an associate editor for Reuters Breakingviews, and editor and correspondent for Reuters in Singapore, India, the U.K., Italy and Russia.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Lee University anthropology majors Lincoln Beavers and Desiree LaPeer have been selected by the Appalachian College Association as Colonel B. Ledford Scholars.

The Colonel B. Ledford Scholarship offers financial assistance to eligible students who are conducting summer research at ACA member institutions.

Ms. Beavers project, titled When coal mines disappear: Pursuing Revitalization in Southwest Virginia, explores what revitalization processes are suitable in the communities with economic disparity caused by the transition from coal mining to the search for other renewable resources.

It is an honor to have been given such a prestigious opportunity, said Ms. Beavers. It is my great desire to bring back hope and a sense of fulfillment to those affected and find a solution that increases economic security to these communities.

Lincolns passion for research was evident early on, said Dr. Arlie Tagayuna, associate professor of sociology and Ms. Beavers' social research professor. She wanted her research to be participatory, inclusive, and culturally appropriate so that the involved constituents could provide her the best information, and in turn, be able to use the research as a resource for their project of revitalization. Lincoln is so poised to do such an endeavor, and I am proud of her."

Ms. LaPeers project, Factors Influencing College Retention Rates for First-Generation College Students in Fentress County, Tn., examines five specific factors that influence college retention rates for first-generation college students in that county.

This grant means a lot to me, said Ms. LaPeer. It is an incredible feeling knowing that an organization wants to provide funding for my research idea. It felt like a confirmation that I am doing what I need to do in terms of my future vocation.

Desiree demonstrates steadfast excellence, said Dr. Ruth Wienk, assistant professor of sociology and LaPeers research mentor. She is always willing to learn, adapt, and refine her ideas to better meet the requirements of the academic search for knowledge. Her work isn't just admirable for an undergraduate - it's just admirable.

According to Lee Professor of Anthropology Dr. Murl Dirksen, Beavers and LaPeer continue the tradition of great anthropology majors at Lee. This grant has been awarded to three other anthropology majors in the past: Abigail Christopher, who engaged in investigating religious reactions to the Ebola crisis in Liberia; Jed Foster, who spent a summer in China collecting interviews on the end of Chinas one-child policy; and Kelly Wnuk, who examined recent controversies surrounding Confederate monuments. Additionally, Lee alumna Erin Williamson is the first Lee graduate to be awarded a Bill Gates Scholarship and is currently pursuing her PhD in cultural anthropology at Cambridge University researching hope among refugees in Greece.

It is impossible for me not to feel proud and brag about the anthropology students we have at Lee, said Dr. Dirksen.

For more information about the ACA or the Ledford Scholarship, visit https://acaweb.org/.












(Photo : pixabay)

Through the use of Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers from Virginia Tech have found a startling fact about galactic objects called quasars! They aren't just energetic material that could shine even a thousand times over than the galaxies they are into. Some of them have tsunami-like powers that could push 46-million-MPH winds blasting out the annual weight material of the sun a hundred times over! This phenomenon could also create ripples throughout galaxies.

What are quasars?

Quasars are among the most vibrant objects in the universe. They are powered by massive black holes that eat up a significant amount of materials in the galaxy.

Quasars materialize as supermassive black holes consume matter from neighboring galaxies and spit out jets of matter. These energetic galactic object could also heat surrounding materials, resulting in the creation of superheated disks capable of blasting out "winds" through radiation and magnetic pressure.

The astronomers who carried out the experiment wanted to find out the amount of energy the winds have. The objective was quite challenging as qasars are found as far as 10bn light-years away.

Good thing, there's hubble space telescope which was able to capture light photos of this galactic object at its best. It has for instance captured a streaky jet object that has a length of 200,000 lightyears. That's four times bigger than the radius of the Milky Way galaxy!

Read Also: Stunning Hubble Snapshot Showcases Ancient And Far-Off Galaxies

Measuring the velocity of a quasar's wind

The astronomers also use Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), another Hubble instrument, to measure the velocity of a wind produce by quasar. COS is the sole device capable of capturing a particlular UV light range required to measure the presence of Doppler shift in the outflow of the galactic object. It paves the way for understanding the jets' composition and speed.

By measuring jets on some quasars, what the team of astronomers are quite mind-blogging!

According to the results, some jets are blasting out winds that could 'snowplow' a galactic object away from the center at a considerable speed of light. Of the 13 quasars examined, one of them started to produce winds at 43-million MPH and hit 46-million MPH speed three years thereafter. Its speeding up faster than any of its kind yet.

Lead researcher of the team Nahum Arav said, "the winds are pushing hundreds of solar masses of material each year".

He added that "the amount of mechanical energy that these outflows carry is up to several hundreds of times higher than the luminosity of the entire Milky Way galaxy."

Arav noted that the qasar could probably glow across visible light spectra and X-ray as its shock wave warm its surrounding material to billions of degrees.

Read Also: Nest Of Superstars Spotted By Hubble Space Telescope | Tech Times

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hanjin KAL CEO Seok Tae-soo presides over the general shareholder meeting at the headquarters of the company in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Hanjin Group





By Jun Ji-hye







Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae was reappointed as an executive director of Hanjin KAL, the group's holding company, Friday, defending his management rights of the logistics-centered business group amid a sibling feud with his elder sister and group heiress Cho Hyun-ah.







During the holding firm's shareholders meeting, the incumbent chairman defended his board seat by garnering 56.67 percent approval.







Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae.

Cho Won-tae has been in fight for control of the group with a three-party anti-chairman alliance led by his sister.







Hyun-ah, a former vice president at Korean Air who is backed by local activist fund Korea Corporate Governance Improvement (KCGI) and mid-sized builder Bando Engineering & Construction, has called for the need to replace the leadership to improve the group's financial status and shareholder value.







A day ahead of the shareholders meeting, the National Pension Service (NPS) announced its decision to vote for the reappointment of the group's incumbent chairman as an executive director.







The state pension fund, which holds a 2.9 percent stake in Hanjin KAL, was considered to hold a casting vote in determining the chairman's fate.







The Seoul Central District Court's ruling against the anti-chairman alliance, issued Tuesday, also weighed in favor of the chairman because it reduced the alliance's shares eligible for voting rights.







The court said the construction firm could cast only 5 percent of the votes, ruling against the firm's request for an injunction that asked for it to be allowed to cast 8.2 percent of its votes.







Industry officials expect the sibling feud over the control of the group to continue even after the shareholders meeting because the anti-chairman alliance appears to have prepared for a long battle by buying additional shares.







The construction company and KCGI announced Tuesday that they had bought additional 1.95 percent and 0.06 percent shares, respectively, increasing the alliance's combined stakes to 42.13 percent.







Industry officials raised the likelihood that the alliance would ask for an extraordinary meeting of shareholders to hold the chairman in check, or file a nullity suit against him.


by Mathias Hariyadi

Celebrations with people have been suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak. Three private TV channels will broadcast religious services live. Meetings and negotiations between the authorities and the Catholic association Komunitas Universal (KU) were crucial. Indonesian Catholics will not miss the universal prayer and Urbi et Orbi blessing tonight.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  In Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Holy Week celebrations will be broadcast on state television and radio and several private stations.

In an effort to help the countrys fight against the spread of the coronavirus, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI) has decided to suspend public religious services until 30 April, Easter masses included.

Many Catholics are disappointed by the decision; however, they are at least happy that they can follow celebrations live on TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) and RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia), plus three private TV stations: Kompas TV, MNC Vision, Emtek Group.

Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Card Hardjoatmodjo of Jakarta, who heads KWI, will lead some of main Masses.

Jakarta Archdiocese chief secretary Fr Adi Prasojo announced that each Indonesian parish will also be able to stream its own service live, depending on itw own broadcasting capabilities.

This follows complaints by Catholics from around the country, where Wi-Fi connection is still limited and data transmission on smartphones expensive. Many people cannot afford to watch mass on YouTube for more than an hour.

Holy Week services on radio and TV were made possible by days of constructive meetings and negotiations between the authorities and the Catholic association Komunitas Universal (KU).

KU chief YB Haryono personally contacted Minister of Communication and Information Technology Johnny G. Plate, a Catholic, and Fr Harry Sulistio, head of the Social Communications Commission of the Archdiocese of Jakarta.

They discussed how Catholics could connect to live streaming without any advertising message, and at a lower cost for mobile reception. After getting an agreement with TVRI and RRI management, YB Haryono and Fr Sulistio also struck deal with Kompas TV, MNC Vision, and Emtek Group.

For KU chief Haryono, "All of this is the result of teamwork, without which nothing would have been possible,"

In the meantime, the Church is urging people to take part in the universal prayer and the Urbi et Orbi blessing that Pope Francis will deliver tonight from the parvis of St Peters Basilica (at 6pm Rome time, 5pm Greenwich time).

Plenary indulgence will be granted to those who spiritually join this moment via the media. Despite the late hour (midnight in western Indonesia, 1 am in central Indonesia, and 2am in eastern Indonesia), no Indonesian Catholic wants to miss the event.

In remote parts of the country, where mobile reception is very difficult, Catholics are doing all they can to join tonights prayer, as well as Holy Week Masses later on.

Many are buying mobile booster antenna. Some have sought the right device for them in order to follow the papal prayer.

Ms Janti, a Catholic in East Jakarta, tried desperately to get reliable channels and news" about tonight's broadcast. I am really relieved because I found the right information in the Vatican and local media.

At first, Ketut Respatia in Denpasar (Bali) was "annoyed" by the fact that the prayer was going to take place so late at night. But the Pope's special blessing and the possibility of obtaining the plenary indulgence are something not to be missed.
PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne speaks to the Press in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont

Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said the PSNI will be enforcing the laws around social distancing once the Executive agrees what those will be.

He was speaking alongside Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd during yesterday's Covid-19 press conference at Stormont Castle.

This came as the Public Health Agency earlier announced that another three people have died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the total to 10 in Northern Ireland.

Another 32 people were tested positive for the virus here, bringing that total to 241 cases.

Of those who have tested positive, 90 (37%) were aged 0 to 44; 81 (34%) were 45 to 69, and 70 (31%) were aged 70 or older. Some 104 were female and 137 were male.

Meanwhile, First Minister Arlene Foster stated that the Executive will be working with the PSNI to decide how much the fines will be for those who fail to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill also said that employers should "give themselves a shake" if they are refusing to close non-essential businesses.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Byrne explained that there are now just four custody centres currently operating in Northern Ireland, as part of efforts to enhance social distancing.

He added that the PSNI has also introduced a specialist car in each policing district for officers who have been trained and equipped to deal with incidents where people may display symptoms of Covid-19.

Commenting on what the public will see from police in response to the outbreak in the weeks and months ahead, Mr Byrne said: "You won't see vehicle checks to stop people moving around Northern Ireland but clearly, if people don't heed the prudent advice from health about social distance and movement, we have got to keep all our options open to protect the public and to protect the integrity of the health service so they can continue to treat people."

Mr Byrne also said that people have been charged with coughing at police officers and from Monday the PSNI, along with the Public Prosecution Service, will be launching a "nine-point plan" to give officers more support if they have been coughed at or assaulted while on duty.

"I know from commentary both today and before this, there'll be a lot of interest in how we as a police service may want to use new powers to support the efforts around social distancing," he continued.

"I think it's important to stress that discretion and common sense remain at the heart of policing and like the other organisations in Great Britain, we will be adopting a four-point approach to use new powers that come from the Executive.

"Patrolling officers will be told to engage with the public, explain what the new powers are, to encourage people to adopt them and go home or to stop their work.

"Equally, if we have to we will enforce the law once the new powers are with us and are made clear."

Mr Byrne stressed that the PSNI does have necessary stockpiles of personal protective equipment for officers and the force will be monitoring those levels on a daily basis.

Mr Todd also outlined that when a member of the public calls the PSNI, they will now be asked a number of questions to find out if there is a risk of contracting Covid-19.

"If we identify that there is a risk or the possibility of a risk then the control room, with expert guidance, will talk to the call signs before deploying them," he explained. "Police officers are like you and I and everybody else.

"They have families and elderly parents so their concerns are our concerns.

"We as a senior management team are aware of those concerns and we are working absolutely flat out to manage them," he added.

Meanwhile, both Mrs Foster and Mrs O'Neill used yesterday's conference to once again slam employers and businesses who are not adhering to the necessary social distancing guidelines.

Mrs Foster stated that the Health and Safety Executive is currently working on the matter, while Mrs O'Neill told employers to take "responsibility".

"Let me say this to employers today, take responsibility for your workers," stated the Sinn Fein vice-president.

"Today we are still hearing reports about workers being exploited during this public health emergency.

"They are being given no option by their employers other than to go to work whenever it's not safe for them to do so.

"That has to stop, it must stop immediately and shame on any employer that is exploiting their workforce at this moment in time."
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

While telecommuting Wednesday morning from her Albuquerque apartment, Allie Sikorski stayed in close contact with Arizona.

Arizona the dog, that is.

The year-old Chihuahua napped on Sikorskis lap or otherwise lounged nearby  a temporary houseguest making herself completely at home.

Arizona is among the 82 shelter pets the city of Albuquerque placed in foster homes over a five-day period last week  more foster placements than the entire month of February. Its part of a multifaceted plan to limit the shelter population in the face of COVID-19.

Sikorski, who has a history of helping various animal rescue organizations, said she felt compelled to answer the citys recent plea for emergency foster assistance.

When you work in rescue theres like a heightened awareness when things start to go bad, she said. I get calls and emails or texts all day long; people are like I need you to take my dog I need you to do this.  Then I heard the mayor (Tim Keller) say they needed more fosters and I said, somethings wrong.'

The citys action has so far been proactive in nature, according to Adam Ricci, chief of field operations for the Animal Welfare Department.

The goal is to ensure the citys shelters are not full going forward, as Ricci said the facilities must remain an outlet should potential economic hardships leave citizens unable to care for their animal companions.

The coronavirus pandemic has jolted the state, and government orders meant to limit the diseases spread have forced many businesses to drastically cut operations or even shut down. Last week alone, New Mexico saw more than 17,000 workers file initial unemployment claims.

Ricci said the shelters must prepare should need surge in the coming weeks.

We want to be ready for whatever comes next for our community, he said.

To open up space, the city has waived animal adoption fees, significantly boosted foster placements and limited intakes to emergency strays. (To avoid human crowds inside the shelter, the city also has shifted to pet adoptions by appointment only.)

Over the course of last week, the measures helped reduce the city shelter population to 338 from 559. That included 190 adoptions and 15 euthanizations, numbers in line with weekly averages from February, plus the fosters.

The 82 sent out over the five-day surge included 36 dogs, five puppies, six kittens, 23 guinea pigs and 12 other animals.

The Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center has taken many of the same measures as the city, director Misha Goodman said, reducing its population from 152 to 99 in the past week.

We have not had to euthanize; we have had a pretty good surge in adoption and in foster care, Goodman said. But we need much more.

Katie Jarl, regional state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said moving as many animals as possible into foster and adoptive homes is a best practice at this juncture.

This will create space in shelters/rescues so they can prepare for potential staffing shortages due to COVID-19, and allow space for pets whose owners are impacted by COVID-19 and dont have an alternative place to go, Jarl said in a statement, adding that animal organizations should also prioritize support like pet food banks and emergency veterinary care to owners who want to keep their pets.

Desiree Crawley, marketing manager for Albuquerque Animal Welfare, said the city continues seeking new foster families but that the community response so far is heartening.

People have been great about supporting animal welfare during this time, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 04:36:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Italian senators are seen wearing face masks, in Rome, Italy, March 26, 2020. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday reported to the Senate on his government's actions thus far and laid out future measures to counteract the economic fallout from the virus. (Xinhua)

The pandemic claimed 969 lives on Friday, a new single-day record high in fatalities registered here since the outbreak hit Italy's northern regions on Feb. 21.

ROME, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The cumulative number of coronavirus cases in Italy reached 86,498 on Friday, exceeding the total figure registered in China, according to data by the Civil Protection Department coordinating the national emergency response.

The pandemic also claimed 969 lives, a new single-day record high in fatalities registered here since the outbreak hit the country's northern regions on Feb. 21.

The death toll grew to 9,134, with 50 fatalities occurred on Thursday and not yet included in the total figure, national commissioner for the emergency Domenico Arcuri explained at a daily press conference.

RISING NUMBERS

In unveiling the new statistics, Arcuri took the place of extraordinary commissioner and Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli, who was under home confinement for the second day in a row due to fever (but negative for coronavirus).

According to the data, 589 new cured people were registered on a daily basis, bringing total recoveries to 10,950.

With 4,401 people tested positive on Friday, the number of active coronavirus infections grew to 66,414. "About 6 percent of the total, or 3,732 patients, are currently in intensive care," Arcuri explained.

Medical personnel work in the ICU of Istituto Clinico Casalpalocco, in Rome, Italy, March 25, 2020.(Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

According to epidemiological data released by the National Health Institute (ISS) on Friday (and based on data up to Thursday), at least 6,414 health professionals were among those positive for the coronavirus so far.

"They have an average age of 49 years, and some 35 percent of them are male," the ISS wrote in a bulletin.

COOPERATION NEEDED

At the press conference, the commissioner stressed statistics in Italy and in many other places around the world "prove how global and wide this health crisis is."

"In a global crisis, there is a clear need of cooperation, without egoism, and Italy is playing its due part," he stressed.

Arcuri also recalled Italian authorities were putting much effort in trying to find and purchase equipment and protective gear necessary in the emergency from as many countries as possible.

Medical supplies coming along with the third Chinese medical team are unloaded from the plane at Milan Malpensa Airport in Milan, Italy, March 25, 2020.(Str/Xinhua)

"We keep cooperating with many countries, and keep buying (equipment) from France, Germany, China, and Russia... while talks are under way with further countries, which are often located very far from us," he said.

"This is the time of cooperation and solidarity, with no further implication, whether of political or geographical nature. Wherever there is a chance to obtain solutions to our citizens' problems... that is the right place to go," he stressed.

Arcuri said all Italian productive and social actors have been called to give their contribution to strengthen industrial production and help the country become more self-sufficient in terms of medical equipment in these exceptional circumstances.

FURTHER MEASURES

In related news on Friday, the country's Education Minister announced schools would most likely remain shut beyond the national lockdown period so far imposed by the government, which was officially effective until April 3.

"For sure, the school closure will be extended over the April 3 date," Lucia Azzolina told state TV broadcast RAI 1.

"At the moment, our goal is to ensure students will return to school only after health authorities have guaranteed this is safest... our pupils' and our educational staff's health is the priority."

The minister explained that "information about final exams, both in primary and secondary schools, will be provided to students in the next weeks."

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (L) addresses the Senate, in Rome, Italy, March 26, 2020.(Xinhua)

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's cabinet was at work to outline further measures to help the country's industrial and social fabric sustain the impact of the health crisis. A first package worth 25 billion euros (27.7 billion U.S. dollars) was passed earlier this month.

Addressing the senate on Thursday, Conte said he was confident the government would be able "to offer companies, families, and workers additional allocations, for a total not lower than 50 billion euros (including the first package)."
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has told state governments to step up the surveillance of international passengers who reached India before the government banned commercial flights from abroad from landing in the country.

Gauba, the countrys senior-most bureaucrat, said there was a gap in the number of passengers who should have been monitored and the actual number.

This may seriously jeopardise our efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19, given that many amongst the people who have tested positive for Covid-19 so far in India have a history of international travel, the Cabinet Secretary said in a letter to all chief secretaries on Thursday.

Also Watch | 39 positive COVID-19 cases in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal briefing on latest situation

Also read: Coronavirus cases cross over 700 in India, RBI makes key announcement

Gaubas letter, accessed by Hindustan Times, did not indicate the total number of passengers who were under surveillance. But it underlined that the Home Ministrys Bureau of Immigration had shared details of more than 15 lakh incoming international passengers with the States/UTs for monitoring for Covid-19.

It is important that they are put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic, the letter says.

This isnt the first time that the Centre has reminded the states about the need to keep a close watch on Indians and foreigners with a travel history. The Health Ministry has sent repeated messages to states to step up. It escalated the problem to the top bureaucrat after a lukewarm response from the states.

I understand that the Ministry of Health has repeatedly emphasized this and requested the States and UTs to take immediate steps in this regard. I would therefore like to request to ensure that concerted and sustained action is taken urgently to put such passengers under surveillance immediately as per MOHFW guidelines, says Gaubas letter.

State government officials, however, contend that the Bureau of Immigration list that was sent to them often didnt have complete and accurate information about the passengers.

In Bihars Muzaffarpur and Saran districts, for instance, the authorities have been able to locate only 385 of the 500 people mentioned in the Centres list.

In some cases, people had mentioned their international contact numbers, which had made it difficult for us to track them... However, through our anganwadi sevikas and teachers, we have now been able to track more than 250 out of 300-odd missing cases in our district, and only 30-odd now remain to be located, said Saran district magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen.
by Adam Koffler | Jaguars Correspondent | Thu, Mar 26th 9:00pm EDT

Former Cowboys DE Daniel Ross has agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders. (David Canter on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact:

The big defensive edge out of Northeast Mississippi Community College will get a chance to play for the Raiders after two seasons with the Cowboys in 2017 and 2018. Ross will look to add depth to the Raiders defensive line this upcoming season.
UK announces self-employed support; the Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate holds largest gain for 3 years amid improved risk conditions and dollar losses

- The Pound to Euro exchange rate is +0.33% higher @ 1.10733 on 27/3/2020

- The Pound to US Dollar exchange rate is +0.31% higher @ $1.22303 on 27/3/2020

The government announced support measures for UK self-employed workers, although there will be a delay in securing funds. Global factors were the dominant factor underpinning Sterling during the day.

The UK government has come under strong criticism that fiscal support measures to support UK businesses and employees had not helped protect the self-employed.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced further support measures on Thursday.

He announced a new self-employed support programme with a grant available for up to 80% of profits up to a maximum of 2,500 per month. The support will be calculated using average trading profits over the last three financial years.

This scheme will be available for an initial 3-month period and will be extended if necessary.

Support will be available for these with profits up to 50,000. Only those existing self-employed will be eligible while people will have an extra four weeks to file tax returns for last year in order to benefit from the scheme.

Fewer than three years accounts will be used if necessary, but no support will be available if no tax returns have been posted.

The scheme is set to be up and running no later than June and earlier if possible which will inevitably be some concerns over the difficulty in accessing funds more quickly. Sunak indicated that short-term support would be available through the welfare system.

In this context, there will also be concerns that short-term spending will be depressed further given a delay in securing financial assistance.

Self-employed can access business support plans and income tax payments will be deferred. There will also be an increase in welfare payments.

There were, however, also warnings that the self-employed tax burden would increase over the medium term as it was unfair for them to receive state support and also have a more favourable tax regime.

The Federation of Small businesses and Confederation of British Industry (CBI) both broadly welcomed the move.

Pressure for UK citizens to comply with government lockdown measures continued to increase. In this context, police will be given additional powers to enforce measures that no-one will be allowed to leave home without reasonable excuse.

There are powers to introduce a 60 fine initially and a 120 fine for a second offence with parents also ordered to ensure that their children do not break the rules.

The pound Sterling had moved steadily higher during Thursday with support from a more favourable global risk-appetite environment. The Bank of England comment that it would take further action to support the economy if necessary also helped underpin UK sentiment.

There will, however, inevitably be concerns over the medium-term cost and expectations that the tax burden will inevitably increase.

Dollar losses and firm global risk appetite were the dominant drivers in currency markets on Thursday with an easing of funding pressures.

Pound Sterling dipped marginally after the announcement and was unable to extend gains, although it maintained a firm tone with Sterling/dollar trading 2.4% higher above 1.2150 and on course for the largest daily gain for three years. Euro/Sterling also retreated to 0.9070.

Live GBP Exchange Rates Today:

ZAR = 21.37254 (+1.11%)

NOK = 12.8191 (+1.06%)

NZD = 2.05515 (+0.72%)

TRY = 7.85793 (+0.69%)

ILS = 4.41595 (+0.69%)

PLN = 5.0169 (+0.6%)

MXN = 28.4859 (+0.49%)

CZK = 30.09185 (+0.35%)

EUR = 1.10733 (+0.33%)

CAD = 1.717483 (+0.31%)

USD = 1.22303 (+0.31%)

HKD = 9.48089 (+0.3%)

CHF = 1.17607 (+0.28%)

CNY = 8.64820 (+0.27%)

AUD = 2.00990 (+0.2%)

SGD = 1.74627 (+0.09%)

SEK = 12.12705 (+0%)

JPY = 132.8491 (-0.17%)
MBABANE  Public transport operators were met with resistance from commuters following their soap and water mixture disinfectants.

All customers boarding public transport were disinfected in Mbabane yesterday.



Commuters are, however, of the view that the soap and water adds germs instead of protecting them. They were forced to use the water and soap mixture after being threatened that they would not be allowed to board the vehicles.

Through support from the Ministry of Health, the public transport operators have been provided with the disinfectants to assist in curbing the spread of the coronavirus in the country.



In an interview with some of the commuters they raised concern that the mixture of soap and water did not work for them as it instead dirtied their hands even more since there was no running water to rinse.

They said they believed that soap should be applied on the hands when there was running water.



Comment



When reached for comment, Rank Marshal Cashion Dlamini said customers were refusing to use their soap and water mix. Dlamini said the customers came with many excuses including that they had sanitised their hands in the shops after shopping. He said they had been advised by the Ministry of Health to use soap and water to disinfect their customers before boarding. Dlamini said they had reported the matter to the police who advised that if a customer refuses to sanitise, they should not be allowed inside the public transport vehicles.

This has helped a lot as the commuters end up complying, he said.

Meanwhile, Eswatini National Road Transportation Council (NRTC) Chairperson Sihlangu Nhlabatsi said they were still engaged in talks with government to provide them with hand sanitisers.

Nhlabatsi said they were warned of fake hand sanitisers, following that some people were taking advantage of the situation to strike it rich with such products.

He said there was a current stock-out of hand sanitiser in the shops. According to Nhlabatsi, the issue of hand sanitisers had been discussed at length with the Ministry of Health, which warned them on the fake products, encouraging them to use soap and water.
Stealing the limelight from the P40 series somewhat, Xiaomi has now confirmed European pricing for the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. While the Mi series can no longer reasonably be called affordable flagships, Xiaomi has already pledged to bring several substantial camera upgrades to both devices.

Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here

Xiaomi has packed the Mi 10 series with some seriously impressive hardware, but so it should considering that the series will start at 799. Yes, the Mi series has graduated to flagship pricing, with Xiaomi granting 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage for the 799 entry-level model.

If you want more storage, then you can choose between the 899 version of the Mi 10 or the 999 Mi 10 Pro. Both feature 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, though.

These prices make the Mi 10 series considerably more expensive in Europe than in China. The Mi 10 series starts at CNY 3,999 in Xiaomi's home country, a saving of around 285. By contrast, the Mi 10 Pro is about 295 more expensive in Europe than it is China. Xiaomi is not bringing the 12 GB of RAM SKUs to Europe that it released in China, either. Presumably, Xiaomi took this decision to avoid joining the 1,000 smartphone club, as the 12 GB version of the Mi 10 Pro is an additional CNY 500.

Incidentally, Xiaomi has also announced that it plans to introduce several camera improvements for the Mi 10 series. Already distributed to beta testers in China, the update promises to improve image stabilisation, zoom support for normal video recordings and more options when recording videos in Pro mode.




Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said he tested negative for the virus.

The minister said he was tested on Wednesday.

He said this in response to a question on his status and that of his colleagues during a media brief meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier tested negative after his chief of staff, Abba Kyari tested positive for the deadly virus.
FONTANA  In his public life, David Jensen was known to be fair and impartial. The longtime municipal judge was a respected public servant who owned an insurance company and at one time operated a Geneva Lake mailboat.

But two months after his death, police says financial discrepancies have revealed a dark secret behind Jensens other position as treasurer of the homeowners association for his Indian Hills neighborhood.

Police now believe Fontanas admired civic leader was a thief.

A police investigation that began after Jensens death Feb. 8 has determined that over the past nearly three years Jensen embezzled more than $40,000 from the homeowners association.

Indian Hills is a neighborhood of upscale homes in Fontana, including some on the lakefront.

According to police, leaders of the homeowners association came forth March 2 with evidence of Jensens alleged thievery contained in financial records dating back to July 2017. The total amount that investigators believe Jensen embezzled added up to $42,590.

When police broke the news to Jensens wife, Gabby Jensen, she denied any knowledge of the embezzlement, but she said he had accumulated $60,000 in debts for the couple.

He was desperate, she told police March 3 in a videotaped interview. I think that contributed a lot to his death. He was under such stress.

Jensen, who had been Fontanas municipal judge for 12 years, died Feb. 8 at the age of 72, four days after suffering a heart attack in his home.

The Illinois native spent most of his life working as an insurance agent before moving to Fontana. As municipal judge, he collected a public salary of $6,700 a year.

He was seeking re-election to another term as municipal judge at the time of his death.

Fontana Police Chief Jeff Cates oversaw the investigation of Jensens alleged embezzlement. Cates said he concluded that Jensen acted alone in the thievery, and because Jensen is deceased, there is no way to prosecute him and no reason to investigate further.

The police chief consulted with Walworth County Assistant District Attorney Matthew Leusink before closing the case.

Cates said the Indian Hills homeowners association could pursue the matter in civil court, if association leaders want to try recouping the lost funds.

The defendant in this matter is deceased, and it appears he acted alone, Cates said. With no one left to prosecute, it no longer becomes a criminal investigation.

Wesley Samuels, president of the homeowners association, declined to comment.

The private association collects $1,000 a year from each of its estimated 100 homeowners to provide for landscaping and other services in the neighborhood.

Jensen was the groups treasurer for 11 years.

Homeowners in the neighborhood say the association has struggled with financial difficulties and other signs of mismanagement. Landscaping improvements, walking path repairs and boat launch improvements have been delayed due to a lack of funding.

Thomas Dunn, a homeowner in the neighborhood for 24 years, said once evidence of Jensens embezzlement surfaced, it became clear why funding has been lacking for neighborhood upkeep.

Weve had all these things in disrepair that we have just been dragging our feet on getting the work done, Dunn said. Its always been one excuse after the other. Well, we know why now.

According to police records, Jensen inflated invoices for payments owed to private contractors by the association. Diverting checks to his private insurance business, Southern Lakes Capitol, Jensen then siphoned off money from the homeowners association.

Records show that Samuels reported Jensen had made deposits totaling $16,000 back into the Indian Hills account in an apparent attempt to repay what was embezzled.

As part of the investigation, police also interviewed two contractors who had performed work for Indian Hills and who had received payments from Jensen.

Peter Pawinski of Lake Way Pier Service and Edith Gonzalez of Gonzalez Lawn Company both told police they were unaware of the alleged embezzlement and were not involved in any way.

Cates said the financial records went back three years, and leaders of the homeowners association have not sought an investigation that goes back any further in Jensens years of work as the groups treasurer.

Some homeowners have voiced dissatisfaction with how Samuels has handled the embezzlement matter.

Homeowners say a petition has been circulated calling for Samuels to resign. A board meeting was scheduled March 28 to discuss the situation, but the meeting was postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Marita Magnuson, a homeowner for 18 years, said that while the embezzlement was unfortunate, she believes efforts to oust Samuels as the groups president are unnecessary.

Dunn, however, said he fears that the associations financial losses may have been worse than the police have reported.

It could be $50,000 or closer to $200,000, Dunn said. Who knows?

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.
NEW HAVEN  Public school families in New Haven looking to enroll in a new school will have to wait two weeks longer to know where students are attending school next year because of coronavirus-related office closures.

New Haven Public Schools COO Michael Pinto announced Friday that the results of New Havens school choice placement lottery will be delayed until April 14.

Amid school building closures and the current Covid-19 pandemic, all district offices will remain closed until further notice. These closures make it difficult for both Central Office and School staff to communicate with parents as we would normally do regarding placement and registration processes. It is because of these factors that we feel it is in the best interest of families to postpone, he said in a statement.

As a result, various school registration deadlines likely will be amended.

Amending these processes will allow for parents to complete the acceptance and registration processes from the safety of their homes and will allow us to follow through on Mayor (Justin) Elickers order to maintain social distancing while we get through this pandemic as a community, the statement said.

New Havens model of school choice allows for students to apply for schools outside of their own neighborhoods. Suburban students also are invited to apply for a number of seats in New Havens magnet schools, which are themed schools designed as measures of desegregation and a significant source of revenue for the school district through grant funding associated with those schools.

Annually, students apply to enroll in New Haven schools and the districts Choice and Enrollment Office runs a lottery, weighting various factors such as a students proximity to a school and whether they have a sibling in that school.

Pinto said that, as of Friday, the district had not yet completed the lottery process internally.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a critical shortage of the nations blood supply.

With shelter in place mandates keeping people home and locations where blood donations typically take place, such as schools and office buildings, shuttered, thousands of blood drives have been canceled across the country.

When San Francisco medical students Anya Greenberg and Hope Schwartz learned we could be facing a secondary public health crisis in the blood banks, they jumped into action.

With the support of UCSF Healths senior faculty leaders and Vitalant, the largest blood provider in San Francisco, they have organized three-day blood drives at the schools Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses, to take place over the first two weeks in April.

Its a clear-cut way to have a meaningful impact, Greenberg said.

Although not used to treat coronavirus patients, blood products are vital for dealing with trauma, transplants or transfusions for some of the hospitals most vulnerable patients.

Erin Beggs said her 4-year-old son, Christopher, who has suffered from leukemia for more than two years, depends on regular transfusions.

He has only survived because of peoples donations, she said. Its scary right now thinking there may not be enough blood to replace his platelets.

Blood has a short shelf life. Red blood cells can be used up to 42 days, and platelets need to be used in five, creating a need to continually replenish supplies.

Vitalant says that thousands of blood drives across the country have been canceled since the pandemic hit, resulting in a sharp drop in donations.

We have a critical blood shortage thats only going to get worse unless we can figure out how to get people from the community back to donating blood, Schwartz said.

To encourage donations, UCSF is taking several measures to protect volunteers and staff during these drives that will take place at the Millberry Union Gymnasium at its Parnassus Heights campus on April 1-3 and Mission Bay Conference Center on April 7-9.

Donations will take place by appointment only. Stations at the sites will be set up at least 6 feet apart in accordance with social distancing regulations. All eligible donors are being asked to arrive alone.

Additionally, staff and donors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entry, while Vitalant staff will increase disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.

According to the CDC, the coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19.

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.

More Information How you can help What: Blood drives When: April 1-3 , April 7-9 How: Schedule appointment at bloodheroes.com Source: Chronicle Research See More Collapse

Theres been a lot of thought and discussion put into this effort, Schwartz said.

When the link for the drive went live Thursday, she said, 90% of the appointments filled up within the first 24 hours.

But even that is not enough to match the dire need health care workers anticipate if the lack of blood donations continues.

Not having cells to give somebody who needs them is horrifying to us, said Dr. Mignon Loh, professor of clinical pediatrics at UCSF, who applauded the students efforts to take on such a big initiative.

Its a testament to our community, Greenberg said. This has been such an all-hands-on deck effort. Its cool seeing students and faculty bring this together at lightning speed. Thats one of the best parts, to see people come together.

Potential donors can schedule appointments at bloodheroes.com.

Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
A Bertrange retirement home has been badly affected by the pandemic, after a resident in her nineties succumbed to the virus on Wednesday evening.

According to Reporter.lu, fifteen residents are thought to have contracted the virus.

Management for the nursing home "Les Parcs du 3e Age" confirmed this information as a resident was hospitalised on Thursday morning.

Two staff members have also been infected.

However, management stated that the staff were well protected against the virus, with all the necessary protective equipment - overalls, glasses, masks and gloves - which the establishment has obtained itself.

The Ministry of Health immediately promised to assist the staff.

For the moment, the infected residents have been isolated on one floor and are being taken care of by nursing staff who work in shifts of six to eight people.

The first case of Covid-19 infection at the retirement home was detected on 18 March.

The woman's passing marks the ninth death linked to the coronavirus in Luxembourg.

On Thursday, the government confirmed a total of 1,453 cases in the Grand Duchy, an increase of 120 compared to the day before.
The government of the United Kingdom has decided to use firefighters to help deliver food, retrieve dead bodies and drive ambulances as it braces for the looming peak of the coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed the lives of more than 22,000 people across the world.

Firefighters to deliver food

Britain initially took a strikingly humble approach to the worst health crisis since the 1918 influenza epidemic, but then changed track to impose stringent controls after projections showed a quarter of a million British people could die. Prime Minister Boris Johnson who tested positive, has ordered a virtual lockdown of the worlds fifth-largest economy to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus banning Britons from leaving their homes for all non-essential reasons.

Read:PM Modi Wishes A Speedy Recovery For Boris Johnson; Calls The British PM A 'fighter'

Read:Task Force Ensuring Food Supply In Mathura Cantonment: Official

So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The UK toll is the seventh-worst in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, France, and the United States, according to a Reuters tally. Under a deal struck between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Fire chiefs and Fire and Rescue Employers, firefighters will continue to respond to their usual emergencies, but will now also carry out new tasks.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, reportedly said they have faced a public health crisis unparalleled in their lifetimes. The coronavirus outbreak is now a humanitarian emergency and firefighters rightly want to help their communities. Many fear the loss of life in this outbreak could be overwhelming and firefighters, who often handle terrible situations and incidents, are ready to step in to assist with body retrieval.

Read:Amid Lockdown, Stranded Workers Approach Delhi Night Shelters For Food And Accommodation

Read:Self-quarantine A Luxury Not Everyone Can Afford; Homeless More Worried About Food Than COVID-19

As well as collecting those who die should there be mass casualties, firefighters can drive ambulances, and take food and medicine to the vulnerable under the agreement. To cope with the outbreak, Britain has already asked tens of thousands of retired doctors and healthcare workers to return to work, while hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered to assist the state-run National Health Service.
The Jamia Millia Islamia University here suspended a professor for claiming that he has failed 15 "non-Muslims" for supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Assistant Professor in the varisty, Dr Abrar Ahmad took to his Twitter on Wednesday to write that he had passed everyone in an examination barring 15 non-Muslim students.

[{478e79f5-23f9-4cd2-ac90-0ad45cdb1c1c:intradmin/message_voRWbyS.PNG}]

Soon after his tweet triggered blacklash, the professor in a subsequent tweet said his claim was a "satire" to indicate how the government was discriminating against a specific religious law through the CAA.

"The post is a parody to explain how the government is discriminating a community. There has been no such exam or results. It [the tweet] is just to explain an issue. I never discriminate," he tweeted,

"It was a satire, parody, a correlation to explain how minorities are being targeted by CAA and it would as bad as a teacher saying 'that all minority students are failed and have to reappear'," he added.

[{996f41e8-cd25-489a-addd-c1d0f417963a:intradmin/message_2.PNG}]

He claimed that no student had ever accused him of discriminating against them in his teaching career of more than 12 years.

Taking cognisance of his posts, the university suspended Ahmad pending inquiry. The university said it was "serious misconduct" and incited "communal disharmony".

"Dr Abrar Ahmad, assistant professor of Jamia University tweeted in public domain as to failing 15 non-Muslim students in an exam. This is a serious misconduct inciting communal disharmony. The university suspends him pending inquiry," the varsity wrote on its official Twitter handle.

Several students of Jamia university have staged a strong protest against the CAA, which gives citizenship to persecuted minorities of three neighbouring countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of Iranians have reportedly died and more than 1000 fallen ill after consuming methanol amid false rumours that it can help cure the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Iran has struggled to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 2,400 people across the country and infected another 32,332.

In a desperate search for a cure, families have been turning to fake remedies that have spread across social media, including alcohol, which is banned in the Islamic Republic.

According to Iranian media, almost 300 people have been killed by ingesting methanol.

An Iranian doctor helping the health ministry told the Associated Press that the extent of the problem was even greater, and estimated the death toll at 480, with 2,850 people ill.

Other countries have only one problem, which is the new coronavirus pandemic. But we are fighting on two fronts here, said Dr Hossein Hassanian, the health ministry adviser.

We have to both cure the people with alcohol poisoning and also fight the coronavirus.

A video broadcast on Iranian networks and shared online showed a five-year-old boy, who had apparently gone blind after his parents gave him the liquid, hooked up to breathing apparatus.

According to several reports over the past two weeks, people in the southwestern province Khuzestan have been arrested for selling methanol to purportedly ward off the disease. Cases of methanol drinking have also been reported in the southern city of Shiraz and in the cities of Karaj and Yazd.

Citing a story published in a UK tabloid early in February, Iranian social media accounts have promoted the idea that a British schoolteacher and others were able to cure themselves of Covid-19 with whisky and honey.

Combined with the guidelines that alcohol-based sanitisers can be used as a hygienic measure against the virus, some have wrongly concluded that drinking high-proof alcohol could kill the disease.

Alcohol is banned in Iran. The government mandates that manufacturers of toxic methanol add an artificial colour to their products so the public can tell it apart from ethanol, the type of alcohol that can be used in cleaning wounds and in alcoholic drinks.

Some bootleg producers of alcohol, however, use methanol in their drinks, adding bleach to mask the added colour.

Iran has struggled under the weight of the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East.

Across the region, countries have tightened their restrictions. Lebanon has extended a nationwide lockdown, including the closure of borders and airports and the imposition of a new evening curfew, until the 12 April. Iraq has announced similar measures.

The Iranian military said on Friday that it has set up a 2,000-bed hospital at an exhibition centre in the capital, Tehran, in order to shore up the local healthcare system. State TV said the new facility was set up in just 48 hours and includes three units as well as several isolation wards.

Authorities have urged people to stay at home but have yet to impose the sweeping lockdowns seen elsewhere in the region.

On Friday, Iranian media channel IRINN said new social-distancing measures would be put in place to limit travel between cities.

According to the same report, police are expected to start stopping cars with non-local number plates and fine owners, whose vehicles would then be impounded for one month.

At the start of the Iranian new year holidays last week, 3 million people were reportedly on the move within the country despite messages from the authorities that they should stay at home.

Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted they have the outbreak under control.

The country has been under crippling sanctions since the US president, Donald Trump, withdrew from Irans 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers.

 Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe temporarily released from Iranian prison amid coronavirus outbreak

The US, which is now a focal point of the pandemic, has offered humanitarian aid to Iran, but Tehran has refused, saying that the severe sanctions have been the biggest obstacle in Irans fight against the pandemic.

Fears remain that the death toll from methanol drinking and alcohol poisoning will continue to rise.

The Associated Press spoke to a bootlegger who said that demand for alcohol was at an all-time high.

Every year during Nowruz [the Persian new year holidays that began on 20 March], my customers double, said Rafik, an Iranian-Armenian who makes vodka in the basement of his Tehran home. This year, because of the coronavirus, it jumped up four or five-fold.
Gov. Tony Evers said Friday that, although he still does not support postponing the April 7 election, he does like the idea of automatically sending mail-in ballots to every registered voter in the state.

However, Republican leadership in the Legislature, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, are strongly opposed to it, with Vos calling the idea a last-minute scheme and invitation for voter fraud.

Its theoretically possible for Evers to order the mail-in ballots via executive order, but he has decided not to do that.

Ryan Nilsestuen, the governors chief legal counsel, said that doing so could likely lead to a lawsuit. The state is already facing no fewer than four lawsuits regarding the April 7 election, with citizens groups and the City of Green Bay alleging that moving forward with an election would be irresponsible during the COVID-19 outbreak and Safer at Home order.

I want to make sure everyone gets a chance to cast their ballot in April, Evers said Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau; state Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine; and Vos agree with the governor that the election date should not be changed, but dont necessarily agree with Evers desire to mail out ballots.

Vos sent a statement Friday on behalf of the Republican caucus that stated, His last-minute scheme of a mail-in ballot election is logistically impossible and incredibly flawed. In fact, other states say its impossible to implement, especially two weeks before the election with countless staffing, postal and safety considerations; our local clerks are already running out of ballots and supplies.

It continued, The governors idea is merely a statewide invitation for voter fraud. More than 100,000 votes have already been cast and 600,000 additional absentee ballots have been sent out, meaning that a large number of voters could receive two ballots. And because the voter rolls are not updated, ballots would go to thousands of people who may have moved. It was careless and reckless for Governor Evers to even make this suggestion.

Fitzgerald, in a statement Friday, also said it would be practically impossible to send out that many ballots, as there are more than 3.3 million registered voters in Wisconsin.

Governor Evers just proposed procuring, printing, verifying, and mandating the mailing of millions of ballots within 10 days, Fitzgerald said. Even he knows thats not logistically feasible. The clerks of this state should know this is a complete fantasy.

The mayors of Green Bay, Milwaukee and Racine have all asked for the election to be pushed back. Racine Mayor Cory Mason asked for certain typical election fraud defenses, such as the need for a signing witness and voter ID, to be waived temporarily.

Dems back the idea

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, supports the mail-in plan.

The Legislature should convene immediately to implement policies that will allow us to achieve a complete and safe election. We need to provide avenues for every Wisconsin voter to safely participate in this election, and the governors proposal to send an absentee ballot to every registered Wisconsin voter is a strong start, Neubauer said in a statement. Knowing that Republican leadership does not want to delay the election, I hope that Speaker Vos will convene the Assembly as soon as possible to vote on these proposals and provide every voter the opportunity to safely cast their ballot.

State Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Somers, whose district includes parts of the Racine and Mount Pleasant, also supports the governors plan.

I completely agree with the governors call for widespread vote-by-mail in the upcoming spring election. This is the best way to conduct a safe, timely election that still allows all eligible voters the chance to cast a ballot without fear of risking their health. Republican leadership has been vocal about not wanting to delay the election, so I hope they will agree that this is the best way forward and reconvene the Legislature as soon as possible to make this happen.

The State of Washington, one of the epicenters of the outbreak in the U.S., already does the vast majority of its voting by mail.

Clerks and elected officials across the state have been repeatedly asking for voters to register online and request absentee ballots at myvote.wi.gov, rather than trying to vote in person.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The new Netflix docuseries Tiger King has already proven to be a hit with critics and audiences.

And it counts two of Hollywood's famous faces among its fanbase: actors Dax Shepard and Edward Norton, who enjoyed a back-and-forth over which of them should be cast as the titular character in a forthcoming movie adaptation.

'If I don't get cast as Joe Exotic in the eventual biopic, Hollywood is broken,' tweeted Shepard, 45, on Wednesday.

Fight club: Dax Shepard [L in May 2019] and Edward Norton [R in October 2019] enjoyed a back-and-forth over which of them should be cast as the titular character in a forthcoming movie adaptation of Tiger King

Three-time Oscar nominated actor Edward Norton, 50, replied, 'Um, step aside, pal. Youre way too young and buff and you know it. You could probably pull off Maldonado still, actually. Wouldnt that be fun?'

The 'Maldonado' to which he referred is one of Joe's five husbands, who also appears in the Netflix series about the eccentric animal breeder currently in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to kill a rival zookeeper.

Shepard replied with five smiling emojis and joked, 'I'll go "Machinest" [sic] for this.'

The Machinist is a 2004 film starring Christian Bale, who famously dropped 63 pounds for his role in the movie.

It's on: 'If I don't get cast as Joe Exotic in the eventual biopic, Hollywood is broken,' tweeted Shepard, 45, on Wednesday

The man, the myth: The Netflix series is about an eccentric animal breeder (Joe Exotic, pictured here in his 2020 mugshot) currently in prison for attempting to hire a hitman to kill a rival zookeeper

A life well lived: Joe's life has been 'you can make this up' wild, from his three-way wedding to two different men to his years-long feud with Carole Baskin

The seven-episode docu-series, which premiered on the streaming platform on March 20, follows the true story of a man who goes by Joe Exotic, a tiger breeder who ran an exotic animal park in Oklahoma.

Joe's life has been 'you can make this up' wild, from his three-way wedding to two different men to his years-long feud with Carole Baskin, which culminated in a 22-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of hiring an undercover FBI agent to murder her.

Tiger King currently holds a coveted 100% Fresh rating on critical aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.

Saturday Night Live star Kate McKinnon has been attached since 2019 to star in a TV series based on Exotic, according to Variety.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 02:54:16|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link in Moscow, Russia, on March 26, 2020. (Kremlin photo)



G20 countries need a common plan of action to stabilize the situation, support economies and restore confidence in world markets, Putin said.



MOSCOW, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Thursday the leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) to lift all sanctions on supplies of essential goods until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.

"It is important for the period of crisis to create the so-called green corridors, free from trade wars and sanctions for the mutual supply of medicines, food, equipment and technology," Putin said, addressing the G20 virtual summit, according to an official Kremlin transcript.

According to Putin, ideally, a joint moratorium should be introduced on restrictions on essential goods, as well as financial transactions for their procurement.

Putin said that problems associated with the new pandemic may result in more widespread shocks than the financial crisis of 2008-2009, and trade conflicts and sanctions exacerbate the recession.

He said G20 countries need a common plan of action to stabilize the situation, support economies and restore confidence in world markets.

Global international organizations do not have a mechanism for automatic stabilization in the event of a crisis, so it is necessary to reorganize them efficiently and as soon as possible, Putin said.

He said that it is necessary to ensure access to financing for countries that are hit by the pandemic and experiencing resource shortages.

For this purpose he proposed to create a special fund under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), financed primarily by the central banks, which are issuers of currencies included in the IMF basket.

Then the right may be granted to any IMF member to borrow from this fund in proportion to its share in the world economy at a zero rate for the long term, Putin said.

He said that the key risk is long-term unemployment, the peak of which in any scenario will exceed the level of 2009.

The dynamics of unemployment will be a key indicator of the effectiveness of anti-crisis measures taken by G20, Putin said.

In the field of healthcare, joint research by G20 countries could also seriously accelerate the development of vaccines and medicines, he said. 
The birth rate will likely drop, more employees could work from home and better hygiene practices picked up during the coronavirus crisis may become habitual.

Businesses which have begun to insist on electronic funds transfers for payment may be reluctant to return to taking cash, and not shaking hands in greeting may become normal.

Australia is predicted to be a vastly different place once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed - in startling, permanent and sometimes seemingly contradictory ways.

Racism may rise, fear of future disease outbreaks will remain and fewer immigrants are tipped to come to the country, amid tighter border controls.

But an increased awareness and consideration of other people's needs could make society less selfish and bring communities closer together.

Australia will be a different place once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, in startling, permanent and sometimes seemingly contradictory ways

Australians who have been in self-isolation are less likely to be forming lasting relationships. The birth rate is likely to fall due to uncertainty about the bleak economic outlook

Australia's birth rate is tipped to fall as men and women are reluctant to bring children into the world. Social isolation is not helping the formation of stable relationships

Experts told Daily Mail Australia experiences following previous wars, depressions and pandemics hint how Australia will look after COVID-19.

Australians were unlikely to want to have children amid the COVID-19 uncertainty, according to leading demographer Liz Allen from the Australian National University.

Dr Allen said the virus - and the fear it has caused - would bring major change to Australia's demographics and result in serious socioeconomic consequences, but an increased birth rate would not be one of them.

'Research shows people are less likely to have children in a period of uncertainty and scarcity,' Dr Allen said.

'A baby boom is unlikely to happen during the COVID-19 crisis. After severe events, we tend to find a decline in births - we don't see a boom.

'When basic needs can't be met by a simple visit to the supermarket, it changes the way people think about having babies.

'The world feels more frightening, and the prospects for children's future gloomy.'

Associate Professor Paul Rhodes from the clinical psychology unit of the University of Sydney said habits formed during the pandemic such as regular hand-washing might outlast COVID-19.

Australians have had to adjust to a world without pubs, clubs and dine-in restaurants. Two men are pictured observing social distancing at a cafe in Sydney's Redfern

Australians have had to get used to working from home as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the world

'If this went on for six months some of those habits will stick,' he said. 'If it goes on for six months we'll get used to it.'

Associate Professor Rhodes could also see a possibility more people would work from home in future if it suited business owners.

'The economics of this are going to affect behaviour,' he said.

'If companies go under and they're looking for cheaper ways to operate maybe they'll decide they don't need the same infrastructure and they'll keep people at home.'

Dr Liz Allen is a leading demographer who says COVID-19 will change Australia

Dr Allen said Australia's population would be forever changed by the international border lockdowns caused by COVID-19.

'This holding pattern of closing the borders will have unprecedented generational impact in terms of economics and infrastructure,' Dr Allen said.

'This will result in serious socioeconomic consequences, the likes we have not seen in modern history.'

Australia would also see migrants returning to their home countries amid a rise in perceived racism.

'The danger of politicians calling panic buying "un-Australian" is that people might interpret that as the other - the non-locals - being the problem, and it propels racism and this idea that we should fear them,' Dr Allen said.

'The fear fueling all of this panic buying is a contagion. It is more contagious than the virus itself.'

Dr Allen said Australia needed immigration to offset the consequences of an ageing population.

'Australia desperately needs migrants to stay and contribute to maintaining the economy and, in time, rebuilding after the pandemic passes.'

'But the lack of social and economic supports could see migrants leave the country in pursuit of better options.'

Demographer Liz Allen said politicians calling panic buying 'un-Australian' might be interpreted by some with foreign backgrounds as meaning they are the problem

Habits such as regularly washing hands could be maintained after COVID-19 has passed

Dr Allen said even the way we formed relationships would change with coronavirus fears and self-isolation.

'Lack of social mixing, even via dating apps, is denying ingredients necessary for relationship formation,' she said.

The Great Depression of the 1930s was the best comparison to COVID-19 when considering future birth rates.

Associate Professor Paul Rhodes has hopes for the future of Australia after coronavirus

'During the Great Depression birth rates fell from an average of around three babies per woman to two by the end of the economic crisis,' Dr Allen said.

'This is a substantial decline in birth rates, in terms of magnitude and the time it took to fall.

'During historical epidemics, and indeed global pandemics, couples in the very least delay having children.'

'I expect the birth rates to decline only marginally. The problem is that the birth rate for Australia is already below replacement level, meaning we're not replacing ourselves.

'If the population doesn't replace itself immigration is required to offset the insufficient workforce to sustain government coffers.'

Associate Professor Rhodes has been studying the aftermath of recent outbreaks of Ebola in Africa for signs of what might happen after COVID-19.

'People became traumatised and afraid of each other because other people were a threat to their lives,' he said.

'I'm interested to see will we have a post-traumatic stress problem and whether we'll still be afraid of each other.'

Associate Professor Rhodes said it was too early to tell how soon that fear would be overcome.

'Will there be multiple waves of the epidemic?' he said. 'Will we be able to reconnect or will there be a post-traumatic legacy?

Businesses which have begun to insist on electronic funds transfers for payment may be reluctant to return to taking cash

'But then I'm watching this kind of growth in people in which they're reconnecting with each other in different ways. They are closer and more community-oriented.

'It may be that that is the legacy - that we have stronger communities and relationships.

'It's an opportunity for good things to happen. It will probably be a mixture of both.'

Associate Professor Rhodes said a need to stay in touch with others while in self-isolation had in some ways actually brought people together.

'I'm thinking about how our relationships might change,' he said. 'I think we've been a culture of individuals and that's breaking down.

'We have this digitisation of relationships. We're learning how to get closer and connect through the internet.

'Before we start a conversation we're asking each other, "How are you going?"'

Associate Professor Rhodes had noted an increase in the number of people going out of their way to help others rather than just thinking of themselves.

Australians have become used to social distancing and may maintain it after coronavirus

'I feel quite hopeful to be honest,' he said. 'Because you can see some really beautiful things going on. I think there's a lot of room for hope that things will be better.

'That's not to say we don't have this collective dread. There is a lot of pain and trauma and anxiety.

'There are people locked in homes with violent partners. There are people under threat of homelessness.

'Things that are going on behind closed doors that we don't know about.

'That's going to be a very difficult thing for us to rebuild. There will be some very significant traumas and distress that need to be dealt with.'

Associate Professor Rhodes said anxiety and other mental health issues were contributing to some people not following self-isolation rules.

'People are trying to manage anxiety in all sorts of different ways,' he said. 'It's not that they're bad people.'

Associate Professor Rhodes noted the second wave of the Spanish flu in 1919 was worse than the first, which would lead people to fear a recurrence of COVID-19.

'I think people will be on edge for quite a while,' he said.

By Saturday more than 3,000 Australians were infected with COVID-19 and 14 people had died

Dr Allen also said the impact of coronavirus would be felt more by women.

'Women, especially mothers, bear the brunt of household labour and these burdens will amplify as the lines blur between work, family, and social aspects of lives.'

Dr Allen, whose new book the Future of Us will be released on April 1, also saw positive effects to come from the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Families are re-inventing the notion of relationships in a time of COVID-19,' she said.

'Video chats with relatives, online community gaming, and e-playdates with friends are now being used to build and maintain community.

'Australians have proven to be made of pretty tough stuff. The sense of community in Australia is still a major bond holding us together, no matter the need for physical distancing.'
In November, Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution, commonly known as Marsys Law, by a three to one margin. The amendment provides the victims of crimes with protections through constitutional rights. Unfortunately, as things stand today, countless crime victims are still without constitutional protections for these rights and may still be treated unfairly during the criminal process.

The remedial idea behind the amendment was to protect the rights of victims and their families by enshrining those rights as equal to those rights granted to persons accused of crimes. Importantly, as provided in the amendment, the victims are not just the persons victimized by the crimes, but in addition, any persons, like the victims families, who are harmed by the crimes or need to be protected from the accused. Marsys Law would provide these victims with a constitutionally protected voice throughout the criminal justice process.

Among the rights provided to victims and their families by this constitutional amendment are the following: the right to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity; to have their safety considered in bail proceedings involving the accused perpetrator; to be present at and participate in all public court proceedings involving the accused perpetrator; to be protected from the accused perpetrator and anyone acting on his or her behalf; to refuse requests for information from the accused perpetrator; to restitution and return of property; to participate in any parole proceedings involving an imprisoned perpetrator; and to be informed of these rights.

As three out of every four voters decided in November, Pennsylvanians wanted these victims rights enshrined in the state constitution to make sure they were permanent and constitutionally protected. These are all rights that crime victims should clearly have, as crime can have devastating lifetime effects on victims and their families. It is precisely because these rights were not enshrined in the Pennsylvania Constitution that they were submitted to voters in November. These rights are so fundamental that the voters may have been surprised to find that they were not already in the constitution. After all, we have read too many stories of victims and their families being terrorized or even killed by an accused perpetrator or his cohorts, and Ive seen firsthand how the justice system continues to harm and mistreat victims in the courts.

Before my years as mayor of Philadelphia and governor of the commonwealth, I was elected to serve as the district attorney of Philadelphia and did so for eight years. As a new district attorney, I was determined to make a change in the courtroom and was committed to standing up for the city and its victims. I knew from the six years I had served as an assistant district attorney under then-District Attorney (and later senator) Arlen Specter how easily victims are thrown into the court system without any sense of what is to come during the process, how the system works, and how to fight on behalf of themselves or their loved ones. And, most of all, it was incomprehensible that victims and their families could be prevented from participating in a parole hearing for an imprisoned perpetrator who was found guilty of a crime.

Pennsylvania is only one of 15 states that does not protect victims rights in its constitution. Victims deserve to have their voices heard, be informed, and be treated with dignity and respect throughout the justice process.

The ACLU and the League of Women Voters have brought a lawsuit to prevent these protections for victims rights from being embedded in the Pennsylvania Constitution. It is my hope that the courts will allow the will of the voters to be implemented so that the rights of victims and their families will have an equal place alongside the rights of those accused of crimes. Pennsylvanians who approved this constitutional amendment in November should continue to make sure that their voices, and the voices of victims across the commonwealth, are heard.

Ed Rendell was governor of Pennsylvania from 2003-2011, mayor of Philadelphia from 1992-2000, and district attorney of Philadelphia from 1978-1985.
[March 27, 2020] Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940: DEX

On March 27, 2020, Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund (NYSE:DEX) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, paid a monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.0831 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 20, 2020. The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. The Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund.







Current Distribution from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0384 46.2% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0% Return of Capital or other Capital Source (News - Alert) 0.0447 53.8% Total (per common share) 0.0831 100.00% Fiscal Year-to-Date Cumulative Distributions from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.1270 35.4% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0102 2.8% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0443 12.3% Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.1777 49.5% Total (per common share) 0.3592 100.00%

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. Subject to the foregoing, the Fund estimates (as of the date hereof) that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2020; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income.' Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last business day of the month prior to distribution record date. Fund Performance and Distribution Information Fiscal Year to Date (12/01/2019 through 2/29/2020) Annualized Distribution Rate as a Percentage of NAV^ 9.77% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV^^ 3.52% Cumulative Total Return on NAV* -4.90% Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5-Year Period Ending 2/29/2020** 3.82% ^ Based on the Fund's NAV as of February 29, 2020. ^^ Cumulative distribution rate is the cumulative amount of distributions paid during the Fund's fiscal year ending November 30, 2020 based on the Fund's NAV as of February 29, 2020. *Cumulative total return is based on the change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions for the period December 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020. **The 5-year average annual total return is based on change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and is through the last business day of the month prior to the month of the current distribution record date. While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. About DEX The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The Fund invests globally in dividend-paying or income-generating securities across multiple asset classes, including but not limited to: equity securities of large, well-established companies; securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies); debt securities (such as government bonds; investment grade and high risk, high yield corporate bonds; and convertible bonds); and emerging market securities. The Fund also uses enhanced income strategies by engaging in dividend capture trading; option overwriting; and realization of gains on the sale of securities, dividend growth, and currency forwards. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (1) at most 60% of its net assets in securities of U.S. issuers; and (2) at least 40% of its net assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers, unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Manager, in which case, the Fund would invest at least 30% of its net assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers; and 3) the Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies). In addition, the Fund utilizes leveraging techniques in an attempt to obtain higher return for the Fund. The Fund has implemented a managed distribution policy. Under the policy, the Fund is managed with a goal of generating as much of the distribution as possible from net investment income and short-term capital gains. The balance of the distribution will then come from long-term capital gains to the extent permitted, and if necessary, a return of capital. Even though the Fund may realize current year capital gains, such gains may be offset, in whole or in part, by the Fund's capital loss carryovers from prior years. Currently under the Fund's managed distribution policy, the Fund makes monthly distributions to common shareholders at a targeted annual distribution rate of 10% of the Fund's average net asset value ("NAV") per share. The Fund will calculate the average NAV per share from the previous three full months immediately prior to the distribution based on the number of business days in those three months on which the NAV is calculated. The distribution will be calculated as 10% of the prior three month's average NAV per share, divided by 12. The Fund will generally distribute amounts necessary to satisfy the Fund's managed distribution policy and the requirements prescribed by excise tax rules and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. This distribution methodology is intended to provide shareholders with a consistent, but not guaranteed, income stream and a targeted annual distribution rate and is intended to narrow the discount between the market price and the NAV of the Fund's common shares, but there is no assurance that the policy will be successful in doing so. The methodology for determining monthly distributions under the Fund's managed distribution policy will be reviewed at least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees, and the Fund will continue to evaluate its distribution in light of ongoing market conditions. The payment of dividend distributions in accordance with the managed distribution policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expenses and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The managed distribution policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the dividend distribution. The managed distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, cause the amounts of taxable distributions to exceed the amount minimally required to be distributed under the tax rules, such excess will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent loss carry forwards reduce the required amount of capital gains distributions in that year. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state, and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. About Macquarie Investment Management Macquarie Investment Management, a member of Macquarie Group, includes the former Delaware Investments and is a global asset manager with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As active managers, we prioritize autonomy and accountability at the team level in pursuit of opportunities that matter for clients. Macquarie Investment Management is supported by the resources of Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG; ADR: MQBKY), a global provider of asset management, investment, banking, financial and advisory services. Advisory services are provided by Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust, a registered investment advisor. Macquarie Group refers to Macquarie Group Limited and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information about Delaware Funds by Macquarie, visit delawarefunds.com or call 800 523-1918. Other than Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL), none of the entities referred to in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of MBL, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited and an affiliate of Macquarie Investment Management. MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005308/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Greys Anatomy Love of My Life Season 16 Episode 19 Editors Rating 4 stars * * * *  Previous Next  Photo: Tony Rivetti/ABC

Medical conferences are wild, you guys. I mean, yes, its beyond bizarre to watch an episode of a show that takes place during a large-scale event where people are encouraged to mix and mingle and fucking shake hands, but thats not what Im talking about. I am talking about this specific medical conference. The one where Richard, Maggie, Teddy, and Cormac all head to Los Angeles to represent Grey Sloan and where Richard will present on his cancer PATH pen. This specific medical conference is a legit RIDE. Honestly, were going to have to start with the highest high and work our way down to the lowest of lows, because when I tell you things get rough, I am not exaggerating. We must prepare.

Well, praise be: Maggie Pierce finally gets some. And like, a lot of it. She runs into a very handsome man named Winston who happens to be one of her former residents from when she was Chief Resident at Tufts. I dont know what the hell is in those drinks theyre doling out at the Heart Valve Happy Hour with the reusable heart-shaped straws, but dang, whatever it is gets Winston immediately telling Maggie that hes always had a thing for her and the two of them up in a hotel room having extremely hot sex. We all could use one of those drinks. Maggie and Winston spend a wonderful night together both in and out of the bed. They are insanely compatible, theyve both lost their moms to cancer and have been changed by it, and I dont know, Winston keeps talking about how he made Maggie arch her lower back and, again, I have to know: are all medical conferences like this?

Maggie and Winston answer that question for me: No, definitely not. They are completely taken aback by how strong their feelings are for each other. How right this feels. Winston even says that ever since his mom passed, hes grown tired of not seizing the moment  especially when the moment feels as good as this one does. And so the next day, right before Richards speech, Winston tells Maggie that she should move back to Boston. Or he should move to Seattle. Either way, they should be together. Maggie, woman of spreadsheets and very long lists, needs some time to think it all through. By the end of the episode, we know shes not going to have much time for contemplating a relationship, but please let this tall and handsome man move to Seattle. We need him there. We deserve this.

You know what we dont deserve? Whatever fresh hell this Teddy storyline is. Post-Germany Teddy is a completely different character from the Teddy who started off on this show, and the big reveal in this episode cements that fact. We learn that Allison, Teddys best friend who died in the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks, inspiring Teddy to enlist, was actually Teddys secret lover? And they were having an affair while living in the same apartment with Allisons girlfriend, Claire?? Who was also Teddys friend and work colleague??? This storyline is madness when you think about the Teddy we knew in her original stint on Greys, but the messy drama certainly tracks with whoever this new Teddy is. Teddy runs into Claire at the conference and its around the time Teddy tells Claire that she named her daughter Allison that Claire is finally like, okay, no, HOLD UP with these pretenses. Bless this woman who is not going to let Teddy just glide over the fact that she named her daughter after the woman with whom she had a torrid affair. Because, yes, Claire, that is certainly something we should all talk about. That is A CHOICE.

Anyway, Teddy learns that Claire had her suspicions and those suspicions were confirmed when she got a hold of Allisons phone records and learned that Allisons last phone call was to Teddy. Teddy was the love of Allisons life. This visitor from her past is really there so that Teddy can have an epiphany: It is possible to be in love with two people at once. Allison was in love with both Teddy and Claire and now Teddy is in love with Owen and Tom. Medical conferences, amirite?

Lets go from wild to heartbreaking, shall we? Okay, great, because on this evening of our doctors running headlong into their pasts, Dr. Cormac Hayes has a run-in with a ghost. The hotel where the conference is taking place is the same one where Cormac met his late wife Abigail, at another conference, long, long ago. We see flashbacks of their relationship in hyperspeed: Their first meeting, Cormac comforting Abigail as she gets a routine hysterectomy, Abigail on her deathbed telling Cormac that he should fall in love again, Cormac picking up the pieces of his and his two sons lives after Abigail dies. Oh, friends, it is an emotional few minutes. Its capped off by a truly gut-wrenching detail that comes to light: Back at the conference, Cormac is having drinks with Teddy at the happy hour, when they are approached by a guy representing a medical equipment company. Hes schmoozy and awful, and Cormac knows all about the company he works for  they sell the device that was used on Abigail for her hysterectomy, a device that actually spread her cancer around and made it inoperable. Cormac wants to put a branded pen through the guys throat. I mean, he doesnt, but he really wants to. I have been very lukewarm on Cormac, but now I get the appeal. Even with that insane wig from the flashbacks, which is not easy, let me tell you.

Cormacs tragic backstory, surprisingly, is not the saddest storyline of the episode. That distinct honor belongs to Richard Webber. Heaven! Help! Us!

Richards pretty pumped to be presenting at this conference. Hes even more pumped when Catherine shows up at his hotel room door wanting to talk. She finally apologizes for what she did to him and they make amends. They are in love and it was just a bad fight and they are stronger than that. Even better than all this healing going on, the next morning, Catherine says something that inspires Richard and he excitedly hops back on his computer to rewrite his speech. Hes had a breakthrough!

If youre starting to think that Richard and Catherine making up so easily after that awful fight and Catherine literally buying a hospital to spite her husband feels off, you are not wrong. While Richard is vigorously rewriting his speech and chatting up his wife, we, the audience, suddenly see that Catherine isnt actually there. Hes been hallucinating her the entire time. In fact, Catherine is back at Grey Sloan with Jackson and Bailey preparing to watch a livestream of Richards speech. Meredith and Zola have popcorn popped and are getting cozy on the couch for it. Everyone is awaiting this momentous occasion!

Richard gets up on stage and things go very, very wrong. He starts talking about how, thanks to his wife (Catherines like, who, me?) he has figured out how to cure cancer. He starts going on and on about it, but nothing hes saying makes sense and the slides he has up on the projector are random sketches and doodles of smiley faces and hearts. Its excruciating to watch. Finally, Maggie runs up on stage and has Cormac and Teddy call 911 because she can tell something is really wrong. Richard needs to get to a hospital. He doesnt even recognize his daughter. Catherine, Bailey, and Meredith all watch in horror from afar. Richard Webber is in trouble. We are all unwell over it. Anyway, I guess medical conferences are the worst.
Sweeping changes are to be made to the health service in the coming days and weeks as the response to the Covid-19 pandemic steps up.

It was just three weeks ago that I interviewed the medical director of the Northern Trust about the impending challenges facing the health service in the face of this new virus.

At the time, he warned that doctors in Northern Ireland could be faced with rationing intensive care beds.

As unbelievable as it was that a senior health official was making such an admission, it now appears that the warning was the tip of the iceberg.

According to Richard Pengelly, permanent secretary for the Department of Health, Northern Irelands existing hospital estate may not have sufficient capacity to provide critical care to the number of patients who will require it at the peak of the outbreak.

As a result, the entire structure of the health service is to be overhauled, with emergency departments, day case and outpatient units, and minor injury units all earmarked for closure.

Large regional respiratory hospitals are to be set up and resources will be shared across Northern Ireland.

Under ordinary circumstances, such changes to the health and social care system would only come after months of consultation.

We do not have that luxury when it comes to dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic that is threatening the future of the health service and the lives of up to 15,000 people in Northern Ireland.

The peak of the outbreak, as referred to by Mr Pengelly, is almost upon us, so changes to the health service must be done urgently - there is no time for consultation with the public.

Of course, there are concerns that some of the measures being put in place may become permanent.

The future of the emergency departments at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry and the Downe Hospital in Downpatrick were already uncertain before all of this happened.

Health Minister Robin Swann provided no reassurance this morning when he refused to give Stormont health committee members a guarantee that all services will resume after the Covid-19 pandemic comes to an end.

Just as no-one could have predicted the devastation that would be wreaked across the globe by coronavirus in a matter of months, it is impossible to predict its impact on the health service in years to come.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has alleged that multiple Venezuelan leaders, including President Nicolas Maduro, leveraged political offices, financial systems and cryptocurrencies to conduct and conceal criminal activity for over 20 years.

According to an indictment released today, the DOJ charged Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with crimes related to narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and corruption. Officials alleged that Venezuelan officials sought to weaponize cocaine against the U.S. with the help of two members of the Guerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), a guerilla group recognized as a terrorist organization.

Maduro and colleagues allegedly conspired with the FARC for the past two decades to move cocaine into American communities, according to U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. The indictment considers these activities and Maduro's use of Venezuelan political offices to further them a "weaponization" of drug trafficking against the U.S.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa D. Erichs said today's indictment shows the agency's commitment to rooting out those who "exploit financial systems and hide behind cryptocurrency to further their illicit criminal activity."

The release does not detail how Maduro and others charged allegedly used crypto to cloak activities, nor does it name the Venezuelan oil-backed petro or other cryptocurrencies.

Still, Venezuela's superintendent of cryptocurrency, Joselit Ramirez Camacho, is facing separate charges from the Southern District of New York. The office alleges that Camacho engaged in a series of crimes in an attempted evasion of sanctions that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had placed on Maduro and others. The Southern District of New York has also charged other leaders for attempts to evade sanctions, including Venezuela's vice president for the economy.
A body of accredited journalists on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include mediapersons in a special insurance scheme announced by the government in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter written to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Press Association said that the journalists have also been contributing in the fight against the deadly virus.

The government has announced that any health professional, who while treating COVID-19 patients, meets with some accident, will be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh under the insurance scheme. All government health centres, wellness centres and hospitals of Centre as well as states will be covered under this scheme.

"As you know media persons are also working during this unprecedented lockdown period fighting the epidemic. We are also thankful to you for taking note and appreciating contributions of mediapersons who are helping to spread vital information at pan-India level," the letter read.

The association said that the journalists over the country have been exempted by the government from the lockdown and have been contributing their might to fight the epidemic along with health professionals.

"Hence, we request you to include media persons on duty also in this scheme," it further said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The powerful G-20 grouping on Thursday decided to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to counter economic disruptions triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The G-20 leaders under the chairmanship of Saudi Arabia's King Salman held an extraordinary video conference in which they resolved to use all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social damage from the pandemic that has killed over 21,000 people and infected more than 470,000 globally.

'We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic,' the G20 leaders said in a joint statement.

In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol to deal with global health crisis and urged G20 to work towards addressing shockwaves triggered by the pandemic.

He also urged the grouping to come out with a concrete action plan to fight the pandemic and said human beings rather than economic targets should be put at the centre of its vision for global prosperity and cooperation.

In its statement, the G-20 said it will work 'swiftly and decisively' with frontline international organisations like the World Health Organisation, International Monetary Fund, and multilateral and regional development banks to deploy a robust, coherent, coordinated plan to deal with the crisis.

'We commit to do whatever it takes and to use all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social damage from the pandemic, restore global growth, maintain market stability, and strengthen resilience,' it said.

'We are currently undertaking immediate and vigorous measures to support our economies; protect workers, businesses - especially micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises - and the sectors most affected,' it added.

As the world reels under the economic and social fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the G20 held the video conference to discuss ways to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The leaders, including United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, also agreed to contribute to the WHO-led COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on a voluntary basis.

The G20 grouping shares 80 per cent of world GDP and 60 per cent of world population.

The grouping said it will continue to conduct bold and large-scale fiscal support to deal with the economic aspects of the crisis.

'Collective G20 action will amplify its impact, ensure coherence, and harness synergies. The magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth,' the bloc said.

'We ask our finance ministers and central bank governors to coordinate on a regular basis to develop a G-20 action plan in response to COVID-19 and work closely with international organisations to swiftly deliver the appropriate international financial assistance,' it added.

In his address, Saudi King Salman urged G20 leaders to boost funding for a vaccine for coronavirus.

The G20 said it will work to ensure the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products, and other goods and services across borders, and work to resolve disruptions to the global supply chains.

'We commit to continue working together to facilitate international trade and coordinate responses in ways that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.

'Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary. We task our Trade Ministers to assess the impact of the pandemic on trade,' it added.

'We reiterate our goal to realise a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open,' the G20 said.
Frontline healthworkers dealing with covid19 patients hug each other after they were cheered for by the onlookers in Valencia. AFP photo

London: Italy on Friday recorded the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain had its deadliest day, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive.

Italy reported 969 new deaths, Spain 769 and France 299 as Europe reeled from a crisis that has put millions at risk around the world and threatened a global economic meltdown.

In other grim milestones, AFP tallies showed a total of 300,000 cases now recorded in Europe with more than 26,000 deaths worldwide, and the United States overtook China as the country with the most infections.

Italy showed infection rates continuing a downward trend and Spain said its rate of new infections appeared to be slowing, but other countries were bracing to feel the full impact of the virus's spread.

The World Health Organization's regional director for Africa warned the continent faced a "dramatic evolution" of the pandemic, as South Africa became the latest nation to start life under lockdown and reported its first COVID-19 deaths.

Johnson, whose country has seen more than 14,000 declared coronavirus cases and 759 deaths, said he had developed mild symptoms over the previous 24 hours and was self-isolating after testing positive.

Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock also tested positive with mild symptoms.

Europe has suffered the brunt of the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks, with millions across the continent on lockdown and the streets of Paris, Rome and Madrid eerily empty.

In France  where nearly 2,000 people have died -- the government announced it was extending its stay-at-home order until at least April 15. While severe, the 299 new deaths it recorded on Friday was lower than the 365 reported the previous day.

The death of a 16-year-old girl from the virus has particularly shaken France, and shattered the belief of many young people that they are immune.

The girl's mother Sabine told AFP that Julie "just had a cough" at first but deteriorated quickly. She died on Wednesday, less than a week after showing her first symptoms.

"It's unbearable," Sabine said. "We were supposed to have a normal life."

Focus was also turning to the United States, where the number of known infections jumped by 18,000 on Friday, reaching more than 97,000 -- higher than both China and Italy. The US also recorded 345 deaths over the past 24 hours, with a total toll of 1,478.

In New York City, health workers are battling a surging toll of dead and infected at the US epicentre of the crisis, including an increasing number of younger patients.

"Now it's 50-year-olds, 40-year-olds, 30-year-olds," said one respiratory therapist at the Jewish Medical Center in Queens.

They "didn't listen about not going out or protecting themselves and washing their hands", he said.

- 'Afraid and lost' -

The coronavirus first emerged in China late last year before spreading globally, with more than half a million declared cases in 183 countries and territories.

Over the last six days, as many new cases have been diagnosed around the world as in the previous 80 days.

Beijing managed to contain its spread with lockdowns and quarantines and its epicentre Wuhan is in the process of easing severe movement restrictions in place for two months.

Three billion people around the world have been told to stay indoors.

In a historic first, Pope Francis performed the rarely recited "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to an empty Saint Peter's Square.

"Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by," he said.

"We find ourselves afraid and lost," he said, describing the coronavirus as a "tempest".

Health care systems even in the most developed nations are stretched to breaking point and medical workers have been having to make difficult choices.

"If I've got five patients and only one bed, I have to choose who gets it," Sara Chinchilla, a paediatrician at a hospital near Madrid, told AFP.

The WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the dire lack of protective gear for frontline health workers was one of the most pressing problems in the fight to prevent deaths.

"The chronic global shortage of personal protective equipment is now one of the most urgent threats to our collective ability to save lives," he told a virtual news conference in Geneva.

Lockdowns and other measures are wreaking havoc on the global economy, with fears of a downturn worse than the Great Depression of the 1930s.

"It is clear that we have entered a recession" that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said Friday.

Unprecedented stimulus measures have helped markets bounce back after a brutal month, but people around the world are bracing for economic hardship.

The United States reported that 3.3 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week -- by far the highest number ever recorded.

Retail workers in particular have suffered as many countries shutter non-essential business, while airlines and the global tourism industry have been dealt devastating blows.

The fashion industry was the latest hit on Friday, with Paris men's fashion week and haute couture shows cancelled along with Milan men's fashion week.

- Armies of volunteers -

The World Tourism Organization said Friday it expected tourist arrivals to fall by 20-30 percent this year, with losses of $300 billion-450 billion in international tourism receipts.

But there have been rays of hope in the midst of the crisis.

Armed groups in Cameroon, the Philippines and Yemen have moved in recent days to reduce violence after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued an appeal for ceasefires.

And armies of volunteers have emerged in many countries to bring help to the needy, with food deliveries for the elderly, free taxi rides, accommodation for health workers, and even home-sewn face masks.
Face shield parts are laid out on a work bench in a March 27, 2020 photo provided by Toyota. (Provided by Toyota Newsroom)

Toyota Factories to Make Protective Gear to Fight COVID-19 Shortages

Toyota is marshaling idled U.S. factories to make protective gear amid outbreak-related shortages, and is finalizing deals with medical device makers to boost production of respirators and ventilators.

The Japanese carmaker announced Friday that it was joining the effort to assist with the COVID-19 supply shortfall in the United States. Several factories would begin producing much needed gear, the company said in a release, which listed other initiatives like cash donations to nonprofit organizations and payment relief for customers.

Mass production of 3D-printed face shields is to kick off next week, the company said, adding that it stands ready to make COVID-19 masks as it seeks partners for filters.

Toyotas core value has always been to contribute to society in meaningful ways beyond providing mobility for our customers, said Ted Ogawa, the incoming CEO of Toyota in North America.

The company said it is closing on deals with at least two companies that make ventilators and respirators that would boost their production capacity.

With our plants idled and our dealers focused on servicing customers, we are eager to contribute our expertise and know-how in order to help quickly bring to market the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the COVID crisis. Our message to the medical equipment community is we are here to help, please utilize our expertise, Ogawa said.

Toyota also announced that its financing arm would be offering payment relief options to customers.

Were all in this together as we combat COVID-19. At Toyota, were working to help manufacture essential medical supplies and to support our communities and our customers, Toyota said in a March 27 tweet, which showed photos of plant staff and protective masks laid out on a workbench.

Were all in this together as we combat COVID-19. At Toyota, were working to help manufacture essential medical supplies and to support our communities and our customers. https://t.co/2jFQDViVkU pic.twitter.com/fcLgmtmiMX  Toyota Policy (@ToyotaPolicy) March 27, 2020

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Friday invoked emergency powers to require General Motors to build much needed ventilators for COVID-19 patients after he accused the largest U.S. automaker of wasting time during negotiations.

Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, saying negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course.

He said the action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives.

GM said in a statement in response to Trump it has been working with ventilator firm Ventec Life Systems and GM suppliers around the clock for over a week to meet this urgent need and said its commitment to Ventecs ventilators has never wavered.

The act grants the president power to expand industrial production of any key materials or products for national security and other reasons.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Wahyoe Boediwardhana (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya  Fri, March 27 2020

The Surabaya District Court has sentenced Ali Shodiqin, the former junior high school principal of the Surabaya State University Labschool (Labschool Unesa) in the East Java capital, to 10 months in prison after it found him guilty of sexually abusing six students.

The sentence was significantly shorter than the prosecutions demand of six years.

The judges had charged the former principal under Article 281 of the Criminal Code on public indecency, which carries a maximum punishment of 2 years and eight months in prison, reported tribunnews.com.

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
United States has now surpassed China in the number of Covid-19 cases around the world, with at least 82,404 people are known to have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, the Johns Hopkins University real-time Covid-19 tracker said on Thursday.

It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. "We now have 370,000 tests that have been done. The majority of those -- over 220,000 in the last eight days, which, those of you who have been ...
Washington

The U.S. government has concluded that retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished more than a decade ago, has died while in the custody of Iran, his family said Wednesday.

Shortly after the family's announcement, President Donald Trump told reporters that "I won't accept that he's dead," even though his own acting national intelligence director appeared to confirm the news with a statement conveying sympathies for the Levinsons.

The family said in a statement posted on Twitter that it had no information about how or when Levinson had died, but that it occurred before the recent coronavirus outbreak. The family said information that U.S. officials had received led them to conclude that he is dead.

U.S. officials communicated the news to Levinson's family in a meeting in Washington in recent weeks, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private encounter. The person said the information about Levinson had come from Iran's foreign minister.

"It is impossible to describe our pain," the family's statement said. "Our family will spend the rest of our lives without the most amazing man, a new reality that is inconceivable to us. His grandchildren will never meet him. They will know him only through the stories we tell them.'

Levinson disappeared on March 9, 2007, when he was scheduled to meet a source on the Iranian island of Kish. For years, U.S. officials would say only that Levinson was working independently on a private investigation.

But a 2013 Associated Press investigation revealed that Levinson had been sent on a mission by CIA analysts who had no authority to run such an operation.

The family said it does not know when or if Levinson's body will be returned for burial.
Its undoubtedly unfair to compare any and all quirky, darkly comic crime stories to past Coen brothers films, but sometimes its inescapable. So yes, directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudys Blow the Man Down has a blend you might as well call Coen-esque: dark deeds and black humor in a scenic but quietly sinister locale, with some bloody and seriously twisted stuff thrown in for good measure.

But Blow the Man Down also has enough freshness to survive the comparison. Partly, thats because this is a female-centric tale of nefarious dealings and violence, with men peripheral to the machinations of the wives, mothers and daughters who run the show in a remote coastal Maine town while their men are out fishing.

Partly, its because the likes of Margo Martindale, June Squibb and Annette OToole get juicy roles and know what to do with them.

And partly, its because Cole and Krudy let us know right off the bat that they have a different take on this genre: The first few minutes of the film are devoted to a group of hearty fishermen singing the sea shanty that gives the film its title  and they sing it lustily and in its entirety.

Also Read: 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice' Review: Rock Doc Starts and Ends With the Music

Other shanties return at various points in the movie, with the robust tones of bearded men in flannel shirts providing a kind of Greek chorus to the noir tale as it unfolds. And heres the thing: You might think of the sea shanty as a cliched, easily mocked piece of music  all that yo-ho, yo-ho stuff, you know  but in the right hands and the right setting, these are beautiful, richly evocative songs that provide far more emotional resonance than youd expect.

What goes on between the songs, meanwhile, is dark but subtle; there are moments of violence pushed to the point of humor, but for the most part, Blow the Man Down ratchets up the tension slowly and gets darker and weirder a little bit at a time.

Story continues

It centers on two sisters, played by Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe, who realize after the death of their mother that shes left them with a failing business and no way to pay the overdue rent. Lowe plays the good girl, Priscilla, who wants to stick around and save the family home; Saylor is the restless one, Mary Beth, whod rather cut bait and get out of town.

Also Read: 'The Apollo' Launches Tribeca Film Festival With a Look at a Theater, a Community - and Politics

One night, things go wrong for Mary Beth  and as in any good noir, missteps have a way of escalating. A trio of their mothers friends, played by Squibb, OToole and Harceline Hugot, try to help out, while the tensions rise between those three and the town madame, played by Martindale with scary relish.

Everybody has secrets, nobody is innocent and the fun lies in watching it all play out in a subtle noir where the dames run the show and theres nary a hard-boiled Bogart-type to be found. From Body Heat to Fargo, women have driven the action in noir films before  but the way this one plays out, with AARP-age women holding all the cards in a setting we usually associate with rugged men, feels like a genuinely fresh take on a time-honored genre. And the ending, all cagey glances and serene indifference hiding some seriously twisted stuff, is downright delicious.

Still, the men are good for something in Blow the Man Down  because, after all, youve gotta have somebody singing those sea shanties.

Read original story Blow the Man Down Review: Film Noir Gets a Female Spin With Margo Martindale, June Squibb At TheWrap
Lambert here: Colonialism and identity are more complicated than we might think

By Laurence Cox, long-time activist, teacher and editor in many different social movements and a practing Buddhist. He is Associate Professor in Sociology at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, where he researches popular struggles and anti-colonial Buddhism. Originally published at Open Democracy.

In early March 1901, a barefoot Buddhist monk challenged an off-duty colonial policeman in Rangoon, ordering him to take his shoes off while on the grounds of the sacred Shwedagon pagoda. Shoes are considered dirty in much of Asia and are normally removed in religious spaces. But a mere 15 years after the final Anglo-Burmese war, the conquerors  whether soldiers, police or tourists  wore them everywhere.

Not only would this confrontation reverberate across Burma, becoming a key symbolic issue in the development of anti-colonial resistance; but it was also an early exemplar of integrated, personal-political activism, before Gandhi and later developments such as the US civil rights movement. As such, it has much to teach us for today.

Wearing shoes was one of many distinctions used in the high imperial era to set colonising Europeans apart from, and above the Asians who massively outnumbered them, but this particular drama was heightened because the monk, U Dhammaloka, was himself white and Irish.

Poor whites  the class of working-class Europeans that empire generated in Asia as ex-sailors, ex-soldiers and skilled workers of various kinds  continually undermined the imperial establishments attempts to draw neat lines between themselves and the colonised.

A European Buddhist monk, barefoot with shaven head, ritually begging and subordinated to an Asian religious order, symbolised the difficulty of maintaining these boundaries of bodies, culture and race. Going native posed a problem when power depended on maintaining strict racial hierarchies.

This was all the more true when the monk in question was Irish, like much of the British Army in India. With rising nationalism at the time in Ireland, imperial anxieties about Irish loyalty in Asia ran high, symbolised by best-selling books like Kiplings Kim (also published in 1901), whose Irish protagonist is torn between his loyalty to the Raj and a Tibetan Buddhist lama.

Conversely, such a figure was useful to all sorts of Asian actors and networks. Ordained by leading figures in the Burmese Buddhist sangha, Dhammaloka was based in monasteries of the minority Dawei community in Rangoon and Bangkok, supported by an opium-dealing Shan chieftain and a Singaporean Chinese businessman. He was involved in Japanese efforts to develop international Buddhist networking, and was an effective organiser in todays Malaysia, a celebrity preacher in rural Burma and a touring star in Ceylon, all between 1900 and 1913.

But beyond his symbolic value, Dhammaloka  who was probably born Laurence Carroll in Dublin in 1856  had already remade himself several times over. One of millions of Irish emigrants after the Famine, he worked his way across the Atlantic, hoboed around the United States and worked on trans-Pacific ships before becoming a dockworker in Rangoon. But somewhere along the way, in a world of tightening racial boundaries and increasing ethno-nationalism, he made and affirmed the ethical choice not to identify in those terms.

Perhaps it was relevant that before his exposure to the racial tensions of Empire in Asia, he had moved through the racialised conflicts of Californian and trans-Pacific labour; he had been a hobo in the post-Civil War era when Irish immigrants increasingly defined themselves against black Americans; and before that, in the Catholic-Protestant tensions of Ireland and Liverpool.

His decision to become an Asian Buddhist and cease identifying as a white Irish Catholic was almost certainly a long process, developing alongside his own admissions about overcoming alcoholism and violence, his enthusiasm (as an early school-leaver and avid language-learner) for the education provided in monasteries, and his love for Burmese culture  something that he saw threatened by the Bible, the whiskey bottle and the Gatling gun.

This journey of personal transformation went hand in hand with his involvement in social and political conflict as a worker and a radical. There was a quarter-century of his life that he never talked about, during which he presumably learned the skills that underpinned his later activist career; years that coincided with highpoints in labour struggles, Irish republicanism, anarchism, socialism and atheism in the US. In Asia he had at least five aliases, was put under police surveillance, tried for sedition, pursued across borders, faked his own death and eventually disappeared: his activism sailed very close to the wind.

In Dhammalokas thirteen-odd years of activism across Asia he explored many different strategies including speaking tours, mass-publishing, media polemics, founding schools, organisation-building, and challenging individual instances of injustice  for example, the practice of colonial officials taking local wives without formal marriage, only to abandon them and their children on completion of their term of service, and returning to marry white women in Britain.

Underpinning this work, however, was the everyday plebeian cosmopolitanism of the port cities in which he was usually based: Rangoon, Singapore, Bangkok, Penang and elsewhere. Here, colonial attempts at dividing and conquering  not only dividing whites from Asians but Asian soldiers and policemen from locals, and hardening ethnic boundaries to construct client groups  routinely broke down.

When Dhammaloka was tried for sedition a decade after the shoe incident, he was supported not only by Burmese Buddhists but also by one of Gandhis close allies, the newspaper owner PJ Mehta, who would go on to organise Rangoons mostly Muslim Indian dock workers. Crowds brought him to trial in a triumphal procession normally reserved for deposed royalty and senior monks  supported by the Chinese and Indian bazaars, which closed for the day. The school he set up in Bangkok offered free modern education to Mahommedans, Eurasians of all creeds, and of course, [Thai] Buddhists.

All this helps us to glimpse lost possibilities in Dhammalokas life and the broader anti-colonial struggles of which he was a part. Before Ireland broke away from the British empire and another four European empires collapsed after WWI, it wasnt obvious that the Asian and African future would be one of nation-states of left or right; while the ethno-religious supremacism were familiar with today was not as dominant as it would eventually become in many countries, not least Sri Lanka and Burma.

In 1901, it was much easier to imagine the end of empire than what might come after it, and different activists had very different visions. As Subaltern Studies has emphasised for India, if we look beneath the elite layer of organisations that eventually won out in independence struggles we find popular movements that were far more complex and diverse.

At this time, Buddhism itself offered one alternative future: a living religion from Ceylon to Japan with a long history in India. The pan-Asian Buddhist revival to which Dhammalokas activism contributed saw the mirage of a post-imperial but interconnected future glimmering (rather vaguely) around its edges, and formed one horizon within which anti-colonial organising could be carried out.

In 1901, an absolute majority of the human race lived in Asia, and on these grounds alone, Asian (and African) decolonisation is probably the single biggest change to have been wrought from below in the last hundred years. Yet for those who drove this process forward, this future was simply too large and complex to grasp concretely. In 1900 pan-Asian Buddhism sat beside pan-Islamic organising; rationalist visions of a world based on science sat beside a pre-Comintern image of socialism; and nationalisms looked to restore past kingdoms as much as to create new states.

If it gradually became obvious that empire would not last forever, it took a long time for concretely possible futures to become clear. In this respect, Dhammalokas actual practice of plebeian cosmopolitanism  and what other activists were actually doing  is more significant, and had more impact, than the imagined futures that accompanied it.

As in many postcolonial countries (not least Ireland), the tragedy is that these more generous practices were squeezed out by narrower ethno-religious ways of doing politics, and by the strategies of elites trained by empire in the effective use of the masters tools.

Today, we sometimes say that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. But the example of decolonisation suggests rather that it is incredibly hard to concretely imagine widespread social change before we make that change ourselves, in our own movements and locales.

We cannot seriously envision a better future without having a lived, practical sense of what it means to fight for social change together with thousands of others: to challenge systems of power, construct alternatives and create different kinds of relationships.

In this sense, the unexpected solidarities, creative relationships and plebeian cosmopolitanisms of Dhammalokas activism are a helpful resource, not as a model for imitation but as a reminder of the need to step outside ourselves and our own assumptions  including our desire to write the cookbooks of the future  in struggles for social change.

As his life makes clear, there is no linear relationship between our own actions and the future we hope to create, and our movements exist in a longer perspective than the urgencies and obsessive focus of mediated politics might suggest. Empires always come to an end, sometimes faster than we might expect: and this should be a source of hope.
Faced with the threat of lawsuits by South Carolina officials, cities and towns around the state that had enacted restrictions aimed at curbing the coronavirus' impact faced a choice on Friday: Stand down or stand their ground.

S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson's office issued an opinion on Friday that said only the governor could order people to stay at home during an emergency.

As the day wore on, the opinion's impact would begin to ripple out across the state as local officials considered whether they were willing to weather a possible lawsuit.

Folly Beach City Council lifted its restrictions barring beach access and new check-ins for short-term rentals. Edisto Beach town officials also lifted restrictions.

Officials in Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms, meanwhile, decided to stay the course and keep restrictions in place.

And on Isle of Palms, city council voted for a resolution asking Gov. Henry McMaster to issue a mandatory stay at home order for the state, a necessary step to truly protect South Carolinians from further illness and death, they said.

State public health officials, meanwhile, announced four additional deaths and 86 new cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, on Friday.

The announcement brings the Palmetto State's total number of deaths to 13, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

The new deaths were all elderly and had underlying health conditions, officials said. They were from Richland, Kershaw, Greenville, and Florence counties.

Its never easy to have to report the deaths of members of our communities, Dr. Brannon Traxler, a DHEC physician, said. We express our deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of these patients.

Three of the previously reported cases were determined during case investigations to be residents of other states, officials said, bringing the total number statewide to 539 patients in 39 counties.

Late Friday night, S.C. prison officials announced that the state's first corrections officer had tested positive for coronavirus.

The officer last worked at Broad River Correctional Institution on March 17, agency spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said in an email. He worked in a housing unit with 16 inmates. All were in cells by themselves, Shain said, and they did not have symptoms as of Friday.

No inmates have tested positive, Shain said. The officer has been in self-isolation for 10 days and won't go back to work until they recover.

McMaster issued an executive order Friday requiring visitors from coronavirus hot spots to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the state.

The order applies to visitors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans.

I have ordered that all visitors coming to South Carolina from the COVID-19 hotspots of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, or New Orleans must quarantine for 14 days. https://t.co/4yilGAwYmE  Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) March 27, 2020

Health care and airline employees, along with first responders and military service members, were exempted.

Any visitors violating the order face fines up to $100 and jail time up to 30 days.

The mandatory quarantine was pushed by tourism leaders and coastal lawmakers. Myrtle Beach took the extraordinary step to close hotels and vacation rentals until May 1.

Tourism is the state's top industry, generating nearly $24 billion a year.

Dr. Linda Bell, the state's epidemiologist, said South Carolina is unlikely to see the exponential rise in cases seen in other areas of the country.

While the state will see increases in cases, some of those increases likely will be due to the resumption of testing after state officials were able to recreate an essential chemical component of the test, officials said.

Without the chemical, officials were forced to halt testing for two days.

On Friday afternoon, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a "stay-at-home" order for that state's residents.

Responding to a question about those actions, McMaster said he and other state officials haven't ruled anything out and "everything is on the table."

But in speaking to governors of other states and looking at similar executive actions ordering people to stay home, McMaster said he hasn't seen any requirements that haven't already been included in the social distancing, hygiene and other recommendations already put forth in South Carolina.

"If they will do those things then we do not need to have mandates," he said. "I think our people are capable of doing what is best for themselves, their families and their neighbors."

And McMaster responded to a question about the the attorney general's opinion and whether he believed Columbia and Charleston's stay-at-home orders were illegal.

"I am concerned and we are working to see that we keep as many people working as we can," the governor said. "We want to keep as many people safe as we can. We want to keep as many people out of harm's way as we can. (We) issued orders on congregations or groups of three people or more that law enforcement can disperse. ... We have urged people to keep that social distance."

South Carolina officials are following advice of medical and public health officials in crafting the best policies moving forward, McMaster said.

Meanwhile, in Charleston, City Council members voted unanimously via teleconference on Friday to delay collection of city hospitality taxes due for February and March. The new collection date is May 13.

Emergency Operations Director Shannon Scaff told council members that police responded to two calls in the previous day about large gatherings.

Police Chief Luther Reynolds told reporters that, as of Friday, no businesses or individuals were cited for violating the citys new ordinance. Over the weekend, residents should expect to see Charleston police out on the waterways to ensure that people arent tying up boats and having parties on beaches.

Mayor John Tecklenburg on Friday called for residents to help flatten the curve this weekend by practicing safe social distancing.

He also reinforced the citys perspective on the Attorney Generals opinion regarding the city's stay-at-home policy, which he said will remain in effect.

We feel like were in concert with the governors wishes, Tecklenburg said. We really have the same interests at heart.

But city officials know they'd have to comply if the governor were to order that the stay-at-home ordinance be lifted, the mayor said.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham joined state officials for an address to media early Friday night. He spoke about federal relief efforts for Americans struggling with loss of income and about efforts to develop medical treatment for the illness.

"Help is on the way," Graham said.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott also took part and spoke about assistance to businesses in the form of loans to help them stay afloat.

Earlier on Friday, DHEC officials released case numbers broken down by ZIP code.

In Mount Pleasant, 15 residents of the 29464 area, where St. Andrew's Church has reported three priests tested positive for the virus, make it the most affected portion of the county.

Only Kershaw County, where 32 patients live in a single ZIP code, has a single area with as many cases.

Seven of the 39 affected counties are listed with fewer cases than previously reported. DHEC has said it will adjust numbers as it gets more information about where patients live.

The department expects over 8,000 cases to emerge throughout the state by early May.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to inflate, the state's top health official announced he'll take a leave of absence and the attorney general said cities can't order citizens to stay at home.

DHEC Director Rick Toomey expects to take two to three weeks away from DHEC to deal with high blood pressure, he said in a Thursday evening email to staff.

The agency's general counsel, Marshall Taylor, will lead the agency until Toomey's return.
Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST

Bazaar Corporate Radar

Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar.
A man and a woman wearing face masks walk past advertisements of a shoe store temporarily selling face masks and antibacterial hygiene products in Berlin on March 16, 2020. Tobias Schwarz | AFP | Getty Images

The coverage on this live blog has ended  but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's U.S. team. Global cases: More than 533,416

Global deaths: At least 24,082

Top 5 countries: United States (85,991), China (81,782), Italy (80,589), Spain (57,786) and Germany (43,938) The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University as of 3:03 p.m. Beijing time. All times below are in Beijing time.

7:22 pm: UK Prime Minister tests positive for the virus

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a Downing Street spokesperson. A spokesperson for the U.K. government told CNBC Friday: "After experiencing mild symptoms yesterday, the Prime Minister was tested for coronavirus...the test was carried out in No. 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive." Johnson will be self-isolating in his official residency and continue to lead the government's response.  Silvia Amaro

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks and takes questions during a press conference in Downing Street regarding the coronavirus outbreak, on March 9, 2020. in London, England. Alberto Pezzali - WPA Pool | Getty Images

6:10 pm: Hungary announces two-week lockdown

Hungary has become the latest country to announce a two-week lockdown in response to the coronavirus. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said via public radio Friday that while citizens must maintain social distancing, they would be able to go to work, shop and take limited exercise outdoors, starting Saturday. Orban said people can still go outside, but they cannot be in a group. Hungarian police will enforce compliance with the rules and apply fines, if needed.  Silvia Amaro

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - MARCH 25: A worker of the authority responsible for the maintenance of public spaces /FKF/ cleans the underpass during the coronavirus pandemic in Budapest, Hungary on March 25, 2020. Anadolu Agency

5:37 pm: Iran's death toll rises to 2,378

The Iranian health ministry has reported that there have been 2,378 deaths from the virus and 32,332 confirmed cases, according to Reuters.  Silvia Amaro

5:30 pm: Italy's business morale plunged in March

Morale among Italian businesses plunged in March as the coronavirus outbreak dampened economy activity, Reuters reported. Data by statistics institute ISTAT showed that its composite business morale index  which captures the manufacturing, retail, construction and services sectors  sank to a reading of 81.7 this month from last month's 97.8. The March reading was the lowest since June 2013, reported Reuters.  Yen Nee Lee

5:15 pm: Pandemic has had 'substantial' impact on Swedish companies, survey shows

Some of the largest companies in Sweden said the coronavirus pandemic has had "a substantial effect" on their businesses and the situation has "deteriorated extremely rapidly," a survey conducted by the country's central bank showed. The Riksbank surveyed companies in industries ranging from manufacturing, travel, retail and services. The survey is done three times a year. The central bank said some manufacturers have had to shut their factories since last week due to movement restrictions and border closures in parts of Europe, while companies in the retail and travel have experienced large declines in demand.  Yen Nee Lee

4:55 pm: Russia reports close to 200 new cases

Russia reported 196 new coronavirus cases, the country's biggest daily increase so far, according to a report by Reuters. Total confirmed cases in Russia now stand at 1,036 including four deaths, reported Reuters.  Yen Nee Lee

4:40 pm: The virus outbreak is crushing Bangladesh's garment export

More than $2.6 billion worth of orders in Bangladesh's garment sector have been withdrawn and new cancellations are coming up, according to Tipu Munshi, the country's commerce minister. Garments are a major source of export for the South Asian country as retail brands abroad source for apparel from Bangladeshi factories. But the coronavirus pandemic has led to many of those brands shutting down their stores, forcing them to cancel orders or delay shipments. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest clothing exporter behind China, according to ratings agency Moody's.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

4:25 pm: India's central bank cuts rates

The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee met this week and cut the repo rate  or the rate at which it lends to commercial banks  by 75 basis points from 5.15% to 4.4%. Originally, the central bank was scheduled to meet next week and the interest rate decision was due on April 3. "After extensive discussions, the MPC voted for a sizeable reduction in the policy repo rate and for maintaining the accommodative stance of monetary policy, as long as necessary to revive growth, mitigate the impact of COVID-19 while ensuring that inflation remains within the target," RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said in a press briefing.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

4:05 pm: Malaysia announces stimulus package worth $58 billion

Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a package of stimulus worth 250 billion ringgit ($57.9 billion) to soften the economic impact from the coronavirus outbreak. Of that amount, around 128 billion ringgit ($29.6 billion) will be spent on the welfare of the people and 100 billion ringgit ($23.1 billion) will be used to support businesses, Muhyiddin said in a televised address. Malaysia has reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia. As of Thursday noon, the country has confirmed 2,031 cases including 23 deaths. The prime minister earlier this week extended a nationwide restricted movement order in the country by two more weeks to April 14. Under the order, foreign visitors are not allowed into the country, schools and non-essential businesses are closed, and people are advised to stay at home.  Yen Nee Lee

3:40 pm: Record high US jobless claims are a 'serious signal,' says JPMorgan

The spike in jobless claims in America is a sign that economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak is going to be around for a while, a J.P. Morgan Asset Management strategist said. The U.S. Labor Department reported on Thursday a surge to 3.28 million claims. "It's a bit of a shock to look at just the chart of how many people are claiming unemployment, compared to what we've seen in prior periods of economic stress," Hannah Anderson, a global market strategist, told CNBC's "Capital Connection." "I think we should all take this as a serious signal that we're going to have to deal with economic pain for quite a while longer," she said. "But at the same time, this is around and in the realm of expectations ... for an economic situation that we're facing right now."  Abigail Ng

3:00 pm: Cases in Germany jump 5,780 to 42,288

Germany reported 5,780 new cases of the coronavirus disease, taking the country's tally to 42,288 cases, according to latest the data from the Robert Koch Institute. The institute is a federal government agency responsible for disease monitoring and prevention. Fatalities from COVID-19 in Germany increased by 55 to 253, the institute said.  Yen Nee Lee

2:45 pm: Why Italy's coronavirus death toll is more than double that of China

Demographics, social behavior and lower testing capacity are just some of the reasons why Italy and Spain have the highest number of deaths in the world from the coronavirus, health experts told CNBC. Italy has reported more than twice as many deaths than China, where the virus first emerged in late 2019. As of Friday morning, there had been 8,215 deaths in Italy compared to 3,291 in China, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. At the same time, Spain's death toll has risen sharply in recent days and it is currently at 4,365  also significantly above China's. The worrying figures have raised questions about what's behind these European countries' high fatality rate.  Silvia Amaro

1:50 pm: Trump says he spoke to China's Xi 'in great detail' about the coronavirus pandemic

U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and discussed "in great detail" about the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed more than 24,000 people globally. "China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus," Trump said on Twitter. "We are working closely together."  Weizhen Tan Trump tweet

12:45 pm: Thailand reports 91 new cases, bans entry of non-resident foreigners

Thailand reported 91 new cases and one death, bringing its total to 1,136 cases and five fatalities, according to a Reuters report. A state of emergency kicked in for the country on Thursday, and it banned the entry of non-resident foreigners, the report said. Thailand's deputy prime minister said it will plan a "big scheme" to help stimulate the economy, centered on saving jobs over the next two to three months.  Weizhen Tan

11:40 am: South Korean boy band BTS to postpone its North American tour

South Korean boy band BTS will postpone its North American tour originally scheduled between April 25 to June 6, due to coronavirus concerns according to the band's management on Friday. The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. surpassed that of China and Italy, making the U.S. the country with the largest number of coronavirus cases worldwide. In a statement released by on BTS's official Facebook page, Big Hit Entertainment said adjustments were made to "make sure that we put the safety of everyone involved first and foremost." Big Hit added that all tickets would be honored for the new dates, which had not yet been set. The postponement of the US and Canada tour follows the previous cancellation of their Seoul concert where 200,000 people were expected to attend in April, similarly due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak in Seoul.  Audrey Cher

11:20 am: Use of surveillance to fight coronavirus raises concerns about government power after pandemic ends

From Israel to South Korea to China, governments around the world are using technology to track the coronavirus outbreak as they race to stem its spread. But how long will it last and is this an infringement of privacy, rights groups have asked. In China, government-installed CCTV cameras point at the apartment door of those under a 14-day quarantine to ensure they don't leave. Drones tell people to wear their masks. Digital barcodes on mobile apps highlight the health status of individuals. Other nations like Israel, Singapore and South Korea are also using a combination of location data, video camera footage and credit card information, to track COVID-19 in their countries.  Arjun Kharpal

10:30 am: China temporarily suspends entry for most foreigners

From Saturday, foreign nationals holding valid visas or residence permits for China will not be allowed to enter the country, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Thursday. Entry by foreign nationals with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards, port visas, and visa-free transit policies through some Chinese cities will also be suspended, it said. Foreign nationals coming to the country for "necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs" can still apply for visas and enter China on them, if issued, according to the ministry. As the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world, China has attributed most new confirmed cases of the disease in the country to travelers returning from overseas. Cities such as Beijing have announced strict 14-day quarantine policies for those arriving from other countries.  Evelyn Cheng

9:57 am: South Korea reports 91 new cases and 8 additional deaths

There were 91 new reported cases and eight people have died from exposure to the virus, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total number of cases in the country stands at 9,332 and the infection rate had been flattening in recent weeks. In South Korea, 139 people to-date have died from COVID-19. At the peak of its epidemic, South Korea rigorously tested people for the virus, isolated suspected cases, monitored people under quarantine to ensure they did not step out into public places, and provided regular updates about the situation within its borders.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

9:44 am: Singapore will jail and fine people who don't keep 1-meter physical distance in public

People in Singapore who do not observe physical distancing of one meter in "non-transient" interactions can be fined up to 10,000 Singapore dollars ($6,985) or jailed up to six months, or both, the Ministry of Health said in a press release on Thursday. The regulations kicked in overnight and will run till April 30. The stiff penalties also apply to patients with acute respiratory symptoms issued with five days of medical leave who depart from their homes during that period. Residents who breach 14-day stay home notices issued to them after their return from another country will also have to comply or face fines and jail. Singapore on Tuesday announced stricter measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. These include limiting gatherings outside of work and school to a maximum of 10 persons. Physical distancing of at least one meter is also required in public settings such as restaurants and queues.  Huileng Tan

8:58 am: Los Angeles launches program to produce 5 million non-medical masks for essential workers

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday announced a new program that will aim to produce 5 million non-medical masks for workers in essential sectors and medical patients. The program, L.A. Protects, is seeking the help of local manufacturers who can produce non-medical masks to protect people like grocery-store employees, non-medical staff in hospitals and medical patients. Kaiser Permanente has developed the design specifications of the masks, according to the program's website. Organizations that can help or are in need of masks can sign up for the program online.  Salvador Rodriguez

8:26 am: China reports 55 new cases, most of them 'imported'

China's National Health Commission said that there were 55 new cases, of which 54 were "imported" and one local case was reported in Zhejiang. Five new deaths were also reported, all of them in Hubei province. Altogether, China says there have been 81,340 cases of infection since the start of the outbreak. More than 74,500 cases have been cured while 3,292 people have died.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

Staff members check the information of passengers entering China at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on March 18, 2020. Ding Ting | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images

8:22 am: Italy's death toll rises above 8,000

More people have died in Italy from exposure to the fast-spreading coronavirus than anywhere else in the world. As of March 26, 6 p.m. local time, at least 8,165 people have died, according to Italy's health ministry. Total number of cases in the country is around 80,539, of which 10,361 people have recovered. Italy is in total lockdown where public movement is severely restricted; people are allowed outside for emergency purposes such as going to the hospital or buying groceries.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

8:09 am: China's Xi calls for 'international macro-economic policy coordination'

Chinese President Xi Jinping told world leaders that they need to coordinate their policy responses to counter the negative economic impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the global economy. "We need to enhance international macro-economic policy coordination," Xi said at an emergency virtual G-20 Leaders' Summit, according to an English translation of his speech posted by state news agency Xinhua. "Countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession," Xi said, adding, that China will "increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market." The outbreak, which was first reported in China, has disrupted production around the world as companies shut down factories to reduce the risk of exposure for their workers and there are growing worries over falling consumer demand.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

8:03 am: India announced more than $22 billion in stimulus to help those affected by lockdown

India announced an economic stimulus package worth 1.7 trillion rupees ($22.5 billion) on Thursday, designed to help millions of low-income households cope with a 21-day lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. The package will be disbursed through food security measures for poor households and through direct cash transfers, said India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Most of the country's 1.3 billion people have been told to stay indoors for three weeks starting Wednesday this week, as part of the government's efforts to slow down the coronavirus outbreak before India's health care system collapses from the strain. Essential services like grocery stores and gas stations would remain open.  Saheli Roy Choudhury All times below are in Eastern time.

7:30 pm: De Blasio says New York has now hit 365 deaths from coronavirus

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city now has 23,112 cases of COVID-19 and 365 deaths.

"The next few months will be painful and stress our health care system like never before," de Blasio said in a tweet. "To our health care workers: you are going above and beyond the call to save New Yorkers and we will remember your actions for the rest of New York history." De Blasio tweet: We're dealing with an unprecedented crisis in New York City. We are losing people every day. There are now 23,112 COVID-19 cases in New York City and 365 deaths. The next few months will be painful and stress our health care system like never before. Additionally, de Blasio said the Brooklyn Navy Yard has now begun manufacturing plastic face shields and will have 50,000 made by the end of this week alone. De Blasio said the city has received 1,500 ventilators from the federal government thus far, but he said that is a fraction of what will be needed. "Ventilators will mean the difference between life and death for thousands of New Yorkers," he tweeted. "The federal government MUST help us close that gap."  Salvador Rodriguez

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) lift a patient that was identified to have coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into an ambulance while wearing protective gear, as the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in New York City, New York, U.S., March 26, 2020. Stefan Jeremiah | Reuters

6:13 pm: The US is now the epicenter of the outbreak

America now has more confirmed coronavirus cases than Italy and China, becoming the largest outbreak in the world. The total number of cases in the U.S. reached 82,404, eclipsing China's 81,782 confirmed infections and Italy at 80,589, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University. The virus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December. It has since spread to more than half a million people in almost every country around the world and continues to pick up speed, the World Health Organization warned earlier this week. Will Feuer

5:15 pm: GM temporarily cuts pay by 20% for 69,000 salaried workers
MEXICO CITY - The Mexican border state of Chihuahua said Thursday it will set up a shelter to house deported migrants for a two-week quarantine.

The state said the shelter would be set up in the next few days to house migrants returned to the border city of Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

The state government says an average of 65 migrants are deported through Ciudad Juarez every day, for a total of about 5,200 so far this year.

The quarantine move is part of a series of measures announced Thursday to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The United States has over 81,000 cases, while Mexico has 585, though testing is far less frequent in Mexico.

Dirvin Garcia Gutierrez, the head of migrant services or Chihuahua state, said officials would also try to ease crowding at migrant shelters in Ciudad Juarez that currently hold about 1,400 people, most of whom are from Central America. The citys 14 shelters  most of them privately run  should hold no more than 50 to 80 people apiece, he said.
Lucia Bose, an Italian actress in neorealist films of the 1950s who walked away from her career to marry the Spanish bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin, only to return to acting after they separated, died on Monday in Segovia, Spain. She was 89.

Her death was announced on social media by her son, the singer and actor Miguel Bose. Roberto Liberatori, who wrote a 2019 autobiography of Ms. Bose, said the cause was pneumonia.

After she won the Miss Italy beauty pageant in 1947, Ms. Bose traveled to Rome and drew the attention of the directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Giuseppe De Santis. In 1950 she appeared in De Santiss Under the Olive Tree and Antonionis first feature film, Story of a Love Affair.

One of her most prominent parts was as Clara, a would-be actress who marries a film producer played by Gino Cervi in Antonionis The Lady Without Camelias (1953). The producers jealousy drives Clara into a film that ultimately bombs.
Are the School and Court Systems the Enemy of the People?

Commentary

Hard to believe, but we have come to the point where parents have to question if our schools and medical system are a net positive in our childrens lives or perhaps, even worse, a danger to our children.

In Canada, one father has been put through a living hell by the school and court systems, and his daughter is paying a serious price. The Canadian father is clearly a decent man, non-political and genuinely concerned with the well-being of his daughter with no preconceived notions.

The problem began when his daughter was only 12 years old and having some problems in school based on some mental health issues. They turned to the school counselor for help, as many of us would naturally be inclined to do.

The school counselor immediately identified the daughter as transgender when she was still only 12. The school helped her pick out a male name and began treating her as a boy without informing her father.

According to the father, when he found out he wasnt sure what to think or do, as would be natural for almost any parent, but he was accepting of her exploration of her gender.

The school recommended that his daughter see psychologist and LGBT author Dr. Wallace Wong.

Very quickly, Dr. Wong concluded the child had gender dysphoria and recommended she begin taking cross-sex hormones while she was still only 13 years old. To his credit, Dr. Wong works with his local orphan and foster care system, although according to press reporting, he has come under criticism for potentially diagnosing as high as 20 percent of those children with some form of gender dysphoria.

The family was referred to the hospital and supplied with disclosures by medical personnel, which explained that if his daughter received the injections, her bones would stop growing, which would create serious long-term health problems, her brain will stop developing, and she will be permanently sterilized, among other issues both real and potential.

Specifically, the disclosure added that no one knows all of the long-term health implications because the procedures are so new. The father thought his daughters history of mental health issues was a more likely cause of any problems than gender dysphoria and refused to grant permission for hormone treatments. He concluded it was more responsible for his daughter to be older before making health decisions that are irreversible, such as being sterilized.

Shortly after the daughters 14th birthday, the father was informed by a doctor at the British Colombia (BC) Childrens Hospital in Canada that his consent was no longer required because the daughter was capable of deciding the question on her own.

The father believes that his daughter was misled and brainwashed by school administrators and leftist activists, who began to treat his daughter as a transgender boy at school when she was 12 years old without informing her parents.

The father immediately took the matter to court trying to stop the procedures from going forward against his wishes.

In February 2019, Justice Gregory Bowden of the BC Supreme Court found for the government and ordered that the 14-year-old girl begin taking cross-sex hormones on her own prerogative. The court went far beyond this finding and stipulated that if either parent referred to her using female pronouns or addressed her by her birth name, they would be considered guilty of family violence.

This same evening, the father gave an interview to The Federalist and referred to his daughter as a girl. This was later cited by the court and the father was convicted of family violence in April 2019. Once again, the judge, Francesca Marzari, went way beyond and issued an order authorizing the fathers arrest without a warrant by any police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe he has referred to his daughter as a girl or with female pronouns.

The court also imposed a gag order, so he cannot speak publicly about anything related to his daughter or the case. Keep in mind, there are no laws in Canada that permit the courts to issue gag orders that stop parents from talking to their children or removing the parents from the decision-making process for medical treatment of their child.

The appeal process did slightly relax these findings and removed the part about the father being arrested for family violence based only on his comments. The gag order and other aspects remain in force, and his daughter has started the hormone injections as of March 2019. At 15 years old she is sterilized and must take the treatments for the rest of her life; who knows what health problems she will suffer as a result. The medical world admits they just dont know.

How did we end up in this dark and dangerous place? How would any child at such a young age know for sure if they want to be sterilized or not? It is stunning that somehow this has become a partisan political issue and that the left is supportive.

Famously, the left calls conservatives deplorables, but its the left who has lost its way and are in fact degenerates and amoral.

The age of majority has long been agreed upon as 18 years old for most things, and even that might be too young for these sorts of decisions.

Should we not at the very least explore all avenues of mental health treatments first and make sure there arent any other separate issues? A 13 or 14-year-old girl cannot consent to have sex with an adult male because she is too young to be allowed to make those decisions; she is also too young to decide if she should be sterilized.

This child, some argue, was targeted by the school and court systems to make a political point. Terrorists kill and hurt people to make a political point, too. At least theyre honest about it and dont try to impose gag orders and hide from their own actions.

Brad Johnson is a retired CIA senior operations officer and a former chief of station. He is the president of Americans for Intelligence Reform.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A man was arrested Friday on suspicion of obstructing business after he allegedly delayed a domestic flight in Japan on Thursday immediately before takeoff by telling cabin crew he was infected with the novel coronavirus.

Norihiro Kojima, 69, is suspected of delaying a Jetstar Japan flight scheduled to depart from Narita airport for over an hour and interfering with the business of the low-cost carrier after he told cabin crew around 4:05 p.m. on Thursday, "I have tested positive (for the virus) but it is okay."

It remains unknown whether he was really infected with the virus. Kojima, who lives in Toon, Ehime Prefecture, has denied he made such a statement, according to the police.

There were 114 people including cabin crew aboard the flight bound for Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture. Following his remark, cabin crew alerted the captain who returned the aircraft to the airport apron, where Kojima was made to get off, the police said.
Boris Johnson is facing pressure to suspend the utility bills and council tax for the self-employed and low-income individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes after chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined a series of measures designed to help a proportion of self-employed people through the crisis, including a multibillion package of support for up to 3.8 million workers.

While Labours John McDonnell said he welcomed the measures, he pointed out significant gaps in the offer, including the warning many will have to wait until June to receive their first payment under the new scheme.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, the shadow chancellor added that he was willing to work with ministers to help individuals who had fallen outside the schemes announced by government to tackle the coronavirus in recent days.

But he added: Im getting a lot of people who are pretty desperate and say they are not going to get beyond the next week.

Lets try and get the cash to people. Lets at least halt some of the burdens being placed on them. So, utility bills  why doesnt the government now act and say ... these people should not be hit with [certain] bills?

And council tax: although the government has given 500m for hardship funds, it doesnt seem to be anywhere near enough from what we hear from local councils. We can help them by [stopping these bills hitting them] at the same time when they are not getting an income. In that way, we might be able to assist more people.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, suspended gas, water and electricity bills for small businesses when he announced the countrys own lockdown last week.

The shadow chancellor also criticised the decision to lay off 40,000 staff at HM Revenue & Customs over previous years, and insisted the government could introduce a similar scheme to the health service, by inviting many of those staff back to help get the payments out of the door to these self-employed workers.

Asked about the suggestion, the business secretary Alok Sharma insisted the package provided by government was unprecedented claimed the UK was leading the way by international standards.

He told the BBC: In terms of mortgage providers  theres a three-month holiday thats available.

To the millions of people renting across our country who may be concerned about being able to meet their bills, weve been very clear that people should feel safe in their homes, they should not be in a position where they have to move over the next three months.

Asked how much the scheme will cost, he said: Well, in terms of the employment package itself, the employment support scheme, weve said that will run for a period of three months and can then be extended. But it is open-ended  if I can put it like that.

Mr Sharma went on: There will be an impact in the short term for borrowing, but what we are ensuring through the schemes is that jobs are secured so that when we come out the other side, businesses are able to go back to operating in a normal way.
The latest:

Surgeon general: Increasing supply of medical equipment won't resolve the crisis



Although the United States government is making every effort to provide necessary supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, supplies will only help so much, Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said at a town hall for the American Society of Anesthesiologists on Thursday.We will not supply our way out of this problem, he said.

The White House Coronavirus Task Force has provided 9 million N95 respirators from the Strategic National Stockpile, and it has worked with manufacturers to increase production of N95 respirators to 100 million per month, according to Adams.

He also said the national stockpile purchases 0.1% of all national supplies, while the remaining 99.9% are utilized by commercial and private markets.

A lot of the capacity that folks are looking for is already out there. Its sitting on shelves in surgery centers. Its sitting in hospitals. Its just misaligned, Adams said. I really want you all to think about how you can help us fix that misalignment.

United States deaths surpass 1,000



Officials are racing to get a handle on the novel coronavirus as the number of deaths surpassed 1,000 in the United States and cases in two of the hardest hit states  California and New York  quickly multiply.

"We originally thought that it would be doubling every six to seven days and we see cases doubling every three to four days," said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency.

There are now more than 82,404 cases of coronavirus across the U.S., and fatalities have surpassed 1,100, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally.

The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has surpassed that of China, where the outbreak started, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. As of Thursday evening, China had reported a total of 81,782.

President Donald Trump attributed the higher number to the testing being done in the U.S. He also suggested it might be difficult to know who China is testing and not testing.

Globally, the number of cases has surpassed 500,000, with Italy reporting 6,153 new infections.

Italy now has 80,539 cases, almost as many as China. Italys Civil Protection Agency reported 662 deaths on Thursday, bringing the countrys death toll to 8,165, which is the highest in the world.

U.S. numbers spiked Wednesday with 223 deaths reported that day alone. Just four days prior, the death toll stood at 326 people.

Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week  almost five times the previous record set in 1982  amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is inflicting on the economy. Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs.

PGlmcmFtZSBpZD0iaHR2LWNvdmlkLW1hcCIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL2NvdmlkLTE5LWFzc2V0cy5odHZ0b29scy51cy9pbmRleC5odG1sIiBzY3JvbGw9Im5vIiBzdHlsZT0iYm9yZGVyOm5vbmU7Ij48L2lmcmFtZT4=

To understand the spike in cases, health officials need to increase testing, identify infected people and isolate them while tracing who they have had contact with, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN's Chris Cuomo on "Cuomo Primetime" Wednesday.

The world missed the first opportunity to control the virus, but now there is a second opportunity to act, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday.

"This virus is public enemy No. 1," Tedros said.

The action is especially important because Fauci said Wednesday that even when the virus is contained, it likely won't be completely stopped.

"We've got to develop drugs so that when we come around next year, it is not like this again," he told Cuomo. "Never again like this."

Meanwhile, on the U.S. economic front, the Senate on Wednesday approved a historic, $2 trillion stimulus package to provide a jolt to an economy reeling from coronavirus impacts, capping days of intense negotiations that produced one of the most expensive and far-reaching measures Congress has ever considered.

The legislation represents the largest emergency aid package in U.S. history and the most significant legislative action taken to address the rapidly intensifying coronavirus crisis, which is overwhelming hospitals and grinding much of the economy to a halt.

It will next go to the House for a vote.

Trump administration preparing new social distancing guidelines

Trump told governors on Thursday his administration was preparing to issue new social distancing guidelines based on geographic risk factors.

In a letter, Trump said new coronavirus testing capabilities would allow his administration to identify "high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk" counties.

New guidelines will help governors and other state policymakers decide on "maintaining, increasing or relaxing social distancing and other mitigation measures they have put in place," Trump wrote.

He said this week he'd like to see the country "raring to go" by Easter, April 12, a date that many health experts say is unlikely.

The call for more research and more doctors

To fight back against the virus, officials are calling for all hands-on deck.

The U.S. Army has reached out to retired medical personnel, saying they need to hear back "STAT" about if they would potentially volunteer in the coronavirus effort, according to an email obtained by CNN.

The Army does not want to interfere with civilian medical needs, but is requesting information for planning purposes, a spokesman for the Army said.

At New York University, the Grossman School of Medicine has sought students who want to graduate early in response to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "directive to get more physicians into the health system more quickly," the school said in a statement.

The school still needs the plan to be approved by state and education officials, but as of Wednesday afternoon, at least 69 students had volunteered.

Resources aren't meeting treatment needs as surge continue

As the number of cases climbs, New York is appealing to the federal government for more medical supplies to treat the ill.

New York hospitals have enough personal protection equipment for only the next two weeks, Gov. Cuomo said. The state also needs about 30,000 ventilators. As of noon Wednesday, the state had 4,000 ventilators in hospitals and another 4,000 on the way from the federal government. New York has also purchased 7,000 ventilators and is "still shopping," the governor said.

Related video: What does a ventilator do, and how does it help people with coronavirus?

The ventilators are the "difference between life and death for thousands of New Yorkers," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Meanwhile, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that her city could see a surge in cases similar to that seen in New York City. Breed estimated that San Francisco could need as many as 1,500 more ventilators and 5,000 more hospital beds.

"If people who are out on the streets continue to congregate with one another, continue to interact with one another which increases the spread of this virus, we will not have enough beds, enough ICU units, enough ventilators to support the people that we know are going to need them," Breed said Wednesday.

"It is not even a question as to whether we will need more," Breed said.

Officials enforcing stay at home orders

To ensure that people follow orders to stay at home, some cities have announced plans to penalize people who don't heed the rules.

Interim Chicago Police Superintendent Charlie Beck said Wednesday that "the educational phase of this is over." Beck said police will begin issuing citations on Thursday to residents who do not follow rules around social distancing and staying at home.

Breaking the orders is a misdemeanor punishable by a citation with a fine of up to $500, Beck said. If violation continues, it could result in physical arrest.

So far, 21 states have issued stay-at-home orders, with some not going into effect until the end of the week.

New York, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, has restricted nonessential business and gatherings, and individuals are being asked to limit outdoor activities to non-contact activities.

Civil fines will be issued to non-compliant businesses, but not individuals, Cuomo said.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti clarified Wednesday that the city also will be enforcing restrictions against non-essential businesses that are staying open.

Despite rumors, the Los Angeles Police Department will not, however, be stopping people for exercising and leaving their homes, Garcetti said.

W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZDJjbXZicTdzeHgzM2ouY2xvdWRmcm9udC5uZXQvZW1haWwvcHJvZF9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1c19pZnJhbWVfYXJ0aWNsZS5odG1sIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQxNCIgc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7Ym9yZGVyOm5vbmU7b3ZlcmZsb3c6aGlkZGVuIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9Im5vIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dUcmFuc3BhcmVuY3k9InRydWUiXVsvaWZyYW1lXQ==

CNN contributed to this report.
By Chris Prentice and Devika Krishna Kumar

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. lender Capital One Financial Corp got a waiver from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) after plunging oil prices increased the bank's derivatives exposure above a key regulatory threshold, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

On Friday, the CFTC said it would temporarily exempt a U.S. bank from a requirement to register as a "Major Swap Participant" even though its growing energy swaps exposure would technically require it to do so by the end of the next quarter.

The CFTC did not name the bank on Friday, but the two sources told Reuters it was Virginia-based Capital One, which is best known for its retail lending and credit card business.

The regulator and Capital One declined to comment on the identity of the bank on Wednesday. A spokesman for the CFTC said it issued the waiver to protect the bank and its energy clients from undue disruption, given the unprecedented market conditions over the past month amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"We have actively encouraged all market participants to identify regulatory relief or other assistance that may be needed to help support robust, orderly and liquid markets in the face of this pandemic," the spokesman said.

Capital One's waiver lasts until Sept. 30, but if energy prices remain low or the bank's exposure remains above the threshold, it will register as a swap participant or make business adjustments, the CFTC said on Friday. The designation entails a number of complex and costly reporting and compliance obligations, which the CFTC spokesman said could hurt the institution's ability to keep lending.

The bank is a relatively small player in the energy lending and financing business, with energy loans accounting for just 1.4% of its total loan book, its filings show.

As part of that business, Capital One enters into commodity swaps with its commercial oil and gas clients to help them mitigate the risk of energy price swings and the related borrowing risks. Typically, those trades do not bring Capital One's swaps exposure anywhere close to the CFTC's registration threshold, according to the CFTC's Friday notice.

Story continues

But a 50% plunge in crude oil prices caused by the coronavirus and a flood of supply by top producers has seen its exposure on those swaps balloon, putting it on course to hit the threshold by the end of this month, the CFTC said.

Broadly speaking, that threshold kicks in if a bank has $1 billion in daily average aggregate commodity swap exposure that is not secured by collateral, such as cash margin.

Following the 2007-2009 financial crisis during which several major institutions were toppled by their derivatives exposure, Congress created a slew of swap trading laws to reduce systemic risk and increase the visibility of the market.

Still, the decision to grant a waiver in this case has sparked worries that regulators are going too easy on banks in a bid to prop up lending, potentially exposing them to more risk down the road if energy prices do not rebound.

Across the board, regulators have scrambled to grant regulatory relief, worried banks will pull back from lending and exacerbate corporate liquidity stress.

"The priority of the CFTC is not to prop up an ailing sector. Its to ensure that the market is protected from risks," said Tyson Slocum, a director at government watchdog group Public Citizen and a member of the CFTC's Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee.

He added he was worried the agency would give exemptions to other banks caught flatfooted by the market turmoil.

"I've got concerns with over-leveraged banks in the oil and gas sector. I dont want this to spread across the financial sector," he added.

(Editing by Michelle Price and Sonya Hepinstall)
THE electricity generated and distributed went up by 7.2 percent to a cumulative output of 1,941,923.8 megawatts from 1,811,474 registered in the corresponding quarter in 2018, supporting the continued efforts to build industrial economy.

To boost industrialisation drive, the government has embarked on implementing the 2,115 megawatts Nyerere Hydro power dam which is expected to more than double the power generation capacity.

According to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) consolidated zonal economic performance report for the quarter ending September last year, the notable increase in electricity generation was recorded in the central and lake zones following an increase in water level in Kidatu and Kihansi water dams as well as increased capacity utilisation of existing generators to meet the rising demand.

In the central zone, electricity generation increased to 429,508.2 megawatts from 307,639.4 generated in the corresponding quarter 2018 which is equivalent to 39.6 per cent change.

The Dar es Salaam zone, which accounted for 69.7 percent of total electricity generation, recorded an increase of 4.5 percent, partly associated with increased capacity utilisation at Kinyerezi II power plant.

During the reference period, a total of 1,353,655 megawatts was generated compared to 1,294,764.2 megawatts in the corresponding period 2018.

On the contrary, electricity generated in the northern and south eastern zones decreased mainly due to low level of water at Nyumba ya Mungu dam and the decrease in electricity generation by thermal power plants in Ruvuma Region following the ongoing connection of districts to the national grid.

Furthermore, the natural gas production from Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay fields rose to 16,809.7 million standard cubic feet (MSCF) in the quarter to September 2019 from 14,311.7 MSCF in the quarter ending September 2018.

The performance, according to the central bank report, was driven by higher demand by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited and some manufacturing industries.

Noteworthy, production by Songo Songo gas processing plant accounted for 57.3 percent of total gas production in the country.
STOCKHOLM, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The shareholders of Securitas AB, reg. no 556302-7241, are hereby invited to attend the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") to be held at 16.00 CEST on Thursday May 7, 2020 at Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Ralambshovsleden 50, Stockholm. Further information regarding the process of entry will be made available on the company website www.securitas.com/agm2020.

A. Notice of attendance

Shareholders who wish to attend the AGM must:

(i) be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB on Thursday April 30, 2020; and

(ii) notify Securitas AB of their intent to participate in the AGM at the address: Securitas AB, "AGM", c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, P.O. Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, by telephone +46 10 470 31 30 or via the company website www.securitas.com/agm2020, by Thursday April 30, 2020, at the latest. On giving notice of attendance, the shareholder shall state name, personal or corporate identity number or equivalent, address and telephone number. A proxy form is available on the company website www.securitas.com/agm2020 and will be sent by mail to shareholders informing the company of their address and their wish to receive a copy of the proxy form. Proxy holders and representatives of legal persons shall submit papers of authorization prior to the AGM. As confirmation of the notification, Securitas AB will send an entry card to be presented at registration for the AGM.

In order to participate in the proceedings of the AGM, owners with nominee-registered shares must request their bank or broker to have their shares temporarily owner-registered with Euroclear Sweden AB. Such registration must be made as of Thursday April 30, 2020 and the banker or broker should therefore be notified in due time before said date.

Information regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

In order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus and to safeguard the well-being of Securitas' shareholders and employees, the Board of Directors has decided to introduce a number of precautionary measures.

Such measures include that planned speeches will be reduced to a minimum and that no food or refreshments will be served following the AGM. The CEO's speech will be posted on the company website after the AGM. Further, participation at the AGM by non-shareholders will be limited.

In light of the recent government instructions Securitas would like to encourage all shareholders to carefully consider whether to attend the meeting in person, but instead use its right to appoint a proxy holder who can vote on their behalf. Securitas also encourages such solution for anyone displaying symptoms of illness, who has recently visited an area with widespread infection, or who is considered to be part of a risk group.

Securitas is carefully monitoring the development and if necessary, the Board of Directors may decide on further precautionary measures. If the situation so requires, the Board of Directors may further decide, within the applicable rules, to adjust matters on the agenda as well as the board's proposals. Any updated information will be disclosed and made available on the company website www.securitas.com/agm2020.

B. Agenda

Proposal for Agenda

1. Opening of the Meeting.

2. Election of Chairman of the Meeting.

3. Preparation and approval of the voting list.

4. Approval of the agenda.

5. Election of one or two person(s) to approve the minutes.

6. Determination of compliance with the rules of convocation.

7. The President's report.

8. Presentation of

a. the Annual Report and the Auditor's Report and the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Group Auditor's Report,

b. the statement by the auditor on the compliance with the guidelines for remuneration to senior management applicable since the last AGM, and

c. the Board's proposal for appropriation of the company's profit and the Board's motivated statement thereon.

9. Resolutions regarding

a. adoption of the Statement of Income and the Balance Sheet and the Consolidated Statement of Income and the Consolidated Balance Sheet as per 31 December 2019,

b. appropriation of the company's profit according to the adopted Balance Sheet,

c. record date for dividend, and

d. discharge of the Board of Directors and the President from liability for the financial year 2019.

10. Determination of the number of Board members.

11. Determination of fees to Board members and auditors.

12. Election of Board members.

13. Election of auditors.

14. Determination of guidelines for remuneration to senior management.

15. Resolution regarding a proposal for authorization of the Board to resolve on acquisition and transfer of the company's own shares.

16. Resolutions regarding the implementation of an incentive scheme, including hedging measures by way of a share swap agreement.

17. Resolution regarding the implementation of a long-term incentive program (LTI 2020/2022).

18. Closing of the Meeting.

Election of Chairman of the Meeting (item 2 on the agenda)

The Nomination Committee ahead of the AGM 2020 has consisted of Carl Douglas (Investment AB Latour, etc.), Mikael Ekdahl (Melker Schorling AB), Maria Nordqvist (Lannebo Fonder), Jan Andersson (Swedbank Robur Fonder) and Adam Gerge (Didner och Gerge Fonder), and has proposed that Marie Ehrling, Chairman of the Board, is elected Chairman of the AGM 2020.

Proposal for Dividend (items 9 (b) and (c) on the agenda)

The Board proposes that a dividend of SEK 4.80 per share be declared. As record date for the dividend, the Board proposes May 11, 2020. If the AGM so resolves, the dividend is expected to be distributed by Euroclear Sweden AB starting May 14, 2020. The Board has presented a motivated statement pursuant to Chapter 18, Section 4 of the Swedish Companies Act. The statement is available at the company and on the company's website www.securitas.com/agm2020. If the situation so requires, the Board of Directors may further decide, within the applicable rules, to adjust matters on the agenda as well as the board's proposals.

Proposals for Election of Board Members and Auditors and Resolution regarding Fees to the Board Members and the Auditors (items 10-13 on the agenda)

At the AGM 2020, the Nomination Committee will, in connection with the election of Board members and auditors and the resolutions regarding fees to the Board members and the auditors, present and motivate the below proposals and also report on its activities. In connection with the notice, the reasoned statement of the Nomination Committee will be held available at the company website, www.securitas.com/agm2020.

The Nomination Committee has proposed the following:

The number of Board members shall be eight, with no deputy members. The Nomination Committee proposes re-election of the Board members Ingrid Bonde, John Brandon, Anders Boos, Fredrik Cappelen, Carl Douglas, Marie Ehrling, Sofia Schorling Hogberg and Dick Seger. Marie Ehrling is proposed to be re-elected as Chairman of the Board.

Information about the proposed Board members is available on the company website www.securitas.com.

As auditors, the Nomination Committee proposes, in accordance with the Audit Committee's recommendation, re-election of the auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers AB, with authorized public accountant Patrik Adolfson as auditor in charge, for a period up to and including the AGM for 2021. The auditor's fees are proposed to be paid as per agreement.

Fees to the Board members for the period up to and including the AGM 2021 shall amount to SEK 8,445,000 in total (including fees for committee work) to be distributed between the Board members as follows: the Chairman of the Board shall receive SEK 2,300,000, the Deputy Chairman shall receive SEK 870,000 and each of the other Board members shall receive SEK 700,000. As consideration for the committee work, the Chairman of the Audit Committee shall receive SEK 325,000, the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee shall receive SEK 100,000, the members of the Audit Committee each SEK 200,000 and the members of the Remuneration Committee each SEK 50,000.

Proposal for Guidelines for Remuneration to Senior Management (item 14 on the agenda)

Scope

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting 2020 adopts the following guidelines for remuneration to the individuals who are included in the Group Management of Securitas (the "senior management employees").

The guidelines shall apply to agreements entered into after the Annual General Meeting 2020, and to changes made in existing agreements after the Annual General Meeting 2020. These guidelines do not apply to any remuneration decided or approved by the general meeting.

Promotion of Securitas' business strategy, long-term interests and sustainability etc.

In short, Securitas business strategy is to offer protective services that integrate all areas of Securitas' competence. Together with the customers, Securitas develop optimal and cost-efficient solutions that are suited for the customers' needs. This brings added value to the customers and results in stronger, more long-term customer relationships and improved profitability. In order to attract and keep competent senior management employees, Securitas shall offer a competitive total remuneration that is in line with the market conditions on the relevant market for each senior management employee. Thereby, the ambition is to ensure that Securitas has the leading team in the security services industry, which is expected to contribute to Securitas' business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability. More information on Securitas' business strategy is available on Securitas' website securitas.com, section Our offering - Strategy.

Securitas has implemented share-related incentive plans. Every year since 2010, the Annual General Meeting has resolved on share related incentive schemes including approximately 2,600 employees within the Group. The outcome of these incentive schemes relates to how the criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration are satisfied and thus they are distinctly linked to Securitas' business strategy, long-term interests and sustainability. Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting 2019 resolved on a long-term incentive program including the CEO, other members of the Group Management and certain other key employees ("LTI 2019/2021") which is intended to work as an alternative incentive solution to the aforementioned incentive scheme and includes approximately up to 80 employees within Securitas. The outcome of LTI 2019/2021 is based on the annual development of Securitas' earnings per share. LTI 2019/2021 is conditional upon the participant's own investment and holding periods of several years. The share-related incentive plans have been resolved by the general meeting and are therefore excluded from these guidelines. The share-related incentive plans proposed by the Board of Directors and submitted to the Annual General Meeting 2020 for approval are excluded for the same reason. More information on Securitas' incentive plans is available on Securitas' website securitas.com, section Corporate Governance - Remuneration to Senior Management.

Types of remuneration

The total remuneration to senior management shall consist of a fixed basic salary, variable cash remuneration, pension benefits and other benefits. Additionally, the general meeting may - irrespective of these guidelines - resolve on, among other things, share-related or share price-related remuneration.

The fixed basic salary shall be competitive and reflect each senior management employee's responsibility and performance. The variable cash remuneration shall amount to a maximum of 85 percent of the fixed basic salary for the President and CEO and a maximum of 60-200 percent of the fixed basic salary for other senior management employees.

The senior management employees shall be subject to defined contribution pension plans for which insurance premiums are transferred from the individual's total cash remuneration and paid by the company during the term of employment. In exceptional cases, the value of such insurance premiums can instead be paid as part of the cash remuneration to a senior management employee. Variable cash remuneration shall qualify for pension benefits to the extent required by mandatory collective agreement provisions. Insurance premiums may amount to not more than 35 percent of the fixed basic salary.

Other benefits, such as company car, life insurance, special health insurance or occupational health service shall be provided to the extent this is considered customary for senior management employees holding equivalent positions on the labor market where the senior management employee is active. Premiums and other costs relating to such benefits may amount to not more than 15 percent of the fixed basic salary.

For employments governed by rules other than Swedish, pension benefits and other benefits may be duly adjusted for compliance with mandatory rules or local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines.

Criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration

Variable cash remuneration shall be awarded based on the outcome of clearly measurable performance-based targets that are set as close to the local business as possible and aim for long-term profitability of Securitas. The performance-based targets may for example relate to EBITA, EPS and/or cash flow within each senior management employee's area of responsibility (group or division). Furthermore, the performance-based targets are intended to contribute to Securitas' business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability, by, among other things, promoting the senior management employee's long-term development within Securitas and reconciling the shareholders' interests with the employee's interests.

The Remuneration Committee shall, for the Board of Directors, prepare, monitor and evaluate matters regarding variable cash remuneration to the senior management. Ahead of each measurement period for the criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration, which can be one or several years, the Board of Directors shall, based on the work of the Remuneration Committee, establish which criteria that are deemed to be relevant for the upcoming measurement period. After a measurement period has ended, it shall be determined to which extent the criteria have been satisfied. Evaluations regarding fulfilment of financial targets shall be based on established financial information for the relevant period.

Variable cash remuneration can be paid after the measurement period has ended or be subject to deferred payment. If payment of variable cash remuneration has been effected on grounds later proven to be obviously inaccurate, Securitas shall, to the extent legally possible, have the possibility to reclaim such paid remuneration.

Termination of employment

At dismissal, the notice period for senior management employees shall not exceed twelve months, with a right to redundancy payment equivalent to a maximum of 100 percent of the fixed basic salary for a period not exceeding twelve months after the end of the notice period. At resignation by a senior management employee, the notice period shall amount to a maximum of six months without a right to redundancy payment.

Additionally, remuneration may be paid for non-compete and non-solicitation undertakings in accordance with mandatory rules or local practice. The remuneration shall be based on the fixed cash salary at the time of termination of employment and be paid during the time the non-compete or the non-solicitation undertaking applies, however not for more than 24 months following termination of employment.

Salary and employment conditions for employees

In the preparation of the Board of Directors' proposal for these guidelines, salary and employment conditions for employees of the company have been taken into account by including information on the employees' total income, the components of the remuneration and increase and growth rate over time, in the Remuneration Committee's and the Board of Directors' basis of decision when evaluating whether the guidelines and the limitations set out herein are reasonable.

The decision-making process to determine, review and implement the guidelines

The Remuneration Committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' decision to propose guidelines for remuneration to the senior management. The Board of Directors shall prepare a proposal for new guidelines at least every fourth year and submit it to the general meeting. The guidelines shall be in force until new guidelines are adopted by the general meeting. The Remuneration Committee shall also monitor and evaluate programs for variable remuneration for the senior management, the application of the guidelines for remuneration to senior management as well as the current remuneration structures and compensation levels in Securitas. The members of the Remuneration Committee are independent of the company and its senior management. The CEO and other members of the senior management do not participate in the Board of Directors' processing of and resolutions regarding remuneration-related matters in so far as they are affected by such matters.

Deviation from the guidelines

The Board may temporarily resolve to deviate from the guidelines, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the deviation and a deviation is necessary to serve Securitas long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure Securitas financial viability. As set out above, the Remuneration Committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' resolutions in remuneration-related matters. This includes any resolutions to deviate from the guidelines.

Transitional provisions applicable for the Annual General Meeting 2020

The cost of the company for 2020 in terms of its obligations to pay variable cash remuneration to the senior management is estimated to not exceed a total of MSEK 108 at maximum outcome (not including potential costs for the LTI 2020/2022). Information on previously decided remuneration which has not yet been paid can be found in note 9 of the Annual Report for 2019.

Proposal for Authorization of the Board to Resolve on Acquisition and Transfer of the Company's Own Shares (item 15 on the agenda)

The Board proposes that the Annual General Meeting for 2020 authorizes the Board to resolve upon acquisition of the company's own shares of Series B according to the following terms: (i) acquisition of shares may take place on Nasdaq Stockholm, (ii) acquisition of shares may take place on one or several occasions during the time up to the Annual General Meeting for 2021, (iii) acquisition of shares may only be made so that the shares held by the company at any point in time does not exceed ten (10) per cent of all shares in the company, (iv) acquisition of shares shall be made at a price which falls within the prevailing price interval registered at each point in time, meaning the interval between the highest purchase price and the lowest selling price, (v) payment for acquired shares shall be made in cash, and (vi) the Board should be authorized to decide upon any additional terms for the acquisition.

Furthermore, the Board proposes that the Annual General Meeting for 2020 authorizes the Board to resolve upon transfer of the company's own shares of Series B according to the following terms: (i) transfer of shares may take place on Nasdaq Stockholm or in connection with acquisition of companies or businesses, on market terms, (ii) transfer of shares may take place on one or several occasions during the time up to the Annual General Meeting 2021, (iii) the maximum number of shares to be transferred may not exceed the number of shares held by the company at the time of the Board's resolution, (iv) transfer of shares shall be made at a price which falls within the prevailing price interval registered at each point in time, meaning the interval between the highest purchase price and the lowest selling price, (v) payment for transferred shares may be made in other forms than cash, and (vi) the Board should be authorized to decide upon any additional terms for the transfer. The authorization includes the right to resolve on deviation of the preferential rights of shareholders.

The purpose of the proposed authorizations is to (a) allow the Board to adjust the company's capital structure, to contribute to shareholder value, (b) be able to exploit attractive acquisition opportunities by fully or partly financing future acquisitions with the company's own shares, and (c) ensure the company's undertakings in respect of share-related or share-based incentive programs (other than delivery of shares to participants of incentive programs), including covering social security costs. If the Board of Directors decides to adjust the company's capital structure in accordance with (a) above, the Board of Directors intends to propose that the company's share capital shall be decreased through share reduction of the repurchased shares.

The Board has presented a motivated statement pursuant to Chapter 19, Section 22 of the Swedish Companies Act. The statement is available at the company and on the company's website www.securitas.com/agm2020.

A decision by the Annual General Meeting on the proposal according to this item 15 must be supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of the votes cast as well as the shares present at the Annual General Meeting in order for the proposal to be adopted.

Proposal for Incentive Scheme (item 16 on the agenda)

Consistent with the last ten years, the Board proposes a share related incentive program (the "Incentive Scheme") for the Group shall be resolved by the AGM 2020, in accordance with the following main principles.

a. Implementation of an Incentive Scheme

Approximately 2,600 Securitas employees will be comprised by the Incentive Scheme and thereby be entitled to receive a part of the yearly bonus in the form of shares in Securitas, provided that certain predetermined and measurable performance targets, which apply also under the cash bonus schemes, are met. These vary depending on the employee's position but are in principle based on a year-on-year improvement of operating income or, for employees of the parent company, earnings per share.

Provided that the applicable performance criteria are met, the yearly bonus will be determined at the outset of 2021 and be payable by (i) 2/3 in cash at the outset of 2021 and (ii) 1/3 in shares of series B (the "Bonus Shares") at the outset of 2022. The number of shares to which each participant will be entitled shall be determined by the ratio between the available bonus and the average share price at which the shares are purchased (such purchase to be made during Q1 2021 in accordance with applicable regulations). Distribution of Bonus Shares in accordance with (ii) is subject to the following two conditions: (1) if the total accrued bonus amounts to less than EUR 3,900, the whole bonus will be paid out in cash in accordance with (i) above, and (2) the employee must remain employed by Securitas as of the last day of February 2022 except where an employee has left his/her employment due to retirement, death or long-term disability, in which case the employee shall have a continued right to receive Bonus Shares.

At distribution of the Bonus Shares, the employee shall be entitled to additional shares up to a value corresponding to any dividend decided per share corresponding to the total number of Bonus Shares during the period from payment of the cash bonus until distribution of the Bonus Shares, adjusted to the closest number of whole shares that can be purchased for the dividend for each participant.

The Board shall be responsible for the particulars and the handling of the Incentive Scheme within the frame of the above principal guidelines and shall also be entitled to make such minor adjustments which may prove necessary due to legal or administrative circumstances.

b. Hedging Measures

In order to enable the delivery of Bonus Shares in accordance with the Incentive Scheme, the Board of Directors proposes that the AGM, similar to previous years, approves the hedging of the delivery of the shares to the employees by Securitas entering into a share-swap agreement with a third party, whereby the third party in its own name shall acquire and transfer shares in the company to employees participating in the scheme. The cost for the swap is estimated at SEK 550,000 assuming the same bonus amount as last year.

Resolutions and Voting Majority

The proposals according to (a) and (b) above shall be adopted as one single resolution and must be supported by shareholders representing more than half of the votes cast, or, in case of equal voting, by the opinion supported by the Chairman of the AGM.

Effect on Important Key Ratios

The number of shares in Securitas AB amounts to 365,058,897. The Incentive Scheme may lead to acquisition of a maximum of 1,100,000 shares, which is equivalent to 0.3 per cent of the total number of issued shares and 0.21 per cent of the total number of votes in Securitas. In view of the proposed swap agreement, there will be no impact on the earnings per share, other than the increased costs that the Incentive Scheme could cause.

Proposal for a long-term incentive program (LTI 2020/2022) (item 17 on the agenda)

Summary of the program

The Annual General Meeting 2019 resolved to implement a new long-term incentive program for the CEO, other members of Group management and certain other key employees within the Securitas Group ("LTI 2019/2021"). Along the lines of LTI 2019/2021, the Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to implement a long-term incentive program for the CEO, other members of Group management and certain other key employees within the Securitas Group ("LTI 2020/2022"). For the qualifying participants, LTI 2020/2022 is intended to be an alternative to Incentive Scheme 2020 (see item 16 of the notice convening the Annual General Meeting for further information about Incentive Scheme 2020) and the participants of LTI 2020/2022 will not be entitled to participate in Incentive Scheme 2020. The main principles for LTI 2020/2022 are set out below.

LTI 2020/2022 is proposed to include approximately 70 employees including the CEO, other members of Group management and certain other key employees within the Securitas Group. In order to participate in LTI 2020/2022 the participants will have to invest in Series B shares in Securitas at market price, or nominate shares already vested under previous incentive schemes or currently vesting under Incentive Scheme 2019. For every Series B share purchased or nominated within the scope of LTI 2020/2022, the company will grant so called performance awards free of charge in accordance with the terms stipulated below.

The rationale for the proposal

The purpose of LTI 2020/2022 is to create a strong long-term incentive for top executives of the Group, strengthen the Group's ability to retain and recruit top executives, provide competitive remuneration, and to align the interests of the shareholders with the interests of the executives concerned by enabling the participants to become substantial shareholders in the company. Through a share-based incentive program, the employees' remuneration is tied to the company's future earnings and value growth. In light of the above, the Board of Directors believes that the implementation of LTI 2020/2022 will have a positive effect on the long-term value growth of the Group and consequently that LTI 2020/2022 is beneficial to both the shareholders and the company.

Personally invested shares

In order to participate in LTI 2020/2022, the participants will during the period from 21 May 2020 up to and including 11 June 2020 (the "Investment Period") have to either (i) purchase Series B shares in Securitas in the market and nominate such shares to LTI 2020/2022, or (ii) nominate Series B shares already vested under previous incentive schemes or currently vesting under Incentive Scheme 2019, to LTI 2020/2022 ("Personally Invested Shares").

The value of a participant's Personally Invested Shares shall be based on the market price for the company's Series B share and shall correspond to minimum 5 per cent (all participants) and maximum 15 per cent (the CEO), 12.5 per cent (other members of Group management) or 10 per cent (other participants), respectively, of the participant's base salary.

If the participant has access to inside information and therefore is prevented from purchasing Personally Invested Shares during the Investment Period, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to extend or postpone the Investment Period in individual cases, but no later than to the next Annual General Meeting.

Participants in LTI 2020/2022 and allocation

LTI 2020/2022 is proposed to include approximately 70 senior executives and key employees within the Securitas Group, divided in three categories.

Category 1

For each Personally Invested Share by the CEO of the Group under LTI 2020/2022, the company will grant five performance awards to the CEO.

Category 2

For each Personally Invested Share by another member of Group management (currently fifteen individuals) under LTI 2020/2022, the relevant individual will be awarded four performance awards.

Category 3

For each Personally Invested Share by another participant (approximately 54 individuals) under LTI 2020/2022, the relevant individual will be awarded three performance awards.

Performance condition

The number of performance awards that will entitle participants to receive Series B shares in the company depends on the annual development of Securitas' earnings per share , compared to minimum and maximum target levels as defined by the Board of Directors, during the measurement period 1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022, where each year during the measurement period is compared to the previous year. The outcome is calculated yearly, whereby one third of the performance awards is measured against the outcome for 2020, one third is measured against the outcome for 2021 and one third is measured against the outcome for 2022.

If the minimum level is not reached for the relevant year, each performance award pertaining to that year will entitle participants to receive zero Series B shares, whereas if the maximum level is reached, each performance award pertaining to the relevant year will entitle participants to receive one Series B share. If the outcome falls between the minimum level and the maximum level, participants' entitlement to Series B shares will be calculated linearly between zero and one series B share per performance award. The Board of Directors intends to present the fulfilment of the performance-based condition in the Annual Report for the financial year 2022.

Other conditions

In addition to the above conditions, the following shall apply for the performance awards.

The performance awards shall be granted free of charge after the end of the Investment Period.

Each performance award entitles the holder to receive one Series B share free of charge (subject to the performance condition set out above) three years after allotment of the award (the "Vesting Period"), provided that the holder, with some exceptions, is still employed by the Securitas Group as per the last day of February 2023 and has maintained the full amount of Personally Invested Shares purchased or nominated under LTI 2020/2022 during the entire Vesting Period.

and has maintained the full amount of Personally Invested Shares purchased or nominated under LTI 2020/2022 during the entire Vesting Period. To make the participants' interest equal with the shareholders', the company will compensate the participants for distributed dividend during the Vesting Period by increasing the number of Series B shares that each performance award may entitle the participant to receive after the Vesting Period.

The number of Series B shares that each performance award may entitle the participant to receive may be subject to recalculation due to share issues, splits, reverse splits and similar dispositions.

The performance awards are non-transferable and may not be pledged.

The performance awards can be granted by the company or any other company within the Group.

Preparation and administration

The Board of Directors shall be responsible for preparing the detailed terms and conditions of LTI 2020/2022, in accordance with the mentioned terms and guidelines. To this end, the Board of Directors shall be entitled to make adjustments to meet foreign regulations or market conditions. The Board of Directors may also make other adjustments if significant changes in the Securitas Group, or its operating environment, would result in a situation where the decided terms and conditions for LTI 2020/2022 no longer are appropriate. Such adjustments include a right for the Board of Directors to resolve on a reduction of the number of Series B shares that the performance awards would entitle a participant to receive, if the number of Series B shares that a participant would be entitled to - considering Securitas' result and financial position, other circumstances regarding the Group's development and the conditions on the stock market - would be clearly unreasonable.

Furthermore, in the event that the Board of Directors considers that the delivery of shares under LTI 2020/2022 cannot be achieved at reasonable cost, with reasonable administrative efforts or due to specific market conditions, participants may instead be offered a cash settlement.

Participation in LTI 2020/2022 also presumes that such participation is lawful and that such participation in Securitas' opinion can take place with reasonable administrative costs and economic efforts. The Board of Directors shall be entitled to implement an alternative incentive solution for employees in such countries where participation in LTI 2020/2022 is not advisable, which alternative solution shall, as far as practically possible, correspond to the terms of the LTI 2020/2022.

Scope and cost of the program

LTI 2020/2022 may, if the share price for the company's Series B share remains the same during the program's term, result in a maximum amount corresponding to 75 per cent (CEO), 50 per cent (other members of Group management) or 30 per cent (other participants), respectively, of the participants annual base salary (excluding social security costs). Such outcome is subject to the number of Personally Invested Shares being maximized, meaning that the value of the participant's Personally Invested Shares corresponds to 15 per cent (the CEO), 12.5 per cent (other members of Group management) or 10 per cent (other participants), respectively, of the participants annual base salary, that the participant maintains the full amount of Personally Invested Shares during the entire Vesting Period, and that the participant, with some exceptions, still is employed as per the last day of February 2023, and that the performance based condition has been fully achieved.

The maximum number of Series B shares that a participant may nominate as Personally Invested Shares, and thus the total number of performance awards that may be allotted, shall be based on the market price for the company's Series B share. The total number of issued shares in the company amounts to 365,058,897 shares.

Based on the assumption that the share price for the company's Series B share amounts to SEK 130, LTI 2020/2022 will, in accordance with the principles and assumptions set out above, comprise maximum 870,000 Series B shares in total, which corresponds to approximately 0.24 per cent of the total number of issued shares in the company and 0.17 per cent of the total number of votes in the company.

The costs for LTI 2020/2022 should be expensed as personnel costs over the Vesting Period. Provided that the performance-based condition is fully achieved, the cost for LTI 2020/2022 before tax is, in accordance with the principles and assumptions set out above, estimated to approximately SEK 140 million, allocated over the Vesting Period. Estimated social security costs and financing costs are included in such amount.

The Board of Directors proposes the Annual General Meeting to resolve to authorize the Board of Directors to resolve on repurchase of shares in the company and to transfer such shares on a regulated market to cover social security costs and financing costs associated with LTI 2020/2022 (see item 15 of the notice convening the Annual General Meeting for further information about the proposal).

The costs for LTI 2020/2022 are expected to have marginal effect on key ratios of the Securitas Group.

The Board of Directors deems that the positive effects on earnings that are expected to result from increased share ownership among senior management and key employees, which may be further increased through LTI 2020/2022, outweighs the costs related to LTI 2020/2022.

All estimates are based on at each time applicable foreign exchange rates according to Reuters. Information on previous incentive schemes for 2018 and 2019 and the LTI 2019/2021 can be found in the Annual Report 2019, Notes 9 and 12.

Delivery of shares under LTI 2020/2022

To ensure the delivery of Series B shares under LTI 2020/2022, the company may enter into a share-swap agreement with a third party, whereby the third party in its own name shall acquire and transfer Series B shares in the company to employees participating in LTI 2020/2022. The cost for the swap is estimated at a maximum of SEK 600,000 assuming that the performance-based condition is fully achieved.

Any share-swap agreement for LTI 2020/2022 will be a separate share-swap agreement from the agreement entered into in respect of Incentive Scheme 2020 (see item 16 of the notice convening the Annual General Meeting for further information about the Incentive Scheme 2020).

Preparation of the proposal

LTI 2020/2022 has been initiated by the Board of Directors and the Remuneration Committee of Securitas in consultation with major shareholders and has been structured in consultation with external advisers based on an evaluation of previous incentive schemes. LTI 2020/2022 has been prepared by the Remuneration Committee and reviewed at meetings of the Board of Directors.

C. Available Documentation etc.

The following documentation will be available at the company and on the company website www.securitas.com/agm2020 as from April 16, 2020 and will also be available at the AGM: (i) the Annual Report and the Auditor's Report, including the Board's proposal for guidelines for remuneration to senior management, (ii) the statement by the auditor on the compliance with the guidelines for remuneration to senior management applicable since the last AGM, (iii) the Board's complete proposal for dividends and the Board's motivated statements regarding the proposed dividends and the proposed authorization to acquire and transfer the company's own shares, (iv) the Nomination Committee's reasoned statement, (v) the proposal by the Board on authorization to resolve upon acquisition and transfer of the company's own shares, (vi) the complete proposal of the Board with respect to the Incentive Scheme, and (vii) the complete proposal of the board with respect to LTI 2020/2022. In addition hereto, copies of the documentation will be sent to the shareholders who so request, indicating their mailing address.

D. Information at the AGM

The Board and the President shall, if a shareholder so requests and the Board considers that this can be done without significant harm to the company, give information on such circumstances that may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, circumstances that may affect the assessment of the financial situation of the company or its subsidiaries and the company's relationship with another Group company. Anyone who wishes to present a question in advance may do so to Securitas AB in the way stated on the company's website.

E. Number of shares and votes in the company

At the date of this notice, the total number of shares in the company amounts to 365,058,897, of which 17,142,600 are shares of series A and 347,916,297 are shares of series B. Each series A share entitles the holder to ten votes and each series B share entitles the holder to one vote. The total number of votes in the company amounts to 519,342,297.

The company's holding of own shares, as of the date of this notice, is 125,000 shares of series B.

F. Processing of personal data

For information on how your personal data is processed, see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf.

Stockholm in March 2020

the Board of Directors

SECURITAS AB (publ)

Information:

Journalists/press: Helena Andreas, SVP Brand & Communications Securitas AB, tel +46-10-470-30-00 or email [email protected]

Investors/analysts: Micaela Sjokvist, Head of IR, Securitas AB, mobile +46-76-116-7443 or email [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/securitas/r/annual-general-meeting-of-shareholders-in-securitas-ab,c3072539

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Securitas
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday (local time) condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack conducted by the Islamic State terrorists on the Dharamshala Sikh Temple in Kabul on March 25, which resulted in the killing death of at least 25 people and injuries to many others.

The Council expressed its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Afghan government and wished for a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured in the incident.

They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations "constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," the office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General said in a statement.

The Council further underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts," the statement read.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) near the close of trading in New York

By Lewis Krauskopf

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Money managers rebalancing their portfolios to boost equity exposure into the end of the quarter may support the nascent stock rally that has followed the steep coronavirus-fueled market drop.

With the S&P 500 having lost around a third of its value in the recent selloff, investors may need to step up their equity purchases and sell bonds in order to maintain allocation targets.

A portfolio that had stock allocations at 60% and bond allocations at 40% in mid-February may now be more evenly split between the two asset classes, facilitating the need for some investors to shift exposure toward stocks.

"Given the many trillions of dollars in assets that follow some sort of multi-asset class approach, the coming rebalance could well be in the range of a few hundred billion," Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro in Fidelity's global asset allocation division, wrote in a note to clients this week.

Funds can raise stock allocations in several ways, including selling bonds to buy stocks, using the cash in their portfolios or putting fresh money toward equities, said Leo Acheson, director of multi-asset ratings at Morningstar.

From speaking with portfolio managers, Acheson said many have not been waiting for quarter-end to make adjustments and instead are revisiting their portfolios daily and adjusting the split between equities and bonds to maintain their desired risk exposure.

"As managers rebalance and reallocate toward equities to get back toward their strategic weights ... that would be a support for equities, he said.

U.S. stocks have bounced more than 17% from their lows this week following unprecedented stimulus measures from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Senate passage of a $2 trillion bill aimed at helping unemployed workers and industries hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Few believe the volatility in markets has ended, as the outbreak's trajectory remains uncertain and the economic fallout potentially massive.

Story continues

Still, the Fed's pledge to buy billions of dollars worth of bonds, including $75 billion in U.S. Treasury securities a day this week, may be a boon to those looking to rebalance.

"You are buying equities at significantly lower prices than they were and you are selling bonds that are being artificially bid up by the Federal Reserve," said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading in Stamford, Connecticut.

The flows generated by rebalancing appear to have a noticeable impact on asset prices, especially when bond performance trounces that of equities, as has occurred so far in March.

On average, the S&P 500 has climbed nearly 7% over the final five days of a month in which bonds outperformed stocks by at least 10% during the months first few weeks, according to Christopher Murphy, co-head of derivatives strategy at Susquehanna Financial Group, citing eight such previous occurrences in data back to 1990.

The iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF <AGG.P> has fallen just 1% so far in March, against an 11% slide in the S&P 500 <.SPX>, as of Thursday, though that performance gap narrowed this week.

Pensions, endowments and foundations - overseeing as much as $15 trillion in assets - are among those that often look to adjust their portfolios around quarter end, said Steve Foresti, chief investment officer at Wilshire Consulting.

"All else equal, these institutions are fairly significantly under their target weight to equities, meaning they need to purchase to get back to their target," Foresti said. "There is no question there is some natural buying and selling around those rebalancing activities."

(Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; additional reporting by Ross Kerber in Boston, April Joyner and Chuck Mikolajczak in New York and Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Leslie Adler)
A man walks past a shop in HCMC that has been closed due to Covid-19 impact, March 5, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

HCMC authorities have pledged to use half the money earmarked for a pay raise for civil servants to support people losing jobs.

The Covid-19 epidemic has forced around 600,000 people in the city to stop working, Party Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan said at a meeting on Thursday.

The city would pay each of them an allowance of VND1 million ($43) a month from the money allocated for the wage raise, he said.

"In this difficult time everyone should live more simply to not spread the disease to others and live more frugally to help other people."

It is not known yet if the promised salary hike will be deferred or rescinded.

Since being granted more financial autonomy by the National Assembly in 2017, Ho Chi Minh City has been spending parts of its revenues on increasing the salaries of its 130,000 officials and civil servants. Last year it spent about VND7.2 trillion ($307.7 million). Vietnam's GDP per capita in 2019 was around $2,700.

Nhan called on the administration to work with businesses to determine if they should suspend operations "except for the food industry which must maintain production."

A decision for the transport sector would be made later after careful consideration since there is still travel demand from the public, he said.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Vietnam has gone up to 153, including 40 in HCMC. Another 8,852 people in the city are still at quarantine centers and 1,227 are isolated at home.

The pandemic has killed more than 24,000 people globally after spreading to 199 countries and territories.
More than a quarter of the people tested for coronavirus at a Hayward site that opened this week turned up positive, city officials said Thursday, as confirmed cases climbed in the Bay Area, topping 1,400, with at least 32 deaths.

At the city-run site, 26%  54 out of 207 tested Monday, its first day  were positive, as new sites open daily in the Bay Area and confirmed cases of the illness caused by the coronavirus rise.

Increased testing reveals more cases. But providers are still having trouble keeping up with the need.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week the state needs more tests, smarter and more targeted testing, and more community surveillance, noting that the states testing capacity is still not good enough.

A testing site that opened last Friday in Daly City, for example, will only be open for an hour a day on weekdays  from 3 to 4 p.m.  and only for patients of North East Medical Services who have symptoms and made an appointment. The site, at 211 Eastmoor Ave., is run by that medical group. Another site, at 1870 Lundy Ave. in San Jose, also has limited hours weekdays from 2 to 3 p.m. The health care provider plans to add locations in San Francisco and expand hours in the future.

To combat this crisis, we will need to expand testing capacity such as this rapidly, San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa said, adding that the new Daly City site will save lives.

On Wednesday, UCSF opened a testing center in San Franciscos Laurel Heights neighborhood, but limited it to its 12,000 employees.

Health care workers labor in a vulnerable work environment, said Dr. Ralph Gonzales, UCSFs chief innovation officer. If they have symptoms, we want to have them tested.

But with limited testing supply, Gonzales said, he may discourage patients with mild symptoms from seeking testing. Instead, he said, he could assess them over a video call and would probably recommend that they stay at home to decrease their exposure in public.

Theres still an emerging position about whether or not we should be doing much more wider testing to control the pandemic in the U.S., Gonzales said.

Tests, he said, are imperfect and can give false negatives. Practicing good hygiene is best, Gonzales said. And people who are at high risk or who have been exposed to the virus should isolate at home for 14 days.

Thats where the testing doesnt make that much of a difference, to be honest with you, he said.

Local labs have plenty of capacity to run test results, said Gina Intinarelli, vice president of population health management at UCSF Health, but testing sites are constrained by a lack of staff and equipment: swabs and personal protective gear for handling the swabs.

The new testing site in Hayward  at Fire Station No. 7 on Huntwood Avenue  is one of the only testing centers in the state that gives results the next day. Most others take four to 10 days. But Hayward tests fewer than 400 people a day, and if health officials are to better understand the virus spread, they say, such sites need to do more. Faster results will also help people know whether to isolate themselves, or resume limited contact.

A shorter turnaround is absolutely key because you can much better triage people immediately, said Melanie Ott, a senior investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology.

The Hayward site is also one of the first in the Bay Area to offer free testing. The tests are only for people with a fever of at least 100 degrees and any of the following: shortness of breath, recent travel to Europe or Asia, exposure to the virus, a chronic condition, older than 65, currently or recently pregnant, or homeless.

The site can process up to 370 samples a day through Avellino Lab in Menlo Park. For people who test positive, results are shared within six hours or by the next day. The site also reports results to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to county health departments where the patients live.

People can join drive-up and walk-up lines until 10 a.m. and again between 1 and 4 p.m. until the maximum number of tests are administered for the day. On Thursday, the center closed early and reduced the number of tests to allow Hayward firefighter-paramedics to conduct mobile testing to vulnerable populations. They may do the same Friday.

But not everything goes smoothly, even at Hayward, perhaps the Bay Areas most welcoming testing site.

Mirella Rangel, an Oakland resident with a chronic heart condition who has had sporadic COVID-19 symptoms for a month, waited in line for two hours Wednesday  only to be turned away. She was told at 1:15 p.m. that the center couldnt do any more tests that day. Yet it was five hours before the sites scheduled closing time.

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 an escalated heart rate, Rangel had already visited the emergency room at Kaiser Oakland twice in the past two weeks. But she said the doctors told her she didnt qualify for a coronavirus test.

CDC guidelines say that not everyone with mild symptoms needs to be tested, but older and vulnerable patients should be prioritized.

Now, Rangel has stopped trying to get tested.

At this point, Im not, because Im trying to conserve my energy, and Ive kind of given up, Rangel said from her home Thursday. Shed change her mind if tests became more widely available.

But right now its too much, she said.

California lags behind New York in the number of tests administered. There, confirmed cases and deaths have skyrocketed. Testing more than doubled in California on Monday, but most results were still pending Thursday, according to the Atlantics COVID Tracking Project.

The Fremont Fire Department plans to open a COVID-19 testing site soon, spokeswoman Aisha Knowles said Thursday, but provided no more details.

Dr. Justin Zaghi, medical director for the telemedicine app Heal, said testing is important for reporting cases and giving patients peace of mind. Hes virtually clinically diagnosed patients with the disease but knows they dont qualify for a test or would have to risk leaving their homes to get one.

Heal was planning to begin home COVID-19 testing this week, until the Federal Drug Administration said home tests were unauthorized. The company is holding onto 500 to 1,000 test kits in hopes the policy will change.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Catherine Ho contributed to this report.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
With the disease contained at home, China is now reaching out across the world to help those most in need. Last week, it sent millions of face masks, thousands of ventilators and hundreds of doctors to Italy  a country where already twice as many people have succumbed to the diseases as in all of China. And it has spread its largesse throughout the European continent, which is now the epicenter of the pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been welcomed by the Islamic State group as divine retribution. But the coronavirus may also hit its members and leadership, changing the terrorist group in profound ways

The spread of Covid-19 across the world, including the Middle East, has raised the question as to the impact of this pandemic on the fight against terrorism and on the Islamic State (IS) group in particular. Since governments everywhere are preoccupied with combating coronavirus and its economic and social repercussions, intelligence agencies and security forces have been asked to perform important functions and to gird themselves for potential unrest and rising crime rates due to recession, layoffs and economic straits. This has inevitably led to a relative decline in the security and intelligence focus on IS which could create an opening for that organisation to reenergise itself, especially in Syria and Iraq. So, how will coronavirus affect ISs structure and activities?

When Covid-19 first struck in January 2020, the IS newspaper Naba rejoiced, proclaiming the virus a divine war against heretics and the enemies of IS. The virus was Gods wrath against the jahili societies in the world, it wrote, using the term for pre-Islamic societies. IS social media accounts called on people to repent and flee into the embrace of the organisation in order to avoid the contagion.

As the disease spreads and its victims mount in view of the lack of a medical remedy yet, many people might be susceptible to such fanatical religious notions. Indeed, we already see a proliferation of videoclips and tweets portraying the virus as a form of divine. Such attitudes could herald a boon for ISs recruitment drives.

As Covid-19 struck Iraq and other countries in the region, IS offered a directive to its members. Beneath the headline Islamic directives for handling epidemics, edition 225 of Naba wrote: One must believe that diseases do not spread by themselves but by the command of God Almighty. One must take precautions to prevent and ward off diseases. One should cover the mouth when yawning and sneezing. One should wash ones hands before putting them in the food bowl. One should put ones faith in God and seek his protection against disease. One should not introduce the healthy into an infected area or let those infected out. One should cover the pot and secure the waterskin tightly.

This seven-point directive, issued only two weeks after the proclamation that the contagion was aimed at sinful and pagan societies, suggests that some of ISs members themselves may have been afflicted. This, in turn, means that they are not isolated from their geographic and demographic environments wherever they are operating. In fact, there may be considerable contact between these members and local communities in parts of Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya or elsewhere where IS and its affiliates are most active. Hence the need for the directive.

Coronaviruss impact on IS and its affiliates has varied according to their geographical location and organisational structure. The branches in the Sahel and Sahara in Africa differ from their counterparts elsewhere in terms of contact with local inhabitants. The cells in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, East Asia and the Caucasus interact more closely with their local environments than the groups in the Sahel and Sahara and West and Central Africa where they largely operate in desert areas away from heavily populated areas. This is undoubtedly what spared IS affiliates in Africa from the Ebola virus epidemic in 2017. Clearly then, when studying the impact of Covid-19 on IS, it makes sense to divide the terrorist organisation into two categories: the branches in West and Central Africa, and those in Southwest, Central and Southern Asia.

In the latter category, the viruss potential impact on IS members may turn out to be even higher than it is among the local populations in which they mingle, because they tend to avoid hospitals for fear of detection and arrest. This may also explain the speed with which IS command released the abovementioned seven-point directive. More significant is the shift in diagnosis of the virus as a manifestation of the wrath of God against heretic societies to a more general divinely ordained affliction. Perhaps this came in recognition of the probability that the spread of coronavirus could severely damage the organisations structure and capacities as it takes out highly trained fighters.

IS members remote from population centres in West and Central Africa, a factor which spared them from the Ebola outbreak, are much less at risk of infection, not least because Covid-19 has not yet spread significantly to those environs, according to WHO figures. This situation could stimulate a surge in the influence of IS affiliates in the Sahel and Sahara and Central Africa which could work to reorder the organisational structure of IS as a whole, giving greater weight to the African branches over the Middle Eastern/Asian ones.

Perhaps an indication of this is to be seen in the spike in IS operations in the Sahel Sahara and Central Africa, the most recent of which was the terrorist attack that killed and wounded 25 soldiers of the Niger Army on 19 March and another attack targeting the Nigerian army in the Borno region in Nigeria the same day. The previous day, IS claimed responsibility for an attack against French forces and Malian security personnel near Hagana, Mali. Since the beginning of March, IS-affiliated groups in Africa have carried out 31 terrorist attacks in West Africa, Somalia and Central Africa, resulting in an estimated 184 casualties.

IS has made it clear that it plans to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to carry out  and exhort followers to carry out  attacks against European countries. Beneath the headline, The Crusaders worst nightmare in the last edition of Naba (edition 226), the terrorist organisation noted the reduction in Western security agencies attention to the fight against IS due to the current preoccupation with the fight against coronavirus. It said that this was an opportunity for its operatives to carry out operations along the lines of the deadly attacks against Paris, London and Brussels. This explicit incitement to terrorist violence, which identifies potential target areas, should raise the level of alert in Europe in particular, but elsewhere as well.

Although the spread of coronavirus is likely have a debilitating effect on ISs capacities, especially in its focal areas in the Middle East, the pandemic could also serve the organisations recruitment efforts in view of many peoples tendency towards religious fanaticism in times of crisis. Certainly, too, the organisation is determined to exploit this opportunity to stimulate terrorist activity and rebuild its profile. In many ways, it may be possible to use a pre-corona IS versus a post-corona IS matrix to analyse the current evolution of this terrorist organisation.

The writer is an expert on terrorism at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The number of COVID-19 patients



in Madhya Pradesh reached 27 after a man tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday, a state health official said.

He said the sample that returned positive was one of 14 sent for testing to AIIMS in Bhopal.

The latest patient's details were being gathered, he added.

Of the 27 who tested positive to the novel coronavirus in the state, two have died, officials said.

Indore leads with 12 COVID-19 patients, followed by six from Jabalpur, three from Bhopal, two each from Shivpuri and Ujjain, and one each in Gwalior and Khandwa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo credit: RHONA WISE - Getty Images

From Popular Mechanics

The U.S. Navy has uploaded videos to YouTube showing the inside of the hospital ship USNS Mercy.

Mercy is designed to be a fully capable hospital, built upon the hull of a former supertanker.

Mercy and her sister ship comfort will provide medical services to Los Angeles, New York City.



The U.S. Navy released a pair of videos to YouTube showing the interior of the USNS Mercy, a hospital ship deploying to the West Coast to help deal with the COVID-19 epidemic. Designed to deal with mass casualty events such as major wars, the hospital ships are being woken up from reserve status and readying to sail to both coastlines.



The U.S. Navys two hospital ships are kept on inactive status with skeleton crews, typically requiring about five days to prepare for emergency deployment. Once activated, each 894 foot long, 63,000 ton vessel becomes a fully capable hospital, with 1,000 hospital beds, eleven operating rooms, 80 intensive care beds, and a radiology suite. The ships can each accommodate up to 1,3000 doctors, nurses, orderlies and ships crew, with medical personnel assigned from existing naval hospitals and medical facilities ashore.

Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Craig Z. Rodarte

The two ships were built in the 1980s, designed to render medical services during major war and natural disasters. Each is built upon the hull of a retired San Clemente-class tanker.

USNS Mercy left its home port in San Diego, California on March 23, en route to the greater Los Angeles area. The hospital ship wont actively care for people diagnosed with coronavirus but instead concentrate on trauma and other care cases, allowing hospitals ashore to concentrate their attention on fighting the pandemic.

Mercys sister ship, USNS Comfort is based at Norfolk, Virginia, and will head to New York City in the coming weeks. The deployment caught Comfort as the ship was undergoing a series of upgrades, delaying the ships activation. New York City is particularly hard hit by the coronavirus, with 30,000 cases reported as of March 26.

Story continues

The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service maintains a large repository of photos and video of the Mercy-class hospital ships, which give a feel for life aboard the unique ship.

You can track Mercys location here and the Comfort here .



You Might Also Like
This article originally appeared on the Narragansett-South Kingstown Patch

NEW SHOREHAM, RI  The Block Island Ferry has reduced its schedule to better meet the needs of islanders during the coronavirus crisis. Starting Sunday, trips both to and from the island will be reduced through April 15.

"In our ongoing effort to work with local officials regarding Block Islands shelter-in-place order that includes travel restrictions, we will be adjusting our ferry schedule to best accommodate essential travel," the company said in a statement. "We remain committed to the community of Block Island and the transportation needs of it residents, as well as maintaining the delivery of essential supplies, cargo and fuel."

All current vehicle reservations will be rescheduled. Anyone who needs to cancel or change their reservations is asked to call the ticket office at 866-783-7996 Ext. 3.

The new schedule is below. More information is also available on the Block Island Ferry's website.

New Shoreham has been under a shelter-in-place order since Monday. All non-residents are asked to avoid going to the island until at least mid-April.

"Medical capacity on the island is extremely limited. There is no capability to test for the COVID-19 virus on the island," the town council said in their executive order.






246pp, Rs 399; Speaking Tiger

When, in early 2019, Google carried a doodle celebrating a somewhat unusual Indian-British man called Dean Mahomed, I was pleasantly surprised. Few people outside Indias literary and quizzing circles would have heard of Dean Mahomed. And his achievements, too, were not of the kind that are normally considered worthy of celebration  he did not invent a world-changing gadget, or score 100 test centuries, or set up a global business empire. But he did, in his small and surprising way, expand the definition of enterprise, migration, entrepreneurship and autobiographical writing.

My mind went back to the London Book Fair of 2010. Travelling around the city after I had finished my appointments, I came across a blue plaque that said Hindostanee Coffee House. It marked a site at the corner of George and Charles Streets where the coffee house once stood. It was a quiet little memorial to an intrepid Indian entrepreneur who had not only established the coffee house, thus being a forerunner of Indian cuisine in England, but was also  and more famously  responsible for pioneering Indian therapy in England. He was also able to show scientifically the beneficial results of his therapy at a time when evidence-based research was in its infancy. Dean Mahomed pioneered the art of shampooing and massaging in England by setting up the first shampooing parlour there. The beneficial effects of this therapy  a clever re-imagining of tel-maalish and champi  became so popular that Mahomed came to be known as a shampooing surgeon, though he had no formal degree in medicine. He also kept a diary, a record of his travels and adventures in India, Ireland and England and later published them in two volumes, thus becoming the first Indian author in English.

Dean Mahomeds life is a wonderful story of determination and adventure  and rare business acumen. Dean (Deen, before the Anglicization), was born in Patna, the son of a barber (therefore the prowess in maalish and champi). This was the period of the slow dissolution of the once mighty Mughal empire, and the East India Company was making inroads into previous Mughal strongholds. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the Company had made a decisive change both in its incorporation and in its character. It was now no longer a mere trading company; it had begun to assume a very significant administrative presence with a strong military character. The Company needed native volunteers as sepoys and those recruited into service began to be known as Company bahadurs. Dean Mahomeds family decided that the familys future and loyalties lay with An Indian Author and Entrepreneur in England off the shelf the Company. Accordingly, both Mahomeds father and elder brother joined the Companys Bengal Army. As for Mahomed himself, he was apprenticed at the age of eleven to an Anglo-Irish patron, Ensign Godfrey Evan Baker, who took a shine to the ambitious young boy. During the next eleven years, Mahomed saw service in the military campaigns of the Bengal Army along with Baker, and as Baker rose to become captain with his own independent command, Mahomed too was promoted regularly, becoming a master and then a subaltern officer. He travelled extensively in the service of the Bengal Army, and apart from Bihar, Oudh and Benares, visited Calcutta, Delhi and Madras.

Finally, in 1784, Mahomed gave up his Company job and set sail for England along with his benefactor Baker and landed in Cork via Dartmouth. He was to spend almost the next twenty-five years of his life in Cork, gaining a measure of respectability among the Anglo-Irish society and learning and perfecting English. As his English improved, Mahomed began to write poetry too as this was an accepted part of the cultured life of the Irish elite. In 1786, he married an Irish girl, Jane Daly, somewhat in haste and in secret. He had converted to Protestantism and Jane was a Catholic and marriage between the faiths was forbidden at the time. Dean Mahomed was a trusted friend of the entire Baker household and at that time was engaged in commercial activity, initially trading in the large number of goods that Baker and he had brought out from India by ship.

How do we know so much about Mahomeds early life? He kept a diary of his travels and adventures in India and the voyage to England and his early days there. In March 1793 he resolved to publish it as a book in two volumes. The economics of publishing at that time was that no printer would undertake a books printing even with advance payment unless it was subscribed for. No printer wanted to stock any books, either bound copies or loose sheets. Subscription ensured that copies would move out to the subscribers immediately upon printing. In this, Mahomed was greatly helped by Bakers extended family, who subscribed for a total of 112 copies. Thus, in 1794, Mahomeds Travels was published, making him the first Indian author in English. In India, we are indebted to the historian Michael Fisher, then of Oberlin College, who discovered Mahomeds Travels and presented it with an extensive analysis and commentary as Dean Mahomed (1759-1851) in India, Ireland and England.

In 1807, Mahomed and Jane along with their children migrated to London. He found service with a controversial nobleman, Basil Cochrane, in Portman Square. Cochrane had learned the therapeutic effects of vapour cure while in service in India and had now thought of setting up a vapour bath in his house. He invited Dean Mohamed to help him set up the bath. While Turkish baths or hamams had been introduced in London as far back as 1631, the therapeutic effects of vapour had mainly been confined to discussions in medical circles. It had not yet been commercially exploited. So Basil Cochranes idea was an entirely novel one.

Author Sridhar Balan (Courtesy Speaking Tiger)

While the original idea came from Cochrane, it was Dean Mahomed who set up the first vapour bath. He also perfected the idea of applying medicated steam to various parts of the body. By the end of 1809, Mahomed felt confident of launching his own business, using his Indian identity as his calling card. He established the Hindostanee Coffee House at the corner of George and Charles Streets and offered to his patrons a unique Indian experience. The house served a range of meat and vegetable dishes cooked with Indian spices, served with seasoned rice. Seating was on bamboo cane sofas and chairs, on the walls were paintings of Indian landscapes, and for discerning patrons there was a smoking room with hookahs with scented tobacco and Indian herbs. And of course, Mahomed did not serve coffee but only wines and other spirits! The Hindostanee Coffee House ran from 1810 to 1812, the ancestor of all the many Indian eating establishments that flourish in London today.

It was Dean Mahomeds move to Brighton in 1813 to set up the Mahomed Baths that finally established his reputation  primarily as a therapist. Besides vapour baths, Mahomed also added shampooing to his repertoire, and shampooing here meant the expert art of oil massage, or maalish. The baths were a runaway success, and Mahomed became quite famous as a shampooing surgeon. Advertisements for the Indian medicated vapour and shampooing baths proclaimed their curative powers in rheumatism, paralysis, asthma, gout, stiff joints and sprain. In 1820, Mahomeds reputation was further strengthened by his book Shampooing; or Benefits resulting from the use of the Indian medicated vapour bath, which explained his famed methods. A second edition of the book was published in 1826.

Mahomed dedicated the book to King George, who along with William IV patronized Mahomeds baths. The Duke of Wellington was also a patron, along with other members of the royal household. However, Queen Victoria declined her patronage, which perhaps led to a dip in the reputation of the Mahomed Baths.

Unfortunately, Mahomeds sons failed to run the baths properly amid growing competition. Mahomed eventually lost control of the baths in his lifetime. He died in his eighties and was buried in Brighton in 1851.
Firefighters in Weymouth are battling a blaze at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, according Boston 25.

Video from the scene showed heavy smoke and flames ripping through the roof of the abandoned building. Boston 25 also reported the fire has spread to multiple buildings on the former military base.

BREAKING: Raging fire ripping through multiple abandoned military building at the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, now known as Union Point https://t.co/0cLa1MT1ty (video from @ScanSouthShore) #Boston25  Mike Saccone (@mikesacconetv) March 27, 2020

Construction of naval base began in September of 1941, according to the Navys Base Realignment and Closure Program Management Office. A second hangar made of timber was constructed in 1943. At one time, the base consumed more than 1,200 acres.

The base was closed in 1995, according to the realignment and closure program.
Guwahati/Agartala, March 27 : Police in different northeastern states on Friday have started supplying cooked or packaged food to the needy people while people are becoming more scared fearing that the availability of essentials would be scarce from early next week.

The governments of Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and other northeastern states are making additional temporary arrangements and infrastructure to look after the possible people with positive nCoV.

The governments are also taking a series of steps to provide essentials, vegetables and other items either at the doorsteps of the people or at their locality.

Police in different states, especially in Assam and Tripura, have started supplying cooked or packaged food to the poor people and those are in need.

The land-locked northeast India has been mainly depending on supplies from outside the region. Because of its geographical location, food grains and various essential commodities first reach Assam by train or by road before being transshipped to the neighbouring six states.

An official of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said that though they are operating their freight trains in the northeastern states but there are problems of loading and unloading of various commodities and cargos as the availability of workers become a problem in view of the lockdown and maintaining of social distance to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, in an order, asked the Deputy Commissioners of all districts to arrange distribution of vegetables through mobile vans. "All meat and fish outlets and shops would remain closed until March 31," the he said.

Meanwhile, state Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a bid to fight Covid-19, the state government has decided to convert the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) as dedicated health centre exclusively to treat coronavirus patients.

"From March 28 onwards, all patients of GMCH would be referred to private hospitals and nursing homes. However, cancer treatment would continue at GMCH and maternity and emergency ward also would be running until a positive case is found for coronavirus," he said.

A total of 34 hospitals would share the burden of patients with numerous ailments from various government hospitals.

The minister said that there would be 4,000 dedicated beds if GMCH, Dibrugarh and Silchar Medical colleges could be bought together only for Covid-19 treatment.

In Meghalaya, the Catholic Church has written to its parishes to open the facilities as centres for quarantine, if the need arises, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Catholic Church is one of the biggest churches in the state with over three lakh members in the Christian dominated mountainous state.

In Mizoram, Health and Family Welfare officials said that the state government has converted the Zoram Medical College and hospital (ZMC) in Aizawl as the treatment and isolation centre for novel Coronavirus infected patients.

The ZMC's Medical Superintendent H.C. Laldina said that the Covid-19 positive patient, detected on Tuesday, is undergoing treatment in this hospital and his condition is stable.

The 50-year-old Mizo man, a Christian pastor, had returned to Aizawl from Amsterdam via Delhi and Guwahati on March 16.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that several task forces would monitor supply of vegetables and other essentials and ensure they reach the door steps of the people.

In Tripura, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has urged the people to remain extra vigilant.

"Besides Border Security Force troopers and police, I have asked all Gram Panchayats along the India-Bangladesh border to keep a close watch to check people from entering into Tripura from across the border," Deb told the media.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bawku Central Constituency, Mahama Ayariga, has been asked by the Speaker of Parliament to go into self-isolation.

He was asked to keep away from the precincts of Parliament until after March 27, 2020.

Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, who gave the directive, said the MP was required to observe the minimum two-week period of self-isolation in his residence in view of his recent return to Ghana from a foreign trip on March 12.

In a letter signed by the acting Clerk of Parliament, Cyril K. O. Nsiah, the Speaker explained that the move was in conformity with the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The MP was directed to consult Dr. Prince Pambo, the Medical Officer in charge of Parliament Clinic, for a quick medical review prior to resumption of duty in the House.

Accordingly, in order to reduce physical contact with Hon. Members and staff of Parliament, you are humbly requested to keep away from the precincts of Parliament until after the 27th of March, 2020, the letter written on March 20 said.

Last Friday, the Bawku MP was seen in the Chamber mingling with his colleagues during which he took part of deliberations of the House during the consideration stage of the Imposition of Restrictions Bill (now Act).

Amid fears over the spread of COVID-19, the Speaker accordingly directed all MPs, who had travelled outside the country, to respectfully stay away from Parliament.

The Bawku MP is among 10 lawmakers, who have been asked to keep away from the precincts of Parliament, including the MP for the Binduri Constituency, Dr. Robert Baba Kuganab-Lem, and his counterpart for the Ayawaso East, Naser Toure Mahama, who were said to have travelled to Tokyo and India respectively.

Few MPs attend sessions in recent times and amid a subdued atmosphere, Prof. Oquaye promised to ensure maximum safety within the precinct of Parliament for MPs and staff members.

There have been demands by some MPs to close Parliament entirely as the coronavirus cases rise, but currently, there are no plans by the Speaker and the leadership, except the consideration to move sitting to the International Conference Hall.

So far, sanitizers and water with pieces of soap have been put at various vantage points in Parliament to help MPs, staff, media practitioners and visitors to wash their hands as they enter the precincts of the House.

The MP for Twifo Atti-Morkwa, Abraham Dwuma Odoom, praised the Speaker and the Parliamentary Service for the steps taken to reduce the spread of the virus.

This is the best way to handle the situation. Mr. Speaker and the Executive have shown leadership in the fight against COVID-19, he noted.

---Daily Guide
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 05:10:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Turkish President Erdogan speaks during a press conference in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 27, 2020. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that all international flights would be cancelled as part of the fight against COVID-19. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that all international flights would be cancelled as part of the fight against COVID-19.

Announcing new measures against the spread of the outbreak during a televised live broadcast, Erdogan also noted that inter-city travel across the country would be subject to the permission of governors in each province.

"A flexible working system will be implemented with minimum personnel both in private and public sectors," Erdogan said.

"Anti-coronavirus measures will be strictly implemented in 30 major Turkish cities," he added, noting pandemic councils would be established in these cities to take additional precautions if necessary.

Social distancing would be applied in public transport, and picnic spots, forests and archeological sites would be closed on weekends, the president said.

Earlier in the day, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that 12 towns and villages were quarantined to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

"When the risk of contagion in some villages or towns is high, such a decision can be made," Soylu told the NTV broadcaster.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey has climbed to 92, among 5,698 confirmed cases.
Northern Ireland continues to brace itself for a surge in cases (Michael Cooper/PA)

Doctors have appealed for a complete lockdown in Northern Ireland amid fears not enough is being done to limit the spread of coronavirus.

The calls from GPs across Belfast came as the deaths of three further people with Covid-19 were confirmed, taking the regions toll to 13.

On Friday, the Public Health Agency said there had been 34 new positive cases of the infection.

The total number of confirmed cases now sits at 275 but health chiefs acknowledge thousands are likely to have already contracted Covid-19 across the region.

The latest figures were released as chairs of the citys four GP federations wrote an open letter warning Northern Irelands politicians that current social distancing regulations were not stringent enough.

We are dismayed at the actions of many members of the public, who, it seems to us, are failing to understand the gravity of the current situation in which we find ourselves, they wrote.

They added: We call on our political leaders to hear and act on our heartfelt pleas, and move to adopt a complete lockdown as we have seen in other countries, at the earliest opportunity.

Northern Ireland continues to brace itself for a surge in cases.

Work is under way to establish large temporary field hospitals for coronavirus patients after modelling indicated that the current health service network may not have the capacity to cope at the peak of the outbreak.

A soon-to-be-decommissioned Army base in Co Down will be used as a temporary morgue if current body storage facilities are overwhelmed.

Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill have been urged by GPs to introduce a complete lockdown (Kelvin Boyes/PA)

However, as on Friday night, new enforcement regulations to prevent public gatherings and halt unsafe working practices were still not agreed by executive ministers.

First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill insisted the measures would be introduced in the coming days.

Meanwhile, medics who are dealing with the unfolding crisis continue to raise concerns about the standard and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).

On Friday, it was announced that the Stormont executive had made a joint order alongside the authorities in Ireland for a significant consignment of PPE from China.

Coronavirus testing in the region is expected to be significantly stepped up to 1,100 a day from next week but concerns persist that the rate is still lagging well behind testing regimes introduced in other countries battling the virus.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy announced a significant order of PPE from China (Kelvin Boyes/PA)

Ms ONeill said more testing was required, particularly for healthcare workers.

Theres not enough testing happening, and Ive been consistent in saying that, she said.

I raised it with the health minister (Robin Swann) and Ill continue to work with the health minister to make sure that more testing happens.

This is about trying to get people back into work, we need our healthcare workers back into work.

Ms ONeill urged people to join together to fight back against the virus.

Please, please stay at home, she said. To everybody, this is our fightback. We have to fight now, dont wait to next week. Dont wait until next Friday. Dont wait to the Friday after, our fightback is now, and we need people to do the right thing- stay at home, stay apart, wash your hands  thats the most crucial thing.

There is not enough testing happening



I have been consistently working to ramp up testing



The World Health Organisation has advised us that testing is crucial to overcoming #COVID19



I have raised the need to increase testing with the Health Minister & will continue to do so pic.twitter.com/Vyu7Tiupgq  Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) March 27, 2020

Mrs Foster used Fridays Stormont press briefing on the crisis to urge people to try to make contact with older members of the community who were isolated during the emergency.

Im asking you to make contact with your elderly neighbours and relatives, either by phone or by FaceTime, and even write them a letter or postcard, she said.

In fact, today Im asking if you have a young person in your home and theyre finding it difficult perhaps to pass the day, why not get them to write a letter to your elderly relative or indeed your neighbour?

In fact, you dont even have to be young. I intend to write to some elderly friends this weekend, walk to the post box  thats my daily exercise  and post some letters.

On Friday, a new Covid-19 information app by launched by Stormonts Department of Health.

The app will providing people with up-to-date advice and links to information.

It includes guidance on the symptoms of the infection and supports individuals to identify whether they might potentially have the infection.
Odisha Assembly Speaker S N Patro on Friday asked all the Vidhan Sabha employees to go on home quarantine after the state's third COVID-19 patient came in contact with one of the staffers.

He announced that the assembly, which suspended its proceedings on March 13 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, will conduct the business of passing the Appropriation Bill for 2020-21 in a special sitting at the Lok Seva Bhavan, the state secretariat, on March 30.

"As the third COVID-19 patient came in contact with the staff of the assembly, all the officials need to put themselves on home-quarantine and the entire building will be disinfected to prevent the spread of the deadly virus," the speaker said.

"The House will resume at Lok Seva Bhawan. I have directed all the Members of Legislative Assembly to maintain a distance of two metres from each other while sitting," he added.

The speaker said that leaders of all the parties have been requested to send only 30 per cent of their members to the March 30 session.

He said the police and authorities concerned have been instructed to exempt MLAs from the lockdown norms during the session.

"The collectors and SPs of all the districts have been asked not to stop the MLAs coming to attend the session," he said.

Earlier in the day, the government's chief spokesman on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi said the 60-year-old man, who is the third person in the state to test positive for the deadly disease, had visited the Odisha Assembly dispensary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
by Adam Koffler | Panthers Correspondent | Fri, Mar 27th 12:40pm EDT

RB Ameer Abdullah re-signs with Minnesota on a one-year deal. (Tom Pelissero on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact:

Abdullah will return to Minnesota for a third season. Hes been the primary kick returner and the 3rd or 4th RB on the depth chart for the Vikings the past two seasons. Hell most likely compete with Mike Boone for the 3rd-string RB position behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. Even if he beats out Boone for a spot behind Cook and Mattison, Abdullah likely doesnt have any fantasy value unless either of the first two guys goes down with an injury.
BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y.  A home should reflect the people who live there.

It should be a place which highlights ones personality, interests and passions.
Though The Tonight Show suspended production earlier in the month over coronavirus concerns, host Jimmy Fallon has been broadcasting episodes from the comfort of his home.

But the 45-year-old admitted in an interview with People on Wednesday that producing The Tonight Show: At Home Edition with his young daughters in such close proximity has proved to be, what he calls, 'controlled chaos.'

'I've realized that I don't have a quiet room in my house,' said Fallon. 'Maybe I'll have to do one episode from inside my bathroom and keep the door locked!'

Controlled Chaos: Jimmy Fallon admitted in an interview with People on Wednesday that producing The Tonight Show: At Home Edition with his young daughters in such close proximity has proved to be, what he calls, 'controlled chaos'

Fallon shares five-year-old daughter Frances and six-year-old daughter Winnie with wife of 13-years Nancy Juvonen.

The idea of broadcasting The Tonight Show from home was originally pitched to Fallon by Juvonen upon the entire family entering quarantine nearly two weeks ago.

'My wife said, "We're all quarantined in the house together, this is the time, you have to put something out there. Let's do a show from here. I'll be the camera operator. Winnie will do the graphics, and Franny will do the music. So many charitable causes need money, so it's a good way to get the word out."'

The Tonight Show: At Home Edition, which airs on the official Tonight Show YouTube page, highlights a different charitable organization each episode and features various celebrity cameos from Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda to actress Jennifer Garner.

No privacy: 'I've realized that I don't have a quiet room in my house. Maybe I'll have to do one episode from inside my bathroom and keep the door locked,' joked Fallon who utilizes daughters Winnie and Frances as co-hosts

At home: Though The Tonight Show suspended production earlier in the month over coronavirus concerns, host Jimmy Fallon has been broadcasting episodes from the comfort of his home

With so much pandemic panic and millions of families holed up in their homes, Fallon could not help but compare the social climate in the United States to that of the climate following the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11.

'I was on SNL and I remember looking to my late-night comedians for guidance,' recalled Fallon.

'I remember David Letterman saying courage is what we need right now but sometimes pretending to be courageous is almost just as good.'

With that quote in mind, Fallon was given more than enough motivation to begin taping The Tonight Show from home.

'It's the time to put our problems aside and come together, then big things can be accomplished.'

Mind behind the magic: 'My wife [Nancy Juvonen] said, "We're all quarantined in the house together, this is the time, you have to put something out there. Let's do a show from here'; Fallon pictured with wife Nancy in 2013

Jimmy marveled at the fact that his wife's idea started as 'an email to my producers' and then quickly 'grew into everyone wanting to help' which 'has been amazing' for the show's evolution.

The web-based talk show premiered last Tuesday and featured Fallon's famous guitar playing as he fired off jokes in his kitchen.

'As soon as we did our first show, writers and comedians and all my friends were saying I want to help,' claimed Fallon.

'Musical friends are offering to do a song. We're all putting on the show. It isn't about ratings or anything else, it's about  we're here to help.'

In terms of the show's overall structure, Jimmy said that he is 'doing it from my house and loosely editing it in my brain.'

'The writers are all quarantined and sending jokes. We're all coming together to give the country a little bit of normalcy.'

His co-hosts: '[Frances and Winnie] don't know they're being seen by millions of people. They just want to play,' said Fallon who uploads the episodes nightly to the Tonight Show YouTube channel; Fallon with daughter Winnie and Frances during the most recent episode

Adding their own flair: 'They know what I do but they've never seen it like this  so Winnie really is the graphics department, drawing with her crayons. And Franny will somehow disrupt the show. She is ready to party,' remarked Fallon; Frances sitting at the Piano during the most recent Tonight Show: At Home episode

But even with veteran comedy writers and celebrity pals at his disposal, Fallon features his daughter Frances and Winnie as his 'first, second and third guests every night.'

'[Frances and Winnie] don't know they're being seen by millions of people. They just want to play. They know what I do but they've never seen it like this  so Winnie really is the graphics department, drawing with her crayons. And Franny will somehow disrupt the show. She is ready to party.'

Fallon explained that he wants to make quarantining as 'enjoyable as possible' for his daughters.

'Who knows how long we're going to have to [quarantine]. This could be the new normal for a while, you gotta make the best of it.'

In terms of groceries, essentials, and his daughter's educations, Fallon has got it covered.

The new normal: 'Who knows how long we're going to have to [quarantine]. This could be the new normal for a while, you gotta make the best of it'; Fallon shared this snapshot of himself, wife Nancy, daughter Frances, and daughter Winnie at Disneyland in January

'I've stocked up on everything. The kids have great schools and are learning online. We wake up in the morning and every one of us is in a Zoom meeting. My kids are in a Zoom meeting. I'm in a Zoom meeting. We're full on business.'

On homeschooling, Fallon remarked that he 'loves school' and 'loves teachers so much' and that having to take on their responsibilities has made his love grow fonder.

'I really respect them and now have an even bigger, deeper respect for teachers and school.'

With the uncertainty of the future, all Fallon can do is like the 'controlled chaos' become his family's 'new normal.'

'We're going to keep on doing the shows,' promised Fallon. 'Let's just keep doing this because I think the world needs this right now, and we want to help.'
An Allentown-area Nestle Purina distribution center was given a deep cleaning after a worker there tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

A spokeswoman confirmed the employees illness Thursday evening and said the overnight sanitation was expected to have the PetCare facility in South Whitehall Township ready for normal operations Friday morning. The news was reported by The Morning Call and independently confirmed by lehighvalleylive.com.

We are deep cleaning and sanitizing the facility, especially our common and other high-touch areas. These efforts are in addition to the increased cleaning and sanitation measures that were already underway on a daily basis and during each changeover, the spokeswoman said, adding that the sick employee worked in an area separate from the factory and its common areas.

Factory manager Winston Silva said Nestle Purina will support the employee as they recover.

We are taking steps to safeguard our other associates, he said. Ensuring the health and safety of our associates remains our top priority.

Similarly, on Thursday a Wawa in Upper Macungie Township was temporarily closed after an employee there tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health says that anyone with COVID-19 should stay home and that any business where someone has tested positive should ensure facilities are properly cleaned to prevent further spread.

Meanwhile, any complaints about businesses not complying with Gov. Tom Wolfs shutdown orders should be addressed either to local law enforcement via a non-emergency line or the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development by calling 1-877-724-3258 and selecting option 1.

As of Thursday, there were 1,687 confirmed coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania and 16 deaths. The Lehigh Valley itself has reported at least 119 cases and four deaths.

If you may have been exposed or exhibit the symptoms of COVID-19  fever, cough and shortness of breath  contact your health care provider.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov and the CDC website.

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

Sign up for text message alerts from lehighvalleylive.com on coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley:





Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
By Jessica Jaganathan

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - At least five fully-laden liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are idling offshore India, as yet unable to discharge their cargoes, after importers there declared force majeure earlier this week, according to an analyst and shipping sources.

Gas demand is falling globally amid the fast-spreading coronavirus which has capped industrial output, forcing LNG tankers in several regions to remain at sea fully laden with no immediate destination, the sources said.

At least three major buyers in India, the world's fourth largest LNG importing country, issued force majeure notices to suppliers earlier this week as domestic gas demand slumped and port operations were affected by a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the virus.

Five LNG tankers have been flagged as floating storage off the coast of western India, said Rebecca Chia, an analyst at data intelligence firm Kpler. Another 8 tankers which loaded cargoes in March from Australia, Nigeria, Qatar, Angola and the United States are due to head to India, a Singapore-based shipbroker said.

Most of the five tankers were expected to be discharged in the Indian ports of Dahej and Hazira this week but are now circling offshore, with three of them flagged as idle, said Kpler's Chia.

Tankers are also building up outside Ras Laffan, in Qatar, which is the world's top exporter of the super-chilled fuel, according to Chia and energy data provider Clipperdata.

Four LNG tankers which loaded cargoes from Qatar are hovering around the region, with one of them originally bound for India, Chia added.

Qatar has approached several buyers in Asia and Europe offering cargoes in the spot market for either loading or delivery in April, several sources told Reuters.

Traders said Qatar had likely been forced to seek buyers for its excess cargoes after being issued with a force majeure notice by India's top gas importer Petronet LNG.

A steep drop in gas demand in Europe due to lockdowns limiting industrial production is also forcing LNG suppliers like Qatar to find alternative buyers, traders added.

Story continues

Three LNG tankers are currently flagged as floating in southern Europe, where gas demand has been badly hit, Kpler's Chia said.

"There had been an influx of surplus cargoes sent to Europe in the past months when the epidemic was still centered in Asia," she said.

"With the lockdown now taking a big toll on European gas demand coupled with high discharges in the past months, inventory levels are due to reach tank-top situation and floating storage will likely increase over the next few months."

An LNG trader said some tankers could potentially divert to China, where gas demand is recovering as people return to work.

(Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; Editing by Tom Hogue and Richard Pullin)
Sweden, which has stayed open for business with a softer approach to curbing the COVID-19 spread than most of Europe, on Friday limited gatherings to 50 people, down from 500.

"An extraordinary cabinet meeting decided today to limit gatherings to 50 people, acting upon a recommendation this morning from the Public Health Agency," Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters.

The ban goes into effect on Sunday. Those who organise events violating the ban will face fines or a prison sentence of up to six months. Lofven also urged Swedes not to travel to other parts of the country for the upcoming Easter holiday, as the country sees its number of COVID-19 cases rise.

"If you don't need to travel, stay home. This is serious now," he said. On Friday, Sweden reported 3,046 declared cases of the new coronavirus and 92 deaths.

In stark contrast to most of Europe, the Scandinavian country has kept primary schools, cafes and restaurants open, and has encouraged children to continue with their sporting activities.

Earlier this week, the government announced that restaurants and bars would only be allowed to provide table service to avoid crowding but stopped short of closing them.

Instead, it has urged people to "take responsibility" and follow the government's recommendations.

Those include working from home if you can, staying home if you feel sick, practice social distancing, and stay home if you belong to a risk group or are over the age of 70.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) Parasites can be a massive headache in a microscopic size, and in the case of a certain parasitic worm, the headache it causes is literal  the rat lungworm parasite can wreak havoc on a persons brain, and can even cause major neurological problems. Now, recent findings by the Hawaii State Department of Health indicate that the parasite may be infecting more people in Hawaii than previously thought, and it may be caused by ingesting an unassuming yet invasive creature.

Parasitic worm infection caused by eating semi-slugs

Cases of rat lungworm disease are common in tropical parts of Asia, such as Thailand and Taiwan, with some cases found in Australia, Africa and the Caribbean. The disease was first reported in Hawaii around 1959.

Health officials in Hawaii have been required by the states Department of Health to track the spread of the disease and report the cases beginning in 2007. Since then, 82 cases (two of which were fatal) had been reported through 2017. The infected individuals consisted of residents, visitors and tourists.

The researchers found that people can contract the disease by ingesting infected slugs or snails on unwashed fresh produce, either by mistake  the creatures are so tiny that theyre unnoticeable on fruits or vegetables  or on purpose, such as on a dare.

However, the researchers found it difficult to determine the exact exposure responsible for many of the cases in the study.

David Johnston, an epidemiologist in the disease outbreak control division of the Hawaii State Department of Health, explained that potential sources of the infection in Hawaii include the Cuban slug, the giant African snail, and the marsh snail  all of which are known to carry the parasite.

However, the researchers took particular interest in an invasive species of semi-slug, Parmarion martensi. These half-snails are known to be fast climbers and can get into many parts of the house like sinks and water tanks. Moreover, the researchers found these semi-slugs to carry high numbers of the rat lungworm parasite.

Since the conclusion of the study, new cases have been reported in Hawaii  10 in 2018 and five in 2019. Nearly 80 percent of the reported cases needed to be hospitalized. The most common symptoms in young children included fever, vomiting and irritability, while older kids to adults exhibited headaches, muscle or joint pain, tingling sensations in the skin, and stiffness of the neck.

The disease spread through the Big Island, Maui, Kauai and Oahu. However, the scientists suspect that they underestimated the true prevalence of the brain-infecting parasite due to some cases showing no symptoms or only mild ones, thus seeing no need for medical attention. (Related: Creepy life-threatening parasites straight out of science fiction  only theyre real: Tips for avoiding these 6 nightmares.)

Fast facts on rat lungworm disease

Angiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, is caused by the parasitic nematode (roundworm), Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Adult A. cantonensis are found exclusively in rodents, but infected ones can pass the larvae in their feces, which can be ingested by intermediate hosts such as snails, slugs and other small animals like freshwater shrimp, land crabs and frogs.

Angiostrongyliasis affects the brain and spinal cord and is the most common cause of a rare type of meningitis called eosinophilic meningitis.

A person with angiostrongyliasis will experience severe headache, stiff neck, tingling or painful sensations in the skin or extremities, low-grade fever, nausea and vomiting, as well as light sensitivity and even temporary paralysis of the face. Symptoms usually last between two to eight weeks, but in some cases, the symptoms have been reported to have lasted for longer periods.

There is no specific cure for angiostrongyliasis, and infected individuals usually recover without treatment. However, in rare cases, the disease can lead to neurological problems and even death.

Moreover, while humans cannot transmit the infection to other humans, they can get infected for as many times as they are exposed to food contaminated with A. cantonensis.

To prevent angiostrongyliasis and other foodborne parasitic infections, make sure that your food is properly cooked, avoid eating raw or uncooked food especially when traveling, wash fresh produce thoroughly, wear gloves when preparing raw food for cooking, and wash your hands before and after meal preps.

Sources include:

LiveScience.com 1

LiveScience.com 2

LiveScience.com 3

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

Health.Hawaii.gov

CDC.gov
The Delhi government has put in place a contingency plan to activate new hospitals and add or divert hundreds of hospital beds to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in case of a surge in infections, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday and also assured the national capital is at present prepared if the outbreak accelerates to 100 cases a day.

The announcement came on a day when the capital recorded a fresh infection  a 33-year-old man who travelled to Philippines tested positive  and as concerns grow across the country over whether current resources will be able to cope if the disease takes on the proportions seen in some other parts of the world.

Right now, we are getting three to four positive cases a day. Today, the facilities that we have are enough even if 100 cases are reported each day. We have identified what is needed in scenarios when the numbers go up further and we will start preparing for it, said Kejriwal, identifying three thresholds for the epidemics severity -- 100 cases a day, 500 cases a day and 1,000 cases a day  to sharpen its action plan.

The plan was drawn up by a five-member panel of doctors headed by SK Sarin, the director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

In preparation for the most severe third scenario, three hospitals run by the Delhi government are being converted into dedicated facilities for Covid-19 patients: Lok Nayak Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi super speciality hospital, and a new hospital in Burari that has been under construction for several years.

Together, these will add 3,400 beds, according to an official aware of the plan, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Lok Nayak hospital near Delhi Gate is part of preparations for all three scenarios, and officials are converting it into a Covid-19-focussed facility block by block, as suggested by the panel.

For the first scenario, we will set up a 200-bed isolation facility in the emergency building of the department, which can house up to 300 patients. Currently, the new special ward, which is being used to house Covid-19 patients, can hold up to 54 only, said a senior official from the hospital.

To free up the additional beds, the emergency medicine and surgery departments will first be moved elsewhere: surgical is likely to move to Sushruta Trauma Centre run by the hospital in Civil Lines. Then, for the next scenario if need be, the new medical block can add another 200 beds, the new surgical block another 400. Eventually the whole hospital, with over 2,000 beds, will be converted into a Covid-19 hospital if the numbers shoot up, said the official.

To prevent infection from spreading within the hospital, primary screening has been started outside the out-patient clinics. Our general out-patient clinics are still operational and to ensure there is no spread of the infection in the hospital, a team of doctors segregate the patients who are suspected to have the disease and those that are not. The suspect patients are directly taken to the Covid-19 treatment area, while others are allowed to go to the clinics, the official said.

The upcoming hospital in Burari will be operationalised with 1,000 new beds, of which 10 to 15% will have ventilators. This hospital will be run by teams from Lok Nayak hospital, according to the committees suggestion.

Rajiv Gandhi super speciality hospital in Tahirpur has already set aside 400s. We have stopped all urology and gastrointestinal surgeries to free up beds. Only cardiac procedures are being done. There is a screening mechanism for patients coming to the OPD, which will be suspended when the numbers start rising, said another senior official from Delhi government health department.

Apart from scaling up and strengthening government facilities, the report had also recommended that private hospitals also start reserving isolation facilities.

The report talks about involving the private sector in the management of the patients, in case there is a surge in the numbers. However, the focus is on strengthening our own facilities, said another doctor part of the committee.

The report has assessed the number of isolation and ICU beds, number of ventilators, ambulances, doctors and nurses, as well as testing kits that will be required.

The report has been submitted and I have briefed the minister on what needs to be done to prepare ahead, said Dr SK Sarin.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Top economists in the country hailed the Reserve Bank of India's key policy announcements on March 27 in the fight against COVID-19.

While Sajid Chinoy, Chief India Economist of JP Morgan called it the 'unleashing of the Bazooka', former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor HR Khan termed the central bank measures as "big, bold and brave".

"It was much more than what market was expecting," Khan told CNBC-TV18.

To provide a liquidity boost to the economy reeling under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4 percent. It also reduced the cash reserve ratio by 100 basis points to 3 percent, allowed banks to provide a three-month moratorium on all term loans, among other things.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the MPC advanced its meet to March 24, 26 and 27 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Axis Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amitabh Chaudhry told CNBC-TV18 that the RBI has gone beyond what the markets were expecting.

"RBI measures solve the problem at the macro level in a big way. Will have excess Rs 6,600 crore of excess cash due to CRR cut," Chaudhry said.























Sujan Hajra, Chief Economist and Executive Director, Anand Rathi Shares & Stock Brokers said this is 'RBIs whatever it takes moment'.



He noted that while these measures would not necessarily promote growth but will avert a collapse, so are a big positive in boosting sentiments.



NITI Aayog Chairman Amitabh Kant complimented on putting a three-month moratorium on loans and waving off interest and bringing down the repo rate.



Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, also shared his views on the central bank's measures.



"Its a brave package, something unusual that was required," Kumar said.



























Rahul Bajoria, Chief India Economist at Barclays concurred with Chaudhry. The RBI has surpassed expectations by delivering more than what the market anticipated, and its promise to 'do whatever it takes' has come good," Bajoria told CNBC-TV18.
France has extended its stay-at-home lockdown until at least April 15 in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The strict rules are for all non-essential employees and will also mean continued widespread business closures, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Friday.

'In agreement with the president, today I'm announcing the renewal of the confinement period for two more weeks,' Philippe said at the Elysee presidential palace.

'Obviously this period will be extended again if conditions require it,' he added.

France has extended its stay-at-home lockdown until at least April 15 in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: a man has his temperature taken in Paris today

As he left the meeting of French government ministers, he announced: 'It is clear that we are only at the beginning of the epidemic wave.'

He explained that the wave that has submerged the Grand Est region of France for several days is arriving in the Ile-de-France and Hauts de France.

The same rules that have been in place up till now will continue to be implemented in the extended lockdown period.

France began its lockdown on March 17, initially for 15 days, although President Emmanuel Macron was clear that this was a minimum and it could be extended.

The strict rules are for all non-essential employees and will also mean continued widespread business closures, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (pictured) said Friday

Earlier this week the specialist scientific council that advises the government recommended that a six-week lockdown was needed to ensure that the health services could cope with the demand for beds and care.

It comes as today it was revealed that a 16-year-old French schoolgirl with no underlying medical condition died from coronavirus.

She is believed to be the youngest victim in Europe.

France's prime minister also warned today that a likely spike in cases will put the country's health system under 'tremendous strain'.

France has now seen 29,591 infections and 1,696 deaths. Pictured: an empty street in Paris today

Officials fear that hospitals around Paris could be saturated within 48 hours.

France has so far avoided scenes seen in other European countries such as Spain and Italy - the worst-hit nations on the continent with the world's highest death tolls.

But on Thursday France recorded its highest death toll - 365 - and number of new infections - 3,922 - in a single day. It has now seen 29,591 infections and 1,696 deaths.

Frederic Valletoux, president of the French Hospitals Federation, said patients will have to be transferred to hospitals outside the capital because they could become overwhelmed within in two days.

He said: 'If we leave each hospital to fend for itself, each territory caught up in the epidemic to fend for itself, we are headed for disasters.'

French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had discussed the crisis with Donald Trump during a late-night phone call, posting: 'Very good discussion with @realDonaldTrump. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we are preparing with other countries a new strong initiative in the coming days.'

The country has some 14,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 548 in intensive care.
L.A. COUNTY BUSINESS AND WORKER DISASTER HELP CENTER OPENS

Dedicated County Call Center Serving Residents Whose Livelihoods Have Been Disrupted During Coronavirus/COVID-19 Emergency

Today, with support of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Departments of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) and Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) are proud to announce the launch of the new L.A. County Business and Worker Disaster Help Center, a new centralized call center and website providing free, one-on-one counseling and support for business owners and workers who have been adversely affected by the ongoing Coronavirus/COVID-19 emergency.

Whether you are a business owner struggling to keep your doors open or a worker whos uncertain about their next paycheck, L.A. County now has a single location where you can get immediate help, tailored to your situation. You can get assistance from the L.A. County Business and Worker Disaster Help Center in the manner thats most convenient to you:

While we are doing all that we can to slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout Los Angeles County, we know that this pandemic is having an enormous impact on residents, businesses and organizations throughout our local communities, said L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. This Help Center will be a critical resource for businesses and employees by providing direct assistance to those in need.

While the residents of Los Angeles County have demonstrated an incredible amount of resilience during this challenging time, they will not weather this storm alone, said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. The L.A. County Business and Worker Disaster Help Center is in line with my commitment to support our local businesses, and now more than ever, they deserve our help. L.A. County will respond by providing businesses, employers, and workers centralized resources at lacountyhelpcenter.org to ensure clear and consistent information as we collectively work to slow the spread of COVID-19.

ADVERTISEMENT

Small businesses are facing serious financial distress and disruption during this time, and we want them to know they can rely on the County to be an effective leader and service provider as we help our business owners and workers navigate this crisis. The Help Center will not only help them to connect to resources but position our communities for recovery, said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Joseph M. Nicchitta, Director of DCBA, said, We recognize that every person in the County is dealing with their own unique circumstances due to the coronavirus emergency, and L.A. County is rising to meet that challenge. DCBA is proud to lead a coalition of departments and agencies to help improve the lives of business owners and workers in our communities. The Help Center will assist businesses in determining the applicability of public health orders and accessing state and federal resources, including recent relief packages from the state and federal governments. For individuals, the Help Center will assist with filing unemployment insurance claims, finding employment opportunities, and discovering available County resources. They can now turn to one dedicated place for assistance, said Nicchitta.

WDACS and our partners have been working around the clock to ensure businesses and workers have clear, one-on-one access to essential services. This free one-stop shop from L.A. County, easily accessible in different languages by phone, email, and online, will support all affected businesses and workers, said Otto Solorzano, Acting Director of the L.A. County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services. Through this Help Center, workers will have easy access to a number of financial benefits, including state unemployment insurance, as well as job search and career services provided by Americas Job Centers of California. Businesses will be helped with emergency loans, workshare programs, and individualized assistance. During this difficult time, L.A. County is moving quickly to address the growing need for support and guidance for our businesses and workers.

The Business and Worker Disaster Help Center, operated jointly by DCBA and WDACS, is open to answer calls Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. With the support of our County partners, the Help Center is staffed with dedicated, helpful, and multilingual support. Participating County departments and State agencies include:

L.A. County Chief Executive Office

L.A. County Office of Emergency Management

L.A. County Child Support Services

L.A. County Counsel

L.A. County Internal Services Department

L.A. County Department of Public Social Services

L.A. County Treasurer and Tax Collector

L.A. County Library

L.A. County Department of Public Health

L.A. County Department of Regional Planning

California Governors Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
MANILA, Philippines  The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has clarified that residents from gated communities and private subdivisions can still get assistance from the government amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, but they are not a priority.

The DILG made the clarification following reports that the department allegedly said it will not provide assistance to those who live in private subdivisions.

In a statement, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya stressed that they never said that residents of private subdivisions are in no need of or do not deserve government help amid the public health crisis.

Malaya said the department strongly condemns the attempt by certain sectors to misrepresent, misquote or otherwise place out of context his and DILG Secretary Eduardo Anos earlier statements about the distribution of government assistance.

What Secretary Ano said in his press conference in Malacanang and I said in the DILG show Kuwentuhang Lokal on DZMM Teleradyo is that residents of private subdivisions and gated communities who are well-off should not expect food packs or relief goods from the Local Government Units because those are for poor and indigent families who are mostly daily wage earners, no work no pay, and are in dire need of government assistance, Malaya said.

The DILG official said that the governments assistance is for all but vulnerable sectors and poor families in need of help will be given a priority.

We NEVER said that only the poor will be assisted. Of course, the government will assist them. That is why Congress passed RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act so that everyone is helped because COVID-19 affects us all, Malaya said



We are not a rich country. We are a poor country. We do not have limitless resources. Thus, we have to prioritize, he added.

According to Malaya, around 18 million households or 73% of all households in the country are poor or low-income in the informal sector, and are typically under the no-work, no-pay scheme, have no SSS, and have negligible or no savings.

Story continues

The food packs currently being distributed by the LGUs are meant for them for them to be able to survive this crisis, he added.



Malaya said that those in the formal economy which is some 6.6 million households all over the country will receive other forms of government assistance during this crisis but not the food packs.

According to Malaya, these types of assistance include the following:

Credit facilities and reduced lending rates

Reprieve in the payment of national and local taxes, fees and other charges required by law to ease the burden of families and individuals

30-day grace period for the payment of all loans (including salary, personal, housing and motor vehicle loans) including credit card payments without incurring penalties, fees and charges; and

A 30-day grace period in the payment of residential rent, without incurring interests, penalties and fees.

In addition, DOLEs COVID Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) will provide cash subsidy to workers in the formal economy who are affected by the crisis, while the TUPAD program, will provide temporary employment for displaced workers, the DILG said.

Government has also appealed to private sector employers to assist their employees in this time of hardship and many have responded positively. This does not include special programs by LGUs and other National Government Agencies that are implemented by them separately, like discounts in the payment of Real Property Taxes and other local taxes and fees, it added.

The department called on the public to refrain from spreading false information as the country responds to the COVID-19 crisis.

As frontliners in the war against COVID-19, responding to irresponsible and malicious statements take time, effort, and energy from what could have been utilized for more productive pursuits to defeat our common enemy, it said.

The post DILG clarifies govt COVID-19 aid for all, but poor families will be prioritized appeared first on UNTV News.
German airline giant Lufthansa said Friday it would apply for government aid to place 31,000 workers on shorter hours until September, with carriers worldwide among the companies hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis.

The group "has applied for shorter hours for cabin and ground crew until 31 August" at its flagship airline, spokesman Joerg Waber told AFP. "A solution is on the way for cockpit crew," he added.

Thirty-one thousand workers represent almost one in four staff at the wider Lufthansa group, which also includes carriers Austrian and Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Swiss.

Some 700 of Lufthansa's 763 aircraft are "temporarily parked" following massive reductions in its flight operations over the coming weeks.

Chief executive Carsten Spohr last week warned that "the longer this crisis lasts, the more likely it is that the future of aviation cannot be guaranteed without state aid".

The group's flight plan has been slashed back to levels not seen since the 1950s, Spohr said.

Around the world, the International Air Transport Association has said up to USD 200 billion could be needed to rescue airlines.

Known in German as "Kurzarbeit", Berlin's support for people placed on shorter hours tops up workers' pay from government coffers.

The scheme is widely credited with preserving thousands of jobs during the financial crisis in the late 2000s.

Berlin extended access to the scheme as the coronavirus reached Europe's top economy, allowing companies to apply for support when a threshold of 10 percent of workers is affected, rather than 33 per cent as before.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stephen Bonett, a nurse and Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps volunteer, places a completed nasal swab into a vial at the city's coronavirus testing site next to Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia on Friday, March 20, 2020. Read more

As historians of nursing, we know that during critical times, there have never been enough nurses to care for patients in hospitals.

There have never been enough to care for those sick at home, or for those discharged early to make room for those suffering through a pandemic, like the one we are facing now as the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe.

 READ MORE: Philly nurse: Pa. factories should start making desperately needed medical supplies | Expert Opinion

There have also never been enough to care for those who will continue to experience heart attacks, strokes, and drug and alcohol overdoses, to name just a few of those crises. And there have never been enough to meet the real health guidance that patients at home still need when confronting new symptoms of congestive heart failure, or new parents when perplexed about their infants fever.

Nursing shortages in history

We can cite numerous historical examples  from recurring yellow fever epidemics that long plagued our country, to World War I, to the 1918 influenza pandemic. World War II offers the most well-documented examples that not only demonstrate how serious our real problem can become but can also suggest ways to move forward to meet this looming and dangerous shortage.

 READ MORE: Physician burnout existed before coronavirus. Its about to get worse. | Expert Opinion

Even before the United States formally entered the war, leaders in the federal government, public health, and nursing knew their history and anticipated a shortage as they planned for the health and illness needs of both the military and the civilian population. Quite quickly after the declaration of war, they realized their recruitment plans to entice more women into the discipline had failed to meet ever-escalating demands. The result was a landmark piece of federal legislation in 1943, the Cadet Nurse Corps Bill that offered free nursing education to white and black women willing to serve as nurses in the military or stateside for the duration of the war.

This was still not enough. By 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt planned to sign the first executive order ever that would extend the draft to white women nurses. Almost overnight, black and white nurses mobilized to attack the militarys segregation policies. Why, to paraphrase their campaign, should we draft white nurses when we have over 9,000 black nurses ready and willing to serve? The Army Nurse Corps immediately desegregated and black nurses, for the first time in our history, traveled overseas to nurse sick and wounded soldiers.

Quelling nursing shortages amid coronavirus

What do these experiences suggest we need to do today to meet these acutely looming shortages?

First, we need to remove all barriers to nursing practice. In the 1940s, these barriers were entrenched Jim Crow laws. Today, they are state practice regulations that prevent nurses, especially nurse practitioners, from practicing to the full extent of their training. States need to follow Tennessees example and remove these barriers immediately.

Then we need to tap the talented reserve of senior nursing students just a few short months away from graduation. Today, it is easy to forget that nursing students once provided all the nursing care hospitals provided.

We should not return to that practice, but we may look history to see how federal legislation temporarily overrode state laws and sent senior nursing students into sites where they could both provide needed care and meet their final graduation requirements. However, we do not need to wait for national initiatives. Each state regulates its own nurses. We need them to change their protocols.

 READ MORE: Physicians facing coronavirus: This is a war. We are soldiers. l Expert Opinion

As we look to the future, we may need a national nursing reserve corps to mobilize the deployment of nursing services in times of emergencies and epidemics. And we now need to be open to the ways in which our own biases, assumptions, and traditions may blind us to men and women ready and willing to serve at this very moment.

Nursing needs everyone at this particular moment, and we need to look to history to find solutions to this not unprecedented challenge.

Cynthia Connolly is the Rosemarie Greco professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Patricia DAntonio is the Carol Ware professor of nursing and the director of the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Julie A. Fairman is the Nightingale professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
It has been observed that the dispute settlement system of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is less political in design than, for example, the former SADC Dispute Settlement Protocol.[1] This is true, if the point is that disputes of the kind which resulted in the demise of the SADC Tribunal will not be heard under the Dispute Settlement System (DS) of the AfCFTA. But the technical reason is a basic one: The AfCFTA Agreement does not provide for the same Principles and General Undertakings which were invoked in the case which resulted in the original SADC Tribunal being abolished. It is thus a matter of jurisdiction: disputes about the issues addressed in the relevant SADC case are not justiciable under the AfCFTA Agreement.

The SADC Dispute Settlement Protocol was suspended (by unanimous decision of the SADC Summit) after the SADC Tribunal had ruled that Zimbabwes expropriation without compensation of private land amounted to a violation of certain provisions in the SADC Treaty.[2] The application was brought by affected individuals, citizens of Zimbabwe. The SADC Tribunal declared that the Applicants had been denied access to justice, have been discriminated against, and were entitled to fair compensation. The Tribunal invoked a principle mentioned in Article 4 of the SADC Treaty (SADC and its Member States shall act in accordance with principles such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law) and one of the General Undertakings in Article 6 of the SADC Treaty (SADC and its Member States shall not discriminate against any person...).

The South African Constitutional Court has since ruled that the participation of the South African President in the decision to abolish the SADC Tribunal was illegal and had to be withdrawn.[3] This was done. The subsequent SADC Dispute Settlement Protocol (not yet in force) provides for inter-State disputes only.

The AfCFTA Agreement does not provide for human rights provisions such as those found in the SADC Treaty. They cannot be invoked in disputes under the AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Protocol, which is modelled on the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. The AfCFTA system, just like that of the WTO, consists of a Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) and an Appellate Body (AB).

Like the WTO, only inter-State disputes will be heard in the AfCFTA.[4] It can be argued that this is a consequence of the fact that the WTO and the AfCFTA are member-driven regimes; applications by private parties do not fit into such designs. In a system where only State Parties litigate, the Parties to a dispute must first enter into consultations, with a view to finding an amicable resolution.[5] They may at any time use good offices, conciliation, or mediation; which shall be confidential.[6] The State Parties may, in addition, resort to arbitration.[7] Disputes about compliance with final rulings are also justiciable.

But there is an important qualification: Many WTO Member States are active litigators (African Member States are not) and do not view officially declared disputes as offensive to others. All Member States benefit from the clarification and certainty brought about by binding decisions delivered by an independent judicial forum. Private firms also profit when their rights are protected in this manner.

The present crisis around the AB of the WTO, brought about by the refusal of the United States to participate in the appointment of new AB members, shows that member-driven dispute settlement regimes are also susceptible to serious political disputes. How will such an eventuality be handled in the AfCFTA? It may be a good idea to make appointments to the AfCFTA AB subject to the reverse consensus procedure.

Applications brought under the AfCFTA DS Protocol will first be heard by Panels, appointed for each case. The AB hears appeals against Panel reports. Defendants cannot prevent formal disputes from being declared and cannot veto the adoption of Panel and AB Reports. They will be adopted unless there is a consensus not to do so.[8] This is called reverse consensus. It prevents defendants from blocking the initiation of formal dispute settlement proceedings or the adoption of binding judgments.

The inclusion of the reverse consensus principle in the AfCFTA DS Protocol could bring real benefits, but only if the State Parties will use this system for settling disputes about the application or interpretation of AfCFTA legal instruments. The benefits (certainty and predictability) will not materialize if the AfCFTA State Parties continue with their practice not to declare official disputes when obligations in Agreements regulating trade among them are violated. And there is an alternative option in Article 10(2) of the AfCFTA Agreement: The Assembly shall have the exclusive authority to adopt interpretations of this Agreement on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. This is a behind closed doors procedure and will not create binding precedents.

In most instances non-compliance with obligations in trade agreements involve measures by governments (e.g. import restrictions or discrimination in favour of domestic firms) which impact on private parties involved in trade related transactions. They cannot file applications under the AfCFTA DS to protect their rights. Applications in domestic courts might be possible, provided the required constitutional and due process grounds exist. In countries with a dualist tradition, international agreements cannot be directly invoked as part of the law of the land.[9] Dualism generally applies in African countries with a Common Law tradition.

The approach adopted under the AfCFTA means that private parties will only be protected if a State Party, able to show that its rights have been violated, would bring a claim, as most WTO members do. Whether African Governments will also do this under the AfCFTA, needs to be seen. It does not look very likely. They never sue each other under the legal instruments of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

Most international trade disputes involve trade remedies and safeguards; for example, when goods are dumped in foreign markets at prices below cost, when exported goods are subsidized, or when new trade liberalization obligations result in an upsurge of imported goods and cause injury to domestic industries. The AfCFTA has an Annex on Trade Remedies and Safeguards, based on the relevant WTO principles. Disputes thereunder often involve technical rules and proof via the use of trade data, but they are vital for the rules-based regulation of trade in goods. Only about four African countries have the domestic machinery in place to implement trade remedies according to the applicable rules.[10] In this area there must be deliberate efforts to assist AfCFTA State Parties to develop expertise and domestic procedures for investigation private complaints involving trade remedy measures. The AfCFTA Secretariat has been given the task to assist State Parties in this regard.

Disputes about trade in services should not be ignored. They will become increasingly important. Domestic courts often hear cases involving measures by national regulators responsible for telecommunication, the energy and financial sectors. In these cases, rules about due process (administrative justice), constitutional rights (e.g. against discrimination) and statutory interpretation figure prominently. Disputes about trade in services should actually be familiar terrain and can, under certain conditions also be heard by national courts. The applicants must have standing, be domiciled within the jurisdiction of the relevant court, and the dispute must involve the application of national legal norms. When services related disputes are heard by intentional courts or tribunals, the relevant international legal instruments are applied.

If the AfCFTA brings about change in the State Parties attitude towards the settlement of international trade disputes, it will make a real contribution to better trade governance in Africa. Multilateral trade governance will also benefit. If this does not happen, the Governments of the State Parties will continue to find political solutions to differences essentially about the application of legally agreed norms. Certainty, consistency, transparency and good governance benefits will remain absent. This is the real political threat when it comes to dispute settlement under the AfCFTA.

[1] Its official title was Protocol on Tribunal in the Southern African Development Community.

[2] Reported as Mike Campbell (Pvt) Ltd and Others v Republic of Zimbabwe (2/2007) [2008] SADCT 2 (28 November 2008). SADC (T) Case No. 2/2007.

[3] Law Society of South Africa & Others v President of the Republic of South Africa & Others [2018] ZACC 51.

[4] Art 3 pdf AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Protocol (973 KB)

[5] See, for example, Art 6 AfCFTA DS Protocol.

[6] Art 8 AfCFTA DS Protocol.

[7] Art 27 AfCFTA DS Protocol.

[8] https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/disp_settlement_cbt_e/c3s1p1_e.htm. See Art 19(4) and 22(9) of the AfCFTA DS Protocol.

[9] Dualism emphasizes the difference between national and international law and requires the incorporation of the latter into the former before international law can be invoked before domestic courts. Monism accepts that the internal and international legal systems form a unity.

[10] Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa.
Leaders of the G20, the world's 20 major industrialised nations, promised a united front in fighting the Covid-19 coronavirus, saying they were injecting over four trillion euros into the global economy to counter a pending global recession. French President Emmanuel Macron also said he and and the US were planning to announce an important new initiative in the coming days.

We are at war with a virus, and not winning it, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told G20 leaders during the emergency summit on Thursday, held via video conference. He urged leaders to adopt a war-time plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

The G20 has been criicised for not taking cohesive action, with individual countries sealing their borders, closing businesses and imposing home isolation.

The group promised to work together and said they are collectively injecting more than 4.3 trillion euros into the global economy. The Chinese foreign ministry said the number is a sum of the fiscal stimulus packages adopted by individual countries.

Leaders also pledged to work with the International Monetary Fund and other bodies to develop financial packages for developing nations, as poorer countries worry about their lack of access to capital markets or adequate health facilities.

In a final statement after the meeting, the G20 said global action, solidarity and international cooperation were needed more than ever, but made no specific commitments.

Good first step, but a way's to go

The meeting was not open to the media, and governments and organisations distributed the participants' comments after it concluded.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the secretary-general thought the meeting was a good first step, but there's still a long way to go for truly concerted and effective global leadership in response to this pandemic and its impact.

US President Donald Trump said: "We talked about the problem. And hopefully it won't be a problem for too much longer," referring to the virus.

Overnight, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a tweet (in English) that he and Trump were preparing "a strong new initiative to face the pandemic in the coming days, without giving any details.

France and the Untied States are among the countries most affected by the pandemic, which is progressing throughout the US quickly. It is now the country with the most recorded cases worldwide.
Hyderabad: Telugu star Allu Arjun has contributed Rs 1.25 crore for the battle against coronavirus outbreak in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The actor made the announcement through a video message he shared with IANS on Friday.

"The COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and changed our everyday lives, but even at times like this people like doctors, nurses, military, policemen and many other sectors have done great contribution to our society," he says in the video.

Drawing inspiration from them, he would also like to do his bit.

"With all humility, I would like to announce Rs 1.25 crore to the people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala," he says.

He also appealed to the public to maintain hygiene and practice isolation.

This comes a day after his uncle and superstar Pawan Kalyan and Allu's cousin Ram Charan announced donations to the government's relief fund to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chiranjeevi, Mahesh Babu and Prabhas are other Telugu superstars who have contributed for the cause.
The Odisha government on



Friday set up 36 temporary camps to provide food and shelter to 5,547 migrant workers from different states who are stranded due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, officials said.

The state government's chief spokesperson on COVID-19, Subroto Bagchi said that the temporary camps were opened at several places to provide relief to the migrant workers who were facing difficulties in returning to their respective states due to the lockdown.

"The workers are from Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Telangana, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh," Bagchi said.

He said food and other necessities have been provided to the workers.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the Odia associations in different states to help stranded migrant workers from Odisha, Bagchi said.

"The Odisha government will bear all expenses made for ensuring the safety of the Odia migrant workers stranded in other states," he said.

The Odia associations are also being urged to maintain contact with the state government for ensuring the safety of the stranded workers, Bagchi said.

Patnaik had on Thursday written letters to his counterparts in other states urging them to help the stranded Odia workers.

He assured them that the Odisha government will also take care of migrant workers from their states if they give information about the labourers.

Apart from setting up a control room to assist the migrant workers from other states, the Odisha government has also urged collectors and superintendents of police of all the 30 districts of the state to look after the labourers during the lockdown period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran, perhaps more than any other country so far, has struggled to meet the challenge of the coronavirus. The country has now recorded nearly 3,000 deaths, which suggests the actual number of cases of the virus is far higher than the roughly 30,000 confirmed so far. The virus has hit the country hard, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities including the lack of resources due to economic sanctions, limited state administrative capacity, an ill-equipped health system, and public mistrust of the government, which has floundered and fudged its way into a dark corner with the virus. The extent of the regimes waning domestic credibility and the corrosive power of misinformation was on full display this week when, according to the Associated Press, Iranian media reported that several hundred Iranians had died of methanol poisoning and potentially thousands more were sickened when they ingested bootleg alcohol with the mistaken belief that it protected against the coronavirus.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In messages forwarded and forwarded again, Iranian social media accounts in Farsi falsely suggested a British school teacher and others cured themselves of the coronavirus with whiskey and honey, based on a tabloid story from early February, the AP reports. Mixed with messages about the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, some wrongly believed drinking high-proof alcohol would kill the virus in their bodies.

Official Iranian media reports say nearly 300 people have died and more than 1,000 have fallen ill from drinking one of many fake coronavirus remedies being spread on social media. The AP reports that Irans Health Ministry puts the numbers even higher, counting nearly 480 dead and 2,850 people sickened. Alcohol is banned in Iran, but bootleggers craft dubious homemade concoctions that sometimes contain harmful chemicals, and then falsely advertise them as drinkable.
T he Evening Standard launches an appeal today to fund the delivery of food to poor, elderly and vulnerable Londoners who are unable to afford enough to eat or cannot get out because they and their families are self-isolating and at high risk of losing their lives to coronavirus.

We have teamed up with The Felix Project  a start-up charity we helped launch in 2016 and now Londons largest surplus food distributor  to deliver produce to community hubs that will be set up in every London borough, with the first bases expected to be operational from as early as next week. The Felix deliveries will be part of a hugely ambitious pan-London plan to feed the vulnerable that has been initiated by the London Food Alliance, a new organisation set up to respond to the Covid-19 outbreak and comprising the citys three biggest food surplus distributors  The Felix Project, FareShare and City Harvest.

The project was kick-started on Wednesday with a video conference call that involved more than 100 people calling in, including representatives of every London borough and City Hall.

This collaborative city-wide operation is an urgent, brilliant innovation that is set to become the fourth emergency service of our capital.

But without financial support it will flounder. Charities like The Felix Project deliver 10 tonnes of food, or 22,000 meals, a day to the needy, including to hungry children who rely on free school meals, but they have seen their funding drop off a cliff since the outbreak of the virus, so their capacity to carry out this crucial work will need our support.

That is why we are calling on companies, charitable foundations and readers whose jobs are secure to donate money to help us feed London and save lives.

Campaigns Editor David Cohen says the new Standard Food For London Now initiative is needed in a time of 'anxiety'

To spearhead the appeal, we are putting in a substantial donation ourselves. With immediate effect, a 350,000 grant from the endowment of the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund has been sanctioned to help fund The Felix Project at this unprecedented time.

Kate Markey, CEO of The London Community Foundation, the charity that manages the Dispossessed Fund, said: I can today confirm that the LCF trustees board has agreed this is an extraordinary urgent need.

The Felix Project will be given the money in a lump sum to go towards their additional running costs to meet demands from the coronavirus emergency.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: The Evening Standard has a proud history of standing up for those most in need, and I salute the Food for London Now campaign which will make a real difference to vulnerable people.

My Government is doing everything we can to offer support, but this scheme embodies the spirit of generosity and compassion we need from everyone to meet the challenges presented by coronavirus. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, immediately backed our campaign. He said: In a city as prosperous as London, everyone should have enough food to feed themselves and their families, but unfortunately the coronavirus outbreak means some Londoners are facing even greater difficulties.

Its commendable these organisations are joining forces to help ensure surplus food isnt wasted and reaches those who need it most. I urge Londoners to support this crucial initiative.

The new London Food Alliance plan will operate as follows:

Community hubs will be set up by each borough from next week to receive and distribute surplus food to the elderly, poor and vulnerable.

Boroughs will identify one or more hubs, likely to be located in community centres, charities or foodbanks.

The food will be delivered into the hub by the three members of the London Food Alliance.

Felix has taken responsibility for co-ordinating deliveries to 14 of Londons 33 boroughs, FareShare to 12 and City Harvest to seven.

Each borough will provide the three food distributors with a single point of contact and will identify need, including the type of food each venue is safely able to take (fresh, frozen, long-life).

An army of local volunteers will be deployed at each hub to receive the food, package up food parcels and arrange the last mile deliveries to the doorsteps of the vulnerable

Mark Curtin, CEO of The Felix Project, said: Our role is to pick up large volumes of nutritious surplus food from the commercial sector and deliver it to community hubs to ensure there is enough food for vulnerable people for as long as this health crisis ensues.

The food will be a complete range and will include fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen goods and long-life produce. We have built up an incredible supply network, logistical capability and superb infrastructure to make this operation work, but the scale of it will undoubtedly be a challenge.

We will be working all hours doing our bit  and it would be wonderful if your readers can get behind us so we can do this job for London.

Pierre-Marc Bouloux, professor of endocrinology at University College London, who has agreed to be a food safety adviser to our campaign, said: The public can be reassured that there seems to be no evidence of anyone getting Covid-19 from handling or eating food.

I advise that normal safe practice needs to be followed in handling food, which includes fresh produce being washed both at the hub taking delivery of the food and by the end user.

Now that we are asking people to stay at home, the benefits of sunlight will be denied to some for a period of time so we need to supplement vitamin D. Healthy eating becomes harder at times like this and so these deliveries of healthy fresh food, rather than tinned produce, become ever more vital.

Four years ago as part of our Food for London campaign, we helped launch Felix, with just one van and an employee supplying a handful of charities.

Now their fleet of 22 vans is run by 22 staff and manned by over 1,500 inspirational volunteers who shift enough food to provide 22,000 meals a day.

But with all their planned fundraising events cancelled, they will now need our financial backing.



Listen to today's episode of The Leader podcast:

Loading....

Donate at virginmoneygiving.com/fund/FoodforLondonNOW

How you can help We have launched an appeal to fund the delivery of desperately needed food to poor, elderly and vulnerable Londoners who are unable to afford food or are confined to their homes and at high risk of losing their lives from catching the coronavirus. Monies raised will go to our campaign partner, The Felix Project, Londons biggest food surplus distributor, who are part of a co-ordinated food distribution effort taking place across London.

The appeal will be under the auspices of the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund and run by The London Community Foundation, which has managed the Fund since its launch 10 years ago.
SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, its CMD Ajay Singh said on Friday.

While domestic and international passenger flights have been banned till April 14 midnight, IndiGo and GoAir have also offered their aircraft and crew and staff members to the government for any mission required to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"We have offered our aircraft and crew for any humanitarian mission that the government needs us to fly. We are already flying food, medicines and medical equipment for government every day (on our freighter aircraft)," Singh told PTI.

"We would like to alleviate the suffering of the migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, by flying some flights between Delhi/Mumbai and Patna," he added.

India has imposed a 21-day lockdown, which came into force on Wednesday, to check the spread of the virus which has claimed at least 17 lives and infected over 700 people so far.

Currently, while there is a ban on international and domestic passenger flights in the country, all-cargo flights and flights specifically approved by the DGCA can operate as usual, according to the aviation regulator.

SpiceJet has five B737 freighter aircraft in its fleet and they are operating normally. However, the airline's entire commercial passenger aircraft fleet of 82 Boeing 737, two Airbus A320 and 32 Bombardier Q-400s is currently grounded.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is yet to give permission to airlines to conduct flights using their commercial passenger aircraft with just cargo in their belly.

Singh said, "SpiceJet operated a special charter flight from Delhi to Coimbatore today on government's request. This flight was operated at a very short notice and carried a Hazmat suit. This will help local authorities replicate and start local manufacturing."



The special charter flight did not carry any cargo except the Hazmat suit, he added.

"We will do as much as we can to help our government and fellow citizens in the fight to defeat coronavirus," he said.

IndiGo on Wednesday said that it has offered the Union civil aviation ministry its "resources, aircraft and crew" to transport medicine, equipment and relief material from one part of the country to another.

GoAir said on Friday that it has offered government its aircraft, crew and airport staff to carry out emergency services and repatriation of citizens.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goodwill Industries Orange County in Santa Ana prior to the coronavirus pandemic. (Kevin Chang / Times OC)

March is normally the month when people start to think about spring cleaning, but nothing is normal right now as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country.

As people are forced to stay home and shelter in place, the pandemic has prompted many to tackle long-overlooked decluttering projects.

So much so, in fact, that Goodwill SoCal has been overwhelmed by dropoffs at stores and dropoff centers in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

We're all stuck inside: here's what to do >>>

On March 18, Goodwill SoCal closed its doors in compliance with Gov. Gavin Newsoms sweeping order for Californians to stay home and all nonessential businesses to close.

By Tuesday, the nonprofit was so overwhelmed with dropoffs that it appealed to Los Angeles residents to stop leaving discarded items at storefront entrances.

As much as we love to accept donations, we cant take them right now, said Goodwill spokesperson Marla Eby. People are dropping things off and it is becoming a health hazard, especially in the rain. We are asking people to organize their items at home and have them ready when we reopen.

Last year, Goodwill had a record year following the debut of Marie Kondos Netflix series Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. Donations, however, often slow down in the summer when many people travel. Eby hopes that people will put things away now and donate them later.

People often dont understand that we help disadvantaged people with employment, adds Eby. Veterans, people who have been incarcerated, the homeless. This is going to impact everyone. Its really important for people to know that when they donate, they are helping people get jobs.
The Government's Pandemic Strategy Is a Reckless One

The current coronavirus strategy of most governments is a recipe for a worldwide economic disaster. In many countries, the strategy of confinement and forcing shops to close is a surefire path to large-scale business failures. The cascade of economic and financial repercussions to come is likely to lead to another Great Depression. Italy, for example, already had a 135 percent debt-to-GDP ratio before the crisis. It is hard to imagine how it will be able to borrow more without mutualizing its debt with the rest of the EUsomething the northern European countries are still strongly opposed to. The European Central Bank is already printing money like crazy, and if Italy becomes another Greece, the ECB will make it ramp up the printing presses even more.

The media and politicians have taken to repeating many sensationalist claims that overstate the risks of COVID-19. To save lives in the short term, nearly the entire population of Europe is currently being held under house arrest and many businesses have been put into a preliquidation state, no longer able to realize a profit due to inactivity. The current strategy is not to stop the virus in its tracks but rather to spread the rate of contagion out over time so that the peak will be at a level that is more manageable for the healthcare system. Governments took the biased advice of healthcare professionals without weighing all the pros and cons. This prolongation in time, however, will come at a steep economic and human cost.

In the longer term more lives will be lost if we continue this strategy. How many small business owners will end their lives prematurely? In the modern era, for every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, there has typically been an increase of about 1 percent in the number of suicides. A study conducted by Brenner in 1979 found that for every 10 percent increase in the unemployment rate, mortality increased by 1.2 percent, cardiovascular disease by 1.7 percent, cirrhosis of the liver by 1.3 percent, suicides by 1.7 percent, arrests by 4 percent, and reported assaults by 0.8 percent. How many lost lives out of 300 million in the USA does a 5 percent, 10 percent, 15 percent unemployment rate represent? Even in the worst-case scenario for the virus, the total number of deaths caused by coronavirus would constitute only a small fraction of total mortality.

Researchers and drug companies are already exploring a variety of treatments. Unfortunately, FDA regulations requiring long-term testing make it virtually impossible for these drugs to be available in time to treat the effects of the virus in the near term. The same government which insists that the house is burning down is also arguing over the quality of the water poured on the fire.

The flatten the curve strategy rests on bringing the economy to a standstill. But it is important to admit that there are real costs associated with shutting down the economy, in terms of human life, education, and many other things we value. Given that economic stagnation and unemployment really do endanger human life, our current bleak choice is between many short-term deaths and a much larger long-term death toll created by impoverishment. We must return to a business-as-normal situation as soon as possible.

We need to free drugs from overbearing regulations and make them widely available (with appropriate dosage recommendations and warnings) at a market price, without the need for a prescription. We need markets to be free so that they can provide a wide choice of medications.

It is also naive to think that businesses and people wont adapt to the perceived threat. Restaurants can seat patrons several meters apart. Waiters and cooks can wear masks and gloves. There are an infinite number of innovative ways people can and will adjust. The fact that we cannot imagine a voluntary market solution does not mean that one does not exist. South Korea is a better example to emulate. Instead of an authoritarian lockdown of its people, it took a much more libertarian approach to the problem that is already having promising results.

This market-oriented strategy is obviously not without risks, but we must move away from the current defensive sixteenth-century bunker mentality and consider less disastrous economic alternatives.

Frank Hollenbeck teaches finance and economics at the International University of Geneva. He has previously held positions as a Senior Economist at the State Department, Chief Economist at Caterpillar Overseas, and as an Associate Director of a Swiss private bank. See Frank Hollenbeck's article archives.

You can subscribe to future articles by Frank Hollenbeck via this RSS feed..

 2020 Copyright Frank Hollenbeck - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Highlights Two Tesla employees in the US have tested positive for coronavirus.

The two employees reportedly did not show any symptoms of Covid-19.

All immediate co-workers of the two have been asked to work from home.

Two Tesla employees have tested positive for coronavirus, the company informed its employees in an email. Although it is not clear in which sector those employees were working, they are being quarantined, the email said.

According to reports, the employees did not show any symptoms. The company also informed that the employees' direct co-workers were directed to work from home. They were notified to quarantine and were asked to watch for symptoms.

"I feel this is important to share with everyone at Tesla not to cause stress or panic but so you hear this information directly from Tesla," Laurie Shelby, head of Tesla's environmental and safety department, said in the reported email.

The company also reassured that the likelihood of transmission is less as the staff present on the site was minimal.

Moreover, according to the email, the company had taken social distancing measures.

According to a report by Reuters, Tesla suspended its production in the San Francisco bay area vehicle factory. It also temporarily suspended its operations at its New York solar roof tile factory.

The report also suggests that non-essential workers were asked to work from home in the past week.

The news of the employees falling sick comes days after Elon Musk downplayed the risk from coronavirus. Musk, owner of Tesla, had kept the factories open for the longest time. He is seen to have downplayed the virus. On Twitter, he called the panic around coronavirus "dumb."

While replying to a couple of users Musk also tweeted, "Kids are essentially immune, but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable. Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents are probably most risky."

But gradually he seems to have realised that the world was dealing with a pandemic and offered help. Musk has said that Tesla will manufacture ventilators if there is a shortage. Musk has also donated 50,000 N95 surgical masks and various protective items to a hospital in the US.

"Working on that with Medtronic. Given NY pressing needs, we're delivering Resmed, Philips and Medtronic ventilators to NY hospitals starting tonight," Musk tweeted on Thursday.

As of now, the United States has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world. Musk tweeted Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York.
About 100 miles to the south, at the Pearl Buck Center in Eugene, Ore., matters are already grave. The center, which began in the early 1950s, is named after the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Good Earth, who had a developmentally disabled daughter. It serves about 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We have six service programs, including a preschool. Four are effectively shut down, said Margaret Theisen, the executive director. Families we work with have very limited resources.

A few weeks ago, 85 center clients were working in community jobs. Now, as the state shuts down, only 20 are. Out of 134 center employees, 80 have been laid off. Most of the upper-level staff members have taken a 25 percent pay cut.

On Wednesday, the Buck Center announced a $10,000 matching gift from Yellow Emperor, a local manufacturer of herbal supplements. Some of the funds will be used to pay the employee portion of health insurance premiums of the laid-off workers and maybe even bring one or two of them back.

Literally every day were redesigning what were doing, Ms. Theisen said.

If there is any redeeming aspect of the crisis for nonprofits, it might be this: When people are allowed to re-emerge into a changed world, there will be renewed enthusiasm for many causes. Parks and wilderness, for example, have never seemed as alluring as they do now, when so many are restricted to a walk around the block.

When this crisis fades away, perhaps attention to our great need to protect our waters and lands will be more heartfelt and understood, said Laurie Howard of the Passaic River Coalition, which has been advocating for the watershed in New York and New Jersey since 1969.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak, potential City Council candidates are up against a looming filing deadline to get on the ballot this year.

Even with the COVID-19 illness spreading, those who want to compete in the August primary are still required to collect 100 petition signatures from registered voters in their wards and submit them to the city clerks office by April 21.

If the situation with the ongoing pandemic doesnt change in the next few weeks, some worry it could keep some candidates off the ballot, since approaching people for signatures is not advisable right now and runs counter to the stay-at-home order put in place by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week.

Whitmers executive order lasts through April 13, and some predict the outbreak may continue beyond that date.

Health officials advise staying at least six feet away from others and assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

The 100-signature requirement is in Ann Arbors city charter and theres no option to pay a filing fee instead, as is allowed for candidates running for some other offices.

The April 21 filing deadline is set by the state and the city clerks office is now advocating pushing it back due to the extenuating circumstances with the global pandemic.

Its not just an Ann Arbor issue. In Michigan, candidates for many down-ballot offices are required to collect and submit signatures to qualify for the ballot by 4 p.m. April 21.

It is a ghost town. Downtown Ann Arbor desolate amid coronavirus outbreak

City Clerk Jackie Beaudry said she has reached out to the Michigan Bureau of Elections and the bureau is talking with the governors office about extending the filing deadline.

She said she also passed along the suggestion that perhaps council candidates could file by paying a fee.

That is not currently allowed, she said.

Jake Rollow, spokesman for the state elections bureau, said the bureau has asked the governor to issue an executive order to extend the filing deadline by three weeks.

Chelsea Lewis, Whitmers deputy press secretary, said several options were under review Friday, March 27.

There are many things we must consider when it comes to how to run elections in light of current circumstances, she said.

Without deadline extension, coronavirus could keep some Michigan political candidates off the ballot

There are five City Council races in Ann Arbor this year  one in each ward.

Several candidates have already filed their signatures, but some havent yet, and some who are expected to run or may run havent pulled petitions from the clerks office yet.

The following is a rundown of who has pulled petitions and who has filed signatures so far, according to information provided by the city clerks office on Friday.

All running are Democrats.

Ann Arbor ward boundaries.City of Ann Arbor

1st Ward

Lisa Disch  pulled petitions Sept. 16, filed signatures Friday.

Anne Bannister, incumbent  pulled petitions Feb. 7, hadnt filed signatures as of Friday.

2nd Ward

Linh Song  pulled petitions Feb. 10, hadnt filed signatures as of Friday.

Second Ward incumbent Jane Lumm, an independent, hasnt pulled petitions and hasnt confirmed whether she will run again. She said on Friday shes still thinking about it.

3rd Ward

Travis Radina  pulled petitions Feb. 13, filed signatures March 23 and is on the ballot.

Evan Redmond  pulled petitions Feb. 20, hadnt filed signatures as of Friday.

Third Ward incumbent Zachary Ackerman is not running.

4th Ward

Mozhgan Savabieasfahani  pulled petitions Dec. 17, filed signatures Feb. 18 and is on the ballot.

Jack Eaton, incumbent  pulled petitions Jan. 23, hadnt filed signatures as of Friday.

Jen Eyer  pulled petitions Feb. 25, filed signatures Friday.

5th Ward

Dan Michniewicz  pulled petitions Aug. 15, filed signatures Feb. 10 and is on the ballot.

Erica Briggs  pulled petitions Sept. 13, filed signatures March 20 and is on the ballot.

Fifth Ward incumbent Chip Smith is not running.

Song said on Friday she finished collecting well over 100 signatures a while ago and was making an appointment to file them with the clerks office.

Eaton, D-4th Ward, said there may be a few other emerging candidates who havent pulled petitions yet.

He said hes still contemplating how hes going to finish collecting signatures he still needs to get.

One strategy, he said, would be to print out 100 different petition sheets so lots of people dont have to handle the same sheet, and they could use their own pens instead of the same pen.

Typically I just walk door to door, Eaton said, adding hes thought about leaving petitions on porches to avoid person-to-person contact, but even that isnt a great solution.

Weve got a few weeks yet, he said, suggesting hell figure out a strategy, though he did express concerns the circumstances could keep some candidates off the ballot.

Since the 100-signature requirement is in the city charter, Eaton said hes not sure if the governor has the power to set it aside, though the filing deadline could be extended.

Bannister, D-1st Ward, said her campaign had already collected 50-plus signatures before the crisis.

Now shes waiting to see what the state does, she said, expressing hopes of an order from the governor for a solution such as an extension or a way to receive signatures digitally.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

First challenger announces 2020 campaign for Ann Arbor City Council

Ann Arbor library board leader announces City Council campaign

LGBTQ activist running for Ann Arbor council, Ackerman wont seek re-election

Former journalist running for Ann Arbor City Council

Anti-Israel activist and environmentalist running for Ann Arbor council

Walking and cycling advocate running for Ann Arbor council

Zingermans baker, democratic socialist announces Ann Arbor council campaign
Additional reporting from Press Association

There has been an unprecedented demand for income support during the Covid-19 crisis, the Government has said.

The level of demand for financial help has seen staff at the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection dealing with the equivalent of 10 months of unemployment claims in just 10 days.

Workers who have lost their job because of the crisis can apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment or Jobseekers Allowance.

In a Government briefing on Friday morning, Liz Canavan, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Taoiseach, said that claims were paid earlier this week and today.

We have experienced unprecedented demand for income supports including the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker payments since 13th March.



The level of demand equates to 10 months normal claim-load in just 10 working days.@welfare_ie #Covid19Ireland  MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) March 27, 2020

She added: We have experienced an unprecedented demand for income supports during the Covid-19, both pandemic unemployment benefits and jobseekers payments since March 13.

The level of demand equates to 10 months normal claim load in just 10 days.

Those claims have been processed as fast as possible and payments for 90% of those claims received by last Thursday or issued last Friday reached bank accounts on Tuesday 24.

Likewise, nearly all payments received by close of business yesterday, will be putting to payment today.

We also want to recognise and support the huge number of Irish people who are still working and who are now, for the coming coming weeks, working from home in the interest of reducing the spread of Covid-19.

For many this will also be a new experience, and its important to continue to prioritise your health no matter where youre working.

Apply online for #COVID19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment at https://t.co/6jdBzjA0Bx. You can also cancel claims online



For details on the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme see https://t.co/Cc9cxfkNbe



#COVID19 Income Support Helpline is open 9am-5pm: 01-2481398/1890-800-024 pic.twitter.com/xuMsDJcG2L  Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) March 27, 2020

It also emerged that Irish tourists stranded in Peru will return home after diplomatic clearance was given for a repatriation flight in the coming days.

A number of Irish backpackers were unable to leave Peru and appealed to the Government for help.

The Peruvian government has enforced tight travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: Following a call between the Tanaiste (Simon Coveney) and the Peruvian foreign ministry, diplomatic clearance has been given for a repatriation flight in the next few days.

Arrangements are still being made for internal transport for citizens in locations such as Cusco to get to Lima.

 Information update on Peru 



The arrangements  to bring our citizens home from Peru as soon as possible are not affected and @IrlEmbChile is keeping all our citizens in Peru, especially in Cusco, informed. https://t.co/hJOEvlUIMj  Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) March 25, 2020

Our embassy in Santiago is in contact with our citizens on the ground in Peru keeping them informed.

The Government announced that bus and train timetables will be cut back to 80% because of social distancing.

Ms Canavan explained: Public transport is important to ensure that other vital services and workers can get to the place where theyre doing their important job.

However, we will be making some changes in response to social distancing requirements and the level of service demand.

Revised timetables for Iarnrod Eireann will come into effect on Monday March 30, while those for Dublin Bus, Go Ahead Ireland and Bus Eireann will come into effect from Wednesday April 1.

Under the revised timetable services will run at approximately 80% of current levels.

While passenger numbers on public transport services are down, there are some services that will continue to have heavier loading and this could potentially lead to issues with social distancing requirements.

With some fleet and driver resources being freed up under the new schedules, additional vehicles will be provided for services where there is greater demand which will address those physical distancing concerns.
But at least one lawmaker is considering upending the plans for swift passage. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he opposed the bill, approved unanimously by the Senate on Wednesday, as it would add to the national debt. The libertarian lawmaker also is concerned that voting without a quorum present  the majority of the House chamber  would violate the Constitution. He said he has yet to decide whether to press the issue, which could delay a House vote until late Saturday or Sunday.
Whatever businesses are left in Connecticut upon the lifting of the commercial restrictions imposed because of the virus epidemic may be grateful for the virus in one respect. For it may have greatly curtailed this years session of the General Assembly.

The legislature has recessed indefinitely and wonders if it can convene again as long as social distancing policy remains in effect. Legislative leaders seem inclined to keep letting Governor Lamont rule by decree for a while, and fortunately the governor is not imperious like some governors. Indeed, the conscientiousness, comprehensiveness, and competence of the governor and his staff have been effective and reassuring.

But if the Legislature remained in session, its new far-left majority likely would be pressing the governor with more plans to raise business costs and taxes and drive more productivity out of the state.

While the governors restrictions on economic and social activity have been careful, considerate, and mild, they still will inflict great financial losses on businesses and workers alike, as is happening in many other states. Ordinary state unemployment insurance and one-time stipends of $1,200 or so from the federal government wont pay the rent or mortgage or buy food and sustain medical insurance for households whose breadwinners have been furloughed or laid off because of government-mandated social distancing. Many of these people are on the verge of being ruined.

Thats why the federal government is obliged to try what Denmark has already done and what Britain is considering doing amid the dislocation caused by the virus: reimbursing employers for keeping on the payroll workers who otherwise would be furloughed or laid off because governments emergency rules have made normal business impossible. Its hardly fair for government to keep paying its own employees when theyre not working or purportedly working from home while private-sector workers  taxpayers  face ruin.

The trillions of dollars instantly created by the Federal Reserve and bestowed on business and financial interests here and abroad in recent days have demonstrated that governments ability to create money is essentially infinite, limited only by the danger of outrunning national production and devaluing the currency. That is, to keep the country together and minimize suffering, money need be no object. Any country that, while its people are suffering so much, continues to spend billions every month in stupid imperial wars and military occupations like those in Afghanistan and Iraq should be compelled to reconsider its priorities immediately.

Chris Powell is a columnist for the Journal Inquirer in Manchester.
A Manitoba couple from St. Leon is still stuck in Peru after not getting a seat on Tuesdays repatriation flight back to Canada, continuing a more than week-long process trying to get home.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

A Manitoba couple from St. Leon is still stuck in Peru after not getting a seat on Tuesdays repatriation flight back to Canada, continuing a more than week-long process trying to get home.

Lorraine Grenier said she and her husband, Allen, have been in Peru since March 5. They were originally scheduled to return on March 17, but COVID-19-related flight cancellations and border closures mean they have been trapped in the South American country.

Lorraine and Allen Grenier. (Submitted)

They join thousands of other Canadians in the country waiting to come back. Lorraine estimates there were approximately 2,600 Canadians in Peru before Tuesdays flight.

In total, 423,000 Canadians have registered with the voluntary Registration of Canadians Abroad Service, which allows the federal government to notify travellers about emergencies at home or abroad.

"Its a waiting game," Lorraine said over email on Wednesday. There are two more repatriation flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday, but the couple isnt guaranteed a seat on either one of those.

She said Canadians in Peru get an email from the Canadian embassy with a code in it, which can be used to book a seat on the flights arranged with Air Canada. The issue is some people are sharing their codes in Facebook groups or other online groups, which can prevent people who got an email from booking a flight.

"We spent all day (Tuesday) waiting for the Thursday flight. Nothing. Stayed up all night in shifts to be ready if came in. Nothing. The logistics to bookings are not refined and the systems crash," she said.

"For now we wait for email with the third flight code. Nothing else we can do."

Commercial flights have also been cancelled until May. Lorraine said she wants to see the federal government schedule more repatriation flights to get the rest of the Canadians in Peru back home.

The Canadian embassy in Peru so far hasnt been of much help, Lorraine said. The couple walk from their hotel to the embassy two or three times per day, but she said they are told to wait for the booking code.

She said the embassy didnt tell Canadians in Peru the border was to be closed at midnight on March 16 until the afternoon that same day.

A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said there may be delays or disruptions in some consular services due to limitations around the world. The spokesperson could not comment on the specific case of the Greniers or about Peru.

"Global Affairs Canada is fully aware of the very stressful situation many Canadians abroad are currently facing as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. We are doing everything we can to provide assistance under these unprecedented circumstances," an emailed statement from the department reads.

"Each consular case is different, and the type and amount of help consular officials can give depends on the situation. Due to the provisions under the Privacy Act, Global Affairs does not disclose information pertaining to specific consular cases."

Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance from anywhere in the world can call the 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at +1 613-996-8885 (collect calls are accepted where available) or email sos@international.gc.ca.

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
As coronavirus grounds airlines, plunging the industry into unprecedented crisis, Middle East carriers that have been in the red for years must urgently tap assistance from governments facing their own revenue slump. Authorities across the region have taken draconian measures to curb the disease, closing airports and halting passenger flights, and bringing major hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi to a standstill. The Arab Air Carriers' Organization (AACO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have appealed for urgent financial aid from governments, warning that inaction will imperil the industry's future. "The airline industry faces its gravest crisis ... For airlines, it's apocalypse now," IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac said this week. International airlines have in the past bitterly criticised Middle East carriers for receiving official support from governments flush with oil revenue, claiming that it undermines free competition. But the pandemic that has forced regional fleets out of the skies has also sent energy markets into a tailspin as demand dries up, triggering a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia as they rush to grab market share. With the oil price plummeting, London-based Capital Economics tipped the region's economy to contract by 1.7 percent this year, the worst in almost four decades -- limiting governments' ability to continue funding national airlines. - Help required - The AACO, which represents some 30 Arab public and private carriers, has called for support packages including tax relief, waivers of a string of fees and charges, and help with new virus-related costs. "AACO sees the above measures as very important for governments to adopt in order to avoid a scenario where airlines would not be able to provide the public with convenient services," it said in a statement. It warned that without action, the post-coronavirus era will see a thinner line-up of carriers that will deprive regional passengers of the choice they enjoyed in the past. IATA, which represents 290 airlines worldwide, said that 2020 revenues of Middle Eastern carriers, which operate over 1,300 aircraft, are expected to drop by $19 billion, a 39-percent decline over last year. The impact on the region's air transport sector imperils at least 800,000 jobs and could result in the loss of tens of millions of passengers this year, it warned. - Swift cuts - Qatar Airways, the second largest in the region, is among a few carriers that are still operating through the crisis, though at just 40 percent of its schedule. "We have adjusted operations. There is still demand regarding the repatriation business," its chief strategy and transformation officer Thierry Antinori told AFP, describing its services as the "last lifeline" for many. He declined to comment on the prospect of staff layoffs, but said employees have been offered unpaid leave. Other airlines have resorted to deep cost-cutting measures without delay, and cuts to the region's $100 billion worth of aircraft orders may be on the cards. "If government support is not provided, carriers may be forced to cancel orders," Muhammad AlBakri, IATA vice president for Africa and the Middle East, told AFP. Dubai's Emirates Airline, the largest carrier in the region and one of the world's biggest, slashed staff salaries by between 25 percent and 50 percent for three months, saying the measure was designed to avoid layoffs. Emirates is among a few regional airlines which have been posting profits, but those profits have moderated in recent years amid an economic slowdown. Many of the 19 state-owned Arab carriers have been posting losses, forcing governments to plug the gap. Etihad Airways, based in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, has suffered $5.5 billion in losses in the past four years and was already undergoing restructuring. Its chief executive Tony Douglas posted a video this week offering assurance that "afterwards when we all want to get back to our normal lives, we want to travel, Etihad will still be there". But Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker said many airlines will go bust as demand for travel is ravaged, and that the future of the industry will depend on which airlines take "very clever, very prudent decisions". "People that were bragging about not taking state aid and being independent are now themselves all over the world asking for state aid," he told Bloomberg Television, predicting many airlines will go "belly up". "In this very difficult period, it will only be the survival of the fittest." Emirates aircraft grounded at Dubai international Airport after the carrier suspended all passenger operations amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker warned it will be "survival of the fittest" for the airline industry devastated by the coronavirus epidemic
A well-known California restaurateur has filed a lawsuit against a unit of The Hartford, seeking a declaration that the owners commercial insurance policy covers losses caused by a statewide business shutdown ordered to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by the owner of the French Laundry and the Bouchon Bistro in the Napa Valley community of Yountville, follows a similar suit by the Oceana Grill in New Orleans against a Lloyds of London insurer. Both actions challenge an argument by insurance defense attorneys that business interruptions in reaction to the coronavirus are not covered losses under most business insurance policies.

As it happens, the same attorney who filed the Oceana Grill lawsuit  John Houghtaling II of Metairie, Louisiana  is assisting with the California lawsuit.

To avoid payments for a civil authority shut down the insurance industry is pushing out deceptive propaganda that the virus does not cause a dangerous condition to property, Houghtaling said in a press release. This is a lie, its untrue factually and legally.

French Laundry and Bouchon Bistro are both owned by Thomas Keller, whom Houghtaling said is the only chef to have been awarded simultaneous three-star ratings by Michelin guides for two different restaurants.

Continuing the Business Interruption Discussion Bill Wilson: Does Business Income Insurance Cover Coronavirus Shutdowns? Christopher Boggs: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Does Business Income Respond? Lawsuit: Restaurant Tests Business Interruption Insurance for Coronavirus Shutdowns Legislation: N.J. Bill Would Require Insurers to Pay COVID-19 Business Interruption Claims Politics: Pressure Builds on Insurers to Be Part of Coronavirus Business Solution

Kellers lawsuit says his policy with The Hartford Fire Insurance Co. does not have an exclusion for a viral pandemic. In fact, a Property Choice Deluxe Form in the policy extends coverage for a loss or damage due to virus. The suit says Kellers KRM Inc. had to furlough 300 employees after shutting down the restaurants because of an order issued by the Napa County public health officer on March 18 allows take-out and delivery only.

The suit asks the Napa County Superior Court to declare that the order constitutes a prohibition of access to the restaurants and that it triggers coverage under the insurance policy.

A Native American tribe on Tuesday sued a group of insurance companies, asking a court to declare that losses it is incurring from shutting down its casinos during the coronavirus pandemic are covered by insurance. Among the defendants named in the lawsuit filed by the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma state court are several underwriters for insurance marketplace Lloyds of London, a unit of American International Group Inc. and XL Insurance America, now part of AXA SA.

Houghtaling said in a press release that restaurants across the United States are struggling because of the coronavirus.

This entire sector is crippled by a nationwide public health shutdown impacting countless livelihoods, he said. We need insurance companies to do the right thing and save millions of jobs.

Houghtaling said his first lawsuit in Louisiana was triggered in part by a March 12 article written by Shannon OMalley, a partner with Zelle law firm in Dallas. She wrote that insurance policies that cover business-interruption expenses generally require a physical loss to trigger coverage, and that physical loss cant be based merely on a supposition that coronavirus might be present.

She said even coverage that applies specifically to orders by civil authorities is contingent on actual physical property damage, not just the fear of contagion. OMalley said: unless the insured can prove that an order of civil authority was directly due to property damage at or near the insureds location, the policys civil authority provision should not apply.

The Hartford had no comment on the lawsuit. The property/casualty insurance industry has been mostly united behind the defense that most business interruption policies exclude coverage for pandemics and require physical damage to occur on the site.

Sean Kevelighan, president and CEO of the Insurance Information Institute (III), told regulators recently that while there is now pressure for insurers to cover business interruption resulting from a pandemic, insurers have investigated and modeled pandemic scenarios as they do other catastrophes and found it is not feasible to underwrite the risk in a way policyholders would be able to buy.

It is important to appreciate that as much as this is a catastrophe of historic magnitude, there are more on the horizonhurricanes, wildfires, floodsand we must remain prepared in the way that we have long-planned, so again, we can continue act as the financial first responder that we have been for several centuries, Kevelighan stated.

David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty insurers, said that it is important to defeat efforts to imposed retroactive coverage. He stressed that the current surplus funds and loss reserves of the industry are there to pay claims under policies as they have been underwritten and not to pay claims not anticipated. Sampson said business interruption issues are at such a scale in this pandemic that a federal solution is needed.

Im sorry to tell you up front, but the short simple answer is, no, there is no coverage. The longer answer is a bit more complicated, even though the ultimate answer is the same  no coverage, wrote Christopher Boggs, in his Big I Insights blog this week, writing for insurance agents whom he said are being asked regularly by their clients if there is coverage. Boggs is executive director, Big I Virtual University of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.

About the photo: The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, Calif. Photo courtesy of Thomas Keller Group.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers COVID-19 Agencies Property
New Delhi: Indian benchmark indices opened in green with Nifty above 9,000 level and Sensex up by 3.60% on Friday, hours ahead of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das's press conference.

At 09:16 hrs IST, the Sensex is up 1,079.02 points or 3.60% at 31025.79, and the Nifty up 366.00 points or 4.24% at 9007.45. About 505 shares have advanced, 62 shares declined, and 34 shares are unchanged.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will address a press conference on Friday, a day after the Centre announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore economic package for the countrys poor hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.

Indian rupee gained in the early trade on Friday. It has opened higher by 46 paise at 74.69 per dollar against previous close of 75.15.

In the pre-opening session, Benchmark indices were trading positive with Nifty around 8900.

At 09:01 hrs IST, the Sensex is up 855.49 points or 2.86% at 30802.26, and the Nifty up 257.95 points or 2.99% at 8899.40.
You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person.



Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday said asylum seekers had pulled back from the border with Turkey, with reports citing coronavirus fears as the reason.

"Apparently, the makeshift camp that had been created after (March 1) has been dismantled and those who were at the Evros border (area) have moved away," Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting via teleconference.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu on Thursday said that 4,600 migrants were still waiting in the border area of Kastanies, known as Pazarkule in Turkey.

On Thursday evening, the asylum seekers were evacuated by bus to facilities where they will be quarantined for two weeks to make sure they have not been infected with the new coronavirus, Turkish agency DHA reported.

Turkish authorities dismantled the makeshift camp in Pazarkule after the migrants left, DHA said, adding that the evacuation was carried out "at the migrants' request".

State TV ERT said that Turkish police had set fire to the camp before leaving.

Mitsotakis on Friday said the move would not alter Greece's plans to bolster its border fence.

"A chapter may be closing, but have no doubt that this battle continues," the PM told ministers, according to his office.

"(There is a need) to strengthen the fence and reorganise forces without complacency," the PM's office said.

Tens of thousands of asylum seekers tried to break through the land border from Turkey after Ankara at the end of February announced it would no longer prevent people from trying to cross into the European Union.

For days, there were skirmishes on the border as migrants trying to break through threw stones at Greek riot police who fired tear gas at them.

Turkish police also bombarded Greek forces with tear gas at regular intervals, and Athens accused Turkish police of handing out wire cutters to migrants to help them break through the fence.

Hundreds of asylum seekers also landed on the five Greek islands near Turkey where there are already over 36,000 migrants and refugees in overcrowded, unhygienic camps.

After Mitsotakis invited EU leaders to witness the situation, 100 officers from EU border agency Frontex were sent to the land border.

"It is important to have a regular (EU) presence on Evros and the islands," the PM's office said Friday.

Ankara accused Athens of beating migrants and firing live rounds at them, alleging that several people died of bullet injuries.The Greek government categorically denied using undue force.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I think of you, Forche writes, in that sea of graves beyond the city, / where many stones have been left, among them, / mine. In the Lateness of the World is a testament to the aftermath of human culture, where all varieties of stone, from a little piece of dolomite to mudstone from temples and tombs, mark the turmoil of history. But it is not just aftermath that interests Forche. This collection carries forward her project to document the struggles of people experiencing political disaster. In a departure from her previous work, she recognizes suffering cannot be centered as a merely human story: In the sea, they say, there is an island made of bottles and other trash. / Plastic bags become clouds and the air a place for opportunistic birds. Steeped in images of sea and border crossings, travel papers and suitcases, the poets extraordinary diction coupled with direct address generates a sense of empathy for the dispossessed. In Exile, one of three tender poems addressed to her former student, the prizewinning poet Ilya Kaminsky, Forche imagines his return to Odessa, a city he fled in his youth. A ghostly encounter with Kaminskys dead father maps deep layers of political trauma: you visit again together the amusement park where / your ancestors are buried, and then go home to the apartment house / built by German prisoners of war, to whom your father gave bread. Forches belief that it is the poets responsibility to speak truth from these wounded cities creates poems that are sometimes difficult to reckon with even as they soar in moments of unexpected beauty.

HOMIE

Poems

By Danez Smith

84 pp. Graywolf. Paper, $16.
The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories discussed with regional authorities the formation of an administrative-territorial structure of a subregional level in Vinnytsia, Volyn, Donetsk, Zhytomyr, Kherson and Khmelnytsky regions.

"In the process of forming new districts (boroughs, counties, or whatever they are called), it is important to remember that they are created exclusively for the organization of state power at the local level. These will not be the areas where people need to go for services: administrative, social, medical and others. We transfer all services to the level of valid communities. In the districts there will only be services that will coordinate the activities of state bodies, and therefore there's nothing to 'go for to the district,'" said Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Nehoda during a video conference with regions.

According to the press service of the ministry, in the Volyn region, the regional administration proposes to create four districts: Volodymyrr-Volynsky, Kamin-Kashyrsky, Kovelsky and Lutsky.

In the Zhytomyr region, the regional administration offers five project districts: Zhytomyr, Berdychiv, Korostensky, Malynsky and Novohrad-Volynsky.

In the Khmelnytsky region, the regional administration also proposes to create five project districts: Horodotsky, Kamyanets-Podilsky, Starokostiantynivsky, Shepetivsky and Khmelnytsky.

In the Donetsk region, the regional administration offers eight districts: five in the territory under Kyiv's control (Bakhmutsky, Kramatorsky, Pokrovsky, Mariupolsky, Volnovakhsky) and three districts in the temporarily occupied territory (Horlivsky, Donetsky, Kalmiusky).

In the Vinnytsia region, the regional administration proposed creating five districts: Vinnytsky, Mohyliv-Podilsky, Tulchynsky, Haysynsky, Khmelnytsky (Kalynovsky).

In the Kherson region, the regional administration proposed creating up to six districts, half of which do not meet the parameters regarding the number of residents. Experts and other participants in the meeting suggest creating three project districts: Novokakhovsky, Henichesky, and Khersonsky.
Five people including four in Madhya Pradesh and one in Chandigarh were tested positive for COVID-19.

Among four in Madhya Pradesh include three from Indore and one from Ujjain.

Men from Indore are of ages- 60 years, 42 years and 23 years and the man from Ujjain is 23-year-old, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore said.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Administration said that a 22-year-old male residing in Sector-30, Chandigarh with a history of travel to Dubai has been diagnosed as the eighth COVID-19 positive cases in the Union Territory, as per report received from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER).

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier reported that the number of people who tested positive for coronavirus rose to 724 in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malayalam film Ayyappanum Koshiyum, which released in February this year, is now being remade in Telugu and Tamil. Starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon in the lead, the action-thriller had garnered rave reviews from the critics and director Sachy was lauded by many for dishing out a masterpiece. No wonder, Suryadevara Naga Vamsi bought the Telugu remake rights within no time.

Now, if the latest grapevine is true then superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna and Rana Daggubati may star in the Telugu version of Sachy's directorial venture Ayyappanum Koshiyum. Yes, according to a report in 123telugu.com, the makers are considering to rope in these two actors for the lead roles. If things fall into place then Balakrishna will essay the role of Biju Menon whereas Rana will reprise Prithiviraj's character in Ayyappanum Koshiyum remake.

Not too long ago, there were rumours about Jr NTR playing Sukumaran's role in the Telugu remake. Later, it was being said that Manchu Vishnu was also a contender in the running but now it seems Rana is likely to bag this coveted project. Well, if that happens then it would be a visual delight to see him share screen space with Balakrishna in a gripping action-thriller. However, no official announcement regarding the casting has been made until now.

Currently, the Baahubali actor is awaiting the release of his film Aranya which was initially scheduled to release on April 2. The movie has now been postponed due to the Coronavirus crisis. As for Nandamuri Balakrishna, he will next be seen in Boyapati Srinu's directorial venture alongside Shriya Saran and Nayanthara.

Ayyappanum Koshiyum Telugu Remake Rights Are Bagged By The Makers Of Ala Vaikunthapurramloo
A UK charity is working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University in an effort to train dogs to sniff out the novel coronavirus within six weeks to provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis, a media report said on Friday.

The charity, Medical Detection Dogs, which already does pioneering work in cancer research and diabetes detection, believes that dogs can smell coronavirus, a newspaper report said. "Dogs searching for COVID-19 would be trained in the same way as those dogs the charity has already trained to detect diseases like cancer, Parkinson's and bacterial infections by sniffing samples in the charity's training room and indicating when they have found it" the newspaper quoted Medical Detection Dogs as saying in a statement.

They (dogs) are also able to detect subtle changes in temperature of the skin, so could potentially tell if someone has a fever. Once trained, dogs could also be used to identify travellers entering the country infected with the virus or be deployed in other public spaces. Claire Guest, CEO and co-founder of the charity said, "In principle, we're sure that dogs could detect COVID-19. We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odour of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs. The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic and tell us whether they need to be tested. This would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed."

"Our previous work demonstrated that dogs can detect odours from humans with a malaria infection with extremely high accuracy, above the World Health Organisation standards for a diagnostic. "We know that other respiratory diseases like COVID-19, change our body odour so there is a very high chance that dogs will be able to detect it," a newspaper quoted Professor James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as saying.

Professor Steve Lindsay at Durham University added, "If the research is successful, we could use COVID-19 detection dogs at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus. This would help prevent the re-emergence of the disease after we have brought the present epidemic under control." A total of 11,812 people in the UK have ben infected with the novel coronavirus while 580 others died.
Police have arrested one of the men they believe is responsible for looting hundreds of rolls of toilet paper from Sydney supermarkets.

A six-day manhunt has kept New South Wales police on their toes after two men were caught on camera allegedly stealing more than 500 rolls from four stores in the western suburbs.

A man was arrested after being pulled over by police on Vaugan Street in Lidcombe on Friday afternoon for his alleged involvement in the robberies.

Charges were being finalised on Friday night by New South Wales police. The other alleged offender is still on the run from police.



Police released images from a CCTV camera showing two men offloading toilet paper in a Woolworths storage area

Police launched a hunt on Sunday after four Woolworths supermarkets in Sydney were targeted by toilet paper thieves.

CCTV footage showed two men offloading the product from trolleys after allegedly breaking into the storage area of retailers in Granville and Auburn on Sunday night.

The stores were among four targeted by the thieves between 7pm and 830pm across the western suburbs.

However attempts to secure goods from stores as Bass Hill and Lidcombe were unsuccessful.

Police say one of the man also threatened a supermarket employee with a knife during the alleged robbery at the Auburn store.

Police released CCTV footage from outside the supermarket to try and track down the men responsible

Police released CCTV footage from outside the supermarket to try and track down the men responsible.

New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott condemned the criminal behaviour after the appeal on Tuesday.

'I support any measures taken by police to protect our communities from this sort of disgraceful criminal activity, ' he said.

'The people of New South Wales will not tolerate criminal behaviour at any time let alone during this crisis.

'People need to grow up and look out for our most vulnerable.'

The alleged theft followed weeks of toilet paper shortages after panic buyers cleared supermarket shelves of loo roll to stockpile for the coronavirus pandemic.

Some shoppers have even become embroiled in ugly confrontations over the limited stock.

Supermarkets have been forced to enforce purchasing restrictions and customers are only allowed one packet per person.

The alleged theft comes after weeks of toilet paper shortages that came as panic buyers cleared supermarket shelves of loo roll

Supplies of toilet paper are plentiful in Australia but supermarkets had been selling six weeks worth of the product in a single day, putting severe strain on the supply chain.

Police were even forced to hand out toilet paper at a Woolworths store in Sydney last week.

Footage of from inside the store showed people eagerly lining up for the much sought-after product.

Rolls of toilet paper are even being sold for extortionate prices on websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Facebook's Marketplace.

One advertisement on Facebook listed a single roll for $100, while another was seemingly charging $200.

Another tongue-in-cheek message offered a roll for $1,000 - or $10 per sheet.
If you thought dating was complicated before, buckle up. Up until recently, the path to finding true love was plagued by ghosting, catfishing and benching, among other nefarious forms of behaviour. Now, the path is plagued quite literally  and you are not even allowed to leave your house to step on it.

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, people around the world are now spending their days stuck indoors, which, for singletons means that late-night video calls and sneaking in some self-love while your housemates are asleep is about as saucy as things are likely to get for quite some time. Gone are the days of first dates IRL, seeing them in person for the first time, getting butterflies in your stomach as their hand brushes your shoulder. Who knows how long until we will hold another persons hand without fighting the urge to soak it in sanitiser first?

Less than one week into the lockdown and weve already witnessed the impact on dating: take the BBC journalist who went viral for tweeting about isolating with a man she had just met on Hinge. Apparently, it has been going rather well and the couple recently celebrated their weekaversary (one week of isolation) with a unicorn Easter egg. Elsewhere a virtual matchmaking project called Love is Quarantine, based off of Netflixs hit reality series Love is Blind, is busy setting people up on blind virtual dates.

Although this all makes for a fun anecdote, there are also more serious implications to the changes, especially when the UK is already known as the loneliness capital of Europe  we even have our own minister for loneliness. The dearth of physical contact as prompted by the pandemic could severely hinder peoples mental wellbeing, particularly if they are one of the 7.7 million Britons living alone.

Dating apps have reported a surge in users: Bumble reported a 35 per cent increase in the average number of messages sent since the outbreak began, in addition to a surge in voice and video calls using the app. Tinder has also noticed a major spike in user activity  with conversation lengths up to 30 per cent longer than they were last month, which is not surprising considering everyone has more time on their hands to think of snappy pick up lines to woo someone into well, a locked Houseparty conversation.

Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Show all 12 1 /12 Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Agnetha Septimus, Matthew Septimus, and children Ezra and Nora Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Husband and wife filmmakers, Claire Ince and Ancil McKain pose for a portrait for the series by Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Stephen Lovekin, shot around the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Khadijah Silver and son Eliot Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Anna Beth Rousakis and daughter Mary Rousakis Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Mike Pergola and Denise Pergola with children Henry, Jack, and Will Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Artist Shirley Fuerst Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Jean Davis and Danny Rosenthal, with children Simone, Naomi, and Leah Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Robert E Clark Jr Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Lisa Draho and Josh Zuckerman, with children Ruby and Ava Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Professor and activist Dr Kristin Lawler Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Tom Smith and Laura Ross, with daughters Caroline, Elizabeth, and Abigail Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock Words at the window: Social isolation and the Coronavirus Callie Lovekin and Lucas Lovekin Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

As we are now entering the initial phase of physical distancing, were expecting these and other user behaviour trends to evolve as more and more people are looking for ways to engage in one-on-one virtual connections, a Bumble spokesperson tells The Independent.

Of course, in todays digitised dating world, its not exactly rare for romance to blossom from behind a screen  it just isnt supposed to stay there indefinitely. Nonetheless, psychologist Daria Kuss tells The Independent that it is completely doable for a relationship to flourish in the virtual sphere. Making use of technology to stay connected, to speak and see each other regularly and to engage in shared online activities may foster a strong emotional bond between a couple.

This has certainly been the case for 21-year-old London-based student Candice, who explains on The Independents Millennial Love podcast how she and her partner of two months have been keeping in touch via FaceTime since she was forced to return to her hometown in France before the border closed.

It has sped things up quite a bit and we have spent entire evenings speaking, she said. We know we wont see each other for at least two to three months, but its actually been really nice as we have been focusing on getting to know each other more deeply without our physical attraction getting in the way.

With casual sex off the table, coronavirus has somehow wound the clocks back on the dating scene, with connections such as Candices mirroring more archaic dating rituals. A period of virtuality in a relationship appears reminiscent of the more traditional courtship period, explains Kuss.

In these instances, a couple would spend more time getting to know each other. Traditionally in straight couples, this would involve the man wooing the woman with his attention and affection to foster his intentions of a lasting partnership. Therefore, virtual relationships, especially in the early stages, can be considered modern-day courtship, she says.

Couples in longer-term relationships arent immune from the pandemic impact either. Thanks to the lockdown, those who already live together will be spending far more time together than normal  cue endless rows about the TV remote and whose turn it is to buy toilet roll  and those who dont risk spending weeks or even months apart unless they decide to test the strength of their relationship and move in together as the British government suggested earlier this week.

Dating psychologist Madeleine Mason Roantree tells The Independent there is no better time for unmarried couples to see whether or not their relationship can go the distance. Its through difficult times that couples come together and find a new shared meaning, she explains.

When we show one another compassion and vulnerability something magical can happen. While inevitable frictions will occur, being stuck together could be the very thing that shows you how compatible you and your partner really are, Roantree adds.

For some people, like 30-year-old DJ Harriet Rose, unexpected move-ins are going surprisingly swimmingly. Rose has just started living with a woman she has been dating for two months. Its pretty chilled really, we are just being really open and honest about everything and giving each other lots of space, she tells Millennial Love. Its all very relaxed.

Things arent quite as rosy, though, for 24-year-old digital marketing manager Lauren, who has also moved in with her partner of two months along with the rest of his family in their countryside home. We went for a short visit and have ended up having to stay for God knows how long, she explains.

As Laurens story shows, a persons love in the time of corona experience can be defined by good or bad timing  and some couples have got theirs spectacularly wrong. Like 33-year-old Ciara from Ireland, who recently broke up with her boyfriend and has had to continue living with him. God knows how long well be sharing a bed together, Ciara laments on Millennial Love.

 'I am now self-isolating' Boris Johnson shares video message after testing positive for coronavirus

Some couples are even risking punishment in order to see each other: an Italian couple were recently caught mid-copulation in a car despite being forbidden to leave the house except for essential reasons. The wily duo had apparently tried to hide away in a park  top marks for effort.

Nobody knows how long this will go on for, and with many of us now living in intense and confined conditions, who knows what the long-lasting implications will be for our relationships. Could this mark the beginning of a new era for modern dating? Will terms like ghosting and breadcrumbing be rendered obsolete as new phrases like vanishing (abstaining from all tech communication for hours at a time to prevent your eyes from turning into squares) and lunch-houring (virtually dating someone purely so you have someone to speak to on your lunch hour) emerge?

In these strange and extraordinary times, everything about love is precarious. Except, perhaps, for the very basic fact that we all probably need it now more than ever before.
Range Rover has just reached another milestone. The UK-based car marque celebrated the Range Rovers 50th anniversary. And part of the celbdration is creating a giant piece of sub-zero art at the heart of its cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden. The 260m-wide artwork filled the center of the steering pad at the test track where all future Land Rover models are put through their paces during development.

range rover

Land Rovers Arjeplog facility uses a frozen lake to provide the perfect conditions for engineers to test and assess the latest models. Renowned snow artist Simon Beck created the 53,092 square meter anniversary logo by walking more than 45,000 steps across the powdery surface inside the steering pad, accompanied by a quartet of the latest Range Rover SV models, Land Rover said in their official press release. Land Rovers best engineers, craftsmen and women at Special Vehicle Operations have been designing and producing the fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive Range Rover models in the luxury SUVs 50-year history since 2014.

range rover

Im really looking forward to June because the Range Rover family will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of Britains finest exports and Ill be defending my world title belts, shares British professional boxer and two time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua Obe. Ill be travelling to my fight with Kubrat Pulev in London on 20 June in my new personalized Range Rover SV Autobiography and I cant think of a better way to arrive. Nothing can match its combination of comfort and capabilityI guess thats what you get after five decades of experience. The acclaimed Range Rover family will mark 50 years of pioneering innovation and peerless refinement on June 2020, on the anniversary of the introduction of the two-door Range Rover in 1970. Since then, the Range Rover family has expanded into one of the most iconic SUV lineups in the world, consisting of the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar. The first ever Range Rover that signified the beginning of an era was the four-wheel drive SUV that introduced anti-lock brakes, electronic Traction Control and Automatic Electronic Air Suspension.

Story continues

range rover

Over five decades the Range Rover has evolved into the most desirable luxury SUV in the world. Its peerless combination of sophisticated design, refinement and capability has struck an emotional chord with customers all over the globe,says Prof. Gerry McGovern Obe, Chief Creative Officer of Land Rover. Four examples were given to Joshua to play with, as he learned to navigate the slippery 260m-diameter steering pad and negotiate the various ice tracks carved into the frozen lake. These cars are as follows:

Range Rover SVAutobiography  Long-wheelbase pinnacle of the family is the most elegant and refined Range Rover ever, mixing airline-style Executive Seats and power-close rear doors with a choice of engines that includes an efficient Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrain.

Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic  Standard-wheelbase Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic combines heightened interior refinement with 565PS Supercharged V8 pace for a compelling mix of driver-focused performance, sophisticated luxury and all-terrain capability.

Range Rover Sport SVR  The biggest selling SV model to date and the fastest and most dynamic Range Rover ever produced. The latest 575PS Range Rover Sport SVR can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds (0-60mph in 4.3 seconds) and hit a top speed of 283km/h (176mph).

Range Rover Velar SVA Dynamic  The World Car Design of the Year 2018 re-engineered to deliver heightened comfort and performance, providing effortless grand touring in an understated yet purposeful package.

Also Read:
Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week nearly five times the previous record set in 1982 amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is inflicting on the economy. Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs.

Layoffs are sure to accelerate as the US economy sinks into a recession. Revenue has collapsed at restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, gyms, and airlines. Auto sales are plummeting, and car makers have closed factories. Most such employers face loan payments and other fixed costs, so they're cutting jobs to save money.

As job losses mount, some economists say the nation's unemployment rate could approach 13% by May. By comparison, the highest jobless rate during the Great Recession, which ended in 2009, was 10%.

"What seemed impossible just two weeks ago is now reality," said Nancy Vanden Houten, an economist at Oxford Economics, a consulting firm. "The US economy will experience the largest economic contraction on record with the most severe surge in unemployment ever."

The economic deterioration has been swift. As recently as February, the unemployment rate was at a 50-year low of 3.5%. And the economy was growing steadily if modestly. Yet by the April-June quarter of the year, some economists think the economy will shrink at its steepest annual pace ever a contraction that could reach 30%.

In its report on Thursday, the Labour department said 3.283 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week, up from 282,000 during the previous week.

Yet many people who have lost jobs in recent weeks have been unable to file for unemployment aid because state websites and phone systems have been overwhelmed by a crush of applicants and have frozen up. That logjam suggests that Thursday's report actually understates the magnitude of job cuts last week.

So does the fact that workers who are not on company payrolls gig workers, free-lancers, the self-employed aren't currently eligible for unemployment benefits even though in many cases they're no longer able to earn money.

With layoffs surging, a significant expansion of unemployment benefits for the millions who will lose jobs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak was included in an economic relief bill nearing final approval in Congress.

One provision in the bill would provide an extra USD 600 a week on top of the unemployment aid that states provide. Another would extend 13 additional weeks of benefits beyond the six months of jobless aid that most states offer.

The new legislation would also extend unemployment benefits, for the first time, to gig workers and others who are not on company payrolls.

Separate legislation passed last week provides up to USD 1 billion to states to enhance their ability to process claims. But that money will take time to be disbursed.

In California, claims for unemployment benefits more than tripled last week to 187,000. In New York, they rose by a factor of five to 80,334. Nationwide, about 2.25% of the entire workforce applied for jobless aid last week. In Nevada, the figure was 6.8%, in Rhode Island 7.5%.

Jessy Morancy of Hollywood, Florida, was laid off Friday from her job as a wheelchair attendant and customer service agent at Fort Lauderdale Airport. Morancy, 29, called the state unemployment office Monday to try to file for unemployment benefits but encountered just a recorded message telling her to call back later.

She was also concerned that even a full unemployment benefit of 275 a week would be less than half of what she earned at her job and insufficient to provide for her children, ages 10 and 7. I'm still in a state of shock, Morancy said.

She said she has heard that airline employees might continue to receive salaries if Congress provides financial assistance to the airlines. Yet even so, it's not clear that employees like her who work for contractors Eulen America, in her case would be eligible. If these companies are going to get a bailout, why not include us? Morancy said.

Even for those able to file a claim, the benefits will take time to kick in. It typically takes two to three weeks before applicants receive any money. State agencies must first contact their former employers to verify their work and earnings history. Only then can the employee's weekly unemployment benefits be calculated.

Worsening the problem, most state agencies that handle unemployment claims are operating at historically low funding levels and staffing that are intended to handle a trickle of claims. Just weeks ago, the job market was in the strongest shape it had been in decades.

Ellen Zentner, an economist at Morgan Stanley, said in a note to clients that 17 million jobs could be lost through May -- twice the entire 8.7 million jobs that were lost in the Great Recession. She expects the unemployment rate to average 12.8% in the April-June quarter, which would be the highest level since the 1930s.

Still, Zentner also expects the economy to start recovering by the second half of the year. It will take time for things to return to something close to normal, she projects: The unemployment rate could still top 5% at the end of next year.

Also read: Coronavirus pandemic: Making countries poorer by billions

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Total cases increase to 724; GoAir signs up for emergency services
Mumbai, March 27 : Two prominent temple trusts in Maharashtra on Friday donated Rs 51 crore and Rs 2 crore to the government for providing various kinds of reliefs in the ongoing 'war against virus' in the state, officials said.

The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi (Ahmednagar) announced a donation of Rs.51 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF), its CEO Arun Dongre said.

Besides, the SSST is already providing free food to all patients and their relatives at the Shri Sainath Hospital, Shirdi Orphanages, old age homes, a shool for deaf and dumb, destitutes and needy, police personnel and others through the Shri Sai Prasadalaya, he added.

The Devasthan Management Committee, Kolhapur, which administers a string of temples, has announced a donation of Rs 2 crore through the famed Mahalaxmi Temple, here.

"An amount of Rs 1.50 crore has been given to the CMRF, while Rs 50 lakh will go to the Collector for enhancing various medical facilities in the district to tackle Coronavirus," the Trust's Assistant Secretary Shivaji Salvi said.

Several other corporates and private companies have come forward to donate to the CMRF for the Covid-19 war in the past few days, besides taking up other community initiatives.
Alex Jones speaks outside of the Dirksen building of Capitol Hill in Washington. Read more

AUSTIN, Texas  The 3rd Court of Appeals Wednesday denied Alex Jones motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by a Sandy Hook parent and ordered Jones to pay $22,500 in attorney fees for what they found to be a frivolous appeal.

That means that Jones has now been assessed nearly $150,000 in legal fees in two cases  one for defamation and another for intentional infliction of emotional distress  brought by Neil Heslin, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was one of the 20 first-graders killed along with six school staffers in the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., which Jones and others on his InfoWars conspiracy news site portrayed as a hoax.

Heslins lawsuit contends that a June 2017 report by Owen Shroyer, an InfoWars reporter and host, suggesting that Heslin could not have held his dead son in his arms as he maintained, was based on a deceptively edited interview with a medical examiner and was intended to buttress the InfoWars narrative that the mass shooting was not what it appeared to be. Shroyer is also named in the suit.

The other sanctions against Jones were imposed last year by state District Judge Scott Jenkins, who had denied motions by Jones attorney to dismiss the cases.

The latest ruling from the Texas Court of Appeals shows that InfoWars continues to waste everyones time with factual misrepresentations and frivolous arguments, said Houston attorney Mark Bankston, who is representing Heslin and Sandy Hook parents in two other lawsuits against Jones and Infowars.

It is rare to see a legal defense so incompetent and disrespectful to the rule of law that it causes a defendant to rack up $150,000 in fines during preliminary motions before even reaching trial, Bankston said.

Austin attorney T. Wade Jefferies, Jones most recent lawyer on the case, did not reply to a request for comment late Thursday afternoon.
For the first time in its 48-year history, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences will graduate its fourth-year medical school students and graduate-level nurses early to support the U.S. military's war on COVID-19.

Roughly 170 medical students and 60 graduate nursing students will depart USUHS in Bethesda, Maryland, between April 1 and April 17, to support the Defense Department's coronavirus pandemic response.

The medical students, who are not yet licensed because they have not completed the required internships, will work under the supervision of licensed physicians in positions "appropriate within the limits of their duty stations," such as screening patients and taking health histories, USUHS President Dr. Richard Thomas said in an interview Thursday with Military.com.

The nurses -- all of whom have experience and will graduate with advanced degrees -- will proceed directly to their assigned duty stations.

"For COVID-19, there's a lot of extra work for people and it's a lot of extra duty for the typical staff," said Thomas, a retired Army major general and board certified otolaryngologist and surgeon.

Thomas said the new graduates will be available for the Army, Navy, Air Force and U.S. Public Health Service surge to combat the coronavirus, which had sickened 82,404 people in the United States as of March 26.

The U.S. now has the most cases of any country in the world.

Related: Army Raises Health Threat to Highest Responses for Crisis Response Teams

The group of graduating physicians are slated to go into specialties such as emergency medicine (12% of the class, or 20 students), internal medicine (11%, or 19 students) and family medicine (10%, or 18 students). The remainder will specialize in a variety of fields, including psychiatry, general surgery, anaesthesia, orthopedics and other fields.

The graduate nursing students will immediately be put to work in specialties such as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Thomas said he began considering the early graduation several weeks ago, to ensure that "everyone was leaning forward" during the national crisis.

"West Point [and] Annapolis during World War II, they early-graduated several classes in a row to make sure they had more officers going into the force. That's what we are doing here," Thomas said. "They are fully trained and they are at the tail-end of their time here, so we expedited a few things at the end of the year ... so they are available to their services ... and to the nation."

Thomas said the move does not signal that the services' medical corps are short-handed, despite the fact that the Army sent a message to retired personnel in certain health specialties asking them to consider returning to military service during the pandemic.

Thomas said the current forces are ready and able to tackle the task, but "these guys will be welcome additions to the medical teams."

"The reasons people call the military to these types of things is because we have great medical capability," Thomas said. "They [also] bring logistics support, they bring security and they bring command and control. Those three big things are very important in any crisis. And if it's a medical crisis, the military can bring unique medical capability to the fight like no one else."

The House on Friday approved a $2.2 trillion disaster relief bill that includes $1.5 billion for the Defense Department to open expeditionary military hospitals and $1.4 billion to fund activation of the National Guard for up to six months in states where forces have been called up.

The bill, which passed the Senate Wednesday, now heads to the president.

Thomas expressed confidence that his new graduates will perform well regardless of the tasks handed them in their military medical commands.

"I know from my own experience with these guys coming in -- I used to be the Medical Corps chief of the Army -- I knew what I was going to get from USU is a predictably high quality product, so I can count on them to perform," he said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at patriciankime@gmail.com.

Read More: Marines Told to Cut High-Intensity Workouts During Coronavirus Outbreak
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Plastiques du Val de Loire (EPA:PVL) shares are down a considerable 39% in the last month. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 58% drop over twelve months.

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

View our latest analysis for Plastiques du Val de Loire

Does Plastiques du Val de Loire Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E of 3.20 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (14.9) for companies in the chemicals industry is higher than Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E.

ENXTPA:PVL Price Estimation Relative to Market March 27th 2020

Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell.

Story continues

Plastiques du Val de Loire's earnings per share fell by 38% in the last twelve months. But EPS is up 16% over the last 5 years. And over the longer term (3 years) earnings per share have decreased 11% annually. This might lead to low expectations.

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

One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

So What Does Plastiques du Val de Loire's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Net debt totals a substantial 278% of Plastiques du Val de Loire's market cap. This is a relatively high level of debt, so the stock probably deserves a relatively low P/E ratio. Keep that in mind when comparing it to other companies.

The Verdict On Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E Ratio

Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E is 3.2 which is below average (13.5) in the FR market. Given meaningful debt, and a lack of recent growth, the market looks to be extrapolating this recent performance; reflecting low expectations for the future. Given Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E ratio has declined from 5.3 to 3.2 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

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

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markles exit from the royal family becomes official in a few days. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are scheduled to step down as active members of the royal family on March 31. But Prince Charles recent contraction of the Coronavirus might delay their exit as the royals do their best to present a sense of unity to the public.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle eye exit

After announcing their plan to leave the monarchy in January, Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have spent the past few months ironing out the details of their complicated exit.

Last month, the royal family announced that the couple will be officially stepping down starting March 31. At that time, they will stop using their royal titles and will be splitting their time between the UK and North America (likely landing spots include Canada, Los Angeles, and New York City).

Apart from his HRH styles, Prince Harry will not be using any of his military ranks over the next year. He will also not be allowed to fulfill any duties related to these responsibilities.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex completed their final round of royal engagements at the beginning of the month. Their last joint appearance was during the Commonwealth Day service, which also featured Queen Elizabeth, Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton.

Prince Harry and Meghans decision will be reviewed in 12 months and adjustments will be made accordingly. Although the pair was ready to start a quieter life away from the royal spotlight, the coronavirus pandemic has made their exit a little more complicated.

Prince Charles tests positive for COVID-19

Governments around the world are doing their best to contain the spread of COVID-19, encouraging the public to remain at home unless essential outings are necessary.

Last week, the royal family announced that it is also taking precautions against the outbreak. The senior members of the monarchy have canceled future events for the next month and are currently in self-isolation.

Questions have been raised over why Prince Charles was eligible for a #coronavirus test while many NHS staff have been unable to get them. https://t.co/SugoLtGHaT  BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) March 26, 2020

Queen Elizabeth has officially left Buckingham Palace and is currently at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip. Charles, meanwhile, is at his estate in Scotland with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Unfortunately, Charles has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, though palace officials assured the public that he is currently in good health. The news has left fans worried about Charles health and has sparked speculation that Prince Harry and Meghan might delay their exit until Charles recovers.

Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry delay their exit?

Meghan and Harry have not addressed the reports surrounding Charles. There have been calls for the Sussexes to put off their exit as a sign of unity, and their silence has left many people wondering if the reports are true.

While we wait to hear what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say about their exit, a new poll reveals that most people believe they should follow through with Megxit despite the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Express, over 93 percent of people who answered the poll said that Harry and Meghan should not delay their exit any longer. Over 4,500 individuals participated in the poll and only six percent thought they should stay in the monarchy.

One said: At this time, their presence would only anger the public more in an already tense and anxious time! We dont need or want to see them  clearly as the poll shows! Keep away!!

Meghan Markle might take on a new surname

If Meghan and harry follow through with their exit plan, there is a chance that the former Suits star will take on a new surname. Meghan is known as the Duchess of Sussex, but she could take on the last name that Queen Elizabeth and Philip selected for their descendants.

Most members of the royal family use their titles as surnames, but Meghan has the option of using the last name she gave her son: Mountbatten-Windsor.

Meghan Markle Narrating Disney Plus Nature Documentary Elephants https://t.co/46WHes389T  Variety (@Variety) March 26, 2020

Meghan welcomed her first son with Prince Harry, Archie Harrison, in the spring of 2019. The couple decided against giving him a royal title, which is why he carries the royal familys surname instead.

Meghan Markle, of course, has not commented on her future plans regarding her royal title. She and Prince Harry are allowed to continue using Sussex in public, so it is unclear if she will waver from that name.
Welcome to the Well newsletter. Every Wednesday, we email readers with news about health, fitness and nutrition and advice about living well. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Dear Readers,

A few nights ago, my 20-year-old daughter hosted a movie night with her college friends. There was so much laughter and noise coming from her room, I wondered if the neighbors could hear them.

No, shes not one of those young people flouting the rules of social distancing. She and her friends were enjoying a virtual movie night, connecting by Netflix and FaceTime from homes in New York, Washington D.C., Florida and California.

Image The authors daughter video chats with friends. Credit... Amy Lowndes

At a time when so many of us are isolated in our homes to avoid catching and spreading coronavirus, we need to take a lesson from the highly connected teens and 20-somethings in our lives. Inspired, I set up an account with Zoom (a group video platform Id never used) and invited my friends to virtual cocktails on Saturday night. We spent nearly two hours catching up on our lives in quarantine, offering support and sharing our actual cats (instead of cat photos). It was so refreshing to see their faces, hear their voices and be reminded that even though we are staying apart, we are all in this together.
Turkey dispatches new military convoy to Syria's Idlib, sets up another post: Monitor

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 5:57 PM

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says Turkey has dispatched new reinforcements to Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, as Ankara beefs up its military presence in the embattled region following a ceasefire reached earlier this month with Moscow to halt an escalation of violence there.

The Britain-based war monitor, citing activists requesting anonymity, reported that a Turkish convoy, consisting of nearly 35 military vehicles, crossed into the Syrian territory through Kafr Lusin border crossing on Thursday afternoon, and headed towards Turkish positions.

Earlier in the day, a large Turkish military convoy had entered Syrian territories.

The Observatory also noted that Turkish forces have established an observation post in Kafir village, which lies in the Jisr al-Shughur district of Idlib province.

The development took place only a day after a group of unidentified foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants blew up a bridge on the strategically important M4 highway, which connects the city of Saraqib in Idlib to the coastal city of Latakia in Syria's west.

Turkish forces shell Tell Rifaat in northern Aleppo, civilians injured

Separately, Turkish forces have fired a barrage of mortar shells at Tell Rifaat city, located roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Aleppo.

SOHR reported that a number of civilians suffered injuries as a result of the shelling.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced on March 13 that the Russian and Turkish militaries had agreed on the details of a new ceasefire in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone following four days of talks in Ankara.

Akar said the first joint patrol by Turkey and Russia on the M4 highway in Idlib would take place on March 15, and that Turkey and Russia will set up joint coordination centers in the area.

The announcement followed a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan the previous day to discuss the implementation of the agreements the two leaders had reached in Moscow the previous week.

"Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed the importance of continued close joint efforts, first of all between the Russian and Turkish defense ministries, in order to ensure a stable ceasefire and further stabilization of the situation," a Kremlin press release read.

"It was agreed to maintain a regular dialogue at various levels, including personal contacts," the statement added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Friday signed a massive $2 trillion emergency spending bill into law, promising to deliver a tidal wave of cash to individual Americans, businesses and health care facilities all reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

His signature came just hours after the House of Representatives passed the massive package by an overwhelming voice vote, and less than 48 hours after it received unanimous approval from the Senate.

"This will deliver urgently needed relief to our nation's families, workers and businesses. And that's what this is all about," Trump said at a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, with GOP congressional leaders and administration officials crowded behind him.

"I want to thank Republicans and Democrats for coming together, setting aside their differences and putting America first," Trump said, although Democrats were not invited to the signing ceremony.

Now the White House, the Treasury Department, the Small Business Administration and other agencies must rush to try to implement the new law. It authorizes the Internal Revenue Service to send $1,200 payments to millions of Americans and creates programs to disburse close to $1 trillion in business loans and guarantees to millions of large and small companies throughout the economy.

There are now roughly 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States and it has caused more than 1,500 deaths domestically, figures that have risen rapidly. To try to contain the contagion, much of American life has shut down. Schools have closed. Most public gatherings have been canceled. Many Americans have stopped leaving their homes, devastating millions of businesses that depend on consumer spending for their cash flow.

The economy's screeching halt led 3.3 million workers to file for unemployment benefits last week, by far the most over a seven-day span in recent American history. A number of economists believe the U.S. economy has taken a nose-dive from a period of relative economic strength to one of the worst recessions ever recorded.

To respond, the White House and Congress assembled a massive spending bill that directs money to households, businesses, cities, states and hospitals while seeking to buttress state unemployment programs that are overwhelmed with new filers.

Trump said some of the key decisions would be based on consultations his advisers have with Wall Street executives and "the smartest, most brilliant people in the world in finance." He left open the possibility that some of these companies could be compensated for their roles, but he did not offer more information.

It will require speed and cooperation between the White House, states and private companies, even though tensions among all sides has flared in recent days.

"I can't think of any precedent where there were this many programs involved in a single piece of legislation that were trying to be stood up so quickly," said Shai Akabas, director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Akabas said the law's move to pump $250 billion into the unemployment program could be a particular challenge, as it would require fast cooperation between the federal government and every state as Americans continue flooding into the program with requests for assistance.

The White House has promised it will implement the new law as quickly as possible, but its economic approach to the coronavirus crisis continues to change by the day. For example, Trump on Friday invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to compel General Motors to manufacture ventilators after holding back on using that tool for more than a week. And there's confusion about who will qualify for some of the emergency funding. Some members of the cruise industry have indicated they might not be able to receive the U.S. taxpayer assistance even though Trump has said multiple times that he wants them to be beneficiaries.

Trump's top advisers will have to make a number of crucial decisions in the coming days, such as whether to protect taxpayer investments by taking equity stakes in struggling companies and whether to prioritize some industries over others as firms teeter on the brink of bankruptcy.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin promised in a Fox Business interview Friday that the Internal Revenue Service would quickly send out direct payments to Americans who qualify for the individual checks - those with incomes under $99,000 - and that the SBA would stand up a new lending program within a week. Small businesses will have access to close to $400 billion in loans from the new legislation.

"We're going to have a new program up by next Friday where banks can lend. I mean that - that would be a historic achievement that is just incredibly aggressive," Mnuchin said. "This is a brand-new program, the Treasury working with the SBA. We're doing everything we can because Americans need that money now. They can't wait for government to take three or four or six months like we normally do."

On direct payments to Americans, Mnuchin said: "I've committed that the IRS will get these direct deposits [out] in three weeks. Again, American workers can't wait."

But there are a number of logistical hurdles that the Trump administration will need to resolve. For example, officials can send electronic payments to households that have bank accounts on file with the IRS, as many people have had their tax refunds directly deposited to their bank accounts. But the IRS will also likely need to send paper checks to millions of other people, a process that could take much longer.

Similarly, the new law requires certain oversight structures to monitor how the money is spent. It directs Trump to nominate a new "Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery," a position that must be confirmed by the Senate. And congressional leaders need to appoint five members to a Congressional Oversight Commission, which is also tasked with scrutinizing how the money is disbursed.

Friday began on a note of chaotic uncertainty in the House, where the threat of a procedural objection from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., had forced more than 200 lawmakers to return to Washington. These lawmakers traveled by plane and car, some coming from places like New York where people are supposed to quarantine after leaving.

Leaders had hoped to pass the massive legislation by "unanimous consent" or by "voice vote" with just a few members present, so that lawmakers scattered to their states wouldn't have to return to the tight quarters of the Capitol in the midst of a pandemic. But Massie, who opposes the legislation because it adds to the deficit, was prepared to insist on a quorum - or majority of the House - which is specified in the Constitution but rarely enforced.

Massie's move drew bitter complaints from lawmakers of both parties and from Trump, who derided him over Twitter as a "grandstander" who should be tossed out of the Republican Party.

Ultimately a quorum was present, with lawmakers standing in the chamber as well as in galleries normally reserved for the public, so they could try to maintain social distancing. When the time for the vote came, Massie raised his objections and was quickly overruled, after which lawmakers shouted out in favor of the legislation - Massie's was the only "no" vote heard - burst into applause when it was gaveled down and then headed quickly for the exits.

It's uncertain when they will return.

"Today, as we have all acknowledged, our nation faces an economic and health emergency of historic proportions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the worst pandemic in

At least three House members have now tested positive for covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and a number of others were quarantined after showing symptoms or coming into contact with potentially infected people.

During the debate and vote, the fear in the room could be seen. Several members wore surgical gloves. Others went to great lengths to place themselves far away from others. Some held a hand over their face as they passed other lawmakers or staff.

Two lecterns were set up for speakers during debate, with a hand sanitizer bottle under each and a canister of disinfectant wipes on the chair next to the lectern. When each speaker finished, he or she wiped down the lectern and the microphone from which they were speaking before giving way to the next speaker.

More than 150 million households would receive checks under the legislation, which will send payments of $1,200 to many individual Americans plus $500 for children. People with incomes above $99,000 are not eligible, and the total benefit is phased out for people earning between $75,000 and $99,000.

The legislation also contains hundreds of billions of dollars in emergency federal aid for large corporations suffering because of the pandemic, a provision that sparked days of intense partisan conflict and a frenzied push from lobbyists and corporations eager to secure a chunk of the funding.

The final legislation will provide $25 billion in grants and $25 billion in loans to passenger airlines; $17 billion in loans to industries deemed critical to "national security" - a provision aimed at helping Boeing; and more than $400 billion in loans and loan guarantees for other businesses, cities and states, a program the Treasury Department will need to set up.

The conditions on the large pool of funding became a major sticking point through congressional negotiations. Democrats won some concessions but not others. In the final bill, businesses receiving the loans cannot cut their employment levels by more than 10 percent until Sept. 30. They have some restrictions on executive compensation above $425,000 annually and cannot issue stock buybacks, a limitation supported by Trump.

Included are measures ensuring swift disclosure of funding recipients, as well as an oversight board to probe Treasury's decisions. The president, vice president, members of Congress and members of the Cabinet are also prohibited from benefiting from the aid - a measure that also applies to their spouses and children. The direct grant funding for the airlines also has strict limitations and is required to go directly to workers or their benefits.

- - -

The Washington Post's John Wagner and Jeff Stein contributed to this report.
Tucsons popular cumbia desert rock band XIXA played a pair of concerts last week for nearly 7,000 fans.

The band live-streamed the events over Facebook and Instagram, drawing in fans from around the world in what was arguably Tucsons biggest online concert since the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of the states bars and restaurants.

And it all came together as most XIXA projects do, on the fly, with little more than intuition and passion to guide them.

Last Monday, the band blasted out a note on Facebook saying they were planning a pair of concerts. They invited their fans from around the world to submit song requests. Over the next 48 hours, they stripped the songs of their driving rock overtures right down to their acoustic bones.

And just before noon on Wednesday, three of the bands six members  Brian Lopez, Gabriel Sullivan and Jason Urman  went live from their downtown Dust & Stone recording studios.

The trio sat 6 to 8 feet apart in accordance with coronavirus social distancing protocols while their sound engineer Frank Bair worked the soundboard and Bryan Sanders operated the camera.

For an hour, they played acoustic versions of their songs for fans in Paris, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Peru and throughout the United States who made more than 250 comments throughout the performance. When they could, Lopez or Sullivan would respond to the comments, asking the viewers what they were drinking and from where they were watching.
The number of coronavirus cases in London has almost quadrupled in a week as the UK's epidemic continues to spread into all corners of the British Isles.

The capital city now has at least 4,637 cases, a jump from the 1,221 reported last Friday, three days before Britons were ordered to stay indoors to try and stop the outbreak.

Some 228 of the 759 deaths recorded in Britain have been in London, including 57 of the 181 announced today.

Scientists say the official figures represent the fallout of Britons carrying on their lives as normal before lockdown, cramming into pubs and working in offices despite COVID-19 cases emerging.

Birmingham is the single local authority with the most cases, with 366 confirmed patients, and the West Midlands around it has become the biggest hotspot outside of London, with more than 1,630 cases.

However, nearby Rutland, in the East Midlands, has reported zero cases so far.

This makes it the only district in the country to be without a single confirmed case of the coronavirus among its population of around 38,000.

Today the bombshell news that The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both tested positive for coronavirus has shaken the Government.

London is at the centre of the UK's fast expanding coronavirus outbreak and Southwark and Lambeth are the worst hit boroughs, with more than 500 cases between them

London's coronavirus cases have increased three-fold in a week as the crisis escalates rapidly

Rutland, in the East Midlands, has reported zero cases so far, making it the only county to be in that position. Pictured, Oakham, the county town

The Government announced today that 14,543 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus in the UK.

The figure is expected to be far higher, and could be as high as 760,000 mark based on an assumption backed by a Government scientist that there are 1,000 cases for each recorded death.

London has been more significantly impacted by the deadly virus than anywhere else in the country and accounts for almost a third of all cases.

The boroughs of Southwark (290), Lambeth (276), Brent (265) and Wandsworth (228) have each reported more than 200 cases.

They are among the 10 hardest hit areas in the whole of the UK, with Croydon (219), Westminster (189) and Harrow (196) not far behind.

Other hotspots are appearing in the UK, including Hampshire (317), Sheffield (286) and Cumbria (211).

Middlesbrough, North East Lincolnshire and Telford and Wrekin have all reported their first cases in the past two weeks.

Rutland - the smallest county in England - is the only place to remain unscathed.

Today it was revealed The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has coronavirus. Fiancee Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation (pictured together on March 9 at Westminster Abbey)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside 10 Downing Street, London, joining in with a national applause for the NHS from their doorsteps last night

Within hours of the news from Mr Johnson, Matt Hancock revealed he has also tested positive for the virus

The disparities between areas is mainly down to how many people live somewhere and how close together they are, explains Professor Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia.

WHERE ARE THE CORONAVIRUS CASES AND DEATHS IN THE UK? LOCATION London South East South West North West NE/Yorks Midlands East Unclear CASES 3,919 1,129 435 837 891 1,636 592 2,867 DEATHS 155 63 23 53 24 67 29 265 ENGLAND TOTAL: 12,324 cases, 679 deaths NORTHERN IRELAND TOTAL: 275 cases, 13 deaths WALES TOTAL: 921 cases, 34 deaths SCOTLAND TOTAL: 1,059 cases, 33 deaths BRITAIN TOTAL: 14,579 cases, 759 deaths Advertisement

He told MailOnline: 'If you've got people crammed into a city, there will be more contact between people.

'London was always going to be the worst and first. Before the lockdown, there was still a lot of nightlife, people going to the theatre and jammed into bars. They are crammed in like sardines and won't be two metres apart.

'London undoubtedly, before last week, is one of the busiest transport systems in Europe. So the spread would have partly been due to extra crowds.

'Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK. If population density is driving cases, then Birmingham might well be the second largest outbreak.'

Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health, University of Southampton, added: 'There will also be differences in how many tests are carried out across regions. It is likely that London is testing greater numbers than elsewhere.

'Hampshire is one of the higher counties in terms of recorded cases, and we think that is in part because at Southampton, there are greater numbers of tests being processed than at many hospitals.'

And Dr Derek Gatherer, an infectious disease expert at Lancaster University, said: 'I'm not sure London really is faring worse, just faring sooner.

'Other urban centres will probably see similar surges, although the lockdown may flatten their peaks a little compared to London.'

Workers outside entrance of the ExCel centre in London which is being made into a temporary hospital - the NHS Nightingale hospital, comprising of two wards, each of 2,000 people, to help tackle coronavirus in London

Hospital beds being delivered to Excel London NHS Nightingale

Police officers are seen speaking on Clapham Common on March 25. The force has been setting up road blocks, dispersing crowds and stopping cars to demand journey details

London: A police officer speaks to a couple sat at a bench in the sunshine in Greenwich Park

BORIS JOHNSON TESTS POSITIVE Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus. The Prime Minister is now self-isolating in Number 11 Downing Street but is continuing to work as aides leave papers and food at the door of his office for him to pick up. The positive test for the PM has shaken the government to its core with Health Secretary Matt Hancock also announcing he is self-isolating because he is suffering from the disease. Despite the fact that coronavirus is now firmly at the heart of British democracy, Downing Street said senior ministers and officials will not be tested unless they start to show the key symptoms of a fever or a persistent cough. Mr Johnson started to feel unwell yesterday afternoon and was then tested and while he waited he took part in the clap for NHS staff event in the early evening alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was stood at least two metres away. The PM then received his test results at midnight as he formalised his self-isolation arrangements. Britain's Chief Medical Officer has also announced he will now be self-isolating after developing coronavirus symptoms. Professor Chris Whitty who has been one of the leading voices during the deadly outbreak said he will continue to advise the government but will be doing so from home as coronavirus hit hard at the heart of government. Advertisement

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last week the Government was looking 'very, very closely' at why so many patients had died in the West Midlands.

Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has recorded the highest death toll of any trust, with 37 of the total in the UK.

Hospital sources suggested the patients had mostly been the elderly or those with underlying health conditions.

Anecdotal evidence suggested peoples religious convictions and fears of social isolation could be behind the high numbers of cases, The Guardian reports.

In an interview, the Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood said older Muslim and Sikh people in the area were struggling to adhere to government guidelines about physical distancing because of their religious convictions.

Despite the 66million Britons being forced to stay in their homes, scientists say a drop in COVID-19 cases won't be seen for some time due to the delay in transmission and a diagnosis.

If someone was infected before the lockdown in the pub, gym, or at a social gathering, they may not show symptoms for up to six days later.

By the time they are tested in hospital - the only way to receive a test - and get a diagnosis, it will be two to three weeks after transmision.

Dr Head said: 'The lockdown-type measures will take a week or two to really have an impact. Were now recording the cases where there was transmission several days back.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:22:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Finance Minister Ghazi Wazne said on Friday that the government will have transparent and good-faith discussions with Lebanon's private creditors to find a credible and sustainable solution to the country's earlier default on its debt.

"The government has a full agenda over the coming months to design and implement its comprehensive recovery plan, and conduct its public debt restructuring. Our aim is to finalize this ambitious turnaround agenda before the end of 2020," Wazne said during an online address to bondholders.

The Lebanese cabinet aims at implementing an in-depth banking sector reform involving both commercial banks the central bank in order to develop an productive economy, he noted.

"We also aim at implementing a fiscal reform plan aiming to generating reasonable primary surplus over the medium to long term in addition to ambitious structural reforms to enhance growth notably through the development of the productive economy and investment to rebuild infrastructure," he said.

The Lebanese finance ministry announced on Monday that Lebanon will stop repaying all its foreign currency Eurobonds as the cabinet seeks to draft a rescue plan for the country's financial crisis.

Lebanon's government debt reached the critical level of 178 percent of GDP in 2019, with foreign debt standing at 31.3 billion U.S. dollars and domestic debt at about 57 billion dollars, according to data from the country's finance ministry.
Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) revealed there were fewer phishing attacks last year compared to the year before, indicating its new protections are working.

In an official blog, Toni Gidwani, Security Engineering Manager, Threat Analysis Group, noted that in 2019, the company sent almost 40,000 warnings against government-backed phishing or malware attempts, nearly 25 per cent drop from 2018.

However, it was also observed that one in five accounts that received a warning against phishing was targeted multiple times by attackers.

There has also been an increase in the number of attackers, including those from Iran and North Korea, impersonating news outlets or journalists to spread disinformation or malware.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This is a tough time. Perhaps the toughest medical crisis as far as I can remember. WHO says 197 countries across the globe are infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-2019). Globally, 537,042 people have been confirmed positive for the disease and 24,110 people have already died due of this pandemic. India has 719 confirmed cases and 16 deaths so far. World's largest democracy is trembling with fear of doom. Prime minister has declared a nationwide lockdown to control the situation.

Let us have a comprehensive look at ten countries having most confirmed cases and also India. I have put ten countries at the top and India at the bottom. The first coronavirus case was reported in an unconfirmed manner somewhere in late October 2019 from China. Today, the situation is grim: world's so called second best healthcare system in Italy is fighting a tough battle, with highest death rate from the disease as of now (10%). Old age population with multiple comorbidities may be one of the reasons, other reasons being the lack of far sight on the part of Italian administration.

Let us shift the attention to India: 138 crore people are spending their nights and days in anxiety, sitting in front of news media or reading coronavirus updates with few defying lockdowns and enjoying joyride! The entire nation in an unprecedented manner supported the decision of lockdown hoping that the misery would come to an end after three weeks. Let me be a pessimist and show my inner anxiety: what if things go wrong and why it may go wrong? 1. The virus has an incubation period of 1-14 days. That means symptoms can start anytime within this period after being infected. So, practically the true reflection of the benefits of this lockdown will be appreciated at the end of 14th day and after that. What, if we lift the lockdown after that, open the international airspace and borders and invite fresh infections from rest of the world? Will we see a second peak? Scientists all over the world are learning about this infection and no one has the answer to this question right now.

2. What if the virus does not give rise to herd immunity? Being under lockdown, it can be assumed that not enough number of people will be exposed to this virus. So, will there be any herd immunity developed to protect the nation? 3. What if the "God in White Coat" is not properly protected? Who will take care of the patients? 4 Do we have enough life support and ventilator system available in this country to manage the catastrophe if it arise?

5. What if it starts spreading inside a slum! Every return from hospital is a potential risk to family and such risk is being faced by every healthcare worker right now.

Immediate Action Plan: 1. Continue and implement stringent lockdown. This is the need of the time. If people do not interact, community spread will be reduced during this period and the benefit may extend few days after that.

2. Buying and supplying more testing kits across the country. This will help identify cases, isolate them and prevent transmission.

3. Providing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) of adequate quality to the doctors, nurses and other health care workers working in hospitals. The supply should be flawless. Loss of one trained physician or health worker during this battle will be a costly affair.

4. Maintain continuous supply of all utilities -- water, electricity and gas or other necessary requirements.

5. Maintaining supply of necessary things for livelihood to the people. This is particularly important for people living in shelter homes, poor people not being able to meet their need, people unable to go out for any reason etc. Administration may take help of local resources to identify such areas and need and address them accordingly.

6. Asking industrialists, business tycoons, uber rich, celebrities to donate generously like others are doing in different countries. This is the time when they should come forward with their wealth for the benefit of the nation.

7. Prevent black marketing of goods.

Intermediate Plan: 1. Identifying focus and clusters of infection after 14 days. New clusters should be reinforced with further lockdown (if required with police protection) and a surrounding buffer zone can also be monitored. People working on public health and community health can be of great importance to share their views and planning such things beforehand.

2. Improving sanitation in slum areas. One single infection in a slum area can be dangerous for the country just because of huge population density. The rapidity with which it would spread will be unimaginable.

Long term Plan: 1. More of hospitals and health infrastructure with adequate facilities. This pandemic taught us what should be our priority.

2. Also, this episode showed us the importance of ventilators. They are not the means of sucking common people's money. They are lifesaving equipment and should be available amply.

Let us all share our good thoughts, constructive ideas which can reach our leaders, policy makers and concerned persons dealing this situation so bravely and nicely. All of us will get enough time to oppose someone, do politics, criticize others and so on, if only we survive.

(Dr Dodul Mondal is a Delhi-based Oncologist. Views expressed are personal. Figures have been uodated)
A Chinese national, kept in isolation for five days at the Kumasi South Hospital, Atonsu-Agogo, for showing symptoms of the flu-like coronavirus but tested negative, has been ordered to go into self-quarantine.



The Health Authorities, say, he should be in self-isolation for a month, during which period, he is going to be under medical observation.



Dr. Emmanuel Tenkroang, the Ashanti Regional Health Director, who confirmed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the man arrived in the country from China about three weeks ago.



He later reported to the hospital with symptoms of COVID-19 and he was admitted.



Yes it is true the Kumasi South Hospital, Atonsu-Agogo, was treating a Chinese national suspected to have contracted the disease, but we can say on authority that he has recovered.



He added that the decision to send him into self-isolation was in accordance with health protocols as the patient would still have to undergo a mandatory 28 days of medical observation.



Dr. Tenkorang assured the public that Regional COVID-19 Response Team was committed to duty, doing everything with other key stakeholders to contain and stop the spread of the virus.



COVID-19 pandemic has sent leaders across the world scrambling, changed the normal routine and pattern of life, with global infections topping 471,000 and more than 21,000 dead.



Ghanas case count as of Friday morning is 132 with three deaths.

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
(CNN)  Hundreds of trekkers are stranded on high-altitude trekking trails across Nepal due to a nationwide lockdown designed to contain the coronavirus spread.

There are about 500 foreign trekkers on at least four trekking routes unable to return due to the lockdown, which started Tuesday and will last for a week, according to Shradha Shrestha, a spokeswoman for the Nepal Tourism Board.

"We are working with multiple government agencies to rescue the trekkers and bring them to Kathmandu, so that we can coordinate with the embassies to fly them back home," Shrestha told CNN.

"Several embassies such as the German and French are already planning to send chartered flights to some of these areas to rescue the trekkers," Shrestha added.

The tourism board has launched a website to make it easier for the stranded trekkers to reach out to authorities, said Shrestha.

The British embassy in Kathmandu asked its citizens in Nepal who are looking to return to the UK to send their details to staff. "We're working closely with carriers and authorities to try to find a solution, and will contact you ASAP," tweeted the embassy.

Nepal's government announced earlier this month the spring climbing season for all the Himalayan peaks in the country, including the world's highest Mount Everest, would be canceled due to coronavirus.

Climbing permits for Mount Everest are canceled until the end of April, said Nepal's Tourism Secretary Kedar Bahadur Adhikari.

The decision came at the start of this year's closely watched climbing season, which was already getting underway amid concerns around overcrowding on the Earth's highest peak. Permits to climb Everest cost around $11,000.

Breathing is hampered by the extreme altitudes on the mountain, so an outbreak of coronavirus -- which often causes respiratory problems -- could have been particularly devastating at an Everest camp.

Nepal has three cases of coronavirus confirmed so far, according to the Nepal Health Ministry data.

The story was first published on CNN.com "Hundreds of trekkers stranded on Nepal's mountain trails after coronavirus lockdown"
Press Release

March 26, 2020 De Lima lauds initiatives to care for urban poor, homeless during COVID-19 pandemic Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima applauds the selfless efforts of groups and personalities who took it upon themselves to provide shelter, food and assistance to underprivileged citizens who are much more vulnerable in contracting the deadly novel coronavirus because of their circumstances. De Lima, chairperson of the Senate Committee of Social Justice, Welfare and Rural development, made the statement after learning of the generosity of individuals and groups in taking in the poor, including the homeless, into their programs and giving them much-needed sustenance to defend themselves against COVID-19. "Thank you, De La Salle University (DLSU) and the Divine Word Missionaries through the KALINGA Program, for providing a sanctuary for the homeless even as we are all grappling with the horrors of a relatively unknown and highly contagious disease," she said. "Father Flavie, maraming salamat sa mga inisyatiba mo. Huwag ka sanang mapapagod magbigay ng pag-asa dahil mahaba-haba pa ang ating tatanganing laban. Sabi mo nga: 'Try to see who is the most hopeless around you, and be that hope to that person'," she added. Fr. Flavie Villanueva, founder of St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga (Kain at Ligo nang Ayos) Center, a program of the Divine Word Missionaries, and with the partnership of the DLSU has provided a temporary shelter to the homeless, in compliance of the Luzon-wide lockdown implemented by the government. Aside from shelter, the Kalinga Center also provides homeless citizens meals and a shower for at least three times a week. However, since the announcement of the lockdown, they have ramped up their operations. Last March 19 and again on March 21, Fr. Villanueva reported that they have temporarily stopped their program after local barangay officials intervened, even if they are implementing 'social distancing' protocols as advised by health authorities. "I heard about the services at KALINGA Homeless Center being interrupted by authorities. How despicable! In this time of dire need, it's cruel for them to deprive much-needed services to the less fortunate," De Lima said. To date, the pandemic brought about by the novel coronavirus has killed 35 individuals with 552 confirmed infections in the Philippines. Most social and economic institutions within the country has been left reeling due to the imposed lockdown in Luzon and other select cities and municipalities nationwide. However, despite lackluster performance by the national government in responding properly to the crisis, local leaders and private businesses banded together to assist underprivileged citizens affected by COVID-19. In another Dispatch from Crame 747, De Lima also thanked local leaders and private businesses who banded together to assist millions of residents and daily wage workers affected by lockdown brought about by coronavirus disease outbreak. In a statement, Project Ugnayan - a collaboration of business groups in cooperation with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PRDF) - raised PhP1.5 billion worth of grocery vouchers for about one million poor families in Metro Manila. "I laud and thank all of you for stepping up to the challenges of these trying times, in the face of incoherent and faltering policies of the national government. Your initiative is a concrete proof of what we - in the government, in the business community, and in civil society - can do for the welfare of the least of us," De Lima said. "This is what the government, particularly the Executive Branch, should be doing instead of seeking for unnecessary powers, which is not the responsive solution to the nation's crisis. The national government should consider emulating the initiatives and mindset of the private sector," she added. Last March 24, Congress has approved the bill which grants Mr. Duterte authorized or special powers including the authority to realign funds in the 2019 and 2020 budget for measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. It has also granted the President authority to direct the operation of privately-owned hospitals, medical facilities, passenger vessels and other establishments to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, become quarantine centers, medical and aid centers or temporary health facilities, and serve as transportation for health workers.
Representative image

Sumanth Raman

While India continues with its 21-day lockdown to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, one issue that has emerged is the woeful lack of preparedness of the country in facing up to such a crisis. Unprecedented in the last 100 years this may be, but the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic risks exposing the rot in India's public health infrastructure.

Doctors and other healthcare workers have been fighting the battle often without even the basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is deemed essential. Worse, until a few weeks ago and long after the world started seeing the onset of the pandemic, the Union government was permitting the export of masks, sanitizers and other protective equipment such as gloves.

In India there is a problem with both the quantity and the quality of PPE available. While the government has floated a tender asking for urgent supplies, the quantities are nowhere near to likely being enough in case of a spread like in some of the worst-affected countries. Also in many cases staff are having to make do with single-layer protection against the stipulated double-layer protection recommended. N95 masks are in short supply, leading to the surgical masks or the 3 ply masks being widely used.

To be fair to the government, the shortage of PPE is a global problem that countries with far better health infrastructure, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, have also been facing. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US went as far as to suggest that as a last resort staff could use scarves or bandanas if they were out of masks. The COVID-19 crisis could scarcely have been anticipated on this scale, but for sure the central government could have acted sooner.

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

What is intriguing is that the government tightened the export norms on PPE on January 31 and then relaxed them eight days later to permit the export of surgical masks and gloves, and again eased them even further in late February to also allow export of some other items such as non-woven shoe covers etc.

The World Health Organization (WHO) sent a guidance note to countries on February 27, warning them of a disruption to the global supply chain for PPE and giving recommendations for optimising the availability of PPE. This seems to have been largely ignored. Lav Agarwal, the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said that they had not received any such advisory and went as far as calling it fake news. Only on March 19, a good 20 days after the WHO guidance note, did the government ban the export of all PPE. Until then India was exporting surgical masks and gloves even as coronavirus cases increased steadily and hospitals faced a shortage. It will be interesting to see which companies were exporting these until the day exports were banned, and it also needs to be probed if these companies lobbied to ease the restrictions imposed on January 31.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation mentioned that the government was making efforts to provide PPE to healthcare staff, perhaps a tacit admission that there was a short supply. The Resident Doctors Associations (RDAs) of various hospitals across India have raised the issue repeatedly. With the incidence of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers being reported to be 6-10 percent in some of the affected countries, they have every reason to be worried.

Right now every available source has been put to work to manufacture PPE in India. Companies such as 3M have promised to help by increasing production. However, in many cases the unorganised sector is being used to stitch masks and body suits. Recently, a television channel carried a story on how these masks were being manufactured in the most abysmal conditions without following any protocols raising serious questions about their efficacy.

Over the next few weeks we shall know to what extent our healthcare system can cope. The countrywide 21-day lockdown itself was necessitated in part because of the present condition of public health infrastructure in India, which is pretty much on the verge of collapse in many states. The only hope is that thanks to the lockdown and other measures we can flatten the curve sufficiently to ensure that the already tottering system is not overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, spare a thought for those brave healthcare workers putting their lives on the line with the barest minimum of protection. They are operating on a wing and a prayer. Hopefully their prayers will work.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - Ely Gold Royalties Inc. (TSXV: ELY) (OTCQB: ELYGF) ("Ely Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into a warrant exercise incentive agreement (the "Incentive Agreement") with 2176423 Ontario Ltd., which is beneficially owned by Eric Sprott (collectively "Sprott"), to induce the Holder to effect an early exercise of 2,807,727 of its outstanding unlisted warrants (the "Warrants"), issued in a June 2019 private placement, exercisable for common shares of the Company ("Common Shares"). The Warrants are exercisable at a price of CAD $0.30 per Common Share until June 28, 2022.

Under the Incentive Agreement, the Holder has agreed to exercise all 2,807,727 Warrants prior to April 7, 2020 (the "Early Exercise Expiry Date") in consideration for 2,807,727 new share purchase warrants (each an "Incentive Warrant"). Each Incentive Warrant will entitle the Holder to purchase one additional Common Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance of the Incentive Warrants, at a price of CAD $0.74. The Incentive Agreement will require that the Holding exercise its Warrants by 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on the Early Exercise Expiry Date. The Incentive Warrants will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance. Assuming the full exercise of the Warrants by Early Exercise Expiry Date, the Company will:

receive gross proceeds of CAD $842,318.10;

issue 2,807,727 common shares to the Holder pursuant to the exercise of the Warrants in accordance with the original terms of the Warrants; and

issue 2,807,727 new Incentive Warrants.

The completion of the transactions under the Incentive Agreement will strengthen Ely Gold's current cash position and provide the Company with additional working capital for its ongoing royalty acquisition and generative activities.

The Incentive Agreement is subject to the receipt of all final regulatory approvals, including the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). Any Warrants that are not exercised prior to the Early Exercise Expiry Date will remain outstanding and continue to be exercisable for Common Shares on their existing terms.

Before giving effect to the contemplated Warrant exercise, Sprott holds, directly and indirectly, 5,615,454 outstanding Ely Gold shares, and warrants to purchase up to an additional 19,023,943 Ely Gold common shares. On this basis and given the current approximate issued and outstanding total of 114,912,856 million shares, Sprott's direct and indirect holdings, represent approximately 4.9% of the outstanding Ely Gold shares on a non-diluted basis, and approximately 18.38% on a partially-diluted basis. After giving effect to the transactions contemplated under the Incentive Agreement, Sprott will hold approximately 7.2% of the outstanding Ely Gold Shares on a non-diluted basis, and approximately 20.1% on a partially diluted basis.

In addition, Sprott is party to a royalty acquisition agreement with the Company, announced on February 4, 2020, pursuant to which it intends to purchase a 0.50% net smelter return royalty (the "Target Royalty") on the Jerritt Canyon Mine and property, operated by a private Nevada limited liability company of which Sprott is the beneficial owner. In consideration for the Target Royalty, on closing the Company will issue 12,698,413 Company common shares to Sprott at deemed issue price of $0.63 per share. Assuming the completion of the Incentive Warrant transaction and the acquisition of the Target Royalty, Sprott's direct and indirect holdings will increase to approximately 16.2% of the outstanding Ely Gold Shares on a non-diluted basis, and approximately 26.9% on a partially diluted basis.

The completion of the Target Royalty purchase has been conditionally accepted by the Exchange, but remains subject to the Company's completion of its due diligence on the Target Royalty and the parties settling the definitive closing documentation. Because the combined effect of the above-described transactions could result in Sprott becoming a "Control Person" of the Company (as defined under Exchange policies), the exercise of the Incentive Warrants will be made subject to a condition that, until such time as Sprott becoming a "Control Person" has been approved by an ordinary resolution of the Company's disinterested shareholders, Sprott will not to exercise any portion of his Company warrants if, as a result of such exercise, his direct and indirect holdings of the Company would exceed 19.9% of the outstanding voting shares. The Company plans to seek such a shareholder approval at its next annual general meeting expected to be held on May 6, 2020.

About Ely Gold Royalties Inc. Ely Gold Royalties Inc. is a Vancouver-based, emerging royalty company with development assets focused in Nevada and Quebec. Its current portfolio includes 43 royalties and 19 properties optioned to third parties. Ely Gold's royalty portfolio includes producing royalties, fully permitted mines and development projects that are at or near producing mines. The Company is actively seeking opportunities to purchase existing third-party royalties for its portfolio and all the Company's option properties are expected to produce royalties, if exercised. The royalty and option portfolios are currently generating significant revenue. Ely Gold is well positioned with its current portfolio of over 20 available properties to generate additional operating revenue through option and sale agreements. The Company has a proven track record of maximizing the value of its properties through claim consolidation and advancement using its extensive, proprietary data base. All portfolio properties are sold or optioned on a 100% basis, while the Company retains royalty interests. Management believes that due to the Company's ability to generate third-party royalty agreements, its successful strategy of organically creating royalties, its equity portfolio and its current low valuation, Ely Gold offers shareholders a low-risk leverage to the current price of gold and low-cost access to long-term mineral royalties.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Signed "Trey Wasser"

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

trey@elygoldinc.com

972-803-3087

Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer

jjobin@elygoldinc.com

647-964-0292

FORWARD-LOOKING CAUTIONS: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding: (i) increase to the Company's outstanding common shares; (ii) use of warrant exercise proceeds; (iii) the Company's forecasts for its royalty portfolio and related business; and (iv) the Company's intention to secure a disinterested shareholder approval at its 2020 annual shareholder meeting. These matters are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks of declining precious metals prices, failure of projects in which the Company has an interest may underperform current management forecasts, the Company may not be able to identify suitable new royalty acquisitions, and the political uncertainties and regulatory or legal disputes or changes in the jurisdictions where the Company carries on its business that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effect.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53871
MANILA, Philippines  UNTV on Friday (March 27) donated 100 face shields to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

The 100 face shields will be used by the NCRPO personnel manning the quarantine-controlled checkpoints in Metro Manila.

NCRPO Director PMGen. Debold Sinas admitted that the Metro Manila Police lack personal protective equipment (PPEs).

The NCRPO previously used improvised face shields made of acetate as protection for the policemen working as frontliners against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

He also said that the donation of UNTV and other private sectors is a huge help in their operations during the enhanced community quarantine.

Pasalamat kami sa UNTV dahil nag-donate sila ng face shields (We are grateful to UNTV for donating face shields), he said.  AAC (with reports from Lea Ylagan)

The post UNTV donates face shields to NCRPO appeared first on UNTV News.
All City of Midland buildings and facilities are now closed to the public through April 13, including City Hall, the Municipal Service Center, the water treatment plant, the wastewater treatment plant, the Law Enforcement Center, and all Midland Fire Department stations. In addition to these new closures, the following previously-announced closures and service changes will remain in effect until Monday, April 6: the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library and Midland Civic Arena will remain closed to the public; rental certification inspections through the Building Department are postponed; and visitors to Washington Woods and Riverside Place senior housing complexes are limited to essential care providers only. During these closures, doors to city facilities will be locked. Individual public access may be allowed in extenuating circumstances, but by appointment only.

The following service changes will be implemented:

 The sanitary landfill will be closed to residential customers. Commercial customers may continue to utilize the facility as needed.

 The start date for spring yard waste collection is postponed through Monday, April 13.

 Monthly brush collection is suspended through Monday, April 13.

 Dial-A-Ride Transportation will operate normal phone and bus service hours to provide rides for essential travel only.

 Water service installations are postponed through Monday, April 13.

 Building permits and inspection services will be limited to emergency needs only.

 All public meetings of all city boards, commissions, and committees have been cancelled through April 14. A decision regarding the scheduled meeting of the Midland City Council on April 13 will be announced at a later date.

The Midland Fire Department has suspended all station tours, fire prevention education programs, and non-emergency services until further notice. Visitors outside of fire department personnel's immediate families will not be permitted at the city's three fire stations. Emergency response will be provided as normal.

City of Midland rental certification inspections have been suspended through at least Monday, April 6. Affected property owners will be contacted by Midland City Building Department staff to reschedule any pending inspections.

Senior Services has closed or limited a number of its services for the next several weeks, including the five Activity and Dining Centers and all activities, classes, clinics and events for the next eight weeks. They hope to resume normal operations beginning Monday, May 11.

The Midland County Register of Deeds office closed to public access.

From the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw: Holy Week celebrations will not be offered publicly this year in the Diocese of Saginaw. Visit the diocesan website, www.saginaw.org, where you can watch daily Mass, soon find ideas about celebrating Holy Week and Easter at home, sign up to receive our email updates and more.

Due to K-12 school closures and large-event restrictions in place amid the COVID-19 virus pandemic, the April 18 competition day event for the 2019-20 A.H. Nickless Innovation Award competition has been postponed until further notice.

The April 26 Midland Community Orchestra concert has been cancelled.

The Chippewa Nature Center canceled multiple events including: Spring Break Mini-Day Camp for March 30-April 2 and Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour for April 3-4.

A series of lectures and concerts by Midland pianist and teacher George Fee were postponed until the fall. They were "Chopin: Poet of the Piano;" "Franz Liszt: Spiritual Seeker;" and "Claude DeBussy: Seeker of the Inexpressible."

The Midland Business Alliance has decided to postpone all events through Friday, April 3, which includes April WakeUp! Midland for April 3.

The Leadership Midland Alumni Association Night at Dow Diamond that was scheduled for April 20 is also canceled.
Credijusto, a Mexico City-based tech-enabled lender, closed a USD $100 million debt facility with Credit Suisse AG.

The deal follows the closing of a landmark USD $100m credit facility with Goldman Sachs last year.

The transaction provides Credijusto with additional funding diversification and capacity to increase its lending across Mexico and support its mission to expand credit access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Led by Co-CEOs David Poritz, and Allan Apoj, Credijusto provides a multi-product platform which will be focused on funding its expansion into equipment lease financing  adding to its term loan and credit line products as well as its credit card which will be launched later this year.

Since its founding in 2015, Credijusto has launched multiple financial products and originated over USD $120m in term loans and leases. In 2019, the company raised a USD $42m Series B led by Goldman Sachs and Point72 Ventures. Prior equity investors include Kaszek Ventures, QED Investors, John J. Mack, Victory Park Capital, Elevar Equity, Ignia, City Hall Capital and Broadhaven Ventures as well as debt facilities with institutional credit funds such as Goldman Sachs, Calvert Impact Capital, DFC (formerly OPIC), Promecap, Eiffel eCapital, Partners Group  and now Credit Suisse AG. Credijusto currently employs 300 people.

FinSMEs

27/03/2020
Note: After publication, this article was updated to reflect current conditions at the Secaucus, N.J., warehouse of the RealReal.

At the RealReal warehouses in Secaucus and Perth Amboy, in New Jersey, there is a backlog. Used designer clothing, handbags and all manner of accessories are waiting to be inspected for authenticity, photographed, then packaged and shipped when theyre eventually purchased online.

This is what the RealReal does: It gives another chance at life to secondhand Chanel flats, Prada backpacks, Burberry trenches. When it went public last year, the luxury consignment company was valued at more than $1 billion.

Last week, like every other fashion retailer trying to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the RealReal closed its four stores, which are in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, in addition to its consignment offices and Bay Area headquarters. But in New Jersey, its e-commerce operations are still running. And there, some workers are feeling fearful and frustrated.
It took Dyson just 10 days to design an entirely new ventilator meant to help coronavirus patients  and now, the company is making 15,000 of them, Dyson said.

The British Dyson, best known for its vacuums and hair dryers, was asked by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself has tested positive for coronavirus, for help amid a supply shortage.

The companys billionaire founder James Dyson, 72, said in a letter to employees obtained by PEOPLE that the device, called CoVent, can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume, and was specifically designed with coronavirus patients in mind.

The machines are bed-mounted and portable, and can also run from battery power in field-hospital situations, according to Fast Company.

A ventilator supports a patient who is no longer able to maintain their own airways, but sadly there is currently a significant shortage, both in the U.K. and other countries around the world, read the letter. The core challenge was how to design and deliver a new, sophisticated medical product in volume and in an extremely short space of time. The race is now on to get it into production.

RELATED VIDEO: Grandfather Comforts His Crying Wife Through Care Facility Window amid Coronavirus Isolation

Grandfather Comforts His Crying Wife Through Care Facility Window amid Coronavirus Isolation

"It's a testament to their love... and to my grandfather's strength and compassion during this time," Alicia Barber tells PEOPLE

The U.K. government has ordered 10,000 CoVents to help treat the countrys coronavirus patients, of which there were 11,658 as of Friday afternoon, according to The New York Times.

Dyson will donate an additional 5,000 units  1,000 to the U.K. and 4,000 to other countries.

Dyson CoVent ventilator attached to hospital bed

Ventilators are a regulated product so Dyson and [The Technology Partnership] will be working with the [Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency] and the Government to ensure that the product and the manufacturing process is approved, the letter read.

Story continues

RELATED: N.Y.C.-Based Nurse Dies from Coronavirus and Other Hospital Coworkers Blame Lack of Protection

Meanwhile, other moguls have been doing their part as well, like Elon Musk, who said earlier this week hed procured 1,225 ventilators from China and had them shipped to help meet hospital demands in an effort California Gov. Gavin Newsom called heroic.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, the World Health Organization has urged countries to optimize the availability of ventilators  which assists in breathing functions  as oxygen therapy is the major treatment intervention for patients with severe COVID-19.

RELATED: United States Now Has the Most Cases of Coronavirus in the World

Musk, 48, previously floated the idea of using his Tesla car factory to manufacture ventilators during the coronavirus outbreak, tweeting last week, We will make ventilators if there is a shortage.

According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, its been projected that 960,000 coronavirus patients in the U.S. will require the use of a ventilator during the health crisis. However, the organization estimates there are only 200,000 units available nationally.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane of Bamboo Airways (Photo: vnexpress.net)

This flight is operated by Vietnam's Bamboo Airways.



According to the minister, this is the first repatriating flight in the COVID-19 pandemic coordinated at the European level.

In addition to the passengers on board, the flight also carried thousands of face masks donated by Vietnams Ministry of Public Security to the Czech Republic, along with 500,000 face masks ordered from Vietnam by the Czech Republic.

"The government of Vietnam created conditions for preparing the flight and we accelerated the process of granting license," said Foreign Minister Petricek, talking with journalists.

According to Mr. Petricek, the EU and the Czech Republic paid for this flight under the coordination mechanism of Europe.

In recent days, the Czech Foreign Ministry has repatriated thousands of citizens by air.

Similar flights are being prepared to evacuate Czech citizens from Peru and Thailand./.
Please check for updates of participating locations on our #WriteToAppreciate website at https://writetoappreciate.wordpress.com/ Hi! My name is Sahil and Im a junior at the Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, NY. I know that many of us are disappointed with the number of cancellations, including musicals, concerts, exchange programs, and sports, and are worried about the unknown course of events. But this is also a time for us to learn, grow, and come out stronger as a community. I, like many others, am disappointed with all these cancellations. Personally, I received some disappointing news myself. I am a part of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary, and I was selected to serve as a cadet ambassador to Australia in the International Air Cadet Exchange program this summer. I found out just hours ago that it has been canceled. I believe that we may instead turn our energy to do good and make people smile. I would like to do something to support my local community and school. I would like to energize all the students to send at least one letter to a resident who is spending time at a nursing center where visitors are not allowed. I think we should remind these residents that though they may not be able to have visitors - we are thinking about them, and remind them that they are loved, respected and appreciated. Being in a nursing home can be lonely, but we are here, waiting to come back and visit with them. We can share our stories with them and ask them to share their stories. I would also like to encourage us to write a letter to a doctor, nurse or healthcare provider, who is working through this challenging time to keep us all healthy and express our gratitude for their dedication. I would like us to change our disappointment in the circumstances into gratitude for others and solidarity for each other. I am looking for any and all help in beginning this campaign. Would you please help me amplify this message by sharing it? Let us convert our disappointments into positive energy and action. I would like us to call this campaign #WriteToAppreciate. If youre looking for suggestions of what to write- start with telling them about you and your family, what you enjoy doing, suggest a good book or music, ask them to share their stories. Just let them know that they are in your thoughts and prayers. Please help me by sharing this to amplify this message and brighten someones day. Thank you, Sahil S Update: Weve been working on finding the best way to go ahead with the Mission of #WritetoAppreciate - bringing smiles to residents and health care professionals and to show that kindness will prevail. The world is in uncharted territory due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and we are all at a loss. We want to take all precautions for the protection of nursing home residents, who may be most vulnerable, yet lonely as they are unable to have visitors and many do not have access to email or social media messages. We have worked with St. Peters Health Partners Continuing Care and other locations in the Albany area in the safest way possible, and we are continuing to work with more locations across the nation. We hope you will participate by handwriting a letter (or drawing a picture) and taking a picture of it, and emailing it to one of our locations where they will be distributed. It is important that when you write your letter that you DO NOT include ANY personal information besides your first name. All facilities will be accepting electronic mail ONLY. They WILL NOT be accepting mailed letters. Please also post it to your social media page with #WriteToAppreciate to encourage others to participate.  If you have a facility that would benefit from this, please review the suggested guidelines on the website to ensure proper protocols have been followed when you contact them. If they would like to participate in this initiative, please complete the form on the website https://writetoappreciate.wordpress.com/ For facilities that would like to participate in this initiative please complete the form on the website https://writetoappreciate.wordpress.com/ Very Respectfully, Sahil Swali
Universities may have to slash tuition fees because they are unlikely to return to face-to-face teaching this autumn, it was revealed yesterday.

The director of the Centre for Global Higher Education at the University of Oxford said institutions in the northern hemisphere are 'likely' to begin the new academic year still online.

Professor Simon Marginson spoke out as more than 266,000 students have already signed a petition calling for tuition fee refunds.

In the past two weeks, British universities have switched to online or remote learning to counter the spread of Covid-19 and many have closed campuses.

Universities may have to reduce their fees after education experts warned that students are unlikely to accept continuing to pay full charges if they do not have face-to-face teaching. (Stock image)

Speaking at Universities UK's International Higher Education forum, held online on Wednesday, Professor Marginson warned that international education faces a 'massive hit'.

He said: 'Realistically, we are not going to see a return to face-to-face education in September.'

He added that permanently online learning is 'a substantially different product, a different educational experience and as such it will need a separate pricing structure'.

Speaking afterwards, he said most universities will return to face-to-face teaching as soon as possible and as costs will be unchanged, reduced fees are not warranted. This is because it would drive down quality.

However, when courses remain online after the pandemic is over, tuition fees should be reduced.

But education experts warned yesterday that students are unlikely to accept continuing to pay full 9,250-a-year charges if they do not have face-to-face teaching this autumn.

Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, said: 'Universities will have to look very carefully at their fee structure so that it's fair to students but also attractive to them. This could involve reducing charges.'

The Student Loan Company has already told universities and undergraduates they will receive their summer term payment instalments as usual.

The SLC pays students' maintenance funding to cover living costs in three termly instalments.

British universities have switched to online or remote learning to counter the spread of Covid-19. (Stock image)

The company also pays tuition fees directly to institutions each term if students have taken out loans to cover the charges.

But hundreds of thousands of students have signed an online petition to parliament calling for reimbursement of this year's fees.

Courses had already been affected by weeks of strike action earlier in the year, ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.

John Cater, vice chancellor of Edge Hill University in Merseyside, has acknowledged students' concerns and called for the Government to write off a proportion of this year's tuition debt.

He told The Guardian: '[Universities] will all depend on the major tranche of tuition fee income we receive after Easter. But it is also the case that students' learning and living experiences have been and will continue to be disrupted by the current pandemic.'

A Department for Education spokesman said: 'We recognise that students are concerned by this unprecedented situation.

'The Universities Minister has written to universities and students to outline the support that is available.'

Latest coronavirus video news, views and expert advice at mailplus.co.uk/coronavirus
Ahn formally announced his return to politics on arrival at Incheon International Airport but said he will not run in April's general election. "Running for a National Assembly seat is not the purpose of my return to politics, and I want to quash any needless speculation about which constituency I might run in," he told reporters.

Ahn Cheol-soo, the once popular ex-tycoon who moved abroad after losing his bid for Seoul mayor in 2018, returned to Korea on Sunday.

When asked how he has changed since the presidential elections in 2012 and 2017, Ahn said, "I have grown more convinced that change is necessary in the Republic of Korea," hinting at plans to have another run at the presidency.

Ahn pledged to set up yet another political party with a pragmatic, middle-of-the-road platform. He is still a member of the center-right Bareun Mirae Party and has so far rebuffed overtures from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party to join in setting up a new conservative party.

"We can defeat the ruling party only through innovative competition instead of big rivalry. If we give the public more choices we will be able to win," he said but declined to answer whether he is willing to embrace the LKP.

Ahn took full responsibility for his failed presidential bid and resultant splintering of the Bareun Mirae Party and apologized several times.

"I wanted to change the unfairness and unreasonableness in society, but regret that I caused great disappointment due to my lack of political experience," he said

He was greeted at the airport by some 400 supporters. On Monday, Ahn visits the National Cemetery and pays his respects at the graves of former presidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung. Then he visits Gwangju in the southwest, where his former People's Party garnered overwhelming votes in the general election in April 2016.
The leader of Yemens Houthi rebels on Thursday declared his willingness to free several Saudi captives in exchange for the release of Hamas members recently detained in the kingdom, an unprecedented statement that signaled Irans regional reach.

In a lengthy televised speech to mark the five-year anniversary of Yemens devastating war, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi announced the rebels complete readiness to release a pilot abducted in the downing of a Saudi warplane last month, along with four other soldiers and officers.

Unfortunately, the regimes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have generally presented as worse than Israel, he said, demanding the release of dozens of Palestinian Hamas members and supporters on trial in Saudi Arabia. They had been arrested on charges of fundraising for Hamas, according to an official in the militant group.

The regional proxy war in impoverished Yemen pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a U.S.-supported coalition led by Saudi Arabia. After the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north in 2014, the coalition intervened to restore the internationally recognized government and remove what Saudi Arabia considers to be an Iranian threat on its southern border.

Irans patronage of local Shiite militias as a way of expanding its regional influence and undermining its Sunni foe is not limited to the Houthis. The Islamic Republic also supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and Lebanons Hezbollah, among others.

The Houthis unprecedented intervention in the cases of Hamas members appears to come straight out of the Iranian playbook.

In a statement, Hamas said it followed with interest the Houthis call for the release of detainees, thanking the faction for its spirit of brotherhood and solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Last month, the Houthis shot down a two-pilot coalition Tornado warplane, drawing fierce retaliatory strikes that killed over 30 civilians in the northern province of Jawf. Al-Houthi did not comment on the second abducted pilot in Thursdays speech. The wave of indiscriminate Saudi-led coalition attacks brought international condemnation, the latest measure of civilian suffering in a war that has killed over 100,000 people and brought millions to the brink of famine.
F ive guns used as props in James Bond films and believed to be worth more than 100,000 have been stolen from a home in north London.

The deactivated weapons were swiped during a raid on a residential address in Enfield on Monday and police have launched an appeal for information.

They had featured in the classic spy films Die Another Day, A View to a Kill and Live and Let Die and have been described as irreplaceable

Police were called to reports of a burglary in progress but the three suspects had fled the scene before they arrived, after being disturbed by neighbours.

The thieves sped off from the scene, in Aldersbrook Avenue, in a silver vehicle. Police described them as three white males with Eastern European accents.

They had forced entry into the rear of the premises before stealing the collectable guns, bespoke to particular James Bond movies.

Detective Inspector Paul Ridley, of North Area CID, investigating the burglary, said the public would almost certainly recognise the weapons if they were offered them for sale.

He said: I have provided photographs of the stolen firearms and provided the unique serial numbers.

Many of these items are irreplaceable. For example, the Magnum is the only one in the world ever made in which the whole gun is finished in chrome.

It has a six and a half inch barrel and wood grips. The Walther PPK was the last gun used by Roger Moore in A View to a Kill.

I would urge any members of the public that may have witnessed the burglars arriving and leaving, or who know where the firearms are, or may have been offered these stolen items for sale, to come forward to my investigation team as a priority.

Beretta 'Cheetah' and Beretta 'Tomcat' pistols from Die Another Day and the iconic Walther PPK handgun used in A View to a Kill are among the weapons stolen.

The stolen guns:

Beretta Cheetah auto pistol, serial number H02641Y  featured in Die Another Day

Walther PPK, serial number 146872  featured in A View to a Kill

Revolver Smith and Weston 44 Magnum, serial number N60304  featured in Live and Let Die

Beretta Tomcat auto pistol, serial number DAA264306  featured in Die Another Day with a laser/silencer attachment

Llama 22 cal. Serial number 271915  featured in Die Another Day

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact North Area CID via 101, or by tweeting @MetCC quoting CAD 5890/23MAR20.
As the U.S. took a grim world lead in the number of known novel coronavirus cases, Houston leaders announced the citys first death linked to the devastating pathogen in a woman who was posthumously tested when no other explanation for her passing could be found.

The woman, in her 60s, also had underlying health problems, said Dr. David Persse of the Houston Health Department. She likely contracted the virus while traveling recently outside Texas.

She died Tuesday at a local hospital. Her identity was not yet known.

It was not an obvious cause of death, Persse said.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science administered a COVID-19 test on her and results came back positive in the hours before city leaders addressed their struggles in acquiring hard-to-find medical equipment. The medical examiners office did not respond to requests for comment.

Many municipalities, like Houston, have been unable to maintain a steady stock of protective gear, such as masks, gloves and gowns, as the number of cases increase. The U.S. on Thursday became the new global epicenter with more than 81,800 cases, a number that outranks China.

In the Houston region, the virus has spread into the ranks of local law enforcement and the Harris Countys juvenile detention center, where a teenage boy tested positive for the virus. He has been housed since late 2019 with about a dozen others at the facility.

In the moments before the death was announced, Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed dismay at the prospect of courting privately-owned suppliers for protective gear.

Before the pandemic, the city spent 50 cents per mask. Now, that price has increased exponentially with the national spike in demand, the mayor said. An attempt to purchase coveted N-95 respirator masks from a vendor  at $4 each  flopped when the company revealed they had another bidder willing to pay more.

As of Thursday evening, the vendor, its winning bid and the recipient were not publicly known.

Turner said he has since approved his staff to pay $2 million up front for another cache of masks.

With a wry look, Turner told reporters he was not ready to say whether he believed that to be price gouging.

Let me get the masks first, he said.

Another problem lies in the inconsistency with FEMA deliveries.

The federal agency Thursday morning shipped Harris County and Houston another round of much-needed supplies, but the anticipated shipment was not all it seemed.

The 150 boxes that rolled off an 18-wheeler contained a lot of gloves, said George Buenik, Houstons director of Public Safety & Homeland Security.

We needed ice packs, gowns, Buenik continued. Were hoping another additional supply can come in.

The latest shipment will not be enough to start a second testing site, Turner said. Additionally, Buenik believes their city cache will run through Sunday.

A separate shipment to Harris County contained a fresh supply of the test kits needed to keep drive-thru testing sites in Baytown and Katy operational, officials said. The initial delivery on March 19 of 2,500 pre-packaged nasal swabs was running low because they were being divided between the makeshift facilities, officials said. Each site can administer up to 250 tests each.

Plastic-wrapped pallets containing the equipment arrived around 8:30 a.m., about 48 hours Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo warned their supplies would reach a critical low and force testing site closures.

During a separate news conference, Umair Shah, executive director of the countys health agency, said that he expects their supplies to last another five days. A third federal shipment will arrive in three to four days, he said.

More than 1,700 people from across the region had been tested at both sites since Monday, when the county opened its testing to community members, Shah said. He did not say how many first responders and medical professionals were tested over the weekend.

The city administered about 1,060 tests from Friday through Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Turner introduced a glimmer of goodwill toward tackling the virus' spread. Houston businessman Farouk Shami, founder of the hair company Farouk Systems, donated 15,000 bottles of hand sanitizers that Turner said will be distributed to the city's homeless.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
Lucknow, March 27 : Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday pledged all her MPLAD funds for combating coronavirus in her constituency Rae Bareli.

In a letter to the Rae Bareli District Magistrate, Sonia Gandhi authorised the DM to draw as much funds as required in dealing with the situation and provide sanitisers, masks and medicines to the people of her constituency.

"I appeal to the district administration to distribute masks and sanitisers to the people and give extra care to the daily wagers and the elderly," the four-time MP from Rae Bareli wrote to the DM.

She further said that she would do all that is required as the MP from Rae Bareli to keep the people safe and healthy.

She also requested the administration to ensure that nobody goes hungry in her constituency.

The interim Congress chief has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting a cash transfer of Rs 7,500 to every Jan Dhan account holder, PM Kisan Yojana account holder, all old age/widow/differently abled people's pension accounts and MGNREGA workers' accounts, as one-time special payment to tide over the 21-day lockdown period that is in place to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus.

She also suggested that farmers' produce should be purchased immediately and all recovery of loans should be suspended.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has sent a letter to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, reaffirming her party's support to the government in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

In her three-page letter, Priyanka has said that the government should provide relief to the labourers, vendors, destitute, widows and others who have been deeply affected by the lockdown.

She requested the state government to ensure that labourers who are coming to Uttar Pradesh as reverse migration should be given facilities to reach their homes safely.

The Congress leader also urged the UP government to start a helpline for displaced labourers so that they can contact the concerned officials.

She asked the Chief Minister to provide food grains to slums in urban areas besides ensuring adequate medical help to all.

Priyanka Gandhi also underlined the fact that the medical staff should be given adequate personal protective equipment so that they do not get exposed to the deadly virus while treating patients.

She further said that salaries of nurses should be paid on time since some groups had complained about non-payment of salaries.

Priyanka Gandhi also wrote that Congress workers would support the government in its efforts to combat the deadly virus.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Madrid has a distinct, unmistakable noise. That noise is its life. And right now, the Spanish capital is desolate.

Its quite startling how quickly things can change; standing in a queue one metre behind and ahead of the next person to enter supermarkets now almost feels normal. Only one family member is allowed into many establishments at any one time and most now wear masks and gloves.

We have passed the panic buying stage but supplies still remain low. Its a jarring sight to enter a supermarket at 10am to find many shelves completely empty.

Gran Via, the most iconic street and heartbeat of one of Europes most vibrant cities, remains lifeless. Metros and buses continue to operate, many completely empty.

Spains free healthcare system is generally excellent. However, hospitals appear to be approaching breaking point. On Thursday night, Severo Ochoa hospital in Leganes, a satellite city in the southern part of Madrid, announced it would not permit the entry of any more patients.

El Pais newspaper reports how the intensive care units in Madrid hospitals are bursting at the seams with many units attending to double its maximum capacity. The army have set up a makeshift hospital at the exhibition and events centre IFEMA. In recent days, two Civil Guards lost their lives, both under the age of 40 and without previous health complications.

Every night at 8pm, locals come out to their apartment balconies to clap and sing and show their appreciation for the tremendous efforts of Spains exhausted medical staff.

The vast majority of people in the urban areas of Spain live in pisos, small apartments, and for many this five-minute window of solidarity is their only interaction with the outside world. As the days and weeks go by it will become tougher for those who have no company, whose social life revolves around the local bar and shops. Families with small kids living in these small spaces also face testing times.

Normal life will eventually return to Madrid but right now we have no idea when.

As seen in China, Italy, Iran and now Spain, this virus is no joke, and the only way to combat the spread and to minimise the number of deaths, because there will be many more deaths, is to be proactive, not reactive.

#QuedateEnCasa (Stay home) is the message here on social media and people are taking it very seriously. Its time for Ireland and the UK to do the same.

We are living history. The challenges posed by Covid 19 are similar the world over but everybodys experience of this emergency will be different. In this special series, Lockdown Letters' gives our readers at home and across the globe an opportunity to share their stories about how the Coronavirus and the measures to tackle its spread are impacting their lives in these unprecedented times.

Please email your submission (400 words max.) to stories@independent.ie along with a photograph. We will publish as many letters as possible on Independent.ie and a selection in print every week.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Felimon Santos Jr. has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to Department of Defense National (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

On Friday (March 27), the DND Secretary announced that he will undergo self-quarantine after the AFP Chief informed him of being COVID-19 positive.

Lorenzana said the AFP Chief received his results on Thursday (March 26) and that he was in close proximity with him on two occasions, on March 21 and 22.

Santos went under home quarantine on March 24 after having contact with the senior military officer.

I have no symptoms but protocol says I have to self-quarantine for 14 days, Lorenzana said. AAC (with reports from Lea Ylagan)

The post AFP Chief tests positive of COVID-19, Lorenzana confirms appeared first on UNTV News.
Two long-time drum corps leaders have started in new positions with different organizations. Longtime Texas band director Stan Mauldin joins Phantom Regiment as the corps new executive director. He replaces Rick Valenzuela, who is now vice president of education and special projects at System Bluepart of BD Performing Arts.

Mauldin, who previously worked with the Blue Knights and the Colts but most recently with Seguin (Texas) High School, started with Phantom Regiment when work on the 2020 season was already underway. You feel like youre getting on a rollercoaster in the middle of the ride, Mauldin says.

Mauldin says that he is looking forward to charting a future for the organization in such quickly changing times and credits Valenzuela for leaving a great foundation of growth for the organization. We want to use our expertise to help influence change in education, he says.

Valenzuela says that hes excited about similar elements in his new job as System Blue expands clinic offerings and builds partnerships with other artists and drum corps.

In addition, Valenzuela is director of the BD International Corps this year and plans to travel to Europe with 100 performers for almost six weeks during the summer. They will perform in five countries.

Valenzuela served as Phantom Regiment director since 2007 and says that he will miss the interactions. Every member of the group Ive ever had, Ive always felt that theyre my own kids, Valenzuela says. I love watching their growth and success.

Update from the Editor: Due to COVID-19, The Blue Devils canceled its 2020 European tour.

Photo of Rick and Lori Valenzuela courtesy of Liset Garcia.

Photo of Stan Mauldin courtesy of Jennifer Duenke.
The Midland Business Alliance may have temporarily shuttered its doors at the Gerstacker Commerce Center, but the organization is still working to help local businesses.

Staff is available via phone, email or video conference and is going to great lengths to help businesses find the help many need to withstand the COVID-19-created financial crisis, according to Tony Stamas, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance (MBA).

The Daily News had the opportunity this week to talk with Stamas about specific measures his organization is implementing to confront this crisis.

"We're moving on several fronts," he said. "Communication is of the utmost importance right now. We're doing active outreach and working with community leaders on behalf of businesses, small and large, to let them know what local, state and federal resources may be available to assist them. We can help business owners navigate through the processes."

Stamas said the MBA is actively promoting local business, part of which involves encouraging consumers to shop locally.

"Some businesses have decided to stay open," he noted. "We're talking about ways to support them and that extends beyond restaurants. Communication and advocacy are critical efforts that we're engaged in. These are unprecedented times."

The situation is so fluid, Stamas said, that things are changing by the day -- even the hour. That's why the MBA is closely monitoring legislative action to stay on top of new relief programs and other assistance that may be available to small businesses that have suffered significant financial losses due to COVID-19.

"We had news out of Lansing last week regarding a new program offering low-interest loans," he said, a reference to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's announcement that the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved her request for a statewide economic injury disaster loan declaration.

This means small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and nonprofits that have suffered significant financial losses due to the coronavirus pandemic can apply for low-interest loans.

The big news out of Lansing this week, of course, is the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. The statewide order requires all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life.

The MBA has been quick to respond.

"A big part of our focus this week is working with businesses to provide clarity on the governor's executive order," Stamas said. "Businesses need to know how they meet essential services criteria. Which ones are able to operate in some manner? There is a lot to navigate through and we're here to help our business community get through this crisis."

A roughly $2 trillion federal stimulus package may be a source of financial relief for hard-hit Midland businesses--and families.

"We're getting information out on how employers and employees can use these resources," Stamas said. "We're letting people know what businesses are open. We promoted Take Out Tuesday this week. Even if a business isn't open we're helping them with important matters like how they can meet payroll."

Social media is a big part of the MBA's messaging as they work to stay in touch with the Midland business community and urge residents to support its local businesses. The organization' webpage and Facebook page both prominently feature its "You Don't Have to Cook" post. Residents can turn to those sources to see an extensive listing of Midland restaurants that remain open for takeout and/or delivery.

"We've had 20,000 people look at our Facebook page," he said. "We're also using our webpage as sort of a landing spot for people to learn more about COVID-19 and some of the resources out there that can help them. We'll be updating that regularly to provide information people might need and businesses might need."

Stamas suggested other ways to support local business: "Buy a gift card for an employee of an affected business or leave a favorable online review. Share a favorable post online from your favorite establishment. Get takeout or delivery from local restaurants. There are things we all can do to help our local businesses weather this crisis."

If there is a silver lining amid all the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic, it can be found, true to form, shining brightly throughout a Midland community long known for its benevolence.

"I've lived in Midland my entire life, and it's inspiring to see what a great heart this community has," Stamas said. "It's incredible to see the myriad ways and the creativity people are demonstrating to help out. And it's not just for business but it's helping our neighbors and others as well. In a time of crisis, the Midland community responds."
Ottawa, March 27 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that it is in the US and Canada's interests to keep the border unmilitarised after the United States floated the idea of placing troops on the Canada-US border.

"Canada and the United States have the longest unmilitarized border in the world, and it is very much in both of our interests for it to remain that way," Trudeau said on Thursday at Rideau Cottage where he has been in self-isolation, Xinhua reported.

The White House is considering deploying 1,000 troops about 25 km from the 8,891-km-long border and using remote sensors to look out for irregular migrants, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

After Trudeau's remarks, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told a press conference that Canada is strongly opposed to the U.S. idea of sending troops to the border to intercept illegal migrants as part of the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Canada is strongly opposed to this US proposal and we've made that opposition very, very clear to our American counterparts," Freeland said.

She said Canada became aware of the possibility of troop movements near the border "a couple of days ago." "We understand the concerns about the coronavirus. We share those concerns, very much," she said. "We've said we really don't think this is the right way to treat a trusted friend and military ally." Canada and the United States implemented a mutual ban on non-essential travel across the border last week, which includes trips for recreational purposes.

But two sides continued allowing trade, commerce and cross-border essential workers to move back and forth over the border.

The United States caught more than 4,400 migrants at the Canada-US border between October 1, 2018 to September 30 of 2019. About half of those were of Mexican nationality, while 322 were Canadian citizens, according to CBC.
Kolkata, March 27 : The West Bengal government on Friday filed an FIR with the cyber crime branch of Kolkata Police against a "fake news" on social media that a doctor in the state's ID hospital, Beliaghata, has contracted the coronavirus infection, an official said.

"The state health department is strongly protesting against the fake news on social media that an ID Hospital doctor has been detected with the infection. The health department has lodged an FIR with the cyber crime branch of Kolkata Police so that legal action can be taken against the rumour mongers," the official said.

The official categorically said not a single doctor or health worker in the state has contracted the virus. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the detective department has been asked to look into the matter.

"We will find out the source of the fake news. The DD team has been deployed, the Special Task Force and Criminal Investigation Department are also on the job. We won't spare such unscrupulous people," she said.
A microbe that is able to break down plastics used in furniture, fridges and other products could be the answer to solving the plastic pollution problem.

Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ in Leipzig identified a bacteria that can break down the problem material.

The tiny organism is capable of degrading polyurethane - a plastic material used in everything from furniture to fridges.

Polyurethane accounts for 3.5 million tons of plastic produced in Europe each year and it difficult to recycle as it is impossible to melt when heated.

A microbe that is able to break down plastics used in furniture, fridges and other products could be the answer to solving the plastic pollution problem. Stock image

It has lightweight, insulating and flexible properties making it perfect for use in bedding, shoes, buildings and car parts.

The waste mostly ends up in landfills where it releases toxic chemicals - some of which have the potential to cause cancer.

The team of German researchers have identified a microbe that could put an end to this problem of stockpiling polyurethane plastic waste.

The team isolated the bacterium Pseudomonas sp. TDA1 from a site rich in brittle plastic waste that shows promise in attacking the chemical bonds that make up Polyurethane plastics.

They identified the degradation pathways and factors that help the microbe metabolise certain chemical compounds in plastic for energy to live.

Study co-author Dr Hermann J. Heipieper, a senior scientist at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ in Leipzig, said: 'There may be a small answer to one of the biggest problems on the planet.

Brightly coloured Polyurethane foam rubber for furniture factories. The waste mostly ends up in landfills where it releases toxic chemicals - some of which have the potential to cause cancer

'The bacteria can use these compounds as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy and represent an important step in reusing hard-to-recycle products.'

The research was part of an EU scientific program which is trying to find microorganisms that can bioconvert oil-based plastics into fully biodegradable ones.

Scientists are also testing if microbes can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics which are widely used in water bottles.

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.
Senior adviser has avoided using the tube in recent weeks to decrease his chance of infection

Dominic Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from No 10 shortly afterwards

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also revealed he has tested positive

But insisted he would continue to lead the UK's response to the crisis from home

Dominic Cummings was spotted running out of Downing Street this morning - shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.

The No 10 senior adviser looked to be in a hurry as he dashed out of the front door down towards the residence's back gate.

Viewers joked that Mr Cummings was attempting to make a quick getaway after finding out about his boss' diagnosis for fear of getting infected.

Mr Johnson tested positive for coronavirus yesterday evening, after developing a cough and a temperature and was tested by NHS staff in Number 10

The election mastermind wore a green jacket and was carrying a large laptop bag as he made his way down towards the small car park.

Skys Sam Coates, who was reporting while the footage was aired, added that Mr Cummings 'has been avoiding the tube in recent weeks' as he has become particularly cautious about trying to make sure he doesnt get the virus.

Mr Johnson tested positive for coronavirus yesterday evening, after developing a cough and a temperature and was tested by NHS staff in Number 10.

It's understood he learned the test had come back positive at around midnight last night.

But the Prime Minister insisted that he is still determined to lead the UK battle against the crisis.

The 55-year-old only has 'mild symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference.

The PM will stay in his flat in No11 - from where he chaired a meeting of the 'war Cabinet' this morning - and aides will leave meals and work outside the door.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has also announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

The PM's spokesman said he would be carry out 'all of the same functions he was performing before' and 'the only difference is he will now have to do that via teleconferencing'.

Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked.

The bombshell news underlines fears that the crisis is escalating, and will increase pressure on the government over the lack of wide-scale testing of the general public. There are concerns that other senior ministers, senior officials such as Prof Whitty, might have been infected.

However, Downing Street insisted there is no need for other members of the government to get tests unless they start displaying symptoms.

And despite the government's own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night or chief aide Dominic Cummings - are going into isolation.

Boris Johnson was outside No10 last night applauding NHS workers who are combating the virus, in a national show of appreciation - but kept his distance from Chancellor Rishi Sunak

In a video, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test.

'That has come out positive so I am working from home, I am self isolating.

'That is entirely the right thing to do but be in no doubt that I can continue thanks to the wizardry of modern technology to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.'

Prince Charles was confirmed as infected with coronavirus earlier this week. Other world leaders such as Canada's Justin Trudeau have tested positive.

Downing Street has previously said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will fill in if the PM is incapacitated, although there is little sign that he has stopped working.

HEALTH SECRETARY MATT HANCOCK CONFIRMS HE HAS CORONAVIRUS JUST HOURS AFTER BORIS Coronavirus arrived at the heart of power today as Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock dramatically announced they are suffering from the disease. The bombshell news threatens to send the government's response into chaos, with speculation rampant over who else might be infected at the highest echelons of the state. The politicians are believed to have carried out a slew of face-to-face meetings over the past week. But Downing Street insists there is no need for other ministers or officials to get checked unless they start displaying symptoms. The drama kicked off this morning when Mr Johnson declared he had coronavirus. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty advised him to get a test after he developed a temperature and cough yesterday afternoon. The 55-year-old insisted he only has 'mild' symptoms', and will be continuing to lead the national response over video-conference. The PM will stay in his flat in No11 - from where he chaired a meeting of the 'war Cabinet' this morning - and aides will leave meals and work outside the door. Within hours Mr Hancock then revealed he also has the virus. 'I've tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I'm working from home & self-isolating,' he tweeted. Mr Hancock had been expected to appear at the daily government press briefing this evening, but Michael Gove is now likely to fill in. Despite the government's own guidance saying people must self-isolate for 14 days if anyone in their 'household' develops symptoms, no senior figures - such as Chancellor Rishi Sunak who was with the PM last night or chief aide Dominic Cummings - are thought to be going into isolation. Mr Cummings was seen making a hasty exit from Downing Street today carrying a rucksack. Mr Johnson's pregnant partner Carrie Symonds is believed to be in self-isolation, although it is not known when they last saw each other or if she has been checked. In a video, Mr Johnson said: 'Hi folks I want to bring you up to speed on something that is happening today which is that I have developed mild symptoms of coronavirus, that is to say a temperature and a persistent cough, and on the advice of the chief medical officer I have taken a test. ... AND PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE TESTS POSITIVE TOO Duncan Selbie started to develop tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 at the weekend, a spokesperson for Public Health England said. He is continuing to lead the health body from the comfort of his own home. Advertisement

Where did Boris Johnson catch coronavirus and who did he infect? How PM came into close contact with politicians and health chiefs over past 10 days before testing positive

By Mark Duell for MailOnline

Boris Johnson has been in close contact with dozens of politicians and health chiefs over the past ten days before testing positive for coronavirus.

The Prime Minister has been holding press conferences at 10 Downing Street with the likes of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.

He has also stood near Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.

The three scientists have appeared at the Downing Street press conferences, and have also been meeting other politicians and civil servants across Westminster.

While the PM has held Cabinet meetings and discussions with the Queen remotely, he still attended the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

Last night Mr Johnson stood outside in Downing Street with Mr Sunak as they both joined in the national clap for NHS staff. They stood distanced from one another.

However a spokesman for Mr Sunak has said he had not had any symptoms and therefore had not been tested for coronavirus and was not self-isolating.

Going further back, the Prime Minister attended the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9 with his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds.

There, the couple spoke to a number of dignitaries and celebrities, and Mr Johnson was photographed shaking hands with boxer Anthony Joshua after the service.

He has also spoken to schoolchildren at No10 on March 5, visited flood defences in Worcestershire on March 8 and been to laboratories on March 1 and March 6.

Here is a pictorial guide to what Mr Johnson has been doing this month:

Boris Johnson joins in with a national applause for the NHS outside Downing Street last night

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street for the applause last night

Boris Johnson in the study of 10 Downing Street on a video call to other G20 leaders yesterday

Boris Johnson on the phone in his office in Downing Street to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks during his first remote news conference on coronavirus on Wednesday

Boris Johnson returns to 10 Downing Street from Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday

Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday morning

Boris Johnson chairs a weekly Cabinet meeting remotely from the Cabinet Rroom on Tuesday

Boris Johnson addresses the nation from Downing Street and imposes a lockdown on Monday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday

Boris Johnson speaks during a media briefing at Downing Street on coronavirus on Sunday, with Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's daily coronavirus update in the Cabinet Room on Saturday

Boris Johnson (centre) with Chancellor Rishi Sunak (left) and Jenny Harries (right) on March 20

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (left) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance (right) watch as Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 19

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on March 18

Boris Johnson with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance at Downing Street on March 17

Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds speak with heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day on March 9

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds arriving at Westminster Abbey for the service on March 9

Boris Johnson surveys flood defences in the Worcestershire town of Bewdley on March 8

Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park on March 6

Boris Johnson speaks at Downing Street on March 5, in an event attended by Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who later tested positive for the virus, as well as Trade Secretary Liz Truss (in red next to the podium) and athlete Kelly Holmes (in a black suit, two places to Ms Truss's left)
Some private hospitals not following COVID-19 protocol: Odisha The Odisha government on Friday asked people to refrain from visiting a private hospital in Odisha and directed it to isolate all its staff, including doctors, who came in contact with a patient after he was found to be COVID-19 positive.

The 60-year-old man, who was detected as Odishas third COVID-19 patient on Thursday night, does not have overseas travel history and he had come here by a flight from New Delhi on March 10, a senior official said. The man had gone to Delhi on March 7 and during his stay there, he ...
ALBANY  The city of Albany is suspending all time-limited parking regulations (with some exceptions) until further notice and creating dedicated curbside pickup areas for restaurants that continue to serve takeout.

Check out our growing list of restaurants still open

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Police Chief Eric Hawkins and Parking Authority Executive Director Matthew Peter said time-limited parking rules are being lifted to create additional parking spaces during the COVID-19 outbreak. Exceptions include residential permit areas, emergency no parking areas, and loading zones.

The city had previously lifted time-limit restrictions in Washington Park and Lincoln Park, but the wider suspension means areas of Lark Street, Madison Avenue, Central Avenue, New Scotland Avenue, Broadway and Pearl Street will now open up. The city had also previously suspended all metered parking rules and opened up off-street lots for longer-term parking.

The city also announced Friday that it is creating curbside pickup areas, complete with dedicated parking spots, outside local eateries that continue to serve takeout. The action is designed to protect both employees and customers, officials said. Curbside pick-up spots may only be used for up to 30 minutes and will be denoted with specially made signs.

Any restaurant that would like to be included in the program should contact mayor@albanyny.gov or 518-434-5105 to request the signage.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements

The latest coronavirus numbers in NY

Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter

Full coronavirus coverage
Businessman and Philanthropist, Oscar Yao Doe, is asking President Nana Akufo-Addo to institute measures to cushion Ghanaians, especially the vulnerable, in the event of a shutdown due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.



In an open letter to President Akufo-Addo, the Group Chairman of Eurostar Limousine Limited says the measures, if implemented well, would cushion the populace and reduce the anxiety, panic and excessive stress Ghanaians are going through currently.



He lists, among other demands, six steps he says government must initiate in this regard:



The suspension of all electricity bills payment to all households across Ghana for 90 days.



The suspension of water bills payment for all households across Ghana for 90 days. Government should also sponsor water tankers to supply water to the most vulnerable communities across Ghana on a daily basis or at least thrice weekly.

Halve all utility bills (Water & Electricity) to all businesses across Ghana for 90 days.



Issue GH1,000 in cash or direct transfer payment to all Public Sector workers across Ghana, as well as guarantee full salary payment to all Public Sector workers for 90 days.



Inject direct financial support to all districts, metropolitan & municipal assemblies relative to their sizes.

Provide direct extra cash allowance to all frontline workers battling the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and take care of medical bills and feeding of Ghanaians who catch the virus.



Similarly, Oscar Doe says another critical area needing attention is pensions, where he urges the Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang to seek immediate approval from the Presidency, through the Ministry of Finance to protect Ghanaian pensioners.



In this wise, he wants SSNIT to issue direct cash or direct transfers of between GH1,000 up to GH2,000 based on salary grades as a Special Emergency Package to cushion pensioners across Ghana for 90 days.



This gesture could go a long way to reduce Fear, Panic and Anxiety, he said.

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
President Kovind and Vice President Naidu expressed hope that the Indian society's inherent strength of sharing and caring and the government's measures would mitigate the sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the workers of the unorganised sector and the destitute

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday asked Governors and Lt Governors of states and union territories to mobilise voluntary and religious organisations to aid the effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

In a video-conference with the Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of states and UTs, the President and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who also attended the conference, asked them to find ways to complement the efforts of the central and state governments in meeting the challenges arising from the outbreak of COVID-19.

President Kovind and Vice President Naidu expressed hope that the Indian society's inherent strength of sharing and caring and the government's measures would mitigate the sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the workers of the unorganised sector and the destitute, it said.

The President began the conference by exhorting to the collective strength of the society and urged Governors, LGs and Administrators to mobilise volunteers of Indian Red Cross Society, voluntary and religious organisations to contain the menace at the earliest, the statement said.

The President urged everyone to hold regular stock-taking with their state governments and make contributions in a way that the battle again the coronavirus could be won.

He also said the best practices can be emulated in other parts of the country, the statement said.

In the video-conference, the Delhi Lt Governor 14 Governors, from the worst hit areas, were shortlisted to share their experiences.

The video-conference was conducted by the Vice President and it brought out the best mitigation practices initiated by various state, it said.

The discussions related to the status of COVID-19 in the states, the role of the Red Cross and that of civil society/voluntary organisations in aiding the efforts of the governments, especially with the lockdown and other emerging challenges, it added.

The video-conference began with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari outlining measures initiated in his state.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan lauded the role of the government, voluntary organisations, medical professionals, paramedics and the police for their coordinated effort to persuade people to maintain social distancing.

He recited a couplet. Yun hi basabab na fira karo, kisi shaam ghar bhi raha karo (which broadly translates to don't roam around without any purpose, stay at your home') to emphasise on social distancing.

The statement further said 1,800 retired doctors and MBBS students Kerala have enlisted with the state government to volunteer with their services if a need arises.

375 Psychologists are also roped in to give advice to those who find quarantine as difficult phase in their lives. This is considered to be an innovative move in Kerala worth emulating for other states, it said.

Kerala (129 cases) and Maharashtra (127) have reported maximum number of COVID-19 positive cases.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala extolled the collective strength of the society to fight the menace.

Akshay Patra, a social organisation, is also actively involved in distributing food packets all over the state, it said.

Satyadeo Narayan Arya, the Haryana Governor, said the state was fully prepared to meet all challenges.

Delhi LG Anil Baijal said the city government and all other agencies were working in perfect coordination to enforce the lockdown and while also mitigating people's problems. He also pointed out that he was meeting his CM every day to take stock of the situation.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Dev Brat said that quarantine facilities in the state were being augmented. Social awareness programmes have been initiated to motivate people to follow guidelines, it said.

Governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan said the state is extensively using social media to spread awareness.

Soundararajan also informed that Raj Bhavan has taken steps to provide food to about 800 needy families living nearby.

Naidu suggested her to take help of artistes, film stars, writers and intellectuals to raise the level of awareness.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said universities in his state are ready to offer its services and space.

Himachal Governor Bandaru Dattatraya said special efforts are being made to ensure awareness in district with tribal population, the statement said.

Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan talked about the state's proximity to international border that makes it vulnerable to spread of the disease. He praised the state government's effort to contain the virus.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The Red Cross in the State has also been using its volunteers to spread awareness and its ambulances are available for use by District authorities, Chauhan said.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit informed that construction workers re being provided Rice, Dal etc. All rice ration card holders under PDS will be given Rs 1,000, he said. Amma canteens are being used to provide subsidised food, the statement said.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon praised quick response of the state administration and said measures are taken to ensure food is made available to daily-wagers, Tandon said.

Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh VP Singh Badnore informed that Red Cross was helping supply food packets in Chandigarh.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, informed that a fund has been created to enable people to make donations.
Denman Glacier in East Antarctica retreated 3.4 miles (5.4 kilometers) from 1996 to 2018, according to a new study by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of California, Irvine.

Their analysis of Denman -- a single glacier that holds as much ice as half of West Antarctica -- also shows that the shape of the ground beneath the ice sheet makes it especially susceptible to climate-driven retreat.



Until recently, researchers believed East Antarctica was more stable than West Antarctica because it wasn't losing as much ice compared to the glacial melt observed in the western part of the continent. "East Antarctica has long been thought to be less threatened, but as glaciers such as Denman have come under closer scrutiny by the cryosphere science community, we are now beginning to see evidence of potential marine ice sheet instability in this region," said Eric Rignot, project senior scientist at JPL and professor of Earth system science at UCI.



"The ice in West Antarctica has been melting faster in recent years, but the sheer size of Denman Glacier means that its potential impact on long-term sea level rise is just as significant," Rignot added. If all of Denman melted, it would result in about 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) of sea level rise worldwide.



Using radar data from four satellites, part of the Italian COSMO-SkyMed mission that launched its first satellite in 2007, the researchers were able to discern the precise location where the glacier meets the sea and the ice starts to float on the ocean, or its grounding zone. The scientists were also able to reveal the contours of the ground beneath portions of the glacier using data on ice thickness and its speed over land.



Denman's eastern flank is protected from exposure to warm ocean water by a roughly 6-mile-wide (10-kilometer-wide) ridge under the ice sheet. But its western flank, which extends about 3 miles (4 kilometers) past its eastern part, sits over a deep, steep trough with a bottom that's smooth and slopes inland. This configuration could funnel warm seawater underneath the ice, making for an unstable ice sheet. The warm water is increasingly being pushed against the Antarctic continent by winds called the westerlies, which have strengthened since the 1980s.



"Because of the shape of the ground beneath Denman's western side, there is potential for the intrusion of warm water, which would cause rapid and irreversible retreat, and contribute to global sea level rise in the future," said lead author Virginia Brancato, a scientist at JPL.



It will also be important, her colleague Rignot noted, to monitor the part of Denman Glacier that floats on the ocean, which extends for 9,300 square miles (24,000 square kilometers) and includes the Shackleton Ice Shelf and Denman Ice Tongue.



Currently, that extension is melting from the bottom up at a rate of about 10 feet (3 meters) annually. That's an increase over its annual melt average of 9 feet (2.7 meters). It's also greater than the average melt rate for East Antarctic ice shelves between 2003 and 2008, which was roughly 2 feet (0.7 meters) per year.



The team published their assessment on March 23 in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters.



This project was funded by NASA's Cryosphere Program and received support from the Italian



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
The Business Correspondent Federation of India (BCFI) on Friday appealed to banks and local authorities to help its agents have safe and easy access to cash to provide essential services in semi-urban and rural areas.

BCFI is a body representing fintech companies working towards the delivery of financial services to underbanked and unbanked.

The industry body said due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown on account of COVID-19, the situation is worse in rural India with limited access to primary banking services such as cash withdrawal, money transfer.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam announced a relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore for the economically weaker sections of the society.

In order to ensure that the cash reaches to the beneficiaries, BCFI has made an appeal to banks and other stakeholders in the ecosystem to help agents have safe and easy access to cash from their local banks, so that they can continue unhindered providing essential services to the common man.

In these seriously challenging times, to ensure thatthat the relief package reaches the intended, and beneficiaries are able to access the cash,along with the banking systems,our business correspondents are the frontline warriors,providing access to this relief cash, BCFI member and CEO of PayNearby Anand Kumar Bajaj said.

BCFI also requested the government for a relief package of Rs 5,000 for business correspondents for the next three months, which is less than 0.5% of the Rs 1.75 lakh crore package announced by the government.

This will motivate these correspondents to offer uninterrupted services and ensure the benefits of the relief package reach the intended and they can access the cash.

Business correspondents provide access to basic banking services such as cash deposit or cash withdrawal in remote areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US may be reaching its Chernobyl moment as it fails to lead in combating the coronavirus epidemic. As with the nuclear accident in the Soviet Union in 1986, a cataclysm is exposing systemic failings that have already weakened US hegemony in the world. Whatever the outcome of the pandemic, nobody is today looking to Washington for a solution to the crisis.

The fall in US influence was visible this week at virtual meetings of world leaders where the main US diplomatic effort was devoted to an abortive attempt to persuade the others to sign a statement referring to the Wuhan virus, as part of a campaign to blame China for the coronavirus epidemic. Demonising others as a diversion from ones own shortcomings is a central feature of President Trumps political tactics. Arkansas Republican senator Tom Cotton took up the same theme, saying that China unleashed this plague on the world, and China has to be held accountable.

US failure goes far beyond Trumps toxic political style: American supremacy in the world since the Second World War has been rooted in its unique capacity to get things done internationally by persuasion or by the threat or use of force. But the inability of Washington to respond adequately to Covid-19 shows that this is no longer the case and crystallises a perception that American competence is vanishing. The change in attitude is important because superpowers, such as the British Empire, the Soviet Union in the recent past or the US today, depend on a degree of bluff. They cannot afford to put their all-powerful image to the test too often because they cannot be seen to fail: an exaggerated picture of British strength was shattered by the Suez Crisis in 1956, as was that of the Soviet Union by the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The coronavirus crisis is the equivalent of Suez and Afghanistan for Trumps America. Indeed, these crises seem minor compared to the Covid-19 pandemic, which will have far greater impact because everybody on the planet is a potential victim and feels threatened. Faced with such a mega-crisis, the failure of the Trump administration to lead responsibly is proving extraordinarily destructive to the US position in the world.

The decline of the US is usually seen as the counterpart to the rise of China  and China has, at least for the moment, successfully got a grip on its own epidemic. It is the Chinese who are sending ventilators and medical teams to Italy and face masks to Africa. Italians note that the other EU states all ignored Italys desperate appeal for medical equipment and only China responded. A Chinese charity sent 300,000 face masks to Belgium in a container on which was written the slogan Unity Makes Strength in French, Flemish and Chinese.

Such exercises in soft power may have limited influence once the crisis is over, though this is likely to be a long time coming. But, while it does so, the message is going out that China can provide essential equipment and expertise at a critical moment and the US cannot. These changes in perception are not going to disappear overnight.

Prophecies that the US is in a state of decline have been two a penny almost as long as the US emerged from the Second World War as the greatest superpower. Yet the much-heralded downfall of the American empire has kept being postponed or has seen others decline even faster, notably the Soviet Union. Critics of US decline-ism explain that, while the US may no longer dominate the world economy to the degree it once did, it still has 800 bases around the world and a military budget of $748bn.

Yet the inability of the US military to use its technical prowess to win wars in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq has shown how little it has got in return for its vast expenditure.

Trump has not started any wars despite his bellicose rhetoric, but he has used the power of the US Treasury rather than the Pentagon. By imposing tight economic sanctions on Iran and threatening other countries with economic warfare, he has demonstrated the degree to which the US controls the world financial system.

But these arguments about the rise or decline of the US as an economic and military power miss a more important point that should be obvious. The very real decline of the US as a global power, as exemplified by the coronavirus pandemic crisis, has less to do with guns and money than many suppose, and much more to do with Trump himself as both the symptom and cause of American decline.

Put simply, the US is no longer a country that the rest of the world wants to emulate or, if they do, the emulators tend to be authoritarian nativist demagogues or despots. Their admiration is warmly welcomed: witness Trumps embrace of the Hindu nationalist Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and his cultivation of the younger generation of tyrants such as Kim Jung-un in North Korea and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.

Democratic and despotic rulers will, at least at first, be strengthened by the pandemic, since in times of acute crisis people want to see their governments as saviours who know what they are doing.

But demagogues like Trump and his equivalents around the world are seldom much good at handling real crises, because they have risen to power by exploiting ethnic and sectarian hatreds, scapegoating their opponents and boosting their own mythical achievements.

Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon AFP/Getty Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome Reuters

An example of this is Brazils far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, who accuses his opponents and the media of tricking Brazilians about the dangers of coronavirus. Such is the governments laxity in enforcing any type of lockdown in Rio de Janeiro that in at least three slums, only the local drugs cartels have stepped in to declare and enforce an 8pm curfew.

Trump has always excelled in exploiting and exacerbating divisions in American society and producing simple-minded solutions to mythical crises, such as building the famous wall to stop the entry of Central American migrants into the US. But now he is faced with a real crisis, he is gambling that it will be of short duration and less severe than most experts predict. Polls show that his popularity has risen, probably because frightened people prefer to hear good news rather than bad. So far, the worst outbreaks of the illness have been in New York, Boston and other cities where Trump never had much support. If it spreads with the same intensity to Texas and Florida, then the loyalty of even Trumps core supporters may evaporate.

The reason why the US is weaker as a country is because it is divided and these divisions will get deeper as long as Trump is in power. Hitherto he has avoided provoking serious crises, and his mishandling of the coronavirus epidemic shows that he was wise to do so. He is polarising an already divided country and this is the real reason for the decline of the US.
Remember Isha Koppikar? Known as the glam girl in the late 90's and early 2000's, she had acted in several Bollywood movies and Telugu films as well. She played as the lead heroine in Nagarjuna's 'Chandralekha' (1998). In Bollywood, she attained stardom with an item song in Ram Gopal Varma's 'Company' (2002).

She returned to Telugu films in 2017 in Nikhil Siddharth's 'Keshava' in which she appeared as a police officer.

The 43-year-old actress has joined hands with RGV once again. She is acting in a Hindi web series that is presented by Ram Gopal Varma. She hoped that this web series RGV would claim his space back again.

Text: Telugucinema.com

Images: Isha on Instagram
Oregon may avoid the worst of the coronavirus, according to a new forecast issued by state health officials. But people must stay home.

If followed strictly, Gov. Kate Browns March 23 stay-home order appears to be strong enough to not just slow the growth of coronavirus cases in Oregon but to reduce the number of infections, the estimates from the Institute for Disease Modeling show.

Here are more key developments to know Friday:

CHECK: The Oregonian/OregonLive developed a calculator to help you find out how much your household stands to receive under the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package under debate Friday in the House. The tool works for all adult taxpayers nationwide. Portland Housing Bureau officials say theyre also hoping to give cash to some struggling households.

JOBS: State workers are fielding hundreds of complaints every day about alleged violations of the governors social distancing orders, fueling workers anxiety and confusion. Separately, new claims for unemployment insurance soared to an all-time high. And the claims are likely to keep rising. Metro, for instance, says it plans to cut 700 jobs.

SCHOOLS: State education officials said publicly funded online academies must remain closed, just as brick-and-mortar schools, until the governor reopens schools. Meanwhile, many parents and caregivers are working to fill vast and sudden gaps in education and childcare. And after schools closed in mid-March, state workers trained to screen reports of child abuse suddenly started receiving hundreds of fewer calls about concerns of child abuse and neglect.

CASES: A 69-year-old woman from Clackamas County was became the 11th Oregonian to succumb to coronavirus, according to state health officials. The total number of people with COVID-19 in Oregon has surpassed 300.

CARE: At least one in four coronavirus patients in Oregon are being treated by a single hospital network. As other hospitals prepare for the outbreak, state officials hope medical volunteers will step forward to help provide care. Hospital systems and insurance providers are also bracing for the financial fallout that could follow a wave of treating the disease.

ACROSS OREGON: City officials in Hood River banned overnight tourist stays to limit the spread of the coronavirus, following the lead of coastal Oregon towns. The U.S. Forest Service followed the news by closing all trails in Columbia River Gorge. It also closed off access to trails in the Mount Hood National Forest.

LIFE TODAY: After days of experimentation in new ways to get local food to customers during the coronavirus pandemic, Portland-area farmers markets plan to adopt a drive-thru model to maintain social distancing.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
BROOKINGS, Ore.  In an effort to better enforce the spirit of "Stay Home, Save Live," lodgings on the Southern Oregon coast are now largely off-limits to visitors, reserved instead for essential workers and vulnerable populations.

The City of Brookings adopted a resolution on Thursday for motels, vacation rentals, bed & breakfasts and RV parks, closing them to anyone but those deemed essential.

"During this time, only persons in the trucking industry, victims of domestic violence, health care workers, government workers, first responders and other persons deemed by the City, County or the State to be essential or necessary during the pandemic, persons seeking to use the transient lodging facilities to responsibly quarantine themselves (if allowed by the TLF owner), and residents within the 97415 zip code will be permitted to rent lodging facilities," the City said.

Any accommodations in the area will have to turn away anyone who does fall into any of those categories.

"The Council understands this crisis is having a profound impact on our local economy and our local businesses," Brookings officials said. "They did not take the adoption of this resolution lightly and felt that adoption was imperative to helping ensure the health and safety of our citizens."

Oregon's stay-at-home order: What does it mean and where am I allowed to go?

On Friday, Curry County followed suit. The Board of County Commissioners elected to issue near-identical terms to lodgings throughout the county, providing an exception only for long-term lodgers who are already registered for more than 30 days.

"Although . . . the public has been orderd to stay-in-place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Curry County has experienced an influx of people visiting the County, purchasing supplies, camping, vacationing in lodging establishments, and recreating in hot tubs, pools, and on the beaches," the County said in its order, "increasing the potential for positive COVID-19 cases and the loss of necessary resources."

Curry County declared a local state of emergency on March 18, giving them broad authority to enforce these kinds of restrictions.

"Curry County is a rural community possessed with limited emergency medical and healthcare capability, and is determined to follow medical guidance and do everything in their collective power to protect vital community assets during a predicated surge of patients due to the COVID-19 pandemic," the County said.

Curry County has yet to announced any positive cases of COVID-19 in the area  although that does not necessarily mean that the virus is not already present. Regardless, it's clear that local leaders would prefer to spare their community the risk of receiving it from an influx of visitors.
In an unprecedented videoconference of G-7 foreign ministers, global leaders are pledging to work together to battle the coronavirus outbreak. The United States says it is ready to work with China to end the global pandemic and restore the world economy.
By January 15th the virus had crossed the borders of China and incidence of a virus was noticed both in Thailand and Japan and both countries sounded the alarm before China did. It was only on January 23rd that the Chinese Government ordered a full lockdown of Wuhan thus allowing the virus to spread unhindered at the crucial early stages.









by Dr. S. Chandrsekharan





The Corona Virus that is officially called Covid-19 has triggered a global health crisis. The virus has affected most of the countries and has claimed more than 15,000 lives. More deaths are inevitable. After some inexplicable delay, the WHO came out with the declaration that it is a pandemic. It was too late then. Losses to the World economy will run into trillions. One UN Study has assessed that over two million jobs could be lost because of the pandemic. In some countries like Italy, the virus is spinning out of control.













Thus, the World is suffering for Chinas folly. Two weeks ago, Political Scientist Andrew Michta declared that the The Chinese State is culpable.





Media Reports indicate that before Prime Minister Modi declared a lockdown on 24th March, the Indian Foreign Minister is said to have discussed with his Chinese counter part about their experience. The only experience the Chinese counterpart could have given is how to cover up, suppress information and spread misinformation without doing little to contain the virus from spreading. But the Chinese could create a national crisis in India which they could not do even during the 1962 war of aggression.





One other issue that is mentioned in the Press is that the Chinese Premier requested the Indian Foreign Minister not to use the term Chinese Virus. If one can call it a Spanish Flu or use the term Middle East for another virus, we see no reason why it should not be called Chinee Virus as there are enough indications that it originated from Wuhan in Hubei Province.





The South China Morning Post of Hongkong had reported that the first occurrence of the Coronovirus was as early as November 17 of last year.





By January 15th the virus had crossed the borders of China and incidence of a virus was noticed both in Thailand and Japan and both countries sounded the alarm before China did.





It was only on January 23rd that the Chinese Government ordered a full lockdown of Wuhan thus allowing the virus to spread unhindered at the crucial early stages.





In this connection, our earlier paper China Falters and the World Suffers in paper No 6549 dated 15th March may be read along with this paper. The Chinese Government censored and detained those brave doctors and whistle blowers who attempted to sound the alarm and warn their fellow citizens. The case of the doctors being called by the Security Officials and made to give statements that what they said were lies is well known. It is only two weeks ago that China officially admitted the mistake and offered a solemn apology to Dr Lis family and said that the two Police Officers who coerced eight of the Doctors to give a written apology were handed over disciplinary punishments. The poor Police Officers were made the scape goats. It is the system that has to be censured and not the individuals. In the initial stages, the Chinese Government also maintained that local officials were to blame for allowing the epidemic to spiral out of control. This again is not true as it is the system that has to be blamed.





In October 2007, in a detailed paper titled Severe, Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus etc. by Vincent C. Chang and others, warned of the possibility of the re emergence of SARS and other noted Viruses from animals or Laboratories and therefore the need for preparedness should not be ignored. The paper also mentioned of the presence of a large reservoir of SARS like viruses in horse shoe bats, together with the culture of eating habits of eating exotic wild animals in Southern China is a Time Bomb that was waiting

.

Whether this warning was taken seriously by the authorities is not known but the general narrative has been that Corona Virus cases originated from the Wuhan Food Market. In another 2017 paper, more recently, a Scientist Zheng LiShi of the Wuhan Institute of Virology and her colleagues set out how, after nearly five years of collecting faecal samples from bats in the Yunnan caves, said that they had found corona viruses in multiple individuals of four different species of bats. The genome of that virus, Ms. Shi and her colleagues have now announced, is 96 percent identical to the Wuhan virus that has recently been found in humans. And those two constitute a pair distinct from all other known corona viruses, including the one that caused SARS. In this sense, nCoV-2019 is novel  and possibly even more dangerous to humans than the other coronaviruses





Ms. Shi and colleagues have been tracing coronaviruses in bats since 2005, warning that some of them are uniquely suited to cause human pandemics. These warnings were lost sight of by the authorities.





In our earlier paper we had mentioned about the state of the art bioresearch laboratories in China. In it we had said the following.





It is said that Wuhan has two laboratories linked to Chinese Bio Warfare Programmes. The Wuhan Institute of Virology started in 2012 has very fine and competent Research Scholars some holding PhDs doing comprehensive Research on virology and bio safety. In their collaboration with the French now known as P4 Virus Lab. it has the most modern state of the art Centre for Infectious Diseases. Were these professionals involved in examining the causes or were they themselves responsible for the virus?





Former President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmedenjiad alleged that the coronovirus that emerged in Wuhan was produced in a Laboratory. There was another report that the Wuhan Institute of Virology located about 12 miles from the Sea Food Market was the epicentre of the virus. These reports need to be looked into.





In all, the World is paying a heavy price for the initial delay in China coming out openly on the incidence of the virus and in this, even the WHO is also guilty in delaying to declare it as pandemic. Was'nt Andrew Michta right in stating that the Chinese State is culpable?
More than $2.6 billion worth of orders in Bangladesh's garment sector have been withdrawn and new cancellations are coming up, according to the country's commerce minister.

Garments are a major source of export for the South Asian country as retail brands abroad source for apparel from Bangladeshi factories. But the coronavirus pandemic has led to many of those brands shutting down their stores, forcing them to cancel orders or delay shipments.

"More than $2.6 billion (worth of) orders have been canceled, and new cancellations are coming up," Tipu Munshi, Bangladesh's commerce minister, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Friday.

"We are waiting to see how it improves; the moment things improve, we hope that the buyers will not cancel the orders or they will take the deliveries, maybe a little later, and they will pay the money to the factories," Munshi said.

More than 4,600 garment factories in Bangladesh make shirts, T-shirts, jackets, sweaters, and trousers; they are mostly shipped to Europe, the United States, and Canada, to be sold by local retailers in those countries.

Bangladesh is the world's second-largest clothing exporter behind China, according to ratings agency Moody's.

Ready-made garments comprised 84.21% of Bangladesh's total exports worth $40.5 billion in its 2018-2019 fiscal year, according to data posted on the website of trade body, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). More than 60% of the garments were shipped to the European Union.
Further evidence of the growing reliance on telecommunications during the Coronavirus pandemic comes from Bangladesh, where local news reports suggest that internet usage has shot up 15 per cent.

Internet traffic surged soon after the government closed all educational institutions across the country on 16 March  and of course, many companies have switched to virtual working. In particular Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company (BSCCL), the countrys only submarine cable company, has reported a bandwidth consumption increase of about 10 per cent. Bangladesh currently consumes about 1,600 Gbps bandwidth, up from 970 Gbps a year ago, and 300 Gbps in 2016. Of the total, BSCCL alone is supplying about 970 Gbps through its two undersea connections.

In addition six international terrestrial cable operators are importing bandwidth from India, which, inevitably, is experiencing a demand spike of its own.

Figures quoted from market research firm Nielsen on social media volume indicated a surge of fifty times normal levels in the first week of March in India, driven by official online announcements (such as pandemic updates, advice and campaigns) as well as general use of social media.

Meanwhile, Indias ecommerce platforms are enjoying greater usage as people order staples online (delivery of essentials has not been stopped during the lockdown). Of course, the lockdown of the country is relatively recent, so a further boost in use of the internet generally and social media specifically is probably on the cards for the latter half of this month.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in New Mexico exploded to 191 on Friday as 55 more people tested positive, state officials said.

Its the biggest single-day surge announced  more than twice the previous high.

The number of virus patients hospitalized also jumped to 17, up from 13 the day before. A half-dozen of them are in intensive care or on ventilators to help them breathe, state officials said.

The increases came as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered air travelers to quarantine themselves for 14 days upon arrival as the state tries to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Her executive order also warns travelers that they face the possibility of involuntary isolation if they dont comply. She authorized the state Department of Public Health to screen, isolate and quarantine people covered by the order.

The climb to 191 cases of the virus is a 40% jump in one day, and it coincides with increased testing throughout the state.

In a public briefing broadcast on her Facebook page, Lujan Grisham said its not the best sign to see New Mexicos number of confirmed cases double in about three days.

It means theres more social distancing that must be done, she said Friday.

The governor suggested the state may hit a peak in new cases in mid-April. She urged every New Mexican to act as if theyre infected and take appropriate steps to stay home and avoid spreading the disease.

We want it to end as quickly as possible, Lujan Grisham said.

Twenty-seven of the new cases are in Bernalillo County. More than half of the states 33 counties have at least one confirmed infection.

The Department of Health also repeated its warning Friday that given the infectious nature of the virus it is likely other residents are infected but yet to be tested or confirmed positive.

The Lujan Grisham administration has instructed New Mexicans to stay home and ordered the closure of schools and nonessential businesses. The Trump administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also urged people to take steps to slow the spread of the virus.

Quarantine order

Most of New Mexicos cases are connected to international or interstate travel, state officials said, prompting the quarantine order for air travelers.

Because some individuals infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms, Lujan Grisham said in the order, travelers may be unaware they are carrying the virus. For this reason, persons arriving in New Mexicos airports must self-isolate for a period of time sufficient to ensure that the public health and safety is not jeopardized.

The Department of Health, Lujan Grisham said, was authorized to make temporary holds and seek court orders for isolation, if necessary. She cited the Public Health Emergency Response Act as authority for the order.

Peter Simonson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, said the state should take care to enforce the order fairly and with proper notice to the public.

As long as the order is enforced equitably and travelers are given reasonable notice about this requirement, he said Friday, we have no objections. We would urge authorities to use criminal penalties only as a last resort.

Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the state expects New Mexicans to comply with the quarantine order and isolate themselves at home or wherever their destination is, without need for a court order.

Hospital capacity

Over the past two weeks, state officials have repeatedly urged New Mexicans to stay home to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus. They say even a small change in the rate the disease spreads could have an enormous impact on the total number of people infected and avoid a sudden influx of sick patients who overwhelm the health care system.

New Mexico has fewer hospital beds per capita than the national average, with 1.8 hospital beds per 1,000 people. The national average is about 2.4 beds, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Lujan Grisham has asked the Department of Defense to establish a temporary Army hospital in Albuquerque.

These are the courses of action that I think will save lives, she said.

Just one person in New Mexico has died amid the outbreak  an Eddy County man in his 70s with chronic underlying health conditions.

For most people, the disease causes mild to moderate symptoms, and they recover within two to three weeks. Symptoms include a fever and respiratory problems.

Older adults and people with chronic health problems are most at risk.

State officials say they are working on numbers showing how many people have recovered from the virus.
President Donald Trump again criticized Gov. Gretchen Whitmers handling of the coronavirus pandemic during an interview on Fox News, responding to the governors complaints that his administration hasnt stepped up to provide overwhelmed hospitals with medical supplies.

The president, speaking with Sean Hannity by phone Thursday, said governors shouldnt solely rely on the federal government to supply personal protective gear that has become scarce as hospitals deal with an exponentially increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Whitmer repeatedly called on Trump to address a shortage of coronavirus tests, protective masks, gowns and other protective equipment.

Your governor of Michigan, I mean, shes not stepping up, Trump said. I dont know if she knows whats going on, but all she does is sit there and blame the federal government, she doesnt get it done."

Trump said Whitmer has not been pleasant," but other governors have been supportive of his response to the emergency. He characterized a recent phone call with governors across the country as a love fest.

Weve had a big problem with the young -- a woman governor -- you know who Im talking about, from Michigan, Trump said, adding Now she wants a declaration of emergency and, uh, you know, well have to make a decision on that.

Whitmer, who has levied her own criticism in several interviews during the last few weeks, responded on Twitter Thursday night.

Hi, my name is Gretchen Whitmer, and that governor is me," she wrote. "Ive asked repeatedly and respectfully for help. We need it. No more political attacks, just PPEs, ventilators, N95 masks, test kits. You said you stand with Michigan -- prove it.

PS: Im happy to work with the VP! We get along well. pic.twitter.com/OtjJa9pwhD  Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) March 27, 2020

Whitmer added that she and Vice President Mike Pence have worked well together and shared a video of Pence saying Whitmer is leading her state through all of this with great energy. The remark came from a March 25 press conference where the vice president pledged to work with governors to distribute medical equipment.

Pence said he and the president continue to be inspired and impressed by the leadership that governors are providing in their states, including Michigan. Pence said the Trump administration has been in close contact with Whitmer.

We want to partner with her and we want to partner with every governor and make sure that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing, in terms of acquiring resources, Pence said.

The president said Thursday that the federal government is the second line of attack," arguing that states should take on the responsibility for keeping hospitals equipped during the global pandemic.

All 16 members of Michigans congressional delegation sent a letter to Pence Wednesday uring the administration to approve pending requests for personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing materials.

Sixty Michigan residents who contracted the coronavirus have died as of Thursday. Hundreds of new cases are identified each day, and health officials warn the 2,856 confirmed cases found so far is just a snapshot of the true total.

The numbers have spiked since last week, when the state began to significantly increase the number of people tested for the coronavirus. Confirmed cases doubled in the last three days.

Republicans have criticized the governor for not submitting a disaster declaration to the president until March 25.

Health care systems across the state are seeking donations of masks, face shields, testing swabs, Lysol wipes and other basic gear. Meanwhile, Michigan businesses have started to transition their factories to produce personal protection equipment and ventilators.

Whitmer expressed frustration that states have been charged with finding their own means to gather N95 masks and other medical equipment at a Thursday press conference. Whitmer said a shipment of supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile only covers a fraction of what is needed to address the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

The governor said Michigan has received 13 million N95 masks, 226,000 surgical masks, 35,000 hospital gowns, more than 4 million gloves, nearly 100,000 face shields, 250 beds and thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer from private groups. Its still not enough, she said.

Right now, medical professionals across the state have no choice but to re-use facemasks, Whitmer said. This increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 at a time when we should be doing everything we can to mitigate it."

Pence said Wednesday that FEMA is working to ship 9.4 million N95 respirators, 20 million surgical masks and 3.1 million face shields, among other items.

Whitmer declared a state of emergency on March 10 after the first cases were identified. She has since closed schools, bars, restaurants and other establishments to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further.

On Monday, March 23, Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order, requiring Michigan residents to stay at home except for essential business.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and dont necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as theres currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.
Some of the drugs seized from a transnational smuggling ring.  Photo congan.com.vn

HA NOI  The drug crime investigation police department announced on Thursday it had busted an illegal transnational drug trafficking ring, seizing 450kg of drugs of various types.

On March 13, border soldiers from Ba Son border point in Lang Son Provinces Cao Loc District detected a car carrying 246 plastic packages containing ketamine, weighing about 246kg.

From the initial testimony of the driver, Loc Van Cat, 32, living Cao Loc District, the police arrested two main transporters, Vy Van Hen and Hoang Van Chinh, who is a Chinese national.

On March 17, the provincial Border Guard Command issued a decision to prosecute the case of illegal transportation of drugs and transferred the document to the investigation police department for further investigation.

Through investigation, the police verified a man living in Nam inh Province, namely Pham Van An, who transported drugs from Nam inh Province to Lang Son Province for Hen.

An was arrested on March 19 at his home in Nam inh Province.

At the investigation agency, An claimed that he took 26 packages containing about 520kg of synthetic drugs from a warehouse in Ha Noi's Chuong My District and tranported them to Lang Son Province to give 13 packages, weighing 246kg, to Hen.

Later, An transported the remaining 13 packages to Ha Noi and hid them at a car wash belonging to his brother Pham Van ao in Cau Giay District's Yen Hoa Ward.

ao was arrested and his shop was also searched.

The police seized six packages of synthetic drugs, weighing 120kg, at aos shop.

Six more people related to this drug ring were also arrested and 80kg of drugs collected.

Dozens of kilogrammes of other drugs were destroyed by the suspects when they discovered they were being investigated.

The investigation agency is working with relevant units to find the origin of these drugs.  VNS
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is set to narrate a Disney nature documentary in her first job post-royal exit.

Walt Disney Studios dropped the official Disney+ trailer for Disneynature's Elephant and Dolphin Reef which will be narrated by Black Swan actress Natalie Portman and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

The trailer marks Markle's return to showbiz after more than three years away. Elephant will be one of a series of animal and nature related features Disney will release in celebration of Earth Month.

The film follows an elephant family crossing the Kalahari Desert in a 1,000-mile adventure. The plot revolves around Shani, an African pachyderm, and her son, Jomo, as their herd is led by Gaia across hundreds of miles through the desert.

The documentary will feature the hardships the elephant herd as they follow the footsteps of their ancestors to reach a lush, green paradise while facing the brutal heat and threats from predators.

The Duchess of Sussex will reportedly receive no pay for her voiceover role on the studio's forthcoming animal feature. The former Suits' star is said to have lent her voice to Disney in return for a donation to a charity of her choice.

The film will reportedly benefit Elephant Without Borders---a charity dedicated to conserving wildlife and protecting elephants from poachers.

The Duchess recorded the voiceover when baby Archie was just seven months old.

Disneynature has previously tapped other A-list celebrities, including Meryl Streep (Wings of Life) and Morgan Freeman (March of the Penguins), for different projects. Profits from said projects also aided organizations supporting conservation of wildlife.

Meghan's role in the docuseries does not come as a surprise to fans. Those who watched a video of the Sussexes attending the premiere of Disney's The Lion King remake in London in 2019 where a controversial clip made rounds.

A clip from the event showed Prince Harry touting Meghan's voiceover skills to Disney CEO Bob Iger while they were all together on the red carpet. The clip also showed the Duchess in a conversation with Beyonce and Jay Z.

The Prince, who is due to step back as senior royal members by the end of March, has concentrated much of his conservation work in Africa where he serves as the president of African Parks and patron of the Rhino Conservation Botswana.







The Duke of Sussex recently visited the continent in October where he and Markle performed an official royal tour. The tour was also the center of the royal couple's documentary "Harry & Meghan: An African Journey" where the actress first opened up about the hardships she had to endure under public scrutiny.

The TV film famously told the interviewer, "It's a lot," when asked how she was holding up.

Disneynature's Elephant and Dolphin Reef is due to come out on the studio's streaming service, Disney+, on April 3. Watch the trailer below:



More Meghan Markle news:
The main street in the southwestern city of Gwangju is filled with soldiers and tanks in this May 1980 file photo after the military brutally cracked down on the pro-democracy protests there. Nationwide martial law was declared shortly during the May 18 uprising. / Korea Times file



In 'Witnessing Gwangju,' ex-Peace Corps volunteer reconstructs 1980's pro-democracy uprising



By Kang Hyun-kyung



Paul Courtright's "Witnessing Gwangju" is an American's account of the tragic May 18 Gwangju Uprising that took place four decades ago.



His memoir revisits the 13 days of fears and gunfire during the student-led pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city in 1980 when the author was working with a leprosy resettlement center named Hohyewon in South Jeolla Province as a Peace Corps volunteer.



As his workplace was located 30 minutes from Gwangju, he frequently travelled back and forth to Gwangju, as well as other neighboring cities, on business trips.



Courtright said the publication of his first-hand experience of the protests and military's brutal crackdown on protesters during the turbulent days is an overdue job that was necessary for him to heal wounds and also to better inform people outside Korea of the significance of the incident.



"Telling my story of 5. 18 was important for me  partly to bring some closure to a traumatic period in my life," he said in the author's note of the book. "I hope that, as a foreigner who lived in the area at the time, my story will also help the healing still needed in Gwangju and the surrounding towns and villages."



His notes and letters he wrote during and after the 13 days from May 14 to 26 helped him reconstruct his vivid memories of the days full of fears and violence in the southern city in the book.



He defies some far-rightists' allegations and suspicions about the popular protests.



"(T)here are people in Korea today questioning whether it actually happened," he wrote. "It happened. Some were saying that it was a communist insurrection, orchestrated or supported by North Korea. No, it was not. Some called it a riot by unruly students. No, it was not."



Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who took power through a military coup weeks after the assassination of President Park Chung-hee and was in power when the May 18 Uprising occurred, claimed it wasn't a "homegrown" pro-democracy movement.



In his 2017 book, titled "Chun Doo-hwan's Memoir: Days of Chaos," he claimed some 600 North Korean soldiers were involved in the May 18 Uprising in Gwangju. "The Gwangju Uprising was an urban guerrilla warfare conducted by the North Korean special forces," he claimed in his memoir. "It is an open secret among North Korean defectors that North Korea was involved in the incident."



In a vivid sketch, the author revisits the appalling scene he and two Koreans in hanbok, who accompanied the U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in their trip to the southern coastal city of Suncheon, witnessed together at the Gwangju bus station on May 19.



He says he felt a tense atmosphere at the bus station as soldiers in full camouflage and helmets were everywhere.



"There were some loud thumps and a woman's voice pierced the air. 'They're killing him! They're killing him!'," his book reads. "Everyone froze. We turned around. The young man was on the ground, unmoving. Blood pooled beside his head. The soldiers stood over him, their posture still threatening. One soldier turned and aced us. There was no movement or words coming from the stunned crowd. 'Leave the area! Now!' barked the soldier." "Witnessing Gwangju" published by Hollym publishing house in Korea features several photos taken by Robin Moyer during the uprising. Back in 1980, Moyer was in Seoul on assignment for Time Magazine and went to the southern city to cover the tragic story.





Paul Courtright, author of "Witnessing Gwangju" published by Hollym, speaks in the United States in this undated photo. His book will go on sale in May. / Courtesy of Hollym
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided that the division corporation related to Shincheonji, which had been registered in the Seoul Metropolitan Government under the name of "the New Heaven and New Earth, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony" violated the terms of permission and thus revoked the permission for establishment today (June 26) according to Article 38 of the Civil Law. The government notified Shincheonji of the hearing regarding the cancellation of the establishment permit, but was absent and did not submit any prima facie shreds of evidence. The government has completed all the necessary procedures for cancellation. The following are the reasons why the Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to cancel the company's permission to establish.

First of all, Shincheonji didn't abide by many of the laws and regulations. Any violation of these procedures and requirements alone shall result in the cancellation of the establishment permit. However, there is also a separate substantive reason why this entity should be canceled in essence.

First, the New Heaven and New Earth, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony" and Shincheonji, Church of Jesus are essentially the same organizations. The corporation has a representative of Lee Man-hee, and the purposes and businesses of the corporation stipulated in the articles of association are essentially the same as those of Shincheonji.

Second, Shincheonji seriously violated the lives and safety of the people. Shincheonji has disrupted government quarantine activities both structurally and nationally, and their concealment of fact resulted in the spread of COVID-19. As of March 26th, out of 9,241 confirmed people in Korea, more than 5,000 confirmed people were related to Sincheonji. That's over 55 percent of the total. Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province account for about 70% of the total. If president Lee Man-hee had issued guidelines earlier and actively cooperated with the quarantine, it would have prevented the rapid spread of the spread of COVID-19.

However, the Shincheonji leadership, including president Lee Man-hee, said that they would cooperate actively with the government's quarantine activities and investigations, but in reality, they submitted the list of believers and facilities as belated and false, concealed, and caused major confusion in quarantine activities.

In addition, the church issued orders to interrupt the quarantine, such as not to answer any calls from officials conducting epidemiological investigations or to provide false information, such as to hide the fact that they were members of Shincheonji. Such acts have seriously damaged the public interest as they have hindered rapid quarantine and preventive activities to protect the lives of the people.

Third, Shincheonji is an anti-social organization that is beyond religious freedom. First of all, Sincheonji devises a stratagem or deceive with camouflage to recruit people. It has a very clever and planned evangelizing system. After taking the approach of studying the Bible or engaging in cultural and artistic hobbies, they begin intensive lecture for six to seven months of thorough brainwashing people without realizing that is doctrine of Shinchenji. After that, people who completed the six month course of training will be accepted as fomal Shinchenji member.

In the process, illegal cases were also confirmed, such as the unauthorized use of the names or marks of other sects familiar to the public, to target citizens who do not know the true nature of Sincheonji. There was even a time that they gathered young people by deceiving them it was supported by Seoul City Hall in September 2019. In some cases, the victim reported the incident to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. We have also found that the survey was conducted using the names of media companies and universities without permission.

Seoul City has secured important evidence regarding the camouflage of Sincheonji. During the administrative investigation, the government secured a number of documents that proved the existence of the so-called harvester, known by the media. According to the document, the congregation, called the Special Forces, regularly reported their activities to the superiors to deprive members from other churches and temples.

Other documents also detail the names of the special forces, the churches, and temples they were involved in, and who they met to exchange and disseminate. There are large churches, pioneering churches, and even Buddhist sects. In addition, Lee Man-hee's special directive, dated January 27, emphasized the goal of encouraging Special Forces activities and even conquering other denominations. This is what happened when the entire nation was fighting with COVID-19.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been doing its best to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which is based on the list of believers in Sincheonji, which it has secured. However, it was not clear how often these special forces had contact with other churches or worshippers of temples during the Seoul Metropolitan Government's quarantine process. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has identified only a handful of special forces. But based on this document, it is clear that Sincheonji has been doing something that involves infiltrating various religious facilities nationwide, systematically, and routinely, such as other churches and temples to spread their ideas or to take out their believers.

The problem is that the other religions and churches they came into contact with Sincheonji, were at great risk of infection and were exposed to it. Therefore, the list of special forces and other religious groups they contacted was very important for quarantine purposes and necessary information. The Seoul Metropolitan Government requested the list, but they never submitted it. The quarantine authorities strongly urge Shinchonji to submit their names as soon as possible. The prosecution also strongly asks for information on them as soon as possible through search and seizure.

In addition, the Sincheonji used young people with little experience in society as a target of intense evangelism, trampling on their freedom and human rights and extorting property. At first, Sincheonji approached the captors and gave them consideration and kindness, but after a certain period of time, kindness disappeared and used their state of mind that they could be a loner to make them become believers with virtually no free will.

It is also well known through the victim's accounts that the family members who oppose attending the Sincheonji have developed conflicts and collapsed. This act of missionary work by Sincheonji not only violates the constitutional order and violates personal basic rights, but also clearly contradicts the laws and regulations. The judiciary has also recognized the illegality of the Sincheonji. On January 14, 2010, Seo San Ji-won of the Daejeon District Court ruled that the process of intense evangelism work in Sincheonji was illegal.

We are certainly aware of this through the COVID-19 incident. Sincheonji is a religion that consecrates people and drives not to proudly state it's identity, an abnormal religion that rationalizes even lies if ordered by Lee Man-hee, a religion that views other religions as objects of destruction and conquest and deprives their believers, and a religion that does not care about the life, health and safety of others and neighbors, but only the expansion of their own groups.

Nevertheless, Shincheonji yesterday did not apologize or repent for its wrongdoings to the people that it would take legal action if the City Hall cancels the corporation. The Sincheonji Church, which has interfered with Coronavirus quarantine activities and caused massive damage due to anti-social behavior, deserves to be canceled just for its actions that hurt the public interest. In addition, the corporation was unable to provide any business results, and further facts were confirmed that the company violated the terms of the permission at the time of its establishment. Therefore, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will cancel the permission to establish the corporation as of today. Sincheonji Corporation should immediately go into liquidation and dissolve the corporation.

In addition, it has been confirmed that HWPL, another corporation of Sincheonji, has been engaged in illegal missionary activities in Sincheonji, not for the purpose of international exchange. The government also informed Sincheonji that they have entered the legal process for the cancellation of the corporation. In the future, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue to hold Sincheonji responsible for the serious threat and harm to the safety of citizens, life and public interest through all means, including the claim of the right to the initiative.

This is by no means an infringement of religious freedom. Rather, the majority of the great religions and churches have religious freedom and order of faith. Above all, it is to clarify the principle and common sense that freedom of religion is not above the people's right to life. The above measures also prove the reason for the existence of the state and government.
And with one bound, they were free.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have finally reached the promised land of California and they are within kissing distance of Hollywood, no doubt their intended destination all along.

That weird rental stay in Canada?

It now seems clear that it was nothing but a smokescreen  a nice, Commonwealth-friendly stopgap to give a sheen of royal respectability to their act of usurpation.

Or should that be her ambition? Now that the duchess has her duke exactly where she wants him, which is stuck fast in the amber of her Los Angeles hometown, will the power base in their relationship tilt even further her way?

Undoubtedly so. From now until forever, in America at least, it is Meghan who will be the guest of honour and Harry the lowly plus one at her side.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 05, 2020. Their last public engagement

For she is the architect of their new world pageantry, the queen bee in their westerly Windsor hive.

He will just have to hold her handbag and do what he is told  and perhaps he will be more than happy to do so.

Surely, for a headstrong young pup like him, anything is better than his lowly post on the Windsor totem pole: being bossed around by Gan-Gan, Papa, big brother Wills and a battalion of chisel-faced courtiers insisting on protocol, protocol, protocol.

The couple say they still want to be busy, to support the Queen and carve out a progressive role within the Royal Family but that dream has already died, kids, that ship sailed long ago on the Megxit tide.

The famous Hollywood sign during a typically sunny Southern California day

This week, in the middle of the biggest public health crisis this country has ever seen, the Sussexes already seem self-absorbed, detached and utterly irrelevant.

Perhaps it was bad timing but within hours of the nation coming together on Thursday to show its support of the NHS by taking to the streets and clapping, news emerged that the Sussexes had flown from Canada earlier this week  private jet, naturally  to settle in LA.

Just as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis charmed the nation with that video footage of them earnestly clapping along, all rosy cheeks and sweet woolly jumpers, the Sussexes were nowhere to be seen.

Public comfort came there none. All they could offer was a lame post on their preposterous SussexRoyal Instagram account, one that sounded like a note left for the cleaner.

Thank you for all that you continue to do! Applauding you from across the pond, read the message, accompanied by two lines of clapping hands emojis.

Honestly, Harry and Meghan, if this is the best you can do, dont bloody bother.

The residence of Prince Harry and and his wife Meghan is seen in Deep Cove Neighborhood from a boat on the Saanich Inlet, North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Those dashed off ho-hum words are an insult to everyone in this country, not least of all those NHS workers on the front line risking their lives every day to save others and try to control this pandemic.

At a time of national peril, the last thing anyone needs is another trite and meaningless gesture from this pair of do-gooding dopes, but sadly they seem unstoppable.

Earlier, the couple posted another gobbledegook quote to their 11.3million followers, harbouring under the fond delusion that it was somehow inspirational.

This moment is as true a testament there is to the human spirit, it read.

Is it really? Then why arent the pair of you doing something about it, instead of slipping from the public gaze entirely?

No one is expecting the Sussexes  or any other royals  to start touring wards and crocheting facemasks, but surely the very essence of being royal is to provide a visible and calming presence at a time of catastrophe?

Instead the Sussexes focus is, as ever, firmly on themselves.

This week Disney announced that Meghan has provided the voiceover for a new wildlife documentary called Elephant, which starts streaming next month.

The $10million dollar house Harry and Meghan are said to have looked at prior to their move

Thats pretty fast work, considering it is just over six months since Prince Harry was caught on camera making that embarrassing red carpet pitch to Disney boss Bob Iger to get his wife some voiceover work.

Ker-ching! It worked.

That is the thing about the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan claim to be on the side of the little people and the disenfranchised.

But they will grind home every advantage and privilege of their own with ruthless efficiency.

Were supposed to think this is all marvellous because Meghan is giving her Disney fee to charity, as if she is somehow doing the company a huge favour.

Last year Disney donated over 274million to charitable causes, the tip of a corporate benevolence that also funds many college placements and childrens hospitals.

Every little helps of course, but it is clear that the cause the Sussexes support most keenly is their own.

Still, one must wish them well.

The Sussexes have made it abundantly clear that, for them, royal life in Britain was not a sanctuary but a prison  one that they have decided to escape and now exploit abroad.

Increasingly it is impossible to ignore the irony of historical momentum here, or fail to see the similarities between their situation and that of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

Both couples chose exile over duty, but it remains to be seen if the Sussexes will dissolve into the mortifying bog of inconsequence that engulfed the latter.
UW Student Innovation Center Team Creates 3D Surgical Masks for Cheyenne Medical Center

Tyler Kerr, UW makerspace coordinator in the Student Innovation Center (SIC), holds up one of the first surgical masks he and his team created on the SICs 3D printers. The UW team is producing 200 masks -- 100 surgical facemasks and 100 face shields -- throughout the weekend and delivering them to the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to help medical professionals safeguard against novel coronavirus COVID-19. (UW Photo)

The University of Wyomings Tyler Kerr never thought he and his team would be on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle.

With the nationwide spread of the coronavirus the last several weeks, medical supplies have become dangerously low, especially the demand for medical masks used by professionals to guard against the spread and protect against the virus.

Wyoming is not immune from COVID-19, with the number of confirmed cases increasing significantly in recent days. Already, some medical facilities in the state are facing medical supply shortages.

One of those facilities is Cheyenne Regional Medical Center (CRMC), whose medical workers reached out to Kerr for assistance and have requested at least 100 protective masks and 100 face shields.

Kerr -- the UW makerspace coordinator in the Student Innovation Center (SIC), located in the new Engineering Education and Research Building -- and his team are stepping up to the plate to help. They are producing 200 masks in this first round -- 100 surgical facemasks by Monday, immediately followed by 100 face shields in the days following the first delivery.

All will be produced through the SICs 3D printers and laser cutters.

We have been provided a unique opportunity to lend our equipment, resources and expertise to help stem the tide, flatten the curve and prevent spread of the virus, however the medical community asks us to, Kerr says. How often in our lives can we say that we have $1.4 million in state-of-the-art equipment made almost exactly for rapid prototyping purposes such as these? To do nothing with these resources was never really an option. This was our call to arms.

To date, Kerr and his team have only made a few prototypes of a number of different facemasks and face shield designs to showcase to different health professionals. However, that changes this weekend when official production kicks off and runs around the clock to get the surgical masks and face shields sent to Cheyenne.

Health care facilities nationwide are facing severe shortages of personal protective equipment, says Dr. Jeff Chapman, CRMC chief medical officer.

The biggest hurdle we are facing in health care facilities in the nation is shortages of personal protective equipment -- specifically masks and face shields. As we look into the unknown of how long this pandemic will last or how many patients we could potentially have, we want to make sure we are as equipped and prepared as possible, Chapman says. It is a blessing that our community is able and willing to help out. We are especially grateful to the University of Wyoming for fulfilling this request, not only Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, but for other hospitals around the state.

This is the first batch of masks Kerr and his team have produced, with more to come. The UW team is not charging any of the hospitals in the area for material or use of the machines.

Ben Monger, an energy systems engineering student from Cheyenne, inspects one of the 3D printers that is producing one of the 100 surgical facemasks that will be donated to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. (UW Photo)

It is and will continue to be free, Kerr says. This is likely the first of many. Area hospitals have expressed interest in face shields we are producing, which are easy for us to make en masse.

CRMC registered nurse Doug Berg initially made contact with Kerr for the request of the surgical masks.

Doug is a prolific and enthusiastic maker in his own right. He had prototyped and printed a few models of the 3D masks we are printing and, ultimately, he came to us once he had shown the design to the CRMC leadership team for a stamp of approval, Kerr says. We feel confident that, with CRMCs feedback, this design at its core level meets the rigorous health standards necessary to help stem the virus.

The UW SIC team is making the face masks and face shields with ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), the same sort of plastic found in Legos, because it is more resistant to higher temperatures than more common plastics that a hobbyist 3D printer might work with at home. ABS also is easier to sterilize.

It takes approximately four hours to print one mask, Kerr says. He adds that his team is printing two masks -- and two filter cartridges -- per machine, hoping to squeeze three masks in to a build plate, which would take a cumulative 12 hours.

After the design step, the team prepares the file in a 3D printing program called a slicer or slicing program that divides the model into thousands of horizontal layers. The slicing program tells the 3D printer exactly how it should move the print head -- called an extruder -- in order to create each layer. The file then is sent with the instructions for the extruder over to the 3D printer.

The slicer does all the hard thinking for us. We just tell it the parameters we want -- not that much different than the decisions you make when printing out a paper document, just with a few extra choices, Kerr says. The best analogy we have found is to think of 3D printers like very smart hot glue guns. At its core, the 3D printer is simply using computer controls to move an extruder back and forth, left and right, up and down, as it ejects hot melted plastic out of a nozzle, like a hot glue gun melts glue sticks, one layer at a time.

The molten plastic is cooled with fans the moment it comes out, and a layer-by-layer 3D model forms. The difference is that the printers nozzles are only approximately 0.4 millimeters (400 microns) wide, which means the team can print much higher resolution than glue gun nozzles can extrude hot glue.

Ana Flores, a physics undergraduate from Guadalajara, Mexico, feeds a 3D printer with ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) filament that will produce one of the 100 plastic face shields to be given to the medical staff at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center early next week. (UW Photo)

His team is using six Ultimaker 3 Extended and two Ultimaker S5s devices to print the first batch of 100 masks, as well as two laser cutters to cut the face shield visors from thin plastic sheets.

The products being developed by the SIC team will serve as surgical masks and not the more advanced N95 masks that are now in high demand nationwide. Those masks are considered true respirators and are rigorously tested by the Food and Drug Administration for years before public use.

Jesse Evans, a computer science undergraduate researcher from Green River, developed the code to help speed up the 3D printing process in the SIC. Also assisting in the overall project are UW computer science Assistant Professor Lars Kotthoff and UW student Tyler Heckenlively, from Littleton, Colo.

On Kerrs team are Victoria Evans, a pre-pharmacy student from Green River; Ana Flores, a physics undergraduate student from Guadalajara, Mexico; Shannon Linch, a chemical engineering student from Riverton; Ben Monger, an energy systems engineering student from Cheyenne; and Dee Retting, a journalism major from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Kerr says all the credit should go to Berg and the masks designers, Spencer Zaugg and Family Dentistry in Billings, Mont., for getting the project into the SIC teams hands.

We recognized that we could serve an important role to help produce custom parts or protective equipment locally, safely and efficiently in order to get crucial equipment in the hands of medical professionals rapidly during critical shortages, Kerr says. This was not our idea, but one that seemed to be borne out of the maker movement nationwide. We simply started paying attention to what others were doing, how other emergent tech centers were answering the call. It certainly feels like our duty to help however we can. There really wasnt ever another option to sit idly by.
Press Release

27 March 2020

Our top priority is the health and safety of employees, guests and communities in which we operate

MGM Resorts is proactively managing expenses, other cashflow items and its balance sheet position, including fully drawing its revolving credit facility

Approximately $3.9 billion in operating cash and cash investments is available to support liquidity during our closures

Announces strong January and February results of operations

Advertisements

LAS VEGAS - In light of the material unforeseen and unprecedented volatility in the financial markets, MGM Resorts International ("MGM Resorts" or the "Company") is providing the following update on its results for the first two months of the year, the impact of COVID-19 on its operations and an overview of the steps it is taking to help minimize the financial impact.

"At MGM Resorts, we are committed to doing our part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of our properties across the United States," said Bill Hornbuckle, Acting CEO and President of MGM Resorts. "While this will undoubtedly have a significant negative effect on our business in the near term, we are well-positioned to emerge from the current crisis in light of our strong liquidity position and valuable asset portfolio. With the continued execution of the MGM 2020 plan, as well as the implementation of aggressive cost savings initiatives, we believe the Company will be able to manage its expenses while navigating this unprecedented event. We are currently making very difficult decisions but believe these will be in the best interest of the Company long term."

Mr. Hornbuckle further addressed the state of the business in a video message to employees which can be found on the MGM Resorts website at www.mgmresorts.com/COVID19update.

Operations Update

Since March 16, 2020, all of the Company's domestic properties have been temporarily closed to the public and the Company has also experienced very high group cancellations. This is an unprecedented public health crisis and the Company believes that it must do all it can to assist in mitigating the impact of the epidemic to protect the health and safety of its employees, guests and the communities in which it operates. The Company will continue to cooperate with local health officials to assist in accelerating the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, while the Company's Macau properties are now open, visitation remains at low levels and travel constraints continue to impact the market.

Business Performance Update

The Company's domestic operations had a strong start for the first two months of 2020:

Consolidated net income attributable to MGM Resorts was approximately $1.3 billion for the first two months of 2020, up significantly from approximately $27 million for the first two months of 2019, primarily driven by an approximately $1.5 billion pre-tax gain related to the MGM Grand/Mandalay real estate transaction;

Consolidated net revenues were down 10% compared to the prior year two-month period, driven by weaker visitation at the Company's properties in Macau following news of the coronavirus and the closures of such properties for a 15-day period in February;

Las Vegas Strip Resorts Adjusted Property EBITDAR (1) was up 24%, or 27% on a same store basis excluding Circus Circus Las Vegas, compared to the prior year two-month period; and

was up 24%, or 27% on a same store basis excluding Circus Circus Las Vegas, compared to the prior year two-month period; and Regional Operations Adjusted Property EBITDAR was up 42%, or 26% on a same store basis excluding Empire City and MGM Northfield Park, over the prior year two-month period.

The Company has since incurred substantial operating losses in March and the Company does not expect to see a material improvement until more is known regarding the duration and severity of the pandemic, including when the Company's properties can re-open to the public.

Expense and Cash Flow Reduction Efforts

The Company is making swift decisions to significantly reduce expenses to protect its financial position. The Company estimates that 60-70% of its domestic property level operating expenses are variable and is undertaking a thorough review to significantly minimize these costs, such as the implementation of hiring freezes, furloughs and other headcount reductions. The Company is also actively reviewing its fixed property level operating expenses and corporate expenses to identify opportunities to further drive expense reductions. In addition, the Company is evaluating all capital spend projects and expects to defer at least 33% of planned 2020 domestic capital expenditures.

Balance Sheet Update

As of March 26, 2020, the Company, excluding MGM China and MGM Growth Properties LLC ("MGP") (the "MGM Resorts Domestic Operations"), had operating cash and cash investment balances of approximately $3.9 billion, including approximately $1.5 billion drawn under its revolving credit facility. In connection with its asset light strategy, MGM Resorts Domestic Operations made significant progress on de-leveraging its balance sheet by utilizing the proceeds from its recently completed real estate monetization transactions to pay off approximately $3.9 billion of indebtedness over the past two quarters. MGM Resorts Domestic Operations has no debt maturing prior to 2022 and expects interest payments associated with its approximately $5.5 billion of debt outstanding as of March 26, 2020 to be approximately $200 million for the remainder of 2020.

Additionally, the Company has certain fixed rent payments for the remainder of 2020 of approximately $184 million and $219 million under its leases related to Bellagio and MGM Grand/Mandalay Bay, respectively. The Company also has fixed rent payments under the master lease with MGM Growth Properties LLC ("MGP") of $621 million for the remainder of 2020, or $333 million net of expected distributions of $288 million from MGP based on the current annualized dividend rate of $1.90 per share and the Company's 60.64% economic ownership.

In addition to the liquidity discussed above, the Company still has significant real estate assets and other holdings. The Company owns MGM Springfield and holds a 50% interest in CityCenter in Las Vegas, a 55.95% interest in MGM China, and a 60.64% economic interest in MGP. The Company has also entered into an agreement with MGP to receive cash for up to $1.4 billion of the Company's existing operating partnership units, which the Company has not exercised.

Furthermore, as of March 26, 2020, MGP had operating cash and cash investment balances of approximately $1.8 billion, including $1.35 billion drawn under its revolving credit facility. In addition, MGP repaid approximately $1.7 billion of indebtedness during the first quarter of 2020.

The Company believes its strong liquidity position, valuable unencumbered assets and aggressive cost reduction initiatives will enable it to fund its current obligations for the foreseeable future. While the Company is unable to predict when the properties will re-open, the Company continues to believe that it will be able to weather this downturn and ultimately rebound from the impacts of the current crisis.

(1) Adjusted Property EBITDAR is the Company's primary profit measure for its reportable segments. Adjusted Property EBITDAR is a measure defined as earnings before interest and other non-operating income (expense), taxes, depreciation and amortization, preopening and start-up expenses, gain on Bellagio and MGM/Mandalay real estate transactions, restructuring costs (which represents costs related to severance, accelerated stock compensation expense, and consulting fees directly related to the operating model component of the MGM 2020 Plan), rent expense associated with triple net operating and ground leases, income from unconsolidated affiliates related to investments in REITs, and property transactions, net. Also, excludes corporate expense and stock compensation expense, which are not allocated to each operating segment.
Wuhan residents have lined up outside the city's crematoriums to collect the ashes of their loved ones after officials said the coronavirus outbreak was largely subdued in the former epicentre.

People this week rushed to the facilities which had just reopened after being banned from collecting ashes or holding funerals for the deceased to stop the spread of the virus.

The deadly disease has claimed 2,535 lives in Wuhan, according to the Chinese authorities.

Millions of Chinese residents were allowed to leave Hubei on Wednesday after officials lifted a two-month lockdown, except for Wuhan. The clampdown on Wuhan will be enforced until April 8.

Wuhan residents have lined up outside crematoriums to collect the ashes of their loved ones after the former epicentre claims its victory over the coronavirus outbreak

The news came as Hubei officials said they had largely contained the coronavirus outbreak as they changed Wuhan's risk level from 'high' to 'medium' today.

Heart-breaking video captures the moment a devastated elderly woman broke down in tears while a long queue of people was waiting outside the Hankou Crematorium in Wuhan yesterday. Many died from the coronavirus while some suffered other diseases.

Cremation services would be free of charge, regardless if the deceased ones had died from the coronavirus, according to the local facility.

But residents needed to wait for five to six hours to collect the ashes if they didn't have a pre-booked appointment, a worker told the press.

'I came to the crematorium at 8am and it's 3pm now. I still haven't collected it,' a woman told Pear Video. 'They told me there were still 20 people ahead of me.'

'There are way too many [who lost their lives],' a staff member told Caixin, 'and the authorities wanted us to give out all the ashes before Qingming.'

Heart-breaking video captures a devastated elderly woman breaking down in tears while a long queue of people waiting outside the Hankou Crematorium in Wuhan yesterday

Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as the Qingming Festival, falls on April 4 this year and is a traditional Chinese annual occasion when people pay tribute to deceased family and friends.

Wuhan officials have banned people from visiting cemeteries and holding funeral services during the Qingming Festival to prevent large gatherings and reduce the cross-infection of the coronavirus.

Cemetery workers will pay tribute to the deceased ones on behalf of the residents instead.

The restriction will be carried out till the end of April, according to the an official statement yesterday.

Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as the Qingming Festival, falls on April 4 this year and is a traditional Chinese annual occasion when people pay tribute to deceased family and friends. Staff present flowers during a remote tomb-sweeping ceremony at a cemetery

Staff members wearing protective suits and face masks sweep tombs on behalf of the families by request as part of their services provided to reduce gatherings at a cemetery in Beijing

The news comes as residents of Wuhan fear for a second wave of infections due to the large number of 'silent carriers', who show no symptoms but can potentially spread the virus to others. These patients were not recorded in the official figures.

Research showed about three to 14 per cent of the former patients in China were diagnosed with the virus once more after being given the all-clear.

China has recorded a total of 3,287 deaths and over 81,000 infected cases of the coronavirus.

US has overtaken China today with 85,381 confirmed cases, more than any other country in the world.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed today that he tested positive for the deadly disease, which has infected over 11,000 people in the UK and 578 deaths.
Two more COVID-19 cases have surfaced in Bihar, said an official from Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRI).

"Two more coronavirus positive cases found in Bihar - one from Siwan with travel history to Dubai and another from Nalanda with no travel history to any foreign country," said RMRI official.

The official said that with the surfacing of two new cases the total number of positive cases in the state has mounted to 9.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier on Thursday reported 88 new COVID-19 cases, which is the highest in a single day, taking the total countrywide tally to 694.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Geneva, March 27 : The Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Guy Ryder, has welcomed the commitment of the G20 leaders as an important first step in constructing a truly global response to the unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The G20's strong and clear commitment to do whatever it takes to overcome the intertwined health, social and economic impacts of the pandemic is a very welcome first step. Their decision to spare no efforts to protect people, jobs, incomes and enterprises is extremely important," Ryder said on Thursday, Xinhua reported.

Ryder joined the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 via video link, which was hosted by Saudi Arabia.

"This is the time for global solidarity, especially with the most vulnerable people in societies, and with the emerging and developing world. We must also offer our full support to the health workers who are in the front lines of the medical response," he added.

Ryder also stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a global economic crisis that could easily become a global recession, and called for specific measures to support workers, jobs and incomes.

These measures include extending social protection, supporting employment retention, and financial and tax relief, including for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
The European Union condemns crimes against humanity in the temporarily occupied areas of Luhansk and Donetsk regions and calls for immediate and comprehensive investigations into these violations.

The relevant statement of the Spokesperson on human rights violations in the non-government controlled areas was released by the European External Action Service on Friday.

The latest report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirms that the practice of arbitrary detention, torture and the ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees in eastern Ukraine continues. All sides must respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law. In particular, the OHCHR report identified and further confirmed a consistent pattern of arbitrary detention, often amounting to enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees in the so-called Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic, reads the document.

It notes that these practices and the impunity of their perpetrators must end. The testimony from released detainees, in the OHCHR reports, about the conditions of their detention are appalling, and the EU expects immediate and comprehensive investigations into these reported violations.

Furthermore, independent international observers, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OHCHR, must be granted full and unconditional access to all detainees and places of detention. In this context, the EU expects Russia to exert its considerable influence over the armed formations it backs in order to achieve a sustainable and peaceful political solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, reads the document.

In addition, the European Union reiterated its full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Gone are the days when being an NRI would get you envy back home in Indian villages and tier-two cities. Coronavirus outbreak has unsettled the equation, often with sad ramifications. (File Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 27 : Gone are the days when being an NRI would get you envy back home in Indian villages and tier-two cities. Coronavirus outbreak has unsettled the equation, often with sad ramifications.

Following the corona deaths spiking in countries like Italy, the US and Britain, the one segment that mostly finds itself at odds, both at home and away are non resident Indians (NRI). While there's no comprehensive data to suggest how many NRIs have been infected across the globe, particularly in corona hotbeds like China, Italy, Britain, Spain and the US and how many of them have succumbed, their plight goes much beyond the disease and battling it.

90,000 NRIs who have landed in Punjab over the last one month, many with symptoms has their villagers wary, authorities on toes and Indian relatives behaving as strangers. In Punjab's dollar rich Doaba belt, which comprises of Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr districts have been badly hit with many NRIs feeling Italy and Britain with symptoms.

After CM Amarinder Singh made an emotional appeal to 'save Punjab', many ethnic Punjabis, mostly relatives of the NRIs have become wary of the situation. So much so, they don't want any more NRIs back into the village, who may have reached india but failed to make it to their home districts.

While some of the fear and apprehension is due to the information overdrive, and rightly so, by the Amarinder Singh government making people of Punjab aware of gravity, those NRIs in places like Delhi and Chandigarh are now stuck.

Then comes the vilification of the immediate family members of the NRIs. Recently in Kolkata, a man who died of the deadly virus was not allowed to be cremated by locals. They alleged the patient deliberately hid information about his recent visit to Italy, a global hotbed of the virus. When police tried to ensure the dead man was cremated, even they had to face protests.

As fate would have it, his 27-year-old son was stuck in the US and was unable to come back because of the worldwide lockdown. He has requested Kolkata authorities to preserve the ashes of his fathers. The rest of the man's family is in quarantine.

While many NRIs may have died undetected as Indians, in Italy during the hundreds of deaths everyday due to coronavirus, there were few like that of 48-year-old Vipin Kumar who was found to be an Indian. Though the exact reason of his death is not mentioned, his family back home believes it is due to the coronavirus. But when the Indian embassy in Rome contacted his family in Yamunanagar, near Bilaspur, his entire family refused to receive the body. Vipin's family went to the district official and recorded their unwillingness to fly back the dead body, lest they catch the virus.

Whats more, even when the government evacuated from difficult places like China's Wuhan province or Iran, many chose to take the warning signs casually. And as the world has virtually put a blockade, some are lamenting. 22 Indians were in transit at the Dubai airport when their home countries suddenly stopped inbound flights due to the coronavirus pandemic. UAE has also closed all its airports since Monday.

The 22 Indian passengers were in transit at the Dubai Airport when New Delhi announced the decision to impose a ban on passenger flights. Some of them have been at the airport since March 18. But for this lot of 22, there's still a glimmer of hope. Dubai Airport has issued a statement informing that airlines and embassies were now working to send the passengers to their home countries, the Khaleej Times said in a report.

For the first time probably NRIs are learning that their foreign connection is now a disadvantage for them back home.

(Anindya Banerjee can be contacted anindya.b@ians.in)
As the coronavirus pandemic that originated in a central Chinese city has gone global, thousands of factories in China have nimbly turned to a new and very profitable market -- face masks for export.

At the height of China's outbreak in early February, Guan Xunze's company created a new mask factory in just eleven days.

The factory, with five production lines in northeastern China, made the much-needed N95 face masks which were in huge demand as infection numbers surged.

As cases in the country have dwindled, the 34-year-old -- who was previously in pharmaceuticals -- is now profiting from new markets and exporting masks to Italy, where the death toll has overtaken that of China.

In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha -- racing to fill the huge gap in demand.

But after the virus epicentre of Hubei province was placed on lockdown and the initial frenzy began to die down in China, virus outbreaks emerged in new hotspots elsewhere in the world.

Globally more than 400,000 have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, and demand for protective equipment is still soaring as nations across the globe battle the outbreak.

"A mask machine is a real cash printer," said Shi Xinghui, sales manager of an N95 mask machine company in Dongguan city, southeastern Guangdong province.

"The profit of a mask now is at least several cents compared to less than one in the past.

"Printing 60,000 or 70,000 masks a day is equivalent to printing money."



Qi Guangtu has put more than 50 million yuan (USD 7 million) into his factory producing mask-making machines in the southern industrial hub of Dongguan.

It has been in 24-hour continuous production since January 25 -- two days after the dramatic lockdown of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.

"Cost recovery is certainly not a problem," he said, adding that 70 sets of equipment have been sold for more than 500,000 yuan (USD 71,000) each.

He has more than 200 additional orders in hand, worth over 100 million yuan (14 million).

"The machines pay for themselves in 15 days, " said Qi, saying the investment is worth it for his clients.

Manufacturer You Lixin had never set foot in a mask factory before.

But as the market soared and he saw the opportunity, it took him just ten days from first deciding to enter the industry to delivering automated machines capable of producing masks.

"I slept two or three hours a day, so did my clients," he said.

You's clients also slept in his plant, waiting desperately to collect their new machinery.

Some of them are garment factory owners in Wenzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, who had switched to producing face masks.

"They were facing orders they had insufficient capacity to deliver, and they couldn't make the deliveries," You said.

"The panic intensified as the crisis accelerated at that time."



The high levels of mask production has dramatically pushed up prices for raw materials.

According to Guan, the price of fabric has risen astronomically -- from 10,000 yuan to 480,000 yuan per tonne.

Producer Liao Biao struggled to bring back the components of mask machine piece by piece from outside



Hunan Province in late January, with the cross province border closed.

Finally, to pay an expert tester for the mask machines, Liao paid more than ten times the normal price.

"Investment is blind now," You said.

But despite the rising costs of production, the profits still make the industry appealing.

According to China's official figures, China's daily mask production has passed 116 million now, with many meeting overseas demand.

Guan has already delivered one million masks to Italy, while Shi currently has more than 200 orders from South Korea and countries in the European Union.

"Dongguan remains the world's factory," said Shi.

"The first peak of orders was during the middle of February. Now there is a second wave because of the pandemic," said Shi.

Liao is also seeking to export his masks to Europe and Canada.

"The demand for masks has been alleviated at home -- now we can have some surplus to support other countries," said Liao.

"We are willing to help others."



And Guan is optimistic about the future of the industry beyond the outbreak.

"Most people will have the habit wearing a mask after this outbreak," said Guan.

"I'll stay in the industry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:27:33|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Meet the shiest "turtle" in China! A turtle-shaped island recently emerged from Modaoxi River in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China. This "turtle" only agrees to meet the public when the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir drops to between 163 and 168 meters.
The government has raised Rs 13,883 crore through strategic sale of its stake in two state-owned power companies, THDCIL and NEEPCO, and Kamrajar Port Ltd.

The government has sold 74.49 per cent stake in THDC India Ltd (THDCIL) for Rs 7,500 crore and 100 per cent in NEEPCO for Rs 4,000 crore to state-owned power utility NTPC.

It also sold 66.67 per cent in Kamrajar Port Ltd to Chennai Port Trust for Rs 2,383 crore.

With these 3 strategic stake sales, the government has netted Rs 13,883 crore to its disinvestment kitty.

The total disinvestment mop-up for the current financial year stands at over Rs 48,883 crore, which is still lower than the Revised Estimates of Rs 65,000 crore.

In Budget 2020-21, the government substantially lowered projections of disinvestment receipts for the current financial year ending March 2020 to Rs 65,000 crore, from the Rs 1.05 lakh crore estimated earlier.

"DIPAM completed two more strategic disinvestment transactions. GOI's 74.49 per cent stake in THDC at a consideration of Rs 7500 cr and 100 per cent stake in NEEPCO at Rs 4000 cr has been disinvested in favour of NTPC," Secretary DIPAM said in a tweet on Friday.

"DIPAM completed strategic disinvestment of GOI stake of 66.67 per cent in Kamrajar Port Ltd in favour of Chennai Port Trust at a consideration of Rs 2383 cr, it said in another tweet.

The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) manages government share sale programme in CPSE.

A total of 74.5 per cent stake in THDC India is held by the Government of India, the remaining 25.5 per cent stake is held by the Uttar Pradesh government.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had in November 2019 given its in-principle approval for the sale of its stake in North Eastern Electric Power Corp (NEEPCO) and THDCIL along with transfer of management control to NTPC.

Following this, the board of NTPC approved the said acquisition in January and competition watchdog CCI also cleared it in February.

Shares of NTPC on Friday closed at Rs 83.05, up 3.17 per cent on the BSE.

The government in the next financial year has set disinvestment target at Rs 2.10 lakh crore, including Rs 1.20 lakh crore from stake sale in central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

The process for big-ticket strategic sale of Air India and BPCL has already set in motion and the sale is likely to be concluded in the next financial year beginning April.

In March last year, state-owned PFC had acquired the government's 52.63 per cent stake in REC for Rs 14,500 crore.

In 2018, state-owned ONGC has acquired the government's entire 51.11 per cent stake in oil refiner HPCL for Rs 36,915 crore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:21:22|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- About 24 African countries have already closed their full borders due to concerns related to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed on Friday.

"About 24 African countries have already closed their full borders, while 10 other countries have also put in place international air traffic closures," the Africa CDC disclosed in its latest continental situation update on COVID-19 issued on Friday.

The Africa CDC, specialized agency of the 55-member African Union (AU), also stressed that seven other countries in Africa have also put in place travel restrictions to and from specific countries, while seven other countries have also instructed entry restrictions for travelers from specific countries.

"Most member states have imposed mandatory quarantine for all travelers or travelers arriving from high-risk areas," an Africa CDC statement read.

It, however, stressed that some African countries still allow cargo, freight and emergency transport into and out of the country.

Meanwhile, the Africa CDC also on Friday disclosed that the death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the African continent has reached 83 as confirmed positives cases surpassed 3,243 as of Friday.

The highly coronavirus-affected African countries include South Africa with 927, Egypt with 495 cases, Algeria with 302 cases and Morocco with 275 cases as of Thursday morning, according to the Africa CDC.

The continental disease control and prevention agency 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 number of deaths, in which Northern African countries have so far registered 1,249 positive COVID-19 cases as well as 60 deaths due to the pandemic.

The southern Africa region, which is the second highly affected in the continent, has also so far registered 972 confirmed COVID-19 cases, while the western African region has also registered 605 confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as 11 deaths.

The Africa CDC also disclosed that some 254 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent.
WESTPORT  Gov. Ned Lamonts executive order to waive the requirement for budgets to be approved at town meetings may alleviate pressure on some municipalities combating the coronavirus crisis, but in Westport, business will be conducted as usual.

Our town attorney Ira Bloom has reviewed that executive order as have I, and were in agreement that it does not apply to our budget process, First Selectman Jim Marpe said Monday. The RTM will still have its normal role in approving the budget.

Unlike neighboring town Weston, which approves its budget through a town referendum, Marpe said the Representative Town Meeting falls outside of the type of government entity the order applies to.

The executive order was speaking to more traditional types of town meetings, which mostly communities smaller than Westport conduct, he said.

With ongoing limitations of social gatherings  as of Monday, Westport had 74 confirmed coroanvirus cases  the town is now preparing to conduct its meetings through the Zoom conference app in cojunction with streaming and televising meetings.

It will require a different process of public input, but public input will still be entertained, encouraged and accepted as part of our normal meeting process, Marpe said.

The Board of Education has already moved to an online format for its meeting Monday night, with public comment being taken through Google Docs.

Before town hall closed, the Board of Finance was in the process of reviewing budgets and unanimously voted to trim the first selectmans proposed $75.7 million budget by 1 percent, or about $757,000.

The finance board is next scheduled to vote on the schools $123 million budget on April 1.

On April 2, the Board of Education will meet again, BOE Chairman Candice Savin said in an email to parents on Monday. Our agenda will include our response to the Board of Finances budget decision, an update on remote learning, an update from the CMS (Coleytown Middle School) Building Committee, and an update on our plans for a before school program to accommodate our shift to later start times.

In an earlier order, Lamont gave local leaders an additional 30 days to adopt their budgets. But according to Marpe, the RTM will look to have its first hearing on the budgets on May 4, as scheduled.

In terms of timing of the overall process, we are still planning to follow the schedule that we have laid out, he said. There may be one or two meetings between now and the setting of the mill rate where the date changes, or we add a meeting just to better complete the process, but the overall time frame remains the same.
The Tennessee Department of Agricultures Division of Forestry is closing the campsites at Prentice Cooper and Franklin State Forests until further notice. A surge in the number of campers is creating safety and health concerns for the public and forestry staff.



In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are suspending overnight camping at these state forests, State Forester David Arnold said. We do not take this decision lightly. Our forests provide passive recreational opportunities like hiking and hunting, and are great places to enjoy the natural world. However, large numbers of people are closely congregating at these campsites, and we want to do our part to minimize the potential spread of illness.



Prentice Cooper and Franklin State Forests remain open for daytime use. The Division of Forestry joins the Centers for Disease Control and the Tennessee Department of Health in encouraging residents to avoid discretionary travel and only visit state forests close to home.



The Tennessee Department of Agriculture urges all visitors to follow CDC guidelines for good health and to preserve the forest:



 Unlike many parks, state forests do not have restroom facilities or running water. Plan accordingly. Clean hands with liquid sanitizer or wipes with at least 60 percent alcohol.



 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.



 Dont congregate in a group. Maintain distance of at least six feet between you and others while walking, hiking or biking.



 Instead of visiting the most popular locations, like Snoopers Rock at Prentice Cooper State Forest, try a path less traveled.



 Bring a suitable trash bag. Take everything out that you bring in to protect the forest and forestry staff.



 If you feel sick, do not visit a state forest.



Access the latest information on Tennessees response to COVID-19 online at www.tn.gov/governor/covid-19.html. Follow @TNAgriculture on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government on Friday said migrant labourers would be given food and accommodation but won't be allowed to travel to their villages during the 21-day lockdown in force to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, an official said.

The lockdown has left several daily-wagers without jobs and they have been seen moving on foot to their villages, in the absence of public transport, to tide over the resultant cash crunch.

"It has been decided that no migrant labourer will be allowed to leave on foot. District administrations have been asked to make arrangements for their food and accommodation. A special number, 1077, has been set up for migrant workers to contact for help," Ashwini Kumar, secretary in the chief minister's office told reporters reporters.

Valsad Collector CR Kharsan said police cases will be filed against migrant workers and their employers if they are found travelling to their villages.

"Employers or contractors who have employed migrant labourers will have to provide 21 days salary and food to them. If they fail, then migrant workers can contact 1077 helpline. But if anybody tries to travel to their villages, then a police case will be filed against such persons and their employers," Kharsan said.

Secretary in CMO Kumar said earlier, considering the humanitarianism aspect, the chief minister had allowed workers to leave by state transport and private buses, but that has been stopped and they would have to stay where they are presently.

"Government had deployed around 150 state transport and 500 private buses to take daily wage workers to Rajasthan and tribal areas of Gujarat in the last two days," he said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Kumar said people stranded due to the lockdown can call 1070 and seek help, adding that the government would make arrangements for their food and accommodation.

He added that the biometric system in place at fair price shops will not be used during April to stall the spread of the coronavirus.
The United States on Thursday took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment as world leaders vowed $5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse.

More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, overwhelming healthcare systems even in wealthy nations and triggering an avalanche of government-ordered lockdowns that have disrupted life for billions.

Global spread of the new coronavirus. By (AFP)

In the United States, more than 82,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the metropolis of Wuhan.

With fears mounting of a global recession if not depression, leaders from the Group of 20 major economies held crisis talks by video link Thursday, pledging a "united front" to fight the outbreak -- along with an enormous financial injection.

Spain's death toll has surpassed China's and the country's hospitals have been badly hit. By Handout (COMUNIDAD DE MADRID/AFP)

"The virus respects no borders," the leaders said in a statement.

"We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic."

They also pledged "robust" support for developing nations, where coronavirus could next take hold after ravaging China and then Europe.

But the unity pledged by the G20 has been in short supply with China and the United States trading barbs over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

And Italy as well as Spain, which has the second-highest death toll, objected to a draft economic plan by the European Union which they saw as too weak.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wants a "strong and sufficient" financial response that deploys "innovative financial instruments truly adapted to a war," his office said.

Record one-day toll in France

Alarmed by the rapid spread of the sickness in Italy, France has taken aggressive action to stem the virus and went under lockdown on March 17.

But the 365 deaths reported Thursday was its highest in a one-day period and, alarmingly, included a 16-year-old girl -- a rare case of a young person succumbing to a virus that has devastated the elderly.

"It is very difficult to estimate when the peak will come," French health official Jerome Salomon said. "People who are ill now were infected before the confinement began."

A health worker carries a body on a stretcher outside Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid. By OSCAR DEL POZO (AFP)

"Now there is less contact, people are going out less and get infected less. So we hope there will be fewer people getting sick next week and fewer people going to hospital," he told reporters.

With hospitals under severe strain, medical workers in Italy and Spain are making painstaking choices.

"If I've got five patients and only one bed, I have to choose who gets it," Sara Chinchilla, a pediatrician at a hospital near Madrid, told AFP.

"People are dying who could be saved but there's no space in intensive care."

In Britain, the National Health Service said London's hospitals are facing a "continuous tsunami" of seriously ill COVID-19 patients, despite a lockdown imposed this week.

People stand on designated areas to maintain social distancing as they queue outside a medical store in Allahabad, India. By SANJAY KANOJIA (AFP)

And in New York, the virus hotbed in the United States, authorities hope to stem the growth of infections as the city needs to more than double the number of available hospital beds.

"Almost any scenario that is realistic will overwhelm the capacity of the current healthcare system," Governor Andrew Cuomo warned.

Economic devastation

The pandemic has already, and rapidly, been catastrophic to the global economy.

Containers are seen at the Port of Los Angeles on March 26, 2020 as the economy faces severe pressure from the coronavirus. By Frederic J. BROWN (AFP)

In the United States, the world's largest economy, the Labor Department reported that 3.3 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week -- by far the highest number ever recorded.

Job losses have swept across sectors from food services to retail to transportation as nearly half of the country has closed to "non-essential" businesses.

"It is staggering. We are only seeing the initial numbers; they will get worse, unfortunately," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters, estimating that half a million people in the city would lose work.

Hundreds of people queue outside a government welfare centre, Centrelink, in Melbourne on March 23, 2020, as jobless Australians flood unemployment offices. By William WEST (AFP/File)

But Wall Street soared for a third straight day, recouping more of this month's hefty losses, on expectations for the largest stimulus in US history.

The Senate early Thursday unanimously passed a $2 trillion package that will provide cash payouts averaging $3,400 for a family of four.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi voiced confidence that the House of Representatives would follow suit on Friday.

President Donald Trump, who has been hoping that a strong economy would win him re-election in November, has been one of the few US leaders to seek a quick return to normal.

Priests at risk

The global lockdown -- which also hemmed in India's huge population this week -- tightened further on Thursday as Russia announced it was grounding all international flights, while Moscow's mayor ordered the closure of cafes, shops and parks.

Tokyo's millions of citizens have been told to stay home, too, just days after the city was forced to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games for a year.

China said it was barring entry to most foreigners, fearing that imported cases were undermining its success in bringing domestic transmissions way down.

And South Africa braced for a nationwide lockdown as its cases climbed to more than 900 -- about a third of Africa's 2,975 cases.

Italy has the highest death toll in the world, though new cases have dipped slightly in recent days. By MARCO BERTORELLO (AFP)

The impact of the virus has stretched well beyond frontline health workers, with billions trapped in their homes and facing what experts say could be lasting psychological harm.

In virus-stricken Italy, clergy members have been among the worst affected. Out of Italy's more than 7,500 deaths, 67 have been priests.

But offering a glimmer of hope, both Italy and Spain have seen lower daily rates of new infections this week.

The World Health Organization called Italy's numbers "encouraging signs" but warned it was "still too early to say whether the pandemic is peaking."

A study from Britain's Imperial College provided a grim prediction, saying 1.8 million people could die worldwide this year even with swift action to halt the virus.

burs-sct/acb
A man charged over the seizure of guns and drugs from a Belfast hotel room failed today in a bid to be released from jail during the coronavirus pandemic.

Abdel Rezk is in custody accused of having a sawn-off shotgun, pistol, ammunition and silencer recovered in a police operation last month.

The 38-year-old Egyptian national's lawyer argued that a bullet wound he sustained in his native country back in 2018 puts him at increased risk from Covid-19.

But refusing a new application for bail, a judge at Belfast Magistrates' Court ruled there was no change in circumstances.

Rezk, whose address was given as Maghaberry Prison, is charged with two counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances.

He faces further counts of possessing Class A and Class C drugs, as well as entering the UK in breach of a deportation order.

The alleged offences relate to the seizure of the weapons, cocaine, amphetamines and diazepam from the undisclosed hotel on February 12.

Rezk was arrested along with a co-accused, a 29-year-old Belfast man.

In court today a detective claimed the pistol had been loaded, with a silencer also discovered at the scene.

"It's not yet known what purpose these guns were held for," he added.

District Judge Mark Hamill was told Rezk had arrived in the UK after being deported to Egypt.

Defence solicitor Michael Madden claimed his client should be released from prison because of the current health emergency.

"When he was returned to Egypt he received a gunshot wound to his torso, and he's currently waiting for a hospital operation," the lawyer said.

"The wound makes him more susceptible to Covid-19."

However, police contended that no explanation was given for the alleged possession of the weapons.

Judge Hamill then confirmed: "I'm not going to entertain bail. There's no change in circumstances."

Following the hearing Mr Madden said he intends to mount a High Court appeal against the decision.
The spokesman said operations would be evaluated as the covid-19 situation evolves. According to USAID, at least $73 million out of a total of $85 million in aid delivered via nongovernmental groups in the Houthi-controlled north will be suspended immediately. The agency said some aid to the United Nations, including support for U.N. flights and coordinating activities, would continue, but it was not immediately clear what would happen to food assistance channeled through the United Nations. Last year, the United States provided more than $740 million for humanitarian operations in all of Yemen, a fifth of all humanitarian funding for the country, aid officials said.
The former boss of a Belfast shipping company has come out of retirement and gone back to work to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ex-William Reid director Alan Dunlop made the decision to return after four employees decided to self-isolate.

The 67-year-old said: "William Reid battled through the worst imaginable trading circumstances.

"During the Second World War the firm turned its hand to shipping potatoes to Great Britain and during economic downturns we were severely tested but pulled through. We will also pull through this awful pandemic.

"Like other companies, we are suffering, which is why I've come out of retirement to lend a hand on the quayside.

"Naturally, we are strictly adhering to the Government guidance on Covid-19 to give employees maximum protection."

William Reid is currently unloading 3,500 tonnes of coiled steel carried from Taiwan by a ship named Spar Spice.

The steel will eventually be used across the island.

After the vessel leaves Belfast, it will make its final call in Belgium.
LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today reminded customers to be on alert for potential scams targeting utility customers during the COVID-19 outbreak. One common scam involves telling customers they must pay their gas bill immediately or their natural gas service will be disconnected. SoCalGas does not call customers seeking payment. Additionally, on March 13, the utility announced it had suspended service disconnections for customers who are struggling to pay their bills until further notice. This decision was made to support the health, safety and wellness of our customers during this crisis. SoCalGas is providing the following tips on how to recognize and respond to these scams:

Be on the lookout for these common scam tactics:

Caller ID spoofing with calls that appear to be coming from SoCalGas. The caller may try to sell products, collect personal information, or collect payment on your gas bill. Please note that SoCalGas will never ask for payment through the phone.

Phishing emails, texts and social media posts with malicious attachments asking you to send personal information or money to another entity.

Utility imposters appearing at your place of residence or business demanding payment.

How to protect yourself:

Never provide your personal information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or share names and passwords with anyone claiming to be a utility representative.

Always ask to see a SoCalGas photo ID badge before letting someone inside your home. All SoCalGas employees on company business are required to carry a badge.

Customers are encouraged to verify the employee's uniform and identification. Most of our authorized employees will always be in a uniform with our company logo, carry an official employee badge, and drive a company car. SoCalGas employees will always be happy to wait while the customer confirms their identity.

Customers can always check the status of their SoCalGas account or pay their latest bill by logging on to My Account.

Customers who have questions about their experience with a SoCalGas representative should immediately contact SoCalGas customer service at 800-427-2200. Our customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit socalgas.com/scam-alert for additional tips and information about scams.

We understand this is a challenging time for us all. Rest assured, your natural gas service will be there for your community. We will continue to make safety and emergency service appointments, including reports of suspected natural gas leaks, carbon monoxide checks, gas meter turn-ons, natural gas outage and pilot re-lights. SoCalGas will also continue work needed to safely and reliably maintain our infrastructure so we can continue to provide you with safe and essential energy services.

Additional information about SoCalGas' response to COVID-19 is available here.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

Related Links

http://www.socalgas.com


Education & Career We Announce a New Referral Program for Customers and Their Friends



27.03.2020 16:08:16 - A New Referral program from an experienced writing service  fresh opportunities for all clients and their friends to receive a high-quality paper and save more money



(live-PR.com) - A totally new and profitable Referral Program will start in one week at our company, one of the most popular custom writing services. The company will give extra discounts to the regular customers and their invited friends. Its an excellent opportunity for new clients to receive bonuses.



To take part in a Referral Program, you have to become the services partner - A totally new and profitable Referral Program will start in one week at our company, one of the most popular custom writing services. The company will give extra discounts to the regular customers and their invited friends. Its an excellent opportunity for new clients to receive bonuses.To take part in a Referral Program, you have to become the services partner by recommending 1ws.com to your friends and sending them a special order form. As a result, the writing service offers 3% to the first-time customer and 5% to the partner. Moreover, if your friend continues to order at this website, you automatically get additional 5% of his/her order to your Bonus balance. So, regular and new clients are at a catbird seat and receive not just well-done papers from experts of the writing market, but save their money as well.



We expect that you will join other contestants from all corners of the world and gladden us with an opportunity to see your amazing work. If you don't have any objections, then your essay might be published online on our resource. This way, you might demonstrate your skills to everyone, inspire them, and share your brilliant ideas with other people!

Start working on your piece today to give yourself more time for writing, editing, and revising! Read the following instructions carefully to match the requirements.



Start working on your piece today to give yourself more time for writing, editing, and revising! Read the following instructions carefully to match the requirements.

 The deadline

Please mind that the final date of submission is March 15, 2020. You will receive an email notification after we get your document.

 The number of words

All papers should be approximately 700-800 words.

 Topics

Choose the topic you are passionate about and tell us everything you would like to express. We took care to make the deadline comfortable enough, so you will have plenty of time for research and writing.

 The entry

Please be aware that a single entry per contestant is allowed.



A Referral Program is quite simple in use. On the personal page a returned customer can see Invite friend bottom by which he/she has a possibility to create Your Referral Link and send it to a friend. Also, the client can observe the activity of bonuses from friends paid orders and the total amount of earned discounts.



Important to mention that programs like this is significant for students who have to combine their work and education. Because of such discounts they have a possibility to save their money. Furthermore, it is a nice bonus for those who use custom writing service regularly.



First writing service has a team of experienced writers and editors. They will review all the papers and evaluate them to define a winner. The judges wont be aware of your personality  all evaluations are anonymous and completely confidential. No chances that something unfair could happen here  we guarantee independent and unbiased grading based on the following aspects:



Regarding our writing service, its an experienced team of professional writers, editors and administrators. This service has provided qualified writing help for almost ten years. Besides a Referral Program, the company offers different kinds of discounts for new and regular customers. For instance, every regular client receives a guaranteed 5% discount on each order to their personal Bonus balance.



For all additional information, you can call to 24/7 Support Help. Members of support are ready to answer your questions and consider requirements concerning the discount programs and service as well. Also, you can visit the website to find out more information about the company and its beneficial features.



About 1ws.com

The custom writing service was opened about a decade ago to provide students with a full range of academic writing help from professional English speaking writers. The company has a strong private policy and guarantees their users 100% original, plagiarism-free and edited papers.

by recommending 1ws.com to your friends and sending them a special order form. As a result, the writing service offers 3% to the first-time customer and 5% to the partner. Moreover, if your friend continues to order at this website, you automatically get additional 5% of his/her order to your Bonus balance. So, regular and new clients are at a catbird seat and receive not just well-done papers from experts of the writing market, but save their money as well.We expect that you will join other contestants from all corners of the world and gladden us with an opportunity to see your amazing work. If you don't have any objections, then your essay might be published online on our resource. This way, you might demonstrate your skills to everyone, inspire them, and share your brilliant ideas with other people!Start working on your piece today to give yourself more time for writing, editing, and revising! Read the following instructions carefully to match the requirements.Start working on your piece today to give yourself more time for writing, editing, and revising! Read the following instructions carefully to match the requirements. The deadlinePlease mind that the final date of submission is March 15, 2020. You will receive an email notification after we get your document. The number of wordsAll papers should be approximately 700-800 words. TopicsChoose the topic you are passionate about and tell us everything you would like to express. We took care to make the deadline comfortable enough, so you will have plenty of time for research and writing. The entryPlease be aware that a single entry per contestant is allowed.A Referral Program is quite simple in use. On the personal page a returned customer can see Invite friend bottom by which he/she has a possibility to create Your Referral Link and send it to a friend. Also, the client can observe the activity of bonuses from friends paid orders and the total amount of earned discounts.Important to mention that programs like this is significant for students who have to combine their work and education. Because of such discounts they have a possibility to save their money. Furthermore, it is a nice bonus for those who use custom writing service regularly.First writing service has a team of experienced writers and editors. They will review all the papers and evaluate them to define a winner. The judges wont be aware of your personality  all evaluations are anonymous and completely confidential. No chances that something unfair could happen here  we guarantee independent and unbiased grading based on the following aspects:Regarding our writing service, its an experienced team of professional writers, editors and administrators. This service has provided qualified writing help for almost ten years. Besides a Referral Program, the company offers different kinds of discounts for new and regular customers. For instance, every regular client receives a guaranteed 5% discount on each order to their personal Bonus balance.For all additional information, you can call to 24/7 Support Help. Members of support are ready to answer your questions and consider requirements concerning the discount programs and service as well. Also, you can visit the website to find out more information about the company and its beneficial features.About 1ws.comThe custom writing service was opened about a decade ago to provide students with a full range of academic writing help from professional English speaking writers. The company has a strong private policy and guarantees their users 100% original, plagiarism-free and edited papers. Press Information:

1ws.com







Contact Person:

Nico

Manager

Phone: 17185208749

eMail: eMail



Web: http://1ws.com





27.03.2020 16:08:16 -

Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party.
Of the 67 new imported cases, 18 were reported in Shanghai, 12 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 11 in Guangdong Province, and six in Fujian Province and Beijing respectively. Shaanxi Province reported three cases. Provincial-level regions of Tianjin, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Yunnan each reported two. Provinces of Shanxi, Jilin and Henan each reported one, according to the commission.

On Wednesday, the Chinese mainland reported 58 new suspected cases, all of which were imported, the commission said.

Also on Wednesday, six deaths and 58 new suspected cases were reported on the mainland with all the deaths in Hubei Province and all the suspected cases from abroad.

On Wednesday, 401 people were discharged from the hospital after recovery, while the number of severe cases decreased by 164 to 1,235.

The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,285 by the end of Wednesday, including 3,947 patients who were still being treated, 74,051 patients who had been discharged after recovery, and 3,287 people who died of the disease.

The commission said that 159 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus.

.* Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui said Thursday that China has pledged to provide emergency assistance to more than 80 countries as well as international and regional organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union.

The assistance includes medical supplies such as test reagents and masks, said Luo, adding that China had also donated US$20 million to the WHO to facilitate international cooperation on the cause. "China relates deeply to the difficulties of the countries hit by the pandemic and voluntarily offered them assistance to the best of its capabilities," said Luo at a press conference.
For a while, we'll need to make sacrifices to stop the novel coronavirus, but this should give us a new perspective of our college experience.
Advertisement

A fit and healthy 32-year-old woman has told of the excruciating pain caused by the coronavirus after she caught it at a ski chalet in Switzerland.

Rosie Parkes from White City, west London, had been in the popular Verbier at the start of March when she contracted the killer bug and travelled back to the UK.

The jewellery firm boss had been lodging with 12 people and said all have come down ill, with one Swiss man testing positive for the disease.

Rosie Parkes, 32, from White City, west London, and had been in the popular Verbier at the start of March when she contracted the killer bug and travelled back to the UK

Ms Parkes had been lodging with 12 people and said all have come down ill, with one Swiss man testing positive for the disease

It raises further questions over how easily Covid-19 has swept through ski resorts on the Continent after Sussex father Daren Bland - who is believed to be Britain's patient zero - said a bar in Ischgl, Austria, was the 'perfect home for the virus'.

Ms Parkes got back to the UK on Saturday, March 7, and went to work as normal on the Monday.

But on the Tuesday she woke up at 3am feeling sore in her back and hips and said something was hurting inside her.

She told the Telegraph: 'It was unbearable, no position I could sit, lie or stand in helped and it made sleeping really difficult.

'I had a temperature which went up and down over four days, spiking at 40C on the Thursday and I was bed-bound the whole time.

'I never got the chest pain but had a bit of a cough  just a normal cold-type, phlegmy cough. I went off my food a bit as I improved because I lost my sense of taste.'

Ms Parkes got back to the UK on Saturday, March 7, and went to work as normal on the Monday. But on the Tuesday she woke up at 3am feeling sore in her back and hips and said something was hurting inside her

But on the Tuesday after her trip to Verbier (pictured) she woke up at 3am feeling sore in her back and hips and said something was hurting inside her

She said she is now recovering in isolation and that her husband has shown symptoms but seems fine.

It comes after a 'fit and healthy' banker from Wales died at his home while in self-isolation with coronavirus symptoms.

His illness began with a small tickle in his throat which he developed after going on a stag do on Saturday.

Mr Galley, 47, decided not to go into work on Monday and started to develop a fever, heartbroken Ms Cuthbert, 46, told North Wales Live.

She had been unable to see him because he decided to remain on his own, but Ms Cuthbert said messages from him grew less frequent.

Tim Galley, from Wrexham, who died in self-isolation after developing coronavirus symptoms, pictured with his partner Donna Cuthbert

Mr Galley's body had to be taken away from his Wrexham flat by paramedics in protective clothing on Tuesday.

Ms Cuthbert said: 'Of course I was very worried about when he developed the fever, as I was worried about the coronavirus.

'But as he wanted to protect me I couldn't go and visit him,' she said.

The mother from Old Colwyn, north Wales, added: 'As he was getting steadily worse I asked him to phone for an ambulance but he kept on saying to me that he was fine, that he had no underlying health conditions and that they would be too busy dealing with other people.'

Ms Cuthbert, who runs a wedding business, added Mr Galley was 'adored by her children'

The coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on the country - which is now on lockdown as more and more Britons are infected and, tragically, die with the virus.

Kayla Williams, 36, died of suspected Covid-19 at her apartment in Peckham.

Her life was cut short on Saturday, when paramedics came to her south London address.

Husband Fabian Willams told the Guardian his wife was suffering a cough, high fever and severe chest and stomach pains on Friday.

Documents say she was being treated as a suspected coronavirus case when she was told to stay at home.

Chloe Middleton, a 21-year-old woman with no pre-existing medical conditions, died from the coronavirus, her family has said.

Chloe Middleton (pictured above) is believed to be the youngest coronavirus victim in the UK - she is thought to have had no underlying health conditions

She is thought to be the youngest victim in the UK to have no underlying medical conditions.

Her mother Diane Middleton posted a heartbreaking tribute to her daughter today on social media.

Writing on Facebook Mrs Middleton, who lives in Buckinghamshire said: 'To all the people out there that thinks it's just a virus please think again speaking from a personal experience this so called virus has taken the life of my 21 year old daughter.'

Just days ago it was announced that an 18-year-old man had also died from the virus.

Mr Galley, who worked at the M&S Bank, didn't return any of Ms Cuthbert's calls after that.

She added: 'On Tuesday morning I was panicking as Tim didn't return my calls. I asked his neighbour to check on him as they had a key. They found him in bed.

Military personnel arriving at the ExCel centre in east London today as the emergency hospital preparations get underway

Pictured: An Army truck arrives at the ExCel London which is going be turned it to the Nightingale Hospital to help in the fight against Covid-19

'Paramedics in protective clothing came, and I just can't bare the thought he was all alone.'

Ms Cuthbert, who runs a wedding business, added Mr Galley was 'adored by her children. He just had such a massive heart and we had such a wonderful life together.

'We were supposed to be attending my daughter Danielle's wedding but that has also been cancelled because of the coronavirus.

'We went on so many holidays and had so many things planned. He was my future. Tim gave me so much love happiness and amazing times.

'He was so very special to my daughter Danni, and my other children and was ''pops'' to Olivia and Ariyah and won't get to meet Ryan and Maxine's baby.'

Ms Cuthbert said she hoped people would take coronavirus advice from the government and health professionals seriously.

She said: 'Please, please will you all take the advice and stay indoors and follow the rules this virus is serious and taking our loved ones.

'I just want everyone to stay safe and stay home. Tim took all the precautions but still this virus got him, my heart is shattered into tiny pieces.'
PARIS  One of the worlds best health care systems is facing its severest test ever, and whether it succeeds will say much about the ultimate adequacy of a well-funded, well-equipped and broadly accessible national treatment plan.

If Frances experiment in confining its citizens  less rigorous than the Chinese, more precocious than the Italian, far more organized than the American  yields the hoped-for flattening of the curve, it would be vindication not just for the underlying system, but for a Western democracys organized effort to combat the coronavirus. The verdict is still weeks away.

President Emmanuel Macron has told the French, over and over, that the country is at war. On the surface, it is going into battle well prepared.

[Analysis: Coronavirus puts to the fore an improbable U.K. leader: Dominic Raab.]

France spends more on health than most of its developed-world peers, offers world-beating access to doctors at less cost, and encourages all its citizens, through universal government-funded coverage, to keep track of their conditions. It has twice the number of intensive care beds that Italy has.
QAYYARA WEST AIRFIELD, Iraq (Reuters) - Troops with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State began departing an air base in northern Iraq on Thursday, handing it over fully to the Iraqi military as part of a reduction of foreign forces in the country.

QAYYARA WEST AIRFIELD, Iraq (Reuters) - Troops with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State began departing an air base in northern Iraq on Thursday, handing it over fully to the Iraqi military as part of a reduction of foreign forces in the country.

The overall drawdown will see coalition forces move into a smaller number of bases and reduce personnel. The coalition has not provided details or numbers.

Qayyara air base, south of the city of Mosul where Islamic State declared its caliphate in 2014, is the second base to be handed over to the Iraqis this month. Coalition troops left a base at al-Qaim on the Syrian border last week.

"The coalition will operate from fewer locations, but remains committed to supporting our partners in their fight against Daesh (Islamic States)," Brigadier General Vincent Barker of the coalition said in a statement.

Coalition officials say the troop cuts and relocation of units into fewer Iraqi bases is because Iraqi forces are mostly capable of containing the threat from leftover Islamic State militants on their own.

The U.S.-led coalition has supported the Iraqi military since 2014 in the fight to neutralise Islamic State. A few thousand militants are believed to be remain active, mostly confined to remote areas such as desert and mountains across northern Iraq. They periodically attack security forces but have held no major territory like towns and cities since 2017.

The coalition currently deploys around 7,500 troops in Iraq, including 5,000 Americans.

(Reporting by Thaier al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh; Writing by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by John Davison and Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Dozens of Chown Hardwares orders have been cancelled or delayed. Sales are down by a third in the last two weeks. This week, Gov. Jay Inslee just shut down all construction in the state of Washington. And no one came into the Portland showroom Thursday.

This threat is unlike anything weve ever seen before, David Chown, owner of Portland-based retailer, said in a conference call with reporters Thursday. Ive never seen business get shut off instantly. Its like a faucet has been turned off overnight.

Chown laid off 25 of his 100 employees Wednesday. And unless the Legislature delays the implementation of the states new education tax, he says he may have to lay off more. When the taxs first quarterly payment comes due April 15, Chown figures hell owe $30,000.

I can pay the tax or keep eight to 10 people employed, he said. I cant do both. Im hoping lawmakers wont force us to make that kind of choice.

A coalition of more than 40 business groups from around the state wrote lawmakers Thursday urging them to delay the states new corporate activities tax for six months to help them preserve cash and avoid layoffs during the cornonavirus pandemic.

The letter said that allowing the tax to kick in now will be the absolute worst timing possible for struggling businesses during this crisis. Companies will be forced to pay this tax instead of paying employees, meaning potential layoffs across a broad spectrum of industries.

The delay was one of 47 proposals that members of the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response discussed last week. But it didnt make the short list of immediate priorities that the co-chairs of the committee forwarded to legislative leaders Thursday.

While the committee could not reach a final decision to delay the tax, some consensus was found on considerations and information needed to better understand the impact of a delay, said the letter from the committees co-chairs, Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, and Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene.

The new tax -- a 0.57% assessment on commercial activity above $1 million in the state  kicked in Jan. 1. Its passage came in the wake of the failure of Measure 97, a 2016 ballot measure that sought to implement a gross receipts tax roughly three times the size of the corporate activities tax to fund K-12 schools.

The corporate activities tax remained controversial, but was downsized enough to ultimately attract some support in the business community and passed the Legislature in 2019. The states last revenue forecast estimated the tax would raise $1.6 billion during the 18 months it would be in effect during the current budget cycle, and $2.8 billion in the following biennium.

Delaying the tax by six months implies a hit to state revenues of more than $500 million, though the estimated receipts are certain to shrink with the current business slowdown. Either way, it could be a significant hit to revenues at a time when the state is expecting a major contraction in receipts across the board.

Gov. Kate Brown said earlier this week that she was hoping the Legislature would limit the initial state response to $250 million, and she is not on board with the tax delay. Charles Boyle, a spokesman, said her office was currently analyzing the recently passed federal legislation to see what relief it provides for businesses and workers. However, until we have a clearer picture of the states financial needs for providing core public services, the Governor does not support delaying the implementation of the corporate activities tax.

The Oregon Education Association will also oppose the move.

In a time of widespread crisis, it is more important than ever that our states essential infrastructure continues to function and meet the needs of all Oregonians  and our public schools are a part of that infrastructure, said John Larson, the unions president. Not only would a sweeping delay in the corporate activities tax undermine the ability of our public schools to serve Oregonians, it would do far less good than targeted tax relief aimed at assisting the workers and businesses most in need of our help.

As an alternative, the business groups have proposed that lawmakers cut the tax rate in half for six months or double the currently allowed deductions for labor and cost of goods sold from 35% to 70%.

Lawmakers on the coronavirus response committee didnt dismiss the idea altogether. Some, including Roblan and Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Portland, said they were amenable to the idea, but didnt want to eliminate the tax on companies like Amazon and Walmart, who may do well during the pandemic. But such a partial implementation raises practical and legal questions, and is not one the business community supports.

While there may be a multinational company or two that are doing well in this crisis, the fact remains that thousands of Oregon-based businesses are in serious peril and need immediate relief, said Preston Mann, a spokesman for the trade group Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce, which heavily opposed the tax all along. Failure to act due to one or two outliers could be catastrophic for Main Street across the state.

Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, the principal architect of the tax, said he thought lawmakers would initially focus on ensuring that Oregonians were housed and fed during the pandemic, then move on to some of the other proposals.

At first glance, he said a partial reduction would be uneven and inequitable and that the loss of the revenue would come with tradeoffs, likely deeper cuts in education when the state eventually reckons with its overall revenue losses. On the other hand, he said a higher deduction for labor costs might have merit as a way of encouraging companies to keep workers on the job.

House Republicans included the proposal on their list of recommendations to the committee on coronavirus response, starting with a three-month delay and extending it if necessary.

House Minority Leader Christine Drazen, R-Canby, said Thursday that she still thinks the proposal has merit.

The ask appears to be narrow, for the same time frame we expect the slowdown or recession, she said. Its worthy of conversation.

-- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-221-8505; @tedsickinger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:59:56|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The East African Business Council (EABC) has appealed to the East African Community (EAC) member states to allocate more funding towards the recruitment of health personnel to support in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued on Friday, the EABC also urged the EAC member states to regulate recurrent expenditures and focus on increasing budgetary allocation on health, social services and food security in the wake of the outbreak of the virus.

The EABC made the appeal in an online meeting on the preparedness and response measures against the outbreak of COVID-19 in the EAC region held on Thursday, said the statement.

EABC pledged to join hands with the EAC governments to ensure that the business community complied with the measures being taken to protect the lives of citizens in the region, said the statement.

EABC also appealed to the EAC Council of Ministers to hold meeting more frequently for information sharing and collaboration about the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, the EAC ministers of health have urged member states of the regional bloc to continue implementing mandatory quarantine for 14 days for all travelers to the region as a protective measure against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EAC member states are Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
Although the government has approved 35 private laboratories to conduct Covid-19 testing, they fear the stock may not last longer than a week as getting the kits - both domestic and imported - has been an uphill task. If the new stock of kits doesn't come in, testing and the results will get delayed, they say, adding that the government must ensure the supply of kits to is ramped up quickly.

"We have procured kits from Pune and it was a logistics nightmare spread over three to four days," says a senior doctor in one of the laboratories in Delhi. It had partly to do with lockdown and transport shut down and in the case of import, hassles around custom clearances. The solution, he says, is having at least one cargo flight from metros such as Pune and Mumbai, flying out at a stipulated hour each day and carrying things such as testing kits or reagents or medicines and even PPEs (personal protective equipment), which some labs say is also in short supply.

In fact, the short-supply of PPE is fast emerging as a big problem confronting laboratories nationally, especially those collecting samples from home. In a hospital set-up, a PPE can be used for one shift but in case of home visits, each PPE needs to be discarded after every visit. The other suggestion is to increase the frequency of cargo flights from major Indian metros. Or, the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) could itself take up the procurement of the kits and supplying them to the laboratories. Some are also complaining of orders being placed with kit-makers but despite the claims of the kit-maker that it can supply in large numbers, they are not able to make it possible and some have to still wait for delivery expected next week.

Talk to kit manufacturers about the possible solution from their end, they say they can either ramp up the production capacity or increase the pack size. It means every box of testing kit is able to handle more number of tests. German kit maker Altona, for instance, seems to be working on the lines of supplying pack sizes that can handle 4,800 tests against 384 or 96 tests per kit that most talk about. This could sharply improve the testing ability of labs even with a fewer kits. For instance, even 10 such kits would mean close to 50,000 tests.

Another concern is dealing with false positive cases that some have encountered. Fortunately, there is a government regulation that requires the labs to send reports to NIV, Pune or in view of the lockdown, to local government establishments such as Kasturba hospital in Mumbai to get the tests rechecked. This is a well thought out measure as it will ensure that all results are without error even if there are delays in getting the final result.

There is another issue of getting manpower to work and to collect the samples in a lockdown situation. This is a big challenge especially in cities like Mumbai.

Besides, one ugly and worrying side of the unfolding corona pandemic story is that of medical practitioners - doctors , nurses, technicians and paramedics, facing a new form of social distancing. Doctors talk of apartments and housing societies beginning to resent the presence of doctors, technicians and paramedics. "On one hand you clap for us and on the other hand slap us by resenting our presence in apartment complexes," says a doctor with a palpable sense of anguish.

Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Karnataka cabinet practices social distancing

Also Read: Coronavirus India News Live Updates: 'You're a fighter,' PM Modi says in tweet to Boris Johnson
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing, has disclosed that the mission was exploring flight options to evacuate British nationals wishing to leave Nigeria.

She said the decision was informed by the rapidly changing situation in the region and recent airport closures over the coronavirus pandemic.

The envoy, who said this in a statement on the UK High Commissions Twitter handle, @UK in Nigeria, on Thursday, noted that the commission had decided to reduce the number of the High Commission staff and dependents.

Laing explained that the missions in Abuja and Lagos will remain open to carry out essential work, including providing 24 hours consular assistance and support to the British nationals in the country.



The statement read, Given the rapidly changing situation in the region, the recent airport closures and recognising that it has become more difficult to get out in case of need, we have taken the decision to reduce the number of UK (United Kingdom) staff and dependents from our High Commission.

Our missions in both Abuja and Lagos will remain open, continuing to carry out essential work, including providing 24/7 consular assistance and support to the British nationals in Nigeria.

We are exploring a range of options for sending staff and dependents home as there are no commercial options available.

The envoy also said that the mission was exploring flight options for any British national who wished to return to the UK.

Meanwhile, Chinas aviation regulator on Thursday issued strict new controls on foreign flights, telling domestic airlines that they could maintain only one route to any specific country with no more than one flight per week.

International carriers faced similar restrictions from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, with only one route to China with no more than one weekly flight.

In addition to the flight restrictions, stringent measures were imposed on international flights that continue to operate, including a requirement that the plane carry only 75 per cent of its potential passenger load.

The moves come amid a global downturn for the aviation industry due to the novel coronavirus.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Whether it's a banking establishment, a social networking platform, or a supermarket, each of these brands will be well known to most British shoppers.

But will these recognisable and loved brand logos be as easy to identify when they've been slightly altered?

Transmit Start-ups, a national delivery partner of the Start Up Loans Company have compiled a tricky quiz to put your knowledge of popular logos to the test - and it is surprisingly difficult to get full marks.

Scroll down to see disfigured versions of 12 well known household names - and then check your answers at the bottom...

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Answers

1.

Eat up! The classic Heinz logo is based on the shape of a keystone. This is because the brand is based in Pennsylvania, the keystone state

2.

Siren call: The Starbucks mermaid logo - and its shade of green - are known worldwide. It was first used in 1971. Headquartered in Seattle, the company is now the worlds biggest coffeehouse chain, comprising of more than 20,000 stores in 62 countries

3.

Quintessentially British: Marks and Spencer has been around since 1884, but the above logo only started being used by the company in the late noughties, with the firm ditching their full name sign

4.

Bold look: The Netflix logo has changed a couple of times over the years, but now the simplistic design reflects the ease of use and the red block letters are reminiscent of old Hollywood and the red carpet

5.

Old timer: Founded in 1690, Barclays used a spread eagle for its brand as most of its customers couldn't read signs. After using the black colours for decades, the Barclays logo came in blue for the first time in May 1970. The current version of the Barclays logo was introduced in 2004

6.

Classic combo: Red, blue and white are used by a number of British brands, including the supermarket store Tesco, which was first founded in 1919 in the East End of London

7.

Rainbow colours: When Facebook bought Instagram in 2012, they kept the brown shaded retro camera icon for 4 years before deciding to revamp to a bright and simplified symbol

8.

The golden arches!One of the most famous logos in the world, McDonald's symbol is based on actual golden arches found at its first branch

9.

From anything to everything: Depicting that Amazon sells everything from A to Z, the swoosh underneath the name literally points us from the first letter of the alphabet to the last

10.

Magical: Disney is synonymous with animation. The scrawled font is easy recognisable and forms an important part of the Disney brand

11.

They mean business! The HSBC logo was unveiled in 1983 and represents a uniform brand identity. As with Heinz, the company operates under a single brand name and logo all over the world

12.
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Upton Group, LLC a leading national insurance agency specializing in food delivery insurance urges the federal government to take action to trigger the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act in response to the current pandemic COVID-19.

New Jersey, Ohio and other states are looking at legislation that would require commercial line carriers to provide coverage for loss of income caused by COVID-19. Despite the fact that policy terms contain exclusions for such a loss.

Jason Upton, President of The Upton Group, LLC said: "Restaurants and small businesses all over the country are facing unprecedented losses created by no fault of their own. Rather, the government has forced these closures and the government must become part of the solution."

Upton continued: "I believe the federal government should declare this current national crisis in such a manner that it would trigger the TRIA program. If such a declaration is not possible, then Congress should act to amend the law to include COVID-19.

"Under this scenario this would trigger coverage which premiums have been collected. I believe it is setup on an 80/20 quota share. The government being at 80%. The cap is $100 Billion and that would likely need to be increased as well. I would propose not increasing the cap on the insurance carrier so that the government picks up 100% after the cap is met."

The TRIA act requires the Secretary of Treasury to make the declaration in concurrence with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General. Since its creation after the 9-11 terrorist attack the program has never paid a claim.

Jason continued: "I believe this option is preferable to forcing an insurance carrier to pay claims on a policy with no consideration for such losses. The legislation being considered would have a devastating impact not only on the carriers but small businesses as well going forward. Premiums will rise substantially. Coverages and limits would be cut or even eliminated. Depending on any legislations final wording it potentially could bankrupt some companies.

"Because time is critical to save these restaurants and businesses, the quickest solution would be a 4th COVID-19 legislation that appropriates funds to be available immediately direct to businesses. If that is not possible then triggering the TRIA program must be considered. Given deductibles and other structure features, Congress may have to amend the law more than just naming COVID-19. Doing nothing is not an option. But politicians cannot take actions that, in the words of President Trump, where 'the cure is worse than the problem.' To put this at the feet of the carriers would do just that."

Upton concluded: "Once our nation and industry get through the crisis the attention must then be to establish a new federal facilitated epidemic/pandemic insurance program. We must never put our nation and our business community exposed to such an economic catastrophe ever again."

About The Upton Group, LLC: is a leading insurance agency based in Guntersville, Alabama with a primary focus on pizza delivery franchises and other food delivery company's and restaurants. The company primarily specializes in coverage such as hired and non-owned auto insurance. Other policies coverages include Property & General Liability, Workman's Comp, Employment Practices among other specialty lines

Contact:

The Upton Group, LLC

www.theuptongroupllc.com

1-800-251-7407 Ext 101

[email protected]

SOURCE The Upton Group, LLC
As we brace for the brunt of this fast-spreading pandemic, it's a pressing national security imperative that immigrants held in detention must be released to their families immediately.

The federal government is keeping scores of people cheek by jowl in facilities that have been well-documented to be lacking in proper ventilation, food or even clean, running water. And many of these detainees already have compromised immune systems due to old age, chronic medical conditions or pregnancy.

As if it weren't bad enough to put immigrants in grave danger of becoming a huge vector of COVID-19 infections, this situation also puts at risk the people who police them, manage their cases, offer them medical care, defend them in court, prepare their food and clean up after them.

Whatever you might imagine when talking about immigrants in detention, the truth is that most either have no criminal record or have already served time for any offenses they've committed while in our country. And nearly all unauthorized immigrants who are being held in detention have already been processed and catalogued in multiple Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services and other system databases.
Farmers carry bags of rice in southern Can Tho City on March 7, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tran.

Due to the novel coronavirus impact, Vietnams GDP growth hit roughly 3.82 percent in Q1, the lowest since 2010, the General Statistics Office reported Friday.

It was lower than the earlier worst case scenario forecast of 5.96 percent for the whole year by the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The manufacturing and construction sector grew by 7.12 percent in Q1, the highest of any sector. Services grew by 3.27 percent and agriculture, forestry and fisheries by 0.08 percent. As many as 18,600 companies temporarily suspended business in Q1, up 26 percent year-on-year.

The accommodation and food industry fell 11.04 percent year-on-year as hotels record plummeting occupancy while restaurants are ordered closed to limit contagion.

The number of tourist arrivals fell 18 percent year-on-year to 3.7 million, with steep drops in China, South Korea and the U.S.

Local airlines, which have stopped all international flights, served 11.9 million passengers in Q1, down 8 percent.

Exports value grew 0.5 percent compared to 4.7 percent in the same period last year, with textiles down 8.9 percent and seafood down 11.2 percent. Both sectors have reported a large number of orders from the E.U., U.S. and China canceled due to coronavirus impacts there.

Import value fell 1.9 percent year-on-year, with a 18 percent drop in China, the largest market.

Consumer price index hit a four-year high of 5.56 percent, with double-digit growth in food prices.

Vietnam targets a GDP growth of 6.8 percent this year, but officials have forecast that the coronavirus pandemic could drag the figure to the seven-year low of 5.96 percent.

Last year, GDP growth hit 7.02 percent, the second highest growth figure in the last decade, after the record 7.08 percent in 2018.
Javier Sabdiel Santos, 20, of Mechanicsburg, accused of a home invasion robbery that happened on January 30, was arrested on Friday, according to the United States Marshals Service.

Authorities said Santos broke into a home in Mount Holly Springs, stabbed a person in the home and threatened them with a handgun. Following the execution of an arrest warrant that charged him with robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, and lesser offenses, Mount Holly Springs Police Department tapped the task force to help them locate him.

Santos was found Friday in the 400 block of Silver Springs Road in Mechanicsburg. He was arrested without incident. Authorities said he was turned over to Silver Spring Township Police Department for arraignment and booking.

The U.S. Marshals Service and its task force partners place a high priority on fugitive cases involving suspects with violent tendencies, United States Marshal Martin J. Pane said in a statement. They worked hard to locate and apprehend this fugitive and I commend their effort.

In addition to Silver Spring Township Police Department, other agencies worked together to find Santos, including the Pennsylvania State Police, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, the Swatara Township Police Department, the Lower Paxton Township Police Department, and the Dauphin County Adult Probation Office.
When Digital India took birth, little did the government and enterprises know that in an unprecedented situation like a total lockdown, the apps and services that helped us sail through the day with ease will immediately hang up on millions.

From Uber to Ola, Swiggy to Zomato and Bigbasket to Grofers -- and thousands of app-based services in between -- the digital dream has taken a 21-day long pause, and workers in the digital industry are in for job losses along with deep salary cuts.

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has announced that several employees have taken deep voluntary salary cuts as the business has been hit owing to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Uber and Ola drivers are confined to their homes and delivery boys for food and online grocery delivery platforms are afraid to come out on roads owing to the fear or being beaten up.

Uber India, which has told its employees to do yoga at home, said it has suspended its services across many cities, thereby impacting the livelihoods of drivers who rely on the platform.

"To provide immediate relief for drivers, we are exempting, until further notice, lease rentals for those who drive vehicles leased under Uber's Xchange Leasing India Private Limited (XLI) affiliate," an Uber spokesperson told IANS on Thursday.

Ola has reportedly taken the next step, asking the government to waive the loans of its drivers and delay the tax payments for them so that they can survive the Novel Coronavirus onslaught. The company, however, refused to comment on the reports.

According to the ride-hailing company, it is providing certain insurance and medical benefits to its drivers as well as waiving rental charges.

"We can confirm that we are fully waiving away lease rentals, akin to an EMI, for driver partners who operate vehicles owned by Ola's subsidiary, Ola Fleet Technologies under its leasing programme," Ola said in a statement.

The company also said it will give benefits on insurance for drivers and their spouses against loss of income due to contraction of COVID-19, as well as other medical support during this time will continue to be offered to all its driver-partners across the country.

Thousands of daily-wage workers, low-end hotel staff and delivery boys have left metros for their home towns -- some even on bikes -- as establishments locked themselves.

Smartphone-based leading food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy are in almost in no man's land -- with thin presence amid huge manpower shortage.

Bigbasket and Grofers are unable to fulfil orders owing to huge supply-demand issue along with thin delivery staff to go out and deliver.

All eyes are now on the government to bail the online service providers from this mess.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday indicated that concerns of India Inc, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) segments and other segments hit by the lockdown might be looked at and the government could announce a plan later.

"Our first priority is to provide food to the poor and money in their hands. We will think about other things later," she said.
 Flash

The Group of 20 (G20) major economies on Thursday pledged full support for the World Health Organization (WHO) in coordinating global efforts against the COVID-19 epidemic.

"We fully support and commit to further strengthen the WHO's mandate in coordinating the international fight against the pandemic," G20 leaders said in a joint statement released after an extraordinary summit convened by Saudi Arabia.

The leaders who attended a virtual conference sought to ensure adequate financing to contain the pandemic and committed to provide immediate resources to the WHO, according to the statement.

"We will share timely and transparent information; exchange epidemiological and clinical data; share materials necessary for research and development; and strengthen health systems globally, including through supporting the full implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR 2005)," the statement said.

"We task our Health Ministers to meet as needed to share national best practices and develop a set of G20 urgent actions on jointly combatting the pandemic by their ministerial meeting in April," the statement added.
Sometimes you can't control the curveballs life throws at you. But you can strive to bring a little light and laughter in face of the most difficult times.

When Houston-based photographer Yuli Vargas first thought about how she could make a positive difference in this pandemic, she was uncertain.

"I was really bummed. Many of my photo shoots were cancelled," Vargas said.

STAY POSITIVE: Here are 15 new pieces of good news amid coronavirus pandemic

Then, a friend of hers encouraged her to think of something she could do for her Rancho Verde community on the east side of Houston, near Channelview.

"Maybe this will be something for people to look at that will be positive, instead of all the negative stuff that we're seeing," Vargas said.

That's when she came up with the idea to do a creative neighborhood photo shoot, showing how all of her neighbors were surviving "Pandemic 2020." Most importantly, the photo shoot was also a fun tool to encourage people to "stay home, stay safe."

"I told them, 'You don't have to pay anything. Just have fun for free,'" Vargas said.

At first, Vargas' photo shoot only drew three neighbors. Then, it blossomed to to 13 sessions a day.

"They loved the photo shoot!" Vargas said. "One neighbor said, 'I'm so glad you did this, because this uplifted my spirits.'"

CORONAVIRUS EXPERT: 'Real possibility' Houston is the next major hot spot

Vargas added that she also had families who wanted to bring smiles and signs of encouragement to first responders who were working on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak.

"One of my favorites is of the elderly couple, who held up this sign, 'We're too old for this!'" Vargas said. "When I saw their sign, I just started laughing."

Vargas said that at first when news of the pandemic spread, she didn't want to even venture out of her home. But her photoshoot idea inspired her and ended up bringing smiles and unity to the entire neighborhood.

"It was cool to see neighbors helping each other out during this situation," Vargas said.

alison.medley@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:26:25|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- An official of the United Nations children's agency on Thursday called on the warring parties in Libya to halt fighting and instead focus on combatting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Appalled that instead of respecting call for humanitarian truce, warring parties fighting more in Tripoli. Spare your children and families. Fight only the invisible common enemy covid19," UNICEF Special Representative in Libya Abdel-Rahman Ghandour tweeted.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Wednesday said that attacks and counterattacks in Libya continue to inflict further suffering and civilian casualties.

"UNSMIL calls for an immediate de-escalation, including cessation of hostilities, demobilization of forces, and stopping the influx of foreign fighters and weapons," UNSMIL said in a statement.

The eastern-based army has been committed to a military campaign over the past year in and around the capital Tripoli, trying to take over the city and topple the rival UN-backed government.

Thousands have been killed and injured in the fighting, and more than 150,000 have been displaced to flee the violence.
On March 13, as the actors were preparing to go onstage in the District in front of a full house, news arrived: All theaters were to close. In a few moments, our world collapsed. Our final week in the District was canceled. As the cast gathered onstage to say a shocked goodbye to each other, Shakespeares clairvoyance felt profound. Life was imitating art. Suddenly we were in the wilderness, we were in Timons dark wood, hurled from golden success to a world locked and shuttered. This unsung masterpiece had, unbearably, found its moment of truth. As we left the abandoned foyer, a line from one of Timons servants rang in my mind: And we, poor mates, stand on the dying deck/Hearing the surges threat: we must all part/Into this sea of air.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 09:34:34|Editor: Shi Yinglun

Video Player Close

Airplanes of Fiji Airways are seen at the Nadi International Airport in Fiji, March 28, 2020. From Thursday, Fiji has shut down the Nadi International Airport and passenger travel to the outer islands will cease from Sunday. (FIJI SUN/Handout via Xinhua)

SUVA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Fiji announced on Friday a nationwide curfew from next Monday night as part of its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Making the announcement in parliament, Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said that the curfew from 10pm to 5am local time every day will be in force as part of the preventative measures over COVID-19.

He explained that the government has decided to impose the curfew because Fijians are not taking seriously the government's advisory on restricted movement.

"We are not afraid to ramp up these containment measures if we feel the Fijian public isn't taking this crisis seriously. When it comes to the types of activities and behaviours we've discouraged to stop the spread of Coronavirus like non-essential travel, close contact and large gatherings, too many Fijians think that when the sun goes down the rule stops. That's why today, I'm announcing a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 5am every night, everywhere in Fiji, " he said.

There is far too much physical socializing and unnecessary travel between 10pm and 5am, he said, adding that if people are out during these hours, unless it's for work or another life-sustaining purpose, the police will direct them straight home.

Currently, there are five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Fiji. To curb the spread of the virus, Fiji has taken stricter measures including the lockdown of Lautoka, the second largest city of Fiji and the establishment of more than 20 fever clinics to screen people for possible COVID-19.

From Thursday, Fiji has shut down the Nadi Internatinal Airport and passenger travel to the outer islands will cease from Sunday.

In addition, the Fijian government also announced Thursday night a supplementary budget to help fight the virus.
PLANO, Texas, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA) continues to assist those in need with essential supplies, emergency relief and is providing on-going support to many local organizations and non-profits. These efforts include monetary, "in-kind" donations, plus utilizing several of the company's North American facilities to fabricate face shields while collaborating with medical device companies to speed the manufacture of ventilators, respirators and other vital devices for hospitals.

"Toyota's core value has always been to contribute to society in meaningful ways beyond providing mobility for our customers," said Ted Ogawa, incoming CEO, TMNA. "With our plants idled and our dealers focused on servicing customers, we are eager to contribute our expertise and know-how in order to help quickly bring to market the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the COVID crisis. Our message to the medical equipment community is we are here to help, please utilize our expertise."

For medical device companies and related businesses seeking support in the areas of manufacturing, engineering, supply chain and purchasing, all inquiries can be sent to: [email protected]

The company has also taken several actions in support of curbing the spread of the virus and helping communities across North America, including:

Face Shields: Working to produce 3-D printed face shields, and mass production will kick off early next week. The first distribution will be to MD Anderson in Houston , UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas , and other hospitals in Indiana , Kentucky and Michigan .

Working to produce 3-D printed face shields, and mass production will kick off early next week. The first distribution will be to MD in , UT Southwestern Medical Center in , and other hospitals in , and . COVID-19 Masks : Ready to produce COVID-19 masks, currently seeking partners for filters.

: Ready to produce COVID-19 masks, currently seeking partners for filters. Ventilators/Respirators: Finalizing agreements to begin working with at least two companies that produce ventilators and respirators to help increase their capacity.

Finalizing agreements to begin working with at least two companies that produce ventilators and respirators to help increase their capacity. Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC) : Offering manufacturing/engineering know-how support to companies to increase their capacity for necessary medical supplies and equipment and will continue to be available to them. Currently working to support Hospitals/communities on organizing efficient drive-through COVID-19 testing sites. To learn more about TSSC click on the following: https://www.tssc.com/

: Offering manufacturing/engineering know-how support to companies to increase their capacity for necessary medical supplies and equipment and will continue to be available to them. Currently working to support Hospitals/communities on organizing efficient drive-through COVID-19 testing sites. To learn more about TSSC click on the following: https://www.tssc.com/ Customer Financing: Toyota Financial Services (TFS) and Lexus Financial Services (LFS) are providing payment relief options to customers who are affected by COVID-19. Affected lease and finance customers may be eligible to take advantage of finance contract payment extensions or lease deferred payments. TFS and LFS are also providing options to assist customers at or near the end of their lease who are impacted by the pandemic.

Toyota Financial Services (TFS) and Lexus Financial Services (LFS) are providing payment relief options to customers who are affected by COVID-19. Affected lease and finance customers may be eligible to take advantage of finance contract payment extensions or lease deferred payments. TFS and LFS are also providing options to assist customers at or near the end of their lease who are impacted by the pandemic. A dvertising: Toyota brand pulled its March sales event advertising and started running a new national ad campaign with an optimistic message to let our customers know that at Toyota, "We're here for you."

Toyota brand pulled its March sales event advertising and started running a new national ad campaign with an optimistic message to let our customers know that at Toyota, "We're here for you." Lexus also will release its own advertising this week to reassure luxury customers that we put "People First."

Donation of Supplies: Toyota has made significant donations to hospitals, emergency management teams, and first responders. Items donated include masks, safety glasses, shoe/boot covers, gloves, blankets, and cotton swabs.

Toyota has made significant donations to hospitals, emergency management teams, and first responders. Items donated include masks, safety glasses, shoe/boot covers, gloves, blankets, and cotton swabs. Community and Business Partner Groups: Continue to make significant monetary donations to the United Way, food banks and other key non-profit organizations geared towards helping those in need. In addition, the company's Business Partnering Groups are providing mentoring, university lecturing, health and safety tips for employees, families and pets and additional ways to support the communities in which we operate.

For a complete list of donations from our Toyota companies, employees and dealers that are helping to assist local communities, please visit Toyota's COVID-19 page at: https://pressroom.toyota.com/topic/covid-19-information/.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

CONTACT:

Victor Vanov

Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

469.292.1318

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America

Related Links

http://www.toyota.com


WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history, a $2.2 trillion bill intended to lift the nation in the grips of the coronavirus epidemic.

The bipartisan legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, after one Republican lawmaker threatened to derail the vote.

Approved by the Senate late Wednesday night, the stimulus will send $1,200 in direct cash assistance to most Americans in the next few weeks. It also expands unemployment benefits, gives hospitals and health centers over $150 billion for medical supplies, gives forgivable loans and tax credits to small businesses and billions in industrial relief to airlines and other large corporations.

We face an economic crisis unlike anything we as a country have ever experienced, said Rep. Jim Himes, D-4. This wide-ranging economic rescue package provides rapid relief for individuals, businesses, and those responding to the pandemic on the ground.

The state of Connecticut will receive $1.38 billion in direct state aid, under the bill, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

Over 200 House members returned to Washington, D.C. from their districts around the country to be present for the vote on Friday, after the objections of one member, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., raised the possibility of a roll call vote on the bill.

Calling for him to be booted out of the Republican Party, Trump slammed Massie on Twitter Friday morning.

Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress, Trump wrote. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous..

Early Friday afternoon, Massie proceeded to request a roll call vote but was overruled by a quorum of members present. They passed the measure by voice vote with a majority of members shouting aye and just a few nays echoing in the chamber.

Himes, Rosa DeLauro, D-3, John Larson, D-1, and Joe Courtney, D-2, all drove to Washington for the vote. Reps. Jahana Hayes, D-5, did not respond to inquiries.

Most Americans will soon get a $1,200 check in their mailbox or in their checking account. The federal government will consult your lastest tax filing and if you made $75,000 or less, you will get $1,200. Income earners between $75,000- $99,000 will get a reduced amount, and above $99,000 no payment.

If you paid your most recent taxes by direct deposit, the stimulus money will be direct deposited into that account before April 6; if you paid by check, you will receive a check. Parents will also get $500 per child. Retirees will receive payment too.

CT hospitals scramble for needed supplies

The bill also offers higher unemployment payments for a longer period of time and makes the payments available to new kinds of workers, like gig workers and the self-employed. This comes as 3.3 million people filed unemployment claims with the U.S. Department of Labor last week  the most filed in single week since 1967 when data started being collected. Connecticuts Department of Labor was swamped with more than 100,000 claims.

The legislation means people who file for unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak will receive 100 percent of their wages plus $600 a week. They will also receive benefits for four more months than usual.

We need to get cash to people to help them weather this storm - including retirees, the disabled, and families, said Larson. We need to help small businesses stay afloat and retain employees.

To help school systems now adjusting to teaching remotely, the bill funnels $111 million to K-12 schools in Connecticut and $131 million to colleges and universities in the state, estimates from the Congressional Research Service show.

The legislation also pumps millions in federal programs for child care, heating assistance, food stamps, child welfare, family violence prevention and other community supports in Connecticut.

Connecticut small businesses will be eligible to apply for billions in loans. Many of these loans will be forgiven if the business keeps its employees on the payroll  even if they are furloughed. Employers will also be able to collect a refundable payroll tax credit equal to half of the amount they pay in wages to employees during the coronavirus outbreak. Employers will also be able to delay paying the employer portion of payroll taxes for a period.

Big corporations like Sikorsky Aircraft and Pitney Bowes in Connecticut may be able to collect millions in bail-outs for industry. These payments will have strings blocking them from being used for stock buy backs or increasing executive compensation.

Lawmakers have agreed that this stimulus passage  the third coronavirus response bill passed by Congress  is not likely to be their last legislative effort to combat the virus.

Weve got to be prepared to keep working across the aisle to do whatever is necessary to help Americans through this pandemic, Courtney said.

emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of over 30 jobs at a construction and plant hire business, the High Court has heard.

Ms Justice Teresa Pilkington has appointed chartered accountant Anthony Fitzpatrick as provisional liquidator to Brandon Plant Hire Ltd, Trim, Co Meath. The court heard it was insolvent to the tune of 934,000.

The firm provides substructures and groundworks on building sites, as well as plant hire.

The company's members petitioned the court for the provisional liquidator's appointment, so that its assets will be secured and their proceeds properly distributed to its creditors.

Ronnie Hudson Bl, instructed by solicitor John Kieran, for the company, told the court the firm had been profitable for many years since it was founded in 1997, and was involved in several major house building projects. Counsel said it had been experiencing cash flow difficulties, including issues concerning payments from Cairn Homes, who it has acted as a subcontractor for on various projects.

Despite these various issues, it had looked to an investor to help it continue to trade.

Counsel said that because of Covid-19, the investor was no longer interested in putting cash in, rendering the firm insolvent and unable to trade.

There was urgency to the application as the company was concerned about the dissipation of assets.

Counsel said the company's directors had been put under intense pressure and had been threatened by creditors, some of whom threatened to damage works in progress, and that appointment of a provisional liquidator would ensure assets are secured.

Ms Justice Pilkington, noting Covid-19 had exacerbated the firm's problems, said she was satisfied to appoint Mr Fitzpatrick as provisional liquidator and adjourned the matter to next month.
Madhya Pradesh Congress on Friday hit out at the Centre for "delaying lockdown" in view of the coronavirus outbreak, claiming that the BJP has put lives of 130 crore people in the country at stake as it was busy in toppling and forming the government in the state.

Taking to Twitter, the MP Congress took a pot shot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declared 21-day lockdown in the country, stating that it was not his 'fault' as BJP had a program of toppling former Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh and forming Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government.

"It is not much of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fault. If BJP did not have a program of toppling and forming a government in MP, then lockdown and curfew could have been imposed already. The BJP's lust of power has put lives of 130 crore people in the country at stake," the Congress MP tweeted in Hindi.

It further stated that Madhya Pradesh is the grip of coronavirus epidemic and targetted Chouhan government over 'no cabinet' and 'no concrete planning' to tackle the unprecedented situation arising out of coronavirus outbreak.

"MP is in the grip of corona epidemic. And in MP: There is no cabinet, there is no cabinet committee, neither the Minister of Health, there is no concrete planning, Shivraj doesn't trust collectors, neither the government will last long," the state unit of Congress said in another tweet.

Chouhan on March 23 took oath as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh at the Raj Bhavan here.Ahead of the ceremony, Chouhan appealed to the party workers not to celebrate the oath-taking ceremony in the wake of coronavirus. He earlier served as the state's Chief Minister between 2003 and 2018.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier on Thursday reported 88 new COVID-19 cases, which is the highest in a single day, taking the total countrywide tally to 694. Kamal Nath on March 20 tendered his resignation to Governor Lalji Tandon as the Chief Minister following the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Iran struggles to battle the spread of COVID-19, the United States on Thursday heaped more economic pressure on the country by slapping a fresh round of sanctions on more than a dozen Iranian individuals and five companies.

The US Treasury sanctions were announced a day after the family of retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who went missing more than a decade ago, said after citing information from US officials, they believed that the former intelligence officials had died while being in custody of Iranian authorities, Al Jazeera reported.

However, denying such reports, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said that Levinson had left Iran "years ago" for an unspecified destination.

"Iran employs a web of front companies to fund terrorist groups across the region, siphoning resources away from the Iranian people and prioritizing terrorist proxies over the basic needs of its people," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement posted to the Treasury website on Thursday.

"The United States maintains broad exceptions and authorizations for humanitarian aid including agriculture commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices to help the people of Iran combat the coronavirus," it added.

On Tuesday the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, called for sanctions against countries such as Iran to be rolled back to allow their medical systems to fight COVID-19 and limit its spread.

The same day, Iran ruled out "foreign" help to deal with the coronavirus health crisis.

Earlier this month, Tehran asked the International Monetary Fund for USD 5bn in emergency funding to fight the outbreak.

The US "maximum pressure" campaign of successive rounds of sanctions kicked off in 2018 after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers. Washington is trying to force Tehran back to the negotiation table by squeezing it economically.

The sanctions imposed by the US Treasury on Thursday targeted companies and individuals involved in the construction and maritime services industries.

COVID-19 has killed at least 2,234 people in Iran and the number of confirmed cases in the country is approaching 30,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad: "Baahubali" actor Prabhas became the latest Telugu star to donate for the cause of combating against the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor on Thursday donated Rs 4 crore for the cause. Of this, Rs 3 crore is being given to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, while Rs 50 lakh each go to the Chief Minister Relief Funds of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Prabhas recently returned from Georgia, where he was shooting for his upcoming film, tentatively titled "Prabhas 20", with Pooja Hegde. Both actors went into self-quarantine for 14 days upon return.

Earlier in the day, Telugu superstars Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi and Mahesh Babu had also donated to boost the fight against COVID-19. It was Pawan Kalyan who initiated the nobel gesture giving Rs 2 crore for the cause. Soon, his nephew Ram Charan declared a charity of Rs 70 lakh while Ram Charan's father, the veteran superstar of Telugu cinema, Chiranjeevi, gave Rs 1 crore. Young superstar Mahesh Babu also gave a crore for the cause.
US-led coalition hands over Qayyarah air base in northern Iraq to army forces: Source

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 3:31 PM

An Iraqi security source says the US-led military coalition purportedly formed to fight the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh has handed over a strategic air base in the northern province of Nineveh to the Arab country's military.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency on Thursday that forces from the US-led alliance departed Qayyarah Airfield West, which lies some 70 kilometers (43.4 miles) south of Mosul and on the west bank of the Tigris River, and handed it over to Iraqi government troops.

"The coalition will operate from fewer locations, but remains committed to supporting our partners in their fight against Daesh," Brigadier General Vincent Barker of the coalition said in a statement.

Earlier, an unnamed source told Sputnik that American military aircraft had started the transfer of the logistics of the US-led coalition forces from the air base to another location in Iraq, until the withdrawal process is fully completed.

The development came only a day after French troops in the US-led military coalition left Iraq.

Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, told the official Iraqi News Agency on Wednesday that "French troops had left the Iraqi territory, and that the US-led coalition had cleared the air base."

"Their departure comes under agreements conducted with the Iraqi government," Khalaf added without elaborating.

Back on March 21, an Iraqi military source said US troops were planning to withdraw from two bases in Iraq's northern provinces of Kirkuk and Nineveh, only a few days after forces from the US-led military coalition pulled out from a base on the Iraq-Syria border.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Akhbar newspaper in an exclusive interview that the US forces intended to evacuate their bases in the oil-rich Kirkuk region and Qayyarah district after withdrawal from al-Qa'im base, which was established in late 2017.

"The second withdrawal [of US forces] will include the K1 camps in Kirkuk province, and Qayyarah district in Nineveh province. There are also talks of pullout from three other bases close to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad," the source added.

The source highlighted that the US-led coalition has already informed the Iraqi government of its intention to withdraw from the bases and facilities it runs in the near future.

On March 17, troops from the US-led coalition pulled out from al-Qa'im base in western Iraq on the border with Syria.

The withdrawal came amid an uptick in rocket attacks targeting Iraqi military bases hosting US troops.

Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces led by the United States from the country following the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)  better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, and their companions in a US airstrike authorized by President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport two days earlier.

Later on January 9, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, the former Iraqi prime minister, called on the United States to dispatch a delegation to Baghdad tasked with formulating a mechanism for the move.

According to a statement released by his office at the time, Abdul-Mahdi "requested that delegates be sent to Iraq to set the mechanisms to implement the parliament's decision for the secure withdrawal of (foreign) forces from Iraq" in a phone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The 78-year-old politician said Iraq rejects any violation of its sovereignty, particularly the US military's violation of Iraqi airspace in the assassination airstrike.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- When Gov. Tate Reeves issued an executive order Tuesday which said restaurants and bars could offer in-house dining provided they didnt exceed a 10-person limit, local mayors immediately began scrambling for clarification.

All four Jackson County municipalities, along with most others on the coast, had already implemented emergency proclamations which restricted those businesses to carryout, drive-thru or delivery services.

Knowing that state law supersedes municipal law, local officials and business owners alike were initially under the impression businesses could reopen.

It was hectic, said Ocean Springs Mayor Shea Dobson. We were scrambling, trying to figure out what to do. Everyone was confused. The language was pretty clear that the (executive order) was superseding what we had put in place.

The section of Executive Order 1463 pertaining to restaurants and bars reads as follows, with the section which caused the uproar in bold:

From the date of this Executive Order until April 17, 2020, restaurants, bars or other dining establishments shall suspend dine-in services unless able to reduce capacity to allow no more than 10 people to be gathered in a single space at the same time where individuals are in seated or otherwise in close proximity to each other. However, the use of drive-thru, carryout or delivery options is allowed and encouraged.

Dobson said they had been told by the end of the day Wednesday that it wasnot Reeves intent to override regulations already put in place by municipalities. During a Thursday afternoon press conference, Reeves acknowledged as much.

The way the order is intended to work is that it is a statewide order that applies to all businesses, Reeves said. "If any municipalities want to use their emergency powers -- and a lot of them do -- thats perfectly fine.

If they want to go beyond what the state order says, thats fine, as long as their order isnt in direct conflict with what the state order says.

Reeves said the intend of his order was to provide a minimum state standard, whether individual municipalities opt to implement stricter regulations or not. He added he was in the process of drafting a new executive order clarifying the first.

Dobson said he fielded calls all day Wednesday from business owners and other concerned citizens over the confusing state order.

Ultimately, I was able to put out a (Facebook) post clarifying it for everybody, he said. We did have to go back and tell some businesses that we had told earlier in the day could open that they could not.

Once he received that clarification, Dobson said he understood the governors intent.

The executive order is just a baseline, the mayor said. It sets a minimum standard for the state. I get that. There may be some small restaurants in some rural areas where they might be able to make that (10 person) limit work, but it definitely didnt work for the coast.

Where Reeves executive order will have a greater impact is on businesses located in the unincorporated areas of the state, including Jackson County. As of Thursday afternoon, Jackson County had yet to implement any restrictions on business.

Jackson County supervisor Randy Bosarge said the county will fully enforce the governors order.

We have already shut down the parks, recreation centers and community centers, although the boat launches and beaches remain open, Bosarge said, adding that about a third of county employees have been sent home to work.

Were going to follow what the governors putting out there, he added. Other than St. Martin and Latimer, we dont have that many restaurants. I think in the unincorporated area of my district, there are about seven restaurants. Some of those have shut down completely and the ones who havent have already gone to pickup or delivery.

Bosarge added the board of supervisors would meet in a special call meeting at 10 a.m. Friday to go over everything.
Wellington: A trans-Tasman exchange for the Australian terrorist convicted of last year's Christchurch mosques attack remains a possibility.

While the legal framework for a transfer does not exist, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has left open the chance that Brenton Tarrant could be sent home to Australia to serve his term.

On Thursday, Tarrant admitted guilt for last year's massacre, when he travelled to two Christchurch mosques and opened fire during Friday prayers.

In this image made from a video, Brenton Harrison Tarrant appears in court via video link on Thursday. Credit:AP

The man, who was raised in Grafton, NSW, was convicted on 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism after his surprising change of heart to his plea.
A taxpayer-funded cruise around Australia that would have defied coronavirus state border closures has been cancelled.

A replica of Captain Cook's HMB Endeavour was due to leave Sydney on May 6 and visit 38 ports around the country despite a spate of COVID-19 cruise ship cases.

Just two days ago, the Australian National Maritime Museum was adamant the tall ship would sail even though Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have closed their borders as the Commonwealth shuts down non-essential businesses.

'At the moment it's going ahead,' a well-placed source told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. 'Everyone is watching it closely.'

Since the publication of that story, the voyage to commemorate Captain James Cook's 1770 landing at Botany Bay in Sydney has been called off.

A taxpayer-funded cruise around Australia that would have defied coronavirus state border closures has been cancelled. A replica (pictured) of Captain Cook's HMB Endeavour was due to leave Sydney on May 6 and visit 38 ports around the country

The museum took it upon itself on Friday to abandon the voyage after Australian Border Force said it was a matter for state port authorities.

Cruise ship coronavirus cases RUBY PRINCESS NSW: 121 QUEENSLAND: 52 SA: 44 WA: 8 NT: 2 OVATION OF THE SEAS NSW: 31 QUEENSLAND: 32 SA: 9 WA: 4 TAS: 5 VOYAGER OF THE SEAS NSW: 7 SA: 3 QUEENSLAND: 4 Advertisement

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had even pledged $6.7million in taxpayer funding a year ago so the 25-year-old replica ship could sail around Australia.

Museum director Kevin Sumption said the 250th anniversary voyage had now been suspended.

'This decision was not taken lightly,' he said in a statement on Friday.

'After four years of planning, this is disappointing but it is necessary at this time.

'I trust the public will understand and hope they engage with our digital resources instead.'

Each leg of the sold-out voyage on the HMB Endeavour replica was meant to carry 56 people on board, including 16 professional crew.

Tickets were sold for 36 voyage crew places and four other travellers for the voyage around Australia.

Refunds will now be offered, with several legs sold out despite the price tag of $5,000.

The museum said it would 'commence the process of providing refunds to the people who purchased tickets for the voyage'.

Just two days ago, the Australian National Maritime Museum was adamant the tall ship would sail despite even though Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have closed their borders as the Commonwealth shuts down non-essential businesses for six months

The museum cancelled the voyage after Australian Border Force said the issue was a matter for state port authorities.

Where the Endeavour would have stopped in 2020 Sydney to Newcastle: May 6 and 7 Newcastle to Brisbane: May 12 to 18 Brisbane to Gladstone: May 26 to 31 Gladstone to Mackay: June 6 to 10 Mackay to Townsville: June 15 to 20 Townsville to Cairns: June 25 to 30 Cairns to Cooktown: July 21 to 25 Cooktown to Thursday Island: August 4 to 16 Thursday Island to Darwin: August 24 to September 17 Darwin to Broome: October 12 to 22 Broome to Port Hedland: October 26 to 30 Source: Australian National Maritime Museum Advertisement

Queensland's Labor Transport Minister Mark Bailey declined to demand the voyage be cancelled even though it was due to arrive in Brisbane on May 12.

The replica ship had been due to sail into Sydney's Botany Bay on April 29 to mark the HMB Endeavour's 1770 landing at Kurnell, which is in Mr Morrison's federal electorate of Cook.

From May was due to stop in Newcastle, along with Brisbane, Gladstone and Cairns in Queensland by the end of June.

From there, it was sailing to Cooktown and Thursday Island in July and August, before docking at Darwin, Broome and Port Hedland from late August to October.

The Endeavour will continue to sail down the West Australian coast to Perth in October and November.

Legs of the journey have sold out with tickets on one section, between Mackay and Townsville, selling for $4,950.

A $500 deposit was required to confirm a place on the voyage but ticket costs are fully refundable should it be cancelled.

'Join the voyage of a lifetime and the most bucket-list-worthy adventure on the high seas,' the museum website said.

Following the Daily Mail Australia story, the voyage to commemorate Captain James Cook's 1770 landing at Botany Bay in Sydney has been cancelled

In January last year, Mr Morrison announced the federal government would give $6.7million to the Australian National Maritime Museum for the voyage.

'As the 250th anniversary nears we want to help Australians better understand Captain Cooks historic voyage and its legacy for exploration, science and reconciliation,' the Prime Minister said in a statement more than a year ago.

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

'That voyage is the reason Australia is what it is today and it's important we take the opportunity to reflect on it.

'From Far North Queensland and the Cooktown 2020 Festival across to Bunbury and down to Hobart, our government will ensure Australians young and old can see firsthand the legacy of Captain Cook and the voyage of the Endeavour.'

On March 19, the New South Wales government allowed the cruise ship Ruby Princess to dock at Circular Quay in Sydney, which saw 2,700 passengers walk off the boat.

More than 130 of those aboard have now tested positive to COVID-19, making it the single greatest source of infections in Australia since the outbreak began in January.

A woman aged her 70s who was taken from the cruise ship to hospital after docking died on Tuesday morning.

Across the other side of Australia, the West Australian government will quarantine 800 passengers on Vasco da Gama cruise ship after it lands at Fremantle.

They will be taken to Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth for self-isolation.

A well-placed source confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the ship would sail around Australia even though Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have closed their borders as the Commonwealth shuts down non-essential businesses for six months. Pictured is Constable Ashleigh Broadbent at Pinnaroo near the South Australian border
Associated Press

The House panel investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection requested an interview and records from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday, as it continues to seek first-hand details from members of Congress on former President Donald Trumps actions on the day hundreds of his supporters brutally beat police, stormed the building and interrupted the certification of the 2020 election. Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, Democratic chairman of the panel, requested that McCarthy, R-Calif., provide information to the nine-member panel regarding his conversations with Trump before, during and after the riot. The request also seeks information about McCarthys communications with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in the days before the attack.
The passage of $2 trillion in economic stimulus to jumpstart the U.S. economy is a significant benchmark in the coronavirus outbreak. But theres a life-or-death industry that still urgently needs an immediate infusion of cash: local journalism. As federal agencies dole out dollars and Congress discusses future stimulus packages, it is imperative that some of those funds are explicitly set aside to bolster the local news industry.

When news broke of COVID-19-related deaths at a nursing home in suburban Washington state, the Seattle Times kicked into high gear. As the global news media devoured the story, local reporters kept area residents up to date on school closings, health regulations, store hours, and supply shortages confronting local health workers, not to mention obituaries. Ever since, the paper has remained in overdrive as far as journalistic output and increased audience, providing an information lifeline for one of the countrys hardest-hit communities.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Seattle Times newsroom is doing all of this while it is down to half the staff it once had, a victim of larger economic forces decimating the local news industry nationwide. Now, with the shutdown of tens of thousands of U.S. businesses that normally spend money on ads, the crashing of financial markets, and the specter of recession, the business model for local news stands on the brink of total collapse. As politicians debate which essential sectors demand rescue in order to preserve American civic, cultural, and economic life as we know it, local news outlets are demonstrating daily that they deserve designated financial support.

Recognizing the civic service they perform, the Seattle Times and many other local papers have dropped paywalls in recent weeks, making their COVID-19 coverage free to all who need to know where to get tested, what new local health ordinances require, and how to procure necessities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has historically relied on local newspapers to raise the alarm on health crises, and now is no exception. This type of original reporting, editing, and fact-checking in real-time on a breaking story with life or death ramifications is demanding and costly.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Yet the stresses on the local news industry are acute. The spiraling decline of ad revenue over the past 15 years has forced more than 2,100 local newspapers to close, according to University of North Carolina professor Penny Muse Abernathy. Nearly half of local newspaper newsroom staffs nationwide have lost their jobs. Not long before the pandemic hit, the second largest newspaper chain in the country, McClatchy, declared bankruptcy, portending mass layoffs. Vulture hedge funds have gobbled up a staggering number of local media outlets, squeezing margins even further to create so-called ghost papers that carry little original reporting.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Nonprofit newsrooms and ambitious private philanthropic efforts have helped shore up local news. But faced with the existential threat of a global pandemic, these experiments are providing too few dollars unevenly and too slowly. Though the pandemic has not yet peaked, the impact on the fate of local news may be irrevocable. Within just a few days, dozens of weekly newspapers that feed off listings for concerts, events, and restaurantsin Denver, Dallas, Detroit, Portland, Sacramento, and Washingtonhave laid off staff, slashed pay, and cut distribution. Editors have appealed to readers for donations and subscriptions, warning that each issue may be their last. Even local news outlets that have led the way in diversifying revenue streams, including the Seattle Times, are vulnerable to drops in ad dollars and sponsorships from reeling local businesses as well as declining subscriptions for budget-crunched news consumers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The U.S. news industry employs more than 80,000 workers. Consistently rated by the public as more trusted than the national news media, local media is the first port of call for citizens needing accurate, up-to-the-minute information about how to navigate the pandemic within their communities. The press also has an essential role to play in the coming months in holding accountable the leaders in charge of an often ill-prepared and lagging pandemic response at the city, state and national levels.

Though local journalism has never been more vital, the current stimulus bill includes almost no support for this ailing industry. But its not too late. As federal agencies divvy up the funds, they can ensure that the local news industry can access some of these dollars. A portion of the $367 billion in small business loans could be specifically allocated for local news outlets, including ethnic and community media. It is not yet clear which large industries, aside from airlines, will be able to access the $500 billion in loans, but local media should be front and center. State and local governments could set aside a portion of the $150 billion they will receive to boost outlets providing life-saving information to their constituents36 states already support public media. The $75 million set aside for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a start, but, whittled down from a proposed $300 million, its nowhere near enough. And that funding does not help local papers, which still provide the majority of original reporting in communities, nor the nonprofit and digital outlets that have emerged to fill the gaps left by shuttering newspapers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

As talk of future stimulus bills is percolating in Congress, local news deserves designated support: expanded funding for public media, a boost in government advertising, and interest-free loans and new pools of money specifically for regional and local newsrooms. Any financial support for local media must include thoroughgoing safeguards to ensure that public funding does not impinge upon the editorial independence. This initial shot in the arm should set the stage for longer-term, more comprehensive approaches that update the countrys approach to public media to meet the challenges of the digital age.

Amid a pandemic that is shaking the United States to its core, local news is a pillar of our society and democracy that must not fall. If newsrooms are forced to shut their doors, they may never reopen. If we allow local newspapers to shutter, when the next pandemic, flood, or hurricane bears down, communities will be on their own when it comes to essential information about how to survive. Local news must be among the vital organs that Congress makes certain to keep alive.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
On an eerily empty street in the usually bustling Chandni Chowk market, Suresh Kumar lay curled up, unwilling to talk, on the rear seat of his cycle-rickshaw. Bhola, his friend and another rickshaw-puller, said Suresh was dejected, having failed to get any customer for the past two days.

He has not even eaten a proper meal for almost a day. Our lives have suddenly come to a halt, Bhola said.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown on Tuesday, almost three lakh rickshaw pullers face a similar fateno income and the inability to arrange two proper meals for themselves.

Though the 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced by the PM on Tuesday, the city has been under lockdown since the Janta Curfew on Sunday. I have not earned even 100 in the last three days, said Bhola, who was a picture of despair as he narrated the tale of their miserable life under lockdown.

I have not eaten a proper meal since Monday night. Im not lying; I dont know how we will survive for the next 21 days, said Akhilesh Kumar (37), who has been riding a cycle-rickshaw for the past 12 years in the heritage market, as he fought back tears. I have a family of four to support back home in Kanpur, but now I cant even go home, as all trains have been cancelled and there is no bus service available.

Before lockdown, most rickshaw-pullers used to earn 400 every day after paying 40-60 as rent for their respective cycle-rickshaws. Though there are about a lakh cycle-rickshaws registered with the three municipal corporations, according to the Federation of Rickshaw Pullers Association of India (FoRPI), an umbrella body of various rickshaw-pullers associations, there are close to 3-4 lakh cycle-rickshaw pullers in the city.

While rickshaw-pullers in Delhimostly migrants from UP and Biharlive a wretched life, the lockdown has put them in a dire situation they had never faced before and were not prepared for. All roadside eateries, which mostly cater to rickshaw pullers and other daily wagers, are closed, making it difficult for them to buy food. Even a cup of tea is not available, said Sonu, a cycle-rickshaw puller.

When asked if he knew the reason for the lockdown, Sonu said, There is some virus infection. People are dying because of it.

Vighnesh Jha, secretary-general of FoRPI, said, We have written to the state and the central government to ensure that those working in the informal sector are provided proper food and medicines. During the shutdown, the government should turn some stadia into a facility where these people can stay and get two meals a day.

But a senior Delhi government official cited the practical difficulties of the proposal, considering the rules of social distancing. However, we are providing free meals at our 200-plus shelter homes in the city. And efforts are being made to create more facility to provide food to needy people a Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) official said.

While several rickshaw pullers know that Covid-19 (though most didnt know the name of the disease) is contagious, they said they had no option but to step out. I have to feed a family of five; my youngest child is just two years old. Though it is dangerous and the police will stop us, I have stepped out because even if I earn 50-100, Ill be able to buy essential items, Santosh Kumar, a rickshaw- puller in Old Delhi, said.

Most cycle-rickshaws, which ply in the otherwise busy heritage market, are parked in a row and chained together on the pavements along Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg opposite the Old Delhi Railway Station.

The scene is similar to the one in the markets of Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar as well as residential colonies across the city. But a few rickshaw-pullers cite acts of kindness of their customers that helped them tide over a tough day. Yesterday, I had not eaten anything the entire day. An elderly man whom I had dropped home from the market gave me a packet of bread and milk. If it continues like this, I dont know how will I manage food without any money. I also have to send money to my family back home in Begusarai, Bihar, Upinder Saha (61), a rickshaw puller in Mayur Vihar, said.

With vegetable vendors, grocery and chemist stores allowed to operate, residents in some neighbourhood have roped in rickshaw pullers to get essential items delivered to them. Sitaram (54), who has been working for the past two decades in Mayur Vihar Phase-I, said that a few elderly people living in the housing societies have asked him to supply the essentials from the market.

They give me a list of items to buy from the market as they are old and dont want to step out due to fear of infection. They give me 50-100 per delivery, Sitaram said.

Like him, Ajay Prakash, a rickshaw puller in the East of Kailash area, has been roped in by a local grocer for home delivery. He has been in this area for a long time. When he called us today morning asking for work, we roped him in for home deliveries. At least he will earn something, Saurabh, whose family owns a grocery store in Garhi village near East of Kailash, said.

Sakhachand Saini, who rents out a cycle-rickshaw in east Delhi, said that just 2-3 people have rented it from him since Sunday.

As the lockdown is due to continue for three weeks, some rickshaw pullers have started looking for alternate jobs either as vegetable vendors or hiring a cart to supply food products to local grocers.

Shyam Sunder, who until recently used to ride a cycle-rickshaw, now helps his younger brother Shambhu who owns a cycle cart and supplies fruits to street vendors in Jama Masjid area from the wholesale market. At least, Ill earn something now. Till situation improves, Ill continue to work with my brother, he said.
A man in Florida was arrested by police officers after he attacked and strangled a pregnant woman claiming she has coronavirus

The suspect was identified as John Cory Newell, 24 years old and a resident of Fort Meyers. Newell was charged with aggravated battery, since the victim was pregnant.

Invoking Marsy's Law, which expands the legal rights of crime victims, the name and location of the victim were redacted from the reports.

Cape Coral police officers rushed to an apartment complex, Tuesday night, after receiving a report about a disturbance. According to the arrest report, as the responding officer approached the building, they heard screams and thuds coming from the complex, further adding that they saw a male straddling the victim with his hands and arms around the victim's neck.

Moreover, the victim was reportedly crying and begging Newell to get off her with her face full of blood. The police had to pull Newell off from the victim since he wouldn't back off without intervention. However, the police had trouble handcuffing the suspect since he was reportedly intoxicated during the attack.

When the police were trying to restrain him, the police report said that the perpetrator started rambling about having COVID-19 and proceeded to bang his head on the concrete floor.

Read also: Tornado Hits Mississippi, Leaves Behind Damages to 30-40 Buildings

Victim says she had previous altercation with perp

After the perp was taken into custody, the woman told the police that they were sitting outside the aprtment for about 40 minutes before Newell attacked her. The woman also added that Newell was fully aware that she was pregnant, and it was apparent since she is already on the sixth month of pregnancy.

In addition, the woman also said that she and Newell had a previous altercation a few days before the attack, when he accused her of having coronavirus. She also said that during the said encounter, Newell also punched and choked her.

According to witnesses, they heard the woman screaming for help saying that Newell was going to hurt the baby.

After the attack, the woman was brought to Cape Coral hospital due to her pregnancy and she also appeared to have a panic attack. Newell, on the other hand, was brought to Lee County jail.

Newell is scheduled for a court hearing on April 20, and is being help in jail with a bond of $15,000.

COVID-19 related hate-crimes spread

As the widespread of COVID-19 continues, hate crimes related to the outbreak also spread. According to intelligence gathered by the FBI, there have been reports of racist extremist groups and other white supremacists that are encouraging members to contract the virus and spread the contagion. Thus, bringing fear in the already fear-stricken population.

In New York, the State Attorney General's office is set to launch a hot-line to combat hate crimes related to the outbreak. This is in response to the numerous reports of harassment and physical assault in New York which especially targets Asian Americans. According to Attorney General Letitia James, they are already in contact with local law enforcement agencies about the matter since punishing hate crimes is in their jurisdiction.

With rising reports of harassment & assaults, as well as rhetoric against Asian Americans amidst #coronavirus , I'm launching a hotline for New Yorkers to report hate crimes & bias-based incidents. This pandemic does not give anyone an excuse to be racist, xenophobic, or biased. pic.twitter.com/HPvZgpcIal  NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) March 23, 2020

Related article: Man Allegedly Planning to Bomb COVID-19 Hospital Killed in FBI Encounter

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
According to the current analysis of Reports and Data, the Global Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems Market was valued at USD 5.9 Billion in 2019 and is anticipated to reach USD 8.39 Billion by the year 2027, at a CAGR of 4.5%. These systems are an excellent alternative to the oral, intravascular, subcutaneous, and transmucosal routes, where medications are administered through the skin for therapeutic purposes. This industry has witnessed the development of new adhesives, molecular absorption enhancers, and penetration enhancers that are expected to improve skin permeability, which will expand the range of transdermally administrable drugs. New technology, such as the improved micro-needle supply, makes it easy to carry the drug through the skin without feeling pain.

The market is divided into five categories according to the applications, namely pain management, central nervous system disorders, hormonal applications, cardiovascular diseases, and other applications such as smoking cessation, vertigo, and the treatment of overactive bladder. By 2019, the pain management segment is expected to represent the majority of the market for transdermal drug delivery systems. Most of this segment can be attributed to the increasing availability of transdermal products for the treatment of pain.

Request free sample Copy of this research report to understand the structure of the complete report@ https://www.reportsanddata.com/sample-enquiry-form/2272

On the basis of technology, the market is classified in the fields of thermal, iontophoresis, electroporation, ultrasound, electrical current, microporation, mechanical matrices, and radio frequencies. Depending on the type of distribution system, it is classified in the passive and active distribution systems. Passive administration systems are further classified as a matrix system and a repository system. Dynamic distribution systems are classified into structure, electricity, and others.

These drug delivery products are medicated adhesive patches that can be applied on the skin to give a specific dose of medication through the skin and into the blood. This often helps to heal a part of the injured body. An advantage of the transdermal drug delivery route is that the patch provides the patient with controlled release of the medicine, typically through a porous membrane overlying a reservoir of medication or body heat that melt thin adhesive medicine layers. It is best to administer other types of medications, such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. It is anticipated that the increase in the geriatric population and the number of patients with chronic conditions will stimulate the growth of this industry. In addition, the growing adoption of third-generation transdermal drug delivery systems, such as iontophoresis, is increasing market growth. It is largely due to the overall increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases.

Moreover, technological advances in drug delivery systems are expected to support the progress of the target product in the coming years. However, the disadvantages of these delivery systems, such as application site irritation and edema, should hinder market growth. Medication failures and withdrawals from transdermal drug delivery systems are also expected to limit market growth to some extent.

Further key findings from the report suggest

Transdermal Drug Delivery System market is growing at a CAGR of 5.5% in Asia-Pacific, followed by North America and Europe, with 4.3 % and 4.2% CAGR, respectively. The high prevalence of chronic diseases across the globe is the key factor in accelerating market growth during the forecast period across all regions.

As of 2019, Patches is dominating the target market, holding over 43.9% of the global market share. North America regional market is the chief revenue-generating source for this product segment, followed by Asia-Pacific and European regions.

Little technological advance in the transdermal drug delivery market is related to the modification of transdermal patch design, incorporation of pressure-sensitive adhesives, and permeation enhancers.

The previous results in improved drug delivery and higher drug retention capacity in larger amounts is expected to stimulate market demand for the target market during the forecast period.

Transdermal patches provide better control over toxicity levels because they can be easily removed if the drug is tested for more significant toxic effects.

Technological inventions such as the inclusion of micro-needles assemblies in patches improve the accuracy of medication delivery.

Miniaturized and advanced transdermal patches and reservoir-type transdermal patches that deliver a precise dose of medication should also enhance the growth of the transdermal drug delivery market over the forecast period.

Since the first transdermal patch was approved in 1981 to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, the FDA has supported more than 35 transdermal patches covering 13 molecules over the past 22 years.

With respect to the product landscape, the transdermal delivery system market report segments the industry into fentanyl, nitroglycerin, nicotine, and so on.

Transdermal therapeutic systems have been designed to provide a controlled and continuous supply of medication through the skin to the systemic circulation. Additionally, it overcomes several side effects, such as the painful supply of medications and the first-pass metabolism of the drug that has been produced by other means of the drug delivery system.

Key participants in the market are Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical (Japan), Mylan (U.S.), UCB (Belgium), Novartis (Switzerland), and GlaxoSmithKline (U.K.). Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), Endo International (Ireland), and Purdue Pharma (U.S.).

Order Your Copy Now (Customized report delivered as per your specific requirement)@ https://www.reportsanddata.com/checkout-form/2272

For the purpose of this report, Reports and Data has segmented the Transdermal Drug Delivery System market on the basis of type, technology type, applications type, end-use, and region:

Type (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Patches

Semisolid formulations

Others

Technology Type (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Thermal

Iontophoresis

Electroporation

Ultrasound

Electric Current

Microporation

Mechanical Arrays

Radio Frequency

Applications Type (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Pain Management,

Central Nervous System Disorders,

Hormonal Applications,

Cardiovascular Diseases

End-Use (Revenue, USD Million; 20172027)

Hospital

Clinic

Others

Regional Outlook (Revenue in USD Million; 20172027)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany France U.K. Spain Italy Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

Latin America Brazil



To identify the key trends in the industry, click on the link below: https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/transdermal-drug-delivery-systems-market

Read More Reports:-

Surgical Needle Market By Product Type (Eyed Needle, Eyeless Needle/Swage), By Shape (Straight Shaped Needles, J Shape Needles, Compound Curve-shaped Needles, Half Curved), By End-use (Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Hospitals & Clinics, Others), and By Region Forecast to 2028

Topical Corticosteroids Market By Medication Type (Ointments, Creams, Lotions, Gel, Pastes, Sprays, Others), By Application (Acne, Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Skin Infection, Hyperpigmentation, Melasma, Others), By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Pharmacy Stores, Online Pharmacies, Others), By End-use (Hospitals, Dermatology Clinics, Pharmacies, Others), and By Region Forecast To 2028

Incontinence Devices Market By Incontinence Type (Urinary Incontinence, Fecal Incontinence), By Devices (Pessary, Urine Seal, Urethral Insert, Bladder Neck Support Device, Artificial Urinary Sphincter, Other Devices), By End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centres, Others), and By Region Forecast to 2028

Self-Sampling Blood Collection and Storage Devices Market By Application (Epidemiology Research, Clinical Trials, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, Population Health Studies, Biomarker Testing, Others), By End User (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, & Nursing Homes, Diagnostic & Pathology Laboratories, Academic & Research Institutes, Blood Banks, Others), and By Region Forecast to 2028

About Reports and Data

Reports and Data is a market research and consulting company that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Our solutions purely focus on your purpose to locate, target and analyze consumer behavior shifts across demographics, across industries and help clients make a smarter business decision. We offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a multiple industries including Healthcare, Technology, Chemicals, Power, and Energy. We consistently update our research offerings to ensure our clients are aware about the latest trends existent in the market. Reports and Data has a strong base of experienced analysts from varied areas of expertise.

Contact Us:

John Watson

Head of Business Development

Reports And Data | Web: www.reportsanddata.com

Direct Line: +1-212-710-1370

E-mail: sales@reportsanddata.com
Chinese peacekeeping engineers to DRC complete road repair mission

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Huang Panyue

2020-03-26 16:55:49



By Wang Xi and Hu Bin

BUKAVU, DRC, Mar. 26 -- The Carniola Road repaired by the Walungu detachment of the 23rd Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) successfully passed the acceptance inspection by the engineering department of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on the morning of March 24, local time.

The task of repairing the Carniola Road was assigned to Chinese peacekeeping engineers in November last year. After nearly five months of hard work, the Chinese peacekeepers overcame numerous difficulties and completed the repair task.

"The road has been well repaired and vehicles can now pass smoothly. We are very grateful for everything the Chinese peacekeeping engineers have done," said the chief executive officer of the Walungu region, who spoke highly of the Chinese peacekeepers after the mission was completed.

The Carniola Road is a traffic artery connecting Bukavu in the South Kivu province and cities in the northwest. The road lacked maintenance for a long time. Besides, the natural environment in the Walungu mission area is harsh, and the security situation is severe, which has posed great challenges to the construction mission.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






In a matter of weeks, Westports coronavirus outbreak has grown to the fourth-largest in the state, resulting in the shutdown of dozens of local businesses, recreational spaces and town facilities. Life isnt what it was before, and likely wont be for some time.

How did we get here?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States in the state of Washington on Jan. 21. The patient, a male, returned to Seattle from a trip to Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of pneumonia, caused by the novel coronavirus, began in December.

COVID-19, as it became known, spread throughout Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., where the first patient was being treated. The virus spread to North Carolina, where a resident visited a patient at Life Care Center.

There are tens of thousands of cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. In Connecticut, 1,993 people have been infected with the illness, causing the death of 34 state residents. Over 1,000 people in the U.S. have died so far of COVID-19.

Westport has the fourth-most of COVID-19 in Connecticut as of Sunday with a total of 114, behind Norwalk, Danbury and Stamford with 226, 182 and 126 cases, respectively. Neighboring Weston has 23.

Health authorities have said at least 20 of Westports cases originated from a party that was held in town on March 5 that included more than 100 guests. Town officials have also suggested the coronavirus spread to Westport was imminent due to its proximity to New York City, which now has over 23,000 cases.

Heres a timeline of the coronavirus spread in Westport and Weston:

This timeline will be updated as the coronavirus situation develops.
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has come out to state that the refusal of the president to address Nigerians on daily basis over the coronavirus pandemic is only a matter of style.

Speaking in a live television program on Channels Television on Thursday, he added that the president already delegated the issue of addressing Nigerians to relevant authorities and that he is somebody that does not like to muddle into the affair of works he has delegated.

Read Also: Aisha Has Shown More Leadership On Covid-19 Than Buhari  Omokri

The style that A adopts may not be the one that B adopts, and there is no style that you can call this style for everybody. So, everybody is at liberty to adopt that suits him.

The style our President has adopted is to set up a Presidential Task Force headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which briefs regularly.

You have the Minister of Health who briefs, you have the Minister of State for Health who briefs, you have the NCDC who briefs; so you have that chain and there is no lack of information.
There are options for accepting payments for water bills or parking tickets via, a secure drop box attached to the village hall building where residents can take a walk and drop their payment in, Skupien said. One-time-only payments by credit card can be made through the village website, credit card payments can also be taken over the phone, and regular mail is available as well, she added.


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.
Earlier this week there came a wonderful story out of Italy that revealed a Catholic Archpriest, Don Giuseppe Berardelli, was among the 6,000-plus-and-growing who have now died via the coronavirus in one of the most beloved countries in the world. There have actually been well over 100 priests and clergy who have died at the European epicenter of the most vicious virus in our modern history, but what made Father Berardellis memory most warm is that numerous sources have confirmed he gave his ventilator to a younger patient who, we are told, he didnt even know.

Fr. Bererdelli had been the archpriest in the northern Italian town of Casnigo (pop.

3,500)  about 50 miles from Milan  and is remembered as a friend to everyone, bouncing along on his red scooter but, thus far, no one knows the entire story of his last days. When he became critical, he was taken to a Lovere Hospital, some 20 miles away. With the pandemonium and the medical rush, the truth is in the details which wont come until later.

Father Giulio Dellavite, the secretary general of the diocese, wasted too much Holy Water when he dampened a beautiful view with his own unfocused and elementary conjecture. He was never there, mind you, so as an absentee expert he told the Catholic News Service hospital officials said there was no respirator delivered for the stricken archpriest. "There was not a donated respirator. There have not been any respirators coming from outside of the hospital, Fr. Giulio told reporters, and the notion that Fr. Berardellis parish furnished him with the respirator that he allegedly forwarded to the younger virus victim could not be proven.

Hey, Mr. Positive, that aint the way God works 

Rather than get in a diatribe that means nothing, take a hot shower to get rid of whatever mites are in your eye, and you will see the worlds people are desperate for an Easter, for hope. Can you prove Christs actual existence? Absolute not; but your look-touch-feel-smell doesnt mean diddly in the deep and dependable way our God has influenced mankind. Trust me, you never took a class in organic chemistry class every summer that determines there is no way youll ever understand antibiotics? Of course not. Thats what makes the Ah-ha moment so very wonderful!

Can you prove when I read my Bible, why I often cry? Of course not.

Yet I believe with a fervor and, with you as a Man of the Cloth, might I suggest when your exhausted, tired, shocked and war-zone mentality brings you back to a more reality-based view, simply return to the very basics of religion: its easy. You gotta have a faith because without it you dont have a chance at hope. Italy needs hope. For you to offer forensic doubt when the whole country is gasping for any inch of the bright side instead supports all the bad we must fight.

That established, Fr. Giulio said he had enjoyed a close friendship with Fr. Berardelli for many years, and added it was his belief that Fr. Berardelli would have given up a potential spot in the intensive care unit up for another younger patient, if he could have. But we do not have certainty, the priest said. What is certain is that followers of Christ have been martyrs since 11 of the 12 Disciples of Jesus were killed violently. History is chock full of martyrdom.

The most notable is the saint Maximilian Kolbe, a priest from Poland who stepped from a crowd of incarcerated prisoners at the German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II. It was in the stead of a man he didnt know who was pleading with the Nazis for mercy so he could see his wife and children again. Fr. Kobe, and nine others, were actually starved to death by the Nazis in an underground bunker. After two weeks without food or water, Fr. Kobe was the last barely alive so his starvation was hastened by a lethal injection. (The last Disciple, John the Apostle, watched his friends be killed and then it is believed he was the author of the final book in the Bible, Revelations. A glimpse at what is to come for millions of Christians world-wide, Revelations is sometimes called The Book of Hope.

Thousands of testimonials from across the globe have arrived at Fr. Berardellis church in Casnigo  The Church of John the Baptist -- and according to Vatican News the ever-happy archpriest would greet Catholics and non-Catholics just the same: Pace e bene (translated: Peace and good.)

Benedetta Franchina, is a parishioner of Archpriest Berardellis church, St. John the Baptist, and that she knew the priest as a man of great faith. He was a person full of faith and always a person who transmitted joy, positivity, and was always happy, always ready to give a word of comfort, she said. He always gave of himself to his parishioners and to all of the people that had a need or a want, the Catholic News Agency reported. Franchina said. He was always ready if someone needed to speak with him or needed help. He was always ready, he was always, always ready. So, when I remember Fr. Giuseppe I remember him as a wonderful person."

Because of the dizzying death rate, there is a funeral in the Lombardy region of the country every 30 minutes. In respect of others and the countrys lock-tight restrictions, Fr. Berardelli specifically asked there would be no funeral and asked the name of the person who received his ventilator should not be revealed. But as his remains were take to the cemetery, the people of Casnigo applauded from their balconies and porches and open windows and shouted, Martyr of Charity  Martyr of Charity Father Giuseppe! Blessed are you.

Yet the best chant was Santo subito!  Santo subito! which means, Saint right now! a saint right now.

* * *

* -- Maior amor non habet homo, quam hoc, quod homo ponat animam suam pro amicis suis. John 15:13 in Latin, the preferred Word of the Roman Catholic Church.

* -- "Non c'e amore piu grande che dare la propria vita ai propria amici.  John 15:13 in Italian, the Word of John The Baptist Church in Casnigo, Italy, as was once taught by Archpriest Don Giuseppe Berardelli (1947-2020 priest

* -- There is no greater love than to lay down ones life for ones friends.  John 15:13 in English, the Word as our lives are already being challenged by a disease that is painting every corner of Planet Earth with a very wide brush.

royexum@aol.com
S ir Tony Robinson nearly found himself lost and alone in Peru when he got locked in a train bathroom while filming the new season of his travel show, Around the World By Train.

Robinson told Standard Online that he became trapped when he slid the lock on the bathroom door - only to realise a new lock had been added, rendering the old one faulty; it could be locked, but not unlocked.

I must have been in there for a quarter of an hour, and none of the crew and the producer and the director realised I was missing and tried to find me, he says. The noise of the train going over the tracks was so loud that nobody could hear me hammering.

It did actually concern me, given how fast we have to get on and off the trains, because we've got so much kit with us, and they don't hold up for us.

It occurred to me that there was the possibility that everyone might be concentrating on getting the kit off, and suddenly realise I wasn't there, by which time it would be too late, and I would be hurtling another two hundred miles to the next railway station. Fortunately that didn't happen.

Robinson said he hammered and hammered and hammered, and eventually a ticket inspector noticed: We managed to communicate with each other, and they got a couple of guys with screwdrivers to take the door off.

Sir Tony Robinson in episode 3 of Around the World By Train S2. / Channel 5

The incident happened during the South American leg of the second season of Around the World By Train, which premieres on Channel 5 Friday, March 27 at 9pm. Robinson and his crew filmed the show from August 2019 to January of this year, traversing the globe and exploring exotic locations almost solely by train, which Robinson describes as a perfect way to travel.

I've always loved trains, he says. They've continued to amaze and surprise me. I think the trains are going through a renaissance at the moment - certainly up till the last few weeks.

The subject of the last few weeks was unavoidable in our conversation; I ask how he feels about the show arriving just as everyone is forced indoors during lockdown. Robinson says he hopes the series provides people with a form of escapism; a trip around various wonders of the world via train that viewers can take from their couches.

I think it's really great that Channel 5 have put it out right now, he says. It's kind of a marker of what we all want for the future.

I had enormous fun on those journeys as you can see, and met interesting people and went to wonderful places, and they're all still out there, and the time will come hopefully in the not too distant future when we'll all be able to be as larky as I was in that show again - and I want people to be able to share my eyes and ears and heart while I was doing it.

Tony Robinson in episode 1 of Around the World By Train S2. / Channel 5

The bathroom incident wasn't the only drama in Peru; production was almost halted when two crew members contracted swine flu.

"We were well over four thousand feet, and we were on a train which actually carries its own medical carriage with it with one doctor and three nurses, because people are falling sick all the time just from altitude sickness," says Robinson.

"I was in this carriage taking some oxygen on, and I said to our fixer and our soundie, 'How are you feeling right now?' And the soundman said, "I'm feeling really giddy, really giddy," and we just laughed and carried on.

"By the end of the day, we realised that both he and our fixer had been infected with swine flu. So we had to do some very rapid changes of personnel, as you can understand." Both were sent home to recover, he says.

Sir Tony Robinson in episode 2 of Around the World By Train S2. / Channel 5

Besides the obstacles, Robinsons journey takes him through some truly extraordinary experiences, from making wine in Porto to hiking Machu Picchu to meeting wolves in the Arctic Circle. But one of the greatest joys of the series is the diverse cast of characters he meets along the way, many of whom he meets just by approaching them and striking up conversations. Robinson says thats a talent he developed from always being the smallest in my class at school.

You could either choose to be terribly hurt when people take the piss out of you, or you can choose to go, oh yeah I am short aren't I - you're fat, you're red-headed, you're short-sighted, you're this that and the other, he says. And then you have a laugh about it.

Tony Robinson in episode 1 of Around the World By Train S2. / Channel 5

The journey in Around the World By Train is fascinating in its diversity; across six episodes, Robinson explores wonders both natural and anthropological, which offers a nuanced portrait of each place and the people who live there.

As a person, Im a generalist, says Robinson. I love stuff; I don't care what that stuff is. It can be geographical, historical, mathematical, medical, I just love things. I love engaging with things and engaging with people, and I've tried to put that across in the series.
Reserve Sailors Deploy Aboard USNS Comfort

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS200326-08

Release Date: 3/26/2020 6:01:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Craig Rodarte and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zachary Van Nuys, Commander, Navy Reserve Force Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Ready to answer the nation's call, Navy Reserve Sailors reported to the Military Sealift Command's hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) March 25, to support the ship's upcoming medical relief mission to New York City.

Preparing for the ship's COVID-19 response deployment, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command selected more than 120 volunteers from a group of Navy Reserve medical professionals and other ratings to embark on the ship in support of the upcoming mission.

"Right now, medical centers are doing everything they can to help their communities," said Lt. Derek Hinkley, selected from Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) White River Junction, New Hampshire, to support the response effort. "I see this mission as an opportunity to do what we can to help, in whatever way we can."

This was the second short-fused request for reserve support on a Navy hospital ship as nearly 60 Reserve Sailors departed Wednesday on the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) in support of the COVID-19 response efforts in Los Angeles.

Comfort will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals. This allows shore-based hospitals to focus their efforts on COVID-19 cases.

One of the Department of Defense's (DoD) missions is Defense Support of Civil Authorities. DoD is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, as well as state, local and public health authorities in helping protect the health and safety of the American people.

"The sheer strength of what the ship can do, from all the cat scans, to full operating rooms and how fast it can be there to support different areas is awesome," said Yeoman 1st Class Chad Williams, who traveled from NOSC Washington D.C. "This mission is important because it shows that we are not only doing humanitarian missions outside of the U.S., but that we support missions inside the country as well."

The ability to rapidly provide support to missions like the Comfort's is a key purpose of the continual training and mobilization readiness efforts of the Navy Reserve, but the motivated responses from the volunteer Sailors was remarkable.

Rear Adm. John Schommer, deputy commander for Commander, Navy Reserve Force, says the response to the call for volunteers was humbling.

"We diligently ensured our volunteer reservists are available to support the medical relief efforts without impacting their local and state communities," said Schommer. "When we were asked to help find medical professionals to help support this mission, we received hundreds of volunteer requests from our reserve medical community in less than 24 hours."

Another volunteer, Chief Hospital Corpsman Robert Willis, from NOSC Charlotte, stressed the importance of the response effort. "Supporting this national mission and helping to contain this virus is important," said Willis. "I want to help in whatever way I can to make sure it gets eradicated."

The Navy Reserve prides itself on being a ready, agile force providing valuable and vital support to the Navy and the Nation. Today, the Reserve force consists of 59,641 Selected Reserve Sailors (including 10,153 Full Time Support members) 43,754 Individual Ready Reserve members and 422 civilians. The Navy Reserve team, over 100,000 strong, delivers strategic depth and operational capability to the Navy and Marine Corps team and Joint Forces in times of peace and war.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






KAGERA Region is overwhelmed by high cases of tuberculosis with limited capacity and resources for treatment and care and the situation is made worse by ignorance among the victims who report late to health centres for treatment and care.

About 7,800 people in Kagera Region contract Tuberculosis (TB) every year, but the only 2,300 patients were treated, according to the Regional Tuberculosis and Leprosy Coordinator (RTLC), Dr Paschal Peter.

Dr Peter, who is based at Bukoba Regional Referral Hospital, calls for concerted efforts to curb the spread of the disease. Compared with other diseases caused by a single infectious agent, Tuberculosis is the second biggest killer, globally, he said.

He says it is crucial for people to report to health facilities early for testing noting that of the 7,800 cited cases, only 2,300 patients were treated due to limited capacity and resourced. At the national level about 154,000 patients contract TB each year.

Lack of knowledge and delays in reporting to health facilities for early detection limit efforts to curb the spread of the disease. TB, as its commonly called -- is a contagious infection that usually attacks the lungs. It can also spread to other parts of the body, like the brain and spine.

Dr Peter says the number of TB patients increased from 1,732 cases detected in 2014, to 1,934 cases in 2015 and 2,121 in 2016. Figures for 2017 and 2018 were 2,158 and 2,214, while between January and April 1, this year 441 TB were detected. The prevalence of Tuberculosis in the country is 269/100,000.

This shows that TB is still a major burden in the country and this calls for renewed efforts by all to strengthen the current health delivery system and programme interventions for Tuberculosis in Tanzania.

Between January and March, this year nine patients were confirmed to have contracted Multi-Drugs Resistant (MDR) TB compared to 10 patients last year, he said adding that about 100 Accredited Drugs Dispensers (ADOs) and 20 registered traditional healers from Muleba, Missenyi, Ngara and Karagwe Councils were recently trained on TB management skills while efforts were being made to mobilise funds to conduct more sensitization seminars in controlling TB.

The region allocated one Genexpert TB testing machine to each of the district councils as more efforts were being made to control the spread of the disease as there were indications that the preventable disease was on the increase.

World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) celebrated annually on March 24 is marked to create public common awareness about efforts to combat one of the deadly diseases that is curable with the right administered drugs.

Furthermore, results have shown that TB is more prevalent in males than in females while the prevalence of HIV infection among TB suspects is 4.8 per cent and 6.5 per cent among TB patients.

There was considerable regional variation as in the previous years with 50 per cent of cases being contributed by only 6 regions - Dar- es-Salaam, Mwanza, Mbeya, Morogoro, Arusha and Tanga. Data indicated that 15 regions notified below the national average of 129 cases per 100,000 people.

The notification rate of new and relapses TB cases was 129 cases per 100,000 population which was slightly higher compared to that of 2015 that was 125 per 100,000 population. Since 1980, Tuberculosis patients have been on the rise up to 65,000 cases detected in 2013, compared to 11,000 cases reported in 1983.

In the past five years 63,000 people have been recorded by health facilities to be TB patients and each year securing treatment. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs. Tanzania is the first country in the world to successfully combine the control of TB and Leprosy into a single programme.

The National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme (NTLP), which works to eradicate the disease as well as Leprosy, has been in the forefront in laying emphasis on early detection and treatment services to stop its spread.

Epidemiologists hint that several factors contribute to the spread of the disease in the country including HIV/AIDS scourge, which reduces the bodys immunity to become susceptible to be invaded by the bacteria. They also point failure by TB patients to report to health facilities on time for diagnosis, treatment as well as poor housing and over-crowding in stuffy places.

The Mycobacterium Tuberculosis bacterium causes TB. It is spread through the air when a person with TB (whose lungs are affected) coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks. TB is contagious, but it is not easy to catch. The chances of catching TB from someone you live or work with are much higher than from a stranger.

Most people with active TB who have received appropriate treatment for at least 2 weeks are no longer contagious.

Since antibiotics began to be used to fight TB, some strains have become resistant to drugs. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) arises when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria, with the surviving bacteria developing resistance to that antibiotic and often others at the same time.

MDR-TB is treatable and curable only with the use of very specific anti-TB drugs, which are often limited or not readily available.
When society fraudster Simon Welsh was sentenced to 30 months in jail in Switzerland last December, his many victims thought he'd finally got his comeuppance

When society fraudster Simon Welsh was sentenced to 30 months in jail in Switzerland last December, his many victims, including Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford and polo player Jack Kidd, thought he'd finally got his comeuppance.

Now, they are horrified to discover that Welsh has been released after less than three months, on grounds of ill health.

To add insult to injury, he's understood to have been put on a plane back to Manchester, where they fear he will con more victims.

'There is a huge chance of his reoffending,' Paul Andrews tells me. He and his wife Jane were fleeced of 46,000 by Welsh after he callously exploited their son's death from cancer.

'He told me that he'd never done an honest day's work in his life.'

Rutherford met Welsh on the polo scene and rented him a house in Spain. Yet Welsh did a runner, leaving the musician down 50,000.

Founder of Mike And The Mechanics, Rutherford declines to comment on Welsh's release.

Top model Jodie Kidd's brother lost 35,000 and all his polo ponies. He claimed 30 of his ponies were impounded in Spain, allegedly when Welsh reneged on a deal to pay for their livery.

His victims included Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford and polo player Jack Kidd (pictured with sister Jodie)

Mr Andrews, who runs a property business in the millionaires' mountain hideaway of Gstaad, adds: 'The Swiss authorities have told Welsh that if he ever sets foot back in Switzerland again, he'll be straight back in prison.'

Another expat whom Welsh conned out of 150,000 tells me: 'People in the UK need protecting from him.

'Provided he's still able to ply his trade, he'll be doing this again, without question.

'There is a huge chance of his reoffending,' Paul Andrews tells me. He and his wife Jane (pictured) were fleeced of 46,000 by Welsh after he callously exploited their son's death from cancer

The Andrews had also experienced a devastating bereavement. Their young son had also died from cancer, in 2015, aged just 15

'I was surprised that he only got 30 months. He's very, very good at what he does. He'll still be, what, in his mid fifties? Still perfectly capable of doing what he does best.

'People in Manchester, if that's where he's gone, need to know that this guy is out and about because he will be doing the same again.

'A big, flashing warning. 'I think there are a lot of people who want to have a chat with him back in England.'
Traffic is lined up on Skyway Road in Paradise, Calif., in February 2019, three months after the deadly Camp fire. Trees were cut all along the main roads as a safely precaution. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The ribbon cutting last month was the kind of optimistic civic photo op that means a lot these days in the town of Paradise.

With a pair of oversized scissors, a grinning Mayor Greg Bolin sliced a big red ribbon outside the Building Resiliency Center, a new one-stop-shop for the hundreds of people applying to rebuild their homes after the 2018 Camp fire destroyed most of the town.

The ribbon cutting was Feb. 7. City leaders hoped to see the place bustling.

But by mid-March, as California began shutting down public life to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the building got quiet. Visits had to be by appointment only, with calls and emails preferred to in-person trips. Staffing was reduced. Employees started wearing gloves.

"It's been hard because our whole focus was a face-to-face interaction," said Colette Curtis, a town spokeswoman. "Rebuilding is an emotional thing. People are overwhelmed. We wanted to be able to sit down and literally and figuratively hold their hand during the process. Now, this makes that impossible."

The already fragile rebirth of Paradise  marked by houses rebuilt, businesses reopening, classes in session at Paradise High School  is being tested by the pandemic.

People have called the town, panicked that the building permits for their homes would not be processed. Businesses are shuttered. Again. The hallways of Paradise High are empty. Again.

Paradise Town Hall is closed to the public. The Gold Nugget Days parade? Postponed indefinitely. The Paradise Chocolate Fest? Rescheduled for September. Hopefully.

There were five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Butte County as of Friday.

As the Golden State shut down, Paradise officials quickly reached out to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office to make sure construction was considered essential work, Curtis said. They were relieved to learn it was.

"It is absolutely critical to continue rebuilding and supporting our community because we are in such a vulnerable state," Curtis said.

Story continues

The view this week from inside the Paradise Town Hall, which is closed to the public. (Colette Curtis)

"We are still deep, deep in recovery from the fire. We're still in emergency mode. We considered that an unprecedented disaster, and now we have another unprecedented disaster? ... It's like, really, when are the locusts showing up?"

On Monday, Pacific Gas & Electric announced in a federal filing that it had pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the Camp fire, which raced through Paradise in November 2018, killed 85 people and destroyed more than 13,900 homes. The utility acknowledged that its poorly maintained equipment sparked the blaze.

Before the fire, the town issued about 10 permits a year for new houses. In the 16 months since, 694 building permits have been issued. Eighty-one homes have been rebuilt.

Another celebrated return to normality came last August with the return of students and teachers to Paradise High School, which had been smoke-damaged and inaccessible for months. Students spent the rest of the last school year doing course work online, visiting drop-in "labs" at the Chico mall and going to class in a converted warehouse at Chico Municipal Airport.

The school shut down again on March 16 because of COVID-19. It's unclear if it  or any other schools in California  will reopen before summer break.

Last week, teachers at Paradise High posted a Facebook video of them lip-syncing Celine Dion's "All By Myself" in empty classrooms.

"We Miss You Bobcats!" it read. "Hope to see you soon."

"I'm hearing from the kids, 'What's next? What's going to happen next year because we're going on two years in a row now of school being majorly disrupted,' " said Paradise Unified School District Supt. Tom Taylor. "Although, this year, we made it all the way to March."

The silver lining, he said, is that students and staff have learned to be flexible. And they're accustomed to online learning.

But one of his staff members told him this week: "Our emotional reserves are running low."

"We are a very resilient community, and we've proven that," Taylor said. "But how many times can you recover?"

In September, Nicki Jones, 75, opened the first new restaurant to come to Paradise since the fire: Nic's, a sandwich shop by day and a bar by night.

By March 17, amid escalating stay-at-home orders from the state, Nic's was doing take-out orders and curbside delivery. Jones posted a picture to Facebook of a meat and cheese board and a bottle of wine with the caption: "Sounds good to me  especially since this old lady is following the 'older person' self-quarantine."

Late last week, she closed the restaurant, thinking that would be safest for everyone.

Jones gave her 15 employees the leftover food and met with each one, assuring them it would be OK. She plans to reopen, whether it takes weeks or months.

"Everybody says, 'Hey, we've been through one traumatic event; we can get through this as well,' " Jones said.

Nicki Jones owns Nic's sandwich shop, the first restaurant to open in Paradise after the Camp fire. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Jones lost her home to the Camp fire and is leasing a small house while she rebuilds.

"I've been around a long time, and I hope to be around a lot longer," she said.

Janice Thrash also shut down her food truck, the Patty Wagon, a bright-red rolling restaurant that dishes out charbroiled hamburgers and chili dogs. She bought the truck in January 2019, two months after the fire.

"I survived the Camp fire. I took out my 401K to buy the Patty Wagon," Thrash told The Times in a Facebook message. "We closed (because) we're scared, and to protect what little community we had left."

"With all the news, I felt at least for a few weeks it's the right thing to do," she said of shutting down. "I pray it's for a short moment in time."

Thrash said she had been scared because the town's only hospital, Adventist Health Feather River Hospital, was still closed after the fire.

On March 21, Adventist Health launched a new immediate care clinic in its free-standing medical center on Skyway Drive. The clinic is providing weekend care in Paradise for the first time since the fire and allows patients to be seen without an appointment.

The clinic had been in the works for some time, but its opening amid the COVID-19 crisis and concerns about medical shortages only made it more crucial, said Tim Williams, administrative director of physician and outpatient services.

"The timing is very poignant," Williams said. "In a normal environment, this was needed, but based on everything else, it's another avenue where we can provide care amidst the chaos."

In its first week, the immediate care center did a handful of COVID-19 tests, Williams said. The patients did not have the novel coronavirus but did have the flu, he said.

If a patient shows up to the immediate care center with symptoms of the coronavirus, they are isolated and assessed to see if they meet the "strict criteria" of getting one of the limited tests, Williams said.

Williams and his wife and three sons moved to Paradise in July, feeling "called to be part of the rebuilding," he said. The people who live in Paradise now are still optimistic, even as the world is quickly changing amid the pandemic.

"There's a lot more room in Paradise," he said. "Social distancing looks a lot different here than it does in the cities."

For the record:

6:10 PM, Mar. 28, 2020: A previous version of this article referred to Tom Taylor as Paradise Unified School District principal. He is the superintendent. Also, the Camp fires death toll was 85, not 86.


Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that the fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain robust despite the coronavirus pandemic that has tanked markets and led to unprecedented layoffs of millions of Americans.

"While the stock market has ebbed and flowed, and even this week made dramatic moves, President Trump and our entire economic team believe that all the fundamentals continue to be strong," Pence said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." "And that, as we deal with the coronavirus that this economy will come roaring back once we see our nation through this challenging time."

Pence also said that the likely spread of the disease would be less severe than early forecasts projected, suggesting early models are "now being understood to have been really wrong." He said that based on data that has become available in recent days, the extent of the virus "does appear to be significantly lower than a lot of the early projections were."

Markets were falling on Friday after a three-day winning streak, a day after the U.S. surpassed China and Italy in its number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. America is now the hardest-hit nation in the world based on the size of its outbreak. The plunge in the major indexes came despite hopes for a $2 trillion rescue package from Congress, which was expected to pass the House of Representatives later in the day.

Pence, who heads the White House task force leading the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, said he was intent on opening up portions of the country where there was "frankly, little outbreak of the virus."
#8 RE: Gathering Egreat A5/A10Pro/A8Pro/A11/A13 models Feedback / 08-03-2020 11:35



 -   ,  -  ,    .

      DiGiPulse.ru |  - VK.

            .

       

: Dear Egreat fans ,

Due to the spreading Corona-Virus around the world .

Here is some advise we would like to share it with you guys to fight with new Corona-Virus , hope it can be helpful to ALL of you :-)

1. Please spend more time to stay at home ;

2. Avoid any kind of contact to strangers ;

3. Always keep distance with people , at least more than 1 Meters ;

4. Wash your hand more times ;

5. Always keep your masks on when you are out ;

6. Get more disinfectant at your home ;

7. Get more indoor exercise when you stay at home ;

This should be help to prevent new virus .

Thanks to our government , China is getting better every days , wish you the same with us .

If you guys need any help , Egreat always here with you :-)

Best regards .

Richard & Egreat Teams ,   . -   ,  -  ,    .      DiGiPulse.ru |  - VK.            .        ( 08-03-2020  11:44   .)
NEW YORK CITY -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday public schools statewide will remain closed for another two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.

If the number of cases continue to rise as they have been, the governor warned the school closures likely will be extended another two weeks beyond that. That would take the closures into the last week of April.

Cuomo had previously said schools would close for two weeks and the situation would be reassessed April 1. Now, the governor is saying they will remain closed until at least April 15 and officials will reassess if they can reopened at that time.

"It only makes sense to keep the schools closed,'' he said.

Cuomo said while public education is important, he believes keeping the schools closed is safer and reduces the spread of the virus.

Cuomo made the announcement during his daily briefing that was held this time at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

In Central New York, most schools were planning to remain closed until April 13, which included a spring break for many. The governors announcement would extend that to at least April 15.

County Executive Ryan McMahon said Thursday he thought that might be too early to open the schools. McMahon issued an order March 16, the day of the first confirmed case, to close all the schools in the county.

Cuomo had previously waived the states requirement that schools hold at least 180 days of instruction. He said today that waiver will continue.

In Onondaga County, the number of confirmed cases hit 111 Thursday, with 50 of those coming in the past two days. There are fewer cases in other Central New York counties, but the number of cases has been increasing in most counties.

Cuomo said he isnt making the decision today to close schools for four, six or even eight weeks because the situation changes, and he doesnt know what will happen.

if the numbers continue the way they have been, in all likelihood schools will close an additional two weeks, he said today.

Note: This report has been updated to clarify that the governor is saying schools are closed through at least April 15.

More on coronavirus

President Trump: I dont believe NY needs 30,000 ventilators for coronavirus

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo: I dont want to be vice president

New York doctor fighting coronavirus: Too many people are dying alone

Whats in federal coronavirus relief bill for New York?
Amazon Prime, which costs $119 per year or $12.99 per month, offers free shipping and fast delivery as two of the biggest membership perks. Typically, items are delivered within one-to-two days.

However, due to a spike in online shopping during the coronavirus crisis, even Amazon hasnt been able to keep up with the high volume of orders.

Some orders are now taking at least a month to deliver, even if you are an Amazon Prime member.

Here is everything you need to know on why Amazon Primes delivery services are not running as fast as usual:

Why is Amazon Prime delivery slow?

Typical operations have changed because of the coronavirus, and Amazon has to "prioritize stocking and delivering items that are a higher priority for our customers, which has resulted in some of our delivery promises being longer than usual, a spokesperson told Recode.

The online retail giant says its employees have been working to make sure essential items such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and medicine are stocked at all its facilities.

Amazon has classified the following six categories as essential: baby products, health and household, beauty and personal care, grocery, industrial and scientific and pet supplies.

Is Amazon hiring right now?

Yes. To help keep up with the volume of orders, Amazon announced plans to create 100,000 new full and part-time jobs in its fulfillment centers and delivery operations.

The company said it will invest more than $350 million globally to boost pay by $2 an hour in the United States through April, with similar bumps in the U.K. and European Union. The companys currently pay rate in the U.S. is at least $15 an hour.

Is Amazon Fresh still delivering? Are other Amazon Prime services affected?

Amazon Fresh and Prime Now are both experiencing delivery delays, and are at times temporarily unavailable inventory due to increased demand, according to their websites.

Make sure to confirm availability at checkout.

If youre looking for alternatives to Amazons grocery delivery service, there are several other options to choose from.

Is Amazon Prime Pantry closed?

Prime Pantry temporarily shut down last week as a result of too many orders.

As of 1:30 p.m. Friday, however, the site now appears to be back online and accepting orders.

Is Amazon Prime doing anything else differently?

Yes. Amazon Prime Video has made 44 kids shows available for free, regardless if you have a membership or not. Shows among the lineup are Arthur," Caillou" and Pete the Cat.

Amazon has also removed the paywall for family movies through its subsidiary, IMDb TV.

RELATED COVERAGE ABOUT RETAIL AND CORONAVIRUS:

10 things you can buy on Amazon right now and not have to wait a month for delivery

How to avoid or repair cracked skin from washing your hands constantly

Where to get vitamins and zinc supplements during coronavirus pandemic

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
: The coronavirus contagion is slowly spreading in Andhra Pradesh with two more cases reported on Friday, taking the total to 13.

The two persons who tested positive on Friday were kin of coronavirus patients in Visakhapatnam and Guntur, the government said. The patients communicated the disease to their kin due to person-to-person contact.

The state government constituted a high-level task force with five ministers and 10 senior IAS officers to oversee coronavirus-related measures by coordinating with district-level teams.

The task force will obtain feedback from the districts and take necessary action needed to check the disease spread.

The latest bulletin of the Medical and Health Department said the 52-year old person, who returned to Guntur after attending a religious congregation in Nizamuddin Mosque in Delhi, communicated the coronavirus to his spouse. She got into contact with the person on March 19 and was kept in hospital isolation since March 23. Her blood examination report confirmed coronavirus on Friday.

A person who came in contact with his kin, a coronavirus afflicted patient in Visakhapatnam, also tested positive for the disease on Friday morning.

The person came in contact with the coronavirus patient on March 17 and developed symptoms. He was kept in isolation on March 21 and on Friday his blood sample tested positive for the virus.

Visakhapatnam now has four coronavirus cases, followed by three in Vijayawada. Guntur has two while Ongole, Nellore, Chittoor and Rajamahendravaram recorded one positive case each.

Meanwhile, health and police authorities are busy tracking the other persons who came in contact with the coronavirus patient in Guntur. The patient took part in a couple of prayer meetings upon his return from Nizamuddin Mosque in New Delhi.

Officials fear he might have communicated the disease to his contacts and accordingly started the tracking.

"We have identified about four persons who came in contact with the coronavirus patient and sending them for quarantine," health officials said.

The state Health Department said 29,262 persons returned to AP from various countries over the last few days. Of them, 29,136 were kept under home isolation and another 126 admitted to hospitals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran backs UN plan for Afghan ceasefire to fight coronavirus

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 4:37 PM

Iran has thrown its weight behind a recent proposal by the United Nations secretary general for a global ceasefire in conflict-hit zones and a nationwide truce in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran shares the good idea of His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres in announcing a global ceasefire in all conflicts and focusing on the campaign against the coronavirus, which is ruthlessly targeting all people regardless of their religion, faith, race, gender and age," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

Tehran, it said, "calls on the UN Secretary-General to complement his good idea in establishing a ceasefire with a special initiative to find a solid foundation for inter-Afghan dialogue and to resolve existing political issues in Afghanistan".

Iran also "calls on all armed groups to accept the nationwide ceasefire with a brave decision and create a secure environment for the fight against the coronavirus and thereby to open a new chapter in the history of Afghanistan", it added.

The statement said Iran, as a neighbor of Afghanistan and host to millions of Afghan refugees for 40 years which has the most understanding about the country's current situation, fully supports the UN chief's initiative for nationwide ceasefire.

On Wednesday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) urged all parties to further reduce violence to protect civilians and work towards a ceasefire and a lasting political solution.

UNAMA said the best way to protect civilians from conflict and the evolving health crisis is to stop the fighting altogether.

The mission echoed Monday's call by Guterres for a global ceasefire so that the necessary focus and resources can be provided to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, a serious threat to all Afghans.

"A reduction in violence leading to a ceasefire would save lives, provide parties with a more conducive environment to commence intra-Afghan peace negotiations and would enable better preparations to combat the looming health crisis posed by COVID-19," the UNAMA said.

Earlier this week, Guterres appealed for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war," he said. "That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives."

The UN chief called on warring parties to pull back from hostilities, put aside mistrust and animosity, and "silence the guns; stop the artillery; end the airstrikes".

"End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world," he said. "It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now. That is what our human family needs, now more than ever."

The UN chief's appeal was broadcast live over the Internet from a virtual press conference held at UN Headquarters in New York on March 23.

Iran's Foreign Ministry earlier said in a statement that hasty measures taken by the US administration to reach an agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan and inattention to the country's domestic issues were the main reasons behind the current political crisis in the country.

The United States signed a deal with the Taliban in the Qatari capital, Doha, on February 29. Under the deal, the Taliban have agreed to sever ties with al-Qaeda and sit down for peace talks with the Afghan government. In return, Washington will start a phased withdrawal of troops.

The Afghan government was a party neither to the negotiations nor to the deal that was primarily aimed at reducing violence in the war-torn country.

Since it was signed, however, violence has escalated with the militants carrying out dozens of deadly attacks across the country.

The deal came few days before a new row erupted between Afghan President-elect Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah following the recent presidential election.

Abdullah, who serves as the chief executive officer of the outgoing administration, has rejected a decision by Afghanistan's Election Commission last month to announce Ghani as the winner of the presidential election, proclaiming himself as president-elect.

On March 9, Ghani and Abdullah both held inauguration ceremonies in the capital Kabul.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

While the invasion ended the Taliban's rule in the country, it has failed to eliminate the militant group. The Daesh terrorist group has also emerged in the Asian country more recently.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Industrial firm employees manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE), like face shields, to supply New York's health care workers and hospitals at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City on March 26, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

New York Reports 144 More Deaths From COVID-19

Nearly 150 people died overnight from the CCP virus, New York officials said Friday.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

The states death toll rose to 519 as overall cases increased to 44,635, by far the most in the nation, prompting some states to crack down on travelers arriving from New York.

The death toll is going to continue to go up, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference at the Javits Center in the citys Manhattan borough, noting a number of patients are in hospitals for 20 to 25 days on ventilators.

The longer you are on a ventilator, the less likely you are going to come off that ventilator, he said.

A ventilator is seen at the New York City Emergency Management Warehouse, where 400 ventilators arrived and before being shipped out for distribution, due to concerns over the rapid spread of the CCP virus in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on March 24, 2020. (Caitlin Ochs/Reuters)

Some 6,481 patients are now in state hospitals, the bulk in New York City. Only 496 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in the state 10 days ago.

The rate of hospitalizations, though, has slowed in recent days, going from a doubling in hospitalizations every two days to every four days, which Cuomo called good news.

Its still doubling, and thats still bad news, because it means youre still moving up towards an apex, he added.

The rate of the increase is slowing but the number of cases are still going up.

The number of patients in intensive care units in the state has risen by 290 overnight to 1,583 and the number of people discharged from hospitals hit 2,045, an increase of over 500.

About four in five people who contract the new illness dont require hospitalization and get better through rest and supportive care at home.

National Guard troops listen as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks to the press at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on March 27, 2020. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

The majority of patients requiring hospitalization are those who are older or have underlying health conditions. People 75 or older have so far constituted about half of all deaths in New York City.

Other American states have, so far, not been nearly as affected. New Jersey has the second most cases with 6,876, while Washington state has the second most deaths with 151.

Cuomo said the gap between New York and other states in both categories stems from the density in New York City as well as the slew of international visitors and residents.

Officials in the city also encouraged people to attend parades and other events, and go out to to eat, as late as the first week of March, well after public health experts warned of the high transmissability of the virus.

New York has said it needs 30,000 ventilators to care for patients when the virus hits its apex in the state, a figure questioned by President Donald Trump late Thursday. The state approved a method to use a single ventilator to care for two patients this week in a bid to make up for the current shortfall in the machines, which help people breathe.
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

Will Marek loves to tell stories. I know this because, well, hes my dad.

One of his favorites involves a trip to San Francisco with my mom and his parents.

We decided we were on our own one night, we were just going to do different things instead of a big group dinner with all of us, he says. So your mom and I went to Tadich Grill. We were having dinner there and we hear a loud voice a few tables over, and we immediately know its (your grandfather)  they were sitting two tables over from us.

He laughs the heartiest of hearty laughs, like he can still hear his dad two tables over.

He has dozens of stories like this.

His grandfather Doug Welch (a columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for 33 years) dined there for the first time in 1945 while he was covering the San Francisco Conference, which resulted in the creation of the United Nations Charter. My mom and dad went to dinner at Tadich the night before their wedding in 1986 at Swedenborgian Church in Pac Heights. A framed photo from 1989 of my mom, my little brother and me sitting in one of Tadichs booths hangs in my childhood home in Southern California to this day.

Courtesy of Will Marek

The Buich family, which has owned Tadich since 1928, has heard plenty of stories like these through the years  its something that comes with being the oldest restaurant in San Francisco, 171 years running.

Those are the stories we love to hear, says Tadich CFO Melissa Buich, and hope to continue hearing for decades to come.

Emphasis on the hope.

The coronavirus pandemic and the Bay Areas ensuing shelter-in-place order on March 16 forced Tadich  and so many others across The City  to close their doors last week, something they dont often do.

I was talking with our grandfather, even in World War II we were able to serve food, Melissa says. Theyd black out the windows, food was rationed, but we were a seafood house so we had the ability to have access to additional supply whereas other restaurants might not have. We were still able to serve customers, provide jobs to employees  this is just a totally different animal were trying to tackle.

Emphasis on the we.

Unlike a lot of bars and restaurants in the city, Tadich hasnt let a single employee go.

They cant. Most of their staff has worked there for more than two decades, donning starch white coats and lovably gruff smiles. And while the wainscoting-rich booths certainly look nice, and the fine dining seafood classics certainly taste delicious, the reason Tadich continues to be an institution is the people. And its why five generations of my family has made Tadich a part of our lives.

Melissas sister Melanie Buich tells the story of an employee who gave both sisters San Francisco Giants hats when they were eight years old. That same employee attended Melanies baby shower more than two decades later to give her newborn a San Francisco Giants hat of her own.

Our employees are our DNA, Melissa says. We couldnt do this without each and every one of them. My dads goal is to go through this without losing one employee.

Her dad, owner and CEO Mike Buich, is as old school as they come (in case the omnipresent coat hooks in the booths didnt tip you off).

When the Healthy San Francisco mandate (which required businesses with more than 20 employees to set aside money for their workers healthcare) went into effect in 2008, many restaurants passed the added costs on to customers.

Not Tadich.

Our dad had a lot of pride in never doing that, Melissa says. It ate into our margin, but that was that. Whats tough now is hes so used to doing this on his own, tapping into what he and mom saved over the years.

Now Melissa and Melanie (who both serve on the Tadich Board of Directors) help shoulder the financial burden.

At this point, weve even told our dad were willing to go into our personal savings accounts to make sure our employees are paid, Melanie says. Its beyond what the restaurant can afford, now its what can the family do to afford this.

Both sisters have day jobs in addition to their roles at the restaurant and say theyre willing to deposit their day job earnings directly back into Tadich  whatever it takes to ensure the family legacy doesnt die.

Like many restaurants struggling to get through this, Tadich has set up an Employee Relief Fund on GoFundMe (you can donate to it here) that will be used for group benefits and employee wages. Mike Buich is personally matching the first $25,000 in the fund and theyve already raised $15,020 as of Thursday evening.

Buich and Tadich are one in the same, Melanie says. Its part of our makeup. We worked back in the kitchen with the chef making crab cake patties when we were old enough to walk. Then when we were older we were dishwashers, and older again we were hostesses. Its where we got our work ethic. Weve got a lot of loyal customers in SF, and generations of memories  thats what were here to do, we need to play our part. Its so important for us to continue the legacy.

For you and me both.

Grant Marek is the Editorial Director of SFGATE. Email: grant.marek@sfgate.com | Twitter: @grant_marek
Calls to Oregons child abuse hotline have plummeted since schools closed statewide, leaving child welfare officials worried abuse and neglect may be left unreported.

The hotline typically receives around 700 calls every weekday from people calling to report child safety concerns. That number dropped by more than half March 16, the day K-12 schools had to close under the order of Gov. Kate Brown.

The shutdowns are aimed at limiting the spread of the new coronavirus. But the closures also mean most Oregon school children no longer interact every day with teachers and school staffers, who are all required by law to report concerns of abuse and neglect.

Subsequent social-distancing mandates, such as orders to stay home as much as possible and to avoid crowds, make it even less likely that children will interact with adults outside the home.

The child abuse hotline hasnt received more than 300 calls in a single day since March 17, state data shows. The hotline received 70 percent fewer calls Wednesday compared to the same weekday five weeks earlier.

As social isolation sets in, children have less eyes on them, said Jake Sunderland, a spokesperson for the Department of Human Services.

Child abuse reports are closely connected with school days. Child welfare officials can predict that reports of abuse and neglect will increase after summer and holiday breaks end. The calls also drop off during weekends.

Because of the recent decline in child abuse calls, case workers are being sent to check on childrens safety inside far fewer homes than usual. For instance, case workers were assigned to follow up on 56 reports of abuse or neglect Wednesday, nearly four times fewer than two weeks ago.

At the same time, concerns and stresses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic could place children at more risk of being abused or neglected. The states domestic violence hotline, for instance, has responded to a recent spike of calls.

Children are most at risk of abuse when the adults caring for them are in crisis, Sunderland said.

Economic instability and stress is an absolute risk factor when it comes to abuse and neglect, he said.

Sunderland said ensuring child safety remains essential work, and that case workers will still visit homes while taking extra precautions.

We are still going out in to the field, he said. We are still doing child safety assessments."

Anyone who witnesses or suspects a child is being abused or neglected should call the states hotline at 855-503-7233, Sunderland said.

-- Molly Young

myoung@oregonian.com

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh returned to the public consciousness during the 2016 election cycle when Donald Trump revived the slogan America First. Lindbergh, an isolationist, had embraced the catchphrase in the run-up to the U.S. entry into World War II.

Now Lucky Lindy, who died in 1974 at 72, is back in the pop-culture conversation again, as a fictional portrayal of him rolls out in HBOs The Plot Against America, an adaptation of Philip Roths acclaimed 2004 novel.

In the novel and limited series, Lindbergh enters the 1940 U.S. presidential election, ultimately defeating President Franklin Roosevelt and launching an administration that backed Nazi Germany.

In reality, the intrepid pilot led the effort to keep the U.S. out of World War II, praising German efficiency and militarism and insisting American Jews were agitating for war, but he did not put his name before voters. After the White House accused him of spouting Nazi propaganda, Lindbergh resigned his commission as a colonel in the U.S. Air Corps Reserve.

Could Lindbergh, who had leapt to worldwide fame in 1927 when he accomplished the first nonstop transatlantic flight, have beaten FDR if hed actually taken up a presidential campaign?

Not likely.

The America First Committee had a significant national following, and Lindbergh remained a national hero for his iconic flight in The Spirit of St. Louis. But the aviator lacked the charisma that national vote-seekers tend to need, and many prominent public leaders and newspaper columnists strongly condemned his loaded rhetoric on the stump.

When Lindbergh began giving speeches around the country, The Associated Press dismissed him as a past public idol -- past by some 12 years. And past public idols are supposed to be remembered, seen occasionally, but never heard.

In late September 1939, with Germany and the Soviet Union overrunning Poland, The Oregonian editorial board pointed out it had received only two letters supporting Lindbergh after his latest stay-out-of-the-war radio address. This was not a surprise, the op-ed stated.

Lindbergh has been rather inept in his relations with the public, the editorial wrote. He is reserved and seems to dislike popular adulation. Probably a political campaign would be to him the most distasteful thing he could undertake, and being distasteful to him, could hardly be successful.

A 1939 editorial cartoon in The Oregonian heralds the possibility of Charles Lindbergh joining the race for president. (The Oregonian)

The America First Committee continued after Roosevelts election to an unprecedented third term in 1940. But whatever political support Lindbergh had built up quickly collapsed after Japans Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. joined the war against the Axis Powers. (One of America Firsts leaders, Sen. Burton Wheeler of Montana, claimed during a Portland stop shortly after Pearl Harbor that the owners of lecture halls were no longer booking the movements speakers -- including Lindbergh.) Lindbergh offered his services to the new war effort, but President Roosevelt refused to reinstate him in the army air corps.

Lake Grove, Oregon, resident N.E. Myers, in a letter to his local newspaper, suggested a means for Lindbergh to redeem himself:

If, after thorough investigation, the authorities can find that our Lindy has one act, during the past few years, to his credit that proves him a true patriotic American to balance his many and varied acts against the security of this nation, then let him enlist as a private in the infantry. He can then demonstrate to his own and the countrys satisfaction that he is worthy of the real privilege of service in the defense of this, our America. Personally, I think, in the words of a certain radio star, It stinks.

Lindbergh did not become a private in the infantry. Instead, Henry Ford hired him to help his auto company revamp for war production. (Ford was a well-known anti-Semite. The Nazi regime in Germany had awarded him the Grand Cross of the German Eagle.) Lindbergh soon moved on from Ford, and later he would fly combat missions in the Pacific Theater as a civilian contractor for the U.S. military.

After the war, Hollywood helped repair Lindberghs reputation with the gauzy 1957 movie The Spirit of St. Louis, starring beloved star James Stewart as Lucky Lindy.

-- Douglas Perry

@douglasmperry

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By ANI

ANTANANARIVO: Ambassador Abhay Kumar handed over 600 tonnes of rice on behalf of India to Madagascar Foreign Minister Tehindrazanarivelo Djacoba Liva to deliver quick relief to the flood victims of the island country.

INS Shardul brought the relief material and arrived at Port Antsiranana in Madagascar on March 10. This is the second delivery of relief materials for Madagascar flood victims and the largest humanitarian aid so far from India to Madagascar. This is also the biggest relief load ever carried by any Indian warship, loaded, transported and unloaded in record time, for quick relief assistance.

"Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shardul arrived in Madagascar at Port Antsiranana on 10th March 2020 carrying 600 tons of rice for the people of Madagascar. The rice will be distributed to the people affected by cyclone Diane that hit Madagascar coast in January," the Embassy of India in Madagascar said.

600 tonnes of Rice handed over to Govt of Madagascar today at Port #Antsiranana, #Madagascar. Carried onboard #INSShardul.@Tehindrazanari1 Madagascar Foreign Minister was present onboard with officials from Madagascar Defence forces & civilian organizations.#BridgesofFriendship pic.twitter.com/14MRnH594f  SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) March 12, 2020

On arrival at the port, the Commanding Officer of the ship along with Indian Embassy officials called on the Mayor of Antsiranana and Military and Navy authorities.

At a function held at the Port Antsiranana on Thursday, the Madagascar Foreign Minister officially received the consignment of rice from Ambassador Abhay Kumar in presence of Commander Abhishek Pathak, Commanding Officer of INS Shardul.

"Speaking on the occasion Ambassador Abhay Kumar stated that the rice brought to Madagascar in a warship, the fastest way the relief could be delivered by us for our brothers and sisters in the Indian ocean," the statement read.

The Foreign Minister of Madagascar stated that the assistance is historic and proves the excellent relationship between Madagascar and India and that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

"In his remarks in the visitors' book, the Foreign Minister wrote, "Very happy to visit INS Shardul and meet its crew. Grateful to the Government and the people of India for their generous donation."

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a tweet," the statement added.

Earlier, on January 30, INS Airavat brought immediate relief material. India was the first country to respond during devastation caused by Cyclone Diane in January this year.
They were hoping their wedding reception at an historic tea room would be a refined occasion without causing a stir.

But engaged couple Adrian Lewis, 72, and Philippa Elloway, 70, have now issued a writ for 20,000 after claiming the venue left them in hot water by cancelling the booking.

The writ was submitted this week to cover financial losses and emotional damage.

Adrian Lewis, 72, and Philippa Elloway, 70, have issued a writ for 20,000 after claiming the Orchard Tea Rooms in Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, left them in hot water by cancelling

Orchard Tea Rooms cancelled weeks before their wedding day on April 4 citing problems in their relationship so far and uncertainty over the venue staying open during the pandemic.

Charles Bunker, who owns the tea room in Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, said he had to tear up the contract and refund their money.

He alleged there had been constant attempts to 'cut back the price'.

The couple, who have now shelved their wedding altogether, claimed 'posh' Mr Bunker told them they were 'not culturally suited to working together'.

Mr Lewis said yesterday: 'What he's done is despicable. Philippa has been in floods of tears. I'll never forgive him and I'll make him pay.'

Charles Bunker, who owns the tea room said he had to tear up the contract and refund their money

But Mr Bunker called the legal action 'absurd' and said: 'He has got the wrong guy this time.'

Retired business consultant Mr Lewis and classical musician Miss Elloway met on a dating site in 2018.

The couple, who are both divorced and have children, thought the tea rooms dating from 1897 would be the perfect place for their wedding reception.

Poet Rupert Brooke immortalised the rooms  where customers relax in deckchairs while sipping tea and enjoying sandwiches and cakes in the orchard  in his 1912 poem The Old Vicarage, Grantchester.

Mr Lewis and Miss Elloway, of Cambridge, paid 1,379 for a room and catering at the venue. But the relationship with Mr Bunker broke down in a series of emails this month.

Poet Rupert Brooke immortalised the rooms (pictured) in his 1912 poem The Old Vicarage, Grantchester

Mr Lewis wrote on March 11 to ask 'how do we stand financially?' if the reception was postponed by Covid-19.

In his response Mr Bunker sent a copy of his terms and conditions but reassured the couple he was 'not expecting [the Government] to institute a complete ban'.

Mr Lewis wrote back to say the terms and conditions had not 'answered my question'.

He signed off by saying he would send a copy of Tesco founder Sir John Cohen's biography Stack It High Sell It Cheap including a 'chapter covering customer care'.

Mr Bunker replied on March 13: 'There have been many occasions during our interactions when I have wondered whether we were culturally suited to work together.'

Mr Lewis said: 'He's an absolute snob. It's ruined what should have been the happiest day of our lives.'
Xiaomi will announce its new flagships today, in only a couple of hours. The company is planning to announce its Xiaomi Mi 10 series smartphones during todays press event, and just to be clear, this is a global launch of the two phones.

Both of those devices already got announced in China last month, so we know what to expect this time around. The company will announce the Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro today, and both of those phones will support 5G.

Xiaomi will livestream the Xiaomi Mi 10 series global launch

You can watch the Xiaomi Mi 10 series global launch if you want. The company is planning to livestream this online-only event, and it will do that via YouTube. Weve embedded the link below this article.

Advertisement

Having said that, chances are that both of those Xiaomi Mi 10 variants will be the same as the one released in China. Global models will include Google services, though, of course.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro will look almost the same. The difference will be noticeable on the back, as they will offer a somewhat different-looking camera module and included cameras. Other than that, these two phones will offer the exact same design.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 series smartphones will be made out of metal and glass, and include extremely thin bezels. Both devices will include curved displays, and a display camera hole in the top-left corner of the display.

Advertisement

Both phones will feature vertically-aligned cameras on the back, in the top-left corner. An in-display fingerprint scanner will be included in both devices, and the back side will be curved. Their rear camera module will protrude a bit.

The Snapdragon 865 will fuel both of these smartphones, and come with the Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G connectivity. Both phones will feature a 6.67-inch fullHD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate.

Android 10 will come pre-installed on both phones, along with MIUI 11

Android 10 comes pre-installed on Chinese variants, along with MIUI 11 skin. That will be the case with global models as well, but Google services will be included on top.

Advertisement

The global Xiaomi Mi 10 will include a somewhat larger battery, it will feature a 4,780mAh battery, compared to a 4,500mAh unit on the Mi 10 Pro. The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro will offer faster wired charging, though, 50W compared to 30W.

Wireless charging will be included in both phones, you can expect 30W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging. Stereo speakers will be a part of the package as well, while the Mi 10 Pro will sport a more powerful camera setup on the back.

Both devices will include a 108-megapixel main camera on the back, though, but the remaining three cameras will be superior on the Mi 10 Pro, at least based on the Chinese models.
Eddie Thai, partner at US-headquartered venture capital firm and incubator 500 Startups

For the first time, investment in Vietnamese tech startups last year exceeded that experienced in Singapore to rank second in Southeast Asia. What were the key factors for the surge in investment in Vietnam-based startups last year?

I think the surge was the natural result of Vietnams maturing ecosystem. For any digital economy the first wave of successful companies would be in media, e-commerce, and payments. So its only natural that such companies would have reached sufficient scale to receive tens or hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. Indeed, a substantial portion of the money invested last year went to e-commerce players Tiki and Sendo and payments players Momo and VNPay.

How do you see the attractiveness of Vietnam as a tech investment destination in 2020 and upcoming years?

There continues to be immense long-term potential for Vietnam tech, both for companies serving the domestic market as well as for companies serving markets beyond Vietnam. However, there are at least a couple of short-term risks to consider.

First, obviously, there is economic risk due to COVID-19. Chinas economy is suffering right now and, although Vietnam is doing a pretty good job of keeping people safe up so far, it will still suffer major economic effects (less trade, less tourism, less domestic consumption, etc). Many tech startups will be affected by this as well. In addition, there is also a more direct impact of the virus: international VCs have been cancelling or delaying their trips to Vietnam. This means financing will be lower in the near term.

Second, at least before this outbreak, valuations were getting quite high as international investors continue to turn their attention to Vietnam. We were even seeing some companies raise at higher valuations than similar counterparts in San Francisco. The same thing happened in Indonesia over the past few years, and now its Vietnams turn. It seems great for founders and early-stage investors, but actually can be dangerous for future fundraise efforts.

Why are higher valuations dangerous for future fundraising efforts?

Valuations that are too high often anchor the founders to high expectations in future rounds. Knowing this, some investors then neglect to even explore the opportunity. Then other investors, sensing weakness in the opportunity, may also decline to pursue.

By the time the founders adjust their expectations, it may be too late to raise any money at all. Or when the founders finally adjust, they have to take a valuation that's lower than the last round's valuation, which can be seen as a negative signal to future potential investors (e.g. a lack of progress or momentum). It's better to get steadily increasing valuations over time than to raise a very high one followed by a lower one.

Does it mean startups are not getting the right valuation?

Startup valuation is more art than science, so it's hard to say for a particular startup whether a specific valuation is the "right" one. However, there are ranges of valuation that are appropriate for specific startups, and yes, I think many startups' valuations fall outside of that range. Some are too high (compared with the company's progress), and some are too low (resulting in the founders giving up too much of their company too early).

In Vietnam I would guess there is a large portion of startups being valued inappropriately. I think part of the reason is the increase in investor interest in recent years. But also part of the reason is the inefficient venture market: there are not too many investors that really understand Vietnam yet, and there are not too many founders who are familiar with fundraising. The two-way information asymmetry increases the likelihood of mispricing.

500 Startups Vietnam has been active in the countrys startup market. Could you share some highlights of the funds activities in Vietnam so far and the plan in the upcoming time?

500 Startups Vietnam invested in 19 new companies in 2019. We aim to invest in a similar number in 2020. We are also continuing to run our Saola Accelerator. Our first batch (last year) had six companies, and our second batch has seven companies. Weve just kicked that off, and Sean Percival, former vice president of MySpace, is programme director. Overall, we aim to reach our target of 80 companies invested cumulatively by early 2021.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that he is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19.

In a video message posted on social media, the UK prime minister said that he will continue to lead the UK government's response to the deadly virus, which has claimed 578 lives. Read more

Private Hospitals Have Joined Government To Fight Coronavirus, Start Admitting Suspected Cases

The number of Covid-19 cases in India are rapidly rising and are likely to go up in the coming days before the effects of the nationwide lockdown become evident.

BCCL

In the meantime, government hospitals across the country are being pushed to their limits due to the ever-growing number of suspected cases that have to be screened and admitted if needed. Read more



RBI Allows 3 Month Moratorium On All Term Loan EMIs

In a big relief to the corporate sector, the Reserve Bank of India allowed a three month moratorium on payment of instalment in respect of all term loans outstanding on March 1, 2020.

reuters

"All commercial banks (including regional rural banks, small finance banks and local area banks), co-operative banks, all-India Financial Institutions, and NBFCs (including housing finance companies and micro-finance institutions) are being permitted to allow a moratorium of three months on payment of instalments in respect of all term loans outstanding as on March 1, 2020," RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said. Read more



Unable To Buy Liquor For Three Days Due To Coronavirus Lockdown, Kerala Man Commits Suicide

In a rather bizarre, yet tragic incident, a man who was showing extreme withdrawal symptoms as he was he couldn't get his daily dose of liquor due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown has committed suicide.

BCCL

The man, identified as K Sanoj, a 38-year-old native of Thavanur in Kerala's Thrissur district was found dead, hanging from a ceiling fan in his house on Friday morning. Read more



As India Races Against Time To Make Ventilators, Help Comes From Maruti, Mahindra And Railways

In the coming days, the medical infrastructure in India will be put to its toughest test - once the number of Covid-19 patients spirals out of control.

BCCL/ FILE

Across the world, in China, Iran, Italy, Spain, the US, UK, and many more countries there was an acute shortage of hospital beds, isolation facilities and ventilators which are crucial for patients who are critically ill. Read more



Punjab's First Covid-19 Fatality, A 70-Year-Old Gurudwara Priest Had Infected 23 More, Met 100s

Parts of Punjab has been hit by a major Coronavirus (Covid-19) scare after it emerged that a man who passed away on March 18 after he was tested positive for the infection has passed on the virus to at least a dozen people in his area.

AFP/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE

The 70-year-old man, who was a Gurdwara priest, had returned to Delhi from Germany via Italy on March 6 after a two-week tour. Read more
The UN Security Council has condemned the "heinous and cowardly" terrorist attack on a gurdwara in Kabul that killed 25 people, underlining the need to hold the perpetrators and sponsors of these "reprehensible" acts to justice.

The over two dozen worshippers were killed and eight others injured when a heavily armed suicide bomber stormed a prominent gurdwara on Wednesday in the heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, in one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in the strife-torn country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the 15-nation Council said it "condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" that took place in Shor Bazar area.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group, which has targeted Sikhs before in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Expressing their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Afghanistan, the Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities," the statement said.

The members of the Security Council reiterate that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, it said.

The Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also condemned the attack, reiterating that attacks against civilians are unacceptable and those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable.

There were about 150 worshippers inside the building when the attack took place.

In a tweet, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said it was "outrage" by the attack.

"There can be no justification for the killing of civilians at a religious house. Our condolences to the victims and their families."



Meanwhile, Guterres's spokesperson said on Thursday that asylum and refugee rights must be respected the world over, in a reference to the terrorist attack on gurdwara in Kabul.

"I think it is important that the asylum regime, the refugee regime, be respected the world over," Stephane Dujarric said.

He was responding to a question on whether the Secretary General supports giving Sikh and Hindu minorities in Afghanistan asylum in India.

Sikhs have been target of attacks by Islamist militants before in Afghanistan.

In July 2018, ISIS terrorists bombed a gathering of Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad, killing 19 people and injuring 20.

Awtar Singh Khalsa, one of the country's best-known Sikh politicians then, was among those killed in the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By IANS

NEW DELHI: One of the four terrorists involved in the terror attack on Sikhs in Kabul was a 30-year-old shopkeeper who had fled along with 14 other youths from Kerala to join the Islamic State (ISIS) four years ago.

The Islamic State on Friday published a photo of Abu Khalid al-Hindi, a suicide attack fighter who was part of the four-member team that attacked a Sikh shrine in Kabul, killing at least 25 members of the minuscule minority community in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Top sources said that al-Hindi was Mohammed Sajid Kuthirulmmal, a shopkeeper from Padne area of Kasargod in Kerala who was wanted in a 2016 NIA case and had an Interpol red notice against him.

The case refers to a parent from Kasaragod, Kerala who lodged a police complaint in July 2016, stating that his 30-year-old son Abdul Rashid was missing along with his wife Ayisha (Sonia Sebastian) and child, for almost two months after they had gone to Mumbai.

Around the same time, 14 other cases of missing people including Sajid were registered by their parents and relatives in the police station of the same area. Preliminary investigation revealed that the missing persons had left India to join Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a banned pan-Islamist terrorist organisation.

ALSO READ | Kabul gurudwara attack: India's ambassador to Afghanistan visits site, shares grief with kin of victims

During the investigation by Kerala Police, the role of 29-year-old Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid, a resident of Batla House, Okhla Jamia Nagar, New Delhi but originally from Sitamarhi district of Bihar, as a co-conspirator of Abdul Rashid was revealed. She was arrested on August 1, 2016, after she was intercepted at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi while attempting to exit India for Afghanistan, along with her child.

As per the Kerala police, Yasmeen Mohammad Zahid was actively aiding Abdul Rashid in his activities including raising funds to support ISIS. The case was handed over to the NIA after she was arrested.

The NIA investigation revealed that Abdul Rashid, Yasmeen and others from 2015 were involved in activities to further objectives of the ISIS in Kerala and other places of India. 15 people including Sajid had fled from Kerala, India to join the terror group in Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.

Though the NIA did not file a charge sheet against Sajid, but he was listed as an accused and absconder in the case.

Though the NATO and Afghan forces claim to have killed most ISIS members in Nangarhar, sources believe many may have escaped. Sources said Sajid clearly was one of those who escaped unscathed from Nangarhar.

The mobile communication between the absconders with their relatives, over internet-based social media platforms, recovered during the investigation, established that Sajid was staying at the same place as another ISIS recruit who had fled from Kerala and had joined the terror group along with Abdul Rashid.
Bank of America has sent more than 100 employees to work in a backup office in Connecticut.

"It's a low. It's too soon to say, it's the low," said Ari Wald, technical analyst with Oppenheimer.

The market has bounced with uncommon speed, after it fell at an unprecedented velocity from its February highs on fears of the coronavirus. It was the promise of a Washington fiscal stimulus package on top of an extraordinary amount of Fed policy easing that sent stocks rocketing from their lows.

In just a few days, major stock indexes have made back more than half their losses, but technical analysts warn the market is setting up for a retest that will decide whether Monday's lows were the bottom.

"We were 35% off the highs and now we're 20% off the lows," said T3Live.com partner Scott Redler, who follows short-term charts. "The question is what are the levels that should be sold versus bought." He said 2,675 to 2,700 looks to be a level where investors could take profits.

"The market ignored the unemployment claims data, but as the market gets higher and the bounce continues, the corporate news is going to get worse, and it's going to be harder to ignore," Redler said. "I would think we definitely retest that low in the next few weeks."

As valuations climb, Redler said, the market should start to respond to negative news again. The expected ballooning of new virus cases is likely to make investors nervous. Companies will also be detailing some of the damage to their businesses during next month's start of earnings season, and as more data is released, the economic carnage will become more clear. The government reported Thursday that a record 3.2 million workers filed for unemployment claims last week, and those big numbers are expected to continue.

"When does that low get revisited? I would think mid-April when there's the reality of the corporate numbers as well as the potential closeness of a peak in U.S. and New York City cases," Redler said.

Technical analysts say the trading action this week was a key reversal. The S&P 500 fell to an important level, just under its last big low of 2,346, set in 2018, before bouncing back.

"It was important because it occurred following the biggest capitulation day in the market," said Wald.

Wald said it would be normal for the market to return to levels where it bounced from, as part of the bottoming process, and he expects the S&P 500 to retreat below 2,400 again.

"Very often after capitulation, it's common to test that low. It could be a marginally higher low," he said. "This rally could last three or four weeks, and then we test the quality of that bottom."
The Lake District National Park has closed to the public for what is believed to be first time in its history due to coronavirus.

For centuries walkers have flocked to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, especially during times of turmoil, to find solace among its beautiful fells.

But this morning Cumbria Police have issued a stark message - the Lake District is closed.

A sign on the A591 near Kendal read 'Lakes is closed' in a bid to keep visitors away to slow the spread of coronavirus

Last weekend walkers ignored social distancing guidelines in the Lake District, gathering in groups, pictured here at the top of Scafell Pike

Groups of people were seen congregating on the way up to Scafell Pike in the Lake District last weekend, prompting today's announcement by Cumbria police

Cumbria police have said the Lake District is 'closed' in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus. They have warned tourists that officers will challenge them to determine whether their journey is 'essential'. Pictured here is Windermere which is almost empty

The force says the announcement follows scenes last weekend which saw thousands of tourists descend on the area in defiance of Government orders to stay indoors.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Rob O'Connor said: 'Last weekend we saw significant amounts of tourists travel to the Lake District, and my message is really simple, the Lake District is closed.

'Pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed, and we do not want to see people travelling to the Lakes in caravans and camper vans or driving many miles in their cars to go walking on the fells.

'The Government guidance is really clear in relation to personal movements to limit the spread of coronavirus.

'It is really clear that people should not be travelling unless there is an essential reason to do so.

'It does not mean on nice days you can drive into the Lakes and go walking, or ride your motorbike to Devils Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale.

'I still want my officers to engage, explain and encourage the public in relation to the restrictions that are in place.

'There is now legislation that means people can be fined for breaching the restrictions, but my preference is that my officers do not need to resort to doing so, and that the public show common sense and do not travel into the Lakes.

'Over the weekend people will see my officers in the Lakes and the Kirkby Lonsdale areas, and they can expect to be stopped and asked whether their travel is essential.

'As we saw on Thursday evening there was an outpouring of support nationally for the NHS, and people need to ensure they follow the Government guidance and restrictions in these unprecedented times to ensure we do not overburden the NHS.'

Bars, cafes and amusement arcades in Windermere are all closed in line with government guidelines to reduce the risk of passing on Covid-19

Temporary Chief Superintendent Rob O'Connor said: 'Last weekend we saw significant amounts of tourists travel to the Lake District, and my message is really simple, the Lake District is closed.' Pictured here, Lake Windermere with all the tourist boats tied up
The Oakbend Medical Group in Fort Bend County has opened a private, drive-thru COVID-19 testing site that representatives said has enough supplies to provide tests to approved patients "as long as people need it."

The hospital officially opened the site on Thursday and tested a total of 12 patients while another 10 were turned away, according to Linda Drummond, Director of Public Relations for Oakbend Medical Group. Drummond said people were turned away because the hospital is only testing patients who have been approved for testing by a doctor through a telehealth visit, and those ten showed up at the site unannounced.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Harris County testing sites in danger of closing due to low number of coronavirus test kits

Demand for the tests has been high; before 10 a.m. on Thursday, more than 300 calls were made requesting a telehealth visit, according to Drummond.

"It may take a couple of days to book a telehealth visit but we are booking them as fast as we can," Drummond said.

Unlike other Houston-area sites that offer free tests, Oakbend Medical Group's tests run $140; this includes a $40 charge for the telehealth visit and $100 charge for the actual test, according to Drummond. Not all patients who are approved for testing will have to pay the nearly $140 price tag, as some insurance companies are covering the cost of the test.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Drive-thru coronavirus testing site opens in north Houston  and it's free

"The reason we have a cost associated with ours is because we are an independent hospital; we are not funded in any way shape or form by the government," Drummond said. "The testing is more than that ($100) but we are taking a hit because it's for the community and we are willing to do that."

Drummond said a private vendor, who she would not name for safety reasons, has committed to providing the hospital with as many tests as is needed. The site is currently open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, but those hours could change depending on the flow of traffic. The hospital is able to conduct 125 tests per day, but that number could expand depending on need.

"The site will be open as long as people need it and as long as we can provide the service," Drummond said.

DEBUNKED: Worst myths and misinformation about coronavirus

She said the tests are not restricted to the elderly or more vulnerable populations and that anyone can get tested as long as they have had a telehealth appointment and exhibit severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fever and cough.

As of Thursday night, the hospital had 80 telehealth visits scheduled for Friday. Drummond said after people are approved for testing, the actual screening process usually takes no more than two minutes and consists of a nasal and throat swab.

In addition to approval from a doctor, patients must bring a valid ID and the required paperwork to get tested.

Patients tested for coronavirus at the site can expect to wait up to 48 hours for results, although that wait time could increase if more patients show up to get tested.

"If more people show up that could delay the result time," Drummond said. "We are getting them as fast as we can."

Yaneth Calderon, Public Health Information Specialist for the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services, said the county is not involved with the Oakbend testing site because they are private clinic but stressed residents should only get tested if they deem it absolutely necessary.

If you dont need to be tested please dont go out," Calderon said. "Supplies are short and we are trying to identify those at higher risk.

To schedule a telehealth visit, call 281-238-7870. The hospital is located at 1705 Jackson Street, Richmond.

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
Until the past week or so, Ive rarely thought of myself as old, at least not in the diminishing way the word is often used.

I work a full-time job, walk 5 miles a day, go to the gym, teach yoga to young theater students and climb three flights of stairs to my condo several times a day. I never kid myself that age is only in the mind  the mirror wont allow that delusion  but I dont feel old in the way my younger self construed the word.

Im guessing a lot of people my age  Im 66  would say the same. We joke about getting old. We know we have more years behind us than we have ahead. Still, were energetic and engaged and hoping to stay that way a while.

But every day since COVID-19 began its sneak attack across the land, people in their 60s and older are summoned to think about how old we really are.

To begin with, we confront the fact that our age puts us in a high-risk category. The warnings come at us daily: People over 60! Caution! Caution! Caution!

Sure, there are perks. Were now eligible for senior hour at the grocery store and elderly and vulnerable hour at Binnys Beverage Depot. But these small advantages (which I havent yet used) further remind us that, welp, 60 may not be the new 40 after all.

For all of us 60-somethings who exercise daily and have eaten healthy our entire lives, this feels like an unimaginable affront to our entire self-image, says my friend Nancy. It is as if we dont know who we are anymore. We dont have our identities as the generation that rebelled against their own parents lifestyle and became a new type of 60 or 70 or 80.

To be clear: Older people with an underlying health condition seem to be at more risk than those without. People over 70 seem to be at higher risk than people in their 60s. And, yes, it gets clearer by the day that young people arent immune.

But no matter how you parse the numbers, being 60 and beyond makes you more vulnerable in this crisis. And the vulnerability isnt only to the virus. Its to dangerous ageist attitudes.

Not long ago, as the virus began its invasion, the mocking meme Boomer Remover started going around on social media. I laughed the first time I saw it because, really, by the time youre old, you gotta laugh at stuff.

But as the number of infections and deaths rises, the virus has stirred a disregard for older people that isnt funny.

President Donald Trump (age 73) has started talking of reopening businesses soon to save the economy, despite the health toll it would almost certainly take. The lieutenant governor of Texas (age 69) echoed Trumps view on Fox News, talking of his willingness to sacrifice his survival so his children and grandchildren can inherit the America he loves.

Frankly, a lot of us old folks probably would sacrifice our survival for the younger people if that would save them and the country from apocalypse. But thats a phony conceit.

On Tuesday, as the hashtag #notdyingforwallstreet was trending on Twitter, Walter Shaub (age 49), former director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, put it this way: Those arguing for us to sacrifice the old, the fragile and the random youth for their profits are convinced their health insurance and conveniences of wealth will save them. If profits really were more important than lives, theyd offer their own lives. Instead, they offer yours.

Yet ageism in the age of coronavirus runs deep. A couple of days ago, I passed one of my neighbors, younger than I am, on the sidewalk. As we stood 6 feet apart and talked, he said we might just have to accept that a lot of old people are going to die, and so be it, if thats what it takes to keep the economy strong.

Maybe he noticed my raised eyebrow because he added that maybe he feels that way because both of his parents have died and he doesnt feel a personal stake in the survival of older people.

But he does have a personal stake. Every generation has a stake in the others.

Thats why the older folks among us, especially the healthy ones, need to do right in this crisis. If we can, we need to make a financial contribution to a charity, a struggling business, a needy individual. We need to heed the stay-at-home orders. We need to listen to the concerns of younger people and consider how else we might help.

Young people, meanwhile, have a personal stake in the handling of this crisis that goes beyond next week or next month. The decisions made now will shape the future of our country and the world, not only economically but morally. These decisions will send a signal about our decency and our humanity.

Young people, take it from your elders: Most of you will be our age one day, too, sooner than you can imagine, and youll be glad for a world where its understood that the problem is not young vs. old.

Mary Schmich is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
An Accra High Court would on Friday, March 27 commence hearing of an application of injunction filed against the National Identification Authority (NIA) over its registration exercise in the Eastern Region.



Meanwhile, the court has granted the State an abridgement of time in relation to the application.



Originally the substantive was to be heard on April 9, this year but following the grant of the abridgement of time, hearing of the interim injunction would commence tomorrow.



The court presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong in granting the application for abridgement was to expedite the action because the matter boarded on human rights.



It, therefore, directed counsels to be prepared to move their applications and affidavits in opposition on Friday, March 27.



Two persons through their lawyers had filed an injunction application arguing that the registration exercise by the NIA was in breach of the Presidents directives and a violation of their fundamental human rights.



Mr. Godfred Dame Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney General contended that the NIA had not violated the Presidents ban on public gathering.



He held that the functions of the NIA were part of the class of services, businesses and workplaces excluded by the ban imposed by the Presidents directive, noting that applicants have no cause of action in respect of which an order of interlocutory injunction ought to be dismissed.



On March 23, this year another High Court in Accra placed a 10-day interim injunction on mass registration in the Eastern Region.



Thirty persons also secured a 10-day injunction against the NIA.



Mr. Kevor Mark-Oliver and Emmanuel Akumatey sued the NIA on the grounds that the continuous registration and issuance of the Ghana card in the Eastern Region had the tendency of spreading the COVID-19 pandemics in the country.



The NIA in a press statement had earlier on suspended the registration in the Eastern Region.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday issued a notification asking police officials and District Magistrates (DMs) to arrange food and shelter for migrant workers who are facing difficulties due to the 21-day lockdown announced to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In the letter, the Yogi Adityanath-led government has asked authorities not to let anyone enter or exit the state before the conclusion of the lockdown.

The DMs have also been asked to submit a daily report on the number of migrants and shelter homes prepared by them.

According to the central government, the cases of COVID-19 are on a rise every day. So far, there have been 640 active cases of novel coronavirus in India, which includes 66 recoveries and 17 fatalities.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 724 on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Is this struggle against the coronavirus now a world war being waged on a global battlefield where the rules of engagement are universally accepted?

Or is it a series of chaotic national battles, with clashing time frames and strategies, that may eventually overwhelm us  one local emergency at a time?

We know the answer to this first question, even if the world now seems indifferent to it.

When the history of this pandemic is ultimately written, its global nature  affecting both our health and economy worldwide  will define it.

But for now, as we fight off the scorching heat of individual battles, its most frightening feature may be that every nation, including Canada, has so far seemed to be on its own.

That, of course, is appalling in this 21st century  since the past 70 years of diplomacy have been devoted to creating an international community that would act together in these very moments of global crisis.

But in this era of Trump, that spirit has broken down, and we have to deal with the remnants that survive.

Towards the end of this week, there were about a half million confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, with more than 22,000 deaths. Canadas numbers were still low but the United States, particularly New York City, had an explosion of new cases and was being regarded as the worlds next hot spot.

What was striking was that so many countries seemed to be at different stages of this crisis. This gave us an eerie ability to look both into the past and into the future of this pandemic as we assess where it is heading.

Given that, what can Canada learn from individual countries about how they have confronted the coronavirus?

Or, to put it another way, what are these messages to us, in some cases, from the grave?

Here are five answers:

From Trumps America: Blood on His Hands

Believe the medical professionals, value human lives over politics, and stop listening to Donald Trump.

Those are three lessons we are learning from a country now bitterly divided into two. One part is led by the key state governors and city mayors who are urging Americans to keep up with strict guidelines. But Trump, for his part, wants life to go back to normal by Easter. A prominent U.S. physician, Dr. Keith Martin, says the president will have blood on his hands if he tries that  but its doubtful that Trump could succeed.

Asia: Mobilize Everyone

Act fast and be tough. Mobilize the entire population. And never let up even if things start to look better.

Those are three lessons from Asia, where the virus was first detected but which also has been most successful in combating it. In South Korea, in particular, the country took control by widespread testing, swift followup tracing and marshalling the support of the public. Dr. Bruce Aylward, Canadian senior adviser to the World Health Organization, describes the Asian approach this way: They have encouraged everyone to show passion, diligence and an extraordinary sense of responsibility.

Italy: Our Darkest Hour

Never, ever, be complacent. Act decisively even if late. And help people keep up their hope until the tide turns.

Those are three lessons from a country that, even more than China, has suffered from this virus. Italys prime minister has called it their darkest hour. Italy was the first European country to discover a serious outbreak, and it was slow to react. As a result, it is now the worlds most-affected country. Italy has since imposed strict measures to control movement  an effective shutdown  but is still experiencing horrific death rates.

Britain: Confused, Dangerous, Flippant

Resist the bizarre urge to treat this as a lark. Believe your health professionals when they predict thousands will die. And get serious.

Three lessons from London although none of them should be a surprise. Why expect something different from the man  Boris Johnson  who pushed Brexit? Until this week, the U.K. handling of the coronavirus has been criticized within Britain as in the rest of Europe as confusing and dangerous. In a speech to the nation this week, Johnson tried to change tack but there is doubt his new approach will be effective. Now, hes tested positive.

Germany: Gravest crisis since WW2

Take pride in early success. Use it to encourage even more discipline and support. But always beware of a second wave.

Germany has achieved considerable success in its battle against the coronavirus. But its chancellor, Angela Merkel, still calls it the countrys gravest crisis since World War II. So far at least, relatively few Germans infected by the virus are actually dying. This is likely due to widespread testing and aggressive efforts to track, test and contain infection clusters. But officials are wary about declaring victory too early since everyone, everywhere fears a second wave.

It has been both remarkable and depressing that so many governments have embarked so aggressively  and relatively on their own  to control the spread of the coronavirus.

It has been remarkable given the enormous human and political risks each of them has been taking without any certainty of success.

But it has also been depressing since they have been largely left to their own devices without benefitting from the international solidarity that has kept this planet from destroying itself in the past century.

In the end, are we doomed? No, not quite yet.

But in the spirit of true Canadian optimism  since yes, this crisis will eventually end  we can only hope that the horrific pain much of the world will experience in the coming weeks will convince its major powers to find ways, once again, to work together.

Tony Burman , formerly head of CBC News and Al Jazeera English, is a freelance contributing foreign affairs columnist for the Star. He is based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyBurman

Read more about:
A. An employer may not disclose the name of the person who has been diagnosed, but they should inform his or her co-workers of the situation so that they can self-monitor for symptoms and take precautions to keep the workplace safe, such as by sanitizing the area or allowing people to work from home if possible. If they fail to take such precautions and someone else gets sick, the employer could open itself up to liability.
A NSW woman, who allegedly offered a child to strangers to be sexually abused, has been charged with sending and producing child abuse material.

The 35-year-old was arrested at her Armidale property, in the state's Northern Tablelands on Thursday.

The woman was arrested by the AFP after she allegedly used a carriage service to transmit and produce child abuse material, while offering the child to strangers for sexual abuse. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

It followed an investigation by Australian Federal Police officers into the woman's recent online activities which involved the alleged abuse of a child known to her.

AFP officers launched an investigation into the woman after a report from a member of the public that a woman was using an international encrypted messaging service to share child abuse material of a child known to her.
If youre struggling to make ends meet, it might have something to do with where you live. It can be tough to stretch even a big paycheck far enough to pay for necessities and have money left over for savings  and a little fun  if youre in a place where the cost of living is high. So, it might be time to move to a place thats more affordable.

In order to help you pinpoint the cheapest places to live, GOBankingRates compared living expenses in 270 of the largest U.S. cities to find out where you can live on less than $5,000 a month  or less than approximately $50,000 a year.

To calculate the income needed to live comfortably in each city, we used the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, in which 50% of income covers necessities, 30% covers discretionary items and 20% is for savings. For necessities, we used the cost of rent, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Then, we doubled the cost of necessities to get the total income needed. Keep reading to see how much money you need to live comfortably in these U.S. cities.

Last updated: Sept. 4, 2020

35. Baltimore

Annual income needed: $49,761.60

Monthly income needed: $4,146.80

If you cant decide if you should live in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., consider the cost of living. The latter is not a city where you can live on $5,000 or less a month, mostly due to high rent costs.

34. Saint Petersburg, Florida

Annual income needed: $49,637.04

Monthly income needed: $4,136.42

Saint Petersburg is one of the cities with the cheapest rent on this list. If you move here, expect to pay nearly $25,000 for necessities and almost $15,000 for splurges. And devote about $10,000 to your savings.

33. Phoenix

Annual income needed: $48,628.96

Monthly income needed: $4,052.41

You can make less than $49,000 in Phoenix and still live comfortably  for now. Phoenix is also one of the cities where the cost of living is expected to soar.

32. Garland, Texas

Story continues

Annual income needed: $48,382.56

Monthly income needed: $4,031.88

Compared to the other cities on the list, Garland has one of the lowest healthcare costs, which is great news for retirees worried about medical expenses. In fact, Garland is one of the best cities to consider for retirement.

31. Savannah, Georgia

Annual income needed: $47,552

Monthly income needed: $3,962.67

The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Savannah is a little over $1,000. If youre thinking about becoming a homeowner instead, consider buying a vacation home in this Southern city. Savannah is one of the best cities for vacation homes.

30. Richmond, Virginia

Annual income needed: $47,437.76

Monthly income needed: $3,953.15

Less than $24,000 is needed for necessities in Richmond, and you need only about $14,000 for splurges. Factor in savings, and you can live well making less than $48,000 in Richmond.

29. Mesa, Arizona

Annual income needed: $47,230.40

Monthly income needed: $3,935.87

The low cost of living in this Phoenix suburb makes it possible to cover the cost of necessities, savings and discretionary spending if you make less than $4,000 a month. In fact, its one of the best cities to live in if you make minimum wage, according to a previous GOBankingRates study. The average cost of basic utilities in Phoenix is among the lowest in this study.

28. Kansas City, Missouri

Annual income needed: $46,655.68

Monthly income needed: $3,887.97

Kansas City is one of the major cities in America where you can find rent for under $1,000. Thats partially why its one of the best cities for those making less than $50,000. Total annual necessities will cost you about $23,000.

27. Arlington, Texas

Annual income needed: $45,742.24

Monthly income needed: $3,811.85

In Arlington, necessities will cost you less than $23,000 a year, largely thanks to low rent  a median one-bedroom apartment comes in at around $965.

26. Albany, New York

Annual income needed: $44,827.68

Monthly income needed: $3,735.64

Albany is one of the cheapest major cities in New York. However, living costs could potentially go up in the future in this city. Tech jobs are on the rise here, and some even believe Albany is one of the cities that could be the next Silicon Valley.

From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America

25. Omaha, Nebraska

Annual income needed: $44,816.64

Monthly income needed: $3,734.72

Omaha is another one of the best minimum wage cities in America, according to a separate GOBankingRates study. In this study, it scored well thanks to a rent that comes in at less than $900 a month.

24. Madison, Wisconsin

Annual income needed: $44,771.76

Monthly income needed: $3,730.98

In Madison, you can live on less than $3,800 a month. Among all the cities on this list, Madison has some of the lowest grocery costs at $276.94 a month.

23. St. Louis

Annual income needed: $44,492.24

Monthly income needed: $3,707.69

You can get by on less than $50,000 a year in this city thanks to its affordable cost of living. The median monthly rent is just $895, basic monthly utilities cost $168, and the average monthly cost of groceries is $331.04.

22. Buffalo, New York

Annual income needed: $44,473.12

Monthly income needed: $3,706.09

Buffalo is one of the cities getting poorer in America  and its one of the cheapest as well. Monthly rent is only $900, and the annual cost of gas is one of the lowest in these rankings at $1,763.

21. Columbia, South Carolina

Annual income needed: $43,939.60

Monthly income needed: $3,661.63

Total annual necessities will cost less than $22,000, or $1,830 a month to be exact. According to the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, expect to spend about $13,000 a year on splurges and put aside approximately $9,000 for savings.

20. San Antonio

Annual income needed: $43,460.40

Monthly income needed: $3,621.70

Although San Antonio is one of the cities where you can live on $50,000 or less, that might not hold true for long. In a separate GOBankingRates study, the Texas city was among the 10 places in America where the cost of living is rising.

19. Las Vegas

Annual income needed: $43,454.96

Monthly income needed: $3,621.25

Las Vegas still is one of the most affordable places to live. The costs of healthcare, utilities and groceries are cheaper here than in most cities on our list.

18. Oklahoma City

Annual income needed: $42,908.56

Monthly income needed: $3,575.71

Oklahoma City offers plenty of big-city amenities without big-city costs. For example, it has one of the lowest rents at just $700 a month.

17. Louisville, Kentucky

Annual income needed: $42,448

Monthly income needed: $3,573.33

Louisville is one of the best cities to live on a salary of $50,000 or less. In fact, you can live here on less than $43,000. It has one of the lowest costs for utilities at approximately $142 a month.

16. Memphis, Tennessee

Annual income needed: $42,260.16

Monthly income needed: $3,521.68

Memphis is one the best places to live on $50,000 or less, largely thanks to the lower cost of utilities and rent. In fact, Memphis is one of the best big cities for renters. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment is only $754.

15. Newark, New Jersey

Annual income needed: $41,948.56

Monthly income needed: $3,495.71

Newark is the first city on this list where you can live on less than $42,000 a year. But youll likely need a higher salary if you want to be a homeowner instead of a renter; Newark is one of the top 20 cities where home prices are skyrocketing.

See: The Most Expensive Countries To Live In

14. Columbus, Ohio

Annual income needed: $41,750.96

Monthly income needed: $3,479.25

Ohios capital doesnt come with a big-city cost of living. It requires an annual income of just $41,750.96 to live comfortably here, and its also one of the best places to retire. Plus, it has the No. 2 lowest cost of gas at $1,498 a year  but Newarks cost is even lower at $803.

13. Tucson, Arizona

Annual income needed: $41,297.84

Monthly income needed: $3,441.49

Low rent, gas and utility costs make Tucson one of the best cities to live on a $50,000 salary. The median monthly rent in this city is only $614. Thats a key reason why Tucson is one of the cities where you can realistically live on minimum wage.

12. Billings, Montana

Annual income needed: $41,025.52

Monthly income needed: $3,418.79

You can live on less than $5,000 a month in Billings. The city has the No. 2 lowest monthly cost of utilities at $104 and one of the cheapest rents at $675.

11. Rochester, New York

Annual income needed: $40,799.68

Monthly income needed: $3,399.97

The cost of living in Rochester is much lower than in the states biggest city: New York. You need just $40,800 a year  or $3,400 a month  to live in this city. Its also an affordable place for retirees, ranking as one of the cheapest places to retire in the U.S.

10. Indianapolis

Annual income needed: $40,726.80

Monthly income needed: $3,393.90

Although its the capital of Indiana, Indianapolis is one of the cities where your paycheck stretches the furthest. The median monthly rent is just $775. And the average monthly cost of groceries is among the lowest on this list at $335.

9. Tulsa, Oklahoma

Annual income needed: $40,075.04

Monthly income needed: $3,339.59

Low housing costs are a big reason why Tulsa is one of the cheapest places to live. Its median monthly rent of just $595 is the second-lowest on this list.

8. Wichita, Kansas

Annual income needed: $39,387.20

Monthly income needed: $3,282.27

It doesnt take big bucks to live in Wichita. In fact, you can live here making less than $40,000 year, or about $3,300 a month. It takes only about $19,700 to cover the cost of necessities here, thanks in large part to a low median monthly rent of $679.

7. Cincinnati

Annual income needed: $39,036.80

Monthly income needed: $3,253.07

Health insurance costs in Cincinnati are among the lowest on our list, and other affordable necessities make it possible to live here on an income of less than $40,000, let alone $50,000.

6. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Annual income needed: $38,086.08

Monthly income needed: $3,172.34

Albuquerque is easily one of the cities where you can live on $50,000 a year or less. The average monthly health insurance premium of $224 is the lowest on our list. The median monthly rent is $749, and other necessary costs are low enough to get by on approximately $38,000 a year.

5. Lexington, Kentucky

Annual income needed: $37,729.04

Monthly income needed: $3,144.09

Lexington is one of the cities with high salaries and low living costs. With a median monthly rent of $750, housing costs are only $9,000 a year. Combined with other necessities, discretionary expenses and savings, it would take an income of roughly $38,000 to live comfortably here.

4. Fresno, California

Annual income needed: $37,465.52

Monthly income needed: $3,122.17

In California, you typically need to earn a lot to afford rent and other living expenses. But Fresno is much more affordable. In fact, it takes an income of just $37,466 to cover the cost of necessities, savings and discretionary expenses.

3. Detroit

Annual income needed: $34,808.64

Total income needed: $2,900.72

Detroit is one of the cheapest places to live, with rent costing just $600 a month and healthcare costing about $230. Its also one of the most tax-friendly cities in America, according to a separate GOBankingRates study.

2. El Paso, Texas

Annual income needed: $34,692.56

Monthly income needed: $2,891.05

You can live comfortably for well below $50,000 a year, or $5,000 a month, in El Paso. It has the second-lowest median rent at $595, as well as low grocery and utility costs.

1. Springfield, Missouri

Annual income needed: $33,175.60

Monthly income needed: $2,764.63

Springfields median monthly rent of $495  the lowest on our list  makes it one of the most affordable places to live in the U.S. Other costs are low enough that you can live comfortably here on approximately $33,000 a year, or about $2,800 a month.

More From GOBankingRates

Sydney Champion contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed monthly living expenses in the 270 most populous U.S. cities, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. This cost-of-living comparison included the following factors for a single person: (1) housing, using the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in each city, sourced from Zillows May 2018 rental index; (2) groceries, using the recommended amount reported by cost-of-living database Numbeo.com for each city; (3) utilities for a 915-square-foot apartment in each city, according to cost estimates from Numbeo.com; (4) annual gas costs, according to New H+T Index for each city or its nearest metropolitan area; and (5) health insurance premiums as estimated at the state level for 2017 by the Department of Health and Human Services. Monthly costs were totaled and multiplied by 12 to get the annual dollar cost of necessities in each city. This dollar amount for necessities was then doubled to find the actual annual income needed to live comfortably in the city, assuming a person is following the 50/30/20 budgeting guideline, which requires an income double the cost of necessities. The amount of money specified for savings is equal to 20 percent of the total income needed, and the amount specified for discretionary spending is equal to 30 percent of the total income needed.

Data is accurate as of April 16, 2019, and is subject to change.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 35 Cities Where You Can Afford To Live on Less Than $50,000
An Accra High Court has ruled that the National Identification Authority (NIA) is entitled to continue with its work of registering Ghanaians.

Court of Appeal judge Anthony Oppong who is sitting as an additional High Court judge held that the application for an injunction is based on a grievous error and misunderstanding of the President's social distancing directive. The court then proceeds to dismiss the substantive case as well.

Two citizens Mark Oliver Kevor and Emmanuel Okrah filed a case in court asking that the NIA be stopped from carrying out its registration exercise.

They maintain the exercise is contrary to the social distancing directives issued by President Akufo-Addo in the wake of the Covid-19 cases recorded in Ghana.

A different division of the High Court presided over by Justice Daniel Mensah on March 23 granted a similar request filed by businessman Prince Tabi and 29 others.

This injunction is to be in force for the next 10 days since March 23. The NIA has since Saturday morning called of its exercise citing the application filed by Kevor and others.

The AG's office which is joined as a defendant in this action filed two applications in court.

The first asking the court to hear the injunction motion filed by the two citizens earlier than usual. The other asking the court to dismiss the application for an injunction.

Lawyer for the two citizens Nii Kpapko Samoa Addo on Thursday urged the court to dismiss the request to have the case heard earlier than usual.

He maintained the rules of court required that they be served with such an application three days before the court date.

He also argued that the High Court differently constituted had already granted an injunction in respect of the same facts.

Deputy Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame disagreed maintaining the state's request is legal. He also urged the court to disregard the reference to a granted injunction since that was not a matter before the court.

Justice Anthony Oppong in Favour if the Deputy AG allowing the case to be heard on Friday, March 27, instead of April 9.

Friday hearing

When the case was called on Friday at 9:30 am lawyer for the two citizens and the Deputy AG were not in court.

Lawyer for the NIA Kwaku Asirifi was however present with a Senior State Attorney Yvonne Bannerman representing the Deputy AG whom she said was on his way.

Plaintiffs want to withdraw case

Lawyers for the plaintiffs Nii Kpapko Samoa Addo had on Thursday told Evans Mensah on Newsnight on Joy FM that he will withdraw the case on Friday.

Justice Oppong after observing the absence of the lawyers indicated that he has seen a copy of a request seeking to withdraw the case.

He whoever said he will proceed to rule on the injunction application. Justice Oppong said the case of the two citizens hinged on the President's directives on social distancing.

He said the court had extensively studied that address and concluded that it did not bar the NIA from continuing its work.

He also held that their rights to register have not been breached since the Ghana card was not the only means of been registered as a voter.

He said the refusal of the two citizens to participate in the registration amounts to a subjective decision and not a breach of their rights since they can actually acquire the card later on.

He described the case of the plaintiff as a drunken giant walking on the lips of a mosquito, it is bound to fall, he concluded.

He proceeded to not only dismiss the injunction but dismissed the substantive case as well.

Drama after ruling

Deputy AG Godfred Yeboah Dame and Nii Samoa Addo walked in just minutes before Justice Oppong concluded his ruling.

Justice Oppong indicated to Mr Addo he had proceeded to rule on the injunction because he had not been around to move his motion asking that he's allowed to discontinue the case.

The Deputy AG pointed out to the court that the rules of the court required that the lawyers actually inform the court and ask for permission to discontinue the case.

A banter then ensued between Mr Dame and Mr Addo with the former remarking that the courtroom is not a market so he should be allowed to conclude his address to the court.

Mr Dame proceeded to draw the court's attention to a Facebook post he said Mr.Addo had made. Mr Addo will have none of that and rose to interject. The judge asked the two lawyers to calm down.

The Deputy AG proceeded to state that he had been attacked in the media for simply defending the state and now that the court had agreed with him, he won't even bother to ask for cost.

The NIA's lawyer however asked for the cost of 20,000 to be slapped on each of the plaintiffs. Justice Oppong granted a cost of 6,000 against the two citizens.

myjoyonline
Two people were killed and four others were injured in separate Huntsville shootings that happened during an eight-hour span from Thursday night into Friday morning.

In a deadly shooting at a motorcycle club, two men were killed and two others were wounded, according to Huntsville police. Officers were called around 11:30 p.m. Thursday to investigate a report of shots fired at the club at 6500 Mastin Lake Road, Suite B. The names of the two slain men arent yet being released. The men who were killed or injured were between the ages of 38-53, according to a police report.

Huntsville police Chief Mark McMurray said the shooting involved two motorcycle groups with nearby offices.

Theyve been arguing for some time, and this just erupted last night, the chief said when asked about the case at a press event this morning. It finally came to a boil.

The chief said hes reviewing body camera video to pinpoint how many people were gathered at the scene and to determine whether the group was in violation of the emergency health order issued by Gov. Kay Ivey.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabama is under a statewide order that prohibits gatherings of 25 or more people or any gatherings of any size in which people cant stay six feet apart.

The chief said as of Friday morning, he believed the gathering at the motorcycle club may have included more than 25 people.

McMurray said if the group was in violation of the state health order, he will ask Mayor Tommy Battle to revoke their business licenses, if they have them. AL.com has requested a comment from the mayors office and information about whether the groups had business licenses.

Im not real happy with them gathering, McMurray said. Before you know it, youve got a large crowd and they didnt get along. And you saw what happened  guns (came) out.

McMurray said the police department will also consider whether the individuals who were at the scene could be cited for violating the health order.

Police were serving search warrants and expected to make arrests in connection with the case by this afternoon.

About four hours before the motorcycle club shooting, a woman suffered minor injuries in a drive-by shooting at the Fuel City gas station at 3705 Drake Avenue S.W. It happened Thursday around 7:30 p.m. Further details about that incident werent available.

Huntsville police were again called to investigate a shooting around 3:30 a.m. Friday after a woman was shot and ran to the Circle K gas station at the corner of Jordan Lane and Holmes Avenue. The woman suffered minor injuries, Lt. Michael Johnson said. Further details werent available.
Coronavirus emergency sees temporary closure of Rome's English-speaking seminaries.

Italy's total shutdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of Catholic seminaries and pontifical universities in Rome, with many student priests returning to their homes and dioceses.

The Pontifical North American College (NAC) seminary on the Janiculum Hill has sent its students back to the US, according to the Catholic News Agency (CNA) which quoted the college's rector Fr Peter Harman as saying the decision had been made in consultation with the seminarys board of governors. Harman told CNA that about 20 students would remain at the seminary, with the faculty, as they are unable to get home or would not have a place to self-quarantine.

The Venerable English College (VEC) on Via di Monserrato is closed until further notice, and its students have gone back to the UK. The vice rector Fr John Flynn told Wanted in Rome by email that the college is awaiting directives from the British and Italian governments, saying: "we hope to have everyone back as soon as is safe and possible."

The Pontifical Scots College, on the Via Cassia, is also closed. The college's rector, Fr Daniel Fitzpatrick, told Wanted in Rome by email: "We made the decision to send the seminarians home over two weeks ago when it was first announced that the schools and universities were to close." Fitzpatrick said that the college felt that the seminarians would be "safer dispersed than all together in the college", adding that a couple of the staff members have stayed behind at the college whose community is praying "for an end to this sad situation."

Canon Philip Gillespie, rector of the Pontifical Beda College, told Wanted in Rome by email that as soon as the first decree was issued on 9 March, the seminarians were offered the choice to remain at the college or return to their respective dioceses/countries. Under the guidance of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, the Beda is located on the Aventine Hill and is for English-speaking seminarians aged upwards of 30. Gillespie said that about half of the students chose to go home and that there are presently 15 seminarians and five members of the teaching/formation staff resident at the college. "We are maintaining the academic timetable through the use of Skype, Zoom and other on-line platforms", Gillespie said.

The office of the Pontifical Irish College, on the Coelian hill, has been closed since 13 March, along with public access to Sunday Mass, until further notice. The college's formation director John Coughlan told Wanted in Rome by email that the community is abiding by the government's decree, as well as the various communiques from the Vatican and the Diocese of Rome, saying: "Those seminarians, and others, who had the option to leave Rome have done so some weeks ago. Approximately half of the residents of the College remain in Rome, including all of the Irish staff members."

Image credit: Catholic News Agency (CNA). File photo of seminarians from Rome's North American College praying the rosary in St Peter's Square, 13 March 2016.
A senior writes an couplets in support of China's fight against the novel coronavirus at the annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles, the United States, Feb. 15, 2020. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China hopes for the U.S. side to take practical and effective measures to safeguard the safety and health of Chinese citizens in the United States.

In a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, Xi noted that there are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students.

The Chinese president also urged the United States to take substantive actions in improving bilateral relations.

He suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
ITHACA, N.Y. -- An employee at the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport has tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, according to the Tompkins County Health Department.

The employee works for a private contractor at the airport, which contacted Tompkins County officials yesterday.

The Health Department is undertaking an investigation to identify anyone who has come into close contact with the employee. The person has been quarantined at home since getting tested on Sunday, March 22, according to the Health Department.

A worker at the airport said Friday morning that several other people at the airport had been tested in recent days and were under quarantine while awaiting test results.

As of Thursday afternoon there were 32 known cases of coronavirus in Tompkins County.

Last week, a worker at the Hancock International Airport in Syracuse tested positive as well. That person is also under quarantine.

Onondaga County officials said they were confident they had been in touch with everyone that worker came into contact with.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS
San Francisco, March 27 : Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, global tech hospitality platform Airbnb has announced it will work with its network of hosts to help provide temporary housing to 1,00,000 COVID-19 responders and healthcare professionals.

According to the new programme, Airbnb hosts can opt to open their homes for free through the company's emergency-housing Open Homes platform, created in 2012.

Airbnb also said it will waive all fees for any guest's stay if hosts can't offer their residences for free, CNET reported on Thursday.

"Medical workers and first responders are providing lifesaving support during the coronavirus outbreak and we want to help," Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia was quoted as saying said by CNET.

In Italy and France, at least 6,000 Airbnb hosts have already made their homes available for doctors, nurses, caregivers and other medical support staff in two pilot programmes.
Magomedov brothers to stay detained till late June in embezzlement case

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

18:13 27/03/2020

MOSCOW, March 27 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court on Friday extended detention of the Magomedov brothers involved in a case over embezzlement of 2.5 billion rubles (about $40 million) and criminal group creation for three months, RAPSI was told in the courts press service.

They will remain detained until June 30.

Summa Group owner Ziyavudin Magomedov, his brother Magomed are charged with creation of a criminal group, embezzlement of 2.5 billion rubles from the state budget and withdrawal of some of these assets abroad, investigators claim. Magomed Magomedov is also accused of illegal weapon possession.

In November 2018, it was discovered that Ziyavudin Magomedov and his brother had been additionally charged with stealing 300 million rubles ($4.6 million) during the construction of a highway in South Siberia in September 2014.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Moreover, according to investigators, French authorities have opened a tax evasion case against ex-wife of Ziyavudin Magomedov Olga, who owns several restaurants in France. No other details have been disclosed.
Amid rising cases of COVID 19 in the country, and a 21-day lockdown, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musilmeen (AIMIM) has urged Muslims to offer Zuhur at home instead of praying Jumah at mosques. "Don't come out for congregational prayers & stay at homes. It is mandatory upon all to avoid causing harm to their fellow citizens." AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also urged people to follow the lockdown. He said that the only way people can get ahead in the fight against coronavirus is by practicing social distancing & preventing larger gatherings.

PM Modi leads the COVID-19 fight at G20 virtual summit, statement accessed

It is need of the hour that people offer prayers at their homes and follow the advisory regarding the #CoronavirusLockdown: Mukarram Ahmed, Imam Fatehpuri Masjid (26.03.2020) https://t.co/t18gK5yTIc pic.twitter.com/WMtn5p1TWs  ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2020

My appeal to all Muslims is to offer Zuhur prayers tomorrow at home & to not congregate



The only way we can get ahead in this fight is by practicing social distancing & preventing larger gatherings https://t.co/jsoSJI1fNJ  Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 26, 2020

Mamata Banerjee writes to 18 CMs, seeks relief for WB people stuck amid COVID-19 lockdown

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, asper the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

(image from PTI)
Photo: James Willamor/Flickr

Here's what you need to know about what's happening in Durham.

NC Rep. MaryAnn Black, former Durham County commissioner, dies at 76

North Carolina Rep. MaryAnn Black, who prominently served in the Durham community, died at the age of 76 on Thursday. Black served as a Durham County commissioner from 1990 to 2002.

Read the full story on ABC11 WTVD.

Body found in street downtown

Police responded to the scene at 111 N. Corcoran St., in front of the 21C Hotel, around 1 a.m. on Thursday. They found a person in the middle of the street.

Read the full story on WRAL TV.

Durham startup launches remote COVID-19 symptom monitoring tool to limit exposure

A Durham startup believes its new platform could be useful for companies trying to monitor the health of front-line workers potentially exposed to COVID-19.

Read the full story on The News & Observer.

Triangle doctors express frustrations on social media over governments COVID-19 response

Some doctors from the Triangle are taking to social media to vent their frustrations about the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Read the full story on WNCN.

Printing company turning fabric into protective equipment for health care workers, emergency personnel

The colorful creations printed at Spoonflower normally outfit bedspreads and pillows. Now the designs are being used in the fight against COVID-19.

Read the full story on WNCN.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
Signs are creeping out of a feared but widely predicted "second wave" of the deadly coronavirus outbreak in the country where it all started, with other Asian countries also seeing worrying trends in their battles against the global pandemic.

For more than a week, imported cases have dominated China's official figures, with none of the locally passed cases that could spark a new chain of transmission reported for several days.

Daily cases of new coronavirus infections of all kind -- most of them returning travelers -- have reportedly been under 100 since March 19, the first day authorities cited no local transmissions since the pathogen erupted in the world's most populous country in December.

But mainland China reported its first locally transmitted infection in three days on March 26 as it ordered the closing of its international borders to foreigners, even those with residency permits.

That case and other indications of local transmission of the coronavirus in the country -- where it first made the jump from animals to humans, probably in November -- have come as the global case count has swelled to more than 500,000 and the U.S. and Italian infection counts have surpassed official Chinese figures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other infectious-disease experts have repeatedly warned that China and other countries must be extremely vigilant against new chains of local infection that could quickly spiral out of control.

No Testing, No Cases

Compounding fears, doubts have dogged China's statistics despite an assurance from a joint UN-Chinese epidemiological mission in late February that the country's "numbers are real."

Scattered reports have leaked out of the country this month hinting at the possible suppression of infection numbers by simply refusing to test people who fear they might be ill.

Hong Kong's public broadcaster quoted a local volunteer in Wuhan, the Chinese epicenter of the virus, on March 23 accusing hospital staff there of turning away "coronavirus patients" and avoiding testing sick people in what he said was "a political treatment, not medical treatment."

The South China Morning Post reported on a Wuhan woman whose husband died in her arms in early March, five days after being reclassified as "cured" and getting sent to a temporary COVID-19 medical center before his release.

China's communist government has famously tight restrictions on the media and Internet and jailed or otherwise silenced doctors and others who sounded alarm bells early in the pandemic.

And despite having been forced to apologize for ignoring an infected doctor who died trying to blow the whistle on the coronavirus outbreak in January, Chinese officials are now accused of persecuting another critic of their handling of the crisis.

Radio Free Asia said on March 26 that an influential Chinese real-estate tycoon, Ren Zhiqiang, was under investigation after penning an open letter that appeared to be highly critical of President Xi Jinping and the official response to COVID-19.

Closing Borders

Reflecting concern of renewed outbreaks after the initial impact, the WHO-Chinese report last month advised "a clear recognition and readiness of the need to immediately react to any new COVID-19 cases or clusters as key elements of the containment strategy are lifted."

Chinese officials are said to be taking steps to stem a possible second wave, even as they further relaxed restrictions this week on shop closures and going outside in Hubei Province, where Wuhan is located.

China on March 26 barred virtually all foreigners, including residents, from entering the country in an apparent signal that they regard the outside world as the biggest coronavirus threat.

The same day, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Xi hours after he again accused Beijing of falsifying or otherwise muddling its infection numbers during a White House press conference.

State media said Xi had insisted to Trump that Chinese authorities were being transparent with their testing.

Trump emerged from their conversation tweeting that "China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus," in a rare reference that didn't qualify the coronavirus with the word "China" or "Chinese," a habit that has outraged Beijing. "We are working closely together. Much respect!"

Meanwhile, infection figures are surging in some of mainland China's near neighbors that have most successfully repelled the coronavirus so far, including Hong Kong and Taiwan.

China's specially governed region of Hong Kong on March 27 reported its biggest daily jump in cases to date, prompting it to slap tighter limits on gatherings to no more than four people and close many public venues.

Farther away, in South Korea, where officials have been hailed for their quick and comprehensive response to limit infections to under 10,000 from the initial wave, Seoul on March 27 was desperately urging citizens to avoid gatherings.
VICTORIABritish Columbias provincial health officer says shes starting to see glimmers of hope in an apparent shift toward flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases in the province.

The provincial government released its current and worst-case scenario data on the COVID-19 pandemic Friday. The numbers show the province more closely mirrors the South Korean experience rather than the situation in Italy.

Data suggests travel restrictions and physical distancing are beginning to have an impact. The trajectory of new cases in B.C. changed from a 24 per cent average daily increase to 12 per cent as of March 21.

Im trying not to over-call it but I do believe weve seen a flattening, a falling off of that curve, Dr. Bonnie Henry told a news conference.

I think it is working and I want to tell people what you are doing is making a difference and we need to keep it up for the next coming weeks.

She warned that B.C. is still vulnerable to outbreaks and clusters of cases. The province expects to announce new cases over the coming weeks, she said, so vigilance is crucial.

There have been places where physical distancing was relaxed too soon and cases have risen again, she said.

British Columbia has often led the country in the number of cases reported since the novel coronavirus was first identified in Canada. However, Henry said she believes the models show the province is looking at a lower growth rate of cases because of the early mitigation measures it took.

A model for the rest of Canada shows daily case increases stood at an average of 31 per cent but rose to 39 per cent when Quebec started including probable cases in its reports.

Canadian governments have had the benefit of learning from the experience of other countries and have prepared accordingly, Dix said.

Emergency response began almost two months ago on Jan. 28 in B.C. and health authorities have been working together for two months to develop a strategy to increase their resources to cope with the pandemic.

But the governments modelling indicates there are situations where the health-care system could be overwhelmed.

In the worst-case scenario of a situation similar to northern Italy, hospitals would be short by about 1,778 acute-care beds at the peak of demand. But Dix said additional beds could be added outside hospitals to fill the gap.

The decision to defer scheduled surgeries put B.C. in position to respond to an epidemic level like the one in the Chinese province of Hubei, the government said, although that could vary in different regions of the province.

The province is working with paramedics to transfer patients if necessary.

B.C. appears to have enough ventilators in most scenarios that were modelled, based on an assumption that the machines will be required for 80 per cent of those in intensive care. Once again, there are regional variations on the availability of ventilators in the different scenarios that were modelled.

There are an estimated 348 critical care ventilators available and an additional 120 have been ordered since March 5. Those figures do not include spaces capable of providing ventilator care, such as neonatal units, or the transport of patients. When all available ventilators are included, B.C. counts more than 1,200.

Dix said plans based on severe case models put British Columbia in the best position to respond.

We are preparing for that scenario regardless of whether its the most likely scenario or not, he said.

What were doing here and what were presenting here is not what we expect to happen. There will be a B.C. epidemic here, a B.C. COVID-19 situation that will develop. But what we wanted to do was prepare should that situation be as bad as places such as Hubei and Italy. And we have been preparing for months.

Read more about:
The Surgeon General warned on Friday that some states would still be battling coronavirus by Labor Day as he became the latest expert to discredit President Trump's Easter deadline to stamp out the virus.

Dr. Jerome Adams spoke during an appearance on Good Morning America where he said the reality is that while some states will overcome the pandemic first, it will travel throughout the country gradually.

The situation will not be over by April 12 - Easter - and some communities may still be battling it in September, he said.

'Everyone's timeline is going to be different. Some places haven't hit their peak yet.

'We're trying to give people the testing data to make informed choices. It doesn't matter if it's Easter, Memorial Day or Labor Day.

'We know we want people to be thinking about what they can do now to get through as few deaths and hospitalizations as possible,' he said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday morning that the city may be closed until the end of May.

A study by the University of Washington School of Medicine found also said the pandemic in the US would last until June, and that it may kill as many as 81,000 by then - even taking social distancing into account.

Scroll down for video

Dr. Jerome Adams spoke during an appearance on Good Morning America where he said the reality is that while some states will overcome the pandemic first

We speak with @Surgeon_General Jerome Adams about whether the slow the spread initiative is working and how restrictions may vary for different areas of the country as the United States tops the world in cases. https://t.co/Y7dKQRF9le pic.twitter.com/57FXJ2S8Bh  Good Morning America (@GMA) March 27, 2020

While the US is behind China and South Korea by around seven weeks, he said the evidence in those two countries suggests the steps being taken now are working.

'We know it's working. We know that China and South Korea are reopening,' he said.

President Trump has suggested implementing stricter rules in some states and cities that are battling the virus while allowing others to relax their lockdown rules.

Dr. Adams said it could work if local governments cooperated.

'The way it works is through cooperation.

'The authority lies at the state level. Nineteen of the 50 states in the country have been testing and documented persistently low spread.

'We want to make sure those places know what the situation is. So that if they're in a high risk area, they're taking appropriate precautions.

President Trump suggested earlier this week that the country could reopen by April 12

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House's authorative voice on the virus, said the president made that deadline to give people hope but that it was not necessarily realistic

The US has now overtaken Italy with the number of new coronavirus cases per day

As of Thursday, 1,300 people had died in the US as a result of the virus

'If you're in a low risk area, it doesn't mean that you stop washing your hands or that you stop social distancing.

'It just means you may not be in total lockdown like New York or California,' he said.

On Thursday, Dr. Anthony Fauci - the highest authority on the disease in the White House's task force - said the president's April deadline was designed to give people hope.

'I think what the President was trying to do, he was making an aspirational projection to give people some hope,' Fauci said of the proposed April 12 target date on CNN Thursday night.

'But he's listening to us when we say that we've really got to reevaluate it in real time, and any decision we make has to be based on the data,' Fauci continued.

'When you have a situation when the cases today compared to tomorrow is increased dramatically and then the next day is increased dramatically, that's no time to pull back,' he said

Coronavirus could kill 81,000 people in the US over the next four months even if social distancing lockdowns WORK - and the worst of outbreak may not subside until June, analysis finds

An analysis as found that the coronavirus pandemic could kill 81,000 in the US over the next four months

Deaths ranged from as low as around 38,000 to as high as around 162,000

The team suggests it may not subside until June or even July, but by then deaths should be below 10 per day

Americans need to follow guidelines such as social distancing and staying home for this to work, researchers say

In the US, more than 86,000 people have been infected and more than 1,000 people have died

The coronavirus pandemic could kill more than 81,000 Americans over the next four months and may not subside until June, a new analysis suggests.

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine predict that the number of US deaths could vary widely, ranging from as low as around 38,000 to as high as around 162,000.

The number of hospitalized patients is expected to peak nationally by the second week of April, though the peak may come later in some states.

Some people could continue to die of the virus as late as July, although deaths should be below epidemic levels of 10 per day by June at the latest, according to the analysis.

However, the team says that this is only if people follow local and federal guidelines and stay indoors.

As of Thursday, 1,300 people had died in the US as a result of the virus .Researchers say the coronavirus pandemic could kill 81,000 Americans over the next four months.

The US has now overtaken Italy with a higher number of new coronavirus cases per day

The number of new cases per day in the US is also now much higher than China ever admitted

For the analysis, the team analyzed data from the local and federal government, hospital and other sources.

Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, said the variance in deaths is due in part to disparate rates of the spread of the virus in different regions.

For example, the virus had spread quite rapidly in New York City but has been slow in several Midwest and Mountain states.

The duration of the virus means there may be a need for social distancing measures for longer than initially expected, Dr Murray, who led the study said.

However, he added that the country may eventually be able relax restrictions if it can more effectively test and quarantine the sick.

The analysis also highlights the strain that will be placed on hospitals.

At the epidemic's peak, sick patients could exceed the number of available hospital beds by 64,000 and could require the use of around 20,000 ventilators.

Ventilators are already running short in hard-hit places like New York City. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that New York State needs 30,000.

The virus is spreading more slowly in California, which could mean that peak cases there will come later in April and social distancing measures will need to be extended in the state for longer, Murray said.

Louisiana and Georgia are predicted to see high rates of contagion and could see a particularly high burden on their local healthcare systems, he added.

The analysis assumes close adherence to infection prevention measures imposed by federal, state and local governments.

'The trajectory of the pandemic will change - and dramatically for the worse - if people ease up on social distancing or relax with other precautions,' Dr Murray said in a statement.

The analysis comes as confirmed coronavirus cases in the US continue to mount, with the World Health Organization saying the country has the potential to become the world's new epicenter of the virus.

Globally, the virus has infected more than half a million people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Impact of COVID-19 on Students' College Plans It is said time heals all wounds but for this class of high school students, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted their senior year traditions and celebrations, but possibly changed their college plans and possibly the direction of their lives. Reetu Gupta, CEO Cirkled In

A new survey conducted by Cirkled In, an online college recruitment platform based on students' holistic portfolios, revealed that college-bound young adults are reconsidering their higher education options as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic is creating huge new barriers to high school seniors path to college and possibly dashing those hopes and dreams entirely.

This national survey garnered an overwhelming response of over 1,100 respondents from all over the United States. Students were asked to assess to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their college plans, family finances, and career outlook.

Some of the survey findings:



22% of students are rethinking their original plans for college.

69% of students foresee COVID-19 impacting their higher education financial situation

More than 25% of students think COVID-19 will impact their college location decision

The biggest reason cited for change in plans was the sudden and drastic change in their family financial positions. Even though 78% students claim no change in their college plans, over 69% of surveyed students report a significant change in their financial situation for college.

Changes in plans varied from the location of their college of choice to attending a community college or completely dropping their pursuit of a higher education and entering the workforce. With young adults and their parents losing their jobs, 529 plans and 401K plan plummeting, financial stability is in question for many.

Reetu Gupta, CEO of Cirkled In said, as the length of uncertainty is prolonged and the economic impact increases, more students and families will be forced to rethink their plans.

More than one-fourth of respondents say that COVID-19 has forced them to rethink the proximity of their original college choice due to their fluid and ever-changing financial situation and family dynamics.

If anything, this social distancing has brought families closer. Many students are thinking about staying close to home, going to in-state colleges or even community college so they can be closer to the family, concerned that something like COVID-19 could happen again.

The survey yielded hundreds of heart-breaking comments:

I just hope I can go to college and have a normal college experience. This means in person classes, on campus housing, and on campus resources/organizations. I just want a normal college experience since Ive already missed out on a normal high school experience.

Read more about findings of this survey on Cirkled In blog. Detailed survey results can also be accessed at this Cirkled In Page.

The survey continues to run and can be accessed here.

Reetu Gupta, CEO of Cirkled In added her thoughts on the results of the survey, It is said time heals all wounds but for this class of high school students, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted their senior year traditions and celebrations, but possibly changed their college plans and possibly the direction of their lives.

About Cirkled In

Cirkled In is an award-winning 21st-century college recruitment platform, matching colleges and universities with the best-fit students, based on students rich, holistic portfolios. Students compile all their activities and showcase themselves in the best possible way to get discovered and recruited by colleges and universities. Cirkled In creates a win-win by making the best-fit match resulting in improved enrollment, retention and graduation rates. Cirkled In was awarded "Top 10 Companies in US" by American Business Awards and also won two Peoples Choice Awards for Favorite New Product.

Follow Cirkled In on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest.
By Associated Press

TEHRAN: Standing over the still body of an intubated 5-year-old boy wearing nothing but a plastic diaper, an Iranian health care worker in a hazmat suit and mask begged the public for just one thing: Stop drinking industrial alcohol over fears about the new coronavirus.

The boy, now blind after his parents gave him toxic methanol in the mistaken belief it protects against the virus, is just one of hundreds of victims of an epidemic inside the pandemic now gripping Iran.

Iranian media report nearly 300 people have been killed and more than 1,000 sickened so far by ingesting methanol across the Islamic Republic, where drinking alcohol is banned and where those who do rely on bootleggers. An Iranian doctor helping the country's Health Ministry told The Associated Press on Friday the problem was even greater, giving a death toll of around 480 with 2,850 people sickened.

The poisonings come as fake remedies spread across social media in Iran, where people remain deeply suspicious of the government after it downplayed the crisis for days before it overwhelmed the country.

Other countries have only one problem, which is the new coronavirus pandemic. But we are fighting on two fronts here, said Dr. Hossein Hassanian, an adviser to Irans Health Ministry who gave the higher figures to the AP. "We have to both cure the people with alcohol poisoning and also fight the coronavirus.

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, or death.

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

The pandemic has swept across the world, overwhelming hospitals, crippling economies and forcing governments to restrict the movements of billions of people. Particularly hard hit has been Iran, home to 80 million people.

As of now, there is no known cure for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Scientists and doctors continue to study the virus and search for effective medicines and a vaccine.

But in messages forwarded and forwarded again, Iranian social media accounts in Farsi falsely suggested a British school teacher and others cured themselves of the coronavirus with whiskey and honey, based on a tabloid story from early February. Mixed with messages about the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, some wrongly believed drinking high-proof alcohol would kill the virus in their bodies.

ALSO READ: Iran's army sets up 2000-bed hospital in coronavirus-stricken capital

The Islamic Republic has reported over 29,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,200 deaths from the virus, the highest toll of any country in the Middle East. International experts also fear Iran may be under-reporting its cases, as officials for days played down the virus ahead of a parliamentary election.

That fear of the virus, coupled with poor education and internet rumors, saw dozens sickened by drinking bootleg alcohol containing methanol in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province and its southern city of Shiraz. Videos aired by Iranian media showed patients with IVs stuck in their arms, laying on beds otherwise needed for the fight against the coronavirus, including the intubated 5-year-old boy. Iranian media also reported cases in the cities of Karaj and Yazd.

In Iran, the government mandates that manufacturers of toxic methanol add an artificial color to their products so the public can tell it apart from ethanol, the kind of alcohol that can be used in cleaning wounds. Ethanol is also the kind of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, though its production is illegal in Iran.

Some bootleggers in Iran use methanol, adding a splash of bleach to mask the added color before selling it as drinkable. Sometimes it is mixed with consumable alcohol to stretch supply, other times it comes as methanol, falsely advertised as drinkable, Hovda said. Methanol also can contaminate traditionally fermented alcohol.

Methanol cannot be smelled or tasted in drinks. It causes delayed organ and brain damage. Symptoms include chest pain, nausea, hyperventilation, blindness and even coma.

Hassanian said his figures included reports from coroner's offices around Iran also counting those who died outside of hospitals from the poisonings.

Unfortunately in some provinces, including Khuzestan and Fars, deaths from drinking methanol has exceeded the number of deaths from the new coronavirus," he said.

Dr. Knut Erik Hovda, a clinical toxicologist in Oslo, said to expect more methanol poisoning victims.

The virus is spreading and people are just dying off, and I think they are even less aware of the fact that there are other dangers around, Hovda said. When they keep drinking this, there's going to be more people poisoned.

Even before the outbreak, methanol poisoning had taken a toll in Iran. One academic study found methanol poisoning sickened 768 people in Iran between September and October 2018 alone, killing 76.
The government said on Wednesday that it had bought 432 million euros of protective and healthcare equipment in a massive order from China. The statement came in response to calls from healthcare and emergency workers, and their unions, for urgent help as supplies in some areas were either running out or non-existent.

Earlier this week, it was announced that 13 per cent of coronavirus cases were healthcare workers, and that many key staff were forced to stay at home. This was putting increasing pressure on the health service, especially in hardest-hit areas such as Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha.

The director of the government's health emergency centre, Fernando Simon, admitted at the daily news conference that the lack of personal protection equipment was one of the reasons the number of health workers infected was growing.

Police representatives also voiced their concern this week after the Guardia Civil said all its officers were being provided with gloves and masks. Officers across forces said this wasn't the case, claiming there were often not enough to go around and they were single use.

On Wednesday, a court in Madrid gave the regional health authority 24 hours to give health workers appropriate protective clothing after a union complaint. A similar, national level complaint against the government's Health ministry was however rejected by the Supreme Court.

In Madrid, the area worst affected by the pandemic, part of the large IFEMA exhibition centre was converted into a 1,400- bed hospital with the possibility to increase to 5,000. Volunteers were being sought to help staff it.

Meanwhile, there was confusion in the capital over funeral provisions through lack of safety material, with the municipal burial service stopping for a couple of days for coronavirus cases and the council preparing the city's ice arena as a possible temporary overflow morgue.

Problem testing kits

On Thursday more confusion broke out after a batch of Chinese-made much-needed rapid test kits being used appeared not to work according to medical scientists. China also entered the argument by saying the provider that sent them wasn't one of its licensed export suppliers. It also added that Spain's new, multi-million order of supplies had not left China yet.

At its daily press conference, the government stressed that it was doing up to 20,000 rapid tests a day and that millions more were due to arrive.
We encourage medical professionals seeking to work in the United States on a work or exchange visitor, particularly those working to treat or mitigate the effects of COVID-19, to reach out to the nearest embassy or consulate to request a visa appointment, the statement read.
Leonid Kozhara will be required to stay at home and hand over the passport if he makes the bail

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Leonid Kozhara, who is suspected of the murder of the former Director General of Inter TV channel Serhiy Staritsky was arrested in the hall of the Shevchenkivsky court of Kyiv, as RBC-Ukraine reports.

Shevchenkivsky district court in Kyiv chose a preventive measure for Leonid Kozhara in the form of detention - up to May 25.

The court also determined a bail in the amount of a little more than $500,000.

In the case of making a bail, he will be entrusted with the obligation not to leave the place of residence, to appear at the request of the prosecutor or investigator, to hand over documents for traveling abroad.

As we reported earlier, Leonid Vulf, the former business partner of the enemy of the oligarch Ihor Kolomoysky committed suicide in Kyiv.

Yes, he was found dead yesterday. It is a suicide, Kyiv Criminal Police Chief Herman Prystupa said.

Vulf was a business partner of Vadym Shulman, who filed against oligarch Ihor Kolomoysky to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
China Blasts US for 'Poisoning Ties' as US Navy Sails Tomahawk-Armed Warship Through Taiwan Strait

Sputnik News

10:08 GMT 26.03.2020

Taiwan's defence ministry carried out large-scale drills on Tuesday simulating a response to a mock invasion of the island by China, alleging that the exercises were a 'response' to repeated "provocations and threats" by Beijing.

China blasted the US over the move to sale a warship through the Taiwan Strait, accusing Washington "dangerous" behaviour. "US moves have seriously interfered in China's internal affairs, severely harmed peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and poisoned Sino-US military ties," Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said. Criticizing the US's "continued negative actions" in Taiwan, Ren warned that US actions were "extremely dangerous."

Earlier, the US Seventh Fleet reported that the USS McCampbell, an Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, carried out a "routine" freedom of navigation mission through the sensitive 180 km-wide Taiwan Strait.

Anthony Junco, a Navy spokesman, said the ship carried out a "routine Taiwan Strait transit March 25 (local time) in accordance with international law." The ship's transit, Junco said, "demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The spokesman added that the Navy would "continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows." Taiwan's military, meanwhile, said it monitored the US destroyer's movement as it sailed north through the strait.

Second Transit Since January

This was the second time the US has sailed a warship through the Strait since January, when the US Navy demonstratively sent a ship to the area following elections in Taiwan. China said at the time that it 'closely monitored' that passage.

Taiwan staged massive naval, air force and army drills this week, a week after the island's military reported intercepting and driving away multiple People's Liberation Army Air Force jets after they crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. Taipei has called the actions of the Chinese military a "provocation."

Beijing considers Taiwan a part of its territory, and maintains its right to one day reunite the island with the mainland. Taiwan split from mainland China in during the Chinese Civil War in 1949. The United States, Taiwan's biggest protector and ally, has regularly sent vessels through the Strait, and has sold the country advanced weaponry, even while de jure recognizing the People's Republic as the sole sovereign Chinese state. Beijing has repeatedly warned Washington against interfering in Taiwan's internal affairs, and has demanded that the US cancel any official and military contacts with the island, on pain of sanctions against US companies.

A Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Bennie Adkins fought all odds against an overwhelming enemy in Vietnam, including crawling injured into a jungle and staring at death in the face of a prowling tiger, but the war hero may be facing his toughest battle tonight as he struggles to survive the coronavirus.

Family members confirmed that Adkins, 86, was in critical condition Thursday night at East Alabama Medical Center in his hometown of Opelika, diagnosed with COVID-19, making him one of the most high-profile cases in the nation in battling the corona-virus that has gripped the world and killed thousands.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Adkins received the Medal of Honor for his actions in a fierce battle in Vietnam in which he and the men around him were heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

When the enemy began overtaking their position, Adkins fought back with tenacity and courage, according to witnesses, and was part of a handful of survivors who fought their way to escape in the surrounding jungle.

Once there and crawling, bleeding, with serious wounds, Adkins realized a tiger was stalking nearby. It was the tiger that scared the enemy away and allowed Adkins to escape.

His family is hoping he has another escape in him.
Students have been left furious after several universities cancelled their graduation ceremony plans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Durham, Edinburgh and Reading University are among the institutions to have already broken to the bad news to final year under and postgraduates.

Others have chosen to either 'postpone' or 'continuously review' ceremonies that are still scheduled to take place in three months time.

Oxford University has scrapped two lots of ceremonies in May, and are yet to decide whether to proceed with their summer schedule.

Students have been left furious after several universities cancelled their graduation ceremony plans amid the coronavirus pandemic

But Birkbeck, part of the University of London, are looking to combine their Spring graduation ceremonies with their Autumn schedule in November if government advice allows.

Reading University added in their announcement that they would not charge students for halls of residence in summer term if they decided to travel home to self-isolate.

A spokesperson said: 'Given the current exceptional circumstances, we can now confirm that those in University Halls accommodation, operated by our partner UPP, will not be charged for the third term if you will not be living in Halls for the rest of the academic year.'

It is not clear whether the university or the private halls contractor, UPP, will pick up the cost from lost hall fees.

Disruption because of the virus means that final exams have also been affected, with most being cancelled.

Reading University added in their announcement that they would not charge students for halls of residence in summer term if they decided to travel home to self-isolate

The University of Edinburgh is among the institutions to have already broken to the news to final year under and postgraduates that graduation ceremonies will be cancelled

In response to government advice on social distancing, the Office for Students have announced they are exploring 'a variety of online and remote options' for final exams and assessments with universities ahead of the final academic term.

Students have responded in anger to the decisions of their universities, saying they have been left 'unmotivated' to continue finishing major assessments such as dissertations.

Bilal Ali, from Manchester, wrote: 'The main thing that kept me motivated through 3 years of stress at uni is seeing my parents' face on my graduation day, now today we're told that the graduation ceremonies are cancelled.'

Emily Kenyon, studying at Manchester's Metropolitan University added: 'Knocks me sick that I've spent 3 years at uni for my graduation to be cancelled with no plans of it being reschedules. I could honestly cry.'

Durham University have said their usual Congregation service at the city's cathedral 'will not take place as planned'

Durham University told students in an email: 'We are committed to ensuring that students nearing the completion of their programme are able to graduate as planned'

In Edinburgh, the four main universities are expected to cancel their summer graduation ceremonies in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Thousands of students at the city's Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Napier and Queen Margaret universities will be affected following the conclusion of discussions about postponing the summer event.

Edinburgh University has already confirmed that its graduation ceremonies scheduled to take place in Summer 2020 will no longer be happening.

The university said it 'currently expects that degree certificates for students entitled to graduate this summer will be printed and mailed by the end of July 2020'.

There is however the option for deferrals which could mean attending in-person ceremonies later in 2020 or next year, or to attend a virtual graduation.

Heriot Watt University has not made any formal announcement but is expected to follow suit by the middle of the week.

Edinburgh Napier, meanwhile, is still working on the basis that its July ceremonies will go ahead, but is working up contingency plans if the situation changes.

A spokesman told the Evening News: 'Graduations are the highlight of the year at Edinburgh Napier and, as it stands, we hope to be able to hold our ceremonies as planned at the Usher Hall in early July.

'However, the Coronavirus situation is fast moving and we are working on contingency plans to ensure that all eligible students will be able to graduate in the event that we have to postpone these particular ceremonies.

'As a result, we will soon open graduation registration. This will allow us to issue graduation parchments and graduate all eligible students in absentia whether ceremonies go ahead or not.'

A spokesperson for Universities UK said: 'Universities are keeping the situation under constant review and will be making their own assessments, working in conjunction with public health officials in their area, to make decisions about graduations and other events.

'Graduation ceremonies due to take place in April have generally been postponed, and planning teams will be looking at summer graduations as the time approaches and situation evolves.

'Universities will do everything they can to ensure all students have the chance for a graduation ceremony, but cannot guarantee these ceremonies will happen as originally scheduled due to the changing nature of this situation.'

The Office for Students said: 'A variety of online and remote options are being explored to ensure that students are fairly assessed for their work and that qualifications can be awarded securely.

'Guidance has been sent by the Office for Students to universities outlining their regulatory requirements and expectations on issues of teaching and assessment, and universities will be led by this guidance.

'A key consideration is that different students have different needs and some will require greater support or for suitable alternative arrangements to be made to online provision and universities will try to be as accommodating as they can.

'In some cases, depending on the course discipline and institution, it may be possible to decide a students degree result or whether they can progress on the basis of work they have already completed.

'Universities recognise the importance to students of final results in which they have confidence and feel reflect their work, and are working through the considerations for different courses to ensure a fair and consistent approach is taken throughout.'
The first significant evidence of marine resource use among Europe's Neanderthals is detailed in a new report, demonstrating a level of marine adaptation previously only seen in their contemporary modern humans living in southern Africa. The results further close the behavioral gap once thought to separate modern humans from their closest evolutionary cousins. For modern humans, coastal adaptations are widely recognized as having roots in southern Africa and dating as far back as ~160 thousand years ago (kya). Whether Neanderthals shared a similar interest in the sea's cuisine is debated. Some suggest that the consumption of the seafood and the brain-boosting fatty acids seafood contains enhanced cognitive development in early modern humans, allowing for the wide variety of technological and cultural innovations that blossomed during the Middle Stone Age (MSA), a period spanning 200-25 kya. This in turn allowed our species to expand out of Africa and outcompete coeval hominins. Archaeological evidence of Neanderthal coastal adaptation, meanwhile, is virtually unknown. Joao Zilhao and colleagues report on recent excavations at the Figueira Brava site on Portugal's coast, which revealed a uniquely preserved record of intense, systematic and long-term coastal resource use by Neanderthals during the Last Interglacial. The seaside site was dated to roughly 106-86 kya and contained middens rich in marine and terrestrial food remains. According to Zilhao et al., Figueira Brava's occupants relied on the sea in a scale comparable to the modern humans of MSA Africa. The results suggest that fisher-hunter-gatherers were widespread and likely relied on the sea earlier than previously thought. The lack of supporting evidence on this to date, they say, is likely a result of Pleistocene sea level-rise, which inundated similar sites across coastal Europe. Manuel Will discusses the study further in a related Perspective.

###
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, discussed Syria, Libya and the global coronavirus outbreak, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th March, 2020) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, discussed Syria, Libya and the global coronavirus outbreak, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.

"The ministers discussed in detail the spread of the coronavirus infection in light of the video conference of the G20 leaders that took place on March 26," the statement read.

The ministers discussed steps needed to coordinate the efforts on several fronts, including the return of the two countries' citizens home amid the outbreak. In addition, Lavrov and Le Drian discussed potential measures that the UN Security Concil might take.

"There was also an exchange of opinions on the topical issues related to the settlement of conflicts in Libya, Syria and Ukraine," the ministry said.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Analysis

Global Virgin Coconut Oil Market that estimates great surge for this market with 9.8% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) during the forecast period between 2017 and 2024. The factors driving the global virgin coconut oil market include an aging population, rising prevalence of various ailments, among the consumers both in the developed and developing economies, rising trend of shifting towards healthy and nutritional food consumption, and high demand from consumers with higher health consciousness. The food industry is also demanding virgin coconut oil to highlight health food being processed by various brands.

Key Players Strategy

The key players in the Global Virgin Coconut Oil Market include Healthy Traditions (USA), Greenville Agro Corporation (Philippines), Hain Celestial (USA), Barlean's (USA), NMK Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. (Sri Lanka), Nutiva, Inc. (USA) and SUN BIONATURAL (INDIA) PRIVATE LTD. (India).

Industry Segment

Global Virgin Coconut Oil Market Revenue has been segmented based on application, distribution channel, type, and lastly region. The application-based segmentation segments this market into cooking, cosmetics, healthcare, and others. Increasing demand for food products is driving the growth of this market. Based on the distribution channel, the market has been segmented into store-based and non-store based. Store-based distribution channels have been sub-segmented into hypermarkets and supermarkets that control the major share of this market due to increasing number of store-based markets and more varieties of products. By types, the market has been segmented into organic, and inorganic. Organic segment holds the major share in the market, and it is increasing the demand of the virgin coconut oils because organic food products are healthier than normal food products.

The regional segmentation of the global virgin coconut oil market segments the market into continent-based regional markets namely Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the rest of the world (RoW). The Asia Pacific holds the largest market share in the virgin coconut oil market globally, and the report estimates that the Asia Pacific will retain its crown during the forecast period. This region is the largest producer and exporter of virgin coconut oil to other geographical regions. About 60% - 70% of value addition in the coconut oil market has been estimated to happen in the Philippines which can help the market growth over the forecast period. In this region, the key country-specific markets are China, India, Japan, and Thailand, followed by the rest of Asia Pacific.

Access Full Report Details and Order this Premium Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/virgin-coconut-oil-market-4130

Regional Analysis

North America is the second biggest regional market. Many key manufacturers of virgin coconut oil have operations in North America. That aids the market growth. The most important country-specific markets in this region are the United States of America (USA), Canada, and Mexico. Europe is also an important market due to the high density of population. Densely populated area means more requirement for food, not just for cooking but also for a catering business. Therefore, the demand for virgin coconut oil is constantly high in Europe. The significant country-specific markets in Europe are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK), followed by the rest of Europe. RoW segment covers Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, South Africa, and others.
First Solar manufacturing operations continue at each of the Companys Wood County, Ohio, Kulim, Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam facilities at this time

TEMPE, Ariz., March 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Solar, Inc. (FSLR), which operates factories located in Wood County, Ohio, Kulim, Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, today provided a manufacturing operations update in light of recent developments related to the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) pandemic.

On Sunday, March 22, 2020, the State of Ohio, where First Solars Perrysburg and Lake Township manufacturing plants are located, issued a Stay at Home order, exempting, among other things, essential businesses and operations from its scope. At this time, it is First Solars understanding that its manufacturing facilities in these locations are permitted to operate under the order.

Similarly, the government of Malaysia, where the Companys Kulim manufacturing plants are located, has implemented a wide-ranging suspension of public activities. Since the implementation of this suspension and at this time, First Solars understanding is that these measures do not impact the continuity of its manufacturing operations in the country.

First Solars manufacturing operations at its Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam facilities are not impacted by government-mandated restrictions on movement at this time. The Company is continuing to monitor the situation at all of its facility locations.

The safety of First Solars employees is a top priority, and the Company has already implemented a wide range of measures intended to inhibit the spread of the COVID-19 virus at its global manufacturing, administrative and other sites and facilities, including those in the United States, Malaysia and Vietnam.

First Solar cautions that the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, including governmental efforts to contain the spread of the virus, are dynamic and subject to change at any time. This press release reflects information available to First Solar as of 0815hrs (Eastern Time), on March 26, 2020.

Story continues

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar solutions, which use its advanced module and system technology. The companys integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module recycling, First Solars renewable energy solutions protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

For First Solar Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the continuity of First Solars manufacturing operations at its facilities located in Wood County, Ohio, Kulim, Malaysia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as estimate, expect, anticipate, project, plan, intend, seek, believe, forecast, foresee, likely, may, should, goal, target, might, will, could, predict, continue and the negative or plural of these words and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and our projections about future events and therefore speak only as of the date of this release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: the length and severity of the recent COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) outbreak, including its impacts across our businesses on demand, manufacturing, project development, construction, operations and maintenance, financing and our global supply chains, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) outbreak or to treat its impact, and the ability of our customers, suppliers, equipment vendors and other counterparties to fulfill their contractual obligations to us; structural imbalances in global supply and demand for PV solar modules; the market for renewable energy, including solar energy; our competitive position and other key competitive factors; reduction, elimination, or expiration of government subsidies, policies, and support programs for solar energy projects; the impact of public policies, such as tariffs or other trade remedies imposed on solar cells and modules; our ability to execute on our long-term strategic plans; our ability to execute on our solar module technology and cost reduction roadmaps; our ability to improve the wattage of our solar modules; interest rate fluctuations and both our and our customers ability to secure financing; the creditworthiness of our offtake counterparties and the ability of our offtake counterparties to fulfill their contractual obligations to us; the ability of our customers and counterparties to perform under their contracts with us; the satisfaction of conditions precedent in our project sales agreements; our ability to attract new customers and to develop and maintain existing customer and supplier relationships; our ability to successfully develop and complete our systems business projects; our ability to convert existing production facilities to support new product lines, such as Series 6 module manufacturing; general economic and business conditions, including those influenced by U.S., international, and geopolitical events; environmental responsibility, including with respect to cadmium telluride (CdTe) and other semiconductor materials; claims under our limited warranty obligations; changes in, or the failure to comply with, government regulations and environmental, health, and safety requirements; effects resulting from pending litigation, including the opt-out action against us; future collection and recycling costs for solar modules covered by our module collection and recycling program; our ability to protect our intellectual property; our ability to prevent and/or minimize the impact of cyber-attacks or other breaches of our information systems; our continued investment in research and development; the supply and price of components and raw materials, including CdTe; our ability to attract and retain key executive officers and associates; and the matters discussed under the captions Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
By Express News Service

PATNA: Personnel from Bihar Police and Rail Protection Force (RPF) are wining the hearts of people who are either stranded or facing foodgrains shortages in the state.

Patna police said they have been distributing food among the destitutes and those who have got stranded due to lockdown. Cops have set up community kitchens in Muzaffarpur and Purnia districts for migrants labourers too.

The Railway Protection Force at diffrent railway stations distributing free meals and other essential commodities such as maska and soaps among the stranded migrants workers. Chief spokesperson of ECR Rajesh Kumar said that the RPF post in Gaya arranged food for all the labourers stranded in nearby colonies.

"Food was distributed amongst 150 persons which included children and elderly while taking all precautions," he said.

"Cops have won our hearts. Earlier, they were terror, but now have become heroes", Mandala, a rickshaw-puller said.

Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey had recently appealed to the cops to become the "saviour" of the needy by winning their hearts durng the times of pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 12:00:05|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Thursday welcomed the call of the Syrian Democratic Forces for a humanitarian truce.

"We welcome the statement by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on March 24 expressing support for the (UN) secretary-general's appeal for an immediate global cease-fire to facilitate the global response to COVID-19, and announcing the SDF's commitment to avoid engaging in military action," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The secretary-general calls on other parties to the Syrian conflict to support his appeal, said the spokesman.

The United Nations, as UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen announced on Tuesday, is calling for a complete and immediate nationwide cease-fire to enable an all-out effort to suppress COVID-19, he said.

To implement that cease-fire, the special envoy has emphasized his readiness to work with all relevant players on the ground, as well as with key countries that can support a scaling-up of action to respond to COVID-19 and ensure that the cease-fire holds, said the spokesman.

Guterres on Monday called for an immediate global cease-fire in face of COVID-19.
Three cruise ships that unloaded thousands of passengers at Sydney Harbour last week have been linked to more than 300 new cases of coronavirus in the country.

The total number of confirmed cases in Australia soared to 3,050 on Friday following an overnight spike in NSW and Victoria.

Health officials say the majority of infections have been acquired overseas or local transmission from contact with a confirmed case or a known cluster.

A spike in cases has also been attributed to four vessels that were controversially allowed to unload thousands of passengers at Sydney Harbour despite the government announcing a 30-day ban on cruise arrivals just the day before.

More than 300 coronavirus cases have been traced back to four cruise ships that docked in Sydney Harbour last week. Pictured: Passengers disembarking the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship on March 18

The Ruby Princess, Ovation of the Seas, Celebrity Solstice and Voyager of the Seas arrived in Sydney between March 18 and March 20.

Since then, at least 325 cases - about 10 per cent of the national total - have emerged from those ships, and three deaths.

CRUISE SHIP CORONAVIRUS CASES RUBY PRINCESS NSW: 121 QUEENSLAND: 52 SA: 44 WA: 8 NT: 2 OVATION OF THE SEAS NSW: 31 QUEENSLAND: 32 SA: 9 WA: 4 TAS: 5 VOYAGER OF THE SEAS NSW: 7 SA: 3 QUEENSLAND: 4 Advertisement

In what has been described by officials as a 'monumental stuff up', more than 2,600 passengers were permitted to disembark the Ruby Princess without being screened for coronavirus.

The cruise ship is now responsible for at least 227 cases across the country, with 121 in NSW, 52 in Queensland, 44 in South Australia, at least eight in WA, and two in the Northern Territory.

One female passenger in her 70s, who was among the first on board to test positive for the virus, died in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday.

Two more coronavirus-deaths have since been recorded from passengers on the Voyager of the Seas and the Celebrity Solstice - taking the national death toll to 13.

A WA man who was on board the Celebrity Solstice cruise died of the illness on Thursday night, one day after a 68-year-old Queensland man died after contracting coronavirus on the Voyager of the Seas.

As of Friday, 14 cases have emerged from the Voyager of the Seas and 81 from the Ovation of the Seas.

In WA, authorities revealed 25 per cent of its 231 confirmed cases have come from cruise ships, at least eight of those from the Ruby Princess.

Five new cases were confirmed in Tasmania on Thursday, all linked to passengers on the Ovation of the Seas.

At least 14 cases have emerged from the Voyager of the Seas (left) and 81 from the Ovation of the Seas (right)

Earlier this week emails emerged revealing authorities had been aware of 'inadequate' coronavirus screening measures at Australian ports before the outbreak was declared a pandemic.

An email from the Maritime Union of Australia to PANSW, obtained by The Australian, reveal officials raised concerns about a 'gaping hole' in biosecurity due to 'failure to implement adequate checks for coronavirus infections on vessels arriving at Australian ports.'

The documents also raised concerns over how ship masters - who are not medically trained - are authorised to 'self-declare' any biosecurity risks.

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

'Undoubtedly, there is a global concern regarding the potential spread of this deadly virus,' Maritime Union of Australia assistant secretary Paul Garrett told PANSW chief executive Philip Holliday in an email.

'Any accurate diagnosis of a virus like the coronavirus is left to medically untrained seafarers as well as ships masters who simply would not be familiar with the symptoms and diagnosis of coronavirus as part of their Medical First Aid on board Ship Certificate. '

Ship masters are known for not reporting sickness among crew on board because staff tend to hide any illness in fear of being sent home and losing out on their jobs, Mr Garrett later told the publication on Wednesday.

Elisa McCafferty, 48, her husband and her parents were among the 2,700 passengers on the Ruby Princess.

She said she only learned about the outbreak on the ship when she got to London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday.

'They should not have let us on, and they should not have let us off, and they should not have let us out of the country,' she told The Australian.




Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 08:09:32|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A medical team from China's Yunnan got a warm send-off by locals in Hubei and received a heroes' welcome back in Yunnan, for their efforts and sacrifices in the fight against COVID-19.
The 91st Mekong River joint patrol led by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand began Tuesday, as three Chinese vessels left the Guanlei Port in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The 91st Mekong River joint patrol led by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand began Tuesday, as three Chinese vessels left the Guanlei Port in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to start joint patrol on Mekong River (Picture source: Chinese Internet)

In a bid to safeguard the security and stability along the Mekong River, the four countries will carry out joint visits, inspections and an anti-drug publicity campaign during the four-day patrol, according to the Yunnan provincial department of public security.

The mission will cover areas including the "Golden Triangle," an area notorious for drug production, with five vessels in participation.

Affected by the coronavirus epidemic, law enforcement authorities of the four countries will jointly direct the operation by remote video command system for the first time.

A remote video conference was held by the four sides before the patrol to share information.

The law enforcement will send a publicity team to promote knowledge about the epidemic prevention and control.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping among China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Here in Pennsylvania, doctors, nurses, nursing home workers, firefighters, police, public utility workers and journalists are considered essential workers who should stay on the job through this horrible pandemic.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has declared that gun manufacturers, real estate agents, religious entities, and construction workers are likewise considered essential employees who must stay on the job. Gun manufacturers?

Fortunately, Reeves did relent on forcing restaurants to stay open and office workers to show up as the number of COVID-19 cases rapidly grew past 300 in his state as of Wednesday, so there is that.

The governors of our 50 states are pretty much on their own.

They are each making decisions for the health and safety of the people of their state that are in some cases diametrically opposed to the decisions being made one state over. Each is being forced to compete with the others for ventilators, masks, hospital beds, medications and health care workers.

Federalism is killing people.

On the other hand, when our president declares that he wants the United States open for business and the churches packed by Easter Sunday, April 12, it is very comforting to know that he has absolutely no power to enforce that edict.

I for one will wait until he leads his family into a packed church on Easter Sunday before I will venture into a deserted gas station, and if he wants to arrest me and fine me, he knows where to find me.

I know that because I got a postcard from him Wednesday and the first thing it told me was to listen and follow the directions of your state and local authorities.

Will do, Mr. President, unless I think they are risking my life with their directions, unless my governor is Tate Reeves.

One of the great myths we tell our children about America is that we have always had the good fortune to be sent just the right leader to guide us through our worst crises  a George Washington, an Abraham Lincoln, a FDR.

Now we are in another one of those existential crises, a microbe you cant even see has destroyed our economy and is killing our people from coast to coast, and we have been sent Donald Trump, not Thomas Jefferson, who was a scientist and a stateman.

We have been sent the exact opposite of what our mythos says we need to continue as the exceptional country, the shining city on a hill.

Some had hoped that he would rise to the occasion, that he would suddenly become the great leader we need, but no such luck.

What we have on our hands  and the rest of the world does too  is a combination of the 1918 pandemic that killed 50 million people worldwide and the Great Depression of the 1930s.

More than three million people have applied for unemployment and many more millions are being paid to stay home from their jobs. We seniors have watched our life savings dwindle away to nothing and will soon be eating cat food.

No president could have known how to deal with this, but many would have quickly learned. Many would have recruited the best scientists and economists.

Trump says we are war with COVID-19 and he is a wartime president. He should act like it. Many would have used the Defense Production Act to order factories to immediately begin turning out essential equipment at cost.

Were a country not based on nationalizing our business, Trump said so eloquently a week ago. Call a person over in Venezuela; ask them how did nationalization of their businesses work out. Not too well.

Why doesnt he ask historians how nationalizing our manufacturing worked out for America during World War II? Pretty well, well enough to prevent our country from being invaded and to lead us into the greatest economic expansion in our history post-war.

Many leaders would have prioritized the equipment languishing in our national stockpiles, immediately dispatching the bulk to the worst hotspots in sufficient numbers to do some good.

FEMA is sending us 400 ventilators. I need 30,000 ventilators, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the beginning of the week. You want a pat on the back for sending 400 ventilators? What are we going to do with 400 ventilators?

And ever the transactional president, Trump told a Fox News interviewer that cooperation with the governors of the states in crisis is a two-way street.

They have to say nice things about him or he isnt going to leap to fulfill their needs. As if the governors of 340 million Americans are casino contractors dickering over how much they were going to be paid for constructing the minarets on the Trump Taj Mahal.

Trump has hollowed out the government of the expertise he needed to handle this crisis while he continues to lamely blame his predecessor Barack Obama for something that Obama did anticipate but that didnt happen on his watch.

Nevertheless, the national effort is lurching forward however disjointedly, and when all this is over Trump will no doubt expect to be declared the hero of the hour and be re-elected by a landslide.

Those few experts who are left, like Dr. Tony Fauci, are forced to spend several minutes at each press conference kissing up to Trump and gingerly correcting his scientific errors before they can get down to the business at hand of telling us what we need to know.

I would argue that the right man has shown up for the crisis and it is not Donald Trump or Tate Reeves, or even Joe Biden. It is Andrew Cuomo. Unfortunately he cannot run the country; he can only run New York State.

But he is a terrific role model for the 49 other governors who must continue to compete with one another for the presidents attention and largesse. For that we should be profoundly thankful.

Jodine Mayberry is a retired editor, longtime journalist and Delaware County resident. Her column appears every Friday. You can reach her atjodinemayberry@comcast.net.
A Swiss soldier (right) helps to move the bed of a patient, at the Pourtales Hospital in Neuchatel, after Switzerland deployed its army reservists to relieve hospitals under pressure from the outbreak of COVID-19. AFP/Fabrice COFFRINI

The health ministry said 10,661 people in the Alpine country have tested positive for the new coronavirus - nearly 1,000 more than a day earlier - while 161 people have died.

Switzerland, which is among the countries that have conducted most COVID-19 tests per capita, is the fifth country in Europe to pass 10,000 officially-recorded cases.

It follows neighbours Italy, Germany and France, and Spain - all of which have far bigger populations.

Elsewhere, China, Iran and the United States have also passed the five-figure mark, according to the latest World Health Organization situation report on the global pandemic.

Switzerland's Italian-speaking southern region of Ticino, which borders hard-hit northern Italy, is the worst-affected of its 26 cantons, with 393 cases per 100,000 people.

Around two-fifths of Switzerland's COVID-19 deaths have occurred in Ticino.

The first case of the new coronavirus was confirmed in Switzerland on Feb 24.

Since then, "91,400 tests have been carried out for COVID-19, of which 14 per cent were positive," the Federal Office of Public Health said.

Those testing positive have ranged in age from under one to 102, with a median age of 52 years old, and a near-even split of men and women.

'TOO EARLY' TO EASE RESTRICTIONS

The Swiss government has ordered the closure of schools and all places of leisure, including restaurants, bars and non-food shops.

Last Friday it went further, banning all gatherings of more than five people, while anyone standing closer than two metres to others risks a fine.

"At the moment it would definitely be too early to talk about easing" the restrictions, health ministry official Daniel Koch, who is heading the Swiss response, told a press conference in Bern.

"We must first have proof that we have reached the peak of this epidemic - which unfortunately is not yet the case."

Revelations this week that majority state-owned telecoms operator Swisscom would provide authorities with mobile phone data to monitor if people were adhering to the restrictions on public gatherings sparked an outcry.

But Koch said it was not a question of monitoring population movements in real time, but instead doing "retrospective analysis".

Meanwhile some 3,800 to 4,000 troops - "the totality of the medical forces of the Swiss army" - have been mobilised, said Brigadier General Raynald Droz, chief of staff of the military's joint operations command.

The global number of officially-recorded infections has topped 480,000, with more than 21,800 deaths.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been designed to boost trade on the African continent. How and when will new trade benefits for merchandise trade (lower tariffs and the elimination of non-tariff barriers) and services (allowing service providers to compete in the markets of the State Parties) materialize? The brief answer is that some essential matters must still be negotiated and finalized, Governments must put certain structures in place, and the private sector (the ultimate importers, exporters, service providers and investors) must be attracted to the prospects of new business opportunities, while they continue with transactions in those markets where they have been operating.[1]

Who will open their markets and how far? Only the State Parties (AU Member States that have ratified the AfCFTA Agreement or have acceded to it[2]) will be under an obligation to comply. Nigeria, Africas biggest economy, has not yet ratified the AfCFTA Agreement. Its decision whether to ratify is unlikely to be taken before the final implications of the AfCFTAs obligations are known. Some important matters are still being negotiated.

The AfCFTA is a Free Trade Area (FTA) anchored in International Agreements concluded among sovereign States (The African Union is not a party to this agreement.) It means preferential trade under this arrangement cannot begin unless the relevant agreements for Phase I (the AfCFTA Agreement and its Protocols on Trade in Goods, Trade in Services and Dispute Settlement) have entered into force for the states in question. Entry into force has already happened on 30 May 2019, after the 22nd instrument of ratification had been deposited.[3] The number of ratifications now stand at 28 (Cameroon has completed the domestic process, but still has to deliver its instrument of ratification to the depository).[4]

These instruments cannot be implemented before negotiations about all outstanding aspects of Phase I have been completed. The remaining matters are tariff offers, rules of origin and the specifics for trade in services in the priority sectors.[5] This is not an easy exercise when 54 African states at different levels of economic development are involved.

The aim is to commence with preferential trade under the AfCFTA on 1 July 2020, if the outstanding issues are wrapped up in time. There is now an additional danger that COVID-19 may disrupt the scheduled meetings.

The State Parties must also implement the required domestic measures to allow trade under the AfCFTA. For preferential trade in goods it means national tariff books must be updated (which can take time), customs officials must be informed and trained, new rules of origin certificates must become available, and technical information should be shared with business chambers and freight forwarders.

The implementation of trade remedies poses a specific challenge. Most international trade disputes involve trade remedies and safeguards; e.g. when goods are dumped at prices below cost, when exported goods are subsidized, or when new trade liberalization results in an upsurge of imported goods and causes injury to domestic industries. These remedies are important to protect legitimate national and private interests. The AfCFTA has an Annex on Trade Remedies and Safeguards, based on the relevant WTO principles. Investigations thereunder can be complicated. Only about four African countries have the domestic machinery to do so.[6] Establishing national Investigating Authorities will be wise but will require dedicated resources and experts.

Trade in services may need domestic reforms and regulatory structures. New legislation and technical expertise national regulators might be necessary. Disputes about trade in services should not be ignored. Domestic courts often hear cases involving measures taken by national regulators responsible for services such as telecommunication, the energy and financial sectors. In these cases, rules about due process (administrative justice), constitutional rights (e.g. against discrimination) and statutory interpretation apply.

In terms of WTO rules,[7] substantially all trade in an FTA must be free within a reasonable period of time. The implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement will be an incremental process; it is important to understand exactly what the State Parties have undertaken to do. Article 4 of the Agreement explains the nature of the new obligations: The State Parties shall progressively eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods; progressively liberalise trade in services; cooperate on investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy; cooperate on all trade-related areas; cooperate on customs matters and the implementation of trade facilitation measures; establish a mechanism for the settlement of disputes concerning their rights and obligations; and establish and maintain an institutional framework for the implementation and administration of the AfCFTA. (Emphasis added.)

The existing Regional economic Communities (RECs) will continue with their trade agendas and regional integration programmes. Trade under REC FTAs will be freer than under the AfCFTA, at least at the beginning. This is a consequence of the principle in the AfCFTA Agreement that the REC acquis shall be preserved.[8] Intra-African trade will continue via multiple tracks. As the AfCFTA advances and becomes more consolidated, there should be more policy convergence and a simplification of rules.

There will be new meetings on the agendas of government officials. The Council of Ministers (consisting of Trade Ministers of the State Parties and meeting twice a year) is an important AfCFTA institution. It will be responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the AfCFTA Agreement and Protocols.[9] Article 11 of the AfCFTA Agreement states that Decisions taken by the Council of Ministers... shall be binding on State Parties. The Committee of Senior Trade Officials (composed of Permanent or Principal Secretaries of State Parties and meeting at least twice a year) may become the institution responsible for most of the practical measures required for implementing the AfCFTA. It will develop programmes and action plans, monitor and review the functioning of the AfCFTA, direct the AfCFTA Secretariat to undertake assignments, and request Technical Committees to investigate any particular matter.[10]

A new trade agreement does not guarantee trade  but it does change the incentives to make trade with other partners to that agreement more accessible and attractive. The AfCFTA is a flagship project of the AU and has seen high-level political support. It has the potential to put in place mechanisms to address many of the challenges bedevilling intra-African trade. It could do so in a manner which will provide more certainty and predictability. The main responsibility for ensuring that this happens will lie with the State Parties, supported by the new Secretariat, which will be headquartered in Accra, Ghana. A former senior South African trade official, Wamkele Mene, has been appointed as the first Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

[1] The AfCFTA does not affect trade under the existing Regional Economic Communities (RECs). See Art 19(2) AfCFTA Agreement.

[2] Art 23 pdf AfCFTA Agreement (973 KB)

[3] As required by art 23 AfCFTA Agreement.

[4] See tralacs ratification monitor, with a list of ratifications.

[5] The AU Summit in July 2018 approved 5 priority services sectors: business, communication, financial, tourism and transport services, including their subsectors.

[6] Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa.

[7] Art XXIV GATT.

[8] Arts 5(f) and 19(2) AfCFTA Agreement.

[9] Art 11(3) AfCFTA Agreement.

[10] Art 12 AfCFTA Agreement.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday contributed a sum equivalent to a months salary to the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to strengthen the governments efforts in combating COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vice President described COVID-19 as a calamity of extremely severe nature which has claimed a heavy toll of life across the globe.

He said that India is fighting the pandemic by taking timely and emergent measures from time to time under the leadership of PM Modi. "This is my small contribution to the cause," Naidu said.
Indian Railways has commissioned a special train that would be ferrying as much as 2.4 lakh litres of milk to New Delhi to mitigate the shortage of milk amid the 21-day lockdown enforced to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Although all passenger train services have been banned till April 14 in India to comply with the lockdown, the Indian Railways has allowed freight services to transport essential goods.

The train left Andhra Pradeshs Renigunta for New Delhi on March 27, said a report by Hindu Business Line.

Since the coronavirus-induced 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced, the need for food security has never been more pronounced.

Coronavirus India Lockdown LIVE

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

Usually, about 80 milk containers carrying 40,000 to 44,660 litres is ferried from Renigunta to New Delhi every month via weekly or daily express trains. But since passenger train services were suspended no milk had been transported.

Six milk tankers have been arranged to transfer milk and all safety precautions are being taken concerned authorities.

The South-Central Railway had sought permission to run an exclusive milk train given the need for the commodity and the Railway Board had agreed immediately.

The South-Central Railway is reportedly also considering allowing the movement of top priority goods to help out the lockdown-hit public.
A Co Galway priest thinks his parishioners may have discovered a novel way to attend religious ceremonies while obeying the rules of social distancing  a drive-in Mass.

The Parish of Kiltullagh and Killimordaly in East Galway held what is believed to be Irelands first drive-in Mass last Sunday to celebrate Mothers Day and parish priest Fr Martin McNamara says he is staggered by the number of parishioners that attended.

Special permission had to be given for the event by Bishop of Clonfert, Michael Duignan, and although there are no plans to hold another similar Mass this weekend, Fr McNamara says it was a resounding success:

It was a special occasion for Mothers Day," he said.

"I havent thought about doing it again, but a lot of people have said it would be nice to have it more often and every Sunday if possible.

We havent it organised for this Sunday anyway, whether well have it or not after that.

People had to stay in their cars, but they could let down the driver's side window to ensure there was no contact with the cars on either side. It worked very well, people observed the regulations and it was a great occasions. So many people were so happy that we did it."

It was the simplest thing on the earth, there wasnt a bit of trouble on me. On the Thursday before that Sunday two mothers came to me and asked me if it would be possible to give Mass over the PA system and that theyd stay in the carpark in their cars.

"I consulted with Bishop Duignan and he said it would be fine, provided the regulations were obeyed. Friday then I said yes, it can go ahead.

Like all non-essential gatherings, religious gatherings have been banned in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19, which has meant weddings and christenings have been cancelled in parishes, while funerals have gone ahead with only close family present.

Fr McNamara says the Mothers Day Mass in Kiltullagh lifted the spirits of so many of his parishioners with dozens of vehicles filling the car parks.

It has been very difficult. We have had to cancel some christenings because people would have come from different places.

"We have also cancelled weddings, but we have a funeral tomorrow and we had one on Monday too, which had to go ahead with the family on their own in the church. It is tough, very hard on them. But last Sunday worked very well.

From Friday until Sunday, I dont know how they contacted so many people but the place was choc-a-block.

When I came out from the church at the end of the Mass, just to salute the people, I couldnt believe my eyes, the place was thronged with cars. The two big carparks were full, and up and down the road too.

"It carried so well over the PA system that people in the new estate could hear me.

One of those who attended the drive-in Mass on Sunday was Supermacs founder, Pat McDonagh, who is from there:

Supermacs founder, Pat McDonagh attended the Mass.

It was really well attended. Fr McNamara said the Mass from the altar, we all stayed in our cars and rolled down the window.

It was a great idea and people were delighted with it. We are really seeing great community spirit out there.

[snippet1]987277[/snippet1]
On Thursday night, the office of the House majority leader had some unfortunate news to break to the bodys members: If they were able and willing to be in Washington, DC by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, they should get a move on. There was a familiar but no less aggravating problem on the horizon: A rogue libertarian was threatening to be a pain in the ass.

The House has been trying all week to determine how it might pass the Senates $2 trillion coronavirus relief package without calling representatives back to Washington and risking the health of its many very old members, especially when the outcome of a vote wouldnt be in serious question. The House Rules Committee presented several imperfect options for how they might consider the legislation, and House leaders decided yesterday that they would hold a voice vote on the floor rather than a typical recorded vote. They urged members to submit statements into the record in lieu of debating on the floor.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The risk with a sparsely attended voice vote, though, was that any one member could call a point of order suggesting the absence of a quoruma majority of the bodythereby requiring a recorded vote. While leaders tried to talk some troublemakers out of pulling such a parliamentary maneuver, one member seemed particularly stubborn.

Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie had been on the troublemaker watchlists of both parties. While he wouldnt give a straight answer on what he planned to do, he did confirm that he would be in Washington for the Houses consideration of the bill. And his tweets suggested he was aware of his parliamentary options.

US Constitution

ARTICLE I, SECTION 5, CLAUSE 1

Quorum requirement: pic.twitter.com/OT65x4vDkD  Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 26, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

On Thursday night and Friday morning, dozens of members tweeted about how they were en route to Washington at the last minute, with some of them singling out Massie as the reason.

Dear @RepThomasMassie: If you intend to delay passage of the #coronavirus relief bill tomorrow morning, please advise your 428 colleagues RIGHT NOW so we can book flights and expend ~$200,000 in taxpayer money to counter your principled but terribly misguided stunt. #thankyou  Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) March 26, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible.  Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

I am jumping on the red eye tonight... thanks Massie. #coronavirus https://t.co/gkhaciDmPr  Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Rep. Eric Swalwell to @mkraju when asked about what his message is to Rep. Thomas Massie about possibly forcing a roll call vote: Its not about him. I dont want make an insignificant person more significant.  Kristin Wilson (@kristin__wilson) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Also Thomas Suozzi of New York said his message to Massie is: Cut it out. He also said theres anxiety about being here and his family isnt happy that hes here. https://t.co/ToyyCcwV0R  Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Suozzi and King are from Long Island. This is part of the reason why there was so much anxiety: Given the last-minute nature of the summons to Washington, many of the members for whom it would be easiest to return would come from East Coast delegations like New York and New Jersey, the two states hit hardest by the coronavirus so far.

But the hammer really came down on Massie midFriday morning.

Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous......  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

...& costly. Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive. Virus wasnt their fault. It is HELL dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the big picture done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

By empowering the Radical Left Democrats, do nothing Kentucky politician @RepThomasMassie is making their War on the 2nd Amendment more and more difficult to win (But dont worry, we will win anyway!). He is a disaster for America, and for the Great State of Kentucky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

These were the rarest of Donald Trump tweets: the ones that both Democrats and Republicans in Congress were racing to like. Even John Kerry was joining the pile-on.

Breaking news: Congressman Massie has tested positive for being an asshole. He must be quarantined to prevent the spread of his massive stupidity. He's given new meaning to the term #Masshole. (Finally, something the president and I can agree on!) https://t.co/N1CNLPsZjc  John Kerry (@JohnKerry) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

One of the lone defenders of Massie, though, was Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who has stuck around in Washington to block unanimous consent agreements on bills far less controversial than this in the past, and knows the feeling of everyone hating you.

.@RepThomasMassie is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country. He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. Theres nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump. I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off. https://t.co/ms8TM3rJp8  Chip Roy (@chiproytx) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Throw Chip Roy out of the Republican Party!

Debate on the bill was extended another couple of hours Friday morning to give all those who were traveling enough time to make it. The frayed nerves were on display in the vigorous debate that ensued. Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens drove through the night from her hard-hit district to make it to the Capitol, and she spoke like someone who had driven through the night from her hard-hit district to make it to the Capitol.

Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan shouts through the gavel during House debate on the coronavirus relief bill:



To our doctors and nurses, I wear these latex gloves to tell every American: Do not be afraid! pic.twitter.com/0oxkLwJ0Ss  NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) March 27, 2020

Advertisement

So it wasnt the most selfless move from Massie. But now that enough members are back in town to conduct House business, though, perhaps they should consider, say, improving the legislation by removing things like the $170 billion handed to the richest real estate investors in the country. The House may not appreciate Massie making them come back. But now that he has, they could all unite in support of making their nemeses, the senators, come back.

Update, March 27, 2020, at 2:18 p.m.: The House passed the bill by voice vote, without any changes, early Friday afternoon. It will now head to President Trumps desk for his signature. You can watch, below, how quickly Massies efforts were dismissed.

Advertisement

Advertisement
FC Barcelona have announced that members of staff will be laid off or have their salaries reduced temporarily as a result of the coronavirus pandemic to minimise the economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the club. The measure will affect both playing and non-playing personnel from the senior squad down to all areas of the club's day to day operations.

The measure, known as an ERTE (Temporary Workforce Adjustment Plan) in Spain, was approved at a meeting of the Camp Nou board held on Thursday evening and delivered through a club statement. An ERTE, governed by Article 47 of the Spanish Labour Statute, is a mechanism whereby a company can seek legal approval to temporarily dismiss a number of employees or reduce their working hours to ensure the financial viability of the business during a time of crisis. It was a regular feature of the last recession in Spain, which was the result of the global financial crisis of 2008.

Under the terms of an ERTE, employees are entitled to 70 percent of their salaries for the first 180 days of its application.

Barcelona explained that once it had spoken to those staff members affected, the ERTE would be presented to the Labour Department of the regional government of Catalonia for processing while expressing their optimism that the normal activity of the club would be resumed as swiftly as possible.

Earlier on Thursday, the club's first-team squad players announced that they had rejected a proposal to accept wage cuts put forward by the Camp Nou board.

Follow our live coverage of coronavirus news as it breaks.

FC Barcelona statement in full

The Board of Directors, meeting remotely this Thursday March 26, have discussed the measures to be applied to minimise the economic impact that the coronavirus crisis is causing on the activity of FC Barcelona, as well as the actions that are being carried out by the club and the Foundation in collaboration with the authorities, with the aim of avoiding the spread of the disease as much as possible.

The declaration of the state of alarm last March 14, a consequence of the health emergency that we are experiencing with the coronavirus pandemic, meant the cessation of all activity, sporting and non-sporting, at our club. Faced with this scenario, the Board of Directors has decided to implement a series of measures to mitigate its effects and reduce the economic effects of this crisis.

Among the measures adopted, it's worth noting those related to the workplace are motivated by the need to adapt the contractual obligations of the club staff to the new and temporary circumstances that we are experiencing. It is about the presentation of the different relative files in the sporting field (football and other professional sports), as well as for the rest of the non-sporting personnel.

These files will be processed before the Treball Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya, once the club has shared all aspects related to these measures, and their scope, with all its staff, both sporting and non-sporting. Basically it is a reduction of the working day, imposed by the circumstances and the protection measures carried out, and, as a consequence, the proportional reduction of the remuneration provided for in the respective contracts. Measures that the club wants to implement scrupulously follow the formal labour regulations, under the criteria of proportionality, and above all fairness, and with the sole objective of resuming the activity of the club as soon as possible.
Latest News Understanding the 'perfect storm' that was the Sydney property market in 2021 Leading expert reflects on the crazy year that brokers and buyers experienced  and throws forward to the 12 months to come

How to manage home buyer regret Tips for brokers on how they can keep their clients onside once they have bought

While its too early to grasp the full impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the domestic economy, a data and analytics company has forecasted that short-term bank profits will plummet, loan growth will stagnate and impaired loans will rise, all of which will push the financial services industry to further consolidation.

GlobalData examined the effects of the global financial crisis (GFC) to inform its modelling of the impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on banks and the financial health of the country.

Loan growth will suffer, despite efforts to keep lending to businesses and households at extremely attractive rates, said Andrew Haslip, head of financial services content for Asia-Pacific.

The Reserve Bank of Australia and government funding to lenders will help, but it is highly uncertain whether there will be sufficient appetite for credit to see anything more than marginal increases in 2020.

New residential mortgage lending will collapse during the weeks, possibly months, of lockdown and enforced social distancing as even viewing a property safely becomes a challenge.

Spending, barring panic-buying, will decline and businesses will be hesitant to take on even attractive loans when they have no income.

GlobalData has predicted banks quarterly profits will plummet; while this is likely to happen most dramatically among the largest banks, it will have longer-lasting implications on smaller lenders, likely contributing to the consolidation of the market.

As such, the recent increase in licenced ADIs, driven by the launch of neo-banks appears set to reverse.

In the next five years, GlobalData expects up to a quarter of ADIs to exit the market via sales or mergers.

Given the expected scale and length of the disruption to the Australian economy, it's no surprise that key banking indicators will suffer, [but] government stimulus measures for the banking sector and broader economy will limit the fallout, said Haslip.

[However,] what will be enduring is the effects that mass unemployment, possibly long-term, will have on lending and the increased use of automatic digital decisioning on loans.

Large swaths of Australians are about to become non-standard risks and lenders are going to have to be able to roll with that for years to come  those that can adapt will be among the fewer lenders that we see in 2025.

It is a tale that mature banking markets around the world will be telling as they endure their own version of the COVID-19 recession, he concluded.
Armenia set to extend import duty on cement

ICR Newsroom By 27 March 2020

Armenias National Assembly passed at the first reading the amendments to extend the validity of the state duty set on cement imports until 31 December 2020. The country has imposed a AMD14,000/t duty on cement imports from Iran and other countries since it ratified the legislation on 3 June 2019, a law that expires on 1 April 2020.



"Over a period between July and December, the volumes of cement imported from Iran have shrunk, that is, 19.2t of cement were imported in one month of 2018, while from July to December 16.8 tons were imported monthly," said the countrys Deputy Economy Minister, Avak Avanesyan, as he presented the bill to the lawmakers. He reported a decline in the production of Armenian cement. "At the moment, we have two large companies, one of which recorded growth," he said. The extension of protective measures was found necessary, because, despite the decline in the Iranian economy and the depreciation of the Iranian national currency, output volumes are maintained, putting downward pressure on prices. "This is not a long-term phenomenon, but according to various estimates, as a result of the loss of this sphere, it will take 10 years to restore output volumes," Mr Avanesyan said. He also noted that, despite the decrease in cement imports, clinker imports increased.

Published under
Were ready to work with people who are already accepted into existing U.S. programs and had otherwise planned to travel to the United States, he told reporters. We are not going out looking for others. These are people who were ready to come in.
Tessa McWatt was born in Guyana, grew up in Canada and now lives in London, England. Her ancestry is Scottish, English, French, Portuguese, Indian, Indigenous Guyanese, African and Chinese. In grade school, a teacher asked the question What are you? It acts almost as a refrain throughout her new book Shame On Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging. She spoke to the Star over the phone from London after having to cancel a book tour and a visit to Toronto.

The idea of staying inside for two or three weeks is one thing; not knowing how its going to change our world is another.

Its all very scary. And I guess in a way thats one of the things Ive been dealing with for a long time in terms of writing Shame On Me is that things had to change; I didnt think they would change this way. I thought they were going to change more in a structural way to really address inequality. I think many people who dont have a government job like I do are now going to be really in jeopardy. Thats one of the key issues for me.

You begin with your different ancestors who all had such different experiences. Can you tell us about that?

The foundation of Guyana is based on the sugar trade and that sugar trade is based in slavery and the importation of the cargo from many parts of the world, based on the idea of the sugar trade needing labour. They all have very different experiences: some come as more privileged; some come as enslaved people; some as indentured people; some come escaping somewhere else and some were the Indigenous people of that area. And so its really a truly diverse and multicultural and multiracial starting point.

You say I embody both privilege and oppression. How did you affect the way youre able to see things and perceive things?

I think it affected me in a very privileged way in that I can be in many spaces and understand them. But on a personal level, its very difficult. Being a Canadian, actually, is a very privileged upbringing because my family was able to get into the country in a moment where we were given a lot of support. I have a very privileged way of understanding the world in that I was given a lot of opportunity. Yet the very roots of my existence in terms of enslaved people and indentured people and Indigenous people is a part of what was oppressed in order to get to that point. The so-called whiteness in me allowed me to be privileged in Canadian society. And that is part of where the shame of the title of comes from.

Why shame? Surely, the shame isnt on you.

One of the books that I quote is Caryl Phillips Crossing The River, and he has this wonderful line that opens the book: A desperate foolishness. The crops failed. I sold my children. And thats an African ancestor. Theres the shame of that. Theres the shame of poverty, the shame of indenture. There are all kinds of worldwide shame. And that is on me, on my body because Im an embodiment of all of those people.

Also, in a kind of liberal democratic society, what we have decided as a way towards equality of freedom is a system that says if you work hard, you will get somewhere. And I worked hard and I got somewhere and I am somewhere.

The way Ive structured my understanding of that is this idea of the plantation: if youre working in the masters house, youre not working in the field. Youve been promoted to a slightly less difficult position. But in order to keep that plantation running, there has to be people working in the field. I guess what Im saying about my own personal shame is that I work in the masters house. And therefore its my responsibility to either stay in the masters house and keep working there or to get off the plantation completely. In order to get off the plantation completely I need to take action that is an imaginative leap in ways of trying to understand how to restructure how we function.

Each chapter of the book is a part of the body, either external or internal. Why this structure?

I always had the idea that it was going to be a dissection of the body  not just the human body, but my particular body in terms of how to undermine or unpick or go against traditionally racialized ideas of what race is. So I picked all the parts of the body that are racialized: like the nose, like hair, like skin. Blood is an important part of it is because of whats in the blood  hes blue-blooded, true-blooded. And the one-drop rule in the States  slavery was extended to those who just had one drop of African blood. Its used as a political tool and as a social tool for social control to increase slavery.

You sent away two DNA tests. How do these commercial DNA tests change the way we see ourselves?

I think its a great thing for anybody who wants to prove their purity to be proved wrong.

The nature of displaced people is that there arent long logs of family trees and even family stories that are written down. What my family relies on is stories and so I wanted to find out what kind of biological grounding the stories had.

In terms of that question What are you?, what are the components of yourself? Does that really matter? Im culturally Canadian, even though Ive lived in the U.K. for 20 years now. So those traces of DNA from other places may not have anything to do with me. I dont know that I can claim them.

Your story and the story of your family is also a migrant story in many ways.

Its a really important part of the book for me. Migration is a very fundamental, natural and essential part of being human. We all started out in Africa and the reason were everywhere else is a story of migration. To be in this moment, politically, where migration is a political issue and some people get to migrate and some people dont is a huge statement on our humanity. I think our humanity is absolutely undermined by putting up borders. And race is a border. To racialize someone is to put up a border. And the fact that were in this moment where we are putting up all kinds of borders, physical and conceptual and emotional, to me is a big question about who we are as humans that we have to face, that we have to understand.

How do you think the current situation with us all social distancing is going to have an impact on the way we understand our relationships to each other?

Im scared of that. I understand it in terms of necessity in terms of the pandemic. If we can look at the fact that we are all isolated together and that were desperate to connect with each other in that isolation. I think I think our natural propensity is connection. I think humans desire connection more than anything. Maybe this experience will have us understand what that means as humans.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Indian airspace might not be buzzing now but special flights are dotting the sky, with various overseas carriers operating services to ferry foreign nationals stranded in India in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Besides, flights are being operated on domestic routes carrying cargo, including medical equipment, to various places.

In the last few days, at least half-a-dozen special flights have been operated by carriers from various countries, including Japan and Russia, from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here, according to an airport official.

As India is under a 21-day lockdown to curb spreading of coronavirus infections, domestic and international flights have been suspended till April 14.

Only cargo flights as well as those flights approved by aviation watchdog DGCA are allowed to operate in the country.

More than 700 people have tested positive for coronavirus and the infection has claimed at least 17 lives.

At least half-a-dozen special flights have been operated by carriers from various countries, including Japan and Russia, to ferry back foreign nationals from here since March 24, the Delhi airport official said.

On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown for 21 days as part of efforts to curb spreading of coronavirus infections.

The same day, Russia's Aeroflot departed with around 300 Russians from the IGIA. The same day, a Mahan Air flight from Iran had landed with about 280 passengers, as per the official.

The next day, there were at least three international flights that carried a total of around 795 people from India. While Japan Airlines ferried 297 people, Ukraine's SkyUp and German carrier Lufthansa carried 98 and 500 people, respectively.

According to the official, Air India operated a special flight to Tel Aviv on March 26 carrying about 300 Israelis from India while Austrian Air ferried around 175 people. A chartered flight to Sharjah with 140 people onboard was also operated on Thursday, the official added.

"A special flight leaving for Sofia, #Bulgaria from #DelhiAirport!," Delhi airport said in a tweet on Friday.

On the domestic front, many cargo flights are being operated to ferry medical equipment and other essential items.

Alliance Air, part of Air India group, operated services on Mumbai-Pune-Bengaluru-Delhi route with medical equipment on Friday. Besides, a cargo flight carrying medical equipment and other essential items was also operated by the national carrier.

The flight on Delhi-Aizwal-Kolkata-Hyderabad-Delhi route had 1.8 tonne of cargo, an Air India official said.

The official also said the airline operated a Boeing aircraft on Mumbai-Delhi route that had 6.9 tonne of medical equipment.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Arvind Singh said that since passenger flights are shut, it is now focusing on cargo, medical and relief flights.

AAI manages around 137 airports and 107 of them are operational, according to its spokesperson.

On a normal day, thousands of flights, both domestic and international, operate in India. The maximum number of flights in a day are handled by IGIA, which is also the country's largest aerodrome.

Aviation watchdog DGCA, on Thursday, said that all scheduled international commercial passenger services would remain closed till 1830 hours GMT on April 14.

However, this restriction would not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA, the circular had said.

Domestic services have been suspended till 2359 hours on April 14, the regulator said in a circular on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
F irefighters across the UK have agreed to help deliver food and medicine, drive ambulances and retrieve bodies during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Under a new crisis agreement, firefighters will be able to deliver essential items such as food to vulnerable people, drive ambulances and assist ambulance staff, and collect bodies in the event of mass casualties.

The plan, agreed by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), fire chiefs and employers, will see firefighters maintain core services such as attending fires and road traffic accidents, but also providing extra services as Covid-19 continues to spread.

The plan will run for two months but can be extended if necessary and could affect the UK's 48,000 firefighters and emergency control staff.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU, warned the pandemic could put the emergency services under huge pressure, but vowed that "we can and will get through it together".

We face a public health crisis unparalleled in our lifetimes. The coronavirus outbreak is now a humanitarian emergency and firefighters rightly want help their communities," Mr Wrack said in a statement on Friday.

"To get through this, we must find ways to work together with other emergency services. Firefighters are fantastic at teamwork, are experienced in driving emergency vehicles and, as a service rooted in the community, may be best placed to deliver essential items to the most vulnerable," he added.

UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus 1 /25 UK landmarks light up blue for NHS staff fighting coronavirus The Shard in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting against coronavirus Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Tower Bridge in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS Reuters London's Piccadilly Circus saluting local heroes during Thursday's nationwide Clap for Carers NHS initiative to applaud NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic PA Selfridges lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus on the frontline PA Fulwell Windmill in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff fighting coronavirus PA MediaCityUK in Manchester lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to hardworking NHS staff PA Belfast City Hall is lit up in support of the NHS Reuters The SSE Arena, Wembley, is seen with a lit up sign for the Clap For Our Carers campaign REUTERS Tawstock Court in Barnstaple lit up in blue PA Ashton Gate, the home of Bristol City FC is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks PA Wembley stadium is seen lit up blue REUTERS Wembley Arch in London is lit up in blue PA The Lowry lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff who are trying to battle coronavirus. PA The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff PA People applaud infront of big screen in Piccadilly Circus during the Clap For Our Carers campaign Reuters The Shard in London is lit up blue

"Many fear the loss of life in this outbreak could be overwhelming  and firefighters, who often handle terrible situations and incidents, are ready to step in to assist with body retrieval."

The new agreement will initially be in place for two months, but can be extended or shortened if agreed between all parties, and could see all 48,000 firefighters and emergency control staff in the UK become involved.

Mr Wrack told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it would be "quite a serious challenge" for firefighters to take on more work.

He added: "I think this is a huge challenge across public services and also clearly we need to ensure that firefighters and others are protected in terms of personal protective equipment because no-one can do their job if their own safety is compromised."

Cllr Nick Chard, Chair of the National Employers, said the move would bring an to the "battle against the impact of Covid-19".

"Fire and Rescue has always played its role in meeting seemingly insurmountable challenges and this crisis is no exception," he said.

"We can immediately step up our assistance to support our overstretched public sector colleagues, especially ambulance services, with our can-do attitude and sense of community spirit."

More than 11,600 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK, but the actual number of cases is estimated to be much higher. The overall death toll now stands at 578, just over three weeks after the first coronavirus-related death in the UK was reported on March 5.

Most of the cases have been recorded in England, with London being the hardest-hit region. Senior health figures have warned the capital is facing a "tsunami" of Covid-19 cases.

The crisis has prompted the Metropolitan Police Service and London Ambulance Service to urge former workers to return to the service or come out of retirement.

Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick is writing to all former officers who retired within the last five years to ask them to rejoin the force, either in a paid or voluntary capacity.

VR effects of coronavirus on the lungs

Serving officers who are nearing 30 years pensionable service are also being asked to delay their retirement.

Ms Dick said: "On behalf of London, and all the men and women of the Met, it is important that we take all reasonable steps to bolster our numbers.

"Demands on us will grow and vary over the coming weeks but I want people to know and see that the Met is here for them."

Meanwhile, the London Ambulance Service tweeted that it was "asking former members of our team to consider returning, if they can, to support us in helping Londoners in need."
THUMB AREA  With the limited number of COVID-19 tests able to be conducted, health departments have had to limit who they have tested, to the frustration of some people.

The United States Public Health Service has issued a priority list as to who gets tested for possible COVID-19 infections.

The symptoms of a COVID-19 infection are fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.

The first priority is for patients who are already hospitalized and healthcare facility workers with symptoms, in order to ensure optimal care for patients and maintain the integrity of the U.S. healthcare system.

The second priority is for patients in long-term care facilities with symptoms, patients age 65 and older with symptoms, patients with underlying conditions with symptoms, and first responders with symptoms. This ensures those at the highest of complications due to infection are identified and triaged.

The third priority is for critical infrastructure workers with symptoms, health care facility workers and first responders, individuals with mild symptoms in communities with high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and individuals who do not meet any of the listed categories but do have symptoms. This ensures the health of essential workers and allows for the decrease of community spread.

Individuals that do not show the symptoms of coronavirus are considered non-priority and will not be tested.

The Tuscola County Health Department published a statement as to why they do not provide information regarding individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, such as where they live and where they have visited.

Much of this information is a violation of their privacy and could unintentionally pinpoint these individuals, the statement reads. The second answer to that is that COVID-19 is spreading community-wide throughout Michigan. While we do not yet have confirmed cases in every county in Michigan, we should assume that it is present everywhere.

They said that anyone who has been out and about the past few weeks could have been exposed to the virus by someone who did not know they had it. Plus, there is no way of knowing if the person with confirmed COVID-19 is the person who exposed someone to the virus.

The Health Department investigates every confirmed case to determine any individual who may have had close contact with the confirmed case. The definition of close contact is someone that has had direct contact with infectious body fluids with someone sick with COVID-19.

The Health Department understands about the levels of frustration of people being turned away from testing or waiting to be tested. They ask people to be patient and monitor their symptoms. If they get severe, contact their doctors office or go to the emergency room.

The Health Department is urging people who become sick to follow the Centers for Disease Control guideline on what to do. The CDC has a self-checklist on its website for people to see if they have the symptoms of COVID-19.
BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China has been sharing information on COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the World Health Organization and countries including the United States since the onset of the epidemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday.

Talking over phone with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, Xi stressed that China wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus.

China, he added, has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need.

China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic, Xi said.
The railways on Friday said a GRP inspector took money from desperate migrants to ferry them to their hometowns in an empty train even as all passenger services of the national transporter remained suspended in view of the nationwide lockdown.

CCTV footage at the New Delhi railway station showed that the inspector of the Government Railway Police (GRP) facilitated around 45 people to get aboard an empty rake of the Magadh Express on Thursday, the railways said.

"They assembled at the GRP chauki, near metro gate number 1 of the New Delhi railway station. Then they moved to platform number 16 through an opening for construction work. When the RPF personnel saw this, additional force was called and all of them were de-boarded from the train and ousted from the station. The train is still at the station," Northern Railway Spokesperson Deepak Kumar said.

Sources said across the railway network, around 600 empty rakes were stranded away from their home bases and the local railway authorities had come under pressure to allow migrant workers to travel to their homes on these rakes.

In an order, the railways has stopped the movement of all empty rakes.

"The CCTV footage showed that he (the GRP inspector) took money from the contractor to facilitate the workers to board the train, but was spotted by RPF personnel, who immediately deboarded them. The DCP, Railways and the Delhi Police have been informed and necessary action will be taken by them," RPF DG Arun Kumar told PTI.

Sources said the inspector took Rs 500 each from the desperate workers and shoved them into the rakes, which were not going anywhere.

The workers were promised to be taken to Allahabad, where the train was supposed to be returning along with some operating crew and onboard staff, the sources added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo credit: Facebook

From Popular Mechanics

A curious visitor washed ashore on a beach in North Carolinas Outer Banks.



The object was deemed safe by local police, who called the Navy to pick it up.

The barnacle-encrusted sphere is actually a simulated sea mine used to train mine hunters.

A suspicious object washed ashore on a beach in North Carolina, prompting local police to investigate. The police declared the object safe and contacted the Navy to haul it away. The "mine" is actually a Mark 49 mine warfare target, a simulated mine designed to train minesweepers and other mine-hunting teams.

The object, discovered on the beach on the states Outer Banks region near the town of Kill Devil Hills, looks exactly like a sea mine. Black, spherical, and several feet across, the object is encrusted with barnacles and marine algae. According to the Charlotte Observer , military objects periodically wash up on the states coastline.

Photo credit: Facebook/Kill Devil Hills Police

The Kill Devil Hills police, in a statement released on Facebook, the object is located just south of 5th Street, near the shore break. The police say the object is harmless and that their best guess is that it is some kind of anti-submarine target. The police go on to state that the U.S. Navy had been contacted to remove the object from the beach.

The object features stenciled writing on the side, including the words, Target, Mk. 49 Mod 1. The U.S. Navy uses the Mark/Mk designation to refer to everything from handguns to practically anything weapons-related. This particular object is an Mk. 49 Mine Warfare Target. The Mk. 49 is one of 14 different types of inert targets designed to resemble a variety of different mine types.

Photo credit: U.S. Navy

The Mk. 49 resembles the type of sea mine that goes all the way back to World War I, a spherical mine that has finger-like contact probes surrounding it. A ship at sea would strike one of the probes with its hull, crushing the detonation mechanism and detonating an explosive charge. The Mk. 49 is a slightly simplified model, lacking the contact probes.

Story continues

Photo credit: Sea contact mine. - Wikimedia Commons

Despite its inert nature, the Mk. 49 does pose an indirect danger. Gawkers flocking to the beach could be unideal during an ongoing pandemic, prompting the Kill Devil Hills police to remind people to practice social distancing when taking a peek.

You Might Also Like
[March 27, 2020] NOTICE TO UBS CUSTOMERS - KlaymanToskes Announces Investigation into UBS ETRACS ETNs: WTIU, HOML, MLPZ, SMHD, BDCL, HDLV, LBDC, LMLP, MORL, MRRL, and DVHL for Investors that Sustained Losses in Excess of $100,000

KlaymanToskes ("KT (News - Alert)"), www.klaymantoskes.com, announces an investigation into UBS ETRACS ETNs: (NYSE Arca (News - Alert):WTIU, HOML, MLPZ, SMHD, BDCL, HDLV, LBDC, LMLP, MORL, MRRL, and DVHL). These exchange traded notes ("ETNs") all suffered significant declines along with the fall of the market due to COVID-19. These products were created by UBS and may have been marketed and sold to UBS customers who were risk averse, such as retirees or other conservative investors, that were seeking income and capital preservation and were not explained the potential risks. As of March 24, 2020, UBS announced that it would suspend further sales of the WTIU and that outstanding shares would be redeemed by UBS on April 9, 2020. UBS has already had three other ETNs undergo mandatory redemptions: HOML, MLPZ, and SMHD, with the announcement of seven additional mandatory redemptions less than one week later: BDCL, HDLV, LBDC, LMLP, MORL, MRRL, and DVHL. These funds all employed leverage and were invested in risky sectors Investors may seek damages for violations of sales practice rules and regulations, as set forth by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in arbitration. However, if you invest with E-Trade, TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab, Fidelity, or Interactive Brokers or made self-directed trades, this investigation does not apply to you.



The sole purpose of this release is to investigate whether strategies deployed by UBS were suitable for investors in these ETRACS ETNs. Investors who hold accounts at UBS, and have information relating to the manner in which the firm handled their portfolios, are encouraged to contact the attorneys of KlaymanToskes at (561) 542-5131, or visit our firm's website at www.klaymantoskes.com. About KlaymanToskes

KT is a leading national securities law firm which practices exclusively in the field of securities arbitration and litigation, on behalf of retail and institutional investors throughout the world in large and complex securities matters. The firm represents high net-worth, ultra-high-net-worth, and institutional investors, such as non-profit organizations, unions, public and multi-employer pension funds. KT has office locations in California, Florida, New York, and Puerto Rico. Destination: https://klaymantoskes.com/notice-to-ubs-customers-klaymantoskes-announces-investigation-into-ubs-etracs-etns/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005253/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
VANCOUVERCanadians across the country are sheltering at home at the recommendation of public health officials. One million Canadians who can neither work from home nor work due to COVID-19 have filed for employment insurance. The province of Ontario has shuttered all businesses deemed non-essential.

But while much of the country retracts, Canadas largest port is expanding  in a way.

The ports 55 employers are finding ways to create more physical space between workers and prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in the place where vital goods like food, cleaners and protective face masks continue to come into Canada.

At the Port of Vancouver, party tents are erected as makeshift outdoor lunchrooms for longshore workers. Dispatch centres have tape on the floor to keep workers lined up metres apart. Those workers enter one door, then leave out another to go to work.

Myriad adjustments have been made among the dozens of job titles held by the thousands of people who help move goods from cargo ships to trains and trucks and ultimately, to Canadians.

The approximately 6,500 such workers in B.C. include people loading and unloading cargo from ships, gantry drivers, tradespeople like mechanics and millwrights, welders, grain machine operators and first-aid attendants.

Were a critical part of this whole piece of the puzzle, said Rob Ashton, Canada president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents those workers. Were doing the physical distancing  were rocking and rolling.

While exact numbers for March havent yet been released, thousands of shipping containers continue to arrive through the port every day. Last month, about 65,000 containers came into the port and about 51,000 were shipped out, roughly a 15 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year.

Theyre carrying imported food, cleaning supplies, exercise weights and the all-important personal protective equipment that Canadians need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A cargo ship heading for the Port of Vancouver follows detailed protocols set out by Transport Canada depending on the type of goods it is carrying, then heads to one of four terminals, where workers unload shipping crates and repackage goods for transport across Canada by truck or rail.

The protocols include rules about ships docking in the port while there are concerns about contagious infection. But the port authority Tuesday confirmed no ships have been flagged for concerns related to the coronavirus since the outbreak began.

And the port employers arent yet aware of any COVID-19 positive cases among their workers  although theyre preparing for that eventuality, said John Beckett, vice-president of operations at the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.

Our workforce is anxious, and you understand why, Beckett said. This is an equal-opportunity virus.

It hasnt all been smooth sailing. Until this week, the port was dealing with a backlog of cargo ships in the area, thanks to the combination of a landslide that had to be cleared, the Wetsuweten solidarity protests on the CN Rail tracks last month, and changes in ship schedules coming from China prompted by the COVID-19 crisis in that country.

On Tuesday, though, in contrast with almost every other industry in the country, all the Port of Vancouver terminals were operating normally, according to an online dashboard.

The Port of Vancouver is open for business, reads a portion of a March 16 letter the authority sent to stakeholders. (The port) plays a vital economic role in Canada by connecting consumers and business with the global marketplace.

That doesnt mean everything is business as usual. The port has made unusual changes aimed at preventing COVID-19 spread, such as eliminating the need for truck drivers to touch keypads to get into the port, and not requiring staff to board inbound vessels that need fuelling.

Among longshore workers, theres also been a fair share of trepidation about the virus Ashton said.

Those who arent worried about it need to get worried about it, he said. There is a little person that sits on your shoulder and says hey, watch that step.

But to longshore workers who always deal with the possibility of injury on the job, its not so new.

In the longshore industry, we live with that voice every day, Ashton said.

As president of the union, Ashton travels around various work sites to make sure everyone has what they need. His wife, who is a longshore worker, was on one of the sites he visited Tuesday  but even with her, he kept two metres back.

And once work is over, they both stay home.

Correction  March 27, 2020: This article has been edited from a version that misspelled the name of John Beckett, the vice-president of operations at the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.

Read more about:
The nation's mayors are pleading for millions of medical supplies, test kits and ventilators to help their cities combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Their cities are short 5 million face masks, 4 million personal protective equipment items, 8 million test kits, and 139,000 ventilators, according to a survey released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

More alarming, some of the equipment the cities have received is rotten.

The city of Montgomery, Alabama, warned when it received 28 cases of face masks from the Strategic National Stockpile, the masks were expired and 5,880 were rotten.

Mayors revealed their cities are short 5 million face masks, 4 million personal protective equipment items, and 9 million test kits; above a nurse in Seattle administers coronavirus test at a drive-up testing site

The survey of cities across the United States showed similar complaints to that from the nation's governors - that supplies are needed and needed quickly as the number of infected closes in on 100,000 in the United States.

'Despite their best efforts, most cities do not have and cannot obtain adequate equipment and supplies needed to protect their residents,' the report says. 'This is a life-threatening crisis that will continue unless the federal government does everything in its power to help us safeguard our first responders and health care workers  our first line of defense  and the millions of other public servants in our cities whose work today puts them at risk.'

Specifically the survey revealed:

92 per cent of the cities that responded do not have an adequate supply of face masks for their first responders (including police, fire, and EMTs) and medical personnel

88 per cent do not have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment

92 per cent do not have an adequate supply of test kits

85 per cent do not have an adequate supply of ventilators

62 per cent have not received emergency equipment or supplies from their state

The mayors also pointed out that it wasn't only health care workers and first responders who needed face masks but city employees who had daily contact with the public, including public transit workers, sanitation/solid waste workers, building inspection/maintenance staff, and community services staff.

The survey from U.S. Conference of Mayors, a nonpartisan association of U.S. mayors, checked in with 213 cities across 41 states and Puerto Rico over March 20 through March 24. All together these cities are home to 42 million people.

There was little variation in response 'from largest to smallest cities in the percentages of adequacy of supplies,' the survey noted.

New York City, in the hard-hit state of New York, did not take part.

But other cities in hot spots did, including New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

Additional participating cities ranged across the nation, including Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Louisville, West Palm Beach, St. Louis, and Charleston, among others.

The needs ranged from city to city.

Detroit, for example, cited a need for 18,000 surgical masks while Toledo's wish list includes 100,000 gowns; 200,000 pairs gloves; 10,000 temporal thermometers; 50,000 tubs disinfecting wipes; 50,000 face shields; 60,000 CAPR/PAPR filters; and 50,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who previously ran the Detroit Medical Center, called for national leadership amid nationwide equipment shortages, with coronavirus cases climbing in his state and city.

'Every mayor and governor in this country are fending for themselves,' he told CNN Friday. 'We really need some national leadership,' he said.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered hope Thursday that more money could be on the way to cities and states.

She said lawmakers could allocate additional funds for state and local governments in another round of rescue measures. Congress passed a $2 trillion measure on Friday - its third coronavirus package but there is talk of a fourth and fifth down the line if the virus isn't abated.

'As I've said, there are so many things we didn't get in any of these bills yet in a way that we need to,' Pelosi said at her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill.

Testing is carried out in New York

Speaker Pelosi said lawmakers could allocate additional funds for state and local governments in another round of rescue measures

She also suggested there are other ways to get much-needed funds to state and local governments, including through the federal reserve.

'There's no question that more money will be needed,' the speaker said.

The survey was released the same day President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors to start manufacturing desperately needed ventilators after a stunning report his administration stalled a potential deal over the cost.

The president also announced, during the Oval Office signing ceremony for the $2 trillion package to combat the coronavirus, that more supplies were on their way.

'We have tremendous supplies coming into the stockpile,' he said. 'We have had tremendous results on the respirators. We've had great results on just about everything we're talking about. Boeing just announced they will be making the plastic face shields, which are hard to come by. They are going to be making them by the thousands per week,' he noted.

He said the ventilators were the 'most difficult because it is like building a car.'

'We will be announcing that thousands will be built and we have them under contract and we have fast deliveries,' he added.

Trump has for days resisted using the Act, which he and his administration have said is not necessary due to cooperation from businesses Trump says are calling the White House to assist in the outbreak.

A plan to have GM partner with another company to produce thousands of ventilators amid the coronavirus crisis has been stalled this week over government concerns about cost and potentially ending up with too many of the life-saving products, according to a stunning report.

A plan to have the top U.S. automaker partner with Ventec Life Systems was on the verge of being reached this week, before a Wednesday announcement got cancelled and FEMA stepped back from the potential $1 billion deal, the New York Times reported.

The potential joint venture could produce thousands of ventilators, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says his state needs 30,000 of them and is far short of that allotment.

President Trump used Defense Production Act to order General Motors to build ventilators

GM has said an Indiana plant might be able to serve as the assembly line for the joint venture

The stalled agreement comes as President Trump has publicly doubted the needs expressed by Cuomo and other governors  as public health experts ask why urgent orders weren't made weeks ago when the virus was ravaging Asia.

'I think that a lot of things are being said that are more, I don't think certain things will materialize, a lot of equipment is being asked for but I don't think they'll need,' Trump told conservative talk host Sean Hannity in a call-in interview Thursday night.

'Governor Cuomo and others they say they want 30,000 of them. Thirty thousand!' Trump told Hannity. 'Think of this, you go to hospitals and they have one. And now all of a sudden everybody is asking for these vast numbers.'

Cuomo told NBC News he hopes President Trump is right and he doesn't need any ventilators.

'I hope he's right,' Cuomo said in an interview that will air on 'Nightly News.'

'I hope no one needs a ventilator. But I don't operate on what I hope or what I would like to see or what my expectation is. I operate on the data and on the numbers and on the science. And every projection I have, from multiple sources, and these are worldwide health experts, say that we have to be prepared for an apex of 140,000 hospital beds and 40,000 ICU beds with ventilators,' he added.
Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a controversial piece of anti-abortion legislation passed by the Wyoming Legislature earlier this month, arguing the bill could have unintended consequences for parents seeking to have a child but who have been told the pregnancies are not viable.

Laws already in place protect children from being denied lifesaving care simply because they were born as a result of an abortion, the governor, who is pro-life, wrote in a statement. This bill will not do anything to improve on those laws which already exist. Instead, this bill will harm people it never intended to harmparents who want a child, but have received the devastating news that their pregnancy is not viable. The State should not seek to make that moment for parents any more tragic than it already is. For this reason, I am vetoing this bill.

Sponsored by Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, Senate File 97 was a hotly debated  albeit well-supported  piece of legislation that, if signed into law, would have required doctors to provide lifesaving care to infants who had survived abortion procedures.

Critics argued the legislation would have created additional red tape for parents and physicians who, in an unviable infants last moments, would be unable to make their own decisions, leaving physicians to choose between inducing additional trauma on parents or facing years in prison for refusing to comply.

Gordon seemed to reflect this line of thinking in a message accompanying the veto, saying that it presented an undue insertion of the government into a familys personal medical decisions.

This bill would eliminate the opportunity for a child to pass away in the loving arms of parents, he wrote. Rather it would require that a child be removed from those loving parents and placed in a situation where the child might still pass away in the midst of stressful, painful and futile efforts to resuscitate.

Gordon announced he would veto several other bills as well, including:

Medicaid billing for school-based services: Currently, Wyoming is one of few states in the country to not use Medicaid to pay for school-based health services, instead using a separate stream of federal funding to cover those costs.

Under this bill, schools would have been allowed to voluntarily enter into a pilot program to tap into these funding streams.

Gordon  who has been reluctant to pursue means to expand the use of Medicaid in Wyoming  said in his veto letter that the legislation offered no guarantee of savings or participation by a sufficient number of school districts. However, he wrote that he would be open to state lawmakers pursuing similar legislation as an interim topic.

Banking division-classification and salary exemptions: Intended as a way to attract new talent to the states burgeoning cryptocurrency programs by offering salaries competitive with the private sector, this bill elicited some pushback and scrutiny from lawmakers after it was introduced after a critical deadline when Senate leadership suspended the rules during the session, fast-tracking the bill to passage.

While Gordon did not note that in his veto letter, he argued that the bill presented separation of power concerns between the legislative and executive branch, writing that it is the responsibility of the executive branch  not the Legislature  to determine staffing and compensation levels in their respective agencies.

Investment of state funds: Likely the most consequential of Gordons vetoes, Senate File 138 set out a process for the executive branch and the Legislature as the state pursues the purchase of 5 million combined land and mineral acres in the southern tier of Wyoming from Occidental Petroleum, a series of parcels commonly referred to as the checkerboard.

In his veto letter, Gordon argued that the bill  which laid out oversight and approval procedures for the Legislature  was a flawed one, writing that it put too many administrative and financial restrictions on the executive branch to properly vet and, ultimately, carry out the deal, particularly as the funds available to pay for the land have been called into question by recent economic crises.

Unfortunately, I am left with an all-or-nothing solution, he wrote. Most of the requirements contained in this legislation are important and should not be forgotten, but the language overreaches in its grant of authority to the legislative branch. I also believe this legislation anticipates what is not yet clear. I do not have the option to selectively implement the legislation.

While the Legislatures oversight provisions were rejected, the Governor outlined an agreement of what level of oversight he and the Office of State Lands and Investments would be willing to commit to, including the purchase price of the land, the estimated loss of tax revenue to the counties impacted by the purchase and several other reporting requirements requested by lawmakers in the bill.

Reached by phone Friday, House Speaker Steve Harshman, R-Casper  one of the chief architects of the bill  said he was unconcerned by the veto, however, noting that a lot has changed since the Legislature gaveled out. While the bill was defeated, he said he felt comfortable that the governor would keep a number of the sideboards included in the bill, like public meetings, in place.

I think itll be fine, he said. Well take a look at the deal, see if its a good one or not, and decide at that point. But this will probably help him move a little quicker, the state move a little quicker, and decide one way or another.

While the governors veto includes language dictating where the funds for such a purchase would come from, the Legislature will still have the final say on whether to fund the deal or not, as well as how to pay for it. That would likely take place during a special session of the Legislature later this year, though no date has been decided and theres no guarantee it will happen.

Love 7 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 7

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.
SPRINGFIELD  Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has joined a request that the federal government use its powers to ramp up production of ventilators and personal protective equipment in response to the coronavirus.

Sarno on Friday signed onto a letter from the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group asking President Donald Trump and the federal government to accelerate access to the medical equipment.

The targeted equipment includes ventilators, N95 masks, testing kits and quicker turnaround for results, Sarno said.

President Donald Trump on Friday invoked the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform and prioritize federal contracts for ventilators.

This public health emergency situation has affected all of us across the nation," Sarno said in a news release. "The needs of our cities, states, hospitals and other healthcare facilities to proactively respond to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 has put stress upon our first responders and front line personnel. It has pushed our resources to their limits. Now more than ever, we need a coordinated effort on a national scale to meet the ever growing demands of the purchasing and distribution of medical equipment.

Related Content:
According to Pakistan's health ministry, the number of confirmed cases are nearly 1,235

Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday opened its borders with its all-weather ally China for a day to accept Chinese medical supplies to fight the growing coronavirus outbreak in the country which has infected 1,235 people and claimed nine lives, officials said.

China on Thursday asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies to fight coronavirus pandemic could be transported into the country.

According to Pakistan's health ministry, the number of confirmed cases are nearly 1,235 with Sindh province on the top with 429 patients.

The largest province of Punjab followed with 408, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 147, Balochistan 131, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 91, Islamabad 27 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 2 patients.

According to the government data, 9 patients have died, 23 have recovered and 7 are in critical condition.

One new case was reported in PoK, taking the tally to 2. Complete lockdown has been imposed by the regional government and strict measures were taken to prevent the further spread.

China was providing critical medical supplies to Pakistan and the Khunjerab pass between the two countries was opened on Friday to let the goods enter Pakistan, according to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

"Medical supplies from Xinjiang, China to Pakistan is delivered through Khunjerab (5,000m) port today, highest land port on Earth. Both sides from China and Pakistan braved the cold, cleared the roads, made good preparations for the delivery of the medical supplies at the Khunjerab Pass, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan tweeted on Friday.

Meanwhile, several cases of extreme negligence were also being reported from different areas.

A person with suspected coronavirus infection in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was allowed to go home after giving samples on March 24, Geo News reported. Later, he was tested positive and the authorities took him to a hospital and put the entire village in quarantine.
Rabbi Donald Goor, left, and Cantor Evan Kent, in their Jerusalem living room, with their rescue cat, Archie. (Noga Tarnopolsky / Los Angeles Times)

The word for a biblical pestilence  magefa  has survived down through the centuries, making its way into the slangy, buzzy Hebrew of modern-day Israel.

As a worldwide epidemic rages, there is scarcely a day when Evan Kent  a Los Angeles cantor who moved to Jerusalem seven years ago with his rabbi husband  does not hear it uttered amid the old stones. Kent, 60, first learned magefa long ago, in his liturgical studies.

For decades, he was a mainstay of the Westsides Temple Isaiah, as well known for charisma and compassion as for the hauntingly melodious tones he brought to his role as cantor.

Now he and his husband, Rabbi Donald Goor, find themselves at the confluence of extraordinary events that would not be out of place in a scriptural parable. As do millions of others around the globe, Kent and Goor, 61, now face daily strictures meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection.

A bar mitzvah picture of Donald Goor with his father, Rabbi Joel Goor, grandfather Herman Multer and great-grandfather Theodore Multer on May 29, 1971. (Donald Goor)

They shelter indoors, forbidden to walk familiar Jerusalem streets named for Old Testament figures and cultural giants. Their vibrant pastoral life is curtailed; they are separated from elderly parents.

But in a particularly painful twist, the pair is also cut off from the congregation they serve as nonresident clergy in the heart of coronavirus-devastated northern Italy. They normally fly to Milan for the holiest events of the Jewish calendar. But Passover is less than two weeks away, and a visit is impossible.

Still they are kept abreast of the despair. One Milanese congregant wrote to Kent, describing an overloaded, collapsing health system, with Italian doctors making once-unthinkable decisions about who among patients with catastrophic respiratory failure is given access to life-saving ventilators.

Its like prophecy, said Kent. And just like the ancient prophets, the warnings arent heeded. I think we all feel embattled. Were all unprepared. And we all feel directionless.

Accustomed to accompanying their Milan flock through joys and sorrows large and small, the cantor and the rabbi are left at a wrenching distance.

Story continues

Since 2012, when their association with Milans Temple Beth Shalom began, Kent and Goor would preside over commemorations of holidays including Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

But by early March, the virus outbreak prevented them from traveling to Italy for Purim, the joyous festival marking the Jews salvation from a threatened massacre in ancient Persia. And now Passover, the springtime rite of rebirth that marks the Israelites flight from slavery in Egypt, is almost upon them.

But there are miles these days that cannot be crossed. The couples own journey to the Holy Land was a long one. They settled in Goor's native Southern California in 1987, a year after they met as seminary students in New York's Hebrew Union College.

Both found long-lasting pastoral homes in Los Angeles, Kent as cantor at Temple Isaiah, and Goor, the son of San Diego Rabbi Joel Goor, as senior rabbi of Temple Judea, in Tarzana.

In some ways, though, Jerusalem had always called to them. In 1972, during a tumultuous era of wars between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Kents family came to the city for his bar mitzvah.

My parents were crazy, he said wryly.

Despite the distance from their former California lives, Goor and Kent have remained immersed in the world of Reform Judaism, in which both are prominent. Kent represented the American Conference of Cantors during the creation of the Reform movements new machzor, the Jewish prayer book used on the High Holy Days.

Goor is the editor of the guidebook for rabbinic pastoral work for the Central Conference of American Rabbis and chairs the groups publications. He also serves as the rabbinic liaison for Daat, an international travel-planning company specializing in religious and educational tours.

All I do now is cancel events, he said ruefully, referring both to his role as a rabbi in high demand for now-curtailed bar mitzvahs and weddings and to his job as a travel consultant for other rabbis.

Before the two moved to Jerusalem in 2013, they envisioned all manner of challenges.

We thought about Jewish orthodoxy here, said Goor, referring to conservative sects in Israel whose influence is magnified by powerful political parties. We thought language acquisition would be an issue. Also homophobia, being far from our families, cultural displacement  maybe war.

A man rests outside Jerusalem's Old City walls. (Uriel Sinai / Getty Images)

Although plagues are a poignant recurring theme in Jewish history and teachings, they never really contemplated experiencing one personally, as they are now.

Friends always ask if the two feel safe in Jerusalem, which over the years has experienced spasms of violence, including bus bombings and suicide attacks.

Kent, while describing himself as generally not in line with the Israeli government in terms of policy, pointed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus response to the outbreak: swift imposition of travel restrictions, quarantines and stringent rules on public gatherings. Such measures probably saved lives, he said.

Goor, for his part, cited the countrys advanced medical facilities and universal healthcare.

In America, youve got private healthcare, and from what were seeing, a lack of coordination at all levels of the local, state and federal response, he said. Here, we get a sense that it is all coordinated.

Before the beginning of mandatory isolation amid the country's lockdown, the couple hosted frequent Sabbath dinners, featuring Kents homemade challah  eggy braided bread  with service on bone china given to them by Goors grandmother.

Their light-filled Jerusalem living room is adorned with family mementos and religious artifacts  a photo of four generations of Goor's family at his 1971 bar mitzvah in San Diego, nestled among Hanukkah menorahs and kiddush cups, the elaborate goblets used for sanctifying Sabbath wine.

Far from seeing themselves as strangers in a strange land, they have embraced what Kent, with a smile, calls this adventure were living. If anything, the larger themes of displacement and redemption are central to their faith.

Kent, who holds a doctorate in music education from Boston University, spent much of the last year crisscrossing the United States performing his one-man show entitled Shards, which he calls a comedic drama exploring the search for home and homeland.

Their life together also personifies the marriage of tradition and technology. Kent teaches the singing of ancient liturgical music, shifting much of his work online via Zoom. He posts daily candid videos describing life in Jerusalem during the coronavirus, connecting with friends and congregants on Facebook.

Kent and Goor exchange daily messages with the synagogue leadership in Milan. Together, they are preparing for Passover, weighing how it can be celebrated and observed in these dark days of pandemic and death.

With war, you know what youre dealing with, because you know there will be an end point, Goor said. Now, we dont know what were dealing with, and we dont know what the end point may be.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent.
[POR MAYORIA] #Pleno exonera de segunda votacion el texto sustitutorio por el que se delega en el Poder Ejecutivo la facultad de legislar para la atencion de la Emergencia Sanitaria, por el termino de 45 dias calendario. #COVID?19

? https://t.co/vZyWma5oXr pic.twitter.com/ihDhuNiglo
Oh man they are the CUTEST

Reply

Thread

Link

They seem like good people. I hope everything goes well with the birth, I'd be freaking out too rn.

Reply

Thread

Link

I can't imagine the stress of having a baby during this time. A poor pregnant woman here in the UK had the virus and her newborn tested positive. I haven't heard on how they are doing, but that additional worry can be harmful.



I'm doing a Dawson's Creek rewatch as I need something light that I can switch off to, and your gotta love Pacey.

Reply

Thread

Link

My boss is due in 2 months with her first kid and the rule here in NY is that you aren't allowed to have your partner in the room with you, they can watch via iPad. I cannot even fathom going through this alone, let alone for the first time.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

they can watch via iPad



jesus christ

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

My best friend is due in 2 weeks and shes so stressed. Her husband is the only outsider allowed with her as long as he doesnt have symptoms (obviously), but once shes stable after birth, shes going to be alone and he has to leave. definitely not what she expected to happen. She already had a rough pregnancy to begin with :(

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

must be so hard for new parents at this time. I wish her the best.

Reply

Thread

Link

Yes! Am in Toronto and read a story yesterday about how an ER doctor just became a new dad, and he's unable to even hold his baby. It's not even a 2-week thing for him of course, because he's always on the cusp. It's insane and cruel and I appreciate our frontline workers even more now because of him. A lot of people would say "f--- it, I'm holding my baby/wife/loved ones!" but he's seeing every single day what that can do. stg I felt like crying

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I love him so much!! 



Wishing him and Jodie all the best, I'm sure their bb girl will be perfect <3

Reply

Thread

Link

Omg. That high five is too cute.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the high five awwww 

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I hope Jodie and her baby get through this safely and in good health

Reply

Thread

Link

Wishing them the best; this has to be a scary time for them.

Reply

Thread

Link

I have a cousin with a scheduled C-section in less than two weeks and I am super-stressed about it so I have no idea how she is managing. It's still very up in the air if her husband can come in with her as support. Right now it's a yes but she was told that could change at any point. And then at the end of the month, another cousin has a baby due as well. And who knows where this situation will be by the end of April?



I wish Jodie and her family the best and that a healthy baby girl is born soon.

Reply

Thread

Link

What is 'vancity'? Doesn't Ryan Reynolds use it as well? Vancouver?

Reply

Thread

Link

Yes, its a nickname for Vancouver

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The more you know!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Joshua made a joke in one of his recent insta's that he had his "vancity" handle ~way before Ryan made his.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

lol, thank you for asking this because I have always wondered the same.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

i hope she has a safe delivery! i really feel for any expectant mother rn, but especially black mothers to be.

Reply

Thread

Link

I hope Jodie and the baby are healthy. I wish her a safe delivery.

Reply

Thread

Link

I started watching Little Fire Everywhere the other day. I like it so far. I love Reese, ngl.

Reply

Thread

Link

what does she see in him, he's so bland lol

Reply

Thread

Link

good dude basically which is probably hard to find in her industry lol, also a little bit of nostalgia glasses because she was a huge dawson's creek fan

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

What's not to see? He seems like a decent guy. LOL Also Dawson's Creek Pacey

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

No need to be rude lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's funny you say that because he was the spiciest part of Dawson's Creek. Also, just in general, he seems like a decent dude.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i think he's aware he really lucked out with someone who looks like her and treats her accordingly which is already a lot for a straight white man



Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

he honestly seems like a good dude, so i get it.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Some people would prefer a relationship with a solid, good person over looks but ya know

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They were already dating then, I remember that IG story. I also read she was actually wearing his Mighty Ducks jersey, one of those cast souvenir ones.



I also remember reading he has a really good rep in the industry, thus why he stays working.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Oh I didn't know that about Jensen and Josh. That's nice. I always liked Jensen more than that behemoth cro-magnon costar on Supernatural

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

She looks substantially younger than him. I wouldnt say at her age we was equally as good looking, but he was a handsome guy. I think he still is. Not on her level, but shes obviously taking his personality into consideration too.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Technavio has been monitoring the household appliance market and it is poised to grow by USD 155.54 billion during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Request latest free sample report of 2020-2024

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005413/en/

Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Household Appliance Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. ELECTROLUX, Haier Group, LG Electronics, Robert Bosch, Samsung Electronics, and Whirlpool Corporation are some of the major market participants. The expansion of product portfolios 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.

Expansion of product portfolios has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Household Appliance Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Household Appliance Market is segmented as below:

Product Major household appliances Small household appliances



Distribution channel Offline Online



Geographic Landscape Americas APAC EMEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download latest free sample report of 2020-2024: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR30111

Household Appliance Market 2019-2023: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our household appliance market report covers the following areas:

Household Appliance Market Size

Household Appliance Market Trends

Household Appliance Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increase in M&A and strategic alliance activities as one of the prime reasons driving the household appliance market growth during the next few years.

Household Appliance Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the household appliance market, including some of the vendors such as ELECTROLUX, Haier Group, LG Electronics, Robert Bosch, Samsung Electronics, and Whirlpool Corporation. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the household appliance 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

Household Appliance Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist household appliance market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the household appliance market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour

The growth of the household appliance market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of household appliance market vendors

Table Of Contents :

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

Market definition

Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

Market segmentation by product

Comparison by product

Major household appliances Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Small household appliances Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by product

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

Market segmentation by distribution channel

Comparison by distribution channel

Offline Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Online Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by distribution channel

PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 12: MARKET TRENDS

Increased adoption of multi-functional and advanced products

Growing adoption of smart household appliances

Increase in M&A and strategic alliance activities

Other trends

PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendor

ELECTROLUX

Haier Group

LG Electronics

Robert Bosch

Samsung Electronic

Whirlpool Corporation

PART 15: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005413/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/
Even as India battles the Wuhan virus, its time to introspect on the path ahead: what happened there could happen here, too.

The blinding light of the Goddess burns the street: the flowers and saris and shirts of her worshippers, dancing in a trance, are cadmium yellow, chrome orange, turquoise green, the million colours of an exploding sun. Then comes the ecstatic moment, where the bodies of the truly blessed become a medium for manifesting her presence among us. The Goddess is compassionate, but also savage: the possessed tear into live chickens, tearing off flesh from bone with great, hungry bites.

Long before severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the Wuhan virus, swept the world, virologists had been warning of the growing risks of zoonosisthe transmission of disease from animals to humans. The debate has centred around Chinas so-called Live Markets, where everything from chicken to Fruit Bats and Pangolin are slaughtered.

But the Graveyard Festival at the 1,000-year-old Arulmigu Angalamman Temple in Tamil Nadu is just one of many places in India where significant risks of zoonosis are among usunchecked. Theres zero evidence, the claims of pious scolds notwithstanding, that vegetarianism will save us from the Wuhan virus, but this is a good time to contemplate what we eat, and how we eat it.



Anthropologists and historians have long known this: theres no accounting for taste. Faced with accounts of cannibalism among Australian aboriginals in the late nineteenth centuryundoubtedly exaggerated by settlers to legitimise their genocidesome remarked on its more peculiar features.

In November 1878, the appropriately named Cooktown Herald reported on the increasing appetite of the Aborigines. Local observers held this was due to a belief, quietly encouraged by some Europeans, that the vegetarian Chinese made better eating than white men.

EG Heaps magnificently wry scholarly account has a simpler reading of the delicate question of cannibal culinary choice. Inspector Urquhart of the Native Police, he records, found that the Aborigines of the Palmer River area preferred the flesh of Chinese, hundreds of whom were killed when travelling to the goldfields in the 1870s, to that of Europeans. Too much salt, like it bacon, aboriginal shepherds explained.

The history of the White Manor any other kind of manis replete with cannibalism, too. From Saint Jeromes 393 CE memoir, Adversus Jovinianum, we know that the West European Attocottai, among other distasteful habits, eat of human flesh, and, even though they might find herds of swine and oxen and cattle, it is their custom to cut off the buttocks of the herdsmen and their wives, and their breasts, and to judge these alone was culinary delicacies.

Click here for Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates

Louise Nobles superb work on cannibalism in early modern Europe tells us that human body parts played a key role in medicine: powdered skull with dark chocolate for apoplexy; bandages soaked in human fat for gout. A Franciscan apothecary even described how to make marmalade from human blood. Executions, Noble tells us, attracted many seeking fresh blood, reputed to enhance vitality.

From the siege of Leningrad in 1941-1944documented in agonising detail in local residents diariesto Mao Zedongs Great Leap Forward, to the North Korea famine of 2013, humans everywhere have turned to eat humans, to survive.

But, bar the rare disease Kuruwhich annihilated the Foro of Papua New Guinea, who ate their deceased relatives brains in a funerary ritual which survived until the 1960stheres isnt a lot of evidence cannibalism poses a large-scale public health hazard, perhaps because there isnt much data.

That isnt, sadly, true of our relationship, in India, with the world of animalsdead or alive. What we eat, and how we eat it, has consequences.



Bhaskar Ganapati Hegde died last week, on his way to the hospital from the small village of Malaguli, on the fringes of Karnatakas Shimoga forest. His story, like those of the 55 others so far infected with Kyasanur Forest Disease has been drowned out by the nationwide Hunan coronavirus crisis. From medical literature, though, we know the disease can be lethal: high fever is followed by bleeding from the nose throat and gums; muscles stiffen; reflexes disappear; there is severe pain.

There is no cure, though decades have passed since Kyasanur Disease first appeared; vaccines exist but are not always effective. Every year, 400-500 people are estimated to fall ill, of whom between 2 percent and 3 percent will die.

In 1955, monkeys began dying on the fringes of the Shimoga forest; soon, people were falling critically ill and dying. Working with the United States Armys Medical Research Unit, Indian scientists soon discovered the disease was caused by a virus living in ticks. As Shimogas forests had become more degraded, with jungle making way for farms and factories, people had become increasingly exposed to wild animalsand the pathogens their bodies were reservoirs for.

Though Karnatakas health authorities have worked hard to contain the impacts of Kyasanur Forest Disease, its now seen in several of the states districtsand, with all viruses, theres always the potential for the virus to mutate into more lethal variants. Indeed, variants of the disease have been observed in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Local hot-spots for the propagation of zoonotic diseases are present across the country. Last year, National Centre for Biological Sciences scholar Pilot Dovih and his co-authors reported that residents of the tiny village of Mimi, in Nagaland, had been exposed to filovirusesthe family that causes Ebola and Marburg disease. The villagers were members of the Longpfurii Yimchungii sub-tribes, which harvests thousands of bats once a year to be used in indigenous medicine.

The bat hunters become exposed to the bats blood, saliva and excrement during the huntholding out the prospect that viruses in their prey will end up inside their own bodies. In the 1970s, a mysterious illness broke out which claimed the lives of over 80 peoplebut there was no public health monitoring in place to record the event.

Bat hunting goes on elsewhere in the North East, too, notably in Arunachal Pradeshand theres no great imagination needed to imagine the consequences. The Wuhan virus, after all, was transmitted from bats to humans.



Avian influenza, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, leptospirosis, Hantavirus, SARS, Nipah virus, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, schistosomiasis, plague and anthrax: For years now, epidemiologists have been trying to warn India of what could lie ahead, if human-animal contact isnt better regulated or monitored. The conjunction of poverty and large animal populations made some countries hot-spots for risks, the International Livestock Research Institute pointed out in 2012listing India, along with China, at the top of the list.

In a 2015 paper, the scholars R Kumar, SP Singh and CV Savalia underlined the growing risks from Indias burgeoning bovine population, which is a reservoir for both tuberculosis and brucellosis. Even though tuberculosis already claims over 1,000 lives a day, and a fifth of all bovines are infected with brucellosis, theres no nationwide inoculation programme, the scholars noted.

Emerging demands from a protein-hungry population are adding to those risks. Factory-farmed chickens, for example, are dosed with large amounts of antibioticsand are, thus, opening up new risks of the population from drug-resistant superbugs. In slaughterhouses across the country, sanitary conditions are disaster-grade: as they wade through an ooze of offal and blood, workers have almost no protection.

Irrespective of whether its the pious Goddess-worshippers Tamil Nadu tearing into live chicken, the bat-hunters of Nagaland, forest residents in Karnataka, or cowherds in Uttar Pradesh: growing numbers of Indians are exposed to animal pathogens and the risks which follow.

Even as India battles the Wuhan virus, its time to introspect on the path ahead: what happened there could happen here, too. Beijing was warned, following the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic, that its wet marketswhere live chicken, fish, snakes, turtles, guinea pigs, rats, otters, badgers, and civets re slaughteredcould spark off a global disaster.

The fact that it didnt listen has earned Beijing condemnationsome of it from Indians. But India isnt listening either: The country just isnt investing enough in health infrastructure, acting to mitigate hazards and improve sanitary conditions. The cost of acting will, without doubt, be high; the cost of doing nothing, though, will be infinitely higher.
Violent clashes erupted on a bridge connecting Hubei province and the neighbouring Jiangxi province on Friday, local media reported, days after China relaxed the coronavirus lockdown in the region.

Videos on social media showed overturned police vehicles and scuffles breaking out between people and cops after authorities in Jiangxi blocked entry to people travelling from Hubei, according to a Globe and Mail report.

For residents of Hubei, the outbreak, which began there last year, has left them to battle a stigma despite assurances from authorities that the disease has been controlled. People are being turned away from hotels and other homes.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Fri, March 27, 2020 21:04 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206deebe5 2 Science & Tech pandemic,coronavirus,COVID-19,robot,technology,research,science-and-technology,united-states,health Free

Robots are expected to demonstrate their value for "dirty and dangerous" medical tasks in the fight to quell the coronavirus pandemic, researchers said Wednesday.

An editorial in Science Robotics noted that robots can help with telemedicine, decontamination, handling of hazardous waste and monitoring compliance with voluntary quarantines.

"Historically, robots have been developed to take on dull, dirty and dangerous jobs," the researchers wrote.

"As epidemics escalate, the potential roles of robotics are becoming increasingly clear."

Some robots are already in use during the pandemic. Thai hospitals have deployed "ninja robots" to measure fevers and protect the health of overburdened medical workers, and robots in Denmark are using ultraviolet light to disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

While robots have been used for years in disaster situations and some medical applications, the pandemic has highlighted the need to expand their role, according to the scientists.

Read also: Thai hospitals deploy 'ninja robots' to aid virus battle

"Why are we are still letting the frontline (health care) practitioners be exposed to the pathogen?" journal editor Guang-Zhong Yang, dean of the Institute of Medical Robotics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told reporters on a conference call.

"Robots are here for taking some of those risks away from our people."

Robots should also be used for infection control, dealing with patients in intensive care and delivering medication and food, according to the editorial co-authored by researchers including Howie Choset of Carnegie Mellon University and Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Science.

"COVID-19 may become the tipping point of how future organizations operate," the authors wrote.

"New generations of large, small, micro-, and swarm robots that are able to continuously work and clean (i.e., not only removing dust but also truly sanitizing/sterilizing all surfaces) could be developed."

In terms of telepresence, the researcher wrote it was "a challenging area of development because social interactions require building and maintaining complex models of people, including their knowledge, beliefs, emotions."
In terms of health, McLaren has managed to emerge unscathed from the Melbourne coronavirus scare.

As well as the positive coronavirus infection that caused the cancellation of the Australian GP, over a dozen other McLaren team members have also been stuck in quarantine in Melbourne.

"It was not easy for anyone on our team, but I think we all managed it correctly and perfectly," Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, who was also locked down but at home in Europe, told Sky Italia.

"We had great leadership from Andreas (Seidl) and Zak (Brown). Then the rest was a whirlwind, but with perfect organisation.

"Now I am happy that all the team members, even those who remained in Australia, are doing well and have all returned home," Sainz added.

Asked if he is scared of the idea that he might not be driving an actual Formula 1 car for some time, he answered: "It doesn't scare me but it worries me.

"I am obviously scared by the images and the news that is coming from all over the world. The thought of putting myself in the shoes of all the doctors and nurses who are really fighting this war.

"We stay home and are worried, but we can't be scared because we can't see what they see. So I stay calm because I want my family to remain calm."

Finally, Sainz said he isn't worried about how the current crisis will affect the contract situation in F1, with so many driver contracts expiring late in 2020.

The 25-year-old has even been linked with Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari seat.

"It doesn't complicate things at all," Sainz insisted. "Now the world is facing more difficult things with higher priority.

"The races, the future, the contractual situation, everything takes second place and it is right that it is that way.

"We all have to wait until our life slowly returns to normal to start talking about those things again. But I am not worried at all because what I had to demonstrate I already demonstrated last year."

(GMM)
By SA Commercial Prop News

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded South Africa's credit rating below investment grade.



Moody's Investors Service has downgraded South Africa's credit rating to subinvestment grade, as a recession deepened by the impact of coronavirus frustrates economic reform efforts aimed at reducing government debt.

The downgrade comes on the same day that South Africa entered a 21-day national lockdown in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement on Friday evening, Moody's cited the deterioration in SA's fiscal strength and "structurally very weak growth" for its decision to lower the country's rating to Ba1 from Baa3.

Unreliable electricity supply, persistent weak business confidence and investment as well as long-standing structural labour market rigidities continue to constrain South Africas economic growth, Moodys said. As a result, South Africa is entering a period of much lower global growth in an economically vulnerable position.



Before Friday evening, Moody's was the sole major rating agency to not have downgraded SA to junk. Rival agencies Fitch and S&P Global Ratings both downgraded SA to junk in 2017.

The ratings company changed the outlook on the countrys ratings to negative in November, saying it wants to see a credible strategy in the February budget for halting a deterioration in public finances. However, the spending plans presented by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni last month showed the fiscal deficit as a percentage of gross domestic product would widen to an almost three-decade high.

The nationwide lockdown that suspended all activity except essential services from Friday means the budget shortfall and the governments debt burden could deteriorate even further. Even before the lockdown, the central bank forecast that Africas most-industrialized economy will contract for a calendar year for the first time since 2009.

The downgrade leaves South Africa without an investment-grade rating for the first time in 25 years and will cause it to fall out of the FTSE World Government Bond Index, which could prompt significant capital outflows. It will also raise borrowing costs, complicating the governments efforts to narrow the budget gap.

South African Rand

The South African Rand has suffered alongside other emerging market currencies in 2020 as the global spread of the coronavirus update delivers a severe impact to global trade and investor sentiment.

Moody's gave its verdict after U.S. markets closed for the weekend.

The rand weakened yesterday after having clawed back some of its losses a day before as the markets awaited an imminent South African ratings review decision by Moodys amid a lockdown due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The unprecedented stimulus by governments and central banks across the globe also showed little signs of calming investors spooked by the prospect of a prolonged global recession due to the pandemic.

The local currency was trading 0.25 percent weaker at R17.60 to the dollar at 10pm after shedding off a two-session rally which had driven it to its firmest since Friday at R17.19 against the greenback.
The response plan is a comprehensive approach that encompasses all aspects from information, screening and assessment, testing, to readying the infrastructure for quarantine and treatment

Apollo Hospitals, Indias largest integrated healthcare chain, has announced the launch of a comprehensive and integrated response plan to take the battle to COVID-19. The announcement was made at a virtual media conference held online with the top management from Chennai and Hyderabad addressing the press across the country. Titled Project Kavach, which means shield, the response plan is a comprehensive approach that encompasses all aspects from information, screening and assessment, testing, to readying the infrastructure for quarantine and treatment. The culmination of a month of preparation, Project Kavach will bring together all the resources of Apollo Hospitals to fight for the people of the country against this pandemic.

Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, We are fighting a war not just for this generation but also for the generations to come. The novel coronavirus pandemic knows no borders, makes no distinction between religion, caste, creed, colour or social status. It will require for all of us to come together, young and old as one to Break the Chain. The entire Apollo Hospitals family is ready to go beyond the call of duty and work with the Government to emerging victorious in this battle. Project Kavach will augment the Governments initiatives to address the COVID-19 pandemic and is part of our pledge to partner with the Government and be at the frontlines in this critical battle.

Shobana Kameneni, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, Apollo Hospitals has specially designed an AI-based Coronavirus Risk Assessment scan for screening and initial assessment, which is available in the form of an app and on the website (https://covid.apollo247.com/). The Risk assessment scan, which is available in 6 regional languages, will guide individuals about the potential risk of having the Virus through simple interactive questions. Based on the risk level, people are guided to contact the certified help center. She further added Over 6 million people have already gone through the screening on the Apollo 24 I7 app and website and it is expected that over 10 million Indians will use this scan to know their risk score. The digital Apollo 24 I 7 app also offers virtual and telephony consultation with facility to tele-connect with all doctors at Apollo Hospitals enabling patients to seek healthcare while staying at home.

The 3800 Apollo pharmacies across 18 states will be pressed into action to serve people with all the medication, consumables and supplements as required. Stocks have been doubled, prices will be strictly monitored and controlled, and home delivery capability has been enhanced. It is estimated that the capacity can be ramped up from the 500,000 people served on a daily basis to 1 million if required.

Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, Testing is a critical part of breaking the chain, most Apollo centers have been cleared for COVID-19 testing, the full infrastructure is expected to be in place and full scale testing to start by the end of March. There will be provision for home collection of samples as well as Drive Through Testing. In-hospital testing will be discouraged except for inpatients. Dedicated, fever clinics are being setup to screen people. People who qualify under the criteria for tests would enter via the drive through, make the payment as per the government recommended charges and then be tested.

She further added Once we start extensive screening, number of positive cases will come up, which need to be strictly isolated. This is not possible in many Indian homes where 6-7 people share common accommodation and toilet. Soon we will be launching Project Stay I, an innovative strategy to create medical rooms in hotels/hostels with light medical supervision for quarantine and creating a barrier before people come into the hospitals. This would address the situation where over 50% of the cases need only isolation and paracetamol. These medical rooms will be rolled out in the following cities  Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi, starting with approximately 50 in each city, going up by 50 rooms every three days, to reach an eventual target of 5000 rooms across the country. These will be calibrated as per the need.

The importance of up-scaling the infrastructure is to be prepared in a scenario where each virus loaded patient can infect up to 4-5 people. At this stage we should also be able to also address the anxiety of these patients in getting access to the right treatment. With Project Stay-I we expect to help over 10000-15000 patients in a month and prevent over 50 lakh infections.

Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, At the same time, we are also cognizant of the need to ensure continuity of care for its existing patients.

She further added Apollo Hospitals has the necessary protocols in place to manage patients who test positive for COVID-19 at all stages. A dedicated healthcare team trained in various aspects of the diseases including selfprotection, identification of symptoms and information flow in case of suspected cases will be assigned for the assessment and testing.

In locations such as Andhra Pradesh, Bhubaneshwar where the government has set aside separate hospitals for COVID care, Apollo is assisting them by managing a certain number of beds within large government hospitals.

The group is also preparing for the next stage of community transmission of the virus. She further added, While we hope that community transmission does not take place on a large scale, we need to be prepared for the eventuality. This stage will see a constant requirement of highly specialized treatment for the critically ill. Apollo Hospitals with its network of 70 hospitals also has the largest number of isolation and ICU facilities in the private sector. There will be over 250 beds which can be enhanced to 500 beds, created only to treat the critically ill at any given time. We expect to give advanced care to over 2000 patients a month.
PARMA, Ohio  The Cuyahoga County Board of Health on Friday released the number of coronavirus cases by ZIP code, giving county residents the first glimpse of infections in their parts of the county.

Prior to Friday, only countywide data, and data for the city of Cleveland, was available.

Fridays release of the breakdown of cases by geography caps a week of growing demand from Cuyahoga County residents for more detailed information from the Board of Health about the spread of coronavirus in their communities.

Related: See Ohios 1,137 coronavirus cases mapped by county

Cleveland.com in its reporting, through its editorial board, and on its weekly podcast, This Week in the CLE, pressed the Board of Health for information about the individual cities affected by the coronavirus, and the boards decision to keep secret demographic data about those dying from coronavirus.

Numbers shown on the map represent the ZIP codes in which patients with lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus live, not the area where they were tested, according to a board spokesman.

The maps data shows confirmed cases as of 6 a.m. on March 26, but more cases have been confirmed since then, board Medical Director Dr. Heidi Gullett said Friday. As of Thursday, the state reported 259 cases total in Cuyahoga County.

The map shows that the highest quantity of coronavirus cases, with 10-16 individuals infected, is in the following zip codes:

44133, which includes North Royalton

44022, which includes Chagrin Falls, Moreland Hills, Hunting Valley and Bentleyville

44124, which includes Mayfield Heights, Lyndhurst and Pepper Pike

44121, which includes South Euclid and parts of Cleveland Heights

44118, which includes parts of Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Shaker Heights, South Euclid and University Heights

The board intends to provide updated maps showing cases by zip code every Friday.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health on Friday provide ZIP code-level details for confirmed coronavirus cases in the county.Rich Exner, cleveland.com
Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahoo has used the corona crisis to launch a coup.

Netanyahoo has served as caretaker prime minister since December 2018. Three parliament elections have since ended in stalemate. The first two, in April and September 2019, left him and his top opponent, the former army chief Benny Gantz, without sufficient parliamentary support to establish a government. Israels parliament, the Knesset has 120 seats. Gantz' Blue and White has won fewer seats than Netanyahoo's Likud (33-36).

But following the third round, early this month, Gantz assembled a narrow majority of parliamentary supporters and on March 16 President Reuven Rivlin tasked Gantz with forming Israels next government.

Netanyahoo is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust and the trial against him was scheduled to open on March 19.

On Sunday March 15 at 1:50 am Netanyahoo announced that the courts would be closed for public health reasons. His trial has been moved to late May. He also ordered the internal security service to secretly track the cellphone data of those suspected of possible infections. His Health Ministry prohibited any gathering of more than 10 people and instructed the parliament to also follow that rule.

On March 16 the newly elected Knesset members were sworn in three at a time by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. But two days later the speaker, a member of Netanyahoo's Likud party, refused to convene the house quoting the new health guidelines.

Without a house session no new speaker can be elected and the parliament would be out of business until some unknown time in the future. Meanwhile Netanyahoo is using emergency regulations to run the country.

Unable to use his majority Gantz asked the Israeli high court to intervene. This Monday, March 23, the court ruled without dissent that the speaker must convene the house for a plenum vote today. But that did not happen. Speaker Edelstein refused to follow the high court order, publicly resigned and said he had no intention for calling for a vote in the next 48 hours during which he is still the formal speaker.

On Friday the most senior law maker, Labor chief Amir Peretz, will become the interim speaker of the Knesset.

Should he call for a parliament session the first vote of the new Knesset would be for a new speaker and Gantz ally Meir Cohen is likely to win that vote. The next vote would then be on the arrangement committee which plans the parliament's agenda. Only then could the parliament start with some oversight over Netanyahoo's current movements.

But for now there is no parliament speaker, no deputies and no arrangement committee to convene and formally open the parliament. The Gantz coalition asked the High Court to hold Edelstein in contempt but as a Member of the Knesset Edelstein can claim immunity. That immunity again can only be lifted by a parliament vote.

By a series of moves Netanyahoo has neutralized the courts and the parliament and has thrown the country into a constitutional crisis. Even cabinet sessions are only held by telephone and without the cabinet members receiving the written proposals Netanyahoo wants them to vote on.

Meanwhile Netanyahoo puts out new emergency regulations every day that steadily get harsher:

Anyone who leaves their place of residence for reasons not exempted by the emergency regulations is liable to be fined up to NIS 5,000. A person who has gone beyond the permitted distance [of 100 meters] could receive an NIS 500 fine or six months imprisonment, while one who operates public transportation in violation of the regulations can be fined NIS 5,000 or be imprisoned for six months. The emergency regulations were approved last night by the cabinet.

In which democracy can a cabinet enact imprisonment penalties without a parliament vote on an applicable law?

Netanyahoo's current plan seems to be to go for a fourth election. Every second day he is holding a prime time TV briefing to update the population on the corona crisis. That will likely bring him additional popularity. Even Trump's approval numbers for handling the coronavirus crisis are at 60% despite his botched response.

Gantz's current majority depends on support from the Arab parties. He will have difficulties forming a stable coalitions with them. His only alternative is to ally with Likud and that would likely keep Netanyahoo at the helm. If Gantz agrees to keep Netanyahoo at the top his Blue and White party may well fall apart.

By blocking the courts and parliament Netanyahoo wins time to make that scenario more likely.

Meanwhile the novel coronavirus will indiscriminately affect the Jewish as well as the Palestinian population. But the Zionist racism against the Palestinians guarantees that they will get less help. As both populations can not be separated that behavior will likely increase the peak and the consequences of the outbreak for everyone. Additionally the Haredim cult members will protest against the government's measures of prohibiting religious services and passover festivities. The current mixture of political, racial and epidemic pressure in Israel may well blow up in everyone's face and cause serious conflagrations.
Just 20 precincts in the city will be open for voting, with at least two operating on Election Day in each of the citys eight wards, officials said. But election officials are encouraging voters instead to request mail-in ballots, either over the phone or by visiting the election office. The city may try to stagger in-person voting throughout the day based on last name but said these measures are voluntary.
The demand from the industrial sector of Mexico will be affected when state and federal authorities start the implementation of progressive measures to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, says an article.

The industrial sector is the second-biggest energy consumer in Mexico. It represents 32% of the total energy consumption of the country in 2018, based on the latest date from the energy ministry SENER.

The Automotive Manufacturing Sector

The Automotive Manufacturing Sector is part of the sectors that are already struggling with the disruptions in the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the sector is being troubled with the falling demand for their products by many consumers.

Recently, almost all automotive manufacturers with operations in Mexico had announced the suspension of production.

The US-based General Motors, the top automaker in Mexico, had started announcing on March 20 the suspension of all its plants operating in North America. The company did not release any notice on how long the suspension of operations will last.

Nissan, the second-biggest automaker in Mexico, had also announced a suspension of operations in Mexico from March 25 to April 14.

Check these out:

Other automaker firms doing operations in Mexico had also announced similar measures. Many are already announcing that their initial restart dates will be in April.

In press statements, some companies reveal that they are yet to determine their restart dates. According to these companies, the decision when the restart date of its operations will depend on evolving factors such as public health conditions, travel restrictions, and quarantine requirements.

The auto manufacturing sector of Mexico had used up a total of 18PJ of energy in 2018.

What Happens if the Auto Assembly and Auto Part Plants Remain Non-operational?

If the auto assembly and auto part plants in Mexico remain non-operational for an extended period due to the impact the COVID-19 to public health and other impacts, there is a possibility of change in electricity demand and dispatch requirements for certain nodes.

Extended suspensions can also result in economic losses within Mexican territory, says Mexico's association of auto distributors called AMDA. During a press release on March 23, the AMDA said that it had sent a letter to the president of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The letter contains a list of multiple relief measures for the benefit of the troubled industry among others that are also encountering the negative consequences of the COVID-19 crisis.

Energy Demand from the Auto Manufacturing Sector

The energy demand from the auto manufacturing sector is projected to decrease this year. The industry had been facing a decreasing demand from the United States and Canada. Mexico exported approximately 86% of production in 2018. US new-automobile sale is forecasted to continue its declining trend from the record high they had set in the earlier parts of the decade. Also, multiple risks are emerging that may speed-up the decline in this sector of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 13:36:17|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

LUANDA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Angola received Thursday thousands of kits from the foundations of Alibaba and Jack Ma to help the southern African country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation includes 20,000 COVID-19 test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 level-three personal bio-safety suits.

The medical materials from China will increase laboratory response capacity by 20 times, according to Franco Mufinda, the country's secretary of state for public health.

The official, who was speaking at the 4 de Fevereiro international Airport in the capital Luanda, said that the country had only 1,000 test kits available and now has 21,000.

He said the Angolan government has been striving to empower other provinces to carry out COVID-19 tests, offer more ventilators and individual protection materials and increase laboratory capacity.

With three registered cases of COVID-19, the Angolan government declared on Wednesday a state of emergency in the country from Friday, as part of the measures to fight the pandemic.
Did coronavirus kill travel loyalty? If you ask someone like Joan Skerritt, the answer is "yes."

Last week, she asked United Airlines to refund an award ticket she'd booked for her daughter to Europe next month. The airline demanded a $125 fee to return the miles.

"United is penalizing its most loyal customers," says Skerritt, a grant writer from Oak Hill, Virginia.

It's hardly an isolated complaint. I've received a barrage of them from frequent travelers since the coronavirus crisis began.

True, most companies are pausing their points expirations or reducing requirements for elite status. But these are cynical steps designed to keep you trapped in a loyalty program. There's little evidence that travel companies are giving their best customers the preferred treatment they've always promised them, which at a time like this would be a faster refund or a fee waiver, or something  anything!  to show those customers that they're valued.

"During this time of crisis  when it matters the most  customers will remember which brands were there for them and which brands were not," says Phil Seward, a senior vice president of loyalty strategies at Collinson, a loyalty and benefits company. "How brands conduct business during this crisis will impact their brand perception long after things return to normal."

How travel companies are letting their best customers down

Many travel companies are either sticking it to travelers or leaving them hanging. Jim Wilson, who works for a law enforcement training company in Grapevine, Texas, is worried about maintaining his loyalty status with American Airlines, Hilton and Hertz. If he can't travel, his status expires and he goes back to being treated like everyone else  tiny seats, indifferent service, a fee for everything.

He's asked his preferred companies how they would help loyal travelers like him, post-coronavirus. "They haven't responded yet," he says.

Story continues

If I had to bet, I'd say they'll eventually get back to him, telling him his status is safe and that his money is still welcome there. But really, is giving your top customers the silent treatment any way to reward their loyalty?

Some frequent travelers say they'll remember how they were treated by airlines, hotels, rental car agencies and other businesses long after the coronavirus pandemic fades.

The benefits of loyalty are 'minimal'

Companies are showing virtually no preferential treatment to their frequent guests, according to loyalty program members. That's just fine with Dean Kato, a business consultant from Kirkland, Washington. He's a gold level frequent flier on Alaska Airlines. He says during normal times, the airline lavishes him with perks, such as fee waivers and upgrades. But during the coronavirus crisis, he feels kind of ordinary.

"They are treating all travelers fairly at this time," he says. "The preferences shown to frequent flyers today may be minimal."

Other frequent travelers say they'll remember this episode.

"Guests vote with their feet," says Andy Abramson, a frequent traveler who owns a communication company in Los Angeles. "They'll walk in the direction of the hotel that treated them right  and away from the one that didn't let them out of the reservation."

Maybe the pandemic has exposed loyalty programs as the sophisticated, soulless marketing programs they are. They're nothing more than an insidious way to coerce frequent travelers to fork over their hard-earned dollars to one company. Loyalty only goes one way.

How to leave your airline or hotel loyalty program: And here's what you can do instead

Is this the end of travel loyalty programs as we know them?

Experts say we may be witnessing the end of frequent flier and frequent stayer programs as we know them. Loyalty programs had already begun shifting away from collecting points and toward a relationship that "enables a better experience," says Dave Andreadakis, chief strategy officer at Kobie, a loyalty marketing company. "This crisis, like all crises, will cause us to take inventory of our relationships and determine what we really want out of them."

That makes a lot of sense. Loyalty  true loyalty  isn't about how many points you have or the color of your card. It's about trust. And it's about a relationship. That relationship has been tested in recent weeks, and too many travel companies are failing the test.

By the way, Skerritt, the woman who was stuck with a fee for redepositing her miles on United, didn't even need to wave her elite card to fix her problem. The airline canceled her daughter's flights. That automatically required the airline to refund her miles without a charge, or face the wrath of the Department of Transportation. Even so, it wasn't easy.

"After being on hold for 1 hour, 45 minutes, I was able to get all the miles put back on the loyalty accounts for no fee," she says.

Frequent flyer programs have become increasingly elitist: Is it time to end them?

How to leverage what's left of your loyalty

Offer your future business. When you're trying to negotiate a refund or credit because of coronavirus, your intentions matter more than the color of your elite card. "Try saying something like, 'I'm loyal to your brand and would hate to reconsider working with you in the future,'" says Molly Fergus, general manager of TripSavvy, a travel site.

Take a credit instead of a refund. Real loyalty means you will fly on an airline or stay in a hotel soon. Instead of taking a refund, ask for a credit. But make sure you request something in exchange, like a lower rate or an upgrade, if the company doesn't automatically offer you an additional benefit. Remember, though, that credits expire after a period of time.

Quit while you still can. Many loyalty programs offer status matching, which allows you to transfer your status to a competitor. If a company has done you wrong during the coronavirus crisis, take your business elsewhere. You could also stop playing the loyalty game entirely and start booking airline tickets and hotel rooms that make sense, as opposed to the ones that get you the most points. That is, when we get the "all clear" to resume travel.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: How the COVID-19 pandemic finally killed travel loyalty
Just as the coronavirus takes hold in Africa, threatening the impoverished continents entire population, a serious outbreak of locusts is spreading across parts of East Africa and into the Horn of Africa. The outbreak poses an unprecedented threat to food security in some of the worlds most vulnerable countries.

Cases of the coronavirus virus have been reported in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, with most countries closing their borders, banning international flights, imposing shelter at home orders and lockdown.

As most African countries lack the means to test suspected cases, World Health Organisation (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that official numbers are probably an underestimate of the scale of infection. He said, Probably we have undetected cases or unreported cases. In other countries we have seen how the virus actually accelerates after a certain tipping point, so the best advice for Africa is to prepare for the worst and prepare today.

Endemic poverty, the lack of adequate health infrastructure in working class areas, in the overcrowded shanty towns, slums and the countrysideas well as in the refugee camps (home to 18 million refugees, 26 percent of the worlds refugee population), where social distancing is an impossibilityand the prevalence of AIDS and tuberculosis together signal a humanitarian catastrophe for the region and the continent as a whole.

This crisis is now magnified by the hugely dangerous increase in locust swarm activity that broke out in January in Kenya, its worst such invasion in 70 years. After periods of exceptionally prolonged and heavy rain following a dry spell, the insects, approximately the length of a finger, fly together in millions to take advantage of the suddenly abundant food supply, devouring crops, destroying grazing plots and threatening food production and local economies. This years swarm was triggered by the Indian Ocean Dipole, a naturally occurring but increasingly frequent phenomenon due to climate change that has caused extreme drought in Australia and led to torrential rain in East Africa.

At least one swarm measuring 60km (37 miles) long and 40km (25 miles) wide in Kenyas northeastthree times the size of New York Cityhas been reported.

According to the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), desert locusts, the most dangerous of locust species, can, with the aid of the wind, travel up to 150km (95 miles) in a day and eat their own body weight in greenery. A swarm just one kilometre square, equal to 40-80 million insects, can eat as much food as 35,000 people in a day.

Some 80 percent of the population in the Horn, a region long synonymous with famine, conflicts and refugees, relies on agriculture for subsistence, meaning that the consequences will be devastating for the already vulnerable population. Moreover, under the right conditions, locusts can multiply 20-fold in three months. According to the science journal Nature, widespread breeding is in progress and new swarms of locusts are forming in the region with Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia facing the biggest risk, although Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda are also affected.

Nature points out that swarms have crossed the Red Sea to Yemen and Saudi Arabia and even reached Iran, Pakistan and India, threatening the food supplies of 20 million people later this year as well as the destruction of grazing for livestock.

As Keith Cressman, FAO Senior Agricultural Officer in the Plant Production and Protection Division, explained, The new generation swarms will coincide with the planting season in the East African region, which normally starts at the end of March and early April.

Farmers will not be able to plant or will delay planting, which will affect harvests. Cressman fears that by June the desert locusts will have increased their numbers 400-fold, with terrible impacts. It cost a massive $600 million to bring the situation under control in the last upsurge in 2003-5.

Last month, the FAO said the desert locust hopper bands were destroying tens of thousands of hectares of crops and grazing land in North East Africa, creating a dangerous situation for the region and eastern Ethiopia in particular. This prompted Somalia and Pakistan to declare a state of emergency. One swarm has even reached the eastern boundaries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has not seen a locust invasion since 1944 and is still grappling with a civil war and Ebola and measles outbreaks.

Control of locust swarms depends upon the use of chemical pesticides and naturally occurring fungal spores, which require aerial spraying that is costly and reliant upon infrastructure and access to the areas where the locusts congregate.

The measures being taken across the region to control the coronavirus pandemic, particularly airport closures and reduction or suspension of international flights, have wreaked havoc with supply chains, hampering the fight against locusts. This has served to heighten the threat to food security as well as relief efforts at the worst possible time.

With few flights operating, airlifted cargo fell by 14 percent between January and February in Kenya alone. The cost of shipping pesticides has risen threefold and the delivery of pesticides and equipment has been delayed. According to the FAO, the delivery of eight helicopters and pesticides to East Africa will be delayed, while European and Australian experts are considering how to provide remote help to the fight, given that they cannot travel.

Cyril Ferrand, the FAOs Eastern Africa Resilience Team Leader, said, The fight against an already critical desert locust outbreak is getting harder. The infestation in East Africa continues to present an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods, especially as the cropping season begins.

In January, the FAO issued an appeal for $76 million to help combat the locust outbreak that elicited less than half of the required amount even as the crisis escalated. The FAO has now upped the call to $138 million. The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that without it, the cost of responding to the impact of locusts on food security alone would be at least 15 times higher.

The UN has warned that some 6.5 million people in South Sudanmore than half of the populationcould be in acute food insecurity at the height of this hunger season (May-July). Cyril Piou, an expert with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, warned that whereas locust outbreaks typically lasted about two years, without preventive systems they will last longer, happen more frequently and spread further. He said, We are all linked in some way, what is happening somewhere else affects us all.

The response to such disasters must extend across national borders. As with every other social problemincluding ever-widening social inequality, accelerating climate change and the heightened threat of warthe locust swarms are a global problem that requires an international solution that must not be held hostage to the non-existent largesse of the capitalist governments and the corporations and banks they represent.

Riven by national divisions and the scramble for geopolitical power, they are incapable of any systematic or planned response to the threats facing humanity, be they locust plagues, infectious disease or extreme weather events and climate change. They will only contribute if they can use aid to extract concessions favourable to themselves.

The science, technology and productive capacity exists to solve these great social problems and, under a rational and coordinated democratic planning of the world economy, rapidly improve the living standards and quality of life for the worlds population. But only the international working class, through the unified struggle for world socialism, can achieve this goal.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Students who were forced to leave their dormitory at Western Michigan University because of the coronavirus will be refunded up to $1,000.

The university will refund students for housing, meal plans and parking permits after the residence halls closed amid the coronavirus pandemic, the university said in a press release Thursday, March 26.

Students were moved out of the residence halls by Sunday, March 22. The following day, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced she would establish a stay-at-home order closing most businesses and mandating that people stay in their homes.

As of Thursday, the number of coronavirus cases in Michigan totaled 2,856, and the outbreak has resulted in 60 deaths across the state. There are 10 confirmed cases in Kalamazoo County and 33 tests awaiting results.

Residents who also paid for a meal plan in addition to their room costs during the spring semester will receive a $1,000 credit to their student account. Residents who did not purchase a plan will receive a credit of $500, the university said.

Students paid about $6,000 in room and meal costs at the beginning of the 16-week spring semester and lived in the residence halls for about 11 weeks.

The university determined the refund rate looking at both fixed and variable costs to operating the halls, WMU said. The students lost 33 of the 111 days they were supposed to live in the dorms this semester.

The university explained that some costs of operating the residence halls are fixed while others are variable. The variable portion of the loss is approximately 15%, the university said. This is how WMU determined the refunds, the university said.

Students with extenuating circumstances, such as international students, Seita Scholars and Foundation Scholars, were permitted to remain in a residence hall.

WMU, like other universities across the state, moved to distance education and canceled all on-campus activities and events in the days since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Michigan.

At WMU, administrators announced they were limiting the campus to the most critical functions and that some employees would be without work. This decision was met with anger from the staff on campus.

Residents who had a commuter meal plan are also eligible for a credit from the university. The credit will range from $60 to $500, depending on the cost of the meal plan purchased, the university said.

The university will also provide credits for the annual parking permit students use to park on campus. Students should email parking@wmich.edu with their contact information. Students will be refunded up to $60 depending on the type of permit purchased.

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.

Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and when you go into places like stores.

Read all MLive coronavirus coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Also on MLive:

Thursday, March 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Western Michigan University employees face uncertain future during coronavirus closure
With more than third of the global population confined to their homes to slow the coronavirus pandemic, many are worried how long they will be cooped up.

But being quarantined can be "a good thing" and something "to enjoy," says veteran Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin.

The 61-year-old, who has made five flights to space spending a combined 671 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), says the main thing is to stay positive.

Here are his five tips for surviving quarantine:



On the ISS, cosmonauts work "in an alien environment, surrounded by metal and plastic," Yurchikhin told AFP.

"There are no trees and no plants -- except for the ones used for experiments, but we treat it as if it were our home.

"But you guys, you're really home!



"Remember that in space, it's really impossible to get out" or take some air. At home, you can always open the windows or step out onto the balcony, the cosmonaut says.

"Remember you have relatives and friends you haven't called for centuries because you were too busy." Why not get in the habit of calling them every day, when you're in confinement, Yurchikhin said. "This is the perfect time to catch up with your friends."



Yurchikhin urges those in quarantine to use this time to "establish a completely different style of communication within the family" and to pay more attention to children.

Now is a good moment to check off items on the to-do list: finally hang a painting on the wall, sort through archives or read a book.

"Take care of this today, because when the quarantine is over, you won't get round to it again!" he urged.

And "Don't forget your health!" he says.

You can let spending all day in an enclosed space impact your fitness, says Yurchikhin. "That's why you should do sport." You do not need a gym membership to work out "at least twice a day for 30 minutes." With many yoga or aerobics courses available online, "you can do it at home," he says.

"If you only see the bad side of quarantine, it will feel like prison," Yurchikhin said.

"So approach this situation with humour.

"Humour should prolong life and shorten quarantine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AUSTIN, Texas, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the largest association representing nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties, applauds President Trump for signing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law. The CARES Act bolsters seniors' access to home health care services and provides needed funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) for nurse practitioners (NPs) and other health care providers. The law authorizes NPs to certify and recertify home health care services for Medicare patients, strengthens funding for PPE and ensures vital resources to respond to the pandemic.



"We thank President Trump, the Senate and the House of Representatives for coming together in a bipartisan fashion to recognize the critical health care needs of seniors and the importance of authorizing NPs to certify and recertify home health care services to Medicare patients  especially during this pandemic. This law will help ensure that seniors have timely access to home health care and reduce their potential exposure to COVID-19," said Dr. Sophia L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, president of AANP. "Additionally, we are grateful for the funding to purchase necessary PPE and other resources for our nation's health care providers. This law will equip NPs and other providers with the tools necessary to combat this pandemic as they serve on the front lines of health care."

By President Trump signing the CARES Act into law, he provides a significant victory for patients and the health care providers combatting COVID-19.

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 290,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate a nurse practitioner in your community, go to npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org. For COVID-19 information from AANP, visit https://bit.ly/2UFPhgz.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Related Links

https://www.aanp.org


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As so often happens during times of national crisis, the unscrupulous among us will attempt to take advantage and profit via various online and telephone scams.

Multiple organizations are warning against these scams, with information included from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) based off common scams attempted during the H1N1, Ebola and Zika outbreaks.

Here is a list of some of the more common scams of which to be wary:

Family scams -- Often targeting older adults, scammers will call -- frequently at night -- and pretend to be a grandchild or other close relative. Theyll say theyve contracted the virus and are quarantined at home, asking the victim to send a gift card online so they can buy food and supplies. Potential victims are advised to always check caller ID and, if a scam is suspected, call the number of the family member on their number to verify its them.

Fake test kits -- Scammer may call offering free coronavirus testing kits and ask for personal and health insurance information.

Bogus vaccines/remedies -- There are currently no viable antibiotics for COVID-19 and natural products also have no real effect on the virus. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is -- There are currently no viable antibiotics for COVID-19 and natural products also have no real effect on the virus. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is compiling a list of these fraudulent products. Simply put, do not for a moment believe anyone who claims to have found a cure, natural or otherwise, for COVID-19.

FDIC scam -- Scammers will call posing as representatives of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and ask for sensitive information as a requirement to receive federal relief money. In fact, the FDIC does not make unsolicited phone calls asking for personal information and/or money.

Charity scams -- Among the most common of scams, these usually involve someone calling and claiming to be a representative of a charitable organization, seeking donations for those affected by the virus. Victims are typically asked to send cash donations by mail, wire transfer or gift card.

Fake vaccines -- Victims may get a call asking them to contribute to a fund to develop a vaccine to fight COVID-19 -- perhaps even a call, email or test offering access to a government vaccine only being offered to a select few. Remember the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Fake CDC/WHO emails -- Potential victims receive emails which appear to be from the CDC or WHO, offering potential cures for COVID-19. Dont click on the links provided in these emails -- they are likely going to take you to unsecure websites which can collect personal data or download malware.

Healthcare provider scam -- Scammers will call pretending to be from a doctors office or other healthcare provider, claiming a relative or friend has been treated for COVID-19 and demanding payment. Healthcare providers would not make contact in that manner.

Student loan scams -- Students may receive a call from scammers claiming that new policies are in place due to the virus which could affect the students college loan and the student is directed to call another number to find out how the new regulations will affect their loan. The second call will likely result in the student being asked for personal information like their Social Security number or credit card information.

Those who find themselves potential victims of one of these -- or any other -- scams should contact their local law enforcement agency, the Mississippi Secretary of States office or file a complaint with the FTC.
Vi, national developer, owner and operator of luxury retirement and senior living communities across the United States, has established partnerships with leading global hospitality companies Hilton and Hyatt to provide much needed jobs to workers at these corporations who have experienced layoffs or been furloughed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the ramifications of the novel coronavirus continue to play out globally, it is clear that the hospitality industry has been drastically impacted, marking economic uncertainty for the millions of Americans working in the hospitality space. Vi is among other leading companies, such as Amazon, CVS, Walgreens and more, to open doors to new opportunities for American workers, connecting them with jobs at Vi communities across the country.

While the hospitality industry is experiencing unprecedented challenges, this is a global fight that we are all facing together, said Judy Whitcomb, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Learning, and Organizational Development at Vi. We are proud to partner with leading organizations like Hilton and Hyatt during these unprecedented times to offer career opportunities to workers in the hospitality industry who have suddenly found themselves without a job in the wake of this pandemic. We look forward to extending our hospitality culture to individuals impacted by a reduction in-force.

Certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked #26 on Glassdoors 2020 Best Places to Work, Vi is consistently recognized as an award-winning organization committed to employee development. The company offers customer service, culinary, dining, maintenance and housekeeping professionals a variety of temporary, part-time, and full-time positions in desirable locations across the United States including Scottsdale, Naples, Miami, West Palm Beach, Chicago, Denver, San Diego and Silicon Valley. Vi offers a robust collection of employee benefits as well as a number of training and development programs, including tuition reimbursement, a 24-hour online university, and free Rosetta Stone language training.

Blending the best of a five-star resort lifestyle with senior living, Vi operates continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), which provide residents with independent living as well as a continuum of care on-site, including assisted living, memory support and skill nursing.

To learn more about employment opportunities at Vi, visit https://jobs.viliving.com/

About Vi

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Vi operates 10 continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) across the United States. With more than 30 years of experience as the owner and operator of residential communities for older adults, Vi continues to work toward providing quality environments, services and programs to enrich the lives of those they serve. Vi is proud to be the recipient of a number of best workplace awards, including Glassdoors 2020 Best Places to Work, and Great Place to Work and Fortunes Best Workplaces for Aging Services.
DALLAS, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) commends the bipartisan efforts of the United States Congress and the Trump Administration on the passage of the CARES Act today. The $2 trillion measure is intended to assist workers and businesses negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, including significant relief for aviation workers and the entire airline industry.

"SWAPA worked diligently to ensure that the relief provided in this bill contained important protections for workers," said Capt. Jon Weaks, President of SWAPA. "Our focus during the drafting process was geared toward workers' rights, and we pushed for language against furloughs and pay cuts, as well as protections for provisions covered in our Collective Bargaining Agreement."

The CARES Act places limitations on furloughs, protects collective bargaining agreements, and secures grants that will go directly towards pay and benefits. In addition to payments for families and extended unemployment benefits, the CARES Act also includes $50 billion in aid for airlines.

"We want to thank Congress and the Administration for recognizing the needs of our Pilots, Southwest Airlines, and the airline industry as a whole," said Capt. Weaks. "We fully believe in the resiliency of our country, and our Pilots stand ready to help Southwest weather this storm of uncertainty by maintaining our high standards of professionalism, productivity, and efficiency."

SWAPA is also appreciative of the leadership in both the House and Senate, as well as the Trump Administration, for their willingness to listen and to address the concerns of SWAPA Pilots. Because of the determination of the President, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the CARES Act is as comprehensive as it was swift.

About Southwest Airlines Pilots Association

Located in Dallas, Texas the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) is a non-profit employee organization and the sole bargaining unit for the more than 9,900 pilots of Southwest Airlines. SWAPA, now in its 42nd year, works to provide a secure and rewarding career for Southwest pilots and their families through negotiating contracts, defending contractual rights, protecting their professional interests, and actively promoting professionalism and safety. For more information on the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, visit www.swapa.org.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Pilots Association

Related Links

http://www.swapa.org


Q uestion: We hear about all the help that is going, quite rightly, to people whose income is threatened by this awful coronavirus but how does the situation affect private renters in the residential property market? Could people end up being evicted if they struggle to keep up rental payments?

Answer: The massive challenge of the coronavirus pandemic is impacting every aspect of our lives in ways unseen since the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

Uncertainty and fear is rife and the scale of the policy response required from the Government is vast.

Renters in the private sector, who may struggle to pay their rent if they cannot work, or lose their income, as a result of the virus pandemic, will understandably be concerned.

Landlords, who in turn may be unable to meet their mortgage obligations, or who are simply unsure how to respond to their renters plight, are likewise bound to be affected by the current situation.

Seeking clarity on new legislation for rental tenants

Secretary of State for Housing Robert Jenrick announced on March 18 that the Government was introducing an emergency Bill to clarify the position.

It is widely expected that the Bill will be finalised this week.

It is expected to contain wide-ranging protections for both renters and landlords.

It is anticipated that the Bill will temporarily suspend evictions of renters from social or private rented accommodation against whom landlords have already obtained possession orders.

This is, in practice, a reality already, as bailiffs have refused to set new appointments to evict renters.

In addition, landlords will not be able to bring new claims for possession in the courts for a period of at least three months.

Landlords may also expect to receive a three-month payment holiday on buy-to-let mortgages.

Because this is part of the Governments package of emergency measures in response to the pandemic, the details will only become clear once the Bill is passed into law  and some groups have already raised questions about how the measures will work in practice.

Renters may wonder whether landlords will follow the measures. Landlord groups, including the Residential Landlords Association and the National Landlords Association have, in response, appealed to the Government to preserve landlords right to evict antisocial renters during the pandemic.

What does this mean for renters and landlords now?

Renters struggling to pay their rent as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic should speak to their landlord as soon as possible in order to explain their situation and explore ways of managing the situation.

For example, the renter could ask for additional time to pay or payment in instalments.

If the renter is unable to reach an agreement with their landlord, it is recommended to still pay any amount that they can afford.

Renters should keep a record of what they have offered and also paid, following up any conversations with emails.

Renters should always remember that they will ultimately remain liable for payment of the rent in full and may still face eviction once the initial three-month period has ended.

At the end of the emergency legislation period, if a renter is in arrears of rent, the Government has stated that landlords and renters will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account renters individual circumstances.

The advice to landlords is to engage in proactive communication with their renter(s) regarding their financial situation.

If there is any issue arising, and their rental property is mortgaged, landlords may also wish to speak to their mortgage company regarding their circumstances.

The underlying message from the Governments response is that renters, landlords and Government are now expected to work together so that, when the UK pulls through the Covid-19 pandemic, peoples lives and the economy can rebound as quickly as possible, and homelessness for renters will not become widespread.

These answers can only be a very brief commentary on the issues raised and should not be relied on as legal advice. No liability is accepted for such reliance. If you have similar issues, you should obtain advice from a solicitor.

If you have a question for Piers King, email legalsolutions@standard.co.uk or write to Legal Solutions, Homes & Property, Evening Standard, 2 Derry Street, W8 5EE. Questions cannot be answered individually, but we will try to feature them here.
An Australian single mother who lost her job has been brought to tears after her son secretly put 20 cents on her bedside table with a note.

The woman, from Victoria's Geelong, became one of the hundreds of thousands of newly unemployed workers on Monday following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's tough restrictions to slow down the spread of coronavirus.

But her little boy quickly brought a smile to her face after he offered to help her with his silver coin, along with a handwritten note that read: 'Your pay'.

'I lost my job on Monday and I've been pretty silent and calm about it as I know I'm not the only one,' she said in a Facebook group.

'Financially it's pretty grim in my little single parent home but I'm always optimistic. However my beautiful little son secretly put this on my bedside table last night before he went to bed.

'As soon as I found it I ran into his room and gave him a huge hug and thanked him for being so kind. I told him "we'll be alright because we have each other".'

An Australian mother who lost her job has been brought to tears after her son secretly put 20 cents on her bedside table with a note that said: 'Your pay'

The mother shared her heartwarming story in a Facebook group on Friday afternoon, and she was quickly met with thousands of reactions.

Many described the little boy's sweet gesture as 'beautiful', 'precious' and 'gorgeous' as others praised the single mother for raising a good kid.

'Beautiful little boy, you have raised him well, be proud,' one said.

A second said: 'You should be proud of the obviously amazing job you are doing raising your child. That job is priceless.'

A third said: 'That is so beautiful it made me tear up, what a beautiful heart he has.'

A fourth said: 'You are so rich having such a caring little boy. Yes, you will be fine because you have each other.'

And another said: 'Awwww how beautiful of your gorgeous boy! I understand exactly what your going through, may we get through this tough times.'

The mother shared her heartwarming story in a Facebook group on Friday afternoon, and she was quickly met with thousands of reactions

Other parents rallied behind the mother to show their supports, as they revealed they are going through a similar experience after also losing their jobs.

'Awww what an amazing young man already. Bless. In the same shoes as you. Lost my job on Monday too,' one mother said.

A second said: 'This brought tears to my eyes, how sweet he is. I hear you honey, I am also a single parent and am worried financially myself.'

And a third said: 'Sending you love and courage from one single mum to another who's out of work too. It will be ok, it has to be.'

Several kindhearted strangers also offered to donate the mother and son food.
Data received by Radio Farda show that since January Irans crude oil exports to China have dropped further to less than 220,000 barrels per day.

Earlier, Washington had repeatedly insisted that one of its main goals in imposing economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic was pushing Iranian oil exports to zero.

The United States and China signed an agreement in January to pause their trade war. In the meantime, Washington asked Beijing to stop importing crude oil from Iran altogether.

The Trump administration announced in May 2019 it would no longer grant sanctions waivers to any country to buy oil from Iran. The move was expected to wipe roughly one million barrels per day (bpd) off the market.

However, following Washington's decision to end its waivers, China remained as the sole importer of Iranian oil, although significantly less than in the past.

But the fact was Iran was not receiving much cash for the oil. China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), the country's top state-owned refiners, are receiving the bulk of the 140,000 to 170,000 bpd of oil in return for their prior $5-billion investment in Irans Yadavaran and Azadegan oil fields.

Nonetheless, until February 2020, China's oil imports from Iran were more than the amount related to China's investment in Iranian oilfields. The assumption was that Iran was also storing some oil in China.

In the meantime, Kpler, an international data intelligence company that "provides transparency solutions to commodity markets", told Radio Farda that the volume of crude oil loaded in March in Iran has dropped to 160,000 bpd.

The volume was 248,000 and 254,000 bpd in February and January, respectively.

Therefore, counting in Tehran's debt to the Chinese investors in the Yadavaran and Azadegan oil fields, it appears that the amount of Iranian crude export revenues for the first time has dropped to zero.

Kpler's data show that, on average, Iran managed to export nearly 570,000 bpd in the last fiscal Iranian year, (ended on March 20) and the bulk was destined for China.

Immediately after Washington stopped offering exemption in May 2019 to a handful of countries to buy oil from Iran, its exports quickly dropped from nearly 1.5 million bpd to under 500,000 bpd, and almost 220,000 bpd in the past three months in average.

While Iran oil tanker operation (loading) has dropped to 160,000 bpd in March, Iran's new fiscal budget (beginning March 20) has projected selling one million bpd of crude at $50 per barrel. But even if Iran can smuggle out some oil, prices have halved in recent weeks, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Islamic Republic had expected to collect $18.25 billion through exporting crude in the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2020-21). With the current oil glut and extremely low prices, Iran has little chance of getting more than a fraction of its projected oil income.

Before the U.S. sanctions, the Islamic Republic used to produce 3.82 million bpd, while its oil and gas condensate exports amounted to 2.5 million bpd.

OPEC's data also show that Iranian oil production in recent months has dropped to below 2.1 million bpd. Therefore, as Iran locally consumes 1.8 million bpd, it only has 300,000 bpd of extra crude for export.

Radio Farda's data provided by Kpler show that Iran has currently stored more than 100 million barrels of crude, 61.9 million barrels in onshore facilities, and the rest loaded on oil tankers docked at the Persian Gulf.
During his talks with Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith, PM Phuc lauded the Lao Governments efforts in preventing the disease, stressing that Vietnam is willing to support and stand side by side with the country in the combat.

He proposed the Lao PM and Government create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to stabilise their lives and access essential conditions to prevent the epidemic.

The Vietnamese PM also called for the Lao sides close coordination in maintaining social and security stability, especially in border provinces.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 26th holds separate phone talks with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts. (Photo: VNA)



For his part, PM Thongloun spoke highly of Vietnams efforts and successes in containing COVID-19 and expressed his hope that the two countries will enhance information sharing, coordination and mutual support in this field.

The two leaders agreed on the need to maintain bilateral cooperation in the present circumstance and pay due attention to the effective implementation of agreements reached at the 42nd meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee early this year.

The two sides also consented to facilitate the flows of goods between the two countries, and work harder to maintain the growth of bilateral trade and investment by flexible measures.

Vietnam and Laos would work together to overcome difficulties caused by the economic downturn resulting from the epidemic, the two leaders committed.

While talking with Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen, PM Phuc suggested the two sides facilitate citizen protection and assistance by representative agencies of each country.

He also urged Vietnamese and Cambodian ministries, agencies and localities to join hands in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, maintain trade activities and make it easier for the transportation of goods along their common border.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam stands ready to coordinate with the Cambodian side to repatriate Cambodian citizens who have been quarantined in Vietnam for COVID-19 if they want.

PM Hun Sen highly valued Vietnams measures in preventing and controlling the pandemic and agreed to order Cambodian ministries, agencies and localities to support the Vietnamese community in the country.

During the talks, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that the coordination and support between the three countries in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak is necessary and significant.

Vietnam is willing to send medical experts to the two countries if requested, he said, calling for stronger coordination between the three countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)./.
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders greet each other before their March 15 Democratic presidential primary debate in Washington. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

It was another tough break for Joe Biden in his struggle for relevance while the nation wrestles with the pandemic: The former vice president was poised to appear before the vast audience of ABCs The View, but before his interview started earlier this week, the show vanished from TV screens as network affiliates cut away to cover New Yorks governor and Washingtons mayor addressing the coronavirus threat.

That encapsulated the brutal challenge Bidens presidential campaign faces as he tries to connect with voters preoccupied with more pressing matters than politics.

Even as President Trump fumbles his way through the outbreak, there are risks for Biden if he remains in the background of this ever-changing public crisis. Fresh polling this week shows a diminished lead for Democrats in November, and Trumps approval rating mostly stable despite heavy criticism of his early efforts to downplay the significance of the pandemic.

That leaves Biden in uncharted territory, a candidate awkwardly adjusting to the new reality of virtual campaigning and struggling to find a message that gets him back on voters radar.

He is making a concerted effort this week to raise his public profile, holding daily media events from a television studio newly installed in his home in Wilmington, Del., where he is housebound because of the pandemic. After days of being all but invisible, he gave interviews to "The View," CNN and MSNBC, and Wednesday he held his first news conference via Zoom. Also on Wednesday, Biden launched a campaign newsletter and in its first edition announced he would soon start producing a podcast.

Despite the media blitz, Biden is feeling the limits of his impact because, unlike New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is now a media star, Biden has no real governing power.

"I'm champing at the bit, Biden said in his news conference. I wish I were still in the Senate, and able to impact some of these things. But I am where I am."

Story continues

His supporters are also groping for a new strategy.

Everybody is navigating a new world, said Steve Schale, an advisor to Unite the Country, a super PAC supporting Biden that just launched a fresh ad attacking Trumps response to COVID-19. "There is no easy answer to this. There is nothing normal about this moment. Yet the political calendar doesnt take a break.

Another multimillion-dollar political committee supporting Biden, Priorities USA, recently launched its own new $6-million ad campaign aimed at helping Biden elbow his way back into public debate about COVID-19, including one spot that contrasts the chaos of Trumps actions with clips of a resolute and confident Biden vowing to lead with science.

The marketing blitz, though, is undermined by a Biden campaign that still seems unprepared for this moment. The jury-rigged television studio in the rec room of Bidens house projects more like a home-movie production than a high-tech presidential campaign.

He gave his first speech  about COVID-19, of course  on Monday, amid confusion about when the remarks would start. Biden got out of sync with the teleprompter and lost his place. He called the governor of Massachusetts Charlie Parker (his last name is Baker).

That was the bad news. The good news was that viewership was limited. None of the major television stations carried it live. It both relieved and frustrated many backers of the former vice president. The operational glitches of the campaign right now make them cringe.

Still, Biden supporters believe that the public health emergency wracking the nation cries out for a serious, experienced, stable leader  the qualities that Biden has been selling himself on since the day he launched his campaign.

His experience and persona are made for this moment. People watch him and hear him and think, It would be nice if he was president, said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who was deputy campaign manager to Sen. John Kerrys 2004 presidential campaign. The downside is people are not paying attention."

Getting them to tune in requires the kind of agile media- and tech-savvy campaign infrastructure Biden is scrambling to build. Democrats are urging him to move fast.

He is going to have to change quickly, said Shomik Dutta, a veteran of Barack Obamas two campaigns and partner at Higher Ground Labs, an incubator for progressive political technology. Joe Biden now has to wheel 180 degrees and prosecute a very different campaign than the one he was running.

The coronavirus crisis engulfed the campaign just as, over a breathtakingly short amount of time, Biden all but sewed up the Democratic nomination on a shoestring budget  besting rival Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday and beyond even in states where he had never campaigned, had no staff and was vastly outspent. Although Sanders remains in the race, Biden is so far ahead that he has already shifted to a general election posture.

But now, the candidate is no longer able to get cash by holding living room fundraisers, forcing him to rely far more heavily on online donors. The traditional central-command-focused campaign Biden has run, Dutta said, will have to give way to one that relies heavily on decentralized clusters of digital-savvy volunteers. Biden needs to find a way to virtually convey the town hall and rope-line empathy and compassion that is such a draw for voters.

He has to find formats that let him showcase those strengths that are not straightforward, Dutta said. He cant just yell in front of a fireplace for two hours the way Bernie can. Dutta suggested the campaign might find online influencers who can draw out the qualities of Biden that attract voters.

It would be an interesting place to start experimenting, he said. In times of fear, people go for a brand name and something they know. He has a unique strength here. He is known for being stable, known for being empathetic, known for being deeply competent at what he does. There is a hunger for that."

The former vice presidents supporters are conflicted on how much Americans need to see Joe Biden at this very moment, when voters are processing a shutdown economy, overwhelmed hospitals and sealed international borders. As donors and advisors implore Biden to get in front of more cameras and be a bigger presence, the risks of appearing opportunistic run high.

The public probably for another few weeks is not going to be focusing on a presidential race, said John Garamendi, a Democratic congressman from the San Joaquin Valley who has endorsed Biden. The time will come when the campaign will resume.

Biden was plainly juggling the pressure to call Trump out for false statements and his fear of being seen as too partisan in a national emergency in his appearance Tuesday on The View.

"I think there's truth to both sides. That's why, if you notice what I've been doing, I've not been criticizing the president, but I've been pointing out where there's disagreement as to how to proceed," Biden said. "The coronavirus is not his fault, but the lack of speed with which to respond to it  it has to move much faster ... as I pointed out, this is not about Democrat or Republican."

But in his CNN interview later in the day, Biden bluntly scolded Trump for talking about allowing businesses to reopen by Easter. "He says he's a wartime president," Biden said. "Well, God, act like one."

However he handles this awkward interregnum publicly, many Democrats are hoping that Biden uses this time well to ramp up his campaign operation so it will be ready when the battle resumes in full force.

He has 12 people working on his digital platform, said Michael Meehan, who also advised the Kerry campaign. He needs 1,200. It is hard to knock off an incumbent in times of trouble. You dont win presidential campaigns in the spring, but you can lose them there if you dont prepare right.

On Tuesday morning, a new Monmouth University poll showed Bidens lead over Trump in a fall matchup had shrunk to a scant 3 points, putting it inside the margin of error. While the poll showed Biden performing better in some crucial swing states, the news was unnerving to Democrats, yet not completely unexpected as voters put stock in the federal government to get the nation through this crisis.

We all hope and pray this is a short-lived moment and society can get back to work, Schale said. Anybody who is a human wants this.

A key challenge for Biden, he said, is getting voters to focus not just on the immediate crisis of a dire shortage of hospital beds and a plunging stock market, but also how to pick up the pieces when the acute emergency passes.

There is still going to be a choice in seven months, Schale said. The vice president will do his best to define that choice. How are we going to get out of this? What will the world look like going forward?
New Delhi, March 27 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has constituted a highway task force for people who have been stranded or are forced to take the long walk back home due to the lack of transportation facility in the wake of the nationwide lockdown that is in place to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

However, she also said that without the government's help, it is not possible to help the migrant labourers affected by the lockdown.

In a video message, Priyanka Gandhi asked that if planes could be sent to evacuate people from different foreign countries, why can't the government help its own people go home.

She said that in times of crisis, everyone wants to be with their family, and for this the Congress has constituted a "highway task force" to help the stranded migrant labourers. But without the support of the government, it is not possible to help people in such a large scale, she said.

Priyanka Gandhi also said that she was saddened to see the images of people stranded at the Delhi-UP border without food and shelter. "These are our people and we should help them," she said.

The Congress leader on Friday also wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying the state government should provide relief to the labourers, vendors, destitute, widows and others who have been deeply affected by the lockdown.

She requested the state government to ensure that labourers who are coming to Uttar Pradesh as part of a reverse migration should be given facilities to reach their homes safely.

The Congress leader also urged the UP government to start a helpline for displaced labourers so that they can contact the concerned officials.

She asked the Chief Minister to provide food grains to slums in urban areas besides ensuring adequate medical help to all.
James 'Arg' Argent is reportedly getting a helping hand from his supportive longtime friend Mark Wright in adjusting to life after 'rehab'.

According to The Sun, 33-year-old Mark and his wife Michelle Keegan, 32, have remained in touch with the TOWIE star, 32, throughout his challenges, and most recently since he returned to the UK from Thailand.

A source said: 'Mark was straight on the phone to James to make sure he is OK. Theyve spoken a lot and James knows that Mark is there for him. Michelle will be too. They both think the world of him and want him to get back to his very best.'

Lean on me: James 'Arg' Argent, left, is reportedly getting a helping hand from his supportive longtime friend Mark Wright, right, in adjusting to life after 'rehab'

According to the friend, Arg has struggled somewhat since returning to his native Essex, given the recently mandated nationwide coronavirus lock-down.

'Its weird,' said the pal. 'James was looking forward to coming back then just getting home last week from Thailand was a nightmare because of all the travel delays. Then when he gets back he cant go anywhere or see anyone because of the lock-down.

'Its been hard and a bit of a head f*** but in many ways James is used to it more than most of us as he has spent the last few months of his life living that way. He is looking to the positive and making sure he gets plenty of rest, eats right and does a bit of exercise everyday.'

Back home: The 32-year-old TV personality recently returned to the UK, after a reported rehab stint in Thailand. Pictured in September 2018

MailOnline has contacted representatives for James Argent and Mark Wright for comment.

On Monday, Arg was publicly seen for the first time this year, as he was pictured in Essex on Monday, a day before the UK lockdown rules came into place.

However, Arg, whose girlfriend is Gemma Collins, failed to follow social distancing guidance as he was seen offering a friend a lift on the back of his scooter.

The troubled star was taken to hospital for the second time in two months last year after friends and family feared he had attempted a second 'overdose'.

I'll be there for you: A source told The Sun, 'Mark was straight on the phone to James to make sure he is OK. Theyve spoken a lot and James knows that Mark is there for him'

Paramedics rushed to his 1.3million home in South Woodford, Essex in December, where they found the star 'disorientated' shortly before friends - including Mark - rallied around in a bid to help him get the support he needs.

Insiders told MailOnline: 'Mark was at his house for around six hours to support him. This was after Arg had been to hospital and come home again...

'Arg cant afford rehab but Mark and other close friends and family are clubbing together to put him in a good place so he can overcome this.'

'He has realised he needs help with his recent addiction issues and with his weight loss battle, so has turned to professionals.

Loved up: Arg will also have the support of his girlfriend Gemma Collins. Pictured in May 2018

'Arg is receiving some of the best care in the world and so is in an environment to finally improve his physical and mental state.'

The reality star returned to social media in February following a rumoured stint in rehab, as he announced that he was set to take on a residency at pal Elliott Wright's Marbella restaurant.

However, with both Spain and the UK on lockdown amid the coronavirus crisis, it is unlikely the star will be able to take it on.

Arg had been due to perform at Olivia's La Cala's Famous Thursday events on selected dates from April until September.
Many experts concur that the South Korean model of tracing and tracking the coronavirus emergency is a model to be emulated. The bishop of Daejeon praises the actions of the authorities and praises the citizens' response. "They showed great love of neighbor. It was deeply moving to see so many volunteers go to Daegu." The Church expects to resume public masses on April 6, Monday of Holy Week.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - South Korea is wrapped in an "atmosphere of unity and determination to overcome the coronavirus emergency together," says Msgr. Lazarus You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejeon and president of the Commission for Social Affairs of the Episcopal Conference of Korea (CBCK).

He was commenting on Seoul's success in the fight against Covid-19, which many experts see as a model to follow.

The prelate notes that from the beginning our government acted transparently and hid nothing from ordinary people, doctors and the sick. Unlike other countries, the South Korean government has shown great credibility. The administration asked for and obtained loyalty and help from the people. If we have become a symbol of hope for the world, it is because almost no one thought only of themselves".

According to Msgr. You, this is the main reason why the country has managed to contain the spread of the virus, taking the right path to return to normal. "Now I can move freely again, attend meetings and carry out my daily activities as a bishop," he says.

But we must not let our guard down. Last week, a young priest of mine returned from Latin America. For seven days and for as many to come, he will remain in solitary confinement in his room. It is important to avoid any possibility of virus transmission."

The South Korean people, continues Msgr. You, has been able to demonstrate "great love for others. It is moving to see how many doctors and nurses left for Daegu, the epicenter of the crisis here. The city has also received numerous donations in cash and basic necessities. I want to underline the initiative "of the president and other government officials, who have decided to donate 30-50% of their pay to the victims of the coronavirus. Many, even priests, have also decided to take part in this charity drive."

The coronavirus emergency shows that the world is now called to solve problems through collaboration between countries. "The pope stresses this, as a good parish priest of humanity, with the concept of our 'common house'. It is important to live for others. The Gospel has given us a new commandment, the only law on Earth and in Heaven: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' (Jn 13:34). The virus gives us the opportunity to reflect on our past life; creates a community moment for an examination of conscience. In Lent it is time to return to the Father; but it is not possible to find a right relationship with the Father without first having done so with our brothers and sisters. The Church, just like humanity, will be different after the coronavirus. Covid-19 reaffirmed that there are no boundaries and that ways forward have to be found together."

The Church of Korea has followed the authorities' measures to counter the spread of the virus. At the moment, the churches remain open to individual prayer but the masses with the people are still suspended. However, the improvement of the situation of contagions at national level seems to open new scenarios. "Last week - said Msgr. You - we Korean bishops met. We thought we could ease the restrictions in early April. My diocese would thus have commemorated the anniversary of the death of Saint John Paul II (April 2). However, it is very likely that we will resume public Eucharistic celebrations on Holy Week Monday (April 6), when all the schools in the country will also reopen. In any case, I invited the People of God of my Diocese to pray the Novena starting from April 2, remembering the victims of Covid-19, the poor and marginalized of the world every day. The Novena will end on Good Friday. Thus the Catholics of Daejeon will prepare to celebrate the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, spiritually uniting themselves with humanity's suffering in prayer. For Palm Sunday, we will find a solution. At the moment, the provisions on social distancing make personal confessions problematic; but we plan to start again within the solemnity of Corpus Domini (June 14). The important thing is that we will be able to celebrate Easter in community in our churches, always respecting some preventive measures against the virus. Following the path indicated by Pope Francis, we continue together as a synodal Church, all together. It is a desire, a challenge; but that's how we will overcome." (PF)
UPDATED, March 29: The Arlington School Committees regular meeting Thursday, March 26, was conducted virtually for the first time, using the online video conferencing platform Zoom, as committee members were self-isolating because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The main focus of the meeting was the Arlington School Districts plan for finishing the school year remotely after schools officially closed on March 12 through April 6 due to coronavirus. Gov. Baker has since extended the closing of all schools to May 4.

The committee also learned that geothermal wells will not be installed at the new high school after drillers ran into contamination. Building Committee Chairman Jeff Thielman has provided an update, below.

As to remote learning, schools' Superintendent Kathleen Bodie said, We really start to realize how special schools are, because it's really hard to provide everything students need in this situation. Its going to be difficult.

Guiding principles released

Earlier in the day March 26, the Department of Education and Secondary Instruction (DESI) released guiding principles for Massachusetts school districts to follow as they begin remote education. Much of the meeting was spent discussing these new guidelines, and how Arlington Public Schools can best follow them.

The DESI guidelines encourage schools to develop a remote learning model, something Arlington schools are still working on. DESI says teachers should design plans to engage students in meaningful and productive learning for approximately half the length of a traditional school day, and should include several hours of academic learning, some physical activity and engagement with the arts.

DESI recommends that teachers give feedback on student work, but not grades.

Several School Committee members expressed skepticism that students will realistically be able to meet all of those recommendations without access to a school building or support staff. Several noted that for younger students, the responsibility falls on parents to do most of the educating.

There are equity issues when the learning is not directed by educators, said committee member Jennifer Susse. Leaving parents to go through these materials and learn how to craft instruction from that is something some parents can do better than others.

More concrete online plans sought

Susse and committee Chair Len Kardon both emphasized that Arlington schools need to figure out more standardized and concrete remote-learning plans, and fast. Susse said she has heard feedback from some parents that the education materials that they have been receiving from teachers online are not enough.

Parents are frustrated they are just getting links, Susse said. Something thats much more robust is something I think parents are looking for.

The committee also discussed digital equity, making sure every student has the ability to access the technology devices and Internet connections to be able to do school online.

Bodie said the district already owns enough Chromebook devices to be able to provide one to every nearly student, though until now, students had not been permitted to take them home.

Bodie also expressed interest in buying Wi-Fi hot spots to give to students with the Chromebooks. She said she looked into buying them last week, but found there were none available for sale because of high demand.

She said the first challenge is doing enough outreach to figure out which students need access to devices or Wi-Fi so they know whom to serve.

Grab-go lunches ending

Students who need access to meals while schools are closed are being served through a partnership with Arlington EATS, a nonprofit organization that was until Tuesday providing grab-and-go lunches at Thompson Elementary School on weekdays.

At Thursdays meeting, Bodie announced that the group will stop the grab-and-go on March 30, and switching to a home-delivery system instead, to protect workers and families from illness. Families who need meals or groceries are encouraged to call the food hot line at 781-316-3400.

Committee member Jeff Thielman encouraged Bodie to document everything the school district is doing to switch to remote learning, to make it easier to do so in the future if it becomes necessary.

We are going to have to, as a society, get used to periods where we may have to go remote and use distance learning, Thielman said. I think its important to document everything youre experiencing, think about how we can do it next time and think about how we can continue learning in the future.

Scrap geothermal wells

Also at Thursdays meeting, Bodie announced that the Building Committee has decided to scrap the plan to use geothermal wells in the Arlington High School construction project.

The previous plan had been to try and give the school an energy-efficient heating and cooling system by drilling geothermal wells to circulate water. Bodie said drilling the wells would be too risky on the property, in part because some experimental drilling in the area behind the Massachusetts Avenue Stop & Shop led to the discovery of contaminants in the bedrock.

A lot of us, the whole committee was very committed to wanting this to happen, but there were just so many reasons why it just wouldnt work on this site, Bodie said.

She said that any alternative will be less expensive than the geothermal wells, which means there will be some extra money to play with in the construction budget.

Currently, the district plans to continue the construction project as scheduled, even with the coronavirus outbreak, but that plan is subject to change.

Estimated $5M freed up

In response to questions from YourArlington about the geothermal wells, Thielman wrote March 28:

"On February 24, 2020, our drilling subcontractor began drilling a test well on the Peirce practice field. When the drilling firm got to a depth of 95 to 100 feet, the drillers noted a moth ball odor and determined that this was likely the odor of Naphthalene, which is associated with coal tar and a byproduct of coal gas manufacturing. The team continued to drill to about 160 feet, stopped work, and covered up the hole.

"The engineers do not believe the test well will disturb other contamination below the surface. But, given the likelihood of more contamination throughout the site, we determined that we could not continue with geothermal wells.

"We estimate that the elimination of the geothermal wells will decrease our project cost estimate by approximately $5 million. The building will be all-electric that will get its energy from the electric grid.

"We do have solar panels in the building, and we have directed the engineers to find ways to use some of the $5 million in savings to increase energy storage and efficiency in the building, including greater solar capacity.

"This was not an easy decision for us. The committee was very excited about geothermal wells and their potential to transfer thermal energy from the ground into the facility. The analysis done by the committee and the design team showed that our operating costs would be lower with geothermal wells. I don't have that number at hand.

"While we are disappointed that we cannot have geothermal wells, we are going to have an all-electric building, we are going to do all we can to increase energy storage in the building, and we will have a much more energy efficient building than we have now."

Organizational-meeting rules waived

At the same meeting, the committee voted unanimously by role-call vote to waive traditional rules for the Arlington School Committee organizational meeting, which usually happens in person to elect the new members of the committee. Since the group cannot assemble in person during the coronavirus outbreak, usual protocol for that meeting will be waived until after new officers are elected.

The Select Board voted March 23 to postpone the town election from April 4 until June 6 or 13.

The committee also voted unanimously to approve the members of the Arlington Education Association negotiations subcommittee.

The online meeting went smoothly, with only a few minor technology issues. Several times, committee members began speaking with their microphones muted and had to be reminded to unmute themselves. The meeting was recorded by ACMi and will be available for public viewing online, as are the regular, in-person meetings.

The Arlington School Committee is scheduled to next meet via Zoom on April 9.

This news summary by YourArlington freelancer Eileen O'Grady was published Friday, March 27. It was updated March 28, to add a link, and March 29, to add comments.
Illinois state troopers were called to the area of West Harrison Street and South Laramie Avenue after a woman told Forest Park police her vehicle was shot up as she drove on the interstate, police said.
Visitors to the Takhini Hot Springs in Yukon Province, Canada, have found an inventive way of letting their hair down, or, to be more accurate, putting it up.

Exactly what it sounds like, the annual Hair Freezing Contest sees contestants compete by sculpting their hair into a host of painstaking poses, freezing it into place with the wintry air.

This year a total of 288 entries are vying for victory in five separate categories  male, female, group, creative, and peoples choice. The winners  and to be clear, this is a real and genuine competition  will be announced on April 1, and scoop $2,000 in prize money.

The shortlist for the peoples choice award was decided by an online vote. Here are the final five

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

Impressive craftsmanship, were sure youll agree, and these elaborate, icy up-dos require patience and endurance as well as skill. According to the how to section on the competition website, entrants should soak their hair thoroughly in hot spring water, and then hold it in place until it turns pure white with ice and snow  including eyebrows and eyelashes.

For the frostiest follicles the air temperature needs to be -20C or lower, and organisers suggest dipping your ears regularly below the water to avoid feeling the chill. When ready, visitors can call over a member of staff, who will snap a shot for submission.

This year has yielded an unusually strong field, and there were plenty of pics putting up stiff competition. Heres the best of the rest

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)

(Takhini Hot Pools/PA)
Salem Health asked this week for help making masks amid a supply shortage brought on by the coronavirus outbreak.

Volunteers quickly rose to the occasion.

The health care provider, which has hospitals in Salem and Dallas, offered two chances to pick up mask kits: a two-hour window Thursday and another on Friday.

As it turns out, the second opportunity wasnt necessary.

All of Salem Healths mask-making materials were picked up Thursday due to the incredible response by the community, according to the health care provider.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

The materials are enough to make nearly 10,000 masks. Volunteers can drop off finished products next week.

Salem Health doesnt have plans to ask for help making more masks.

The health care provider urged people not to host mask-making parties with friends and neighbors.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter:
According to the official count, the COVID-19 outbreak is growing rapidly in Ontario. But even as the number of confirmed patients has gone up sharply this week, a Star analysis has found the outbreak may be one-third larger, or more, than has been officially reported.

As of Friday morning, the province has reported a backlog of more than 10,000 patients who have been tested for COVID-19, but have not yet learned whether they have the virus.

Friday was the first day in more than two weeks that the backlog fell as Ontario completed more tests than it took in. Still, the number of uncompleted cases has grown sharply over the last seven days  nearly doubling from 5,475 to 10,074.

That increase shows a provincial testing system that has been going underwater, said David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Its like being at the supermarket, in a line with a new cashier and watching the checkout queue get longer and longer, Fisman said. Theyre not keeping up.

How many positives were missed as the test backlog accumulated at the provincial labs? One way to tell is to look at how often a positive result has been found among those tests that were completed  known as the per cent-positive rate. The number is a common metric used in studying flu outbreaks, Fisman said.

Since the outbreak began, 3.3 per cent of Ontarios total completed tests have come back positive, according to a Star analysis of the provinces data. If the testing backlog were to have the same rate of positives  which researchers say is likely  it would account for another 333 missed cases of COVID-19.

In other words: If Ontarios testing capacity had kept up with the backlog, the official record of positive COVID-19 cases would be more than a third higher than the 993 cases reported as of Friday.

The situation is worse than what were seeing in the news, said Jeff Kwong, a family doctor and also an epidemiologist at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Its worrisome that we have this backlog because we dont have a good sense what the situation is today, Kwong said. Instead, the province has a picture of who contracted the virus last week  when the tests were taken.

Thats a long time to wait on top of a delay thats already baked into the virus incubation period of up to two weeks, Kwong said.

To not have accurate numbers that are timely is a problem, he said. I just dont know what we can do about it. The labs are already working as hard as they can with the resources they have.

In the last seven days, the province has completed an average of about 2,400 tests a day, according to its published numbers.

The province says it is working with hospital, academic and private laboratories to aggressively ramp up testing capacity. Through this network, Ontario now has the capacity to do as many as 3,000 tests per day, and has a goal of hitting 5,000 daily tests by the end of the week, said Helen Angus, Ontarios deputy minister of health.

Angus said the province is forecasting that its total testing capacity will increase to 18,900 tests per day across public hospital and community labs by April 17.

I think as we expand the number of tests obviously well have a better sense of the prevalence in the population, Angus told reporters Thursday.

Eight hospital labs, two commercial labs and four Public Health Ontario labs are testing for COVID-19. The province says it expects there to be between 25 and 30 labs in operation when peak capacity is reached in mid-April.

For now, priority must be given to the sickest and most vulnerable patients and those who treat patients, and that COVID-19 tests for these priority individuals are being completed within two days at the Public Health Ontario lab, a health ministry spokesperson said. For others not identified as priority patients, the spokesperson said, the target turnaround time is up to four days.

On Friday, Ontario reported another 135 confirmed positive cases  its second-highest daily total, behind Thursday.

With 3,400 reported test results, Friday also saw the highest single-day total of completed COVID-19 tests. As a result, the backlog fell by 891 cases  a sign the provinces lab capacity may finally be catching up to growing demand.

The Stars study of the backlog is based on the provinces positive rate for the outbreak as a whole. But theres good reason to think the 3.3 per cent rate is low, Fisman said, as the positive rate in an epidemic tends to go up as the disease spreads throughout a community.

In New York, with an outbreak thats much further along than Ontario, for example, some 28 per cent of tests have come back positive, according to Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response co-ordinator.

And indeed, the Ontario tests appear to be returning positives more often over time: The results reported this week have been positive in 4.5 per cent of cases. If the backlog results were to come back positive at that rate, it would return another 440 cases missed as the COVID-19 epidemic has spread in the province.

There are other reasons to think the Ontario epidemic is much larger, Fisman said. Epidemiological models based on the number and timing of the provinces 18 reported deaths so far, for instance, suggest an outbreak of several thousand cases, he said  plus, the fact Ontario is not testing nearly as widely as other jurisdictions clearly show the province is missing many more mild or asymptomatic cases.

So far, Ontario has tested 210 patients per 100,000 people; in Alberta, that number is 831 per 100,000.

Even in China, where the full weight of a dictatorship was put toward stopping COVID-19, recent estimates say authorities missed as many as 80 per cent of cases.

Were clearly way below that, Fisman said.

Earlier this week, the Quebec government reported a dramatic jump in COVID-19 cases as the province began counting tests done by hospital labs, eliminating the requirement that they be verified by a central facility.

That jump is good, Fisman said, because it shows a more accurate picture of the outbreak in that province.

In Ontario, as the testing backlog has grown, many more people with the virus may have been sitting unaware in self-isolation at home, or in a hospital or long-term care home.

Its a problem thats made worse by a lack of detail in the data that is being reported, like not knowing the date a sample was taken from the people who later test positive, or even where they live.

On Friday, for the first time, Ontario did not report any case-by-case detail on the 135 people who tested positive, instead writing: Information for all cases today is pending.

Without better access to data, researchers cant model where Ontarios epidemic is headed, Fisman said. Its like Jaws. You dont know Jaws is there until one of the paddle boats gets swallowed.

He added: Any way you slice and dice it, were missing a ton of disease.
Storyful

A cat owner in Sao Paulo may need to pack for vacations in private from now on, as it appears their kitty is quite fond of curling up in a suitcase.Natalia Cara de Medeiros, who runs an Instagram account dedicated to her pet cat Jazz, shared footage of the feline sitting happily in her half-full suitcase to her YouTube channel.In a caption for the video, de Medeiros said Jazz was abandoned along with four other cats.They all got adopted and she was the only one left. One of the neighbors tried to take her in, but she didnt want to; she had chosen us and slowly made her way into our home, she wrote.And it looks like de Medeiros home isnt the only thing Jazz has made her way into: Like all cats, she is very curious and loves enclosed spaces, so of course, she couldnt resist it when she saw an open suitcase lying around, de Mederios added. Credit: Natys Adventures via Storyful
A runny nose and flu turned into septicaemia for Queensland teenager Tayla Egan.

Her father, Paul, said they were told by paramedics to say goodbye in case their daughter didn't make it to the hospital the first time in 2017.

Brisbane teenager Tayla Egan, 17, has had her legs amputated, is now modelling adaptive clothing. Credit:EveryHuman

But three years on, Tayla is in positive spirits.

It was a different story early on. She spent months in and out of hospital, with complications such as organ failure and pneumonia, after her parents were told by doctors she was being sent home to die.
Phone call between two leaders comes after Beijing and Washington trade blame over pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, have spoken by telephone, suggesting a possible thaw in frayed ties following an escalating war of words aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic.

In Fridays call, Xi told Trump that he hoped the United States will take substantive action to improve bilateral relations, Chinas foreign ministry said.

Xi also said that cooperation between the countries that have the worlds two largest economies was the only correct choice, and China was willing to support the US in dealing with the new coronavirus, according to an account of the conversation published by the ministry.

The discussion came after weeks of bitter exchanges between Beijing and Washington over various issues including the coronavirus which emerged in China late last year and has spread globally.

Trump and other top US officials have angered China by accusing it of a lack of transparency on the virus, which has killed more than 24,000 people globally.

Chinese officials have also taken to Twitter to blame the US for potentially bringing the coronavirus to the US via its military, perpetuating a conspiracy theory that has been circulating online, without providing any evidence.





Xi reiterated to Trump during the call that his country had been open and transparent about the pandemic and offered support to the US, which has now passed China for the most confirmed coronavirus cases.

For his part, Trump said on Twitter that he discussed the coronavirus pandemic in great detail with Xi.

He refrained from more combative words such as referring to the virus as a Chinese virus, as he has done in the past, drawing strong criticism and facing allegations of fuelling bigotry.

China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the virus, Trump said. We are working closely together. Much respect!

Al Jazeeras Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said the phone call came as a surprise, but also offered some relief at a time when countries worldwide were battling the spread of COVID-19, the highly infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Yu reported that Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus in China, is slowing going back to normal after an extended period of lockdown, and that some restrictions have been lifted.
They have been keeping the nation's spirits up with their morning radio show.

And Amanda Holden and co-host Ashley Roberts were seen heading to work at Global Studios for their Heart Radio show amid the COVID-19 crisis on Friday.

The presenter, 49, flashed a beaming smile as she strolled through central London, ready to appear on her regular morning slot on the radio with Jamie Theakston.

Stepping out! Amanda Holden and co-host Ashley Roberts were seen heading to work at Global Studios for their Heart Radio show on Friday morning

Amanda cut a stylish figure in a bright pink graphic print jumper with the word 'pow!' splashed across the front of the garment in bold letterings.

She styled the jumper with a leather midi skirt and a pair of leopard print stilettos, while carrying her essentials in a padded Gucci cross-body bag.

The mother-of-two kept warm while walking to work in a grey hooded jacket, which she layered with a black leather biker jacket.

Lovely: The presenter, 49, flashed a beaming smile as she strolled through central London, ready to appear on her regular morning slot on the radio with Jamie Theakston

Glam! Amanda cut a stylish figure in a bright pink graphic print jumper with the word 'pow!' splashed across the front of the garment in bold letterings

Cosy: The mother-of-two kept warm while walking to work in a grey hooded jacket, which she layered with a black leather biker jacket

Looking equally glamorous was her co-host Ashley, who opted for spring chic as she stepped out in a flirty floral dress teamed with a cropped denim jacket.

The Pussycat Doll added a casual touch to her ensemble with a pair of white Converse, while accessorising with a pair of cat-eye shades and hoop earrings.

Ashley wore her blonde locks tied back into a low bun and highlighted her pretty features with soft touches of make-up.

Details: She styled the jumper with a leather midi skirt and a pair of leopard print stilettos, while carrying her essentials in a padded Gucci cross-body bag

Flower power: Looking equally glamorous was her co-host Ashley, who opted for spring chic as she stepped out in a flirty floral dress teamed with a cropped denim jacket

Details: The Pussycat Doll added a casual touch to her ensemble with a pair of white Converse, while accessorising with a pair of cat-eye shades and hoop earrings

The duo later shared a snap of themselves on Amanda's Instagram page alongside the caption: '@thisisheart #morning beautiful sunny day #me @iamashleyroberts.'

The two presenters enjoyed some fresh air as they posed on a fire escape at the studio together.

Ashley and Amanda have been keeping themselves entertained at the near-empty studios and have regularly shared updates of their antics on social media.

Blonde beauty: Ashley wore her blonde locks tied back into a low bun and highlighted her pretty features with soft touches of make-up
A teenager in Lancaster, California, who may have died from the coronavirus last week, was turned away from an urgent care because he did not have health insurance, the city's mayor said.

In a video posted to YouTube on Wednesday, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said the 17-year-old had been sick for a few days and had no previous health conditions.

R Rex Parris, the mayor of Lancaster, Calif., confirmed the teen's death in a video posted to YouTube. (City of Lancaster / via YouTube)

"The Friday before he died, he was healthy. He was socializing with his friends," Parris said. "By Wednesday, he was dead."

Parris said the teen went to an urgent care March 18.

"He did not have insurance, so they did not treat him," Parris said, adding the boy was sent to a hospital.

En route, he went into cardiac arrest, according to the mayor. When the teen got to the hospital, he was revived and kept alive for six hours. But, it was too late, the mayor said.

"We've learned that once you go into respiratory issues, you have trouble breathing, you're short of breath and you have a fever, that is the time to get medical treatment without delay," Parris said.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health initially said the teen died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but later backtracked. In a statement Tuesday, public health officials said his death will require further evaluation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Though early tests indicated a positive result for COVID-19, the case is complex and there may be an alternate explanation for this fatality," the statement said. "Patient privacy prevents our offering further details at this time."

Parris did not immediately return a request for an interview Friday.

NBC News was referred by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office to the county's office of emergency management for comment on the teen's cause of death. A spokesman said a cause of death would be determined by the CDC.

More than 4,000 cases of the coronavirus had been reported in California as of Friday afternoon.
Lisle Hannahs cough started suddenly in September 2015, just before a business trip.

It sounded horrific, the Northern Virginia resident recalled. She had taken medication for asthma since she was 4 and over the years had experienced occasional bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis.

To me, this sounded bronchial, she said. A chest X-ray at an urgent-care center found no sign of infection. A month later, a physician assistant in her primary-care practice ordered a short course of steroids. When that didnt help, he referred her to an allergist, who prescribed an antibiotic.

Hannah, now 54, continued to cough. Two months later, the allergist ordered a series of blood tests, which showed nothing. Neither did a high-resolution CT scan of her chest.

I started asking doctors whether I was contagious, recalled Hannah, a federal employee. She felt reassured when they told her there was no sign of an infection, such as tuberculosis, which she could transmit to others.

In meetings, I would be sitting there talking and this humongous cough would erupt, she said.

For the next 10 months, allergists in the two-doctor practice prescribed several combinations of drugs to treat asthma. One added an acid-blocking medicine on the theory that the cough might be the result of gastrointestinal reflux.

In February 2017, she saw the first pulmonologist. He ordered the gold standard test for asthma  a methacholine challenge  which measures lung function and airway constriction. The test found no evidence of asthma.

Hannah was incredulous  and skeptical. For 49 years I had had asthma, she noted, joking that the result triggered an existential crisis.

One possibility is that Hannah had outgrown asthma  if she had it at all. The pulmonologist proposed that her cough might be the result of eosinophilic bronchitis, which resembles asthma. The other possibility, which he considered more likely, was an overly sensitive larynx.

The pulmonologist prescribed gabapentin, a medication originally approved to treat seizures now widely prescribed for unapproved uses, including chronic cough. Hannah took it for two months; it had no effect.

Next stop was an ENT. A scan found a deviated septum, which is linked to recurrent sinus infections, but not the kind of cough Hannah was experiencing. The physician assistant who inspected Hannahs larynx heard wheezing and recommended that she return to a lung specialist for a bronchoscopy, a procedure that uses a fiber-optic camera that allows doctors to inspect the lungs and take tissue and fluid samples.

Hannah saw a second pulmonologist in a different practice who ordered the bronchoscopy.

Cultures showed that Hannahs lungs were infected with two common bacteria: Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus. The second pulmonologist prescribed three weeks of one antibiotic and when that didnt work, seven weeks of a second drug.

By the time she saw Christopher Wyckoff in November 2017, the fourth lung specialist in the Washington area in less than a year, Hannahs cough was so severe that she was retching.

Wyckoff sent Hannah for a second CT scan of her chest and blood tests to screen for possible rheumatological or immunological diseases. There was no sign of either, but a CT scan found mild bronchiectasis, a chronic disease that causes lung scarring and repeated infections because of an inability to clear mucus.

Wyckoff recommended a second bronchoscopy. This time, cultures found staph aureus and a rare bacterium called Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, typically found in people with compromised immune systems.

By January 2018 Hannah was feeling worse. My days were really changing, she recalled.

Wyckoff recommended another bronchoscopy and referred Hannah to an infectious-disease specialist, whom she began seeing in tandem with Wyckoff.

Its very unusual to do [multiple] bronchoscopies, but we kept getting different bacteria, Wyckoff recalled.

He was puzzled: Hannah didnt have asthma, there was no indication of rheumatological disease or immune dysfunction, yet she was still coughing and had developed pneumonia that was resistant to multiple antibiotics.

At that point, I didnt know what we were dealing with, he remembered. I told her I wasnt going to give up on her and that we are going to solve this.

Solution

The results of the third bronchoscopy pointed to a new possibility, one that would explain the persistence of her cough and the reason previous treatments failed. Cultures revealed the presence of a mycobacterial infection.

But which one? It would take weeks to grow a culture necessary to pinpoint the type of infection, which was necessary to guide drug treatment.

Mycobacteria that cause lung disease are ubiquitous in soil, water and dust and typically do not cause illness. But some people are susceptible to infection because of preexisting lung problems, including bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The use of immunosuppressive drugs, including steroids, has also been linked to mycobacterial infections.

In Hannahs case, a culture grew Mycobacterium abscessus, which health experts classify as an emerging disease. First identified in 1992, the bacteria can affect the lungs or skin. It can be hard to treat because it is resistant to most antibiotics and may require months of rigorous drug therapy that many patients are unable to tolerate.

As in Hannahs case, the source of infection is frequently unknown.

Hannah was told she would need a year of antibiotics. One drug would be taken orally while a second, Amikacin, would be administered through a catheter called a PICC line, which was surgically implanted in her upper arm. Hannah would be trained to give herself daily hour-long infusions. Because Amikacin can cause permanent hearing loss, she would need to undergo a hearing test every two weeks.

By mid-March, she was feeling much better. But by May her hearing loss had worsened significantly. Doctors discontinued the Amikacin and switched drugs. A week later, Hannah developed another serious problem: Her skin was weeping, indicating breakdown around the site of the PICC line. The line was removed and Hannah began taking oral antibiotics.

But within a week on those, she developed a severe rash that doctors suspected was a drug allergy. Because she had greatly improved and testing showed no signs of an infection after three months on antibiotics, doctors told her to stop taking the drugs. Continuing was deemed too risky.

In June, Hannah said, the cough that had dogged her for nearly three years finally stopped altogether. It has not returned, although recurrence remains a possibility, Wyckoff said.

The further out she goes without symptoms, the better, he added. Thats why we like people to finish therapy. But many cannot tolerate the side effects.

Hannah said she feels well and is optimistic that her infection wont recur.

If it does, she said, she may take the advice of her infectious-disease doctor and head to National Jewish Health in Denver. The internationally prominent research hospital specializes in treating respiratory diseases.

Hannah said she remains grateful to Wyckoff, whom she found to be steadfast and reassuring.

The experience, she quipped, taught her something else: Look for a doctor whose last name works with your symptoms.
This article by James Clark originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will not test non-veteran employees for COVID-19, including health care workers who are showing symptoms, an agency spokeswoman confirmed to Task & Purpose Friday.

Per federal law, VA cannot provide medical care to non-veterans, Christina Mandreucci, the VA press secretary, told Task & Purpose. So if a non-veteran employees screening indicates that they may have symptoms of COVID-19, they would be referred to their health care provider for testing.

Mandreucci said an employee showing symptoms who is a military veteran, however, would be tested at VA facilities.

The VA has more than 390,000 employees, with the vast majority working within the Veterans Health Administration that manages, runs, and staffs the department's sprawling network of hospitals.

Roughly 123,000 of those workers are veterans, according to an infographic from 2019, meaning that the majority of the department's workforce is made up of civilian employees who are not be eligible to be tested for COVID-19 at the hospitals and clinics where they work.

If you feel like you've come into contact with a COVID-19 positive patient, and you weren't wearing a mask or something like that, you can't go down to employee health and get tested," a nurse at the Portland Oregon VA Medical Center said on condition of anonymity.

"If you stuck yourself with a needle, you'd go down to employee health and they would check you for Hepatitis C, and other things, but if you've been exposed to a COVID-positive patient, they advise you to go home, talk to your primary care physician, have them order a COVID test, if you can get one, and then have them run it," the nurse added.

Two other nurses at VA Medical Centers in Washington, D.C., and Tampa, Florida, expressed similar sentiments to Task & Purpose.

Although the VA does not test non-veteran staff for the coronavirus, all VA employees are being screened for symptoms, Mandreucci told Task & Purpose.

That screening consists of three questions:

Do you have a fever or worsening cough or shortness of breath or flu-like symptoms?

Have you or a close contact traveled to an area with widespread or sustained community transmission of COVID-19 within 14 days of symptom onset?

Have you been in close contact with someone, including health care workers, confirmed to have COVID-19?

Following the screening, if an employee shows symptoms they will be tested  through their personal provider if they are not a veteran  treated, and quarantined, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mandreucci said.

As for the availability of testing kits, the department has 130,000 tests on hand, Mandreucci told Task & Purpose, adding that the "VAs testing capacity meets current demand."

As of Friday, the VA has administered nearly 9,000 COVID-19 tests nationwide, and 571 veterans have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 460,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and more than 20,800 deaths globally, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that there were more than 85,000 cases and more than 1,200 deaths in the U.S. alone.

More articles from Task & Purpose:
P olice are appealing for information after a bottle of hand sanitiser was torn from the wall of Northampton General Hospital.

Officers said the theft happened at about 7.45pm on March 9  four days after the UK confirmed its first death of a person diagnosed with coronavirus.

It is understood a man yanked the dispenser from its stand, damaging a wall, before fleeing.

Detectives have released CCTV footage of a man they would like to speak to as part of their enquiries.
Mother Sarah Jayne, 40, who lives in regional Victoria, said her American staffy Nugget returned home on Thursday with a surprising item attached to his collar (pictured)

Neighbours in a country town are keeping in touch in a most unique way - attaching handwritten letters to each other to the collar of an adorable dog called Nugget who delivers them between houses.

Mother Sarah Jayne, 40, who lives in a town in central Victoria, said her American Staffordshire Terrier returned to his family home on Thursday with a the handwritten letter attached to his collar.

The letter was addressed to her six-year-old daughter Ava who has been staying at home as a precaution in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

'Our dog Nugget came home with something stuck in his collar. I took it off and what was written on it made my daughter's day and melted my heart,' Ms Jayne told Daily Mail Australia.

'Ava had influenza last year and she was hospitalised. She still sees specialists as her kidneys were affected. Due to this we have been very careful with this current situation and have kept her home.

'She has been quite lonely, missing her friends and hanging out with the neighbours so to get this surprise letter meant the world to her.

'The letter made us really smile in these uncertain times, kids are so sweet.'

The letter was addressed to six-year-old Ava who has been staying at home as a precaution in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Sianne, aged 10, lives next door to little Ava

Ava (pictured with Nugget) has been staying at home as a precaution in light of the coronavirus pandemic after she was previously struck down with influenza and hospitalised

The heartwarming note was written by her 10-year-old neighbour Sianne, who has lived next door to the family since Ava was a baby.

'They are best friends, like sisters,' Ms Jayne said.

The letter read: 'Ava, I know we can't see each other now but we can still send messages through Nugget. I don't know why but dogs can't carry viruses. I know right? Can you please send me a message back so I know you're still alive.

'From Sianne. P.S: COVID-19 will eventually go and everything will be ok.'

Little Ava has been spending a lot of time indoors so when the letter arrived, she was thrilled to hear from her best friend who she hadn't seen in weeks.

'When I read it my heart melted, what a sweet gesture and seeing another child trying to put Ava's mind at ease was even sweeter,' Ms Jayne said.

'Ava was so excited to receive communication from her friend and now the girls have even incorporated home schooling into the letters giving each other tasks like poem writing and drawing pictures of things so it has also become a great learning tool.'

The family have set up a letterbox on the fence with a 'flag system to show if there is mail'

The family have since set up a letterbox on the fence outside their property with a 'flag system to show if there is mail'.

'Nugget was getting a little lazy with his mail delivery and the girls were getting impatient with him so we set up a letterbox,' Ms Jayne said as she laughed.

'We live on 30 acres of land and he wanders around visiting the neighbours as they all love him. Nugget also brings smiles to everyone's faces with his visits.

'We have also been careful, spraying and washing our hands regularly.'

Ms Jayne shared the note on Facebook - and her heartwarming post has since gone viral, with hundreds of Australians praising Nugget, the 'official messenger dog'.

'These are the stories that will keep those of us in isolation buoyed,' one said.

A second said: 'This makes my heart so happy.'

A third said: 'How precious, the silver lining in all of this is we are now going back to basics and communicating again. This is just lovely.'

And another said: 'Awww! Sure beats carrier pigeons.'
In a bizarre incident, a remand prisoner died at a district hospital in Keralas Palakkad after allegedly consuming sanitiser which he confused for alcohol, officials said.

Ramankutty, who was put in the prison as a remand prisoner was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after he fell unconscious inside the jail.







"We suspect that he drank a bottle of sanitiser which are manufactured in the jail premises (by the prisoners) as per the instructions of the state government," a senior jail official told PTI.

He was fine on Tuesday and was also in attendance for the roll call on Wednesday but fell unconscious at around 10:30 am, said, officials.

Jail authorities use Isopropyl alcohol as the main content of the hand sanitiser.

#COVID19 | Solving The Mask Problem 



In light of the shortage, directions were given to engage the prisons in the State in manufacturing masks. It has commenced on a war footing basis. Today, the Prison officials of Thiruvananthapuram Jail have handed over the first batch. pic.twitter.com/QKgHWqYNOg  Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) March 14, 2020

Police stated they have filed a case and the accurate reason of death will come to light only after a post-mortem is performed.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus, the prisoners in Kerala geared up to manufacture hand sanitisers owing to the acute shortage of the commodity. To overcome shortage of masks, amid coronavirus outbreak, Kerala prisoners made over 6,000 masks in just two days.




Police are on the hunt for a would-be kidnapper who picked up a terrified young girl before dumping her and fleeing into the woods.

The attempted kidnap took place between 12.30pm and 1pm on March 21 in The Bury in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.

Two children, both under the age of 11, had been playing on the grass in the area.

But one of the children temporarily wandered off which is when the offender approached the second child and picked her up.

The attempted kidnap took place between 12.30pm and 1pm on March 21 in The Bury in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, when two children, both under the age of 11, had been playing on the grass in the area (pictured)

He carried her for approximately 20 feet before the other youngster returned.

The offender dropped the little girl back to the floor and fled into a woodland area.

Neither child received any injuries during the incident.

The offender is described as a white man, aged approximately 40, around 5'7" and of an average build.

He was dressed in a coat, believed to be blue or black, a brown t-shirt and was carrying a rucksack.

He also had a distinctive tattoo on his arm of a lion and was drinking from a green bottle.

Thames Valley Police have now launched an investigation and are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Pictured: Chesham town centre

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Chris Gould, of Aylesbury police station, said: 'I am appealing for witnesses to this incident, which was a frightening experience for a young child.

'Thankfully, both children were completely unharmed during this incident, but we are appealing for witnesses in order to fully establish the circumstances.

'I understand that an incident of this nature would cause concern within the community, but I would like to reassure the public that it is being thoroughly investigated and the victims are being supported fully.

'If anyone was in the area at this time, and believes they saw something, I would ask them to make contact with police.

'Alternatively, if someone recognises the description of the offender, or believes they saw him at a time before or after this incident took place, then please speak to us.

'Please contact Thames Valley Police on 101, quoting 43200094264 if you can help. You can also make a report online here, or call Crimestoppers for 100 per cent anonymity on 0800 555 111.'
This is an opinion column.

I dont know when Alabama began comparing itself to California, but it started before I was born and I grew up imagining it as hell on Earth.

First, there were horror stories of things that happened there  earthquakes, mudslides and wildfires. Who would want to live in such a place? These comparisons always left out Alabamas seasonal calamities  tornadoes, hurricanes and August.

The culture and politics in California were supposed too extreme for human life, also  from loose morals in San Francisco to business-crushing taxes and regulations out of Sacramento. Somehow these arguments failed to foretell California becoming the fifth largest economy in the world.

Data is funny like that, and Alabamas feelings never fit with Californias facts. With the significant exception of cost of living, California has led Alabama in most measurements of quality of life.

Now, that state is leading Alabama in quality of death, too. And one Alabamian, in particular, has gotten her comparisons mixed up again.

Yall, we are not Louisiana, we are not New York State, we are not California, Gov. Kay Ivey said this week. Right now is not the time to order people to shelter in place.

On Friday, Gov. Ivey ordered the closure of non-essential businesses, and thats good, but she again stopped short of a shelter-in-place order.

And shes right about one thing: Alabama is not any of those places, especially California. But probably not how she thinks.

As the Washington Post pointed out, when measured per capita, more people in Alabama have been diagnosed with the disease than in California.

Were not California. Were worse.

But thats just the data talking.

I dont expect Ivey to stop comparing Alabama to California. Old Alabama habits are harder to break than tearing down Confederate monuments in public parks. But if she insists on the comparisons, she needs to keep going.

Alabama is not California. Nor is it West Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Minnesota 

So far 23 states have ordered citizens to shelter in place, not just Iveys favorite three.

Ivey is missing another important point, too. The disease is spreading here faster here than in New York, when you account for population.

Just because we have fewer cases and fewer deaths now, doesnt mean we wont have more later. These numbers change every day and comparing where we are now to states that got hit harder and hit first makes no more sense than comparing an ancient oak to a sapling next to it and assuming one will always be bigger than the other.

While Louisiana has seen more coronavirus cases and more deaths than Alabama, our states track is pretty close to our neighbor two-doors over.

New York is conspicuous because its the nations worst hot spot, but that doesnt mean we should take any comfort comparing ourselves to the Empire State. As Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned this week, dont let whats happening to New York happen to you.

And thats the biggest mistake Ivey is making with these silly comparisons: The whole point of sheltering in place today is so that we wont become a New York tomorrow.

If Kay Ivey doesnt act soon, we might.

California is a model to follow, right now, not a false comparison to make us feel better about ourselves.

But dont fret, governor. Well still have Mississippi.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

You can follow his work on his Facebook page, The War on Dumb. And on Twitter. And on Instagram.

More columns by Kyle Whitmire

Lieutenant governor demands Alabama coronavirus task force do its job

If Alabama has to go back to work, so should the Legislature

In grief for normal life

The truth will tell itself

Corona-proof Alabama elections now

Alabamas next three coronavirus problems: elections, courts and health care
Mumbai, March 27 : In a huge health concern, the Covid-19 positive cases count in Maharashtra shot up by 22 in the past 24 hours to stand at 147 now, a health official said here on Friday.

The overnight number of positive cases mounted from 125 to 135 with 10 new cases in the morning followed by 12 more detected positive from a single family in Sangli.

The other infectees include four from Nagpur and one each from Gondiya, Kolhapur and Pune.

Earlier on Friday, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that so far 19 persons have fully recovered and have been discharged from hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and other places.

"There are many more cases on way to recovery proving that the disease is curable. We have also tested over 4,200 persons. The strategy is three 'Ts' - Tracing, Testing and Treatment' of the patients," Tope said.

He said that the state is facing a shortage of blood for the treatment of the patients so people should come forward and donate blood, but by maintaining the social distancing norms.

Tope pointed out that since no flights are coming to Maharashtra and other parts of India, besides inter-state travel being closed due to the state and national lockdown, now the focus is on locally acquired infections.

"From the new Covid-19 suspects or cases, we are concentrating on those with social contact like families, neighbours, relatives, friends, etc. This emphasizes the need to maintain 'social distancing' and people must strictly follow it, even when they go out to buy essentials or ration shops," he urged.

The state's death toll has risen to 5, including two women, both 65, who passed away on March 24 and March 26.

Besides, there was a Covid-19 recovered Philippines national who also died, but since the causes were different, he is not counted in the coronavirus death toll.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Central government on a petition seeking the evacuation of Indian pilgrims stranded in the Iranian city of Qom because of the Coronavirus disease.

The petition filed by Mustafa MH, a relative of two of the stranded pilgrims, said at least 250 of the stranded pilgrims may have tested positive for the Coronavirus disease although there is no clarity yet on this. Two of the pilgrims have already passed away although there is again no certainty as whether or not the cause of death was indeed the Coronavirus.

It may be mentioned that there has been some confusion as to whether these persons are actually infected or not. However, the fact of the matter is that these are persons, who are in fact stranded amongst other 850 Pilgrims in the city of Qom. Given the fact that the persons have been put in an accommodation together regardless of whether somebody is positive for Corona or not is a serious health hazard, the petition said.

A bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant heard senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, who appeared for the petitioner via video conferencing, before issuing notice to the central government.

The government had, on March 25, evacuated 253 pilgrims from Iran although more than 500 Indians are still stranded there.

The petitioner submitted that the pilgrims, who are currently lodged by the Iranian government in various hotels, are at the risk of contracting coronavirus since many of them are old people who suffer from ailments such as hypertension and diabetes and require regular medical care. They have been housed in group accommodation, with 4-5 persons being put up in a single room.

In case urgent help is not provided to these pilgrims, there are bound to be serious health hazards, which have started to become fatal and has resulted in the death of two pilgrims already, the petition stated.

Moreover, the petitioner also submitted that the pilgrims have to pay for the accommodation out of their pockets and many are not in a position to do so since they do not have sufficient money with them.

The pilgrims had started their journey from India on different dates starting in December 2019. The trip was scheduled to be for a period of three months and the pilgrims were scheduled to return on several dates starting from February 26. During the interregnum came the Coronavirus outbreak as a result of which the pilgrims were stranded in Iran.

Till such time as the requisite arrangements are made for evacuation of such passengers, the Respondents (central government) be directed to provide adequate health and medical support to the Indian citizens stranded in Iran, the petitioner said.
Lagos, Nigeria | 27Mar2020: BUA has today, redeemed its pledge of N1billion to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria by way of a confirmed funds transfer to the COVID-19 relief fund account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. In addition, the company also announced another donation of N300million to Sokoto, Edo and Ogun States to assist in galvanizing a coordinated response and adequate preparedness in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in this states. The donations to Sokoto and Edo States were on behalf of its Cement subsidiary, BUA Cement which has its major operations in those states whilst Ogun was also selected as a beneficiary due to its proximity to Lagos which had been the epicenter of the virus in Nigeria.

This development comes exactly a day after the Chairman of the Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, announced a cash donation of N1billion to Nigerias response to the virus and also, another donation to 9 states of medical and emergency kits and supplies including face masks, testing kits, safety goggles, gloves, personal protective gear - which have already been ordered and should be delivered soon.

In his comments on the additional donation of N300million to Edo, Sokoto and Ogun States, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group said that although these states have been identified for this intervention in the first instance, BUA is monitoring the situation closely and is also looking at other states that may need additional help. We will continue engaging with these states and relevant partners including the NCDC in the areas where they need support to win this fight against COVID-19., Rabiu added.

Rabiu also urged other well-meaning Nigerians  individuals and corporates alike, to join hands in supporting the efforts to put the virus in check in Nigeria, financially and otherwise. Our country needs us now more than ever. This is the time to come together and support.
She decided to delight fans with an Instagram concert to celebrate her 32nd birthday.

And Jessie dazzled in a blue sequinned jumpsuit as she delivered a stellar rendition of some of her greatest hits to raise money for Unicef.

The British hitmaker, 32, recreated her glossy raven-haired bob with a wig as she donned the sparkling one-piece for her performance.

Wow! Jessie J dazzled in a blue sequinned jumpsuit on Friday as she celebrated her 32nd birthday by performing an Instagram Live concert for her fans

A day earlier, Jessie announced that she would be performing a live concert on social media for her followers to celebrate her birthday in isolation.

The Price Tag hitmaker said she would be performing the concert for all her fans who were trapped in lockdown on their birthdays.

Hours later, Jessie shared a glimpse of her jaw-dropping outfit, which consisted of a dark blue jumpsuit covered with sequins and matching arm-length gloves.

Jaw-dropping: The British hitmaker displayed her incredible figure in the sparkling one-piece as she performed the online concert live from her home

Almost there! Mere minutes before the show began Jessie teased it on Instagram Stories, revealing she wanted to raise money for Unicef

Oops! But minutes after the start Jessie revealed she'd had some technical faults, as one of her speakers had blown up

In a throwback to her iconic look from the early days of her career, Jessie completed her look with a black bobbed wig.

Jessie's online show wasn't without a few hiccups, as mere minutes after it began the star told fans she halted proceedings due to some hilarious technical issues,

She wrote: 'I think I blew my speaker, I'm so sorry I'm trying to sort this out!

Amazing: Eventually Jessie did make it onto Instagram Live and wowed fans with her incredible show which included a collection of some of her greatest hits

Eventually Jessie did make it onto Instagram Live and wowed fans with her incredible show which included a collection of some of her greatest hits.

The star has joined much of the UK in lockdown after the government introduced strict new measures to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Along with asking members of the public to work from home, they have been asked to leave their homes only for essential food shopping or exercise.
[March 26, 2020] City Brew Tours Brings Brewing & Live Beer Education Into Home Kitchens Nationwide to Combat Isolation

BOSTON, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- City Brew Tours, a leading curator of craft brewery tours and experiences in North America, announces today the launch of their live Beer Events at Home to combat the isolating effects of the current crisis. Industries, including travel and craft beer, have suffered devastating effects from the recent pandemic. As a small business at the crossroads of both of those industries, City Brew Tours saw an opportunity to entertain, educate, and captivate people from the comfort of their own home, while providing continued work to the company's 60 employees. Guests can choose between the Live Homebrew Experience suitable for all ages and skill levels or the Beer and Cheese Pairing Virtual Happy Hour  best for anyone of legal drinking age. With company-owned and franchise locations in 11 cities including Boston, Washington D.C., Cleveland, and Portland, Oregon, City Brew Tours' core business relies on driving groups of thirsty beer enthusiasts and taking them behind the scenes of an area's top breweries. "If we can't bring our guests to the breweries, we'll bring the brewing and beer education to them virtually. Thankfully, between my business partner who used to be a commercial brewer and all of our avid homebrewing guides, we have decades of combined homebrewing experience," said Chad Brodsky, the company's Founder and CEO. The Live Homebrew Experience includes brewing instruction led live by one of City Brew Tours' expert beer guides via online video conference. The experience requires no prior knowledge and comes with the equipment and ingredients for participants to make their first ull case of pale ale or amber ale.



"We've curated the perfect kit for people to try homebrewing. These high-quality and reusable materials, with minimum investment, are shipped nationwide right to a participant's front door before the experience begins," said Barry Hansen, the company's COO and Mr. Brodsky's business partner. The Beer and Cheese Pairing Virtual Happy Hour adds a fun interactive spin to the existing video chat with friends, at a low price point. Utilizing the same entertaining and interactive methods that guides use on tours, this live virtual guided beer and cheese edutainment will explore the intricacies of pairing beer and cheese. City Brew Tours recommends participants pick-up 2-3 different types of cheeses during their next grocery run or delivery. Participants will need at least two types of beer at home; they are encouraged to purchase beer from their local breweries, many of which are offering curbside take home, as this is the only way that the breweries can survive this difficult time.

### CONTACT:

Chad Brodsky

[email protected]

888-623-8687

Bookings: https://www.citybrewtours.com/beer-events-at-home/ Live Homebrew Experience - $99 - Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. ET Beer and Cheese Pairing Virtual Happy Hour - $20/Household - Daily at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. City Brew Tours continues to offer gift certificates and advanced bookings for their tours via their website. Related Images beer-events-at-home.jpg

Beer Events at Home brew-your-own-beer-at-home.jpg

Brew Your Own Beer At Home Related Links City Brew Tours View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/city-brew-tours-brings-brewing--live-beer-education-into-home-kitchens-nationwide-to-combat-isolation-301030665.html SOURCE City Brew Tours

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Twenty-one years old, the youngest sommelier in the country and the most foolish. Today my career will end, I thought. It was early 2012 during a Monday lunch, one of the shifts given to the newbie (in this case, me), as it is the slowest service of the week and typically safe from any real challenges. Only occasionally would I sell a bottle and get to make the magnificent journey through Aureoles extensive wine cellar. This collection climbed upwards and ran the length of the New York, Michelin-starred restaurant, holding more than 15,000 bottles. Usually, the bottles I sold during this shift werent particularly fascinating, as its not a typical American custom to drink well during a Monday lunch. But this Monday was different. A guest had ordered the 2009 Chevalier-Montrachet from Domaine Ramonet. Some sommeliers might nitpick that Domaine Ramonet is not their favourite producer in Burgundy (a bit overrated, theyll sneer), or perhaps a wine collector will argue that this wine was too young to drink (infanticide! at only three years old), but snobbery aside, it was a $US650 bottle of chardonnay! Who does that  at a Monday lunch, no less? A sommelier must taste every single bottle before serving. One bottle in every two or three cases of wine is corked, and even more can be affected by a variety of other flaws. Credit:Louie Douvis I thought of how proud my wine director would be when he saw the sales from lunch and imagined all the wonders the guests would experience when they drank the grand cru white burgundy. I had never tasted the wine, only read about its notoriety and rarity. The guest who ordered the Ramonet was at table 100 (in restaurants, tables are numbered for practical purposes). It was one of the best tables in our dining room, surrounded by a plush banquette and pillows. Sometimes, this comfort led to loose wallets. The captain scurried to find me after receiving the order. With the wine list still carefully propped open to the correct page, he pointed to the $650 one. His eyes screamed Ka-ching!

Advertisement

I held my breath as his fingers scrolled from the price over to the left  2009 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet. At first, I was sure this was a practical joke. As the new girl, I had grown accustomed to all sorts of ruses. Let me just double-check, I added, hesitant. The captains face dropped as I took the wine list from his hands and walked over to the table, where four men lounged. They all had slicked-back grey hair and wore dark suits with thin stripes. I presented the list to the gentleman who had ordered. Pardon me, sir, I wanted to confirm your order of 2009 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet ... My finger ran along the name and to the price. He just stared at me with his beady eyes. Tiny droplets of sweat began to form under my cheap polyester suit. He closed the wine list abruptly with a clap. Yes, he said with an overt tinge of annoyance, and hurry, we are thirsty. I managed a nervous nod, rushing out of the dining room and upstairs. In the wine cellar, there was a corner I had yet to explore. This nook was where all of the high-end wine was hidden, away from light and dangerous swings in temperature. After a few moments of scanning, I found the Ramonets and thumbed my way through until I landed upon the right vintage and vineyard. I gently picked up the bottle and noticed that there were, in total, only two of them. I cradled the wine in my arms as if it were a small child, terrified of what a single misstep might bring. Back near the table of men in suits, their conversation quieted to whispers as I returned. Sir, 2009. I pointed to the vintage on the bottle. Domaine Ramonet. I pointed to the producer. Chevalier-Montrachet. I pointed to the vineyard. He gave a sharp nod. The eerie silence from the group crept onto my skin and sent a small shiver throughout my body.

Advertisement

Loading Outside the dining room, I placed the bottle steadily down on the gueridon, the sommelier station where wine is opened, prepped and tasted. To open the bottle, I whipped out my corkscrew and rendered two precise cuts to the foil capsule, removing the top portion that covered the cork. Just in case there was any unwanted residue, I wiped the top of the cork off with a serviette. Once it was cleaned, I dug the tip of my corkscrew in and, with a few twists plus one steady pull, extracted the cork quietly. To be sure, I followed the last step of the sommelier protocol here and wiped the lip again with a serviette. Then, the best part: I poured myself a one-ounce taste. Believe it or not, a sommelier must taste every single bottle before serving. One bottle in every two or three cases of wine is corked, and even more can be affected by a variety of other flaws. Just as a chef would never send out a rotten piece of fish, a sommelier should never serve a lousy bottle of wine. The chemical compound known as TCA (trichloroanisole) is what is responsible for this cork taint. It wont harm you, unlike a piece of rotten fish, but its a horrible taste. The tradition remains that even after the sommelier  arguably the expert in this scenario  approves the wine, she allows the guest to taste it as well. Here, the guest is merely rechecking to see if it is flawed; it is not a tasting to see if they like it. Preferences should be established with the sommelier well before the selection. So why even go through this rechecking process? I like to do it because I believe hospitality is about love, not logic. Of course, it would make more sense to skip this step. However, at this moment, the sommelier puts expertise on the back burner and humbly gives the guest the power. The sommelier respectfully bows down first, followed by the guests reciprocating in appreciation (ideally).

Advertisement

Loading Despite my lack of experience in the industry, I had already tasted thousands of wines and trained myself to commit all flawed flavours to memory. Still, I especially honoured the tradition of letting the guest approve the wine. Many of my guests were two to three times my age; it would have been disrespectful for me not to bow to them first. When I tasted the Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet, there was nothing off about it. The wine was like slipping into a bed made up with silk sheets. In the glass, aromas and memories kept popping out: sour cream spread on toast with honey, butterscotch candies, clotted cream, movie-theatre popcorn, sour frozen yoghurt, a zing of lemon zest, freshly cracked creme brulee, warm butter with salt, and mouth-puckering acidity. I could see why people would spend so much money on this wine. The glasses are down, the captain remarked, pulling me out of my amorous reverie and back to Monday lunch service. He had placed white burgundy glasses, specifically made for this type of wine, on the table. The uneasiness I had felt before crept back. Although my restaurant training had taught me how to suppress nervousness, sometimes my body had a hard time listening. I approached the leader from the right again, pouring a taste quickly but with a calculated precision: label facing him, two ounces, a quick dip of the neck, twist, wipe with a serviette, cradle in both hands within view. He brought his lips to the glass, stuck out his tongue a tiny bit, letting the burgundy inch in. Moments passed; he looked up at me, scoffed, and turned back to his guests. I think she has too much perfume in her nose, this girl ...

Advertisement

His glare turned upwards and at me. The bottle is corked, take it back. Bring us another. With this swift blow, the colour drained from my face. Corked? It couldnt be! The wine was delicious, perfect. Corked? Is he testing me? What kind of sommelier would be caught dead wearing perfume? Corked!? I managed to stutter, Sir, respectfully, the wine has been tested, and it is sound. Perhaps youd like to try it again? His face turned the dark red colour of bordeaux. Listen, wine girl, I have bottles in my cellar older than you. I know when a wine is corked. Flecks of spit sprinkled from his lips. Our food is just about to arrive, and we still have nothing to drink. GET. US. ANOTHER. BOTTLE!

Advertisement
Despite being a poor country that often experiences shortages, Cuba was better positioned than most to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the MS Braemar, a transatlantic cruise ship carrying 682 passengers from the United Kingdom, found itself momentarily stranded. Five of the cruises passengers had tested positive for the coronavirus. Several dozen more passengers and crew members were in isolation after exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

The ship had been rebuffed from several ports of entry throughout the Caribbean. According to sources in the British government who spoke to CNN, the UK then reached out to both the United States and Cuba to find a suitable port for the Braemar.

Which country took them in? If youve paid attention to the Trump administrations xenophobic rhetoric about the Chinese virus and its obsession with keeping foreign nationals out of the country, and you know anything about Cubas tradition of sending doctors to help with humanitarian crises all around the world, you should be able to guess the answer.

The Braemar docked in the Cuban port of Mariel last Wednesday. Passengers who were healthy enough to travel to their home countries were transported to the airport in Havana. Those who were too sick to fly were offered treatment at Cuban hospitals  even though there had only been ten confirmed cases in the whole country, and allowing patients from the cruise ship to stay threatened to increase the number.

Cuba mobilizes against the virus

Despite being a poor country that often experiences shortages  a product of both the economys structural flaws and the effects of sixty years of economic embargo by its largest natural trading partner  Cuba was better positioned than most to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The country combines a completely socialized medical system that guarantees health care to all with impressive biotech innovations. A Cuban antiviral drug (Interferon Alfa-2B) has been used to combat the coronavirus both inside the country and in China. Cuba also boasts 8.2 doctors per 1,000 people  well over three times the rate in the United States (2.6) or South Korea (2.4), almost five times as many as China (1.8), and nearly twice as many as Italy (4.1).

On top of its impressive medical system, Cuba has a far better track record of protecting its citizens from emergencies than other poor nations  and even some rich ones. Their comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck hurricane-preparedness system, for example, is a marvel, and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew killed dozens of Americans and hundreds of Haitians. Not a single Cuban died. Fleeing residents were even able to bring their household pets with them  veterinarians were stationed at the evacuation centers.

The coronavirus will be a harder challenge than a hurricane, but Cuba has been applying the same all-hands-on-deck spirit to prepare. Tourism has been shut down (a particularly painful sacrifice, given the industrys importance to Cubas beleaguered economy). And the nationalized health care industry has not only made sure that thousands of civilian hospitals are at the ready for coronavirus patients, but that several military hospitals are open for civilian use as well.

Masks: A tale of two countries

In the United States, the surgeon general and other authorities tried to conserve face masks for medical professionals by telling the public that the masks "wouldnt help." The problem, as Dr Zeynep Tufekci argued in a recent New York Times op-ed, is that the idea that doctors and nurses needed the masks undermined the claim that they would be ineffective. Authorities correctly pointed out that masks would be useless (or even do more harm than good) if not used correctly, but as Tufekci notes, this messaging never really made sense. Why not launch an aggressive educational campaign to promote the dos and donts of proper mask usage rather than telling people theyd never be able to figure it out?

Many people also wash their hands wrong, but we dont respond to that by telling them not to bother. Instead, we provide instructions; we post signs in bathrooms; we help people sing songs that time their hand-washing. Telling people they cant possibly figure out how to wear a mask properly isnt a winning message. Besides, when you tell people that something works only if done right, they think they will be the person who does it right, even if everyone else doesnt.

The predictable result of all of this is that, after weeks of dont buy masks, they wont work for you messaging, so many have been purchased that you cant find a mask for sale anywhere in the United States outside of a few on Amazon for absurdly gouged prices.

In Cuba, on the other hand, nationalized factories that normally churn out school uniforms and other non-medical items have been repurposed to dramatically increase the supply of masks.

Cuban Doctors Abroad

The same humanitarian and internationalist spirit that led Cuba to allow the Braemar to dock has also led the tiny country to send doctors to assist Haiti after that nations devastating 2010 earthquake, fight Ebola in West Africa in 2014, and, most recently, help Italys overwhelmed health system amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Cuba offered to send similar assistance to the United States after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, but was predictably rebuffed by the Bush administration.)

Even outside of temporary emergencies, Cuba has long dispatched doctors to work in poor countries with shortages of medical care. In Brazil, Cuban doctors were warmly welcomed for years by the ruling Workers Party. That began to change with the ascendance of far-right demagogue Jair Bolsonaro. When he assumed office, Bolsonaro expelled most of the Cuban doctors from the country, insisting that they were in Brazil not to heal the sick but to create guerrilla cells and indoctrinate people.

As recently as two weeks ago, Bolsonaro was calling the idea that the coronavirus posed a serious threat to public health a fantasy. Now that reality has set in, hes begging the Cuban doctors to come back.

Embracing Complexity About Cuba

Last month, Bernie Sanders was red-baited and slandered by both Republicans and establishment Democrats for acknowledging the real accomplishments of the Cuban Revolution. It didnt seem to matter to these critics that Sanders started and ended his comments by calling the Cuban government authoritarian and condemning it for keeping political prisoners. Instead, they seemed to judge his comments by what I called the Narnia Standard. Rather than frankly discussing both the positive and negative aspects of Cuban society, the island state is treated as if it lacks any redeeming features  like Narnia before Aslan, where it was always winter and never Christmas.

Democratic socialists value free speech, press freedom, multiparty elections, and workplace democracy. We can and should criticize Cubas model of social organization for its deficits. But Cubas admirably humane and solidaristic approach to the coronavirus should humble those who insist on talking about the island nation as if it were some unending nightmare.

Ben Burgis is a philosophy professor and the author of Give Them An Argument: Logic for the Left. He does a segment called "The Debunk" every week on The Michael Brooks Show. He tweets at @BenBurgis

This story is republished with permission from the author from Jacobin. Read the original story here.
Indias high rates of tuberculosis, pneumonia, smoking and poor air quality wont help when it comes to a respiratory disease. Some were counting on the summer heat and humidity to bail India out, but there was no evidence that the rising temperature would stop the disease.

Our initial estimates showed that 300 million to 500 million Indians were likely to be infected with the coronavirus by the end of July. Most of the cases would be without symptoms or with mild infections, but about a tenth  30 million to 50 million  would most likely be severe.

Our model predicted that at the outbreaks peak, even with conservative assumptions, there would be 10 million patients with severe Covid-19 disease in India, many of whom would need to be hospitalized.

India has fewer than 100,000 intensive-care unit beds and 20,000 ventilators, most of which are only in the large cities. The scenes where Italian doctors had to choose between multiple patients to determine who would get a ventilator would increase multifold in Indias weak health system.

Although the proportion of Covid-19 patients who die has averaged between 2 percent and 3 percent globally, they were in places where the health system is better equipped. India does not have the strong health system and economic resources of Covid-19-affected high-income countries or Chinas ability to control population flows in the country. A lockdown was the only option to control the disease.
A 25-year-old man has been taken into custody after he mounted a pavement and drove with abandon - in what is the second type of arrest that the Metropolitan Police have made in two days.

The incident occurred in west London on Thursday night with the pursuit beginning on Ladbroke Grove and concluding in Hammersmith Road, W14.

The Met's Operation Venice were alerted to the male when officers deployed in Westminster noticed a suspicious scooter that had previously failed to stop for police.

Metropolitan Police have arrested a male, 25, for driving dangerously in London on a moped

The pursuit for the male happened on Thursday when he failed to stop when asked to do so

This sparked a pursuit with the wanted moped being chased by officers on motorcycles and in cars.

The Met Police also deployed tactical conduct which resulted in the male running into a nearby housing estate in attempt to being caught.

However, his attempts proved futile as he was found hiding in bushes with assistance from the National Police Air Service and Dog Support Unit.

He tried to flee again on foot but was detained.

The Met Police also deployed tactical conduct as they eventually caught him in W14

Thursday's arrest comes 24 hours after Met Police caught a 24-year-old man driving dangerously on a moped in London too. They were forced to taser him twice after he too tried to escape their clutches.

The Metropolitan Police said the suspect evaded officers on Wednesday night shortly before 9pm after being seen riding his moped recklessly in Trafalgar Square.

Officers attempted to stop him, but the man mounted the pavement and drove the moped at police - who discharged their Taser.

However, the man escaped by driving up an alley way.

Later in the evening, officers spotted the same driver in the vicinity of Notting Hill Gate.

On Wednesday, a wanted moped rider who fled from police by riding at officers in London failed in his second escape attempt a few hours later (pictured above)

They stopped him on Gloucester Terrace, where he tried to make off once again, by riding on the pavement.

Using their vehicle, the Op Venice officers used 'tactical contact' to stop him getting away.

A second taser was also discharged.

The man was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for police and dangerous driving, as well as breach of a court order, driving while disqualified and assault on an emergency worker.
The World Health Organization says Egypt is making considerable efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus but that more needs to be done

The World Health Organization has said that Egypts strong disease surveillance system and contact tracing efforts have proved effective in controlling and managing sporadic and clusters of cases before they can spread, but that further efforts are needed.

A team of experts from the organisation on Wednesday concluded a technical support mission to identify the current situation of the disease in Egypt and review ongoing response activities by the government. This involved a series of meetings and field visits to Cairo and other governorates.

We see that Egypt is making substantial efforts to control COVID-19 outbreak. Significant work is being done, especially in the areas of early detection, laboratory testing, isolation, contact tracing and referral of patients, said Yvan Hutin, director for communicable diseases in WHOs Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and mission team lead.

But more needs to be done, he added, in a report published Thursday.

There is now a critical window of opportunity to effectively control the outbreak before the current local transmission progresses to community transmission, Hutin said.

We have agreed on several areas that can be scaled up, taking a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

Egypt has registered 495 coronavirus cases so far, including 24 fatalities.

The UN body hailed progress made by Egyptian health authorities in expanding the number of peripheral laboratories that can test for the coronavirus.

Health Minister Hala Zayed said earlier this week that 21 laboratories across the country can now test for the virus, with plans to increase that number to 27 to cover each of the countrys 27 governorates. University laboratories will also be involved in the process.

Egypt now has the capacity to conduct up to 200,000 tests, according to the WHO report.

WHO said it will work with Egyptian health authorities to enhance the isolation, quarantine and referral mechanisms in the country. It will also help scale up infection prevention and control practices to prevent transmission at all levels to ensure that patients and health workers are protected.

Egyptian authorities have made significant efforts to ensure the public is updated on the current situation, WHO said. Greater cooperation with civil society groups and the media will help ensure the public is able to make informed decisions, without succumbing to mistrust and the stigma associated with the disease, it added.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


(Bloomberg Opinion) -- President Donald Trump isnt the only one who wants to reopen the country as quickly as possible as it deals with the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone wants that  we want to get businesses and schools up and running again, and we want to get back to our normal lives, which include seeing friends and colleagues in person instead of through Zoom and Skype.

But unlike the president, most people are aware of how dangerous it would be to try to return to normal too soon. In a country of 330 million people, fewer than 1 million will have been tested by the end of this month. (As of Thursday, 519,000 people had been tested, including 122,000 in New York State, according to the Covid-19 Testing Project.)

Weve also learned that while older people are especially vulnerable to the virus, the young are hardly immune; letting people return to work now based on their age would be insanely risky. Data compiled by New York City, for instance, shows that 18% of those hospitalized in the city are younger than 44; nationwide, 12% of those admitted to intensive care as of March 16 were between 20 and 44. The truth is, we simply dont know how widespread the virus is in the population, which means were flying blind.

Given the inherent difficulties of the so-called PCR tests (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction)  which can be done only by health-care workers wearing protective gear, require equipment that is in short supply and can take days to get results  it will be months before scientists are comfortable giving the all-clear sign. The fact that government incompetence delayed significant testing for several months hasnt helped either. Although the Food and Drug Administration is now allowing people to self-swab, that only reduces the risk for health-care workers; it doesnt eliminate it.

But there appears to be another way, a side-door approach that might make it possible for some people  maybe even a lot of them  to emerge from self-isolation and get back to their lives. Antibody tests  simple blood tests that can detect whether a person has developed antibodies, and thus immunity, from the coronavirus  could well be the answer. They are easy to administer and easy to scale. They dont require health-care workers to wear special equipment. Results come back in hours instead of days. And they could be ready for deployment sooner than you might think.

Story continues

Like anything else, antibody tests have some drawbacks, which well get to shortly. Lets focus first on their potential benefits. A serology test that can detect antibodies for the coronavirus means it can tell whether someone has developed immunity to the disease. Humans develop antibodies after a virus has made them ill; they are proteins that fight back against a foreign element in the body, eventually repelling it.

Covid-19, as we now know, affects different people differently. Some people dont survive it, while for many others, it can feel like a bad case of the flu. Scientists also believe that millions of people have most likely contracted the coronavirus without any symptoms at all.

Can you see how useful an antibody test could be? Imagine that health-care workers could test everyone in an entire community. They would immediately learn who had potentially developed immunity and could be freed from self-isolation. The test could also tell whether someone has never been infected by the virus and thus cant spread it to others. Lower-risk, uninfected people who dont work in high-contact environments might be able to join the immune population as long as they took proper precautions.

In such a scenario, a potentially large percentage of the population could return to normal life, and only those still at risk would continue to self-quarantine. Crucially, we could identify health-care workers who could treat infected patients without putting themselves at as much risk. Such testing is already available in China, South Korea and Europe, according to David Ho, the well-known scientist at Columbia University. It is extremely useful for surveying a population, he told Walter Isaacson last week on the PBS program Amanpour & Company. (He added that the fact we didnt have tests yet was inexcusable.)

Antibody tests can also identify recovered individuals who can donate blood; their plasma can be refined into an experimental Covid-19 treatment for very sick patients. Its a throwback to a method pioneered over a century ago, but with novel drugs a long way off, its what we have.

Ho said that one problem is that all the manufacturers of antibody tests are abroad, but thats not quite right. In Hauppauge, Long Island, there is a company called United Biomedical Inc., a 30-year-old, privately held firm with a great deal of experience with viral diseases. According to Mei Mei Hu, the companys chief executive officer and co-founder, United Biomedicals first product was an antibody test for HIV.

Because much of the companys capabilities are in Taiwan and China, it was only natural that it got involved in developing both diagnostic tests and a vaccine for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, when that outbreak took place in Asia in the early 2000s.

With coronavirus, it made sense for us to jump in, said Hu, who added that the companys test is specific enough to distinguish the Covid-19 coronavirus from the many other coronaviruses that cause everything from common colds to debilitating flus.

Earlier this month, the FDA gave the company permission to use its test  even though it has yet to be formally approved  when its validation data showed its tests could detect antibodies 10 days after infection. It set up a subsidiary, Covaxx, for its coronavirus work; one of its investors, as Bloomberg News reported recently, is the foundation of hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman.

Because Hu and her husband, Lou Reese, who is also a co-founder of United Biomedical, live part of the year in Telluride, Colorado, they approached officials in San Miguel County, where Telluride is situated. With PCR tests in short supply even there, officials decided to test the countys 8,000 residents.

According to a county press release posted on Tuesday, tests were administered to 645 first responders; they all came back negative, though two had results that could mean early seroconversion. Those two people have since self-quarantined, while the others will be tested again in 14 days to make sure there werent any early infections that hadnt been detected. On Thursday, the county issued a testing schedule that will start with seniors and then move on to the general population. If enough people are tested  and the tests are as accurate as United Biomedicals data suggests  San Miguel County will be the first place in the U.S. to no longer be flying blind.

United Biomedical is hardly the only one working on an antibody test. At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, a group of scientists led by Florian Krammer posted the protocols of an antibody test it has developed with directions on how it can be replicated, according to Science magazine. Others labs are working on antibody tests. Hu says that her company, using its one U.S. facility, could quickly generate 1 million tests a day. Its easy to see how the test could scale if other companies got involved, which they surely will.

As for the potential drawbacks, there are several. It takes the body some time to develop detectable antibodies  sometimes as much as a week or more after infection  so serology tests are not especially useful as a diagnostic tool. PCR testing will have to continue to catch individuals when theyre at their most infectious so they can be isolated. Its also critically important that any widely used test doesnt cross-react with widespread mild coronaviruses, otherwise people may be falsely labeled as immune.

At this point, no one is sure exactly how long resistance to Covid-19 might last. Theres limited data available from monkeys, but no one should rely on that to make public health decisions. Acquired immunity to viruses can vary from person to person based on the severity of infection and the strength of their immune response. Antibodies to SARS last a long time in infected people, but since that outbreak fizzled out quickly its unclear how protective they are. Immunity to mild coronaviruses that cause common colds can last less than a year. Health systems can be fairly confident that someone who tests positive for Covid-19 antibodies will have substantially reduced risk, but scientists will need to keep an eye on them and collect more data over time.

At a press conference Thursday, White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx was asked for a status update on the rollout of antibody tests. She noted that tests run through a blood-testing method called ELISA are already available but that the government is looking for a quicker test that can be done at the point of care with just a drop of blood. She did not, however, explain why the absence of an ideal test is preventing widespread use of the ones we have.

In truth, the antibody tests that are now being conducted, or devised by scientists at places like Mount Sinai, are as good as we can hope for right now. And not a moment too soon.

(Corrects the scale at which United Biomedical could produce antibody tests in the 17th paragraph.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Joe Nocera is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. His latest project is the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast "The Shrink Next Door."

Max Nisen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, pharma and health care. He previously wrote about management and corporate strategy for Quartz and Business Insider.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Vietnam has helped take around 800 citizens back home amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic but there are still 40 Vietnamese trapped at airports in foreign countries, according to the foreign ministrys spokesperson.

Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided the figures at a regular press conference in Hanoi on Thursday.

In response to reporters request for Vietnamese representative agencies measures to support overseas Vietnamese citizens having difficulty returning to the country due to COVID-19, Hang said the ministry has continuously updated Vietnamese citizens on necessary information and issued advisories for them on travel during the pandemic.

The ministry advises Vietnamese citizens to limit traveling between countries and returning to Vietnam at this time, Hang said.

Overseas Vietnamese who choose to come back to Vietnam are advised to check for the latest updates and regulations of their host countries and airlines regarding COVID-19 preventive measures and comply with such measures.

They should also make sure that they carry with them the required documents, especially health declaration certificates, while traveling.

The ministry warned that Vietnamese citizens can become stranded at foreign international airports if they lack such required documents or if the country or territory and airlines change their regulations.

According to Hang, the ministry has directed overseas Vietnamese missions to coordinate with domestic and foreign agencies to help about 800 citizens return home safely between March 21 and 25.

Meanwhile, about 40 Vietnamese citizens are still unable to get home from international airports in foreign countries.

To deal with the situation, Hang said, the Vietnamese missions in those countries have been working closely with international airlines and local authorities to ensure medical care, provide essential necessities, arrange temporary accommodations, and assist them in finding flights to get back to Vietnam.

Overseas Vietnamese citizens in need of assistance are advised to call the citizen protection hotlines posted on the official websites of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas Vietnamese representative agencies, or the phone number of the citizen protection switchboard.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 540,000 and killed more than 24,300 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has confirmed 153 COVID-19 cases, with 20 having already been discharged from hospitals by Friday morning.

No death from the disease has been reported in the country so far.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Law & Order star Elisabeth Rohm has reportedly called off her engagement.

The 45-year-old blonde is no longer set to wed California judge Jonathan Colby, according to a report from UsWeekly.

'Jonathan and Elisabeth are on good terms and remaining friends, but they were living different lives and have different priorities at this time. Sadly, theyve decided not to get married,' a source told the site.

Over? Law & Order star Elisabeth Rohm has reportedly called off her engagement. The 45-year-old blonde is no longer set to wed California judge Jonathan Colby, according to a report from UsWeekly

Showing off that rock! A year ago she proudly flashed her diamond ring

The two became engaged a year ago.

Colby serves as a judge on the 11th judicial circuit. He is originally from Miami and studied Law at University of Florida and before that was a pre med student at University of California, San Diego.

His last Facebook post was of his dog with a note about prayers for victims of the coronavirus.

In a lengthy Instagram post on January 2019 , Rohm confirmed the happy news of her engagement.

Describing Colby as 'the most loving, kind, elegant, generous and extraordinary man!' she explained: 'Ive waited a long time to find My Jonathan. My prayers have been answered.'

Smooch it up: The couple looked happy here when they kissed for the camera

In love: Colby popped the question at their home in the oceanfront community north of San Diego in mid-January, sharing this photo of himself, his fiancee and his Labrador retriever

She said she had 'bawled like a baby' after Colby proposed and was filled with 'such joy to have found my one true love who I will share my life with forever.'

She added that it was her parents who had first set her up with Colby and she is 'so grateful to them'.

She showed off her diamond engagement ring in late February 2019 in Los Angeles for season 2 of her Sony Crackle drama series The Oath.

Rohm wore a shimmery black sleeveless dress that clung to her curves. The actress went bare-legged in pointed toe black pumps and carried a silver box clutch. She paired her stunning engagement ring with diamond drop earrings.

Happy: Rohm showed off the diamond ring in late February 2019

Stylish: The occasion was a screening in Los Angeles for season 2 of her Sony Crackle drama series The Oath and Rohm looked gorgeous in a shimmery black sleeveless dress

The second season of The Oath is now available for streaming on Crackle.

Rohm plays a FBI agent in the show about 'a unique type of criminal gang that is made up of the very men and women who are sworn to uphold the law', according to the official synopsis.

'Only select police officers make the cut, and the gang members do whatever they can to protect one another from enemies -- both inside and outside of their ranks.'

Rohm is most famous for her role as Assistant District Attorney Serena Southerlyn on 85 episodes of Law & Order from 2001 to 2005.

She was previously engaged to director Austin Smithard.

Following their split, she went on to date entrepreneur Ron Anthony Wooster with whom she shares daughter Easton August, who was born in 2008.
NORRISTOWN  A home camera system recorded a nanny for a Whitpain family striking the infant for whom she was caring on the head and now a judge has sent the one time caregiver to jail for abuse.

Roselyn Fayette Curry, 67, of the 2600 block of Elliott Avenue, in the Willow Grove section of Abington, was sentenced recently in Montgomery County Court to 8 to 16 months in the county jail after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault in connection with a December 2018 incident involving a 9-month-old boy at the Whitpain home of her employer.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein also ordered Curry to complete two years probation following parole. Rothstein said Curry is prohibited from serving as a caretaker in any capacity during the course of her supervision, including caring for infants, senior citizens and special needs individuals.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Brittenburg sought jail time against Curry, arguing her contact was egregious and unexplainable. During the sentencing hearing, Brittenburg showed the judge the camera footage that depicted Curry striking the infant on the head, the slap being audible to those who viewed it, as the child sat on a couch on Dec. 21, 2018.

The nanny then grabs him by the arm and drags him by the arm on the couch, Whitpain Township Detective Thomas Wittig alleged in the arrest affidavit.

As she pleaded guilty to the charges, Curry conceded that her conduct was not behavior that was protected under Pennsylvanias corporal punishment laws. Essentially, Curry admitted that there was no legal justification for her behavior.

Defense lawyer Robert Young sought a sentence of house arrest for Curry but the judge determined jail time was warranted.

Curry, according to court documents, was hired by a Whitpain couple to watch their child in August 2018 and Curry worked at the Reynards Run home Monday through Friday. The family, police said, installed a Nest video surveillance system inside the residence in December 2018 and had advised Curry about the cameras.

The childs mother was at work on Dec. 21 and was watching the livestream from the home security cameras and witnessed Curry slap the child on the face or head.

(The mother) told me she was so upset, she drove right to her house, leaving her work, to comfort and console her son, Wittig wrote in the criminal complaint.

The childs father also arrived home, confronted Curry about the incident and fired her, according to the arrest affidavit. Curry admitted to striking the child but did not appear to show any remorse, according to the arrest affidavit.

The boys parents took him to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia where he was evaluated. No notable injuries were documented by the hospital but officials there referred the matter to child social workers.

A caseworker with the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth subsequently viewed the videotape provided by the childs mother and concluded, it appears the nanny clearly assaulted the baby and characterized the incident as child abuse, according to the criminal complaint. Whitpain police were then notified, launched an investigation and met with the childs mother on Dec. 24.

While meeting with (the mother) she was very upset about her son being assaulted by her nanny, said Wittig, adding he did not observe any injuries to the boys face at that time.

During the sentencing hearing, Brittenburg offered other testimony that suggested Curry was not the perfect nanny and had handled the child in a manner that was not gentle on other occasions.
/ -- HappyEasyGo (HEG), a leading online travel aggregator in India, has announced free flight cancellations for its customers in light of the surging Covid-19 cases around the world. With this latest free air ticket cancellation policy, its customers can conveniently cancel their flight bookings without paying hefty charges.

This comes just a few days after HappyEasyGo rolled out its free flight rescheduling policy to help travellers manage their bookings amidst the outbreak. The company also tied up with prominent brands in the medical industry like Medlife, 1MG, Himalaya Herbals, DocsApp and Lybrate to offer healthcare package to its customers.

Talking about the crucial announcement, Mr. Boris Zha, the Founder & CEO of HappyEasyGo, said, "At HappyEasyGo, we strive to leave no stone unturned when it comes to aiding customers in travel booking and travelling. A step in the same direction is our free cancellation policy that will help customers stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak without worrying about their bookings. We are consistently tracking the situation around the world and doing the best that we can to help travellers amidst this crisis. We have utmost faith that the world shall overcome this pandemic soon and rise higher than ever."



For more information on HappyEasyGo's free cancellation policy, kindly visit:



https://www.happyeasygo.com/offer/FREE-Cancellation?device=pcAbout HappyEasyGo India Private Limited (HappyEasyGo)Launched in 2017, HappyEasyGo is one of India's leading online travel aggregator. The company commenced its operations in the flight booking domain, subsequently foraying into the hotel booking genre to allow the Indian traveller to conveniently find and book affordable accommodations around the country. The company has offices in Gurgaon, Shanghai and Singapore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dancehall artiste, Stonebwoy, has distributed free hand sanitizers to people in and around Ashaiman to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

We're giving out free sanitizers at the BHIM shop located at Ashaiman as our own way of contributing to stop the spread of COVID-19, Stonebwoy told BEATWAVES.

The dancehall artiste, who is also the CEO of BHIM Nation, has asked residents of Ashaiman to contact BHIM shop for free hand sanitizers.

He urged Ghanaians to be supportive of each other during the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to him, the world is in its challenging time hence people need to stand together to fight the virus that does not discriminate between race and origin.

He added that Ghanaians should, however, not neglect the directives given by health officials.

Stonebwoy, last Saturday, won the Best African Reggae/Dancehall Entertainer award at the 38th International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) held at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston in Jamaica.

---Daily Guide
Argentinian security forces have detained more than 6,000 people since extensive restrictions on personal movement were introduced in a bid to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Criminal charges have been filed against 6,191 suspects throughout the country, the presidential office said in a statement late on Thursday.

The police also said they had confiscated 938 vehicles.

More than 200,000 people had been sent home during checks, as they were not authorised to move around freely outdoors, the statement continued.



So far, 503 people in Argentina have been infected with the novel coronavirus and nine have died.

To slow the spread of the virus, the government decided on a nationwide lockdown.

People all around the country are not allowed to leave their homes until March 31.

Only errands to nearby grocery stores and pharmacies are allowed, though essential workers are exempted from the curfew.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Infodemic

Tracking the Spread

Dialing It Back

(TNS)  For weeks Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, has been receiving fake news about COVID-19 from family members, acquaintances and anybody who has his cell phone number.Im just getting the most bizarre conspiracy theory misinformation that arrives in multiple modes of communication, Anchia said. Part of what I spend my day doing is just dispelling that.As COVID-19 spreads across the world, a new virus is brewing and spreading like wildfire. From miraculous cures, to paranoid conspiracies, misinformation about the coronavirus has been going viral at such a disturbing rate that data and health scientists have deemed it an infodemic.An infodemic is an overabundance of information  some accurate and some not  that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it, according to a Feb. 2 report from the World Health Organization.The organization, based in Geneva, has been working around the clock to track myths and rumours. Some of the myths it has busted include eating garlic, drinking chlorine and taking a hot bath to prevent infection of the new coronavirus.The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and FactCheck.org, a non-partisan, nonprofit based in the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, have also been curating Q&As to help combat the misinformation.Some of the viral posts offering false coronavirus tips on social media are wrongly attributed to Stanford University, according to the organization.The posts provide a series of tips about the virus, including instructions for people to hold their breath to gauge whether theyve been infected and falsely suggesting that water consumption can kill the virus.The posts in some cases cite Taiwan experts or Japanese doctors.Manlio De Domenico, a statistical physicist at the Infodemics Observatory and his team, have collected and analyzed about 100 million public messages on Twitter in an effort to measure the infodemic.The observatory is a digital platform that allows users to visualize the infodemic risk of each country in the world. The project was started by the Bruno Kessler Center in Information and Communication Technology, an Italian research center that studies artificial intelligence, according to its website.Between Jan. 22, when the city of Wuhan was locked down by Chinese authorities and March 14, around 275,000 Twitter accounts posted 1.7 million links to unreliable information about the virus, observatory data show.Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, Microsoft, LinkedIn and Reddit say theyre working with government health agencies to ensure people see accurate information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said theyve received more than 8,300 people who have called their 24-hour coronavirus hotline 817-248-6299. Most people have been asking where to get tested for COVID-19 but some have also called to verify health-related information they found online.Drinking lots of water does help to fight infections but to say its a cure for COVID-19 is false, Taneja said. People need to stay away from unverified posts on social media and look for credible sources such as large academic institutions or health departments.
The British choreographer Liam Scarlett on Tuesday left his position as the Royal Ballet's artist-in-residence, after an investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct with dance students.

Mr Scarlett will "no longer work with, or for, the Royal Ballet," the company said in a statement, which added that a seven-month, independent investigation the company commissioned "found there were no matters to pursue in relation to alleged contact with students of the Royal Ballet School".

Choreographer Liam Scarlett. Credit:Julian Anderson

A spokesman for the Royal Ballet said the company would not comment further on the announcement. Mr Scarlett did not immediately answer an email requesting his response.

Mr Scarlett, once heralded as a "choreographic wonder boy of British ballet" by The New York Times, has created works for dance companies worldwide, including Australia's Queensland Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. This month, the Royal Ballet was forced to end the sold-out run of his Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House after the coronavirus pandemic shut down the venue.
As the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly, experts expect a sharp rise over the coming weeks in the number of patients who need to be hospitalised. Swiss hospital capacity is therefore likely to be stretched to the limit.

Matching demand and supply

Equipment and consumable materials are currently standing around in Swiss universities and research institutes which are barely being used now that laboratory work has been run down to a bare minimum. These materials are badly needed in hospitals, however. Researchers in the ETH domain eager to pool their efforts to defeat the epidemic have therefore been working under intense pressure to create a platform that coordinates demand from the medical sector with the resources of Swiss research. The platform is open to all members of institutions in the extended Switch Community, in other words all Swiss universities and related organisations.

As of 22 March, scientists can access the Sharepoint site Academic Resources for COVID to offer not just equipment, consumables and resources, but also specialist staff. The webpage displays an up-to-date list of requests from healthcare bodies showing exactly what is needed and where. The platform is coordinated by Roman Stocker, ETH Professor at the Environmental Engineering Institute. This is just of the initiatives launched by the Swiss Scientific COVID-19 Task Forcecall_made of the ETH Domain, a team led by ETH Professor Martin Ackermann, head of the Environmental Microbiology department at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, EAWAG.

Time is precious

In this crisis, everyone realises how essential it is to get the right resources to where they are needed as quickly as possible, says Roman Stocker. So were glad to be able to do our bit by launching this platform for the entire Swiss research sector and get it up and running.

Hospitals are being asked to direct their requests to the Coordinated Care Service . These requests will then be coordinated by Spiez Laboratory, also a federal institution and a specialist in NBC protection. They are then forwarded to the platform and processed immediately by a team of ETH doctoral assistants and postdocs who are working flat out, seven days a week.

Encouraging feedback

Initial impressions are very promising. The feedback from both the healthcare and research sectors is very positive; the platform meets an urgent need. We have already managed to arrange several transfers of resources, says Sebastian Bonhoeffer, ETH Professor for Theoretical Biology and one of the scientists who helped to get the platform off the ground.

Its worth noting that demand is not only for specialist equipment: hospitals are currently also glad to receive basic consumables, such as centrifuge tubes. This is just one of the ways that we scientists can make an immediate and direct contribution, says Sebastian Bonhoeffer. We therefore encourage every researcher and manager in Swiss laboratories to think about what they can contribute  and to use the platform as much as possible over the coming weeks.
By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have unearthed fossils of a fearsome feathered dinosaur in northwestern New Mexico that was a quick and agile predator that could chase down smaller prey or swarm larger prey in pack attacks 67 million years ago.

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have unearthed fossils of a fearsome feathered dinosaur in northwestern New Mexico that was a quick and agile predator that could chase down smaller prey or swarm larger prey in pack attacks 67 million years ago.

And, judging from a telltale scar on one of its menacing sickle-shaped claws, this Cretaceous Period dinosaur also fought with others of its own species.

Scientists on Thursday announced the discovery of Dineobellator notohesperus, a two-legged meat-eater that was relatively small - around 7 feet (2 meters) long and 3 feet (1 meter) tall at the hip, weighing 40-50 pounds (18-22 kg). What Dineobellator lacked in size it made up for with ferocity.

Dineobellator - whose name means "Navajo warrior" to honor the Native American people native to the area - was part of the same dinosaur lineage, dromaeosaurs, as the well-known Velociraptor that lived just a bit earlier in Mongolia.

"It was a swift, active predator. Its claws would have been several inches long and quite formidable, although rather than slicing through meat they probably would be more useful for holding on to things," said paleontologist Steven Jasinski of the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, who led the research published in the journal Scientific Reports.

A four-inch (10 cm) claw on its right hand had a deep gouge whose size and shape indicated the damage was inflicted by another member of its own species.

"We hypothesize it was caused by fighting with another Dineobellator," Jasinski said. "Often times animals in packs fight and squabble over various things, usually resources like food, territory, and even sunlight. It's also possible this was a fight between two males over a mate, or a female fighting off an aggressive male when she might not feel ready to mate."

The dinosaur also had a broken rib that healed, which Jasinski said "not only suggests a hard life but also shows this dinosaur was able to live and deal with at least some injuries."

Dineobellator, armed with rows of cutting teeth, lived near the very end of the age of dinosaurs, about a million years before an asteroid impact wiped them out, inhabiting a floodplain teeming with other dinosaurs including much larger predators and a variety of plant eaters.

Roughly 25 percent of its skeleton was recovered, showing Dineobellator boasted evolutionary innovations setting it apart from other dromaeosaurs with superior grip strength in its hands, enhanced flexion in its arms and a unique tail structure.

"Combining these features suggests Dineobellator would have been a swift, skilled pursuit predator that could run down smaller prey and attack and jump onto larger prey, holding on with stronger forelimbs and a tighter grip," Jasinski said.

"Dineobellator tells us," Jasinski added, "that these dinosaurs were still diversifying and trying out new evolutionary pathways even at the twilight of their existence."

(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
OTTAWAAmidst a global scramble for medical supplies and a clampdown on travel, Canadas new ambassador to the United States says no country will get through the COVID-19 pandemic alone.

Newly-named in a country intent on putting up walls and charting its own course through the crisis, Kirsten Hillman added her voice to a chorus of leaders  including from the United Nations and World Health Organization  calling on nations to band together to confront the deadly coronavirus at a time when the world is already riven by trade wars and nationalist protectionism.

This isnt a health situation that is going to respect any borders. Weve seen that. Its obvious. And the solutions cant be solely determined by any one country, Kirsten Hillman, Canadas ambassador to the U.S., told the Star by phone on Thursday.

There is no doubt that international co-operation is going to be essential to getting the globe out of this crisis, she said.

Hillman takes over  she served as acting ambassador since last summer  facing a global pandemic that she said is by far the biggest priority for Canadas diplomatic corps in the U.S. Topping her concerns is the need to keep crucial goods like food and medicine flowing over the Canada-U.S. border, as news emerged Thursday that American officials considering sending troops to the border with Canada. The Trump administration reportedly backed off the idea after Canadian officials strenuously objected.

The push for openness is shared by the Liberal government in Ottawa, which was attacked Thursday by the Conservative Opposition over a decision to ship 16 tonnes of much-needed medical equipment to China in February.

Speaking on Parliament Hill, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada agrees with the need to protect its citizens first. But she voiced concern that the pandemic will cause countries to turn inwards as borders close and nations race to acquire critical medical supplies and treatments for the new coronavirus.

Every country quite rightly needs to focus first and foremost on the health and safety of its own people. And that is what our government is doing, and we do that with no apology  in fact with real conviction. Freeland said.

Having said thatat the end of the day, the reality of a global pandemic is that it is global, and the long-term lesson that we should be learning from all of this is how important international co-operation is, she said.

But with the rise of U.S. President Donald Trump and a current of populist nationalism rolling across Europe and countries like India and Brazil, the COVID-19 crisis has gripped the world just as major forums of global co-operation have become less reliable and increasingly fraught.

This week, foreign ministers from the G7  including Canadas Francois-Philippe Champagne  couldnt agree on a joint communique after a conference call about the pandemic. The German magazine Der Spiegel reported co-operation was scuttled by American demands to call the disease the Wuhan virus  a descriptor that many worry will contribute to the stigmatization of the disease and to racism against Chinese people.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in a video conference with leaders from the G20, a virtual summit hosted by Saudi Arabia, which is engaged in an oil supply spat with Russia that has cratered oil prices around the world. As the United Nations appealed for $2 billion (U.S.) in aid for the poorest countries to confront the pandemic, the video conference did not produce new financial commitments. Instead, a joint statement stressed the need to contain the pandemic and protect people, especially the most vulnerable.

Theres a striking absence of global leadership, even a monumental failure, said Roland Paris, a professor of international relations at the University of Ottawa.

During the 2008 financial crisis, Paris said the U.S.  as the long-standing power behind major institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund  led a co-ordinated global response to shore up the collapsing global economy. The country performed a similar role during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, he said.

But under Trump, the U.S. has vacated its traditional position at the front of international efforts. The presidents America first philosophy, Paris said, makes this U.S. government uniquely ill-suited to the needs of the moment.

Colin Robertson, vice president of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute in Ottawa, said it is entirely in keeping with this philosophy for the U.S. to consider sending soldiers to keep watch over the border with Canada. Despite Canadas calls for global co-operation, Robertson wondered how the pandemic will affect the openness of the world that has been a defining feature of the international order in recent decades.

Its reflective of a Trumpian attitude Are borders really going to matter more? Absolutely, he said.

In the face of this, the Liberal government has sought to champion what Freeland calls the rules-based international order  the collection of institutions that maintain fair trade and serve as forums for co-operation.

For Paris, the pandemics emergence at this juncture in international politics will make that effort more difficult. But countries like Canada can only push to do whatever they can to create co-operation to defeat this deadly disease, he said.

This is a moment when the world could and should be coming together. Or it can be a moment that reinforces the disintegration of international co-operation, he said.

Leading countries need to co-ordinate their responses, and well see if they can and if they will.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY, Contributor / AFP via Getty Images

Gov. Greg Abbott is deploying three brigades of the Texas National Guard to help at drive-through COVID-19 testing sites and add to the states overall health care infrastructure.

Abbott activated the guard 10 days ago but had not deployed units until Friday. His office said soldiers have been practicing putting up drive-through testing sites and helping run them alongside medical staff for a week.
With cooperation and partnership, Nigeria will overcome the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, and chart a new course in nationalism and brotherhood, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The president said this in a commendation statement he issued on Friday, to acknowledge the effort by the Nigerian private sector coalition to mobilise funding and support for the fight against the spread of the deadly virus.

Coalition Against COVID-19

The coalition against COVID-19 is a partnership between the government and the private sector, led by Aliko Dangote Foundation, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GT Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank, and Nigerian Breweries.

Other members of the coalition include Herbert Wigwe, Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu, Segun Agbaje, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Femi Otedola.

On Thursday, the Bankers Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spearheaded a private sector initiative to mobilise Nigerias elite corps of billionaires to pool together about N120 billion to support the federal governments acquisition of medical equipment and logistics against COVID-19.

N120 billion target

At the inauguration of the coalition, Mr Emefiele said each member would ensure their institution contributes at least N1 billion to the effort, while new members would be allowed as long as they are willing to contribute at least N1 billion.

The target was set at about N120 billion.

In the commendation statement signed by the presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, the president saluted the public-spiritedness of wealthy Nigerians and organisations for standing up to be counted in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Adesina said the president commended members of the coalition for contributing N1 billion each, and being in the vanguard of encouraging others in the private sector to do the same.

READ ALSO:

The president specially commended the UBA for also donating N5 billion to Nigeria and Africa; and the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was also the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2019 presidential elections, who pledged N50 million.

Also, First Bank is partnering with the government, the United Nations, and innovative technological firms to provide e-learning solutions to at least one million children under its Keep Them Engaged, Keep Them Safe initiative.

The President extols every other helping hand that has been lent by individuals, groups and organizations, which may not necessarily be in the public domain, Mr Adesina said.

President Buhari recommends these laudable strides to other high net-worth Nigerians and organizations. Hand in hand, the country will overcome the challenges brought by the pandemic, and chart a new course in nationalism and brotherhood, he said.
Photo from Getty Images

SINGAPORE  More schools will have lactation rooms while all new bus and MRT interchanges will have nursing rooms installed.

The measures were revealed in Parliament on Thursday (26 March) in response to a question from Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Louis Ng.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Low Yen Ling told the House that some 85 per cent of primary schools, 65 per cent of secondary schools, 90 per cent of junior colleges and one centralised institute have a lactation room. All institutes of higher learning are already equipped with lactation rooms, with bigger campuses having more than one.

Over the next three years, the remaining schools without such facilities will have a lactation room for mothers to breastfeed or express their milk.

Low was replying to a question posed by Ng who asked if the education ministry could make it compulsory for all schools and educational institutions to have at least one lactation room.

As a mother of two kids...I can understand what it takes to persevere in the breastfeeding journey. for example the breastfeeding cycle and also the schedule from expressing and storing the milk...and transporting the milk and also all the gadgets that are involved especially for mothers who need to express milk in their office workplace.

I want to assure that the MOE (Ministry of Education) has made it a priority to equip our teachers who are mothers and are breastfeeding with the facility and support that they need.

Lactation rooms have been added to building specifications for primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges in recent years.

Low emphasised that the rooms were specifically for lactation and that mothers will be provided with refrigerators, if not in these rooms, then in the staff lounges of schools.

On an earlier sitting on Wednesday, Ng also asked if breastfeeding was prohibited in public, to which Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development Sun Xueling replied that there was no such prohibition.

Story continues

While indecent exposure and appearing nude in public were criminal offences, mothers who genuinely breastfeed their children in public are unlikely to fall under these categories, said Sun. To determine if any offences might be made out, the police would need to ascertain the specific facts and circumstances of each case, she added.

Ng followed up on the same question on Thursdays sitting, this time focusing on public transport. In reply, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng said that breastfeeding was allowed on public buses and trains and that those who prefer privacy can turn to nursing rooms at key transport nodes.

Ng then pointed out that a reply under the SMRTs frequently asked questions section on its website stated that for the comfort of passengers, children are best breastfed before entering the stations.

Baey replied that the authorities would advise public transport operators to be clearer on their websites so that mothers are not deterred.

Nursing rooms in new bus interchanges, MRT stations

In a written reply on Thursday, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the government would provide nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, and new MRT interchange stations.

The answer was in reply to Ngs question on how many MRT stations and bus interchanges in Singapore are equipped with at least one lactation room and one breastfeeding room, and if the transport ministry could make it compulsory for at least one of each to be made available at such facilities.

Khaw said that there were nursing rooms at half of the bus interchanges currently.

Not all MRT stations and bus interchanges needed nursing rooms as many are adjacent to major developments with nursing rooms, such as shopping centres and libraries, according to Khaw.

"This is a balanced approach, to avoid duplication while meeting the needs of nursing mothers," he added.

As to Ngs proposal that all all pre-schools be equipped with at least one lactation room, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said in a written reply that the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) does not require all pre-schools to have a lactation room within their premises.

"Pre-schools have the flexibility to manage the use of their space, depending on the needs of their children, staff and parents.

"For pre-schools with older children (for example kindergartens) and pre-schools with more working mothers, the need for a lactation room within the centre itself may be less pressing, Lee said.

He encouraged pre-schools to consider setting up a lactation room or making space arrangements for breastfeeding when the need arises.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Other Singapore stories



COVID-19: FairPrice further restricts toilet roll, paper products purchase

COVID-19: Fine or jail for not observing at least 1-metre social distancing in public

COVID-19: 3 doctors at National Skin Centre placed on 14-day LOA after close contact with infected colleague
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 29-year-old man over the alleged molestation of a girl in Sumida Ward earlier this month, reports TBS News (Mar. 26).

At around 10:00 p.m. on March 13, Yasuyuki Morii, a contract employee, came up from behind the girl on a road in the ward and fondled her chest.

After the girl resisted his advances, Morii fled the scene.

Upon his arrest on suspicion of indecent assault, Morii admitted to the allegations. aI could not control my sexual desire,a the suspect was quoted by the Mukojima Police Station.

Yasuyuki Morii (Twitter)

According to police, Morii was not acquainted with the victim.

Prior to the incident, the suspect followed her over a distance of 400 meters. The incident took place where there were no other pedestrians present, police said.

aI did this several other times,a the suspect also said. Police are now investigating whether he was behind several other cases that have taken place in the same area since December.
Lorraine Kelly revealed that she was among more than 670,000 Brits who have signed up as NHS volunteers to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

And she wasn't the only celebrity willing to help, as Louisa Lytton revealed she has signed up and is getting stuck into her volunteering duties already.

Taking to Instagram, EastEnders star Louisa explained that she has been making phone calls, on behalf of the NHS, during the Covid-19 crisis, as volunteer numbers reach a record-breaking high.

Helping hand: Louisa Lytton revealed that she has signed up to volunteer with the NHS and is already getting stuck into her duties

Louisa, who plays Ruby Allen in the BBC soap, has been praising the work of the NHS and all healthcare workers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Posting to her story on Instagram, she revealed that she has been making phone calls as part of her role as a volunteer.

Louisa was seen taking a quick moment in the sunshine, as she said: 'Workout done. Comfies on. Back to the car park I go. This will be my spot for the calls I'll be making as an NHS volunteer.

Her post comes after Love Island star Montana Brown explained to fans that she too has put herself forward as a volunteer and encouraged them to do the same.

Helping out: Louisa revealed she was making phone calls on behalf of the NHS as part of her role as a volunteer

In a short video, she said: 'It's a wonderfully beautiful morning and people are saying they dont know what to do, including myself, so Ive signed up to help the NHS.

'Im volunteering to chat to someone who is lonely, someone on their own isolating, you can deliver peoples medication and NHS equipment. Especially if you have a car or a bike and youre fit and healthy and not high risk, then you could really help out.

'So we can all gather together in matrimony and fight this.'

Signing up: Love Island's Montana Brown also signed up to volunteer

Their addition comes after celebrities came out in their droves to show their support for the NHS and take part in Thursday night's Clap for Carers.

The gesture was to applaud the efforts of all those working on the frontline during the coronavirus pandemic, with many all over the country taking part to show their appreciation.

Victoria Beckham joined in with husband David and their children, Peter Andre was seen clapping from his home, as was Kimberley Walsh, Frankie Bridge, Piers Morgan, McFly star Danny Jones, Ruth Langsford, Sophie Hinchliffe (Mrs Hinch) and Daniel Craig and his wife Rachel Weisz.

Stepping up: In a short video, she said: 'It's a wonderfully beautiful morning and people are saying they dont know what to do, including myself, so Ive signed up to help the NHS'

Both Stacey Solomon and Gemma Collins were seen breaking down in tears over the gesture, as they said seeing everybody come together for such a great cause had been 'so emotional'.

Ahead of Clap for Carers taking place, Lorraine Kelly revealed she has signed up as an NHS volunteer, pointing out that 'we can all be at the end of the phone'.

The Lorraine presenter, 60, said she would be on hand to speak on the phone to anyone that might be struggling during the pandemic, as she appeared on Dan Wootton's TalkRadio drivetime show.

We support you! Daniel Craig and his wife Rachel Weisz joined a slew of stars in a nationwide applause in honour of NHS workers during the coronavirus lockdown on Thursday

Well done! David joined sons Romeo, 17, and Cruz, 15, and daughter Harper, eight, in applauding for the healthcare workers, as Victoria thanked them for keeping members of the public safe

She said: 'You know me I am not very practical but having said that I can talk a lot as you know.

'It would be a good thing, if anyone is feeling low or just wants someone to talk to or more important, just someone to listen, I can do that. We can all be at the end of the phone.'

The star added: 'I know there is negativity but I really believe the vast, overwhelming majority of people are decent good people who just want to help.'

Happy to help: Lorraine Kelly revealed that she was among more than 670,000 Brits who have signed up as NHS volunteers to fight the coronavirus pandemic

48 hours after the NHS called for volunteers, 670,663 volunteers had signed up to help.

The kind-hearted volunteers will start next week, delivering food and medication to 1.5million vulnerable people who have been told to stay at home.

They will also shuttle patients to and from hospital and provide regular phone calls to combat loneliness.

The Government has raised the target for the volunteer army to 750,000  after its initial aim of recruiting 250,000 people in a week was met in less than 24 hours. But last night there were calls for ministers to increase the target to a million.

Support: The TV presenter said she would be on-hand to speak on the phone to anyone that might be struggling as she appeared on Dan Wootton's TalkRadio drivetime show

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said yesterday he was 'humbled' by the extraordinary response to the 'call to arms'.

He said: 'The response we are seeing from the public to join us in our country's greatest time of need is extraordinary.

'On behalf of everyone working in the NHS, I would like to thank each and every person who has signed up to volunteer  you will be, without a shadow of a doubt, helping us to save lives.

'They have shown the kindness of our country and have highlighted once again just how much people value the health service and every single person working in it.

'And to anyone else considering joining the ranks of our new volunteer army: the NHS is always there for you, and now is your time to be there for us, and for each other too.'

Latest NHS figures show there are 594,158 hospital doctors, GPs, nurses therapists, scientists and technical staff. Volunteers can register at www.goodsamapp.org.

Those who sign up will undergo background criminal records checks and be asked to upload identity documents, including driving licences if they are using their cars.

They will get online training before being matched with a vulnerable person and will get 'chat prompts' to help make conversation.

Their main job will be to help the 1.5million very high-risk individuals who have been advised to isolate themselves completely for at least the next 12 weeks.
Appointment

27 March 2020

Mitchells Plain-born chef Calvin Poole (27) has worked and served in the culinary industry and a focused innovation leader for the past 9 years.

His passion for cooking started at home, helping his mother out with meal preparations at dinner time. It was at the age of 12 that Poole dreamt of working as a chef one day. In doing so, he watched cooking programmes of TV of the likes of Jamie Oliver and Martin Yan.

Poole is excited to join Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Foreshore as of March 2020 where he regards his new position as a "learning environment for everyone". He sees the hotel's kitchen as an innovative space for his staff where they can increase their knowledge and skills about food, while also making the kitchen a "passionate food hub".

If that's not all, Poole is looking to cook up a storm in the kitchen with some "homely and hearty quality food" - with a twist.
While Illinois stay-at-home order allows them to be open, area liquor stores are reporting mixed sales experiences as the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread.

The stay-at-home order, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced March 20 to take effect the next day, requires businesses deemed non-essential to cease everything except minimum basic operation. Liquor stores, which are categorized similar to grocery stores, are among businesses the executive order considers essential.

Dons Place in Jacksonville has been offering curbside takeout of packaged liquor since the bar closed. Owner-operator Dan Kindred said the curbside delivery option hasnt led to many sales  but the bar didnt have many other options that comply with the order.

Party House liquor store at 1818 W. Morton Ave. still is selling liquor both in-store and at its drive-through, said Corinna Hill, a Party House manager.

Sales increased last week but fell off soon after, she said.

Top Shelf Liquor at 1121 W. Morton Ave. has seen a 25% to 30% slowdown in sales in the midst of the pandemic, store owner Gary Singh said.

The store was busier on March 20  the day the order was announced  than it has been recently, Singh said.

Top Shelf is maintaining its regular store hours  9 a.m.-11 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-midnight weekends  through March but might reduce them in April if sales remain slow, Singh said.

The stores floor now is marked with blue tape to help customers keep 6 feet away from each other and employees. Its a distance the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends to limit the spread of the virus.

Noting that he believes public health is the most important matter, Singh said he would close Top Shelf if Pritzker ordered liquor stores closed.

We have to follow the governors orders, Singh said. Im not happy about it but we need to keep the community safe.

Illinois isnt the only state that considers liquor stores essential. Most states that have stay-at-home orders in place have allowed liquor stores to remain open. Pennsylvania has closed liquor stores there, though Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has said he is reconsidering that order.

Public health officials have pushed to keep liquor stores open, fearing alcoholics could turn to other, more dangerous substances or end up in an emergency room with withdrawal symptoms at a time when hospitals already are being stretched thin, according to the Washington Post.

Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants in Illinois closed to dine-in service to limit the spread of the virus in places where groups of people gather.
For the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, Please Explain is coming to you five days a week.

In today's episode of Please Explain, United States correspondent Matthew Knott and national editor Tory Maguire discuss how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting the United States and why President Donald Trump's approval rating has never been higher.

Become a subscriber

Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage.
Pershing Square Capital manager Bill Ackman defended his emotional CNBC appearance last week after his fund announced a few days later that it made more than $2 billion on bets against the markets. The investor warned in the interview that "hell is coming" and that hotel stocks could go to zero.

"Shortly after the show, I heard that some had interpreted my remarks as being very bearish on the market," Ackman told investors on Thursday. "The idea that my appearance pushed the market down an additional 4% that day is absurd."

"Yes, I got somewhat emotional as I talked about protecting my immune-compromised father from the ravages of the virus. But, I had become bullish because of my belief that the entire country would soon go into lockdown, and that would be the fastest and best way to minimize the impact of the virus," he added.

The billionaire investor had urged President Donald Trump on March 18 on Twitter to seal off the U.S. from the rest of the world "for the next 30 days" to protect the American population from further coronavirus destruction before joining CNBC's Scott Wapner later that day.

At that time, Ackman warned that hotel operator Hilton Worldwide was "going to zero ... along with every other hotel company in the world," said that America could "end as we know it" and cautioned U.S. companies to stop their stock buyback programs because "hell is coming."

The impassioned interview sparked controversy, however, as other investors argued that Pershing would profit from further market declines thanks to a series of prescient bets made in February. Ackman disclosed on March 3 that he'd purchased a variety of credit default swaps on investment-grade and high-yield indexes, essentially purchasing insurance on credit which would increase in value as the underlying assets deteriorated and spreads widened.

Ackman explained on March 3 that he'd purchased the default swaps as hedges against the market if efforts to contain the novel coronavirus had a "substantial negative impact on the U.S. and global economies" as he thought likely. But some argued that his appearance March 18 on CNBC was intended to sow further fear and increase the value of the swaps.

"A number of press reports have raised questions about my appearance on CNBC last Wednesday, and some have even questioned whether my appearance was intended to drive down the market so that we could profit on hedges we had previously entered into," Ackman wrote in the letter.

But Ackman reiterated that he had said in the interview on March 18 that he had already started adding to Pershing's existing stock holdings since equities looked cheap amid the historic market sell-off.

"I've been aggressively buying stocks including Hilton today. And I've been buying all the way down  Hilton, Restaurant Brands and Starbucks," Ackman said on March 18.

He added on Thursday that, contrary to the opinion held by those including ex-hedge fund manager Michael Novogratz that the interview was panic-inducing, his bullishness was evident in his purchases.

"My bullish posture and my statements on CNBC and Twitter were strongly supportive of the markets. I made those statements at the time we were buying stocks and reducing our short in the credit markets," Ackman wrote Thursday.

Ackman said in his letter that his hedge had already paid off prior to his appearance on CNBC and that Pershing had sold most, but not all, of the hedge prior to his interview with Wapner.

"In fact, if you believe we move markets  a highly dubious assertion  one could argue that had I not told the world that we were bullish and were buying stocks, both equity and credit markets would have declined even more than they did, and we would have made more money on the hedges," Ackman wrote.

Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is among many people who have come forward to help and provide food to needy and homeless people in Kota and Bundi districts of Rajasthan in the wake of the 21-day nationwide to combat coronavirus.

Nearly 50,000 students, preparing for various entrance exams in Kota and living in hostels and paying guest accommodations, have been cooking food and distributing it among the poor and homeless people.

Birla, who is a Member of Parliament from the Kota-Bundi constituency, has sent food material for nearly 500 families in Bundi.

Birla's OSD (Officer on Special Duty) Rajiv Dutta said the ration material was handed over to Bundi district administration for distribution among the poor people.

Many volunteers have also been arranging food for the needy in Kota and Bundi, Dutta said.

They are distributing food packets in the localities while adhering to social distancing norms, he added.

Community Police Officers (CPOs) are also arranging and distributing food among students stuck in Kota.

Police teams are also moving door to door to distribute food packets in localities of daily wage labourers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The EU expects Russia to exert its influence over controlled armed formations in Donbas to achieve a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The European Union has demanded investigations into reported facts of the torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian hostages in Russia-occupied Donbas.

"The latest report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirms that the practice of arbitrary detention, torture and the ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees in eastern Ukraine continues. All sides must respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law," Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson of European Union External Action for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement on March 27.

Read also"DPR" secret prisons employ torture experts, not random people: ex-captives

"In particular, the OHCHR report identified and further confirmed a consistent pattern of arbitrary detention, often amounting to enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment of conflict-related detainees in the so-called 'Luhansk People's Republic' and 'Donetsk People's Republic.' These practices and the impunity of their perpetrators must end. The accounts from released detainees of the conditions of their detention in the OHCHR reports are appalling. The EU expects immediate and comprehensive investigations into these reported violations," the statement underlines.

Furthermore, independent international observers, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the OHCHR, must be granted full and unconditional access to all detainees and places of detention, he said.

In this context, he stresses, the EU expects Russia to exert its considerable influence over the armed formations it backs in order to achieve a sustainable and peaceful political solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

According to the statement, the European Union reiterates its full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 17:03:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's TV drama industry, which has been dormant for months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, is resuming work and production in an orderly manner, according to the National Radio and Television Administration Friday.

Major film and television program production centers in Xiangshan and Hengdian have reopened their studios. More than 90 percent of 42 major film and television enterprises in east China's Jiangsu Province have resumed work on a limited scale.

Meanwhile, about 50 percent of Shanghai's film and television companies have returned to work, but have barely resumed filming. And over 90 percent of the 155 members of the Capital Radio & TV Program Producers Association in Beijing have gone back to work.

The administration will support the creation of TV series with themes of the country's fight against COVID-19 and poverty reduction this year, it said in a statement.

The administration issued a circular to promote production resumption of the TV drama industry earlier this month, detailing 12 measures such as funds support, developing online services, key projects support and adjusting the schedule of exhibitions and festivals.

In addition, a video conference held by the administration recently has discussed the production of several TV series on topics ranging from the epidemic fight, poverty alleviation, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China to the Belt and Road Initiative.

Local agencies around the country have introduced measures on work resumption as well, the administration said, adding that provincial-level regions including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Beijing and Shanghai have specified plans to facilitate TV series creation on major themes.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Issam Ahmed (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Fri, March 27, 2020 13:04 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dced8b 2 Health chloroquine,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,health,medicine Free

Could a pair of decades-old, relatively inexpensive drugs be the solution to the novel coronavirus pandemic?

Around the world, countries are expanding access to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ), related compounds that are synthetic forms of quinine, which comes from cinchona trees and has been used for centuries to treat malaria.

HQ which is the less toxic of the two, is also used as an anti-inflammatory to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, purposes it is primarily known for outside the tropics.

The medicines have shown early promise against the COVID-19 illness in early studies in France and China, which led US President Donald Trump this week to call them a "gift from God" -- even as experts urge caution until bigger trials validate their effectiveness.

Here is what you need to know.

Read also: Scientists urged to carry out further research on antimalarial drug to cure COVID-19

Why they might work

China used CQ on a trial of 134 patients in February, finding it was effective in reducing the severity of the illness, according to officials.

But these results haven't yet been published. Chinese respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan, who leads a government task force in response to the epidemic, said in a press conference last week that the data would be widely shared soon.

In France, a team led by Didier Raoult of the IHU-Mediterranee Infection, Marseille reported last week they had carried out a study on 36 COVID-19 patients, finding that HCQ drastically reduced the viral load in a group which received the drug.

The effects were especially pronounced when it was used with azithromycin, a common antibiotic used to sweep out secondary bacterial infections.

What's more, HCQ and CQ drugs have been proven to act against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in lab settings, and a paper published by a Chinese team last week in Cell Discovery offered a potential mode of action.

Karine Le Roch, a professor of cell biology at the University of California, Riverside, explained that both HCQ and CQ are weak bases that elevate the pH of parts of human cells called organelles -- which are analogous to organs in animals -- and which are normally acidic.

This in turn interferes with the virus' ability to enter the cells -- and also seems to block them from replicating once they are already inside.

But, she added: "While it worked in vitro, I am still waiting to see published results of large blind clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of HCQ in vivo," she told AFP.

The case for caution

Promise doesn't mean proof, and the small studies carried out so far amount to "anecdotal" evidence, according to Anthony Fauci, head of infectious diseases at the US National Institutes of Health.

What's more, a small Chinese study on 30 patients that was also published this month found HCQ was no better than standard care -- meaning treating the symptoms via bed rest, fluids and so on -- adding a note of caution to the discourse.

The only way to know for sure is to carry out randomized clinical trials, scientists say. Such experiments are considered the gold standard in the field but last months or years and involve thousands of patients, often from around the world.

Patients are assigned at random to either receive the drug under investigation or a placebo, and the studies are "blinded" meaning the participants and their doctors are unaware which group they are in, to further reduce bias.

Overhyping medicine can have several unintended effects, warn experts.

"One of the unintended consequences are drug shortages of chloroquine, for people that need to manage their rheumatoid arthritis, for example," Peter Pitts, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration told AFP.

A few countries are taking a cautious approach. Spain, for example, announced Monday said that "until further notice" these arthritis and lupus patients would be given priority access to the drug.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran meanwhile said the compounds can be used only to treat the most severe cases of COVID-19.

Another problem is that people may try to self-medicate. A US man from Arizona died this week after ingesting a form of chloroquine intended to fight aquatic parasites.

Read also: Malaria drug chloroquine no better than regular coronavirus care, study finds

Side effects

Several countries have now embarked on clinical trials, including the United States, where one began in New York this week.

Italy is carrying out a trial on 2,000 people, while scientists are also awaiting the results from bigger trials in China.

But while the drugs are being rolled out for compassionate use, it is critical to bear in mind safety precautions.

About one percent of people are at high risk of blackouts, seizure or even sudden death from cardiac arrest because of heart rhythm issues they may themselves be unaware of, Michael Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist at Mayo Clinic told AFP.

Medical teams must therefore perform electrocardiograms to inform their risk analysis before using these medicines, he said.

"All focus is placed on the hope for therapeutic efficacy of these medications, without any reasonable amount of respect, not fear, but respect for what the potential side effects of these very powerful medications are," said Ackerman.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday accused the Haryana government of betraying farmers by postponing wheat procurement, saying it had promised the doubling of farm income by 2022.

He said the statement of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar that the farmers should harvest their wheat crop and store it in their homes for the next three weeks is like "rubbing salt into their wounds".

"The BJP-JJP government was now planning a conspiracy with farmers by postponing the wheat procurement, which was to begin on April 1, in three phases up to June 30," Surjewala said.

"The chief minister is telling farmers to store wheat in their homes...his deputy Dushyant Chautala (also the excise minister) seemed to be more concerned about the health of alcoholics as the liquor vends were kept open in Haryana despite a lockdown," he alleged.

The liquor vends were shut down from March 27 after the state government came under heavy criticism from various quarters, including the opposition Congress for keeping them open even during a lockdown enforced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

With the 21-day nationwide lockdown in place to check the spread of coronavirus, Khattar had on Thursday said, "As we know that it is not possible to procure till April 14, we have made changes in dates of procurement."



"From April 15, procurement of mustard will be done while wheat will be procured from April 20. We will begin our procurement on these dates if situation normalizes by then."



Khattar had also said as ripened crops of mustard and wheat cannot be left in the fields by then, the farmers have been advised to stock the produce as much as possible in their homes while instructions have been given to state agencies like the Marketing Board to assist farmers in stocking produce.

Surjewala, in a statement here, said it was "shocking" that the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janata Party government would not start the wheat procurement up to April 20.

"The anti-farmer BJP-JJP government is deliberately ignoring the important aspect that the farmers of Haryana sell their wheat crops from April 1 to 20 in grain markets, which has been the practice and experience of all the previous years.

"In such a situation, how the farmers can afford to not to harvest the crops or sell the grains in the market," he asked.

Surjewala said Khattar and Chautala should understand that if the farmers would not harvest the crops, their standing crops would get destroyed.

"Does the BJP-JJP government not know that the farmers cannot store wheat in their houses for long because 95 per cent of farmers own less than 5 acres of land and most of them have existing debts of present crops. They have to pay and arrange for sowing of their next crops," the Congress party's chief spokesperson added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several Texas colleges are altering their academic policies and deadlines this semester due to the many changes and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rice University announced Wednesday that it would give students the option of choosing pass or fail as a grading system for their courses this semester after faculty unanimously voted. This will replace the current letter grade system for students who opt in.

A passing grade will given for grades D or up, and a fail is given for students who earn an F. These grades will not be factored into a students GPA.

Students launched a petition last week, with more than 3,400 people urging the university to offer the pass/fail policy, but Rice President David Leebron said recognizing just how disruptive and stressful the COVID-19 pandemic has been, the administration had already started discussions about the academic policies long before the petition was launched.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas colleges postpone graduations as COVID-19 pandemic rages on

Thanks to social-distancing protocols, the novel coronavirus has changed how Rice and other college communities can communicate, interact and learn. Many Texas colleges have closed campuses, postponed or canceled commencements and graduations ceremonies, and most, if not all, have transitioned to online courses using video conference platforms like Zoom.

Leebron said the pass/fail option isnt an easy way out  professors will still grade seriously  and it isnt the best choice for all students.

Making pass/fail a requirement could have (punished) people who want to make big investments in their courses until the end of the semester, or for those who are trying to raise their GPA.

Gabrielle Falcon, a graduating senior at Rice, said the universitys decision to allow pass/fail as an option gave many students a sense of relief  especially those who might face some challenges transitioning.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Rice University closing campus for semester

If (students) come from broken homes and backgrounds, it will give them that cushion of You just have to pass, Falcon said. Rice really cares about their students and they understand that this is a very unusual and chaotic time in everyones lives.

The University of Houston also announced Wednesday that it will offer a satisfactory or no credit option on a course-by-course basis during the spring semester and its upcoming summer mini-session. Students have until May 18 to decide. For undergraduates, grades of D- and higher are considered satisfactory and are awarded course credit; for graduates, C- and higher will be considered satisfactory. No course credit will be awarded for no credit reported.

Prairie View A&M announced Tuesday that it would implement a pass/not pass option for all undergraduate courses.

Doing so does not reflect a reduction in expectations but an acknowledgment of the severe complications of this unusual moment, Prairie View A&M University President Ruth Simmons wrote in a letter to the community. Grades of C or better are considered to be passing and grades of D or F are considered not passing, according to a release. Students will also have until April 28 to make their new elections.

Princess Ojuolape and Joshua Lewis, junior biology majors at Prairie View, said they are considering taking advantage of the new grading option. Ojuolape said she might opt in for one or two classes.

Lewis added: I want to see how hard this transition is going to be, and then Ill decide.

Texas A&M University students can also opt in for satisfactory or unsatisfactory grading for undergraduate and graduate students, although the option might not be applicable for students in their first professional degree programs. Students who earn a grade of C or above will receive satisfactory.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Rice increases tuition, costs for upcoming year

The University of Texas at Austin extended deadlines to drop or withdraw from classes, but officials have yet to make a decision on whether they will implement a pass/fail grading system for the semester, university spokesman J.B. Bird said in an email.

brittany.britto@chron.com
Government texts the nation with COVID-19 message

The Manx Government has sent a text message to every mobile phone on the Island.

An SMS message has been sent out to every active Manx phone number telling people to stay at home and "save lives".

The government doesn't have emergency messaging facilities in place that allow it to send messages directly to the entire country.

The messages have been sent out by mobile operators Sure and Manx Telecom on behalf of the government.
To live our lives in solitude is hard and that's where taking help from experts is recommended.

As coronavirus spreads havoc and cities and countries shut their borders, millions of people all over the world are being forced to spend their days at home in self-isolation and self-quarantine. This, because COVID-19 spreads from person to person contact via respiratory droplets, which can easily find its way from an infected person to a healthy one in public.

With close to 5 lakh people infected with this disease, reducing contact with other people is the easiest method to stop the spread, followed by wearing and a mask and constant handwashing with soap and water.

That said, humans are social creatures, for whom living in isolation is not all fun and games. To live our lives in solitude is hard, and when things are hard, help from experts is easy to find  and highly recommended. Who better to guide us through than people who spend days and months on end, cooped up in space, with no way to go out and only a handful of the same people to talk to and occasional calls to family and friends?

Astronauts are trained to live in isolation and be productive while they're at it. And while we work from home for an indefinite period, taking some advice to boost our productivity and get us out of a seeming slump is what the psychologist ordered.

So here's what five astronauts have shared on beating the boredom and completing their tasks while they live in the empty, strange, zero-g environs of space.

Anne McClain

NASA astronaut Anne McClain wrote a blog post for NASA on tips to live in space. McClain follows NASA-taught expeditionary behaviour skills, or EBs  communication, self and team care, living in a group, leadership and followership.

While communication and self-care need little explanation, leadership and followership certainly begs a follow-up question.

"Accept responsibility," says McClain. "Adjust your style to your environment. Assign tasks and set goals." This is clearly hinted to all the bosses out there. To all the employees out there, working from home, McClain also has some advice for you - "contribute to your leaders direction, but ask questions and talk when something isnt right."

1/ One thing astronauts have to be good at: living in confined

spaces for long periods of time. Find yourself in a similar scenario? Here are

some pro tips...a thread.  Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) March 22, 2020



While we are stuck home, we are surrounded by people, our families and tense moments can arise. We can't just storm out and in these moments without endangering ourselves or someone else, so its best to keep the head calm and the attitude positive.

"Cooperate rather than compete, respect roles, responsibilities and workload and take accountability but give praise freely," McClain says.

Scott Kelly

Retired astronaut and commander of the International Space Station, Scott Kelly wrote an op-ed for The New York Times. In the article, he shares advice and insight from his time on the space station  340 consecutive days, in the same space lab, talking with the same crew members, watching 16 sunrises and sunsets a day. Imagine that getting tedious!

"Work can have a way of taking over everything if you let it," says Kelly. To keep that from happening, he advises people to follow a schedule and build a structure for your time in the day. However, don't go overboard on the work, he warns, and enjoy your time at home when you're home.

Astronauts are not unlike ourselves. While yes, some of them spend their days 408 km above the Earth's surface where the rest of us live, they too do ordinary things like binge-watching television shows. It was Game of Thrones for Kelly. You might want to try something else  perhaps The Good Place? Brooklyn Nine-Nine? The Expanse?

Though we're supposed to stay home and stay isolated, it doesn't mean we can't go outside at all. Just with good reason, and caution  stay at arm's length from people around you at all times.

Chris Hadfield

"Understand the actual risk and don't just be afraid of things," says Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield in a Youtube video he released on 21 March. He has spent time in the space station and has also been a pilot for the space shuttle missions.

In the video, Hadfield gives people a guide to living in isolation. He shares a view that the entire isolation period is a mission, and breaks it down like a drill sergeant. His background in the military surely help. He then tells us to set goals  for both the short- and long-term  to meet, looking at things that might be obstacles, and taking action. Do something you haven't done before, learn a new hobby, etc, he says.

If you think you might be sick, self-isolate. If you are showing any symptoms, consult a doctor.

Peggy Whitson

Peggy Whitson is a retired astronaut who has made multiple trips to the ISS. She also became the first female commander of the ISS with Expedition 16.

In an interview with CBS, she gave her fellow Americans some advice on dealing with solitude during this time. NASA astronauts are taught expeditionary crew skills that include team working, group living and recognising that the purpose of the team is the most important. These are skills that can be put to use during our time in isolation. After all, there's no I in TEAM.

WATCH: @AstroPeggy, one of the most successful astronauts in American history, shares her advice for staying in during the #coronavirus pandemic: You have to be able to communicate effectively... that is the most important thing you have to be able to do. pic.twitter.com/m3mzy0BOsE  CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 23, 2020

Being around family at home on day 1 of social distancing might've been fun, but that might not be the case on say day 10. Remember to communicate effectively with people at home is key to not having fights, says Whitson. While we may think we are communicating the ideas in our head but that may not be the case in reality.

If the boredom is kicking in, task lists helped Whitson out when she was bored on Earth. (She claims never to be bored in space, since they have dozens of things to do to keep busy, as Kelly said, and also because each time she looked out of the window, she had something spectacular to look at.)

Buzz Aldrin

In an interview with Ars Technica, 90-year-old Buzz Aldrin talks about how he is dealing with the social distancing that has been made mandatory because of coronavirus. He said he is at home, hunkering down, and doing fine health-wise.

When asked what he was doing to protect himself from the coronavirus, he replied, "lying on my ass and locking the door."

Aldrin was one of the first men to go to the moon on as part of the Apollo missions. After Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Mike Collins (oh yes, there were three people that made the Apollo 11 mission what we know it to be) came back to Earth, they were quarantined for three weeks inside an airplane-turned-trailer, before being moved to a "secure" building called the Lunar Receiving Laboratory.

Aldrin's advice to people who are facing similar quarantine type situation all over the world is to exercise. At least that's what he and Collins did during their free time.

If it's good enough for the astronauts who went to the moon, it sure as the moon should be good enough for you and me.

#StaySafeStayHome, folks! Things could be a whole lot worse.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak
A 58-year-old man is dead and two others were injured after all three were hit by a car while riding their bicycles Thursday in Ipswich, prosecutors said.

George Norris died in Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston early Friday morning after he was airlifted there on Thursday. The other two individuals who are were struck are recovering in the hospital, according to a statement from the Essex District Attorneys office.

Norris, a 60-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man were riding their bikes near 197 Topsfield Road when they were hit by a car, the statement said.

The operator of the motor vehicle, a 43-year old Ipswich woman, remained on the scene and cooperated with the investigation, the district attorney said.

The driver has not been charged or issued a citation. The incident remains under investigation, according to prosecutors.
When Sunwing pilot Derek Butcher recovers from COVID-19, which he believes he picked up on the job, he won't be returning to work.

That's because Sunwing is laying off all its 470 pilots on April 8, according to the pilots' union, Unifor. Sunwing's 1,063 flight attendants will also be laid off, effective April 1, said their employees' union, CUPE.

The layoffs come after Sunwing suspended its flight operations on Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's a very upsetting time," said Derek Butcher from his home in Markham, Ont., where he's currently in self-isolation after getting his diagnosis on March 17.

Butcher, 38, said he's recovering well from his illness, but isn't looking forward to being unemployed and living on employment insurance.

"There's a lot of stress among [Sunwing pilots] right now, about being laid off and being out of work for potentially an extended period of time."

Large decline in travel

Butcher and his colleagues join the thousands of airline employees at Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat who also face layoffs, as the industry grinds to a near-halt due to a massive decline in travel during the pandemic.

Butcher, who has worked for Sunwing for eight years, believes he picked up the coronavirus sometime in early March while piloting flights to the Caribbean and Mexico.

Even though he spent most of his working hours in the cockpit, he had direct contact with flight attendants, travelled through crowded airports and stayed in a large hotel in Mexico.

"[I] cleaned all the surfaces in the flight deck, did everything I thought I could do to protect myself, but somehow I still along the way got sick," said Butcher.

Chris Young/Canadian Press

He believes other flight crew employees working on the front lines will contract the virus, if they haven't already.

This week, Air Transat confirmed that two flight attendants and a pilot have tested positive for COVID-19. The airline hasn't been able to identify how they were infected.

Story continues

Air Transat also said that, currently, 150 of its flight attendants and 10 pilots are in quarantine because they were exposed to suspected cases.

Sunwing asks for help

Sunwing said it couldn't comment on Butcher's COVID-19 case for privacy reasons, but told CBC News that it followed proper public health protocols.

Regarding the pending layoffs, Sunwing said it had no choice but to suspend operations during the pandemic.

"The circumstances we face are dire," said Grossman, adding that Sunwing's executive team has taken a temporary 50 per cent pay reduction.

She said that Sunwing is speaking daily with federal government officials about financial support so that the airline can remain viable and protect its employees' jobs.

"These are exceptional circumstances where we are fighting for the survival of this vitally important industry," said Grossman.

Air Canada has also asked for government help. "The crisis facing our industry is worsening as countries around the world adopt increasingly severe measures, national lockdowns and travel restrictions," the airline said in a statement on its website.

Meanwhile, some passengers whose flights were cancelled claim the airlines are withholding their money. Sunwing, Air Canada and WestJet have faced criticism after the airlines recently switched their policies to offer travel credits, instead of refunds, for cancelled flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Transportation Agency said airlines are not required to offer refunds for flights cancelled due to the pandemic.

submitted by Barret Armann

Unifor has also lobbied for government aid, and says that any bailouts must include financial relief for laid-off airline workers.

"Otherwise, you're just bailing out companies, and are they going to take care of us?" said Barret Armann, a Sunwing pilot and president of the Unifor local representing the airline's pilots.

Armann said he'd like to see financial assistance for airline workers who can't afford to maintain their employee medical benefits while they're out of work.

Laid-off Sunwing employees, he said, will only be able to continue their benefits if they pay for the full coverage themselves  about $400 a month.

"It's a quarter of your unemployment insurance, when [laid-off employees] still have their mortgages to pay and still have to put food on the table," Armann said.

Government responds

On Wednesday, the federal government passed an aid package bill worth $107 billion to help Canadians and businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement didn't include anything specific to the airline industry. Transport Minister Marc Garneau's office told CBC News "any proposed relief measures will be announced by the government in due course."

Finance Canada said that the government has implemented a program that is helping businesses  including airlines  access more than $10 billion in loans and other types of financial support.

Butcher said he yearns to learn more about any current and pending government aid to understand what the future holds for him and his fellow airline workers.

"The devil's in the details with this now," he said. "We're all hoping our companies have the ability to get through this."
CITY Council of Dodoma (CCD) has commended the Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) for surpassing its target to reach 60 TB patients in 2019 set by the City authorities.

In a letter of appreciation to the Hospital Executive Director, Dr Alphonce Chandika, the City Council noted that the BMH had reached 68 TB patients which is equivalent to 113 per cent of the implementation.

"Despite the recent introduction of the service, the hospital has managed to reach more than 60 TB patients last year," read part of the letter signed by Dr Peres Lukango on behalf of the City Council Medical Officer, Dr Gatete Mahava.

Dr Lukango said this year, the City Council has set a target to reach 100 TB patients by December, 2020, saying last year, the City Council had set target to reach 60 TB patients by last December.

"I wish you success in the fight against TB and attaining this year's target of 100 TB patients by December," he said.

On his part, Coordinator of TB and Leprosy at BMH, Dr Dennis Kanyika, expressed his delight after the recognition of the hospital, pointing out that BMH is determined to surpass this year's target of 100 TB patients.

"So far, we have reached about 30 TB patients. We are optimistic that we will attain this year's target of 100 patients," he said.

Dr Kanyika pointed out symptoms of active TB as chronic cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss.

He explained that TB is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit, speak or sneeze, and that people with latent TB do not spread the disease.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has asked citizens not to link the safety of their deposits with the volatility of the stock market. At a press conference on Friday morning, the RBI chief said that there has been panic withdrawal from private banks after the coronavirus pandemic impacted share prices of banks. "The Indian banking system is safe and sound," he said.

"In the recent past, COVID-19 related volatility in the stock market has impacted share prices of banks as well resulting in some panic withdrawal of deposits from a few private sector banks. It would be fallacious to link share prices to safety of deposits," he emphasised.

The RBI Governor said that depositors of commercial banks, including private sector banks, need not worry on the safety of their funds. "I would, therefore, urge members of the public as well as various public authorities who have deposits in private sector banks not to resort to any panic withdrawal of their funds.Their funds are safe," said Shaktikanta Das.

Also read: Shaktikanta Das Press Conference Live: RBI chief announces loan payment relief, Rs 3.7 lakh crore liquidity boost

This statement comes weeks after the moratorium on troubled Yes Bank was lifted by the RBI, following a reconstruction scheme. The RBI has announced a withdrawal cap on Yes Bank on March 5, following which customers were allowed to withdraw only Rs 50,000 for a month. The apex bank also superseded the board of Yes Bank. The moratorium was lifted on March 18.

Governor Das also slashed repo rate by 75 bps to 4.4 per cent and reverse repo rate by 90 bps to 4 per cent. He said that the reverse repo rate has been decreased by 90 basis point to make it unattractive for banks to park money with RBI.

The Governor said that these are extraordinary times. However he said that he was still optimistic. "In spite of the very challenging environment, I remain optimistic," he added. He said that the macro-economic fundamentals of the Indian economy are sound and stronger than what they were in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Also read: Banks free to defer payment of EMIs by 3 months! RBI gives permission

Also read: RBI announces liquidity boost of Rs 3.74 lakh crore amid coronavirus outbreak
From all indications, the nation Ghana is at the crossroads and we as citizens seem to find ourselves between the devil and the deep blue sea on whether or not to support or kick against a lockdown of the country as a measure of controlling the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease that is spreading like bush fires globally.

It is in light of the above that I write to add my voice to the national discourse of a lockdown which has been proposed by many experts, including the Ghana Medical Association, Trade Union Congress and recently the Chief of staff of the Asantehene. The purpose of this article is to also propose a few measures to adopt in place of a lockdown.

To start with, a lockdown, in my opinion, would rather escalate the spread of the virus.

Immediately an announcement of a lockdown is made by the president, many city dwellers would move to their hometowns and since the virus moves when people move, those who have it would move with it and infect those in the villages and it could put us in Italy, U.S.A and Spain's situation currently.

The cost of living in the villages is far cheaper than it is in cities. The president cannot announce a lockdown and ask that it takes immediate effect after the announcement, he would definitely give people a day or two to stock their homes with food and other essentials.

The period he gives for people to stock their homes with food and other essentials would be used to travel to the villages where food, accommodation, and other essentials are cheap. A lot of people in the cities do hand to mouth and therefore cannot survive a lockdown.

Italy, Spain, and parts of the United States of America are under a lockdown yet their infection rate keeps soaring each day. Have we asked ourselves why?

To remedy the spread of the virus among the citizenry, I suggest the following.

Disclosure of the identity of people who tested positive to enable those who have had contact with them to test for the virus. I know how difficult it is, especially with the principle of confidentiality that medical experts adhere to, but in situations like this where the virus is a threat to the survival of the human race, we have no option than to reveal their identity else we all perish.

Put those contacts that have been traced under mandatory quarantine to prevent further spread.

As the president announced yesterday, those who entered our jurisdiction on or after March 3 should be tested and those who are yet to exhaust their 14 days incubation period should be put under mandatory quarantine.

To conclude, it is important to note that humanity is at war with an invisible enemy hence any decision taken at the battlefield should not be in a haste.

Saviour Gokah,

Level 300 student,

B.Ed English Language,

Valley View University, Accra.
LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first leader of a major nation to contract COVID-19, but he insisted Friday that he remains in charge of the U.K.'s response to the outbreak.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons for his weekly Prime Ministers Questions, in London, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. British lawmakers will vote later Wednesday to shut down Parliament for 4 weeks, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first leader of a major nation to contract COVID-19, but he insisted Friday that he remains in charge of the U.K.'s response to the outbreak.

Two of Johnson's top aides in the fight against the virus  his health secretary and top medical adviser  also said they had the disease.

FILE - In this Friday March 6, 2020 file photo Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford technology Park, England. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the new coronavirus. Johnson's office said Friday March 27, 2020 that he was tested after showing mild symptoms, Downing St. says Johnson is self-isolating and continuing to lead the country's response to COVID-19. (Jack Hill/Pool via AP, File)

Johnson, 55, said he was tested Thursday after showing mild symptoms": a temperature and a persistent cough.

Ive taken a test, thats come out positive so I am working from home, I am self-isolating, and thats entirely the right thing to do," Johnson said in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was also confirmed to have the virus. Hancock, 41, tweeted: Thankfully my symptoms are mild.

Chris Whitty, who is chief medical officer for England, tweeted that he had symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and would be self-isolating at home for a week.

Johnson, Hancock and Whitty have attended meetings of the government's COVID-19 crisis committee and appeared at the government's daily coronavirus press conferences.

British lawmaker Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, arrives in Downing Street in London, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, British lawmakers will vote later Wednesday to shut down Parliament for 4 weeks, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Johnson is the highest-profile political leader to have contracted the virus, which has infected more than 500,000 people around the world.

Elsewhere, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have all been tested and found to be negative. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau self-isolated after his wife tested positive for COVID-19.

The British diagnoses are the latest evidence that no one  no matter how high-profile  is untouched by the global pandemic.

Politicians may be especially exposed, since they interact with large numbers of people. Britain's Parliament continued to meet as the virus spread, before it was eventually suspended on Wednesday  hours after Johnson held his regular question-and-answer session with lawmakers.

Parliamentary authorities are now facing questions about why they did not shut down sooner.

Susan Michie, professor of health psychology at University College London, said that those in government should practice what they preach about social distancing.

Given the transmission routes of touching contaminated surfaces and breathing in virus-laden droplets, it should not come as a surprise to hear that the PM and health secretary have tested positive for coronavirus, she said.

On Friday health officials said Britain had 14,579 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 759 people have died  181 deaths in 24 hours, the highest daily toll yet.

Britain's government is run from a series of interconnected buildings centred on 10 Downing St. and adjoining houses  a warren of rooms and narrow corridors that is both the prime minister's home and the workplace of hundreds of people.

Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, said the prime minister was self-isolating in his apartment, which is above 11 Downing St., and would have his meals left outside his door by staff.

"For now the prime ministers symptoms are mild and he is continuing to do all of the same functions he was performing before. The only difference is he will now have to do that by teleconferencing," Slack said.

He would not say whether Johnson's 32-year-old fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, was currently living in Downing St.

Slack said several other Downing St. staff are self-isolating but he did not know of any other confirmed cases.

The government said that if Johnson is unable to work, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will replace him.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and sometimes death.

On Thursday evening, Johnson stood outside his front door to join in a national round of applause for health care workers. Slack said the prime minister was careful to observe social distancing rules while he did so, standing several meters away from Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, who also took part.

Earlier this week Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, announced that he had tested positive for the virus. His mother, 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, is self-isolating at Windsor Castle as a precaution.

Buckingham Palace said Johnson and the Queen last met on March 11. The pair have held their weekly audience by phone for the past two weeks.

Johnson has been criticized by his opponents for his Conservative governments initial reluctance to impose tough restrictions on movement and the economy to try to stem the spread of the virus.

Early this month, Johnson recounted shaking hands with medics treating coronavirus patients at a hospital and said I continue to shake hands.

The governments initial advice was that people should wash their hands frequently. As the number of cases soared, that escalated to include the closure of schools, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops and a nationwide order for everyone but key workers to stay home.

Johnson spoke by phone Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump, who wished him a speedy recovery, the White House said.

Vice-President Mike Pence said the administration sent Johnson our very best wishes.

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.

He is a great leader. The president admires him. We consider him a friend," Pence said on American news channel CNBC.

Johnson's political opponents also wished him well. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, wished the prime minister a speedy recovery and relayed his hope that his family is safe and healthy.

___

Danica Kirka in London and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this story.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
INDIANAPOLIS, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kite Realty Group Trust (NYSE:KRG) (KRG) issued the following statement on the COVID-19 pandemic.



In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority is the safety of our employees, tenants, stakeholders and communities in which we operate. Our second priority is to stay in close contact with our tenants with the goal of helping them navigate through this unprecedented crisis, said John A. Kite, Chairman and CEO. As it relates to KRG, we are grateful for having completed Project Focus in 2019, leaving us with a stronger balance sheet, more liquidity and an improved portfolio.

Liquidity

On March 23, 2020, we provided notice to lenders to borrow funds under our $600 million Credit Facility, bringing the outstanding balance under the Credit Facility to $300 million. We borrowed funds under the Credit Facility as a precautionary measure in order to increase our cash position and preserve financial flexibility in light of current uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

KRG has no outstanding debt maturities until 2022 and minimal capital commitments.

Guidance

Due to the borrowing under our Credit Facility and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the impacts of COVID-19, KRG is withdrawing its previously provided 2020 guidance.

About Kite Realty Group Trust

Kite Realty Group Trust is a full-service, vertically integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) that provides communities with convenient and beneficial shopping experiences. We connect consumers to retailers in desirable markets through our portfolio of neighborhood, community, and lifestyle centers. Using operational, development, and redevelopment expertise, we continuously optimize our portfolio to maximize value and return to our shareholders. For more information, please visit our website at kiterealty.com.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this document that are not historical fact may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are based on assumptions and expectations that may not be realized and are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy and some of which might not even be anticipated. Future events and actual results, performance, transactions or achievements, financial or otherwise, may differ materially from the results, performance, transactions or achievements, financial or otherwise, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors that might cause such differences, some of which could be material, include, but are not limited to: national and local economic, business, real estate and other market conditions, particularly in light of low or negative growth in the U.S. economy as well as economic uncertainty; the risk that KRG may not be able to successfully complete the planned dispositions on favorable terms  or at all; financing risks, including the availability of, and costs associated with, sources of liquidity; KRGs ability to refinance, or extend the maturity dates of, its indebtedness; the level and volatility of interest rates; the financial stability of tenants, including their ability to pay rent and the risk of tenant insolvency or bankruptcies; the competitive environment in which KRG operates; acquisition, disposition, development and joint venture risks; property ownership and management risks; KRGs ability to maintain its status as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes; potential environmental and other liabilities; impairment in the value of real estate property KRG owns; the actual and perceived impact of e-commerce on the value of shopping center assets; risks related to the geographical concentration of KRGs properties in Florida, Indiana, Texas, Nevada, and North Carolina; insurance costs and coverage; risks associated with cybersecurity attacks and the loss of confidential information and other business interruptions; and other factors affecting the real estate industry generally. KRG refers you to the documents filed by KRG from time to time with the SEC, specifically the section titled Risk Factors in KRGs and the Operating Partnerships Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, which discuss these and other factors that could adversely affect KRGs results. KRG undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information: Kite Realty Group Trust

Jason Colton

SVP, Capital Markets & Investor Relations

317.713.2762

jcolton@kiterealty.com
Small businesses reeling from the impact of coronavirus may have good news coming in the form of loan forgiveness in the new paycheck protection loan program.

The $2 trillion federal stimulus package includes $350 billion in loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, some of which will be forgiven depending on a company's circumstances. That's according to Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Bradley spoke at the National Small Business Town Hall, a live webinar hosted by Inc. and the Chamber on Friday.

The SBA's paycheck protection loan program is "really more of a loan that converts to a grant," Bradley said. Small businesses with fewer than 500 employees qualify, as will some larger companies. The program is aimed at helping businesses maintain their payroll during the significant business disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Here's how the loan forgiveness works:

Your company's expenses for the eight-week period after the origination of the loan will be analyzed.

Every dollar your company spent on payroll, utilities, rent, or interest on mortgage debt will be added together. That amount will be forgiven, up to the total amount your company borrowed through the program.

There is one caveat, however. The amount that is forgiven will be reduced for businesses that lay off employees during the first eight weeks following the loan. Companies that reduce wages of employees who make less than $100,000 per year by 25 percent or more will also have the forgivable amount reduced by the amount of the pay cut.

Businesses that have already let employees go before accepting the loan and are trying to rehire them will not be subject to such penalties, however. And if those businesses rehire employees after accepting the loan, they'll receive additional credit to cover their wages.
GODFREY  When help is needed, call a friend. Thats what Madison County Recorder Amy Meyer did.

At our most recent county board meeting, a question was raised by committeeman Mike Parkinson about masks and getting supplies from the state, Meyer said regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic. That raised a red flag to me. I thought, We cant wait for supplies; we need to figure out how to get it going from a grassroots standpoint.

Nobody wants to wait on masks to come through, she said.

On March 19, Meyer called her longtime friend Melissa Pruitt who owns Melissamade Inc. that makes Kinderpack baby carriers. Meyer said Pruitt was immediately on board, staying up all night to create a solid and durable coronavirus mask design that covers a lot of the face.

Now Pruitts firm is making protective masks; 1,000 of which, as Madison County Masks, will go to essential workers such as police officers, firefighters and healthcare workers. Recipients include the Alton Fire Department, the Fosterburg Fire Protection District, the Godfrey Fire Protection District and the Granite City Police Department. Meyer is contacting first responders to alert them that the free masks will be available to them.

Nobodys turning me down, Meyer said. It (making masks) gave everyone a sense of purpose and really began taking off.

Meyer said she initially was concerned about meeting government guidelines for masks and respirators. That disappeared when Vice President Mike Pence lifted labeling requirements for produced masks.

That opened it up, Meyer said. Its about saving lives. Everybody needs to remember that.

She credits Gov. J.B. Pritzker for seeing the approaching COVID-19 pandemic coming from the coasts.

More Information Protection for first responders First responders can request Madison County Masks at www.ko-fi.com/madisoncountymasks or madcomasks@gmail.com. See More Collapse

And were next to St. Louis, she said. There was a need, and we just knew we needed to get something done now, right here in Madison County.

Meyer also noticed a continual mask shortage, with people using dust-type masks and people re-using a single N95 mask without additional sterilization. The Melissamade masks can be washed and bleached, every night, and used over and over again.

Meyer said she consulted with her mother, a registered nurse, for product guidance.

Its old school but it works, she said with a chuckle. I asked her what she used to do back in the day. She said they didnt have N95 protection; they had cloth. They used an autoclave, sterilized them and then reused.

It costs $6 to make one mask.

Meyer provided seed money to start the project and Madison County businessman Jason Bruno donated money when he saw the masks promoted online. Since then a Granite City police union organization and the law firm of Meyer Jensen PC in Alton also donated money.

Melissa did an amazing job, Meyer said.

To contribute to the effort for Madison County Masks by donating to the cause visit www.ko-fi.com/madisoncountymasks or email madcomasks@gmail.com. First responder groups that would like to request masks should visit bit.ly/MadCoMask.

We will do our best to get back with any requests as quickly as possible, Meyer said. This is a streamlined effort and we want people to be secure that some things are working out.

I hope that people will reach out, donate to this project and keep it going, she noted. Its going to do a lot of good.

What this will show is that we need to come together on a local level, and not be dependent on supply chains from the top and this is how we do that.

Pruitt and her husband, Mark, own the 6,000-square-foot Melissamade facility at 2926 W. Delmar in Godfrey. She has been in business for 12 years, first making products in her garage before buying her current building six years ago. She was in the fashion industry for 15 years, manufacturing designs of womens and childrens clothing wear.

At Melissamade, the Pruitts cut the fabric for Kinderpack baby carriers. Her brother, Derek Hardin, is the general manager; their oldest daughter, Emmylou, oversees inspections when baby carriers come back to the business hand-inspecting them for quality control, packaging and labeling.

Melissamades sewing team works at their own locations.

Our professional sewers worked in factory settings for years, Melissa Pruitt said. They use their own machinery, put everything together in a bundle, and we have the shop do pick-ups and drops-off with those home sewers on a weekly basis.

We pick the fabrics, design the carriers and do shipping and distribution out of Godfrey to small boutiques around world, she said. But the majority of shipping is direct to consumers through our website that I built.

We have social distancing going on every day of the year, she said. Theres no one on top of each other in any way. Half work there (at the shop) and half work at home. I come in and sew when needed.

Melissamade already owned much of the material needed for Madison County Masks. She now calls ahead for supplies, such as the batting that goes into the masks where it meets the face. Suppliers provide curbside service, putting the material in the back of Pruitts truck.

We have converted all of our manufacturing, literally, within days,  she said. And I want to keep my sewers sewing. Anything I can do to keep them employed and working, I will.

This all happened providentially, she said. It turns out materials for baby carriers were appropriate for making these masks with supplies I already have on hand. I had to purchase the batting. This gives opportunity to my sewers so they dont have to be furloughed.

Pruitt expects to produce 1,500 to 2,000 mask units in the next two weeks.

After talking on Facebook about what were doing, it made me think, Well, I have a voice, a worldwide business and the majority of our sales are in the U.S. Many of my customers are frontline workers and they can use my help, too.

So she started an offshoot from what she and Meyer created. Pruitt is producing 1,000 more masks for frontline customers in Melissamades community.

I have so many customers. I could not believe how many people were touched by what Im doing, she said. I knew I had to do more than 1,000 with Amy.

Pruitt also opened up a retail listing at www.mykinderpack.com for mask sales to the general public to fund the effort beyond Madison County.

I like what Amy is doing, Pruitt said. Im doing this without borders, but not shipping out of the country.

Pruitt also is giving away masks to people in healthcare, fire and police personnel, and grocery workers.

Grocery workers deserve it so much, she said. These are people who are not getting paid enough money, as it is, to be putting themselves at risks and danger. I thought this is an important sector to include.

Im not doing this for recognition; Im really a pretty shy person, she said. Ive been asked to do newspaper stories before but Im shy. But Amys got a lot of integrity, a lot of compassion.

To donate to Madison County Masks, visit www.ko-fi.com/madisoncountymasks.
(Bloomberg) -- Tourist haven Rottnest Island, off the west Australian coast, will be turned into a quarantine zone for Australian cruise-ship passengers amid the escalating coronavirus epidemic.

The island off Western Australia state, made famous by a nocturnal marsupial called a Quokka, will house some 800 Australians from the Vasco da Gama for a mandatory 14-day isolation when it arrives on Friday, state Premier Mark McGowan said. All foreign nationals and crew will remain onboard until arrangements can be made to fly them out of the country, he told reporters Wednesday.

Two other ships, the MSC Magnifica and MV Artania, are currently at anchor off Fremantle and passengers will not be allowed to disembark unless for life threatening medical emergencies, McGowan said. The Magnifica returned to Fremantle after Dubai denied it entry, while the Artania, which was allowed to arrive to refuel, has 25 passengers and crew reporting respiratory illnesses, he said.

Passengers are being stranded on boats sailing around the world with more nations refusing to allow them to dock as an increasing number of confirmed cases can be traced back to cruise ships.

McGowan fears a rapid spread of the coronavirus after authorities in Sydney allowed passengers to leave the Ruby Princess while tests were being conducted among a group of people that reported flu-like symptoms on board. Since then, infections from the boat have reached 133, while more than 20 cases can be linked to two other ships that also docked in Sydney. The boats account for about a quarter of Western Australias infections, McGowan said.

I will not allow what has happened in Sydney to happen here in Western Australia, he said. Were exercising the Rottnest Island option now to protect the safety of Australian passengers and to protect the west Australian community from any possible transmission from this cruise ship.

Read More: Virus Explosion in Australia Revives Fears About Cruise Ships

Story continues

Authorities on Rottnest Island have been clearing the island of visitors for the past two days. All overnight visits, day trips and visits by private and commercial vessels have been banned indefinitely, according to the Rottnest Island Authoritys website.

Many countries have become increasingly reluctant to grant entry to cruise ships after the infection of more than 700 people on a vessel berthed off Japan showed how quickly the virus could spread. Australia has announced a ban on foreign cruise ships, but is still allowing domestic vessels and some ships that were at sea when the restrictions were announced to dock and disembark passengers.

Read More: Cruise Ship Rejected by Thailand, Malaysia, to Dock in Singapore

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
(GETTY)

A barrel of Canadian oil is now worth less than a nice latte or a fast food combo, falling to about US$5 on Friday. With no relief in sight from the impacts of COVID-19 and the Saudi-Russian oil war, negative prices could be on the horizon.

Western Canadian Select (WCS) crude, the main grade produced in Canadas energy patch, fell to a record low of US$5.03 on Friday, according to Bloomberg data going back to 2008. The steep decline has energy experts considering another unpleasant rarity for oil.

There is no reason to think that oil prices couldnt go negative for a period of time, Raymond James analyst Jeremy McCrea told Yahoo Finance Canada. I would have never considered it before. But in the current context, its not out of the realm of possibilities now.

The cost of shipping for some heavy crude producers already outweighs the commodity price.

Meanwhile, production isnt expected to slow down much. While 2020 spending expectations for North American exploration and production companies have fallen more than 20 per cent amid the historic downturn for oil prices, production expectations have only been reduced by two percent. Thats because shutting in production is a costly decision that cannot be quickly reversed.

The big guys who supply a lot of this heavy oil, a lot of that is in SAGD-type operations. It can take years to reheat the reservoirs. You cant shut these things down immediately. You will continue to have this production flow, McCrea said. You could get to a point where you do see negative prices.

Hedges could protect producers in the near-term. That could, however, encourage them to pump when they should be cutting back to fall in line with weaker demand.

Price Street managing director and market economist Rory Johnston expects the high cost of turning off the taps could see companies choose to continue producing and weather negative prices for a time.

Youre going to have this period where people are trying to figure out how long these prices are going to last, and only if they are considered to last a sufficiently long period of time will the costs of producing during that period outweigh the cost of shut-ins, he told Yahoo Finance Canada.

Story continues

Johnston added margins are already negative for many producers when the commodity price is this low.

Even if its not negative outright prices, its effectively a negative margin for them. he said.

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
The Alabama Senate will meet briefly on Tuesday, with special precautions because of the coronavirus pandemic, then will adjourn until April 28, the office of Majority Leader Greg Reed announced today.

That schedule will give legislators about three weeks to try to pass budgets and other legislation deemed essential before the constitutionally mandated end of the session on May 18.

A press release from Reeds office said the meeting schedule was discussed with the House of Representatives.

This morning, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon quickly adjourned a previously scheduled meeting of the House and said he would announce the next meeting day later. McCutcheon did so in an almost empty chamber after advising lawmakers not to come to Montgomery today.

Legislators have been on spring break since March 12. The pandemic has upended the normal plans for finishing the session.

The Senate plan announced today recommends that senators who fall into the categories most at risk for serious illness from COVID-19 not attend Tuesdays meeting. But it says all senators personal wishes will be accommodated.

Any senator who has been ill or been in the presence of anyone with symptoms of illness within 72 hours of Tuesdays meeting must not attend.

A disinfection station for hands and cell phones will be set up for those senators who do attend. Senate staff will be minimized for Tuesdays session. Media will be seated in the gallery instead of in the usual press room on the Senate floor.

Audio and video of the Senate will be available as usual on the Legislatures website.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The lottery tickets stolen last month at gunpoint arent coming with the payout the alleged thief apparently sought.

Joshua Madden, 36, has been indicted on second-degree robbery and other charges stemming from the purported Feb. 5 stickup at a Mariners Harbor deli.

The brazen daylight heist occurred at about 2:45 p.m. in Your Taste Deli at 2524 Forest Ave., according to police and a criminal complaint.

Madden approached an 85-year-old female worker from behind, grabbed her left shoulder and placed what appeared to be a black firearm against her neck, the complaint said.

Give me the money, the defendant allegedly demanded.

The woman handed him cash and four New York State Lottery scratch-off tickets, said the complaint and police.

Madden then pointed the gun at a 45-year-old male employee, who gave him money from a register, the complaint said.

The defendant fled with about $50 in cash and about $40 in lottery tickets, said police.

Police said Madden is homeless.

Neither employee was injured, said cops.

Madden was arrested about three weeks later on Feb. 27.

Besides second-degree robbery, he was indicted on charges of third-degree robbery, petit larceny, stolen-property possession and menacing.

Madden pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George.

The defendant could face up to 15 years behind bars if convicted at trial of the top robbery charge.

His case was adjourned to May 6.

He is being held in lieu of $25,000 bond or $10,000 cash bail.

Defense lawyer Thomas Reilly could not immediately be reached for comment.
Northwestern Mutual has announced through its foundation that it has donated more than $1.5 million to support its non-profit partners in their response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The company will donate $1 million to Feeding America for efforts nationwide, and an additional $50,000 to Feeding America in the Milwaukee community. Regionally, the Milwaukee-based company is also donating to Dominican Center, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, Milwaukee Christian Center, Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin, United Performing Arts Fund, and the United Way of Milwaukee and New York City. The donations also include a financial commitment from the Northwestern Mutual Foundation to the Greater Milwaukee Foundations MKE Responds Fund.
The shortage of ventilators in Nigerian hospitals would get a huge boost if members of the nations House of Representatives donate their March salaries to procure the equipment as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

COVID-19, a disease caused by the coronavirus, affects the respiratory system, hence the number of hospitalised patients that would need breathing assistance is likely to also increase if the ailment spikes in Nigeria.

A ventilator, a machine that pumps air in and out of the lungs, therefore, is needed to assist such patients breathe.

Officials have already admitted that there are inadequate medical equipment in hospitals, and this has been validated by an investigation by this newspaper.

Also, Nigeria reportedly has about 300 ventilators, inadequate when compared to other countries with large populations as Nigerias.

The inadequacy in the number of ventilators has heightened concerns that an overwhelming increase in recorded cases of COVID-19 could be fatal.

Concerned lawmaker

Mansur Soro (APC, Bauchi), suggested in his statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES that himself and the other 359 members of the House can fill this gap.

Sacrifice epitomises leadership. I wish to humbly call on my honourable colleagues, the members of the House of Representatives, he wrote in the statement. Lets sacrifice our March 2020 salaries and allowances to contribute N1 million each to procure ventilators.

According to the October edition of Legislative Digest, a periodical publication of the National Assembly, apart from car loans, furniture and severance gratuity, all of which are paid every four years, a member of the House earns N17 million per annum.

This consists of N9 million in basic salary and N8 million in allowances. This is roughly N1.4 million per month.

Mr Soro, who represents Darazo/Ganjuwa federal constituency, said donating 1 million by each member would help Nigerias healthcare facilities (which is) short of global minimum standards. Time is running out for Nigerian to fix the countrys healthcare delivery system.

Possibilities

Said to cost between $25,000 and $50,000 (which, at N360 to a dollar, is N9 to N18 million), the cheapest ventilator could cost N9 million, if the global gloom has not affected its production and pricing.

This means, if all of the 360 members of the House donate N1 million each (N360 million in total), Nigeria would be able to purchase 40 ventilators.

Mr Soro also said the ventilators, when procured, can be distributed to public hospitals in the 36 states and FCT.

I believe, in addition to our legitimate duties of legislation, representation and oversight, we can make sacrifices to save the lives of the people we represent, he added.
United States has now surpassed China in the number of COVID-19 cases around the world, with at least 82,404 people are known to have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, the Johns Hopkins University real-time COVID-19 tracker said on Thursday.

It is, however, important to note that the US has been testing people at a much larger scale, when compared with other countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"We now have 370,000 tests that have been done. The majority of those -- over 220,000 in the last eight days, which, those of you who have been tracking the South Korea numbers, put us equivalent to what they did in eight weeks that we did in eight days," Dr Deborah Birx, the White House's coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters on Thursday.

Although the US has surpassed China's 81,782 mark, the COVID-19-related death toll in the country is still lower than China, with 1,178 Americans having died as opposed to the 3,291 Chinese fatalities.

At least 160 million Americans have been ordered to stay home as schools are closed, restaurants and bars have been closed in hope of the curtail spread of the lethal virus, The New York Times reported.

New York City is among the worst-hit cities as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city has reached 38,000 and 281 have died.

On Wednesday, US Senate leaders and Trump Administration had reached an agreement regarding a USD 2 trillion package to rescue the economy from the coronavirus wrath, paving the way for swift passage of the legislation from both the chambers of Congress.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-related deaths worldwide exceeded 20,000, according to the Health Organization (WHO).

The G-20 summit which concluded on Thursday pledged to inject over USD 5 trillion into the global economy in a bid to counteract the social, economic, and financial impact of COVID 19 that has impacted people in at least 170 countries and caused over 20,000 deaths.

As of Thursday, 4,62,684 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the world, 20,834 of the patients died, WHO data shows.

On March 11, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic which has now has been detected in 199 countries and territories.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Planned Parenthood sues Texas over temporary abortion ban amid coronavirus crisis

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A group of abortion organizations have filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas over a temporary ban on non-essential medical procedures, including elective abortions, amid the coronavirus crisis.

Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Lawyering Project, an abortion rights law firm, filed a complaint against Gov. Greg Abbott over the ban on behalf of abortion providers.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Wednesday, the complaint seeks injunctive relief from the temporary ban.

Without injunctive relief, Plaintiffs will be forced to continue turning away patients seeking abortion care. At a minimum, those patients will not be able to obtain an abortion for weeks or even months, given that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to last far beyond the orders stated expiration date, stated the lawsuit.

Not only will these patients be deprived of their constitutional right to essential healthcare and self-determination, but forcing them to continue their pregnancies will in fact impose far greater strains on an already-taxed healthcare system, as prenatal care and delivery involve much greater exhaustion of hospital health care services and [personal protective equipment] than abortions.

Alexis McGill-Johnson, acting president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the nation's largest abortion business, said in a statement Wednesday that she believed Abbott and anti-abortion activists nationwide are forcing a legal and political fight in the middle of a public health crisis.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took issue with the lawsuit, explaining in a statement released Wednesday evening that his office intends to defend the governors order.

[It is] unconscionable that abortion providers are fighting against the health of Texans and withholding desperately needed supplies and personal protective equipment in favor of a procedure that they refer to as a choice, Paxton said in a statement.

My office will tirelessly defend Governor Abbotts Order to ensure that necessary supplies reach the medical professionals combating this national health crisis, he added.

On Sunday, Abbott signed an executive order postponing all procedures not deemed medically necessary until April 21 in order to help provide more resources to combat the coronavirus.

The pro-life organization Texas Right to Life celebrated the move, noting that elective abortions were among the procedures considered banned until April 21.

According to the states latest data, this could save 2,868 lives, which equates to 66% of abortions in Texas for the month, the group said.

Texas Right to Life is grateful that the loss of life during the COVID-19 outbreak will be decreased thanks to the halt in abortions.
NEW DELHI: Amid the current coronavirus crisis in India and across the globe, several Muslim bodies, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, have made an appeal to Muslims to avoid gatherings at mosques for Friday prayers. In a tweet, the board asked Muslims to offer Zuhur prayers at home instead of offering Friday prayers at mosques in the view of coronavirus outbreak.

The call has got a strong backing from AIMIM leader and Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who also urged Muslims to offer Zuhur prayer at home and avoid going to mosques to ensure social distancing in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Taking to his social media handle, Owaisi applealed to people and said that social distancing is the only way we can fight the emergency situation.

He said, "My appeal to all Muslims is to offer Zuhur prayers tomorrow at home & to not congregate The only way we can get ahead in this fight is by practicing social distancing and preventing larger gatherings."

         ,                             .         Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 26, 2020

Also, the Grand Mufti of Kahsmir announced that no prayers will be held on Friday. "Kashmir is moving towards disaster and no shrines and mosques in Kashmir should have Friday prayers," Kashmir's Grand Mufti Naseerul Islam said on Thursday.

My appeal to include Imams and Khatibs and people from all mosques and shrines across Kashmir is to not hold Friday prayers. This is for our protection and Islam allows it," he said.

He also said that there should be no violation of the instructions issued by him. As far as offering namaz five times in the coming days, Mufti said that only three people from the mosque would attend, and they should offer namaz five times in the mosques, the rest should offer namaz at home.

Even in Amroha, Maulana Dr Sayyid Mohammed Syadat Naqvi Sahab announced that Namaz Zuma will not be recited at Shia Jama Masjid in Amroha on Friday March 27, 2020 in the wake of the corona virus epidemic spreading across India.

In India, as many as 18 people have reportedly died due to coronavirus and around 724 positive cases have been registered.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) -Peruvian Metals Corp. (TSXV: PER) ("Peruvian Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update regarding the mineral processing at its 80% owned fully permitted Aguila Norte Processing Plant ("Aguila Norte" or the "Plant") located in Northern Peru.

On March 16, 2020, the Peruvian government restricted all non-essential transportation and travel within the country in addition to declaring a 15-day quarantine whereby all citizens are to stay and work from home if possible. Yesterday, March 26th, the Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra extended the country wide quarantine to April 12th. The restriction included a halt to all transportation including domestic and international flights. Essential businesses and services are exempt from this restriction which includes medical facilities, pharmacies, food markets, gas stations and banks.

In full compliance with the Peruvian government's quarantine order, the Company suspended processing at Aguila Norte until further notice. Once the Peruvian government lifts the restrictions the Company will be able to resume processing mineral. Prior to the restriction, Aguila Norte processed 2,112 tonnes of third-party material in the quarter and was on pace to exceed mineral processing throughput from 2019's comparative quarter. In addition, approximately 1,000 tonnes of third-party mineral is stockpiled at site waiting to be processed and shipments to site will recommence once governmental restrictions have been lifted.

Jeffrey Reeder, Chief Executive Officer of Peruvian Metals, commented: "The health and safety of our Peruvian employees remain a priority during this COVID-19 pandemic. The Peruvian government's strict pro-active measures to contain the COVID-19 are showing positive results. There are very few cases in Northern Peru where our operations are located, and new daily cases are continuing to drop. We are monitoring the situation closely and will restart the processing when the Peruvian authorities lift the restrictions."

The Aguila Norte Processing Plant located in Northern Peru has an environmental permit ("IGAC") granted from the Peruvian government which provides the Plant with the ability to expand operations past the current 100 tonnes per day level. Jeffrey Reeder, P. Geo, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About Peruvian Metals Corp.

Peruvian Metals Corp. is a Canadian exploration and mineral processing company. Our business model is to provide toll milling services for clients and to produce high grade concentrates from mineral purchases. The Company continues to acquire and develop precious and base metal properties in Peru.

For further information on Peruvian Metals Corp. please visit www.peruvianmetals.com.

Peruvian Metals Corp. is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange: Symbol "PER"

For additional information, contact: Jeffrey Reeder Tel: (647) 302-3290

Website: www.peruvianmetals.com Email: jeffrey.reeder@peruvianmetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. We use words such as "might", "will", "should", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "believe", "estimate", "forecast" and similar terminology to identify forward looking statements and forward-looking information. Such statements and information are based on assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments as well as other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements and information and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com.While the Company believes that the expectations expressed by such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information and the assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis underlying such expectations are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct. In evaluating forward-looking statements and information, readers should carefully consider the various factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward looking statements and forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53890
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 14:48:39|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- An evening gala was presented online on Thursday night to celebrate the third Chinese National Costume Day, China Youth Daily reported Friday.

Synchronously livestreamed on Chinese online video sharing platforms including Bilibili and TikTok and social media platforms Sina Weibo and WeChat, the gala featured a finery show, art performances and a cultural demonstration session, the newspaper reported.

The hashtag of "Chinese National Costume Day" logged 1.1 billion views across online platforms in China, it said.

The event, moved online due to the novel coronavirus epidemic, was jointly hosted by the China Youth New Media Association and Bilibili this year, the newspaper said.

Taking place on the third day of the third lunar month, it was voted to be an annual celebration by Internet users and was first observed in 2018.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history, a $2.2 trillion bill intended to lift the nation in the grips of the coronavirus epidemic.

The bipartisan legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, after one Republican lawmaker threatened to derail the vote.

Approved by the Senate late Wednesday night, the stimulus will send $1,200 in direct cash assistance to most Americans in the next several weeks. It also expands unemployment benefits, provides hospitals and health centers over $150 billion for medical supplies, gives forgivable loans and tax credits to small businesses and billions in industrial relief to airlines and other large corporations.

Over 200 House members returned to Washington, D.C. from their districts around the country to be present for the vote on Friday, after the objections of one member, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., raised the possibility of a roll call vote on the bill.

Calling for him to be booted out of the Republican Party, Trump slammed Massie on Twitter Friday morning.

Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress, Trump wrote. He just wants the publicity. He cant stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous..

Early Friday afternoon, Massie proceeded to request a roll call vote but was overruled by a quorum of at least 216 members present. They passed the measure by voice vote with a majority of members shouting aye and just a few nays echoing in the chamber.

Reps. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, and Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and other members of the New York delegation drove to Washington for the vote.

"I think this is one of the most important votes that will happen and I will be voting in support of it in person," Stefanik said Thursday.

Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, chose not to go to Washington to vote and remains at home practicing social distancing, his spokesperson said Thursday evening. Tonko urged passage of the bill which will deliver billions in relief to New York hospitals, workers and state and county governments.

"In this time of historic crisis, Americans need an unprecedented, rapid response that puts money in the pockets of those who need it most and provides essential support for our health care workers on the front lines of this pandemic," Tonko said. "Our latest supplemental provides that response and offers stability and hope for the millions whose lives have changed in the blink of an eye. While there is still much more to be done, my colleagues and I remain committed to providing our communities with the resources they need to help America recover as quickly as possible.

Most Americans will soon get a $1,200 check in their mailbox or in their bank account. The federal government will use the latest tax filings to determine if a person made $75,000 or less, which would qualify them to receive $1,200. Income earners between $75,000- $99,000 will get a reduced amount, and above $99,000 receive no payment.

For those who received their most recent tax refunds by direct deposit, the stimulus money will be electronically deposited into that account before April 6; if a person received their refund by check, they will be mailed a stimulus payment. Parents will also receive $500 per child if they are in the income category that qualifies them to receive stimulus money.

The bill also offers higher unemployment payments for a longer period of time and makes the payments available to new kinds of workers, like gig workers and the self-employed. This comes as 3.3 million people filed unemployment claims with the U.S. Department of Labor last week  the most filed in a single week since 1967, when data started being collected. Connecticuts Department of Labor was swamped with more than 100,000 claims.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The legislation means people who file for unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak will receive 100 percent of their wages plus $600 a week. They will also receive benefits for four more months than usual.

New York small businesses will be eligible to apply for billions in loans. Many of the loans will be forgiven if the business keeps its employees on the payroll  even if they are furloughed. Employers will also be able to collect a refundable payroll tax credit equal to half of the amount they pay in wages to employees during the coronavirus outbreak. Employers will also be able to delay paying the employer portion of payroll taxes for a period.

The emergency package passed today also includes my Small Business Repayment Relief Act, which automatically waives SBA loan repayments for up to six months," Delgado said. "Additionally, as our family farms experience new challenges during an already difficult farm economy, we secured $9.5 billion in direct disaster assistance payments to aid our local producers during this public health crisis."

Big corporations in New York may be able to collect millions in bail-outs for industry. These payments will have strings blocking them from being used for stock buy backs or increasing executive compensation.

The bill will also create a $150 billion relief fund for state and local governments, as requested by New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The fund will direct $5.1 billion to New York state and send hundreds of millions to individual counties in the state, based on population levels.

Cuomo still blasted the legislation as "terrible," and "a drop in the bucket" on Wednesday, sparking a clash with the state's congressional delegation who say the fought to deliver billions to the state.

Trump has indicated he will sign the legislation into law as soon as it is passed.

Lawmakers have agreed that this stimulus passage  the third coronavirus response bill passed by Congress  is not likely to be their last legislative effort to combat the virus.




Sakunda Holdings will inject US$2,7 million towards the refurbishment of two hospitals as part of private sector initiatives to support Government efforts in fighting Covid-19.





The two medical facilities  Rock Foundation Medical Centre and St Annes  both in Harare, will be equipped with modern equipment to render them useful after lying idle for years.





This comes at a time when Zimbabwe recorded its first Covid-19 death on Monday following the death of Zororo Makamba. The first consignment of the equipment, part of which was sourced from China, is arriving in the country today.





It is understood that the last batch of the equipment will arrive on April 6, after which modalities for opening the facilities would be worked out.





Sakunda Holdings wants the two hospitals to be used for Covid-19 response by all Zimbabweans, and Government has since given the hospitals the green light to do preparatory work, while awaiting licensing from the relevant authorities.





Among the equipment Sakunda Holdings is bringing into the country are 100 ventilators, 10 000 rapid test kits, 10 000 disposal protective gowns, 20 000 medical masks, 10 000 disposable shoe covers, 100 infra-red thermometers, 5 000 respirator N95 masks and 2 000 hand sanitisers, among other paraphernalia required to fight Covid-19.





In a letter to St Annes Hospital manager dated March 24, 2020, Health and Child Care Secretary Dr Agnes Mahomva said: Thank you for inviting us following our request to utilise the facility for management of Covid-19 cases. The team was satisfied with what they saw during the tour and would like to finalise our request.





Please note that we have since identified Sakunda Holdings to be our partners to work with us and yourselves to do all the remaining renovations and refurbishments necessary for the hospital to function in the shortest possible period of time.





Sakunda Holdings has confirmed that they have the resources and funding to do the work and hence refurbishments will not be at your costs.





Correspondence by Sakunda Holdings on March 25, 2020, showed that





they had already applied for the relevant licensing and pleaded with Dr Mahomva to assist in expediting the process.





The Government of Zimbabwe has implemented a raft of measures to curb and control outbreak of the disease albeit under tough economic circumstances, wrote Mr Everton Mlalazi of Sakunda to Dr Mahomva.





It is against this background that Sakunda Holdings and its associates have come up with a private initiative to complement Government efforts to curb this pandemic specifically in provision of health facilities, equipment, training and vaccines.




Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on counterpart Donald Trump to take substantive actions to improve bilateral ties on Friday as the two countries worst hit by the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic continued to trade barbs on, among other things, the origin of the virus.

The early Friday phone conversation between Xi and Trump was held in the backdrop of Covid-19 cases in the US surging past Chinas and Beijings late night decision on Thursday to close down its borders to foreigners amid fears of a second wave of infection coming in from abroad.

Chinas decision to ban foreigners from entering the country was preceded by the call to limit incoming international flights to one every week from every country.

Data from the Johns Hopkins University said Friday the US had 82,404 confirmed Covid-19 cases by Thursday evening.

Chinas national health commission (NHC) reported 81,340 confirmed cases, and 3298 deaths.

The pandemic has spread to at least 175 countries and territories, more than 532,700 cases have been reported worldwide since last December and the death toll is now above 24,000 with over 122,600 recoveries.

During the phone call, Xi told Trump that bilateral relations were at a critical juncture and both nations stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation and that cooperation is the only correct choice for both sides.

According to Chinese state media, Xi called for joint efforts from both sides to bolster cooperation in areas such as epidemic containment and develop a China-US relationship featuring non-confrontation, non-conflict, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Working together brings both sides benefits, fighting hurts both. Cooperation is the only choice, he said.

The Chinese president urged Ttump take substantive actions in improving bilateral relations.

China has always shared information on the Covid-19, including the genetic sequence of the virus, at the earliest time possible, with the World Health Organisation and countries including the US in an open, transparent and responsible manner since the start of the pandemic, Xi said.

The country has also shared its experience on epidemic containment and medical treatment and done its best to support and help countries in need of assistance, Xi was quoted as saying.

Soon after the conversation, Trump tweeted that he had a very good conversation with Xi and called the pathogen coronavirus instead of the China virus, which had infuriated China.

Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!

Trump and other US politicians have repeatedly to call the disease the Chinese virus, in the face of strong protestations from Beijing, which called it attacks which are racist and stigmatises China.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in turn tweeted that the virus, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, originated in the US and was planted in the city by the US military.

In context of reports on racist attacks that Chinese have faced, Xi told Trump China hopes for the U.S. side to take practical and effective measures to safeguard the safety and health of Chinese citizens includes students in the US.
A murder investigation has been launched after a woman's body was found in a churchyard with 'multiple' injuries yesterday - just seven days after another woman was found dead on the same road.

The woman is thought to have been attacked between 12.45am and 1.45am on Thursday morning.

Her body was discovered in the grounds of Memorial Community Church in Newham, east London, 12 hours later at 3pm.

The woman's body was discovered in the grounds of Memorial Community Church in Newham, east London, at 3pm yesterday. Pictured, forensic teams search the area

Police officers and paramedics raced to the scene but the woman was pronounced dead.

It comes exactly a week after mother-of-two Shadika Mohsin Patel, 40, was found with multiple fatal stab wounds at 12.45am on Thursday, 19 March.

For the latest death so far no arrests have been made and officers are still trying to trace the woman's family.

Detective Inspector Darren Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: 'We are working hard to establish the circumstances of what happened to the victim and at this stage we are keeping an open mind regarding a motive.

'There is a dedicated team who are exploring every single avenue to track down the person or persons responsible.

Police officers and paramedics raced to the scene but the woman was pronounced dead. Pictured, detectives at the scene

'Our thoughts are with the victim and her family.'

It comes exactly a week after mother-of-two Shadika Mohsin Patel, 40, was found with multiple stab wounds

Met Police North East Area Borough Commander Richard Tucker described the incident as 'shocking'.

He added: 'I want residents to know that a team of specialist officers are working tirelessly to identify and apprehend whoever is responsible.

'I am grateful for our local community's support and assistance during this time.'

A spokeswoman for the church told The Mirror: 'We are very sad about everything that's happened, but we are not in a position to comment. The police are still investigating.'

Officers have closed a nearby road and are searching the area for clues as to what could have happened.

Last week Ms Patel was found on the junction of Barking Road and Altmore Avenue. She was rushed to hospital but later died and a post-mortem examination revealed cause of death as blood loss following multiple stab wounds.

Detectives investigating the death have made their third arrest. A 28-year-old man from Poplar was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder.

Officers have closed a nearby road and are searching the area for clues as to what could have happened

He remains in police custody at an east London police station while enquiries continue.

On Saturday, 21 March, a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been released on bail until a date in mid-April.

In the early hours of Friday, 20 March, a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has been released under investigation.

Met police have not linked the two murders 'at this time', according to a spokesman.
A member of the Brooklyn Hospital Center helps a person who was just tested for COVID-19 put an object in a biohazard bag in New York. AP Photo.

Washington: The United States on Thursday took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment as world leaders vowed $5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse.

More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, overwhelming healthcare systems even in wealthy nations and triggering an avalanche of government-ordered lockdowns that have disrupted life for billions.

In the United States, more than 83,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the metropolis of Wuhan.

The US has recorded 1,178 deaths, while the global death toll stood at 23,293.

"We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and military resource, to halt its spread and protect our citizens," US President Donald Trump said.

With about 40 percent of Americans under lockdown orders, Trump urged citizens to do their part by practicing social distancing: "Stay home. Just relax, stay home."

With fears mounting of a global recession if not depression, leaders from the Group of 20 major economies held crisis talks by video link Thursday, pledging a "united front" to fight the outbreak -- along with an enormous financial injection.

"The virus respects no borders," the leaders said in a statement.

"We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic."

They also pledged "robust" support for developing nations, where coronavirus could next take hold after ravaging China and then Europe.

But the unity pledged by the G20 has been in short supply, with China and the United States trading barbs over their handling of the coronavirus crisis.

And Italy as well as Spain, which has the second-highest death toll, objected to a draft economic plan by the European Union which they saw as too weak.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wants a "strong and sufficient" financial response that deploys "innovative financial instruments truly adapted to a war," his office said.
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

The new chief executive for Norway's $930 billion sovereign wealth fund is Nicolai Tangen, until now chief executive of investment firm AKO Capital, a little-known Norwegian hedge fund.

The world's largest sovereign wealth fund of its kind said in a press release that Nicolai, who founded London-based hedge fund AKO Capital in 2005, would succeed Yngve Slyngstad as head of the oil fund in September.

He will take up the position in early September 2020 according to plan, said Norges Bank Investment Management, the manager of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global.

"The Executive Board feels confident in Nicolai Tangen being the best candidate to manage the Government Pension Fund Global. Tangen has built up one of Europe's leading investment firms and has delivered very good financial results as an international investment manager. He has extensive experience with equity management, which is the fund's largest asset class", said Chair of the Executive Board ystein Olsen.

After Yngve Slyngstad announced his resignation in October last year, Norges Bank's Executive Board has carried out a broad search and a thorough employment process to find his successor, supported by the recruitment agency Russell Reynolds Associates.

AKO Capital has around 70 employees and manages the funds of universities, charitable foundations and family offices. AKO Capital is based in London, where Tangen has resided for the last 28 years.

"......................

To view our full article Click here
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol after he blocked a unanimous consent vote on a long-awaited hurricane disaster aid bill in the chamber on May 28, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

Kentucky Congressman Explains Why He Tried to Force Recorded Vote on Relief Bill

The Congressman who tried to force expanded voting on the COVID-19 relief bill ahead of the House vote Friday said he was driven by respect for process and desire for congressional accountability, and explained his reasoning in a series of statements.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said he insisted on a roll-call vote on the bill because he wanted a clear record of accountability for House members.

Its pretty clear now, with enough members here to pass the bill, that Pelosi and McCarthy are still working together to block a recorded vote just to insulate members of Congress from ACCOUNTABILITY, Massie wrote.

Biggest spending bill in the history of mankind, and no recorded vote? #SWAMP, he added, in an apparent reference to critics of Washington politics who decry it as corrupt and lacking in transparency.

In remarks to C-SPAN, Massie said theres a big cover-up in there.

Theyre trying to cover up their votes, he said in response to a reporters question about what type of cover-up he had in mind.

They had enough people there to pass the bill, but they still refused to have a recorded vote, he added.

The House voted on Friday to adopt the $2.2 trillion CCP virus relief bill, which President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly praised the package, is expected to sign later in the day.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement let the virus spread throughout China and then across the world.

Massies call for a recorded vote failed because of insufficient support and a subsequent call for a quorum failed because a majority of lawmakers were already present after members flew in across the country following word of Massies attempt late Thursday.

The package was passed on a voice vote, with the ayes outnumbering the nays.

Are they afraid of the truth? Ive been told that they dont even have 1 minute available for me to speak against this bill during the 4 hour debate, Massie said in a tweet. The fix is in. If this bill is so great for America, why not allow a vote on it? Why not have a real debate?

Many Republicans opposed his attempts to force an expanded vote, including Trump, who called Massie a third rate Grandstander and said stalling the bill would be dangerous and costly.

The historic relief bill comes at a time of significant bipartisan action to marshal resources to protect the lives of Americans and prevent an economic crash amid the outbreak.

Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive, Trump said in a tweet. Virus wasnt their fault.

The president later announced he would be signing the bill in the Oval Office.

Will be signing the CARE Act in the Oval Office today at 4:00 P.M. Eastern! Trump wrote.

Will be signing the CARE Act in the Oval Office today at 4:00 P.M. Eastern! https://t.co/0WnTNFZPZD  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020

I Take That Oath Seriously

In a series of 11 tweets, Massie explained his rationale for more debate on the bill and a different adoption process.

I swore an oath to uphold the constitution, and I take that oath seriously, Massie said.

The Constitution requires that a quorum of members be present to conduct business in the House, he continued. Right now, millions of essential, working-class Americans are still required to go to work during this pandemic such as manufacturing line workers, healthcare professionals, pilots, grocery clerks, cooks/chefs, delivery drivers, auto mechanics, and janitors (to name just a few). Is it too much to ask that the House do its job, just like the Senate did?

Because the vote wasnt recorded, it wasnt clear who voted which way, but the shout-outs sounded resoundingly in favor of the package. Lawmakers across the chamber applauded after the announcement.

The Congressman said his calls for more debate around the bill was not delaying the bill like Nancy Pelosi did last week.

In this image from video, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks on the floor of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 27, 2020. (House Television via AP)

This bill should have been voted on much sooner in both the Senate and House and it shouldnt be stuffed full of Nancy Pelosis pork- including $25 million for the Kennedy Center, grants for the National Endowment for the Humanities and Arts, and millions more other measures that have no direct relation to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Massie said.

That $25 million, for example, should go directly to purchasing test kits. The number one priority of this bill should have been to expand testing availability and creation of tests so that every American, not just the wealthy and privileged, have access to testing, he said.

He complained the bill amplified his earlier concerns around central bank transparency.

This bill creates even more secrecy around a Federal Reserve that still refuses to be audited, Massie said. It allows the Federal Reserve to make decisions about who gets what, how much money well print. With no transparency. If getting us into $6 trillion more debt doesnt matter, then why are we not getting $350 trillion more in debt so that we can give a check of $1 million to every person in the country? he said.

This stimulus should go straight to the people rather than being funneled through banks and corporations like this bill is doing. 2 trillion divided by 150 million workers is about $13,333.00 per person. Thats much more than the $1,200 per person check authorized by this bill.

The unprecedented $2.2 trillion package that stretches across 880 pages includes one-time payments of $1,200 to any American making less than $75,000 a year and $2,400 to married couples making up to $150,000.

Parents would receive $500 per child.

Both Democratic and Republican leaders said they supported the bill, which originated in the House but underwent changes in the Senate before lawmakers there passed it unanimously on Wednesday night.

Trump on Thursday night told reporters that he was profoundly grateful that both parties came together to provide relief for American workers and families in this hour of need.
Consider tax cut or exemption on crude imports



The nation's oil refining industry is going through unprecedented difficulties. Hit by a set of adverse factors, including the new coronavirus pandemic, refineries faces mounting challenges. According to banking industry regulators, the financial costs of four major refiners  SK Innovation, GS Caltex, Hyundai Oilbank and S-Oil  have surged to around 1 trillion won ($814 million) annually. The recent tumble in international crude prices has also put downward pressure on their profit margin, placing a heavy burden on bottom lines.



Some industry watchers predict that the refiners, hit by the falls of oil demand and international crude prices, will likely incur combined losses of more than 2 trillion won in the first quarter alone. All major indicators such as the refining margin, inventory valuation loss and foreign exchange loss are also pointing to the worst. If the weakness in crude price persists for an extended period, refiners will face the erosion of the production base or the industry's ecosystem itself.



The government should help to rescue the industry. Economic officials need to consider a tax cut or exemption for the refining industry, at least temporarily. Two major taxes are imposed on refiners  a crude oil tariff and an import surcharge. Refiners are obliged to pay 3 percent duties for crude imports. Only three countries among OECD members impose a crude oil tariff  Korea, Chile and the United States. The U.S. and Chile are oil-producing nations and impose their tariffs as a protection for domestic producers. However, Korea has few good reasons to apply a tariff.



Industry experts point out that the crude tariff weakens Korean petroleum products' competitiveness. The oil import surcharge is a quasi-tax added to crude duties, now set at 16 won per liter. The four major refiners paid 1.4 trillion won to the government in import surcharges last year. This surcharge puts heavy burdens on refiners, because they have to pay a fixed sum regardless of oil price fluctuations. The government should review its tax policy on this occasion. If exempting or cutting taxes is difficult, the government should at least extend payment deadlines as a stopgap measure.






HERNDON, Va., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Military Housing, together with three other Public-Private Venture (PPV) Partners and the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), announce commitment to help military families who are between homes due to COVID-19 related closures, cancellations, and delays.

"While we've always allowed short-term leases to all qualifying military families," said Philip Rizzo, Co-CEO for Lincoln Military Housing, "during this uncertain time, we are pleased to work with our Military Housing Association partners and MFAN to further expand the flexibility of those leases. Our goal is to make sure all military families are aware of these policies and can rest assured that together with our partners, we will provide as many homes as possible to military families in need."

In addition to providing short-term leases to military families, Lincoln Military Housing has also extended the move-out dates of current residents who have received notice of delayed or suspended Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders.

"Our number one goal is to provide safe, comfortable homes to our service members and their families, now more than ever we want these families to know that we are here for them and committed to meeting their housing needs during this crisis and beyond," said Rizzo.

Military families interested in short-term leases or have questions regarding existing leases should contact Lincoln Military Housing at [email protected].

About Lincoln Military Housing

Lincoln Military Housing (LMH) was formed in 2001 through a Department of Defense (DOD) contract with parent company Lincoln Property Company. The goal has always been to increase the quality of military housing for our nation's servicemen and women. Since its inception more than a decade ago, Lincoln Military Housing now provides more than 36,000 family homes for military members across the US. Lincoln is much more than a property management company. LMH acts as a support system for military families and offers community-building activities and 24-hour maintenance assistance programs, free, to all of their residents. Services are available for members of all branches of service -- Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, United States Coast Guard, and National Guard. For more information about Lincoln Military Housing, please visit www.lincolnmilitary.com for more details.

SOURCE Lincoln Military Housing

Related Links

http://www.lincolnmilitary.com


SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On National Rosie the Riveter Day, R.Riveter put out a call for riveters to rivet hand-sewn face mask covers in an effort to provide much needed supplies to the front lines fighting against COVID-19.

R.Riveter calls on a volunteer riveter nation to rivet face mask covers in response to coronavirus pandemic. Gerber cutting table at R.Riveter's facility in Hardee County, FL in use to produce much needed PPE.

In addition to developing a pattern and initiative to mobilize citizens to sew mask covers, R.Riveter dedicated their recently opened facility in Hardee County, Florida, to producing much needed personal protection equipment (PPE) like masks and gowns. This facility houses a rare cutting table that is in high demand and the facility has been deemed essential to the efforts to fight the virus.



The healthcare system is strained to manage the current crisis and many healthcare workers do not have the proper PPE available to them. PPE is critical to keeping our healthcare workers on the front lines safe; yet it's widely unavailable due to widespread purchasing by consumers.



The CDC has outlined that in a crisis situation, when approved PPE is not available, healthcare workers may resort to a handmade mask or use a mask cover. Millions of handmade masks and covers are now needed.

R.Riveter is a handbag company that has built a remote network of riveters to produce handbags, in support of providing flexible mobile income for military spouses. "Who knew that over the last eight years we were unknowingly building a network capable of responding to this crisis," stated Lisa Bradley, Co-CEO of R.Riveter. "Just as the women supporting the wartime effort during World War II answered the call to assist with supplies and munitions, we are asking the community to answer the call in this effort against a deadly enemy." The brand is largely an ecommerce brand but has two retail locations; one in Southern Pines, North Carolina and one in Columbus, Ohio.

Anyone interested in riveting handmade masks in support of our country's war efforts against COVID-19 should reach out directly to [email protected] .

More information and the pattern for the face mask cover can be viewed and downloaded via https://www.rriveter.com/pages/mask-template-and-instructions.

Completed mask covers can be donated directly to a facility of the volunteers' choice or mailed to the attention of Rosie, Volunteer Riveter Nation at R.Riveter (1049 South Florida Avenue, Wauchula, FL 33873).

Healthcare organizations that want to receive donations should contact R.Riveter at [email protected] to request assistance and provide any donation requirements and considerations.



R.Riveter is imploring anyone who may have unopened PPE like face masks or gloves to consider donating that now to a local hospital. Such items can also be mailed anonymously to R.Riveter (1049 S Florida Avenue Wauchula, FL 33873), and we will sanitize and donate to a healthcare organization.

For more information on R. Riveter's COVID-19 response, visit www.rriveter.com/masks .

ABOUT R.RIVETER

R.Riveter makes handbags to hire military spouses, and create a greater sense of mission. For more information on R. Riveter, visit www.rriveter.com .

Media Contact:

Allison Bowers

[email protected]

614-420-5985

www.rriveter.com

SOURCE R.Riveter
Photo

Chandigarh: The Punjab Police on Friday scaled up its curfew relief operations across the state through the distribution of nearly 1.9 lakh food packets and set up medical camps in various districts, while facilitating the movement of about 3000 trucks and lorries carrying essentials into the State across various Inter-State border points in the past 24 hours.

Even as the police continued to clear the 1600-odd applications received from individuals for 2-pass, under the facility launched yesterday, they were also working on introducing new kinds of passes, such as an Inter-State Critical Emergency Transit Pass, covering the States of Punjab, Delhi, UP, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UT of Chandigarh, as the Baddi Industry Pass to facilitate travel.

Advertisement

Disclosing this, DGP Dinkar Gupta said the 112 police emergency number that was yesterday transformed into Curfew Helpline had received 17,000 calls in 24 hours, of which 10699 calls related to queries regarding COVID-19 and or other information. COVID emergency related calls were 1176, of which 406 related to violations of curfew, 531 to supply of essential commodities, 65 to Medicines, 102 to reporting of suspected cases of Corona Virus and 10 to Medical assistance, while 62 were miscellaneous calls. The rest of the calls related to issues not related to COVID.

To further streamline operations, all CPs and SSPs of the districts have nominated designated officers for specific tasks, such as District War Room, District Control Room, maintenance of essential services, maintaining smooth flow of traffic in the district including the National/state Highways, District Police Media Liaison officer, and Hospital/Medical Liaison Officer.



Giving details of the e-pass facility, the DGP said for a large number of the 1600 applications received, passes had been granted. A few had been rejected while others were still under process, he added. It may be recalled that the Digital e-Pass facility, a web based application, was launched by Punjab Police yesterday across the State for providing about 9 different kinds of e-passes for different kinds of categories, such as Hospital, Medical related issues, Mediapersons, Movement of essential goods, essential services, Health workers, government officials, vendors (fruits, vegetables, groceries), delivery workers (grocery, fruit, vegetable, restaurant, chemist).

Regarding distribution of food, Gupta said of the 188317 food packets distributed today, 134815 lakh were of cooked food and 53502 were dry food packets. A total of 10205 food packets were distributed in Amritsar City and 10,000 in Amritsar Rural, while in Bathinda, 950 packets were distributed, besides 500 in Batala, 9540 in Bathinda, 2400 in Faridkot, 5200 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 3000 in Fazilka and 4500 in Ferozepur.

Advertisement

Likewise, 1950 food packets were delivered in Gurdaspur, 9500 in Hoshiarpur, 12,000 in Jalandhar City, 6055 in Jalandhar Rural, 1550 in Kapurthala, 4000 in Khanna, 17000 in Ludhiana City and 13,600 in Ludhiana Rural.

A maximum of 28000 food items was provided to 28,000 people in Mansa, while 1100 packets were given out in Moga, 7500 in Patiala, 15,000 in Pathankot, 3667 in Ropar, 8000 in Sangrur, 9000 in SAS Nagar, 1000 in SBS Nagar, 7000 in Sri Muktsar Sahib and 9600 in Tarn Taran.

To facilitate supply of essentials, the DGP said senior officers were initiating special measures in their respective districts.

Advertisement

Community kitchens have now been set up in three slum areas of Ludhiana (Rural) Police district. In Ludhiana (Rural) district, and dry packets were distributed to around 1600 persons while cooked meals were served to around 12000 people.

Under the guidance of SSP Kapurthala, Medical Camps were organised in area of Phagwara, Subhanpur and Begowal areas. In Bathinda, 1400 packets containing dry rations were distributed by the Police. The dry ration packets included 5 kg atta, 1kg Sugar, 100 gm tea,  kg ghee,  kg dal, 1kg rice, 1 kg namak, all necessary masale. In addition, 8140 cooked packets were distributed in Bathinda.

According to the DGP, all-out efforts were being made to restore the supply chain of essential goods as well as all kinds of foodstuff and perishable commodities, which had been disrupted due to the sudden lockdown order of the Union Government. The movement of Goods vehicles (trucks and lorries) across the inter-state border as well as within the State, especially those carrying essential Goods and perishable commodities, had been restored completely, and at present no trucks were stranded at any of the Inter-state borders, said Gupta.

Advertisement

To ensure the smooth and uninterrupted operation of the Inter-State supply chain of goods, the supervision of the Inter-State Barrier on NH-1 at Shambu in Patiala had been given on 24/7 basis to Jatinder Singh Aulakh, IGP Patiala Range.

Efforts were also being made to enrol volunteers as Curfew Police officers, especially in villages and city/town Mohallas, to enforce the curfew, especially in certain areas and villages where the police presence was thin on the ground. SSP Barnala had enrolled 50 such volunteers while SSP Bathinda has engaged Village Chowkidars and Forest Guards for enforcement of curfew in the villages.

The DGP said efforts were also being made to involve ordinary Rickshaw pullers to sell vegetables/ milk etc. in small areas of operation. This would facilitate delivery of vegetables and provide livelihood to the rickshaw pullers.

In view of the serious threat posed by COVID-19 to the people of the State and the need to contain the spread of the decease, DGP Punjab also once again cautioned the citizens to show self-restraint and discipline, and strictly adhere to the curfew restrictions and the lockdown. He warned that the police would have no choice but to book all those violating the lockdown under the stringent provision of Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as suitable provision of the IPC.
Armed police guarded supermarkets in Thailand amid fears that the coronavirus downturn could lead to looting and a surge in robberies. The cops posed with automatic weapons and a police dog outside 7-eleven grocery shop in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, on Thursday night (March 26). It came after a man covering his face with a black ski mask threatened staff with a gun before making off with 5,000THB (125GBP) from the till. Police later arrived to investigate the scene and believed the thief to be aged around 35 to 40 years old. Police Major Colonel Chainarong Jitsuthon ordered officers to be ready to response to further crime caused by the locals who struggled after revenue from tourism dried up because of the COVID-19 pandemic. His team members were stationed outside the store and also carried out patrols at a nearby gas station. They will also be carrying out patrols at ATMS, gold shops and other businesses at risk. The police chief said: "Many people have been laid off after the government ordered businesses to close and they are in desperately need of money. "I'm worried that there might be more robberies and thefts as the supermarkets are one of the few businesses that are still allowed to open during this difficult time. "So we have to handle this problem by providing police officers to patrol during the night and prepare to respond immediately if one should happen." The COVID-19 coronavirus has decimated tourism in the country with fears it could take at least a year for the sector, which makes up a chunk of the country's GDP, to fully recover.
The UK Prime Minister and UK Health Secretary testing positive for coronavirus creates communications challenges for the two men leading the countrys response to the outbreak.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted he would still be able to work with his top team through the wizardry of modern technology, and the Governments chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the Prime Minister was already using digital tools to manage meetings.

While he self-isolates, officials will be working to ensure Mr Johnson has access to the information he needs, as well as staying in touch with key personnel.

(PA Graphics)

Earlier this week, the British Prime Minister was pictured speaking to the UK Cabinet using the Zoom video conferencing platform that has exploded in popularity during the virus outbreak.

This was despite the UK Ministry of Defence staff being banned from using it amid security fears.

Alan Woodward, professor of cyber security at the University of Surrey, said the UK Government would be able to rely on secure telephone units to help Mr Johnson make important phone calls from Downing Street.

Inside Government they have a secure telephone system, it used to be called Brent two, he said.

The Prime Minister is lucky he lives above the shop, hes got one there, and it doesnt take much to fit them, so people like Matt Hancock doubtless has one.

So just talking is simple and you can talk at the highest levels of classification on it.

The Queen has already been pictured at Windsor Castle holding her weekly audience with the British Prime Minister by telephone.

The Queen held her weekly Audience with the Prime Minister today by telephone. Her Majesty - pictured this evening at Windsor Castle - has held a weekly Audience with her Prime Minister throughout her reign. pic.twitter.com/9rYoLTfkO4  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 25, 2020

Prof Woodward acknowledged that the use of Zoom by the UK Cabinet had raised eyebrows, with the company having fairly serious security problems in the past, but none he was currently aware of.

He said it was about ensuring that when people are in a new context of working, they dont resort to having conversations they shouldnt be having over channels that they shouldnt be using.

Prof Woodward said: Im sure that the national cyber security centre will be looking at these things to make sure there are no holes.

He added: Zoom does support end-to-end encryption but obviously its not necessarily been tested to work at the highest levels.

Prof Woodward said officials will be ensuring communications channels use encryption, and will be relying on the existing UK Government secure intranet for some emails.

This intranet can be used up to a certain level of classification, with even more secure networks also existing, he explained.

I dont see it being a huge issue for them in terms of security, because they do it as a matter of routine anyway.

Prof Woodward also highlighted that much of Mr Johnsons information is received in physical form through his ministerial red box.

Catherine Haddon, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government, suggested the UK Prime Minister would be receiving more digital information in the near future.

She also said the earlier selection of British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab as a stand-in for Mr Johnson in case he became unwell solved any political problems among ministers.

They were already doing a certain amount of remote working, we know that Cabinet has been using video conferencing, so has the G7, G20, she said.

Ms Haddon emphasised that Mr Johnson said his conditions were mild so his workload capacity was unlikely to change much.

She explained the Governments Cabinet system allowed ministers to deputise for the UK Prime Minister should he become more unwell, such as by chairing the Cobra committee.

Ms Haddon added: I assume that one of the reasons for naming Raab as the designated survivor, the phrase that has been used possibly inappropriately, is to avoid any political battle if there was suddenly a vacuum at the top.

Its more about the political leadership in all of this, rather than constitutional or Government decision-making processes.

She added: By saying that it will be Raab, they are giving him some political legitimacy to avoid any battles over that, so you dont have Cabinet then being undecided as to who that person should be.
COVID-19 UK (Image: Reuters)

At least 720 positive cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths have been reported in India so far, with the number constantly on the rise.

The coronavirus has now breached the borders of nearly 200 countries, with the global death toll from the infection having surpassed 21,000 and about 5,33,416 confirmed cases, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Here's a roundup of the day's developments:

# In a bid to help borrowers tide over the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) put a 3-month hold on all repayments on term loans. This 3-month moratorium also includes credit card dues and EMIs.

# The central bank also slashed key policy rates, bringing the repo rate down by 75 basis points in order to inject liquidity into the struggling financial markets and the slowing economy.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Also Read: RBI comes out all guns blazing to sanitise a struggling financial system

# UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for COVID-19. The country's health minister, Matt Hancock, also tested positive for the viral infection.

# The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the suspension of domestic flights until April 14 (these were earlier suspended till March 31). The aviation regulator also extended the suspension of international flights till the same date.

Track this blog for all the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic

# Following reports of mass migration of labourers and daily wage workers due to the 21-day lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed states to put a check on the ongoing mass movement amid the crisis. States and UTs have also been requested to make arrangements for food, water and sanitation for the migrant labourers.

Leading IT firm Cognizant will pay its employees in India and The Philippines an additional 25 percent of basic pay for April, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Brian Humphries said in an email to employees. This announcement will come as a respite for close to two-thirds of the employees in India.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 27 : A junior IAS officer, Anupam Mishra, who was recommended self-isolation in the wake of his recent foreign travel, avoided his quarantine and was later traced to his home in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur city. He has been suspended from service.

Kollam District Collector B. Abdul Nassar on Friday morning submitted his report to the government and Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran recommended action to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Later Vijayan, who is head of all civil service officials, suspended Mishra from service.

Mishra, a 2016 batch IAS officer, recently came to Kollam to take up the charge of Sub Collector. He informed his superior that he had been abroad and was asked to go for self-isolation at his official residence in Kollam, about 70 km from the state capital.

Nassar told the media on Friday that Mishra in his explanation has said that when he was told to go into self-isolation, he presumed it meant going to his residence in Kanpur.

"This is a violation of protocol and I will submit the report of his act to the state government, who is authorised to take further action," said Nassar.

State Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty, who hails from Kollam district, said this is a clear case of a lack of social commitment.

According to reports, Mishra got married recently and returned from Singapore. On Thursday, the officials found out that he was not present in his official residence at Kollam. He was traced with the help of police to Kanpur.

Two different set of charges will be there, one for escaping from isolation and the other is for violating departmental rules, as he left his home station without informing his superior, government sources said.
This is the moment a furious police officer is seen shouting at a man claiming to have the deadly coronavirus to 'go home' more than a dozen times as he warns him 'you are killing people'.

Footage has emerged of the bike-riding officer warning the man, standing in a street in Perth, Scotland, that he will be arrested if he does not self-isolate.

It comes as legislation was approved allowing police to fine those who disobey the UK government's lockdown rules following the outbreak of the virus, which has killed more than 570 people in the UK so far.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the powers could be introduced in Scotland as early as today.

A police officer repeatedly tells the man to 'go home' after he appears to nod when asked if he has Covid-19

The footage begins with four police officers on bikes in a seemingly deserted Perth High Street.

Shouting can then be heard as one of the officers makes his way over to a lone male in a blue top and grey trousers.

As the man approaches the officer he is warned 'stay back'.

The officer continues to hold his hand out, trying to keep a distance between himself and the man.

A comment is made, prompting the officer to ask: 'So you've got Covid-19?'

The frustrated officer continues to tell the man to 'go home' before shouting 'you are killing people'

After being told more than a dozen times to go home the man eventually begins to leave the area

The man appears to nod his head, prompting the officer to reply: 'If that's the case, you need to go home and self-isolate.'

He adds: 'If I see you once more, you are going to jail.'

With the man seemingly not listening to the request, the officer becomes increasingly frustrated, shouting 'go home' more than a dozen times in less than a minute.

At one point the officer says: 'Are you telling me you've got it? Well go home and self-isolate. You are killing people, go home.'

As the video comes to an end, the man is seen leaving the area.

Scotland has almost 900 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 25 people having died.

Yesterday, the UK death toll rose from 475 to 578, health officials have confirmed, with 11,658 confirmed cases.

Emergency legislation has now been passed at Westminster allowing police to fine those who break social distancing rules.

New powers given to police in England mean no-one will be allowed to leave their home "without reasonable excuse".

Those who break the rules could be issued with a 60 fixed penalty, lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days, or a 120 fixed penalty for second-time offenders, doubling on each further repeat offence

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Police Scotland could be given the new powers as early as today.
The Duchess of Sussex has a 'spring in her step' now that she has 'escaped' the UK, a source has claimed.

Speaking to Us weekly, the unnamed insider said Meghan Markle, 38, 'feels like a new person' now that she is living in North America and not in the UK where she felt 'trapped and claustrophobic'.

It comes amid fresh reports that Meghan and Harry, 35, have left Canada, where they have been living in a 10million mansion since stepping back as senior royals, in order to set up a home in California.

A source told the Sun that the couple were fearful the US-Canada border could soon be shut due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An unnamed insider said Meghan Markle, 38, 'feels like a new person' now that she is living in North America and not in the UK where she felt 'trapped and claustrophobic'. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at their final public royal engagement on March 9

The source told Us Weekly that she felt 'nervous to step outside' while living with Harry at Frogmore Cottage, Windsor.

'She was nervous to step outside her own front door because of all the negative attention she attracted,' the source said.

Meghan and Canada spectacularly quit as senior members of the royal family in January and will officially step down next week.

It comes after reports that Meghan forbid Prince Harry from travelling, including to return to the UK to see his sick father Prince Charles, during the coronavirus outbreak.

Prince Charles, 71, tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday and is in self-isolation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland with his wife Camilla.

The source told DailyMail.com the Duchess said that 'under no circumstances, is she okay with the Duke travelling anywhere right now.'

The source added: 'Meghan said Harry's been in touch with his dad... Of course, he's frustrated. She said they both are frustrated because they are doers and want to do so much more to help.'

Meghan and Prince Harry spectacularly quit as senior members of the royal family in January and have been living in a 10million mansion in Vancouver Island since (pictured in South Africa last year)

Harry is thought to have last seeen his father earlier this month when they carried out their last public royal duty at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9.

Prince Charles, who is next in line to the throne, is said to be suffering from 'mild symptoms' and is in self-isolation. He became sick two weeks after meeting coronavirus-stricken Prince Albert of Monaco, who tested positive five days ago.

DailyMail.com previously revealed Meghan and Harry were self-isolating, and Meghan had confided in friends that her husband felt 'helpless' and was 'concerned' about the Queen and his father Prince Charles catching coronavirus.

Harry last saw his father earlier this month, publicly seen together at the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9 (pictured)

The friend added: 'Meghan told her inner circle of friends that Harry has been communicating with Prince William and the Queen on a pretty consistent basis.

'She said this world crisis has actually brought them all closer together, especially Harry and his brother.

'Harry has made it very clear to them that he will do whatever he can to help from Canada.

'Meghan said they are grateful, especially Harry, that they could spend time with his family before all this insanity began.'
In a press statement, Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General condemned the terror attack on a Sikh place of worship in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Describing the terrorist attack as heinous and cowardly, the statement said that the members of the Security Council express their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Afghanistan and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the statement read.

The members of the Security Council called for bringing the perpetrators and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States to cooperate with Afghanistan in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, the statement dated March 26, 2020 read.

The terrorist attack took place at the Dharamshala Sikh Temple in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 25 March 2020. At least 25 people were killed in the attack and many were wounded. Terror outfit ISIL-K had claimed responsibility for the attack.

India also expressed strong condemnation of the attack.

We convey our sincerest condolences to the immediate family members of the deceased and wish speedy recovery to the injured. India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the affected families of the Hindu and Sikh community of Afghanistan, the MEA said in its statement.

Such cowardly attacks on the places of religious worship of the minority community, especially at this time of COVID 19 pandemic, is reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators and their backers, it said.
The US Capitol is reflected in a standby ambulance on March 27, 2020, in Washington, DC.

House members are scrambling back to the Capitol on Friday morning as one member's opposition to a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package is set to delay its passage.

With few representatives in Washington this week as the outbreak tears across the country, House leaders hoped to approve the legislation quickly Friday by voice vote  which simply decides whether shouted yeas or nays from members present are louder. But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he plans to force a typical recorded vote, which could hold up passage for hours as the House needs a quorum of 216 representatives present.

Shortly before the GOP representative's expected request, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office encouraged lawmakers present to come to the House chamber and remain seated when Massie asks for a recorded vote. If one-fifth of members join him, the House will take a voice vote rather than a full tally.

In a series of tweets announcing his plan to request a recorded vote, Massie contended the unprecedented rescue measure spends too much taxpayer money, criticizing Democrats for pushing for changes this week rather than approving an earlier version of the legislation.

Thomas Massie tweet

On Thursday, facing the prospect of the aid's approval getting pushed to Saturday, Hoyer's office encouraged lawmakers to come back to Washington "with caution" if they are "able and willing" to make the trip. The roadblock prompted lawmakers to come back more quickly than they expected  though it was unclear before the vote if the House had the majority quorum needed to pass the bill.

House members shared photos as they hopped on near-empty morning flights. Some expressed outrage that Massie would force lawmakers to come back and risk their safety  particularly after two representatives and a senator tested positive for COVID-19.

"Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., wrote in a tweet Friday morning. "Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House. Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed. Disgraceful. Irresponsible."

Peter King tweet

Dusty Johnson tweet

Mark Walker tweet

The stimulus measure, which includes one-time direct payments to individuals, beefed-up unemployment insurance, more health-care funding and loans to businesses, passed the Senate unanimously on Wednesday night. On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the bill "as mitigation" of the crisis, predicting there would be more legislation to aid "recovery."

The rush to pass the bill comes a day after data showed unemployment claims spiked to a record 3.3 million last week after businesses across the country shuttered to slow the pandemic's spread. Hospitals, particularly in ravaged New York, lack resources as they struggle to keep up with a rush of coronavirus patients.

The U.S. now has more than 86,000 coronavirus cases, the most in the world, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Pelosi said she expected the bill to pass with a "strong, bipartisan vote." The House is set to hold up to three hours of debate on the legislation Friday.

The chamber will try to pass the bill by voice vote and see if a representative forces a recorded vote.

President Donald Trump, who has pledged to sign the bill "immediately" after the House passes it, lashed out at Massie in a pair of tweets Friday. He called him a "third rate Grandstander" who "just wants the publicity" and will only delay rather than stop the legislation.

"Workers & small businesses need money now in order to survive," he continued. "Virus wasn't their fault. It is 'HELL' dealing with the Dems, had to give up some stupid things in order to get the 'big picture' done. 90% GREAT! WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!"

Donald Trump tweet

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
Most of the countries in Asia, Europe and North America are in lockdown to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is the suppression strategy, and it should keep the death rate from going exponential for a while. The unanswered question is: what do we do next?

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/3/2020 (662 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Most of the countries in Asia, Europe and North America are in lockdown to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is the "suppression" strategy, and it should keep the death rate from going exponential for a while. The unanswered question is: what do we do next?

There is no exit strategy.

"This type of intensive intervention package ("social distancing" of the entire population, home isolation of COVID-19 cases, and household quarantine of their family members) will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available (potentially 18 months or more)  given that we predict that transmission will quickly rebound if interventions are relaxed."

Thats from the executive summary of the key Imperial College London report that on Monday forced the British government to abandon its insane policy of letting the infections grow and hoping the population (or what was left of it) would achieve "herd immunity."

The 30-strong Imperial College team estimated that an "unmitigated epidemic"  no closure of schools, shops, restaurants and bars, no household quarantines of suspected coronavirus cases and their families, no "social distancing"  would directly cause 510,000 deaths in the U.K. in the first wave of infections (now to July or August).

Infections would grow rapidly through March, and the demand for beds in intensive care units would exceed supply by the second week of April. At the peak of the first wave of infections in mid-May, demand for ICU beds would be 30 times greater than supply.

They did the same calculations for the U.S., and concluded that 2.2 million Americans would die in the first wave of infections. (This number was instrumental in jolting the Trump administration out of its "deny, distract and downplay" strategy last weekend.) Such huge caseloads would inevitably crash the health systems in both countries, causing further "secondary" losses of life.

So the team moved on to consider the "mitigation" model. This concentrates on "flattening the curve" of infections, which would peak in late June. Suspected cases of infection are confined to their homes and their families are quarantined, schools are closed, over-70s are required to self-isolate  but shops, bars, restaurants, etc. stay open, and the economy staggers on.

The mitigation policys outcome is slightly better, but the peak case load is still so high that it crashes the health system. Total deaths in the first wave are reduced only by half: i.e., a quarter-million die in the United Kingdom, and a million in the United States. So the Imperial College team moved on to examine the third option: "suppression."

Suppression, or "lockdown" if you prefer, drastically reduces human contact in order to reverse the rate at which infections are spreading.

"Social distancing" applies to everyone, not just the over-70s, and almost all public venues except food shops and pharmacies are closed. It does the job  after a few weeks death rates drop sharply  but the economy also goes into decline: probably six per cent down or worse by the end of the year.

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.

This is now the policy in most developed countries: mass death is no longer on the doorstep. The United States as a whole is still in "mitigation," because it takes a long time to turn a supertanker like Trump all the way around, but New York and some other big American cities and states have already moved on to suppression.

It has all happened very fast, and governments are just starting to realize that we will be in this mode for a long time. In fact, unless this particular coronavirus fails to cause a second wave of infections next winter  it isnt certain  we will probably be stuck in lockdown most of the time until an effective vaccine becomes widely available, probably no sooner than 18 months from now. August of 2021, lets say.

In the meantime, the best we can hope for is a few breaks when new infections have fallen so low that the controls can be "relaxed temporarily in relatively short time windows" for a month or two. But the virus will still be at large in the population, and well probably have to re-impose the controls as the number of infections starts to spike again.

Economically, it will be as big a hit as the Great Recession of 2008-09. Saving everything from shuttered shops, theatres and restaurants to passenger-starved airlines from bankruptcy will be a huge challenge. Keeping their laid-off employees out of poverty will be just as hard. There will have to be mortgage and rent holidays and maybe "helicopter money" (dropped from above by central banks).

But heres a silver lining, if you want one: in every country we have collectively decided, without even an argument, that we care more about the lives of our fellow citizens than we do about the damned economy.

Gwynne Dyers latest book is Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work).
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat is "observing quarantine" after a staff member in his office tested positive for COVID-19, an AU source told AFP.

The staff member is a 72-year-old Mauritian man who had returned to Addis Ababa, where the AU is headquartered, from the Republic of Congo on March 14, according to a statement from Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse.

The statement, which did not mention the man's AU affiliation, said six people who had contact with the patient are "under follow up".

The AU source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Faki had been in contact with the patient.

"The person works in the chairperson's office. The chairperson and his key advisers are among the contacts that are observing quarantine," the source said.

So far only one AU staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an advisory sent to AU employees on Friday and seen by AFP.

"Any staff member who has been in contact with this staff is by virtue of this communication requested to report to any of the contacts below for advice," the advisory said.

"There is no reason to panic or to be anxious," it added.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the AU has ordered most staffers to work from home and discouraged "non-essential and personal international and local travel", according to the advisory.

Staff members returning to Addis Ababa from coronavirus-affected countries "should stay at home", the advisory said.

Ethiopia has confirmed 16 cases of COVID-19, but as of Wednesday it had conducted only 576 tests.

In addition to the AU staffer, the latest positive cases in Ethiopia announced Friday include a 28-year-old Ethiopian woman who recently travelled to Israel, and a 24-year-old woman who had no history of travelling abroad, according to the statement from Lia, the health minister.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has ordered a number of measures to prevent widespread transmission of the coronavirus, including shutting land borders and limiting overcrowding in buses and taxis.

But Abiy's appeals for Ethiopians to practice social distancing have fallen on deaf ears in some quarters, as large crowds continue to form in the capital, Addis Ababa, for religious ceremonies and other events.

Ethiopia has stopped short of imposing the kinds of lockdowns seen elsewhere on the continent.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


MTN Benin is expanding its existing agreement with Ericsson to include network services based around analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

The operator already uses managed charging systems from Ericsson, and has now tapped the Swedish vendor for additional network operations centre services and field services focused on core, radio and transmission technology.

Improved efficiencies from more intelligent, data-drive operations will allow the operator to manage its network more proactively via predictive operations, improving customer experience as well as network performance and quality of service.

Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Benin, said: Network managed operations play a significant role in improving MTN customers satisfaction and enhancing customer experience as well as enabling revenue growth and cost efficiency. We expect advanced technologies like AI, automation and analytics to further accelerate operational transformation through this new managed services partnership.
Prince Charles is being cared for by two staff members rather than his usual entourage as he recovers from coronavirus on the Balmoral estate, a source has claimed.

The Prince of Wales, 71, has a 'mild' form of the illness and is at his Scottish retreat with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, who has tested negative and is without any symptoms of the virus, which has killed 465 and infected 9,500 more in the UK so far.

In keeping with the government's guidance, he has been self-isolating and will continue to do so for 14 days - and, as a result, has been forced to do more for himself after paring back his staff.

'There is a personal assistant on had to assist and someone preparing his food and that is it,' a source said, as reported by Katie Nicholl, for Vanity Fair. 'The food is taken to the door, the staff member retreats, and the prince takes his meal. The door is then shut and remains shut.'

The Prince of Wales, 71, is being cared for by two staff members as he recovers from coronavirus at his Scottish retreat, a source said, speaking to Vanity Fair. Pictured, at dinner in aid of the Australian bushfire relief and recovery effort at Mansion House on March 12, 2020 in London

Charles has a 'mild' form of the illness and is on the Balmoral estate with his wife Camilla, who has tested negative and is without any symptoms of the virus. Pictured, a photo shared by Clarence House to celebrate St Patrick's Day

The publication went on to explain that Charles has been well enough to receive several business calls with the chief executive of the International Rescue Committee and the chief executive of the World Economic Forum.

'The Prince might be in isolation, but he is not isolated, he is very busy and very much keeping abreast of what is happening,' a source added. 'He is taking calls, having online meetings and working as hard as ever.'

The revelation that he has cut back to just 'two members of staff' comes after the Prince of Wales was previously branded a 'difficult' man to work for by an insider.

Despite his jolly public demeanor, the Prince is said to be very precise in his orders, and is reportedly aware he is less popular than the Queen.

A source told The Express: 'For some of those who serve in his household, he's difficult to work with. You've got to do what he says, he is very hard work,' they added of the royal.'

'Prince Charles does not like some palace staff. When the time comes for him to be king, he will make some people redundant. '

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are in self-isolation in Scotland but his aides are trying to find anyone he may have met after becoming contagious on March 13

According to the insider, Charles is aware he is not as popular as his mother, following a 2017 YouGov poll which supported this theory.

And a book by Britain's top investigative author Tom Bower also told of Charles' remarkable travel demands including bringing his entire bedroom on trips.

He penned: 'Before a visit to one friend in North-East England, he sent his staff ahead a day early with a truck carrying furniture to replace the perfectly appropriate fittings in the guest rooms.'

'And not just the odd chest of drawers: the truck contained nothing less than Charles and Camilla's complete bedrooms, including the Prince's orthopaedic bed, along with his own linen.'

'His staff had also made sure to pack a small radio, Charles's own lavatory seat, rolls of Kleenex Premium Comfort lavatory paper, Laphroaig whisky and bottled water (for both bedrooms), plus two landscapes of the Scottish Highlands.'

Yesterday Charles thanked well-wishers for hundreds of 'get well soon' messages after he contracted coronavirus, with Clarence House saying he was 'enormously touched' by all the kind words he had received.

Charles's doctor believes the royal may have been contagious from March 13 at the earliest - just 24 hours after he last saw his 93-year-old mother the Queen, who is in self-isolation at Windsor Castle with Prince Philip, 98.
What are the chances? All those technology lessons in that flat with the pole dancing pole in, and still the urgent email from the EU about buying cheap ventilators ends up in Boris Johnsons spam folder.

The detail we shall come on to shortly, but first theres the even more unfortunate matter of the timing.

As emergency plans are activated all over the country, turning crematorium car parks and other such places into temporary mortuaries (when your delayed wedding day eventually comes around, do try not to think too hard about what the marquees been used for), truly it provides no pleasure to wheel out that old phrase about burying bad news.

At 5pm, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, strolled out again to face the TV cameras, delivering what, by my count, was his twelfth budget of the last nine days. It is hard not to wonder whether the real news snuck out at 4.57pm.

Not so long ago  less than a fortnight, in fact  though it feels like another geological era, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, was issuing a call to arms to every manufacturer in the UK to start producing ventilators. If you make one we will buy it, he said. No number is too high.

So there was some confusion over the fact that the UK had chosen not to take part in the EUs ventilator procurement scheme, to which we had expressly and very publicly been invited, despite having left the EU what feels like several lifetimes ago.

The same old Brexit arguments apply here, which well only trot through briefly. All the world wants ventilators; being part of a big bloc, as opposed to being a small country, increases your bargaining power and makes you more attractive to suppliers as youll be ordering in larger quantities, yada yada yada.

Surely we werent sitting out of the EU scheme out of sheer Brexiteer bloody-mindedness? Actually, it turns out, no, we werent. The reasoning provided (yes, at 4.57pm), is that the government didnt get the emails.

Yes, thats it. Thats really it. Theres a mad rush for ventilators, no number is too many, and theres absolutely no time to lose, but an offer to join a massive ventilator procurement scheme somehow ended up in Boris Johnsons spam folder or something like that.

Government sources have explained that there is no blame involved, and that it was just a mix-up. Given that it has somehow become generally accepted wisdom that its not OK to criticise the government (although we notice that the moment Johnson does something 93 per cent of the public support  namely bringing in a lockdown  is also the moment the Daily Telegraph withdraws its backing for him), we must take this explanation at face value.

It would be churlish to point out that, well, the 27 countries that are still in the EU all got the email, didnt they?

We are continually told that nows not the time to say such tiresome things as, well, Brexit was very obviously always a terrible idea. So wed best not seek to make cheap political capital about the sad fact that those much-needed ventilators somehow ended up sitting in Johnsons junk mail, stuck in grim purgatory somewhere amid the ads for penis-enlargement pills and various scam emails about outstanding child support payments (NB: not all junk emails are actually junk).

Theres also the small matter that the EUs ventilator procurement scheme was announced at a public press conference, and that the UK could take part was said, on camera, on live television.

Still, we are told that we will consider taking part in future rounds now that weve missed out on this one.

After all, whats the rush? At the time of writing, the government is still insisting that the Brexit transition period will end on 31 December, and that the most severe public health and economic crisis quite possibly of all time will have no bearing upon it. That completely pointless event must be rushed through in about a seventh of the time that any sensible analysis dictates is required.

But getting the ventilators in? Dont panic: therell be another boat along in a minute.

It has been stressed that this has nothing to do with ideology. Its not about Brexit, its just a communications mishap. At this point, the traditional rhetorical method is to point out that theyre either lying or theyre incompetent.

Mercifully, such is the accumulated evidence that we arent required to make that choice. It might very well be a matter of life and death, but its certainly not a case of either/or. Both of these options are very much alive. Theyre practically indestructible.
Many companies, from international names to local firms, are making significant donations to help during the coronavirus crisis.

Banking giant BBVA has said it will donate 25 million euros in the countries where it has operations. This week it planned to hand over medical equipment, ventilators and masks to Spanish health authorities.

Santander will also follow suit with donations, as well as reductions in pay for top directors. Some of the largest firms are coordinating their support to avoid duplication.

Meanwhile, clothing-giant and owner of Zara, Inditex, is to donate 300,000 masks and has opened up it logistics network to help governments if needed.

Mercadona and other supermarket and restaurant chains have strengthened their support programmes for local food banks.
Thousands of migrant workers and daily wage workers crossed over to Uttar Pradesh on Friday and many others waited to do so, desperate to return to their distant villages even if it meant walking the entire way home.

IMAGE: A group of migrant workers walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown, on the NH24 near Delhi-UP border in New Delhi. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo

Carrying their children, bags and any other belongings they could manage to bundle up, they walked in a steady flow of thousands from the National Capital Region to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.

At the Ghazipur border, they huddled close together, only some with masks -- aware of the coronavirus threat that had led to an unprecedented 21-day lockdown of the country and taken away their jobs, but helpless to do anything about combating the infection.

"About 10,000 migrant workers from Delhi and Gurgaon crossed over today," said a police official at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur where many waited to enter the state.

The Delhi government was making arrangements to feed the workers and they did not need to leave the city, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

But there was no keeping back the crowd at Ghazipur.

SEE: People on foot crowd at Ghazipur border to try to cross into UP

Most were men but there were also some women and children who had left their homes for a better livelihood working as construction labourers, factory workers, vegetable vendors, rickshaw pullers and a myriad other jobs.



Dhanraj, 35, began his 570-km journey home to Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh from Najafgarh in west Delhi on Friday afternoon. He earned Rs 300-400 a day fitting iron rods at construction sites but the little savings he had are gone.



"I have no money and my landlord asked me to pay the rent. He said if I could not pay the rent, then I should vacate the room. My contractor also said he has no money to give me, so it is best to go back home. And I have no option but to walk all the way," Dhanraj said.

Waiting for him at home are his father, wife and two sons. He has found travelling companions in another group of workers like him headed to Fatehpur.

Police stopped him at Uttam Nagar but he continued his journey as soon as they left.

IMAGE: Fearing the spread of the infection, police officials asked many workers not to make the journey. But many said they had no option. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo

Fearing the spread of the infection, police officials asked many workers not to make the journey. But many said they had no option and tried to hoodwink the police.

There were buses but some of the workers said they were not allowed to board them as they were reserved for essential services. Inter-state road transport remains suspended.

Many said they would make it, one way or the other, hopefully hitching a ride on a truck for part of the way or depending on the generosity of strangers for food.

Ajay Kumar, 20, who repairs shutters said his dream of earning more bucks in a big city crashed just a fortnight after he came to the city from his village in Bareilly.

"Now, I don't even have money. The only resort is to walk back to my village as others are doing," he said, determined to get to his home 300 kilometres away.

There were many others like him.

Shiv Kumar, 25, worked at a sweet shop in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi and earned Rs 500 a day. But with the lockdown, he said he has been left with no option but to go back to his hometown in Ayodhya, some 700 kilometres from Delhi.

"At least, I will be with my family. I will come back when situation settles down here," he added.

IMAGE: Ram Avtar, 60, with his family walks along with other groups of migrant workers as walk to their native places amid the nationwide complete lockdown. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo

Asked how would he managed to cover the distance on foot, he replied, "There is hardly any option. Once we enter Uttar Pradesh, we will try to find a mode of transport," Kumar said.

Similar was the case with Mohammad Riaz, 19, a carpenter.

Riaz, who has been working in Delhi for the last three years, said he earned Rs 600 for working six hours a day and Rs 900 for nine hours.

"But with no earnings for the next few days, my savings will dry up. So it is best to go back home. Since there is no transport, there is no alternative but to walk," Riaz, a native of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, said.

The stories found echo in the satellite town of Gurgaon where a group of about 20 men began the march to Madhya Pradesh.

Walking the silent roads, they said they would prefer to go home to their families rather than stay here and starve.

Friday is day three of the countrywide 21-lockdown to curtail the spread of the disease.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people should stay where they were, it was clearly not an option migrant workers, with no jobs, no money and no savings, were willing to exercise.
The Chinese province of Hubei has largely contained the coronavirus outbreak, according to the local government.

Officials today changed the risk level of the former epicentre Wuhan from 'high' to 'medium'.

A government spokesperson said 'main battlefield' Wuhan and the rest of Hubei had achieved 'important periodical result' in stemming the epidemic, but warned of regional outbreaks.

The entire Wuhan has been classed as a 'medium risk area', while five of its 13 districts are now at 'low risk', according to Liu Dongru (pictured) from the Hubei Provincial Health Commission

Wuhan, described by Mr Liu as the 'main battlefield', has registered only one case since March 18. The city, currently under a lockdown, will see its traffic restrictions lifted on April 8

The news comes as residents of Wuhan fear for a second wave of infections due to the large number of 'silent carriers', who show no symptoms but can potentially spread the virus to others. These patients were not recorded in the official figures.

Officials will lift the travel restrictions on Wuhan on April 8 after the city went into a draconian lockdown in late January to tackle the health crisis. Residents in other parts of Hubei were allowed to leave the province from midnight Tuesday.

The entire Wuhan has been classed as a 'medium risk area', while five of its 13 districts are now at 'low risk' for the cognation, according to Liu Dongru, Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Health Commission.

China's National Health Commission has reported only one new infection in Wuhan since March 18. A doctor tested positive on March 23 and authorities are trying to identify how he contracted the disease, officially known as COVID-19.

The rest of Hubei has not registered a new case in the past 22 days, official statistics show.

The virus has killed 3,174 people and infected 67,801 in the province in central China.

Staff members are pictured welcoming recovered patients as they are discharged from Leishenshan Hospital, the makeshift hospital for the COVID-19 patients, in Wuhan on March 1

Mr Liu said at a press conference today that the situation in Wuhan was 'positive'.

He said: 'The spread of the epidemic in the main battlefield of Wuhan has been mostly blocked.'

Beijing's chief medical advisor claims a second outbreak is 'unlikely' Dr Zhong Nanshan, Beijing's chief medical advisor on the coronavirus, today hit back at speculation that China would see a second wave of infections. Dr Zhong claimed that a rebound was unlikely. He told state broadcaster CCTV: 'I suspect that in our country, the epidemic would not have a second peak'. He stressed that the new cases would likely be confined in small groups of people due to the country's public-based epidemic-control efforts. 'Under such strong and vigorous measures, I don't believe a major outbreak would happen,' he said. Advertisement

The official claimed that seven cities and counties in Hubei had discharged all of their COVID-19 patients.

But he underlined the possibility of regional outbreaks.

'We must understand that zero-case reports don't mean zero risks.

'Although the epidemic index has dropped, the tasks in preventing and controlling the epidemic have grown, the difficulties have increased and the responsibilities [of officials] have become heavier,' he cautioned.

Mr Liu's remarks come after the residents of Wubei voiced their concerns over asymptomatic coronavirus cases who don't develop symptoms.

At least 59 per cent of the Wuhan residents who have contracted the coronavirus show mild or no symptoms and therefore were unrecorded, a study suggests.

Thousands of infections potentially fell under the radar and were not included in the government's official count, according to the doctors at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Faced with public pressure, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission on Monday released a statement, saying all asymptomatic cases would need to be isolated in quarantine camps for 14 days.

These silent carriers would be identified when officials screen the close contacts of confirmed patients and investigate cluster infections, according to the document.

Leading experts have also warned that a second outbreak could happen in China.

China is facing a looming new coronavirus outbreak, China's state-run newspaper Global Times has warned. Pictured, residents cheer as members of a medical assistance team from Chongqing depart after helping with the locals in Xiaogan city, China's central Hubei province

Professor Li Lanjuan, a member of Beijing's expert team on the virus, said on Monday that she was 'very worried that imported cases could trigger another large-scale epidemic in our country'.

And according to state-run newspaper Global Times, a second wave of infections is 'highly likely' and 'even inevitable' as the pandemic escalates.

Dr Zhong Nanshan, Beijing's chief medical advisor on the coronavirus, today hit back at the speculation, claiming that a rebound is unlikely.

Dr Zhong Nanshan (middle, pictured on March 20) today said that a second outbreak in China would be unlikely. He stressed that new cases would likely be confined in small groups

Dr Zhong told state broadcaster CCTV: 'I suspect that in our country, the epidemic would not have a second peak'.

He stressed that new cases would likely be confined in small groups of people due to the country's public-based epidemic-control efforts.

'Under such strong and vigorous measures, I don't believe a major outbreak would happen,' he said.

China has so far recorded 595 cases of infections detected among people arriving from abroad.

The National Health Commission reported more than 50 imported cases of the coronavirus on Friday, hours after the central government announced a ban on foreigners entering the country to prevent further outbreaks.
Canada and the United States have agreed to restrict non-essential trips across their common border, while leaving it open for the movement of freight in trucks. While the justification of banning crossings by non-essential people is open to question, the economic arguments for preserving the movement of trucks are clear.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Canada and the United States have agreed to restrict non-essential trips across their common border, while leaving it open for the movement of freight in trucks. While the justification of banning crossings by "non-essential" people is open to question, the economic arguments for preserving the movement of trucks are clear.

On an average day, about 30,000 trucks roll across the Canada-U.S. border, carrying more than $1 billion in trade. If truck movements were banned, critical supplies of food and medicine would be interrupted and production at some of the largest manufacturing plants in both countries would cease, idling thousands of workers.

The economic damage from interrupting the flow of trucks would be both direct and indirect.

The direct damage would come when needed goods are cut off. For example, pharmaceuticals are a major export from Ontario to the U.S. and thousands of truckloads of agri-food products, from live animals to processed food, are shipped in both directions. The indirect damage would come when supply chains that straddle the border break down, making it impossible for factories and other economic activities to keep operating.

The automotive sector is a good example. Tariff-free trade in cars and parts dates to a Canada-U.S. agreement in the 1960s, long before NAFTA. This industry has more than 50 years of evolution based on cross-border supply chains.

A complicated supply chain

Production of cars and SUVs depends on parts from hundreds of different factories being passed up through several "tiers" of suppliers and gradually combined into larger components before they ultimately arrive at the final assembly plant. Nearly all these factory-to-factory movements are made in trucks, many of which cross the Canada-U.S. border.

As the border constrictions in the wake of the 9/11 attacks demonstrated, when the trucks stop crossing the border, the automotive production system shuts down. A border shutdown during the COVID-19 crisis would be more complete and much longer than the slowdown that followed 9/11.

The movement of trucks and the movement of people are not independent issues. Beyond just the truck drivers, there are many people involved in maintenance, repair, training, marketing and other occupations who regularly move across the border in support of binational production systems. The inclusion of these people in the "essential" category will help ensure the smooth functioning of cross-border supply chains.

Since cars and SUVs are not staple commodities, why should we worry if their production pauses during the crisis? For one thing, a similar story of dependence on cross-border supply chains could be told for food processing, medical devices and other things we cannot do without. Plans for the automotive and other industries to re-purpose parts of their production assets to make desperately needed medical devices will also depend on cross-border supply chains.

Deeper crisis than 2008

More generally, it is important that economic activities which can be done safely carry on during the crisis. We are about to experience the deepest global economic contraction of our times  potentially much deeper than the crisis of 2008. How long it will last is still unclear, but it will be months or perhaps years rather than weeks.

At this early stage, public attention is rightly focused on protecting people from infection. This means all work environments and processes must be assessed to ensure that employees are not at risk. For example, the major automotive companies are currently shutting down plants for sanitation and to institute new safety measures.

As the regional effects of the pandemic subside, more attention will be given to speeding up the economic recovery. If the economic contraction during the crisis is any greater than what is required to protect the public, there will be more missed paycheques, more debt and more companies lost to bankruptcy. Keeping the trucks moving across the border now could pay off in a faster return to economic vitality in the aftermath of the crisis.

The COVID-19 crisis is a critical test of the resilience of cross-border supply chains. The outcome of this test will have big implications for the future of the Canadian economy, especially the manufacturing sector.

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.

From our consultation at the Cross Border Institute with private-sector players who use the border intensively, we know that the threat of major delays and interruptions is one of the downsides of linking production facilities on opposite sides of the border. If the risk of interruptions becomes too great, a reasonable strategy is to consolidate the supply chain in one country.

The future of cross-border supply chains?

For some industries, such as food production, there is an argument for a shift to separate domestic supply chains.

But for industries where scale is important  automotive, aerospace, defence and industrial machinery  such consolidation systematically works against Canada. In those industries, supply chains will not be duplicated in each country, but rather concentrated in the country with the largest market  which is generally the United States. Demonstrating that cross-border logistics can function in a crisis would be beneficial for business investment in Canada.

The COVID-19 crisis is a time for bold action. But its also a time to resist taking actions that cause economic harm without protecting public health. The co-ordinated decision by the governments of Canada and the United States to keep the border open to trucking makes sense.

William Anderson is the director and Marta Leardi-Anderson the executive director of the Cross Border Institute, University of Windsor.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
Description

SOHO's premier fine art gallery to hold opening reception Friday Night March 27th,

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at 457 West Broadway, NYC

In very individualized ways, Doug Hofmann and Ben Charles Weiner each weave everyday life in magically realistic ways. Hofmann, a figurative painter, creates in a style in which realistically depicted human figures are central to and a principal focus of his work. Weiner, a modern realist painter, creates works of abstraction with realistic representation.

WITH MY PAINTINGS, I STRIVE TO GET A FEELING OF AIR. I WANT TO EXPRESS A ROMANTIC EMOTION. DOUGLAS HOFMANN

The paintings of Douglas Hofmann are critically acclaimed for their glowing surfaces, detail, and softly lighted forms. Hofmann expertly combines his methods of painting with Old Master techniques, creating a beautiful aura of light and atmosphere often found in great Baroque paintings. He pays meticulous attention to detail and creates harmonious compositions with superbly balanced colors and shapes.

He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1945 and began his art training after high school at the Maryland Institute of Art. During his first year there, he discovered Joseph Sheppard. "I used to walk down to the first floor and stick my head in this quiet room. You could hear a pin drop. It was Joe Sheppard's class." He began studying with Joe, taking on anatomy, drawing, and painting from the model, all of which were new to Hofmann.

He also discovered the Maroger method, which enables the artist to use thin layers of paint and techniques similar to those of the Old Masters. Through his burgeoning interest in the Old Masters, Hofmann began to develop his taste.

Vermeers interiors with figures became one of his favorite themes. Emulating Vermeer, he painted situations from his home and studio using his wife and children as his models. Hofmann later expanded his subject matter to include his memorable nudes and his much-loved ballet works. "I borrow from everything I like, for example, the works of Vermeer, Rubens, Degas, and Mucha. I'm using a Dutch technique but with an Art Nouveau model, Victorian too. And I love the female figure; I think it's the most beautiful thing there is." His subjects have changed over the years, but women have continued to dominate his panels and prints.

Martin Lawrence Galleries

Opening Reception Friday Night

March 27th, 2020, 6-8 PM

457 West Broadway

New York, NY 10012

www.martinlawrence.com

About Martin Lawrence Galleries

Since 1978, Martin Lawrence Galleries, headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut with nine gallery locations nationwide including New York, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Francisco, Costa Mesa, La Jolla, Maui has been assisting and advising collectors as they acquire fine art. MLG is the publisher of fine art prints and sculpture and is also the home to modern and contemporary masters like Picasso, Chagall, Warhol, Calder, Magritte, Basquiat, and Murakami. We are incredibly proud to have lent and exhibited over 200 masterworks, created by more than 30 different artists, to 30+ world-class museums around the globe including the Louvre, the Pompidou, the Metropolitan, the Whitney, the National Gallery, the Tate and the Hermitage-where we are the sole sponsor of the first-ever exhibition of the work of Erte, the father of art deco and we proudly publish works by artists including Kondakova, Hallam, Bertho, Fressinier, Lalonde, and Deyber. For more information visit martinlawrence.com

For further information and images contact:

Katia Graytok  PR & Media Relations

kgraytok@martinlawrence.com

T. 203.989.2073
The professional indemnity world has been rocked by a large number of players quickly withdrawing from the market, not always due to results, but by a change in risk appetite and uncertainty, said David Robinson, Group CUO. As is always the case, this sometimes leaves a considerable opportunity for those entrepreneurial companies that have the vision to see opportunity. We are fortunate in that we started at a time when rates, deductibles, and coverages were moving quickly in insurers favour. The upward trend, based on the business we are seeing, continues to improve substantially and in my view, this is likely to continue for some time.

Robinson, who is also a highly experienced professional indemnity underwriter with 30 years experience in the Lloyds of London market, said the company is now in talks with suitable insurers that are among the 70 or so APRA-approved general insurers that can potentially write the class.

Our desire and plan is to continue to write in the Australian market on a well-disciplined and selective basis, Robinson said. We also have some highly rated reinsurers that like the Landmark approach and would like to participate, via proportional reinsurance, in our business.

Landmark is planning to set up an office in Sydney to write a number of specialist classes.
Is President Donald Trump letting New Yorkers die on purpose, to penalize the state for voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio have been pleading with Trump and the federal government to send New York much needed medical supplies to combat its rampant COVID-19 outbreak.

The president, however, has failed to deliver. Cuomo has said that the state needs 30,000 ventilators to meet the surging demand of patients suffering respiratory distress from the new coronavirus. On Tuesday, Cuomo announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be sending 400 to New York. What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000? Cuomo said during a press conference. You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.

The federal government has a stockpile of 16,000 ventilators, so it could easily provide the state with more. Manufacturing ventilators also takes time and its unlikely that factories would be able to produce enough for the state in two weeks, according to Cuomo. Vice President Mike Pence announced that 4,000 additional ventilators will be sent to New York on Tuesday.

Without federal intervention, New York will see an untold number of deaths that could have easily been prevented. Weve tried everything else, Cuomo said on Tuesday. The only way we can obtain these ventilators is from the federal government. Period.

Articles in New York magazine, The Daily Beast and The New York Times have observed that Trump seems willing to let New Yorkers die. No one can know his motivations, but the president has given clues that his main reason is spite. Its a two-way street, Trump said on Fox News, Tuesday, referring to the federal government providing aid to combat COVID-19. They have to treat us well, too.

The presidents cold remark came after Cuomo criticized the federal government for only providing the state with 400 ventilators earlier in the day.

Trump has a history of acting vengefully toward New York, which hes become particularly displeased with since taking office  so much so that he even changed his permanent residence to Florida.

Under Trump, federal agencies have frequently made sudden decisions harmful to New York. On Feb. 24, the Trump administration canceled an $8 billion health care grant to the state. On Feb. 20, an Army Corps of Engineers study investigating potential coastal flooding protections around New York City came to a sudden end, due to an interruption in federal funding. The termination of this project came six weeks after Trump mocked the study online. On Feb. 5, the Department of Homeland Security announced that all New Yorkers would be barred from applying to Trusted Traveller programs. The department explained that the states passage of the Green Light Bill, which Trump was opposed to, was why the states residents were no longer eligible to apply for the programs. And in 2018, the Times reported that Trump pushed Republicans to withdraw funds for the citys Gateway Tunnel project that would create a railway connecting New York to New Jersey.

As TPMs Josh Marshall pointed out, its not even clear what exactly New York treating Trump well would mean. Some observers, such as New Yorks Jonathan Chait, think that Trump views any state that didnt give him its electoral votes in 2016 as deserving of punishment. (Trump also has a well-documented vendetta against California, Chait notes.)

Despite Trumps apparent lack of interest in his former home states welfare, Cuomo has continued to thank the president for what hes provided the state with and has been careful to only criticize the federal government, because if you dont speak kindly about the president, its likely youll suffer his wrath. If youre good and respectful to (Trump), he will treat you the same  its that simple, a senior White House official, told The Daily Beast. The president has always said that he fights back when he needs to, and the situation with (Cuomo) is no different. If you keep that in mind, their sort of seesaw relationship during (coronavirus) doesnt come as a surprise.

Trump, however, has dismissed Cuomos complaints, arguing that Cuomo missed an opportunity to order ventilators in 2015. He had a choice He refused to order 15,000 ventilators, Trump said.

The president was referencing an article written by ardent Trump supporter and former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey, which suggests Cuomo is to blame for the lack of ventilators, since he didnt purchase a mass quantity of them in 2015  five years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. McCaughey cited information from a state advisory task-force report that said the state would not have enough ventilators if it suffered a pandemic of the same proportion as the 1918 influenza pandemic.

"There is no state in the United States that bought ventilators for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, Cuomo said during his Wednesday press briefing. The federal government did not buy ventilators for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Nobody in the world bought ventilators in preparation for a 1918 Spanish flu pandemic."

Many New Yorkers might add that even if the governor were to blame for the states current ventilator shortage, saying that its his fault isnt a substitute for saving lives.

The president has not entirely ignored the states need for more hospital beds. Last week, Trump announced that he will be sending the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort to the state, which has 1,000 hospital beds. However, the ship has yet to set sail for the state.

Under the Defense Production Act, which gives the president the power to expedite the manufacturing of supplies, Trump could ramp up the production of ventilators needed to treat the steadily rising number of seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Trump is ignoring entreaties to do so from governors and senators from affected states and from retired national security officials, perhaps because the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has lobbied against using the law.

It wouldnt be unfair to assume that Trump is seeking retribution, given his past actions. However, the immediate and devastating impact on New York of this is on a whole different level. What is the president waiting for, and why is he hoarding  or lets be charitable and say husbanding  his resources? Jennifer Senior asked in her op-ed for the Times. Must the death toll in New York prove so calamitous he needs no further proof? Is he trying to make an example of his former home?
Several states are mandating two-week quarantines for residents who recently travelled to New York, which has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus spread in the US.

Texas Governor Greg Abbot issued an executive order on Thursday requiring people flying into Texas from the tri-state area as well as New Orleans to quarantine for 14 days.

The order follows a similar measure from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who ordered anyone who entered the state from the New York tri-state area, which includes Connecticut and New Jersey, to isolate themselves for two weeks from when they arrived.

Their measures follow recommendations from the White House coronavirus task force this week that took aim at New York, which now has nearly half of all cases in the US.

Florida residents have criticised their governor for placing blame on out-of-state visitors rather than taking more stringent measures weeks ago, as thousands of tourists flocked to the states beaches during spring break, likely transmitting the virus in communities across the area.

Governor Abbot said the order is intended simply to achieve the goals that have been articulated by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and by the White House organisation focused on reducing the spread of the virus.

Earlier this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo said confirmed infections in the state were doubling every three days.

On Tuesday, the number of cases had reached more than 20,000. On Thursday, that figure reached more than 33,000, spiking by nearly 7,000 from the previous day, putting the state on track to hit more than 40,000 on Friday.

The states death toll jumped by more than 100 overnight on Thursday, reaching 385.

Dr Deborah Birx with the White House coronavirus task force said that 28 per cent of people who have been tested for coronavirus in New York are positive, compared to just 8 per cent in the rest of the US.

During a briefing on Tuesday, she said: Clearly the virus had been circulating there for a number of weeks to have this level of penetrance into the general community.

Combined, the tri-state area has nearly 43,000 confirmed cases as of Thursday, with at least 466 deaths.

New Orleans has fewer than 1,000 confirmed cases but just a fraction of the population, and a per capita death rate that is significantly higher than anywhere else in the US.

Hawaii, which would otherwise be preparing for a springtime tourism rush, has meanwhile asked travellers to postpone their trips there by at least 30 days.

Last week, Governor David Ige said: The actions Im announcing ... may seem extreme to some of you, and we know that it will have negative effects to our economy ... But we are confident that taking aggressive actions now will allow us to have a quicker recovery when this crisis is over.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy took a more intense action, asking all people arriving in the state  regardless of where theyre coming  to self-isolate for at least two weeks.
The Ho Chi Minh City administration is printing out five million leaflets, each containing ways to suppress the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic, to be distributed to every household soon.

The leaflets design has been completed and their printing is underway, Tu Luong, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday afternoon.

Local authorities will try their best to deliver them to every household in the soonest time, as part of Vietnams ongoing efforts to keep COVID-19 cases under 1,000 in the next two weeks. The country has confirmed 153 cases to date, 20 having fully recovered.

Those staying in the city should follow the ensuing recommendations to stay safe and help curb the virus spread:

* Halt meetings and events attended by more than 20 people in a room and do not assemble in groups of ten people or more outside public offices, schools, and hospitals.

* Completely stop religious rituals and activities joined by 20 people or more at places of worship and cease all cultural, sporting, and recreational events at public venues.

* Do not leave the house unless under truly necessary circumstances. People aged over 60 should absolutely stay home.

* Wear face masks in public and at work. Do not be in contact with or interact with people who are not wearing face masks.

* Be aware of COVID-19 prevention and keep a distance of at least two meters from others to avoid infection. Wash hands frequently with soap or antiseptic solutions, combined with adding more nutrients to daily meals and exercising to stay healthy.

* Houses, apartment buildings, towers, and offices should switch from air conditioners to fans and keep windows open for fresh air. Air conditioners, when in need, should be turned down to 27 degrees Celsius. Regularly clean houses, workplaces, tables and chairs, and personal items with soap or antiseptic solutions.

* Service facilities must be closed, except for petrol stations, pharmacies, supermarkets, necessities stores, and clinics and hospitals.

* Companies and organizations that have offices in towers or apartment buildings should adopt teleworking. Working rooms should house no more than 10 people each; employees should ensure a minimum distance of two meters and take protective measures at work.

* Do not share or spread fake news. Citizens should get updated information from the government portals and media channels of Ho Chi Minh City. Anyone sharing or spreading fake news will be heavily punished.

* Keep doing business if it does not fall under the categories banned by the central government. Online shopping is highly recommended.

* Strictly abide by the regulation on 14-day quarantine. Do not discriminate against quarantined people.

* On March 28, Ho Chi Minh City authorities will begin fining those:

- Not wearing face masks in public

- Disobeying quarantine orders by the authorities

- Selling surgical face masks without permission

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Jordans King Abdullah II, custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem, has instructed the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf to waive rentals of all Waqf properties in Jerusalem until the end of 2020. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and the citys dignitaries welcomed the decision. A number of religious and private landlords are considering similar moves.

In a statement released March 25, the Jordanian administration's Ministry of Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs welcomed the decision, saying it will provide people, businesses and institutions with some security in the difficult times that the world is experiencing due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

A large number of homes and shops in Jerusalem and especially in the Old City are managed by a variety of endowments. During times of war and conflict, landowners often turn over their homes and other properties to religious institutions to manage, because they believe that mosques and churches will be immune from attempts at the nationalization of properties. Similarly, families who have chosen to live abroad also endowed their properties in what is called "Waqf thury, or family endowments. Over the years, this has turned various religious institutions into major landlords in the holy city.

At least 60% of properties in the entire city of Jerusalem  east and west  are owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Patriarchate rents for long periods of time properties that include the land where the Israeli Knesset lies and the house of the Israeli prime minister as well as most shops in the Old City and the majority of the Christian quarter in the city.

While the Orthodox Church is by far the biggest landowner in the walled parts of the holy city, other religious organizations  especially the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf  are also major landowners. King Abdullah and his Hashemite family are the custodians of holy places in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf refers back to the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. All rental income of Islamic Waqf properties is deposited into the Jordanian coffers accounts.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf owns and manages the rental of hundreds of shops, organizations and homes. Both Muslim and Christian tenants will benefit from the generous decision of the Jordanian monarch to waive rents.

Ziad Abu Zayyad, a Jerusalem lawyer and former minister in the Palestinian government, told Al-Monitor the kings initiative supports the steadfastness of the people of Jerusalem. We value this initiative in these extraordinary and difficult circumstances. This adds to a long list of credits to His Majesty to support Al-Aqsa [Mosque], Jerusalem and Jerusalemites, and goes back to his father, King Hussein, and the Hashemites.

Hijazi Risheq, representing Jerusalem merchants, said the decision of the Jordanian king is a welcome gesture. The decision will save 1.2 million Jordanian dinars (nearly $2 million) at a time when merchants in Jerusalem are suffering, he told Al-Monitor.

Risheq sent a letter of gratitude to the king and to the director of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf. We thank His Majesty for this generous gift, which will help 400 Jerusalem merchants, he said.

Wasfi Kailani, director of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa, said the decision was good news for thousands of Jerusalemites. Since most of the Old City is [endowed] real estate, at least 1,300 Jerusalem households, shops, private schools, churches, hotels, offices, companies, health centers, hospitals, youth associations and other institutions will benefit from the decision, Kailani told Arab News.

Khalil Assali, member of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and deputy director of the Jerusalem Waqf and Preservation Society, told Al-Monitor Jerusalemites are called on to follow the example of the king. In these difficult times, we call on all guardians of the family endowment of properties to use the example of His Majesty the King and to provide fellow Jerusalemites with similar waivers to their tenants.

The king's decision adds to the credibility and popularity of the Jordanian monarch in a city of 350,000 stateless Palestinians who are caught between Israel  which unilaterally annexed the city but fails to pay attention to the citys residents  and the Palestinian government, which is violently banned by Israel from having any engagement of cooperation with its own people in Jerusalem.
One of the three COVID-19 patients at Da Nang Hospital discharged on March 27 after making full recovery. (Photo: VNA)

Two of them are British tourists who flew from Hanoi to Da Nang on March 2 and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 that causes the COVID-19 pandemic on March 8.

The other is a 29-year-old saleswoman of the Dien May Xanh electronics supermarket in Hai Chau district, Da Nang city, who had come into direct contact with the British nationals before being confirmed positive for the virus on March 9.

The three are now in stable health with no symptoms like fever, cough and breathing difficulties, after testing negative for the coronavirus at least three times in a row.

However, they will still be put in quarantine at accommodation establishments and home for 14 days.

At present, Da Nang Hospital is treating three cases whose condition has improved, according to Pham Ngoc Ham, head of the hospital's tropical medicine department.
MP St. Clair Leacock, his eyes focused on another victory in Central Kingstown, has needled the ULP for seeking to strengthen its presence in the Leeward constituencies.

Opposition MP and vice president of the New Democratic Party St Clair Leacock believes that recent choices by the Unity Labour Party (ULP) are clear indications that it is seeking to strengthen its profile on the Leeward side of the island.





Leacock was at the time referencing the choices of the ULPs North Leeward candidate - Carlos James as Speaker of the House of Assembly, and new South Leeward candidate designate  Dr. Minelva Glasgow as Deputy Speaker.





The governing ULP has eight of the 15 parliamentary seats and the NDP has seven. The ULP has all seven seats on the Windward side and one on the Leeward.





The NDP has all three Kingstown seats, the two Grenadines seats and two of the three seats on the Leeward side, the ULP having the middle seat  Central Leeward.





James, who was Deputy Speaker and Senator, has replaced lawyer Jomo Thomas as Speaker of the House.





He officially resigned as senator and was elected Speaker during the sitting of the House yesterday morning. Dr Glasgow was elected as Deputy Speaker at the said sitting.





On Wednesday, one day before the election of the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Leacock expressed the view that the election of James as the new Speaker signaled a stepping back to the time when Hendrick Alexander served as Speaker.





Alexander attracted wide criticisms as he was seen as outright bias towards the ULP he supports.





Leacock said that Thomas "moving away from the parliament allowed for the coming to the realizing of his fear of retrogression.





And when he appeared on his partys New Times programme on NICE Radio on Wednesday, Leacock said: "I was always worried that if he moved out, it will make room for others who may take us back to where we were in the previous Speakers years.





Leacock also said of Thomas: "In the relatively short period he had in the House, he brought much sanity and objectivity.





Thomas did a good job as Speaker, in Leacoks estimation, but he would have to carry the weight of the "gigantic blunders  namely his rulings on the No Confidence Motion against the Government and a Motion on the Representation of the People Act brought by the NDP.





Thomas was appointed Speaker of the House following the December 2015 general elections. He had contested the South Leeward constituency but lost to the NDPs incumbent candidate Nigel Nature Stephenson.
The coal-fired Merrimack Station in Bow, N.H. (Jim Cole / Associated Press)

State officials signed off Thursday on a climate change target that critics say will reduce planet-warming emissions far too slowly. The action comes as economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to slow the growth of renewable energy.

Meeting via video conference to protect against the novel coronavirus, the five-member California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a plan that aims to cut power-plant emissions by about 25% over the next decade  a slower pace than those emissions fell during the previous decade. The commission had studied a plan to cut power-sector emissions in half but ultimately concluded the less aggressive target would keep California on track to meet its goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045.

Commissioner Liane Randolph described the agency's decision as plenty ambitious. She said it would require California to roughly double its fleet of solar panels, wind turbines and lithium-ion batteries by 2030, dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

These historic levels of renewable procurement will be a significant challenge to achieve," Randolph said.

Climate advocates were less impressed.

Environmental groups and renewable energy companies said the decision would put California at risk of failing to slash economy-wide climate change pollution 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, a goal enshrined in state law.

Power plants account for less than one-fifth of the state's overall emissions. But cleaner electricity will be critical to driving down emissions from other sectors, as Californians replace their gasoline-fueled cars with electric vehicles and swap out natural gas furnaces for electric heat pumps.

Looking past 2030, the commission's decision could make it difficult to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2045, critics said.

Deborah Behles, an attorney representing the California Environmental Justice Alliance, pointed to commission data showing that if the state reduces power-plant emissions by only one-fourth between now and 2030, utilities would need to add three times as much clean power capacity between 2030 and 2045 as they would during the coming decade  a massive backloading.

Story continues

"There's a huge concern that it wont happen, that it's just too aggressive to try to do in that short a time frame," Behles said in an interview. "Let's speed up this development to reduce air pollution, and reduce greenhouse gases as soon as possible."

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.

A crew installs rails to support some of the 9 million panels at the Topaz solar farm near San Luis Obispo. (Joe Johnston / San Luis Obispo Tribune)

In some ways, the debate comes down to a simple math problem.

California's electricity sector was responsible for around 62 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon pollution in 2017, the most recent year for which statewide data are available. The Public Utilities Commission decided Thursday that those emissions should drop to 46 million metric tons by 2030. Clean energy advocates had pushed instead for a target of 30 million.

Southern California Edison, the state's second-largest electric utility, endorsed a middle-ground target of 38 million metric tons. The research firm Energy Innovation also recommended the middle-ground target, as part of a report finding that California must cut emissions nearly twice as quickly during the 2020s as it did ruing the 2010s, and that current policies wont get the job done.

The California Independent System Operator, which oversees the power grid, endorsed calls for a more aggressive target, writing to the Public Utilities Commission that its proposal "will not provide a pathway to meet the state's decarbonization goals."

In the days leading up to the vote, a coalition of clean energy advocates wrote to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to intervene at the utilities commission. So did two organized labor groups, who signed a second letter to Newsom arguing that the commission's proposal would "adversely affect the California economy and is a missed opportunity for thousands of good paying jobs."

"At a time of increasing economic uncertainty, California should not be taking a step backward, and jeopardize progress in expanding clean energy jobs and economic development," read the second letter.

Newsom's office didn't respond to a request for comment about whether the governor intervened at the commission.

But the commission did amend its proposal. While still endorsing the smallest emissions-reduction target under consideration, the commission asked utilities and other electricity providers to develop two sets of plans for how much clean energy they'll need to buy over the next decade: one assuming a 46 million metric ton target, and another assuming 38 million metric tons.

"I hope that when the [utilities] do submit the two plans that the decision now requires, we will have the analysis to fully evaluate and consider the lower target of 38 million metric tons and adopt it at that point," Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen said.

Wind turbines near Rio Vista, Calif. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

By the commission's own estimation, the target of 38 million metric tons would cost ratepayers just $1.1 billion more per year by 2030 than the target of 46 million metric tons  a tiny fraction of the tens of billions of dollars Californians spend on electricity every year. Even aiming for 30 million metric tons would add only $2.4 billion in annual costs, compared with the least aggressive scenario.

Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves voted for the plan adopted Thursday, but only after urging utilities and other electricity providers "to show leadership and take the opportunity to plan for 30 million metric tons, because I believe that is the only way we will realistically meet our 2045 goals." She said faster action is needed to reduce California's dependence on gas-fired power plants  a key concern for environmental groups, who worry the commission is not doing enough to phase out natural gas.

"This capacity that our gas generation currently provides is something we need to take on," Guzman Aceves said.

Clean energy advocates said the changes to the commission's decision were a step in the right direction, but still not enough.

"The commission must step up and lead by accelerating the deployment of new clean energy resources, energy storage projects, and power infrastructure upgrades," Luis Amezcua, a senior campaigner with the Sierra Club, said in a written statement. "We must go beyond business as usual, and act with the urgency that is necessary to adequately tackle the climate crisis."

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic could at least temporarily slow efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources, at a time when scientists say society must move faster than ever to phase out fossil fuels and avoid the worst consequences of global warming.

The consulting firm Wood Mackenzie projected this week that global wind turbine installations would be 6% lower in 2020 than previously expected. Analysts at BloombergNEF warned earlier this month that global solar panel additions could fall in 2020 for the first time since at least the 1980s. Demand for lithium-ion batteries will decline too, BloombergNEF predicted.

The job losses could be severe. The Solar Energy Industries Assn. said this week that the U.S. solar industry, which employs an estimated 250,000 people, could be forced to shed half its workforce because of the coronavirus. The American Wind Energy Assn. made a similar prediction, saying the pandemic puts 35,000 U.S. jobs at risk, out of around 114,000 people working in wind power.

V. John White, executive director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, said the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic is all the more reason for California to promote as much clean energy construction as possible over the next few years by setting a more aggressive climate target, rather than back-loading construction in the years after 2030.

"We've got an economic stimulus opportunity here if we simply just get to work," White said.
Four women at the age from 31 up to 59 and four men at the age from 43 up to 59 are infected

As of morning, March 27, eight new cases of coronavirus infection spotted in Kyiv. The number of Kyiv citizens sick with Covid-19 increased up to 55 people as 112 Ukraine TV channel reported citing Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.

In the capital, the number of Kyiv citizens infected with Covid-19 increased. The virus comes. Already 55 people have confirmed diagnosis. Today in the morning, we got eight confirmed cases of the infection with coronavirus from government body Kyiv city laboratory center of the Healthcare Ministry of Ukraine, Klitschko said.

Four women at the age from 31 up to 59 and four men at the age from 43 up to 59 are infected. Two patients hospitalized to Oleksandrivsky hospital. Two to Kyiv city hospital #4. Another two stay in the central hospital of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine. Two patients stay in the self-isolation under the control of doctors.

Over 1,500 Kyiv citizens passed express tests and laboratory analyses. Kyiv city laboratory center of the Healthcare Ministry of Ukraine tests 32 more samples.

Over the past 24 hours, 62 people have been infected with coronavirus in Ukraine. As of now, there are 218 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19.

As we reported, a 39-year-old woman, a native of Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, ran away from Kyiv hospital. She had a positive test for coronavirus.
According to Northwest Community Healthcare, the hospital has been preparing for potential patients since the earliest diagnosis of this global public health threat" and is following guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health for the safety of its patients and staff.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer hit back at President Donald Trump on Thursday night after he made derisive comments about her in a TV interview.

We've had a big problem with the young  a woman governor. You know who I'm talking about  from Michigan. We don't like to see the complaints, Trump said during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News.

Trump made the comments shortly after Governor Whitmer requested that a major disaster be declared in Michigan to help deal with the escalating coronavirus outbreak in the state.

She doesn't get it done, and we send her a lot. Now, she wants a declaration of emergency, and, you know, we'll have to make a decision on that, the president added. I don't know if she knows what's going on, but all she does is sit there and blame the federal government.

Governor Whitmer did not take kindly to the presidents comments, tweeting: Hi, my name is Gretchen Whitmer, and that governor is me .

I've asked repeatedly and respectfully for help. We need it. No more political attacks, just PPEs, ventilators, N95 masks, test kits. You said you stand with Michigan  prove it.

She also added, pointedly: PS: Im happy to work with the VP! We get along well, posting a video of Vice President Mike Pence praising her performance as governor.

In the video, from a White House coronavirus briefing, the vice president says: ...as I told Governor Whitmer today, who is leading her state through all of this with great energy, we want to partner with her, we want to partner with every governor, and make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing in terms of acquiring resources.

Governor Whitmer has been critical of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic, specifically about the lack of both test kits and any clear and concise guidance from the federal government.

The president has been feuding with several other governors including Jay Inslee of Washington and Andrew Cuomo of New York.
Vegas Golden Knights partner Lifeguard Supplies  a BT Supplies West company  announced today, March 26, a community initiative to help Las Vegas Valley residents purchase household items that have been challenging to find due to the COVID-19 pandemic at reduced prices.

Lifeguard Supplies has launched a new website exclusively for Nevada residents where they can purchase household items at reduced prices including: toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, tissues, disinfectant spray, miscellaneous cleaning products and to-go food packaging. The items can be purchased through Lifeguards website, www.lifeguard4nv.com. Please note that there is a limited number of items available for purchase and there will be a two order per customer limit.

20% of all profits will be donated to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation. The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation will in turn support the United Way of Southern Nevada in their efforts to assist Nevadans who are feeling hardships related to COVID-19.

Orders placed between Thursday, March 26 and Sunday, March 29 can be picked up outside City National Arena from 10 a.m.  4 p.m. on Monday, March 30. Vegas Golden Knights staff volunteers and Lifeguard Supplies staff volunteers will assist in the pick-up.

To ensure safety and social distancing, customers will not need to leave their vehicles during pick-up. Vegas Golden Knights and Lifeguard Supplies staff volunteers will verify identification and order confirmation and then load the orders into the vehicle to ensure an efficient, safe and quick distribution process. Customers must have identification and proof of purchase to claim an order.

There will also be donation opportunities for the United Way of Southern Nevada set up outside City National Arena. The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation will jump start the donation with a $5,000 contribution. Additionally, Lifeguard Supplies will donate two rolls of toilet paper to the United Way of Southern Nevada with every purchase.

On November 20, 2019, the Golden Knights and BT SUPPLIES WEST INC signed a long-term partnership agreement to name the new Vegas Golden Knights community arena in Henderson, Nevada where BT Supplies West Inc. maintains its corporate headquarters. The new facility will officially be named Lifeguard Arena in Henderson.

BT Supplies/Lifeguard is the exclusive supply partner of paper goods and janitorial supplies and equipment to the Vegas Golden Knights, as well as other affiliated businesses. The company supplies hotels, schools, arenas and related businesses as well as homes with hundreds of goods ranging from cleaning supplies to paper needs and office furniture.

ABOUT THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Vegas Golden Knights are a National Hockey League franchise owned and operated by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC. The Vegas Golden Knights were established by founding partners William Foley and his family and the Maloof family. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights visit vegasgoldenknights.com. Fans can follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
We will not wish this pandemic away.

This is why President Trumps wistful timetable for an end to many of the measures intended to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 is so troublesome.

The president this week chose April 12 as a target date for opening the country for business as usual, well, because it sounded like a good time. He didnt base this goal on science or data or empirical benchmarks. He just proclaimed it out of the blue.

We appreciate the optimism and we hope the president is right. But his sunny pronouncement seems about as rooted in reality as the Easter Bunny. Which is to say, it may raise unrealistic expectations. It may also make some people continue not to take this global pandemic as seriously as they should.

The threat of this virus is on a scale that most have yet to fully grasp, William Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed this week. Everyone should understand that we are still in the early stages of this pandemic.
27/03/2020 Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar pictured this afternoon during a visit to Total Produce Food in Swords this afternoon...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said that deaths from coronavirus in Ireland will only increase over the next two to four weeks and that it will be a "very pleasant surprise" if the toll is kept below 1,000.

The Taoiseach said the death toll is "impossible to predict" as the virus is new and "we're only still learning about it".

"If you take the average flu season in Ireland, there'll be roughly 500 deaths. If you take a bad flu season in Ireland, there'd be roughly 1,000 deaths.

"So it would be a surprise, and a very pleasant surprise if the number of deaths at the end of this is less than 1,000," Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Varadkar also said that Intensive Care Units (ICUs) will be full in the coming days but the health service is working to increase capacity.

He said his thoughts are with the families of the latest victims of coronavirus in Ireland -the death toll more than doubled to 19 when ten fatalities were announced last night.

There is also concern about the high level of patients requiring ICU care and clusters of cases in nursing homes.

Mr Varadkar said he is concerned about the ICU situation but said any new restrictions on the public in an effort to counter the spread of the disease will only be implemented on the advice of the the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

Read More

He said that at present there are empty ICU beds but they "will be at capacity within a few days."

"That's already the case across Europe. It looks like it may happen here so we need to plan for that. We have to make sure that we have backup ICU capacity, ventilators... all of those things."

He said the health service is making an unprecedented effort to "tool up", recruit and provide additional capacity but warned "we're going to be managing a very difficult situation".

Mr Varadkar said the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths in Ireland "can only increase over the next two to four weeks."

"The objective is to slow down the rate at which it increases, get to the peak and then start getting it down and that start returning the country to some degree of normality."

Mr Varadkar wished British Prime Minister Boris Johnson a "speedy recovery" from his coronavirus case. He did not criticise the UK response to the virus which has been accused of being slower than many other countries.

He said: "I don't want to criticise any government's handling of this.

"This is new this is unprecedented, the science is changing and evolving all the time. I'm absolutely sure that every government, every health service in the world, is doing their best with the best information they have."

Mr Varadkar has previously spoken of how so-called 'cocooning' is likely to be introduced for older people and those at most risk from the virus.

Again he said this will only be brought in on the advice of the NPHET.

He said: "Cocooning involves asking people above a certain age, and people with a chronic illness to stay at home for a period of weeks.

"To a certain extent people are doing that anyway and that is good advice anyway."

He said if it is to be implemented "we need to make sure that it's done properly and the systems are in place.

"We don't want anybody staying at home for 12 weeks, if we don't have the assurance that they have food, that they have somebody to check on them. "All of those things need to be put in place."

Mr Varadkar added: "But as things stand, you know, it's good advice, particularly for people who are over 75 particularly for people who have a chronic illness, to stay indoors, to stay at home and only to leave the house when it's absolutely necessary."

Mr Varadkar made the remarks after a visit to the Total Produce food wholesaler depot in Swords.

The Taoiseach and Business Minister Heather Humphreys were told there is a strong supply chain in place to keep supermarket shelves stocked.

Mr Varadkar pointed out afterwards that Ireland has the capacity to produce food for 40m people.
Some squabbling was, in fact, unavoidable as Victoria split with the Commonwealth on the speed of the response. There has been, as everyone now acknowledges, two schools of thought: the Commonwealths approach of slowing transmission, with a gradual increase in restrictions on the community, and Victorias eradication strategy which recommends an earlier move to lockdown. Debates of this nature are to be encouraged, not suppressed. On their own, they shouldnt challenge the federation.

Neither level of government would have anticipated this particular shock when they first met to co-ordinate a national response to the health crisis a fortnight ago. A unity of purpose, with a clear chain of command was taken for granted because leaders assumed the combination of the Commonwealth chequebook, respect for expert advice and a whatever-it-takes spending for state hospitals would help Australia avoid an American, British or Italian-style catastrophe. "All too often we squabble about health, not at this [meeting]," Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews assured the public at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister and fellow premiers and chief ministers on March 13. "We are all united."

The tension was laid bare on Tuesday as Scott Morrison made policy on the run to keep hairdressers open while Western Australia became the first of the mainland states to close its borders to the rest of the country. A prime minister mired in the weeds of regulation while premiers and chief ministers exercised the equivalent of wartime powers offers a telling example of the power of COVID-19 to shatter political hierarchies as it shuts down the economy. On that same Tuesday, March 24, the New South Wales government confirmed that one of the first passengers from the Ruby Princess cruise to test positive for the virus, a woman in her 70s, died .

What will change the way the country is run in the future is the example of the Ruby Princess, the boat the Commonwealth didnt think to stop. There is an irony here because primary responsibility rests with the NSW health and port authorities, which allowed the 2700 passengers to disembark without testing. The Commonwealth has some justification in blame-shifting on this point. But the Commonwealths failure is the more relevant. The buck for border protection ultimately stops with the Morrison government, and the states and territories will not have missed the implication of this loss of control. A failure of Commonwealth co-ordination mutated with state neglect, undermining every governments trust in the federation. It should not surprise Morrison that the states are going their own way where they can.

Loading

The isolation of state from state is forging a new unity of purpose by default. Tasmania, the poorest state with the oldest population, was first to move last Friday, closing its border with the mainland. By Thursday, every state and territory was in a form of lockdown. The borders of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland were effectively closed, while Victoria was pushing the Commonwealth to the inevitably of a tougher policy response with a stage-three national lockdown.

These examples of state and territory assertions of power wont be easily forgotten. It is too early, of course, to predict the outcome of the pandemic, let alone what the federation will look like in the recovery. Suffice to say, the premiers and chief ministers will no longer view the prime minister, whoever he or she may be, as the only person in charge of the country. This is a structural shift that would have occurred regardless of Morrisons performance in this crisis, because the problem is the federation itself. The coronavirus is a stress test of systems: the Commonwealths tax, spending and migration policies, and the states delivery of health and education services. It uniquely challenges both jurisdictions at the same time, punishing the weak links where the roles between the Commonwealth and the states overlap. The Ruby Princess is what happens when two tiers of political ego and bureaucracy rub up against each other. Neither is ever responsible, and all sides are wise after the event.

Australia will have plenty of time to think about the federation because after the first wave of the pandemic passes, the country will remain physically separated from the rest of the world to guard against a second wave of infections. Other nations will be thinking the same thing. This week, China closed its borders to foreigners.
Srinagar, March 27 : Militants shot and killed a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Friday, police said.

"Militants fired at Mehrajuddin Bhat, an auto rickshaw driver, in Redwani village of Kulgam district, injuring him severely.

"He was shifted to a nearby health centre from where he was referred by doctors to district hospital in Anantnag town but subsequently succumbed to his injuries," police said.

Attending doctors said Bhat had sustained five gunshots in his arms and legs.
STOCKHOLM, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SyntheticMR announced today that they have received a purchase order from Mayo Clinic for its medical imaging software solution SyMRI.

Mayo Clinic is ranked the No. 1 hospital in the US and receives more than 1.2 million patients from all 50 states. The purchase order relates to SyntheticMR's product SyMRI for use in clinical routine, which will support shorter scan times while providing more information to the clinician.

"I see great potential in quantitative MRI and SyMRI as a product," says Dr Wende Gibbs, Neuroradiologist at Mayo Clinic. "The ability to add multi-parametric maps and myelin into our clinical routine will be a great benefit to our patients."

"I am excited to work with the clinicians at Mayo Clinic to bring the benefits of quantitative MRI to patients across their institutions," says Kyle Frye, President SyntheticMR US Inc. "Our technology can speed up their imaging workflow while helping their radiologists and referring clinicians make the best possible diagnosis and treatment follow up."

The product will be installed across all three Mayo Clinic campuses; Rochester in Minnesota, Phoenix/Scottsdale in Arizona and Jacksonville in Florida. SyMRI will be utilized in combination with all three major vendors, GE, Siemens and Philips as a fully vendor agnostic solution.

"I look forward to working with Mayo Clinic to bring quantitative MRI into their clinical practice," says Ulrik Harrysson, CEO SyntheticMR. "The fact that such an important hospital group like Mayo Clinic is ready to invest in our product is a testament to its potential."

For additional information, please contact

Ulrik Harrysson, CEO,

SyntheticMR AB, +46-70-529-29-87

[email protected]

Kyle Frye at

+1(859)512-9496 or

[email protected].

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/syntheticmr-ab/r/world-leading-hospital-mayo-clinic-orders-syntheticmr-s-solution-for-clinical-routine,c3072577

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE SyntheticMR AB
Photo: AFP

Following the first three confirmed novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) cases on board the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt on Tuesday, the figure reportedly rocketed to 25 on Thursday, as the warship is heading toward Guam. Chinese military experts said on Friday that this latest move indicates the Theodore Roosevelt has now been into a maintenance condition and decided that scheduled military missions be cancelled.

Additional COVID-19 tests among the crew are expected, and possibly "dozens" of new cases could emerge, CNN reported on Thursday, citing an official, while another official said the number of additional cases is expected to be large, to an extent the US Defense Department would be unlikely to publicly specify how many of the Navy's overall cases are amongst members of the crew of the aircraft carrier, "due to concerns that adversaries such as China or North Korea could see the ship as vulnerable."

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said that the Theodore Roosevelt is in a process of testing all of the crew, approximately 5,000 personnel, as the aircraft carrier is pulling into Guam, CNN reported.

"No one in the crew will be allowed to leave anywhere into Guam, other than on pier side," CNN quoted Modly as saying.

These measures indicate the US has essentially put the Theodore Roosevelt in a maintenance condition and had all scheduled military missions cancelled, as the aircraft carrier's main mission now has shifted to docking in Guam, quarantining all of its crew members at the military base there and conducting thorough disinfection work on the entire ship, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday.

The US Navy is currently flying personnel off the carrier, which is another move that reflects the emerging situation the Theodore Roosevelt is now facing. "It still takes some time for the aircraft carrier to arrive in Guam, and transferring related personnel to Guam via air transportation can reduce the risk of cross infection as much as possible," Song said.

Song said he expects all crew members to leave the ship and be quarantined for 14 days, and the aircraft carrier will likely undergo a full-scale disinfection procedure, including on air conditioning and sewer systems.

Even if such work is completed, the Theodore Roosevelt will not be put into action anytime soon, as thorough tests will follow which has to ensure the risks of infection are reduced to zero, Song predicted.
Paris, March 27 : Four workers from a French Christian charity who were kidnapped in Iraq in January have been freed, President Emmanuel Macron's office said.

The three French nationals and an Iraqi were abducted in Baghdad on January 20, the BBC said in a report on Friday.

Their release came a day after France said it would withdraw its troops from Iraq due to the coronavirus pandemic.

France's presidential Elysee Palace said it had made "every effort to reach this outcome".

"The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," the BBC quoted the Elysee Palace as saying iin a statement on Thursday.

"The President expresses his gratitude to the Iraqi authorities for their co-operation," IT added.

No other details of the release were given.

In a statement last week, the charity SOS Chretiens d'Orient said no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction and no ransom demand had been received, the BBC reported.

After news of the release, it "warmly thanked" French and Iraqi authorities for their efforts.

The charity says it seeks to help Christians in the Middle East and has been working in Iraq since 2014.
And Fauci kept his job for another day, although significantly he made the statement in a CNN interview, not during the presidents regular briefings. He and Trump denied reports of a rift, and Fauci continued to grant numerous interview requests. But his lowered profile seemed to reflect reports that the president was annoyed by his growing popularity, which as you may recall, has spelled the end for other Trump appointees.
FILE PHOTO: Nestle logo is pictured on the door of the supermarket of Nestle headquarters in Vevey

(Reuters) - Nestle <NESN.S>, the world's biggest food company, said it would pay full salaries for at least three months to employees affected by work stoppages to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The move will cover both part-time and salaried employees as well as those working in its retail operations - the Kit Kat Chocolatory and Nespresso boutiques - which have been temporarily closed in some places, the company said in a statement.

The Nescafe coffee maker, which has 291,000 employees across the world, also said it would provide cash advances or loans to those in financial difficulties, and that it had put in place generous sick leave arrangements for employees who may have contracted the virus.

For Canada, specifically, the Swiss company said it was temporarily raising wages by C$3 per hour for on-duty factory and distribution centre workers, retroactive to March 16, 2020.

It will also pay bonuses to salaried employees of its Canadian factories who cannot work from home.

The company also updated its pay policies for its Canadian hourly and full-time workers hurt by work stoppages, saying that it would cover pay for three months, in line with its global policy, instead of the two months announced earlier.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is a global problem and consequently we are offering help on the ground everywhere," Nestle Chief Executive Officer Mark Schneider said in a statement.

On Monday, Schneider sent a memo to employees asking them to prepare for the pandemic "storm" that will hit its business. [nFWN2BG0L1]"Please get ready for the storm to hit  because hit it will," Schneider wrote in the memo.On Thursday, the company said it was working hard to ensure supplies were maintained and assured customers that it would be able to deliver products to meet the global demand for food, as people stay at home for an extended period of time.

A number of companies are rolling out relief measures for their employees suffering from a financial strain due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Story continues

Nestle rival Unilever <ULVR.L> said on Wednesday it would pay part-time workers for up to three months and accelerate payments for small and mid-sized suppliers to provide relief during the outbreak, which has shut businesses and caused stock market turmoil globally. [nL4N2BH3IU]

Nestle said it was also partnering with Red Cross to provide the humanitarian agency with supplies and transportation, and was donating 10 million Swiss francs, food, water and medical nutrition products to those most affected by the pandemic.

(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
Linda Lusardi and Sam Kane's daughter Lucy has lauded NHS staff for helping her parents through their respective coronavirus battles.

The former Page 3 girl, 61, was rushed to hospital earlier this week, where she has been suffering with COVID-19 and attempting to keep her fans updated from her sickbed, and her The Voice star daughter has now thanked the NHS.

She wrote on Instragram: 'I would like to say a personal thank you to all the wonderful staff that nursed my amazing dad back to health and all the staff currently looking after my beautiful mum, helping her recover from this awful virus...

Sweet: Linda Lusardi and Sam Kane's daughter Lucy (pictured with Linda in 2018) has lauded NHS staff for helping her parents through their respective coronavirus battles

'You're all incredible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Lucy, who is in a relationship with Noughts and Crosses actor Jack Rowan, shared her statement shortly after Sam revealed Linda had 'beaten' the virus'.

On Thursday night, Sam posted a statement that assured followers that, despite still having 'a long way to go', she looks to be through the worst of it.

He said: 'My beautiful girl has dropped her oxygen intake today which is amazing news. Shes still got a long way to go but these baby steps are on a roll now.

Praise: She issued her statement after the Clap For Carers tribute, which saw people up and down the country honour the NHS by standing outside their house applauding

Fighting through: Linda has 'beaten' coronavirus, according to her husband Sam

'I truly believe shes beaten the virus now and her body is concentrating on healing itself after the battle. Shes a fighter and she will win this. Your messages and prayers are incredible.

'Your support has been so strong and wonderful and I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. The most enormous Thank You to all of the NHS staff who continue to help get my girl back to health. Youre all angels.

'To all of our close and dear friends who have sent so much love and support and helped over and above. I love you all. Thank you. Ill keep you posted. #StaySafe.'

He said: 'My beautiful girl has dropped her oxygen intake today which is amazing news. Shes still got a long way to go but these baby steps are on a roll now. 'I truly believe shes beaten the virus now and her body is concentrating on healing itself after the battle'

Of the Clap For The NHS that took place on Thursday night around the UK at 8PM, he added: 'What a truly stunning moment that was. Hearing so many people cheering and sending absolute love to the people who are saving so many lives. Right now, was spellbinding.'

Before the event,the actor, 51, took to Facebook to share the post urging the public to show their support for the NHS workers who are on the frontlines.

Writing on top of the post explaining the event, Sam said 'well this made me cry.'

Showing our gratitude: The #ClapForCarers event will see the public clap in their homes to say thanks to the medical professionals at the frontline of the coronavirus crisis, on Thursday at 8

Taking to Facebook on Wednesday, Sam revealed that his wife's oxygen and low blood pressure were 'still a problem,' but she was feeling 'at least a little brighter' than she had just the day before.

It comes just a day after Sam revealed that Linda had been placed on oxygen and needed 'all the help she could get,' after she rushed to hospital with COVID-19.

In his post Sam said: 'I have the angels with me helping to heal my girl. Along with all of your amazing love and prayers she appears, so very slowly to be at least a little brighter in her self.

'The oxygen is still a problem as is her blood pressure is low but she isnt moving backwards. Thank God. There is still no major change to report just yet but she did say shes feeling a tiny bit stronger.

Troubling: Linda's oxygen and low blood pressure 'are still a problem' as she continues to battle coronavirus, her husband Sam Kane revealed on Wednesday

'As long as its moving forward. Thats all that matters to me. Thank you again for all of you love, prayers and positivity. Your energy is helping so much. I will be forever grateful. Please keep sending. She will win this. Shes amazing. Thanks you.'

On Wednesday Sam revealed that Linda had been placed on oxygen and a drip as she continued to battle the deadly virus.

The former glamour model was rushed to hospital with the virus last Friday, and recently admitted she was left in tears while being 'at death's door' with COVID-19

In a post Sam said: 'No real change in Linda today, Im afraid. Shes been the same since last night.

'Still on oxygen and still on a drip, very poorly. Shes eating and drinking regularly. Just needs her oxygen levels to start taking care of themselves before the next big push can happen.

'Shes still far from well and nowhere near out of the woods. Send your thoughts, Your love, your prayers and your positivity to her. She needs all the help she can get right now.

'Shes fighting and she is winning. Thank you for all of your amazing and kind messages. So much love. Sam.'

Health battle: It comes just a day after Sam revealed that Linda had been placed on oxygen and needed 'all the help she could get,' after she rushed to hospital with COVID-19

Latest: Sam took to Facebook on Tuesday to share another update on his wife's health, saying that she's still 'far from well'

It comes just hours after Linda praised the 'amazing' NHS for their care of her as she revealed she and Sam still have 'a long way to go.'

Both Linda and her husband Sam, 51, were hospitalised on Friday after developing COVID-19 symptoms earlier in the week.

After Sam revealed she had 'turned a corner' with the virus on Monday evening, Linda took to Twitter to thank the NHS and her followers.

She said: 'Just wanted to say thank you for all your kind words. My @samkane1968 went home from hospital today to carry on recovering.

We both tested positive with the virus. I still have a way to go yet The NHS staff have been amazing Their kindness keeps making me cry. Love to you all.'

Grateful: Just hours earlier Linda praised the 'amazing' NHS for taking such good care of her as she revealed she and Sam still have 'a long way to go' (pictured June 2018)

Together: Both Linda and her husband Sam were hospitalised on Friday after developing COVID-19 symptoms earlier in the week (pictured in 2012)

She said: 'Just wanted to say thank you for all your kind words. My @samkane1968 went home from hospital today to carry on recovering'

Stronger: As Linda recuperates in hospital, Sam gave fans an update on her condition on Tuesday

As Linda recuperates in hospital, Sam gave fans an update on her condition on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: 'Shes getting stronger by the day. Still aways to go but all in the right direction. Thanks angel. Stay safe.'

To another fan, Sam added: 'Poor girl has been to hell and back. Shes making small steps but shes recovering. Shes still away from being right but Im sure out of the woods now." and said to someone else: All on the right path thank God. Xx'

Tough: Sam added that Linda has 'been to hell and back' but is now recovering

On Monday, Sam confirmed Linda had been 'taken to death's door after developing coronavirus symptoms.

Sam, 51, posted on Facebook, begging the public to take the self isolation and self distancing rules seriously as he said: 'I cant stress enough that this is not just a flu bug. Ive watched this take my girl to deaths door.'

Sam wrote on Monday: 'I cant stress enough that this is not just a flu bug. Ive watched this take my girl to deaths door.'

Hospitalised: After Sam revealed she had 'turned a corner' with the virus on Monday evening, Linda took to Twitter to thank the NHS and her followers

'Ive felt it take me there. Its a cruel, vile, remorseless, relentless, dark sickness. It was like three hands. One thats strangling you. One pushing your face down as it does. The other one ripping your heart out of your chest and it just doesnt stop... for days'.

'Youre totally helpless and in its grasp. Its nothing like flu,' he continued before pleading with those not adhering to government rules to stop going out.

'Please stop going out. Passing this around will mean it just takes longer till were back to normal. Please stay safe people. Two weeks away from anyone else outside your family should see this gone. Its that simple. Please stay in.'

Update: Sam posted on Facebook, begging the public to take the self isolation and self distancing rules seriously as he said: 'I cant stress enough that this is not just a flu bug

The day before Sam confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19, telling his Facebook followers that he had no idea where the couple had contracted the virus.

'Well. Its official. I am positive for CoronaVirus. I dont know if Im happy or gutted. Probably a bit of both. I hope its a one time thing coz I dont want this again,' the former actor wrote.

He added that Linda hadn't received her results yet, but he was 'certain' she had the virus.

'I dont know Lindas result yet but regardless of the test, Im certain that she has it too. Were told a lot of tests taken come back negative as the testing process is so sensitive. They tell me that tests, in a lot of cases, are false negatives. Kinda and I both had text book symptoms. God knows where we got it. But we did.

'Cruel': Its a cruel, vile, remorseless, relentless, dark sickness,' Linda's husband wrote of the illness which has seen them both hospitalised

'The NHS staff have been beyond incredible. The work and care they are giving at the front line with so little resources is astounding. Theyre fearless. The debt of gratitude I owe them for getting my girl back to a sense of normality will be owed for the rest of my life.'

'Please take care of yourselves. Isolating is the only way now. This has to be stopped and only we can do it. Take care of yourselves. Stay safe. Xxx'

Earlier in the day Sam wrote that he had good news for Mother's Day, telling his friends: Linda, I believe has turned a corner today. Thank God. Shes not out of the woods just yet but she appears, to my untrained eyes to have gotten over the worst.'

Positive: The day before Sam confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19, telling his Facebook followers that he had no idea where the couple had contracted the virus

Feeling better: Earlier in the day Sam wrote that he had good news for Mother's Day, telling his friends: Linda, I believe has turned a corner today'

'She is feeling a little better. She is eating and drinking. Functioning slowly but well. Her vitals were all normal last night. She had an uncomfortable night but its been better than most nights lately. Thank God.'

'Thank you so much for your love and support. I honestly dont know where wed be without it. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you. This is the best Mothers Day Gift we could have hoped for. God bless you all. Please stay safe. Xxx'

On Friday Sam posted to confirm that he and his wife had been hospitalised after showing symptoms and were about to be tested.

'Very ill': Sam Kane posted on Facebook on Friday afternoon that the couple had been hospitalised and would be tested for the virus 'very soon'

'To all who know us. Linda and I have been taken to hospital and will be tested for Covid 19 at some point very soon,' Sam wrote on Facebook.

'We are both stable but very ill. Thank you for all of your messages of support. Could I please ask that you hold off from any messaging at this time.'

'Your concern means the world to us. Prayers and positivity in abundance please if you have time. Thank you all. Stay safe. Xxx'

Update: Linda took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to reveal that the couple had symptoms writing: 'Sam and I have had COVID-19 symptoms and are in isolation'

Linda took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to reveal that the couple had symptoms writing: 'I want to thank you all for your good wishes. Sam and I have had COVID-19 symptoms and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else.

'We are taking it one-day-at-a-time, thats all we can do. But let me tell you weve never felt this ill, EVER!

'I wouldnt wish this on anyone. So stay safe everyone and follow the advice of the experts - please take care of yourselves, loved ones and each other xx'

Unwell: The former Page 3 girl suggested she was positive on Wednesday evening while responding to a fan request for a celebrity video message, ironically to a relative under quarantine in Spain

On Wednesday, the former Page 3 girl, 61, revealed she was struggling with coronavirus symptoms as recorded cases of the highly contagious virus continue to rise across the United Kingdom.

She revealed she had symptoms while responding to a fan request for a celebrity video message, ironically to a relative under quarantine in Spain. Replying to the fan, Linda wrote: 'Sorry Kerry. I am extremely ill with Corona at the moment.'

Wishing her well, one follower commented: 'Sending you all our love and hope you feel better soon love you very much.'

While another wrote: 'Get well soon Linda take care and rest up.'

Happy family: Linda married former Brookside and Emmerdale actor Samuel Kane in 1998; the couple are parents to two children - daughter Lucy, 24, and son Jack, 21

Reaching out to the star, a third added: 'Wishing you a very speedy recovery.'

Linda married former Brookside and Emmerdale actor Samuel Kane in 1998; the couple are parents to two children - daughter Lucy, 24, and son Jack, 21.

She shared images of herself enjoying a night out with her oldest child and her actor boyfriend Jack Rowan, best known for his roles in Peaky Blinders and controversial new drama Noughts and Crosses, as recently as March 6.
- The SGF, Boss Mustapha, has tested negative for coronavirus

- Osagie Ehanire, the minister of health, also tested negative of the deadly COVID-19

- The duo had contact with a patient who tested positive of the coronavirus

Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, have tested negative for coronavirus (COVID-19).

Channels TV reports that Ehanire disclosed this while briefing reporters on Thursday, March 26, in Abuja on the measures being taken by the federal government to curtail the spread of the disease in the country.

Legit.ng gathered that he revealed the permanent secretary in the federal ministry of health, Abdulaziz Marshi, also took the test and the result came out negative.

The minister explained that it was important to take the test after the three men had contact with an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Hours after the disclosure, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 14 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 65.

The SGF, Boss Mustapha and the minister of health, Osagie Enahire.

Source: UGC

A breakdown of the number of the additional cases showed that 12 new cases were discovered in Lagos while the remaining two were confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Six of the cases were detected on a vessel and three others were returning travellers into the country while the remaining case was a close contact of a confirmed case.

On the other hand, the NCDC revealed that another case had been discharged, bringing the number of persons who have recovered from the virus to three.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Kaduna state government imposed a curfew in the state, following the noncompliance to certain measures that were earlier put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

It was reported that the deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who made this known on Thursday, March 26, in the second state broadcast in two days, said that the decision was in line with the 1999 constitution.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

She said the decision is in the exercise of the powers vested in the governor by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999, (as amended), sections 2 and 8 of the quarantine act 1926 and the Kaduna state public health law of 1917.

In another report, following the confirmation of cases of the pandemic coronavirus in Lagos, the state government converted stadium to isolation centre in readiness for the expected spike in COVID-19 cases.

This was made known on Thursday, March 26, by a Twitter user, CBN Gov Akinsola AK on his twitter handle @cbngov_akin1. He commended the state government for its proactive measures in containing the spread of deadly diseases among the residents of the state.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!

Coronavirus: 5 ways Nigeria is handling COVID-19 | - on Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has said the government wants to use smartphone tracking information to fight the spread of the coronavirus in South Africa.

Ndabeni-Abrahams added that the mobile industry has agreed to provide data analytics services to help the government to track the movement of people.

Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy told MyBroadband their understanding is that the request is for high-level aggregated data on how people are moving to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

This does not include personal information or information that identifies a specific individual, Kennedy said.

He highlighted that current laws in South Africa serve to protect customer information and do not allow them to share any customer information without a court order or without the consent of the customer.

In the event that Vodacom is served with a Section 205 Subpoena from the court, Vodacom will then be obliged to act accordingly and will abide by applicable South African laws, Kennedy said.

Monitoring individual mobile phones

Ndabeni-Abrahams, however, is looking at tracking smartphone location data at an individual level to battle the COVID-19 outbreak.

Israels government recently approved emergency measures to monitor the mobile phones of people suspected or confirmed to have the coronavirus.

While this raised privacy concerns in the country, Ndabeni-Abrahams said it is something which the country should consider.

She explained that information about people who tested positive is available, and tracing individuals can contribute to the fight.

As you know when you fill in the form when you go for the test you put on your details, Ndabeni-Abrahams said.

Then to say we can know if this person tested positive in this area so that information can be provided so that we can trace it per area to say in this area that these are the individuals that are there.

She said this information can assist the government to ensure people who have tested positive for the coronavirus adhere to the rules that are there.

She said they are currently in engagement with the Department of Justice, State Security, and ICASA on the legality and implementation of this request.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said it is not good that we only want to protect the right of individuals at the expense of the rights of the country.

In this instance, we are looking at the only right that matters for now  the right to have life, she said.

The minister has also published a section in the latest Government Gazette, titled Individual Track and Trace.

This regulation requires telecoms licensees to provide location-based services in collaboration with the relevant authorities identified to support designated departments to assist and combat the spread of COVID-19.

Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams interview
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus after experiencing "mild symptoms" and is now self-isolating at 10 Downing Street.

In a video message posted on Twitter, the 55-year-old UK prime minister said that he will continue to lead the UK government's response to the deadly virus, which has claimed 578 lives.

Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus, Johnson said on Twitter.

I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus. Together we will beat this, he said.

The announcement has sent shockwaves across the top rung of the UK government, with most senior ministers and civil servants in and out of Downing Street as they work to curb the spread of the pandemic.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has previously tested negative for the deadly virus after displaying cough symptoms, will be the next in command in case Johnson has to take some time off if he gets more ill.

The comes just days after it was confirmed that Prince Charles had been diagnosed with COVID-19 but was displaying similarly mild symptoms. Clarence House said the 71-year-old heir to the British throne was self-isolating in Scotland and remained in "good health" as he continued to work from home.

Earlier this week, the prime minister's spokesperson had confirmed that if Johnson was unwell and unable to work, Raab, as the First Secretary of State, was the selected minister to stand in.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus, Johnson stressed in the video message posted on his Twitter account.

The other cause for concern within Downing Street quarters would be for Johnson's pregnant fiance Carrie Symonds, who is expecting the couple's child in a few months' time.

It is not known if she would move out of Downing Street to self-isolate separately because pregnant women generally are advised to follow social distancing more stringently, and minimise social contact for up to 12 weeks.

The UK prime minister tried to reassure the British public as he revealed that he had a temperature and a persistent cough as part of the mild symptoms of COVID-19 and stressed that he and the country will get through it by applying the measures he had announced earlier this week.

He repeated his call for everyone to stay at home, protect the National Health Service, and save lives.

Sounding optimistic and insisting that we will win, he used his message to also thank the NHS, which is at the frontline of the medical fight against the rapid spread of COVID-19, and said he had been moved by a national effort on Thursday night when people across the country stepped out of their homes to clap their hands in appreciation for the NHS.

It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS. But it's not just the NHS, it's our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP [Department for Work and Pensions] staff I want to thank everybody who's working to keep our country going through this epidemic, he said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said that after experiencing mild symptoms on Thursday, the prime minister was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty. The test was carried out in No 10 Downing Street by National Health Service (NHS) staff and the result of the test was positive.

In keeping with the guidance, the prime minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. He is continuing to lead the government's response to coronavirus, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the mother of Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, remains in isolation in Windsor Castle and it has been confirmed that she last met Johnson for one of their regular meetings on March 11.

While it is unconfirmed if the 93-year-old monarch has been tested so far, her aides would be relieved at her exposure now over the 14-day mark, believed to be the incubation period of the virus.

There are more than 11,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, and 578 people have died a jump of 100 in a single day on Thursday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bezos also discussed the urgent need for collective action to produce and distribute a large number of COVID-19 test kits.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus are working out on ways to restrict the spread of novel Coronavirus using a number of tools.

Bezos shared a screengrab of his videoconference with Ghebreyesus on Instagram. The billionaire spoke how Amazon Web Service is providing assistance to WHO and its Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source initiative in tracking trends in epidemiology through artificial intelligence from around the world.

Bezos also discussed the urgent need for collective action to produce and distribute a large number of COVID-19 test kits.

He said a large amount of fast, effective, easy-to-access test kits would help flatten the curve and protect people across the world.

The WHO director general was assured by Bezos that Amazon would continue to help in every way in the coming weeks and months.



Ghebreyesus said that Amazon can help in data analytics, the supply chain of protective equipment for health workers, increase the availability of coronavirus tests, bolster WHOs website, and consider supporting the response fund.

Thank you, @JeffBezos, for a good call today on how @amazon can help @WHO & #COVID19 response, esp in data analytics, supply chain of protective equipment for #healthworkers, scale up availability of #coronavirus tests, bolster our website & consider supporting the Response Fund.  Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 26, 2020



The deadly virus, which was first reported in Chinas Wuhan, has claimed over 24,000 lives and infected more than 5 lakh people worldwide.

Countries across the world are opting for various measures, including lockdowns, to stop the deadly virus from spreading further.


Ripple Labs mentioned that the donation in their own backyard was but the first step in their commitment of being a part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

American tech company Ripple Labs has donated $200,000 to aid battle the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.

A couple of tweets were made by the firms official Twitter handle confirming the news.

The company said the total money will be split into two parts. One half will go to the Tipping Point Communitys COVID Emergency Response Fund and the other half to the Silicon Valley Community Foundations COVID Regional Response Fund.

In these challenging times, Ripple is committed to being part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Were starting in our own backyard with $100K donations each to @tippingpoint's COVID emergency response fund and @siliconvalleycfs COVID Regional Response Fund. (1/2)  Ripple (@Ripple) March 25, 2020

Ripple Labs mentioned that the donation in their own backyard was but the first step in their commitment of being a part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here for Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates

The blockchain company shared the link to the World Health Organisations (WHO) COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund page for anyone who wished to contribute.

In these challenging times, Ripple is committed to being part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Were starting in our own backyard with $100K donations each to @tippingpoint's COVID emergency response fund and @siliconvalleycfs COVID Regional Response Fund. (1/2)  Ripple (@Ripple) March 25, 2020

While Tipping Point is a nonprofit organisation working to break the cycle of poverty in the Bay Area of San Fransisco, Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) focuses on relief efforts to contain the spread of the highly infectious COVID-19 across the Silicon Valley area.

The Tipping Point aims at raising $30 million for its Emergency Response effort.

Meanwhile, several impersonators of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse have been organising giveaways through popular social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

Brad tweeted about these impersonators and sought strict action against them.

Enough is enough -- in a time of global crisis, when people are especially vulnerable -- social platforms need to hold scammers (crypto and otherwise) accountable for stealing money from innocent victims with fake giveaways. (1/2) https://t.co/wxrF4J3JWu  Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 25, 2020
- The precautions come in the backdrop of reports from Europe and Asia indicating chloroquine may cure the deadly virus

- The board warned of dire consequences if the medicine is used without a medical doctor's prescription

- It further restricted pharmacies from selling it to members of the public without a valid prescription from a medic

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has warned Kenyans against using hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine vaccine to cure COVID-19 noting the drug may have irreversible side effects.

The precautions come in the backdrop of reports from Europe and Asia indicating the vaccination may cure the deadly virus if used alongside antibiotics such as azithromycin.

READ ALSO: Senate, National Assembly Speakers take 30% salary cut for 3 months to support COVID-19 eradication

Using chloroquine to treat COVID-19 may lead to irreversible blindness - Pharmacy board warns

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Maswali na majibu kuhusu coronavirus

In a statement released on Thursday, March 26, the board warned of dire consequence such as permanent blindness.

"Please note that irrational use of these hydroxychloroquine may lead to irreversible blindness which is detrimental to the health of the public," read the statement in part.

The board further restricted pharmacies from selling the drugs to members of the public without a valid prescription from a medical doctor.

Using chloroquine to treat COVID-19 may lead to irreversible blindness - Pharmacy board warns

Source: UGC

The drug regulator noted there has been an upsurge in the purchase of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine ever since reports suggesting the combination could cure COVID-19.

"Please note that clinical trials on the use of the two medicines are still ongoing and no robust clinical data substantiating their use for prophylaxis and curative purposes is available, hence caution has to be applied when using them," added the board.

According to medics in France and China, six patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and antibiotic azithromycin showed impressive results with five of them returning negative results by the third day. All the six tested negative by the sixth day.

"We were able to establish that patients who were treated with Plaquelin containing (drug Hydroxychloroquine) were out of danger by the sixth day but those who were not subjected to the treatment remained contagious," read the research report.

Chloroquine phosphate and Hydroxychloroquine have been used to cure coronavirus in China in ongoing clinical trials.

The US President endorsed the drug and asked medics to move with speed and make final reports on it to help save lives of over 400, 000 people already infected with the virus and many others exposed to the risk.

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.

Landlords from heaven : The Kenyan men who waived rent for their tenants | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
A court in Delhi on Thursday granted bail to seven people arrested in connection with the recent communal violence in north east Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Metropolitan Magistrate Vijayshree Rathore granted relief to Mohd Arman, Shakir, Dilshad, Zakib, Bhure Khan, Razi and Shabir on furnishing a bail bond of 20,000 with one surety of like amount.

The court granted bail on the ground of principle of parity since two people were earlier enlarged on bail in the case.

During the hearing, the police opposed the bail pleas saying the investigation was at its initial stage and the allegations against them were serious in nature.

Advocate Abdul Gaffar, appearing for accused, argued the allegations against the seven arrested were false
 I am sure everyone heard the startling unemployment claim numbers yesterday (over 3 million in one week), but the magnitude of it is even more dramatic when presented in a time-series graph going back over 50 years:

 Im still wondering whether a very nasty bug I had back in late November/early December, with unusual, persistent symptoms that sound like COVID-19, could have in fact been COVID-19. It did come upon me a couple weeks after I had returned from Europe, where I had been both on a cruise ship and around a lot of Chinese tourists in Italy. Probably cant know for sure until I get tested for antibodies, which will have to wait, but this Huff Post story raises the possibility:

Theres evidence the coronavirus started spreading in America earlier than people were really tracking it. Some experts suspect that the first U.S. cases began in January. Lee Riley, chair of the division of infectious disease and vaccinology at the University of California, Berkeleys School of Public Health, told Medium that its safe to assume the virus has probably been spreading in your community for about two weeks before theres a confirmed death. Combine all of these facts, and the theory that some people may have already been infected with the virus and recovered isnt an outrageous one. That may be slightly comforting, especially since some experts believe you may have some level of immunity once you get COVID-19.

If this turns out to be roughly correct, it would mean the mortality rate of COVID-19 is likely more on the low end of the estimates.

 A juxtaposition to ponder:

Wolves have been seen in downtown Cleveland, like Rome during the black plague. Walker Percy, Love in the Ruins Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle, March 26, 2020

 Ill want to do a long separate article later when I have more time, but as a placeholder for the moment let us revel in the fact that all of the virtue-signaling nostrums of the left are going by the wayside now that something serious is underway. Reusable grocery bags and and personal coffee mugs have been banned, and plastic bags are making a comeback. Even the New York Times admits that high-density urban form and mass transit, which environmentalists have been trying to cram down our throats for the last 25 years, are detrimental to controlling a pandemic:

Density Is New York Citys Big Enemy in the Coronavirus Fight . . . Density is really an enemy in a situation like this, said Dr. Steven Goodman, an epidemiologist at Stanford University. With large population centers, where people are interacting with more people all the time, thats where its going to spread the fastest. The challenge facing New York and other tightly cramped cities around the United States can be seen by comparing the countrys largest city to its second biggest, Los Angeles. As of Monday, there were more than 13,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in New York and about 500 in Los Angeles. New York reported 125 deaths; Los Angeles reported seven. The population of Los Angeles is about half of New Yorks, and it has conducted significantly fewer tests for the coronavirus. But researchers said one of the biggest reasons for the difference may be that in general, California residents live further apart from each other. Out here, were spread out, said Dr. Lee Riley, professor of infectious diseases at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health. People use cars, the public transportation system is terrible. Whereas in New York City, you have the subways, the buses, Times Square, people living in your small apartment buildings.

And dont even get me started on the indispensable role of all those assistant deans of diversity and inclusion that have sprung up like topsy on every campus. How can we possibly overcome this health crisis without them? (Ill come back to this later, too. The financial hit colleges and universities are going to take from this is likely to be substantial, with many colleges perhaps going out of business as soon as next fall or the year after. And perhaps the necessary belt-tightening to stay alive will see some of these asshat administrators given their much-deserved pink slips.)

 For comic relief, always good to have J.P. Sears on the job, explaining why we shall all panic more:
Harry, Meghan move to Los Angeles

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have moved to L.A., according to multiple reports (and to no ones surprise). It was always their plan to eventually be based in California since their work life will be focused in the US, a source told ET. The former Duke and Duchess of Sussex were living primarily in Canada after stepping away from the royal family earlier this year, but now appear to be setting up new careers. Markle, a TV actress who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the narrator for Disneys new documentary Elephant"; a trailer was released Thursday.

Tiger King news

While everyones stuck at home, a new Netflix series has become a hot topic: Tiger King. The true crime docu-series debuted last fall, but has exploded in popularity as everyone obsessed over Joe Exotic, a mulleted private zoo owner convicted of ordering the contract killing of an animal rights activist. SlashFilm reports Kate McKinnon is now set to play the activist Carole Baskin in a TV adaptation. Also this week, Exotic has made headlines by filing a $94 million lawsuit from prison, accusing the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Federal Wildlife Service of intentionally hurting his business by placing the generic tiger on the endangered species list. And one of Exotics husbands, John Finlay, is criticizing the series and refusing to do a second season (if there would be one) because they showed him mostly toothless, before he got a new set of teeth. Oh, and Jared Leto dressed up as Exotic for a virtual viewing party with fans last night.

New music

The concert industry is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but artists are still able to get new music out to fans. Highlights this week include Bob Dylans first original song in eight years (a 17-minute epic about the JFK assassination), Dua Lipas Future Nostalgia album, Pearl Jams Gigaton, a Bon Jovi charity song with Prince Harry (seriously), a Jessie Reyez collaboration with Eminem, and the return of Rihanna on PartyNextDoors new song Believe It.

MORE BUZZ:

Kathy Griffin home from hospital after coronavirus concerns ( ET

Ralph Lauren donates $1 million to coronavirus relief ( E!

R. Kelly seeks release from prison due to coronavirus risk ( THR

Da Brat introduces the world to her girlfriend ( BB

Evangeline Lilly apologizes for arrogant coronavirus comments ( ET

Carson Daly, wife welcome baby No. 4 ( E!

Xfinity, AT&T offering premium channels for free ( SF

Buzz is a daily roundup of entertainment news from movies, TV, music and celebrity gossip.
The Oppo Reno Ace 2 coming next month was recently spotted on 3C with model code PDHM00, and the listing revealed it will support 5G networks and 65W fast charging.

The Reno Ace 2 has now received TENAA certification as well. The Chinese authority's website once again confirms that Reno Ace 2 will support the next-gen network. Besides, the listing includes the phone's images, which reveal its design.

The Reno Ace 2 has a punch hole display and the back houses four cameras inside a circular setup. This is similar to an image that leaked last week, but the difference between the both is that the photo we see today has the flash on the right side of the cameras, while the one previously leaked didn't have it.

This means that either the previously leaked image is fake or it's a different phone.

Images of Oppo PDHM00 believed to the Reno Ace 2

That said, an Oppo employee took to Weibo to confirm that Reno Ace 2 will charge wirelessly at up to 40W - a feature that was missing from its predecessor.

Details are scarce about the Reno Ace 2 right now, but we should hear more about it in the coming days.

Source 1, 2, 3 (all in Chinese) | Via 1, 2
By Trend

Despite the 60-70 percent decrease in passenger traffic via regular bus services in Azerbaijans capital Baku under the special quarantine regime, the number of daily operating buses was not reduced, Baku Transport Agency told Trend.

Also, carriers were given instructions to regulate the intervals between the arrivals of buses taking into account the epidemiological situation. The goal is, first of all, to ensure the transportation of citizens working in vital institutions of national importance and other important areas.

Baku Transport Agency expressed regret that some passengers do not comply with the requirements and recommendations under the special quarantine regime and leave home without any urgent need.

As a result, passenger traffic density is observed in buses moving in some directions. This increases the risk of infection and poses a threat to the health of individuals whose activities are extremely important for each of us. The current situation makes it necessary to apply additional restrictions with regard to regular bus services. In this case, the operation of regular buses will be completely suspended, and passenger transportation will be carried out only in certain directions," said the Agency.

The Agency again appeals to citizens, and urges them not to leave home without emergency, to follow the rules and recommendations to ensure safety and protect health.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 02:32:29|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Thursday welcomed the temporary cease-fire announced by the Southern Cameroons Defense Forces (SOCADEF) following UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global cease-fire to facilitate the global response to COVID-19, said a UN spokesman.

The secretary-general called on other armed groups to do likewise, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres.

The UN chief reiterated his call for renewed dialogue that will address all relevant issues in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon and that will put an end to the violence and human suffering.

Guterres reiterated the readiness of the United Nations to assist the authorities and the people of Cameroon in that regard, said Dujarric.

Since 2017, separatist fighters in Cameroon have staged attacks in the English-speaking regions in protest of marginalization by the country's French-speaking majority. SOCADEF is one of such forces.

On Wednesday, the United Nations welcomed the temporary cease-fire announced a day earlier by the Communist Party of the Philippines with the government.

Guterres encouraged the parties to reach a lasting political solution and end this longstanding conflict, said Dujarric on Wednesday.

Guterres on Monday called for an immediate global cease-fire in face of COVID-19.
The ongoing novel Coronavirus pandemic has created havoc across the globe with many lives lost due to the deadly virus. Speaking about the outbreak, there were reports that Coronavirus was first transmitted from a bat to a person who might have consumed the animal. Actor Emraan Hashmi made such a case in his latest tweet with mock conviction.

The Jannat actor took to his Twitter page and wrote, "And all this because some person thousands of miles away wanted to have a freakish culinary experience like eating a BAT, " (sic) venting his anger on someone in the faraway Chinese city of Wuhan who might have consumed an infected bat to contract Coronavirus, and then pass it on to others, thereby planting the seed of the ongoing global pandemic.

Earlier, Emraan had lashed out at people who took to streets to celebrate during the recent Janta Curfew. The actor had posted on his social media page, "With the current outbreak hope everyone is safe and tucked away in their homes. Please travel or venture out only if you really need to. How we discipline ourselves will dictate how well we can control this pandemic. There will be enough time to dance on the streets.. Take care." (sic)

Meanwhile, Emraan recently celebrated his 41st birthday in quarantine. Speaking about it, he told Mumbai Mirror, "It's a strange time we are living in right now. This is a birthday I will never forget, and I hope it's the only one I am spending under quarantine."

When asked how he celebrated his birthday, he revealed that he spent his day reading and watching a film. His wife Parveen baked a cake while his son Ayaan helped her. The little one also made a birthday card for him. "Ordering from outside is out of the question at this point," the actor said further adding, "We spoke to a few friends, video calling some others who live in the UK and the US to check up on them."

Emraan also opened up about the nationwide lockdown and said, "None of us were prepared for this, but I think it's the new normal, which we are all getting used to. Yes, it's frustrating being locked up, but it's for the greater good."

Speaking about films, the Murder actor will next be seen in Amitabh Bachchan's Chehre.

Rajkumar Hirani, Ayushmann Khurrana Support Daily Wage Workers Amidst Coronavirus Crisis

COVID-19: Hrithik Roshan Contributes Rs 20 Lakhs To Procure Preventive Masks For BMC Workers
The federal defenders office of the District said that judges are releasing some inmates from jail for two reasons: they have health issues, or their lawyers had not been able to communicate with them. The D.C. jail had required that meetings with defense counsel occur in person; it is now allowing such meetings to occur by video conference, but there can be long waits.
Roofs of buildings are covered with snow in Bologna, Italy, on March 26, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 8,165 lives in locked-down Italy by Thursday, with the cumulative number of cases reaching 80,539, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

ROME, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus pandemic has claimed 8,165 lives in locked-down Italy by Thursday, with the cumulative number of cases reaching 80,539, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department.

Speaking during a nightly televised press conference, Agostino Miozzo, director of Civil Protection Department and coordinator of the Technical and Scientific Committee, confirmed that there are 4,492 new coronavirus infections compared to Wednesday, bringing the nationwide active infections to 62,013 cases.

Of those infected, 33,648 are under house isolation and 3,612 are hospitalized in intensive care, while 24,753 are in ordinary hospital wards.

He added that there were 999 new recoveries compared to Wednesday, bringing the total to 10,361.

The death toll between Wednesday and Thursday was 662, bringing the total to 8,165 since the pandemic first broke out in northern Italy on Feb. 21.

The numbers are up from an official tally on Wednesday evening of 57,521 actively infected, 7,503 deaths, and 9,362 recoveries.

Miozzo also confirmed that Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli has tested negative for the virus, and that Italian citizens have so far donated over 52 million euros to the Civil Protection Department to fight the emergency. (1 euro = 1.10 U.S. dollars)

A park is covered with snow in Bologna, Italy, on March 26, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 8,165 lives in locked-down Italy by Thursday, with the cumulative number of cases reaching 80,539, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
Scientists have discovered three new species of toothed pterosaurs -- a community of flying reptiles that inhabited the Sahara 100 million years ago.

The pterosaurs were part of an ancient river ecosystem in Africa that was full of life, including fish, crocodiles, turtles and several predatory dinosaurs, said researchers from the University of Portsmouth in the UK.

The new fossils, described in the journal Cretaceous Research, are helping to uncover the very poorly known evolutionary history of Africa during the time of the dinosaurs.

The new findings led by Megan Jacobs from Baylor University in the US show that African pterosaurs were quite similar to those found on other continents.

These flying predators soared above a world dominated by predators, including crocodile-like hunters and carnivorous dinosaurs. Herbivores such as sauropods and ornithischian dinosaurs are rare.

Many of the predators, including the toothed pterosaurs, preyed on a superabundance of fish, the researchers said.

"We are in a golden age for discovering pterodactyles. This year alone we have discovered three new species and we are only into March, said Professor David Martill from Portsmouth University.

The new pterosaurs identified by the researchers from chunks of jaws and teeth, found in the middle Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco, had wingspans of around three to four metres.

These aerial fishers snatched up their prey while on the wing, using a murderous looking set of large spike-like teeth that formed a highly effective tooth grab, according to the researchers.

Large pterosaurs such as these would have been able to forage over vast distances, similar to present day birds such as condors and albatrosses, they said.

"These new finds provide an important window into the world of African pterosaurs," said Nizar Ibrahim, assistant professor at University of Detroit Mercy in the US.

"We know so much more about pterosaurs from places like Europe and Asia, so describing new specimens from Africa is always very exciting," Ibrahim said.

One of the species, Anhanguera, was previously only known from Brazil. Another, Ornithocheirus, had until now only been found in England and Middle Asia, the researchers said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(JTA)The leaders of the Conservative movements Jewish law committee issued a crisis declaration allowing the recitation of the Mourners Kaddish with a virtual online prayer quorum.

In a statement issued this week, Rabbis Elliot Dorff and Pamela Barmash, the co-chairs of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, said that given the current public health crisis its permitted to constitute a prayer quorum, or minyan, with individuals connected by videoconference.

This permission of constituting a minyan solely online, whether for all prayers requiring a minyan or only for Mourners Kaddish, is limited to this shaat hadehak (crisis situation), where for weeks at a time, gathering a minyan is not possible without risk to human life, the rabbis wrote. This permission is also limited to an area where most of the synagogues have been ordered, or recommended, to close for the crisis.

Under traditional understandings of Jewish law, a minyan requires the presence of ten adult Jews in one physical place. The CJLS itself upheld that standard by overwhelming majority in a 2001 paper authored by Rabbi Avram Israel Reisner.

But the Dorff and Barmash letter, while not a formal committee responsum, nevertheless argues that the current coronavirus pandemic constitutes an extraordinary situation in which this particular limitation of Jewish law may be suspended. Their opinion does impose certain limits, including requiring participants to see and hear one another and to respond with the Hebrew word amen at the appropriate times.

It also notes the particular concern regarding its application on the Jewish Sabbath, when use of electronic devices are generally prohibited. In particular, the statement notes that any livestream should not be activated by a Jewish person on the Sabbath, a limitation that poses problems for platforms like Zoom, which normally require users to actively log in.

Among the many ways the coronavirus pandemic has upended Jewish life, the recitation of the Mourners Kaddish is among the most emotionally weighty. Mourners traditionally recite the prayer daily for 11 months after the death of a parent, and for 30 days after the death of other close relatives, and it is often considered an important piece of the grieving process. As sweeping restrictions on social gatherings increasingly became the norm across the world in recent days, many Jewish mourners found themselves unable to gather the ten people necessary to recite it.

Some [mourners] may feel distress at not being able to recite [Mourners Kaddish] in the absence of a minyan, particularly for a prolonged period, and rabbis must reassure mourners that they are fulfilling their Jewish legal obligations under the circumstances and should feel no guilt whatsoever in remembering and honoring the deceased in this way, said the letter.

The letter also provided a link to prayers that can be said in lieu of the Mourners Kaddish.

Related Resource: My Jewish Learning, one of JTAs sister sites, has launched a Virtual Minyan for those looking for an online opportunity to recite the Mourners Kaddish.
Relatives of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing victims place roses over a plaque etched with victims' names during a ceremony in New York City on Feb. 26, 2020. (Scott Heins/Getty Images)

Will Americas New Counter Terrorism Chief Be an Honest Broker on the Roots of Terrorism?

Commentary

The Acting Director of National Intelligence has announced the appointment of a new director for the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC)Lora Shiao.

Ms. Shiaos impressive background includes numerous assignments within various defense and intelligence agencies of the federal government. Ms. Shiao will be responsible for maintaining the NCTC as a center of gravity and leading voice that unifies counterterrorism intelligence for the homeland and abroad.

Established in August 2004 at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, the NCTC has more than 1,000 personnel perceived by other U.S. government partners, according to its website, as honest brokers disseminating reliable information about terrorist threats. Yet despite its mandate, the NCTC since its inception has largely failed to provide local, state, and federal partners with reliable information about the terrorist threat, at least when it comes to terrorist motivations.

The 9/11 Commission stated that the enemy is not just terrorism, some generic evil. This vagueness blurs the strategy. The catastrophic threat at this moment in history is more specific. It is the threat posed by Islamist terrorism  especially the al Qaeda network, its affiliates, and its ideology. The 9/11 Commission also pointed out that Bin Laden and Islamist terrorists mean exactly what they say.

Indeed, in 1998, Bin Laden told the Taliban, I do not need to tell you that this sacred struggle should continue until holy places of Muslims are liberated from the occupation of non-Muslims and the Islamic Sharia is enforced on the land of God. Obviously, for the enforcement of Sharia, it is essential for all Muslims that they should establish an Islamic system on the basis of teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.

The 9/11 Commission described sharia as the code of law derived from the Quran and the Hadith and since 9/11 numerous American terrorists who either planned or perpetrated terrorist attacks have made their intentions and their motivations quite clear in relation to the sharia.

Would be Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad wrote, We Muslims dont abide by human-made laws, because they are always corrupt I say to them, we dont accept your democracy nor your freedom, because we already have Sharia law and freedom.

Homegrown terrorists like Terry Lee Loewen, who attempted to conduct a suicide bombing at the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in December 2013, share the exact same doctrine. Loewen told law enforcement, I have been studying subjects like jihad, martyrdom operations, and Sharia law. I dont understand how you can read the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet and not understand that jihad and the implementation of Sharia is absolutely demanded of all the Muslim Ummah.

Historically however there has been a profound lack of information about sharia and its doctrinal underpinnings pushed out by the NCTC to law enforcement around the nation, in preference for vague terms such as Homegrown Violent Extremists, where violent extremism is defined as a complex and global phenomenon, which is not limited to a particular ideology.

There have been signs of improvement. The Trump Administrations National Security Strategy identified sharia as the motivating factor behind the terrorist threat facing the United States, and a 2019 NCTC document for First Responders did note that potential terror suspects may make references to their motivation to establish the sharia, which the document accurately defined, along with several other key sharia legal terms.

Ms. Shiao should build on these small improvements. It is imperative that NCTC analysts and leaders be honest brokers about the true motivation for the vast majority of terrorist activity in the United States and worldwide.

Members of local, state, and federal governments charged with protecting American citizens from terrorism rely on the NCTC to uphold the ethical standards of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to, seek the truth; speak truth to power; and obtain, analyze, and provide intelligence objectively. Our newest NCTC director needs the courage to be an honest broker on this subject, banish the institutional vagueness and lift the veil on sharia.

Tommy Waller serves as Director of Infrastructure Protection at the Center for Security Policy. Prior to joining the Center, Waller served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps in the infantry and reconnaissance specialties, with combat service overseas in numerous theaters, and service on both active duty and in the reserves. Waller currently manages the Secure the Grid Coalitiona group of policymakers, defense professionals, and activists working diligently to secure Americas most critical infrastructurethe U.S. electric grid. Learn more at SecureTheGrid.com.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An image shared from a Cork nursing home is highlighting the measures being taken by families to ensure the safety of vulnerable loved and limit the spread of Covid-19.

George OSullivan is a resident of Cramers Court Nursing Home in Belgooly, Kinsale.

A photo of him greeting his daughter Lillian and grandson George from his bedroom window was taken by Teresa ODonovan.

George OSullivan, resident of Cramers Court Nursing Home in Belgooly, Kinsale, Co Cork, greeting his daughter Lillian and grandson George from his bedroom window. Photo: Teresa ODonovan

Cramers Court is encouraging family members to send care packages to their loved ones who are residing in the home, which could include a drawing from a grandchild, a hand-written letter, or a picture from the family.

The image of Mr O'Sullivan and his family comes after Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan confirmed six clusters of Covid-19 have been found in Irish nursing homes. He urged families to keep away from their loved ones.

Dr Holohan said that the HSE is worried about the pattern of outbreaks in nursing homes and long-stay care facilities. He reiterated yesterday that people would still need to keep their distance from loved ones who are in care settings.

"In some of those facilities, some of the practices of infection control are harder to implement and it creates a significant risk for individuals in those settings," Dr Holohan said.

As weve been saying all along  care for your loved one by staying away.

Dr Holohan urged families to stay in contact with loved ones by other means  telephone, text and video calling.
Jones Nhinson Williams

27.03.2020 LISTEN

In the Republic of Liberia, as in most, if not every democratic Country, legislators make up the National Legislature. Besides, the National Legislature, the Liberian government has two other branches of government: the Executive headed by the Presidency and Judiciary headed by the Supreme Court of Liberia. Of the three branches that make up the Liberian government, the place of primacy belongs to the National Legislature because the function of government begins by law-making and is followed up by law-enforcement and adjudicative functions. As such, the Legislature is the first organ of the Liberian government. Therefore, the primary purpose of the Liberian Legislature is to make and pass laws. However, while this may be their primary function, the Lawmakers have other authorities and powers as well. Amongst those authorities and powers include but not limited to, ensuring that the Executive and Judiciary branches comply with its laws. That also includes monitoring an unruly presidency [if any] and a compromised judiciary [if any] as well as ensuring that the Liberian people attain their basic needs and aspirations. After all, that is why their (Legislators) constituents/people elected them as lawmakers. It means there are rules of behavior that apply to members of the Liberian Legislature.

But most members of the Liberian Legislature seem to believe and think that the standard rules [basic ethics] don't apply to themtherefore they do or can do anything at will including seeking their personal and collective interests and uttering lose talks. If the Liberian people were to consistently accept or agree to these kinds of behavior or frequently remain silent, the consequences wouldn't just be limited to ruining the national identity, pride, and integrity of Liberia as a country. Instead, our lawmakers would continue to do severe damage to the future of Liberia as a nation and people, hindering our capacity and ability to prosper, develop, and be sustainable as a country.

That is why to the lawmakers, we say your people elected you to improve their lives, develop the Country [Liberia], and make them participate in their economy and civil life in full. Instead, you have put your interests and the interests of your immediate families, foreign friends, and partners first, forgetting to realize that life is too short, and our time on this earth is limited. What you are doing has consequences - both short and long term. The citizens are feeling some of the consequences of your wicked thoughts and actions now. Still, our children's children, whose future you are now mortgaging just as other Liberian officials before you did as in the case of the Firestone concession agreement, NOCAL fiasco, will experience most of them.

Every single Liberian should worry about our nation! There are too many problems in the Country, and the President cannot solve these problems alone, especially so when it is clear that his administration inherited dozens of setbacks, economic shocks, and sabotage. These are in addition to the self-inflicted roadblocks the administration itself has and continues to create as a result of relative functional incapacity and mixed priorities that do little in addressing the Country's challenges such as:

One of the poorest countries in the world, 83.8 percent of Liberia's population lives below the poverty line ($1.25 per day), and 94 percent of workers are deficient (living on less than $2 per day). Liberia | Hunger Relief in Africa | Action Against Hunger.

The strengthening of the health sector faced financial problems. Liberia's 4.5 Million Population Has Only 298 Medical Doctors. According to the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, there are currently 298 medical doctors responsible for the Country's 4.5 million population, making the doctor per patient ratio 1: 15,000. The field of specialty is limited. Liberia's health sector hits rock bottom - International report - RFI Liberias labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate), is now less than the initial 55.7%. The total employment (millions; ages 15+) in the Country is less than the initial 1.5 currently. Jobs Data for Liberia: World Bank. Youth unemployment used to be 85%, but now we don't even count it. These are real problems that need real solutions from serious-minded people.

I want to be very clear. I am not a CDCian, and I remain an apolitical global public policy professional. Still, like most patriotic Liberians, I conditionally support President Weah and everyone in the Liberian government and the Liberian business community. I want President Weah, the Liberian government, and the Liberian business community to succeed because when they succeed and the government does well, we are bound to have a better Liberia. Equally, President Weah is human; he was not born as a President; though he was overwhelmingly elected, he was born poor like most of us, and is not immune to mistakes. I also refuse to accept the relative view of some Liberian political and social critics that think our President is a fool nor the hypocrisy of some of his (the President) diehard supporters that think he is some god. President Weah himself knows that he (President Weah) is subject to errors from time to time because he is human; and is not perfect. These are precisely the reasons why the President needs the prayers and help of all Liberians so that he can govern well for the good of all.

As lawmakers, our Senators and Members of the House of Representatives' roles are not just to seek their interests or jump over hills to criticize the President when their interest is at stake. But this is what we see day in and out. Governance in Liberia is very destructive today and even doing the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf because of the greed and corrupt nature of the Liberian Legislature before and now. According to some scholars, "Greed is an excessive love or desire for money or any possession. Greed is not merely caring about money and possessions, but caring too much about them. The greedy person is too attached to his things and his money, or he desires more money and more things excessively."

Most Liberian Lawmakers claim to believe in God, and some of them are even "pastors" and "elders" in some churches. So, what does God say about greed in the Bible? Luke 12:15 - Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 1 Corinthians 6:10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Greed, in general, is sparked by selfishness. Excessive selfishness, which seems prevalent in most of our Lawmakers, is the result of ignorance, lack of wisdom, lack of kindness, and love for the Country. Some philosophical scholars from my school of thought have also identified fear, insecurity, anxiety, the tendency to betray others, overconfidence, and arrogance as instincts that result from greed.

As lawmakers, if our elected Senators and Representatives live up to their solemn oath and the confidence that their people have in them, and act in the national interest, Liberia will rise, and be a better country to live, work and do business. It also means they (Lawmakers) will help in making our President a better Leader and the Liberian government a responsive administration.

Saying no to President Weah [at times] and to one another in the National Legislature on national issues when it is the right thing to do does not mean you don't like the President, or that you hate him. It just means you want the President to succeed by doing the right thing, and above all, it means you love Liberia. Equally, providing effective oversight  with total independence, transparency, care, and concern - over the judiciary and various government agencies in the Executive Branch does not mean you are necessarily political. It just means you are looking out for the good of Liberians and also protecting the future of the Country and Liberian children unborn.

Liberians at home and abroad and even our international partners think you, our lawmakers, are unpatriotic to the point of betraying Liberian values and your people's interests. Instead of gathering personal wealth and assets that you would leave behind when you die, do your job by providing effective legislative oversight for the good of the Country and the future of all Liberian children.

According to public philosophy, effective legislative oversight is crucial because it "protects civil liberties and constitutional rights; inform the general public and ensure that executive policies reflect the public interest. It gathers information to develop new legislative proposals or to amend existing statutes; ensure administrative compliance with legislative intent among other things. It also ensures budget control and judicial integrity and independence." Finally, it makes a country better and a government effective, efficient, accountable and transparent. By these ideas and actions, you are helping President Weah, the Liberian government, and the Liberian business community to do better and succeed. Above all, it means you are patriotic, love Liberia and truly represent your people who have unquestionably entrusted you with their hopes and aspirations. By doing your job accordingly, you become "Honorable" in the most exact meaning of the word. For now, we are watching!

About the Author

J.N. Williams is a Catholic educated public philosopher and a U. S. trained public policy and institutional governance professional with strong expertise in job creation policy, workforce development analysis, and socio-economic growth and development. He can be reached at [email protected]
Faced with the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani recently wrote a letter to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, asking him to play a role in lifting US sanctions. Since then, Islamabad has speeded up diplomatic efforts to provide relief to Tehran in combating the disease.

On March 19 in Iran, 149 people died  one person every 10 minutes  because of COVID-19, the government said. The rate was still about the same March 26, when 156 deaths were reported.

I would stress and insist to the international community to lift the sanctions on Iran, Khan said recently at a news conference. The global community is fighting an unprecedented pandemic and, in his view, world leaders should show compassion toward each other.

Irans coronavirus outbreak has had a major impact on Pakistan, and Islamabad is struggling to control the epidemic with lockdowns all over the country as more than 1,100 cases have been confirmed there. Proactive measures taken by Iran would also help Pakistan by allowing for faster containment of the coronavirus, which knows no borders.

Even though the Pakistan-Iran border is sealed, religious pilgrims returning from Iran glutted the Taftan border quarantine facilities in the province of Baluchistan, resulting in massive chaos and mismanagement. Thousands of untested pilgrims were sent to their respective provinces, where more than 20% of them were discovered to have contracted COVID-19. Not only that, but some of them had escaped from quarantine and become a security risk. In fact, the overwhelming majority of coronavirus cases in Pakistan have been linked to Iran.

Therefore, even though Pakistan has tried to mediate and defuse tensions between the United States and Iran on previous occasions as a friendly gesture, this time Pakistan is facing an emergency. Since February, when the virus was first discovered in Iran, officials there have been avoiding a lockdown on cities and the disease has spread like wildfire beyond its borders to the entire Middle East and Pakistan in South Asia. Right now, most of Irans neighbors are struggling to contain the outbreak.

Popular public places like shrines were not closed in Iran even weeks after it was confirmed that pilgrims from neighboring countries had carried the virus back home. Even once some shrines were closed, hard-line Shiite adherents forced their way in.

Notwithstanding Irans impact on the region, its Supreme National Security Council is not in favor of a lockdown and has refused several requests by health authorities in badly hit provinces. To impose a lockdown, the government would have to be able to support its citizens. If it gets some relief from US sanctions, Iran could get the medical support it requires and enforce a proper lockdown, save more lives, and provide better facilities for its doctors and health workers.

According to Health Minister Saeed Namaki, the epidemic would last until June even if Iran had the money to get more ventilators, testing kits, protective gear and masks. The outbreak has been ruthless. Iran was approaching 30,000 confirmed cases as of March 26, and 24 Iranian parliamentarians and top officials, including First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, have contracted the disease.

Around seven officials and lawmakers, including one adviser to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, have died from the disease. As Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi said, In a normal situation and a good economy, we could have imposed a lockdown.

With no containment measures for slowing the transmission speed, the pandemic could create havoc and result in 3.5 million deaths in Iran by the time the virus is expected to peak in May. If that happens, the death toll would be three times more than Iran had to bear during its eight-year war with Iraq.

The economic sanctions restrict Irans access to its financial assets in other countries, prevent bank transfers and deprive it of export earnings. The United States even placed some new sanctions on Iran, even as it offered to help in containing the outbreak there.

Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said at a news conference last week that US sanctions are not preventing aid from getting to Iran. The sanctions are designed to pressure Iran to renegotiate its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Regarding the virus outbreak, Washington has accused Iran of a lack of transparency and asked Tehran to release US prisoners as a humanitarian gesture during the ongoing crisis. As the virus has spread throughout the country, Iranian authorities recently decided to temporarily release nearly 70,000 prisoners, as jails are especially risky places in an epidemic.

When the number of reported confirmed cases in Iran crossed 10,000 in early March, Central Bank of Iran Gov. Abdolnaser Hemmati wrote to the International Monetary Fund seeking $5 billion in emergency funding from its recently announced Rapid Financing Instrument for countries affected by the coronavirus. Considering the last time Iran asked the fund for a loan was in 1962, this was a significant move. The European Union said March 23 it would back Irans request.

Ultimately, Irans failure to contain its health crisis is going to have widespread repercussions for many Middle East countries, and US military officials fear Irans situation is much worse than officials there have admitted.

As Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US forces in the Middle East and South Asia, said in a legislative briefing in early March, Iran sits in the middle of the [Middle East] theater, so [its] ability to pass that infection to other states is very worrisome. He noted the permeability and porousness of borders. He also expressed concern that Irans leadership might consider a military distraction from the domestic crisis.
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) In the backdrop of large movement of migrant labourers from cities to their villages, the Centre on Friday issued an advisory directing all states and Union Territories (UTs) to take immediate steps to provide adequate supp Image Source: IANS/PIB

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) In the backdrop of large movement of migrant labourers from cities to their villages, the Centre on Friday issued an advisory directing all states and Union Territories (UTs) to take immediate steps to provide adequate supp Image Source: IANS/PIB

New Delhi, March 27 : In the backdrop of large movement of migrant labourers from cities to their villages, the Centre on Friday issued an advisory directing all states and Union Territories (UTs) to take immediate steps to provide adequate support, including food and shelter to them.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has written to all states and UTs to take steps to help these migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and other uaorganized sector workers during the 21-day nationwide COVID-19 lockdown to stop their migration.

Similarly, states and UTs have been advised to take steps to ensure that students, working women from other states are also allowed to continue in their existing accommodation.

In order to mitigate the situation for unorganized sector workers, particularly stranded migrant workers, the advisory suggests that the states and UTs need to explore measures by involving various agencies, including NGOs, to provide food and shelter with basic amenities such as clean drinking water and sanitation.

Bhalla, through the advisory, also advised the states and UTs to make these vulnerable groups aware of the measures taken by the government including provision of free food grains and other essential items through Public Distribution System (PDS), and streamline the distribution system.

This would help prevent avoidable movement of such people, the advisory suggests.

The Home Ministry has also advised that states and UTs need to ensure that hotels, rented accommodations and hostels continue to remain functional and delivery of essential items is streamlined so that students, working women, hostel inmates are allowed to continue in existing facilities while observing precautions "While ensuring supply of essential goods and services, states and UTs are being repeatedly directed to enforce the lockdown strictly and take action against violators under various provisions of law. This is imperative to contain the spread of COVID-19," the Minisyry said.

The Home Ministry took the step after migrant labourers began fleeing to their villages following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 21-day lockdown.
Sniffer dogs could be used to detect cases of coronavirus at airports pending positive tests for researchers who have launched a six-week project to see if canines can smell the infection.

A British charity has teamed up with scientists to see whether dogs could help detect COVID-19 through their keen sense of smell, they said on Friday.

Medical Detection Dogs will work with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University in northeast England to determine whether canines could help diagnoses.

It follows previous research into dogs' ability to sniff out malaria and is based on a belief that each disease triggers a distinct odour.

The organisations said they had begun preparations to train dogs in six weeks 'to help provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis towards the tail end of the epidemic'.

'Freya' correctly detects a sample of malaria from a row of sample pots at the "Medical Detection Dogs" charity headquarters on March 27, 2020 in Milton Keynes, England. The charity is currently working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to test whether the dogs can be re-trained in the next six weeks to provide a rapid, non-invasive diagnosis of the coronavirus

In this file photo taken on February 20, 2013 Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (centre), watches a display by a working dog as she visits Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) charity in Great Horwood, outside Milton Keynes, north of London

The charity has previously trained dogs to detect diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's and bacterial infections by sniffing samples taken from patients.

They can also detect subtle changes in skin temperature, potentially making them useful to determining if a person has a fever.

'In principle, we're sure that dogs could detect COVID-19,' said Claire Guest, founder and chief executive of Medical Detection Dogs.

'We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odour of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs.

'The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic, and tell us whether they need to be tested.

'This would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS (National Health Service) testing resources are only used where they are really needed.'

'Freya' correctly detects a sample of malaria from a row of sample pots at the 'Medical Detection Dogs' charity headquarters today in Milton Keynes, England

'Freya' correctly detects a sample of malaria from a row of sample pots at the 'Medical Detection Dogs' charity headquarters today in Milton Keynes, England

The head of disease control at the LSHTM said dogs could detect malaria with 'extremely high accuracy' and, as other respiratory diseases changed body odour, there was a 'very high chance' it could also work with COVID-19.

Detection dogs could be deployed at airports at the end of the epidemic to rapidly identify people carrying the virus, helping prevent the re-emergence of the disease, according to Steve Lindsay from Durham University.

Over 500,000 coronavirus infections have now been recorded across 182 countries, contributing to 22,920 deaths, according to an AFP calculation based on official country data and World Health Organization figures.

The number of actual infections is believed to be higher since many countries are only testing severe cases or patients requiring hospitalisation.
DES MOINES, IOWA  A Syracuse native with significant health problems who along with her family were stuck earlier this week in Peru because of a country-wide lockdown resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, finally made it back home Thursday night.

I could literally kiss my American passport, said Mary (Cappotto) Boyle, noting the U.S. State Department and the Peruvian government worked together to secure a pair of Peruvian airline flights that got her, her husband Robert and 15-year-old son, Aidan, back to Miami on Wednesday night. And from there they took two domestic flights on Thursday to Des Moines.

Boyle, 55, grew up in Eastwood and graduated from Bishop Grimes High School and Syracuse University with a degree in finance. She currently works as an IT consultant for John Deere, the company that also employs her husband.

She and her family arrived in Peru on a vacation taken during her sons spring break from school on March 11. They then traveled to a lodge deep in the Amazon jungle, where they were completely cut off from the internet, unable to use their cell phones and unaware of what was transpiring in Peru and back home in America.

She said word came to the Amazon lodge on March 16 that Peru was shutting down its borders and limiting transportation throughout the country due to the coronavirus. At that time, she and family were immediately transported by boat to the tiny, community of Puerto Maldonado, where there was no food or water at the airport. They were hoping to get a flight back home from Lima, the countrys capital. But all those airline seats were already taken before everything was shut down.

The best they could manage was a flight to Cusco, getting the last few available seats on a plane thanks to a gift from the owner of the Amazon lodge where they were staying to one of the airport officials. Upon arriving in Cusco, they began a stay at a Marriott Hotel, awaiting the next development

When interviewed earlier this week, Boyle said they couldnt travel anywhere, due to the heavy police presence and travel restrictions.

It wasnt so bad at first at the hotel, but things kept getting progressively worse, she said today. We kept getting slips of paper shoved under our rooms door every day as more and more restrictions were being implemented.

While at the hotel, Boyle, who said she had significant health care issues, noted that she was running out of prescription medications. She suffers from a genetic metabolic disorder that prevents her from metabolizing iron. If left untreated, it causes liver damage and arthritis, she said.

In addition, Boyle pointed out that Cusco is at 11,000 feet above sea level  an altitude similar to base camp at Mt. Everest. Boyle said sheuffered from altitude sickness and had to get oxygen treatment at the hotel from paramedics several times.

She said earlier this week that there were some 5,000 Americans stuck in Peru. After days of no news from the U.S. State Department, she and her husband both got emails at 4 a.m. Wednesday that the family was booked for a flight from Cusco to Lima, and from Lima they would be taken back to the U.S.

At the Cusco Airport, Boyle said they were required by a State Department official to sign a promissory note, to repay the U.S. Treasury for their flights home.

There was no dollar amount. It was like signing a blank check. Boyle said, noting the official said no further information was available. We just have to have faith that our government wont gouge us.

She acknowledges she and her family probably were moved up the list of those getting flown out due to her health problems. She remains concerned about the Americans and other foreign nationals still there who have to deal with a deteriorating situation. She said shes committed to creating a public awareness about them.

We need to keep putting pressure on the American government  particularly our lawmakers -- so they can put pressure on Peru, she said.

In all, the Boyle said she and her family traveled some 20 hours Wednesday with little to eat or drink.

Upon arriving home, Boyle said the first thing she did was call a Walgreens Pharmacy to refill her medical prescriptions. She also gave Baxter, the familys yellow Labrador retriever, who had been dropped of by the dog setter, a big hug.

I just want to get back to my routine, she said. I didnt realize how sick and tired I was. The stress causes flareups on my condition. It felt good to get a good nights sleep.

Speaking of routines, one she cherishes involves her husband bringing her a fresh cup of coffee in bed every morning.

The one I had this morning was the best coffee that Ive had in a while, she said.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Gov. Cuomo: Schools statewide will remain closed at least another 2 weeks due to coronavirus

Coronavirus in NY: Deaths jump again to 519 in states deadliest day yet

Ask Syracuse.com: Can I play golf? Is a CPAP a ventilator? Language services, car sales update

Busted! County exec calls out Radisson tailgaters violating social distancing order (pic)
B oris Johnson and Matt Hancock testing positive for coronavirus should serve as a reminder that Covid-19 does not discriminate, Michael Gove said as he insisted: "We are all at risk."

The Cabinet minister spoke at the daily Downing Street press conference hours after the Prime Minister and Health Secretary revealed they were self-isolating with the virus.

Mr Gove said their positive tests shows that the virus does not discriminate, adding: We are all at risk.

The fact that the virus is no respecter of individuals, whoever they are, is one of the reasons why we do need to have strict social distancing measures so that we can reduce the rate of infection and reduce the pressure on the NHS," he said.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove / PA

Mr Johnson announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for coronavirus at midnight on Thursday after experiencing a high temperature and persistent cough.

But the Prime Minister insisted he would still lead the "national fightback" against the virus from his flat above Number 11.

Boris Johnson Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Hours later, Mr Hancock announced he had also tested positive for Covid-19 and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said he was self-isolating with symptoms.

Mr Gove said people leading the Governments response to coronavirus are tested if they show symptoms.

The Downing Street press conference / 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty

People are tested if they are symptomatic and those members of the sort of central effort in helping to defeat the virus who do show symptoms are appropriately tested.

I think you can tell from the fact that the three of us are here demonstrates that there are three of us who have not yet demonstrated any symptoms.

It is important in order to try to ensure that as we slow the spread of the virus that everyone, everyone, wherever possible, practises the appropriate social distancing disciplines that weve announced earlier.

Loading....

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also announced that the Government has brought together universities, businesses and research institutes in a new alliance to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.

He said: Today I can announce that the Prime Minister has brought together businesses, research institutes and universities in a new alliance to boost testing capacity for frontline workers.

This will be antigen testing  testing whether people currently have the disease  so that our health and social care workers can have security in the knowledge that they are safe to return to work if their test is negative.

These tests will be trialled for people on the frontline starting immediately, with hundreds to take place by the end of the weekend  dramatically scaling up next week.

Mr Gove thanked those working in the NHS and all those involved in this effort to reinforce the frontline in the battle against the virus.

And he said: The best scientific analysis now is that the rate of infection has been doubling every three to four days.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said testing of frontline NHS staff to determine whether they have or have had coronavirus will start next week.

NHS England's chief executive Simon Stevens / PA

He said: From an NHS perspective, we think it is urgently important that we are able to test frontline workers who are off sick or otherwise isolating.

Thats why the work that Public Health England has been leading is so important because it means we are going to be able to double this time next week the number of tests we have been doing this week.

I can say that today we will be rolling out staff testing across the NHS, starting next week with the critical care nurses, other staff in intensive care, emergency departments, ambulance services, GPs.
The Head Table at the opening ceremony of the Union Island Satellite Warehouse.

One day after Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Simone Keizer-Beache reiterated the call for social-distancing as a practical measure to help contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there was stark disregard for the call by government personnel here.





Foremost among the defaulters were Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, and National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) Director Michelle Forbes.





The two were among government officials attending the opening ceremony for the satellite warehouse on Union Island in the Southern Grenadines.





On Sunday, March 22, 2020, the day before the opening of the warehouse, Dr Keizer-Beache called in to interactive programme on WE FM to make a contribution.





She reiterated that this country had one case of COVID-19, and the aim was to keep it at that number or as close to one as possible.





She noted social-distancing "is exactly what we want to focus on going forward.





"We know that a lot of persons have been coming home, and were also aware that the likelihood of another imported case still remains, even as flights to St Vincent decrease because of decisions made outside of St Vincent, but also because of the steps we are taking in terms of increasing quarantine requirements, Dr Keizer-Beache said.





She stressed that the state  all the people  needed now to focus on the whole idea of social-distancing, a practice of maintaining that at least three feet distance between each other.





"We are a society, a people, we like to be in grouping  its deep in us. However, we need to also understand that inclination might be risky, particularly risky at this time. And so, we want persons to start thinking about it and to also start practising social-distancing, Dr. Keizer-beache advised.





She encouraged the scaling down of numbers at church services, among other mass gathering events.

The CMO said that while it is good to be together, people do not always have to be together physically.





"We have a responsibility, the leaders have a responsibility, and the members of the congregation have responsibilities, too, the CMO said.





Social distancing is one of the basic measures proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in combatting the dreaded disease.





The WHO states: "Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.





Why? When someone coughs or sneezes, they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
I couldnt believe it, Czaja said of learning about the award. I didnt think it was real. I got an email from a customer saying it won for best beer in Illinois. It slowly sunk in. The following day I learned it won for one of the best beers in the world.
Business organizations on Friday were lauding Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus announcement that the federal government will provide a 75 per cent wage subsidy to laid-off workers at small- and medium-sized businesses.

The announcement today of a 75 per cent wage subsidy for (small and medium enterprises) affected by the COVID-19 crisis will not help every company or employee, but will help small firms retain hundreds of thousands of workers who would otherwise be laid off, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, in a statement.

There are thousands of employers who have been making decisions day by day, doing their best to continue to pay their workers with the full knowledge that their resources will soon run out.

Business organizations had been calling on governments at the provincial and federal level to do more for workers laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government had previously announced a 10 per cent wage subsidy for small businesses, but in an announcement Friday Trudeau said his government had heard the pleas from the business community that more funding was needed.

With these new measures, our hope is that employers who are being pushed toward laying off people because of COVID-19 will think again, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa Friday. And for those of you who have already had to lay off workers, we hope you will consider re-hiring them given this payroll support.

The 75 per cent subsidy will be backdated to March 15.

Business organizations have said repeatedly that Canada should be mirroring what some European countries, such as the United Kingdom and Denmark, have been doing, where governments there have been providing wage subsidies in the range of 75 to 80 per cent.

The president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce said a wage subsidy is the most efficient way to quickly ramp up business again once the health crisis is over, as it keeps employees connected to their employer rather than forcing them to apply for EI. Rocco Rossi said a wage subsidy also gets money into employees pockets faster than EI because they remain on payroll.

Were absolutely delighted that the government has continued to listen and understood that a 10 per cent wage subsidy was simply not making a difference, he told the Star.

The CFIB said it understands some small businesses are already planning to rehire staff given Trudeaus announcement, but that businesses will need full details on the program quickly, such as whether there is a cap per employee and/or employer.

Trudeau also announced Friday $40,000 loans for small- and medium-sized businesses, interest free for one year.

Rossi said cash flow continues to remain the concern of many small businesses in particular, who still have expenses to pay including rent. He said a $40,000 loan will be helpful, but whether its enough will depend on how the long the COVID-19 pandemic lasts and the financial situation of each business.

Its welcome and helpful if this is of short duration, he said.
The US-led coalition combating the Islamic state group (ISIS) and other terror groups in Iraq have surrendered Qayyarah in southern Mosul to the army, Turkish news agency Anadolu has learned.

A military source who asked not to be named because of restrictions, told the news agency that the handover took place after French troops left the airbase on Wednesday.

The US forces stationed at Qayyarah airbase have withdrawn completely Thursday morning, the source said.

The international coalition in the country since 2014, has confirmed the pullout amid growing attacks against the troops and the spread of the Coronavirus disease.

The coalition is in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq to defeat ISIS remnants, this is our only purpose. In fact, were transferring bases to Iraqi military and 100s of training troops are departing temporarily for COVID-19 safety, Col. Myles Caggins, spokesperson for the coalition, said in a Twitter post.

Iraq has reported at least 458 cases and 40 deaths.

French troops, part of the coalition, reportedly Wednesday left the country following agreement with the Iraqi government.

Czech Republic also said it took out its troops from Iraq citing increasing coronavirus risks and attacks targeting coalition forces, Anadolu reports.

The international coalition has been facing discomfort from militia groups and thousands Iraqis who oppose their presence. In recent weeks, the military bases hosting the forces witnessed increasing attacks after the US army killed the top Shia paramilitary leader and Irans top military commander Qasem Soleimani in capital Baghdad on Jan. 3.

The assassination of Soleimani prompted the Iraqi government to vote a resolution demanding the pullout of US and other forces from the country.
Social unrest could erupt among the poorest people in Europe's biggest cities due to a lack of income caused by the coronavirus crisis, a Red Cross chief warned.

More than 80,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Italy and at least 9,000 have died, far more than in any other country.

France has seen more than 1,800 deaths while Spain has seen upwards of 4,900.

Francesco Rocca - head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - said that as well as social unrest the risk of suicide is increasing among vulnerable isolated people.

Francesco Rocca (pictured) - head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - warned that social unrest could erupt among the poorest people in Europe's biggest cities due to a lack of income caused by the coronavirus crisis

Speaking in a UN news briefing, he said: 'We have a lot of people who are living very marginalised, in the so-called black hole of society... In the most difficult neighbourhoods of the biggest cities I am afraid that in a few weeks we will have social problems.

'This is a social bomb that can explode at any moment, because they don't have any way to have an income.'

The Geneva-based IFRC also deploys volunteers in hard-hit Spain and France.

He said the largest Western cities could see these problems emerge 'in a few weeks'.

More than 80,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Italy and at least 9,000 have died, far more than in any other country. Pictured: Medical staff outside a hospital in Italy

France has seen more than 1,800 deaths while Spain has seen upwards of 4,900. Pictured: A member of staff outside an emergency entrance to a hospital in Paris

A man wearing a protective face mask walks his dog in front the Eiffel Tower during the coronavirus crisis

Rocca spoke from Milan, part of the northern epicentre of the country's outbreak, after visiting Codogno, Bergamo, Brescia and Lodi.

Some people with a family who normally live on odd jobs that earn them 20 to 25 euros a time are often outside social assistance programmes, Rocca said, adding: 'Think about the Roma camps.'

In Italy, Rocca met mayors and some of the 180,000 Red Cross volunteers who visit elderly people confined to their homes, do their food shopping and get medicines from pharmacies.

He highlighted a shortage of ventilators in the north and the south.

The IFRC, which has 14 million volunteers in 192 countries, and the International Committee of the Red Cross appealed on Thursday for 800 million Swiss francs (673 million) to help vulnerable communities worldwide fight coronavirus.
MADISON  The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is taking action to address complaints against Wisconsin businesses accused of price gouging during the public health crisis.

Following dozens of complaints and thorough price-checking at more than 100 stores across Wisconsin, the agency has issued cease-and-desist letters to 16 companies that are suspected of raising prices unlawfully during this period of economic disruption, according to a release from DATCP.

One of those companies is N95Sales.com, which engaged in suspected price gouging on N95 masks, a critical item for health care workers that is in short supply in Wisconsin.

Gov. Tony Evers declaration of a public health emergency, along with his declaration of abnormal economic disruption due COVID-19, authorizes DATCP to enforce the states price gouging law until the emergency has ended.

The law applies to all consumer goods and services sold during this time.

While it is not uncommon for prices to increase during times of high demand or low supply, DATCP will be closely monitoring the marketplace to ensure Wisconsin consumers are being treated fairly, said Lara Sutherlin, administrator for the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. Consumers can report their concerns to DATCPs Bureau of Consumer Protection for evaluation and follow up.

Evers said that most Wisconsinites are being good neighbors and are looking out for each other, and he blamed the gouging on a few bad actors.

On Wednesday, 33 state attorneys general sent letters to Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Facebook and Craigslist, saying that online sellers have an ethical obligation to crackdown on price gougers.

To report suspected price gouging, download a complaint form from the DATCP website at datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/DownloadConsumerComplaintForm.aspx and submit it via email to DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.

Forms ask for the following information:

Date the product was offered for sale

Sellers name

Sellers location

Specific product being sold, including the name, size and price

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Its a huge challenge, says US archiving expert Trudy Huskamp Peterson, to get transitional justice mechanisms to recognize that when they end, there is a long-term life that has to be preserved for these records, that the utility of these records continues and sometimes becomes even more important over the long term. The other main challenge, she told Justice Info, is getting them to start thinking right from the beginning who is going to take care of this stuff after they finish. Most often they do not think about it until the end, and then its a scramble. In most cases its risky to just leave all the records in the country because various governments come and go and they may not want evidence to continue to exist, she says.

Thijs Bouwknegt, a Dutch transitional justice expert at the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies agrees that what is done is often too little too late. The NIOD is a public institution in the Netherlands that holds some important records related mainly but not exclusively to the Second World War. It has been involved in support for archiving projects in other countries, such as digitizing the gacaca records in Rwanda. The Netherlands is home to many important international courts and active in supporting transitional justice around the world but, according to Bouwknegt, generally less interested in after care. It seems the Swiss have developed a strategy and a certain expertise in this domain.

Providing expertise

Amid various initiatives by national and regional governments, NGOs and others, Peterson says Switzerland is by far the country most active in this field. Switzerland is a government that has long looked at dealing with the past. They have funded projects all over. In a big project on which I worked they almost totally funded the preservation of the nuclear claims tribunal records in the Marshall Islands. So, they have a long track record.

Switzerland has a Dealing with the Past programme within the foreign ministry. Its taskforce coordinator Christian Schlapfer says the ministrys systematic engagement in the area of Dealing with the Past goes back to around 2011 when our Taskforce was created. Activities involve providing expertise and sometimes acting as a safe haven for archives related to transitional justice. Switzerland is receiving increasing numbers of requests to act as a safe haven for archives, but it takes a while to put a solution into practice, as complex legal and sometimes political considerations need to be take into account, he told Justice Info. Providing expertise, on the other hand, happens upon request by our partners and is much less resource-intensive.

Since 2011 the foreign ministry has been working with the Swiss Federal Archives and the NGO Swisspeace on an Archives and Dealing with the Past programme. Examples of its initiatives, according to Schlapfer, include supporting a system analysis and proposed solution for the management of the data collected by the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic; for the Extraordinary African Chambers in Senegal (Hissene Habre trial) and Burundi Truth and Reconciliation Commission, supporting the safeguarding of the physical archives and their digitalization; and supporting the design of the data collection and archiving system for the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission in Mali.

Digital data storage

Swiss safe haven

As well as providing expertise, Schlapfer told Justice Info that there are three cases in which Switzerland holds transitional justice related archives from other countries for safekeeping. These include the archives of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal (NCT), which handled victim claims related to US nuclear testing. These archives are still physically located on the islands but in very difficult climatic conditions  the general climatic conditions but also rising sea levels, says Schlapfer. Originally it started as digitizing these archives, with which we helped, and once they were digitized we managed to bring these digital copies to Switzerland and integrate them in the Federal Archives.

The conditions of access to these archives are defined by the authorities of the Marshall Islands. In the other two cases, which Schlapfer preferred not to disclose, he says it is more a question of having a security copy somewhere in a safe space in case thats necessary, but there is no access to them. He told Justice Info they include police records that might be relevant for transitional justice purposes such as accountability or vetting. According to Peterson, the Swiss were very important funders of the Guatemala Police Archives Project to try to preserve the police archives in that country.

Neutrality gives credibility

Schlapfer says Swiss initiatives in the field are part of government peace policy, since we are generally engaged in supporting transitional justice processes and we realized just how central archives actually are to these processes. Weve noticed that the more useful they are, the more likely it is that they are at risk for whatever reason, he told Justice Info. These risks can be environmental, as we saw, but also political, of course.

Asked why countries might trust Switzerland with their sensitive archives, Schlapfer says we are not the only players in the field, but he thinks Switzerland has an advantage. Its linked to our neutrality, and that we dont really have any stake, were not suspected of having a stake, so that gives us more credibility. The other aspect, of course, is that we have made available some resources over quite some time for this type of activity.

Schlapfer says that in developing this niche, Switzerland has introduced an approach that resulted in guiding principles. When it acts as a government to safeguard transitional justice archives from another country, there is always a contract, otherwise there are too many open questions, such as ownership and access to sensitive information. These guidelines are currently also used by various actors engaging operationally in safeguarding transitional justice archives, according to the ministry.

Recommended reading Tunisia: Battle over Truth Commission archives

Scattered around the globe

Peterson says the records of a number of tribunals and truth commissions are held in other countries. For example, the records of both the Guatemala and El Salvador truth commissions are in the UN in New York and the records of the truth commission of Liberia are in a university in the United States. The archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia are in the Netherlands, while those of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda are in Tanzania and remain accessible through the UN Residual Mechanism.

Those of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) are in the Netherlands, at the national archives, but remain the property of the SCSL Residual Mechanism. Bouwknegt says this was a rescue mission because paper doesnt fare well in the Sierra Leone climate and they do not take up too much room. In the Netherlands, he says it is all about space, which is very expensive in this country and can be a cause of friction over who pays for what.

In terms of ownership and who pays for what, Peterson says she doesnt think this is a big issue for the UN tribunals because they were created by the UN, they are UN records just as any other UN archives would be. But, she continues, when you have these joint bodies like in Cambodia, then we have real trouble figuring out who gets what, for what purpose and when. And so, she says, I really plead with these international bodies, these truth commissions, these tribunals. When you set yourself up, think about who is going to take over the archives when you are no longer working.
Its Beethovens 250th birthday year, and concert halls all over the world were going to resound this spring  even more than usual  with his nine epochal symphonies.

But with live performances suspended by the coronavirus pandemic, we classical music critics decided to take matters into our own hands and create our dream cycle, featuring our favorite recording of each symphony with just one rule: No conductor or orchestra could appear more than once.

This is by its nature a debate-provoking endeavor, but (and?) we hope you enjoy it. Please tell us your picks in the comments!
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 27, 2020 | 02:07 PM | GRAVES COUNTY





On Thursday, Troopers with the Kentucky State Police and Deputies with the Graves County Sheriff's Office were alerted of a vehicle driving recklessly in the Pryorsburg area of Graves County.





Troopers and Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle as the driver fled on US Highway 45 toward Wingo. The driver reportedly attempted to cause officers to strike the rear of his vehicle after accelerating at a high rate of speed then slamming on the brakes. The driver then allegedly began striking the rear bumper and passenger side door of the KSP cruiser. The Trooper slowed down to allow the driver to pass, however the driver reportedly struck the cruiser again.







A short time later the suspect abandoned the vehicle in a field, which led to a foot pursuit. Troopers and Deputies searched the area and interviewed several individuals. This led them to a home on Pritchard Road, where they found the suspect.







The Kentucky State Police are charging the juvenile with attempted murder of an officer, first degree criminal mischief, two counts of first degree wanton endangerment, and first degree fleeing or evading.



The Graves County Sheriff's Office is charging the juvenile with first offense DUI, first degree wanton endangerment, first degree fleeing or evading, first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first degree criminal mischief, third degree terroristic threatening, third degree criminal trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding and other traffic violations.







He was lodged in the McCracken County Juvenile Detention Center.

A juvenile is facing charges after a pursuit through Graves County.
Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have reportedly shifted out of Canada permanently with their 10-month-old son Archie and set up their new base in Los Angeles, California.





The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who stepped back as frontline royals earlier this year, plan to settle in the US and have entered self-isolation in a secluded compound near Hollywood.

They are believed to have used a private jet to fly out of Canada ahead of a complete border lockdown as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.



"Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good," a source told 'The Sun' newspaper.



"The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out," the source said.



The couple, who will formally cease to represent Queen Elizabeth II from April 1 as part of a 12-month transition period agreed with Buckingham Palace, had been living in a mansion in Vancouver since their last formal United Kingdom visit earlier this month. The newspaper quoted the source as saying that their move out to California was planned for some time.



"They realised Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area. They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria," the source said.



Meanwhile, Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, have used their social media accounts to send messages of support amid the pandemic.



"These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other -- during a time that can honestly feel quite scary," read one post.



In another, they paid tribute to "brave and dedicated" healthcare professionals and frontline workers for "risking their own well-being to care for the sick and fight COVID-19".



The news of their departure from Canada comes days after it was announced that Harry's father Prince Charles had tested positive for the deadly coronavirus but had mild symptoms and remained in "good health". The 71-year-old heir to the British throne has been self-isolating in Scotland, while his 93-year-old mother -- Queen Elizabeth II -- is in isolation in Windsor Castle. It is believed that Prince Harry has been in contact with his grandmother and father over the phone during the coronavirus lockdown around the world.
A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world's biggest producer said, after a coronavirus lockdown forced it to shut down production.

Malaysia's Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms globally. It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days due to a lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus.

That's already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain's NHS or distributed by aid programmes such as the UN Population Fund.

"We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary, Karex Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week.

"My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months."

Malaysia is Southeast Asia's worst affected country, with 2,161 coronavirus infections and 26 deaths. The lockdown is due to remain in place at least until April 14.

The other major condom-producing countries are China, where the coronavirus originated and led to widespread factory shutdowns, and India and Thailand, which are seeing infections spiking only now.

Makers of other critical items like medical gloves have also faced hiccups in their operations in Malaysia.

Goh said Karex was in the process of appealing to the government for an exemption to operate under specific conditions. Malaysia is approving other essential goods producers to operate with half of their workforce.

"The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it's still an essential to have," Goh said. "Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It's not the time, with so much uncertainty."
The 2019-20 school year is now officially permitted to be shorter than the state mandated 180 instructional days, a move necessitated by Pennsylvanias Gov. Tom Wolfs March 13 order to close K-12 schools due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Wolf on Friday announced he signed legislation that waives the 180-day state mandate as well as requires schools to immediately develop plans to ensure continuity of education to students through distance learning.

I expect our public education system will meet the challenges we are all facing in this crisis and answer the call of their communities in the same way every other unit of government is doing at this time, said House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County. School districts have an obligation to do all they can to teach students even during these difficult circumstances.

The emergency school law, which was passed unanimously on Wednesday by the House and Senate, also ensures school employees, employed as of March 13, will be paid and receive pension credit during the duration of the school closure. It increases the number of flexible instruction days that districts may use that allow students to do school work at home.

It waives other requirements for educator preparation programs and assessment exams for career and technical students. Among several other provisions in the bill, school districts also were guaranteed to receive their state subsidies and charter schools were assured of receiving payment for the number of students they enrolled on March 13.

School administrators and staff have had a lot of questions about how Pennsylvanias response to the COVID-19 pandemic will impact their students and their operations, said Rich Askey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association in a statement. This legislation will answer many of those questions. I commend legislators and Gov. Wolf for working with education stakeholders on this important bill.

Districts plans for continuity of education must be submitted to the state Department of Education and posted on districts websites. That is prove challenging for many districts particularly those with large numbers of students lacking computers or internet access.

The truth is that the education establishment, with some school districts as exceptions, has not not planned for long-term continuity of education in the face of a crisis such as this," said Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-Chester County, in a statement,

He urged the state to redirect spending on the now cancelled state assessments to assist schools in making the switch to alternative teaching methods. He also called on the Legislature, along with with teachers, parents, and retired educators to form a learning corps to help students.

"One way we could help might be a one-to-one phone call between a current or past educator and a student to assist their learning, he said in his statement. There is much knowledge in this regard available through the robust home school movement in our community. Not only parents but also older children can help younger children learn their lessons.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  A different breed of frontline workers has emerged as the country addresses the COVID-19 crisis.

All of Luzon and recently, the province of Cebu, have been placed under "enhanced community quarantine," with government restricting the movement of residents except for urgent needs. Access to money is one of them.

While most of the heavy lifting is borne by doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, bank tellers and the rest the financial services sector also face the daily worry of how they can get to work and service hundreds of clients, hoping that none of them are carriers of the disease, as they process deposits and withdrawals in succession.

Miko Roman, a reconciliation assistant for BDO Unibank, said he had no choice but to find ways to report for work without public transportation.

"Those with cars fetched our colleagues, and (some) even used a motorcycle to pick up one colleague after another. We walked for several kilometers from our homes," he shared in a post. "If we stop our operations, who else in our sector will serve the public? Who will safeguard their hard-earned cash in these times of emergency?"

Another bank employee, Regine Azereth Trambulo Agreda, opted for an eco-friendly way to get to work: biking.

"Im so proud of you, all those BANKING INDUSTRY PEOPLE, and other frontliners in this difficult time. I am praying for everyones safety and continuous guidance from the Lord. Thank you for the heroic act!" Regine's wife said on Facebook.

There are also lines just to enter bank premises now, as most people who do not have access to their accounts online or via remote channels are forced to transact over-the-counter. Not all bank branches remain open too, so the foot traffic is heavier than ever.

Even automated teller machines are not spared, making it more in demand for cash replenishment due to frequent withdrawals.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas tried to make it easy on these bank staff, saying that it will start issuing IDs that would excuse hardworking employees in the industry from further scrutiny at checkpoints.

It's not just banks  remittance agents, payment system operators, money changers, and pawnshops are covered too.

They may not be monitoring vital signs or tending to the sick, but these banking industry workers are keeping a different lifeline in check, and that's ensuring that people can deposit or withdraw much-needed money at this time. Salaries, remittances, and loans can mean life and death for cash-strapped Filipinos.
The timing of the announcement couldn't have been any unluckier. In early March, before the novel coronavirus outbreak turned into a global pandemic and OPEC opted to keep pumping oil at its previous pace, crude prices were tepid but at least stable. Chevron (NYSE:CVX) had every reason to believe it would be able to fund up to $80 billion worth of dividends the company suggested were in store over the course of the coming five years. Since then, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil has fallen by more than $23 per barrel, to roughly $24. The price of Brent crude has slipped to a value of around $33. It's unlikely CEO Michael Wirth saw the world change as it has in just the past three weeks.

To his and the company's credit, Wirth is backing off. Capital spending plans for this year have been reduced by 20% to reflect the fallout from the coronavirus crisis, and Chevron's stock buyback activities have been suspended. Still, he made clear in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday "our dividend is our number one priority and it's very secure."

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the company can afford to pay it.

Number-crunching

The oil business is a curious one. Demand for its end products is relatively consistent. But its (perceived) supply can change rapidly when most of what's produced is also immediately consumed, driving big price swings.Exacerbating this volatility is hedging of -- and speculating on -- these price changes.

The cost of extracting oil from the ground is also at least broadly predictable per location, even if not consistent from one drilling project to another.

At $24 per barrel for WTI, though, and $33 for a barrel of Brent, crunching such numbers is almost moot.

Pinning down Chevron's exact production cost for a barrel of oil, or its equivalent, can be tough. It's not just a driller. The company also operates downstream businesses like refining and distribution, and it's a chemical company to boot. Both arms help reduce the fiscal volatility of drilling and fracking for oil or gas.

The oil drilling business is also reasonably scalable. Chevron can lower its operational expenses by mothballing operations which cost more to run, and Wirth has already explained the company is going to cut some expenses immediately. That may further pare back the per-barrel cost figure.

Still, upstream production is the company's breadwinner, accounting for nearly 90% of Chevron's 2019 operating earnings, mirroring 2018's results. This is the arm that will be most heavily impacted by the sharp reduction in crude's value, since total operational spending is more closely tethered to upstream operating earnings, production, and oil prices than any other measure.

The math: The company produced 3.08 million barrels of oil or oil-equivalent per day, or roughly 280 million barrels last quarter.That figure divided by right at $6 billion in operating expenses -- excluding administrative costs -- translates into a number right around $21.40 per barrel... a number which, by the way, jibes with previous quarters as well as costs its peers and rivals are facing. Energy consulting and oil intelligence outfit Rystad reckons the breakeven oil for fields already in production is around $26 per barrel. The United States' Energy Information Administration pegged 2018's operating breakeven point at $24 per barrel.While Chevron has generally proven to be above average in terms of cost control, even for the best-managed names oil prices are dancing uncomfortably close with its breakeven prices, which still don't account for items like depreciation, impairments, and expenditures on exploration and well development.

The red flags are waving beyond the most basic of cost concerns too. Chevron's total breakeven point for its upstream business, according to its own calculation made last year, is around $51 per barrel. Separately but similarly, in February's investor presentation the company touted 2018's earnings per barrel of $14.45, but Brent crude's average price in 2018 was a much healthier $71 per barrel.

Its chemical and downstream businesses aren't apt to offset much of any weakness either, as tepid oil prices can also work against pricing power in those arenas.

Simply put, even without knowing the exact specifics, we know enough to know prices are nowhere near the ballpark they need to be to make drilling and production a profitable venture.

In line with peers, but to no avail

For perspective, Rystad believes Occidental Petroleum's production costs amount to less than $30 per barrel. Rystad also estimates ExxonMobil's Permian Basin operations in New Mexico properties are still profitable even when crude is trading at just under $27 per barrel. That bodes well for Chevron, which has particularly focused on its Permian operations in Texas and New Mexico of late, where its operational costs are also unusually low.

In other words, Chevron's apparent costs aren't out of line with the other major names in the business, and operations that sport a higher-cost profile can clearly be shut down.

The comparison means little given the current circumstances though. Chevron's strong fourth-quarter numbers and the expenditure/dividend plans revealed in early March were based on Q4's average U.S. sales price of $47 per barrel of crude, and $57 per barrel internationally. Prices are roughly half that level now though, and gyrating at values around just the company's likely operational costs per barrel. That leaves no room for error when there was little to begin with. The trailing-12-month payout of $4.76 per share already consumes the bulk of operating earnings. That figure was a reasonably healthy $6.27 per share in 2019, but may not hold anywhere near that figure this year.

Chevron's got $5.7 billion in cash and roughly twice that amount in short-term receivables on its balance sheet to help fund the dividend, for the record, so the dividend may indeed be "safe." That doesn't mean paying it won't take a toll somehow, somewhere if crude's price weakness persists.

The 2015 oil meltdown serves as an example of what can happen when a dividend is arguably over-prioritized. Chevron maintained its dividend in the midst of that nightmare, but long-term debt grew from less than $28 billion at the end of 2014 to $33.6 billion by the end of 2015, while its cash and near-term receivables fell by $5.6 billion. Its cash balance fell again in 2016, and debt grew again as well. Moving into this sort of fiscal scenario makes it trickier to invest in growth once oil prices recover, which in the end has the potential to limit future dividend growth.

In simplest terms, everything is a trade-off. Your job as an investor is just making sure the trade-offs are worth it for the long haul. This one may not be.

By the way, Occidental and a few other energy names have already decided to cut their dividends as a defensive measure. That's an important hint in itself.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on President Akufo-Addo to temporarily release more than 4,000 prisoners in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease in crowded jails.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa North, James Agalga, who made the call, said the incarcerated population, which is about 14,000, is uniquely vulnerable to the pandemic because of overcrowding.

According to him, overcrowding in the nation's prison facilities is close to 50 percent, and that prisons actually meant for 8,000 inmates are now being used to accommodate 14,000 people.

Speaking to journalists at the precinct of Parliament yesterday, the MP, who is also the Ranking Member on the Committee for Defence and Interior, indicated that the coronavirus disease makes the moment right for the granting of presidential pardon to petty criminal offenders.

The president has already granted amnesty to about 800 prisoners in the wake of Covid-19.

The situation is the right moment for the President to consider the option of exercising the prerogative mercy function under the Constitution to provide for or grant pardon to, at least, the petty offenders who have been incarcerated within this period, he stressed.

Agalga, who is a former Deputy Minister of the Interior, asserted that this would help decongest the prison facilities, adding that Ghana would head for a disaster, if there should be an outbreak in prisons across the country.

There have been mass prison releases and jail riots in the wake of infections in some countries hard-hit by COVID-19, including Colombia, and the MP believed Ghana could draw useful lessons from that.

Let's us draw useful lessons from what happened in Colombia. 23 prisoners lost their lives because they were agitated as a result of the coronavirus. UK and other countries have drawn useful lessons in what happened in Colombia, the MP asserted.

Agalga also supported calls for an immediate lock-down of the country to stem the spread of the disease.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) on Wednesday urged President Akufo-Addo to lock down the country, indicating that the lockdown, though not a comfortable decision for leadership and citizens alike, is a proven option backed by science and along with the other measures will ultimately be in our best interest.

The MP said the time had come for the government to listen to wise counsel to proceed with the lockdown in the face of increasing threat of COVID-19.

Daily Guide
Jewish leaders have urged their community to 'preserve life' after it emerged one in 20 of those killed by coronavirus in Britain so far are from the religion.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews told those of the faith to do 'everything you can to follow the Government's guidelines and stay home unless you absolutely cannot'.

Its president Marie van der Zyl explained to MailOnline how the pandemic presents a particular challenge to 'close knit' communities who cherish festivals and socialising.

Ultra Orthodox Jews from the Kadisha burial organisation wear masks as they move the body of an 89-year-old woman who died from coronavirus at a funeral home in Jerusalem yesterday

The Board of Deputies has collated figures from Jewish funerals to record 25 coronavirus victims from a total of 465 in Britain as of Wednesday.

This proportion of 5.4 per cent could be higher because not all the dead would have had traditional funerals. Jews make up only 0.5 per cent of the UK population.

Sources told MailOnline they are confident most Jews are abiding by the guidance, while those from the ultra orthodox said its communities were following the rules.

Rabbi Levi Schapiro from the Jewish Community Council of London, which represents the greater orthodox community, said this was the case in North London, where the majority of ultra orthodox Jews live.

He told MailOnline: 'The Stamford Hill Jewish community are following the government guidelines very seriously, the government's orders have been endorsed by the Rabbiical leadership of Stamford Hill.'

And Mrs van der Zyl told MailOnline: 'The Jewish community is a close knit one and we cherish festivals and Friday night dinners at home that bring us all together.

'However, in the current emergency we cannot celebrate in the normal way. Synagogues have been closed and extended families cannot spend time with each other as they would normally.

'We are supporting the Government's message that Jews, like everyone else, must stay home and stay safe. We all look forward to a time when we can once again mark significant occasions in each other's company.'

Friday night dinners with family are often a highlight of the week in the Jewish community which involve close contact in the form of hugging and kissing.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews president Marie van der Zyl said the pandemic presents a particular challenge to the 'close knit' community which cherishes festivals and socialising

Jewish ceremonies such as weddings and bar mitzvahs also involve the sort of contact which is currently banned in the UK under social distancing guidelines.

Jewish community in Warsaw recites special prayers for those abroad as synagogues can't hold services Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich In Poland, the chief rabbi has said the Jewish community in Warsaw is saying kaddish, or a reciting special prayer for the dead, for communities in the US, Israel and elsewhere in Europe. This is because synagogues in most places can no longer hold services because of the coronavirus. Rabbi Michael Schudrich, originally from New York, said yesterday that the historic Nozyk Synagogue in the Polish capital is still holding prayers services. A minyan, or a gathering of at least 10 adult males, is required for kaddish to be said under Jewish law. He says requests for prayers for departed loved ones have come in from New York, New Jersey, Texas and elsewhere in the United States, as well Canada, the UK and Israel. Advertisement

The period before Passover, which begins on April 8 this year, is a popular time for celebrations within some parts of the community because it begins a period of semi-mourning called the Omer.

Therefore it is common for some Jewish families in Britain to hold many parties and social in February and March during the run-up to this period.

Speaking about the large number of Jewish deaths from coronavirus, Mrs van der Zyl added: 'The coronavirus outbreak is a devastating national and international tragedy, and these figures show that our community is not immune.

'Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones, and those who are caring for the sick.

'There is no higher value in Judaism than preserving life, so please do everything you can to follow the Government's guidelines and stay home unless you absolutely cannot.

'For our part at the Board of Deputies, we care about communities large and small and we are doing all we can to maximise the continuity of Jewish life through this process and ensure we can celebrate a happy and healthy Pesach.

'We will get through this, but it needs everyone to play their part.'

She also urged the community to volunteer with Jewish organisations, the NHS or informally help neighbours in need, adding that this would be 'tangible and valuable'.

But Jonathan Boyd, executive director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, said it was important to be 'cautious' when considering the data on Jewish deaths.

Worshippers wearing the traditional Jewish prayer shawls known as Tallit pray as they keep distance of two meters between each other at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday

He told MailOnline: 'The numbers of Covid-19 related deaths among Jews does appear to be high at this stage, but we need to be extremely cautious about drawing any conclusions.

'It's not entirely clear how the figures were generated and whether the methods being used are consistent with national numbers.

'Statistically, the numbers are also very small, so the confidence intervals around them are large  it's possible that this is affecting Jews disproportionately than others at this stage, but it's really too early to tell  they could be skewed simply because someone who is Jewish happened to be infected early on, and to inadvertently spread the contagion before the lockdown within what is quite a close-knit community.

A Hasidic Satmar Jewish family pray on a rooftop in New York last Saturday after synagogues were closed for Sabbath Prayers service due to the spread of coronavirus across the US

'One should also bear in mind that two-thirds of British Jews live in London that might also explain somewhat elevated counts, as London generally is some way ahead of the rest of the country in terms of numbers of cases.

'Jews also have an older age profile than the population as a whole: 21 per cent are aged 65+ compared to 16.4 per cent in the population at large  that might cause somewhat elevated levels of mortality among Jews too.

'But fundamentally, it's really too early to draw any conclusions about this; we need to wait for some time before assessing it seriously.'
Electronic surveillance and other methods of detection have been deployed near national parks and reserves in a bid to stamp out illegal fires.

The news emerged last night as the Agriculture Minister issued a strong warning to landowners against such burning activity during the closed season which he said causes unnecessary diversion of emergency service resources.

Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to use burning to control vegetation between March 1 and September 1.

Michael Creeds warning follows two gorse fires in West Cork - one near Macroom, one near Bantry - in the space of a few hours on Thursday night.

The cause of the blazes is not yet known.

Mr Creed said wildfires put homes and livelihoods at direct risk and cause considerable disruption to rural communities and habitats.

"At any time but particularly in the current emergency, such disturbance to rural dwellers, including those who are old and vulnerable, cannot be permitted under any circumstances," he said.

The Mayor of Cork County, Cllr Ian Doyle, also appealed to people to respect the law and act responsibly.

Now, more than ever, we need to consider how our actions affect our own wellbeing, that of the community, and the nation," he said.

The lives of property owners, people on the land and our frontline emergency personnel, who are already under pressure, are endangered by illegal fires.

"Now is the time for solidarity and observance of the law and of guidelines set out by the HSE.

"We all need to do everything we can to allow our emergency services to respond to the situation at hand.

In 2017, a spate of forest fires across the country between April and May destroyed hundreds of hectares of productive commercial forestry, causing the worst damage to Coilltes estate since 2011.

West Cork was badly affected, with one massive blaze devastating hundreds of acres of scrubland around Gougane Barra.

While a combination of dry and windy weather during that time increased the risk of gorse and forestry fire, deliberate fire setting was a significant factor in the cause of many of the fires on Coillte property.

Volunteers, firefighters and members of the Air Corps devoted vast resources and put themselves at significant risk to combat the fires.

The bill for tackling the fires, combined with the loss of productive timber and the cost of replanting the affected areas, ran to several million euro.

But as well as the damage caused to commercial forestry, these fires pose a significant risk to homes, farmland, native woodland, and areas of wildlife habitat, much of which is designated for nature conservation.

With weather forecasters predicting a spell of dry weather over the coming days, the authorities have appealed to people to be extra vigilant about the dangers of wildfire and to act safely and responsibly in rural environments.

Cork County Councils fire service dealt with 114 illegal fires in West Cork in 2015, with 127 in 2016 and 110 in 2017.

The figures are down for the last two years.
Father Ernesto Cardenal was a Nicaraguan poet, priest and political revolutionary who wielded his pen as a weapon against two autocratic regimes: the Somoza family dynasty and the left-wing Sandinista party that took its place.

For many Nicaraguans, Cardenal, who has died aged 95, was revered as a literary beacon and a moral authority, a Catholic priest who drew on Marx as well as the Gospels to champion social justice in his ministry and writings.

One of Latin Americas most acclaimed poets, he wrote verses that offered a cosmic fusion of spirituality, politics, science and history, while appearing at frequent lectures and readings that made him a kind of international ambassador for Nicaragua.

Cardenal drew few boundaries between his callings. The son of a wealthy Nicaraguan family, he fought with a revolutionary group in his late twenties, then emerged as a leading proponent of liberation theology, which emphasises Jesuss message to the poor and oppressed.

With a thick beard and signature black beret, he celebrated mass with Sandinista revolutionaries in the jungle, later joining their leader Daniel Ortega when those forces marched into Managua in 1979 and toppled the Somoza family, whose rule had lasted more than 40 years.

Declaring that the triumph of the revolution is the triumph of poetry, he went on to work for nearly a decade as Nicaraguas minister of culture, angering the Vatican with his mix of politics and religion while aiming to teach tens of thousands of Nicaraguans how to read and write.

Cardenal traced his religious convictions to the years he spent at a Trappist monastery in Kentucky, where he befriended Thomas Merton, a distinguished writer and priest. He later completed his religious training in Mexico, Colombia and Nicaragua, where he was ordained in 1965 and settled on the Solentiname Islands in Lake Nicaragua.

He had originally intended to establish a parish church. Cardenal, a sculptor as well as a writer, instead presided over a sprawling art colony, turning Solentiname into a haven for painters and spiritual seekers alike. On Sundays, he led the islanders in discussions of Christianity, eventually recording their conversations and adapting the dialogues into a multi-volume work, The Gospel in Solentiname (1975), considered a touchstone of liberation theology.

Some of the islanders joined the Sandinistas, organising in a 1977 raid against Anastasio Somoza Debayles forces with the blessing of Cardenal. The government responded by destroying the Solentiname chapel and other buildings, and Cardenal was labelled the number one enemy of the people.

He later served in the Sandinista cabinet alongside his brother, education minister and fellow Catholic priest Fernando Cardenal, who died in 2016. Both men defied Pope John Paul IIs order to quit their government jobs and focus on their ministries, and during a 1983 visit to Managua the pope publicly reprimanded Cardenal, reportedly telling him to straighten out your position with the church.

The next year, Cardenal was suspended from the priesthood, setting off a break with the church that was repaired only last year, when he was absolved by Pope Francis. By then, Cardenal had become an outspoken critic of Ortega, whose party had stifled a rebellion from a CIA-backed army known as the Contras and was accused of rampant corruption and human rights abuses.

Ernesto Cardenal Martinez was born in Granada, on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, in 1925. After graduating from a Jesuit high school, he studied literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and at Columbia University in Manhattan, where he immersed himself in American poetry. He saw the form as a way for Latin American nations to assert independent political identities: poems such as Zero Hour and With Walker in Nicaragua recalled the history of US imperialism through figures such as Sam Zemurray, the head of United Fruit Company, and William Walker, who conquered Nicaragua in the mid-1850s.

Cardenal also spoke out against the Somoza regime in his verse, skirting government censorship by publishing outside the country as an anonymous Nicaraguan. His later works increasingly incorporated scientific themes, notably in Cosmic Canticle (1989), a 500-page poem that drew on the theories of physicists such as Richard Feynman and Stephen Hawking.

In recent years he led a Granada cultural centre, the Casa de los Tres Mundos, and received literary honours including Chiles Pablo Neruda Ibero-American Poetry Award and Spains Reina Sofia poetry prize.

Ernesto Cardenal, poet, priest and revolutionary, born 20 January 1925, died 1 March 2020

 Washington Post
The COVID-19 outbreak has student Madison Cleary worried she wont be able to pay her $770 a month rent for the Bloordale Village apartment she shares.

When the virus hit, Cleary, 26, a part-time student in her final year of paralegal studies at George Brown College, lost hours at her two part-time jobs  including one at a skateboard shop  that help pay her rent while in school, jobs that earned her about $340 a week.

Another roommate in the unit held a job in a cafe, but it closed amid COVID-19, so she is unable to work too.

The two and their third roommate affected by the fallout from the virus got together to talk about what to do about paying the rent at the end of this month.

They decided to ask their landlord, Islington Village Corp., the owner of several private buildings across the city, for a deferral. To their astonishment a representative for the company was understanding and is giving them a break for the time being.

Theyll eventually have to pay the full amounts they owe, and the representative told them in an email he hopes to see the money sooner rather than later.

That came as welcome news to the renters.

I was surprised, says Cleary, who adds she has heard horror stories from friends who have also lost work due to COVID-19 but have landlords who arent bending and still demand the April 1 rent.

In her correspondence with the landlord in which they ask for relief, Cleary and her roommates noted there may be a delay (in paying rent) due to our need to prioritize having food while we secure further income.

Interviewed by the Star Friday, the representative for the landlord, who asked that his name not be used, said hell assess requests from other tenants for rent relief on a case-by-case basis. He added Cleary and her roommates have been good renters (Cleary has lived in the unit for two years) and always pay their rent on time.

Im not going to throw them out, he said. But he added that operating rental buildings is a tough business.

Everyone has expenses and payments, he said.

He acknowledged COVID-19 has been devastating for many people, particularly young renters and students. He expects Cleary and her roommates will give him updates on the rent theyll owe.

The decision to ask for relief started earlier this week when the landlord sent the three roommates a letter informing them the rent was going up two per cent, in line with the provinces 2020 guidelines.

The trio discussed whether they were comfortable going to their landlord to ask for a break on their monthly rent.

Its risky and a scary feeling to have to admit you are in that situation and ask for the mercy of the landlord, Cleary explained Friday.

They also discussed some ways to come up with money for rent, including applying to the relief fund the federal government established for people who have lost work due to COVID-19. The fund is paying $2,000 a month for up to four months to those who qualify.
President Muhammadu Buhari has released a statement commending his rival and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Atiku Abubakar and a host of others following their contribution over the fight against coronavirus.

Speaking in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, he described the effort as a spirited contribution towards the fight against the deadly disease.

Read statement below;

President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted the public-spiritedness of wealthy Nigerians and organizations for standing up to be counted in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The President commends members of the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19, made of people like Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu of BUA Group, Femi Otedola, Tony Elumelu, Herbert Wigwe, Segun Agbaje and Jim Ovia of UBA, Access, GT, and Zenith Banks, respectively, for contributing N1 billion each, and being in the vanguard of encouraging others in the private sector to do same.

Read Also: It Is Morally Reprehensible To Wish Buhari Or Anybody Dead: Omokri

UBA has equally donated the sum of N5 billion to Nigeria and Africa, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has pledged N50 million, while First Bank is partnering with government, the United Nations, and innovative technological firms to provide e-learning solutions to at least one million children under its Keep Them Engaged, Keep Them Safe initiative.

The President extols every other helping hand that has been lent by individuals, groups and organizations, which may not necessarily be in the public domain, noting that God who sees all things will abundantly recompense.

President Buhari recommends these laudable strides to other high net-worth Nigerians and organizations, stressing that hand in hand, the country will overcome the challenges brought by the pandemic, and chart new course in nationalism and brotherhood.
DANBURY  The second of the states field hospitals is officially set up to handle a potential influx of patients as the number of coronavirus cases rise.

The 25-bed facility outside Danbury Hospital would not be used until the demand arises, but officials said it is critical to be prepared.

This asset is here, said Matthew Cassavechia, director of emergency medical services at Danbury Hospital. Its at the ready.

Installation of the tent began Wednesday in collaboration with the state and was completed Friday. It is one of two of these facilities in the state, with the other at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford.

The state picked these locations because they were seen as the areas of most need, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said.

With 85 cases, Danbury has the third-highest number of cases of all municipalities in the state, while Fairfield County exceeds other counties, according to the latest data from the state Department of Health. The city borders New York, which has the most cases in the country.

We know were near a hot spot, Bysiewicz said. We know this will get worse before it gets better.

The main and mobile hospital are open to New York residents, too, said Sharon Adams, president of Danbury and New Milford hospitals, which are part of the Nuvance network.

We take anybody that comes to our doors, she said.

The hospital could look to add another tent in the future, although there are still beds available inside the hospital, Adams said.

We are not close to capacity and we continue to look for areas of growth, she said.

The hospital has 70 ventilators, which are key to treating coronavirus patients and have been in demand throughout the country, Adams said. Through Nuvance, the hospital is able to share resources, but the availability of ventilators remains a challenge.

We know were going to need more ventilators, Adams said.

Bysiewicz expects more ventilators and personal protective equipment could arrive this weekend. Businesses and individuals have been donating equipment, while the state is vetting 400 vendors to make more, she said.

There are 900 ventilators in the state, and the governors request Thursday for federal assistance could mean more are coming, Bysiewicz said.

Officials practiced the precautions they have encouraged to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, standing feet apart from each other when talking to reporters.

Bysiewicz wore gloves, despite the warm weather, and greeted a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter with a no-touch elbow bump from feet away.

Were trying to model social distancing, she said.

The facility has stretchers and wheelchairs, with equipment, such as an IV and oxygen tank, at each bed that could serve patients with any diagnosis, Cassavechia has said.

The space may be used as a triage center or to treat either patients with or without coronavirus, he said.

Based on the situation and as it changes, were adapting to what were presented with and well be able to use this mobile field hospital, Cassavechia said.

The hospital could even switch up how the space is used once it opens, Adams said.

That could change as well, as needs evolve, she said.

The same precautions taken inside the hospital to keep patients and staff safe will be used in the mobile facility, said Laurie Brentlinger, director of infection prevention for Danbury and Norwalk hospitals.

Were making the same modifications in the tent as we have in all of our facilities to make sure we keep our population safe, keep our population separated, she said.
(Newser)  China was on its way toward being back in the movie business. After the nation's 70,000 theaters were closed because of the pandemic in January, a few had begun reopening as quarantine restrictions were gradually lifted. Shanghai planned to reopen another 500 this weekend. That's not going to happen, after China on Friday again shut all of the theaters down, Variety reports. The Film Bureau didn't provide a reason for the change, but industry executives in China guessed that the government feared another round of coronavirus cases, per the Hollywood Reporter.

story continues below

The executives don't expect another reversal soon. "This second closure will not be a one- or two-week issue," the executive said. "They are going to be even more cautious when they attempt to reopen againand this will set us back a long time." The government wants new movies to be held back from release to give the industry a boost when it starts up again. One distributor said companies could be out of business by then. "We're not allowed to go online with our films and we can't go to cinemas because they are again closed," the executive said, "so it's like there is no exit." (Read more coronavirus stories.)
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has invited everyone to join in a worldwide fast for physical, spiritual healing in response to COVID-19. The fast will take place on Sunday and members of The Church of Jesus Christ in the greater Chattanooga area will participate.

As a physician and surgeon, I have great admiration for medical professionals, scientists, and all who are working around the clock to curb the spread of COVID-19, President Nelson said. I am also a man of faith, and I know that during these challenging times, we can be strengthened and lifted as we call upon God and His Son, Jesus Christ  the Master Healer.

I invite you to join with me in a worldwide fast  for all whose health permits  to pray for relief from the physical, emotional and economic effects of this global pandemic, President Nelson stated. I invite members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints everywhere, along with our many friends, to fast and pray this Sunday, March 29. Let us unite our faith to plead for physical, spiritual, and other healing throughout the entire world.

The Lord understands the feelings you are experiencing, President Nelson continued. He loves and cares for you, as I do, too. In an earlier post, President Nelson also said that these unique challenges will pass in due time.

As the Church noted, it is rare for a president of The Church of Jesus Christ to call for a worldwide fast, although members fast regularly on the first Sunday of every month. This fast, however, is different as it a special worldwide fast in response to COVID-19, which has spread to nearly every continent.

President Nelson is considered a prophet, seer and revelator. He is also a recognized pioneer in heart surgery, having been a key member of a team that developed open-heart surgery. His video message may be accessed at https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-03-26/coronavirus-covid-19-president-nelson-worldwide-fast-178604.

We invite believers across the greater Chattanooga area to join us in this worldwide fast.
LA County Sheriff Re-Issues Order to Gun Stores to Close

The sheriff of Los Angeles County in California has re-issued an order to gun stores to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gun and ammunition stores are not considered essential businesses and must close to the general public, Alex Villanueva said in a statement on March 26.

The order to close was made so the county will be in compliance with Gov. Gavin Newsoms statewide executive order requiring so-called non-essential businesses to close as authorities try to stem the spread of the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19, as well as Los Angeles Countys stay-at-home order, which mandates the closure of all stores except for grocery stores and restaurants offering take-out service.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

Gun stores in Los Angeles County will be permitted to sell ammunition to security guard companies, Villanueva said. Additionally, people who already bought a firearm and simply need to visit stores to take possession of their firearms are being allowed to do so.

The Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association supports Villanuevas decision, according to the sheriff.

A cyclist rides past the Martin B. Retting, Inc. guns store as the CCP Virus pandemic continues in Culver City, California on March 24, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

I have deferred to the discretion of each individual chief of police as to their own jurisdictions, he stated.

The sheriff announced that gun stores needed to close in recent days but halted his efforts to force the closures after the countys counsel issued an opinion that gun stores can be classified as essential businesses under Newsoms order.

Newsom told reporters Wednesday that he would defer to the sheriff.

Thank you Governor @GavinNewsom for confirming what we believed was the case, that the Sheriff has the authority to enforce his executive order and keep the public safe during this pandemic, Villanueva responded in a statement on Twitter.

The sheriff told reporters at a press conference this week that forcing the closure of gun stores doesnt violate the Second Amendment because its not an issue of banning the sales of guns.

He also told reporters that the county has released 1,700 inmates in an attempt to prevent the CCP virus from spreading in jails.

Los Angeles has announced other controversial measures, including the threat that authorities will shut off water and power to non-essential businesses that refuse to close amid the pandemic.
PENNSAUKEN, N.J.To assist customers and store owners during the COVID 19 stay-at-home experience, Williams Trading Co. has opened up its e-learning portal to all adult customers.

We have now settled into our first week of mandatory in-home sheltering and business closure here in New Jersey. Many of our adult partners within the US are also affected by business closures and dealing with adjusting to new schedules while staying at home. We feel that opening up this effective home-based e-learning tool as a resource to all adult wholesale customers is an effective tool to help store owners, employees, and all distributors' sales personnel to stay motivated and engaged during this unprecedented time, said Scott D., sales and marketing director at Williams Trading Co.

This e-learning portal does not require a Williams Trading password and can be used by all adult store retailers, including those stores that purchase from other distributors.

Simply visit WTULearn.com and register.

This e-learning tool offers more than 120 active e-learning courses to date. Online courses are available 24 hours/7 days per week and can be taken on a PC, and all Android and iOS smartphones or tablets. Participants can accumulate WTU Cyber Badges for e-learning Recognition. WTU recently added a new course on a Retailers Guide to COVID 19.

Take one course per day at home and watch your points and status grow. The courses are fun and offer interactive content, it also helps to keep you motivated to learn more about the industry products - and keeps boredom at bay! said Rachel M., sales rep for Williams Trading Co.

Williams Trading University offers a new Gamification program with custom badging and premium awards to recognize your achievements. You will notice your own individual badge status for all courses completed to date. Learn and get recognized for your hard work with a custom WTU cyber badge for each level of e-learning completed. WTU University provides eight levels of recognition with custom badges based on your certifications.

Since its inception, there have been more than 120,000 e-learning course completions and the number is still growing. Online courses are available 24 hours/7 days per week at WTULearn.com.

For ordering and product information, call a Williams Trading Co. sales rep at (800) 423-8587 or visit WilliamsTradingCo.com.
You are here: China

China's top legislator Li Zhanshu has called for efforts to strengthen and improve legislation and revision of existing laws in public health.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks at a symposium held by the NPC Standing Committee.

Li underlined the importance and the urgency of improving public health legislation and law revisions to guard against major public health risks in light of the weak links exposed in the coronavirus outbreak.

Stressing the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and a people-centered approach, Li called for enhancing law-based governance capacity in public health.

Li said a coordinated mechanism for legislation and law revision and a special task group should be set up to review the implementation of relevant laws to push for scientific and effective legislation and revisions.

Advice and suggestions put forward to address the problems revealed in epidemic response, in particular, should be taken into consideration, he added.








Iranian Firefighters disinfect streets in the capital Tehran in a bid to halt the wild spread of coronavirus on March 13 2020. (AFP via Getty Images)

Iran Is a Center of Coronavirus Pandemonium and Death

Commentary

Government lying, cover-ups, and misleading information about the number of coronavirus cases are what critics are saying about Iran.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said, This is not such a big catastrophe, . a passing issue, and nothing exceptional.

He also said: Our officials have been informing the public since the first day with confidence, honesty, and transparency. But some other counties are hiding the fact the disease is more severe and more widespread.

Dr. Richard Brennan, emergency director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization, said, The officially reported cases may account for just a fifth of their actual number.

Iran claims the death toll has passed 2,000. Regime opponents the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), on March 26, reported 11,900 deaths in 224 cities. Names, and sometimes photos, of the dead are posted daily.

President Hassan Rouhani claims to withhold nothing from the public, but is furious that actual figures have been covertly published. Tehran does not want the outside world to know what is happening. Monitoring cyberspace, it has identified 262 criminal cases, from which 27 people have been arrested for allegedly spreading rumors.

The head of Qoms Judiciary said, Any news, interviews, and reports that are false propaganda  will be dealt with legally. Ayatollah Khameneis spokesperson said, according to the PMOI, Those who send bogus reports must be charged with corruption on earth and sentenced to death.

How the virus came to Iran is debated. Newspaper Aftab-e-Yazd ran the headline in January Mysterious virus at Irans Gates, warning about the CCP virus. Travel to China continued. Some suggest that an Iranian businessman returned from China to Qom, home of major Shiite seminaries that have students from China, infected with the virus. Qom is along the route of the high-speed train route a Chinese state-run company is building.

As many as 30,000 a day go to hospitals, many infected with the virus. The hospitals cannot respond to so many. Dead have been buried in Tehran, Qom, and Golestan as victims of influenza, not coronavirus.

Irans collapsing health care system and plausible pending death of millions has been reported by the Associated Press based on research from Sharif University of Technology in Iran. Drones were deployed disinfecting streets and teams mobilized to conduct door-to-door coronavirus checks.

Coronavirus has killed more people in Iran than anywhere else, perhaps barring China, where official figures are also alleged to be inaccurate.

Many high-ranking Mullahs have been infected and some died, including Expediency Council member Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a confidant of Ayatollah Khamenei; Hadi Khosroshahi, former ambassador to the Vatican; Ahmad Tuyserkani, adviser to Irans judiciary chief; as well as lawmakers and members of the countrys Assembly of Experts.

For ordinary Iranian dead, the mortuaries are overloaded. Videos show rows of body-bags waiting days for burial. Some are treated with lime.

Hundreds of thousands of prison inmates, many of whom were political prisoners, were at risk. Coronavirus would likely surge through the crowded, run-down Iranian prison system. Mullahs refused to open the prisons. Prisoners in western Iran recently rebelled, disarmed the guards, and escaped. Guards opened fire on 250 fleeing inmates, killing several.

Maryam Rajavi, leader of the PMOI, has called on the international community and U.N. Security Council to intervene urgently to secure the release of prisoners; 85,000 prisoners have been temporarily released.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has halted the entry of religious pilgrims for the Hajj, a journey taken by around 2 million Muslims each year, to counter the spread of the coronavirus.

In theocratic Iran, shrines stay open, despite health authorities recommendations. Mohammad Saidi, who oversees the Fatima Masumeh Shrine, claimed that closing shrines was part of a plot by President Donald Trump: Defeating Qom is the dream of treacherous Trump and his domestic mercenaries, but this dream will not be realized even in their grave.

Iranians are seething with anger, rioting, and burning effigies of Khamenei, while officials are panicking due to their cover-ups and inaction. Regime officials chatter about this being a biological attack by the United States of America.

Russia, China, and Iran have coordinated disinformation campaigns to disparage what America is doing with respect to the coronavirus. Some U.S. media are treating the false information as fact, spreading fear and confusion.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: The whole world should know that humanitarian assistance into Iran is wide open. Its not sanctioned. There is no sanction on medicines going to Iran, theres no sanctions on humanitarian assistance going into that country. Theyve got a terrible problem there and we want that humanitarian medical health-care assistance to get to the people of Iran.

There has not yet been any indication that Tehran has accepted humanitarian resources.

The world remains largely uninformed as the forceful governmental thumb of the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran remains in life and death control of the people and of the media.

Darlene Casella is a former English teacher, stockbroker, and owner/president of a small corporation. She is active with the Federated Republican Women, the Lincoln Club, and the California Republican Party.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Mobile phone companies have been urged to provide unlimited data to students and teachers to give everyone a fair chance of keeping up with online teaching and learning during the schools shutdown.

Post-primary schools, in particular, have resorted to technology to maintain continuity of education and deliver resources to pupils via virtual learning platforms and emails.

But where students or teachers have to rely on their mobile phone to upload, transfer or receive resources it is gobbling up their data allowances and pushing up their costs.

The Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS) said that many students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, do not have access to devices and are accessing materials from schools through their mobile phones.

Access to wi-fi is also an issue for both students and teachers in some areas, and many teachers too may find themselves relying on their mobile phones to deliver lessons.

ACCS president Paul Fiorentini said the provision of access to free and unlimited data would be very beneficial to students and learners at this time.

This would remove a burden from many parents who are already under pressure due to their changed circumstances. It would also go some way to levelling the playing field for many children.

He said, in normal times, schools contributed to the everyday fabric, routine and order of society and in these extraordinary times schools and their teachers could continue to offer that routine, purpose and social connection by doing their very best to support the continuance of the education programme for the pupils in all year groups.

He said Ireland placed an enormous premium on the education and training of its young people and they deserved to see that service maintained and have a sense of purpose.

Although we are in a period of great unease and uncertainty our young people need our continued commitment to them, he said.

Mr Fiorentini said students needed to be assured that teaching and learning would continue and that the State exams would proceed including as many elements as possible.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the mobile phone Industry and the regulatory body, Comreg, were looking into the issue of data limits for households.

The Department of Education has been engaging with Department of Communications on the issue.
When we met, she was a modern dancer and choreographer, a liberal Democrat opposed to Ronald Reagan, marching in those irritating no-nuke parades. As the token conservative on campus, I didnt care. I was smitten and still am. She since converted to the path of reason, light, liberty and free markets, but now I fear she may fall back into her old heretical ways. Because of Cuomo. She insists his being Italian has nothing to do with it.
After locking down Wuhan, capital city of central Chinas Hubei province, which used to be the epicenter of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, China mobilized nationwide resources and made all out efforts to guarantee a stable supply of living materials for the citys residents. Many provinces around the country joined efforts to guarantee sufficient sources for these materials.

At the same time, various vehicles, including buses, military transport vehicles, cold chain logistics vehicles and postal vehicles were used to guarantee delivery coverage and efficiency in transporting living materials.

Staff members from major shops and supermarkets, community workers, volunteers, and Communist Party of China (CPC) cadres dispatched to grassroots levels helped transport, sort, purchase, and deliver living materials in the city, guaranteeing targeted and convenient services for the citizens of Wuhan.

Guaranteeing supplies

After the lockdown, demand for daily necessities in the city soared for a short period, which led to a surge in prices and made it difficult to ensure emergency supplies of living materials.

(Photo/People's Daily Online)

Efforts had to be made to ensure there was more supply than normal demand, said Lian Weiliang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at a press conference held by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on Feb. 3.

Its better to get ready for something that doesnt happen and prepare more supply than actual demand than be caught unprepared, Lian said, demanding resolute efforts to prevent shortages.

The leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of COVID-19 established a dedicated working group to guarantee supply of living materials through prompt joint efforts, and made every effort to guarantee supplies of daily necessities, Lian explained.

We coordinated vegetable resources in six provinces neighboring Hubei and prepared nearly 60,000 tons of existing stocks, which could guarantee about 8,000 tons of supplies for Wuhan on a daily basis, Lian said.

In addition, 10,000 tons of frozen pork released from central reserves were prepared for transport to Wuhan from Shanghai, Lian added.

In addition to supply sources, smooth transportation of goods was also an important part of the countrys efforts to ensure sufficient supplies for the epidemic epicenter.

At the beginning of last February, Hubei province established five transfer stations for emergency supplies.

The transfer stations were located in the suburbs of Wuhan, which allowed vehicles transporting supplies to the city to quickly unload and then leave, explained Yi Fei, deputy general manager of Jie Li Logistics, a local logistics enterprise whose warehouse base was transformed into one of the five transfer stations.

After the supplies arrived at the transfer stations, local logistics companies would transfer them to urban areas, Yi said, noting that this contactless transfer of materials helped reduce the risk of cross-infection.

By March 21, three warehouses of Jie Li Logistics had helped provide more than 4,600 tons of box-packed milk and yogurt, over 1,550 tons of vegetables, and more than 920 tons of rice, flour, grain, and cooking oil.

For some time, control measures put in place to curb the epidemic had caused difficulties for Wuhan citizens trying to buy or sell live fish.

To deal with the problem, the city rolled out a measure called bringing live fish to communities, with the aim of bringing about targeted supplies of live fish for all communities.

According to statistics from Wuhans bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, the city consumed a total of 6,782 tons of live fish from March 11 to 23, and saw more than 720,000 orders of aquatic products directly provided for communities from Feb. 27 to March 23, with the aquatic products weighing 2,229 tons.

Stocks of basic daily necessities such as rice, flour, cooking oil, and pork in key areas including Hubei and its capital Wuhan can now meet peoples consumption needs for more than 30 days, said Meng Wei, spokesperson with the NDRC, on March 17.

There werent many varieties of vegetables at the beginning of the outbreak, when we had to eat radishes and cabbages for several days. Now we can have anything we want, as basically all vegetables are available, said a Wuhan citizen named Li Yuhua.

Moving goods around

After the city went into lockdown, a ban was also quickly imposed on public transport and all motor vehicles, posing great challenges to allocation and transport of living materials in the city.

On Jan. 27, the commerce department of Wuhan mobilized 50 postal logistics vehicles and 50 cash trucks through emergency coordination, arranging for them to help shops and supermarkets deliver goods, including vegetables.

PLA soldiers transport living materials in Wuhan. (Photo/81.cn)

In an effort to further address the pressure on transport of living materials, a dedicated assistance team was quickly established by armed forces stationed in Hubei.

They transferred 130 military transport vehicles, and 260 military officers and soldiers were assembled at 5 p.m. on Feb. 1. The assistance team received a transport task at 10 p.m. on the same day, and directly set out to do the job that night, said Huang Wei, political commissar of the team.

Soldiers in the assistance team did the jobs of both drivers and also porters. They had to ensure that every package on every truck was properly delivered, Huang said, revealing that soldiers in the team all competed for jobs and none of them complained.

More than 120 trips were made a day during the peak period. With the gradual alleviation of the epidemic situation and resumption of work in logistics companies, we now make just over 50 trips a day, Huang said.

According to Huang, the assistance team had made a total of 4,052 trips and transported 14,430.5 tonnes of vegetables and other living materials by March 23.

Based on the request from the epidemic prevention and control command of Wuhan, a bus company in the city has transferred 520 buses since Feb. 24, which have been arranged to deliver living materials purchased by citizens via online shopping platforms from 165 outlets of supermarkets and e-commerce platforms to communities.

I make two trips a day on average, taking more than 200 packages on each trip. Once, I carried 700 packages on one trip, which almost filled up the whole carriage, said Yue Jun, who has been a driver on the No. 585 bus for more than 11 years.

With more and more logistics companies resuming operations in Wuhan, the markets ability to move around goods is gradually recovering.

Since March 20, various courier service companies in Wuhan have gradually resumed work, with 60 percent of the work expected to be resumed by the end of this month, and over 90 percent to be resumed by mid-April, according to Sun Meng, deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Postal Administration.

Stabilizing prices

In addition to ensuring supplies, Wuhan also adopted several favorable policies and measures to stabilize the prices of living materials.

Since Feb. 24, the city has been mobilizing major shops and supermarkets to launch special offers for the citys low-income groups, providing them with packages containing 5 kilograms of vegetables priced at 10 yuan (about $1.40).

By March 22, over 2.9 million of these vegetable packages, which allows consumers to pick three from six varieties of vegetables, had been provided for low-income people in the city.

Wuhan recently decided to increase the quantity and vegetable varieties of the special package, bringing the number available every day from between 60,000 and 80,000 to 200,000, and the varieties from six to 13.

The number of outlets that sold these vegetable packages has also risen significantly, with the number of large shops and supermarkets participating in the campaign rising from five to 12, while the price of the package has remained at 10 yuan for 5 kilograms.

Since March 3, Wuhan has accelerated efforts to ensure supplies of meat products, planning to release all the frozen pork in local government reserves into the market.

By March 22, the city had sold 7,781 tons of frozen pork from government reserves, covering nearly 70 percent of the households in urban Wuhan, according to Zhang Wenbo, deputy director of the citys commerce department.

Statistics released by the Wuhan Municipal Development and Reform Commission have shown that the prices of meat and eggs in the city had remained stable on March 22, while the price of lean pork ranked 27th among the 36 big and medium-sized cities in the country.

Ten varieties of vegetables in supermarkets were sold at basically the same price as the same period of last year, and prices of certain foods had dropped by as much as 38 percent from the same period last year, according to the commission.

Better services

Since the implementation of the closed-off management system in local communities, group buying has become the main way that shopping is done in the city. Many large shops and companies have joined online shopping platforms and started to have goods delivered to communities.

To ensure last 100 meters delivery services, an enormous number of community workers and volunteers were mobilized to provide the needed services in their communities.

Volunteers deliver vegetables to residents in Wuhan. (Photo/Xinhua)

So far, Wuhan has recruited and mobilized more than 20,000 volunteers from society, and encouraged over 44,500 CPC members, cadres and staff members from the Party and government institutions, enterprises, as well as public institutions to work in more than 7,000 residential complexes of over 3,000 communities.

Residents just need to place orders online, and we will handle the last 100 meters of the delivery of live fish from the entrance of the community to their doorstep, said Liu Chang, a volunteer who is responsible for delivering materials to 312 people in 92 families at one community.

Zhan Feng, a resident who lives in Wuhans Jiangan district, is a volunteer who helps buy meat for people in his community.

Zhan is the head of a volunteer team that has been buying meat and vegetables from supermarkets for residents in his community every day since Feb. 19. He has been nicknamed meat purchase squad captain by his neighbors.

In Wuhans Hannan district, post-90s CPC cadre Han Jiyue has teamed up with Zhang Nanhong, a grid-based community worker at Nihuhe community in Hannan district, serving the special group in Zhangs grid for more than 40 days.

They deliver care vegetables to these people, and help them pay their gas fees and buy goods such as drugs and live fish.

We visited another 10 households after work. Some of the people are families of medical workers, some of them are seniors who live alone, and some are people living under special circumstances who need comfort and contact I hope we can all be patient and restrain ourselves for a little longer, Han wrote on her WeChat Moments at 10:30 p.m. March 20.
THE number of patients who succumbed to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the Philippines has increased to 54, with nine deaths reported Friday, March 27, 2020.

The Department of Health (DOH) also announced 96 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total to 803, as of 4 p.m. Friday.

The number of those who recovered from the illness caused by the new coronavirus is now 31, with three new recoveries, said DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

The three new recoveries include Patient (PH) 4, a 48-year-old Filipino male from Taguig City with travel history from Japan and who was discharged on March 19; PH66, a 25-year-old Filipino male from Pasig City with no travel history but with exposure to known Covid-19 cases and who was discharged on March 25; and PH42, a 51-year-old Filipino male from Pasig City with travel history from Japan and who was discharged on March 26.

Those who died were PH366, a 63-year-old Filipino male from Muntinlupa City; PH637, a 75-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City; PH571, a 72-year-old Filipino female from Muntinlupa City; PH178, a 74-year-old Filipino male from Manila; PH389, a 71-year-old Filipino female from Quezon City; PH462, a 83-year-old Filipino female from Cavite; PH437, a 57-year-old Filipino male from Manila; PH401, a 62-year-old Filipino male from Manila; and PH306, a 67-year-old Filipino female from Quezon City.

All of the nine fatalities were hypertensive, DOH data showed.

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed that another DOH official had tested positive for Covid-19. While not revealing the identity, Vergeire said the official is suffering from mild symptoms but is in stable condition.

"We just want to confirm that one DOH official tested positive and has mild symptoms of Covid-19," she said in a press briefing.

"The official is being provided appropriate medical care and is in stable condition," Vergeire added. Earlier, the DOH also reported that a director in its central office has tested positive for Covid-19.

Story continues

Vergeire said the number of positive cases continues to increase because of the country's expanded laboratory capacity and the number of testing kits now available.

"Wag po nating ikagulat ang patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga Covid-19 positive cases. Buhat po ito ng pagdami ng ating mga nasusuri dahil nag-expand na po at nag-extend ang laboratory capacity natin at meron po tayong sufficient testing kits," she said.

She urged the public to follow guidelines set by the department and local government units to prevent the spread of the virus.

The new coronavirus, which was first reported in China in December 2019, has so far infected 465,915 people globally, according to World Health Organization. As of March 27, a total of 21,031 deaths have been reported, while 200 countries have been affected. (LMY/HDT/SunStar Philippines)
We are not through this. Were not even halfway through this, said Joseph Kanter of the Louisiana Department of Health, which has recorded more than 2,700 cases, more than five times what it had a week ago. The United States became the first country to surpass 100,000 infections on Friday, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
As the number of coronavirus cases climb in New York City, one emergency room doctor in Queens, the hardest hit of the city's five boroughs, urged other hospitals on Friday to step in and take on some of the more stable patients, saying it could save thousands of lives.

We need it now, said the doctor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. This is getting worse and worse and worse.

Transporting patients to other facilities would save thousands of lives if we can get them to places that have staff to care for them, beds and ventilators, the doctor said. Given the volume and severity of disease, there is no way any institution could deal with this alone."

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

As of Saturday morning, the number of coronavirus cases in the city had soared to more than 29,000, with over 517 deaths. Queens has seen the most cases, with more than 9,000, and the highest number of deaths, too  more than 120 as of Friday. Brooklyn has the next highest number of cases, 7,700 as of Saturday and more than 80 deaths as of Friday.

Image: (John Minchillo / AP)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was setting up a temporary field hospital at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

On Friday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked the federal government to approve four additional field hospitals throughout the city.

I want to have one for each borough, he said.

In the meantime, the Queens doctor said some patients who were more stable and did not need ventilators but still needed other forms of treatment should be transported to other hospitals.

There's no staffing to care for so many people, the doctor said. There's a window of time where we know they need to be admitted, they need oxygen, not ventilators so theyre still stable to be transported.

Earlier this week, a high-ranking medical staffer at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens told The City, an online news outlet: Our plan from a week ago is out the window. We need help.

Story continues

Were drowning here and its getting worse by the day, the staffer said.

Outside Elmhurst Hospital Center, one of the most overwhelmed hospitals in Queens, some people on Thursday said they waited for hours in a line wearing masks to be tested for the virus.

Ignacio Ramirez told NBC News from a distance that he had waited five hours.

I don't know what's going to happen, said Ramirez, who began feeling symptoms on Sunday.

"I have a fever, a terrible headache. It doesn't stop," he said. I feel very weak. It's horrible."

Alicia Ramirez waited in line with her 15-year-old son so he could get tested.

I'm really scared. I have a little boy at home, too, so I don't want none of them to get it, she said.

Inside Elmhurst, doctors have described overfilled waiting rooms, patients waiting six hours to be seen, others packed closely together on stretchers waiting 50 to 60 hours for a bed and doctors desperately trying to get more ventilators.

Doctors have said the facility has been overwhelmed for weeks as coronavirus cases continue to climb.

This week, 13 people died of the virus in one day.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio asked President Donald Trump Friday afternoon to "keep Elmhurst hospital in mind" and that as the virus continues to spread "tomorrow it's going to be another hospital."

"The doctors and nurses at Elmhurst Hospital are giving it their all right now," the mayor said on Twitter earlier Friday. "Were laser-focused on keeping them supplied with what they need. Yesterday we sent more ventilators and staff. Today, we sent 8,000 N95 masks, 18,000 head covers and 2,000 booties. More is on the way."

NYC Health + Hospitals, the citys public hospital system, did not immediately respond to request for comment on transporting coronavirus patients to other hospitals.

The hospital system said in a previous statement to NBC News it was working day and night to ensure that all our patients receive the care they need.

There were more than 1,000 ventilators across the system and NYC Health + Hospitals was receiving an additional 400 from the citys office of Emergency Management, it said.

The hospital system said it had "adequate supplies at the moment but are fully cognizant of the nationwide scarcity of resources" and that "reports of lack of personal protective equipment and ventilators in our system are false."

The public health system is working with all local, state and federal agencies to ensure that resources are strategically allocated throughout to accommodate the surge caused by COVID-19, the hospital system said. We are committed to our mission to care for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status and ability to pay, and are focused on keeping all our patients and staff safe.

In a statement Wednesday, the hospital system said Elmhurst hospital was at the center of this crisis, and its the number one priority of our public hospital system right now.

The front-line staff are going above and beyond in this crisis, and we continue surging supplies and personnel to this critical facility to keep pace with the crisis, it said.
Marking a refreshing twist in a states approach towards its migrant workforce, the Kerala government has set a precedent by referring to the migrant labourers in the state as 'guest labourers'.



Amid the unforeseen ongoing situation of a global pandemic, that has put countries around the world in complete lockdown, hundreds and thousands of migrant and daily wage labourers are stranded with nowhere to go.

Showing compassion at such a time, the Kerala government, as always, is leading by example by showing a proactive approach, not just towards handling the Coronavirus outbreak but also for its treatment of such workers, whom Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as well as other government officials, now refer to as 'Atithi thozhilalikal'.

Atithi means guest and thozhilalikal means mazdoor or labourer.

Every good gesture must be appreciated and this particular observation was made by a journalist on Twitter who referred to this as creating new words/cultures during #CoronaCrisis.

In Kerala, theres a new word to refer to migrant workers. Its guest labourers (Atithi thozhilalikal). As the CM to officials started using it, its becoming a common word there, I am told. creating new words/culture during #CoronaCrisis  Liz Mathew (@MathewLiz) March 27, 2020

Interestingly, the term was first coined by the state's Finance Minister Thomas Issac during his Budget speech in February 2018.



The idea behind this was to commemorate the 3.5 million migrant labourers in Kerala and honour them for their contributions to the states labour force.

The journalists post on Twitter about the Vijayan government honouring the workers did not go unappreciated on social media.

Kerala is setting so many examples  Anjali Ojha (@ojhaanjali) March 27, 2020

Its so much better than Anyasamsthaana thozhilalikal tbh!  Miss Mojo Jojo (@shw8ster) March 27, 2020

This word declared on Pinarayi govt's budget on 2018.

CM has been using this beautiful word ever since  aal rnan (@marchformass) March 27, 2020

Hats off Kerala!



We reveal who we are in times of crisis.



And Kerala is shining through.  Tanushree Mainrai (@MainraiTanu) March 27, 2020

Took its time, but glad its a thing now. Work is worship.  BrawlyPooch (@MeanderingWonk) March 27, 2020

Thats a much better word to address them. Kerala cant survive without them. I wish the Middle East and South East Asian governments address us like that.  comfortablynumb (@TapTap_80) March 27, 2020

However, some people also expressed concern stating that merely renaming migrant workers as 'guests' would not solve the crisis of thousands of workers as jobs are drying up right now.

To add to that, in the absence of public transport during the lockdown, many were forced to undertake arduous journeys back home on foot.

What about this?While we Tamils here are supporting keralites Kerala govt at this time of crisis forcefully evicted and dropped tamil migrant workers at borders without providing food and water..  The Postman (@kumarikandan) March 27, 2020

Meanwhile, will you please find out whether Vijayan's Govt did arrange exit of many such 'guest workers' by special trains to Assam and Santragachi in the past few weeks???? Have been asking this to fellow malayali WARRIORS and NONE, I repeat NONE have cared to respond @seemay  V. Krishna Ananth (@VKrishnaAnanth) March 27, 2020

yeah thts wht we need now, new words.. slow clap for the CM #ChinaVirus19  Low IQ Intellectual (@LowIQ18) March 27, 2020

Sounds good and lessens the guilt but on critical thinking its OXYMONORIC. which culture ask guest to do paid work ?  bhupen (@bhupendubey) March 27, 2020

Nevertheless, addressing them as 'guests' instead of migrants is surely a positive shift in the approach towards them which should be followed by other states too.

Moreover, the government has also set up community kitchens for guest labourers to ensure smooth supply of food for people hit by the crisis.
The British Medical Association has told medical students to not volunteer on NHS wards to fight coronavirus until the Government has drawn up clear pay plans.

The doctors union has urged students against helping the overwhelmed NHS until a national contract on pay, holiday and pension is finalised.

Critics said the union, which has around 160,000 members, had shown its 'true colours' - putting the interest of its members over patient's lives.

A 'tsunami' of COVID-19 patients have flooded NHS hospitals already and demand is expected to peak in the coming weeks, as the UK's outbreak spirals.

Almost 19,000 final year student medics are waiting to be put on the frontline as early as next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said.

NHS England hopes for final-year medical and nursing students to play a crucial part in supporting hospital staff who are overstretched.

The British Medical Association has told medical students to not volunteer on NHS wards to fight coronavirus. Pictured, an NHS nurse in Liverpool

In a letter published in The Times today, Martin McNally of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust said the BMA's response to the student workforce was 'disappointing'.

He says the BMA 'advised medical students to decline voluntary work until a national contract has been agreed with the BMA, which covers pay, annual leave, study leave, expenses, pensions and much more'.

Professor McNally said: 'The many NHS staff who have worked selflessly over the last few weeks have done so without any regard for pay, hours of work, pension or leave.

'I cannot imagine that the public volunteers are considering pension entitlement.

'When individuals or institutions are faced with a crisis, they often show their true colours.

'The BMA has shown that it is a self-serving union which puts its own interests above the lives of our patients.'

A total of 18,700 final year student nurses will join the coronavirus battle along with 5,500 final year student doctors, Matt Hancock announced on March 25.

Second-year nursing students have been told they will split their time on wards with coursework 80/20, compared to the usual 50/50.

According to NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens, they will be paid for their work, 'probably band 5-type pay', which is 22,000 to 28,000.

Gurdas Singh and Chris Smith, co-chairs of the BMA's medical students committee, said the BMA was 'of course supportive' of nurses entering the force - but 'with adequate contractual protections'.

It emerged yesterday that dentists and their practice staff may also be used against COVID-19. Some will working at the new NHS Nightingale hospital, currently being rapidly put together at the Excel conference centre in London (pictured)

The BMA has been at the forefront of demanding the safeguard of frontline workers as the coronavirus outbreak rocks the NHS. Pictured, a nurse wearing proper PPE in Finland

NHS NURSES ACROSS THE UK TO BE MOVED TO LONDON NHS nurses are to be sent to London from all over the UK as the capital is set to be struck by a tsunami of coronavirus cases in the coming weeks. The move comes as part of a package of measures in which the NHS will ask doctors to sleep on site for six weeks at the new Nightingale Hospital in the capitals ExCel conference centre. Nurses will be transferred from other parts of England to London as the number of COVID-19 patients is expected to rise within days, the Guardian reported. Chris Hopson, NHS Providers chief executive, said London hospitals are struggling with an explosion in demand. He said: They are saying its the number arriving and the speed with which they are arriving and how ill they are. They talk about wave after wave after wave. The words that are used to me as that its a continuous tsunami. Regional chief nurses have been asked to spare their staff to battle the pandemic in London, which is expected to peak early next month. Advertisement

'The BMA is also keen to ensure that these new members of the workforce are given the appropriate employment conditions and protections,' the chairmen said to The Times.

'We expect that these medical students are granted the protections that healthcare workers are afforded as well as ensuring they are acting within their competence.

'The BMA supports the decision to allow early provisional registration of final-year medical students but they must have the necessary induction, support and supervision that they need to become junior doctors, sooner than they would normally expect to.

'This is to make sure they are properly supervised and supported to give patients the most appropriate care they can.'

The comments have been echoed by other figures representing nursing.

Katerina Kolyva, executive director of the Council of Deans of Health, the body that represents UK universities that provide nurse education, has emphasised any student working on the front line should be treated as staff, with the accompanying contracts.

The BMA has been at the forefront of demanding the safeguarding of frontline workers as the coronavirus outbreak rocks the NHS.

It's previously slammed the Government for its 'unacceptable' failures to provide personal protective clothing (PPE), including gloves, masks and gowns.

Concerns have been raised for the thousands of retired staff offering to help the NHS, many of whom will be considered vulnerable to COVID-19.

A further 11,788 recently retired NHS staff had responded to the call to return to the service, including 2,660 doctors, more than 2,500 pharmacists and other staff and 6,147 nurses.

It emerged yesterday that dentists and their practice staff may also be used against COVID-19 because all non-urgent work, such as fillings, are being suspended.

Some will work at the new NHS Nightingale hospital, currently being rapidly built inside the Excel conference centre in London.

The British Dental Association said it should be on a voluntary basis and called for protections for any staff at higher risk, the BBC reported.

Last night the NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said 660,680 people have signed up to volunteer for the NHS.

They will be undertaking tasks such as delivering medicines to vulnerable people or making phone calls to check on those in self-isolation at home.

Britain's coronavirus death toll rose by 115 yesterday in what was by far its biggest 24-hour surge. There are now 578 confirmed deaths.
China blocked the move to discuss novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak in the United Nations Security Council on Friday, March 27. Russia and South Africa helped China nix any effort at discussing the pandemic at the transnational platform. The proposal to initiate the discussion came from Estonia which talked about transparency over the outbreak. However, it did not get enough supporters.

According to reports, Russia and South Africa, both of which happen to be Chinas close trade partners said that there was no link between the spread of the virus and threat to peace and security. China will serve as president of the UNSC till March 31 before the Dominican Republic takes over.

A diplomat speaking with international media said that it was quite evident that none of the permanent members wanted to come up with a solution that is binding on them such as the opening of international borders.

Read: Israeli Defence Ministry Launches Voice-based Mobile App To Help Detect COVID-19 Symptoms

Previously, the UN Security Council had discussed Ebola and how it posed a threat to the world. People familiar with the development reportedly said that it had been possible because the United States had worded its proposal to underline that deaths due to the virus were exacerbating the conflict in West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, and thus presenting a threat to global peace and security.

Read: Imran Khan Admits Balochistan Lacks Facilities, Funds To Battle Coronavirus Pandemic

'Created demand, now will supply'

All this comes amid speculation that the real reason no country wants to call out China, was because Beijing has built excess medical capacities in the form of ventilators, hazmat suits, masks and other equipment required for treatment and care of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

While talking further on the topic, a China watcher reportedly said that all the countries are quiet over China as they may have to import the same equipment from them in case of a worst-case scenario. "Simply put, China first created the demand and now will supply it," he added.

Image Credits: AP

Read: Playing It As Safe As I Possibly Can: Oprah Winfrey On Coronavirus Pandemic

Read: China Bans Entry Of Foreign Nationals To Curb Coronavirus Spread
DUBAI: As coronavirus grounds airlines, plunging the industry into unprecedented crisis, Middle East carriers that have been in the red for years must urgently tap assistance from governments facing their own revenue slump.

Authorities across the region have taken draconian measures to curb the disease, closing airports and halting passenger flights, and bringing major hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi to a standstill.

The Arab Air Carriers' Organization (AACO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have appealed for urgent financial aid from governments, warning that inaction will imperil the industry's future.

"The airline industry faces its gravest crisis, For airlines, it's apocalypse now," IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac said this week.

International airlines have in the past bitterly criticised Middle East carriers for receiving official support from governments flush with oil revenue, claiming that it undermines free competition.

But the pandemic that has forced regional fleets out of the skies has also sent energy markets into a tailspin as demand dries up, triggering a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia as they rush to grab market share.

With the oil price plummeting, London-based Capital Economics tipped the region's economy to contract by 1.7 percent this year, the worst in almost four decades limiting governments' ability to continue funding national airlines.
Paras Chhabra reveals Akanksha Puri always dragged him in every conversation and interview to be in limelight while he was locked inside Bigg Boss house.

Bigg Boss 13 contestant Paras Chhabra is no doubt an allrounder as during the finale episode, he decided to take the money bag and took an exit with his own terms and conditions. Just after 2 days of Bigg Boss, Paras Chhabra decided to take up the next project which was his Swaymavar showMujhse Shaadi Karoge. In the show, Paras Chhabra chose Aanchal Khurana and decided to take things forward with her after the show.

Recently, while having a live chat with one of the media portals, Paras Chhabra expressed himself on his last relationship with Television actor Akanksha Puri. He revealed that he is angry with her as she took all the credit of selling his playboy image but in reality, he decided to carry forward his playboy image and not Akanksha. He added that unnecessarily Akanksha Puri dragged Paras in every interview just to be in limelight. He also revealed that he wanted to break up with her long back but every time he used to talk to her, she started crying.

He also added up talking about his bond with Asim and Sidharth and said that both were excellent players and he has always praised both of them in terms of their game. He also revealed that he is in talking terms with everyone starting from Vishal, Vikas aka bhau, Mahira, Rashami, Arti Singh and Shehnaaz and will soon want to party with them after the lockdown.

Also Read: Shehnaaz Gill shares cute photo for fans, says thank you for Bhula Dena success

Paras Chhabra also revealed about his fight with Shehnaaz Gill during Mujhse Shaadi Karoge and said that some fights should have been avoided on national television. Moreover, during the live chat, Paras Chhabra also did Himanshi Khuranas acting which was loved by the audience.

For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App
A couple of weeks ago, shortly before the curtain fell on restaurants in Albuquerque, I met a friend for lunch in Old Town.

We originally intended to visit Gobble This, the Salvadoran place behind the Albuquerque Museum, but it was closed, so we headed over to nearby Church Street Cafe. If this was to be the last meal out for a while, then New Mexican comfort food seemed appropriate.

Church Street Cafe has been around for decades, serving green and red chile and pitchers of margaritas to locals and out-of-towners alike. Its housed in Casa de Ruiz, an 18th century home that was in the Ruiz family for centuries before being converted into a restaurant. Legend has it that the conversion summoned the ghost of Sara Ruiz, mother of the homes last owner. She purportedly makes appearances from time to time, although she was nowhere to be found on this day. Perhaps she was self-isolating.

The restaurant presents a modest facade to the street, but inside it unfurls into a series of dimly lit dining rooms with glazed floor tiles and wooden vigas. A large, pitched-roof addition in the back is more welcoming, with lots of natural light coming in from the adjoining patio.

Church Street Cafe is part restaurant, part museum. Native American rugs, sand paintings and baskets adorn the walls, a section of which has been left exposed so you can see the casas original adobe brickwork. The crude, massive slabs were made from terrones, an old-school type of adobe brick.

As we perused the menu, an older gentleman played guitar, his music providing a welcome distraction from the coronavirus-centric conversations at the neighboring tables.

Prices are a little steep. Chalk it up to the Old Town premium, the buck or two extra that things cost in this historic area.

The meal starts with a complimentary bowl of chips and some very good salsa that had a little bit of heat and smokiness and a perfect consistency right in the sweet spot between watery and chunky.

A standout among the few sandwiches and burgers on the menu is the Spanish hot chili dip ($10.50), a New Mexican twist on the classic French dip with a bowl of red chile sauce subbing in for the broth. The sandwich consists of a generous amount of shredded top round roast in a warm, crusty loaf of French bread. A dip into the red chile really brings it to life, and the excellent, thick-cut fries make a nice complement.

Old standbys including tamales, enchiladas and rellenos make up the restaurants selection of New Mexican entrees. In the combination plate ($16.50), you can get one of each under a thick layer of red chile sauce and melted cheese. There was nothing surprising on the plate. Ive seen melted white cheese ooze out of a pod of green chile, Ive teased shredded pork from a sleeve of masa. Even if it was a bit underheated, the dish was comforting, as if I were circling back to the first dining-out experiences I had here in Albuquerque.

And then the sopaipillas came, and the guitarist played us off with some sad song and we went outside to see that the sky had turned gray.

There are hard times ahead for the restaurant industry, and no place, be it a newcomer or an established spot such as Church Street Cafe, is immune from the fallout. When your business operates with razor-thin margins, an extended closure could spell doom.

All a restaurant-lover can do is order takeout, buy gift certificates and hope that, when this is over, the business comes back stronger than ever.

CHURCH STREET CAFE

3 stars

LOCATION: 211 Church NW, 247-8522, churchstreetcafe.com

HOURS: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday

CARRY OUT
Residential: The new development on Carnlough Rd, Cabra will include a large creche

MORE than 800 northside Dublin apartments in proposed developments containing creches, gyms and cafes have received planning approval under fast-track housing rules.

In decisions published yesterday, An Bord Pleanala approved a 485-unit residential development on the Carnlough Road in Cabra, Dublin 7, on lands purchased from CIE in 2004.

It also gave the green light to Cosgrave Developments' 329-unit development on former Santry Demesne grounds off Northwood Avenue near the Gullivers Retail Park and M50. The Cosgrave plan envisions four eight-storey blocks, mostly two-bedroom units with penthouses on top,

An Bord Pleanala said the Santry development must have at least 62 child places in its creche. It eliminated two proposed ground-floor apartments to increase space for day-care services.

In Cabra, the build-to-rent scheme by UK firm Tristan Capital Partners - which acquired the site last year from Pat Crean's Marlet Property Group for a reported 39m -includes nine blocks ranging from two to eight storeys in height.

The design includes a neighbourhood centre with a cafe, convenience store, gym and creche. One block will be community space, including co-working areas, meeting rooms and a cinema.

Marlet previously received planning approval for a 420-unit development on the site, which runs parallel to the Phoenix Park rail line and is 1 kilometre from the Phibsborough Luas stop.

Tristan, a London property investment firm, is one of the State's largest residential landlords with sizeable assets on the south side of Dublin.

Its local arm, Seven Cabra Real Estate, applied for planning permission in November under the Government's Strategic Housing Development rules. These allow developers to bypass local authorities and seek approval directly from An Bord Pleanala.
NEW YORK, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will virtually present its top awards to specialists in the field of nephrology who most exemplify the relentless efforts of the foundation to enhance the lives of patients through action, education and accelerating change.

The prestigious awards are presented to those who work daily in the trenches mobilizing the fight for public health through education, research, and innovation for all kidney patients. The awards are part of his year's NKF Spring Clinical Meetings.

The annual gathering of clinicians moved to a live-virtual meeting due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This necessary change will help ensure the safety of our patients, staff, volunteers and conference participants while still enabling NKF to provide the high-quality content SCM is known for in a new live-virtual format.

Awards

The Donald W. Seldin Award will be presented to Gary Curhan, MD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. The Seldin award was established to recognize excellence in clinical nephrology in the tradition of one of the foremost teachers and researchers in the field.

Dr. Curhan, a clinically active nephrologist, is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. He received his MD from Harvard Medical School and his ScD in Epidemiology from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and his Nephrology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The Public Service Award is given to someone who has dedicated their career to public service and has helped shape public policies or government programs that improve outcomes for kidney patients. The 2020 award will be presented to Alex M. Azar II, Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Secretary's most significant work on behalf of kidney patients culminated in July, 2019 when the Administration announced the "Advancing American Kidney Health" initiative, which outlined significant and ground breaking efforts to improve the lives of patients on dialysis; increase availability of kidney transplants; and eliminate all preventable kidney disease. With a great deal of work by Secretary Azar and the entire Administration, many of NKF's most important goals became part of this transformative kidney health initiative.

The Dr. Shaul G. Massry Distinguished Lecture Award will be presented to Joachim H. Ix, MD, MAS, of the University of California San Diego. The lectureship was established to honor Dr. Massry for his scientific achievements and contributions to the kidney healthcare community and to the NKF.

Dr. Ix is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Nephrology-Hypertension at the University of California San Diego. He is also Staff Physician at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. His research focuses on two main areas: understanding the contributions of kidney tubule disease on CKD progression; and evaluating new approaches to treat CKD related mineral bone disorders.

Josephine Briggs, MD, of the Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), Washington, D.C. has been selected as the recipient of NKF's highest honor, the David M. Hume Memorial Award. The David M. Hume Award was created in memory of one of the National Kidney Foundation's most distinguished members. In 1954, Dr. Hume was part of the team that performed the first successful kidney transplant at Brigham Hospital in Boston. This award is reserved for a distinguished scientist-clinician in the field of kidney and urologic diseases who exemplifies high ideals of scholarship and humanism in an outstanding manner.

Dr. Briggs is currently Interim Executive Director of PCORI, a position she assumed in 2019. From 2008 to 2017 was Director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the leading U.S. federal agency for research on integrative and complementary health practices. She led the kidney division of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) from 1996 to 2007.

The Garabed Eknoyan Award to Kerry Willis, PhD, and Chief Scientific Officer of NKF. The Garabed Eknoyan Award was created to recognize individuals who have promoted NKF's mission to make lives better for people with kidney disease through their exceptional contributions to key NKF initiatives such as the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) or clinical research in the field of kidney disease.

Willis started out in basic research, earning her doctorate in molecular genetics from NYU. She joined NKF in 1998, where she helped establish KDOQI, as well as, spearheading many scientific activities, public policy and legislative initiatives to improve the care of people with kidney disease through identification and dissemination of best clinical practices, promotion of earlier detection and treatment, and increasing access to care.

This year, Laura Dember, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, has been selected as the recipient of the J. Michael Lazarus Award, which was established to honor Dr. J. Michael Lazarus for his major contributions to the clinical science and care of dialysis patients, and to recognize individuals whose research has yielded novel insights related to renal replacement therapy.

Dr. Dember is a faculty member in the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, a Senior Scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the director of the Certificate Program in Clinical Research. Dr. Dember conducts patient-oriented research in chronic kidney disease with a focus on interventions to improve clinical outcomes for patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis.

Connie Rhee, MD, MSc, of the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, will receive the Joel D. Kopple Award, made to an individual who has contributed significantly to the field of renal nutrition. Dr. Rhee is a practicing nephrologist, physician-scientist, educator, and Assistant Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine. Dr. Rhee pursued her clinical nephrology fellowship and postdoctoral research training at the combined Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital nephrology fellowship program, and also completed a Master of Science in Epidemiology degree program at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Rhee joined the University of California Irvine Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Kidney Transplantation as faculty in 2013, and she currently serves as the Division's Director of Clinical and Translational Research; Director of Dialysis Quality Improvement and Associate Director of Outpatient Hemodialysis; Associate Fellowship Program Director; and Acting Associate Chief.

NKF will present the award for Excellence in Kidney Transplantation to Gabriel Danovitch, MD. The award was established last year to recognize a scientist or clinician scientist whose exceptional research has contributed novel insights in or resulted in improved access to kidney transplantation. The award embodies the dedication of NKF to help people navigate the challenges of kidney disease, organ donation and transplantation.

Dr. Danovitch, born in Cardiff, Wales, received his medical degree from St. Bartholomew's Hospital of the University of London. He completed his residency training in London and in Bersheeba, Israel and his nephrology fellowship training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Dr. Danovitch served on the faculty at Albert Einstein and then directed the nephrology unit at Soroka Hospital in Israel. He currently holds the John J. Kuiper Chair in Nephrology and Renal Transplantation at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA with the academic rank of Distinguished Professor of Medicine and has received the school's prestigious Mellinkoff Award.

The Medical Advisory Board Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes individuals for their educational activities and community service in promoting the mission of NKF on a local level, will go to Wendy St. Peter, PharmD, of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, in Minneapolis. Dr. St. Peter is a Professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center, where she also completed a fellowship in adult medicine.

Dr. St. Peter is an investigator with the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) and conducts pharmacoepidemiology and health outcomes research. She has served on several national technical expert panels for medication-related safety and quality measurement and is on the Board of Directors of the Kidney Health Initiative. She has served on her regional NKF Medical Advisory Board for many years, is on the national NKF Scientific Advisory Board, and has contributed her time and expertise to many NKF local and national projects, including the Spring Clinical Meetings, and local patient and professional symposia.

NKF will present to Erich Ditschman, of East Lansing, MI, the Celeste Castillo Lee Patient Engagement Award, which was established in honor of Celeste Castillo Lee, a longtime chair of NKF's Patient and Family Council and leading advocate for patient-centered care and empowerment. It is the highest honor given by NKF to a distinguished kidney patient who exemplifies the foundation's mission and Lee's legacy of putting patients at the center of all aspects of healthcare through their involvement with NKF and community partners.

Ditschman is an exceptional, tireless advocate and peer mentor for kidney patients. He is an active and engaged member of NKF's Kidney Advocacy Committee and regularly participates in NKF's annual Kidney Patient Summit which brings patients and families from across the nation to meet with legislators on Capitol Hill. In 2018, Erich co-chaired NKF's KDOQI Home Dialysis Controversies Conference which aimed to remove the barriers to home dialysis so that it becomes a viable choice for anyone on dialysis. Erich has been on home hemodialysis since 2006 and he is passionate about the benefits of home dialysis and positive impact on lifestyle.

A new award, presented for the second year, in the name of Carol Mattix, a home dialysis training nurse, who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of kidney patients, will go to Teri Jo Kinnison, RN, BS, CNN, of Tempe, AZ.

Ms. Kinnison has filled many roles during her dialysis career of 38 years, ranging from in-center nurse, clinical specialist on management teams, to quality assurance director. Over time Ms. Kinnison found she missed direct patient care and accepted an offer of patient care in an acute setting. She also enjoys working with new dialysis nurses to help them improve their patient care skills, not just run machines. For the past three years she has worked in home hemodialysis helping patients learn dialysis procedures and develop their abilities to manage their own treatments.

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings

For the past 28 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to NKF's Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary healthcare teams' skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year's Spring Clinical Meetings will be a Live-Virtual Meeting due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

NKF Professional Membership

Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease.

Kidney Disease Facts

In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney diseaseand more than 90 percent are not aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end-stage renal disease (kidney failure).

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.

Facebook.com

Twitter:@NKF

www.kidney.org

SOURCE The National Kidney Foundation

Related Links

http://www.kidney.org


If a court has a jurisdiction/power, the fact of doing so under a wrong law is no reason to set it aside. The rights of the appellants were not infringed.
Id been sequestered in the Sierra all week, seeing no one but my family and the 5 feet of snow we werent allowed to ski in, so our return to the newly locked-down city was especially eerie. The Bay Bridge devoid of traffic. Haight Street sidewalks deserted. Buses empty. The gravity of the novel coronavirus began to sink in. But, wait, was that someone walking out of the Ice Cream Bar with a $9 waffle cone?

Oh, can we get ice cream? my kids squealed from the back seat.

What?! Of course not! I shrieked, suddenly turned into a shrew.

We unpacked the car; all at once there were so many people. Kevin, from across the street, confessed that his teenage son may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a sleepover because the dad of that house just tested positive. You let your kid go to a sleepover party?! I managed not to scream. Pride in my self- restraint was short-lived. When neighbor Nancy, back from a speed-walk, came over to say an innocuous hi to my husband, I did scream, loud and shrill: Youre too close!

What was left of my manners? Nothing, apparently, by the time I escorted my son to see his friend, from a distance, on the sidewalk. Sweet Miles had brought Oren a gift, a small Ziploc of gummy bears, which he tossed across the 6-foot, invisible divide. Nooooooo! I yelled, as the baggie, clearly covered in a thousand viral droplets, arced through the air slo-mo-style and landed in my sons little hand. Seeing the horror on my face, Miles mom apologized profusely. Miles himself began to cry. I felt like a madwoman. Or just  more accurately  an ass.

Courtesy and civility, always important, matter even more in a time of crisis. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the very meaning of those terms  and doing away with handshakes is the least of our conundrums. When epidemiologists tell us the kindest thing we can do for our fellow human is to avoid them like the plague they might harbor, manners inevitably take a hit. Its an exogenous shock to our norms, says Jennifer A. Chatman, a professor of management at UC Berkeley. What youre seeing now is that people are negotiating what those new norms should be.

The point is worth remembering: Were the ones writing the new rules of etiquette; the new customs are in our (chapped-from-scrubbing) hands. Some lovely new traditions may yet emerge from what otherwise seems a manner-pocalypse. Be your most positive, vibrant self, counsels fourth-generation etiquette expert Lizzie Post. Her preferred greeting of the moment is a Middle Eastern custom, she says: placing a hand over your heart, with a slight bow of your head. Its such a beautiful way of greeting people, I wish we did it all the time.

Maybe, when all this is over, we will. In the meantime, some suggestions on staying human while complying with our new order:

On the sidewalk: Eye contact wont kill you

We in the Bay Area have never been big on acknowledging the strangers we encounter. Maybe its time to change that, given that many of us are now stepping off the sidewalk and into the street to keep our 6-foot distance. Next time, try that little half-circle with a smile  or at least a nod, a look in the eye, or any subtle acknowledgment of our new spatially awkward custom. Also, Im no expert, but its gotta be OK to stop holding our (my) breath. (And to those who continue to commandeer the 3-foot-wide path in Golden Gate Park without shuffling to the side, who are you? Its worse than manspreading on Muni. Make room.)

At the grocer: Practice personal-space shopping

Its not so easy in those narrow aisles but please, give your fellow shoppers some space. If two people are picking out their dozen boxes of pasta at the same time, that is not 6 feet. Quell any impulse to hold open the refrigerator-section glass door for someone; chivalry is dead for now. And dont make anyone else hold open the door for you so that you can sneak in and grab your eggs without touching the germy door handle. (Im talking to you, dude who got way too close the other morning at Lukes Local.)

Resist the urge to hoard

In recent days, you may have encountered Amazons doomsday note, We dont know when or if this item will be back in stock  especially if you searched for, oh, toilet paper, yeast or Raos tomato sauce. Perhaps your heart raced and your chest tightened. But the Bay Area  and Americas  food supply is healthy and, as Chronicle reporter Janelle Bitker recently wrote, Theres no need to panic. There is, however, a real need to resist the impulse to overbuy so theres enough for everyone. Trader Joes has propped up in-store signs, written in a sweet cursive, asking customers to show kindness by not buying more than two units of any single item. Lets Get Through This Together, TJs urges. #truth.

Throw money around (if you have some)

Everyone who is still out there in the working world  chefs, delivery drivers, pharmacists, grocery clerks, and above all doctors and nurses  is risking their lives so the rest of us can shelter in place. Now is not the time to skimp on appreciation: May we suggest a minimum 20 percent tip? If theres no way to tip gracefully (Walgreens and Whole Foods execs: It seems like a good time to roll out the tip jars), a heartfelt thank-you and smile is the very least you can do.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Apologize as necessary

Remember Neighbor Nancy, victim of my fear-induced wrath? I later emailed her to say Im sorry. (I wasnt going to, God forbid, ring a doorbell!) She understood. For 1/100th of a second I felt a sting, she replied. For the rest of that second, I felt gratitude.

Thank your teachers

Parents of younger kids are enduring their own version of hell: homeschooling. Show them compassion. Just because someone pushed a child or three out of her body does not mean she wants the sole responsibility of educating them, or knows anything about doing it. My 8-year-old son has spent much of his first homeschool week writhing on the floor crying, playing something previously prohibited on my phone called Pixel Gun 3, and asking for snacks and sandwiches every hour. So on behalf of struggling parents everywhere, please keep reports of your A-plus, Harvard homeschool to yourself.

Bring back I hope youre well

Crafting an email to colleagues in the Age of Corona isnt easy. Even if you dont know what others are dealing with  illness, economic trouble, son writhing on the floor  you can be sure its a doozy, if not an outright cluster. Not acknowledging the severity of the times seems, in some way, uncouth.

Not long ago, there was a movement to do away with certain superfluous, empty-sounding greetings in email. Though I stopped leading with I hope youre well long ago, Ive started using it again, or sign offs like Be well. Where once I heaped scorn on Take care  irritating and dismissive, I thought  Im now using that one, too. Because now I really, truly, mean it.

Rachel Levin is a freelance writer and author of Eat Something, published this month by Chronicle Books. Email culture@sfchronicle.com
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any rapid testing kits for coronavirus disease as there is still no clear evidence they are reliable, FDA Director General Eric Domingo said Thursday.

Domingo also stressed that COVID-19 testing kits based on real time polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR are recommended. Currently, 15 imported COVID-19 test kits have regulatory approval from FDA.

He then warned suppliers who are seeking to sell and distribute point-of-care or rapid COVID-19 test kits.

Businessmen should not import these products before they are certified by the FDA, Domingo said.

While health authorities swear by the effectivity of a RT-PCR analysis, others argue it is not enough of a response during an outbreak situation.

Pleas for mass testing have received support on social media, especially after senators and some high-ranking officials demanded to be prioritized for testing despite the limited number of kits and the long line of sick patients waiting to be processed in hospitals.

Under the latest guidelines issued by the DOH, only those with severe symptoms of the viral disease, such as difficulty in breathing, prolonged cough and fever will be tested. Elderly people, pregnant women and immunocompromised persons or those with weakened immune system will also be tested even if they show only mild symptoms. That's because they are groups that are at higher risk of infection or have a higher percentage of fatalities.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said previously they may change their current protocol and test people with mild symptoms as the government expands its testing centers and acquire more test kits.

The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus earlier this month appealed to countries to test every suspected case.

Other solutions

But FDA assured it is continuously reviewing all applications on COVID-19 test kits, and expediting processes such as simplifying entry process for importers of certain products deemed essential to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

Foreign donors are now not required to secure clearance from FDA. This is to expedite their release from the custody of Customs. DOH already received around 108,000 donated test kits from Korea, China and Singapore, Domingo said.

Typically, products from overseas need to have a certificate of registration, notification or exemption from the Philippines FDA before they could be sold in the country.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

The Mimbreno-style porcupine, hummingbirds and other critters pop against the white wall.

The burnt orange, rust-color paint Courtney Angermeier uses to touch up a porcupines tail brightens up an otherwise largely dreary area.

Tombstones sit in the memorial park across the street, the plastic sheath of a discarded needle lies in the gutter against the curb, and a glass beer bottle catches the sun just a few feet from the mural.

Its pretty desolate over there, with the cemetery on the other side, so theres no residents and, apparently, theres a lot of drug trafficking going on down here, she said about the corner of McEarl and Columbia SE.

Angermeier, a teacher at Media Arts Collaborative Charter School in Albuquerque and an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Mexico, has been working on the mural for several hours each day since public schools in New Mexico closed due to COVID-19.

The aim has been to add some light to both the gloom of the area and to the coronavirus-induced despondence in the community.

I hope it cheers people up, she said.

After all, more people are strolling the area after gatherings were prohibited and many businesses were ordered to close to help stop the spread of the virus.

Theres a lot more people out walking now than normally, and so tons of people walk by and chat from 6 feet away, Angermeier said.

She started with her own stretch of wall that fences in her backyard and, with homeowners and landlords permission, has spanned the mural farther and farther.

On Monday afternoon, a couple of people gave friendly honks or stopped their cars to yell a quick kudos from the window. although it took some time for people to warm up to the idea of her working away out there.

For the first couple of days, I got nothing. I think people were thinking, What is she up to? Shes up to no good in that place where people are always up to no good,  she said.

But once the imagery started to take shape, the mood changed.

She said the community response has been positive since then, from neighbors allowing her to paint on their sections of the wall to others donating the paint for the project.

One neighbor has been elated by the artwork, saying its something special for her and her husband to enjoy.

(She) was telling me that her husband has cancer, and hes a shut-in, and she was, like, We would love that; it would make us so happy. Then I can put him in the car and drive him around the block so he can see it,  Angermeier said.

The teacher is using New Mexico native plants and animals as an ode to the place shes called home for 20 years.

Kind of a celebration of who we are both aesthetically and naturally, she said.

Shes also taking requests from members of the community, reflecting them in the piece.

Angermeier wants the mural to be a testament to the importance of sharing talents with the community and connecting with others  a message she hopes resonates with her students.

Its a project she has wanted to do for at least a year, and now she finally has the extra time between tutoring and other online work she has to do.

School was canceled, and Id been thinking about it a long time. I knew we wouldnt go back to school for at least three weeks, she said. I wanted to do something to  I dont know  help.

For her, art and this particular project serves as a meditation, creating a sense of calm amid the chaos of the pandemic. This isnt the first time Angermeier has created for the public, having done multiple community art projects.

Her goal for the mural in her neighborhood is to continue the artwork on the span of the wall and, should she get permission from the cemetery, shed also like to expand the mural to the wall on the other side of the street.

That way, whenever people walk or drive by, they can see its encouraging message, she said.

I really think that this time  as scary and real as the suffering is  can be an opportunity to figure out how do I connect my gifts and my passion to the greater world, she said.






Now that its abandoned its work developing an electric vehicle, the company founded by inventor James Dyson is tackling a new and decidedly timely pursuit: building ventilators to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic in his native U.K., where Prime Minister Boris Johnson is one of the latest and highest-profile figures to be confirmed infected. Johnson commissioned Dyson to develop the machine.

Reports say the U.K.s National Health Service has ordered 10,000 units of a new ventilator the company has dubbed CoVent.

Since I received a call from Boris Johnson 10 days ago, we have refocused resources at Dyson, and worked with TTP, The Technology Partnership, to design and build an entirely new ventilator, The CoVent, the inventor wrote in a letter to employees announcing the order, per Forbes. He added, This new device can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume.

Johnson took to Twitter early Friday to announce he had tested positive for coronavirus, mere days after issuing a sweeping stay-at-home order that allows police to issue fines to people who gather in groups in public. His health secretary, Matt Hancock, also said he had tested positive.

A Dyson spokesman told Forbes that British regulators have been closely involved throughout the creation of the CoVent. He said the company plans a final round of testing before the ventilator goes into production in the coming weeks at the historic Hullavington RAF airfield base, a Dyson-owned property where it had initially worked on its now-abandoned high-riding wagon EV project.

The company also reportedly plans to make the ventilator available to other countries, with plans to donate 5,000 units to the international effort to fight the pandemic. Dyson is best known for its bagless vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, air purifiers and cosmetic devices.

Ford announced earlier this week it was partnering with 3M and GE Healthcare to produce badly needed medical equipment including ventilators to help the coronavirus effort. GM also announced a partnership with Washington-based Ventec Life Systems, though that joint venture has been thrown into question after a report that the Trump administration is shopping other proposals.
Taher, a 40-year-old Yemeni man displaced by conflict, holds his youngest son Mustafa, 2, in front of their shelter at the hosting site for internally displaced people in Marib camp.  UNHCR/Marie-Joelle Jean-Charles

In Yemen, protracted conflict has displaced thousands from their homes in recent weeks and prolonged displacement is exacerbating the hardship and risks faced by Yemeni families, warns UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency today.

An intensification in fighting across Al Jawf, Marib and Sanaa governorates in northern Yemen since January displaced more than 40,000 people to Marib city and surrounding areas, east of the capital Sanaa, according to IOM data.

A number of those fleeing, including women and children, have told UNHCR that they had no choice but to escape on foot, walking for days without food or water across open desert.

The new arrivals are among 750,000 displaced people now being hosted in Marib governorate.

After years of protracted conflict, displaced communities and their hosts are struggling to survive.

As thousands continue to stream into Marib city and nearby areas in search of safety, humanitarian needs are fast accruing and basic services and assistance are overstretched.

Public services including hospitals and schools are struggling to cope with the growing population.

In Marib many displaced people live in overcrowded, makeshift sites with some families sharing just one tent between them. Others are sheltering in unfinished buildings.

People have trouble accessing clean water and proper sanitation. One family told UNHCR they share a latrine with 60 other families.

UNHCR is worried that displaced communities and their hosts will be at heightened risk in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak, given their precarious situation and dire living and sanitary conditions.

Despite tremendous efforts by humanitarian partners on the ground, owing to the magnitude of the crisis, food also remains a critical need for displaced families. Some mothers have said they are considering sending their children to work or to beg on the street in order to get by.

Many internally displaced people (IDPs) fled their homes without taking any belongings or identity documents - including their childrens birth certificates. Now, without legal documentation, many are unable to enroll their children in school, or access basic and essential services, including health care, while others are left vulnerable and at risk of forced eviction.

UNHCR is joining efforts with IOM, other UN sister agencies and humanitarian partners to provide crucial assistance to those displaced.

To date UNHCR has reached, through partners, more than 5,000 displaced families in Marib with household assistance, including tents, blankets, mattresses and cooking sets. More distributions are intended in the coming days.

UNHCR also plans to scale up protection assistance, including legal advice and counselling, and will help those without documentation. This is in addition to psycho-social support for those displaced and affected by the conflict.

While national plans for the COVID-19 response are being rolled out and will include displaced Yemenis and refugees, UNHCR and partners are supporting prevention and preparedness efforts.

UNHCR and its local partners are engaging refugee and IDP communities so they are aware of the risks and can better protect themselves. UNHCR is also distributing hygiene kits and increasing cash assistance so that refugees and displaced people can buy food and essential items to help with critical needs.

All these depend on the security situation and whether it provides for safe and unimpeded access by humanitarian partners to Yemenis in need.

Elsewhere in the country, UNHCR and partners are conducting rapid humanitarian assessments in Aden for IDPs affected by heavy rains and floods this week.

Preliminary reports indicate that almost 3,000 displaced Yemenis have been severely impacted, with some of their shelters and household possessions, including mattresses, food rations and personal belongings damaged. Two women and a three-month old baby also sustained injuries and have since been referred to hospital. UNHCR is working with partners to mobilize additional humanitarian support.

After five years of conflict, Yemen still remains the worlds largest humanitarian crisis with over 24 million in need of assistance and more than 3.6 million people uprooted from their homes.

UNHCR reiterates that only a peaceful resolution of the conflict can halt further suffering and stem humanitarian needs.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
The fire took place on the Tullynavall Road, Cullyhanna. Credit: Google

Police are investigating an arson attack on a former business premises in Co Armagh on Thursday night.

The fire broke out at the unoccupied former commerical premises in the Tullynavall Road area of Cullyhanna, near Crossmaglen and was reported to police just after 11pm.

Police attended the scene alongside the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS).

It was established that the fire had started deliberately and police are treating the incident as arson.

Nobody was injured during the incident but police said "substantial and costly damage was caused to the building".

"Worryingly the fire could have easily spread to nearby homes," police said in a statement.

Police are appealing to anyone with information, or who may have noticed any suspicious activity including a car being driven from the area at speed, to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 1834 of 24/03/20.



Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
[March 27, 2020] The Elanco Foundation Announces Efforts to Support Food Security Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

Today, the recently-formed Elanco Foundation pledged more than $700,000 to help fight rising food insecurity challenges due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The funds will support organizations and food banks in communities across Elanco Animal Health's (NYSE: ELAN) footprint, including Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, the European Food Banks Federation and food banks in Winslow, Maine, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Clinton, Ind., the Kansas City area, and Greenfield, Ind. communities. The Elanco Foundation will continue to monitor the emerging food security issues arising from the COVID-19 crisis in other regions of the globe. "In this time of uncertainty, the health and well-being of our employees, customers, animals and the communities where we operate are our top priority," said Jeff Simmons, Elanco president and CEO. "Such an unprecedented time underscores the critical importance of a safe, affordable food supply, particularly meat, milk and eggs. And the needs are growing. There is no better time than during an urgent philanthropic need to launch our newly created Elanco Foundation to deliver on our promise of health by increasing access to healthy animal protein for all people. We challenge everyone to help us 'fill the banks.'" "The COVID-19 outbreak, both globally and in our own backyard, is making food access difficult fr many families," said Kristin Bloink, Board chair of the Elanco Foundation, and vice president, Global Research and External Innovation at Elanco. "Because the Elanco Foundation is dedicated to two causes - food security and human-animal bond - we knew we needed to find a way to help the communities where we work and live during this unprecedented time."



In Indiana, where Elanco's global headquarters are located, the company is leading a coalition to raise $1.6M to feed 10,000 families with children in the Indianapolis Public School (IPS) system for the next eight weeks. Eight in 10 IPS kids struggle with food security. Through the efforts of Gleaners Food Bank, buses are delivering emergency food boxes to a variety of IPS locations. The funds from Elanco Foundation will meet food needs for about 2,500 IPS families over the next eight weeks. "In recent weeks, Gleaners has been asked to step up and serve. Thanks to the generosity of organizations like the Elanco Foundation, we have been able to do so," shares John Elliott, president and CEO of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. "We've more than doubled distribution at our onsite pantry. We're adding mobile pantries in a variety of communities in our service area, and partnering with IPS to ensure that families who need help, receive it. We're grateful to Elanco for leading this corporate challenge to ensure that no one - and particularly no child - is left hungry due to this pandemic."

About the Elanco Foundation Established in 2019 by Elanco Animal Health, the Elanco Foundation amplifies Elanco's impact by improving the well-being of people and animals around the world. These efforts align with the focus of the new Elanco Foundation, which is committed to philanthropic investments, strategic partnerships and volunteer engagements connected to food security and the human-animal bond. Food security efforts will strive to improve health of people through increased access to animal protein from food systems, sustainable farming, and protein education. Human-animal bond efforts aim to ensure individuals have the animal companionship they need to thrive, including focus on service dogs and animal-assisted interventions. Elanco's corporate social responsibility platform, Elanco's Healthy Purpose, will work alongside the Elanco Foundation to discover and advance the ways that improving animal health can help address global issues in mental health, physical health and the health of the planet. The Foundation seeks to drive near-term results and sustainable solutions through the power of animals, the promise of health and the potential for change. To learn more about the Elanco Foundation, visit https://www.elanco.com/healthy-purpose#elanco-foundation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200327005207/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Footballers and musicians have been on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus in Africa, reaching not just for social media to spread awareness of the dangers of the virus but also for the cheque book.

Among the first to step up was Senegalese winger Sadio Mane -- a key player in Liverpool's push for the English Premier League title this year -- who donated 30 million CFA francs ($50,000) to his country's National Medical Commission to fight the deadly microbe.

In Ivory Coast, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba gave masks to the cathedral of Abidjan, with the warning: "My sisters, my brothers, I ask you to take the matter very seriously... we tend to be too light about our reactions to the situation."

Another great African striker, the Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o, also now retired, was quick to urge African communities to adhere strictly to precautionary measures.

"My African brothers and sisters! Corona Virus has taken over our lives. With malice, arrogance and without notice," Eto'o wrote.

"It knows neither race, religion nor political parties. It kills the rich and the poor. Even in countries where research is done well, the consequences are disastrous. Unpredictable.

Eto'o spent most of his playing career in Spain.

"For all these reasons my brothers, sisters, dear parents, I ask you to respect the instructions given by the authorities of our countries and the World Health Organization."

Affected after Asia and Europe, sub-Saharan Africa has recorded only 1,642 cases and around 20 deaths, according to an AFP count at 1100 GMT Thursday from officially declared cases.

The continent, however, fears a lightning-like spread that would overwhelm its already fragile health structures.

In South Africa, the most affected country on the continent, Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi released a couple of videos online showing himself at home with his children, adhering to the isolation regulations laid down by President Cyril Ramaphosa

Story continues

"Stay safe, stay strong, let's fight this together," he says.

- Musicians give support -

African musicians are also stepping up as the continent faces one of its bleakest hours.

Youssou N'Dour, described by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004 as "the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and Africa, handed over a batch of medical equipment to the health ministry in Dakar in mid-March.

Fellow Senegalese rappers collective "Y en a marre" ('Had enough') set aside their usual antipathy towards corruption and current politics to release a song called "Fagaru Ci Corona" which warns of the dangers of the virus and advises on washing hands and wearing masks.

They are among other artists who have temporarily laid down their protests against governments to join forces and rally around messages being put out by the authorities.

In Uganda, singer Bobi Wine, a member of parliament who was arrested in early January for his opposition to President Yoweri Museveni, has asked his fans to "watch the social distancing and quarantine", in a video on Twitter.

- 'We want to live!' -

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rumba star Fally Ipupa stepped away from romance for once to post a video on Twitter called "Fally in confinement mode, the kisses stop", an improvised melody on an acoustic guitar.

"Stay at home, respect the instructions given by the authorities and the WHO," Kinshasa crooner said.

The authorities of DRC have not imposed confinement yet but they have closed borders, public places, and put the capital Kinshasa in lockdown.

His compatriot Koffi Olomide, a soukouss singer, a modern version of Congolese rumba, warned fellow countrymen against the "Kuluna-virus", deftly weaving in the term "kuluna" which indicates armed gangs of Kinshasa, one of the urban legends and terrors of the capital.

In Ivory Coast, the singer DJ Kerozen also alluded to the virus in a new song: "'There's a corona, let's respect the hygiene instructions, the deal is serious, oh..(. ..) Even Mbengue (slang for France), over there, it's spoiled... we want to live! "

The Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, who had become a reference for just about every musician in Africa, died in France this week at the age of 86 as a result of the coronavirus.

The composer of "Soul Makoss" was the first world celebrity to succumb to the virus. Congolese singer Aurlus Mabele, a figure in soukous, also died a week ago in Paris from the virus.

burs/st/bsp/ri/dmc
New research offers a glimmer of hope that the heat and humidity of an Alabama summer could help slow the spread of coronavirus, but many researchers say theres not much evidence to back up that optimism.

Doctors tracking the spread of COVID-19 cases have reported a slower spread of the virus in places with warmer climates and higher humidity, according to a study from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

There are a lot of unknowns about this new disease, and the researchers stressed that its too early to count on rising temperatures to save us from the global pandemic. But they did find that 90 percent of COVID cases came from areas where the temperature is between 37.4 and 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 17 C) and absolute humidity is between 4 and 9 grams of water per cubic meter.

Countries and states experiencing high growth rates such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, New York and Washington (U.S.) exhibit weather patterns similar to original hot spots of Hubei and Hunan, the researchers said. On the contrary, countries with warmer, humid climates such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other South-East Asian countries exhibit a lower growth rate.

The researchers were quick to point out that slower growth does not mean no growth, and that the virus is still spreading in those countries. Its just not spreading as quickly.

Other researchers caution the study should be taken with more than a few grains of salt.

Suzanne Judd, a PhD epidemiologist at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, said that continued outbreaks in Singapore put a damper on the findings.

Theres hope [that the epidemic will ease in summer], but thats all there is, Judd said. Singapore battled an epidemic in the middle of very hot, very humid weather, so thats probably unlikely, but it remains to be seen.

Were certainly all hoping thats the case, absolutely, but its probably unlikely.

There are other possible explanations for why the disease seems to be spreading more slowly in the South. Far fewer people have been tested in Alabama than other states, for example, and the state has a lower population density. Social distancing and other strategies to limit the spread have been applied unevenly across states and counties.

Louisiana is also a glaring outlier with a very high number of cases and rate of transmission, despite a warm, humid climate.

But the MIT researchers found New York and Washington State have showed higher rates of documented cases than southern states like Florida and Texas. The authors also note that northern California has many more cases than southern California.

And the researchers found some evidence to suggest that the spread might slow as temperatures rise across the northern hemisphere, and speculated that COVID-19 may fall into a seasonal pattern, like the flu. Although the flu has strong seasonal trends, it doesnt disappear completely during the summer, and the other types of coronavirus that cause the common cold seem to be less impacted by seasonal conditions than the flu.

We still need to take strong precautions, Dr. Qasim Bukhari, a co-author of the MIT study told The New York Times. Warmer temperatures may make this virus less effective, but less effective transmission does not mean that there is no transmission.

Jeffrey Shaman, the director of the climate and health program at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, told the Washington Post that the MIT study was a 10,000-foot statistical dataset, of the outbreak and that you cant put a lot of stock in that.

Shaman said studying the virus in a lab and watching how it responds to different conditions will be much more informative than looking at the weather in places that have seen high rates of transmission.

In the MIT paper, titled Will coronavirus pandemic diminish by summer? researchers tracked absolute humidity, which is measured in grams of water per cubic meter of air, not the relative humidity measurements Americans are more familiar with. They also chose a single number for average temperature across an entire day.

In Birmingham, for example, the average daily temperature for July is 81 degrees, even though the average high temperature is 91. On average, Birminghams average daily temperature is higher than 62.6 degrees  the threshold the researchers used -- from roughly April to October, dropping below that threshold the rest of the year.

Alabama state climatologist John Christy said the states summer dew points are commonly above 65 F (18C) and mostly above 70 F which means our absolute humidity values are 12 to 18 g/m3, well above the 9 g/m3 threshold identified by the MIT team.

Christy stressed that hes not a medical professional, but that if the virus does not spread as easily in warm, humid weather the virus might wilt as fast as we humans do in the soggy Alabama summer air.
Wedding planning during a pandemic isn't exactly ideal - just ask Stassi Schroeder.

The Vanderpump Rules star, 31, sarcastically commented on the ordeal on Twitter on Thursday.

'So planning a wedding that may be nonexistent is fun. Def recommend,' she quipped.

'Def recommend': Stassi Schroeder sarcastically commented on wedding planning on Twitter on Thursday (pictured Wednesday)

Stassi announced her engagement to casting agent Beau in July 2019 after two years of dating.

They planned to wed in Italy this October, however it's likely it will be postponed due to the pandemic crisis. Beau has family in Italy that are currently under quarantine.

Meanwhile, Stassi has been making the most of the time during the coronavirus shutdowns as she adds finishing touches to her Hollywood Hills property.

The star moved into the $1.7 million home, which sprawls 2,900 sq ft, with Beau in January.

Not ideal: Stassi quipped about the not-so-fun task of wedding planning

She said yes! Stassi announced her engagement to casting agent Beau in July 2019 after two years of dating

'So frickin' chic': Schroeder gave fans an update on her home renovations on Tuesday after moving into the 1.7 million home with fiance Beau Clark in January

Since then, she's documented the 'chic as f***' updates she's made and on Tuesday showed off the freshly painted rooms in her beautiful 1920s Mediterranean style home.

'Since we are all forced to be home right now I guess I'll do a little house update, as people have been asking' Stassi said in the first of several Instagram Story clips.

'We finally got the painting done,' she added, while filming Beau, 39, installing a sconce.

In progress: Beau was busy fitting a sconce while Stassi filmed their progress

Ad: The Bravo beauty said they painted the walls Swiss Coffee and the trim Whisper White from Behr paints

Chic storage: The reality star snapped a pic of some freshly painted shelving

'Look how gorge and clean it looks,' Stassi pointed out proudly, before letting her followers know she used Behr paint in Swiss Coffee for the walls and Whisper White for the trim.

'So frickin' chic, I'm so into this right now.' she said, 'home renovation lifts the spirits, right?'.

The Bravo beauty shared a collection of photos to show the newly updated living room, some shelving and the freshly painted staircase.

She captioned the album: 'Trying to find the little things to be thankful for during this time. I'd imagine a lot of us are using the time to clean, organize, decorate, etc. So wanted to share a house update for anyone wanting inspo.'

The couple moved into the four bedroom home in January and started renovations the following month.
This will be followed, in the next few days, with the deployment of ventilators, beds and temporary intensive care facilities across the geopolitical zones of the federation.
Meyer also supplied some Chicago firefighter friends with more than 300 additional masks that were distributed among Chicago firehouses, he said. About 400 masks went to a customer of American Science and Surplus, who in turn donated them to the University of Chicago Hospital, Meyer said, while a neighbor provided about 200 masks to a Chicago hospital where she works.
Advertising is an activity undertaken by a company to encourage or stimulate individuals to purchase its commodities, services, or ideas. It is drawing good attention to a firm's products and services through information to a broad audience to boost the sales of an existing or new product. For this objective to be achieved, an organization must employ various types of advertising strategies.

Image: instagram.com, @igimantralabs

Source: Instagram

There is always stiff competition in business and one of the best ways to outdo your competitors is by using a suitable advertising strategy. The most appropriate advertising strategy is one which reaches your target audience in the most cost-effective way as possible. In most cases, organizations need to combine different types of advertising techniques to succeed.

Types of advertising strategies - traditional methods

There are two major types of advertising methods; traditional and digital techniques. These are the most conventional forms of advertising that have been around for many years and are still useful to date. Even modern businesses cannot ignore this form of advertisement and its types.

1. Radio

Advertising on the radio is one of the oldest and most effective ways of reaching a large mass of individuals. Before advertising on a particular radio station, ensure that your target audience listens to it. Since listeners may not remember the message put across by your ad by listening once, it is imperative to repeat the message several times even though this may be expensive. Besides, regular radio ads are crucial in attracting newer audiences.

2. Television

TV is one of the mass media with an extensive reach. It communicates to millions of individuals within a larger area as compared to a radio station. Moreover, television ads offer sight, movement, colour and sound, which are great ways to persuade your audience to take action on your brand. TV ads are costly and the price depends on the time slot, the television program, scope of the TV station and whether you are buying slots on multiple networks.

3. Print advertising

This is one of the oldest advertising criteria where businesses place ads on the classified fields of a newspaper to reach their clients. Other forms of print advertising include advertising on specialist magazines that are popular among your prospective buyers. Even though not many people read hardcopy newspapers, some businesses that target older and mature groups who are considered less digitally engaged audiences, still find that print media is the best way for them to advertise.

Image:instagram.com, @mmccgroup

Source: Instagram

4. Giveaways and free samples

Giveaway competitions are excellent advertising strategies as they help generate publicity for the business or company. On the other hand, giving samples is an excellent form of advertising that aids companies build momentum and visibility, particularly for new products. Here, people enjoy free samples and make an informed decision after using the product or service.

5. Promotional products

Companies can advertise through branding day to day items and distributing them for free to help foster relationships and promote brand recognition. Some of the popular things to print your logo on include calendars, diaries, pens, t-shirts and polo shirts, caps, and mugs among many others.

6. Word of mouth

Is there any better option than using a product or service that has been utilized by someone you know? Since time immemorial, referrals from others have always been a sure way of getting new customers. Even today, people are in the habit of consulting family members, colleagues, and friends to know the brands that they should try out.

7. Billboard ads

Placing an ad on a giant billboard on a busy road has a significant impact. This is because if the same consumer passes the billboard and sees it daily on their way to work, your brand will be the first alternative that comes to their mind whenever they want to buy a product. Keep the messages on the billboard to a minimum to avoid overwhelming the client. Include your website, contacts, or location where the customers can follow up for more information.

READ ALSO: How to advertise your business for free in Kenya

Digital and social media advertising advertising strategies

We are in the digital era where most individuals spend a great deal of time online on their phones, iPads, and computers. Due to this, online ads have become a popular way of advertising your merchandise.

1. Social media advertising

Having an online presence is a cost-effective way of reaching a new audience because you can even attract those beyond your geographical location. Besides, the growth of the transport sector has made it easier to deliver and ship items either locally or abroad.

Social media ads are suitable for both small startups as well as established brands. Brands can narrow down their targeting options so that the ad only reaches the specific number of individuals residing in a specified mile radius. Among the popular places to place your ads on social media include; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google Adword, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other digital platforms.

Image: instagram.com, @amit.kumar14

Source: Instagram

2. Influencer marketing

I bet you have heard the term influencer especially on Instagram and vlogs. A business can partner with notable celebrities who can help promote and advertise their products on their social media pages. This can be a product review done by the public figure who has a huge following, and his/her fans trust his/her opinion.

3. Informative advertising

With this form of advertising, companies can give clients information regarding the features and specifications of their products. This can be achieved through informative ads like an article or short documentaries that explain how the item is designed or manufactured. This advertising strategy is suitable for products such as electronics and other gadgets.

4. Website advertising and email marketing

A well-structured website is appealing and can entice clients to purchase your goods. Moreover, you can place different advertisements on various platforms, including blogs, other websites, and search engines that your target audience visits. You can also send promotional emails to existing and new customers.

5. Pay per click ads

This is where advertisers are charged a fee whenever a user clicks on one of their online ads, usually placed in a search engine. The advertisers have the upper hand as they bid by setting the maximum amount they are willing to pay to place their ads within the search engine. One of the most popular PPC advertising platforms includes Google Ads and Bing Ads.

READ ALSO: Top branding companies in Kenya

Since advertising is costly but a worthy investment, small businesses that are just starting can focus on affordable types of advertising strategies. At the same time, well-established brands can use more than one advertising platform to get their message across to the consumer. Which types of advertising platforms do you consider effective? Share with us in the comment section below.

READ ALSO:

How small businesses can save money

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Man who jumped from death from Safdarjung hospital tests negative for coronavirus

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: The man who jumped to his death from a hospital building has tested negative for coronavirus.

A man suspected to be infected with COVID-19 allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a Safdarjung Hospital building earlier this month, soon after he was admitted to the facility by airport authorities.

"A suspected coronavirus patient committed suicide by jumping from the Safdarjung Hospital. The deceased has been identified as Tanveer Singh, he was admitted to hospital today at 9 pm after returning from Sydney, Australia," Devender Arya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West) had said.

The youth was a resident of Balachaur in Punjab and was living in Sydney for a year. On his arrival at Delhi, he had complained of headache, following which the authorities decided to admit him to hospital.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

His samples had been taken and sent for testing. He had forced open the isolation ward and jumped off the seventh floor of the building.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 9:28 [IST]
SUGAR-growing SJ Sugar Distillery & Power Private Company has been assured by the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) that it will be given substitute land for growing sugar cane and shift from the current tract that has been flooded.

The TIC Director General, Mr Geoffrey Mwambe, told the companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Kamel Abdullah Saleem after visiting the flooded tract that the centre would find alternative land to allow the investor to continue with investment plans.

This investor had already planted sugar cane seedlings in 500 hectares out of the 3,000 given to him in Kilambo area. But the entire land has been flooded by the on-going rains, destroying all the property. We have contacted Mtwara District Council for alternative land to be given to the investor, he told reporters.

The director general said the sugar factory would be first one in the southern regions and would produce 10,000 tonnes of sugar annually for an ever-increasing local market.

We shall support the company in getting suitable land to continue with production but at the same time ensure no harm is done to the environment, he said, adding that investment was an important element in promoting the national industrialisation agenda.

Mtwara District Commissioner (DC), Evodi Mmanda also assured that all necessary ground work would be done by district experts before land was given to the investor.

Mr Saleem thanked the TIC and the Regional Administration for urgent action to ensure the companys investment plans did not fail.

We are thankful the immediate response of the leaders in the regional administration. They have visited our flooded area, consoled us and pledged to give us alternative land to continue with our plans, he said.
FCA CEO Mike Manley visits the Sterling Heights, Michigan plant on March 17.

FCA

A Fiat Chrysler employee who worked at the company's Warren Truck assembly plant in Michigan died Wednesday of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, United Auto Workers union President Rory Gamble said in a statement.

As of Thursday, three FCA employees are known to have died from COVID-19.

Amid pressure from the UAW to protect the health of members, the Big Three US carmakers  FCA, Ford, and General Motors  announced last week that they would close all North American plants to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Another Fiat Chrysler Automobiles employee has died due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble said in a statement on Wednesday. The announcement brings the number of known FCA workers who have died as a result of the disease to three.

"One of our members at FCA Warren Truck in Michigan passed away today due to the Coronavirus," the statement read. "On behalf of myself and the entire International Executive Board, I want to extend our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of our dear member."

In the statement, Gamble added that "today FCA officials sent home the few remaining Mopar workers at the parts-distribution center in Center Line, Michigan, after at least one employee tested positive for the virus." That facility, Gamble said, was being operated by paid volunteers and is being deep cleaned.

The announcement follows Tuesday's news that two FCA plant workers  one at the company's Kokomo, Indiana, facility and another at its Sterling Heights, Michigan, plant  had died of the disease. According to Automotive News, those two employees were the first known US auto workers to have died from it.

Last week, the Big Three US automakers  Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler  committed to a full shutdown of North American plants in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has, as of this publishing, infected more than 521,000 people and killed more than 23,000 worldwide. The UAW had been pushing the Big Three to close US plants for days as new cases of the virus among auto workers continued to grow.

Story continues

"Today's action is the prudent thing to do," Gamble said following the Big Three's announcement of plant closures in North America. "By taking a shutdown and working through next steps, we protect UAW members, their families and the community."

But on Thursday, tensions between the UAW and Ford began to rise again following the manufacturer's announcement that it would restart production at some plants  with additional safety measures in place  to generate extra cash flow.

"The UAW continues to review with great caution and concern decisions being made about restarting workplaces, especially at advanced dates," Gamble said in a statement. "The only guideline in a boardroom should be management asking themselves, 'Would I send my family  my own son or daughter  into that plant and be 100% certain they are safe.'"

Read the original article on Business Insider
Stewarts Shops is distributing $1.8 million to charities in the communities it serves raised through the companys annual holiday match program.

Customers donated $900,000 to the program, and Stewart's matched that amount.

More than $90,000 will go to organizations in the Mohawk Valley, including the Cooperstown Food Pantry, the Rome Hospital Foundation and Arc Herkimer.

Herkimer County will receive $25,208, Oneida County will receive $47,000 and Otsego County will receive $18,750.

To see which organizations and charities will receive funds, visit: stewartsshops.com.
Coming to the rescue of a destitute woman who has been rendered homeless during the coronavirus outbreak, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the family of a man, whom she claimed to be her husband, to pay her Rs four lakh as compensation.

The order was passed on an application filed by the woman who had approached the top court seeking direction for monetary relief, protection and order for stay at the guest house at the National Agriculture Science Complex (NASC) in Delhi.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant, which heard the case through video conferencing, said some urgent orders are necessary as the woman has been asked to vacate the guest house where she has been residing.

"In the present situation, particularly having regard to the public health crisis, we are of the view that the interest of justice would require the Court to pass a pro tem order, without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties. We make it clear that we are not entering into the merits of the rival contentions between the parties which will be heard at a future date. By way of an ad-hoc arrangement, we direct the respondent to pay a lump sum amount of Rs 4 lakhs to the petitioner on or before March 31, 2020," the bench said.

The woman, who argued the matter herself through video conferencing, said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has issued notice to her to vacate the room of the guest house by March 20.

Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, appearing for the family, alleged that the woman was a habitual litigant and filed frivolous applications for interim relief and lost in all forums.

The woman, in her application, has sought interim relief of Rs 1.30 crore besides direction to stay at the state guest house in Bengaluru and the ICAR guest house.

The woman earlier filed a writ petition before the Karnataka high court seeking to set aside all adverse orders against her Domestic Violence Act case, which was later transferred to the top court.

The woman in her plea has claimed that she had got married to a man who was an award winning horticulturist and they used to live together. The man died in 2017.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Some schools have been proactive and forward-thinking. Success Academy, which operates 45 charter schools in New York City, is now in its second week of distance learning, and its program, stressing simplicity, reading and individual contact with students, is setting an example that others are following. D.C. schools, where closures will extend until at least April 27, rolled out their distance learning program on Tuesday. Maryland and Virginia, by contrast, have lagged; schools in the Washington area have done no systemwide instruction. They have not assigned or taught new material. Complaints by parents in Montgomery County about the lack of online instruction prompted Superintendent Jack R. Smith to explain in a community letter that the March 16-27 closure of all Maryland schools is considered an emergency closure in which teachers and other employees do not work. He stressed to us that the system took advantage of the two weeks by developing robust plans for distance instruction that will be rolled out in phases starting next week. Maryland officials said all schools in the state will come up with plans for distance learning. The Virginia Department of Education issued guidance that included recommendations for distance learning, and Fairfax County Public Schools announced Friday it will begin remote learning for all students on April 14.
During an address to the nation on Wednesday 26th March, 2020, Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph Gonsalves shared plans to relieve the strain on Vincentians during this COVID-19 pandemic.

by Dayle Da Silva and William Kojah Anthony





With countries across the globe, St. Vincent and the Grenadines being no except, expected to endure severe economic slowdowns if not meltdowns, this countrys government has outlined a Relief/Recovery/Stimulus package to ease the burden of its citizens.





The measures were announced by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves in a nearly hour-long address last Wednesday (March 25) evening.





The estimated cost of the package is put at EC$74.05 million.





Sources of this revenue include The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Arab Emirates, the East Caribbean Central Bank and the Contingency Fund of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Support will also come from local entities to include National Insurance Services, SVG Port Authority, Agricultural Input Warehouse and the East Caribbean Group of Companies.

"The Arrowroot Association, Central Water and Sewerage Authority, VINLEC, Telecom Companies, the Private Sector, workers and trade unions, farmers, fisherfolk, all state employees, and all Vincentians, are expected to play significant roles in our economic recovery, the Prime Minister indicated.





Banks, etc





Among the measures the Prime Minister listed, was an agreement that will see commercial banks, credit unions and other financial





institutions deferring the payment of principal and interest on home mortgages, business loans, personal and consumer loans, and credit cards.





"All these financial institutions will further arrange specific customised packages of financing/refinancing for their clients, Dr. Gonsalves said.









Utilities





Utility companies - VINLEC and the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) - will not disconnect any customer who is currently not in arrears not more than two months, for a three-month period starting now. Any indebtedness on those bills following this period will be settled as per an agreed incremental basis over a period of two years, the Prime Minister continued.





Any customer who has been in arrears and is currently disconnected, will not be required to pay the reconnection fee either to VINLEC or CWSA.





Both companies have also agreed to waive the reconnection fee effected within the next three months, as of March 25.





Additionally, there will be a waiver of duty and VAT on electricity for domestic, hotels and guest house consumers beginning March 20 until June 30.





Telecommunications companies are being asked to provide appropriate relief for hotels and business consumers on the delivery of the range of telecoms services.





NIS support





The National Insurance Services (NIS) is expected to provide a pre-payment of up to two months pension benefits to all categories of pensioners, to facilitate upfront costs of pensioners at this time.





The NIS was also expected to provide EC$1.25 million in the form of temporary unemployment relief across economic sectors for active employee registrants.





A further EC$5 million has been set aside as benefits for persons not on public assistance or in receipt of a pension until December 31.





This is expected to provide support for displaced workers in the hotel and tourism sector, including cruise buses and taxi operators.





Commerce





It is expected that the St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority will engage the business community in respect of granting a measure of relief in respect of certain port charges, with effect from April 2020. This relief is expected to be reflected in prices to consumers.





Notwithstanding the above, VAT will be removed on the following items: bleach, disinfectants, liquid hand soaps, hand sanitizers, rubbing alcohol, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen, hydrogen peroxide, glycerine, soap dispensers, bath soap, toilet paper and paper towels.





Tax ease





The Prime Minister also announced that the Department of Inland Revenue will grant extensions of deadlines for citizens to file their personal income tax returns, payment of motor vehicle licences in respect of vehicles ending with the last digit 3, and for payment by persons paying second half-year licences for motor vehicles with last digit 9.





The extension will also be offered to second quarter 2020 liquor licences.





"These deadlines range between 3  4 weeks, Gonsalves said in his address to the nation on March 25.





The Christmas Barrel Programme of reduced duty will be applied from May 01 to August 31.





Departure tax for all holders of CARICOM passport, has been reduced by half to US $20 "to facilitate regional travel, Dr. Gonsalves said, adding that LIAT is expected to benefit in part from an Assistance Plan to be offered by the Caribbean Development Bank.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis televised speech on Tuesday evening  in which he announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)  was watched by over 197 million people, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati said on Friday.

It said that the figure was more than the number of people who watched the Indian Premier League (IPL) finals last year, which stood at 133 million. Over 200 news channels, including Prasar Bharti-run Doodarshan, had broadcast the telecast.

Prasar Bharati chief executive officer (CEO) Shashi Shekhar Vempati quoted data by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), an audience measurement body for the broadcast industry.

According to the data shared by BARC India the speech by PM Narendra Modi on total lockdown on March 24 had the highest TV viewership [unique viewers greater than IPL finals] with over 201 channels carrying it, Vempati said on Twitter.

The PMs televised address on Tuesday garnered significant hits on the social media as well. The number of hits on Doordarshans and Rajya Sabhas YouTube channels were half a million and 0.1 million, respectively.

The PMs address to the nation on March 19, announcing a 14-hour Janata Curfew on March 22, notched up a TV viewership of 18.3 million across 191 TV channels, according to BARC ratings.

Modis address on the nullification of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019, had a viewership of 16.5 million across 163 channels, while his demonetisation address on November 8, 2016, was watched by 15.7 million on 114 channels.

(with agency inputs)
The United States has more coronavirus cases than any other country after more than 16,000 Covid-19 infections were reported there in a single day. This took the number of patients in the country to over 85,600, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

A week ago, the number of confirmed cases in the US were 8,000. It has dangerously surged 10 times in the span of a week.

According to Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE), Americas nationwide tally of Covid-19 cases grew over 10,000 cases in less than five hours.

New York City has become the epicentre of the virus with the maximum number of deaths and over 37,802 cases. According to the university estimates, of the total 1,178 Covid-19 deaths in the country, nearly 300 come from New York City.

The US Senate on Wednesday passed an unparalleled $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 24,000 people have died due to the Sars-CoV-2 virus across the world with Italy standing at the top with 8,215 deaths, followed by Spain (4,365) and China (3,169), the university further stated.

The virus has infected over 500,000 people across the world. While coronavirus continues to batter Europe and the US, China seems to be recovering from its Covid-19 nightmare. Chinas National Health Commission reported 81,285 positive Covid-19 cases in the mainland by the end of Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
Working in the Arctic Fram Strait, scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have found microplastic throughout the water column with particularly high concentrations at the ocean floor. Using model-based simulations, they have also found an explanation for this high level of pollution. According to their findings, the two main ocean currents in Fram Strait transport the microscopically small plastic particles into the region between Greenland and Spitsbergen from both the Arctic and the North Atlantic. While passing through the Strait, many particles eventually drift to the seafloor, where they accumulate. The experts report on this phenomenon in a study just released in the esteemed journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Located between the northeast coast of Greenland and the Svalbard archipelago, Fram Strait is the only deep passage between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. In its waters, which reach depths of 5,600 metres, two opposing currents flow right by one another like an underwater highway. In the eastern "lane" the West Spitsbergen Current transports warm water north from the Atlantic, while in the other lane the East Greenland Current moves sea ice and frigid water south from the Arctic. This extraordinary combination of circumstances is most likely the reason why experts from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research while collecting water and seafloor samples at the Arctic deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN in Fram Strait, detected extremely high quantities of microplastic particles in the sediment, and intermediate levels in the water column in the summer of 2016.

Major quantities of microplastic in the deep sea and near marginal ice zone

"We found the highest concentration of microplastic particles in water at our northernmost sampling spot near the sea-ice edge," reports AWI biologist and first author Mine Tekman. In the area technically referred to as the marginal ice zone, one cubic metre of surface water contained more than 1,200 microplastic particles, though this hardly came as a surprise to the researchers. "From previous studies we knew that the Arctic sea ice can contain as much as 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of meltwater. When this ice reaches the end of its journey and melts in the northern Fram Strait, it most likely releases its microplastic load into the sea, which would explain the high concentration in the surface waters," she adds.

In contrast, the level of pollution was 16,000 times higher in sediments at the bottom of Fram Strait. The analysis of sediment samples with a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) revealed up to 13,000 microplastic particles per kilogramme of sediment. "This large quantity of particles and the various types of plastic we found in the sediment confirm that microplastic is continually accumulating on the seafloor of Fram Strait. In other words, the deep sea in this region is a sink for microscopically small plastic particles," says AWI deep-sea expert and co-author Dr Melanie Bergmann.

Inflows of plastic waste from north and south alike

This view was confirmed by ocean circulation modelling, in which the experts simulated the microplastic particles' route to Fram Strait. Depending on the particle size, type of plastic, sinking speed and water depth, some particles travelled up to 650 kilometres before coming to rest on the ocean floor. "The results of our model disprove the notion that microplastic particles could rapidly and almost vertically sink to the bottom," says Melanie Bergmann. In fact, the plastic waste is caught by the ocean currents and can drift for tremendous distances. Especially the aggregation with organic material like algal remains is what causes the particles to sink from the surface through the water column to the seafloor.

With regard to Fram Strait, this means the majority of the plastic particles stockpiled at its bottom likely originate from remote regions; for instance, the East Greenland Current transports microplastic from the Arctic Ocean to the eastern Greenland slope. While collecting samples in its basin, the researchers above all found ethylene-vinyl acetate, a type of plastic used e.g. for coatings, lacquers, paper, packaging and shoe soles. In contrast, the West Spitsbergen Current carries particles from waters south of Spitsbergen into Fram Strait. This finding was also reflected in the plastic mix found in the respective samples.

It should also be mentioned that more than half of all plastic particles identified were smaller than 25 micrometres in diameter, roughly half the thickness of a fine human hair. "This high percentage of truly minute particles is of course troubling, as it immediately raises the question of how marine organisms respond to these minuscule bits of plastic waste," says Melanie Bergmann. To answer this question, British colleagues are currently investigating whether the crustaceans in the AWI's Arctic zooplankton samples have consumed any plastic.

For their part, the AWI experts now want to explore how the microplastic levels in Fram Strait change throughout the year. To this end, they'll use devices referred to as sediment traps, which are moored at the AWI's Arctic deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN and catch the various particles and marine snow that gradually descend from the sea surface, all through the year.

"The study that's just been released offers an important snapshot in which analyses with infrared microscopes allowed us to gain a solid overview of plastic pollution in Fram Strait," says Gunnar Gerdts, an AWI microbiologist and Head of the Microplastic Analysis Group. The experts determined that 39 percent of the particles suspended in the water came from polyamide, which is used to produce e.g. fibres for textiles and fishing nets, while nearly a quarter of all particles in the water column were identified as synthetic rubber (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber), an elastic type of plastic used e.g. in automotive and machine-building, as pond liner, for sealing roofs and house fronts, and as filler in artificial turf. In the seafloor sediments, the team primarily found particles made of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), which is used e.g. in the manufacture of cables, hoses, films and antilock braking systems (ABS).

###
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 27, 2020 | 01:53 PM | GRAVES COUNTY





The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has announced that the Graves County Fiscal Court is receiving $89,500 in County Road Aid emergency funds to repair the bridge on Shelton Road.







High water has slowly caused erosion of the stream and roadway banks that has resulted in damage to the bridge. The road is currently closed. The county will be using the funds to remove the current bridge and install an aluminum box culvert that will handle the flow of water better.







Transportation Secretary Jim Gray applauded the award.







He said, "Improvements are ahead and we're pleased to partner with local government to help them address critical infrastructure needs that make a difference in the lives of Kentuckians."







The repairs will take place on Shelton Road beginning near mile marker 1.4. The Graves County Fiscal Court will immediately receive $44,750 for the repairs, with the remainder becoming available as the work progresses.

The Graves County Fiscal Court will be receiving funds to repair a bridge on Shelton Road.
A man arrested for spitting on trolleys and doors in a Saudi shopping centre could face the death penalty after testing positive for coronavirus.

The incident took place in a shopping centre in the northern Saudi Arabian province of Hail and the unnamed suspect was later arrested after being spotted by workers.

While in custody the man, identified as a foreign national although his nationality was not disclosed, tested positive for COVID-19.

A man arrested for spitting on trolleys and doors in a Saudi shopping centre could face the death penalty after testing positive for coronavirus. Pictured: a man wears a mask in Riyadh

It is still unclear why the man, who lived in the city of Baljurashi in the south-western region of Al Bahah, carried out the act and if he was aware of his diagnosis at the time.

After testing positive for the virus, the Saudi authorities asked everyone who visited the affected store to immediately undergo a COVID-19 test.

Meanwhile, they are still scanning the CCTV footage to identify whether the suspect may have infected other areas.

Saudi policemen manning a checkpoint on the King Fahad main street in the capital Riyadh, after the Kingdom began implementing a 11-hour nationwide curfew

Saudi officials suggested that the suspect could face charges that would include the death penalty as punishment because 'he was clearly aware of the fever and cough he had at the time and his action was only aimed at killing others'.

As of March 27, Saudi Arabia has reported 1,012 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and three related deaths, according to the latest data from the Johns Hopkins University.

Saudi Arabia has taken many steps to contain the outbreak, including halting international flights as well as suspending the Umrah year-round pilgrimage and closing mosques, schools, malls and restaurants.
Rep. Seth Moulton rescinded his support for a resolution that argues that the Chinese government encouraged the spread of coronavirus amid push back from the Asian American community.

I apologize for that, and I am withdrawing my support for the resolution. As someone who has spoken in stark terms about racism in America and the dangerousness of Trump, said Moulton. The way the resolution has been used is unacceptable to me.

Sen. Elizabeth Warrens former communication manager Roger Lau tweeted last week that the resolution was lazy, hateful and dangerous.

Thank you @sethmoulton for taking the time to talk to me about this resolution and the Asian Americans who it impacted. I look forward to continuing our work together. https://t.co/bN3bLPQlah  Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) March 26, 2020

Rep. Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress spoke to Moulton and was thankful that he took the time to talk about the resolution and the Asian Americans who it impacted.

The resolution has caused division, the substance overshadowed by President Trumps divisive, xenophobic attempts to deflect from his administrations abysmal response to this virus, Moulton added.

President Donald J. Trump has been criticized for continuing to use the term Chinese virus to speak about the COVID-19 pandemic that many see as yet another cause of divide across the country.

COVID-19 was coined on Feb. 11 by the World Health Organization and is being used across the world by experts and politicians alike to speak about the pandemic.

Related Content:

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts
The white supremacist who shot dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques last year pleaded guilty unexpectedly to all charges yesterday, meaning there would be no trial.

Brenton Tarrant (29) showed no emotion as he appeared via video link from an Auckland prison cell to plead guilty to 51 murders, 40 attempted murders and one charge of terrorism.

He had previously entered not guilty pleas and his trial was due to start in June. No reason was given for his decision and his lawyers could not be reached for comment.

He faces life in jail but a judge could allow him to apply for parole in light of his guilty plea.

The plea was met with mixed emotions but mainly relief by New Zealand's Muslim community, which two weeks ago marked the anniversary of the attacks in Christchurch.

"I feel conflicted," said Aya al-Umari, whose brother Hussein died in the attack on the al-Noor mosque.

Although she had wanted more details about what happened, she said she was relieved not to have to face the trauma of a trial.

Many feared that Tarrant, an Australian, would use the trial as a platform for his white supremacist views, which he had published in a 74-page manifesto online before the massacre.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, only a handful of people were allowed into the court, including the imams from the two mosques targeted.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, said that there was "a certain sense of relief that the whole nation, but particularly our Muslim community, are being spared from a trial that could have otherwise acted as a platform".

The mosque attacks prompted New Zealand's government to ban assault weapons, implement a buy-back of existing firearms and ramp up surveillance.

The massacre also fuelled questions about whether intelligence and security agencies had been sufficiently rigorous in monitoring far-right or white supremacist networks.

Jamal Green, spokesman for al-Noor mosque, said he did not know in advance about Tarrant's sudden decision to plead guilty. The reaction from the community was "one of relief and great surprise; tears of joy, even," he said.

Graeme Edgeler, a Wellington-based lawyer, noted a guilty plea, however belated, might open the possibility of a sentence with parole.

"In New Zealand, a person pleading guilty is usually entitled to a reduction in their sentence for the guilty plea," he said.

"The offending is so serious, however, that even with a guilty plea, a life-without- parole sentence must still be likely." ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]




Britain recorded more than 100 coronavirus deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time on Thursday, with 115 people who tested positive for the virus dying.







"As of 5pm (1700 GMT) on 25 March 2020, 578 patients in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) have died," said the official government website, up from 463 on Wednesday.







A total of 11,658 cases have now been confirmed in Britain, a daily increase of more than 2,000.







The outbreak is concentrated in London, with the head of an organisation representing bosses in the state-run National Health Service warning on Thursday that hospitals in the capital were being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.







The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, told BBC radio that hospitals in the British capital have seen an "explosion of demand... in seriously ill patients", likening it to a "continuous tsunami", with numbers predicted to surge in the next fortnight. (AFP)


With millions of Americans out of work due to the novel coronavirus crisis, states are generally advising citizens to, if possible, apply for unemployment insurance online.According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor, states received 3,000,000 more UI claims during the week of March 21 than they did the week of March 14. In New Mexico, a state of roughly 2 million people, total claims reached 17,187 on March 21, an increase of about 16,000 claims from the previous week.We are experiencing a high volume of phone calls, said Bill McCamley, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. That is one of the reasons we are strongly encouraging folks who have that ability to apply online.McCamley said New Mexicos decision to modernize its unemployment system within the last decade has helped the state absorb the dramatic increase in online claims, which make up 93 percent of the new filings. McCamley cited citizens forgetting their passwords as the states largest technical issue at the moment.In Tennessee, home to more than 6 million residents, claims jumped to approximately 39,000 at the end of last week, an increase of about 36,000. Jeff McCord, commissioner of the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development, toldin an email today that the state hasnt experienced any major technical difficulties with its unemployment computer system during this surge of claims. He added that his department expanded the capabilities of the system to help manage the unprecedented hike in claims.Rhode Island reported an upswing in claims that was similar to the case in Tennessee. Notwithstanding than an increase of 34,000 filings is massive for such a small state, Rhode Islands benefits system has managed to handle the increased load with relative success.While the increase in claim volume has caused occasional slowdowns or other technical difficulties that may temporarily affect user experience, we have not had the kind of full system crash reported in other states, Angelika Pellegrino, chief public affairs officer for the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, said in an email today.But the story has been a bit different for larger states that are processing far more benefits claims.According to KRPC 2 , one citizen reported failure to get through to the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), having been on the phone and on the [agencys] website four to five hours a day for three days. Texas watched its number of UI claims blow up from 16,176 to 155,657 last week.We recognize the inconvenience this [is] causing for our customers and are working quickly with our agency partner, the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) to resolve issues and accommodate the increased number of users on TWCs website, according to a TWC statement received by KRPC 2. Working with DIR we have increased the memory to accommodate the number of users on the server.Michigan saw its incoming claims surge to about 129,000, a spike of nearly 124,000. A press release indicates that Michigans unemployment website may operate a little slower, with some pages taking several minutes to load, and that phone queues are full.The state noted that the fastest way to UI benefits is through the website, particularly during off-peak hours  between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Erica Quealy, communications manager for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in an email yesterday that The system is holding strong. Weve added server capacity and continue to monitor the system to ensure it is performing to serve customers.In an email toyesterday, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) said so far this week it has hit a total of more than 103,000 claims, about 30,000 more than it had at the end of last week, when the number of filings skyrocketed from about 6,500 to just over 74,000.Like other states, Florida suggests citizens should apply online, as callers are experiencing above average wait times, said Tiffany Vause, DEO communications and external affairs director. DEO is working with its current vendor as well as external interface partners to increase system capacity.We havent had a crash, but users are experiencing a lot of slowness, Vause said.Vause mentioned the state is having difficulty verifying Social Security numbers in real time, so it is working with a vendor on an hourly basis to fix this problem.I know multiple states are having that issue, Vause said.The online UI system of Washington state, which gained almost 120,000 claims last week, has had technical difficulties in certain cases, said Bretta Beveridge, communications manager for the Washington Employment Security Department, in an email today.First-time applicants in Washington have experienced front end issues while creating their Secure Access Washington accounts as part of the states single sign-on system. Other applicants may see issues if they happen to submit claims before IT staff are able to update rules, such as eligibility requirements, in the system.Washington is continually updating its technology and putting out new UI guides as the situation evolves. Even with the problems people are having online, the phone option remains slower, with some calls being dropped altogether, though the state has added a toll-free help line and a way for residents to schedule call-back times instead of holding.The fastest way to apply is still online, Beveridge said.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced $100 million in supplemental funding for community health centers to support the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Health centers are playing a critical role, said James Macrae, associate administrator at the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care.

About 29 million people in the U.S. rely on community health centers, which provide care to low-income and uninsured patients. As hospitals take on more COVID-19 patients, community health centers are reworking how they care for patients. Some safety-net clinics have instituted new infectious disease protocols and temporarily shifted resources away from routine primary care.

The new funding goes to 1,381 community health centers (many of which operate multiple clinics), primarily to support more COVID-19 testing, telehealth and the acquisition of personal protective equipment.

Its nowhere near what is needed, but we are thankful, said Bob Marsalli, CEO of the Washington Association for Community Health, a group representing community health clinics in Washington state.

Marsalli said community health centers in the state are under increasing financial strain as they ramp up for the coronavirus battle, while also losing some key sources of funding.

[Our clinics] are reallocating their workforce intelligently, but frantically, to keep up with the demand, said Marsalli.

Rapidly redesigning systems

Under normal circumstances, HealthPoint, a community health center in Auburn, Washington, would encourage patients to walk into the clinic for all their medical needs, whether refilling a prescription or learning about nutrition.

Usually our lobby is slammed, said Dr. Esther Johnston. Its open space and everyone is together.

But recently only a few patients in surgical masks were waiting for appointments. And Johnston is telling patients to stay away unless they absolutely need care.

It is a bit frustrating and demoralizing, but its the reality of the situation, she said.

HealthPoint runs more than a dozen clinics throughout western Washington. Now, at the entryway of its clinics, staff query everyone to identify COVID-19 symptoms and monitor patients to make sure they remain at a distance from one another once inside.

Johnston said the clinic was not set up to house an influx of patients with infectious diseases. There are limited exam rooms and each one needs to be shut down and cleaned after a patient suspected of having COVID-19 comes in.

We just dont have enough space to be able to do that on a routine basis, she said.

Like many community health centers, HealthPoints model is built around bringing people into clinics for primary care. Now the organization is taking new precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep staff safe.(Will Stone for KHN)

Johnston worries about whats coming as COVID-19 cases rise in her area.

We pride ourselves on being a primary care home, Johnston said. We dont have enough N95 masks, nor, to be honest, were we prepared for a situation where everyone had to be properly fitted.

HealthPoints chief medical officer, Dr. Judy Featherstone, said most appointments are now done over the phone. Her staff is fielding calls from people concerned about symptoms, as well as new patients who want to have a doctor in case they contract the COVID-19 virus.

It is a bit like taking 20 years of work and redesigning it in a week, said Featherstone. I think we are anticipating potential workforce problems.

Like many clinics in Washington, HealthPoint has set up outdoor testing sites, but the supply of kits and personal protective gear, or PPE, limits the number of patients who can be tested for COVID-19.

New financial strain on clinics

As fewer patients come in for care, the leadership worries about the center's financial future. Clinics have switched to telephone-based appointments, but it took several weeks for Washingtons Medicaid program to adjust how it pays for those visits. Meanwhile, community health centers are eliminating routine dental visits, a key funding stream.

You take those three factors  and you have already started to lose revenue before youre gearing up for new ways of providing care, said Michael Erikson, CEO of Neighborcare Health, which serves more than 70,000 Washington residents, over half of them on Medicaid. We are on a pathway to losing $3 million a month.

The Washington Association for Community Health projects that the cutback in dental care could lead to a $250 million shortfall for the states community health center system over the next nine months.

Vital role in the health system

Community clinics play an important role in serving patients who otherwise might have no place to go besides the ER. Erikson said his organization is trying to relieve some pressure on the hospital system by seeing patients with urgent health care issues not related to COVID-19.

For instance, a wound care patient who has underlying diabetes, you do not want to expose that patient to a potential COVID environment, said Erikson.

Some community clinic leaders now worry about losing staff to suspected or actual coronavirus infection.

It is very critical that the clinics stay at full staff so only those who are critically sick are cared for at the hospital, said Sheila Berschauer, CEO of Moses Lake Community Health Center, a rural health care provider in Washington that serves about a third of its countys population of about 100,000.

If even five to 10 health care workers fall ill, Berschauer said, that could strain her organization and, as a result, possibly overwhelm the local hospital.

She said some patients still dont appreciate the severity of the pandemic and become upset when they are sent to the outdoor testing site rather than into the clinic.

A health care worker at a health center outside Seattle said several patients have misrepresented their COVID-19 risks in order to get past screening.

We had a patient make it all the way into the exam room before she revealed that her partner is COVID exposed, and she is feeling ill, the employee said. The worker is worried about losing their job for speaking out, so NPR and KHN are not using the person's name.

Health care workers who saw the patient were not wearing PPE because those limited supplies are reserved for patients known to be at risk of COVID-19.

Now all of the providers and staff in that facility need to start self-monitoring for signs of infection, the employee said. If they get infected, then the entire clinic closes. Its a big deal.

This story is part of a partnership between NPR and Kaiser Health News.
Health kits distributed to 5 thousand poor people, food to other 5 thousand families of seasonal workers, slum residents, Dalits. The toll of people infected by Covid-19 has risen to 703 and the deaths to 16. Surgical masks packed in the diocese of Miao and donated to doctors. A second priest arrested and released for celebrating a funeral.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Caritas India campaign to combat the spread of coronavirus has started. As announced a few days ago, the Catholic Church aid body has deployed an emergency task force to support the most isolated and disadvantaged populations, who would otherwise risk being ignored due to the total blockade in force for three weeks.

Caritas India is a humanitarian organisation of the catholic Church in India is reaching out and extending the widows might [Mark 12,38-44] to the isolated community at national and local level, shared Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India speaking to AsiaNews.

The priest said that throughout the past week volunteers and directors of the association have taken action to give a concrete response to the needs of the country. Together with the partners in the area, Caritas has identified the most critical situations. Help is being carried out according to the "Be Informed, Be Trained, Be Cautioned, Be Connected & Be Compassionate" strategy.

Fr. Moonjely, explains to begin with, Caritas India will be supporting 5000 people with hygiene kits comprising hand sanitizers, paper soaps, and face masks. Another 5000 families of Daily wage laborers, slum dwellers from Dalit and marginalized communities who have lost their daily wages due to lockdown will be provided food kits to sustain their families."

The priest expresses concern about the situation in the country. The premier's announcement to stop all production activities and transportation, he stresses, "has thrown citizens into panic, has pushed them into a race to grab essential goods. Instead, people who are less fortunate are still stuck at the mere thought of how they can survive and their livelihoods. "

In India the toll of people infected by Covid-19 has risen to 703 and the deaths to 16. Yesterday was the worst day in terms of human lives (six more victims than the previous day), but experts say that the peak has yet to arrive.

Yesterday the Christian Health Coalition wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering the use of all their health facilities and beds in Christian hospitals to face the pandemic, for a total of 1,000 hospitals and 60,000 hospitalizations.

Other offerings of solidarity and help come from the Catholic Church in the northeast. Some girls who had left school offered their experience to make surgical masks, under the direction of Seva Kendra Arunachal East, the social arm of the diocese. In two days, they sewed 1,000 facial masks, which they donated to the medical staff.

Meanwhile, on March 25, a second priest was arrested by Kerala police for celebrating a funeral in violation of government directives. Fr. Reji Yohanan, vicar of the Church of St. Peter of Thuvayoor South, was arrested together with the administrator and the secretary. The three were later released on bail. (A.C.F.)
People entering Vietnam from Cambodia undergo medical check-up at the Moc Bai border gate in southern Tay Ninh Province, March 22, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa.

Vietnam will provide Laos and Cambodia with medical equipment worth $100,000 each to aid their fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Announcing the aid Thursday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam is also willing to send medical experts to both countries if they so desire.

Phuc was speaking in the telephonic conference with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on cooperation in the Covid-19 fight.

Phuc said he highly valued Laos and Cambodia's efforts in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, and wished that the two countries continue providing opportunities for their Vietnamese communities to settle their lives and access necessary conditions to prevent Covid-19 infections.

The Vietnamese PM said he also wished that Laos and Cambodia would continue to cooperate with Vietnam in maintaining border security.

He said further that Vietnam is willing to cooperate with Cambodia to send Cambodians citizens currently quarantined in Vietnam back home if they wish.

Vietnam has so far recorded 153 Covid-19 cases, 20 of whom have been discharged from hospitals. Many of the active cases are people returning from Europe and the U.S. and people who came into close contact with them.

Laos has recorded six cases so far and Cambodia 98.

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 24,000 people globally, after spreading to 199 countries and territories.
How Italy's big business and fashion houses are helping in the country's fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Made in Italy brand continues to respond to the country's Covid-19 emergency with generosity and ingenuity, donating enormous sums of cash and putting its factories at the disposal of the national effort.

Italy's national commissioner for the Coronavirus emergency Domenico Arcuri has announced that 180 companies from the country's fashion sector have united to create supply chains producing two million masks a day, reports Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano.

Here is how Made in Italy has been helping in recent weeks.

Armani

Fashion designer Giorgio Armani has already donated a total of about 2 million to hospitals in Milan, Rome, Bergamo, Piacenza and Versilia, and to Italy's civil protection agency. However on 26 March Armani announced that he is converting all production at his Italian factories to manufacture single-use medical overalls. "As a young man I wanted to be a doctor", said Armani, who thanked Italy's healthcare workers for their work.

Ferrero

The owners of the family-owned confectionery maker Ferrero, famous for Nutella, have donated 10 million to the Italian governments national emergency commission to fight the Coronavirus, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

Ferrari

The Agnelli family, which controls holding company Exor and its units Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ferrari and CNH Industrial, has donated 10 million to Italy's civil protection authorities, reports ANSA. The Agnelli family has also been studying the possibility of helping in the production of the assisted-breathing equipment so desperately needed by the country's hospitals. The Bologna-based Siare Engineering has been in talks with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), Ferrari and Italian parts maker Marelli regarding the production and assembly of parts for respirators and ventilators.

Gucci

Luxury fashion house Gucci is set to make 1.1 million face masks and 55,000 pairs of hospital gowns, upon approval from Italian medical authorities, according to Business Insider, which also reports that Gucci has donated 1 million to the Protezione Civile.

Valentino

Luxury fashion house Valentino founders Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti announced on 26 March that they would donate 1 million to the Columbus Covid-2 hospital, a new facility dedicated to the care of patients with Covid-19, located at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome.

Moncler

Luxury sportswear brand Moncler contributed 10 million to authorities in Lombardy, the region hardest hit by the Coronavirus, for the ongoing construction of a new hospital facility with 400 intensive care units, located on the site of the Fiera Milano exhibition pavilion.

Barilla

The world's largest pasta company, Parma-based Barilla, has donated more than 2 million to be shared between the Maggiore hospital in Parma, the local civil protection authorities and the Parma Red Cross.

Menarini

Italian pharmaceutical giant Menarini, owned by billionaire Massimiliana Landini Aleotti and her three children, has converted its factory in Florence to produce disinfectant gel for hospitals. The company is providing Italian hospitals with "at least five tons" of gel a week, for free, according to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

Dolce & Gabbana

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of the fashion giant Dolce & Gabbana have made an undisclosed donation to Humanitas University in Milan, to aid research into the immune systems response to Covid-19.

Bulgari

Luxury watch and jewellery company Bulgari has made "a major donation" to the Spallanzani Institute in Rome, the capital's specialist centre for treating infectious diseases, for the purchase of a state-of-the-art 3D high definition microscope. Bulgari is collaborating with its fragrance manufacturer and partner, the Lodi-based Industrie Cosmetiche Riunite, to make 6,000 bottles of hand sanitiser a day, to be donated to medical facilities and the Italian government.

Prada

Luxury fashion house Prada has converted its Perugia-based factory into assembling 80,000 hospital gowns and 110,000 masks. Prada CEOs Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada have also reportedly donated two intensive care and resuscitation units each to the Vittore Buzzi, Sacco and S. Raffaele hospitals in Milan.

Dreoni Giovanna

Prato-based car upholstery company Dreoni Giovanna company has converted part of its factory for the production of 2,000 medical masks per day, to give to healthcare professionals, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.

Benetton

The Benetton familys investment arm, Edizione Srl, has donated a total of 3 million to four hospitals: Foncello in Treviso, Luigi Sacco in Milano, and the Spallanzani and Gemelli in Rome, according to Italian news agency Adnkronos.

Campari

Spirits maker Campari Group announced a donation of about 1 million to the Fatebenefratelli Sacco group of hospitals in Milan, according to Forbes.

Silvio Berlusconi

Media tycoon and three-time Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has given 10 million to the Lombardy region, to be used in the construction of a 400-bed intensive care unit at the Fiera di Milano complex, or, if needed, for other emergencies.
Earlier, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva ordered all gun stores closed (fearing that too many first-time gun-owners were getting access to weapons), and now LA Mayor Eric Garcetti lashed out at non-essential stores that refuse to close, making an ominous threat.

After reflecting on the first COVID-19 death of a teenager in L.A. County, he went on to announce actions against nonessential businesses that dont close.

This behavior is irresponsible and selfish, he said of those that remain open.

He said the Department of Water and Power will shut off water and power for the businesses that dont comply with the safer at home ordinance.

Neighborhood prosecutors will implement safety measures and will contact the businesses before issuing further action, according to Garcetti.

The easiest way to avoid a visit is to follow the rules, he said.

This all seems to be accelerating down the extremely slippery slope towards full authoritarian control  something the politicians will be unwilling to easily give up once this crisis blows through.

Finally, the mayor said L.A. is six to 12 days behind New York in being hit with a wave of positive cases.

The peak is not here yet, he said. It will be bad We need to be prepared for some of the darkness that is ahead.

L.A. County had 669 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, with 11 deaths. The state had 2,566 cases with 51 deaths.
A day after a religious preacher died of Covid-19 on Thursday in Kashmir, the administration on Friday asked all the 20 district commissioners and police chiefs to ensure that no religious gatherings take place across the Union Territory.

DCs and SPs advised to strictly caution all religious leaders not to call any gatherings. Public gatherings are a major source of social contact and spread of the virus, government spokesperson and principal secretary Rohit Kansal tweeted.

A 65-year-old religious preacher who had tested positive for coronavirus disease this week died in a Srinagar hospital early Thursday, the first Covid-19-linked death in Jammu and Kashmir. The man died at Srinagars Chest Disease (CD) hospital.

The religious preacher had been to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Samba, Jammu, Srinagar and Sopore to participate in religious events before he was diagnosed positive.

All the 10 deputy magistrates in Jammu region from Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Jammu, Reasi, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur confirmed there was no gathering for Friday prayers in mosques across the Jammu region, only Imams were allowed to give Azaan.

In fact, proposals had come from the community leaders and religious heads, I held meetings with them on Thursday, said Nazim Zai Khan, deputy magistrate of Ramban district.

Khans counterpart in Poonch, Rahul Yadav said only Imams were allowed to the mosques in his district.

Rajouri districts deputy magistrate Nazir Ahmad Sheikh said people didnt come to the mosques.

Announcements were made in advance asking them to stay at their homes and offer prayers individually, he said.

Kishtwar district deputy magistrate Rajinder Singh Tara said, Community leaders and religious preachers themselves made announcements from the mosques asking people to stay at their homes.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Puducherry Chief Minister V



Narayanasamy on Friday said help is being extended to all the 22 pilgrims from the Union Territory stranded in Varanasi owing to the nation-wide lockdown as part of efforts to prevent spread of coronavirus.

The chief minister told reporters here that he had directed the district Collector to make necessary arrangements for the pilgrims' safe stay in Varanasi after receiving a message from one of the pilgrims.

The pilgrims were stranded in Varanasi as train services were stopped as part of the nation-wide lockdown.

Narayanasamy said the pilgrims had requested that they be provided South Indian food and accommodation in Varanasi.

"These pilgrims were immediately extended Rs 2 lakhs from out of the Puducherry Chief Minister Relief Fund for their food and accommodation," he added.

The Puducherry Collector T Arun had through an official in Varanasi known to him also made the necessary arrangements for the pilgrims.

The pilgrims were stranded as there were no trains and also faced difficulty in getting south Indian food.

Narayanasamy appealed to all people including mediapersons to use masks while on duty.

He urged people to remain indoors during the 21-day lockdown.

"I ask the people to remain indoors as 'voluntary isolation is the only effective solution to keep the spread of the virus at bay," he added.

The Chief Minister handed over a cheque for Rs 50 lakh to the Assembly Speaker V P Sivakolundhu from the MLA Local Area Development Fund.

The DMK legislature party leader R Siva handed over a cheque for Rs 75 lakh to the fund specially created for relief works.

Narayanasamy said that the VCK MPs from Tamil Nadu- Thol Tirumavalan and D Ravikumar- had donated Rs 1 lakh each to the fund earlier in the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Virgin Media could be forced to pay up to 4.5billion to customers whose personal data was published online - including details of porn sites accessed, a law firm says.

Your Lawyers, a firm based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has offered to help people who had their full names and contact details released get up to 5,000 each.

Earlier this month Virgin Media said the breach occurred because its database was incorrectly configured, allowing unauthorised access to one third-party.

The information was accessible from April 2019 until February 28, 2020.

The law firm says a Group Compensation Action could force the company to cough up thousands of pounds per customer for undue financial and emotional distress.

Your Lawyers, a firm based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has offered to help people who had their full names and contact details released get up to 5,000 each from Virgin Media (file)

The information in the database did not include passwords or financial details but did contain names, email addresses, phone numbers and details of customers' contracts with the service.

However, the independent IT company that alerted Virgin to the breach found details that linked some customers to 'explicit websites', it told MailOnline.

Virgin Media blamed the error on the negligence of a staff member who did not follow correct procedures.

Aman Johal, Director at Your Lawyers, revealed the firm had formally notified Virgin Media it was taking action.

He said: 'Virgin Media failed to take the steps required to keep customer data safe. It is vital for the company to understand the severity of this breach.

'When data is left exposed online it is open season for fraudsters to scam and attack vulnerable people.

'Our claimant base is growing daily. We urge anyone affected by the breach to make a claim as soon as possible.'

Virgin Media blamed the error on a staff member not following correct procedures. The information was accessible from April 2019 until February 28, 2020

Mr Johal described the release of the information as a 'serious breach of consumer rights' for which there 'is simply no excuse'.

'Even though the breach occurred due to "human error", we must hold Virgin Media to account,' he added.

Virgin Media declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.

Virgin Media CEO Lutz Schuler said the company recently became aware of the issue and immediately shut down access to the affected database.

Speaking at a media conference in London, Schuler said: 'There is no evidence that the data taken has been used in the wrong way.

'We want to avoid any panic.

'We all have enough on our plate with coronavirus at the moment but we have to be open about it,' said Schuler, who added that he would apologise to customers for the breach.

The company, which is conducting an ongoing investigation, said it believes the database was accessed at least once but does not know to what extent or if any information was used.

'Protecting our customers' data is a top priority and we sincerely apologise,' it said.

'We are now contacting those affected to inform them of what happened.'

Virgin is now urging its customers to remain cautious before 'clicking on an unknown link or giving any details to an unverified or unknown party'.

Was your data released during the breach? If you'd like to join the action go to Your Lawyers here to claim. Advertisement

The Financial Times reported that this breach affects about 15 percent of Virgin Media's paying customers, including some with Virgin Mobile.

However, data from non-customers could have also been included that came from 'refer a friend' promotions.

Virgin Media is Britain's second-largest broadband company and owned by billionaire John Malone's Liberty Global, according to The Financial Times.

The vulnerability of the customer data was first discovered by information security provider TurgenSec, as reported by the FT and confirmed to MailOnline by the company.

'The breach was discovered by TurgenSec as part of a routine sweep of databases,' a spokesperson at TurgenSec told MailOnline.

'Despite reassurance issued that 'protecting our customers' data is a top priority' we found no indication that this was the case.

'This wasn't only due to a simple error made by a member of staff "incorrectly configuring" a database, as has been stated.

TurgenSec added that information was in plaintext and unencrypted  which means anyone with a web-browser could clearly view and potentially download all the data without needing any specialised equipment or hacking techniques.

'It is regrettable that the company is shifting blame to a member of their staff, when they should have had a mature DevSecOps methodology that routinely looks for, identifies and mitigates these errors before a customer's data is exposed.'

With almost one million customers affected, the breach is deemed one of the largest by a UK firm in recent years.

'This data breach has exposed the data of almost a million Virgin Media customers and whilst no financial details or passwords were included, those customers are likely to be worried,' said Adam French, Which? consumer rights expert.

'It is vital that Virgin Media continues to provide clear information on what has happened.

'For anyone concerned they could be affected, it's good practice to update your password after a data breach.

'Also, be wary of emails regarding the breach, as scammers may try and take advantage of it.'

Virgin said that online security advice and help on a range of topics is available to customers on its website.

It says it has contacted all the affected individuals with advice on what to do next.
TV personalities have been doing their part to spread awareness regarding all aspects of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Many have been urging people to practice self isolation and follow the rules of the nationwide lockdown. Another important aspect that celebrities have been schooling their fans on is to not ostracize those working in medical fields, aviation industry and essential services.

Ye Hai Mohabbatein star Divyanka Tripathi came out in support of an airline crew member and her mother who were ostracized by their neighbourhood. Sharing that her own brother is a pilot and her father works at a pharmacy, Divyanka called out all those who 'Corona Shame' such people.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Divyanka wrote, "#CoronaShaming is most dastardly act one can indulge into. Keep distance, be careful but don't lose empathy that primarily defines us as humans. My brother is a pilot, willingly self quarantined at home, while SHOWING NO SYMPTOMS for 13 days. Even if he would have been affected he would have got himself treated like any other dutiful staff."

She continued, "Until recently, when officials posted a vague label outside our Bhopal house which 'failed to mention that he's NOT COVID POSITIVE', I didn't know what trauma airline staff was going through. Several being made to leave their houses, many are being ill treated, their families are being stigmatised...just because THEY CHOSE TO SERVE YOU OVER THEIR LIFE!"

Talking about how certain people are risking their own lives to serve others, she wrote, "My father risks his life everyday to provide others medicines from his pharmacy. My brother dared to keep flying till last government directive so that several stranded passengers can return home. It's a risk so many brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers are taking every day providing us essential services, while their families can only pray for their well being. We conveniently traveled. We are still shopping for our medicines, grocery etc but when it comes to addressing these selfless workers, some of us choose to ostracise them! Least we can do is be respectful as neighbors and fellow citizens, let them live with dignity, if not thank them personally."

Talking about her brother Divyanka told TOI, "My brother told me that he was flying the craft in and out of India which was cleared by Ministry of Civil Aviation like any other flight crew. His last international flight was about 13 days ago and he shows no symptoms of Corona and has been reporting everyday to authorized government doctors for the same. All aviation crew who have done international fights in recent past have gone under self quarantine but it does not mean that they are positive. It's just a safety measure."

ALSO READ: Divyanka Trolled Yet Again; This Time For Pointing Out Unhygienic Condition Of Quarantine Centres

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Divyanka Tripathi's Tweet Irks Netizens; Call Her Insensitive & Beauty Without Brain!


A group of Instacart shoppers is planning a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the grocery delivery app's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

It comes at a critical time as the delivery start-up aims to add an additional 300,000 workers over the next three months to meet surging demand. The new hires would be independent contractors, not employees that are eligible for benefits. Earlier this month, the company said it would provide up to 14 days of paid sick leave to workers diagnosed with the coronavirus or placed under quarantine. Instacart has also rolled out contactless delivery, but in-store shoppers are pushing for more  including personal protective equipment like disinfectant wipes, hazard pay of $5 per order, and an extended sick pay policy that shields those with preexisting conditions.

"For the past several weeks, [we] have been urging Instacart to take property safety precautions," Gig Workers Collective, a labor activism group, wrote in a memo this morning. "We have been ignored."

On Friday, perhaps in a preemptive response to the planned strike, Instacart detailed new pay incentives and safety guidelines for shoppers, including an update to its extended pay policy for workers who are forced into quarantine, and bonus pay for in-store shoppers based on the number of hours worked. It's also offering a new way to deliver alcohol without risking contact by requiring an in-person signature, and shoppers can also now report problems through a "safety incidents" section on its app.

But some in-store shoppers say these new measures don't go far enough.

"Instacart's response to our demands lacks substance, and does nothing to protect us," Vanessa Bain, a vocal critic of the company, wrote on Twitter. "Conceding to one demand is way too little, way too late. Our call for an emergency walk off still stands."

Tweet

Bain, who lives in Menlo Park, Calif., stopped working on March 13 in an effort to comply with California's order for people to stay in their homes.

Workers have called for national boycotts in the past, but failed to gain much traction for issues like forcing the company to reinstate the 10% default tip that was reduced in 2016.

This time could be different, some workers believe. Sarah Clarke, one of the organizers behind the strike and a former Instacart shopper of three years, says the start-up has not done enough to protect its workforce amid the pandemic.

"They don't even provide the bare minimum like hand sanitizers or masks," Clarke said. "We are expected to risk our lives for $7 an hour."

While Instacart says it has "secured hand sanitizer to distribute to shoppers across the community," it will only be distributed in the coming days and weeks.

Other in-store shoppers told CNBC they have also been subject to lower tips from customers when they can't completely fulfill orders, as many store items are out of stock.

Grocery stores have faced soaring demand during the last few weeks. As of mid-March, sales for online grocers in the U.S. were 86% higher than the same time last year, according to Earnest Research. And, between March 10 and March 16, Instacart alone saw sales jump 107% from a year ago.

The looming strike comes as legislators push for more protections for workers in the gig economy. Gig workers won a landmark protection in the $2 trillion relief bill passed by Congress. President Trump signed the bill into law on Friday afternoon. It allows gig workers, including Uber and Lyft drivers, to apply for unemployment benefits. The plan also provides for up to $600 in extra payments for an additional four months.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said Thursday that some municipal employees may be laid off or furloughed as the city grapples with a $70 million budget shortfall caused by the novel coronavirus.

One day after announcing that the virus could cost Jersey City at least $70 million, Fulop expanded on how the city may handle that shortfall.

Some of the projects that were working on and were spending on are going to be put on hold, he said. Our staffing levels, whether we consider furloughing workers later in the year, readjusting headcount overall  all those things are on the table.

Of the projected $70 million loss, the mayor estimated Wednesday that $50 million will be due to lost revenue. Vacant hotels, halted construction projects, lost tax revenue, and suspension of parking regulations will cut deeply into the citys bottom line.

That $70 million truthfully is fairly conservative, he said. I could go on all day with revenues that were anticipating that were not going to collect.

He estimated that the city has spent roughly an extra $20 million to deal with the crisis. Many city workers contracts require extra pay during a state of emergency, and the city has also funded initiatives to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, such as setting up Jersey Citys first testing sites.

The mayor said that as of Wednesday the city had 130 cases of coronavirus.

"The way were looking at it, were willing to spend our own money on this and then well chase the federal government for reimbursement if need be, Fulop said. Were trying our best to document every single nickel that we spend related to COVID-19.

Fulop noted that he would not be willing to plug the hole with a property tax increase, saying he did not want to put additional hardships on residents.

Its unclear if Jersey City will receive direct funding under the stimulus package being debated in Congress. Under the bills current iteration, only cities with 500,000 residents or more will receive stimulus checks. But on Tuesday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asking for that population bar to be lowered.

But what is sure is that the pain inflicted by COVID-19 is far from over. State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli estimated Wednesday that the peak of the virus in Hudson County was still weeks away, and Fulop said that despite early containment efforts, he expected Jersey Citys caseload to increasingly resemble that of New York City.

When we listen to Gov. Murphys data from the entire New Jersey, and we listen to Gov. Cuomo as it relates to New York City, we view our likely scenario closer to whats happening in New York City than it is for, lets say, central and south Jersey, he said.

And the virus economic damage would last even longer, Fulop said.

Were going to be dealing with the impact from a budget standpoint through the end of the year at least, he said. Its going to be a really tough road for municipal government.
March 27 : Amid fears of coronavirus and lockdown, Bollywood celebs are practicing home quarantine and passing their time in different ways. They are, however, making the most of social media platforms and using them to keep in touch with their fans.

While Bollywood celebs are sharing posts on household chores they are doing, Urvashi Rautela is still doing some professional work online. The actress shared a poster, in which we can see the actress with Logan Paul, the American YouTuber, internet personality and actor. Urvashi was live with Logan Paul on Instagram yesterday and asked her fans to post their questions for Logan and her in the comments section. On the poster it is written, the best questions will be answered by Urvashi and Logan.

Earlier on March 24, Urvashi took a similar initiative with Andrew B. Bachelor, popularly known as King Bach, who is a Canadian-American comedian and actor, and Internet personality. Urvashi was live with King Bach and asked her fans to send question to her and King Bach and the best questions will be answered by them.

On the work front, Urvashi will be next seen in Susi Ganeshans film opposite Vineet Kumar.
Wilson dreamed up Aunt Ester only halfway through his play cycle, not far removed from when OHara came up with TJ, whose presence in the life of the young historian Ron (Breon Arzell), we more easily accept now than was the case in 1996. Martin does not overplay his persona: TJ is there to point out the difference between living something and merely hearing about it, whomever we may be. Hes like a Holocaust survivor who does not need a hologram, one of those sacred souls we want to go on forever.
In Yeshiva/Rabbinical School, the community underwent multiple tragedies/difficulties in a short period. One of my rabbis told me at that time something that has stayed with me until today, giving me the support and inspiration during difficult times. He compared life (in some ways) to a school: Just like you would never give a second grader a test meant for a high school kid, so too in life, Hashem/G-d only gives us challenges that are tailor-made for each one of us specifically, as He knows exactly what we can handle and what we are capable of.

I love this perspective, as anytime I face a challenge, I think Well, G-d knows I can overcome this obstacle or else He wouldnt have given it to me! And that gives me the fortitude to soldier on and try harder.

In these complicated days of coronavirus, along with the stresses, financial hardships, lack of socialization, among other difficulties, we can keep in mind the fact the G-d has our back and knows we can overcome. That will give us strength as we work collectively as a worldwide community to continue to care for one another, look out for each other, build relationships, strengthen families and G-d willing, stay healthy and safe.
Hang made the remarks at the ministrys regular press conference in Hanoi on March 26, while answering reporters queries regarding Vietnams response to Chinese medias information about Chinas launch of two research stations on Fiery Cross and Subi Reefs of Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

She reiterated that Vietnam has sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence testifying its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagos in line with international law.

Therefore, all activities on those islands must have Vietnams permission, the spokesperson stressed.

Regarding Taiwan (China)s live-fire drill around Ba Binh (Itu Aba) island in Truong Sa, Hang described the exercise as an action that has seriously violated.

Vietnams territorial sovereignty over the archipelago, threatened peace, stability, safety and security of navigation, caused tensions and complicated the situation in the East Sea.

Vietnam absolutely opposes and requests Taiwan not to repeat such violation in the future, she said.
A Medal of Honor veteran who survived the Vietnam War, even after sustaining 18 injuries during a 38-hour close combat battle, is fighting for his life in hospital after catching coronavirus.

War hero Bennie Adkins is critically ill in hospital with respiratory failure, the Bennie Adkins Foundation announced Thursday.

'The COVID-19 pandemic has hit home,' the Foundation, which was set up to provide educational scholarships to soldiers transitioning from military to civilian life, said in a Facebook post.

'Bennie has been hospitalized and is critically ill with COVID-19 respiratory failure. We ask for your thoughts and prayers.'

War hero Bennie Adkins is critically ill in hospital with respiratory failure, the Bennie Adkins Foundation announced Thursday. Adkins was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2014 by Former President Barack Obama for his acts of valor during the Vietnam War

Adkins was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2014 by Former President Barack Obama for his acts of valor during the Vietnam War.

The highly decorated 86-year-old served his country for more than twenty years in the US Army.

He joined the army in 1956, before serving with the Special Forces (Green Berets) for 13 years.

During this time he was deployed to Vietnam three times.

It was this second deployment which earned him the Medal of Honor many years later.

Adkins was involved in a gruelling 38 hours of close-combat fighting near Camp 'A Shau' on March 9 1966.

He joined the army in 1956, before serving with the Special Forces (Green Berets) for 13 years

Adkins is highly decorated, having also been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, among other awards, for his service to his country

All the while coming under enemy fire, he rescued his fellow soldiers and led the team back through the jungles to their evacuation by helicopter on March 12.

'When the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct hits from enemy mortars,' Adkins' Medal of Honor Citation says.

'Sergeant First Class Adkins' extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces and the United States Army.'

Adkins suffered 18 injuries and killed between 135 to 175 enemy forces during the battle, according to the Army.

After retiring from the Army in 1978 at the rank of Command Sergeant Major, Adkins returned to education and obtained a Bachelors degree and two Masters degrees from Troy University.

He then set up and ran his own accounting firm for 22 years.

Adkins is highly decorated, having also been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, among other awards, for his service to his country.

The shock news that he has been struck down by the deadly virus comes as the US continues to buckle under the strain of the outbreak.

Coronavirus deaths in the US are skyrocketing, reaching 1,390 as of Friday afternoon with fears mounting that the country will soon be worse affected than Italy.
The European Central Bank sent a powerful signal to investors that it will aggressively support Italy and other indebted eurozone countries that are battling the coronavirus, starting purchases under a new 750 billion ($812 billion (U.S.)) bond-buying program and stating that it wont be bound by earlier limits on its bond buys.

The ECBs actions ricocheted through financial markets on Thursday, pinioning down the yields on Southern European government debt.

That eases pressure on European Union leaders, who discussed new measures Thursday to support the regions financially weaker governments through the crisis, including controversial common debt instruments.

Those discussions ended without any agreement on new specific steps. However, leaders agreed to task finance ministers with presenting new options within two weeks for economic measures the eurozone could take if the situation merited it.

But the banks move, which took investors by surprise, could also raise legal and political concerns in Northern European countries like Germany, where the ECBs bond purchases have faced a series of legal challenges. Germanys top court is expected to give its verdict on an earlier ECB bond-buying program on May 5.

Under a legal act adopted overnight Thursday, the ECB said it would have broad flexibility to focus its new 750 billion bond-buying program, announced last week, to force down the borrowing costs of any eurozone country it chooses. That represents a major shift from the banks earlier bond-buying program, under which the ECB restricted itself to buying no more than a third of the debt of any individual government.

ECB officials had signaled last week that they would consider easing the limits on their bond purchases, but a decision didnt appear to have been made.

The change should help to ease concerns that the pandemic will unleash a new debt crisis in the currency union, as vulnerable governments step up borrowing to pay for health care and measures to support closed businesses and the unemployed.

This decision strengthens the ECBs quasi fiscal support to the most vulnerable sovereign states, said Frederik Ducrozet, an economist with Pictet Wealth Management in Geneva.

Some observers suggested the ECBs move might be a symbolic gesture to investors, and that the bank would in fact take care to abide by limits that have been sanctioned by European courts.

It is important for the ECB to remain within these limits, given that Germanys top court was already quite critical of the ECBs bond purchases, said Lars Feld, chairman of the Council of Economic Experts, which advises the German government.

Still, Mr. Feld said that an expected increase in government bond issuance across the region this year, including in Germany, could allow the ECB to remain within the 33% limit even as it aggressively supports Italy.

While the ECB forged ahead with its response to the crisis, EU leaders remained deeply divided over what further fiscal steps to take to boost the economy. After a fractious teleconference that ran hours over schedule, leaders said in a statement they would step up their response as necessary, with further action  in order to deliver a comprehensive response.

However, the statement made no reference to specific steps like offering precautionary credit lines from the eurozone bailout fund or the possibility of common debt issuance, which is being pressed by Italy, Spain and France, among others.

After the meeting, the office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government now expects the euro group to present concrete medium and long-term funding proposals. Spain and Italy blocked several draft statements during Thursday evenings talks, and at one stage, Italian officials suggested the discussions would end without any agreement.

Portugals prime minister, Antonio Costa, used a post-call press conference to attack the recurring pettiness of Dutch officials approach to the crisis.

However, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he couldnt foresee any circumstances in which the Netherlands would support the option of common debt issuance.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made clear that providing countries access to the ESM is Germanys preferred position but said leaders didnt go into details on this.

In the ESM, we have a crisis tool that opens many possibilities that does not question the basic principles of our common action and individual responsibility, she said.

Read more about:
Around 60 workers refused to start work at a Dungannon food company on Friday due to their concerns over social distancing..

Staff at Linden Foods in Dungannon instead protested outside the company's premises, demanding immediate talks with management over infection control measures.

It comes after deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that any company found not adhering to the guidance around social distancing would be punished.

Speaking at the Executive's daily briefing on the coronavirus on Thursday she said that all non essential companies must close and that any company ignoring the guidance could lose out on Government contracts in future.

Citing the case of manufacturer Ulster Carpets she said that carpet manufacturing was non essential and the company should close.

However First Minister Arlene Foster confused the issue appearing on the BBC's The View programme on Thursday evening.

She said that companies could remain open as long as they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

"It is important that we allow people to continue if they can put in place very safe working practices to protect their employees," the DUP leader said.

"It won't be a surprise to anyone that there may be different emphasis from people in the Executive, but let me be very clear, we want to be able to come out of this in as best a way as we possibly can. That's true for our public health and it's true for our economic health as well."

Ulster Carpets remains open, despite Ms O'Neill's comments. On Thursday the company said they would be remaining open while following the guidelines.

The Executive is set to release an updated list of what is defined as essential and non essential businesses on Friday.

Unite Regional Officer for workers at Linden Foods, Brian Hewitt, said there had been issues between management and staff over social distancing for workers on the boning line, in the canteen, changing areas and at entry and exit points.

"The company's management has provided no additional wash facilities and failed to stagger breaks," Mr Hewitt said.

"Workers have been reporting to Unite that those exhibiting symptoms are still allowed to work as are those with family members who are self-isolating as result of being in the high risk health category. Everyone needs to take responsibility but companys actions are putting workers needlessly at further risk.

"In desperation and fear for their health and well-being, this morning approximately sixty workers refused to enter the workplace and sought assurances from management that two metres spacing would be adopted throughout."

Mr Hewitt said that the company had so far ignoring the concerns of the workers.

Speaking on Thursday Ms O'Neill said that companies must take responsibility for staff safety.

"Today we are still hearing reports about workers being exploited during this public health emergency. They're being given no option by their employers other than to go to work, whenever it's not safe for them to do so," the Sinn Fein vice-President said.

"That has to stop. It must stop immediately. And shame on any employer that is exploiting their workforce at this moment in time.

"Non-essential businesses - close your doors, stop using your workers in this way, send them home and let them stay there. And if you don't, we will have to take action against you."

Linden Foods has been contacted in relation to this story.
Seven former Governors of Gibraltar have sent a letter to the population expressing their support in the face of the global coronavirus epidemic.

The letter, signed by Lord Luce, Sir David Durie, Sir Francis Richards, Lieutenant General Sir Robert Fulton, Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, Lieutenant General James Dutton and Lieutenant General Edward Davis, said they were urging the UK government to give Gibraltar whatever practical and, where appropriate, financial support it needs to overcome the challenges.

Support has also come from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who phoned the chief minister on behalf of PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday to reassure Gibraltar: "We are with you".
In hopes of stimulating a discussion about a plan, Dr. David Katz, a public health expert, I and others last weekend helped to spark a debate about how we best maximize our nations two necessities: that is, limiting the number of infections and deaths from the coronavirus, and simultaneously maximizing the speed at which we can safely fold workers back into the workplace, based on the best data and expert advice.

That is a plan for what Katz called total harm minimization, because while people can die from the virus, they can also die from depression, anxiety and addictions that flow from having their jobs, savings and futures crushed by an economy in permanent lockdown.

As Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wrote in The Washington Post on Wednesday: The choice is not between health and economics but about optimizing the public health response to save lives while minimizing economic harm.

In all honesty, though, sir, you immediately and crudely jumped into that discussion with a tweet last Sunday night  WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF  that polarized and caricatured the whole debate. Your critics accused you of only caring about the stock market, not human lives. Meanwhile your supporters accused your critics of moral preening and ignoring how many people would die from a deep and prolonged economic depression.

We must do better. To be sure, we need an immediate all-out push by states and the federal government to get hospitals the equipment they need to deal with a surge of coronavirus patients, an effort that is at long last underway. But beyond that, you need to articulate the three-step plan that is out there and is yours for the taking.

Step 1: First, you need to call for a 50-state sheltering-in-place/social-distancing program. While the experts differ on how long that national lockdown should be  two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, whatever the C.D.C. recommends, I say  they virtually all agree that it is needed to manifestly slow the spread of the coronavirus, to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed and to buy us the critical time we need to collect the data required to inform all future decision-making.

As the public health expert Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost for global initiatives and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote in this newspaper on Monday, you need to immediately order the closing of all schools and nonessential businesses and impose a shelter-in-place policy for the entire country. The majority of the population is already experiencing some version of this protocol or feeling the effects economically; we need to standardize these protocols for the full public health impact.
- Speakers Lusaka and Muturi welcomed salary reduction by 30 % for three months amidst coronavirus crisis

- The two speakers said MPs from both Houses were in consultations on whether or not take a pay cut following Uhuru's request

- The president appealed to senior government officials to consider voluntary salary reductions to free-up monies to combat the pandemic

Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka and his National Assembly colleague Justin Muturi have agreed to take a 30 % pay cut for three months due to COVID-19 situation in Kenya.

Speaking at the precincts of Parliament on Thursday, March 26, the two Speakers disclosed MPs from both Houses were still consulting whether or not to take a pay cut.

READ ALSO: Homa Bay residents scramble for foodstuffs in remaining open market

Senate Speaker Lusaka (right) and National Assembly colleague Muturi have agreed to take pay cut. Photo: Ken Lusaka.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Maswali na majibu kuhusu coronavirus

We have agreed that we are going to take a salary cut of 30% of our salary for the next three months, until the situation improves but for the members of the National Assembly and the members of the Senate, consultations are still going on," said Lusaka.

He used the opportunity to remind the public that the virus was real and each citizen had a responsibility to play to avert any looming disaster.

Uhuru and his deputy William Ruto have proposed to take a 80% pay cut each while Cabinet Secretaries will take home 30% less of their monthly earnings. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta.

Source: Facebook

I want to appeal to our people and tell them that this virus is real, dont wait until it strikes a relative for you to believe that it is there," he pleaded.

This followed President Uhuru Kenyatta's request to senior government officials to consider voluntary salary reductions which will free-up monies to combat the pandemic.

DP Ruto speaking in the past. Ruto will take home a 80 % pay cut. Photo: William Samoei Ruto.

Source: Facebook

Both Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto proposed to take a 80% salary reduction during the COVID-19 crisis pending parliamentary approval when the House resumes.

On this, Muturi said relevant committees would make decisions regarding their proposals and that of Uhuru with the full backing of the House.

For the purpose of processing bills, there is a particular space for committees, there are ultimate decisions by committees, they must have the full authorisation of the house sitting as a house," he added.

The Senate will return from a two-week recess on Tuesday, March 21, to prioritise and legislate Uhuru's tax measures to cushion Kenyans against economic effects of the virus.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

God is punishing Kenyans with Corona Virus: Corona Virus in Kenya | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
March 27, New Delhi : Witnessing the trauma, sheer brutality, absolute insensitivity and degradation of human respect during Partition, when he along with his father helped people cross over to India, never left his mindscape.

So, when artist Satish Gujral, who passed away on Thursday night, painted the Partition, it made everyone stand up and take note, including the first Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.

His work on the division of the country may have been catapulted him to instant recognition, but for Gujral it was always important to continuously touch upon themes, change styles and mediums. No wonder, despite criticism from some quarters, he never thought twice before working with wood, ceramics, sculptures, murals, architecture and paper collage.

Born in 1925 in Jhelum (now Pakistan), Gujral, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, produced fantastic burnt wood sculptures (two are at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi) and showed his works across the world, including cities like New York, Tokyo, Berlin and Montreal.

In the latter part of his life, he was almost equally known for his architecture. In fact, the Belgium Embassy in New Delhi designed by him was selected by the international forum of architects as one of the finest buildings built in the 20th century.

Despite suffering from hearing impairment, he attended the Mayo School of Art. It was only at the age of 72 that he got an implant that gave him the ability to hear, but he removed it at 78.

While many documentaries have been made on the life of the artist, a full-length feature film is also in the works. Gujral was much influenced by Mexican artists Diego Rivera and David Siqueros under whom he studied when he received a scholarship to study at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico.

Speaking to IANS, artist Gogi Saroj Pal, who met him frequently, said she closely watched his work and how he evolved and changed mediums effortlessly.

"However, what is most important is the fact that he never paused, and made it a point to work consistently. His contribution is immense. In fact, when I had gone to Pakistan decades back, people knew about him and his father, who was an extremely rich man there before 1947," she said.

Stressing that he has always admired his work, artist Probir Gupta added, "I am particularly fond of his burnt wood sculptures which brought forth a very distinct aesthetic, language and politics. Of course, one my favourite creations by him is the Belgium embassy, for which he was not just the architect but also the interior designer.

"Even today, I slow down my car whenever passing it. He understood the richness and practicality of Indian architecture and did not need to borrow western ideas. His own language evolved from our traditional architecture." Calling him the pride of Punjab, photographer and Chairperson of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Diwan Manna, said that unlike most of his contemporaries, he did not go to Europe to study and developed his own visual vocabulary, sticking to it till the very end.

"Not following the Progressives, he charted his own course and belonged to the generation that was totally committed to its art," Manna said.

Remembering that in his personal life, he would not just be with painters, but shared a great rapport with writers and theatre persons, Manna added, "One could see him frequently with Balwant Gargi and Padma Sachdev." "Always in the limelight and definitely better known than his former Prime Minister brother, I.K. Gujral, he managed to achieve a lot despite his disability. I like his early works, which had a certain punch to it," said artist Inder Salim.

For artist Veer Munshi, the deceased will be known for working on important socio-political issues. "The way he tackled Partition and migration is commendable. I will remember him for his sense of humour and how he would enjoy talking in an abstract manner," Munshi said.

Bhavna Kakkar, a gallery owner, added, "He was always kind and full of anecdotes in Punjabi. Well, I always practiced my not so fluent Punjabi with him. We always spoke about his beloved Mayo School of Art whenever we met." Expressing his anguish on Gujral's demise, Prime Minister Modi wrote on Twitter, "Satish Gujral Ji was versatile and multifaceted. He was admired for his creativity as well as the determination with which he overcame adversity. His intellectual thirst took him far and wide yet he remained attached with his roots. Saddened by his demise. Om Shanti."

Latest updates on Howdy Modi Houston
No lockdown in Delhi for now but some curbs, says Arvind Kejriwal amid Covid surge

Kejriwal comes out with AAP's Punjab Model, promises justice in sacrilege cases

Coronavirus: Meals in 325 Delhi schools to be provided from tomorrow, says Kejriwal

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 22: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday, 27 March, that the state government will provide meals to 325 schools, and feed over four lakh people from tomorrow.

The total number of positive cases in India has risen to 724, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Friday, 27 March. Meanwhile, 17 people have died due to the disease, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, with 82,404 confirmed cases, US succeeded China and Italy in recording the highest number of cases, according to John Hopkins University.

#Stayathome and send us your selfie

Earlier on Thursday, 26 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Virtual Summit said at many levels globalisation has failed us, whether it is in combating terrorism or climate change, reported ANI, quoting sources.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

On the same day, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi wrote to the prime minister, saying she supports the 21-day lockdown, and sought measures to protect doctors, paramedics and ease supply chain.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 13:23 [IST]
In the last 24 hours, more than 28,100 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, have passed through the border crossing points, about 16,800 on the entrance way and 11,300 on the exit way, the Border Police Inspectorate General (IGPF) informs on Friday.

According to a press release sent to AGERPRES, more than 18,600 means of transport passed through the border crossing points, of which approximately 10,300 on the direction of entry and 8,300 on the direction of exit from the country.

"During this period, the state border surveillance and control forces are supplemented, both at the border crossing points and at the border strip. Every day, about 4,500 border police officers are on duty, most of them at the border crossing points for document control," says the quoted source.

In the areas of competence - the border crossing points and the "green border" - as many as 7 contraventions were committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens. The value of the contravention fines applied amounts to over 2,900 lei.

Entry into the country was not allowed for 5 foreign citizens, who did not fulfill the conditions stipulated by the law, and similarly, a Romanian citizen was not allowed to leave, due to various legal reasons, the quoted press release mentions.
New constitution would limit presidential terms to two, but potentially enable Alpha Conde to govern for 12 more years.

Guinea has voted overwhelmingly for a change in the constitution, according to the provisional results of a referendum, an outcome that the opposition fears will allow President Alpha Conde to govern for 12 more years.

Almost 92 percent of voters supported changing the constitution in last Sundays referendum, the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Amadou Salifou Kebe, said on Friday, while eight percent were against it.

Turnout was 61 percent, Kebe told reporters, saying these were provisional figures. The Constitutional Court has eight days to confirm the results.

The referendum, originally scheduled for March 1, was pushed back because international observers raised concerns about its fairness. It was boycotted by the opposition.

Conde, 82, has not denied that he might use the proposed changes to seek another term when his second and final term runs out this year under the current constitution.

The new constitution would limit presidential terms to two but extend the length of the term to six years, potentially enabling Conde to govern for another 12 years.

It does not specify whether terms served under the previous constitution would count, but Conde has suggested they would not.

Controversial changes

The proposal to change the constitution has proved hugely controversial in the West African state, spurring mass demonstrations in which at least 32 people have been killed since October, according to an AFP news agency tally.

The authorities went ahead with the referendum after scrubbing some 2.5 million unverifiable names from its electoral register, following advice from the Economic Community of West African States.

The day of the vote was marred by violence, however, with scores of polling stations ransacked across the country and, according to the opposition parties, dozens killed.

Protesters stand next to burning tyres during a protest in Conakry, Guinea on March 21, 2020, on the eve of the constitutional referendum [File: Cellou Binani/AFP]

Authorities said only a few deaths occurred on the polling day, and that the voting took place in peace.

Conde is a former opposition figure who was jailed under previous hardline regimes.

In 2010, he made history as the first democratically-elected president in a country with a chronic history of military coups and turmoil.

Voters returned him to office in 2015 for his second and final five-year term under the current constitution, but critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian.

The government argues that the constitution needs to be updated to usher in badly-needed social changes, especially for women.

Reforms would include banning female genital mutilation and underage marriage and giving spouses equal rights in a divorce.
Shelter-in-place orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus have closed many businesses and government offices. The courts have also been affected, though not all legal proceedings have been shut down. Here are answers to common questions about the pandemics effect on the Bay Area legal system.

Q: Are the courts still open?

A: Theyre mostly closed, except for the most time-sensitive proceedings, such as arraignments, where recently arrested defendants are told the charges against them and decide whether to plead guilty. Civil litigants may also seek court access for immediate needs such as domestic violence restraining orders, though policies vary by county. All jury trials in California have been postponed for at least 60 days, under Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauyes order of March 23.

In the Bay Area, San Francisco has closed three-quarters of its courtrooms through April 15. Alameda and San Mateo counties have closed their courtrooms through April 7 except for urgent criminal proceedings, and some family law cases in San Mateo County. Contra Costa County initially shut its courthouses through April 1, holding arraignments behind closed doors, but later extended the closure to April 30. Marin County has closed most of its courtrooms through April 7, Napa County through April 10 and Sonoma County through April 3.

A March 27 executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom authorizes lawyers to take sworn depositions of witnesses by telephone and additional measures to enable civil suits to move ahead outside the courthouse.

In an emergency session March 28, the state Judicial Council, chaired by Cantil-Sakauye, approved longer timetables for case filings, hearings and trials in both criminal and civil cases statewide. One change would allow local courts to hold arraignments as long as seven working days after someone is arrested on suspicion of a felony charge, rather than the current two-day deadline. That would lengthen jail confinement for some defendants who were not released after their arrest.

Another change, which also increases time in custody, would give county courts as long as six weeks to hold a preliminary hearing that decides whether there is enough evidence to hold a trial of a defendant who has been jailed and charged with a felony. The current deadline is two weeks.

Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods said the Judicial Councils decision  turned into an order later the same day by Cantil-Sakauye  extends jury trial postponements by as much as or more than 30 days on top of the 60 ordered earlier. He called this dangerous because it keeps prisoners in jail longer awaiting trial, and the congregated settings put them at higher risk of catching coronavirus. He expects challenges to the ruling.

At todays hearing they talked a lot about protecting the rights of Californians, he said on March 28. But my biggest concern is that that was not true for the people we represent  the poorest people, black and brown people, locked into cages. I understand this is a national crisis, but we went from zero to 120 miles an hour in one moment.

If were going to go down this road of denying people their speedy trial rights, then we should talk about releasing them on no-cash bail or some other form of release, such as electronic monitoring, Woods said.

The Judicial Council shut down court operations in another field April 6, ordering a halt to judicially enforced evictions of tenants  except in cases of danger to the public  until 90 days after Newsom declares an end to the state of emergency. The governor had issued a similar decree on March 27.

Federal courthouses in Oakland and San Jose are closed, and their time-sensitive proceedings have been transferred to the federal court in San Francisco. Judges there have had to look for some creative solutions. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, who has stopped holding sentencing hearings in his courtroom to protect the participants health, faced a previously scheduled hearing Monday for a drug defendant held in Santa Rita Jail. Because the inmate was seeking release based on the time he had already served, postponing the hearing could have effectively increased his sentence. So Chhabria found a federal rule that could be interpreted as allowing defendants to waive their presence at sentencing, got a waiver from the inmate through his lawyer, and, after a telephonic hearing with only the lawyers participating, sentenced him to no further confinement.

The $2.2 trillion relief bill signed by President Trump on March 27 expressly allows sentencing hearings by telephone or video.

The new law also expands federal courts authority to hold additional hearings remotely in criminal cases. The U.S. Judicial Conference, which oversees federal courts, said March 31 that it has authorized federal trial judges nationwide to accept guilty pleas and conduct sentencing hearings by audio and video, with public access, if the defendants consent. The order will remain in effect until 30 days after the end of the national declaration of emergency, unless the Judicial Conference decides an earlier termination would not disrupt the courts.

The announcement did not mention, or approve, Attorney General William Barrs proposal to allow some federal defendants to be held indefinitely without trial during the emergency.

Appellate courts, with no obligations to seat juries or allow defendants to appear in person, have continued to hear and rule on cases. California appeals courts, the state Supreme Court and the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco are conducting hearings remotely and streaming them live on their websites. But the U.S. Supreme Court has maintained its ban on camera coverage. The court will rule on the cases it has already heard, in the term scheduled to last through June, but has postponed its previously scheduled hearings, including a March 31 hearing on requests by House Democrats and New York state prosecutors for President Trumps financial records.

Meanwhile, advocacy groups led by the First Amendment Coalition have asked Cantil-Sakauye to order California courts to make telephonic hearings accessible to the public, allow reporters into courthouses for sentencing hearings, and make court records available online without cost when clerks offices are closed.

Q: Do I have to report for jury duty?

A: Not now, because jury trials are on hold, to avoid the large gatherings in close quarters that increase the risk of spreading the virus. Asked what those summoned during the suspension should expect when it ends, Peter Allen, a spokesman for the state Judicial Council, said those decisions would be left to local courts. In San Francisco, those who have been summoned during the 60-day period are being notified that they will be called to jury duty at a later date, said Superior Court spokesman Ken Garcia.

Q: Who is being released from custody because of 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.

A: County courts around California have varied in their response to Cantil-Sakauyes March 20 statement urging them to reduce bail significantly during the emergency, allow release without bail for many lower-level offenses, and release inmates who were already due to be freed within 60 days.

Some have acted promptly. Alameda County released nearly 250 inmates from jail March 20, a week after waiving any bail for 67 recently arrested defendants, and that number had risen to more than 300 a week later. Yolo County agreed Wednesday to free all inmates with 60 days or less remaining on their sentences.

San Francisco has reduced its jail population from 1,100 last month to about 900, a result of early releases and District Attorney Chesa Boudins policy of no longer asking judges to set cash bail. The jails health director, Dr. Lisa Pratt, has asked Boudin and other officials to take steps to reduce the inmate population below 800.

I do not want pretrial incarceration to turn into a death sentence, Boudin said in an interview. He said some cases require difficult decisions  whether to hold, without bail, an elderly or medically infirm suspect who faces serious charges  but he is working with others to limit the jail population and is seeking private funding to house some former inmates in cheaper and more humane conditions.

San Franciscos policy was expanded statewide on April 6 when the Judicial Council ordered courts in all counties to release defendants without bail before trial, except for those facing charges of serious or violent crimes, until 90 days after Newsom lifts the state of emergency.

One release valve from the jails was closed March 24 when Newsom ordered a 30-day freeze on transfers of convicted felons from county custody to the states crowded prisons. But that shouldnt affect many inmates or increase the overall jail population, said Doug Welch, a managing attorney in the San Francisco public defenders office.

Welch said some San Francisco judges are setting bail on their own, but less often and in smaller amounts than in the past. Theres been a commitment to find those who need to be released, he said.

But while some counties are freeing low-level inmates, others have taken the opportunity to impose draconian conditions, said Oscar Bobrow, a deputy public defender in Solano County and member of the California Public Defenders Associations governing board.

For example, he said, judges in Santa Barbara are refusing to let public defenders seek bail reduction or early release for local inmates. And Eric Schweitzer, president of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, another defense lawyers group, said virtually all releases from jail in his home county of Fresno have been blocked by the sheriff, who remains popular with county voters.

The courtroom is almost empty, and the jail is almost full, Schweitzer said. Fresno County Jail is our own COVID-19 incubator.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Kevin Fagan contributed to this report.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Leading British fashion chain Next has bowed to pressure from workers worried about their health and shut its online business, cutting off its remaining source of revenue during the coronavirus outbreak.

Rival British retailer Marks and Spencer has taken a different tack, maintaining its online operations and citing government advice that people should use home delivery services to avoid going out if possible.

Next had closed all its stores on Monday, a day before Britain went on lockdown, but continued to run its online business.

"Next has listened very carefully to its colleagues working in warehousing and distribution operations to fulfill online orders. It is clear that many increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate," the company said.

"Next has therefore taken the difficult decision to temporarily close its online, warehousing and distribution operations," it said.

At 1215 GMT, Next shares were down 8.7% at 41.16 pounds.

Next, whose Chief Executive Simon Wolfson represents the ruling Conservative party in the upper house of parliament, generates around half of its revenue from its online business.

A number of retailers are having to scale back or halt their online activities to try to safeguard their workers' health.

Amazon.com said last week it would stop shipping non-essential products to consumers in Italy and France, due to a spike in orders and the need to respect anti-coronavirus safety measures in the workplace.

Other fashion retailers in Europe are trying to keep their online business going.

Spain's Inditex, the company behind the Zara brand, has also said its online business remains in operation.

Online retailer ASOS, which has a large fully automated warehouse in the northern English town of Barnsley, with on average 300 people per shift, is also still running.

However, people's orders reflect the current crisis.

Items currently selling well include everyday basics such as socks, underwear, leggings and children's wear, an M&S spokeswoman said.

That echoes comments from Europe's biggest pure online fashion retailer Zalando which said this week that demand for athleisure and gear for yoga and running has risen as people are forced to work  and exercise  at home.

With all of Britain's shops closed, apart from food stores, pharmacies and corner shops, there has been a growing backlash against retailers who continue to sell online.

Next said last week it could sustain a hit from coronavirus of more than 1 billion pounds, or 25% of annual sales, without exceeding its debt and bank facilities. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Jonathan Swift had a great idea for easing poverty in early 18th-century Ireland: Show the rich that babies make first-rate entrees and let the free market take it from there.

Poor couples would sell their infants at a high price, bringing in badly needed income and ridding themselves of a drag on the household economy. And the wealthy would get a succulent source of protein. Supply, meet demand  a win-win.

For most readers, Swifts A Modest Proposal is a cutting and funny satire.

For Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, it could be a white paper.

Wait  this isnt a rant about Patricks shocking comments to Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday night. Not entirely.

Heres an excerpt of what the 69-year-old Patrick said: And you know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren? And if thats the exchange, Im all in.

In other words, seniors, among the most likely to die from COVID-19, should consider risking death if that would free government officials to lift restrictions that are bringing the economy to a crashing halt.

Patrick was parroting a message that President Donald Trump hammered on early last week, to the horror of public health experts  that we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself. Patrick, the second most powerful politician in the Texas government, was just putting his trademark bombastic twist on it.

As reckless as it is for any public official to take that position  imagining that the diseases lethality is confined to old folks and that younger people would be OK with sacrificing their elders  at least it reflects the stomach-turning price workers are paying.

The economic collapse is only beginning, but this newspaper has already reported many of their tribulations.

The day after Patricks performance on Fox, a ride-hail driver told Express-News reporter Randy Diamond: I dont understand the logic of it. A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck. Is the cure worse than the disease?

The driver had seen his income cut in half, and that was before the citys and Bexar Countys stay-at-home orders kicked in Wednesday.

Maybe he was echoing Trumps argument.

Definitely he was worried about paying bills and buying groceries.

Ride-hail drivers are the most prominent workers in the tech-enabled gig economy, which lost its sunny, make-up-your-own-job sheen a long time ago. Theyre independent contractors with almost no benefits or employment protections. Uber and Lyft owe them very little, by design.

Hotel clerks and maids, servers, bartenders, tour guides, cashiers and other service workers have more benefits, if not much more income. But theyre even more exposed in a crisis that seems genetically engineered to wipe out the hospitality industry, one of the Big Three of San Antonios economy.

On Thursday, the same day we learned that 3.3 million Americans filed unemployment claims the week before last, Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez warned that San Antonios jobless rate could hit 14 percent.

Remember last month? When the metro areas unemployment rate sat at near-historic lows. When one of the biggest challenges facing businesses was having to scrounge for workers.

I remember that as fondly as I do working in an office. (Thats not sarcasm; I hadnt realized until now how neurotic my two dogs are.)

The national unemployment stats and Villagomezs worst-case scenario made it clear that the foreboding weve felt is justified.

Thursdays other news of the day was less stunning because its contours have become so familiar. Local officials reported the COVID-19 deaths of two more people  women, one in her 40s, the other in her 60s. The disease is gaining momentum in San Antonio, as it is across the country.

If theres a better way to try to contain the virus than imposing stay-at-home orders and similar measures, lets hear it.  All right then.

Nevertheless, picking the economy over tough-minded COVID-19 containment  that is, peeling back the restrictions and hoping the unemployed either get their old jobs back or find new ones  is an option. Its a ghastly option, and one that ignores the fact that fear started undermining the economy before the first shelter-in-place order came down. But still.

A better option may be more government intervention in the economy, in a way that balances the needs of workers and those of big and small businesses. Friday morning, it was too early to tell whether Congress $2 trillion stimulus package fit the bill.

Judging from his comments, Patrick would prefer the first option. Swift would have had a ball with that one.

greg.jefferson@express-news.net
ANKARA, Turkey - Turkish authorities have evacuated thousands of migrants who had been waiting at the border with Greece hoping to make their way into Europe, as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic, Turkeys interior minister said Friday.

Thousands of migrants had massed at a border crossing with European Union-member Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced last month that his country would no longer prevent refugees and other migrants wanting to travel to EU countries.

Violent clashes erupted between the migrants and Greek border authorities trying to push them back.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told private NTV television that some 5,800 migrants waiting at the border crossing in Edirne province were moved away from the border area overnight and taken to migration centres in nine provinces.

Soylu warned, however, that the move did not amount to a change in policy and that the migrants would be free to return once the pandemic is over.

When this epidemic is over we would not prevent whoever wants to leave, he said.

Earlier, the state-run Anadolu Agency said migrants staying in a makeshift camp near the border gate were moved in buses to state guest houses where they would be quarantined. They would be moved to other regions in Turkey at the end of the quarantine, the agency reported.

Turkey has so far reported 75 deaths related to the new coronavirus and 3,629 infections. It was not clear if any of the migrants at the border had contracted the virus.

The Edirne governors office did not return calls.

Greece hailed the development as an important thing for our country and for Europe, praising Greek authorities ability to guard its land and sea borders.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking during a teleconference with ministers on the situation at the border, said Greek authorities had ascertained that the makeshift camp which had been created .... appears to have been dismantled and those who were on the Evros border have been moved away.

Greek authorities also shared a night-time video of a fire in a wooded area, which they said was Turkish authorities burning the tents left behind by the departing migrants.

A chapter might potentially be closing, but this battle, have no doubt, continues, Mitsotakis told the ministers, according to a statement released by his office. We managed to secure a very important thing for our country and for Europe. The ability and efficiency of guarding our land and sea borders.

A Turkish journalist based in Edirne said several buses were seen leaving the border area and that authorities later disinfected an area where the migrants had been camping.

Anadolu said some of the migrants asked to be moved, while others had to be convinced .

Turkey declared its borders open for migrants to cross into Europe following months of threats by Erdogan that he would allow millions of refugees into Europe unless the EU provided more support for the more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

__

Associated Press writer Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed.
[Machine beeping] The frustrating thing about all of this is it really just feels like its too little, too late. Like we knew  we knew it was coming. Today is kind of getting worse and worse. We had to get a refrigerated truck to store the bodies of patients who are dying. We are, right now, scrambling to try to get a few additional ventilators or even CPAP machines. If we could get CPAP machines, we could free up ventilators for patients who need them. You know, we now have these five vents. We probably  unless people die, I suspect well be back to needing to beg for ventilators again in another day or two. Theres a mythical 100 vents out there which we havent seen. Leaders in various offices, from the president to the head of Health and Hospitals, saying things like, Were going to be fine. Everythings fine. And from our perspective, everything is not fine. I dont have the support that I need, and even just the materials that I need, physically, to take care of my patients. And its America, and were supposed to be a first-world country. On a regular day, my emergency departments volume is pretty high. Its about 200 people a day. Now were seeing 400 or more people a day. At first, we were trying to isolate patients with cough and fever and be more careful around them, but we werent necessarily being extra careful around all the other patients. And then we started to realize that patients who were coming in with no fever but abdominal pain actually had findings on their X-rays and chest CTs that were consistent with this coronavirus, Covid-19. So someone in a car accident gets brought in and we get a CT scan of them, and their lungs look like they have coronavirus. We were seeing a lot of patients who probably had Covid, but we didnt realize. Ten residents and also many, many of our nurses and a few of the attending physicians got sick. The anxiety of this situation is really overwhelming. All of the doctors, its hard for us to get tested even if we want to, even if we have symptoms. Were exposed over and over again. We dont have the protective equipment that we should have. I put on one N95 mask in the morning. I need to have that N95 mask on for every patient I see. I dont take it off all day. The N95 mask I wore today is also the N95 mask I wore on Friday. Were always worried that well be out of N95 masks. Whats a little bit scary now is the patients that were getting are much sicker. Many of the young people who are getting sick dont smoke, theyre healthy, they have no co-morbidities. Theyre just young, regular people between the ages of 30 and 50 who you would not expect to get this sick. So many people are saying its going to be OK, everythings fine, we have what we need. And if this goes on for a month or two or three or five like it did in China, and were already this strained, we dont have what we need. I dont really care if I get in trouble for speaking to the media. I want people to know that this is bad. People are dying. We dont have the tools that we need in the emergency department and in the hospital to take care of them, and  and its really hard.
Three more persons in Noida have tested positive to the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen that causes the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19. Health officials on Friday said the infection in these fresh cases have also been traced back to a British national who was in the city earlier this month.

In all, three employees of a Noida firm and their family members have tested positive to the highly-contagious virus. Health officials who had touched base with the firm and the hotel where the British national stayed for three days were told that he had close contact with 19 people.

The British national did not have symptoms of the infection when he arrived on 15 March. He left the country on March 17.

A 36-year-old executive in the fire safety company was the third employee of the firm to test positive on Friday. Two of his colleagues already had.

A 55-year-old mother and 33-year-old wife of another employee of the same company have tested positive for the virus. Incidentally, the employee, who stays in a multistorey apartment block in Sector 137, Noida, however, had tested negative so far.

Three more persons who came in direct or indirect contact with the British national are found positive for Covid-19, said Dr Anurag Bhargava, chief medical officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.

Five people who live in Noidas Sector 137 and Sector 150 had already been tested positive by Thursday. The five include a couple and their 19-year-old daughter living in Sector 137 and another couple living in Sector 150, Noida. The starting point of the infection in these cases also was the same foreign national.

Officials have sealed the two apartment complexes in Greater Noida and Noidas Sector 137 for two days and ordered the residents to stay under home quarantine. Officials will now be sanitizing the buildings where the two families live and the common areas of their respective societies.

We will be sanitizing both the societies in Greater Noida and Sector 137 where Covid-19 positive cases have been found. The societies (apartment block) will be sealed for two days as per the orders of the district magistrate. We are following the protocol while sanitising and putting residents under home quarantine to stop spreading of the infection, said Prasoon Dwivedi, sub-divisional magistrate.

On Thursday, officials had sealed the hotel in Sector 135 where the British national had stayed during his visit to Noida.

Officials had taken samples of four persons who came in contact with the Briton at office. Officials will also collect samples who are under home quarantine and show some symptoms of the infection.
A 20-year-old man, who worked as a ward boy at a private hospital where he came into contact with a COVID-19 patient, has tested positive, taking the total number of such cases reported from Bihar to seven, the health department said on Friday.

According to a health department official, a 38-year- old man from Munger district who died at AIIMS, Patna, last week before his test results confirmed that he was suffering from COVID-19, was first admitted to the private hospital situated in Khemnichak locality of the city which has since been sealed.

The district administration ordered all doctors, nurses and other staff of the facility to be quarantined.

Samples of 13 people working at the private hospital were sent for testing and the result of one that of the ward boy hailing from Jaganpura area in the city was found positive.

Efforts were on to trace the other staff of the private hospital who would be quarantined as a precautionary measure and their samples will be sent for testing, the official said.

Notably, Bihar had reported zero coronavirus positive cases until Sunday when the deceased patient from Munger who had returned from Qatar where he worked as a welder and a woman resident of the city who is admitted to AIIMS, Patna, tested positive.

There has been a spike in the number of cases since then with seven persons testing positive in less than a week. On Thursday, two persons a woman in her 40s and a 12-year- old boy who lived in a house adjacent to that of the deceased patient in Munger had tested positive.

They have been sent to a hospital in Bhagalpur for treatment. Samples of more than 50 people living in the vicinity, however, tested negative.

Besides, two men in their 20s, both residents of different localities of Patna, one having returned from Scotland and the other from Gujarat, have tested positive and are undergoing treatment at NMCH.

Till Thursday, 469 samples from across the state had been sent for testing out of which 415 reported negative and three were rejected. Reports of the remaining were awaited.

In the state capital, about 2000 people who returned from abroad or other parts of the country before the nationwide lockdown came into force have been put in home quarantine as a precautionary measure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chennai, March 27 : The Chennai Port Trust on Friday acquired about 67 per cent stake held by the Central government in the country's first corporate port Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) for Rs 2,383 crore, said a top official of Chennai Port.

The KPL was promoted by the Central government holding about 67 per cent stake and Chennai Port holding the balance about 33 per cent.

"The share transfer agreement has been signed and the sale price has been paid today (Friday). However both the ports will function as separate entities while deriving benefits of synergies in terms of investments and operations," P.Raveendran, Chairman, Chennai Port told IANS.

Raveendran said with mergers happening the port sector, the acquisition of Kamarajar Port will enable both ports to face the market challenges.

He said, the KPL was originally conceived as a satellite port of Chennai Port as expansion was restricted at the latter.

Raveendran said future expansion investments will happen at KPL based on business and market situation.

He said Chennai Port will continue to focus on clean cargo like container, cars, liquid cargo, cruise and passenger traffic and on the utilisation of existing capacity to the maximum possible extent.

On the other hand, KPL will plan and create additional capacity for bulk and all other types of cargo which will result in avoiding duplication of capacity creation.

According to him, both the ports can exchange expertise and operational resources.

Queried about the car companies that are customers of KPL, Raveendran said the customers will not be disturbed and there will be no cartelization of rates.

In terms of capacity, Chennai Port has a capacity to handle 100 million tons of cargo while KPL has 67 million tons.
Police officers stand guard outside a Mexico City municipal building on Thursday. While most countries and major cities have ordered a lockdown to halt COVID-19 spread, Mexico's president has not called for strict measures. ( Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

Resisting calls to amp up the fight against the coronavirus, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his top aides continued to defend a strategy they say balances public health needs with potential damage to the countrys faltering economy.

We dont want to have a cure that is costlier in social terms than the actual illness, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, the country's sub-secretary of health, told reporters Thursday. We have said many times that there are some measures that dont have a technical basis, such as closing borders and airports."

Mexico has taken some measures, such as extending schools Holy Week break, urging people to work from home and encouraging social distancing  widely disseminating a cartoon character called Susana Distancia, which means "your safe distance."

Media members practice social distancing at a Mexico City mayoral news conference on Thursday. (Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

Some states and cities have mandated additional measures. Mexico City has ordered bars, gyms, churches and museums closed, and banned gatherings of more than 50 people, but restaurants and other shops remain open and some street life continues.

Lopez Obrador has been hesitant to impose stay-at-home orders, curfews or other more severe restrictions. He has called on Mexican families to monitor the health of elderly loved ones.

The president's restrained approach has earned him blistering criticism from independent public health experts and an accusation Thursday from New York-based Human Rights Watch that he is putting the people of Mexico in grave danger.

President Lopez Obradors behavior in the face of the COVID-19 crisis is a profoundly dangerous example that threatens Mexicans health, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, who has been a frequent critic of the Mexican president.

As of Thursday night, Mexico had confirmed at least 585 coronavirus infections and eight deaths. Those figures are lower than in Brazil and Chile, but experts suspect they are incomplete.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, left, with Colombian President Ivan Duque on March 10. (Rodrigo Arangua / AFP/Getty Images )

Were seeing a sample of patients who have symptoms and have shown up in hospitals, said Eduardo Gonzalez-Pier, a former public health official who now works in the private sector. We dont have a clear picture of the population that has been exposed and has not presented symptoms. ... Nobody really knows how many cases are out there."

Story continues

Based on how the virus spread in China, Mexican health officials estimated last week that as many as 250,656 Mexicans could contract it, with 10,528 requiring intensive care in the hospital. They did not release estimates of how many of those would die.

Government officials say that they are prepared to impose more drastic measures if needed, but that they will do everything necessary to avoid increasing the economic stress on the poor. About half the Mexican population has no savings, said Lopez-Gatell, the government's point person on the crisis.

One cannot severely restrict social and economic activity, he said. It would cause a possibly irreparable damage for a great quantity of families who live day-to-day, small merchants, independent professionals, small businesses, domestic workers  for instance, street vendors.

Despite intense criticism from independent medical professionals, many Mexicans support the government's current approach, hoping to avoid a repeat of 2009, when the swine flu outbreak prompted a weeklong shutdown of the capital, severely disrupting economic and social activity.

If I dont work, I cant bring money home to feed my kids, said Martin Salgado, 34, a father of two who works at a parking lot in downtown Mexico City. I get it  dont shake hands, keep a personal distance, wear a mask  but theres no need to shut everything down. How would we survive?

In central Mexico City, few residents were wearing masks on a recent afternoon and most shops were open, though traffic was much lighter than usual. The citys metro system, which normally has 6.3 million daily passengers, saw fewer than half that number on Wednesday, authorities said.

Even before Lopez Obrador took office in December 2018, Mexicos public health system was strained. The president has has slashed hospital budgets and canceled contracts with drug companies as part of his broader anti-corruption crusade.

A major question is whether Mexicos infection and death rate will follow the trend lines of a place like Taiwan, which has maintained relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases, or countries such as Spain or Italy, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients and deaths have skyrocketed.

We have a government that seems to have no idea of the size of the problem, said Luis Miguel Gonzalez, editorial director of El Economista newspaper. And they dont have a toolkit that is appropriate for this situation.

A demographic point in Mexicos favor is that it has a much younger population than Spain or Italy. Yet it also has high levels of chronic disease, including diabetes, which contribute to higher death rates. A whopping 16% of Mexicans have diabetes.

Mexico's economy is already staggering, posting near-flat growth in 2019. Lopez Obrador has made it clear that he would favor a rescue plan that gave direct handouts to low-income people and other vulnerable populations, including the elderly, disabled and students.

"No bailouts in the style of the neoliberal period, when they gave to banks and large companies, Lopez Obrador, Mexico's first avowedly leftist president in a generation, said at a news conference this week. Who do we have to rescue? The poor, for the good of all, first the poor."

Cecilia Sanchez in the Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.
Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday launched an initiative christened 'Operation Namaste' to insulate the 1.3 million strong force from coronavirus infection and extend all possible assistance to the government in containing the pandemic.

He also asked all Army personnel to take prescribed precautions against the virus and assured soldiers and officers deployed along borders with Pakistan and China that special care is being taken of their families in the wake of the pandemic.

"I would request everyone to take care of themselves and their families. Your safety is my first responsibility," the Army Chief said.

"I want to assure all the soldiers posted on the border that we will take special care of your families. We will achieve success in the 'Operation Namaste'," he told reporters.

Gen Naravane also conveyed to the families of the soldiers guarding India's borders with Pakistan and China that the Army is taking care of its personnel serving the country in this difficult time.

"As the Army Chief, it is my priority to protect my force. We all will have to stay away from this disease. We will be able to serve the nation when we are away from the disease," he said.

He said that social distancing among the Army personnel may not be possible to implement in key formations due tactical and operational reasons.

Because of this, he said it was important for Army personnel to keep themselves safe and fit.

Under 'Operation Namaste', the Army has issued series of directives to all its bases to insulate the force from the coronavirus. The Army headquarters issued a number of advisories in the last few weeks to deal with the situation.

"To fight this problem (coronavirus), the government has taken several special steps. In this fight, it is our duty to help the government and civil administration," the Army Chief said.

The Army has already set up command-wise helpline as part of measures to deal with any possible eventualities arising out of the pandemic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a volunteer service delivering meals to frontline healthcare workers has raised nearly 400,000.

The Feed The Heroes initiative had raised 389,914 last night.

Since it kicked-off earlier this month, volunteers have delivered more than 10,000 meals to hospital staff, ambulance crews and testing and contact tracing teams, thanks to generous food outlets and suppliers who have pitched in to offer their products.

Organisers of the campaign said they were overwhelmed by the public's response in helping those who are working to combat Covid-19.

Meanwhile, a fundraiser set up to help staff at one of the country's busiest hospitals buy personal protective equipment raised thousands in a matter of hours.

Aidan Brown, from Peadar Browns on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin, set up the fundraiser yesterday morning after hearing a plea from staff at St James's Hospital for help.

Mr Brown said the fundraiser is for all staff working in hospitals around the country as they fight the pandemic.

"We've decided to set up a GoFundMe page to try and support them. We've been in touch with trusted manufacturers in China and they're willing to ship to Ireland straight away," he said.

"We've dealt with these guys for years now, as most of our merchandise comes from this company. Any donation large or small would be greatly appreciated at this time."

Target

The fundraiser, Help Our Doctors And Nurses In Ireland, has a target of 20,000, and as of yesterday nearly 4,000 had been raised.

Two consultant doctors working at St James's made an urgent appeal seeking donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) from various industries including food, pharmaceuticals, beauticians, hairdressers and construction workers.

The doctors released a video asking for donations of unused masks, gowns and gloves.

Dr Anne Marie McLaughlin said the donated items would be used by frontline staff.

"We need personal protective equipment, masks, gowns, gloves," she said.

"If you work in the pharma or food industry and have personal protective equipment we need them,.

"I guarantee they will be used by our frontline staff."

Chief respiratory physiologist Peter Coss shared the video on Twitter.

So far, the Association of Chinese Professionals in Ireland has donated 10,000 surgical masks to the hospital for staff.
In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Delhi government has provided masks and hand sanitisers to the staff of public transport buses that are serving as the lifeline of the city during the lockdown by transporting people associated with essential services.

Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Friday said the drivers, conductors and marshals in all the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses were provided with masks and hand sanitisers.

"All DTC and Cluster Bus Drivers, Conductors and Marshals have been provided with Mask and Hand Sanitisers. I am proud of you all. Doing a wonderful job in these difficult times by transporting people involved in essential services," he said in a tweet.

Barring the over-6,000 DTC and cluster buses, all other modes of transport, including Delhi Metro trains, taxis, autorickshaws and e-rickshaws, have been taken off the road due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has lauded the personnel involved in providing essential services, saying their safety is very important.

"Am so proud of all Delhiites who are providing essential services during the lockdown. Their safety is very important for us," he wrote while re-tweeting Gahlot's tweet.

Earlier this week, Kejriwal had announced a lockdown till March 31, banning all modes of public transport except 25 per cent of the DTC and cluster buses for ferrying people associated with essential services.

However, the number was increased to 50 per cent of the fleet size due to crowding and problems faced because of the lesser number of buses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun is at the center of coordinating the states response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and right now shes looking at Detroit-area hospitals that are filling up.

Asked about her biggest fear in a phone interview with MLive on Friday, she cited capacity concerns.

My biggest fear is that our most vulnerable are getting sick, and unnecessarily dying, and our hospitals will not have the capacity to be able to fulfill the need of taking care of all of these sick patients, Khaldun said.

Detroit has been hard-hit by the virus. According to state data current as of 10 a.m. Thursday, 851 of the states 2,856 confirmed cases -- thats nearly 30% -- are in the city of Detroit. Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties account for 84% of the states confirmed cases.

Beaumont Health and Henry Ford Health Systems, both operating in the Detroit area, each reported nearing capacity at some sites this week.

Related: Michigan hospitals eye capacity issues as coronavirus cases mount

The number of patients coming to our Emergency Rooms continues to grow rapidly. We have decided to create dedicated surge capacity to care for more COVID-19 patients at locations such as Beaumont Hospital, Wayne. Also, on a limited basis, we are partnering with other Michigan health systems with capacity for COVID-19 to move patients outside Beaumont for care, Beaumont Health CEO John Fox said in a press release Thursday.

Moving patients is part of a load-balancing plan the state activated.

Theres no question that we are only going to be able to tackle this pandemic effectively in the state if we pool our resources, Khaldun said.

There are a small number of transfers being made following all the appropriate personal protective equipment measures, she said, and trying to keep patients as close to southeast Michigan as possible.

We are currently asking our hospitals to expand, implement their surge capacity plans, offloading patients where they can, and then we are also looking at alternative sites of care for patients to be cared for, she said.

Asked if she sees the state needing to activate non-hospital settings to care for the sick, she said, I do. The trajectory that were on, I do believe we will need to use these alternative care sites pretty quickly."

Those alternative care sites may not have the capacity to take ventilated patients, she said. Instead, they could be used to take people with milder cases, who might just need something like oxygen, and potentially non-COVID-19 cases if hospitals dont have the capacity. All of that, she said, is still under development right now.

The Army Corps of Engineers is assessing large Detroit sites like the TCF center, Detroit Pistons Performance Center and two dormitories at Wayne State University as potential alternative care sites if hospitals fill up.

Khaldun stressed the importance of the Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive order this week telling Michigan residents, with some exceptions for things like essential work and getting groceries or medicine, to stay home.

If we do not all do these aggressive social distancing measures, saying home if dont really really need to come out, more people are going to get sick and more people are going to die and Im very concerned about that, Khaldun said.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

Read more:

Michigan hospitals eye capacity issues as coronavirus cases mount

Detroit-area hospital system nearing capacity, currently treating nearly 450 coronavirus patients

2 more Detroit-area hospitals nearly full, Michigan hospitals prepare for surge of coronavirus cases

Which West Michigan hospitals are accepting patient transfers amid coronavirus pandemic
Big banks are postponing decisions about staff cuts as the coronavirus outbreak hits their businesses hard, with executives saying they are unsure how long the outbreak will hurt the economy and worried about being unprepared if business suddenly snaps back.

Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Wells Fargo & Co, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Holdings PLC and Citigroup Inc were among those on Thursday reassuring staff privately or through public statements that job cuts are not on the table.

Banks are hesitant to make changes because the future is so uncertain, executives and external consultants told Reuters.

"You would be fibbing if you said we can really make guarantees or assurances to you," said compensation consultant Alan Johnson. "There's a danger of making promises that you ultimately can't keep. Nobody knows."

There could be a sudden surge in activity once cities re-open, people get back to work and markets normalize in a few months leaving banks unprepared if they fire staff that seem unnecessary now. Or the coronavirus could cause a slow, grinding global recession that lasts much longer.

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

Banks will be also hesitant to announce layoffs in the event that the pandemic leads to staffing shortages as employees fall ill or choose to stay home, a bank source said.

The industry is also aware of the politics of firing people while benefiting from Federal Reserve programs that have injected trillions of dollars into markets.

The eight biggest US banks decided to stop share repurchases and may cut dividends to show they are not using money unwisely. Wall Street is also expected to slash bonuses this year.

A prominent group of socially minded investors issued a statement on Thursday urging companies to offer paid leave and remote work options during the coronavirus outbreak  anything they can do to avoid job cuts.

Morgan Stanley has made the boldest statement so far among big banks, with Chief Executive James Gorman saying jobs are secure through the rest of 2020. "At the end of this year, we will know what we are dealing with, and hopefully the economy will be on the mend by then," Gorman said in a memo to all 57,000 employees on Thursday.

Citigroup CEO Mike Corbat ordered a suspension of any planned staff cuts, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

German lender Deutsche Bank is pausing future job cuts to give employees "additional certainty" during the outbreak, a company spokesman said on Thursday. Wells Fargo is also suspending new job cuts and paused "initiating new displacements" as it evaluates the situation, according to a spokeswoman.

A Goldman Sachs spokeswoman said the bank has not made any decisions to cut staff this year because of the coronavirus. HSBC said it would hold off on previously announced reductions.

JPMorgan Chase & Co declined to comment, and Bank of America Corp did not respond to a request for comment.

Banks are usually quick to fire staff in hard times and hire again when conditions improve. The coronavirus is an oddity because it is not clear how long the economic impact will last; because banks are, for once, not the centre of the crisis and therefore financially sound; and because the industry is especially sensitive to the politics of cutting staff at a time when the rest of the world is suffering.

"Way too many people have lost their jobs overnight," Gorman wrote in a note to staff. "Aside from a performance issue or a breach of the code of conduct, your jobs are secure."
TOKYO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

- Halal Network Expanded to Third Location in Japan -

Nippon Express Co., Ltd., on Wednesday, March 4, received halal certification from the Japan Halal Association (JHA) for a dedicated area set up within its Osaka International Transport Branch's Chuo International Office in Minato Ward, Osaka. This is the third Nippon Express location in Japan to be granted such certification, the first two being in Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/202003248354-O1-PA4ey0CM

Photo1: Location exterior

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202003248354/_prw_PI2lg_2R9W6N2n.jpg

Photo2: Halal area within warehouse https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M103866/202003248354/_prw_PI3lg_uM829D5f.jpg

- Background to certification

The Kansai region hosts numerous sightseeing spots very popular with foreign tourists, and the 2025 World Exposition in Japan will be held in Osaka. So demand for halal products is expected to grow. With its many air and sea routes to Southeast Asia, home to a large Muslim population, Osaka also serves as a transit point connecting both eastern and western Japan with overseas destinations.

The Osaka International Transport Branch's Chuo International Office handles import/export, bonded warehouse storage and domestic logistics operations for halal products.

To handle an anticipated increase in foreign visitors from a diversity of cultural backgrounds, Nippon Express is constructing a network for halal logistics services to support customers' supply chains in Japan, where interest in halal products is growing, in order to offer safety and peace of mind to Muslim visitors and residents.

- Profile of location

Name: Chuo International Office, Osaka International Transport Branch

Address: Kaigandori 3-4-55, Minato-ku, Osaka

Warehouse area: 8,988 square meters (including a 1,496 square meters temperature-controlled space)

Certified area: 743 square meters within 2nd floor temperature-controlled space

Nippon Express's halal logistics certifications:

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202003248354-O1-F8995J1h.pdf

Nippon Express website: http://www.nipponexpress.com/

Official LinkedIn Account: NIPPON EXPRESS GROUP

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/

SOURCE Nippon Express Co., Ltd.
The Government made significant cuts to the level of pay for the chair and board members of Nama because the agency is in "wind down" mode.

The fee payable to the chairperson of the asset management agency has been decreased from 150,000 per year to 100,000, according to records obtained under FoI.

It will be further cut to just 45,000 from the beginning of next year with the new annual rate of 100,000 already applying to Nama's recently appointed chairman Aidan Williams.

Fees for ordinary board members have also been chopped by almost a quarter, and have been reduced from 50,000 to 38,000 since January 1.

The cuts were quietly made on foot of an instruction from Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who said the decreases were now considered "appropriate".

In a letter to the agency, Mr Donohoe explained how fees for members of Nama had been put in place in 2012 and have been unchanged since.

He wrote: "The levels of fee payable reflected the extensive workload required of Nama at that time and beyond.

"When last revising the fee levels, it was highlighted that the fees payable to the Nama board were exceptional in the context of state boards generally and could only be justified as a temporary measure."

Mr Donohoe said the high rate of payment reflected the "exceptional responsibilities and excessive workload of the Nama board in its early years of operation".

The minister then explained that "in the context of the wind down", he felt it was appropriate to review the level of fees payable.

The cuts were to be implemented in two phases, one in January of this year and a second next January.

Ordinary board members have therefore seen their fees cuts by 12,000 to 38,000 since January 1, with a further reduction to 30,000 next year.

The chairperson of the credit committee will also have their pay decreased by an additional 5,000 per year on top of the standard amount payable to an ordinary board member.

Additional fee payments for the chairs of other committees were ceased on January 1 while fees for external members remain at current levels.

Mr Donohoe concluded in his letter: "Nothing in this sanction should be taken as indicating that this level of fees will be the default position for future years."

Nama was supposed to have been fully wound down in 2021 but its role was extended last summer for an additional five-year period.
A renowned Iranian dissident and former Islamic revolutionary has lambasted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for describing the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus as "biological warfare."

In a statement published March 26 on an anti-Khamenei website, Abolfazl Qadyani (Ghadiani), a former advocate of the Islamic Republic has referred to the "Supreme Leader" as "Iran's current tyrant," whose comments are an insult to the wisdom of Iranians.

While rejecting Washington's offer to help Iran fight the novel coronavirus, Khamenei on March 22 implicitly accused the United States of "bioengineering" the deadly virus.

In a televised speech Khamenei said that the U.S. was accused of having created the coronavirus, and there are clues to this accusation.

Khamenei went even further, claiming that the novel coronavirus was produced to target Iranians, "There are reports that a strain of the virus has been created to target the Iranian genome and people as part of the hostility that the U.S. and the West show towards the Iranian nation."

Blasting his former mentor, Qadyani dismissed Khamenei's remarks as a "projection" to "deceive public opinion," strike a blow at Iran and cover up his own mismanagement and inefficiency.

"Common sense cannot accept such baseless remarks," Qadyani has affirmed, adding, "Only sick minds dominated by illusive conspiracy theories might embrace such statements."

In the meantime, Qadyani has also criticized President Donald Trump for imposing "inhumane" and "ruthless" sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Under the sanctions, Qadyani has argued, Khamenei contemplates on nothing but retaining power, strengthening his position and keeping his false dignity among his followers.

"If Khamenei valued the people's lives, he would have placed the city of Qom under quarantine," the 75-year-old former advocate of clerical rule has noted.

The city of Qom, the world's largest center of Shiite seminaries, was the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran.

Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic authorities have so far vehemently opposed placing the city under quarantine.

President Hassan Rouhani has dismissed plans to quarantine any city as an "anti-Islamic Revolution" plot.

"The anti-revolutionary forces have conspired to shut down economic activities during the Novel coronavirus outbreak and to bring the country to a standstill," Rouhani maintained, adding, "to challenge the plot, the normal procedure of production should continue."

Qadyani, who is renowned for not mincing his words, has also slammed Khamenei and Rouhani for rejecting Washington's offer to help Iran fight the epidemic.

He has also admonished the authorities for expelling a team of the Paris-based Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders.

On March 22, MSF had sent a consignment of medical aid to Iran, including one inflatable field hospital, medicines, respiratory masks, and protective clothing.

Khameneis hardliner followers quickly accused the MSF and its personnel of being "French spies" on social media and in the Iranian press. This followed remarks by Khamenei, on March 22, that supernatural beings were conspiring with "enemies" to attack the Iranian people.

"We are deeply surprised to learn that the approval for the deployment of our treatment unit has been revoked," said Michel Olivier Lacharite, manager of the MSF Emergency programs in Paris. "The need for this intervention, and the authorizations needed to start it, were discussed and agreed with relevant Iranian authorities during the past weeks. Our teams were ready to start medical activities at the end of this week."

It is Iranians' right to have access to the international aid, Qadyani has averred in his statement, reminding, "Khamenei is not a representative of the Iranian nation, and he has no right whatsoever to accept or reject international aid offers. He is not elected by the people of Iran, and perfectly knows that he has no popularity among most Iranians."
As the coronavirus pandemic that originated in a central Chinese city has gone global, thousands of factories in China have nimbly turned to a new and very profitable market ?- face masks for export. At the height of China's outbreak in early February, Guan Xunze's company created a new mask factory in just eleven days. The factory, with five production lines in northeastern China, made the much-needed N95 face masks which were in huge demand as infection numbers surged. As cases in the country have dwindled, the 34-year-old -- who was previously in pharmaceuticals -- is now profiting from new markets and exporting masks to Italy, where the death toll has overtaken that of China. In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha -- racing to fill the huge gap in demand. But after the virus epicentre of Hubei province was placed on lockdown and the initial frenzy began to die down in China, virus outbreaks emerged in new hotspots elsewhere in the world. Globally more than 400,000 have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, and demand for protective equipment is still soaring as nations across the globe battle the outbreak. "A mask machine is a real cash printer," said Shi Xinghui, sales manager of an N95 mask machine company in Dongguan city, southeastern Guangdong province. "The profit of a mask now is at least several cents compared to less than one in the past. "Printing 60,000 or 70,000 masks a day is equivalent to printing money." Qi Guangtu has put more than 50 million yuan ($7 million) into his factory producing mask-making machines in the southern industrial hub of Dongguan. It has been in 24-hour continuous production since January 25 -- two days after the dramatic lockdown of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged. "Cost recovery is certainly not a problem," he said, adding that 70 sets of equipment have been sold for more than 500,000 yuan ($71,000) each. He has more than 200 additional orders in hand, worth over 100 million yuan ($14 million). "The machines pay for themselves in 15 days, " said Qi, saying the investment is worth it for his clients. - Rising costs and blind investment - Manufacturer You Lixin had never set foot in a mask factory before. But as the market soared and he saw the opportunity, it took him just ten days from first deciding to enter the industry to delivering automated machines capable of producing masks. "I slept two or three hours a day, so did my clients," he said. You's clients also slept in his plant, waiting desperately to collect their new machinery. Some of them are garment factory owners in Wenzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, who had switched to producing face masks. "They were facing orders they had insufficient capacity to deliver, and they couldn't make the deliveries," You said. "The panic intensified as the crisis accelerated at that time." The high levels of mask production has dramatically pushed up prices for raw materials. According to Guan, the price of fabric has risen astronomically -- from 10,000 yuan to 480,000 yuan per tonne. Producer Liao Biao struggled to bring back the components of mask machine piece by piece from outside Hunan Province in late January, with the cross province border closed. Finally, to pay an expert tester for the mask machines, Liao paid more than ten times the normal price. "Investment is blind now," You said. - World's factory - But despite the rising costs of production, the profits still make the industry appealing. According to China's official figures, China's daily mask production has passed 116 million now, with many meeting overseas demand. Guan has already delivered one million masks to Italy, while Shi currently has more than 200 orders from South Korea and countries in the European Union. "Dongguan remains the world's factory," said Shi. "The first peak of orders was during the middle of February. Now there is a second wave because of the pandemic," said Shi. Liao is also seeking to export his masks to Europe and Canada. "The demand for masks has been alleviated at home -- now we can have some surplus to support other countries," said Liao. "We are willing to help others." And Guan is optimistic about the future of the industry beyond the outbreak. "Most people will have the habit wearing a mask after this outbreak," said Guan. "I'll stay in the industry." Workers produce face masks at a factory in Handan in China's northern Hebei province Demand for protective equipment is still soaring as nations across the globe battle the coronavirus outbreak In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha A worker produces face masks at a factory in Qingdao in China's eastern Shandong province The high levels of mask production has dramatically pushed up prices for raw materials According to China's official figures, China's daily mask production has passed 116 million now, with many meeting overseas demand
Congress must assess federal government structures that worked to combat the pandemic and those that failed, and institute reforms to confront future outbreaks. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press )

The coronavirus presents a challenge for the United States the likes of which we havent seen in a generation, but one that has been warned of at least since 9/11.

Congress quickly passed three bills to help limit the spread of the virus and assist families and workers who are suffering, including the Senate's massive economic stimulus awaiting House approval Friday.

But as we address the acute symptoms of this crisis  illness and death, but also social isolation and financial devastation  we must think ahead to how we will confront future epidemics and pandemics. We already can take lessons from the tragedy of the coronavirus crisis and the coalition building it has inspired.

First, we have clearly seen that neither our government nor our healthcare system was prepared for something like COVID-19. Congress can and should play a pivotal role in making sure necessary changes are made. This means assessing federal government structures that worked and those that failed, and instituting reforms and new processes and policies to confront future threats.

The United States has a lot of experience at just this sort of response, most notably in the national security field. After World War II, Congress passed laws that redesigned our security apparatus by establishing the National Security Council, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the CIA.

Similarly, after 9/11, Congress passed laws that dramatically changed how the U.S. confronts terrorism at home and abroad. The Department of Homeland Security was established to discern and secure us against domestic and international threats. The National Counterterrorism Center was created to address gaps in the nations international anti-terrorism efforts.

These post-WWII and post-9/11 reforms are templates for grappling with pandemic. For example, the integration and information sharing that was put in place after the devastating attacks of 9/11 provides a model for how we should share information about infectious diseases domestically and with our allies.

Story continues

Likewise, the role of the director of the National Counterterrorism Center offers a model for a new position: director for combating infectious diseases. Appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, this person would be tasked with advising the White House on all matters related to infectious diseases. He or she would also oversee a new interagency, whole-of-government "center" aimed at preventing, detecting, monitoring and responding to major outbreaks such as COVID-19.

This Center for Combating Infectious Disease would combine analytical and operational functions, ensuring national preparedness for massive domestic and global health emergencies. It would have the authority to gather and disperse information required for a coordinated government response. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would provide it with data and expertise, but so would every other relevant national agency.

For example, among its first acts would be the creation of a constantly updated, refined and monitored disease database. It would track the inventory of personal protective equipment in the national stockpile, identify which entities in the private sector should be called upon to augment critical supplies, and set rules requiring other countries to share information in order to get information.

When theres an outbreak, the public and government would have a single, authoritative source to go to learn symptoms of a disease, how to prevent its spread, and what to do if they feel sick. It would consolidate information regarding travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders and "essential work" directives.

In addition to this new national security center for combating disease, we must collaborate internationally to leverage resources and expertise, much as we do when confronting other global threats such as terrorism and nuclear proliferation. If we wait to prepare for the fight against disease until it shows up on our doorstep, it will be too late.

This will call for strong diplomatic outreach to drive data sharing and actions, from disease detection to the development of antivirals and vaccines. Just as after WWI, the U.S. and other nations established the U.N. with the aim of maintaining global peace and security, we need a similar global response to meet the worldwide pandemic threat.

Our outreach must include capacity-building in Africa, Latin America and southern Asia, where there are deficits in health infrastructure: funding the construction of hospitals and clinics, training healthcare workers and establishing ways to monitor disease patterns and track early indicators of potential outbreaks everywhere.

In our globalized world, international borders cannot contain the likes of the coronavirus. It is up to the United States to lead what must be an international effort against epidemics, helping others as they need it. This is our historical role, and it is in our national interest: We too, may eventually need help from others.

I hope we never see a pandemic like the coronavirus again. But experience tells us that a similar outbreak is more likely than not. It is not too soon to analyze the lessons of the current crisis, in order to be ready for the next one.

Dianne Feinstein is the senior U.S. senator from California.




A Supeme Court ruling on Zamfara State election on Friday, was rejected by one justice who argued that the top court has the power to overrule itself.

Justice Centus Nweze, who disagreed with the majority ruling of his six colleagues, said this in his minority judgement.

Mr Nweze, on Friday, gave a dissenting judgement, asking the apex court to review its earlier order which nullified the victory of the candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the 2019 general elections held in Zamfara State.

Mr Nweze gave a similar ruling in the Imo governorship case. Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party had asked the court to set aside its judgement that declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governor of Imo State.

While majority ruling rejected his argument, Mr Nweze in a dissenting judgement held that the court can overrule its earlier decision, since the court has done so in the past.

In Zamfaras case, Mr Nweze insisted that the court has reviewed its decision before and should be bold enough to admit where there are errors that ought to be rectified.

The fresh application before the apex court was brought by a faction of the APC led by a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.

The Supreme Court had, on May 24, ruled that the APC did not conduct valid primaries in the build-up to the 2019 general elections in Zamfara.

The court validated the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which ruled that no valid primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State.

The court in a unanimous judgement by a five-member panel decided that a party that had no valid candidate cannot be said to have emerged winner of the elections.

In an appeal brought by the APC, the court ruled against the appellant and ordered a fine of N10 million against the APC.

It then declared the first runners-up in the 2019 general elections in the state as the winners of all the offices earlier declared to have been won by the APC and its candidates.

No jurisdiction

Maintaining its stand, the apex court dismissed the application asking it to reverse its earlier decision.

Dismissing the appeal on Friday, the court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, held that the apex court lacked the jurisdiction to review its own judgement.

But in his dissenting judgment, Justice Nweze held that a judgement or order can be set aside on merit.

Mr Nweze said the court ought to have reviewed the judgement by setting aside the consequential order which made the PDP the ultimate beneficiary of the intra-party crisis in the state.

He held that the consequential order was made in error because the PDP candidate in the last general elections in Zamfara State was not a party in the appeal and ought not have benefited.

Justice Nweze further held that, if the court believes it is not a Father Christmas, it ought not to make the consequential order which was grounded on reliefs.

He added that the apex court has reviewed its decision before and should be bold enough to admit where there are errors that ought to be rectified.

The consequential order complained against by the applicant has no bearing with the appeal brought by the APC and it hereby set aside, having been made in error, 

It is in the interest of justice that I set aside the consequential order of this court.

I hereby enter an order setting aside the said consequential order in the judgement in APC and Marafa.
Lawmakers voted to strip Sen. Dean Tran of his leadership role Thursday afternoon after a scathing committee report found that he used his Senate staff for work related to his 2018 and 2020 re-election campaigns during business hours.

Tran, a Fitchburg Republican, is also banned from interacting with his staff except for written communications following the report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, led by Chairman Eric Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat. The report was approved unanimously.

Tran denies the allegations and said he was disappointed in the committees report.

The report, which stemmed from an anonymous complaint in October 2019, states that Tran did campaign work during regular business hours through his 2018 re-election campaign and expected his staff to do the same as he prepared for his 2020 re-election campaign.

According to the report, Tran received repeated advice from Senate Human Resources, Office of the Senate Counsel, a Massachusetts GOP official and his own staffers that it was inappropriate for his staff to do campaign work during regular business hours, funded on the taxpayers dime, and for staff to participate in most fundraising activities.

Yet, the report states that Tran did not heed the advice and that his current campaign manager threatened at least one Senate staffer with termination if the staffer didnt work on the 2020 campaign.

HR and OSC have been in constant contact with Trans staff since September, assuring them they couldnt be fired for refusing to participate in Trans campaign, according to the report.

Nonetheless, Senator Tran did not change his conduct or take any corrective steps," the report states. Indeed, one staffer remembered that Senator Tran stated that he did not believe the advice he had been given.

Tran told MassLive in an email that the report was riddled with lies and hearsay" and that he didnt have a chance to challenge the credibility of the report before it was released.

The credibility of the information is based on who the information came from and the report accepted anything and everything from anybody, he said in the email. I was personally attacked in 2017 special election, they tried to attack my voting record in the 2018 election and I expected the same this year, but what I didnt expect was for the attack to come by way of the internal and partisan process through an anonymous letter about 2018.

And of course, we all know, this year is an election year, he added.

The report states that Tran acknowledged to the counsel that virtually his entire staff volunteered on his 2018 campaign but that none of his staff worked on the campaign during regular business hours, as far as he knew.

Senate Rule 10A bars members from using state funds to pay anyone who does not perform Senate-related work or whose assignments are not commensurate with the compensation received.

The Ethics Committee concluded that Tran violated Senate Rule 10A, arguing that Tran was not only aware of his staffs campaign work on state time but also likely insisted on it."

Tran was first elected in a 2017 special election after his predecessor, Democrat Jennifer Flanagan, was tapped by Gov. Charlie Baker to serve on the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

Transs staff reached out to HR and OSC with concerns throughout his tenure as senator, according to the report. One example cited by the committee is an April 2018 incident where a senior staffer asked another employee to print 50 copies of Trans campaign fundraising form ,using public resources, and deliver them to a fast food restaurant in his district.

When HR and OSC investigated the April 2018 complaint, the senior staffer acknowledged that using public resources for campaign work was wrong and said it would not happen again. At least two Senate employees discussed the incident with Tran at the time, according to the report.

A month earlier, Tran received an email from an advocacy group planning a campaign event and a fundraiser. Tran replied saying he was going to add two people who would connect the group with Trans fundraising volunteers, according to the report. The addresses were the Senate emails of two employees.

Tran and his Senate employees continued to correspond with the advocacy group about fundraising that spring.

When asked by OSC about the emails, Tran said he could not explain why he forwarded them to his Senate employees emails and called it a mistake," the report states. He also said its possible the senior staffer worked with the consultant during his off hours.

Most of Trans staff worked out of the GOP coordinated campaign office in Fitchburg, while a skeleton crew of two staffers worked in the senators Boston and district offices.

Three Tran staffers reported attending at least two meetings for the 2020 campaign, according to the report. The meetings, held in the late afternoon or evening, were believed to be related to fundraising discussions.

Staffers objected to participating in the fundraising discussions, but Tran said staff should participate in the talks, according to the report, which cites two witnesses.

The Ethics Committee report also states that Tran likely violated conflicts of interest and campaign finance laws, referencing an amendment Tran filed in October for the supplemental budget. The committee recommended that the Senate refer the allegations to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Tran filed and later withdrew an amendment in the fall that would have exempted certain projects from being reviewed by the Cape Cod Commission, the State House News Service reported. Sen. Julian Cyr, a Truro Democrat, said at the time it was insulting that the amendment came from so far away from the Cape.

The Cape Cod Times reported that Gregg Lisciotti, a Leominster-based developer who had donated $1,000 to Tran in 2018, was behind the proposal.

Each committee member signed the report: Lesser, Sen. Cynthia Creem, Sen. William Brownsberger, Sen. Michael Barrett, Sen. Cynthia Friedman, Sen. Patrick OConnor, the minority whip, and Sen. Bruce Tarr, the Republican minority leader.

Related Content:
As effects of climate change continue to be felt across the globe, Kenyas pastoralists in the countrys Northwestern county of Turkana are counting losses caused by droughts and floods. Longer drought in 2019 and heavy floods in early this year, dealt a blow to Turkana residents
Overall last year there were 47,065 detections for motoring offences, down 13% on 53,911 in 2018 and a high of 79,796 in 2011 (stock photo)

The number of speeding offences detected in Northern Ireland has almost halved within a decade, police figures show.

The PSNI's Motoring Offence Statistics reveal that there were 7,578 detections for speeding offences last year - down from 14,728 in 2011.

These accounted for 16% of all motoring offences in 2019 with 31% of detections last year being made at weekends.

The highest speed recorded last year was 135mph on the A1 dual carriageway, a 70mph stretch of road.

The largest number of speed detections were recorded in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon policing district (1,257), while Ards and North Down recorded the least (200).

Males accounted for 70% of those detected speeding. Those aged 30-49 represented over two-fifths of all people caught speeding, followed by 18-29-year-olds who accounted for a further 34%.

Overall last year there were 47,065 detections for motoring offences, down 13% on 53,911 in 2018 and a high of 79,796 in 2011.

Of 2019's 47,065 detections, 58% resulted in a prosecution referral and a further 25% in endorsable fixed penalty notices.

The number of detections for mobile phone offences has steadily decreased by 62% from 9,908 in 2011 to 3,731 in 2019.

Although the number of detections are down, 52% of drivers still used their phone in some capacity last year while driving.

Males accounted for four-fifths of all those detected for mobile phone offences while over half of those caught were aged 30-49.

Again the largest number of mobile phone offences (580) detected were in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon policing district, while Ards and North Down recorded the fewest (76).

Insurance offences accounted for 7,560 of detections in 2019, a decrease of 14% on the number recorded the previous year.

There were a further 4,158 detections for careless driving offences, 488 fewer than in 2018.

These were highest in Belfast City policing district (861) with Ards and North Down recording the fewest detections (175).

Males accounted for three-quarters of careless driving offences, while 37% of detections were among 30-49-year-olds.

Drink or drug driving offences increased by 2% to 3,005 when compared with 2018.

PSNI Chief Inspector Diane Pennington said too many people are still taking unacceptable risks on our roads, whether speeding, not paying enough attention, using mobile phones, not wearing seatbelts and driving while uninsured.

"Despite the downward trend of fewer people being killed on our roads over the last 10 years, inappropriate speed for the conditions remains one of the main causes of the most serious collisions in which people are killed and seriously injured," she said.

"Removing excess speed from the road safety equation should be the easiest thing that every road user can do.

"If we all stop speeding, more people live. If we all stop speeding, fewer people die and fewer people have to contend with life changing injuries.

"Considering that drink and drug driving is consistently one of the principal causational factors of the most serious collisions in which people are killed and injured, it is particularly disappointing that we have seen a rise in these detection figures," the chief inspector added.
In effect, it felt like we were being punished, Mr. Heilman said. But the punishment turned out to be a blessing in disguise. This is really a case of perspective.

Although aggressive testing and confinement orders have shown promise in New Rochelle and elsewhere, including in South Korea, it may be too late to employ similar strategies in places like New York City, where the number of positive cases has overwhelmed the citys ability to offer tests broadly or to trace the contacts of those infected.

The lawyer at the center of the New Rochelle cluster, Lawrence Garbuz, 50, fell ill on about Feb. 27, and was confirmed on March 2 to have the coronavirus. Health officials began to trace his contacts and soon found more infections.

State and Westchester County health officials ordered the closure of the synagogue, and on March 3 ordered quarantines for the more than 100 families that were exposed to Mr. Garbuz at a funeral and a bat mitzvah in late February. As more synagogue members became infected, those who came in contact with them were also quarantined.

State and local health investigators also used contact-tracing techniques to track down people who were exposed to Mr. Garbuz, including workers at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, N.Y., where Mr. Garbuz was initially hospitalized.

The containment zone in New Rochelle began on March 12; it was a one-mile radius, with Young Israel at its epicenter, that was to last for 14 days. The order did not close streets or prevent people from leaving, but it banned gatherings of over 500 and closed schools, houses of worships and other large gathering spaces within the zone.

Members of the New York State National Guard were called in to deliver meals to people stuck in their homes, and to deep-clean communal buildings.
In District 159, a staff member at Colin Powell Middle School was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, but has since been released and is at home resting, Alfred said. It was the districts first confirmed case of COVID-19 and is considered to be isolated, she said.
New Delhi, March 27 : As India lurks on the threshold of stage three in the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed over 24,000 lives globally, 165 startups with innovative solutions dealing with preventive, diagnostics, assistive and curative fronts to combat the coronavirus have responded to a national call to combat the public health crisis by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

They are at various stages of startup journey.

Synergizing and consolidating various activities carried out by the Ministry of Science and Technology and its network of autonomous institutions and scientific bodies across the country, the DST has also seed supported a Pune-based Startup under incubation at Scitech Park, University of Pune to augment the deployment of iron Ioniser Machines at various hospitals in Maharashra, for reducing the viral load in quarantine areas significantly.

The call which has been invited by March 30, 2020 has evinced great interest. Nearly 190 companies have already registered with TDB offering solutions, including for diagnostic kits Covid 19, thermal scanners, AI and IOT based decision making support, spares and manufacturing of ventilators, manufacturing of mask and so on.

Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and TechnologyA(SCTIMST), Trivandrum, an autonomous institute of DST has already started building 8 different prototypes to address Covid-19 health challenges.

A startup under incubation at SCTIMST-TIMed, a DST-supported incubator in the Institute is developing low cost AI-enabled digital X-ray detector for screening Covid-19 patients.

The DST has set up a "Covid19 Task Force" for mapping of technologies from labs, academic institutions, startups and MSMEs. The aim is to identify the most promising startups that are close to scaleup, who may need financial or other help or connects based on its projected demand to rapidly scaleup.

The solutions and novel applications aimed at addressing the pandemic-related challenges are being taken up by extensive mapping of solutions requiring research and development support, startups with viable products requiring facilitation and manufacturing support.

Market deployable products requiring seed support are also being identified. Support is being given for solutions already in the market but which require substantial scale up to augment their manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities.

The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has already sent out a call to invite proposals as part of special call under Intensification of Research in High Priority Area (IRHPA) scheme specifically designed for Covid-19 and related respiratory viral infections to ramp up national R&D efforts for new anti-virals, vaccines, and affordable diagnostic.

The call which invites submissions by March 31, 2020 has garnered encouraging response from scientists across India.

The Technology Development Board (TDB), a statutory body of government of India functioning under DST has issued a call for proposal to address protection and home-based respiratory interventions for Covid-19 patients.

The National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, DST has reached out to its strong network of over 150+ incubation centres across the country for mapping the novel innovations already under incubation to combat diseases like Covid-19.

DST through the synergistic approach involving scientific and research institutions, researchers, scientists, incubators, startups and tech companies is geared to address the challenges arising out of Covid19 pandemic.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
BASEL (dpa-AFX) - Novartis (NVS) said the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion for Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. The company noted that, if approved, Cosentyx would become the first fully-human IL-17A inhibitor indicated for patients in Europe with nr-axSpA. Eric Hughes, Global Development Unit Head, Immunology, Hepatology & Dermatology at Novartis said: 'This positive opinion marks another step forward in our commitment to reimagine medicine in axSpA and help patients realize relief from the burdensome symptoms of their disease earlier.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
By some industry estimates, many of our major media outlets will fail within weeks. Starved of advertising revenues for years, the COVID-19 pandemic will deliver the final blow, especially for newspapers. And with the government now preparing to spend unprecedented amounts of money, we should be concerned that there will be no journalists left to keep watch.

This is a six-alarm fire. If Ottawa does not treat this as an emergency and act accordingly, Canadians will be left with few sources of reliable information about how to protect ourselves and our families from COVID-19.

Yesterday, we got a taste of what lies ahead.

In Quebec, the newspaper chain formerly known as Groupe Capitale Medias announced that 40 per cent of its 350 employees will be laid-off, and that print editions of five daily newspapers will be limited to Saturdays only, effective immediately.

In Atlantic Canada, the SaltWire Network of five daily and 20 weekly newspapers announced significant cuts to production and laid off 40 per cent of its workforce.

Even before the COVID-19 crisis struck, private media outlets were so beleaguered that they required special tax assistance just to stay afloat. Despite this support, Postmedia and Torstar, Canadas largest producers of daily newspapers, are in dire financial straits. As of Thursday, you could buy all Torstar stock for just $21 million. As the economic downturn intensifies and businesses of all sizes suffer horrendous financial consequences, the few advertising dollars that remain are drying up overnight.

For its part, the CBC is so underfinanced that it cancelled all local TV news broadcasts last week. In a video town hall with CBC employees, Barb Williams, executive vice-president of English services, said the move was necessary to keep the network from fading to black.

Ottawa must understand that we are staring down the end of Canadian private media as we know it. With few exceptions, were talking about the extinction of the entire Canadian media industry. No democracy can survive without a functioning press.

Nobody wants journalists to become dependent on the government theyre meant to scrutinize. But the federal government can help by properly funding the CBC. And the CBC can help by collaborating with private outlets rather than competing with them.

Ottawa needs to start by doubling the budget of the CBC, to finance a major expansion of its national, regional, and local news capacity with a mandate to freely share its news content with any media outlet that wants to use it. To maintain CBCs vital independence, the government must also give the CBC board of directors the exclusive authority to hire and fire the corporations president, currently a prime ministerial prerogative.

Amid the carnage, some media companies are doing quite well. Trouble is, they dont employ a single journalist. They publish journalism produced by others without paying for it. And they face none of the financial and legal consequences of publishing false, harmful, or illegal content. To top it off, they dont pay a dime in corporate taxes on more than $8 billion of profits they extracted from Canada last year.

Of course, I am talking about Facebook, Google, Netflix and other online media giants.

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Canadian business spent $8.5 billion on digital advertising in 2019, with 87 per cent, or $7.4 billion flowing to foreign internet platforms  mostly Facebook and Google. Netflix made $1.6 billion more, according to the Yale Commission report. Because they have so few Canadian employees, almost all of this is profit.

Canadians who are fighting for their livelihoods and to preserve their businesses, large and small, are right to be furious at Ottawa for allowing these companies to profit so handsomely while the rest of us paid our taxes and now find ourselves struggling to survive.

It is long past time that Ottawa taxes these companies just like any other corporation operating here. Applying the federal corporate income tax of 15 per cent to foreign online ad sales would yield $1.1 billion. That money would be enough to double the Parliamentary appropriation to CBC.

If Ottawa does not act now, it will be too late for our media. CBC may be the only source of reliable Canadian journalism left standing, while Canadians are swamped with misinformation and illegal content from the likes of Facebook.

Daniel Bernhard is the executive director of FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting. Follow Daniel @sendinthewolf

Read more about:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 27

Trend:

Reception and sorting points created by Azerbaijans Ministry of Emergency Situations on the border with Georgia near the Girmizi Korpu and Mazymchay checkpoints in the Gazakh and Balaken districts of Azerbaijan in order to prevent the coronavirus spread in the country upon Azerbaijani governments instruction, continue round-the-clock operation, Trend reports with reference to the ministry.

All conditions for normal life have been created at reception points near the Girmizi Korpu checkpoint, where the number of tents was increased from 20 to 60 in a short time and the number of beds stands at 300, and near Mazymchay, where the number of tents is 20 and the beds - 100,

All the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards are fully complied with, and all measures have been taken to provide food, to heat tents, and to supply hygiene products.

Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations Tapdig Amiraslanov got acquainted with the work carried out at the abovementioned reception and sorting points on March 26 and gave relevant instructions.

As of March 27, the ministrys medical team at the reception and sorting points has totally examined 156 people who arrived in Azerbaijan. Around 119 of them were examined at Girmizi Korpu point, and 37 at Mazymchay point.

Reportedly, 28 people with suspicious symptoms were sent to special local hospitals and others were quarantined.
Key Media, the Toronto-based publisher of trade magazines Canadian Mortgage Professional and Canadian Real Estate Wealth, has cut more than a third of its global workforce amidst the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, the publishing and conference company issued severance notices to 70 people, in offices as widespread as Canada, the U.S., U.K., Singapore and Australia.

Before the wave of cuts, the company employed almost 200 people in eight offices

One employee who received a severance notice said theyd been told by a Key executive that the biggest reason for the cuts was that the companys conference business had dried up almost all at once, because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The current economic climate has had a huge effect on the companys revenues, and we have forecast a significant negative impact on the companys bottom line for 2020. This means that unfortunately, we are no longer able to continue your employment, the severance notice stated.

Email and Skype messages to company CEO Mike Shipley, who lives in Antigua, werent immediately returned.

Key Media publishes 130 trade magazines devoted to real estate, mortgages and insurance. It also runs 70 annual conferences and trade shows.

Earlier this week, Saltwire Media, Atlantic Canadas largest newspaper chain, laid of 40 per cent of its staff and shut down all of its weekly papers for at least 12 weeks, citing a plunge in advertising in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
16-year-old to appear in court for abusing supermarket workers

A teenager was arrested yesterday for being agressive and abusive to staff at a supermarket.

Police were called to Tesco in Douglas and arrested the 16-year-old male.

He will appear in court this morning charged with provoking behaviour.
JTF-Bravo facilitates repatriation of US citizens from Honduras

By Joint Task Force-Bravo public affairs, U.S. Southern Command / Published March 26, 2020

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras (AFNS) -- At the request of the U.S. Department of State and at the direction of U.S. Southern Command, a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules is transporting 78 U.S. citizens from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, who were previously unable to return home, to Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia.

The mission is part of an ongoing interagency effort led by the U.S. Department of State to assist American citizens unable to return home from countries around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our team has been working closely with the U.S. Embassy in Honduras to ensure we are able to fully leverage opportunities to bring American citizens home," said Col. Steven Barry, Joint Task Force-Bravo commander. "We continue to support these ongoing efforts while maintaining our posture as a ready force for U.S. Southern Command."

The C-130J is part of a regular resupply mission to Soto Cano AB. The return flight will also include mission-critical U.S. service members.

Through its active, Reserve and Air National Guard components, Air Mobility Command has been supporting the U.S. government's ongoing COVID-19 mitigation response efforts and executing rapid global mobility operations in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency-led, whole-of-government effort to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

For information about the arrival at NAS Norfolk, contact Kelly Wirfel via email at kelly.wirfel@navy.mil or by phone at (757) 322-2576.

U.S. citizens affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions should visit www.travel.state.gov or call (202) 501-4444 for assistance.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Businessman charged with $7.6 mln VAT refund fraud sentenced to 10 years in prison

 RAPSI

11:59 27/03/2020

ST. PETERSBURG, March 27 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  CEO of Petropolis company Mark Bronovsky has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 600,000 rubles (about $7,700) for a 590-million-ruble ($7.6 million) tax refund fraud, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts informs RAPSI.

The punishment has been determined in the aggregate with the sentence pronounced in April 2019 by a St. Petersburg district court in yet another 400 million-ruble (about $5 million at the current exchange rate) VAT fraud case against Bronovsky.

The defendant was found guilty of fraud and detained in the courtroom.

As it follows from the case materials, in 2009 through 2013 Bronovsky and his co-conspirators falsified documents and filed wrong data in tax declarations, thus unlawfully gaining VAT refunds in the amount of 590 million rubles.

Investigators believe that yet another figure involved in the case is the defendants father businessman Alexander Bronovsky, who at the moment resides in the U.S.A.; nevertheless he has been neither charged, nor put on the wanted list.
(Sharecast News) - London stocks were set to fall at the open on Friday following gains in the previous session, amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The FTSE 100 was called to open 125 points lower at 5,690.



CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said it doesn't look as if the "decent" gains seen in Asia will translate into a similar positive open for European markets "as caution returns ahead of the weekend".



"A weaker open after three days of gains is not altogether surprising against such an uncertain backdrop, as cases in the US rise above those in China, while the infection rate in Italy appears to be rising again.



"Against this sort of backdrop it is still way too early to sound the all clear, and while yesterday's rebound was welcome it takes no account of the fact that the infection count and death rate is likely to continue to rise sharply in the coming weeks, and that in any subsequent recovery, consumer incomes and confidence will take some time to recover.



"Markets appear to be pricing in a V-shaped recovery, or some form of U-shaped one. Neither is likely, and it was a fear articulated by the Bank of England yesterday, who warned of the risk of lasting damage to the UK economy, as a result of widespread business failures, and a sharp rise in unemployment."



In corporate news, Next shut its online, warehousing and distribution operations overnight after staff expressed concerns about working during the coronavirus lockdown.



"Next will not be taking any more online orders after this time until further notice," the company said, adding that it had "listened very carefully" to staff.



Online real estate agent Rightmove cancelled its dividend and pulled full year guidance as due to uncertainties caused by the impact of Covid-19.



Rightmove had planned to pay a final dividend payment of 4.4p per share (?38.3m in total) for the year to December 31.




Abdullah Says Release Of Taliban Prisoners 'Beneficial' For Peace Process

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan March 26, 2020

Afghanistan's former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah says the release of Taliban prisoners by the government would be beneficial for both sides and would help move the Afghan peace process forward.

Abdullah's statement came after Afghanistan's National Security Council announced on March 25 that government officials are set to meet with a Taliban delegation in the coming days to discuss an initial release of militant prisoners.

Abdullah told a news conference in Kabul on March 26 that he is ready for talks to resolve Afghanistan's ongoing political crisis which he said was "not in the interest" of anyone.

Following a video conference between council members and Taliban representatives, council spokesman Javid Faisal tweeted on March 25, "A Taliban team will meet with the government face-to-face in Afghanistan in the coming days" to further discuss the release of 100 prisoners by March 31.

The detainees would be freed on humanitarian grounds "after guarantees by Taliban and the prisoners that they will not re-enter the fight," Faisal wrote.

U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who took part in the video conference, said the sides "agreed prisoner releases by both sides will start March 31."

The video conference "decided that the release of the prisoners will practically start by the end of March," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter.

President Ashraf Ghani has said the government would initially free 1,500 prisoners, while the Taliban has demanded 5,000 as a precondition for talks with Kabul.

Khalilzad has said a prisoner release has become more urgent because of the spread of coronavirus.

The development could help break a deadlock that has held up negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government under a U.S.-brokered peace process.

The peace process has been further hampered by a feud between Abdullah and Ghani, who have both claimed.Afghanistan's presidency after a contested election in September.

The U.S. State Department announced on March 23 that it was slashing $1 billion in aid to Afghanistan after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to convince Ghani and Abdullah to end the feud and form an inclusive government to advance the peace process.

Abdullah on March 26 said the U.S. aid cut will cause serious trouble for Afghanistan, and it can't be compensated in any way.

An agreement signed in Doha on February 29 by the United States and the Taliban could lead to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan as part of a peace process aimed at bringing an end to the Afghan conflict.

The United States has said it is committed to reducing the number of its troops in Afghanistan from about 12,000 to 8,600 within 135 days of signing the deal.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AIP News

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan- abdullah-release-taliban-prisoners-beneficial- peace-process/30510652.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






Monday morning, as I stood at my deska spot I have carved out to work atop my dresserI periodically held up and sniffed a couple unlit scented candles. Rose, yes, I thought to myself. Ocean breeze, yes! Sometimes, I jazzed up this routine by next checking my temperature.

This little sequence was an effort to self-soothe. If I could still smell my candles, I told myselfdeluded myself, reallyI probably do not yet have the novel coronavirus, which is currently exploding in unknowable numbers in New York City, where I live. My test is obviously flimsy and not to be trusted; you can be a carrier of COVID-19 without any symptoms at all. But like many people, Id read a piece published Sunday in the New York Times titled Lost Sense of Smell May Be Peculiar Clue to Coronavirus Infection, so my candles were reassuring. Monday, on social media, I saw people time and again seemingly confirming the reporting from personal experience: They had the novel coronavirus, and like the people mentioned in the piece, they couldnt smell things either.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

And yet, as with so much about this novel coronavirus, the data that could establish loss of smell as a meaningful sign of infection is lacking. Alongside plenty of anecdotal evidence, the main source for the Times piece is a report of sortsa letter, reallypublished by the British Rhinological Society and a group called Ear, Nose, and Throat U.K. arguing that a loss of sense of smell is a marker of COVID-19 infection. The letter goes on to explain that anosmia is not uncommon after viral infections, and that in fact viruses that give rise to the common cold are well known to cause post-infectious loss. The percentage of people who when infected by coronaviruses like the common cold and COVID-19 then lose their sense of smell is unclearI checked with a few experts who just said it was a common occurrence, but they couldnt put a number on it. But looking at it from the other side, various surveys indicate that among folks experiencing anosmia, viruses are thought to be responsible for about a quarter of cases.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In other words, it shouldnt be surprising that the novel coronavirus could cause smell loss. The question is whether it happens enough to consider anosmia a clue, at a time when many Americans dont have an easy way to find out whether they carry the virus. The authors of the British letter wrote that in South Korea, where testing is widespread, 30 percent of patients testing positive have had anosmia as their major presenting symptom in otherwise mild cases. In the New York Times piece, reporter Roni Caryn Rabin described these figures in a little more detail, noting that in a study from South Korea, 30 percent of some 2,000 patients experience anosmia. This figure was far and away the most convincing and robust piece of evidence in the piece that the COVID-19 connection to anosmia might be relatively strong.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I wanted to read the study it came from, in order to figure out how reliable that 30 percent number was. I wondered about the methods used for the survey, for example, and whether the study had gone through peer review. I figured it probably hadnta lot of science is now being posted on preprint servers, where authors post findings with little or no outside review, rather than in traditional journals. This is helpful, as knowledge needs be shared quickly right now, but it also means data merits a higher level of skepticism.

That a potential signal appeared and then dipped so quickly makes perfect sense in this environment.

I reached out to Rabin, who told me she was relying on information from Claire Hopkins, a nose surgeon in the U.K. and an author of that letter. I reached out to Hopkins, who told me she had, in turn, gotten the figure from a Korean news source, Chosun, which had been translated for her by a colleague. I asked again if there was a study underlying that number that she could point me to. In response, Hopkins told me we have had real problems with the original link to the source shed gotten the figure from. Shes not the only onea Stat news piece, which ran on Monday, initially stated that the 30 percent figure came from a Nature study, but a corrected version now states that it was a mere estimate, and that it came from a clinician in a March 16 Q&A that ran in Chosun.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hopkins ended up emailing me screenshots of a Facebook messenger chat with the colleague who had done the translating, now apparently translating from a different source (a link included in the chat went to another news outlet): The actual percentage of patients in South Korea with anosmia, based on a survey from a medical society, was 15 percent. That is half of what the Times reported and a more expected rate of anosmia associated with coronaviruses.

Advertisement

Hopkins wrote me back again to say that it appears the 15 percent figure came from an updated version of the South Korean study, which accounted for patients through Tuesday, two full days after the New York Times ran its original story. Its possible that the numbers in the letter and Times piece accurately reflected earlier findings. But the bottom line is the same: The rate of anosmia in COVID-19 cases does not appear to be as high as the Times article reported Sunday. Hopkins told me that this new data reflects what we would largely expectso likely not sensitive enough to act as a proxy instead of testing. Though Hopkins still maintains that smell could help target testing or self-isolation, it seems like much less of a clear sign of COVID-19 infection than it did mere days ago.

Advertisement

Advertisement

That a potentially strong signal appeared and then dipped so quickly makes perfect sense in this environment. Data on the novel coronavirus is coming in rapidly, as more and more people are tested. Its good that doctors are sharing as much information as they possibly can, in real time, via channels that are much faster-response than many traditional forms of science publishing. There was also a secondary point to the New York Times story that remains important, despite this number being offear, nose, and throat doctors, along with eye doctors, seem to have been particularly vulnerable to this disease.

But reporting on the prevalence of an unusual symptom like losing ones sense of smell isnt just going to reach ENTs. Its going to reach the rest of us who are stuck in our homes wondering if we have the virus without being able to access testing. We are all so desperate for concrete information that any health story relaying a direct piece of advice, particularly one like doctor groups are recommending testing and isolation for people who lose their ability to smell and taste, is going to be taken very seriously. As Thomas Hummel, an ear, nose, and throat doctor in Germany, told the Washington Post: Many people out there have anosmia. They dont have a good sense of smell. And if you alert all these people that if you have anosmia you need to stay home, there would be many false positives. Thats the other side of the coin.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

It is still possible that anosmia becomes an important signal and a more prevalent symptom for COVID-19 than for other kinds of respiratory infections; its also possible that it ends up being more similar to coughinga common symptom of COVID-19 but not a clear sign of infection on its own. What we have now is a small inkling of anosmias connection to the coronavirus, really meant for doctors and researchers, that has been fast-tracked into a bona fide clue for the public. The doctors in the U.K.amplified by the Times and everyone who then also wrote articles on smellhave argued that a loss of smell should be a reason to self-isolate for seven days. This is still an applicable directive, since everyone in places where the virus is spreading should be socially isolating as best they can, particularly people who have any symptoms that are coldlike. In a pandemic, you would ideally be able to use any little sign of a respiratory infection to get the piece of data that matters: an actual test. In our current situation, youre probably just going to have to wait.
The Madhya Pradesh government



directed 11 distilleries in the state to manufacture spirit and hand sanitisers to meet the growing demand for these disinfectants during the coronavirus outbreak.

In an order issued on Thursday, excise department commissioner Rajesh Bahuguna directed 11 distilleries to manufacture spirit and sanitisers to ensure the availability of these products at government and private hospitals.

Divisional commissioner and deputy commissioner of excise department will monitor the supply of these products, it stated.

As per the order, these sanitisers will be supplied through the excise godowns.

The state government decided to rope in distilleries to produce alcohol-based sanitisers, as reports of black marketing and shortage of these products emerged.

Meanwhile, an official from the public relations department said hand sanitisers were available at Madhya Pradesh Handicrafts and Handloom Development Corporation's Mrignayni Emporiums.

In the first phase, this product will be available in Indore and Bhopal outlets from Friday, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has selected SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, as the first U.S. commercial provider under the Gateway Logistics Services contract to deliver cargo, experiments and other supplies to the agency's Gateway in lunar orbit. The award is a significant step forward for NASA's Artemis program that will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and build a sustainable human lunar presence.

At the Moon, NASA and its partners will gain the experience necessary to mount a historic human mission to Mars.

SpaceX will deliver critical pressurized and unpressurized cargo, science experiments and supplies to the Gateway, such as sample collection materials and other items the crew may need on the Gateway and during their expeditions on the lunar surface.

"This contract award is another critical piece of our plan to return to the Moon sustainably," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "The Gateway is the cornerstone of the long-term Artemis architecture and this deep space commercial cargo capability integrates yet another American industry partner into our plans for human exploration at the Moon in preparation for a future mission to Mars."

NASA is planning multiple supply missions in which the cargo spacecraft will stay at the Gateway for six to 12 months at a time. These firm-fixed price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts for logistics services guarantee two missions per logistics services provider with a maximum total value of $7 billion across all contracts as additional missions are needed.

"Returning to the Moon and supporting future space exploration requires affordable delivery of significant amounts of cargo," said SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. "Through our partnership with NASA, SpaceX has been delivering scientific research and critical supplies to the International Space Station since 2012, and we are honored to continue the work beyond Earth's orbit and carry Artemis cargo to Gateway."

The Gateway Logistics Services contract enables NASA to order missions for as long as 12 years with a 15-year performance period and provides the ability to add new competitive providers. These missions will support NASA's plans for sustainable exploration with both international and commercial partners, while developing the experience and capabilities necessary to send humans to Mars.

"This is an exciting new chapter for human exploration," said Mark Wiese, Deep Space Logistics manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "We are bringing the innovative thinking of commercial industry into our supply chain and helping ensure we're able to support crews preparing for lunar surface expeditions by delivering the supplies they need ahead of time."

Charged with returning to the Moon in the next four years, NASA's Artemis program will reveal new knowledge about the Moon, Earth and our origins in the solar system. The Gateway is a vital part of NASA's deep space exploration plans, along with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and human landing system that will send astronauts the Moon. One standard logistics service mission is anticipated for each Artemis SLS/Orion crewed mission to the Gateway. Gaining new experiences on and around the Moon will prepare NASA to send the first humans to Mars in the coming years, and the Gateway will play a vital role in this process.

"We're making significant progress moving from our concept of the Gateway to reality," said Dan Hartman, Gateway program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "Bringing a logistics provider onboard ensures we can transport all the critical supplies we need for the Gateway and on the lunar surface to do research and technology demonstrations in space that we can't do anywhere else. We also anticipate performing a variety of research on and within the logistics module."

For more information about NASA's Moon to Mars exploration plans, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/moontomars

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


There exists in emergency response industry circles something called the Waffle House Index. Its a measurement of how the greasy-spoon breakfast chain is faring in an emergency situation. If the local Waffle House is open and serving a full menu, the index is green; open with a limited menu: yellow; closed: red.

And the Waffle House Index almost never hits red.

Well, now it has. More than 400 of the companys 1,992 locations are closed because of the novel coronavirus. Public-health orders forbidding gatherings of more than 10 people in some jurisdictions have made it next to impossible for restaurants to operate. Sales are down 70 per cent nationwide, Waffle House said in a statement to The Washington Post.

Hour by hour, Waffle Houses reality is changing, the company said.

For the first time, the index is being used to measure the impact of a non-weather-related event.

This week, we posted information on the number of Waffle House closures related to COVID-19. We referred to the index as a way to help people understand how big of an impact this virus has had on the restaurant industry, Waffle Houses statement continued.

The reference to code red also highlights the tremendous impacts that are being felt by many of our associates and their families. With so few customers visiting our restaurants, we are rapidly losing the ability to offer enough work hours for our associates to earn money needed to live their lives and pay their bills, it said.

That means things must really be bad because Waffle House is one of the companies disaster-response officials look to as a success story.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) considers Waffle House  yes, Waffle House, the restaurants whose signs notoriously always seem to have a few light bulbs out  a business with a model risk-management plan. Supply chains are shored up. Workers are ready to go. Home Depot and Walmart have similar reputations.

They know immediately which stores are going to be affected, and they call their employees to know who can show up and who cannot, Panos Kouvelis, director of the Boeing Center for Supply Chain Innovation at Washington University in St. Louis, told occupational health and safety magazine EHS Today in 2011. They have temporary warehouses where they can store food and most importantly, they know they can operate without a full menu. This is a great example of a company that has learned from the past and developed an excellent emergency plan.

And thus was born the index, which former FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate consulted regularly. In the past, it has been used during responses to natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. For example, when a powerful tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, killing 158 people and injuring more than 1,000 others, the local Waffle House remained open. The Waffle House Index remained green.

But this is the kind of crisis thats not restricted to certain towns or states or even regions. Waffle Houses hardest-hit locations are along the Gulf Coast and in the Midwest, the company said. Most of the restaurants in Florida are still open, though, as are most of the 188 locations around Atlanta.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi wrote a letter to the top UN officials as part of the country's "efforts to continuously highlight" the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Foreign Office said on Friday.

The minister sent the letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations Secretary General on March 9, 2020 as part of efforts to continuously highlight" the situation in Kashmir, it said.

In the letter, he also highlighted the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian forces on Line of Control (LoC) since December 12, 2019 and stressed the possibility of India "staging a false flag operation to divert international attention" from Kashmir, the FO said.

He also raised the issue of recent communal violence in Delhi, it said.

Qureshi had been regularly updating the UNSC President and the UNSG on the Indian actions in Kashmir since August 5, 2019, the FO said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated the Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August last year. India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of the Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Advertisement

London's Tube trains are packed with key workers again today as new footage emerged of staff spraying carriages with disinfectant bosses claim will kill coronavirus on seats and handrails for up to a month.

Footage of the anti-viral mist being applied by a Tube worker in a Hazmat-type suit appeared online overnight - but commuters have said the best medicine would be for Sadiq Khan to return services to normal levels.

More shocking pictures of packed carriages and platforms emerged again today due to there being an insufficient number of trains to carry people with no choice but to go to work, including medics on the frontline saving lives. And the wait for trains was up to 20 minutes on some lines during rush hour.

Bosses claim the agent can provide anti-viral protection for up to 30 days - but Sky News revealed they started testing it on trains a fortnight ago.

One critic tweeted: 'Does it stop someone sneezing on someone in a packed carriage at rush hour?' while another wrote: 'These mist systems DO NOT kill viruss for 30 days...they work, but not long term like that. They don't have lab results to back it up'.

Commenting on the video another commuter said: 'Great, but not all its passengers are free from the virus' accusing the Mayor of London of throwing 'social distancing out the door'.

Transport for London is using the anti-viral fluid currently used in hospitals to clean stations and trains as well as the capital's buses.

Footage of a Tube train's seats and poles being sprayed with an anti-viral fluid emerged today as the row over a lack of trains for key workers rumbled on

A source has told Sky News that Tube trains are being cleaned by an anti-viral product that can keep carriages safe for 30 days.



Latest on #coronavirus here: https://t.co/NQ651hmuqp pic.twitter.com/8aPLDP3GCr  Sky News (@SkyNews) March 26, 2020

London Underground is busy today as large numbers continue to have to work in the capital in the NHS and key businesses

Carriages are busy again today with commuters on the fourth day of Britain's unprecedented lockdown

The Mayor of London, who has sparked fury and defied the Prime Minister by cutting Tube services while blaming staff sickness at Transport for London, is being accused of 'risking lives' because of the conditions on the trains.

Home Office reveals new powers to tackle people flouting the coronavirus lockdown Up to two years in prison if you cough deliberately on someone after spate of attacks on police and emergency service workers

People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and can be arrested as part of new enforcement powers announced by the Home Office.

Officers can also tell them to go home, leave or disperse an area and ensure parents are taking necessary steps to stop their children breaking the law.

Those who refuse to comply could be issued with a fixed penalty notice of 60, which will be lowered to 30 if paid within 14 days.

Second-time offenders could be issued a fixed penalty notice of 120, doubling on each further repeat offence.

Those who do not pay the penalty can be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose fines up to 1,000 or more; Advertisement

And he angered commuters yesterday by tweeting: 'One in three TfL staff are off sick or self-isolating: we cannot run more services. Employers: staff must work from home wherever possible to help protect our key workers who need to travel. If you have to go to work, please don't travel at rush hour.'

Social media users criticised what they described as a 'no can do' attitude and accused Mr Khan of 'purposely trying to undermine the Government in the UK's hour of need', while others said: 'Step aside if you can't cope.'

Denise Bennett said: 'Message from daughter, going to work as a nurse in London - 'Tube station is rammed'. How can she stay safe, keep her patients safe when she has to travel to work like this, Sadiq Khan?'

Debz Lipsphil was on the Tube today and tweeted: 'Sadiq Khan, why have you reduced the Tube service? Key workers are forced to be squashed together! Nuts! Thanks for that stupid unsafe idea!' Meanwhile Richard Heath said: 'No wonder the country (is) not taking this serious when the London Tube (is) still like f***ing sardines'.

And Patricia Pereira posted: 'Jubilee line service packed, Waterloo station escalators out of use forcing people to use the ones that are working and be extremely near. Three TfL staff by gate line talking, no one manage the crowd (or) helping on social distancing! I am a key worker, I don't want to get ill!'

MailOnline's Piers Morgan tweeted: 'Ridiculous. Come on Mayor Sadiq Khan - you must run enough trains for people to maintain 2m distancing or they will infect each other and be unable to provide essential work. Sort it'.

Mr Khan has axed the Tube's Night service, and drivers on that shift could be drafted in to ease pressure during the day - with workers saying staff are 'dropping like flies' with about a third off sick or going into self-isolation.

However early-morning Tube use today was down 13 per cent on the previous day, while bus use was down 8 per cent. Passenger numbers yesterday morning were down 92 per cent compared with the same day last year.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has tweeted about reduced Tube usage today and urged people to only travel if essential

Critics including MailOnline's Piers Morgan have urged Sadiq Khan to put on more Tube trains to avoid spreading coronavirus

Some passengers stated that their Tube journeys were quieter than normal. Twitter user @mortimusprime-x posted two pictures showing carriages with empty seats, and wrote: 'My normally packed #tubes this morning on the way to work... thank you to all those staying at home #keyworker keepsafe #stayathome.'

One in three of TfL staff are ill or in self-isolation - including large numbers of drivers and customer-facing workers - with the sickness figures appearing to be disproportionately higher than among frontline workers in the NHS, police and fire services.

Some have blamed the strength of the Tube unions and their threat to pull away members for the high level of staff absence.

But one Tube driver told BBC London: 'We are attacked no matter what we do. Most of us have families and because people who should be in quarantine or practising social distancing aren't following guidelines we are being exposed to the virus even more. We are dropping like flies.'

Another driver told the broadcaster: 'We have 30/80 drivers off and half the managers. We are trying our best. We want to do more but we don't decide the service levels.'

MailOnline can reveal that during rush hour today some Underground lines are currently only running one train every 20 minutes, when it should be one every three to five minutes, causing more crammed conditions in 'death trap' carriages and on heaving platforms.

Commuters hold onto bars as they pack onto a Central line Underground train into the capital this morning

Commuters wait for a Central line train at Stratford station on the London Underground this morning

Passengers sit on a London Underground Circle line train this morning as the UK continues to be on lockdown

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said: 'My own view is that we should be able to run a better Tube system at the moment, we should be able to get more Tubes on the line.'

** Are you travelling in London today? Send your stories and pictures to martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk or tips@dailymail.com ** Advertisement

He claimed 'I do not wish in any way to cast aspersions on what is going on at TfL', and pledged to give the mayor 'every support' to get through 'what seems to me to be his present logistical difficulties'.

As deaths in the capital doubled, the Mayor of London is facing mounting fury and pressure to restore services to normal levels with some NHS workers claiming they are now more worried about travelling to work than treating coronavirus patients in hospital.

But in a statement Mayor Khan revealed more train services will go and said: 'Nearly a third of TfL's staff are now off sick or self-isolating - including train drivers and crucial control centre staff.

Commuters at Canning Town Station in East London this morning wait to board a Jubilee line Underground service

A police officer stands guard at Canning Town station in East London today as people continue to travel by Tube

London Underground passengers wait to board a Tube train at Canning Town station in East London this morning

Underground commuters board and alight from a train at Canning Town station in East London this morning

'Many of them have years of safety-critical training in order to run specific lines - so it is simply not possible to replace them with others.

Police patrols stop train passengers for spot checks to enforce the coronavirus lockdown Police patrols have been stopping train passengers for spot checks in a bid to enforce the coronavirus lockdown. Officers have been seen patrolling train stations in Swansea to check passengers should only be making 'essential' journeys. Passengers at Swansea train station were asked for proof of their travel plans - and urged to take a single journey to their destination and home again. Police are being given powers to issue 30 on-the-spot fines to those breaking the lockdown - and court appearances for non-payment. South Wales Police declined to comment on the specifics of what officers were doing at Swansea station. The force's chief constable, Matt Jukes, has previously said: 'South Wales Police has a track record of maintaining public order and safety in huge events and at times of emergency. We have always done so positively, with pride and professionalism. 'So, we will continue to do what we do best - engage with people. We will ask them to support their communities and stick to these important restrictions. 'As the public would expect, we will also enforce the existing law when this is necessary and new legal powers, as they come into effect.' Advertisement

'TfL will do everything possible to continue safely running a basic service for key workers, including our amazing NHS staff, but if the number of TfL staff off sick or self-isolating continues to rise - as we sadly expect it will - we will have no choice but to reduce services further.'.

There were grim scenes on the Tube again today where commuters with no choice but to go to work were faced to stand nose-to-nose with strangers on teeming trains.

Key worker Tony Drew tweeted: 'No-one is listening to you and don't need to reduce the service as much as you have. You need to get more trains on and stop putting the lives of key workers like me at risk'.

Kate Mat wrote: 'I have zero respect for Sadiq & TFL! Are they really blind or just heartless??! They are putting key workers life in danger!!!! Nurses, doctors and other key workers can't practice social distancing on cramped tubes!'

A senior nurse named Danny posted on Twitter: 'Another busy tube. Can we not stagger people's start times so we aren't all squashed on the same tube! This is unsafe and not fair!'

And Barry Trimble, whose work involves ensuring cancer patients receive chemotherapy, posted: 'The Tube is packed, with social distancing impossible. We need more people to stay at home and more trains running in morning and evening peak.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said there is 'no good reason' Tube services have been slashed and Mr Johnson also questioned why up to three quarters of services had been axed in a call with Mr Khan yesterday.

** Are you travelling in London today? Send your stories and pictures to martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk or tips@dailymail.com **
The UN Security Council, under the presidency of China this month, has not yet scheduled any meeting to discuss the rapidly-escalating coronavirus crisis even as the number of COVID-19 cases across the world crossed 530,000 and over 24,000 people have died due to the disease.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far. At 85,653, the US now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, surpassing China and Italy. Nearly 13,00 people have died in the US due to the disease. So far, there are 78 confirmed coronavirus cases among UN staff worldwide.

China's presidency of the 15-nation Council will end on March 31 and no meeting is scheduled on the programme of work of the Security Council for March to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the rapidly deteriorating situation and the outbreak's dire health, security and economic consequences on nations.

A UN diplomat told PTI that "the silence of the Council on an issue impacting human security in such a profound manner reflects that it is obviously not fit for purpose for the challenges of our times." The Security Council held a video-conference Thursday chaired by China's Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun and discussed the work of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

A statement issued by the Chinese Mission to UN after the meeting said that Council members "also expressed concern at the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya and called on the parties to de-escalate the fighting urgently, to immediately cease hostilities and to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid throughout the country." There was the only reference to the COVID-19 crisis in the entire statement.

The Dominican Republic will assume the Council Presidency for April. A US State Department official said the Security Council had a unique and important role to play in combating the global coronavirus pandemic that poses major risks to international peace and security.

Earlier this month, as he took over the presidency of the Council, Zhang was asked whether China planned to discuss the coronavirus emergency. He responded that there was no need to panic over the coronavirus epidemic and Beijing dId not plan to discuss the situation in the Council during its presidency, asserting that the world was not far from the defeat of COVID-19 "with the coming of spring.

With regard to the Security Council, at this moment, is the general feeling of Members States, while we watch closely the situation, especially the new development, we do not need to go panicky about that epidemic, Zhang had said. He added that the issue of coronavirus fell within the concept of global public health while the Security Council's primary responsibility was dealing with the geo-political security and peace matters.

President of the 74th session of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande will brief the 193 UN Member States Friday "on the challenges posed by COVID-19 to the work of the Organisation and the activities of its principal organs." He will be joined by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, United Nations Economic and Social Council President Mona Juul and Zhang.

An NBC News report said that talks among Security Council nations over a joint declaration or resolution on coronavirus remain in stalemate over Washington's insistence that such a resolution should explicitly state that the virus originated in Wuhan, China, as well as exactly when it started there.

Beijing's diplomats are enraged at this and even want to put their own language into the statement praising China's efforts to contain the virus, the NBC report said. A French diplomatic source told PTI that there are different attempts to have a UN text but there is nothing precise for the moment.

The State Department official said that all Security Council members must recognise the threat that China's mishandling of the outbreak poses to international peace and security.

The official said China had been more interested in saving face than saving lives. The official added that the World Health Organization and Chinese officials themselves had acknowledged that the outbreak began in Hubei Province, and Chinese authorities were the first to learn about it.

As such, they had a special responsibility to be fully transparent about the virus's spread but instead they suppressed information and punished doctors and journalists who raised the alarm, the official said. The official said while Washington cannot predict how Beijing or Moscow will vote on a UN Security Council resolution, history will take note of countries who fail to take action in a transparent and objective manner for the good of the world for parochial political interests.

This is not the time to bicker but time to rise up to this unprecedented challenge, the official said. The official said the US would support a resolution that underscores the need for sustained and concerted international action to slow the spread of COVID-19.

China's Mission to the UN tweeted Thursday that COVID19 "is a common enemy of all of us. China is also a victim. China has successfully contained the spreading of the pandemic and is doing its utmost in helping other countries. We will never accept stigma, discrimination or politicization on this issue. Never!"

Also read: Coronavirus impact: IMF projects fall in global output in 2020

Also read: China reports first local coronavirus case in three days
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  The annual Balikatan joint exercise of US and Philippine troops will not push through this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

In a statement released on Friday, the United States Indo-Pacific Command announced the cancellation of the Balikatan 2020 scheduled on May 4-15 in the Philippines in accordance with travel restrictions issued by both countries in light of the pandemic.

In light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and in best interest of the health and safety of both countries forces, it is prudent to cancel Balikatan 2020, said Adm. Phil Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.

The annual drills are carried out by the two defense allies under their Visiting Forces Agreement. Australia has been sending a small contingent of participants to the Balikatan since 2014.

Military forces undergo training in counter-terrorism operations, crisis action-planning, and internal procedures development during the exercises.

Balikatan 2020 would have been the last of the military exercise held annually for more than three decades. President Rodrigo Duterte in February announced the termination of the VFA, which legally allows the presence of the foreign troops in the Philippines for the drills.

RELATED: Philippines formally ends Visiting Forces Agreement with US

The pact's end will take effect 180 days after the Feb. 11 notice sent by Foreign Affairs Sec. Teddy Boy Locsin to the US Embassy, unless there is an arrangement for both governments to end the termination period early or extend it.

RELATED: Military deal to possibly replace VFA eyed

The VFA was signed in 1998 in support of the two countries' 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The agreement outlines procedures for American forces' visit to the Philippines, with Balikatan as one of the activities. It also specifies which country will have jurisdiction over American soldiers who may be accused of crimes while in the Philippines

RELATED: EXPLAINER: The Visiting Forces Agreement
Pakistan on Friday opened its borders with all-weather ally China for a day to accept Chinese medical supplies to fight the coronavirus outbreak which has infected nearly 1,300 people and killed nine others, officials said.

China on Thursday asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies to fight coronavirus pandemic could be transported into the country.

The number of coronavirus patients in Pakistan has reached to 1,286, according to the latest data. There were 440 patients in Sindh, 419 in Punjab, 131 in Balochistan, 176 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 91 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 27 in Islamabad and 2 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

So far, nine patients have died, 23 recovered and 7 others are in critical condition.

A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party lawmaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from Mardan was tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.

"I am not saddened by my diagnosis; my conscience did not allow me to look the other way while others were suffering. God willing, I will recover soon and continue to work for the people of my constituency," Member of Provincial Assembly Abdul Salam Afridi said in a video message.

One new case was reported in PoK, taking the tally to 2. Complete lockdown has been imposed by the regional government and strict measures were taken to prevent the further spread.

According to the Sindh Health and Population Welfare Department, 11 of the new cases reported across the province on Friday are local transmission cases from Karachi.

The Sindh government has given divisional commissioners the provision to declare emergency in their divisions from time-to-time to dispense their official duties.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has said that it will extend public holidays in the province till April 5 while the ban on large gatherings will remain in effect until April 30.

China was providing critical medical supplies to Pakistan and the Khunjerab pass between the two countries was opened on Friday to let the goods enter Pakistan, according to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

"Medical supplies from Xinjiang, China to Pakistan is delivered through Khunjerab (5,000m) port today, highest land port on Earth. Both sides from China and Pakistan braved the cold, cleared the roads, made good preparations for the delivery of the medical supplies at the Khunjerab Pass, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan tweeted on Friday.

China has also sent 56,000 coronavirus testing kits, N-95 masks and other equipment to Pakistan. Governor Sindh Imran Ismail received the consignment at the Jinnah international Airport in Karachi.

Pakistan and China describe their relations as all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has extended the date for successful Hajj applicants to submit their medical certificates till April 10. March 27 was the last day to submit the ceritificates.

Meanwhile, several cases of extreme negligence were also being reported from different areas.

Close to 40 to 50 people in Lahore defied government orders and offered the Friday prayers at Lahore's iconic Badshahi mosque. However, they maintained a distance during the prayers.

In Islamabad, Friday prayers were held at Faisal Mosque where nearly 40 people offered prayers by maintaining some distance.

The government had issued a notification limiting the number of people between three to five who can attend Friday and congregational prayers in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

In Pakpattan, some 200 kms from Lahore, police arrested a groom and 50 others present at his wedding for violating the lockdown rules.

"We have arrested the groom and 50 others for holding a gathering in violation of COVID-19 lockdown rules. We have called doctors to screen them for coronavirus and released some of them after warning," a police official said.

Meanwhile, Lahore's Services Hospital doctors have reportedly refused to admit suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients to the facility after a doctor was infected.

According to officials, over 200 suspected patients of COVID-19 were denied admission at the Services Hospital on Thursday and Friday.

The doctors sent the samples of these suspected patients to the lab for tests and asked them to revisit the hospital to collect their reports. Of them five patients were tested positive for the virus. It is feared that these patients might have infected several others before collecting their reports from the hospital.

The Punjab government has launched a probe into the matter. Young doctors and nurses in different public hospitals have been protesting for not getting protective medical kit and gear.

A person with suspected coronavirus infection in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was allowed to go home after giving samples on March 24, Geo reported.

Later, he was tested positive and the authorities took him to a hospital and put the entire village in quarantine.

On Wednesday, Bhara Khahu town in Islamabad was sealed after several cases emerged in the locality. Earlier, a village of Mardan area was sealed after spike in the cases.

Punjab Police on Friday presented a guard of honour to the doctors and nurses performing their duties at Lahore' Mayo Hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Controversy on social media as Romans label the move 'fascist' and 'witch hunt'.

Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi has invited the city's residents to report violations of the government's quarantine rules due to the Coronavirus emergency by using an online platform established specifically for this purpose.

Raggi has appealed for citizens to inform the city of assembramenti, or gatherings of people, in violation of the nationwide lockdown, by making a report on the city's website.

The move, announced on the city's Facebook page, has provoked controversy among Romans who say it comes at a difficult time when the population is already making heavy sacrifices and abiding by the restrictions on their personal freedom.



The president of the central Municipio I borough, Sabrina Alfonsi of the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD), condemned "the practice of informing", saying that the work of ensuring against violations was already being done "very well" by the police.

Alfonsi invited Raggi to quit "playing the sheriff" and concentrate instead on ensuring the "safety of municipal employees engaged in essential services, the sanitisation of the largest number of roads and bins, and providing the greatest number of beds to the homeless who still live on the street."

However Raggi, of the populist Movimento 5 Stelle, has defended the SUS (Sistema Unico di Segnalazione) system, saying that it is a way of channelling the "thousands of reports" recieved by the city in various ways in recent days.

Speaking on Italian television station Rai3 on 27 March, the mayor said that "reporting" and "informing" were not the same thing, according to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

For details about the SUS system, complete with step-by-step guide, see Roma Capitale Facebook page

Photo RadioRadio.
Italy has logged a shocking spike in its already staggering coronavirus death toll, with officials warning the peak of the crisis was still days away, as the global infection rate surges relentlessly upwards.

With more than 300,000 people infected in Europe alone, the disease shows few signs of slowing, and has already cast the world into a recession, economists say.

In the US, which now has more than 100,000 COVID-19 patients, President Donald Trump invoked wartime powers Friday to force a private company to make medical equipment, as the country's overburdened healthcare system struggles to cope.

"Today's action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives," Trump said as he issued the order to auto giant General Motors.

With 60 percent of the country in lockdown, and infections skyrocketing, Trump also signed the largest stimulus package in US history, worth $2 trillion.

It came as Italy recorded almost 1,000 deaths from the virus on Friday -- the worst one-day toll anywhere around the world since the pandemic began.

One coronavirus sufferer, a cardiologist from Rome who has since recovered, recalled his hellish experience at a hospital in the capital.

"The treatment for the oxygen therapy is painful, looking for the radial artery is difficult. Desperate other patients were crying out, 'enough, enough'," he told AFP.

In one bright spot, infection rates in Italy continued their recent downward trend. But the head of the national health institute Silvio Brusaferro said the country was not out of the woods yet, predicting "we could peak in the next few days".

Spain too said its rate of new infections appeared to be slowing -- despite also reporting its deadliest day.

'Dramatic evolution'

Europe has suffered the brunt of the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks, with millions across the continent on lockdown and the streets of Paris, Rome and Madrid eerily empty.

In Britain, the two men leading the country's fight against the coronavirus -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Health Secretary Matt Hancock -- both announced Friday they had tested positive for COVID-19.

"I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus," Johnson, who had initially resisted calls for a nationwide lockdown before changing course, wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, other countries across the world were bracing for the virus's full impact, with AFP tallies showing more than 26,000 deaths globally.

The World Health Organization's regional director for Africa warned the continent faced a "dramatic evolution" of the pandemic, as South Africa also began life under lockdown and reported its first virus death.

In a sign of how difficult the stay-at-home order could be to enforce, police came up against hundreds of shoppers trying to force their way into a supermarket in Johannesburg on Friday, while the streets of a nearby township buzzed with people and traffic.

However, two months of almost total isolation appeared to have paid off in China's Wuhan, as the Chinese city of 11 million people where the virus first emerged partially reopened.

Since January, residents have been forbidden to leave, with roadblocks installed and millions subjected to dramatic restrictions on their daily life.

But on Saturday people were allowed to enter the city, and the subway network was expected to restart. Some shopping centres will open their doors next week.

Younger patients

In the United States, known infections jumped past 100,000, the world's highest figure, with more than 1,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In New York City, the US epicentre of the crisis, health workers battled a surging toll, including an increasing number of younger patients.

"Now it's 50-year-olds, 40-year-olds, 30-year-olds," said one respiratory therapist.

To ease the strain on virus-swamped emergency rooms in Los Angeles, a giant US naval hospital ship docked there to take patients with other conditions.

In New Orleans, famed for its jazz and nightlife, health experts believe the month-long Mardi Gras in February could be largely responsible for its severe outbreak.

"This is going to be the disaster that defines our generation," said Collin Arnold, director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for New Orleans.

But as Europe and the United States struggle to contain the pandemic, aid groups have warned the death toll could be in the millions in low-income countries and war zones such as Syria and Yemen, where hygiene conditions are already dire and healthcare systems are in tatters.

"Refugees, families displaced from their homes, and those living in crisis will be hit the hardest by this outbreak," said the International Rescue Committee.

Over 80 countries have already requested emergency aid from the International Monetary Fund, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday, warning massive spending will be needed to help developing nations.

"It is clear that we have entered a recession" that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, she said.

burs-aph/hg
A Ford Motor Company workers works on a Ford F150 truck on the assembly line at the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich., on Sept. 27, 2018. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Ford to Restart US Truck Plants in April to Combat Virus Cash Squeeze

DETROITFord Motor Co announced plans on Thursday to shore up its finances amid the CCP virus pandemic, aiming to generate more cash by resuming production next month of its most profitable vehicles while saving money through more cost cuts.

To generate more cash, the No. 2 U.S. automaker was poised to restart production at some plants in North America as early as April 6, bringing back such profitable vehicles as its top-selling F-150 full-sized pickup, the Transit commercial van and SUVs.

Meanwhile, to further conserve cash a day after Standard & Poors downgraded the Dearborn, Michigan-based companys debt to junk status and warned more downgrades could be necessary, Ford also announced belt-tightening moves, including temporarily cutting the salaries of top executives.

The actions were taking now are wide-ranging and substantial, Chief Executive Jim Hackett told employees in an email early on Thursday. We hope they will be enough to give Ford the financial flexibility to ride out the economic and business effects of the coronavirus.

The pandemic caused by the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, has forced the shutdown of auto plants around the world as companies attempt to curtail the spread of the disease among factory employees.

The outbreak has put pressure on companies, including Ford, which previously drew down credit lines to build its cash position and suspended its dividend.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a $2 trillion economic rescue package to help unemployed workers and companies, including the auto industry, hit hard by the outbreak.

President Donald Trump, concerned about the economic repercussions of an extended shutdown, has said he wants America to get back to business by Easter, or April 12, suggesting some efforts to slow the spread of the outbreak will no longer be needed by then.

To get more cash coming in, Ford said Thursday it would restart key plants, while introducing additional safety measures to protect returning workers from the coronavirus.

Ford said it would detail the additional measures later.

Ford also took additional moves to conserve cash, announcing its top 300 executives would defer 20 percent to 50 percent of salaries for at least five months starting May 1, with the executive chairman deferring his entire salary. Hackett will defer half his salary.

Hackett said Fords goal was to avoid layoffs during the crisis, but warned that could change if the impact of the outbreak is more severe than anticipated.

Other actions Ford is taking to conserve cash include deferring salary increases more broadly, suspending overtime for salaried employees and freezing hiring in non-critical areas, Hackett said.

However, Ford employees will continue to get healthcare coverage and those exposed to the virus and placed in quarantine will get paid time off, he added.

General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) previously said they would shut down their North American operations through March 30 and then reassess after that.

The situation is fluid and can change week to week, GM spokesman Jim Cain said on Thursday. We dont have firm return-to-work dates at this time.

FCA spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said on Thursday the Italian-American automaker was evaluating the situation.

To shore up its balance sheet, FCA said it had entered a new credit facility for 3.5 billion euros. That is on top of credit lines it already had for 7.7 billion euros.

UAW President Rory Gamble said on Tuesday in a letter to union members that Ford and FCA had no plans to reopen manufacturing operations on March 30. The UAW has said three union members who worked at FCA plants have died due to the coronavirus.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an order on Monday barring non-essential businesses from operating until April 13. A spokeswoman for Whitmer was previously unable to clarify whether auto production was considered essential or not.

Japanese automaker Honda on Thursday said it would resume work at its U.S. and Canadian plants on April 7 after extending its shutdown beyond March 30.

Ford plans to begin production on one shift at its Hermosillo, Mexico, assembly plant, where it builds the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans.

An employee works on the assembly line for the Ford 2018 and 2019 F-150 truck at the Ford Motor Companys Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan, on Sept. 27, 2018. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)

It will restart production on April 14 at its Dearborn plant that builds the F-150 and a Kentucky plant that makes the Super Duty version of the pickup as well as the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

The Ford Transit van line at its Kansas City, Missouri, plant, the Ohio plant that builds Econoline vans and heavy duty trucks, and several stamping, transmission and parts plants also will restart on that day.

Ford shares were up more than 2.7 percent in morning trading.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

By Ben Klayman

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
No fresh case of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has come to light in Maharashtra since Thursday night, though the total number of positive patients in the state stands at 130  second only to Kerala at 137.

On Thursday, eight more Covid-19 positive cases were reported, including three from Sangli, and each from Mumbai, Sindhudurg, Nagpur, Kolhapur, and Pune. A 65-year-old woman, who had tested Covid-19 positive, died on Thursday, taking the death toll in Maharashtra to five.

Mumbai, the countrys financial capital, is the worst-hit with 49 cases.

The state government has released 18 people, who have fully recovered from the Covid-19 disease, said public health minister Rajesh Tope. This shows that Covid-19 is a curable disease and there is no need to panic. The state government is doing its best to control the outbreak, Tope said.

The state government has got permission from the Centre to start Covid-19 testing facilities at eight private laboratories and 11 government-run institutions across Maharashtra. At present, the state has testing facilities at only three places  Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur.

State medical education minister Amit Deshmukh said the decision to increase facilities will help take the testing capacity up to 4,000 people a day. Deshmukh said that the government is trying to further enhance the capacity for testing to be ready to deal with any emergency.

The state government has decided that the shops selling essential commodities and pharmacies will remain open 24x7 in a bid to reduce serpentine queues.

The decision was taken after a series of meetings held by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray along with senior government officials on Thursday.

Shopkeepers will have to adhere to strict social-distancing measures, officials said. Several shops in Mumbai and other parts of the state have already painted boxes/circles at a distance of three feet for customers to ensure social distancing is followed.

All shops selling essential commodities, groceries and medicines are allowed to operate 24x7. It is mandatory for them to fully adhere to social distancing measures, enforce gaps with marking & ensure sanitation and cleanliness, the chief ministers office tweeted after the meeting.

The state government is also working on locating and providing necessary help to all those labourers and pilgrims from other states who are stuck in Maharashtra due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown that was enforced from Wednesday. CM Thackeray has issued a directive to this effect.

CM Uddhav Thackerayji has asked all district collectors to reach out to all those from other states such as pilgrims, labourers, etc, stuck in Maharashtra due to the lockdown and ensure that they are looked after by the state authorities. Likewise, to connect with those from Maharashtra, stuck in other states and to help @CMOMaharashtra connect with other CMOs [Chief Minister Offices] and ensure they are comfortable, said Aaditya Thackeray, state tourism minister in a series of tweets on late Thursday evening.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
When it comes to finding a mate, male guppies rely on their brothers to ward off the competition.

In a new study published by a Florida State University team, researchers found that male Trinidadian guppies observe a form of nepotism when it comes to pursuing the opposite sex. These tiny tropical fish often help their brothers in the mating process by darting in front of other males to block access to a female.

The study is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution . Researchers said the findings were significant because it showed male guppies' ability to recognize family members contributes to the mating process.

"The results strongly suggest that males use kin recognition to minimize sexual competition with their close relatives," said Mitchel J. Daniel, a postdoctoral researcher at Florida State and the lead author on the study. "There is evidence of kin recognition in a wide range of animal species, including humans. Does kin recognition affect male-male competition in similar ways in other species? I'm hoping this study will help motivate other researchers to ask this question."

In Daniel's previous research, he found that female guppies used kin recognition when choosing their mates to avoid inbreeding. That made Daniel wonder whether males recognized kin when competing for mates. This idea had been previously tested by other researchers in fruit flies, but results were mixed.

"Those previous studies led to a lot of debate in the literature about whether relatedness among males really does relax sexual competition," Daniel said. "Part of the motivation for our study was to help resolve this ongoing controversy by testing the idea in another species -- guppies."

Male guppies typically court females by performing a kind of dance around the female to express interest. If the female is interested, she will respond by moving toward the male. However, if another male injects himself between the couple, it prevents the couple from mating and gives the interrupting male a shot at wooing the female.

advertisement

Daniel developed a mathematical model for predicting how often males should block one another to maximize their own Darwinian fitness -- that is, how many copies of his own genes he passes on.

He also developed a second version of the model predicting what males should do to maximize their inclusive fitness, which considers their own fitness and the fitness of their male relatives. Since brothers share some of the same genes, a male can get more of his genes into the next generation by blocking his brothers less often, giving them more opportunities to mate.

To test these models, Daniel observed 600 guppies in groups of 12, watching their dances and the interruption behavior. The data closely matched the second model, which predicted that males should compete less with their brothers than other rivals.

"This was really exciting to see because it suggests that males are competing in a way that increases how often their genes get passed, even if those genes are getting passed on by their relatives," he said. "It supports an evolutionary theory called kin selection, which can promote cooperation among relatives."

Though he was specifically interested in the familial aspect of the interruption, Daniel observed that male guppies also exercised a form of retribution.

"When one male interrupted another male, it was usually reciprocated," Daniel said. "More often than not, males went back and forth interrupting one another half a dozen times or so in quick succession before one male finally gave up. At times, it felt a bit like watching jealous lovers, each male desperate to keep 'his' female to himself."

Robert J. Williamson from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana co-authored the study.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:46:23|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday spoke over phone with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on anti-epidemic cooperation and bilateral ties.

Xi stressed that China has been sharing information on COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner with the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries including the United States since the onset of the epidemic.

China, he said, wasted no time in releasing such information as the genetic sequence of the virus, and has also been sharing experience on COVID-19 prevention, containment and treatment without reservation, and providing as much support and assistance as it can for countries in need.

He added that China will continue to do so, and work with the international community to prevail over the pandemic.

Epidemics recognize no national borders or races and are a common enemy of humankind, noted the president, adding that only by making a collective response can the international community defeat them.

With joint efforts of all parties, the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 on Thursday reached many consensuses and achieved positive results, Xi said, expressing his hope that all parties will strengthen coordination and cooperation, implement the outcomes, and inject strong vigor into enhancing international anti-epidemic cooperation and stabilizing the global economy.

China, he added, is willing to work with the United States and other parties to continue to support the WHO in playing an important role, enhance sharing of information and experience on epidemic prevention and control, accelerate cooperation in scientific research, and improve global health governance.

Xi also called for concerted efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, in order to stabilize markets, maintain growth, safeguard people's wellbeing, and ensure the openness, stability and safety of global supply chains.

Upon inquiry, Xi introduced in detail the measures China has taken to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic.

He said he follows closely and is concerned about the development of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and has noticed that Trump is carrying out a series of policies and measures in response.

The Chinese people, Xi said, sincerely hope that the United States contains the spread of the epidemic at an early date, so as to reduce the losses inflicted by the disease upon the American people.

China has always maintained an active attitude towards international collaboration on epidemic prevention and control, Xi said, adding that under current circumstances China and the United States should unite against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The health departments and medical experts of the two countries have maintained communication over the global pandemic situation and bilateral anti-epidemic cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to continue sharing, without reservation, relevant information and experience with the United States.

Noting that some Chinese provinces and enterprises have been providing the United States with assistance in medical supplies, Xi said China understands the United States' current predicament and stands ready to provide support within its capacity.

There are currently a large number of Chinese nationals in the United States, including Chinese students, and the Chinese government attaches great importance to their safety and health, Xi stressed, expressing his hope that the U.S. side will take practical and effective measures to safeguard their safety and health.

Xi emphasized that China-U.S. relations are now at an important juncture, and that both will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.

Calling on the United States to take substantive action to improve bilateral relations, Xi suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
B irmingham airport is being turned into a temporary mortuary with space for up to 12,000 bodies amid the surge in coronavirus cases in the UK.

Work is already underway to convert one of the hangars at the airport into a space for 1,500 bodies.

There will be room to "expand" for a worst-case scenario, a group made up of West Midlands police, councils and other agencies said.

The new mortuary will be next to the National Exhibition Centre, which is being turned into a temporary hospital to manage extra demand for critical care during the coronavirus crisis.

The mortuary may house the bodies of people who have died from illnesses other than coronavirus, according to police.

The NEC is being turned into a temporary field hospital for coronavirus patients. / PA Wire/PA Images

Senior Birmingham coroner Louise Hunt said: We understand that it is a very difficult time for everyone and we will do all that we can to make sure bereaved families understand what is happening to their loved ones and to release them for funeral as soon as we can.

The West Midlands have recently emerged as a centre of the infection in the UK. Of the 115 people who were reported to have died after contracting the virus yesterday, 40 were in the region.

Deputy leader of Sandwell Council Wasim Ali said: In reality, we have to prepare for the worst as local councils.

Weve seen the numbers of deaths just keep rising. If it does get to that point, we have to be prepared.

Its a big logistics operation, so we have to take that decision to start the planning.

He added: We really dont want to have to use it, but if we do, then itll be available.

Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images

A total of 789 people have died in the UK after being infected with the virus as of Thursday evening at 5pm, the NHS has said - an increase of 181 deaths in 24 hours.

The Government predicted 500,000 deaths related to coronavirus in the UK as a worst-case scenario in February, a leaked Department of Health document revealed.
Airlines globally are seeking grants and loans from policymakers as travel demand plunges due to the virus outbreak.

Singapores state investor Temasek Holdings and others will inject as much as 19 billion Singapore dollars ($13.27bn) into Singapore Airlines (SIA) in the worlds single-biggest rescue of an airline slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The enormous financing plan, which drove SIA shares down as much as 10.5 percent on Friday, underscores the depth of financial trouble for the global airline industry, with nearly one-third of the worlds aircraft already grounded because of the pandemic, according to data provider Cirium.

Many governments worldwide have already stepped in to help airlines amid the virus-induced travel slump, with the United States offering $58bn in aid. Many carriers have grounded fleets and ordered thousands of workers on unpaid leave to keep afloat.

The 5.3 billion Singapore dollars ($3.72bn) in equity and up to 9.7 billion Singapore dollars ($6.8bn) in convertible notes  bonds that can be converted into equity stakes in the company  of the Singapore Airlines fundraising are being underwritten by Temasek, which owns about 55 percent of the group.

The carrier has also obtained a 4 billion SIngapore dollar ($2.8bn) bridge loan facility with the countrys biggest lender, DBS Group Holdings Ltd, to support near-term liquidity requirements.

This is an exceptional time for the SIA Group, SIA Chairman Peter Seah said in a statement late on Thursday.

SIAs shares went into a rare trading halt earlier Thursday after plunging to their lowest in 22 years this week as investors feared the virus will have a deep impact on the company.

Under the current dire circumstances, the rights issue is the best tactical move for SIA. It underscores the carriers strategic importance to Singapore and the island states position as both a financial centre and aviation hub, Shukor Yusof, head of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics, said in a blog post.

SIA has said it would cut capacity by 96 percent, ground almost its entire fleet and impose cost cuts affecting about 10,000 staff amid what it called the greatest challenge it had ever faced.

The rights issue will be offered at 3 Singapore dollars ($2.10) per share, a 53.8 percent discount to SIAs last traded price of 6.5 Singapore dollars ($4.56).

While the raising looks earnings and valuation decretive, SIA now looks well positioned to ride out the storm with balance sheet concerns largely de-risked, Bank of America analysts told clients.

Temasek International Chief Executive Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara said the deal would not only tide SIA through its short-term liquidity challenge but would position it for growth beyond the pandemic.

SIA said it would use the funding from the rights issues to beef up its capital and operational expenditure needs.

On Thursday, the Singapore government announced more than $30bn in new measures to help businesses and households brace against the pandemic.

More aid, please

Airlines around the world are seeking government aid to stay afloat after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out travel demand.

Airport traffic at 12 key hubs in Asia-Pacific region plunged by 80 percent on average in the second week of March compared with the same period last year, Airports Council International Asia-Pacific said on Friday as it called for government relief measures for airport operators.

United States airlines are preparing to tap the government for up to $25bn in grants to cover payroll, even after the government warned it may take stakes in exchange for bailout funds, people familiar with the matter said.

American Airlines Group Inc, a much larger carrier, on Thursday evening disclosed it would be eligible for $12bn of US government aid as part of a $58bn loan and grant package for the airline industry.

Australias Qantas Airways this week secured 1.05 billion Australian dollars ($636.1m) against its aircraft fleet.

Others, including Air New Zealand Ltd and Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd, have warned they expect to be smaller carriers in the future.

South Korean low-cost carrier Eastar Jet has begun returning some of its Boeing 737 planes to lessors, while Southwest Airlines Co said it would consider actions to reduce the companys size if passenger traffic remains significantly lower six months from now.
Beauty salons were ordered to close their doors on Wednesday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced tough new measures in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.

And on Friday, AFL WAG Jessinta Campbell revealed that a 'manicure' was the one thing she was really looking forward to once social distancing ends.

The 28-year-old posted a picture of a woman whose nails were freshly manicured with fancy 'rose gold paper' French tips.

'When the life resumes': Jesinta Campbell said on Friday she can't wait for social distancing to be over so she can get a manicure again

'When the life resumes and I can get a manicure again...,' she captioned the post.

As of Friday morning, there are 3,050 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 13 deaths.

It comes after the new mother revealed on her app that she's been trying out 'the traditional art of postpartum belly binding' since welcoming daughter Tullulah, last month.

The former Miss Universe Australia said that she's explored the practice with the help of her doula and rather than it being for 'aesthetics,' it's to 'support her body in the process of healing post-birth.'

Fancy: The 28-year-old posted a picture of a woman whose nails were freshly manicured with fancy 'rose gold paper' French tips

Jesinta - who is married to AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin - shared pictures of the binding on her belly.

She recommended to fans that they should use a $75 binder kit from Etsy shop, and said it's best to use organic and natural cotton muslin.

'Once completed the wrap feels like a warm hug, with my body feeling so supported,' Jesinta said on her app, adding that she has been getting her stomach bound daily.

Family: Last month, Jesinta welcomed her first child, a daughter called Tullulah, with husband Lance 'Buddy' Franklin (pictured)

'The wrap feels like a warm hug': Jesinta revealed this week that she's been trying out belly binding to help with her postpartum recovery... after giving birth to newborn daughter Tullulah

Jesinta said that new mothers should always check in with their doctor before getting the binding done.

She said that from her research, benefits can include a reduction of postpartum bleeding and fluid retention and it is said to help with abdominal separation.
HONG KONG  One man made fake Honeywell N95 respirators at a makeshift factory on a farm. Pharmacies sold ineffective knockoffs of a Chinese version of Clorox. In one Chinese province, authorities seized more than seven million masks that were substandard, mislabeled or counterfeited.

Chinas vast manufacturing machine has moved into overdrive to supply the country and the world with masks, testing kits, respirators and other gear to fight the global coronavirus pandemic. Companies big and small that once manufactured other items are now in the business of making anti-coronavirus gear  and regulators in China are struggling to enforce standards while encouraging the flow.

Those tensions blew into the open internationally this week. Officials in Spain said testing kits it bought from a Chinese company had only a 30 percent accuracy rate, rather than the 80 percent rate they had expected.

The Chinese embassy in Spain said in a series of tweets that the company that made the test kits, Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology, had not been on Beijings list of certified providers nor a supplier to aid packages organized by Chinese companies like Alibaba, the e-commerce giant. Market regulators in Shenzhen, the southern Chinese city where the company is based, said they were investigating the matter.
Press Release

March 26, 2020 Gatchalian hits DOH slow hospital accreditation to process more virus testing kits Senator Win Gatchalian is appalled over what he calls a sluggish COVID-19 testing capacity of the Department of Health (DOH). The senator recently found out that the DOH has yet to accredit any hospital to carry out COVID-19 testing even after pronouncements made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the newly delivered test kits from South Korea and China are now available for commercial use. He pointed out that even if more testing kits become available, these kits cannot be fully utilized if the DOH would not capacitate and accredit hospitals to use them. Gatchalian is urging the DOH to fast-track accrediting the hospitals for COVID-19 testing to boost the country's testing capacity and test more people at risk. "Papaano natin mabibigyan ng agarang tulong medikal ang mga taong nanganganib ang kalusugan dahil sa COVID-19 at mapigilan ang mabilis na pagkalat nito kung hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa pinapahintulutan ng DOH ang mga ospital na gamitin ang mga bagong testing kits," said Gatchalian. Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro has expressed frustration that up to this time the city cannot use its Molecular Laboratory and procure test kits as the DOH has yet to certify the local laboratory. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said that all LGUs must first coordinate with the DOH before acquiring, purchasing or utilizing testing kits within their respective territorial jurisdictions. The DOH had said that in addition to the current 1,300 available kits and the two thousand fifty (2,050) recently delivered from China and South Korea, it is anticipating additional 120,500 units from different countries, such as China, Korea, and Brunei. The UP National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Philippine Genome Center, and manufacturer The Manila HealthTek Inc. are working to meet the government's order of 26,000 testing kits developed by the UP NIH. At less than P1,500 each, these kits are significantly cheaper and cuts waiting time for results from 24 hours to less than two hours. To date, four subnational laboratories have been prepared to process COVID-19 testing: San Lazaro Hospital, and Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center for Luzon, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for Visayas, and Southern Philippines Medical Center for Mindanao. Five private hospitals are being eyed by the DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) as possible extension laboratories. These are St. Luke's Medical Center-Global City, Makati Medical Center, The Medical City, St. Luke's Medical Center-Quezon City, and Chinese General Hospital. Three government hospitals, on the other hand, are having final arrangements to become COVID-19 referral hospitals or those that can admit patients who contracted the virus. These are the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, the Jose M. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City. The University of the Philippines - National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) will also augment government capacity for testing.
The DRDO has produced a range of products, including multi-layered advanced masks and bodysuit to deal effectively with the outbreak of coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has been tracking the spread of COVID-19 since the world media started reporting its devastating impact in China's Wuhan, they said.

"In the first week of March, the DRDO took a call to enhance efforts to create counter measures to stop the spread of the disease in India, as by then, the number of affected people in India had crossed 30. The DRDO also started focusing on creating mass supply solutions of critical medical requirements," a senior DRDO official said.

As a result of focused approach, at present the DRDO is ready with four different items ready to be deployed in "war against coronairus".

These are hand sanitiser, critical care ventilator, N99 masks and bodysuit, they said.

By the third week of March, hand sanitiser was produced in a sizeable quantity and distributed to major offices and establishments, within Delhi. Approximately 4,000 l of hand sanitiser has been sent to armed forces which include, army, navy, air force and the Armed Forces Medical Core, DSC.

And, 1,500 litres to the Defence Ministry, 300 litres to Parliament, and 500 litres to various security establishments and high offices to address sanitisation issue at first to keep administration work without the fear of contamination, the officials said.

In addition, the DRDO has distributed hand sanitiser to the Delhi Police at about 40 'nakas' all around the city, they said.

"As coronavirus affects pulmonary functions, hence, to cater for this futuristic requirement, the DRDOs SBMT programme was modified with available vendor with DEBEL, Bangalore (a DRDO lab) and critical care ventilator was created by using existing technologies like breath regulators, pressure/flow sensors.

"Presently, innovation is on to create 'multi-patient ventilator' wherein several patients can be supported by a single ventilator. This innovation is expected to be available within one week, the official said.

The N99 masks are five-layer masks with two layers of nano mesh. These are one of the critical times to stop the spread of the virus, officials said.

Bodysuit is a critical requirement for doctors; medical staff, sanitation workers so that they are not contacted by virus during their work, the DRDO official said.

Earlier, the DRDO has developed this bodysuit for medical and paramedical staff to manage and evacuate the casualties in the event of radiological emergencies, which right now is converted as a full bodysuit to stop contamination through coronavirus.

The suit is washable and has passed the ASTM standards. The suit is widely tested by the DRDO and other agencies and found suitable for the cause, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese President on Friday assured full support to his US counterpart in fighting the as America emerged as the next major epicentre of the pandemic but underlined that infectious diseases did not recognise any border or race.

Trump spoke to Xi over telephone, days after the US president angered Beijing by referring to the as "Chinese virus" and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China's ruling Communist Party poses a "substantial threat" to Americans' health and their way of life.

President Xi took a phone call from President Trump, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During the conversation, Xi stressed that since the COVID-19 outbreak began, Beijing has acted in an "open, transparent and responsible manner and provided timely updates on the outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO) and relevant countries including the United States".

After their telephonic talk, Trump tweeted, "Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the that is ravaging large parts of our Planet.

"China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!" Trump wrote, hours after he said the WHO of has "very much sided" with China on the coronavirus crisis, asserting that many are unhappy with the "very unfair" praise by the global health agency on Beijing's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

In his remarks, President Xi said China released the genome sequencing of the virus at the earliest opportunity. "China is sharing control and treatment experience without reservation and doing its best to support and help countries in need", he said.

China will continue to do so and work with the community to defeat the outbreak, Xi told Trump.

He pointed out that "infectious diseases are the common enemy of mankind and recognise no border or race. To win the fight against them, the community must come together".

At the same time, Xi highlighted the need to enhance macroeconomic policy coordination to stabilise markets, boost growth and protect livelihood, and to keep global supply chains open, stable and secure.

When asked, President Xi shared in great detail the measures taken by China to fight COVID-19, the statement said.

He said he was monitoring closely and following with concern the outbreak in the US and noted the string of measures taken by President Trump in response.

"It is the sincere hope of the Chinese people that the US will contain the spread of COVID-19 at an early date and reduce its impact on the American people.

On Thursday the US reported more deaths from Covid-19 than ever before. A week ago, there were a total of 8,800 confirmed infections in the country and 149 deaths. On Thursday, that figure spiked to over 86,000 with nearly 1,200 deaths.

"China has been keen on cooperation against the outbreak. The current situation requires solidarity and cooperation between China and the US, Xi told Trump.

The Chinese side will continue to share information and experience with the US without reservation, Xi said while offering medical supplies to America.

"China appreciates the current difficulties the US faces and is willing to help as its ability permits," he said while urging Trump to take effective steps to look after the large number of Chinese students in America and ensure their safety and well-being.

President Xi underscored that the China-US relationship has reached an important juncture. As cooperation benefits both sides and confrontation hurts both, the former remains the only correct choice.
Iain Dale: If the Second World War had been fought in the days of 24 hour news channels, wed have lost

Iain Dale presents the evening show on LBC Radio and is a commentator for CNN.

This may sound odd, but Ive never particularly enjoyed writing. I never pitch columns to newspapers like some of my contemporaries. I dont need to write to earn a living. My mouth, as they say, does all the talking.

If a newspaper rings me up and asks me to write a column, sure, Ill do it, and I hope I do it reasonably well, but I rarely enjoy it. Ive noticed in recent weeks that I am getting an increasing number of approaches from newspapers where the conversation will start something like this: Our Editor has got a bee in his bonnet about xxxxx and wonders if youd like to write a column pointing out x, y and z.

They then go into detail about some harebrained idea their Editor has had, imagining that I will be perfectly happy to bend my own views to his/hers. Three times in the last few days Ive said no.

No, I dont believe Boris Johnson is likely to be (or should get) toppled as Prime Minister. No, I dont believe that the Coronavirus plays into the BBCs hands in its fight against government reforms, and I most certainly dont believe Jeremy Corbyns departure as Labour leader will be a loss to the body politic. So there.

         

There isnt a sector of society or the economy that hasnt changed over the last month. Even politicians of different parties are being nice to each other, rather than acting in a partisan way. The media has had to change the way it operates, with studios shut to guests, and indeed in many cases presenters.

What hasnt changed is the attitude of some journalists, who seem to think their well-learned modus operandi shouldnt change at all. Ive always thought that if the Second World War had been fought in the days of 24 hour news channels, we wouldnt have won.

You can see it in the media today, which seems to think that everything that is happening should have been anticipated, that all Government politicians and civil servants are incompetent morons whose only interest is allowing as many people as possible to die.

Any new initiative that is announced is looked upon with scorn, and if all the measures havent been introduced within 24 hours in a perfect manner, this is cited as further evidence of government incompetence.

I am getting heartily sick of interviewers, especially on TV, who seem to think the public enjoy Gotcha interviews at the moment. They dont. Times are different. Interviewers should be informing and elucidating through their interviews and not, from the outset, trying to skewer.

I saw an interview the other day where a Minister had ventured onto a programme which Downing Street has been boycotting  wrongly in my view. By the end of the interview, I imagine the minister would have decided never to go on again.

The interviewer may have got a lot of satisfaction from the fact that the Minister was ritually humiliated, but what did the viewer learn? Only that the interviewer loved the sound of their own voice and was needlessly aggressive.

Of course we are all there to hold the government to account and question what it does. But there are ways of doing this without being a complete and utter arse.

         

Ive been in splendid isolation for ten days now. I thought I might become bored, but far from it. I havent even binged on box sets, restricting myself to one episode of Madam Secretary each night.

In recent days I have taken to sorting out my bookshelves, after an appearance on Sky News which had them in the background. People commented on the tidiness and were clearly far more interested in my bookshelves than anything I was saying.

I then rather stupidly decided to make a short video, giving a tour of some of my bookshelves. This video, believe it or not, was watched nearly 30,000 times. It prompted the proprietor of this website to wonder where his book was, as he hadnt seen it in the video. Patience, my Lord, patience. I am currently rearranging my biography section and it will feature in that

My partner is furious that I am putting all this on the internet. Cant you keep anything private? is a question Ive grown used to over the years. You can imagine how the pictures of my makeshift broadcasting studio in my bedroom have gone down with Him Indoors.
A 33-year-old American woman running out of her life-saving medication to treat her auto-immune disease finally boarded a flight home Wednesday after being stuck in Peru for about 10 days, but hundreds of other U.S. citizens remained stranded after the South American nation closed its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I could not be happier," Anna, who requested that her last name not be made public due to privacy concerns related to her medical condition, said after getting on the plane in Cusco.

At the same time, it was bittersweet. On the way to the airport, Anna and her husband saw a long line of Americans hoping to get on the flight. Her husband told The Associated Press that some people have been "sitting outside the airport for a week."

"So obviously not everyone on line was getting on this flight," he said, adding that there were 167 passengers on the LATAM plane, which was organized by the U.S. State Department and allowed to land by Peruvian authorities, unlike previous planes.
The largest defense sector merger ever has received conditional approval by the Department of Justice. Announced last June, United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:RTX) and Raytheon Co. (NYSE:RTN) are seeking to become a force in aerospace and defense in what both companies said is a merger of equals. The new company resulting from an all stock deal is to be called Raytheon Technologies Corp.

The Justice Department Antitrust Division filed a lawsuit, but proposed a settlement to allow the merger to proceed at the same time. The settlement specifies the divestiture of Raytheon's military airborne radios business as well as the optical systems and military global positioning systems (GPS) from United Technologies.

Conditions to proceed

According to the Justice Department statement, the divestitures are required because the merger would combine the two main suppliers of military airborne radios and military GPS systems, effectively eliminating competition. It would also lessen competition in other items sold to the Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence agencies.

Two facilities of Raytheon's airborne radios business must be sold, and United Technologies must complete the sale of its military GPS business to BAE Systems (OTC:BAES.Y), which has offered to buy it. Alternatively, the businesses could be sold to acquirers "approved by the United States."

An additional requirement is for United Technologies to divest its optical systems business, located in Danbury, CT, to a similarly approved acquirer. The company also previously said it would spin off its elevator and air conditioner businesses. The companies expect the merger to be completed in the second quarter of this year.
The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the AAP government to ensure victims of the recent northeast Delhi riots, who may be homeless at the moment, are provided with food and accommodation either at the community centres or night shelters.

A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh, which conducted the proceedings through video-conferencing, also asked the government to ensure the provision of food, water and medical aid to such individuals.

"The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) shall furthermore, individually and jointly, ensure that sanitation, cleanliness and hygiene is properly and regularly maintained at the locations/centres/shelters, where the riot victims are to be housed, the bench said, in its order.

The court passed the order while issuing notices to the Centre, represented by advocate Amit Mahajan, Delhi government, represented by counsel Rahul Mehra, and the EDMC, represented by lawyer Abhinav S Aggarwal.

It sought their responses on a plea by Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq seeking direction to authorities to re-open the relief camp at Idgah in Mustafabad and provide proper food supplies, adequate water, sanitation and security to the victims.

The petitioner, represented through senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, sought direction for EDMC to clean the area and drains twice a day on a war-footing basis.

"In the meantime, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi is directed to ensure that all the riot victims, who may be shelterless at the moment, are provided with accommodation, either at the community centres or at the night shelters operated by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in the Northeast District, Delhi," the court said.

The bench asked the authorities to file short replies to the plea and in view of the urgency expressed by the petitioner, list the matter for further hearing on March 30.

The plea also sought direction to the authorities to publicly announce on television and in the newspapers that the Idgah camp is open and all those who want to seek refuge there are welcome to return.

In February, communal riots broke out in parts of northeast Delhi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kabul/IBNS: An offshoot of the terror group Islamic State- ISIS Khurasan- has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Sikh gurudwara in Afghanistan's Kabul city which left 25 people dead, media reports said.

The timing of the attack assumes significance as it took place when the world is battling hard against COVID 19 outbreak.

The offshoot of the Islamic State terror group, ISIS Khurasan, claimed that the attack on Sikh temple in Kabul was carried out by Abu Khalild al-Hindi, reported Khaama Press.

The Amaq News Agency, affiliated with the terror group, released the photo of the suicide bomber who stormed the Sikh temple in Kabul city on Wednesday, reported Afghanistan-based Khaama Press.

The terror group also issued a brief statement claiming that the Sikh minority group was the target of the attack, reported the news agency.

Meanwhile, intelligence sources have pointed to a Pakistan ISI link to the bloody episode which left the world shocked in the middle of a global war against coronavirus.

Sources said that Pakistans militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba and Haqqani network is reported to have attacked the gurdwara to scarce the minuscule Sikh community of Afghanistan.

"It is believed that the militants were based in Khurram and Hangu districts of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan," sources said.

Shocking the nation, which is also witnessing the devastating consequence of COVID 19 outbreak, Islamist militants having roots in Pakistan bombed and fired at the gathering at Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

According to reports, a group of armed gunmen entered the gurdwara complex, while the local congregation was offering prayers for the well-being of mankind from the curse of coronavirus, and began shooting indiscriminately among them with a few hurling bombs in the gurdwara complex.

Immediately after the attack a Sikh, who lives in the Gurdwara complex, uploaded a video giving details about the incident.

In the video, a frightened Sikh describes how he had a brush with terrorists whom he mistook for security personnel and narrowly escaped after the militant opened fire on him.

In the video, his terrified family is seen sitting in corner of a room .

Afghanistans Sikh member of parliament Ranjit Singh also reached the gurdwara but was denied entry by police due to security reasons .

While condemning the incident Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees chief secretary Roop Singh appealed to the government of India to ensure the safety and security of Sikhs living in Afghanistan and initiate a dialogue for the purpose with the Afghan government through the diplomatic channel.

"While the whole world is United against Corona Virus, some elements like Taliban/ TTP continue with their hatred," a source said.

"This is likely the LeT and Haqqani group that have been carrying out activities in the name of Daesh," the source added.

Experts have also linked the role played by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the attack conducted on Kabul Sikh temple.

Highly placed sources in Kabul have squarely placed the blame on the ISI which was unable to accept the return of President Ashraf Ghani, reported ANI news agency.

Despite the ISI's multiple attempts, President Ghani was re-elected this month, it reported.

Meanwhile, another source told IBNS that it has been learnt that the code name for the Kabul operation was Ops Black Star (Operation Black Star).

The source said the attack was carried out through LeT and Haqqanis by ISI.

"This was not an isolated event. It is part of a long term operation," source said.

"The aim was to eventually eliminate all monitors, which they have managed to do successfully. The Sikh population in Afghanistan is barely few hundred now," the source said.

Speaking to ANI from London, Premi Singh, an Afghan Sikh political activist said, "Whoever claimed responsibility for this barbaric attack, they are not human. By Sikh principle and code of principles, any atrocity against the civilians and any atrocity against the worship places is not justified at all in any way."

He added, "I urge the international community to come together for solidarity at this difficult time when the world is facing a coronavirus crisis and the Afghan Sikhs have been suffering through this barbaric attack."
Some walls are meant to be broken down.

In the case of MurosABQ, the walls highlighted on the website are meant to bring people together.

With social distancing being the topic of conversation these days, Sandy Hills website gives people a way to see the many public murals around Albuquerque.

In Albuquerque, our walls bring people together, Hill says on her site. Throughout our vibrant city, youll see our diverse culture expressed not just through the color of our skin, but through the color on our walls. Take a journey into the heart of who we are and discover the murals of Albuquerque.

Hills journey in creating a space where art can be viewed anytime began after a trip to Buenos Aires, where she had a tour with graffitimundo, a nonprofit that celebrates street art.

She then designed the site through her Studio Hill Design.

Hill says some cities, such as Buenos Aires, realize the value of their public art.

Coming back to Albuquerque, she saw the opportunity to build a useful resource to get visibility for Albuquerque murals and share them with visitors.

In recent weeks, Hill has added 12 more murals to the site, which now lists more than 100 murals, along with location, a photo and a short biography of the artist.

Visit the site and you will see the names of prominent artists  both internationally and locally. The city is chock-full of gems from artists such as Sam Flores, Cloudface, Frederico Vigil, PAZ, Jaque Fragua, Benjamin Johnston and Jodie Herrera.

Were excited that the site has been getting a lot more traction, Hill says. Its been my dream since the beginning. Theres been a huge amount of work on the front end. Its taken a lot of people to help us.

Hill began the project as a public service.

With no budget or time, Hill says, the site was abandoned about a year ago.

Then she applied for a National Endowment for the Arts grant.

Prev 1 of 5 Next

We got that, she says. Then within a week of finding that out, the city got this money from the state and they wanted to use the money to collaborate with us on the site. Its been a long time coming.

Hill says there are plenty of hidden gems in MurosABQ.

Take, for instance, a mural from acclaimed street artist Sam Flores at 111 Fourth SW.

Flores was born in New Mexico, where he lived for the first 20 years of his life until he packed up and moved to San Francisco in 1995. His paintings take inspiration from his years as a graffiti artist but also have elements of fine art in them. He has a keen eye for color and contrast, creating spellbinding stories that make you feel as though youve fallen down a rabbit hole.

This mural is in an actual alley, Hill says. People plan their trip to Albuquerque to specifically see this mural. Its an important piece of art history in New Mexico.

Hill says there are plenty of murals that are gems.

You just have to take the time and open your eyes, she says. MurosABQ helps the visitors navigate that. You can take the trip on your own. Or take the virtual tour. Its an amazing tool.
EDMONTONAlberta reported 67 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with more people affected at a long-term care centre and the government working to find more bed space in hospitals.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Albertas chief medical officer of health, said there are eight new cases, for a total of 13, at Calgarys McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre. An 80-year-old woman living at the facility died of the coronavirus earlier this week.

The others at the centre who have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus are self-isolating and receiving care, Hinshaw told a news conference.

She said overall, 486 people in Alberta have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 21 people are being treated in hospital, with 10 currently in intensive care.

Twenty-seven of the total number have since recovered.

Two people have died.

Dr. Mark Joffe, a vice-president with Alberta Health Services, said work continues to find more bed space in anticipation of more hospitalizations as the virus spreads.

In Alberta, we have approximately 8,500 hospital beds. We are planning for a need for 2,250 hospital beds to care for individuals with COVID-19, Joffe said Thursday.

Most of those beds are expected to come from freeing up existing bed space in the system through measures like cancelling elective surgeries, he said.

Health officials are also looking for space in previously closed hospital wards or by adding extra beds to two-bed wards if safe-distancing can be assured.

(Were) going through every possible location within our hospitals to see where care might be provided, Joffe said.

He added that officials are exploring the use of hotel rooms, not for acute care but more for prevention.

We may have individuals who are diagnosed with COVID-19 who are living in a circumstance where we dont really want them to return (to their homes). They may be exposed to too many other individuals, Joffe said.

Hotel space might be one example, and there are many other examples that are being sought.

According to Alberta Health Services, the plan is to make more beds available in stages over the next three weeks, first by postponing elective surgeries and moving seniors out of acute care, if appropriate, then utilizing additional spaces such as alcoves and unused operating rooms.

The target is to have 2,250 spaces open and ready for COVID-19 patients by April 15.

There have been COVID-19 outbreaks at other long-term care facilities, and the province has ordered stricter measures to keep residents and staff safe.

Access to the centres has already been limited to one person per resident, and that person must be screened before entering.

Along with that, all nursing homes, supportive living and long-term care facilities, addiction treatment facilities and seniors lodges must adhere to enhanced cleaning requirements, more rules around shared rooms and mandatory health-screening protocols for all staff, residents and visitors.

Read more about:
The Clergy Association of Kenya has called on the government to direct landlords in Kenya to waive three months worth of rent for their tenants.

In a statement Thursday, the association said this will cushion many Kenyans from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The clergy said they are appreciative of the measures that the State instituted on Wednesday but noted that many Kenyans have been sent on either forced or unpaid leave.

They said the fact that schools have closed and children are at home, many families are struggling to cope up.

The situation on the ground is tough for many families. Businesses have been affected and there is no cash flow.

We ask the government to advise all landlords in Kenya to allow tenants living on rentals to stay at least for three months without being harassed so that they can deal with the Covid-19 shock, the statement reads in part.

The association also asked Kenyans to turn to God in prayer during this period, further urging the government to review the directive on closing down places of worship.

They argued that the closure is allowing the devil to manifest. It is not good for a country that has faith in God to shut down places of worship completely. God still remains our strong pillar despite every circumstance. Shutting places of worship is allowing the devil to manifest and instill fear among worshipers.

They maintained that it is not about tithe or offering but keeping the nation closer to God.
Cooking has become a must-have skill as restaurants, cafes and takeaways close their doors during the coronavirus lockdown.

And now amateur chefs are proudly revealing their homemade meals on Facebook's Rate My Plate group.

Many combined several of their favourite foods to create an original dish, while covering meal in ketchup also proved a hit for those confined to the house.

Below, FEMAIL reveals some of the most creative meals made since quarantine began.

People from around the world have been sharing the creative meals they've made while in quarantine on Facebook, including aoneman from London who made curry flavour noodles with cheese and sweet chilli sauce (pictured)

One woman attempted to recreate a KFC's chicken wrap but swapped lettuce for ham and replaced mayonnaise with jalapeno primula cheese (pictured)

One man from Kent said his younger sister topped her toast with tuna, cheese and lashiings of sweet chilli sauce (pictured)

Another woman divided the Facebook group when she asked who else enjoys mushrooms on toast (pictured)

Meanwhile one man, from Sweden, posted a snap of his homemade lasagne, crafted from cheese, noodles and ketchup (pictured)

Another woman, who lives in Canada, insisted her onion gravy with poached eggs was delicious, and urged others to try it (pictured)

Another man, believed to be from Bristol, posted a photograph of sliced bread, topped with super noodles and butter (pictured)

Not appealing! Meanwhile one man from Virginia was told that his sausage gravy (pictured) looked like vomit

Rationing beans! One woman, who lives in Derby, shared a snap of the sparse beans and toast (pictured) made by her husband

A man based in New York, said he had enjoyed a hot dog Caesar salad while stuck at home in self-isolation
SBI card holder new withdrawal limits from today: All you need to know

Banks safe, no need for panic withdrawal: RBI Governor

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 27: RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das today said that there was no need for customers to indulge in panic withdrawals.

Das said that the Indian banks are safe and there is no need to resort to panic withdrawals. He said that the RBI has infused Rs 2.7 lakh crore into the system since the last February policy meet. The RBI will continue to vigilant and also take steps necessary to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.

He also said "tough times do not last. Only tough people and tough institutions do."

Das said that the RBI has permitted all commercial banks and NBFC allow a three month moratorium on payment of instalments of all term loans.

Tough times dont last, tough institutions do: RBI Governor

The moratorium will have no adverse impact on the credit history of beneficiaries RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das said at a press conference here. Further it was also decided to reduce the cash reserve ration of all banks by 100 basis points to 3 per cent on net demand and test liabilities with effect from the fortnight beginning March 28 for a period of one year, Das also said.

Das also announced the reduction of repo rate cut considerably to help the country tide over the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The monetary policy voted to reduce repo rate by 75 basis points that is 4.4 per cent. The reverse repo rate was reduced by 90 basis points, he also said.

NEWS AT 3 PM, MARCH 27th, 2020

He further said that it would be unproductive for banks to park money with the RBI. They will have to give it to the people, he further added.

On Thursday Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a 1.76 lakh crore package under a new scheme called the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Yojana. The package was announced to address the immediate distress in the wake of the lockdown announced by the government to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Commercial banks, NBFC permitted to allow 3 month moratorium on loans: RBI

The government under this scheme aims at distributing 5 kilograms of rice or rice for each person free of cost. The government also said that it would distribute one kilogram of pulses to every low income family over the next three months. The finance minister also underlined plans for medical insurance of Rs 50 lakh for every front line health worker that would include doctors, nurses and paramedics.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Friday, March 27, 2020, 12:06 [IST]
Health Ministry on Friday confirmed 863 cases out of which 73 people have recovered and the death toll raised to 20. Have a look at India update, COVID-19 Coronavirus India case and death news today.

Coronavirus India lockdown day 3, Coronavirus India update, COVID-19 Coronavirus India case and death news today: The number of positive cases of COVID-19 is continuously increasing in the world. After the countrywide locked down India is also not able to get rid of the virus. Reports said the total number of positive cases of COVID-19 in India has now reached to 863 which includes 20 deaths and there is 73 patience who has now recovered, confirms health ministry.

The Mahashtran Health ministry has recently confirmed 5 more new cases and the reports from other big states are stressful. States like Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Maharastra, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Punjab, and Rajasthan are totally lockdown but the result is not that satisfactory.

For now, Maharashtra is the worst affected state as its cases have now crossed 150 and the police are also taking strict action on the movement of the doubtful ones and let the exempted ones go. There are many people who have been visited to Mumbai from countries like Italy, Denmark Germany and other highly infected areas.

Not just India, other countries who were not that infected from COVID-19 are now struggling with the frequent spread. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam on Thursday has announced the financial package for the low wage workers and also announced a 50 lakh insurance to the health workers. Reports confirmed United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Health Minister and Prince Charles have also found positive. For more details on coronavirus outbreak, stay tuned to NewsX. Stay home! Stay safe!

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
A High Court judge has heard of mounting difficulties facing elderly wards of court as a result of the coronavirus crisis, including in getting places for them in nursing homes.

Ms Justice Niamh Hyland heard on Friday of difficulties accessing nursing home beds for some hospitalised individuals for reasons including nursing homes have concerns about taking individuals from a hospital environment.

She was also told, because of restrictions on hospital visits due to Covid-19, there are difficulties and delays in having capacity assessments carried out on hospitalised individuals by court appointed medical visitors.

Other difficulties outlined by David Leahy BL, for the HSE, include in obtaining updated medical evidence for wardship proceedings from doctors already under intense pressure due to the pandemic.

Mr Leahy said the HSE will undertake, where it can secure nursing home places for wards deemed fit for discharge from hospital, it will take all steps necessary to transfer them.

One of the cases before the judge concerned a woman in her late eighties who objects to her continuing detention in hospital and is trying to leave on a daily basis to go home.

The woman lives alone and has no living family and has been detained in hospital by court order for some weeks now due to concerns she lacks capacity to live independently and manage safely at home.

A particular concern is that she will not take necessary medications for several conditions and her health will deteriorate, the court heard.

The judge, who queried whether the woman might be safer at home now in light of the coronavirus crisis, put the case back for a week to see if the HSE could get updated oral evidence concerning whether home, hospital or a nursing home is the best option and whether a medical visitor might manage to assess the woman in terms of capacity.

In another case, the judge heard an elderly man was admitted to hospital earlier this month with heart failure possibly due to an underlying infection.

There were two possible diagnoses for the man, delirium or dementia, with potential impact on his capacity to make decisions concerning his welfare, counsel outlined.

The man had acted as his wife's carer, she is in the same hospital and there are concerns the man, despite his very poor state of health, might seek to discharge himself, he said.

Due to the coronavirus crisis pressures on doctors, there was no updated medical report on the man's current state of health but the evidence earlier this month was that he was at high risk if he left hospital, counsel said.

David Hickey, a solicitor appointed as guardian ad litem to represent the man's interests, said he had spoken by phone this week to a doctor who recently took over the man's care. The doctor considered there was not much change in his condition and he would need nursing home care in the long term.

There is a general difficulty in accessing nursing home places, Mr Hickey said.

The judge continued orders permitting continued hospital care of the man and adjourned the matter to April 20th

In another case, the judge heard the adult children of an elderly woman who had been cared for by one of her daughter's had all agreed on their mother being transferred to a particular nursing home during the current crisis.
POINTE BLANCHE:--- The cruise vessel Sea Cloud II tall ship of Sea Cloud Cruises, was given permission by the Government of St. Maarten on humanitarian grounds after meeting national port entry requirements to make a port call on Thursday, March 26 for fuel bunkering and food provisioning. The vessel had no passengers on board.

The vessel's crew were not allowed to disembark while the vessel was moored at the cruise pier. Sea Cloud II is at anchor outside Simpson Bay.

The windjammer vessel is 387 feet long and 3,849 gross tons. The maximum number of passengers that the vessel can carry is 94 and approximately 65 crew. The vessel which has 23 sails was built in 2001.

Sea Cloud Cruises has been a premier address in the world of luxury cruising since 1979. The company operates out of Hamburg, Germany.



Since 1979, Sea Cloud Cruises has been one of the worlds top names in cruises. The 88-year-old four-masted barque Sea Cloud and its younger sister Sea Cloud II regularly appear with five stars each in the Berlitz Cruise Guides list of the top five boutique ships. Sea Cloud Cruises is a founding member of the hotel association Feine Privathotels.
With thousands of dead and 29,155 confirmed COVID-19 cases in France, thousands of health-care professionals infected, and six doctors already dead of the disease, anger against the government among workers and medical staff is mounting. Like governments across Europe, the French government downplayed the disease and deliberately withheld critical information from the public.

In response, hundreds of health-care professionals are filing a suit charging top officials with criminal negligence.

A scandal erupted after ex-Health Minister Agnes Buzyn spoke to Le Monde, blaming Prime Minister Edouard Philippe for not calling off the March 15 first round of municipal elections, the second round of which has since been canceled, and for downplaying her warnings on the pandemic. It appears the interview was an attempt by Buzyn to shift criminal responsibility off her shoulders and onto those of Philippe and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Buzyn was following events in China, she said, and on December 20, an English-language blog reported a strange pneumonia. I alerted the general health directorate. On January 11, I sent a message to the president. On January 30, I warned Edouard Philippe that elections could probably not be held. I was chomping at the bit.

French soldiers discuss inside the military field hospital built in Mulhouse, eastern France, to treat coronavirus patients (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Buzyn made clear that top French officials knew and hid the fact that by not calling for a lock-down to stop COVIDs spread, they were exposing themselves and others to mortal danger. When she left the health ministry to briefly run for Paris mayor, Buzyn said, I was crying, as I knew a tsunami was coming. I left the ministry knowing elections would not be held. From the start I was thinking of just one thing: the coronavirus. We should have stopped everything. We were playing a masquerade. The last weeks were a nightmare. Every time I went to a public meeting, I was terrified.

After all of this, Buzyn confessed, There will be thousands of deaths.

Buzyns confession terrified the Macron government and its allies, including Jean-Luc Melenchon of the petty-bourgeois Unsubmissive France (LFI) party. Shocked, he wrote a Facebook post asking: Why is she saying this now, when it is too late? Does she not realize that she is raising the criminal liability of both herself and the other people she is claiming she warned? Melenchon proposed to drown the scandal in an information session of the National Assembly.

In fact, the entire ruling elite, including all factions of the capitalist political establishment in France and across Europe, are responsible for decades of austerity that devastated health systems, and for not challenging Macrons politically criminal inaction in the initial weeks of the pandemic. As late as March, government spokespeople were comparing COVID-19 to the flu and insisting that workers should not confine themselves at home but go to work to make profits for the banks.

A growing international mobilization of the working class has transformed this situation, however. Wildcat strikes erupted across Italy and tens of thousands of industrial workers walked off the job in France and across Europe, forcing state officials to grudgingly approve confinement measures.

As the death toll has mounted among the population and health staff, growing anger and disillusionment with the Macron government has pushed health-care professionals to file suit against Philippe, Buzyn and other officials.

Several hundred doctors and health staff represented by the lawyer Fabrice di Vizio have filed a suit to the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), which has jurisdiction to investigate high crimes by top officials.

Di Vizio said that his clients were suing based on Article 233, part 7 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates: Anyone who voluntarily abstains from taking or launching measures that would allow, without risk for himself or third persons, for fighting a catastrophe that could threaten physical persons is punished with two years in jail and a 30,000 euro fine.

Di Vizio pointed to the growing anger of health staff as they discovered that the governments various assurances about protective equipment like face masks were lies. He said, The government told them at the end of February that the masks would arrive. At the beginning of March, when they understood that the masks were not coming, they started hearing from the government that masks were not really needed In fact, this was simply an admission of impotence and a lie. The plain truth is that the government had stocked no supplies.

French firms are producing face masks, di Vizio added, but the British government placed its orders first. For virtually the entire month of March, as a result, French medical staff did not receive any of them. Nicolas Brillat, an executive at one of these firms, made clear the blame lay with Macron. We had been telling the French authorities for six weeks that there would be a problem, he said.

Di Vizio pointed to the significance of Buzyns interview in Le Monde: Now a criminal inquiry is indispensable, to bring to light the extent of what was hidden from the French people and to determine the role and responsibility of each official in this health catastrophe. The lawyer called for the health ministrys internet servers to be impounded and searched.

A fight to hold government ministers accountable for their actions in the COVID-19 pandemic has wide support in the working class. Polls show that 70 percent of the French population does not believe that the Macron government is telling the truth about the pandemic. However, the task of holding them to account cannot be left to the courts, but requires the political mobilization of the working class, independently of pseudo-left supporters of Macron like Melenchon.

Bitter historical experience shows that the CJR, which would likely take years to rule on such a case, will not by itself redress the wrongs produced by high-level state criminality.

The last time this court was invoked was over the 1980s tainted blood scandal. Under Socialist Party (PS) President Francois Mitterrand, the National Center for Blood Transfusion (CNTS) knowingly used blood transfusions infected with the AIDS virus, wiping out Frances hemophiliac population. Then-Prime Minister Laurent Fabiuss PS government wanted to avoid using US companies equipment to test for the AIDS virus. It delayed all screening of the blood until French firms could make such equipment, by which point the blood supply was hopelessly contaminated.

The General Inspectorate of the Health Administration concluded in its report that health protection was subordinated to economic considerations. Fabius, former PS Social Affairs Minister Georgina Dufoix, and former PS Health Minister Edmond Herve all faced trial, nearly 20 years after the fact, before the CJR on charges of involuntary manslaughter. Thanks to the extensive rewriting of French laws that had taken place in the intervening period, however, Fabius and Dufoix were both found innocent. Herve was found guilty on two counts but received no sentence.

Today, the crimes of the ruling class are unfolding on a far larger scale. Workers in Europe and internationally are faced with the challenge of struggling to ensure an effective fight against the disease, and to take power from a financial aristocracy that has irrefutably demonstrated its political criminality.
Srinagar: With the death of a 65-year-old man from Hyderpora in Srinagar, Kashmir reported its first coronavirus death on Thursday.

The patient's medical reports came back positive on March 24, eight days after he returned from Delhi where he participated in a 'Tableeghi Ijlas at Nizamuddin', an event attended by several foreigners.

His is a case of confusion, negligence and casual approach by doctors as well as his family members.

An inquiry report by the divisional commissioner of Kashmir has found the patient had a lot of time to spread the infection due to the negligence of doctors and by not following isolation and quarantine protocol. A final report will be submitted by the additional commissioner in two days.

The man visited at least four hospitals in Kashmir before being tested and isolated. He visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands in February and returned to Srinagar; after about 20 days, he went to Delhi on March 5 when he attended the event at Nizamuddin. It is here that he reportedly came in contact with foreigners participating in a preachers congregation.

On March 8, he went to Uttar Pradesh from where he came to Jammu. Here, too, he participated in a number of religious gatherings before returning to Srinagar on March 16. There, he stayed at home for a night and then left for Sopore town, where he had another home. After spending a few days there, his symptoms for coronavirus turned severe with fever and chest problems.

The man visited a doctor, who prescribed some medicines, and came back to Srinagar. Even as his problems aggregated, he took part in Friday prayers but put on a mask, following his relatives advice. However, he had to leave the prayers midway and come back home as his pain worsened.

His family members took him to the SKIMS Medical College-Hospital, Bemina, in Srinagar where he was declared a COVID-19 suspect after being checked by a doctor. But instead of isolating him immediately, the doctors shifted the patient to SKIMS, Soura, in Srinagar.

Sources said the negligence on the doctors' part started here. The hospital authorities let him go to SKIMS in Soura on his own "without informing the district/ divisional/police authorities".

There, the patient was let go and advised to quarantine himself at home. When asked why this was done despite a clear mention of COVID-19 symptoms in his report from SKIMS in Bemina, the medical superintendent of SKIMS in Soura Dr Farooq A Jan said the patient did not show his hospital card from the other institute. He also did not come in an ambulance as per protocol, he added.

Also, there were no guidelines at the time to test patients for coronavirus who had no foreign travel history. The patient was offered an admission in the general ward of the hospital as he had pneumonia, but his relatives refused to pay heed. That is when home quarantine was advised, Dr Jan said.

A relative of the deceased has written on social media that despite pleas, a senior doctor at SKIMS, Soura, had refused to test the man for COVID-19.

The next day, when the mans condition deteriorated, he was taken to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar where doctors referred him to the Chest Diseases Hospital in the city as he was a coronavirus suspect. It was here finally that the man was quarantined.

Soon after, tests were done and his samples tested positive on March 24. He died two days later. Five of his contacts from Hajin Area in Bandipora district tested positive on March 25. Another of his contact was confirmed to be infected by coronavirus on March 26 in Rajouri. The doctor whom he had visited in Sopore has tested negative.

Eleven staff members of SKIMS, Bemina, including two doctors, have been quarantined. The chain that may have begun in Delhi could have been broken in Srinagar, but for the timely action of doctors and family members.

Screening of patients at the only airport in Srinagar has not been proper till now. On March 16, News18 highlighted the issue of people with foreign travel history entering the city through the airports VIP gate without any check.

That very day, the first Covid-19 patient case landed in Kashmir from Saudi Arabia allegedly through VIP gate. However, the allegation was denied by her bureaucrat relative.

The Director of state Health Services, Dr Sameer Mattoo, said there was no arrangement for scanning in the VIP lounge.

There have been reports that at least 400 people are hiding their foreign travel history in the state. Of them, about 150 people have been traced and quarantined by the health officials.

On Friday, J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said nearly 1,200 people, who hid their travel history to coronavirus-affected countries, have been identified and sent to quarantine facilities.

"We have launched a massive operation to trace and shift people with travel history to the affected countries to quarantine. We have setup control rooms and appealed to people to give information about those people," he said.

Singh said over 400 calls have been received about people who hid their travel history and escaped screening for coronavirus.

A spacious centre has been set up in Kathua to send all travellers entering Jammu and Kashmir via Lakhanpur to quarantine.

In the wake of lockdown, the police has reached to the people with ration and medicines, the DGP said.

(With inputs from PTI)
A terminally-ill widow faces losing her home in a 268,000 High Court inheritance fight with her 'affluent' stepdaughter.

Wheelchair-bound Maria Seviour, 56, enjoyed a 17-year marriage to husband Colin Seviour before his death from brain cancer in 2016.

When he died, Colin left everything he had to Maria, who has motor neurone disease, the condition which killed Prof Stephen Hawking.

But disagreements over his funeral led to a family feud, with Carly Shapton, 32 - Colin's daughter by his first wife - now suing Maria for a slice of her father's money.

Ms Shapton, a Swansea hotel marketing manager, says it was 'unreasonable' for her father - with whom she enjoyed an 'incredibly close relationship' - leave her nothing.

The married mother-of-two claims she should get 75,000 from the 268,000 estate, so she can buy a new house big enough for her children to have their own rooms and for her husband to have a home office.

But Maria says that anything awarded to Ms Shapton could force her to sell her 500,000 home to pay her stepdaughter off.

Maria Seviour (right, with husband Colin before his death) is being sued by 'affluent' stepdaughter Carly Shapton for 75,000 after disagreements over Colin's funeral

Maria's lawyers told London's High Court that Ms Shapton enjoys ski holidays and has everything she needs to live a good life.

By contrast, Maria suffers from devastating disabilities and cannot work.

'Due to her MND and consequent inability to work ever again, she has no earning capacity and only a modest income, mainly state benefits,' said lawyer Alan Johnson.

Her only major asset is the house, which has been adapted for her disability and already been mortgaged to contribute to the cost of her full-time carer, he said, adding: 'Maria needs all her assets to provide for her future financial needs.'

Ms Shapton's barrister Zachary Kell claimed that, in leaving everything to his wife, Colin had not made 'reasonable provision' for his daughter.

'The relationship between Colin and his daughter was incredibly close,' he told the court. In the last few months of Colin's life, Carly was camped out by his bedside.

'She was desperate to spend his last moments together.'

Ms Shapton had even fast-tracked her wedding to her now husband, Jake, in order for her father to be able to attend, said Mr Kell.

'The estate leaves nothing to Carly and, looking at the relationship between her and Mr Seviour, this is not what he had in mind for his estate,' he argued.

He said both Colin and Maria had planned to ultimately leave their estate to the four children when they both died, but that after Colin succumbed to his cancer, Maria had changed her mind and written Carly and her brother out of her will.

Pictured: Carly Shapton outside London's High Court after hearing in battle over a slice of her father Colin Seviour's estate

Judge Stephen Lloyd was told that both Colin and Maria had had previous marriages when they met and began a relationship in the mid-1990s.

They moved into the home Maria had shared with her ex-husband in Radstock, Somerset, with her two children, Briony and Christopher Thatcher.

Whereas Maria's children lived with the couple, Colin's children, Carly and brother Christopher Seviour, lived with their own mother.

Colin died in 2016, two years after he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Mr Johnson told the judge the court fight between the two women is a 'sad case where a family has fallen out.'

Although there had been bad feeling in the run-up to Colin's death, things worsened at his funeral when, despite having been married to Colin for 17 years, Maria was left out of a eulogy in favour of his first wife, Carly and Christopher's mother.

The eulogy had been delivered by Christopher Seviour, the judge was told.

Maria, who was already suffering symptoms of MND at the time, was 'deeply hurt' by that move, said Mr Johnson, and the family rift has only widened since then. He argued that there is 'plainly no need for maintenance' for Carly, who lives in The Mumbles, one of the most affluent areas of Swansea.

'Carly and her husband own their own home and have a good - well above average - income and a comfortable lifestyle,' Mr Johnson told the judge.

'Commensurate with their income, Carly and Jake live a comfortable and indeed relatively affluent lifestyle. For example, they enjoy regular winter and summer holidays, which have continued since having children.

Maria, on the other hand, lives in an 'extremely unfortunate situation,' suffering from a 'terminal and worsening disease.'

'Colin plainly owed an obligation and had a responsibility to Maria,' he said.

Mr Kell claimed that there was 'more than enough' in Colin's estate - which was valued at 268,000 - to fund a payment of 75,000 to his daughter.

But Mr Johnson said the majority of the estate was tied up in Colin's share of the home, insisting that Maria would have to mortgage or sell the property.

The judge has reserved his decision in the case, which he will give at a later date.
We have been following the efforts of the Peoples Mosquito for some years now. The group has steadily made headway on their efforts to build an airworthy de Havilland Mosquito for Britain. This is a grass-roots effort, relying heavily upon small individual donations, as their name suggests. However, despite the obvious temporary halt in business activities everywhere int he world presently, we are really pleased to report that the Peoples Mosquito has received backing from the European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus. This is a major step forwards for the project, and should help guarantee that a de Havilland Mosquito flies in British skies again for the first time since the tragic loss of T.Mk.III RR299 in July, 1996. The Peoples Mosquito made the announcement in the press release below

Airbus announces support for The Peoples Mosquito

Aviation heritage in the UK received a welcome boost in March 2020 with news that Airbus has announced its support for The Peoples Mosquito. Financial backing from the aerospace giant represents a significant step forward in delivering the first de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito to be manufactured in the UK for more than 70 years.

Naturally, were excited and proud to be able to announce the link up with Airbus. The support of such a high-profile industry name provides a significant boost to our efforts to deliver an airworthy Mosquito FB.VI to the 5 million people who attend UK airshows every year, said John Lilley, Managing Director of The Peoples Mosquito.

Airbus is a strong believer in preserving wider aviation heritage and we are proud to be supporting The Peoples Mosquito in this endeavour. For us the Mosquito is more than a beautiful and iconic aircraft, Airbus has a direct relationship to it as more than 90 were built at our Broughton factory in Flintshire, said Jeremy Greaves, Vice President Corporate Affairs and Strategy, Airbus UK. That passion and dedication is reflected today in our skilled workforce whose talents are focused on building wings for the Airbus commercial aircraft fleet.

The collaboration celebrates Airbus historic connection with the de Havilland Mosquito. Production of the wooden wonder transferred to Hawarden in 1948, which is now Airbus Broughton site. The last Mosquito ever built in the UK, NF.Mk.38 VX916, rolled out of the facility in November 1950. Hawker Siddeley Aviation went on to acquire de Havilland in 1960, before it became a founding member of British Aerospace (BAe), subsequently BAE Systems which was a 20% shareholder in Airbus until 2006.

We believe the Mosquito to be an exemplar of British aeronautical design excellence  an engineering pedigree that Airbus carries forward today, added John Lilley. We continue to engage with Airbus, and we look forward to a fruitful and productive relationship as our restoration progresses. These are exciting times and we hope this wont be the last link up with the UKs engineering, aerospace and manufacturing sectors in 2020.

For those wishing to contribute to the Peoples Mosquito, please click HERE.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 13:48:37|Editor: zyl

Video Player Close

VIENTIANE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith traveled to the central Lao province of Khammuan to inspect the readiness of provincial authorities in the battle against COVID-19.

The premier and members of the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Thursday visited the third Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, which links Khammuan province, some 250 km southeast of Lao capital Vientiane, with Thailand's neighboring province of Nakhon Phanom.

This international immigration checkpoint has served as a major gateway for large numbers of returning Lao workers from Thailand, following the Thai government's decision to shut down service businesses and other related industries to contain the spread of COVID-19 outbreak, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

The provincial authorities imposed strict immigration measures to screen the Lao labor returnees as part of their efforts to prevent an outbreak of the disease in central provinces. On top of that, local authorities also quarantined the returnees for 14 days at provincial designated areas.

After vetting all the laborers and visitors, according to the Lao COVID-19 screening authorities, four suspected coronavirus cases were isolated. The tests returned three negative results, with one case still being analyzed, the daily said.

Workers with no symptoms are being quarantined for 14 days in 78 locations across Khammuan province, according to the media release from Lao Prime Minister's Office.

In addition to inspecting the immigration checkpoints, the prime minister visited vital infrastructure and facilities to be used for the outbreak.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ (ARFNZ) is outraged by a government decision declaring the tobacco industry as essential during the COVID-19 lockdown, and are calling for the decision to be reversed immediately.

The Imperial Tobacco factory in Petone, Lower Hutt, has received permission from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) to remain open during the nationwide Stage 4 lockdown, despite almost all other non-essential New Zealand businesses being required to close.

Tobacco smoking kills around 5000 New Zealanders each year, which is at odds with MBIEs initial statement that only businesses deemed "essential for the provision of life" remain open. Cigarettes do not provide life, says Professor Richard Edwards, public health physician and Scientific Advisory Board member of the Foundation, but actually shorten life for most long-term smokers.

"Smoking is an ongoing health emergency," says Richard, who is also co-director of ASPIRE 2025 Research for Tobacco Free Aotearoa. "This decision is particularly unfortunate given the emerging evidence that COVID-19 infections may be more severe among smokers, and flies in the face of the Governments commitment to achieve a Smokefree Aotearoa.

Richard says it is outrageous that a tobacco factory whose products are likely to contribute to making the effects of the epidemic worse is deemed essential, while stores that provide truly essential services, like local greengrocers, are forced to close.

"A healthier, more beneficial way for Government to help smokers would be to subsidise over-the-counter nicotine replacements in pharmacies, supermarkets, and petrol stations or, ideally, make them available free of charge," says Richard.

Letitia Harding, ARFNZ Chief Executive, says the Foundation is calling on MBIE to reverse this decision and instead promote the health and well-being of New Zealanders.

"This effectively prioritises the interests of the tobacco industry over retailers that provide a useful service," says Letitia, "It is extremely disappointing to see this supported by the Ministry.

"We understand and empathise with people who are still dependent on nicotine, and that the current lockdown will be incredibly stressful for many people. However, for smokers who feel able to, especially those with respiratory health problems, we urge them to take this opportunity to quit smoking.

"Quitline has many online resources providing advice and support for smokers wishing to quit, and pharmacies remain open for anyone seeking quit smoking aids.

"Lets make the best of a bad situation, and make the Aotearoa we return to closer to being Smokefree."

Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

13th January 2022 Morning Report

Pictor's completes successful US clinical trials for unique COVID antibody testing

12th January 2022 Morning Report

11th January 2022 Morning Report

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Announces Cannvalate Transaction

10th January 2022 Morning Report

7th January 2022 Morning Report

6th January 2022 Morning Report

5th January 2022 Morning Report

Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility


La Costanera, an elegant Peruvian restaurant overlooking the water in Montara, has been closed since the Bay Areas shelter-in-place order went into effect, but at least four people broke into the restaurant on March 21, stole cash, smashed cameras and drank sparkling wine  then lingered for 11 hours over the course of two days.

Thats according to Jorge Palacios, regional manager for Altamirano Restaurant Group, which runs several Bay Area Peruvian restaurants such as Mochica and Piqueos in San Francisco. Palacios said he discovered the mess at La Costanera on Tuesday and then watched the incident play out on surveillance video.

Palacios is now worried other restaurants that are temporarily empty and unguarded because of the coronavirus will be targeted.

Were in week one, and this already happened, he said. It was just liquor and some money, but it could get worse.

La Costanera

Palacios said he locked up the restaurant as usual, but he found the doors damaged and tools  including a drill and an implement for cutting metal  left behind.

Since then, he has fixed the damage inside the restaurant as well as the back patio door, which the intruders used to break in.

Palacios replaced his busted security cameras and installed them higher, and he recommends other restaurateurs do the same.

Its just one of those things that we have to deal with, Palacios said. At least nobody got hurt.

Some Bay Area restaurant and bar owners have already boarded up their restaurants in the event of unrest, including Bar Dogwood in Oakland and 20th Century Cafe in San Francisco.

Palacios said he had not tallied all costs from the burglary, but he said the damage will definitely exceed $10,000. Somewhere between $5,000 and $7,000 worth of liquor was consumed, damage to the door cost $2,000, and $1,000 worth of damage was done to the restaurant interior, while it cost $300 to replace each camera.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

The San Mateo County Sheriffs Office is investigating the burglary, said Lt. Stephanie Josephson, an agency spokeswoman. She said no suspects had been identified as of midday Friday.

Investigators are looking into everything, Josephson said.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Alejandro Serrano contributed to this story.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
Amid 21-day nationwide lockdown, Mumbai Police on Friday reported that a man has been killed allegedly by his brother in Kandivali area of Mumbai over a row about breaching lockdown. Speaking to news agency ANI, Police said that a man named Rajesh and his wife went to the market on March 25 after which they entered into a clash with Rajesh's brother. Police said that his brother killed him allegedly for going out amid lockdown. Maharashtra has so far reported 125 cases and five deaths due to the novel coronavirus.

India reported 43 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths in last 24 hours: Health Ministry

Mumbai: A man, Rajesh allegedly killed his brother because he raised concerns over Rajesh's going outside amid #CoronavirusLockdown, in Kandivali area. Police say,"Rajesh&his wife went to market on March 25 to which his brother objected leading to fight between them. (26.03.20) pic.twitter.com/BPonYeRO2I  ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2020

PM Modi leads the COVID-19 fight at G20 virtual summit, statement accessed

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, as per the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation.
Wind Creek Bethlehem announced two more employees at its shuttered casino complex have tested positive for the coronavirus.

"Both of these Team Members exhibited symptoms after the property closure and were not in close proximity with other Guests or Team Members on property while being symptomatic," ownership said in a news release Friday.

Wind Creek previously announced, on March 19, a casino floor employee who had limited public interaction also tested positive for the COVID-19 illness.

Wind Creek voluntarily closed its doors at 6 a.m. Sunday, March 15. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf the following day strongly urged non-essential businesses to close for at least 14 days and ordered a suspension of on-premises consumption of food or alcohol, in hopes of slowing the virus spread. On March 19, Wolf ordered the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses across the state. Northampton County, where Wind Creek Bethlehem is located, is under a stay-at-home order issued March 25.

Wind Creek has not released further details on its three cases, or how they are said to be faring.

"We continue to wish all of those affected by COVID-19 a speedy recovery," the news release states.

Wind Creek said it immediately relayed the test results to local and state officials, and that the property while closed has been aggressively deep-cleaned under U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

"The property remains closed until further notice," Wind Creek stated Friday.

Wind Creek Hospitality, an entity owned by Alabamas Poarch Band of Creek Indians, bought the Bethlehem property from Las Vegas Sands Corp. in June for $1.4 billion.

As of Friday, three weeks after COVID-19 was first confirmed in the state, Pennsylvania had surged to 2,218 total coronavirus cases with 22 deaths, including five dead in the Lehigh Valley, according to the latest figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at health.pa.gov or covid19.nj.gov and the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Finsbury Food Group has reported strong sales of bread in retail stores but has suspended production at its foodservice operation.

The foodservice market, which accounts for about 20% of Finsburys business, has been virtually shutdown by the coronavirus and the governments instructions to close pubs, restaurants and schools.

As a result, Finsbury has temporarily suspended production at its Kara site in Manchester, which serves the foodservice channel. It is continuing to supply customers from its existing stock.

The business said it was also reviewing shift patterns and production elsewhere, depending on sales. It is freezing all discretionary expenditure and capital investment and carefully managing cash resources.

But the retail side of the business was proving resilient, reported the company, with bread overtrading although some parts of the cake market had been weak.

Finsbury reported that trading in the first two months of the second half of the financial year had been tracking in line with market expectations.

We are in the very early stages of understanding the impact of the virus on our business and, with the situation being as fluid as it is, it is not currently possible to provide guidance on future earnings, stated the company.

As a manufacturer of a wide range of baked goods, we are committed to playing our part in ensuring the UKs supermarkets have the food stocks needed at this time of unprecedented demand. The health and safety of our employees is our top priority, and we continue to adhere to the UK governments rules and guidelines, with extensive procedures in place across our sites.

CEO John Duffy said that, despite the difficulty in predicting short-term performance because of Covid-19, he was encouraged by the demand on the retail side of the business.

While the coming weeks and months are likely to be some of the more turbulent weve seen, the fundamentals of the business remain sound and we see no reason to believe the virus will damage the longer-term value proposition of the business, he added.

Our employees across the group have thus far risen superbly to the challenge, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their continued hard work and dedication at what is an extremely difficult time, and to reassure them that their well-being continues to be our priority.
Twenty-three sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt tested positive for COVID-19, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero this morning said as she addressed Guam in a video message on Facebook.

Admiral John Menoni, commander of Joint Region Marianas, briefed the governor about the aircraft carrier which has more than 5,000 on board, that pulled into the Navy base on Guam earlier today. There are sailors on the aircraft carrier who are from Guam.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

"I am assured by the admiral that no sailors will be out of the base. They won't even go to the base  they are just quarantined in the pier area. They are testing their sailors."

The aircraft carrier most recently visited Vietnam. Its sailors also spent nearly a week on Guam for rest and recreation last month.

"They are doing their contact tracing with their sailors they are identifying those positive there, isolating them there, quarantining them and so the admiral is doing everything to again protect not just his military population and his military people but also ours. There will be no contact of these sailors from both military and also from civilian people that are in the base."

The base will still be open  including its stores and commissary  and Andersen Air Force Base will also still be open, the governor said.

"Please be assured that we are containing the situation in our community," the governor said.

Staying home will help flatten Guam's COVID-19 cases, she said.

"I want you to stay home I want you to make sure you follow what we tell you in terms of minimizing your travel in the roads ... You can go to the grocery stores, you can go to (buy) household wares you can go to small mom and pop stores, you can go to a pharmacist and your medical clinics and please again limit your travels in the open spaces and in the public areas. We have closed the beaches, we have close parks so please do not congregate there I am enforcing that mandate through our police forces and I plead with you to let's continue working and supporting this battle against this virus because that's how we will win  we will win through you through you as being our soldiers in the battle."
Wine is not an antidote to the coronavirus. But it may be a counterweight to the anti-social aspects of this pandemic, imperatives causing us to veer to the other side of the street or the supermarket aisle or the impulses driving some of us to run away, yell invectives at anyone who comes near or even buy guns in anticipation of a post-apocalypse dystopia. Flattening the curve does not mean tearing us asunder.
SpaceX's newest Starship prototype is standing tall.

The latest test version of the Mars-colonizing Starship spacecraft , called the SN3, has been stacked at SpaceX's South Texas facilities, new photos tweeted out by company founder and CEO Elon Musk show.

Musk posted two images on Twitter about 45 minutes apart early Thursday morning (March 26). The first shows the SN3's tank and engine sections sitting side-by-side in an assembly facility, and the second shows them joined. (Musk didn't provide much in the way of context, writing simply "SN3." )

Related: SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy rocket in pictures

SN3 pic.twitter.com/bM1wzzd4ZgMarch 26, 2020 See more

SN3 is short for Serial No. 3; the prototype is the third iteration of the latest Starship design. Completion of the stacking milestone suggests that SpaceX, which has been moving very quickly on the Starship project, will begin testing the vehicle soon.

Such testing will begin with pressure trials, which have felled other Starship prototypes . But if the SN3 makes it through that gauntlet, it will likely get to spread its wings. Musk has said he aims to conduct short flights in Earth's atmosphere with the SN3, then fly higher and longer test missions with the SN4.

Starship is designed to launch atop a huge rocket called Super Heavy, which will have space for 37 of SpaceX's next-generation Raptor engines. Both elements will be fully and rapidly reusable; Super Heavy will come back to Earth for vertical landings shortly after delivering Starship to orbit, and the spacecraft will do the same when its work is done.

Some of this work will take Starship very far afield, if all goes according to Musk's plan. Starship will be capable of carrying 100 people to distant destinations such as the moon and Mars, he has said. And the Red Planet is the ultimate goal: Musk wants the Starship architecture to help humanity set up a million-person city on Mars in the next 50 to 100 years.

Starship won't need Super Heavy to get off the lunar or Martian surface, by the way. The final spacecraft will sport six Raptors of its own, which will provide enough power to lift off those planetary bodies. (Earth is much bigger than the moon or Mars and therefore has a much stronger gravitational pull.)

We could see Starship and Super Heavy flying operational missions very soon, if testing and development go well. SpaceX representatives have said the system could begin launching satellites to Earth orbit as early as next year. And Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has booked Starship for a crewed round-the-moon voyage , with launch targeted for 2023.

Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook .
A 21-member team headed by former spy chief includes politicians, ex-officials and women to negotiate with Taliban.

Afghanistans government has announced a 21-member team to negotiate with the Taliban in a tentative sign of progress for the United States-brokered peace deal.

The team, announced late on Thursday by the countrys State Ministry of Peace, is headed by Masoom Stanekzai, a former chief of the National Directorate of Security and supporter of President Ashraf Ghani, and includes politicians, former officials and representatives of civil society. Five members are women.

It was not immediately clear whether Ghanis political rival Abdullah Abdullah would endorse the team selected, which diplomats have said would be vital given his camps strong influence in much of the countrys north and west.

The development was endorsed by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who congratulated Afghan political and civil society leaders.

Theyve forged an inclusive negotiating team for talks with the Taliban  This consensus is a meaningful step that moves the parties significantly closer to intra-Afghan negotiations, he said, referring to the talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban as part of a process aimed at ending the USs longest war and bringing peace to Afghanistan.

I want to congratulate Afghan government, political & civil society leaders for coming together. They've forged an inclusive negotiating team for talks with the Taliban. The Islamic Republic delegation reflects the true tapestry of the nation and the instrumental role of women.  U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) March 27, 2020

Abdullahs spokesman said he could neither confirm nor deny whether Abdullah supported the team.

Two sources  one a diplomat in Kabul briefed on the matter and another a member of Abdullahs team  speaking on condition of anonymity, said negotiations had been taking place and he was likely to support the delegation.

The US signed a troop withdrawal deal with the Taliban in February in Qatars capital, Doha, but progress on moving to negotiations between the armed group and the Afghan government has been delayed, in part by the political feud between Ghani and Abdullah, who both claimed to be Afghanistans rightful leader following Septembers disputed election.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to mediate between the two men to create an inclusive government during a day-long visit to Kabul on Monday, and announced a $1bn cut in US aid to Afghanistan, which he said could be reversed.

Peace talks during pandemic

The global coronavirus pandemic has been adding challenges to the peace process and Khalilzad has said it created a need for urgency.

The Taliban had demanded the unconditional release of 5,000 prisoners before starting talks with the government.





Ghani countered with an offer to free 1,500 prisoners, and has since said he would release 100 of them at the end of March due to humanitarian concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

The arrangement was struck in talks between Taliban officials in Doha and government officials in Kabul held over Skype because of travel restrictions.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said 15 Taliban officials would soon travel to Kabul to verify a list of prisoners.

Officials said on Friday that movement would be heavily restricted in the capital from Saturday to curb the risk of coronavirus, and measures would include the closure of most stores and offices, other than essential services such as healthcare and food shops.

The Taliban, which controls or contests about half the country, said it had set up about 100 health teams to spread awareness on measures such as hand washing, but were struggling in some rural areas to convince people of the seriousness of the virus, Mujahid said.

Afghanistan so far has more than 90 confirmed cases and there are fears the virus is spreading from thousands crossing the border each day from hard-hit neighbour Iran.

Health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar welcomed the setting up of health teams and said the ministry was ready to help.

We say that we are ready to assist the Taliban if they contact us, he said.
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic that has brought the world to its knees with the infections spreading to 175 countries could have been stopped if China, where the virus first broke out, had taken preventive measures from the start. China has been accused of not doing enough to stop the spread of this virus and also for not alerting other countries after the outbreak.

The analysis of China's actions was done by Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary in DNA, the world's most popular news show.

The flu-like virus which has affected more than 5 lakh people worldwide and resulted in the deaths of more than 24 thousand people was first reported from China's Wuhan in November 2019. At first the doctors thought it was just a viral pnuemonia that was not being cured by ordinary medicines. Later in December 2019, it spread from mainland China to Korea and Thailand.

Reports have suggested that China tried to bury evidence that could lead to the early discovery of the deadly pathogen. Some reports claim that as soon as doctors in China detected the new virus, the Chinese authorities shut down labs and destroyed the samples of the virus.

Also claims have been made that in China, people who rang the alarm bells about this virus were either arrested or that they disappeared. Wuhan's doctor Li Wenliang who is said to have first reported about the virus was arrested by the Chinese police and he later died of the infection.

Recently, US President Donald Trump referred to the COVID-19 as "Chinese virus" to which China raised objectionas and vehemently denied any wrong doing. Though, China never objected to the use of "Spanish Flu" or "New Delhi superbug" or even naming the Hanta virus after the Hanatan River of South Korea but it strongly opposes for the coining of the coronavirus as "Chinese virus".

Now, the Chinese government and media is claiming that the US was involved in the virus outbreak in China. On March 12, China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijan claimed on Twitter that the Virus had arrived in China from the United States. Chinese officials say that during the Military World Games in Wuhan in October 2019, the US Army athletes brought this virus with them.

Not only this, it was also being propagated that this virus spread in Italy before it got to China. But China has been on the receiving end of severe criticism for its negligence in dealing with this virus that has become a threat to the whole world.
Hollis Milton, superintendent of schools in West Feliciana Parish, is in the hospital, sick from what hes calling presumed coronavirus, though he has not as yet tested positive for the dangerous infectious disease.

My family and I are deeply appreciative of all the prayers and generosity shown toward us. We are comforted by our family, friends, and faith, Milton said. The doctors and nurses have provided me with great care. They are true heroes.

Communicating via text message, Milton, who has led this high performing school suburban Baton Rouge school district for the past decade, said on Friday morning that hes been a patient at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge since Tuesday. He said he started feeling sick and showing symptoms on Wednesday, March 18. He said he tested negative for the flu.

Describing his current health status as stable, Milton said he has been receiving oxygen to aid his breathing, but has not had to be placed on a ventilator.

The doctor just came in and said I could possibly be released if my oxygen level improves, he said.

Milton said hes felt sure he has COVID-19, but is still awaiting a positive diagnosis.

My first test from last week has not come back. The second test is inconclusive. And they are now testing me again, he explained.

The first positive case of COVID-19 in West Feliciana Parish was reported Friday.

Brian Spillman, director of emergency preparedness for the parish, said hes been talking to Milton about this situation and he expects more cases will turn up positive in the near future.

We have several people here whove been tested in the past eight to 10 days who are awaiting results, Spillman said.

Milton said he hasnt been at the office since March 16. He also did not attend the parish School Board meeting the next night, choosing to participate remotely. During that time, school employees shifted to working remotely. Since he let it be known he was sick, theres been extra cleaning of the schools and he said hes not aware of any other employees whom he was in contact with showing symptoms.

Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

I have notified as many people as I could remember that I have been around, Milton said.

Milton said hes been in touch with his entire leadership team throughout.

We all work so closely together, he said. Everyone knows their role and works together.

West Feliciana school head honored at national convention Superintendent Hollis Milton was recognized as the 2018 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year on Feb. 15 at the national conference of the AASA

Milton took over as superintendent of West Feliciana Parish in June 2010 after spending four years as principal of Southeast Middle School in Baton Rouge. He served as president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents from 2015 to 2017 and in 2018 was named Louisiana Superintendent of the Year.

This is not his first health issue. In late 2014, Milton suffered a severe heart attack.

West Feliciana Parish School Board President Milton Coats acknowledged on Friday that Milton has been ill and is hospitalized, but would not say more.

I dont just feel real comfortable talking about all that, Coats said. I think you should get that from (Milton) and his wife.

Sometimes when Milton is out of town, Milton would designate a number two person to be in charge of the school district in his absence, but has not done so thus far during his illness, Coats said.

Milton is married with two children.
Amid the lockdown, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation standing committee held its meeting at its headquarters on Friday. The members said there is a need for more testing facilities in the state. BJP corporator Makarand Narvekar wrote to the Mumbai Police to initiate action against the committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav for holding a meeting and violating section 144. Narvekar said, There are 26 members in the committee. At a time like this, how can they call a meeting? The police should take action against them. While over 50 proposals were tabled before it, all except one were not taken by the committee. Proposals included work of the sewage department, water department, and solid waste management department.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

#COVID-19

At reader request, Ive added this daily chart:

The data is the John Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. I am using a linear, not a logarithmic scale, because the linear scale conveys the alarming quality of the multiplication better (dont @ me, math nerds). I did not adjust for population, because it seems to me that the epidemics spread through a population in a fractal matter; within reasonable limits, the shape of the curve will be the same. Show me Im wrong!

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune

They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord

Key dates coming fast now, so I added some counters:

Some of the next primaries. (I picked the major dates; here is a complete calendar.)

* * *

2020

We encourage readers to play around with the polling charts; they are dynamic, and there are a lot of settings, more than I can usefully show here. Here is a link to alert reader dks project. You can also file bug reports or feature requests using the same contact process as for Plants, below. Thanks  but no promises! We have, again, no new national or state polls today. (Indeed, one might question what polling in the midst of a pandemic really means. It would seem that those who are willing to pick of the phone would increase, yes?) It does seem that the strategy of keeping Biden out of the public eye pays off. Earlier in the year, we often had occasion to comment on the mysterious strength of the Biden Juggernaut, on display here; but its also true that Bidens ups and downs have been of much greater amplitude than other candidates. As today! * * * Biden (D)(1): CNN to host town hall with Joe Biden on coronavirus [CNN]. The Coronavirus Pandemic A CNN Democratic Presidential Town Hall with Joe Biden will air at 8 p.m. ET and feature questions submitted by individuals living in some of the communities hit hardest by the coronavirus. CNNs Anderson Cooper will moderate the hourlong discussion on the impact to Americans health, the repercussions for the nations economy and the human toll to US society. Biden will join the town hall via satellite from his home studio in Delaware.  Oddly, the Biden campaign wants to control their own feed. Biden (D)(2): Inside Joe Bidens bizarre coronavirus bunker [Politico]. Sanders would be unofficially knocked out of the race has been upended by a series of canceled primaries. Biden had planned to use a predicted victory in Georgia on Tuesday to essentially end the race by declaring that he had achieved an insurmountable delegate lead. Instead, the Georgia primary was moved to May and Biden retreated to a makeshift studio in his basement at home in Delaware to broadcast Zoom videos that have had to compete  poorly, so far  with briefings from elected officials like Trump and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who are actually responsible for dealing with the crisis.  This was a moment for Sanders to seize  and if he has, its in a medium Im not tracking. Biden (D)(3): Joe Biden Faces Sexual Assault Allegations From A Former Staffer [Yahoo News].  Gradually percolating out. Cuomo (D)(1): Andrew Cuomo Overtakes Bernie Sanders In Odds To Be Democratic Candidate Amid New York GovernorS Pandemic Response [Newsweek]. An average of recent betting odds compiled by Real Clear Politics shows Cuomo with a 5.6 percent chance of becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, while Sanders trails with an average of 3.6 percent. Biden is far ahead however, with an average of 85.8 percent, while former 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who is not seeking the partys nomination, places second with an average of 6.3 percent. Sanders (D)(1): Why Everyone Is Thanking Bernie Sanders Right Now  Even His Critics [Refinery29].  If anybody in the political class outside the Squad is praising Sanders, thats most likely wrong and bad. Sanders (D)(2): As Coronavirus Crisis Unfolds, Sanders Sees a Moment That Matches His Ideas [New York Times].  Ideas are not the point (even if the left does have the best ideas). The point is power. Sanders (D)(3): Why Cant Bernie Accept That Democratic Voters Didnt Want Him? [Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine].  Frankly, Im still reeling from the Democrat Estabishments endorsement giving Biden an instantaneous 30-point pop. When you think about it, if the leadership endorsed #MedicareForAll, that would get the same pop; Democrats voters would instantly be all for it. Stalin would be proud. Trump (R)(1): ABC News/WaPo poll: Trump job approval jumps twelve net points since last month to 48-46, the best poll of his entire presidency. Trump has the approval of 17% of Democrats, 49% of independents, and 86% of Republicans. 51% approve of his handling of coronavirus, 45% do not. pic.twitter.com/px15EUL8VX  Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) March 27, 2020 Trump (R)(2): What to Make of the Trump Approval Ratings Bump [Amy Walter, Cook Political Report]. Robert Blizzard, a partner at the GOP polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, argues there are just way too many unknowns at this point to be able to credibly predict where Trumps job approval ratings will be, even in the near term future. We could all argue until were blue in the face about how long a rallying effect will stay in place, but theres simply no denying theres a rallying effect going on right now. He goes on to tell me that virtually every survey Ive seen over the last week  public or private  has shown a rallying effect taking place. In some places its a few points, in others, its a handful. Do I believe that Trump will win 13% of the Democratic vote in November? No, Blizzard told me. But, the key number to watch is independents, and Trumps approval IS climbing among that key bloc of voters.'

Realignment and Legitimacy

I give you the Democrat Establishment (1): Couldn't stand Bush, politically, but my god, it wasn't hard for him to be a decent human being. What happened to the Republican Party? https://t.co/rz1XC5pQLr  Markos Moulitsas (@markos) March 26, 2020 The living relatives of the million or so faraway brown people Bush blew to pink mist might take issue with decent human being, but you do you, Markos. You do you. I give you the Democrat Establishment (2): American elections should be decided by the American people, not by the Russian Government. Retweet if you agree!  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 14, 2020 As the spread of #COVID19 accelerated Whatever Pelosi was doing over the last three years, it had nothing to do with Congressional oversight of pandemic preparedness. Sure, RussiaGate was great for building war fever, fund-raising, and crazing the base with fear, but it had a downside too!

Stats Watch

At reader request, I added some business stats back in. Please give Econintersect click-throughs; theyre a good, old-school blog that covers more than stats. If anybody knows of other aggregators, please contact me at the email address below.

Consumer Sentiment: Final March 2020 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Significantly Declined  Are Consumers In A Panic Due To Coronavirus? [Econintersect]. Surveys of Consumers chief economist, Richard Curtin: Are consumers in a panic? Thats the top question that I have been repeatedly asked for the past week. The latest data from the University of Michigans consumer sentiment surveys indicate that the coronavirus has reduced consumer optimism, and more importantly, it will continue to do so as the virus spreads in the weeks and months ahead. The panic atmosphere that has developed, however, is quite unlike anything that todays consumers have ever experienced. It is now primarily based on fears about personal health rather than personal finances. Panic reactions have ranged from the important to the trivial: from protecting the youngest and the oldest among us, to buying-in-advance an adequate supply of toilet paper needed for selfisolation at home. In stark comparison, there is little evidence that the panic is due to the escalating downturn in business activity and mounting job losses. To be sure, peoples health and finances are intimately connected. Nonetheless, there has been widespread approval of the measures to protect health, even when it comes at a high economic cost. That initial pass on the economic consequences of health policies has been facilitated by very favorable economic conditions built by more than a decade of uninterrupted economic growth.

Personal Income: February 2020 Headline Income Rate Of Growth Little Changed [Econintersect]. This month there was little change from the rate of growth seen last month. Most likely next months report will show the coronavirus effects. This month consumer income growth year-over-year is growing slower than the spending growth year-over-year. However, expenditure rate of growth month-over-month was growing at a faster rate than income.

* * *

Commodities: Coronavirus threatens copper giant Perus 21-years of growth [Reuters].  Peru may be on track to record its first annual economic contraction in over two decades as the worlds second largest copper producer is hammered by the impact of a global coronavirus pandemic hurting commodities demand. Economists and analysts said that this could drag the countrys $220-billion economy into negative territory for the year, which would mark the first drop since 1998.

Retail: U.S. auto sales in states with coronavirus lockdown orders to drop 80%: analysts [Reuters]. Vehicle sales in U.S. states that implemented lockdown orders to curb the spread of the coronavirus will drop 80% or more, analysts said on Wednesday. Auto retail sales through the week of March 22 declined 22% nationwide on a yearly basis and as much as 40% in some cities on the U.S. West Coast, according to an analysis by research firm J.D. Power, based on data from dealership stores around the country. Last weeks data did not yet fully account for various U.S. states passing shelter-in-place orders at the end of last week.

Shipping: Ocean container volumes are about to fall off a cliff [Freight Waves]. The new market outlook of U.K.-based consultancy Maritime Strategies International (MSI) reads like a Stephen King novel geared toward container-line executives. Its not exactly feel-good reading for cargo shippers either.  The near-term outlook for the container-ship industry has deteriorated rapidly following the spread of COVID-19 cases worldwide and subsequent efforts to limit the number of deaths and cases, warned MSI in its monthly outlook released Thursday. There seems little doubt that containerized trade will shrink in 2020, with near-term rates of decline potentially approximating  or even exceeding  those seen during the financial crisis, it said.

Shipping: Container shipping lines say they are moving from a supply shock in China to a demand shock as Western countries lock down their economies to slow the spread of the coronavirus [Wall Street Journal]. Ocean Network Express Chief Executive Jeremy Nixon [says] that the Japanese container line is bracing for a second wave of disruption, one that could strand containers on ships and ports as importers in Europe and the U.S. and Asia cancel orders and rattling operations at ports and inland logistics companies. Container-ship operators canceled more than half their sailings through China as coronavirus shutdowns hit the country last month.

Shipping: Rail Week Ending 21 March 2020  Rail Continues To Slow [Econintersect]. The big decline this week continues to be intermodal (trucks and containers on flatcars) which accounts for half of the rail traffic, Intermodal continues under 2013 levels. Whilst container exports from China are now recovering, container exports from the U.S. continues to slow. When rail contracts, it suggests a slowing of the economy.

Employment: Theres no shortage of jobs in logistics even as big parts of the American economy go quiet. From cleaning products suppliers to food-delivery operators, companies are looking to add big numbers of workers in warehousing and distribution in a sign of how the economy is transforming under the coronavirus cloud [Wall Street Journal]. The shift is being led by some of the biggest corporate names, with Amazon.com Inc. saying it plans to add 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers and Walmart Inc. looking to fill 100,000 jobs in stores and fulfillment centers. Smaller operators are joining in.

Supply Chain: Suppliers of medical gases are racing to match their supply chains to the growing demand for the purified oxygen needed to treat the coronavirus. France-based Air Liquide SA and Air Products & Chemicals Inc. of Allentown, Pa., are exploring ways to ensure supplies remain sufficient as demand soars [Wall Street Journal]. Most of the anxiety over respiratory treatment during the pandemic has centered on a shortage of ventilators. But the devices rely on purified medical oxygen, and supplying the gas may prove complicated as demand grows in hard-hit areas.  If its not one thing, its another

Supply Chain: How Panic-Buying Revealed the Problem With the Modern World [The Atlantic]. Any student of economics will tell you that modern supply chains rely on just-in-time ordering. Under normal circumstances, this just-in-time system is convenient. Yet it is also, as we have discovered in the past fortnight, fragile. What happened at supermarkets [with toilet paper] is worth dwelling on, because it reveals a problem with one of the modern worlds most hallowed concepts: efficiency. As businesses and governments chase ever-tighter marginsever-greater efficiencythey have created systems that are finely tuned, but also delicate.  This is, however, a fundamentally inhuman philosophy. People arent machines. We are inherently inefficient, with our elderly parents and sick children, our mental-health problems, our chronic diseases, and our need to sleep and eat. And, as the past few months have demonstrated, our susceptibility to novel viruses. We have been trained to see efficiency as a desirable goal. We often dont see, or dont acknowledge, the risk of catastrophic meltdown.

The Bezzle: Our QuarBNB: How short-term rentals are being used for self-quarantines during the coronavirus outbreak [WaPo]. But data out Monday showed that although revenue is down in dense urban centers like New York, Boston and Chicago, numbers are up in less-populated suburban and rural areas that can be easily reached from those cities. Vacation rentals are providing safe havens for an entirely new demographic, AirDNA said in a blog post. Whether its retirees looking for refuge in remote hideaways, professionals looking for an interim workspace, or stranded travelers in need of a quick plan B  vacation rentals are becoming an extremely reliable fallback plan. Ironically, vacation rentals may have officially outgrown their original name and purpose.  Let me rephrase that: Vacation rentals are another vector, exactly as with the Hamptons, the Berkshires, Vail, etc.

Tech: Unpatched iOS Bug Blocks VPNs From Encrypting All Traffic [Bleeping Computer]. A currently unpatched security vulnerability affecting iOS 13.3.1 or later prevents virtual private networks (VPNs) from encrypting all traffic and can lead to some Internet connections bypassing VPN encryption to expose users data or leak their IP addresses. While connections made after connecting to a VPN on your iOS device are not affected by this bug, all previously established connections will remain outside the VPNs secure tunnel as ProtonVPN disclosed.  Yikes. You can work around this by turning on Airplane Mode, then turning it off. But come on, Apple!

Tech: What happens when the maintainer of a JS library downloaded 26m times a week goes to prison for killing someone with a motorbike? Core-js just found out [The Register]. In November 2019, Denis Pushkarev, maintainer of the popular core-js library, lost an appeal to overturn an 18-month prison sentence imposed for driving his motorcycle into two pedestrians, killing one of them. [core-js] gets downloaded more than 26 million times every week via the npm registry, and is widely used by major companies including Apple. Now its future is uncertain [D]eveloper Nathan Dobrowolski asked, If you are in prison, who will maintain [core-js] then? Pushkarev offered no answer. Since his conviction last October, the need to resolve that question has become more than theoretical.

Honey for the Bears: 20 March 2020 ECRIs WLI Growth Rate Drops To Levels Not Seen Since The Great Recession [Econintersect]. ECRIs WLI Growth Index which forecasts economic growth six months forward declined significantly, moved deeper into contraction, and is now at a level not seen since April 2009.. Please note that the coronavirus is a black swan event and the decline likely is more immediate and not lagging off six months as one would expect. Most likely, the U.S. is already in a recession.  Hoo boy.

* * *

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 24 Extreme Fear (previous close: 22 Extreme Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 8 (Extreme Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Mar 26 at 1:28pm. Stimulus! Last updated Mar 27 at 12:32pm.

The Biosphere

Ancient warming threw this crucial Atlantic current into chaos. It could happen again [Science]. The Atlantic Oceans conveyor belt, a powerful current that drags warm water north before submerging it in the North Atlantic, has been humankinds constant companion. For 8000 years, it has held steady, nourishing Western Europe with tropical warmth. But a new study of the currents strength over the past half-million years suggests global warming may not shut down the current any time soon, as some scientists fear. Instead, it could trigger a replay of ancient events, when multiple bouts of warming caused rapid, centurylong swings in the currents strength, sowing climate chaos that may have alternately chilled and warmed Europe. A strong circulation can also be a highly variable one. [That] might be the most important lesson, says Ulysses Ninnemann, a paleoclimate scientist at the University of Bergen and a co-author on the new paper.  An excellent explanation of the Atlantic Conveyor, well worth a read. Also, 8000 years is an eyeblink.

Pesticides as a cause of soil degradation [John Kempf]. Quoting Michael McNeill, from the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast:

[MCNEILL:] The other day I was cleaning out a drawer in my desk, and I found some old pictures that I had taken back in 1972 or 1973 of crops that were growing. I had some close-ups and some overviews of the field. The thing that I noticed was how healthy the plants were. There were no disease lesions on them anywhere. The corn plants were just perfect. And the whole field was that way. Its really hard to find a field today that is that way. I was looking at the weeds that were growing along the fence rows, and they were big and healthy and looked great. They dont look so good today, comparatively speaking. And you say, Well, maybe thats a good thing! No, its not. The whole area that were farming is unhealthy. It makes me ask the questionwhats changed? To me, the big difference from that era until today is that farmers have been drawn into big ag. You need to use herbicides. You dont want to use a cultivator. You have to farm more land. So you use herbicides, but herbicides are doing things to the soil, because theyre all chelators. So now the plants become a little bit imbalanced in the nutrition that theyre taking up, and you find more diseaseyou find more insect pressure. So you start using fungicides and insecticidesmore chelators, more poisons being dumped onto the ground. And youre pretty impressed with how they work. The field is perfectly clean, and weed freeexcellent. The diseases were dramatically reduced. The fungicides worked really well. The corn borers and some other of the insects that were issues went away. It was magic. The chemistry was totally magicit looked beautiful. But as time went on, the chemistry started poisoning the good things that were in the soil. And so, today, Im called out to look at farms where the guys production has dropped off dramatically and the soil is virtually dead.

Health Care

U.S. home healthcare industry warns of possible collapse' [Reuters]. Its a hair-on-fire crisis, said Roger Noyes, spokesman for New Yorks Home Care Association. As hospitals continue to handle an influx of coronavirus cases, patients who need care but are not critically ill are likely to be sent home. If home care providers cant stay afloat or decline to offer services, those patients will face a rapid, immediately life-threatening deterioration of their health, said Al Cardillo, president of the New York group. Compounding the industrys financial woes are bidding wars for essential medical equipment For now, that can leave smaller home health companies at the back of the line, said Emma Dickison, board president of the Home Care Association of America. Uh oh.

Failed State

Breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow of the new category:

The @annarbornews just reported on a bridge that collapsed on top of I-94 in Detroit. This is the picture attached to the article. Incredible stuff. #CollidinWithBiden pic.twitter.com/AXgzX188jA  Aren R. LeBrun (@proustmalone) March 27, 2020

Groves of Academe

$40 billion endowment (1):

Doris, a @harvard custodian and labor activist, was made to clean student dorms immediately, without proper PPE, after Harvard mass-evicted students. She now has symptoms of COVID-19 and cant get tested. President Bacow got tested the day after he presented symptoms. https://t.co/h8ZI1z8D8U  Dr. Marena Lin (@AnotherDrLin) March 26, 2020

$40 billion endowment (2):

Harvard is laying off nearly all dining workers. While the univ. has agreed to provide 30 days' pay for the directly hired dining workers who work at the College, they are refusing to provide this pay for the subcontracted dining workers at @Harvard_Law https://t.co/7tlcyq7fIH  Jared Odessky (@jaredodessky) March 20, 2020

$40 billion endowment (3):

the harvard president has corona virus. so does his wife. my immediate thought is that the tests be made available asap to the workers who clean his office and/or house. there should be no delays.  plaintiff pookie (@jmddrake) March 24, 2020

Even in a Pandemic, the University of Illinois Doesnt Care About Its Grad Workers [Jacobin]. In recent years, the University of Illinois system has been a major site of graduate student worker organizing. Unionized graduate workers at both the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses launched weeks-long strikes in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to secure contracts that provided basic financial stability On March 12, three days after Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker declared a statewide state of emergency, the UI Board of Trustees jacked up student health insurance premiums, hitting both grads and undergrads. At the Urbana-Champaign campus (UIUC), premiums will shoot up by a whopping 33 percent beginning this fall. The move came at the same time the board voted to spend $311.8 million on putting up new buildings, and two months after the UI president was awarded a $235,000 raise.  A strong university has big buildings and fat administrators! Whats wrong with these people?

An Open Letter to Tisch Dean Allyson Green: Please Stop [NYU Local]. We here at NYU Local would just like to say: what the fuck is this.  Read the whole thing. The video in question:

Dean of NYU'S Tisch School of the Arts Allyson Green's dance video message to students in response to their concerns over refunds of their tuition amidst the coronavirus pandemic.https://t.co/TGNg3h3uEh via @YouTube  Rick Rivera (@RickRivera10) March 27, 2020

I should have a section called College Administrators Behaving Badly. The only issue? Too much material.

Class Warfare

I remember this comic, maybe from a high-school history textbook:

This comic is older than most everyone who will read it. Its still true. And its why we need #BernieSanders pic.twitter.com/nfa0bEtiET  #MedicareForAll (@lotta_niko) March 27, 2020

I used to think it was a little over-the-top. Now, after two grotesquely large bailouts for the 1% in ten years, I dont think its over-the-top at all. Its exactly on point.

News of the Wired

Physicists brawl over new dark matter claim [Science]. For decades, astrophysicists have thought some sort of invisible dark matter must pervade the galaxies and hold them together, although its nature remains a mystery. Now, three physicists claim their observations of empty patches of sky rule out one possible explanation of the strange substancethat it is made out of unusual particles called sterile neutrinos. But others argue the data show no such thing. I think that for most of the people in the community this is the end of the story, says study author Benjamin Safdi, an astroparticle physicist at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. But Kevork Abazajian, a theoretical physicist at the University of California, Irvine, says the new analysis is badly flawed. To be honest, this is one of the worst cases of cherry picking the data that Ive seen, he says. In unpublished work, another group looked at similar patches of sky and saw the very same sign of sterile neutrinos that eluded Safdi.  Brawling physicists!

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (TH):

TH writes: We dont see several trees congregating like this much in Los Angeles County, except in Nature Centers.which this is. These particular trees, ignoring social distancing, are at the El Dorado Regional Park in Long Beach, CA. (This was back in February though, when the park was still open and social distancing had actually not been enacted yet, even for people. Backlighting through leaves is hard!

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:









Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated.

If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!
Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, center, teaches dance moves to a group of youngsters for an upcoming quinceanera for 14-year-old Ashley Soltero, in El Monte on Sunday. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

If Ashley Soltero had turned 15 in any other year, her quinceanera would have been much, much different.

She wouldn't have waited to announce the May 2 date to her friends, her escorts  chambelanes  wouldn't have been nervous about coming to dance practice, and her mother wouldn't have been laid off in the midst of paying off Ashley's $2,500 charro-style dress.

But it's 2020 and COVID-19 has swept the globe. Now it's a season of lost rituals: prom, grad night, walking across a stage to receive a diploma and, for Latino families in L.A. and beyond, the quinceanera. As unsettling as postponements and cancellations may be for the young, they may be even harder for parents who have invested so much of themselves in their children.

Soltero and her mother, Evelyn Yanez, have been planning her birthday celebration for a year.

"I think she's more excited, because I'm her only child," Ashley said. "She wants the best for me, you know?"

A quinceanera is part debutante ball, part coming-of-age ritual with religious overtones. The celebration starts with a Mass. Parents hire photographers, bands and choreographers to make sure the party afterward is perfect. In places with huge Mexican American populations like L.A., quinceaneras are part of the cultural lifeblood of the city and region.

Ashley, who turns 15 on April 8, planned to stick with tradition. She would dance with her father. He would change her shoes from flats to high heels  symbolizing the step into adulthood. She would receive her last doll, a sign of leaving childhood behind.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Yanez, said. "When you go from being a girl to ..."

"A young lady," Ashley finished, smiling wide enough to reveal her pink braces.

A group of teens practice dancing for a quinceanera for Ashley Soltero, center. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

On Sunday, in hopes that her celebration might go on as planned in May, Ashley practiced dance steps underneath the shade of a gray tarp in her grandparents' driveway in El Monte. It's where her mother and her tias practiced for their own quinces decades ago, although now they danced on concrete instead of dirt.

Story continues

A mariachi version of "Tale as Old as Time," a song from the film "Beauty and the Beast," filled the morning quiet that enveloped the neighborhood. The day before, all public and private gatherings had been prohibited anywhere within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The dance practice included hand sanitizer and as much distancing as possible.

Yanez had already paid a dance instructor for this second practice. And what if the quinceanera isn't delayed, she reasoned, and none of her daughter's quince court know the dance steps? What if the music plays and they just stand there in their elaborate party clothes?

"Five, six, seven, eight," Cynthia Garcia, a choreographer with My Quince Dances, counted off. "Go one, turn two."

Only six of the nine chambelanes showed up. One mother asked her son if he was sure he wanted to go, concerned about the coronavirus. Garcia spent most of practice rehashing last week's steps. If everyone had showed up, they could have practiced new moves, like lifting Ashley.

Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, center, instructs the quinceanera dancers. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

The girl's waist-length dark brown hair swayed with each slow turn, the speed chosen to accommodate the ball-gown-like charro dress she would wear the night of her party. For now, she wore a cropped black Adidas sweater and ripped blue jeans. The tarp protected the dancers from the sun beating down that morning.

The chambelan de honor, Ashley's 11-year-old cousin, rubbed sleep from his eyes before taking her hands in his. The two boys on each side of her pivoted in Vans and jeans. For one, it was his sixth quince as a chambelan. For another, his fourth. A couple of them are in quinces that have been postponed.

Over the past few weeks, Garcia has seen empty quinceanera venues and celebrations postponed after venues have canceled. At a quince on March 14, only half of the invited guests showed up.

"The little girl was really heartbroken," Garcia said.

Quinceanera celebrations, not dissimilar to weddings, have become a billion-dollar industry, according to some. The average quinceanera costs $21,781, according to the Quinceanera Report. Ashley's quinceanera is costing around $20,000.

The industry has taken a hit across the country, as state restrictions force families to postpone events indefinitely.

Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, left, her assistant Salvador Ruiz, 11-year-old Marc Morales and Ashley Soltero. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

In the Central Valley, one venue allowed a family to reschedule from March 28 to a date in the summer. The only problem? The teenager's friend was having a separate quinceanera that same day.

"Its sad for the quince," choreographer Noemi Ruffin said, referring to the birthday girl, "because now she might have a court without her friends."

In early March, Ashley grew worried after a friend postponed her quinceanera, and she wondered if she might have to do the same. The teenager has held off on announcing hers for that reason.

"I don't want to get everyone's hopes up," she said.

Still, her family has soldiered on. Ashley is the youngest girl in the immediate family, and this would be the last quinceanera they would celebrate for a long time. They've held off on canceling anything for fear of losing their deposits.

Ashley went for a dress fitting in Riverside on Saturday. (To her father's dismay, she picked out a black dress  although one with yellow, red and blue flowers trailing down the bodice.)

The invitations, which match the teenager's dress, welcome guests to a fiesta "el 2 de mayo del 2020." Yanez's mother told her she needed to send out RSVP cards, because it was unclear who would attend due to "el virus."

If it happens in May, Ashley's special day will include a Spanish-language Mass at 2 p.m. and a reception that afternoon. Her family has booked the hall, Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, and a group to play banda, traditional brass-based Mexican music. By April, Yanez has to pay for food for 300 people.

But now, unexpectedly, she's also having to apply for unemployment. Last week, she was laid off from a wholesale store for sunglasses where she'd worked since her senior year of high school. Across the state, workers are losing jobs as counties order the closure of nonessential businesses.

I am stressed and I am worried, but I have that hope. I dont want to lose that hope that this is all going to be over with," Yanez said, her hands clasped in her lap. "She's my only daughter. I want to do everything for her."

Yanez's parents tried to do the same for their three daughters. The couple met in El Monte soon after immigrating from Mexico in 1974. They raised their children there.

Her father, Ysidro Yanez, spent 44 years working in a company that made cabinet doors. In Mexico, where his parents were farm workers, there was never enough money to celebrate Christmas. In the U.S., he made sure that all his daughters had a quinceanera.

At Yanez's quinceanera in Baldwin Park, police had to come because there was so much traffic. She likened it to the lines outside of grocery stores due to panic buying. The hall, which could hold 500, had to close its doors because so many people turned up.

I've always wanted my daughters to have more than what I had," said Alma Yanez, who is Evelyn's mother and Ashley's grandmother. "I think thats our purpose as parents. We want them to have what we never did."

For Ashley's quince, her grandparents are helping pay for the hall, the cake and centerpieces from Mexico  bottles that will be topped with sombreros for her "fiesta Mexicana." Grandfather and granddaughter will dance together, just as Ysidro danced with his daughters years ago.

As Ashley and her friends danced in the frontyard, her grandfather and another man cut dead palm fronds from a tree. The rest of her family sat nearby and watched the practice.

It was an odd feeling for the teenager, who doesn't like to be the center of attention. But she took it in stride, her cheeks dimpling with every smile.

The 14-year-old said she worried that her mother was even more stressed out than she was about the possibility of a delay, of this milestone going by unnoticed.

That, she said, hurts most of all.
The local crime branch arrested



three persons for allegedly gunning down Tushar Pundkar, a local leader of Prahar Janshakti Party, in Maharashtra's Akola district, police said on Friday.

Pundkar was shot at on February 21 at the police colony in Akot city, and he succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital the next day.

The Akola crime branch on Thursday nabbed Pawan Sedani (38), Swapnil Nathe (22) and Alpesh Dudhe (24), an official said.

Sedani held a grudge against Pundkar, who was allegedly involved in his brother's death, the official said.

A case under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act was registered against the accused, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia's military planeloads of aid to Italy to combat the spread of coronavirus have exposed the European Union's failure to provide swift help to a member in crisis and handed President Vladimir Putin a publicity coup at home and abroad, The New York Times writes in the article Russian Aid to Italy Leaves EU Exposed. Italy has been thankful for the Russian decontamination units and army medical staff sent over the past four days, contrasting it with a piecemeal response by EU states.

But senior EU and NATO diplomats and officials see the assistance less as generosity and more as a geopolitical move asserting Russian power and extending influence. "The Italians made a general request for assistance and the Russians are sending military doctors and military equipment by military planes," a senior EU diplomat said. "That sends a signal." Russian gas imports help fuel Italy's power plants and Rome has long called for a relaxation of EU sanctions imposed on Moscow. Rome denies the aid signals a merging of geopolitical interests. "There are no new geopolitical scenarios to trace, there is a country that needs help and other countries that are helping us," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio was quoted as saying by Italy's Il Corriere della Sera newspaper on Thursday. "It is not a question of a Cold War, it is a question of reality, or realpolitik, you call it what you like."

From Russia with love

Russia has flown at least 15 flights to Italy using military transport planes with truck-based disinfection units. Eight medical brigades and another 100 personnel include some of its most advanced nuclear, biological and chemical protection troops. "France has given us 2 million masks, Germany has sent us a few dozen ventilators. (Prime Minister Guiseppe) Conte requested and obtained some planes from Russia that brought 180 doctors, nurses, ventilators and masks," Italy's government commissioner for the coronavirus emergency, Domenico Arcuri, told RAI on Sunday. Russia's government and its delegation to NATO have published multiple videos of trucks on their way to Bergamo, the epicenter of Italy's coronavirus crisis, on their Twitter accounts while Russian state media showed Italy's foreign minister personally welcoming the first Russian plane.

Labeled "From Russia with Love", planes and trucks bore giant stickers showing heart-shaped Russian and Italian flags next to one another. By contrast, NATO airlifts of urgent medical supplies to European allies have not grabbed public attention. The European Union has faced delays obtaining face masks and other protective gear while EU governments have closed borders to one another. NATO militaries are active flying sick patients to hospitals, delivering beds and repatriating citizens, although NATO has not deployed its own biological protection units.

"This is a big success story for Putin. I think the Italians have fallen into a trap," said a senior NATO diplomat, although he noted that Italy was now receiving more support directly from the alliance. Spain has also requested direct NATO help. Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Moscow Carnegie Center, noted China and Cuba were also sending medical aid to Italy. "For countries that would like to see the existing world order revised in their favor, the pandemic is an opportunity," he said.

Sanctions relief

The EU and NATO have long accused the Kremlin of using a mix of soft power, covert action and computer hackers to try to destabilize the West by exploiting divisions in society. Last week, an EU internal document seen by Reuters accused Russian media of deploying a "significant disinformation campaign" against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus. Moscow denied any such plan. While not mentioning Russia by name, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in his blog this week that the EU needed to be more aware of "a struggle for influence through spinning and the politics of generosity".

Russia is subject to European Union sanctions on its banking, financial and energy sectors and all 27 governments must agree to renew them every six months. When asked if Russia expected Italy to return the favor by trying to get EU sanctions lifted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the notion as absurd. "We're not talking about any conditions or calculations or hopes here," he said on Monday. "Italy is really in need of much more wide scale help and what Russia does is manageable."
FRANKLIN, Tenn., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Across the country, Americans showed their support this week of restaurant workers who are struggling as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, by doing one simple task: ordering a takeout or delivery meal. Earlier this week, a coalition of restaurants including Panera Bread, Noodles & Company, Veggie Grill, The Habit Burger Grill, and others asked Americans to participate in The Great American Takeout, ordering at least one delivery or pick-up meal on Mar. 24 to show support for the restaurant community. In addition, the community showed their support on social media, tagging more than 50,000 photos and stories with #thegreatamericantakeout.

The coronavirus has greatly impacted small and large businesses, in particular the restaurant community, which employs more than 15 million Americans. Restaurants have been limited to delivery and pick-up, as dine-in meals are currently not allowed or discouraged at most restaurants.

"In this difficult time, we need to support our food and beverage community in any way we can, both patronizing their businesses and donating to organizations that serve them in times of need," said John Pauley, Chief Commercial Officer at Smithfield Foods, who donated a total of $100,000 this week to CORE: CHILDREN OF RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES as part of #thegreatamericantakeout. Smithfield Foods offered a donation of $5 for every social media post supporting the event.

CORE is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to serving food and beverage service employees with children who are faced with a health crisis or impact of a natural disaster and in need of support.

"Food and beverage service employees diagnosed with or living with a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 and experiencing financial hardship due to restaurant closings or loss of business need our help now more than ever," said Sheila Bennett, Executive Director of CORE. "We're grateful to businesses like Smithfield Foods, whose contributions to the CORE COVID-19 Relief Fund will go to support food and beverage service industry employees and their families in need due to the impact of a COVID-19 diagnosis."

While many restaurants saw a meaningful increase in sales as a result of the event, there is more to be done. A coalition of restaurants and industry partners is actively involved in sustaining this effort for as long as dine-in restrictions are in place.

"The Great American Takeout was a call to mobilize support for restaurants and create awareness of their vulnerability," said John Truscott, President, High Wide & Handsome, the advertising agency that conceived the campaign. "But a one-day event doesn't solve the issue and we're working on follow-up programs to keep guests engaged and takeout orders flowing."

Americans are encouraged to continue supporting local restaurants and industry employees by ordering takeout or delivery regularly, and more information about the continued efforts of the Great American Takeout will be shared in the coming weeks.

For more information about The Great American Takeout, visit www.thegreatamericantakeout.com .

Hospitality industry workers with families affected by a direct diagnosis of COVID-19 can visit www.coregives.org to learn about the CORE COVID-19 Relief Fund. Also visit for more information or to make a donation to CORE to support families of food and beverage service industry workers impacted by COVID-19.

CONTACT:

Sara Dunaj

High Wide & Handsome // The Great American Takeout

860.705.5616

[email protected]

Rich Maiore

Rocket Social Impact // CORE

978.790.6225

[email protected]

SOURCE CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees

Related Links

http://www.coregives.org


Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 00:49:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to send a medical team to Laos to assist in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and to provide assistance within its capabilities, a senior Chinese official said on Friday.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Xi Jinping at the core, has seen an increasingly positive trend in containing the epidemic, and an ever faster return to normalcy in daily lives and production, Song Tao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said in a phone conversation with Sounthone Xayachack, head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee's commission for external relations.

Noting that Xi made an important speech at the extraordinary G20 leaders' summit on Thursday, Song said the speech has shown the direction for and injected impetus into global cooperation to battle the disease.

In the early days of the outbreak, General Secretary Bounnhang Vorachith immediately sent a letter of sympathies to Xi, and the Lao party, government and people from all walks of life offered help and support to China, which vividly demonstrates the spirit of the China-Laos community with a shared future, Song said.

At present, the epidemic prevention and control situation in Laos is grim, Song said, adding that following the instructions of Xi, China has decided to send a medical expert group to Laos and to provide assistance within its capabilities.

In the phone conversation, Sounthone said that Xi's speech at the extraordinary G20 leaders' summit has substantially promoted global cooperation on public health security, and fully displayed the responsible role as a big political party and a major country.

Sounthone said that the Lao side is deeply grateful for the Chinese assistance, and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party stands ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC and to jointly build the Laos-China community with a shared future.

Sounthone also wished the CPC new achievements in leading China's development.
President Ram Nath Kovind Friday asked governors and Lt governors of states and union territories to rope in volunteers from the Red Cross and other religious organisations to contain the spread of coronavirus "at the earliest", an official spokesman said.

Addressing governors and LGs through a video conference, the President expressed hope that the Indian society's inherent strength of "sharing and caring" and the government's measures would mitigate the sufferings of the most vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the workers of the unorganised sectors and the destitute.

The conference, which was also attended by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, was held to find ways to complement the efforts of the Centre and the state governments in meeting the challenges arising from the outbreak of COVID-19.

In the video-conference, 14 governors and Delhi's Lt. Governor were shortlisted to share experiences in their territories as their areas are among the worst-hit parts of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has said it is monitoring its services on a daily basis after figures emerged indicating a number of people in emergency accommodation have tested positive for Covid-19.

Dublin City Cllr Anthony Flynn, also a founder of Inner City Helping Homeless tweeted that at least six clients of homeless services have tested positive for the coronavirus, with 43 others awaiting testing and a larger number of homeless service staff in isolation.

Earlier this week SafetyNet Primary Care said it had tested as many as 80 homeless service users and were awaiting results.

The DRHE said it is "acutely aware that those in emergency accommodation are worried" and that it is continuing to work with the HSE to ensure that the arrangements in place for those experiencing homelessness are adequate and consistent with medical and health and safety advice.

A spokesperson said: "The DRHE has secured additional emergency accommodation to ensure there is sufficient capacity to allow for isolation of suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19.

"In this regard in the last two weeks, we have sourced 160 self-contained apartments, 165 ensuite bedrooms in hotels and 300 adult single occupancy accommodation.

"We have identified a number of older and high-risk individuals currently residing in emergency accommodation and are currently in the process of moving these people to a separate cocooning facility where rapid rehousing is not possible."

Meanwhile, Gardai said reports "in some national media" that as many as 27 members of the force have tested positive for Covid-19 "are incorrect and significantly overstated".

"The Health Service Executive is the lead agency for any health related questions on COVID-19.

"There is currently no impact on any services of An Garda Siochana as a result of COVID-19," a spokesperson said, adding the force will not comment on the individual status of members or individual garda stations/ sections, but would give further information on service capability "if necessary".

[snippet1]987600[/snippet1]
The following are highlights from Midland Countys Unified Task Force briefing on Thursday:

--There are seven persons under investigation for COVID-19 at Midland Memorial Hospital, down from 15 on Wednesday.

Of the seven, five are in the critical care unit and two are isolated in the medical unit, Dr. Larry Wilson said. He attributed the decrease to receiving more test results that were negative, and subsequently discharging those patients.

Persons under investigation are in-patient at the hospital only.

--There are about 180 test results outstanding.

Six residents have tested positive for the coronavirus. Of those, four were tested in the hospital, one through the hospitals drive-thru testing location and one by a private practice.

The hospital has received 64 negative results, Wilson said.

--The CDC has issued guidelines for when an individual can leave quarantine.

Wilson said a patient who has been tested for COVID-19 or who self-quarantined after exposure or an onset of symptoms can leave their home if theyve been symptom-free for 72 hours.

A person can end their quarantine if they have a lingering cough, but they have to have been without a fever for 72 hours and seen an improvement in their other symptoms, Wilson said. The person must also wait until at least a week after the onset of their symptoms.

--At least one of the confirmed positive cases on Thursday is travel-related.

A female in her 20s who tested positive is believed to have traveled outside of Texas, according to Whitney Craig with the Midland Health Department. It is unknown where the male in his 30s who tested positive was exposed.

--No community risk from at least two individuals who tested positive.

An adolescent and a male in his 60s ( not the patient who died on Tuesday) did not go out into the community after the onset of their symptoms, Craig said. She said they were not contagious before symptoms appeared.

--All employers of those who tested positive have been notified.

Craig said it is the decision of the employer whether to inform the other employees of possible exposure.

--Movements of four persons who tested positive are still under investigation.

Craig said contact has begun for those individuals, but the department gives them time to remember places where they have been.

This is a big undertaking. You find out youre positive for something thats so new ... I think its a lot to take in and then youre getting slammed with OK, where have you been?, she said. Yes, we have to find the information in a timely manner, but we also have to let the patients think on it so that we get accurate information. It does no good for anyone in the community if the information is inaccurate that we gather from them.

--Emergency management department has requested assistance for West Texas Food Bank.

Justin Bunch with the department said theyve requested from the state 1 million units of food, canned food, hand sanitizer and toilet paper for the food bank. He said it is up to the state whether they will fill that request.

--Bars may be policed for violating executive order.

Mayor Patrick Payton said they received notice from the governors office that many people throughout the state have been violating social gathering restrictions in bars. He said they may begin policing bars but didnt have details at this time.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 10:53:23|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Profits of China's major industrial firms slumped in the first two months of 2020 as the novel coronavirus outbreak deals a huge blow to industrial production, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday.

Profits of industrial companies with annual revenue of more than 20 million yuan (about 2.84 million U.S. dollars) totaled 410.7 billion yuan in the Jan.-Feb. period, down 38.3 percent year on year, NBS said in a statement.

Many industrial companies suspended operation during February in response to the novel coronavirus disease, resulting in a significant decline in production and sales, said NBS official Zhang Weihua.

Factors including rising costs, lower prices of industrial products and reduced profit margins for most industrial sectors also contributed to the drop, Zhang said.

Profits in 37 of the 41 industrial sectors surveyed fell compared with one year earlier, according to the NBS.

Industrial firms in the manufacturing sector saw combined profits slump by 42.7 percent year on year while firms in the mining industry registered profit decline of 21.1 percent.

Profits of state-owned industrial firms dropped 32.9 percent from one year earlier while that for private companies fell 36.6 percent.
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was admitted to the Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) following an increased heart rate on late Thursday evening.

Oli's physician Dr. Dibya Singh confirmed that the prime minister has been kept under observation at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center, a part of the TUTH.

"His condition is now normal but he is kept under observation. His heart beat increased last evening so we brought him to hospital. He is expected to be discharged today only," Singh told ANI over phone.

"There's an increased risk of COVID-19 infection so we brought him to hospital just as precaution. His health condition is normal, there's nothing to worry for," she added.

The prime minister, earlier this month, underwent a re-transplant surgery of his renal which stopped functioning last year. Oli's niece, Samikshya Sangraula, 32, had donated her right kidney to the prime minister then.

Oli visited Singapore for plasmapheresis last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In its phase two bill, Congress temporarily increased the share of Medicaid costs borne by the federal government  but not by nearly as much as is needed, and not even by as much as it did in response to the Great Recession. Which is a shame, given that Medicaid is such a useful vehicle for distributing federal funds to states even when there isnt a public health emergency.
Most Australian schools have had regular operations suspended amid the coronavirus epidemic, though, amid widespread chaos and confusion, teachers are still being pressed to attend schools for training in on-line learning technologies.

Thousands of educators are defying threats of disciplinary action and taking to social media to communicate with one another about the appalling conditions in their schools, their insistence that schools be closed, and their hostility to the unions.

There are multiple COVID-19 discussion groups on Facebook that teachers are active in.

Dylan posted in one of them: So important that people speak out about this abhorrent use of teachers, and dangerous daily meetings of hundreds more people than youd be allowed to have at your own funeral without adequate sanitisation and any screening.

Samantha wrote: We are now one of the only countries in the world open. Every other country must have got it wrong Or are they getting different expert medical advice.

Kathryn, a teachers aide from Queensland, posted: I have twenty 4 and 5-year olds in the first session and twenty 4 and 5-year olds in the second session and work with Grade 3 in the afternoon session. Do duty with over 100 students, parents at 8.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. inside a 20-square metre at a maximum, not even a metre each without parents, grandparents and siblings, not that we are ever a metre apart. Kids are not sent home with snotty noses or coughs; body contact all day. This is negligent of the government.

Toni wrote: Im horrified that some teachers are being told to bring their own cleaning products and toilet paper in from home to service schools.

Paul wrote: Our classroom situations work actively against all social distancing advice. Teacherslike many others in the communitywill be infected and some will die. I doubt whether our arrogant politicians will acknowledge they should have done better.

Others are speaking about the toll on their family life. Mel posted: My husband is living with anxiety around me when I come home from work each day. He is a severe asthmatic and thinking of going back to live with his elderly mother to keep away from me.

Leonie: Im sick of feeling like I have to choose between my child and my job.

While some teachers are reporting that their school principal has allowed them to work from home due to pre-existing health conditions, others have been refused. Courtney posted: The Covid-19 Support Team have advised me that pregnant women are currently not being considered high risk This was the case even though I had a medical note saying I should stop working and self-isolate.

Cristy wrote: In Western Australia we need to use all our sick leave and cant access extra COVID-19 days. I have a serious heart condition and must use my leave.

Rosalind from South Australia commented on the Committee for Public Education Facebook page: We have two more weeks in a viral cesspool. Still no sanitiser at our school. We are collapsing under pressure. At least five teachers I spoke today were fighting back tears. Our union is silent! We are not allowed to work from home. Teachers are being forced to take leave. One of the women in tears, I spoke to, has a 10-year-old daughter who is high risk, and she wanted to stay home preparing online lessons and she was told no!

Teacher condemnation of their unions is growing. Sylvia wrote: What is our union doing? I mean the New South Wales Teachers Federation, the Independent Education Union and the Catholic schools. In reply Jasper posted: I actually wonder if theyre doing anything. My post on the IEU page last night was answered by saying I should contact my local member of parliament.

Dan wrote: Planning something? Have you seen any evidence that they have a plan or objectives or anything that vaguely resembles actual action to protect us?

Chantelly wrote: We need to strike right now. We teach our students to be critical thinkers. The world is screaming at us to see what happens when governments are too slow to act. Yet we march on and follow orders knowing that is the wrong thing to do. Strike now!

Sas commented on the federal Australian Education Union (AEU) page: Remember it is all school staff that are in danger, not just teachers. Where is the union in this, stepping up and saying its not good enough? Put in decisive measures to protect teachers or we walk out.

Jamie commented: AEU, how about you worry about all educators still in classrooms putting their own health and familys health at risk? Surely NAPLAN is the least of your worries. Why are we paying union fees? Stand up for us and do something NOW, before a teacher or an educators family member becomes the next victim to this horrible situation.

The Committee for Public Education (CFPE) insists that the resolution of the COVID-19 threat cannot be left in the hands of the government and the unions.

Yesterday, after meeting with union executives, Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked them for their cooperation and good spirit. The teachers unions have played a central role in collaborating with the governments criminal neglect and indifference to the health and lives of the population.

The CFPE calls on all teachers and health care workers to form Action Committees, independent of the unions to develop the widest discussion on measures to protect the health and well-being of workers and students, including the provision of full income to pay for those who need to stay at home to mind their children during school closures.

The billions of dollars being handed out by governments to the banks and business must be redirected to meet urgent social needs. The CFPE urges all educators to read our statement on the coronavirus crisis and contact us to develop the fight for these demands:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CFPE_Australia

The author also recommends:

Australian school system in chaos after coronavirus semi-closures

[27 March 2020]
V Vignesh By

Express News Service

MADURAI/SIVAGANGA: The weak would never enter the kingdom of love, says Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his monumental Love in the Time of Cholera. When a 22-year-old youth jumped the quarantine facility in Madurai and rode all the way to Sivaganga, the inspiration behind his grievous transgression was love.

The youth had got wind of his lover from Sivaganga getting married to another man on March 30 under parental pressure. Anxious to meet her, he managed to board a flight from one of the hotbeds of infection: Dubai. He landed in Mumbai, from where he reached Madurai on March 21. Unfortunately, he was sent to a quarantine centre at Chinnaudaippu.

However, on Wednesday night he jumped the facility, borrowed his friends bike and rode to Sivaganga to meet his lover. Meanwhile, his absence did not go unnoticed, with the Deputy Director of District Health Education raising an alert. The Avaniyapuram police registered a man missing case and alerted the neighbouring Sivaganga police.

By the time a police team nabbed him on Thursday, he had been with the girl for hours. While the youth was brought back to Madurai, the girl was placed under home quarantine in Sivaganga. The police remain tight-lipped on the action to be taken against the youth or whether the girls marriage is still on.

All the way to stop lovers wedding

The youth had got information that his lover from Sivaganga was to marry another man on March 30 under parental pressure. Anxious to meet her, he came to Madurai from Dubai but was quarantined.
I would like to be read by the people I went to school with. And by my parents. And by my children  I think Ive never settled comfortably into a communication universe  thats putting it badly  of scholarship alone.

Thats Ken Inglis, renowned Australian historian, talking to fellow historian Neville Meaney. His wish  I would like to be read by  deftly catches the humility but also the humane ambition of this most distinctive and unusual of Australian academics. Inglis wanted the writing of history to matter to the whole world; he wanted it to engage the generations. He wanted his readers to re-think with him ways of understanding Australia, its colonial history, its institutions (Anzac and the ABC most notably), religion, ritual and remembrance.

Language mattered profoundly to him (note thats putting it badly). He wanted  and was superbly equipped  to write his many interrogations of history in a prose that was lucid, crisp, chiselled by laconic wit, experience and voracious reading. His undergraduate degree was a combined one  in literature and history  and it shows, in the allusive range and imaginative depth of his writing.

I Wonder, a fitting title for a book about this man of Alice-like curiosity, is a collection of papers first presented at a colloquium held in Inglis honour at Monash University in November 2016. Ken (as he preferred to be called), characteristically, had resisted the idea. Editors Seamus Spark and Peter Browne had to enlist the coercive powers of two of Kens closest colleagues, Bill Gammage and Jay Winter: Bill chose bluntness: nobody was going to leave the table until Ken said yes. Ken did not so much agree to the colloquium as relent.

Though frail (he was then 87), Ken attended both days of the colloquium, answering questions but also asking them, as had always been his personal and professional wont. His full participation reminded his audience and editors that Kens major works were always works in progress, and also left behind fertile ground for other scholars.

So this is not a conventional academic Festschrift, even less a hagiography (Ken would not have tolerated one). Rather, it is a vivid examination and extension of his work and its resonance, by turns celebratory and critical, affectionate and ironic  and exhibiting much of the practised scepticism that his oldest friend, Dick Manuell, attributed to his schoolmate (quoted in a biographical gem of an essay contributed by Bruce Scates and Raelene Frances).
Paul Buckowski/Times Union

FORT EDWARD  In an effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Washington County Sheriff's Office has developed an online incident reporting system.

Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy said the digital reporting allows citizens to practice social distancing and the ability to send in photos, documents and videos to secure links. Each report submitted will be confirmed before a police incident report is filed.
A scientist who warned that the coronavirus would kill 500,000 people in the United Kingdom has revised the estimate to roughly 20,000 people or fewer.

Scientist and Imperial College author Neil Ferguson said Wednesday that the coronavirus death toll is unlikely to exceed 20,000 and could be much lower, according to New Scientist. He added that he is reasonably confident that Britains health system can handle the burden of treating coronavirus patients.

There will be some areas that are extremely stressed, but we are reasonably confident  which is all we can be at the current time  that at the national level we will be within capacity, Ferguson said.
By Express News Service

IDUKKI: IN possibly the first case of community transmission in Kerala, a local Congress leader tested positive for Covid-19 in Idukki on Thursday. Having attended several party events in various districts, the person has been shifted to an isolation facility at the district hospital in Thodupuzha.

As yet, it is unclear from whom he contracted the virus. Idukki Collector H Dhineshan said the person had come into close contact with several people, including a few prominent ones. A minister and five MLAs were among them, it is learnt.People who were in close contact with him have been advised to stay in home-quarantine, he said.

The collector said the person had visited Palakkad, Sholayur, Marayur, Munnar, Perumbavoor, Aluva, Mavelikkara, and the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. He had also gone to a mosque in Cheruthony on March 13 and 20. It raised the total number of Covid-19 positive cases in the district to three. The Briton, who first tested positive, has recovered. The second patient, a resident of Kumaramangalam, has been admitted to hospital, the collector said.

Sub-collector leaves state

Kollam Sub-Collector Anupam Mishra, who was asked to quarantine at home after returning from Singapore on March 18, left for Bangalore without informing authorities.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Belseran Christ (The Jakarta Post) Maluku  Fri, March 27, 2020 13:45 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206dd10e7 1 National pelabuhan,akses-terbatas,Maluku,limit-access,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,Airport,harbor,bandara Free

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Maluku administration has limited access to airports and harbors to prevent further transmission in the province.

The governor had already urged people to stay at home and maintain distance from others during social interactions.

The Maluku administration will carry out measures to prevent, tackle and control [the outbreak] in a quick, precise, focused and integrated [manner] to prevent further spread that disrupts social security and order, a decree from Governor Murad Ismail said.

Arrivals and departures by land and/or sea transportation are limited except for important and urgent matters, the decree continued.

Read also: Papua restricts entry as concerns mount over lack of facilities to treat COVID-19

The decree also stipulates that any person arriving in the province is required to fill out an arrival form and self-quarantine for 14 days under the supervision of a family member and local health center.

All costs incurred during quarantine in facilities that have been provided by the provincial government of Maluku [will be] borne by the administration, the decree states, adding that violation of the decree would result in punishment.

The governor asked people living in Maluku to stay calm and cautious as the province had recorded one COVID-19 case as of Wednesday. (mfp)
A variety of sea animals can take up virus particles while filtering seawater for oxygen and food. Sponges are particularly efficient. That was written by marine ecologist Jennifer Welsh from NIOZ this week, in a publication in Nature Scientific Reports. This Monday, Welsh will defend her thesis at the Free University of Amsterdam, through an online connection.

"When a virus infects a cell", says Jennifer Welsh of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), "it uses its host to make new viruses. After those are released, they can, in turn, infect many more, new cells." However, Welsh discovered that the many virus particles in the sea - over 150 million in a glass of sea water - can also end up for, a large part, as the lunch of a diverse group of sea animals.

Filtering viruses

The Japanese oyster, for example, filters seawater to extract oxygen or food such as algae and bacteria. While doing this, it ingests virus particles. Welsh: "In our experiments, during which we did not offer the oysters any food and hence they only filtered the water for oxygen uptake, Japanese oysters removed 12 per cent of the virus particles from the water."

That number puts the oyster in the fourth place of all species that Welsh looked at in the NIOZ Virus Ecology Lab on Texel. "Of all non-host organisms that we tested, sponges, crabs and cockles made it to the podium. In our experiments, the sponges reduced the presence of viruses by up to 94 per cent within three hours. Another experiment showed that the uptake of viruses happens indeed very quickly and effectively, even if we offered new viruses to the water every 20 minutes, the sponges remained tremendously effective in removing viruses."

An entirely new factor in virus ecology

Until now, it was unknown that several species of sea animals can have such a significant influence on virus populations. "The influence of non-host organisms in the ambient environment, really is a factor that has been overlooked in virus ecology", Welsh says.

However, Welsh does not assume that the results of her lab experiments will be so clear cut when applied to the natural habitat. "The situation there is much more complex, as many other animal species are present and influence one another. For example, if an oyster is filtering and a crab comes along, it closes its valve and stops filtering. In addition, there are factors such as tidal currents, temperature and UV light to consider. But also in nature, predation by non-host should definitely be taken into account."

Useful in aquaculture

Nevertheless, the new insights might in time be useful in aquaculture. In this sector, fish or shellfish that are meant for consumption, are kept in enclosures, such as sea cages or basins, whereby there is a direct connection to the sea. Aquaculture is becoming larger as a sustainable alternative to fishing at sea, but is much criticised, mostly by nature conservationists.

Welsh explains why: "In salt water farms, tremendous amounts of specimens of one single species live together in monoculture. If a contagious disease breaks out, the risks are high that the pathogen spreads to the wild populations living in the sea. With the addition of enough sponges, the danger of a virus outbreak would possibly be nipped in the bud. The results of this research show that this would be good follow up research project."

Online defence

On Monday 30 March, Jennifer Welsh will be the first NIOZ-researcher to defend her dissertation through the internet. "I will be defending my degree in the middle of a crisis caused by COVID-19, a corona virus that, by now, we all know and have been affected by. Due to the imposed restrictions, I will answer the questions of the committee online. Just my boyfriend, who happens to be one of my paranymfs, will be there with me. My apartment is very small, so I may end up defending my thesis on my bed with my laptop."

###

Publication

Jennifer E. Welsh, Peter Steenhuis, Karlos Ribeiro de Moreas, Jaap van der Meer, David W. Thieltges. and Corina P.D. Brussaard

Marine virus predation by non-host organisms

Nature Scientific Reports 10, 5221 (2020)
Philip Lynch: We may not have seen the last of Conservative infighting on Europe

Philip Lynch is Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Leicester. This article is from the Parliament and Brexit Report.

Table 1: The Conservative parliamentary party by position taken in the EU referendum, 2016-19

EU referendum position June 2016 June 2017 December 2019 Leave 140 42% 140 44% 200 55% Remain 187 57% 172 54% 145 40% Undisclosed 3 1% 5 2% 20 5%

The Conservative parliamentary party now has a clear majority of MPs who voted Leave in the 2016 EU referendum (see Table 1). Of the 106 new Conservative MPs elected in 2019, some 67 have stated that they voted Leave. Leavers form a majority of both MPs elected in seats gained and those replacing incumbent Conservatives.

The number, and proportion, of Conservative MPs who voted Remain has fallen. Some 48 of the 52 MPs who were elected for the Conservatives in 2017 but did not stand for the party in 2019 had backed Remain. Indeed, 17 were no longer in receipt of the Conservative whip at the dissolution of parliament  having either defected, resigned the whip or had it removed  and eight of them stood unsuccessfully for other parties or as independents.

There are, of course, problems with classifying MPs by their EU referendum position. Some MPs have not revealed how they voted  possibly because they dont want to be defined by Brexit or because their referendum position differs from that of the majority in their constituency. Meanwhile, many MPs have changed position since 2016. Most Conservative MPs who voted Remain subsequently accepted the referendum result and voted for the Withdrawal Agreements tabled by Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Indeed, some reluctant Remainers now appear every bit as committed to Brexit as those who campaigned to Leave.

The increasing (and increasingly hard) Euroscepticism of the parliamentary party was not reflected in the composition of the Cameron and May governments (see Table 2, at the foot of this piece). Nor, Eurosceptics argued, was it wholly reflected in policy even after the 2016 vote to leave the EU, which helped drive the record levels of Conservative dissent on the issue in the 2017-19 parliament. Under May, some 180 Conservative MPs defied the whip on Brexit votes, the largest rebellion (118 MPs) coming on the first meaningful vote on her Withdrawal Agreement in January 2019.

But under Mays successor, things changed fairly rapidly. The 28 Spartans from the European Research Group (ERG) who voted against Mays deal three times backed Johnsons deal, arguing that it removed the Northern Irish backstop, signalled future divergence from rather than alignment with the EU, and introduced new protections during the transition period.

Meanwhile, Johnson initially required ministers to agree that the UK would leave the EU with or without a deal by 31 October 2019, and some Leave-supporting MPs who had resigned under May returned to the frontbench. Any change, however, has been far from wholesale: although Johnsons February 2020 reshuffle placed Leavers in key government departments, it will inevitably take some time before newly elected Eurosceptic Tories reach ministerial rank.

Nevertheless, dissent has been muted in the early stages of the new parliament. All Conservative general election candidates pledged to support Johnsons deal and the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill duly passed without a single Conservative rebellious vote being cast in the House of Commons. Having left the EU, the government aims to lower the salience of Brexit issues and focus elsewhere. Loyalty to Johnson and hopes of future promotion should also help to keep new MPs in line.

Tellingly, perhaps, while the European Research Group (ERG) recruited new members from the 2019 cohort  25 of whom signed the Stand up 4 Brexit pledge backing no deal should Johnsons deal fail  the group has lowered its profile. And while the One Nation Conservative parliamentary caucus has also seen an increase in membership, it, too, has sought to defuse the Brexit issue and its latest declaration of values makes no mention of Europe.

Majority government in any case arguably offers fewer opportunities for game-changing dissent on core Brexit questions, not least because clauses relating to parliamentary scrutiny were removed from the post-election version of the Bill (e.g. on approval of the governments negotiating objectives), and parliament has a limited role in overseeing new treaties.

That said, Conservative dissent may well return  albeit in less dramatic fashion, and with a majority government better equipped to absorb it  when final decisions about the future UK-EU relationship are eventually taken.

Should no free trade agreement be in the pipeline as the transition period nears its end in December 2020, for example, we can expect a return to conflict between ERG stalwarts and soft Brexiteers over leaving without a deal. In contrast to 2017-19, however, parliaments limited role in approving the future relationship means that the two sides would have little more than heated debate at their disposal  though this could still prove embarrassing for the government. Tensions may also arise over specific issues such as tariffs, fisheries and financial services. There is still more detailed Brexit legislation to come  to which concerned MPs could choose to table amendments.

Conservative divisions over Brexit-related issues are also likely to develop a more pronounced constituency dimension. The diversity of seats represented by Conservative MPs is even more apparent since the general election, and MPs will come under pressure from local employers across different economic sectors who experience Brexit in different ways. Notably, the economic costs of a harder Brexit are most likely to be felt in those regions where the Conservatives made gains in 2019.

Hence steering a course between constituency and party demands could prove difficult for some Conservative MPs. Smooth sailing from here on in, then, is by no means guaranteed.

Table 2: Conservative governments by EU referendum position of ministers, 2016-20 (Note: Cabinet ministers includes the Chief Whip and those ministers permitted to attend Cabinet although not full members.)
But while the additional screen time could be problematic and parents should still try to set ground rules in their homes, its likely not the biggest problem to come of this time of uncertainty, Lauricella said. This includes the mental health effects of being isolated, she said, and that parents who are working may not have time to teach their kids, or know how.
Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 1st of April will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 16th of April.

Choice Hotels International's upcoming dividend is US$0.23 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.90 per share to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Choice Hotels International has a trailing yield of 1.3% on the current stock price of $68.08. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Choice Hotels International'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.

See our latest analysis for Choice Hotels International

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. Choice Hotels International has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 22% 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. Choice Hotels International paid out more free cash flow than it generated - 128%, to be precise - last year, which we think is concerningly high. We're curious about why the company paid out more cash than it generated last year, since this can be one of the early signs that a dividend may be unsustainable.

Choice Hotels International paid out less in dividends than it reported in profits, but unfortunately it didn't generate enough cash to cover the dividend. Were this to happen repeatedly, this would be a risk to Choice Hotels International's ability to maintain its dividend.

Story continues

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

NYSE:CHH Historical Dividend Yield March 27th 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 decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. For this reason, we're glad to see Choice Hotels International's earnings per share have risen 14% per annum over the last five years. Earnings have been growing at a decent rate, but we're concerned dividend payments consumed most of the company's cash flow over the past year.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Choice Hotels International has delivered an average of 2.0% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past ten years of dividend payments. It's good to see both earnings and the dividend have improved - although the former has been rising much quicker than the latter, possibly due to the company reinvesting more of its profits in growth.

To Sum It Up

Is Choice Hotels International an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We're glad to see the company has been improving its earnings per share while also paying out a low percentage of income. However, it's not great to see it paying out what we see as an uncomfortably high percentage of its 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.

On that note, you'll want to research what risks Choice Hotels International is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Choice Hotels International (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
When Ghazaleh Moayedi learned on Monday that Texas had outlawed abortions while the state responds to a surging pandemic, she walked into her office and cried.

Moayedi, a doctor who performs abortions, had just spent hours seeing patients, showing them ultrasounds and walking them through the extensive pre-procedure steps required in a state still very much divided over a woman's right to end her pregnancy.

Many of those patients were already struggling from the fallout of the new coronavirus, she said. Some were nearing the legal limit at which they could still undergo the procedure. Now, Moayedi and her staff would have to explain that their appointments were being canceled, their access in Texas suddenly erased.

It was one of the hardest days of my career, Moayedi said.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

State officials and anti-abortion advocates have said the move will free up hospital beds and medical supplies needed to fight the outbreak. The restriction will save lives, Attorney General Ken Paxton  who issued the directive following an executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott  told supporters on Wednesday.

For providers, though, the week has been especially jarring, even for those who have worked in the field for decades. Some physicians described patients breaking down in tears and women begging for pills they could use to end their pregnancies on their own. At one clinic, employees said a patient threatened to harm herself when they explained that her abortion had been at least temporarily postponed.

For many, it was the biggest single disruption in abortion access they have experienced, even more so than in 2013, when legislation that was eventually overturned forced about half of the states clinics to close.

I have mentors who trained and were around before (Roe v. Wade), and they often shared stories about hospital wards with people who tried to get abortions outside, illegally, Bhavik Kumar, a doctor with Planned Parenthood, said, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. When I heard those stories I never thought I'd be in a time like that in the near future. This certainly felt close to it.

The latest: Interactive maps, charts show spread of coronavirus in Texas

Clinics were already bracing for a rough few months. With the pandemic spreading and uncertainty over how it will impact pregnant women, many began screening patients on the phone, taking temperatures at the door and spacing out appointments. Some said they began using reusable protective gear, like gowns and masks that could be washed between uses, to free up scarce supplies.

In Texas, there were about 53,000 abortions performed in 2017, according to the most recent statistics from the Health and Human Services Commission. Of those, fewer than 100 were performed in a hospital, and nearly 17,000 were medication abortions, in which a patient is given pills. Nearly all the procedures were performed in freestanding clinics and ambulatory surgical centers, according to the states data.

Doctors said they dont use much of the protective gear now in high demand, such as N-95 masks. State officials had not contacted them since the ban about using their medical supplies, they said. Paxtons office did not return requests for comment.

There's nothing in this clinic they could possibly use in a hospital or ER, said one doctor, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for his personal safety. We don't use gowns, the nurses have their own face masks, the (medication abortions) are handing out a pill.

For subscribers: This researcher interviewed 600 Texas women seeking abortions. Heres what she saw.

At Southwestern Womens Surgical Center, in Dallas, providers said in a legal brief that in an average week they use a few boxes of non-sterile gloves, a handful of low-grade masks, 15 pairs of sterile gloves and 15 gowns. The clinic, which said it performed 8,800 abortions in 2019, also keeps some N-95 masks, but does not routinely use them.

Moayedi, who asked that the location of her clinic not be shared out of concern for her safety, said providers had asked early on that state officials lift some abortion restrictions during the pandemic, to make their work safer. Earlier this month, Abbott expanded emergency access to telemedicine, but did not lift requirements that would allow abortion providers to use it.

During a pandemic, Moayedi said, requirements in Texas such as multiple in-person consultations with a doctor, become dangerous because they encourage unnecessary medical appointments.

The governors office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For subscribers: AG Ken Paxton says gun sales cant be restricted by stay-home orders

On Sunday, Abbott ordered all non-essential surgeries in the state be postponed at least until late April, to prioritize the coronavirus response. Paxton clarified a day later that the governors order applies to any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother, and that violators will be punished with fines and jail time. Ohio, Louisiana and Mississippi have all taken similar steps.

It's difficult to wrap your brain around, Kumar said on Thursday. I was providing that same health care a week ago. I think about those people and what will happen to them.

Abortion providers in Texas say the majority of the women they see are low-income, and according to state data, about 75 percent are non-white. A study released earlier this year by the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at The University of Texas at Austin found that women in Texas were nearly three times as likely as women across the country to try to end their pregnancies themselves before going to an abortion clinic.

What is clear is there will be more people taking matters into their own hands, said Daniel Grossman, a gynecology professor at the University of California, San Francisco and one of the researchers on the study. Some people may be able to access safe and effective medications, but others might use potentially unsafe methods.

With the Mexican border now closed to nonessential travel and supply chains hampered by the virus, underground options like obtaining medications from abroad may no longer be viable, advocates said. Providers have discussed sending women to clinics in New Mexico and Oklahoma, but also know that travel is not safe now. And for patients already struggling from the economic fallout of the crisis, its not a likely option, they said.

Providers and abortion advocates sued the state on Wednesday, blaming it for, as one plaintiff put it, creating a health crisis on top of a health crisis. They are seeking a restraining order and eventually an injunction on the ban.

Even if they succeed, the week has been a fresh wake up for advocates fearful of new crackdowns on abortion access during the Trump era. Many of the providers practicing today were not around in the 1970s, when Roe was decided, and some werent in Texas for the 2013 legislation.

This is definitely an unprecedented moment for pregnant people in this state and across the country, Moayedi said.

No doctor, she added, goes into health care to end up having people beg them for care.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Amid the nationwide lockdown to keep a check on the spread of coronavirus, the Delhi Minorities Commission has asked Muslims to strictly obey the curfew orders in force, practise social distancing and approach hospitals if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

Zafarul-Islam Khan, the chairman of the minorities panel, on Thursday issued a detailed statement in response to information that in Muslim-dominated areas such as Old Delhi, Zakir Nagar, Seelampur, Jaffrabad and Old Hyderabad, rules stipulating movement restrictions werent being followed to the letter.A noted Islamic scholar, Khan said Imams and mosque committees have been told to adhere to the restrictions, reduce congregational prayers to no more than four persons, including the Imam and muezzin. Everyone else has been asked to pray at home. Preservation of human life is a primary duty of all. People must not pay attention to fake videos offering dubious advice and cures, Khan said.



COVID-19 LIVE | India's death toll reaches 18 as Maharashtra woman succumbs

He urged people to approach hospitals if symptoms of the coronavirus infection are seen in any person. Such people must be tested and quarantined if found positive or even suspects. Mingling of such persons with others poses great risk to others. Khan called on the authorities, to deal firmly with anyone flouting the lockdown orders. Action must be taken against imams and mosque committee members flouting restrictions, he said.

Help for slum dwellers, people on streets



Deepak Prohir, deputy commissioner of police (West), said, Slum dwellers and people living on the streets are also being made aware of hygiene, sanitisation and precautions to be adopted to prevent COVID-19. Approximately, 1,000 food parcels were distributed at Raghubir Nagar and Ghodewala Mandir slum clusters.
Time for self-assessment for SIRE?

David Savage, director of inspection management software Oceanfile, who was responsible for developing SIRE while working at OCIMF 1994-2009, believes that SIRE should now be turned into a partially self-assessment scheme.

With current travel restrictions, inspectors are unable to visit vessels to make SIRE inspections, and so charterers are deprived of up to date reports. Captain Savage suggests that tanker operators could make their own "self-inspection" reports using SIRE VIQ7 templates, which would be identified on the SIRE database as operator generated. The role of physical inspections would then be to audit the reports, rather than make inspections. "Enhancements to enable SIRE to accept these reports are relatively straight forward. SIRE could [then] be populated by recently conducted inspection reports," he says. Although OCIMF have recently extended the ability to access SIRE reports from twelve to eighteen months, this defeats the normal 4-6 month reinspection cycle and I believe that this initiative would do much to both provide Report Recipients with up to date reports and also offer Operators the opportunity to demonstrate trust as responsible SIRE stakeholders." "Notwithstanding the current [virus] crisis, in 26 years, such trust has never been tested. Operators whose reports are found to be inaccurate/misleading would, without doubt, regret this to their cost." "This could finally result in a real leap forward for SIRE and not least, some relief to those on board who have to deal with it." Captain Savage notes that one of the key objectives of SIRE, when it was created in 1993, was to ease the burden on ships crews, by enabling sharing of inspection reports between charterers. But this was never achieved, illustrated by the fact that inspections actually increased every year in the first ten years after SIRE was introduced, putting a greater burden and stress on crews. Captain Savage made the suggestion first back in 2005, that operators would be able to submit their own self-inspection reports. However the proposal was rejected.




N ational Lottery players will help raise up to 300 million to support the most vulnerable in communities across the UK during the coronavirus crisis.

On average, 30 million is raised every week by people buying tickets. Over the next few months, hundreds of millions of pounds will be distributed to charities and local voluntary organisations to help support people through the Covid-19 crisis.

The fund will prioritise coronavirus-related projects, from helping support food banks, to causes that combat loneliness and isolation, support for the elderly and projects that support health in the community.

The initiative, enabled by The National Lottery Community Fund, is said to be the UKs largest non-governmental contribution to the combatting Covid-19 in local communities.

Millions of pounds from The National Lottery will go towards supporting communities impacted by Covid-19 / PA

Dawn Austwick, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: The fund has always supported projects that help people and communities across the UK thrive.

"And now, the fund is switching its focus for the foreseeable future on supporting charities seeking to mitigate the unprecedented pressure communities are coming under as the country rallies to overcome the virus.

Nigel Railton, chief executive of Camelot, operator of The National Lottery, added that by just buying a ticket, players have helped raise more than 40 billion for good cause projects.

Before and during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /44 Before and during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures AP Buckingham Palace AP Piccadilly Line tube AP Big Ben AP Millennium bridge AP Wembley Stadium AP St Pancras International train station AP Downing Street AP Victoria Station AP Regent Street AP The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace AP London's National Gallery in Trafalgar Square PA Edinburgh's Royal Mile PA Barry Island, South Wales PA Bath PA Bath PA London's Waterloo station PA London Bridge PA London's Canary Wharf Jubilee Line platform PA London's Canary Wharf Station PA London's Buckingham Palace PA London's Tower Bridge PA London's Leicester Square PA London's Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral PA London's Criterion Theatre PA London's Palace Theatre PA London's Phoenix Theatre PA London's Canary Wharf Station PA Bournemouth beach PA Bath PA Bath PA Barry Island, South Wales PA Bournemouth beach PA

"Up to 300m raised by National Lottery players will be helping to fund vital work in local communities at a time when its needed the most," Mr Railton said.
Vista Global to extend support through its entire global infrastructure now including the XO fleet;

Initiative will provide access to 115 aircraft and complimentary empty leg flights for Governments and medical organizations.

NEW YORK, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vista Global, the private aviation group founded by Thomas Flohr, announces it will expand on VistaJet's offer of complimentary empty leg flights to those with critical travel requirements during this time of uncertainty.

Through VistaJet and now XO, the global digital marketplace for private aviation, Vista Global will provide Governments and medical organizations access to over 115 aircraft during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining efforts across VistaJet and XO - and utilizing their global network, infrastructure and technology - the group will help Governments repatriate citizens who are stranded abroad and assist in transporting healthcare professionals and medical supplies to the countries that need them the most by providing access to complimentary empty leg flights.

Furthermore, to help officials keep their response plans as prompt as possible, Vista Global will also assist with the complex logistics of the necessary permits and paperwork.

Vista Global's Founder and Chairman, Thomas Flohr, said:

"In the past 48 hours since VistaJet's announcement, we have received a very positive response from Governments and medical organizations so have therefore decided to expand this offer to our group fleet of 115 aircraft throughout the world. We understand that people need help, especially in times of instability, and now in expanding the availability also to XO's fleet, we are able to use our entire global network, infrastructure, expertise and technologies to help even more communities in need."

Governments and medical organizations requiring assistance should contact the group through VistaJet's dedicated web page to allow the company to channel all requests ensuring prioritization, address the most critical cases and manage the relevant safety screening.

Contact

Vista Global: press@vistaglobal.com

About Vista Global Holding

Vista Global Holding is the world's first private aviation ecosystem. A global group headquartered at the DIFC in Dubai, Vista Global integrates a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light services to cover all key aspects of business aviation: guaranteed and On Demand global flight coverage; aircraft leasing and finance; and cutting-edge aviation technology. The group's mission is to lead the change to provide customers with the most advanced flying services and the very best value, anytime, anywhere around the world. Vista Global's knowledge and understanding of all facets of the industry deliver the best end-to-end offering and technology to any business aviation customer, through its VistaJet and XO branded services.

Complimentary empty legs and other offers are available at the sole discretion of VistaJet and XO, and are subject to terms and conditions. Vista Global Holding Limited ("Vista Global") does not own or operate any aircraft. All flights are performed by FAA-licensed/DOT-registered EASA or U.S. certified Vista Global group direct air carriers and/or partner operators. Vista Global holds a non-controlling minority stake in XOJET Aviation LLC.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fc0f3c9-07c5-4bbb-ba63-7e5963c807e2
BALTIMORE, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyin Opesanmi, MD, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Lifetime Achiever in the field of Medicine as the CEO and Medical Director of Gennesaret Medical Center, Medical Director of Global Vision Community Health Center, and the Medical Director of Gennesaret Counseling Services.

With two locations in Baltimore and Laurel, Gennesaret Medical Center was founded by Dr. Opesanmi in February 2011. She provides services for opiate and other substance addictions, as well as family practitioner and HIV services. She went on to found Gennesaret Counseling Services in Baltimore the following year, in September 2012. The next year, she opened Global Vision Community Health Center in Prince Georges County. The outpatient clinic offers various educational programs, food banks, etc.



Offering compassionate medical care in the Baltimore area for over 10 years, Dr. Opesanmi has earned a reputation as a dedicated, knowledgeable, and empathetic doctor. She specializes in family medicine, HIV care, and addiction medicine, applying her skills and talents to benefit her community. She participates in the Global Vision Foundation, medical missions in Kenya and Nigeria, and presents at health fairs at churches and educational facilities.



To prepare for her career, Dr. Opesanmi earned an undergraduate degree at the University Of Illinois and a medical degree at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, now known as Drexel University. She then trained as a family practice resident at the University of Texas Health Center. She remains abreast of changes in her field by maintaining affiliations with numerous organizations, including the American Academy of HIV Medicine.



Dr. Opesanmi dedicates this recognition to Dr. Olaniyan and Dr. Ogundipe.



For more information, please visit https://www.gennmed.com

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634 [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


Serbia Legislature Emerges With Groundbreaking Adaptations

Published March 27, 2020 by Lee R

Serbia's Finance Minister has introduced a new bill to revamp and adapt regulation in the jurisdiction.

The new proposal introduced by Minister Sinisa Mali to Serbia's National Assembly updates the 2011 Gambling Act.

Tax Hike

New measures include an online gambling tax hike from 5% of gross revenue to 15% for online betting and 10% for other games.

Balancing Online with Land

With help from community feedback, the Ministry of Finance attributed the higher rate to a disparity between betting and other gaming activity online.

Online betting currently accounts for 75% of Serbia's betting turnover, while only 25% of turnover in from other games comes from online play.

Quintupling Licences

The bill still calls for a substantive increase in land-based casino licences, from the current two to a maximum issue of 10 licenses valid for 10 years each. Casino licence fees for new licences are 500,000 and up.

Terminal Restrictions

Slot machines and bookmakers terminals will be prohibited from being within 200 meters of the shortest safe pedestrian path from educational institutions, or within 100 metres of each other, as applicable only to incoming licencees.

Surveillance and Ad Protections

The bill further establishes an electronic surveillance system to identify illegal gambling websites to be shut down by the Serbian Gambling Authority, along with a gambling adverts requirement of age restriction reminders and addiction prevention warnings.

Employee Training

Employees of gambling operators in direct contact with players will be required to receive specific gambling addiction prevention training.

Social Funding

As far as social reinvestment, the current approach of diverting 40% of government revenue to the Serbia Red Cross will be preserved, to restore a measure which an earlier draft had removed.

Outlook

All in all, the changes come off as extremely innovative and proactive, and provide hope for a fruitful adaption that can make Serbia an appealing jurisdiction for operators to invest in.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with suggestions to deal with the 21-day lockdown, saying party workers are ready to volunteer for relief work in the state if required.

Gandhi said the poor and labourers are worst affected by the lockdown in the state.

Our party has decided that the Congress is ready to help the government in every way it could and I have already directed party workers to take precautions due to the coronavirus spread and to adopt ways to stop it, she wrote.

Gandhi mentioned the issue of migrant workers stuck midway while trying to reach their home, requesting the state government to make arrangements to provide transport as many are forced to walk hundreds of kilometres.

Other suggestions include relief measures for specially-abled persons and proper safety equipment for medical staff, doctors and sanitation workers involved in treatment of coronavirus-infected patients in the state. Gandhi also demanded that salaries of these workers be released in advance.

Gandhi also raised the issue of farmers who are already facing the brunt of untimely rain and hailstorms.
On March 24, Keith Dvorchik, CEO of The Roth Family Jewish Community Center of Greater Orlando, issued a statement to all JCC members that the JCC Board of Directors made the decision to temporarily cease operations, effective the end of business on Friday, March 27. This resulted in the lay off of more than 130 employees.

Our employees have worked hard and stepped up when this pandemic began. We appreciate our staff, their hard work and their commitment to children and families at the JCC; there is no more difficult decision than this, Dvorchik said.

The public safety issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have brought our operations to a virtual halt, which has resulted in an insurmountable economic impact that we cannot ignore or escape, said Dvorchik.

We are not alone in this crisis. Our hope is that once the virus has subsided, we will quickly begin the process of resuming operations and providing the services our community values greatly. Certainly, this is not a decision we made without a great deal of thought. The JCC, like so many other businesses and non-profit organizations, simply has no alternative, he said.

The Roth Family JCC will reopen as soon as it is safe to do sohopefully within two to three months. Our hope is to bring back as many of our staff as possible, but we simply dont know how long this issue will continue, when we will reopen, and what services we will be able to provide at that time. Like the rest of the country, we are dealing with a variety of unknowns, he stated.

Dvorchik, ECLC Director Melissa Youngblood, and Director of Finance Brenda McGrath will continue to oversee the JCC during this down period to ensure the varied obligations of the building and business operations are maintained. The remaining employees will be taking a 20 percent pay cut during these difficult economic times.

Questions about health insurance, the ECLC tuition or camp payments due by April 1 are addressed on the The Roth Family JCCs website.
Two Nebraskans died from COVID-19 on Friday, public health officials said as the number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus continues to rise.

An Omaha-area man in his 50s became the state's first death Friday afternoon, and, just hours later, it was announced that a Hall County woman in her 60s had also died from the virus.

The Omaha man, who suffered from serious underlying health conditions, had been self-quarantining at home since March 11, the Douglas County Health Department said.

Before his self-quarantine, the man had contact with a known COVID-19 case while traveling out of state.

The family of this individual has our most sincere sympathies, said Adi Pour, the county's health director. This new disease has been in our community for only a short while, but those with co-morbidities are at greater risk of complications."

The Hall County woman also had underlying health issues, according to the Central District Health Department.

We have community spread of the COVID-19 virus at this time, said Teresa Anderson, the district's health director. CDHD is in communication with state officials in regard to issuing a state Directed Health Measure.

Nebraska had 95 confirmed cases as of Friday evening, up from 74 at roughly the same time Thursday.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced late Friday it is investigating the fourth lab-confirmed case of COVID-19, a man in his 30s who is isolated.

There also was one new case identified in Dodge County on Friday  a man in his 30s who is hospitalized, as well as a Colorado man traveling in Nebraska who tested positive and has been hospitalized in Adams County.

Sarpy County also announced three new cases Friday evening. The ages of the three range from the 20s to 40s. Of those three cases, one is a close contact of a confirmed case, one was travel-related and the other was community-acquired, a Sarpy County Health Department official said.

Hall County also reported three new cases Friday, including the woman in her 60s who died. All three cases were identified as community-spread.

Friday afternoon, Gov. Pete Ricketts expressed his condolences to the families who lost loved ones.

I encourage all Nebraskans to keep these families and all families impacted by coronavirus in their thoughts and prayers," he said in a written statement.

The governor said earlier in the day there is no reason to believe Nebraska will be immune to whats happening in other parts of the country.

"We know we will be impacted like other states  some people will die  our effort is to limit that so we can accommodate those who need to go to the hospital."

Ricketts said the state is steadily ramping up its testing capacity, which now stands at about 1,000 tests a day.

With expanded testing, he noted, "we should see more cases."

Ricketts also announced an executive order that would waive some state licensing requirements for qualified health care providers to clear a path for them to practice in Nebraska if they are needed during the pandemic.

That would include people who are licensed in other states, who may need renewals or who may be retired from medical practice, Ricketts said, as well as some people who may need to meet initial license fee requirements.

Taking action now, the governor said, clears a path for them to "come and help us out" in the event that more health care professionals are needed to meet demand created by the virus in the future.

"Currently, we have plenty to handle the demand," Ricketts said. "We just need to look down the road (in case we) may need more."

The governor said hospital capacity  including intensive care rooms  already is being ramped up, and "we will go out and purchase more ventilators if we need them."

Current state policy, including a directive that limits gatherings in the state to no more than 10 people and mandates that confine restaurants and bars in Lincoln and Omaha to take-out, drive-thru and delivery service, are designed to limit the spread of the virus, Ricketts noted.

Once again, the governor said he does not anticipate the need for a future stay-at-home directive, which is the standard response in cities and states overwhelmed by the virus, including most notably New York City, California and the state of Washington.

As of Friday, 23 states have issued stay-at-home orders, including Colorado and Wisconsin. Cities, including Kansas City, Missouri, also have ordered residents to stay at home.

Meanwhile, Blue Cross Blue Shield announced that it will adopt a policy of covering telehealth medical visits the same as office visits in terms of insurance coverage during the current crisis.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon. The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Kollam District Collector on Friday submitted a report to the Kerala state government against Sub-Collector Anupam Mishra for violating the 14-day quarantine restrictions.

He was put under observation for Covid-19 after his return from Singapore.

Mishra, Kollam Sub-Collector who was asked to stay at home after he returned from abroad on March 19 has moved to Kanpur.

"The Sub-Collector returned from Singapore and Indonesia and was asked to go into home quarantine. But violating it he left the jurisdiction without handing over his official duties and office mobile. When contacted he said he is in Bangalore but upon verification, he was found to be in Uttar Pradesh. I have submitted a report to the government regarding it, " said B Abdul Nazar Kollam District Collector.

Nazar said when health department workers reached his official residence on Thursday, he was found missing and though they tried to contact him over phone there was no response.

The 2016 IAS batch officer, Anupam Mishra, later was traced to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.The total number of people under quarantine in Kerala has reached 1,20,003 out of which 1,01,402 are in their own homes, while 601 are hospitalised.

Kerala government has speeded up the process of converting unused buildings and old hospitals into corona care centres across the state.

Kerala so far has reported 137 confirmed cases of COVID-19 which 11 have recovered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Almost 5,00,000 Covid-19 positive cases and more than 23,000 deaths later, Beijing is now urging for a all-out global war against the pandemic that originated in its own courtyard, Wuhan, before sweeping the world, perishing men, women, children, old and derailing the economies.

However, the reality is- the world-wide toll could have been checked within time if China had been more transparent and had warned countries regarding the new strain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-like infection, which originated at a 'wet market' in its province of Hubei late last year, as per a report published by American magazine 'National Review'.

The coronavirus that jumps from an animal species to a human and has now become a deadly infection, was first identified in a patient, a resident of Wuhan in the Hubei province on December 1.

Five days after the onset of illness, the already infected man's 53-year-old wife who had no known history of exposure to the market was also diagnosed with pneumonia, a common symptom of the contagious infection, and was hospitalized and placed in an isolation ward.

It wasn't until the second week of December that the doctors in Wuhan were able find new cases that further indicated the virus was spreading from one human to another.

On December 25, Chinese medical staff in two hospitals in Wuhan were found to be suspected of contracting viral pneumonia and were quarantined. Later, hospitals in the Wuhan witnessed an "exponential" increase in the number of cases in late December that cannot be linked back to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

Whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang warned a group of other doctors about a possible outbreak of an illness that resembled "severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)". He urged them to take protective measures against infection.

On December 31, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission declared that their investigation has not found "any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection."

China contacted the Health Organization (WHO) three weeks after doctors first started noticing the cases.

At the beginning of January, summons issued to Li Wenliang by the Wuhan Public Security Bureau accusing the doctor of "spreading rumours."

On January 3, Dr Li signed a statement at a police station acknowledging his "misdemeanor" and promising not to commit further "unlawful acts." China's National Health Commission ordered institutions not to publish any information related to the unknown disease.

On the same day, the Hubei Provincial Health Commission ordered to stop testing samples from Wuhan related to the new disease and destroyed all existing samples.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission released another statement, reiterating that preliminary investigations have shown "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infections."

Fifty-nine people in Wuhan were sickened by a "pneumonia-like illness", as per a report by The New York Times published on January 6. On the same day, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level 1 travel watch. It advised travellers to Wuhan to avoid contact with 'living or dead animals, animal markets, and sick people.'

On January 8, Chinese medical authorities claim to have identified the virus, reiterating that it still found "no clear evidence of human-to-human transfer".

On January 11, China announced its first death from the virus, a 61-year-old man who had purchased goods from the seafood market.

On the same day, the Wuhan City Health Commission released Q & A sheet emphasizing that most of the unexplained viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan have a history of exposure to the South China seafood market and "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found."

Dr Li Wenliang was hospitalized on January 12. He started coughing and developed a fever after unknowingly treating a patient with the coronavirus. Later, Wenliang's condition deteriorated so badly that he was admitted to the intensive care unit and was given oxygen support.

On January 13, the first case of novel coronavirus was reported outside China involving a 61-year-old Chinese woman in Thailand, who had visited Wuhan.

However, Thailand's Ministry of Public Health said the woman had not visited the Wuhan seafood market and had come down with a fever on January 5. The woman had visited a different, smaller market in Wuhan, in which live and freshly slaughtered animals were sold.

On January 14, the Health Organization in its report stated: "Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China."

On January 15, Japan reported its first case of coronavirus and its Health Ministry said the patient had not visited any seafood markets in China.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in a statement said that the possibility of "limited human-to-human transmission" cannot be ruled out.

Despite the fact that Wuhan doctors knew that the virus is "contagious", city authorities allow 40,000 families to gather and share home-cooked food in a Lunar New Year banquet, as per the article in National Review.

On January 19, the Chinese National Health Commission declared the virus "still preventable and controllable".

A day later, the head of China's national health commission team investigating the outbreak, confirmed that two cases of infection in China's Guangdong province had been caused by "human-to-human transmission and medical staff had been infected".

On January 21, the CDC announced the first case of the coronavirus in the US. The patient had returned from China six days ago.

On January 22, a WHO delegation conducted a field visit to Wuhan and concluded, "deployment of the new test kit nationally suggests that human-to-human transmission is taking place in Wuhan."

Nearly two months after the first case of the virus was reported, Chinese authorities announced their 'first steps for a quarantine of Wuhan.' By this time, a significant number of Chinese citizens have traveled abroad as "asymptomatic, oblivious carriers".

Dr. Wenliang tested positive for coronavirus on February 1 and died six days later.

Today, the killer bug has spread to over 170 countries across the globe, apart from Antarctica. After inflicting its wrath in Asia, the virus has now travelled to Europe which has become the new epicenter of the disease outbreak.

Cases in Europe topped 250,000 - more than half of which were in Spain and hard-hit Italy. Spain recorded 655 new fatalities over 24 hours, while Italy's death toll rose by 712 to hit 8,215.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MOSCOW  A former prime minister of Ukraine said the countrys anti-corruption reforms are at risk of stalling just as the government has asked for a significant expansion in foreign aid to prop up the economy because of coronavirus shutdowns.

The Ukrainian government had already been deeply reliant on foreign assistance to halt Russias military intervention, an issue that became a focus of impeachment hearings in the United States last fall after President Trump withheld American aid. Now it is asking for funding because of the virus.

Much of Ukraines aid, including a pending $5.5 billion package from the International Monetary Fund, is tied to meeting anti-corruption benchmarks. Those have been slipping, putting assistance in doubt at a precarious time.

Oleksiy Honcharuk, the former prime minister, said in an interview that President Volodymyr Zelensky fired him and most of his cabinet earlier this month after he crossed the interests of a coterie of powerful insiders in the Ukrainian economy.
Legend Holding Revenue Stood at RMB389.218 billion; up by 8% year-on-year

Mar 26, 2020  Legend Holding Corporation (3396.HK) today announced its audited annual results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2019 (the \Reporting Period \). In 2019, the revenue of the Company increased by 8% year-on-year to RMB 389.218 billion. The net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company amounted to RMB3.607 billion, representing a yoy decrease of 17%, mainly due to the decrease in some of the businesses of the financial services segment and the innovative consumption and services segment. The basic earnings per share was RMB1.54, and recommended dividend of RMB0.33 per ordinary share (before tax), representing a yoy increase of 10%.

Mr. Li Peng, executive director and CEO of Legend Holdings, stated that the macro environment in 2019 was complicated and unsettled, Legend Holdings upheld its business philosophy of seeking long-term development and stable operation. During the Reporting Period, the strategic investments saw the improved performance of several portfolio companies with sound fundamentals for growing into pillar assets, thanks to years of investment deployment and operational improvements. At the same time, the overall performance of financial investment was outstanding and contributed considerable amounts of cashback for Legend Holdings. In 2020, Legend Holdings will continue to consolidate and adjust its current business, and also dynamically formulate work plans for the next few years based on the external business environment and its proprietary resources.

Steady Growth for Pillar Assets, while Key Portfolio Companies Made Progress in Advancing the Strategic Development

Building pillar assets is regarded as the primary strategic task of Legend Holdings. During the Reporting Period, the Company continued to support key portfolio companies in marching toward their core strategic objectives and achieved good performance.

Lenovo has accelerated its intelligent transformation by implementing the 3S strategy, with RMB1.608 billion of net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company. PC and smart device business continued to lead the industry with a record high pre-tax income rate. In addition, the strategic investments of Lenovo also include telecommunications, edge computing and artificial intelligence, while making steady progress in exploring and developing future growth opportunities. During the Reporting Period, revenue of IT segment increased by 8% year-on-year to RMB 357.212 billion, and net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by 48%.

Banque Internationale a Luxembourg S.A. (\Banque Internationale a Luxembourg\ or \BIL\) achieved good performance in the first fiscal year after Legend Holdings\-\- acquisition. The assets under management increased by 10.3% year-on-year to EUR43.5 billion and profit before tax from core businesses increased by 20% year-on-year to EUR136 million. The CET-1 ratio rose to 12.47%. During the Reporting Period, BIL has cooperated with Legend Capital and Legend Star, and the advantage intra-portfolio synergy presented well. In September 2019, BIL opened its Beijing Representative Office; in October, it obtained the approval from European and Hong Kong regulators for acquiring a Hong Kong-based wealth management company. According to BIL\-\-s latest five-year strategy plan, its new businesses in China will become a strategic focus. During the Reporting Period, revenue of the financial services segment increased by 27% year-on-year to RMB8.815 billion, and net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB 2.076 billion. Lakala, one of the portfolio companies of financial services segment, was successfully listed on the ChiNext Board on April 25, 2019, becoming the first A-share public third-party payment company, which is one of the successful \two-wheel-drive\ examples between Legend Holdings and Legend Capital. After the listing, its fast-growing market capitalization also boosted the fair value of the equities Legend Holdings holds in it.

Joyvio Group categorizes fruit and high-end animal protein from seafood as its two main business lines. In 2019, it made further progress in establishing a business presence along the whole industrial chain with global footprint. Joyvio Agriculture, its high-end animal protein operating platform, acquired a Chilean salmon asset, turning the first Chinese company to acquire high-quality salmon upstream assets overseas. As a result, the deal consolidates and enhances its ability to control over upstream high-quality resources in short supply. In addition, the fruit supply chain platform Joy Wing Mau filed for domestic IPO counseling in September 2019, which further consolidated its leading position in the industry. During the Reporting Period, the revenue and the net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company of the agriculture and food segment increased by 21% and 10% year-on-year, to RMB 15.695 billion and RMB 230 million, respectively.

Levima Advanced Materials has actively extended to the upstream and downstream value chain, and an initial presence along the industrial chain was successfully created. Levima is a greenfield investment cultivated all by Legend Holdings and it is currently actively promoting its A-share listing. In the future, it will further integrate the advantages given by CAS and make new breakthroughs in the downstream fine chemicals. During the Reporting Period, Levima Group saw its profit increase by 147% year-on-year to RMB523 million, reaching the highest since it was put into full production. Revenue of the advanced manufacturing and professional services segment recorded RMB 5.947 billion, and the net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by 82% year-on-year to RMB476 million. The IPO project of China Eastern Air Logistics is now progressing smoothly.

The year 2019 is challenging for innovative consumption and service industries. The divergence of business sentiment has become more and more apparent. On the one hand, the Company has carried out in-depth research and continuous tracking of the macro environment and industry trends with emphasis on sub-sectors. On the other hand, the Company has been constantly strengthening the two-wheel-drive model of companies in the financial investment segment including Legend Star, Legend Capital and Hony Capital, so as to explore a variety of joint investment opportunities. During the Reporting Period, revenue of the innovation consumption and services segment recorded RMB 905 million.

Financial investments continued to contribute to the backflow of funds, successfully raised fund despite market recession

During the Reporting Period, net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company of financial investments segment increased by 68% year-on-year to RMB 906 million. The three financial investment platforms adapted to current circumstances, proactively adjusted the investment pace and exited from their projects in a timely and decisive manner, generating more than RMB 5 billion of cash back, playing a key role in overall resource allocation. Meanwhile, each fund platforms have successfully gained support from investors and raised funds despite market recession.

Legend Capital managed 21 funds in total, of which the size exceeded RMB50 billion. In 2019, Legend Capital launched three new funds raising RMB 9.391 billion, with the newly raised amount of over RMB4.2 billion. During the reporting period, a total of 29 new project investments were completed, 40 projects were fully or partially exited. 10 portfolio companies under its management were successfully listed domestic and overseas capital markets, contributing more than RMB2 billion cash back to Legend Holdings.

Legend Star, an angel investment firm, managed 7 funds in total, of which the size exceeded RMB2.5 billion with an aggregate of over 260 onshore or offshore investment projects. During the Reporting Period, Legend Star maintained a steady growth, and forged competitiveness and influence in frontier technologies and healthcare. Legend Star invested in nearly 30 onshore or offshore projects, nearly 60 projects under management undertook follow-on financing, while 20 projects were already exited. During the Reporting Period, the 4th RMB fund and 4th USD fund completed first closing.

Hony Capital, an investment management firm, managed 12 funds in total, of which the size exceeded RMB80 billion, currently covers PE, real estate, public fund management, hedge fund and innovative investment businesses. During the Reporting Period, Hony Capital completed the final closing of its cultural industry fund, and the 3rd property fund sent the notice for the first closing. Hony Horizon has issued 4 new funds in total. Hony Capital has promoted the investments and project exits in an orderly manner, contributing more than RMB1.2 billion cash back to Legend Holdings.

Consolidating core business fundamentals, a brand-new blueprint for the future

Facing a challenging external environment, safe and steady business operation was regarded as the Company\-\-s top priority, while always keeping risk awareness and resilience in mind. The Head Office strengthened its diverse financing capabilities, encouraging and helping its portfolio companies to improve their financing capabilities. At present, Legend Holdings has an overall cash reserve of RMB62.3 billion and the unused bank line of credit of Head Office stood at RMB89.2 billion, which effectively satisfies the needs of the company\-\-s business development.

The external environment in 2020 is not yet optimistic. The COVID-19 and capital market turmoil at the beginning of 2020have compounded the challenges and uncertainties of the business environment. While ensuring prevention and fight against the disease, Legend Holdings immediately provided management support to the portfolio companies, helping them to make dynamic assessments on the business operation and to adopt measures to survive the epidemic. The Company will steadily advance various previously established plans at this stage in accordance with its established strategy, the Company will take a comprehensive and prudent method in evaluating the resource investments and risks, being sensitive and aware of complex changes, adapting to circumstances, developing with innovation, together with a more systematic framework for future strategies.

Firstly, Legend Holdings will accelerate building pillar assets and is confident to build new business pillars and leading companies in niche markets in finance, agriculture and food, and new materials other than IT. At the same time, the Company will further focus on main business and accelerate the backflow of resources, so as to accumulate adequate resources for the upcoming business layout in the new strategic cycle. Legend Holdings will also continue to build up the synergy under the \two-wheel-drive\ model, develop the projects of portfolio companies of financial investments sector, which meet the strategic investment standards, particularly projects in TMT, artificial intelligence, healthcare, high-end manufacturing and other specific sectors. In addition, the Company will make greater efforts in talents development. Legend Holdings will further reform the performance appraisal and incentives, while building core competitiveness for the Company\-\-s sustainable development in the future.

Mr. Ning Min, chairman and executive director of Legend Holdings, reminded us that Legend Holdings celebrated the 35th anniversary of establishment this year. As an independently established Chinese enterprise, Legend Holdings is representative in exploration of equity structure, management philosophy, corporate culture and other mechanisms and systems. In 2019, the Company also completed the inter-generational inheritance of core leadership in accordance with its established strategy. In the future, Legend Holdings will adhere to its original entrepreneurial spirit, distinctive management style and cultural foundations. At the same time, \strategies\ and \talents\ are considered as entry points of the Company to solve important issues related to the Company\-\-s healthy and sustainable development and creating new corporate value. Standing at the transition between old and new strategic cycles, the existing business still needs to be further optimized and improved, while unexpected challenges are coming. Despite of that, Legend Holdings will always look at the Company\-\-s development with a long-term perspective, and bolster businesses fundamentals while also paying close attention to new changes in the industry. Legend Holdings aims to broaden its horizons and enrich its reference frame when establishing next medium-term strategies. The Company also believes that a temporary epidemic will not change the long-term growth of China\-\-s consumption capacity, the development trend of the global supply chain and the huge reserve of talents of high quality. The Company is confident in the potential, momentum, and resilience of Chinese economy fundamentals.
With the Government directives brought into action earlier this week, Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) has had to change certain aspects of their working practices, while also ensuring that it doesnt impact negatively on the registered firms and the level of service that the company provides to customers.

UKAS accreditation

SSAIB is fully aware of the uncertainty and worry that our firms will be facing at this difficult time"

Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alex Carmichael said, SSAIB is fully aware of the uncertainty and worry that our firms will be facing at this difficult time, but we would like to remind each and every one of you that we are here to support you and we want to work together with you all - as were all in this together until a resolution to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found.

He adds, Therefore, I just want to provide you with an update as to what we are doing to keep our firms and our staff safe, while still being able to provide SSAIB certification and comply with our own requirements for United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation.

Ensuring safety of office staff

The company has taken the decision to close the SSAIB office to ensure the safety of the office staff. All members of staff have been issued with everything they need in order to work from home, so the office will still be fully manned remotely - until such time as these latest Government restrictions are relaxed  and the company will be doing all that it can to ensure that there is no interruption in service, during what is a big transition period.

Carmichael further said, As you will all be aware, our auditors are out in the field day in, day out visiting you all for your initial or annual inspections. However, again, to try and avoid  or limit  the spread of this virus, we have started rolling out remote audits and the hope is to have them fully up and running by Monday March 30.

Supporting registered firms

He adds, This will allow us to carry on with our certification requirements, while ensuring that the health and wellbeing of our registered firms and our auditors is not compromised in any way. Our auditors are still here to help you and, if you are worried about your audit or are unsure as to what you need to have in place in order to be able to be audited remotely, please give us a call on 0191 296 3242 and we can pass a message on for them to get in touch with you to discuss your issues.

SSAIB understands that this is a situation that is unprecedented in its scale and no one has ever found themselves in before, so the company will do their best to answer all queries that people might have with regards to this pandemic.

COVID-19 FAQs accessible via official online portal

SSAIB has put up a list of COVID-19 FAQs accessible via the Registered Firms portal of the SSAIBs website

The company has put up a list of COVID-19 FAQs accessible via the Registered Firms portal of the SSAIBs website and these will continue to be updated as and when new information is released. Therefore, should anyone have an issue or question that is not covered already, please get in touch and not only will they be resolved, but also added to the list so that it can  potentially  help anyone else looking for the same answer(s) as well.

SSAIB is fully aware of the impact of COVID-19 on peoples jobs and livelihoods. Should anyone find that they are struggling to make a payment, through no fault of their own, please contact the companys helpline as soon as possible  as it gives SSAIB the best chance of providing immediate support to the people concerned.

Working Together

Carmichael concluded, We really are doing our best to manage a very difficult situation, so we thank you for your patience, understanding and support at this time. As we do everything in our power to carry out providing third-party certification to you all, your positive comments to our staff really do make all the difference.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A judge on Friday cited the global coronavirus pandemic when he ordered the release from the Cuyahoga County Jail of a 54-year-old man who received a 135-day sentence last week violating probation on a 2017 misdemeanor theft conviction.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan granted what is known as an emergency writ of habeas corpus ordering the release of William Demmings. The judge wrote that the sentence to the jail amid the COVID-19 crisis on a misdemeanor amounted to a violation of the Eighth Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Pinkey S. Carr sentenced Demmings during a March 17 court hearing. Carr has since come under fire for holding court hearings after the court told the public to not show up for certain court hearings.

Demmings is the third person that Sheehan has ordered released from jail in the last week as county officials have curtailed court hearings, staff and operations to prevent community spread of the coronavirus in the courthouse and within the jail. The cutbacks have allowed judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys to focus on expediting cases involving defendants in jail to reduce the number of inmates from 1,900 to close to 1,000 to make room in case a quarantine is needed.

Sheehan, on March 20, ordered the releases of a woman whom Carr sentenced to on March 10 to 60 days in jail for driving on a suspended license and a woman who Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Sheila Turner McCall sentenced the same day to 30 days in jail for contempt of court.

Demmings was initially sentenced to three years in prison in 2014 after he pleaded guilty to robbery. After his release, he picked up a petty theft case in 2017. Carr sentenced him to two years of probation and suspended a sentence of 180 days in jail. Demmings failed to show up to court, and tested positive for cocaine in December 2018, Carr said in court.

He didnt show up for other court hearings throughout 2019, and a grand jury indicted him on a felony escape charge for failure to report to his probation officer, records show.

He was arrested in early February and remained in jail ever since, records say.

Demmings cleared up the felony case on March 10 when he pleaded guilty, and Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Fuerst sentenced him to time served.

He appeared via video feed from the jail in Carrs courtroom a week later. Demmings told Carr that he had been in and out of substance abuse treatment during 2019 and had counted on counselors to send her bailiff paperwork, according to a video of the proceeding.

Carr, citing a recommendation from Demmings probation officer that another shot at probation would not be appropriate, imposed the original sentence of 180 days and gave Demmings credit for the 45 days he had already spent behind bars.

Weve danced this dance for three years, Carr told Demmings.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Public Defender Mark Jablonski asked Carr to consider releasing Demmings that day and letting him report to the jail at a later date to serve the remainder of his sentence, citing whats going on with the global pandemic.

Carr rejected the request.

Hes already there, hes not going anywhere, Carr said.

The hearing came during a three-day period in which Carr held court hearings that did not comply with an administrative order by the courts chief judge, Michelle Earley, stating all hearings were postponed except for those involving defendants in jail.

Demmings was in jail at the time, so his hearing would not have been affected by the order.

Carrs actions on those days triggered the public defenders office to ask two separate courts to force Carr to comply with Earleys order and stop holding court hearings for people on bond.

Both the 8th District Court of Appeals and Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen OConnor ordered Carr to stop holding hearings outside the scope of the order. OConnor, however, rejected a request from the public defenders office to indefinitely disqualify Carr from holding any traffic or criminal court hearings.

Read more

Ohio Supreme Court orders Judge Pinkey Carr to comply with order limiting hearings during coronavirus

HIV-positive prison inmate in Ohio argues to state Supreme Court that imprisonment during coronavirus is a death sentence

Cuyahoga County judges, lawyers create task force to evaluate courthouse response to new coronavirus era'

Immigration advocates ask Ohio to release inmates, ICE detainees due to coronavirus outbreak

Cleveland Municipal Court announces more cutbacks to operations as coronavirus concerns continue
The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC), the exclusive provider of workers compensation insurance in the state, is allowing insurance premium installment payments due for March, April, and May to be deferred until June 1.

The BWC serves 249,000 public and private employers. The bureau said it made the decision to allow deferred payments in order to help businesses in the state suffering hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said the it would reconsider the deferral policy on June 1.

Coverage will not be canceled and penalties will not be assessed by the BWC over premiums not paid during the time period as a result of the current health emergency.

The deferred installment premium payments are estimated to total around $200 million.

Source: Ohio BWC

Topics Workers' Compensation Ohio
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (OTCQB: UGEIF) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in commercial and community solar energy solutions, is pleased to announce that it has signed three agreements to develop, build, and finance solar projects, including the Company's largest US project in its history.

First, UGE signed a 6.6MW project in Westchester, NY. The project, on a well-known corporate campus, will take advantage of New York's community solar program by feeding energy into the grid and providing energy credits to community solar subscribers at a discounted rate. The project is approximately 12-15 times the size of UGE's average project and, when completed, will produce power for an estimated 1,000 homes for the duration of the system's lifetime. UGE has also reserved the option with the utility to couple the solar system with battery storage, which would provide a further boost to project revenue and returns.

Second, UGE signed a nine-site portfolio in New York City for a repeat client. The 1.7MW project portfolio will lease the rooftops of the buildings on which UGE will install solar systems. The projects will utilize the same community solar subscription program as described above, offering New York City residents an opportunity to save on their energy bills through solar energy.

Third, UGE signed an agreement to develop, build, and finance a community solar project in Maine. The project is expected to have a rated capacity of 1.1MW and will feed its energy directly into the grid as part of the state's solar net metering framework. In the past six months, Maine has become a top community solar market and UGE has affirmed itself as a leading market participant, with a pipeline of opportunities throughout the state.

The three solar projects have a total rated capacity of 9.4MW, with an estimated present value of almost USD$20 million across the portfolios. The Company expects to complete the projects through the end of 2021 with gross margins in line with its current expectations for self-developed projects.

"UGE continues to see growing demand, even in the face of the sudden downturn in the economy," said UGE's CEO, Nick Blitterswyk. "Community solar allows real estate owners to boost revenue by receiving lease payments for their empty rooftops and open land, which is especially attractive during a time when their revenue may otherwise be decreasing."

About UGE International Ltd.

UGE delivers immediate savings to businesses through the low cost of solar energy. We help commercial and industrial clients become more competitive by providing low cost distributed renewable energy solutions at no upfront cost and maximum long-term benefit. With over 380 MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world. Visit us at www.ugei.com.

Contact:

investors@ugei.com

917-720-5685

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53881
Since coronavirus is spread from the droplets released by an infected person, grocery chain Gerritys Supermarket in Hanover Township dumped the items that the woman coughed on.

Food items worth $35,000 were discarded from a grocery store in Pennsylvania after a woman intentionally coughed on them.

Since coronavirus is spread from the droplets released by an infected person, grocery chain Gerritys Supermarket in Hanover Township dumped the items that the woman coughed on.

A report by CNN mentioned police chief Albert Walker saying that the staff of the grocery store removed her and informed about the incident to Hanover Township Police. The police traced the woman a few hours later and took her into custody.

The police said that they plan to file criminal charge against her for intentionally contaminating the food. The charges will be slapped after checking her mental health status, they added.

Joe Fasula, co-owner of the grocery store, wrote on Facebook that the officials do not believe that the woman was infected with coronavirus but "will make every effort to see that she is tested."

The store also took the help of a local health inspector to identify and disinfect the areas where she entered.

I am absolutely sick to my stomach about the loss of food. While it is always a shame when food is wasted, in these times when so many people are worried about the security of our food supply, it is even more disturbing, Fasula said.

The incident comes amid fears that large scale hoarding of supplies by the general public could soon dry up the US food supply chain.
EPA

Donald Trump has activated emergency powers under the Defense Protection Act to force General Motors to start producing ventilators to help fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The decision comes after weeks during which the president has resisted a growing clamour from governors to invoke the DPA. He has previously insisted there was no need to do so because so many companies were voluntarily turning their output towards the battle against Covid-19.

He also signed the $2.2trn stimulus bill which had earlier passed the House without issues, despite libertarian-minded Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie threatening to stall it in protest at the lack of scrutiny it had received.

Criticism of Mr Massie had made unlikely allies  albeit temporary ones  of Mr Trump and former Democratic secretary of state and 2004 presidential nominee John Kerry.

Please allow a moment for our live blog to load
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 28, 2020 04:05 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206df0a4a 1 World virus-corona,COVID-19,Japan,travel-restriction,Visa,suspension,travel-ban,coronavirus Free

Japan is set to bar entry to citizens of several countries, including Indonesia, wishing to travel to the country starting on Saturday, following a consistent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the East Asian nation.

According to the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan recorded 101 new cases on Friday morning, bringing the tally to 1,402 nationwide, resulting in 45 deaths.

As of Friday, Tokyo had recorded 267 cases, putting the capital prefecture on top of the list with the highest tally, surpassing Hokkaido.

The visa suspension will come into effect on Saturday for visitors from several countries, including Indonesia. However, foreigners registered as residents for work or study purposes are still allowed to enter Japan but must be willing to be quarantined for 14 days.

Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia suspends visa-free policy, expands ban for people from worst-hit countries

The embassy said visa-free or visa-waiver policies would also be revoked upon the enactment of the new policy. The same goes for people traveling with APEC business travel cards, as they will not be allowed to enter Japan.

Visas issued before March 27 by the Japanese mission in Indonesia will no longer be valid. New visa issuance will be halted starting from March 28.

The new policy will be implemented until the end of April and could be extended, the embassy said.

Japan has yet to impose a lockdown, but stores and offices have been closed to implement social distancing and a work-from-home policy. However, it did not stop people in the capital shopping for food and household supplies, albeit in a calm and orderly manner, said the embassy.

Read also: Indonesia, Japan commit to 'cooperation' against COVID-19

The Japanese government has decided to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for a maximum of one year, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying he wanted to see the worlds biggest sporting event become the beacon of the international community coming together to address mutual challenges, the embassy wrote.

The embassy is consistently monitoring Indonesian citizens in Japan and is calling on them to obey instructions from the authorities.

Assistance and help from the embassy can be accessed through its hotline at +818049407419 and email consular@kbritokyo.jp, as well as the website m.kbritokyo.jp.
Lithuania Joins the International Maritime Security Construct

U.S. Central Command

Coalition Task Force SENTINEL Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain, March 26, 2020 -- The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) welcomes Lithuania's participation in the multinational efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security throughout key waterways in the Middle East.

Lithuania is the eighth member nation to join the IMSC since it formed in November 2019. Other members include Albania, Australia, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The IMSC is enabling nations to work cooperatively to promote the free flow of commerce, deter threats to shipping, and enhance maritime domain awareness and surveillance in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hurmuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Oman.

British Royal Navy Commodore James Parkin, the Commander of IMSC, expressed his appreciation to the Lithuanians for taking a leading role in regional security matters.

"As the eighth member of the IMSC, Lithuania joins us to ensure the safety of all our shipping in the Gulf region and we look forward to other nations joining our operation," said Parkin. "Threats to the free flow of commerce are an international problem, and we are honoured that Lithuania is now part of the team assisting in upholding the principles of freedom of navigation."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UTICA, N.Y.  Human Technologies in Utica has won a $7.7 million contract to provide facility management services to the United States Navy.

The company currently manages facilities in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware; and will now manage three Marine Force Reserve training sites.

Human Technologies will perform preventive maintenance and repairs to HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems. They will also provide janitorial, grounds maintenance, snow removal, waste removal and pest control services.

We are very happy to continue our great relationship with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, said Gregory Frank, chief operating officer. Weve maintained 12 facilities throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware since 2008. This award affirms the great work we do to support the United States Navys mission.

The Facilities Management Services division has a staff of 24, and anticipates bringing in more than $4.2 million in revenue this year.
Singing from windows while isolating due to the coronavirus has become somewhat of a trend around the world, but for one New Yorker it struck the wrong note.

A hilarious video shared on Twitter by Zoe Stuckless shows a man leaning from his window while belting out a tune.

Moments after the short clip starts, another man shouts 'shut the f**k up,' but the songbird continues, seemingly without skipping a beat. A woman is heard giggling in the background.

A hilarious video shared on Twitter by Zoe Stuckless shows a man leaning from his window while belting out a tune in New York City

Stuckless shared the video with the caption: 'How NYC handles balcony singing.'

Fashion journalist Leo Rivera told DailyMail.com it was him in the video singing and the clip was filmed on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

He said he was singing 'Vivo Por Ella,' the Spanish version of 'Vivo Per Lei' by Andrea Bocelli.

'I decided to do it because I was going crazy at home,' he said. 'I havent left my apartment in 18 days now.

People are pictured shopping at the Union Square Farmers Market during the coronavirus outbreak on March 27

'I think I filmed this when I was on Day 10, quarantining myself.'

Rivera said he wasn't offended at all by the reaction to his singing, telling DailyMail.com: 'I laughed so hard. I think the video shows how blunt New Yorkers are, which is actually one of my favorite things about them. And it hasnt stopped me from singing at all.'
(Alliance News) -A Anglo American PLC on Friday warned of a hit to production due to the outbreak of Covid-19 as it complies with the South African government's 21-day national lockdown.

At Kumba Iron Ore Ltd, the Sishen and Kolomela mines continue to operate, but with half the workforce.

At Anglo American Platinum, the Mogalakwena mine and the mechanised Mototolo mine continue to operate with a reduced workforce and production. The Amandelbult, Modikwa and Kroondal underground mines, as well as the Mortimer and Waterfall smelters, are being placed onto care and maintenance.

Meanwhile, thermal coal operations continue with the workforce reduced by up to 70%.

"In South Africa, our operations play a vital role in many of our host communities, including in terms of jobs and the provision of a number of essential community services, including access to water, energy and accommodation. We are wholly committed to supporting the country's effort to combat Covid-19, including continuity of such services, and will continue to work with government and across the industry to provide all possible support," said Anglo American Chief Executive Mark Cutifani.

Based on South Africa's lockdown and allowing for a safe ramp-up of operations again, Anglo American expects a hit to 2020 production volumes between 2 million tonnes to 3 million tonnes at Kumba, due to the reduced workforce, and a 1.5 million to 2 million tonne hit to export thermal coal.

Elsewhere, Anglo America noted Peru has extended its national quarantine period by 13 days to April 12. As announced on earlier in March, Anglo American has temporarily withdrawn the majority of employees and contractors from its Quellaveco copper project and construction work is significantly reduced, with only critical areas of the project continuing as normal, until workers can return safely.

The firm has also paused most construction and development activity on its Woodsmith polyhalite project in the UK, which was recently purchased via the acquisition of Sirius Minerals PLC for just over GBP400 million.

"Production from Anglo American's major operations in other countries has not been impacted materially to date and we are taking all appropriate preventative measures to reduce the probability of the virus spreading, including by reducing the density of people on our sites," Anglo American said.

Shares in Anglo American were down 2.2% at 1,365.00 pence in London early Friday. In Johannesburg, the stock was up 2.8% at ZAR288.17.

Amplats was up 7.7% at ZAR782.45 and Kumba down 2.4% at ZAR291.73, both in Johannesburg.

By Lucy Heming;A lucyheming@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
With a nationwide lockdown in place, it may have become harder than usual for people, especially for the migrant daily wage earners and the homless to get some food and supplies. The government has assured people that supply of essential items will continue unabated. But while governments across the country are working hard to provide food to people, there are good samaritans who are helping out fellow citizens.

From providing food to sanitizers and masks, these people are nothing short of a godsend.

Take a look and let's applaud these heroes!

Volunteers distribute food packets to needy people during a nationwide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic in Patna. Bihar has has six positive cases of coronavirus and one person has died. Photograph: ANI Photo

Sikh volunteers and district administration distributing food to homeless people during the lockdown in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar in Punjab. Photograph: ANI Photo

Police distribute food to poor people during lockdown, in the view of coronavirus pandemic, in Patiala. The Punjab police received great praise for showing a more humane approach during the lockdown. The police personnel organised langars (community meal) to feed those who can barely manage a meal without their daily wage. Photograph: PTI Photo

A Delhi Police personnel distributes food to rickshaw-puller during the lockdown in Delhi. While there have been some criticism of the police making people squat and other punishments for violating the curfew, more or less they have been doing a stellar job. Photograph: ANI Photo

ADG Prem Prakash and other police personnel distribute food to homeless people in Prayagraj. Photograph: PTI Photo

Volunteers of Siddhivinayak Temple Trust distribute food and bottled water to police and traffic police personnel deployed on duty during the nationwide lockdown at Mahim in Mumbai. Day and night, the cops without fear have been serving the citizens. Photograph: Kunal Patil/PTI Photo

Volunteers provide sanitizer to security personnel on duty, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

City Corporation of Panaji workers packing the food items to distribute among the citizens during the complete lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic in Panaji. Photograph: ANI Photo

Volunteers bravely step out to hand over masks in Jammu to try to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Photograph: PTI Photo
(CNN)  Just over a week ago, President Vladimir Putin said Russia had the spread of coronavirus "under control." Now the country is changing tactics, as authorities acknowledge they are gearing up for a major Covid-19 outbreak.

In a nationwide address Wednesday, Putin conceded that it was "objectively impossible to stop [coronavirus] from spilling over" into a country of Russia's size. He urged Russians to "understand the complexity of the situation" and stay home, declaring next week to be a paid stay-at-home holiday.

It was a classic presidential performance, but Putin stopped short of delivering a bitter pill to the public. While he announced a number of measures to bolster the country's economy and encouraged citizens to stay home, he left it to other officials to announce more sweeping lockdown measures

On the morning following his speech, the Russian government announced it would seal its borders and cancel all international flights, with the exception of repatriation planes that are expected to bring thousands more Russians home from hard-hit areas.

Other officials are taking the coronavirus effort a step further. For days, the Kremlin had insisted that plans to quarantine residents of the capital were not on the table. But on Thursday, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin effectively moved to hit the pause button for the country's most vibrant economy, closing all restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and parks in the capital for a week starting Saturday.

Those measures are the strictest Russia has seen so far, as its official coronavirus toll began to increase rapidly. On Thursday, health officials reported the largest one-day increase to date with 182 new cases, bringing the total number to 840. Three people have died of Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The official narrative around the dangers the virus poses to Russia has also begun a subtle shift. Here, again, Moscow has taken the lead. Top Russian officials originally said preventive measures, such as closing the borders with China and testing people coming back from badly affected areas like Iran, helped delay the outbreak.

But the country did not immediately move to take samples from people coming elsewhere, especially Europe. The majority of early cases in Russia were reported to have been brought from Italy. And on Tuesday, Mayor Sobyanin took the unusual public step of telling Putin in a meeting that previous official figures had likely been underestimated, as many Russians returning from trips abroad did not get tested.

"Half of all people who came from abroad passed through Moscow, and the Muscovites themselves love to travel as well," Sobyanin said late Wednesday after Putin's address, referring to well-heeled Russians who often like to spend spring breaks at French ski resorts. "Many people have also visited Courchevel and brought a suitcase of viruses from there."

The messages, however, remain mixed. Despite the alarming trajectory of cases, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a conference call Thursday that there was no need to panic in Russia.

"There is no de facto epidemic [here]," Peskov said. "And de facto our situation is much better than in many countries, that is definitely due to the measures that our government began to take in advance in advance."

The numbers are likely to continue to grow quickly, now that private testing is available locally and the government has issued a directive to test everyone arriving in Russia.

Meanwhile, the medical professionals are preparing in case things get much worse, with local governments rushing to buy ventilators and expand ICU capacities.

Nikolai Malyshev, the chief infectious diseases specialist with the Moscow branch of the health ministry, warned that an "explosive development like a nuclear reaction" is not out of the question, suggesting that "a huge number of people will be infected."

"At first, we saw a linear increase of patients," Malyshev said in an interview aired late Wednesday on the state-run Russia 1 channel. "But now it is exponential."

It remains to be seen, then, if the Kremlin's messaging will fall in line with that reality.

This story was first published on CNN.com "The Kremlin sends mixed messages on coronavirus as Russian cases spiral"
PORTLAND, Ore.  Oregon public health officials have identified 98 new cases of the new coronavirus in the state as of 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 27 as well as another fatality.

The Oregon Health Authority said that there are now a total of 414 people in the state who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through a positive test.

We want to keep you informed about #COVID19 in #Oregon. Data are provisional and change frequently. For more information visit https://t.co/8j877CDXxd pic.twitter.com/RuUc0mzAfN  OR Health Authority (@OHAOregon) March 27, 2020

OHA is reporting 50 total new cases in the following counties: 10 cases in Clackamas, one in Columbia, three in Deschutes, one in Douglas, two in Jackson, one in Klamath, two in Lane, two in Linn, 26 in Marion, one in Morrow, 22 in Multnomah, four in Polk, one in Umatilla, one in Wasco, 18 in Washington, and four in Yamhill.

Samples for 8,510 people have tested negative for COVID-19 in the state so far.

SPECIAL SECTION: Coronavirus Watch

Oregons 12th COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old woman in Marion County. She tested positive on March 20, and died March 25 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying medical conditions, OHA said.

Ongoing recommendations for COVID-19

People vulnerable to complications should follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to stay home as much as possible and avoid gatherings. Every resident should take these basic steps to protect themselves and those most at risk:

Never visit a hospital or long-term-care facility if you have a fever or cough.

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces like bathrooms, desks, countertops, doorknobs, computer keyboards, faucet handles, toys and cell phones.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Stay home and away from others if you are ill.

After someone contracts COVID-19, illness usually develops within 14 days, OHA said. Symptoms mirror those of the flu, including fever, cough, runny nose, headache, sore throat and general feelings of illness.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday opened its borders with its all-weather ally China for a day to accept Chinese medical supplies to fight the growing coronavirus outbreak in the country which has infected 1,235 people and claimed nine lives, officials said.

China on Thursday asked Pakistan to open the border between the two countries for one day on Friday so that medical supplies to fight coronavirus pandemic could be transported into the country.

According to Pakistan's health ministry, the number of confirmed cases are nearly 1,235 with Sindh province on the top with 429 patients.

The largest province of Punjab followed with 408, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 147, Balochistan 131, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 91, Islamabad 27 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with 2 patients.

According to the government data, 9 patients have died, 23 have recovered and 7 are in critical condition.

One new case was reported in PoK, taking the tally to 2. Complete lockdown has been imposed by the regional government and strict measures were taken to prevent the further spread.

China was providing critical medical supplies to Pakistan and the Khunjerab pass between the two countries was opened on Friday to let the goods enter Pakistan, according to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

"Medical supplies from Xinjiang, China to Pakistan is delivered through Khunjerab (5,000m) port today, highest land port on Earth. Both sides from China and Pakistan braved the cold, cleared the roads, made good preparations for the delivery of the medical supplies at the Khunjerab Pass, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan tweeted on Friday.

Meanwhile, several cases of extreme negligence were also being reported from different areas.

A person with suspected coronavirus infection in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was allowed to go home after giving samples on March 24, Geo News reported. Later, he was tested positive and the authorities took him to a hospital and put the entire village in quarantine.
Michigans senators said a historic $2.2 trillion economic aid package to blunt the impact of COVID-19 needs should be quickly followed with action to secure more resources for hospitals facing shortages of basic medical equipment.

The Senate unanimously approved the economic rescue bill Wednesday, which provides unprecedented aid to businesses, workers and health care systems dealing with the coronavirus pandemic nationwide. U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, celebrated the action but said Congress needs to keep a focus on addressing the immediate needs of health care workers.

Were not going to be able to turn the economy back on ... if we dont tackle the health crisis, Stabenow said on a call with reporters Thursday.

The bill, which is expected to pass in the U.S. House Friday, would provide one-time direct payments to Americans, an increase of unemployment insurance benefits and loans for small businesses and larger corporations, among other items to boost an economy showing signs of recession.

The Senate bill makes every adult making under $75,000 annually eligible to receive a $1,200 direct payment. Families with children can receive $500 per child, with no cap for larger families, Peters said.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported 3.3 million unemployment claims were filed last week, setting a national record. Peters fought to add a provision that expands eligibility for unemployment assistance, securing aid for workers who exhausted their state unemployment benefits or would not usually qualify, such as people who are self-employed, freelancers, independent contractors, seasonal workers and people who recently started or were about to start a new job.

We have folks that are suddenly finding themselves unemployed and not knowing where the next paycheck is, Peters said. The anxiety is very high. This is a rare financial crisis thats, that is based on a public health crisis. We have to solve the public health crisis in order to get the economy moving, but we have to do both simultaneously."

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

A total of $100 billion -- roughly 5% of the funding -- is set aside for grants to hospitals and health care organizations. The funding can be used to purchase protective gear for health care workers and assist hospitals facing what Peters called a financial crisis."

As they treat patients for the coronavirus, that means a lot of the other procedures they do where they generate revenue is not coming into the hospital and our rural hospitals, in particular, are going to face incredible stress, he said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been vocal about the shortage of COVID-19 tests and personal protection equipment, highlighting the need again at a Thursday press conference. The state is working to secure private contracts for masks and other equipment in the meantime.

We should be able to harness the federal power to ensure that everyone has got what they need; thats not happened," Whitmer said.

Health care systems across the state are seeking donations of masks, face shields, testing swabs, Lysol wipes and other basic gear. Meanwhile, Michigan businesses have started to transition their factories to produce personal protection equipment and ventilators.

Whitmer said Michigan has received 13 million N95 masks, 226,000 surgical masks, 35,000 hospital gowns, more than 4 million gloves, nearly 100,000 face shields, 250 beds and thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer from private groups.

The governor said its not enough.

Right now, medical professionals across the state have no choice but to re-use facemasks, Whitmer said. This increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 at a time when we should be doing everything we can to mitigate it."

All 16 members of Michigans congressional delegation sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday uring the administration to approve pending requests for personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing materials.

Stabenow said Whitmers requests have not been fulfilled.

I think shes getting about 25% of what shes been asking for for the National Stockpile, Stabenow said. Its extremely chaotic and the lack of cohesive leadership or strategy is really hitting us now.

Sorry, but your browser does not support frames.

Michigan received two allocations of personal protective equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile, according to the letter. The delegation said those shipments are well short of the requests and we believe inadequate given the circumstances.

Michigan requested 200,000 swabs from the national stockpile on March 19 but have yet to receive them, according to the letter.

Peters is ranking member of a Senate subcommittee tasked with oversight of FEMA. He said the federal government did not have enough gear in stock to deal with a pandemic, and called on Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to compel manufactures to create more medical equipment.

The demands of hospitals across Michigan are significant and theyre going up as we continue to see cases accelerating, Peters said. At this point, the personal protection equipment coming from the federal government has not kept pace with the increasing demand. They need to step that up.

Peters said hes working to make sure personal protective equipment is allocated states where the need is greatest.

Right now, if you look at some of those formulas, its based primarily on population; that doesnt make much sense, Peters said. It should go to those areas that have hotspots. Those hospitals that are being overwhelmed, we have to allocate those resources in that manner."

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.

Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
BOTHELL, Wash., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ventec Life Systems announced today General Motors will build VOCSN critical care ventilators at GM's Kokomo, Indiana manufacturing facility with FDA-cleared ventilators scheduled to ship as soon as next month. This effort is in addition to Ventec taking aggressive steps to ramp up production at their manufacturing facility in Bothell, Washington.

Across all manufacturers, there is a global backorder of critical care ventilators capable of supporting patients fighting COVID-19. The companies are adding thousands of units of new capacity with a significantly expanded supply chain capable of supporting high volume production. GM is donating its resources at cost.

GM will also begin manufacturing FDA-cleared Level 1 surgical masks at its Warren, Michigan manufacturing facility. Production will begin next week and within two weeks ramp up to 50,000 masks per day, with the potential to increase to 100,000 per day.

Critical Care Ventilators

"This unique partnership combines Ventec's respiratory care expertise with GM's manufacturing might to produce sophisticated and high-quality critical care ventilators," said Chris Kiple, CEO of Ventec Life Systems. "This pandemic is unprecedented and so is this response, with incredible support from GM and their suppliers. Healthcare professionals on the front lines deserve the best tools to treat patients and precision critical care ventilators like VOCSN are what is necessary to save lives."

Ventec and GM are working around the clock to meet the urgent need for more ventilators. Efforts to set up tooling and manufacturing capacity at the GM Kokomo facility are already underway to produce Ventec's critical care ventilator, VOCSN. Depending on the needs of the federal government, Ventec and GM are poised to deliver the first ventilators next month and ramp up to a manufacturing capacity of more than 10,000 critical care ventilators per month with the infrastructure and capability to scale further.

"We are proud to stand with other American companies and our skilled employees to meet the needs of this global pandemic," said Mary Barra, GM chairman and CEO. "This partnership has rallied the GM enterprise and our global supply base to support Ventec, and the teams are working together with incredible passion and commitment. I am proud of this partnership as we work together to address urgent and life-saving needs."

GM will deploy an estimated 1,000 American workers to scale production of critical care ventilators immediately. Working with the UAW, GM has brought back employees from GM's Kokomo and Marion facilities.

Since Friday, March 20, Ventec and GM teams across manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, legal and others have been tirelessly and seamlessly working together to create and implement a plan for immediate, scaled production of critical care ventilators. The Ventec and GM global supply base developed sourcing plans for the more than 700 individual parts that are needed to build up to 200,000 VOCSN.

"GM is in the position to help build more ventilators because of the remarkable performance of GM and Ventec's global supply base," added Barra. "Our joint teams have moved mountains to find real solutions to save lives and fight the pandemic."

The Ventec Life Systems team has a history of patient-centric design which includes more than 18 care-changing respiratory devices and more than 40 patents. Ventec's leading product, VOCSN, is the first and only Multi-Function Ventilator and was FDA cleared in 2017. VOCSN seamlessly integrates five separate devices including a critical care ventilator, oxygen concentrator, cough assist, suction and nebulizer into a single portable device. VOCSN provides invasive and non-invasive ventilation across a comprehensive set of modes and settings throughout the care continuum from the hospital to the home.

GM's Kokomo facility supports the production of precision electrical components and is approximately 2.6 million square feet, located on more than 270 acres.

This partnership combines global expertise in manufacturing quality and a joint commitment to safety to give medical professionals and patients access to life-saving technology as rapidly as possible.

Level 1 Surgical Masks

In a separate effort, GM is expanding its support of medical equipment production by temporarily converting its Warren, Michigan plant to build Level 1 surgical masks. Production will begin next week and within two weeks ramp up to 50,000 masks per day, with the potential to increase to 100,000 per day. Daily mask production will be influenced by the availability of materials to build the masks.

The necessary machinery will be delivered to the Warren plant Friday morning and production of masks will begin next week.

This employee-led initiative was created, planned and approved in about 48 hours and involves GM's traditional supply base as well as new partnerships specific to the medical device industry. GM will be collaborating with governments and local suppliers to distribute the masks.

Ventec Life Systems is redefining respiratory care to improve patient outcomes and reduce caregiver challenges from the hospital to home. Ventec's leading product, VOCSN, is the first and only Multi-Function Ventilator that seamlessly integrates five devices - a critical care Ventilator, 6 L/min equivalent Oxygen concentrator, touch button Cough assist, hospital grade Suction, and a high-performance Nebulizer - into one integrated respiratory system that is lightweight and mobile. VOCSN is fully customizable to meet patient needs for pediatric and adult patients. Learn more at VentecLife.com and connect with Ventec on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) is a global company committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Holden, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, and Maven, its personal mobility brand, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

SOURCE General Motors Co.

Related Links

http://www.gm.com


A five-year-old Yemeni boy stands outside a site for internally displaced people in Marib, Yemen, where conflict has forced thousands to flee.  UNHCR/Marie-Joelle Jean-Charles

Nasra described the scene of chaos and panic during the night in late February when she and her husband, together with a dozen of their children and grandchildren, fled their home in Al Khaniq displacement camp to escape the latest upsurge in violence in Yemens five-year conflict.

We left in the middle of the night, crying, with nothing but the clothes we were wearing, Nasra, 58, said. Some of us had left with no shoes on. We walked through the desert for three days, with no food and no water.

They made the harrowing trek to safety alongside hundreds of others, eventually finding shelter in a site for the displaced in Al Suwayda, near the city of Marib. Since the end of January, more than 40,000 people  mostly women and children  have fled to the area. Marib now hosts 750,000 displaced Yemenis, who outnumber the citys original population of 500,000.

The latest influx has put even more pressure on overstretched services and humanitarian assistance, leading to desperate living conditions for those like Nasra who arrived with nothing, despite the best efforts of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

They gave us tents but they are already damaged by the wind, Nasra explained. We have little food. There is no water. No toilets. No doctor. My daughter is eight months pregnant but has not seen a doctor since weve arrived almost a month ago.

"We have little food. There is no water. No toilets. No doctor."

Since the start of the conflict in 2015, more than 3.6 million people have been driven from their homes. With more than 24 million people across the country in need of assistance, it remains the worlds largest humanitarian crisis.

As thousands continue to stream into Marib city and nearby areas in search of safety, humanitarian needs are fast accruing and basic services and assistance are overstretched, UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told a news briefing in Geneva on Friday. "Public services including hospitals and schools are struggling to cope with the growing population."

Like many of the countrys displaced population, some of the new arrivals in Marib were fleeing for the second or third time since the start of the conflict. Daglaa, a 52-year-old widow, left Al Khaniq displacement camp to escape the fighting with her son and daughter-in-law, five years after first being forced from her home in Nihm, east of the capital Sanaa.

In Al Khaniq we had access to everything: food, water, homes, we could visit the doctor. It was not our home, but we had found normalcy, Daglaa said. That is until fighting broke out and we were forced to flee again, leaving everything behind.

We all ran into the desert. You could hear the women crying. Some left with nothing, not even their veils, she added. I pray to god for peace so I can return home to Nihm.

This week UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19, calling it a common enemy that is now threatening all of humankind.

UNHCR's top official in Yemen, Jean-Nicolas Beuze, today welcomed efforts to broker the first ceasefire between combatants there since 2016.

We are encouraged by yesterdays announcement from the warring parties about their commitment to a ceasefire, hoping it will soon be translated to an end to the fighting and to the suffering of millions of Yemenis."
The question of government support boiled over in an ugly spat this week between Qantas boss Alan Joyce and Virgin's Paul Scurrah. Confident his airline can wait out the pandemic unassisted, Joyce was on the front foot against his smaller rival warning government against bailing out a company "that have been badly managed for 10 years. He later encouraged Qantas staff to lobby their local MP against helping Virgin, telling them on a conference call that government wasn't there to "support a company thats owned by Singaporeans, Chinese, Abu Dhabi and a British billionaire". More than 350 Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin and Tigerair planes will be grounded.  Credit:Wayne Taylor (Joyce himself begged government for $3 billion unsecured loan and a debt guarantee six years ago as Qantas struggled amid a brutal capacity war with the then ascendant Virgin. The Abbott government knocked him back.) Joyce's meddling prompted Scurrah to write to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Rod Sims asking him to investigate Qantas' conduct, which he said could cause "immediate and irreparable damage to a competitive Australian air passenger transport industry".

For his part, Scurrah says he is pushing government for "industry wide" support which he says will be needed for the travel and tourism industry - which employs more than 600,000 people - to make it through the crisis. Our sector is going to need some support for us to get through. Every single airline in the world is talking to their government about support," he told this masthead. Transport minister and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has announced one $715 support million package and is weighing up what, if any, further support it might provide. Labor has called for action and raised particular concerns about small regional airlines, which have warned air links to regional and remote communities could be permanently severed. Other countries have come to that party in a major way, with the United States government on Thursday night extending a $US61 billion ($102 billion) lifeline to the nation's airlines. Despite doomsday predictions from airlines, John Thomas - a veteran aviation executive and director, and former Virgin Australia group executive - says crises like this one were an unfortunate reality of the airline industry which have happened before and will happen again. "Its a fact of operating in a high fixed-cost business in an industry that has black swan events, he says.

Thomas wouldn't be drawn on potential airline failures, but said Australia was big enough to always support two full-service airlines. "After the demise of Ansett, we returned to two viable major airlines in a relatively short period of time, providing Australian travellers with choice and providing employment opportunities for many who were unfortunately displaced after Ansetts demise," he said. The notion of supporting airlines for long-term job protection just doesn't make sense because the industry will rebound and those jobs will be needed. Should Virgin fail, industry watchers say Air New Zealand is an obvious candidate to enter the Australia's domestic market and go head-to-head with Qantas. The Kiwi carrier built up a 26 per cent stake in Virgin between 2012 and 2016. Singapore Airlines, which owns 20 per cent of Virgin, is another likely contender and a $US10 billion ($16 billion) raising on Friday sparked speculation it might be positioning for a takeover. CAPA's Harbison says trying to tackle a Qantas monopoly once established - with 100 per cent of the market and control over premium airport landing slots - would be a major barrier to entry for any new rival.

Even if the Virgin-Qantas duopoly remains intact, the aviation market will be much smaller for some time and have a "considerable amount of government involvement", he says. International airlines would also be slow in returning capacity into Australia. I'd be surprised that in the first two or three years out of this that the global airline market is 50 per cent of where it was last year," he says. And he says it will probably never fully recover unless there were structural changes, such as loosening ownership laws to allow for more mergers between airline groups. Qantas and Virgin will have stopped all international flying by Sunday and are scaling down to just a handful of domestic flights daily, equivalent to about 10 per cent of their normal network. With virtually no new bookings, Qantas and Virgin have tried to cut costs to preserve their remaining cash by sending home the bulk of the workforce, standing down 20,000 and 8000 workers respectively (or 70 per cent and 90 per cent of their employees). Virgin said 1000 of those workers will be made redundant, including all pilots at its low-cost arm Tigerair, and all pilots and cabin crew based in New Zealand.

Stood-down workers can use leave entitlements. Once exhausted, they won't be paid at all until the crisis is over. The Transport Workers Union, which represents baggage handlers and ground crew, says it is akin to "workers bailing out the airline". Loading Unions representing pilots and engineers wrote to government this week calling for support for workers to be included in any further industry assistance, amid a wider union push for Australia to follow Britain in paying workers 80 per cent of their salaries if they are laid off because of the pandemic. Pilots and engineers also called on government to do everything possible to ensure a viable and competitive aviation industry following the downturn. The pain for workers has extended beyond the airlines themselves, with travel agency group Flight Centre standing down 3800 Australia workers on Thursday.

So how long can Australia's airlines last while in virtual lock down? Virgin has $900 million cash available to see it through, and Scurrah said the capacity cuts and staff stand-downs were intended to make that last "for long as possible". Credit Suisse analyst Paul Butler this week estimated Virgin could burn $860 million of its cash by June, and would need another $829 million next financial year. Virgin likely requires additional liquidity to be comfortable about surviving the current COVID-19 crisis, he wrote in a note to clients. Virgin is 90 per cent owned by the government-controlled Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways, Chinese groups HNA and Nanshan, and Richard Branson's Virgin Group. Credit ratings agency S&P says those shareholders are unlikely to support Virgin through the crisis given they all face their own financial woes. "A default or distressed exchange appears increasingly likely over the next 12 months, absent timely government or other support and/or a swift reversal of the COVID-19 outbreak," the agency said on Thursday while downgrading Virgin further into "junk" territory with a CCC rating. Meanwhile analysts at Citi estimated last week that Qantas could last six to 11 months without flying before it has to reduce its cost base, take on more debt or raise equity. Qantas this week raised $1 billion in fresh debt to help see it through the crisis, secured against 11 Boeing 787 Dreamliners it bought with cash over the past three years.
South Africa recorded its first two deaths from the novel coronavirus on Friday as the number of confirmed cases breached the 1,000 mark just hours after a three-week nationwide lockdown swung into action.

"This morning we wake South Africans up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the 57-strong population of Africa's most industrialised nation to stay at home for 21 days, joining other countries across the continent which have imposed strict measures to halt the spread of the disease.

But many people defied the order which came into effect at midnight Thursday, lining up outside food stores or at bus terminals.

Police appeared overwhelmed in downtown Johannesburg on Friday where hundreds of shoppers pushed and shoved trying to force their way into a supermarket.

South Africans have been bracing for a 21-day lockdown, one of the latest measures by African governments to control the spread of COVID-19. By Phill Magakoe (AFP)

"The lockdown is a good thing for the country, even though I feel that a lot of people and taking it for granted, saying this virus is not for us... which is bad because by the time we wake up this thing will have spread enormously in the country," said bank employee Dumisani July, 39, wearing a mask and black latex gloves.

Mkhize said the two people died in the Western Cape province, and announced that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases have topped 1,000.

On Thursday, the country had reported 927 confirmed cases, a jump of more than 30 percent from the previous day, with Ramaphosa projecting it could reach 1,500 "within a few days".

Kenya, Rwanda and Mali are some of the African countries that have imposed restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has been confirmed to have infected more than 3,200 people and killed 89 across the continent.

Although Africa's toll is far lower than in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, health experts say the world's poorest continent is especially vulnerable and the figures likely fall far short of the reality.

'Invisible enemy'

Donning a camouflage uniform complete with a cap, Ramaphosa on Thursday saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in Soweto township outside economic hub Johannesburg.

"This is unprecedented, not only in our democracy but also in the history of our country, that we will have a lockdown for 21 days to go out and wage war against an invisible enemy coronavirus," he said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saw off soldiers before they deployed from a military base in Soweto township. By - (AFP)

During the shutdown, jogging, dog-walking and the sale of alcohol are banned across the country, which so far has the highest number of detected infections in sub-Saharan Africa.

Violation of any of the regulations will carry a six-month jail sentence or a fine.

In West Africa, Nigeria's government warned Thursday that Africa's most populous nation could soon see an "exponential" increase in infections unless contacts of confirmed cases are tracked down more rapidly.

'War against invisible enemy'

Kenya, which has 31 cases, on Thursday recorded its first death -- a 66-year-old Kenyan man who had travelled from South Africa on March 13.

Queues formed outside food shops across the country as people stocked up for the 21-day shutdown . By MARCO LONGARI (AFP)

The east African country will begin a night-time curfew on Friday to try curtail the spread.

In the Sahel, Burkina Faso, which last week recorded sub-Saharan Africa's first death, announced that eight towns, including the capital Ouagadougou, would be quarantined from Friday.

"Quarantined means that nobody will enter or leave the towns involved," Communication Minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou said, adding that the measure would be applied for two weeks.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities ordered a four-day "total confinement" in the capital Kinshasa starting Saturday.

Moody's Investors Service warned that the fallout from the border closures, commodity price declines and financial market volatility will have "severe macroeconomic and financial impact" on African sovereign debt.

burs-sn/txw
Small businesses are lining up to get help from government loans. But they might not get it if they've taken venture capital or private equity money.

A $2 trillion stimulus bill to blunt the economic effect of coronavirus has $350 billion earmarked for loans to businesses with fewer than 500 employees, managed through the Small Business Administration.

Start-ups and their investors fear a so-called "affiliation" rule could prevent access to that safety net. The ruling is on a case-by-case basis and can be triggered if the company has taken money from a private investor.

The Small Business Administration, or SBA, said it considers ownership, management, contractual relationships and minority shareholders. The affiliation rule applies if a venture firm owns half or more of a company's voting stock. It can also be triggered if multiple firms' holdings "are large" compared with other stock holdings.

In some cases, even if a start-up has 30 people working there, it could be "affiliated" with the thousands of other employees at its investors' separate portfolio companies. Therefore, it wouldn't be eligible for SBA loans.

In the meantime, Justin Field, head of government affairs at the National Venture Capital Association, said excluding start-ups from the loan program could result in waves of layoffs.

"If start-ups don't get access to this lending facility soon, it's a lost opportunity to keep people employed," Field told CNBC in a phone interview, adding that 2.2 million Americans now work at a VC-backed company. "Start ups everywhere are going to get hit if we don't get this fixed."

The House of Representatives passed the $2 trillion plan Friday afternoon, which will go to the president's desk to be signed. Even though the bill passed in its current form, Field said there could be added clarification or guidance from Treasury or the SBA that would ease the affiliation rules for VC-backed start-ups.
The water service in Odessa, a port city in southern Ukraine, was suddenly overrun this week with calls from worried residents with a peculiar concern. Were officials really planning to run an antiseptic solution through the city's taps instead of water? The calls were sparked by a message on social media claiming that: "Today, from 11pm until the morning, antiseptic will be distributed" in the water system. The antiseptic supposedly included several different whiskies -- a brand for each district. However outlandish the claim, Odessa's water agency Infoxvodokanal still issued a clarification. Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, false news stories have spiked in Ukraine, fuelled by mistrust of authorities and of Russia, which Kiev says wants to sow instability. "Before the pandemic, we received seven or eight requests each day to verify information," said Alyona Romanyuk, the founder of a platform that debunks false stories online. "Now there are around 100." - 'Horror stories' - Among them, the Ukrainian security services denied rumours that authorities planned to douse the capital with disinfectant by helicopter. Another claimed that medical services for pregnant women and cancer patients were disrupted due to COVID-19. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself denied "horror stories" that 400,000 Ukrainians were infected. "False information spreads much faster than the virus," he said on television last week. According to official statistics, Ukraine has confirmed 156 cases of the virus and five deaths. Yet some Ukrainians worry the government tally is far lower than the real number due to a lack of testing. Rampant corruption has left many people suspicious of official statements too. Disinformation usually begins with a post on Facebook which is then shared over Telegram or Viber, two online messengers popular in Ukraine. But the effects can be felt offline too. In February, 72 people were evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the centre of the coronavirus pandemic, and quarantined in Novi Sanzhary, a small town in central Ukraine. Social media messages claimed the evacuees were infected and local residents clashed with police escorting those brought from China to the medical centre. A report this week by the European External Action Service, which cited the incident, accused Kremlin-run media of spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. Moscow has rejected the accusations. Yet Ukraine says it has become a regular target of Russian misinformation since 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula and threw its weight behind separatists in eastern Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed more than 13,000 lives. - 'Hand of Russia' - From a variety of different genres of misinformation, Romanyuk the analyst singled out one designed to "spread panic." "And there you can clearly see the hand of Russia," she said. Without citing Russia, Ukraine's security services said last month they had detected emails sent from abroad with the forged signature of the health ministry that spread false information on the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian "cyber police" announced they had deleted dozens of fake coronavirus-related messages on social media. In a separate case, the security services arrested in the city of Dnipro "an agitator" who they said was ordered by Russia to distribute false information. The health ministry, which recently has boosted its visibility on Telegram and Viber, said Wednesday it had reached an agreement with Google to prioritise official sources in search results. Several activists have started YouTube and Facebook accounts to broadcast reliable data and Romanyuk has decided to launch a platform dedicated to debunking coronavirus misinformation.
Management of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) has received a cheque of GH?97,450.16 from the government to cover the medical bills of the accident victims of the Dompoase crash.



This was in fulfilment of the promise made to take up the bills including Mortuary fees.



On Tuesday 14th, January, 34 people including three children lost their lives while 59 others, were injured, some severely in a fatal accident involving two 60-seater passenger buses at Dompoase near Komenda Junction.



The vehicles were travelling in the opposite direction on the Accra-Takoradi highway.



A government delegation led by Mr Kwaku Ofori-Asiamah, the Transport Minister and Mr Kwamena Duncan, the Central Regional Minister, visited the injured on admission and made the pledge after visiting the accident scene.



Mr Duncan, who presented the cheque on behalf of Government on Wednesday, commended the management of the Hospital for the swift response even in the midst of its constrained resources.



When the incident happened, the CEO and his management did not consider their limited resources or demanded more monies from the victims but quickly mobilized and took care of them, Mr Duncan said.



They went very deep into all corners to be able to marshal the needed resources. But for asking them, they would not even have disclosed the cost to us, he added.



He said the Government requested that the Hospital compiled a comprehensive report on patients including all those who would need surgical implants of which the Hospital complied.



Dr Eric Ngyedu, the Chief Executive Officer of the CCTH, expressed gratitude to Mr Duncan for his sterling leadership and the commitment exhibited during the crisis and thanked the government for honouring its promise.



He said the Governments intervention came as a great relief to the Hospital and families of the accident victims.

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
TORONTO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Nighthawk Gold Corp. ("Nighthawk" or the "Company") (TSX: NHK;OTCQX: MIMZF) announces that in light of the current Covid-19 ("Coronavirus") pandemic, Nighthawk is in the process of temporarily suspending exploration activities on its Indin Lake Gold Property located in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The Colomac camp will temporarily close by the first week of April as precautions have been taken to ensure the safety and well being of all personnel at site, as well as the surrounding communities. The Company is not aware of any site personnel having contracted Coronavirus to date, however these measures are being taken to ensure they are not placed at undue risk. In an effort to reduce G&A costs during this time, the Company has decreased its marketing budget and Management and Directors have agreed to a reduction in cash compensation for the second quarter.

Nighthawk opened its camp in late February and commenced drilling activities on March 13, with three drills and a planned 25,000-metre drill program. There is currently no timeframe for this temporary suspension of exploration activities, while ongoing metallurgical testwork, preparation of an updated mineral resource estimate, and subsequently the preparation of an internal scoping study has not been affected. Any updates will be provided as they become available.

About Nighthawk

Nighthawk is a Canadian-based gold exploration company with 100% ownership of a district-scale land position within the Indin Lake Greenstone Belt, located approximately 200 km north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Nighthawk is focused on advancing the Colomac Gold Project with a current inferred resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold (50.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.62 grams per tonne gold), as well as advancing its other regional gold deposits and showings within this largely underexplored Archean gold camp.

The Company has an experienced and dedicated team and is well funded to complete its goals and objectives over the next 12 months.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Nighthawk Gold Corp.

Related Links

nighthawkgold.com


Chinas Communist Party has long excelled at rewriting its own history, but with its latest propaganda blitz on the novel coronavirus, its rewriting the present. And while the traditional revisionism has largely been aimed at a domestic audience, this time it has a global one in mind. Beijing is attempting to gaslight the world as it escalates its propaganda push to obscure the source of the disease. Yet the real significance of this campaign is that it represents Beijings first truly international propaganda offensive and a new front line in the global information war.

This is a struggle in which the tools of a free societyjournalism and social mediaare both the combat zone and the weapons of choice. Beijings arsenal includes a massive state-sponsored disinformation campaign, prominent third-party spokespeople and the expulsion of some of the most experienced American journalists in China. As its state-sponsored messages proliferate across newspaper columns and Facebook and Twitter feeds around the world, one key takeaway is that Chinas decadelong attempt to build its so-called discourse power overseas is finally bearing fruit.

One successful example of Beijings efforts to shift the narrative was its construction of two thousand-bed coronavirus hospitals in Wuhan in just 10 days. The mesmerizing time lapses of a gargantuan behemoth rising from a muddy field flickered across websites and television screens around the world, in part because Chinas state-run broadcaster has content-sharing agreements with hundreds of news outlets, sometimes providing them with free material. The impressive speed and scale of the construction masked the fact that these were bare-bones prefab quarantine wards rather than fully equipped hospitals.

These measurescombined with hard-line moves such as enforced lockdownsundoubtedly slowed the spread of infection, allowing Beijing to reframe itself as having made great sacrifices to buy time for the rest of the world. As other countries founder, China is pushing that further, casting itself as a responsible global leader dispensing humanitarian aid overseas. This is in part an effort to distract attention from accusations that its initial cover-up is responsible for the rest of the worlds plight, in particular the looming economic catastrophe.

But these efforts didnt come out of nowhere. Since 2009, Beijings been quietly laying the groundwork by expanding its state-run media overseas, running look-and-learn toursoften for freefor thousands of non-Chinese journalists to China and striking content-sharing agreements with foreign news providers. Chinese business leaders acting as state proxies have acquired and established news outlets to amplify Beijings voice. All these tools are now being used to reshape the global information landscape, even while its some of its domestic propaganda efforts are encountering unusually vocal resistance.

The composition of Chinas coronavirus task force highlights its priorities: Two out of nine members are from the propaganda bureau. They faced a challenging job in shifting the narrative when Beijings cover-up of the initial outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year allowed the virus to spread unabated. There was further dismal publicity after nine doctors who tried to raise the alarm were punished. When one of them, Li Wenliang, died from COVID-19, the domestic groundswell of anger was so intense that a gratitude campaign thanking the state for its efforts had to be dropped. That popular rage is still evident. Touring a residential compound in Wuhan, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan was greeted by a chorus of shouts of Fake! All this fake! resounding out of the safe anonymity provided by high-rise apartments.

A new storyline percolated online and through WeChat from late January, arguing that the virus might not have originated in China.

In late February, the famous epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan lent credibility to this theory, calling it a disease of humans, not of a country. By March, the foreign ministry had taken on this battle, with spokesman Zhao Lijian drawing attention to an unfounded conspiracy theory that the U.S. military had brought the disease to Wuhan. This message was then amplified on Twittera platform banned at homeby dozens of other Chinese embassies around the world.

One instructive moment was the attempt to push back against this earlier this week by the Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung, who became famous during the SARS epidemic. In an article he co-wrote, he called such claims self-deceiving and nonsensical, and blamed the outbreak on the ugly habits of Chinese people including eating sometimes endangered wildlife. The speed with which he and his co-author retracted the article was notable, as was the language they deployed. In an interview that sounded more like a self-criticism, Yuen said, Maybe no one loves the country more than I do. This rhetoric of forced confessions and loyalty pledges was previously unheard of in Hong Kong. But against the backdrop of U.S. President Trumps descriptions of the coronavirus as the Chinese virus, the tussle for narrative control could become an issue of patriotism on the mainland.

A shift in emphasis emerged overnight after Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, described the conspiracy theory that the virus was brought to China by U.S. troops as crazy. This was followed by a more conciliatory tweet by Zhao underlining the need for global solidarity, featuring peaceful photos of cherry blossom trees. This apparent about-face could represent an internal power struggle over messaging or simply a decision to change gears in the service of showcasing Beijing as a responsible and humanitarian global power.

Even more persuasive than words, though, may be Chinas deeds. Chinas state-run news outlets now run wall-to-wall coverage of its face-mask diplomacy, as it donates millions of masks to countries including South Korea, Iran, the Philippines, and Spain. When Italys European Union partners refused its requests for medical aid, China stepped in to provide respirators and 2 million masksnot for free, but still a huge PR win. The only country that can help us is China, Serbias President Aleksandar Vucic pleaded last week after the EU imposed limits on the exports of medical equipment, As for the rest, thanks for nothing. Chinese business executives also play their part; its richest man, Alibabas Jack Ma, shipped a million masks and half a million testing kits to the United States in a show of geopolitical largesse.

The worse the West does at fighting the coronavirus, the better Beijings hard-line measures and willingness to supply much-needed goods look. Already its state media is crowing. The China Daily newspaper wrote, The bitter truth is that the anti-China propaganda campaign has to some extent contributed to the West being negligent to the looming crisis and they are now facing a medical, human and economic disaster. This may seem like a war of words, but the stakes could not be higher; this current skirmish is over narrative control of the coronavirus, but the bigger battle is over who will control global flows of information and the future of journalism itself.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has been working with Louisa Lim to monitor, research and explore Chinas influence on media around the world.
Over the last year, it has become increasingly clear in my conversations with CIOs that change is afoot. The CIO role is different and expectations are different as well. And while CIOs by necessity need to focus during the current coronavirus crisis to keep the trains running, it is still important to take stock of the CIOs longer-term role.

[ Coronavirus Crisis: COVID-19 coverage on Insider Pro ]

CIO Jonathan Feldman said, be very careful about introducing changes in the middle of a crisis situation. Innovation by definition equals change, and a crisis has lots of changes already. There better be substantial benefit vs. new aggregate risk. And David Chou added, focus on the core. For healthcare, CIOs should be focusing on supporting the remote working staff at a larger scale and providing the platform for virtual care.

With this said, how the CIO role is changing into a digital role and how CIOs are succeeding at this change remains an important topic. This was the issue that I put forward to the CIOs a few weeks ago in the #CIOChat before the crisis was in full swing. I think their answers provide guidance to CIOs and the CEOs that they work with as both claw their way out of the current crisis.

Are CIOs succeeding in making theirs a strategic role?

To my surprise, CIOs said no. Former CIO, Tim Crawford said, there is an aspiration to evolve the CIO role, but it will take time. It takes more than just a visionary CIO to make the change. Crawford added that it is like a three-legged race. There are three components that need to evolve ...and in unison: The CIO, the IT organization, and the rest of the company in terms of how they view IT.

Fortunately, CIO Milos Topic, says, some CIOs have done quite well at this change. The ones that haven't, says CIO Martin Davis, is because you have CIOs who are still really just IT directors and others that are going to be the next CEO and are defining new business models.

Clearly, there is a reason for this. Crawford suggests that the CIO title has been given to many great IT leaders as a promotion. Yet, some of these leaders don't function as a CIO. Many are still operating as a director or VP. Too many CIOs are inwardly focused rather than outwardly focused.

For CEOs listening, it is critical to select the right person with the right mindset and the ability to build supportive relationship with the rest of the C-level team. This means the CIO role is very different than the CTO role. It clearly can be industry-dependent. While most are trying to get there, there are still some companies who continue to see IT as a utility versus a business differentiator.

CIO Aldo Ceccarelli says, there is a role for the CEO in the CIOs success as a strategic thinker. Today CIOs can actively contribute to the top line of their organization if only they have a strategic role. CIO Wayne Saldin agrees and says, CEOs get the CIOs they settle for If CEO doesn't fix whatever is wrong, it's on them.

Achieving the strategic mantel

CIOs clearly need to work daily to build and sustain relationships and partnerships which will help lay the ground work for seizing the strategic mantel. Martin Davis says, ideally the CIO should be driving four key things: 1. Building a strong IT team; 2. Strong relationships across the C-Suite and board; 3. Reducing technical debt; and 4. Driving revenue and innovation..

Crawford agrees and adds, relationships are a key requirement for being a successful CIO. Clearly, by being relationship-focused, CIOs can gain the perspective needed to ensure ITs focus is upon business objectives common with the rest of the c-suite.

[ Tech careers: IT certifications and training center ]

Paul Wright, Accuride CIOs, says, this is so much a part of being a better CIO. It is not just about making sure you build relationships but also being open to feedback. The balance is finding where you need to set the direction, and where you need to be a facilitator.

Alignment to business initiatives

Clearly, CIOs better be aligned with business goals. If not, then the CIO should be asking themselves what they are doing and why. Davis said that even though I am early into my new role, I have already agreed with the C-suite on the business led priorities and the necessary IT governance.

Topic is candid and admits that this wasnt always the case and we can always continue to do better. What would also be helpful is for the overall leadership to regularly review those priorities with respect to market forces and relevance. Part of succeeding here says Wright is, CIOs putting smart people around themselves so they're not trying to solve every problem yourself, and of course, this requires time management avoiding problems that don't need to be solved.

How should CIOs manage an increasing scope of responsibility at a faster pace?

This is where strong leadership comes into play. You need a strong leadership team that is capable and empowered to make decisions on its own. CIOs can no longer be in constant fire-fighting mode. Here their team has little to no capacity for innovation, Wright says.

This clearly needs to be the first thing that a CIO has to change. Effective CIOs are Level 5 leaders as defined in the Good to Great. According to Jim Collins, Level 5 leadership cuts against the grain of conventional wisdom, especially the belief that we need larger-than-life saviors with big personalities to transform companies, it is important to note that Level 5 is an empirical finding, not an ideological one. Aldo Ceccarelli agrees and says, build a strong and united team that can drive consensus and knows the difference between important and urgent.

What metrics adequately gauge a CIOs performance?

CIO metrics clearly should align with the business metrics. According to Crawford, they should not be technology or IT metrics like uptime, SLAs, etc. Uptime is not a good metric to use externally outside of IT. You have to focus on the business metrics.

Some wanted a broader set of metrics. While Analyst Bob Egan says, success metrics of a CIO must align with business metrics, he leaves open unique metrics like system + infrastructure up time.

Davis says its a portfolio of metrics and they should be business-focused metrics. However, there are more IT specific metrics such as performance of the IT support team, which are not business metrics, but are important to measure too (support does touch business users).

This led to a vigorous discussion between Crawford and Davis. Davis said, instead of uptime how about business time lost caused by system downtime, convert that time into dollars. Crawford responded by saying candidly, this is table stakes today. You have to look well beyond that. Yes, but the IT metrics (system uptime) are for IT consumption only. They aren't business metrics.

Crawford continued by saying if you have to ask how you sit at the big table, you probably should not be there. And once you earn your spot, you have to keep earning it. Davis suggested specific metrics including the following: 1) Customer experience/satisfaction; 2) Innovation index; 3) Information security; 4) Enterprise architecture reliability, redundancy, performance, and security; 5) Reducing friction, time spent and expenses for all. Ceccarelli added the following: 6) business value added by innovating; 7) savings enabled from new technology; 8) the number of CEO top concerns met; 9) the number of customers with unmet requirements and 10) the number of complaints for IT.

Parting Words

It's time that CIOs seize the strategic mantel, align totally with the business and judge their performance the way the business does. Otherwise, they will not succeed as they power out of the current crisis.
Some of Northern Ireland's best-known landmarks were lit up on Thursday evening as part of a national salute to NHS healthcare workers, while in towns and villages, people applauded and cheered as they joined in the UK's Clap For Carers tribute.

In Belfast, the Albert Clock, City Hall, and The Mac arts centre were bathed in blue as part of a nationwide campaign honouring the hard-working NHS staff battling coronavirus with a mass round of applause.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "On behalf of the whole country, I want to thank all the incredible nurses, doctors, NHS support staff and carers who are working flat out to fight coronavirus.

"To help them, and protect the NHS, we need everyone to stay at home #StayHomeSaveLives."

Expand Close Boris Johnson applauds outside No10 PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Boris Johnson applauds outside No10

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were among those applauding the NHS as part of the Clap For Carers. A video of the three young royals clapping was posted on the Kensingtonroyal Instagram account.

To all the doctors, nurses, carers, GPs, pharmacists, volunteers and other NHS staff working tirelessly to help those affected by #COVID19: thank you.#ClapForOurCarers #ClapForNHS pic.twitter.com/XnaUPJyDoX  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) March 26, 2020

The Clap For Carers campaign, which started online, was set up because "during these unprecedented times they need to know we are grateful", the organisers said.

The initiative showed public appreciation for the health service workers battling the coronavirus outbreak.

People all over the UK joined the mass round of applause from their doorsteps, windows and balconies at 8pm.

Expand Close Eileen and John Logan, join in the clapping Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Eileen and John Logan, join in the clapping

The Wembley Arch, the Principality Stadium, the Royal Albert Hall and Lincoln Cathedral were among some of the UK landmarks illuminated.

Strangford MP and DUP health spokesman Jim Shannon, who lives in a rural area of Co Down, said he could hear the sounds of clapping from nearby Greyabbey, several fields away from his home.

"Our NHS staff have been magnificent in how they have responded to the crisis," he said.

"We're all indebted to them: they are real heroes and heroines of our age.

"It is only right that we all should recognise and honour them for what they are doing to help all of us at this very difficult time for everyone."

Its 8pm I am so thankful for all the NHS - all our heroes. Thank you to the team in the Ulster Hospital for saving my life from the Coronavirus. I love you and I am so thankful for all your hard work. #clapforNHS pic.twitter.com/lE9QtbUYM9  Mark McClurg (@Mark_McClurg) March 26, 2020

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon announced free travel for NHS workers on public transport services in Northern Ireland from today, while the fight against Covid-19 continues.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Daniel Baker said that the applause was an important gesture, and an opportunity to show NHS workers our gratitude.

"I know I speak for everyone when I say how proud we are of all those health and care workers who are working round the clock in very challenging conditions.

"On behalf of the city, I want to say 'Thank You'."

Expand Close Belfast City Hall is illuminated blue last night in a show of support for NHS workers Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Belfast City Hall is illuminated blue last night in a show of support for NHS workers

Former Stormont Health Minister Jim Wells added his voice to the praise for health workers.

"I think not only are they very dedicated professionals, but they are very brave indeed in putting themselves in the front line," he said.

The South Down MLA suggested that NHS staff should be formally recognised for their service during the present emergency.

"Perhaps the Government could write off any outstanding student loans for doctors and nurses. That could be a tangible way of recognising the value of their service to us all," he said.

Asked how she felt about the planned show of appreciation, Ruth May, chief nursing officer of the NHS, said: "Very humble, very proud, and a clap for our carers will mean so much for all of our NHS staff and social care teams as well.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

In Northern Ireland, Stormont Health Minister Robin Swann offered his support.

"I applaud this initiative and hope it will be strongly supported across our community," he said beforehand.
In the wake Covid-19 outbreak, local office of PM Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency, which is also known as mini PMO or public relations office, on Friday started a helpline, issuing a landline number and a WhatsApp number, two email addresses for addressing the problems of local people during the ongoing 21-day lockdown.

A helpline has been started to address the problems of the people of Kashi during the lockdown and two email addresses: mpofficevns@gmail.com and pathakbjp@gmail.com, a WhatsApp number 9415914000 and a landline number 0542-2314000 have been issued. Any citizen may call at these helpline numbers and inform us about their problem. Their complaint will be noted and steps would be take to get them addressed at the earliest, said Shivsharan Patahak, the in-charge of mini PMO in Varanasi.

BJP spokesperson for Kashi region Navratan Rathi said PM Modi remained in touch with his parliamentary office in Varanasi regularly and kept taking updates about Kashi and Kashietes.

With his inspiration, the helpline was started to address the problems of people here, he added.
A man who allegedly claimed he had coronavirus and coughed at police officers has been charged with assault.

Luke Smith, 27, was arrested on suspicion of possessing class B drugs before he allegedly launched the attack, Essex Police said.

The alleged incident took place when officers were called to a disturbance on Catchpool Road, Colchester, on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old, who is also charged with breach of a restraining order and possession of a Class B drug, is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Police said that the officers involved in the incident took the appropriate precautions in line with force and national guidance.

Darren Rafferty, 45, from Dagenham, admitted three counts of assaulting an emergency worker as well as grievous bodily harm to his former partner, Kerry Manning, at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Ciro DAlessio said that Rafferty had been drinking and gone to his former partner Ms Mannings home when a physical altercation broke out.

When police arrived at the house in response, Rafferty coughed at Pc Laver, Pc Richardson and Pc Andrews and then claimed he had the disease.

He said: The defendant makes comments about being in isolation and having coronavirus and then deliberately coughs towards the officers.

The court heard Rafferty, who wore a white face mask during the short hearing, had been checked for the virus at the police station and the force did not have concerns.

Mr DAlessio added: On any reading of the assault you either get someone threatening to give someone a communicable disease or you have someone trying to give it to them.
It was quiet for a week, and then  oh my God, it was, how will I ever get this all done? said Colleen Barney, a lawyer in Irvine, California, who represents the Solomons. After the initial shock of the pandemic, people began to focus on their own mortality and their heirs security, she said. People were calling and saying, I think I still have my jerk brother as the trustee. I need to change that.
People in Srikalahasti are following self-isolation rules to avoid getting infected with the novel coronavirus.

This came after the first positive case of coronavirus in the Chittoor district was detected in Srikalahasti.

Locals in Anna Sami Palli village of Renigunta Mandal blocked the road with thorny fence to stop the movement.

Andhra Pradesh has reported 2 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the tally to 13 in the state.

A total of 724 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had said on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The group's holding of quoted shares, as presented in the annual report for 2019 in note 30, relates in all essentials to futures trading carried out by SpareBank 1 Markets. These exposures represent no share price risk for SpareBank 1 Markets or for SpareBank 1 SMN. It is the purchaser of share futures that carries the entire share price risk on the underlying shares. Moreover, customers provide collateral in the form of cash, and margin payments on customers' accounts are made on a daily basis to ensure that no open credit risk arises in connection with futures trading.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON  The House gave final congressional approval Friday to a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package as lawmakers from California and other states under stay-at-home orders had to rush back to Washington to pass the largest economic stimulus package in U.S. history.

President Trump signed the bill late Friday, two days after the Senate approved it on a 96-0 vote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hoped her chamber could pass the bill without a quorum present to spare members from flying across the country and gathering in the Capitol, where many lawmakers fear the coronavirus may already be widespread. Two House members and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have tested positive for the virus.

But a lone Republican lawmaker opposed to the bill, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, followed through on his threat to push for a roll call vote. That forced lawmakers to book last-minute flights to ensure a majority was present.

Ultimately, the legislation passed the House on a voice vote.

About half the Houses 430 members were present. Pelosi, D-San Francisco, urged lawmakers to sit in the gallery for the vote so they could be several feet apart to reduce the chances of spreading the coronavirus.

Several dozen did so, with one member to every three or four seats. The gallery has been closed to the public since the coronavirus began spreading across the U.S.

The bill moved at warp speed through a Congress that has been able to agree on little of substance in recent years.

Since the beginning of this crisis, we have fought to ensure that our nations response puts families first, Pelosi said. Our nation faces an economic and health emergency of historic proportions.

The legislation provides $500 billion in aid to industries hit by the pandemic and $350 billion in loans to small businesses, many of which have had to close their doors.

It gives cash payments of $1,200 for individual adults making up to $75,000 a year, with less for those with incomes up to $99,000. For married couples, the totals and caps are doubled.

Parents will also receive $500 per child. The money will be distributed in about three weeks, via bank direct deposits or checks in the mail.

The package also expands unemployment insurance by an additional 13 weeks, beyond Californias maximum of 26 weeks, for people who have lost jobs. Recipients will get an additional $600 per week, on top of the states maximum benefit of $450 per week.

Also included is money for state and local governments, including public transit agencies such as BART, whose ridership has vanished.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley (Monterey County), was among the California lawmakers who had to hurry back to the Capitol for the vote. While the trip came with health risks, he said, it was clear the House was in danger of having too few members present to pass the bill.

I was willing to drive back if necessary, Panetta told The Chronicle. Thats our job, and people need to understand that when they get into this job.

He took an 11 p.m. flight from San Francisco, along with five other House members from California, including Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto. They got into Washington at 6 a.m.

At least half the Bay Area delegation could not leave California for the vote, including Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland, Jackie Speier of San Mateo, Jared Huffman of San Rafael, Mike Thompson of St. Helena and Zoe Lofgren of San Jose. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, is hospitalized with pneumonia. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, was in Washington, but did not make it to the Capitol in time for the voice vote, though staffers said he would have been there had a roll call been needed.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, spoke on the House floor moments before the vote to praise doctors, nurses and other health care workers.

We see you. We hear you. We need you, Swalwell said. This bill, more than for anyone else, is for you.

The relief package includes more than $130 billion for hospitals and community health centers facing an influx of coronavirus patients.

Massie, the only lawmaker who challenged procedures used to fast-track the vote, said he objected to make sure our republic doesnt die by unanimous consent and an empty chamber. The Kentucky Republican was slammed by leaders of both parties, including Trump, who called him a third-rate grandstander.

Huffman tweeted that he was proud of all but one of my colleagues today, referring to Massie.

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield spoke alongside Pelosi during a signing ceremony in the Capitol, saying the vote shows, We will fight (the virus) together, and we will win together.

But the show of bipartisan unity didnt extend to Trumps signing ceremony in the White House. The president didnt invite Pelosi or Democratic leaders to the Oval Office.

The president did thank Republicans and Democrats for coming together, setting aside their differences, and putting America first.

Pelosi said while the bill will help mitigate the economic effects of the worst pandemic in over 100 years, it is merely a down payment on the work Congress must do to rebuild the economy.

She outlined goals for a follow-up relief package: bigger cash payments to Americans, expanded family and medical leave for more workers, an increase in food stamp benefits and more money for states and cities fighting the virus. Republicans have not outlined what they might want in a follow-up package, though Trump has said at times that the payroll tax should be cut.

We know that this cannot be our final bill, Pelosi said. Next, we will move to recovery. And hopefully that will be soon.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
The US Geological Survey estimates there to be 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas reserves in the Mediterranean's Leviathan Basin, and the countries in the region are on a quest to acquire what they consider their rightful share.

The competition over gas resources expanded in mid-February when Egyptian announced an agreement with US-based Chevron and ExxonMobil, France's Total, BP of Britain, and Royal Dutch Shell to explore for gas off its northwestern coast near Libya. Cairo expects exploratory drilling to begin early next year. The agreement intensified tensions with Turkey, which in November signed controversial maritime and military memoranda of understanding with Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

Ibrahim Zahran, a petroleum expert and former chairman of the Khalda Petroleum Co., told Al-Monitor that Egypt has substantial quantities of gas and oil, but to thoroughly benefit from them, it must overcome problems of resource mismanagement. The country relies heavily on foreign companies to extract the lions share of its gas and oil, and in the absence of a demand for social responsibility, Zahran believes the benefits flow more to them than to Egypt. Zahran also said Egypt's energy wealth is subject to all forms of corruption or ill-conceived practices.

Turkey constitutes an important transit point for oil and gas exports bound for Europe from Russian and the Caspian Sea countries, but lacks it own petroleum reserves, Zahran noted. Turkey has to import about 75% of its energy needs, mainly from Russia, Iraq and Iran.

Meanwhile, in 2019 Egypt announced that it had become self-sufficient in natural gas and was exporting surplus electricity. Its petroleum trade balance achieved a surplus of $9 million during 2018-19. These figures include the earnings share of foreign partners, which means that Egypt's real petroleum trade balance runs a deficit.

According to Zahran, Turkey would like to achieve self-sufficiency in energy because of its industrial production, making eastern Mediterranean gas a top priority for Ankara. On the one hand, this desire reflects Ankaras economic needs, but on the other, Turkey links access to Mediterranean fields to maintaining its regional status and the belief that it has a right to the regions wealth. Turkey condemned the agreements Egypt reached with the five foreign oil companies in February, accusing Cairo of putting Turkey in direct competition with foreign entities seeking to boost their role in the vital gas region.

Previously, tempers had flared when Egypt excluded Turkey from a series of meetings it convened in 2018 that led to the establishment in January 2019 of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum  consisting of Greece, Cyprus, Jordan, Italy, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA)  an alliance of natural gas-producing countries for around the Mediterranean for cooperation on energy exploitation in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Another of its goals is to establish a partnership with the European Union in the energy sector. According to Egyptian Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Mulla, the forum will boost Egypts position as a regional hub. Turkey's exclusion from the forum may have contributed to spurring Ankara to move to strengthen its stance in the region.

Turkey cemented its relations with the GNA in December of last year by extending military support to it after signing a memorandum of understanding the preceding month on security cooperation along with a maritime demarcation agreement. Egypt, Cyprus and Greece have rejected the validity of the agreements, because they redraw maritime borders and would allow Turkey to drill for energy resources in areas of the Mediterranean recognized as belonging to Cyprus and Greece. Of note, Turkey has not signed the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982).

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias noted that the maritime agreement is geographically absurd as it ignores the presence of Crete between the Turkish and Libyan coasts and clearly violates international law. Egyptian also denounced the deals, with the Foreign Ministry calling them null and void. It added that the contracts violate the Skhirat Agreement, which established the GNA and prohibits the government from signing international agreements without parliamentary approval.

Wael Rabih, a consultant at the Center for Strategic Studies at the Nasser Military Academy, told Al-Monitor that Ankara's stance is legally weak. Turkey's and its conduct encroaches on Egyptian interests.

Hussein Suleiman, an economic researcher at Al-Ahram Center and editor in chief of the magazine Turkey Affairs, told Al-Monitor by phone that Turkey's stance stems from its chronic energy deficit. Continuing to import 75% of its energy is too costly given its deteriorating economy, so it is seeking to tap into local energy sources.

Ayman Abdul Wahab, deputy director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said Egypt opposes Turkey's strategy, because Cairo intends to become a regional energy hub for natural gas trade and exports, taking advantage of the Eastern Mediterranean reserves. According to Abdul Wahab, Egypt is focusing on the gas issue since it plans to build power grids for supplying neighboring countries in Africa, Asia and Europe and to establish new energy-based industries in the Suez Gulf.
The Duchess of Cornwall has sent a message to victims of domestic abuse during coronavirus lock-down, urging them to 'stay safe' amid the pandemic.

Camilla, 72, admitted that while we all must stay at home, for many it is 'not a safe place' and told victims she 'could not imagine' how difficult it is to be trapped with their abusers.

In an impassioned social media post, Camilla, who is remaining in self-isolation from Prince Charles, 71, at Birkhall after he tested positive for coronavirus, urged those in danger to seek help and insisted they are 'not alone'.

The Prince of Wales has a 'mild' form of the illness, while the Duchess of Cornwall has tested negative and is without any symptoms of the virus, which has killed 759 and infected 14,579 more in the UK so far.

The Duchess of Cornwall (pictured) sent a message to victims of domestic abuse during coronavirus lock-down , urging them to 'stay safe' amid the pandemic

'This is a hard time for everyone, said Camilla in a string of comments, 'As we are all asked to stay at home to stay safe.

'But for some of you it is even harder, because home is not a safe place.'

'I can only imagine that being asked to stay there could feel very isolating and frightening for you and your family. It may mean spending more time with the person who is harming you.'

She went on to urge those who cannot leave their home to call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, and insisted that victims are 'not alone' in their plight.

Camilla, 72, appears to remain in self-isolation from Charles, 71, in Scotland following the future king testing positive for coronavirus

'If this is your situation, or you are worried about someone else, I want you to know that you are not alone.

'Even if you cannot leave your home, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline or contact one of the domestic violence charities. Please stay safe and get help.'

This comes after leading women's charities expressed their own fears on a rise in domestic violence during the lock-down period.

Women's Aid sent a 'clear message' to anyone with concerns about being trapped with their abuser, insisting that help and support is available through the charity and emphasising the fact that domestic abuse remains a crime amid the pandemic.

In an impassioned social media post, the royal urged those in danger to seek help and told victims she 'could not imagine' how difficult it is to be trapped with their abusers

Another leading charity, Refuge, has expressed 'concern' about rising incidents of domestic abuse during the lockdown.

They told that while the ordinary window for women to report abuse is small, lockdown will make their opportunity to escape violence 'even smaller'  and have issues a guide for survivors of domestic abuse.

Sandra Horley CBE, Chief Executive of National Domestic Abuse charity Refuge, said: 'Refuge has undertaken a huge technology operation over the past eight days to move the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, ordinarily run from a cyber-secure office environment, to remote locations.

Camilla, 72, was seen applauding the NHS from a window last night while Charles, 71, appeared in a hallway by the front door

'We have achieved this through much hard work and our expert team has been able to continue its life-saving work whilst adhering to the COVID-19 restrictions on movement.

'We want to reassure women that our Helpline is continuing to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and that it is free, and confidential.

Last night Charles and Camilla shared a video of them clapping NHS heroes from separate areas of Birkhall House in the Balmoral estate.

The touching footage surfaced on the Clarence House Instagram profile, with images also showing the royal couple previously meeting frontline workers.

The Clarence House Instagram post, shared last night, also showed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall previously meeting frontline NHS workers

FEMAIL has contacted Clarence House for comment.

Lisa Ackerley, trustee and chair at Royal Society for Public Health, told FEMAIL: 'If anyone in the household has symptoms of the coronavirus or has been diagnosed, it makes sense for them to be isolated as much as possible from the rest of the household.

'For others in the household who are vulnerable, for example if they have underlying health conditions or are over 70, then advice is that they should try to arrange to stay away for 14 days.

'So it is absolutely right that Camilla should be self-isolating from Charles to protect herself.'

If you are in immediate danger, please call 999 and ask for the police.

If you are not in immediate danger, please call one of the following 24 hour helplines:

England: 0808 2000 247

Northern Ireland: 0808 802 1414

Scotland: 0800 027 1234

Wales: 0808 8010 800
Drones with speakers are being used by a council to tell people to stay indoors and follow the UK governments social distancing advice to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Neath Port Talbot Council in Wales has introduced the drones over concerns about residents not following health advice to stay at home except for essential trips, such as buying food and medicine.

In a video shared on the councils Facebook page, the drone can be heard saying: This is a message from Neath Port Talbot Council. Please follow the government rules at this time. You must stay home.

A spokesperson for the local authority, which is thought to be the only council using drones in this way, said the devices were used for the first time on Thursday.

We have teamed up with South Wales Police to survey hotspots where people are not following government measures on social distancing, they said.

The message being played is reminding residents to stay at home except for: shopping for necessities, obtaining medical supplies, one period of daily exercise, and travelling to and from essential work.

The video came as other local authorities have used different strategies to deter people from breaking lockdown rules.

On Friday, Derbyshire Police defended its use of drones to deter people from flouting rules by walking in the Peak District.

The police force filmed people in pairs rambling in the Curbar Edge area on Wednesday and said travelling to remote areas for exercise did not count as essential travel.

However, the strategy has attracted criticism from some people, such as the UK civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, who have branded the move as sinister and counterproductive.

We wanted to reinforce the message of stay home, Superintendent Steve Pont told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

A number of people aren't staying home, they're finding excuses or loopholes, reasons not to stay home - and we just wanted to illustrate that this is the wrong thing to do.

Boris Johnson, the prime minister, announced a three-week nationwide lockdown across the UK to slow the spread of Covid-19 on Monday.

The UK has already reported more than 750 deaths related to the coronavirus, as of Friday, with 14,579 confirmed cases.

Additional reporting by PA
Destroying spotted lanternfly eggs now before they hatch is a great family activity for everyone stuck at home due to the coronavirus, according to Penn State Extension, one of the primary agents in Pennsylvanias attack on the destructive invader.

A seek-and-destroy mission can be a fun family activity that will take a bite out of the free time so many of us are now facing.

Penn State Extension even has an online training video on how to identify and kill spotted lanternfly egg masses on trees, shrubs, rocks and other surfaces in the backyard.

Each egg mass, which looks like a splotch of light tan or gray mud, contains 30-50 eggs. They were deposited last fall and will hatch in May.

The video demonstrates how to use a piece of plastic, similar to a credit card, to crush the egg masses and the eggs or to scrape the egg masses into a sealable sandwich bag with a bit of hand sanitizer or alcohol.

The state program to fight the spotted lanternfly has produced scraper cards  business card-sized rectangles of plastic imprinted with photos of the spotted lanternfly and egg masses of the insects and instructions on using the tool to scrape the egg masses from surfaces  but any firm strip of plastic will serve that purpose.

After being found in Berks County in 2014, the spotted lanternfly has spread rapidly.

Pennsylvania now has 26 counties quarantined due to the spotted lanternfly. If you are in one of those counties, go looking for spotted lanternfly eggs.

The counties are Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York.

Full coronavirus coverage: https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.
Nobodys ever seemed so mad about getting handed $5.8 billion. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that New York is getting screwed in the federal governments $2 trillion stimulus bill because the $5.8 billion thats being directed to the state government doesnt nearly make up for what the state will end up spending combatting the new coronavirus.

The bill, Cuomo said during a press conference Thursday morning, did not help local governments or state governments, and it did not address the governmental loss. And the federal officials  the ones who are being honest  will admit that.

The stimulus bill known as CARES Act passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday night and is expected to pass the House on Friday before being signed into law by President Donald Trump. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New Yorks senior senator and the lead Democratic negotiator on the stimulus package disagrees with Cuomo. He spent much of the day Thursday talking about how great the bill is for New York, highlighting the billions in direct payments to hospitals and the nearly $4 billion earmarked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The state will end up with much more than $40 billion from the package, Schumer told reporters on a call Thursday. It will go way up.

Of course, thats cold comfort for the governor, who is just days away from the April 1 budget deadline. The state was facing a $6 billion deficit before coronavirus came to New York, and that math is only going to get harder now that New Yorks economy has slowed to a trickle.

So whose math is right? That all depends on which of New Yorks needs youre considering. Hospitals and mass transit are certainly important to New York, and they are badly hurting because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Cuomos right that the aid to the state government specifically falls short of what it will need to close the budget gap opened up by the pandemic and its economic effects.

Cuomo said that the New York state government has spent $1 billion so far fighting the disease known as COVID-19 and will spend that much several times over by the time the crisis is over. And the state is expecting to bring in much less tax revenue  $10 to $15 billion less than otherwise projected because of economic contraction caused by illness and social measures taken to slow the virus spread.

New York City is facing a similar budget crunch, and Mayor Bill de Blasio also wasnt happy about the approximately $1 billion his city would be getting from Washington.

They gave us less than 1 percent of the money that they were giving out to cities and states, and we have a third of the cases in the nation, de Blasio said Wednesday. That is just immoral.

Despite those complaints, Schumer has been effusive in his praise of the bill, telling Politico its one of the most major pieces of legislation weve done on par with Obamacare and President Lyndon Johnsons Great Society programs like Medicare and the Clean Air Act. Among its many provisions, most Americans will be sent $1,200 checks, in order to help the slowed economy.

But Cuomo is primarily concerned with the provision of the bill dealing with state and local government aid  and it seems the governor is justified in his complaints. Politico reported that Schumer himself wanted to include some $750 billion in direct aid for governments into the bill, but was rebuffed by Republicans. Only $150 billion made the final bill.

Now a House Democratic source confirmed to City & State that there are already talks in Washington of another legislative package that would prioritize money for local governments that have been spending heavily to combat coronavirus.

So Cuomo bit his tongue at his Thursday press conference. Emotion is a luxury, and we dont have the luxury at this time of being emotional about what (Congress) did, he said, before shifting to the problems he could deal with himself. In any event, he said, we have to do a budget.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Fri, March 27, 2020 21:04 656 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206def746 1 National West-Java,coronavirus,ridwan-kamil,West-Java-Governor-Ridwan-Kamil,COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-rapid-test Free

The West Java administration is still awaiting the results of the rapid mass testing for COVID-19 currently being conducted in the region before deciding what actions to take next to contain the spread of the respiratory disease.

"We will subsequently create a disease distribution map from the test results. The map will then direct us to the next path, whether there will be an isolation, blockade or semi-lockdown," West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said on Friday.

He said he expected that the results would come out by the end of the week.

West Java is currently conducting rapid COVID-10 tests on about 20,000 individuals in the province who are divided into three categories.

Category A includes people under surveillance (ODP), patients under treatment (PDP) and medical personnel. Meanwhile, people in category B are professionals who have to interact with a large number of people, such as public officials and staff at airports and bus and train terminals.

Read also: Indonesia to issue lockdown regulation as COVID-19 cases continue to soar

The last category includes citizens who show COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, diarrhea and shortness of breath, among other things.

"What we are doing today is following the South Korean method of doing extensive tests. Hopefully, we can do things right with the upcoming new map," Ridwan said.

Before exercising the rapid mass testing, the administration had conducted the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on 500 people. Ten of them tested positive, including three high ranking West Java officials, namely Bogor Mayor Bima Arya, Bandung deputy mayor Yana Mulyana and Karawang Regent Cellica Nurrachadiana.

Dozens of reporters who have contact history with Yana were tested during the current rapid test period, as instructed by Bandung Mayor Oded M. Danial. All of them tested negative, Bandung administration spokesman Sony Teguh Prasatya confirmed.

According to the central government, West Java recorded 98 positive COVID-19 cases as of Friday, with 14 fatalities. (vny)
In the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, crimes against humanity are well defined. With respect to China's handling of the Wuhan Coronavirus, there is sufficient evidence that the Communist Party of China is guilty of crimes against humanity.

The statute specifically states:

[C]rimes against humanity do not need to be linked to an armed conflict and can also occur in peacetime, similar to the crime of genocide.

In particular, the statute explains that only one of the eleven criminal acts defined needs to be committed to qualify for prosecution in the International Criminal Court. The criminal act that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is guilty of is the eleventh act defined by the statute in Article 7 Section 1, Other Inhumane Acts.

The failure of the CCP to act early on to address the outbreak of the Wuhan Coronavirus might be defended as incompetence. However, the fact that there was a concerted effort to suppress warnings on the part of the medical community in Wuhan fits what the International Criminal Court defines in sections 2 and 3:

2. A contextual element: "when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population"; and 3. A mental element: "with knowledge of the attack"

Let us remember that according to recent reports, the CCP withheld vital information concerning the genetic sequencing of the Wuhan Coronavirus for weeks despite the repeated request from the Western medical communities. The CCP deliberately and with forethought tried to hide the extent to which the virus had spread and the mortality rate that they were experiencing. Independent journalists who were trying to warn the world were silenced.

The Rome statute goes on to state specifically:

Another important distinction is that in the case of crimes against humanity, it is not necessary to prove that there is an overall specific intent.

It could be argued that the CCP did not realize the effect that its deliberate actions would have upon the world, but according to the statute, that is irrelevant. The precedent for this is the prosecution of Romania's former president, Ion Iliescu, who was indicted for crimes against humanity for his role in the deadly aftermath of the 1989 revolution that toppled the country's communist regime. The crux of the case was the dissemination of disinformation, which led to the deaths of over 800 people. This is exactly what the CCP did (and may still be doing) in its handling of the deadly outbreak.

It is now incumbent upon world leaders to call upon the International Criminal Court to indict the leaders of the CCP, including president for life Xi Jinping and the entire Central Politburo of Communist China.

Though it is likely that none of the guilty parties will be brought to trial, it should result in international sanctions against China and perhaps lead to expulsion from the U.N. Security Council and eventually from the U.N. itself. Every nation on Earth is being dragged down by the decisions that the CCP took early in this outbreak. Those decisions will result in hundreds of thousands of people dying if not more.

As the community of nations struggles with the Wuhan Coronavirus, the criminal actions of the CCP must not go unpunished. If they do, then this will happen again and again.
About an hour later, the fire was struck out and an adult was found dead at the scene, the fire department said.
Can you get coronavirus from the mail? Are packages from Amazon and other retailers safe?

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the governments top infectious disease expert, answered questions about the COVID-19 pandemic during an interview with The Daily Show host Trevor Noah on Thursday. Fauci said the biggest concerns are people who are sneezing and coughing, as the virus is spread primarily by droplets.

Theres varied degrees of risk, Dr. Fauci said.

The highest risks include high-touch surfaces like door handles, or handshakes; people should also be frequently washing their hands and avoiding touching their faces to limit risks.

But mail delivery and other packages are a very low risk, according to the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

I dont think we need to get completely obsessed about packages that come in because those types of surfaces -- the virus might live there for a very short time," Fauci explained. But people say Should I get a package from a grocery store that says made in China? I wouldnt worry about that. Thats not the issue.

Its more the close things, the hand washing, he said.

How does coronavirus spread?

The National Institutes of Health says the virus responsible for the current pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, is mostly spread person-to-person through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, which is why social distancing rules of six feet are encouraged. The virus can also spread by aerosol, potentially surviving in the air for a brief time, or on surfaces that people touch.

How long does coronavirus survive on surfaces?

A NIH study published last week said coronavirus can live on plastic and steel for two to three days, on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on copper for up to four hours The virus is also detectable in aerosols for up to three hours.

Those times can also vary under real-world conditions, depending on factors including temperature, humidity, ventilation, and the amount of virus deposited. The CDC recommends routine cleaning of high-touch surfaces, including door handles, high-backed chairs, light switches and remote controls.

Is there a coronavirus cure?

Dr. Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said there currently is no cure for COVID-19.

There is no proven, safe, and effective direct therapy for coronavirus disease, Fauci told Noah. There are a number of clinic trials that are trying to -- by randomized control trials -- get a definitive answer as to what works and what does not work.

He cautioned against anecdotal stories of individuals who have reported success with certain drugs, such as hydroxychloroquine for malaria and for certain autoimmune diseases. He said there are concerns about toxicities, as well as taking the drug off the market from people who need them for other conditions.

People think they kind of work, but they havent really proven they work, he said. More clinical trials are needed, he added.

Is New York getting harder hit than other parts of the country?

Dr. Fauci told Noah that the number of cases in New York are not inflated because of higher testing. New York City is a densely populated city with lots of influx from other countries, making it especially vulnerable to spread.

New York is more hardly hit, for sure," Fauci said. "New York is a travel hub for the country... They didnt do anything wrong. Theyre not very different except that theyre a very robust city and because of that theyre getting hit hard.

MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS:

USPS employee who works at Taft Road office in Clay tests positive for coronavirus

Coronavirus tips: How to grocery shop safely (video)

Coronavirus symptoms: Loss of smell, taste could be early sign of COVID-19

The public needs information during a public health crisis: Commentary by Roy S. Gutterman
President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference on the COVID-19, coronavirus, outbreak flanked by US Vice President Mike Pence at the White House in Washington, DC on March 25, 2020.

President Donald Trump will hear recommendations from the White House coronavirus task force this weekend on plans to "open the country up" as the economy continues to strain under the pandemic.

The new guidance on how to kickstart the economy will come days after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. surpasses China or Italy, making it the country with the largest outbreak in the world.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters at the White House on Thursday that the task force will share "a range of recommendations and additional guidance for going forward" with the next steps in its efforts to blunt the impact of the coronavirus.

"The president has made it clear, that in his words, he wants to open the country up. But we're going to do that responsibly, and as the president told the governors today, we'll do that based on the data," said Pence, who leads the U.S. response to the outbreak.

Earlier in the day, Trump sent a letter to U.S. governors outlining his vision for the "next phase" in his administration's plans to reopen the economy, which has ground to a halt as an increasing number of states impose harsh restrictions to try to contain the spread of the disease.

Trump said he and his administration planned to develop criteria to "help classify counties" by low, medium and high "risk" levels using "robust surveillance testing" that will allow local governments to track the spread of the virus.

It's unclear what sort of recommendations or guidance Pence was referring to. But doctors and public health experts have warned that prematurely loosening restrictions could lead to more infections.

The president this week voiced a growing impatience with states' strict "social distancing" measures, such as banning large gatherings of people and temporarily forcing businesses to close, to slow the spread of COVID-19. Officials say those measures are working, but there's no clear end-date in sight for when they can be lifted. In the meantime, they have led to a record unemployment spike and a stock market in peril.

Trump has suggested repeatedly this week that areas of the country with comparatively low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases could allow businesses to reopen in just a few weeks, if not sooner. On Tuesday, he said he wants the U.S. economy to "open" back up by Easter Sunday  though he later added that "I'm not sure that's going to be the day."

"People want to go back to work. I'm hearing it from everybody," Trump said at the White House presser Thursday evening.

Yet even if Trump were to recommend new guidelines under which social distancing measures could be relaxed, they would likely have little impact on the more than 20 states where governors have issued statewide stay-at-home and business closure orders.
Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices crashed below $3 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) reversing three weeks of gains, after Indian buyers cancelled or diverted cargoes as a lockdown caused gas demand to slump.

The average LNG price for May delivery into northeast Asia was estimated at about $2.80 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), down 70 cents, or 20% from the previous week, traders said.

Prices for cargoes delivered in April were estimated around $3.00/mmBtu, also down 70 cents from a week ago.

Indian LNG importers, including top buyer Petronet LNG, Gail (India) and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC), issued force majeure notices to suppliers this week as domestic demand and port operations were hit by a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, sources told Reuters.

India's GSPC also cancelled an import tender for 11 cargoes for deliveries in May to March, a company source said.

The force majeure in turn has caused a flood of supply in the spot market, depressing prices, traders said.

Qatargas has approached several buyers in Asia and Europe offering cargoes for loading or delivery in April, three sources familiar with the matter said. Two other traders said Qatar had offered about 10 cargoes, though this could not be confirmed.

Cheniere Energy also offered a cargo for early April loading from Sabine Pass, traders said.

Sakhalin Energy and Petronas were offering cargoes for delivery in May, they added.

Indonesia's Bontang plant may have sold an early-May loading cargo to a Chinese buyer, one source said, though this could not immediately be confirmed.

KUFPEC may have sold a cargo for first-half May loading from the Wheatstone plant to a portfolio company at $3 to $3.20 per mmBtu, the source added.

One the buy side, some requirements were seen from China and Colombia.

Thailand's PTT bought two cargoes for delivery in May from Qatargas at $3.05 to $3.15 per mmBtu through a buy tender, traders said.

Providing some upside, Woodside Petroleum, which produces LNG at North West Shelf LNG, Pluto LNG and has a stake in Wheatstone LNG in Western Australia, said on Friday its trading team has "recently begun placing some spot production back into China as industrial output and demand restarts".

It added that it would defer major maintenance at the North West Shelf LNG plant in Western Australia as it was slashing spending.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the odds of students returning to school this year are very unlikely" during a Friday radio interview.

Whitmer set April 6 as the possible re-opening date when she closed all K-12 school buildings, but that was changed to April 14 when Whitmer issued an executive order requiring people to stay in their homes. The governor, during an interview on WWJ Newsradio, said classrooms should stay closed while the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge in Michigan.

We are working diligently to come up with a plan to meet the needs of our kids," Whitmer said. "Anyone who is watching what is happening globally with this pandemic knows its probably very unlikely theyre going to get back in school before the end of this year.

The governor said she hasnt made that call yet because she wants to make sure theres a plan in place that works for the needs of children across the state. Schools and local organizations have stepped up to provide meal assistance to families.

Its not something you develop overnight because weve got an inequitable system across the state of Michigan, Whitmer said.

Whitmers orders apply to all public, private and boarding school buildings in Michigan. All public universities have canceled or suspended in-person classes.

The governor urged Michigan residents to stay in their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The infectious respiratory disease has been found in 2,856 people, as of Thursday.

Sixty Michigan residents who contracted the coronavirus have died as of Thursday. Hundreds of new cases are identified each day, and health officials warn the number of cases confirmed so far are just a snapshot of the true total.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

CORONAVIRUS 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. Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home ( door handles, faucets, countertops ) and when you go into places like stores.
Five new COVID-19 cases have been registered in Uzbekistan, bringing the overall count to 23, the country's Health Ministry told Sputnik on Thursday

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2020) Five new COVID-19 cases have been registered in Uzbekistan, bringing the overall count to 23, the country's Health Ministry told Sputnik on Thursday.

On March 15, the first COVID-19 infection was registered in a woman who had returned from France. By Wednesday, the number of infected increased to 18.

"By 10:00 [05:00 GMT] five more people in Uzbekistan have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus," a Health Ministry representative said.

He specified that among the diagnosed are the relatives of a previously infected patient, as well as two people who returned from Istanbul and London last week.

The Uzbek authorities have decided to suspend travel to other countries starting on Monday to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Business leaders in Killarney have issued a clear message to the people of the town  a reminder that we are all in this together, and with a eye on the future when this Covid-19 crisis is over.

At this time of the year, the tourism capital comes into its own as a bustling hub. But on Thursday morning, all that were to be seen on the usually bumper-to-bumper Main Street were five volunteers, led by Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce president, Paul Sherry.
For the last 20 years, Roberta Schwartz has loved few things about her job as much as administrative rounds, the series of visits to patient and staff rooms considered one of the cornerstones of hospital care.

Six days a week, morning, afternoon or night, the Houston Methodist Hospital chief executive officer would pop into one room after another, quick with a hug, attentive to everyones needs, eager to improve peoples spirit.

Its what rejuvenates me as a leader, said Schwartz. Its what makes me want to do this forever.

Nearly two weeks ago, the coronavirus pandemic brought an abrupt end to that joy for Schwartz. As part of the social distancing that hospitals not only preach but must also practice themselves, Schwartz only ventures from Methodists command center to go home, her beloved rounds no longer part of her daily routine.

The change is one of many that Houston hospitals are making to prevent COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus now circulating throughout the U.S., from spreading within its doors. Given the populations housed at hospitals  people disproportionately old, sick and with underlying conditions or compromised immune systems, characteristics that make them uniquely vulnerable to the virus  COVID-19s internal spread would be devastating.

So hospitals are doing the logical thing  restricting visits by patients loved ones, cutting back on executives interactions with patients and staff, equipping both clinical and non-clinical employees with gear to protect them and prevent the virus spread, canceling procedures that arent absolutely necessary.

The result: hospitals hardly seem the same.

Nowhere is that more evident than hospital visitor policies. Theyve evolved from restrictions on the number of people who could visit at any one time and the limited hours they could come to a current virtual prohibition at most of Houstons hospitals. Although exceptions are made for a loved one needed to help, for example, a disabled or cognitively impaired patient, for the most part family members and other visitors are required to keep their distance, only able to make contact by telephone or other technology.

Among those to be affected by the policy is Teri Hice, whose husband Keith is scheduled for bladder tumor surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center next month. The Hices are renting an RV and driving from Montana, their 25-year-old daughter and 24-year-old son in tow, even though they know the visitation policy means they wont be able to share time together in the hospital.

The no visitor policy was pretty disappointing to us as a family, not being able to be in the room with Keith, even though we understand the necessity, said Teri, who followed MD Andersons visitor policy on Facebook as it went from allowing two people to one to none. FaceTime is the plan now  its not the same as being in the room obviously, but its better than nothing.

Now Playing: Panic-buying of surgical masks and other medical protective wear have caused critical shortages at hospitals, clinics and coronavirus testing centers across the country and Texas. Video: Laura Duclos/Houston Chronicle

At least the Hices will arrive with full knowledge of the policy. During the earlier incarnations of the policy, when one or two visitors were allowed, some larger groups of MD Anderson patient visitors who hadnt got the word had to be turned away, heartbroken.

Still, the policy makes eminent sense, at all hospitals but probably cancer hospitals most of all, say health care experts. The death rate for cancer patients who contract the coronavirus is 50 percent, according to a recent study in the journal The Lancet. The study is based on a relatively small number of cancer patients in China who developed COVID-19 and Dr. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson, says cancer center doctors hear the same kind of numbers in conversations with their counterparts in Spain and Italy.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Med center leaders call for shelter in place

The concern drove a number of early actions by MD Anderson. It was one of the first U.S. institutions to ban all business travel, both international and domestic, and then create a registry for employees personal travel, requiring they report any trip outside an eight-county Houston area. It quickly restricted clinical research, the institutions hallmark.

Unfortunately, theres every reason for us to be concerned about the pandemics threat to our patients, given how cancer treatments depress the immune systems white blood cells, the main infection-fighting cells in the body, said Pisters. We have hundreds of patients with low or non-measureable counts of such cells.

Its not like hospitals have a great track record when it comes to infections. Every day, one out of every 25 patients in the nation contracts a hospital-acquired infection, an occurrence that causes 90,000 deaths a year. The seeming inability of hospitals to fix the problem caused Medicare in recent years to begin issuing penalties to hospitals with high rates.

Those infections are a different breed, bacteria that usually sets in as a result of hospital interventions, such as catheters, IVs, surgery, antibiotics. The exception are staph infections, short for staphylococcus, which are mostly spread by skin-to-skin contact, such as when a caregiver or visitor has such germs on their body and spreads them to a patient.

On HoustonChronicle.com: More than 1 in 10 catch coronavirus from someone without symptoms

The coronavirus poses greater challenges because its so transmissible. Though its not as contagious as the measles  each case of which causes another 12 to 18 cases, more than any other known infection  the evidence suggests the coronavirus can exist as an aerosol, meaning its capable of suspending in the air under limited conditions. Its the reason health care workers require such high levels of personal protection, particularly when theyre doing such procedures as the placement of tubes in patients.

The threat is very real, as evidenced by tweets by Texas health care workers terrified of whats in store. In Italy, 20 percent of those responding to patients have been infected, more than 2,000 in all; in China, 22 died. China ultimately got a handle on the problem, but it used full-body protective gear such as goggles and hazmat-style suits. Those supplies are lacking in U.S. hospitals, most of which are struggling to stockpile enough standard personal protective equipment.

The emphasis is on gown and gloves to prevent infection transmission by contact and those denser, tighter N95 masks and face shields to provide transmission by air and droplets. Employees receive specialized training to make sure they are up to date on their use, how to put them on and take them without spreading the virus.

9/11 and the Ebola threat upped everyones game, says Dr. Angela Shippy, chief medical and quality officer for Memorial Hermann Health System. It helped us to make sure everyones trained.

The contagiousness of coronavirus also is one reason Texas Medical Center hospitals stopped doing elective surgeries a week ago, even before Gov. Greg Abbott imposed an order to that effect. Although the suspension of such surgeries drew attention mostly because it will empty beds that can be used in the event of a surge of COVID-19 patients, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams in a tweet called for the stoppage partly because elective surgery brings possible #coronavirus to your facilities.

The often unrecognized spread of the coronavirus  people can shed the virus before they have started experiencing symptoms, meaning before theyre aware they have contracted it  is behind the latest major preventative action being taken in Houston. Saturday Memorial Hermann began giving everyone who enters its hospitals a surgical mask they are required to wear the entire time they are there.

The idea was effective in preventing transmission in Singapore and South Korea, areas also faced with outbreaks with high COVID-19 occurrences and transmission rates. In an email to staff Friday, Memorial Hermann officials said they believe the additional safeguard is now necessary to protect our patients, employees and physicians.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus hits Houston: What you need to know

Employees, as well as those people exempt from the systems no visitor policy, will receive the masks as part of screening they undergo at hospital entrances. The screenings  taking individuals temperature and asking their medical and travel history  were originally instituted as hospitals began tightening their visitor policies.

The new normal at hospitals is requiring some modern-day coping. Methodists Schwartz, who said that the isolation from her old world is just killing me, this week was equipped with an iPad that allows her to do virtual rounds.

In our lifetime, theres never been an infectious disease that posed a threat inside hospitals like this virus, that has so required such constant adjustments to business as usual, such creativity, such monitoring said Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann. Every day we get new information that changes our thinking about what we need to do to protect ourselves and our patients.

todd.ackerman@chron.com
A helicopter lands on the USS Wasp during the annual Balikatan joint training exercise in the western Philippine province of Zambales, April 11, 2019.

The United States has called off joint exercises in the Philippines that would involve thousands of soldiers because of concerns around the coronavirus pandemic, an American admiral announced Friday, as Manilas top general said he had tested positive for COVID-19.

The Balikatan (Shoulder to shoulder) exercises were scheduled to run from May 4-15 in the Philippines, with Australian forces also participating. Some 10,000 Americans, Filipinos and Australian troops had been expected to attend.

In light of the extraordinary circumstance surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and in the best interest of the health and safety of both countries forces, it is prudent to cancel Balikatan 2020, Adm. Phil Davidson, chief of the Hawaii-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in a statement.

We remain deeply committed to our long-standing alliance and friendship, he said.

The announcement came the same day that Gen. Felimon Santos, commander of the Philippine armed forces, confirmed that tests showed he was infected for the pneumonia-like disease, and the countrys president was preparing to be placed under quarantine against the virus. COVID-19 has infected almost 559,000 people and killed more than 25,300 others worldwide, according to disease experts at Johns Hopkins University.

He is well and in good condition. He will be in his military quarters where he will continue the discharge of his duties and responsibilities, the Philippine military said in a statement about its top commander.

The military drill has been credited for transferring vital know-how among its participants, and in transferring knowledge that allowed Filipino forces to defeat Islamic State-linked militants in the southern Philippines three years ago.

But the pandemic could have driven the last nail into the coffin of future bilateral exercises.

In February, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, a bilateral pact that allows U.S. troops to deploy in the Philippines.



Duterte gave the order after the U.S. State Department revoked a visa for entry into the United States that it had issued for Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, the former Philippine national police chief accused of human rights violations related to Dutertes deadly drug war.

Defense officials and diplomats from both sides scrambled to salvage the longtime military alliance and mend the rift, but Duterte early this month said his mind was set.

Davidson said Washington remained committed to its alliance with Manila. Priorities had now shifted, he said, with uniformed personnel wanting to ensure the safety of their loved ones first and safeguarding and maintaining our ability to defend the nation and its interests.

The United States, which recently ramped up testing for the virus, has more than 86,000 confirmed cases, while the Philippines has reported 803. On Friday, the Philippine health department confirmed nine new fatalities from COVID-19, bringing the nationwide death toll to 54.

President to be quarantined

Santos has gone under quarantine and Vice Adm. Gaudencio Collado, the vice chief of staff, has been tasked to take his post, the Philippine militarys statement said.

The military disclosed the top generals illness in order to inform those [that Santos] had close physical contact with about his condition, and urged them to undergo testing and isolate themselves at once, the statement said.

Among them was Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who was with the general on Monday when they appeared at the presidential palace in Manila, where they presumably interacted with Duterte.

The palace did not issue a statement about Dutertes condition, but it is widely known that the sickly leader, who turns 75 on Saturday, was advised to go into quarantine. His entire presidential security guard was also restricted from leaving their quarters for two weeks, officials said.

Dutertes spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said the president had been advised to go into quarantine.

He will continue with his work while on quarantine, he said, adding that the Philippine leader would stay home on Saturday.

Dutertes former chief aide, and now Sen. Christopher Go, has placed himself into quarantine after a fellow politician with whom he had contact tested positive for the disease.

Apart from the military chief, three senators have already tested for COVID-19, including one who was criticized for potentially infecting health workers by accompanying his pregnant wife to the Makati Medical Center, one of the countrys most-advanced hospitals.
You are here: World

 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on the United States to take substantive action in improving bilateral relations.

In a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, Xi suggested that the two sides work together to boost cooperation in epidemic control and other fields, and develop a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future Published a Half-Cooked Research Report on Global Glass Additives Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023

According to Market Research Future (MRFR), Global Glass Additives Market is predicted to grow at a moderate CAGR over the forecast period of 2016 to 2023.

The substantial growth of the Global Glass Additives Market Growth over the forecast period is attributable to technological advancements, such as using lanthanum oxide as an additive to improve the durability and refractive index of glass materials, have urged the growth of the market and rapid urbanization. The increasing demand from the expanding building & construction industry is also expected to drive the demand for Glass Additives Market significantly.

Furthermore, growing investment in the packaging industry, along with the constant expansion of the building & construction industry globally, especially in the emerging economies, is estimated to fuel the growth of the market.

However, factors such as the growing adoption rate of plastic as a comparatively cheaper alternative to glass are expected to hinder the growth of the market over the assessment period.

Key Players:

The key players operating in the Global Glass Additives Market are DuPont. (U.S.), GILLINDER GLASS (U.S.), HAMMOND GROUP INC (U.S.) Potters Industries LLC (U.S.), Namibia Rare Earths Inc. (Canada), Torrecid Group (Spain), SCHOTT AG (Germany), Ardagh Group (Republic of Ireland), Lynas Corporation Ltd (Australia), METALL RARE EARTH LIMITED (China), among others.

Get Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5140

Segmental Analysis:

The Global Glass Additives Market is bifurcated based on the Product and Application.

Based on Product, Global Glass Additives Market has been segmented into metal oxide, nano-particles, and polymers & rare earth metals.

Based on Application, Global market for Glass Additives is segmented into building & construction, electronics & appliances, packaging, automotive & transportation, and others.

Regional Analysis:

Based on the Region, Global Glass Additives Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA).

North America is one of the major markets for Glass Additives and is expected to witness remarkable growth over the forecast period. Developed countries such as the U.S and Canada are substantial contributors to the regional market share owing to the presence of established electronics and packaging industries in the region. Additionally, investments towards product innovation are expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Europe has been assessed as the largest region in the Global Glass Additive Market. European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the U.K are expected to contribute substantially owing to established end-use industries and increasing expenditure on R&D activities for product innovation.

Browse Key Industry Insights spread across 139 pages with 35 market data tables & 12 figures & charts from the report, Glass Additives Market Information: By Product (Metal Oxide, Nanoparticles and Polymers & Rare Earth Metals), Application (Building & Construction, Packaging, Automotive & Transportation, Electronics & Appliances) and Region  Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2023 in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/glass-additives-market-5140

Asia Pacific is likely to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to increasing demand from multiple application sectors such as automotive, building & construction, and packaging, among others. Emerging economies in APAC such as China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam are significant contributors to the market owing to the rising automobile production and sales over the forecast period. furthermore, the rise in the working population has consequently raised the demand for ready-to-eat items has led to growth in the market of packaged foods, which is further expected to contribute the demand for long-lasting Glass Additives products in the packaging industry. In addition, comparatively low-cost labor, availability of raw material are favorable factors for the market growth in the region.

Latin American region is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period, owing to the market growth in developing countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

The Middle Eastern & Africa region is expected to witness steady growth over the forecast period, due to the increasing expenditure in the commercial, residential, and institutional construction sector in Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE. This is attributable to the growing consumption of aesthetic glass in the region, which consequently contributes Global Glass Additive Market over the forecast period.

Read our Blogs @ http://mrfrblog.com

Related Chemicals and Materials Market Research Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/categories/chemicals-market-report

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.

Contact:

Market Research Future

+1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Foxtel talent including faces from Gogglebox, Wentworth, SKY News, FOX Sport and Selling Houses Australia send their message for the community.


PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Luxury fashion house Ralph Lauren will donate $10 million to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and manufacture face masks as well as medical gowns in the U.S.



The company's charity arm, the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, said in a statement that it is committing $10 million towards the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The charity arm was formerly known as the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation.



Ralph Lauren will start the production of 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns with its U.S. manufacturing partners.



Ralph Lauren noted that the $10 million commitment will provide financial grants through the Emergency Assistance Foundation for its colleagues facing special circumstances like medical, eldercare or childcare needs.



The company will also contribute to the World Health Organization COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and also commit an inaugural gift to the Council of Fashion Designers of America or CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund to support the American fashion community impacted by the pandemic.



Other luxury brands too are contributing money or resources to help deal with the coronavirus pandemic.



Luxury apparel maker Canada Goose said on Wednesday that it would leverage its manufacturing facilities to begin production of necessary medical gear for frontline healthcare workers and patients across Canada in the fight against COVID-19.



The Canada-based company will make scrubs for healthcare workers and patient gowns, which are in short supply across the country, and will begin distributing them to hospitals next week.



French luxury products maker LVMH Group said last week that it has retooled its Perfumes & Cosmetics production units to manufacture and distribute large quantities of hydroalcoholic gel to be delivered free of charge to French health authorities.



To help address the surgical mask shortage in France, LVMH said it secured an order with a Chinese industrial supplier for a delivery of seven million surgical masks and three million FFP2 masks in France in the coming days, with repeat orders for at least four weeks.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Agartala/Guwahati, March 27 : Various polls to the autonomous and local bodies in several northeastern region have been postponed indefinitely due to the situation arising out of the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of novel coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

According to the officials, the politically important elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in western Assam and municipal and panchayat elections in Arunachal Pradesh have been put on hold for indefinite period.

In Agartala, the Tribal Welfare Department in a notification on Thursday night postponed the elections to the TTAADC. "The term of the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist)-led TTAADC would expire on May 17 and the elections are expected to be held in April end or early May," the Chief Executive Member of the TTAADC Radhacharan Debbarma told IANS.

He said as per the provisions of the 6th schedule of the Indian constitution, the existing authority with the approval of the governor can remain in office for one year in emergency situation.

TTAADC has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals.

In Assam, on the recommendations of the state government, the State Election Commission put off the 40-member BTC polls, scheduled to be held on April 4. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, who is the constitutional head of the Sixth Schedule areas like that of BTC, had also earlier suggested postponement of the council polls.

The politically important BTC comprises four districts of western Assam -- Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri.

In Arunachal Pradesh, on the advice of the state Health Department, the State Election Commission has postponed the polling to the three-tier panchayats, along with the elections to the Itanagar and Pasighat municipal councils, which are due since May, 2018.

The State Election Commissioner Hage Kojeen said that the commission had announced that the elections would be held in April-May this year but the dates were not finalised.

"Conducting of elections would involve a large number of public gatherings in different parts of the state, campaigns and rallies at various locations. These could be detrimental for the public health due to the possible spread of novel coronavirus," the Election Commissioner clarified.
Crocs, Inc. is doing its part to provide comfort for healthcare professionals on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.

The company known for its distinctive causal footwear for women, men and children is donating 10,000 pairs of shoes a day to healthcare workers though its A Free Pair for Healthcare program.

Like everyone, weve been closely monitoring the news and working hard to map out a way to most effectively help where we can, Crocs President and CEO Andrew Rees said.

Over the past week, we have spoken to healthcare workers, their facilities and even their family and friends, and they have specifically asked for our shoes in an effort to provide ease on their feet, as well as ease of mind as they need the ability to easily clean up before they go home to their families.

Starbucks offering free coffee to frontline workers during coronavirus pandemic

The duration of our giveaway and number of shoes donated will depend on Crocs inventory and the number of requests received. High volume has greeted customers on the first two days of the giveaway, with more than 400,000 people jumping in line for a free pair of Crocs on Thursday.

Fridays allotment is also sold out. The next chance to get a free pair is at noon on Monday, March 30.

These workers have our deepest respect, and we are humbled to be able to answer their call and provide whatever we can to help during this unprecedented time, Rees said.

Healthcare workers can choose between Crocs Classic Clogs and Crocs At Work styles, with free shipping through its website at www.crocs.com/freeforhealthcare.

Crocs has also donated 100,000 pairs of shoes to be distributed across several select healthcare facilities and organizations. Currently, that includes hospital systems in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania,

The healthcare industry has always embraced Crocs, but our mantra of be comfortable in your own shoes applies now more than ever, and we want to do more to help our nations heroes, Rees said.

We only have one ask: Share the word to all those in healthcare and please be mindful to allow those who need these most to place their requests. This is the least we can do for those working incredibly hard to defeat this virus.

READ MORE:

Firehouse Subs offering free kids combos until end of April as schools remain closed

Burger King to offer free kids meals during coronavirus school closures
In this image from video, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Texas), left, and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) stand as they speak on the floor of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 27, 2020. (House Television via AP)

House Approves $2.2 Trillion CCP Virus Relief Bill, Trump Poised to Sign

The House of Representatives on Friday passed a $2.2 trillion CCP virus relief bill, two days after the Senate passed the measure.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly praised the package, is expected to sign it later today.

Despite support from both parties, drama unfolded in Washington because Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced his intention to try to force expanded voting on the bill. His call for a recorded vote failed because of insufficient support and a subsequent call for a quorum failed because a majority of lawmakers were already present after members flew in across the country following word of Massies attempt late Thursday.

The package was thus passed on voice vote, with the ayes outnumbering the nays.

In this May 28, 2019 file photo, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol after he blocked a unanimous consent vote on a long-awaited hurricane disaster aid bill in the chamber. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

Massie said he wanted to make sure the Republic doesnt die by unanimous consent in an empty chamber. Many Republicans opposed the move, including Trump, who called Massie a third rate Grandstander.

Because the vote wasnt recorded, it wasnt clear who voted which way, but the shout-outs sounded resoundingly in favor of the package. Lawmakers across the chamber applauded after the announcement.

Social distancing measures forced members to spread out in the chamber, with some viewing the proceedings from the visitors gallery. Others werent present, being either in transit to Washington or remaining in their home states.

Both Democratic and Republican leadership said they supported the bill, which originated in the House but underwent changes in the Senate before lawmakers there passed it unanimously on Wednesday night.

Trump on Thursday night told reporters that he was profoundly grateful that both parties came together to provide relief for American workers and families in this hour of need, highlighting a number of aspects of the legislation.

In this image from video, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks on the floor of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on March 27, 2020. (House Television via AP)

The unprecedented $2.2 trillion package that stretches across 880 pages includes one-time payments of $1,200 to any American making less than $75,000 a year and $2,400 to married couples making up to $150,000.

Parents would receive $500 per child.

Individuals or couples making over the limits will still get money, but payments will be reduced by $5 for each $100 over the threshold they make.

The limits are tied to 2019 tax returns or, if theyre not available, 2018 tax returns. People who didnt file returns can use other forms such as a Social Security Benefit Statement.

Industrial firm employees manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), like face shields, to supply New Yorks health care workers and hospitals at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio visits in New York City on March 26, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

The bill designates $250 billion for extending unemployment insurance, both to more workers and for more time, $349 billion for loans for small businesses, $200 billion in tax assistance to small businesses, over $100 billion for hospitals and the healthcare system, and $58 billion for airlines.

Congress is planning additional bills after the package, the third passed addressing the impact of the CCP virus, congressional leaders said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the next piece of legislation could include free virus testing and treatment. Asked if the administration thinks a so-called phase four package is necessary and, if so, what should be in it, Vice President Mike Pence demurred on specifics, telling reporters in Washington on Thursday, What the President has made clear to our governors: Were going to do whatever it takes.

The administration is already evaluating requests from some governors for additional resources and congressional leadership, along with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, has indicated a willingness to consider the requests.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China before it was transmitted worldwide.
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/3/2020 (656 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A municipal worker disinfects the subway stairs to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (Marton Monus/MTI via AP)

The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

TOP OF THE HOUR:

 U.N. says review conference to prevent spread of nuclear weapons postponed

 Brunei reports first coronavirus-related death

 South Korea reports 146 new cases but number of recoveries now exceed those under treatment

 U.S. government turns to public, private partnerships to continue feeding students.

___

UNITED NATIONS  The 191 parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty have decided to postpone a conference to review its implementation because of the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations said Friday.

The treaty is considered the cornerstone of global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and the parties hold a major conference every five years to discuss how it is working. The meeting had been scheduled for April 27-May 22 at U.N. headquarters in New York.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the review conference will be held as soon as the circumstances permit, but no later than April 2021.

The U.N. said earlier this week that the conference was likely to be postponed, but the conference president-designate, Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen of Argentina, wanted to consult governments that are parties to the treaty.

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which reached its 50th anniversary March 5, is credited with preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to dozens of nations. It has succeeded in doing this via a grand global bargain: Nations without nuclear weapons committed not to acquire them; those with them committed to move toward their elimination; and all endorsed everyones right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.

___

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  Brunei says a 64-year-old citizen has become the tiny oil-rich kingdom's first death from the new coronavirus.

The health ministry said in a statement Saturday that the man started showing symptoms four days after he returned March 4 from a trip to Kuala Lumpur and Cambodia. It said he was hospitalized March 12, but died Friday night.

This aerial photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, shows a checkpoint at the top of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway, Friday, March 27, 2020, near Key Largo, Fla. The Keys have been temporarily closed to visitors and non-residents since March 22, because of the coronavirus crisis. (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP)

Brunei has reported 115 cases since dozens of its citizens returned from a mass religious gathering in Malaysia that has sickened hundreds in the region.

___

SEOUL, South Korea  South Korea has reported 146 new cases of the coronavirus and five more deaths, bringing its totals to 9,478 cases and 144 deaths.

South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 4,811 people have been released from hospitals as of Saturday, marking the first time the number of recoveries exceeded the number of people remaining under treatment since the country confirmed its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 21.

The KCDC says 71 of the new cases came from the worst-hit city of Daegu, which has struggled to stem transmissions in hospitals, nursery homes and other live-in institutions.

Infections in the populous Seoul metropolitan area have reached 874 following a steady rise over the past two weeks that was mainly linked to passengers arriving from Europe and the United States.

South Korea is tightening border controls and began enforcing two-week quarantines on South Korean nationals and foreigners with long-term stay visas arriving from the United States on Friday. Similar quarantines had already been in place for passengers coming from Europe.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun on Saturday called for Seoul and other local governments to strengthen their monitoring on South Koreans who returned from overseas after some of them triggered public anger by breaking quarantine and travelling to other regions before testing positive.

___

WASHINGTON  The District of Columbia has announced 37 new infections from the COVID-19 coronavirus, bringing the total up to 304, including four deaths.

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Friday that a senior member of her staff had died from the virus. Bowser has declared a state of emergency, shuttered all schools and ordered all non-essential businesses to close.

White House and Capitol tours have been cancelled and the National Zoo, Smithsonian museum network and Kennedy Center have closed. Police have blocked off dozens of streets, bridges and traffic circles to prevent crowds coming to see Washingtons signature blooming cherry blossom trees.

___

WASHINGTON  The U.S. federal government is turning to public/private partnerships to keep feeding students in need after the global pandemic forced nationwide school closures.

At a White House press briefing Friday, officials highlighted a pair of private sector-led initiatives aimed at feeding impoverished students who depend on their daily school meals.

McLane Global Logistics Chairman Denton McLane announced that his company, working with Baylor University, Pepsico, UPS and the Post Office, would be delivering pre-packaged meals that last two weeks directly to students homes.

President Donald Trump speaks before signing the coronavirus stimulus relief package, at the White House, Friday, March 27, 2020, in Washington, as from left, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., House Minority Kevin McCarthy of Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence, look on. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

He called the initiative a real game-changer for rural families.

Panera Bread CEO Niren Chaudhary said his company is launching a partnership with the USDA and Childrens Hunger Alliance to deliver boxed lunches to students across Ohio. He says the goal is to expand the program to other states later.

Districts across the U.S. have been looking for ways to continue feeding students during closures. Some are delivering breakfast and lunch by school bus, while others are asking families to pick up meals at district sites.

___

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared a new rapid test from Abbott Laboratories, which the company says can detect the coronavirus in about 5 minutes.

Medical device maker Abbott announced the emergency clearance of its cartridge-based test in a release Friday night. The company says that its test delivers a negative result in 13 minutes when the virus is not detected.

The U.S. has been trying for weeks to ramp up coronavirus testing after a series of problems with the initial government-designed test. The nations daily testing capacity has been increasing as more diagnostic makers and large laboratories have developed tests.

Abbotts testing cartridge fits into the companys portable ID NOW device, which is used at hospitals, clinics and doctors offices. The company said it would launch the test next week to select health care facilities that deliver urgent care.

The Abbott approval follows two other rapid tests cleared by regulators in the past week. Older laboratory-developed tests can take between 4 to 8 hours to deliver results.

Health experts say the U.S. should be testing 100,000 to 150,000 people per day to track and contain the virus. There are no official nationwide testing metrics, but private and public health labs currently report testing about 80,000 to 90,000 patients per day.

___

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said there are certain parts of the country that will not be ready to return to a semblance of normalcy when his administrations 15-day guideline to stem the spread of the new coronavirus expires next week.

Trump, who issued his guidelines on March 16, said he will meet with Vice-President Mike Pence, White House task force co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday or Tuesday to review data on the spread of the disease.

Trump in a letter to governors Thursday said that risk considerations based on geography would likely dictate the next round of guidelines from the federal government. The president has said he wants to broadly reopen the economy by Easter Sunday, April 12.

___

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump has authorized Defence Secretary Mark Esper to call up an unspecified number of federal reservists to help with the coronavirus response.

Workers, wearing personal protective equipment, build splash guards during a mass manufacturing operation to supply New York City government with protection to distribute against COVID-19, Friday, March 27, 2020, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Trump said in a letter to Congress Friday that he had authorized Esper to order units and individual members of the Selected Reserve, as well as certain Individual Ready Reserve members, to active duty.

These reservists are part of what is called the Ready Reserve, which is the category of reservists most often called to active duty. They are separate from, and in addition to, National Guard members who have been mobilized by governors.

The reserve call-up likely is intended to fill gaps in medical expertise as the military deploys field hospitals to cities hard hit by COVID-19 and provides other forms of medical support to state and local authorities.

___

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump says he will press U.S. manufacturers to build 100,000 ventilators pretty quickly to meet the needs of American hospitals and medical providers around the world.

Trumps call for the building of more ventilators comes one day after he pushed back on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who cited medical experts' prediction that his state will need 30,000 to 40,000 ventilators when the coronavirus outbreak peaks there.

Trump said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday stressed the need for more ventilators in his country. He added Italy, Germany and Spain are also in need of more ventilators.

Trump said he believes U.S. manufacturers are able to take care of American needs while also helping other countries.

___

AMMAN, Jordan  Jordan has announced its first death from the new coronavirus.

State-run news agency Petra said Friday a woman in her 80s died from COVID-19. Jordan TV reported the woman had underlying medical conditions.

There have been 235 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Arab kingdom.

On March 21, Jordan imposed an indefinite full lockdown after it had shut down its airspace and other border crossings.

___

NEW YORK  The United States has become the first country to exceed 100,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

The U.S. reached the grim milestone late Friday afternoon, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. Deaths in the U.S. topped 1,500 on Friday.

President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room, Friday, March 27, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Globally, the count of people with the virus was nearing 600,000.

Italy has the second-most cases with more than 86,000 and China is third with more than 81,000. Italy has the most deaths with 9,134.

___

CHICAGO  The Illinois Nurses Association says 12 nurses from the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago have tested positive for COVID-19.

The association's executive director, Alice Johnson, said nurses working in the hospital's unit caring for COVID-19 patients have had to work without necessary protective equipment.

We hoped their hospital and their government would protect them, but they failed," Johnson said.

Michael Zenn, CEO of the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics, said in a written statement that a limited number of these cases are believed to be due to exposure in the health care setting.

On Friday, the hospital planned to issue new guidance that employees in all inpatient and outpatient units wear masks daily.

___

DETROIT  Detroit's police chief has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Mayor Mike Duggan confirmed the positive test for Police Chief James Craig, saying, He is very fit and he has mild symptoms.

Day-to-day operations of the 2,200-officer department have been turned over to Assistant Chief James White, who is returning from quarantine but has tested negative for the disease.

As of Friday, 39 Detroit police officers had tested positive and 468 were in quarantine, Duggan said.

___

Three more states reported their first COVID-19 deaths on Friday, bringing the total to 46 as the number of U.S. cases continued to rise.

Officials in Nebraska, North Dakota and Maine announced the first deaths from the virus. The only states that havent had a confirmed COVID-19 death as of Friday afternoon are Hawaii, Rhode Island, Wyoming and West Virginia.

The Nebraska case involved an Omaha man in his 50s who had serious underlying health conditions before he was diagnosed.

The North Dakota case involved a man in his 90s in Cass County, the most populous county, who had underlying health conditions.

The Maine death was a man in his 80s who lived in Cumberland County, the states most populous county and the centre of that states outbreak so far.

___

WASHINGTON  The USNS Mercy, one of the Navy's two hospital ships, will begin taking patients from pierside in Los Angeles on Saturday, in an effort to relieve overburdened medical facilities in the city as it struggles to handle the coronavirus outbreak.

The captain of the 1,000-bed ship said its operations will ramp up slowly, taking a handful of patients the first day, then gradually expanding over time.

We would start slowly with a number like five for the first day, then doubling that and doubling again, Navy Capt. John Rotruck told The Associated Press in an interview from the ship as it was heading into the port.

The Mercys arrival comes as the USNS Comfort, the Navy's other hospital ship, prepares to leave Virginia on Saturday, heading to New York City.

The ships will take only non-virus patients, freeing up hospital beds in the city for those who are infected.

There are about 1,000 sailors on the Mercy, and about two-thirds of that are medical staff. Theyve spent the last several days at sea training, since this is the first time that many of them will have worked together.

___

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package, calling the bill much-needed relief for American workers reeling from the economic tumult caused by the coronavirus.

Trump signed the bill in Oval Office ceremony surrounded by Republican lawmakers and members of his administration shortly after the Democratic-controlled House approved the massive spending package. Under the plan, many single Americans would receive $1,200, married couples would get $2,400 and parents would see $500 for each child.

The signing came the after the U.S. government on Thursday reported nearly 3.3 million new weekly jobless claims. The U.S. death toll has surpassed 1,200 from the virus.

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.

___

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump has issued an order that the government can use to require General Motors to produce ventilators under Defence Production Act.

Trump signed the order Friday in the Oval Office as health professionals around the country lamented shortages of the machines that help patients with the coronavirus breathe.

In a joint statement, GM and Ventec Life Systems said they will build critical care ventilators at GM's manufacturing plant in Kokomo, Indiana, and start shipping them as soon as next month. GM also is to produce surgical masks at its plant in Warren, Michigan, that can be used by health care workers.

In a statement, the White House accused GM of wasting time in the contracting process.

"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," the statement said.


(Photo : Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay)

The biggest advantage of pursuing a postgraduate academic degree in construction law is obtaining specialized training. You'll have an edge over other applicants during job searches. It shows your resolve to your career path. Some practicing professionals even pursue LLMs to switch to more rewarding specializations like construction law.





Selecting the right school for your LLM or postgraduate diploma in construction doesn't have to be difficult. We have prepared a selection of the top 6 construction law schools.

Stick around if you're looking for the best construction law schools US or abroad. The ranking follows a popularity list published by the LLM Guide.

1) University of Melbourne Law School

Located in Melbourne, Australia, the school consistently ranks among the best law schools in the world. In 2019, it was the 7th top school based on QC World University Ranking.

What does the law program entail? The LLM & Postgraduate construction law school program targets both lawyers and building professionals such as engineers.

Local and international students develop the expertise to understand the legal landscape around construction projects, from basic to complex issues. The school also offers single subjects enrollments with optional assessments.

2) Leicester De Montfort University Law School

The school is based in Leicester, United Kingdom. De Montfort Law School offers lawyers and building specialists the LLM International Construction Law program via distance learning. Not only does it equip learners with academic knowledge but they also get the chance to find out how various construction activities might result in legal issues. For instance, one of the problems to expect revolves around construction payments. You can read more about it.

Scholars who have enrolled full-time on campus have the special advantage of accessing the best resources, including the newly-built Hugh Aston Building. It has features such as a courtroom, integrated law library, lecture halls, and client interview rooms.

If relocating to Leicester for a considerable duration is a challenge because of work duties, you may enroll for distance learning & study at your own schedule. Online learning offers the flexibility of studying while working a full-time job, traveling, and more.

3) Strathclyde Law School

Founded in 1964, the Strathclyde Law School boasts 50 years' of experience in the provision of law education. It's based in Glasgow and ranks among the top three law schools in Scotland. Their construction law courses include:

Masters Program - Full-time students will spend 12-months on the LLM or 24-months if part-time.

Post Graduate Diploma - The study period lasts 9 months for full-time students and 18-months if part-time.

Post Graduate Certificate - It's entirely part-time and takes 9 months to complete.

You don't need a law degree to enroll. If you're a lawyer, you'll develop the legal expertise required to practice construction law. Building specialists like construction managers will find practical knowledge.

If you're an international post-graduate student with outstanding academic credentials, you may apply for the merit-based Dean's International Excellence Award. The reward that's up to 4,000 covers tuition fees for the first year.

What modules are available? Areas of study include dispute resolution, research methods, and construction law. In-person classes run in the evenings but there is a flexible learning experience with online seminars. Written tests are administered to those taking diplomas & certificates, with 15,000-word dissertations mandated for LLM students in the final year. Facilities are plenty and topnotch such as the comprehensive legal databases and the fully-equipped law library.

4) Bristol Law School - UWE Bristol

The Bristol Law School, based in Bristol UK, is sometimes confused with the University of Bristol Law School. It's actually part of the University of West England (UWE). They have a large assortment of courses including postgraduate, professional short courses, degree apprenticeships, etc.

It's one of the top construction law schools that provides the PgCert in construction law. The program started in 2008, and according to the program leader, Jim Mason, there was an increased need for people with expertise in construction law.

By enrolling in the course, you learn about legal risks, best practices, and recent developments. You'll need a degree or be professionally working in the industry with a desire for specialist knowledge.

Some modules featured include real estate law, adjudication practice (suited for future construction adjudicators), procurement principles, and contract law.

It's a part-time course requiring one year of study and suited to those working full-time.

5) Robert Gordon University (RGU)

The Robert Gordon University ranks among the best construction law schools. They offer PgCert, PgDip, and LLM in Construction Law and Arbitration. You'll find their main campus in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Students gain an in-depth look into construction law & dispute resolution, which is useful for anyone striving for a career in construction adjudication or arbitration

There is an emphasis on flexibility and convenience as you can take the course online while working full-time. Online applications are also accepted on their website.

Studying at RGU brings the benefit of accessing the best facilities and resources. Students can get accreditation from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors or Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The school boasts of the highest employment rates. It has received national recognition for high-quality teaching.

6) University of Salford

Located in Manchester, England, the University of Salford is one of the top construction law schools offering the Construction Law and Practice program. It's a distance learning course that runs for two years. Stakeholders engaged in international construction projects will greatly benefit as it delves into all the legal knowledge needed by practicing specialists.

Modules include legal analysis, construction contracts, insurance, design liability, and research. Primarily, the instruction is via online interactive lessons. Students have to accumulate 30 credits.

Assessments are drawn from real-world problems and complexities. You'll also receive training on assessing and managing risk. Despite being an online course, there is an emphasis on tutor support and interaction.

7) Should I Attend Construction Law School?

Obtaining functional expertise in construction law gives you the skills to perform your role with more professionalism. Lawyers stand to earn an extra feather in their caps.

Nowadays, getting started on a new learning path is easier than ever. You can apply online and receive on-time customer support for any queries. So, take advantage of these opportunities and start learning!
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico has the chance to lead the nation in rebuilding its foster care system after the settlement of a lawsuit filed by 14 foster care youths and their advocates.

The significance is that were going to rebuild the nations first trauma-responsive child welfare system, Children, Youth and Families Department spokesman Charlie Moore-Pabst said.

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2018 on behalf of the 14 foster care clients, named CYFD and the state Human Services Department as defendants.

It alleged that children were being removed from unsafe homes only to be placed in a broken state-run foster care system that did not address their trauma. In some cases, the youths were placed in inappropriate or overly restrictive homes, with some children locked in, drugged and physically restrained, the lawsuit said.

The agreement calls for creation of a child welfare system that is centered around helping children who have experienced trauma, and that affects not only the services theyll get while in state custody, but the way that everyone who comes in contact with them interacts with them, said attorney Jesselyn Friley, of Public Counsel, one of the California law firms representing the plaintiffs.

So its shifting the framework and the culture of CYFD and HSD and everyone who works for them and interacts with children.

Attorneys from several New Mexico law firms and several out-of-state law firms were involved in representing the plaintiffs and hammering out the comprehensive settlement.

The agreement also calls for reforms to make sure that Native children at the state level are getting protections that theyre entitled to at the federal level now; and not only are they protected, but that they have greater access to traditional supports from their own communities and a greater variety of placement options in Native foster homes, which we know is really important for those children, Friley said.

The agreement sets up an ongoing partnership between CYFD and HSD, as well as a three-person panel of co-neutrals, experts in the field of child welfare. The co-neutrals, along with plaintiff attorneys and New Mexico child advocacy organizations, will monitor the reforms.

There are a number of targets that the state has to reach, and the co-neutrals will look every year at what the state has done  and the state will issue a report as well, Friley said. As those targets are met and held for a period of two years, then they will be checked off and wont be subjected to monitoring any more. Once all of the targets are completed then the agreement will expire.

The agreed upon co-neutrals are Pamela S. Hyde of Hyde and Associates, in Santa Fe; Kevin Ryan of Public Catalyst, Inselin, New Jersey; and Judith Meltzer, president of the Center for the Study of Social Policy in Washington, D.C.

Nancy Koenigsberg, an attorney with plaintiff law firm Disability Rights New Mexico, said she was very pleased with the settlement.

One of the things really important to us was that CYFD and HSD collaborate, because virtually all of the kids who are in CYFD custody receive their health care services through Medicaid, which is administered by HSD. We wanted to see those two departments work together and create an integrated system of care for these kids, so they have access to health care and behavioral health care quickly, and that it will be part of the planning process.

Another piece of the settlement is that CYFD and HSD will come up with policies and procedures in order to implement the plan, and they will work with the courts and New Mexico tribes and pueblos to help draft state laws that mirror and expand federal provisions, Koenigsberg said.

Longtime child welfare attorney in Albuquerque, F. Michael Hart, said the settlement is proof of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams commitment to New Mexicos most vulnerable children.

CYFD Cabinet Secretary Brian Blalock and HSDs Cabinet Secretary David Scrase both came into office with the goal of developing and implementing a new child welfare system built on the foundation of understanding and responding to the impact of trauma experienced by children in foster care, Hart said.

This system will fully integrate the Medicaid systems behavioral health screening and service delivery for children in foster care  a system that had been badly weakened in years prior.

CYFDs Moore-Pabst said negotiating the settlement went smoothly because looking at all the things the plaintiffs wanted us to change, we realized that we were pretty much on the same page, because almost everything they wanted we were already working on or had plans to fix down the line.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 21:49:10|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BUJUMBURA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Burundi has renewed the measure of suspending international commercial flights departing or landing at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport to counter the novel coronavirus.

Transport Minister Jean Bosco Ntunzwenimana said at a press release on Friday that the suspension is extended for another seven days and will be effective as from March 28 at 11:59 p.m. Bujumbura time (9:59 p.m. GMT).

He however underlined that only cargo flights, ambulance flights, flights with humanitarian purposes and diplomatic flights will be exempted from the decision.

The first measure of suspending international commercial flights for seven days had gone into force on March 21.

Burundi in recent days took several decisions to counter the novel coronavirus.

They include the suspension of the delivery of visas until further notice and the suspension of overseas business travels by government officials to bar the novel coronavirus.

So far, no COVID-19 case has been reported in Burundi.
Italy on Friday recorded the most daily deaths of any country since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and Spain had its deadliest day, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major world leader to test positive. Italy reported 969 new deaths, Spain 769 and France 299 as Europe reeled from a crisis that led the United States on Friday to finalise an unprecedented $2 trillion stimulus package. In other grim milestones, AFP tallies showed more than 26,000 deaths worldwide, and a total of 300,000 cases now recorded in Europe, after the United States overtook China as the country with the most infections. Italy showed a continuing downward trend in infection rates and Spain said its rate appeared to be slowing, but other countries were bracing for the virus's full impact. Ireland announced it was imposing a lockdown, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar imploring his citizens to "stay at home, in all circumstances". The World Health Organization's regional director for Africa warned the continent faced a "dramatic evolution" of the pandemic, as South Africa also began life under lockdown and reported its first COVID-19 death. Johnson, whose country has seen more than 14,000 declared coronavirus cases and 759 deaths, said he had developed mild symptoms and tested positive. "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus," Johnson, who had initially resisted calls for a nationwide lockdown before changing course, wrote on Twitter. Europe has suffered the brunt of the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks, with millions across the continent on lockdown and the streets of Paris, Rome and Madrid eerily empty. - 'She just had a cough' - In France, where nearly 2,000 people have died, the government announced it was extending its stay-at-home order until at least April 15. While severe, the 299 new deaths it recorded Friday were lower than the 365 reported the previous day. The death of a 16-year-old girl from the virus has particularly shaken France, shattering the belief of many young people that they were immune. The girl's mother Sabine told AFP that Julie "just had a cough" at first but deteriorated quickly. She died Wednesday, less than a week later. "It's unbearable," Sabine said. "We were supposed to have a normal life." In the United States, known infections jumped past 100,000, surpassing China and Italy, with more than 1,500 deaths, according to a tracker at the Johns Hopkins University. In New York City, the US epicentre of the crisis, health workers battled a surging toll, including an increasing number of younger patients. "Now it's 50-year-olds, 40-year-olds, 30-year-olds," said one respiratory therapist at the Jewish Medical Center in Queens. They "didn't listen about not going out or protecting themselves and washing their hands," he said. - Historic US stimulus - Wall Street slipped again after three days of recovering this month's heavy losses, even as President Donald Trump signed into law the largest stimulus package in US history. The package will pump $100 billion into hospitals and give checks of up to $3,400 for the average family of four, in the hopes of reviving spending after unemployment claims soared to a new record. "This will deliver urgently needed relief to our nation's families, workers and businesses. That's what this is all about," Trump said. Trump also invoked an act usually used in wartime to order General Motors to speed up its commitment to make badly needed ventilators. He said the move "should demonstrate clearly that we will not hesitate to use the full authority of the federal government to combat this crisis." Even as Europe readied its own stimulus measures, experts warned of misery that could rival the Great Depression, with millions suddenly unemployed. "It is clear that we have entered a recession" that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said Friday. - Pope before empty square - The coronavirus first emerged in China late last year before spreading globally, with more than half a million declared cases in 183 countries and territories. Over the last six days, as many new cases have been diagnosed around the world as in the previous 80 days. Beijing managed to contain its spread with lockdowns and quarantines, and its epicentre Wuhan is easing severe movement restrictions in place for two months. In a historic first, Pope Francis performed the rarely recited "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to an empty Saint Peter's Square. "Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by," he said. "We find ourselves afraid and lost," he said, describing the coronavirus as a "tempest". The WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news conference in Geneva the dire lack of protective gear for frontline health workers was "one of the most urgent threats to our collective ability to save lives". The World Tourism Organization said Friday it expected tourist arrivals to drop by 20-30 percent this year, with losses of $300-450 billion internationally. But there have been rays of hope. Armed groups in Cameroon, the Philippines and Yemen have moved to reduce violence after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for ceasefires. burs-st/ch
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, March 28 2020

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) donated Rp 10 billion (US$619,597) to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Friday.

The donation, which came from Santini Group and Pakarti Yoga Group, was delivered personally by Santini Group and Pakarti Yoga Group president director Lukito Wanandi to PMI chairman Jusuf Kalla.

Previously, Kadins Charity Foundation helped the government in gradual ways by distributing 5,000 rapid test kits through the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry on Wednesday.

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
Things were looking good for Axel Evensen, 17, when the coronavirus outbreak led to a stay-at-home order in California. The high school senior had just been cast in the school play, was interning at a veterinary clinic and looking forward to rites of passage like senior prom and graduation.

This has been his best and happiest year of school, his mom, Jill Evensen, told TODAY. It was a lot to lose all at once.

Evensen hoped her family of four could find something constructive to do with their time at home, since she believes, Sometimes helping somebody else is the best way to make yourself feel better, too.

Axel Evensen suggested fostering a dog. With his parents support, he emailed paperwork to OC Animal Care in Tustin, California. The next day, the family picked up Johnny, a Chihuahua mixed-breed dog recovering from eye surgery.

A teen cuddles a dog wearing a protective cone. (Jill Evensen)

The little dog instantly bonded to the teen and sleeps in his bed at night. Sometimes they FaceTime together with friends.

Hes very attached to me, he told TODAY. Its definitely something fun to keep my mind off things.

Volunteers across America have opened their homes to foster pets as animal shelters race to adapt to social distancing and other efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The numbers are both staggering and inspiring.

Representatives from the nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society told TODAY that the data management system Petpoint analyzed figures from 1,200 animal welfare organizations. For the week of March 14-20, the groups saw an overall 93% increase in animals going into foster homes compared to the previous week.

An older cat snuggles in a woman's arms. (Courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society)

In the last week or two, shelters have come up with innovative plans to continue lifesaving, like virtual meet-and-greets by webcam and online meeting platforms like Skype, appointment-only fosters and adoptions and curbside pickup of pets, Julie Castle, chief executive officer for Best Friends Animal Society, told TODAY in an email.

Story continues

For instance, Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control in Michigan instituted a cuddle shuttle to transport shelter pets to foster families and adopters. North Carolinas SPCA of Wake County started livestreaming adoptable animals, and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa hosted a name-your-price adoption event called Social Distancing Sidekicks.

Pets & Animals

Bretta Nelson, a spokesperson for Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix, said the nonprofits new drive-up foster service has been a huge success. Foster volunteers send a text when they arrive, a member of the staff brings out paperwork to their car and once its complete, escorts the pet from the shelter to the vehicle. A similar system is in place for veterinary exams and treatment.

A woman holds kittens in a carrier. (Courtesy of Arizona Humane Society)

For the community, it reinforces that they can do this and still be safe, which is so important right now, Nelson told TODAY.

Pets & Animals

Currently, 345 pets from Arizona Humane Society live in foster homes, primarily "bottle baby" kittens, cats, puppies and dogs. Additionally, on March 21, the nonprofit hosted an empty-the-shelters event  with precautions like 6 feet of social distancing and plenty of sanitizing  that found 99 pets permanent homes.

Woman in a car holds a gray dog. (Courtesy of Arizona Humane Society)

I have to applaud our teams, Dr. Melissa Thompson, a veterinarian and vice president of medical operations for Arizona Humane Society, told TODAY. And the community has been outrageous in their support.

Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the nonprofit American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said that thanks to the organizations extensive network of volunteers, the ASPCA was able to temporarily move most of its animals into foster homes.

In recent weeks there has been an incredible response from people looking to temporarily foster animals during this difficult time, and we have seen a nearly 70 percent increase in animals going into foster care through our New York City and Los Angeles foster programs, compared to the same time period in 2019, he told TODAY in an email.

He said fostering puts shelter animals in safe and loving homes, helps shelters conserve their space and resources, and provides people with comfort and companionship. It also helps pets acclimate to an eventual life in a home.

A shaggy dog looks up. (Courtesy of East Bay SPCA)

While theres been an outpouring of support from foster volunteers, theres still a need  particularly with kitten season on the horizon, as well as a troubled economy.

Each shelter and community faces unique challenges. Midwest Animal Rescue and Services in Minnesota even partnered with Busch to offer free beer as an incentive to foster pets during the pandemic.

Everyone could use a companion for the couch right now. So if you foster (or adopt) a dog from Midwest Animal Rescue, well give you 3 months worth of Busch to enjoy by their side. Go to https://t.co/S58CM3Z6OM to learn more.



RT to spread the word. https://t.co/2Afl5fhh9T pic.twitter.com/WebTTioZ2M  Busch Beer (@BuschBeer) March 25, 2020

Of course, fostering can lead to permanent adoption. Kristen Beitzel, certified veterinary practice manager and vice president of medical services at East Bay SPCA in Oakland, California, said the nonprofit currently has almost 100 animals in foster care, and that some volunteers are already choosing to adopt. The team has fielded about 500 requests from potential foster volunteers and they are still coming in.

Arms cradle kittens. (Courtesy of East Bay SPCA)

Fosters make such an amazing difference, she told TODAY. We are hopeful that even after shelter-in-place is lifted, people will still be excited to open their homes until animals are ready for adoption.

Anyone interested in fostering or adopting a pet can use this interactive tool to find a shelter in their area: https://bestfriends.org/2025-goal

Animal
KUNMING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese border police in Yunnan Province have stepped up the crackdown on smuggling cases, yielding positive results.

Within this year, police in Yunnan have busted 1,173 smuggling cases as of March 18, seizing 1,069 suspects and more than 54.5 million yuan (about 7.68 million U.S. dollars) of smuggled goods, according to the provincial border inspection station.

On March 12, border police seized a total of 40 tonnes of frozen chicken feet on a highway, which involved 960,000 yuan, with four suspects and three vehicles detained, it said.

During the novel coronavirus outbreak, Yunnan beefed up the crackdown on smuggling of supplies used for epidemic prevention and control. From 8 p.m. Feb. 5 to 8 a.m. Feb. 6, border police in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture busted six such cases and seized two vehicles, 290,000 masks and 828 pairs of goggles.

Close cooperation with neighboring countries has also been launched to fight against cross-border smuggling crimes.

Yunnan is a major front in China's battle against drug crime, as it borders the Golden Triangle known for its rampant drug production and trafficking.
(Natural News) A younger female nurse from Italy recently decided to take her own life after testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), all due to fear that she might infect others with it.

Daniela Trezzi, who was 34 years old, had been working on the front lines of the virus outbreak pandemic in hard-struck Italy, helping patients day-in and day-out to recover. But after contracting the novel virus herself, panic set in and led Trezzi down the path of no return.

Indicating that she had been suffering from heavy stress in the days prior, Trezzi, who worked in the intensive care unit (ICU) at San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, was first put into quarantine after testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Not long after, Trezzi was found dead.

Each of us has chosen this profession for good and, unfortunately, also for bad: we are nurses, reads a statement issued by Italys National Federation of Nurses, which expressed pain and dismay over Trezzis death.

The condition and stress to which our professionals are subjected is under the eyes of all, the statement says further, adding that a similar episode occurred about a week ago in Venice, with the same underlying reasons.

Trezzi had been at home sick since March 10, the hospitals general manager Mario Alparone told the media, indicating that Trezzi was not under surveillance at the time when she took her own life, her death adding to the 743 other fatalities from the virus recorded the same day she died.

Trezzis death is currently under investigation, and an Italian research institute has since released data to show that some 5,760 other Italian health care workers are also now infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). These infections account for about eight percent of the countrys total cases, which rose to nearly 70,000 on Tuesday.

Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, asks the question: Was the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) the criminal mastermind behind the coronavirus outbreak?

Italy and Spain are collapsing from coronavirus

Health care workers not just in Italy but also in Spain are struggling to keep up with their caseloads, not to mention the fact that many of them are developing the illness as well, making it difficult for them to continue working.

In Madrid, an emergency ward worker who had been seeing coughing, hacking patients for weeks inevitably contracted the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) herself, despite being only 32 years old.

Speaking to The Associated Press via video call from her home quarantine, this worker, named Patricia Nunez, explained that it was just a matter of time before she and her colleagues succumbed to the disease, which is quickly collapsing both Spain and Italy.

The worst thing is that you need to stay at home, worried about infecting relatives, while knowing that you are dearly needed at work, shes quoted as saying.

Hopefully Nunez will keep her wits about her and not even think about heading in the same direction that Trezzi did. We recognize that nurses and hospital staff are under immense pressure as it is, and many have in the past resorted to self-violence in an effort to cope with the horrors they often face, which today includes total societal collapse.

We are collapsing, says Lidia Perera, a nurse who works with Nunez at Madrids Hospital de la Paz, which currently has 1,000 beds. We need more workers.

If you had told me three months ago that I would be working in these conditions in Spain, I wouldnt have believed you, she added, noting that staff at the facility are only being tested for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) if they show symptoms.

More of the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is available at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

NYPost.com

APNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Every Australian arriving home from overseas will face a mandatory two-week stay in a city hotel to make sure 'self-isolation' is enforced.

The extraordinary quarantine measure announced by Prime Minister on Friday will come into force for overseas arrivals from 11.59pm on Saturday night.

The clampdown is aimed at slowing the insidious spread of coronavirus as new data shows two-thirds of the 3,112 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia are from overseas arrivals.

Mr Morrison said state and territory police would be supported by the Australian Defence Force to ensure the new arrivals stayed put in dedicated hotels in major cities.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds up a coronavirus isolation declaration card as he announces the quarantine measures on Friday

Return travellers will be quarantined in hotels in the city where they fly into Australia, Mr Morrison told reporters

Flanked by Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy, Mr Morrison said: 'By no later than midnight tomorrow - that is 11:59pm Saturday - states and territories will be quarantining all arrivals through our airports in hotels and other accommodation facilities for the two weeks of their mandatory self-isolation before they are able to return to their home.'

Return travellers will be quarantined in hotels in the city where they fly into Australia, he said.

'If their home is in South Australia or in Perth or in Tasmania and they have arrived in Melbourne, they will be quarantining in Melbourne.'

POLICE BEGIN CRACKDOWN ON FAILED SELF-ISOLATIONS Police agencies across the country have begun cracking down on arrivals breaching their mandatory self-isolation periods. A 65-year-old woman who returned from Bali but repeatedly breached her isolation orders was fined $1,000 on Thursday, NSW Police announced. Both Victoria and Queensland Police have conducted doorknock checks. Advertisement

While the number of arrivals at Australian airports has plunged from about 48,725 people last year to 7,120 on Thursday, Mr Morrison said they still posed a heightened risk of spreading the virus, which has infected more than 500,000 worldwide.

About 288 cruise ship passengers who have tested positive to coronavirus are already being held at a Swissotel on Market St in Sydney's CBD.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the state has 5,000 rooms ready to accommodate, feed and transport arrivals in that state.

'Police, health, will be able to monitor compliance at a static location,' Mr Andrews said.

The prime minister said the nation is battling both a virus and economic crisis.

He revealed the Federal government will release a third stimulus package - dubbed 'hibernation' measures - in the days to come.

That package will help businesses 'hibernate' through a six-month shutdown period, he said.

Those measures will include assistance for residential and commercial tenants, but the details of the package have not been ironed out.

New arrivals in Australia will be forced into quarantine in hotels at their point of arrival in Australia

'Both (crises) will take lives, both will take livelihoods,' the prime minister said.

'And it's incredibly important to make sure we continue to battle both these enemies to Australia's way of life.'

Restaurants and cafes (except takeaway), gyms, clubs, pubs, beauty salons and massage parlours were all closed under previous Stage Two restrictions.

Weddings have been limited to five people and funerals to just 10, with auction houses and open homes closed.

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

Mr Morrison thanked Australians for making changes to their livelihoods and said the number of people moving around the major cities in the past two weeks had dropped by as much as 80 per cent.

'Thank you, keep doing it, you're saving lives and you're saving livelihoods,' he said.

'We've called on you as Australians to combine in this effort and your response in this past week has been magnificent.

'I would rather be in Australia right now ... than any other country in the world right now.'

The country's border has been closed to all foreigners for more than a week but some experts are still calling for more action to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Authorities have expressed disappointment at cases of new arrivals flouting self-isolation and posing an infection risk the wider community.
Brian Baird says that when he was running through the halls of the Longworth House Office Building on the terrifying morning of September 11, 2001, urging people to flee, he thought first about the safety of his family and then about the survival of the United States Congress.

Baird, then 45, was a clinical psychologist and Democrat from Washington State serving his second term in the House of Representatives, sitting in his seventh-floor offices. When the second tower of the World Trade Center was struck by a plane at 9:03, he began to think that people who stayed in those buildings were facing death. He told his staff to keep an eye out the window and came up with a plan. If they saw anything, he and a handful of staffers would spread throughout the building, sounding the alarm. When the Pentagon, on the other side of the river, was struck at 9:37 a.m., they took off down the halls, telling everyone to get out.

Im running through evacuating people, thinking about my family and how they were doing, and then saying, What happens if they kill us all?, Baird recalls now. Baird says that after he got home that day, he checked on his staff and then set to work on a plan.

Brian Baird speaks at a session of the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In the chaotic months and years that followedanthrax, the Iraq War, and one terrifying moment when the Capitol emptied after the governor of Kentuckys plane unexpectedly drifted into Washington airspaceBaird and a handful of allies kept up their quixotic project: Finding a way to keep Congress going in the event of a tragic event, either a terrorist attack or a pandemic.

This was not something he found his senior colleagues wanted to talk about. He recalls bringing it to one veteran Democratic member. I said, I need to talk to you about something important, says Baird. He said, Whats that? I said, You know, we dont have a valid process for replacing House members if were all killed by a terrorist attack.

He said, What do I care? Ill be dead.

Story continues

Today, the Covid-19 pandemic is reigniting the debate over how Congress continues during times of national crisis. As Americans keep their distance to avoid spreading a new and potentially fatal disease, their elected lawmakers furiously congregate in the middle of Washington, gathering in big rooms, walking narrow corridors, losing sleep. The average age in the House is about 58; in the Senate its nearly 63, with some of the top leadership entering their 80s, at extremely high risk from the virus.

The physical concentration of power in Washington seems almost deliberately foolhardy right now: A single point of failure that puts at risk the continued functioning of government, right when the country arguably needs Congress the most.

One senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky, has already tested positive for the virus, as have two House members, Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Ben McAdams (D-Utah). Paul was seen after he was infectedbut before he had tested positivemeeting in close settings with fellow members of the Republican caucus, and using the Senate gym and pool.

From left to right: Sen. Rand Paul, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Rep. Ben McAdams

This is something we should have addressed a long time ago. We got a warning back in 2001, says Baird, who after leaving Congress in 2011 served as president of Seattles Antioch University. But current events are forcing the conversation. Ask the folks who sat next to Rand Paul if they would have preferred to talk to him online or from 2 feet away.

But at the same time, the answer isnt nearly as simple as sending Congress back home to self-isolate, to work remotely and often online, as much of the rest of white-collar America is doing. Theres flurry of talk about remote votinga step national legislatures in Europe, from Spain to Italy, have wrestled with this weekbut voting on laws is just one piece of the puzzle, simply one aspect of what Congress does day in and day out.

And even that, voting, is seen by congressional leadership as a slippery slope. Giving members a taste for working from home, the skeptical thinking goes, could be the first step in a process that ends with a weakened, shriveled deliberative body, one unable to fill its constitutional duty to reach agreements and be a check on the presidency.

John Fortier was the executive director of the Continuity of Government Commission, a bipartisan group that sprang up in the wake of 9/11, convened by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution. Former presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford served as honorary co-chairs. The original framers, Fortier points out, designed Congress to be the place where America hashed out its future in personwhere the elected representatives of the people gathered to share ideas, deliberate, compromise, build a majority and figure out how to best represent the interests of a diverse country.

Congress literally does mean coming together, and we forget how much of what takes place requires that, he says. Its a much more complex place than just pushing a button one way or another on a roll call vote.

What should, or could, change? And why hasnt it happened yet? There are answers to those questions, some of them good, and some of them infuriating obstacles that Baird and others have hit on their way to reform.

In its 231-year history, Congress has proved itself deeply resistant to change. It usually does so only in a crisis. But the country is currently in a state of crisis, one renewing the tough questions about whether, in order to protect itself, Congress may have to find a way to scatterquestions that involve technology, the law and, this being Washington, politics.

One part of the experiment is already underway. Shortly before noon on Tuesday, a group of congressional expats and government experts gathered online for a trial run at conducting the often boring day-to-day business of Congress without being in the same place.

They met via the videoconferencing platform Zoom. From his home office just north of Seattle, Baird gaveled the session to order by striking a Buddhist singing bowl.

He then deferred to his co-chair, former Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.), sitting in his home office in the South Carolina town of Travelers Rest, for an opening statement on the topic at hand: a resolution honoring health care workers and first responders on the coronavirus front lines. A witness, Georgetown Universitys Lorelei Kelly, weighed in from southwest Kansas, and political science professor Kevin Esterling soon offered an objection from his own home office in Riverside, California. Charles Johnson III, the parliamentarian in the House of Representatives from 1994 to 2004, spoke up on the phone from Bethesda, Maryland, to question whether votes were being properly recorded.

The session was not a runaway success. It was utter chaos, Marci Harris, one of the organizers of the Zoom session, says with a laugh. During the 2000s, Harris was a lawyer in the House working on the passage of Obamacare. Shes now CEO of POPVOX, a platform for lawmakers and their constituents to communicate on legislation, and she, along with two other former Hill aidesGeorgetowns Kelly and Daniel Schuman, policy director for progressive advocacy group Demand Progressorganized the session as a volunteer effort to test the remote hearing concept.

There were the usual teleconferencing woes. There were home-schooling background noises, and Johnsons microphone echoed. But other issues were more specific and became apparent as the exercise played out. How were the participants playing staffers supposed to whisper guidance to the members of Congress they served? What was the best way to offer an amendment? Could the parliamentarian offer real-time feedback to the chair? Were people voting both yea and nay during voice votes, knowing they were off-screen and wouldnt get caught? What if a member yelled point of ordera parliamentary move that can force a crucial stop in proceedingsand the chair simply refused to hit unmute?

Still, to a reporter watching from home, it felt a lot like the real-world activity it was meant to simulate: a congressional hearing and bill markup.

Republican state senators in Pennsylvania observe social distancing as other colleagues live-stream the session on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. The lawmakers vote on changing the primary election date, among other measures, in the first Senate session in state history where members can meet online and vote remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Much of what Congress does isnt so different from any office, and that means it could easily piggyback on the growing suite of tools for telework. The truth is, for all the talk of coming together, much of Congress is already remote: Members often pop in and out of hearings and dash from their offices to the House and Senate floors to vote; the staffers in Hill offices already watch floor debates via live video streams. The Zoom platform offers breakout rooms akin to the sidebar discussions that take place on the House and Senate floors.

But Congress is not just another workplace: Its a gathering defined by public accountability, with two centuries of rules and norms that thread back to the Constitution itself. Even the idea of remote voting engenders profound pushback; this week, the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Rules put out a report concluding that remote voting poses serious challenges involving security, transparency, reliability and even mentions in the Constitution to meeting, assembling and attendance. Untested solutions raised worries about everything from foreign interference to the pressure members might face from outsiders while voting in private to the unreliability of communications networks to the difficulties in knowing a member is who he or she says he or she is. And hiccups, the report said, could destabilize trust in Congress.

Some advocates say its no surprise that it is the rank-and-file members rather than leaders agitating for remote voting, pointing out that they skew younger and are thus arguably more comfortable trusting technology with even enormously consequential tasks. Both Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have in recent days balked at the idea of remote voting, and the public face in favor of it has become Katie Porter, a 46-year-old first-term Democratic congresswoman from California. (Porter, as it happens, is now self-quarantined and awaiting results of her own Covid-19 test after running a fever.)

From left to right: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Katie Porter, Sen. Mitch McConnell

One issue is that to go fully virtual, Congress likely couldnt just adapt an off-the-shelf meeting platform, and the governments track record of building massive one-off tech systems is uneven, to say the least. Some ideas that have been floated over the years would take a long time to roll out, like a dedicated secure communications network through while members and staff could connect, along the lines of the biometrics-secured system proposed by Rhode Island Democrat Jim Langevin back in 2002. September 11th and the subsequent anthrax attack on our congressional offices exposed just how vulnerable we are, particularly because we are centrally located, Langevin said at the time.

A system like that could also carry lasting side benefits, like making it so members of Congress, who largely dont know one each other, especially across the aisle  Democratic and Republican members are kept separate from the first day of congressional orientation  could communicate safely and, if need be, in private.

Still, there are considerable technical challenges and open questions. What if Russian forces that were so eager to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election turn their attention to congressional hearings? What if trolls Zoom their way into floor debate? How do members of Congress working from their kitchens, living rooms, and home offices get safe access to secure documents?

To Harris, the answer is to learn by doing. Im not suggesting we need to hurriedly set up an entirely new process that we think is going to be the Remote Legislative Process from Here to Eternity, says Harris. Its, How do we deal with the current emergency situation with the understanding that there will be lessons learned from that?

Covid-19 has already pushed some congressional traditionalists into reconsideration. One of them is Charles Johnson III, the long-time House parliamentarian, who, he recalled after the mock markup wrapped, watched a failed experiment back in the 1990s to test the idea of members from the West Coast voting remotely, instead of having to fly back to Washington.

At a hearing on the topic at the time, as a proof-of-concept, Johnson said, the committee attempted to take witness testimony via conference call. I had just finished testifying about the sanctitythat was my favorite wordabout the chamber and members having to be together, and that remoteness was not a constitutional or proper parliamentary alternative, said Johnson. And just then, their sound went off, and so these three members who were communicating remotely could no longer communicate. The idea, obviously, could never work. And I just did a quiet hurrah when that happened.

But, said Johnson, that was then.

The issues, of course, arent just technical. Anyone who has spent time around Congress, and especially the Senate, knows that opening up its rules enough to allow videoconferencing would have repercussions that reach deep into how the system works.

Congress is wreathed in rules, and command of its rulebooks gives its leaders an almost mystical power. And when you boil them down, a lot of those rules are built around the ideal that people literally belong in a room together. This isnt just a quibble: Everyone seriously involved in the continuity debate has grappled with the notion that it would require adjustments to very basic principles, like whats considered present, or what constitutes a quorum.

Over the years, Congress has taken the idea of showing up in physical form seriously. Some of the most dramatic moments in U.S. legislative historySen. Bob Packwood in 1988 being carried in feet first to ensure a quorum; 20 years later, Sen. Ted Kennedy, ill with a brain tumor, dramatically returning to vote on health carewere driven purely by physical presence.

But those are also rules the chambers make for themselves, and can unmake, perhaps just for emergencies. McConnell, who has recoiled at the idea of allowing senators to vote remotely, has adjusted how the Senate does business when, in the Kentuckians judgment, it benefits the countrysuch as, to pick one recent example, reducing the time for floor debate on presidential nominees in an effort to accelerate the confirmation of President Donald Trumps nominees. Norm Ornstein is resident scholar at the right-of-center think tank American Enterprise Institute and a senior counselor to the post-9/11 Continuity in Government Commission. This is a guy who has blown up every norm and tradition in the Senate, Ornstein says. To say he is trying to protect the integrity of the Senate is a heavy lift for me.

Fortier, former Continuity in Government Commission executive director, does worry about what might be unleashed. If new rules end up loosening the quorum requirements to too great a degree, he warns, you risk ending up with a small, unrepresentative body counting as Congress.

Fortier points to the oft-used hypothetical: What if there were a mass casualty event when both chambers of Congress were gathered, putting the ability to pass legislation, declare war and empty the treasury in the hands of whoever happened to not be in the room? I used to joke, it would be the people who left the State of the Union and went to the bar, says Fortier, arguing that loosening the rules too much risk putting the fate of the country in the hands of the very few. Emptying Washington on purpose could have much the same effect.

Instead, suggests Fortier, there are other ways to decide what counts as representative when members are still alive but simply cantfor reasons of sickness or family responsibility, or because of travel restrictionsphysically be present in Washington. One possibility: proxy voting, says Fortier, in which members hand their vote to someone in the room, and then, maybe, watch online to make sure it is used according to their wishes. Lets use the members here, and then build on some things that allow members that arent here to be part of the debate, he says.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks on the Senate floor about the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in February.

Even though Congress tends to see its rules and traditions as long-enshrined, those who have worked on the nitty-gritty of continuity planning for years say they arent, and shouldnt be treated as, black-letter law. Ultimately, Congress sets its own rulesa topic the Supreme Court has also weighed in on, in an 1892 case in which the justices deferred to Congress to determine what counts as passed legislation.

Instead, they argue, the concerns arent necessarily about technology, or legalities, but how the move would upend the long-standing order of Washington.

In other words, the issue is ultimately political.

Leadership thought the precedent of remote voting brought risks of losing Congress, says Adam Bramwell, who as a Senate staffer was, from 2002 to 2016, a legal adviser to the continuity-of-government boards set up in Congress after 9/11.

Power in Congress is concentrated in the hands of the speaker, the majority leader, the minority leader, and their hand-picked allieswhich means that nothing will change until leadership sees its in their interest.

Its possible that distributing Congress around the country would actually put more power into leaders hands: If they stay put in D.C. while Congress empties, they end up being the de facto ruling cadre, not having to deal with all the complexities and messiness of dealing with rank-and-file members.

Members of Congress and their aides walk through a basement tunnel on Capitol Hill in 2015.

But there are good reasons that leaders wouldnt want to send their members home if they could avoid it. Having the members of your caucus in Washingtonholed up in their offices, passing through the hallways on the way to and from votesmeans more chances to use leaderships leverage to buttonhole them to sponsor a bill, back an amendment, strike a deal. And, some worry, if members like working from home, theyll simply live in their districts, mailing in their votes, and campaigning nonstop, leaving the institution derelict. Says Fortier: Arguably you could cocoon in your district.

And as with everything in Washington these days, the elephant in the room is Trumpwho, on Sunday, said of Congress heading home and voting remotely, I would be in favor of it. I was thinking of it today. Presumably, that means that if Congress scatters to their home states, Trump stays in Washington and becomes the only story, with the additional Twitter cudgel of mocking them for leaving in a moment of need. (He wouldnt be the first to try that: In the weeks after 9/11 when an anthrax-laced letter was sent to the Senate, which stayed in session, a New York Post news story mocked the other chamber, writing that the Republican-led House of Representatives turned tail and ran home.)

President Donald Trump arrives with Vice President Mike Pence to give a White House coronavirus briefing on March 25, as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, watches.

Here, though, argues AEIs Ornstein, Congress needs to take a step back and realize that acting as a check on Trump is possible only if Congress continues to exist. And that, he says, requires figuring out how to still operate in an institution in times of emergency like the one the country is in now. The alternative, says Ornstein, is to have Donald Trump making decisions without any checks and balances.

As a conceptual matter, the idea of scattering Congress comes down to how you see the institutions relationship to the country. Is it a central point where a far-flung nation hashes out its differences, or is it more a reflection of that nation, and could be just as effective in different shapes?

For Demand Progress Daniel Schuman, a former attorney with the Congressional Research Service, technology itself offers a useful analogy: The Internet is actually stronger and more resilient for being distributed.

Its the fortress vs. the Internet, says Schuman of the two models of how Congress could work. He points to how the early Internet was inspired, at least in part, by the Cold War desire for a communications system that could withstand Russian missile strikes. We need to distribute the network so that it doesnt go down, as opposed to having a single point of failure, where, when it crashes, it crashes hard, says Schuman.

The chamber of the House of Representatives

For Baird, the appropriate symbol is the Roman fasces that sit behind the rostrum on the House floor: A bronze bundle of sticks, held together by a strap, meant to symbolize the strength of states joined together. The togetherness is important, but its also a risk. Theyre stronger for breakage he says. Theyre not safer from fire. If theyre distributed, theyre a lot harder to take down.

And, says Baird, technology allows us to do that and still be united.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the year Bob Packwood was carried into the Senate Chamber.
The head of the World Health Organization appealed for a stronger attack against the coronavirus on a webcast with world leaders, trying to rally support while U.S. President Donald Trump and others question the need for the extreme steps the agency has championed.

Shutdowns will slow the pandemic, but they wont extinguish it, so countries also need to adopt even more aggressive measures to eradicate the virus, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on a private video-conference Thursday. He urged nations to remove export bans on medical equipment and ensure fair distribution, as well as to test every suspected case, isolate those infected and trace all of their contacts.

Tedros told the leaders on the call, including Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to fight like hell and said the new coronavirus could tear us apart if we let it. He said millions of people could die without stronger action, and that the leaders own lives depended on it.

The teleconference was an extraordinary summit of Group of 20 leaders. Participants also included Chinas Xi Jinping, Japans Shinzo Abe, Canadas Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tedros didnt single out any individual or country in his speech.

Tedross latest plea came just hours before Trump announced his plan on how to lift shutdowns gradually in areas with few cases. On Wednesday, the WHO chief had given world leaders a rare rebuke, saying governments should have acted one or two months ago and have wasted too much time. The U.S. now has more cases than China.

Earlier this week, Tedros sent a tweet saying Trump was doing a great job by using a whole-government approach. He also praised the president for leveraging research and development, engaging with the private sector on things such as medical supplies, expanding testing and educating the public.

The WHO chief said Wednesday that he stood by the statement and that the U.S. president has shown political commitment to the cause. Mike Ryan, the WHOs health emergencies director, said he was very impressed by the work of Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Bob Redfield.

It took 67 days to reach the first 100,000 reported coronavirus cases. Since then the intervals have become increasingly shorter. The jump from 400,000 to 500,000 cases took just 48 hours.

Tedros also said that the global shortage of personal protective equipment is putting front-line responders in danger, which puts everyone in danger. Countries including Germany, Indonesia and South Korea have limited exports of protective gear such as medical masks. India has banned exports of chloroquine, a malaria treatment thats being tested as a possible treatment and was touted prematurely by Trump.

The world should also do whatever is necessary to prevent a pandemic like this from happening again, Tedros said. WHO officials warned Thursday that if the virus is stamped out in one region yet spreads to another, it will come back.

Were all in this together, and we will only get out of it together, Tedros said.

Read more about:
A medical worker prepares to collect samples from individuals who signed up for "drive-through testing" for the coronavirus at a Penn Medicine site in West Philadelphia on March 17. Read more

For the last few nights, Ilene Wong has woken up troubled by dreams of going into a supermarket and not being able to find anything. Wong, a urologist in private practice in Chester County, knew three months ago that the COVID-19 outbreak in Asia was serious, but seeing the numbers of positive cases rise each day in the Philadelphia region has increased her anxiety.

We are at the bottom of the curve, she said. Theres the anxiety, the anticipation, the feeling of dread knowing that you can see the tsunami coming from miles away, but feeling helpless that youre not going to be able to protect yourself or your family. Its really frightening to see the trajectory and raise all these concerns and feel like your voice isnt being heard.

Wong has been taking refresher courses on intensive care unit (ICU) procedures, as most of her elective surgeries have been rescheduled and hospitals where she has privileges have called for volunteers to help with the expected surge in coronavirus patients. Wong is facing economic stress as well  revenue at her practice is down from 50% to 70%, she estimates.

Health-care workers already deal with disproportionately high rates of depression  about three times higher than the general public. But the strain of treating coronavirus patients, and the impossible decisions many doctors and nurses are being forced to make, will likely worsen their mental health, experts say.

According to a study published in JAMA Network Open this week, health-care workers in China reported experiencing declining mental health as a result of treating patients with COVID-19. The study measured 1,257 responses to surveys and found that approximately 50% of participants experienced depressive symptoms; 45% experienced anxiety; 34% experienced insomnia; and 72% experienced distress.

Health-care workers based in Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic, reported the most severe symptoms across all categories. Nurses and women reported more severe symptoms than others, possibly because they have the highest risk of infection due to their close, frequent contact with patients. Reasons for these outcomes included loss of control, concern about their own health, supply shortages, spread of virus, health of family members and others, changes in work, and isolation.

An ethical and moral violation

Even in normal times, doctors have the highest suicide rate of all professions, according to a 2018 review.

This is not easy work at baseline, said Pamela Wible, a family physician based in Oregon who runs a suicide prevention hotline for doctors and medical students. You have a group of people who are exposed to a lot of trauma, and thats a lot of pressure.

But in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, long hours and shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) have left doctors feeling desperate and unprepared.

From the very beginning, you have doctors saying, This is not right, this is not the way we want to do this, we cant take care of people the way we want to, said Allen Miller, program director at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Bala Cynwyd. Thats an ethical and moral violation of the way doctors think, the values they have, and it challenges what they think it means to do a good job.

Miller said that for most physicians, to do a good job is to be able to take care of patients the best they can. Not being able to do that because they are overworked and lacking resources causes stress and can lead to depression, he said.

And the way that patients are dying from COVID-19 is quite different, Miller said.

Theyre dying while isolated, alone, begging and pleading with professionals to pass on messages to their families, Miller said. Health-care workers "have to make tough choices, and theres no visible endpoint to this. They cant help everybody, and so the repeated feedback from their environment is that theyre not doing a good job.

How to support health-care workers

Many physicians and nurses are also worried about bringing the virus home to their families. Some are immunocompromised themselves, Wible said.

 READ MORE: For the families of Philadelphias health-care workers, painful choices and growing anxiety

Physicians are completing their wills, letting their friends know they want to be cremated, she said. This is a group of people who were already exposed to an immense amount of trauma with no mental-health care, working the equivalent of two full-time jobs ... and theyre now having their life placed at risk of an infectious disease.

Due to shelter-in-place orders, doctors are also unable to wind down and process what theyve seen in ways that they may be used to, such as going out for a drink with a colleague, Miller said.

Worlds are getting very small, he said. Physicians are cut off from their support networks, and thats when you get a vicious cycle of depression and anxiety playing off each other.

But there are ways for people to help, Miller said. Donations of PPE are greatly needed, because those resources can make health-care workers feel safe when working in high-risk situations. But even kind messages that acknowledge the sacrifices physicians are making to keep people healthy are appreciated.

Those are things that come pretty inexpensively, Miller said. Yet its not something thats done at sufficient volume.

Wong said that one of the most encouraging things that people can do for doctors is to just stay home, so [we] know our sacrifice is not in vain.

Dont contribute to the problem, she said. And continue to educate the skeptics out there, because that empowers doctors with the feeling that what theyre doing is worth it. Doctors are used to making sacrifices physically and emotionally, but its devastating to go on social media and see people who are elevating fake news. If doctors feel that people are ungrateful for what theyre doing, more and more of them are going to feel like its not worth that sacrifice anymore.
As coronavirus cases continue to surge, leaving hospitals under siege, frontline healthcare workers are receiving more appreciation than ever.

Several major chains are now showing their support by providing free food, drinks and even shoes to healthcare workers.

Here are some of the chains giving away free products to frontline healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic:

Krispy Kreme

Popular doughnut chain Krispy Kreme announced healthcare workers can get a dozen glazed doughnuts for free every Monday, starting March 30, through May 11.

Healthcare workers just need to show their badge at any Krispy Kreme drive-thru.

Starbucks

Coffee giant Starbucks is offering frontline responders a free tall coffee, hot or iced, until May 3, the company announced.

The Starbucks Foundation also will donate $500,000 to support frontline responders, along with equal donations to Direct Relief and Operation Gratitude.

Crocs

Its not food or drink but Crocs announced it will give away what it specializes in: a free pair of shoes to any frontline healthcare workers who request them by going here every day at noon.

Uber Eats

Food delivery service Uber Eats will give 300,000 free meals to first responders and healthcare workers in North America, and 25,000 across Australia and New Zealand, the company announced in a statement.

Uber Eats is also still offering delivery from tons of local restaurants and chains like KFC, McDonalds and Popeyes. Click here to see which restaurants are offering delivery near you.

Sweetgreen

Salad chain Sweetgreen announced on Instagram that the company is dedicating its outpost services to deliver free salads to the following cities: Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and the Washington D.C. area.

Were so grateful for the hospital workers and medical personnel who are putting others before themselves during this critical time, Sweetgreen said in the post.

Click here to organize free salads and delivery to your healthcare facility.

RELATED STORIES ABOUT RETAIL AND CORONAVIRUS:

Some Amazon orders now will take at least a month to deliver

How to avoid or repair cracked skin from washing your hands constantly

Where to get vitamins and zinc supplements during coronavirus pandemic

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





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

Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
Stratford Foodbank is to relocate to Stratford Methodist Church from next Tuesday, ensuring it can continue offering its vital service during the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this week the organisations announced its temporary closure, whilst arrangements for how it could continue to operate during this difficult time were finalised.

Foodbank manager Marion Homer, said: Unfortunately it just was not possible for us to operate in line with social distancing advice in our cabin at Tesco, but a number of possible venues got in touch with me to see if they could help. Weve chosen the Methodist Church because four staff will be able to easily work in there at least two metres apart and there is a good car park which is important because when we resume sessions on Tuesday clients wont actually be coming into the church, food parcels will be distributed from a point in the car park.

At the moment were putting together parcels to take there, but soon there will be the big logistical task of moving our warehouse to the Methodist Church. Im so grateful for the support that has been offered to the Foodbank, to all those organisations that got in touch to help, theres been so much goodwill.

We will not be holding a Monday distribution session next week, but from Tuesday our normal sessions will resume, at the Methodist Church.

Well be putting up notices at the Foodbank cabin at Tesco informing people that we are now operating at the Methodist Church, as their vouchers will still say were at Tesco.

The Foodbank distribution sessions at Stratford Methodist Church will be held on Tuesday 12noon-2pm, Thursday 5pm-6.30pm and Friday 12noon-2pm.

Stratford Foodbank is continuing to help those who are unable to buy food because they are in financial hardship, but the organisation is not concerned with providing a service to those who can afford food but need to self-isolate, or who may struggle to buy certain items because of possible food shortages.
That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary. There wasnt even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. There wasnt even an enemy you could put your finger on. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaids Tale

You can always count on the government to take advantage of a crisis, legitimate or manufactured.

This coronavirus pandemic is no exception.

Not only are the federal and state governments unraveling the constitutional fabric of the nation with lockdown mandates that are sending the economy into a tailspin and wreaking havoc with our liberties, but they are also rendering the citizenry fully dependent on the government for financial handouts, medical intervention, protection and sustenance.

Unless we find some way to rein in the governments power grabs, the fallout will be epic.

Everything I have warned about for yearsgovernment overreach, invasive surveillance, martial law, abuse of powers, militarized police, weaponized technology used to track and control the citizenry, and so onhas coalesced into this present moment.

The governments shameless exploitation of past national emergencies for its own nefarious purposes pales in comparison to what is presently unfolding.

Its downright Machiavellian.

Deploying the same strategy it used with 9/11 to acquire greater powers under the USA Patriot Act, the police statea.k.a. the shadow government, a.k.a. the Deep Statehas been anticipating this moment for years, quietly assembling a wish list of lockdown powers that could be trotted out and approved at a moments notice.

It should surprise no one, then, that the Trump Administration has asked Congress to allow it to suspend parts of the Constitution whenever it deems it necessary during this coronavirus pandemic and other emergencies.

Its that other emergencies part that should particularly give you pause, if not spur you to immediate action (by action, I mean a loud and vocal, apolitical, nonpartisan outcry and sustained, apolitical, nonpartisan resistance).

In fact, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been quietly trotting out and testing a long laundry list of terrifying powers that override the Constitution.

Were talking about lockdown powers (at both the federal and state level): the ability to suspend the Constitution, indefinitely detain American citizens, bypass the courts, quarantine whole communities or segments of the population, override the First Amendment by outlawing religious gatherings and assemblies of more than a few people, shut down entire industries and manipulate the economy, muzzle dissidents, stop and seize any plane, train or automobile to stymie the spread of contagious disease, reshape financial markets, create a digital currency (and thus further restrict the use of cash), determine who should live or die

Youre getting the picture now, right?

These are powers the police state would desperately like to make permanent.

Specifically, the DOJ wants to be able to indefinitely detain American citizens without trial. The DOJ also wants to be able to pause court proceedings and suspend the statute of limitations on criminal and civil cases.

Both signify a clear violation of every right espoused in the Constitution, including habeas corpus.

Habeas corpus, a fundamental tenet of English common law that guards against arbitrary and lawless state action, does not appear anywhere in the Bill of Rights. Its importance was such that it was enshrined in the Constitution itself. And it is of such magnitude that all other rights, including those in the Bill of Rights, are dependent upon it. Without habeas corpus, the significance of all other rights crumbles.

The right of habeas corpus was important to the Framers of the Constitution because they knew from personal experience what it was like to be labeled enemy combatants, imprisoned indefinitely and not given the opportunity to appear before a neutral judge. Believing that such arbitrary imprisonment is in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instrument of tyranny, the Founders were all the more determined to protect Americans from such government abuses.

Translated as you should have the body, habeas corpus is a legal action, or writ, by which those imprisoned unlawfully can seek relief from their imprisonment. Derived from English common law, habeas corpus first appeared in the Magna Carta of 1215 and is the oldest human right in the history of English-speaking civilization. The doctrine of habeas corpus stems from the requirement that a government must either charge a person or let him go free.

While serving as President, Thomas Jefferson addressed the essential necessity of habeas corpus. In his first inaugural address on March 4, 1801, Jefferson said, I know, indeed, that some honest men fear that a republican government cannot be strong; that this government is not strong enough. But, said Jefferson, our nation was the worlds best hope and, because of our strong commitment to democracy, the strongest government on earth. Jefferson said that the sum of this basic belief was found in the freedom of person under the protection of the habeas corpus; and trial by juries impartially selected. These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us, and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation.

Throughout the twentieth century, the importance of the right of habeas corpus has repeatedly been confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Yet 200-plus years after Americas founders risked their lives to secure their freedoms, we find ourselves right back where we started, with a government determined to strip us of every vestige of our freedoms.

The DOJs latest request to Congress is merely a signal that the police state is ready to step out of the shadows, with the current national emergency being a convenient cover for their dastardly deeds.

Bear in mind, however, that these powers the Trump Administration, acting on orders from the police state, are officially asking Congress to recognize and authorize barely scratch the surface of the far-reaching powers the government has already unilaterally claimed for itself.

Unofficially, the police state has been riding roughshod over the rule of law for years now without any pretense of being reined in or restricted in its power grabs by Congress, the courts or the citizenry.

As David C. Unger, observes in The Emergency State: Americas Pursuit of Absolute Security at All Costs:

For seven decades we have been yielding our most basic liberties to a secretive, unaccountable emergency state  a vast but increasingly misdirected complex of national security institutions, reflexes, and beliefs that so define our present world that we forget that there was ever a different America.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have given way to permanent crisis management: to policing the planet and fighting preventative wars of ideological containment, usually on terrain chosen by, and favorable to, our enemies. Limited government and constitutional accountability have been shouldered aside by the kind of imperial presidency our constitutional system was explicitly designed to prevent.

This rise of an emergency state that justifies all manner of government tyranny in the so-called name of national security is all happening according to schedule.

The civil unrest, the national emergencies, unforeseen economic collapse, loss of functioning political and legal order, purposeful domestic resistance or insurgency, pervasive public health emergencies, and catastrophic natural and human disasters, the governments reliance on the armed forces to solve domestic political and social problems, the implicit declaration of martial law packaged as a well-meaning and overriding concern for the nations security: the powers-that-be have been planning and preparing for such a crisis for years now, not just with active shooter drills and lockdowns and checkpoints and heightened danger alerts, but with a sensory overload of militarized, battlefield imagesin video games, in movies, on the newsthat acclimate us to life in a police state.

Whether or not this particular crisis is of the governments own making is not the point: to those for whom power and profit are everything, the end always justifies the means.

The seeds of this present madness were sown several decades ago when George W. Bush stealthily issued two presidential directives that granted the president the power to unilaterally declare a national emergency, which is loosely defined as any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.

Comprising the countrys Continuity of Government (COG) plan, these directives (National Security Presidential Directive 51 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20), which do not need congressional approval, provide a skeletal outline of the actions the president will take in the event of a national emergency.

Mind you, that national emergency can take any form, can be manipulated for any purpose and can be used to justify any end goalall on the say so of the president.

Just what sort of actions the president will take once he declares a national emergency can barely be discerned from the barebones directives. However, one thing is clear: in the event of a national emergency, the president will become a dictator because while the COG directives ensure the continuity of executive branch functions, they do not provide for repopulating or reconvening Congress or the Supreme Court.

Thus, a debilitating attack would give unchecked executive, legislative and judicial power to the executive branch and its unelected minions. The country would then be subjected to martial law by default, and the Constitution and the Bill of Rights would be suspended.

Originally devised as a plan for quickly restoring constitutional government, the COG concept arose during the Cold War. The fear was that a nuclear strike would paralyze the federal government.

These concerns continued into the 1980s.

Under President Ronald Reagan, an elaborate plan was created in which three teams consisting of a cabinet member, an executive chief of staff and military and intelligence officials would practice evacuating and directing a counter nuclear strike against the Soviet Union from a variety of high-tech, mobile command vehicles. If the president and vice president were both killed, one of these teams would take control, with the ranking cabinet official serving as president.

Among those Reagan handpicked to advise an inexperienced and potentially incompetent successor in a time of crisis were Congressman Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, then a business executive with G. D. Searle & Co. At least once a year during the 1980s, Cheney and Rumsfeld vanished on top-secret training missions, where each of the teams practiced evacuating and directing a counter nuclear strike against Russia.

This all changed after the attacks of September 11, 2001, when it became clear that the assumptions that drove COG planning during the Cold War no longer applied: there would be no warning against a so-called terrorist attack. Thus, instead of relying on part-time bureaucrats and evacuation schematics, the Bush administration permanently appointed executive officials, stationed outside the capital, to run a shadow government.

The U.S. military has reportedly already been given standby orders under COG for this present coronavirus pandemic.

The plans for the shadow government administered by those who run the Deep State are more elaborate than many realize. Massive underground bunkers the size of small cities are sprinkled throughout the country for the government elite to escape to in the event of a national emergency. Mount Weather, near Bluemont, Va., is one of a number of such facilities. Built into the side of a mountain, this bunker contains, among other things, a hospital, crematorium, dining and recreation areas, sleeping quarters, reservoirs of drinking and cooling water, an emergency power plant and a radio/television studio.

There is also an Office of the Presidency at Mount Weather, which regularly receives top-secret national security information from all the federal departments and agencies. This facility was largely unknown to everyone, including Congress, until it came to light in the mid-1970s. Military personnel connected to the bunker have refused to reveal any information about it, even before congressional committees. In fact, Congress has no oversight, budgetary or otherwise, on Mount Weather, and the specifics of the facility remain top-secret.

What is the bottom line here?

We are, for all intents and purposes, one crisis away from having a full-fledged authoritarian state emerge from the shadows, at which time democratic government will be dissolved and the country will be ruled by an unelected bureaucracy.

This is exactly the kind of mischief that Thomas Jefferson warned against when he cautioned, In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.

Power corrupts.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Thus far, we have at least pretended that the government abides by the Constitution.

Those who wrote our Constitution sought to ensure our freedoms by creating a document that protects our God-given rights at all times, even when we are engaged in war, whether that is a so-called war on terrorism, a so-called war on drugs, a so-called war on illegal immigration, or a so-called war on disease.

The attempts by each successive presidential administration to rule by fiat merely plays into the hands of those who would distort the governments system of checks and balances and its constitutional separation of powers beyond all recognition.

Remember, these powers do not expire at the end of a presidents term. They remain on the books, just waiting to be used or abused by the next political demagogue.

So, too, every action taken by Trump and his predecessors to weaken the system of checks and balances, sidestep the rule of law, and expand the power of the executive branch of government has made us that much more vulnerable to those who would abuse those powers in the future.

Although the Constitution invests the President with very specific, limited powers, in recent years, American presidents (Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, etc.) have claimed the power to completely and almost unilaterally alter the landscape of this country for good or for ill.

The Trump Administrations willingness to circumvent the Constitution by leaning heavily on the presidents so-called emergency powers constitutes a gross perversion of what limited power the Constitution affords the executive branch.

The powers amassed by each successive president through the negligence of Congress and the courtspowers which add up to a toolbox of terror for an imperial rulerempower whomever occupies the Oval Office to act as a dictator, above the law and beyond any real accountability.

As law professor William P. Marshall explains, every extraordinary use of power by one President expands the availability of executive branch power for use by future Presidents. Moreover, it doesnt even matter whether other presidents have chosen not to take advantage of any particular power, because it is a Presidents action in using power, rather than forsaking its use, that has the precedential significance.

In other words, each successive president continues to add to his offices list of extraordinary orders and directives, expanding the reach and power of the presidency and granting him- or herself near dictatorial powers.

This abuse of presidential powers has been going on for so long that it has become the norm, the Constitution be damned.

We no longer have a system of checks and balances.

The system of checks and balances that the Framers envisioned now lacks effective checks and is no longer in balance, concludes Marshall. The implications of this are serious. The Framers designed a system of separation of powers to combat government excess and abuse and to curb incompetence. They also believed that, in the absence of an effective separation-of-powers structure, such ills would inevitably follow. Unfortunately, however, power once taken is not easily surrendered.

All of the imperial powers amassed by Barack Obama and George W. Bush and now Trumpto kill American citizens without due process, to detain suspects (including American citizens) indefinitely, to strip Americans of their citizenship rights, to carry out mass surveillance on Americans without probable cause, to wage wars without congressional authorization, to suspend laws during wartime, to disregard laws with which he might disagree, to conduct secret wars and convene secret courts, to sanction torture, to sidestep the legislatures and courts with executive orders and signing statements, to direct the military to operate beyond the reach of the law, to establish a standing army on American soil, to operate a shadow government, to declare national emergencies for any manipulated reason, and to act as a dictator and a tyrant, above the law and beyond any real accountabilityhave become a permanent part of the presidents toolbox of terror.

These presidential powersacquired through the use of executive orders, decrees, memorandums, proclamations, national security directives and legislative signing statements and which can be activated by any sitting presidentenable past, president and future presidents to operate above the law and beyond the reach of the Constitution.

Think on this: the presidential election is right around the corner.

Suddenly, the improbable possibility of any incumbent president attempting to extend the police states stranglehold on power by using current events to justify postponing or doing away with an electionforfeiting the peoples rights to govern altogetherand establishing a totalitarian regime seems less far-fetched than it did even a few years ago.

The emergency state is now out in the open for all to see. Unfortunately, we the people refuse to see whats before us. Most Americans, fearful and easily controlled, would sooner rouse themselves to fight for that last roll of toilet paper than they would their own freedoms.

This is how freedom dies.

We erect our own prison walls, and as our rights dwindle away, we forge our own chains of servitude to the police state.

Be warned, however: once you surrender your freedoms to the governmentno matter how compelling the reason might be for doing soyou can never get them back.

As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, no government willingly relinquishes power.

If we continue down this road, there can be no surprise about what awaits us at the end.

The America metamorphosing before our eyes is almost unrecognizable from the country I grew up in, and thats not just tragicits downright terrifying.

ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD

Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book Battlefield America: The War on the American People is available at www.amazon.com . Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.

Publication Guidelines / Reprint Permission

John W. Whiteheads weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact staff@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
Some of Northern Ireland's most popular tourist attractions could be turned into field hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients.

It comes as a leading doctor has warned that coronavirus will hit Northern Ireland "longer, harder and crueller than anyone can imagine" within the next three weeks.

Dr Tom Black, chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) Council in Northern Ireland, made the grim prediction as new ethical guidelines for doctors are being finalised ahead of the expected surge in Covid-19 cases.

The guidance on how to prioritise which patients should receive life-saving treatment is due to be issued imminently.

At the same time, health officials are looking at a range of options for temporary respiratory hospitals that are expected to be required to meet demand for hospital beds in the coming weeks.

While no final decisions have been made about the location of the field hospitals, the SSE Arena in Belfast, Titanic Belfast, Dundonald Ice Bowl and the Antrim Forum are all under consideration.

It is part of a wide-ranging and radical overhaul of the way healthcare is to be delivered as health service bosses prepare for up to 15,000 Covid-19 deaths in Northern Ireland.

Emergency departments, minor injury units, day procedure and outpatient units, are all being shut and services being relocated to ensure resources are best used during the expected spike in Covid-19 cases.

Urging the public to adhere to social distancing measures, Dr Black said: "We are doing everything possible to prepare for the surge.

"We are increasing the number of ventilators from 139 to 800, we are increasing testing from 200 to 1,100 a day, it has been a phenomenal response.

"Everything has been done right, but in saying that, we are going to be hit by a tsunami of sick people.

"When this hits, it's going to hit us very hard and we will struggle to get through the day.

The surge is going to be longer, harder and crueller than anyone can imagine and all we can do is do our best, that's all anyone can do at the moment Dr Tom Black

"There will be so many people sick at the same time, so many people needing hospital beds, needing assessment, HDU beds, ventilators and chest x-rays.

"God willing, we will get through it, but it will still be very difficult.

"There is a lot of fear and apprehension amongst the medical profession, there is a feeling of foreboding and great worry that there is something very difficult ahead of them.

"There is fear for themselves, but more so for their patients and their families and the possibility that they could bring the virus home.

"The surge is going to happen in the next two to three weeks and will probably go on for four to six weeks, although we are looking at three months to get through this.

"The surge is going to be longer, harder and crueller than anyone can imagine and all we can do is do our best, that's all anyone can do at the moment.

"At the moment we are coping, but the advice we are getting from our colleagues in New York is that you cope and you cope and you cope and you think you're going to be okay and then you fall off the cliff."

Read More

It emerged on Thursday that the emergency departments at Daisy Hill and Downe hospitals are to close in preparation for the upcoming surge in patients.

The Northern Trust was the latest trust to comment on the requirement to restructure services, including how care in the community will be provided, but it has not released specific details.

Dr Seamus O'Reilly, the trust's medical director, said: "As has already been indicated, Northern Ireland will require significantly more critical care capacity than is currently available. This is actively being considered at a regional level.

"Although there has been considerable modelling done within the trust to look at how we might maximise available critical care capacity within our own hospitals, it would be premature for us to say anything more at this point given that things could change very quickly."

Read More

Meanwhile, the BMA and the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) in Northern Ireland has written to family doctors to help allay their fears relating to the "significant implications" of the Covid-19 pandemic and the "anxieties and queries" about the development of Covid centres.

Speaking about the letter, chair of the RCGP in Northern Ireland, Dr Laurence Dorman, told the health committee this week: "Doctors are frightened, I am frightened, I am a father, I am a husband and I would never ask my GPs to do something that I wouldn't be prepared to do myself."

The letter, signed by Dr Dorman and the chair of the BMA's GP committee in Northern Ireland, Dr Alan Stout, explains: "This is a project and plan that has developed very rapidly in response to the growing concerns about the pandemic and the huge impact it is going to have on our population and on our healthcare system."

GPs have been told that the Covid-19 centres have been set up to allow clinical assessment of patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus whose condition is deteriorating, and to enable primary care to continue to provide normal care to other patients to prevent "potentially catastrophic consequences".
* Grid operators house workers on site to counter coronavirus

* Drop in demand adds to challenges for energy grids

* Factory closures remove key tool for stabilising grids

By Stephen Jewkes and Christoph Steitz

MILAN/FRANKFURT, March 26 (Reuters) - After a fortnight living in a mobile home compound built in just three days by his employer, Italian gas company Snam, Guido Debattisti is returning home.

The 37-year-old is part of a team of engineers sealed off during two-week shifts to make sure gas taps stay open - and buildings warm - during a coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 7,000 Italians and is sweeping Europe.

So far, the hastily-assembled plan at Snam's control centre in Milan, which remotely operates 33,000 kilometres (21,000 miles) of gas pipes across Italy, is working.

"The team working in the dispatching centre - made up of six people for each shift, as well as two colleagues connected remotely via Skype video-conferences - has succeeded in carrying out all activities related to grid control," Debattisti told Reuters, before heading back to his home in nearby Pavia.

With countries across Europe in lockdown to try to contain the virus, gas and power grid operators are scrambling to roll out emergency plans to make sure their control rooms are safe from infection and can keep critical infrastructure running.

Potentially at risk are more than 12 million kilometres (km) of networks, or 31 times the distance to the moon - Europe's energy nerve centre on which hundreds of millions of residential and commercial customers depend.

Adding to the headache is a plunge in demand as economies grind to a halt.

Because renewable energy has priority in supplying power grids, this has meant wind and solar generation providing a greater proportion of electricity than ever before.

But these intermittent sources of power make it harder to keep grids stable, increasing the risk of blackouts.

Debattisti, like the rest of his team, is screened before starting his shift to make sure he is not infected.

Story continues

After that, it is lockdown in the compound with a kitchen and small canteen for eating. In his 16 years at Snam, he has known nothing like it.

ISOLATION

About 500 km to the north in Germany's motor city of Stuttgart, utility EnBW is considering a similar move to house key staff at the network control centre.

So far there's been no need to do that, a spokeswoman said, adding all the accommodation preparations had still to be made.

Johannes Teyssen, chief executive of Europe's largest networks operator E.ON, said hundreds of employees were prepared to live and work in dormitories and be kept in de-facto isolation to keep grids humming.

"It's not going to be pleasant," he told journalists on Wednesday.

Italy's power grid manager Terna has a plan B and C to keep the electrons flowing on its 74,000 km high voltage network. The company has six regional control rooms across the country and two central ones in Rome, each of which operates three shifts.

Plan B involves shuffling around business should any of the rooms go down, while plan C is triggered if two of the three regular shifts are grounded - in which case a team is segregated in a centralised control room for 15-day periods living in camper vans.

The system means that with just 20% of staff, Terna should be able to guarantee continuity of service.

At Austrian utility Wien Energie, measures have been particularly drastic. There, 53 employees have agreed to live apart from their families for potentially several weeks to make sure plants can run smoothly.

They were checked before going into isolation at the power stations, where they will live separated from the outside world, Wien Energie said.

Poland's power grid operator, PSE, is also taking radical steps to try to prevent workers from getting contaminated and to keep supplies flowing.

"The level of security, especially regarding the employees' movements within the premises of PSE, is analogous to the level that is launched during a high terrorist threat," a spokeswoman said.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, access to control rooms is being minimised and teams split to reduce the risk of cross-infection to keep energy flowing, according to the Energy Networks Association.

NEW TESTS

Alongside the risk of contagion, grid companies are having to cope with a slump in energy demand.

Many industrial companies, most notably carmakers and suppliers, are suspending production, hitting demand and putting a strain on grids at a time when they are already struggling to cope with a high proportion of intermittent renewable supplies.

The drop in demand is robbing markets of a key source of flexibility: industrial plants often act as grid stabilisers by using their own power generators to help balance less reliable wind and solar inflows.

"System operators have developed ways to manage these challenges, but extraordinary developments  such as lockdowns of entire countries during global pandemics  create new tests," Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said earlier this week.

In Germany, Europe's largest economy, energy consumption on March 23 was about 5% lower than the average for the same day over the past three years, industry association BDEW said.

"People typically think of power outages as happening when demand overwhelms supply," Birol said. "But in fact, some of the most high-profile blackouts in recent times took place during periods of low demand." (Additional reporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff in Duesseldorf, Vera Eckert in Frankfurt, Susanna Twidale in London and Agnieszka Barteczko in Warsaw; Editing by Mark Potter)
Kylie Jenner shared an adorable shot of daughter Stormi enjoying a bubble bath, which was sure to give her followers a much-needed pick me up amid the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world.

The 22-year-old, who recently donated a $1million to help health workers get the supplies they need to fight the pandemic, took to Instagram to share the delightful snap of her little one.

In the heartwarming shot, two-year-old Stormi beams as her face is surrounded by a stream of bubbles.

Heartwarming: Kylie Jenner shared an adorable shot of daughter Stormi enjoying a bubble bath, which was sure to give her followers a much needed pick me up amid the coronavirus pandemic

Captioning the shot of her daughter, who she shares with rapper Travis Scott, Kylie wrote: 'This pic makes me happy'.

The shot comes after the beauty mogul, who has made over $1billion thanks to her popular Kylie Cosmetics line, reportedly donated $1million to American healthcare workers who are treating patients diagnosed with the coronavirus.

On Wednesday it was claimed by TMZ that the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has donated the sizeable sum to help doctors get the face masks, face shields and protective gear they need.

The doctor who delivered her daughter Stormi, thanked the beauty: 'I am speechless, my eyes are filled with tears of joy and my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude.

Quarantine: Kylie has been asking her fans to staying home amid the pandemic

'I made a wish to the Universe to gather protective masks for our brave healthcare workers and today my dream came true.'

She then added: 'I have never felt more blessed to be a doctor, as helping our brave ER and ICU workers feels just as gratifying as helping my own patients.

'From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU Kylie Jenner. You are my hero. This generous donation will help save many precious lives. Our world is a better place with you in it. I love you so much.'

Good tips: The beauty mogul gave some beneficial advice to her followers about staying home to protect loved ones and the elderly

This comes after the Hidden Hills, California resident has been asking her 167M fans to stop going outside and to be safe.

She has been sharing notes and videos on Instagram and Twitter for over two weeks.

But when the Surgeon General Jerome Adams asked her publicly to do so, the pinup did it again without any complaints.

Helpful: Kylie has been sharing messages of support on Instagram amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Jenner shared a video where she gave some beneficial advice about staying home to protect loved ones and the elderly.

Her very own grandmother MJ has been in self-isolation for several week, according to sister Kim Kardashian.

And Kylie has given some smart pointers like how taking Tylenol is better than taking Advil for COVID-19.

Others who have contributed money to help curb the virus are Gwyneth Paltrow and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
MadridIn recent days there has been a growing controversy surrounding the rapid tests given out by the Spanish government for the detection of the coronavirus. On Thursday the Spanish government admitted that the first shipment from China, totalling 9,000 testing kits which were trialled in Madrid hospitals, failed to work effectively, eventually prompting a recall. Fernando Simon, Spains Director of the Centre for Coordination of Alerts and Emergencies, commented on the controversy following a story in Madrid daily El Pais which claimed that the initial batch of rapid tests supplied by the Chinese company Bioeasy have a sensitivity of only 30%, according to medical staff, when they ought to work in 80% of cases.

When the news came to light, the Chinese embassy in Madrid announced that Bioeasy does not have an official licence yet, adding that the latest massive batch of products purchased by the Spanish government has yet to leave China. In this instance, however, the products do meet the required standards. On Wednesday Spains Health Minister, Salvador Illa, announced the purchase of 5.5 million rapid tests from China. However, several days ago he announced the delivery of other rapid tests also from Chinese which were largely supplied to medical staff in Madrid, patients in a critical condition and the elderly in nursing homes.

Illa was speaking before the Congress of Deputies Health Commission at the request of the conservative opposition who sought to clarify the situation. The minister declared that the Chinese material was imported by a Spanish distributor which was considered "trustworthy", but that the quality control of the product had not given the desired result, meaning that the government had asked for the defective tests to be replaced. The minister justified the decision with the following assertion: "Imagine if wed turned down 650,000 rapid tests. Would it have been better not to buy them? Now youd be criticizing the government for letting an opportunity go by". Illa reiterated that the Spanish Medicines and Health Products Agency had no reason to be suspicious of the company, and sources close to the Moncloa added that business dealings with the manufacturer of the tests had the backing of the European Union. The faulty testing kits were part of an initial purchase of 659,000 units, 50,000 of which were never distributed, according to Illa.

Speaking of the tests, Simon stated that they had been "tested" by the National Centre for Epidemiology and also by hospitals in Madrid before being more widely used. He went on to say that the "tests showed that the specifications of the batch in question did not correspond with what was initially stated on their quality certification". This meant the shipment had to be returned, Simon declared, before adding that the company would exchange them and provide replacement tests. He did not name the firm involved, refusing to say whether it was Bioeasy, even when journalists insisted on the WhatsApp group used to send in questions which are then conveyed by the Secretary of State for Communication. The Moncloa subsequently revealed that Bioeasy was indeed the company involved in the faulty shipment, while providing copies of the documentation relating to their EC approval.

According to El Pais, several microbiology laboratories belonging to major hospitals have found that the new testing kits fail to detect as many positive cases as they ought to. The experts who studied the rapid tests made by the Chinese company Bioeasy concluded that they will have to continue to use the current test. This was confirmed by the Carlos III Health Institute, which is operated by the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, Simon stressed the importance of rapid tests, since they offer a "significant chance" of reducing the workload of labs, which are currently performing between 15,000 and 20,000 PCR tests a day, which is seen as the most reliable test. However, he said that "the most important point" was that Spanish biotech companies are working flat out to ensure that rapid tests will be manufactured in Spain "before long".

When questioned on this point, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya stated in an interview with Radio Euskadi that all the material purchased by Spain met the "necessary quality standards". Pedro Sanchezs government has paid 430 million for goods from two large suppliers who will guarantee the 5.5 million additional rapid tests, which Spain hopes will give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease. Gonzalez Laya insisted that Spain has made sure "all the material: respirators, ventilators, gloves and rapid tests are approved, have the necessary quality certificates and are suited" to the Spanish health system.

A "war" to get supplies from China

Speaking in an interview with Telecinco, the spokesperson for the Spanish government, Maria Jesus Montero declared that, "it is an unknown market, there are many intermediaries offering bargains which are nothing of the sort. There are many speculators, including the intermediaries and the manufacturers themselves, which means its extremely important that, whatever one buys, one has to be very careful, so we dont get caught out. Which is why we have chosen to buy with an eye to the future, to deal with a more stable group of companies in order to avoid the scams that flood the market". She went on to add that "we are engaged in a real war to obtain ventilators and rapid tests".

In an interview with ARA, Ramon Brugada, the head of cardiology at the Trueta Hospital in Girona, declared that although the tests provided by China are less reliable, they are much faster. They are used because they can detect some of the positive cases, although the negatives need to be re-tested with the current PCR tests. However, at present the Trueta Hospital has been unable to use the tests.
Two inmates at high risk for coronavirus at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility have been released in response to an ACLU petition, according to a statement from the nonprofit organization.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday released Mario Luis Rodas-Mazariegos and Ray Anthony Marzouca, both of whom had underlying health conditions that put them at high risk for serious illness or death should they contract COVID-19.

Rodas, 59, suffers from uncontrolled diabetes and high blood pressure, and Marzouca, 63, has prostate cancer, according to the petition. Both men are also fighting deportation.

We are pleased that Mr. Rodas and Mr. Marzouca have been released from ICE detention, and can now safely self-isolate for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak, Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, said, in a statement. Public health experts have predicted that once outbreaks in detention centers begin, they will spread rapidly."

The petition is part of a broader ALCU action to help those in civil detention at risk for infection. The group has similar lawsuits in Maryland, Pennsylvania, California and Washington state, the statement says.

ICE must take immediate and drastic steps to reduce the number of people in detention, Rose said.

Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts

Related Content:
Three thugs who killed a doorman at an exclusive New Year's Eve party have today been jailed for a total of 24 years - as the chief suspect in the case remains on the run.

Tudor Simionov, 33, bled to death after he was knifed in the chest outside the 12.5million Portland Place on Park Lane in Mayfair, west London as gate-crashers demanded entry to an exclusive party hosted by Lord 'Fast Eddie' Davenport.

The man alleged to have been behind the stabbing, Ossama Hamed, 26, from Hillingdon, fled the country and is wanted by Scotland Yard.

Adam Khalil, 21, from Kingsbury, north-west London, and Haroon Akram, 26, from Fulham, and pleaded guilty to Mr Simionov's manslaughter.

Barber Nor Hamada, 24, from Wembley, was found guilty of violent disorder and in March admitted manslaughter.

Today, all three appeared for sentencing at the Old Bailey by video link from Belmarsh prison.

Judge Anthony Leonard QC jailed Khalil for 11 years and Hamada for seven years for manslaughter, with the latter given three years for violent disorder, to run concurrently.

Akram, who played a lesser role, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison.

Tudor Simionov, 33, (pictured with his partner Madalina Anghel) bled to death after he was knifed in the chest outside the 12.5million Portland Place on Park Lane in Mayfair, west London as gate-crashers demanded entry to an exclusive party hosted by Lord 'Fast Eddie' Davenport

Adam Khalil, 21, (left) Haroon Akram, 26, (right) admitted manslaughter shortly after the trial started last year

Hamada (left), from Wembley, north west London, was arrested at Gatwick Airport and told officers he was not a murderer. He was convicted of violent disorder and four wounding charges, but a jury failed to reach a verdict against him on the charge of murder. Hamada finally admitted manslaughter earlier this month. Ossama Hamed (right) is wanted in connection with the Park Lane murder on New Year's Day 2019

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Leonard acknowledged a victim impact statement from Mr Simionov's fiancee Madalina Anghel, who had described him as 'an amazing man who lit up any room he walked into'.

The judge accepted the killing was 'spur of the moment' and was not pre-planned.

But he said it was aggravated by the fact others were injured and it involved group violence in a public place when there were a large number of members of the public present.

He added that Khalil, who played a 'major role', had been armed with a knife and was subject to a community order at the time.

The judge said he would make his sentencing remarks available to members of the victim's family or close friends who were unable to attend court in person.

Trouble started on December 31, 2018 when doorman, Atu Ngoy, threw Adham El Shalakany, 24, over the bonnet of a Lamborghini when he tried to pay his way inside with two female friends.

His friends came to his aid and a fight broke out between them and the bouncers resulting in Mr Simionov's death and five other security workers being stabbed.

Mr Simionov went outside to quell the violence and had only been on the street for less than a minute before he was killed.

Body worn police footage later showed him being tended to by El Shalakany and another man as he lay dying in one of the venue's red-lit en suite bathrooms.

Philip Evans, QC, prosecuting, said the fast moving fracas left the doorman with unsurvivable injuries.

Footage of the brutal fight showed a knife being wielded by Ossama Hamed, 25, as Hamada fought with Mr Simionov's colleagues.

Hamed inflicted the fatal wound before he fled the UK with Hamada, who had been out celebrating his birthday, on a ferry to Calais.

They travelled onto to Paris, then Barcelona before flying to Morocco, North Africa.

They ended up in Rabat, where Hamada received a call from his mother to say police had contacted her explaining they knew he was not the knifeman.

Hamada said: 'I stayed with him maybe three or four days, four or five max. He was going out and I told him I was not in the mood for going out.

'As soon as he left, I got by bag and left. I went to Tangier. He poisoned my thoughts. He was using me as a scapegoat.

'Mr Simionov and me, had no issue. I had no quarrel with him. He was a security man doing his job at the end of the day.'

The man alleged to have been behind the stabbing, Ossama Hamed, 26, (pictured) from Hillingdon, fled the country and is wanted by Scotland Yard

Tudor Simionov, 33, (left) bled to death after he was knifed in the chest outside one of Lord Edward Davenport's Mayfair bashes. The victim's fiancee, 23-year-old Madalina Anghel (right) had earlier told the court she had 'lost everything' following the attack

Tudor Simionov, 33, (pictured centre, becoming involved in a fight) was killed while other hired security staff were wounded during a knife attack outside a 12.5million townhouse in Mayfair, west London

Hamada, from Wembley, north west London, was arrested at Gatwick Airport and told officers he was not a murderer.

He was convicted of violent disorder and four wounding charges, but a jury failed to reach a verdict against him on the charge of murder.

Hamada finally admitted manslaughter earlier this month.

Khalil, of Kingsbury, northwest London, and Akram, of Fulham, southwest London, also admitted manslaughter.

Ahmed Munajed, 26, of Hammersmith, west London, admitted violent disorder and was earlier jailed for two years.

El Shalakany, of Fulham, was cleared of violent disorder over his alleged role in the fighting while his then partner Shaymaa Lamrani, 27, of northwest London was acquitted of perverting the course of justice by disposing of the murder weapon.

Hamed is still on the run.

Ahmed Munajed, 26, admitted violent disorder and breaching a suspended sentence at the Old Bailey. He was last year jailed for a total of two years and 21 weeks

The victim's fiancee, 23-year-old Madalina Anghel had appealed for information leading to the capture of Ossama Hamed in a statement read to the court.

She said: 'Tudor and I met three years ago at university in Romania and in October 2018 moved to London to start a new life.

'Tudor was a professional rower who had been successful in many competitions. He believed that moving to England would be an opportunity to focus on his sport.

'On 31 December 2018, Tudor had gone to work as normal when his life was suddenly taken away. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time; he was simply unlucky.

'Tudor was only 33 years old and we had planned our whole lives together. He was always thinking about everyone else and putting others first. He was the kindest person I knew and by losing him, I have lost everything.

'We were meant to be getting married this summer but instead of attending our wedding I have been attending court. Instead of going to the church to arrange our wedding I was going to church to bury him. My life has been turned upside down.

'I am pleased those involved have been convicted but we must now keep working to find Ossama Hamed who remains on the run from police.

'Nothing can change the past and we cannot bring Tudor back, but finding Ossama Hamed and bringing him to justice will help me find closure after all that has happened.

'I would ask anyone who has any information on his whereabouts to speak to police as soon as possible. Imagine how you would feel knowing one of those involved in the death of your loved one was still walking free.

'Someone, somewhere must know where he is.'

Host Lord 'Fast Eddie' Davenport, notorious for holding VIP orgies, is alleged to have 'run out the back door' in the ensuing mayhem last year.

Female guests were escorted inside free of charge where they enjoyed bottles of free champagne, but male punters queued up paying hundreds of pounds each for entry.

Tables, priced at 2,000-a-pop, where laden with 'plates of cocaine' openly being snorted as the private bouncers patrolled the three floors.

Lord Davenport stood behind the front door with his head of security, Mark McKinley, peering through a spy-hole.

The so-called 'Lord of Fraud' was jailed for seven years and eight months in 2011 for conning investors and is known for hosting wild sex parties.

He was released just three years later as an 'act of mercy' after he was left gravely ill following a kidney transplant.

Judge Anthony Leonard, QC, said Mr Simionov's killers will be sentenced tomorrow.
Venezuela reported its first coronavirus death on Thursday after a 47-year-old man with a pre-existing lung disease died, the government said.

The man from the northern Aragua state had previously suffered from an "occupational disease in the lungs," Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez said in a television address.

The patient had been admitted to a private clinic suffering from pneumonia and three days later tested positive for COVID-19, Rodriguez said. The South American country has now reported 107 coronavirus cases. It is under a total lockdown with businesses and schools closed and its borders closed to commercial flights, although cargo arrivals are still allowed.

The pandemic is causing particular concern in Venezuela because its economy has collapsed, with people already suffering shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine, and the breakdown of public services such as water, electricity and transport.

Meanwhile a "special flight" organized by several European countries left Caracas with more than 360 passengers on board, including 139 Spaniards, 56 Italians, 44 Germans and 26 French nationals. They had been visiting Venezuela for business or tourism but got stuck by the government lockdown.

Peru, which on Thursday extended its lockdown and border closures until April 12, likewise authorized the departure of tourists on especially arranged flights.

Around 400 Canadians and more than 300 Americans are due to be repatriated from Thursday, their embassies in Peru announced.

Some 200 Canadians queued outside the country's diplomatic mission in the capital Lima waiting to board buses to take them to the city's military hospital, from where they were due to board a flight to take them home. Peru has recorded 580 coronavirus cases and nine deaths.

It has closed schools and universities, imposed a nighttime curfew and a ban on all road traffic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It was bad enough that Greg Bestavros and his fiancees Canada-bound flight was cancelled and they had to hole up in their Peruvian hostel after the country shut down in an attempt to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

After waiting patiently since March 16 for the federal governments rescue, the Mississauga couple was struck another blow Wednesday when they learned one of the 130 guests at the Pariwana Hostel had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

I now fear for our safety and our health as I am held ... here in my hostel for a length of time that has yet to be determined, said the 29-year-old, who arrived in Peru this March with fiancee Marina Fanous, also 29, for a friends wedding. The pair were to return home last Saturday.

This is inhumane treatment and has left us feeling incarcerated with no hope of any way home.

Ottawa has been working with Air Canada and other airlines to bring home Canadians stuck abroad at the travellers expense since countries began closing their borders and airlines began cancelling international flights in the wake of the global pandemic.

Since the weekend, the federal government has planned a series of flights to pick up Canadians stranded in Morocco, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Tunisia and Ukraine, as well as three planes from Peru. An emergency loan of as much as $5,000 has been offered to those in need of financial support.

However, demand has outstripped the seats available.

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra declared a state of emergency on March 15 and closed its border the next day, leaving some 3,000 Canadians trapped in the country. Over the weekend, Canadians in Peru received an email from Ottawa that the first three repatriation flights would be leaving from Lima, the capital city, leaving those in other parts of the country in limbo.

On Thursday, Global Affairs Canada said a second Air Canada flight from Peru also departed with another 400 Canadians on board and a third flight is scheduled Friday.

The situation at Pariwana Hostel in Cusco, 1,100 kilometres from Lima, has been difficult at the best of times as residents  among them, 10 Canadians  havent been allowed to leave the premises even to go to a grocery store. After a patron tested positive to COVID-19 Wednesday, guests were told they would be confined to their rooms for the next 28 days to potentially three months.

Were told we couldnt leave the hostel because they were operating under martial law, said Fanous.

Theres actually guards on our door right now.

The hostel staff have been taking care of food for the residents, which included a menu of about 15 options. That has now dropped down to two: One vegetarian and one meat option. Guests on each floor are allowed to leave their rooms for an hour each day, the Canadians said.

We are Canadian citizens and we need our government to intervene specifically in our situation as we are now being held hostage here against our will, said Bestavros.

Angela Savard, a spokesperson for Global Affairs, said the government was aware of the situation in Cusco and that a flight from Cusco to Lima has been scheduled for March 27.

Officials are currently reaching out to affected individuals with more information, she said in an email.

The seats on the repatriation flights are first-come, first-serve at a price of $1,400 from Lima to Toronto and previously paid return flights are not being honoured, said Enrique Torres, a family physician from Brockville, Ont., who is stuck in Lima with his two young teens and 77-year-old mother.

They tried to get seats on the two flights that departed for Canada in the last few days, but were unsuccessful.

The first attempt to get on the plane did not work as there was too much demand and seats were exhausted in minutes, said Torres, 49, who arrived Lima on March 13 for spring break and was to return home last Saturday.

You will find many Canadians disappointed by how these repatriation efforts are going. The Israelis, Mexicans, Brazilians and Spanish have all come and gone from Lima. The Americans are once again getting their citizens today.

Bill Roberts, a retired steel mine worker from Sault Ste Marie, arrived in Peru in February after a month spent vacationing in Mexico. He was scheduled to fly home on March 17.

The 71-year-old is now holed up in a small room at Hotel Gran Jubgla in the City of Iquitos, which is 1,012 kilometres from Lima and only accessible by air or a six-day boat trip. He is only allowed to leave his room once a day for essentials and his only contact with the outside world is by email or FaceTime on his iPad.

The father of four and grandfather of five has a compromised immune system.

Roberts said he has not received the Air Canada code required to get on a flight.

I just got word there were Americans flown out of here Wednesday, said Roberts. Many countries repatriated their citizens without skimming them on the fares. Many were for nothing and took immediate action where our government did little.

But he said he is in no rush to get to the Peruvian capital.

Im much safer here than in a city of 20 million trying to find accommodation and waiting for a flight that might come, he wrote in response to questions from the Star. What I thought would be days might now be weeks.

With files from Robert Cribb

Luke Carroll is a freelance journalist based in Ottawa.

Read more about:
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: It is homeless who are feeling the heat the most due to the lockdown. There is no one to give alms. Shops also remain closed. While several individuals and some NGOs are helping the homeless, they face restrictions from police who hit them, it is alleged.

At Mylapore and Royapuram, police helped individuals to spot the homeless and give them food. At Kodambakkam and Vadapalani, four friends on motorbikes went to every street providing help. When we heard about the lockdown, the first thing we remembered was the homeless people. Since cooked food may get spoiled after a day, we thought of purchasing biscuit packets and water bottles, said R Nameez Ahmed of T Nagar.

Homeless people being

served food at Tambaram

Bus Terminus | Martin Louis

However, J Binny Raj Kumar from Kolathur laments they were hit by police on Thursday when they went to provide food near Parrys Corner. Police apparently mistook them for people who roam for fun and later let them go. G Naresh Kumar of Royapettah, has been setting out in his car for the last three days, armed with Rs 5,000 worth of biscuits, fruit juice packs and water bottles.

He goes around distributing the packets to any sanitary worker or police personnel who may cross his path.Chennai Food Bank, an initiative by RYA Madras Metro Trust collaborating with Greater Chennai Corporation, has been feeding more than 3,000 homeless people during lockdown. If you wish to donate online visit chennaifoodbank.com

Corporation tests drone

Greater Chennai Corporation on Thursday tested a drone for spraying disinfectants at Ripon Buildings. The civic body is to use four drones, especially over markets and areas where there is much public activity. It will be used over resettlement sites and slums where it may be difficult to do manually spraying. With four drones, two lakh sq. feet may be covered in a day, corporation commissioner G Prakash told reporters. The drones are manufactured by Anna University, said a release.

Essential services hit

The lockdown has impacted supply of essential services. The Confederation of Indian Industry has urged government to make efforts to ease out the restrictions on movement of essential goods. Engaging labourers for critical industries, accommodation, food and other arrangements for labourers who need to stay are issues faced by industry members, said C K Ranganathan, deputy chairman, CII Southern Region and K Hari Thiagarajan, chairman, CII Tamil Nadu State Council.

No takers for veggies?

Even as the extended lockdown has come into effect, Koyambedu wholesale vegetable merchants are in a dilemma. Stocks are arriving, but there are no takers. As government intervened, the retail markets at T Nagar, Ambattur, Avadi, Mylapore, Tambaram and other places will remain open doing away with the fear of non-availability of vegetables.
Muncipal corporation workers spray disinfectants on a street during a nationwide lockdown, in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, in Patna. PTI image

Patna: Three fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported from Bihar in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of those who have tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19 to nine, the health department said on Friday.

According to Pradip Das, Director of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute here, an ICMR centre, test reports of two staff members of a private hospital in the city, where a coronavirus patient was admitted last week before being shifted to AIIMS-Patna where he died, have been positive.

Besides, another patient admitted to the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) here hailing from Siwan, has tested positive, he added.

Health department sources said the patient had recently returned to Siwan from Dubai.

The infected private hospital staff members, who are also at NMCH, worked at a health care facility in Khemnichak locality where a 38-year-old man from Munger suffering from renal problems was admitted last week and referred to AIIMS- Patna subsequently.

The man had returned from Qatar and his samples were sent for testing to the AIIMS when he developed respiratory problems. His family members told the hospital authorities about his travel history.

He died on Saturday, a day before his test reports came in, confirming that he was suffering from COVID 19.

The private hospital has been sealed by district health authorities and samples of 13 of its staff members have been sent for testing so far while efforts are on to trace all those who might have come in contact with the deceased patient.

Two persons, a woman in her 40s and a 12-year-old boy, who lived in a house adjacent to the residence of the deceased at Munger, tested positive on Thursday and were rushed to a hospital in Bhagalpur.

Earlier, a middle-aged woman whose son had travelled to Europe tested positive on Sunday last and is admitted to AIIMS, Patna. A day later, a young man who had travelled to Scotland and admitted to NMCH, had tested positive.
Coronavirus cases in the country have seen a sharp rise in the month of March. The virus has infected more than 700 people across the country, while 17 people have succumbed to death. Over 60 people have made a recovery and have been discharged across the nation. Maharashtra and Kerala remain the top two worst coronavirus-hit states in the country.

Heres a look at the statewise tally of Covid-cases, deaths and recoveries in India.

Kerala

The southern state has 137 positive cases of coronavirus as per the latest data by the Ministry of Health. The state hasnt witnessed any Covid-19 death yet. 11 people have successfully recovered.

This is the time for youth to shoulder responsibility. We are planning a volunteer force of 2 lakh members. Food supply to hospital work they will be trained. Their expenses will be met by local and civic bodies, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday.

Maharashtra

With 130 Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra is one of the worst hit states by Covid-19 infection. The state has registered four coronavirus deaths so far while 15 patients have been recovered and released.

Karnataka

The state has recorded 55 Covid-19 cases and two deaths. Three people have been cured and discharged.

Telangana

45 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported here so far. One person has made a recovery from the virus while no one has died of Covid-19 in the state.

Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state has registered 43 coronavirus cases and no recoveries so far. As many as 3 people have died from the infection in the state.

Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

Both states have 41 positive cases of coronavirus. While 11 people have recovered from Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan has seen three people get better and discharged.

Delhi

As many as 36 people have been tested positive of coronavirus in the national capital. One person has died from the infection while 6 people have made a recovery.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged citizens not to step out of their homes and has assured that no one will go to sleep on an empty stomach. He also assured a smooth supply of all essential commodities across the National Capital Territory.

Haryana and Punjab

The neighbouring states have 30 and 33 Covid-19 cases respectively. While one person has died of coronavirus in Punjab, Haryana has seen no deaths. 11 people have been recovered from coronavirus in Haryana.

Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh

The southern state has registered 29 Covid-19 cases and one recovery. Madhya Pradesh closely follows with 20 positive cases of coronavirus in the state. Both states have registered one death each.

Besides this, Jammu and Kashmir has 13 positive cases of coronavirus. One person has died from the infection while one was cured. Andhra Pradesh has 12 positive Covid-19 and one recovery cases while West Bengal has 10 people who tested positive for the infection with one death.

In Chandigarh, 7 people were found infected from Covid-19. Chhattisgarh and Bihar have recorded 6 cases each with one death in Bihar.

Uttarakhand has 4 coronavirus patients, one person has recovered. Goa and Himachal Pradesh have recorded 3 cases each, one patient has died in Himachal. Odisha has just two Covid-19 positive patients. States and Union territories with just one positive Covid-19 case include Andaman, Manipur, Mizoram and Pondicherry.

Coronavirus killed eight more people in India on Thursday and 88 new cases - the highest in a single day - were confirmed.

On Friday, India entered the third day of the 21-day long nationwide coronavirus lockdown announced by PM Modi to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in the country.
A Japanese airline is finally letting female flight attendants wear trousers and flat shoes instead of skirts and high heels following a nationwide campaign.

Japan Airlines announced the changes on Thursday, confirming they will come into force from 1 April.

This will be the first time to introduce trousers and to provide additional options for footwear, an airline spokesperson told Reuters.

It means just under 6,000 women who work for the carrier will be able to choose footwear that best fits their needs for the first time.

The decision follows a nationwide social media movement, #KuToo, which calls for workplaces to ditch dress code rules that force women to wear high heels.

Started by actor and activist Yumi Ishikawa, the feminist movement plays on the Japanese words for shoe (kutsu) and pain (kutsuu).

Ishikawa launched the KuToo hashtag when she tweeted about her experience of being obliged to wear high heels when working at a funeral parlour.

Its a great step given that Japan Airlines is such a big company, she said. Its not only airlines  there are also hotels, department stores, banks and a lot of other companies with this requirement. I hope they follow this example.

It follows Virgin Atlantics announcement last March that female cabin crew would no longer be required to wear makeup to work.

The airlines female cabin crew, known for their red uniform, were also given trousers as standard, rather than having to specially request them.

Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Show all 4 1 /4 Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Jessica Sundquist: 787 Dreamliner captain at Norwegian Jessica Sundquist, a Swedish 787 Dreamliner captain for Norwegian, has spoken extensively about being a woman in the industry. In the past shes spoken about the concept of putting your femininity aside in order to succeed. Sundquist says today that she felt she didnt have to do it, but also wanted to fit into the industry without being known as the girl. Today, times are changing, she says, and more women are joining the industry  but its not all good news. Despite working hard to get to where I am today as a captain at one of the most modern and exciting airlines, the industry still has a lot more work to do to give women more opportunities, she says In the future, shed like the discussion on gender inequality to remain open and ongoing, but argues that real action also needs to take place to make any difference. Norwegian Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Joanna Riggs: A380 first officer at British Airways First officer Joanna Riggs says she was never particularly exposed to aviation as a career choice, but became a BA cabin crew member after university in order to see more of the world. She says that entering such a highly male-dominated profession wasnt daunting, but that she felt lucky to have two other females on her course. Colleagues have always been supportive in Riggs experience as have  for the most part  passengers, though some are surprised when they see a female pilot. I hope it will one day be normal to everyone, she adds. Some passengers give a thumbs up or a girl power sign. As for gender differences on the flight deck, Riggs says, We are very professional on the flight deck so it doesnt matter what the gender, race or sexuality of my colleague is. Flying with a fellow female is always a treat though. My brother is also a British Airways pilot, and although I havent flown with him, I get the feeling we would be very similar. British Airways Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Lucy Tardrew: Boeing 747 captain at Virgin Atlantic Lucy Tardrew had always wanted to join the RAF, she says, but it was never allowed to happen  because they werent taking girls at the time. Instead, she travelled to America, where she trained before becoming a flying instructor. After returning to the UK and converting her licences, she began flying night mail  literally all the posts around the country at night  before stints flying executive jets, and last-minute jobs including air ambulances and freighting transplant organs, before joining Virgin 23 years ago. Tardrew is enthusiastic about the company, but is saddened that the ratio of women in the industry as a whole remains low. As for challenges in the workplace, shes never experienced any discrimination. Noting the rare pay equality in the piloting industry, Tardrew feels the reason there arent more female pilots is down to the fact that there arent enough female role models for schoolchildren to think, Im going to become an airline pilot. Virgin Atlantic Four female pilots discuss life on the flightdeck Kate McWilliams: captain at easyJet At 26, Kate McWilliams became the youngest commercial captain in the world. I love being a captain for easyJet, she says. And Im really happy to be working for an airline that is working hard to increase the number of female pilots. Flying was always her goal  but she didnt realise how far she could take it. I joined the air cadets at 13-years-old, but it wasnt until much later that I realised I could become a commercial pilot, she says. EasyJet is aiming to inspire young women, with the Amy Johnson Flying Initiative and their sponsorship of the Brownies, giving girls aged seven to 10 the opportunity to earn an Aviation Badge. The work its doing is really important. The Amy Johnson Flying Initiative was launched in October 2015 with the aim of doubling the number of female new entrant pilots, to 12 per cent, over a two-year period. After achieving its aim in the first year, the airline set a target of 20 per cent for new entrant cadet pilots in 2020. easyJet

The move was a significant change for the aviation industry, according to Virgin.

Virgin Atlantic executive vice president of customer, Mark Anderson, said at the time that the airline had always stood out from the crowd and done things differently.

We want our uniform to truly reflect who we are as individuals while maintaining that famous Virgin Atlantic style, he added.
It is basically over

6-12 months

In another year or years

It was never a real pandemic

Vote

View Results
In Russia, the new military version of the Be-200 twin-engine seaplane recently (February) began flight testing. The Russian Navy had ordered six of these aircraft in 2013 but canceled the order in 2017 because Beriev, the manufacturer, was unable to get a jet engine that did not depend on some foreign components. The Be-200 uses the D-436 engines built in Ukraine. The Russian invasion in 2014 led to Ukraine halting exports of military equipment to Russia. Ukraine continued to sell Russian D-436s for commercial aircraft, including most Be-200s, but not for a military model. This Ukraine ban halted construction of several types of Russian warships that depended on gas turbine engines only available from Ukraine.

Aircraft engines were less of a problem because Russia was less dependent on Ukraine for aircraft engines. But the D-436 was not easily replaced by another Russian made engine. There was one likely candidate but that engine turned out to be a joint French-Russian effort. France allowed that engine to be used in the commercial version of the Be-200, which entered service in 2003 but would not allow it for Be-200s sold to the navy. When it became clear that getting a completely Russian engine was still several years away, the navy canceled the order. Apparently Beriev was told that the order would be reinstated when it had an engine that would not run afoul of the Ukraine ban. This was important for export customers and before 2014 several nations had expressed an interest in the military version of the Be-200.

The Be-200 is not a critical item for the Russian Navy. The Be-200s the navy ordered in 2013 only cost about $40 million each. Most seaplanes use turboprop engines and using jets means a faster seaplane that can carry more. The Be-200 was developed in the 1990s, using a combination of Russian and Western technology. It first flew in 1998, and over a dozen have been sold as fire-fighting aircraft. This was the main reason it was designed in the first place. This model can carry twelve tons of water, which it could scoop from a river or lake in 12 seconds. Because most of Russia lacks roads and airfields but has plenty of rivers and lakes, the Be-200 would greatly increase rapid access to many of these areas, especially those beyond the range of helicopters.

The 43 ton aircraft can also carry seven tons of cargo or 72 passengers. Before 2013 Beriev offered an anti-submarine configuration but there were no takers. Built to fly low and slow (it cruises at 500 kilometers an hour), the Be-200 was ideal for ASW (anti-submarine warfare). The Russian Navy never explained exactly what it wanted the Be-200 for and ASW is still a possibility. The current endurance of the Be-200 is about four hours per sortie. This can be increased by using some of the cargo capacity for additional fuel, to get endurance up to eight hours or more.

A seaplane is more expensive to build and maintain than a land-based one. Seaplanes can land and take off from the water and be stationed anywhere along the coast (or up a river). During World War II amphibious maritime reconnaissance aircraft often took advantage of this and were very useful in the Pacific. Currently, only Russia, China, Japan and Canada build seaplanes and Russia is an enthusiastic backer of these amphibious aircraft.

China also builds seaplanes and has produced the largest model currently in service, the AG600. Using four Ukrainian turbo-prop engines, the AG600 first flew in 2017 and is expected to enter service in 2021. The first customer is the Chinese Coast Guard, which ordered 17 of them. These are expected to show up in the South China Sea.

There are some foreign commercial customers interested but these nations are waiting to see how the AG600 does in regular service with the Chinese military. The AG600 is an attempt to capitalize on two decades of increased interest in seaplanes. At 53 tons the AG600 is larger than previous Chinese seaplanes like the 1980s era SH-5. Only seven of these 45 ton SH-5s were built; three prototypes and four production models meant for anti-submarine warfare. These seaplanes were not found to be all that useful in hunting subs and one of the SH-5s has since been converted to fight forest fires.

The AG600 is described as ideal for SAR (Sea Air Rescue) and fighting fires as well as marine patrol and moving cargo and people to remote locations. For fire-fighting it can scoop and deliver on a fire 370 tons of water per sortie. Water is obtained by flying over a lake or river and scooping up ten tons or so of water. Fire retardant chemicals added before the water is dropped on a fire.

For SAR it can land in calm waters and take on as many as fifty passengers. Over 15 tons of cargo can be carried. Max speed is 560 kilometers an hour while minimum speed is 220 kilometers an hour. Max range is 4,500 kilometers and max altitude is 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). Minimum cruising altitude is 50 meters (163 feet).

Chinas neighbors see a more sinister use. If AG600s were assigned to SAR work several could justifiably be stationed in South China, which borders the South China Sea. In that body of water, there are hundreds of islets, reefs and atolls that China claims, despite closer nations already having prior claims. The AG600s could be used to move supplies, weapons and military personnel to reinforce the growing number of small outposts China is building on platforms and artificial islands that are formed by dredging sand from reefs or shallow water. Even without the AG600, China is following a strategy of if our soldiers are on it the rock/reef/whatever is ours. The older SH-5 could carry ten tons and the AG600 is believed capable of carrying nearly twice that. Another Chinese manufacturer is also developing twin-engine seaplanes as well as a four-engine model similar to the AG600.

There are some other Asian seaplane manufacturers. In 2014 India announced it was buying 15 US-2 seaplanes from Japan. Discussions over this sale had been going on since 2011 and are still underway. This is typical of the Indian military procurement bureaucracy and India may eventually sign a purchase order. The growing tension with China has made India eager to improve ties with Japan, where China is also a threat. Technically an air-sea rescue aircraft, the Indian US-2s will be based in the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, which are in the Indian Ocean just west of Indonesia. This would enable India to more easily patrol the western approaches to the Malacca Straits. Each year, half the worlds oil shipments, and a third of all commerce, pass through these straits. India fears that China may use its growing fleet to dominate the waters around the straits. The US-2s will make it easier to keep an eye on the Chinese.

The US-2 is a 43 ton, four-engine amphibious maritime patrol aircraft that can carry twenty passengers, twelve stretchers or a ton of cargo. Japan uses them for search and rescue and carries a crew of eleven for these missions. Maritime patrol is similar and the aircraft has a sea-search radar as well as viewing ports for the crew. Cruising speed is 480 kilometers an hour and max endurance is about nine hours. The US-2s cost $110 million each and it would be up to India to arm them as the Japanese constitution forbids the export of weapons. The Japanese navy operates eight US-2s and has more on order.
A police officer and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus in the Northern Territory.

The couple's diagnosis brings the total number of confirmed cases in the NT to 12 as of Friday night.

The news comes alongside a crackdown by NT police and threats of fines up to $62,800 for travellers who ignore directives to self-isolate.

The NT government is also removing the choice for residents to self-quarantine from today, saying they'll be enforcing mandatory lockdowns for all international travellers on their terms.

But they'll also be footing the bill for residents in quarantine, paying for travellers' hotel stays out of taxpayer funds.

The newly diagnosed couple live in the remote central Australian community of Harts Range, about 200 kilometres from Alice Springs.

The pair arrived at Yulara on Sunday 22 March after flying home from a holiday in Austria via Jetstar flight JQ664 from Melbourne.

The pair arrived at Yulara before driving to their home at Harts Range (pictured) on Sunday 22 March after a holiday in Austria

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

After the domestic flight the two drove to their home outside the Harts Range community, stopping to refuel using a tap and go payment on the way before arriving at their home.

Their adult daughter had already stocked the home for them and left the home because of an understanding they planned to self-isolate.

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said there is a very minimal risk the pair have spread COVID-19 through the community.

'My understanding from my earlier discussions today is that the contact tracing so far and the behaviours of the officer and their spouse and the steps they have taken has reduced the likelihood of transfer to very, very, very low,' he said.

The newly diagnosed couple live in the remote central Australian community of Harts Range, about 200 kilometres from Alice Springs

He said the pair contacted health authorities after developing symptoms of coronavirus, and a test kit was left at their doorstep.

The top cop said it was an unusual situation to expose the specific details of the case, but the officer involved consented because he is desperate to get back to duty when he is healthy again.

'The motivation of why he has asked me to do it, is because he wants to get back to that community when he is fit and able to continue to serve them,' he said.

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker (pictured) said there is a very minimal risk the pair have spread COVID-19 through the community

'This is an officer who has moved his family to a remote community to provide the service.'

Meanwhile NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner has announced they will be moving ahead of the federal government in regards to quarantine methods from Friday.

Any residents who arrive from overseas to another state will be forced into 14 day self isolation in that state.

After 14 days they'll be allowed into the Northern Territory where they will need to undergo another 14 days of lock-down.

NT police officers patrol the Northern Territory/Queensland border after announcing a territory lockdown starting on Tuesday March 24

NT Police have been ramping up their spot-checks on residents who are supposed to be self-isolating after international travel.

Officers conducted more than 200 checks in the past 48 hours as part of a crackdown aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the territory.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said these measures are only going to become more extreme heading into the weekend.

'To the one per cent who think the rules don't apply to them  if you think it is fine to pop out to the shops for five minutes, then none of what we're doing matters,' he said.

NT Police assist Australian evacuees into quarantine facilities in Darwin after arriving in February 2020

'The police will check on you, you won't know when, but they will knock on your door.'

But Minister Gunner sought to reassure residents despite the growing number of confirmed cases.

'We knew this would happen. We planned for this. We've got this. Importantly all the cases in the NT right now are from international arrivals, there is no community transmission,' he said.

'We don't have community transmission and we don't want it.'

The Northern Territory has tightened regulations hard and fast because of concerns COVID-19 could spread to vulnerable indigenous communities
Twelve years after the city of Basel, Switzerland, rejected a claim for restitution of 200 prints and drawings in its Kunstmuseum, officials there have reversed their position and reached a settlement with the heirs of a renowned Jewish museum director and critic who sold his collection before fleeing Nazi Germany.

In 2008, the museum argued that the original owner, Curt Glaser, a leading figure in the Berlin art world and close friend of Edvard Munch, sold the art at market prices. The museums purchase of the works at a 1933 auction in Berlin was made in good faith, it said, so there was no basis for restitution.

But after the Swiss news media unearthed documents that shed doubt on that version of events, the museum reviewed its earlier decision and today announced it would pay an undisclosed sum to Glasers heirs. In return, it will keep works on paper estimated to be worth more than $2 million by artists including Henri Matisse, Max Beckmann, Auguste Rodin, Marc Chagall, Oskar Kokoschka, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Erich Heckel. Among the most valuable pieces are two Munch lithographs, Self Portrait and Madonna.

The turnaround is a major victory for the heirs but also a sign, experts said, of a new willingness on the part of Swiss museums to engage seriously with restitution claims and apply international standards on handling Nazi-looted art in public collections. Switzerland was neutral during the war, but it was a marketplace for art, David Rowland, the New York lawyer representing Glasers heirs, said. It is now making great progress in coming to grips with these cases. This is a big step forward.
Turkey, allied militants using water as weapon against civilians in Syria's Hasakah: Foreign Ministry

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 26 March 2020 9:19 PM

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has strongly condemned Turkey and its allied Takfiri militants for cutting off water supply to local residents in the country's northeastern city of Hasakah and surrounding residential neighborhoods over the past two days.

"Turkish occupation forces and affiliated terrorists cut off drinking water from Allouk water station and feeding wells deliberately and systematically, depriving more than 600,000 Syrian citizens, mostly women and children, from drinking water," the ministry said in identical letters sent to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the rotating President of the UN Security Council Zhang Jun on Thursday.

The Syrian ministry noted that Turkish military forces shelled the water station during their cross-border military operation last October, putting it out of service.

Syrian officials, accordingly, presented a briefing to the UN Security Council on February 27, informing the international body of a water outage in Hasakah.

"But unfortunately the Security Council, its General Secretariat or relevant international organizations failed to condemn the Turkish forces' bombing of such a critical civilian facility and their use of water as a weapon against civilians," the letters pointed out.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry finally called on the Security Council to condemn the crimes being perpetrated by Turkish soldiers, and obligate Ankara to stop its violation of the international law and humanitarian principles, besides its support for terrorist groups wreaking havoc inside Syria.

Director General of Hasakah Water Company, Mahmoud al-Ukla, told Syria's official news agency SANA in a statement on Wednesday that company's workers had resumed the operation of Allouk water station after Turkish troops and their militant proxies had cut water supply to the city and its countryside earlier in the day.

Allouk water station is located near the border town of Ra's al-Ayn, which Turkish troops and their allied militants seized in October 2019 during the so-called Peace Spring Operation.

On Monday, a United Nations official said interruption to the key water station in Syria's northeast puts thousands of lives at risk as efforts ramp up to prevent the outbreak of the novel coronavirus there.

UNICEF Representative in Syria Fran Equiza said the interruption "during the current efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease puts children and families at unacceptable risk."

He underlined that the station is the main source of water for around 460,000 people in Hasakah city, the town of Tal Tamer as well as al-Hol and Areesha camps.

The Syrian government has applied a series of measures, as cases of COVID-19 infection have been found in the war-ravaged Arab country.

The measures include suspending schools, universities, as well as some ministries and closing marketplaces and restaurants.

The government also stopped public transportations nationwide.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Senior cabinet officials in the Trump administration agreed to new measures to restrict the global supply of chips to China's Huawei Technologies, sources familiar with the matter said, as the White House ramps up criticism of China over coronavirus.

The move comes as ties between Washington and Beijing grow more strained, with both sides trading barbs over who is to blame for the spread of the coronavirus and an escalating tit-for-tat over the expulsion of journalists from both countries.

Under the change, foreign companies that use US chipmaking equipment would be required to obtain a US license before supplying certain chips to Huawei. The Chinese telecoms company was blacklisted last year, limiting the company's suppliers.

One source said the rule change is aimed at restricting the sale of sophisticated chips to Huawei and not older, more commoditised and widely-available semiconductors.

It is unclear if Mr Trump, who appeared to push back against the proposal last month, will sign off on the rule change.

Most chip manufacturers rely on equipment produced by US companies like KLA, Lam Research and Applied Materials, according to a report last year from China's Everbright Securities.

The equipment makers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The decision came when US officials from various agencies met and agreed on Wednesday to alter the Foreign Direct Product Rule, which subjects some foreign-made goods based on US technology or software to US regulations, the sources said.

Attendees likely included top officials from the National Security Council, and the US Departments of State, Defense, Energy and Commerce.

If approved by Mr Trump, the measure may strike a blow to the world's No. 2 smartphone maker, and to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), a major producer of chips for Huawei's HiSilicon unit and the world's largest contractor.

Neither Huawei or TSMC immediately responded to a request for comment.

"It's impossible to tell the impact until we know the technical thresholds that may apply," said Washington lawyer Kevin Wolf, a former Commerce Department official.

The move could also anger Beijing, which has spoken out against a global campaign by the US to compel allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks over spying concerns. Huawei has denied the allegations.

Reuters
Kabul, March 27 : The families of the people who were killed in terror attack on a gurudwara in Kabul earlier this week has demanded the Afghan government to launch an investigation into the massacre.

The Islamic State Khorasan (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the terror attack on the Sikh shrine in Kabul's Shorbazar area on Wednesday morning in which at least 25 members of the Sikh community were killed.

While one suicide bomber detonated himself at the entrance, three IS terrorists stormed the shrine when around 150 people were inside.

"We want investigations, our people have been killed," TOLO News reported on Thursday citing Dip Singh, the relative of a victim, as saying.

"In which book do you come to attack a mosque and attack a Dharamshala. In what religion does that happen?" said Andar Singh, another family member.

Children, who were studying in the gurdwara, said that gunmen killed their teachers In front of them.

"Three people came here. They did not see us and we were not killed. I wish I was killed. We Were hiding in a room," TOLO News quoted Gorjit, a witness, as saying.

"They had military clothes and opened fire. We have been killed completely, my father is dead, my grandfather is dead, and my sister has also died," said Hervina, another witness.

Afghanistan's miniscule Sikh community is a religious minority in the country. There are only about 300 members of the community remaining in the war-torn country.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed an application asking it to review its judgement which nullified the victory of the candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections in Zamfara State.

With one out of seven justices dissenting, the court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Mohammed, held that the application by the APC was an abuse of court process.

The fresh application before the apex court was brought by a faction of the APC led by a former governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari.

The Supreme Court had, on May 24, 2019, ruled that the APC did not conduct valid primaries for the 2019 general elections in Zamfara.

The apex court validated the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which ruled that no valid primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State.

The court in a unanimous judgement by a five-member panel decided that a party that had no validly nominated candidate cannot be said to have emerged winner of the elections.

In an appeal brought by the APC, the apex court ruled against the appellant and ordered a fine of N10 million against the APC.

Candidate other than the first appellant with the highest votes stand elected. A cost of N10 million is awarded against the appellant, the court had ruled.

It then declared the first runners-up in the 2019 general elections in the state as the winners of all the offices earlier declared to have been won by the APC and its candidates. The first runners-up were PDP candidates and were later sworn into office.

Dissatisfied with the apex court judgement, APC filed an application on June 17, 2019, asking the apex court to review, amend, correct and/or set aside the consequential orders contained in the May 24, 2019 judgment of the apex court.

Ruling

In its majority judgement read by Justice John Okoro, the apex court said it lacks jurisdiction to review its own judgement.

Justice Okoro said that by Order 8 Rule 16 of the Supreme Court, it has no jurisdiction under any guise to interfere with any judgment once delivered by the court.

He further held that the APCs application was an abuse of court process, incompetent and vexatious, because Order 8 Rule 16 is a clear and unambiguous law that prohibits it from going into a matter already decided.

Mr Okoro, citing several cases, made it clear that the farthest the apex court can go in a matter already decided is to correct accidental errors and slips and not to sit as an appellate court on its own decision.

Even, our forebears did not leave anyone in doubt that a Supreme Court judgment, once delivered, cannot be adjudicated upon in the form of appeal by the same court, he said.

The apex court insisted that there must be an end to litigation, holding that the finality of the Supreme Court is sealed and that no one can come through the back door to interfere with it.

The consequential order complained of by the applicant is a legitimate consequential order and this application seeking for its review and setting aside is vexatious and frivolous as it violently violates Order 8 Rule 16 of the court.

Let me warn here that political parties must obey their own constitution and relevant laws and where they fail or refuse to obey, the hammer of the court will always fall on them.

It is the duty of the court to always take decision that will prevent anarchy in this country. Only serious matters must be brought before the Supreme Court, he held.

Mr Okoro further awarded the cost of N2 million against the appellant to be paid to the first  140th respondents.

The judge did not clarify if each of the 140 respondents is each to be paid N2 million or the N2 million is for all of them.

Dissenting judge

In his dissenting judgement, Justice Centus Nweze held that a judgement or order can be set aside on merit. He said the apex court has the power to overrule itself where necessary.

Mr Nweze agreed that the consequential order was made in error because the PDP candidates in the last general elections in Zamfara State were not parties in the appeal and ought not to have benefited.

The consequential order complained against by the applicant has no bearing with the appeal brought by the APC and it hereby set aside, having been made in error, 

Advertisements



It is in the interest of justice that I set aside the consequential order of this court.

I hereby enter an order setting aside the said consequential order in the judgement in APC and Marafa.
: Nine more people tested positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 38 in Tamil Nadu as Chief Minister K Palaniswami briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the action being taken to tackle the contagion.

While six cases were reported earlier in the day, three were reported on Friday night, as the state recorded the highest number of cases in a single day.

Hours after the Prime Minister spoke to him, favouring strict enforcement of lockdown, Palaniswami ordered fresh curbs to ensure people stay indoors and stepped up measures to tackle the scourge by appointing 500 plus doctors, besides other healthcare professionals in State-run hospitals.

As per his directive, effective Sunday, grocery shops, vegetable markets and petrol pumps will remain only from 6 am to 2.30 pm.

Trucks ferrying vegetables and fruits from within and outside Tamil Nadu should offload them between 6 PM and 6 AM am in the respective wholesale markets.

The prohibitory orders, though do not apply to incidents like death and it should be ensured that the number of participants does not exceed 20 people, the government said.

Food delivery aggregators will be allowed deliver food between 7 am to 9.30 am, between noon and 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm as a special case.

Pharmacies and restaurants will be open through the day. Eateries could however only cater to take away orders and not allow dine-in amenities, the government said.

The CM also said 500-plus doctors have been freshly appointed and ordered recruiting 200 doctors and an equal number of nurses, 100 paramedics and 180 sanitary workers at Omandurar Estate Government Medical College Hospital here,now a designated 500 bed facility to treat COVID-19 patients.

The State police said 3,024 FIRs have been filed and 1,924 vehicles seized for lockdown violations across Tamil Nadu, while the state government invited donations to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to meet the expenditure for activities aimed at tackling COVID-19.

To cater to the expected high number of infections, substantial funding resources are needed for a variety of requirements including diagnostic equipment, ventilators, beds, isolation and quarantine facilities, the government said, adding it was seeking support to tackle the situation.

"Workers in agriculture, construction and several other unorganised sectors are facing daily wage losses. Help is (also) needed for providing food for poor and the destitute."



Local authorities continued to carry out massive disinfection exercises in their regions.

Of the six new cases reported earlier, five contracted the infection through contact with those who tested positive for the coronavirus, government had said.

Of the three new cases reported tonight one was a 73 year old woman, a city resident, who has been admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here.

The other was a 61-year-old male contact of Indonesian nationals and he has been admitted at the Salem Government Medical College.

The third was a 39-year old man, also a city resident, who has been admitted at Kilpauk Government Hospital.

The National Health Mission-Tamil Nadu confirmed the new cases.

A senior health official said the 38 cases included a man who has been discharged and another who died.

The Prime Minister earlier in the day told Palaniswami to strictly enforce the three- week national lockdown declared to check the spread of the virus and ensure availability of essential commodities for the people.

In a telephonic conversation, Modi said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and social distancing should be rigidly enforced.

Modi sought to know from the Chief Minister about the coronavirus preventive measures undertaken by government departments in the state and was apprised about the steps being taken, an official release said



The state government, which on Thursday announced the shutdown till March 31, extended it till April 14 in sync with the national lockdown announced by the Prime Minister.

Palaniswami later chaired a meeting of top officials, following which he said steps were on to fill openings in the health department and that appointment orders were being given to 1,508 lab technicians, 530 doctors and 1,000 nurses following recruitment by Medical Services Recruitment Board.

All of them have been advised to join duty in three days, he said, adding that directions had been issued to operationalise 200 new ambulances.

The COVID-19 control room in the Secretariat will be strengthened as the apex control centre to coordiate all control rooms in the State, the chief Minister said.

He urged those who returned from abroad after February 15 to home quarantine themselves voluntarily.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Service Canadas phone lines and websites are operating at capacity, leaving several Winnipeggers to wait in line at Service Canada locations around the city in an effort to navigate the employment insurance process in the wake of COVID-19 layoffs.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/3/2020 (657 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Service Canadas phone lines and websites are operating at capacity, leaving several Winnipeggers to wait in line at Service Canada locations around the city in an effort to navigate the employment insurance process in the wake of COVID-19 layoffs.

That in-person option will soon no longer be available. Late Thursday evening, the federal government said Service Canada centres will be closed due to coronavirus-related health concerns. Alternative arrangements can still be made for those who require in-person services.

Cheryl Tymchak was one of about a dozen people waiting  spaced approximately a metre apart from one another  in the snow outside the Service Canada office on St. Marys Road Thursday morning.

She had been on sick leave since November, and nearing the end of her benefits period, she got in contact with Service Canada at the end of February.

Tymchak said she was told she would have to wait a standard period of up two weeks before her information could be processed; now four weeks and several phone calls later, shes heard nothing.

"Im on a waiting list for EI to go through," she said. "I registered February 27th and it says were only supposed to be waiting 15 days, and guess what? Not 15 days."

For Tymchak, a visit to a Service Canada centre was preferred to more time spent on the phone.

"Ive tried four times now and they hang up on you. Theyre using your (cellphone plan) minutes and not everybody has a house phone, so that really isnt helping, and the only option was to come down and wait."

She was among many Thursday who reported lengthy wait times on Service Canadas phone lines, only to have calls dropped when no representatives were available to take calls. Tymchak said she waited up to 45 minutes on one call before the line was disconnected.

"Ive got rent to pay," she said. "This was a joke today."

In order to adhere to social-distancing measures, only one person was allowed inside Service Canada at a time. Signs posted outside the office Thursday warned only "critical services" would be handled, and recommended people with internet access return home and apply online.

Esther Banjo, laid off from her job as a banquet server at a Winnipeg hotel at the onset of the pandemic, said she didnt try phoning in but faced similar lags and service interruptions with the online application process.

Banjo said her employer emailed her to say she would be eligible for EI benefits, but when she tried to apply she was unable to get through the lag times on the Service Canadas website, so she decided to stop by in person.

"Its scary," Banjo said about her financial situation so far. "I just hope it will be quicker  weve been waiting for weeks."

The federal minister in charge of Service Canada says officials will make alternative arrangements for those who still need in-person services.

As rent day draws near and financial fears mount for many Canadians, the Government of Canada announced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to support workers laid off as a result of COVID-19.

"The EI system was not designed to process the unprecedented high volume of applications received in the past week," the Finance Department said in a statement Wednesday.

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.

"Given this situation, all Canadians who have ceased working due to COVID-19, whether they are EI-eligible or not, would be able to receive the CERB to ensure they have timely access to the income support they need."

During a press conference Thursday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the online portal for accessing CERB will launch "as soon as possible."

Applicants can expect to receive benefits within 10 days of submitting their applications.

 with files from The Canadian Press

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jsrutgers
Duchess of Sussex and former American actor Meghan Markle will narrate the Disneynature documentary 'Elephant,' which is set to on debut April 3 on Disney Plus, the studio announced on Thursday.

This will mark the first project for Markle after she and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, officially step away from their roles within the British Royal Family on March 31.

In support of 'Elephants,' Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund are donating to Elephants Without Borders, an organization working to protect the elephants living in Botswana, according to Variety.

The news that Markle had partnered with Disney on a specified project broke earlier this year after she and husband Prince Harry revealed that they would be stepping back from their royal duties.

It is notable that Disneynature's announcement credited Markle as "Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex," rather than including her previous royal title of "HRH."

'Elephant' will premiere on Disney Plus the same day as the previously announced Disneynature documentary 'Dolphin Reef,' which will be narrated by Natalie Portman.

Also, 'Penguins' that opened in theatres in 2019, will be making its debut on the streaming service that day.

The flick is being helmed by Mark Linfield, who has directed previous Disneyature projects including 2012's 'Monkey Kingdom.' He is co-directing the movie with Vanessa Berlowitz and Alastair Fothergill.

'Elephant' follows the story of an African elephant named Shani and her male child Jomo as they migrate with their herd and its matriarch, Gaia, across the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.

"The elephants face brutal heat, dwindling resources and persistent predators, as they follow in their ancestor's footsteps on a quest to reach a lush, green paradise," stated a press release from Disney Plus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Eleven-year-old Julianna DiLeo of Oakwood is a sixth-grader by day, full-time seamstress by night.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, hospitals across the country are in need of protective masks and medical equipment. To help do their part, Julianna and her sister, Ashley, 9, have joined forces to sew N95 mask covers out of cotton fabric and donate them to hospital workers in need.

They said the decision to help was an easy one since they come from a family of hospital workers.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

They are running out of masks, so I thought it would be a good cause if I made them and gave it to them, Julianna said. For Christmas, I got a bunch of fabric, so Im using that to make all the mask covers.

Julianna said she been taking sewing lessons for a year and a half, and learned how to make the mask covers by watching a video on YouTube. She said shes made 25 covers since she started on Sunday. Each one takes about 10 minutes to make.

The girls mother, Diana DiLeo, said they were inspired by other community groups trying to help medical professionals.

Juliannas masks on the staff at Columbia Presbyterian  Her handmade masks are protecting their special masks. Can you... Posted by Diana Goodheart DiLeo on Wednesday, 25 March 2020

Most people in the medical field are only being given one mask per week, Diana said. This is helping the health care workers extend the life of that one N95 they are being issued.

Julianna said she will continue making the mask covers until her supplies of elastic and thread runs out. They also plan to make head caps to protect the hair of medical professionals.

So far, the girls have donated to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.

It makes me feel good that they are using them, Julianna said. I also get to spend time with my sister, which is fun.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Latest on NYC school closures: Child care to be available for first responders

With restaurant dine-in option halted, Uber Eats waives delivery fees

MTA continuing to monitor service levels as coronavirus spreads

Amazon warns of slower deliveries, depleted stock amid coronavirus

Rumor of a mandated national quarantine is untrue and unfounded, White House says

S.I. to be first borough with drive-thru testing for coronavirus

Fact vs. rumor: America is not quarantined for coronavirus, National Security Council says

Coronavirus: NYC bars, restaurants limited to takeout and delivery

Lees Tavern to temporarily shut its doors amid coronavirus outbreak

Photos: Bare shelves inside Staten Island stores during coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus court scale-down: No new jury trials starting Monday; other appearances to be limited

With NYC schools closing, parents and teachers prepare for new normal

How fast is coronavirus growing in New York? Chart shows dramatic rise in cases

Coronavirus on Staten Island: Non-essential court proceedings postponed

Coronavirus: Executive order will postpone all elective surgeries
What we need in these times is not more, but less fears and sorrows, Berlins Mayor Michael Muller said yesterday in his government statement in the House of Representatives. After initial rumblings the coalition seems to have found the appropriate tone and rhythm face the current situation  and the artificial coma that our city of almost 4 million finds itself in. So, no war rhetoric and no actionism in the form of a full lockdown. The latter would make it easier though to be tough on the few unteachables, but it would increase not only the social- but also the economic drama. Instead: as much freedom as possible and demonstrative appreciation for the vast majority of those who accept the restrictions, and are standing by to help.

Almost 2000 Infected and 400 Recovered in Berlin

Last nights numbers showed that Berlin counts 1937 people verifiably infected, an increase of almost 300. 235 have been hospitalised, 46 are in intense care. The number of cases is not growing exponentially, but still at a threatening pace, while at the same time 100 general practices have closed. The number of those who have died from Covid-19 rose to eight. But: almost 400 infected people have recovered and are now allowed to leave their quarantine, according to the Health Administration. The proportion of those affected is highest among 25 to 39 year olds and the city centre is more severely affected than the outer districts.

Infected AfD Member Provides Own Contradictory Explanation

AfD MP Martin Trefzer was infected with the Coronavirus disputes our reporting in yesterdays Checkpoint, which reported he had participated recklessly in a committee meeting and risked the health of other participants, instead of waiting in self-imposed quarantine for his (ultimately positive) test result. Trefzer stated that after attending an event with the (Corona-infected) Israeli ambassador he was asked to take a test, but only an hour later the administration of the Chamber of Deputies, citing "the medical officers", gave the all-clear for the participants of this event. Subsequently, he  and the other MPs present  continued working and sat in on the meeting in question five days later. Only later did he find out hed tested positive, to his great surprise. His case was therefore the same as that of the other MPs.

Trefzers account ends with a few paragraphs of outrage (uncooperative, lying, malicious, shabby). Trefzers depiction however doesnt fit with the descriptions of three other MPs named by Trefzer. In contrast to Trefzer and his press spokesperson, who was cced in the complaint e-mail, the MPs who spoke to the Tagesspiegel for the purpose of further inquiries unanimously confirmed that they had not been invited to take a Coronavirus test. Meaning that Trefzer was the only one who, in Tuesdays Committee Meeting, was awaiting test results. And on Twitter, the Parliamentary Administration contradicts the AfD factions claim that the "administration of the Chamber of Representatives had no concerns about Trefzer's committee participation". "We are not aware of having on Monday or Tuesday been asked for our opinion, they write.

AfD MP Martin Trefzer was in the Abgeordnetenhaus while beeing tested for Covid-19. Foto: Jorg Carstensen/dpa

How Businesses Can be Helped - And How They Help Each Other

In an interview with Tagesspiegel, economics professor Birgit Felden warns that the approved emergency aid for small businesses should not be described as "donated money" because it sounds like a good deed or a stroke of luck. In fact, for many, it is a matter of surviving the next few weeks and not being completely ruined later through no fault of their own. The expert from the School of Economics and Law names a range of tools that could help Berlin's small-scale economy back on its feet. In addition, the IHK (Chamber of Commerce) has launched a new website Entrepreneurs Help Entrepreneurs, which already showed listings from delivery services to text-based work a few minutes after it was online.

Bayer Pharmaceuticals: We Are in Close Contact With Health Authorities

Yesterdays Checkpoint, citing supposedly reliable sources, reported that local pharmaceutical giant Bayer potential provider of life saving medical equipment in these times of raising needs hadnt yet heard from the health authorities. But this account is opposed by both sides. Bayer is in close contact with Health Senator Kalayci and the Covid crisis team, the company stated.

Interactive Maps Show the Spread of the Coronavirus

For those of you who feel the need to contemplate the pure craziness of the recent weeks and to understand how the virus was able to embark on a devastating world tour from a market in central China, the data team at Tagesspiegel created this series of interactive maps detailing all key milestones. Its worth it in order to understand this drama of the century. And here is something similar from the New York Times.

Police controll sun-seekers in Neukolln's Hasenheide Park. Foto: Maris Hubschmidt

Police Out in Force to Punish Violations of the Distancing Rules

300 Police officers were on the streets from Wednesday to Thursday night to check that distancing rules were being observed. The result: 58 sites and meeting points, 72 outdoor inspections, 83 documented violations (44 infringements, 39 criminal charges). In the two weeks since the restrictions came into force, police have checked at total of 255 outdoor meeting places and 1710 sites, with 774 forced to close immediately. In addition, there were again many cautions yesterday, especially to visitors of heavily frequented parks. Parks are likely to become even more of a problem today and tomorrow, as the weather is expected to be sunny and mild before the weather switches back to late winter on Sunday.

Crime is Down, but Hundreds of Police Officers Are in Quarantine

According to the President of the Police, Barbara Slowik, the Corona crisis is not overloading the police force. Yes, they have additional inspection tours on one hand, but on the other, demonstrations for instance have all been cancelled. The number of reported criminal offences by March is almost five percent lower than in the previous year - however the figures are provisional and the number of unreported cases is probably even more difficult to estimate than in normal times. 468 officers are currently in quarantine, 22 with confirmed infections. And even the police force is offering home office working conditions: in an internal letter, Slowik suggested that officers with serious pre-existing illnesses ask their superiors to be released from duty for the time being, and preferably to work from home.

Corona Guidelines in the S-Bahn Advise Hand-washing, but not Distancing

While the BVG showed its unflappable humour on Social Media by distancing the letters of its logo and after overwhelming criticism sent a few more underground trains back on the tracks, Tagesspiegel reader Peter was surprised by his recent S-Bahn ride. His observation: while people still are drawn to creating clusters, he found a safe place near the doors and settled in to study the sticker with the Corona guidelines. To his surprise he read all about hand washing, not sneezing, not shaking hands or touching the face. To abstain from public transport when experiencing fever, and to call the listed number for medical advice. But he saw nothing about maintaining a distance from others.

Fact Checks on Alleged Defences Against Coronavirus

Its especially important to listen to the experts and not the smarty-pants right now, Michael Muller said in his government speech yesterday. The latter have, as to be expected, channeled their smarty-panting into the realms of parapsychology, foreigners law etc. and into Corona defence counseling. The internet is now rapidly filling with clever advice on the miracle effects of garlic, spherical objects and cold showers, to name three rather harmless examples. Colleague Richard Friebe from our scientific editorial department has subjected a dozen common recommendations to a fact check. The most important result is revealed here in advance: Avoid getting infected in your own interest and that of your fellow man!

Petition for Information in Sign Language

In many other countries, sign language translators are standard in TV. For the hearing-impaired in Germany, being informed in real time is a matter of luck. The broadcaster Phonix and the Robert Koch Institute give positive examples, but the Federal Government still doesnt offer live translation. As our colleague Julius Betschka discovered, ARD has informed the Association of the Deaf that theyre unable to guarantee translations due to the crisis situation. Julia Probst, activist for inclusion and sign language had started a petition that asks for Corona information in sign language, which has received almost 30,000 signatures already.

Ebay Limits Trade - Logistics Sector Promises Secure Delivery Chains

Many Germans have been understandably all over the place with shopping recently, but delivery chains are to continue without disruption. In addition, according to radio broadcaster rbb, only official traders are allowed to sell toilet paper, protective masks and disinfectants on Ebay. The same now applies to baby food and milk and, as of yesterday, tampons, baby wipes and nappies. Together with the Logistics Association, the Federal Ministry of Transportation have agreed on a Goods Transport Pact for Germany, in which the functionality of supply chains across the board will be guaranteed at all times.

Brandenburg Pays Polish Workers a Bonus for Staying

As of today, Polish commuters will no longer be exempted from entry restrictions if they return to their home country. The Brandenburg Ministry for Economy has therefore called on Poles working here to stay in Germany - and is paying them an allowance of 65 a day so that they can stay in a hotel, for example. The Trade Association is grateful for this quick solution, because the Polish border regime alone affects more than 1000 employees of its own logistics services. And: "We very much hope that a similar solution will be found for the logistics locations in Berlin.

Berlin Arthouse Cinemas Start Support Campaign

The contact ban also affects all cinemas in Berlin, including small arthouse theatres. The latter have initiated a support campaign on startnext about diversity on the 73 screens. To be continued is the slogan - but its impossible right now to predict whether there will be a happy ending.

In Kreuzberg gibt es seit Ende Marz zwei neue, improvisierte Radwege. Foto: Bezirksamt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

New Bike Lanes Used as Parking Spaces

It only took three days for the provisional extra bike lanes to be created along Schoneberger Ufer (as reported in yesterdays Checkpoint). Only hours afterwards, theyd been used as car-parking spaces. Some things remain the same as usual in Berlin.

Tagesspiegel Canteens Chef Offering Rescue Baking and Sewing

We must admit were missing our in-house canteen dining culture and also meeting our hungry co-workers for lunch. And we want to support canteen chef Birgitt Clau, whose business is also threatened from the current crisis. Clau gave all the perishable leftovers to her staff, and now she turns eggs and butter into cookies and tarts. Together with a tailor from her team, she also sews protective masks that can be washed at 95C and sells them at solidarity rates. Orders for cheese cakes and vegetarian quiches can be made until 10am via info@esskultur-berlin.de and pick-up starts from today,12pm at Takustrae 38 in Berlin-Dahlem.

Any news from your cactus, yet?

Youll hear from us again on Monday. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy and keep keeping a distance, even though the temperature sings like a siren. Dont follow her calling! Have a good weekend!
To strengthen national response to COVID-19 in Nigeria, Industrialist and Founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has announced a donation of 1bn in cash through the BUA Foundation and has also placed an order for an additional donation of equipment and medical supplies including testing kits and medical protective gear to 9 states in Nigeria. These medical supplies are being airfreighted and will arrive Nigeria as soon as possible. States to benefit include Lagos, Kano, Adamawa, Edo, Kwara, Rivers, Abia, Akwa-Ibom and Sokoto.

Speaking on the donation, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group said that it was very important for the private sector to support the governments effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic whilst also adding that the N1billion donation will be done through the Central Bank of Nigeria Led Private Sector Coalition Committee against COVID-19.

This donation will not only provide additional needed funds to the government and NCDCs efforts but will also serve to protect healthcare and medical workers on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic. In addition to donating the ordered medical supplies and equipment to the two most populated states in Northern and Southern Nigeria, we have also selected 7 states across all geopolitical regions in Nigeria where significant members of the BUA workforce and their families are situated to help preparedness and response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Each of these 9 states will receive about 100,000 protective facemasks, 1000 high grade medical protection and isolation gear, 2000 protective goggles, 1000 gloves and 1000 testing kits amongst other things. Rabiu added
European Unions 27 leaders have reportedly debated on economic response to the coronavirus pandemic on March 26, and have urged the Eurozone finance ministers to come up with proposals on a joint response for recovery within 2 weeks to tackle the shredded economy across Europe. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, participated in the joint video press conference of the members of the European Council in Brussels to draft measures to tackle the financial chaos and looming recession.

The six-hour video conference presided by the EU leaders was also joined by Italys Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, who accused the union of timid response. In a statement released while the summit was ongoing, he stated, that the earlier draft of the pre-prepared action plan was weak compared to the gravity and scale of the crisis. The members agreed that an ambitious recovery plan was needed by a fortnight. The nations debated over raising funds through shared European debts, which they framed as coronabonds, and reached a unanimous decision. They ordered the finance leaders to present a proposal that requires the countries to pool resources in two weeks without suggesting any political guidance.

Read: Fact Check: Did ICMR Warn India Of 50,000 Deaths Due To Coronavirus Outbreak?

Read: David De Gea Anonymously Donates 270,000 Towards Coronavirus Aid In Madrid

Dutch Prime Minister withdrew support

According to reports, except for Germany and Netherlands, at least nine countries including Italy and Spain where the pandemic has wreaked widescale havoc supported the coronabonds. They extended support in a letter ahead of the summit saying that the EU members must pool funds to formulate a joint debt instrument to rescue the members out of the unprecedented economic shock. Germany and the Netherlands, however, disregarded the proposal. The task, nevertheless, was assigned forward to the Eurogroup of single currency zone ministers.

"These proposals should take into account the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 shock affecting all our countries and our response will be stepped up, as necessary, with further action in an inclusive way, in light of developments, in order to deliver a comprehensive response," the summit statement read. Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, was quoted saying in a statement that his country was against the proposal and he could not foresee any circumstances for his country to change that stance.

Read: Coronavirus Pandemic To Cost Rugby Football Union 45-50m In The Next 18 Months: Report

Read: Hackers Using Coronavirus Malware To Steal Data: Cyber Cops
The transfer had to take them to the hospital for examination

Open source

600 Ukrainians arrived in Kyiv by Przemysl-Kyiv train. 12 passengers, the residents of Dnipropetrovsk region did not use the transfer, which had to take them for examination as Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council reported on Facebook.

600 citizens of Ukraine arrived in the capital by Przemysl-Kyiv train. 22 of them are the citizens of Dnipropetrovsk region; 10 people were transferred to the region12 people did not use the provided transfer for no apparent reason, the message said.

Besides, people, who arrived in the region by minibuses, pass the examination at Tsarychansky central district hospital. On the results of the tests, they will be sent for self-isolation or they will be hospitalized.

The citizens are asked to appeal to the hotline if they know information about citizens who returned from abroad and violate the self-isolation regime.

As we reported, a 39-year-old woman, a native of Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, ran away from Kyiv hospital. She had a positive test for coronavirus.

Over the past 24 hours, 62 people have been infected with coronavirus in Ukraine. As of now, there are 218 laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19.






Catholics who have been trying to abstain from meat on Fridays for Lent can stop because we are all making enough sacrifices during the coronavirus crisis, the Bishop of Metuchen told his diocese Thursday.

The Rev. James Checchio, head of the Diocese of Metuchen, said he is granting a dispensation from abstaining from meat on Fridays for the remainder of Lent -- except on Good Friday.

Checchio said he made the decision given the difficulties of obtaining some types of food and the many other sacrifices which we are suddenly experiencing given the coronavirus."

Catholics are usually instructed to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on Fridays during Lent as an act of sacrifice and self-discipline in the weeks leading up to Easter.

From the Bishop's Desk:



"I have granted a dispensation from abstaining from meat on Fridays for the rest of Lent, except Good Friday which is universal law. " - Most Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen pic.twitter.com/Lwr1GBso6n  Diocese of Metuchen (@diocesemetuchen) March 26, 2020

The Diocese of Metuchen includes about 600,000 Catholics in Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties. It is unclear if the Archbishop of Newark and the bishops in the Trenton, Camden and Paterson dioceses are planning to announce similar dispensations to allow Catholics to eat meat on the last two fridays before Good Friday and Easter.

New Jersey has one of the highest percentage of Catholics in the nation and the states five dioceses have made unprecedented decisions in recent weeks to cancel Masses, postpone funerals and weddings and encourage worshipers to stay home.

The Archbishop of Newark announced Wednesday that parishes in the archdiocese, which covers part of North Jersey, would lock Catholic churches due to fears of spreading the coronavirus.

The changes come at the holiest time of the year for Catholics as parishioners prepare for Easter on April 12.

The leaders of other New Jersey places of worship, including Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques, have also suspended services and made changes to religious practices to help fight the spread of COVID-19 disease.

All of New Jerseys Catholic dioceses are also calling on parishioners to join Pope Francis on Friday at 1 p.m. (6 p.m. Rome time) to receive a blessing in a special Urbi et Orbi (meaning to the city and to the world) prayer in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Popes prayer is expected to be broadcast around the world and live streamed on the Vatican News website.

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.
A controversial tweet by a Jamia Millia Islamia professor stating that he had 'failed 15 non-Muslim students' in an exam led to a flurry of criticism, prompting the university to suspend him and order an inquiry against him on Thursday.

Professor Dr Abrar Ahmed, however, said his tweet had been 'misunderstood' and he had posted it as a 'satire' on how minorities are being 'targeted' by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

'All my students r (are) passed except 15 non muslims, who've to re-appear #CAA. If you protest #CAAProtests, I have 55 students in my favour #caasupport. Majority will teach U lesson if protest not ends #riot. Due to #corona your symbols of protest be erased. I wonder why they hate me?' Ahmed said in a tweet on Wednesday.

He later deleted the tweet.

Jamia on Thursday said it had suspended Ahmed for inciting communal disharmony.

'Dr Abrar Ahmad, Asstt Professor of @jmiu_official tweeted in public domain as to failing 15 non-muslim students in an exam. This is a serious misconduct inciting communal disharmony under CCS CONDUCT RULES. The university suspends him pending inquiry. @DrRPNishank @HRDMinistry,' the varsity said in a tweet.

In a social media post, Ahmed said his tweet was 'misinterpreted' and 'misunderstood'.

"It was a Satire, Parody, a co-relation to explain how Minorities are being targeted by CAA and it would as Bad as a teacher saying that all minority students are failed and have to reappear," he said.

He added that no such examination had been conducted during this session and all students had passed in the exams held in the previous semester.

Ahmed said, "The only mistake I have done is to accommodate so many concepts in so less words (Twitter limit), and this Satire or Sarcasm has been taken in sense that was not intended."

He said he has been teaching for over 12 years and no student has ever complained of discrimination against him.

"Now, since university has ordered an enquiry in this issue, everything will be clear soon," he added.

The CAA allows easier citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains who came to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before 2015 to escape religious persecution there.

Muslim migrants don't figure in this list.

Those opposing the CAA contend that it discriminates on the basis of religion and violates the Constitution.

They also allege that the CAA along with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is intended to target the Muslim community in India.

However, the central government has dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the law is intended to give citizenship to the persecuted minorities from the three neighbouring countries and not to take away anyone's citizenship.




South Korea's ruling party chief on Friday declared war on digital sex crimes, vowing to push for the parliamentary passage of relevant bills by May.







Lee Hae-chan, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, made the declaration as the nation has recently been shocked by a sexual exploitation case centered on group chat rooms of the Telegram messenger service.







Cho Ju-bin, a 25-year-old, has been arrested for allegedly blackmailing girls into sharing sexual videos, which were then posted in pay-to-view chat rooms.







At least 74 people, including 16 underage girls, are believed to have been exploited in the case.







The Democratic Party has submitted three revision bills for the Criminal Law, the Sexual Violence Crime Act and the Information and Communication Network Act to the Assembly, calling for stricter punishment of blackmailing with videos of a sexual nature.







Lee said his party will push to pass the three revision bills, all related to chat room sex abuse, at the parliament in May, stressing the war against digital sex crimes will be fought like the ongoing war on the coronavirus outbreak.







"Digital sex crimes, such as sexual exploitation and the use of hidden cameras, are character assassination, and those who apply for or download such (videos) are co-conspirators who should never be forgiven," Lee said in a party meeting at the National Assembly.







"The chat room scandal is a terrible case that shows how seriously our country's women are living in anxiety and threats." (Yonhap)


Sailors on board both US aircraft carriers in the Pacific have tested positive to coronavirus, sparking fears the Navy could become crippled in the region.

At least 25 sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, forcing the warship to port in Guam to test all 5,000 on board.

The carrier was in the midst of a deployment to the Philippine and South China Seas when the COVID-19 diagnoses prompted the Navy to order it to cease sail Thursday.

On Friday, the US was dealt another blow following confirmation that two sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan - currently in port in Japan - had also tested positive to the highly-contagious virus.

Roosevelt and Reagan are the only two US carriers in the Pacific, and may be out of action for 25 days as they test and quarantine crew.

It effectively gives China free hand in the region. The country has two of their own aircraft carriers, including the recently-completed Shandong, rumored to have cost $9 billion and stationed at Hainan Island, the country's southernmost point.

The US has 11 aircraft carriers - but two are deployed to the Middle East, and five are in US ports undergoing long-term services and overhauls. The remaining two are separately docked at ports on the US West Coast following the completion of recent deployments.

The potential crippling of the US Navy in the Pacific is alarming news given escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

One anonymous service member stationed in Guam fears more US sailors and military members could become sickened with COVID-19.

'We're f**ked,' they told The Daily Beast Friday.

The Navy currently has 133 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 104 of which are reported to be active-duty. On Wednesday, the Department of Defense raised its health protection level to its second highest level at every military installation around the world.

America's two aircraft carriers now in the Pacific are now in port as sailors are tested for COVID-19

At least 25 sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, forcing the warship to port in Guam to test all 5,000 passengers on board. It is pictured above in a stock image

The USS Ronald Reagan is currently in port in Tokyo. At least two of its sailors have tested positive to COVID-19. Stock image

According to a bombshell report in The Huffington Post Friday, several service members claimed there is widespread frustration within their ranks about how the military has handled the COVID-19 outbreak.

One alleged that members of the military were 'pissed' that 'the six feet of social distancing was not being enforced' on numerous bases around the country.

Former Army epidemiologist Dr Remington Nevel told the publication: 'The military's dirty little secret, if you will, is that it is highly susceptible as an organization to outbreaks of particularly respiratory infectious illness'

With the military facing its biggest health crisis since the Spanish Flu of 1918, its a precarious time to be left vulnerable in the Asia-Pacific region, given the escalating feud with China.

China and the US have traded barbs over the origin of the highly-contagious virus, with President Donald Trump angering Beijing by calling it the 'Chinese virus'.

Senior Chinese officials have retaliated by spreading their own conspiracy theories about the virus' origin.

On Tuesday, China was left outraged after America's destroyer USS McCampbell sailed through Taiwan Strait - the body of water which separates Taiwan and China, and which Beijing regards as its own territory.

Chinese officials on Thursday accused the United States of playing 'a dangerous game'.

There are also concerns North Korea could take advantage of the vulnerable US situation. Three weeks ago, the country fired two short-range missiles into the sea off its eastern coast in a new challenge to Washington. It was North Korea's first missile launch in more than three months.

POWER AND MIGHT: CHINA'S TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS China has made drastic advancements in its military capabilities in recent years, and will boast the world's biggest Navy by 2035, according to the US Naval Institute. The country already have two aircraft carriers, and are said to have plans to construct two more in the next few years. China's government first purchased a partially completed carrier from the Ukraine in 1998, and spent more than a decade completely refurbishing it. The carrier - named Liaonong - is docked at Dalian Naval Base in the country's northeast. It entered into service in 2012. Like Liaonong, Shandong uses a ski-jump style ramp to launch its planes (pictured) China funneled a reported $9 billion into its second aircraft carrier - Shandong (pictured) China then funneled a reported $9 billion into its second aircraft carrier - Shandong. The 65,000 tonne warship can hold up to 6000 crew, and is strategically based at Hainan Island, China's southernmost point. The carrier only entered service this past December, and Chinese President Xi Jinping's attended an official commissioning ceremony. Like Liaonong, Shandong uses a ski-jump style ramp to launch its planes. Last month, South China Morning Post reported that Naval officials had tightened restrictions on the ship amid fears that coronavirus could spread among sailors. Those embarking and disembarking underwent medical screenings. According to the newspaper, crew members were prohibited from going ashore unless they had permission from Captain Lai Yijun or Political Commissar Pang Jianhong. The ship was also subject to increased cleaning measures, with 'each and every corner of the vessel disinfected'. Advertisement

The guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (shown in file photo) sailed through the Taiwan Strait, which Beijing regards as part of its territory

WHERE ARE AMERICA'S AIRCRAFT CARRIERS? The US has 11 aircraft carriers at present. Sailors on three of those ships have tested positive to coronavirus, raising fears the Navy could become crippled by COVID-19. USS Theodore Roosevelt - In port Currently in port in Guam. At least 25 of its sailors have coronavirus USS Ronald Reagan - In port Currently in Tokyo, Japan. At least two of its sailors have coronavirus USS Carl Vinson - In port Currently in dry dock in Washington state, USA. At least one of its sailors has tested positive to COVID-19 USS Nimitz - In port Docked in Washington state. Working up to its next deployment USS Abraham Lincoln -In port Currently docked in San Diego, following a mission to the Middle East USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - Deployed Currently on deployment in the Middle East USS George Washington - In port Docked in Newport, Viriginia for a scheduled four-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul, due to be completed in 2021 USS John C. Stennis - In port Docked in Norfolk, Virginia for a Refueling and Complex Overhaul, due to be completed in the mid 2020s USS Harry S. Truman - Deployed Currently deployed in the Middle East to support maritime security USS George H.W. Bush - In port In Northfolk, Virginia for a planned 28-month docking USS Gerald R. Ford - In port Commissioned by President Trump in 2017, and expected to be deployed for the first time in 2022 Advertisement

China has been angered by the Trump administration's stepped-up support for Taiwan - an island it considers its own.

Anthony Junco, a spokesman for the US Seventh Fleet, said the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell conducted 'a routine Taiwan Strait transit' on March 25, in line with international law.

'The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,' he added. 'The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.'

Taiwan's defence ministry said the ship sailed north through the waterway and was monitored by Taiwan's armed forces, on what it called an 'ordinary mission', adding there was no cause for alarm.

In Beijing, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang denounced 'continued negative actions' by the United States on Taiwan, including sailings through and flights over the Taiwan Strait.

'U.S. moves have seriously interfered in China's internal affairs, severely harmed peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and poisoned Sino-U.S. military ties,' Ren told a monthly news conference.

The actions were 'extremely dangerous', he added.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial and diplomatic issue and Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. The narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China is a frequent source of tension.

In recent weeks China's air force has conducted several exercises close to Taiwan, prompting its mostly U.S.-equipped military to scramble fighters to intercept and warn away the Chinese aircraft.

Taiwan has called the drills provocative, and urged China to pay more attention to fighting a coronavirus pandemic, rather than menace it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

US Army asks retired troops who served as health care specialists to help military fight coronavirus outbreak

The United States Army wants retired soldiers who served in health care specialties to 'rejoin the team' to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

'We need to hear from you STAT!' the Army told its retirees though a message sent by the Defense Finance and Accounting Services, the department responsible for paying their pensions.

The message was signed by Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, the deputy chief of staff for US Army Personnel, G-1, according to Military.com.

The G-1 is the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, the department responsible for manpower and personnel plans.

The Army is asking retired officers, noncommissioned officers, and junior enlisted soldiers to consider joining the effort to stop the pandemic that has hit the US hard.

Members of the Army look on as the USNS Mercy, a Navy hospital ship, departs the Naval Station San Diego and heads to the Port of Los Angeles to aid local medical facilities dealing with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients on Monday

It is not known if the Army plans to install retired troops back to active duty status.

'These extraordinary challenges require equally extraordinary solutions and that's why we're turning to you - trusted professionals capable of operating under constantly changing conditions,' the message reads.

'When the Nation called - you answered, and now, that call may come again.'

The Army is specifically looking for specialists in critical care, anesthesiology, nursing, emergency room nursing, respiratory specialists, and medics.

Anyone currently working in a civilian capacity in a hospital or some other medical facility should inform the Army, which does not want to enlist those currently 'providing to the Nation.'

The Army has asked retirees to consider helping it combat the spread of the coronavirus. The above image shows medics with the Louisiana Army and Air National Guard at a testing site in New Orleans on March 18
Netflix has decided to cancel its thriller series "Messiah" after just one season.

The 10-episode series premiered on the streamer's platform on January 1. It was mostly panned by the critics.

The of the show's cancellation was shared by actor Wil Traval on Instagram.

"It's a very sad day today. I have just received from Netflix that there will be no season two of 'Messiah'. I wanted to say to all the fans thank you for your support and love. I wish things were different," the actor wrote.

Created by Michael Petroni, the show details the world's reaction to a man (Mehdi Dehbi) who emerges from the Middle East creating a groundswell of followers who claim he is sent from God.

Other people question whether he is what they say he is or rather a dangerous fraud bent on dismantling the worlds geopolitical order, causing civil havoc as he beguiles the worlds media and its audience.

The show also featured actors Michelle Monaghan, Tomer Sisley, John Ortiz, Jane Adams, Melinda Page Hamilton, Dermot Mulroney, and Beau Bridges.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CAMDEN, N.J., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michaels Organization, a national leader in residential real estate, will soon break ground on the third phase of new housing at Jordan Downs, after successfully achieving a financial closing March 23. Located in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, this is the latest milestone in a comprehensive redevelopment of the city's largest public housing community by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and its private sector partners, Michaels and BRIDGE Housing.

The latest phase will offer 92 modern, sustainable apartments in a variety of floor plans. Rendering courtesy of FSY Architects.

The $58 million Phase S3 development will provide 92 new apartments, affordable to households earning between 30% and 80% of the Area's Median Income (AMI). Previous milestones in the redevelopment effort that began in 2012 include the first two residential developments by BRIDGE and Michaels, the extension of Century Boulevard, and the opening of new neighborhood retail, including a full service grocery store. The master plan also calls for significant new green space throughout the Watts neighborhood.

"The unprecedented collaborative efforts of HACLA, residents, community stakeholders, and our financial partners, along with the strong leadership of political officials at the local, state, and federal level continue to drive exciting milestones in the transformation of Jordan Downs," said Kecia Boulware, Michaels' Vice President of Development. "We are incredibly grateful to be able to keep moving forward, even during this most difficult time for California and our nation."

When the redevelopment is fully complete, Jordan Downs will be transformed into an urban village, with the original 700 WWII-era units of public housing replaced by more than 1,400 new homes for new and existing residents, as well as new commercial and retail spaces, a new community center, and over nine acres of open green space.

The apartments in Phase S3 will be offered in a variety of floor plans, featuring one, two, three and four-bedrooms, and will feature sustainable finishes and energy-efficient appliances. The development will be LEED certified with a target of LEED Gold. In addition, the apartment building will have solar PV designed to offset all the common area and central hot water heating for the development.

Financing for Phase S3 includes equity from Berkadia's purchase of 9 percent Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and permanent loans through Freddie Mac, the State of California's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. The project's State of California funding includes discounted transit passes for residents and a job training partnership to help leverage the impact of the project for neighborhood career advancement.

Jordan Downs Phase S3 will incorporate rental subsidies through Project-Based Section 8 contracts and the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. The building will reserve 17 apartments to be fully accessible to residents with physical disabilities and hearing or visual impairments.

Development Team members also include Walton Construction, which is serving as the general contractor, FSY Architects serving as design lead and architect of record; Partner Energy as the sustainability lead; and Breen Engineering as lead engineer for civil and off-site improvements. Michaels Management will serve as the property manager, once construction is completed approximately 21 months from now.

About The Michaels Organization: Michaels is a national leader in residential real estate offering full-service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and finance. Serving 145,000 residents in more than 400 communities nationwide, Michaels is committed to crafting housing solutions that jump-start education, civic engagement and neighborhood prosperity and to creating Communities That Lift Lives.

Media Contact: Laura Zaner; 846-988-5983.

Related Images

rendering-of-jordan-downs-phase-s3.jpg

Rendering of Jordan Downs Phase S3

The latest phase will offer 92 modern, sustainable apartments in a variety of floor plans. Rendering courtesy of FSY Architects.

SOURCE The Michaels Organization

Related Links

https://tmo.com/


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Catering halls suffered a debilitating blow when New York City quashed large gatherings to flatten the curve of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. So what happens to party deposits?

Jack LiGreci of The Staaten in West Brighton said, A lot of people cancelled and rescheduled. When its concluded everyone will get their deposits back. Eighty percent have rescheduled. But that can change."

He assured, "You cant keep deposits if you dont have the parties. We would never persecute a customer that was always so good to us. LiGreci added the situation was unprecedented in his 60 years of business and that his clientele so far has been very understanding.

Lois and Richard Nicotra issued a statement that explained how cancellations are being handled for their properties, Nicotras Ballroom, Above and Lorenzos Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret, Bloomfield.

Events have been rescheduled in consultation with each client, and clients are being assisted on a case by case basis. We are hearing from client after client that when this anxious time has passed, they are eager to come together and celebrate their postponed event, the statement read.

We have been in business for more than 45 years and we have been through other tough times," read the Nicotra statement. "Were confident that we will get through this and we will be working side-by-side with our dedicated employees making sure that our wonderful guests are eating, drinking, dancing and laughing again; we owe this promise to our employees and to our loyal customers.

Eve Ultra Lounge in Rossville plans to reopen when the coronavirus crisis ends. The company promised no refunds but instead a transferrable credit with no expiration date. Hosts with parties in April and May will receive two free upgrades and flexible rescheduling dates. A manager of the decade-old business sent out an email blast on Monday, March 23 explaining, We are trying to navigate through it as best as we can just like everyone else. We understand that things are uncertain right now and many people are experiencing financial hardships."

But some of the language in that original email did not sit well with Great Kills resident Maria Tritto, who sent an email to the Advance this week. She said due to the pandemic, They are not issuing refunds ...They claim our money went to paying overhead such as rent and insurance.

***** CLICK HERE FOR MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE *****

Tritto had pointed out, Me and many others have booked parties for communions, baptisms, birthday parties, engagements and weddings. A lot of people have lost their jobs and can longer afford a party and truly depend on the venue to refund large deposits to maintain their home."

The spokesman from Eve Ultra Lounge explained that its candor in that initial email such as rent, insurance, property taxes, permits, building maintenance was meant to convey empathy with clients over the gravity of the situation. A manager subsequently followed up with a clarification in another correspondence: That the family-run business would have no choice to close its doors permanently if forced to return all deposits for the next few months.

A spokesperson for Eve Ultra Lounge said that flat out refunds in the industry were not the norm. The point was substantiated by several other Staten Island caterers, who said cancellations were handled on a case-to-case basis.

The Eve Ultra Lounge rep said, Funds collected for events are used for operations and building expenses, not used solely for particular events. In this situation there is no outcome that is going to be perfect. We have to act in a manner thats beneficial to everyone."

On smaller scale the party business has stopped for restaurant owners as well. Mike Strickland of the West Shore Inn, Travis, said, I have already given back deposits on all parties cancelled so far." He would rather give the money back than keep it for an event that may never occur.

A borough caterer who declined to use his name said his customers have been incredibly understanding. He said, It is such a catastrophe. Its just unimaginable that this could happen to businesses on such a scale. Were doing everything we can to make everyone happy. In all this we are sad for our employees. But well be back.

Julie Valenti of Serenas Catering Hall in New Dorp Beach said, I am refunding deposits for customers that we feel events wont work for them. It does state on my contracts no refunds or deposits under any circumstances but this is just a totally different situation, said Valenti. She added that she, too, is out of work and said she asks for patrons cooperation.

Churches have postponed communions until September so hopefully we can reschedule those, she said. I am very optimistic and hopeful that once life is back to normal people will want to come out and celebrate!

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.

MORE IN THE ADVANCE

Health Department suspends restaurant inspections, and thats A-OK with a lot of restaurateurs

Pastavino will reopen, some good restaurant news

Restaurant Voices: The G.O.A.T. owner tinkers with a new menu for his reopening

Grocery workers included in essential employee considerations

Coronavirus: Charges filed against alleged price gouger

Pamelas Food Service Diaries: Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Can I get coronavirus from groceries?

Staten Islands smaller markets fill shopper needs with few shortages

Staten Island Restaurant Owners: Whats worrying them the most

Aim for a new normal in family meals: Kids cooking dinner

Restaurant Voices: Time with Danny Mills

Data analysis of Staten Island and New York cases

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

Coronavirus has New York on pause: Where can I still go?

How the coronavirus hit Staten Island: A timeline of the pandemic in our borough

Governor seeks to limit coronavirus impact on hospitals

Caution urged when using New York City parks, playgrounds

NYPD
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has told Parliament that President Akufo-Addo will be addressing the nation today over issues surrounding the coronavirus outbreak.

There have been calls by groups including the Ghana Medical Association, to lock down the country to avoid the spread of the deadly virus.

Accra100.5FMs parliamentary correspondent, Richard Appiah Sarpong reported that Minister of Parliamentary Affairs made the revelation while reading a business statement on the floor of the House.

The address will be in the evening, Appiah reported.

Because of the rapid unfolding events [about the coronavirus], the President will be addressing the nation today, the Majority Leader said.

---with additional files from classfmonline
Amid rising cases of coronavirus in the world, one question that is hovering over the minds of several people around the globe is that will this ever end. Addressing the same question, Dr Bruce Aylward, Director General of World Health Organisation (WHO), while talking to a foreign publication said it would depend on the measures taken by countries and societies. He also gave 3 steps that should be followed by nations going under lockdown due to COVID 19. He added that if rapid shutdown measures go hand in hand with testing every single case and isolation, then a slowdown is possible.

Coronavirus Outbreak: US surpasses China in number of positive cases

Sending a message to young people, he said that this is the most dangerous disease that they might be seeing in their lifetime. He added that if they do not follow the instruction and take precaution they are putting other people in danger. Chalking out a roadmap for nations that have put themselves under lockdown, he said that rapid test is essential, the second step is isolation and third is quarantine.

PM Modi leads the COVID-19 fight at G20 virtual summit, statement accessed

Coronavirus cases in India

As of March 27, 694 cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, asper the official data by the health ministry. 45 people have been cured and 16 death have been reported till date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and the Prime Minister has issued a 21-day countrywide lockdown starting from 25 March to April 15.

Nitish Kumar grants 100 crores in Coronavirus relief fund for shelter & food for poor

India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with states declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. All domestic airplanes and trains have ceased operation. Visit the official government here: MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

Health workers in Rajasthan sing a song to keep spirit high amid fight against Coronavirus
Strict social distancing measures have been enforced to limit the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

And on Friday, celebrity accountant Anthony Bell revealed how his family had been affected by the pandemic.

He shared a heartbreaking photo to Instagram of himself kissing his daughter Thea through a window on her sixth birthday.

'Nothing will ever keep us apart': Celebrity account Anthony Bell shared this poignant photo to Instagram of himself kissing his daughter through a window on her sixth birthday. It's believed he is keeping a safe distance amid the coronavirus pandemic

He captioned the post, 'Happy sixth birthday, my daring Thea. Nothing will ever keep us apart'

Anthony shares two daughters, including eight-year-old Charlize, with his TV presenter wife, Kelly Landry.

It appears that the children are self-isolating at the family home in Sydney but Anthony is staying away.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting he has coronavirus.

Anthony captioned the poignant photo: 'Happy sixth birthday, my daring Thea. Nothing will ever keep us apart.'

Statistics: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. As of Friday morning, there are 3,050 confirmed cases in Australia, including 13 deaths

Family: Anthony shares two daughters, including eight-year-old Charlize, with his TV presenter wife, Kelly Landry

Australians have been told to observe social distancing measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and 'flatten the curve'.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath and fatigue. It can produce pneumonia.

As of Friday morning, there are 3,050 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 13 deaths.

Public split: Anthony and Kelly were believed to be working on their marriage after their bitter public break-up led to a court hearing in May 2017. Pictured: Kelly leaving Downing Centre Court on May 18, 2017

Anthony and Kelly were believed to be working on their marriage after their bitter public break-up led to a court hearing in May 2017.

In February 2018, The Daily Telegraph claimed the couple were attending 'parenting workshops' together in a bid to get back on track.

But in June last year, it was reported they had split for good.

The pair first met in 2011 through a mutual friend and married less than a year later in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has warned his supporters against any form of intimidation of anyone, following his validation as the substantive governor of the state by the Supreme Court in Abuja on Friday.

The governor who addressed a press conference at the Government House, Gusau, dedicated the victory to the people of the state and to democracy.

Todays victory at the Supreme Court is ours and as I thank Almighty Allah, I wish to dedicate it to the good people of Zamfara who prayed day and night for our success and to the Nigerian judiciary, especially the Supreme Court for ensuring that justice is done without fear or favour.

This has put all enemies of democracy to shame and has given us the zeal to rededicate ourselves to providing dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

I want to therefore warn that no one from our great party or any of my supporters should use this court verdict to intimidate or harass any perceived political opponent because I will not tolerate it, the governor said.

He called on members of opposition parties in the state to set aside party differences and join him with workable advice that would promote the well-being of the state.

While speaking on the lockdown of the state which would come into effect this Saturday, Mr Matawalle said the state government had taken the interest of everyone in its drive to ensure the prevention of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.

Mr Matawalle was reaffirmed as governor of Zamfara on Friday, after five Justices of the Supreme Court led by the Chief Judge of the federation, Tanko Mohammed, reviewed an earlier judgment by the Supreme that he remained the substantive governor of the state.

(NAN)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27)  A donation of around 57,000 COVID-19 testing kits and 500,000 face masks by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma arrived in the country on Friday.

The office of Senator Manny Pacquiao, a close friend of Ma, received the testing kits and face masks at the Department of Health main office in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Pacquiao is on self quarantine as a precautionary measure against the disease. The senators assistant Jake Joson led the turnover of the donations.

These donated testing kits and face masks will help contain the virus in the country, which now has confirmed 803 COVID-19 cases.

"Fortunately, we have friends like Jack Ma who are always ready to help us. The President cannot do this alone. We all have to do our part to win the war against this virus," Pacquiao said in a statement.

The P400 million worth of testing kits was donated by Ma to the Philippine government, through the senators self-named foundation.

Those testing kits will be used "for the in vitro qualitative detection of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ORFlab and N gene in the throat swabs, sputum specimens of suspected pneumonia patients infected by novel coronavirus, suspected clustering cases and others needing diagnosis or differential diagnosis for novel coronavirus."

The same kits donated to the Philippines were also used by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ma previously donated 700,000 face masks last week to various agencies.

RELATED: More businesses pitch in with donations, test kits for COVID-19 response

Pacquiao ordered the newly arrived testing kits and face masks to be disinfected to prevent endangering the lives of those who will use those donated items.

54 Filipinos died and 31 have recovered due to COVID-19. There are 6,321 persons under monitoring and 744 persons under investigation for the virus.

The island of Luzon is placed in an enhanced community quarantine to avert the spread of COVID-19.
Three more people have died with coronavirus in Northern Ireland.

It brings to 13 the number of people who have died here from the illness.

The Public Health Agency said 34 more people in Northern Ireland have tested positive for the virus, a total of 275.

One of the patients who died was being treated at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

The latest figures show that eight people have tested positive in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

There have been five positives cases in the Causeway Coast and Glens council area, while eight people have tested positive in the Mid Ulster council area.

Belfast City Council area has the highest number of positive cases at 86.

To date, 4,014 people have been tested in Northern Ireland, with 3,739 negative results.

Coronavirus testing in Northern Ireland is expected to be significantly stepped up to 1,100 a day from next week.

Around 80% of cases of Covid-19 will be a mild to moderate illness, close to 14% have severe disease and around 6% are critical.
To ensure all schools are tested under this new law, the legislation requires each school to look for both state and federal assistance with testing and/or use other available funds, Hannah said. IFA will continue to look for grant opportunities to assist schools. However, there are no applications pending at this time.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump declared that Ill be the oversight as lawmakers were in the final days of drafting what became a $2.2 trillion rescue plan for American businesses. In the end, Congress ensured that wont be the case.

The legislation, designed in part to help businesses and corporations hammered by closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, creates multiple layers of accountability for the billions of dollars in loans, grants and direct cash that will soon flow from the federal government. The House is expected to pass it Friday and send it to Trump for his signature.

The new oversight system will test the relationship between the White House and Congress, which frayed after Democrats won the House and deteriorated severely during Trumps impeachment as officials flouted requests for witnesses and documents.

Trumps assertion of responsibility for the coronavirus funds came Monday evening as his Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, was on Capitol Hill crafting the package in late-night meetings with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had each introduced their own proposals, and Democrats said the Republican bill wasnt strong enough, arguing that it would create a slush fund for corporations.

In the end, the bipartisan final package incorporated much of what Democrats wanted, creating a trio of watchdogs, plus other checks, to try to ensure the money isnt misused. It establishes an oversight board made up of inspectors general, called the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, stands up a separate dedicated inspector general position at the Treasury Department and creates a new committee of experts that reports to Congress.

Other accountability measures include more money for watchdogs in multiple federal agencies and requirements that the administration file detailed reports that analyze the flow of cash as it happens.

Whenever you are appropriating over $2 trillion dollars its important to ensure the money is spent the way its intended, says Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Peters helped negotiate the oversight provisions with Schumer and the GOP chairman of the panel, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.

This needs to be outside of politics, thats the only way it has any credibility, Peters said.

Both Peters and House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., suggested lawmakers could consider additional oversight provisions when Congress passes more legislation to deal with the pandemic.

Maloney praised the economic relief bill, but said in an emailed statement said that Democrats think it could go even further to protect American taxpayers, and we are continuing to examine additional options.

Watchdog groups that track government spending and oversight said the bill wasnt perfect, but provides essential resources as the pandemic worsens. Sean Moulton, a senior policy analyst at Project On Government Oversight, said his group is encouraged that there is more than one lens of accountability for the businesses that will be receiving the money.

Were pleased that they arent putting all of their oversight eggs in one basket, Moulton said.

Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said she believed that Trumps declaration that he could personally oversee the process likely ensured that stronger provisions were included. It showed his hand, Gilbert said.

The bedrock of the new oversight is the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, which will be made up of independent inspectors general. Modeled after a similar board created to monitor the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program that rescued banks, the panel will have the ability to obtain documents, coordinate audits and identify waste and abuse. The board will report what they find on a central website.

Separately, Trump will appoint a special inspector general inside the Treasury Department who will be able to inspect records and review how the money is doled out. That position will be confirmed by the Senate  a process that could take weeks if the chamber stays out until April 20, when senators are currently scheduled to return.

Democrats also secured the creation of a Congressional Oversight Commission that will oversee the Treasury Department. Experts on the panel will be appointed by House and Senate leaders. Maloney said the ideal makeup of the panel would be a diverse set of experts to complement the other oversight bodies established under the bill.

The legislation also includes a provision ensuring that bailout funds are not given to companies where a federal official, including the president, has at least a 20 percent interest. Language directed at airlines would block stock buy-backs and limit executive compensation.

Oversight groups fret that the legislation doesnt give the inspector generals panel subpoena power. They also note that Trump will be the one to appoint Treasurys inspector general, a potential wild card.

Its all very personality driven, said Scott Ellis of the group Taxpayers for Common Sense. (Inspectors general) can be very effective and not so effective.

Negotiations on the bill churned until the end, with Democrats complaining in the hours before the vote that bipartisan language requiring the government to publish weekly lists of companies and entities that gain financing through the bailout funds was left out. Without this language, this information could have been kept secret from public, the Democrats argued. The language ended up in the final version.

And though the end product was bipartisan  the Senate vote was 96-0  the two parties had sharp disagreement. Republican Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said on the Senate floor before the bill was passed that Democrats wanted to make sure there was great transparency because they didnt trust the Trump administration. So they built in an inspector general and additional people to watch the Treasury through the process.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, said that Democrats pushed for the provisions to put workers first.

Lawmakers need to make sure money actually ends up in the pockets of workers, not CEOs, Brown said.
P oliticians wished Prime Minister Boris Johnson a "full recovery" after he revealed his coronavirus diagnosis.

In a video on his Twitter account, Mr Johnson said he had developed a temperature and a persistent cough.

He is now self-isolating at Downing Street in keeping with NHS guidance.

A number of politicians took to Twitter to wish the Prime Minister a full recovery.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott tweeted: I dont wish anyone ill. I wish the Prime Minister a speedy recovery. I hope everyone in coming days gets the care and medical attention they need.

Nigel Farage posted: Wishing @BorisJohnson well and a very rapid recovery.

Former chancellor Sajid Javid said: Get well soon. Sending you best wishes from Javid family and Bailey.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has been locked in a public spat with Mr Johnson over public transpot in London, also wished him a quick recovery.

Sorry to hear this and hope you feel better soon", Mr Khan said.

"Thank you for everything your Government is doing to help us fight this. This is a reminder that anyone can get #COVID19. We must all follow the rules and stay at home to support our amazing NHS staff to save lives.

European Council President Charles Michel also wished the Prime Minister well "on behalf of Europe".

He posted: "Get well soon @BorisJohnson. Europe wishes you a speedy recovery.

"I believe well win this fight against #COVID19 together.
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday said that it has given an order to a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to provide 10,000 ventilators in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country.

"We have given an order to a PSU to provide 10,000 ventilators. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also been requested to purchase 30,000 additional ventilators in 1-2 months," said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry.

Aggarwal said that companies are asking their employees to work from home.

"A total of 1.4 lakh companies have asked their employees to work from home on our appeal," he said.

Aggarwal further said that the Health Ministry has issued telemedicine guidelines.

"We have issued telemedicine guidelines. This facilitates the process wherein doctors sitting at their homes can provide services to the patients. We urge and request citizens to take advantage of it & doctors to utilize this" he said.

Union Home Ministry's Joint Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava said that all States and Union Territories (UTs) have been requested to take immediate steps to provide adequate support, including food and shelter, to migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and other unorganised sector workers during the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

"States and Union Territories have been requested to make arrangements for food, water and sanitation for the migrant labourers. Hotels and rented accommodation should stay open and functional while taking all the COVID-19 precautions," she said.

A total of 724 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bergen County will open a coronavirus testing site exclusively for first responders and healthcare workers Saturday, as fears grow that the virus will infect and overwhelm those on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Starting 8 a.m., a drive-thru testing site for symptomatic first responders and healthcare professionals will open at the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, at 230 East Ridgewood Ave. in Paramus, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced Friday. The testing site is only open to first responders and health care professionals who live or work in Bergen County, said Tedesco.

People will be screened Saturday for symptoms before the site fully opens for testing Sunday, March 29, said Tedesco.

Our first responders and health care professionals are on the front lines of this war with COVID-19, Tedesco said in a statement. It is important that those on the front lines who are symptomatic and who are Bergen County residents or who work in the county get tested as quickly as possible so we can help them recover.

The drive-thru testing site opens the same time as New Jerseys first state-run testing site at Bergen Community College, also in Paramus. On Saturday, the testing site at Bergen Community College will also exclusively test first responders and health care professionals, announced Governor Phil Murphy.

The state-run testing site has drawn miles-long lines of cars and has reached capacity hours before its scheduled 4 p.m. close everyday it has been open, sometimes before the sites opening time of 8 a.m.

Since New Jerseys first case of the coronavirus, a Fort Lee healthcare worker, Bergen County has remained the epicenter of the outbreak. As of Friday afternoon, there are 1,206 cases of the virus in Bergen County, with 20 deaths, according to state health officials.

First responders and healthcare workers have been battling against the nearly overwhelming wave of new patients in local hospitals, vying with quickly depleting protective supplies and facilities that fill with more people each day.

At Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck  the most affected Bergen municipality with 209 cases of the virus as of Thursday afternoon  healthcare workers struggle to keep up with the influx of patients.

On Sunday, the hospital put out a public plea for more supplies, saying that they had a four-day supply of respirator masks and had already run out of medical gowns. Dr. Suraj Saggar, the hospitals head of infectious disease, said the hospital looked like a war zone."

Many of those working to treat people infected with the virus are afraid that they will contract the illness and be taken out of the fight.

Bergen County follows other testing sites that have been set up exclusively for first responders and healthcare workers. On Wednesday, Trenton opened a coronavirus testing center to test the citys first responders, firefighters, police and EMS. At the second state-run testing site at PNC Bank Arts Center, in Holmdel, Saturday will also be set aside just to test first responders and healthcare workers.

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

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

Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey:





Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon.
The New York Police Department has reported its first coronavirus death among its own ranks.

Custodial Assistant Dennis Dickson passed away from COVID-19 yesterday, the NYPD announced on Thursday evening.

Mr Dickson had worked as a a civilian cleaner at 1 Police Plaza for 14 years.

Custodial Assistant Dennis Dickson (third from left) passed away from COVID-19 yesterday, the NYPD announced on Thursday evening

The long-serving police headquarters custodian passed away from complications caused by the virus yesterday at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.

According to the department, Mr Dickson was on the frontlines of the battle against coronavirus and had been disinfecting 1 Police Plaza before he fell ill.

The NYPD said he once spent 17 days straight at the police department's headquarters building during the clean-up operation for Super Storm Sandy.

An NYPD spokesperson said: 'We are sad to announce the passing of our own NYPD family member, Custodial Assistant Dennis Dickson.

'Mr. Dickson faithfully served this department for 14 yrs & is the 1st member to succumb to the COVID-19 virus. Our thoughts go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.'

Police Commissioner of the City of New York Dermot Shea paid tribute, saying: 'Today we lost one of our own: City Custodial Assistant Dennis Dickson, who faithfully served with the NYPD since 2006, has passed away from complications related to the coronavirus.

'Our deepest sympathies & all of our prayers go out to Dennis' colleagues & family.'

An NYPD spokesperson said: 'We are sad to announce the passing of our own NYPD family member, Custodial Assistant Dennis Dickson'

New York City officials said that 177 people died from coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of deaths in the city to 365 as of early Friday morning.

City health officials also said late Thursday that there were an additional 1,239 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total across the five boroughs to 23,112.

New York State continues to report the bulk of coronavirus infections that have so far been confirmed in the United States.

Health officials in Albany said on Thursday that the statewide tally of infected people reached 39,140.

The state also recorded 457 deaths as of late Thursday.
Jason Mendelsohn speaking at the Florida Leadership Summit to Eliminate HPV-Related Cancers, held at Moffitt Cancer Center. This event was jointly sponsored by by Moffitt Cancer Center and American Cancer Society. His video is showing in the background.

(aka Lois Lane*)

Last year, Jason Mendelsohn (aka SupermanHPV) spoke on Capitol Hill at a Congressional Briefing titled "Let's End HPV-related Cancers." During his talk, in which he shared his human-papillomavirus-related (HPV) cancer-survivor story, he showed a 2-minute video of pictures of his family life, hospital stays for treatment, and ringing the bell in celebration of his recovery. The song accompanying the photos was "If You're Going Through Hell" by Rodney Atkins. Mendelsohn's mom, Toby, recommended this song as it was most appropriate:

"If you're going through hell keep on going/Don't slow down if you're scared don't show it/You might get out before the devil even knows you're there. I've been deep down in that darkness/I've been down to my last match/Felt a hundred different demons breathin' fire down my back..."

Mendelsohn can relate to the words. He was diagnosed with stage-4 HPV-related tonsil cancer in 2014, fought the grueling fight to recovery and the aftermath, and now has been cancer free for five years. But just because he is freed from the cancer demon doesn't mean he put it all behind him. Not this man who earned the nickname "SupermanHPV" while undergoing cancer treatment.

Mendelsohn now uses that persona as a passionate spokesman for several organizations to educate as many people as possible about human-papillomavirus, its relationship to cancer and how it is preventable. He serves on the executive board for the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance and is active with the American Cancer Society's HPV Round Table. He launched http://www.SupermanHPV.com, because he feels responsible for the protection of boys and girls from HPV preventable cancers. His website provides inspiration and information for those diagnosed and/or researching HPV, the HPV vaccine and HPV related cancers.

Like his fictional superhero namesake, Mendelsohn has traveled the world almost "faster than a speeding bullet," trekking from speaking engagements in Dublin, Ireland to Des Moines, Iowa in the same month. In the past few years, Mendelsohn has been on podcasts; TV interviews; radio shows; and featured in several newspaper articles, including a feature article in the Chinese Epoch Times; and writing an article for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (read it here https://nfid.wordpress.com/2018/06/17/supermanhpv-truth-justice-and-cancer-prevention/). He also participated with PRIME CME in their HPV video module titled "The Burden of HPV-Associated Cancers: A Patient Perspective."

Most recently, he spoke at the Moffitt Cancer Center's Florida Leadership Summit to Eliminate HPV-Related Cancers. In June, Mendelsohn will head to Pennsylvania to speak at the Pennsylvania Immunization Conference, and in July he will address the Survivor Symposium in Chicago. He has been asked to share his cancer story at meetings in Michigan, Wyoming and Iowa.

His message is always the same: HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers (cancers of the tonsils, base of tongue and throat) can be prevented by having children (boys and girls), beginning at age 9, vaccinated for HPV. Currently, there are three vaccines approved for the prevention of HPV: Gardasil VIS*, Gardasil9 and Cervarix (exclusively for girls). These vaccines are one of the best ways parents can prevent HPV-related cancer in their children. Mendelsohn also suggests regular dentist or physician visits and ask that they perform an oral, head and neck exam at each visit.

There are two reasons for vaccinating at a young age: once exposed to HPV (which is possible after becoming sexually active) the vaccine could be less effective; and given at a young age, the body can easily absorb the vaccine, according to information from the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance.

"I want people to understand that 3 out of 4 adults by age 30 have HPV, 62 percent of freshmen in college, and men between the ages 40 and 60 are the most highly diagnosed with HPV-related cancers," Mendelsohn told the Heritage. HPV can lay dormant in the body for decades. In Mendelsohn's case, he learned that he probably contracted the virus while in college, 32 years earlier. He wishes the vaccine existed when he was a young boy, so that he would have likely not been diagnosed with HPV related tonsil cancer.

The Atkins' song continued to describe Mendelsohn's mission:

"But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street/Holdin' out a hand to pull you back up on your feet..."

In addition to educating people about HPV, Mendelsohn is an angel to those recovering from cancer treatment, their caregivers and other survivors, giving them hope and encouragement. On average, two to four survivors reach out to him every week, from countries all over the world. He is currently speaking with patients in Nigeria, Israel, India, and Canada, as well as throughout the United States. "They feel alone," he said very seriously at the Congressional Briefing. He understands what cancer survivors are going through, telling them that they will get back to their life before cancer. Knowing that others go through these same ordeals helps cancer survivors deal with their own side effects and not feel alone in the struggle.

They always have questions about what he went through-a radical tonsillectomy, neck dissection (42 lymph nodes removed), feeding tube, followed by seven weeks of chemo and radiation.

Many think that once the bell is rung (signifying cancer treatment is over) life will go on as it did before the cancer.

"The treatment was brutal," Mendelsohn said. "The last day of treatment I thought was the best day of my life-but it got much worse."

After five weeks of radiation, he also had third-degree burns in his throat. His saliva was so thick he couldn't swallow and had to spit it out constantly for approximately a month. He suffered gagging and choking 30+ times a day and would go to sleep fully hydrated and wake up two hours later completely dehydrated because of the burns sucking the fluid from the inside out. His new normal is getting Charlie horses in his neck every day and he uses a fluoride toothpaste and gel trays on a daily basis to keep his teeth strong, and his mouth healthy.

His wife of 23 years, Ronni, and their three children (Ryan, Lauren and Adam) continue to be his motivation to protect other families from the hell his family went through in 2014. He loves them more than anything. "No kids should ever have to worry that their father or mother is going to die from an HPV preventable cancer, and no father should ever have to make videos to his wife and kids saying goodbye like I did in 2014," he said.

To learn more about tonsil, tongue and throat HPV-related cancers, visit the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance, http://www.headandneck.org as well as http://www.SupermanHPV.com.

*Jason Mendelsohn refers to Christine DeSouza as Lois Lane because she was the first person to share his SupermanHPV story, which has since been picked up in Jewish newspapers all across the country.
Nearly 90% of U.S. mayors who responded to a national survey on coronavirus preparedness said they lack sufficient tests kits, face masks and other protective equipment for their emergency responders and medical workers, while 85% said they do not have enough ventilators for their hospitals - critical shortages that could lead cities and towns to be quickly overwhelmed should the virus spread through their communities.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors survey, published Friday, was conducted from March 20 to March 24 and includes data from 213 U.S. cities in 41 states and Puerto Rico, representing a combined population of 42 million. The shortages of essential items and equipment the cities are facing "has reached crisis proportions," according to the report.

"Despite their best efforts, most cities do not have and cannot obtain adequate equipment and supplies needed to protect their residents," the report says. "This is a life-threatening crisis that will continue unless the federal government does everything in its power to help us safeguard our first responders and health care workers - our first line of defense - and the millions of other public servants in our cities whose work today puts them at risk."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, a nonpartisan association of U.S. mayors, said it conducted the rapid survey to draw the attention of lawmakers working on stimulus and relief legislation.

"Cities are going to be central to the nation's response effort, and federal resources directed to the local responders on the front line will be critical to safeguarding our citizens," the report says.

The survey found little variation between large and small cities, with jurisdictions of all sizes across the country reporting insufficient supplies. A somewhat higher percentage of large cities said they had received supplies and equipment from their state governments, but nearly two-thirds of the cities that responded said they had not received any help from their states.

Taken together, the cities reported a need for 28.5 million face masks, 24.4 million items of personal protective equipment such as gowns and gloves, 7.9 million test kits and 139,000 ventilators.

Bryan K. Barnett (R), mayor of Rochester Hills, Michigan, and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said the response to the crisis is not a partisan issue, nor are the shortages.

"You either have the PPE you need, or you don't," he said, referring to personal protective equipment. "My job isn't to call out whether Republicans or Democrats are to blame, it's to find out what my first responders need and get it.

Barnett said he drove around his city, which has a population of about 75,000, collecting masks from construction sites to deliver them to fire stations. Michigan has the fifth-largest number of coronavirus cases in the nation, and his community has just a 14-day supply of masks.

"We're all trying to locate equipment and bring it in," he said. "The needs are immediate."

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer (D), vice president of the Conference, said the biggest demand for his city is N95 masks. The city purchased about 250,000 masks on the private market that are due to arrive early next week, Fischer said, but his goal is to obtain at least one million.

Some wholesale distributors have raised prices from 97 cents to $5 per mask, he said: "The cost of these things is elevating fast."

The city has had 60 confirmed coronavirus cases to date, Fischer said. Louisville received an allocation of protective gear from the national stockpile this week, and now has a three-week supply.

"We've got part of the federal stockpile, but most of this response has been driven by mayors and governors," Fischer said. "Anything we get from the federal government is a bonus, but we're not sitting around waiting for it to be the solution."

The conference submitted a request to lawmakers March 18 for $250 billion in emergency assistance to cities to cover a range of activities and equipment purchases.

During a White House briefing Thursday, President Trump said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has delivered or will soon distribute more than 9 million N95 respirator masks, 20 million surgical masks and nearly 6,000 ventilators.

But Trump expressed skepticism later Thursday evening about some city and state requests for ventilators and supplies.

"I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they're going to be," Trump told Fox News's Sean Hannity.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) has asked for 30,000 additional ventilators, which are used to help patients in severe respiratory distress continue to breathe. The state has more than 5,000 patients currently hospitalized with coronavirus.

Trump said that would be too many machines.

"I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said. "You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes they'll have two ventilators, and now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"

The lack of medical supplies has had a cascading effect throughout the health care system that is "alarming," said Nan Whaley (D), mayor of Dayton, Ohio. There are just 15 confirmed coronavirus cases in the city and surrounding county so far, but to save supplies of protective gear, local hospitals have canceled all elective surgeries, triggering steep financial losses that have forced them to furlough 40 percent of their staff as hospital administrators have taken a 30 percent pay cut, she said.

"Our health care system just doesn't make any sense," said Whaley, who is the Conference's second vice president. "How is it that we are so unprepared that we're asking women to find fabric in their houses to make face masks?"
Fed up with the company's response to the coronavirus, Instacart workers announced today that they'll go on strike beginning Monday. They will not return to work until their demands are met, Instacart Shoppers and the Gig Workers Collective wrote in a blog post. Their dissent is not uncommon. It's reflective of growing dissatisfaction among employees, especially gig workers, who must continue working in public settings while corporate employees work from the safety of their homes.

Among their demands, Instacart Shoppers are requesting protective supplies like hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. They're also asking for hazard pay -- an additional $5 per order -- and an extension of pay for workers impacted by COVID-19.

The deadline to qualify for those benefits was originally April 8th, but the company has pushed that back through May 8th. Today, Instacart also announced bonuses, based on the numbers of hours worked and ranging from $25 to $200.

"Instacart has still not provided essential protections to Shoppers on the front lines that could prevent them from becoming carriers, falling ill themselves, or worse," Shoppers wrote. "...They are profiting astronomically off of us literally risking our lives, all while refusing to provide us with effective protection, meaningful pay, and meaningful benefits."

Instacart, like Uber and Lyft, has said it will provide workers who contract COVID-19 or are forced to quarantine with two weeks of pay. It has also introduced no-contact deliveries. But workers say this is not enough. At the same time, the company is struggling to keep up with demand, and earlier this week it said it will hire an additional 300,000 "full-service" contractors.
Press Release

March 27, 2020 Dispatch from Crame No. 753:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Supplemental Message on the Urgency of a Mass Testing Program 3/27/20 The urgency of a mass testing program cannot be overemphasized. I am frustrated and alarmed that the national government deferred the COVID-19 testing initiative of Marikina City. Here is a local government unit that is ready to operate and start testing, but what do we do? Delay the efforts to contain this outbreak with too much red tape? Ano pa ba ang hinihintay natin? Request ng mga VIP? This lack of urgency in an emergency situation will kill us all. Instead of obsessing in terrorizing the people to toe the line, our government should focus on making them feel secured in knowing that the spread of the virus can be contained and that they will not be endangering the lives of their loved ones. Mass testing is a key in the success stories of countries like South Korea and Singapore. Bakit ang tabang at ang kupad ng response natin sa isang programang magsasalba ng libo-libo, kundi man milyong, buhay ng ating mga kababayan? I shudder at the thought of us waking up someday to people dying in the streets. We've now reached that point where there are reports of people dying in their very own homes. One even went for medical consultation because of symptoms but was advised to stay home. The worst is yet to come if we do not act decisively and swiftly for our own people, NOW. May itinatago o gustong itago ba tayo sa mga Pilipino at sa mundo? At the risk of being called a naysayer in a time when hope should spring eternally, it seems to me that the behavior and attitude of some of our top leaders follow China's playbook. Iniiwasan bang masiwalat ang tunay na bilang ng mga apektado ng COVID-19 at kung gayo'y mahayag ang kapabayaan ng administrasyon kaya malamya sila sa pagtulak ng mass testing? Alam ng gobyerno kung gaano kahalaga ang prosesong ito, nag-unahan pa nga ang ilang opisyales para magpa-test, di ba? Nagawang magpa home service pa nga ang ilan, samantalang yung iba nating kababayan, mamamatay na lang na hindi alam kung ano ang sakit nila. Nakakarimarim na pangitain. We must continue raising our call for a national mass testing program in all avenues that we can use to reach the most number of people, especially now that there seems to be a dearth of news on this issue, whether in the mass media, social media and other platforms. Tuloy-tuloy ang pangangalampag! Mass testing saves lives! Walang gulangan. Walang wang-wang. #MassTestingNowPH (Access the handwritten version of Dispatch from Crame No. 753, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_no._753)
PORTLAND, Ore., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OCHIN strongly supports the long-term updates that were made to 42 CFR Part 2 as part of the larger CARES Act that Congress passed in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The new rule closes an important gap in our nation's health care system by aligning the laws that govern substance use records with existing HIPAA laws that regulate the exchange of medical records between providers, with informed patient consent.

We believe this change will vastly improve health care coordination, ensuring that the patients who receive behavioral health treatment across the OCHIN network of providers have access to the best possible care.

We are profoundly grateful for all the hard work that's been done to craft this new rule, including the leadership of Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and the entire Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2 coalition, of which OCHIN is also a member. We are highly encouraged by this legislative milestone, and what it means for the health and safety of the underserved communities that OCHIN champions.

About OCHIN

OCHIN is dedicated to creating a healthier future in every community. A national nonprofit health IT organization with a 20-year history, OCHIN brings advanced technology, research and services to underserved areas, both urban and rural. A driving force for health equity, OCHIN empowers community health organizations serving lower-income areas so that they can deliver the highest quality care to their patients. Learn more at www.ochin.org.

Contact: Jennifer Stoll, 503-720-9882, [email protected]

SOURCE OCHIN

Related Links

http://www.ochin.org


By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka has confirmed its second death due to coronavirus as the test results of a a 75-year-old woman from Chikaballapur district were positive, Addl Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare Department) Jawaid Akhtar said.

The woman from Gouribidanur, who had returned from Mecca, died at Bowring Hospital at 1 pm on Wednesday. She suffered from diabetes, heartburn and a hip fracture as well. The first death was of a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi on March 10 who had returned from Saudi Arabia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday ordered a nationwide lockdown for two weeks to fight the spread of the new coronavirus.

"We are introducing curfew restrictions throughout Hungary between March 28 and April 11," he told public radio.

"For two weeks we can all leave our homes or places of residence only for work or for managing basic needs."



Exemptions include trips to shops and pharmacies for necessities, with infringements liable to police fines of up to 500,000 forints (1,400 euros, USD 1,550).

Shops will be open exclusively for those aged over 65 between 9 am and 12 noon to "separate youth from elderly in a bearable way," said Orban.

The move is the latest in a series of government decrees including school closures introduced after a state of emergency was announced March 11.

Hungary closed its borders to non-nationals from March 17, which led to chaos for travellers and freight hauliers at border crossings and Budapest airport.

Parliament is set Tuesday to grant Orban sweeping powers of decree until the government declares an end to the state of emergency.

Hungary, which has a population of almost 10 million, has so far recorded 300 infections from the virus and 10 deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Niani Barracks usually tends to clients at a salon in Detroit, but now that she must stay indoors because of the coronavirus pandemic, she has instead been running her fingers through the hair of a mannequin head affixed to a stand in her home, as a dozen other black women watch her online.

In one video, Ms. Barracks gently cradles three strands of hair between her fingers as she explains how to start a braid.

Braids are three sections: We always  even if you are cornrowing  start with three sections, Ms. Barracks, 30, says as she begins to braid the mannequins dark brown hair.

She pauses and turns to the camera. Can you see that? she asks the women in her hair-braiding class, which is held on Facebook Live in a private group.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:23:49|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A total of 26 people have died of the COVID-19 in Malaysia as of Friday with 130 newly confirmed cases, bringing the total to 2,161, said the Health Ministry.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press briefing that among the infections, 259 have been cured and discharged from hospital, while 54 are currently being held in intensive care and 34 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Noor Hisham added that an enhanced movement control order (MCO) will be implemented in two areas in the Kluang district in Johor state after a spike in cases in those areas.

"The purpose of the order is to contain the spread of COVID-19 from getting out of the area and to break the chain of infections. This measure will enable active case detection to be carried out from house to house, besides allowing disinfection activities in those areas."

The Health Ministry targets collecting 300 samples everyday starting Friday. The sampling will prioritize close contacts, symptomatic individuals and groups who are most at risk first, he said.

The Malaysian government announced the measures after 61 of 88 new cases in Johor state were traced to the two areas.

The enhanced order involves 3,570 residents from 650 families and will be implemented between March 27 to April 9. Visitors will also not be allowed into both areas while all business activities will be stopped and food will be supplied to residents by the government.

Malaysia is implementing a "movement control order" till April 14 including closing shops and schools as well as imposing travel bans. It called for residents to stay at home in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a 250-billion-ringgit (57.54 billion U.S. dollars) economic stimulus package on Thursday to soften the impact of COVID-19, including special allowances for healthcare providers, cash aid and microcredit scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
According to the Department of the Committee for Quality Control of Goods and Services of Almaty, as of March 26, twenty entrance halls and private foci of coronavirus were quarantined, Trend reports citing Kazinform.

Almaty authorities made a decision to introduce internal quarantine in the coronavirus outbreak hotspots. As of March 27 in Almaty were confirmed 47 coronavirus cases. As the epidemiological research shows there are twenty COVID-19 hotspots in Almaty: Auezov, Alatau, Almaly, Medeu, Zhetyssu, Turksib and Bostandyk districts. Health workers monitor all people staying in the hotspots. As of now Kazakhstan reports 120 confirmed coronavirus cases including 60 cases in the city of Nur-Sultan, 47 cases in Almaty, 4 cases in the city of Karaganda, 2 cases in Shymkent, 1 case in Almaty region, 1 case in Aktobe region, 3 cases in Zhambyl region and 1 case in North Kazakhstan region.
The Huawei logo is display during CES 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Senior officials in the Trump administration agreed to new measures to restrict the global supply of chips to China's Huawei Technologies, sources familiar with the matter said, as the White House ramps up criticism of China over coronavirus.

The move comes as ties between Washington and Beijing grow more strained, with both sides trading barbs over who is to blame for the spread of the disease and an escalating tit-for-tat over the expulsion of journalists from both countries.

Under the proposed rule change, foreign companies that use U.S. chipmaking equipment would be required to obtain a U.S. license before supplying certain chips to Huawei. The Chinese telecoms company was blacklisted last year, limiting the company's suppliers.

One of the sources said the rule-change is aimed at curbing sales of chips to Huawei by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, a major producer of chips for Huawei's HiSilicon unit, as well as the world's largest contract maker.

It is unclear if President Donald Trump, who appeared to push back against the proposal last month, will sign off on the rule change. But if finalized, it could deal a blow to Huawei and TSMC, hurting U.S. companies as well, sources

said.

"This is going to have a far more negative impact on U.S. companies than it will on Huawei, because Huawei will develop their own supply chain," trade lawyer Doug Jacobson said. "Ultimately, Huawei will find alternatives."

A person familiar with the matter said the U.S. government has gone to great lengths to ensure impacts on U.S. industry will be minimal.

The move could anger Beijing, which has spoken out against a global campaign by the United States to compel allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks over spying concerns. Huawei has denied the allegations.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 23:31:04|Editor: yhy

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- When Chinese e-commerce titan Jack Ma donated millions of testing kits, face masks and ventilators to dozens of countries across the globe to aid in the fight against COVID-19, the world acclaimed.

Kenya is among 54 countries in Africa that received the donation from the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation, getting 20,000 laboratory diagnostic testing kits and 1,000 protective gears, among other items.

President Uhuru Kenyatta led the east African nation in thanking Jack Ma as the donation had come at a time when the country's confirmed cases were on the rise.

Kenya has so far recorded 31 cases of the disease, one recovery and one death.

"We want to thank Jack Ma who has donated testing kits and other equipment to support us in this battle. We are and we will remain ahead of the curve in the ongoing war because of his generosity," he said.

Similarly, to ordinary Kenyans, Ma's gesture proved that despite the crisis that had made countries think and act 'selfishly' to protect their citizens, there are still people out there who care about the world.

"We are so proud and grateful to Jack Ma. The world is better because of him," David Kimeu, a businessman said on Friday.

"After this storm is over, we will take time to remember Ma in his efforts to help Kenya, Africa and the world," said Maxwell Imbai, a university student.

Analysts have termed Jack Ma's donation as an extension of Chinese humanity to the world and the quest for shared prosperity.

Eric Mang'unyi, a research fellow at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa, said that through the donation, Ma has shown the Chinese that they are a worthy helper in times of need and happiness.

"These gadgets will supplement what governments have at this time of strained healthcare systems and scarce equipment around the globe. They are very timely especially to Africa where most countries are struggling to get them due to high global demand," he said.

Mang'unyi said Ma showed "we are one people and one humanity" by donating to both developing and developed countries.

"This donation certainly deepens the relationships China has with other nations across the world and raises its standing globally. It gives us a different positive perspective about China that it's not all about commercial interests but we should care about humanity," he said.

Ma has also been lauded for launching an online platform that nurses and doctors from across the world can use to exchange ideas, knowledge and lessons on how to fight COVID-19.
Saigon Co.op has shouldered an important role in supporting the meals of people in quarantine zones and makeshift hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City

In conjunction with the government, Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op), together with other businesses, has taken responsibility for more than 30,000 meals a day for people in makeshift hospitals, quarantine centres, and preventive health stations in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Saigon Co.op, since the middle of March, the number of people in quarantine zones has tripled due to new quarantine regulations. Accordingly, people from all over the world who arrive in Vietnam have to be put in quarantine zones for 14 days.

It is not only the co-operatives which assist the state in the maintenance of quarantine centres or makeshift hospitals, several companies have also decided to throw their weight behind the initiative to share the load. At present, Tu Anh Single-Member LLC and Hiraki Co., Ltd. are two companies flocking to the aid of Saigon Co.op, providing 3,000 and 6,000 meals a day.

Besides, there has been three supporters providing vegetables free of charge so far, including Thao Nguyen Farm, Phu Loc Co-operatives, and Smart Green Ltd. Furthermore, more than 1,000 officers of co-operatives also took part in delivering the food.

Despite the large number of people in these quarantine areas, the quality and variety of meals are ensured at all times. For example, the co-operatives also serve meal options to accommodate vegetarians.

The quarantine places, hospitals, and preventive stations receiving assistance include Ho Chi Minh City National University Dormitory Zone A; quarantine zones in Can Gio and Nha Be districts, as well as District 12; makeshift hospitals in Go Vap district; Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Language and Information Technology; and the preventive health centre in Binh Tan district.
In the past two weeks, Instagram has been overrun with viral challenges.

On Tuesday, thousands of teenagers began posting unflattering photos of themselves to their feeds with the cryptic caption until tomorrow. Anyone who liked the photos, which are intended to only stay up for 24 hours, received a message from the user daring them to do the same.

Its all thats on my feed right now, said Ophelia Parisi, 16, of Whitesboro, N.Y., who participated in the challenge herself. Literally everyone is doing it.

That might be because literally everyone is home right now  or should be! What else is there to do?
Thousands of patients suspected of having coronavirus suffered a setback yesterday after they were told today's appointments to provide a swab to find out if they have the infection had been cancelled.

Following the Department of Health's decision earlier this week to tighten the criteria for testing, it had been hoped that those who are self-isolating and have an appointment to provide a swab could continue to attend.

Backlog

However, the HSE confirmed that patients were told by text yesterday that today's appointments would not go ahead, except for healthcare workers.

Most of the 40,000 people in the backlog for tests will not qualify and even those among them who fall into priority groups for testing must apply again and contact their GP.

GPs continued to be inundated with calls again yesterday following the confusion caused by the change in strategy.

The new criteria mean that a person has to have a fever and either a cough or breathing difficulties or sore throat to qualify for the test.

They must also fall into a priority group including people with underlying illnesses and healthcare workers.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said: "Testing will be targeted to those in an at-risk group or those with a high risk of exposure to Covid-19, who also have symptoms of fever and at least one other sign - cough, shortness of breath or sore throat.

"Given the large numbers seeking testing, it is appropriate to focus testing on those at greater likelihood of having Covid-19, in order to make best use of public health management and contact tracing.

"Healthcare workers with a confirmed appointment should attend their appointment regardless of the date."

People who were referred for testing on or before Tuesday received a text yesterday confirming that their referral had been cancelled, she said.

"Our laboratories will continue to analyse tests already taken. GPs provide clinical care for their patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic," she added.

Campaigned

"People with symptoms - regardless of a test - need to self-isolate for 14 days and household members must restrict their movements."

Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) welcomed an announcement by Health Minister Simon Harris that student nurses would be paid during the Covid-19 crisis.

The INMO campaigned intensely for employment opportunities for student nurses for several weeks, as many were unable to work other jobs due to cross-infection risks.

The union said it understands that student nurses - including interns - will now be offered contracts as healthcare assistants, but INMO officials will be seeking further details and information.

In particular, the union will be clarifying the scope of the students' practice in these roles and how it can best be integrated with their academic progression and placements.

INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: "This is a really welcome step from the Government.

"It's good news for the student nurses, who will now be paid for their work on the front lines.

"It's also good news for the wider health service.

"These are dedicated, talented, hard-working people who are keen to help in the global fight against Covid-19.

"Taking them on as paid staff not only values their work, but offers them clear protections as employees.

"We will now engage with the Government to determine the detail of this announcement, particularly on ensuring that students' academic progression isn't harmed by the crisis."

Mr Harris said around 4,000 student nurses and midwives will be offered a contract as a healthcare assistant (HCA) - which commands a salary of around 28,000-a-year - and be paid accordingly.

This will allow students to complete their placement in a HCA role and continue to complete their course.

Hundreds of student nurses have been working in hospitals and healthcare facilities as part of the battle against the spread of the disease - but many are not being paid for their work.
Photo credit: Instagram via Colton Underwood

From Cosmopolitan

As he nears the end of his first week battling COVID-19, Bachelor alum Colton Underwood shares a timeline of his experience exclusively with Cosmopolitan. In his words:

Weve all heard reports that this novel coronavirus doesnt really affect young people. And yetas a healthy 28-year-old who eats well, exercises regularly, and gets plenty of sleepI got sick. Im sharing my story publicly because this is scary. I *am* scared.

As I write this, I am still quarantined and being cared for by my girlfriend Cassie Randolph and her family in Huntington Beach, CA. This is what happened to me.

Circa Two Weeks Ago, March 8

I returned to L.A. after attending a weekend celebrity ski event in Beaver Creek, Colorado, which turned out to be a hotbed for infections. I felt great when I got back and dove into work and whatever else I had on my schedule. I spent the week shooting my new social-series podcast Coffee With Colton, got ready to promote my book, and worked with Cassie on a potential new movie project. The two of us also attended a private movie event for work on Wednesday, March 11.

Shortly after, as news of the virus was getting more intense and Governor Gavin Newsom called for new, stricter, self-distancing rules and business and school closures, we thought it would be best to get out of our places in L.A. We headed to Cassies familys home in Huntington Beach, where we could be surrounded with family.

On Sunday, we decided to go for a swim. I know what youre thinking, but its actually pretty easy to practice social distancing at the beach here in SoCal, so for those of you picturing the Florida beaches covered in spring breakersthink the opposite, especially at this time of year.

While we were body boarding, Cassie got stung by a stingray and had an unusual, allergic reaction to the venom. Her doctor told us to go to the emergency room, which frightened us. We didnt want to catch anything there or infect anyone if we were carrying the virus and didnt know it.

Story continues

We called ahead, wore masks and gloves, went through two different checkpoints, and ended up being the only people in the waiting room. We didnt see a single other person besides the nurse checking us in and the doctor. By the next morning, Cass felt better. Later that day, I did a promotional event for Chipotle over Zoom and we played board games with Casss parents, Casss sister Michelle and her boyfriend Gregg, and their brother Landon.

Tuesday, March 17

Hunkering down at the Randolphs for the last few days was pretty fun, but Cass and I didnt pack enough clothes to stay there indefinitely. So we drove back to West Hollywood to repack. Later that afternoon, I had a mild headache and some body aches but nothing that I paid attention to until later. That night, I stayed at Cassies place and thats when it hit me: My fever rocketed up and I had serious night sweats. When I woke up in the middle of the night, the bed was soaked. I instinctively assumed I had the coronavirus and panicked. Cassie made a couple calls to get me tested and was denied both times. She didnt know what to do.

Wednesday, March 18

The next morning, Cassies mom told us that she found a doctor down where they lived who could test me. I called the doctor myself, emailed him some details, and he approved me for testing. Next, I called Casss mom to thank her and asked if she was sure they wanted me to be at their house. Im pretty symptomatic, I said. We have already been with you for days. I accidentally drank your water bottle, so we are already exposed, she replied. If you are sick, it is dangerous for you to be alone.

I was tested that afternoon. When I showed up at my assigned time, I was instructed to pull up behind the building, roll down my windows, tilt back my head, and try not to cough while the doctor stuck a cotton swab far into my nose. It felt like it was hitting the back of my throat. A tear came out of my eye. Then it was over. I rolled up my window and drove off.



Thursday, March 19

After taking Tylenol, my temperature was down from 102 degrees on Tuesday and holding pretty steady. I was still achy, tired, and winded. Breathing was hard, and my breaths were shallow. It felt like I was only able to use 20 percent of my lungs.



I put on a brave face, but I was frightened. The day before, Cassies family had put me up in a third-floor bedroom, and thats where I spent most of the time. Although I was still stupidly going downstairs to the kitchen to grab food or get waterin hindsight, there are many things I would do differently.



Friday, March 20

At 11:30 a.m., the doctor called with the test results. He said: Im sorry, but I have to inform you that you tested positive for COVID-19. This means that Im going to have to turn in this information to the health department. Someone will be reaching out to you soon to discuss protocols.



Photo credit: Instagram via Colton Underwood

The girls were on a walk and Cassies dad was the only one home when I got the news from the doctor. Again, I tried to appear strong when inside I was anxious and concerned and on the verge of losing control. My mind was going to the worst-case scenario.

We waited till everyone got home, and Matt told them that I was positive. I isolated myself upstairs and they had a little family meeting on how to proceed and questions they wanted to ask the doctor. Cassie and her mom focused on research and learning the facts. The health department also checked in with Cassies mom and talked through the protocol of home isolation, wiping things down, and what symptoms to watch for in everyone else.



Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22

These were probably my worst days. I slept 15 or 16 hours each day. Just coughing and trying to breathe took all my energy. I couldnt catch my breath, and everything hurt.

Id never had a respiratory problem before and I was scared at not being able to breathe normally. I started a charity for kids with cystic fibrosis in 2015 and working with them let me feel a tiny bit of how frightening it is to feel like you cant breathe and when you do manage to take a breath, its a struggle.



At night, Cassies mom snuck into my room and tested my blood-oxygen level with a fingertip monitor. Several times it didnt work, which gave her a scare. I thought he was dead, she joked to Cassie afterward. Then he stirred and said, Still alive! I was so fortunate to have the kind of support Amy, Matt, and the rest of Cassies family provided. I also spoke with both of my parents in Colorado, and my family in Illinois sent flowers.

One of the hardest parts has been reading comments on social media saying I was irresponsible and infecting other people and deserved to die. Fortunately, this has been drowned out by the love and support Ive received from Chris Harrison, Bachelor executive producer Mike Fleiss, and all my friends and fans from the show. And of course, Cassie has been amazing. A positive attitude is key.

Photo credit: Colton Underwood

Monday, March 23

Im still coughing and weak and trying to catch my breath. But I havent had a fever and my strength is coming back. I have been living on peanut-butter-banana-and-honey sandwiches, eggs over easy with a piece of buttered toast, and Matts morning breakfast concoction of everything leftover from the night before plus eggs. I have been drinking warm water with lemon or apple cider vinegar and hot tea with honey.

This afternoon, my, ahem, sense of humor was back. (I suggested that Cassie get a sexy nurse uniform.) I could tell I was feeling better because I had the urge to hang out with people again. I stepped out on the balcony for a bit, but I didnt leave my room. Im still quarantined. So far, no one in her family has exhibited any symptoms and hopefully the distance weve kept and constant hand-washing will keep everyone healthy. Or maybe they are part of the 80 percent that remain asymptomatic.

Tuesday, March 24

Today, I woke up seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I had my best sleep in more than a week and feel closer to my normal self. I still have a mild cough, but the aches and pains are gone. I have a new book to promote (The First Time, my life story up to a few months ago) and I have no clue how to do that without feeling like Im pushing it down peoples throat during a time of global crisis.

Right now Im just feeling grateful that I still have a life. No one wants to get sick, not like this. But its a reminder that all the little things we share with each other are what gives our lives meaning.



I understand that my case was not the worst out there, and I cant imagine how some people might feel while battling this. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone going through this with their loved ones, the doctors and nurses treating patients and all the brave men and women risking their lives on the front lines of this pandemic. Weve learned that superheroes are real, not just in the movies. I never thought Id know as much about supply chains or use the phrase flatten the curve when not referring to my stomach after a big meal.

Ive read about the need for those of us whove beat this virus to donate plasma to help doctors come up with a vaccine. I dont know where or how I can help fight this, but I am going to do my research and figure out how I can give back. This thing is serious and hits hard. Wash your hands. Practice kindness. Keep a distance. Stay safe. Lets shut this thing down and put it in our rearview mirror. Were all in this together.

You Might Also Like
In the coming weeks, unintended pregnancies could rise as a result of people being stuck in their homes, potentially without consistent access to birth control. Among those who would choose to have an abortion  there were about 860,000 abortions in America in 2017  an increasing number might not be able to get those services, either because of the dangers of traveling (for patients and abortion providers alike), a growing inability to afford the procedure or the need to take care of homebound children and other family members.

The stakes of any disruption to reproductive health care are always high, and especially so during a crisis. A lack of timely access to abortion, in particular, threatens the health and economic stability of women and families at a time when so many people are losing their income and their health insurance.

But there doesnt have to be a disruption. There are steps that states and the federal government can take now to ensure that women get the care they need. Here are a few.

Make Abortion Pills Available by Mail

Medication abortions, which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, are already popular, making up about 40 percent of all abortions in the country today. That number would most likely be higher still if it werent for a years-old F.D.A. regulation on mifepristone  the first of two drugs that are taken during a medication abortion  requiring patients to get the drug at a clinic or a hospital after its dispensed by a certified prescriber. (Patients are then sent home with a dose of misoprostol, which starts the active bleeding process.)

The F.D.A. says that the regulation, known as a REMS (risk evaluation and mitigation strategy), is needed to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks. But reproductive rights experts note that the drug is very safe and argue that it is overregulated.

Given the coronavirus pandemic, it is incumbent on the F.D.A. to relax its regulation on mifepristone, at least temporarily. Doing so would allow many women to get a prescription for abortion-inducing drugs from a doctor via telemedicine, at which point the medications could be mailed to the patient.

Unfortunately, 18 states effectively ban abortion care via telemedicine  measures that also ought to be lifted, at least for the time being.
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India on Friday announced that banks are permitted to allow a three-month moratorium on payment of instalments of all term loans outstanding on March 1, 2020.

The decision will be applicable to all regional, rural banks, co-operative banks, NBFCs including Housing Finance Companies, however the final decision on passing on the benefit to customers will rest with the banks.

The RBI said the moratorium will not result in asset classification downgrade and will have no adverse impact on the credit history of the borrowers.

A moratorium period is a time during the loan term when the borrower is not required to make any repayment. Normally, the repayment begins after the loan is disbursed and the payments have to be made each month. However, the RBI has made a one-time exception in view of the financial distress arising out of the global pandemic coronavirus and the economic havoc wreaked by the lockdown imposed to control its spread.

The decision, announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das after a Monetary Policy Committee meeting, will bring relief to the middle class who had been demanding a relaxation on EMI payments as a new month approaches.

Here are the common questions arising from the move:

My EMI is due soon. Will the payment not be deducted from my account?

The RBI has only allowed banks to allow a moratorium. Individual banks will have to allow suspension of EMIs. This means that unless you have specific approval from your bank, your EMIs will still be deducted from your account.

How will I know if my EMI has been suspended?

The RBI has not yet issued detailed guidelines on this. Once guidelines are issued, there will be more clarity specifically on this.

How will the process work at the bank level?

All banks will have to discuss the moratorium and get a decision approved at their board level. Once approved, they may reach out to customers informing them of the moratorium.

If my bank suspends my EMIs, will non payment result in impact on my credit score?

No. It will not.

Which banks can offer this deferment to their customers?

All commercial banks (including regional rural banks, small finance banks and local area banks), co-operative banks, all-India Financial Institutions, and NBFCs (including housing finance companies and micro-finance institutions) included.

Is this a waiver of EMIs or a deferment of EMIs?

This is not a waiver, but a deferment. RBI has recommended that the repayment schedule and all subsequent due dates as also the tenor for such loans may be shifted across the board by 3 months.

Does the moratorium cover both principal and interest?

Yes. It does. If announced by your bank, you will be exempt from payment of your entire EMI, including payment and interest for three months. This will be applicable on all loans outstanding as on March 1, 2020.

What kind of loans does the moratorium cover?

The RBI policy statement explicitly mentions term loans, which includes home loans, personal loans, education loans, auto and any loans which have a fixed tenure. The also include consumer durable loans, such as EMIs on mobiles, fridge, TV etc

Does the moratorium cover credit card payments?

Yes, a clarification issued by the RBI says credit card dues will also be covered under moratorium. This means all payment against money borrowed using a credit card will also not be required to be paid for three months.

I have taken a project loan for setting up a factory. Can I not pay my EMI?

The moratorium has been allowed on any loan classified as term loans. If the bank is convinced that you are not in a position to pay the EMIs, you will get a deferrment.

What has the RBI announced for businesses?

The RBI has allowed deferment for interest payments for all working capital loans taken by businesses. This will be applicable in respect of all working capital facilities outstanding as on March 1, 2020. The accumulated interest for the period will be paid after the expiry of the deferment period. Moratorium/deferment will not be treated as change in terms and conditions of loan agreements and will not result in asset classification downgrade.
Australia traditionally imports furniture from Europe and the US for high-end interiors, but theres an increasing trend for supporting homegrown talent.

Australian furniture and lighting designs offer a price point thats somewhat lower than imported European designs, while retaining the quality and offering original design, says Penny Craswell, the author of Design Lives Here.

Light Corridor House, a renovated heritage property in the Melbourne suburb of Cremorne. On the wall is photographic artwork by Tom Blanchford. Credit:

The premise of the book is to celebrate great examples of where Australian architecture and locally conceived objects align. Exploring a mix of housing types, localities, new builds and renovations with a focus on contemporary approaches, Craswell had one clear rule.

I did reject homes where the Australian pieces were brought in just for the photo shoot, because I wanted these stories to be real, she says.
Its something that has never been tried before: 1.3 billion people  a fifth of the globes population  locked down in one place for 21 straight days.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the unprecedented move this week in a bid to replicate Chinas relative success containing the coronavirus outbreak. But he faces perhaps more obstacles than his neighbour President Xi Jinping, who leveraged the Communist Partys centralized control to isolate some 60 million people in the province of Hubei, where COVID-19 first emerged.

Indias biggest advantage over China right now has been taking action before the health system became overwhelmed and makeshift hospitals have to be constructed, according to Paul Ananth Tambyah, the Singapore-based president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

If the Indian effort works, the impact on the world will be tremendous, Tambyah said by email. It is bold and unprecedented. It is also risky in that unintended consequences may result with people missing out on care for other illnesses.

Although Modi won the biggest political mandate in decades, Indias federalist system means he must work with powerful state leaders to implement his orders  some of whom have recently sparred with him over a law discriminating against the Muslim minority that spawned nationwide protests. The countrys vibrant democracy, with a diverse ethnic makeup, also has few of the advanced technologies that the Communist Party deploys to keep troublemakers in line.

While India has 724 confirmed cases of COVID-19, experts fear that number could increase dramatically over the next few weeks, presenting an unprecedented test for its health system. China, which has seen more than 80,000 cases, is getting back to work while seeking to prevent a second wave by blocking almost all foreigners from entering the country.

If by the social isolation that India has gone ahead with, the infection is slowed, all credit has to go to the government, said T. Jacob John, a senior virologist and former government adviser, who warned that a 10 per cent infection rate  conservative in some countries means 130 million people could catch the virus. But if people die, the entire blame is also the central governments. There was no need to take this gamble.

Although China started relatively later than India, partly because it punished doctors who initially sounded the alarm about the disease, it was able to quickly mobilize all levels of government once it acknowledged the threat. More than 2,000 migrant workers built two new hospitals, with 2,600 beds in total, in just 10 days. Stadiums, offices and hotels were converted into isolation units.

China then flew in thousands of doctors into Hubei to treat the sick, while barricading residents indoors to prevent the spread. Mobile-phone carriers complied with government requests to track movements of people who had been in Wuhan  the capital of Hubei Province and the original epicentre of the disease  and office buildings used facial recognition and automatic temperature gauges to monitor suspected cases.

All of that could prove much harder in India. And the need is even greater: Whereas China has 4.3 hospital beds for every 1,000 people, Indias ratio is just 0.5, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Its population is also poorer, lives in closer proximity and suffers worse air pollution that makes people more prone to lung disease.

With more than a decade of experience running the state of Gujarat, Modi would appear to be ideally placed to work with state governments. Yet even during his television address on Tuesday imposing the three-week lockdown, he failed to emphasize that people could continue to buy essential groceries and medicines. That left leaders of state governments like Maharashtra, whose capital is the financial centre of Mumbai, to try and assuage public fears.

And no matter how well the states co-operate with Modis emergency directives, the situation can unravel very quickly on the ground. Already there have been reports of police beating to death a man who left his house to buy groceries, while Indias efforts to scale up the availability of vital medical equipment  including virus testing kits and personal protective equipment for health-care workers  has been hampered by local authorities implementing strict curbs on movements.

Modis government announced a 1.7 trillion rupee ($22.6 billion U.S.) spending plan on Thursday that includes cash support benefiting farmers and migrant workers, as well as free cooking gas for the poor. Migrant workers, the homeless and slum-dwellers are among the most likely to move about during the lockdown to find income, according to Prachi Singh, a Delhi-based associate fellow at Brookings India.

Some states have taken matters into their own hands.

In Kerala, a coastal state on the Arabian Sea, the local government has followed its own experience of dealing with a 2018 outbreak of the Nipah virus, which originates from fruit bats and can lead to brain swelling. The states chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has won praise for a 200 billion rupee ($2.7 billion) relief package that is separate from the federal government.

In the capital New Delhi, meanwhile, local media reported landlords were kicking out critical staff like doctors, nurses and paramedics over infection fears. That led to an intervention from Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who called for an end to the evictions.

When dealing with a major health crisis like this, you still need New Delhi leading from the front to co-ordinate responses, said Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington. The fact its a messy democracy undercuts Indias ability to act as forcefully as China did in compelling its population to observe social distancing, said Kugelman.

There are signs of strain. Unlike in China, where so-called green corridors ensured online grocery services and supermarkets were able to feed the countrys 1.4 billion people, Indian authorities have been stopping food trucks on highways, and shutting down warehouses and rice mills. The countrys largest online retailers  including Amazon Inc., Walmart Inc.-owned Flipkart and BigBasket, a fresh grocery delivery service backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.  are also struggling to navigate the now-closed borders between Indias 29 states and territories.

Modis federal government has so far looked good with decisive measures to shut borders and restrict peoples movements, but theres a long way to go, according to Akhil Bery, Washington-based analyst with Eurasia Group.

It will require an all-hands-on-deck approach to save the situation  and he will have to co-operate with regional leaders, Bery said of Modi. Frankly how it will pan out will depend on how many people die in India because of coronavirus.

Read more about:
Japan stepped up its campaign against the new coronavirus, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe launched a ministerial task force that paves the way for a possible declaration of a national state of emergency.

Abe said on Thursday that Japan will further tighten entry restrictions for international travelers, placing all visitors from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa under a 14-day self-quarantine and suspending all visas and visa waiver programs for these regions.

The new measures will take effect on Saturday and bring the regions under restrictions similar to those applied to China, South Korea and the U.S. Japan also denies entry from Iran and most countries in Europe.

The number of infections in the nation's capital jumped for a second day, and concerns are growing over the risk of a major virus outbreak. This is despite a monthlong social distancing campaign launched by Abe on Feb. 27 that led to schools closing nationwide and the cancellation of concerts, sporting events and social gatherings.

A report submitted by a government expert panel on Thursday described the current situation as likely to be of widespread contagion.

"To overcome this national crisis, the government, local authorities, health care workers and the people of this country have to work together and accelerate our efforts against the coronavirus," Abe said.

Headed by the prime minister, the ministerial task force is responsible for devising a framework of policy responses to a rapid increase in cases that could threaten the economy and people's lives. The panel will work with expert advisers.

The prime minister is able to declare a state of emergency and determine the scope and duration of any lockdowns, for which local governors would have legal backing to implement.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the government's top spokesperson, said the current situation doesn't require the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Tokyo region reported 47 new cases on Thursday, a new daily high, bringing the capital's tally to around 250.

A Tokyo shopper looks at an empty supermarket shelf on Thursday, a day after Gov. Yuriko Koike urged people to stay at home. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) A Tokyo shopper looks at an empty supermarket shelf on Thursday, a day after Gov. Yuriko Koike urged people to stay at home. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike on Wednesday evening requested residents to work from home and avoid going out at weekends and evenings.

The prefectures surrounding Tokyo separately announced on Thursday that they have issued requests urging residents to refrain from visiting Tokyo.

Consumers in Tokyo rushed to supermarkets on Thursday after central and local governments ramped up warnings on the spread of the coronavirus.

Some stores have been wiped out as consumers stock up on preserved foods like canned tuna, instant ramen, and frozen pizza.

On Twitter, "buying-up" was trending with people expressing frustration on not being able to find anything. Some stores, faced with a torrent of people, were even forced to implement a restriction on the number of people allowed to enter the shop at once.

Following Gov. Koike's request to refrain from weekend outings, cinemas and amusement parks in the greater-Tokyo area said that they will be closing.

Seibu Holdings announced it will once again shut down its Toshimaen and Seibuen amusement parks, which had just resumed operations on Saturday after a three-week closure.

Cinema chain Toho Cinemas said they will not open 17 cinemas in Tokyo, Kanagawa and Saitama for March 28 and 29, and halt evening showings from March 30 to April 2.



Nikkei
[March 27, 2020] Data Storage Corporation Adds New Enterprise Buildout in Dallas Data Center to Accommodate Increased Cloud Demand

MELVILLE, N.Y., March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data Storage Corporation (OTCQB:DTST) (DSC and the Company), a provider of diverse business continuity, disaster recovery protection and cloud solutions, has added Increased capacity in Dallas, Texas, to accommodate increased demand.

The infrastructure at the Dallas data center includes automatic monitoring, N+2 redundancy and auto failover, as well as, reducing the need for onsite human intervention. The new facility features the latest enterprise technology and is focused on delivering Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), and High Availability as a Service (HAaaS). The data centers technology is reserved for IBM Power systems running IBM i, AIX and Linux, Intel systems running Microsoft Windows virtual environments. The Dallas Tier 3 enterprise class data center with state-of-the-art security will allow DSC to meet the growing demand for its portfolio of ezServices, including ez-Backup, ezRecovery and ezAvailability, adding to DSCs existing network of data centers and fiber backbone. The company utilizes the next generation of IBM enterprise Power9 servers and FS9200 storage. Chuck Piluso, CEO of Data Storage Corporation stated todays environment has accelerated the requirement for the virtual workforce and the companys compute infrastructure in Tier 3 data centers, ensuring backup and recovery and cyber security. We have always taken pride on delivering a high level of technical support and assistance in the migration to our Infrastructure. Hal Schwartz, President of DSC, exlains, Our new buildout represents yet another milestone for Data Storage Corporation. Given the increased demand for cloud services going forward, we remain committed to ensuring exemplary cloud and protection services for every client; this new Dallas facility is emblematic of that commitment. It incorporates cutting-edge technology and is supported by a highly respected expert staff, enterprise infrastructure, state of the art recovery and availability capabilities. Our clients can rest assured they are in the most capable of hands in the industry. We pride ourselves on innovation, and this new Tier 3 data center is a stellar example of our commitment to excellence.



About Data Storage Corporation

The Company provides a highly secure, enterprise level cloud for IBM i Power systems and Windows, assisting companies in the migration process, while reducing capex and providing flexibility for seasonality with on-demand compute power. Clients have access to an array of solutions: Infrastructure as a Service, disaster recovery, voice and data, security, and email compliance & data analytics.

Please visit us at http://www.DataStorageCorp.com . Safe Harbor Provision

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created thereby. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's future financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "estimates," "anticipates," or "believes" or the negative thereof or any variation thereon or similar terminology or expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from results proposed in such statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and its other filings and submissions with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Investor Relations Contact:

Crescendo Communications, LLC

Tel: 212-671-1021

Email: [email protected]

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 18:32:59|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Health Ministry on Friday announced 144 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the death toll to 2,378 across the country, official IRNA news agency reported.

Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said 2,926 new cases have been registered in the past 24 hours and a total of 32,332 people confirmed to be infected with the virus.

Of all the reported cases, 11,133 have recovered, he added.

On Friday, Iran started the implementation of a social distancing plan for one week and said that it could be extended if the authorities deem it necessary.

The plan includes further restrictions of the inter-city travels, the closure of public places like parks, swimming pools and entertaining centers, a ban on gatherings and reducing work hours of civil servants.
Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have reportedly moved out of Canada permanently and will be settling in the US. According to reports, the two along with their 10-month-old son Archie moves to LA by a private jet.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, earlier this year stepped back as frontline royals and now plan to settle in the Los Angeles, California. They reportedly have entered self-isolation in a secluded compound near Hollywood.

They shifted out of Canada ahead of the border lockdown as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. A source told, The Sun, "Harry and Meghan have left Canada now for good. The borders were closing and flights were stopping. They had to get out,"

The couple had been living in a mansion on Vancouver since their last formal visit to UK, as agreed with the Buckingham Palace. The two from April 1, 2020, will formally cease to represent Queen Elizabeth II. The newspaper quoted the source as saying that the move to California was planned for some time.

"They realised Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area. They have a big support network there. It's where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum Doria," the source added.

The news of them moving out to California comes right after it was reported that Meghan is back to work and has bagged her first gig with Disney plus to narrate a documentary.

Earlier this month, it was also announced that Harry's father, Prince Charles had tested positive coronavirus but had mild symptoms and remains in "good health". He is currently self-isolating in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II - is in isolation in Windsor Castle.

Meghan Markle Lands First Gig With Disney Plus, Weeks After Royal Exit

Prince Charles Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Currently In Self Isolation In Scotland
A man walks under a umbrella near the main gate of historical Jamia Masjid locked for the congregational Friday prayers, during 3rd day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic, in Srinagar. PTI photo

Srinagar: The number of Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir went up to 18 on Friday after four more persons, all of them Srinagar residents, tested positive. Thirteen more persons are being treated for the deadly disease in Ladakh. One of the affected persons died in a Srinagar hospital on Thursday.

Meanwhile, no Friday congregations were held in any major mosque in J&K or Ladakh. While in most cases the custodians of mosques voluntarily called off the weekly gatherings, the law enforcing agencies had to intervene at place to prevent people from entering the places of worship.

Srinagars DC Shahid Iqbal Choudhary had on Thursday with a view to prevent the spread of the virus issued a formal order for the closure of all places of worship in the district. However, the managements of Srinagars famed Dargah Hazratbal, historic Jama Masjid and Khankah-e-Naqashbandia had already shut these for worshippers.

The custodians of Citys Chattipatshahi Gurdwara followed the suit whereas revered Hindu shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi tucked away in Trikuta hills near Jammu was closed for pilgrims last week.

The virtual lockdown as part of an official effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 was strictly enforced on ground by the J&K police and Central armed police forces on the ninth consecutive day on Friday. Around Noon, adhan or azaan (call for prayers) was given from some locality mosques in Srinagar and some other towns of the Valley. The police immediately rushed in but were assured by the custodians of these mosques that no Friday congregations are being organized at these.

However at few places, the police had to act tough in order to prevent worshippers from relocating to mosques. Ghulam Nabi Najar who works at a Srinagar newspaper office said that he and some others stood at distance in a mosque deep inside Citys congested Maisuma to offer Dhuhr or Zuhr (midday) prayers instead of Juma namaz. On Fridays, the Zuhr prayer is replaced by Juma Namaz which is obligatory for Muslim men who are above the age of puberty and meet certain requirements and is to be offered in congregation either in a mosque or with a large group of Muslims.

At least, two imams were arrested by the police after they started delivering sermons before handfuls of worshippers at two Valley mosques, the police sources said adding that several other people were booked for violating the lockdown elsewhere.

A statement issued by the government in winter capital Jammu on Friday said that with four more persons- two of them having travel history abroad and the two others outside J&K as part of a religious congregation- have tested positive for the COVID-19, taking the number of such patients to eighteen. It said that as many as 3,136 persons have been kept under home quarantine including facilities operated by the government while as 169 are in hospital quarantine.

It added that the number of persons who are under home surveillance stands at 1,877 and of those who have completed their 28-day surveillance period at 581. Out of 423 samples sent for testing, 400 have tested negative.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-28 01:30:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday evening held a phone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting that when the Chinese people were in a difficult time to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, the Austrian government and its people provided valuable support and help, Li said that as the pandemic is spreading rapidly in Austria, China firmly supports Austria's efforts to fight the outbreak and stands ready to provide assistance within its capabilities.

China will continue to provide convenience for Austria's purchase and transportation of medical supplies from China, Li said, expressing hope that the Austrian side guarantees the safety and the convenience of life of Chinese nationals, including Chinese students, in Austria.

Kurz said Austria is deeply impressed by China's achievements in fighting the novel coronavirus.

Noting that Austria and China are good friends, Kurz said that Austria is currently facing severe challenges in epidemic prevention and control, and still needs to purchase necessary medical materials and equipment.

He hopes that China will continue to provide help in this regard.
Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon congresswomen Friday applauded passage of an unprecedented $2.2 trillion stimulus package.

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Battle Ground Republican, said it was essential that Congress pass the monumental emergency relief package to support workers whose livelihoods had been upended by the new coronavirus pandemic.

I supported this multi-faceted legislative relief package because it will rush economic relief directly to those Southwest Washington residents who need it, Herrera Beutler said in a press release. It will also ensure our nations large employers use emergency resources to keep Americans employed and provide essential goods and services  and not engage in activity that simply enhances stock value and executive pay.

Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat, said in a press release she was pleased the package included her proposal to ensure seniors in long-term care facilities have access to support advocates during the pandemic, called the Advocating for Older Americans During Coronavirus Act.

Im grateful to (U.S. House) Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her leadership and for the improvements we were able to achieve in this package, Bonamici said in the release. The bill now makes the needs of families, individuals, health care workers, and small businesses the top priorities. As this public health crisis unfolds, I will continue to fight for Oregonians and do all I can to deliver the help our community needs.

The package, called the CARES Act, extends unemployment for four months, funds checks for each middle- and low-income household and allocates $350 billion in loans to small businesses and $100 billion to hospitals and healthcare providers.
Some religious institutions are continuing with their gatherings by limiting the number of worshippers. The risks are too serious given the composition of such gatherings and their proximity to each other.

Every religious institution must lead by example and suspend all such gatherings. The vast majority of mosques exercised responsibilty and suspended prayers and gatherings even before public health called for this, but a few remain open.

The decision of mosques to remain open boggles the mind because they proclaim to be following prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who unequivocally taught the opposite.

Indeed, one of the five higher objectives (maqasid) of the Sharia is the preservation of life. Therefore, Muslims are mandated to take all steps to prevent harm. This would obviously include taking all steps to prevent the spread of diseases.

It may be surprise to many that the Prophet preached the idea of quarantine almost 1,400 years ago when he said, no person who is afflicted with a communicable disease should be brought near the healthy.

He also said, If you learn of a city with a contagious affliction, do not enter it; if you are in it, do not leave it [to prevent spreading the disease]. The Prophet also advised people to keep away from those with infectious diseases. In one incident when someone with what was considered a contagious disease stretched out his hands to give him the oath of allegiance, the Prophet did not take his hand but assured him gently, We have already received your oath of allegiance.

The Prophet himself set the precedent of canceling congregational prayers during natural phenomena, such as heavy rains or flooding. Indeed, he taught, Where there is a potential tangible harm, it ought to be removed.

Moreover, it is an often-quoted admonishment of the Prophet that those who consume garlic should stay away from public prayer gatherings until the foul smell is gone for the fear of being offensive to others. How can those who proclaim to follow him endanger the lives of others for the sake of gaining the additional benefits of congregational prayer? The all-powerful and most merciful God is everywhere, can accept prayers wherever performed and can certainly appreciate our concern with the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Years later the Caliph Umar Ibn Khattab demonstrated these teachings. On his way to what is Syria today he heard that it was infected with cholera and decided to return to Madinah. When a companion asked, Are you fleeing from the decree of God?, Umar replied, Not at all; instead, we are fleeing from one decree of God to another!

Umar then asked, If you were to take your herd away from a drought-stricken area to a fertile valley, arent you complying with the decree of Allah? Umar reinforced the idea that accepting the will of God does not in any way contradict the human free will and freedom to work to realize beneficial goals, nor to prevent possible harm.

Islamic principles provide guidance in this unprecedented situation. The consensus of the scholars is that people who are sick or fear getting sick are excused from attending congregational prayers. Likewise, those who are detained or imprisoned (and therefore in isolation) are also in this category.

Experts over the last few weeks have been preaching that proper hygiene and washing oneself are critical in this battle against this deadly disease. For Muslims, these practices should be nothing new.

In a hadith that any Muslim child can recite from memory, the Prophet taught that cleanliness is half of faith. In fact, the Prophet instructed, Wash your hands after you wake up. You do not know where your hands have moved while you slept. He further taught that the The blessings of food lie in washing hands before and after eating.

A practicing Muslim is further instructed to pray five times a day. Ideally, before each of these prayers, one is directed to perform ablutions that mandate washing the hands, arms to the elbow, face, cleaning out the nostrils and even cleaning the ears.

Lastly, another teaching, which many will appreciate in this era of toilet paper shortage, the Prophet taught that after using the toilet, water must be used to thoroughly clean the private parts.

Muslims have no reason to ignore the public health directives to focus on their cleanliness and quarantining themselves. In fact, it is arguably a religious obligation.
President Trump signs the stimulus legislation in the Oval Office. (Pool Photo)

President Trump on Friday ordered General Motors to produce ventilators for hospitals strained by COVID-19 patients, and signed into law the largest rescue measure in history, a $2-trillion economic relief package to get money to many Americans as well as hospitals, businesses, and state and local governments struggling with the pandemic.

Trump used his power under the 1950 Defense Production Act to issue the order to GM, just a day after he'd dismissed calls from governors and hospitals for tens of thousands of the devices. He had been widely criticized for not acting sooner, as doctors from California to New York have complained of shortages that threatened to cost many lives.

His actions came on a day when the United States surpassed all other nations in confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection, now exceeding 100,000. The number of dead approached 1,500 as he signed the economic relief measure into law.

As those numbers climbed, Trump seemed to take a more cautious tone about scaling back restrictions on public gatherings and other activities. After days of suggesting he wanted to relax federal guidelines and get people back to work by Easter, Trump sounded more tentative at a White House briefing.

I certainly want to get it open as soon as possible, he said. I dont want it to be long, but we also have to open safe. He added he would listen to scientific advice in evaluating the situation next week.

Although he touted the number of ventilators the U.S. would be producing, Trump declined to guarantee they would be built quickly enough to ensure that every patient who needs a ventilator would get one.

"Were in great shape, he said. I hope thats the case. When pressed by a reporter on the question, the president waved him off, saying, "Dont be cutie pie.

Until Friday, Trump had said he didn't need to invoke his authority under the defense production law because businesses were voluntarily retooling to make needed medical supplies, including protective masks for healthcare workers. In a statement, however, he suggested GM was driving too hard a bargain.

Story continues

"Our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," he said. "GM was wasting time."

In tweets, Trump further assailed the automaker and its chief executive, Mary Barra, as well as Ford. In one, he wrote, "General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!"

Some experts noted that Trumps use of the Korean War-era act was unusual for prodding a single company to produce items, rather than force an industry generally to made necessary goods in a time of war or national crisis.

Nicolas Vyas, the executive director at the Center for Global Supply Chain Management at USC, said he was pleased Trump acted but disappointed he did so in such a limited way. Vyas said the president's order seemed spiteful, and urged the federal government to use the law more aggressively.

This is not how you should be thinking during a time of huge national crisis, Vyas said. We need a holistic approach. We need to bring experts and industry together to pool capabilities and to come up with a comprehensive solution. Why are we playing around and doing this marginal execution rather than execution?

Public health experts and state and local leaders also have been urging Trump to use the law to boost production of personal protective equipment, such as masks and scrubs. Ventilators, however, are an increasingly scarce lifesaver for patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and suffering acute respiratory distress.

Trump's order marked a turnaround for him. On Thursday, he had criticized Democratic governors pleading for more ventilators and told Fox News host Sean Hannity: "I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.... You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes and they'll have two ventilators and now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"

On Friday, Trump said he still hoped that the U.S. would not need all the ventilators it would be making and could export some to Britain, Italy, Spain and Germany. Theyre all calling for ventilators. Were going to make a lot of ventilators, he said.

Even as Trump promised to send more ventilators to states hit hard by the pandemic, he renewed his feud with some of the governors of those states.

He said he had told Vice President Mike Pence, the head of his coronavirus task force, "Don't call the woman in Michigan"  a reference to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer  or "the governor of Washington," Jay Inslee, both Democrats.

"You know what I say? If they don't treat you right, I don't call," he said, adding, "I want them to be appreciative." Pence called the two governors anyway, Trump conceded.

The president's order to GM followed a White House ceremony in the afternoon, where he signed the $2-trillion relief package just hours after the House approved the bill by a voice vote.

"I want to thank Democrats and Republicans for coming together and putting America first," Trump said at the ceremony.

The Senate had passed the legislation 96 to 0 on Wednesday following extensive negotiations between Democrats and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, significantly altering and expanding a package initially proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

The fact that Democrats and Republicans could come together behind the package in otherwise polarized times reflected the severity of the health and economic crisis gripping the country. The parties' unanimity was especially remarkable given the unprecedented cost of the measure, an amount equal to more than half of the $3.6 trillion in tax revenue that the U.S. government expects to collects this year.

Yet the bipartisanship did not extend to Trump's signing ceremony. He did not invite any Democrats to the White House, only McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and three other senior House Republicans. He and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) have not spoken in months.

A statement he issued after the bill-signing is certain to provoke the Democrats. In it, the president said he would ignore several provisions they negotiated with Mnuchin giving Congress oversight of how the administration disperses $500 billion in loans to corporations. One would create an office of an inspector general at the Treasury Department to monitor its decisions.

The oversight provisions infringed on presidential powers under the Constitution, Trump said.

The relief provisions would touch many aspects of American life. Along with providing a one-time direct payout of up to $1,200 for most American adults , the bill includes $500 billion in loans to struggling businesses, $377 billion in loans and grants for small businesses, $150 billion for local, state and tribal governments facing a drop in revenue and $130 billion for hospitals dealing with an onslaught of patients .

The package also blocks foreclosures and evictions during the crisis on properties where the federal government backs the mortgage; pauses federal student loan payments for six months and waives the interest; gives states millions of dollars to begin planning for the November election by offering mail or early voting, and provides more than $25 billion for food assistance programs such as SNAP.

It expanded who qualifies for unemployment assistance to include people who were furloughed, gig workers and freelancers. Coming after a week in which a record 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits, the measure provided a $600 increase in jobless benefits for four months, on top of what states provide as base compensation, and extended by 13 weeks the duration of benefits, which is typically 26 weeks.

House Democratic leaders have already begun talking about the need for a fourth relief package. Pelosi on Thursday told reporters that it should include provisions for workers' paid leave and safety protections, for covering the cost of COVID-19 treatments and for yet more funding for food stamps and state and local governments.

We know that this cannot be our final bill, Pelosi said on the House floor Friday, adding that it is a downpayment toward what American workers, businesses and hospitals will need.

Trump later seemed to agree that additional aid would be needed, particularly for states. However, McCarthy told reporters Thursday he's not ready to begin discussing a fourth package. Lets let this bill work," he said.

The final vote did not go exactly as the Democratic and Republican House leaders planned. Maverick Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian conservative from Kentucky, demanded that a majority of members be present and that each lawmaker's vote be recorded.

Massie cited the Constitution to support his action, and acted despite withering attacks from Trump on Twitter. The president called Massie "a third rate Grandstander" and called for him to be ousted from the party.

Congressional leaders had hoped to hold a simple voice vote, to protect members from potentially contracting the coronavirus by traveling and gathering in the Capitol. Based on Massie's earlier threat that he would insist on a quorum  216 members at the moment  they summoned lawmakers back, forcing lawmakers to drive or find last-minute flights.

House leaders used a procedural move to quash Massie's motion for a recorded roll call of lawmakers. When Massie called a second time for a roll call vote, he failed to get a fifth of those lawmakers present to support him, as required by House rules. If he had succeeded, the move likely would have delayed passage of the bill until Saturday, when additional lawmakers could return.

After more than three hours of debate, the $2-trillion bill passed by a voice vote in just under a minute.

Times staff writers Noah Bierman and Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
: Ten more people tested positive for coronavirus in Telangana on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 59, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said.

"As far as this coronavirus is concerned, 10 positive cases were reported in a single day on Friday. The total number of positive patients is 59. Out of this, one person has been discharged after treatment and the others are under treatment," Rao said at a press conference.

Besides, over 20,000 people are currently in home quarantine or in Government faculties under surveillance, he said, adding all these people were being looked after well.

Rao said he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue and he assured all possible help to Telangana.

"Had we not taken measures such as lockdown, night curfew and maintaining social distance, the situation would have been much more dangerous, Rao said.

He said the lockdown in the state, which was in force since March 22 and was to end on March 31, would be extended to April 15.

The Chief Minister said maintaining social distance was the only medicine to tackle the killer virus and asked people to be more disciplined.

Quoting reports, he said 20 crore people in India would be affected by coronavirus if it started spreading like it did in Italy, Spain or the USA.

On the states preparedness, Rao said 1400 Intensive Care Unit beds were being readied at Gachchbowli Stadium here,to be used if required.

Isolation wards to accommodate 11,000 patients were also underway, he said.

The state has already placed orders for 500 new ventilators. Some of them have reached us and some are on the way...Even if 60,000 people (all categories) get affected, we will be ready (to treat) he said.

A list of a pool of retired doctors, about 11,000 medicos and lab technicians was being prepared so that their services could be utilised,if necessary,he said.

Replying to a query, he said the Government would use private laboratories services for COVID-19 tests only after the states resources and facilities at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here were exhausted.

Assuring that PG accommodations and hostels would not be allowed to close, he said people from other states stranded in Telangana would be taken care of and provided all necessities.

Rao said he had ordered all District Collectors to provide migrant labourers food, shelter and water in their respective districts.

The Chief Minister said crops are ready for harvesting in 50 lakh acres in the state and the government would provide water from various irrigation projects to those fields.

He assured farmers that the government would buy paddy through purchasing centres at their respective places.

Health Minister E Rajendar said 10,000 beds, including in private medical colleges, are now available with the government.

He said private medical colleges have been instructed to suspend out-patient wings in their attached hospitals and to allocate the same for COVID-19 patients .

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Westchester County district attorney announced he is postponing all trials as a public-safety measure during the coronavirus outbreak. The move was carried out as a mandate by NYS Office of Court Administration (NYS Courts).

That means all criminal trials have been put off, according to the statement from Anthony Scarpino.

This is one memo I never thought I would have to write - that a pandemic is sweeping the country and that our home county has been at its epicenter, Scarpino said in a statement Thursday morning.

Every person and every sector of our community are adjusting to the changes brought on by this pandemic and the DAs Office is no different. While we are public servants, we also have families whose lives are equally affected.

The operations of the New York State Court System impacts his office, Scarpino said, as it reacts to the changing demands of this public health crisis.

Most of the staff is working from home where possible and making sure every court part is covered, he said. The phones are staffed; and systems are in place to continue serving all county residents.

Due to the pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has issued a series of executive orders that impact the administration of justice in Westchester and throughout the state. In response to the Governors orders, the Office of Court Administration has modified all judicial operations. Some of the new rules include:

- All criminal trials are postponed until further notice

- No new grand juries shall be empaneled except in exceptional circumstances

- All orders of protection are automatically extended

- All non-essential matters are adjourned until April 15

- All specific time limits for the commencement, filing, or service of any legal action, notice, motion or other process are suspended until April 19.

This stops the clock on discovery, speedy trial, felony hearings, FOIL requests and Notices of Appeal, he said.

Arraignments and emergency applications continue to be heard as needed, such as temporary orders of protection, essential Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) matters, and resentencing of retained and incarcerated defendants.

Also, all court proceedings will be held on the first floor of the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, not in local courts.

We are also concerned with how this seismic life change may be affecting our most vulnerable residents, especially as we are forced to stay home, Scarpino said. This pandemic is creating a particularly dangerous time for victims of domestic violence, including intimate partner abuse, child or elder abuse. My Offices Special Prosecutions Division is finely attuned to this sad reality and ready as ever to protect and serve.

For more information, visit the D.A.s website.
Crisis: Leo Varadkar at the launch of a public information booklet on coronavirus at Government Buildings. Photo: Nick Bradshaw/PA

Independent.ie reporters are bringing you the latest coronavirus stories you may have missed today.

Italy coronavirus deaths rise by 919, highest daily tally since start of outbreak

Expand Close A Carabinieri officer walks in the old town in Bari as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Bari, Italy, March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A Carabinieri officer walks in the old town in Bari as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Bari, Italy, March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

Gavin Jones and Giuseppe Fonte report

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has surged by 919 to 9,134, the Civil Protection Agency said on Friday, the highest daily tally since the epidemic emerged on February 21.

Prior to Friday's figure, the largest daily toll was registered on March 21, when 793 people died.

The 919 people who died over the last 24 hours compares with 712 deaths on Thursday, 683 on Wednesday, 743 on Tuesday and 602 on Monday.

The total number of confirmed cases rose to 86,498 from a previous 80,539, taking Italy's total past that of China, where the coronavirus epidemic emerged at the end of last year.

The United States already surpassed China's tally of cases on Thursday.

In Italy, of those originally infected nationwide, 10,950 had fully recovered on Friday, compared to 10,361 the day before. There were 3,732 people in intensive care against a previous 3,612.

The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy reported a steep rise in fatalities compared with the day before and remains in a critical situation, with a total of 5,402 deaths and 37,298 cases.

That compared with 4,861 deaths and 34,889 cases reported up to Thursday.

Friday's cumulative death tally included 50 fatalities that actually occurred on Thursday in the northern Piedmont region, but whose notification arrived too late to be included in the official figures for March 26, the Civil Protection Agency said.

This has led to some confusion and means that some media outlets are reporting the Friday daily tally at 969, rather than 919.

'I need you to stay at home unless you absolutely need to leave your home' - Simon Harris pleads with public

Expand Close Minister for Health, Simon Harris (Steve Humphreys/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister for Health, Simon Harris (Steve Humphreys/PA)

Gabija Gataveckaite reports

Health Minister Simon Harris has issued a clear and simple plea to members of the Irish public, urging them to not leave their home unless they absolutely need to.

Speaking on Newstalks Pat Kenny Show, the minister said that there is a lot of information about the coronavirus and that some of it may have become clouded.

I need you to stay at home unless you absolutely need to leave your home, he said.

He also dismissed claims that people coming into the country are posing a very high risk, saying that people are most likely to become ill with the coronavirus while at home.

If you are leaving your house today to make an unnecessary visit to a friend or family member, you are at much greater risk at spreading that virus than anybody else arriving in our country.

Anytime any of us leave our home and come into contact with more people, we risk spreading the germs that are this virus.

Its not about something coming from abroad coming into our country and sneezing - this is about us acting as if we have the virus and doing everything we can to stop it spreading, he added.

He said that helping to flatten the COVID-19 curve in Ireland is mostly down to personal responsibility and that hiring extra nurses and issuing strict lockdown-like measures would be in vain if responsibility is not taken.

Were now at the stage of the virus where it is down to us, its down to what we decide to do in the coming days and weeks.

It is now down to personal individual responsibility.

He also urged younger people to not become complacent that they will not catch the virus.

Its not something that exclusively affects older people.

There should not be a complacency here that, Im grand, Im in my 30s, this is something that will affect my granny.

Coronavirus deaths will only increase in coming weeks, Taoiseach warns

Expand Close 27/03/2020 Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar pictured this afternoon during a visit to Total Produce Food in Swords this afternoon...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 27/03/2020 Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar pictured this afternoon during a visit to Total Produce Food in Swords this afternoon...Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Cormac McQuinn reports

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said that deaths from coronavirus in Ireland will only increase over the next two to four weeks and that it will be a "very pleasant surprise" if the toll is kept below 1,000.

The Taoiseach said the death toll is "impossible to predict" as the virus is new and "we're only still learning about it".

"If you take the average flu season in Ireland, there'll be roughly 500 deaths. If you take a bad flu season in Ireland, there'd be roughly 1,000 deaths.

"So it would be a surprise, and a very pleasant surprise if the number of deaths at the end of this is less than 1,000," Mr Varadkar said.

Mr Varadkar also said that Intensive Care Units (ICUs) will be full in the coming days but the health service is working to increase capacity.

He said his thoughts are with the families of the latest victims of coronavirus in Ireland -the death toll more than doubled to 19 when ten fatalities were announced last night.

There is also concern about the high level of patients requiring ICU care and clusters of cases in nursing homes.

Mr Varadkar said he is concerned about the ICU situation but said any new restrictions on the public in an effort to counter the spread of the disease will only be implemented on the advice of the the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

Read More

He said that at present there are empty ICU beds but they "will be at capacity within a few days."

"That's already the case across Europe. It looks like it may happen here so we need to plan for that. We have to make sure that we have backup ICU capacity, ventilators... all of those things."

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

He said the health service is making an unprecedented effort to "tool up", recruit and provide additional capacity but warned "we're going to be managing a very difficult situation".

Mr Varadkar said the number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths in Ireland "can only increase over the next two to four weeks."

"The objective is to slow down the rate at which it increases, get to the peak and then start getting it down and that start returning the country to some degree of normality."

Prisoners offered 'virtual visits' from loved ones after all in-person visits suspended

Expand Close Stock image / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Stock image

Ralph Riegel reports

ALL visits to Irish prisons have been suspended over Covid-19 fears with inmates now being offered 'virtual visits' with their families and loved ones.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) will, from next week, offer inmates the chance to see and chat with their loved ones via special electronic platforms including the Internet and various video services.

It came as the IPS previously granted 200 prisoners early release in a bid to assist with infection control and social-distancing measures, bringing to 579 the total number of prisoners currently on early release.

The total number of people behind bars in Ireland's 12 prisons has dropped from almost 4,500 in mid January to 3,900 last week.

Until now, the IPS had attempted despite virus fears to maintain inmate visits on a restricted basis - being limited to one visitor per inmate with each visit restricted to 15 minutes.

Read More

Strict hygiene measures including hand sanitisers were also provided.

To date, no case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in an Irish prison though 12 inmates at the Dochas Centre in Mountjoy were in isolation.

Health chiefs admitted that their greatest concern has focused on Covid-19 spreading to vulnerable centres such as nursing homes and geriatric hospitals as well as concentrated population centres such as prisons.

Now, inmates will have to visit with their loved ones via electronic means.

"The volume of people entering and exiting our prisons on a daily basis means effective infection control and vigilance is absolutely essential," a Government spokesperson said.

"Prisons are the home or the place of work of over 7,000 people and the IPS is taking a number of necessary measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 including the restriction of visits to prisoners."

"The IPS has made every effort to continue to run normal family visits for as long as possible. However, in the best interests of the health and safety of prison staff, prisoners and their families, from tomorrow normal physical visits will no longer be possible."

"Physical visits will be replaced by electronic visits via Internet platforms, video link and video-phone."

"Electronic visits will negate the need for visitors, for example, to gather in visitor centres at each prison and are in line with the recommendations announced this week by the Taoiseach."

The IPS will work with inmate families over such 'virtual visits' and will liaise with families who may have not ready access to such electronic platforms.
As coronavirus spread across the United States during the past few weeks, denomination after denomination announced that they were shutting the doors of their houses of worship and moving services online.

Then President Donald Trump expressed hope that churches would reopen by Easter, April 12, dealing a blow to some pastors who had struggled to help congregants adjust to virtual services.

Most pastors said this week that they are not planning to open in time for the holiday, generally considered the holiest day on the Christian calendar. They are bracing for huge financial problems as they face empty pews on what is normally one of the biggest collection days of the year.

"The messaging that's coming out from the president is confusing for many people," said Jamie Aten, executive director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College in Illinois. "I appreciate the fact that he's encouraging hopefulness, but we have to approach this with a dose of humility."

Just before pastor Chris Beard shut the doors on Christ Covenant Church in Beaumont, Texas, a congregant told him that coronavirus "was 'just the flu,' and that the media needs to shut up." Stopping in-person services, Beard said, seemed like the best way to protect his congregation, which has fewer than 100 members.

Beard watched in disbelief this week as Trump suggested that the economy would be "opened up and raring to go" by Easter. "I was kind of gobsmacked," he said. "We finally have people paying attention and taking this seriously."

Other churches across the United States are already trying to cut their expenses by trimming programs, putting employees on furlough or laying them off.

The stimulus bill, passed by the House on Friday, could offer some relief to all houses of worship, nonprofits and their employees, according to Nathan Diament, Orthodox Union's executive director for public policy, who worked with legislators to help craft the bill. The legislation expands the availability of unemployment benefits to laid-off employees and provides a loan program for nonprofits with fewer than 500 employees, which would be forgiven if used for purposes such as paying salaries, rent and utilities. And it creates a charitable deduction of $300 for every taxpayer.

Meanwhile, most pastors are trying to plan for a different kind of Easter. Locally, Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde has suspended public worship through May 16. Public Mass for the Washington Archdiocese has been suspended until further notice.

Easter services are among the most highly attended of the year. It is when many adults are received into the Catholic Church and celebrate their first Communion. Churches across the country usually raise $9 million to $10 million for refugee services, said Patrick Markey, who runs a national group of diocesan finance officers. But with churches closed, no one can pass the plate - at least not in person.

Even though Pope Francis set an example for Catholic leaders by streaming services several weeks ago, Markey said U.S. Catholic leaders are getting some pushback over decisions to stop public Mass, especially in areas where no coronavirus cases had been confirmed.

"Bishops are getting nasty letters, saying, 'Why did you cancel church? There's nobody sick,' " Markey said.

As Catholic dioceses were already facing financial challenges amid the sexual abuse crisis, these next few weeks could be especially difficult for local parishes. The Knights of Columbus fraternal organization announced this week that it has established a $100 million fund to offer a $1 million line of credit for each Catholic diocese to help with short-term financing.

Johnnie Moore, who does consulting and public relations for several of Trump's evangelical supporters, said that religious advisers to the president are not pressuring him to enable them to reopen their churches by Easter. Moore said that Trump is trying to address not only the pandemic of the virus but the "pandemic of fear."

"This was him speaking aspirationally, not irrationally. But no one is holding him to it," Moore said. "People need hope. They need to know that this isn't indefinite."

The number of churches shifting to online giving has skyrocketed, according to David Rogers, senior vice president of marketing of Ministry Brands, which hosts several platforms for online giving. On Sunday, twice as many people donated on those platforms than gave on the same Sunday the previous year.

On average, people who contribute online give 33% more than people who give money in person, according to Rick Dunham, chair of the Board for the Giving USA Foundation. Churches have already been moving quickly toward online platforms where people give automatically, but the bigger, more urban churches have been faster to adopt the platforms. Most Americans attend smaller churches of less than 100, where online giving is much less common.

Jim Winkler, president of the ecumenical organization National Council of Churches, said his organization is recommending that people celebrate Easter by taking steps at home. He suggests blowing out a candle on Good Friday, putting up Christmas lights in their window and writing "Christ is Risen" in chalk on the driveway.

Even as most church doors are closed, the demand for the kinds of services churches offer has skyrocketed, said Winkler, who attends Fairlington United Methodist Church in Alexandria.

"I haven't seen church life slow down," he said. "I'm seeing it as busier than ever."

Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, said Christian leaders in European and Asian countries are telling him that the fight against the spread of coronavirus is long-term, not something that will lift around Easter.

"Some may believe this is a short-term battle," he said. "If the wisdom of the global church is to be received, it's possible it's a prolonged shift in the ways we think about worship and mission. It requires broad and sustained efforts."

Most historically black churches are adapting to virtual worship for the first time and are still making sure parishioners can join them online, said Suzan Johnson Cook, who has served as a pastor for the past 30 years.

"Easter's our high holy day, but there's nothing worth the human life," said Cook, who was the ambassador for international religious freedom under President Barack Obama. "We have a Pentecostal experience. Whether that's virtually, we can experience that spirit."
(Natural News) A tsunami of business defaults is already on the way thanks to mass closures of retailers around the country due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

And whats bad is that the virus is only going to rapidly accelerate what was already occurring: The demise of the brick-and-mortar businesses that saw their market share collapse thanks to e-tailer giants like Amazon and Walmart.

According to First Day, since June 2015 retail chains have racked up more than $5 billion in total Chapter 11 liabilities in connection with more than 80 bankruptcy filings. The result is that tens of thousands of stores around the country have closed their doors and more were already in the pipeline.

Since June 2015, retail chains have accumulated more than $45 billion in aggregate chapter 11 liabilities in connection with over 80 bankruptcy filings: pic.twitter.com/Q1XO9pSWij  First Day by Reorg (@ReorgFirstDay) August 20, 2019

As such, notes Zero Hedge, What has taken place in the retail sector in just the past few weeks is straight out of the 9th circle of hell.

Cash flows have dwindled and, in most cases, stopped completely as businesses are closing out of necessity (lack of business) or being forced to close by mayors and governors as a means of curbing the virus spread.

Those who are still surviving like Mattress Firm and Subway, including other major retail and restaurant chains, are informing landlords they will not be paying rent or will substantially reduce their rent payments in the coming months in response to a tremendous decline in business, Bloomberg News reported.

Already cognizant of the fact that business is tanking and not set to ramp back up possibly even in the short term, chains are, one way or the other, going to either call for rent reductions or are preparing to renegotiate their leases, with changes expected to be put in place as early as next month. (Related: Economist says we cant let coronavirus kill the economy, urges placing Wall Street profits above human lives.)

As Bloomberg News noted:

Mattress Firm, with about 2,400 stores, sent landlords a letter last week saying it would cut rent in exchange for longer leases and offering two options to do so. This week, it sent a more urgent note revoking its earlier offer.

The court system is just going to get flooded with a million of these disputes

The decline in revenue and forced store closures across the nation are more drastic, compressed and immediate than we originally anticipated, the company wrote in a letter seen by Bloomberg. Our need is now more severe, the firm added, referring to the virus as a force majeure event that will prevent or prohibit us from paying rent.

In addition, Subway Restaurants, which has 20,000 locations in the U.S. alone, sent a letter to landlords last week informing them that the franchise could cut or postpone rental payments because of the virus.

The moves, notes Bloomberg, are marking the next financial fallout phase of the virus: What will happen to the billions of dollars owed in rent for businesses that have been closed?

Zero Hedges Tyler Durden notes:

The stakes are high. Retail has a slew of big chains in turnaround mode. And if they do withhold payments, there would be a ripple effect. Landlords cant afford to stop collecting rent for long, with many property owners sitting on loads of debt.

But what if landlords, by and large, refuse to renegotiate leases and continue to demand payments? It all gets murky at that point, but it seems clear that a wave of defaults are coming if in fact payments cant be made on buildings that many landlords themselves may not yet even own. That, of course, could turn into another 2008-style banking crisis and eventual collapse.

Not to mention federal courts.

The court system is just going to get flooded with a million of these disputes between tenants and landlords, Vince Tibone, an analyst at Green Street Advisors, told Bloomberg. If the government doesnt step in, in any form or fashion, it could get ugly. They need to respond quickly.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

Bloomberg.com

NaturalNews.com
letters@htlive.com

Principal secretary, higher education, Monika S Garg, has strictly told all the state universities that examination and evaluation work will remain suspended till April 14 in wake of the 21-day lockdown in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.

She said that in all education institutions, faculty members researchers, non-teaching staff has been allowed to continue to work from home till April 14.

The universities and the colleges have been asked to prepare online lessons content to ensure that regular work continues. These lessons can also be evaluated online, she said.

Garg said there are already several online platforms on which content can be prepared and assignments can be given to students from time to time. Already, some universities, like Lucknow University, is undertaking such exercise. Other degree colleges should be encouraged to take similar steps, she said.

Teachers have been asked to prepare daily lesson plan, write articles, prepare innovative question bank and to prepare a project on the topic of Ek Bharat Sreshth Bharat, she said.

During the lockdown period, teachers and non-teaching staff will be marked present considering that they are working from home.

Foreign students who are putting up in various hostels shall continue to remain inside where they are and should take all precautionary measures, she said.

All teachers, non-teachers, researchers have been asked to make their contact details like phone number and email address available so that they can be reached or contacted during this lockdown period.

The letter has been sent to director Higher education department, regional higher education officers, registrar of all state and private universities.
In January of this year, the City of Buffalo Center brought on police officer Dustin Buck to provide law enforcement coverage when the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office wasn't able. According to Mayor John Davids, Buck, who has more than 10 years of police work to his name, was hired by the City Council as interim police chief on a trial and error type situation.

That lasted all of two months.

On March 20, Davids said that he terminated Buck's contract because he felt Buck "wasnt a good fit for the town. For the community."

He worried about Buck interjecting as a law officer in matters that Davids didn't believe was necessary.

Like when and when not to issue tickets for "Operating While Intoxicated."

"Im not going to put people in a situation where they feel in fear just because they walk out of a bar or bowling alley or their house or wherever in town and theyre being watched constantly by a police officer," Davids said.

What started Davids down the path to firing Buck was when the officer went into the local bar that was open past the 2 a.m. curfew and told it to close as soon as possible. Davids said that that was "understandable," but said he got upset when he heard that a patron walked home from the bar that night out of fear of getting an OWI.

So he texted Buck.

"Writing citations or arresting people for have [sic] one to [sic] many I will not tolerate!!!" the mayor texted.

The officer saved the text conversation.

That led to a phone conversation where Buck took issue with what Davids asked of him.

"There was an issue with the text message you sent and your request about citations and OWI enforcements (an unethical order to give me)," the officer can be heard saying in a recording of the conversation, which he kept. "Its something I cant follow. Im not running around writing citations. I havent even done an OWI investigation yet. If I happen across somebody thats intoxicated, I have an obligation to make the road safe."

Davids can then be heard asking: "You dont think its possible in a small town like Buffalo Center to just make sure they get home safely?"

The response from Buck: "No. Thats not proper anywhere. Thats not how Im trained. And, like I said, its unethical for you to tell me that."

It was shortly after that that Buck received notification that he had been fired.

According to Davids, in his almost 20 years of being mayor, no one had complained to him about making unethical requests and that Buck having such a complaint was "way oversensitive." Davids emphasized that it's possible in a small community for everybody to get along and take care of each other without getting hurt or put under pressure to do things they dont want to do.

He offered an analogy.

"I dont think its proper that if you want to go from Caseys to the grocery store and you dont want to put on your seat belt, I dont think we need a police officer looking in your car to make sure you have a seat belt on," Davids argued. "We try to keep a low profile in this community. Keep everybody safe without the constant overview of the law officer.

"Whats the difference between .08 and .081 as far as breaking the law versus not wearing your seat belt," the mayor said.

In 2018, the Iowa Department of Transportation recorded 82 fatalities from alcohol-related crashes. The year prior that number was 92.

Even before the conversation with Buck, Davids said that he'd been getting calls and messages from citizens who weren't happy with the service they were being provided. Then once he actually talked to Buck about everything, he decided that Buck wasnt able to go by some of the rules and regulations set down.

"Now if I get myself in trouble, thats fine too," Davids said. "If the public doesnt think thats the right way to handle it, they can ask for my resignation. It wouldnt be a problem. Im 71 years old. I dont need this job, to be honest."

That echoed what Davids told Buck in a phone call when he said that if the city needed new mayor, it wouldn't be a big deal.

Buck has said that he did his best to protect Buffalo Center and its citizens.

Now, the city will be looking for a new officer. But it'll take until at least April to get the ball rolling on that.

Reach Reporter Jared McNett at 641-421-0527. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @TwoHeadedBoy98.

Love 3 Funny 9 Wow 2 Sad 4 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.
I am a retired British physician. My work was mainly involved in the effects of stress on health, and I worked with large companies and individuals on how to best cope. A combination of doctor and psychologist actually. If anyone feeling stressed would like - free obviously - to speak to me, please email me. I may be able to help with some personalized coping methods and sometimes it is nice to talk or be able to express your anxiety to someone who you don't know.
An employee of the Amazon warehouse in Kenosha is in quarantine after being diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the company.

We are supporting the individual who is recovering, a spokesman for Amazon said in an email. We are following guidelines from health officials and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site.

The facility is one of Kenoshas largest private employers, with about 3,000 employees at two warehouses at 3501 120th Ave.

The confirmation of a positive case at one of Kenosha Countys large supply-chain companies comes as the number of COVID-19 cases increased to at least 24 countywide by Friday.

The number of cases statewide climbed from 707 Thursday to 842 Friday, and the number of deaths increased from nine to 13.

Just south of the Wisconsin border, Lake County, Ill., reported 184 positive cases as of Friday.

At least 11 other Amazon facilities around the country have had employees diagnosed with the virus, which has spread quickly over the last month.

According to the company, employees who worked closely with the employee who is ill were informed and asked to go into self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to work, with Amazon paying them for their time at home. The company said employees at the facility were informed of the positive test.

One employee at the site said employees in her building were not notified that a worker had tested positive. We were not notified, no email, no nothing, she said. I heard rumors, but nobody notified us.

She said she was worried about safety at work, saying employees are not provided masks. She said there is increased cleaning at the facility,

Amazon is allowing workers to take unpaid leave through April in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the worker said most employees cannot afford to take unpaid leave.

Another Amazon employee said the worker who was ill had limited contact with other employees and that those people were notified.

In an interview with National Public Radio Friday, Jay Carney, senior vice president of global corporate affairs, said the company has instituted a series of policies about cleaning, employee time off and protocols on facility closures in the event of positive tests.

Those changes are being balanced with increased demand on Amazon as the COVID-19 crisis forces people around the world to stay at home and depend more heavily on having goods shipped to their doorsteps.

The company announced earlier this month that it was hiring 100,000 new employees to meet the demand, including 700 additional employees at the Kenosha facility.

The workers we have are performing really important work right now while people cant get out of their home to shop, Carney told NPR.

He said response to positive tests in facilities depends on the role the employee played in the facility and the number of workers they were in direct contact with.

While one facility in Kentucky was shut down until April for cleaning, others  including Kenosha  have remained in operation with just the area where the affected employee worked.

According to a statement from the company, Amazon is working with health authorities on how to handle facility closures for deep cleaning, evaluating where the employee was in the building, how much time had passed since they were at work, and how many people they had interacted with.
As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 dramatically reshapes daily life in Oregon and around the world, pregnant people face a shifting mountain of unknowns as they prepare to give birth.

Im not a mom who writes out a birth plan and has a picture-perfect birth, said Shaleena Kolnick, who is due in early June and plans to deliver at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, but I did have some hopes to get to experience this time around with my third child.

My original plan, she said, was to have the babys father, my best friend and possibly a birthing doula with me when my son entered the world.

Now, for Kolnick and many others planning to deliver babies, those plans have changed.

Multiple women reported canceled prenatal appointments, and at least one provider was checking in with patients over video chat. And hospitals around Portland have started limiting visitors to one person per labor and delivery patient, and are allowing no children at all.

Oregon Health and Sciences University, Providence and Kaiser Permanente are among the hospitals imposing these new restrictions, forcing people to choose between support people and partners, grandparents and doulas.

And siblings will all have to wait to meet new babies until everyone is home.

Kolnick said she needed to be in the hospital for an extended period of time.

Ill be going at least five days without getting to see my daughters, which terrifies me, she said.

Not having children visit is less worrisome in some cases than the prospect of giving birth without expected support people.

Ive always been surrounded by family and friends coming in and out to see me and support me after my births, Kolnick said. The thought of not having my family and only having one person has started weighing on me.

CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS

Carley Berkey, who is due in the middle of April with her second baby, also hoped to have a doula by her side because the experience of having one was so positive during her first birth.

We loved having someone on our team to answer questions and give me advice as I navigated the labor and delivery, she said.

Now, there will be no doula in the room.

Doulas and support people are an increasingly common part of the birth experience. While some people might think of doulas as a luxury add-on to the birth experience, research shows that having a knowledgeable support person during birth is positively affecting outcomes in many pregnancies, including lower cesarean section and preterm birth rates.

Melissa Cheyney is a medical anthropologist at Oregon State University who runs the Community Doula Project.

That project works to train doulas in Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties and connect them with at-risk populations, including pregnant people who speak limited English, are medically high risk, are part of underserved racial or ethnic groups, are under 21, have no family support, or are homeless.

The program, which is entering its third year, has seen a dramatic shift in pregnancy outcomes. The data shows that people delivering with their doulas have a 13% cesarean section rate compared to a 30% rate in the general Medicaid population.

Now, they are trying to figure out how to support pregnant people as well as doulas and the medical community, all while keeping everyone as safe as possible.

Our policies are shifting every couple of days, Cheyney said.

As of now, all prenatal and postpartum visits are being carried out remotely.

Our doulas are only going to births with people if they have literally no one else, Cheyney said.

But even though they cant attend most births, Cheyney said, the doulas are working hard to educate their clients and support people and empower them with all the information they need going into birth.

Our clients are now giving birth in a pandemic, she said. Its already really scary.

Its really just about trying to reduce their stress level, she added. We worry about clients being able to go into labor when they are that afraid.

But at the same time, Cheyney said, her program isnt pushing too hard against the new restrictions.

Unfortunately, she said, if there was proper safety equipment and widespread testing so it was clear who was infected and who was not, doulas could help relieve pressure on a taxed healthcare system by helping people labor at home and giving them care at home after babies are born.

We cannot get access to personal protective equipment for our doulas, she said.

We understand that doulas are lower down on the list of people who need them.

That means they cant make sure that doulas are staying safe and without widespread testing, they cant make sure doulas arent carriers.

Given all those limitations, weve gone along, albeit sadly, with the protocols, Cheyney said.

These people will remember their birth in a very different way, she added.

Martha Snyder, a Vancouver-based doula, is also getting creative to help a client who is expecting to give birth in a hospital in April.

The current plan is for me to be with her during labor at home and see what happens at the hospital, she said. I've also offered virtual support in hospital via Skype, but we'll see how that goes.

Women expecting to deliver babies after a previous c-section report another set of worries.

Etta Tron, who is due in early April and planning to give birth at Legacy Emanual, was hoping to attempt a vaginal birth after her first baby was born by cesarean section.

But, she said, my doctor is currently recommending I schedule a cesarean before my due date to ensure that I have access to a surgery slot.

Tron now faces a difficult decision.

I'm trying to balance concerns for the state of the hospital system in two weeks against my very strong desire to try for a non-cesarean birth, she said.

Holly Sturdivan, who is scheduled for a c-section in May at Providence Portland, is also worried. With the accelerating pace of the virus and the changes being put in place, she isnt sure if her husband will be allowed with her in the operating room.

My daughter was born via emergency c-section so I was hoping this one was going to be a lot smoother, Sturdivan said, but COVID has made my anxiety rise with how much more there is to worry about during a time thats supposed to be exciting.

The changes in plans arent the only thing causing pregnant people anxiety. There is also the coronavirus itself.

I feel so scared of myself or a family member catching this virus either before or after I have a baby, Berkey said. Its overwhelming to think of trying to handle a potentially fatal virus.

While there are many unknowns about the virus, the World Health Organization says so far it does not appear that people who are pregnant are at a higher risk for infection than the general public.

However, the WHO FAQ on pregnancy and COVID-19 says, due to changes in their bodies and immune systems, we know that pregnant women can be badly affected by some respiratory infections.

That means pregnant women should take precautions to protect themselves against the virus.

In light of the new restrictions, some women are looking to birth centers or at-home midwives to help them give birth.

Silke Akerson, the executive director of the Oregon Midwifery Council, said requests for home births had increased since the COVID-19 pandemic escalated.

Home birth with midwives is a gentle and safe option for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies but it is not for everyone," Akerson said in a statement put out by the Oregon Midwifery Council.

But, she cautioned, "Home birth is not a good choice for people who had health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes before pregnancy or for those experiencing complications during pregnancy.

Wendy Smith, an obstetrician in the Portland-area also quoted in the statement, added, Home birth can be safe for low-risk pregnancies but women with medical conditions and women with twin or breech pregnancies should plan to deliver in the hospital.

According to the statement, doctors, midwives in hospitals, birth centers and those who work in homes are working together to provide safe care to birthing people and babies during the coronavirus outbreak.

At this time, the statement said, Oregon hospitals are equipped to continue care for all patients currently planning a hospital birth while home birth and birth center midwives are preparing to care for an increased number of low-risk pregnant people who are changing from a planned hospital birth to a planned home birth or birth center birth.

People wanting to shift to a home birth also have to consider the other ways that changes birth plans -- outside of the hospital there are no epidurals and there is always a possibility that a laboring mother will need to be transferred to a hospital if the labor doesnt progress or there are complications.

It remains unclear how long pregnant people will have to operate in this new world of maternal care. For now, soon-to-be-parents are doing their best, finding their way through a constantly shifting landscape.

Pregnancy is such an emotional journey in the best of circumstances, Berkey said, adding this unknown element has been incredibly emotionally challenging to navigate."

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong has also asked the city's Health Department to invest in upgrading facilities before March 31 to be able to test more than 5,000 swab samples per day.

The department is requested to direct hospitals and health facilities to comply with Covid-19 prevention measures for the next 15 days. It is also asked to arrange and rearrange areas in medical examination and treatment facilities as also adjust the operation process to ensure that there are no places that are too crowded. Hospitals must refrain from holding meetings in person and make these an online activity.

Health workers should not gather in large numbers and should refrain from attending events like weddings and funerals. They should also not eat out. If there is any gathering that they have to attend, medical workers must keep a distance of 2 m and not gather more than three people, wear a mask and other personal protective gear as needed. Health workers and their family members must limit going out unless it is an emergency.

Hospitals have already strengthened measures to closely monitor visits by patients' relatives towards minimizing contact between outsiders and health workers as well as patients.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 163 Covid-19 cases, including 143 active ones. Forty of these are from HCMC.

Most of the active cases in Vietnam are those whove come back from Europe and the U.S. and people whove come into close contact with them.

Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 199 countries and territories, claiming over 24,000 lives.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday assured full support to his United States counterpart Donald Trump in fighting the coronavirus as America emerged as the next major epicentre of the pandemic but underlined that infectious diseases did not recognise any border or race.

Trump spoke to Xi over telephone, days after the US president angered Beijing by referring to the coronavirus as "Chinese virus" and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China's ruling Communist Party poses a substantial threat" to Americans' health and their way of life.

Chinese President Xi took a phone call from President Trump, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.



During the conversation, Xi stressed that since the COVID-19 outbreak began, Beijing has acted in an "open, transparent and responsible manner and provided timely updates on the outbreak to the World Health Organization and relevant countries including the United States".



After their telephonic talk, Trump tweeted, "Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the Coronavirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet.



"China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!" Trump wrote, hours after he said the WHO of has "very much sided" with China on the coronavirus crisis, asserting that many are unhappy with the "very unfair" praise by the global health agency on Beijing's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.



In his remarks, president Xi said China released the genome sequencing of the virus at the earliest opportunity. "China is sharing control and treatment experience without reservation and doing its best to support and help countries in need", he said.



China will continue to do so and work with the international community to defeat the outbreak, Xi told Trump.



He pointed out that "infectious diseases are the common enemy of mankind and recognise no border or race. To win the fight against them, the international community must come together".



At the same time, Xi highlighted the need to enhance macroeconomic policy coordination to stabilise markets, boost growth and protect livelihood, and to keep global supply chains open, stable and secure.



When asked, Chinese President Xi shared in great detail the measures taken by China to fight COVID-19, the statement said.



He said he was monitoring closely and following with concern the outbreak in the US and noted the string of measures taken by US President Trump in response.



"It is the sincere hope of the Chinese people that the US will contain the spread of COVID-19 at an early date and reduce its impact on the American people.



On Thursday the US reported more deaths from Covid-19 than ever before. A week ago, there were a total of 8,800 confirmed infections in the country and 149 deaths. On Thursday, that figure spiked to over 86,000 with nearly 1,200 deaths.



"China has been keen on international cooperation against the outbreak. The current situation requires solidarity and cooperation between China and the US, Xi told Trump.



The Chinese side will continue to share information and experience with the US without reservation, Xi said while offering medical supplies to America.



"China appreciates the current difficulties the US faces and is willing to help as its ability permits," he said while urging Trump to take effective steps to look after the large number of Chinese students in America and ensure their safety and well-being.



Xi underscored that the China-US relationship has reached an important juncture. As cooperation benefits both sides and confrontation hurts both, the former remains the only correct choice.
Most stores in the United States are currently on lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. In most areas of the US, only essential stores such as groceries and pharmacies still remain open. Michaels is one of the biggest arts, craft, framing, and building retailers in the US, which is why they will remain open during the coronavirus pandemic.

Michaels hours during the COVID-19 outbreak

Also Read | Joann's Fabrics hours: Is Joann's Fabrics open amid the coronavirus outbreak?

Michaels has announced that they will not be shutting down during the Coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, Michael stores will remain open during their regular working hours, 9 AM to 7 PM. In a statement to a news portal, a spokesperson for Michaels said that they have closed many stores throughout the country to comply with county and municipal government orders. However, several stores will still remain open and will be sanitized heavily.

Also Read | Newberg liquor store hours and senior hours during COVID-19 pandemic

The spokesperson further told the portal that social distancing will be prioritized to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in their stores. Moreover, the spokesperson stated that all Michaels stores will introduce curbside pickups for their customers, considering the fact that not many people will want to come inside due to the ongoing pandemic. Michaels will also shut down all public store activities, such as builders' fests and kid zones.

Also Read | Shops selling essential items to remain open 24 hours in Goa

A few days ago, a memo sent by Michaels' executives was leaked online. According to the memo, the higher-ups at Michaels requested their employees to continue working. Michaels' CEO deemed the company an essential business, as it was required for the functioning of other small private businesses such as farms.

While most Michaels stores will remain open, some stores in certain cities and states will be shut down in accordance with county and state laws. Michaels stores will remain closed in the cities of Fort Worth and Miami. Michaels Stores will also be closed in the states of California, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Also Read | Harris Teeter store hours and senior hours during the Coronavirus outbreak
CHICAGO, March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report " Adhesive Tapes Market by Resin Type (Acrylic, Rubber, Silicone), Backing Material (PP, Paper, PVC), Technology (Solvent, Hot-Melt, Water Based), End-Use Industry (Packaging, Healthcare, E&E, Automotive) and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Adhesive Tapes Market is projected to grow from USD 60.4 billion in 2020 to USD 79.9 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. The major factor driving the adhesive tapes market includes the increase in demand from end-use industries such as packaging, healthcare, electrical & electronics, and automotive. These adhesive tapes have wide acceptability due to factors such as low cost and easy availability, as compared to its substitutes - staples and glue.

Download PDF Brochure:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=251563138

Browse in-depth TOC on "Adhesive Tapes Market"

147 - Tables

62 - Figures

213 - Pages

View Detailed Table of Content Here:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/adhesive-tapes-market-251563138.html

Silicone is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Silicone-based adhesive tapes are non-conductive in nature. Key properties of silicone-based adhesive tapes include low chemical reactivity, low toxicity, and high gas permeability, which make these tapes suitable for medical applications. Over the past few years, the demand for silicone-based adhesive tapes has been increasing in various end-use industries.

Hot-melt technology is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The hot-melt technology segment is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. Hot-melt adhesive tapes are the fastest-growing class of adhesive tapes in healthcare application. These adhesive tapes have an extreme rate of bond formation, which can translate into high production rates. In the US, hot-melt technology is widely used in tape production by key players, such as 3M Company (US) and Intertape Polymer Group, Inc. (Canada).

Request Sample Pages:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=251563138

Paper is estimated to be the fastest-growing backing material in the adhesive tapes market during the forecast period

The paper segment is projected to register the highest CAGR between 2020 and 2025. Smooth or crepe paper with different elongation degrees and tensile strengths are used as a backing material for adhesive tapes. Paper adhesive tapes are used in healthcare, automotive, electrical & electronics, and building & construction industries.

APAC is estimated to be the largest as well as the fastest-growing adhesive tapes market

APAC is estimated to account for the largest share of the adhesive tapes market during the forecast period. The healthcare, electrical & electronics, and automotive segments are the key markets for adhesive tape manufacturers as these industries are expected to witness significant growth. Also, demand from various industries in developing countries such as Japan, India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore is contributing to the growth of the APAC adhesive tapes market. China is the largest consumer of adhesive tapes in the region and continues to drive the global demand.

Major vendors in the adhesive tapes market include 3M Company (US), tesa SE (Germany), Nitto Denko Corporation (Japan), Lintec Corporation (Japan), Intertape Polymer Group (Canada), Avery Dennison Corporation (US), Lohmann GmbH (Germany), Berry Global Inc. (US), Scapa Group PLC (Canada), and Rogers Corporation (US).

Browse Adjacent Markets: Coatings Adhesives Sealants and Elastomers Market Reports & Consulting

Related Reports:

Adhesives & Sealants Market by Adhesive Formulating Technology (Water-Based, Solvent-Based, Hot-Melt, Reactive), Sealant Resin Type (Silicone, Polyurethane, Plastisol, Emulsion, Butyl, Polysulfide), Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2024

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/adhesive-sealants-market-421.html

Adhesive Resin Market by Technology (Water, Solvent, Hot-Melt, Reactive & Others), by Chemistry (PAE, PVA, VAE, EVA, SBS, Synthetic Rubber, Polyamide, Polyurethane, Epoxy, Cyanoacrylate, & Others), & by Application - Global Forecast to 2020

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/adhesive-resins-market-13352119.html

Double Sided Tape Market by Resin Type (Acrylic, Rubber, Silicone), Technology (Solvent, Water, and Hot Melt), Backing Material (Foam, Film, Paper), End-Use (Automotive, Building & Construction, Paper & Print), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/double-sided-tape-market-24592600.html

Electronic Adhesives Market by Form (Liquid, Paste and Solid), by Type (Electrically Conductive, Thermally Conductive, UV Curing and Others), by Application (Printed Circuit Boards and Semiconductor & IC), by Region - Global Trends and Forecasts to 2020

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/electronic-adhesives-market-52262402.html

Waterproof Tapes Market by Adhesive (Acrylic, Silicone, Butyl), Substrate (Metals, Plastics, Rubber), End-Use Industry (Building & Construction, Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Healthcare, Packaging), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/waterproof-tape-market-260495375.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Sanjay Gupta

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/adhesive-tapes-market.asp

Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/

Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/adhesive-tapes.asp

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg
One Laois GAA club is leading the way when it comes to responding to the anxiety and fear caused by the arrival of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Ireland.

Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton GAA club has posted up a special message for people of the surrounding area outlining their willingness to help.

The post reads:

"The current situation with the COVID 19 Virus is a worrying time for everyone and with this comes a lot of stress, uncertainty and anxiety. It is one of those times when it is important that we all pull together and do what we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the community. It is important to have supports in place to help everyone where possible.

With this in mind Borris in Ossory Kilcotton GAA club has assembled a Response Team to assist anyone in the community who needs assistance with shopping for groceries or fuel and collection of prescriptions, or just a chat on the phone.

A list of volunteers has been compiled to cover all areas in the parish and they are all committed to assisting anyone who needs help, particularly the elderly, those living alone and the more vulnerable members of the community.



LIST OF VOLUNTEERS

The following is a list of the volunteers in each area and their phone number.

BORRIS IN OSSORY VILLAGE

Brian Kealy 086 3547516

Ian Hanrahan 086 1301796

Ronan Kelly 087 3375525

T. J. Keenan 087 6549889



BALLAGHMORE

Donna Duffield 085 8486375



DERRIN

Eoin Phelan 0866012371

Owen Drennan 087 9813560



GREENROADS

Jimmy Daly 0879693855

Alan Drennan 087 6897765

Jackie Quinlan 087 1391136



KNOCKAROO

John Kealy 087 6800860

Aaron Dunphy 087 1749304



KILLASMEESTIA

Trevor Moore 0878 7562890

Eoghan Whelan 087 7386272



KILCOKE/BALLYBROPHY

Jim Fitzpatrick 087 9578202

Sue Hickey 087 6028024

Mary Ellen Ryan 087 1246925



SKEIRKE/GARRON

Michael Breen 085 2035489

Neil Foyle 085 1970618

Diarmuid Quinlan 087 1307980

If you know of anyone who would like to avail of this service, please pass on their contact details to any of the volunteers. Anyone else who would like to offer their services as a volunteer please contact one of the numbers above. All HSE Guidelines and Safety measures will be adhered to, particularly in relation to social distancing, hand hygiene etc."

Communities and GAA clubs across Ireland have not only been stepping up to the plate for their friends and family, but to the wider community as well. Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton have also posted a series of challenges, activities and videos to their social media streams that are well worth a look - keep up to date via Facebook or Twitter.

Well done to all involved.
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been charged with misusing authority and corruption when making appointments in a state-owned petroleum corporation, the country's anti-corruption watchdog said on Friday.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the case in an anti-corruption court in Karachi, accusing Abbasi of violating rules while appointing Sheikh Imranul Haq as the managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

Abbasi, 61, reportedly made the appointment while serving as minister for petroleum in former premier Nawaz Sharif's Cabinet.

The NAB said non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against Abbasi and his then secretary Arshad Mirza, who is also named in the case. Notices have also been sent to Haq and the PSO's then deputy managing director of Finance Yaqoob Suttar.

All the accused have to appear before the accountability court on April 10.

This is the second corruption case against Abbasi, a senior Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) member, who secured bail earlier this month in a case related to the "dubious" awarding of a liquefied natural gas import contract.

Haq was also named in the case along with former finance minister Miftah Ismail.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif condemned the fresh case and non-bailable warrant against Abbasi.

"Instead of fighting the coronavirus, NAB and Niazi (Prime Minister Imran Khan) are busy fighting the media and the Opposition," Shehbaz said.

"On one hand, prisoners are being released and on the other hand, those who served the nation are being arrested," Shehbaz said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The coverage on this live blog has ended  but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's Asia-Pacific team. All times below are in Eastern time. Global cases: More than 591,802

Global deaths: At least 26,996

US cases: At least 101,657

US deaths: At least 1,581 The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

7: 26 pm: SF secures 300 hotel rooms for self-quarantine, will open new shelter at convention center

San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Friday announced that the city had secured 300 hotel rooms for the purpose of self-isolating people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The city also will open a new shelter at its Moscone West convention facility. The 300 leased hotel rooms will be used to quarantine seniors, homeless people, first responders and health care workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus or under investigation for the illness and need to be isolated. The city is also in the process of finalizing leases for an additional 3,000 hotel rooms next week, according to the office of the mayor. The new shelter at the Moscone West convention center will allow the city to house more vulnerable populations who are required to practice social distancing. The shelter will allow the city to relocate some people from other shelters. Moscone West is typically used to house company conventions, such as the Worldwide Developers Conference where Apple has previously announced many of its iPhone and Mac products. "At a time when we're encouraging everyone who can to stay home and stay six feet apart when they do go out, it's important that our shelters and navigation centers also have the space to follow the public health requirements," Breed said in a statement. Salvador Rodroguez

7:09 pm: Nike learned a lesson in China: Some want to sweat away their coronavirus stress

Nike has a variety of mobile apps for fitness, including Nike Run Club. Source: Nike

Nike's stores might be temporarily shut due to COVID-19, but the sportswear giant is getting more people to sweat during stressful times. With many gyms like Equinox shut down, people are turning to its apps, and that is helping boost its e-commerce business. Nike has made the premium version of its Nike Training Club app, which offers virtual workouts like a 43-minute upper body strength routine, or a 23-minute core strength yoga course, free to all U.S. consumers. It made the switch last weekend, when it started promoting a new ad campaign telling people to "Play Inside and Play for the World," amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In the U.S., Nike has since seen a more than 100% increase in weekly active users of its NTC app, Heidi O'Neill, the president of Nike's Consumer and Marketplace division said. And in China, where the virus originated, Nike saw an 80% increase in NTC workouts in the latest quarter. Lauren Thomas

7:03 pm: Trump says he told Pence not to call governors who aren't 'appreciative' of White House coronavirus efforts

President Donald Trump said Friday that he instructed Vice President Mike Pence not to reach out to governors who aren't "appreciative" of his administration's efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus in their states. "If they don't treat you right, I don't call," Trump said of those state leaders. "I think they should be appreciative. Because you know what? When they're not appreciative to me, they're not appreciative to the Army Corps of Engineers, they're not appreciative to FEMA. It's not right," Trump told reporters at a daily press briefing at the White House. The president mentioned Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats who have been critical of the White House's actions to combat the deadly pandemic. Kevin Breuninger, Christina Wilkie

6:56 pm: Fiorina criticizes coronavirus relief bill, says large companies haven't 'earned' help

Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina criticized the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, saying that the bill was too generous to large companies. "It's the $500 billion of corporate bailout that I object to. I think it is not taxpayer money well spent, and I don't think the companies have earned it, and they have vast resources at their disposal through some of the backstops and extraordinary measures that the Federal Reserve has taken," Fiorina said Friday on CNBC's "Closing Bell." Jesse Pound

6:51 pm: Airbnb freezes hiring and suspends marketing due to coronavirus

Airbnb will institute a hiring freeze and suspend its marketing as the company adjusts to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its business, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC. The company's founders will also be taking on no salary and its executives will take a 50% salary reduction for the next six months. Additionally, employees have been told that it is unlikely that they will get their 2020 bonus. The hiring freeze will impact all roles with the exception of a very small number of critical positions, according to the person, who asked to remain anonymous discussing internal matters. It's a dramatic turn of events for Airbnb, which was poised to be the hottest tech IPO (or direct listing) of the year until the COVID-19 crisis struck the U.S. last month. Sal Rodriguez

6:46 pm: As retailers extend store closures past the two-week mark, tougher decisions need to be made

March 27 was the day that many retailers set roughly two weeks ago as the marker for how long they planned to temporarily keep their shops closed. But as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, nothing is opening back up again. Not even close. For some, this might not come as a surprise. Many of these companies likely set the initial end-of-the-month date because they knew they could at least pay workers for two-weeks time, verbally committing to do so, and they had already paid their landlords March rent. Now, heading into April, we are in uncharted territory. Where the industry goes from here will depend on many factors as the announcements from a number of retailers illustrate. Lauren Thomas

6:40 pm: Inside the Navy's hospital ships helping to ease the surge of coronavirus patients

Sailors perform a surgical procedure in an operating room aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Danny Ray Nunez Jr. | US Navy

A U.S. military hospital ship arrived in Los Angeles Friday to help local efforts to beat back the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The arrival of USNS Mercy comes as the nation's coronavirus cases crossed 100,000, surpassing the national tallies of China and Italy. Last week, President Donald Trump ordered the dispatch of the USNS Mercy to Los Angeles and her twin, the USNS Comfort, to New York. Amanda Macias

6:20 pm: Gov. Cuomo, the National Guard and FEMA transform the Javits Center into a hospital

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces plans to convert the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattans West Side into a field hospital as Coronavirus cases continue to rise on March 23, 2020 in New York. Bryan R. Smith | AFP | Getty Images

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the construction of a temporary hospital at the Jacob K. Javits Center had been completed with the help of FEMA and the National Guard. The New York City convention center, which usually hosts events like New York Comic Con, is now home to 1,000 hospital beds that will be used to handle patient overflow caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The temporary hospital at the Javits Center in Manhattan is just the first of several that will be built in New York. Cuomo plans to have a temporary hospital in each of New York City's five boroughs as well as in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Hannah Miller, Adam Jeffery

5:45: US coronavirus cases top 100,000, doubling in three days

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. surpassed 100,000 Friday, doubling in just three days as the pandemic accelerates and the U.S. rolls out broader testing measures. Data from Johns Hopkins University showed the total number of coronavirus cases as 101,707 and the total number of deaths in the U.S. as 1,544. The virus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December. It has since spread to more than half a million people in almost every country around the world and continues to pick up speed, the World Health Organization warned earlier this week. "The pandemic is accelerating," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday at a press briefing from the organization's Geneva headquarters. "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach 100,000 cases, 11 days for second 100,000 cases, and just four days for the third 100,000 cases." William Feuer

5:30 pm: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper orders residents to stay at home order

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a stay-at-home order Friday and closed the state's nonessential businesses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The order goes into effect 5:00 pm Monday, but Cooper urged residents to begin staying at home immediately. "It's what we have to do to save lives," he said at a press briefing Friday. Residents will still be able to leave for essential reasons, including to get food or medicine, according to Cooper. People will also be able to leave their homes for outdoor exercise or to help others. North Carolina has 763 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and has had three deaths from the virus, according to data compiled by the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Hannah Miller

5 pm: Trump signs $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill as the US tries to prevent economic devastation

President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Friday, as Washington tries to blunt economic destruction from the pandemic ripping through the United States. The House earlier passed the stimulus package, believed to be the largest in U.S. history, by voice vote, which simply measures if more lawmakers shout for "aye" or "nay" on whether to support it. The chamber scrambled Friday to block an effort to delay its passage. Jacob Pramuk

4:30 pm: California suspends eviction orders for those financially impacted by coronavirus

Medical personnel from Riverside University Health Systems hospitals administer a coronavirus test to an individual during drive-thru testing in the parking lot of Diamond Stadium in California. Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by the coronavirus through May 31. The order is effective immediately, providing relief to tenants who have rent due April 1. Landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent and the enforcement of evictions by courts or law enforcement is also banned, according to a statement from the governor's office. Tenants must declare in writing no more than seven days after their rent's due date that they cannot pay all or part of their rent because of COVID-19. Reasons for lack of payment could include being sick from the coronavirus, caring for someone who is sick, experiencing a layoff or needing to miss work to care for a child, among other circumstances. Tenants remain obligated to repay full rent in a timely manner and could still face eviction after the enforcement moratorium is lifted. They must provide documentation that verifies their financial status changed because of the virus. Hannah Miller

4:15 pm: SeaWorld furloughs nearly all of its employees

SeaWorld has temporarily furloughed more than 90% of its employees as of April 1, according to an SEC filing. Furloughed employees will not be paid after March 31 and will be eligible for unemployment subject to local regulations. "The furlough period is uncertain at this time due to the temporary park closures and will be reassessed as business conditions dictate," the filing said. SeaWorld said earlier this month that it initially planned to close all of its parks until the end of March. Hannah Miller

4 pm: Trump orders General Motors to make ventilators under Defense Production Act

President Donald Trump has ordered General Motors to make ventilators under the Defense Production Act hours after criticizing the company for not acting quickly enough to produce the supplies amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Korean War-era statute can force certain American companies to produce materials that are in short supply in the face of the growing outbreak. The order comes hours after GM announced plans to build critical-care ventilators with Ventec Life Systems at one of the automaker's components plants in Indiana. Michael Wayland

3:45 pm: Disneyland and Disney World to stay closed

Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice, according to an announcement from the Walt Disney Company. Hourly employees of the parks as well as resort cast members will continue to be paid through April 18, the company said. Universal Orlando Resort previously extended its closure until April 19. After shutting down on March 16, the theme park originally planned to stay closed until the end of March. Hannah Miller

3:30: San Francisco's early restrictions seem to be helping hospitals avoid coronavirus overload  so far

In San Francisco, once feared to be a hotbed for the coronavirus, doctors are not yet seeing the dire overcrowding of hospitals that other areas like New York are are experiencing. "I was on campus today, and it's actually quite mellow," said Dr. Bob Watcher, UC San Francisco's Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine told CNBC on Thursday. "Because we're not doing elective procedures that can be pushed back, it's even quieter than usual." For now, UCSF clinicians are managing a steady trickle of patients entering into the emergency rooms with COVID-19 symptoms. while still bracing for a possible flood. As of Friday, San Francisco has 279 confirmed cases and the city saw its largest increase of COVID-19 diagnoses on Thursday. California now has more than 4,000 known COVID-19 cases. Christina Farr

3:23 pm: Dow pares some losses, down 400 points

Major stock indexes pared some losses in late trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 400 points, or 1.7%, after falling as much as 1,000 earlier in the session. The S&P 500 slid 1.2% while the Nasdaq Composite traded 1.6% lower. Fred Imbert

3:06 pm: Walmart, Kroger have already hired thousands of new employees

Thousands of new Walmart and Kroger employees are already restocking shelves, checking out customers and working at distribution centers across the country. Kroger is the parent company of grocery chains, including Fred Meyer and Harris Teeter. It has hired more than 23,500 employees so far, and it plans to hire an additional 20,000 for its stores, manufacturing plants and distribution centers in the coming weeks, according to a company news release. Walmart hired 25,000 employees in less than a week, after it announced plans to add a total of 150,000 part-time and full-time workers through the end of May. The major U.S. grocers have some of the most aggressive plans to staff up as boxes of pasta, canned goods, toilet paper and other essential items continue to fly off shelves during the coronavirus pandemic. They've expedited hiring and received numerous applications from people laid off or fuloughed by restaurants, hotels or other hard-hit industries. Melissa Repko

2:50 pm: Four dead on Carnival cruise ship amid new coronavirus outbreak aboard

Four passengers died aboard Holland America's "Zaandam" cruise ship and two people on board tested positive for the coronavirus, the company said. The company, which is owned by parent Carnival Corp., did not say how many passengers and crew were tested, but said 53 passengers and 85 crew members are exhibiting symptoms consistent with the coronavirus. There are more than 1,800 people aboard the ship, the company said, adding that four doctors and four nurses are also onboard. The company said in a statement that "four older guests have passed away on Zaandam," but did not specify whether they died of COVID-19. "No one has been off the ship since March 14 in Punta Arenas, Chile." Will Feuer

2:40 pm: France reports new spike in deaths

Members of the Charitable Brotherhood of Saint-Eloi de Bethune, each wearing a face mask, carry a coffin towards a grave, at Pierrette cemetery in Bethune, on March 27, 2020, as the country is under lockdown to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. Denis Charlet | AFP | Getty Images

French health authorities reported 299 new deaths from coronavirus, taking the total to 1,995, as the government has decided to extend by two weeks the national lockdown, now due to end on April 15 at the earliest. The climb in the number of deaths represents a daily rise of 18%, a less-marked increase from the previous day. During a press conference, health agency director Jerome Salomon added that the number of cases had risen to 32,964, a rise of 13% in 24 hours. Reuters

2:11 pm: GM to start producing critical-care ventilators

General Motors and Ventec Life Systems said they have agreed to build critical-care ventilators at one of the automaker's components plants in Indiana. GM and Washington-based Ventec said officials are "working around the clock to meet the urgent need for more ventilators," citing efforts to begin production at the Kokomo plant "already underway." GM, according to a release, is donating its resources at cost. Michael Wayland

1:45 pm: Italy tops 9,000 deaths, overtakes China in cases

A view shows some of 35 coffins of deceased people stored in a warehouse in Ponte San Pietro, near Bergamo, Lombardy, on March 26, 2020 prior to be transported in another region to be cremated, during the country's lockdown following the COVID-19 new coronavirus pandemic. Piero Cruciatti | AFP | Getty Images

Italy recorded 919 new deaths from coronavirus, the highest daily toll anywhere in the world, while the number of confirmed cases eclipsed the total in China where the virus first emerged. Italy was the first Western country to introduce severe restrictions on movement after uncovering the outbreak five weeks ago. It has tightened them week by week, banning all non-essential activities until at least next Friday. Only the United States has now recorded more cases, while Italy has suffered almost twice as many deaths as any other nation. Reuters

1:30 pm: House passes $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (C) and Representatives Kevin McCarthy (L) and Steny Hoyer show the bill to the press after the House passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill, on March 27, 2020, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC Alex Edelman | AFP | Getty Images

The House passed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, sending the unprecedented measure to President Donald Trump's desk after a scramble to block efforts to delay its passage. The plan, which includes one-time payments to individuals, strengthened unemployment insurance, additional health-care funding and loans and grants to businesses to deter layoffs, got through the Senate unanimously on Wednesday night. On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the bill "as mitigation" of the disease's destruction, predicting there would be more plans to aid "recovery." Jacob Pramuk

1:23 pm: Google is offering $340 million in free ads for small businesses as part of coronavirus help package

Google is offering $340 million in ad credits to small and mid-size businesses with active Google ad accounts as part of an $800 million coronavirus response package, the company announced. As part of the package, the company is also donating the following: A $200 million investment fund that will help NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with capital

$250 million in advertising grants to help the World Health Organization and government agencies offer information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19

$20 million in Google Cloud credits for academic institutions and researchers

Unspecified financial support to help increase production capacity for life-saving equipment, including face masks and ventilators. Jennifer Elias

1:11 pm: Coronavirus relief bill gives small businesses more time to cover payroll taxes

Small businesses facing payroll tax payments are likely to get some relief from Congress  the option of deferring payment to Uncle Sam until next year. In particular, the pending $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill will permit small businesses to defer their share of Social Security payroll taxes in 2020. Payroll taxes are shared by workers and their employers, so that each pays 6.2% toward Social Security and 1.45% toward Medicare. Sole proprietorships would also qualify. Darla Mercado

1:04 pm: Cramer sees oil plummeting below $20 per barrel on dual coronavirus-price war crises

CNBC's Jim Cramer said he thinks the price of oil will fall further because of demand and supply shocks from the dual crises of the coronavirus pandemic and global producer infighting. Cramer cited oil prices as something high-frequency, computerized stock market traders are watching. "I think oil takes out $20," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." With U.S. oil trading around $21.50 per barrel early Friday, prices would have to fall more than 7% to go below $20. It was down more than 4% late Friday morning. On March 18, the per-barrel price of West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark, closed just above $20, in an over 24% single-day plunge that was its third-worst session ever. Kevin Stankiewicz

12:54 pm: WHO officials enroll first patients from Norway and Spain in 'historic' coronavirus drug trial

The first patients in a "historic" trial to test treatments for the coronavirus have been enrolled in Norway and Spain, World Health Organization officials announced. World health officials are testing four of the most promising drugs to fight COVID-19, including malaria medications chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, an antiviral compound called Remdesivir, a combination of HIV drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir and a combination of those drugs plus interferon-beta. Will Feuer

12:48 pm: The Fed's balance sheet just passed $5 trillion for the first time ever due to rescue bill

Though its efforts to keep markets running and boost the economy are just getting into gear, the Federal Reserve's asset portfolio has reached levels never seen before. The central bank's balance sheet, which consists largely of bonds and other assets it has purchased over the years, ballooned to $5.3 trillion for the week ending Wednesday. That's well above the $4.52 trillion peak it hit in mid-May 2016 before the Fed started rolling off the bonds it had acquired during and after the financial crisis. This latest peak has occurred in rapid fashion, the result of expansion begun in small steps earlier this year then accelerated with the growth of the coronavirus crisis. Jeff Cox

12:43 pm: 'Throw Massie out'  Trump rages on Twitter after GOP Rep hints he'll oppose coronavirus stimulus bill

Rep. Thomas Massie, leaves the House Republicans' caucus meeting in the Capitol on immigration reforms on Thursday morning, June 7, 2018. Bill Clark | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images

President Donald Trump lashed out at Rep. Thomas Massie, calling him a "third rate Grandstander" after the Kentucky Republican signaled he would oppose a $2 trillion relief bill intended to soften the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. "He just wants the publicity. He can't stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous & costly," Trump said of Massie in a series of furious tweets. Trump said that while Republicans had to "give up some stupid things" through negotiations with Democrats "in order to get the 'big picture' done," the bill was "90% GREAT!" "WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!" Trump added. Jacob Pramuk, Kevin Breuninger

12:39 pm: Pence says economic fundamentals remain strong despite massive coronavirus impact

Vice President Mike Pence said on Friday that the fundamentals of the U.S. economy remain robust despite the coronavirus pandemic that has tanked markets and led to unprecedented layoffs of millions of Americans. "While the stock market has ebbed and flowed, and even this week made dramatic moves, President Trump and our entire economic team believe that all the fundamentals continue to be strong," Pence said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." "And that, as we deal with the coronavirus that this economy will come roaring back once we see our nation through this challenging time." Tucker Higgins

12:33 pm: IMF chief Georgieva says the world is in a recession, containment will dictate strength of recovery

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said that the global economy is now in a recession thanks to COVID-19, but that she's heartened to see world leaders finally realizing that only coordinated effort will be able to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. "We have stated that the world is now in recession and that the length and depth of this recession depend on two things: Containing the virus and having an effective, coordinated response to the crisis," she told CNBC's Sara Eisen. "I'm very encouraged by what I see now. I see much clearer understanding [among global leaders] that if we don't beat it everywhere we won't be able to get out of it," she added. Thomas Franck

12:19 pm: Apple announces COVID-19 website and app in partnership with CDC and the White House

Apple has developed a new website and app that will provide a screening tool for COVID-19 symptoms as well as up-to-date information from trusted sources about the coronavirus outbreak. The software was developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control, the White House-led Coronavirus Task Force, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The COVID-19 app is available on Apple's App Store, and there is also a website that can be accessed from Windows or Android phones and computers. Kif Leswing

12:12 pm: GOP Rep. Massie pledges to delay vote on massive $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), trailed by reporters, walks to the floor of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images

House members are scrambling back to the Capitol on Friday morning as one member's opposition to a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package is set to delay its passage. With few representatives in Washington this week as the outbreak tears across the country, House leaders hoped to approve the legislation quickly Friday by voice vote  which simply decides whether shouted yeas or nays from members present are louder. But Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he plans to force a typical recorded vote, which could hold up passage for hours as the House needs a quorum of 216 representatives present. In a series of tweets announcing his plan to request a full vote, Massie argued the unprecedented rescue measure spends too much taxpayer money, criticizing Democrats for pushing for changes this week rather than approving an earlier version of the legislation. Jacob Pramuk

12:08 pm: Bank of America CEO says struggling customers can defer loan payments online with 'two-clicks'

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said that retail customers who are struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic can defer loan payments online with a simple two-click process. "What we've told people is we'll defer payments," Moynihan told CNBC's Jim Cramer. "If you have a cash flow interruption because of your employment and you need to defer your payments for 30, 60, 90 days, call us up." The second-largest U.S. bank by assets has had 150,000 requests for payment deferrals since the coronavirus crisis began in earnest in the U.S. this month, Moynihan said. To streamline the process, which can tie up call center lines, the bank is ramping up a way to apply for relief online, he said. Hugh Son

11:59 am: Trump criticizes GM, CEO Mary Barra for wanting 'top dollar' for producing ventilators

President Donald Trump criticized General Motors and its CEO Mary Barra for their response to producing needed ventilators amid the coronavirus pandemic and wanting "top dollar" for such work. Trump, in a tweet, said, "As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B. Invoke 'P'." In the initial tweet, the meaning of "Invoke P" wasn't immediately clear. But Trump followed up with a second tweet saying he was referring to invoking the Defense Production Act that would force companies to produce such equipment. Michael Wayland, Lauren Hirsch

11:53 am: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo extends school closures as coronavirus cases rise

Paramedics wearing protective equipment carry a stretcher into Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., on Thursday, March 26, 2020. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended school closures across the state by two weeks to April 15 as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, he said. "When you look at the number of cases that's still increasing, it only makes sense to keep the schools closed," he said at a press conference. Cuomo is also calling on hospitals across the state to double their capacity. The state currently has 53,000 hospital beds, but will need 140,000 of them for coronavirus patients over the next three weeks when the outbreak is expected to peak in New York, he said. "We're asking hospitals to try to increase capacity 100% ... "We're looking at converting dorms. We're looking at converting hotels," he said. Berkeley Lovelace Jr.

11:47 am: Mnuchin says taxpayers will be 'compensated' for airline relief

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said that the coronavirus economic stimulus bill before Congress is not an airline bailout and that taxpayers will be compensated for relief given to companies hobbled by the global pandemic. At the same time, Mnuchin said in an interview with Fox Business Network that plane-maker Boeing has not requested government help. "I've been very clear this is not an airline bailout," Mnuchin said. "And that taxpayers need to be compensated for relief they're giving to airlines." U.S. airlines are preparing to tap the government for up to $25 billion in grants to cover payroll in a sharp travel downturn triggered by the coronavirus, even after the government warned it may take stakes in exchange for bailout funds, people familiar with the matter said. Reuters

11:39 am: 'This will not be licked by Easter,' doctor warns in call for two-week US lockdown

President Donald Trump wants the country to "open up," but a growing number of health experts want a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Those experts are saying the United States needs to impose a two-week or longer pause of non-essential activity before federal and state governments can even think about economic and social life starting to return to normal. Far stricter restrictions on businesses and individuals need to be adopted - and not the loosening of restrictions called for by some, including Trump, the experts say. "This will not be licked by Easter," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, who is one of the loudest voices calling for a shutdown. Dan Mangan

11:30 am: America's department stores can make it as much as 8 months with closed stores, analyst says

A sitting area typically filled with people is virtually empty as a man walks through Herald Square with a protective mask on March 12, 2020 in New York City. Gary Hershorn | Getty Images

With stores temporarily shut due to the coronavirus pandemic  and a slim-to-zero chance of opening in the near future  America's department stores are facing a cash crunch. Department store chains have enough liquidity to make it about five to eight months, with their stores sitting dark, in this coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis by Cowen & Co. It says that is "better than feared" because the firm does not anticipate the temporary store closures will drag on for that long. In making these assumptions, Cowen is measuring liquidity as cash plus revolvers, relative to key expenses such as rent, labor and promised dividend payments. Cowen said labor costs are about 10% of annual sales, while rent is about 3%, to give a sense of what some of these expenses look like. Lauren Thomas

11:18 am: Digital divide of US households without internet

Data from Pew Research Center shows large swaths of the U.S. are trying to cope without a household internet connection while much of the country hunkers down to work and shop from home. Before coronavirus hit the U.S., about 7% of private-industry workers had access to a flexible workplace benefit, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those jobs tend to pay well, which helps explain why access to telework varies sharply by income, according to the Pew Research Center. Lack of internet access has also left millions of households cut off from vital services and information during the pandemic. Melodie Warner, John Schoen

10:27 am: Real ID deadline gets pushed back due to coronavirus

With air travel at a near standstill amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security is extending the Real ID enforcement deadline a full year to Oct. 1, 2021. "The federal, state and local response to the spread of the coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline," DHS acting secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. States across the country have temporarily closed or restricted access to departments of motor vehicles, which has prevented millions of people from applying for and receiving their new state-issued Real IDs, the statement said. For now, adults boarding any federally regulated aircraft can continue to use their current driver's licenses as usual for domestic travel and wait until 2021 to obtain a Real ID-compliant license. Jessica Dickler

10:21 am: US consumer sentiment falls to lowest level in more than 3 years

Caitlin Ochs | Reuters

U.S. consumer sentiment fell to a three-year low as the coronavirus outbreak ramps up, according to data from the University of Michigan. The index of consumer sentiment dropped to 89.1 in March  its lowest level since October 2016  from 101 in February. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected consumer sentiment to fall to 90. March's decline in sentiment was the fourth-largest in nearly 50 years, according to Richard Curtin, chief economist for the Surveys of Consumers. Fred Imbert

9:35 am: Dow tanks more than 800 points following a massive 3-day bounce

Stocks fell sharply, giving back some of the strong gains experienced in the previous three days to cap off another volatile week on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 800 points at the open, or over 3%. The S&P 500 slid 3.2% while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.9%. Chevron, Boeing and American Express led the 30-stock Dow lower, sliding more than 5% each. Energy and industrials were the worst-performing sectors in the S&P 500 as they dropped 5.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Fred Imbert

9:03 am: Billionaire Leon Cooperman: I'm optimistic the stock market has bottomed on coronavirus fears

Billionaire investor Leon Cooperman told CNBC he's optimistic that the stock market has bottomed on coronavirus fears. "If I'm right on the virus call, if I'm right and that's the big 'if' ... I think the market at the recent low ... was close enough to the bottom to be called the bottom," Cooperman said on "Squawk Box." The S&P 500 hit its recent low of 2191.86 on Monday, which was about 35% lower than the index's last month's all-time high. The investor, who made his fortune picking individual stocks, said he sees an S&P range of 2,200 to 2,800 this year. Kevin Stankiewicz

8:50 am: CEO behind Buffett, Bezos health venture says US 'death toll curve' worse than China

The CEO behind the joint health-care venture between JPMorgan, Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway is calling for a national "shelter-in-place" order as deaths from the coronavirus continue to rise in the U.S. "Our death toll curve is now worse than when China was at the same stage," Haven CEO Dr. Atul Gawande told CNBC. "We have 12 states with more than 1,500 cases. China had one province," said Gawande, also a renowned surgeon, author and speaker. Gawande said health officials are learning from Washington state, where the death toll there appears to be declining. "Shelter in place, which some states are doing," he said. "We don't have the others on board. We really need a national shelter in place." Berkeley Lovelace

8:29 am: US infections on the rise

8:13 am: Build-A-Bear Workshop and The Cheesecake Factory announce furloughs

Mall staples Build-A-Bear Workshop and The Cheesecake Factory both announced they are furloughing workers. Build-A-Bear plans to furlough more than 90% of its workforce, and The Cheesecake Factory has furloughed 41,000 hourly restaurant workers, according to regulatory filings. Furloughed employees for both companies will continue to be eligible for employee benefits, including insurance. Citing the impact of government regulations and landlord decisions to close properties, Cheesecake Factory is not paying rent for the month of April. Amelia Lucas

8:04 am: Dow futures point to 800-point drop

U.S. stock futures pointed sharply lower following a strong rally sparked by increasing expectations of a massive fiscal stimulus from Congress while investors shook off grim unemployment data. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures implied an opening drop of about 800 points amid volatile trading. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also pointed to more than 2% declines at the open. Fred Imbert

7:20 am: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive

Screen grab of Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses the nation from 10 Downing Street, London, as he placed the UK on lockdown as the Government seeks to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). PA Video - PA Images

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. "Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus," he said on Twitter. "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government's response via video-conference as we fight this virus." Boris tweet. "The test was carried out in No 10 by NHS staff and the result of the test was positive," a spokesman for No. 10 Downing Street said in a statement. "In keeping with the guidance, the Prime Minister is self-isolating in Downing Street. Will Feuer

7:13 am: New York hospitals will run out of medical supplies in a week, former FDA chief says

7:07 am: UK to pay pensions and pensions of furloughed staff

Britain will announce it intends to cover the costs of employer national insurance and pension contributions for businesses furloughing staff, a statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said. Reuters

7:05 am: Norway predicts 2% economic slowdown this year

Norway's government now predicts its gross domestic product excluding oil will contract by 2% this year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, a sharper drop than the 1% contraction it expected last week. The forecast is based on the assumption that the urgent situation in Norway and other countries remains for the coming two months, and that growth thereafter gradually returns to the normal, the government said in a white paper. Reuters

6:59 am: Spain's death toll spikes by 769 overnight to 4,858

Two workers transport a coffin at La Almudena cemetery on March 26, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Spain plans to continue its quarantine measures at least through April 11. Carlos Alvarez | Getty Images

Spain's death toll rose overnight by 769 cases to 4,858, the health ministry said, the highest number of fatalities recorded in 24 hours for the country. The total number of those infected rose to 64,059 from 56,188 on Thursday. Reuters

6:10 pm: Hungary announces two-week lockdown

Hungary has become the latest country to announce a two-week lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said via public radio that while citizens must maintain social distancing, they would be able to go to work, shop and take limited exercise outdoors, starting Saturday. Orban said people can still go outside, but they cannot be in a group. Hungarian police will enforce compliance with the rules and apply fines, if needed. Silvia Amaro

5:37 pm: Iran's death toll rises to 2,378

The Iranian health ministry reported a total of 2,378 deaths from the virus and 32,332 confirmed cases, according to Reuters. Silvia Amaro

5:30 am: Italy's business morale plunged in March

A worker carries out sanitation operations for the Coronavirus emergency in Piazza dei Miracoli near to the Tower of Pisa in a deserted town on March 17, 2020 in Pisa, Italy. Laura Lezza | Getty Images
Victoria's powerful construction union is pushing for the building industry to be classified as essential when the state moves to a stage 3 shutdown, arguing construction sites should be allowed to operate 24 hours to minimise the number of workers at any one time.

The proposal has been backed by Master Builders Victoria amid "unprecedented co-operation" between unions and industry associations, which are united in doing everything they can to avoid the industry being shut down by the coronavirus.

"People that normally couldn't sit in the same room together are now sitting down and working on ways to minimise the risk to workers and the public," said John Setka, the Victorian secretary of the construction division of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

"It is unprecedented the co-operation that is going on  I have been in this industry for 38 years and I have never seen it in my life. For once, we are all in the same boat."
Prophetess OT Linda, Founder of Glorious Ambassadors of Christ International Ministry at Kwabenya in Greater Accra has urged the government to donate essential items to the less privileged such as orphans, widows and street children in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak.



She mentioned items such as sanitizers and soaps which will serve as safety tools for those who cant afford to enable them to take care of themselves as the deadly disease keeps spreading.



In an interview, Prophetess Linda urged government to entrust some pastors and religious leaders to assist in carrying out the task.



She said this will serve as an offering of pacification for Ghana in order for God to have mercy on the nation to wipe away the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

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
We write as physicians to implore Gov. Steve Bullock to institute a shelter-at-home order in Montana.

Today.

Every great mistake has a halfway point, a split second, where it can be pulled back and perhaps remedied.

That moment is now for Montana.

Here is what we know as physicians:

 The median incubation period for COVID-19 is five days, with an average symptom onset time of 11.5 days. This means that many people who are infected are shedding virus out in public, completely unaware.

 By most models, every infected person at the early stage can reasonably be expected to pass the virus to two to three others.

 The average number of confirmed cases in the United States is doubling every four days, confirming the above data.

 Current modeling suggests that if Montana shelters in place within the next week, the cumulative number of people infected could be limited to only 3%, with deaths less than 1,000. This is still a staggering number.

The greatest threat to our state, moreover our country, if we dont abruptly flatten the curve, is that health-care systems will be flooded beyond capacity with the severely and critically ill. Precious lives that could perhaps have been saved will be lost due to limited resources.

Take the stand. Draw the line. Order Montana to shelter in place.

Thank you for your consideration.

This opinion is signed by the following medical doctors in Missoula: Nicole Finke, pathology; Alexander Kon, pediatric intensivist; Tim Provow, anesthesiology; Lauren Wilson, pediatric hospitalist; Bonnie Stephens, neonatology; Nancy Trangmoe, emergency medicine; Elizabeth Biel, pediatric hospitalist; Michael Stewart, radiology; Aaron Feist, emergency medicine; Pam Cutler, emergency medicine, president, Western Montana Clinic.
As part of the negotiations on services under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, parties will negotiate regulatory cooperation frameworks in priority sectors.

What is regulatory cooperation in financial services?

Cooperation is a broad term referring to the interaction between the regulation and regulators in different countries to achieve regulatory policy outcomes. Cooperation spans from information sharing, all the way to harmonisation.

For example, the OECDs taxonomy of regulatory cooperation includes dialogue, information exchange, partnerships, recognition, networks negotiated agreements, joint rule-making and integration and harmonisation through supra-national authorities.

Regulatory cooperation to contribute to the goals of the AfCFTA

In the context of trade-in-services, the regulatory treatment of the services can be more important than the formal market access and national treatment commitments found in services schedules (which themselves often also relate to the regulatory treatment of certain businesses). The regulatory requirements, particularly for financial services providers, are usually high and can vary significantly from country to country. Most countries do not restrict or have regulatory jurisdiction over consumption of financial services abroad (mode 2  e.g. a resident of Ethiopia makes a deposit in a bank in Kenya whilst in Nairobi  although Kenya may restrict this) Mode 1 (cross-border supply) is often highly restricted  countries typically do not allow financial services to be sold from abroad to residents in their countries, but this will usually be reflected in services schedules  for example, South Africa lists all financial services as unbound for mode 1. Mode 4 (presence of natural persons) is often restricted horizontally  individuals will only be able to do business in a country if they are otherwise allowed in (often aligning with migration regulation. Nevertheless, once individuals are allowed to enter to do business, the licensing and registration requirements may provide an additional barrier to their doing business as usually financial services providers need to be licensed or registered. Mode 3 (commercial presence) is the most liberalised mode for financial services  and while this sometimes has restrictions in schedules, such as equity levels or local incorporation, the majority of the barriers are the regulations for the financial service provider operating in the country, such as capital requirements, reporting requirements, conduct rules and others. These are not discriminatory but still create a high barrier to entry for foreign financial services providers, discouraging their participation in new markets and therefore reducing competition in any given market. Foreign services providers also add complexity to the role of regulators and supervisors, who need to understand and analyse businesses in other jurisdictions, may not have access to all information they need and may not have regulatory jurisdiction over all parts of the business. Nevertheless, foreign entrants can be important to meet financial sector policy and regulatory goals, like encouraging competition, lowering prices, making new kinds of financial services available and improving access to financial services.

Given the low level ambition for liberalisation of the services sectors (GATS-plus[1]) these regulatory frameworks are likely to contribute more to making trade in financial services easier between African countries than the liberalisation commitments themselves, which are unlikely to go beyond the existing levels of liberalisation.

Coordination between regulators and integration of regulatory systems  which are both important aspects of cooperation  can address some of the problems that make trade in financial services challenging from the perspective of the service providers, such as two different formats for reporting or conflicting conduct rules and risky from the perspective of the regulatory authorities. Working to improve the experience for the financial services providers, as well as to give comfort to regulators, will create a more conducive environment for the trade of financial services on the continent and thus help countries meet their financial sector goals.

A unilateral rather than cooperative measure, transparency of regulation is also an essential part of improving access for foreign providers and transparency should be mandated as part of the AfCFTAs regulatory framework. A financial service provider cannot hope to comply with regulations that it cannot identify, or apply for a licence if there is no process for doing so. It is also important that governments are transparent about regulatory changes and consult widely before making such changes. These good regulatory practices are increasingly referred to in free trade agreements, and should also feature in the AfCFTAs financial services regulatory framework. Making these provisions enforceable  by making firm commitments  will ensure that the measures do in fact increase access.

Regulatory cooperation & integration

Coordination is more focused on the supervisory and operational aspects of regulation  regulators coordinate to achieve regulatory outcomes, such as effective supervision and enforcement. Information sharing is at the heart of regulatory coordination, but coordination can also extend to mutual assistance in supervision and enforcement (e.g. Ugandas authorities need to gather information about a certain Kenyan-based financial service provider and Kenyan authorities actually do the information gathering) as well as joint action (for example a joint taskforce to address a cross-border regulatory problem).[2]

Integration is more about the structural aspects of regulation. Godwin, Ramsay and Sayes (2020) describe it as the process by which certain parts or aspects of one regulatory system are recognised by, or incorporated into, another regulatory system to produce a single, integral system that operates on a cross-border basis.[3] Harmonisation is the deepest form of regulatory integration and typically not only includes a single set of rules, but also a single supervisory authority. Common rules could be the use of the same rules, but not the same supervision and enforcement. This might be the case, for example, if two countries implement a model law, or an international standard. Both harmonisation and the use of common rules can occur across the board, or in certain subsectors, but common rules are more likely to be found only in certain subsectors. Across the board harmonisation, such as that of the EU, is rare.

The regulatory frameworks created under the AfCFTA should be ambitious when it comes to both coordination and integration but nevertheless should be seen as one of the numerous layers of cooperation between the financial systems across the continent. These include hard legal cooperation instruments, such as treaties (including free trade agreements), mutual recognition agreements, memoranda of understanding between regulators and informal arrangements for mutual learning. Although instruments such as free trade agreements are binding legal arrangements between countries, their commitments on regulation are not necessarily binding. This is because often treaties use hortatory language such as shall endeavour and will encourage  meaning the legal instruments are hard but the commitments themselves are soft. Other layers of cooperation include compliance with standards, global, such as the Basel Core Principles, the International Organisation for Securities Commissions Objectives and Principles for Securities Regulation and the International Financial Reporting Standards, as well as regional standards such as those developed by regional cooperation mechanisms, including the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).

The Services Protocol (Article 21) provides that regulatory frameworks are to be developed for each of the sectors, as necessary, taking account of the best practices and acquis from the RECs. Thus, it is important to note that the RECs have achieved varying levels of both integration and coordination  SACU, as a monetary union shares monetary policy, but not necessarily financial regulatory policy. The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) which are part of ECOWAS operate under a harmonised regulatory framework. This is possible because of the monetary union as well as a regional supervisory body. But ECOWAS more broadly is not as deeply integrated, with, for example separate regulatory bodies in each country of the remaining ECOWAS countries and regulatory restrictions on cross-border participation in markets. The EAC, while not (yet) a monetary union, has achieved relatively deep financial regulatory integration for example, the EAC countries are working towards common banking regulation rules, based on compliance with international standards, including the Basel Banking Core Principles, but regional supervision or licensing is not yet in place.

The mechanisms to be implemented under the AfCFTA are not a substitute or replacement for existing mechanisms, but rather provide a complementary layer to add to the coordination and integration of the financial sector on the continent. In addition, they will provide an important building block to further integration envisaged in the Abuja Treaty. The ultimate goal, for a fully integrated African Community will see harmonised laws and common supervisory authorities right across the financial sector, with the ability for businesses to move seamlessly across African borders. But this vision is a long way off. Some of the monetary unions in Africa already provide pockets of harmonisation, and AfCFTA regulatory framework drafters can learn from these, but at the continental level, more targeted harmonisation and other forms of regulatory cooperation and integration should be prioritised. This will be more manageable than full harmonisation, and will also enable drafters, regulators and policymakers to direct resources and energy to the areas that will have most impact in addressing financial sector (and broader) policy goals. We suggest priority should be given to the following:

Common rules

Digital financial services: New areas of financial regulation should be harmonised, particularly those governing digital financial services such as mobile money, crowdfunding or blockchain based services. Digital financial services are having an important impact on financial inclusion. This is also important digital services tend to be geographically mobile. Often also start-ups, they do not have the resources that incumbent financial providers have to navigate various laws. This should also be more achievable than harmonising existing regulation as these are new areas for regulation.

Financial reporting: While this goes beyond the financial sector, financial reporting standards should be aligned. This is important for providers doing cross-border business  they need only maintain one set of books  and simplify information sharing between regulators.

Consumer protection: Consumer protection across all areas of financial services is a critical policy outcome, and an important part of giving regulators comfort that consumers will be safe when dealing with foreign providers. A common set of rules, that applies cross-border, will achieve this.

Mutual recognition

Financial markets (stock exchanges): Many financial markets across the continent lack depth. Mutual recognition would enable exchanges to open to trading across the continent.

Broker-dealers & financial advisers: Whereby the regulatory authorities recognise the qualification and licensing of these providers in any member state. This would facilitate the recognition across

Securities offerings: Enabling securities to be offered across the continent using a single offer document.

Regulatory cooperation

Pan-African banking: Supervisory colleges should be put in place for pan-African banking institutions. While bank regulation is likely to stay national (or regional in some cases) for the time being, cross-border banking can create risks, particularly in the host country, where in some cases, pan-African banks have systemic importance. Thus, cooperation regulating these entities is essential.

Insurance: Underinsurance is a major concern on the continent, especially for households and small businesses. Insurance regulation and markets are also underdeveloped. Cooperation can help to create more robust regulatory frameworks.

By focusing on priority areas for common sets of rules, mutual recognition, and for regulatory cooperation, regulatory frameworks will be more manageable to achieve, especially given the varying levels in both regulatory capacity and regulatory frameworks. This will also have the most impact on financial sector policy goals.

[1] General Agreement on Trade in Services, under the WTO. GATS-plus suggests that countries will improve on the commitments made under the GATS, but this is not expected to result in new liberalisation as GATS commitments tend to leave a lot of water  space between current practice and existing commitments. At best, we could expect to see more countries lock-in existing practice.

[2] Godwin, Ramsay & Sayes https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2919161

[3] See note 2 above.
COVERT, MI  The company that owns Palisades nuclear plant has a private pandemic plan that includes a contingency to sequester employees live at the site temporarily, though that scenario is unlikely, a company spokeswoman said.

Entergy owns the nuclear plant situated on the Lake Michigan shoreline about 7 miles south of South Haven. The plant generates 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 800,000 homes in Michigan, Entergy Spokeswoman Val Gent said in an email message.

The plant has about 600 employees, according to the website.

The plan includes contingencies to sequester a particular set of employees onsite, in the unlikely event such a measure is necessary. Employees are not currently being sequestered, she said on March 25.

Sequester means employees would reside on site, Gent said. The company declined to release its full plans to MLive because they contain business-sensitive information, she said.

Palisades remains safe, secure and stable, and there is currently no impact on the delivery of energy," Gent said. We are confident our business continuity plan, which is specifically designed for these types of situations, will ensure the reliable delivery of electricity. Entergys pandemic response plan consists of a phased approach to ensure adequate qualified resources remain available to safely operate and maintain Palisades.

The power plant is not alone in preparing for expected impacts of coronavirus. Local governments have shut down meetings and buildings, while police and city utility operators are ready to shift personnel if the staff is hit. Many businesses have closed  most temporarily, but some for good.

Related: Kalamazoo has plan to keep water running, police responding during coronavirus outbreak

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will require plants to shut down if they cannot appropriately staff their facilities, according to the government agencys response to COVID-19.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which inspects to ensure safety at plants across the country, said resident inspectors are ready to respond immediately should there be developing safety issues amid the coronavirus outbreak. Resident inspectors will make regular visits to operating nuclear power reactor sites and will remotely monitor plant data systems, meetings and other information. Back-up inspectors are available from regional offices or headquarters should they be necessary to maintain oversight, the NRC said.

The NRC does not require plants to submit their plans, such as the pandemic plan, to the NRC, Senior Public Affairs Officer Viktoria Mitlyng said. However, the agency is in constant communication with staff at nuclear plants about issues including their emergency plans and has the regulatory tools available to use if the plans are not sufficient to keep people safe, she said.

Each plant has to prepare for all sorts emergencies, including if there is a pandemic, Mitlyng said.

The NRC has minimum staffing requirements for certain positions at a nuclear plant, such as workers in the control room and security workers, she said, and operators have to have a specific license for the site where they work. It can be a long process for an operator to get licensed, she said.

The NRC is considering what kind of flexibility it may be able to offer nuclear plants, if the outbreak continues and staff at the plant were to be highly impacted, Mitlyng said on March 27. Any changes made would have to allow plants to operate safely, she said.

Gent said some additional steps taken at Palisades include:

Educating employees on self-checking for symptoms, practicing social distancing and other good hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.

Increased frequency of disinfecting and cleaning common areas and items, such as door handles and hand geometry stations (needed for plant access), and the addition of personal sanitizing stations throughout the site.

Restricting business travel to countries experiencing widespread community transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and to all nonessential domestic and international business travel by commercial airline and other forms of mass transit.

Working closely with our suppliers to assess the potential impact to delivery of goods and services to the company.

Remote working by employees able to support the plant from home.

Entergy takes the health, safety and security of our employees, customers, communities, business partners and facilities very seriously," Gent said. We are closely monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19 cases and we are in close contact with appropriate government agencies."

In 2017, Entergy announced that it planned to close Palisades in the spring of 2022.

In Aug. 2018, Entergy announced it had agreed to sell the subsidiaries that own Palisades and the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts, after their shutdowns and reactor defuelings, to a Holtec International subsidiary for prompt decommissioning.

The sales include the transfer of the licenses, spent fuel, and Nuclear Decommissioning Trusts as well as the site of the decommissioned Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant near Charlevoix, Michigan, where only the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) remains. The transactions are subject to closing conditions, including approvals from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Read more:

Michigan hospitals weigh which patients could get ventilators in coronavirus policy

Whitmer order eases limits on prescription refills, sets protocol for coronavirus drug treatments

7 Michigan prison inmates now confirmed to have coronavirus

Meijer installing sneeze-guards at check lanes as coronavirus crisis continues
Newbridge-based Pfizer is involved in the search for a vaccine for Covid-19 virus.

Pfizer and German company BioNTech have agreed to co-develop and distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine aimed at preventing Covid-19 infection.

Pfizer was established in Newbridge in 1992 and its presence has grown from 40 acres to over 120 acres in a facility of over 1,000,000 sq ft making it one of Europe's largest manufacturers of solid dose pharmaceuticals.

Since 2006, over 350 million has been invested in Newbridge to expand its development and manufacturing capabilities.

The facility currently supplies over 80 pharmaceutical products to more than 100 markets around the world.

Pfizer and BioNTech have executed a Material Transfer and Collaboration Agreement to enable the parties to immediately start working together.

The collaboration aims to accelerate development of BioNTechs potential first-in-class COVID-19 mRNA vaccine program, BNT162, which is expected to enter clinical testing by the end of April 2020.

The rapid advancement of this collaboration builds on the research and development collaboration into which Pfizer and BioNTech entered in 2018 to develop mRNA-based vaccines for prevention of influenza.

We are proud that our ongoing, successful relationship with BioNTech gives our companies the resiliency to mobilize our collective resources with extraordinary speed in the face of this worldwide challenge, said Mikael Dolsten, Chief Scientific Officer and President, Worldwide Research, Development & Medical, Pfizer.

We believe that by pairing Pfizers development, regulatory and commercial capabilities with BioNTechs mRNA vaccine technology and expertise as one of the industry leaders, we are reinforcing our commitment to do everything we can to combat this escalating pandemic, as quickly as possible.

This is a global pandemic, which requires a global effort. In joining forces with our partner Pfizer, we believe we can accelerate our effort to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to people around the world who need it, said Ugur Sahin, Co-Founder and CEO of BioNTech.

The companies expect to utilize multiple research and development sites from both companies, including in the United States and Germany, to house the activities identified by the collaboration agreement.

The companies will begin collaborating immediately. They will finalize details of the agreement regarding financial terms, and all activities related to development, manufacturing and potential commercialization over the next few weeks.
Company Committed to Help Those Impacted by the Current Global Pandemic

CORAL GABLES, Fla., March 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amerant, the largest community bank headquartered in Florida, will be taking a variety of measures to further support its customers during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Effective immediately and until further notice, these include:

No Amerant ATM fees for current customers and the community as a whole 1

Waive late payment fees on all consumer and business loans

Waive customer fees for deposit accounts based on needs 2

No negative reporting to credit bureaus for past due loan balances 3

Expert small business counsel, along with education on available resources

Customer loan payment assistance on an individualized basis 3

As we strive to support both customers and the communities in which we operate, we are looking at how to best provide tangible, meaningful support, said Millar Wilson, Vice Chairman and CEO of Amerant. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people that have been affected by this unprecedented event. At Amerant, the health and safety of our customers and employees is our top priority, and we are working to offer critical banking options as well as waiving hard fees during this global pandemic. We are in this together.

Amerant has operated for over 40 years with 27 banking centers  19 in South Florida, 8 in the Houston, Texas area, and loan production offices in Dallas and New York. The Company provides individuals and businesses in the U.S., as well as select international clients, with deposit, credit and wealth management services.

For additional information about Amerant, please visit amerantbank.com and follow the Company on Twitter at @AmerantBank.

1 Applicable fees from other financial institutions may apply.

2 Decisions on waivers are made in the sole and absolute discretion of Amerant Bank.

3 Applies only to loans held by Amerant Bank. Excludes third party reporting through providers such as First Bank or American Express.



Story continues

About Amerant Bancorp Inc.

Amerant Bancorp Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. The Company operates through its subsidiaries, Amerant Bank, N.A. (the Bank), Amerant Investments, Inc., Amerant Trust, N.A, and Elant Bank and Trust Ltd. The Company provides individuals and businesses in the U.S., as well as select international clients, with deposit, credit and wealth management services. The Bank, which has operated for over 40 years, is the largest community bank headquartered in Florida. The Bank operates 27 banking centers  19 in South Florida, 8 in the Houston, Texas area, and loan production offices in Dallas, Texas and New York, New York. For more information, please visit www.amerantbank.com or https://investor.amerantbank.com.
Meghan Markle, wife of Britain's Prince Harry, is set to narrate a documentary about elephants for Disney Plus.

Markle and Prince Harry will be officially stepping away from their roles within the British Royal Family on March 31.

The documentary, titled "Elephants", will start streaming on Disney Plus from April 3 onwards, the studio announced on Twitter.

"Disneynature's Elephant, an Original Movie narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, starts streaming April 3, only on #DisneyPlus" read the tweet.

Directed by Mark Linfield, the film follows an African elephant named Shani and her male child Jomo as they migrate with their herd and its matriarch, Gaia, across the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.

According to Variety, Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund are donating to Elephants Without Borders, an organization working to protect the elephants living in Botswana.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By PTI

COLOMBO: Over 2,000 Indian nationals are among the 16,900 foreign tourists stranded in Sri Lanka due to the lockdown imposed by the government after the coronavirus outbreak, official figures released here said on Friday.

At 2,439, the Indians are the highest among the number of tourists stranded in the island nation followed by the Chinese at 2,167, data from the Sri Lanka Tourism and Development Authority said.

The data was released a day after Sri Lanka said that it will allow chartered flights from any country to land here and fly out their citizens stranded in the country on a holiday or for work purposes due to the coronavirus epidemic.

ALSO READ: UAE to help stranded passengers including 22 Indians at Dubai airport

Sri Lanka shut its international airports for incoming flights since last week and the people were asked to skip foreign travel in view of the coronavirus threat.

A limited number of outbound flights do still operate.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded 104 confirmed COVID-19 cases while another over 200 others are under observation.

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

Sri Lanka's first known COVID-19 was a female Chinese tourist. She was cured and departed early this month.

The first Sri Lankan national to be confirmed to carry the virus was a tour guide who worked with Italian tourists.

He was cured and left hospital this week.

The number of COVID-19 cases across the globe has skyrocketed to 531,860 and a total of 24,057 people have died so far.
As the coronavirus spreads, public and private companies as well as government entities are requiring employees to work from home, putting unforeseen strain on all manner of networking technologies and causing bandwidth and security concerns. What follows is a round-up of news and traffic updates that Network World will update as needed to help keep up with the ever-changing situation. Check back frequently!

UPDATE 4.27

According to the April 22 Verizon Network Report, overall data volume across its networks has increased 19% compared to pre-COVID levels. While data usage remains elevated, the changes in how people are using the network has stabilized, the company stated.

In the United States, there has been a notable decline in peoples movements during the course of the global pandemic. Mobile handoffs the times when a data session moves from one cell site to another as users walk or drive around  have reduced by 27% nationally compared to typicalpre-COVID levels. And, measured by mobile handoffs, the U.S. has seen a decrease in movements since March 1. Verizon said that the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions appear to have the most people in the nation staying at home. Verizon stated it expects usage to continue at sustained higher levels, even as movements begin to shift in the coming weeks and months as stay-in-place restrictions begin to lift . We believe all trends point to sustained network usage at this higher level for the foreseeable future, said Kyle Malady, Chief Technology Officer for Verizon.

In its fifth report tracking internet speeds across the top 200 most populous U.S. cities, Broadbandnow reported networks were slowly adjusting to the new demand placed on them. But as of April 22 despite these adjustments, internet speeds in some cases slowed to a crawl. Over the past week, 67 cities (33.5% of the top 200) experienced median upload speed decreases of 20% or greater below range of previous weeks in 2020. Through April 15, the number was 61, or 30.5%. In turn, 51 cities (25.5%) have recorded download speed dips of 20% or greater, compared to last weeks 52.
(Newser)  US hospitals battling the coronavirus pandemic have become "war zones," according to a private online document used by more than 1,200 health care workers. New Jersey nurse Sonja Schwartzbach created the Google document a week ago as a place for health care workers to detail working conditions, which Schwartzbach knew were "far worse" than most realized. "There was such desperation  and it wasn't being adequately addressed in the news media," the 34-year-old critical care nurse tells the New York Times. In the resulting document, "Covid-19: Mission for Masks," anonymous users say they're scared to go to work and worry they'll become infected, even if their managers seem less concerned. More than 90% of respondents said they were without the proper gear, especially N95 masks. Some described covering their faces with bandannas or coffee filters.

story continues below

More said they'd been told to clean and reuse their masks over several days. A nurse in a pediatric intensive care unit in Pennsylvania said an email instructed them not to take off their gloves "when in a room if they get soiled, but to use sanitizer on the gloves!" A nurse in California, who described the virus as "terrifying," remarked that "we live in the richest country in the world and yet we don't have the tools to perform our job safely." Nurses are in short supply, too, even with some coming out of retirement. "This is the war we're battling, these are the troops," a nurse recruiter tells NBC News, describing unprecedented demand. A New York nurse adds "people will die because, realistically speaking, you cannot attend to 10, 20, or 30 patients to yourself." (New York is in need of almost 100,000 hospital beds.)
Michael Brockers (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

In January, Michael Brockers posted what all but amounted to a goodbye video to Rams fans on social media.

Before free agency opened this month, he agreed to a three-year, $30-million contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

But Friday, after Ravens physicians apparently could not verify the condition of Brockers left ankle, he returned to the Rams. Brockers and the team that made him the 14th pick in the 2012 draft agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth up to $31.5 million, according to NFL.com.

Lord you work in Mysterious Ways, but I will Never Doubt or Question your plan. Sorry Ravens But Im Going, Going, Back Back, To Cali, Brockers wrote on Instagram.

The unexpected turn enables Brockers to continue as the Rams longest-tenured defensive player. Brockers, 29, has been a mainstay alongside star Aaron Donald and is a respected locker room presence and mentor to younger players such as nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Brockers situation with the Ravens appears to have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The NFL has ordered team facilities closed, and players are not allowed to visit.

Brockers suffered a left ankle injury in the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.

Brockers situation is similar to that of Rams offensive lineman Rodger Saffold in 2014, when he agreed to a five-year, $42.5-million contract with the Oakland Raiders. The deal fell through after Saffold failed a physical. Saffold returned to the Rams, eventually helped them reach the Super Bowl, and then signed a four-year, $44-million contract with the Tennessee Titans.

When Brockers initially agreed to terms with the Ravens, he was regarded as a salary-cap casualty for a Rams team trying to ease the pressure from massive contracts they had given Donald, running back Todd Gurley, receiver Brandin Cooks, and quarterback Jared Goff.

The Rams cut Gurley, but they might have to restructure contracts to make room for Brockers, who had been one of the first Rams free agents to agree to terms with another team. Linebacker Cory Littleton, edge rusher Dante Fowler, slot cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and rotational safety Marqui Christian followed Brockers.

The Rams, with new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, added edge rusher Leonard Floyd and defensive tackle AShawn Robinson in free agency.
The states artistic community expects to lose $56 million from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

Since Gov. Kate Browns March 11 order banning large gatherings, arts organizations have had to cancel performances indefinitely and close venues. Many have proactively canceled their seasons. Museums and galleries have closed. All to comply with increasingly strict restrictions on group sizes, gatherings and requirements for social distancing aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As the crisis unfolded, the nonprofit Regional Arts & Culture Council, which represents Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties, surveyed 260 arts organizations and individuals across Oregon to gauge the impact.

The survey received more than 1,200 responses.

Its very substantial, said Heather Nelson Kent, the organizations communications manager.

She said the agency focused on lost revenue for March, April and June. Most of the survey responses came from Multnomah County, where the loss is expected to be $46 million.

The figure is based on lost contracts, shows, teaching opportunities and admission fees, she said. Its a devastating blow to artists.

The council plans to use the information to lobby for financial support at the local, state and federal levels.

In a prepared statement, agency head Madison Cario, said the group is relaxing funding restrictions, and working with grant makers to help artists. Cario thanked the Oregon Community Foundation and the Miller Foundation for working toward the shared goal of relief for the arts community.

Arts community leaders and institutions are turning to the public for help, with many requesting donations to keep their organizations afloat.

-- Tom Hallman Jr; thallman@oregonian.com; 503-221-8224; @thallmanjr

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Trump, Pence join 700 pastors in prayer call during coronavirus outbreak

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence joined over 700 pastors on a conference call Friday to pray for strength and stamina amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

In a one-hour call organized by the Christian conservative activist group Family Research Council, Trump told pastors that the outbreak came upon us so suddenly.

[W]e were doing better than we've ever done before as a country in terms of the economy  and then, all of the sudden, we got hit with this, Trump was quoted as saying by FRC President Tony Perkins. So we had to close it down.

We're actually paying a big price to close it down, Trump continued. Never happened before.

However, Trump assured the religious leaders that he believes we're going to come back stronger than ever before."

"I want to thank you for praying for our country and for those who are sick, the president said. You do such an incredible job. You're very inspirational people. And I'm with you all the way. You know that you see what we've done for right to life and all of the things that we've been working so hard together. I've been working with many of the people on the call. Many, many of the people. We've had tremendous support. But we are going to get over this."



Pence told the pastors that when he informed Trump that he was going to be on the call with pastors on Friday, Trump asked if he could join despite a full schedule.

"When I told the president I was going to be speaking to all of you, [he was] in the midst of an extraordinarily busy day. [But] he looked at me and said, 'I have to find time. I need to find time, Pence told the pastors. [T]he prayers of the people on this call mean [everything] to him.

Before leaving the call, Perkins asked the president what hed most like people to pray for during this time of crisis and uncertainty. Trump replied by urging the pastors to pray for the health and strength of the country.

We were doing something amazing, and then one day, it just ended. So that would be it, Trump said, urging Americans to "make the right choice on [election day], Nov. 3.

Pence told the pastors that he and the president couldn't be more inspired by the way communities of faith have been stepping up.

According to Perkins, Pence talked about how congregations are keeping their food banks going and finding ways to work within the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pence also thanked churches for offering child care to healthcare workers on the front line of battling the coronavirus.

"You know, the president has said many times that we are going to bring the full resources of our federal government to bear on this, the vice president said. But by all of you being here today, and by the energies and ministries that you have [used to respond] to the coronavirus in your communities, you're really putting hands and feet on your faith. And you are demonstrating what the president today called 'the greatness of American character.

Pence said that we want a full partnership with you in sharing best practices again."

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson also participated in the call. According to Perkins, Carson told the pastors that God is merciful.

"And we will get through this, Carson assured, adding that this could be an opportunity for God to show His power in a way that will help us return to Him.

"God still has His hand on this nation, Carson was quoted as saying. And He has His hand on all of us."

According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, pastors discussed during the call ways in which churches can assemble during the coronavirus outbreak when so many of them have halted in-person worship services.

While several churches have moved services online, others have held drive-in worship services to maintain social distancing.

During the call, Trump, Pence and Carson encouraged churches to comply with federal guidelines. Pence thanked pastors for suspending their services during the outbreak and said that he would encourage Americans to continue giving to churches and ministries even though they may not be attending in person.

In a White House press briefing on Saturday, Pence formally urged Americans to continue giving to ministries during the outbreak.



On Tuesday, Trump drew criticism when he said that he wanted the U.S. to be "opened up and just raring to go by Easter, which is just over two-and-a-half weeks away. However, some health experts have warned that more time may be needed to curb the spread of the virus.
A judge has denied a motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against New Hampshire based gun manufacturer SIG Sauer.

Judge Joseph Laplante found Monday that Derick Ortiz, who filed the lawsuit in September, had adequately proved his standing for litigation, New Hampshire Public Radio reported.

Ortiz, of Snowflake, Arizona, alleges that a design flaw in the P320 could cause the gun to fire unintentionally when dropped.

Ortiz says he paid $500 for the pistol and would have paid less if he was aware of the flaw.

Lawyers for the Newington-based manufacturer argued in February that Ortiz was not harmed and that the company is already offering to fix all P320s free of charge.

The case will now move to discovery if Laplante decides a class action suit is warranted hundreds of thousands of SIG owners could be eligible for compensation.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Legislation Manufacturing
Trauma surgeons have noticed a spike in the number of alcohol-related hospital admissions during the coronavirus pandemic.

John Crozier, chairman of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trauma Committee, said emergency departments had reported a rise in alcohol-related trauma cases over the weekend.

Dr Crozier told the Sydney Morning Herald: 'Some surgeons informed me that they experienced record numbers of trauma at their hospitals.'

Emergency departments noticed a rise in alcohol related hospitalisations over the weekend as Australians turned to booze to cope with coronavirus anxiety. Pictured: A man stocked up on alcohol during the pandemic

Medical experts said the spike was linked to last week's alcohol panic-buying (pictured)

He said that a high number of the cases were preventable and linked to risk-taking behaviours like drink driving.

'I understand that there is uncertainty and fear amongst our community at the moment but I plead with everyone to look out for one another, behave responsibly and avoid risk taking behaviours,' Dr Crozier said.

Dr Crozier noted that the rise in cases could be directly linked to Australians panic-buying alcohol last week amid the closures of pubs and clubs.

He said that this panic-buying was very concerning behaviour and called on the state and territory governments to follow Western Australia's lead and limit the sale of takeaway alcohol.

Dr Crozier also said that it was essential to reduce the number of patients coming into hospitals during the difficult coronavirus period.

'This is crucial if we are to achieve the best outcome for the greatest number of patients, in the clinically challenging weeks ahead,' he explained.

Dr Andrew Rochford, an ambassador for DrinkWise, warned Australians against excessively drinking during times of stress.

The medical expert said in a statement: 'Coronavirus has presented many challenges for all Australians in recent weeks, particularly to our health, wellbeing, general feeling of safety and financial stability,

A DrinkWise ambassador noted that people may turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism during stressful times. Pictured: A man leaving a a liquor store with a cases of beer

'In uncertain times like these, there's a temptation to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism, however people choosing to drink need to remember to do so in moderation,' he said.

Dr Rochford advised Australians to be mindful of the amount they were consuming to avoid long term problems.

'People need to keep track of what they are drinking and if they think they might be drinking too much alcohol, they should seek help,' he said.

Dr Rochford suggested that people use healthy coping mechanisms in this difficult time.

He said: 'It's really important to also take care of your physical and mental health during this time of self-isolation by continuing to exercise, calling your family and friends to check-in and remaining as positive as you can for those isolating with you.'
Medical Reserve Corps volunteer Elise Dorr-Dorynek outside of the coronavirus testing site near Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Dorr-Dorynek is a nurse at Jefferson, and she has been volunteering with the MRC for over a decade. Read more

Elise Dorr-Dorynek doesnt have days off anymore.

Since the coronavirus outbreak descended on Philadelphia, Dorr-Dorynek has split time between her day job as a nurse at Jefferson Health and a volunteer at the citys COVID-19 testing site, swathed in personal protective equipment and swabbing patients for hours in a tent in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Park.

Shes one of several dozen members of Philadelphias medical reserve corps who are helping to staff the testing site  an all-volunteer group of medical and nonmedical professionals who act as backup for the city health department during health crises and large-scale events. Formed after the Sept. 11 attacks, several hundred units of the corps exist around the country. Dorr-Dorynek was one of the first to sign up when Philadelphias branch launched.

I wanted to be able to help my community," she said.

But shes never been asked to help her community like this. She helped staff field hospitals during the papal visit in 2015 and worked the Democratic National Convention in 2016. She administered vaccines to children during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009 and helped distribute flu vaccines to first responders. But the COVID-19 pandemic is different  in both the nature and tenor of the work.

Ive never done clinical testing en masse, Dorr-Dorynek said. And this is just scarier. People are nervous.

Assuaging those fears, even if just for a moment, has become part of her job at the site, too. She soothes patients as they gag through the painful nasal swab test and reassures them theyll be on their way as quickly as possible. She tells them theyre brave.

Mostly, we give information, said John Muccitelli, a nurse who teaches at Jefferson and is also volunteering with the corps at the testing site. People are anxious, nervous, wanting to know how long [the test results] will take.

The patients who come by the site dont need a doctors note or referral to visit, but tests are limited to people over age 50 and health-care professionals who are experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms. Because test results take several days to come back, the corps volunteers kind of have to assume everyone is positive while they interact with patients, Muccitelli says. They wear gowns, masks, face shields, and gloves  the supply of protective equipment has, so far, not run low  and advise patients on how to avoid spreading the virus to others.

Both Muccitelli and Dorr-Dorynek are aware of their own risks of catching the virus and are working to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Dorr-Dorynek, whose husband has a spinal cord injury and is more at risk for the virus, has been washing her work clothes in the hottest water possible immediately upon arriving home. Muccitelli, 67, is taking his temperature twice a day, and as a nurse has long been accustomed to intensive hand sanitizing. Im [among] the most at-risk people to catch this, he said, referring to health-care workers and those over 65. So we take care.

Muccitelli said he joined the corps because he wanted to give back to the city, too. I love this city. I love the people, he said. They need us, and were here.

When the health department asked the corps to help staff the testing center and called for more volunteers, Muccitelli forwarded the request to his nursing classes. Hes been especially gratified, he said, to run into former students who graduated, became nurses, and joined the corps themselves. Nonmedical professionals are welcome, too, he said: The corps needs help organizing lines and handling logistics at the testing center. Anyone over the age of 18 can join the corps by applying online.

Were like resource expanders, he said. And the more members we have, the more people they can call in.
For this election in particular, we encourage it, Evnen said further. In Nebraska, you do not need a reason to request an early mail-in ballot.

For those who have already requested early voting mail-in ballots, county clerks will begin sending those out on April 6.

All voters will be receiving, in the mail, applications that they can fill out, asking to be sent a mail-in ballot. This will be a combined effort of the counties and the state.

And the secretary of states office and NACO (the Nebraska Association of County Officials) are purchasing ballot drop boxes for outside all courthouses in the state where the ballots can be placed (as well as being mailed in). Secretary Evnen said those drop box will be delivered, installed and secured within the next two weeks.

While registered voters will be receiving applications to request early mail-in ballots, they can also access request forms on the secretary of states website.

May 1 is the last day for voters to request a mail-in ballot to be mailed to them. Ballots must be received in the county election office by close of primary election polls on May 12.
27.03.2020 LISTEN

The US Embassy in Ghana has repatriated 305 Americans from Ghana in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

A statement published on the Embassys website said the American citizens were sent back to the US on March 25, 2020.

It added that the repatriation exercise was done with the support from the Government of Ghana.

On March 25, 2020, with the strong support of the Government of Ghana, the U.S. Embassy in Accra facilitated the return to the United States of 305 American citizens from Ghana to the United States, the statement added.

Ghana as of today, March 27, 2020, recorded 136 cases of the virus, three deaths and one recovery.

US, on the other hand, has so far recorded about 86,000 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus.

The Embassy continues to work with U.S. Government agencies in the United States as well as with the government of Ghana to ensure we can render the best assistance to American citizens at this time. If and when additional flights become available, the Embassy will provide instructions to American citizens in Ghana, the US Embassys statement added.

Meanwhile, the Embassy has subsequently issued guidelines to its citizens in Ghana wishing to return home.

All U.S. citizens who are interested in the possibility of a chartered repatriation flight to the United States must complete the online request form available here , EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SENT YOUR DETAILS TO US AT [email protected] Please note that a separate request form must be completed for each individual traveller, the statement added.

Read the full statement below:

The U.S. Embassy places the highest priority on assisting American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their U.S. citizen dependents in Ghana.

On March 25, 2020, with the strong support of the Government of Ghana, the U.S. Embassy in Accra facilitated the return to the United States of 305 American citizens from Ghana to the United States.

The Embassy continues to work with U.S. Government agencies in the United States as well as with the government of Ghana to ensure we can render the best assistance to American citizens at this time.

If and when additional flights become available, the Embassy will provide instructions to American citizens in Ghana through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the U.S. Embassy website and social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Global COVID-19 Outbreak Notice.

Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.

For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC's latest recommendations.

Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.

Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.

Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Ghana.

Visit the Department of Homeland Security's website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States

citinewsroom
Meghan Markle and hubby Prince Harry weren't as sour about sharing a country with President Trump as we last heard from Meghan.

According to Page Six at the New York Post:

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have fled coronavirus in Canada to set up a permanent home in California, taking a private jet to Los Angeles, a source confirmed to Page Six. The couple, with their 10-month-old baby, Archie, took a secret flight to the LA area, leaving their recent bolthole on Vancouver Island after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country's borders were closing last week. Harry and Meghan are setting up home near Hollywood  after looking at homes in the Beverly Hills area  the UK Sun newspaper first reported. "This move was planned for some time. They realized Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area.

Oh. My. So much to unpack here.

First, that's quite the Hollywood vapid celeb thing to do: say you'll leave (or stay out of) the country Because Trump, and then not live up to your grandiose vow, just reaping some P.R. points from it. Last Jan. 12, a mere two months ago, Page Six reported this from Meghan:

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be coming to America  but not until President Trump is out of office, a report said Sunday. After their Megxit deal gets hashed out, the Daily Mail reported that the couple plan on living in Canada and eventually find a home and business in Los Angeles.

Guess Trump wasn't so bad after all. This puts Meghan Markle right up there with Cher and other Hollywood chi-chi crowd denizens for screaming Trump and not following through on their promises.

Second, the heck they are fleeing any coronavirus crisis in Canada; you don't flee one crisis and jet right in to a much bigger one.

Here's today's Los Angeles Times:

Confirmed cases in Los Angeles County rose by more than 50% in a single day, reaching 1,200. Nine new deaths were reported in the county, bringing the virus's toll to 21. Of the people in Los Angeles County who tested positive, 253  or roughly 1 in 5  were hospitalized at some point, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

And this is from the L.A. Times newsletter:

The number of known cases in California also saw a major increase over the last few days, surging to 4,052 on Thursday as testing continued to ramp up. The statewide death toll reached 83 on Thursday. Los Angeles County also saw a rise in confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The county reported an additional 422 confirmed cases Thursday, for a total of 1,230 cases. Cases doubled this week in Orange County, pushing the overall count to 256.

Sound like the right place to move if you're fleeing Canada's coronavirus? Here's another one in the Page Six item:

A source close to Meghan and Harry told The Post: "Right now Meghan and Harry are just concerned for the health and safety of others. These are scary times and they are more worried about what is happening in the world than what's next for them."

Doesn't sound as if that's the case at all, given where they've chosen to move. What's more, their Vancouver digs were isolated, all for the "peace and quiet" they also falsely said they craved, which is a protection of sorts from exposure to coronavirus. So might be Malibu, which they said they didn't want to move to because it was "too remote." Hollywood, by contrast  and it's probably the Hollywood Hills they're moving to  has 3,063 people per square mile, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hollywood Hills West is 3,048. If it's nearby West Hollywood, it's 18,924 people per square mile. Meanwhile, Vancouver Island, which they just left to flee the coronavirus with a baby? A whopping 62 people per square mile. They're obviously spinning this, thinking no one will check.

Here's some more Hollywood hypocrisy: why are they choosing now to fly at all? Nobody's flying. They are said to be flying on a private jet, but what kind of example is that  not just on coronavirus, but on global warming? Seems rules on travel, to keep the spread of the disease down, don't matter to them. I even wonder how the heck Harry got let into the States as a foreigner, given the travel ban on denizens of the U.K. And heck, while he hasn't been there since March 9, the coronavirus, which has an incubation period, has hit his own family. It sounds as though he could be a super-spreader. Seems there's some kind of exception-playing to the rules here that the rest of us are expected to live by, given their ease of coming in.

Here's some other problems, which don't really concern us, but show the extent to which these people are willing to lie. The British royal family, which treated Harry and Meghan with utmost indulgence while they were there, yielded to their wishes to move to Canada. Canada, after all, is part of the British Commonwealth, so it was a bit less of a sting to them given the family relationship, it helped them get an amiable settlement and left the family with hopes they might be back someday. Now, just weeks after that was agreed to, the pair are just ignoring that promise to their family -- and even before they have officially exited the royal family on March 31. These people couldn't wait a few days to make the announcement to lessen the shock of being lied to, which is undoubtedly being felt by their own family? Pretty skeezy, pretty lousy thing to do to people writing your paycheck.

They've still got that SussexRoyal.com website and Instagram account up, ignoring their own promise to get rid of it. It wouldn't be that hard to keep the website and call it something else, but no dice. As Meghan reportedly said at the time, the royals can't make them. Which is true enough, but normal people keep their word to others, and especially if they are family.

They couldn't wait a few days for any of this? It points to a problem of impulse control, same as their on-the-fly announcement, which took aback the royal family, that they were leaving the royal family. Apparently they don't plan anything, they shift plans on the fly, and they don't care whose feelings they tread over.

If I were the Hollywood neighbors, I'd steer clear of these tenants. Apparently, they don't keep their word on anything.

Image credit: Last Night of Freedom via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The stepfather of hit-and-run victim Harry Dunn is self isolating with coronavirus symptoms after hugging Health Secretary Matt Hancock in a recent meeting.

Mr Hancock - who revealed he tested positive for the killer bug today - 'showed little regard' for social distancing, claims Bruce Charles.

Mr Charles noticed that he had symptoms before the cabinet minister made the announcement that he would be self-isolating until Thursday.

Bruce Charles (left) - the stepfather of hit-and-run victim Harry Dunn - is self isolating with coronavirus symptoms after hugging Health Secretary Matt Hancock (right) in a recent meeting

The pair met last week to discuss the ambulance delay before Harry's death - but Mr Charles said the Health Secretary's statement has forced him to isolate himself from Mr Dunn's mother due to her asthma.

Mr Charles said: 'For him to have broken his own department's rules in the meeting is beyond the pale. No wonder he is ill - having shown such little regard for the rules himself.

'My main concern is Charlotte's health. She suffers from severe asthma and that is why she did not come to the meeting.

'Earlier this morning I started to come down with symptoms which may be Covid-19.

Harry was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year

'I was then hit with the news earlier this afternoon that Mr Hancock has tested positive for it.

'I am now left with no option but to isolate myself from her because of our encounter with Mr Hancock.

'It is an outrage and compounds our misery when we had otherwise been following all the rules.'

Harry was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27 last year.

Anne Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to the US, sparking an international controversy.

The family's spokesman Radd Seiger said the meeting, which lasted 11 minutes, started with Mr Hancock announcing he had just arrived from a meeting with the Prime Minister.

Mr Seiger said the Health Secretary 'announced how stressed he was because he was "saving the nation"' at the start of the meeting.

Mr Charles noticed that he had symptoms before the cabinet minister made the announcement on Twitter (pictured) that he would be self-isolating until Thursday

Both Charlotte Charles and Harry's father, Tim Dunn, were not present at the meeting - with Mr Charles and the teenager's step-brother Ciaran Charles in attendance with Mr Seiger.

The family's spokesman Radd Seiger said the meeting, which lasted 11 minutes, started with Mr Hancock (pictured last month) announcing he had just arrived from a meeting with the Prime Minister

The family's spokesman said of Mr Hancock: 'He walked around the table and firstly gave Bruce and Ciaran a full-on hug followed by a handshake.

'I then walked past him and he went to give me a hug too. He managed to slip one arm around my back but I pulled away, fully aware of the need to engage in social distancing.

'I could not believe what I had just witnessed and the three of us then left, utterly bewildered at what just happened.

'We had all been dragged down to London, for a waste of a meeting, in highly dangerous circumstances, to be confronted by the Health Secretary of all people who breached his Government's own protocol.'

Mr Seiger said he had also been forced to self-isolate.

He said: 'The news has shocked me to the core.

'I am my wife's carer as she has been very seriously ill and have three children who are all at home.

'I am appalled and disgusted that he should have behaved so recklessly and irresponsibly and jeopardised all our health.

'He would have had access to the same information at that time that we had - and he deliberately flouted it.

'He should have led from the front and either cancelled the meeting or held it by phone.'

The Government said Mr Hancock followed clinical advice at the time.

It said he was following all clinical guidance at the time the meeting took place, and guidance on social distancing was not published until March 23.
4 Christian aid workers freed in Iraq after abduction 2 months ago

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Four Christian aid workers who were kidnapped in Iraq in January have been freed, according to the office of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Those released are French nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi national Tariq Madoka.

All of them served with the French-based Catholic nongovernmental organization SOS Chretiens d'Orient (Christians in the Middle East). The charity served in Iraq since 2014 to help Christian communities rebuild in the wake of the Islamic State's reign of terror that displaced thousands from their homes.

A statement released by Macrons office Friday only confirmed the captives were released but offered very few details on the conditions of their release except to say that Elysee Palace made "every effort to reach this outcome.

"The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," the presidents office said in a statement. "The president expresses his gratitude to the Iraqi authorities for their co-operation.

The release comes one day after it was announced that the French government would withdraw all troops stationed in Iraq until further notice due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. There are at least over 458 confirmed cases of the virus in Iraq as of Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center.

Jean-Remi Meneau, the deputy head of mission in Iraq for SOS Chretiens d'Orient, said in a statement that the darling freedom that was taken from his colleagues is finally back.



This forced isolation, this withdrawn comfort and this imposed distance end this beautiful evening, Meneau wrote, according to a Google translation. Our Lady of Pontmain had said: But pray my children. God will hear you in no time. Then we prayed as a group, individually, or hidden in public, we prayed and we have been granted.

I can't help but keep a thought for all these hostages around the world who have not yet experienced this joy of liberation, and who may never know it, Meneau added. Let us continue to raise our prayers to the Lord for them and their families.

The organizations director, Benjamin Blanchard, explained at a news conference in January that the kidnapped workers were in Baghdad to renew their visas and register the association with Iraqi authorities. They were also in the city to inspect the organizations programs and the opening of a new school.

According to the BBC, SOS Chretiens d'Orient released a statement last week explaining that no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction and that no demand for ransom was received.

International Christian Concern, a United States-based persecution watchdog group, reports that kidnappings have become  increasingly commonplace in Iraq.

Iraq ranks as the 15th-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List.

The killing and kidnapping of Christians; since 2003 this has occurred in waves, causing feelings of great insecurity, an Open Doors USA country dossier on Iraq reads. These two reasons are among the main causes for Iraqi Christian emigration and for the depletion of the Christian community in Iraq.

In Iraq, Christians have faced a drastic decline in their population since the start of the Iraq War in 2003. Christians were further driven out of the country due to the rise of the Islamic State in 2014.

The Obama administration was criticized for repeatedly refusing to label the Islamic States atrocities against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria a "genocide" following two years of mass slaughter and crimes against humanity. At the time, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said they were hesitant to say whether the term "can be properly applied in this scenario," and were concerned about the "legal ramifications" if they did so.

A month later, in March 2016, then-Secretary of State John Kerry finally called the Islamic State's terrorist acts in Iraq and Syria a genocide.

Although the Islamic State has lost most of its territory in Iraq, Open Doors warns that their ideology remains and has influenced society as militants have simply blended back into the general population.
1 of 1

Coronavirus: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he had tested positive for coronavirus. Johnson confirmed the infection on his official Twitter account. Britain's leader, 55, said he developed mild symptoms over the last 24 hours, but that he would continue to lead and coordinate the country's response to the outbreak. "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the governments response via video-conference as we fight this virus," he said.



"But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus." A numbers of world leaders, including President Donald Trump and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, have been tested for coronavirus recently after coming into contact with officials and advisers who caught the disease.



Three U.S. lawmakers  two from the House of Representatives and one from the Senate  have tested positive: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. So far, 578 people in the United Kingdom have died after testing positive for coronavirus and the number of confirmed cases has risen to 11,658. The UK toll is the seventh worst in the world, after Italy, Spain, China, Iran, Franceand the United States, according to a Reuters tally.



Britain's Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week but is in good health and is now self-isolating at hishis residence in Scotland with mild symptoms along with his wife Camilla, who tested negative, his office said.
Government exempted several services linked to the agricultural sector from the lockdown provisions on Friday amid concerns that the preparations for the harvesting season were getting affected. Government had lifted restrictions from selling of farm seeds and other related material on Thursday.

The Friday addendum released by the home ministry exempts agencies engaged in procurement of agricultural products including MSP (minimum support price) operations, Mandis (wholesale markets) run by the agriculture produce market committee or as notified by the state government, farming operations by farmers and farm workers in the field, custom hiring centres (CHC) related to farm machines, manufacturing and packaging units of fertilizers, pesticides and seeds along with movement of harvesting and sowing related machines.

The intervention came amid reports that farmers in Punjab and Haryana were hamstrung due to migrant farm labourers leaving for their homes and concerns over delay in procurement of crops by the government due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent nationwide lockdown to check it.

A directive to allow for harvesting and marketing of horticulture produce was issued by the Punjab government on Friday along with assurances of smooth procurement and timely payments for the harvest of wheat.

Haryana government had yesterday given similar assurances and ordered staggered procurement of mustard and wheat from mid April if the situation normalizes and requested farmers to store food grains in their homes till then.

The central government had yesterday announced advance payment of Rs 2,000 under PM Kisan scheme to assist approximately 8.69 crore farmers.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has demanded that the government makes separate arrangement for the farm sector as farmers will find it difficult to repay loans due to untimely rains and hailstorms in some parts of the country.

In a letter to the prime minister, Pawar said farmers were further inconvenienced by halting of operations due to unavailability of labourers and other resources. He said standing crops were unattended, harvesting had been halted and farmers were also struggling with transportation, warehousing and marketing of their produce.

The package for agriculture sector is not enough. It is impossible for the farmers to repay crop loan. Separate arrangements are also required for horticulture farmers as well, Pawar said.
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. (SNCAF.PK, SNC.TO) announced Friday that it has withdrawn its financial outlook for the full year 2020 that was provided by the company on February 28, 2020, due to uncertainty regarding the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the related impact on the company's worldwide operations. The company expects to provide a further update on the situation when it releases its first quarter 2020 earnings results. Additionally, the company said it has and will continue to take all appropriate actions to protect its staff to maintain business operations for customers where allowable and possible, and to preserve liquidity. In doing this, the company is following the latest health and safety measures and guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and home country governments. It continues to actively offer its services and capabilities to customers and governments in the regions it operates. The management is undertaking actions and measures to align the cost base of the Company to deliver cost savings as it starts the second quarter. Discretionary expenditure not required to directly support client delivery is being significantly reduced and capital expenditure frozen. The company is also taking remedial actions due to temporary shutdowns, including reduced hours and employee furloughs. All SNC-Lavalin's executive leadership will be taking a 20% reduction in salary and Board members will take a 20% reduction in cash compensation for the second quarter. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Much as we love links from the commentariat at NC, given the volume of material we are now getting, it would be really, really helpful to the moderators, and would also improve comment quality, if well-intentioned readers didnt simply dump links, but explained the qualifications of the source, and ideally gave a quote. This goes double for YouTubes and videos generally. Think of it as informational hygiene. Thank you!

Can Trillion-Dollar Coins Cover the Coronavirus Relief Tab? Its Not a Bad Idea. Barrons

Coronavirus turmoil delivers shock to the hedge fund industry FT. Thats a damn shame.

Stimulus

Explainer: Hobbled IRS tax agency may need months to get cash to Americans Reuters. Maybe I should introduce a Failed State category

COVID-19

The science:

A Genomic Perspective on the Origin and Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Cell

Genomic epidemiology of novel coronavirus NextStrain. The strains are also mapped, and you can filter by location, country, study author, etc. (I should credit the reader who sent me tjhis link, but I cant. Raise your hand in comments!)

Springtime in the Plague Year (podcast) Open Source with Christopher Lydon. Some skeptics.

* * *

Materiel shortages:

Trump Rejects New Yorks Plea For Ventilators: I Dont Believe You Need That Many HuffPo. If only ventilators printed money instead of merely supplying oxygen!

FDA authorizes CPAP machines and more as emergency ventilator alternatives Fierce Biotech

ICU Bed Capacity Varies Widely Nationwide NPR. I believe that Italy has transported patients out of hot spots, freeing capacity. Of course, private equity has gone into the ambulance business

Worker at NYC hospital where nurses wear trash bags as protection dies from coronavirus NY Post (MR).

* * *

Testing:

Florida, home to millions of elderly residents, doesnt have enough coronavirus tests. Could it be the next epicenter? USA Today

* * *

Spread:

U.S. leads world in confirmed coronavirus cases for first time Axios. USA! USA! Were #1! Were #1! (To be fair, testing has improved, and so a jump in the numbers was predictable and predicted.)

Coronavirus: Ivey says right now is not the time for Alabama-wide shelter-in-place order Montgomery Advisor

* * *

Media:

How coronavirus mutations can track its spreadand disprove conspiracies National Geographic

The Ibuprofen Debate Reveals the Danger of Covid-19 Rumors Wired

Doing science is harder than it might be. Thread:

1. This is going to be a personal thread about the experience of working at the intersection of infectious disease modeling and the study of misinformation during the worst pandemic in a century. If you're just interested in what is happening with the virus, you can skip it.  Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) March 26, 2020

* * *

Political response:

With Coronavirus Comes The Hobbesian Leviathan The American Conservative

The Cult of the Shining City Embraces the Plague The New Republic (Re Silc). Licking the shrine

Coronavirus-hit countries are asking Cuba for medical help. Why is the US opposed? CNN. Maybe we could get some UN election monitors in here, while were at it.

Episode 139: Trial Balloon for a Climate Disaster (podcast) Trillbilly Workers Party

* * *

Corporate response:

Gilead Sciences Backs Off Coronavirus Drug Monopoly Claim The Intercept

Theres Never Been More Attention on the Ills of Profit-Motivated Pharmaceutical Production FAIR

In Coronavirus, Industry Sees Chance to Undo Plastic Bag Bans NYT

* * *

Remedies and ameliorations:

Were not going back to normal Technology Review. Social distancing is here to stay for much more than a few weeks. It will upend our way of life, in some ways forever. So were about the optimize human interaction for rent extraction by digital middlemen? Thats nice.

Alcohol is unhelpful coping strategy for coronavirus lockdown, WHO says Independent

That Discomfort Youre Feeling Is Grief Harvard Business Review

Sun Dayong designs wearable shield to protect against coronavirus outbreaks Dezeen (Re Silc).

Self-Isolation Is the Best Time to Experiment With Your Personal Style Teen Vogue. If this is what it takes to keep people indoors

Now Might Be a Really Good Time to Invest in a Bidet Core77
by Lu Haitao

During the epidemic, the dead were cremated immediately, without ceremonies and without specifying the cause of death. Now family members are waiting to bury the urns containing the ashes of their loved ones. About 45,000 urnes will be distributed in Wuhan alone. The number of coronavirus deaths in China is deliberately underestimated. In the days of the peak of the epidemic, the crematory ovens worked for 19 hours a day. Journalists Li Zehua, Fang Bin, Chen Qiushi have disappeared. Photos and videos of queues at Funeral Parlors and cemeteries are blocked on social media.

Wuhan (AsiaNews) - Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people are queuing in front of Funeral Parlors in Wuhan to collect the urns with the ashes of their deceased who died in the coronavirus epidemic during citys forced isolation.

All those who died during the epidemic were immediately cremated, without any funeral ceremony and without specifying the causes of death. Family members had to wait for the authorities' notice to retrieve the ashes of their loved ones.

On the brink of a profound economic crisis, China is pushing to restore normalcy to the country, and has scheduled the reopening of communications in Wuhan on April 8. A sign of this "normality" is the collection of urns by relatives in preparation for the feast of Qingming, on April 4th, when the tombs of the deceased are honored.

The queues and the dead

The long queues in front of the Funeral Parlors provoke the question of how many coronavirus deaths there really were. So far China has only reported 3298 deaths.

A photo released yesterday on social media (see photo) shows a long line outside the Funeral Parlor in Hankow, a district of Wuhan. Online comments say that people have had to wait for hours while public security and plainclothes policemen were watching that no one took photos. To take the ashes of their deceased, family members had to be escorted by Funeral Parlor staff members or city officials. The comments speak of "a form of surveillance".

Caixin magazine notes that the queue outside Hankow's Funeral Parlor was approximately 200 meters long; thousands of empty urns were unloaded from a truck and stacked in the Funeral Parlor.

Another "funeral hall" in Wuchang (another Wuhan neighborhood) has announced that family members can come to collect the urns with ashes from 23 March. The Funeral Parlor plans to distribute 500 per day, up to Qingming. This means around 6500 urns throughout this period.

Wuhan has seven Funeral Parlors: if it is calculated that each of them will distribute urns at the same rate as the one in Wuchang, it adds up to an estimated 45,500 urns for the city of Wuhan alone.

Perhaps not all of these deaths can be attributed to coronavirus, but it is almost certain that the official figures are purposely underestimated.

A Caixin reporter said earlier that the Funeral Parlor cremation ovens worked for 19 hours a day in February.

Li Zehua, a former CCTV television presenter who came to Wuhan as a freelancer to report on the epidemic, has been arrested and there has been no news of his whereabouts for over a month. Two other journalists have disappeared, Fang Bin and Chen Qiushi: they too were working in Wuhan. Li Zehua reported his visit to the Funeral Parlor in Qingshan between 10 and 11 p.m. on February 19 when the crematoria were still in operation.

Videos also appeared online showing long queues of people outside the Biandanshan cemetery, waiting to bury the ashes of their deceased. But even these photos and videos have been censored and taken down.

In all likelihood the exact number of coronavirus victims will never be known. During the days of the peak of the Wuhan epidemic, the health system collapsed and many patients did not have the opportunity to be hospitalized. They died before any diagnosis and were cremated without being included in official statistics.
Pennsylvania has confirmed 531 new coronavirus cases, raising the statewide total to 2,218.

The state Department of Health says 22 patients have died due to the virus statewide, including six new deaths reported today. The department released new numbers this afternoon.

Cases have been reported in 50 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties.

There are 21,016 patients who have tested negative, the department said. The department no longer provides data on the number of pending test results, since most tests are now being performed in commercial laboratories.

The bulk of the cases have been concentrated in Philadelphia and its suburbs. Philadelphia leads the state with 530 cases in the city alone, followed by Montgomery County, where 374 cases have been reported.

However, cases continue to rise across central and western Pennsylvania.

Most of the counties in the Harrisburg region have residents who have tested positive. Lancaster County leads the midstate with 33 patients, followed by York County with 29. Dauphin County now has 18 cases, Cumberland County has 16 patients and Lebanon County has 12. No deaths have been reported in the Harrisburg area.

In western Pennsylvania, Allegheny County has 158 cases, while Westmoreland County has 30 cases and Butler County has 26 cases.

The health department doesnt offer statistics on how many people recover from the coronavirus. The department has said hospitals inform the state about positive cases but dont offer information on when patients are discharged. Most patients who contract the virus do recover.

Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine has stressed the coronavirus must be taken seriously. On Thursday, she said many of those infected are under the age of 50, so younger adults should not assume they arent susceptible to the virus.

The departments new figures show 54 percent of those who have tested positive are under the age of 50. The state says 40 percent of all those diagnosed are between 25 and 49 years old.

Deaths due to the virus have been reported in 10 counties: Allegheny (2), Butler (1), Delaware (3), Lackawanna (2), Lehigh (2), Luzerne (2), Monroe (2), Montgomery (3), Northampton (3) and Philadelphia (2).

While President Trump has said hed like to set a goal of getting America up and running by Easter, Gov. Tom Wolf has cautioned Pennsylvania residents that the state isnt facing a short-term battle but a war.

We dont know how bad the surge will be or when it will end," Wolf said at a news conference Thursday. We must prepare ourselves mentally and physically to be in this for the long haul.

Wolf and Levine have said they are concerned that if the rapid spread of the virus continues at the current pace, the states hospitals could be overwhelmed. The first case of coronavirus in the state was reported just three weeks ago.

Since then, Wolf has taken aggressive steps to reduce the spread of the virus and flatten the curve.

Were trying to buy time to allow our health care system to ramp up, Wolf said earlier this week.

Wolf has issued stay-at-home orders for 10 counties, including the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions. More than 6 million people - about half the states population - live in a county with an order to stay home unless they need to make an essential trip.

The governor has closed schools statewide until at least April 6 and possibly longer if necessary. School districts are scrambling to deliver remote instruction and bracing for the possibility schools wont reopen for classes this spring.

Wolf has ordered businesses across Pennsylvania to shut down temporarily to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Thousands of businesses have applied for waivers to stay open. Some businesses and trade groups have complained the Wolf administrations order is preventing companies that offer life-sustaining services to operate.

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on businesses and many have lost jobs. On Thursday, the state said 650,000 had filed unemployment claims for over an 11-day period.

Universities and colleges across Pennsylvania have ended in-person classes and switched to online instruction for the rest of the semester. Many colleges still are figuring out what kind of commencement ceremonies can be done for graduating seniors.

More from PennLive

Businesses tied to Gov. Tom Wolf, top Pa. senator close after questions about how they qualified as life-sustaining

Pa. school districts face new pressure to start educating kids online

Could Pennsylvanias vacant hotels be turned into coronavirus field hospitals? Heres how

Have to venture out? Here are some tips to help avoid coronavirus

Emergency responders might be told locations of coronavirus cases; why cant everyone know?
T he universities minister has told students who are still in halls of residence not to travel home, saying stay where you are.

Michelle Donelan has written a letter to them outlining the latest government advice and another one to university vice chancellors that emphasises the importance of mental health support.

It comes after thousands of students returned to their family homes before the lockdown, with universities cancelling face-to-face learning.

In her letter to students Ms Donelan said: While many students will already have travelled home, I know that those of you who have not, or cannot, will be concerned about what you should do now.

The Governments advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel.

"If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force.

The minister said she had been speaking to higher education providers about additional support they can give their students including help with catering.

She said the Office for Students would produce guidance on completing their courses, adding: I am very aware that many of you will be worried about what this means for final exams.

Many universities have replaced traditional exams with online assessments while at Imperial College London, medical students have taken exams from home for the first time.

In her letter to universities, Ms Donelan said she expected them to be making additional arrangements to accommodate more students.

She wrote: I recognise that this inevitably places more pressure on your institutions student accommodation and support services.

"I know that many of you had already planned provision for students who cannot travel home or have no alternative residence, such as care leavers or estranged students.

She said mental health provision was likely to be an important source of support during this period of isolation.
Golden Gate Bridge, Ocean Beach, Presidio

Photo: SF Rec & Park/Twitter

On Thursday, SF Rec & Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area announced that additional parking lots at Ocean Beach, Baker Beach, Fort Funston, and Crissy Field are now closed to the public in order to encourage people to stay in their own neighborhoods to slow the spread of COVID-19 during shelter-in-place.

Additionally, after six Laguna Honda Hospital staff members and one patient tested positive for COVID-19 and access to the hospital campus for non-essential visitors was restricted, the Laguna Honda trail system is no longer open to the public, according to a post on San Francisco Urban Riders (SFUR)'s website. According to the post, the trails closed on Monday.

As we previously reported, the trails reopened last fall, following three years of work by SFUR to bring the defunct trail system back to life.

The trails on Laguna Honda Hospital's property. | Photo: SFUR

The parking lot closures at Ocean Beach, Baker Beach, Fort Funston, and Crissy Field comes just before the weekend and will last until further notice "in order to comply with local and state health authorities," the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's website reads.

Despite the closures, trails and open spaces served by the parking lots will remain open to pedestrian and bicycle access at least for now.

"We know what happened last weekend," Mayor London Breed said during a press conference on Friday, addressing crowded parks and beaches that prevented people from staying at least 6 feet apart from each other. "Sadly, we saw a number of areas in our city that were just jam-packed," she said.

Beginning at midnight tonight (3/26), we will be closing the Marina Green parking lots, Ocean Beach parking lots, & Beach Chalet parking lot in response to #coronavirus emergency. We continue to encourage people to exercise locally. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay close to home pic.twitter.com/U8NHJbJ5VY  SF Rec and Park (@RecParkSF) March 27, 2020

She reminded San Franciscans to only go out for essential needs and for walks in their own neighborhoods. "If you are trying to go to Baker Beach, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, parking will not be available," she said.

Story continues

Mayor Breed said the city hopes that by closing these areas off to cars, people will get the message. "Please do not get in your cars to drive to Ocean Beach," she said, adding that surrounding neighborhoods will also be monitored so that people don't line up for alternative parking spots there.

Across the Golden Gate Bridge, officials have also blocked off Muir Beach Overlook parking, Muir Beach parking, Rodeo Beach parking and Upper Conzelman Road, leading to the scenic overlook of Golden Gate Bridge.

Previously, Alcatraz Island, Presidio Visitor Center, Fort Point National Historic Site, Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and the Lands End Lookout were already shuttered.

"There will probably be a lot of people outside [this weekend]," SFPD Chief Bill Scott added at the press conference. "Use common sense, be smart and see us out there."

"We need everyone to think of who you are putting at risk by not adhering to these public health orders," he said, adding that SFPD will be ready to enforce the six feet social distancing regulations this weekend.

Here's the full list of parking lots in San Francisco that closed last night:
The traditional three people in a room who make the big decisions in Albany may or may not negotiate the state budget via teleconference, but that appears to what is going down with the full state Legislature as the April 1 deadline approaches.

More than a week after two members of the state Assembly tested positive for coronavirus, the state Senate and Assembly are preparing to implement remote voting to limit contact among themselves within the sometimes crowded quarters of the state Capitol.

A video system was set up Thursday in the well of the Assembly chambers, but it remains unclear whether lawmakers would use it to vote on the state budget due April 1. There are also expectations that something similar could be done in the state Senate, though the expectation at this time is that senators would vote for the budget in person and then authorize remote voting so that the chamber could convene as needed in the following weeks and months.

We are creating the opportunity to do our work remotely, Stewart-Cousins said on The Capitol Pressroom on Thursday. We will be passing a resolution, and the Assembly will too, allowing a different type of convening to happen, one that is more technology-based because of the time we are in.

An Assembly spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about a resolution Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes has introduced in the chamber that details how remote voting would work in practice. Under her resolution, the speaker would have discretion to allow members to remotely submit their attendance, debate questions and requests to speak before the full chamber through teleconference or videoconference. Another provision states that technical failure, such as a lost connection, would invalidate their votes.

Plenty of controversial issues have yet to be worked out between Heastie, Stewart-Cousins and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. State budgets are usually broken down into a few up-or-down votes on omnibus bills, but some votes here and there could make a difference on issues like health care, education funding, bail reform or marijuana legalization. This is the time for both sides to sort of strike with their messaging, right? said Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University. This is an opportunity to have some substantive discussions that have been on the docket for quite some time, but are now being presented in a very different and distinct light.

Two lawmakers  Assemblyman Charles Barron and Assembly Ways and Means Chair Helene Weinstein  announced they had the coronavirus in mid-March. While stricter measures were later taken to limit contact among lawmakers, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced that a third lawmaker, Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre, had tested positive the day after she cast a vote in the chamber last week.

Older lawmakers are particularly vulnerable to getting infected in the typically close quarters of the legislative chambers and committee rooms. State Sen. John Brooks spent a brief period in precautionary quarantine last week, though he later tested negative for the virus. Other lawmakers have also had to consider how they will balance their political concerns with a need to respect public health guidelines that aim to limit the spread of the virus.

Unless they implement some form of remote voting in coming days, lawmakers risk conceding an enormous amount of power to the governor. While Cuomo has previously said that lawmakers have a duty to do their jobs during the ongoing emergency, that stance appeared to shift at a Thursday press conference in the state Capitol.

A budget deficit that has ballooned to $15 billion means that state funding will have to remain flexible in the upcoming year. Given the economic uncertainty, funding allocations might have to be adjusted at each fiscal quarter. I dont believe the Legislature is going to want to come up here every quarter and go through numbers, Cuomo said. At this rate, with the spread of the virus, I dont even know that it would be responsible to ask for a convening of the legislature.

If lawmakers cannot make those decisions, Cuomo said state Budget Director Robert Mujica should be put in charge. The coming days will show whether the state Legislature will allow that to happen, but lawmakers could have a limited appetite for fiscal issues during an election year.
El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights (Garrett Snyder / Los Angeles Times)

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing shutdown have left many restaurants uncertain about their future. As smaller, independent restaurants across the city grapple with new realities, we asked them to share their stories.

El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights, opened by the Rojas family in 1955, is best known for its signature Hollenbeck burrito, which Jonathan Gold once described as an old-line Mexican restaurant's entire menu wrapped into a bedsheet-size tortilla. The Times spoke with Mirella Campos, El Tepeyacs manager and granddaughter of founder Manuel Rojas.

What steps are you taking to keep your restaurant open?

We closed our dining room the week before last and started doing everything through a takeout window on the side of the restaurant. Theres enough room around it so customers dont have to stand together and they can be safe while ordering. Were cleaning and disinfecting everything like crazy and making sure our crew is protected as possible when they're at work. As of now weve reduced our hours [to] from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but were open every day.

How are takeout and delivery going?

Its been going OK. We get a good amount of people calling in with phone orders and just walking up to the window. Id say were busiest around lunchtime. Were also on delivery apps and have some employees acting as our own delivery drivers now, even though we werent really known for delivery before.

This week we started offering larger family specials, just to catch peoples attention and give back to our customers a little. We know a lot of people arent working right now. For $20 you can get an original Hollenbeck burrito, which will feed two, plus an order of taquitos and chips and salsa, which saves you about $6 altogether. More money to spend on toilet paper.

The El Tepeyac Hollenbeck burrito with pork chile verde. (Ken Kwok / Los Angeles Times)

What's your weekly revenue like now versus a month ago? Have you had to reduce staff?

Everything has been cut in half, basically. A normal week we might do $5,000 or $6,000 in sales. Now its down to $2,000 or $3,000. We had to let go of our dining room employees for the time being, and instead of two prep cooks and two runners and two cashiers were getting by with one each. Its really tough. Everyone here is like family, and were trying to offer them as much support as we can.

Story continues

What are your plans for the immediate future?

Were playing it by ear right now. A lot of restaurants and businesses in Boyle Heights have closed, so were trying to get the word out that were still open. People in the neighborhood are happy and thankful that they can still order our food. Sometimes theyll just take their burritos to the parking lot and eat them out of their cars since they cant sit down in the dining room.

What are you doing these days when not working?

Eat, sleep, try to exercise and be safe. Thats all you can do at this point. Were all just looking forward to when this is finally over.

812 N. Evergreen Ave., East Los Angeles, (213) 267-8668, eltepeyaccafe.com
Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.
Considering the high fatalities recorded in many developed countries, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday urged Nigerians to prepare for the worst possible effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CBN gave the warning during the launching of a private sector coalition to mobilise support against the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 is on behalf of the Bankers Committee, in partnership with the private sector led by Aliko Dangote Foundation and Access Bank.

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the unprecedented rate at which the virus is spreading suggests Nigeria may be fighting its most lethal adversary to date.

With over 500,000 people infected by the virus globally, statistics from the World Health Organisation showed over 81,000 cases with over 3,000 deaths in China; about 86,000 cases with over 8,000 deaths in Italy; over 95,000 with over 1,100 deaths in the U.S., and 62,197 cases with over 4,000 deaths in Spain.

In Africa, South Africa has 927 infected persons so far, with Nigeria recording about 65 cases so far, with only one known fatality.

But, the CBN governor noted that considering the history of the devastation of the virus in China and U.S, where the rate of fatalities were low initially, there were concerns that Nigerias fatality figure may rise exponentially in the next two weeks, hence the need to prepare for the worst.

Mr Emefiele said as a follow up on the series of interventions by the CBN in response to the devastation of the virus on the global and Nigerian economy, the coalition was another effort to mobilise the private sector to support the federal government in procuring equipment and materials against the pandemic.

Despite the federal governments efforts so far, the CBN governor sector it was clear the private sector still needs to step in to provide leadership and mobilise private sector resources in support of the effort.

He said the coalition has already set up four committees, including a Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who currently chairs the federal governments committee on Covid-19, to provide leadership.

The committee will also be in charge of procuring all needed funding, equipment and materials for the battle against this pandemic.

The Funding Committee, which has the CBN Governor, Aliko Dangote, Herbert Wigwe, Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu, Segun Agbaje, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Femi Otedola as members, will be responsible for the initial funding of the effort.

Each member of the committee is to ensure that their institution contributes at least N1 billion to this effort, while new members would be allowed as long as they are willing to contribute at least N1 billion. The target is N120 billion.

The Operational Committee includes the CBN Governor, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GT Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank and Nigerian Breweries will be responsible for project logistics, communication and advocacy.

The Technical Committee comprising the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Federal Ministry of Health and select members of the operational and funding committees, will be responsible for gathering data about the equipment and materials needed nationwide.

The coalition will also be working with reputable institutions and consultants including the Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Akin Abayomi, Christian Happi, Phillip Onyebujo, and all medial doctors.

Mr Emefiele said the Bankers Committee is already engaging other interest groups in Nigeria and abroad, such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and players in the oil industry to support the coalition.

The need for all Nigerians to play a role in this fight cannot be understated as we are quite literally in the fight of our lives, Mr Emefiele said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-27 22:19:22|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat on Friday disclosed that he is under quarantine, together with other AU staff member, after an AU staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

"I can confirm that one of my collaborators in my Office at the African Union (AU) Commission has tested positive for COVID19," the chairperson of the 55-member pan-African bloc disclosed in a twitter post on Friday.

"The staff member is in a stable condition. As a precautionary measure, I am under quarantine as are some other collaborators in my office," Mahamat added.

The staff member of the AU Commission, who is said to be a 72-year-old male Mauritian, is one of the four latest new confirmed COVID-19 cases that the Ethiopian Ministry of Health announced on Friday.

"Four additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, making the total cases 16," the Ethiopian Minister of Health Lia Tadesse said in a statement issued on Friday.

The four latest cases include a 72-year-old male Mauritian who resides in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and has a travel history from Brazzaville on March 14; a 61-year-old male Ethiopian who resides in Ethiopia's Adama town with no travel history abroad; a 38-year-old female Ethiopia with a travel history to Israel on March 21; as well as a 24-year-old female Ethiopian with no travel history from abroad, according to the minister.
Walgreens Boots Alliance WBA stock soared 10% during regular trading Thursday as the market surged on the back of the $2 trillion stimulus package to help the U.S. economy fight back against the coronavirus. Now the question is should investors think about buying Walgreens stock with the pharmacy and retail giant set to report its Q2 fiscal 2020 earnings results on Thursday, April 2?

The Quick Story

Walgreens, which also owns the Boots drugstore chain in Europe, is a global retail and wholesale pharmacy powerhouse that has nearly 19,000 stores in over 25 countries. But Walgreens has faced challenges amid increasing competition from the likes of Amazon AMZN and other online and discount retailers.

Analysts have also worried that CVS Healths CVS acquisition of health insurer Aetna has impacted Walgreens because the relationship between insurers and pharmacists are more vital than ever. And the companys bottom-line was hit last quarter by shrinking profits in prescription drugs.

The company posted disappointing Q1 results in early January, but CEO Stefano Pessina noted that WBA was maintaining its outlook for the year despite a soft first quarter. And luckily for investors, Walgreens has been able to keep its stores open as other retailers from Apple AAPL to Nike NKE close many of their brick and mortar locations amid the coronavirus-based call for social distancing.

In fact, WBA could potentially see a boost during the coronavirus as people shop for essentials and try to focus more on their health.

Other Fundamentals

WBA shares jumped 10% Thursday to close regular trading at $45.67 a share. This came as part of a much larger market climb that actually saw the Dow jump into a new bull market, just three days after reaching its bear-market low. But the rapid fall and quick rise highlight the coronavirus volatility that could remain.

Despite the one-day jump, WBA stock has been on a brutal run over the last five years and still rests 30% off its 52-week highs. The decline has substantially lowered Walgreens valuation, with the stock trading at 6.9X forward 12-month Zacks earnings estimates. This marks a discount against its one-year median of 9.1X and its industrys 15.7X average.

Story continues

Meanwhile, the companys 4.01% dividend yield does help provide income to investors. The yield also tops CVS and the S&P 500s 2.22% average.

Outlook

Our Zacks estimates call for WBAs Q2 revenue to pop 2.2% to reach $35.30 billion. This would top last quarters 1.6% jump, as well as Q4 and Q3 of fiscal 2019. Looking further down the road, the companys fiscal 2020 sales are projected to jump 2.2% and another 3% in 2021, which would come on top of 2019s 4.1% sales growth.

At the bottom end of the income statement, Walgreens is expected to see its adjusted earnings fall 12.2% to $1.44 a share. This would come in below Q1s 6% decline, which also fell short of our estimate. WBAs fiscal 2020 EPS figure is projected to dip 2.5%.

Bottom Line

Walgreens is a currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) that does sport an overall A VGM score. However, WBAs longer-term earnings estimates are down from where they were before it posted its first quarter results. Therefore, it might be best to wait to see a more substantial recovery from the Deerfield, Illinois-based retail and pharmacy power before taking a chance.

Today's Best Stocks from Zacks



Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through Q3 2019, while the S&P 500 gained +39.6%, five of our strategies returned +51.8%, +57.5%, +96.9%, +119.0%, and even +158.9%.



This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000  Q3 2019, while the S&P averaged +5.6% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +54.1% 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



NIKE, Inc. (NKE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



CVS Health Corporation (CVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
It will take a massive effort of time and resources to increase voting by mail across the nation if the coronavirus pandemic is still jeopardizing in-person voting in November.

And the $400 million appropriated by Congress is nowhere near enough to make it feasible.

That's the warning from election officials in states that vote almost entirely by mail, who say it took years of careful planning for them to make the transition.

"It's going to be a herculean effort, but failure is not an option," Washington state Secretary of State Kim Wyman, whose state is among five that vote that way, told me. By contrast, there are 13 states that don't currently even offer all their voters the option of casting ballots by mail, according to a tally released yesterday by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

The warnings underscore the unprecedented challenge facing officials who are beginning to contemplate a complete overhaul of their election operations during just seven months and in the midst of a global health crisis. The shift to better secure elections against hacking after Russian interference in 2016, by contrast, took place over more than three years and still produced mixed results.

"It's a heavy lift and not all states are going to have the infrastructure and resources," Wyman said. She described the election security money contained in a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill that's likely to pass the House today as "helpful seed money" but "not even knocking at the door for what we're going to need."

The Brennan Center has estimated the cost for nationwide voting by mail at around $1.2 billion plus another $800 million for other measures to ensure safe elections during the pandemic.

The coronavirus has already run roughshod over primaries, forcing states where only a few percent of voters typically cast their ballots by mail tourge far moreto do so.

Making a similar shift in the general election would require new machinery to sort and count ballots and updated processes to verify ballots come from legitimate voters. Voting-by-mail equipment, such as industrial-size scanners and secure boxes where voters can drop off their ballots, are also made by just a handful of companies that may not be able to ramp up production fast enough - especially as they're also strained by quarantines and financial woes brought on by the pandemic.

Some states may even have to shift from tabulating votes at the county level to doing all their tabulation in one central place, Colorado Election Director Judd Choate told me. And the process will be even harder because officials probably will have to make the transition while also protecting themselves from the virus, he said.

"It's absolutely possible, but it might not be pretty," Choate told me. "And, unfortunately, these aren't the best conditions to make a big shift like that. You can't even get all of your team in a room to have a conversation with them."

Colorado began pushing for more voting by mail in the 1990s and began allowing voters to sign up to automatically receive ballots by mail for all elections in 2006. By the time the state switched to effectively all-mail voting in 2013, about 70% of ballots were already coming in that way.

Washington state also began ramping up the number of its residents who voted by mail during the 1990s, and about 60% of residents were voting that way by 2005. Even still, it took more than five years to shift to the current system where nearly 100% of votes are cast outside a polling place.

Other states where voters cast ballots almost exclusively by mail are Oregon, Utah and Hawaii.

Choate warned that "it's going to take a lot more money" than Congress has appropriated for others states to dramatically increase voting by mail.

That will be a tough sell in Congress, however, where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has historically opposed new money for election security and where lawmakers are likely to be consumed by other efforts to respond to the pandemic and the severe economic downturn that has accompanied it.

Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who sponsored a bill to mandate access to mail-in voting for all Americans, pledged during a news conference yesterday to keep fighting for the changes as well as for more money. But they couldn't name any Republican senators who planned to support their bill.

Under the systems in Washington and Colorado, registered voters automatically receive ballots in the mail they can either return by that way or drop off into specialty boxes. A small percentage also still vote in person at voting centers. The states verify voters' identities by matching saved copies of their signatures with signatures on the outside of the envelopes containing their ballots.

Even those systems could be jeopardized by the pandemic, though, and both states are working on contingency plans.

If the Postal Service has to curtail some services, for example, Colorado could deliver ballots by FedEx or with another delivery service, Choate told me. The final option, he said, would be to deliver ballots over the internet and have voters return them using a secure, encrypted file exchange system similar to Dropbox.

Washington is developing plans in case everyone at a county election office is quarantined because one person is infected with the virus. The plans include enlisting a neighboring county to tabulate that county's votes.

"There are no easy answers even if all the resources are there," Wyman said. "But we have a hard stop on Election Day that we all have to meet. There's not an option to change or postpone it."
(Natural News) The Chinese government is now telling citizens that the coronavirus is completely under control inside the country. The Chinese government is telling citizens that the threat now exists outside their borders, that everyone must be tested before they can travel into China.

Believing in their government, many overseas Chinese have returned home to their mother country, thinking everything will go back to normal. But China doesnt have coronavirus or any disease under control yet, and more chaos is yet to ensue. Infectious disease outbreaks are not over in China and they never will be, especially because air pollution, widespread immunodeficiency, and malnourishment remain, and comorbidity is not taken into consideration with death statistics. In fact, a new report shows up to 88% of alleged Covid19 deaths could be misattributed.

Regardless, governments are rapidly changing their approach to infectious disease and nothing will be normal in the world ever again. Governments now treat all people as potential biological sources of contamination, as people are taught to fear contact with one another. During this infectious disease outbreak, governments have realized that they can wield a power the world has never seen before: restricting, tracking, and monitoring the movement, gathering, and commerce of people, en masse.

Emboldened by these new powers, communist, authoritarian governments are ready to take it a step further and set requirements for all people before they are allowed back into society, to work, travel, eat, and play.

All international flights to Beijing will now require various medical tests

As such, Beijing officials just banned all international flights beginning on March 23 as officials prepare new medical testing requirements for all people who come into the city. This is no doubt the next step toward mandatory vaccination requirements for travel.

Chinas suppression of information, mismanagement, and authoritarian approach to the coronavirus outbreak has become the template for other countries and states to follow and the World Health Organization is applauding their actions. What kind of restrictions will other countries impose on their citizens before people are allowed to travel, work, and eat?

Right now, five Chinese agencies, the Civil Aviation Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Health Commission, Chinas General Administration of Customs, and Chinas National Immigration Administration, have agreed on new regulations that imposes new requirements for all international passenger flights to Beijing.

All passengers coming to Beijing will now be re-routed to one of the following cities: Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot, Shanghai (Pudong airport), Jinan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shenyang, Dalian, Zhengzhou, and Xian. Once passengers land in these cities they will be required to undergo a medical inspection. Once the passengers have had their blood tested, they will either be quarantined or allowed to travel to Beijing.

14-day quarantines being used on anyone who is nearby someone with any allergy, fever or minor respiratory illness

Authorities are being overly-cautious and tyrannical with the 14-day quarantine. The 14-day quarantine is being used chaotically and irrationally on healthy people who show no sign of illness, who merely shared the same flight with someone who had a fever, an allergy, or other minor respiratory illness. In the U.S., the quarantine is being used on people who test negative for coronavirus. Dr. Deborah Birx said over 90 percent of people with symptoms test negative for coronavirus, but medical authorities want them and everyone in their family to self quarantine anyway.

A Chinese citizen named Sun reported her bizarre experience on Air China while taking a flight from Tokyo Narita Airport to Beijing Capital Airport from March 20 to March 21.

The flight, containing 105 passengers, was less than half full. The flight crew used the back part of the cabin space to isolate two passengers who had high body temperatures. One passenger merely had a pollen allergy. The flight, following the new regulations, landed in Hohhot, 300 miles northwest of Beijing. After waiting in their seats for half an hour, the passengers were met by a team of health officials who wore protective suits. Everyone was required to have their temperature taken.

When they were through, they disembarked one-by-one and met individually with a health official. The passengers had to disclose their travel history, travel plans, and health condition. They were forced to take a nucleic acid test to detect viral RNA, submit to a blood pressure check, a body temperature screening, and a blood test. Through the night, the passengers were passed through customs and by the next morning, 85 of the passengers were taken on buses to a local quarantine center at Xingtai Air China hotel in the Xincheng district of Hohhot city. This group of passengers was instructed to isolate themselves for 14 days and pay for accommodations and food at the hotel quarantine center. Sun did not know why she was quarantined in Hohhot, while others were free to go. None of the airport staff offered an explanation.

This is the hysterical, paranoid, irrational, controlling and chaotic new world we now live in.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com

SWPRS.org

CBS.com
Trucks loading essential commodities for Meghalaya are being made to wait at the godowns in Assam and the drivers stamped for quarantine, leading to "unfair" delays, officials said on Friday.

The Meghalaya government has registered a strong protest regarding the matter with the Assam government, they said.

Stating that Meghalaya is dependent on markets in Guwahati for essential supplies, Chief Secretary M S Rao shot off a letter to his counterpart in Assam for sympathetic consideration.

In the circumstances, some directions to the authorities concerned for rationalisation of the system is earnestly requested, he said, in the letter to Assam Chief Secretary Sanjay Krishna.

Rao also urged the health authorities in Assam to put quarantine stamp only on those drivers who show some symptoms of COVID-19.

If it is done for all, there would be a serious problem whereby the truckers would have to immediately go for self-quarantine upon completion of the trip, he argued.

Meghalaya is yet to record a single case of COVID-19, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong told PTI.

He said preparation for creating of isolation wards at every district headquarters is on a war footing and food supplies are being provided to the people at their doorstep.

There were only four ventilators available in Meghalaya. The state government has procured 30 more ventilators as precautionary measures to ensure that hospitals are equipped to deal with the pandemic, Tynsong said.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma appealed to the public not to panic as there is enough food in stock.

He said that the purpose of social distancing and lockdown will be defeated if people do not follow the directives of the government, which has been working tirelessly to ensure that essential items and services are made available.

Sangma also raised concern over the rush and crowding in certain markets of the state.

During the relaxation hours, there was panic. The intention of the relaxation was to enable the public to buy essential food items. However, the chaotic scene is something that is not advisable and desirable. The government is working for our safety, let us cooperate in this fight against coronavirus, the chief minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio said hell look for every additional opportunity to build more hospital capacity on Staten Island during the coronavirus outbreak.

The mayor told reporters during a press conference Thursday that his goal is to triple the number of hospital beds across the city by May -- going from 20,00 beds before the pandemic to ultimately as many as 60,000.

The heads of Staten Islands two private hospitals told the Advance on Tuesday that they are currently able to expand to 829 ICU and general hospital beds combined.

And on Thursday, Rep. Max Rose said he was working with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the federal government to set up a temporary 1,000-bed field hospital at the College of Staten Islands Willowbrook campus because he believed the Islands private hospitals were rapidly approaching capacity.

Asked whether he thought roughly 1,900 hospital beds was enough for the only borough without a public hospital to respond to the outbreak, as the Islands case total creeps into the thousands, the mayor vowed to keep looking for more capacity.

We want to first double, and then, ideally, triple our capacity everywhere, so what already exists on Staten Island, and what already is going to be built out, is a beginning, de Blasio told reporters. I want to keep looking for every additional opportunity we have to build it further on Staten Island. That, to me, is the obvious thing to do next.

I understand the distinction on public and private hospitals, but that distinction means a lot less during the middle of an emergency, he continued. Right now, its just about wherever we can get the beds and the ability to serve people. So, were going to keep doing that on Staten Island.

There are currently pop-up hospitals available to New York City patients, like the naval hospital ship and the Javits Center field hospital.

But, so far, there have been no plans set in place for getting Staten Islanders to those facilities -- or the citys public hospital system -- in the event that the boroughs hospital capacity is reached.

The mayor pointed out that in Queens, which now has the highest rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in all the five boroughs, with 7,026 cases as of March 26, patients were able to be sent to other hospitals outside of Queens.

If the city was able to move patients in Queens, the mayor said, they could do so on Staten Island, as well.

The public hospitals in Queens have been getting a huge number of people coming in, cases that can safely be diverted to other Health and Hospital facilities outside of Queens  so we would do the same thing with any borough  if people need healthcare out of their borough, he said.

We will do that, but I think the goal now is to maximize the growth of this system in every part of the city to make sure healthcare is as close to people as possible, he continued.

Cuomo said earlier on Thursday that he is working to set up 1,000-bed hospitals in each of the five boroughs, along with Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester counties.

Four sites, including the Jacob Javits Center, have already been chosen as temporary hospitals.

A timeline for the CSI site to be online is not yet available, and who will run the hospital  including whether, like the Javits Center, it will be staffed by federal workers  was not immediately clear.

The mayor did not commit to doing a tour of the CSI site with the governor when asked.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths on Staten Island climbed to 28 Thursday, as the number of confirmed cases across the city hit 21,873, including 1,276 on Staten Island.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.

Be the first to know: Sign up for our newsletters; and get breaking news and top stories pushed to your phone with the SILive.com mobile app.

RELATED COVERAGE

Preventing coronavirus: How to properly clean your home

ER doctor: Heres what to do if youre feeling ill

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

7 myths you should know about the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Top informational videos on our Facebook page

Sold out: Heres how to make homemade hand sanitizer
Samples of 81 people were sent



for novel coronavirus testing on Friday in Chhattisgarh, health officials said.

The state has six COVID-19 patients as on Friday.

Four of them are being treated at AIIMS Raipur, one at Medical College Rajnandgaon and another at Apollo Hospital, Bilaspur, an official said adding that their condition was stable.

"People who came contact with them are being traced and placed under home quarantine. Surveillance teams of the health department have initiated community monitoring in all 28 districts to identify possible cases," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tuolumne County Jail View Photo

Sonora, CA  In an effort to adhere to the Gov. Gavin Newsoms call to reduce jail populations Tuolumne County Sheriffs official relay ten inmates were released last night.

Regarding those inmates crimes, Sheriffs spokesperson Nicco Sandelin tells Clarke broadcasting, I dont know the exact crimes of all ten released. However, we do know that they were not violent crimes and are not considered a public threat. All the inmates were within 14 days of their sentencing completion.

The jail can house up to 149 inmates and with this release, there are currently 123. Sandelin details, The purpose of the release was to provide two cells which will be designated for isolation in the event we have a positive COVID-19 case within our inmate populations.

Currently, there are no positive coronavirus cases in the jail, but Sandelin says the most vulnerable inmates, 65 years old or older, or medically vulnerable adults, are being checked by a nursing service. However, he did not have the total number of inmates that fit that description.

Inmates wearing personal protective gear are cleaning their cells with a Lemocide cleaner/disinfectant twice a day while being supervised by jail staff. Also, all remaining inmates and staff are being screened twice daily since Monday, which includes having their temperatures taken. Sandelin relays, We are monitoring our staff coming in and leaving. Then monitoring new inmates coming into the facility as well as inmates that are going to be getting released back into Tuolumne County, making surewe get them to a medical facility and get them tested or treated if necessary.

Whether more inmates will be released, Sandelin advises, At this point, theres no plan to specifically release anybody else. However, it is an evolving situation that changes daily. So, we cant say for a fact that we will not be, but at this point are plan is to not release anybody else.

Sheriffs officials say they are continually adjusting their procedures and protocols to ensure that everyone is put in the safest environment possible.

Of note, Sierra Conservation Center is reporting that five prisoners have been tested for the virus, but all were negative. Additionally, no staff has needed to be tested at this time.
At Business of Home were committed to following the effect of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout on the design trade. Well be collecting the most important stories here, in ahopefully short-livedregular feature. If your business is being affected or you have a tip, please drop us a line.

For a comprehensive list of industry cancellations and postponements, click here.

For small businesses looking for some helpful resources, click here.

For tips from PR pros about how to communicate during this time, click here.

SALONE DEL MOBILE CANCELS 2020 EDITION

In February, the organizers of Milans design festival Salone del Mobile postponed the shows original spring dates to June 16. Yesterday, Italian financial newspaper Milano Finanza broke the news that the summer show would be canceled, and Salone would resume next year on April 13, 2021.

HOW MUCH WILL THE CORONAVIRUS COST YOUR BUSINESS?

Earlier this week, B2B e-commerce marketplace Faire unveiled a calculator that allows small business owners to see the economic impact that a slowdown could have. Last week, we surveyed more than 20,000 retailers and makers to hear how they have been impacted and how they are responding to the crisis, Faire co-founder and CEO Max Rhodes told BOH. The most common response when we asked what retailers expected their business to look like over the next three months was, I dont know. That demonstrated to us a real need for meaningful tools and resources to help people better understand the financial health of their businesses.

The tool is twofold: First, users are prompted to input their finances before the virus disrupted business; then, they are asked to input those same details with the added measure of how the pandemic is currently affecting the business on a scale from no loss in sales to shut down. The calculator also asks detailed financial questions like the amount of cash on hand at the beginning of the month and set monthly expenditures, including rent, insurance and utilities. By entering any changes to your revenue and costs since the disruption occurred, the calculator will generate a financial status for your business, says Rhodes, who previously worked at financial startup Square. It will provide your cash run rate as well as recommended actions you can take and resources you can deploy to help your business make it through this crisis.

The calculator is free and available to anyone, not just sellers on Faire. Our mission is to provide the tools that will empower the local retailer, so the goal with this calculator is to support entrepreneurs and small businesses whether they are a current customer or not, says Rhodes, adding that thousands of calculations have already been made since the tool launched earlier this week. In a webinar that walked users through the application, he expressed hope that the governments stimulus bill would offer some relief to small businesses and that we could see an economic bounce-back similar to what China is experiencing now that it has begun reopening businesses. We want to make sure that businesses are in good shape and ready to serve customers when we get through this, says Rhodes. Im really hopeful. Theyve figured it out in China and South Korea. I believe in this country and our ability to solve this. Haley Chouinard

WERE ALL LIVE ON INSTAGRAM NOW

The design industry has caught wind of the power of Instagram Liveand whats not to love? In the words of The Vale Londons Melinda Marquardt, Its like people are right there in your living room. While social distancing is keeping us all physically apart, designers, publications and brands have been utilizing Instagram Live to connect intimately with more people than they could possibly see IRL in their pre-COVID-19 lives.

Design journalist Sophie Donelson began her conversation series Big Books Small Talk on March 21; Whitney Robinson of Elle Decor introduced World Tour, a series of live interviews with industry personalities, this week; Food52 has been giving live cooking instructions, and its sister brand, Home52 has released a host of home organization videos. The live chats offer an immediate connection with design personalities across the pond, as well. London-based designer Ashley Hicks went live, charming viewers with a bit of British wit while promoting his new book; Cabanas Martina Mondadori Sartogo went live with Miguel Flores-Vianna to talk all things inspiration and travel.

Some may wish to use Instagram Live as a way to boost their brand in lieu of the spring markets, others are looking for a way to connect with the design community free of form: Last week, I started to notice a different vibe on Instagram, including from a lot of A-list grammersa really loose and sincere tone to things, explains Donelson. Watching Amanda Hessers at-home cooking tutorials [on Food52s feed], she didnt overthink her approach. She had her teen daughter film her cooking in sweats. It felt sincere because it was sincere. Designer Breegan Jane invited her kids on camera to do a show-and-tell, and Sara Gilbreath chatted with Young Huh about creative outlets for shelter-in-place, while the online design magazine Sight Unseen went live to rifle through some of the books that it looks to for inspiration. No matter how you spin it, Instagram Live is, well, liveand now designers followers can tune in and catch a glimpse into the personalities (and living rooms) of the characters that color our corner of the world. Marina Felix

THE ONE-DAY SHOWHOUSE

While the coronavirus has made rescheduling showhouses a guessing game for those who could push their dates, the Interior Design Society Charlotte Showhouse was not so lucky. The house, which opened its doors in the thick of early COVID-19 closures, was forced to promptly cancel tours and shut down just one day after its opening on March 14a heartbreaking decision for everyone involved.

A rendering of a bedroom designed by Jennifer Brown Courtesy of IDS Charlotte

There were two parts to it, explains Audrey Clawson, president of IDS Charlotte and one the showhouses co-chairs. On one hand, the designers knew it was the right thing to do, but on the other, this project has been under development for three years, with over 100 volunteers, 260 vendors, 45 designerswe knew [canceling] would be a huge disappointment to all parties involved. All of the people who did this work full-time, going above and beyond the call of duty. The money raised from the showhouse would have supported a range of charities; to ensure that those causes still receive the funding they need, IDS Charlotte launched an online platform where donations can be made until April 6. For the designers, the cancellation is a bitter pill. But their creations will see the light of daythe rooms were photographed and will appear in the June issue of Home Design & Decor magazine, to be followed by a video tour narrated by the houses builders and designers. Marina Felix

CAFTANS IN THE TIME OF COVID

The design industry is meeting the challenges posed by the pandemic head-on, with an abundance of charitable initiatives popping up over the past week. Companies like Woodard, Kravet, Eastern Accents and more are donating fabric and converting their facilities to produce washable masks for health care workers; Serta Simmons Bedding (the parent company of Serta, Beautyrest and Tuft & Needle) has committed to donating 10,000 mattresses to New York City hospitals and medical facilities; and the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has committed $10 million to COVID-19 relief, as well as beginning the production of 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns.

Publicist Christina Juarez launched a charitable initiative as wellone designed to spark a little joy in the design community (while still maintaining a safe social distance). On Monday, Juarez took to Instagram to start the Caftan Challenge, inviting her peers to don their favorite flowy garment and post a selfie. For each photo tagged #caftansinthetimeofcorona, Juarez has pledged to donate a dollar to the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in New York. Im a fashion girl at heart and I love caftans and collect them from vintage shops and on my travels, says Juarez. I was tired of looking at myself sitting around in yoga clothes and missed dressing up. We are all in the design business, where its all about the beautiful things, but there is so little beauty during these crazy times. I wanted to give my design friends from around the globe a reason to get dressed, have a giggle, some glam and give back.

With two of Kips Bays largest fundraisers having been affected by the pandemic (the Presidents Dinner was canceled and the annual showhouse postponed), Juarez felt the organization was the perfect recipient for the donations. When Bunny Williams posted her own Caftan Challenge photo, her husband, John Rosselli, pledged to match Juarezs donations dollar for dollar, a commitment that father-daughter design duo Amanda and Barry Lantz have also made. The challenge currently has more than 500 posts on Instagram, with Juarez hoping to reach 1,000 by Sunday, the last day of the event. Its been super fun and were still going full speed ahead! Haley Chouinard

LATEST NEWS

New York City halts all construction. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday that nonessential construction in the city would cease. Anything that is not directly part of the essential work of fighting coronavirus and the essential work of keeping the city running and the state runningany construction that is not about the public good is going to end, the mayor said. Essential construction projects, those that impact health care and infrastructure, which do continue must implement social distancing practices, with violators subject to $10,000 fines.

announced on Friday that nonessential construction in the city would cease. Anything that is not directly part of the essential work of fighting coronavirus and the essential work of keeping the city running and the state runningany construction that is not about the public good is going to end, the mayor said. Essential construction projects, those that impact health care and infrastructure, which do continue must implement social distancing practices, with violators subject to $10,000 fines. Atlanta design centers shut down. In compliance with the executive order issued by the City of Atlanta on March 23, the IMC announced that it would temporarily close AmericasMart Atlanta, the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart and the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center to help prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

In compliance with the executive order issued by the City of Atlanta on March 23, the IMC announced that it would temporarily close AmericasMart Atlanta, the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart and the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center to help prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Relief for tenants. The Federal Housing Finance Authority has announced that landlords may be allowed to fall behind in mortgage payments in exchange for not evicting tenants who fall behind on rent.

The Federal Housing Finance Authority has announced that landlords may be allowed to fall behind in mortgage payments in exchange for not evicting tenants who fall behind on rent. Dyson invents a ventilator. British inventor James Dyson (maybe you own one of his vacuums?) has designed a ventilatorit took him 10 days. His companys factories are currently producing 15,000 units to aid Britains efforts to treat coronavirus patients.

British inventor (maybe you own one of his vacuums?) has designed a ventilatorit took him 10 days. His companys factories are currently producing 15,000 units to aid Britains efforts to treat coronavirus patients. Herman Miller ceases operations. Herman Miller has suspended its manufacturing operations in Michigan, until at least April 13. The company, which employs more than 8,000 worldwide, has announced a plan to pay workers during the shutdown.

IN MEMORIAM

Internationally admired architect and critic Michael Sorkin has died at age 71 due to health complications caused by the coronavirus. His absence has spurred a series of warm tributes from the architecture and design community. New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman wrote in a tweet, He was so many things. He was a supremely gifted, astute and acerbic writer. He wrote with moral force about big ideas and about the granular experience of life at the level of the street. Edwin Heathcote, the Financial Timess architecture correspondent, described Sorkin as a fierce and brilliant critic, perhaps the best.

CALENDAR UPDATES

The International Textile Alliance announced earlier this week that it would reschedule its spring Showtime Market to coincide with the new dates for High Point Market. Now, from June 12 to 16, designers traveling to North Carolina can support both events.

The Spring Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair announced the cancellation of its 2020 event in Londons Battersea Park, for the first time in its 35-year history. The fair will return for its autumn edition in September.

Field + Supply made the decision to postpone its spring marketthe event will now run from July 17 to 19 at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, New York.

Homepage image: Shutterstock
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Global frozen bakery market contributes a major portion in sales of food processing market across the globe. Frozen bakery products can be kept fresh for long period. Many frozen bakery products such as frozen breads, frozen pizza crust, frozen pastries, frozen cakes bread, frozen patisserie are high in demand, which boost frozen bakery market across the globe. Among all frozen bakery products, frozen pizza crust contributes the highest share followed by frozen bread and frozen pastries. In western countries, many people prefer to take frozen pizza as part of their daily meal. Frozen bakery market holds around 8% of total frozen food market across the globe.

To Get Free Sample Request Visit @https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3240

The market is growing towards more diversified operations, which offer sophisticated and healthy products. Due to increase in health conscious level, people prefer food that contains healthy ingredients and keeps the food fresh for long duration of time. Growing demand of these ingredient leads to drive overall frozen bakery market. One of the reasons for the growth of frozen bakery market is due to habit of food on-the-go. In busier life styles, people tend to skip breakfast and grab some frozen food bakery product.

The market is expected to continue flourishing in developed and developing regions of the world. Increase in trade activities of frozen pizza and frozen bread in Europe, leads to rise in overall growth of frozen bakery market. Europe region contributes the largest market of frozen bakery across the globe. North America is estimated to be second largest market after Europe due to increase in demand for processed food and busy life-styles population. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for frozen bakery. The growing influence of western culture, rising middle classes with higher disposable income and changing eating habits of consumers are some of the main reason, which drive the Asia Pacific market. The growth of frozen bakery market is expected to be fastest in emerging market of Latin America and Middle East.

Major companies operating in global frozen bakery market include, Lantmannen Unibake, Alpha Baking Company Inc., Associated British Foods Plc, Aryzta AG, Bridgford Foods Corporation, Barilla Holding SPA, Cole's Quality Foods Inc., Cargill Incorporated, Custom Foods Inc., Deiorios Frozen Dough Products, Europastry, Flowers Foods Inc., General Mills Inc., Grupo Bimbo, Kellogg Company, Maple Leaf Foods Inc., Premier Foods Plc, Pepperidge Farm, Vandemoortele and Warburtons Bakery.

For More Details and Order Copy of this Report Visit @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/3240]

Key points covered in the report
"[We have] a twin crisis, a crisis on a health front which is also causing a crisis in the economy as well. And both of them can be equally as deadly, both in terms of the lives of Australians and their livelihoods," he said. That followed the breakdown in the nation's social services system that resulted in tens of thousands of people - who are supposed to be keeping a safe distance from their fellow citizens - standing cheek-by-jowl outside Centrelink offices. Centrelink queues have stretched around blocks in Australian cities this week. Credit:Jason South Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the long lines were a sign of the economic ailment facing the country. But it could be worse. "We got queues at Centrelink offices. That's heartbreaking. What we don't want is queues for people

who need a machine to help them breathe," he said.

"We cannot have people queuing for intensive care beds. That will mean they will die." The federal budget has been delayed in part because Treasury cannot accurately forecast where the economy will be within the next three months, let alone by the end of next financial year. A week ago, the well-respected economics team at Westpac said it believed unemployment in Australia would reach 7 per cent. It now thinks it will hit 11.1 per cent by the end of June. If that came to pass, it would be the worst unemployment rate since the end of Australia's last recession and one of the poorest outcomes on record. The reason it was forced into such a change is that so much of the economy is now going to suffer from the response to the coronavirus.

Every lockdown, every public health response, every effort at encouraging social distancing has an impact somewhere in the economy. About a quarter of the economy, according to analysis compiled by AMP Capital, is going to suffer a big hit from the virus. The immediate response of cafes, restaurants and coffee shops gives you an idea of the type of response - near-absolute closure. It also includes retail (such as the who's who of the local shopping market that are shuttering their doors this week) and the real estate sector, which is now unable to carry out auctions or open houses. Retail alone employs one in 10 Australians.

Outside of this group sits another 35 per cent of the economy that is likely to suffer a "moderate hit". This includes the professional services sector (8.5 per cent of the workforce), manufacturing (7.1 per cent) and construction (9.2 per cent). Then there's the next 24 per cent of the economy that will either experience a neutral or slightly negative impact. Qantas and Jetstar are parking 50 planes at Avalon Airport near Geelong until the coronavirus crisis is over. Credit:Wayne Taylor While mining accounts for the single largest economic contribution in this sector, it only employs 1.9 per cent of the nation's 13 million workers. Education and training employs about four times as many people. And then there's the "lucky" 16 per cent of the economy that should do well out of this utter catastrophe. Unsurprisingly, this includes the healthcare sector, which also happens to be the nation's biggest employer, with more than 1.8 million people.

A special survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics - which is fast-tracking key data so policy makers can get a grip of just how the virus is affecting the economy - aligns fairly closely with this breakdown. Half of the firms surveyed by the ABS said they had suffered a negative impact, with the hardest hit in the food and accommodation area. Over coming months, 86 per cent of firms expect to be affected. It's not just the Australian economy that is sinking into its first recession since 1991 and possibly its highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression. Ratings' agency S&P Global says it's clear the global economic hit will be "massive". "Analysts in the financial and official sectors are revising their estimates of global GDP growth for the first half of 2020 on a near-daily basis," it said this week. It's best guess, this week anyway, is for a 6 per cent contraction of the US economy.

An economist with the St Louis Federal Reserve Bank has done a "back of the envelope" estimate of what might eventually happen. Miguel Faria-e-Castro said America's jobless rate could end up anywhere between 10.5 per cent and 40.6 per cent. Figures on Friday showed just how high unemployment could rise in the United States. Initial jobless claims - effectively people putting in applications for unemployment benefits - jumped from 282,000 last week to a record 3.3 million this week. It would have been even larger but for technical problems across many states as they struggled to absorb the sheer volume of people looking for help. Some believe unemployment in the United States could reach 40 per cent. Credit:AP Europe's economy is expected to suffer the same sort of contraction, but because the coronavirus outbreak took hold there earlier it will take a bigger hit in the March quarter rather than the June quarter as is expected for the US.

China's economy probably shrank through the first three months. Many optimists believe it is now on the road to recovery, but with overseas markets closed even the world's workshop will find it difficult to return to work. Over the past week more than 100,000 Australians have been stood down or lost their jobs. And that was before any potential full lockdown of the economy to the bare essentials. The federal government has put together two stimulus and support packages worth a combined $84 billion. It is channelling $15 billion towards small lenders while the Reserve Bank is buying up government bonds - $18 billion so far - while offering a $90 billion pipeline of cheap cash to big banks to on-lend to small and medium-sized businesses. State governments have put together more than $10 billion worth of support packages of their own. That's on top of the extra spending that will flow from federal and state budgets as economies slow and assistance flows to those without an income or who need health support.

Loading But even that will not be enough. While the Morrison government is working on its third stimulus/support package and states look at ways to boost their already announced measures, the number of infections grow and the shutdown of businesses continues unabated. When Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg announced their $66 billion second support package, the country had 1000 people with the coronavirus. A week later there are now 3000 people with COVID-19. Adairs has shut its doors. So too Kathmandu. So too Platypus. State borders have been shut down and Tasmania is effectively telling mainland Australians to leave the island.
Office buildings along Singapore River. (PHOTO: Getty Creative)

By Chanyaporn Chanjaroen and Haslinda Amin

(Bloomberg) -- The head of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.s private banking arm said the coronavirus-fueled crisis has yet to peak and leveraged clients should take advantage of market rallies to offload some investments.

You use the rebound to sell some of the items, some of the securities that you do not want to hold. Thats the best time to do it, Bank of Singapore Chief Executive Officer Bahren Shaari said in a Bloomberg Television interview Wednesday.

We are only beginning to see the first part of the crisis, he said. Many countries are still not well prepared, still do not have a clear plan of how to deal with it.

Stocks rallied in Asia Wednesday, following the best session for U.S. equities in almost a dozen years as Congress negotiates an emergency-spending bill to combat the economic fallout from the pandemic. More than US$20 trillion has been lost from equity markets since the peak in January, leaving investors wondering whether the rebound will last.

Bahren said customers have been reducing their leverage as much as possible over the past few weeks, though they do need to remain invested. While a very select few clients are highly leveraged traders, the majority are not in that situation, he added.

Unfortunately some clients have to liquidate at a very distressed price, Bahren said. So what we are doing is informing clients is to bring as much collateral as possible now to make sure we are able to support their position.

Bank of Singapore was ranked the sixth-largest private bank in Asia excluding China in terms of asset size by the Asian Private Banker in 2018. Its assets under management climbed 15% last year to US$117 billion as of December, according to OCBCs latest earnings presentation.

Protect Jobs

Asked whether the bank will add more private bankers this year, Bahren said hiring is not a priority for now.

Our first priority is to protect jobs, he said. If there are opportunities for us to look at good hires, we still look at that. But I think you have to also bear in mind that in this market environment new bankers will have difficulties in bringing clients over.

Story continues

The bank has about 400 relationship managers, little changed from a year ago, the CEO said. While it has added bankers, mostly in its North Asia team, there have been departures including through natural attrition, he added.

One key area for expansion is a segment serving global investors and family offices, which currently accounts for about 30% of assets under management, Bahren said. The team led by Lim Li Li targets clients with a net worth of at least US$250 million, helping them set up family offices and invest in assets including real estate, venture-capital funds and startups, he said.

The bank seeks to double the size of assets from this segment over time, he said, without providing a specific target.

 2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Keeping ourselves and loved ones healthy during the coronavirus pandemic is top priority, but while governments galvanize resources its important that as citizens of the world we be well aware what this means in its entirety. The use of surveillance to track the COVID-19 spread could foreshadow a very different future.

As part of the $2 trillion relief bill pushed through the senate this week, the CDC would receive a minimum of $500 million to upgrade its public health data surveillance and analytics infrastructure. Theres a lot of murkiness here, but the expectation is to see government make use of heightened surveillance through the end of the pandemic, and possibly for the foreseeable future.

Executive Director, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Albert Fox Cahn told CNBC, We have absolutely no reason to believe that the government agencies that are eager to expand their power in response to COVID-19 will be willing to see those authorities lapse once the virus is eradicated.

A familiar voice offered thoughts on the matter, as well. Edward Snowden sees the heighted surveillance state as more permanent than expected. So while D.C. dawdles on how it intends to proceed, were seeing other nations illustrate real time examples of what this new reality could look.

Starting in Asia, Chinese citizens are anonymously reporting the installation of CCTV equipment at the homes of the quarantined. It is also tracking individual health status via digital barcodes and mobile apps, while the general population is receiving reminders from drones to wear masks. SIngapaore launched the app TraceTogether; Hong Kong has been monitoring the quarantine mandate with wristbands and an app; India is tracking cell data as well.

Moving to the Middle East, Israel started tracking and texting citizens that were possibly exposed to the coronavirus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put the countrys internal security service Shin Bet on the job of cellphone surveillance to monitor impacted locations.

As an NPR report shared, hundreds of Israelis recently received an SMS including the message, "You were near someone sick with the coronavirus. You must immediately isolate at home [14 days] to protect your relatives and the public. ... This information will be used only for this purpose and will be erased when no longer needed. Sincerely, public health services."

These are just some of the methods at play, Business Insider reports 11 countries are now using peoples phones to track the pandemic. While its not exactly clear what the U.S governments plans are, but Facebook and Google data appears in play as we know talks have taken place.

Maybe this is just me, but I have a difficult time trusting government not to overreach. Anonymous location data is a first step toward opening Pandoras Box. COVID-19 is challenging governments around with the globe in myriad ways, and the balance of population wellbeing and personal privacy is a delicate dance.

Is big brother watching? To be continued

Edited by Maurice Nagle
The National Assembly has reacted to reports stating that its members were gifted a brand new Toyota 2020 model on Friday as the national battle with the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking in a statement via its official Twitter handle, the National Assembly described such report as malicious and untrue.

Statement below:

Press Release

27/3/2020

Car Delivery: Reps not Distributing Cars

as NASS and Executive already approve funds for NCDC, Lagos state, Health Workers, e.t.c.

It has come to the attention of the House that a newspaper report on Friday, March 27, 2020, had insinuated that the Green Chamber is distributing official vehicles for the 360 members of the House at this critical moment that the country is battling to contain #Covid-19 pandemic

This story is rather unfortunate at this time that Nigeria and Nigerians are striving hard to address the pandemic that has forced the Federal Government, and even the various states governments, to take drastic measures.

Not only has @nassnigeria been closed since Tuesday the 24th of March in the wake of the pandemic, most lawmakers are in their constituencies.

As a House, we are not unmindful of the mood of the nation, we are committed to ensuring the country stands united in these trying times

It is out of that commitment that the House on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, introduced and passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill, 2020. It is on record that the leadership of the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, about 24 hours after adjournment

engaged some top government officials in the Executive arm and approved the release of N6.5BN for the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), N10BN for Lagos state, as part of efforts to address the issue of Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite adjourning for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus, the House had expressed its readiness to reconvene at any time to consider measures aimed at addressing the situation, including a review of the 2020 Appropriation Act, if need be.

We are committed, as lawmakers, to join hands with the Executive arm to take measures aimed at containing the pandemic and providing succour to Nigerians as a result of the economic shock necessitated by Covid-19 all over the world.

We, therefore, urge Nigerians to disregard the newspaper report on the vehicles distribution as it is mischief taken too far. Just yesterday, the same paper on its back page, claimed that the house closed shop and went on holiday three weeks ago, a clear falsehood

We only shut down 3 days ago & not 3 weeks ago as falsely & mischievously reported. The paper chose to ignore all the house did within this time, a special session on addressing the high number of out of school children, intervening in the strike action by FCT health workers, etc

Press Release

27/3/2020 Car Delivery: Reps not Distributing Cars as NASS and Executive already approve funds for NCDC, Lagos state, Health Workers, etc. pic.twitter.com/K9iOtxK8Jf  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020

It has come to the attention of the House that a newspaper report on Friday, March 27, 2020, had insinuated that the Green Chamber is distributing official vehicles for the 360 members of the House at this critical moment that the country is battling to contain #Covid-19 pandemic  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020

Not only has @nassnigeria been closed since Tuesday the 24th of March in the wake of the pandemic, most lawmakers are in their constituencies.

As a House, we are not unmindful of the mood of the nation, we are committed to ensuring the country stands united in these trying times  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020

It is out of that commitment that the House on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, introduced and passed the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill, 2020. It is on record that the leadership of the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, about 24 hours after adjournment  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020

engaged some top government officials in the Executive arm and approved the release of N6.5BN for the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), N10BN for Lagos state, as part of efforts to address the issue of Covid-19 pandemic.  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020

Despite adjourning for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus, the House had expressed its readiness to reconvene at any time to consider measures aimed at addressing the situation, including a review of the 2020 Appropriation Act, if need be.  House of Reps NGR (@HouseNGR) March 27, 2020
The Department of Justice and US Attorneys Office warned the public of potential frauds related to the coronavirus outbreak in a news release Friday.

The public needs to be careful during the coming weeks to not fall victim to criminals who will try to take advantage of this health crisis, Joseph Brown, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas said in a new release. The Justice Department has made it a priority to stop scams and frauds, and we will move aggressively against anyone who does that. We encourage anyone who becomes aware of a potential fraud, to report it.

The release says scammers have set up websites, contacted people by phone and email, and posted disinformation on social media platforms.

To report fraud, please contact:

National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF): Telephone hotline:1-866-720-5721 Email address: disaster@leo.gov

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Submit a complaint online at https://tips.fbi.gov/ For cyber or internet related scams, submit your complaint at https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Telephone: 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324)

EDTX COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator, Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Coan Telephone: 903-590-1400

Some examples of scams linked to COVID-19 include:

Treatment scams: Scammers are selling fake vaccines, medicines, tests, and cures for COVID-19. Supply scams: Scammers are claiming they have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, health, and medical supplies. When an order is placed, the scammer takes the money and never delivers the order. Charity scams: Scammers are fraudulently soliciting donations for non-existent charities to help people affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Scammers often use names that are similar to the names of real charities. Phishing scams: Scammers, posing as national and global health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are sending fake emails or texts to trick the recipient into sharing their personal information, including account numbers, Social Security numbers, or login IDs and passwords. App scams: Scammers are creating mobile apps designed to track the spread of COVID-19 to insert malware that will compromise users devices and steal personal information. Provider scams: Scammers pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19 and demand payment for that treatment. Investment scams: Scammers are promoting the stock of small companies, which have limited publicly-available information, using false or misleading claims that the companies stock will increase dramatically due to the COVID-19 outbreak, such as claims that a company can prevent, detect, or cure COVID-19. Price gouging: Individuals and businesses selling essential goods, like hand sanitizer, for significantly higher prices than in a non-emergency setting.

The public can take the following steps to help protect against these scams:

Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or individual that contacts you regarding COVID-19. Check the websites and email addresses offering information, products, or services related to COVID-19. Be aware that scammers often employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities they are impersonating. For example, they might use cdc.com or cdc.org instead of  cdc.gov . Be wary of unsolicited emails offering information, supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for medical purposes. Legitimate health authorities will not contact the general public this way. Do not click on links or open email attachments from unknown or unverified sources. Doing so could download a virus onto your computer or device. Make sure that the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is operating and up to date. Ignore social media and email offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment. Remember, if there is a medical breakthrough, you will not hear about it for the first time through an email, online ad, or unsolicited sales pitch. Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products or supplies. Avoid companies whose customers have complained about not receiving items. Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving. Remember, an organization may not be legitimate even if it uses words like CDC or government in its name or has reputable looking seals or logos on its materials. For online resources on donating wisely, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website ( https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams ). Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the mail. Do not send money through any of these channels. Be cautious of investment opportunities tied to COVID-19, especially those based on claims that a small companys products or services can help stop the virus. If you decide to invest, carefully research the investment beforehand. For information on how to avoid investment fraud, visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website ( https://www.investor.gov/protect-your-investments/fraud/how-avoid-fraud/what-you-can-do-avoid-investment-fraud ).

Brown also said his office will pursue individuals or businesses that have accumulated medical supplies or devices beyond what they reasonably need on a daily basis for the purpose of selling them in excess of prevailing market prices.

This does not mean that the Justice Department will pursue regular Americans who are stocking up on the necessities of daily life or businesses acquiring materials reasonably needed for their own use, the release said. Similarly, no action will be taken against manufacturers or suppliers who are working with the government and health care providers to combat this crisis.

chris.moore@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/chris_moore09
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Tata Motors on Friday said it has "proactively" extended the last date to July 31 for customers whose original equipment warranty and free service period were due to expire between March 15 and May 31.

The step has been taken due to the 21-day pan-India lockdown imposed by the central government from Wednesday.

All Tata Motors workshops will ensure that the customers have been informed of this extension, the company said in a statement.

"In the light of the Central Government imposed lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the resultant inability of our customers to avail maintenance and repairs, as part of their vehicle's warranty policy, Tata Motors has decided to extend the last date, for customers whose OE warranty and free service period (not kms.) are due to expire between March 15 and May 31, to July 31," the company said in the statement.
The supreme court has dismissed an application by the All Progressive Congress (APC) seeking a review of the judgment which disqualified the governorship and all other candidates of the party in the Zamfara 2019 elections.
Gig economy workers in New York won a significant battle this week after the state's Court of Appeals ruled in their favor against Postmates. Supporting a previous state decision, the court said Postmates couriers should be considered employees for the purposes of unemployment insurance. Moving forward, the company must support its contractors by paying into New York's Unemployment Insurance Fund on their behalf.

In the original decision, New York's Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board said Luis Vega, a former courier with Postmates, was entitled to employment insurance benefits after the company fired him. In its subsequent decision, the Court of Appeals argued Postmates effectively "dominates the significant aspects" of a courier's day-to-day by controlling where, when and to whom they can deliver food to while they're on the job. The court's judges felt that created an employer-employee relationship that exceeded the "incidental control" Postmates said it had over its couriers.

"The courts have solidified what we all have known for a while -- delivery drivers are employees and are entitled to the same unemployment benefits other employees can obtain," New York Attorney General Letitia James said. "As the nation battles the spread of the coronavirus and more and more employees are laid off, Postmates drivers should know they have the same safety net millions of others in New York have today." We've also reached out to Postmates for comment, and we'll update this article when we hear back.

While working for companies like Postmates and Instacart has always been something of a precarious proposition, the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare just how little job security gig economy workers enjoy. In a recent investor call, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told investors the company's ride volume has decreased by as much as 60 to 70 percent in cities hardest hit by the virus. In Uber's case, a lot of its drivers have been forced to take on delivery jobs to make up for the loss in income, putting themselves at further risk of getting sick with COVID-19.
Amanda Holden wears a pink 'Pow' Joanie jumper to host Heart Breakfast radio show.

Yahoo Lifestyle is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Amanda Holden brightened everyones day with a colourful outfit on Friday as she co-presented the Heart Breakfast radio show alongside Ashley Roberts.

The 49-year-old presenter shared a photo on Instagram wearing a 45 cerise pink jumper from womenswear brand Joanie, which had the word Pow emblazoned on the front, in a pop art-style font.

The knitted jumper, which is part of Joanies International Womens Day collection, boasts a crew neck and long sleeves.

The jumper is available in sizes small to large, and is the perfect item to add a pop of colour to your wardrobe.

Buy it: Raquella Pow Slogan Jumper | 45 from Joanie

Holden completed the look with a leather midi skirt, which had pleated detail along the asymmetric hem.

She added the extra touch of glamour by pairing the ensemble with a pair of leopard print heels.

Fans of the Britains Got Talent judge flocked to praise the presenters chic attire.

One Instagram user commented: You both look fantastic today! Loving this pink on you.

A second added: Queens, while a third shared:  beautiful ladies.

Holdens glamorous outfit is a slight shake up to her more casual working from home style this week, as she has previously shared a string of images of her wearing pyjamas to present her morning segment.

Just days earlier Holden opted for a pair of navy blue polka dot nightwear set from Sosander as she decided to work from home amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Build it, and they will come? Maybe, if earplugs are provided.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/3/2020 (667 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

Build it, and they will come? Maybe, if earplugs are provided.

A residential development recently proposed by Cadillac Fairview and Shindico would see more people living in and around Polo Park, on land that is below flight paths for James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

Earlier this month, a city council committee voted in favour of amending rules to allow the 80-acre parcel of land to be used for new multi-family residences. It raises the question: is this the right place for infill development?

The potential pitfalls are many.

First, there is the issue of noise pollution from the airport. Winnipegs airport is in operation 24 hours a day, and part of the aim of the CentrePort project is to increase the transportation of goods from, to and through Winnipeg. A large component of that is air transport.

Despite innovations to the decibel level of aircraft operations, increasing the volume of air transport means the amount of associated noise would also likely increase. The Winnipeg Airport Authority raised this concern and argued increasing the residential development in the area could hamper its ability to operate.

Limiting the potential buyers or renters to people willing to withstand the audio component of the neighbourhood is not necessarily a good business move, even if the development has incorporated noise-reducing measures into its construction. In warmer weather, people are still going to want to be able to open their windows. A new cluster of voters exposed to the sound and sights of jet aircraft is bound to increase pressure on municipal leaders to reconsider the airports operating hours.

Aside from the noise-level concern, there is also the question of navigating the area on the ground. Recent roadway changes, such as those made to the median lane on St. James Street, were intended to make it easier for motorists to get into the parking lots of the retail stores in the area, but what will happen to the traffic flow when the residents of a series of high-rise towers are added to the mix?

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.

Even if one assumes a large number of those residents choose not to own a car, the influx will still add a huge volume of foot traffic to an area that is not friendly to cyclists or pedestrians. Residential development on the land in question would require a re-imagining and complete overhaul of the infrastructure surrounding it.

Thats certainly not impossible, but would require a broader vision for infill development.

And so, too, would simply encouraging more of it in Winnipegs mature neighbourhoods. The city could instead look at easing restrictions that require new multi-family dwellings to have a certain number of parking spaces, for example, which would make it easier for walkable neighbourhoods to increase population density.

Ironically, given the history of older neighbourhoods developing with denser housing (apartment blocks along with less space devoted to parking), which spurs commercial development in storefronts and other services, this new proposal has it backwards. Retail shopping is what the area is for, and this development would seek to shoehorn in new customers/residents.

CentrePort is a bold idea for Winnipeg that required vision and long-term thinking. It would be unwise for the city to hamper its success by taking any less care in where it encourages people to live.

Concerning the hypothetical residents of the development, its not a question of whether theyll come if you build it. Its more a question of: if you build it, will they inevitably complain about the noise?
The federal governments first and best chance to prevent mass unemployment was to keep the new coronavirus under control through a system of testing and targeted quarantines like those implemented by a number of Asian nations. But even after it became clear that the Trump administration had failed to prepare for the pandemic, policymakers still could have chosen to prioritize employment by paying companies to keep workers on the job during the period of lockdown.

A number of European countries, after similarly failing to control the spread of the virus, and thus being forced to lock down large parts of their economies, have chosen to protect jobs. Denmark has agreed to compensate Danish employers for up to 90 percent of their workers salaries. In the Netherlands, companies facing a loss of at least 20 percent of their revenue can similarly apply for the government to cover 90 percent of payroll. And the United Kingdom announced that it would pay up to 80 percent of the wage bill for as many companies as needed the help, with no cap on the total amount of public spending.

Some countries only pay employers for workers who arent working. Under Germanys Kurzarbeit scheme, the government chips in even for workers kept on part time. The German government predicts that 2.35 million workers will draw benefits during the crisis. In either case, the goal is to preserve people in existing jobs  to preserve the antediluvian fabric of the economy to the greatest extent possible, for the benefit of workers and firms.

What were trying to do is to freeze the economy, the Danish employment minister, Peter Hummelgaard, told The Atlantic. Its about preserving Main Street as much as we can.

Preserving jobs is important because a job isnt merely about the money. Compensated labor provides a sense of independence, identity and purpose; an unemployment check does not replace any of those things. People who lose jobs also lose their benefits  and in the United States, that includes their health insurance. And a substantial body of research on earlier economic downturns documents that people who lose jobs, even if they eventually find new ones, suffer lasting damage to their earnings potential, health and even the prospects of their children. The longer it takes to find a new job, the deeper the damage tends to be.
(Natural News) Alarm bells are ringing at the CDC as real-time emergency room monitoring systems that track flu-like symptoms across America are sending warning signals from dozens of US cities. The CDC is using one of its most reliable indicators to provide early hints about where the next epidemics might spring up. A surveillance system designed to detect sudden upticks in patients who report flu-like symptoms at emergency rooms across the country, built over decades into a system that presents data in almost real time, was the first alarm bell that rang in New York, reports TheHill.com.

Now, that same surveillance system is flashing red lights in many states, a potential sign that coronavirus patients are already visiting hospitals, even if their symptoms are not severe enough to warrant overnight stays.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, explained:

Were looking at our flu syndromic data, our respiratory illness that presents at emergency departments. Across the country theres a number of areas that are escalating.

CDC teams have been sent to Louisiana, Wisconsin and Colorado, among other states, reports The Hill.

At the same time, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams  the same guy who told America to stop buying masks!  is now warning that multiple US cities will be hit with a surge in new coronavirus cases beginning next week.

As reported by The Epoch times:

Several cities are expected to see an increase in CCP virus cases and deaths next week, warned Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Hot spots such as Detroit, Chicago, and New Orleans can expect a surge in patients, he told CBS News on Friday. Currently, the hardest-hit metropolitan area in the United States is New York City, which has registered thousands of cases and several hundred deaths.

Everyones curve is going to be different, Adams said. New York is going to look different than Boise, Idaho, or Jackson, Mississippi, or New Orleans.

A look at the coronavirus map animation shows a flurry of new cases in New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver and Detroit:

A look at the final numbers of new infections from yesterday, broken down by state, shows large increases in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, Colorado and other states. The column New Cases means new cases for just one day:

Via Worldometers.info:

The rising trend of daily new cases in the USA shows this is nowhere near reaching an inflection point (i.e. a flattening of the curve), although we do expect some flattening to emerge within a couple of weeks due to the lockdowns:

This shows that each day in America, there are over 15,000 new confirmed infections. Thats per day.

Strong social distancing factors (i.e. lockdowns) should alter this trajectory in another 2 weeks or so, resulting in a slowing of the daily new infections. However, if America ends the lockdowns and pushes everybody back to work without adequate testing and requiring everybody to wear a mask, the curve will pick up where it left off, exploding into new infections all over again.

There are only a few ways to stop this virus from spreading:

#1) Lockdowns (i.e. strong social distancing)

#2) Get everybody tested and isolate the carriers

#3) Make everybody wear a mask

#4) Encourage everybody to take nutraceuticals that boost immune function (but this will never happen, since the entire political and media establishments are run by Big Pharma)

Note that ending the lockdowns and putting everybody back to work is not one of the solutions that stops the spread.

Thats why any discussion of ending the lockdowns without achieving the other requirements shown above is national suicide.

Read Pandemic.news to stay informed and stay alive.
Union ministers will submit a daily report to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) on the steps being taken across the country to rein in the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the measures being taken to quarantine people, health care facilities and availability of essential commodities amid the social distancing.

The exercise is being undertaken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown, which expires on April 14, across the country on Tuesday and urged people to scale up efforts to fight the spread of Covid-19 that has so far claimed 17 lives.

According to two people aware of the details, a decision was taken in the cabinet meeting earlier this week to put ministers in-charge of states to monitor the situation on a daily basis. For larger states and those with a bigger population, two or more ministers have been assigned to follow up with district magistrates (DMs) or district commissioners (DCs) on the ground situation on a daily basis.

For instance, Union Minister for Law and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan will jointly take stock of the ground realities in their home state Bihar daily.

The ministers will call the DMs or the DCs of every district on a daily basis and take stock of the situation on the ground. This is an attempt to work together and create a synergy between the Centre and the states to strengthen the fight against the pandemic, said a minister.

The ministers will seek information on the steps being taken to run community kitchens for those in need; assess the preparedness at the hospitals; check the availability of drugs, essential commodities and personal protective equippment such as masks and sanitisers.

The district administration has been asked to heighten vigil and ensure that isolation facilities are up and running on the ground as there have been cases of people jumping quarantine or withholding their travel history, said a second minister.

The ministers who have been given charge include Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for Jharkhand, Nitin Gadkari and Prakash Javadekar for Maharashtra, Nirmala Sitharaman for Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Kiren Rijiju for Arunachal Pradesh, Gen VK Singh for Assam; Rajnath Singh, Mahendra Pandey, Sanjeev Balyan and Krishan Pal Gujar for Uttar Pradesh and Harsimrat Kaur Badal for Himachal Pradesh.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda on Thursday instructed the partys state units to ensure community kitchens, which can serve a minimum of 1,000 people daily, are up and running.

He said efforts must be ensured to provide food to the urban poor, migrant workers and those in need.

Nadda held a meeting with all national-level functionaries and state unit heads via video conference.

On Wednesday, the BJP announced that it will feed five crores poor during the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 27

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Operation of all ventures and organizations will be suspended in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities to battle coronavirus, Trend reports with reference to the press office of Kazakhstans prime minister.

The corresponding decree has been approved during a meeting of State Commission for provision of Emergency State under Kazakhstans President, chaired by Kazakhstans Prime Minister Askar Mamin and held on Mar. 27.

By the commissions decree, all ventures and organizations in Almaty and Nur-Sultan must suspend operation over the period from Mar. 30 till Apr. 5, 2020 regardless of the ownership. The exceptions were central government bodies, akimats (citys administration), law enforcement agencies, healthcare organizations, the media, grocery stores, pharmacies and life support organizations.

By a decision of State Commission on Provision of Emergency State under the president of Kazakhstan, quarantine regime has been introduced in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities at 00:00 (GMT +6) on March 19, 2020, due to the coronavirus outbreak.

On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstans President Kassym Jomart Tokayev signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to coronavirus outbreak, which came in force from 08:00 (GMT +6) on March 16 and will last till 08:00 on April 15, 2020.

First two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020. The latest data said that the overall number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan is 125 people.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019.

As of today, over 537,000 people have been confirmed as infected. The number of people killed by the disease has surpassed 24,100. Meanwhile, over 123,300 people have reportedly recovered.

Several countries are working on a vaccine against the new virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.
Kaizo, formerly known as Ticketless, Amsterdam, The Netherlands-based startup that aims to actively guide employees towards achieving their goals and making an impact in their companies, raised $3m in seed funding.

The round was led by Gradient Ventures, Googles AI-focused venture fund, and Partech, with participation from several angel investors.

The company intends to use the funds to focus on platform enhancement, market expansion and customer retention, as well as hire new people.

Co-founded by Dominik Blattner and Christoph Auer-Welsbach, Kaizo provides a platform that guides employees towards achieving their goals and making an impact in their companies. The companys performance management platform for customer support teams uses gamification and AI to improve operational efficiency, elevate teams performance and retention with actionable OKRs.

Over 500 companies currently use the Kaizo platform, including Truecaller, SimpleSurance, Miro, CreditRepairCloud, Justpark, Festicket and Nmbrs.

FinSMEs

26/03/2020
Press Release

March 27, 2020 De Lima on mass testing for COVID-19: What is taking us so long? Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima slams health authorities for delaying the implementation of national testing for COVID-19 even after admitting that they are in possession of thousands of test kits, both purchased and received from foreign donors. De Lima also joins the calls of several groups and personalities who are petitioning the government to immediately start mass testing in highly-populated areas, especially to cities or municipalities with widespread poverty and vulnerable societies. "Ilan pa ba sa ating mga kababayan - mga health workers, frontliners, PUIs, PUMs, at mamamayang bulnerable, gaya ng mga matatanda at may malulubhang karamdaman - ang mamamatay na lamang bago pa matiyak na may COVID-19 sila at mabigyan ng karampatang gamutan?" she asks. "Kailan pa natin masisiguro ang kaligtasan ng lahat mula sa posibleng pagkakahawa sa mga hindi nagpapakita ng sintomas, ngunit nagdadala ng virus? Kailan pa ba natin balak kumilos, kapag madami na ang namatay?" she added. Scientists, health groups, youth organizations, politicians and prominent personalities, among others, have raised concerns on why the Department of Health (DOH) has repeatedly downplayed the importance of widespread testing. Even the World Health Organization have repeatedly urged countries to "test, test, test", emphasizing the need of a clearer picture of the extent of the pandemic in the country for a more focused response to mitigate the virus' effects. The health department also claimed that they are still waiting for the accreditation of more laboratories capable of testing multiple samples at a time, across the country. "Day by day, we learn that the total no. of confirmed cases reportedly increases, yet we cannot be certain of the accuracy of these figures. Even DOH Secretary Duque admitted that they could be missing half of the actual totality of COVID-19 cases in the country," De Lima said. "It's as if you are trying to conceal the real numbers - the question is why? To lessen the panic, or to feed your bruised ego?", she added. As of March 26, official numbers indicate that there are 707 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, with 45 fatalities. However, experts believe that the estimates are not consistent with global data due to the limited number of tests conducted in the country. Despite having announced that almost 7,000 persons are considered as PUIs (Persons under Investigation) and PUMs (Persons under Monitoring), the DOH have only conducted less than 2,000 tests. "What is taking us so long? Figuring out how to conduct mass testing for its citizens should be high on the government's priority list if we are to make it through this pandemic," the lady Senator from Bicol said. "The sooner we identify who are afflicted with this virus, the sooner we can isolate them and get them treated. Conversely, the more we wait the more resources we waste. The more resources we waste, the more people will be infected and inevitably die from this pandemic," she added. To address the gap, De Lima recommended that both the national government and local government units (LGU) should divide the responsibility of mass testing, indicating that most local officials are capable and willing to shoulder the burden. "The local government can do preliminary testing while the national government reserves the right to undertake final confirmatory tests. In doing so, the whole of government will be able to perform their duties in harmony," she said. "I strongly urge the DOH to strongly consider issuing temporary accreditation credentials and grant them limited testing capabilities. This will not only decongest other accredited laboratories to screen tests but will speed up the release of results and cover the bigger population waiting to get tested," she added. After the announcement of the lockdown, initially in the National Capital Region and later the whole island of Luzon, citizens have observed that local officials outshined their national counterparts in implementing measures to limit the spread of the virus. The DOH also received backlash after reports exposed that high-ranking government officials who requested for COVID-19 testing were granted preferential treatment, while other patients with much severe symptoms, were left for weeks on a waiting list.
The Cambridge children's behaviour in the 'clapping for carers' video reflects their individual roles within their sibling group, according to experts.

Prince William and Kate Middleton last night posted a clip of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis applauding NHS workers as part of a nationwide tribute.

Speaking to FEMAIL, body language expert Judi James, and Angela Spencer, natural parenting expert, award-winning author and founder of Babyopathy, explained the footage offers insight into the role each child plays within their sibling group.

'Leader' Prince George, six, is setting an example for Princess Charlotte, four, and one-year-old Prince Louis, who, as the baby of the family, looks to his older siblings for reassurance that he is performing the task correctly.

Prince Louis

Seeking reassurance: Prince Louis is seen looking to his big brother George for guidance during the 'clap for carers' clip shared by Kensington Palace last night

'As with any youngest child, Prince Louis is looking to his older siblings for reassurance, leadership and confidence,' Angela explained.

'This will happen until they find their own feet and strength to be who they are supposed to be.

'The beauty of the youngest child is there will be a little bit of everyone in the familys influence that they take into the world with them as they grow and learn.'

Judi added: 'Prince Louis stands in the middle between his two older siblings, super-keen to join them in a very grown-up way too, with his serious facial expression showing hes keen to get it absolutely right.

'Hes also clearly seeing his two older siblings as role-models here, looking up at each of them in turn to check hes copying them correctly.'

Prince George

Setting an example: Prince George's role both as the eldest brother - and future king - means he has been imbued with a sense of leadership from a young age, Angela noted

Prince George is seen beaming for the camera as he confidently claps on his brother's left-hand side.

Royal siblings who are close with their own individual personalities Angela noted that Prince William and Kate Middleton appear to be doing an excellent job in fostering their children's individuality, while Judi noted the video reveals just how well they get on as a group. Angela said: 'What I do love though is that all three royal children seem to be learning their way with their individuality allowed to shine and guided by their mother. Children learn and develop first from us as parents, and then from their older siblings. That hierarchy does certainly get challenged as they get older and their individual personalities break free.' Judi added: 'Their close bunching looks comfortable and easy-going, suggesting they are genuinely close off-camera as well.' Advertisement

His role both as the eldest brother - and future king - means he has been imbued with a sense of leadership from a young age, Angela noted.

'For us as parents, when we have our first child we are worried about everything and scared of doing things wrong so we end up putting a lot of pressure on our first child. We want them to be the prefect child, we want to be our own take on the perfect parent.

'Who else has a multitude of pictures and documented evidence in baby books for their first childs first sneeze, giggle and broken fingernail but for the second child - zilch, nothing, zero!

'When it comes to our Royal Family, there will naturally be an added pressure on Prince George as he will be King one day and so those expectations of leadership that naturally befall the eldest child will be coupled with expectations for him to eventually lead our country.'

Judi added: 'George is clearly the sibling wanting to come across as the most grown-up and focused, keeping his eyes to camera and clapping away without distraction, although his slightly scrunched-up shoulders and the way he keeps his hands up close to his face suggest hes secretly as excited to be doing this as his younger siblings.'

Princess Charlotte

Free spirit: As the second child, Princess Charlotte is likely to have enjoyed greater freedom than her older brother. Pictured, Charlotte smiling with George and Louis in the video

As the second child, Princess Charlotte is likely to have enjoyed greater freedom than her older brother. This is likely to shine through in her happy-go-lucky personality, Angela explained.

'By the second child, we have relaxed and so we dont place such high importance on the perfectness of parenting - because we know it doesnt exist as we exhausted ourselves trying to find it the first time round.

'So the second child, like Princess Charlotte, is allowed a little more freedom to run, walk and speak at their own pace and in their own way. So of course this shines through in their personality.'

Judi added: 'Charlotte is more active, laughing and giggling and using an eye-dart gesture to suggest shes possibly the most playful and adventurous sibling.'
Due to an on-going outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (Covid-19) that can be spread from person-to-person globally, and given the fact that cases of Covid-19 have been reported and confirmed in the United Republic of Tanzania, the government  has instituted additional travel measures to limit the spread of the virus to the general public as of 23rd March 2020.
Peter Casolino / Hearst Connecticut Media file

Yale Univerity is establishing a multimillion-dollar fund to help the city of New Haven and its business and health care communities deal with any economic setbacks associated with the spread of the coronavirus.

University President Peter Salovey anounced the creation of the Yale Community for New Haven Fund in an email to students, faculty and staff. Salovey said the school has already contributed $1 million to the fund and will match every dollar given by members of the Yale community in an effort to reach a $5 million goal.
Here is confirmation of what I alluded to earlier in my live broadcast this evening. The figures below are Aso Rock Clinic Budget in successive budgets since the Fulani mad dogs took over power in Nigeria. Then see the headline from Aisha Buhari who in effect has confirmed that their Fulani Janjaweed government looted all the money.
Two days ago, the Government of India issued a directive asking social media companies to voluntarily curb fake news and misinformation related to the coronavirus on their platforms. The move is among the most important steps adopted by the Indian government in their bid to tackle the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country, and preceded the extended nationwide lockdown that has now been put in place, to prevent the community transmission threat that looms large in stage III of the coronavirus pandemic.

In light of this, the Indian government issued a directive to all social media companies on Friday, March 20, asking them to actively prevent sharing of fake news on their platforms, raise awareness, take down any misinformative posts and offer genuine news sources on their platforms. With social media platforms playing an increasingly critical role in public discourse today, heres what the largest social media players in India are doing in order to comply with the governments order.

Facebook (including Instagram and Messenger)

Beginning with Facebook, the worlds largest social media giant, has stated that its fact checking partners have been tasked with rating COVID-19-related content as true or false. In resources shared with News18 by a company source, Facebook states that once a particular article is rated false, it will limit its spread on relevant platforms, and simultaneously notify individuals that a particular piece of shared content has been fact-checked. For content that has been flagged by the likes of WHO, CDC and other authority bodies, Facebook has stated that such links will directly be removed.

Additionally, all searches about coronavirus on Facebook and Instagram will link users to official content on the WHOs platform. Information in eight local Indian languages will also appear on Instagram from local authorities, to fight misinformation. Primary targets of such fact checking include removing content that discourages treatment, suggests alternate or fake cures, and creates healthcare confusion. The company has also banned ads of face masks or any businesses looking to cash in on the coronavirus keyword, and assigned ad credits to ministry departments, to help them promote accurate information and advisories on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twitter

The microblogging platform has created a page that works as an information hub to help people discover accurate information easily, among other steps. In a statement shared with News18, Mahima Kaul, director of public policy with Twitter India and South Asia, said, Were making the latest facts easy to discover by placing them at the top of peoples timelines and within the Explore tab. In India, we have partnered with the World Health Organization (@WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. We have also launched a dedicated COVID-19 Event page in English and Hindi that has the latest facts right at the top of the home timeline. Were expanding our safety rules and broadening our definition of harm to address content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and local public health information. In addition to reports, we will enforce this in close coordination with trusted partners, including public health authorities and governments, and continue to use and consult with information from those sources when reviewing content.

TikTok

Perhaps one of the most popular viral video social media platforms in the world, TikTok plays a significant role, particularly among new and first time internet users in India. In a rather limited statement shared by a TikTok spokesperson with News18, the company claims that it will remove deliberate attempts to deceive the public. However, the companys efforts seem largely reliant on user reports, than a wilful, pre-emptive effort from the company to comb the platform and its hashtags, and take down potentially problematic content.

Like other platforms, TikTok has also integrated resources from the WHO, and stated that users who search for the coronavirus hashtag on TikTok will also get access to healthcare directives and WHO-approved resources on their pages. However, as stated before, pretty much all of the companys efforts will depend on its users showing awareness and reporting content that might be misleading.

WhatsApp

According to resources shared by a WhatsApp spokesperson with News18, the worlds most popular chat application has introduced three official automated chatbot-based helplines so far  the Indian governments MyGov Corona Helpdesk, the global WHO Coronavirus Helpline, and UK.GOV, the British governments coronavirus healthcare line. Each of these three services work as an IVR in the written form, and give all of WhatsApp users access to safe and accurate healthcare practices, accurate reporting on latest updates, official figures of coronavirus infections in India, around the world and in UK, and more. In India, WhatsApp is encouraging users to adopt these official channels, instead of relying on forwarded messages circulated in groups, for an accurate understanding. For India, the MyGov helpline is designed to rid the platform of any misinformation, giving users an official channel to receive news articles.

YouTube

A statement given to News18 by a YouTube spokesperson on the matter claims that the platform is raising authoritative content, reducing the spread of harmful misinformation, and showing information panels using WHO data and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, as part of reducing the amount of misleading videos on the worlds largest public video platform. However, the spokesperson also stated that YouTube most likely depends on its users to flag problematic content. As stated to us, YouTube reportedly has clear policies that prohibit videos promoting medically unsubstantiated methods to prevent the coronavirus in place of seeking medical treatment, and we quickly remove videos violating these policies when flagged to us.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2020) - Seabridge Gold (TSX: SEA) (NYSE: SA) announced today that it has filed its Audited Consolidated Financial Statements and its Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2019 on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and are available on the Company's website at www.seabridgegold.net. Seabridge's Form 40-F will be filed with the SEC on EDGAR (www.sec.gov/). The Company's Shareholders may, upon request, receive a hard copy of the Company's complete 2019 audited consolidated financial statements free of charge. To review these documents on the Company's website, please see http://www.seabridgegold.net/sharefinrep.php.

In 2019 Seabridge posted a net loss of $11.6 million ($0.19 per share) compared to a loss of $19.9 million ($0.34 per share) in 2018. During 2019, Seabridge invested $30 million in mineral interests, primarily at KSM, compared to $37 million during 2018. The Company's working capital position at December 31, 2019, was $12.5 million, down from $18 million at December 31, 2018.

Subsequent to year-end, Seabridge issued 382,807 common shares under its At-The-Market offering program ("ATM) at an average price of $17.96 for net proceeds of $6.7 million. As previously reported, in Q4 2019 Seabridge entered into an agreement with two securities dealers for an ATM, entitling the Company, at its discretion, and from time to time, to sell up to US$40 million in value of common shares of the Company. The program came into effect in December 2019 and is effective until the Company's Shelf Registration Statement expires in June 2021.

Seabridge Gold holds a 100% interest in several North American gold resource projects. The Company's principal assets are the KSM and Iskut properties located near Stewart, British Columbia, Canada and the Courageous Lake gold project located in Canada's Northwest Territories. For a breakdown of Seabridge's mineral reserves and resources by project and category please visit the Company's website at http://www.seabridgegold.net/resources.php.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, nor their Regulation Services Providers accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Rudi Fronk"

Chairman and C.E.O.

For further information please contact:

Rudi P. Fronk, Chairman and C.E.O.

Tel: (416) 367-9292  Fax: (416) 367-2711

Email: info@seabridgegold.net

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53891
The seventh confirmed case of coronavirus in Midland County -- a female in her 50s who was tested by Midland Health  is self-quarantining at home, according to an email from a city spokesman.

The source of exposure is travel-related.
The Department of Homeland Security has extended the deadline for Real ID enforcement by 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, postponing an already delayed government requirement for enhanced identification to board domestic flights.

The new deadline is Oct. 1, 2021, one year from the previous date, Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on Thursday.

The federal, state and local response to the spread of the coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline, Mr. Wolf said. Our state and local partners are working tirelessly with the administration to flatten the curve and, therefore, we want to remove any impediments to response and recovery efforts.

The extended deadline will also allow the department to work with Congress to carry out needed changes to expedite the issue of Real IDs, he said.
[March 26, 2020] The Importance of Creating Digital Business Certainty, by Skyler Ditchfield, GeoLinks CEO

The following is an opinion editorial provided by Skyler Ditchfield, GeoLinks CEO: As businesses across the country establish and put in place procedures to ensure business continuity in the face of uncertainties surrounding the spread of coronavirus, limited connectivity looms large over the best-intentioned plans. While your place of business may have its network firing on all cylinders, the likelihood that all of your employees have a similar setup at home is low. Take for instance the fact that on average, business internet speeds tend to be anywhere from two to five times faster than those of residential connections. Add in the probability that most home connections are sharing access with the rest of their neighborhood and have restricted upload speeds. In the unfortunate circumstances we're witnessing today, many of those homes are going to have business professionals conducting high-volume work on a network that is not prepared for it. You can now start to sense the feelings of frustration cropping up in home offices across the nation. The issues presented by the sudden surge in remote work don't stop at intermittent or inconsistent speeds though. Logistical issues such as accessing desk phone lines and voicemail present real-world problems that are difficult to solve without the proper business solutions in place. When customers and clients are conditioned to reaching your employees one way, it can create delays and missed opportunity when those employees don't have access to these preferred methods of communication. With so many businesses choosing to offer remote-optional work, we're also seeing a significant uptick in the amount of video conferencing taking the place of in-person meetings. With the aforementioned circuit overloads, expect many of these video meetings to be interrupted due to sub-enterpris quality bandwidth.



All of this is not to say that solutions do not exist. Fixed wireless internet alone eliminates much of the uncertainty presented by these issues. With a dedicated signal provided to a single location, concerns of reduced speed, network downtime and service interruption are completely dissipated. With a hosted voice solution, employees have the same access to their desk lines of communications that they would have in the office. An SD-WAN solution provides your network with two traffic routes, allowing for optimized and seamless delivery of unlimited data, including video conferencing. Even in the face of the existential threat that our world is facing, business owners cannot afford to halt their operations. It is often in times of great change and upheaval that we learn what is necessary to survive. In the case of protecting the health of your business, it might just be time to put solutions in place that create certainty in uncertain times.

About the Author: Skyler Ditchfield is the CEO of Camarillo, Calif.-based GeoLinks, a leading telecommunications company and competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) public utility, nationally recognized for its innovative Internet and Digital Voice solutions. He is widely considered a national thought leader in closing the digital divide, sitting on a broad array of national boards and coalitions working to bring greater internet connectivity to underserved markets. Learn more at GeoLinks.com. About GeoLinks: Headquartered in Southern California, GeoLinks is a leading telecommunications company and competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) public utility, nationally recognized for its innovative Internet and Digital Voice solutions. Ranked on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America three-years running, GeoLinks delivers Enterprise-Grade Internet, Digital Voice, SD-WAN, Cloud On-ramping, Layer 2 Transport, and both Public and Private Turnkey Network Construction expertly tailored for businesses and Anchor Institutions nationwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005786/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]